Disclaimer: Stop torturing me by making me type this! I don't own Lucky Star or any already-existing anime/manga/games mentioned within the story! Mou...

IV: Enter! The Emissaries From Hell!

"You know what, I don't think Raito-sempai is as bad as I thought he was," Patricia said as she put a morsel of food into her mouth, the American looking quite thoughtful. If you are currently wondering where in the story this is occurring, this part would be around the time when (in the last chapter) Kaoru hit the desk with his head up in 3-B. But let's get back to the story now. As Patricia chewed and swallowed that morsel, her friends gave her surprised looks. Yutaka was the first to speak. "But you were the one who said--"

"Yeah, but now that I've met him at work and all, he actually doesn't seem the type," Patricia said with a dismissive wave of her chopsticks. "Even though we're getting more girls at the cafe--the sempai girls have become regulars, too, did you know?--I haven't seen Raito-sempai try to flirt with any of them. He's always the same, always acting in character. Then again, the only time he did flirt was when he was cosplaying as Suno**** when the manager decided to have us cosplay as characters from Clannad for that week." She took another bite, still looking thoughtful. "You were right," she said suddenly, looking at Minami, "we shouldn't have assumed Raito-sempai is bad."

Minami just nodded slightly in reply, even though it would have been perfectly fine for her to say "I told you so" in one way or another. But, with Minami being Minami, the closest thing to an "I told you so" from her would probably have been that nod. Yutaka seemed to be a little uncertain, nevertheless, so Patricia said, "Tell you what, why don't you guys come down to the cafe with the sempai and meet him yourselves? My work days are always the same as Konata-sempai's, which mean they're also the same as Raito-sempai's, so he'll definitely be there."

Minami just silently nodded again, apparently thinking that it was a good idea. After a second's moment of thought Yutaka agreed to it, too. As for Hiyori, she was ready to agree without another second's thought. This was mostly because she was still looking for ideas, whether for a yuri plotline for her doujin, hetero, or even both. Maybe, if she was lucky, she could find some yaoi to work off of, though considering the fact that Raito-sempai (excuse me, Kaoru) hung out with the sempai girls that last option was hugely unlikely. Which was a shame, since she hadn't had a good yaoi idea in a very long time. Or rather, every time she did get one it would disappear before she had the chance to get it down on paper.

"Then it's settled!" Patricia cried happily, positively beaming. She'd been wondering how to get her friends to meet Kaoru as well, so that they could all finally lose their distrust of the boy. Like Minami had said, it was best not to judge someone before getting to know them, and being Kaoru's co-worker allowed her to learn some things about him. For instance, he was anything but prejudiced against Americans as he had shown when she introduced herself to him; his response had been sincerely polite, with an honest "It's a pleasure to meet you." Whoever his parents were, they did a good job teaching the otaku proper manners. "Trust me, Raito-sempai isn't so bad."

"Did you say 'Raito'?" At the sound of a new voice the girls turned to see another girl staring at Patricia as if she had just said a dirty word. The girl was a classmate of theirs named Amamiya Sayaka, a student who had been nicknamed "The Demoness" for good reasons. It was definitely not because of her short navy blue hair, pulled back into twin pigtails, nor for her eyes, which were a shade of brown so dark they were nearly black. Nope, it was because of the fact that anyone who pissed her off usually ended up in the nurse's office. Many suspected that it was because no one ever wanted to get her mad that she had been elected as class rep; so far she's had no trouble at all with the class. Usually, though, she wasn't too bad, except it was sometimes hard to know what would light Sayaka's fuse. As it were, the girls realized they were in a bad situation if Sayaka was glaring at them (or more specifically, Patricia). "Let me rephrase that. By Raito, you wouldn't happen to mean Raito Kaoru, would you?"

The fact that she knew the sempai's full name surprised the girls. The fact that she spoke his name like it was poison was also surprising. And they knew the longer it took for them to answer her, the more annoyed Sayaka would get. Granted, she hadn't beaten up any girls but those ones who had pissed her off before always somehow had mysterious "accidents" that led to them ending up in the nurse's office anyways. And even though there was no proof, everyone knew Sayaka was the culprit. (Not that anyone dared accuse her to her face; it was rumored even some of the teachers feared her)

"Um... y-yeah," Hiyori said in a soft, nervous tone, wishing that she was just a bit more athletic. If she was, maybe she'd be able to outrun Sayaka if she decided to give chase. Maybe. No one had escaped Sayaka yet (except maybe some of the upperclassmen in the track club; incidentally, Sayaka was also doing track) and it usually ended worse for the ones she chased than the ones who didn't run. The Demoness gave Hiyori a You-Better-Not-Be-Lying look and switched her gaze to poor little Yutaka, who quickly nodded in support of what Hiyori said. The same went for Patricia and Minami when Sayaka looked at them, though Minami wore an emotionless expression as always. She was always the one who never seemed to fear Sayaka in the slightest. Probably because there was nothing she could or would do to make the girl mad.

But just as suddenly as her rage seemed to have appeared, it vanished. Sayaka's lips slowly formed into a smile, not a violent one, but a nice one, and the girls relaxed. She leaned closer, a strange gleam in her eyes. "You won't mind if I join you, will you? It would be very good to see Ru-kun again. I didn't even know he had moved back to Kasukabe..." Before the girls could say anything to protest (not that they really wanted to) Sayaka had already walked off back to her desk, an odd grin on her face.

"'Ru-kun'?" Patricia echoed, not quite believing her ears. To confirm whether the others had heard what she had, she asked, "Did Amamiya-san just say what I think she did?" Everyone just nodded, a little surprised by this new knowledge. To think, they've had a source of information regarding Kaoru this whole time in their own class! Then again, considering how Sayaka had said Kaoru's name, they probably would have gotten some biased information. Naturally, though, the way she said it also made them wonder what the silver-haired otaku could have done to have angered the class rep. The most confusing part was that she used his nickname; did that mean they were still friends?

"Maybe she had been his girlfriend and he had dumped her?" Yutaka suggested, listing what seemed to be the most likely possibility. "Amamiya-san seems like the kind of person who hates being rejected."

