I've reached the hundred mark!! Thank you everyone! :D Hello again! We are now reverting back to the sports theme with more exciting races! Hooray! Even though I did enjoy my filler…I may add more! So far my teachers have been kind and not piled on the work so I may indulge you all in a chapter. Seeing as it was my birthday recently- I shall present to you my readers a birthday gift of this chapter! Happy reading and I hope you enjoy it!

By the way…if you happen to have the track that's mentioned below…play it at the appropriate time! It'll help the imagination- if you don't know what the track is. I don't own it either- just to add to my other disclaimer of not owning Ouran. I didn't even get Ouran as a birthday present :( But I did get lots of manga so it's all good!

Chapter 11- Of Tamaki's Blue Trials

Ouran Academy

Shifting her school bag into a more comfortable position on her shoulder, Haruhi leisurely walked through the school gates, her peripheral vision catching the usual limousines slipping past her up the long, tree lined school driveway. It was the same routine every morning: the other students would be driven up to the school steps, the car door opened for them, be wished good day by their drivers, handed their school bags…and Haruhi would walk in having been yelled a goodbye from her father as she left the house.

A few days had past since the incident with Kyoya and the 'diary'. The twins had been dealt with-according to the Shadow King anyway. Neither Hitachiin had mentioned anything about their punishment to Haruhi, though this did little to curtail their usual cheekiness and merriment that sprang back quickly.

Kyoya had said little to Haruhi either, spending most of his time in the library or typing away on his laptop in the corner of the Music Room. Haruhi had thought that after their 'incident' had been cleared up there would have been more understand between the two of them; hadn't she admitted to liking Kyoya right in front of him?

Maybe I'm just thinking to deeply into what was said…Haruhi sighed. He probably has important work to do. Why am I demanding that he spend more time with me? What right do I have to that request?

She mulled back to the clean up of the Music Room, which had been swiftly organised after the snow had lost its appeal and melted somewhat. Haruhi had frequently apologised- still mystified as to how the cold white powder had ended up covering the floor. Tamaki had waved it off but all the hosts now knew what awaited them if the stirred up Haruhi's wrath again.

Haruhi sighed as she entered Ouran with the other students in their crisp uniforms. The races were to begin again with great gusto. Luckily hers was not be held for another few days so she still had time to mentally prepare for it. Physically? She was going to fail.

"Haruhi!"

Haruhi did not bother to turn in the direction of the sing-song voice that heralded her as she walked along the red carpeted hallway, the impressive paintings covering the high walls looking down on them. "Yes Senpai?"

Tamaki quickened his pace so as to walk beside her. "You are going to come and support daddy in his race today aren't you?" his tone was too exuberant for that time of the morning. "Aren't you Haruhi? Going to cheer on your lovely papa?"

Haruhi rolled her eyes. "I would rather be studying if you don't mind Senpai," she said, deflating his balloon of happiness with her sharp pin of rejection.

Tamaki froze as Haruhi continued to walk on not bothering to wait for the stunned blonde.

"Surely you didn't mean that!" Tamaki recovered almost instantaneously, trotting quickly to the foot of the stairs that Haruhi was now climbing, heading for a quiet library to work in. "Children love to tease their parents-it's a gesture of love is it not?"

"Is it also a parent's task to pester their children? Whatever gesture it is I think Haruhi has made her mind up," another voice intervened. Kyoya Ootori had just walked down an adjacent hallway upstairs and appeared at the top of the stairs just as Haruhi had climbed the last step.

"Kyoya-senpai," Haruhi acknowledged.

Kyoya nodded in her direction.

That's all I get? Haruhi wondered. After all that's happened? Maybe he's not well…or just had more important things to deal with than me.

"Self deprecation is not like you," Kyoya said in an undertone as Tamaki quickly ascended the rest of the stairs to stand beside his fellow hosts.

Haruhi's cheeks flushed pink. What now he's a mind reader?

"Don't put it past me," Kyoya said with a smug smirk.

Haruhi blinked.

"Mom, our daughter refuses to come and support her daddy in his race today!" Tamaki moaned, leaning heavily against the dark haired Shadow King, pouting in Haruhi's direction.

"Haruhi must have more pressing matters to attend to obviously," Kyoya's voice was not in the least bit sympathetic.

