Azumanga Daioh: Higher Learning
By: Mylilwashu
Disclaimer: Azumanga Daioh is copyrighted 1999 Kiyohiko Azuma. I do not own Azumanga Daioh nor the original Characters created by Kiyohiko Azuma.
A/N This is my first Fan fiction. I had this story burning in my head for some time. Any comments, complaints, or suggestions are welcomed. "We all learn from are mistakes; Well we try."
Story Update: 3/24/08 I went through chapter 1 through 7 and corrected some grammar errors. I also redid the copyright Disclaimer.
Page Break Revised: 7/23/08 I redid the page breaks in all the chapters.
Chapter 1 "Prodigy" Revised 3/24/08
A light, periodic tapping could be heard in Room #2130. A ruffling of papers and pencils, stroking their marks blended with the sounds of knowledge being spread on the chalkboard. Two rows down to the left sat a teenage girl lost in thought. The letters stood out to her as they danced in her head making out equations and formulas. As second nature she looked beyond the information; pulling the DNA of letters and rearranging their meanings.
"Why can't I formulate this?" A student thought to himself as he scratched his forehead.
Chiyo Mihama, age 15, left Japan a couple of months after her graduation from high school to start her studies in America. She was accepted at John Hopkins University where she pursued her studies in Cell Biology. Going into her second year she adapted to college life, along with American living. A child prodigy, Chiyo maintained a balance of discipline and wonder in her life.
"If functions f and g have domains Df and Dg respectively, then the domain of f / g is given by?" the professor asked the classroom as he turned around from the chalkboard. Emptiness filled the classroom with a occasional cough. A melody tone lifted the room from silence. Chiyo glanced at her cell phone as she was jotting down the equation that the teacher wrote on the board.
( Yo this is a riddle. "Log ( x - 3) 2" Message received 7:31am TOMO ThE GreaT )
Chiyo sighed as she text back, unaware of the professor staring at her.
"Ms. Mihama; care to answer the question?"
"The intersection of Df and Dg without the zeros of the function g," she answered as she finished texting Tomo back. "You are correct." The professor exclaimed. "Only if I had your full attention then you could repeat it louder so everyone can hear." Chiyo shot up from her desk unaware that she was speaking out the answer without acknowledging the professor. "I'm so sorry Professor!" Chiyo fumbled with her phone as it dropped on the floor. A couple of laughs escaped the mouths of the students. "You know I do not allow personal use of cell phones in my class unless there is an emergency. This was not an emergency I believe, was it, Ms. Mihama?"."No sir, Professor" replied Chiyo.
The professor resumed the lecture as he walked back to the board to fill out the next question. Chiyo sighed; she wished Tomo would be motivated now that she is in college. Sure, she was motivated in the last part of high school during the entrance exams to graduate along with Yomi.; but even though they both went to separate colleges she wanted Tomo to achieve her goals. "Coming in at first place Tomo!" Chiyo thought to herself. "Dumb thought. She tends to lose every race she challenges someone to."
A text book hit the floor besides Chiyo.
The professor turned his attention towards the desk besides Chiyo
"What?" Replied the student in a groggily tone
"Mr. Edwards please do not fall asleep in my class. You may fall asleep outside my class, around the campus, or on a surface of your choosing, but not in here."
"I wasn't sleeping Sir." He slowly glanced at the text book. "Gravity caused this book to fall beyond my control. I was just about to get the book but I was 1/10 of a second late." He said as he grinned. "The earth is still at 9 G's professor."
The professor closed his textbook with a hard slam, turning his attention towards the students "Can anyone define the term Knucklehead?"
Chiyo giggled to herself. "'Bonkuras, Tomo and him would make a nice couple." She thought. "Then again..?"
The professor resumed his lecture as the students went back to note taking. Chiyo finished up the last equation that was written on the board.
A watch went off in the class as the professor wrapped up the lesson. Half the students stood up in unison as they gathered their belongings. "Next week we will be going over Chapter 23 Review of Differential Calculus. So be advised to read up on Section 5-39 and 10-1 over the weekend." Chiyo gathered her stuff while checking her cell phone and began stuffing the books in her backpack.
Chiyo began walking down the aisle toward the door. "Please limit the personal calls you receive to zero" The professor said to Chiyo as he gathered his things..
"Professor."
"Chiyo you're one of the best students in my class. Please don't think that I'm pulling you like a needle from a haystack, but lectures are attended to be informative and outside disturbances disrupt the learning process."
"I don't do it on purpose. Its just that I tend to slip at times."
"It's all right, but I noticed that some of the texts you receive are algebraic questions. Are you tutoring someone?"
"How did you know?" Chiyo asked questionably.
"From time to time I walk around observing the students, which shouldn't be a surprise. I've seen you fidgeting with your phone while you doodle algebraic questions with the answers on your notes."
Chiyo looked down, searching for a way to to elaborate her answer.
"Well, I'm helping my friend from my hometown with school work."
"Well that's very good that you're helping out your friend."
"Well..." she paused. "I feel compelled to motivate her but it seems that every time I help her I'm just just doing the opposite."
"Oh.." the professor questioned, ruffling up some test papers.
"Its like saying 'having your Okāsan always tying your shoes for eternity.' My friend is not learning on her own. She always leaves things to do to the very last minute" Chiyo paused, taking a breath. "I know she's smart; she's just not motivated. She's very settled into letting others do her work."
"There's a old saying, Chiyo." said the professor. " Winning is not everything, but the effort to win is."
Chiyo nodded in response
"What I mean is, that your friend tends to lead her life but is unmotivated to push her goals, without other people helping her out. Maybe you should 'cut the string' and let her do the problems herself. That way, she will develop independence from others; which will lead to her being motivated to do it herself." He rubbed his left temple with his hand. "Still there will be resistance from your friend if you decide to cut the cords."
"I just don't want to see my friend fail. I want her to do her best. That's why I do what I can to help her," she said, looking down. "But pushing a baby bird out of the nest will mature the bird," replied the professor. Chiyo paused then said "Letting Tomo fly out of the nest is the best answer, I guess." she answered, looking up at the professor. An image of Tomo flying in the air with her arms spread out, only to smack right dab into a Pole. Chiyo giggled in thought. The professor smiled, "Any choice you make I'm sure will be the best."
"Right." Chiyo said as she smiled at him..
"Well I had better get going. See you next week, Chiyo." he said as he started to gather his belongings.
"Bye Professor." Chiyo answered back as she exited the room
"Auf Wiedersehen," The professor said to her as she waved goodbye to him..
Notes: I enjoyed writing this chapter. I rewrote some parts of the story late night before posting. Lack of sleep does a number to you when your anxious to finish something. I kinda have a open path to what I'm writing. Chapter 2 is in progress.
Revise Notes: Yes, I decided to go over my chapters and correct some sentences, along with improving some parts and details. I wouldn't call this a 'rewrite', but more of cleaning house. I thought it would be a form of cheating, but hey its a fanfic, not a printed novel.
Chapter 1-7 revised 3/24/08
Chapter 8-9 revised 7/23/08
Culture Notes:
Auf Wiedersehen-Goodbye in German
Okāsan-Mother in Japanese
"Winning is not everything, but the effort to win is."-Zig Ziglar