Sum: Shohoku High's celebrating its annual Sports Festival! The Basketball club decided to put up a booth where anybody could challenge them to a game for a token. Piece of cake? That depends on who their challengers would be…Please R+R!!!

Disclaimer: I do not own Slam Dunk nor any of its characters. But this fic's mine and so is it's continuation…^_^

A/N: …continuation…as in the real story… I'm planning on writing an OC fic of which this is just the prologue. That's why I really, really need your reviews on this one! Please read and review!! Tell me if I should push through with the OC fic…Help!

A Shohoku Sportsfest

By: coolpriss

First Part: Disaster!

"Yosh!" Akagi stepped back to admire his handiwork. He had just finished arranging their 'temporary court' near the school's entrance. Ayako, Kogure and a few others were busily adding some finishing touches to their prize and token booth.

The air was thick with excitement. Shohoku High was having its annual Sports Festival today, but the occasion was not solely focused on sports. There were lots of different booths sponsored by the various school clubs.

Akagi glanced at the booth beside them. They were selling refreshments. Akagi's eyes narrowed and a small, red cross formed on his head. Half of his team were huddled there, eating and chatting leisurely all the while he was preparing their place.

"What are you doing there?" the irate captain bellowed. "Why aren't you helping with our booth?"

"We're reserving our energy for later, Gori! You wouldn't want your star players to get tired even before the game starts, would you?" Sakuragi patted Akagi's shoulder, nodding appreciatively. "Besides, we know you can handle all those stuff, being a Gori and all…"

"Baka!" Akagi brought Sakuragi's red head between his right arm and body and started strangling him.

"Oh ho ho ho!" the familiar laugh came from behind the two.

"Anzai-sensei!" Akagi exclaimed, letting go of Sakuragi's head.

"It's nice to see you all in high spirits! Have you arranged their schedules, Akagi-kun?"

"Hai." Akagi turned to Ayako and the manager handed him a piece of paper. "Yosh. Minna, gather around!" He clapped his hands. "As you all know, this isn't a normal game. The mechanics of our 'modified basketball game' are simple. The challenger would have to shoot the ball at least once within the five-minute-limit to get one of our prizes. Most of our rules won't be applicable anymore. All you have to do is try to block their shots. You would all be grouped into three's, taking shifts. Keep in mind that not everyone who challenges us are real basketball players so be gentle. Here are your schedules: The first three would be Miyagi, Sakuragi and Yasuda, followed by Shiozaki, Rukawa and Kuwata, and then, Kakuta, Mitsui and Kogure. I'll be the referee. Remember, our goal is to raise money for our funds and not necessarily to win every single challenge."

At that moment, drums and trumpets rang throughout the school grounds, followed by loud cries and claps, officially opening the Sports Day.

"Yosh! Sakuragi, Miyagi, Yasuda! Warm yourselves up! The others are free to go around but come back once your shift is due. It will be much better if you stay here more often though, because we allow one-on-one's where the challenger could pick his choice of opponent, with a higher charge of course."

And with that, the basketball team split up. Mitsui, Kogure and the others headed towards the field where the track and field club was holding a race. The rest went back to their booth and waited for their first customer.

"Oi, Sakuragi!" Miyagi called out, stopping his stretching exercise for a while to look at the redhead sitting comfortably at Anzai-sensei's chair. "What are you doing there? Captain told us to warm up!"

"Ha! I don't need to warm up, Ryochin! This is all gonna be piece of cake for Tensai Sakuragi! Nyahahaha!!!"

Miyagi's eyebrow went up as he sweatdropped. "Nani?"

"I'm sure it will, Sakuragi-kun!" a cheerful voice interrupted his laughter.

Sakuragi suddenly stood and turned puppy-eyed towards the voice. "Haruko-san!" Then waterfall tears cascaded down his cheeks. "She's here to cheer for me…she's so sweet…"

"I just came by to bring some of your prizes and also see how you guys are doing," she said, her arms around a huge teddy bear. "I wish I could have this bear, though…it's so soft and kawaii…I hope…maybe…" her face took on a dreamy expression, a bubble dream appearing above her head.

'Here, Haruko-chan…' a chibi Rukawa was saying, handing her the bear, 'I won this for you…'

'Rukawa-kun…'

Haruko sighed, her eyes shaped like hearts.

"Daijobou, Haruko-san! I'll win that for you easily! Nyahahaha!" Sakuragi was saying.

"Baka!" Miyagi snapped. "We're not allowed to compete for the prizes! We're the ones giving them away, for crying out loud!"

"Hey, who are you calling 'stupid', Shorty?!"

