>>> Everybody get up...

"How do you like that, sports fans!? It's a tie going into halftime here at Sakuragawa High's Zone Amphitheater. And, man, has it been a brutal match so far! I dare say that the number of fouls today has been unprecedented in Kami High School Divisional League! Especially the ones that have gone right under the ref's noses, Ken!"

"Indeed, Mark! But it's so hard to prove those to be fouls and not as the accidents that they seem to be. Tsuyosa has a reputation for powerful, forceful plays. But, recently, stories have been spreading about a new style which is both dangerous and crooked."

"Right you are. But there's no way to substantiate those claims. Though, a review of past games might be in order... Now, let's look at these numbers! Tsuyosa's monster of a Power Forward and their number 2nd Year ace, Setsuden Kenta-sama. True to his heritage, he is the very essence of strength, working on a double-double in field goals and rebounds. He is 10 for 15 from the paint and has 9 rebounds so far. Sakuragawa's own starlet, Par-...."

"Mark, there seems to be a commotion at the referees' table! A player from Sakuragawa just walked over and declared something that has EVERYONE agitated! Managers, coaches and players from both sides are mobbing the table! Oh, wait, looks like Setsuden-sama is getting in the Sakuragawa player's face!! What is going on!?"

"Oh. My. Gods! Could it be? Oh, yes, Ken! YES! Looks like there's going to be a halftime JAAAAAAAAAMMM!!!"

"For the first time in three years, Mark, in Sakuragawa High, there's going to be a JAM at Halftime! AMAZING!!!"

"For those watching from home, a Jam is a one-on-one match using the full court. It's like a duel, only with Basketball! And, like a duel, Ken, there's always something at stake, varying anywhere from favours to consorts!"

"Especially with the players being the Scions of the Divine! But who's the challenger!? Wait, wait, wait! The announcement's on the video screens! Looks like it's... Sakuragawa's number 13, Akihito Konamo'i?? Against Tsuyosa's ace, Setsuden-sama!!? Who in the Nine Hells is this kid!? Mark, do you have anything on Sakuragawa's number 13!??"

"Well, Ken, for starters, we don't have much to go on, paper-wise. He's a transfer student from the States, starting his first year of high school here. Plays as a Center Forward, but his stats are non-existent!"

"He's a FRESHMAN!? He MUST be INSANE to challenge one of the best, if not the best, Power Forwards in the Kami Junior Leagues!"

"Hold on, Ken, something's not right here. That kid looks intense. Can you see that aura!? More info is required! We need the ORACLE!"

"Right then, Mark, I've got you covered. The mob and furor around the refs' table has dissipated, but can you feel that tension in the air? The stakes are on screen now: a female player from each side has been laid down on the outcome of the Jam! Whoever wins the Jam has the wagered player transfered to the winner's school!? On a best two-of-three Jam!? Incredible! Unbelievable!"

"The first player to score two baskets out of three attempts in a 1 minute and 30 seconds or under of playtime WINS. If Sakuragawa's number 13 wins, Tsuyosa will lose their talented - and rather pretty, she has a fan club dedicated to her in Tsuyosa - Point Guard Tetsubara Rin-chan. If he loses, he will leave Japan and Tsuyosa will receive Sakuragawa's star player, Parvathi Araviswanadha!! AMAZING!!!"

"Seems like some harsh words being exchanged between Setsuden-sama and Tetsubara-chan. The Sakuragawa bench is strangely quiet... Akihito is waiting, seemingly unconcerned, at the refs' table."

"And the two players have moved to center court... TIP-OFF! Akihito grabs the ball ahead of Setsuden-san. My gods, what a leap! And such height! But, wait! The whistle's been blown! What, Akihito touched the ball before it hit its highest point!? UN-BEE-LEE-VAH-BEL!!! Let's see that in a quick replay!"

"Ladies and gents, Akihito's height and wingspan may become a pain for other teams in future! It's CRAZY!"

