Disclaimer: I only wish that I could own PoT.

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I carefully balanced a spoon on my nose as the oven timer dinged. My mouth watered, ready to try the cream puffs from the oven and the fudge that had hardened in the fridge. Pulling on oven mitts, I carefully slid the pan out of the oven. Azuri, the impatient one, grabs a cream puff and nearly drops it, screaming about how hot it is. I simply roll my eyes.

"You're nuts. I have never been more tired in my life, and all I did was mix bowls," she said before carefully taking a bite of the salted caramel cream puff. Her eyebrows raised as she slowly chewed.

"Yo div iy," she said, while she munched away.

"Hmm?"

She swallowed. "Holy crap, you did it. That was the best I ever tasted."

I grinned, motioning for her to try the fudge that I had pulled out of the fridge.

"That's it. You're a witch. You should have totally gone to that magic school," she moaned, after trying the fudge. "There's no other explanation for how good this food is."

I grabbed plastic containers to pack the delicacies.

"You know," she continued, "you could totally sell those. People would buy."

"Nah, too lazy. Besides, it's just a hobby."

I slipped a few pieces of both the cream puffs and the fudge into a separate, smaller container and threw it towards Azuri. She caught it, but not before it hit her in the face.

"Heh, oops," I grin and shrug half-heartedly.

"Whyy…you…" Azuri sprang towards me and chased me around the flat as I laughed and laughed.

I opened my eyes to a white ceiling and the ringing of my alarm clock. I sat up, puzzled at first by the lack of my grandmother shaking me awake and why my ceiling was no longer dark blue. Oh, I remember. I am in Japan. The words repeated in my head. I am in Japan. I am in Japan. I am in Japan, about to start my first day of school.

SCHOOL. I sat up and ran my fingers through the bird's nest perched on top of my head. Throwing off my covers, I sprinted to the shower, graced it with version of a popular song, brushed my teeth and shoveled down some cereal in the span of ten minutes. I checked the time and mentally banged my head against the wall. It was two hours before I had to go to my new school. I sighed and smoothed the front of the dark blazer and skirt, straightened my striped tie, and checked the contents of my backpack. Registration papers and identification? Check. Notebooks and binders? Check. Salted caramel cream puffs and dark chocolate almond fudge? Check. My favorite gel pens? Check. Extra money and phone? Check. Map of the school that I had found on the internet and a pack of gum? Check. On to my sports duffel, I ruffled through the contents. My lucky green Nike swim suit? Check. Cap and goggles? Check. Two extra changes of clothes and an extra uniform? Check. Shampoo and conditioner and a towel? Check. My brother's old tennis racket and three balls? Check. I ruffled through the contents once more and felt a foreign object slide into my palm. I lifted it out of the and promptly started to laugh as I remembered my grandmother telling me she put something into my bag that I would think was funny. I laughed at the pepper spray that rested in my hand.

I tossed it into a smaller pocket of the sports duffel, chuckling to myself as I sling the bags on my back and decide to head to school early instead of sitting around in the empty flat. Chances were that no one would be on the tennis courts at the crack of dawn. As I strolled down the path to Rikkaidai, I nodded along to the music on my iPod and tossed a tennis ball up and down. I retreated into the depths of my mind, remembering the day my brother had gotten me to hold my first tennis racket. I was in my swim suit from practice when he suddenly tossed it to me. He pointed to me and told me that I had a natural grip and promptly taught me how to swing. My grandmother found me an hour later, bouncing a tennis ball while blowing gum bubbles, still wet from swim practice and chlorine drying in my hair. I taught myself tricks, flips, and strengthening exercises for fun, but it never connected with me in the same say swimming did. In swimming, it was just the water, battling it out to shave off a few milliseconds. It tested your inner strength, your perseverance, and physical condition in a way other sports never would. It had a beauty and a balance revealed to the people who willingly painted themselves in chlorinated water.

