Chapter VII
AN: To Starlight: I really think you'll like this chapter. I've decided to take your advice, but it'll come slowly. Very slowly... You'll know what I'm talking about by the end of the chapter! ^_^
"Honto ni!?" Kaori exclaimed.
I nodded solemnly.
"So, it's this morning?"
"Yes. Will you watch? Onegai?"
Kaori shook her head sadly, "No, no. Gomen nasai,"
Kaori and I spoke bits and pieces of Japanese and English when it was just us two. That morning, as I talked with Kaori and stared at my half eaten Cheerios, I wasn't feeling so wonderful. I took a sip of my coffee and frowned.
"Why not?"
"Happiness!" Kaori exclaimed brightly.
"Nani?"
"Happiness!" Kaori repeated, "I am racing on the Happiness course with the others today!"
"Oh," I mumbled.
"I'm sorry," Kaori said again, "I really am, but I cannot miss this race! Moby, Viggo, Elise, Zoe, and Griff are going to race against me!"
"What about Nate and Allegra?"
Kaori shrugged, "They are not racing this morning, I suppose."
"Maybe Nate will watch me. Just in case Psymon decides to kill me early..."
Kaori giggled, "Look, Yuri, it will be okay, I promise! Psymon may be an aggressive racer, but he won't knock you unless you knock him,"
"What happened?" Griff entered the kitchen, rubbing his head. "Oh! You're really accepting Psymon's challenge to race him? You're not racing on Happiness, are you? Cause the other boarders will be racing there!"
"No. We're racing at a small course on Peak Three that isn't in the required runs to win. No one knows about it. It's just a little quick dash around Peak Three. It'll only take ten minutes or so..."
"Hahahahahahahahaha! You have to race PSYMON!" Griff clutched his stomach and toppled over in laughter, then scrambling to his feet.
"Griff, shut up or I'll tell your little secret."
Griff froze and looked at me in horror. "You wouldn't!!"
"Think again," I mumbled. I was too forlorn to deal with Griff today. He had annoyed me all night last night, attempting to start another pillow fight. I refused, and that caused him to hit me in the back of the head with a not-so-soft pillow. I retaliated, threatening to tell his little secret. His little "crush" on Elise. He told me after the meeting Atomika had given last night, thinking he could actually trust me. However, every opportunity I got, I threatened to tell. As long as he didn't annoy me, I was cool with him. Griff and I got along okay, we kinda bonded as friends, but then again, he was also the most irritating person on the planet.
"But...that's mean!"
"Yeah I know."
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Happy?" Griff grumbled. He poured himself a glass of milk, and scampered off to the lobby. Apparently, Moby and Griff tended to have early morning chess lessons.
"Yes. Very satisfied." I said, turning my attention back to Kaori. "I'm going to die today. I'm sure they won't find my body...so when you find it, all frozen and stiff, could you tell my brother and my cousins that I love them? And my mom. Could you tell her?"
"Look, Panda Bear," (Panda Bear. It was Kaori's nick name for me) "it is okay. Psymon won't hit you. He knows you are younger and more delicate than some of the other boarders,"
"You can't control Psymon..."
"THAT'S RIGHT!"
I screamed in terror as two hands grabbed my shoulders roughly. I pushed them off and swirled around and found a very amused Psymon Stark sneering at me.
"DON'T DO THAT!!!" I shouted at him.
"Hmm.... You're eating Cheerios. Hahahahahah!"
My cheeks grew hot again as I clenched my fists. I resisted the urge to hit him. I wasn't so scared of him at the moment.
"Aw! I got the mini-Kaori mad!!" Psymon exclaimed in his best "baby" voice possible.
Kaori pinched her nose, "Psymon! You stink! You have not had your bath yet!"
Psymon ignored Kaori, "I'll see you later, mini-Kaori..." he said menacingly.
I sighed and closed my eyes, collapsing on the breakfast stool as soon as he left.
"I. Hate. Him."
