Azumanga Rumble

Chapter 3

(Red Team 7, Blue Team 4)

Eri & Harima and Sakaki & Kagura were setting themselves up at the starting line, knowing who will win the tiebreaker. Both teams won two points in 4 total heats. And the best racers will decide it.

"Damn, I cannot believe I have to race with Rich Girl again!" Harima thought in anger.

"Sakaki, I promise we'll win those 2 points, out of those two lovebirds!" Kagura said to her.

The gun sounded and the teams began to race. Sakaki & Kagura pulled out a huge lead, but Eri & Harima were very fatigued in the first leg.

"Man, I can't believe I have to do it again! This is like running in an endless marathon," Eri shouted.

"Don't give up, Rich Girl!" Harima shouted, "The last thing we want is to surrender to those two!"

Sakaki & Kagura were at the home stretch, when suddenly, Kagura started to shift her leg apart. She stumbled down with Sakaki and collapsed to the ground; Eri & Harima went past them and crossed the finish line first. The entire Blue Team cheered on as they saw Eri and Harima separate each other.

"Winners of the 3-Legged Race are: The Blue Team!" Itoko shouted.

Everyone cheered as Sakaki got up.

"Sorry, there," she said, "I didn't mean to go off like that."

"No, it's okay… OW!" Kagura said in pain, "As long we tried to win it. But my legs gave out for a moment."

She carried Kagura to the first-aid tent.

XXXXX

The next event was the Tug-of-War. Two teams of four join together and tried to get their opponents onto the water. And whoever gets ALL their members into the water first, loses. And the winning team gets 3 points.

It would be tempting, except that the Blue Team is having trouble deciding who gets to be on their team.

"This is a tough decision," Hanai bellowed, "Sawachika and Harima are sitting this one out. I will man the front, while Suo & Takano will take care of the middle."

"Now all we need is the anchor role," Akira said.

"I think Tenma or Yakumo deserve to be on the anchor," Mikoto suggested.

"Are you kidding?" Hanai roared, "Both Tsukamotos are FAR too small to handle pulling rope!"

"Um, actually," Yakumo asked, "What do we do when we pull in the end?"

"Simple," Eri responded, "We always have an end to the rope. And everybody knows that the anchor can be the key to victory; especially with Whiskers and Hanai on our team."

"Uh, what are you talking about, Eri?" Tenma boasted.

"Look, it's logic," Eri continued, "There are four big girls in the Red Team, so we need to outsize them, since one of them is injured."

"The boys are tall compared to the four beauties," Akira said.

"Uh, there are only three of them," Tenma said, "That girl in the short brown hair is full of energy, but she's small."

Tenma was referring to Tomo. Eri looked at Tomo, who was pumped up, and was convinced.

"You're right. She should be a casualty."

"Enough talk! Who's gonna be anchor?" Hanai bellowed.

A lone hand rose up and said, "I'll do it."

Karasuma insisted to be the anchor. However, Hanai was very forlorn… again!

"CRAP! Why didn't Yakumo join in at the last minute?" He growled quietly.

Meanwhile, the Red Team decided to form their group of 4. Sakaki, Tomo, & Yomi agreed to join in, but with Kagura injured, how will they complete the event?

"Okay, you guys, we have to choose who will be the anchor for the Tug-O-War event!" Tomo barked, "And as Assistant Class Rep, I choose our Team Captain to man to end."

"Uh, I'm afraid she's kinda moody, after the whole losing the 3-Legged Race earlier," Yomi stated.

"Oh, phooey!" Tomo groaned.

Chiyo-Chan was sulking under a tree, knowing that she loused it up; still, they did have the lead.

"So, how do we settle things here?" Yomi asked.

Kaorin appeared and called to them, "HEY! I want a shot! Pick me!"

They turned to her and nodded.

"I see, she wants in as the anchor," Kagura said.

"Well, I'll do it for the greater good! Those blue team freaks are going down!" She shouted.

Kaorin then thought, "But… I'm only doing this for Miss Sakaki…"

Sakaki was concerned over Kaorin, who was flushed in happiness; her cheeks her beet red.

XXXXX

And so, the tug-of war is about to begin; both teams went by a pit, with a rope over it. The blue team is set up in order: Hanai, Karasuma, Akira, and Mikoto; while the red team had Sakaki, Tomo, Yomi, & Kaorin in the other side of the pit. The pit was full of thick white mud. Both teams were shocked and sickened by it.

"Um… why the hell are we pulling them to some clam chowder?" Mikoto asked.

"I think it's vanilla pudding," Kaorin stated.

"No, it's foam," Akira added.

"You're ALL wrong! It's mud!" Yukari cried out, "You eight are idiots!"

All eight were in shock; except for Karasuma, who was still looking at the mud.

