Author's Note: Yes, I know what a Sue is. I was just being sarcastic. Anyhow, I took the Mary-Sue Litmus Test and I scored 19, which is grouped in the category, 'non-Sue'. So there you have it. My character isn't a Sue.
Oh, if you're wondering if it's possible to play so many sports and know many languages, you should meet a friend of mine – plus, I never said she was super good at each of them. Akira just knows how to play.
Anyway, I don't care if I get flames, I don't mind criticism and pointers, but there's a fine line between providing advice and calling stories shit. The motto of this site is: unleash your imagination – and that's what I'm here to do.
Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis.
It was a beautiful refreshing morning: blue clear skies, not too cold, not to hot, birds chirping in the breezy air, and –
"Shit, shit, SHIT!" Akira yelled out rushing up a small hill on her rollerblades.
"Tezuka-san is going to be sooooo mad!" she huffed out still striding up on the sidewalk. "Stupid alarm-clock, I'm freaking late for the tournament. Ryuzaki-sensei will be pretty angry with me as well."
She zoomed pass a few people. "Sorry!"
Chapter 7 – Districts! It's time to party! Part I
"Yeah! Victory over Gyokurin!" Kikumaru shouted showing his peace sign to the team.
"That was a close doubles match in the beginning." Oishi stated.
"But we still won!" Momo hollered smiling.
The Seigaku team had just finished the first and second round defeating Gyokurin and another school in three straight matches. They were now on their first break.
"Momoshiro. Echizen." The wrinkly old coach sternly called out. As the two approached, she crossed her arms shaking her head. "What in heavens were you thinking back then?!"
"Poor guys." Oishi sighed.
"Hey, I've come up with a theory."
"What is it Inui?" Fuji asked.
"There is a 32.1 percent chance that Akira-chan could be sick." He stated adjusting his glasses.
"Eh?! But she's supposed to take care of us!" Eiji complained.
"No matter if she's here or not, we shall continue." Tezuka said firmly approaching the group of regulars.
"I guess we should tell Ryuzaki-sensei Inui's theory." Oishi suggested.
The group was just about to break-up when Ryoma was walking towards – "Mada mada dane."
The regulars all looked at the young freshman confused about why he had said it.
All Ryoma did in response, was point towards into the distance.
As if on cue, a shrill came from the horizon of the bottom of the hill.
"SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTT!!!" Akira was speeding up with no control as she headed downhill.
"It's Akira-chan!"
"Eiji, you shouldn't be so joyful. At the speed she's going, she could hurt herself." Inui declared looking up from his calculator.
"Pffft. Women always need saving." Kaidoh mumbled.
Akira was still going at a considerable fast speed, but in turn she tried to place her feet parallel to the direction she was headed in.
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" she shouted towards the group of people in front.
The Seigaku regulars took a few steps back while Tezuka remained where he stood.
Slowly but surely, she came to a stop one inch in front of Tezuka and collapsed to the ground.
"Sorry I'm late." Akira apologized.
"You should get rid of those rollerblades and come on to court 5B for the next round." Tezuka simply announced before taking his leave with Fuji following.
Akira sweat-dropped (AN: I don't know a better way to say it, anyone got ideas?) as she stared at her wrecked 'blades. "Great…these things cost me 200 dollars…they were on sale too…" Akira whined as she took the broken pieces and threw them out. She then slipped out a pair of running shoes from the bag she was carrying on her back, and put them on.
"-sigh- What a bad start to a sunny day."
"Ne, Akira-chan are you okay?" Eiji questioned her.
"I'm fine. Thanks for asking…um…where's court 5B?"
"Follow us; we're playing a school named Fudomine Chugakko." Oishi said ushering Akira to tag along with his hand.
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I sat there on a bench under a little shade waiting for the next round to start. Apparently the others had gone to search for Tezuka and Fuji.
Looking around the empty and busy courts, I noticed Sakuno who had a confused expression plastered on her face.
"Hey! Sakuno! Over here!" I shouted trying to get her attention.
"Ah. Akira-chan." She said softly.
"Are you here to watch?"
"Yep."
"Well this is where the next round will be." Then I noticed two people tagging along with Sakuno.
"Are these your parents?"
"Oh! No no no. This is Inoue-san and Shiba-san. They're from the Monthly Tennis Magazine."
"Ah I see." Akira said getting up.
"And you might be?" Inoue asked putting his hand forward.
"Akira Nguyen; personal health manager of the Seigaku team." I replied taking his hand and shaking it firmly.
"Ah. You must be new then, I haven't seen you before."
"Yes."
"You also sound like you're not from Japan. I'm I correct?"
"Yes – but how did you know?"
"You're Japanese is not as fluent as many of the people who live here."
"Ah, I see."
"Don't mind us; you'll see us quite a bit."
"Alright." I said waving to the two as they left to watch the match next door. "So Sakuno, do have your posters for Ryoma-kun?" She asked tauntingly.
"Eh? No!" she answered blushing.
"Ha ha."
"Why weren't you here earlier?" the younger girl asked.
"Uh…Well…I woke up late." I confessed.
Sakuno looked at me blinking. "I thought you were the organized type."
"No, I'm more of the 'I like my bed' type." I responded chuckling.
"Ah."
"I swear, I probably am going to be relieved of my duty." I blurted out in defeat.
"Why?" Sakuno asked.
