Bandages

The Calm Before the Storm

The Muse Sway

Disclaimer: Do not own any of these cool characters EA Sports Big does so…. Don't sue!

Mac let her forcefully pull them towards the party feeling somewhat confused by the over all situation. He had no idea what to feel, think or act. He wasn't exactly sure if he understood the feelings that overwhelmed..

Peak Three

Mac laid in bed thinking to himself what exactly was going on. At first he was sure that he wanted to engage in a relationship with Allegra and yet here he was lying down on his bed in the middle of the night, having second thoughts. Mac tossed and turned trying to figure out what was going on in his head and why it had to be happening when Peak Three was about to start.

Mac awoke feeling anything but rested even if it wasn't a tournament day he didn't have a good night sleep and he had to relocate just like the other boarders up to peak three. Mac lazily got up and headed towards the shower which woke him up a bit but he still felt lethargic. Mac had started to pack, just for him to remember to continue, before he left his room towards breakfast. He arrived their feeling awkward but didn't felt as bad when he saw others looking just as wasted and exhausted as he did. Mac ate with Allegra and Griff once in a while zoning out of their conversations about board wax and the party the previous night.

Around mid-day Mac finished packing his bags, placed everything he had bought in his new luggage. Things that he had always owned had been carefully placed in his luggage and bags. He had about three suitcases and two duffle bags when he was done.

" This is Mariah at the service desk how may we help you?" the young woman asked. Mac stood quiet for a couple of seconds forgetting why he called when he finally remembered.

"Uhh, yeah I want someone to come pick up my luggage." he said with great phone etiquette.

"Is that all sir?" the woman asked, as she typed on her computer the request.

"Yeah, better make it two." he added in quickly as he glanced back at his packed belongings.

"All righty then, two bellhops at room 307, thank you Mr. Fraser and have a nice day." she ended as Mac heard a click and hanged up the phone.

After a whiles wait. The two bellhops arrived and helped carried his luggage to the lobby. On his way there he admired the hotel taking it the beautifully crafted windows knowing he wouldn't be back for a while. As he passed the hall he spotted his friend Kaori down the corridor outside on a balcony. He stopped suddenly as he wondered why she was standing there alone.

"Sir, is there a problem, sir?" the young man asked with a heavy Brooklyn accent. Mac turned to face him and his fellow employee struggling to keep a firm grip on his luggage.

"No, there's nothing, how bout you guys go on ahead, I'll meet you at the lobby." he said as he gripped tightly on one the straps of his duffle bag he was carrying. He slowly walked up towards the balcony the great big windows and glass doors illuminating the hall. He stepped outside it was a cloudy day and he stood there staring at Kaori as she looked about not paying any attention to him. He then started to observe his surroundings as well, trying to figure out what was she looking at. After a couple of moments he realized it was the same balcony he and Allegra was, where they drank coke and discussed about boarding together. Mac then poke Kaori behind her back, slightly pushing her forward causing her to loose balance. Kaori jumped up and turned around to see Mac standing their behind her.

"Oh MAC-kun, you scared me!" she cried as she had a hand on her chest and slapped him on the arm with the other. Mac looked down at her trying not to laugh as she looked truly upset.

"Oh come on, it's not big deal." he said as he shoved her on her shoulder . Kaori crossed her arms and tilted her head as she nodded and turned back around. Mac watched her for a couple of more minutes then finally got the courage to ask her. " Um, Kaori why are you standing here anyways?" he asked as he began to look around again as she did. Kaori turned around and smiled softly.

"Oh I just wanted to take up the memory of this place." she said as she put her hands behind her back and began to twist in place.

"Really, why do you want to remember this place?" he asked as he looked around with renewed interest. Kaori put a finger to her mouth and looked up as she pondered. Finally she spoke up.

"Oh, it's nothing really, this place holds an important memory to me, I've rearned a lot from it." she said as looked around some more. Mac looked up around as well when he finally found himself looking back at her.

