I took a deep breath and tried to calm my pounding heart. The ice was cold but the lights were dangerously hot. The crowd died down and there was a moment of silence before the music started. Now was my chance to shine.

Heeeey ya

Do your thang honey!

My smile flashed on and I gave them my sassiest look as I swayed my hips and raised my hands. Then I was off.I pushed my legs to pick speed while keeping the grace. I did a series of transitions before heading into my foot work sequence. I made sure to keep my smile plastered on my face and to keep my knees bent. With one last turn I spun out and moved onto my next element.

I could feel it from the start,
Couldn't stand to be apart.
Something about you caught my eye,
Something moved me deep inside!
Don't know what you did boy but
You had it and I've been hooked ever since.
I told my mother, my brother, my sister and my friend
I told the others, my lovers, both past and present tense.

Everytime I see you everything starts making sense.

Lining up as well as I could I reached far back and dug my toe pick into the ice before launching myself into the air.

One . . . Two . . .

I landed my double toe loop then quickly spun into my flying camel spin. The crowd roared over the music and continued to make me push through the rest of my routine.

Ain't no other man, can stand up next to you
Ain't no other man on the planet does what you do
You're the kinda guy, a girl finds in a blue moon.
You got soul, you got class.

You got style with your bad ass - oh yeah!

I stopped and popped out my hip out, giving the audience a wink. I had to sell it to get into the Grand Prix. I had to do something I normally wouldn't do and that's exactly what I was doing. I normally was a slow and graceful type of girl, but the spunky stuff wasn't all that bad.

I wound myself up for my last spin and pushed. I waited for a spilt second to balance then went into into my sit spin before standing up and giving a whip of my hair and giving my final pose. As quickly it all started I found myself surprised how fast the end of the routine came. I gave the audience one last bow before leaving the ice.

" Yuna that was amazing. You nailed it all."
I smiled at coach and slipped my arms into my jacket, holding it close. Time seemed to freeze the moment I saw my score. My heart skipped a beat and my breath hitched in my throat. All I could remember was Coach and I screaming and hugging each other. As we bounced for joy all I could think was I had done it. I made it into the Grand Prix.

" Hey what's up Yuna?"
I smiled as I pulled my skates out of my bag and handed it to Hibiki.
" I'm just here to check up on everyone before we leave tomorrow and to get my skates sharpened." I say happily.
" 1/2 inch?"
" You betcha."
He nodded and walked to begin to sharpen my skates. While I waited I began to look through the few clothes he sold in his shop. My eyes shifted and landed a pair on dance skates.

" Are you staying here?" I asked as I looked them.
" I'm going to travel along with you all to make some business in the rest of my shops, as well as Hiroshi and Mao."

I nodded with my happiness still shining through. Mao was the boutique owner just next door and Hiroshi was the owner of a cd store next to hers.
He walked out back out and set my skates down.

" Planning on doing pair skating afterwards?" He asked as he spotted me looking at the pair. My thumb ran across the leather as I thought.

" I'm not sure. I can do the footwork but I don't have a partner."

" I'm sure you will find the right guy. Who knows, maybe you were meant to do pair skating instead of solo skating."

" That's what my mom always said." I say as I take my skates and place them back into my bag. " Well I have to go home and pack. I'll make sure to drop by all your shops and see you."

I stood and hulled my luggage out of the back of the bus then waited on the side walk. I starred mindlessly at sidewalk while I waited for the rest of them to unload the rest of the luggage. It was still dark out. It was the time we should be sleeping, not getting ready to board a plane.

" You tired too?"
I looked up at Momoka. She smiled tiredly down at me.
" I think we all are."

I glanced over at Dai as he helped Miki pull her luggage down. The dark circles under his eyes couldn't be hidden behind his smile.
" All right skaters! Lets go!"
We all moaned and followed behind Coach Saito. Ok everyone but her was tired.

Once we checked in out luggage we waited in line for security. I pulled off my sweater and kicked off my flipflops, leaving me in my shorts, tanktop and light scarf. While I waited I talked to Kauro, my best friend. She had been smart and just stayed in her pajamas. Despite my attempt to dress at such an early hour I had thrown my hair up and my makeup was poorly done, much like the rest of the girls. It was clear we simply didn't care.

I stepped through security and waited for my bags to come through. Once everything was within reach I threw my shoes back on as well as my sweater before catching up with the group. At our gate the rest of the skaters who had flew to compete for preliminaries waited as well. They all looked like they were in the same shape as we were especially they had to deal with the changing time zones.

While everyone had gone off to grab some snacks I stayed and watched the bags. I was too tired to go a step further. Last night my mind was drowning with thoughts. What was going to happen in the Grand Prix? What about what Hibiki had said? Maybe I was meant to do pair skating, but that meant I needed a partner and picking a partner was a stressful thing to do. It had to be someone you trusted with your life, literally. They had to be someone you enjoyed being around and perhaps even love at one point in time.

I hadn't thought I'd be so hungry when I began to board the plane. Luckily we were in first class so drinks and food was free. Until then I'd keep myself occupied.

I stepped up to the plane and waited to step in, touching the shell with my fingers for good luck. Then the line moved and I continued on. Once I found my seat I put my bag up in the storage and my purse under the seat in front of me. I sat down in my seat and relaxed. Unlike coach there was only two seats in first class. Next to me was Sho, across the aisle was Kauro, who had a blanket in her lap and prepared to sleep after the plane took off and served breakfast. Just like her. Beside her in the window seat was Mako. She was very young, only in Jr. High. But don't let that throw you off, her skating skills were amazing. In front of me was Momoka, who was watching a movie the airplane provided. She was always so happy and cheerful, even without her boyfriend being near her. To see the two so deeply in love made me happy but at the same time a little sad. I hadn't been blessed to find someone like that quite yet. Next to her was Miki, who was listening to her music and looking out the window. She was the oldest out of us all as well as one of my top competitors. We both were strong with grace and it was always a constant competition on who could be even a little more graceful. Up next to Coach was Dai. Sadly he had hurt himself by pushing himself too hard and couldn't compete, but he promised once he was well he would join.

" Here you go, one strawberry smoothie, no banana. "
The sudden coldness pressing into my arm made me jump.
" I'm sure that the whole damn plane can hear your stomach growling. It'll hold you off until we can get some food."

I went to reach for it, my stomach growling again when he pulled it back.
" Ah, ah, no thank you Sho?"
I glared into his crimson eyes. Sho and I were childhood friends, our lives wouldn't even exist without the other. It was a relationship to cherish, but it also meant he knew how to be a pain in the ass.

" Thank you Sho." I said sarcastically. He smirked and went to give it back before stealing a sip. I took my smoothie into my hands and sat there for a moment. He looked at me confused and it gave me the chance to steal a sip of his own.
Before he could say anything the plane jerked and we began to head to take off. I took another sip of my drink and couldn't help but smile. I remembered when he would call them 'Yuna specials' because everywhere we went there would only be strawberry banana so I'd always have to make a special order.

I sat back and enjoyed the space of the first class seats. While we took off I talked to Sho about our programs and how much he had improved. His speed had increased tremendously since his last performance.

" I'm aiming to be your equal." He explained. " You've always been ahead of me, even when we were little. One day I won't be behind you any more."

I opened my mouth to speak when the flight steward came up to take our order for breakfast. I didn't even have a chance to say I had no doubts in him.