Tamaki exclaimed loudly, "Mom! You are supposed to encourage our fair daughter to come along- as a family event we must go! Daddy shall make you proud!" he released Kyoya, to the young man's relief, and latched onto Haruhi's shoulders, kneeling down in front of her.

"Senpai, I never thought you'd resort to begging," Haruhi said, taken aback.

"Can't you see how much this means to me?" Tamaki beseeched. "With your support I could take on the world!" he straightened up again.

"And still make a mess of things," Kyoya commented dryly. "Do you believe in all this luck?"

"Luck is very important!" Tamaki stated. "Who knows what fate and destiny have in store for any of us?" he looked between Haruhi and Kyoya.

Kyoya raised an eyebrow though Haruhi failed to grasp the importance of the stare, much to Kyoya's relief.

"That aside, shouldn't you be going and preparing for the race?" Kyoya suggested smoothly. "It starts in," he checked his watch, "under an hour."

Tamaki looked shaken. "An hour? Please Haruhi reconsider!" he said. "I now have a date with danger!" he declared importantly. Bowing modestly to the girls who had appeared in a cluster around him, he headed back down the stairs.

--

Haruhi stood awkwardly by Kyoya's side, wondering whether to make her excuses and leave or wait until Kyoya left. Fortunately, the other made the decision for her, though not the expected one.

"Have you made your mind up not to go to watch the race?" Kyoya asked.

Haruhi looked up in surprise. "Well…I have got some work to do," she said, her resolve she had shown to Tamaki beginning to wilt.

"Work that cannot wait until later?" Kyoya asked. "The teachers are not meant to be setting any."

"This is my own extra wider reading," Haruhi explained.

"I see, so you can follow in your mother's footsteps?" Kyoya looked away. "If it is that important to you."

Haruhi nodded slowly, unsure of where the conversation was quite going.

"I shall be attending, if only to make notes," Kyoya informed her, bringing out the familiar black notebook and pushing his glasses further up his nose.

Haruhi shifted tack, "I'm sure the work could wait until later…" she twisted her fingers together. "I might as well cheer Tamaki-senpai on. He'll need it."

Kyoya indicated to the stairs and they went down together, Kyoya just a step behind. I consider us 'even' now Tamaki he thought wryly. That didn't as much persuasion as I predicted it might…

--

Ouran's largest Gym

"Welcome back to the sub-races!" Renge-chan announced delightedly from her commentators desk to the waiting students seated in Ouran's large gymnasium. The stands spread along one length of the gym, giving perfect views of the newly assembled high ropes course suspended from the ceiling spanning the length of the enormous sports hall.

Haruhi stared in amazement at the course, the words rich bastards running through her mind. There were two identical courses side by side. The first part was a rolling log, followed by monkey bars and then running along a straight plank of wood before swinging across a small distance to another. Then up a ramp and down the other side. The last part was the most challenging- a jump from the end of the ramp to a separate platform, no ropes to help.

"As you can see, this new course has been set up especially for this race. The competitors will be in pairs and race to find the fastest recorded time. However, that is not all. The course is littered with stars that need to be picked up and put in a pouch strapped to each competitor."

The students murmured their awe and enthusiasm as they applauded almost reverently.

"Now, the competitors are just suiting up," Renge-chan explained, "so please relax until they have finished!"

Talking excitedly, the students pointed out various parts of the course to each other. Since the action would be quite far away, cameras had been positioned around the course, linked to large television screens put up for the fans to see.

"Tama-chan is going to win!" Honey cheered confidently, waving a small flag bearing "Tamaki's Team" on it.

"Ah," Mori agreed, sitting beside Honey.

"If anyone can do it-" Hikaru started,

"-it's our lord who can!" Kaoru finished neatly.

Haruhi took in all the high tech equipment that had been ordered for the race. "How much did that all cost…" she mused to herself, calculating on her fingers. "I've run out of fingers…" she sighed.

"Renge-chan has been most resourceful," Kyoya muttered to himself, writing in his notebook already on the other side of Haruhi. "This will be interesting."

Haruhi glanced at him, though Kyoya refrained from explaining anything further.

Suddenly, the bright lights dimmed and the gym fell into a darkened, hushed state, the crowds settling down in anticipation. Haruhi squinted around trying to pick out anything in the dark. Kyoya's glasses glinted beside her reassuringly.

