Some Notes:

After KHR, I didn't think I would like to watch another animé. POT offers a lot to the imagination like KHR, although done in a lighter note. My first POT fic here, which I couldn't do anything but write, after a sleepless night listening to the voice of Kazuki Kato as Atobe Keigo.

Disclaimer: Tennis no Oujisama and all characters are owned by Konomi Takeshi, only the what-ifs are mine

ATOBE'S DREAM

Tennis is really like life in many ways. A very simple game that needs rackets and balls. It's up to you how to use your racket, whether to attack or defend. But it is not enough to have balls; you must know how to use them too.

It doesn't seem like it, but Atobe Keigo really earned his place as the king of Hyotei Gakuen.

The tennis club members didn't accept his becoming king on face value, oh no, far from it. As Atobe Keigo knows his teammates admire and look up to him, yes. But he knows very well that given the chance, they would surely snatch his place if he ever shows any weakness. Dog eat dog world out there, only Hiyoshi Wakashi is honest enough to live up to his Gekokujou philosophy. That's why he perfectly agreed that the silent killer second year will succeed him as king of the tennis club.

But of course, Hyotei Gakuen will never acknowledge another king. Hiyoshi can have the tennis club after "ore-sama" graduates.

As spring approaches, Atobe Keigo was looking over his middle school life.

It has been eventful, of course, thanks to the various fellow middle schoolers who populated his tennis existence.

But now, a few months before spring, everyone is faced with a different kind of tournament. Reality sets in.

He is surprised to realize that he is feeling nostalgic; he hopes to have all the power in the world to keep all the tennis players he knows in this middle school lifetime.

Not everyone can afford to become a professional tennis player.

From what he knows, only Tezuka and Echizen will endeavor to be one.

And maybe, Atobe Keigo might do that too, if he puts his mind into it.

But the world of professional tennis would be quite empty and not to mention, too quiet with only the three of them in it.

If only, he could kidnap everyone and make them live in a country just for them all. Where they could play tennis until they die.

He would get a whole island, maybe somewhere in the Pacific, one of the little islands where birds and only amphibians live. Unreachable unless you have a chartered plane or a yacht. Probably, he could make the island be undetectable through radar or sonar, or whatever else they have invented or will invent to find things. No one, absolutely no one will be able to get in, unless of course, with express permission from the king himself.

He would fill the island with the best necessities to maintain it. Every luxury the world has to offer. This will be an island where they don't need to worry about anything. They could all play tennis matches to their heart's content.

He would take the time to educate everyone too. He will teach them to enjoy gourmet food, the opera and appreciate classical music. He would share with everyone the fun of learning new languages, so they can shout and curse at each other in unaccented English and christen their respective techniques in Greek.

It goes without saying that he will lord over the island. They could all argue later who will be the king of tennis.

Who can get in Tennis Island?

Well, of course, the entire Hyotei Gakuen Tennis club will get to come anytime they like. The regulars, even his cheerleaders, for he is a king who takes care of his subjects.

He would've to invite (or kidnap) the entire Seishun Gakuen too. Tezuka and the brat will be a shoo-in; the rest can come for company.

Now that he thinks about it, he needed to bring (or kidnap) the teams they faced last year.

Rikkai Dai can get in; he would accept Sanada as their ticket. It's like a numerous game of chess, with many kingdoms and kings. He needs the "emperor" to defeat. Yukimura, too can come of course, it's like a package deal when it comes to the captain and vice captain of Rikkai Dai. The devil brat can tag along as well, and Atobe is looking forward to teaching the kid some manners on and off the court.

Atobe can only briefly remember Tachibana's sister. But he can recall the way he refused him, and aside from some guys refusing to accept him as king, that girl was the only girl who didn't bother to look at him even though he forced her to do so. He thinks that given more time, and the confined space of an island, she might go along his way.

So, he needed to bring the Fudoumine boys as well. At least, to impress the girl a little.

Shitenhoji and Rokkaku will be good teams to invite too. He is vaguely interested what will the captain of Shitenhoji will do next. Shiraishi is like a sleeping demon. The funny thing is, the man doesn't seem to realize that he is a demon. The Rokkaku boys will bring a friendly atmosphere, making the island like a huge school trip.

He needs troublemakers too. So, Higa will bring that part, and if he could find Akutsu Jin from Yamabuki, they would create all the conflict they need to balance the friendly mood.

He only knows the other teams briefly, but with the help of the effeminate manager from St. Rudolph, he could invite the other tennis clubs as well. Lord knows, that talking to the guy is like talking to the whole Japanese archipelago over a huge intercom.

And with help of these numerous notebooks from Seigaku's Data man, he will know where to find them all. He already decided that he would keep that man under employ to collect data from these tennis people. He would need to give him carte blanche so he will have the means to collect data without any flaws.

Now, what does Atobe Keigo need to do first?

Well, he needed to get richer. He would have to follow his father and grandfather's footsteps and make a lot of money as soon as possible.

His middle school tennis world is not getting any younger. He needs to gather his subjects, his future kidnap victims, quickly, before reality snatched them. He needs to gather them to his royal presence before they realize that life is not always easy. Real life most of the time defies any description, exceeds anyone's expectations. Black and white sides are sometimes blurred, and winning doesn't mean that you'll be happy in the end.

He needs to hurry, before people like Jirou and Sengoku forgets to laugh.

Before the sweet loving redheads (every team usually has a redhead, a note from the Seigaku data man) realize that life is not always as sweet and easy. Before they experience that fighting amongst the rest of the world for more money, more power will wear them out more quickly than any tennis game could.

Before reality saps the people with great strength like Kabaji.

Before people with closed/protected eyes decided that they'd rather be blind than look at world that adults live in.

Before the world takes away the will of his people who have never given up before.

He needs to get them all quickly, before childhood was taken from them.

Atobe Keigo knows he can do anything, if he puts his mind into it.

If reality demands that he needs to grow up quickly, he will do it.

They haven't realized it yet, but soon they will. He is really the king of tennis, and they will all be taken care of in the not-so-distant future.

He turned to the big man behind his chair, "Soon, everyone will be awed at the sight of my prowess. Right, Kabaji?"

"Usu."