Fresh Tricks

By Mrs. Strata

CRUNCH! Kento bit down on his nashi, loudly enjoying his morning snack. "Hey Cye, you gonna come help at the restaurant again this weekend?" he asked. "Mom and Dad would love it if you'd come – so would the customers. So would I."

Cye laughed. "Sure Kento, as long as I don't have a lot of school work."

"Great!" Kento looked around the group walking to school. "I take it Rowen slept in again?" he smirked, noticing they were a member short.

"I guess so," Ryo yawned. "Geesh, I don't know why I'm so tired. Guess I shouldn't have been up so late studying last night."

"Well, I don't think Rowen will miss school," Sage commented. "We start our major chemistry lessons today. We also get paired up. I, of course, will be with Miss Yasu."

Kento nearly choked on the last of his fruit. "After the way she brushed you off? I don't think so."

Sage scowled. "That was a minor problem. She just doesn't realize that I'm the heart-throb of Han`a High. Once she does, she's as good as mine."

"Oh yeah?" Kento asked, trying to keep from laughing with Ryo and Cye. "Then why don't you tell her that?"

Sage turned around to see Venus walking a few feet behind them, engrossed in a book. So engrossed in fact, that she looked about ready to run into a telephone pole in front of her.

"Hey!" Sage yelled, trying to warn her. When she didn't stop, he reached out and grabbed her away. Instead of the grateful "thank you" he was expecting, he was met with an angry frown, and a rough push out of his embrace.

"How dare you grab me like that, you, you, pervert!" Venus cried. Ryo and Cye covered their mouths in an attempt to his their loud fits of laughter. Kento was leaned up against the brick wall of the school, his shoulders shaking.

"What?! No, that's not what I-" stammered Sage, beginning to blush. "I mean, I was trying to keep you from hitting the telephone pole..."

"You dolt, do you think I didn't know there was a telephone pole there?! I've been walking these streets all my life! And if I hadn't remembered, Selena would have warned me!"

"Selena?" Sage looked around, seeing no one else nearby.

Venus gave him a look of disgust. "Yes, Selena," she said, pointing to the top of the brick wall. Safe and the others looked up to see Selena walking along the top of the ten foot barrier.

"Hey there, Blondie," she said, crouching down. Her gaze shifted to Cye. "And hello Blue-eyes." She gave Cye a wink. Cye blushed and looked at the ground, managing a shy hello in return. Selena chuckled a little.

Venus closed her book, still upset. "I will thank you, Date-san," she snapped, poking Sage in the chest, "to not go about playing hero. I can take care of myself just fine." With a flip of her braid she turned around and started walking again.

"She called him Date-san," chortled Kento, holding his sides. Sage threw him an angry glance. He was about to argue with Kento, when Rowen rushed around the corner at high speed. Fast enough, that he didn't see Venus ahead of him, and promptly smashed into her.

"Damn it! I'm so sorry!" he apologized quickly, gathering his spilled papers and books. Sage crossed his arms over his chest with a smile, expecting Rowen to get the same cold reaction he had. Instead, Venus smiled and bent down to help him.

"That's alright. You must be in quite a hurry." She handed him his history book and Sage's jaw dropped. Venus returned the last of Rowen's stuff. "Here you go." With another smile, she said good-bye and started walking again. Rowen turned around to see Kento, Cye, and Ryo, practically rolling on the ground with laughter.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"N-nothing, Rowen," Ryo gasped. "Nothing at all."

Sensei Kuri smiled at the students talking busily in her history class. She was not harsh or demanding as some of the other teachers, but instead believed that learning should be enjoyable, not just memorized facts. Tapping her bamboo cane on the desk, she drew everyone's attention.

"I have an important announcement to make, students. Today I will be assigning you with a history project that will be a fourth of your grade." A groan went around the room. "However, since doing all the normal studies would be tedious, not to mention uninteresting, I have come up with an alternate plan. I'm pairing each of you into groups of two and allowing you the opportunity to make a presentation on your favorite world history." This time an almost shout of joy came from the group of kids. Kuri's smile widened, "I'll begin naming your partners, now. You will have until after New Year's to complete the project."

Ryo tried to listen as she began naming people off, but he was worried about something. He really wanted to do a piece on American history, but none of his classmates were as interested in it as he was. If he was paired with one of them, the fun of the project would be lost.

