Chapter 23: Dethroned

The beginning rounds of the Winter Festival tournament came and went faster than one could blink. Unlike the Winter Cup for basketball, however, the WF tournament is less popular due to the frigid weather runners and spectators often deal with. The races are more closely packed as well as to avoid snow and ice- not that they are common within the cities that the races are held. Touou's all powerful Stride team rocketed to the top in no time at all. They demolished their opponents time after time, however they only pulled out their ace once or twice before the final round. They needed her far less times than they did during the EoS tournament. But each time that they did use her, their team won with unbelievable times. Times far faster than what had been seen during summer. Many decided that it was due to their ace, as the schools they went against were by no means weak. However, it appeared that Tatsumaki was determined to crush everyone and everything in her path to victory.

And indeed she was.

She remembers well Tomio's request for her to bring them her best- her A game if nothing else- as they would be doing the same. She dare not deny the shy boy whom she protected for three long years what he wanted. Not because she doesn't have it in her heart to hold back, but because her pride wouldn't stand for losing. She's the best and that's all there is to it. No one person can beat her at Stride. She is untouchable. The only one who can beat her, is her.

And now she is here, standing in front of her former Captain in the line up for runners. It is the Finals for the WF tournament, the weather is treating them well for now, but the sky is cloudy with the possibility of snow tonight lingering over their heads. She is a little disappointed, seeing as Daiki isn't there with her. Currently he should also be getting ready for his own show down. A round two if you will with none other than Seirin. She wishes she could be there with her boyfriend, cheering him on to victory. But they each have their own battles to fight. Show downs that she knows for a fact will be so hard, that they won't even have time to think of the other when they begin. Given the time span of a race compared to a basketball game, and the distance she has to travel in a train, she may make it by the time they enter the third quarter with any luck.

She closes her eyes, determined. She will not lose today. Not today, not ever.

Akihiko smiles kindly to the smaller girl in front of him, "I'll show you that there's people out there that can beat you. Stride is run by a team, not one person. Tatsumaki, when we win, promise you come to Sakabara Gakuen. Come run with us again".

"Even if I lose, which I won't, I will not," she denies, "I'm of a different breed than you lot. I don't belong with you". Not any more. She will not lose. She bows as instructed by the member of the Stride Association, and leaves her team behind to join Shigeru on the little cart that would be taking them to their starting point. Tatsumaki is silent and stoic, glaring at nothing but the thin air before her even as she gets off the cart and begins to stretch to warm her body up. She does not look at Shigeru nor talk to him, though she knows he would very much love to hold some sort of conversation with her. The line up would be as thus: First Asei, then Hanabusa, then Satoshi and finally Yatsuhiro with Tatsumaki being the anchor. For the other team it is to be Takahashi as their starter, followed by Osamu and Raiden, then Tsuyoshi and Shigeru as the anchor.

As per usual, she pays no mind to the beginning of the race, hearing the announcement for the runners to take their marks, get set and then go. She knows that both Asei and Takahashi take off like bullets, an explosion of speed coming from their frames seemingly at the speed of sound. She knows that the cold wind whips at their ears and causes their throats to dry out far faster than they did in the summer, to cause the snot in their noses to grow cold and uncomfortable and for their eyes to tear up a little due to the sharpness of the breeze they make. She ignores as the announcers dare not say a single thing during this death match, letting the runners fully focus and make certain that if there is anything on the pre-salted roads, that they don't slip on it. She ignores the fact that Sakabara has taken the lead from Touou, racing forward at full throttle. She growls when Hanabusa is forced to run at Osamu's side, neck and neck and shoulder. She silently demands that he push himself harder, throwing away the rational part of her that says he already is pushing himself as hard as he can. Hanabusa never gives anything less than two hundred percent and she knows that. She smirks calmly when Satoshi steals the lead back from Raiden, bursting forth and using all of his skills to lead them to victory.

The crowd around her is quiet and stunned as watching the race is almost like watching a battle. Fast paced and highly capable of getting hurt during, the runners lash out at one another with tricks and movements as though they were actually weapons meant or murder. The whole body is pushed as also like a fight, the run is short lived but just long enough to drain every ounce of energy out of one's person. Everything seems to go in slow motion if you're lucky, and one wrong move leads to loss. Neither team dares to give up the possibility of obtaining victory, as each runner huffs and heaves, breathing like race horses running in a derby. Their bodies lunge forward around curves and over or through gimmicks, forced to think on their feet as the approach either of these things. Slopes tire them out, though they continue forward. Both sides running to win, but for different reasons. One team vowing to bring a long lost friend into the light. The other looking or nothing but glory.

