A/N Exams are over!!!!!! Yay! Now, I can update faster! Oh, but some news. I will be going to Japan on the 6th and I won't be back 'til the 20th. I shall try to write as many chapters as possible while I am still here.

Oh yes, I have pictures of what the girl regulars on my profile if you would like to see what they look like.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own prince of tennis.


Previously:

Yukimura smiled. "I've heard your team's 'nickname', as Tori-san puts it, from the other teams." He said.

"Hontou? What're they called, Buchou?" Said Akaya.

"The Pack of Rikkaidai."

******************

Chapter 3: A Normal (not-so-normal) Day in school

"… The pack of Rikkaidai?" Akaya looked at the girls who nodded.

" Hm, good data…" said Yanagi. He, Jackal and Yagyuu had finally recovered from some kind of throat problem that seemed to plague them and not anyone else. The night before, they could hear someone laughing sheepishly and apologizing to them! How strange.

"Wait, I thought you knew these things, Yanagi!" exclaimed Jackal.

" I couldn't get enough information on the girls team because whenever I tried, one of their fanboys would attack me," Yanagi replied.

"Oh, them again? Ugh, we should really keep our dogs on leashes," sighed Chieko.

The regulars had a mental image of Chieko with a whip, saying "Bad dog!" to some random boy. The regulars shivered and looked at Chieko again. She had a smile that looked a lot like Niou's when he was going to prank someone. Only… it was more sadistic than mischievous.

Tsukiko blinked at Chieko, guessing what she was thinking. "Since we're all here, we should introduce ourselves properly." She said. "My name is Shimizu Tsukiko, a 3rd year and buchou of this team."

Kaida stepped forward. "Ito Kaida, 3rd year and fuku-buchou of this team."

" Hayagawa Chieko. I'm a 2nd year," Chieko said.

Kaede stood beside Chieko. "I'm Morita Kaede. I'm also a 2nd year," she said. Her dark green eyes were gentle.

"Fujihara Akina, 3rd year," said Akina in a timid voice. Akina peeped out from behind Kyoko (Apparently, she thought that behind Kyoko would be a better hiding place).

"Shimizu Kyoko, 2nd year," Kyoko said. She sounded bored.

"Eh? Are you Shimizu-san's sister?" asked Marui. Kyoko nodded, then pulled Akina out front.

"Come on, you can't hide behind me forever," she said. Akina gave a small "eep!" and looked shyly at the boys.

"Fujita Haya, 3rd year," said Haya. She smiled brightly, but there was something in her smile that made everyone but the girl regulars shiver.

"I'm Okamoto Kohana! I'm a 2nd year!" said Kohana. Then she turned back and started arguing with Chieko about something pointless. After, she rolled her eyes and went toward the benches to drink.

Amaya glanced at Kohana." Yamamoto Amaya, 3rd year," she said.

"Miura Nami, 2nd year," said Nami.

"I'm Kichida Yoko, a 2nd year!" said Yoko.

"And last but not least, my name is Kojima Tori, also a 2nd year. Nice to meet you!" said Tori.

"Let's have the boys introduce themselves. Yukimura Seiichi, 3rd year and buchou of the boy's tennis team," said Yukimura, smiling (What else?).

"Sanada Genichirou, 3rd year and fuku-buchou of the boy's tennis team," introduced Sanada stonily. Kaida looked at him, then looked away.

"Niou Masaharu, 3rd year, puri," said the silver haired trickster.

What's up with his hair? I hope that's not its natural color, Chieko thought to herself.

"Yagyuu Hiroshi, 3rd year. Nice to meet you," said Yagyuu, shifting his glasses slightly.

"Marui Bunta, 3rd year." Suddenly Marui blew a really big bubble. Niou popped it and the gum popped all over his face, also sticking on his hair.

Marui flew into a mixture of panic, due to lack of oxygen, and rage because of Niou popping his bubble. Sanada ended up having to help him get it off his face. A few of the girls laughed. Meanwhile, the introduction continued.

"Kuwahara Jackal, 3rd year,"said Jackal.

"Yanagi Renji, 3rd year," said Renji as muttered something about data under his breath.

So their team has a data player too? Thought Kaede.

"Kirihara Akaya, 2nd year," mumbled Akaya, "Erm, I was wondering…"

"What is it, Kirihara-san?" asked Nami.

"Why do you have 12 regulars on your team?"

"Well, we have nine regulars, and 4 so-called 'pre-regulars' who are good, but not good enough to get into the girl's team. They are Amaya, Yoko, Nami and Haya," replied Tsukiko.