Kaori nodded solemnly, "I am sorry. Psymon is a little out of it."
"Yeah, I noticed that from day one. Jeez, I thought the whole reputation he had on the television was nothing but rep,"
Kaori giggled, "Oh, well now you know, eh?"
I closed my eyes and sighed again. "Yes. Now I know."
***
I put my goggles on and heaved a sigh. I don't know what was worse. Racing Psymon Stark of sharing that back of the helicopter with him.
Probably the helicopter. At least during the race I'd be far, far behind him.
Psymon was pushing me towards the helicopter, muttering "C'mon, c'mon, we ain't got all day, Cheerios!"
Cheerios. I preferred being called Panda Bear. Everyone seemed to have their own special nick name to me.
To Psymon, I was Cheerios.
To Kaori, I was Panda Bear or PB for short.
To Nate, I was Speedy.
To Moby, I was Booger. That one I wasn't particularly found of. I actually would rather be called Cheerios.
And Griff had dubbed me "Her Royal Pain in the Buttness" or "Loser" for short.
"Wait! I almost forgot my headphones!!" I screamed and turned back. I swung open the lodge doors and scampered to my room. Just as I turned the corner, I ran straight into Nate. All of the racers had left for Happiness already, and I just assumed Nate and Allegra had just gone out to practice.
"Whoa, Speedy, where're you going?" he was scratching his head and still had his pajamas on.
"Not an early riser, huh?" I said as I pushed him out of the way gently, "Psymon is going to race me on Peak Three."
"WHAT?" Nate shouted, "YOU? PSYMON? RACE? PEAK THREE?"
I nodded sadly, a little startled by Nate's shouting. "I have to ride in the helicopter with Psymon too. I think that's the worst part..."
"Wait! I'll come with you! God knows what that man'll do to you!" Nate swirled around and ran back to his own room and disappeared. His head poked out of his door once more with a lopsided cowboy hat on, "Hold on, Yuri! I'm comin',"
I sighed and shook my head. I swung into my room and picked up my headphones. I put them over my auburn hair (which was tied into two low buns) and dashed out of the lodge yelling "I have to go, Nate, sorry!" over my shoulder.
Psymon was waiting at the helicopter, scowling. "Took yah long enough," he muttered, swiping my headphones off of me.
"Hey! Those are mine!"
Psymon examined them and handed them back, soon enough. I placed them back on my head and pulled myself into the helicopter before Psymon.
Psymon clambered in after me.
He gave the pilot a thumbs up and we took off. As we lifted, I saw Nate run out of the lodge, pulling a boot on and staring after the helicopter with concerned eyes. "Yuri! I'm coming as soon as that helicopter gets back!"
Well, that's what he said (as he told me later), but I couldn't hear him. I pressed my gloved hands against the window as well as my nose. I peered down at him and waved sadly as he watched me go.
I really like Nate.
Really.
***
"Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori,"
"STOP IT!"
Psymon only grinned impishly. "I'm gonna race the newbie, I'm gonna race the newbie, I'm gonna race the newbie, I'm gonna race the newbie,"
"JUST STOP!!"
"Aw, sorry Cheerios! Bad me!"
I sighed, burying my face into my hands. I wish Nate was there. I thought back to him, his expression of concern when I took off....
"Whatcha thinkin' 'bout?" Psymon asked happily.
"Go away."
"Well..." Psymon raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side, "I can't really do that unless I jumped out of the helicopter. But that's beginning to sound like fun..."
I groaned, inching away from him as far as possible. Unfortunately, Psymon and I were stuck with the helicopter. Everyone that was racing down at Happiness had used the big roomy plane. We got stuck with a helicopter. Damn.
The snow was pounding on the helicopter furiously. I shuddered; I was a little worried about the snow conditions. I remembered what Atomika said about "potentially dangerous avalanches" and "possible life-death situations".
Psymon must've seen me shudder, "What? You scared of a little snow?"
I glared at him, "No."
