Disclaimer: Well I get sick of typing the same old thing...don't own Prince of Tennis...blah!

Summary: Refer to previous chapters!

Well part 4, it came from this long lost idea from ages ago, so I thought I'd use it here. I hate myself for making changes but all the regulars are the same as always, in one chapter I made Kawamura be a former regular but then i felt bad and had to make the story right. Ah, gotta go edit that part. Anyways, I typed this in a very fast pace 'cause I was falling asleep and needed to finish it. Well...thanks for reading!

This is thoughts.

This is English speech.

IV. Shocking Announcement

Another day, another week…time seemed to slip away rather fast since the young girl's arrival. Rio Echizen sat in the classroom taking an exam, yet another difficult one she wouldn't be able to really understand having not paid attention to the previous lesson, maybe if she thought about some of the content deep inside her memory she might be able to do well. It was hard enough having to wake up early for morning practice and having to sleep late after reading so many books for a certain class she was taking, probably literature wouldn't have been such an easy class to take, certainly back in London it had been.

"Echizen!" The sensei stood looking down on her test.

"Uh, what is it, sensei?" She looked up changing her pencil to her left hand. He did not look happy at all.

"Mind if I ask why is there a classic literature book below your test?" He pointed to the small paper cover book that she was reading. Rio thought this had to be the worst day ever, it was bad.

"Sorry, I'll finish my test right away." She tossed the book on the floor and begun to write fast not even looking at the questions. The sensei just grunted and walked off seeing that she was doing better compared to her previous test.

"I hate physics." She complained as all the regulars-- strangely enough-- sat during lunch in the cafeteria. "The whole concept of it seems…ridiculous in the first place. Ah, Otosan will scold me for life." They just chuckled thinking of how strange sometimes she could be.

"Rio if you had studied last night maybe you could've worried less over it." Ryoma stated looking bored as ever. She glared at him but said nothing since he was telling the truth.

"You were the one who wanted to play video games." She growled shoving rice into her mouth. "Besides, I've never liked math and science, now history is something that is far more easier to grasp your mind into, its not like you have to memorize weird symbols and all."

"What was your old school like?" Fuji asked feeling like the whole subject was getting a bit boring in sorts. Her gray eyes looked to the closed ones of Fuji, why had no one asked questions like that before?

Rio sighed scratching her head. "Um, it was a secondary academy, it focused on languages since my mother forced me there." She tried to recollect as much as she could since she really did not care much. "It was actually a boarding school, boring with a very dislikable uniform, but so glad I didn't attend that French institute. Somehow I wonder why my mother sent me there, anyways."

A freshman came running into the cafeteria flailing his arms up in the air while holding an envelope on his hand, he reached the table where they were sitting at and handed it to Rio.

"This letter arrived here for you." He informed and bowed. "Enjoy your lunch senpai-tachi!" And off he went leaving Rio in a confused state as she stared at the envelope in her hand.

Letters weren't sent to her usually, the only person that could ever contact her was an old friend from the academy. She tore the letter open and began to read its content.

Dear Rio,

Hey how are you? Hopefully Japan sounds much more fun compared to what that idiot brother of yours keeps saying. Anyways, have you heard yet? It seems that your brother's ex-girlfriend is out of that institute that she was sent a few years back. Though that isn't as important as what I am about to tell you, bloody hell you're not going to like this. Anyways, your grandmother is going to be visiting sometime soon; she mentioned that she'll throw a party or something. 'Kay you'll kill me for not e-mailing it instead but sadly my bloody computer is not functioning. You better be prepared as to what foolishness she'll put you throw, I mean after throwing you out and making you change last names; I'm sure as hell she'll do something. Ah, well its getting late and I have an exam tomorrow, cheers to my best mate.

Yours truly,

Artie W.

P.S. Hopefully she doesn't think of an idea of dragging poor Ryoma just to make you cry again, sorry could not help but tease.(1)

That had to be one of the worst news in the world.

