WW0604: Yes, another fanfic. I can't get enough of Prince of Tennis and their lovely pairs that I just love to mess with. This one is a Tezuka/Ryoma fanfic (as you probably know). I pretty much have it set after the ending of the Prince of Tennis anime series and right before the OVA starts. It's just an idea that popped into my head after watching it and well…I have no idea on how it's going to turn out, but that's where you lovely readers come in =]. Read and Review and please let me know what you think. Is it not descriptive enough, too rushed, short, boring, out of character? Anything, I'd really like to know, that's what I improve off of.
I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS OR ANYTHING WITHIN IT!!!
Ok, not much more to say so read and enjoy and once again, please review.
Chapter 1: Coming Back Home
It was midnight, the night before the long flight back to a whole different continent. It was raining outside and to the opinion of a young boy sitting in a room alone, it almost fit the day perfectly. He'd had left all his friends, his family, behind when he went to go play in the U.S. Open. Which he happened to do quite well in. This young boy, commonly know as 'The Hurdle Rookie' or maybe even 'Samurai Junior', if you don't know him by those names then for sure you'd know him as Echizen Ryoma of the Seigaku Regulars. The support pillar of Seigaku, or so the captain, Tezuka Kunimitsu calls him. On this rainy day, he sat alone with his cat, Karupin, in a hotel room. He was waiting for his ride to pick him up and take him to the air port that would fly him back to Japan once again. As he was waiting, he took the time to recall the last thing he said to his team.
-Ryoma's POV-
"Thank you for everything." I repeated to myself. These were the exact same words I had said to the Sempai's before I left them for the U.S. Open. I said it to each one of them as if I'd never see them again. I could feel myself smirk, despite the swelled up feeling inside. Regret? For what I wonder. For thinking I'd never see the Sempai's again? For saying such touching and out of character words to them, letting them all think I'd never return? Fuji-Sempai, Eiji-Sempai, Momo-Sempai, Kaido-Sempai, Oishi-Sempai, Takashi-Sempai, and Inui-Sempai. I smirked a even bigger smirk as the last of my Sempai's came to mind, Captain Tezuka. "Heh, it looks like we'd be meeting again after all."
Before I had the time to continue my one sided conversation I heard a door shut, a door to a car. My ride was here to pick me up and take me back to Japan. Back to the Sempai's…and Tezuka. I grabbed my luggage, just one large suit case of clothes and stuff for Karupin and my tennis bag; I don't go anywhere without this. And so, I carried my things to the car and tossed them into the trunk, all besides my tennis bag in which I kept with me in the back seat. I buckled up and off to the airport I went, only a few hours away till I was officially heading home.
The car ride was very quite quiet. The man that drove me didn't speak, Karupin was sleeping, and I was alone with my thoughts once again. If only the driver was deaf, I'd be able to talk to myself again. Me and my one sided conversations. Not too long though the driver finally decided to speak. "So you play tennis, eh?" he asked me. It took me by surprise, did he know who I was? It couldn't be, he didn't have a chance to see my face yet. I decided to not answer him, curiosity taking the best of me to see what else he'd say, but nothing came out. Wanting so bad to be able to talk I just answered him a simple yes and I could hear him chuckle in the front seat. "Is that so? You know, I heard of a very talented middle school student who did very well in the U.S. Open Tournament. Practice hard and you'd turn out just like him."
I figured, he didn't know I was really this miracle rookie from Japan. "Yeah…" was my only response and the end of out very short conversation. Lucky for me the airport wasn't far from the hotel and I was soon inside the plane, tennis bag in the luggage cubbies and my thoughts to myself once again.
I was so tired, surely I would have someone on my ass about my health if I was home, in Japan. But no one was here now, no one to tell me what's right and what's not. Not like I'd listen, they all mean well, but after a while you'd learn how to let the not so important stuff enter your own thoughts. Kind of like what I'm doing to the lady I'm sitting next to who keeps trying to bring a conversation up. This isn't my first time going from U.S. to Japan and back. I know the whole 'this is my first time going out of the country' speech all too well, something I don't want to go through again. Eventually the lady get the hint that I don't want to talk and goes to do her cross word puzzle like I'm not even here. It's better that way.
Sometimes I wonder, if I should even go back to Japan. 'I just want to cheer them on for their National Games.' I thought to myself, my tired eyes shutting to keep everything else clear from entry. 'I just want to cheer for them. Nothing else…' Nothing else? Sure there's another reason, despite the fact that my pride is too high to admit it. I wanted to se him again. I wanted to see Tezuka again. He was the only one in Seigaku that I actually felt open around. Fuji and Eiji-Sempai are nice, but they're more like best friends, big brothers even, not like Tezuka. Not like the man that allowed me to cry in front of him. I still can't believe I cried in front of Tezuka, and the other Sempai's. They were probably whispering rude comments about me amongst themselves, not like I care. I'm use to it from all of the older opponents I had to face throughout my life, all the high school tennis players who thinks that I'm just a small middle school student that is just high of himself when the reality is that I'm ten times the tennis athlete they'd ever be. They're all the same.
