Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi. I do not own it. (That is why this is a fanfic.)
Woo. Edited this chapter too! Omfggsga;gdg… Doesn't mean it has gotten any better, though. ;' O
----------
The Prince of Demons, Chapter Two.
Ryoma thought for a long moment about whether he truly wanted to know what was going on. Surely it would be enlightening, but he had a rather bad feeling about what the answer would be. Ryoma felt it was sometimes best to be ignorant toward certain things in life, but was this something he should be ignorant to? Well, it DID involve his life.
"Yes, Fuji-sempai. I do want to know why everything is happening." Ryoma said, tilting his cap down but still looking up to Fuji.
"Aa, that's good." Fuji said, and gently grabbed the other's arm. While the rest of their team continued down the street, Fuji pulled the freshman down another. "It'll be a long explanation, and I don't think you would want anyone else to hear." He said.
Ryoma glanced back, and noticed Tezuka looking at them, before the buchou turned forward.
"... Fuji-sempai, are you sure you're not just trying to get out of paying for everyone?" Ryoma asked, sighing inwardly.
"Saa, maybe." Fuji said, shrugging. He then let out a small chuckle, "No, no. Echizen, your house is this way, right?"
"Hai... But why are we going there?" Ryoma asked, looking up at the tensai.
"Well, Echizen, I think your father would be better to explain this. Besides, I just want to make sure I'm right about all of this before I go and tell you something false." He smiled down at the boy. "Truth is, I think you and I may be more alike than either of us knew before." He patted the boy's back.
"Hn..." Ryoma paled at being anything like his sadistic teammate. "What makes you think this, Fuji-sempai?"
"I won't lie. That tattoo I saw on your back. It just appeared, right?"
"Yes..." Ryoma had to wonder what the boy was getting at.
"Well, that's what makes me think what I'm thinking." Fuji said with a nod.
The rest of the walk passed by in silence, and soon they arrived at Ryoma's home. When they entered, slipping out of their shoes, Ryoma called out, "I'm home!"
"Welcome home, brat!" Nanjirou came down from the stairs, and raised an eyebrow at seeing Fuji. "What's this? You brought a girl home? Wait- isn't he one of your teammates?" His eyes widened. "The brat brought home a friend! Gasp!"
"Hmm. Sir, you're very good at hiding your presence." Fuji said with his usual smile. Ryoma blinked up at the boy, wondering why he was being so weird.
"... Presence? ... Are you... a hunter?" Nanjirou's eyes squinted at the boy. Ryoma thought he looked very serious all of a sudden. It scared the boy. He had never seen his father look that way before.
There was a loud cracking noise, along with a bright flash, and Ryoma slapped his hands over his ears. It was so incredibly loud. The next thing he knew, a sword was in his father's hands, and there appeared to be sparks crawling up and down the blade. The moment he saw it appear, the sword was swung toward Fuji's neck. The boy ducked, and Ryoma could hear the sword go over his head.
"Ah, sir, Nanjirou-san. You've got it all wrong, I'm not a hunter." Fuji said, waving his arms a bit in front of his face as he stood straight again. "But at least now my suspicions are confirmed. You are the King of Demons, are you not? And little Echizen here is the Prince." Fuji swept into a bow. "It's an honor to be in your presence. I am Fuji Shusuke. A mountain spirit."
Nanjirou stared at the boy. "Fuji...?" He asked, before smiling and letting his sword disappear with another loud CRACK and a flash. "I've been wondering where that family went. We've been missing our bodyguards."
Fuji laughed as he stood straight for a second time. "Your family is the one that disappeared, sir."
"Haha, I suppose that's true." Nanjirou laughed with the boy.
"... Please stop ignoring me and tell me what the hell is going on." Ryoma hissed, glaring at the two.
Nanjirou looked at his son, and frowned a bit.
"Sir, I think it's best you tell him everything now. It's best he knows, after all, hunters have already seen his face in Japan. And I honestly doubt he wants to move again." Fuji glanced at Ryoma, "The reason you guys moved here from America was to get away from the hunters, correct? Well, I don't think you should run anymore. I think Ryoma should learn everything there is to know about being a demon. Especially since that hunter, Jeri, is here."
Nanjirou sighed. "Jeri, eh? I suppose... He should learn. He is going to be King one day, after all." He sighed, "And he should learn how to protect himself..."
"..." Ryoma twitched. This was crazy.
Nanjirou placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "Fuji, you can head home. I think we should start as soon as possible."
"Yes, sir. Good luck." Fuji bowed, smiling at Ryoma before slipping his shoes on and heading out the door. Before he went any further, though, he looked back. "Ah, I'll be informing my family that you all are back." He said, smiling, before moving on.
