"It's nice to be back inside again!" Oishi said contently as he watched television.
"Maybe next time you'll think twice about being totally psychotic." Said Kamio, crossing his arms.
"Maybe I will." Oishi agreed.
"Come on, everyone, eat your lunch!" called Itsuki from the kitchen. "You all have to have strength for the challenge today!"
"How do we even know there's going to be a challenge?" said Shishido as he went into the kitchen.
Itsuki handed them all a Lunchable.
"Wow." Said Shishido. "This will definitely give us strength."
"Sorry, I can't cook." Said Itsuki.
"None of us really can." Kamio observed, looking around.
"Hey, I could." Said Oishi, putting his hand over his heart.
"No you couldn't, Oishi." Said Shishido. "We just told you that your food tasted great because you were being SO psychotic and we didn't want you to kill us all in our sleep."
"Oh." said Oishi sadly.
"But let's not get down!" said Itsuki as he made himself a mini cold pizza that tasted like crap. "Let's stay a tight knit family! That has been our strength in the past two challenges!"
"What are you talking about?" said Kamio. "We've performed poorly in the past two challenges, and we're anything from tight knit."
"Yeah." Agreed Oishi. "Our family seems to be in a trend of excluding a new person every day. If Sengoku wins the challenge today, no doubt you'll be the outside Pet tomorrow, Shishido."
Shishido froze in the middle of biting his brownie.
"You think Sengoku would be that petty?" Shishido asked.
"I was." Said Kamio.
"And I would have put Kamio back outside if I had won." Oishi admitted.
"Well, if you think about it, we ARE making him sleep outside…" Itsuki nodded.
"Maybe it's time someone ended the cycle." Said Oishi, looking over at the door.
Shishido looked at the door, and then back at the rest of the family. "Why does it have to be ME?" he demanded. "I'm not mature enough for THAT!"
"Then I guess you'll probably be outside tomorrow." Kamio said.
"No." said Shishido. "I'll just make sure Sengoku doesn't win so he doesn't have the opportunity to do that."
"Well then it's all on your head, isn't it?" said Oishi.
Everyone then drank a sip of their Capri Suns.
"Hey," said Kamio randomly. "Remember those tasks we got yesterday?"
"Yeah." Said Itsuki and Shishido.
"No." said Oishi.
"See?" said Kamio. "THAT'S what I was wondering about. Oishi, you didn't do your task yesterday, did you?"
"I had a task?" Oishi questioned.
"Yeah…we all got a task." Shishido answered. "I guess we forgot to give you your envelope."
"Oh." said Oishi. "Will that be a problem?"
"Well, MY letter told me there would be dire consequences if I didn't complete my task, but maybe yours said something different." Said Itsuki as he got the envelope from off the refrigerator and handed it to him.
Oishi opened it up. "Well, I was SUPPOSED to steal something from the person who was the Dad and then hide it in the backyard…" he said. "Yeah… dire consequences. It says it right there."
"We probably should have given it to you." Said Shishido.
"It's all right." Said Oishi. "I wouldn't have been able to get inside to steal anything anyway."
"That's a good point." Said Itsuki. "This way, you weren't stressed about it. We did you a favor."
"I guess you could look at it that way even though you're WRONG." Said Oishi.
Team SixKaidou jogged up the front walk to the stupid house he was being forced to stay in with the equally stupid people. He pushed the door open and entered. Whence he rounded the corner to the living room, the only response he could come up with was a raised eyebrow.
Ryou, Oshitari and Atsushi were all sitting in the kitchen doing a puzzle. But that wasn't the strangest thing. In fact, that wasn't even strange.
The fact that they were all wearing helmets was the strange part.
"What are all you guys doing?" Kaidou practically demanded as he walked over.
They looked up at him.
"A puzzle." Atsushi said. "We don't have a TV since Akutsu threw a chair at it after all…"
"That's not what I meant!" Kaidou said angrily. "I meant why are all of you wearing helmets!"
"Oh." said Oshitari, standing up and retrieving another helmet that was on the counter and holding it out for Kaidou. "I suggest you wear this."
"Why?" said Kaidou.
"I just suggest it." Oshitari said, handing him the helmet.
"NO!" said Kaidou as he took the helmet and threw it at the empty place where the television USED to be.
"Well, if our television hadn't been broken before, it would definitely be broken NOW." Said Ryou with a sigh.
"Why won't you wear the helmet?" said Oshitari.
"Do you want to be punched in the face like I was?" Atsushi said, turning his head to reveal that he had a black eye.
"Who punched you in the face?" said Kaidou.
