**IMPORTANT** I proofread this (finally) haha, I'm so bad about that. One of my friends finally convinced me too. I just hate reading my own writing, because I hate to see all my mistakes. But I finally brought myself to do it. Oh, and btw that does NOT mean that you have to read it again if you already have. I only proofread it for mistakes, I have not changed the story (that's revision for those of you who don't know).

Disclaimer: I do not own POT or marijuana HAHAHA okay….maybe I'm the only one who found that funny….

Germany. Tezuka sat on his bed, flipping through pamphlets that displayed medical facilities with pithy mottoes emblazoned on the front. He assumed that they were to entice him to that particular rehab center. It wasn't exactly working. So far, all he was enticed to use was the trashcan.

"Be at peace as we piece you back together." –Alrik Center of Rehabilitation (Sweden)

He rolled his eyes. He didn't need stitches. It's not like his arm fell off or anything.

*Crumple* and the pamphlet fell into the waste-basket.

"Our guest services are better than you could have guessed!" –Antoine Treatment and Care Facility (France)

Another eye roll. As if he was interested in guest services. He was there to get healed and fast. Being pampered made his eyebrow twitch just at the thought of if.

*Crumple* and the second pamphlet went to join the first.

"Come experience relaxation so great you'll be in exaltation!" –St. Catherine's Hospital (England)

Once again, he was definitely not going anywhere to relax...or exalt...

*Crumple* and the pamphlet found itself lying next to the other two.

"We treat you with a treat." –Providence Health and Physical Therapy Center (America)

Okay now that one just made no sense. He stared at it quizzically before discarding the pamphlet.

Breathing deeply, he sighed and closed his eyes. Subconsciously, his right arm reached for his left elbow, causing him to wince.

Looking down, he gazed over the last pamphlet.

He was a senior in high school and the tennis season had not even begun. However, that did not stop THE Tezuka Kunimitsu from practicing, religiously even. It was his guilty pleasure. Taking out his frustrations and anger on that little, yellow, fuzzy, ball whenever the problems of life brought the sudden and violent urge to smack someone. Lately, he had had a lot of pent up anxiousness as he thought ahead towards his future. Mainly, it was a battle with himself as to whether he ought to go pro or stick to the academic path. He inwardly groaned just revisiting he dilemma in his head. But now due to his brashness he was stuck in a different albeit just as frustrating, dilemma.

Flashback

Atobe smirked down triumphantly at a very different Tezuka than when the match had started. He was doubled over in pain, holding what remained of his overly strained elbow.

"Game, set, match Hyotei's Atobe 7 games to 6." shouted the umpire.

He had lost, and it didn't help that he had destroyed himself in doing it. The pillar of Seigaku had crumbled. Morale fell and it was written on the horror-stricken faces of his teammates. But everything was blurred through the haze the pain cast over his eyes.

Skip to Germany

"There you go! All healed up. You should be fine to play tennis now as long as you're careful. Tezuka-san? That is very important. It's healed but it will never be 100% so don't push yourself, thinking that it is." stated the doctor adamantly.

Tezuka had nodded solemnly, keeping the face of one who was never surprised, while inwardly he was wondering what this warning would mean for himself, as a tennis player. And considering that tennis dominated his life, it would mean a lot for him as a person as well.

He expected much of himself, never accepting less than everything he did. As a leader and tennis captain he didn't participate in the fun the other regulars often did when they fooled around. It wasn't that he didn't want to. But who could respect a leader who acted less mature then those he had been entrusted to lead? And in academics he had to work hard for his parents. This outlook created the phrase that defined him and was often uttered by the famous captain "never let your guard down." What would this do to him? Holding back. At he time he had decided in the end, not to disobey the doctor outright. He would take breaks...occasionally.

End flashback

This decision actually ended up so that he took breaks around...

Once since he had gotten back from Germany and that was only because an uncharacteristic snowstorm had hit Japan, making it near impossible to play. After 3 years his elbow had finally given in again. All the anxiety he let out in intense beat-the-crap-out-of-the-ball sessions probably didn't help with that either. As he laid his head back, he began to think about the doctor's warning again.

This can't keep happening. Am I really going to have to hold back? Does that mean I should not try? Maybe it means I should forget tennis. If I can't give everything I have, why try when I can only give some of myself? Who will I be then?

He, once again, glanced down at the pile of pamphlets, seriously studying the top one. Well, he was going to find out. In Germany.

Ryoma Echizen was cleaning. His face, stuck in a scowl since that morning, glared openly at the dust bunnies gathering underneath his bed.

This is pointless. It will just become dirty again. He thought as he began to dust.

Karupin sat faithfully beside him as he fumed, twitching his tail in what appeared to be both amusement and annoyance. He playfully pawed at Ryoma in the hopes that he would hurry up with his cleaning to play with him.

Ryoma shot the cat an annoyed look "I would play with you but Oyaji won the last match we played and this was the deal." Ryoma shot a dirty glance at his father who was lying on his side reading the "newspaper".

