A/N: Time for another Interlude, here you go! Not as funny, but I love skating. And writing random little stories.

Interlude Two – The Roller-rink

"Come on, Tezzie. It'll be fun!" Fuji smiled, trying to drag Tezuka down the street.

Tezuka leveled a glare at Fuji. Tezzie? Fuji was just asking for a thousand laps at the next practice. "I don't want to go wherever we're going, Fuji. Let me go home, and don't call me Tezzie."

"Can't do that, Tezuka. You'll thank me later." Fuji continued to try and drag Tezuka down the street, but to no avail. He was just too small. "Eiji! Come help me drag him!"

"Aye aye, Fuji!" Eiji came running back down the street from where he was walking with Inui. "Buchou getting too big for you?" Eiji got behind Tezuka and started to push him down the street as Fuji pulled.

What was this, Pick on Tezuka Day?

"No, but that's a good idea," Fuji said. "Or how about 'Lock Tezuka in a Room with His Fangirls Tuesday'?"

Ok, that cinched it. Fuji was a scary mind-reader person.

"Not Tuesday," interjected Inui as the two-man towing crew caught up with him. "Thursday would be better. Half his fans are watching the basketball team on Tuesday."

Note to self: Avoid these three on Thursdays. Tezuka resigned himself to wherever they were going, be it torture room or Kiddy Fun Land. He shook the two dragging him off. "Alright, where are we going and how long do I have to stay?"

Three evil smirks followed his question. He should've known not to ask.

"No, no, and no," Tezuka adamantly refused. "I will not put those things on." It turned out the roller-rink was their destination.

"But Tezuka, you have to," Fuji explained, skating a circle on the rink in front of Tezuka. "It's for the good of the team."

"And exactly how does this relate to tennis?"

Inui looked up from where he was tying his laces. "It just does, trust me." When Inui said to trust him, you normally did. But there's always an exception.

"Please put the skates on, Buchou," Eiji pleaded, tossing the pair of skates into Tezuka's hands. "We just want what's best for you!"

There was a bit of a scuffle and when Tezuka finally got clear, the skates were firmly tied on his feet. He tried to walk forward, but slipped and landed hard on the bench behind him.

Giggles erupted from the peanut gallery. Tezuka vowed not to stand up again until he got his shoes back on his feet. Wait a minute…"Where are my shoes?"

"Oh, you mean these ones?" Fuji asked, holding up Tezuka's shoes. "In a minute, they'll be on the other side of the rink." He took off across the floor, swinging the shoes, and plopped them down on the opposite side. The only way to them would be across the floor.

Tezuka's eyes narrowed even more. Fuji was dead. Eiji took off after his best friend, still giggling.

"If you want to leave, you need to get your shoes. The roller-rink closes in thirty minutes. Have fun." Inui skated away as well, leaving Tezuka to contemplate how to get his shoes back.

"Five bucks says he gets them within fifteen minutes," Eiji said as Inui joined him and Fuji.

"You're on," Fuji and Inui answered him. The trio skated off, keeping one eye on Tezuka as they enjoyed themselves.

Meanwhile, a storm brewed above Tezuka's head. There was no way he was going to stand up only to fall and make a fool of himself again. But…He really wanted to get out of here…Dilemmas, dilemmas.

Tezuka tried to stand up again, and found himself not falling. He took one tentative step forward and his feet started to slide all over the place. He flailed for a bit before his arms came into contact with the wall. He steadied himself before trying to skate along again.

All long the wall Tezuka skated, almost barreling over a few little kids doing the same thing he was. Closer and closer to where his shoes were sitting. Then Fuji popped up in front sending him falling.

"Now now, Tezuka. That's cheating," he admonished. Fuji grabbed the shoes and skated back away to the middle of the floor.

"Hey, Fuji!" Eiji complained. "That's cheating! He almost had them; you owe me five dollars!" Fuji didn't argue and handed over a five as did Inui.

"Let's see how long it takes him to get them now. Only fifteen minutes until closing time." Inui glanced at his companions. "Should we give them back if he doesn't make it?"

"Nah," the other two replied together.

Still hugging the wall, Tezuka was thinking of all sorts of ways to kill Fuji when he had the chance. There was no way he could make it across the open floor. But he had to try, for the sake of the shoes!

Tezuka gently pushed himself away from the wall. He rolled along, and then stopped. Well that didn't work. He picked one foot up and leaned forward as he put it down, successfully learning to skate.

Finally arriving in front of the group, Tezuka sent a glare that promised dire consequences if something like this ever happened again. He took his shoes and skated off.

"Guess he made it."

"Looks like he's having fun now!"

"Where do you think we should take him next?"

A/N: Fuji and Inui is bad. Adding Eiji to the mix makes everything worse. Don't you see the evil that lies behind the innocence? It's an even better act than Fuji's!