To quote Hermes Conrad: It's been awhile

Part I:

The Darkness

Late April

Chiyo sat at the large table slowly eating her breakfast as her pet dog walked by. She waited for him to start scavenging, looking up at her desperately for food with his puppy dog eyes. However he ignored her, and Chiyo noticed his hackles were raised. He stood by the painted back door that led out into the large garden and started barking viciously at something.

"What is it Mr Tadakichi?" asked Chiyo, stepping down from the chair and running to one of the windows. Standing up on tiptoes she stared out into the garden, but nothing was there. As suddenly as he started, the dog stopped barking.

"Oh you're a silly doggie" said Chiyo.

Yomi adjusted her glasses and pulled out her slightly beaten mobile phone as she walked to school. She held it up to her ear, listening to the constant ringing from the small speaker. Did this girl even know how to answer a phone within thirty rings?

"Hello, yeah I'm awake" said the tinny voice of Tomo Takino. "I'm on my way."

"That's nice to know" said Yomi in an annoyed tone. "I take it you have your part of the project with you?"

… There was silence.

"Huh?" asked Tomo finally.

"Remember our group work that we have to present tomorrow?" said Yomi in a frustrated manner. She held her free hand up against her head. Idiot!

"Come on, Yukari said the presentations would be happening tomorrow and the day after. We just have to make sure we don't get picked tomorrow. See, it'll all work out."

"No it wont!" said Yomi angrily down the phone, startling passersby.

"You need to learn to relax" said Tomo. "You sound stressed."

"I'm stressed because of you!" said Yomi. "I asked you to do something and you didn't do it. Our group has been carrying you!"

"Well better to carry me then you" joked Tomo.

"You do know I will kill you right?" asked Yomi.

"You say that so often it has lost all meaning" said Tomo.

Sakaki and Chiyo stood together, their difference in height clearly illustrated. They stood watching as Tomo and Yomi, their other group members, tentatively approached Yukari's desk. The teacher looked up at the two, Tomo trying to hide behind Yomi. The teacher was silent for a moment. She recognized that look. It was the look of students who wanted to ask for something.

"What do you two want?" she asked. Tomo tried to shrink back further. Asking Yukari for something was worse then drawing blood from a stone- at least the stone wouldn't try and draw blood from them in turn.

"Thanks to someone in our group we need more time" said Yomi. "Would it be possible to stay here afterschool for a while to get some work done?"

"Afterschool?" asked a shocked Tomo. "You never said anything about staying afterschool!"

"Fine" said Yukari.

"Oh well-what?" asked Yomi. "It's fine?"

"This isn't a trick?" asked Tomo. "Some sort of trap?"

"Minamo is staying behind for a bit to work out some plans" said Yukari in a dismissive manner. "I need to get a lift with her, so I'd be staying here anyway. That means I can keep a watch on you and you can stay. Besides Chihiro's group is doing the same thing" she said, pointing to the girl who suddenly noticed the attention and looked scared.

"Oh ok, thank you Miss Yukari" said Yomi.

"Eh, no problem" said Yukari, who hadn't bothered to leave the classroom for lunch. The two girls turned and walked away.

"You never said anything about staying afterschool" said Tomo in a depressed tone. "That means…that means I'll have to leave later!"

"It's your own fault" said Yomi. "Sakaki, Chiyo and I should be the ones complaining."

"So we can finish the project?" asked Chiyo as Yomi and Tomo joined them.

Yomi nodded. "We can stay behind afterschool and finish it off. Chihiro and Kaorin and their group will be here as well."

"That's good" said a clearly relieved Chiyo. The young girl had been worrying ever since being told the class project might not be able to be finished. "That means we can do a good job."

"Yeah with little Chiyo on board we can do well!" said Tomo in a boisterous manner. "The tiny genius could do this all on her own!" she continued, ignoring Chiyo's slight pouting, then worried look.

"You won't do it on your own" said Sakaki quietly.

"Thank you Miss Sakaki!" said Chiyo, the tall girl looking clearly uncomfortable.

"Yomi?" said Tomo in a whiny tone.

"What?"

"Can we stop talking about all this work and get lunch?" asked Tomo.

"Yes" said Yomi evilly. "You can go and get your group what they want."

"Fine" said Tomo. "Just watch how fast I go!"

Yukari yelled out as the girl sprinted away, vanishing from sight for five minutes. She then returned, her arms just about containing numerous cartons of drink and sandwiches. She placed them down on the table.

"Pretty quick huh?" she asked while panting. "The food truck came today, so they have lots of stuff!"

"You crushed my food" said Yomi.

"These things happen!" said Tomo, patting Yomi hard on the back.

"Please calm down Miss Yomi!" said Chiyo desperately.

"Yeah, how can you get so angry on a bright day like this?" asked Tomo.

"With ease when you are around" growled Yomi.

The school day had drawn to a close as Kagura pulled open the classroom door and slipped her small backpack over one shoulder. She was supposed to meet Minamo in the staff room in five minutes time- she wanted to be prompt for her teacher. Perhaps she might let her train more in the swimming pool when summer arrived- if she made a good impression. She found herself looking forward to it once more as she walked along the hallway.

"Oh hullo Kagura" said a middle aged balding man as she walked along the corridor.

"Hi Mr Tanaka" said Kagura. He was the chief janitor of the school.

"Just thought I'd let you know we've completely cleaned out the pool so the various swimming teams have a high quality environment."

"Oh thanks" said Kagura. "What would we do without you?"

"Well you'd probably have to put up with Kimura offering to clean the pools" joked the man. Kagura let out a fake shudder which got a laugh from the man, but she did slightly mean it.

"I'll see you later, I have a meeting with a teacher" said Kagura.

"Oh ok, good luck" he said, and the girl walked away. He stepped towards the main entrance, looking outside. He noticed how it seemed to be getting darker overhead. A bit early for that.

"Hope that isn't rain coming this way" he said to himself.

The girl looked clearly unimpressed, sitting on one of the back row desks. A boy from the third year sat closer to the front, his hair gelled up into spikes. He looked slightly annoyed, but nowhere near the level of the girl behind him. A chubby boy was seated across from him. The spiky haired boy looked up as a teacher- Mr Kimura- entered the room. He paused for a moment, staring at the small group, before closing the door behind him.

"I take it you know why you are here?" asked the man, his attention focused on the girl who had a short skirt.

"Because you suck?" she asked.

"Megumi what's all this about sucking?" asked Kimura. The girl fell silent. "You three are the first to experience our trial detention scheme. Ryo, you were told many times about smoking on school grounds."

The spiky haired boy, Ryo Iwata, looked away from the teacher.

Tomo sat down at the desk. She was fidgeting- the school chime had signalled the end of the day! School was meant to have finished for her! And yet she was still here. She and the others looked up suddenly as it turned dark in the classroom. Yukari grunted and stood up, turning on the lights.

"Stupid weather" she said.

Then the screaming began.

Authors note: This story occurs early in the azumanga daioh timeline, prior to Osaka's arrival, but a short period after Chiyo's appearance.