"Yeah, yeah." Nanjirou gave a small wave, before giving Ryoma a nudge toward the back door. "Now, brat, first things first..."
---
That night for Ryoma had been a long one. After Fuji had left, his father had the first serious talk he had had with the boy in a long time. He told him of another world. Not necessarily a completely other world- simply another within their own. One where there were more than humans, and all sorts of other races. Spirits of different kinds, like Fuji, and different kinds of demons. From sprites, to unicorns, to goblins, orcs, and any sort of mythical creature. They all existed, but simply didn't reveal themselves to humans as much as they had in the past.
The Echizen family was a sort of ruling family among these races, and his father had been dubbed the 'King of Demons.' Ryoma's mother, Rinko, was obviously the 'Queen of Demons.' And thus, Ryoma was the 'Prince of Demons.'
As soon as the explanation was complete, Ryoma still found himself confused and unbelieving. However, when Nanjirou showed his son his power over electricity, Ryoma had to believe the man. And all the more so when he showed the boy two huge, black wings.
"You have wings too. Black, little chibi ones. But you're still young, they'll get bigger." Nanjirou had told him. "Just as your powers will grow stronger." He patted the boy on the back, "At the moment they are hidden as tattoos, and can only come out in moments of great stress or when you are in danger."
He then tested the boy, and learned that Ryoma's ruling power was supposedly wind and slight foresight, though he would be able to learn power over many elements. After that, he taught the boy different spells.
When Ryoma finally went to bed, despite being exhausted, he could barely sleep. Too much had happened that day, and his mind couldn't find the power to shut down. He kept thinking that it was all a dream itself. Him, a prince? A demon? He, Ryoma Echizen, had powers? He was supposed to be a leader to a race he hadn't known about until tonight? It was too much.
But finally, after many hours of simply laying there and thinking, Ryoma was able to fall into a light slumber.
And now it was day, and Ryoma was showered, dressed, and eating a nice Japanese meal with his father and cousin.
"So, Ryoma-kun..." Nanako said, staring at Ryoma. "Uhm. How was yesterday? Did you learn a lot?"
"Betsuni. Baka oyaji is a horrible teacher." Ryoma said with a shrug.
"Hey, brat! Is that any way to treat-"
Ryoma cut his father off, "Thank you Nanako-san. I'm off." He stood, bringing his plate to the kitchen before heading to the door. Just as he walked out, he saw Momo rolling up on a brand new bike – bought after yesterday's incident.
"Hey, Echizen! Where'd you and Fuji-sempai go yesterday? A date?" Momo called out to him, and Ryoma moved over to his sempai.
"Baka." Ryoma mumbled, and hopped on the metal rungs. "He took me home."
"Eh? Why?" Momo asked, kicking off and riding down the street.
"Momo, turn right. Let's take the long way." Ryoma said.
"Why? And, you didn't answer me..." Momo said with a frown.
Ryoma didn't know why he wanted to take the long way to school this time around. But he felt like the wind was whispering to him, telling him that another 'accident' may happen if they went the normal way. "Because I feel like taking the long way."
"Fine..." Momo said, and turned right. "Now, why did Fuji-sempai take you home?"
"He wanted to talk to me in private." Ryoma explained, inwardly angry that his sempai wasn't taking his subtle hints to drop the subject.
"About what?" Momo asked.
"Momo-sempai, just drop it!" Ryoma snapped, and was shocked that he did so. Echizen Ryoma neversnapped. Never. He always kept his cool, but yesterday...
I just can't believe all of this is happening... I must be stressed...
Momo slowly came to a stop. "Echizen, is something wrong?" He asked, looking over his shoulder at the boy.
"No. Drop it. Just keep pedaling." Ryoma said, rubbing his head with one hand and keeping a grip on Momo's shoulder with the other. At least he isn't mad with me being angry like that.
They got to the school with no problem, though they were a few minutes late to practice. After changing, they came out to find everyone already stretching.
"Echizen! Momoshiro! Twenty la-" Tezuka began, but stopped when he saw Fuji glomp Ryoma.
"Oh, thank goodness you are okay! I was worried something had happened, Ryoma-kun!" Fuji said, hugging the boy a bit too tightly. He also didn't call the boy 'Echizen.'
"F-Fuji-sempai... We just... t-took the long way... Can't... breath..." Ryoma coughed, pushing Fuji away.
"... Fuji! Echizen! Momoshiro! Thirty laps!" Tezuka said, glaring at the bunch with this trademark glare.
"But, buchou! Just because Fuji interrupted, why do-" It was Momo's turn to get interrupted.
"Momoshiro! Forty laps!" Tezuka said, glaring.
"Hai, buchou!" Momoshiro said, and the three set off to run their laps, in fear of being ordered any more.
----------
End of Prince of Demons, Chapter Two.
