A/N: So, this is my Azumanga Daioh sequel fic! This chapter took me 14 pages to write. 14 PAGES TO WRITE! And it's more like the manga with each chapter having short vignettes tied by a common theme. Also, try to catch all of the references to both the anime and manga. (I won't tell you guys where are they)
Reunion
It has been five years since they graduated from high school. Five 18-year old girls and one 13-year old child prodigy have left each others' sides, but they still keep contact. Now, the high school that the six attended is hosting a five-year reunion for the senior students, and the six will finally be reunited in person, as Chiyo-chan just announced that she will return to Japan for her job as a quantum and nuclear physicist.
Ever since Chiyo left Japan to study in America, the six girls haven't gotten together, not even the annual summer house visit can happen due to conflicting schedules of American college and Japanese college. (and of course, summer homework) But graduation, the event that separated them, has finally freed them from the shackles of education. In an ironic twist, graduation has reunited them.
"Flight from Boston to Tokyo has now arrived at Tokyo International Airport. We're now in the process of un-boarding the passengers from the plane."
As the announcement was made over the PA system of the airport, a now 18-year-old Chiyo is sitting on a bench, waiting for someone. The 5 years had made Chiyo slightly taller (now 5'0") and slightly busty (her breasts are the same size as… Tomo's breasts), plus her pigtails (which are now positioned high instead of low) had grown down to her hips, still having their football shape but shaggier. She is wearing a cerise knee-length dress with black lace trim, black ribbon choker, black leggings, and beige boots, making her recognizable to anyone who wants to pick her up. And that's what a thug wants to do.
"Ain't ya the heir to the Mihama group?" the thug said.
"Uh… I don't want to talk to you right now," Chiyo responded.
The thug had enough of Chiyo's hesitance and tried to grab her, but then, he felt a stampede coming towards him. Chiyo recognized that one-man stampede- or rather, one-woman stampede- from somewhere.
"Oh, crud!" the thug shouted, "A policewoman!"
The policewoman stopped and flashed her pocketbook at the thug.
"You're under arrest, idiot!" the policewoman said, hand-cuffing the thug and handing him over to the other police cops in the process.
Chiyo realized that the policewoman was somebody she knew, the dead giveaways were the jacket of her police uniform was completely unbuttoned, she still wears the pink knee-high socks and orange sneakers she wore in high school, and the ends of her dark brown waist-length hair are spiked up.
"Is that you, Tomo-chan?" Chiyo asked the policewoman.
Tomo heard Chiyo's voice and turned around to see her child prodigy friend all grown up.
"Chiyosuke," Tomo said, removing the shades on her face, "You're back from America! And you're not in the Sakaki group!"
"Tomo-chan, you grew out your hair," Chiyo said, seeing Tomo's long hair.
"Like it? I bet that the spring fairies are in awe for my new, mature mystique!"
"Maybe Tomo-chan has regressed to her second-year self," Chiyo thought to herself, seeing that Tomo was still her immature self, even after five years. "Wait, Tomo-chan, I thought that you'll be in the Interpol, and also, why did you grow out your hair?"
"Chiyo-chan, your question kinda bothers me, but I'll tell you! You see, when I was in the police academy of torture, my chief told me I'll be better off as a regular police officer than an agent of Interpol. And about my hair…. The Ayu look was becoming out-dated, so I decided to return to the Fujiko look, only I may have gone a little too far."
"So Tomo-chan, what about everybody else?"
"Chiyosuke, we got a high school reunion to go to!" Tomo answered, "You know what, I'll drive you there."
The two women exit the airport and went to the parking lot, where Tomo took out her car keys and push the unlock button, signaling her police car. The pair then walk towards the police car, and this is where Chiyo's suppressed car trauma almost resurface, as Tomo's car is a badly damaged black and white Subaru Impreza with a siren held together with two wires, white glue, and the will of the almighty.
"Uh...uh… Tomo-chan," Chiyo shuttered, "Is your driving…. Yukari levels of bad?"
"Nah, Chiyosuke," Tomo replied, "I'm actually a decent driver. I only go Yukarimobile when I'm chasing down criminals."
