:||Their Summer Story||:
:||rennomiya||:
:||BeGgInNiNgOfStOrY||:
:||ChApTeRoNe||:
At age twelve, Echizen Ryoma, son of the legendary Samurai Nanjiroh, made his debut as the world's youngest tennis pro by winning in the US Open. Still at the same age, he won Japan's National Tournament for Middle School Students, beating the legendary 'Child of God', using a technique that only top professional tennis players could attain. At age thirteen, he won first place at Worldwide Opens, using these as his stepping stone to further his success. At age fourteen, he continued on winning Grand Slam Titles, finally being recognized worldwide as 'Samurai Junior', the new legendary tennis player for his generation.
Of course, that did not stop his fan girls from recognizing him even more. Every girl on the entire planet adores him; both his good looks and tennis skills. He not only has a Fans Club (courtesy by Osakada Tomoka) in Seigaku, but also a Fans Club worldwide (courtesy by stalkers of different countries). He had now become more popular than he already is. But of course, everyone knows it's not about the popularity that matters for the tennis prince. It's about living his dream and becoming one of the best; maybe even better than his perverted father. His wings already spread, making him fly to the top… higher than anyone has climbed before… higher than…
"I-I can't reach the stupid doorknob!" struggled a six-year-old child as he stretched his little arms higher, still not reaching the 'stupid' doorknob.
"Ryo-chan, if you want to open the door, you could ask me. You're still too little to reach the doorknob," a girl in her fifteens gently scolded the younger boy. "Oh, and stop cursing! Don't imitate that part of Ryoma-kun," she added as she opened the door for the younger one.
The younger one groaned in annoyance and lowered the brim of his cap.
The truth is, this young boy, who looks exactly like Echizen Ryoma… is actually the real Echizen Ryoma…
How'd this happen?
:||FlAsHbAcK||:
It's about living his dream and becoming one of the best; maybe even better than his perverted father. His wings already spread, making him fly to the top… higher than anyone has climbed before… higher than…
"Buchou," greeted the fifteen-year-old tennis prodigy of Japan.
Tezuka Kunimitsu, the captain of Seishun Gakuen High School, nodded his head in response, "Nice to have you back, Echizen." Tezuka was acknowledged as having already reached a professional level with his tennis. Nothing much had change with him; still stoic and strict.
Ryoma had suddenly arrived in Seishun High, not informing his friends about his return from America. He decided to take a break from his 'long journey ahead' (coughTennisTournamentscough) and go back to Seigaku as a normal high school student who joined the tennis club to participate in normal, local competitions.
The redhead acrobat, Kikumaru Eiji, beamed at the sight of his O'chibi. He jumped around excitedly and leaped towards the dark-green-haired freshman of the group. Despite his childish attitude, he's really an important part of the team. He's the other half of Seigaku's 'Golden Pair' along with Oishi. He had shown his incredible speed at the Nationals three years ago, to the point of actually making his clones because of the rather outstanding (and completely ridiculous) speed he attained. "O'chibi! Look at you! You've grown so much!" he observed their height differences and grinned, "But I'm still taller, nya!"
Ryoma sighed and murmured a small "Mada mada dane."
"Anyway," interrupted the vice-captain, the other half of the 'Golden Pair', also known as the 'Mother Hen' of the team, Oishi Syuichiroh, "I'm glad you can make it, despite being an international star and all."
Ryoma looked at his vice-captain with nonchalance, "Betsuni. I've taken a break anyway."
Momoshiro Takeshi, now the only one powerhouse of Seigaku since Kawamura Takashi retired from tennis to continue his dream of being a sushi chef, grinned at his kouhai's response. Nothing changed, he assumed. Echizen is still the same ol' arrogant brat who tries his best to keep his cool, despite living with his insane senpai-tachi. "No change, no change at all, Echizen!"
"You probably didn't change too, ne Momo-senpai?" shot back the freshman.
