This can be read as a stand alone fic but can be considered as a Prequel to my other fanfic, Can You Not See?

I hope that you all enjoy!

WORD= spoken English

WORD= thoughts or memories

"Heh. That was…too easy."

Bright eyes glared holes at the players from Nagoya Seitoku as they mocked the Rikkaidai team in horrible English. It was taking every ouch of control that their owner had to not snap at the team in a deadly retort that would have them wondering just what had been said.

"Common Kirihara-kun, don't you dare loose before I get to play." Slim hands pulled a tennis ball from the bag resting on the grounding and squeezed tightly in a failed attempt to relieve the tension that strung through both body and air.

Moments later a full body flinch was urged from the small tennis player's body as their eyes watched a teammate somehow get thrown into the fence, blood moving down his body and staining his jersey.

"D-damn! The one…" the Rikkaidai team heard him gasp out as he struggled to stand and breath, "to defeat the Three Demons of Rikkai and become number one…" Finally his legs seemed to find purchase on the court surface and the second-year raised his red eyes in defiance as he shouted, "IS ME!"

"You had better know what you're doing Yukimura." The bystander muttered low enough to not to be heard by the rest of the team, even though their eyes never strayed from the match.

Again the youngest member of the Rikkai team fell to the ground, blotting the court with red as the ref called out the score, "40-love! Match point Nagoya Seitoku!"

"Are they really last year's champs?" Kirihara's opponent asked, looking down at the younger player with evident disdain on his face.

"Hph. In my country, even a little kid could beat them. Yeah." A broad dark-skinned man called in reply his voice full of smug conceit at the seemingly inevitable win.

Biting back the snap that wanted so desperately to make its' way past their lips the bystander simply gripped the tennis ball harder, feeling the neon ball steadily giving way as Kirihara's body twitched and slowly stood.

"Yagyu-senpai," He grunted, "What did those guys just say?"

Yagyu translated for the second-year adding an additional insult onto the end of the sentence.

"Huh? Seaweed haired bastard?" Marui repeated lowly, looking towards his half-Brazilian partner in affirmation. "Did they really say that?"

Jackal's dark eyes widened and he stood in surprise calling his red-haired teammate's attention back to the court with a "look!"

On the court Kirihara stood bent over, waves of heat seeming to come off his body as his permitted his full rage to be released without control.

"You bastard…" He growled as his skin, what little could be seen underneath the blood, turned red.

On the opposite side of the court Krauser crouched holding his racket at the ready. "I suppose that's your last resistance guy."

Kirihara looked up and the bystander knew from experience that his opponent was now facing a boy with bright green eyes surrounded by red. I thought he had more control than this after the Junior Tournament! The tennis player thought bright eyes of azure widening.

"I'll crush you!" With that the game continued and the opposition could not help the open expression of surprise as his former ending moves were steadily sealed or returned with apparent ease.

"Akaya's speed…" Marui murmured, wide purple eyes locked on the intense battle that played out before them.

"It's increased." Jackal finished for his double partner, dark eyes equally wide in surprise.

With each point Kirihara gained in the following twenty minutes Krauser's team looked steadily unnerved as their teammate, who had once had no issues beating the younger player, was steadily beaten back. Even as he valiantly tried to gain that last game he needed to win the match it was no use as the cackling devil took one game after another until it was 5-6 in Rikkaidai's favor and 45-0 in Kirihara's favor. At last the game was done after a smash that landed on his opponent's face, forcing the boy to the ground.

"Nobody gets in the way of Rikkai's Third consecutive Championship! Mwahahahahahahahahahaha!"

Blue eyes looked around at the Team seeing expressions of total shock though the Three Demons were, as usual, impossible to read with their 'tennis faces' on.

"De-Devil Akaya…" Jackal murmured a mixture of awe and… was that fear in his voice?

"EHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"

A slim hand gripped their tennis ball tightly as the owner of the hands glared daggers at the Devil Akaya who stood there laughing manically on the court. "I've had enough of this…"

Done sitting around the bystander stood and with an anger infused tossed the neon ball into the air and slammed it with a dark blue racket. Evidently the Devil didn't expect a tennis ball to be coming from his side and it collided with the side of his head.

