By Mishi-chan
A/N: YOSHI! It's great to back again! I'm so sorry about the back up of last month's chappie! Summer has that ability to make your life really busy! XD But, hopefully I'm back! I'll try to update monthly if I can help it, but I might have to change it to bi-monthly updates. Life has a way of making you really busy and right now it's making mine worse than summer. XP But I'm not giving up on this story. And you can still count on my annual Christmas one-shot. But this may slow for now. GOMENASAI!!
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade, but I do own Tenshi and all of the Winged Guardians' bit-beasts. MuraSakura owns Sakura, Invisible Love owns Hiniku, and my partner in crime owns Kaze.
Note to the Readers: If you have no knowledge of the game of basketball whatsoever, I would suggest you ask somebody some basic stuff about it 'cuz you'll need it for part of this chappie.
This chappie's dedication goes out to Ayesha Raees a.k.a. Mrs. Uchiha! For reviewing and her love for the story. Also to Mistress Persephone for adding this ficcy to her favorites list! You both rock my sox off!
The next morning came and went like a blur. Sure, the sun was bright and sparkled upon the laden snow. Sure, it was a beautiful Russian morn'. Sure, the BBA buses were soon to load up and depart from it all. But the Winged Guardians had bigger problems.
"AAAAAHHHH! I SAID PACK THE STUFF FROM THE TOP DRAWER! Not the BOTTOM drawer!!" a shrill voice cried out.
"OWWW!! HINIKU!!" Kaze howled as Hiniku proceeded to beat her with her crutches. Yes: crutches. As of the 'incident' the night before, resulting in Hiniku's sprained ankle, they were forced to give her crutches. At the time, it seemed like it would help Hiniku get around. Little did they know how violent she could be with them…
Hiniku's lip formed a soft pout as Kaze rubbed her back from the whacks. "I can't help it," she moped. "After all, I was left ALL ALONE last night. I couldn't find my way back and then this—" Hiniku gestured towards her sprain, "—I just can't move like normal. Ionly wanted some help…"
By the end, Hiniku had Kaze on a roundtrip ticket for a 'guilt trip'. Sighing softly, Kaze turned back and started to load Hiniku's clothes into her suitcase. Hiniku grinned smugly; she had won again. A moment later, Tenshi dropped by their room, leaning on the doorway with a quirked brow. "Why do you continue to fall for the 'guilt trip', Kaze?" she inquired. Hiniku glared back at her and poked her tongue out. With a roll of her eyes, Tenshi's gaze shifted back to Kaze. "She isn't that badly injured that she can't pack her own suitcase."
"WHAT?!" Hiniku cried out, arousing both of her teammates' attention. The Korean's face was puffed up, heated. "I sprained my ANKLE! I have CRUTCHES! How am I supposed to pack my bag?"
Tenshi smirked. "Easy," she replied. "Hobble your way over and do it yourself." Kaze snickered as Hiniku stood there, gaping. Crossing her arms the best she could (while still balancing on her crutches), Hiniku gave her a fierce look.
"What happened to 'I shouldn't have left you on your own' and 'You wouldn't be hurt otherwise'. Oh! And how about this one: 'I'm sorry, Hiniku; let me help you out since I believe this is my fault'!"
Tenshi stared amusedly at her injured friend. "Okay, first off: I definitely didn't say that last one, so chuck that out of your mind. And second: I'm back from my personal guilt trip. I didn't like it so much, so I came back early overnight," Tenshi chuckled. Hiniku let out an exasperated sigh, though both were brought back to reality by a loud 'click'. The arguing teammates looked to she Kaze locking up Hiniku's suitcase.
"Done!" she chirped triumphantly. Tenshi frowned bemusedly at her, contrasting with Hiniku's grin of delight. "What?" Kaze shrugged. "I had to do something while you two were at it."
Tenshi practically slapped herself; apparently Kaze hadn't caught on to anything she was saying. Hiniku grinned cheekily at Tenshi. "See? I still win!"
At that moment, Sakura peeked in around Tenshi. "Are we ready to go? The buses are loading up outside," she informed them. With an affirmative, the girls grabbed their luggage (Tenshi carrying Hiniku's) and walked down to the elevator. They made their way outside and dropped their bags off by the luggage compartment. Max was as well, dropping off his duffel when he saw the girls approach.
"Hey, Tenshi! Got enough luggage?" he joked, earning a frustrated glower from the teen. As she walked off to where the other bladers were gathering, Max fell in stride with Kaze. "Did I say something wrong?" he asked. Kaze flashed him a grin.
"It was Hiniku's luggage." Noticing the glance he made toward the Korean's crutches, Kaze added, "Long story. Don't ask."
"I won't."
Reaching the rest of the bladers, Mr. Dickinson started to speak, as the whole group was there. "Alright, everyone!" he said, silencing the crowd. "The BBA plane leaves in a bit for the U.S.; these coach buses are going to take you all to the airport. Now, here are the bus assignments!" The elderly man pulled out a slip of paper from his suit pocket. Clearing his throat, Mr. Dickinson continued, "The BBA Revolution, the All-Starz, White Tiger X, and the Winged Guardians are all on the first bus! I want the Blitzkrieg Boys, Majestics, Shinigamiz, and Fighting Dreamers on the second bus!"
As assignments were read out, the bladers began to file onto the buses. When the Winged Guardians filed on, they instantly greeted with shouting.
"I CALLED THE BACK SEAT,DAICHI!"
"WELL I GOT HERE FIRST, TYSON!"
"ONLY BECAUSE YOU PUSHED ME OUT OF THE WAY!"
"SNOOZE YOU LOSE!"
Plopping into a seat next to her sister, Tenshi released a growl, rubbing her temple. "It's like we're back in elementary school…" she grumbled under her breath. Sakura smiled in response.
"Ah, yes. But wasn't it usually you who was shouting?"
Tenshi smirked back. "Only if it was you who took the seat."
Sakura rolled her eyes before looking at the seat in front of her. With a cheeky grin, Hiniku peeked over her seat to face Sakura.
"Great bus assignments, right?" she sneered, motioning to the commotion in the back. Sakura quirked her brow, as if to say 'Do I really need to answer that?'. Hiniku merely chuckled.
