AN: Time for my first ever Azumanga Daioh story! Well, when you combine watching the entire series of Azumanga Daioh, listening to Yasunori Mitsuda's "To Far Away Times" track from Chrono Trigger, and then listening to Misia's "A Little Bird Who Forgot How To Fly" song (Star Ocean: Till the End of Time theme) you get me…in tears…and then writing this story. So now, READ ON Azumanga Daioh fans!
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"Seasons and time, everything is changing
You look, Orion shines in the horizon."
-A Little Bird Who Forgot How to Fly
by Misia
To Far Away Times
It has been ten years since they all had a proper reunion. To some, ten years would feel like a quick breeze on a cool autumn day. To others, it would feel like drawn out boring class that would never end. The six close friends, Tomo Takino, Koyomi "Yomi" Mizuhara, Kagura, Sakaki, Ayumu "Osaka" Kasuga, and Chiyo Mihama, were now grown up and ready to meet up again in person after so many years.
To be truthful, their presences never really left each other. After graduating from high school and entering college, they were too busy with work from college, which eventually led them to busy jobs. They stopped them from having frequent visits, but it didn't stop them from communicating. They often sent letters equipped with pictures to each other. The letters were especially sent to Chiyo-chan where she resided in America. All of them conversed over emails and quick texts on phones. No matter how busy or far away they were from each other, all these things kept them close together.
Tomo, Yomi, Sakaki, Kagura, and Osaka loitered around the airport ready for Chiyo-chan's plane to arrive. They all knew that Chiyo-chan had grown up from the pictures she sent them, but it was better to confirm it in person. After all, she could have Photoshopped the images to an extent.
Tomo was now the policewoman she had wanted to be, but she has yet to be part of Interpol. She was only a few inches taller now and she had grown out her hair again. Yomi did mention something about that Tomo "was going for the sexy look again". It was a shame was still "Japanese" after all those ten years to grow. (Talking about bust sizes if you haven't realized that.) Out of all the entire police force, Tomo was the most destructive. It was no surprise. Her driving was as bad as Yukari's.
Yomi was a psychologist now. Her glasses were substituted for contacts now making her look even more mature than when she was in high school. She wasn't taller, but her hair was longer. Yomi was still the same old Yomi. Although, her sarcasm and insults directed towards Tomo and other were much more biting and full of wit.
Sakaki was one of the most changed among the group. She was two inches taller and still considered as "cool" by Miss Kaorin. But she was finally a veterinarian, the job of her dreams. With taking care of all kinds of animals (especially cats) she was especially happy. She talked more now since she had to work with people, although it was more with animals than people. Her voice was still quiet, but she was no longer a lone wolf. If it hadn't been for Chiyo-chan, Sakaki wouldn't have had so many close friends then. She really owed it to her.
Kagura was still somewhat the same. Her hair was still short and she was still a fit athlete. She was now one of the PE teachers at the high school the girls graduated from. The other PE teacher was Minamo "Nyamo" Kurosawa. Nyamo had passed off the torch to Kagura as the swim team coach. Kagura didn't just coach the swim team. She also is the coach for all kinds of sports like softball and basketball. Her pent up energy is what keeps the teams going and going like an Energizer battery. Maybe Tomo has grown on her during those two years in high school. The only bad thing about working at the high school is that Mister Kimura and his unhealthy obsession with high school girls is still hanging around the school.
Osaka was among those who remained unchanged in those ten years. Osaka was still slow inattentive, and stuck in her own world. Her morbid humor and "horror" stories remained unchanged as well. Much to Miss Yukari's delight, Osaka did not become a teacher; but instead, she got a job as the high school's librarian. She isn't much help to the students, but whenever Osaka is in her own world, she absentmindedly sorts out the books.
"Look! The plane is landing! The plane is landing!" Tomo cried out. She pressed herself against the windowpane.
"Yeah, yeah, we all can see that." Yomi answered. She grabbed Tomo by the collar and forced her to sit down.