"Ah-ow! What the hell was that for Yoshimizu?!" Kirihara growled clutching the area where the ball had collided as he whirled around to glare at his teammate.

"Get over here brat before I drag you off the court myself."the even toned reply gave no sound to the player's sense of frustration.

"Hai…" The transformed player moved off the court, a grumpy expression on his face as he muttered darkly under his breath. "So much for winning a match…"

"Go get changed and treated." Yoshimizu said, cutting him off his mutterings by tossing his bag at him. "Marui, Jackal- you two go with him."

The two seniors only spared a glance towards their Captains before replying with an obedient 'hai' and escorting their youngest member towards the medical facilities.

"No way... I can't believe we lost to-"

"An island nation of tennis amateurs, you say?" Yanagi replied, his accent thick from not speaking the foreign language all that frequently. He and Niou had stood up, knowing that they were up for the upcoming match and both wore matching looks of confidence.

"Am I right?" The data tennis player turned closed eyes towards the Nagoya Seitoku tennis team and they all stepped back.

Niou smirked, "Puri"

Ten minutes later the group could only helplessly deny what was happening as Yanagi Renji and Niou Masaharu dominated Doubles 1, showing, at last, Rikkaidai's full strength. The pair they were against could do nothing after the first game, and in less than half an hour they were on the ground, cradling similar, but without the blood, injuries that had been on Kirihara's body.

"Game and Match. Yanagi-Niou Pair! 6 games to 1!"

"How did they become so strong…" The dark skinned player who had insulted the team earlier gasped as he dripped with sweat. "All of the sudden?"

"In the other games…" His partner panted, "Did they…Swindle us?"

Yoshimizu jerked in surprise wondering how it was that such a plan had been noted before. Pale eyes turned to the Captain and Vice-Captain as Niou replied carelessly in Japanese, "Because it was needed to awaken our younger players."

"Huh?" The recently returned Kirihara blinked in shock, eyes wide. The cohorts privy to the plan smirked at their Kohai's expression, obviously pleased that it worked.

"That's really all it was." Marui grinned.

"That's how it was." Yagyu added, fixing his glasses (subtly flicking off the other team) as he smirked.

"Huh?! Could it be that the first and second matches…" Kirihara asked looking between the three responsible for those losses, "were lost on purpose?"

"You better thank us." Marui retorted.

"Saa- Sanada finish-"

"Sorry buchou but I'm taking this one." Yoshimizu's voice cut through the Captain's orders. The entire team turned to look at the player in shock as a discarded jacket went flying, to reveal the small player beneath, who, with a dark blue racket in hand, breezed past both Yukimura and Sanada.

"Yoshimizu!" Yukimura snapped, stopping the player momentarily since he rarely ever used that tone with anyone.

Blue eyes turned to look at him wide in surprise. "But I have to. It's in the rules that all players have to play at least one game before Finals."

The small player headed for the net turning away from the intense looks of the Rikkai team. "I'd hate to ruin your hard work after all."

The Three Demons tensed, hearing something underlying their player's casual voice that would have made them shiver in fear had they not known for a fact that they were stronger. Sanada opened his mouth, likely to yell his usual 'Tandarou' when mocking laughter filled the air around the court.

"I guess they can't be all that great after all sending a chibi to face Shinya!"

Ignoring them all Yoshimizu looked up at the tall and broad player who seemed to be made of nothing but giant muscles. Shinya, a student of distinctive mixed heritage, grinned down at his opponent. "Let's have a good game."

"Heh? At least you're not trying to speak in a cheap imitation of English." Yoshimizu's voice carried over the crowd, silencing the laughter in seconds. Kirihara snorted, barely trying to muffle his laughter while Yanagi pulled out his data book and readied his pen. On the other hand Yukimura looked over to the court azure eyes narrowed, what are you going to do Yoshimizu? He wondered watching as the petite player took up the receiving position.

