The Cherry Project - Chapter 6 "Held by the wings of an angel..." Originally appeared in Nakayoshi, March 1991. Written by Takeuchi Naoko. Translated by Alex Glover. Version 1.0, 10.97. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chieri's heart pounds as Kouichi embraces her. "Kouichi!?" A white flake falls from the sky between them. "Oh..." "What?" "I thought it was cold," he says. "It's snow." "Wow..." says Chieri. "Kouichi, I can get home by myself. I'll be safe." "Cherry," he says. "Good luck. That's what I meant to say now." She looks at him. She smiles. "Okay, thanks! Good night!" She walks away from him. "He surprised me..." she thinks. "That Kouichi, suddenly holding me... What was he thinking? I'm glad he came... Since the day I said I was entering the skating club, even being in the same class, we've hardly spoken at all. Somehow, Tsuzuki is suddenly distant from me. We were always so close... I want to see him. Right now... What are you thinking now... Let me know, Tsuzuki... Let me know..." - As Kouichi leaves, he sees Canty leaning against the wall. "Are you so worried about that girl?" she says. "Your concern is wasted. I don't know who suggested it, but she's gotten an able coach. She's practicing to enter the block championship." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "You've decided to take that badge test!?" Yuni says. "So that's why you've been practicing day and night. You never said anything about it to me." "Sorry, sorry," says Chieri. "So, Cherry, did you talk with Tsuzuki-kun and the others? Kouichi-kun's been worried about you." "Oh, I guess so," she says. "But it's all right. My taking the badge test has nothing to do with them anymore." "But you said you were going to be pair skaters! It was his idea!" "But look, when you think about it realistically, there's no way he could pair with me, when I've just started skating. He's not my coach or anything anymore. It's fine, it's fine." "Cherry, what are you going to wear for your badge test?" "What? My normal training suit." "I see. Well, since I'm in charge of the costume for the tournament, you can't go to anyone else. I know you'll pass, Cherry. Then you'll enter the tournament and beat that overbearing girl, the so-called Princess! I want to see you and Tsuzuki-kun paired again soon. You can do it!" Chieri looks at the poster on her wall. "If..." she thinks. "If I pass the badge test, I'll tell Tsuzuki. Then I can talk about skating with him again." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- She kisses the poster of the young Tsuzuki. She pours coffee into a thermos. "Let's see... I've made lunch... Right, I'll bring this cup I like." She picks up a glass cup. "Should I call the school later and tell them you're home sick?" asks her dad. "Yes, please." "If Mori-san says the test has to be today, then I guess there's no choice," he says. "Dad, you know my coach?" "Come on! There's nobody in the Japanese Skating League I don't know! Anyway, since you've asked a lot of her, do your best." "Right, right. Bye-bye!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The sun shines on the Tokyo Tower, overlooking the school building. "What? Cherry's absent today?" "That's right," says Yuni. "A cold, she said." She remembers what Chieri said. "My badge test is tomorrow. Tell everyone something reasonable." "Cherry's staying home sick? That's strange." The three boys hear them talking. "Oh no..." thinks Kouichi. "Today... The badge test!?" "Tsuzuki-kun!" a girl calls. "I've got math today. Help me!" Kouichi and Hiroshi look at him. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Two girls arrive at the skating rink. "Morning!" "Oh! You skipped after all?" "Of course! This will be the first block tournament without those horrible compulsories. It's a chance to get into the upper ranks! I have to practice!" "Me too!" They look at the rink, and see many people there skating. "Just about everybody is skipping school to practice." "But the Princess was great at compulsories, wasn't she?" says the dark-haired girl. "Without them, there could be a surprising upset at the next tournament." "No way! The Princess is the world champion!" They notice people gathering around another rink. "What? Is something happening on the junior rink?" They see the sign on the door. "What, a badge test!?" "Did you hear?" one person says. "It's that girl who just entered recently, Asuka Chieri." "That one Coach Mori is always with?" "And she's the only one taking it today!" "You're joking!" the dark-haired girl says. "For just one person, they went to the trouble of calling judges and setting up a test!?" "Coach Mori requested it!" "The coach who taught Masanori Tsuzuki? So she has this room all to herself before the tournament? Really!?" "Her father is an Olympic athlete!" They all become silent as Chieri enters the room. "Hey..." one girl whispers. "Doesn't she have any ranking?" They see the bandages on Chieri's legs. "What are those cuts? She's just kept to the junior rink when she's practiced." "I don't believe this special treatment. Just like a princess." "Let's watch her. I wonder what score she'll get." As Chieri approaches the door to the rink, she hears a man talking. "I'm looking forward to seeing the one daughter of that Asuka-san." She looks out at the clean ice. "I'm wearing my charm pendant," she thinks. "And today I have my victory charms, the ruby earrings. I'll be all right." She laces up her boots. She holds up the picture of her and Tsuzuki at the school festival, and kisses it. "So that I'll do well..." "Now, Asuka Chieri-san," the judge says. "The beginner test will be given after you warm up." The Badge Test From beginner to level 8. As one's level increases, the difficulty of the moves one must perform also increases. To perform in singles at a major competition such as a tournament, juniors (ages 12-18) must have passed at least level 6. Seniors (ages 14 and above) must have passed at least level 7. For pairs, there is no level restriction. Chieri skates onto the ice. "Good, you pass the beginner level," the judge says. "Please begin level 1." "Right." "Okay," she thinks. "This is it." Level 1 Simple jumps and