1.1.1 Chapter II: " Meeting"



Gym Class. Raiyuu Sagara smiled as she limbered up, loosening her muscles. She had always liked gym, even in middle school. With hope it wouldn't change now.

She had heard that their sport for the term was volleyball. Raiyuu wasn't too particular on volleyball-she had always preferred outdoor sports-but she'd manage.

" GIRLS!" The coach shouted. Instantly the buzz of girls talking amongst themselves died away.

" This is gym, not a talk show. We're here to play sports, not to chat about your boyfriends."'

A few students giggled. The girl beside Raiyuu-the one named Ishikawa- laughed softly. Raiyuu turned to smile at her.

The coach frowned. " THAT WASN'T A JOKE!"

Silence now. Raiyuu lifted her knee up to her chest, counting softly. Then down. Then the next knee. Then she stretched with her arms overhead. A little something Sendoh-san had taught her for loosening up the muscles in her arms. Good for volleyball practice, as arms were used more than half the time. Am I glad I trained with Oniichan over the summer.

The coach cleared her throat, then spoke again. " Before we start, though, I would like to introduce someone to the class."

Raiyuu's head immediately shot up, all thoughts of stretching gone from her head. Huh?

The coach's voice was firm and clear. " She has won over ten gold medals and trophies in various meets around Japan. She was named " Most Graceful", and has appeared on TV more than once already. She also represented Japan for the gymnastics category in the SEA Games, and has brought home the silver medal."

Cool, Raiyuu thought absently, stretching her other arm over her head. Wonder who she is.

" And," the coach added, " She is a particular candidate for the next Olympic games. Not only that, but she plays the piano and the violin-first string in the orchestra-and still maintains her honor roll grades. Meet the most accomplished young lady you've ever seen-Ruona Tanizaki."

" Ohhh.."

The other girls, in awe, started to clap. Raiyuu watched as a black- haired girl stepped out from the crowd and walked lithely, almost gracefully, towards the coach. Raiyuu had to admit that she was indeed very pretty, from the way she carried herself and her long hair swishing behind her back. But there was something with her eyes.Raiyuu frowned, thinking. They look so.cold.

" Cold, don't you think?"

Ishikawa was speaking to her. Raiyuu turned towards the other girl. " Actually..yeah, kinda," she admitted.

They both watched as Ruona coolly nodded at the coach and headed towards the mat set out for her. " She's been like that ever since we were young," Ishikawa said, almost apologetically. " But she's a nice girl, underneath all that," she added quickly as Raiyuu opened her mouth to speak.

Raiyuu opened her mouth as if to speak, then thought better of it, shutting it again. She reconsidered and spoke once more. " You guys went to the same middle school?"

" Yup," Ishikawa said. They both turned in time to watch Ruona perform a flip in mid-air as people applauded. Both followed suit, then turned back to their conversation. " We went to the same elementary school too, actually. She was a teacher's dream come true. Really good at academics, excellent in sports. She was also very nice to talk to." Ishikawa's voice faded away.

Raiyuu raised her eyebrows. " What happened?"

Ishikawa shrugged. " Actually, I don't know. After fourth grade, she mostly kept to herself ever since.that." She applauded as Ruona executed a graceful jump. " I honestly don't know anymore."

" Oh." Raiyuu watched silently as Ruona landed on both her feet, bowing low. Loud applause followed not too soon after.

" Okay, girls, practice!" their coach almost bellowed herself hoarse. " Showtime's over! Everyone grab a partner and START PASSING A BALL!"

Before Raiyuu could even react, someone tapped her on the shoulder. Turning, she saw Ishikawa standing there, volleyball in one hand. " Partners?"

Raiyuu smiled. " Sure."

Ishikawa smiled back and tossed the ball in the air. Soon both girls were passing the ball back and forth almost effortlessly.

" Hey, you're good," Ishikawa said approvingly as Raiyuu spiked the ball high into the air. " Where'd you learn to play?"

" I don't know how to play," Raiyuu said modestly as she spiked the ball again. Ishikawa served her balls high. " I just, I don't know, hit it."

" Cool." Ishikawa hit the ball back to Raiyuu's side. " You must be a natural born athlete."

Raiyuu could feel herself turn slightly pink. " 'Course not." She hit the ball back rather hard. It bounced off the gym wall, nearly hitting their coach. Raiyuu grimaced. " I didn't mean that."

