Chapter 8 – Return of the Senpais

Akari's POV

Later into the morning, we all had made it to school in time. And right now, Chinatsu and I were heading towards the clubroom with Kaede to drop her off. But it won't be for long, though. Due to the weather being so cold, we only have morning classes. And then we just stay inside our clubrooms until the day's over because each room has its own heater. A pure lifesaver, honestly.

"Brr…I'm not sure how it could at this point, but I think it got even colder than it was an hour ago."

"I know…" Chinatsu said to me. "At this rate, Japan will become a second Antarctica. Might as well turn us all into penguins."

"Ch-Chinatsu…" I gained a sweatdrop. "…So, Kaede…you're saying that this change in weather is caused by the troposphere being broken?"

"That's what Mio told me." The younger Furutani said. "Onee-chan and Sakurako-oneechan were fighting over her Ice Staff. And then…something happened…making the staff fire an icy laser up into the sky and manipulating the Earth's troposphere. Causing it to get cold."

"*sigh* So, Sakurako did had something to do with it. Makes sense on why she kept bringing it up." Chinatsu said with an irritated tone.

"How long is it going to last?" I asked.

"Mio said that the troposphere will eventually fix itself on its own. But she doesn't know when exactly that will happen. Probably because this is a different world to her."

"I see…so, in the end, we'll have to put up with it for now."

"*sigh* I guess." Chinatsu said. "But, at least some useful information. We now know that this ice girl's name is Mio."

"Kinda odd that a girl from a different world has a Japanese name. Do you think this other world Himawari went to is another Japan of sorts?"

"If it is, then it'll honestly be kinda creepy. Just the thought of knowing that another YOU is roaming around in a different world doesn't sit well with me."

"Yeah, true. It would be kinda freaky."

…

…

…

"But then again, it wouldn't be the weirdest thing we've ever experienced." I said after thinking about it.

"Yeah, true. That time we all switched bodies still tops it all when it comes to weird stuff."

"Y-You girls switched bodies?" Kaede asked.

"It was something Kyouko did…"

"I-I see…" Kaede then gained a sweatdrop.

We soon arrived at the clubroom on the third floor (the reason why it took so long) and I was about to open the door. But then…

"Akari, wait!"

"Wh-What? What's wrong, Chinatsu?" I asked once Chinatsu had jerked my arm away from the door handle.

"I sense a huge disturbance behind that door. A disturbance I know all too well, unfortunately."

"Oh. I think I get it now." I gained a sweatdrop.

Chinatsu then went digging into her schoolbag and took out a flyswatter. Holding it tight as she dusted it off.

"When I give the signal, open the door as quickly as you can. Kaede, you go stand behind Akari."

"Wh-What's going on, Chinatsu-san? Why are we whispering?"

"It's best if you saw it for yourself, Kaede." I said with my third sweatdrop for the day.

Kaede soon got behind me and I grabbed hold of the door handle. Once Chinatsu gave me the signal, I swung the door open as hard as I could to reveal…

"CHINA-CHA…"

*SLAP*

"Ow…"

"Not this time, you perverted loon!" Chinatsu yelled at Kyouko as she fell to the ground while holding her face in pain.

"Wow. I gotta admit, you two. That was pretty clever." Yui said to us.

"When you constantly get attacked by Kyouko, you start memorizing her little tricks."

"I see…"

"Th-That's actually normal?" Kaede asked me.

"Yeah…it is. It's one of the things that make our club special."

"I see…"

"What are you two doing back so early?" Chinatsu asked. "Didn't you have like 3 more days left?"

"We did." Yui said. "But with the weather getting colder, the rest of the trip was canceled and we were all brought back here. In fact, we just got here an hour ago."

"Really? That's gotta suck."

"It totally does suck!" Kyouko shouted as she jumped up from the ground. "I wanted to see Kyoto for all of its glory! But this stupid cold weather got in the way! And Autumn just started, too!"

"That's the part no one seems to understand." Yui said. "We're in September and yet we're having late December - early January weather. It's quite odd."

"Yeah. It sure is." I said.

Looks like they don't know what the troposphere is…

"By the way…why is Kaede here with you two?"