"Yes. He's still the baka porcupine head you'd known ever since," replied the 'Snake', also known as Kaidoh Kaoru, another sophomore regular of the team along with Momoshiro. He became the tennis team captain during his senior year in Seigaku middle school after the previous seniors graduated. Together with Momoshiro, he led the tennis team to the Nationals, defending their title as 'Champions' for the second time. Back then, Tezuka and the others frequently visit Seigaku to help Kaidoh train the team, which held a lot of contribution to their second win at the Nationals. Momoshiro and Kaidoh were rivals ever since their freshmen days at Seigaku middle school. Even so, they make a great doubles team because of their unexplainable desire to outgrow each other.
"What did you say, Mamushi!" Momoshiro retorted. And their usual fights commenced.
"Saa," Fuji Syuusuke, the tensai of the team said, "Let's celebrate Echizen's return at Taka-san's sushi shop," he turned to the tennis prince, "Taka-san improved his cooking skills quite a lot after you left. I suggest tasting some of his masterpieces."
Ryoma nodded in response. Fuji Syuusuke was known as the 'Sadist' because of his habit of making people suffer for the sake of his own, selfish fun. He mastered playing tennis in both singles and doubles, with Kawamura as his usual partner. He was called 'tensai' because of his original 'Triple Counters', which in the Nationals, he managed to construct two new counters, surprising the audience.
"One hundred percent chance he would say yes," muttered the data man, Inui Sadaharu, who was well-known in Japan with his unique data-gathering skills. And well-known in Seigaku as the producer of a poison called 'Inui Juice'.
Ryoma couldn't help but smile a little of the nostalgic feelings that once again returned to him.
"Then, what are we waiting for? To Taka-san's!" yelled Momo excitedly who raised his right arm in the air. Eiji followed him and wrapped his right arm around his kouhai's shoulder, and they both lead the way to the sushi shop of their former teammate, Kawamura Takashi.
"Yudan sezu ni ikou!"
"Fshuu…"
"Ii data…"
"Saa…"
"B-Be careful, you two…"
"Nya, Oishi's such a worrywart, nya!"
"You shouldn't be like that senpai, you shouldn't."
"Mada mada dane."
… Were all the noises that were heard as they walk the path towards the sushi place.
Momo and Eiji opened the door to the shop and grinned toothily, "Sorry for disturbing you!" they called, rather cheerily.
Taka-san, who was making another batch of sushi for a huge platter, stopped and smiled at the arrival of his former teammates, "Irashaimase, minna!"
One by one, they entered the shop, and the last one who entered made Taka's smile widen. "E-Echizen! You're home!"
"Uissu," replied the youngest one.
Taka left his place behind the counter to approach his kouhai and greeted a joyous, "Welcome home!"
:||SePaRaToR||:
"Em gld yr stying hr fr gd, Echzn!" Momo said as he pushed his ninth sushi on his mouth. (Momo: I'm glad you're staying here for good, Echizen).
As he spoke, some of the rice from the sushi spilled from his mouth and disgustingly spilled all over the irritated tennis prince, "Momo-senpai… could you NOT EAT WITH YOUR MOUTH FULL!"
"Saa, Momo, don't irritate the prince. After all, this is his party," Taka said as he smiled apologetically at Echizen.
"Hn," grunted the tennis prince.
"Now," Inui flipped his phone off and wrote something on his notebook.
Fuji looked curiously at the data man and decided to ask him about it, "Who did you call, Inui?"
"No one knows Echizen just arrived this morning, right? I just called some people who are also close to him that may make Echizen happier to return than he already is." Inui adjusted his glasses to the bridge of his nose and his glasses beamed afterwards. A toothy, menacing grin formed on his lips after.
"In short?"
"The ichinen trio, Inoue-san, Shiba-san, Ryuzaki-sensei, and the two cheerleaders," Inui answered in his usual monotone voice.
Fuji smiled sadistically. "By two cheerleaders… you mean Osakada Tomoka and Ryuzaki Sakuno, right?"
"Sou."
"Saa," Fuji's sadistic smile turned back into his casual one as he looked at his other teammates who were celebrating the prodigy's return, "since you suddenly mentioned her, I think there's another reason why Echizen suddenly returned."