As soon as he said that, Akutsu walked around the corner wearing a helmet of his own. "Did I hear someone refuse to wear the helmet?" he said pounding one fist into his palm.
"Is this something stupid our coaches are making us do for some reason?" Kaidou said.
"Wearing a helmet is not STUPID!" said Akutsu. "Did you know that about eight hundred people, including more than two hundred children, are killed annually in bicycle-related crashes nationwide, and about sixty percent of those deaths involve a head injury!"
Kaidou frowned at this.
"…And…?" Kaidou said.
"And it's about time we made ourselves safe." Said Akutsu.
"I think this has something to do with his bicycle accident yesterday coupled with his oxygen deprivation for some time last night." Oshitari explained.
"So wear your helmet if you don't want to be punched in the face." Said Akutsu threateningly.
"He'll do it." Said Atsushi warned him.
"Listen," said Kaidou. "Wearing a helmet while your bike riding is essential, but let's not overdo it. It's not necessary to wear a helmet all the time. You're not going to prevent any head injuries by just wearing a helmet."
"I beg to differ." Said Akutsu as he wound up and punched Kaidou in the face so hard that he fell to the ground. "You wouldn't have gotten THAT head injury if you had just been wearing your helmet!"
Kaidou looked shocked as he lied on the floor. Then he got a crazed look in his eyes.
"Oh it's on now." Atsushi said. "It's ON."
"OMG it's ON!" said Ryou.
"It is SO on." Said Kaidou as he stood up and rolled up his sleeves. Then he jumped upon Akutsu and the two of them commenced in mortal combat.
"Bets, bets!" said Oshitari as Atsushi and Ryou ran over to give him money.
Team Seven"Sanada Genichirou," Inui read from his data book. "Age fifteen, year three. Birthday May 21st, five feet nine and a half inches, one hundred forty nine point six pounds. Vice captain of Rikkai Dai, right handed with an all rounded style of play. Lives with older brother, both parents and grandfather."
Inui adjusted his glasses as the rest of the family sat in the living room, listening to him drone.
"Tell me again why we have to memorize this stuff?" Tetsu said.
"There is a seventy-five percent chance that our coaches will employ a challenge that involves knowing about our teammates very soon." Inui explained. "Therefore it is important that we all learn about each other as much as possible before that challenge takes place."
"It is about time we won a competition." Renji added. "We have performed very poorly in the two previous challenges."
"This is kind of creepy though." Said Sanada. "Even I don't know how much I weigh right down to the 'point six' or whatever."
"It is important to have all kinds of data." Inui answered.
"I will do the next one." Renji said. "Akutagawa Jirou. Age fifteen, year three. Birthday May 5th, five feet two inches, one hundred and seven point eight pounds. Member of Hyoutei—"
This continued for a little while longer until all the data on every member of the family was covered.
"I'm glad THAT'S over with." Said Tetsu, going to stand up.
"Wait." Said Inui, putting his hand out.
"…What?" said Tetsu.
"There is a thirty-nine percent chance that we might have to know about our opponents as well." Inui explained. "Therefore, we must cover everyone else's data."
"WHAT?" demanded Tetsu and Sanada.
"If I just fall asleep, I can skip all this, right?" Sanada said.
"It can't be helped." Said Renji. "Jirou's sleeping habits are impossible to control. Now please sit down so we can go over the rest of the data as well."
"We will start with Team One." Said Inui. "Though I must warn you that my data on Fuji Shuusuke is incomplete." He cleared his throat. "Fuji Shuusuke. Age unknown. Birthday unknown. Height unknown. Weight unknown. Tennis team unknown. Dominant hand unknown. Style of play unknown. Family unknown."
Inui then turned the page.
"Kawamura Takashi—" he started.
"Wait, were you being serious about that last one?" Sanada interrupted.
"Yes." Said Inui. "It is nearly impossible to gather his data."
"Why is his tennis team unknown?" said Sanada. "Doesn't he play on YOUR team?"
Inui paused. "Ah yes." He quickly erased that and wrote in 'Seigaku'.
"And how is that you managed to gather all our heights and weights but you don't even know his when you spend practically every day with him?" said Tetsu.
"Like I said, it is impossible to gather his data." Inui answered.
"Hang on, when I played against him in the District Preliminaries, I could have sworn he was right handed." Tetsu interjected.
"Ah yes." Said Inui, making that change as well.
"Are you sure that not being able to gather his data isn't just in your head?" questioned Sanada.
"Yes, I am positive." Inui said, looking slightly flustered. "Now let's move on without any further interruptions."