"We have the four pre-regulars as a back-up. If ever a regular is late, or can't make it, one of the four, depending on who isn't there, will play instead of that person," she continued.

"Wow," replied Marui.

"Yeah, I know. Get out from behind the tree, Akina," said Kyoko. Akina was now hiding behind a tree that was in a pot. ("Ah, so that's where I put the principal's favorite tree…" muttered Chieko.)

Tsukiko chose that moment to call for a team meeting.

"All right! That concludes the ranking matches! The regulars are: Me, Shimizu Tsukiko! Ito Kaida!" Kaida remained impassive.

"Hayagawa Chieko!" Chieko just yawned and muttered, "Knew it" under her breath.

"Morita Kaede!" Kaede smiled.

"Shimizu Kyoko!" Kyoko looked bored.

"Kojima Tori!"

"Yes! I did it!" Tori said hugging Yoko.

"Okamoto Kohana!"

"And you said I wouldn't make it into the regulars. " said Kohana, smiling smugly at Chieko. Chieko, apparently, didn't notice her and continued bouncing a tennis ball.

"Fujihara Akina!" Akina peeped out behind the principal's tree.

"The pre-regulars are Yamamoto Amaya, Miura Nami, Kichida Yoko and Fujita Haya!" Said four looked bored.

"All of you have done your best. Or not…" Tsukiko said the last part softly under her breath as she saw the fangirls glaring at the new regulars and pre-regulars.

"That is all, practice is over!"

"Practice is over for the boys too," said Yukimura.

And they all went home.


The next day …

The girls were just arriving in school. They changed and went to the tennis courts to practice. Well, a few arrived late.

"Sorry I'm late!" yelled Chieko.

"Chieko! Get changed and then run an extra 10 laps in addition to you're 20!" yelled Kaida.

" Alright…" Chieko went to get changed.

Right after Chieko left, Tori came running.

" I'm sorry! I had to wake my brother up for school because my parents wouldn't let me leave without him!" She said.

"Get changed and run an extra 5 laps to your 20."

"Okay!"

Then… "I'm sorry!" Yoko finally arrived.

"Yoko-" Kaida stared at the pre-regular, blinking. No, she thought, I am not imagining things.

"What's wrong, Kai-" Kaede had caught sight of Yoko and now stood staring. Soon, all the regulars had stopped what they were doing and stared at Yoko.

"Yoko? Is that you?" Kaede asked.

"Yep! Like my hair?" chirped Yoko.

Yoko's hair had undergone a color change from dark brown to blonde. Hints of her previous hair color were still visible, but not as noticeable.

"So, like it?" asked Yoko.

"It…Well, it-"

"Wow! Is that you, Yoko?" Chieko and Tori had arrived onto the courts and saw Yoko.

"It suits you better than brown!" Tori was admiring her best friend's hair.

"Well, I have to agree," said Chieko.

Kaida finally snapped out of her small trance.

"Yoko! Get changed and join Chieko and Tori running laps! Do an extra 10!"

"Okay!"

When Chieko and Yoko had 25 laps to go, Tori had stopped and went to join the others.

"Hey! She gets 5 less laps than us? No fair!" protested Chieko.

" Just do your laps, Chieko, unless you want five extra. And to answer your question, Tori had a valid excuse." Replied Kaida.


In class 2-B, there was a small discussion between Kohana, Nami, Tori and Yoko.

"Ah, why do we have to read 'The Alchemist' (1) for this project?! It's such a hard book!" whined Kohana.

" I know!" agreed Tori.

"You two are only saying that because you're not good at English," muttered Nami.

Yoko sighed, "I still don't like reading."

"We have to," said Nami

"I still don't like it!" Yoko began reading anyway.

"Huh, this is boring… I know! Oi! You there!" Kohana beckoned to one her fanboys, who was good in English.

"Yes, Okamoto-sama?" he asked. The poor, lovesick puppy…

"Could you read this book for me? Please?" Kohana asked him.

"Of course!" replied the boy.

"Hana, no!" gasped Tori.

"What? He said okay!" Kohana said, not getting why Tori was so upset.

"That's not it, Hana!"

"Then?"

"I already asked him to read mine." Kohana smiled.

"Well-"

Suddenly, the teacher shouted at someone, and then a familiar voice said, "But why do I have to read the *bleeeep* book?!"

"Huh? Isn't that Akaya-san?" said Yoko.

