I DO NOT own Prince of Tennis.
Origin of the Mascots/Hands off! Property of...
Ryoma scanned the crowd, frowning. It was a tennis tournament against some school whose name he didn't bother to hear. They would be playing in half-an-hour. Sakuno had yet to arrive.
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"You look so cute Sakuno-chan!" Tomoka squealed, clapping her hands.
Sakuno blushed "T-T-Tomoka-chan" she said nervously "we're 15... aren't we too old for this?"
"Nonsense!"
The girls were in their first year of high-school at Seigaku High School along with Ryoma and the rest of the Regulars. To Sakuno's disappointment and Tomoka's annoyance, Ryoma hadn't yet noticed Sakuno despite her constant presence at his tournaments and practices.
At the moment, they were having fun before Sakuno would leave for the tournament. Tomoka couldn't go because she was watching her brothers.
They were playing dress-up, at Tomoka's insistence. She was contemplating taking a picture to send to Ryoma-sama, or show to him. Sakuno's hair was in the usual two pig-tails. She wore a Tinkerbelle costume. To her great embarrassment, Sakuno had grown an inch in the last three years, making her 5'1''. Ryoma, on the other hand, had grown so fast Tezuka had refused to buy him another jacket until he had finished. He towered over her at 6 feet, now mere inches shorter than most of the Regulars.
Sakuno pulled at the mini-skirt made of a sheer material over the green leotard. She wore white sandals and white tights.
"Are you sure I look okay?" she asked nervously, looking down at her bare legs.
"Of course, you're..."
The clock chimed, reaching one. Both girls swung around to stare.
"I'm gonna be late!" Sakuno cried, panicking "oh no" she wailed.
"Hurry Sakuno! You can still make it!" Tomoka assured her friend.
She blinked as Sakuno grabbed her bag and raced out of her friend's house.
"Uh, Sakuno-chan...?"
Her friend didn't listen as she ran off down the street, wearing a Tinkerbelle costume.
"Uh oh"
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Momo looked at the screen of his ringing phone in surprise and some confusion. Why was Osakada calling him? He, Eiji, and Tomoka had been working together for about a year, trying to find a way to get Echizen and Ryuuzaki together. They had failed, so often got together to forget their sorrows by eating out.
He answered his phone cautiously. Had he forgotten some plan?
"Sempai!" Tomoka wailed "Sakuno... Tinkerbelle... tournament. Ah! Got... Bye!"
Momo frowned. What was that about? He shot a glance at Ryoma. They were playing in 15 minutes, and Ryuuzaki had yet to arrive. Ryoma's aura was almost murderous.
"Nyah! Who was that?" Eiji asked, eyeing Ryoma before he turned his complete attention to Momo.
"Osakada, she..."
"Momo-sempai, Kikumaru-sempai, am I late?" a familiar voice asked worriedly.
Both boys turned.
"Ah, Ryuu-..." Momo choked.
Sakuno tipped her head to one side, obviously confused. Her cheeks were pink from running, complementing the bright green leotard she wore.
Momo heard someone drop their racquet behind him.
"Wh-what are you wearing?" Momo demanded.
Sakuno blushed "Tomo-chan and I were playing dress-up. I was running late and forgot to change."
"Nyah! You're so cute!" Eiji said excitedly.
Sakuno's blush darkened.
Momo took notice of all the guys drooling over her "come on, you can sit with the team."
"Are you sure? Is it alright?"
"Sure" There was no way Echizen would be able to ignore her now.
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Different expressions of shock crossed the tennis team Regulars' faces when Sakuno approached them with Momo and Eiji.
"Sorry" Sakuno's face was scarlet.
Some guy walked by and whistled appreciatively, eyeing her legs.
Five tennis balls hit him and he ran off wincing. Fuji, Ryoma, and Kaidoh smirked. Oishi looked startled at his actions, racquet still in hand.
"BURNING!" Kawamura bellowed, brandishing his racquet "keep away from Ryuuzaki-chan!"
Sakuno blushed "sorry"
"It's alright" Fuji comforted her "you look very cute Ryuuzaki."
"Arigato Fuji-sempai."
"It's time for us to play sempai" Ryoma interrupted, glaring at the older student. Fuji smiled calmly.
"Ah! Sorry Ryoma-kun!"
"Mada mada dane" Ryoma pulled the cap down over his eyes, quickly glancing at Sakuno once his eyes were hidden.
"Ryuuzaki will be sitting with us" Momo announced firmly.
Sakuno was going to protest, but gave up when all the Regulars nodded in agreement with him.
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Inui noted down how Seigaku received a great many cheers from the male members of the crowd. Ryuuzaki in a Tinkerbelle costume must be a big hit.
He also noticed how Ryoma walked closely to her, not even leaving her side to get a Ponta.
The first opponent doubles team faired badly, unable to concentrate on anything except for Sakuno Ryuuzaki in her costume.
Inui grinned evilly.
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Sakuno was blushing, sitting between Eiji and Ryoma. She once again tugged at her skirt, missing how the opposing Doubles team once again missed the ball Momo and Kaidoh returned to them.
Momo and Kaidoh won easily.
"Third singles" Fuji announced calmly.
"G-g-good luck Ryoma-kun" Sakuno said nervously as he stood in front of her, just looking down at her silently.
She was startled when something settled around her shoulders, and immediately grabbed onto it. She gazed at Ryoma's back as he walked onto the court.
She blushed, she was wearing his jacket.
It really was revealing Ryoma told himself. His grip on his racquet tightened, recognizing his opponent as the guy who had... expressed his appreciation of Ryuuzaki's outfit.
Ryoma beat him in less than ten minutes. Seigaku won the match.
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Inui went to a match between two other teams. He noticed how both teams had female cheering squads dressed up in Tinkerbelle costumes. None of them came close to Ryuuzaki though.