She can hear it, almost, his footsteps. With her eyes closed, she hears Yuji's voice as though he were talking to her in a dark room. A room where she and he are the only ones there, plotting and planning move after move against the enemy. "Tatsumaki," he intones lowly, "Get ready. We're still even after all of this. You need to give it your all". There is no need to tell her a second time. "Three...Two...One...GO!"

Forced to take off at the exact same time as Shigeru, Tatsumaki shoves her legs into over drive, her eyes nothing but forward even as she ricochets off of a wall just to get around a ninety degree curve. She does not even slow down as she takes off from the wall, pushing off with a powerful heave of her leg and touching back down onto the ground as though she had never left it. Unfortunately, Shigeru is right next to her. Her heart hammers with annoyance and confusion and disbelief when his tall frame hovers at her side, having flung around the corner instead of bounced, evening the miniscule distance between them after only a mere minute. With a snarl, she doesn't bother to say anything to him, knowing that he doesn't expect anything in return. Stride isn't a sport where you can talk while you run. If you have the ability to converse, then you're not running hard enough. She basically throws her way down the slope, not caring for the fact that it's rather steep and that should she not slow down or jump over the bottom, she will most certainly damage her knees. She could honestly care less as she forces her body to move even faster.

And by her command, her body complies, shoving away the sensation of exhaustion caused by the amount of speed her muscles are being forced to use. She comes of the slope smoothly, not missing a single beat as she dashes from an angle to a flat plain ahead of her, taking a curve by slowing down and cutting to its sharper point. It gains her distance between herself and Shigure whom looks back over his shoulder in surprise when she makes this motion. However, he doesn't let it bring him down. After all, he has a goal to get to! Both runners transition with the previous racers, leaving them to stop as though having run into a wall, their faces red with exertion and sweat pouring down their faces despite the cool weather and the wind that pulled at their clothing. Even for her, Tatsumaki can feel a trail of salty water prance its way down her spine, telling her silently that she's not moving nearly fast enough if she wants to stay dry through out the whole run platforms of different levels greet them as they come upon the first real gimmick of their run. Each of them varies in length, and between them is a solid metal pole to either step onto in order to cross the gap or drop down between to run under these platforms. Tatsumaki chooses the low road in the center, where the height of the platform is easier to duck under than to jump onto. Dark shadows surround her as she runs through the tunnel, leaping over the barely seen pole in front of her and weaving around the pillars that try to block her way.

However when she emerges, she finds herself a good yard behind Shigeru. It angers her to no end.

But instead of letting her body grow bothered with displeasure and tense with frustration, she forces herself to relax and focus. Focus on her breathing, on the path in front of her, on her goal. Envision victory. Envision crossing the finish line in front of Shigeru. Envision proving him wrong again, further supporting the fact that it is she whom is superior, whom cannot be beaten. Her eyes become settled at half mast, her muscles lax and her features dropping from the dangerous snarl to simply a blank look fire rests in her gaze. As though to depict her entering the Zone, green electricity sparks from her eyes, trailing behind her like the aura of emeralds like a tail. On a new level of energy and power, Tatsumaki crosses the distance between her and Shigeru, and even reverses it. She whips passed him, leaving him behind her as though he had never had the lead in the first place as she steps onto the railing of a bridge and leaps from it to the railing of the road across the creek. She lands with ease, not even pausing as she hits the ground running and continues to throw herself over the hurdles that dare stand in her way. The thick poled ladder that dares defy her is stomped upon by her grace, her feet only touching a rung every five spaces, her stride never shortening and her confidence never even pausing to take a break. As she makes her way around another set of corners, she finds that victory is nearly hers.

Or it would have been. If not for the sudden return of Shigeru. Tatsumaki's eyes widen as shock hits her as though a bullet right to the heart. It turns her strides jerky as she realizes what has happened.

Shigeru has found the way to the Zone.

But she does not let this matter defy her either. Regardless of whether he's found the Zone, she will not lose! Faster. She has to run faster! Not even bothering to think of this fact, she forces again on maintaining the Zone, it being an active chore even for a seasoned user like her. She grunts as she leaps over a guard rail for a road and then runs along a thick pipe used for god know what. Coming to another bridge, she realizes that the goal is near, however she has yet to lose her opponent. With a yowl of determination she demands that her body moves faster, harder. She wears her white teeth as she envisions again her body running through the red finish line tape as it always has. Her heart aches, her legs groan, her ribs whimper for her to stop. Her lungs take in little oxygen, making breathing hard to do, but she pushes forward. Her body is slick with sweat and for the first time in a very long time she feels herself pushed to the brink. Her hands nearly slip as she swings above his head, hitting the ground running through the end of yet another gimmick. However, he quickly negates the distance she put between them again.

