Chapter 2

"Lenali!" exclaimed Yukimura standing up. Sanada hurried onto the court and lifted her head off the floor.

"She's fine, just a concussion," he said, just as he picked her up she stirred and opened her eyes.

"Put me down," she insisted. "What on earth are you doing? The match hasn't ended." Sanada let her go and she stood up. "Impressive," she admitted, bending down she flinched as she picked up her racket. Sanada sat down next to Yukimura.

Lenali stood near the base line waiting for Kirihara to serve once more. Kirihara took an easy 5 games from her; she threw the ball up in the air and served.

"Too easy," remarked Kirihara returning the ball, she swung her racket with such speed the ball was almost like a puppet on a string.

If I don't go all out I'm going to end up looking like a panda, though Lenali. She closed her eyes and inhaled. Slowly, with quiet but strong knocks, open the door, little by little. Let every part of me be guild by the wind, the feeling of becoming the breeze itself. The wind is me, the wind's movement is my movement, the speed of the sound vibration is my speed, the wind's gentleness is my gentleness.

"I see," remarked Yanagi from the sidelines. "It's not the pressure points itself she's pinpointing, but the nitrogen that surrounds them."

"Come again?" asked Kuwahara.

"Every human body's basic nerves system and blood circulation system is the same, some may shift slightly but the basic layout is identical. To understand her tennis first take this for example. In the ocean, when a person is 20 meters below sea level, a large amount of pressure in extended by the water on the lungs, forcing them to act like compressed gas cylinders with leaks. As you go deeper, the pressure increases and air rushes in and out of the body rapidly. At a depth like that the water's pressure is 3 times greater than the pressure of air at seal level. A large intake of oxygen at this depth will activate the brain and muscles as well as loosen the joints. However at this depth the most important factor is one to the human body that is normally completely harmless, the gas that makes up 70% of the earth's atmosphere…Nitrogen."

"So how does it affect her tennis?"

"Since the body is naturally saturated with Nitrogen, like the blood and nerve system it is spread out through the body is a similar manner, acupuncture works by pressing needles into the human body activating the Nitrogen in the pressure points. This means that at its limit just a little decompression will cause the nitrogen to be absorbed immediately. Through out the body especially in the joints, nitrogen bubbles will form. With the natural air collected in the joints the body's mobility is greatly increased. Smooth movement that goes beyond the natural human limits."

"I have no idea what you just said," confessed Niou.

"Basically, she's using the human body's natural reserve of nitrogen gas to improve her movements and cause twitching in her opponent?" asked Yagyuu. Marui began to twitch every few second which Kuwahara pretended to hit him with a racket.

"Basically," agreed Yanagi. "Adding on the fact that the female body's centre of gravity is high than a males, it's a straightforward technique similar to the one used by female ballerinas, in yoga and Pilates."

"I did Pilates and didn't get some super balance," remarked Marui once he stopped.

"You not fem- wait… I that back, your right it is a mystery," said Niou.

"I still don't get it," remarked Marui ignoring Niou while Yanagi ignored him.

"Just watch," said Yukimura. "I haven't seen her use that technique since she played against Sanada."

"Who won?" asked Marui.

"Sanada won 6 games to 3," replied Yukimura. "But he had to use In and Rai." Sanada's eyebrow twitched.

"Still, to take 3 matches from Sanada is quiet impressive," admitted Yanagi.

Lenali threw the ball in the air, she bent her body backwards and as the ball fell she sprang up and hit the ball.

"Serve ace! Game to Lenali, 6 games all! 13 point tie-breaker!" shouted the self proclaimed 3rd year referee.

"She's sweating a lot," noted Marui.

Damn it! This technique doesn't have much stamina and that smash from earlier… thought Lenali, she was having trouble standing and her eyesight was getting blurry from her fatigue. "Ref! I forfeit!"

"What!" the blood faded from Kirihara's eyes. "Wait what! You can't just-! You can't!"

"I can, and I did it's your win", said Lenali smiling. "I'm already broken." Her legs gave way; Yukimura caught her just in time and helped her to the coach's bench to sit. "I think he fractured several of my ribs," she said softly, Yukimura pressed gently at her side and she flinched.

"How long?" asked Yukimura. "How much longer do you have before-" he trailed off at the memory of the side effects of her technique.

"2 or 3 minutes," guessed Lenali.

"That's enough, Sanada carry her to the tennis club regular locker room," said Yukimura. Sanada was about to protest but kept his mouth shut, he lifted her in his arms and carried her.

"You've put on weight," he grunted.

"Shut up, have you played against Tezuka yet and won?" replied Lenali in the same tone.

"I don't want to hear that from someone who lost so badly against me," rebutted Sanada.

"Ha! I don't want to hear that from the person who couldn't walk properly for days after the match due to the number of times you hit Rai," she said. The two glared at each other then looked away, Sanada had his usual sour expression while Lenali's bottom lip was turned.

"They-" began Marui.

"-don't seem to get along at all," finished Kuwahara.

"She'll properly slap him once she gets her strength back."

"80% chance."

"She walked off," said a disbelieved Kirihara. "She just quit she can not do that! She…I…" he gave up finishing his sentenced and just stormed away.

"Oh my! Akaya's not happy," remarked Niou grinning.

"Of course not, his list of people to defeat just increased by one."

* * *

Sanada put her down in the bench inside the regular locker room, handing her a towel she wiped the sweat from her face and neck. Suddenly she felt the joint in her wrist pop back into place and dropped the towel. Her technique worked by her body releasing extreme amounts of nitrogen into her joints granting her flexibility beyond compare. But when the nitrogen began to dissolve and her joints began to pop back into place it always caused her great pain.

"You okay?" asked Sanada, Lenali nodded and stood up, pushing Sanada out of the room she closed and locked the door. "Hey!"

"I'm going to change!" replied Lenali; luckily she had left her tennis bag in the locker room on Yukimura's advice with her change of clothes inside. "Just go!" The joints in her leg suddenly popped and she fell down onto the floor.

"Oi! Lenali?! You okay!?" asked Sanada. Is she wrestling with her t-shirt?

"Fine!" replied Lenali leaning against the door, pain rippling her joints. She felt her ankle began to pop back into place as the nitrogen bubbles dissolved. "Just-" She gasped in pain. "Damn it," she cursed sweat covered her forehead and body. She twitched and turned as the pain spread from her hips to her back, she gasped as she felt her joints crack with her every movement.

Sanada began to knock on the door. "Lenali! Open up!"

"I'm Fine," she insisted but her voice cracked giving her away. Suddenly the pain spread to her chest she panted in pain and clenched her torso. She could hear keys on the other side of the door, Sanada unlocked it and pushed it open forcing Lenali to shift aside he closed the door behind him and lock the door.

"This happened the last time you used the 'Thorn road'," stated Sanada. "Yukimura saw it then didn't he?" Lenali just nodded. "I see now why it's called the 'Thorn road'; your body receives the amount of damage you deal no matter how weak or strong the opponent." Lenali nodded again, Sanada put an arm over her shoulder and brought her closer to him.

What are you doing?" asked Lenali.

"If you're distracted the pain will lessen," explained Sanada leaning forward he kissed her forehead, then her neck.

"I come back from China for 2 day and you've already maul me once."

"It was a full moon, human desires that are usually suppressed are acted upon on spur of the moment," replied Sanada kissing her.