"Hey, wait a second!" Sakura exclaimed, pointing an accusative finger at Hiniku. The Korean froze. "You can't pack your own suitcase, but you can sit backwards on a bus?"
The thought struck them. Tenshi gave Hiniku a triumphant look as the Korean glared at Sakura. Hearing the last comment, Kaze also peered over her seat and grinned toothily.
"Yes, Hiniku. Please explain that to us," Kaze jeered. It was officially three-on-one and Hiniku was the one. Just as she was about to retort, the bus gave the sudden lurch of movement. The Korean fell backwards. The rest of the team winced as Hiniku let out a howl of pain.
"Guess now we know she can do neither," Tenshi suggested. Both nodding in agreement, Kaze turned back around for the remainder of the ride.
All of the yelling aside, the rest of the short ride went smoothly. Though in Tenshi's words 'if it had gone on any longer, nobody would've left the bus alive'. They reached the airport with time to spare. Filing off of the bus, the teams eventually then made it passed security and to their gate. From their bus, the Winged Guardians were the last through the gate. As Tenshi searched for open seats, a loud yelp came from her side. Then a brush of wind as two of her teammates flew past her.
"What the crap?!" Tenshi cried, jumping back. She looked up just in time to see Sakura and Kaze flying down the aisle. Hiniku stepped up next to her. "Just what are they racing for…" Tenshi's voice trailed when she saw the cause. There was one open seat next to Rei in the middle lane. Note: there WAS. But somehow Sakura managed to weasel into the seat before Kaze. Tenshi hung her head in shame. "They're horrible."
"Yep!" Hiniku chirped. She then skipped up ahead, plopping into a seat next to Kaze. Tenshi made her way over there, only to stop in her tracks. There were no more open seats by them. Max, Rick, Daichi, and Tyson had already filled the seats next to and across from her friends. Tenshi glanced towards Sakura. Mariah was seated on Rei's other side, and there were no seats open across from them either, as Lee, Gary, and Kevin had occupied the seats by now. With a sigh of resignation, Tenshi took an open seat that was back-to-back with Hiniku's seat. No one was yet seated around her.
Tenshi watched as the other teams filed onto the BBA jet. The second bus must've arrived because the Majestics made their way onto the far side of the plane. The Fighting Dreamers, who dispersed according to the remaining seats, soon followed after them.
Then, the Shinigamiz.
Tenshi held her breath as the four hooded freaks started for seats. But instead of moving towards her, they also sat on the far side of the plane, having a corner all to themselves. As if any sane person would seat near them by choice. Just as Tenshi relaxed, the last team boarded.
The Blitzkrieg Boys stood for a moment, then made their way toward Tenshi. Alarmed, she looked around the plane. Of course; the only open seats left were by her. Reaching into her baggy pocket, Tenshi pulled out her iPod, trying to busy herself. However, she still noticed the cold looks the boys gave her as they seated themselves. She also noticed that none of them sat next to her; Spencer took the seat on the aisle, leaving a seat between them. With Bryan across from him, and Tala next to Bryan, that only meant one thing. Tenshi's gaze lifted to see Kai seated across from her.
Without another glance, she stared out the window as the jet started to take off. The wind serenaded by the jet as it rose higher and higher into the atmosphere. After a few moments, the jet stabilized itself in the air. The clouds hung around it like sheep in a pasture. Sun glistened above, reflecting golden lining to every cloud. Tenshi smiled to herself at the marvelous sight.
Finally, she glanced to her iPod. Putting on a familiar song, Tenshi glanced around her. As BoA blared in her ears, she couldn't help but notice no one around her was saying a word. No, wait. If one were to examine closely, they would find Bryan muttering quietly to Tala next to him. Once again, Tenshi's chestnut eyes were eventually drawn to the blue-haired Russian in seated before her.
Kai was seating soundlessly by the window, staring out. His cold façade on his face, Tenshi couldn't tell if he was interested in the clouds… or just plain bored. Tenshi must've zoned out for a moment because when she zoned back in Kai was staring back at her.
Tenshi's eyes widened. Embarrassed, she turned away quickly to her window. But tried as she might to ignore it, though, her mind wandered from her music. Unwillingly, Tenshi glanced at Kai out of the corner of her eye.
He was still staring, his gaze unwavering. Tenshi shifted uncomfortably under Kai's stare. Moments passed, yet Kai continued, as if confused by her. After what seemed like an eternity, Tenshi gave up and turned off her music. Facing Kai, she spoke slowly, uncertain.
"That was a good match the other day," she said. Kai's eyes grew more alert as she spoke. Continuing, Tenshi tried to ignore the cold stares from the surrounding Russians. "You really pushed me to try my vest and now to work harder. Someday I want a rematch, and I'll win. Just you wait and see!" Tenshi prompted, ending in a smirk.
Kai noticed as a fiery determination lit her chestnut eyes. He didn't know what sparked her to tell him this. Maybe she was like Tyson, who had to boldly declare his intentions. Who knows? He didn't. Guardedly, his crimson eyes traveled to the bandage on her arm; he hadn't noticed it before. When did she hurt herself? Then the matches came back to him, fresh.
Flashback
As the ice and wind began to billow, her chocolate orbs rested upon her crystal blade. "Mangetsu! Marvelous Light!" Tenshi commanded her blade. Just as Wolborg charged in with its icy army, Tenshi's blade, Mangetsu, rushed forward and collided head-on with a blinding light. There was a small explosion in the dish, ice shards flying every-which-way amongst the eruption of light. An ice-shard flew by Tenshi's face and, as her arms had been shielding her face, the shard slashed her arms in passing. She winced momentarily before focusing on the dish, the explosion clearing.
End Flashback
Of course: her match against Tala. At least it was only her left arm; she could still blade.
Tenshi noticed Kai's gaze lingering on her arm. Following his eyes, she saw her bandage tied tightly to her bicep. With a grin brimming with confidence, Tenshi said, "And injuries aren't going to stop me." She watched as Kai, silent, looked back at her face. "It's like they say: what doesn't kill us makes us stronger!"
Her smile faltered slightly as she said this. Kai suspected she had some doubt in this, but he just closed his eyes and grunted: his way of ending the conversation. He had finally started to catch himself. Why was he putting so much thought into this? He didn't get it, and he didn't like it either.