I took a step through the gates of Rikkaidai Fuzoku Jr. High, glancing at my new school. The early streaks of dawn and the crisp air swirled around me as I breathed in. Strolling over to the tennis courts, I took out my brother's old racket, slid my bags off my shoulders, and entered the court with a wall. I twisted my reddish-brown locks into a sloppy ponytail. The whistle of a ball slicing through the air and a smack from the contact between the ball and racket reverberated through my head as the gentle rally with the wall began. I was transferred back into the time when my brother and I played together agaist a wall. One of us wet, one dry, we attacked a wall with gusto while blowing gum bubbles. I hummed as I did a flip in the air and danced to the tune of the bouncing ball and nearly missed when I heard the clearing of a throat. I caught the ball easily and turned around while blowing a bubble. The sight before me caused me to raise my eyebrows.

"May I help you?" I asked the blue-haired teenager in a uniform that reminded me of a bee. His arms were crossed over his chest while his jacket balanced on his shoulders. His green headband was a great contrast to his fair skin.

"These parts of the courts are currently supposed to be used by the boy's tennis team only," he seemed to purr.

I blew another bubble and tore out the elastic band that secured my ponytail. I didn't want to argue with the rules on my first day. I put my racket and ball away, zipped up my bags, and let the bags sit on its rightful place on my shoulder as I strolled out of the court.

"You know," he smiled while effectively stopping my exit, "most fans stand outside the courts and cheer. Not in it."

I turned back, scanning his face. My eyes narrowed. His seemingly gentle and kind appearance didn't measure well with his words. Although he seemed kind when he spoke, there was something about him that deeply unnerved me. "I'm sorry if most girls kiss your feet, but I'm not a fan."

His eyes changed as I turned and walked out of the courts without looking back. I didn't realize that an hour had passed simply by hitting against the wall. I wandered around campus for a couple of minutes and then walked into the main building and entered the main office. With my registration papers grasped in my hand, I pushed them across the desk.

"Ah, you must be the new student, Klysen-kun," a middle-aged man said, sitting across the desk.

I nodded.

"Well, you're more than qualified for the grade you are going into. You are our first transfer from another country. Your science and math qualifications are extremely impressive. You seem ready. However, can you speak Japanese?"

"Yes sir. I've been speaking Japanese for years."

He looked surprised to see a foreigner speaking a language fluently. I smirked internally. "Well, then, you are set to be in class 3B."

"All the classes are considered equal, right? There isn't a class that is necessarily smarter?" I questioned. I had to be in the highest class possible to prove that a foreigner could be on top.

He looked at me with his eyebrows raised. "No, they are all the same."

I nod again, and walk out the door.

"Oi, Jade! Do you have any leftover cream puffs? My siblings ate them all."

I turn with a smile decorating my face. "What are you talking about?" I teased. "You probably ate them all by yourself."

Azuri stuck her tongue out at me as she pushed me through the doorway to my new class of 3-B. She pointed out stupid things such as the chalkboard and teacher's desk to make me laugh. It was as if she had known me for years. I looked at the multiple people in one classroom and sighed.

I had not been new to a school since kindergarten. Every year, I returned to familiar faces as I moved from grade to grade. It was very different now. I was the new kid. Everyone knows that every move of the new kid is judged with scrutiny. I pulled out my perfected salted caramel cream puffs and dark chocolate almond fudge on to a desk that I claimed to be mine.

"Everyone! My new friend Klysen made us food! She's new to the school and wants to get along with everyone," Azuri announced.

I shot her an exasperated look for announcing me to the class, and was promptly overrun by the crowd surrounding my desk. A familiar looking redhead got to the containers first and stuffed half of a cream puff into his mouth while grabbing a piece of fudge. Several girls came up to me and attempted to make a conversation about how the area was while others looked at me, judging me by my looks. I wasn't completely blind and I could tell they were surprised that a foreigner could speak fluent Japanese.

The red haired boy stumbled, staring at the cream puff in his hand. My eyes widened as I mentally checked over what ingredients I used, hoping poison wasn't one of them. "Are you okay?" I asked, touching the shoulder of the teenager. The whole classroom became silent as they observed the scene. I could hear whispers of girls claiming I poisoned one of the most amazing people in the school. I rolled my eyes, but I was still concerned that I had somehow poisoned him.

