Well, I do feel like a jerk. Reason? For not posting any new updates or fanfictions in over a year. I finally graduated with my associates in early May, so that's one step down for my life work to begin. :3

I officially want to thank my loyal readers who took their time to read and review my fics. I truly appreciate it and so, I thank you.

Here's something new I would like to introduce, involving Space Jam, one of my all-time favorites.

Enjoy!

Everyday for as long as I can recall, life has been completely and utterly normal. How would you describe normal? Well, heh...I guess you can say as normal as any person can be. My name is Hikari Rodgers, but everyone calls me "Kari", for short. I have auburn, almost orange red hair and hazelnut eyes. I'm somewhat tomboy/girlie with a short temper to boot, but still a sweetheart nonetheless. My whole life has been completely normal up until I was about 10 years old. Then all that I have known and my existence itself, has changed. I have changed drastically, but that can come later.. You see, six years ago to this day, was when I came up to the point of no return. Who would have guessed? Me! Ten years old, nothing better to do, and then what..? And to think, I only wanted to go see basketball game. Still don't know what I'm talking about? Okay.

Here we go...

6 Years Prior (age 10)..:

"Kari? Honey, are you up yet?"

"We're gonna be late! Hurry up so we can eat breakfast then leave for the game! Now where are my keys and wallet...?"

'Ugh. Okay. Time to get up.' I yawned and stretched out my arms and legs beneath my bed covers. Probably should have went to bed early instead of jumping around excited for the basketball game...

"Oh CRUD!", I screamed. 'That's right! Today's the day I go with my folks for the basketball game starting tonight!'

I jumped out of bed and ran to my closet. I threw out a pair of roll up boot cut jeans, yellow top, and my black high tops. I grabbed a pair of ankle socks from my drawer and got out of my night clothes. 'I have a ways to go for a bra... dang!'

I finished putting on my clothes and brushed my barely shoulder length hair, making the ends flip upwards. It pays to be quarter Japanese from my mom's side of the family. I grabbed my camera, GameBoy COLOR, some bubble gum I bought from the store with some allowance, and my pink sports pack. I ran down the stairs and into the kitchen, greeting my parents as we all sat down to eat breakfast.

"Good morning mom. Good morning dad."

They smiled brightly at me. "Good morning, Kari."

"Hey there kiddo! Your mom made your favorite this morning."

She placed a plate filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, two biscuits, and a couple of pancakes along with a glass of orange juice.

Dad looked over at me and raised a brow.

"Where's your brother?"

'Since when did I become his keeper? Last time I checked, he made me take out the garbage when it was his turn.'

"I dunno. I thought he'd be up by now", I said in between mouthfuls of egg. My mom scolded me. "Don't talk with your mouth full, Kari."

Right on cue, my older brother walked into the kitchen, fully dressed and ready. I swore I could have chocked on my egg right there.

'Since when was HE the ready one of the two?'

My brother is two years my senior. He is pretty tough and can be quite a selfish jerk at times, but he's the best brother I could ever ask for. His hair color is slightly lighter than mine, but we have the same eye color. Despite the age difference, a lot of people think we're twins, and frankly, I don't blame them.

We do sorta look alike. We even think alike! Many times that I got picked on, he would beat the living tar out of anybody who bullied me. He may seem like a bully himself, but deep down, he does it to protect me... but I guess he can take it a little too far.

"Hey mom. Hey dad." He yawned a long and loud yawn.

"Morning to you too, sport."

"Good morning Hale."

Hale took his seat next to me and glanced over at me. "Midget."

'Midget? You're no prize yourself, Napoleon. We ARE about the same height..'

"Alright you two, finish your breakfast so we can head off to the game."

"That's right."

My brother munched on a slice of toast. "Alright. Hey, it's a real shame that Michael Jordan retired this early in the season. Lucky we live close to him though."

"Hale, we live in the town NEXT to where he lives. Get a geography check, why don't cha?" He made a face at me and I made one back. Flying to New York for the weekend is gonna be something else...

OoOoOoO

Arriving to the airport wasn't a challenge. It was the flight itself that was a challenge. Trust me, motion sickness and I have been ruthless enemies since I was three, and it almost won this epic fight of trying not to upchuck upon my brother. He didn't look too happy about it either, but he had the same problem so no room to talk there.