"Well, this is the second time I'm late. Plus, this time, it's pretty important event I almost missed. Tezuka-san already got mad at me for being late to one of the practices."
"I've never seen Tezuka angry."
"Well have you seen him furrow his eyebrows?"
"No."
"I bet you that's when you can tell he's mad – or maybe not. It's hard to tell what he's feeling and thinking with that stoic stone face of his."
"Then how can you be sure he was mad?"
"I don't know."
Sakuno gave me another puzzled expression.
"Stoic stoned face. That definitely fits Tezuka-san." I muttered.
"Ahem, stoic stoned face?"
I turned around – great, what bad luck, again.
"Tezuka-san…"
"The first match is about to start. Pay attention."
"Hai." I replied imitating a soldier's grunt.
Eiji was laughing at me. "Don't ever do that again Akira-chan."
"Eh?"
"It doesn't fit you. You don't seem the type to follow orders well."
"Well I do most of the time."
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The first match was between Fuji-san with Kamawaru-san and Tetsu Ishida along with Masaya Sakurai.
Fuji hit beautiful counter attacks while the other team still persisted on through.
"We won't lose to you!" Ishida yelled out.
Suddenly his muscles contracted.
"What's happening?" most of us asked.
"Hadoukyuu..." Someone whispered out.
I turned to take a look at the other bench. The opponent team's captain, as I've been told, was talking to his team mates.
"It's an extremely powerful flat groundstroke that can reach 120 percent of the user's strength. However, it puts a great strain on the user's arm, and I gave permission to Ishida use it only once."
I turned back to concentrate on the match. Ishida, in an attempt to try to gain a point, perform the hadoukyuu technique, and he succeeded.
"What brutal power…" Oishi stated a bit in awe.
"Hmm." I could hear Inui scribbling down some of the useful information he had just gained.
The score was three games to one for Seigaku and Fudomine was still fighting back.
They must have a tremendous spirit to not have given up at this point in time.
Then it happened again.
"I'm not giving up!" Ishida shouted.
"Ishida!" the Fudomine captain hollered out.
"I will win this!" he said hitting a much more powerful hadoukyuu than the one before.
Fuji, on the other side was getting ready to receive the powerful menacing ball.
Fuji…you don't – "DON'T DO IT!" I shouted out getting out of my seat.
Fuji placed his racket in reception position and was about to hit it until…Kamawaru had placed himself in front taking the hit for himself and re-diverting its power to win the point.
"Su-su-sugoi!" Oichi cheered.
I noticed Tezuka in the corner crossing his arms and Fuji was a bit baffled but you could tell he was a bit angry.
They both knew it and I did as well.
There's no way Kamawaru can play after returning a hit like that.
"Kamawaru…" Fuji said trying to get his partner's attention.
"I FEEL THE POWER BURNING INSIDE!"
Fuji slapped Kamawaru's wrist.
"ITAIIII!" (ouch) he responded dropping his racket.
"Why did you have to take it?"
"Ehehehe…" Takashi-san mumbled scratching his head.
"We forfeit this match!" Fuji yelled out to the umpire lifting his hand and that of Takashi's.
"What?!" most of the members shouted out.
I took out the muscle reliever spray from the first aid kit and walked up to Kamawaru.
"Look, even though Kamawaru-san was able to return it, the both of you could have broken your wrists. I suggest you don't ever try or think of doing that again." I said sternly as possible spraying Takashi's wrist.
"Sorry for the trouble Akira-chan." Fuji said.
"It's not a big deal. This is what I'm here for anyway. Come one, Kamawaru-san, we nead to go to the hospital to make sure you didn't actually break any bones in that wrist of yours."
We left the courts leaving the team as Kikumaru and Oishi were getting ready for their match.
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"Hey look! It's Takashi-kun and Akira-chan! They're back!" Momo said as he spotted them in the distance.
"Hey guys!" Akira shouted out.
"Is Takashi okay?" asked Fuji.
"Yes he's fine, just a minor muscle pull. He won't be able to play for a few days."
"That's good to hear." Oishi said patting Takashi's back.
"You missed my victory match Akira-chan!" Eiji whined.
She rolled his eyes at him.
"I see you play everyday, and I'm sure I'll see you play in another match."
"How cruel!" Eiji moaned sarcastically placing his hand over his heart.
Then the bright sky became covered with dark clouds.
"I thought it wasn't supposed to rain…" Momo whispered.
Soon enough little water droplets trickled down from the grey sky.
The regulars crowded around the bench hovering under the cover they had.
"Where is Kaidoh and Ryoma?" The aged coach asked.
"Probably out to prepare for their upcoming matches." Oishi responded.
As the rain continued to fall, the temperature dropped slightly. Akira who was dressed in blue shorts that cut up to her thighs and a white shirt shivered while cursing under her breath.
"What a bad time to be wearing white…ugh…I should have brought a sweater too." She grumbled.
Tezuka overheard her and noticed her shudders, so he took of his team jacket tapping lightly on her shoulders.
"H-mmm-mm…" she shakily reacted.
"Here." He draped his jacket around her and went back to lean on the fence.
"Ar-ri-ga-aa-tou." Akira said a bit surprised by his actions.
"Make sure you don't get wet…especially with that shirt of yours…" Tezuka said impassively looking away from Akira who was blushing.
Damned feelings…
TBC
Whoa, longest chapter. Though I think it's a bit of a filler. Anyways, it's late so I gotta go to bed.
