It's already been 3 days since the contract with the witch has been made...
Now, now, what shall you do oh dear warrior?
Will you be able to save your team?
You must have some confidence in your feelings, and have some confidence in your abilities...

Then maybe, just maybe then you may get through this...

An unexpected savior may come to your rescue, right?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From Ribbons to Rackets--

Chapter 2: Your True Feelings

These are just the moments you realize that it truly is the summer time.
Even though it is way past the afternoon, and the sun is slowly beginning to set, the temperature just did not seem to want to cool down. The bright red sunset which would be a marvelous beauty, sometimes showing some lonesomeness during the autumn days can only remind anybody of the burning depths of hell right now. Yes, it was truly that hot. Not only was it hot, but it was muggy. And especially if you were a member of any sports club, this heat was felt on your whole entire body even more. All the students who have just finished their whole day of practicing have all begun to get ready to head on home. A slightly dark shadow began blanketing the tennis courts which were filled with the energetic students this afternoon, and their voices were not echoing off the walls anymore. Only a water bottle that had been left behind by some student runs across the courts when the wind blows.

"Woooo...I am so pooped!"
"Yea...tell me about it, coming to practice on summer break is just such a drag."
"I know...and no matter how much sun-block I put on, I still get sun-burned!"
"Ugh! I know!! This sucks!"
"But, you know...it's because of these practices we actually get to spend more time watching the boys' team than the regular girls?"
"Oh yea! I know, that's why I just can't miss a day of practice!"
" Oh my gosh! Sooo true!!! Hahahaha!"

The same old conversation was heard from the Girls' locker room. As the other girls continued to change and giggle with one another, Tsubaki showed no interest in their conversation as usual and was already heading to the door to leave for home. "Good job at practice today, I will see you all tomorrow." is the only thing she said to everyone and left the club room.

"Oh...by the way, the captain didn't come today either huh?"
"Hmm? Oh...yea...I wonder what's going on with her, she isn't the type of person to miss practice so much."
"Yea...she hasn't been herself lately..."

It was truly strange. Kayano was the type of person who would not miss a single practice whether it be raining or hailing, but since three days ago, she had stopped coming to practice with no warning. Although the girls did not show any signs of concern in the beginning, after three days without any word from Kayano, they began to worry. Tsubaki too was concerned about this, and when she heard the other girls talking about it, she stopped for a few seconds right outside the club room to hear what they were saying, and then started walking again. It certainly was strange, thought Tsubaki. This was so unlike Kayano, who had always been a good captain. Tsubaki stopped once more before stepping through the school gates, and looked back towards campus.

"Hwaaaaaaa...! Wow, it's getting pretty late already, huh...maybe I slept too long?"

It wasn't like anybody was going to give her any sort of answer, but she still asked this question to herself out loud. It was already growing dark on the rooftops of campus, and even a bit chilly when the winds blew past her. Kayano was actually the first person to step foot onto the campus today too, but instead of heading over to practice she came straight here to the rooftop where she spent another day simply lousing around and watching the clouds up above slowly drift across the sky. She was here of course to avoid her fellow teammates. She was still not able to tell them what is going to happen to their team. She still haven't been able to bring it up to them about how she promised the principal about playing a game against the other team next Saturday. Once again, she spent a day here hiding from everybody. She knew that if she went to practice, she would have to see all of their faces, and that just makes her heart sink, and she knew that she wouldn't be able to practice at all with everything fumbling around in her mind. So, for the past three days Kayano spent her whole day here. She knew she was being pathetic, but she just couldn't help it. She just wanted to get away for it all.

"...::sigh::...what to do..."

Ever since three days ago, all she's been doing was thinking, and worrying, and thinking again...she knew that hiding up here was not going to let her mind rest or stop thinking about the game that is supposed to occur soon. She knew that all too well. But, she couldn't understand then what exactly was she doing up here? She also knew she had to think of something soon, or else Saturday was going to come way too soon. But, at this point Kayano had no idea what she can do.

"what exactly should I do...?"

Letting herself up from where she had lied all day, Kayano walked over the fence which surrounded the rooftop. Letting her body lean against it, she let another deep sigh, then looked down where she saw all of the students from different clubs heading towards the front gate, and to their homes. She stared at their faces. Everyone should feel tired from each of their days of practice, but they all looked so happy, all of them were smiling, they all were having so much fun. Since that disbandment order has been issued, Kayano was not able to feel happy from the bottom her heart. She couldn't remember the last time she was able to smile. It felt like there was a huge cloud that just hazed over her on the inside and she didn't know how she could get rid of that heavy feeling. Everything felt so glum and bothersome to her right now.

"what to do..."

"If you're thinking of jumping off, you know you would need to climb over that fence?"

"Huh!??"

