Hello again everyone. I recently realized how close we are to the part that I started this fic for in the first place. Anyway, this chapter should be an interesting game changer. Everything Azumanga belongs to it's respective owners. Happy Reading :)
Chapter 20: And All Things May End
"So, have you started Yukari's giant assignment yet?" ZaXo asked the girl across from him, who glanced up from the metal tub she was filling up. Sakaki shook her head and frowned slightly, looking out to the front of the store for a second. There were quite a few empty boxes laying around, each with the Pet Place logo on all four sides. They had just arrived to another volunteer session, and were getting everything ready; though business had been extremely slow the last few weeks. Chiyo had come in with Mr. Tadakichi almost as much as the rest of their customers combine. By now, the two were doing almost everything, other than giving complicated haircuts.
"No," Sakaki muttered, "I was going to start the paper last night, but I got distracted playing with Maya."
"You'd better get it done," ZaXo warned casually. "What I wanna know is what changed her cheery attitude back to normal," he added, changing subjects. Sakaki looked away as a shade of pink fell over her cheeks. ZaXo raised an eyebrow in curiosity, which Sakaki could feel, though she wasn't looking at him.
"...It's kind of my fault," she whispered, with a cautious smile forming on her lips. "But don't tell anyone, okay?"
ZaXo just stared for a few seconds, waiting for an explanation. "One day after class, when everybody else had already left, I decided to ask Ms. Yukari about why she seemed so happy," Sakaki finally said. "I walked up to her desk and stood still for a few moments, but I couldn't get her attention. Finally, without thinking, I just blurted it out..."
"What?" ZaXo questioned.
"I just up and yelled 'What are you hiding Yukari?'" Sakaki mock shouted. "Yukari didn't take too kindly to it. After scowling at me for a while, she shooed me out of her room. The next day, she was acting just like she always had," the tall girl finished, before tacking on another small statement. "I'm really sorry."
"Pshh, don't worry about it. I kinda missed being the smartest person in class anyway. And since there wasn't any class going on when she was in a good mood, it kinda put a damper on the whole thing for me," ZaXo told her sarcastically. "I won't say anything to the others," he included at the end. ZaXo found it hard to believe Sakaki was more curious than Tomo, and probably wouldn't have believed it had the words not come from her own mouth. Sakaki smiled in relief that ZaXo was willing to keep such information to himself. "You know though, that doesn't mean I'm happy about what you did. Those cupcakes she kept bringing were awesome," he joked.
Sakaki's smile turned into a devious grin, as she splashed a little of the cold water from the tub onto ZaXo's shirt. "Oh, you wanna play it that way, huh?" ZaXo joked, splashing her in return. They both laughed, and Sakaki went to turn off the hose.
"You know, it's crazy that we're already two and a half months into our third year," ZaXo remarked, thinking about how quickly time had seemed to fly by.
"And Chiyo's already sixteen," Sakaki added. "I remember when I first met her. Such a cute little ten year old."
They both reminisced for the rest of their shift, time going quickly even though most of the time they weren't doing anything. "Hey you two," came a voice from the front desk, ten minutes before their shift was over. It was the owner of the establishment; Mr. Yamauchi. In he waddled, his short legs carrying his even shorter body across the floor. He stroked his handlebar mustache, as he always did, though this time there was something different about the way he was doing so. "I've got some bad news."
"Oh?" ZaXo said in a surprised tone, Sakaki staying quite, as she usually did when Mr. Yamauchi was speaking to them.
"Yeah," he responded to the tone in ZaXo's voice. "Because of the low amount of customers in this area, I have no choice but to move the shop."
Sakaki's eyes began to glower with sadness, her hand tightening on the tub. "I know that you two won't be able to commute all the way across the city just to help me out. But I'm so glad that you helped me out while I was here," Mr. Yamauchi stated, smiling kindly. "More than anyone else, you two have done a fantastic job."
"You're welcome. We're glad to have helped," ZaXo spoke for the both of them, Sakaki nodding fervently.
"I know, and that's why I've worked something out with your school to help you out."
Sakaki and ZaXo looked at each other in shock, with bated breath. "I've decided to pay for a fourth of your expenses for both this year, and your last year of schooling," Mr. Yamauchi announced.