Quietly at first, but growing gradually louder, music began to filter through the expensive sound system: a single trumpet echoing through the silent gymnasium. As the timpani started thumping, the doors at the far end of the gymnasium were flung open dramatically, revealing several stationary dark figures, the light shining brightly behind them, their faces in shadows.

The figures entered unhurriedly into the gym, their movements slow and stately; wearing their full protective body suits with helmets tucked underneath one arm. Everything looked to be in slow motion, movements exaggerated. At the head of the line one figure stood out amongst the others, his blonde hair instantly identifying him as Tamaki Suou.

Haruhi frowned. Hey…I recognize this music…it's from that film…2001: A Space Odyssey! She inwardly congratulated herself on getting the answer right. I bet it's all Tamaki's doing! Crowd pleaser or what? She shook her head as the drums smashed and trumpets rang out as the competitors waved slowly to the crowds who burst into applause at the impressive entrance as the music continued.

"It's Tama-chan!" Honey's voice was drowned out by the noise.

"Ah," Mori agreed, managing to catch what his cousin had said as the music came to its conclusion.

"Amazing entrance from these competitors!" Renge-chan cried into her microphone as the girls screamed their appreciation.

"I can't believe he went to all those lengths!" Haruhi shook her head in disapproval as Tamaki saluted in their direction. "You would think he was actually going into space and not doing a high ropes course!"

Hikaru and Kaoru smirked. "If Tamaki-senpai is ever going to do anything, it has to be in style."

"No matter the cost evidently," Kyoya wrote down a couple more figures in his notebook.

"Now that the contestants are all ready, they will in pairs try to complete the course in the shortest time possible. Let me all reassure you that the high ropes course has been approved by health and safety experts and that no harm will come to any of the participants who will be safely harnessed to pulleys on the ceiling." Renge explained to the rapt audience.

"Each participant has a number on their back," Renge indicated to the male students standing beside her. "I shall draw the number of the first competitor from this random lottery!" Renge announced as two of her assistances pushed over a trolley with a box atop it. Turning the handle excruciatingly slowly, one small ball fell out into the tray.

"The number is…6!" Renge held the ball up and it flashed up on the big screen TVs for everyone to see. "The Host Club President Tamaki Suou shall be the first competitor!"

The girls in the gymnasium burst into adoring applause as they waved their flags bearing the Host Club leader's face on it, cheering his name loudly as he waved up at them.

"Can't fault his confidence," Hikaru remarked.

"Nor his style," Kaoru observed.

"Well that's not going to help him win the race is it?" Haruhi said, rolling her eyes as the TV screen should a close up of Tamaki's brilliant smile. She rose to her feet.

"Where are you going?" Kyoya asked, feeling her brush past him as she stood. He steeled himself against the shiver that ran up his spine just from her innocent touch.

"I need to go to the bathroom, I'll be back in a minute," Haruhi said softly.

"Hurry up or you'll miss Tamaki-senpai!" Hikaru poked her as she past him.

"And you know how upset he'll be!" Kaoru reminded her as Haruhi edged through the rows of seats and down the stairs out of sight.

Kyoya watched her go and pushed his glasses back up his nose. Something was nagging at him and for some reason he felt it unwise for Haruhi to have gone alone. Pushing the illogical notions out of his mind, he looked back at the competitors.

"Tamaki Suou, please step forward!" Renge called.

Tamaki did not need to be asked twice to step into the spotlight.

"Now for the second-"

Abruptly, all the lights in the gymnasium went out again. This time there mutters broke out amongst the spectators and a few frightened gasps and squeals of horror. Renge found her microphone no longer worked and was frantically motioning to her tech team to fix the problem.

Then as the dramatic music started again, one slender lilac beam of light descended to the ground, where a crouched figure struck a tall pose. The word "Lobelia!" rang clearly throughout the gymnasium, silencing the restless crowds.

Kyoya stiffened. They wouldn't…Haruhi!

Another beam shot down, blue this time and a higher pitched "Lobelia!" copied the second as another figure stood. Lastly, a pink beam of light shone down and a near shriek of "Lobelia!" made the crowds wince.

Hikaru and Kaoru nearly fell out of their seats in shock as the three Lobelia students appeared on the wide screen TVs. Honey looked bemused as Mori's expression barely changed.

Each in costume, the three girls were still strikingly familiar.

The normal lights returning, the Ouran students gazed down in bemusement at the newcomers. Renge had control over her microphone again though did not know quite what to say.

