Disclaimer: I don't own Lucky Star...or certain other anime franchises.
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Ryōō High School.
Not a particularly cheerful day as the sky outside indicated. The clouds were dark and even though it was close to noon there was barely any sunlight hitting the ground. While it didn't rain yet, sounds of distant thunder claps echoed across the air every now and then. The weather report the other day had predicted some fowl weather approaching the area soon.
Lunch break as usual and the group of four consisting Konata, Kagami, Tsukasa, and Miyuki hung out at the usual venue of class 3-B eating their respective bentos. The day was Thursday, something Konata pointed out in a rather depressing manner.
"Man, I hate Thursdays," she said as she slumped her chin on to the desk. "It's so tiring."
"Exactly what is about Thursday that's so tiring?" asked Kagami. "Besides, aren't you lazy for most of the week any way?"
"All days of the week have different feels to them, Kagamin. Don't you know about that?"
"No, I don't...But I have the feeling I'm about to."
"I mean, just think about it. Monday, you're frustrated because you just got back from a two day weekend rest. Tuesday feels easy since by then you're used to working and school again. Wednesday feels a bit exciting because after two days of work, your the most motivated of the week. Thursday sucks because you know the week is almost over and you've lost all your motivation and you just want to get to Friday which is just as frustrating as Monday since you just want the day to end."
Kagami sweat-dropped. "You have no sense of ambition at all do you?"
"Maybe, it's this weather, Kona-chan," said Tsukasa. "The clouds have been dark all morning. It's been really gloomy lately."
"I guess you're right. I wish it would just rain and get it over with. This day really sucks."
Konata grunted in agreement. "And it sucks even more since there's a new DVD of an OVA I've been wanting to buy that's coming out today. I really want the school day to end already!"
"Again, with your crazy Otaku obsessions. Well, at least you have one source of motivation."
"And that's all that counts, right?!"
Kagami sweat-dropped a bit more. "Would be nicer if you dedicated that energy to something more productive though."
"Um, Kona-chan," spoke up Tsukasa. "What kind of DVD are you planning to buy anyway? I'm just curious."
"Oh, it's a just new OVA that I've been reading about is some of the forums I visit. They say the source material is fantastic and they've been raving about it ever since the announcement that the OVA was being made."
"Sounds big. Um, can I ask, what does OVA mean anyway?"
"You see, it stands for Official Video Animation," answered Miyuki. "It basically is used to mark a particular animation production that is sold primarily on video format like DVDs. In America, they have an informal term "straight-to-video" as an equivalent."
"But aren't OVA's broadcasted on TV as well?"
"Yes, but usually only after an amount of time to allow the studios to sell many copies of the video first. Also, in the cases where they show the first part of the OVA on TV before the release itself is just for promotional purposes."
"Yeah," concurred Konata. "And if the OVA is very much anticipated, The first batch might sell out in just under a week. That's why it's important to always get you hands on a first batch copy as early as possible. If they allow it, you should also try getting a reservation for a copy at the store."
"Can't you give a tip on something a little more productive?" asked Kagami. "Besides, isn't it when a video does sell well they usually a special edition which has way more stuff in it? Shouldn't you just wait out for that instead of the regular edition?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Kagamin, it's not about getting the most value for money. It's about having the personal prestige of knowing you bought something first before everyone else!"
Kagami sweat-dropped again. "I pity the idiot who will agree to be your accountant."
Their conversation was interrupted when Kagami felt her cellphone vibrating in her pocket. She took it out and read the message and soon wore a somewhat annoyed expression on her face. Her friends picked up on this. "Something amiss, Kagamin?" asked Konata.
"No, not really. And before you go on about it, no, that message isn't from a boy."
"Then I guess it's from your new boss from that part-time job you got, then."
Kagami nodded her head. A couple of silent seconds passed. Kagami's eyes exploded to the size of dinner plates. "How the heck do you know that?!"
Konata sweat-dropped nervously and stuttered her answer. "T-Tsukasa told us."
Kagami turned to her very guilty looking younger sister. "Tsukasa you tattle-tail! How could you tell them After I told not to talk about it!?"
"S-S-Sorry onee-chan," said Tsukasa. "It just sorta slipped out during one of my phone conversations with Yuki-chan."
Kagami then turned to Miyuki who looked back at her good friend with a most apologizing face. "Sorry, Hiiragi-san. I didn't think you would mind when I mentioned it to Izumi-san."
