*DISCLAIMER – I don't own Gakuen Alice, Prince of Tennis and Daa Daa Daa, it solely belong to each of their own creators. *
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Chapter 3 – News
"Hey Hyuuga, are you really going to play that 2nd year regular?" Horio asked a little worried about Natsume, though Natsume was just ignoring this as he fished out a black Fila wrist band and wear it in his left wrist then hold his red racket with his right hands and started swinging it lightly.
"Hold on, Ruka, he isn't—" Hayashi and Ikeda tried to reason out again but failed.
"Shh...I won't tell that you were beaten by a 1st year and were picking on them," Ruka said, swinging his black racket lightly as he went to the court.
"I heard from Arai, you know how to do the twist serve?" Ruka asked smiling(He's almost always smiling).
"Eh? Really?" Horio exclaimed.
"What's a Twist Serve?" Katsuo asked.
Here comes Horio's 2 years of experience in tennis.
"Ehem, generally speaking, it's the reverse of the slice serve that turns left, but in tennis unlike the slice it bounce when there's a top spin" Horio informed though Katsuo and Kachirou didn't really understand.
"In other words, the ball flies straight towards your face. Right, Hayashi and Ikeda?" Ruka explained as he wink at Hayashi and Ikeda who experienced it first hand from, Karupin(Mikan).
"Which?" Natsume interrupted them from continuing, as he hold the racket vertically on the ground and spin it hard.
"Rough," Ruka smiled, as the racket drops it spin then fall on the ground, revealing rough. (In a Tennis game, they decide who serves first by spinning a racket, and if the racket has an initial 'M', and when it falls down it's 'W'(a reverse M) its called Rough, and when it landed a 'M' then it's smooth, then whoever guess it right has the right to serve first, did you get it?)
"Lucky! Though I'll let you serve first, I want to see that twist serve first," Ruka said as he took the left side of the court, and went to the receiver line while Natsume took the opposite court and went to the serving line.
"Can I be the referee for this match?" Horio asked.
"Go ahead," Ruka said as Horio took his position in the umpire seat. (Natsume was wearing a polo shirt with red colored sleeves, a black shorts, white Fila cap, black left wristband, while Ruka was wearing the blue-sleeved white polo male regular's jersey and blue pants)
"Oi, Hayashi, is this really okay? He isn't that devil Karupin, can he really be fine playing with the genius?" Ikeda whispered, as he and his pal watched the game nervously.
"The Best of one set! Hyuuga service play!" Horio announce as Natsume bounced the ball for a few times then did a right hand slice serve which pass through Ruka, who could only blink.
"Fast!"
"He started with an *ace?" Hayashi and Ikeda as well as the others were surprised. (*un-touched serve)
"I refuse the slice serve, use the twist serve," Ruka said as he pointed his racket at Natsume who just smirked in return.
"15 Love!(15-0)"
Natsume bounced the ball a few times before tossing it to the air and hitting it hard with his right-hand. The fall flew to Ruka's direction before dropping in front of him, spinning hard then it suddenly bounce up, heading for Ruka's face which he evaded.
"Oi! That's the same shot the devil used against us! How can he use that shot?" Hayashi and Ikeda exclaimed.
'Because it's our original shot,' Natsume thought bitterly.
It was the first time, the first time that she lost to someone, a first year girl with knee-length hair(according to her calculations) who looks like an idiot, oh wait let me rephrase that, who's an idiot, named Mikan Sakura to be exact.
She, Hotaru Imai, the ever so passive and stoic Captain of the Chess club, the smartest student in second year or even the whole school! She can't just lose to someone like that, no she can't.
Even though she doesn't know how to play this sport, with her Data talent, as the brunette had said, she'll put it into a better use.
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I'll think about it, was what she said as she was beaten down by a sweet innocently looking freshman brunette girl named Mikan Sakura in her own game, volleyball.
Her team mates can't believe that she was beaten down, and even she can't believe it, for she, Anna Umenomiya was the team's 2nd year Ace.
It's true that she's fast and is a really good server and volleyer, all the things that the brunette girl said is true, but there is one thing that she needs to think about, 'Are you having fun?".
It's true that she once played her sport, in doubles to more specific and she did have fun, lots of fun to be exact.
Fun, huh?
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Surprised was an understatement, as she was shock as hell, when she was beaten down at her own specialty, free throwing even though she already used her power and analysis skills.