"There ARE avalanches, if you're wondering," Psymon grinned happily, "But you gotta be quick enough to escape them."
"What?"
"A-va-lan-ches," Psymon said slowly, "You know? Snow pounding down on you, burying you alive, trapped for days, no food, no water, no air."
I shuddered again. "You know, maybe this isn't such a good idea..."
"What're you talking about!? This is the coolest peak out here!"
I shook my head, "It's too dangerous. And besides, Atomika said no one is allowed on Peak Three but you,"
"Yeah, but I challenged you. So that makes a difference!" Psymon said triumphantly.
Suddenly, the helicopter swerved.
I screamed and clung to Psymon, not even thinking.
"What's wrong? Scared again?"
I looked up at him, realizing I was still holding him.
I immediately let go and scooted away from him, shooting some poisonous glances at him.
Psymon only laughed and pointed out the window. "See? We're almost there already. It wasn't a bad trip, now, was it?"
"Speak for yourself...." I murmured. The snow was still pounding on the helicopter, and I couldn't even see out through the window. Psymon really was insane. "You know, you're the only boarder that wears a straight jacket,"
Psymon nodded, grinning, "Yeah, I know. Isn't it fun? Not being able to use your arms even though it's potentially life-threatening?"
I sighed, "Never mind..."
"You remind me of Kaori, but you act more mature than Kaori. Well, she's not that bad, she's much better than last year." Psymon sighed and shook his head, "You shoulda seen that kid, she as always bouncing around the hotel lobby shouting Japanese shit. But I guess that was 'normal' to her. Now that she's learned English and calmed her friggin' ass out, I guess she's okay now. You're just like her, you know. Just a little more spunk,"
"Spunk?" I mumbled, "Spunk? Is that bad?"
"You also worry too much. You worry about what everyone else will think about you. Just relax. Be like me!"
"Oh, yeah, Psymon. Cause you know, you were always my mentor since I have no father,"
"I KNEW IT!" Psymon cackled maniacally. "Wait, don't you have a father?"
"No." I muttered, "He died in an avalanche when I was just a kid. I was about 9 years old. It was a couple of years after I got my first snowboard."
"He was a boarder?"
"No, he liked to ski."
"I knew it. Skiing is a horrible sport. How the hell do you walk with those things on your feet?!"
I shrugged, "I dunno. My cousins, my brother, and I always preferred snowboarding."
Psymon nodded. "Yeah, snowboarding's the sport, man. I also like mountain biking."
"Never tried it."
"Yeah, I figured."
"I only snowboard. Nothing else. I never even tried skateboarding, but my brother skateboards,"
"Skateboarding, eh? Blah, not really a sport."
I nodded, resting my chin on the edge of my hand. Psymon was silent for a while, and then I realized:
Psymon and I had a normal conversation!
Suddenly, the helicopter swerved around, nearly knocking me over. I trembled, clutching the seat and holding on for dear life!
"Man!" Psymon laughed, "If this freaks you out, I can't wait to see you when the avalanches hit!"
Oh no...
***
It was a long ride up, and Psymon and I just remained quiet for the remainder of the trip. Psymon even refrained from bothering me, which was thankful.
Psymon opened the door roughly, and latched his snowboard on. I did the same, and Psymon threw himself out of the helicopter, screaming all the way down. I shuddered. I was having some second thoughts about this....
Oh well, you only live once, right?
I held my breath, and went after Psymon, screaming in complete horror all the way down.
Psymon was waiting for me at the bottom, grinning from ear to ear. "See?" he said happily, "That wasn't so bad, now was it?"
I nodded, still trembling. The snow was vicious! I put on my headphones and looked around cautiously. This was it. Peak Three. I was going to compete here at the end of the snowboarding season with Psymon.
But then again, I was competing with him NOW.
"Well? Are you gonna stand there all day? Hah! You should see yourself! You look like some timid little mouse in a cave! C'mon! Let's go!"
I nodded slowly, not really paying attention to him. I put my goggles over my eyes, and sighed. This was it....
