Azumanga Daioh: Blood for Blood
by Jason Winter
Prologue: Letters from Friends
The doorknob to a small apartment rattled and shook, the person working on the object muttering in frustration from the other side of the door for several moments, until the shaking stopped momentarily, and the door swung open, the figure of a girl entering the living room while placing her shoes into the small rack just on the side of the doorframe.
"Geh, I did it again," she sighed "Trying to unlock the door with my car keys... Well, they do look a lot alike, but that's no excuse... Am I ever going to change? High School was over three years ago, and I'm still acting like I'm still there. Get your act together, girl. Get, your, act, together."
Quickly, she dumped her keys on the coffee table, her long, and slightly wet vinyl jacket falling onto the small couch right next to it. She'd forgotten when it had started to rain, but she knew it had been since just before she began to drive home. At least it seemed to just rain while she was in the confines of her car, although being a rattletrap '87 Honda (it was the only thing she could afford considering the rest of her expenses at the time she'd bought it), it really protected her from the elements and cut through bad weather like a knife through tofu.
Wringing out and then shaking her hair, she quickly dove into her small bathroom to grab a towel and wrap it around her head.
"That's much better," she said, her brown eyes scanning the room a few times before she sat on the couch, pulling her slightly damp mail from her jacket pocket. First was a bill that wasn't even for her, she'd have to send that back through the mail and to its rightful owner. The second was yet another offer for a credit card, she tossed that immediately, she couldn't trust herself with another credit card again. And oh irony of ironies, the third piece of mail was another bill from the credit card company she owed in the first place.
Sighing, she set that one aside, she didn't feel like reading it for the time being, and then looked at the last two pieces of mail, which were both pleasant surprises - one from the United States, and another from Tokyo. Both of which just happened to be from old friends from high school. She laughed at the mailing addresses, her friends were still calling her by her old high school nickname because hey had all but forgotten her real one, which permeated the junk mail and the bill...
Ayumu Ishida, nee Kasuga, "Osaka" to her friends.
Speaking of Mr. Ishida, she wondered how that deadbeat bastard was doing with that blonde bimbo from England these days... they'd only been married for two months before he had run away with that other woman. Why had she been stupid enough to marry the first guy she met in college? Oh yeah, that's right, she thought it would be easier to pay bills if there was someone to split the effort with. And he was slickly charming, there was that, too. She was still paying for the remaining wedding expenses.
"Damn it," Ayumu sighed "Get some letters from your friends and you immediately get your mind on him and sour the entire mood. Let's see if reading them will get my mind off it."
First, she tore open the envelope from the States and pulled out the letter written on lovely stationery marked with shiny leaf designs. Though her English was bad, she was able to read the small note of "from the desk of Mihama Chiyo-san" that marked the paper. Sometimes Ayumu wished she could afford personalized stationery like this. But, enough with the lamenting, she needed a good boost to her mood.
Dear Osaka-san,
This is my first time writing to you after I had heard about the divorce from Ishida-san... "-san" only for politeness' sake, of course. I apologize for not getting to you sooner, but my third year of college in the States has been insanely hectic, especially this semester. But, that just means I'm getting closer to graduating early! Though, my Physics teacher for this year creeps me out... Reminds me of Kimura-sensei regarding his attitude. Then again, he is pretty entertaining when he's not bothering me. I'm thinking of reporting him to the school board if this keeps up.
But, I'm sure you'd rather hear more good news, rather than something like that, so, here's what's happening: I'm thinking of returning to Japan after the end of this semester to spend some needed quality time with my parents, which will also mean I can visit you guys!
Ayumu grinned sheepishly at that part of the letter, after letting out a groan at her talking about the Physics teacher, and began to read on.
Well, in Tokyo, at least. I know your financial situation is still pretty tough, so I don't know if you'd be able to come along for this reunion, but I will try to stop by Osaka to see you when I do this. Of course, my offer to help you pay for all of that stuff's still open, but I know you probably still want to be modest and fix those problems yourself. if you've changed your mind, write to me and say so, okay?
Oh yeah, I sprouted again since you last saw me, I'm finally just a scant few centimeters taller than Tomo-san! I can't wait to see the look on her face when she realizes she can't call me short anymore. I know that sounds a little petty, but it's all in good fun, and she'll probably agree. I don't think I'll ever get as tall as Sakaki-san, though. And I still have no boobs despite the spurt! Haha, wow, I can't believe I just wrote that.
Anyway, that's about it from me, Osaka-san. Write back to me soon and let me know anything about your availability for the meetup and anything else in your life, okay?