Faster. Faster. FASTER. FASTER!

She must win. She must win! SHE MUST WIN! SHE MUST WIN!

And yet, in the back of her head, despite the mantra of 'faster' and 'I must win' echoing in her head with each painful step, with each release of more sweat, with each burning and heaving breath, she cannot help but admit the truth.

Stride truly is the best sport ever.

For the first time in a very long time, her eyes widen as the truth hits her. At the very last second, his larger body weaves around her guard, using his longer limb to pull him beside her and then even faster passed her. His body crosses the finish line before her. Devastation hits as soon as she hits the goal not even one half second behind him.

It feels as though her lungs will collapse if she doesn't keep moving, forcing them to work harder than standing still every could hope to do, and so she cools her body down in hopes of easing herself fully out of the Zone as well as keeping her muscles for straining more than they already have. She can feel it, the familiar aching burn that she had once thought she forgot from pushing herself so hard. The feeling that she may throw up if she doesn't gulp down as much air as she does. The absolute need for water, to sip at it even if not just hold against her person.

"Tatsu-chan," an exhausted voice demands from over the cheering as the announcers recap just what happened from start to finish. It catches her attention, only to see Shigeru's tired body slumped over the smaller frame of Tashihaki and gentle Raiden being practically carried by Izanagi. The formerly mentioned runner along with the others stand behind the Captain and his Vice Captain as they tiredly stand before their former ace. "Tatsu-chan, I just wanted to say that that was the best- and hardest- race I've ever run in my life. Thanks for giving it your all".

The words seem to further concrete the information in her head. "I...Lost," poisonous words seer her mouth even as the familiar steps of her team mates resound behind her.

"Yea, you did," Tashihaki smiles kindly, not one to make his words gentle in this case. "We told you, you'd win. You'd see that it's not just one person who wins the race".

And really, she does. Tatsumaki's eyes close as she smiles ironically. How unfair, to be beaten by the people she dubbed weak and abandoned. Karma at its finest really. With a low sigh, she laughs almost shamefully. "I understand. You guys deserve to stand in the winner's circle". It's been so very long since she last lost. She had honestly forgotten what it feels like. Defeat hurts like an infected stab wound.

Shigeru laughs, his deep voice seeming to echo before her as his brilliant red eyes light up with life. How grateful he is to find that she hasn't been crushed by this one devastating loss. "Thanks. I wish you were standing here with us though"

"Shigeru, the press is really getting annoying. We should go answer questions before any of you pass out. Namely you and Raiden here".

Akihiko's gaze tiredly turns to his relationer, "Okay. You're right Nao". And now his attention goes back to Tatsumaki. With only the energy to bow his head, he smiles as she angles her body to do the same. She has enough energy to stand and move on her own. What an astounding woman. Does that mean that she could run again. Probably not with how her legs are actually trembling ever so slightly and how exhausted she looks- death warmed over really. But the fact that she can stand where as he cannot, even after entering and exiting the Zone, is saying something. "We'll see you around, Tatsu-chan. Thanks for the race, you guys". His words trail their way to the team behind his beloved's back. Following Sora's lead, he slowly makes his way to the waiting press, dreading the questions that are to come his way. Can't they wait until they take a nap or something?

"Thank you," her voice is echoed by the men behind her. She does not turn around until team Sakabara is a fair enough distance away from them. Aiming her gaze at her Captain, she opens her tired mouth to apologize for not bringing them the win.

However, Hanabusa raises his hand, silencing her. Honestly, he's stuck between the desire to punch something and to cry with the result of this race. However, he keeps himself in check. Really, they had tried their damn hardest. Tatsumaki had pushed herself harder than he had ever seen, ghosting over the ground and fluttering through gimmicks at a speed that no one else save for one could match. "Don't say your sorry, Tensai, you did your best". Although it didn't result in them winning, and he knows he's going to get shit from his brother later, he offers the young woman a small nod of approval. "Thank you for going all out. I think we should go home before the paparazzi decide to hunt us down".

Yuji agrees as he steps forward, and takes to Tatsumaki's side, "We'll be going on a different train than you guys since we're not headed to the school. We'll see you in school".