~0~

"5 games to love! Change court!" The referee called ten minutes as Yoshimizu struggled to remain standing, eyes hidden beneath dark bangs. The cheering and mocking from Nagoya grew to a roar in approval and various insults were being tossed at team and player alike, proud of their obvious victory.

"Did that player- Krauser intentionally hurt my friend?" The question was low voiced in excellent almost accent-less English and it took a moment before Shinya was able to understand, but when he did he only smirked.

"Weak players don't deserve to play tennis." He declared before moving to his new court side.

"I see…" Yoshimizu moved towards the end of the court.

"Yoshimizu to serve!"

The neon ball bounced from ground to hand once. Twice. Three times. Pausing, the Rikkai tennis payer tossed the ball into the air and the sound of the racket colliding with the ball sounded. Shinya grinned seeing nothing odd with the serve only to gap in surprise when the ball hit the court.

"15-0!"

Another serve followed the first, this time with only two bounces of preparation.

"30-0!"

"What's happening?"

One bounce against the court before the ball was served, and again hit that three inches of space behind Shinya.

"40-love!"

"This is what happens when you fake being able to play tennis." Yoshimizu said in English, obviously replying to the Nagoya member's question, as she took out a ball and simply tossed it into the air and serving.

"5 games to 1!"

Ten minutes later the referee called out "7 games to 5! Rikkaidai Fuzoku wins!" as Yoshimizu stood there looking down at the sweaty and panting heap that was the supposed 'captain' of the Nagoya team.

"Hurt anyone of my friends again I will find you and show you exactly what you meant by weaker players not deserving to play tennis." She said crouching in front of the young man enunciating each word with care so that there was absolutely no way he could misunderstand her threat.

"You're a… girl?!"

Yoshimizu simply shrugged, "You've had your warning." Standing she took off the annoying white tennis cap her teammates had forced her to wear, letting her tied black hair fall down. "Thanks for the game." Tossing the hat onto his shaved head the girl walked over to Yukimura who looked down at her with a frown.

"I'm not going to apologize for taking so long no matter how many laps you tell me to run." She informed the blue haired Captain, eyes blazing.

"Why didn't you say you could play so well?" He asked calmly.

"You never asked. Besides I thought you already knew." She replied just as calmly, though her posture, one he had become quite familiar with in the past two years of their acquaintance, shifted in a silent and small display of regret.

"You're injured." He stated spotting the blood on her scrapped hands. "Go get treated and meet us at the entrance."

"Hai buchou." She said bowing slightly before putting her things in her tennis bag and heading off. It was a long walk, one that gave her plenty of time for reflection. Looking at the sky, which had just begun darkening, she sighed.

"Soon then… Soon they will be back on that court…and then this will be all over..."

~0~

"Yukimura-senpai are you certain it'll be alright for me to help out with the club?"

A younger version of the gentle looking tennis player looked at her curiously, "Why do you ask Kanna-chan?"

Fiddling with her fingers she explained in stuttering language that the Rikkaidai tennis team didn't seem to need her, since they had him, Sanada, and Yanagi- who were at the top of their class and the best at the sport. "And surely once you decide on the new Regulars they will also be able to help."

"How did you know about my becoming the Captain?" Yukimura asked, blinking in mild surprise.

Her face must have shown her exasperation with him as he chuckled at whatever expression she had. "You see that's why we're going to need you though Kanna-chan."

"Hmmm?" She asked, cocking her head to the side while politely putting down the onigiri she had just been about to eat.

"You see things that we don't. What's obvious to you as a non-tennis player isn't always as obvious to us. Please think about it."

"Likelihood of Yukimura refusing to let this go…100%" Renji intoned as he poured a strange colored liquid into a cup and began drinking from it.

"Mou…" The first year groaned, putting her head into her hands. Letting out a heavy sigh she finally admitted defeat after four months. "Fine. I humbly accept the position of manager."

"Saa. Excellent neh, Sanada?" He said grinning in triumph.

Sanda and Yanagi smiled a bit as well, though both had known that this outcome had been inevitable since the moment Yukimura had picked her out.

