Disclaimer: I do not own the manga or the anime of Prince of Tennis. Blah, blah, blah… you get the rest. -- Seiano (yup, this is my official name for all my works. So if you see Seiano Productions or Seiano Inc. on artwork, it's me -- online that is.)

Believing Dreams of Little Skies

By: Seiano

Prologue

Narita Airport, Japan – aboard United Airlines Boeing 787

"Everyone, thank you for everything."

Music blared from a set of sleek, new black Bose headphones connected to a silver blue multi-functioned mp3. The slender fingers that held the small electronic device played with the round silver clasp on the side.

"Flight 356 to New York City, USA has been delayed for ten minutes due to air traffic. We are sorry for the inconvenience. However…"

The owner of the mp3 sighed in frustration and subconsciously let her finger play with the joystick of the device. Lost in her own thoughts, her fingers stopped playing with the device and allowed it to play the song Dream Believer.

"Huh? You sound as if you're leaving forever."

She looked out the thick glass window and let her golden chocolate eyes rest on group of people on the balcony of the airport. One seemed to be jumping up and down in ecstasy. A small smile tugged at her tense figures.

Wake up! Get Up! Stand up! … It's gonna be okay…

She turned to the front to lean forward and open her carry-on. With one fluid motion, she pulled out a white blue and red striped jacket. Flipping it over, she slipped it on with great ease and pulled up the engraved silver zipper. Her pale eyelids fluttered to close and her breathing fell in rhythm to the song as she lay back in her chair, allowing the song to lull her to sleep.

"I'm leaving for America tomorrow for good. I thought you'd all like to know."

------

On this sunny, crisp fall day, an assembly of young people stood on the balcony of the airport staring at the cluttered airstrip, save one who was jumping up and down, flailing his arms in all directions.

"Eiji, please stop."

The ecstatic individual turned around to acknowledge the voice with a pout.

"Demo, buchou, I want to say good bye!"

All heads suddenly turned to face a subgroup of three people at the corner of the balcony: a boy with honey brown hair with glasses, another boy with unmistakably blue hair with an obvious beauty mark on his face and a girl with dark piercing black hair and eyes.

"Eiji, we all want to say good bye," the honey brown haired boy replied.

"But if we had known earlier…" the redhead complained.

"Why didn't you tell us earlier? We would have helped you through all those problems."

"But we didn't," a cold response came from the blue haired one.

Brown haired one sighed as he readjusted his glasses. "That's just how she is, and we can't do anything about it."

"If I told you, you guys would never let me go."

Silence fell upon the gathering as gravity wove her spell upon all of their hearts. Their eyes followed the bright Boeing 787 that flew from the airstrip eastbound.

"This is goodbye."

"Sayonara… Kane"

It's gonna be okay. Believe in thedreams of those little skies and reach for the universe and everything else will be okay.