:: With Eyes that See ::

[Chapter Eight]

[Encouragement]

Disclaimer: Slam Dunk and its characters do not belong to me…

Author's Notes: Yes, another short chapter! That's me! Anyway, I'll be off for camp…catch up with my writing later! Ciao! If you're reading this, check out my other fics as well, 'k?

Replies:

Nellie: Thank you, thank you! You're the only one who's reviewed Chapter Seven! Hope you'll enjoy this one…





Lousy. She heard the ball bounce off the backboard and onto the ground. Dejected, she sat down on the court. 'I'll never be able to do it like I did in the past,' she mused.

Iron heads can break too.

She recalled the days before the dreadful accident, recalled how she could shoot basket after basket, recalled how she had eluded her opponents. She could only see them in her mind now. In fact, she could only see in her mind.

'I'll never be able to do it.'



"Get up!" her coach would call to any player that collapsed to the ground during training. She was forceful, and pushed them to their limits, even beyond.



I always wanted to go on, if only so my name would never be shouted in the gym in that fashion. I always wanted to go on, if only to do justice to my dream.



Yet, she was sitting here, as the basketball rolled away.



Days later, she had continued, and her first three-pointer went "swish" into the basket.



The whistle brought her back to reality. Half time.

"I need to talk to Rukawa," she said to no one in particular, knowing that anyone who heard her would pass her message on.



She stood in front of Rukawa, feeling the heat of his body despite no being in direct contact with him. He had exerted himself a lot.

"Shika." His voice was, as usual, in a cold monotone, but Shika brushed it aside.

"You can do it," she said, "You can play. I know you can."



Rukawa heard her. He heard the confidence in her voice. Confidence in him. Could he? Yes he could. Could he?

"Yes, I can." It was different, saying it aloud. It made him feel stronger.



"Good." She sounded relieved. "You do play well."



'Thank you, Shika-chan.' The words were unspoken, but then, Rukawa never thanked anyone.