His face turns towards me and an expression of elation grows on his face. "How did you make these? These are better than me favorite bakery's!"

"Oh, um, I just modified an old recipe." I heard whispers of girls in the background as their faces turned nasty.

"May I take a few more?" His face reflected hope and happiness, similar to me after an amazing meet after I shaved off a significant amount of a second. I nod. I had enough to give everyone in the class several and his face reflects ultimate euphoria. Azuri nudges me in the arm with a smile that hid her face, which actually showed that she was terrified. I looked around and all the girls looked completely angered. It seemed as if this boy is worshipped. Not a great way to start off the first day.

I lifted the container, "Everyone can have more. There's plenty." In a few seconds the container was empty. At least I had a backup container.

The bell rang, signaling the beginning of class. The teacher walked in, and wrote his name on the board and announced himself as the advanced math teacher. Hm, so this was the man who was supposed to be the tough swim coach. He looked familiar, as if I had seen him in a magazine. He started to ramble about numbers and letters and soon everyone was dozing off.

"You!" he yelled, pointing to me.

"M…me?" I said, pointing to myself.

"Yes you. Stop looking around and solve the problem on the board." He handed me a piece of chalk.

"Oh…okay." I grab a piece of chalk and squint at the problem on the board. I yawned, solved the problem requiring the use of sine and cosine, hand him the chalk, and walk back to my seat. Everyone else is still half asleep and he seemed to either not care or not notice. He turned around to face the class-probably about to yell at the torpid students-and I studied the details of his face. I knew I had seen his face somewhere. The sloppy hair and small wrinkles gave it away.

"Daichi Suzuki," I gasp. "Gold in 1988."

The class finally woke up to hear, "See me after class." They gasped, looked at me, and then looked at the teacher. As soon as the talk of numbers escaped from the man's lips, the class fell asleep again.

I groaned internally, not wanting to pay attention. I forced myself to listen to the droning voice until the bell rang, signaling time for lunch. As the students filed out of the classroom, I walked up to the teacher's desk. The occupant of the seat was scribbling something on to a scrap of paper. I looked at him, wondering how a career could spiral that out of control.

I stood before him, quietly, until he broke the silence. "How did you know?"

"I learned backstroke from watching your recorded swims from the Olympics. I wanted to formally request to be on the Rikkaidai swim team."

His face changed into a mask of steel. I couldn't read his face or emotions. "Why?"

"Because I love to swim. It makes me happy."

"The pool is dirty. Clean it and report back to me during lunch tomorrow."

I nodded. I knew how to clean pools, but I wondered why he specifically he wished for me to do it. Perhaps he was testing how badly I really wanted to swim.

"Oh," he said, "one more thing. What is your name?"

"Jade Sayuri Klysen."

"Very well, then you are dismissed."

"Thank you," I replied in English, "coach."

I swore I saw a smile on his face as I left for lunch.

Azuri pounced on me as soon as I left the classroom. "Are you in trouble? Are you going to be ok? If you have a suspension, I heard it's not that bad…"

I laughed. "It's nothing like that. It was about swimming."

"Really? What did he say?"

"I have to clean the pool if I want to swim.?

"Eh? We have a pool?"

I look back at her, in horror. "What?" I stumble over my words and literally as we walk up the stairs to the roof to have lunch. "You're joking right?"

Her face reflects mine. She opens the door to the roof as I dash and peer over the rails to try to find the pool.

"Where is it? Where is it?" I murmur to myself. "It has to be here somewhere." I spot and empty hold sitting behind the multiple tennis courts and give a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, it's near the tennis courts. I nudge Azuri and point to the pool and she grins.

She grabs my arm and starts showing me the large rooftop garden. The gorgeous flowers bask in the midday sun as we stroll along the paths. We sit down on a grass covered patch and feast upon our lunch, laughing. I told her stories about growing up in the US while she told me about growing up in Japan.

I almost don't see the group of boys being lead by a blue-haired, lanky teenager. I simply blink and blow a gum bubble from the piece I had popped in my mouth after lunch. The fruity piece got tortured more and more as the group came closer to where Azuri and I were sitting. I put my face down, hoping he wouldn't see my face. I had no such luck.

