everything comes with a price

They did WHAT!!!

Ryoma packed his luggage and was ready to go within a week.

14 hours later, Ryoma landed in America. He looked around the airport and found a boy with dark blue hair and green eyes. "Tyler!" he called out. The boy looked up from his novel. "Ryoma, good to see you!" said Tyler. Tyler was Ryoma's classmate back when they were in grade school. He was a cheerful boy but he when he is angered, you'd better watch out. "Where's Pakura?"

Tyler's face darkened. "Shortly after your call, she was chosen to participate in the Intense Tenisa Matches." Ryoma gasped. "How long has she been in there?" he asked, worried about his best friend, Pakura. The Intense Tenisa Matches (ITM for short) is a game held 3 times every year where 12 high schools were picked and then, they pick 24 players ages 15-18 from there, one male and one female. Then, once they were picked, they were thrown into a playing arena where they play tennis against each other in all sorts of environments, weathers, and conditions. They will be thrown there for a week and they will play against each other. The one who won the most matches will be the Champion. These Champions will become mentors for the future players that will be selected for the next Intense Tenisa Matches. At some point during the Matches, there will be people from the organization called "The Chess Pieces." The Chess ranks are based on the pieces in the game of chess with rank going from King down to Queen, Knights, Bishops, Rooks and Pawns, separating the hierarchy into two parts. However, in this case, there is no King or Queen in the organization. Although the rudimentary rule for ranking is based on their abilities, it's also noted that members of lower ranks can be stronger than their superiors. These Chess members, especially the Knights, have trained for the Matches all of their lives and they win almost every Matches. Usually, the Champions are boys because they have more endurance towards the harsh conditions and more stamina than the girls.

"Well, I don't know. Today's the seventh day." said Tyler. "If we get there in time, we might see who the champion is." He grabbed Ryoma's hand, and dragged him to the awaiting limo. They arrived at the Training Center, and went to the counter. "Ryoma Echizen, room at seventh floor." said Ryoma. The woman checked her computer, smiled, and nodded. "Here's your card key." She replied, handing him his card key. "Thanks." He and Tyler took the elevator to the seventh floor. They took their seats at the lounge and Tyler turned on the TV. They were in time to see Pakura defeat the last player and the trumpets played, with someone declaring Pakura as the Champion. Pakura had bruises all over her arms and legs and she was bleeding from the side of her mouth, but otherwise she seemed ok and she was smiling despite her injuries. Tyler clapped and cheered while Ryoma smiled inwardly. His best friend had won the Intense Tenisa Matches.

Later, at the seventh floor penthouse, Ryoma was eating dinner with Tyler and a few other players. "Hey, Tyler, when do you think Paku will return?" said Ryoma.

Tyler scratched his head. "Well, there's usually a lag of few days between the end of the competition and the presentation of the victor so that they can put together the starving, wounded, mess of a person back together again." said Tyler slowly. Ryoma remembered in the Tenisa Matches, you'll have to look for your own food and water. There are some who died in the Matches because of dehydration or starvation. Not everyone would escape the Matches unscathed.

3 days later, they caught Pakura on TV, doing her interview. She was wearing a soft blue dress with matching shoes and her hair is done up in a ponytail with blur butterfly clips.

"Congratulations, Pakura. Seems like you can go home to fame and lots of fortune now." said the interviewer.

"Why yes, Gerald. However, what is more important is I'm going back to my friends." said Pakura.

"Of course. They were the ones who have supported you all the way, right?" said Gerald.

"Yes, of course, Gerald. I am sure they are smiling and cheering for me right now."

"Yes, of course. Also, it's very rare to have a female champion. What do you have to say about that?"

"Well, I am happy I get to make a mark in this Matches. I will be something of a living legend! Also, I get to be a mentor now!" Pakura laughed.

"Sure you will." said Gerald.

A few days later, Pakura returned to the Training Center to an awaiting Tyler and Ryoma. She hugged Ryoma tightly. "It's been so long, Ryoma! I miss you!" she cried. Ryoma hugged her back. "Me too, Paku."

"Thank god, I won't be picked anymore. Also, it's quite tiring to act cheerful in front of the audience." said Pakura. "That Tenisa Matches was a nightmare." Once you win the Intense Tenisa Matches, you will not be picked anymore, even if you are still eligible for selection. In return, you will have to mentor the future players selected from your school for the next Intense Tenisa Matches. She saw the look on Ryoma's face, and faltered. "Something wrong, Ryoma?" Pakura asked, concern etched in her face. "You know you can tell me." She said, squeezing his shoulder gently. Ryoma looked into the sapphire blue eyes. In some lights, her eyes looked almost black. "Well….." he hesitated. "It was…." Pakura raised her eyebrows expectantly. Ryoma sighed resignedly. "It was like this…."

For the next few minutes, Ryoma talked into rapt silence. Pakura's eyebrows furrowed as he went on with his story and Tyler crushed the peach he was holding, the juice flowing steadily in his hand. "Those bastards…." He muttered. Pakura hugged Ryoma and patted his back soothingly. "It will be alright…." She murmured. "They will get what they deserved, eventually."

"And I will make sure of it….." Ryoma mumbled, feeling sleepy, and fell asleep in the warmth of his best friend's arms.