Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis, or it's characters.
A/N: Hi guys, and welcome to my third story! ヽ(#`Д´)ﾉ Please review, as always! I worked very hard on this, so the least I can hope is that you all enjoy yourselves. Thank you millions for reading!
"Matsuharu-san! Matsuharu-san!"
Megumi looked up, her dark, mid-waist hair cascading down her back as she released it from its position as an elegant bun. She smiled.
"Sakuno, club practice was done a while ago!" she said playfully, sliding a finger under the silk ribbons gracefully wrapped around her ankle.
She shook her head, panting, struggling to catch her breath from the frantic dash to the clubroom. In her small, trembling hand was an official looking piece of folded up paper. "M-Matsuharu-chan… they… they…!"
Megumi worriedly looked up at her kouhai, an on and off member of her club, and temporarily forgot about undoing her slippers. "Calm down," she said, eyebrows creased, "what did they do? What happened?"
Sakuno's didn't meet her eyes, but instead, said softly, "I-I'm so sorry, Matsuharu-chan…" while handing her the paper.
She smiled kindly at her, but she knew this was a bad sign. Dread began to build up in the pit of her stomach as she opened the letter up slowly.
Her eyes only had to graze over the title to understand Sakuno was acting the way she did.
She slammed the paper onto the sleek wood desk of the director, causing it to vibrate violently.
"What's the meaning of this?!" she demanded, eyes ablaze.
The director held up two palms in surrender. "I'm sorry Matsuharu; you know the school can't fund so many clubs at once! I'm well aware of how much emotional value it holds for you, but you of all people should understand, Miss Vice-President!"
Megumi stiffened, and fell back into a chair, exasperated. "Then, tell me what clubs are more important than mine?"
The director paused. "Matsuharu, you're putting me in a very difficult position-"
She stared daggers at him.
He sighed, pulling out a thick stack of miscellaneous papers from his desk drawer, and flipped through them, clearing his throat.
"Well, for starters, the Cooking Club." She nodded. That was understandable, in the very least.
"The Art Club." Her doubt spiked slightly, but it was still reasonable.
"Finally, one of the most notably important-" she leaned forward, eager to hear.
"Seishun Gakuen's Boys Tennis Club."
She felt her jaw drop with a small and undignified pop. "Why that ludicrous sport?!"
He glared at her. "I know you've had bad personal experiences with tennis related events, but this year, we have a very formidable tennis team on our hands. We even have a shot at the Nationals! Think about it, Matsuha-"
Megumi abruptly stood up, and, nodding curtly at him, exited the office in a flurry of irritation and disappointment.
As she walked toward her clubroom, she scoffed. "Tennis?"
Pulling open her locker, she slipped her snowy ballet slippers off the scuffed metal shelf, remembering how much happiness and bittersweet memories it presented to her. Her hands searched for any remnants, and then she promptly shut the locker.
She then began grabbing trophies, medals, and certificates from the wall and tables, stuffing them into her bag. She and her fellow classmates had earned these in every right by showing the world that grace and elegance still did matter, after so many unspeakable hardships.
And all of it was going down the drain because of one stupid club!
Megumi kicked over a stray desk in a sudden surge of anger. She had disliked tennis greatly, and now that it had come to this, she despised the Boys Tennis Club more than anyone could possibly imagine. They had destroyed her dreams – and her fellow clubmates.
It was time to act.
"Honestly," Sakuno sighed as she sat next to Tomo on a bench on campus, "I've never seen Megumi-san so shaken."
Tomo nodded. "That Ballet Club really meant a lot more to her than just an extra activity, neh?"
She was about to say something in agreement, but suddenly Megumi appeared, startling them. She looked slightly frantic. "Do you any of you have scissors?"
They both shook their heads, but Tomo pointed in a direction. "The Art Club is sure to have them, you can check there!"
Megumi strained a smile and thanked them.
As she strode away, Tomo and Sakuno gave each other befuddled looks.
"What was that all about?"
She slid the door to the Art Club open gently, and peered in, checking if anyone was still inhabiting the club. Carefully, she looked around, and sure enough, a pair of scissors was resting on top of a textbook about Van Gogh.