"And Mr. Sanada," Ryo held his breathe for what seemed to be a long moment while she named his partner, "...you will be working with Miss Yasu." Ryo frowned a little. The new girl? She probably had no interest in American history. "Now, I'll let you get up and talk with your partner on what you'll be doing."

Venus bit her lip. Paired with a guy? Yeah, that would be fun. She sighed and got up, shyly making her way to his desk. "Um, hi."

"Hey," Ryo greeted, smiling. She wasn't so bad. At least he wasn't paired with some giggling bubble head like Ayako. "So, we're working together, huh? Hold on, let me get you a chair." He turned around and grabbed the one Yukio was about to sit on.

"Hey, Ryo!" Yukio cried as he fell flat on the floor. "I need that."

"Ah, come on Yukio, you don't want Miss Yasu to be the one on the floor, do you?"

Yukio smiled. "I'll get you for this, Ryo."

Ryo shrugged. "Anytime." He pulled the chair around for Venus. "Here you go."

"Thank you, Mr. Sanada," said Venus, having a seat.

"You can call me Ryo."

Venus nodded. "Can I make a suggestion on what country?" she asked.

"Sure."

"Well," she blushed a little, unsure of what he would say, "I was hoping maybe we could do America. I mean, if you don't want to, that's fine-"

"America?" asked Ryo incredulously, cutting her off.

Venus' blush deepened. "I know, it's stupid. I shouldn't have even brought it up-"

"No, no," Ryo said cried. "It's not that. I mean, you like American history?"

"Well, I like American stuff in general. They're such a fascinating culture."

"Me too!" Ryo said excitedly. "This is so neat. I didn't know any one else liked it as much as I do."

Venus smiled, just as thrilled. "Neither did I! So this means we'll be doing something on American history then?"

"You bet!" The two talked non-stop about the project through class and by the time it was over, they had struck a long-lasting friendship.

"Why don't you eat lunch with my friends and I?" Ryo invited as they walked out of class together.

"I'd like that, thanks!" Venus said. "Can Selena come with us?"

"Sure. Do you know where we sit?" Venus nodded. "Then I'll see you at lunch. Jaa mata!" The two went their separate ways.

"Venus is sitting with us?!" Sage asked, setting his tray down. "How did you manage to do that?!"

Ryo shrugged. "She's a lot of fun to talk to. On our way out I just asked her."

Kento chuckled. "Looks like you better watch out Sage, Ryo's getting to her before you."

Sage threw a fry at Kento. "Not funny."

"Well, at least you won't have to compete with Rowen," said Kento, pointing to him, buried in his book. "He wouldn't know if a pretty girl sat at this table when he's busy with his first love."

"In the words of Sage, 'Not funny'," Rowen said, looking up. "I just like to read, okay? Last time I checked, that was still legal." Their banter was interrupted by Venus and Selena appearing at the table.

"Hi, Ryo," Venus greeted, sitting down next to him.

"Hello Venus."

Selena ignored the empty seat next to Venus, instead walking over to Cye and Kento. "Move it, Dough Boy," she snapped at Kento. "I want to sit by Blue-eyes." Cye's cheeks flushed with color. Kento looked at her with an annoyed expression.

"And just who told you, you could do that? I don't seem to recall inviting you to sit with us."

"I did, Kento," Ryo broke in.

"That's right," said Selena. "Now move before I remove you myself."

"Excuse me?!" laughed Kento, standing up. "I'd love to see you try."

"Please, Selena," Venus moaned. "Don't start this again."

"Okay, I will fatso." Selena picked up an orange off Kento's plate. "Go fetch boy!" She threw it across the cafeteria.

"HEY!" Kento shouted. He took off towards the direction of the fruit.

Selena chuckled. "It's just too easy." Venus sighed, as Ryo, Rowen, and Sage laughed out loud. Selena sat down next to Cye, smiling. "Hi there again."

"Um, uh, hello," Cye stammered.

"You don't talk much, do you?" asked Selena.

"Uh, well, it's just that, well, I mean, it's nice that you want to sit by me and all..."

"Who wouldn't, doll? You just so kawaii!" Cye was about as red as the nashi Kento had eaten that morning. "My name's Selena. And yours?"

"Cye. Cye Mouri."