Chiyo let out a sigh of relief as she loads her luggage into the car and got in it, as she and Tomo drive off to the school.
Insert "amount of time" later…
After one long car trip, (in which Tomo informs Chiyo about how much has changed in Japan from 2002 to 2007) the two women finally reached their old school, Great King Azuma Highschool. Chiyo got a large blast of nostalgia as she and Tomo walk through the gate. Many new students flock over the duo, though they're more interested in Chiyo because of obvious reasons.
"Is it true that you arrived at this school when you're ten years old?" one of the students asked.
"Yes, I did," Chiyo answered.
"Are you faster than Kansai-sensei?" Another student asked.
"Um, who is this 'Kansai-sensei' person?"
All of the students got an awkward look on their faces as Chiyo responded to their question, and they clear the way for another figure, the "Kansai-sensei' they were talking about. She was wearing a pink and red sweater, an ankle-length chestnut skirt, and a pair of brown loafers. Her dark brown hip-length hair was in half pigtails tied with red bows and she was facing the wrong way.
"Is that-" Chiyo said.
"Yep, it's her," Tomo added.
The woman turned around to face the duo and her blank smile caused Chiyo to realize that Kansai-sensei was none other than Ayumu Kasuga A.K.A. Osaka.
"Them pigtails," Ayumu said, recognizing that Chiyo is still wearing her football-shaped pigtails, "They're back, and I'm prepared!"
Ayumu runs toward Chiyo and grabs her pigtails, trying to pull them off.
"Ayumu-san, can you please stop pulling on my pigtails?" Chiyo pleaded to her friend.
"Ah, sorry Chiyo-chan, or is 'Just Chiyo' now that ya are all grown up," Ayumu apologized, letting go of Chiyo's pigtails, "I had a dream last night where ya came and then, the pigtails started to control everybody, so I became a magical girl or somethin' like that and-"
"Yeah, yeah, we know about you and your weird obsession with Chiyo-chan's pigtails, Osaka" Tomo interrupted, being the only one to still call Ayumu by her nickname from high school.
"So, Ayumu-san, what job did you get?" Chiyo asked Ayumu.
"Well, remember the time will ya told me that I can be a teacher? Well, I got mah teachin' license and the same school that we once go to hire me to be a teacher there."
"So what do you teach, Osaka?" Tomo asked
" Classical Literature."
Tomo dropped her jaw. Osaka teaching Classical Literature? But, then again, the last classical lit teacher was… to put it lightly, perverted, so nothing of value was every lost.
"So, does Yukari-chan still teach English?"
"Nah, Yukari-sensei's now a physics teacher," Ayumu answered, "but Kurosawa-sensei's still a PE teacher and she got a new assistant."
"Whoa, whoa, wait," Tomo said, "If Yukari-chan's no longer the English teacher, and you're the new classical literature teacher, then that means-"
Before Tomo realizes who is the new English teacher, she, Chiyo, and Ayumu heard two very familiar voices:
"OH KAGURIN! Now that you're back and your body has fully ripened, show me the goods!"
"Get away from me, you creep of a former teacher!"
"Uh-oh," Tomo and Chiyo both said, as they know that voice came from the bane of every high school girl's existence: Mr. Kimura!
"Oh, and Mr. Kimura's the new English teacher," Ayumu added.
The trio followed the sound of the commotion until they find themselves in the school field, where thousands of female students are chanting "Kill Him" and thousands of male students are crying.
"Okay, can somebody give me the context behind this?" Tomo asked before a male student walks up to her.
"One of the senior alumni attacked Kimura-sama," the male student explained, "And us boys are horrified! Though the girls are happy about this."
"Wait?! Mr. Kimura has a fan club?!" Tomo shouted while Chiyo shivers in horror and Osaka stares at the battle.
"Is it just me," Ayumu said, "Or is Kagura-chan kickin' Kimura-sensei in the chinsuko?"
Tomo and Chiyo run towards Ayumu and see the battle unfold. As Ayumu said, Mr. Kimura was screaming in pain and holding his crotch due to Kagura hitting him in that spot. While Mr. Kimura remained the same (to the point that his female students joked that he stayed young by absorbing their essence), Kagura has changed a lot in five years. Her hair has now become shoulder-length and wilder, her muscles were more than well-toned, and she still has her swimmer's tan from high school. She wears a leopard-print off-shoulder mini dress with a fur trim that hugs her figure and black wrinkled go-go boots, making her look fierce and sexy at the same time.