"You think he missed her?"
"Un. But he'll never admit that in this lifetime," the tensai said. He relaxed his head by resting his chin on his palm. He continued to watch his teammates, especially Echizen, who was now being strangled to death (hug) by Momo and Eiji. "Everyone knows how he feels for her, except him."
"One hundred percent probability that what you said is true." Inui grabbed his tea and drank it. He noticed that every drink that everyone has is tea. This gave him a bright idea.
Inui Sadaharu, data man, stood up dramatically and brought out some kind of thermos from his bag. "Minna," Inui started to introduce, "Let me introduce this new juice I invented," he showed the contents of the thermos to them by pouring some into an empty cup. The color is… unexplainable. That color did not even exist! Whatever that color is! Is that even possible?
Everyone paled.
Great. Just what Echizen Ryoma wanted for his Return Party. Don't forget he was sarcastic on that one.
"Saa," Inui forced the drink upon the regulars, "It's full of nutrition that tennis players need with their training." As Inui stepped closer to them, they stepped back. Except Tezuka, who was sitting near the counter.
They shook their heads nervously when Inui shoved the juice in their faces. "I-Inui! S-Stop that already!" Oishi scolded.
"Yeah," Momo nodded in agreement, "J-Just give that to E-Echizen! It's his party after all!"
"You're so unfair, Momo-senpai," Ryoma glared at his 'Ah-Un' doubles partner, but his glare immediately turned into panic once Inui started to walk (rather fast) towards him.
"Saa, Echizen. I call this juice 'Mazui Kyoufu'. Try it. It's good." Inui said as he looked evilly at Echizen. (Inui: 'Mazui Kyoufu'—literally 'Tasteless Terror'.)
"I-I don't think t-that's t-tasteless at all!" Eiji paled as he continued on staring at that thing.
"Now, open your mouth. Say 'Ah'," Inui said monotonously.
Ryoma's eyes turned from panic to glare, "Yadda yo, senpai. Don't force me to drink that." He stared coldly and meanly at his senpai. "Just drink it if you want to."
The data man had gathered enough data about Echizen to know when he should back out, especially these times when his eyes are that cold and mean. He stepped back a little and was about to retreat when someone interrupted.
"Ara?" Fuji suddenly interrupted, "I heard Sakuno-chan's coming. If Echizen doesn't want to drink it, why don't you just let Sakuno-chan take his place, Inui?" the tensai said, feigning innocence.
Inui looked at Fuji in wonder before realizing that his 'Tasteless Terror' disappeared from his hand. He looked around and saw Echizen already drinking it.
Eiji and Momo immediately forgot their terror of the juice and grinned knowingly at the tennis prince as the latter continued to drink that whatever-color thing. "I think we know why O'chibi suddenly drank that juice, ne Momo?"
"Yeah, we know why, we know." Momo rolled his eyes meaningfully at the redhead's direction, meeting his senpai's own insane stare.
After Ryoma drank that thing, and being unable to identify the taste (but he was sure it was too horrible to know), his vision suddenly blurred. He knew it. He was going to faint. And blame it all on the juice. But… after not being able to drink that thing for almost three years made the tennis prince wonder… Was it always that bad or he just forgot how it taste? He was pretty sure that after Penal Tea that Inui-senpai invented years ago, the juices that came afterwards had the ability to make anyone unconscious in a snap. It started during their recreation day, when they played bowling. That was the time Inui's juice was so bad, it actually caused someone to lose consciousness. That Aozu… tastes better than, than… than this. Ah, good times, good times. Not.
Wait… he can still think? Isn't he supposed to lose consciousness right about now? Why can he still think? And why is everything dark? Oh yeah… his eyes are closed.
"O'chibi," said Kikumaru in a voice full of concern.