"I'm going to regret this aren't I?"

~0~

Absently she smiled at the memory. There had been plenty of times that she had regretted being persuaded to take the job of managing a National team full of hot tempered boys whose minds thought of little else outside of their sport. Yet she never once got tired of helping and supporting them, even after two years of doing so. It also helped that she had someone in her year that was willing to help whenever she was a bit too overwhelmed.

~0~

"Yukimura-buchou." She called, pitching her voice just enough to be heard over the sound of various tennis games. Even though it was the summer no one slacked, giving that this year everyone was determine to take the Nation Championship for the third time in a row.

"Ah. Yoshimizu-chan is something the matter?" Though his head turned slightly towards her, his azure eyes never faltered in their scanning of the courts.

"Why must something always be wrong for me to ask you something?" She asked rhetorically as her hands made their way to her hips. As usual when there were practices she was dressed in the male tennis team garb of black shorts and yellow jersey. Though they had ordered the smallest size possible the jersey was still on the large side for the small girl, and secretly many of those in the club thought she looked rather cute- but would never say anything about to her face for fear of retribution. She hadn't hesitated to kick one of the graduating third years for saying something similar nearly a month ago.

"Anyhow, I've put together the schedule you requested for determining the next set of Regulars."

He thanked her quietly and took the fold she handed over, though he didn't look at it immediately she had no worries. Buchou would look at it when he had time, probably once he was back at his home.

"Is Kirihara on the list?"

"Eh?"

"Kirihara Akaya." Yukimura asked, glancing at her briefly before transferring his full attention back to practice.

"As in the second year that's in my class?" She asked carefully.

"Yes."

"No."

"Knock whoever is the weakest out of the possible players and replace their name with his."

"Hai."

~0~

"Ow." The pain in her ankle jerked her from her memories and the doctor glanced up at her before examining the pained limb more closely.

"I hope you trashed whoever gave you those scratches and this sprained ankle." The doctor remarked casually as she began to wrap the swollen ankle.

"Thoroughly." Kanna stated smugly.

"Excellent. Somebody needs to show these boys that girls are just as good as they are at sports." The woman said looking at her with a smile.

Kanna smiled back before wincing as the bandage was wrapped very tightly. "Finished. Try to keep it elevated if you can and stay off it as much as possible."

"Thank you Doctor." She murmured after carefully slipping on her socks and shoes. Carefully she stood and placed her right foot on the ground and jerked a bit in surprise at the slight sting. I really don't want to limp out of the care center, she thought. Who knows what they would say? Resolutely ignoring the pain that lanced through her with every step she began walking out of the room.

"Oh! And Yoshimizu-chan," The doctor called after her, mentally groaning at the youth's stubbornness. She waited until the girl turned to look at her before she continued, "Don't practice anything too for at the very least two weeks. Your ankle won't hold up much long if you don't give it appropriate time to completely recover."

"…Hai." Kanna agreed reluctantly before quitting the room.

"And here Ore-sama thought you were the sensible one on the Rikkaidai team." A voice drawled as she entered the waiting room.

"And what does that have anything to do with you Atobe?" She replied acidly, not in the mood for their usual banter.

"When you do something you knew to be foolish it disgraces you friendship with Ore-sama." Atobe growled moving into her space and scowling fiercely down at thirteen year-old.

"How does my spraining an ankle have anything to do with our friendship?" She demanded hotly, not in the least bit intimidated.

"Tch." He scowled at her for a moment a strange look in his grey eyes, before he turned around and knelt in front of her, showing is back.

"What are you doing?"

"Get on or Ore-sama will order Kabaji to carry you." He knew exactly how to threaten her, knowing that she hated to be carried like a sack.

"I hate you." She muttered without any real venom, before slipping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. The pair ignored the stares of the nurses and injured players as they headed out. It only took a few steps outside the care center for Atobe's burden to relax into the familiar situation and rest her head on his broadening shoulders. When was the last he carried me like this? She wondered idly.