"Cye. I like that name." Selena continued to talk to him, despite the fact that she was getting only stuttered answers. Venus breathed a small sigh of relief. At least she hadn't taken to beating up Kento, as she'd been known to do with other guys. Kento returned, scowling at Selena before taking his seat – no longer by Cye.

"So, Venus, how do you want to do this project?" asked Ryo, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"I'm not sure. We're allowed to present it anyway we want, right? That leaves a lot of room for creativity. How about we get together tomorrow or Friday? I have a bunch of American books that might help."

"Great! Why don't you come over to my house? I live just a couple blocks from the school. You can walk home with me tomorrow, if you want."

Venus nodded, and took a drink of her soda. She glanced at Rowen, still reading his book. Gently, she tipped up the cover a little to see the title.

"'Tale of Genji'. I read that story. It was sad."

Rowen looked up and smiled. "Yes, it is, in parts. I should apologize again for running into you. I need to just set my alarm earlier."

"It's okay, really," laughed Venus. "If Selena and I didn't have each other to wake us up, we'd never make it to school." Rowen and Ryo laughed with her.

Sage listened to her talk with Rowen about the book, as he sprinkled salt on his fries. He was ready to kill them for making such an easy acquaintance with Venus, when he couldn't even get her to call him by his first name. Damn it, what does it take to get her? he wondered. He enviously watched Venus lean closer as Rowen pointed out one spot in the book, her hand on his shoulder. Ryo joined the two, making a note of another place in the story. Ryo. How in the hell had he managed to get her over to his house?! Sage's furious thoughts were interrupted by Kento clearing his throat.

"Uh, Sage?"

"What?" he snapped.

"Um, don't you think that's enough salt, man?"

Sage looked down to see he'd been pouring salt on his food the entire time he had been thinking. Now his fries were drowned in a swirl of snowy crystals. "Aw, geesh! Now what am I supposed to do?" The lunch bell gave a shrill ring, telling him that it didn't matter, because now it was time to get back to class.

"I'll see you later, Venus," Ryo said, standing up with the others.

"Okay- wait!" She took a piece of paper out of her school case and quickly wrote something down on it. "Here's my phone number. If you get any ideas for the project, you can give me a call." Cye and Kento covered their mouths to hide their laughter at Sage's dismayed expression.

"I'll do that. Thanks." The group wandered off to their separate classes.

"Please, Ryo!" Sage begged, walking in front of his friend as they made their way home. "Pllleeeaaasssee!"

"No."

"Ryo, come on, you have to!"

Ryo raised an eyebrow. "I have to?" He shook his head. "No, Sage. I'm sorry, but I'm not giving you Venus' phone number."

Sage frowned and turned around. "Fine, don't share. Keep her all for yourself," he pouted. Cye giggled. Sage looked incredibly child-like when he was this upset.

Rowen sighed. "Sage, Ryo just got her number because they're working on a project together. She is nice though, isn't she?" he asked, almost to himself.

Sage glared at Rowen. "And just what does that mean? Don't tell me you like her too? She's mine." Rowen looked to the ground, mumbling a "no". Ryo, growing more irritated with Sage's outright tantrum, spoke up in Rowen's defense.

"Hey, I don't see your name on her anywhere. And you keep this attitude up, and she's gonna keep shunning you."

Sage didn't say anything to Ryo in retort, instead crossing his arms over his chest. Kento, also sulking in silence, finally spoke.

"I can't believe that girl, Selena. What a bi-"

"Kento," Ryo warned.

"Well it's true! She threw my orange all the way to the other side of the cafeteria, making me chase it. And then her dumb crush on Cye! He doesn't even like her! Do you, Cye?"

"Well..." Cye trailed off, blushing a little. "I think she's interesting. I wouldn't mind getting to know her better."

Kento scowled. "What could she possibly have that I don't?"

"You mean besides being the opposite sex?" Ryo asked with a smile.

"She does have a WAY better figure," joked Rowen. He ducked as Kento threw a punch at him.

"That's not funny!"

"Kento, you don't need to be jealous of her," said Cye. "We've been friends since we were babies. A girl isn't going to change that."

"I'm not jealous of her!" Kento cried. Rowen, Ryo, and Cye exchanged a grin. "I'm NOT!"

Cye shook his head a little. "Okay Kento, whatever you say. Do you want me to just stay over this weekend when I come to work at the restaurant?" Kento's mood lightened.