A twitch seemed to have appear on her face as everyone began to notice it, somehow it was telling them to run deep inside; that little voice did not lie. Her fists had become white as the color of her face begun to drain, whatever it was that the letter said was nothing good. Inui began to write on his oh-so faithful green notebook; the behavior that she was displaying surely was entertaining and maybe it might help to understand Rio. Ii data.

Ryoma sighed. "Rio, don't tell me that she is coming over here?" He put a great emphasis of dislike on the word 'she' since he knew well what it meant, though he dared not think about it. Rio turned to look at him shoving the letter to his chest.

"This isn't good." She said, more to herself then the rest. "Oh man, why does she have to show up so suddenly after three years? She always sends someone."

Inui continued to scribble away in his notebook, Eiji and Oishi sat there in a confused state, Tezuka said nothing as always, Kawamura stared off in space, Kaidoh just fshh-ed, Momoshiro simply scratched his head and Fuji simply smiled as always. Though all of them thought as to how in the world had Rio and Ryoma look in a frightened state, could it be that it was a threatening letter?

"W-what? S-she's…"Ryoma opened and closed his mouth unable to find the proper words to say at a time like this; it was impossible to speak.

The air had suddenly been sucked away, everything dissolved into the nothingness, it was the nightmare that would never end. Rio slowly rose to her feet and walked off leaving the boys in question and a poor Ryoma trying to get a hold of himself.

"Oi, Echizen what's going on?" Momoshiro, tired from the silence, asked later as they headed out to the courts. Ryoma said nothing pulling his cap down to hide his expression, which was still frightened and surprised as well.

"Echizen!" Tezuka appeared inside the locker room to give his orders to the young assistant, who was still in shock. "Ten laps around the courts and no excuses." He ordered with his arms folded across his chest.

"Yes." She muttered tightening her shoe strings and zipping her jacket. "Why is she suddenly making a visit? That woman…what are her strange reasons?…" She mumbled to herself walking past Tezuka, who now had a very confused look upon his face.

"Hoi, O-Chibi, why is Rio-chan so…morbid? Nya." Eiji asked hooking his arm around his neck for a headlock again--manly manners?

"Kikumaru-senpai--OW--that hurts." Ryoma tried his best to break from the grip, but it was nearly impossible. "If she doesn't want to say then don't ask…ouch…Kikumaru-senpai."

"Eiji, you're going to kill Echizen." Oishi once again tried to break the two apart. "Echizen-san does not want us to meddle in her business…Eiji!"

After practice, Ryoma and Rio decided it would be best to go home alone without having the rest of the team follow them. It would be best for them not to know about the woman whom they dared not even remember, first of all Ryoma wasn't even related to her, but since Rio was he was always dragged into those family affairs.

"I can't handle it!" Rio hissed kicking a rock on the road. "She's always trying to screw things up, first kicking me out 'cause I don't fit her standards and now coming here for no good reason." A slight frustration was growing as both entered the house dropping their things at the entrance and taking off their shoes.

"Hopefully she doesn't come and that's only a rumor." Ryoma encouraged trying to make her feel better as they ascended towards the kitchen.

"Yeah, that woman just gives me the creeps." They laughed taking their place on the table finding it hard to concentrate.

It seemed that the person who kicked Rio back to Japan was suddenly approaching; plans to avoid that arrival were impossible. It worried Rio since she was the one who had to paid the consequences, her mother after all did not teach her the ways of the family, and it was clear that the sudden visit would not be good.

1- The letter is written in English...somehow i have to clear this up since i get confused myself so sorry for that. Also, Artie is simply a friend who will not appear in the story at all; maybe for letters...not sure.

A/N: Wow, someone is about to bring trouble for Rio. I have the next chapter typed up but I have to re-read over it to make changes and besides that I had a hard time with the new character...'cause i had to make her a very evil character, or at least personality wise. Something. OK whatever then...Tezuka indeed does make Rio run laps...i found that kind of funny 'cause she just gets in trouble for no reason or at least not in the surface. Um it would be appreciated if you guys could help develop the character...give situations or something like that not sure on how to put it!! Ah...writer's block gotta hate it! Thanks!