"Baka." muttered Ryoma under his breath.

Karupin who cared nothing for Ryoma's explanation, and was anxious for him to hurry up already, stood up on his haunches and batted Ryoma harder. This time on the shoulder.

"Mreow reow!"

"Ow! Karupin!" Ryoma's arm swung up as he tried to avoid Karupin's insistent paws turned claws. As he did, he knocked into a bookshelf that wobbled a little before releasing a book to the demands of gravity. It landed on Ryoma's head with an "Oomph" and a cloud of dust.

The "Oomph!" originated from Ryoma, while the book spread a thin coat of dust over Ryoma's hair.

The scowl on Ryoma's face deepened as he glanced back at Karupin, who had sat back down and quickly donned a particularly innocent looking expression.

Ryoma, however, was not fooled.

"Now look what you've done! I'm going to have to clean up all those dust bunnies and this new layer of dust!"

Nanako, hearing the commotion, called as she walked over "Ryo-chan? Everything okay?"

He flinched at the mention of the pet name the female members of his house insisted on calling him "I'm fine!" he shouted back to Nanako only to be interrupted by a screech and an "Uncle!" Ryoma turned to see Nanako stalking away with the magazines and a begging Nanjiroh crawling after her.

Karupin, unfazed, trotted off towards where Nanjiroh was lounging once again looking boredly at an actual newspaper. With Karupin readily reprimanded, Ryoma turned his attention to the book that had fallen beside him. He picked it up with a quizzical expression as he brushed off the remaining dust. It was a photo album with a picture of Ryoma, Ryoga, and a little girl who looked a lot like Ryoma. He sighed opening the book and his expression changed from the deep scowl he had donned that morning to a softer expression with a hint of a smile on the corners of his lips and sadness in his eyes.

The album was filled with pictures of the three Echizen children, of Ryoga his impish, exchange-student-turned-pro, older brother, Ryoma (as if he needs explaining), and Azumi his twin sister. He had only known her for a short time. That was one of his biggest regrets. She had left at the age of 1 when the test that all babies were required to take in Japan went off the charts. Not that Ryoma was a slouch by any means. He had surpassed the average by just as much, they were twins after all. But, his parents couldn't bear to part with them both and he was the boy. The obvious choice to hold on to. Call the Echizens sexist and old-fashioned but Nanjiroh had dreams for Ryoma, a son to carry on the legend of Samurai Nanjiroh, tennis player extraordinaire.

Azumi on the other hand, was immediately shipped off to a boarding school by the government. Well, officially it was a boarding school. Azumi had not told Ryoma what it really was, but he did know from her that it was hard, cold, and full of government agencies. He didn't like it; her being there. It was one of the reasons he harbored resentment for his Oyaji. Damn old man.

Now, he had even greater reason to suspect the school. Azumi had always been allowed to visit a few times a year until last January. This last year, her visits had abruptly stopped. No e-mails, no phone calls. Not even a text message. It had been a hard year for Ryoma and as he gazed into the photographs he couldn't help but wonder what he had already contemplated hundreds of times before: where was Azumi?

The car careened around the corner, threatening to fly over the sidewalk as the two inside wheels flew up, nearly tipping the car over onto its roof. As the car regained its momentum lost cornering around the curve, two more cars shot around the corner in hot pursuit. One car took the inside of the corner, pushing the other car to the outside. Both took the turn a little bit too fast and the inside car skidded into the other, forcing it off he road into the side of a building.

Azumi checked her rearview mirror and noticed the one car's absence and the broken window it had made when it had crashed. She took another series of quick turns, which led her to a large castle on the edge of a wood which bordered a cliff. She hurriedly pulled the seat all the way forward and smashed the window with a sai. She took one of the bigger pieces of glass and jammed it between the seat and gas pedal. The glass pierced through the seat and pedal, securing the pedal at full tilt. She then aimed the car towards the cliff and jumped out the broken window into the forest that edged the cliff, breaking her fall with a neatly timed roll. With any luck, the car behind her would either presume her dead, or realize the path of the car too late and plummet over themselves. The first alternative was preferred but she wasn't about to get picky. Regardless, the car which had been following at a good fifty feet behind her, followed the car up until 25 feet from the cliff. Azumi watched intently as she saw the faces of the poor occupants of the car zoom by her hiding place. She tensed. Maybe she was a little pickier then she was willing to admit.

The car screeched to a halt, spinning so that the back end faced the cliff. It ground to a stop with the two back tires teetering over the edge. The front wheels spun on the road, whining as the rubber was worn away. Finally, the wheels caught on the road and the car slowly edged back onto the road before speeding away in the direction that it had come. Azumi felt a pang of relief as she let out the breath that had been gathering pressure inside of her lungs from the pent up air.

With that, she stood up and strode towards the castle trying desperately not to think about the people in the car that had just tried to kill her. And the very same people she wished nothing more than to be with.

So if you still found some mistakes, you can slap me or send me a review (the latter is MUCH preferred haha). Otherwise, tell me how it was!