"Sure. I'll ask Mom. I don't think she will mind." The rest of the group fell into silence. Ryo turned off down his road first, then Cye and Kento. Sage and Rowen were left to finish their walk together. Suddenly, Sage let out a sigh and spoke up.

"Look, I'm sorry."

Rowen, surprised that Sage was still speaking to him, turned to look at him. "About what?"

"About losing it earlier."

Rowen smiled. "It's okay. I know how much winning Venus over means to you. Besides," he waved his hand, as if he was brushing away her memory. " I was just remarking that she's friendly."

Sage nodded in agreement. He looked up and realized they had come to his turn off already. "I'll see you tomorrow, Rowen," he said, stepping off the sidewalk.

"Jaa mata!" Rowen called.

Sage didn't have far to go to reach his home. The traditional dojo, attached to a more American looking house, stood out like a sore thumb among the other homes in this area. He stopped in front of the dojo entrance, then changed his mind and decided to come in through the house. "Mom!" he yelled.

"In the kitchen!" she yelled back. Sage passed the hall and walked into the kitchen, catching the smell of something cooking. At the island in the middle, stood a woman bent over a cookbook. Gwen Date looked up as Sage entered, smiling at him with bright, violet eyes.

"Hello, honey! How was school?" She pushed a strand of golden hair out of her face.

"Okay, I guess," answered Sage, having a seat at the island. Gwen handed him on of the carrots she'd been slicing.

"Only okay? I thought you took more interest in school than that."

"I did. Until she came along."

"She?"

"Venus. The new girl I told you about. I've used every trick in the book and she still won't have anything to do with me!"

Gwen smiled and shook her head. "Just like your father. Thinking you can have anyone you want."

"Well what is there not to like about me?!" asked Sage. "I've got the looks, I'm popular, I"m good at sports-"

"Sage dear, sometimes a girl wants more than that."

"Like what?!"

Gwen shook her head again. Although Sage looked like her, he most definitely had his father's attitude. "Aren't you supposed to get dressed for practice?" she asked, changing the subject.

Safe shrugged. "I guess. Where is Dad anyway? I thought for sure he'd come in and yell at me for stopping to talk to you first."

"He's in the dojo with a student. Such a cockroach husband," muttered Gwen.

Sage tried not to smile at the Japanese term for a lazy spouse she'd picked up from one of her friends. "Well, I guess I'll get my practice gi on and wait for him."

"Alright. And don't let him work you too hard – you've got homework you have to do yet!"

Sage stared for a moment at the stack of bricks in front of him. He took a step back and bowed.

"Hiiiyaaaa!" In a single movement, his hand came down on the stone, crushing through it like stale cookies. He pulled his hand back, rubbing it a little. "It still stings," he said to a Japanese man standing in front of him. His father, Michio, frowned.

"How many times do I have to tell you boy, don't use your arm!" he said firmly. "Try again."

"Yes, sir," Sage stacked more bricks, and once again cut through them. "That went better."

Michio wasn't impressed. "Do it again." Sage sighed and did as he had been told.

"Again."

After about five more rounds of Sage breaking through the bricks, his father seemed satisfied. "Alright. Now we work with the swords." Michio left the room, while Sage cleaned up.

"Again, again," Sage grumbled. "I did fine the first time. It just stung a little, that's all."

"What was that, boy?" Sage looked up to see his dad back in the room.

"Nothing."

"Good. Here." Michio handed Sage a wooden practice sword. "Bow, and attack," he instructed. Sage bowed, then lunged at his father. As they went around the room, dodging blow, Sage's mind wandered to thoughts of Venus. How could he get her to at least go out with him? What had Mom meant when she said girls wanted more? he wondered. Didn't he already have everything it took to be liked?

"SAGE!"

Sage snapped out of his thinking, in time to see his father charging at him.

"Stop your day-dreaming, boy! It can cost you your life in battle!" Sage tried to block the oncoming impact, but he was too late. A sharp blow to the back of his knees brought him to the ground. His father turned him over, placing the sword under his chin and lifting it a little. "What were you thinking about?" he demanded. "You were supposed to be here with me, working!"

"Sorry, Dad," Sage panted. His back was killing him, and his left knee – the one that had received the brunt of the attack – was throbbing. "I was thinking about a girl at school."