Then what is the use of being a Nonoko Ogasawara, the 2nd year VIP of the basketball team? She was beaten down by Mikan Sakura, a brunette girl who's just a first year.
And what was more shocking is the fact that the girl knows, she played her sports, before. So abandoning that sport, wasn't really enough, to change styles because it will soon catch up;
–and it already happened.
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She just couldn't help being a fish out of the water, as she remembered her utter defeat with Mikan Sakura, her kouhai!
And Mikan having a great power and stamina on her frail thin body! She just couldn't imagine her hitting that soccer ball with her frail body!
Well her kouhai isn't really as flexible like her and she does have stamina though it cannot compare to her.
But, how can she lose? She, Misaki Harada the star player of the girl's soccer team.
Sigh. Maybe she really need to go solo, and that means playing the sports her kouhai plays.
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Tennis?
That was her sports, right?
Mikan Sakura, really is something
'Coz with unknown reason, she just sees right through us...
This was the thought of four girls utterly beaten by their kouhai, in their own game.
"That scared me back there," Ruka said as he looked at the ball who previously almost hit him before turning to face Natsume.
"You okay?" Natsume asked cockily as he smirked at Ruka who smirked back. Natsume then hit another service ace.
"30 Love(30-0)," goes the call, as Natsume got ready to hit another serve.
'The ball is sharper than I thought. Then I guess I'll have to go for it before it hit the ground, to do that,' as Natsume hit the ball, Ruka goes to the front, coming face-to-face with the ball,
'Go to the front' Ruka thought as he waited for it.
"Alright! I got it!" Ruka said as his racket came contact,
'No, it didn't work! I couldn't it back' Ruka thought as the ball he hit came in contact with the net.
"So even with timing, I can't hit it back...interesting," Ruka said as he repositioned himself.
"I thought so, even the labeled genius of the regulars couldn't return the twist serve, even with timing he couldn't hit it back, this mean that the ball has much strength in it and he isn't that devil Karupin" Hayashi and Ikeda whispered with each other.
"40 Love(40-0), match point" Horio the referee announced as Natsume bounced the ball a few times before hitting another twist serve with Ruka going in front again, and this time he was able to hit the ball.
"Yes! He finally hit it back," though Natsume was there waiting for the ball then returned it with half volley which caused Ruka to return it from the baseline, but Natsume was at the net and hit a drop volley.
"Eh?" Everyone exclaimed.
"He's not a guy to be taken lightly"
"You! You know how to do that to?" Ruka said dumb founded.
"1 game to love(1-0), Hyuuga lead, Nogi to serve" Horio announced.
Ruka then remembered something particular, Hyuuga...where have he heard this surname before? Then he looked at Natsume, raven-hair, red eyes, the attitude, he absolutely know this somewhere.
Ruka went to the service line, as Natsume went to the receiver line but before that, he shifted his racket to his left-hand(Natsume's left-handed) smirking, Ruka's eyes widen.
"Wait! Time! Let's stop this game, it's your win this time," Ruka said as he pointed his racket at Natsume, before looking at the others
"And as for everybody, club hours has ended, exit the courts," the first years left immediately, as Hayashi and Ikeda approached Ruka.
"That's why we're telling you, he's a different guy, see he's not smiling creepily like the devil Karupin, and it was unbelievable that he can also use the twist serve!" Hayashi and Ikeda exclaimed as Ruka chuckled.
"I figured that out," Ruka said.
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"Natsume," Ruka addressed as he walked to the packing Natsume, now that they're alone.
"What? You already remembered, Ruka?" Natsume said as he smirked at Ruka.
"I figured it out, late" Ruka said as he chuckled.
"You could've won, you know? Without that injury I mean," Natsume said as he pointed to Ruka's sprained right ankle.
"That's why you went easy on me by using your right hand?" Ruka asked as Natsume just shrugged.
"Hey, Natsume you could've told me you were returning from America, and I never knew, you'll lend your cap to others like that, and letting them use your cat's name," Ruka said bemused as he already figured out who was the guy who beat down Arai and the others.
"Well, speaking of that, I'll be beating someone when we get home," Natsume muttered which took Ruka by surprised.
"Home, you mean? You and Mikan-chan, live at the same home?" Ruka blinked as Natsume just shrugged.
"Blame it on Oyaji, then ja I'll be going ahead, you do know her blessing don't you?" Natsume said as he grabbed his tennis bag and exited the courts.
