A/N Hey, this is my first multi-chapter fanfic on here, so please go easy on me! In this story, I'm assuming that the tournaments in high school will have the same format of the middle school tournaments, so the order of the tournament would be: Kanagawa district tournament (since this is Rikkai Dai and all), the Kanagawa Prefecturals, the Kantou Regionals, and then Nationals. I'm also assuming that the high school tennis season occurs the same time as the middle school tennis season tournaments. Logically that makes no sense, but since this is fanfiction, it can and will make sense. Also, both high school and middle have three years only, since most third years are 15 and it makes no sense for a senior in high school to be 19. And last of all, I've only watched the anime, and I only do basic research on background and stuff, so if something's inaccurate or something of the sort, don't hesitate to criticize me in the comments! XD I'm new to this style of writing, so please bear that in mind while you keep reading.

I won't keep you for long, so please enjoy!

Warnings: blindness, relatively mild language, some suggestive jokes, basic pubescent angst, possible unintentional OOCness...what else can I say?

Pairings: YukimuraxOC, probably others that I'll throw in later

Disclaimer: I wish I could be lounging in my private island in the Caribbeans eating a lifetime's supply of chocolate under an hour while reading Throne of Glass, but since I'm not, I guess that also means that I don't own PoT, unfortunately.


i A World Of Hallucinations i

For the first time since the beginning of the school year, the courts are silent apart from the harsh, grating breathing of the tennis regulars and the constant thumping of tennis balls on the court. Yukimura Seiichi, as always, stands outside the tennis courts, his jersey draped atop his shoulders like a heavy shawl, his sharp eyes catching on the forms and figures of those who interest him, quickly analyzing and comparing mentally before either rejecting or accepting. Sanada regulates the training of the first years in Court D while Yanagi oversees the non-regulars, often stopping a match in order to correct something, all while furiously taking data down in an inconspicuous leather bound book.

The fangirls that are usually accompanied with a frenzy of screams, chatter, and fainting spells are absent-thankfully. Not even Niou, who everyone unanimously agrees has the largest ego when it comes to the tennis regulars' appeal to the opposite sex, mourns their loss. The Kanagawa high school district preliminaries are coming up in a week. Despite the fact that Rikkai Dai usually sweeps the standings, no questions asked, not one person feels the need to slack off.

Then again, that may be due to their buchou's far too bright and angelic smile, their fukubuchou's permanent I-hate-the-world scowl and loud (read: deafening) "TARUNDORU," and Yanagi's constantly scratching pencil-though, to be honest, that happens every day, but for some reason, today of all days, the sound scares all of the tennis club members out of their wits.

The regulars sans Yukimura, Sanada, and Yanagi practice on Court A in pairs or groups of four, playing singles and doubles, the weights strapped to their wrists and ankles visible and glistening in the sunlight. Normally, wordy exchanges and cackling laughter characterize their practice matches (after all, it's nearly impossible to keep oneself from making fun of Kirihara Akaya once or twice or one hundred times), but today, just as with the rest of the club, the regulars keep quiet, serious looks gracing even the faces of those who rarely ever feel an ounce of such a lackluster emotion.

It's another day at Rikkai Dai High in April, the blossoming sakura petals rustling softly in the light breezes that, fortunately, haven't yet evolved into full-blown gales that would push and pull the furiously spinning balls around in unappreciated directions, the sun shining ambivalently down on the sweating tennis players' backs from a clear blue sky, and any sane person at home, in bed, unless they happen to be disturbingly attached sports fanatics.

Well. There's nothing wrong about that last point, though,

Yanagi notices her first, his sharp, observant eyes (ironic, considering that he keeps them closed all the time) catching sight of the silent wraith leaning against one of the ridiculous, blossom-laden cherry trees bordering the school and, by default, the tennis courts that are only separated from said school by a few feet or so of pavement. He contemplates what to do the next few moments, abandoning his current task of obsessively watching and noting the non-regulars in order to focus most, if not all (at least 83.278399995%, which he amazingly manages to calculate even while already splitting his focus between the problem at hand and the non-regulars who are currently breathing sighs of relief at not having to face Yanagi's constant corrections), of his attention on the lone girl standing against the sakura tree beyond the fences.