ZaXo and Sakaki couldn't believe their ears. They looked at each other in excitement, massive grins appearing on their faces. "Thank you so much Mr. Yamauchi!" Sakaki said in her usual quiet tone. She shook his hand delicately, then almost immediately retreated back into her shell.
"You're both welcome," Mr. Yamauchi replied warmly. "Well, why don't you two start cleaning up this last time, and maybe I'll see you at my new place someday."
The two volunteers chatted quietly about what they'd just been told, while they cleaned up the shop. Fifteen minutes later, they were outside and on their way home. Sakaki seemed extremely relieved by what Mr. Yamauchi was doing. The burden of tuition on her parents was lessened slightly. The girl couldn't have asked for more. When they finally reached Sakaki's house, they stopped to talk for a couple of minutes, as was usual now.
The streetlights finally flickered on, signaling that it was time for them to part. As ZaXo turned to walk toward his own home, he remembered something that he'd needed to ask Sakaki about. "Hey Sakaki," he called out, to which she turned back around to face him. "What's going on with everything tomorrow morning? How is it all going to work?"
Sakaki immediately knew what he was referring to. "Oh, just meet us at Chiyo's sometime around nine o' clock," she answered, saying nothing more, and turning to go inside. ZaXo watched her open the front door, and they waved goodbye to each other before Sakaki pressed the button to close the big gates.
And so ZaXo followed Sakaki's advice, showing up at Chiyo's house at exactly nine o' three in the morning. The air was cool and crisp, giving him a boost of energy as he excitedly strolled toward the biggest house in the whole neighborhood. The green gates in front were already open when he arrived, and most everyone else was hanging out in the yard. Parked near them all were three cars; a regular old compact kei-car that could be seen all over Japan, a small blue van -which Seijin was leaning against-, and a red, two-seater sports car.
"Hey ZaXo, are you ready to go?" Chiyo asked in a perky tone as he walked up.
"Yup," he replied, raising the bag that he'd brought. He walked up, and placed it into the back of Seijin's van, which had everyone's stuff in it.
"Then once Tomo arrives, we'll leave," she explained, before getting distracted by Tadakichi, who was now rubbing up against her leg like a cat.
"Who're you waiting for?" came a voice from around the gates. It was Tomo, grinning from ear to ear. "I'm here, so let's go!" she shouted, pumping a fist in the air.
"Yeah! To Chiyo's summer home we go!" Kagura joined in, quickly jumping in the passengers seat of the compact car. Nyamo got into the drivers seat, and Chiyo rushed to get in the back seat, along with Osaka and Kaorin. ZaXo turned to face Seijin's van, but realized he was a bit too late. In the front sat Seijin himself, and Haru. Emi, Sakaki, and Yomi were already the back, leaving no more room.
ZaXo's eyes trailed slowly to where is only option lay... Yukari's car. Dread filled his entire being as she smiled widely at him, and beckoned him over. ZaXo couldn't seem to get his legs to move, fear enveloping him. "C'mon already!" she shouted anxiously at him. Still nothing, so the older women ran over and began pushing him toward her car.
"Heh, y-you're not drunk are you Ms. Yukari?" ZaXo stuttered, trying to psych himself out with conversation, as she forced him into the passengers seat. Yukari didn't say a word, until she got into the drivers seat, slamming her door in excitement.
"Nope," she smiled, causing ZaXo to sigh in relief. "I'm just buzzed."
ZaXo whimpered, clambering for his seatbelt. His whole body was now shaking uncontrollably, panic setting in. "I'm just kidding, jeez," Yukari announced, laughing maniacally. This statement however did absolutely nothing to calm her passenger down. The teacher slowly put the key into the ignition, and started the car. The massive engine rumbled to life, its volume drowning everything out around them.
"At least I won't hear my own screams when I die," ZaXo said to himself, though it was too loud for him to even hear his own voice.
"Ready?" Yukari yelled, her question just barely audible over the roar of the motor. ZaXo opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Yukari kicked the car into gear, and launched it hard. The force sent him back into his seat, the sound of the twin turbo's breathing more life into the engine being the only thing he could hear other than the engine itself... and the psychotic laughter coming from the driver's seat.