He raised an eyebrow and gave the same smile from a few hours before. "Hm…how troublesome," he teased.

I shot him a dirty look and opened my mouth to retort but was interrupted by the call of "Klysen?"

I looked for the person who had said my name, and behind the blue-haired, lanky teenager was the boy with messy red hair. He smiled. "The name is Marui. Marui Bunta."

I nodded, remembering that the Japanese introduced their last name first. "Hm, Marui-kun, did you like the cream puffs?"

His eyes lit up. "Yes! They were amazing! Do you have anymore?"

I laughed and pulled out my backup container. "Well I was going to use these to bribe someone, but it seems as if that's not necessary anymore." I tossed him the container.

"Eh? Jade! You said I could have the leftovers!" Azuri pouted.

"There's some left at my flat. Just come over after school," I smile back.

"Okay!" both Azuri and Marui say.

"Huh? W…Wait," I say shocked.

Marui grins. "Kidding! I knew you were talking to Suzuki."

I visibly relax as Azuri giggles. "After club activities, right?"

I nod as Marui waves and joins the group of boys again. "Yeah. There's probably lots of cockroaches and june bugs floating around on it."

I heard the familiar whistle of a ball cutting through the air. I grabbed my racket from my bag in a flash and successfully hit it back in the direction it came from and growled. "If you were trying to test me, I suggest you test me on the court."

I heard nothing but a single, "Puri."

My eyes narrowed as I seized a ball from my bag and tossed the ball up in the air and served the way my brother taught me to. I pinpointed the source of the single offending word and hit the ball accurately and quickly, at 190 kilometers an hour. I didn't stick around to see the aftermath of the chaos that I created, knowing that I had hit my target. I dragged Azuri off the roof and down the stairs, completely fed up with the group of guys.

I ignored Azuri when she said, "You have no idea who you just messed with."

"I'm impressed. She's good with both rackets and food," I murmured, messing with my red hair.

"She hit me with the ball," Niou uttered, touching where the ball had smashed into his cheek.

Yukimura turned to the unnerving boy with closed eyes. "Who is she? I don't remember seeing her around before and now I've seen her twice in one day."

"I don't know. I have no data," Renji replied. "The only thing I know is that she seems to have Belgian blood, which was deducted from her name: Klysen."

Yagyu pushed his glasses up his nose. "That must be a first. You have data on everyone."

"Everyone but her," he turned, looking at the door she had exited through.

"I have data on her," I smiled, remembering her bright smile and amazing baking. "She makes great cream puffs and fudge, and she looks different than most girls. Probably because she isn't running after us."

Yanagi smiled back. "That's not data." He turns to Yukimura, "But I will find out about her. My only question is why are you asking about her?"

Yukimura's face doesn't change as he smoothly replies, "I'm not."

"I don't see why you all care enough to ask," Sanada mutters.

We all smile, knowing how Sanada was.

I smiled, fingering the straps of my favorite Nike swim suit as I pulled it on. The green, sleek polyester clung to every angle and curve. It was the same design as the suit I had worn to my very first swim meet at the young age of seven, when I only though of the water as my favorite toy. I had discovered the joys of swimming in that dark green Nike suit, and ever since then I had ordered the same suit whenever my previous one had worn out. I looked down at my body and my cheeks became tinged with pink. No matter what suit I had worn since the age of thirteen, my chest had shown more that I was used to. I pulled on a simple pair of shorts and running shoes before exiting the locker room with my sports bag balanced on my shoulder.

My first mission of cleaning the pool was to find the supply cabinet, flags, and lane lines. I whistled a simple tune as I strolled along the path leading me past the courts and towards the pool. I stopped by what seemed to be a supply cabinet. Peering in, I saw an endless supply of what appeared to be tennis supplies. I slowly step into the supply container and spy a roll of lane lines and flags. I grin as I begin to tug out the heavy items while keeping my sports equipment behind my shoulder.

I turned when I heard the footsteps of another person coming through the door.