Tenshi stood slowly from her seat. There was a little package of pretzels by Sakura that was calling her name. As she moved her way toward the aisle, the plane gave a small jostle. Planting her feet, Tenshi caught her balance, her attention directed upwards as the intercom came to life. "Everyone! Please buckle your seatbelts; we are going through some turbulence!" the intercom crackled. But before Tenshi could get back to her seat, the jet gave another, sharper lurch. Caught off balance, Tenshi flew back and braced for impact, shutting her eyes. Then, she hit something… muscular?
Tenshi didn't know what she was expecting to hit, but this was certainly not it! Frozen, Tenshi opened her eyes and they widened as they faced her empty seat. The force had pushed her onto Kai! Thus now, she was seated on his lap. 'CRAP to the eighth power!!' she mentally screamed. She could feel the chagrin beginning to heat her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Kai!" she apologized, quickly making a move to get up when another jostle flung her back onto him, this time face to face.
Kai's scowl burned deep into her chestnut eyes. Thankfully, the turbulence had finally stopped and the attendant reported it was safe to move about the cabin. No one needed to tell Tenshi twice. With haste she jumped back into her seat, avoiding Kai's glare. The pretzels were the last things on Tenshi's mind right then. Plugging in her headphones, she was about to tune them out when a much friendlier voice chirped in her ear.
"Ouch, Tenshi! You got the grim seatmates!" Hiniku joked, leaning over the back of her seat to face her friend. Tenshi twisted and looked up at her reproachfully.
"You have no idea, Hiniku! And I thought you learned on the bus not to face backwards on seats!"
Hiniku grinned cheekily. "Yes, but the plane isn't having turbulence while I'm like this, therefore I won't go flying!"
Tenshi's cheeks flushed, but she spared herself the misery of looking back at Kai. Hiniku seemed not to have noticed. Instead, her gaze glanced over Tenshi and sharpened into a glare. "What're you lookin' at, Red?" she yelled to Tala, who apparently had been give them peculiar looks. Tala glared darkly at the Korean. Whether it was from the nickname or just because it was Hiniku, she couldn't tell. The Korean rolled her eyes and spared Tenshi an infuriated glance. "Good luck, Tensh! You're gonna need it!"
Ignoring Tenshi's mumbles about 'wishing she had had that luck earlier', Hiniku flipped back around in her seat.
The rest of the trip went by smoothly… or as smoothly as possible. Hiniku, Kaze, Max and Tyson debated on which kind of candy was the best: Korean, Japanese, or American. Sakura argued with the White Tiger X team while still managing to flirt harmlessly with Rei. And Tenshi involved herself in her music, avoiding Kai's gaze for the rest of the trip.
Once the plane began to land, Tenshi didn't unbuckle her seatbelt until it had come to a complete stop. The last thing she wanted was déjà vu, so to speak. Removing herself from her seat, Tenshi filed out after the Blitzkrieg Boys. The group was smoothly moving towards the exit when there was a yelp, followed by a thud, and then everything suddenly stopped.
There was a tense silence. Not even a butcher knife could cut through it. Everyone was still. Pushing her way around Tala, Tenshi moved to see the cause. Her breath caught in her throat.
Kenny was planted frozen to the ground, trembling. A member of the Shinigamiz towered over him, gloved hands clenched. He took a step forward. Everyone held their breath.
"Why you—!" a deep voice growled. Tenshi tensed; her heart skipped. But before more words could be spoken, he was cut off. The tallest of the Shinigamiz had stepped up with a silencing hand. All was still. The two teammates looked at each other for a moment, as if words were being passed to the eyes under the hoods. Then the other member turned back to his team and left, but not before feinting at Kenny. One by one the Shinigamiz left. And then they were gone.
Whispers and murmurs spread like wildfire as some of the teams moved out. But Tenshi remained frozen. Her thoughts were jumbled, her heart beating again. 'That voice…' she thought. 'Why does it sound so familiar…?'
She was brought back by the jostle and shove of bladers moving around her. Getting a grip, Tenshi turned to merge into the sea of bladers. That was when chestnut eyes met crimson. Tenshi was startled by Kai's scrutinizing gaze; it was as if they were delving into her very thoughts. Shifting uncomfortably, she moved quickly past him, his stare boring into her back.
Kai watched Tenshi. His crimson eyes narrowed at her retreating form, eyebrows furrowing. 'What was that?' Kai pondered. It was almost as if she recognized the voice. He had seen as Tenshi turn rigid. Noticing his team was waiting, Kai strode past them, leading. His eyes hardened. 'Something's up with the new teams—and I'm going to figure them out.'
N E V E R
"Tensh? I think I'm really gonna like the States."
"Why's that?"
"WATERBEDS!!" Sakura yelled ecstatically. She gave a huge leap into the air before flopping onto the bed. The waterbed rounded in jiggles. Tenshi couldn't help but laugh. Hobbling into the room, Hiniku squealed aloud. The Korean ditched her crutches and jumped onto the bed as well, almost crushing Sakura. Shrugging, Tenshi plopped down, too, lying back against the dog pile of her friends.
"HA! What now, punk?!" she joked, ignoring their resistance.
After departing from the airport, the bladers had been given their room assignments and transported to the hotel. And once again, each team was given their own suite. Thus leading the Winged Guardians to the wonderfully comfortable waterbeds.
But before any more quarreling could be down, however, their team captain entered. Kaze shot them a grin of false reproach. "And I wasn't invited?" she mocked irritation. Tenshi smirked.
"Of course you are. After all, every party needs a party pooper."
Kaze just chuckled. Putting her hands on her hips, she continued, "Well, I just got the official from Mr. Dickinson." All mouths quieted and ears perked. "We have the rest of today to settle in. Matches start back up tomorrow. Guys…" Kaze paused, a grin spreading across her face. "If we win our match tomorrow, we're guaranteed a spot in the semi-finals!"
Sakura and Hiniku let out squeals and cheers of excitement. Yet unexpectedly, Tenshi was silent. Wordlessly Tenshi rose, giving her team a determined look. "They why are we still sitting here? We took yesterday off; we really need to practice today!"
