Disclaimer: The slam Dunk characters are not mine!
Chapter 7- Pale Day
Everyone fell silent as Acturus entered the gym, some of the freshmen dropped the ball in fright and awe. She seemed to realize that everyone was quiet she looked around with a confused glance, which some mistook to be a threatening glance.
" Err...why is everyone so quiet?" she asked, tugging a first year boy's shirt.
" Please don't hurt me, I beg of you! Please!" he begged as he tried to wriggle free, surprised Acturus released him.
" Stop acting stupid! Just because she can throw Rukawa that doesn't mean she's going to throw you guys around!" Ayako started to mess about with her paper-fan.
" Sorry, I really didn't mean to throw Rukawa, it was reflex, I promise I won't throw you guys around." Acturus apologized, everyone looked a bit relieved.
Acturus glanced around again as if trying to find someone.
" Yo! Acturus! I know you miss my good-looks but you have to learn to be patient, I'll appear sooner or later, you don't have to be that impatient." Mitsui joked from a corner as he noticed that she was desperately searching for someone. Acturus just gave him a polite smile. Mitsui sighed, " Is my joke really 'THAT' bad?" he asked Ryota.
" Hanamichi? Are you looking for Hanamichi?" Kogure asked her. Acturus nodded with a worried look on her face.
" Yes, I'm really worried." She told her.
" Don't worry, he's training with Anzai sensei someplace else." Ryota patted her shoulders.
" I hope that's true..." Acturus bit her lips.
" Why?" Akagi asked.
" I saw those gang of boys that was Hanamichi's sworn enemies in junior high, I saw them again just now." She looked desperate and darted her eyes uneasily at the door, "Please? May I go and check?" she pleaded.
" If...what you said was correct it might be a bit dangerous if you go out if you're involved in the conflict." Ayako hestitated.
" Please?" Acturus tried again.
" Just let her go, she won't be able to concentrate like this." Kakuta told Akagi. After waiting for Akagi's nod Acturus sprinted out of the gym door.
" If you meet Sakuragi, tell him not to fight or we will get disqualified..."
******
" Hanamichi? Anzai sensei?" Acturus slowly headed for the hard-court on the other side of the school. Her head hurts so much that she felt as if the whole world was rocking from side to side. She peered through the bushes to see Hanamichi attempting a shot and Anzai sensei next to him, they seemed to be peaceful enough. Acturus gave a relieved smile as she started to walk back towards the gym, " Stupid me, worrying for no reason." She scolded herself as she almost tripped at a sharp corner.
A familiar face appeared and Acturus could feel her throat drying up.
" Akira...not now" she gave a small groan. The leader of the gang of boys started to give a sneering smile.
" Long time no see judo girl." He patted her shoulders, " If it weren't for you I wouldn't even be here now. Thanks." His smile was warm enough to her but deep inside Acturus knew they would act differently to Hanamichi.
" Akira please don't disturb Hanamichi. He might get disqualified from the basketball match it he fights. Please." She pleaded, her face getting pale.
" That red-headed monster? In a basketball team?" He sneered, " Show me where he is." He commanded. Acturus shook her head furiously.
" No way am I going to tell you that." She got into a fighting stance.
" So you want a fight eh? I'd rather not fight you Acturus because you saved me once but if I have to." Akira shrugged. Acturus caught his wrist and twisted it before slamming him into the ground, she did it really softly so that it would just lock him to the ground because she didn't want to get them disqualified..
" I don't want to fight either, it doesn't give me any pride, but you can't make Hanamichi fight! I don't want the team to get disqualified." She whispered through gritted teeth. Another person yanked her up and threw her towards a wall, " Please leave..." she begged. They started to corner her.
" I have to reach Hanamichi, imagine how painful for him if he was disqualified." Akira told her.
" HEY! YOU THERE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HER?!" two voices from two different areas yelled and Maki and Rukawa came sprinting towards them. Maki placed a protective arm around his sister.
" What are you doing to my sister." Maki demanded.
