Me: A discussion at the "Anime Suki" forums about Chikaru and her wonderfully eccentric tendencies resulted in this. A special mention goes to Kinny Riddle, the one who sparked my idea for this fanfiction.
Disclaimer: "Strawberry Panic!" is property of Sakurako Kimono, Dengeki G, Media Factory Inc., etc.
"Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu" is property of Nagaru Tanigawa, The Sneaker, Kyoto Animation, etc.
Minamoto Chikaru no Yuutsu
It was afternoon and the students of Astrea Hill were abuzz with excitement for the upcoming Etoile selection. Nevertheless, it didn't really seem that this enthusiasm carried through all three of the resident schools. The three schools were Miator, Spica, and Le Lim. The competitive battle between Miator and Spica over the position of Etoile was strong in everyone's minds, and there was no doubt that both schools would be sending representatives to the selection. When it came to Le Lim however, the position wasn't as much of a concern and the student body generally preferred to speculate as being Etoile was a daunting task.
Anyway, up against possible competition such as Spica's Amane, the only person the students of Le Lim could really envision going to participate in the Etoile battle, and possibly winning, was their Student Council President, Minamoto Chikaru. Yet, this talented fifth-year girl had no outward serious desire to attend such a thing, choosing rather to take part in fun activities than in more regal matters.
This was where she was currently with her entourage of first-years; spending time in their clubroom. While Chikaru was the president of their many clubs (which she had formed herself), at the moment they were passing the time modestly with playing cards. Kizuna and Remon sighed when their tower of cards tumbled to the desk they were seated at. Kagome watched it fall passively, and then turned to see Chikaru staring out the window with an expression that looked like thoughtful concern. Chikaru caught her gaze, and replaced her apprehension with a bright smile.
Kizuna sighed heavily as she gathered the fallen cards. "I feel bored," she stated blatantly.
"Kizuna-chan!" Remon panicked, worried that her words would offend their onee-sama in some way.
Not appearing in the slightest fazed however, Chikaru paced towards the young trio. "Hmm? Is that so?"
"Well, it's not that I'm bored exactly," Kizuna tired to unsuccessfully cover for herself. "I mean, it's just that we haven't been doing anything in particular lately."
Placing a considering finger to the side of her jaw line, Chikaru mused, "Well, it's true that we've toned things down a bit since the Etoile selection is approaching."
Remon interjected, "No one in Le Lim is even going to be attending it either, right?" She looked around at her friends for confirmation.
"Say, Chikaru-onee-sama." Kizuna tilted her head. "Are you sure you don't want to be a part of the Etoile selection?"
Smiling, Chikaru replied, "Well, that might be interesting; but I have an even better idea." From seemingly out of nowhere, Chikaru pulled out an instant photo and showed it to the girls.
"Ah!" Remon's eyes widened. "That's the photo Kizuna took when we were investigating the owner of the umbrella Kagome borrowed."
"Correct! And see here?" Chikaru pointed to a silhouette in the window of the photo, which was now encircled with a marker.
Kizuna took a closer look. "Oh yeah… I wondered what that was when I took the photo of it."
Chikaru leaned over the desks. "Do you believe in U.F.O.'s?"
"U.F.O.'s?" Kizuna echoed uncertainly.
"Yes. Unidentified Flying Objects – or aliens," Chikaru added for clarification.
Remon gasped. "Do you believe in aliens, Chikaru-onee-sama?"
"I like to think that there's a possibility of other life in the universe other than what's on Earth."
"Then, could it be that you think this image here is an alien?" Remon's voice was growing frantic.
"That's it." Chikaru straightened and held the photo up. "So, what do you think of investigating this sighting?"
"You really think there's more we can find out?" Kizuna asked.
Chikaru beamed. "We won't know until we try!"
Kizuna stood up from the desk in excitement. "So does that mean we're going to take part in the Himitsu (Secret) Club again?"
Thoughtful, Chikaru answered, "Actually, I think it'd be interesting if we had a separate club for mysteries relating to the paranormal; you know, finding out aliens, time-travelers, ESPers… things of that nature."
"What'll it be called?" Remon wondered out loud.
