Chapter Three: Old Blades

Author's Note:

Sorry for taking so long! Here's Old Blades. Until Chapter Four: A New Friend, A New Foe, see ya! ;-)

-CelestialTime93

Inez stepped out and reached Cyberia. She spotted Fluff making snowangels in the snow with his friends.

"Hey, Fluff." Inez smiled, "Y'know where a skating rink is?"

"It's behind the trees over there." Fluff replied, pointing towards a forestry of trees.

"Thanks." Inez smiled, and walked towards the ice rink.

When Inez reached the ice rink, she put on her skates, and skated to the skating rink. She was graceful with her clothing fluttering in the soft winter wind.

When she lauched herself on a triple lutz, her blade broke into half, pinned to the ice, causing Inez to lose her balance and fall on the ice.

Inez ignored it, and continued skating. She launched herself on her other foot, only for that blade to break in half also.

She finally fell to the ice, out of options. She lay on the ice helpless, and closed her eyes, her legs and arms sprawled on the ice rink, just as someone found her.

Slider leaped out of an open portal, and immediatly ran over to Fluff.

"Fluff, where's Inez?" Slider asked.

"She went to the skating rink." Fluff replied.

"Thanks." Slider replied, and ran towards the skating rink.

When he got there, he gasped. He found Inez, sprawled on the ice, with two blades pinned to the ice in random places.

"Inez!" Slider cried, running towards Inez.

Inez looked up. "Slider? What are you doing here?"

"Matt and Jackie couldn't find you, so I decided to help them." Slider explained.

"Tsch. Why would they want to look for me?" Inez scoffed.

Slider was shocked by Inez's reply. "Inez, they're your friends. Did something happen?"

"They found out that I've been skating for 13 years, not 7." Inez explained.

"So?" Slider shrugged.

"I never told them before." Inez explained, "I even lied to them to keep the family secret a secret."

"Your family forced you to skate in secret?" Slider asked.

Inez nodded, "And the Sectionals are coming up next month."

"For one thing, you're not skating anywhere with these skates. Look at them, the blades snapped off both boots." Slider explained, pointing at the broken blades pinned to the ice.

"They are pretty old." Inez frowned, "Generations old."

"Look, you need help." Slider said, "Why don't I ask my dad to make you new blades? Your boots seem to be okay. Just fix your blades, and you'll be fine. We'll also polish the boot a bit."

Inez smiled. "Thanks, Slider. I don't understand why you understand and not the others."

Slider just shrugged. "I just do, that's all."

"Ouch, these are bad." Slider's father, Coop Metropolis frowned, "How old are these blades?"

"They're as old as the family's first grandmother." Inez explained, "Something that's been sent down from generations to generations. Apparently, when it was my turn, they broke."

"Well, Slider's right." Coop explained, "The boots are alright. It's just the blades that need to be fixed up. We'll polish the boots, and they'll look like new."

"Thanks, Coop." Inez smiled.

"Slider, why don't you go skating with Inez to the skating rink here in Radopolis." Coop said, "I'll bring the skates when I'm done. For now, rent some."

Inez performed a triple lutz with her rented skates and landed perfectly. Slider watched from the rink's balcony.

The rink was in the CyberArena, where this year's Radopolis Figure Skating Competition was going to be held.

"You're doin' great, Inez!" Slider called.

Inez breaked herself. "Then join me!"

"No thanks!" Slider replied, "I'm wearing hockey skates!"

Inez skated over to where Slider was, and stared at Slider's rented skates.

"They have toe picks, and the blade is thicker than hockey skates." Inez counteracted, "You big liar!"

"They were out of hockey skates..." Slider lied.

"Liar!" Inez smiled.

"Fine!" Slider frowned, "I also figure skate! But I only coached my mom with my dad! At the same time, I learned how to skate."

"I learned how to skate through family reasons." Inez frowned, "I started competing when I was five, and I got a gold medal."

"Then you must have pure talent." Slider commented, "C'mon, I'm sure we can choreograph something. Just for fun."

The two skated to the rink, as they co-ordinated a performance together. Every movement, from a jump to a spin, was in perfect sync.

The two stopped mid-way when Coop appeared with a pair of skates, with new blades.

"My skates!" Inez exclaimed, "Thank you so much!"

"Try them on." Coop smiled.

Inez did just that. She wore her skates, polished with the blades replaced, and tested it on the skating arena. It was just like new.

"They're perfect!" Inez exclaimed.

"Y'know, Inez." Slider smiled, "You should enter the Radopolis Figure Skating Contest! You team up in one of two teams. The two teams compete to win the gold."

"I dunno..." Inez frowned, "My hands are already full back on Earth. My mom's coaching me for the Sectionals. I barely get time to play in the snow because of practices."

"Harsh." Slider frowned, "But still. You'll do great, Inez! Every time people enter for the contest, they want to defeat one team. And that team is the champion team that enters every year. Ella Cathrines' team. They're made of the best skaters. It'll be great if you join the new team this year. You're a great skater, Inez. If you competed since you were five, and won the gold medal, I'm sure you can beat Ella Cathrines. She's a big bully, and drops the confidence of the opposing team every year, just so that she could win."

"Like I've heard worst." Inez frowned.

"Exactly!" Slider explained, "You have experiance with the threats. The others don't! You need to teach them to withstand it. Tell the, that it's nothing to worry about. Lead the way."

"I was never much of a leader." Inez counteracted.

"Well, here's your chance." Slider said, "My cousin's entering this year against Ella. I think it's time you join her. I'll feel safe knowing that she's competing against Ella with someone I know and trust. Please?"

Inez thought about it, then sighed. "Fine. On one condition. You be my coach."

"Huh?" Slider exclaimed. Then he sighed. "Fine. I'll be your coach."

"About time there's a change." Coop smiled, "Ella Cathrines one every competition by cheating backstage. Dropping the confidences of the opposing team before or during the competition is considered against the rules."

"I think it's time we turned it around." Inez replied.

"I'm with you, Inez." Slider smiled.