"I, High School Junior Amakusa Benio, the Lady of the Red Rose challenge that man!" the tallest one proclaimed, glad in male clothes.

Together, "Lobelia!" was chorused again.

Renge managed to get a grip. "How dare you interrupt my games!" she demanded angrily into her microphone, irritated by the disruptions to her perfectly planned races.

"We are the White Lily Society of St. Lobelia Girls' Academy!" Benibara exclaimed to the mystified audience, twirling around on the spot, taking off her top hat with an elegant bow. "Also known as…Zuka Club!"

The name flashed up in glittering gold on the screens as the three girls thrust their arms into the air expectantly.

The Ouran students stared down at the members of the Zuka Club, confusion filling some faces.

Again the name flashed up on the screen, Benibara scanning the audience triumphantly.

The Ouran students stared down at the members of the Zuka Club confusion filling all faces.

"Maybe we should have brought along some of Benibara-sama's fan club for effect?" High school junior, Maihara Chizuru- the Lady of the Lily-suggested lightly, tossing back a curl.

"They are all just speechless in front of our noble love!" High school freshman Tsuwabuki Hinako- the Lady of the Daisy-laughed, swirling her dress.

Benibara could not be bothered to repeat the sign again and sighed, replacing her hat. "As I said, we are here to challenge that fiend!" she pointed one slender arm in the direction of Tamaki who clutched his heart in shock, his body very white.

Laughter broke out from the stands as Hikaru and Kaoru could contain themselves no longer. The spotlight quickly fixed upon the Host Club.

"That name Zuka…" Hikaru gasped for breath.

"Gets me every time!" Kaoru laughed as the twins held onto each other for support.

Kyoya's pen snapped in half he was pressing it to the page so hard. He blinked and withdrew a second pen from seemingly out of nowhere, disposing of the useless one. Must think of something…

Honey looked at Mori, the confusion on his cute face evident. "Are they lost?" he asked Mori innocently. "I think they have the wrong school…"

Mori shrugged.

"Unless your "Host Club President" is too much of a coward!" Benibara shot at Tamaki.

Tamaki stood upright. "I am no coward!" he adjusted his helmet under his arm and struck a dashing pose. "And here you will find that I have all the support." Just to illustrate his point the gym roared its approval.

Benibara smiled. "Then we shall make it a competition. The winner of our race shall win this lovely damsel!" from out behind her, Benibara produced a startled Haruhi.

"Ha-" Tamaki began in shock before being cut off by desperate shake of Haruhi's head at the blonde lord.

Haruhi, suddenly now in a pale pink dress with a yellow ribbon tied in a bow around her slim waist and doll shoes stood nervously beside Benibara. If anyone recognized her, anyone realised who she was and the game would be up.

Kyoya felt the blood drain from his face as he realised the predicament the Host Club had fallen into. How had he not foreseen this? How could he not have prevented this disaster? He felt his fingers tightening into fists as he berated himself.

"How did we let Haruhi fall into their dastardly trap?" moped the twins, unable to comprehend how Haruhi had disappeared from right beside them.

"Poor Haru-chan! To be held captive like that!" Honey cried out, clutching at Mori's arm.

Tamaki straightened up. "I accept. For the prize of this fair damsel I will accept your challenge of the High Ropes course!" he said dramatically. Immediately, cheers rang out from his supporters packed into the gymnasium, every girl fantasying about being the girl that Benibara had captured.

Haruhi was quickly handed over to the other two members of the Zuka Club as Benibara went and stood beside Tamaki.

The assistants quickly appeared and began to strap Tamaki and Benibara into their safety harnesses, checking and rechecking the straps were securely tightened and the helmets were on. The pair were winched up to the top platform to await the beginning of the race.

"And just for health and safety no flash photography!" Renge reminded the spectators.

Tamaki stared coolly at Benibara as she stared back at him.

"I will not give up my Haruhi for anything! This shall be my victory!" Tamaki declared, glad that they were not wearing microphones and the only person to hear him was Benibara.

"Do not be so sure! The fair maiden will soon be with me and enrolling in Lobelia Academy!" Benibara promised back.

"Are you ready?" Renge's voice boomed across the hall.

Both contestants nodded tersely.

"GO!"

/And thus the games began!/

Yay for another chapter- this is officially my longest story yet now! And it should go on for some time still! Thank you for reading and please review!

Thanks!

AldabaranFox