Couple of notes:
* This story is anecdotal - it means that this story serves no purpose in my universe's canon except to provide setting, hints, characters, and how they interact with each other.
* The song covered is "Over the Rainbow / What A Wonderful World" by Israel Kamakawiwo Ole'. Wouldn't be much of a stretch for Chiyo to know that song.
* This universe will be OC-centric, but there will be a lot of interaction with various series' characters as we go further along (this will be explained when we get around to the critical parts of the saga).
* For a small challenge, try to find out which people from which series serve as cameos and/or support characters in this story.
* Enjoy reading!
Extra Chapter: Second Smartest Only?
Tachibana Ryujin and his adviser Tamamo Kyosuke were taking the train to Tokyo University.
"Tell me again why we're going to Toudai, Tamamo-sensei," Ryujin said as the train went its course.
"Well, your end-of-school grade point average had qualified you to receive an academic achievement award. Number 1 in all private schools and Number 2 in all schools, Japan-wide," his sensei answered.
Ryujin grimaced. "I don't particularly like standing out."
"You could get addicted to an online game like World of Hades, Prestigious Pursuit or Armageddon Online," Tamamo said, smiling. "That would get your grades down a notch."
"Nah, I don't have enough free time as it is," Ryujin replied.
The rest of the journey was uneventful except for Ryujin's sensei meeting a new friend after she grabbed his hand and planted it on her butt.
***
At the Tokyo University auditorium, Serge and Matsumiya-sensei were waiting.
"You guys are late."
"Sorry, Tamamo-sensei got the runs and took ten minutes in the bathroom," Ryujin replied with the straightest face he could possibly muster.
"Forget that, the ceremony's starting, you're up next after the guy coming on stage!" Matsumiya-sensei said with some concern, not noticing her fellow teacher's slightly reddening face.
They walked quickly to their assigned seats. On the way there, Ryujin noticed his friend carrying a portable camcorder.
"Gonna store precious memories on that?" Ryujin asked.
"Indeed. All that chocolate we sold got me this bad boy." Serge answered.
***
"With a total grade point average of 98.15 – this year's highest grade across all private high schools, our second placer is Moonlight Butterfly's Tachibana Ryujin!" the announcer said to a round of applause.
Ryujin groaned as he stood up and went to the stage to accept his award. But, as he didn't want to disappoint his teachers or his friend Serge, he took it, smiled broadly and went to the reserved seat together with the three students who comprised top 5 to 3.
As the announcer went on about who – academically – the best student in Japan was, Ryujin carefully looked over the other three people. One was a girl with long brown hair glaring at him constantly – Ryujin didn't catch her name, nor was he interested in that or anything else about her for that matter.
Oh, brother… another one of these pre-menstrual syndrome type young women. He looked to the next girl. An aqua-haired girl… Hmm, I would so hit that but I don't have that much free time on my hands. Here's something – a guy with those shiny glasses. Is he some kind of computer hacker? He keeps giving out these vibes. And I'm sure he's checked out Miss PMS and Miss Aqua over there.
His reverie was interrupted when the announcer finally got to the good part: "…with an average of 98.16 (Ryujin chuckled. A hundredth of a point was the difference?), this year's highest grade across all high schools, our first placer is *the announcer was drowned out by the applause here* Mihama Chiyo!"
By now, all the stereotypes for a smart girl were running through Ryujin's mind. But what he saw walking down the aisle completely blew him off his feet.
It was a girl: a little ten-year old girl with short brown pigtails that almost moved on their own.
His eyes were as big as saucers by the time the girl took a seat near him.
"Hi, my name's Chiyo. What's yours?" she said, giving off a very sweet smile that almost sent Ryujin into diabetic shock.
"Ryujin… Tachibana Ryujin," he answered, smiling back. Somehow, this girl radiates so much optimism that all my everyday worries seem to become irrelevant.
"I'm Narusegawa Naru," PMS girl said, also smiling. She almost looks pretty now. Is this her effect on people?
"Kikuchi Yoshito," the glasses-clad haxxor said.
"Mizuno Ami," the girl with the aqua hair said.
And thus, the five of them engaged in rather mundane, everyday conversation: about school life, classmates, teachers (and how Tachibana was fortunate he didn't run into any freaks teaching in the classroom, whence he chuckled), hooking up, and other concerns any ordinary teenager might come across.
While the four of them were talking, Ryujin caught some talking from backstage.
"…you sure they couldn't make it?"
"Yeah. Traffic and such."
"Don't tell me our guy was…"
"That's what you get for hiring a stoner to perform."
"So what will we be doing at intermission?"
Ryujin discreetly stood up from his seat and went backstage.
"I think I can help with that," he said quietly.
"You will? Thanks! But what would you do?"
"I'd play the guitar and sing. Already have a song in mind. Just need a usual acoustic setup, sans the box."
"All right, we'll call you when it's needed."
***
After fifteen minutes of other ceremonies and addresses (including a very boring campaign speech by a local official who we shall not name here), the intermission number was announced.
"Psst, you're up!" the backstage guy called out to Ryujin, who was seated and calmly thinking about the song he'd perform.
Ryujin looked back to the guy, nodded, looked out to his fellow awardees, and called out to them: "Say… does any one of you know the song "It's A Wonderful World?"
***
"Performing now is Tachibana Ryujin with his rendition of…" the emcee suddenly lowered her voice, "…okay, 'Over the Rainbow'. A hand of applause, please!"
There was a round of applause as he took to the stage carrying an acoustic guitar. He stood in front of the stage, bowed courteously to the audience, and then took a seat near where the microphones were already placed.
He started strumming, going for the high notes before beginning to hum at the second verse.
"Somewhere, over the rainbow… way up high…" he started.
While everyone thought he was going to finish, Mihama Chiyo stepped onstage, carrying a microphone.
"And I see trees of green… red roses too… I see them bloom… for me and you…" they sang in unison.
As the song finally ended, Ryujin strummed softer and softer until it sounded like the song was fading.
The audience was still for a few moments, and a standing ovation resounded for both of them.
"Thanks, Chiyo." Ryujin said quietly as they waved to the crowd.
"You're welcome. No problem!" she answered.
***
And on the trip back, Serge was waxing ecstatic about how he'd put the performance he witnessed in their underground CD; Matsumiya-sensei was still dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief, and Tamamo-sensei didn't dispense with those things and just let the manly tears course down his cheeks.
Ryujin just took the seat on the train with a calm smile on his face, this being yet another of the experiences he'd savor for the rest of his life.