Well, since I have internet here in my cousin's apartment, might as well use it (and now I'm borrowing her netbook too)

I do not own Prince of Tennis, it belongs to Konomi-sensei

Kumiko (she still remembered her name as Miko in the story) is an OC

She-Pirate-3-

Prince of Tennis/Tenipuri story

For Miko's crew, it was not surprising how they sometimes see the young prince secretly glanced at their captain. Miko might be young, but her beauty is of a princess. Princess of the Sea, they said. Miko might be ruthless towards other pirates she doesn't like, but if she was alone with the crew, she was playful, kind and caring. The crew had hoped they could somehow made their captain happy, perhaps by looking for her family. But since they didn't know anything about their captain's past, they couldn't do anything.

"What are you doing here again?" Miko said, eyeing Akaya.

"What did you talk about with mother?"

"It's none of your business." Miko said, turning on her heels and walked away.

"Do you find me hard to trust to?" Miko stopped and stared at Akaya.

"If you had been in my place, I'm sure you would do the same, prince." Miko said, shocking Akaya with how icy her eyes had become when she said that.

"S-Sorry, I…"

"You wouldn't understand anyway, must be nice, living in a castle, all you need is just call your servant." Miko said, quickly walking away. Akaya was about to call her back, but his voice wouldn't come out. Akaya's heart clench, he just wanted to know her more, but apparently, he just made her even more wary of him.

"Seems like you just blew up." Akaya turned around and saw Yanagi.

"Y-yanagi-san!"

"Well?" Akaya then sighed and rubbed his head.

"I was just…"

"I know what you're trying to do, but Miko isn't like any other girls who just floated over to you. Miko is different, she's been here on the sea on her own since young, she's right, you should try being in her place." Akaya glared at Yanagi and walked away.

"You should think before you act, Akaya."

"Shut up."

"Just… try and relax for a while. Your rash acts is getting people timid." Yanagi said as Akaya scoffed and walked away.

"Well… he got his personality from his father…"

/

Kumiko was leaning against the railing on the deck, looking towards the sea as she felt the wind brushing her short hair. She closed her eye and savours the moment before she turned around and stared at Yanagi.

"Yanagi Renji-san, right?" Yanagi nodded and leaned at the railings next to Kumiko.

"Is something on your mind, captain?"

"What does the mainland look like…?"

"In our country, there are men working hard to feed their children, to keep their family going. Children running around spending their time, laughing in their own childish way and staying close to their parents. Women making food, taking care of their children, talking to one another. The streets were never empty with people going around, doing their things."

"No more wars?"

"No more wars, we made sure of that."

"Don't you have a rivalry relationship with the others Kingdoms?"

"Yes, we do, but we won't do it as far as making wars to dominate one another."

"Then… what do you do?"

"We do fencing, the one who lose would give up a land, but we were never greedy. We take what we needed, and sometimes we just do it for fun. We fence while we talk about our countries conditions, if one needs help and is deemed worthy of getting help, we will help."

"What do you mean by if one is deemed why of getting help?"

"Each kingdoms should take care of their own, right? And if one is indeed in need of help from another kingdom, we will give that help. If one can help ones own, then they should help themselves. That way will measure how advanced the kingdoms are."

"Oh, I see…"

"And the king and queen told me about your past. It was indeed one of those self-proclaimed Kingdoms that had done unforgivable exploitations of the sea. But those are already taken care of."

"But those who have been killed cannot be brought back." Kumiko said.

"That is true, but preventing the same thing from happening is also one of our duty, and we will make sure the same thing will never happen again."

"Can you stay true to your words then, Yanagi-san?"

"We will do the best we can, by repairing our laws and making agreements with other Kingdoms. But you of all people should know, not all people will listen or obey the laws if they think it gives them a disadvantage."

"Your kingdom, Rikkai, is one of the largest Kingdoms, right?"

"Yes, that is right. Hyoutei and Seigaku are also one of them. But now, our kingdoms are also measure by their skills in fencing. A fencing tournament is like a routine nowadays. But of course, our Kingdom is undefeatable."

"I can see that." Yanagi then noticed a change of attitude in the young pirate and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Do you have anything in mind that is bothering you? If I can help, I'd be glad to." Kumiko then looked at the hand on her shoulder and then she studied Yanagi's face.

"The Queen, has she always been this ill?" Kumiko said quietly.

"It was much worst before. Her body is very fragile, that's why the King couldn't leave her alone afraid she might get worst if he ever leaves."

"I see… She is a nice person…"

"You should know, she can be scarier than the king on some occasion. One of them is when she had enough of the king telling her to rest. She actually likes taking a walk, especially around the castle garden."

"A garden… is that a place where they grew flowers and other plants?"

"Yes, that is correct. May I ask you a question, Kumiko-san?"

"If I can give you an answer, you knew more than I do."

"No, it's more like a request. How about when we got to the land, you go and get yourself re-stocked? And that way, I can show you around our Kingdom."

"…"

"You won't know the mainland unless you come and see with your own eyes." Kumiko at first thought for a while and found Yanagi's words have some truth behind it and nodded.

"Perhaps I will for a while, but you can't force me to do anything."

"Why of course, just a bit touring around our kingdom is all I need."

"And if I may ask, Yanagi-san. The prince, Kirihara Akaya, was it? He seemed a bit… different somehow."

"What do you mean, Kumiko-san?" Kumiko then lifted her hand to stop Yanagi to say anything more.

"Please, call me by my name instead. I am not a person with formalities attached with my name."

"Very well then, but what do you mean by that, Kumiko?"

"He has been walking around on the ship, and he hasn't been saying anything to my crew. At first, he would go and stare at my crew, as if thinking about something. But now, he just talks casually with some of the men, even playing with the children. But I don't know if I can call it playing, wrestling and running around like that." Yanagi then smiled and shook his head.

"That is just how the prince is. He acted cold and hostile to people he doesn't know, and when he deemed that person worthy of his trust, he will trust them. But now, he is just being a child."

"I heard that, Yanagi-san." Both Yanagi and Kumiko turned back and saw Akaya scowling at them.

"Akaya, what are you doing? You should know better than to listen to other talking."

"But can I just stand there when I heard someone calling my name? And call me a child?"

"You are, that's what the King and Queen said." Yanagi said.

"Father and mother always looks at me like a child, I'm almost of age!"

"Then act your age." Both of them stopped their little argument when they heard a giggle and saw Kumiko giggling and shaking their heads.

"Is something amusing to you?" Akaya said, narrowing his eyes. Kumiko just shook her head and straightened herself up.

"I guess you are more interesting than I thought. I guess mainland isn't that bad once you knew them as you said, Yanagi-san." Kumiko said as Yanagi gave her a small smile and a nod.

"Thank you for talking with me, and for giving me answers on what I need to know. Good night." Kumiko said as she walked away and left Yanagi and Akaya on the deck.

"What did you two talk about anyway?"

"I was just answering her questions, Akaya. She has never stepped on the mainland before, and she just wanted to make sure that the mainland has changed from the past she knew for years."

"Oh."

"Not getting jealous, are you?"

"What?"

"Oh nothing, Akaya. Nothing at all."

So, what do you guys think?

Read and review please!

Thank you! ^w^