"Why, Kagurin, why," Mr. Kimura pleaded, "Why you must hurt me?"
"I hate to admit it," Kagura answered, "But when I was your student, I really want to hurt you really bad every time you appeared in swim practice, but I can't 'cause I'll get in trouble. But now, since I'm an adult, you're finally getting your just dessert!" All of the female students squeed as Kagura walked towards her old friends, "Oi, Chiyo-chan, fellow Knuckleheads! Long time no see!"
"Kagura! You big boob! Glad to see you again!" Tomo said, hi-fiving Kagura in the process.
"Ah, now ya are really a playgirl now," Ayumu added.
"Kagura-san, I thought that you try out for the National All-Woman Swim Team," Chiyo noticed, "What happened?"
"Well, I did try out for the swim team, but I didn't make it in," Kagura explained, "But, at least I get to co-teach with Coach Kurosawa! But I also got a part-time modeling job, so that's why I'm in this skimpy dress."
"But Kagura-san, you look beautiful in that dress!" Chiyo complemented.
"Thank you, Chiyo-chan!" Kagura said while she sees the army of fangirls, "Now I understand how Sakaki feels about crazed fangirls."
"Speakin' 'bout Sakaki-san," Ayumu said, "Where is she?"
"Yeah, Osaka," Tomo commented, "The whole gang's here except for Sakaki-san and Fatso. I wonder what's taking them so-"
Tomo was interrupted by a larger horde of high school girls (even larger than the group that fawns over Kagura), all chattering about Sakaki:
"Ah, Sakaki-sempai is visiting our school!"
"Yeah!"
"But she's a former student here."
"Yeah."
"Which makes her awesome!"
"Yeah!"
"She's so cool and hot, I hope she'll see me!"
"Me too!"
"Me three!"
"Look everybody, it's Sakaki-sempai!"
As the female students squeed, Chiyo-chan and the Knuckleheads (or Bonkurazu, or Bonklers, or Numbnuts or, Boneheads, or whatever) see Sakaki (holding a grown-up Maya in her arms) and Yomi walking towards, both wearing lab coats on them. Sakaki herself hasn't changed a lot in five years, with the only changes being her face being leaner and a ribbon tying the ends of her hair together, but Yomi's appearance has changed, with her figure being slimmer and her hair is now mid-length.
"Ah, Sakaki-san, Yomi-san, you're here!" Chiyo said, " Oh, and you brought Maya! He's bigger than I last saw him."
Sakaki blushed. "Arigato, Chiyo-chan. Maya missed you a lot, so I thought I can bring him here."
"But, Yomi-san, what happened to your hair? Did you-" Chiyo paused, walked over to Tomo, and asked her if Yomi broke up with a boyfriend. Of course, Tomo laughed at the question, as even five years later, the six girls still didn't get a single boyfriend.
"Tomo, scissors, beer," Yomi groaned.
"What, Yomi? One minute I drinking beer, the next minute, I woke up seeing you with a new haircut!" Tomo quipped.
"Even though we went to different colleges, you're still an annoying person!" Yomi retorted.
"Why you!" Tomo pounced on Yomi and the typical Tomo-Yomi fight begins.
"Well, I guess some things never change," Chiyo said, seeing the fight at hand, "Sakaki-san, do you and Yomi-san work at the same vet?"
Sakaki nodded yes to Chiyo-chan's question at the same time Tomo and Yomi stopped fighting.
"Well, now the whole gang's here, it's time to find Yukari-chan!" Tomo shouted.
While the gang walked on, Kaori, who is now an astrologist, is staring at her Sakaki-san. "Sakaki-san," she said, "Even though you never notice me during high school, I'll still never-"
"OH KAORIN!"
Kaori turned around to see that Mr. Kimura's behind her!
"You still haven't forgotten our promise of being together forever!"