The thoughts start to give my exhausted brain and terrible headache, so I decided to get some sleep while I can and wake up when I get back to Japan, back to my home.
-Tezuka's POV-
It was a very bright day today. A day of hope maybe, but nothing good can come out of the day without the cocky rookie that's always tagging around my team and I. It was certainly quiet without him, I forgot how quiet it can get. I'm the Seigaku's Captain, Tezuka Kunimitsu, and right now the regulars were running their laps for being late. Oh how I love making everyone run for things that wasn't such a big deal. Even lately, as my attitude seems to be on the bitter side, I make them run more than usual. About double of what I normally assign actually.
You can say it's more peaceful without Echizen. Without someone who picks one Kaido and the other tennis members. Just like how it use to be before he came from America. Even though my mind is still wondering about the rookie that is now the support pillar for Seigaku, I can hear my teammates talk while they were running. Ture, they were doing what I told them to do, but my attitude is on the bitter side remember? So I make them run another ten laps to the fourty I originally gave them. There was a few groans and a hiss from the crowd before they all shut up and finished the laps.
When they were done, they were all laying flat on the ground on their back, panting for air to treat their tired lungs. All besides Eiji who was still jogging in place a little.
"Oi, Oi! You all should try running on low oxygen, it really helps with the stamina!" Eiji called in his hyper active voice. Everyone starts to talk amongst themselves again, seeming as if they forgot I was even there. My theory was approved when I cleared my throat and the talking silenced immediately.
"Do you all need to run more laps?" I ask. The all just shake their heads and quickly jump to their feet, running for the courts to start some drills. Sighing to myself, I finally have my thoughts to myself again along with the sound of tennis balls being his back and forth, I let myself think of how Echizen did in the U.S. Open. Of course he did well, he beat me after all and no one has been able to do that in all of my tennis life. I wonder why I'm thinking of him so much. He went to America, never to return to Japan anytime soon at least, and here I am thinking as if he's about to walk onto the courts with the greeting 'cheers'.
"Captain Tezuka…" someone calls my name. I look to my left and see Oishi staring at me, slightly worried as always. "What's your call for the training exercises today?" he asks.
"The usual…I already gave Inui the go head to throw in his new drink. Why aren't you practicing with the others, Oishi?" I ask, turning slightly to the vice captain who has helped me in so many ways to keep the team in shape and ready for the national tournaments that was only a day away.
"Oh, I feel a bit nauseous, so I'm sitting out for a minute." The news catches me off guard, but if it's Oishi then I trust his word. He never lies about his heath and knows what's best for his body.
"Very well, you can judge the calls then. We'll start with the color cones." I instruct. Oishi nods slightly then runs onto the courts, making everyone pause what they were doing and getting them ready for the first drill. When they were set, I walk on to courts to stand next to Oishi, keeping an eye on everything.
"Ok, lets start…Fuji."
"Green."
"Momo."
"Blue."
"Taka."
"Yellow."
"Kaido."
This went on for a while, everyone calling the right color that the ball has and hitting it to the right color cone. As Oishi calls names and hits balls to them I examine their movements and techniques. Everyone seems to be in shape and keeping up with their daily training that I assign them to. Now I'm paying attention to Oishi who seems well. I can't tell for sure when he's just hitting lobs to everyone.
"Fuji."
"Blue."
"Inui."
"Green."
The ball was green, but it hit a blue cone. Keeping a mental track on who has to drink, so far I have one cup for Inui, three for Momo, and one for Kaido. Everyone else seems to be getting them right so I turn to Oishi again and tell him to pick up the pace, not giving them the chance to think about the ball and color so much. He fallows instructions and about every two seconds he'd hit a new ball.
"Taka."
"Red."
"Fuji."
"Green."
"Fuji."
"Blue."
"Momo."
"Purple."
Everyone stops then to look at Momo strangely.
"What, it looked purple." I pick up the ball he hit and showed it to him. "Oops, blue." Ok so four cups for Momo, two for Kaido and Inui, and one for everyone else…besides Oishi that is.
"Eeh, no fair Oishi! You only hit the balls so you didn't have to drink Inui Juice!" Eiji complained as he was handed his own cup.
"No complaining, just drink it."
"Yeah, at least you don't have to drink four!!" Momo shouted. Oishi and I watched everyone drink their share of the juice, all but Fuji passing out.