"She did say once that she despises anyone who isn't willing to stick with one person their entire life," Hiyori agreed, reminding them of the time when Sayaka had sent a boy to the nurse's office with a broken arm. Apparently he had dumped his girlfriend so that he could ask her out, which infuriated Sayaka. Naturally, the Demoness did what she usually did to those who incurred her wrath, but that had been a particularly brutal beating. She'd been suspended for a time because of her actions; not that Sayaka regretted it at all. Unfortunately this also meant that any possible chances she had with the boys dropped dramatically, as none were certain whether they were completely ready to put up with whatever hardships life threw at them with the "Demoness" by their side.

"Which junior high school is Amamiya-san from?" Patricia asked, looking at the other three. Of course she wouldn't know, as this was her first year in a Japanese school. Hopefully Yutaka, Minami, or Hiyori would.

Yutaka shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I don't know."

"Neither do I," Hiyori said, and automatically their heads turned to look at Minami, quietly finishing her lunch. Without a word she looked up at them and shook her head slowly before returning to her bento. None of them knew what to make of this reply; did it mean she didn't know either, or that she wasn't willing to tell? Either way, it still meant they had only a few ideas as to how Sayaka knew Kaoru. It looked as if they'd have to wait until after school, when they reached the cafe.

Patricia was the first to leave when the final bell chimed, as she had to get to work as quickly as possible. But she did reassure them that she would introduce them to Kaoru. Soon after she had left, Sayaka approached the girls and smiled; not in the way a predator might look at her prey, but one that wished to convey the message that she wouldn't hurt them. This did little to reassure Yutaka and Hiyori, who were more than a little nervous as the group left the school, but Minami just remained as expressionless as usual, not at all scared of the Demoness. While waiting at the gates for the sempai girls (whom they knew would pass through that way) Sayaka brought out her cell phone and quickly dialed a number. "Hey, it's me... yeah... I'm gonna be a little late, hanging out with some girls from school... no, no... could you record... baka, just this once! Please!... Fine, I'll do it, but only if you... thank you! Stupid Aniki," she muttered after hanging up. Noticing the looks Yutaka and Hiyori were giving her (while Minami was left on lookout for the sempai) she just grinned a little and waved a hand dismissively. "I was just calling my brother to ask him to record my TV drama for me tonight. It's my favorite series, The Three That Were Slashed."

"That's a jidaigeki, isn't it? I didn't know you were into period dramas," Yutaka said with some surprise. When everyone looked at her with surprise on their own faces (there was even a little bit showing in Minami's eyes), Sayaka just continued to grin. She was obviously very amused by their surprise, and it showed in her answer. "Well of course you wouldn't know, Kobayakawa-san. Considering the fact I've never hung out with you girls before, none of ya would've found out much about me. And don't think I don't know about my nickname!"

Still looking quite amused, Sayaka continued, "It's no wonder no one in the class argues with me; they're too terrified of their 'Demoness' class president to try anything foolish! Guess that's why people are saying we've got the best-behaved class, eh? But I'm not that bad... I just don't like people who lack certain morals."

"Morals? That's why you get mad?"

"Of course, Tamura-san. I wouldn't get violent for no reason! For example, you girls hear about the boys I beat up the other day?"

"Weren't you nearly suspended for that one?" Yutaka asked, and Sayaka nodded. The girl was smiling slightly as she said, "The only reason I didn't was because they confessed to their wrongdoings. I caught them sneaking a smoke on the roof; naturally, I 'convinced' them to stop that bad habit. Mind you, they were wannabe yakuza so I had to knock some sense into their thick skulls didn't I? Besides, smoking is unhealthy. A human's lifespan is short enough as is without factoring in possible accidents; why make it even shorter?"

"Well, in many anime and other TV shows and movies there's a 'cool' character who smokes. Maybe that sort of thing is giving them that impression," Hiyori said, shrugging a little. "Nowadays, though, usually it's the bad guys who are shown smoking. Like yakuza characters or the big bosses of an evil organization. And not as many high school characters are shown smoking, either."

"Yet we've still got idiots that keep on trying," Sayaka muttered, an unhappy expression making its way onto her face. "I hate things like cigarettes and alcohol."

Yutaka gave the class rep a concerned look. "But don't many people?"

"Maybe. For me, though, it's personal. And I won't rest until I do all I can to right the wrongs of this world," she said determinedly, raising a hand and forming a fist. She was clenching it so tightly her hand began to tremble. When she felt a hand placed upon her shoulder, Sayaka turned her head to see Minami, who shook her head slowly and said, "The world won't change that easily. There are many obstacles in that path, and the journey will be difficult."

"Iwasaki-san... yeah, I guess. Still, I made a promise, and I intend to keep it." Sayaka gave a firm nod, and Minami silently removed her hand, while Yutaka and Hiyori watched with interest. If truth be told, no one in their class really knew much about the Demoness' personal life apart from that she had an older brother, and what the girls had just learned. As they were wondering who Sayaka might have made such a promise to, Sayaka raised a hand and asked, "Are those the sempai girls?"

Approaching the gates were, indeed, Miyuki, Kagami, and Tsukasa, heading to the cosplay cafe as usual, now that they had semi-willingly become regulars. They paused upon seeing the four first-years standing by the gate, all of whom were staring back. There was a small moment of silence before Tsukasa suddenly gasped, looking straight at Sayaka. The first-year class rep looked confused, and finally recognition dawned on her. "Ah! Tsukasa-sempai, I didn't expect to see you again! You aren't being bullied, are you?"

"N-No, after what you did those guys have pretty much left me alone," Tsukasa answered, getting over her initial shock with a smile. Kagami shot her twin an inquisitive look, to which the girl replied, "Sayaka-san helped me out a few days ago. A few boys were bothering me when she came and made them stop. It was actually pretty violent..."

"Not beyond what I'm used to," Sayaka laughed, and a bead of sweat rolled down Kagami's forehead anime-style. "So, yeah, I'm Amamiya Sayaka, and you?"

"I'm Tsukasa's sister, Hiiragi Kagami. It's nice to meet you." Sayaka's glance switched between Kagami and Tsukasa for several moments, eyes wide. Kagami wondered why this was, and her question answered when Sayaka suddenly exclaimed, "Whoa! Twins! This is a first; I've never met twins before... that explains the resemblance, but you aren't as clumsy as Tsukasa-sempai, are you?"