Inui turned the page again.
"Kawamura Takashi—" he started.
"Wait, were you being serious about that last one?" Sanada interrupted.
"Yes." Said Inui. "It is nearly impossible to gather his data."
"Why is his tennis team unknown?" said Sanada. "Doesn't he play on YOUR team?"
Inui paused. "Ah yes." He quickly erased that and wrote in 'Seigaku'.
"And how is that you managed to gather all our heights and weights but you don't even know his when you spend practically every day with him?" said Tetsu.
"Like I said, it is impossible to gather his data." Inui answered.
"Hang on, when I played against him in the District Preliminaries, I could have sworn he was right handed." Tetsu interjected.
"Ah yes." Said Inui, making that change as well.
"Are you sure that not being able to gather his data isn't just in your head?" questioned Sanada.
"Yes, I am positive." Inui said, looking slightly flustered. "Now let's move on without any further interruptions."
Inui turned the page again.
"Wait, now I've skipped someone." Inui noticed. "I don't remember where I was. We'll just have to start all over." He flipped back to the beginning of his book. "Sanada Genichirou—"
"NO NO NO!" said Tetsu and Sanada as they both got up and waved their arms around.
Team EightYuuta, Shinji, Bane and Jackal were all sitting around watching The Grinch. The original cartoon one that has the songs sung by Tony the Tiger.
"This is so unbelievable." Said Shinji. "After the Grinch robbed them all blind, they let him cut the roast beef anyway?"
"They just feel sorry for him and his oversized heart." Yuuta explained.
"You don't live long with a heart that huge." Jackal agreed.
"But wait," said Bane. "I thought it was the roast BEAST. Not roast BEEF."
They all stared at him.
"What the hell is a roast beast?" said Shinji.
"What the hell is a Grinch?" Bane retorted.
"Okay, okay, point taken." Shinji said. "This IS Dr. Seuss we're talking about here."
They watched the very end and then turned off the television.
"Say, where's Atobe?" said Jackal. "Do you think he'll be sad that we didn't call him in to watch The Grinch with us?"
"Well we did." Said Yuuta. "But remember how he came in and said, 'Oh, I thought you were talking about the live action one…' and then he left because he said the cartoon version was boring?"
"No." said Jackal. "I missed that."
"How could you have missed that?" said Bane
"Wait, I think Jackal went to the bathroom at one point." Shinji said.
"I must have been in the bathroom." Jackal concluded.
"No." said Yuuta. "You went to the bathroom at the part where the Grinch was making himself a Santa Claus suit and Atobe came in here at the way beginning when the Grinch was ranting about all the noise the Whos made."
They stared at him.
"He's right." Said Shinji finally to Jackal. "That IS when you left. Because I remember you asking what the large object on Max's head was."
"Oh yeah." Said Jackal.
"I guess you just blocked Atobe out or something…" Bane said.
The glared at him enviously.
At that exact moment, Atobe walked in while holding a letter.
"It's time to go to another challenge." He announced.
"Really?" said Yuuta. "When did we get that letter?"
"About a half an hour ago." Atobe answered, looking at his watch. "But you four seemed SO engrossed in your cartoon that I didn't have the heart to interrupt you from it."
Yuuta stomped over and took the letter from him. "This letter is addressed to the Dad. ME!" said Yuuta. "You have no right to open it! If you love opening letters for the Dad so much then make yourself the Dad!"
Atobe walked away in the middle of Yuuta's speech, which made Yuuta both sad AND frustrated.
"Just ignore him." Said Shinji.
"Who?" said Jackal, turning around.
"Atobe." Said Bane. "Did you not hear him just now?"
"I thought it was strange that Yuuta suddenly just got up and ran into the kitchen while looking angry…" Jackal rubbed his chin.
"You are so lucky." Said Shinji. "How do you do it? How do you completely ignore Atobe?"
"I don't know." Said Jackal. "Maybe it has something to do with that walk I was forced to take with him the other day…"
Bane, Shinji and Yuuta all looked at each other.
"I guess we have to take a walk with Atobe too…" said Yuuta, looking back at the letter and then wistfully out the window.
Hey guys it's us! We just want to say thank you for sticking with this story and all the kind reviews you've given us! If you like this, then we're sure you'll also like our new fanfiction called REMOTE! This one will NOT be abandoned as many people have asked us. If anything changes with the updates at all, it will only have faster and more consistant updates that are every other day. It will be glorious. So keep up with this one, but also try a little of the new one. It only wants some friends...
Love, Link and Luigi