" She wouldn't come to harm anyway, she has good judo skills. But it really bugs me that some gang are here to disqualify the basketball team." Rukawa stepped up. Akira looked confident.
" Ha! So you're in the team too. Team members are not allowed to fight remember?" he smirked. Maki clenched his fist.
" I don't really care, I play only for myself and no-one else. Why should I care if the team was disqualified?" Rukawa threw down his bag and started to get ready for a fight.
" Rukawa don't!" Acturus started but Maki was also standing next to Rukawa.
" I won't let anyone torment or give any hard times to my sister. I know who you are, you are Hanamichi's enemy and I don't care if I get my team disqualified. Acturus is more important." He told him. Akira looked rather surprised but quickly covered it up.
" Come on, let's go. Leave these idiots alone. If she would just tell us where Hanamichi is we wouldn't have started to beat her up." He walked away.
Maki turned to his sister.
" Acturus! What happened? Your arms are covered in bruises!" he examined it for her.
" Onii-chan. I'm allright." She assured him weakly.
" Thanks for not letting them now where that Baka Sakuragi is. He would've fought." Rukawa picked up his bag and turned towards the gym.
" Rukawa! " she called, Rukawa stopped, " But you do care about the team right?" she asked.
" Do'aho" he muttered and continued to walk away. Acturus stood up and brushed the dirt of her uniform with Maki's help.
" How come you're not at school now onii-chan?" she asked her elder brother.
" I thought I would come to see the team practice." Maki told her.
" So you're a spy?" she narrowed her eyes. Maki laughed.
" You're so suspicious, no I was just joking. Today there is no basketball practice so I thought I would come. Anyway Kiyota told me that he could take you to the restaurant on Wednesday after the Match. " Maki informed her. Acturus gave a weak smile and staggered to the gym whilst Maki watched his sister in confusion but he followed the other two into the gym.
********
What happened to Acturus? It's all going to be in the next chapter. Thank you for all the people that sent me reviews. I really should put Maki into my story a bit more. After all he is one of my favorite players.
Chapter 7- Pale Day
Everyone fell silent as Acturus entered the gym, some of the freshmen dropped the ball in fright and awe. She seemed to realize that everyone was quiet she looked around with a confused glance, which some mistook to be a threatening glance.
" Err...why is everyone so quiet?" she asked, tugging a first year boy's shirt.
" Please don't hurt me, I beg of you! Please!" he begged as he tried to wriggle free, surprised Acturus released him.
" Stop acting stupid! Just because she can throw Rukawa that doesn't mean she's going to throw you guys around!" Ayako started to mess about with her paper-fan.
" Sorry, I really didn't mean to throw Rukawa, it was reflex, I promise I won't throw you guys around." Acturus apologized, everyone looked a bit relieved.
Acturus glanced around again as if trying to find someone.
" Yo! Acturus! I know you miss my good-looks but you have to learn to be patient, I'll appear sooner or later, you don't have to be that impatient." Mitsui joked from a corner as he noticed that she was desperately searching for someone. Acturus just gave him a polite smile. Mitsui sighed, " Is my joke really 'THAT' bad?" he asked Ryota.
" Hanamichi? Are you looking for Hanamichi?" Kogure asked her. Acturus nodded with a worried look on her face.
" Yes, I'm really worried." She told her.
" Don't worry, he's training with Anzai sensei someplace else." Ryota patted her shoulders.
" I hope that's true..." Acturus bit her lips.
" Why?" Akagi asked.
" I saw those gang of boys that was Hanamichi's sworn enemies in junior high, I saw them again just now." She looked desperate and darted her eyes uneasily at the door, "Please? May I go and check?" she pleaded.
" If...what you said was correct it might be a bit dangerous if you go out if you're involved in the conflict." Ayako hestitated.
" Please?" Acturus tried again.
" Just let her go, she won't be able to concentrate like this." Kakuta told Akagi. After waiting for Akagi's nod Acturus sprinted out of the gym door.