"How about…"
"Hold it right there!" A clear, but demanding voice burst from the doors which were now wide open. Beneath the doors' frame the Le Lim girls saw three unfamiliar schoolgirls wearing a uniform which clearly did not represent any of Astrea's three respective schools.
Noticing this, Kizuna exclaimed, "Who are you? You don't go to school here!"
The girl in the middle defiantly spoke. "Suzumiya Haruhi, Commander of the S.O.S. Dan!"
"A-Asahina Mikuru," was nervously stuttered by the girl to Haruhi's left.
The girl to Haruhi's right inertly introduced herself as, "Nagato Yuki."
Amazed, Kizuna inquired, "How did you get into the school grounds?"
"That doesn't matter." The girl with shoulder-length brown hair stomped over to them with swift strides, her subordinates trailing behind. Once at the desks, Haruhi stated rather loudly, "What matters are the legality issues surrounding your so-called club here. This club is in direct copyright violation of S.O.S. Dan!"
The Le Lim students didn't quite register this. "The… what?" Remon blinked.
"S.O.S. Dan! The Save the world by Overloading it with fun Suzumiya Haruhi's Brigade!" Haruhi slapped a sheet of paper onto the desks, which turned out to be one of her infamous S.O.S. Dan flyers. "I have exclusive rights to having a club created for this purpose!"
Chikaru glanced at the paper. "But don't copyright laws only cover how the ideas are manifested; not the ideas themselves?"
"I'm telling you that's what you're doing." Haruhi turned to the companions she had dragged there with her to look for some support. Yuki was busy making Kagome's stuffed bear Oshibaru do cartwheels in midair, after the first-year Le Rim girl had shown Yuki how she could spin Oshibaru on her finger. Mikuru meanwhile looked like she was going to have a nervous-break down, being in such an unfamiliar place with only Haruhi and Yuki as escorts. Haruhi grabbed her and held the panicky Mikuru in front of Chikaru.
Chikaru smiled. "My, what a cute face."
"Moé, right?" Haruhi shook Mikuru just a little to get her point across. "Do you have anyone like this in your club?"
"Hmm… I wonder…" That was all Chikaru said in reply, leaving Haruhi feeling unsatisfied and more agitated than before.
Spotting a notebook on the head desk, Haruhi snatched it up and threatened with it. "Listen to what I'm saying!"
"Ah! Let go of Chikaru-onee-sama's sketchbook!" Kizuna couldn't believe that this girl dared to take something of her onee-sama's, and Remon came in with protests of her own.
Haruhi blinked. "A sketchbook? What of?" Though Haruhi asked this, she didn't wait for an answer before opening it to take a look herself.
Chikaru didn't pay it any mind though, simply answering, "They're designs for costumes."
Haruhi's ears perked. "Costumes?"
"Yes. They're for the Henshin (Transformation) Club. I design and make the costumes while we all dress-up in them; and take pictures too." Chikaru brought out a photo album from the desk drawer. Haruhi flipped it open, her eyes growing wider with each turn of the pages.
Uneasy, Mikuru squeaked, "Um… Suzumiya-san…"
Haruhi looked up from the album. "Hey, do you have any of these costumes on hand?"
On demand, Chikaru pulled out the famous "Carmen" costume she had made for the school play that year, handing it to Haruhi. The brunette was in awe, seeing the quality and detail that went into the costume; almost making it sparkle. "Mikuru-chan…" The girl started when Haruhi called her. Haruhi spun around. "Let me take your measurements!" The S.O.S Dan leader was leaping at Mikuru with an outstretched measuring tape, Mikuru squealing in fear. "Hurry and take your clothes off!" Haruhi began grabbing at her uniform.
"Iyaaaaaa!"
Kizuna and Remon were shocked to see Haruhi attempting to strip Mikuru of her clothes herself, Mikuru tearing at the harassment she was under. Yuki continued to ignore what they were doing; taking turns with Kagome to manipulate Oshibaru in the strangest of ways. Chikaru chuckled. "It looks like things are going to get more interesting around here."
Me: And that's how the strawberry grows… … What?
