Cat was slowing down.
Every movement of her feet made her head throb, and her vision hadn't completely cleared. Cube was a few feet in front of her, and Cat had a horrible desire to return her rival's favor.
But she didn't.
It's not right, she scolded herself. Besides, if you're as good as you think you are, you can still win this.
If only Cube would make a single mistake…
Cat skated as hard as she could. They were much more than halfway back to the starting point, and if Cube got any further ahead, Cat had no chance of winning.
In front of Cat and to her right, Cube laughed. "I see you recovered from your little accident."
Cat bit her lip to keep her words in. After a moment of silence she replied simply, "I see you realized ya can't win a fair race with me."
"What?" Cube demanded, feigning offense. Neither of the girls had lessened their speed in the least, though Cube kept glancing back at Cat. "Just 'cause you injured yourself, you're calling me a cheater?"
"And a liar," Cat replied. "I thought ya had more honor than that, Cube."
"And I," Cube sniffed, "thought you had enough sense to not hit yourself in the back of the head with a paint can. Ya gotta be pretty clumsy to do that, I'd think."
Cat was watching Cube, noting that while she talked she was leaning to the right. Looking up ahead, Cat saw that they would be entering a section of pipes. As quickly and casually as she could, she said, "But of course, you'd have to be just as clumsy to 'accidentally' hit someone else with your own paint can, wouldn't you say?"
"Oh, definitely, but who's ever done that?"
"You have, I believe." Cat stared ahead, then glanced at the direction Cube was going. Perfect! "'Bye, Cube."
"What?" Cube asked, her air of superiority disappearing. She looked forward and let out a dismayed cry, braking hard as her skates slid off the edge of the half-pipe. She caught the small orange pipe nearby as she fell, yelling, "Cat, wait!"
Cat paused for a moment as she finished grinding on the pipe, turning to look at Cube, who hung helplessly on the other side. "Hang on, Cube," she called. "When I make it to the finish line, I'll send your friends after you!" Smiling, she turned and skated off, her head feeling much better.
Cube's scream of hatred, fury and defeat followed Cat back to the finish.
* * *
Spark was tapping the back wheel of her skate anxiously against the rail bar. "Where is she, Tip? She should be here by now…"
Tip sighed. "I don't know. She'll be here soon," she said, not quite sure her words were true. She glanced down at Tab, who was still very unconscious. We need to get him out of here, now… she thought desperately.
A sudden scream echoed down the sewer half-pipe, making the five waiting people jump. Tip tried to decide if it had belonged to Cat or Cube. She had never heard a sound like that from Cat, but she didn't spend much time with Cube… not anymore, at least…
Spark skated to the pipe that the racers would have to come through. "I see her!" she exclaimed.
Scrap peered over her shoulder. Spark was startled that he did not push her aside, but she felt no need to complain.
Cat slowed as she reached the end of the half-pipe, staggering a bit. As she passed through the small room that was serving as the finish line, she dropped to her knees, even as Tip breathed a sigh of relief.
"Cat! Are you hurt?" Spark asked concernedly, kneeling next to her friend. She saw the blood in Cat's hair. "What happened?"
Cat sat back on her heels and sighed, putting a tentative hand to her injury. "It doesn't matter. We won." She glanced up at the rather confused Poison Jam. "Oh, yeah. I promised Cube I'd tell you guys," she informed them, "that she might want your help. She fell on the pipes back there a ways, but when I left she was hangin' on all right." She breathed deeply as Poison Jam skated off in a hurry. "Come on, guys, let's get out of here."
Spark helped Cat stand, Cat trying to push her away. "Are you gonna be okay?" Tip asked her.
Cat rolled her eyes and scowled. "I'll be fine. Save your worrying for that kid there."
Tip chewed her lower lip thoughtfully. "Yeah… how're we gonna get him out of here?"
"I can carry him," Cat offered.
"No." Tip shook her head. "You focus on staying on your feet for now. I'll carry him." Looking down at Tab, she tried to decide the best way to make good on her statement. With a shrug, she put one arm around his back and wrapped the other around his knees, lifting him slowly. He groaned, but did not wake.
"Careful," Cat warned. "It looks like he's got a broken rib or something."
"I will be," Tip promised. She nodded toward the closest exit. "Let's go." She started forward, Cat and Spark following her back to their home in Kibogaoka Hill.