basic compulsory figures. "Oh, a perfect circle," the judge says as she skates. "You're doing well. You truly are the daughter of Asuka-san. The basics are right on the mark. Next, continue with level 2." Level 2 A simple one-minute performance of single jumps and other spins. "Upright first spin..." she thinks. "Still pretty solid," the judge says. "Next, level 3." "What!?" say the girls watching her skate. "No way! She's taking them all at once?" "Then, could she go to level 4 next?" Level 3 Jump combinations and a two-minute free skate. "Camel spin..." Chieri thinks as she skates. "Sit spin..." Mori stands at the side of the rink, and looks at her watch. "Eleven o'clock. She's still going." "Good," says the judge. "Next, proceed to level 4." "Right!" says Chieri, breathing heavily. Level 4 Double jump, spin combinations, and a three-minute free skate. "Her legs are showing fatigue on the ice," says another judge. "Oh, that's a nice layback. Like Princess Canty's." "It's just like hers." Canty watches the rink from a corner. "Stop!" says the judge. "Lunch is scheduled for this time, so shall we break here?" Chieri braces herself as she breathes heavily. "No!" she says. "I can go one more level!" "If I rest now," she thinks, "I'll give up." "Very well," the judge says. "Then proceed to level 5." "What is this!?" says the dark-haired girl. "Taking this many levels at once is unheard of!" - Kouichi approaches the rink, and sees the sign on the door. "I knew it!" - "That girl hasn't rested once! She should be approaching her limit. The programs are getting harder. How does she have such stamina!?" Chieri continues skating. Level 5 Two kinds of double jumps. Double jump combinations and jump spins. Kouichi watches her. "Cherry..." he thinks. "I see it clearly. Suddenly..." "How many levels does she plan to take!?" the girl says. "No way, not to level 6!?" "Oh no, does Coach Mori want to have that girl in the block championship?" "If they have the registration and class, there's no limit to the number of entrants. If the coach says it's okay, she'll be able to perform." "This must be a joke!" says the dark-haired girl. "It was ten years before my coach told me to take the level 6 test! Ten years! I wanted to enter tournaments, but she wouldn't let me! Why does only that girl get special treatment? It's not fair! It's favoritism!" "Be quiet!" Chieri looks to the side of the rink. "My three-minute free skate with original elements..." Tsuzuki watches her jump into the air and spin. "A triple!!" the girl says. "I did it!" Chieri thinks. "She's a quick learner," says Mori. Kouichi turns. "That's...!" "She does have talent," Mori says, "but I wonder if it's because somebody instilled her with the foundation. Normally, it takes five or six years to do a double." "Right," says Tsuzuki. "She was in a hurry." "Do you know? No matter how much of a hurry she's in, she did what takes ten years in one year. I did this because you asked, Masanori, but I think this overworking should stop here. If you don't want her to be crushed." Tsuzuki looks out on the ice. "If she continues like this..." he thinks. "Break the machine, and she won't skate again." "Cherry is one who makes the impossible possible!" "She's not sure to break yet." "Tsuzuki!?" Mori says. "What are you thinking!?" "Tsuzuki!" "Kouichi!" Tsuzuki says. "So this is how things are!" says Kouichi. "You have Cherry depending on Coach Mori. Why didn't you tell me? If you're not abandoning Cherry, I'll help!" "She finally entered the skating club, but she didn't have a coach or time to practice," Tsuzuki says. "I felt sorry for her. I have a responsibility. I got her into this." "Now for a rest period," says the judge. "The testing will resume at one o'clock." "I don't believe it," thinks the girl. "Why is she being favored?" Chieri leaves the ice and takes off her boots. "Don't worry, don't worry," she thinks. "Now, I'll have lunch. I'm hungry. I'm glad I brought this cup I like. I'll drink some camomile tea and relax, relax. Calm my nerves. I wonder where my coach is." The dark-haired girl bumps into her. "Oh!" Chieri says. The cup drops from her hand and shatters on the floor. "Whoops," says the girl. "I'm sorry." "That was Mom's cup..." Chieri thinks. "Cherry!" She looks across the rink. "Huh? Kouichi!? Tsuzuki!?" She runs over to them and Mori. "What are you doing with my coach?" "Coach Mori helped me when I had just entered the club," says Tsuzuki. "Then you found a more perfect coach than I and started practicing on a private rink, right?" says Mori. "The same coach who taught Tsuzuki..." Chieri thinks. "Oh yeah," says Tsuzuki. "I don't know if it's still there, but I have the key to the locker I kept my things in. Want it?" "Come on, that's for other kids to use," says Mori. "For Asuka-san, a locker..." "No, I'll take it!" Chieri says. Tsuzuki gives her the key. She holds it to her face. "Wow..." she thinks. "The key to Tsuzuki's locker." "So it's level 6 at one o'clock," Tsuzuki says. He touches her face. "Be cool." "Ah-" she thinks. "Oh... My heart... It feels like it's going to burst." Kouichi looks at her. The two boys turn and walk away. Chieri sits and takes her boots. "Now, for the afternoon. Just one more and it's over." She gasps as she slips a foot into her boot. She yanks the boot off and cries out in pain. Shards of broken glass fall from it. "What!?" she thinks. "Broken pieces of my cup, inside my boot!?" "Don't feel so good because you're friends with Tsuzuki-kun," says the dark-haired girl, smiling. "The Princess has been traveling the world together with him since she was eight years old." "That has nothing to do with it!" Chieri cries. "Why!?" Chieri thinks. "Why was this done to me!?" "You've just made it this far because of your father's influence!" the girl says. Chieri gasps, holding her bleeding foot. "Asuka Chieri-san!" the judge calls. "Hurry onto the rink! The level 6 test will now begin!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Original manga copyright © 1991 Takeuchi Naoko. English translation copyright © 1997 Alex Glover. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Manga of Takeuchi Naoko | The Cherry Project | Volume 1