A/N: This story is really cheesy and the writing style reminds me of when I first started writing fanfiction. But oh well! There's not much you can do with a school-based anime, unless it's a crazy school like in Ken Akamatsu's Negima. So yeah... no evil plots to destroy the world.

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It's still only the first day of the Family Fair, and the new school year is just beginning.

It's a shame I can't spend more of my time doing what I want to do, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't fun helping the kohai set up their shops around the campus. Plus, every time I'm off-duty I can go into my club room and work on my newest projects, not to mention it has a great view of the "Throw Pies at the Sister" booth!

It's also a shame I didn't propose that idea to the council first. However, you'd be surprised what a few whispers in the right ears will produce…

I hope this new Family Fair won't end up as a flop. Otherwise, what else would I have to look forward to when I apply to become a teacher here? Besides the obvious, of course…but when have I ever been satisfied with what I could always predict? Hee hee!

Strawberry Panic: New Year

Episode 3

"Incriminating Photos!"

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"It's the mother-lode," Remon and Kizuna said, bowing as one. They presented the photos to their club leader with outstretched hands, not trying very hard to hide their grins.

Chikaru blinked, taking the Polaroid pictures and flipping through them, her thin eyebrows elevating higher and higher with every new glimpse. "This is…" she said, biting her lower lip. There was a tangible silence in the room as the lowerclassmen waited for her approval.

Finally, she burst out into giggles, helplessly conking her head against her desk. "Wh-what on earth is this?" she gasped, sitting back against her seat with eyes overflowing. "Are you sure you didn't photoshop this?"

"Chikaru-sempai, give us a little credit!" Kizuna said, pouting.

"Does it look like its photoshopped?" Remon wondered aloud, peeking over Kizuna's shoulder to get a better view of the pictures, which were of Hikari and Yaya making out in the library.

"I'm sorry, but…" Chikaru slid the pictures across her desk back to her club members. "…Yes. In journalism, my dears, there is such a thing as stretching the truth too far."

"You asked us for gripping photos for the new school paper!" Kizuna said, sticking her lower lip out further as she whined. Snatching one of the pictures, she continued, "And it sure does look like Yaya is gripping-"

Remon smacked her with a rolled up newspaper for her silence, glaring at her.

Chikaru, meanwhile, was busy wiping away her tears of mirth. "You two are always so silly," she sighed, daring another glance at the pictures again before erupting into fresh peals of laughter.

Remon and Kizuna turned identical shades of scarlet. "Well, the original photos weren't any good at all!" Remon said, carelessly tossing another pile of photos onto Chikaru's desk. "They're all blurry and you can't tell who the people are."

"Hehe…" Chikaru took her time looking at the originals, blinking away her tears. "Well, that's easily settled, dear kohai. Watch and learn. One of them is from Spica," she noted, taking a small red marker and pointing an arrow to the tell-tale white uniform. "And the other one is either an off-duty student or one of the… aha! Visitor!" After searching the picture carefully with her magnifying glass left over from the days of the Henshin Club (long since disbanded in favor of the Cosplay Club) she found a white sticker with blazing red letters that spelled out VISITOR. All non-students were required to wear it for the fair.

Sitting back in her chair, she kicked her feet onto the desk, her hands behind her head. "And as you can see from the pile of books at their feet and the awkward positioning of their bodies, they obviously tripped and landed in a compromising position, no passion intended."

The two lowerclassmen blinked.

"Elementary, my dear Watson," Chikaru said, in English, before winking at them.

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"Hmm? Oh, good! There are computer terminals here!" Tohru said, running from Tsubomi's side further into the library. "I'd die if I wasn't able to check my emails every day."

"Uhuh," Tsubomi agreed absently, looking around her with quick nervous glances. The library was completely empty, except for them. "Well, I hope we don't stay here long," she said. "After all, I have duties to attend to, and I don't think-"

"I need a password..." Tohru said to herself, frowning slightly.

"Log in as "Student" and use "0-0-0-0". It's the default login and password."

"Thanks!"

