Azumanga Daioh Is Not Mine It Belongs To Kiyohiko Azuma
New Azumanga Christmas Tales
By Anime Rebirth
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AR: The Holidays are a time for comfort and joy, but for Sakaki, fate will make sure of that.
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(Sakaki's Tale)
"Christmas Cakes." Sakaki said softly as she stood behind a table in front of a building with boxes of Christmas cakes all laid out. "Please buy one."
Sakaki needed to money to buy her parents a good present. She had the money, but she couldn't resist this giant cat plush she saw at the toy store, by the time she realized she had made a mistake, she found out she couldn't return it. And so now there she was on a cold evening trying to quickly replace the money.
"Christmas Cakes." Sakaki said as she shivered. But it seemed that no one was interested in buying any.
A small girl walked up. Sakaki noticed there was so familiar about the way she looked "Boy lady, you sure are never gonna sell anything being all quiet like that." she said.
"No?" Sakaki asked.
"No way." The girl responded. "You have to show you mean business like this….." she then took a deep breath.
"HEY YOU NEED TO BUY SOME CHRISTMAS CAKES, YOUR HOLIDAYS WOULDN'T BE COMPLETE WITHOUT ONE!!!!!!" she yelled.
A man stopped in front of the table. "Wow, you sure know how to grab someone's attention." he said.
"Well it's the holiday's and I'm just full of spirit." the girl said as she closed her eyes and smiled.
"Well then I'll be happy to buy one." He responded as he took out his wallet, which caused the girl's eyes to grow wide.
Sakaki gave a small smile as she handed a cake to the man. "Thank you, Happy Christmas."
"And a happy new year." The girl added.
And so for the next few hours Sakaki and the young girl sold almost all the Christmas Cakes.
"Well, there you go it looks like you had a successful day." The girl said.
"Thank you." Sakaki said. "I wouldn't have made it without your help." She looked at the last remaining cake. "Here you can have this."
"Wow thanks Miss." the girl said as she quickly grabbed it.
"My name is Sakaki." Sakaki told her.
"Call me…. Metsuda." the little girl answered.
"Metsuda?" Sakaki thought as she continued to stare at her. "Her resemblance to……." She then shook her head. "Just a coincidence." she thought as she cleared her head of her appearance. "I just wish I could give you more."
"Don't worry, deep down….you have." And with that Metsuda was on her way.
"She looks like such a kind girl." Sakaki thought as she went to open the box where she kept the money for the cakes. But when she opened it. "It's……. gone." Her eyes grew wide as she thought of what Metsuda had just said…..
"… deep down…..you have."
Sakaki was about to go look for her when the first man who bought the first cake rushed up…
"HEY YOU!!!!!" he yelled in an angry tone.
Sakaki just stared at him in a confused tone.
"MY WALLET IS MISSING, YOU STOLE IT!!!!" he screamed.
"But I didn't do any of the sorts." Sakaki explained, as she remembered the look Metsuda gave when he took out his wallet. "But I have a pretty good idea who did."
"Well you'd better find it, or I'm calling the cops on you." The man warned.
"Mmmm." Sakaki said as she gave a quick nod and quickly ran off.
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As she looked all around for that girl her beliefs started to have second guesses. …
If a young child resorts to thievery, what is the world coming too…..
The more she thought the more doubts she had about the true meaning of the holiday spirit…..
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Sakaki had all but given up hope in finding Metsuda when she heard a nose come from an alley.
As she got closer she could hear several voices. It sound like children talking.
It was then when she saw them, several little girls huddled around eating…. A CHRISTMAS CAKE!!!!!
The girls froze when they saw the girl.
"Where did you get that cake?" She asked.
"Pl…please don't be angry." A small girl with short black hair said.
"Yes, we found it here." A small girl with long brown hair said.
"We think an angel left it." Yet another small girl with two little hair braids said.
Sakaki couldn't help but stare at them for a few seconds, each of them looked familiar.