AN: To Starlight: I really think you'll like this chapter. I've decided to take your advice, but it'll come slowly. Very slowly... You'll know what I'm talking about by the end of the chapter! ^_^
"Honto ni!?" Kaori exclaimed.
I nodded solemnly.
"So, it's this morning?"
"Yes. Will you watch? Onegai?"
Kaori shook her head sadly, "No, no. Gomen nasai,"
Kaori and I spoke bits and pieces of Japanese and English when it was just us two. That morning, as I talked with Kaori and stared at my half eaten Cheerios, I wasn't feeling so wonderful. I took a sip of my coffee and frowned.
"Why not?"
"Happiness!" Kaori exclaimed brightly.
"Nani?"
"Happiness!" Kaori repeated, "I am racing on the Happiness course with the others today!"
"Oh," I mumbled.
"I'm sorry," Kaori said again, "I really am, but I cannot miss this race! Moby, Viggo, Elise, Zoe, and Griff are going to race against me!"
"What about Nate and Allegra?"
Kaori shrugged, "They are not racing this morning, I suppose."
"Maybe Nate will watch me. Just in case Psymon decides to kill me early..."
Kaori giggled, "Look, Yuri, it will be okay, I promise! Psymon may be an aggressive racer, but he won't knock you unless you knock him,"
"What happened?" Griff entered the kitchen, rubbing his head. "Oh! You're really accepting Psymon's challenge to race him? You're not racing on Happiness, are you? Cause the other boarders will be racing there!"
"No. We're racing at a small course on Peak Three that isn't in the required runs to win. No one knows about it. It's just a little quick dash around Peak Three. It'll only take ten minutes or so..."
"Hahahahahahahahaha! You have to race PSYMON!" Griff clutched his stomach and toppled over in laughter, then scrambling to his feet.
"Griff, shut up or I'll tell your little secret."
Griff froze and looked at me in horror. "You wouldn't!!"
"Think again," I mumbled. I was too forlorn to deal with Griff today. He had annoyed me all night last night, attempting to start another pillow fight. I refused, and that caused him to hit me in the back of the head with a not-so-soft pillow. I retaliated, threatening to tell his little secret. His little "crush" on Elise. He told me after the meeting Atomika had given last night, thinking he could actually trust me. However, every opportunity I got, I threatened to tell. As long as he didn't annoy me, I was cool with him. Griff and I got along okay, we kinda bonded as friends, but then again, he was also the most irritating person on the planet.
"But...that's mean!"
"Yeah I know."
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Happy?" Griff grumbled. He poured himself a glass of milk, and scampered off to the lobby. Apparently, Moby and Griff tended to have early morning chess lessons.
"Yes. Very satisfied." I said, turning my attention back to Kaori. "I'm going to die today. I'm sure they won't find my body...so when you find it, all frozen and stiff, could you tell my brother and my cousins that I love them? And my mom. Could you tell her?"
"Look, Panda Bear," (Panda Bear. It was Kaori's nick name for me) "it is okay. Psymon won't hit you. He knows you are younger and more delicate than some of the other boarders,"
"You can't control Psymon..."
"THAT'S RIGHT!"
I screamed in terror as two hands grabbed my shoulders roughly. I pushed them off and swirled around and found a very amused Psymon Stark sneering at me.
"DON'T DO THAT!!!" I shouted at him.
"Hmm.... You're eating Cheerios. Hahahahahah!"
My cheeks grew hot again as I clenched my fists. I resisted the urge to hit him. I wasn't so scared of him at the moment.
"Aw! I got the mini-Kaori mad!!" Psymon exclaimed in his best "baby" voice possible.
Kaori pinched her nose, "Psymon! You stink! You have not had your bath yet!"
Psymon ignored Kaori, "I'll see you later, mini-Kaori..." he said menacingly.
I sighed and closed my eyes, collapsing on the breakfast stool as soon as he left.
"I. Hate. Him."
Kaori nodded solemnly, "I am sorry. Psymon is a little out of it."