"No; just because we're twins doesn't mean we're exactly alike. Not to mention we're fraternal twins," Kagami informed the girl, and briefly wondered if there would be another discussion about twins. It seemed every time someone questioned them about what sort of twins they were or asked if they were, that talk would come. Not as often as the (in)famous "Cornet Debate" but it did happen occasionally nevertheless. "And even then, identical twins are usually alike only in appearance. And before you ask," she added, noting a look in Sayaka's eyes that she had seen countless times, "no, we aren't telepathic."

"How'd you know--maybe you really are telepathic," Sayaka muttered, shooting Kagami a glare. She quickly put her hands together, chanting, "Empty the mind of all thoughts. Empty the mind. Empty the mind. Empty the--"

"I told you, we can't read each other's minds or anyone else's! Geez," Kagami groaned, slightly caught off guard by the underclassman's odd behavior. Sayaka gave Kagami one long suspicious stare for a moment before relaxing. Yutaka sweatdropped at how she was acting, not quite sure what to make of it. "Are you superstitious Amamiya-san?"

"A little, yeah," Sayaka admitted, before turning her attention to Miyuki. "And you?"

"Takara Miyuki," the meganekko replied with a smile, holding out a hand. A little taken aback, Sayaka took the hand and they shook. But as she studied Miyuki, her eyes fell on one region in particular, and her eyes narrowed into a glare. Miyuki paused, a surprised expression on her face. "Ummm... Amamiya-san?"

"Takara-sempai... dammit, why are the glasses-girls the busty ones?!" Sayaka fumed, annoyance written all over her face. "While girls like me and Minami-san are about as flat as a washing board!" Upon hearing this comment, Minami turned and patted her chest, gloomily remembering just how un-endowed she was. As flat as a washing board...

"And I can already tell you're one of those eternally polite ones! A 'goddess of kindness'! Mou... no wonder she's so popular with the guys! While me... they won't even look at me except in fear!" Sayaka continued ranting, annoyed. Then suddenly she sighed in a rather depressed fashion. "Lucky..."

"I-It's alright, I'm sure you'll find someone who likes you the way you are," Tsukasa said to the girl, wondering if that was the problem. Apparently the "Demoness" wasn't really as scary as some people thought. She also appeared to be a tsundere-type like Kagami... except just a bit more aggressive. "And we can be your friends and help you find someone like that. Neh?"

After a short sniffle, Sayaka stood straight up and grinned. "Right! Thanks, Tsukasa-sempai! Now... where are we going?"

"Oh! That's right! Can we go with you to the cafe? Patty-chan said she'd introduce us to Raito-sempai," Hiyori said, finally getting a chance to speak up. "We've been wondering what he's like, after seeing him hang out with all of you..."

"Of course," Miyuki said, her cheeks red from embarrassment from Sayaka's earlier comments. She might not have realized it, but now Konata wouldn't be the only one targeting her because of her... well, when Sayaka and Konata meet they might team up. Poor Miyuki. "We can show you where the cafe is."

"As long as nothing bad happens," Kagami muttered, glancing at Sayaka. The girl was odd, but then again she probably had her reasons. Besides, apparently she had helped her sister, so she couldn't be all that bad despite the rumors. Sayaka the Demoness, huh... she's not that scary. Still... I can't believe how short a fuse she's got...

"Let's go," Tsukasa said with a smile, and the girls headed off to the station. What the younger girls were wondering was how Sayaka knew Kaoru, but then they'd probably find out when they arrived at the cosplay cafe.

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

"Is it just me, or were there more of them this time?!" As they made their way through the building to the entrance to the cafe, Kagami was complaining about the many otaku who roamed Akihabara's streets. Sayaka had to admit that the tsunderekko's annoyance was well-justified. She could not have believed that otaku would have such good swarming capabilities. It was a good thing they had all managed to escape before any more otaku mistook Tsukasa for a Kamigishi Akari cosplayer. Not that she even knew who Kamigishi Akari was... but apparently it happened every time they visited Akihabara. "T-That was dangerous," Yutaka commented, worn out. It had been tiring escaping that ota-horde. Even Hiyori was exhausted, judging by how hard she was breathing. Currently Minami was carrying Yutaka on her back, but seeing as Yutaka was smaller and lighter than Hiyori (not to mention that Minami was incapable of carrying two people at once) Hiyori had to walk. Unlike their underclassmen, Tsukasa, Kagami, and Miyuki weren't quite as tired as they were used to it, but even they were a bit worn out. After all, there had been more otaku than usual this time.

"Remind me to disguise Tsukasa-sempai next time we come here," Sayaka grumbled, stopping in front of a door. "Is this it?"

"Yeah, that's the one," Kagami replied, opening the door. As soon as they were seated at a table big enough to seat them all, their waiter arrived to take their orders. Their waiter had a smiling face, his eyes seeming to be either closed or partially closed, and when he spoke he was pretty polite. The only problem with this Koizumi Itsuki cosplayer was that his hair was not the right color. He had silver hair.

"I suggest the house special," said "Koizumi" to the girls, a (plastic, Minami noticed) smile on his face, notepad and pencil in his hands. He spoke politely and formally, but to those who knew him there was no mistaking his "true self" beneath the disguise. That "self" which was currently trying not to burst into laughter or begin teasing someone without a second thought. "It is very good, but then," his eyes (or what they could see of them) gleamed, "it may be because that is how she wants it to be." They all stared for a moment as they wondered what he meant (except Hiyori, who had watched Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu before) when he suddenly went out of character and burst into laughter. "You girls should see the looks on your faces! Ahahahaha!"

"That's not funny, Kaoru-kun! We don't watch anime as much as you and Konata do!" Kagami complained, and Kaoru was able to soon get himself back in control. Hiyori didn't comment that she, having watched the anime, knew what he meant, but it was surprising to know that he had slipped into Koizumi's character so well. Kaoru cleared his throat, getting himself back into character as he became "Koizumi" again. Looking at the underclassmen girls, he smiled and said, "It is a pleasure to see new faces now and again. Would you all be so kind as to introduce yourselves?"