ZaXo gripped his seat as tight as he could, the white knuckle ride practically stopping his heart. He liked fast cars, but ZaXo didn't like being in one driven by someone like Yukari. Everything around them was just a blur of colors, and ZaXo was sure that half of them were either stop signs or stop lights. "I wanna get out!" ZaXo shrieked in terror, closing his eyes.
"It's too late for that! Just think of this as some sort of initiation! Everyone's had to do it!" Yukari shouted back, before shifting into fifth gear.
"Yeah, but they didn't have to do it in a car that had this much power!" ZaXo retorted.
"Five hundred and three horsepower, to be exact! Hey, wadd'ya say we put the top down?" Yukari yelled over her vehicle, ignoring his statement in it's entirety.
"Nooooo-!"
"I feel kinda bad for him," Yomi said nonchalantly to the others in Seijin's van. Everyone nodded in agreement, commenting no more on the subject.
Yukari's car slid on the dirt, launching dust everywhere up the driveway to Chiyo's summer home. ZaXo had long since lost all feeling, both in his body, and mind. He simply stared through the windshield, a look of pure terror on his face. Yukari put the car in park, pulled the handbrake, and turned the car off, a satisfied look on her face. Opening her door, she got out just as the others were pulling up. Everyone was coughing from the dust Yukari had kicked up.
Yomi stepped out of the van, and walked toward Yukari's car, to see what had become of ZaXo. Shock fell on her face as she got close enough to see that the top was down. ZaXo himself was covered in dust, his hair swept back making him look like a mad scientist. "So? How was it?" she asked in a sarcastic tone, though there was the slightest sound of pity and concern hidden in her voice as well. ZaXo said nothing, not even yet realizing that the car had stopped.
"Hey! Get a hold of yourself," she told him, opening his door and pulling him out. ZaXo stood up on his own, but his entire body was shaking violently. "It's not that bad, you know; unless you're a little ten year old girl like Chiyo was when she first rode with Yukari," Yomi scoffed as she turned to get her bag out of the back of the van.
"You guys haven't had to ride in this car!" ZaXo cried, tears of stress running down his face. Everyone but Chiyo just laughed at him, as he pouted his way up to the front door.
They all got settled in, ZaXo finally calming down after about fifteen minutes. Chiyo was the only one who seemed to understand the tragedy that he'd just experienced, though all she could do is make things worse with the horror story that was her first ride with Yukari.
"Hey Yukari!" Tomo shouted from outside, coming through the door with a grin on her face. "Who's leather jacket is that in your car? It's kinda cool. Can I wear it?"
Yukari looked casually towards the one who'd addressed her. "That's mine. Hell no you can't wear it! And why are you rummaging through my car?" she asked defensively.
"I wasn't rummaging through anything. It was laying on the floor in the passengers seat. Why d'you need a leather jacket?" Tomo continued prying.
"To look cool when I'm driving and it's cold out," Yukari explained.
"But it's summer..." Tomo replied in confusion.
"So I'm too lazy to put it away! Who cares?" Yukari snapped, cuing to Tomo that it was wise to shut up.
"Time to go to the beach!" Kagura announced happily, grabbing a bathing suit from her bag and running upstairs to change.
"I could go for some swimming," Seijin agreed, and began looking for his trunks.
"I don't really wanna do that right now though," Chiyo said in disappointment. But she was clearly outvoted. Only ZaXo was on her side, but that was because he didn't feel like doing anything near Yukari. In the end, they all ended up at the beach twenty minutes later. ZaXo laid his towel in the sand, and sat down. Sakaki put her towel down next to his, but was immediately beckoned away by Osaka, who thought she might enjoy building a sand castle.
"Hey, d'you wanna play volleyball with us ZaXo?" Chiyo's voice sounded from behind. She was standing tall and proud, Yomi and Tomo at her back.
"I guess," ZaXo answered, though he truthfully didn't really feel like it at all.
"I wanna play too!" Haru announced loudly, jumping up into the air repeatedly.
"Well, that'll make the teams uneven," Yomi explained, though Haru didn't hear her, and was already running toward the net they had set up. "Guess we'll have to find someone else as well," Yomi said in a dull tone. ZaXo was about to say that he would rather just watch, when Seijin interjected.
"I'll play," he told them, to which the girls agreed. "So what are the teams?" he asked in his usual, polite tone.