"Are you going to take us to jail?" The brown haired girl asked.
Sakaki just shook her head. "No one is going to jail, but I'm afraid that the person who left the cake here is the one who is in trouble, she has stolen something from me as well as from someone else."
"So Metsuda is still going down the path of shame." A voice said from the shadows.
Sakaki was surprised as she saw yet another little girl come out from the shadows. She had black spiky hair and was wearing a hair band to hold it in place.
"Mirror images that's what they are." Sakaki said in a surprised tone.
"Allow me to introduce myself, I am called Moduka or so I am told." The girl whose name was now known said. "And this is Chihira, Waka, and Raquel."
Sakaki got a serious look on her face. "And where's Metsuda?"
Moduka got a disappointed look on her face. "I am afraid that she is probably somewhere continuing towards her path of thievery." She then turned to look at the other minis. "I know that she means well, but ever since she met that dreadful person, she decided that a life of taking from others seemed excited. I have tried to reason with her but to no avail."
"Well I must find her, she has taken some very important money and a wallet. And she did break the law so even though it pains me, she must be turned in." Sakaki explained.
"NO, DON'T TAKE METSUDA TO JAIL!!!!" Waka screamed as she stood in front of Sakaki with clenched fists and an angry look on her face.
"You must forgive her, Waka has always admired Metsuda." Moduka explained. "But I wish you would reconsider, I am still sure that deep down within her, there is still some hope."
Sakaki just stared at Moduka. Even thought she was just a small girl, she looked wise beyond her years, even though it wasn't really that many years to begin with.
"Who is this person that's a bad influence on her." Sakaki asked.
"He just goes by one name……"
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"Mr. Benedict?" Metsuda asked as she entered a run down building.
"Ah my young thief." The man known as Benedict said as he gave a small but evil grin. "What have you got for me now."
Metsuda took out several wallets and a few handbags. "I did good , right?"
"You did real good." Benedict said as she patted her on her head. "He took out the money out of all of them and gave Metsuda some of it.
"Thank you Mr. Benedict." Metsuda said as she stuffed the money in her pocket.
"Now child, how about you go out and look for some more things to bring to me." Benedict told her.
"Yes sir." Metsuda said as she left.
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Metsuda was standing on a corner looking for her next target, then she saw it, a woman carrying a huge purse. As she was about to go towards her, she felt someone grab her. "HEY LET ME GO!!!!"
"You've taken something that does not belong to you." Sakaki said.
Metsuda's eyes got a nervous look. "Y…you'd better let go of me if you know what's good for you." she warned.
Sakaki just sighed. "Why do you want to steal things from other people?" she asked.
"You don't know what life is like out here on the streets, out here it's everyone for themselves." Metsuda replied.
"I don't think that has to be true, you obviously not a bad girl." Sakaki said as she smiled.
"And how would you know?" Metsuda asked as she narrowed her eyes.
"Well for starters, you left that cake to your friends." Sakaki responded.
"Well…. I took a piece and threw it away, they must have just found it." Metsuda replied as she looked away.
"Funny how you threw it away where they were." Sakaki said as she crossed her arms.
"Why do you care, nobody has before?" Metsuda asked.
"Because maybe you've never given anyone a chance." Sakaki started. "I was starting to lose hope, until I saw those girls with the cake, if you can show kindness, then there may be hope for the holidays yet."
Metsuda just stared at her for a second. "But Mr. Benedict says that you have to lookout for only yourself, that they'll walk all over you if you have the chance."
Sakaki just stared at her. "Not everyone, I'll help you if you want."
"But Mr. Benedict…. " Metsuda started.
"Is using you for your dirty work." Sakaki finished. "Let me help you, please." And with that Sakaki put her hand out.
Metsuda just stared on it, but before she even thought about it, something struck Sakaki, knocking her out. "MISS SAKAKI!!!!!"
Benedict was standing there holding a trash can lid. "Metsuda, you disappoint me, I've told you not to fall for anyone's tricks." he said.