"Ah, sorry," Yutaka replied, taken aback by his politeness. "I'm Kobayakawa Yutaka, and this is my best friend, Iwasaki Minami-chan!" Minami just nodded in greeting, to which "Koizumi" returned with a smile. "And this is Tamura Hiyori-chan." Bowing in greeting, he then turned to the final member of the group. Sayaka stared silently before a wicked grin came onto her face, a sharp gleam in her eyes. "The name's Amamiya Sayaka, and I already know you well, Ru-kun. It's been awhile; you've changed quite a bit."

"Eh?" Kaoru fell out of character as surprise and shock showed in his expression. "S-Sa-chan?! Wow, so it is you! You're right, it has been awhile." The other girls looked surprised that they knew each other well enough to use nicknames, but the interesting conversation which might've happened was cut off when "Haruhi" aka Konata made an appearance. "Oi, don't slack off!"

"S-Sorry... Konata, you mind taking their orders for me?" Kaoru said, a bit distracted. "Um... I have to talk with my dear old cousin about something. In private. Come on, Sa-chan." As the two left for a moment, Konata just stared, falling out of character as what Kaoru just said registered in her mind. "Did he say... his cousin?"

"Amamiya-san is Raito-sempai's cousin?!" Hiyori exclaimed in surprise, her glasses falling crooked.

"He has a cousin?" Kagami said, surprised. "Why didn't he tell us?"

"Maybe he didn't know she went to the same school?" Tsukasa suggested, and they all stared in the direction the two had gone. After a moment Minami stood up, and Yutaka asked her, "What are you doing, Minami-chan?"

"Checking on them," she replied simply, walking off. She wandered into an area customers usually didn't go to, listening for the sounds of Kaoru and Sayaka's voices. It didn't take her long before she came to a door where she could hear them, and as she was about to knock, Minami paused upon hearing a bit of their conversation.

"... do this for me? Please? I can't be there all the time. I have a job now."

"Still, that is very irresponsible! What if--"

"Nothing would happen and nothing will! I just want you to do this because I want to make sure, is all!"

"Look, if you had come to Papa and me for help, we would've gladly given it!"

"But you guys were the first ones he asked, right?"

"..."

"Thought so. The old man is lookin' for me; I just have to wait until he gives up and goes to another town to search."

"And of all places, you came here?! Idiot!"

"Ow! Don't hit me; besides, she wanted to come back here, too! It's been what, a little more than ten years?"

"He'd still suspect you'd be here."

"And he won't find me. I've taken all sorts of precautions."

"Not enough of them. Besides, what would you have done if she gives you away? She still remembers you, right?"

"... I wish. It's been ten years, remember? And I've changed from back then. Both of us."

"Ru-kun... does it hurt, being forgotten?"

"Not anymore; she still seems to subconsciously remember me, at least. Her memories are still there; I just look different enough that she won't consciously remember me."

"You won't tell her?"

"Nope; it's better that way. And you better not say anything either!"

"I won't. Geez..."

"And how's your brother? Still up to his usual antics?"

"Yup."

"Haha... anyways, we'd better go back. Everyone's probably wondering where we are." The door opened and Kaoru and Sayaka stepped out of the room and head back to the table. Minami had already gone when she heard them about to open the door, and by the time they arrived she had already sat back down. Raito-sempai... there is a mystery surrounding him, but I shouldn't pry into his business. There is a reason why they wanted to speak in private; I won't say anything about what I heard unless they speak of it. Minami was really a kind person, keeping a secret something she did not know. Kaoru resumed his post as their waiter, "Haruhi" scolded "Koizumi" for a bit before going back to her customers and the rest of the time was pretty much uneventful (besides the usual "Hare Hare Yukai" show, which "Koizumi" now participated in with "Haruhi", "Yuki", and "Mikuru" aka Patricia).

-+-+-+-+-+-+-

"That was fun," Yutaka said as they walked to the station, Akihabara brightly lighting the night. There was an obvious reason why it was the "Electric Town." Having just left the cafe, they were ready to go back home. Minami nodded in agreement, and Hiyori said, "It was." They glanced at Sayaka, who seemed to be in deep thought ever since they left the cafe. Kagami sighed, feeling a little tired. Miyuki looked fine, while Tsukasa was smiling. Unfortunately, there seemed to have been one small detail everyone had forgotten. Despite how late it was, otaku still roamed the streets of Akiba, and that meant...

"Not again!" Kagami complained as they pushed through the crowd, trying to keep Tsukasa in the center as "To Heart" fans tried to reach the girl. It really wasn't her fault she looked like Akari so much, but it was probably a good thing she wasn't wearing Konata's birthday gift to her. Sayaka growled in annoyance, glaring at all the otaku. "Dammit! Out! Of! The! Way!"

It seemed like forever until the crowd dispersed, and Yutaka sighed in relief. Turning, she said, "We're safe now, Sem--! Ah!" Alerted by her gasp, everyone turned to see that... Tsukasa had gone missing. Right now, you might be wondering how that happened. It's simple really; as they were forcing their way through the crowd, Tsukasa tripped and fell, and as everyone else's attention was on the crowd of otaku (who also didn't notice Tsukasa fall) they passed right by her. The otaku had only dispersed because they realized that the "Akari cosplayer" was no longer there. Tsukasa, currently, had gotten back up and was trying to find the others. "Nee-chan? Yuki-chan? Anyone?" She couldn't see her friends anywhere, and it worried her.

Wandering around, she paused when she spotted a flash of bright green hair disappear down an alleyway. "Iwasaki-san!" Tsukasa ran to catch up, but what she found in the alley was definitely not Minami or any of her friends. Certainly one of the boys standing before her had a similar hair style and color as Minami, but he was a guy. He and the other five boys with him were uncomfortably familiar to Tsukasa. "Y-You're..."

"Hey... you're that girl," the leader said, the one with the green hair. "Yeah, the one who tattled and got us beaten up by that damn Demoness! Ohhh, we've been hoping to see you again." Grinning, he and the other boys approached her, and Tsukasa quickly backed away until she bumped into a boy behind her. "An' lookee here; the Demoness ain't here, either."

"Uh... c-can't we just talk this out?" Tsukasa said in a small, scared voice. She had never been good at self-defense, something that was made very clear now. I-I'm always like this... I'm always depending on everyone else to help me...