"But Tensh—"
Tenshi gave Sakura a firm look. "No, Sakura. I don't care who's the 'official' team captain," she cut off. Training her gaze on all three, Tenshi continued. "I'm not going to let this team fall now. We're not coming this far to go home. So we've gotta give it our best, which includes practice and training."
Silence resumed. The other Winged Guardians exchanged glances. Then Sakura sighed, defeated. "Okay, Tensh: you win."
"I know."
Hiniku poked her tongue at Tenshi. Smirking, Tenshi retorted with making faces at her. Before another fight could erupt, Sakura stood up and looked at her sister. "So, where are we gonna practice? This hotel doesn't have beystadiums."
Grabbing her blade and clicking her lopsided belt, Tenshi motioned for her friends to follow. "We're going au natural; there's a park nearby," she answered back. The Winged Guardians walked down the lavish halls and into the elevator (with Hiniku hopping along on her crutches). Kaze started making guessing gestures.
"And you know this why…?" Kaze voice trailed as they hit the ground floor. The silver doors opened as they strode out into the classy lobby. Glittering chandeliers hung above, reflecting their path out of the hotel.
Tenshi waved Kaze's question away. "I looked up the area the night before we left. GoogleWorld is a wonderful way to scope things out!" The Winged Guardians continued through the bustling New York streets. People were moving and weaving all around them; it was a miracle they weren't separated, let alone lose Hiniku. Crossing another street, they wound up at a huge patch of green in the city of gray.
Trees surrounded the park like gates around a castle. The grass was a pure green that swayed gently in the open wind. A few kids were running across a field and others swung on creaking swings. Petunias and daisies outlined the entrance with a welcoming gleam. Cleanly paved paths wound intricately through it.
"Wow!" Sakura breathed, the wind playing with her cocoa hair. Hiniku's jaw dropped.
"You can say that again!"
"Wow!"
"Shut-up."
Chuckling, Tenshi motioned for them to follow. She led them across the park. The various fields of green, laughter and fun seemed endless. Pointing up ahead, the chestnut-haired female reported, "There's a patch of woods up ahead and a smaller, more concealed area. It would be great for training!" She said this with a grin. The others moaned. But before they could reach the wooded land, a blotch of concrete marred the serene park. Upon closer inspection, there seemed to be two hoops, one at each end of the court. "Basketball, huh…"
Sakura, Hiniku and Kaze's faces lit up in synch. Just as Kaze had a weakness for waking up in the morning, Tenshi also had a weakness: she was addicted to sports and basketball just happened to be one of her favorites. "Maybe there is a way out of this…" Hiniku sneered under her breath. In unison they all directed their gaze on Tenshi ahead of them. All she had to do was take the bait.
Hiniku and her crutches slinked up next to the walking Tenshi, the said teen's eyes intent on the group of boys playing. "Yep, basketball," the Korean started, picking up from Tenshi. Tenshi gave her a look and just kept walking. It didn't take a genius, however, to see the sneaks of the game her eyes kept making. Hiniku continued, "Didn't you used to play basketball when you were younger, Tenshi?"
Sakura moved in front of them with an innocent grin. "Yeah! You and Kaze played on a team together once, right?"
Kaze came up on Tenshi's other side. "Mhm! Tenshi was really good! You were mainly defense, right? Or were you point-guard?" she asked.
Tenshi could feel her team's gazes on her and her gaze on the court. They were right next to it and had come to a complete stop. Nervously, she looked at each of her friends' faces. "Well, I do play a bit…" she started. Abruptly, she shook her head and continued walking. "But that was a while back. Blading is my life now."
The three girls exchanged desperate looks. If Tenshi succeeded in getting them to train, there was no doubt they would be sore the next day. What a warm-up is to Tenshi is a full-blown work-out for the others. If they were going to be able to blade in the next match, they had to work fast. Sakura scrambled over to Tenshi and stopped her.
"Maybe. But wouldn't you want to visit your past—even if it's just for a moment? You know you want to grip that basketball in your grasp again, just to prove to yourself you still have it in you," her sister reminded her.
Tenshi stood there, frozen in thought. Inside, her competitive flame was burning like a forest fire. Her eyes lit and her lips curved into a smirk. Glancing back at Kaze, Tenshi called, "C'mon, Kaze! Let's go show those pigs how to play!" As she walked up to the court with Kaze, Sakura made her way back to Hiniku and slapped her a high-five. The Winged Guardians' team captain and Tenshi stood on the sidelines, watching the group of boys play. One of the taller ones, a dark skinned guy, slammed the ball into the hoop. His team hooted and hollered. Taking the break between hands as a chance, Tenshi walked over to them, a spirited glint in her chestnut eyes. "Yo, boys!" she called out. The guys stopped abruptly and eyed her warily. "Mind if we play?" she asked confidently. Much to her irritation, the boys just laughed harder, as if it were a joke. Her eyes narrowed.
"Dude, that chick wants to play!"
"Probably cry if she breaks a nail!"
"Waah! Mommy, the big bad boys hurt me!"
Tenshi's fists clenched and unclenched. From behind her, Kaze quivered inside. Tenshi was just as bad as Sakura when it came to sexist comments. For a moment, she almost felt sorry the guys: they had no idea what they were in for if Tenshi snapped.
The dark-skinned male apparently had some nerve, as he was making his way toward her. Dribbling the basketball the whole way, he stopped in front of Tenshi. He seemed familiar to her, yet she couldn't place him. "I'm sorry, but we've already got a game going. And the guys—"
"—can take the backseat and shove it!" Tenshi finished in her own fashion. Chuckling, the guy grinned back at her.
"You've got some guts. You any good?" he asked. Tenshi smirked and quirked a brow.
"A little." Before the tall guy could respond, Tenshi had already stolen the ball from his grasp. Weaving through the small crowd of guys with amazing speed, she went up to the hoop and popped in off the backboard. Catching the ball as it came back down, she sneered at the boys' astonished expressions. Going up to the dark-skinned one, she shoved the ball into his gut. "I hope I don't slow you all down," she mocked. Walking back over to Kaze, Tenshi crossed her arms. "So, are we in?"
