Oishi had promised Eiji that they would take a ride in a helicopter, this time for their enjoyment, and he was going to keep that promise.
It took both Eiji and Oishi nearly two months to save up enough money. Their parents had chipped in a bit, but the two mostly earned the money on their own. They did any job or chore in their spare time that a family member, friend, or neighbor would let them do in return for payment. Oishi's determination to keep his word and Eiji's enthusiasm kept them going.
And finally they had enough money for the both of them. They were going to take a helicopter tour of Tokyo. It was planned for a Sunday in the afternoon, since going during the day was cheaper than going in the evening or at night, and Oishi felt it was safer as well. The ride would only last between fifteen and twenty minutes, but it would be completely worth it.
"Oishi, hurry, come on!" the redheaded acrobat exclaimed. He could barely contain his excitement. They had worked hard for this and the day seemed to take too long to come.
Oishi chuckled in response, prompting Eiji to grab him by the wrist and pull him along. Oishi didn't make any attempt to halt the redhead. It made him happy to see Eiji happy.
With the hurried pace, the Golden Pair made it to their destination in no time. It was time for the tour to begin.
Eiji and Oishi entered the helicopter. The doors were shut and once it was made certain that everything was secure and in place, they took off.
It didn't take them long to get into the sky. The sight presented before their eyes was amazing to say the least.
There were buildings and houses anywhere and everywhere. There seemed to be more of them than land. It made one wonder where there was room to walk and drive down there.
From that high up, the buildings looked like toys that you could pick up and put back wherever you wanted. Everything was so much smaller. It was weird to see the tiny cars driving.
The Rainbow Bridge seemed shorter just looking at it and not crossing it. The water surrounding it was such a clear blue and still. It caught the sun's light and reflected it beautifully. It was like a scene in a painting.
Overall, everything seemed more complete from this height. They were just high enough that everything was small and in view and you could still make out some details. It was a more whole image, something you couldn't grasp from the ground level. There was so much life and activity down there that you could not see but that you knew was occurring. It gave a unique feeling.
Eiji's eyes were shining as he took in the sights. The normally talkative boy had been surprisingly quiet thus far.
Oishi, too, had remained speechless. The scenes were more than he had expected and he was thoroughly enjoying the experience. For once, he let himself just let go of his worries and stress and simply enjoyed this time with his friend.
"Oishi, this is so great, nya," Eiji said, eyes still sparkling.
"Yes, it is," Oishi answered, his own eyes shimmering.
All too soon, the tour ended. Eiji and Oishi exited the helicopter, thanked the pilot for the wonderful time, and headed on their way.
Eiji no longer felt the need to be quiet. He was telling Oishi all of his thoughts on the tour. Oishi was listening carefully, agreeing and commenting when necessary.
Eiji paused after his last sentence. He then turned and glomped his doubles partner. Oishi, accustomed to the acrobat's impulsive hugs, kept them from falling and returned the hug, albeit, a little surprised.
"Thank you, Oishi, for keeping your promise. I really had fun," Eiji said, moving away and smiling.
"Of course, Eiji. I had fun too," Oishi stated, smiling back. He always kept his word, especially to the people most important to him.
"Nya, we'll have to do that again, but at night. I bet the lights are really pretty," Eiji told him as they continued walking.
"Ah," Oishi said in response.
"I don't want to go home yet. Let's go get ice cream!" Eiji exclaimed, looking at Oishi with pleading eyes.
Oishi couldn't say no to those eyes. "Alright, let's go," he said.
Eiji gave a little cheer and pulled Oishi a little in the direction of the ice cream shop. This day was just a great day all around.
Oishi smiled at his friend's endless energy and happiness. He hoped that there would be many days like this to come in the future.
Disclaimer: Don't we all wish we could own Prince of Tennis for just a day… But I, like all those others, don't. It belongs to Takeshi Konomi.
A/N: There is the one-shot kind of sequel that I promised. I wonder how many people guessed that this is what I would write about? I did my research, and there actually are helicopter tours of Tokyo given. I watched a video and that's where I based my details from. I hope you guys liked it. ^_^ If you have time, let me know how I did. That's it for now, and I'll get to working on my other ideas for stories. ^_~