"Time to have fun," The leader said, taking a step forward. Then, without warning... the boy standing behind Tsukasa dropped to the ground, unconscious. "Eh?" The other boys looked past Tsukasa to see what had happened, and out of curiosity she looked, too. And there he was. Another boy, but he gave off a different sense than the bullies. His skin was tanned, showing he spent much time outdoors, he had hair that was as red as blood which stuck out in all directions, and bangs which fell over his glaring blue eyes. One thought came to her mind about him, His eyes are the same color as the sky...

"What d'ya think yer doin'?" he growled, walking forward. Standing between Tsukasa and the bullies, he was frowning. "Picking on a helpless lil' girl, where's the honor in that? If a bruisin's what ya got in mind, how 'bout you dance with me instead?" He took a step forward, and it seemed about then that one of the bullies found his voice. "I-It's him! 'Devil King' Kuro! He's never lost a fight!"

"I've heard of him, that he took out one of the Hell's Five, right? One of the five most powerful fighters in Kasukabe?" The next one spoke with a tremble in his voice, and hearing his fear made Tsukasa a bit nervous too. The leader merely grunted, grinning like a madman. "So what? There's five of us an' only one o' him. We can take him!"

Kuro just stared, unimpressed. "So you need five of you to take on one of me? Wow, that is so brave. Can I get an autograph?"

"Stop mocking us!" As one, the group charged. And as one, they fell. Tsukasa, being inexperienced in the art of streetfighting, had no idea what had just happened. But for the rest of us, the details can be explained.

As they charged, Kuro merely kicked out with his right leg and struck one guy on the chin, taking out the leader first. Not for any particular reason; the guy had just been within easy reach. Next he swiftly side-stepped another's clumsy punch, delivering a nasty left hook and taking out the second one (giving him a black eye as a souvenir). The third was dispatched with a spinning right back fist (and left with a broken nose), and the fourth brought down with a roundhouse kick to his gut. The final guy lost when Kuro decided it would be fun to follow up his roundhouse with a side kick... to his groin. Naturally, being a guy, it hurt like hell. He lay on the ground, groaning in pain and glaring at Kuro. "Y... You m-monster! W-What the... hell... are you?"

"Yer worst nightmare," he replied, turning his back on his defeated foes. It hadn't taken much effort to take them out; hell, he probably had no need to even bother using his hands. But he felt it was necessary to take them out as quickly as he could. The one with the black eye was able to get back up, and leapt at him, shouting some sort of battle cry. Kuro sighed, leaned to the right as the punch flew past his head, and knocked the wind out of him with an elbow strike. "Idiot. If ya wanna sneak up on someone, don't scream like that. You'll bother the neighbors."

Tsukasa stared at her rescuer, and as he approached her some instinct kicked in and she took a step back. Despite the fact that he had helped her out, he was still scary. He had taken out five--no, six, counting the one who had stood behind her--without breaking a sweat. She flinched when he raised a hand, but when nothing else happened she looked up into those bright blue eyes of his. They no longer contained a cold, glaring look; instead, his expression seemed... bored. As if sensing her fear, he slowly, as if reassuringly, placed his hand on her shoulder, leaning in for a better look. "You all right? They didn't do anythin' did they?"

"N-No... you came just in time," she said, a small smile forming. "Devil King" Kuro? That name sounds like Sayaka "The Demoness." Tsukasa took a step back and bowed. "Thank you for saving me!"

He replied with a grunt, then said, "I didn't do it to save you. I just hate people who use their strength to bully others. That, and I've been needing an excuse to warm up."

"Still... thank you!"

He regarded her with a bored look, then sighed. "Well, I might as well..."

"Huh?"

"Listen, I'll stick with you until we get to the station, 'kay? I know that uniform; you go to Ryōō Gakuen High School, too, don't ya? I'll escort you to the station, an' after that we'll go our separate ways."

"Okay!" Tsukasa immediately agreed, realizing she would be safer with him guarding her. As they walked to the station, Tsukasa wondered how worried her friends were. They're probably wondering where I am! Oh... I'm such a burden. She didn't notice that, as she walked with Kuro, all the otaku avoided even looking in her direction for fear of attracting the attention of the fierce-looking boy with her. They, believing that he was her boyfriend or something, were worried he might kick their asses. He looked like he would. But if one asked Tsukasa, she would say he probably wouldn't. After all, he seemed to her like Sayaka did; a scary reputation, but a heart made of gold. Kuro might disagree, but as he glanced at the girl, deep in thought, he inwardly sighed.

... Remind me why I offered to escort her?

Meanwhile at the station, Kagami and the others were waiting for any sign of Tsukasa, realizing that it would take forever trying to search the city. The best chance they had of finding her was waiting at the station; though considering Tsukasa didn't have the best sense of direction, it could take awhile. When they spotted Kaoru, Konata, and Patricia walking towards them (the three's shift had ended), they quickly went up to them and explained the situation. Naturally, this got them worried, too. Yes, the oh-so laughably carefree Kaoru and Konata were worried; this was Tsukasa, after all, who wouldn't be worried about her? Lost in a big city, made worse considering she looked like an anime character and there were otaku on the prowl. Patricia was all for calling the cops and getting them to help, but for some reason Kaoru was a little hesitant about that.

"Why not? It'll be easier to find her if we call them!" Patricia argued, but Kaoru still shook his head. None of the girls could understand why he didn't want to have any kind of contact with the police (except maybe Sayaka, and Minami had a suspicion), and he wasn't explaining either. With her impatience becoming greater and greater, and as worried for her sister as she was, Kagami was becoming frustrated with Kaoru. It showed on her face as she marched up to him, glaring at him directly in the eye. "Look, Kaoru-kun, we need to call them! I don't know why you don't want to! My sister is lost out there; I'm worried about her! But you wouldn't know how I feel since you don't have a sister, do you?!"

For brief moment it looked as if he were about to reply to that, but Kaoru then closed his mouth and looked away. His fists clenched tightly at his sides, the otaku looked as if he were annoyed about something. Then he took a deep breath, relaxing himself as he calmly said, "I know you're worried, and I understand that. But... but I..." Turning his back on her, he took a few steps then stopped. "I'm sorry. Go ahead and call them; I just have something I need to do. See you... see you tomorrow." Without another word he left, and it was Kagami's turn to clench her fists at her sides. Why... I'm so stupid, I shouldn't have yelled at him like that. But... this is all so frustrating! Tsukasa is missing, I don't know if I can trust Kaoru-kun even though I want to, and everything is just... why did I take my frustration out on him like that?!

