Ahh...what a pain. I'm currently having the worsest (yes I know that's not correct) writing block ever. I wrote this chapter a long time ago, but it was so bad that I had to re-do it. So I'm just finished re-doing this chapter. Please forgive me for taking so long.

Disclimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis.


Kirihara PoV

'Where am I?'

I tried to open my eyes, but soon found out I couldn't move anything.

'My head hurts' I complained.

For what seemed like ages, I lay immobilized in the dark.

Suddenly I felt something cold touch my neck and stroke down my spine. I shuddered, and discovered surprised that I could move my body.

I slowly opened my eyes, and looked around me. It was dark everywhere.

"Hallo" I called out.

"Hallo" came a reply. I looked around, but saw no one.

I shuddered, feeling a little scared. "Who are you? What is your name?"

"I don't remember"

"I see" I answered and tried to feel my way towards the voice.

"I'm Kirihara Akaya, now that were introduced and all, would you mind switching on the light?"

There was no reply and I again looked after any sign of movement.

"Where are you?" I asked, and seconds later a white blue light shone in front of me.

I shut my eyes as the light burned my eyes. 'Flashy entry'.

As I opened my eyes, I gasped shocked when I saw what was in front of me.

It looked like a mass of white and blue, shaped into a human form. It had no face and no human characteristics, but there was still something human about it.

"What are you?"

"I am a soul eraser"

"A what?"

"A soul eraser. We are also called angels by you humans."

"Oh, so you've come to take me to Heaven"

The angel didn't answer right away, and I began feeling a little uncomfortable.

"You're not taking me to Hell, right?"

"Heaven and Hell are only invented by humans who are afraid of dying. The idea of vanishing after death scares many, and many people do not want to accept that they only live once"

I was confused. "So Heaven and Hell doesn't exist?"

"Yes"

"But if Heaven of Hell doesn't exist, why do angels exist?"

"As I said before I am no Angel. I am a soul eraser. I decide if a soul is pure or impure.

"And what if it's impure?" I gulped

"We erase it"

I began to sweat. In my mind I apologized to everyone I had intentionally and unintentionally harmed. That took some time.

"So…you're here to erase me, Nana?" I asked, not really wanting to hear the answer. (1)

"Nana?"

"Oh" I wasn't exactly sure why I called her..eh..him..eh..that for Nana.

"Well" I dragged out. "I guess I'll call you Nana, since you don't remember your name" I smiled.

Nana said nothing, but I don't think Nana was upset.

"Is that ok?"

"Yes. It's better than being called that".

I smiled at Nana when our previous conversation suddenly came back to me.

"Are you going to erase me?" I asked again.

"No, I am not. Your body still lives. I am here to guide you".

"What do you mean, guide me?"

"Since your body is not dead, you are given an ultimatum. Either to return to your body, or to leave this world and be born anew".

"Well, that's easy. Of course I'm going back to my body" I jumped up and looked around.

"So…where is the exit?"

Nana floated over to me and rested something that looked like a hand on my shoulder.

"I am sorry if you misunderstood me. Your body is currently in a coma, and will not wake up yet, if at all. It may take months or years before you can return".

I looked disbelievingly at Nana. "And what am I supposed to do in the meantime?"

"Wait" was the only reply.

I sat down in defeat and sulked. Spending years in this dark place didn't really tempt me.

"I believe I should inform you of your body's damages and the chance of your survival".

Before I could protest everything went white, and I was suddenly standing in a hallway. I looked around and found myself standing with my teammates.

"What…?"

"I'm showing you the present" Nana said beside me.

I looked around amazed. "Can they see me?"

"No"

I sat down beside Yukimura and listened to their conversation.

"Now I know how you felt when I was in surgery" he said with a melancholic voice.

The other regulars didn't reply verbally, but Sanada and Jackal both put their hands on his back to support him.

"Am I in surgery?" asked Nana

"Yes, your body is currently in surgery"

"Ugh, don't say things like: Your body. It makes me feel creeped out" I said and faked a shudder to underline my point.

"I understand"

I decided to give up on having a conversation with Nana, so I walked around the room watching my teammates. They all looked either sad, angry or worried.

"Niou, a worried look doesn't suit you" I sang into his ear.

"They cannot hear you" Nana repeated.

"Thank you, I know" I said sarcastically.

"That brat better not die" I heard Niou mumble suddenly. I looked at him disbelievingly. Niou looked like he was about to break something.

Was he really upset this much because of me?