Kagami slumped her shoulders in frustration. When she got back from the studio on Sunday, just about all of her family, except for her mother, wanted to know where she had been. Eventually she was forced to confide to her younger-by-a-few-minutes sister that she had this irregular job that she was gonna go to for a while and told her not to mention it to anybody else. Then again this was Tsukasa that we're talking about after all. Kagami mentally slapped herself for not knowing better. The fact that her job was gonna be public was an inevitable fate.
"Don't be so down about it, Kagamin," said Konata. "It's nothing to be ashamed about. Many high school kids have part-time jobs nowadays, what with the economy going down a bit. I mean, I have a job, Sebastian over there has a job..."
Somewhere in the background: "It's Shiraishi!"
"...and now you have a job. We all got to do our part to help the country right?"
Kagami turned to her with an exasperated. "Konata, no offense, but you're not exactly high on my list people to got to for career advice."
"But still, Hiiragi-chan," said Miyuki. "Izumi-san is right. Up to 40 percent of today's students say they work part-time or are looking for work part-time."
"It's a great way to teach today's youth to be more independent, dontcha' think so, Kagamin? Beside, I thought you of all people would appreciate that kind of thing."
Kagami let out an exasperated sigh. "Yeah, yeah, I guess you have a point." Kagami resumed eating her lunch.
"By the way," said Konata. "What is your job, Kagamin?"
Kagami chocked on the rice she was chewing. She had told Tsukasa she had a job but she never specified what that was so Konata and Miyuki didn't know either. Kagami simply couldn't bare the embarrassment of telling her closest friends that she voiced anime characters. And worse of all, she couldn't even imagine what kind of treatment she'd get from Konata of all people. After attending Comiket with Konata twice in a row, Kagami knew all too well how far the little otaku would go.
And thus, she stammered for words as she tried to find some kind of answer to give her friends and twin sister. "Um...well, it's...uh...You see...I...um."
"Sounds like Kagami is not proud of her new job," commented Konata. "I hope it's not anything indecent."
"It's not! I swear! It's just that...uh..."
"But, onee-chan, Mom said you seemed quite motivated by this job of yours," said Tsukasa.
"I am...The thing is...ummm..."
Just then, Kuroi-sensei walked up to the group unexpectedly and somewhat caught the group off-guard. They all looked up to her as they noticed her presence. "Oi, oi, Izumi, you're not torturing Hiiragi again, are you?"
"No way, Kuroi-sensei," replied the blue-haired girl almost nonchalantly. "We're just talking about jobs and stuff."
"Well whatever it is you're talking about it'll have to wait. Lunch break is only about a minute to go and Kagami-san here should probably get back to her own class already."
"Uh, yes, sure thing Kuroi-sensei," replied Kagami as she got up from her chair. "See you guys after classes," she told her finds and they all gave a friend wave as Kagami left the room. With her back turned to them Kagami breathed a deep sigh of relief as she knew that Kuroi-sensei just saved her in the nick of time there. Hopefully that would be the last of that discussion for today and she wouldn't have to feel interrogated any time soon.
Back at class 3-B Kuroi-sensei was already at her desk in front of the class preparing her things for the next lesson and the students were rearranging the desks and chairs back to their proper places.
"By the way, Kona-chan," said Tsukasa. "I was wondering, what was that OVA you were gonna get anyway?"
"Oh that. I don't know much about it. All I know is that the title is Q-ko-chan: The Earth Invader Girl. It's the latest release from that new animation studio."
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Hours later, at Studio Peach.
A recording session was just finished marking the third episode of the series that Kagami was assigned to do. Kagami lazily walked out of the recording booth to the friendly applause of the recording specialist and his assistants. "Good work today, Hiiragi-san," said the recording specialist, a large man in his late forties.
"Thank you, sir," Kagami replied.
"You know, I didn't think you could pull off being a professional seiyuu with almost no experience but it seems you're a rare talent. We're pretty lucky to have you."
She smiled nervously. "Oh, don't say that. I'm just doing my best."
Kagami looked to the side and saw Tetsuya there with an almost blank expression on his face. Kagami's smile faded and turned into an annoyed frown. Soon, the two were out of the recording room and out the hall walking to their next destination.
