Author's Note: Well, those of you that are my old Quizilla! fans might remember the first few chapters of this story. Unfortunately, my computer crashed back then and I was only able to upload a few of the 40 chapters and gave up after that from discouragement. It's been years, but I was finally able to get the old desktop fixed up and then retrieve every last old story from it. From the good, the bad, and the ugly, I sorted through until I came across both books of this fanfiction. After sorting through 87 chapters of the two combined, I finally edited it decently and now, WALLA! I hope everyone enjoys this! And on a side not, both books are finished outside of FF, so updating will not be a problem, like a few of my other stories conflicting with a busy schedule. Though, the fans keep me motivated. -wink-
Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of it's affliates. Takeshi Konomihas that sole right, and trust me I would if I could. I only own the numerous OCs, and above all I own Kimmy Castille and her moves, though their names have been taken from various things such as songs and etcetera.
No one is given the right to repost this under any circumstances. This story belongs to NixxH and any other parties that have helped along the way, none of which are on Fanfiction. Now, please enjoy!
Chapter One:
The Auspicious Letter
"OOPH!"
Smack! Whiz! Smack! Thud!
Green eyes lock with deep onyx, determination brimming in each gaze. Respect filled the hearts of both the players and the audience as sweat poured from beneath their hats and necks. The air was thick with tension and anxious exasperation, yearning for this match to end yet egging it to continue. To call it monumental would be an understatement. It would be the deciding match and neither wanted to lose.
"KISS OF DAWN! OOMPH!"
The match was decided as soon as those words were called. It would only take one more score to complete this duel of titans, raging on for a good hour or more by this point.
The entire arena grew quiet, the thousands of people holding their breath at the exact same time. It was painful, agonizing. The well-recognized and highly original serve was world-renowned, usually having the same effect every time.
The ball, once invisible, appeared as it struck the back line dead on to the left of the court, before bouncing straight up and stopping abruptly, rolling behind the line. Everyone held their breath.
"GAME: HARRIX'S CASTILLE, THE SCARLET SERPENT!"
The applause was deafening as the long match was drawn to a close. Castille and Serpent is chanted throughout the crowd as the entire team rushed onto the court.
I removed my drenched hat and brushed back scarlet bangs, smiling while clutching the matching Mizuno racket. Emerald eyes were upturned, laughing with friends as they picked me up and threw me once, setting my feet back on the solid ground.
My breath was ragged and panting as they presented a large golden trophy to our group, the referee grinning all the while.
"The new Junior Tennis Nationals Championship winners are the Harrix Vipers!" The crowd was exuberantly loud as they cheered, pumping their fists and screaming. "Congratulations girls!"
We were all beyond joyful while we lavished in the attention. We were the best in America, and we had proof.
:{Out Of Focus}:
"You have twenty hits to make it in this square. For every hit you miss, you must run two laps. Aylin will be watching each of you precisely and as you know, her eyes don't miss anything."
"Yes, Captain Kimmy!"
I brushed a piece of hair from my forehead, locking a cap over my ears and shading the rest from the burning and beautiful autumn sun. I took my leave then, jogging off to the side-courts.
Waiting were a group of anxious children, eager to begin their day. Once they notice my approach, their eyes lightened. A rare treat it was for the Team Captain of the Harrix Vipers Regulars to teach this class instead of her younger sister.
"I take it you're all ready to begin learning some skills?" I smiled at them, showing a wide-grin locked in place with a form-fitted clear chew, mandatory for all tennis players.
"Captain Kimmy!" They had begun to cheer. "Yes!"
"Good," I commented, "Because today you won't be playing. I want you all to practice your serving." I stand dead center in the middle of the back line. "I've heard you've been working on serves, so I want you to hit the ball."
A hand shot in the air as soon as the words left my mouth, barely giving time to register it. I acknowledged her with a simple nod when I finished blinking. "Captain Kimmy-Serpent-Ma'am, are you going to hit it back at us?"
I gave a small, sideways smirk. "Of course not. I expect you to aim at me and I'll redirect it to the fence."
In turn, they breathed a sign of relief, "But-"
"No butt's about it," I shook my head. "Aim for me or get off the court. You have to take me seriously when I'm here. This game is my life and when I get out here, I'm more serious than not."
"Yes ma'am!"
"So who's first?"
A girl is pushed forward against her will, quivering. She gulped, bouncing the ball to get a good feel on it before hitting it full-strength forward. I itched in anticipation, licking the front of the chew.
All the girls' eyes tightly closed, gasping and scared they would have to run laps for some reason or the other, something I am known quite well for using as a punishment method.
When they heard the normal thud and no grunt of pain, their eyes opened to see me swat the ball back, never having moved from my spot.
"See girls, you won't hurt me," I beamed at them. "Good pose and posture, but you're tilting your racket and making the ball rise higher than it should. Also, put your right foot- yes the one in front- put it a bit more outward than it is. Perfect. Now try again."