The guy laughed again and motioned for the boys to divide back up into their teams. "Yeah, you're on!" he answered. The two girls moved onto one team together. Apparently the male they had been talking to was the one in charge. "Okay, you've got the ball now!" he informed them. He bounce-passed the basketball to Tenshi and his team moved to the other side of the court. Kaze giving her an assuring nod, Tenshi took the ball up to the top of the court. The girls' team fanned out in an offensive movement. The dark-skinned guy stood in front of her. "Check it!" he said. Tenshi bounced the ball to him and he bounced it back. Upon receiving the basketball, Tenshi started to dribble it at her side, her chestnut orbs scanning the layout of the court and zoning in on the guy in front of her. He grinned spiritedly back. "Name's Eddie."
Tenshi smirked. "Tenshi," she responded. Feinting a right, she bounced the ball through his legs to Kaze. Kaze caught it and dribbled around the defensive men. Moving to the center lane, she passed back to Tenshi, who put it up into the hoop. That team of guys whooped and gave them a round of high-fives. Kaze and Tenshi pounded fists, grinning. "We've still got it!" she said.
"Oh yeah!" Kaze responded. The team moved to the other side of the court and waited defensively. Tenshi moved up top to check the ball from Eddie. He was grinning.
"Guess I'll have to take you seriously now, eh?" he asked her.
"Guess so."
"Too bad; you're kinda cute!" he grinned. Eddie then bounced the ball around her and picked it up on her other side to dribble it down the court. He was going up for the shot when Tenshi flicked it from his grasp and to one of her teammates. The guy dribbled it down and sunk it for another point. She smirked back at Eddie.
"Sorry. That one stopped working on me a long time ago. It happens when you play against guys," she told him. Eddie laughed, rubbing a hand behind his head.
"Guess that one was a long shot." But once the basketball was back in his possession at the top of the court, Eddie's demeanor changed. Seriousness glimmered with a fire of determination in his eyes. Tenshi immediately picked up the change and sunk down into a defensive position: it was game time.
Checking the ball at Tenshi, Eddie quickly passed the ball off to a teammate. He sprinted around Tenshi to receive the ball and slam it back into the hoop. Tenshi had hardly had had any time to brace herself. As he walked back to the other side of the court, he shot her a competitive grin. She smirked back. Going over to her team, they huddled together. "You guys know the three-man weave?" she asked, eyeing them. The guys and Kaze gave an affirmative. She nodded. "Okay. We're gonna run a three-man weave once I pass the ball off to Kaze. Okay? Break!"
The team dissipated. Tenshi took the ball back up top and checked it with Eddie. Dribbling around him, Tenshi started down the court. Eddie shuffled next to her, on the defensive. She stopped and bounced the basketball to Kaze. Moving down the court, her teammates continued to dribble down, then switch it off to another teammate going by them. When they got to the basket, it was an easy point off of the backboard.
The game continued like that. Play after play. Shot after shot. Time ticked away like sand on a beach. The sun was setting in the American sky. Sweat dripped from their brows. The ball was at half court again; Tenshi's team and Eddie's team stood face to face. Eddie smiled through his sweat. "Next point wins. Deal?"
Tenshi couldn't help but smirk. "Deal." They shook on it. Tenshi's team doubled back onto the defensive and Tenshi checked it up and Eddie dribbled methodically across from her. He feinted a left, then a right, and finally swerved a left around her. Tenshi bounded after him. Just when he was about to go up for the shot, Kaze snagged the basketball from his grasp.
"Tenshi!" she called from the hoop. Answering the call, she received the pass from Kaze. Sprinting, Tenshi started for a fast break down the court. She could hear the thud of Eddie's footfalls coming closer and closer. Panic hit her. So, in a race for the win, Tenshi went for it. Bending her knees, Tenshi thrust the ball from the three-point line. The basketball soared. It moved towards the hoop. Closer. And closer. The basketball hit the rim. Circling. Circling. It stopped… then fell outside the hoop.
Tenshi didn't even have time to think as Eddie picked up the ball and charged past her for a slam-dunk. His team roared in cheers and her team hung their heads in despair. Kaze went over to Tenshi and gave her a reassuring grin. "It's not like the world's gonna end because you didn't make the shot," she told her. Tenshi sighed.
"I guess I don't have 'it' anymore, huh?"
"I'd say you've got 'something', though!"
The girls turned at the sound of another voice. Eddie was making his way towards them, basketball tucked under his arm. He was grinning from ear to ear. "That was a good game; don't sweat the small stuff!" Sportsmanly, he held out his hand. Eyeing the hand at first, Tenshi then grasped it and shook. A small smirk slipped onto her lips.
"Yeah, I guess so—but I am SO winning next time!" she challenged him. He snorted, a competitive fire in his eyes.
"Bring it on!"
"EDDIE!" another voice called out. The three turned to see familiar faces coming towards them. Kaze looked incredulous.
"Max?" she questioned. The blonde nodded happily as him and his teammate, Michael, moved towards them. Michael's long, dirty-blonde hair was tucked back by his cap as they ran to them. "What are you doing here?" Kaze queried, clearly confused.
Seeing Max and Michael show up must've made it all click for Tenshi. Abruptly, she tore her gaze from them to look back at Eddie. "You're a member of the All-Starz!" she announced. Kaze's eyes widened in shock. "That's why you seemed so familiar! I saw your battles in the past few Championships!"
Eddie laughed. "Wow, who knew I would be forgotten just for missing the first stage of the tournament!" he stated. Max looked back at the girls.
"We've been trying to find him all afternoon! He missed the Russian stage because he was held back here for a basketball tournament. Mr. Dickinson let him miss it as long as he made it to the second stage here in the States!" he told them. Kaze and Tenshi nodded in realization.
Eddie seemed confused. "Wait," he started, perplexed. "How do you all know each other?"
Max cheerfully grinned. "Their our competition! Eddie, meet two members of the winged Guardians!" he chirped. Eddie looked at them like he had just woken up. Newly acquainted, Eddie ran a hand through his uniquely blonde hair. Letting out a whistle, his smile became one of wonder.
"Wow! Blading, basketball—what else do you do?"
Kaze chose this moment to speak up. "And martial arts—both of us. But that's where my physical capabilities end," she laughed. "I'm more of a T.V. junkie or video gamer. However, Tenshi here plays just about everything! Volleyball, tennis, basketball, blading, gymnastics, dance—just about anything that involves athleticism."