"Nani…"

For no apparent reason, Haruko chose to return to earth at that moment. "Gambatte ne, Miyagi-sempai, Yasuda-kun, and you too, Sakuragi-kun! Show them all that Shohoku Basketball Club really is national-level!" she declared, full of emotion.

"Hai, Haruko-san!! They'll see that nobody can defeat Tensai Sakuragi!! Nyahahaha!!" And with that, Sakuragi grabbed a ball and started swinging it from one hand to the other, like he always does when showing off. "Oraoraoraoraoraoraoraora!!"

A small crowd stopped to see and gawk at the antics of Sakuragi. Akagi, who had been talking with Anzai-sensei and Ayako regarding the prizes, turned to see what was happening.

"Sugoi…that troublemaker's good…"

"…and he's only a freshman…"

"I was thinking of trying them out for myself but now I see I don't stand a chance…"

"I know what you mean, they're too good…"

"They really are National level…"

"…we'll just be embarrassed…"

Akagi heard only snippets of the crowd's remarks but that was enough to place three red crosses on his head. He stomped angrily in the direction of the boasting Sakuragi, who was now passing the ball between his legs. Without warning, he slammed his fist squarely onto the boy's head.

"BAKA!! What do you think you're doing?! You're scaring away our customers, you idiot!!"

"Ku'sho, Gori!" Sakuragi brought his face close to Akagi's, his hand rubbing his head. "You were the one who told us to warm up!"

"I told you to warm up, not show off!" Akagi returned, glaring back just as fiercely.

"See? Told you they're terrible…"

"You're right, they're like wild animals…"

"And he's going to be the referee…I don't think it's gonna be a fair fight at all…"

The two broke off their glaring contest at the sound of those voices and turned to face the crowd at the same time. Their faces were suddenly gone and instead the heads of a gorilla and a red-haired monkey faced the people. For a second, nothing happened, then suddenly, the throng scattered about, each hurrying as far from the booth as possible. Not one was left standing near them.

Miyagi sweatdropped at first then sighed. Haruko and Yasuda were blinking dumbly.

"Great. That was just great. You just had to scare them all away." Ayako shook her head in exasperation.

Akagi was still staring where the crowd used to stand. "This is all your fault, Sakuragi!"

"Nani? It was your gorilla face that scared them, Gori!" Sakuragi retorted, also still in the same position.

"Nani?!" Akagi snapped his head back to glare at the redhead.

"Well, it's true!" Sakuragi faced his captain.

"Oh, for goodness' sake!" Ayako half-lidded her eyes and stared wearily at the two.

"Oh ho ho!"

~***~

It was nine o'clock in the morning when the bell signaling the opening of the celebration sounded. It was already ten-fifty and still nobody dared place a foot anywhere near the basketball club's stall. Akagi, Miyagi, Sakuragi and Yasuda were sitting on the player's bench, their heads propped up on their hands, each wearing identical expressions of boredom and impatience.

"Why is this happening to us?" Ayako sighed from her perch on the ticket booth. She had tried her best to call in some prospective challengers but still, nobody dared challenged the 'National-level' basketball team.

They were at this state when Rukawa, Shiozaki and Kuwata came to take their shift, with Kogure bringing them some refreshments. At the sight of some food and drinks, Sakuragi instantly went back to life, springing forcefully in front of the unsuspecting vice-captain.

"Let me help you with that, Megane-kun!" He grabbed two burgers and two sodas, and started chomping them up.

"Yaah! The other burger and soda is for Yasuda, Sakuragi!" Kogure protested, waving his arms in desperation.

"I'm chure Yashu don't mind, eh, Yasu?" he said, biting the last of the two burgers. Sakuragi's eyes narrowed at the boy watching him feebly.

"Ah, of course I don't mind, Sakuragi-san!" Yasuda laughed nervously. "I'm not tired anyway." He looked at the untouched basketball balls still on the rack.

"Still no customers?" Kogure asked sympathetically.

"None," Miyagi sighed. "Not one, thanks to this baka!"

"Nani--" Sakuragi started when all of a sudden he fell silent, his eyes following something behind Miyagi. The shorter boy followed his gaze when, without warning, the self-proclaimed 'genius' started laughing. Sakuragi raced towards the school entrance where Yohei and the rest of the Sakuragi guntai were just sauntering past. Sakuragi stopped directly in front of them, hands on his waist and an evil twinkle in his eyes.

"Nyahahaha! Tensai Sakuragi saves the day once again! Nyahahaha!!!"

"Eh? Nanda yo, Hanamichi?" Yohei stared at him, something in his guts telling him something bad is about to happen.

Sakuragi's evil grin reached his ears. "Ehehe…" His right hand sprang out of nowhere and tried to grab hold of the four. But his huge hand managed to grip only one fat arm. Takamiya Anozumi was the only one left of the guntai. Yohei, Sauichiro and Yuji seemed to disappear into thin air.