* * *
Speed was skating through the Shibuya Terminal, trying to get his thoughts together. He was still a bit confused as to why the Romantic Energies had rescued him, but even more confusing was the fact that they had let him go. After all, if they were telling the truth, Hikage was their turf as well, and he had been trespassing… but that hadn't seemed to bother them. He shrugged to himself, directing his thoughts to more important issues…
He had to find his sister.
Two and a half years ago, Spark had left their foster home in Dogenzaka Hill, telling her older brother that she wanted adventure. She had invited him to come along with her and one of her friends, but he had refused. Now he regretted that decision and had been searching for Spark for the past several months, without luck. He had been through Chuo Street and Hikage Street as well as Dogenzaka; but he was beginning to realize, to his dismay, that Spark had gone to (or through) either 99th Street or Rokkaku-Dai Heights, both rather dangerous places… places he did not want his little sister to be in.
A loud, painful noise startled Speed out of his trance. Looking around and listening, he followed the continuous sound to find a street band.
A street band? He repeated the thought to himself. A street band…
Speed stared at the small group. There were five or six of them, each with an instrument in hand. People walking past them covered their ears and moved faster. Parents pulled their children far away.
Speed, unsure if he wanted to laugh or run, guessed they were a jazz band, by the bits of actual music that found their way through the terrible trombone playing. He winced as the group got louder. Passing people tossed money at them and yelled for the pain to stop, but they played obliviously on.
Not quite knowing why, Speed sat down on a nearby bench, returning his hair to its traditional ponytail as he listened. Jazz music was his personal favorite, but he was mystified at the skill distribution. The trumpet player sounded pretty good, and the baritone player wasn't bad, but the trombone, tuba, saxophone and percussion were all a disgrace to the world of music.
Catching himself, Speed stood up. He had more important things to do than sit and critique a pathetic musical group. Now he had to decide whether to first head to 99th Street or try Rokkaku-Dai and the sewers. On impulse, he skated toward the street band, passing by them to Rokkaku-Dai. He didn't think Spark was the type to go to the sewers, but then he had never thought of her as the type to leave home in search of danger and adventure, either. His sister had a way of puzzling him… but he had to try to figure her out if he ever wanted to see her again.
* * *
Tip collapsed to the floor, sliding into a sitting position next to Spark. "You'd never think a little guy like that could be so heavy," she muttered.
"Come on, Tip," Cat laughed from her spot in the corner. She was holding a petite black kitten she had named Half, who was purring loudly as Cat stroked his fur. "He probably weighs less than you do."
Spark shivered. "It's a good thing we got him in here before it got too cold and dark out. That couldn't have been good for him."
"No, it couldn't," Cat agreed. She stood up, handing the complaining Half to Spark and skating over to Tab, who had been carefully laid on the lopsided, sagging couch. She looked at him for a moment, felt his wrist, and sat down next to the couch. "His pulse is pretty steady. I think he'll be all right for now. He'll just need some sleep." She grinned, looking around at the roomful of her pets. "I hope he's not allergic to cats."
As if he had been called, Half jumped down from Spark's shoulder where he had been perched, sauntered over to the couch, and jumped up on its single remaining arm. He looked down at Tab, sniffed, and mewed.
"Aw, how cute," Spark couldn't help but say.
Cat rolled her eyes. "Sure, Spark." She watched with interest as Half paced the perimeter of the couch, sniffing occasionally and mewing. "I wonder," she murmured, but did not finish her sentence.
Half looked up at her, huge golden eyes meeting her bright green ones. He let out a final mew and jumped down, rubbing against Cat's skates.
Cat picked him up again. "I don't think Half likes our guest too much." She cuddled the kitten as she turned to Tip and Spark. "Come on, guys, it's late. He'll probably sleep for awhile. We can stay up and watch him in shifts. Any volunteers to go first?"
"I will," Tip volunteered, surprising her two friends. "Who's going after me, and when should I wake 'em?"
Cat shrugged. "I'll do it," she said. "I don't really care when you get me up. Whenever you get tired, I guess. Just make sure ya don't fall asleep yourself."
"I won't," Tip assured her. "Good night."
Spark found a blanket, rolled herself up in it, and was asleep within minutes. Cat settled into a corner with a warm blanket of squirming, purring cats. Tip sat beside the small, dim light, watching Tab. She felt sure he would wake up soon, and she had no intention of falling asleep before he did.