"I wonder how tall Chiyo-chan really is now!" Kagura exclaimed.
"I wonder if she is as tall as Miss Sakaki!" Tomo added.
She and Kagura laughed heartily at the idea. Sakaki blushed as she looked through the crowd of passengers for their dear friend.
Osaka joined in the laughter with the other two "Knuckleheads".
"Uh, Osaka, do you even know what you are laughing at?" Tomo asked.
"Not really!" The inattentive girl said. She began laughing as Kagura and Tomo sweatdropped.
"Actually, I wouldn't be so surprised if Chiyo-chan is close to Miss Sakaki's height." Yomi answered in a matter-of-factly voice.
All heads turned towards her.
"Americans have many ways to grow taller." The psychologist explained.
"Oh…" Tomo jumped up into the air and yelled out, "Well, we will just have to find out those ways!"
"Yeah!" the other two Knuckleheads proclaimed.
Yomi looked at Sakaki and said, "It looks like some things will never change, huh?"
Sakaki nodded.
"Oh! You all are here!" A voice cried out.
All five heads turned to look at an older more mature Chiyo-chan.
"The pictures really were true then!" Kagura exclaimed
"There's an American among us!" Osaka added.
Chiyo-chan was now a doctor. She was approximately 5'2, the same height Kagura was in her third year of high school. Her bust size was like Kagura's now. Her hair was still up in cute pigtails, which still showed her childish naivety despite the fact that she is twenty-three now.
"It is so great to see all of you again!" Chiyo replied. Tears flooded out of her eyes as she hugged all of her friends.
"You amazing, Chiyo-chan!" Yomi said.
"There's an American among us!" Osaka repeated.
The six girls began walking away from the gate together. They were planning on staying at Chiyo's summerhouse. It was just like old times.
"I really wanted for all of us to ride in the Tomomobile, but right now, my partner has it!" Tomo answered.
"The Tomomobile?" Chiyo asked.
"Think of the Yukarimobile, but only as a beat up police car." Yomi replied.
Chiyo's face turned into horror.
"We would have gotten through traffic in no time if I was driving with the sirens on!" Tomo answered.
"We would be dead if you were driving!!" Kagura screamed.
All of these things would never change. Their friendship and their unique quirks is what brought them together anyway.
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The night was filled with laughter. There was a shower of pictures from their high school days such as when Tomo fell at the end of the race during the first Sports Fest and took out the runners behind her. There were pictures from the night Nyamo gave her talk on the birds and the bees, Sakaki and Mayaa, group pictures, pictures from Okinawa, pictures from the Sport and Culture Festivals, and more. Among one of these photos was Yukari's notorious lunge for Nyamo during the baton race of the girls' final Sports Fest.
"I can't believe Miss Yukari actually did that to Nyamo!" Tomo replied as she looked at the photo.
"You actually shouldn't be calling Miss Yukari that anymore." Kagura answered. "She actually got married recently!"
"You're kidding!"
"Actually, Miss Kurosawa also got married a few years ago through an arranged marriage, too." Osaka pointed out.
"Wow! I can't believe that they both finally got hitched!" Yomi answered.
"Yeah, me too." Sakaki added.
"I always thought that they were both spinsters in the making." Tomo said.
"Do any of you have any boyfriends?" Osaka asked innocently.
All sweatdropped.
"Maybe it is us that are the spinsters in the making." Yomi replied.
"Well…I think it is time for a toast!" Chiyo-chan answered holding up her champagne glass. (After all, they are legal for alcohol now.)
"What should we toast to?" Sakaki asked.
"To single life!" Tomo proclaimed as she held up her glass.
"To our jobs!" Yomi answered.
"To each other." Sakaki said.
"To our friendship!" Kagura added.
"To precious memories!" Osaka responsed in a dreamy voice.
"To far away times because those are the ones that have brought us together." Chiyo-chan said lastly.