"Returning to the Jam at hand, Setsuden-sama has possession and moves in at a quick jog after a quick bounce check from center court. Akihito is crouched between the three-point and free throw lines, arms out. Wait, he's straightened up! His posture's become very relaxed. His head is even crooked to the left! What is he DOING!? Setsuden-sama dribbles, here comes the cross-over and then, suddenly, dashes in, cutting past on Akihito's left! What the... But, Akihito is suddenly right in Setsuden-sama's face! How did he move so fast!? Setsuden-sama has been stopped in his tracks, almost right back at the free throw line! The snarl on his face is fierce! What is he goi-..."

"WOAH! WOAH! A STEAL, A STEAL! AKIHITO HAS STRIPPED SETSUDEN-SAMA OF THE BALL! HE'S GOING COAST TO COAST!! SETSUDEN-SAMA'S CHASING!!! THE CROWD'S ON ITS FEET AND ROARING LOUD!!! SETSUDEN-SAMA HAS ALMOST COMPLETELY CAUGHT UP!!! BUT!!! AKIHITO SUDDENLY LEAPS FROM JUST PAST THE THREE POINT LINE!!!! A LANE-UP FROM THERE, IS HE COMPLETELY INSANE!?!!!!"

"OH! MY!! GODS!!!"

"SLAAAAAAAAAMMMDUNNNNKKK!!! 18 FEET LONG AND 13 FEET HIGH AIRWALK A LA MICHAEL JORDAN!!! UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE!!! AND THE CROWD GOES WILD!!!"

"Look at this kid! So composed, so focussed! Just a small fist pump after his dunk! And Akihito calmly backpedals towards the free throw line. And there's the bounce check! Setsuden-sama is powering down woodwork. He's really pulling out the stops, he's so fast that he's almost a blur!!"

"But Akihito is keeping pace! Seriously, Mark, who is this kid!?"

"Still checking, Ken!"

"O-kay, Mark, and... WHAT A MONSTER OF A BLOCK!!! Took my eyes away for only a few seconds and the Jammers already made it to the hoop! But! An impossible block on Setsuden-sama's double clutch dunk!! Akihito slipped in between him and the basket!!! And Akihito is acting like it was nothing special!!!"

"Both benches are stunned! BOTH! I don't think that Sakuragawa was expecting this level of output from Akihito!!"

"Bounce check from the sideline for Setsuden-sama. You can almost taste the aura pouring off of him. He. Is. Pissed."

"And, yet again, Akihito is already up in Setsuden-sama's grille on defence! He's quick, I'll grant him that, his speed has been beyond fantastic so far."

"Less than 50 seconds on the countdown and 18 on the shot clock to go."

"WHAT!? THE BALL'S KNOCKED LOOSE! THEY'RE CHASING IT AS IT BOUNCES UPCOURT TOWARDS TSUYOSA'S BASKET!!"

"AKIHITO SCOOPS IT UP AND HEADS TO THE BASKET! A CUT-IN FROM THE LEFT, A JUMP, SETSUDEN-SAMA'S SUDDENLY BETWEEN AKIHITO AND THE BASKET!!"

"AKIHITO IN MID-JUMP, MID-AIR, DOUBLE CLUTCHES, SPINS OUT A 360 AROUND SETSUDEN-SAMA AND SLAMS IT HOOOOOMMME!!!"

"THIS JAM IS OVER! AKIHITO WIIIIINNNS!!!"

"Akihito offers a handshake but Setsuden-sama slaps it away and walks off. Ooooooohhh. But he suddenly stiffens mid-stride. Was it something that Akihito said?"

"Ken."

"Yes, Mark?"

"Sakuragawa has gotten their hands on a MONSTER."

"Eh? Sory, say that again, Mark?"

"Akihito Konamo'i. Born October 1997 in Hawai'i, USA. Moved to New York 2009. 6 feet, 9 inches tall, wingspan 6'10.5". Ticonderoga High School, Defiants, junior high to sophomore year in high school. Center Forward. Drafted to the Dark River Ferrymen of the Olympean Basketball Association in the beginning of his sophomore year. Played 6 first string games. Averages 20 points a game with a high number of assists, blocks and rebounds, usually double-doubles. Then took a leave of absence after February's end. Transferred here in July as a freshman. There are rumours that he's a Scion of Nike and his leave of absence was actually a quest of some importance."

