Author: I own the characters that are NOT from Slam Dunk…. If they are from Slam Dunk, they are property of Inoue Takehiko. Please don't sue me… Also, a foreword, I tend to be long winded when writing my fics, so at least you get the overall picture, as well as the locations/background, and worth your dollar on Internet charges! LOL Please do email/review me, and I can update the previous chapters. Thanks!
Words in italics or between slashes are thoughts, words within ^^ are actions, unless otherwise stated, words in brackets are locations usually before each section.
(=^_^=) Chapter 36 – Peppery Wounded (=^_^=)
(L.I.D.[author]: Please note, before reading on, if you have the songs, "Wherever You Will Go" BY the band, The Calling on your pc or CD, please listen to it later during the fic. Thank you!)
(On the court)
-Beep! Beep!
/Now who could have sent me an SMS? / Thought Ayako. She pressed a couple of buttons, and read the message. /Kimiko-sempai? / Ayako laughed, and shook her head.
"Ryota!"
Miyagi turned to face his beloved Aya-chan.
"Give me your hand…" said Ayako, scribbling something on Ryota's hand.
"Aya-chan! What's this?"
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Ryota then left for the courts, full of spirit. "Hanamichi, I'll give you another signal, don't miss it!"
Sakuragi: Ok… ^Sweat drop^
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Ayako looked on as Team Shohoku went back onto the court, and smiled. /Arigato, Kimiko-sempai… For reminding me…/
What Kimiko had messaged Ayako was:
[Aya-chan, do me a favour… remind Ryota-kun how he's the best Point guard in Japan. You know what to do. *Winks* Ganbatte! ~ Kimiko-sempai.]
And what Ayako wrote on Ryota's palm was:
[No.1 Guard]
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The game progressed, and it was Akagi's turn in the limelight. That stupid monkey centre from Sannoh was making a fool out of Akagi, and Kimiko was VERY incensed by it.
/Darn you, ugly monkey from Sannoh! #@^%!$@#!!!!! (L.I.D.[author]: Among other expletive words she knew in her vocabulary… ^Sweat drop^ ) Ganbatte, Nori-kun!!! / Thought Kimiko, her face obviously crumpling up, pissed.
Kimiko's gundan: ^Sweat drop^
When Akagi got a 'travelling' foul, Kimiko was shocked, for she knew the pressure was mounting onto Akagi's mind.
Eleven minutes and twenty seconds left into the game. Sannoh was leading, 58 – 36. Kimiko saw that Anzai-sensei substituted Sakuragi with Kogure, and cheered for Mitsui and Kogure, as well as Sakuragi.
/Ganbatte, Mit-chan, Kimi-kun! Watch well, Sakuragi-kun! /
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Ten minutes and thirty-nine minutes left. Sakuragi was let on back into the court. And immediately, he put his hands into a gun shape, and proceeded to poke Akagi's butt. (L.I.D.[author]: ^Sweat drop^) After which, he strutted to the table where the officials were, and hopped onto the table. Rolling up a magazine, Sakuragi began to speak, or rather, shout.
"I'LL BEAT SANNOH!!!!! ME!!!!! TENSAI SAKURAGI!!!!"
Kimiko simply grinned, while her gundan sweat dropped. Akagi promptly punched Sakuragi's backside, causing him to fall butt first onto the court.
/That baka Tensai…He'll never learn! / Thought Kimiko, giggling.
The game became more fast and furious, and Sakuragi surprised everyone when Ryota shot the ball, and missed, but Sakuragi merely hit it with his finger, and the ball went in! The crowd went WILD! Soon, number 6 from Sannoh defended Mitsui, and he looked extremely tired. Akagi blocked the number 6 from defending Mitsui, and Ryota passed the ball to Mitsui, who made clean three-pointer!!!
/Sugoi, Mit-chan… Ganbatte! / Kimiko cheered.
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Nine minutes and ten seconds left. Shohoku was catching up to Sannoh who still lead by seventeen points. Mitsui was now being used by Team Shohoku to shoot points, and they were catching up fast. But Sannoh changed their defence and made the monkey centre guard Sakuragi. The game was intense. Later on, Kimiko used her binoculars, and watched as Rukawa faced Eiji. She could have SWORN she saw Rukawa smile, even if it was just for a moment. Then, Mitsui shot another beautiful three-pointer!
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Three minutes and sixteen seconds left into the second half. Sannoh was still leading, 74 – 64, but the difference was only ten points!