And that's when Chinatsu and I froze up in a panic.

"W-Well, uh…Himawari's not feeling well. S-So, she asked us to watch over Kaede for her."

"Y-Yeah, that's it!" Chinatsu yelled out.

"But then why did you bring her to school? Couldn't Akane or Tomoko look after her?"

"Uh…" We both froze up again.

Why the hell didn't we think of that before?!

"It was last-minute. So, they didn't have a choice."

"*sigh* Y-Yeah, what she said." We both took a sigh of relief once Kaede had bailed us out.

Saved by a freaking 6-year-old…

"I see…" Yui said. "Well, if it couldn't be helped, then I guess it's fine."

"Alright!" Kyouko cheered. "Come on, Little Himawari! We're gonna have SO much fun toget…"

*SLAP*

"Ow…"

"Sit your ass down, you perv." Chinatsu said after hitting Kyouko with the flyswatter again.

"*moan* China-chan…you've become a lot meaner ever since you got that flyswatter."

"It's to protect myself from mental people like you."

Well, that's one of two reasons. The other reason involves a broken heart and undeniable rage. And I'm pretty sure you guys have already figured out what that means.

"*whine* Yui…" Kyouko then clung onto Yui for comfort.

"Chinatsu, could you at least go easy with the flyswatter? You do swing it kinda hard sometimes."

"Tch. Whatever." Was all Chinatsu said.

Yeah…she's basically lost any respect for both of them at this point. Then again, she never had respect for Kyouko in the first place.

"Anyway, we know you two still have classes this morning. So, we'll watch over Kaede until you're done."

"Great! Thanks, you guys!" I said.

"Yep, just leave it to me!" Kyouko cheered. "Super Sexy Commando Kyouko will watch over the little tyke like a little…"

"Do you want me to hit you again?"

"Pl-Please don't." Kyouko shook in fear after Chinatsu rose up the flyswatter again.

"Is this REALLY normal?" Kaede asked me.

"Yep. It is."

"I see…Stay strong, Akari-san."

"Kaede, I've been doing that since I first started middle school…" I said with yet another sweatdrop. This time, an agitated one.

Why could've it been me that got stuck in a different world? Himawari sure is lucky.

Chinatsu and I went to our classroom to meet with everyone else. The classroom itself was just as cold as it was outside. With maybe a little warmer due to the heat being one.

But even then, that didn't stop people from…

"A…A…ACHOOO!"

…Sneezing.

"G-G-Geez…I-I-It's so freaking cold! Wh-Wh-Why the hell…d-d-do we still have to…c-c-come to school?!"

"It can't be helped, Sara." Hiro said to one of our classmates. "Japan's real strict when it comes to education. They'll make us come to school even if it drops below zero."

"Ugh! Th-This is such bull…ACHOOO!"

"Hey…nice sneeze censor, Sara." Aoi said. "It could work out for our next doujin."

"Sh-Shut up, Aoi…"

This particular classmate is Sara Hirose. The seven of us met her and another girl named Momo Adachi after they had joined Hiro & Aoi's Doujinshi Club. And they soon became a part of our group of second-years.

As to why they weren't there 4 days ago when we visited the clubroom…the two are a couple. And were on a date while we went to the candy store in Harajuku.

Speaking of which…

"So, how's Momo doing?" I asked. "We haven't heard from her in a while."

"She still has that cold. Her weak immune system was no match for this sudden change in weather. ACHOO! A-And I think I actually caught it, too."

"Ew! Don't get me sick, Sara! I don't want any of your or Momo's germs!" Sakurako complained.

"YOU concerned about germs? From what I've been told, you caused this freezing weather in the first place. So, maybe I should infect you as a way of payback."

"Y-You wouldn't dare…"

"Wanna bet? Come here! I'll give you one BIG sneeze to the face!"

"Gah! Stop! Get away from me!" Sakurako then jumped out of her desk and started running around the classroom for dear life as Sara started chasing her.

"And…there they go again." Hiro said.

"Geez. Sakurako gets into just as many arguments with Sara as she does with Himawari." Sachiko said.

"I'm not really sure if Sara trying to get Sakurako sick can be called an argument, Sachiko." I said with a sweatdrop.