The three All-Starz exchanged glimpses before staring at Tenshi. She clammed up in embarrassment. Michael raised a challenging brow. "Is there anything you can't do?" he dared. Tenshi was going to respond when Kaze started again.
'Dag, for a shy girl she sure is being talkative!' Tenshi thought. 'Or maybe she's just comfortable around them.' Kaze had a tendency to be quieter around those she wasn't relaxed around. It was great to see that she was opening up. The warming thought that 'Kaze-was-making-new-friends-on-her-own' soon dissipated as Tenshi tuned in to Kaze's words.
"Her academics are exceptional and she can make a mean omelet or grilled cheese, but that's about it," Kaze started, knowing she was going to annoy her friend with the truth. That's when the list began… "Otherwise she burns everything she touches. She hardly has a single artistic bone in her body; her stick figures look like rocks and her singing is bearable. Tenshi couldn't keep her room clean for more than a week to save her life and as good as her memory is, she always happen to 'forget' her chores—."
A hand clamped over Kaze's mouth, her words muffled. Stopping, she glanced to the hand's owner. Tenshi was controlling her irritation and her voice seemed strained. "Kaze: it was a rhetorical question. They don't need my biography," she told her, releasing Kaze's now silent mouth. Max couldn't contain his laughter at this point. Soon both of his teammates joined in and Tenshi's face flushed red. Whether it was embarrassment or anger, one couldn't tell.
"Shut-up!" Tenshi growled, specifically to Eddie (who couldn't stop). The taller male looked down at her, amused. He raised a brow.
"Or what?" he defied.
"OR I'll beat the mess out of you!" she retorted. Michael moved towards them. Resting his forearm on Tenshi's shoulder, he smirked down at her.
"Right. Just give it up, Shortie!"
Tenshi fumed. "I'm NOT short! YOU'RE just freakishly tall!"
Michael grinned over at Eddie. "Ya' know, Shortie, that has a nice ring to it. What'dyou think, Eddie?"
In reply, Eddie sent him an appraising smile. "That seems very fitting," Eddie joked. By this time, Tenshi was practically trembling in annoyance. She brushed Michael off her shoulder and glare at both boys.
"I'm NOT SHORT! I'm AVERAGE HEIGHT!!" she exploded, fists clenched. Michael and Eddie erupted in roars of laughter. "I'm serious! Stop laughing!" Much to her infuriation, they continued.
Meanwhile, Kaze and Max stood off to the side, watching through amused glances. Breaking off from their conversation, they chuckled. "Well Tenshi seems to be getting along with the guys!" said Max. Kaze kept her eyes trained on the other three, her grin never wavering.
"You have no idea. With guys, this IS getting along! Tenshi has a bit of a 'competitive streak', so to speak," she told him. There was a pause. In the distance, Tenshi continued to bicker as the two boys picked on her. She grabbed the ball from Eddie's hands with a laugh, dribbling away to the hoop. The two boys followed and another game began. Kaze shook her head. "But even though she has her down sides, Tenshi is still a great. She's mature and determined. And she never, ever lets her friends down."
Max tore his eyes away from the trio to look back at Kaze's far-away smile. He grinned softly. "But you're the same way, Kaze," he said. Kaze abruptly looked at him in surprise. Nodding, the blonde continued, "You put other's feelings and problems before your own and even help them when it hurts you to. That's what makes you team captain!"
Experiencing a shock wave, Kaze found herself speechless. Here Max was, just recently meeting her, and yet he was hitting the nail on the head. She felt flattered and also embarrassed. With a fleeting look at the ground, she struggled to speak. "…Nah. That's not the real reason I'm captain; I'm more of the figure-head while Tenshi runs things. I'm not much of a leader."
"But you have the makings of one!" Max interjected. His eyes found hers. "You have everything you need to be a leader. Besides, seeing as Tenshi is mature, think about why she still lets you lead instead of Hiniku or Sakura."
Again, Kaze found herself without words. Never, in all the time since the historic Soul Caliber II match, had she thought about it that way. Thinking back, Tenshi had given the role up easily… or easily by Tenshi standards. And aside from the friendly bullying she did, Tenshi never really brought it up.
But before Kaze could delve into a series of theories and logic, a shadow loomed over in place of the setting sun. Her silver eyes looked up to see a grinning Eddie… with a pair of legs over his shoulder? Turning his back to Kaze, she almost burst into laughter. Tenshi glared back at her from over Eddie's shoulder, arms crossed and pretty ticked off. "Kaze…" Tenshi started, growling through her teeth. "Tell this idiot to put me down before I make him unable to blade in the next match!" Coming over to the group, Michael smirked, patting Tenshi on the head.
"Is Shortie upset?" he laughed. Tenshi continued to glare at him and a rumble of chuckles went through Eddie. She let out a huff, looked back at Kaze, and parted her lips to speak.
"Do you want to warn them or just let me beat the snot out of them? I'd hate to sabotage their team, but they're pushing my buttons…"
Kaze shot Michael and Eddie worried glances. Part of her didn't want to warn them; the almost brotherly playfulness was cute. But then again, Kaze knew Tenshi. Hence, she knew Tenshi would hurt them if given permission. Clearing her throat to catch their attention, Kaze said, "I'd watch myself if I were you or Tenshi might bring you down to HER size…"
Michael looked from Kaze to Tenshi. The brunette smirked back at him, a touch of mischief in her eye. Ruffling her hair one more time, Michael sighed and looked at Eddie. "Okay, put Shortie down, Eddie. Nobody needs to get hurt over a joke!" he told him. Smiling still, Eddie planted Tenshi back on her feet. Her face twisted into a frown and she gave them both a light punch to the gut.
"I hate you two!!" she huffed, turning her back to them. Michael slung an arm over Tenshi's shoulder, smirking.
"C'mon, ya know you love us."
"I despise you."
"Deep down I feel the love."
"Go away."
"Only if you admit it."
"Shut-up!!" Tenshi ordered, delivering an angry punch to Michael's jaw. He rubbed his jaw, his crooked grin unwavering.