Ishikawa ran off to retrieve the ball. Once she came back, both started passing again. " What's your favorite sport?" Ishikawa asked conversationally. She jumped in the air to hit the ball, which had flown rather high again. Their coach had noticed that, though. " Good work, Ishikawa."

" Track and field." Raiyuu hit the ball back to Ishikawa. " Though I like baseball, too."

" Really?" Ishikawa's eyes widened. She served the ball again. " You should try martial arts. Your arms and legs are probably strong-good for a martial artist."

Raiyuu wrinkled her nose. " Nah. I'm having a hard enough time balancing schoolwork and sports. Maybe some other time." She hit the ball again successfully.

" Over break, then." Ishikawa's ball came strong and fast. Raiyuu thought better and caught it instead of trying to hit it. " My cousin, Rukawa Kaede- you know him? He was the one who was asleep during homeroom-he used to take judo. But he got tired of it and decided to focus on basketball." Ishikawa shrugged. " Wasn't much of a loss, however. We soon learnt he was a lot better in basketball than at judo." She smiled faintly.

Raiyuu's eyes widened. " Oh, Rukawa." She frowned. " Wait a minute. He's your cousin?" she served the ball again. Their coach was eyeing them both.

" Uh-huh." Ishikawa hit the ball lightly. " You know him?"

" He's my next door neighbor!" Raiyuu hit the ball back to her. No wonder she thought Ishikawa had looked familiar. Guess I've seen her already, once or twice in Rukawa's house, she thought silently. " He used to take judo?"

Ishikawa grinned as she caught the ball. " Yup. He even--"

The coach blew her whistle long and hard, startling everyone within a 4- mile radius. " GROUPS OF FOUR! EVERYBODY!"

Ishikawa growled. " What's her deal?"

Raiyuu wondered that, too. But she didn't say anything. Facing Ishikawa, she asked, " Who do we group--"

Then she noticed that Ruona and another girl had appeared out of nowhere, and were speaking to Ishikawa.

"-with." Raiyuu finished, muttering. Apparently Ishikawa had found another pair.

" Raiyuu!" Ishikawa was grinning from ear to ear. " Meet Ruona Tanizaki."

Raiyuu smiled at the world-famous gymnast. It was only then she realized that Ruona was shorter than her by about an inch. " Hi!"

Ruona just raised her eyebrows in reply, but said nothing.

1.2 Whoah.Raiyuu resisted the urge to back off a few steps. She was so cold..

" And this is Mizuyuki Yuu." Ishikawa gestured towards the other girl. Mizuyuki Yuu was tall and lanky, with golden brown hair that fluttered in the breeze. She also had the biggest smile Raiyuu had ever seen on a human being.

" Hi!!"

Not to mention the bounciest body in the whole world, Raiyuu thought in silent amazement. The girl was all pumped up!

" Hey." Raiyuu greeted Mizuyuki warmly, but with much less giddiness.

The coach blew her whistle once more, but with less ferocity-to everyone's relief. " All right, people. There will be a test next meeting-I want to see how well all of you know this game." Her sharp eyes glanced into each and every of their faces. " Two on two. For the rest of the meeting, I just want you all to practice." She got ready to blow her whistle again, but stopped when she observed everyone was either covering their ears, or looking around frantically for a place to hide in. Shrugging, she took out a magazine and began flipping through its pages.

Ishikawa was practically steaming at the ears. " You call that a teacher?! I'd love to get that-that-nuclear-weapon-of-a-whistle of hers and shove it up her ass!"

" That's not a bad idea, giving the circumstances." Raiyuu mused, a not-so- good-gleam in her eye.

The two turned simultaneously, eyeing the incriminating whistle hanging around the clueless sensei's neck.

" heh-heh-heh-heh." Mizuyuki and Ruona sweatdropped as Raiyuu and Ishikawa grinned evilly, rubbing their hands together.

" Um, ANYWAY," Mizuyuki cut in, " I really think we should start the game now-DON'T YOU THINK?" She spun around to face the other two, who were still staring at the whistle longingly. "Guys? Hello?" Waving a hand in front of their faces. " Anyone home?'

" Huh?" The coach turned to see Sagara and Ishikawa staring at her. " What-- ?" Shaking her head, she returned to her magazine.

Ruona sweatdropped. " Baka.'

AN: Well? Reactions? Comments? Anything?? R&R.

Raiyuu's brother is from Ryonan.I know, they're in different districts, don't ask me why I did that.I did that out of fun, to liven up the story a bit ^-^

This part is a bit boring.the next chapters will be better.

I don't own SD, btw. Just borrowing characters.