This went on for a few minutes. All while both girls were pushing and shoving the other classmates out of their way. That is until one of them walked into the classroom and unwillingly became a part of the nonsense.

And that person is…

"Ah! Ikumi!"

"Oh good morning, Sakurako-san."

"Ikumi, quick! Block me from Sara! She's trying to give me Momo-itis!"

"Wh-What? Sakurako-san, what are you…"

"*fake cough* *fake cough* Come on, Sakurako. Being sick ain't that bad. Let me give you a demonstration!"

"N-No! B-Back off, Sara! IKUMI-SHIELD ACTIVATE!"

"Pl-Please do not use me as a shield!" Ikumi yelled. Still confused as to what was going on.

"Knock it off, you two. It's too early and too cold for this nonsense." Chinatsu said.

"*sigh* Fine, whatever." Sara said.

"Th-Thank God…" Sakurako said as she slumped down to the floor.

"I see that even in near-freezing temperatures some interesting stuff could happen between you girls." Ikumi said.

"Yeah…pretty much." Hiro and I said with sweatdrops.

This girl is Ikumi Morino. Another new friend we've gained due to her being on the Volleyball Team and Himawari sometimes helping them out with equipment and such. She can be a bit airheaded sometimes, but her politeness means well.

Also, she's apparently Sakurako's friend from grade school. Which is odd because (from what we were told) she was in the same class as Himawari…and she doesn't remember Ikumi at all.

Perhaps the two weren't as close as people make them out to be…

"So, is it really true?" Ikumi asked. "An ice girl from another world caused this change in weather and she and Himawari-san were sent to a different world?"

"That's what it seems to be." Hiro said. "We contacted our old teacher Nishigaki for help and she's apparently already working on a solution."

"We'll just have to wait a few days for some kind of update." I added.

"I see. And the third-years do not know about this?"

"No, and we don't plan on telling them, either." Chinatsu said. "If too many people get involved…especially a certain blonde dumbass…then this whole situation will turn chaotic."

"If that's the case, then why did you tell Momo, Ikumi, and me?" Sara asked.

"Because you three are close to Himawari like we are. So, if anything does happen…like, if by pure chance, some of us end up in that other world where Himawari is…we'll have you guys to cover for us."

"Will that really happen, though? From the sounds of it, whatever took Himawari there is something not from this world. And thus, it should be physically impossible to get there by any other means."

"But you're forgetting one important fact here, Sara." Aoi said. "This is Takaoka. A landmark of weird and unexplainable crap happening every single day. If some girls are able to grow dicks in this town, then I'm sure we'll find some ridiculous reason to travel to a different world. Eventually."

"*sigh* A trip to a nude beach, body-switching, the existence of futanari, and now other-worldly traveling…I'm still baffled about the fact that all of you are completely used to this town's weird consistent nonsense."

"It does bother me, as well…" Ikumi said. "…but it is because of such things that I do not regret moving here."

"Well, yeah. Me too. This is the most fun Momo and I have ever had."

"Well, we're glad you three are having fun." I said with a smile.

*INSERT CLASSIC JAPANESE SCHOOL BELL CHIME HERE*

"Anyway…" Chinatsu said. "…we got 4 hours of classes to get through. So, we'll talk more about this later."

"Can we meet up at Momo's place?" Sara asked. "We gotta catch her up to speed since she's home sick and all."

"We'll have to bring Kaede along, but sure. That's fine."

"Ugh. Now, I gotta be around an ACTUAL sick person? This is just not my day." Sakurako complained.

"Call it payback for screwing up the troposphere and making my Momo-chan sick."

"Ugh…payback's a total bitch."

If that's the case, then it'll only get worse from here, Sakurako…

Author's Note: The story returns for 2021! And I have an idea of where to take this now. But before that could happen, I need to buy a certain game for my Switch. As that's where the inspiration's coming from. So, the next chapter won't be for a good while.

Sara, Momo, and Ikumi appear in this story because…why the hell not? Sara and Momo are spin-off characters that don't get used often and Ikumi is currently one of my favorite original characters that I've made up. So, it wasn't really a problem to add them here.

Thanks for reading. Later.