Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis.

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The Great Date Hunt

Chapter I

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"Attention everyone, this is your principal. I would just like to announce that the traditional school dance is just a month away so we have to prepare now." The speakers around Seishun Gakuen rang out with the principal's voice. "Students who are members of different clubs, I would like you to approach your respective club presidents for your job assignments for the upcoming dance. I hope all of you will do your best to make this the best dance in our school history. That is all students have a nice afternoon."

The principal stopped talking and almost simultaneously, the students began to chatter excitedly about the upcoming dance. The school dance this year is extra special because it was also to celebrate Seishun Gakuen's overall champion status in the sports department. The soccer, basketball, volleyball, and tennis clubs of Seigaku all won this year's championship.

The bell rang signaling the end of classes and students began filing out of their classrooms. The members of the tennis club gathered at the court for their usual meeting. Today's meeting is about the school dance.

"Are you all here now?" Coach Sumire Ryuuzaki eyed everyone, "good. Now that all of you are here, Tezuka?"

"Yes coach" Tezuka stepped forward. "As you all know, the dance is only a month away and we have been given the task of decorating the gym with the basketball team and girls' tennis team. I have already talked to the basketball and girls' tennis team about the decoration; we just have to bring materials tomorrow."

After Tezuka's announcement, coach Sumire stepped forward again, "Now, I have another announcement, the principal told me that the sports teams will open this year's ball with the traditional cotillion."

"What??" they chorused.

"You mean we have to dance?" Momo asked.

"Of course, Momoshiro, it's a ball remember?" Coach Sumire said,

"Y-you mean we have to ask out girls?" Kaoru said.

"Yes of course, so care to tell me who the lucky girls are?" Coach Sumire asked and smiled mischievously.

"What if we we're not able to find partners?" Oishi asked.

"You MUST find girls if you don't want to look stupid dancing by yourself on the dance floor and that's an order team."

"You heard what the coach said." Tezuka spoke with a tone of finality and they all knew that was it.

They were dismissed afterwards and they all went to Takashi's house to talk about their predicament.

"So who are you planning to ask out guys?" Oishi asked everyone.

Fuji was the first to answer, "There's this girl who is friendly to me and I would like to ask her, but someone might've already asked her out."

Momoshiro placed his arm behind his head, "I haven't decided yet, but we don't really have to worry because I'm sure lots of girls would want to be our dates." He grinned.

Kaidoh hissed, "I don't get the point of having a date and having to open the ball with a stupid cotillion." He said.

"Oh really? Or maybe you're just not good when it comes to girls, eh Mamushi?" Momo teased.

Kaidoh blushed, but he tried to hide it by shouting at Momo, "What are you talking about? Of course I can ask a girl out any time I want!"

"Hee.. hee.." Momo laughed, "look at your face Mamushi, its all red."

A vein throbbed on Kaidoh's temple, "shut up now Momoshiro or I'll throttle you!" he shouted.

"Enough of that, both of you." Tezuka finally commanded and both Momo and Kaidoh stopped.

"So how about you Tezuka, anyone in mind you want to ask out?" Fuji asked while flashing his trademark smile as if seducing Tezuka.

Tezuka dropped his gaze before answering, "I don't know yet."

Fuji smiled even more, he definitely saw Tezuka blush a bit.

"I know, how about we make a deal." Fuji said. "All of us must have a date for the dance and whoever fails will have a punishment."

"Good idea Oishi-chan!" Eiji snapped his fingers, "punishment for losers, but what kind of punishment?"

"I have the perfect answer for that Eiji, my newly-developed Inui juice will be the best 'reward' for whoever fails to ask a girl out." Inui said with a sadistic smile on his face that can compete with Fuji's.

Everyone gulped at what Inui said. Inui had been very busy right after the championship and if what they suspect is true, Inui had found a way to make his juice taste even more awful than it is.

Tezuka suddenly stood as if mechanically, "I better go now, I have to finish something today." Then everyone else followed him, "Yes, we remember we have to do something too, see ya!"

They all went and left Inui. "I wonder if I said something wrong?" Inui mused. Even Takashi had left the shop.

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Momoshiro and Ryoma were walking together, "So, who are you planning to ask out?" Momo asked Ryoma.

"I don't really know yet" Ryoma answered. He is not really fond of girls so he hasn't found any good-looking girls at school, but at that moment, Sakuno Ryuuzaki's face came swimming in his head. He hasn't really been taken with this girl, but as time pass, he is beginning to notice her little by little. He does not know what his feelings are for Sakuno really.

"Hey, you've been extra quite today Echizen" Momo interrupted Ryoma's thoughts.

"Its nothing." Ryoma said.

The next day, everything went overdrive. Almost every students, especially the girls, were busy discussing their plans for the dance and who their dates are going to be. In the gym, where the dance is going to be held, the members of the tennis club were busy with the decorations.

"Put that here and start assembling it." Tezuka was commanding the other members. Momoshiro was attaching some garlands on the wall when he and Kaidoh had a conflict with the space.

"Move over Momoshiro." Kaidoh said.

"You should move over Mamushi, I occupied this space before you." Momo said.

Kaidoh hissed, "Oh yeah? Where's your evidence?"

"Stop it you two." Tezuka interrupted, "One more word and I'll make the both of you run a hundred laps even if its not practice." With that, Momo and Kaidoh stopped bickering. Tezuka returned to what he was doing and left them.

"Hey have you heard? Captain and Fuji had already found partners." Eiji whispered.

"Really? Who?" Takashi asked. Momo, Kaidoh, and Ryoma leaned in to hear more.

Eiji shrugged, "I don't know them personally, but I heard a 3rd year named Kumiko Asaki will be with Captain and a 2nd year will be with Fuji." He said.

"If its true, then they're both safe from Inui's juice." Ryoma concluded.

"Oh no, we better get a move on." Takashi said.

"Nya, you're right Takashi, I don't wanna drink that 'special' Inui juice."

At that moment, Oishi entered, "Eiji, can you help me with these?" he asked.

Eiji jumped immediately, "Sure Oishi-chan" then they went together.

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After a while they went home. Tezuka and Fuji walked together while the rest stayed behind. Oishi, Eiji, Momo, Kaidoh, Takashi, and Ryoma were discussing something.

"We must find ourselves partners, its just a few days away." Oishi said in his encouraging voice, "We musn't give Inui the happiness by drinking his horrible drinks."

Everyone gulped and listened intently like they would to a coach in a sudden death game of basketball, "We can do this team!" Oishi said. Then they all put their hands together, "Fight!" they all shouted in unison then they went on and walked separate directions.

From afar, a mysterious girl with long, honey-coloured hair was watching the dispersed team with a determined look on her face and then her fist curled tighter.

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Finally, I get to upload this story. Its been in my folder for three years now, would you believe that. Anyway, please review..