Yatsuhiro pauses, pursing his lips as he sighs. Wait until he tells Misoka about this- the poor guy was off with his parents in America, having transferred schools just before the race. Before Yuji and his friend can leave, he calls out gruffly, "Oi, Tensai". Her looking at him is all he needs to be encouraged to continue. Looking away, Yatsuhiro releases a small sigh. He can see the urge to cry in her eyes. He can't say he blames her. If he weren't so much of a hardass, he would want to cry too. "Get some rest, you dumb ass bitch. I don't wanna see you barely walking around the school half dead. Got it?"

Hearing these words, Tatsumaki nods with a tired and lopsided smirk. "You got it. I'll see you guys around. Good running Asei, Satoshi".

"Have a good night, Tensai-chan," Asei replies smoothly as Satoshi nods once, mismatched eyes watching as she turns away with Yuji at her side. Once the duo is gone, he looks to his beloved Taicho, a frown on his lips, "That was your last run of the year, Taicho. Are you sure you're okay?" It is why he had nearly hurt his knee earlier. The twinge of pain that throbs there is still very much fresh. He'll have to ice it later, but for now he cares not for it.

Hanabusa pauses as he eyes his long time friend, not surprised he sensed the repressed emotions he would like to release. Running a hand through his brown hair, his hazel eyes close than open, resolute. "It was your last run too, Asei. I'll be fine. I'll be running in the adult division next year, so there's plenty more chances to race again. Come on, let's get back home".

(Untouchable)

The train ride was mostly silent save for a few words shared between the two childhood friends. Tatsumaki was far too tired to really say anything- though for love nor money could she fall asleep even with the gentle shifting and rocking of the train cab coaxing her to do so as she sat on a bench- and Yuji only kept on looking at her with a gentle and understanding gaze. He was- is- happy to see the look of defeat on her face. Even as cruel as it sounds, he has been wishing for this day ever since she walked away from Shigeru and the others. The pain that laced her harsh words was all too obvious to him even though it was skillfully and carefully hidden from the others. Having been friends with her for far longer than they have been has its advantages. Now that she realizes that she had lost herself for far too long, maybe she'll pull her head out of her ass and stop skipping training sessions. Working herself to the bone would only make her better, yes, but it would also help her further realize that team work, no matter how strong you are, is a must.

"Yuji," her down trodden voice intones as the train starts up again. The next stop would be their platform to get off on. Noting that she has his attention, she meets his crimson gaze, "...I'm sorry for how bad I've been all this time. It must have been really painful for you to watch me be like that".

Nobuyuki stares her down, red clashing with green, for a good three minutes before releasing a low sigh. He drops his head to his chest, closing his eyes as though to collect his thoughts. He never thought he'd hear those words no matter how soon her defeat came to her. "It was," he admits, "You're more of a sister than just a childhood friend by now. Watching you alienate yourself like that, say things that in the past you dared not to utter, it was like I was constantly being cut by a knife. Honestly I've been cheering for all your opponents all this time". Her dry chuckle causes him to smirk a little himself. "How do you feel?"

"Honestly? I can't stop thinking about those last few moments. Feeling victory slowly ebbing away as Shigeru revealed that he too can enter the Zone, racing against him and trying to shut him down completely, the ache that still pounds in my feet...Even the moment he crossed the finish line before me. It won't leave my head, and I'd be lying if I said it doesn't hurt. I feel like crying, really I do, but I can't. It's like I've been silently and secretly hoping for this day even though I had given up actively to care any more," she replies at length.

Yuji nods. "All of these things are good". Hearing the chime of their station coming up, he stands, "Come on, I'll walk you home". Lord knows she could just lay down and do nothing in the middle of the road if she could at the moment.

"I don't feel like it," she grumbles, "Carry me".

Although he would like to demand that she carry herself on her own two feet, something he's told her to do before, Nobuyuki relents and crouches to let the girl clamor onto his back. After shifting her warm body around, he thanks his lucky stars that he works out because carrying a compact muscle covered girl all the way to her house wouldn't be possible if he didn't. "Let's go then," he allows.

(Untouchable)

She doesn't really do anything through out the rest of the day. She had texted Daiki that she wouldn't make it to his match due to certain circumstances. She's more than aware that he'd be annoyed and disappointed, but Yuji had gone to support his cousin's team in her stead. He said he wouldn't tell Aomine anything, but instead just pass on the invitation of visiting her to him. She has been watching and rewatching the same movie for the passed six hours. Though she has yet to actually look at the scenes or even hear the dialog. Instead, she merely let her mind replay that morning and afternoon over and over again to its heart's content.