Hurriedly grabbing them, she left, slamming the door shut behind her with a thud.
To her relief, the girl's restroom was unoccupied, so she invited herself in, locking the door behind her.
Taking a thick rubber band, she pulled her hair up into a long ponytail, slipping it into place. The mirror followed her movements.
Then, Megumi stared long and hard at her foreign reflection in the old mirror. Her once-elegant features were bitter and defiant. Her dark, almost black tawny eyes were clear: Do it.
She took the scissors into her hand, examining them from all sides, the sunlight reflecting off its sharp silver sides, filled with doubt.
Was it really worth it?
She laughed at her foolishness.
It was more than worth it.
I'll keep my promise, Sayu.
She reached behind her head, and squeezed her eyes shut.
Snip. Snip. Snip.
A long strand of onyx hair fell gently to the cold linoleum ground, a few pieces of stray hairs landing near it.
Opening her eyes slowly, she was shocked to see the girl that was staring back at her in that dusty mirror.
Her lips silently mouthed the words Oh. My. God.
She was the same girl, sure, but a girl that could pass for a boy.
Megumi felt a light, strange smile stretch across her face. Her hand patted the fringed ends of her hair gently. Quickly, she picked up the long strand of fallen hair and stored it in her backpack carefully, disposing of the remnants, and left the scissors on the restroom sink.
In that very restroom, she made a vow as she gazed at her new self:
"I'll take my revenge on Seishun Gakuen's Boys Tennis Team, no matter what it takes!"
"Man, it's getting brutal." remarked Momoshiro as he saw yet another girl walk by in tears, holding a slip of paper.
Tezuka nodded, stoic as ever. "Many clubs are getting un-funded and cut at the same time, it seems. However, we can rest easy."
Ryoma snorted at the girl. "Mada mada dane."
Momo glanced at Ryoma, and then proceeded to give him a noogie. "That's rude, chibi!"
Fuji smiled on and Eiji grinned as he flipped his way across the court to join in bullying Ryoma.
"Everybody, stop wasting your time and get back to practice if you don't want to get cut like the others!" yelled Tezuka, pointing to the courts. "Now!"
Nodding rather sheepishly, they got back into position on the courts.
The sound of rallying balls filled the court, somewhat echoing off the chain-link walls.
Meanwhile, Megumi pulled a hairband on, bringing her bangs away from her face. Then, she slid on a white baseball cap, covering her face slightly. A baggy red hoodie and navy sweatpants adorned her dancer frame, effectively covering up any stray curves or anything that hinted her of being feminine.
Swiveling her body side to side, she nodded, satisfied, slinging a tennis bag over her shoulder and headed into the courts.
Tezuka stood, supervising the practice of his team, when-
"Oi." a voice called behind him.
He whipped around, looking down on a boy wearing a baseball that shadowed his face. A hand was slid into his pocket, a cocky grin in place as he chewed and popped his gum.
"Yes?"
The boy paused, looking up. "Are you the captain of Seishun Gakuen's Boys Tennis Team?"
Tezuka nodded silently. What was this strange boy getting at?
The boy's grin disappeared, and he spit gum onto the courts, in which he received glares from the regulars who were now watching with interest.
He slipped off his tennis bag and pulled out a tennis racket, grinning again. "Wanna match?"
Tezuka paused. "If I have a match with you, then what?"
The boy smirked. "If I lose, I'll clean up that gum. But if I win…" he pointed his racket at Tezuka's unfazed face.
"I get to be Captain."
Tezuka stared at him for a few moments, but complied.
"What's your name?"
The boy stiffened and paused.
"Sayu… suke. Sayusuke."
Tezuka nodded, and headed into the courts, getting into position.
Fool! Megumi hissed in her mind as she watched him retreat, I've had over 4 years of tennis training!
Regardless, she grinned, pulling her cap down lower and got into position, nostalgia washing over her like a cold wave. After this, she promised herself, no more tennis. It was going to be too painful to play this match alone.
Good bye, Tezuka.
"Tezuka versus Sayusuke, start! Tezuka to serve!"