Kaori's eyes became dull as Mr. Kimura said those words, as she is still traumatized by his parting words. Meanwhile, the six girls finally found their former teachers Yukari and Nyamo. While Nyamo's hair has grown enough for her to put it in a bun, Yukari hasn't changed a lot in five years, only becoming more somber as the years go by to the point that she and Nyamo are living in the same house.
"Yukari-sensei!" the girls shouted.
Yukari lifted her head up to see Sakaki, Kagura, Chiyo, Tomo, Ayumu, and Yomi in front of her, bowing to her.
"We're back."
Yukari started to get teary-eyed, for the sight of her former students has given her a blast of nostalgia. Then she had to open her mouth: "So, Chiyosuke, you got me a birthday present?"
"Hey, you're wrecking the mood!" Tomo shouted.
"Uh, Yukari-sensei, I got something for you," Chiyo said as she took out a giant bottle of beer from America.
Immediately, Yukari snatched the bottle and started to drink it whole.
"And I got something for you too, Kurosawa-sensei," Chiyo added, giving Nyamo a USA flag bag.
"Ah, thank you, Chiyo-chan," Nyamo said, "I like this bag!"
"Chiyo-chan, do ya have any gifts for us?" Ayumu asked.
"Of course, Ayumu-san!" Chiyo replied, "I'll give them to you once we get to my house"
A/N: And the Azu-gang's back! (along with the senseis and Kaorin) This vignette is the one where we get to see how the characters are doing 5 years after the show ended. And yes, Mr. Kimura's got a fan club of perverted high school boys and Sakaki is now called "Sakaki-sempai" by the newer students. We'll see Osaka's (or I should say-Ayumu's) class in the next chapter, so don't worry about that.
Homecoming
After the reunion ended, the girls are at the front gate of the Mihama mansion.
"Hey, Yomi, you still remember the time that I said that Chiyo-chan has won the game of life," Tomo said.
"And you wished that you brought a melon," Yomi snarked.
Chiyo then push the gate button and told her parents that she's back from America. The gates open and the girls all run into the front yard, where Mr. Tadakichi is sleeping. Once the Great Pyrenees woke up from his dog nap, he sees his master running toward him and he tackles her.
"Stop it, Tadakichi-san, stop it!" Chiyo commanded Mr. Tadakichi, who is too busy licking her.
"Bonjour, Tadakichi-san!" Ayumu greeted.
Maya, who is happy to see his surrogate father, jumped out of Sakaki's arms and started to play with the giant dog.
After the pet greetings, the girls now enter Chiyo's study room, which has the kotatsu out.
"Ah, Chiyo-chan, ya remembered," Ayumu said, rushing to get the Father Cat plushie to sleep on and lying down in the kotatsu. "Ah, nice 'n comfy."
"You guys can relax while I make some coffee and mille-feuille," Chiyo said before she started to sing, "Cooking is so fun, Cooking is so fun! Now let's take a break to see what we done!"
A/N: This one's shorter than the other two, but Mr. Tadakichi's not dead and the "Cooking is so fun" song's back
Changes
In Ayumu's mind
Ayumu was at her desk in the classroom, grading her students' papers, when suddenly, the orange cat thing floated down the window and told her some words of wisdom: " Hello, everynyan! How are you? Fine, thank you!"
"OH MAH GAWD!" Ayumu shouted.
"I wish I were a bird," the… thing continued, floating toward the spacey girl.
"Why are ya speakin' English?" Ayumu asked.
"My daughter came back from America," Chiyo-chichi replied.
"But, if you were a bird-"
"I'm not a bird, I'm a cat," Chiyo-chichi interrupted, "What in the world I'll be if not a cat?"
"Your face looks sorta familiar…" Ayumu paused, "Like, Prime Minister Mori."
Chiyo-chichi, offended by Ayumu's comment, starts to shift in color and tremble in anger. "ARE YOU SAYING THAT MY FACE RESEMBLES THAT BASTARD OF A PRIME MINISTER?!"
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Ayumu apologized in English.
Then, Maya shows up from out of nowhere, and Chiyo-chichi turns around to see the Iriomote cat.
"Hmm, are you the real cat, the true cat?" he asked the yamamaya, "I got a cat's tongue, therefore I'm a real cat."