"...N-no problem."

Already well past the point of being uncomfortable, Tsubomi could only bide her time as Tohru checked her e-mail. Though she tried to remain calm since there really was nothing to be panicking about, she couldn't help but wonder. If Tohru was transferring here, that would give her a reason to see her regularly. Already she was somewhat smitten with the girl and her charming, honestly polite nature. It actually reminded her of someone else, but right now she just couldn't put a finger on the name.

"So, Tohru-chan," Tsubomi said while leafing through an uninteresting book. "If you do decide to transfer here... Well, I may be biased, but Spica is definitely the best when it comes to sports and academics. Lulim is an OK school, but the girls there tend to be slackers. Academically, Miator is better but everyone knows Miator is really just for girls who are destined to be home makers when they grow up."

As she continued her rant, her confidence grew until she felt more like her regular, bossy self.

"Miator is the school with the most tradition behind it," she explained to Tohru, who had turned in her seat to give Tsubomi her undivided attention. "It's proper, prim, an environment that encourages delicate, almost Victorian standards of behavior. Even the uniform looks a little more constricting than the other school's. Even though Spica is younger, if you want a real promising future I don't think there's a better school for girls."

Proud of her speech, she put her hands on her hips and awaited the eager agreement she knew was forthcoming.

"In that case," Tohru said with an apologetic smile, "Miator is probably the best choice for me. What I need most right now is a place that will teach me more how to be a proper lady than anything else."

Tsubomi's jaw dropped. "Wh-What?"

Tohru shook her head. "Besides, if I went to Spica there would be too much pressure from my parents. I already have a sibling here, and she's always been more successful than me. And to be honest..." She smiled, standing up and stretching."I never was good at sports. Older sister was the sporty one." Making as if to leave, she beckoned Tsubomi. "So anyway, come on! I'd like you to meet my family."

"Wait, Tohru-chan!" Tsubomi stuttered, taking a few steps towards her with her hand outstretched to stop her. In her haste, she didn't notice the pile of books near her feet in the gloom of the library and-

CRASH!

"Ow, ow, ow, ow," Tsubomi pushed herself up off the floor, only to realize the floor had suddenly become very squishy and warm. And round.

"Er... Tsubomi-chan.." Tohru said, her cheeks red. "Could you get off of me please?"

Tsubomi recoiled as if she had been burned, leaping to her feet and waving her arms wildly. "Ah, um, sorry! I tripped!" Bowing from the waist, she was glad her curtain of hair hid her cherry red cheeks.

"I had noticed..." Tohru said, laughing awkwardly. Standing up, she straightened out her dress and then gave a sharp gasp as something fell with a plip, rolling over to Tsubomi's feet.

Tohru quickly turned her back, turning even redder than Tsubomi, who had picked up the object in confusion. "Um..." she said, suddenly realizing what the jiggly mass was. "Er... I think this got dislodged in the fall."

Tohru wordlessly held out one hand, demanding. Never feeling more stupid in her life, Tsubomi handed over the fake breast so Tohru could even things out with her back turned to the Spica student.

"Don't... tell... anyone," Tohru managed to grind out.

"Tohru-chan, it's actually pretty normal if girls our age aren't, uh, developed yet."

"I don't care!" Tohru said, her back still turned. She wiped at her eyes, her voice angry. "If you tell anyone, I'll- I'll make your life miserable!" And with that last outburst, she ran from the library back into the crowded throngs near the fair.

Tsubomi smacked her forehead.

"...shit."

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Remon: Well, not a lot happened in this episode...

Kizuna: Except we found out Amane's sister has the same bust size as her older, masculine sister, hahahahaha! Em.. I mean...

Remon: Tohru is just a little bit touchy when it comes to certain shortcomings she has as a lady, I guess. But don't you think she overreacted?

Kizuna: Amane would have handled that with a bit more grace, I think. And speaking of the Etoile, what's the big deal with her little sister coming to school?

Remon: All this and more-

Remon and Kizuna: Next time on Strawberry Panic!