"Hm? Oh yes! Why didn't we ever see him?" said Nami.

"Umm, because we sit at the back of the class and he is sits at the front?"

"Point taken." Meanwhile, Akaya and the teacher kept on arguing.

"Akaya! No swearing!" yelled the teacher.

"I'll swear if I *Dog chasing cat noise* feel like it!"

"You'll read the book!"

"No I * Carmelldansen music* won't!"

The class stared wide-eyed at Akaya who was saying colorful words at the teacher. Nami covered Tori's ears, as she had no idea what the words Akaya said meant.


In class 3-A, Kyoko, Kaede and Chieko were working on a science project together.

"All right, now add one drop of hydrochloric acid…" Kaede read out the instructions.

"Oops." Chieko accidentally added 5 more drops.

"Uh-oh." Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light.

"I think I knocked a stick of magnesium (2) inside!" yelled Chieko.

"Shield you're eyes, everyone!" yelled the teacher.

When the light faded, everyone looked up. In Kaede, Chieko and Kyoko's science project's place was… a small fluffy silver-colored animal.

"Puri," It said.

"W-What is that thing?!" cried a random person in the class.

"It's actually kind of cute," said Chieko.

"Who dropped the hydrochloric acid and the magnesium inside?" Growled the teacher.

"Me," said Chieko.

"As you're punishment, take care of that thing."

"That's not a bad punishment."

"Who knows what it can do?"

"…Right."

Kyoko stared at it. " I doubt we actually made it. Chemicals can't make something like that."

"It can't. That's what's so strange. Anyhow, you're still keeping it." The teacher gave Chieko a box filled with wood shavings and a Petri dish filled with water.

"No food?" asked Chieko.

"We don't know what it eats. Also, you will hand me a report all about it in a month. I'll tell the principal about this latest discovery and allow you to bring it to school."

"Why?"

"So, you want your room to be a mess?"

"…No…"

The teacher dismissed them and went to the principal's office.

Chieko picked up the little animal and put it into the box. It felt soft. The little creature seemed to check out its new surroundings and finally settled down. It looked up at Chieko with innocent, brown eyes. Chieko smiled and patted its head.

"You are pretty cute."

" Puri." The creature said.

" 'Puri'?"

"Puri."

"Puri… I know! I'll call you Puri!"

The newly dubbed Puri yawned and slept.

"Chieko! Hurry up or we'll be late for class!" Yelled Kyoko.

"Coming!


In class 3-A, Yukimura and Tsukiko was discussing about some training techniques. Sanada was reading and Kaida was staring out the window. Yagyuu's face was buried in a book, as was Amaya's.

They were having free period as the teacher had too go to see the psychiatrist. (*Cough * Chieko scared* Cough* Him with *Cough * Puri-chan *Cough *)


Marui and Niou were not paying attention during Math in class 3-B.

Marui was close to sleeping. He closed his eyes and drifted off…

"Marui! What is 9 x 9?" Marui was back to the real world due to the teacher's loud voice. Marui smirked inside. This teacher was known to give the simplest questions to anyone who was not listening to him. He didn't understand the logic, but it gave him a pass to daydream in his class.

"The answer is 82," he said confidently. Niou snickered. Wait a second…

"Is your mind on elementary mode, Marui? Fujihara, help him please."

" T-The answer is 81, teacher."

"Very good. You see, Marui? You couldn't even answer a simple question like that. Why, …" The teacher went on and on about paying attention in class. Apparently, this teacher was also known to give long lectures to anyone who doesn't listen.

Marui groaned while Niou snickered. HARD.

"How amusing," said Haya, smiling.


At lunch, the girls eyed Chieko as she brought a box with her to lunch.

" Your lunch?" Asked Haya.

"Nope. Meet Puri-chan." The girls peered into the box, except for Kaida, Kaede and Kyoko. They all cooed.

Puri looked up at them with wide, innocent eyes.

"Puri?" It said, tilting its head to the side.

"Aaw…" cooed the girls.

"It's so cute!"

"What is it?"

" Something I made in science." The girls stared at Chieko as if she was crazy.

"You what?" Asked Kaida.

"Well…"

Fake flashback:

Chieko saved the poor, wet, shivering animal from the truck and-

"You said you made it in science!" said Kyoko, cutting off the flashback.

"Well… Okay, got me there. I put too much hydrochloric acid and a stick of magnesium in our project and the flask exploded and this appeared," admitted Chieko.

"How?" asked Tsukiko.