"Hmm, how about guys versus girls?" Tomo responded fiercely, as if it was the best idea she'd ever come up with.
"But-" Seijin started, wanting to say that it might be a little unfair. Chiyo spoke up before he could finish however.
"Yeah!" she cheered. "I'm old enough now that we'll beat you guys easy!"
"Uh-huh," ZaXo joked, finally getting into it a bit.
"What, you think we'll lose just because we're girls?" Yomi asked sharply.
"No. You'll lose because Chiyo thinks that being sixteen suddenly makes her as tall and skilled as us," he smiled widely, messing up the auburn hair on the younger woman's head.
"Hey!" she whined, before ZaXo and the others took off toward the play area, leaving her behind. "Umph! I'm not a little girl anymore," she muttered to herself, kicking the sand.
Five minutes later, the game was underway. It quickly became apparent that even with Chiyo, the girls were worlds better than the guys. They played two on two, rotating in the other players every round. After three whole games, the guys had yet to win a single match, and didn't even get on the board in the last game. Yomi seemed to be the one making the rulings as to whether the ball went out or not. More often then not, she was on the boys' side, which her team didn't seem to like very much. Still, they were winning, so nobody could really complain at that point. "Pshh, one more game. Winner takes all!" ZaXo yelled, the spirit of the competition now coursing through his veins.
"Bring it on!" Chiyo squeaked, leaping in pure joy from how much fun they were having.
"We've just been messing around," ZaXo warned, getting ready. Seijin started the match, hitting the ball into the girls' court. It went straight for Chiyo, who bumped it high over the net. Seijin set it, ZaXo jumping up for the spike. As soon as it made contact with his hand, the ball went flying toward the ground on the girls' side of the net.
"Nice one!" Yomi cheered him on excitedly. Tomo dived for the ball, barely getting there in time. Her shot was wild however, and the ball went way over the net, and landed near the out-of-bounce line. Nobody could tell whether it was actually in or out.
"Yeah!" Tomo shouted as she got up, automatically assuming that she'd won that bout.
"Actually, I think that might have been out, Tomo," Yomi explained, looking toward her friend.
"What? Why d'you keep siding with them?" Tomo shot, clearly getting annoyed now.
"I'm just calling it the way I see it," Yomi retorted angrily.
"Whatever! Every amazing shot I've made today, you've said was out!"
"Guys, it's not a big deal. We'll just let you take the points," ZaXo stated, Seijin agreeing silently.
"What? You think I'm doing it to you on purpose Tomo?" Yomi shouted, ignoring the boys entirely.
"Well obviously! You're jealous that I can make such great shots!"
"Yeah right!" Yomi laughed, adjusting her glasses and folding her arms across her chest.
"I'm not playing with you anymore!" Tomo yelled, before storming off in Osaka and Sakaki's direction. The sand castle they had started making looked like a cross between a Neko-Koneko and an octopus.
"You're only quitting because you don't want to play by the rules!" Yomi shouted furiously, following a few feet behind her friend. Tomo stopped, and turned to face the bespectacled girl, her face glowing red.
"Seriously guys. It's no big deal. Let's just do something else," ZaXo said loudly, the others agreeing with him, though Tomo and Yomi were now in their own little world.
"Or maybe I'm quitting because I'm tired of you siding with ZaXo just because you like him!" Tomo screamed maliciously.
Before Tomo could react, Yomi lunged toward her, and pushed hard, sending Tomo crashing to the ground. The nearby sand castle broke her fall, disintegrating into nothing more than a pile of sand with a few octopus legs. Tomo's eyes welled up as Sakaki and Chiyo shrieked in disbelief. The wildcat stood up, and without warning, retaliated, shoving Yomi in the same manner. The girl landed hard, her glasses falling off. "I hate you!" Tomo cried, before her rage turned into embarrassment. Tomo ran from the beach without saying anything to anyone, tears blossoming from her eyes the whole way.
Well, I hope that was interesting. I have to say, it wasn't as interesting to write as I thought it would be. And yes, everything that has happened, and will happen in this fic (other than small details and some comedic bits) is pre-planned; in case you were wondering. Please, please, please review, or I'll be all sadface and stuff, lol. Hope you liked :)