Konata broke the tense silence by turning to Yutaka, frowning slightly, and asking, "Yu-chan, do you have your cell phone on you? I left mine at home." Nodding, just as her little cousin was about to dial "119" a loud and familiar voice called out to them. Hearing this voice made everyone look up in surprise, and most of their expressions turned to relief when they say Tsukasa running towards them, an apologetic smile on her face. The girls rushed to her, including Sayaka, but her eyes narrowed when she saw who Tsukasa was with. No one else took notice of him as they crowded around the girl, expressing their relief at finding her unharmed and well. Kagami had something important to say to her twin, though. "Tsukasa, don't you ever do that again! We were so worried about you; if anything had happened, I... you don't want to make us sad, do you?"

"I'm sorry, Nee-chan," Tsukasa said, getting all teary-eyed as she realized just how worried everyone had been. Wiping her eyes quickly, she gestured to the boy who was with her. " I got lost, and some boys were going to bully me, but Kuro-san saved me!" The girls (besides Sayaka, who had been glaring at him this whole time) looked up at the crimson-haired boy, who said nothing. It was then Tsukasa noticed that there was someone missing. "Eh? Where's Kaoru-kun?"

"Thanks for helping my sister," said Kagami, smiling at the boy. Kuro just said nothing, and turned away to leave. Her smile turning into a frown as she watched him walk away, she commented, "That was rude. Are you sure he saved you, Tsukasa?"

"Yeah! At first I thought he was scary, but he's not that bad! He kind of reminded me of Sayaka-san," she said, putting a finger to her chin thoughtfully.

"Like Amamiya-san? Really?" Patricia asked, and Tsukasa nodded. But a derisive snort from Sayaka attracted their attention, and it was then they saw that she was glaring in the direction that Kuro had left. Obviously the boy was not someone that she liked. Giving her class rep an inquisitive look, Patricia asked her, "What?"

"You haven't heard of him? That's 'Devil King' Kuro, one of the strongest, most violent delinquents at our school. If he helped you out, I bet it's only because he was itching for a brawl," Sayaka said with contempt, scowling. "Oh how I wish I could get him suspended or something! He definitely gets into fights a lot, but otherwise his record is clean! No absences, top grades, he doesn't smoke or do drugs, he doesn't hang out with a gang... it's annoying! Onigiri Kuro is an extremely violent person, yet for some reason none of the teachers dislike him at all!"

You're one to talk about being violent? Hiyori wondered, but she didn't dare say that out loud. Despite how true it was, Sayaka would probably deny it. But there was one thing she could say out loud. "He doesn't sound much like a delinquent, though, if he hasn't missed a day of school and his grades are good."

"But he still gets into lots of fights," Sayaka muttered, fingers twitching as if they were itching to wrap around someone's throat. Probably Kuro's, although Hiyori fervently hoped it wasn't her own because of her comment. It was probably around then that the meganekko remembered something she had heard once, about there being a huge brawl between Sayaka "The Demoness" and "Devil King" Kuro. But then again, it probably hadn't really happened. From what she knew of her class rep and the so-called delinquent, a fight involving both of them would have been quite noticeable... and probably would cost a lot in property damage. "And he sometimes threatens people, too. They've all said it was for no good reason."

"Did they tell you the reason?" Miyuki asked, and Sayaka shook her head in reply. Looking thoughtful, she said, "We should still be thankful to him that he was able to prevent Tsukasa from being hurt and that he escorted her to the station. Lets not judge him too quickly."

"Um..." Tsukasa raised a hand as if in class, and everyone's attention was on her. "Where's Kaoru-kun?"

"He left awhile ago; said he had somethin' to do," Konata replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Although I bet he was just upset 'cuz Kagamin yelled at him. Said he didn't understand her because he doesn't have a sister." At this reminder Kagami's face flushed, as it hadn't exactly been the high point of her friendship with him. On top of feeling guilty because she was suspicious of him, she had that guilt she had to resolve, too. But Tsukasa tilted her head to one side, thinking as she said, "But he didn't really say whether he has a sister or not, did he?"

"Now that you mention it, he didn't, did he?" Miyuki answered thoughtfully, wondering about that. "He never specifically stated whether or not he has a sibling. We assumed that he's an only child, but if I remember correctly, every time we have asked whether he has a brother or sister he always evades the question."

"Hey, shouldn't we be heading home?" Sayaka interrupted, jerking a thumb in the direction of the trains. "It's getting late, and we do have school tomorrow."

"Ah, that's true! I almost forgot about the test!" Tsukasa fretted, and Kagami sighed.

"I hope you're ready to do some last-minute studying, Tsukasa."

"Don't worry, it shouldn't be too bad."

"But Onee-chan, you're in the same class aren't you?"

"Heheh, Yu-chan, if there's anything to be said it's that nothing will come of worrying too much!"

"Yeah, well, you don't worry enough, Konata!"

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

"Don't fall asleep during class," Kagami warned her twin on their way to school the next morning as Tsukasa yawned, blinking sleepily. They had spent most of the previous night studying, or rather Kagami kept trying to keep Tsukasa awake to make sure she studied. Hopefully the results from the day's test would be positive, though considering Tsukasa's record it might not turn out so well. The clumsy girl just nodded in reply, looking as if she were ready to fall asleep while walking. Kagami herself felt tired, but not as much as her sister. As they walked, Kagami wondered how she would apologize to Kaoru for yelling at him last night. I hope he's not mad at me for it. I'd hate for our friendship to be ruined because I yelled at him... but why didn't he want to contact the police anyways? It's like he's hiding something... but he's been pretty honest so far, I guess. She still needed to find out whether he felt his friendship with the girls was genuine, and that he didn't plan on toying with their feelings. He didn't seem like the type, but you never know.

As usual, as they were walking they met up with Kaoru and... "Wait, where's Konata?" Kagami asked, noticing the absence of the short otaku. Kaoru shrugged as he pushed his bike along, grinning like he always did. "She's probably caught a cold or something, which surprises me. I never thought she was the kind of person who could catch a cold."