"Eh? Nani?" Sakuragi blinked. "They're gonna get it…ah! Iya! Don't mind! At least I've got one!" He looked maliciously at the fat boy.

Takamiya tried to pry Sakuragi's hand from his arm but the tall boy has got a death grip on him. With a sigh, he surrendered. "Oi, Hanamichi, what are you planning to do with me?"

"You'll play with us, of course! And you'll keep playing until some other customer comes along!" Sakuragi told him, dragging him towards the sweatdropping basketball club members.

"Nani?! But-but I don't know how--"

"All you have to do is shoot the ball in that hoop," Ayako told him as Sakuragi shoved his hand inside the poor boy's pockets and brought out several silver coins and paper bills. Miyagi and Yasuda looked at each other then shrugged and took their positions under the goal.

"You have five minutes to shoot at least one ball to get one of our prizes. But the money you just gave is enough for twenty chances. Gambatte ne and arigatou gozaimazu for trying out our booth!" Ayako grinned and bowed.

"Nee-san! How can you be so cruel…" tears were falling from behind Takamiya's eyeglasses.

"Haah! Let's start this now, Anozumi!" Sakuragi cried, taking a defense position in front of his friend.

Takamiya looked around, desperately looking for a way out. Rukawa was sitting on the bench, eyeing them with no particular interest. Shiozaki and Kuwata were cheering him on beside the pale boy. Kogure was on his left, ready to pass him the ball. On his right was Ayako with the timer around her neck. He noticed that behind him, a crowd was gathering again. He sighed, and then as if possessed, he nodded and took position.

"Okay…Start!" Ayako cried as she started the timer. Kogure passed the ball to him at the same time.

Takamiya caught the ball. He stared back at Sakuragi who was only inches from him. Then, instead of dribbling the ball and moving forward, Hakami embraced the ball tightly to his fat body, took a 180-degree turn and was about to run for it when he bumped in front a huge…something. Slowly, he turned to look up and saw Akagi's face glaring down at him.

"Hey, where are you going?!"

"C'mon, you still have time!"

"Dribble the ball!"

"Go for it!"

"Shoot, shoot!"

Takamiya's ears grew and twitched at the sound of the cheers. They were coming from the small crowd watching him. 'They're cheering for me…' he thought, his cheeks turning pink and his lips curving into a smile.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Akagi prompted him.

With a firm nod, he turned back and was about to dribble the ball when a whistle blew.

"Time!" Akagi thundered, clicking his own timer.

"Nani?! But I haven't even dribbled yet!" Takamiya protested his dreams of doing his very own slamdunk shattering.

"You're too slow!"

"I bet you don't even know how to play basketball!"

"I can do much better than that!"

"Here, give me a token!"

"I'm gonna try out too!"

"You tried your best, but failed. It's understandable. Nobody could defeat the undefeatable Tensai Sakuragi!" Sakuragi patted the open-mouthed Takamiya. "But thank you for your generous donation anyway. It will be put to good use…"

"IIE!!!" Takamiya screeched. He hurried towards Ayako and stretched out both his hands, blocking the others from the ticket booth. "I have nineteen chances left! Right, Onee-san? Nineteen more chances so stand back! I'll make my slamdunk yet!"

"Slamdunk, eh? You don't even how to dribble!"

"Heh! We'll see about that, fatso!"

Miyagi, Shiozaki, Kuwata and Yasuda stared incredulously at their sudden change of fate. Kogure just shook his head and smiled. "Maa, maa…anyway, I think it's time to change shifts now. C'mon, Shiozaki, Kuwata, Rukawa. I think you'd need to warm up now."

Shiozaki and Kuwata took off their shirts and started to warm up. Kogure looked around for Rukawa and found him sound asleep on the bench, his whole body about to drop off the bench. He sweatdropped. He was about to step over and wake him up when Sakuragi beat him to it.

"Oi, Kitsune!" Sakuragi screamed into the sleeping Rukawa's ear. "Wake up, you lazy scumbag! Wake up and see what the undefeatable Tensai Sakuragi has done for his nearly bankrupt team! Nyahahahaha!! You better bow down and worship me now, Rukawa, then maybe I'll show you some mercy! Nyahahahahahaha!!"

Kogure sweatdropped. "Eh? Ah, I suppose you're right, Sakuragi. You saved us not only from bankruptcy but embarrassment as well. Arigatou, Sakuragi!"

The redhead puffed his chest some more. "Iya, Megane-kun. As the future captain, I should always think of my team's well-being---" His speech was cut short by a sudden weight that fell on his feet. It was Rukawa, still sound asleep.