"What, got nothing to say?" said Kagami. "You've been quiet all this time. You're not gonna try to throw some kind of witty insult my way?"
"Why? You want me to criticize you? What are you, a masochist?" replied Tetsuya.
"I would've thought that you would start to say something about my voice acting."
"What's to say? You're doing just fine."
Kagami blushed lightly. "R-Really?"
"Yeah. You get into character very easily. You have great expression and your diction and accent are always on key. Not much to complain about."
Kagami blushed even more and started to look away from Tetsuya. "I-I see. That's good to hear. Thanks."
"Of course it's all because of me, you know."
Kagami's blushing face was replaced by an angry one. "What did you say?"
I'm your current voice coach, aren't I? You'd be nowhere near as good as you are now without all those tips I've been giving you. Heck you probably won't even be good enough to an announcer of a TV commercial if it weren't for--"
BONK!!!
Tetsuya dropped his head in pain and raised his hands to rub a growing lump at the top of his head. Kagami was holding up a fist that had a pulsing vein on it.
"TV commercial announcer, as if..." mumbled Kagami as she walked on ahead.
Tetsuya eventually caught up, more than just a little bit annoyed. "Must you always be so hostile?"
"Must you always be a stuck-up jerk?" shot Kagami back. Tetsuya merely scoffed off that comment and simply looked away from Kagami and the twin-tailed girl did the same. A few moments of silence passed as the two continued to walk together to wherever it was they were going to. Something Tetsuya realized he had absolutely no idea of. He also noticed he had no idea why he was even following Kagami in the first place. Maybe that hit to the head had something to do with it but he didn't explore that point now.
"Wait, why am I following you again? And where are we going?"
Kagami stared at him with a raised eyebrow. "Didn't you get word from Omori-san telling us to meet her at the music recording room once our work was done? I've been looking for it all this time but I think I'm lost since I'm still not used to this building. And I've been waiting for you to give me directions."
Tetsuya slapped a palm to his forehead. "Aw, geez. Fine, follow me. I wonder what Aoi-san has for us this time."
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Later, in the Music Recording studio.
The song started off with a rousing drum combo at the start immediately followed by a riff by the lead guitarist of the 5-member all-girl band to introduce an easy going pop-rock melody. After the short opening riff the lyrics came in as sung by the band's guitarist standing in front of the mic.
Nande nandaro
Kini naru yoru kimi henokono omoi
Bin sennine kai temiruyo
moshikashite kimagure kamoshirenai
sorenanoni maisuu dake fue teyukuyo
suki no kakuritsu wari dasu keisanshiki
arebaiinoni!
The chorus came and the Bassist of the band joined in to perform the song as a duet with the guitarist.
kirakira hikaru negai gotomo
guchaguchahetaru nayami gotomo
sonnano hocchikisu de toji chaou
hajimari dakeha karui nori de shira
naiuchini atsuku natte
mou hari ganandaka toura nai
rara mata ashita
The song then faded into a slow solo by the keyboards then followed by the opening riff again as the song slowly faded out and eventually ended. The four band members bowed as they were applauded by there audience consisting of only three people, namely Aoi, Tetsuya, and Kagami, the last of which seemed to be scrutinizing the band not by their music but by other things because, for some reason she couldn't quite comprehend at that moment, the band members seemed familiar to her...very familiar.
"That was great, you guys!" said Aoi as she gave the band a standing ovation. The individual band members reacted a bit differently. The lead guitarist took the compliment humbly, the rhythm guitarist nodded in appreciation, the bassist blushed and shyly looked away, the drummer looked rather proud of herself and the girl on the keyboard politely smiled back.
"Say, why don't you introduce yourselves? Kagami-chan and Tetsuya-kun were a bit late coming in."
The lead guitarist, with her bubbly personality, introduced the band. "Um, okay. The band's name is After School Tea Time and that was our song "Watashi no koha hocchikisu." Um, let me introduce the members. My name is Yui" she then pointed to the bassist, "That's Mio-chan," then to the other guitarist, "Azu-nyan," then to the girl on keyboard, "Mugi-chan", then lastly to the drummer. "and that's Ricchan."
"Oy! My name is Ritsu! And it's Azusa and Tsumugi, not just Azu-nyan and Mugi-chan!" exclaimed the drummer. "Introduce us properly, Yui!"
"Ah! Sorry!"