After arriving at the New York terminal, we took a taxi to our Aunt Jackie's house. For my dad's sister, she's pretty cool. Doesn't mind about our occasional visits and is totally up for anything involving basketball, croquet, and wild parties involving Mexican pinatas and possible skinny dipping, although the latter ended up having her get questioned by the police thanks to neighbors and her pet Irish Terrier got drunk on some Jack Daniels. Never again.

Once we dropped our luggage off in our guest bedrooms, we all got into her car and headed off to the basketball stadium. However, when we got there, there were ambulances parked by the entrances and going in them were players Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing.

"The hell..?", my brother mumbled. 'My thoughts exactly..'

Aunt Jackie rolled down her window, "Whats going on here?"

"Are those two alright? Did we come at a wrong time?", my mother asked with concern. Dad got out of the SUV and walked to one of the paramedics tending to the players.

"What happened here?"

"We were called here by their coaches. Something about them acting weird and it all happened at the same time."

"Whoa. Well, that's a first. I guess we'll just go in then."

"Alright, sir.", the paramedic bid him good bye as they got ready to drive the players to the nearest hospital.

My brother looked over at me with a raised brow as our dad got into that car. I mouthed the words I don't know, knowing what he was asking.

The rest of the night and the rest of the game kinda sucked. As we got in the stadium and took our front row seats (dad's the president of a television broadcasting company, so yay), we watched the remainder of the game without two of the best NBA players around. Our parents and aunt were so into the game, they didn't notice a weird guy in a dark overcoat with scarves and a hat covering his countenance walking past us. Or should I say staggering, seeing as how he wobbled a lot.

My brother and I were the only ones who took note of how bizarre the stranger looked. We took a glance at one another and nodded our heads.

"Hey dad, Kari says she needs to go to the bathroom. I'll go with her and grab some sodas on our way back."

"Alright, but why not let me call the snack attendee for some refreshments?"

"Nah, the drinks might be too hot cause the ice might have already melted. I got some money with me, so we'll be back."

Dad called to our backs as we headed off to the same direction as the overly bundled stranger, "Hale! Let me know how much the sodas are so I can pay you back! Get some for the three of us too! Two diet cokes and a Minute Maid!"

"Alright!", Hale hollered. As soon as we got out of the stands and into the main hall, we jolted down the corridor that led to the back of the entire stadium.

"Good call, Hale. 'Kari has to go to the bathroom'. Couldn't be more subtle, right?", I mocked him.

He retorted, "Look, it was all I could come up with at the moment. Don't be such a baby. Besides, we gotta find out where that weirdo went."

"Yeah, he looked suspicious enough. Can't believe everyone is so oblivious to his looks and movements!"

Hale rolled his eyes, "They're more interested in the game, Kari. Not like they care about a fashion victim like..."

My brother was cut off as we both jumped at the sound of something crashing down in the hall.

"Over there!", he yelled as he took off sprinting. Hale's a pretty fast runner and that always got our dad nagging him to join for the track team when he's in high school, even if its years away. I sprinted off after him, catching up to him pretty darn quick.

If it was an official race between us, I would have won. He may be fast, but I'm faster.

We skidded to a halt as we found the garbage bid toppled onto the floor, some paper wads scattered next to it. We heard some moaning from the left of the bin and what we saw shocked us both.

Well, we found the weird guy, but as it turns out, it wasn't a guy. More like little guys. No, not even that.

Little bug like aliens!

I brushed my bangs out of my eyes while my brother rubbed his to make sure he wasn't just seeing things.

Nope. We weren't. They were still there.

"Ugh. You idiots! Watch where you're walking!", the chubby orange one shouted.

"Sorry.", the other ones said in unison.

'They talk too? Well, now I've seen AND heard it all... I hope this isn't a vice..', I thought to myself.

"Dude, they talk!", Hale exclaimed.

"Nah, really Holmes? Couldn't be.", I mocked. What a brother.

The blue skinny one looked over and pointed at us, "Hey. Those kids, like, totally caught up to us."

All of them turned their attention to us, the red and purple ones looking like their panicking, while the green and orange ones looked like they were on the verge of cutting our throats.

For five small aliens, they seem harmless.

"Alright, kiddies. Listen up! You saw nothing, you hear? Now get going back to your parents!", the orange one snarled.