Yagyuu gently placed his hand on Niou's shoulder "He will be fine. He will probably be back in no time, making fun of us and pulling pranks"

Marui sighed thoughtfully, and suddenly laughed.

"Do you remember that time when Akaya started a fire in Akiyama-sensei's chemistry class?"

The other regulars nodded.

"I don't think Sanada will ever forget that incident" Jackal smiled.

I smiled to myself when Marui had mentioned my prank. Oh, the good old days.

"And there was that time when he persuaded the science teacher that it lived a monster in the school's swimming pool" Niou snorted, looking a little happier…or less worried.

"How did he manage that?" Yukimura asked curiously.

"Who knows" Marui said

"Yeah! It's like his special talent. It was him who told Miyu-san from our class, that you get skin like honey if you eat maggots" Niou said.

"And that you get hair like silk if you bathe it in milk every morning" Marui added while laughing.

Yukimura looked at them surprised. "So that's why…" he mumbled almost inaudible.

I felt this kind of… sting in my chest as I heard them rant on and on about me and my famous pranks.

I turned to Nana. "I think…maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I returned even though I have suffered damages".

Nana just looked at me. "Sometimes I wish that I could too"

"You were human before?" I asked surprised

"Yes. I used to live in this world as a girl. But that is a very long time ago. When I died, I was afraid of forgetting everything and everyone, so I decided to become a soul eraser. But it has been such a long time that I now have forgotten everything."

The last Nana said was with an almost sad tone.

"Life sucks…doesn't it?" I joked

"Yes…yes it does. But it is beautiful" Nana said.

"What is beautiful?"

"Living"

I didn't have a reply so I kept quiet. After all, I hadn't been gone from this world long enough to think of living as beautiful.

"But you heard what the doctor said right" Jackal muttered. "He'll probably never be the same".

The room quieted and the mood noticeably darkened.

"Don't say that. There is still a good chance that he will come out of it fine" Yanagi sharply said as he wrote something in his notebook.

"I don't want to sound pessimistic, but come on. His brain is damaged" Jackal defended himself.

What did he say?

I felt fear rise in me, and looked questioningly at Nana.

"My brain is damaged?" I whispered to her.

"Yes, but it is not yet known if the damage is serious".

"Isn't all damage to the brain serious?" I joked half heartedly.

"In a way yes, in another no" Nana said in a monotone voice.

"I don't get you" I muttered angry, but was disturbed by a loud crash.

The room was quiet again, only this time everyone's attention was directed at Yukimura.

He had raised himself from the sofa and beside him laid a smashed table.

"Yukimura?" Sanada whispered in disbelief.

"Stop saying all those negative things" Yukimura said in a hard voice. "As his teammates we have to be there for him, helping him through these hardships. We should not just stand here and…and bitch around".

Yukimura drew a long breath and sat down again.

"Let's stay here until the surgery is over" he ended.

"Yeah" came the reply from the others.

I started at Yukimura in awe. I had never seen him act like that before.

"You are lucky" Nana said to me.

"Why?"

"Because you have people waiting for you here"

I smiled and nodded. "Yes, and they're the best".

Just as I had said that, the light on the surgery lamp went out.

Everyone in the room tensed as the door opened and a doctor came out.

"H-how is he" Marui stuttered.

The doctor sighed and looked grim.

"There were some complications" he said.

"What kind of complications?"

"His spinal nerves were damaged under the operation. We have scheduled Kirihara-kun for another operation in two days. We hope to reduce the nerve damage, but right now I can't say much".

Damages in the spine nerves…doesn't sound good.

"What does he mean?" Jackal asked Yanagi.

"Worst case scenario is that Akaya may not be able to move again".

"What do you mean, not move?" Niou asked.

"You know the actor Christopher Reeve"

"Yes"

"That kind of not move"

I wonder how you should react in these situations. It sounded so stupid.

Yesterday I was running around on the tennis court, getting yelled at by Sanada for being late and teasing Marui because he had so bad stamina.

And today I may never move again. I really don't know how to react.

All these things, and more, ran through my head as I leaned towards the wall.

"But that's worst case scenario right" Yagyuu stated more that asked.

"That's right. I don't have much information right now, so I can't say anything for sure" Yanagi said.

"I don't want to listen to them anymore, and I'm kind of tired. Let's go back" I said to Nana.

"Yes" she answered and soon I was back in the darkness.


(1) Nana means No name. It can also mean seven, but here it's no name.

Melodramatic ending, I know..Please tell me your thoughts.