"What do you mean?" Tsukasa asked, although Kagami felt that she already knew what his answer would be to that. She knew what her answer would be. "Idiots can't catch colds," she muttered under her breath.

"Idiots can't catch colds!" Kaoru laughed, unknowingly echoing what Kagami said. Then a thoughtful look came into his eyes as he said, "But I guess she's not an idiot. Konata is pretty smart, but too lazy to apply it to her school life. That's what I think. She does know a lot about anime and manga though! Not to mention games; she's pretty good at videogames that require strategy."

"How did she catch a cold, anyways? It's not like it was raining last night," Kagami said, frowning, "unless she slept under the kotatsu, but that doesn't seem too likely."

"You never know, Konata does strike me as the kind who might just sleep under it because it looks comfy," Kaoru laughed. "Besides, it is definitely getting colder each day if you haven't noticed. Winter is here, can't you feel it?" At this he cleared his throat, saying in a poetic voice, "DESCENDING SEAWARD/FAR-OFF MOUNTAIN WATERFALL.../WINTER NIGHTS ARE STILL. That would be a haiku by Kyokusui, by the way." (In Japanese, the haiku would probably fit standard haiku format)

"But why does someone catch a cold from sleeping under the kotatsu?" Tsukasa asked, a curious expression on her face. "It's so warm under there; don't you need to be cold to catch a cold?"

"Not really, but that is partially right. You can also catch a cold by overheating; that's why you can catch a cold from sleeping under there," Kaoru answered with a grin. "You overheat during the night, and wake up with a sore nose and a runny throat."

"That was a bad joke, Kaoru-kun," Kagami scolded, putting a hand to her forehead. "It's a runny nose and a sore throat. And anyways, knowing Konata she went to bed late, too. If you don't get enough sleep, you can get a cold. I think it's because your immune system is weaker with less sleep or something."

"I guess that's true enough," Kaoru agreed. "If your immune system isn't up to the task, then you will more than likely catch a cold or get some other sickness. Too bad there's really no way to become immune to the common cold! There are so many kinds of viruses that cause colds, not to mention the fact that they've got a tendency for continuous mutation. The best thing to do is make sure you get your daily dosages of Vitamin C and Vitamin D! And get enough sleep," he added when Tsukasa yawned. "As long as you get more than seven hours' worth of it, you're good to go!"

"If only it were so easy to avoid other sicknesses," Kagami said, and Kaoru nodded in agreement.

"True, true. Not all are the same, after all."

"But can't you avoid some of the worse ones by eating healthy and having good healthy habits?" Tsukasa asked, definitely not wanting to get sick. She hoped that the more she learned on how to avoid getting sick, the less likely she would. And that was probably true.

"Well... usually. Unless you get bit by a little bugger carrying a disease," Kaoru said. "Luckily, though, those guys don't like to show their faces during winter. Too cold. And besides, here in Japan the bugs don't usually carry a disease, unless one snuck over via an international cruise ship or something. And no matter how healthy you try to be, some diseases are hereditary and the child can get it from the parent. But I doubt either of you are likely to have a hereditary disease; I might be, though."

"Really?! What disease?" Tsukasa asked, concerned. Kagami had a look of concern, too, but had a nagging suspicion that he wasn't being serious at all despite the somber expression on his face. He closed his eyes with a sorrowful air, and then suddenly burst out into laughter, grinning broadly. Quite the opposite from what one would expect from someone who has a disease that originated from their genetic code. "Bad luck!" he answered with more laughter, and Kagami glared at the otaku.

"Don't do that! We thought you were serious," Kagami scolded, grabbing his ear and tugging on it. This seemed to have the desired effect of stopping his laughing and getting him to pay attention. "Being sick shouldn't be so much of a laughing matter!"

"Ow ow ow, okay, I'm sorry!" Raising a hand in apology, Kaoru gave the tsunderekko a pleading stare. "Can you let go now, please? That kinda hurts, you know!" She complied, and as he rubbed his sore ear, he said, "Note to self: Keep ears out of Kagami-chan's reach." He said this with a small grin, and as the school came into view he hopped onto his bike. "See you! I gotta put my bike away, y'know?" Speeding off, he narrowly avoided crashing into some students before pedaling through the school gates. Kagami sighed, and she and Tsukasa continued walking at their usual pace until they reached the school. After exchanging their outside shoes for school-use shoes, they met up with Kaoru at the stairs and began the long climb up to the third floor. This was probably one of the downsides to being in their final year of high school; the trek left something to be desired. By the time they reached the third-year floor, Kaoru's grin had shrunk a little, Kagami was frowning a little, and Tsukasa needed to take a quick rest. One would think they'd be used to it by now.

"Why couldn't the classrooms be closer to ground level?" Kaoru groaned as they walked to the classrooms. "I mean, come on. Each day we have to make the trek up these stairs. It gets a little tiring. Wonder why Kuroi-sensei always looks so happy... maybe the teachers don't have to climb the stairs?"

"I think they do; Kuroi-sensei probably just hides her tiredness," Kagami said, the door to 3-B coming closer with each step they took. Taking a deep breath, Kagami knew what she had to do. Now or never; this might be my only chance. Before they entered the classroom, she placed a hand on Kaoru's shoulder, making him pause and turn to look at her with a questioning expression. Tsukasa, when she realized they had stopped, looked at them with a puzzled look, wondering what was going on. "Um.. Kaoru-kun, can I talk with you for a bit?"

"Sure," he agreed, and looked at Tsukasa. "Go on ahead; we'll catch up." Tsukasa nodded, entering the classroom after a second glance at them. Turning his attention back to Kagami, with that usual grin on his face he said, "So, what's up?"

"Well..." Now here was the harder part. Kagami took another deep breath, calming down her anxiety. "It's just... I..."

"A love confession?" Kaoru teased, and this interruption caused Kagami's face to turn bright red as her brain registered his words.

"N-No! It's not that! I just want to apologize!" Kagami shouted, and unbeknownst to them she was loud enough that everyone on the third-years' floor heard her. Still blushing, she continued, "I'm sorry for yelling at you last night. I was--"

"Upset, I know," Kaoru interrupted, still grinning. If anything, it had grown slightly. "I told you, I understand. And I'm not mad at you for yelling at me; why should something like that come between friends? And anyways, anyone would be upset if their sibling was lost in a big city like Akiba. So no worries, neh?"

