Magilou hopped down the city sideways, looking at the collecting files of cars. It was another weekend and everything going on was boring. They had their game yesterday. With school work coming and going, this goalie needed some air!

Earphones in and listening to some music of an older generation, her eyes spotted familiar tuffs of pigtails. Redhaired pigtails. The blonde cocked an eyebrow, sliding herself behind a rather skinny tree.

Eleanor Hume? By herself? How odd.

The defensewoman looked around, making sure that she wasn't spotted. Hustling to a shop heading into the ground.

Oooh Hooo! Now she remembered. It was that place. Looks like our little angel took my advice~

Puffing her chest with pride, she walked over to the closest intersection and walked across the street. Thankfully, there was a small café shop there and Magilou stepped in.

She grabbed a small sandwich pack, running to the cashier and paying up. From the corner of her eye, Eleanor hadn't come out.

Time to make a move.

Magilou pulled out her cell phone, texting the redhead a simple message.

{ Heey Elle, whatcha doing? =) }

Taking a seat in one of the many tables around the café, the blonde casually watched through the windows. Nothing yet. A minute or two passed before Eleanor replied.

{ Nothing, just studying }

Oooh, what a lie! Magilou giggled,

{ Oh really? Mind if I come? There's this problem I think you can solve! }

{ No, I'm busy. }

"Oh my, so curt!" The goalie looked over. Still no activity, meaning whatever Eleanor was getting, she wanted it to be perfect.

{ Aww, but asserting my identity as your friend, I'm coming over anyways! }

{ I'm not even at my dorm! }

{ Ooook. So where are you then? }

{ The Library. }

{ On this day? Oh please, I bet your just eating off Vel's hot bod. }

{ Gods damn it Magilou. No! I'm just… heading off to get something to eat. }

Is it phallic in shape? The blonde raised an eyebrow, pulling up her hoodie as she saw somebody emerge. Eleanor came out, holding a bag with a wrapped covered box. Chuckling to herself, Magilou skipped over to the adjacent crosswalk, still texting back as soon as the way was clear for her.

{ Heh. I hope its good~ }

Gliding down the sideway, she snuck right behind Eleanor, keeping herself low and quiet.

{ Shut it. I'll be ready for you in a second. }

"Why not now?"

Eleanor yelped forwards, turning to face her. "Gah! M-magilou, wh-when did you get here?!"

"I'm everywhere Elle, my darling~ My eyes are the very windows of this city and my ears the sirens in the distance!"

Her defensewoman cupped her forehead, hiding the bag behind her. "That's not the best metaphor I've heard."

"Oh poo, everybody's a critic." She grinned. "Whatcha got there?"

"Nothing. You only see air."

"Don't be silly. I saw you walk in."

Eleanor produced nonsensical sputtering and slouched. She gave up and sighed, "Is this why you texted me?"

"But of course!"

"I should've known." The redhead mumbled to herself. "Yes, I bought something from there. You happy?"

"Something for you and Vel-cake to enjoy?"

Her companion turned, nodding her head in a deep blush.

"Is it a double?"

She squinted her eyes shut.

"What's the color?"

"… rry re…"

"Come again?"

"CHERRY-RED!"

"Elle, please don't shout!" Magilou gasped in mock horror. "If you're that loud here, you'll wake up the entire dorm when you do the deed~"

Eleanor almost cried, from pure frustration and harassment. But Magilou wasn't completely heartless, wrapping her arm around her and nodded.

"Don't worry 'bout it~ I won't tell."

-.-.-

Hopping on the bench, Eleanor took a moment to watch the face-off again. They were down, three-to-two.

This was the game that would define their next games. A quarter-final, the semi-finals, and the finals themselves. That is, if they got to that point.

The redhead dozed her head with water before taking another swig of it. The game started again as the puck launched down the opposing team's zone. Coach Eizen was rolling all the lines once again, and everybody was picking up their slack.

As they pressured, the opposition fought back, tooth and nail. Their wingers were swapping out as the puck stayed in the enemy's zone. Velvet down in the corners, bumping her opponents away with her stick and hips. But there was something off about her game.

Was she fighting as intensely before?

Was it because she asked to say out of the box, so she restrained herself?

The referee held his hand up as soon as Velvet touched the puck. "Number Sixteen, two minutes for Interference."

As she skated to the box, her suspicious were true. There was a lingering cloud over her as she shut the door behind her. Looking at the bench, at coach then leaning back in the box.

But that was for another time…

-.-.-

As Velvet leaned back in her seat, plugging her headphones in, she focused on what she should do. Her stick was freshly cleaned of all the slush during the game. And thanks to her stupid penalty, they were down four-to-two.

Nobody was talking, everybody already felt what type of attitude Eizen was blazing. As the beat and temp picked up, the young woman looked back at her own game.

What was going on, why did it feel like she wasn't playing her absolute best?

Drowning out the noise around her, she listened to the music.

If they want a monster, then she'll become one.

"Zamboni's off. Hit the ice running, ladies!" Benwick cheered as he opened the door.

The team donned their helmets again, strapping up for another battle. Twenty minutes. Twenty miles, twenty smiles.