Ii data.
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At practice, instead of drinking Penal Tea, Inui kindly offered the Regulars an alternative. If they came in last in running they could dress up in a Tinkerbelle costume at the next tennis tournament instead of having to test his new experiment. He already had the costumes in their sizes.
The tennis team broke world records in running that day.
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Thanks to Inui; Momo, Eiji, and Tomoka had a plan. Inui suggested cheerleaders, they'd give him cheerleaders.
Tomoka, however, went one step farther.
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Once again, the coach was absent, so Momo invited Sakuno and Tomoka to sit with the team. Sakuno had been having some trouble with male student who recognized her as the girl in the 'cute costume'. Not that it was really a problem; Tomoka had casually mentioned it to the Regulars and Sakuno had immediately gotten nine bodyguards; but it was still annoying.
Jaws dropped when Tomoka and Sakuno arrived. Tomoka wore a black knee-length skirt, black pumps, and a black tank-top under a black shawl. She carried a broom in her hand. She was obviously dressed as a witch, even wearing a pointy witches' hat on her head.
Sakuno on the other hand... All the 2nd and 3rd years regarded Ryoma to see his reaction. He looked surprised, and swallowed, throat dry.
Sakuno's hair was tied up in a bun using two chopsticks, half of it fell free, curling about her face, falling to the middle of her back. She wore a black-bikini-strap top that went low down in the front and showed off her stomach, revealing pale skin. A permanent blush was on her face. She wore black stilettos, obviously having trouble standing as she swayed. Her shoes had black ribbons that were wrapped around her legs up to her knees. She wore no stockings or tights, causing non-Seigaku students to stare at her legs. No Seigaku tennis team player would dare to do more than glance at Sakuno because Momo, Eiji, and Tomoka had made it clear that Sakuno was Ryoma's. Ryoma also helped in that assumption (though unknowingly, he and Sakuno had no clue of what their friends had done), by glaring at any guy who dared to get close to Sakuno. The article of clothing that drew the most attention was Sakuno's scarlet mini-skirt. It was so short it barely covered her back profile, barely reaching the top of her thighs.
"Ah! Tomoka-chan! This is so embarrassing!" Sakuno wailed, burrowing her face into her friend's shoulder. The finishing touches to her outfit were a leather collar around her neck and cat ears.
"You... dressed up" Tezuka said flatly. He made a mental note to have a stern-talking to with Momo and Eiji. This had gone too far. He then noticed Ryoma, and saw he was already in battle mode and geared to play tennis. He changed his mind and decided to suggest a nurse's outfit for the next tournament.
Kawamura and Oishi had both fainted; overcome with the shock Sakuno's outfit had given them.
"See, I'm hideous!" Sakuno protested.
"No you aren't! You're very cute Sakuno-chan!" Eiji argues "both you and Tomoka!"
"Hssh, what are you dressed as?" Kaidoh asked.
"She's a cat, see?" Tomoka pointed at Sakuno's ears "she's my familiar; I'm a witch!"
Sakuno's blush darkened and she clung to Tomoka's arm, trying to hide behind her friend.
"Ii data" Inui commented "ah, that guy has a nosebleed."
Oishi and Kawamura, who had just regained consciousness, Eiji, Kaidoh, Tezuka, Ryoma, and Momo glared at the guy. Fuji sent him a cold smile.
"Time for us to go onto the court" Inui announced "let's go."
Sakuno, Ryoma learned, wore pink Hello-Kitty panties. They suited her he mused; before blushing furiously and tried to distract himself. She had tripped because of her clumsiness in heels. She had fallen against Momo, flashing Ryoma who stood behind her. She kept on blushing about being so clumsy, and apologized profusely to Momo. Ryoma had kept quiet.
Sakuno and Tomoka were deposited on the bench inside the court along with Inui, who scribbled away. The other team gaped at the girls, ignoring Ryoma's glare.
Ryoma purposely stood directly in front of Sakuno, blocking the other team's view of her. He calmly sipped his Ponta, making it clear that he wasn't moving. He inwardly said an excuse; her skirt was really too short, and he didn't want her to show anything that would cause her embarrassment. Well... he didn't want anyone else to see.
Inui smirked and wrote: Echizen is protective of Ryuuzaki. He is all geared up for tennis. Maybe a bunny costume would be appropriate for next week.
Ryoma was so ruthless that his opponent was knocked unconscious. His jacket, once again, was draped over Sakuno. She had hurriedly fastened it around her body, and didn't understand why everyone had stared at her. Everyone else had noticed that her skirt was so short; it looked like she only wore the jacket. Ryoma smirked.
After Ryoma's game, Tomoka offered Sakuno a jacket to use instead. Sakuno accepted it immediately, returning Ryoma's jacket to him. She happily pulled it around her body, not understanding why some guys who had been approaching her hurriedly backed off.
Ryoma smirked again, moving to walk next to the oblivious girl, ignoring how Momo and Eiji had choked. Maybe he would thank Osakada for this later.
Sakuno regarded him in surprise, her face the picture of innocence. He made a motion for her to follow him and she blinked before hurrying to catch up to him so they could walk together to the Kawamura Sushi Restaurant for the victory dinner.
She gave the Regulars an excellent view of her back, and the words on her jacket.
It read:
HANDS OFF!
PROPERTY OF ECHIZEN RYOMA!
He rather liked the jacket. Maybe he could talk her into wearing it again.
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After one school had their girls dress up in what made them look like prostitutes, the officials stepped in. No more costumes, except for those that were approved, were allowed; but tennis teams were allowed to have mascots. And that is how it came to Momo dressing up in a teddy-bear-suit carrying a tennis racket to a match.
And the origin of mascots.