And if there's someone that anyone's worrying about, there is always Oishi, "E-Echizen, wake up! Get a hold of yourself!" he looked uselessly at the tennis prince. His worry turned into anger which he blurted out on Inui, "Inui! This is your entire fault! I told you not to make another one of your juices! Let alone invent another! Do something abo—"
"Oishi," the stern voice of their responsible captain called, "Calm down. Echizen will be fine."
"Yeah, but," the vice-captain tried to protest but he knew there was no way in this lifetime he would be able to argue with Tezuka.
"Y-Yeah, Inui-senpai, Oishi-senpai," Momo tried to ease the tension, "Everyone faints after drinking the juice. It's nothing to worry about, ne Eiji-senpai?" As Momo looked at his partner in crime, his eyes turned into curiosity upon seeing the usual cheerful and childish acrobat stare worriedly at Echizen. "E-Eiji-senpai?"
Everyone felt tense when Oishi scolded Inui that's why they didn't notice the sudden change in the prince's appearance. "E-Eiji-senpai?" they heard the powerhouse called and they all turned towards the direction of the unconscious prince.
Echizen Ryoma, whom they knew as a fifteen-year-old boy, turned into a child!
They gaped at him.
And Sleeping Beauty finally stirred. He opened his eyes slowly and adjusted his vision. The first thing he saw was the light bulb hanging from the shop's ceiling. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. He noticed all of his senpai-tachi are gaping at him. He looked confusedly at them and looked at his body. Was he bleeding or something?
No, he was not bleeding.
His body transformed! Smaller than what he usually had!
He turned back into a six-year-old child!
"Ah!" It was Eiji who broke the silence. "O'CHIBI TURNED INTO A CHIBI!"
"What. The. HELL?" Momo muttered under his breath.
Everyone else was speechless. Including the victim himself.
"Ojamashimasu!" a group of voices yelled as they opened the sliding door of Kawamura Sushi Shop. Ryuzaki Sumire and Sakuno, Osakada Tomoka, Inoue Mamoru, Shiba Saori, Kato Kachiro, Mizuno Katsuo and Horio Satoshi stood before them.
The now turned-into-a-child Echizen Ryoma turned his head slowly to the pigtailed auburn head, granddaughter of his kantoku. (Ryoma: Kantoku—coach)
Momoshiro, with his quick reflexes, shut the sliding door closed and locked it. He looked apologetically at the reflection of the newcomers and said, "Gomen na, minna. W-We have s-something to discuss first. J-just come back later!"
"Momoshiro!" Ryuzaki-sensei yelled. "What do you think you're doing? Let us in!" she yelled fiercely and Momo could swear he heard Sakuno trying to calm her grandmother down. Ryuzaki-sensei then viciously knocked the door continuously and Momo could see the reflections of Shiba-san and Inoue-san trying to hold the ferocious baa-san as much as they possibly could.
:||SePaRaToR||:
After a while, Ryuzaki-sensei finally gave up on entering and left with the others. The nine Seigaku tennis club members inside the shop sighed in relief.
Anyway…
"Inui! W-What happened? W-Why did Echizen turn back into a child?" Oishi asked panicky. Inui sweat dropped and stared at Echizen. He obviously did not know what happened either. "W-What are we supposed to do now?" Oishi asked, this time disappointment filled his voice as he sat weakly on the ground. "How are we going to tell his family?"
Echizen stared at his body. His small body. He was too shocked to think about anything.
:||ToBeCoNtInUeD||:
A/N: I know the story's out of season, but what the heck! Flashback's still not over yet people! There will definitely be RyoSaku in this story! Stay tuned! Disclaimers apply (for both Prince of Tennis and Detective Conan; owned by Takeshi Konomi and Gosho Aoyama) and… please review:)
P.S Why am I writing another multi-chaptered fic when I'm still not yet done with the other two?XD Sorry 'bout that XD
EDSA day!
:||NeXtTiMe||:
"Sensei won't be home and will be back on the last week of summer, which is four weeks from now."
Oh, they get it.
That means that…
"I-I'd be w-with Ryuzaki alone?" Ryoma unknowingly blurted out.
He'd be alone with the girl everyone believes he likes, maybe even love.