Ah how I love writing about Hyoutei!

Mah na, I feel like doing a recap. Why? I don't know. I just do.

Anyway

Story thus far: Tsukino Rei is a cross dressing Mary Sue by choice and had been inserted neatly into a made-up highschool which all the Hyoutei regulars are somehow attending. She is about the same age as Echizen Ryoma (younger by 2 days), but didn't really stand-out in her freshman year. However she made the regulars in her junior year and became fukubucchou in her third year. She is also Ohtori Choutarou's special kouhai and often actively engages in playful displays of affection where he is concerned. She is not too concerned about the stereotypical hierarchy of the school or tennis team and manages to get on the bad side of three of the regulars (all former Hyoutei regulars) on her first day. She has been described as Shishido (cap and catchphrase), Atobe (appearance and arrogance) and Jirou (obliviousness) all meshed into one. Another side of her is shown when Shishido finds her notebook and the large amount of of data she has on Taki Gakuto and Hiyoshi, and realizes her copying tendencies. He takes the notebook, intending to return it to her the next day, but due to a schedule conflict, that doesn't work out. She looked for it for two nights before Shishido confronted her in order to give the note book back, but she fell asleep on him due to her forty eight hours lack of rest.

Okay, now for the disclaimer! Would one of the Hyoutei regulars please be so kind?

Gakuto: (not paying attention, too focused on his boyfriend)

Yuushi: (see Gakuto)

Hiyoshi: Gekokujou da.

...I'm going to take that as a no.

Jirou: zzzzzz

...I guess it's no use asking you huh?

Shishido: Gekidasa da ze (tries to pry his kouhai-tachi off him because PDA is not cool, unless there's nobody watching, in which case it doesn't really count as PDA anymore).

Choutarou: (hugging his adorably sleeping kouhai who's clinging to Shishido in his/her sleep) Aw, but Shishido-san isn't he cute? (Shishido caves under those ridiculously adorable puppy dog eyes)

Taki: (is in the background somewhere and doesn't want to come forward)

Atobe: Oresama doesn't understand why you do not just buy it. Then you would not have to bother oresama with troublesome disclaimers, na Kabaji?.

Kabaji: usu

...You know what? FINE! I don't own Prince of Tennis or it's characters, do I Kabaji-san!? (snaps)

Kabaji: usu

There we go, now on with the story!

--dotted line--

Atobe thought that he'd be the first one onto the courts, since he came in early to settle some of the ridiculous amount of paperwork that being captain entailed. He was even considering getting a fukubucchou just to help him with the pointless, repetitive, and over-all dreary routine.

Of course it was only a thought. Oresama was oresama and therefore he did not need a fukubucchou like other captains.

Besides it wasn't so bad comming in early once in a while if he could walk in on sights like the one he was seeing now.

There was Tsukino (the brat was actually rather cute when he was out cold), sleeping deeply enough to make even Jirou proud, but that wasn't what caught his attention.

"Looks like you've adopted another one, na Shishido." The other boy started and bristled imediately afterwards.

"Hey! It's not like...!" He blushed in embarrassment, but made no move to push the other boy off like he would normally have done to anyone who was not Ohtori Choutarou (he did that to Jirou once, though that didn't actually disturb the blonde) in such a situation.

Contrary to popular opinion, Atobe did in fact enjoy bantering with his friends and teammates, poking fun at them whenever the opportunity presented itself. Now that it had, he saw no reason to waste it. Besides, it might give him a little more insight into this little enigma that Choutarou had picked up from seemingly nowhere.

"Oh?" He decided to kill two birds with one stone. "Oresama expects and explantion after practice, or else oresama may unintentionally misunderstand this...unique situation. You have ten minutes to wake him up. We wouldn't want the others to stumble on your little secret, now would we?"

And he walked off leaving behind his horrified looking team member, trying desperately to make up their little chibi.

Calmly, Atobe picked up his personal clip board and marked off Tsukino's name on the roll sheet while filing in the box for excused dismissal too. Atobe wasn't blind. If the boy's behavior at lunch was any indication, he would only be a danger to himself and other club members if he were actually to attend practice. How did he degenerate to that state anyway?

Shishido had a lot of explaining to do.

--dotted line--

It might not seem that way, but Taki was a very good observer. Often ignored in the presence of the other, much flashier players of first Hyoutei and now Yukimatsuri, he had always been able to watch the comings and goings of most of the club. The thought that someone like Tsukino Rei could slip beneath his radar was, for the most part, very disconcerting.

Firstly, the freshman had already defeated a good portion of second years, proving himself more than proficient enough to hold his own against the normal high school level. Someone like that couldn't fly low especially in a school like Hyoutei.

Secondly, the boy's tennis style was, like all other aspects of him, unusual and ill fitting somehow. Taki had expected a much rougher more recklessly powerful type of tennis, like Ohtori's, or Jirou's, or maybe Shishido's, it matched his personality anyway. However, it was the exact opposite.

