This was the result of a fifteen-minute word challenge. The challenge word is stated at the end of the ficlet.

Idol Thoughts (Prince of Tennis)

By Haruka (haruka at ymail dot com)

Terry Griffy sat down in his airplane seat and close his eyes, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. His older brother, Tom, watched him with concern.

"Terry, are you okay? That was the third time you've been to the bathroom in one hour."

"I'm all right." Terry managed a feeble smile.

"No, you're not." Tom put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Talk to me. Is it the flying? You've been okay since we left the States, and now we're almost to Japan."

The thirteen-year-old beauty shook his head, his long tawny hair whipping back and forth. "No, I'm okay with the flying. "It's …," he bit his lip, "it's Japan itself."

Now Tom was even more confused. "I don't get it."

Terry looked up suddenly to meet his sibling's eyes that were the same colour as his own. "What if they don't like us?"

Tom blinked. He and Terry were on their way with the American junior high tennis team representatives to participate in the goodwill games. But he and his brother were more than just tennis players.

"Terry, you know we have a fan base here, right? Mr. Baker says that we've been considered idols here just like at home, and our trip here has been heavily promoted. Who are you afraid isn't going to like us?"

"Oh, everybody!" the younger Griffy replied hopelessly. "We're Americans, and we can't speak any Japanese – all we can do is play tennis and smile and pose for the cameras."

"So, what else is new?" Tom grinned. He gave Terry a one-armed hug. "You're worrying over nothing. They'll accept us, you'll see. No one expects us to be fluent in Japanese, and there will be interpreters for interviews and stuff. Hey, look at it this way – we'll certainly know some Japanese by the time we go home."

"But … aren't we the enemy in these games?" Terry said softly. "The people here have to support their home team, right? What if we get booed off the court?"

Tom could see tears forming in his little brother's eyes as he got himself more worked up. The announcement came that they were about to land, and the fourteen-year-old did up his seat belt, smiling reassuringly at Terry. "I guess we'll find out soon enough what it'll be like."

The plane landed. The coach, Mr. Baker, preceded his team out the door. "Hmm, maybe we should have arranged for more security," he remarked.

Terry peeked around his coach to see what he meant.

"AHHHH! THERE HE IS! IT'S TERRY GRIFFY!"

"AND THERE'S TOM BEHIND HIM!"

"TOM, TERRY, WE LOVE YOU!"

The piercing screams of hundreds of teenagers began blending into each other as they jumped up and down and waved homemade banners welcoming the Griffys and the American team to Japan.

Terry gave his brother a sheepish look, but Tom didn't say, 'I told you so.' He ruffled Terry's hair instead, then the two of them waved happily to their gathered admirers.

(Word challenge – Xenophobic)

(2005)

Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi.

This fic is not to be re-posted.