Disclaimer: I don't own, don't get anything, so don't sue.

Taming of the Otaku Chapter 1

It has been a month, Kaname thought. It's been a month since Sousuke had defeated Gauron on board the De Danan and saved both herself and Tessa, the young captain of the De Danan who was also a 'Whispered' like Kaname. Since she had returned to Japan, she had been shocked that news had not spread, despite the danger Gauron had posed to the civilized world. No-one had heard of the brave men and women of the De Danan, who had risked their lives, not for fame, but for the good of the world, especially a certain young Sergeant.

Kaname felt very alone as she walked to school without the comforting presence of Sousuke trailing her and protecting her. She felt vulnerable, and she slowly began realizing how secure she had felt with Sousuke around to protect her. Kaname wasn't the only one to miss Sousuke, on the very first day when she returned to school, everyone was asking her where was Sousuke.

"Where's Sousuke, Kane?" asked Kaname's best friend Kyoko.

"There were all sorts of rumours flying around when you and Sousuke disappeared on the same day, especially after he invited you to that fancy island," Said Ren calmly.

"Come on, you can tell us everything, what did you two get up too?" Mizuki said snidely.

"I don't know why that stupid military otaku isn't here!" snapped Kaname, angry at herself that she had to lie about it, "I was visiting my family in America, 'cause my little sister had an accident and wanted to see me!"

Her friends looked at each other. They had all been certain that something was going on between the two, however much Kaname denied it. Most of the school believed the two were a couple and the fact that Kaname denied it so vehemently only raised more suspicions

"So, you were in America, looking after your sister?" Kyoko asked slyly.

Kaname felt rotten for having to lie to her best friends, "Yeah that's right"

"So you didn't spend the time with a certain handsome otaku?" Mizuki demanded

"Look I don't where the idiot otaku Rambo went, but I'm thankful that he isn't here! Now we can finally get some peace and quiet around here," Kaname said grumpily, "Ja Ne!" she said before stomping off.

Her friends looked at each other worriedly. Kaname was taking Sagara's absence harder than she let on, and they began talking about how to cheer her up.

"We should throw her a surprise party!" Mizuki declared after much discussion.

"Ara, ara, I don't know if that is a good idea," started Ren, "Where would we hold it?"

Mizuki's eyes glinted evilly, "Well, you know, aren't your parents leaving on a big business trip at the end of the month?"

Kyoko quickly jumped in, "Yeah, you were telling us about the big trip to Europe to meet important contractors' right?"

Ren looked at her two friends, "Well my mother is long gone, and she hasn't lived with me and father for a long time. My father is going on a trip that is true, he has some…business to attend to," Ren didn't want to admit that her father was a yakuza boss.

"There we have it!" said Kyoko excitedly.

"We hold the party at Ren's place, neh?" Mizuki crammed in.

"Wait a moment please!" started Ren

"Don't you want to cheer up Kaname?" Mizuki demanded.

"We'll clean everything up, I promise!" Kyoko chimed in, sincerity shining from her eyes.

"Ara, ara, then I guess its okay," Ren said, she would just need to think of an explanation for the yakuza guys that hung around her house all the time.

"Yosh! Operation 'Cheer Up Kane-chan has started!" Kyoko exclaimed.

Ren and Mizuki sweat-dropped, "She's really into this, isn't she?" they asked one another.

The council to cheer up Kaname quickly expanded in members, Kazama was the first pick; he knew where to get the fire-works and good pyrotechnics at any time. Ono D was drafted because his parents owned a liquor store, and he was able to get a couple of bottles of alcohol of his parents, as well as soft-drinks and juice for everyone. Ren dealt with the food, as she was a more than capable cook; after all she had to cook for her father and all his yakuza members regularly although she got help from Kyoko. Mizuki spread the word throughout the class. Soon all the preparations were complete, and all that was left was waiting until the venue was clear to move in all the decorations that the class had put together for their Class Rep.

Kaname was oblivious of all these things going on in the background; she was too far gone in her own private misery. Slowly school adjusted to life without its most destructive student. Some students said that the school was a lot more peaceful without Sousuke and all his otaku ways although most students thought that school was not as interesting without Sousuke and his strange habits. Stories of his disruptive talents and tendencies soon became legendary throughout the school and everyone had their own little story to add, like when Sousuke had attempted to increase school security by running thorough strip searches and how quickly Kaname had ended that particular idea when she had sent him flying with a fearsome blow of her halisen. Or the time when Sousuke had brought a fully loaded CAWS(1) to school to test out a new ammunition on the roof, and how could anyone forget the incident with the cloth-eating bacterial agent? With every story Sagara's exploits were exaggerated and built upon until some stories became so unbelievable that the new students believed Sagara to be a school legend or something of the like.

Slowly, as the school adjusted to life without Sagara, bullying began to resurface as a problem, something that Sagara had been very efficient in combating in his own blunt and direct way. With the threat of Sagara hanging over their heads, bullies had become model students after they had an encounter with Sagara when he caught them trying to get lunch money out of someone. His demonstrations of proper interrogation techniques had sent the bullies cowering. Now that he wasn't around again, the bullies felt liberated and immediately began a campaign of terror and violence to see who could fit Sagara's shoes. The school council was hard-pressed to keep the tide at bay, and it was only with help from … and the karate club that a semblance of order was kept around the school.

While all of this was happening, Kaname kept to herself, too busy worrying about Sagara and Mithril to put any effort or feeling in her everyday life.