Tsukino's tennis was nearly identical to his own.

Now for Taki, that was almost like a slap in the face. Though he had the talent to shine, he had always pretty much laid low, hidden just behind Atobe's overwhelming prowess or Ohtori's dynamite service aces, unheeded but not unimportant by any means. He defeated oponents humiliatingly, focusing on and uncanny mastery of the bascis and his good sense of balance to worm his way through any holes left in their play. Few people realize the significance of it , and even fewer had the patience to perfect such a dreary routine, opting instead to experiment with difficult stunts that normally don't work half as well. And though it was definitely flattering to have someone play like him (and hell the kid could play however he damn liked) Taki couldn't help feeling that there was just something that didn't click.

Thirdly, unless Taki was wrong (which did not happen very often), their litt kouhai hasn't even shown his real colors yet. it wasn't quite clear just how, but he was definitely holding back.

...well okay, Taki wasn't a hundred percent sure. Tsukino hadn't done anythign to indicate that it was otherwise. It was just kind of a subconscious knowing on Taki's part.

Still, when he confronted Atobe, his bucchou agreed with it so he wasn't just imagining things.

That was why when the rich heir offered him a chance to find out more, he grabbed it.

--dotted line--

Atobe watched as Shishido and Choutarou defeated four of their pre-regulars in a measly seventeen minutes. He always knew his friend worked well under pressure, but this was quite the feat. He should blackmail Shishido more often.

Of course, it was only a thought. Beside's it was about time to end practice anyway.

Snap "Practice is over! Freshmen pick up and take inventory of all the balls, anyone else who was penalized today for any reason, you will be taking down the nets." He commanded. All the club members fell into the usual routine with little fuss. "Oresama bids you all a good day and demands that no one's things are left laying around the locker rooms or courts. The school does not wish to have its janitors clean up after club activities."

He showered quickly as he always did and changed back into his school uniform. Taki was leaning against the door waiting for him when he came out.

If Atobe were to describe his childhood friend, he woud say that Taki is more or less like the flu. It sounds very insulting, but honestly that was just how Taki was. With the powerful incredibly vivid image set by the rest of the team, Taki just sort of disappeared into the back ground. Few people took notice, but he was there for a reason, almost like people forgot that a case of influenza, if not treated correctly could prove fatal. Nobody realized Taki's brilliance until it was too late. In his own right, he was just a dangerous as anybody else.

That was why he always kept Taki near the team, actual regular or not.

"Shall we?"

"Let's go."

--dotted line--

Shishido had never been more grateful to dentists. He even promised to make sure his siblings never caused any trouble in a dentist's office again (although he wasn't sure how long he could keep it).

Choutarou had had a dentist appointment right after practice so he didn't need to make up any excuses why he couldn't walk his kouhai home today.

...But now he had another problem.

WHERE THE HELL WAS THE BRAT?!

Shishido was sure he left him on the bleachers just out of sight of the courts. Where could he have gotten to in such a short time, while asleep no less?

--dotted line--

Atobe was annoyed. Shishido had not been at the scheduled meeting place. He didn't even leave a note! Atobe felt like such an idiot with Taki tagging along behind him looking for the blue capped boy. He had promised information!

...Someone was going to pay...probably Shishido.

--dotted line--

Jirou had been looking forward to taking a well-deserved nap on his favorite bench beside the grassfield area where the soccer team normally practiced (but they weren't there today) just outside the beady eyes of his unreasonable coach and his gazillions of laps (others never got fifty laps for closing their eyes for five measly minutes, and he could beat all of them in tennis matches, even if it was two against one!).

Key words: had been.

Before Jirou could lay down on his beloved bench, he tripped.

Turing around to try and find what tripped him (he was still on the ground), he spotted his kawaii little friend peacefully alseep.

His first impulse was to hug his little kouhai like a teddy bear (because the chibi was just soooooo cute while he was asleep), which he did.

The second thought that crossed his mind was that, though the bench here was very nice, the grass wasn't as much so (being a little dry and hay-like, therefore rather prickly), and the sun was beating down directly on them. It was definitely nothing compared to the nice cool shade of his favorite tree and it's soft bed of moss and clovers. Though Atobe and Kabaji were the only ones who knew about it (only these two could find Jirou whenever he did not wish to be disturbed AKA a little more than half a the time), Jirou felt like he could make an exception today. After all, it was a senpai's job to look after his adorable little kouhai right? And regardless, fellow sleepy-heads need to stick together!

--dotted line--

Shishido Ryou was panicking BIG TIME!

He had looked everywhere he could think of (and that was quite a lot)! Now his mind was still racing, wondering what could have possibly happened between the begining of practice and when it ended. Nothing made any sense!

