Caught by Cupid's Arrow
Disclaimer: Standard Disclaimer applied
A/N: Bear with me please. I'm just a newbie....
Chapter One: The beginning of a challenge
"Why am I here again?" a hidden shadow muttered to himself as he turned to find his companion currently eating chocolates and ice cream. He sweat dropped and just contented himself to watch a figure of a redhead in the basketball court.
'Oh yes...for the boy Hanamichi..' he mentally berated and remembered the reason he was here in the first place...
*Flashback*
"Master! Master!" a cloaked figure shouted while running down the corridors of what seems to be a palace covered with fog. "Master!" he called once more as moments later he found himself panting heavily in front of a big golden door. As if by magic, the door opened and let the cloaked figure in.
Fully catching his breath, he took a look around and noted a golden room surrounded by different kinds of flower and metal ornaments. 'It is still so beautiful...'he silently praised and began to kneel in front of a prettily sculptured chair in the middle facing the glass window where one can see the clouds.
"I have urgent news, my Lord." he began but was cut off by a feminine voice at his back.
He turned around and gasped. It was Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty.
"What is it, Harold? What seems to be the problem that you sounds so urgent in front of my son?" she asked her voice so soft.
Harold bowed his head to Aphrodite just as the chair turned around to face him. In it, sat a boy who seems to be around 6-7 years old looking at him with annoyance. Though, the overall effect gave it more like an amusing sight especially when he seems to be wearing a robe too big for him.
"What?!" the boy snapped glaring at him. "Didn't you hear my mother asking you what is it already?!"
Harold sweat dropped and had to remind himself as always that this boy was his master he swore to serve and shouldn't be laughed at. With that in mind, he cleared his throat and started, "We, your humble servants, your highness, has found the cure for your curse."
Saying that he found himself lying with his back on the floor and his boy master on top of him jumping up and down excitedly. He sweat dropped again and tried to remember why he took the job of informing his highness of this report in the first place...
"Did you hear that mother? I would be able to take my true form once more! I'll be back to my normal 2045 yrs old self1" (a/n: if you call that normal....hehehe)
Aphrodite smiled to her son and held him in her arms taking pity on the messenger who was now cringing in pain. "Yes, my dear and I am glad. Now, why don't we hear Harold and whatever he had to say, ne?" she said softly and began to guide her son towards the chair; at the same time gesturing for Harold to continue.
Harold cleared his throat once more before continuing. "As we all know, when the black witch cursed his majesty, Cupid, to become a 6-year-old-version of himself, he also said that the only way for him to get back is to gave a man with pure heart the chance to love..." he paused and nodded to the two great figures staring at him with curiosity and one with impatience. One can almost hear the drum roll as he cleared his throat once again and continued: "Your Majesty Cupid and Goddess Aphrodite...(a/n: drum roll)...may I present.... (a/n another drum roll)..."
"CUT IT OUT ALREADY AND GO ON WITH IT!"
"Yes sire! The man of pure heart and your last hope, Hanamichi Sakuragi of Shohoku High!"
The two important figures stared at the small portal created by Harold.
And stared.
And stared.
And stared. (a/n: do you get the point already? sorry...)
And burst out laughing!
"You have got to be kidding me?!" Cupid gasped out and turned to stare at the cloaked messenger with amusement. "That guy looks like a gangster how can he be the chosen one with a pure heart and my only chance! Are you telling me that that guy's heart is the my only hope of ever returning to my true form or are you just playing with me?!"
By this time, I note, the boy was shouting at the top of his lungs with the other people in the room sweat dropping.
"uHM...ano....that is true....He really was the one that our radars got, sir…" replied Harold taking a step back cautiously noting the look of murder with his master's eyes. He may be a powerful servant of the gods and goddesses but he isn't going to take a chance with an angry boy cupid especially after he heard what happened to the other messengers who was unfortunately, yelled at ever since cupid was cursed.
On that day, the evil black witch has cursed him to regress to his 6-year-old-self before dying and they were too late to do anything about it especially when the one who cursed him was one of the most powerful. Unfortunately, some of the other effects of the curse was that cupid will not only loose his powers for the time being (a/n: his invincibility and cure....meaning he is a mortal now, ok?) but also become very very hot-tempered.
'Why did I take this job again?' he asked himself silently and decided to take another chance to convince the now fuming god or in this case, prince of love. With that, he again started, "Yes, your majesty. Loki said that this is what he got in the radar. He said that according to his calculation if you can find a perfect match for this boy then maybe you will able to return to your old self already" he finished taking a cautious peek to his master. Finding him curious, he added: "And he also said to tell you that is if you have the guts..." and with that said, Harold momentarily fled and got back to safety as the room suddenly shook with great intensity...
*end of flashback*
'After that I have no other choice but carry out his orders...*sigh* ...and help him carry out his plans...*sigh* the things I do for my master...' he thought and sighed again for the nth time that day.