"A girl?" His father removed the sword and bent down to help Sage up. "Well, that is something I can forgive you for. Girls and fighting. The two most important things in life. Who are you thinking of? Is she good-looking?"
Sage massaged his shoulder. "Her name is Venus. Yes, she's very good-looking. But she won't go out with me. That's what I was thinking about."

"What?! Why will she not go out with you?! No girl in her right mind would turn my son down!"

"Perhaps because she's not as shallow as some of the other girls Sage knows," Gwen said from the doorway. She held a dishtowel in one hand and a scowl on her face. "Quit filling Sage's head with this crap about him being perfect. You'll end up making him into what you are!"

"And what would that be, wife?" Michio snarled.

"A self-centered, egotistical, half-witted, lazy, jerk!"

"Hurrmmp! That's better than being some American boy, like you want him to be!"

"Only in your eyes dear! Sage, you're done with practice for tonight. Go upstairs and take your shower, then start your homework."

"Yes, Mother," Sage bowed to his father, before leaving the room, and his parents' bickering.

Pushing in the knob for the water, Sage stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist. He turned his back to the mirror, pushing a lock of hair out of his eyes. Feeling along his back, he winced as he found the bruise, just above his right shoulder. "Damn it, Dad," he muttered. "Bruise me up with that practice and my chanced with Venus aren't any better." He needed to look his best, after all. He pulled another towel off the rack to dry his hair. After a few minutes of hanging the golden fluff upside down, he flipped his head back up and hung the towel around his neck. He moved out of the bathroom and to his room, rummaging through his dresser for PJ's. Afterwards, he sat on his bed, and opened his history book. Turning to the stereo beside him, he put on his favorite group and started working. Later, as he was just finishing his last book for the night, he heard a soft knock on his door. "Come in, Mom," he called, knowing it was her, just because she knocked. Gwen walked in the room, carrying a small stone box, with a pain ointment inside.

"I thought you might like me to put some of this on your back. I saw what happened at practice today."

Sage nodded. "I shouldn't have been thinking about other things. I'm supposed to stay focused."

Gwen sat down behind her son and dipped her fingers into the jar. "I think sometimes he pushes you too hard. You're quite good for someone your age."

"But there's always someone better than me out there. I have to keep up with the practicing." He jerked back slightly as his mother rubbed the cold salve into his back. Soon thought, it gave way to the warmth of her hands and Sage relaxed.

"There will always be someone out there better than you, Sage. You have to remember that."

Sage shrugged. He thought again about the comment his mother had made that afternoon. "Mom?"

"Hmmm?"
"What did you mean... about Venus wanting more from me than just my looks?"

"Sage," she sighed. "What has your father always told you about women?"

"That women are like a battle; they are there to be conquered."

"And that's your problem. Stop looking at Venus as something to be conquered. She wants to be treated as if you care about her, and are interested in who she is."

Sage wrinkled his nose. That was a new approach. "Really? Girls like that?"

"I do. And this Venus girl sounds like she does, too."

"If that's true, then why did you marry Dad?" teased Sage.

Gwen laughed. "I guess because I've always liked a challenge. And because your father does have a romantic, half-way decent side. You've just never seen it."

Sage tried to picture Michio as a romantic, but it seemed too far-fetched. "Well, I guess I could give it a try..." he trailed off, another, darker thought nagging him. It was one he knew better then to bring up around his father, but maybe his mother would understand. "Mom?" he asked again.

"Yes, Sage?" She had finished kneading the medicine into his back, and now sat facing him.

"Could it be that... that Venus doesn't like me because I'm konketsu?"

Gwen frowned. It wasn't like Sage to bring up such a subject. He had always been proud of being konketsu, because it gave him such a unique, not to mention handsome, look. "Would it bother you if she did?"

"I don't know..." Safe said, closing his book and putting it away. "I guess not really."

"Sage, you should remember that you are Sage. Being who you are is more important than what you are."

Sage rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay, wise one." Gwen smiled at the bard, pleased to know the subject hadn't stayed on his mind long.

"Just get some sleep, okay, pretty boy? 'Night." She got up and left, stopping at the doorway. "And Sage, I don't think it's because you're konketsu, it's your attitude. Try what I suggested. Maybe things will work out different."

Sage gave her a look that said he wasn't quite convinced that being nice to Venus would change things, but he said nothing about it. "Good night, Mom."