Sigma/Star

Chapter 70.5: Revenge of the Bowling Alley

"Well what are we going to do then?" Mr. Toriyama paced back and forth in his office, puzzling over his new-found quandary. Miss Sakura stood across from the teacher, watching him intently as be moved.

"I don't know Toriyama but I swear if you lose this next match I'm going to make things a living hell for you! No team has ever beaten my bowling class then gone on to default their next match." The teacher withdrew a whip as she spoke, tyrannically smiling as she thought about the torture she would make Toriyama endure.

"But I'm missing my team captain though!" Toriyama shouted through chewed nails. "And also Chase I suppose. How am I supposed to replace two bodies by tonight's match? Not to mention the complete lack of practices lately."

"Children lead busy lives my dear," Sakura said, her voice laced with a venom-laden sweetness. "But, just like husbands, you have to know when and how to reel them back in." The whip curled around Mr. Toriyama's neck and hauled him in closer to the teacher. "Find some substitutes or else," she whispered before releasing Mr. Toriyama. He gulped, rubbing his throat, fully understanding the implications of the threat.

"Oh, we're doomed," Mr. Toriyama moaned, this time to the remaining members of the bowling team as they stood outside the alley. The match was in ten minutes, and Mr. Toriyama had spent the rest of the day after Sakura's visit scrambling to find viable replacements for his missing athletes, but to no avail. The rest of the team was gathered in their uniforms, ready to perform. Regardless of the recent disappearance of Porter and Chase (which Mr. Shotuku had explained as them going away for some extra training), the rest of the CRU would not shy away from their responsibilities as a team. But things didn't look particularly promising.

"Well what about Riya?" Ardwen posed, throwing out the question a bit halfheartedly. While Riya was certainly a wonderful cheerleader for the team and a respected part of the Crisis Rescue Unit, she certainly wasn't the most athletic person, nor the most competitive.

"Oh I couldn't." Riya held up her hands and backed away a little as Toriyama's eyes lit up.

"Please Riya, I beg of you!" he implored. "If you join, I'll need to get just one more person to join and we can....bowl..." The professor trailed off, an idea flipping into his head. He rustled through his gym bag and withdrew an extra uniform for Riya, then pulled out another one and eyed it. "Yes, another student...I could be that student." Toriyama cackled to himself, his mind clearly snapped from the pressure that Sakura had placed on him. He sprinted off to the closest bathroom, leaving Riya in his dust as she wandered over to her own restroom.

"What's going on cuties?" Emera was standing in the entrance of the bowling alley, eyeing Raul in particular out of the group, but otherwise giving them smiles.

"Hey Emera," Nami answered, bounding up to the older girl with glee. "We're just about to play for our bowling team here. But we're short someone 'cause Porter and Chasey-kins aren't here."

"Chasey-kins?" Emera looked up from the small girl with a confused expression she shot towards the two boys but they both shrugged.

"What are you doing here anyways?" Raul asked, trying his best to conceal his personal joy at seeing Emera. He had a reputation to uphold about his demeanour after all.

"I work here silly," the model replied, taking a few long strides to stand beside her date from the dance, running her fingers through his hair playfully. "Don't you remember when I told you I got a job here at the alley? I wanted to make a little extra money. You know, on top of the modelling stuff and all." Emera did a little twirl for Raul (and Ardwen since he was right next to him) and sent him a wink. "How could you forget?"

"Er...well I uhm...hmm..." Raul stuttered, grasping at his collar and tugging a bit as sweat began to burst out on his body.

Ardwen's glasses had fogged up from his sudden panting as he stared at Emera. Luckily for him, Gretta had been called off to the hangar and wasn't around to punish him for ogling another girl. He hastily wiped his eye-wear on his shirt, cleaning them, and cleared his throat. "Emera we...ahem...would you...would you like to bowl for our team...since you're here and all and you know we need a fifth." Ardwen giggled nervously as he finished his sentence and blushed a bit when Emera glanced his way.