"Ah, would you like help? asked a violet haired guy with glasses. "I have not seen you around before. My name is Yagyuu Hiroshi.

I nodded and bowed slightly. "Thank you very much. I would appreciate that."

He smiled slightly as he began to tug at the heavy equipment. "It has been a long time since I have seen this equipment used. Why are you taking it out?"

"I am to fix the pool by tomorrow to prove that I am willing to swim with the name of the school on my back."

"This school is very competitive. I assume you are new."

I nod. "Yes. And I have heard about how competitive the school is. Apparently, the motto is Rikkaidai must always win."

"Yes. Yes, it is." He finishes lugging out the equipment and places it next to the pool.

"Thank you very much," I bow. He smiles as a response and turns on his heel.

"I must go or I will be forced to run laps."

"Good bye and thank you again, Yagyuu-kun."

I turned my attention toward the bug-covered pool and the water that seemed to lack chlorine. I didn't think that I would have to fix the water in the pool itself, but it seemed as if I was wrong. First things first, I at least had to attempt to get the lane lines up. The multiple poles that stood up around the pool would have to be climbed while I wrapped the flags through the loops above the poles. I sighed as I got to work.

I hummed a simple tune as I swept the net back and forth through the water, taking out the bugs that littered the bottom. I was transported back to the time when my brother had been accepted to college. That night, I had just gotten back from practice and my brother sat in the kitchen, bouncing his legs on the balls of his feet. He could have easily gone pro when he turned eighteen, but he wanted to go to college. He ripped open the envelope when I perused the fridge after I entered the house. He was accepted to the best colleges all over the country, but he only wanted to go to Cornell. He started yelling out of happiness as I hugged him as he read the first lines of the letter, 'Congratulations on your acceptance to Cornell University…'

I scooped out a few tennis balls that lined the depths of the pool. My arms strained as I got increasingly more tired as the net in my arms seemed to weigh me down. The extra effort to take out the neon-green balls wore away at me patience as I stacked the balls into a pile at the side of the pool. Growling, I made the trek back and forth to the supply cabinets, tested the water, and added the essential chemicals to bring the water to normal levels. I slaved away while cleaning the filters, chlorinating the pool, and doing a basic shock treatment to make the pool safe for cleaning. The three-lane twenty-five yard pool glistened back at me, with the lane lines gently bobbing in the waves and the flags flapping overhead. I smiled, happy with the effort.

Looking at the neat stack of tennis balls, my right eye twitched. I suppose it couldn't be helped, and that the right thing to do was to return the balls that had been so nicely deposited in my pool. I stuck another piece of fruity gum in my mouth and balanced the balls on my brother's racket as I left my bags and the newly cleaned pool behind.

The fan girls surrounding the courts squealed at every shot the tennis players took. I couldn't even begin my rant on how much I hated annoying fans who got in the way of practice. I simply blew a yellow gum bubble and walked past, with my brother's racket piled with the neon-green balls. I pushed open the gate to the courts and confidently strode in and leaned against the fence. The crowd fell silent as the tennis players turned to look at me.

"What are you doing on the court?" called the blue-haired guy with narrowed eyes.

I smirked. "You hit your tennis balls into my pool, so I'm simply being nice and giving them back." I tilted my racket and let the spheres bounce to the ground as I let my face turn stony. "Be warned. I won't tolerate it again." I swivel on the ball of my foot and walk out, closing the door to the fence surrounding the courts. Not a single fan girl was shrieking as I grin, strolling back towards the pool while twirling my brother's racket in my hands.

It was two minutes later that I heard the explosion of "TARUNDORU!" while I sat by the poolside. I burst out laughing at the awful catchphrase and hear the jingle of a text message interrupting my outburst. Shoving my hand in my bag, I fish out my phone and flip it open.

'You should have told me you were in Japan. I'm sending a limousine in front of your flat tomorrow at 6. Get in and don't bother asking why or arguing. –an old friend'

My eyes widen and wonder how he found out so quickly. I looked forward to seeing him again.

Thanks again for reading! I look forward to any comments or reviews that any one posts.

Guess who the old friend is?