"Dag, you punch like a guy!" Michael chortled. Relaxing her fist, Tenshi gave him a lopsided smile in return.
"I take that as a compliment," she told him. The sun sunk lower overhead and Tenshi's eyes gazed upon it. She sighed, turned her head, and looked at Kaze. "We need to get moving, Kaze," Tenshi said. Kaze nodded and then beamed at Max.
"I'll talk to you later, Max!" she chirped, unable to help herself at the sight of his cheerful face. Something about talking to him made her feel… giddy. His freckles became more dominant as he gave her his cute, kitty-like smile and waved. Tenshi and Kaze moved off the court and through the park. Halfway down the path, Tenshi stopped. Turning to face her, Kaze queried, "What's up?"
Tenshi frowned. She looked behind her, to her sides, and ahead of them before answering her team captain. "Hey, Kaze… where's Sakura and Hiniku?"
S T O P
"SAKURA!! HINIKU!!" Tenshi called heatedly, slamming open the door to the Winged Guardians' suite. Kaze cringed behind her. Tenshi's flaming chesnut orbs scanned the room. They honed in on the two females on the couch, eating popcorn and watching television. Marching, she moved to stand in front of the T.V., crossing her arms and glaring. Neither girl on the couch said a word, their eyes bulging. They looked at each other. Then they looked back at the impatient Tenshi.
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Sakura and Hiniku shrieked, unified. Bounding over the back of the couch, Sakura hid. Hiniku remained in the open, immobile from her ankle. Letting out a squeak, she grabbed the pillows and buried herself underneath them like a barricade. Rolling her eyes, Tenshi walked over to the couch and flung away the top pillow, destroying the fortress. Meekly, Hiniku looked up at her friend and waved.
"Tee hee?" she chuckled nervously. Tenshi ignored her and looked beyond the couch.
"Sakura," she commanded simply. Grudgingly, Sakura stood back up and seated herself next to Hiniku, pouting. It was like reprimanding naughty children. Tenshi re-crossed her arms. "Why did you two leave?" she questioned. The two girls shamelessly pointed at each other.
"SHE MADE ME DO IT!" they tattled in unison. Whipping to face each other, they growled, "NU-UH!"
"Uh-huh!"
"Nuh-huh!"
"Uh-huh!"
"AHEM!" Tenshi interjected her own voice. The fight was silenced as they became content with shooting each other glares every few moments. "Now, are you two ready to train now?" she continued interrogating, strained. Sakura and Hiniku's mouth dropped all the way to Japan.
"What?!"
"You can't expect us to train now!"
"Yeah, it's dark outside!"
"And this is the United States, let alone New York! We might get jumped!"
"Or someone might jack our blades!"
"Do you really want another incident like Russia?!"
Tenshi rubbed her temple, a migraine slowly making it's way into her head. "There's no ice to slip on here," she deadpanned. Sakura stood up to her sister.
"But there's cracked sidewalks! Hiniku can hardly hobble around them!"
"That's right—HEY!"
Sakura shrugged. Watching from afar and closing the door, Kaze grimaced. If this went on any longer, someone was bound to get hurt. Whether it would be emotionally or physically, she couldn't tell. Time to make some peace. With a deep breath, Kaze walked inbetween the two sides of the war. "Okay guys! Hold on and let's think about this for a second," she said. Hiniku and Sakura stopped bickering and Tenshi gave her a look of vexation. Gesturing to the arguing two first, she said, "It's true that we still might've had time to train if we hadn't had to look all over the park for you all." They looked at the ground quietly. Tenshi smirked until Kaze focused on her. "But now it's also true that there's no time tonight to train."
Tenshi found herself frowning; so much for Kaze siding with her. Kaze sighed and looked at the two parties. "Since we have a match tomorrow, it's probably best that we that we get a good night's rest and try to fit in training when we can afterwards. But for now, it's wiser to focus on our game, strategy-wise," she rationalized. The team stood there in a unified silence. Hiniku looked at Sakura. She nodded back. Together, they chirped, "We're with Kaze!" Then all three females stared at Tenshi.
Releasing a breath, Tenshi compromised, "All right, but I'm going to switch it up a bit." The Winged Guardians listened attentively. "From now on in this tournament," Tenshi said, "it is your personal responsibility to make sure you train. I'll try for team practices when necessary. Deal?" There was no hesitation as the team concurred. With a small grin, Tenshi nodded. "Then we have a deal. Now let's get some rest; we need to win tomorrow if we're gonna stay in the championships."
Helping Hiniku hobble to her room, Sakura gave her sister a dismissive wave. Once the quarrelsome two were in their respective rooms, Tenshi moved to the medicine cabinet and pulled out some Motrin. Though the suite wasn't stacked with food, a huge refrigerator, and a beautiful view, Mr. D had made sure it was stacked with medicine and first aid supplies for the bladers. The waterbeds were a bonus. Downing the pills with gulps of water, Tenshi continued to drain her cup. Somewhat hesitantly, Kaze stepped towards Tenshi.
"Hey, Tenshi-kun?" she called out. Her headached friend smiled back.
"What?" she asked.
Recalling her earlier conversation, Kaze took a deep breath. "Why… don't you mind me being team captain? You're the one who brought us this far; why doesn't it bug you that much?"
Tenshi couldn't resist a chuckle. "Well, I'll tell you, it IS annoying when you all slack off, but," she paused, serious, "if it couldn't be me, then it had to be you." Kaze was taken aback, her shock deepening as her teammate continued. "Hiniku would joke too much and Sakura is still new; she's not ready for that power. Besides, a good leader knows how to listen, and that's exactly what you do best. When I get carried away or I'm being the 'bad guy', the team needs someone they can turn to. That's why, Kaze: it had to be you," Tenshi softly grinned.
First Max and now Tenshi had Kaze lost for words. Tenshi bid her friend good night and went into the room she shared with Sakura. Kaze remained rooted. Max's words chased Tenshi's around her mind. There was no lie in what she said. Sincerity had rung from every word. In that moment, Tenshi had let down her tough persona to reveal the soft, kind-hearted girl Kaze used to know. Tenshi hadn't been like that in years; it was like seeing a mirror into the past. And that alone confirmed it. Joy swelled in her chest as she went to bed. And for the first time, Kaze truly felt like she deserved to lead the team.