"That's cool, ….. is that it?" he asked not really paying attention to his reply. Kaori blushed and grinned as she put her hands behind her back once more her right foot digging into the solid ground.

"I-I also told Viggo that we leave together…" she said as she tried to keep eye contact with him but she kept looking down instead. Mac felt his body temperature raise immediately as he knew he was blushing as hard as she was.

"Oh really, heh, I didn't know that..well I guess I'll see you later right." he said as he started to step backwards towards the lodge. Kaori nodded and waved as he continued to step backwards, him, already inside as he waved back to her before he turned heel and headed towards the lobby.

.0.0.0.0.

Mac was more than happy to reach peak three. It consisted of the hardest courses. Gravitude final heat wasn't going to be held until the second to the last day of the tournament. This time however each person had two practice runs on the Gravitude considering it was the roughest course on the mountain. The new lodge wasn't as comfy as the last one. It was high up, in the mountain and it felt more like a futuristic military base. Everything seemed to look technological advanced. The most impressive part of the lodge was the cafeteria which had wall like, foot thick glass windows that on a clear day you would see the magnificent view of the mountain. The overall feeling left you feeling anxious and unnerving. It was no longer dull and boring the mid time blues were long gone and the competitive mood overwhelmed everyone. Mac arrived in his room, which was big and a bit more comfortable then the rest of the lodge. Until he arrived in his bathroom and wasn't sure if he liked it until he checked the six fancy shower heads and figured this lodge might not be that bad.

He awoke the next morning around 4 am to the sound of howling winds. Mac lied in his bed for a couple of minutes listening to the howling winds letting them slowly sing him to sleep until he realized that perhaps they might still be there during his races. Mac lied their for a couple of seconds day dreaming about snowboarding in bad weather. He slowly fell back asleep dreaming of boarding through the Intimidator all going well until he reached the last part where it all feel apart and he kept seeing his friends getting smashed by falling trees yet when he kept glancing back they were still alive. Mac awoke the next morning he was sweaty and he had no idea why, other than the affects of his dreams.

He awoke and made his way to the cafeteria and luckily the storm had stopped. When he arrived at the cafeteria, it wasn't as crowded as the other lodges. He entered and the lady greeted him as she checked his name and pointed him towards the direction where it was apart of the sitting area that had signs that read SSX "Competitors and Staff." Mac made his way towards their area where some people sat holding menus and other sat with food eating and engaging in conversation. Mac stood as he stood there looking where to sit when he saw Allegra smiling at him as she waved her arm to get his attention. Mac smiled as he made his ways towards Allegra the closer he got however he noticed that she was with Viggo and when he was just feet away he noticed the small frame of Kaori hidden behind Viggo as she sat next to him near the window. Mac sat across Kaori and next to Allegra. He gave his best fake smile as he tried to soak in the situation. He wasn't used to sitting next to his girlfriend yet sitting across from his friend who was a girl.

"I'm glad you made it I was starting to worry." Allegra said as she placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him a bit.

"Yeah now since you are here we can now get to ordering our breakfast." Viggo said in a friendly yet off tone. He then raised his hand and pointed towards his table. " Waitress you may now serve us!" he yelled out as a woman turned to them nodded.

" I wished you would of told me if you planed on eating all together." Mac let out as he tried to stifle a yawn.

"You are so cute…".Allegra said as she turned to him and kissed him on the check. Mac blushed as he stared at Kaori as she just stared back with a soft smile.

" What would you like madam?" the waitress voice interrupted the moment as a piercing blade. Mac had no realization that she was already taking down their orders. Allegra looked up and back down to her menu.