Shocked at the sudden voice she heard coming from behind her, Kayano's whole body just jolted up into the air a few inches that moment. When she looked behind her, there stood a boy who strangely did not have the looks of a middle school student. His eyes were hidden behind his round glasses, and he wore a sweat-band on his forehead. The Seigaku jersey was simply covering his shoulders and not worn all the way and his chin was all stubbly. If you needed to describe him in one word, that word would have been just "weird."

"Ya-...Yamato-kun!?? Wha-...what is it? Oh my..goodness, you scared me!"

"Hahaha, I'm terribly sorry...and it's true, you do stutter."

"Wha-...?? Stu-...stutter?? N-...n-..no, I do not...oh wait."

"Hahaha, see? There you go again."

This strange boy, Yudai Yamato, is actually a third year student just like Kayano, and the current captain of the Seigaku Boys' Tennis team here at Seishun Academy. Because of his strange stature, people who have just met him would usually think he is a "weirdo," even when Kayano first met him, that was the first word that popped up in her mind. But because they were both captains of each of the tennis teams, there were numerous times over the year when they would have to see each other, and soon Kayano became quite accustomed to Yamato's strange aura.

"Anyway... can't you tell me what in the world you are doing here?"

Embarassed of Yamato pointing out to her own strange habit, Kayano quickly tried to change the subject by questioning him. But Yamato simply gave her a smile and walked over next to where she was standing and let his back rest on the fence.

"Well, you know...I thought of coming here to do some long hard thinking."

"Uh, to think?"

"Yes. Don't most students at this campus usually come up here when they want to think about something, or they have some worries they want to forget about?"

"Um...I don't quite get what you are trying to get at..."

"I was just wondering about how you have been missing from tennis practice these past few days. And I thought maybe I should come up here to think about it, and so happened to find you up here. And here we are now."

"I see..."

Still a mystery, this man Yudai Yamato is. It is true that have known each other for quite some time now, but he never ceases to confuse Kayano with his strange ways. What exactly was he trying to tell her, Kayano wondered while she stared at him.

"So?"

"Huh?"

"What exactly are you doing up here, skipping practice for three days? This is so unlike you."

"Ummmmm..."

"That face of yours is telling me that something is certainly not right."

"S-...sooorrryyy, I was born with this face, thank you very much!"

Kayano puffed up both of her cheeks slightly to show that she was angry, but that playful expression soon only to leave behind an expression that can only be described as depressed. Yamato did not miss that subtle change in her expression.

"Don't tell me, has it finally happened? Is the Girls' tennis team in danger of being disbanded?"

"Errrrrrrmmmmmmmm..."

"I only wanted it to be a joke...but...is it actually true?"

"Errrrrrrrrmmmmmmmm..."

Kayano was trying hard not to start crying. It was obvious to Yamato that she has been holding it all in for quite some time. It was not an unusual thing for this girl. Often times, she would try to deal with any problems all by herself, not letting any other person know that she was having a tough time. That was how it was with Kayano all of the time. This was how she dealt with any issue. While she tried her best to protect others from getting hurt, she never realized how much it was hurting herself.

"::Sigh:: I would not mind being that person that simply listens to what you need to say."

"You wouldn't tell anybody, would you?"

"Well, that depends on what this is about."

"Erg..."

When Kayano looked up, she saw Yamato's soft and caring smile. This is when Kayano realized something...that she was very weak against people who smiled like this to her. It seemed to get her every time.

"I see...well, that principal...there's never any way to figure out what she's planning next with her."

The two of them sat side by side on the now darkening rooftop. Kayano struggled to hold her tears back while she explained to Yamato of the girls' team's bleak future, and the deal she made with the principal, and how the students around school rumored about the team. Finally, Kayano could not hold back all of her tears and let a drop, and then another drop fall over her cheeks. Yamato just sat there, listening to her, sometimes letting her know he understood what she was saying by saying "uh-huh." As soon as Kayano was finished telling him everything, she hid her face in her knees and just quietly wept. To Yamato, this girl who sat next to him right now, crying, was the strongest girl he has ever met.

"I just, can't help but to feel so helpless, and pathetic..."

"Hmm?"

"I know that it's only obvious to talk this over...with the whole team...since it is a matter which...concerns our whole team...and I know that it's only obvious that I ask them to help me...prevent the team from being disbanded...but...but, I'm just so scared..."

"Scared?"

"Mm-hmm, I'm just so scared of what the girls are going to say, their reactions. If...if those rumors are all true...if my teammates are only on the team...just...to get closer to the boys on your team...if...I'm ...the only one who's feeling this upset about...our team being gone...if that is the case...I...I...just...wouldn't know...what to do, and I'm so afraid of that..."