Yanagi approaches the problem the way he does most problems-beginning by laying down all the facts, categorizing them, analyzing them, and then finally coming to a conclusion.

1) As it is currently seven in the morning, most students will be in their clubs (if they happen to have a meeting before school as well), another area of the school that requires their undivided attention, or at home, tucked nicely into their beds.

2) Despite the previous fact, fangirls and fanboys always mange to surround the tennis courts during both morning and afternoon practices, finding some way or another to disrupt practice, either intentionally or unintentionally.

3) Today is one of the rare days in which the tennis club is free of such harassment-ahem, an admiring audience.

4) Yanagi himself has never expressed an interest in onlookers, yet this particular onlooker has managed to divert his attention-possibly only a small portion, but his attention all the same-from his duties to the tennis club.

Yanagi finds himself rather troubled by the last point. It is true that he has never once, not once in his entire seventeen years of life, shown any interest in anyone other than to gather data, but something beyond the simple, natural drive to gather as much data as possible compels him to find out more about the girl.

It's hard to discern her features through the chain-link fence, and factoring in the distance between the two as well as Yanagi's closed eyes, it's no wonder that he almost dismisses her figure as a figment of his imagination-except for the fact that he doesn't hallucinate, he doesn't create misleading images that tricks his fact-oriented mind into believing that those very images are real, not Yanagi Renji.

Yanagi Renji, the Data Master, one of the Three Demons of Rikkai-he doesn't make things up, he doesn't create unrealistic fantasies out of thin air and drop them into reality.

So instead of diverting his attention from said supposed "figment of his imagination" (impossible, he doesn't believe it), Yanagi snaps his data book shut and leaves the court, heading towards Yukimura, who hasn't seemed to notice the girl's presence, even though he is the closest to her.

Yukimura doesn't know why Yanagi has headed out of his designated court, and that is what puts the Child of God on the defensive as Yanagi walks directly up to him, his data book clenched menacingly in his hand. Still, Yukimura keeps his serene smile, gazing at yanagi with gentle yet inquiring eyes. "Renji."

"Seiichi, there is someone watching us."

Yukimura reigns in his surprise, turning around to follow Yanagi's line of sight. His eyes widen upon landing on the object of Yanagi's attention. He hadn't even noticed her.

From this distance, Yanagi can more easily see the girl. She leans against the trunk of a tree right next to the side door set in the school that faces opposite of the heavy gate that opens into Court A, where the regulars continue to practice, oblivious to what is currently occurring between their buchou and teammate. Her hair is a deep, dark brown that easily blends in with the color of the cherry blossom tree's trunk. So common, yet uncommon at the same time, in a place where black and other strange, seemingly unnatural hair colors predominate. Her face is currently turned away from the two, facing the tennis court in front of her, so they cannot make out her facial features, though they see that she is wearing street clothes (a simple blue top paired with a pair of shorts that look all too familiar to the tennis players) and, despite her delicate structure, has the obvious signs of being athletic-toned arms and legs, a fit body, bronzed skin that only results from hours under the boiling sun (much as how the tennis club members are spending their time right now), and lean muscles lining her bare arms and calves. It isn't that much of a jump to assume that this girl who doesn't seem to be squealing, fainting, or expressing any characteristics reminiscent of the fangirls the tennis regulars are far too familiar with is an avid tennis player as well.

Yukimura turns around and continues to watch his regulars practice. His curiosity hasn't been sated-in fact, it has only just started to grow hungry, but he pushes it aside to evenly reply to Yanagi, "Renji, I do appreciate your concern over such a bystander, but if the girls who usually watch our practice are allowed to stay, I see no reason to take action against someone who has not even disrupted practice."

Yanagi resists the urge to frown, flashing one more glance towards the girl before turning back to face Yukimura. "But, Seiichi, I do not think that-"

"Renji, will still have half an hour of practice left. Any further enquires or comments you have to make will have to wait until after practice. Do not forget that the district tournaments are coming up soon."