"Says who, you overgrown meatball?", my brother countered. Clearly he isn't scared, and neither was I.

"Says us! Now get a move on!", the green one retorted. I looked to the blue one and caught sight of something in his hands.

'A basketball..?'

"Let's go! Quick!", the purple one exclaimed. The aliens somehow transformed their bodies into plasma like goo and slithered off.

"Hey! Come back here!", my brother shouted and ran after them. I ran after my brother.

"Kari! Go after those two! I'll handle these guys!" Hale sprinted after the green, orange, and purple one who slithered to the left of the hall and under the exit doors.

"Careful, Hale!" I ran after the blue and red ones who slithered under the janitors closet door. I tried to open the door, but to no avail. Then I had an idea. I took out one of my bobby pins out of my hair and tried to pick the lock. Worked like a charm.

Slowly, I proceeded into the room. It was kinda dark and musty, so I felt around for a light switch. Finding the switch, I flipped the light on, spotting the two aliens on the shelf above me.

"She found us!", the red one piped up.

"Let's go, dude!", the blue one jumped off and ricochet off a box sitting adjacent from the shelf. The red one jumped after, but got his foot caught onto a utility cord and fell off the shelf. The box above him where the blue one jumped from, started to tilt over and was about to fall and crush the little guy!

"CRUD!", I cried out. Out of instinct and with no second thoughts, I grabbed the little red alien from the floor as the box came down with a heavy, very loud thud. Inside the box were a couple of weights and dumbbells.

I fell back and landed on my bum, holding on to the little guy for dear life. He could have been killed!

"Are you okay?", a small voice piped up from my arms. I looked down and saw the little red alien's face looking up at me, showing a tiny bit of concern.

"Me? I think I should be asking that to you! You were the one who almost got squashed like a bug!"

He glanced down at his feet, shuffling them a bit shamefully, "I got my foot caught", he looked up at me again, this time his face filled with awe, "YOU saved my life!"

'Jiminy Cricket, now I'm this guy's savior...Could this day get any weirder?'

I seemed to be lost in thought cause then he started waving his tiny hand in front of my face.

"Huh? What?", I looked down at him, a tiny, almost shy smile graced his features.

"I wanted to say thank you. You saved me from those weights! You're a nice and cute girl."

What happened next kinda scared me, yet was kinda heartwarming. The little red alien jumped out of my hands and gave me a hug, as big as he could muster.

"I gotta go now. But thank you again! I am in your debt!", he pecked me on the cheek and suddenly materialized into goo again and slithered off towards the exit on the other side of the hall, disappearing out of sight.

If there was a train somewhere in the world right now running on high speed, it would have crashed at that moment. Technically, I got kissed on the cheek by an alien. AN ALIEN!

As if on cue, my brother showed up out of the blue. 'Where did YOU come from?'

"Kari! Are you okay? I heard a loud noise and came back and... what happened here?"

I noticed he was looking up at the mess. "I tried to catch them, but they were too fast.", I quickly answered. He seemed to have bought it.

"You didn't get hurt, did you?", he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't be such a worry wort, Hale. You're starting to sound like dad."

He scoffed. "Hey, it's my job to look out for you!"

He helped me up to my feet. I locked the janitor door and closed it. Hopefully, they won't notice.

I looked over to my brother. "So, did you get any luck?"

"Nope. They got away. I went as far as the parking lot but then they split up."

I shook my head. "Let's get going back. Mom and dad will wonder how long we're taking."

"Right, and let's get the drinks while we're at it. Dad looked like he was gonna cough out dust."

As we walked back to the last moments of the game, with drinks in hand, we noticed from where we got out to the end of the hall that wee went to that the little red lights on the security cameras were off.

'Saves us the trouble of getting into trouble, but it also means there's no real proof to show that aliens were here...'

The game was finally over and we all went out into the parking lot and started getting into my aunt's SUV.

"Good game, eh? Too bad you kids missed some of it. Guess you had to go really bad, huh, Kari?", my dad teased.

"Dad! I couldn't help it!", I lied. There's no way we could tell them we saw aliens. They'd flip!

So me and Hale swore to keep this between us until we could figure out if this was all a dream or not.

As we were about to leave, I took one last look at the stadium before we drove off to Aunt Jackie's house.

'If a train did crash, it was in Zimbabwe... For sure.'