" If you meet Sakuragi, tell him not to fight or we will get disqualified..."
******
" Hanamichi? Anzai sensei?" Acturus slowly headed for the hard-court on the other side of the school. Her head hurts so much that she felt as if the whole world was rocking from side to side. She peered through the bushes to see Hanamichi attempting a shot and Anzai sensei next to him, they seemed to be peaceful enough. Acturus gave a relieved smile as she started to walk back towards the gym, " Stupid me, worrying for no reason." She scolded herself as she almost tripped at a sharp corner.
A familiar face appeared and Acturus could feel her throat drying up.
" Akira...not now" she gave a small groan. The leader of the gang of boys started to give a sneering smile.
" Long time no see judo girl." He patted her shoulders, " If it weren't for you I wouldn't even be here now. Thanks." His smile was warm enough to her but deep inside Acturus knew they would act differently to Hanamichi.
" Akira please don't disturb Hanamichi. He might get disqualified from the basketball match it he fights. Please." She pleaded, her face getting pale.
" That red-headed monster? In a basketball team?" He sneered, " Show me where he is." He commanded. Acturus shook her head furiously.
" No way am I going to tell you that." She got into a fighting stance.
" So you want a fight eh? I'd rather not fight you Acturus because you saved me once but if I have to." Akira shrugged. Acturus caught his wrist and twisted it before slamming him into the ground, she did it really softly so that it would just lock him to the ground because she didn't want to get them disqualified..
" I don't want to fight either, it doesn't give me any pride, but you can't make Hanamichi fight! I don't want the team to get disqualified." She whispered through gritted teeth. Another person yanked her up and threw her towards a wall, " Please leave..." she begged. They started to corner her.
" I have to reach Hanamichi, imagine how painful for him if he was disqualified." Akira told her.
" HEY! YOU THERE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HER?!" two voices from two different areas yelled and Maki and Rukawa came sprinting towards them. Maki placed a protective arm around his sister.
" What are you doing to my sister." Maki demanded.
" She wouldn't come to harm anyway, she has good judo skills. But it really bugs me that some gang are here to disqualify the basketball team." Rukawa stepped up. Akira looked confident.
" Ha! So you're in the team too. Team members are not allowed to fight remember?" he smirked. Maki clenched his fist.
" I don't really care, I play only for myself and no-one else. Why should I care if the team was disqualified?" Rukawa threw down his bag and started to get ready for a fight.
" Rukawa don't!" Acturus started but Maki was also standing next to Rukawa.
" I won't let anyone torment or give any hard times to my sister. I know who you are, you are Hanamichi's enemy and I don't care if I get my team disqualified. Acturus is more important." He told him. Akira looked rather surprised but quickly covered it up.
" Come on, let's go. Leave these idiots alone. If she would just tell us where Hanamichi is we wouldn't have started to beat her up." He walked away.
Maki turned to his sister.
" Acturus! What happened? Your arms are covered in bruises!" he examined it for her.
" Onii-chan. I'm allright." She assured him weakly.
" Thanks for not letting them now where that Baka Sakuragi is. He would've fought." Rukawa picked up his bag and turned towards the gym.
" Rukawa! " she called, Rukawa stopped, " But you do care about the team right?" she asked.
" Do'aho" he muttered and continued to walk away. Acturus stood up and brushed the dirt of her uniform with Maki's help.
" How come you're not at school now onii-chan?" she asked her elder brother.
" I thought I would come to see the team practice." Maki told her.
" So you're a spy?" she narrowed her eyes. Maki laughed.
" You're so suspicious, no I was just joking. Today there is no basketball practice so I thought I would come. Anyway Kiyota told me that he could take you to the restaurant on Wednesday after the Match. " Maki informed her. Acturus gave a weak smile and staggered to the gym whilst Maki watched his sister in confusion but he followed the other two into the gym.
********
What happened to Acturus? It's all going to be in the next chapter. Thank you for all the people that sent me reviews. I really should put Maki into my story a bit more. After all he is one of my favorite players.