AUTHOR'S NOTES: OK, first task is near! I'm currently experiencing writer's block and because this is the only non-coughcough among my works, I got a lot of help from Jo-chan, Checat, and even my little sis in making choices in the flow of the plot. Thanks for reading and reviewing!
DISCLAIMER: Dun own Slam Dunk.
Before the First Task: Ready Steady Go!
Sendoh had laughed his ass off upon seeing the 'invitation' given to him by Hikoichi Aida. And for the 6th time that day, he pulled it out of his pocket and laughed his ass off. Or what was left of it since he had laughed it off five times prior.
Seeing the crude caveman doodles and the roughly-written, bold, and bloody assortment of what seemed like a code on the face of the perfectly unwrinkled card made Sendoh think that it was a ransom note from an alien who had seen the color red for the first time in its life, but upon closer inspection, he unearthed the well-encoded words ("Oh, they were words!") that surfaced from the mess that was currently making his eyes hurt from the mere redness of it.
He realized that it was a drawing of a person, the face contorted with anger (complete with the vein popping on the temple and the large, seemingly-vulgar mouth), one hand on its hip and the other pointing a finger that mirrored the anger on the face. Underneath, in barely legible handwriting, was "I CHALLENGE YOU!".
Inside, to Sendoh's surprise, was a message that was a big improvement to the cover, but in normal standards was still not so legible. However, due to the absence of scarlet, this was WAAAY less eye-straining and WAAAAY more readable.
Sendoh Akira, it ran, I challenge you to a man-to-man duel. Come to my house at No. XX, YY Street at noon the day after you receive this note. Further details will be disclosed. NO BALLS. Signed, Rukawa Kaede. (AUTHOR: Rukawa Kaede's address will be concealed for privacy reasons. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
At the back of the card, again in red, but now tiny handwriting was Art by Sakuragi Hanamichi.
For the 6th time that day, Sendoh laughed his ass off. Oh, I already said that. Author mutters her apologies.
The spiky-haired boy knew well why Rukawa had challenged him. He knew that Rukawa can't stand being beaten in basketball. Especially if his trip to America was at stake. So he attacks Sendoh from where he couldn't be detected. In other words, Rukawa had finally realized that he could never beat Sendoh in basketball so he challenged Sendoh in a sport apart from basketball. Actually, that 'NO BALLS' comment had at first given him a different and more cough hentai cough impression.
Clever.
So, again, the trip depended on this new challenge.
Sendoh sat back on the comfortable couch and smiled. He must beat Rukawa, if it was the last thing he would do.
"Uh...hi!"
Rukawa felt an unusually large vein pop out of his head. Here was Sendoh, thirty-four minutes late, apparently without an excuse, saying, "Hi". What's he supposed to do, be happy that Sendoh had at least shown up after he, Rukawa, had given up all shreds of hope that he, Sendoh, will come?
Absolutely!
Not.
A gust of wind blew.
A cat meowed.
Sendoh sweatdropped.
Rukawa was still deciding whether he'd be pissed or happy.
Another gust of wind blew.
Another cat meowed.
Sendoh was getting tired of smiling.
Rukawa decided to be pissed, since it was the most logically normal thing to do. He would never admit that he was happy, although part of him went doki doki again when he found Sendoh standing on his doorstep and grinning stupidly.
"Come in," he said, not as coldly as he had intended, but cold enough to be Rukawa.
"DON'T TALK SHIT," Rukawa whispered to Sakuragi, instantly clamping the redhead's mouth shut before he could 'comment' on Sendoh's tardiness.
The rules to the "Rukawa vs. Sendoh Ultimate Challenge" were simple: there would be a total of 11 games and each player has equal chances of choosing the tasks and venue. The games will be decided by drawing lots. The Impartial Judge, Sakuragi, will put in two of his own tasks in the lot and host the Mystery Challenge, which is the eleventh and last task. The player who wins the most number of games wins.
"Why is Sakuragi the Impartial Judge?" Sendoh asked.
Rukawa shrugged. "He hates us both."
Sendoh nodded in understanding. "Oh," he said.
"What's in store for...the winner?" asked Sendoh. He was careful not to say, "me". He already knew that Rukawa would be going to America. But...what if HE won?
