Disclaimer: I dont own the anime ( sadly)
Tezuka adjusted his glasses to the dim light of the Grand Hall. He picked up a glass of orange punch, listening to his father discuss business options with his colleagues.
As the heir to the Tezuka Empire, it was his obligation to attend such parties, although he never enjoyed them. He would rather be perfecting a new technique or building up his stamina.
A group of giggling girls distracted him. Annoyed, he wished he could make them do 20 laps.
'Looks like our Kunimitsu has finally noticed girls!' boomed Kiyoshi-san, president of the Kiyoshi Enterprises, patting him on the back. 'Why don't you relax a bit? Dance with a few of them?' he grinned.
'No thank you' said Tezuka, stiffening at once, frowning his famous Captain Tezuka Frown.
It had been 10 years since he had left for Germany. After training in Germany under the great Hans Schneider, he had won many Grand Slams, and had been come to be known as 'the pride of Japan'.
His thoughts turned to his beloved former school, Seishun Gakuen and his deceased coach, Sumire Ryuzaki. Just two years after he had left for Germany ,news of her illness reached him. Rushing back to Japan, he barely made it in time to hear her last words, as she whispered to him with her last breath…...
It had been a long time, since he had visited Seigaku.
*Next morning*
'Alright, start with your warm ups!' called out the coach of the Seigaku tennis team.
She turned to see a familiar figure walking toward her.
"Tezuka buchou! You're back from Germany!" exclaimed Sakuno Ryuzaki.
'Hai' he replied, taking in the familiar scene, a wave of nostalgia sweeping through him.
The tennis courts, the storage rooms, the school building, had not changed a bit. Tezuka felt a sense of calm descending upon him.
'How are things here?' he asked politely.
'We have a good team this year; I have no doubts that they will make it to the nationals' smiled Sakuno.
Tezuka excused himself, taking a walk around the school. He stopped at Tennis courts, remembering his days as the Team Captain.
'Look who's here!' said a familiar voice from behind him.
'Yo!' said Fuji smiling.
'We're here too!' said Oishi, from behind him. With him stood Eiji, Inui, Momoshiro, Kaito and Kawamura.
'It's been a long time' said Tezuka; careful not to smile to avoid the merciless teasing.
'We heard from Atobe that you were back' said Oishi. Of course Atobe would know, thought Tezuka, not surprised at all.
'Wish ochibi was here' sighed Eiji.
Ryoma Echizen was also a professional tennis player and had also won many Grand Slams. They had faced each other in a Grand Slam three times. Tezuka had won all three matches.
'Mada mada dane' came a voice, as if in reply to Tezuka's thoughts. Ryoma appeared from between the trees, striding with his tennis bag hung over his shoulder. He looked just like a grown up version of the 12- year old Ryoma.
'Brat!' yelled Momo and Eiji together, squeezing Ryoma hard in between them.
'Stop that!' said Ryoma, twisting away from them 'You haven't changed a bit, senpai's!'
'So, what have all of you been doing?' asked Sakuno, evidently flustered by Ryoma's arrival.
'As you know, Fuji is a doctor now' said Inui, whipping out his notebook. 'He runs a hospital.'
'Oishi and Eiji have their own tennis and gymnastics training centre', he continued 'Kaito is a director in the Japanese National Police, Momo has just opened his own burger joint, Kawamura has expanded his sushi business to all over Japan and I am working at the National Institute of Science as a researcher'
'Up to date as usual, Inui' said Tezuka. Inui acknowledged the compliment.
'I'd never thought we'd end up here again' said Fuji, putting his hands in his pockets 'the place where our big dreams started.'
'That's right' said Ryoma, crushing the can of Ponta juice in his hand. 'And today I will finally get my match against you, captain', he said looking straight into Tezuka's eyes.
Tezuka sighed. This match was inevitable. 'All right, then. I won't hold back', he replied unzipping his tennis bag and gripping his racquet, the strings catching the light of the morning sun.
XXX
'We shall begin now' announced Eiji, who was refereeing the match.' Echizen vs. Tezuka, one set match, Echizen to serve!'