Hearing that relieved Kagami of some of her guilt, and she sighed in relief. That was one problem down. There was still one hurdle left to leap, and it seemed terribly high. How am I supposed to ask how he feels about us? Luckily, she had no need to ask anything as Kaoru wasn't done talking yet. He continued, "What kind of friend would I be if I got upset over such a little thing when it's perfectly reasonable for you to have yelled at me because of my stubbornness? I probably deserved that... anyways, friends stick together, y'know? Through thick and thin, no matter what. It's bonds which make people stronger, happier; not money, not power, it's the bonds they share with others. And the stronger, the better." For a moment it seemed as if he were reciting a long-standing argument he'd had with someone, as a faraway look came into his eyes. Kaoru soon came back to Earth as he said, "I'm glad I made friends with you, Kagami-chan. And Miyuki-san, Tsukasa-chan, Minoru-san, Konata, and Patty-san and the other underclassmen, too. As a popular anime character once said, 'those who abandon their friends are worse than scum.' I don't plan on losing any of my friends; there are so many fun times yet to be had, and I want to share them all with everyone." He paused and laughed, grinning like an idiot. "Guess I was a little long-winded, huh? I just had to get it off my chest; there are people who would disagree, and I've had arguments with someone like that. Anyways... let's head in, eh?" He held out a hand, and with a small smile Kagami took it as they went into the classroom.

I guess there really isn't any reason to be suspicious, is there? I think... no, I know he was being truthful. He was putting his heart into his words. Even though it doesn't completely explain why he became such a good friend with us so quickly, it's fine. He's definitely not a charmer; he doesn't have the capability to woo any woman he meets! Kaoru-kun would more likely annoy them than attract them; but... we're friends, so the way he acts doesn't bother me so much. "Bonds"... that's a good way to put it. I hope my bonds with others stays strong; after all, friends are important to me, too. Even Konata... as annoying as she is sometimes.

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

"Achoo!" Sniffling from the cold, the short otaku's ahoge twitched as she recovered from that sneeze, idly wondering if someone was talking about her. But that didn't matter as much as her game. Which, unfortunately, was taking a turn for the worse as her sneeze had broken her concentration. Konata took on a shocked expression as the dreaded "GAME OVER" faded into view, and she groaned. But it didn't keep the girl down for long. "Heh, that's fine. They just got lucky! This time, I won't sneeze! And I'll be victorious!" Konata resumed her game, taking full advantage of the fact that she was sick and didn't have to go to school. After all, school interfered with precious gaming time!

Author's Notes: Wh00t! I finally finished it! Please don't lynch me for taking so long; I still gotta finish this story! When it's done, then you can lynch me. Or run me out of town with torches and pitchforks. Quite frankly I hope you do the latter. Anyways, giving Konata a cold was more like a last-minute idea than anything else. It would take away one factor that constantly interrupts Kagami; and Kaoru tends to say things without thinking sometimes, I noticed. Geez, can't he be a little nicer? Well... Kuro and Sayaka are fun characters, and things'll get interesting with them around. Kuro will join the main group, I'm hoping, for one main reason which I shall not say. Sayaka... Kaoru's cousin, yes, I did plan for him to have a younger cousin. She's a toughie... what was I thinking, putting her and Kuro both into this story? There might be a bloodbath if they clash again... -Caramelldansen dances- Stay tuned!

Notes/References:

"CLANNAD": My absolute FAVORITE anime! It and its sequel are so touching... I cried several times! And I usually don't! What a lovely anime... such a touching story! WATCH IT!!!!!

yuri/yaoi: I probably have no need to explain this, but for those who don't know... yuri (or shoujo ai) is girl-girl love while yaoi (or shonen ai) is boy-boy love. I don't mind yaoi, but I don't like yuri so much... which is funny, considering I'm writing a fanfic for Lucky Star (and trying to keep this ficcy from going yuri)

class rep: You should all already know by now. In Japan, in school each class has a class representative (alternatively known as class president). Usually nominated by themselves, a fellow student... or even a teacher.

"The Demoness"/"Devil King": I've noticed that tough characters in anime often have nicknames or titles that usually include the words "demon" or "devil." Probably to make them sound tougher... and sometimes they even deserve the title/nickname.

"Aniki": Another way to say big brother. Also used to refer to higher-ups within the yakuza. In this case, Sayaka is saying big brother. She is NOT a yakuza.

"School Rumble": If you've watched it, you should know the reference. Hint - Something Tenma really likes

jidaigeki: A period drama. Set around the feudal ages, the days of samurai and ninja, of daimyo and shogun. Quite frankly I like them, too.

yakuza: You better know what they are. The Japanese mafia.

Twins: This has been discussed in Lucky Star already. Though it's more often said that identical twins are near-telepathic. That or they know each other really, really, really well

"To Heart": Tsukasa really does bear a resemblance to Akari. I haven't seen this anime yet, but now I want to. Seems interesting enough.

"Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu": Well... of course this was referenced! And if you haven't watched this yet, shame on you! How can you watch Lucky Star without having watched this anime?!

Electric Town: Akihabara's nickname. I think I already said this once before.

119: Japan's version of 911. If you haven't already figured it out

Onigiri: A rice ball. Kuro's last name is a rice ball. I must've been hungry when I named him...

"Idiots can't catch colds": Obviously not true... I think. I can't remember where this superstition originated from... maybe because it's assumed that idiots can be so dumb they don't know when they've caught a cold and therefore have none of the symptoms. You know... that would be REALLY dumb...

haiku: Japanese poems that often contain an underlying meaning. Tends to use a lot of symbolism.

kotatsu: A heated table, nowadays it uses an electric heater attached to the bottom of the table. Keeps your legs quite snug and warm; just don't sleep under it.

hereditary diseases: Terrible. Just terrible...

"Naruto": I cannot believe I referenced this, but *insert name*'s quote was too good to pass up! By the way, if you have never heard of this show, you must have been living under a rock. Or at the bottom of the sea. Or in an alternate dimension.