"Na…ni…te…me…RUKAWA!!" Sakuragi brought his right foot high in the air, sending the slumbering fox forcefully into the sky, disappearing for a couple of seconds before landing on the pavement with a loud thud.

The busy chatter of students and visitors suddenly ceased and was replaced by dead silence. Everyone was watching the scene intently.

Rukawa opened his eyes slowly. He sat up and rubbed his chin where Sakuragi had kicked him. It was Kogure who finally broke the silence.

"A-anou, daijobou ka, Rukawa?"

The pale, dark-haired boy glanced at his senior and nodded, somewhat a bit confused.

"Ah, yokatta," Kogure sighed in relief.

"Warm up, Rukawa!" Akagi commanded his arms around a squirming redheaded monkey. Akagi's huge palms covered Sakuragi's mouth precisely, preventing any sound from being heard audibly. All they managed to catch were "mmrrph" and "urmarrrummpf"

Rukawa nodded and started warming up, apparently unaware of what happened a few minutes before.

"Kyaa! Sugoi! Rukawa's so strong!" a girl squealed, her hands on her flaming cheeks. Suddenly, she was shoved aside by a girl in a white cheerleading uniform with the kanji "Ka".

"Gomen nasai, if we're late, Rukawa-kun! There was this cheerleading contest that we just had to win for you!" She waved the trophy around. "See? But now, we're back here to continue to cheer for you!" The girl glanced at the two girls at her sides. "Ready? One, two, three!"

"Rukawa! Rukawa! L-O-V-E Rukawa! Rukawa! Rukawa!" three voices started chanting, stabbing the air with their pink pompoms. Behind them, several girls also in cheerleading uniforms glared at them in disgust. They all had swollen faces or scratches or torn clothes. "Cheaters!" one of them hissed, then, giving the three girls a venomous look, turned around and stomped off followed by the other girls.

~***~

"Tell me again what we're doing here, Yohei," the blond asked, his head in between Yohei's and Sauichiro's, as they peered from behind a wall.

"Yeah," Sauichiro agreed, stroking his mustache. "Hanamichi's got Anozumi already. He won't bother with us anymore. Let's go back now, I want to see what Hanamichi's going to do with him…"

"No," Yohei replied. "We are Anozumi's only hope. We have to save him!"

"But what does he have to do with saving Anozumi?"

"Once we get Sakuragi and the others notice Sendoh, they'll loose their attention on Anozumi, then we could grab him and get him out of there. He will be so grateful to us that he wouldn't mind paying for our food the whole day!" Yohei watched as the tall, dark-haired boy they had been following sat down and started preparing his fishing rod. "There, he's settled down." Yohei stood up and straightened himself. "Yosh, iku! We have to do this for our friend!"

Sauichiro suddenly grabbed the blond and pushed him forward. "Go, Yuji! You're much used to these things than us! Do this for Anozumi's sake!"

"Nani? Why me?! I don't want to! You do it, Sauichiro!" he grabbed the mustached boy and pushed him forward too.

"Iie! The one who thought of the idea should be the one to do it!" Sauichirou grabbed the gaping Yohei and shoved him forward as well.

"Eh? Iya, iya! We should do this together! Come on! We're the undefeated Sakuragi Guntai!" Yohei linked his arms with the two to prevent them from running away. Yohei started marching towards their target, forcing the other two to move with him.

"Hai," the two replied rather cheerlessly.

The three stopped a few inches from the quiet, fishing boy. "Ahem! Anou…" Yohei began.

The spiked-haired boy turned to face them with question in his sparkling blue eyes. "Eh?"

Sauichiro and Yuji caught each other's eyes and with a slight nod, pushed Yohei forward. He stumbled for a few seconds before casting a boring glare at the two.

"Anou…nanda yo?" the boy cocked his head on one side and looked at the three.

"Ehehe," Yohei laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "O-ohayo, Sendoh-san…anou…gomen if we disturbed your…er…fishing…"

The blue-eyed boy blinked dumbly at them. Yohei sweatdropped, took a deep breath and returned to his normal self.

"Well, we were just wondering if you could come with us. We really need your help. What do you say?"

Sendoh looked at them one by one then smiled. "You're from Shohoku, right?"

**To be continued**

A/N: I honestly planned on doing this as a one-shot. I mean, it is supposed to be a prologue for my OC fic. But I think it would be too long, so please bear with me! T_T;; More background for the OC fic. I'm supposed to introduce her (hint?) in this fic, and see if you like her. I'm also having a hard time deciding with whom I should pair her up with…so I'll be needing your help on that as well. :D Hopefully, you'll see my two choices for her on the next installment of this prologue/fic. Please, please tell me your opinion on your reviews, whether it be good or bad! I'll accept it gratefully! Thanks for reading and reviewing!!