"You're hair's been cut." She murmured just then noticing the lack of hair brushing his ears.

"Ore-sama felt like a change."

Hiding a smile, she had seen the end of that match and knew the truth, Kanna closed her eyes, "Can you carry me all the way to the entrance?"

"Do not underestimate Ore-sama's strength." Atobe retorted, "Now shut up or nap! Ore-sama no longer wishes to speak with an ungrateful brat."

Her answering chuckle was all the older player needed to know that she understood the true meaning behind the words, even though she mockingly whispered, "As you wish your monkey majesty."

In mere moments the girl completely relaxed, her body going lax as she fell asleep. "Geez. I can't believe you can still do that, falling asleep at the drop of a hat." He muttered, careful not to wake the girl he had known since early childhood. She had always been like this, placing a deep level of trust in those she thought as friends.

~0~

"Neh Kei?"

"Nani?" He asked not looking up from his book as he turned the page and continued to skim for information he didn't already know about tennis moves.

"Can we always be friends?" Now that caught his attention. The eight year old looked up from his book and peered at the girl who was sitting beneath the tree next to him while their parents visited the shrine's monks. Kanna looked nice, though uncomfortable, in her pale blue dress, much like Atobe in his suit, which he hated just slightly less than he hated ties.

"Of course. Even when we're married we'll always be friends." He declared as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"But you're going to England…"

"So? Ore-sama-" He began only to be interrupted by her giggles.

"Ore-sama? Why are you calling yourself that?" Kanna laughed.

"Cause I'll be King one day, of course." A hand waved in the air, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world and therefore needn't be acknowledge yet further, "Any ways, distance is nothing for Ore-sama. We will always be friends, no matter what" Atobe stated firmly.

"Yakusoku?"

Atobe nodded and Kanna smiled, "Arigtou Kei."

~0~

Shaking away the decade old memory Atobe gently adjusted his burden. I almost lost that friendship after that match with Tezuka… He recalled that fight far too well, almost months later. That was not a memory he wanted to revisit. They were almost at the entrance when he murmured gently, "I'm sorry Kanna. You injured yourself because of my request and it led to this…"

"You know it's not really your fault." A sleep cloaked voice murmured in his ear.

"…" Atobe looked directly forwards, refusing to let her see his face burn in embarrassment, not that she would have been able to tell easily since the sun was almost halfway below the horizon.

"It's not your fault Keigo. I ought to have known better." She kept her voice low and soothing, knowing that what her friend needed.

"Just…be careful alright? I don't like seeing you injured Kanna."

A tired smile flitted across her face as she murmured an affirmative to his request. At last the pair reached a bench just outside the entrance and he gently placed her down before kneeling before her. A large head cupped her right ankle and, after looking at her in a silent request for permission, carefully examined it.

"Ore-sama will send a car for you tomorrow so that you may witness the wonders of the Atobe estate."

"Back to Ore-sama I see. I'm honored. But please do make certain that the car is discrete. There are still rumors floating around the neighborhood after the last time you sent that ridiculous limo for me." She said dryly knowing that there really wasn't much of a point to protest once he had already decided.

Atobe smirked even as gently fingers probed the area around the injury.

Niou, who had gone on ahead of the rest at Sanada's request to find Yoshimizu, skidded to a halt at the scene he had inadvertently stumbled on in his search to locate Rikkaidai's stray manager. Turquoise eyes widened as he gaped at the pair. Since when has Kanna-chan known Atobe? And what the hell is going on? He wondered even as he absently shuffled through his jersey pockets to find the camera he always kept on him. (One never knew where they would find good blackmail material, right?) His eyes barely flickered from the odd couple as he finally pulled out the camera and turned it on.

Ensuring the flash was off, a trickster could never be directly caught, he quickly snapped three pictures before slinking closer in hopes of hearing the low conversation or at least being able to read their lips. He may not be as great as Yanagi but he was still pretty good at it. AH! That's it! I can take video! Three buttons and a change of setting later his camera was recording every second of this odd encounter.