"Ah, I still gotta cat's tongue!" Ayumu added.
"WELL THEN, I SHALL RIP IT OUT OF YOUR MOUTH!" the Father Cat yelled.
"Eh, why?!"
Reality
Ayumu jumped up from her dream and woke up to see her mille-feuille and coffee on the kotatsu.
"Rise and shine, Kasuga-san," Yomi told the half-asleep girl.
"I wasn't sleepin', Yomi-chan, I was nappin'" Ayumu responded, "So, what did I miss?"
"Chiyosuke told us about her life in America," Tomo explained, "And now, she's going to give us some souvenirs!"
Chiyo then returns with a huge bag of souvenirs.
"Okay everyone, here are the souvenirs! First up, here's your souvenir, Sakaki-san."
Sakaki grabbed the bag from Chiyo's hand and opened the bag, pulling out a giant cougar plushie.
"Chiyo-chan, thank you," Sakaki blushed, "It's perfect."
"I'm glad that you liked it Sakaki-san," Chiyo said, "Next souvenir is for Yomi-san."
Chiyo handed Yomi a box of American chocolates.
" Chiyo-chan, thank you," Yomi said, snarfing down the chocolates.
"Although, Yomi, if it was 5 years ago, you wouldn't touch a box of chocolate!" Tomo said, expecting Yomi to double chop her, but Yomi isn't fazed by that comment.
"For Kagura-san, a basketball." Chiyo handed the leather orange ball to Kagura, "And, here's your gift, Ayumu-san."
Now the gift Chiyo brought for Ayumu was… strange at best. It was a photo of Mount. Rushmore, but instead of the faces of four presidents, it was the faces of the Knuckleheads, Sakaki, and Yomi.
"Oh, ya got a pic of Mount. Chiyo for me," Ayumu cheerfully smiled, "Thanks."
"Well, that's everyone-" Chiyo said before…
"Ahem!"
"Oh, I didn't forget about you, Tomo-chan!" Chiyo said.
"Finally!" Tomo huffed, "So, Chiyo-chan, what didya get me?"
"Well, I once went to Florida to see some mermaids-"
"Wait, MERMAIDS?!" Tomo shouted as she loves mermaids as much as bananas and anime, "Did you actually see them?!"
"No, but I did get some mermaid-theme merchandise for you."
Chiyo was about to hand out a wrapped box, but Tomo snatched the box for her and ripped out the wrapping. When she opened the box, a huge smile was on her face, for the contents of the box are a Platinum Edtion DVD of The Little Mermaid and a sparkly green mermaid tail. Tomo squeed in the highest pitch that Kagura and Yomi had to pull out earmuffs to cancel out the sound.
"Yanno, I have been thinkin'," Ayumu spoked, "We changed a lot in five years. For example, Chiyo-chan has grown up..."
BACKGROUND MUSIC…
I keep recalling
How life used to be.
Chiyo-chan smiled at what Ayumu said.
"... Sakaki-chan's boobs have gone bigger…"
Now and then I wonder,
Have we changed?
Sakaki's face turned red at what Ayumu said.
"... Kagura-chan's skin is more grilled…"
With your hand in mine,
Kagura facepalmed at what Ayumu said.
"...Yomi-chan got slimmer…"
Oh, the moments shine.
Yomi simply smiled at what Ayumu said.
"...Tomo-chan stopped goofin' around…"
Like the pictures in a storybook
We will turn the pages,
Tomo smirked at what Ayumu said.
Sharing pieces of the memories.
"... And I finally got it all together," Ayumu smiled.
I care for you now
As I did then,
The girls started to reminisce about their memories from high school, some they laughed at, others they cried at.
At our beginning.
Our beginning.
A/N: And that's a poignant ending. At first, the vignette was funny with the return of Chiyo-chichi, but then after Chiyo-chan gave out the souvenirs, Osaka started to talk about how much they changed in five years. And yes, I put "Our Beginning" from the Care Bears Movie 2: A New Generation during the scene. It was fitting for a moment like that.
So, read and review!
Note: I don't own anything I used in my fanfics All rights go to their respective owners.