Title: The Challenge (Part III)
Author: ficeler37
Note: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.
Rating: PG
Word count: 1268

Summary: Natsuki tries to learn how to play pool Neo-style. Shizuru receives an unexpected request.

A/N: The third chapter is up. Wow, this fanfic is just getting longer and longer. I was going to start with a drabble, but ideas just kept popping up. I hope it's a good thing. Anyhow, the best chapter has yet to come. Major thank you's to those who have been following the story!

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After saying goodbye to Mai and Mikoto, Natsuki decides to take a ride on her motorcycle along the coastline to clear her mind. She speeds past the uphill sharp curves with immaculate accuracy and control, contradictng the inner turmoil in her head. Shizuru, in the past, you were always there when I turn around after hitting a brick wall. Is it all too late for me to tell you how much you mean to me? All those feelings that you had for me, those same ones that took the sanity out of you during the hime festival, are they completely gone? Do you not care about me anymore? Is that why you haven't returned any of my calls since you graduated?

As if under a hypnosis, suddenly Natsuki finds herself facing the ocean that took her mother away. Without planning on coming here, she nevertheless parks her bike next to the rail. Her long blue hair dances wildly under the influence of the capricious wind as Natsuki leans against the rail, and stares out into the horizon. Shizuru, are you leaving me once and for all? Are you abandoning me like my father did? Not you too, Shizuru…I miss you…

Meanwhile, Mai just cannot seem to focus on what the teacher is saying on the podium. Damn, Natsuki. If I get a D on my next quiz, you're gonna get an earful. Unable to comprehend anything on the blackboard, Mai shifts her attention out the window momentarily and haphazardly catches a glimpse of the redhead trouble maker, Nao. Text messaging innocent guys again, huh? Wait…text messaging…I can't call Kaichou in the middle of class, but maybe the teacher won't notice if I text message her! Even though Natsuki said not to call her, text messaging technically doesn't count, right? Oh whatever, she'll surely thank me later.

Mai discreetly reaches for the cellphone underneath her desk, and starts tapping her nimble fingers on the keypad. "Kaichou, Natsuki in trouble. Please bring someone who knows how to play pool to Fuka Pool Hall at 5 pm sharp. P.S. Don't mention my name." As she clicks SEND, Mai feels like a big burden has been lifted off her chest. I'll thank you someday, Nao-chan.

Nao has been in the middle of flirting with a middle-aged man on her cellphone when she suddenly feels goosebumps all over her arms. Alright, who the hell is talking behind my back? I bet it's that damn dog, Natsuki. She has been acting more pathetic by the second since that Kyoto bitch left. Someone needs to give her a good spanking.

Ten blocks from Fuka High School, fangirl squeals are permeating a particular corridor inside Fuka University business building. "Shizuru-sama, please take a look at my thesis." "Shizuru-sama, could you go through my internship application with me?" "Shizuru-sama…." "Shizuru-sama…." Fujino Shizuru's popularity seems to only have grown ever since she made a speech as the first year representative at the school's opening ceremony. Perhaps fangirls got smarter once they became college students. The excuses they use to get close to Shizuru have also been intellectually upgraded.

Shizuru, the natural player, of course tries to give every single girl at least a split second of attention with her elegant smile, capturing the hearts of all the women in her line of vision. But deep down, Shizuru knows that nothing will ever melt the ice protecting her wounded heart. All these conquests mean nothing to me. The only one I want is … No, I have sworn to let her go. I can't let myself hurt her again. I won't allow it. She deserves someone better. Someone who won't betray her trust…

A vibrating sensation in her handbag makes Shizuru break out of her reverie. Huh, who would text message me in the middle of the day? Not that many people have my number. Could it be… Shizuru flips open her Motorola RAZR V3 and glances at the unexpected name being displayed. Tokiha-san? Hmmm…that's strange. What? Natsuki is in trouble? Someone who knows how to play pool? An evil smirk appears on Shizuru's usually calming complexion. I think I know just the right person…

On the other side of the town of Fuka, Natsuki arrives at the Fuka Pool Hall two hours before the agreed time. Alright, I'm a quick learner. Natsuki, you got two hours to pick up this game. Focus… Natsuki finds herself a seat at a dark corner of the pool hall and starts observing a pair of old men playing an 8-ball game. After half an hour of vigilant observation, Natsuki feels pretty confident about the rules of the game. From what I have gathered, the ultimate goal is to hit all the balls of the same type into the holes with the 8 ball being the last ball to go into the pocket. Ok, bad idea to hit the cue ball into a pocket. I think I'm ready to hit the table.

Natsuki walks over to the pool hall owner and rents a rack of balls. She then takes a cue stick off the stick rack on the wall, and carries her balls towards a back table, earning herself some unwanted whistling from some teenagers skipping school. After she puts down the balls, she turns around and gives the same teenagers the kind of death stare that she used on orphans back in her hime days. Morons. The boys are frozen at the spot, unable to raise their heads under the cold gaze from the ice princess. When they feel that they are no longer under scrutiny, they hurriedly walk over to the pool hall owner, pay the fee and exit the pool hall.

Damnit, this game is way harder than it looks. For the tenth time, Natsuki tries unsuccessfully to break the balls apart in one shot. Her cue stick tends to get slightly off the center of the cue ball at the last split second before the two make contact. Argh, this is so frustrating. How did those old guys make it look so easier back there? Time flies by as Natsuki struggles to keep her shots straight as an arrow. In a blink of an eye, it's 4:45 pm already. Natsuki spots Takeda at the entrance of the pool hall, carrying his own cue stick box.

He has his own cue stick? This is so unfair, I bet my shots are all crooked because of these damn pool hall cue sticks. Oh please, wipe that silly smile off your face, Kendo boy. The closer Takeda gets towards Natsuki, the darker her expression becomes. When Takeda finally reaches the table, one can almost hear a low growl coming out of the blue haired girl.

"Ready, Kuga-san?" Takeda cannot seem to contain the bliss in his heart, knowing well that it'll only take a matter of minutes before Natsuki becomes his girlfriend. (Going out on a date with a girl does not mean that she is your girlfriend! What planet are you from, Takeda?) He manages to take a good look at Natsuki practicing by herself before walking into the pool hall, and he is confident that he will win the challenge given her limited skills.

"Ha, I'm ready if you're ready to get your ass kicked." Natsuki boasts defiantly while screaming on the top of her lungs in her mind. God! Whoever is up there! Please please please make me the luckiest person in the world for the next 15 minutes. I need divine intervention here! Seems like the agnostic Natsuki has gone religious momentarily.

"Well then, let the game begin."

TBC.