"I thought it tasted good." he says with his famous smile. Giving everyone the time to recover, I take Oishi to a different set of courts to talk to him and also get a chance to see how his tennis was.
We decided one game would give them enough time and so we got ready. We both walked to the net and a set the net end of my racket on the ground and start spinning it.
"Rough…" Oishi calls and it lands on rough.
"Your serve." I say, tossing him a ball. The look on his face seemed a bit nervous, but I ignore it, thinking it's just from the fact that he's playing again his captain.
The match lasted as long as a regular match would. I was going a bit easy on him, knowing he didn't have much of a chance and the game score ended as 6-3, me winning.
"Eh, that was a nice game Tezuka, I still have a way to go."
"Yes…" I agree with him. "And you have an injury to heal as well." I added onto my agreement. His face froze up, his eyes looking down at his right wrist.
"Oh, so you noticed?" I nod. "I thought I'll be healed by now…the last tournaments were, what, a month ago?"
"If I remember correctly. Was that why you skipped the cone drill?" I ask, getting a nod in return from him. "I'll have to reset the match schedule them. You'll be sitting out." I say before picking up my tennis bag and start walking out of the court, Oishi right on my heals.
"But Tezuka, what about Doubles One? I thought Eiji and I were going to--"
"I'm not going to let you further your injury. If Eiji wants to play then I'll think of a way to throw him in." The tone of my voice made it final and Oishi sighs in defeat. When we reach the courts again, everyone seemed to be on their feet for the most part, so I call them over to discuss the game plan for tomorrow. "Now, Oishi and I had a talk and we made a few changes in the schedule." Everyone exchanged looks, mumbling to themselves before looking at Tezuka again. "Eiji…"
"Hai!" Eiji calls, giving Tezuka full attention.
"How do you fell about a Singles match?" I ask. His face looked horrified.
"Singles?? But, I thought Oishi and I were doing Doubles." he whined.
"Yes, well, Oishi won't be able to play tomorrow due to an injury that still hasn't fully healed." I easily and casually explained. All eyes were on Oishi and I too look over at him. He looked upset, like he regretted the fact that his wrist is still incapable of playing tennis for the nationals.
"What…but…Oishi, you--you promise!" Eiji yells at Oishi, getting an even more pained look on Oishis face.
"Eiji, enough. It's not in his control and I think you'll be doing well in the Singles One match." I say in a stern voice while writing on a clipboard.
"H-hai…I understand."
"Good. Now, for Doubles One we have Inui and Kaido. Singles Two, Fuji. Doubles Two, Taka and Momo. And I will do Singles Three." Everyone nods their head before looking from Eiji to Oishi again. "That's all for practices today, you're all dismissed." I turn my back on the club as they start to bow towards me, thanking me and went their own ways, easily hearing Eiji yell at Oishi once again.
I went and got changed out of my tennis uniform and back into my school uniform just like the rest of the team. I was the last one to leave, taking my time to allow myself to go over the many things on my mind…one more than the rest. I started walking towards the front gate to see Fuji waiting for me like he sometimes does. Today I wish he'd just go home on his own, but I'll accept the company. Hopefully it'll keep me from focusing too much on Ryoma. "Fuji…" I greeted and he smiled.
We started walking and in that time it was quiet, but after we walked a few blocks Fuji decides to bring up a conversation. "So, Oishi's sitting out?" he asks me. Now he knows my answer and I know what he wants to hear. He want's to know the reason. I nod to his question, still looking forward at the path in front of me. "How come?" he finally asks me.
"The injury on his right wrist hasn't fully healed yet. I'm sure it'll be healed by the finals." I reassure Fuji when seeing that he looked concerned about Oishi's injury.
"That still hasn't healed? Wow…must have been quite the injury." Fuji said, looking forward again. I only nod again and looked forward as well, waiting to see if he'll say something again. "You think Eiji will do fine in singles? All he's use to is doubles." Fuji stated.
"I'm sure Eiji will do fine. If he didn't think he could do it then he could have said so, but since it's final now then he'll just have to make due with it. Besides, if he happens to lose the match then there's always you and I. We can make up for the loss and then either Inui Pair or Momo Pair will take the third win." I explain to him. I look over at Fuji again to see him staring at me. I'm usually right when it comes to my schedules and Fuji has always supported me, but I can see clearly in his eyes that he doesn't think Eiji can make it.
"I hope you're right Tezuka…" he finally says and looks forward once again right as we reached his house.
-Ryoma's POV…The Next Day-
Japan…I'm home.
WW0604: Ok that's where Chapter 1's going to be left off at. I had a real kick from the line 'Momo…Purple!' lol. Well anyways, I hope you all enjoyed it. I'm really neglecting my other stories, but I haven't given up on them. Please R&R and keep your eyes out for Chapter 2.