"Oh it's my turn…um okay.." she started Mac and Kaori both slowly slid their hands towards their menus and opened them. Mac looked down at the menu once in a while looking back up at Kaori who seemed to doing the same thing. Mac smiled as they both caught each other looking at one another. She giggled as she kept on reading her menu. Mac took a quick glance at Viggo who seemed to be checking out the waitress and Allegra who was having a hard time ordering. He then looked back at Kaori who was now turning red as she continued to look at her menu. Mac all of a sudden cleared his throat which caught Kaori's attention she then looked up and he smiled as he whispered really low barely loud enough for her to listen.

------------ -- -- "Hi, how are you?"

Kaori looked at him perplexedly. Mac grinned as he put his menu up on the table and bent down hiding behind it from the others. Kaori looked at the others and did the same.

"Hi, I'm Mac Fraser…though I'd never thought to see the day when I would be eating breakfast across from you." Kaori giggled.

" Ohayou Mac-kun I'm Nishadake Kaori, but you may call me Kaori." she answered back to him.

"Ah it's so nice to meet you all over again… so should we act like we know each other or continue to let these two think that we're just associates." he said as he tilted his head towards their direction. Kaori looked up and put her hand under her chin over acting herself as thinking.

"Hmm..I think….we ……should…let them see us be ourselves. Like we always do." Mac grinned opening his mouth to answer when suddenly Allegra took away his menu revealing him inches away from the table.

"Oh there you are…hey it's your turn to order." she said as she tried to see Kaori still behind her menu. Mac sat up as he glanced over his menu which he grabbed back from Allegra thinking what to order when he just shrugged and finally looked up at the waitress.

"Uhh is there a Breakfast Special or something?" the lady nodded. " Oh good I'll take that." he said as he looked back down at Kaori.

"Yes, sir, now only if the little madam would like to give her order." the waitress smiled as she waited for Kaori. Kaori slowly decided to rise from behind her menu looking slightly pink from embarrassment.

"Hmm I knew you'd pop up sooner or later.." Viggo let out while he looked at her his head propped up with his hand and elbow. He smiled as he patted her back for comfort. Kaori nodded and grabbed her menu looked down and started to scan through it. She closed her eyes for a second taking a deep breath before opening them once again.

"French toast, sausage, bacon and orange juice…oh and biscuit." she added in as she smiled feeling better.

"Thank you madam….……………um if you would please sign this I would be most grateful." and she held a small card with Kaori in front and handed to her. Kaori smiled as she took the card and pen from the waitress. "It's for my younger sister, she is such a big fan of yours Ms. Nishadake." Kaori signed her name with little hearts and gave it back to the waitress who grabbed it and carefully put it back in her shit pocket before taking off.

Breakfast went well as they ate in nice conversation. Mac was happy his breakfast was Belgium waffles, with blueberry toppings and milk. They all had a decent breakfast and an almost perfect morning till Allegra shifted the atmosphere with one nice question.

"So…now VIGGO, are you and Kaori… a……...couple now?" she said it so loud and slowly it was to obvious for neither one to ignore. He held his breath in, in just mere shock that she had the decency to ask that question yet he was also excited for he wanted to know the same thing. Viggo and Kaori looked at each other as they both looked like they were about to crack up.

"Ah-ha. Of course not, I mean me and Kaori are just like friends that are just getting to know one another..better, that is." he said as he shifted in his seat. Allegra perked a brow as she glanced at Mac who was not sure what to think about that answer.

"Soooo that's a no then, huh?" she said as she took another bite from her pancakes.

"Hai, Aregra-san." Kaori said as she nodded her smile looked weary. Mac let out a sigh of release as he closed his eyes.

Mac went to bed feeling even exhausted even though he didn't race any events however he did practice the Perpendiculous twice before the end of the day. He was more than happy to race to get his mind off things. Somehow the pressure was starting to build. He went to bed lying their for a couple of minutes trying to collect himself for he needed to be in his best condition for the rest of Peak Three.

.: Okay, so this was a long chapter again. Haha and it was more like a long dulling chapter but just like the title Peak Three is the hardest to get through. Read and Review. Thanks :.