Suddenly Atobe stood, as though sensing his presence and Niou braced himself to make a run for it. Few people dared to cross the wealthy boy. There was more than one reason his was called the King of Hyotei and it wasn't simply because of his presence and good looks, which Niou admitted privately, were very good in spite of the unflattering haircut.

"Just be careful ah~n." The words were just now clear enough to be heard and Niou watched in surprise as the Hyotei player placed a hand around the side of Kanna's neck and bent just enough to touch foreheads. What truly surprised the Trickster was not this but Kanna's reaction, which was to move one hand to Atobe's neck and close her eyes, looking completely at peace.

"I will Keigo."

KEIGO?! They're one a first name basis?! And without honorifics?! When did that happen?! Niou turned off the video function but only managed to capture one set of photos before the Hyotei King pulled away and strode off. I better get into position if I'm not going to get caught.

"Yoshimzu!" Kana cursed under her breath as an all too familiar voice reached her ears soon followed by hurried footsteps. Turning her head towards the sound she called out to the flushed Niou, waving so he could spot her.

"There you are." He said grinning, "Sanada sent me to find you."

Kanna couldn't help but roll her eyes at her senpai's mentality, despite the fact that it meant she was a small part of the Rikkai Tennis Regular 'family' as Marui called it. "What did those bad English speaker threaten to 'take their revenge' on me?"

Her voice and expressions had shown that she really hadn't thought such a thing was possible but one look at Niou's oddly serious expression and his nod told her enough.

"Seriously? Geez. Looks like they can't even loose like real tennis players." She sighed leaning back against the bench and slouching in a way she knew to be unattractive.

"Puri~"

"Let me guess- Kirihara attempted to jump them, only to be held back by Jackal, while Marui muttered curses and Yagyu began to silently plot?"

"You're good…" The Trickster said sweat dropping at how well the manager knew them.

"Spend two years watching the same people and you start to notice things." She said waving away his indirect praise.

"What about the Three Demons? You didn't guess how they reacted." Niou looked at her curiously wondering what was going on through her brain as an expression of uncertainty passed over her face before it cleared. He waited for her answer but just as she looked like she was going to reply Kirihara rushed around the corner grinning.

"Kanna-chan!" Niou cursed the boy and silently declared him as his next victim for interrupting such a key moment. I won't be able to get anything out of her now… Niou mentally grumbled, as the rest of the team drew closer at a more sedate pace than their youngest.

"I forgot to say congratulations on your entrance into the finals." Kanna said, smiling up at the Regulars who all smiled in their own way; Marui and Kirihara with bright grins, Jackel, Yagyu, and Yangai with slight smiles, Niou with his trademark smirk, and Yukimura and Sanada with their eyes.

"Thanks, though why didn't you tell us you could play tennis that well?!" Kirihara demanded as she rose from her bench seat and grabbed her bag, ignoring the twinge of pain as her ankle protested.

"It was just basic tennis, nothing special compared to your styles." She said as they all headed to the bus, everyone starting their own conversation now that they were finally off Tournament grounds. "Besides I don't play that well! Those fools were mentally weakened and overconfident. It's a deadly combination so don't ever fall for it ok?"

"Hai!"

"Buchou," Kanna called waiting only until Yukimura glanced at her to ask, "Are we heading home or to practice since barely anyone had a challenge today? After all finals are tomorrow."

"There were issues with the court so finals have been delayed for three days." Marui grinned before blowing a bubble with his gum.

"Really?!" Kanna said in surprise before letting out a groan.

"Eh? What's the matter?" Jackal asked looking back at her with concern.

"That means I have to put up with your super intense training for two and a half more days, make certain that no Seigaku spies make it onto campus, that you aren't bothered by anyone and that you- Kirihara- aren't failing English class, while studying for exams!"

The entire team blinked at her before falling into gales of laughter.

"Mou! Seriously guys this is serious!" Kanna protested, valiantly ignoring her inner thoughts, as she too smiled and followed them back to Rikkaidai.

Three more days and then it will be over… Everyone but I and Kirihara will graduate and nothing with be the same…Just three more days...