:{Out of Focus}:
I ran back over to the main courts, seeing Aylin grinning mischievously. Just from that look on my thirteen-year-old sister's face meant she had been running my team... a lot. Her satisfaction was evident to any that cast her a simple glance. As our team's co-manager, water girl, and stand-in, she enjoyed exercising us and keeping us in tip-top shape.
"Hey Mimi!" Her shadowed green eyes lightened.
"Have you been running my team too much Aylin Felicia Castille?" I quirked a playful eyebrow at the girl.
"Only where they've deserved it," she glanced down towards the clipboard in-hand. "Serenity has zero misses and has finished her necessary rounds regardless. She's working on some serves on the court at the moment. Paige only missed three and she's finished her six laps. Tiff missed four and has done ten laps for some reason; over-achieving I presume. She is playing a mock-match right now with Paige."
I stared over her reasonably short, four-foot eleven, shoulder at the board. "Serenity! Paige! Tiffany!" I call them in the order she had named.
They immediately stop their previous tasks, running over. Each stops in front of me with a lazy pose.
Tiffany was fiddling with her long brunette braid and wiping sweat from pouring in her narrowed blue eyes. She was the second tallest player on our team of four players, five counting my sister, standing at five-five. She was also the youngest, being only a second year and fourteen-years-old, beneath Serenity, Paige, and me by a year. She was skilled in Doubles with her usual partner Paige, but could hold her own at Singles any day.
Serenity was tightening her high ponytail of black hair with her intellectual and skillfully trained hazel eyes locked on my every move. She was indeed the tallest at five-foot, seven-inches and was a third year in school like Paige and I. Though, she had not yet hit her birthday and was still only fourteen. She was a genius in the game of tennis and my usual Doubles partner- though it was a rare set-up-, but her specialty was Singles.
Paige yawned obnoxiously, shaking her head of long blonde hair and giggling a bit when it tickled her nose. Her bright blues eyes peered up after a minute or so, the optimistic gaze set on us. She was the shortest on the team, besides Aylin, at five-foot even. Though she was the oldest, in my grade and fifteen, born on June 18th, unlike my October 27th or Serenity's January 3rd, she was definitely the least mature on most occasions. She was an extraordinary Doubles player with Tiffany, and rarely played Singles unless need-be.
"I think we're finished for the day," I sighed happily along with them. I'd been running with the younger girls as they did their laps to show them I'd also do training with them like I'd done so many times before. "We have classes early tomorrow and the sun is gone."
"Oh thank God!" Paige threw her hands in the air, clutching tight to her hot pink Dunlop racket. "Bye everyone! Good night!" She ran off before any could breathe a word against the departure.
"Night Paige!" Aylin waves as we simply smiled, returning the gesture. Our energy was spent long ago, mine from training children and theirs from being worked to death.
"Hard to believe just three days ago we were in San Diego, California for Nationals," Tiffany downed a complete bottle of water in a single go. "Those amateurs were hardly worth the trip. Except that one guy! He gave me a great game." She blew a large bubble of gum. "He almost had me that last time, but I got 'im!"
"Barely," Serenity murmured, sagely as always.
We walked back into the sports dorm part of the school, heading into Tennis Dorm A.
:{Out of Focus}:
The following morning I was sitting in class, grumpy as I usually tended to be in the mornings. My head was sprawled across my desk, hair gathered all around me. I had chosen the red uniform for the day. Third years and up had a choice of wearing either the red uniforms or the black, or mixing them up a bit. We just couldn't wear any other clothing besides casual Friday.
Too bad it was only Monday...
A buzzing sound interrupted the worst class of the day- Mathematics. The intercom clicked on loudly and we heard the soft voice of the school's secretary and office attendant.
"Would Miss Kimmy Castille please report to the office immediately? Kimmy Castille, report to the office immediately. Thank you!"
The intercom clicked off once more as I am excused, trailing my trip to the office as long as possible. I would get to skip that class if at all possible. Besides, it was our teacher's tradition to never assign homework on Monday nights. She was one of the few and I treasured her for it.
I opened the door and before I know it I am motioned towards Dean Skylar's office. I entered, sitting in the cushioned arm chair I had sat in on many occasions, mostly for tennis business. I was sincerely hoping this was the case once more.
"Hello Miss Serpent," the kind old Dean chuckled. "How are you today Mimi?"
Truth be told, this old man was like my grandfather and had been for many, many years. He was the grandpa of one of my best friends and was there whenever we needed him the most.
"Exhausted Grandpa!" I groaned as I slouched further in the chair. "We've been training so much for tennis-"
"I know, I've seen you," he smiled warmly. "I have an amazing view from these windows." He stood up and gazed out of the window he had gestured to, a floor length one and as wide as a full grown man. "Tennis is actually why I called you in here."
I perked up immediately, fingers clutched to the edge of the chair I had taken up. "Pardon?"
"This is why you're here, Captain Kimmy." He tossed me a letter.