Kagami continued to stare at the band for a long time. Something about those guys was picking at her mind. They seem so familiar somehow, she thought to herself. Have I seen them before or something? Especially that girl on the bass guitar and that shorter girl on rhythm guitar with the same hairstyle as me. That girl on the drums. I wonder if she likes manga...or eating meatballs. And that girl at the keyboard. Why do I get the sense she's smart, rich, a should have bigger brea--
"Kagami-chan!" called out Aoi, bringing Kagami back to reality. "Is something wrong? You look like you're spacing out."
"Oh, uh, sorry. I was...trying to remember something."
"I hope it's not your name. Like I was saying, why don't you introduce yourself now?"
"Ah, right. My name is Kagami Hiiragi."
"And I'm Tetsuya Shimakage. And pardon me for asking but what is this about again? Aoi here didn't tell me about this meeting."
"Ah, Didn't I?" said a surprised Aoi. "Well, the song you just heard is supposed to be the ending theme for Fairy Tail's first season. I brought the girls in so that we could all sample it together. I asked you guys here so I can get you're opinion on it so that you could give it your approval."
"Our opinion on it?" asked Tetsuya. He was wondering what was the point in asking the cast. He thought the song was nice but it was a bit of a love song and romance was not heavy in Fairy Tail's plot lines. "It's a great song and all but why do you need our approval for it."
"Because I wanted to make Kagami-chan sing it for the anime."
That statement took a long time to register with Kagami. "...WHAT?!"
"It's a popular thing nowadays to have the cast of an anime sing the theme songs isn't it? Besides I bet Kagami-chan has a great singing voice. That's also why I asked you here. I wanted Kagami-chan to perform live."
Kagami was blushing madly. "B-B-B-But I-I-I---"
Kagami hand was suddenly grabbed by Yui who somehow managed to sneak up on Kagami. "Really, Hiiragi-san? You're a great singer?"
"Wait, I never said that but," she looked up at Yui who had a bubbly expression. That sense of familiarity crept back in. "Um, Yui-san, do you, by chance, like balsamic viniga--AHH!?"
Yui didn't bother waiting for her to finish and quickly pulled the hapless girl to the performing area and made her stand in front of the mic stand. "I wanna here Hiiragi-san sing too!"
"Now now, Yui-chan," said the girl on keyboard, Tsumugi. You shouldn't force people like that."
"Ah, but Mugi-chan..." Yui drifted off as she got suddenly distracted by something. Kagami was wondering why the girl became silent all of a sudden but suddenly felt her twin-tailed hair being pulled.
"Awwww, kawaii, she has the same hair as Azu-nyan!" said Yui.
The rhythm guitarist, Azusa, blushed. "Yui-sempai! What does that have to do with anything?"
The bassist, Mio, stepped closer to Yui. "Yui! Stop that can't you see you're bothering her? Oy, Ritsu, why don't you say something?"
The drummer, Ritsu, wasn't paying attention to Mio and instead seemed to be contemplating something. Then she turned to Mio. "You know, Mio, maybe you should start wearing your hair like that as well."
"Huh?!"
"That way you'll resemble a bunny and that's perfect for you, since you get so lonely so easily. And I'm sure your fans will love the new loo--"
BONK!!!
Ritsu bent her head down in pain while an angry but still blushing Mio, stood over her with a raised fist. "Stop talking such nonsense!"
"Um, please calm down. You guys..." Tsumugi tried and failed to get her band mates to calm down.
Amidst all this, Tetsuya and Aoi was were still near the back of the room looked slightly amused, more on how Kagami was be caught in the middle of all this. Kagami looked rather annoyed but somehow knew this was just the tip of her troubles for the day.
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Author's note: Next chapter will be more on Tetsuya and Kagami. For this chapter I wanted to go back to the show's staple lunch break scenes a bit. Also, that latter part of the chapter was something I've been itching to try.
Other notes: The band After School Tea Time and their song Watashi no koha hocchikisu (My love is a stapler) are from the manga/anime K-ON! by Kakifly. Now for those of you who don't know K-ON! many out there will tell you that it's simply Lucky Star plus Haruhi episode 12. Well, that's one way to describe it. If you watch the show than you'll understand.
Personally, I like K-ON! and I believe it stands out from Lucky Star though I will admit that there are a lot of similarities between the two but, hey, both shows work just fine on their own.