"Yeah, I noticed that from day one. Jeez, I thought the whole reputation he had on the television was nothing but rep,"
Kaori giggled, "Oh, well now you know, eh?"
I closed my eyes and sighed again. "Yes. Now I know."
***
I put my goggles on and heaved a sigh. I don't know what was worse. Racing Psymon Stark of sharing that back of the helicopter with him.
Probably the helicopter. At least during the race I'd be far, far behind him.
Psymon was pushing me towards the helicopter, muttering "C'mon, c'mon, we ain't got all day, Cheerios!"
Cheerios. I preferred being called Panda Bear. Everyone seemed to have their own special nick name to me.
To Psymon, I was Cheerios.
To Kaori, I was Panda Bear or PB for short.
To Nate, I was Speedy.
To Moby, I was Booger. That one I wasn't particularly found of. I actually would rather be called Cheerios.
And Griff had dubbed me "Her Royal Pain in the Buttness" or "Loser" for short.
"Wait! I almost forgot my headphones!!" I screamed and turned back. I swung open the lodge doors and scampered to my room. Just as I turned the corner, I ran straight into Nate. All of the racers had left for Happiness already, and I just assumed Nate and Allegra had just gone out to practice.
"Whoa, Speedy, where're you going?" he was scratching his head and still had his pajamas on.
"Not an early riser, huh?" I said as I pushed him out of the way gently, "Psymon is going to race me on Peak Three."
"WHAT?" Nate shouted, "YOU? PSYMON? RACE? PEAK THREE?"
I nodded sadly, a little startled by Nate's shouting. "I have to ride in the helicopter with Psymon too. I think that's the worst part..."
"Wait! I'll come with you! God knows what that man'll do to you!" Nate swirled around and ran back to his own room and disappeared. His head poked out of his door once more with a lopsided cowboy hat on, "Hold on, Yuri! I'm comin',"
I sighed and shook my head. I swung into my room and picked up my headphones. I put them over my auburn hair (which was tied into two low buns) and dashed out of the lodge yelling "I have to go, Nate, sorry!" over my shoulder.
Psymon was waiting at the helicopter, scowling. "Took yah long enough," he muttered, swiping my headphones off of me.
"Hey! Those are mine!"
Psymon examined them and handed them back, soon enough. I placed them back on my head and pulled myself into the helicopter before Psymon.
Psymon clambered in after me.
He gave the pilot a thumbs up and we took off. As we lifted, I saw Nate run out of the lodge, pulling a boot on and staring after the helicopter with concerned eyes. "Yuri! I'm coming as soon as that helicopter gets back!"
Well, that's what he said (as he told me later), but I couldn't hear him. I pressed my gloved hands against the window as well as my nose. I peered down at him and waved sadly as he watched me go.
I really like Nate.
Really.
***
"Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori, Mini-Kaori,"
"STOP IT!"
Psymon only grinned impishly. "I'm gonna race the newbie, I'm gonna race the newbie, I'm gonna race the newbie, I'm gonna race the newbie,"
"JUST STOP!!"
"Aw, sorry Cheerios! Bad me!"
I sighed, burying my face into my hands. I wish Nate was there. I thought back to him, his expression of concern when I took off....
"Whatcha thinkin' 'bout?" Psymon asked happily.
"Go away."
"Well..." Psymon raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side, "I can't really do that unless I jumped out of the helicopter. But that's beginning to sound like fun..."
I groaned, inching away from him as far as possible. Unfortunately, Psymon and I were stuck with the helicopter. Everyone that was racing down at Happiness had used the big roomy plane. We got stuck with a helicopter. Damn.
The snow was pounding on the helicopter furiously. I shuddered; I was a little worried about the snow conditions. I remembered what Atomika said about "potentially dangerous avalanches" and "possible life-death situations".
Psymon must've seen me shudder, "What? You scared of a little snow?"
I glared at him, "No."