"You said it was water!" Hanai cried.

"We lied," Yukari heckled, "Mud is more exciting than water."

Kurosawa muttered, "No, it's not."

Each team began to hold the rope and started to get ready. However, there are some who tried to cheat their way to victory. Karasuma, who was the anchor, tied the rope around his waist. While Tomo sneakily put on some gloves, to make sure that she doesn't get rope burn.

"Yakumo… I promise you," Hanai thought, "I will win this event for you!"

"Miss Sakaki," Kaorin thought, "I hope you'll be proud of me… please win it for us!"

"Okay, go time!" Mikoto said quietly, "Time to take it home."

"Okay… all that dieting will pay off," Yomi muttered.

The gun sounded and they started to pull the rope. Each team pulled with all their might, but could not budge. After 5 seconds, the blue team pulled he rope slightly close to the edge; but ten seconds later, the rope pulled towards the red team. The rope kept alternately pulled from each side. Suddenly, Sakaki started to grow wobbly; she lost her footing and fell into the mud.

"Miss Sakaki! NO!" Kaorin cried.

"Miss Sakaki! YES!" Eri mocked.

"Pull harder!" Yomi cried.

"AUGH! Cannot … lose… holding!" Tomo cried.

"We got them on the ropes!" Hanai shouted, "Now PULL with all your might!"

"Aye-aye, Class Representative," Akira said.

They pulled the rope and Tomo & Yomi fell into the mud simultaneously with a splat.

"HA! You guys never win!" Mikoto jeered.

Kaorin was dragged to the edge of the pit and started to groan a bit. She then turned angry and noticed that if she loses, Miss Sakaki will hate her. She pulled as hard as she could with tears in her eyes.

"Miss Sakaki… I will not lose…" she huffed, "I won't!"

But at a sudden burst of energy, she pulled the rope all by herself, dragging the entire Blue Team closer to the pit.

"What th-?" Eri gasped.

"Oh, wow!" Osaka said.

"IMPOSSIBLE!" Harima cried.

"No way!" Tenma gasped.

"How is this possible?" Hanai shrieked, as he almost lost his footing.

"I… won't… give… up…" Kaorin cried, "MISS SAKAKI!"

With a fierce tug, she pulled Hanai, Mikoto, and Akira into the mud. Kaorin calmed down and saw the pit, with the mud-covered blue team in it.

"I… I did it," she thought, "I did it all by myself!"

She squealed in glee as she just won the event… or so she thought. As she saw Karasuma on the other side, she started to pull the rope; however, she noticed Sakaki coming out of the pit, all covered in mud.

"Oh… wow…" she stuttered, "Miss Sakaki looks amazing in mud."

She started to blush; also, she was pulled towards the pit.

"Kaorin, you idiot!" Yomi shouted, "Focus!"

"AUGH! NO!" Kaorin shrieked.

Karasuma, with his last amount of strength, pulled Kaorin into the pit with a splat.

"We win!" Mikoto cried.

"WOO-HOO! Karasuma!" Tenma cheered.

Karasuma dropped he rope and returned to the blue team's bench. Kaorin got out of the pit, with a sad look on her face. Sakaki pulled her out.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, I am," Kaorin responded, "What difference does it make anymore?"

"You were amazing," Sakaki said, "Nicely done."

"She's right," Kagura added, "You almost had them. Where did you get that kind of strength?"

Kaorin blushed and said, "Oh… I have had some heart."

Sakaki smiled and left to the red team.

Meanwhile, Karasuma was congratulated by his fellow blue team members.

"Way to go, Oji!" Eri grinned, "I never knew you came back to win!"

"Good job, Karasuma," Hanai dictated, "But the battle is far from over. We have the lead now, but there are still nine events left."

Tenma smiled as she saw Karasuma nodding to Hanai. She then thought, "Wow… Karasuma was so awesome… maybe… this could be it. I'll confess to him."

But just as Tenma was walking towards him, she slipped on a spot of mud and landed face-first; the worst part was that she did it in front of Karasuma.

He looked at Tenma and said, "Please be careful, Miss Tsukamoto. We had to go through a messy event."

"Oh, sorry," Tenma responded.

Karasuma left, as Tenma cried in her own self-pity.

"I GOOFED UP AGAIN!" She cried, spinning into her self-sadness.

As Tenma was wallowing, Chiyo-Chan and Osaka looked on, seeing Tenma in sadness.

"Oh, ho, so that's what Tenma is all dusky about," she grinned.

"Yeah, I know; boys do love her more than you, right?" Osaka asked.

Chiyo said nothing; she glared at Osaka and muttered, "Shut up, Osaka…"

XXXXX

(Blue Team 9, Red Team 7)

To be continued...