And she would have continued to do so if it weren't for the knock on the door. Getting up despite her aching muscles, Tatsumaki answers the door almost too slowly for even her lethargic self's liking. However, she is surprised to see her frowning and down trodden boyfriend in front of her. As per the winter dress code, he's bundled himself up to keep his probably still warm muscles from cramping or just throwing a fit from having contact with the cold air. The two stare at one another, both their faces blank and seemingly unfeeling. There is no scowl on his features, it replaced by a blank mask that makes him actually look his age rather than older due to the etches caused by the usual rough expression he wears. Hers has also been smoothed out, this she knows, the tips in her normal expression going from welcoming friendliness to blank disappointment.

"I lost/So I lost," the two intone together unintentionally. Although both of their eyes widen upon realizing the news from the other. Aomine is the first of the two to continue as she silently invites him in, tired of letting the cold air attack her uncovered knees. "Tetsu and that Kagami really kicked my ass".

"And I lost against my former team mates from middle school," she grumbles back with a low sigh. "Are you okay?"

"I can't stop thinking about it. You?"

"It won't leave me alone," she replies, "So no, I can't stop thinking about it either". The silence that surrounds them now is not tense or dark at all, but rather bored with their own reactions to losing and ready to move on. Their minds and bodies however are not. "Do you want to spend the night maybe?"

"...Sure"

(Untouchable)

They had agreed to try and watch the movie that Tatsumaki has told to play all the way through for the fourth time. While it was going through the beginning, a portion that personally she doesn't like, she makes them both cups of hot chocolate. This liquid warmness gently keeps her both energized and warm at the same time, which she appreciates. Her eyes linger on the screen in front of her, not bothering to look to the side in the slightest. At least, not until Daiki decides to grip her attention.

"Oi, Tatsumaki".

"Hmm?"

"Can I tell you something I've been thinking about for a while now? You don't have to reply, just listen". He's going to do this. It's either now or never. Certainly it's probably a bad idea to do it when he and she just got crushed by karma but it's either they do it then and there or he gets too scared and backs off, acting as though he wasn't going to say anything in the first place. Seeing her slow and curious nod makes him pause, his heart suddenly pounding in his chest as though he were playing video games. "You know, I found you really weird at the beginning of the year. I thought you were loud and annoying. Another Satsuki that I was paired up with. But instead, I got you, someone completely different. You only got weirder when you did research on me, and when you talked to me about boobs as though they were no big deal". He pauses, taking in bits and pieces of the movie, before turning to her again. "And then we played basketball and raced. You even made bets with me during that ball game. I hung around you more often, and I actually found myself liking you. I was pretty pleased when you invited me to the festival. And then we started dating. I know we haven't been together for long, but I'm just gonna come out and say it".

Looking into her eyes as he moves closer, setting aside his warm drink, Aomine takes either hand of Tensai's hands. "Tensai Tatsumaki...I love you". There, he said it. With that off of his chest, he only feels a little lighter than he figured he'd feel compared to when he had been holding back. This causes him to frown a little. Does that mean he has to ask for an answer? Or maybe he unknowingly knows of the rejection he'll get.

However, Tatsumaki doesn't give him one as her heart stops in her chest for ever so slight the moments. Her eyes widen from half mast, having been like that since her return from the train station. Her heart hammers once in its prison as though readying for a race as she looks at him. She searches his eyes, his face, his entire being even for some sort of lie. However, she finds none. And it is then that she realizes the truth. It hits her like a tsunami, and to be honest- though it is a bit foolish and naïve- she doesn't need to think about whether she returns his feelings. Something tells her that she has for a long time, and it's only his confession to her that ignites the fires that burns solely for him. Moving ever closer to the young man, she takes his face into her hands and stares into those lovely midnight blues. She brings their lips together in a long, meaningful kiss. It is slow and gentle as their mouths move together, his arms coming to wrap around her and pull her into his lap without breaking the embrace. Her nerves jump this way and that as she enjoys his mouth against her own. There are no tongues involved, nor heated touches. Just...Them.

When the kiss breaks due to them needing air, she continues to hold his visage and smiles her first smile of the day. It is not bright nor worth one million dollars. Nor is it so wide that it could split her face in half. Instead, it is a calm and gentle smile- endearing even. "...I love you too, Aomine Daiki"

Silence follows, and then another slow and meaningful kiss as Daiki leans back into the bottom cushions of the couch. He ignores the movie as his girl lay on top of him, coaxing him to swap spit with her longer.

If there's one thing the two of them can agree on despite their harsh losses that night, it's that on this night- one which had turned their harsh worlds upside down- the best moment of their lives has been formed. They've found someone whom loves them despite their flaws. What more could they ask for?