"He's 17!? And a Dodekatheonite!? AND PLAYED FOR THE HADES' SPONSORED TEAM!? NO WAY!"

"I KNOW! IT'S CRAZY! Sakuragawa has a MONSTER of a player and I don't think that they even realized! But, let's get on with the Halftime Report, Ken, before we run out of halftime!"

"Right you are, Mark!"

"It's going to be a hell of a season!"

"Looks like it's going to be, Mark!"

---

The idea of writing a short story about a combination of basketball, high school and Percy Jackson-esque demigods through the eyes of a third party came to me when I was just thinking about creating a unique character for Scion.

Enter Akihito Konamo'i, Scion of Nike, part-Hawaiian, part-Japanese, the young man nicknamed 'Breeze'. 

And then my brain started churning out ideas for the setting he would be in. And I thought wouldn't it be cool to set him up in a high school for young demigods. A step higher: what if there were several schools like that in a region. So Sakuragawa High School was constructed on an island off the Japanese shore and hidden by the Mist.

And the rest was a snowball travelling downhill from there.

I just thought that it would be cool to do a story using just sports commentary.

Hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed typing it out on my mobile!

Cheers!

_{... it's time to jam now.}

>>> A character makeover...

Character Biography:
Faolan, or "Mac" among friends, is not your run-of-the-mill Half-Moon. Faolan constantly obsesses over lore which he argues lends credence and support to the laws of our people. And to learn, he translates everything into music and sings to memorise what he needs to know by heart. An old Galliard of the sept was overheard remarking "that it was such a waste that he wasn't born a Galliard". It must be said that music runs in his veins, if not his whole family. The older brother of Siobahn O'Gallagher, born of expatriate common law parents, Faolan has always been immersed in music. Encouraged by his parents, he learnt as much as he could about music.

In fact, even his First Change at the age of 18 involved music, in a way.

It happened at a heavy metal concert, when a mosh-pit had transformed itself into an ugly riot. When his sister was in danger of being trampled to death, he felt his skin crawl, stretch and twist, unleashing the heart of Rage that he carried within. The period of his First Change is hidden behind a black-out; all he knows is that he woke up, semi-naked and covered in gore, several miles away in a deserted park with his sleeping sister cradled in his arms.

 A few days later, while he was contemplating what had become of him, he was set upon by a trio of lean, sickly-looking black dogs. Standing in the surf, under the light of the Half-Moon, he Changed and held his ground, following the rhythm of the waters in his defence. He was rescued by a pack of Garou which had been tracking the trio of filth. Taken to the Sept and educated by his elders, he learned quickly of what he was and what he had to do.

He also learnt that his parents were truly kin in more ways than one.

 Too bad that they're presently divorced and spilt between Dublin, Ireland and Austin, Texas. His younger sister Siobahn stayed with his mother in Austin while he moved to Ireland with his father. His parents are still on relatively good terms with each other, and still visit every once in a while. He has spent the majority of teens and young adult years travelling between both Dublin and Austin, trying to keep the family together in some form. However, most of his time is spent in Ireland, due in part to the Troubles. He speaks fluent Irish Gaellic and Mandarin.

He makes his money through his talent and passions by writing songs and lyrics for various recording studios and labels as well as by being a recording sessionist as he's able to play most musical instruments. In addition, he loves cars, with muscle cars a strange smog-filled corner of his heart. There are some rumours of him driving known IRA members around Ireland, though are enough stories of him hanging about the Black-and-Tans, as well.

He has returned to Austin due to suspicions of his sister being in some sort of trouble and the Wyrm beginning to rear its ugly head in and around Austin.

 But, remember, Kin first, laddie.

Faolan Mac Conmara, Rhythm-of-the-Tides

_{... for a new chronicle.}