Two minutes and twenty four seconds left. Ryota was passing the ball to Mitsui, who never got the ball! The ball was heading towards the boundary line, and Mitsui was frantic to save the ball! However, Sakuragi beat him to it, and crashed onto the table where the officials were.
Outside, it was sunny again.
Sakuragi went into the game again, but was soon sent back to the benches, even though he made an excellent save from Akagi's attempted shot. His back was in excruciating pain.
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With only ONE minute left, Sannoh still lead by 5 points. Sakuragi made a wonderful block from the huge number fifteen, and Ryota got the ball. He looked as if he was going to shoot, but passed it to Mitsui who made a successful three-pointer, as he was fouled by number six.
"White jersey Number six! Pushing foul! Basket count, one throw!" shouted the referee.
Only forty-nine point one seconds was left. After Mitsui shot his free throw, Sannoh was leading by only one point, 76 – 75. Seconds were ticking and Kimiko was fiddling with her ring furiously. The game had such a furious intensity, that she did not notice that her abdomen area was slowly bleeding beneath her clothing.
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When there was only twenty-four seconds left, Shohoku managed to reverse the scores, 77 – 76.
However, when there was nine seconds left, Sannoh managed to score another basket.
Three seconds left. Rukawa was desperately planning on shooting, but noticed that Sakuragi was free. He passed the ball to Sakuragi, who waited by the field lines and was calm and collected. Time was up. Everyone held his or her breaths, waiting for the referee to make his call. Would the shot made by Sakuragi be counted? Would it? Was Sakuragi truly the Tensai?
Yes.
The referee held two fingers down, signifying that Shohoku won, 79 – 78. Sakuragi walked over to where Rukawa was, and both males gave each other a hand slap! Silence reigned the area for what seemed to be an eternity before everyone erupted into cheers! Shohoku High had won against Sannoh!
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"Kimiko-chan!!!!" cried Aki, her palms on both her cheeks, in horror.
"Nani?"
"You're bleeding!"
True enough, Kimiko was bleeding, the stomach area on her blouse was stained with blood. "I'll be fine…"
"No you're not!" argued Natsumi.
"Natsumi-chan, I'm fine, see? I can walk…" Kimiko said stubbornly, standing on her two feet, before walking away from her gundan.
However, after taking not more than several steps, did Kimiko feel dizzy, and fainted on the floor.
"KIMIKO-CHAN!" chorused her gundan, as Yumi quickly ran to fetch the ambulance that was stationed outside. (L.I.D.[author]: Those ambulances were meant for players, but I'm sure Kimiko can use it ne?)
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After the photo taking session of Team Shohoku, Ayako went outside to get some fresh air. After talking to some officials, she was about to go back, when she noticed that a group of people were hauling someone into one of the two ambulances provided for the National games. She would have dismissed it, if not for a shout from one of the people getting into the ambulance…
{Kimiko-chan, you'll be all right!!!!}
/Oh no! Is that you, Kimiko-sempai? / Thought Ayako, running towards the ambulance to gain a better view. Sure enough, she saw Aki, one of Kimiko's friends, and Ayako was certain Kimiko was in danger. /I HAVE to tell them! /
Ayako RAN as fast as her legs could carry her, and she demanded that Sakuragi be taken to the hospital IMMEDIATELY, waving her ominous fan. Nobody dared to argue with her, and Anzai-sensei just laughed his ho-ho laugh. (L.I.D.[author]: ^Sweat drop^)
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Meanwhile, Kimiko was being sent to Osaka Hospital by the ambulance.
"Baka Kimiko-chan! If I had known your wound was going to explode, I would have prevented you from going to the match!" wailed Yumi.
"It didn't explode, Yumi-chan, don't make it sound so revolting! Eww! It… just acted up again." Replied Kimiko.
"Yeah right!" chimed both Natsumi and Aki.
"Doesn't it hurt?" asked Yumi, holding down the cotton patch the medic told her to press gently.
Kimiko nodded.
"Stubborn mule!"
Kimiko just rolled her eyes. She couldn't wait until she was fixed up again.
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(Nighttime at Osaka Hospital)
"Ayako-san, I'll be fine, don't forget, I'm the Tensai!" smiled Sakuragi, lying face down on the hospital bed.
"Glad you're still so chipper…" Ayako said, rolling her eyes. Miyagi just laughed.