"There ARE avalanches, if you're wondering," Psymon grinned happily, "But you gotta be quick enough to escape them."
"What?"
"A-va-lan-ches," Psymon said slowly, "You know? Snow pounding down on you, burying you alive, trapped for days, no food, no water, no air."
I shuddered again. "You know, maybe this isn't such a good idea..."
"What're you talking about!? This is the coolest peak out here!"
I shook my head, "It's too dangerous. And besides, Atomika said no one is allowed on Peak Three but you,"
"Yeah, but I challenged you. So that makes a difference!" Psymon said triumphantly.
Suddenly, the helicopter swerved.
I screamed and clung to Psymon, not even thinking.
"What's wrong? Scared again?"
I looked up at him, realizing I was still holding him.
I immediately let go and scooted away from him, shooting some poisonous glances at him.
Psymon only laughed and pointed out the window. "See? We're almost there already. It wasn't a bad trip, now, was it?"
"Speak for yourself...." I murmured. The snow was still pounding on the helicopter, and I couldn't even see out through the window. Psymon really was insane. "You know, you're the only boarder that wears a straight jacket,"
Psymon nodded, grinning, "Yeah, I know. Isn't it fun? Not being able to use your arms even though it's potentially life-threatening?"
I sighed, "Never mind..."
"You remind me of Kaori, but you act more mature than Kaori. Well, she's not that bad, she's much better than last year." Psymon sighed and shook his head, "You shoulda seen that kid, she as always bouncing around the hotel lobby shouting Japanese shit. But I guess that was 'normal' to her. Now that she's learned English and calmed her friggin' ass out, I guess she's okay now. You're just like her, you know. Just a little more spunk,"
"Spunk?" I mumbled, "Spunk? Is that bad?"
"You also worry too much. You worry about what everyone else will think about you. Just relax. Be like me!"
"Oh, yeah, Psymon. Cause you know, you were always my mentor since I have no father,"
"I KNEW IT!" Psymon cackled maniacally. "Wait, don't you have a father?"
"No." I muttered, "He died in an avalanche when I was just a kid. I was about 9 years old. It was a couple of years after I got my first snowboard."
"He was a boarder?"
"No, he liked to ski."
"I knew it. Skiing is a horrible sport. How the hell do you walk with those things on your feet?!"
I shrugged, "I dunno. My cousins, my brother, and I always preferred snowboarding."
Psymon nodded. "Yeah, snowboarding's the sport, man. I also like mountain biking."
"Never tried it."
"Yeah, I figured."
"I only snowboard. Nothing else. I never even tried skateboarding, but my brother skateboards,"
"Skateboarding, eh? Blah, not really a sport."
I nodded, resting my chin on the edge of my hand. Psymon was silent for a while, and then I realized:
Psymon and I had a normal conversation!
Suddenly, the helicopter swerved around, nearly knocking me over. I trembled, clutching the seat and holding on for dear life!
"Man!" Psymon laughed, "If this freaks you out, I can't wait to see you when the avalanches hit!"
Oh no...
***
It was a long ride up, and Psymon and I just remained quiet for the remainder of the trip. Psymon even refrained from bothering me, which was thankful.
Psymon opened the door roughly, and latched his snowboard on. I did the same, and Psymon threw himself out of the helicopter, screaming all the way down. I shuddered. I was having some second thoughts about this....
Oh well, you only live once, right?
I held my breath, and went after Psymon, screaming in complete horror all the way down.
Psymon was waiting for me at the bottom, grinning from ear to ear. "See?" he said happily, "That wasn't so bad, now was it?"
I nodded, still trembling. The snow was vicious! I put on my headphones and looked around cautiously. This was it. Peak Three. I was going to compete here at the end of the snowboarding season with Psymon.
But then again, I was competing with him NOW.
"Well? Are you gonna stand there all day? Hah! You should see yourself! You look like some timid little mouse in a cave! C'mon! Let's go!"
I nodded slowly, not really paying attention to him. I put my goggles over my eyes, and sighed. This was it....