Disclaimers: I don't own Slam Dunk or the characters. They are all property of Takehiko Inoue. This fanfic is merely for your enjoyment.


Spoilers: There may be times when a certain character is OOC, but trust me, not too much.



PROLOGUE - Anzai-sensei's Announcement



Coach Anzai gave a look-over at his boys. They were a strong bunch, he knew. There was Takenori Akagi, the ever-positive team captain; Kaede Rukawa, mysterious yet an incredible player; Ryota Miyagi with his uncanny ability to steal and make excellent plays; Hisashi Mistui, the best outside shooter, always confident of his shooting. Then, Hanamichi Sakuragi, the show-off, always bringing life to the team with his antics and determination that was unlike the others.

Indeed, team Shohoku was a team of great players, and he knew that he would be leaving them in capable hands. He signalled for them to halt their practice and gather around to listen to what he was about to tell them. They immediately complied, showing the greatest amount of respect for their mentor who never raised his voice at any of them.

"Boys, I have an announcement to make," he said, somehow managing to quiet down Hanamichi, who was noisy again, as usual. The young men looked up expectantly, their gazes never leaving his for a moment. He decided they would be able to understand why...

"I have decided to leave you in the hands of my granddaughter, while I go with my wife to visit an old friend of mine in Hawaii. My grandchild will be flying here tonight from America and she will arrive tomorrow. She has agreed to be the coach for our upcoming games."

Hanamichi was the first one to react. "NANI?!?!" he cried out, "you're leaving on vacation, old man?!"

Anzai chuckled. "No, Sakuragi-kun. My old teammate and I have been communicating for the past ten years and he has been wanting me to visit him. I just had to wait for the proper time to go to Hawaii. It just so happens that my granddaughter is on school break and at the same time, scouting for other schools to enrol in, if ever she wants to transfer," he explained.

"So, you thought that since your granddaughter is on vacation and wants to continue her education in Japan, she would coach us and give you a chance to go to Hawaii to visit your old friend," Mitsui concluded, nodding wisely.

Akagi then decided to ask the question that was, no doubt, niggling the other players' minds. "But sensei, what about our games? Again, we'll be up against Ryonan and Kainan and I KNOW they have gotten better since last."

Everyone nodded and Miyagi spoke up. "Coach, I don't know if it's wise to leave us in the hands of someone we don't even know. Why can't Ayako be Coach? Or Kogure?"

Hanamichi saw this as an opportunity to tease his teammate. "Ha! I have a good guess at why you want Ayako to be Coach! So you can sneak up and smooch her, Miyagi! I know you have these feelings for Ayako and-"

Miyagi jammed his fist into Hanamichi's mouth, blushing five deep shades of red. "STUFF IT, SAKURAGI! OR I'LL TWIST YOU INTO A PRETZEL!"

The two were about to engage in a fistfight, when Ayako stepped up between them both. "Cool it, BOTH of you! Before I decide to do the pretzel-twisting!"

Both calmed down and she shook her head. "As much as the suggestion is flattering, Miyagi-kun, I would rather stay as Manager. Keeping records is my specialty, and I'm not that good at making plays. Let's give Coach's granddaughter a chance."

"If it's not too rude sensei, I would like to know if your granddaughter is as good as you say she is," Kogure requested.

"Well, she has won inter-state championships and coached her team when they went on to the Nationals. They made it as far as the Junior Goodwill Games and clinched the gold medal," Anzai replied, inwardly proud of his grandchild's achievements.

Kogure nodded. "All right, sensei...we will treat her with the same amount of respect we have for you. Right team?"

"Right," they replied, deadpan, not really seeing the point in all of this.

The old man smiled. "Then it's settled. I am leaving tonight for Hawaii. My grandchild will be meeting you tomorrow for practice. I trust you will welcome her. Dismissed."


~*~*~


Akagi, Kogure, and Mitsui walked home, stopping by at their favorite fastfood store to have a snack. Over burgers and fries, they started talking about what Anzai had announced.

"I don't know, do you think the Coach made the right decision? He never even told us that he had a granddaughter," Mitsui complained, downing his milk shake in one gulp.

"Sensei trusts her. She must be THAT good, as he said earlier," Kogure concluded.

Akagi shook his head. "Coach must feel that way because she's his family. I am a little doubtful of her so-called achievements," he calmly retorted, consuming the last of his fries.

"Then I guess we'll just find out tomorrow. See you!" With that, Kogure stood up, and bid them goodnight.


~*~*~


Hanamichi, Rukawa, and Miyagi, however, were not taking it too well. Hanamichi ranted and raved, angry that Anzai would leave without enough explanation. Rukawa remained quiet, mulling over his thoughts. Miyagi tried to calm Hanamichi, dodging his flailing arms.

"It's not fair~!" Hanamichi cried, thrashing about, "the old man's nuts! Leaving us to a person we don't even know! Arrrgggghhh! No one gets the best of Tensai Sakuragi! Especially not some female gaijin!"

Miyagi struggled to keep his voice neutral and grabbed Hanamichi's wrists, holding them behind his back. "Cool it, will you!?! You'll send us to a reformatory if you keep this up!" he hissed.

Sensing that there was no point in trying to calm down the redhead, Rukawa stood up, incensing Hanamichi with the same one-word comment.

".....Do'aho."

"NANI!? Rukawa, you insensitive clod! I swear I'll-"

"Shut up! I swear, Ayako will give you a severe tongue-lashing tomorrow, Sakuragi. So put a sock in it!"


~*~*~
TBC