Ryoma switched to the eastern grip. To execute harder and faster shots-Tezuka observed. Throwing the ball high in the air, Ryoma served the twist serve. Tezuka was ready for it. The ball spun hard against his racquet. It seemed Ryoma had gotten much stronger since their last encounter on the court. Tezuka wasted no time. He immediately used Tezuka Zone.
The score was 150-150 in the final set. The match was getting increasingly intense as Tezuka and Echizen battled it out. Echizen kept slamming impossible shots at him. The sun was being harsh on both of them. This was a fight of willpower more than anything.
Suddenly Tezuka saw a change in Echizen. His eyes grew darker, his posture extremely alert. Ryoma's muscles were straining against his skin as he gripped his racquet harder than before. 'I've saved this technique for this very moment' he said in a strangely quiet voice. Tezuka felt sweat roll down his back. He knew that he was about to witness the zenith of his true rival's power.
"Phoenix Flight!" shouted Ryoma, his racquet making contact with the ball. Time seemed to stop as the ball soared gracefully, reminding Tezuka every inch of a phoenix. The ball climbed up the sky, until it seemed to disappear into the sun. 'Where did it go?' asked Momo, scanning the sky for the tennis ball. Fuji frowned, even he could not think of what had happened to it.
Tezuka waited. It's coming – his senses told him. Suddenly he felt a great burst of wind speeding past his shoulder. He turned around. The part of the tennis court where the ball had landed had been annihilated, shattered into fragments.
Everyone was stunned. 'One…One Fifty One – One F..Fifty' stuttered Eiji.
Tezuka now knew that none of his techniques would work on Ryoma. None that he had tried until now, at least…..
He had always hoped that he would never have to use it. However, he had promised Ryoma that he would not hold back this time. 'So be it' Tezuka said, 'Well played, Echizen, however the game is not over yet'. Ryoma momentarily blinked in surprise at Buchou's statement.
'What is he talking about?' said Oishi, puzzled. Inui was frantically going through his notebook. What new move was Tezuka about to use?
Tezuka removed his glasses. Folding them, he placed them in his bag. 'He can see without glasses?' said Sakuno, amazed as the rest of them.
'Mada mada dane, you still can't beat me' said Ryoma, not shaken in the least. Tezuka frowned, Echizen never took things seriously.
"Let's go then" said Ryoma, throwing the ball in the air and once again, using 'Phoenix Flight'. The rays of the hot sun covered the ball's course over the sky, making it impossible to be spotted. However….
Tezuka glanced upwards. He could see the ball perfectly. Clockwise rotation of 100 spins per second. 92 degree angle from position on court. To be met with speed of 200 km/h and force of two Tezuka Phantoms….
The ball shattered on impact, all the pieces of the ball falling onto Echizen's side of the court.
Tezuka did not wear glasses because he had difficulty in seeing things. On the contrary, he possessed the gift of Super Vision, which enabled him to accurately predict what was going to happen next. He had never disclosed this secret to anyone, and had kept his power suppressed, so that he did not have an overwhelming advantage in a tennis match.
Ryoma now knew that it was all over…
XXX
Everyone was at Kawamura's sushi bar, crowded around a table with sushi and drinks. Momo and Kaito were having a beer- guzzling match and everyone was cheering them on. Fuji patiently patted Momo's back as he choked. Inui was scribbling in his notebook and Sakuno was repeatedly looking at Ryoma, worried. He had lost the match with Tezuka and seemed downcast.
Tezuka noticed this and motioned Echizen to join him outside. Ryoma reluctantly left his place and closing the door behind him went to stand near Tezuka. 'Yes, Buchou?' he asked, wondering what Tezuka would say to him.
'Echizen, do you know the reason that I chose you as the successor to the Pillar of Seigaku all those years ago?' he said. Ryoma shook his head.
Tezuka looked Ryoma straight in the eye and said, 'it was because I knew that you had the potential of surpassing me one day.'
'What?' said Ryoma surprised, 'I can never do that, Buchou! I tried so hard and yet I could not defeat you!'
'Nothing is impossible' said Tezuka, 'I will give you a few words of advice. The very words that brought me to where I stand today'
Coach Ryuzaki's words would be etched in his mind forever.
'Never Surrender'