A dark shadow fell upon Velvet's eyes as she tapped her stick on the ground. Those goldenrod eyes glimmered something fierce.

When she took on the arena, her strides ground into the ice. Velvet soared across its mirror-like surface, smirking. This is what she wanted. The freedom, the rebellion, all of it.

The tape on her stick, around the butt-end, hadn't been changed since she had her fight with Artorius those three years ago.

She lowly laughed, a madness growing as the chill of the arena blew underneath her jersey and pads.

The same eyes looked over at her teammates, resting back on a certain redhead.

A pause.

All that rage, all that hate, all that ferocity, disappeared.

And Velvet hated that.

If competition was the only thing she had going for her, and she left lost from that spirit…

What did it leave her? Uncertainty clouded for a moment as the team gathered around the benches. Eizen held a clipboard with the current lineup.

"Velvet, you're being reassigned with the second line. Jam, you're taking the first."

Her heart sunk. Even he noticed this change. Begrudgingly, she nodded, cheering when the team cheered and took her spot on the bench.

What was she going to do?

-.-.-

Back at the car, Eleanor looked as Velvet slid her equipment into the trunk. Her own stuff already there, it was just going to be the two of them on the ride back.

"Heey, catching a ride!"

To their unsurprise, Magilou coolly slammed her stuff into the backseat and took the seat still open.

The two cupped their foreheads. Guess Magilou didn't have a ride back and nobody was gonna be left behind. Oh well, at least she sleeps in the car on the way back.

Taking a seat, the redhead turned the engine on and let it sit. The low rumble of the heat rolling inside. At least Magilou's pads didn't smell that bad. If anything, they'd just spray something to remove the scent.

Back in the seat, Eleanor gulped. Her fingers nervously clammed to the wheel, shaking. She's been trying so hard to get over this, so many times she's practiced back home, and she freezes up now?!

Her bangs fall over her eyes, gently grinding her teeth. Something grasps her right hand. Eleanor looks over and see Velvet holding hers. Despite whatever emotion she felt during the game, the reassuring touch of her hand calmed her down again.

Silently, Velvet flipped the radio on, a quiet song playing as they backed up from their parking spot and headed down to the exit.

"… You wanna talk about what happened?" The redhead glanced over as she turned the signal for turning.

The gruff center turned around. Magilou laid against her bag and pads, snoozing and headphones buried in her ears. Velvet took her phone out and snapped a quick picture.

"Yeah. But not right now."

"Why?"

"Because if we do, I don't think you'll be able to drive right."

Her heart felt heavy for a moment. "Alright."

-.-.-

"So what is this about?"

Velvet collapsed on her bed, rolling her pillow across her face. "Do we have to do it now? It's late and I'm tired."

"Velvet, you're not one to run away from things."

"How many times have you used those words?"

"Enough." She smiled.

Velvet pulled the pillow off her face, staring into the ceiling. "Have you ever focused on something so intensely for years, it's basically a part of you?"

"I have."

The raven-haired woman turned over. "Really? You? Miss Perfect?"

"I'm hardly perfect, Velvet."

"Ok, so tell me. Great grades, fantastic athleticism, a drive that never disappears; what the hell drives you Miss Hume?"

Eleanor looked to the window, blinking for a moment. "Because I'm already in that position."

Velvet's brow slanted.

"It's hard thinking for yourself when your path is already set." She explained. "My Freshman year was… trying to find ways to keep myself busy. I was getting away of my dream and wondered if it was my dream."

"Your mother sounds like Rokurou's mom. You sure you two aren't related."

"Velvet, please." Her eyes rolled. "Too many clubs, too many commitments, I dropped them and felt myself slipping. But… I found my way out. Just playing hockey, as I always did."

The raven-haired center looked to the side. How similar they were, she could never understand. By the sounds of it, it wasn't as severe as her mental breakdown. But… even she had some reflection.

Highschool days when they lived as queens, whether it was by academics or athletics, all seems to fade when they're placed into groups where they're surrounded by people that are just as smart, if not smarter, than themselves.

"And how did you learn this? Find a way out?"

"I talked. With my teammates, my dormmates. Even an Academic Probation counselor."

"You have relapses? Any regrets."

"Always. But I've learned to live with it. And I know you can do the same."

"That's… a lot of responsibility."

"I'm sorry if I'm putting pressure on you."

"No-no, it's not." Velvet hung her legs over the edge of her bed. "Just… do you think I'm good girlfriend material?"

Eleanor blinked at her. A few moments passed until she found her words. "You're moody, you've got a bone to pick with everybody and you're very impulsive. And yet… You're just as kind and reserved as anybody else."

Her dark eyes softened, head taking to the pillow before her. "Always got the right words to say."

"Maybe, but it's always up to you what you want to do with them." She looked to the side. "I know I'm not one to speak. I can't possibly know what you felt. Or even what happened. Would it be best if we had our relationship on hold?"

"N-no, no." Velvet sprang back up. "No… Just… I'll figure it out. Trust me."

"Alright. I trust you." Eleanor smiled back. "You're still not getting a kiss today."

"Wasn't trying to." She lied. It was worth a shot.