Kayano looked up at the sky, like she was trying her best to hold the tears that were trying to overflow in her eyes. Yamato let out a deep sigh once again and said to her,

"You may be right...if I were one of your teammates, I wouldn't want to help keep a team together with a captain like you."

"Wh-...!! What did you-...Yamato-kun!??"

She suddenly looked over at Yamato. Was she feeling angry at what the boy just said to her? Or was she just simply hurt? She wanted to say, this is not the time for jokes, but Yamato looked at her, with such a serious expression he's never shown her before.

"Are you not the pillar of the Seigaku Girls' Tennis Team?"

"Wh-..."

Kayano could not understand what Yamato was trying to tell her. A pillar? What is he talking about?

"Why did you start playing tennis? Are those rumors true about you? Did you truly start playing tennis for those silly motives?"

"N-..!! No! I didn'-...!!"

"As a pillar of the team, you're the central support. You are to be the one that they look up to for confidence. You are the one they trust, as a member of their team, as the captain. They need you. What are they to do when you, the pillar is being so faint-hearted?"

"I just..."

"I know, just how much you love to play tennis. I know...just how much you care about your team. Your teammates surely understand that too. They trust you...very much. These few days that you have not showed up to practice, they were all clearly not acting like their usual selves."

"What?"

"Are you fine? If your team was gone?"

Kayano looked down and shook her head no.

"Have you given up? On your own teammates?"

Once again she shook her head no, but harder this time.

"Don't you like tennis?"

"Of course I do!!...uh...um…"

Feeling a bit embarrassed at her own sudden outburst, Kayano tried to hide her face from him, but Yamato just smiled.

"Then, why don't you try trusting yourself more? Have more confidence?"

"Trust...myself?"

"That's right. Trust your own feelings, and let your teammates know and understand how you truly feel. I'm sure they too feel the same way."

"My...true feelings..."

"What you really want...for your team."

Yamato gave her his best smile once more. Seeing him smile like that, Kayano felt as if the ugly cloudy stuff that had clenched at her heart had been all blown away.

"Yamato-kun"

"Yes?"

"Thank you!"

And with that, this time it was Kayano who gave Yamato a big smile. For Kayano, it was the first smile in a while that truly came from her heart. Yamato was also happy to be able to see Kayano smile like that again.

"A sports club helper for hire?"

It was already night-time, and the skies that used to be burning red with heat had become dark blue, and numerous stars were now scattered all over it like salt on a black table-cloth. It was getting pretty late, so the two of them decided that they would walk each other home. Kayano told Yamato that "it isn't necessary, I can walk myself home, thank you very much." But Yamato insisted, "now now, do you think I am the type of male to let a girl walk alone in the dark?" and didn't listen to her. While they were walking, Yamato brought up something very interesting.

"Yes. Haven't you heard about it? It's a rumor that's been going around among the first years, isn't it?"

"Hmm...really? I haven't heard anything."

"Apparently, there's an unbelievably amazing first year female student that entered this year."

"A...amazing?"

"Yes. Apparently, she's a genius at playing any type of sport. And almost all of the sports clubs on our campus had hired her at least once to play on their team."

"Hmmmmm...I had no idea there was anybody like that at our school."

"Her name was...hmm...what was it?"

"And? What does that girl student have to do with our team?"

"Don't you understand? Your team can hire her to play with you against the other team next saturday."

"Wh-...!! Um, oh...but...this is our team's matter...I don't know, I think we should deal with it ourselves..."

"Oh! I just remembered, her name was..."

Under the sky filled with twinkling stars...
Back to the castle goes our brave warrior with the thoughtful magician...
Believing in herself...trusting her own feelings...

She will keep going...keep going on her own path...

Thrown-in extra and an Afterword

Yamato: "But, it is surely a shame..."
Kayano: "What is?"
Yamato: "If those rumors were true...then wouldn't that mean you also started playing tennis to get close to one of the boys?"
Kayano: "Wh-...!!! Th-...That...isn't...I didn't..."
Yamato: "That's why I'm saying it is such a shame, I totally thought that I was the one who you were after..."
Kayano: "WHAT!??? I...I...Wh-...wh-...stop it Yamato-kun, stop joking around!"
Yamato: "Hahaha, I was just kidding. You are such an interesting person."

So, here's the second chapter to From Ribbons to Rackets. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.  It was a lot longer of a chapter than I have initially expected, actually so thank you so much if you have read all of it and came to this point.

Once again, we don't have too much going on in the chapter. None of the Seigaku boys have made an appearance yet (argh) and I actually still haven't made my main character make an appearance yet either! (yikes) But, do not fear she will probably appear in the next one.

I really liked the strange relationship between Kayano and Yamato though. Hehe. Maybe I'll add more of them talking to each other in the coming chapters…