" I have no idea. And now I'm supposed to take care of it."

Haya whistled. "So, what does it eat?"

" I'm finding out right now."

Chieko gave Puri some chocolate. Puri sniffed it and ate it.

" Well, chocolate's on the list." Kaede wrote it down. Suddenly, Puri jumped out of the box and ate the plastic chocolate wrapper. Then it hopped back in.

"… Erm… and plastic…" Kaede wrote that down too.

"Umm… what else… Oh, you want some?" Chieko noticed Puri staring at her curry.

"Puri." Chieko gave it a spoonful of curry. Puri ate it. Well, more like stored it in its mouth. Then jumped out o the box and hopped over to the boy regular's table.

Meanwhile, at the boy's table…

" Niou! Tarundoru!" yelled Sanada as he caught Niou sneaking wasabi into Marui's cake.

Niou stopped what he was doing. Then resumed when all of the regulars weren't looking.

"Hmm…" Marui inspected his green tea cake after he gave something to Jackal.

"Hmm… feels different somehow… Ah well." He took a bite… and a loud 'KYAAAA!' was heard from him.

"Niou!" yelled Sanada…again. Niou snickered. Yanagi continued eating, like nothing ever happened. I wonder how.

Anyway, when Marui was busy looking for his water bottle, he spotted something silver on the floor. The silver thing looked at him, its cheeks mysteriously full…

"Hm?" Marui picked up Puri. "What are you supposed to be?"

Puri looked at him. Then sprayed the curry it stored in its mouth in his face. The boy regulars laughed, as well as the girls. Well, Kaida and Sanada didn't, but you get the idea.

Puri hopped back to Chieko like nothing happened. Marui was yelling at Niou, until Niou pointed out that it wasn't going back to him, but to the girl's table. At once, Marui stormed there.

Chieko cut off "What did you what how-" Whatever he wanted to say.

"Are you sure you're going to take your anger out on me and this poor, cute little thing?" Chieko shoved Puri into his face.

Marui stared at Puri. Puri stared back at him. The only difference was, Puri stared at Marui with cute, innocent, puppy-dog like eyes that said 'I'm sorry, I won't do it again.' (Although it will… and it will be more than curry next time.)

Marui twitched walked away, while Chieko smirked.

" Knew it," she said.

"Umm…"

Everyone looked at Tori. "What does *bleep* mean?" she asked innocently.

They froze. "Where did you hear those words from, Tori-chan?" asked Tsukiko.

"I heard it from Kirihara-san. He also said things like *truck noise* and *caramelldansen music *. Oh, and *dog chasing cat noise*, *laser beam noises* and-"

"We've heard enough, thanks," said Haya, who made a mental note to personally fry Akaya.

"Umm… why don't you go ask the boys? They seem to have a better understanding of it than us." said Chieko.

"Then why don't you come too?" asked Tori.

"We were thinking that you and… Umm… Amaya go, so you both can find out and come back to tell us!" replied Akina.

" Alright!" Tori skipped off with Amaya.

At the other table…

"Excuse us!" said Tori happily.

"Ah, Kojima-chan, is it? What's the matter?" said Yukimura, with a pleasant smile on his face.

"Yep! I'd rather you call me Tori, but anyways, I need some help."

"What's the problem?"

"Well, Kirihara-san said some things in English that I didn't understand." At this sentence Akaya choked on the water he was drinking.

"What might that be?" asked Sanada.

"He said *bleep*," said Amaya, glaring at Akaya.

"I beg your pardon?" Yagyuu blinked.

"* Bleep*. He also said *truck noise* and * caramelldansen music *," replied Tori.

All eyes turned to Akaya.

"What do those words mean?" asked Tori.

"I dunno. Ask Niou-senpai. He's the one who taught them to me." Replied Akaya. Now, all eyes turned to Niou.

"Niou! Ta-" But alas, Sanada never got to finish his sentence. For at that moment, the principal's voice was heard.

"Everyone," He said. "I have interrupted you last minute of break to tell you this." He paused dramatically.

" My pet tree has just died. " The principal started crying.

" That is all… *sniff *… Please go back to class… *Sob *."

The bell rung and everyone retreated back to class. Then soon, school was over.


(1): The Alchemist is a book by Paulo Coelho, if you all were wondering. We had to read it for literature. It's a nice book, but its hard to read.

(2): Magnesium makes a pretty light when in contact with acids, for those of you who didn't know. How Puri was made, though, is still a mystery to all of us.

Review! But no flames, as usual, please!