Ruka just chuckled as he remembered Karupin's or better known as Mikan's blessing; sharp sense in direction (note the sarcasm).
Mikan can't believe that she slept her day until dismissal at the roof top after visiting all clubs Alice has. And now, she was walking to the gates alone, for all the others students have left, or so she thought.
She reached the gate only to find Natsume leaning on the walls. Natsume looked up noticing her presence.
"Took you long enough" Natsume said as he slumped his tennis bag and looked at her way.
"Eh, why did you wait for me?" Mikan asked a little confused.
"Hn," Natsume could only grunt as they walked through the gates, then Mikan turned to the left while Natsume turned to the right.
"This way," Natsume stated as he continued his way to the right path.
"I knew that," Mikan said as she followed Natsume. They walked in silence, with Natsume leading and Mikan at his back.
We all know Mikan, and we know that she isn't used to silence especially silence with someone who she did something wrong to.
Mikan couldn't take the guilt gnawing her mind so she collapsed, and cried chibi style, making Natsume stop and look at her curiously.
"Mou! Nat-chan! You don't have to make me that guilty, Waa!" Mikan said as she continued to cry, whilst Natsume just raised a perfectly delicate eyebrow.
"Huh?" Natsume asked as he looked at Mikan who was sitting on the ground, crying with unknown reason.
"Waa! Sorry for pointing you to the wrong directions! Sorry for getting your school jacket without your permission and taking you precious white cap! For leaving you this morning and being such a jerk! And, and for using Karupin's name as my name, and, and... Waa!" Mikan cried as Natsume just looked at her amused.
"Ba-ka," Natsume said as he picked up her tennis bag and carried it which is (mind you) heavier than his tennis bag.
'So that's why she was always dragging her tennis bag.'
"Stand up before making a scene at the middle of the street," Natsume said as Mikan stopped crying and looked at him.
"Say you forgive me first!" Mikan stubbornly said as she continued to sit at the ground.
"Sigh, I forgive you, so can you just stand up so we can go home?" Natsume asked.
"Yup!"
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"Nat-chan, come over here quick! Cliff Drysdale, is making some kind of announcement!" Mikan excitedly said as she was watching Sports TV, with Cliff Drysdale, International Tennis Federation CEO, on some kind of press conference.
"What?" Natsume said as he quickly sat down beside Mikan and listened to what was the announcement about, though he already missed some.
"—The International Tennis Federation now shall open the World-wide 5-year Mixed Gender Tennis Era or MGT era," commotion was heard as the CEO of ITF finished announcing.
"Eh? So that means girls and boys joining forces? World-wide so that affects Japan also and the Nationals! To be exact I can join the boy's tennis club and beat down players!" Mikan exclaimed as she was smiling ear to ear which Natsume found bothersome, and it was all because of the –News.
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SNEAKPEAK for Chapter 4:
'Something seems burning?'
Mikan was at the kitchen doing the most unthinkable thing–
"What's going on?"
"Or killing me for revenge?"
"Why you! Nat-chan!"
"Natsume Hyuuga?"
"From what Ruka told me, he's not just an ordinary first year"
"Are you that Great 1st year?"
"So that's him, how obvious... He's the only one who's wearing that weird shirt and the only one jumping around"
"Today's the day when the Regulars will be coming, so if you misbehave, I 2nd year Mochu will..."
"Tsubasa your steps are too slow!"
"Wow! All the lobs they hit are going straight to the basket!"
"This is Alicia's regular members"
"Our senpai's are great, now do you get it monkey boy?"
'He's no ordinary freshman... that guy Natsume Hyuuga'
"You there! You're late for practice, run 5 laps,"
"Wait! Let me explain..."
"Look at this! Their just juniors and Hyuuga has three rackets while devil Karupin has four rackets!"
'That's odd'
"Waa! Arai-sempai, Ikeda-sempai and Hayashi-sempai! How are you?"
"Hey it seems, Mochu is picking on Hyuuga again and now with the another *capped ponytailed guy,"
"Geez, they are only weaklings who can only think up of dirty methods to play. Come on, Polka, beat them in tennis"
"Let's see how this turns out,"
"Fast!"
'Damn...It's too slow,'
"Those first years are amazing!"
"Hey, Nat-chan I'm done warming up! Can I take the serve?"
"So, let's finish this to the end, ne, Arai-senpai, Bald-senpai!"
"Devil?"
*I'd like to thank the following people for leaving a review!
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