Yanagi bites back the first rebellious words that he has ever thought of since meeting Yukimura five years ago, in their first year of middle school, when the Child of God first made it extremely clear that he had the power, the control. His sudden mutinous attitude shocks him, and, in an attempt to regain his composure, he nods stiffly before turning and heading back to his court without a word of goodbye. Yukimura frowns at the Data Master's back but doesn't say anything, instead pushing the conversation aside in favor of picking up his racket from its position leaning against the fence and heading into Court A.

He feels a sudden urge to play tennis.

Unbeknownst to either Data Master or Child of God, the girl leaning against the cherry blossom tree finally turns her head towards where the two had been standing just moment before, the eternal smile on her face widening just a fraction.

Maa, what an interesting team, ne?


Practice ends, and the non-regulars and first years are the first to leave. The Three Demons of Rikkai stay behind to squeeze in some extra practice. After all, without an official coach (even in high school, the Rikkai Dai tennis team has no coach), Yukimura, Sanada, and Yanagi ended up taking up the job of training the other tennis members, but that means that they often have to use their free time to stay in tip top shape and to develop even further.

Then again, that doesn't bother them, because even without the extra duties of running the entire team, they would've spent their free time practicing anyways.

The other regulars also decide to stay behind, as they have nothing else productive to do. All of the regulars manage to arrange themselves across the four courts within Court A. The heavy, serious atmosphere from before has faded now that the regulars are by themselves, and light chatter and laughter begins to fill the air. It certainly helps that most people have begun to enter the school by now, though, once again fortunately, most find no need to come and surround the tennis courts to watch the regulars practice.

Yanagi and Yukimura have not forgotten about their strange visitor. Despite the fact that the non-regulars have already left and that practice is technically over, she still stands under that tree, intently facing Court A. Obviously, she is here for a reason, a reason that most likely has something to do with the regulars. Yanagi glances at Yukimura, silently asking him a question, to which Yukimura merely shakes his head in response.

Repressing the frown that seems insistent on making an appearance, Yanagi picks up his racket and begins to play a mock match against Kirihara, giving more power to his balls than usual.

When the regulars finally decide to end their extra practice as classes are about to begin soon, they quickly clean up, the small competition between Niou, Maruis, and Kirihara over who can get the most balls into the basket by serving multiple balls simultaneously helping them clear the court faster than usual.

Only once the regulars leave the court and turn left to head towards the clubroom and lockers do the other six regulars finally discover the wraith-like girl leaning against a sakura tree.

"AHHHHH!" the Moron Trio scream, though Niou quickly cuts his shriek short, discreetly glancing around to see if anyone noticed. He winces upon seeing Yagyuu's raised eyebrow.

"Who're you!" Kirihara barks, bounding towards the girl, an aggravated look on his face, causing his eyebrows to pull downwards and scrunching his face up in a way that would terrify most people. The girl merely turns her head towards the source of the voice, causing half of the regulars to gasp (the other half are either too stoic or too unfazed to be surprised).

Her face is all sharp angles and no soft curves, with high, defined cheekbones and a jawline that looks like it can grate cheese. Her nose is thinner than normal, and tapered at the end. The thing that catches their attentions the most, however, are her eyes, which are closed, lidded the way Yanagi's and Fuji Syuusuke's eyes are, and the small, polite smile pasted to her face, twisting her lips in a way that looks both natural and unnatural.

Everyone immediately looks at Yukimura, whose own cool, serene smile hasn't diminished at all upon finally seeing the strange visitor's face.

The sound of rustling draws their attention and they turn to look back at the girl once more, only to find that the spot where she once stood is now empty.

A figment of their imaginations?

Not a chance.


And that is a wrap! Hope you guys liked it, if you do, don't forget to rate and review and follow! I have no set update schedule for this story (tbh, I don't even have an outline for this-I know, shocker, a writer who goes with the flow), so...

Yeah. Peace, see ya next time, hope you liked it!

Never (LivingDaLife)