Team Shohoku had already gone back to the inn to rest for their game against Aiwa High the next day. Akagi was confident, but without Sakuragi, he had to admit, it was going to take a BIG miracle if they won. Ayako stayed behind to make sure that Sakuragi was all right before going back to the inn, and Miyagi stayed back to make sure his Aya-chan was ok. (L.I.D.[author]: Awww!)
Ayako sighed.
"What's wrong, Aya-chan?"
"What's wrong, Ayako-san?"
"I don't know if I should tell you this…" Ayako began.
A smile began to creep onto Miyagi's face. /Is she going to tell me she feels the same way as I do for her? /
Sakuragi just had a chibi serious expression. (L.I.D.[author]: Kawaii!)
"Kimiko-sempai, she's here. In Osaka."
Both Sakuragi and Miyagi's jaws opened wide.
"And in here, Osaka hospital as well.
Both Sakuragi and Miyagi's mouths began to open wide, and began to open and close like goldfish.
Ayako: ^Sweat drop^
"Is she all right? What room is she in, Ayako-san?"
"Why didn't you tell us sooner, Aya-chan?"
"Hold your horses… Sakuragi, you should know how she is…"
Sakuragi nodded. Miyagi sweat dropped.
"And she requested that she doesn't want to see anyone, until we win the National Games… So don't tell Mitsui-sempai or Kogure-sempai, got it?" waving her fan threateningly at them.
Both males nodded their heads, fearing the almighty fan of Ayako, which coincidentally used to be Kimiko's. (L.I.D.[author]: *giggles!*)
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Shohoku didn't win the game against Aiwa High. They were worn out from their game with Sannoh High, and Sakuragi was missing. But they were already winners. (L.I.D.[author]: OK, now we get to the drama part yah? ^_^)
It was after the games, that Ayako told everyone that Kimiko was in Osaka, and in the hospital, where Sakuragi was as well. Everyone rushed to the hospital quickly, the way they had, when they won against Ryonan High when Anzai-sensei was ill. After the various well wishing, everyone left to let Kimiko rest. All except Mitsui and Kogure.
"Come now, Kogure-sempai! Let's let Kimiko-sempai and Mitsui-sempai talk ne?" cajoled Ayako, leading the senior outside; much to the latter's silent protest. "Let's go for a bite to eat!" piped Ayako.
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(At the coffee house at the hospital)
"Kogure-sempai, you really love Kimiko-sempai, don't you?" stated Ayako, munching on her sandwich, rather than asking Kogure.
"She's Mitsui's now, Ayako-chan…" Kogure said, stirring his coffee, not touching his brownie.
"Go fight for her! If I know her, she'd want you to at least do something!"
Kogure gave Ayako an uncertain look, which was replied back by a determined look by Ayako.
"Come on. I'm sure you can do it! Challenge Mitsui-sempai to something!"
"I don't think I can do that, Ayako-chan…" Kogure deadpanned.
After the quick meal, the two made their way back to Kimiko's room.
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Kogure was standing outside Kimiko's room, and was about to enter, when through the door 'window', he saw his Kimi-chan in Mitsui's arms, with the latter holding her, kissing passionately. His heart was pounding furiously, and was in pain. Ayako saw his pained expression, and guessed something must be wrong. She looked into Kimiko's room, and saw the two kissing. /Oh great… /
Kogure ran away from the room, as fast as he could, and somehow, he found his way to the hospital's basketball court. Ayako was behind him, in hot pursuit.
Kogure looked up into the night sky, and unconsciously clenched his fists.
This, was the last straw.
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(=^_^=) Meow!
Oh dear, what is Kogure planning to do? Stay tuned!
Replies!
To the imouto-chan who claimed to want my brain: Which imouto-chan are you, please tell me your name? LOL! And just keep in touch, and here's the new chappie! ^_^
Zephirus-chan: I took the game play excerpts from the manga to be a bit precise. ^_^ Please enjoy this new chapter! ^_^
Nikka-chan: LOL I know that schoolwork stinks. Ha ha! Here's the update! Please enjoy!
Madiha-chan: LOL! I can't tell you, gomen nasai! But please accept my apologies with this chapter! ^_^ *Hugs*
Joy-chan: *Blushes* Thank you so much! I love faithful readers like you! ^_^ Here it is! Sorry to keep you waiting! ^_^ Happy viewing of the SMS message!
Fehrocious-chan: Hyuk hyuk! I don't know why Toyama got 20 years… LOL! Just read this chapter, and enjoy! Love ya!
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