Luckily, all of that thinking did not go entirely to waste. Yes, dear readers, even through darkness there is always a ray of hope. For though our brave hero doth not know the whereabouts of his youthful protege, he did know someone who might be able to find out.

"HIYOSHI!!HELP ME FIND THAT GODDAMN CHIBI!!"

--dotted line--

Hiyoshi just knew that fate hated him.

You see, back in middle school there were only two people who could find their wayward little regular when the boy disappeared. One was of course, Ohtori Choutarou. the other one was...the boy's best friend Kuramichi Sai.

Honestly, Hiyoshi didn't have any idea how to find the little brat. It's not like he ever had enough time to spare trying.

...And besides, Hiyoshi wasn't sure about Tsukino's favorite spots in Yukimatsuri, just finding the ones in Hyoutei had been difficult enough.

...actually, now that he thought about it. There was a piece of advice left over from that one day that neither of the two were available.

"Check in the trees."

--dotted line--

Shishido had never really like Hiyoshi that much. The junior was an enigma, one that Shishisdo was perfectly happy knowing nothing about. Now he liked the creepy mushroom-like boy even less.

"How the hell could a half asleep little short kid end up in a tree?" Shishido could practically feel a vein bursting on his forehead.

"Ask Ohtori," the mushroom had the nerve to push the blame on his classmate! How low! "The one time I had to find the brat, that was exactly what he told me. You know any particularly nice ones around?"

Shishido sighed and gave in, it's not like he had any better leads. "Define nice."

"Strong ones, with thick trunks, I think. Branches fairly close ot the ground." Shishido had no way of knowing that Hiyoshi was describing that one particular tree he found Tsukino sleeping in two years prior, notebook on his face. "I think, your partner said something about oak trees. Isn't there one pretty near the track?"

Hiyoshi found himself practically levitating two seconds later as he was dragged by his senpai to the other side of school. Shishido obviously did not notice.

--dotted line--

Hiyoshi was returning Shishido's glare evenly.

"You said he'd be here."

"I said to check. I told you, Ohtori and Kuramichi Sai are the only two people I know who could find that kid if he doesn't want to be found. They gave me the same advice, so I figured it would help." He emphasized and walked off. "Why are you looking for him anyway! And why am I helping!"

He turned away in a huff. Stupid senpai, wasting his precious gekokujou-ing time.

Although Hiyoshi would never allow himself to admit it to Shishido, he was actually slightly worried. Under all that gekokujou talk, he really was a caring person. He just had to hide it because even if Jirou-senpai did it all the time, he, Hiyoshi, was not under Atobe's protection, and therefore he'd be walked all over if he went around with his heart on his sleeve. How could he gekokujou anybody then?

But right now, he allowed himself to worry a tiny bit.

Why?

Obviously because there was no way in hell that brat he called a kouhai could look out for himself. People like that should never be left to their own devices because something bad was sure to happen.

This was when both he and Shishido (they were still screaming at each other) tripped at the exact same time.

See? It was already happening.

--dotted line--

Jirou's bleary eyes opened up to Hiyoshi and Shishido sprawled out at his feet (what is it Hyoutei regulars and tripping over each other?). His first impulse waited for a goddamn long while before coming though, so for a minute or two he just stared blankly at the two (who were still fighting).

Then he suddenly remebered.

"Sssssshhhhhh! Chibi-kun's sleeping!"

--dotted line--

Hiyoshi stared blankly at the blonde whose hand was clamped firmly over his mouth.

'Wow, this is stupid' he thought

--dotted line--

Shishido stared blankly at Jirou whose hand was pressed hard against his mouth.

'Gekidasa da ne.'

--dotted line--

"Ah, Shishido. Oresama has finally found you." Atobe walked up, Taki and Kabaji in tow, looking properly annoyed. "You have some explaining to do. Na Kabaji?"

"Usu."

"...Shishido-kun?"

"whmf?" The capped boy muttered darkly from behind his teammate's hand.

"What is it with you and younger men?"

--dotted line--

LOL, sorry Shishido-san! I just can't help it.

Atobe: Yeah, Shishido. Oresama also wishes to understand the fixation you have with underclassmen.

Shishido: I DO NOT HAVE A FIXATION!

Yuushi: then explain why you have so many scenes involving younger players!

Shishido: I do not!

Gakuto: but you only have like one scene when you're not with Choutarou. And then you always play against that one snake guy from Seigaku. Even when you played against Tachibana they show like all his junior teammates.

Choutarou: Shishido-san! (tries to prevent his beloved snepai from beating up his other senpai-tachi)

Shishido: (struggling to break Choutarou's iron grip and pounce on Gakuto).

Hiyoshi: gekokujou da.

...

Jirou: zzzzzz

...why am I always ignored? (curls up next to Jirou and starts sleeping too becuase she's got nothing better to do)