This was the result of a prompt phrase. The phrase is stated at the end of the ficlet. Not necessarily canon.
Secrets Within (Prince of Tennis)
By Haruka (email: haruka at ymail dot com)
Inui Sadaharu was in the school library finishing up work on an extra-credit research project when he heard what sounded like a herd of buffalo storming the place. He looked up and saw that no, it was just Horio, charging through the room to the annoyance of everyone else.
"Horio-kun, this is a library –" Inui chided, but the freshman interrupted him.
"Inui-senpai, I-I've been wanting to get this to you all morning b-but wasn't allowed on the Senior floor!" he panted, obviously out of breath. He plopped a notebook down in front of Inui. "Here, you'd better study that."
"What is it?" Inui picked it up and paged through it, eyes widening behind his glasses. He looked up into Horio's triumphant face.
"It's St. Rudolph's data book on all the teams, even themselves!" Horio declared. "I was on the same bus as Mizuki-san this morning, and it dropped out of his bag as he was getting off. I tried calling after him, but it was too late, and when I saw what it was, I figured it was a good thing he hadn't heard me! Now WE can use the information!"
"Thank you for bringing this to me," Inui said. Horio beamed with pride at being able to help his senpai and left whistling. Inui regarded the cover of the notebook thoughtfully.
Inui was an expert in data tennis, and as such, had no qualms about scouting out rival teams and gathering every minute detail about them that he could. He recorded these findings in his own notebook, and knew that as another data player, Mizuki was as thorough as he was. This book in his hands no doubt contained valuable clues that could easily help them win. It would also tell him if Mizuki had gathered correct information about Seigaku.
"Inui?"
He raised his eyes to meet Fuji Syuusuke's concerned expression. "You were frowning," his teammate pointed out. "Is something wrong?"
Inui showed him the notebook. "Horio just brought this to me. Mizuki dropped it on the bus."
Fuji's aqua eyes met Inui's curiously. "Did you read it?"
"No," Inui admitted. "I don't think I could bring myself to do it. For one thing, it feels like cheating, even if I can learn the same information myself by scouting out schools, at least I AM doing it myself. Also, if it turns out he's written misinformation about our team by mistake, I might feel obligated to correct him." He smiled impishly at Fuji. "Or maybe not."
His friend chuckled. "There's another possibility, Inui. What if Mizuki noticed Horio and dropped the book on purpose, knowing he'd pick it up? The entire thing could be full of misinformation, just to throw Seigaku off track."
Inui nodded, sighing. "Yes, that is certainly a tactic that is not above Mizuki Hajime."
"How about this?" Fuji took the notebook. "Yuuta is coming home for dinner tonight – I'll slip this into his bag, and he'll give it back to Mizuki."
"Won't he wonder how it got there?"
"Maybe, but what difference does it make? No one can prove we had it." Fuji tucked the notebook into his own bag and patted Inui's shoulder. "I'll see you at practice this afternoon."
Inui nodded. "All right, Fuji, thank you."
Fuji left the library and headed to his next class. Inui was both honest and honourable, and he was right – they didn't need to cheat to win matches.
However, Fuji had already decided that he was going to skim through the book and read anything he saw that mentioned Yuuta. Where Mizuki was concerned, he was still engaged in a war, and he wouldn't pass up an opportunity to find out exactly what the St. Rudolph manager REALLY thought of his little brother.
And if what he read displeased him in any way, he would return the notebook to Mizuki personally, giving him suitably horrific nightmares for the remainder of his junior high school days. Fuji usual smile was even brighter all the way to class just thinking about it.
(Prompt phrase – You'd better study that)
(2005)
Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi.
This fic is not to be re-posted.