"But…she said…." Metsuda started.
"Well it seems that we can let her go, she's go tell the police and you don't want to go to jail do you." Benedict asked.
Metsuda just stared at Sakaki, she remembered that smile she gave her, it felt so warm.
"Don't be such an infant, I don't care for anyone who shows weakness, you're on your own from now on." Benedict said as he picked Sakaki up and left.
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Moduka was kneeling on top of crate, she appeared to be meditating.
"Why do you think she's always doing stuff like that?" Chihira asked.
"I don't know, but she looks so cool when she does it." Raquel said as she blushed.
It was then that Metsuda rushed up.
"HE'S GONNA HURT MISS SAKAKI!!!!!" she screamed.
"No, she looks like a nice person." Waka said in a worried tone.
"We gotta help her." Metsuda pleaded.
"But you said you would never care for anyone." Chihira said.
"Yeah, why should we believe you." Raquel added.
"Because that smile…those eyes, she actually was worried for me, she tried to help me, and when Benedict took her, I did nothing." Metsuda explained. "I was wrong, Benedict doesn't care for me, and now Sakaki……"
Moduka opened her eyes and jumped off the crate. "It appears that you have finally realized the error of your ways, just as I had hoped."
"So what are we gonna do Moduka?" Chihira asked.
"We are going to save Sakaki." Moduka replied.
"Are we gonna go in charging?" Waka asked.
"Do not be foolish, we are just children." Moduka replied. "But Metsuda, you must do something that will require some courage." Her eyes narrowed. "Are you prepared?"
"For Miss Sakaki, anything." Metsuda replied.
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Sakaki woke up and found herself tied up. "All I wanted was to make some money to buy a gift for my parents." she thought as Benedict walked up.
"Well how to get rid of you." He said with an evil grin.
"How can you live with yourself the way you used Metsuda?" Sakaki demanded.
"Hah, you think she's the only one, I've got tones of kids working for me, and to be honest I could care less what happens to them." He replied. "But it seems that…." Throws out some old ice skates. "You're going to have a little accident, it seems that you're going to go through the ice."
"What makes you think I'm going to put them on." Sakaki told him.
"If you don't, then let's say that Metsuda will be the one having the accident." Benedict replied.
Sakaki just stared at him. "You know, Metsuda good go and tell someone about you."
"Please, I've known her for a while, she's more scared of me than anything." Benedict replied.
"FREEZE!!!!!" A policeman yelled as she rushed in along with two more officers.
"WHAT?!!!!!" Benedict replied in a surprised tone.
"THAT'S HIM OFFICER, HE'S THE ONE!!!!" Metsuda said as she pointed at Benedict.
"Metsuda?" Sakaki asked in a relieved tone.
"I'm sorry Miss Sakaki, you were right, I don't want to live this life anymore." Metsuda said with tears in her eyes as she ran up to Sakaki and hugged her.
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After a while, children services came to take the girls to a shelter.
"Are you sure you don't want to press any charges?" the officer asked Sakaki and the man who's wallet was now returned.
"Yeah, I'm sure." The man replied as he saw Metsuda.
"Thank you." Sakaki said as she bowed.
"Well it has been a busy night so far, first those robberies by those two bozos who were caught by a little girl, and now this lowlife." The officer said. "I hope the entire day doesn't go like this." He then smiled. "Have a Merry Christmas."
Except for Moduka, the girls seemed nervous.
"Don't worry, they will take you to a place where you will be well looked after." Sakaki said.
"I thank you Miss Sakaki, you indeed have a kind heart." Moduka said as she then stared at Metsuda. "You have indeed bought a Christmas Miracle."
"Yes thank you…for everything." Metsuda said as she once again hugged Sakaki.
As the van from Children Services took them away, Sakaki just smiled.
"Comfort and joy…." She thought.
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And so another tale comes to an end, but there is still more on the way, so stay tuned….
So until then, take care……AR
'TILL NEXT TIME!!!!!!!!