"What are you sighing there all about?!" Cupid snapped and glared at his companion. "Can't you see that I'm busy eating my chocolates and ice cream here! Now go and put the romantic letter on the girl's bag!" the boy finished earning the stares of the people around them. After all, who wouldn't be suspicious especially when they were currently kneeling in the bushes and one of them was a child who continue to scold the older.
Sweat dropping once more, he glanced at the girl and the letter in his hand and with his teleportation power (a/n: his only power as a messenger), placed the letter beside the girl, Haruko, who was currently sitting with the other members of the basketball team.
# #
"Teme kitsune?!" Hanamichi fumed once he heard the famous one-liner given to him by his mortal enemy. Meanwhile Rukawa just snorted and continued practicing.
"What did you just say?!" Hanamichi stomped his foot angrily looking as if he would've jump the ace player if not for the sudden punch Akagi gave him.
"Itai!!!" he cursed rubbing his bumps. "Stupid gori..."
"What did you just say?!" Akagi growled and was about to give him another one of his gori punches when Kogure, the ever peacemaker, held him back.
"Ne, Akagi. Why don't we continue practice now." Kogure suggested and pointed to the other members of the basketball who have stopped with the disturbance. He turned to look at Mitsui and Miyagi for help but they just smirked and shooked their heads.
Fortunately, Ayako got the message and persuaded the team to continue the practice with her own little ways (now, what could that be?).
*swak* *swak*
"Get back to practice you two." bellowed Ayako to Mitsui and Miyagi who just stood their smirking.
"Aya-chan" sighed Ryota dreamily, which earned him another round with the fan.
# #
'Aya-chan?' Harold tried to ponder on the name but soon forgot about it once he heard the slurping sounds made by his master. He sweat dropped and turned back to the scene eagerly waiting for all this to be over.
'Come on. Come on. Haruko just a little bit to your right and you can see the poem.' he repeated the mantra.
# #
Ayako watched once more the team practice while taking notes once in a while. Being the manager and the only girl from the basketball team she was really glad that Hanamichi and Rukawa are getting along just fine.
'Well, at least they were cooperating now once in a while in the basketball games...' she thought but then again sighed (I'm using a lot of sighing, ne? gomen...) when she noted that they can't still able to stand each other outside the games.
'Thank God, Haruko, is not here today. Or else their fights would be worse....' she thanked silently and was about to continue taking notes when she noticed a white paper on the bench beside her. Curious, she picked it up and began to read.
# #
Harold puffed out his chest proudly as she saw the Haruko girl began to read the poem and blushed (hehehe...).
'I can't help it!' he gloated mentally. 'I'm such a genius for making poems even if it was only made in a rush. I pride myself for making such descriptive poem talking about the brown-haired girl's description and a mysterious but obvious end as...your secret red-haired admirer.... ' Harold gloated some more and began to chuckle.
"What are you chuckling there all about?" asked Cupid now staring at him suspiciously.
Raising his hands to in defeat, Harold just chuckled some more and pointed at the girl who was now very red in the face.
# #
'I'll show you-?! Stupid kitsune..' Hanamichi angrily thought and was about to find the ball when out of curiosity, he noticed Ayako looking at him and at the same time, blushing.
'What she looking at?' he was about to ask annoyed when suddenly out of nowhere, he heard his name being called. "Sakuragi! Pass!" Miyagi shouted at his right and as a result, the ball flew and hit him in the face.
'One haruko. Two Harukos. Three Harukos...
"Sakuragi!" the members of the basketball team surrounded him to see if he's alright Ayako immediately appeared to help although still red in the face. They assisted him to stand-up and handed him some bottle of water.
Hanamichi groaned and glared at Miyagi. Accepting the offered bottle with his other hand. He noticed Ayako who began blushing some more while Miyagi stares at them with narrowed eyes.
# #
Harold chuckled some more because of the scene but stopped when he noticed his master frowning.
"Ne, Master. Why are you frowning like that?" he asked glancing at the small boy.
Cupid eyebrow twitched.
"Can't you see." Cupid yelled. "That boy has also a crush on Haruko boy! and you! You! still have the guts to chuckle like this is a no big thingy! Remember this is my last chance of returning to normal!" he finished catching more stares around them at the sight of a 6-year-old-boy yelling at a 25-year-old man.
Harold was about to reassure his master that everything will be alright when suddenly someone tapped him in the shoulder. Turning, he caught sight of a 15-year-old girl with brown hair smiling at him. (now, who could that be?)
"Excuse me." the girl started cheerfully as she caught sight of Cupid looking at her cutely. (Actually glaring at her supposedly, but being the naive girl that she is, she thought it was kawaii.) "I couldn't help hearing my name. Are you looking for me?"
Harold looked at her like she was crazy while Cupid with his limited patience snapped: "Why? Who are you anyway?!"
The girl just smiled. "Why. I'm Haruko. Haruko Akagi." she answered and offered her right hand.
With that said, Harold couldn't stop himself from slapping his forehead.