I eagerly ripped it open and snatched the letter out of it.
To Captain Kimmy Elissa Castille,
Seishun Gakuen cordially invites the Harrix Vipers, winners of the U.S. Junior Tennis Nationals, to their middle school for the Tennis Junior World Championships.
As such, you will be staying at our school with your team and may attend our school throughout the tournament season and to finish up your school year with us, completely sponsored by Seishun Gakuen and its 'higher-up's'.
If you are to accept this invitation, then allow me to share some information about the tournament with you. It is a world-wide event, yes, and it is to be hosted in Japan within driving range of our establishment. You will be the only other team attending our school personally; all the other teams have decided on a hotel across town instead of the rooms we have up. In the tournament, each team must have at least five players, though I'd suggest having at least seven in case a player becomes injured or becomes too hurt to carry on. Though, we allow access for you to bring nine of your players.
Attending our school would mean you'd need a proper guardian though. Our establishment will help pay for monthly boarding payments at a local house that is up for rent, seeing as ten people or more couldn't possibly fit in an apartment. We will pay for your board, but food and other necessities aren't in the contract.
You will be given use of our courts and maybe the chance to play with our renowned Seigaku team.
If you choose to accept this offer, then please contact me via email immediately.
Email: HiroyukiIshikawa
Sincerely,
Hiroyuki Ishikawa
"Whoa!" I gasped, clutching over my heart. "This is... I mean... wow!" I passed the letter to the Dean and he read it over, his eyes widening and his mouth showing his old pearly whites.
"Are you going Mimi?"
"It's not only up to me," I quaked with the voracity of my excitement, my adrenaline. "If it was, then yes! Most definitely!"
"I'll call the girls in from their classes and get Miss Emerson in here," he murmured, clicking a button to turn on the P.A. system. It only took minutes for the urgent message to make it's progress, obvious from the door bursting open and all of the Harrix Regulars pouring in.
I began to reread the letter aloud, pausing here and there for dramatic effect. At the ending, each and every female in the room cheered in delight, some squealing and others leaping.
"We just have to accept, or actually Kimmy does since he addressed it to Captain Kimmy," Lillian Emerson whispered, our guardian and what one would call a coach. She really left the coaching up to me but she handled the jobs of getting us to our meets and bringing us to our games. Lily was a strong believer in 'hands on' training. She was the one who always stood by and made sure we kept in shape and made sure I was doing my job at being the captain of the team. She was secretly a role model of every last girl in this room.
"Yes, but we need to bring this with us and have it signed when we leave," Paige waved about the contract he had sent, making sure we agreed to the terms. Lillian and I had already read over it aloud and agreed unanimously. Of course, permission slips from our parentage would be necessary as well.
"It says we need five members to compete," Serenity's calm voice broke through the cheering, the celebration. "At least, that is. It would be wiser to bring two to three more though, in case of injury or trouble."
"Yes, but that means we'd have to find three of the best girls in the country to help us with this. We can't just have any old player," Tiffany grumbled, rubbing her chin, thinking deeply.
"We already have Aylin, so that means we would have eight if we got three girls. I say we get two girls that are a Doubles team," I interjected once more, giving my opinion on the matter. "We're a bit weak when it comes to Doubles."
"Hey!" Paige and Tiff both glowered.
"I don't mean it like that," I hissed, shaking my head. "We have one solid team for Doubles. We have Aylin and me, and then we have Serenity and me, but I really am not that great at it. We could always group Aylin and Serenity together, but their chemistry on the court is awful. It wouldn't hurt to have one more Doubles group and possibly another Singles."
"She's right," Lillian nodded, tossing the hair back from her round face. She looked far too young to be thirty-two years old and tall at six-foot even. "I'll compile a list. We'd have to leave in a week to get to Japan and get everything situated. That leaves little time to get permission slips signed. Will the school be sponsoring our trip for the extra funds?"
"Of course," Dean Skylar agreed immediately, his wrinkles creasing around his large smile and sweeping white-gray beard. "We'll cover everything from new uniforms to their every need."
"I'll have the girls we're using for Doubles and Singles here before we leave. I'll make sure they're legit and compatible with this team," Lillian ruffled my hair. "I know how hard you girls are on new additions to the team. Aylin will be proud to know she's going. I guess we get to go to Japan girls!"
"Thank you Coach Lilly!" We hugged her tightly, loving our respectably sweet coach. "Go Harrix Vipers!"
Japan wouldn't know what hit them, and we would make sure of that.
Author's Note: What do you think of the first chapter? I do hope it turns out to be a hit. Anyways, REVIEW and all the usual, my loves!
Next in 'Out of Focus':
Japan was indeed a strange place. We were used to the vague sense of normalcy of the United States, but nothing compared to this. One could only call this place fantastical compared to our old home and we were honored. Now, we just had to get moved in and comfortable before making sure Seishun Gakuen knew our names. Besides, Japan needed to know who their next World Champions were, no?