Sincerely, and best wishes,
Chiyo-chan
That bit of news brought a smile to her face, and she nearly busted a gut about the boobs comment. She regarded the offer to help neutrally, she was getting a lot closer to paying everything off and she really didn't want to mooch money off one of her best friends, but she did appreciate the offer from the bottom of her heart. She'd have to think a little bit more before deciding whether to take the offer or politely decline.
As for the meetup in Tokyo, it shouldn't be too hard for her to save up a little money to go and see the rest of her old friends, although if Chiyo-chan did plan on visiting her in Osaka, she wouldn't have to do that. More thinking to do. Not her strongest point, but there was a big difference between being a little airy and being downright stupid.
In either case, she had gotten that emotional boost she had wanted. Now, to read the other one - Funnily enough, it just happened to be from Tomo, of all people. This letter was written, or rather, scrawled onto loose leaf notebook paper that looked like it had been ripped straight from the book itself.
Yo, Osaka!
How's things up there in Osaka-land? Are things good? I hope so, after that bastard Ishida ran off on you. Hopefully you're on your way to forgetting about...
The next part was smudged slightly, it looked like someone had knocked Tomo's writing off-course. Upon reading the next line, she snickered.
Argh! Yomi just smacked me upside the head and made me lose my writing spot., saying something about using a little more tact. I know Ishida's a sore issue, but if you don't talk about it, it'll just get bottled up until you blow up inside and make a mess. ...I should move onto something else, she's looking like she's about to hit me again. Oh, or...
The writing changed to a style that was a little more neat after that, which could mean only one thing: Yomi had taken over the writing.
What Tomo's trying to say is we hope you're feeling better after having to deal with what that scumbag pulled. As always, I still wonder how the hell she talked us into being roommates, attending the same college was crazy enough! So, anyway, did you get a letter from Chiyo yet? If you have, then you know about the plans for a meetup this winter. If not, well, surprise! We hope you can come see us, everyone else is going to try and be here. If you can't come, well, maybe we can try and go over there and see you. I guess I'd better let Tomo do the rest of the writing now.
Phew, can't believe how much of a writing hog she is! I'd continue, but she'll probably hit me again if I write what I'm thinking right now. Aaanyways, she put it as good as I could try to - We hope to see you this winter, either way things go for you.
Write back soon,
Tomo and Yomi
Those two hadn't changed one bit. Ayumu was glad about that. Reading these letters did make her feel a lot better. After downing some dinner, she pulled out a pen and prepared to write responses to her friends, only to be interrupted with a knock at her door.
"J-just a minute!" she called, putting the pen and paper down on the coffee table and rushed over to the door, only to find there was no one there. "Hmm, guess whoever it was, was just looking around or something.
Stepping outside for just a minute to see how much it had rained, Ayumu didn't think for a moment to look behind herself to see the taller, masculine figure sneak up from behind and yank a rope around her neck until it was tightly around it, her struggling and gasping for air. She struggled and scratched, but to no avail as she had the life choked out of her until she fell limp in the strangler's arms.
It would be a few hours before one of the neighbors spotted her lifeless body in the mud by her front steps, and called the authorities. And the next day, an article appeared in the city newspaper...
Osaka Strangler Strikes Again
The mysterious "Osaka Strangler" has claimed another victim as of yesterday - 21-year-old Ayumu Ishida, an Osaka native. Ms. Ishida was found dead in front of her home, and as with the rest of the killings, strangled to death, although a full autopsy is still being conducted to see if it's related to the other stranglings. More will be written after the autopsy and evidence gathering are completed.
For Ayumu, there would be no reunion with her high school friends... But her death would not go unpunished, and she would not be un-avenged. The Osaka Strangler would learn just how strong the bonds of friendship could be.
To Be Continued...
Author's Notes
In the wee hours of the morning of June 24, 2008, a story concept flew into my mind involving Azumanga Daioh. At first, it was going to be about Osaka and her life after the series ended, but other ideas came into my head... sinister ideas. And those ideas mixed into the others and led to this. A murder mystery/revenge tale involving the Azumanga Daioh cast.
And before you bring up anything about "zomg, u haet osaka!!11one", this is anything but. She's easily one of my favorite characters, and I wish I didn't have to kill her, but my thought train put her in this situation, so we'll all have to deal.
If you've decided to stay with me, Osaka WILL be avenged by the end of this story. Like all good (or average to eh, in my case) stories, the ride from the beginning to the end is always the best part. And with a story like this, it will be quite the ride.
Let's just hope that I can update somewhat consistently, considering my track record when it comes to writing long (-ish), multi-chaptered stories. I probably have (a couple of) people wondering when the hell I'll put up the next chapter of my other current long story project, Sonic the Hedgehog: GENESIS. But this is about AMD: Blood for Blood, not that, so I'll shut up right there.
Until next chapter, people!