M Y
Night went on. The moon hung seamlessly in the midnight sky. Stars serenaded the lunar beauty. The streets of New York had quieted, though people still moved about, a car passing by. But most were sleeping soundlessly, nestled in their beds. Dreaming. And so were the Winged Guardians. Mostly.
Tenshi stirred slowly, rubbing her eyes. Stings of moonlight lit the floor. She grimaced, her face scrunching in pain. Head throbbing, Tenshi slipped out of her covers. Creeping through the darkness, she slid out of the bedroom where Sakura still slept. She walked to the medicine cabinet and fumbled in the darkness for the Motrin. Successfully, she eventually found the bottle and moved to the counter. Picking up her glass to down it, only then did she realize there was nothing left. She frowned.
It was the middle of the night, she had a pounding headache, and was out of water. Tenshi had learned from experience that downing pills dry was not fun. Then again, she'd sooner trust Tyson to do her math homework than drink city water. Sighing, Tenshi grabbed a key and moved towards the door. There was a vending machine down the hall that she could easily just grab a bottle of water. Stepping into the hall didn't hurt her nocturnal eyes, as they were hardly lit at all aside from the red EXIT sign. It almost reminded her of using glow rods in a cave.
Tenshi found the machine with ease. She slipped her coins in and waited for her water to vend. "If I wake up in the middle night again, I'm gonna start thinking I have insomnia," she grumbled to herself. Grabbing her water, Tenshi started tiredly back.
…thump…
She froze. Her senses heightened as the sound reached her ears. Pausing, her ears strained. Nothing. Paranoia gripped her throat. She shrugged off the goosebumps on her spine and moved forward.
…thump thump…clink…
Tenshi planted her feet. There was no mistaking it this time. Her ears wouldn't lie at this hour. Not this time when she was sure of it. The thumps continued, echoing through the empty halls, like footsteps. But the second sound threw her off. It was almost like the clang of metal. Her heart pace quickened. Tenshi moved faster, almost in a wary jog. Her chestnut eyes scanned around her as she stepped. But the darkness was like a sea, unending. So she didn't notice when she hit something tall and hard.
She was knocked to the ground. The water ball fell from her grasp and suddenly it was the least of her thoughts. Tenshi looked up into the dimness to see the Shinigami looming over her.
The leader.
Any other time Tenshi would be prepared to kick his sorry butt to Pluto, but not now. No one was around. It was dark. Her muscles were tight from sleep. Thinking fast, she braced herself to lash out and run if necessary. The chains that closed his cloak clanged as he moved. The Shinigami kneeled down, eye to eye with Tenshi. Her wary eyes widened as he reached for her. Just as she was about to slap him away, his gloved hand brushed her face. Tenshi's heart stopped. Further, the shadow moved a strand of her hair out of her face.
Tenshi's instincts were screaming for her to kick him in the gut and get the heck out of there. But her mind was telling a different story. The brief touch was almost… familiar. Like a requiem of her past. Her face furrowed. "Who are you…?" she heard herself mutter.
But before more could be done or said, another sound pierced the tense fog of silence. The elevator dinged and it's doors opened. In the faint light, Tenshi could make out the figure.
Kai stopped halfway down the hall. His glare seared the darkness as it traveled from the Shinigami to Tenshi. It was obvious she was confused, uncomfortable. The Shinigami stiffened, as if irritated. The shadow stood and the hood locked gazes with Kai. Motionlessly, he watched as the figure slipped back into the shadows to one of the rooms. The other two bladers remained rooted until there was the soft click of the door coming to a close.
Tenshi was able to breathe again. Her thoughts were jumbled and she couldn't shake the feeling that somehow… that somehow she knew him. It was almost like that déjà vu crap Sakura spouted. Rummaging, Tenshi found her water bottle and stood. Avoiding Kai's scrutinizing stare, she moved across the hall to get back into her room.
But he was bemused. Coming back from late training only to find two of the new competitors in the hall together was just a little strange. Especially when one of them reminded him of the Grim Reaper. Kai stepped in front of Tenshi's path, block her way to her room. "What was that?" he demanded. Tenshi tried to move around him, but he just moved and put an arm out to the wall. His crimson orbs stared at her from the corner of his eyes. Her chestnut eyes looked back. "I'll ask again: what. Was. That?" This time there was no room for negotiation in his tone. Something was up with the Shinigamiz and he was going to find out what.
Tenshi mustered a glare at the Russian. "Move, Kai," she commanded.
He turned his head to face her fully, his brow narrowing. "Not until you tell me what the heck was going on."
"Then you're gonna be waiting a while," she retorted. The lack of sleep was definitely getting to her. She could see the annoyance boiling through Kai's crimson eyes. Kai used his other arm to block her between him and the wall. His hands on either side of her head, Kai leaned in to her face.
"Something is wrong with that team and it's jeopardizing the Championships. So you're going to tell me exactly what just happened and how you know him," he told her. That scene he had stumbled upon had been proof of his earlier suspicions that she was connected to those freaks. Now he was going to find out how.
As Kai's words filled the air between them, Tenshi could feel his winter frost breath on her face. Under normal circumstances, she would've freaked. But right now it was late and her migraine was only growing. "I don't know," she confessed.
"Don't give me that crap. I know what I just saw. I'm not going to ask you again."
"I don't know!" she spat. Shoving him aside, Tenshi dug out her key and quickly slipped back into her suite, clicking the door behind her. Kai glowered at the door, as if trying to glare through it. Running a hand through his blue mane, Kai turned and head to his room, wondering what was going on.
Little did he know that Tenshi was slumped on the other side of the door, thinking the same thing.
H E A R T
Wow: it took me long enough to finish this one. XP I'm sorry guys, but think about it: technically it's still late September. I apologize again, but I have no time. Hopefully, I'll still get another chappie up next month. However, you can DEFINITLY count on my Christmas one-shot and probably my Thanksgiving one-shot. So if I don't update next month, than this is the last of this year. I'm gonna need November to write my Thanksgiving and December to write my Christmas. GOMENASAI!! But you can count on a new chapter in January and by then things should be back to monthly. Until then, ja! BEWII!
Mishi-chan