Rukawa panicked, but didn't show it. Rukawa hadn't considered that. He was focused on revenge and automatically assumed that Sendoh would lose. His plan wasn't foolproof after all.
Sakuragi didn't care. He was just picking his nose and being distracting. He was there not to support Rukawa but watch as his two enemies kill each other off. Not literally, of course, but he did wish that it was.
Sendoh, with much amusement, could see Rukawa's distress. "I have an idea," he announced, instantly getting his attention. "What about the loser does one thing that the winner asks?"
Rukawa nodded. All the more better. "Good."
Sendoh laughed. "Great!"
Sakuragi slyly chuckled. Either way, he'd definitely LOOOOVE to see one of them lose.
The two raven-haired boys each took four slips of paper from the table. There were two pens, a blue one and a purple one. Rukawa reached for the blue pen but found his hand above Sendoh's. He glared at Sendoh and made a grab for the purple pen, but found his hand below Sendoh's. Both boys pulled their respective hands away quickly, as if they'd just touched something extremely hot.
Sendoh grinned sheepishly. "Eh...you go first, Rukawa-kun."
Rukawa snorted and took the blue pen. His heart was beating very fast, his palm was sweating and his muscles were all tensed. His face remained as calm as ever. No, he was not nervous although he felt a sharp tingle in his spine when he touched Sendoh's hand.
Oooooookaaaaaay. Stop. None of that in my head, Rukawa said to himself, mentally applying liquid eraser to those thoughts. He just put his mind to writing down the tasks he was good in.
The lone redhead watched as the two boys glanced thoughtfully at various parts of the room as they tried to come up with tasks. After careful observation, he could predict when Sendoh and Rukawa had thought of tasks: Sendoh would smile at nothing and write carelessly while Rukawa would shrug and write furiously.
Suddenly, they found their gazes at each other, blue meeting blue in a wistful stare. Sendoh smiled at Rukawa, a smile that was returned with a cold glare. They held their gazes for a while, until Rukawa suddenly looked as if he had a fantastic idea for a task and continued writing down.
But truth be told, he was squirming in Sendoh's cheerful stare.
Sakuragi yawned. He had finished with his tasks and was just waiting for the other two to finish. He mentally chuckled as he cough fantasized cough about the reaction of the two duelists when they find out what Sakuragi has in store for those two. Yes, Sakuragi had a lot of things in store for them. Especially with the last task. Boy, he was going to enjoy this.
At this point, you might be wondering if this fic should be entitled "Sakuragi's Revenge".
Finally, the two boys handed their carefully folded slips to Sakuragi who stretched and yawned first before putting the paper slips into a bag.
Rukawa glared at Sendoh challengingly.
Sendoh gladly accepted the challenge with a smile.
Sakuragi wordlessly shook the bag and took out a random slip of paper.
The two challengers' breaths hitched as Sakuragi, in an agonizingly slow motion, opened the slip.
"Hehe," Sakuragi chuckled, reading the contents of the paper. He knew that he, the Tensai, would be in charge of everything after that. "Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe... NYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" he laughed, imagining how the competition would go.
Rukawa sighed and glared at him as if he wanted to say, "Quit it, ahou, and just read the damn piece of paper or bash your stupid face in." Sakuragi, as much as he wanted to annoy Rukawa more, just shut up and coughed.
"The first task is from Rukawa. Bike racing at ZZ Bike Shop. Friday's good?" (AUTHOR: The name of the bike shop will be concealed for privacy reasons. Tough luck, Rukawa and Sendoh fans. :P)
Rukawa smirked and nodded. He had the upper hand on that one.
Sendoh was in silent agreement with Rukawa. Sure, bikes are common Japanese methods of transportation, but he was not one of those people who rode bicycles. But never mind, he thought, smirking. I'll catch up easily in the other tasks. He thought of the tasks he wrote down on his slips and snickered to himself when he imagined Rukawa in those situations.
Rukawa and Sendoh exchanged stares once more.
I'll beat you, Sendoh, and fly away from here. Finally.
You won't beat me, Rukawa. I sure as hell won't let you leave.
That's right, kill each other off and make my life easier. Ore wa tensai! Nyahahahahahahahaha!
To Be Continued...
Peace.
