Author's note.
And yes, I'm totally expecting bad-mouthing and maybe a ban for posting on this again. BUT. I just wanted to give it another spin. I re-read it and I was laughing as hell. So, why not. To the past reviewers who had reviewed ages ago, I'm sorry but I won't be posting your questions anymore because you might not be -active anymore. But if you want me to, just please repost. THANKS! ALSO, thanks for supporting this story! MORE POWER TO SEIGAKU!
Disclaimer: I don't own PoT.
CHAPTER 10: A Clean Slate
"It's been three years or so?" A voice at the background whispers. The vicinity was dark, not a single light shining.
"Hn." Another voice grunts in the darkness.
"What do we do now?" The former speaker asked still in a hushed tone. "We've already graduated. Even Ryoma has."
"Then, why don't we…"
"No! Momo. Everyone's gone. This production has died for almost four years now."
"But!"
"SHUT UP!" A voice suddenly roars. Slowly, the darkness wavers, coming in was a new light. The three speakers glared at the emanating light. And finally, as a white light enveloped them, Momoshiro Takeshi gasped. There was a silhouette standing in the light, in a posture of pride and, dare I say, arrogance.
"Is it…"
"OH GOD. IT IS!"
"It's—It's RYOMA!"
"Heh." The silhouette smirked, finally stepping from the darkness. And there he stood, mighty and proud as ever, Ryoma Echizen, resident professional athlete of various international titles, hint hint. And behind him, was the full cast of the Prince of Tennis anime/manga. (Not the NEW Prince of Tennis though, I don't know a thing about it.)
"Finally!" Momoshiro cried in eagerness. "We can do this!"
"BURNING!"
"So, hyper, nya~!"
"SHHHH. I still don't get it. SHshshhhh."
"Data. Data."
"Heh."
"To our seats!" A voice yelled. And in an instant, a stampede of characters flooded the stage. People were trampled on. And due to their number, the air-conditioning was left into nothing.
"Yukimura-taichou!" A voice screamed, plopping his bottom on the mattress by the stage. "I got us a seat!"
"I don't think so." A sinister voice laughed in arrogance. "KABAJI!"
"Usu!" And just like that, Akaya was thrown over the stage by a humungous being. Atobe smirked as he took a seat.
"Oi! Watch it!"
"Get off me!"
"Who the… hell?" Atobe said incredulously, finally catching sight of the mess on stage. Everyone was contributing to a heap of sweat and man-flesh. It was disturbing to say the least. Meanwhile, by the comfortable seats of the audience sat the nonchalant group.
"Hn… idiots." And they were all laughing their small, you'd-think-they're-not-laughing laugh.
"I guess we'll start tomorrow then."
TOMORROW
"We welcome you to the revival of our show "Ask Your Seigaku Regulars Column". Only now though, we aren't in Seigaku. We've graduated but now, we come back to you together, in hopes of making your day! So ask away callers!"
"Wait!" Oishi cried. "Ages, ages first!"
"Fifteen." Ryoma muttered.
"Sixteen." Momoshiro and Kaido said in unison, much to their chagrin.
"And finally, we're seventeen! The seniors, nya!" Eiji cried in joy. Oishi couldn't help but tear in happiness.
"I can't believe we're all together again." He said, his voice trembling. The rest nodded.
"Well, everything changes in time. Even the writing style of the author has changed." Fuji remarked, still with his trademark smile.
"Okay! Anyway, let's do this thing!"
"First caller!"
2.1 LifeIsADream1234
"Is it on? Is it on? Wait I can hear my voice. Hahaha!" the voice laughed crazily. "Hi! So here are my questions."
"Tezuka- Are you still mad at Atobe for pretty much desroying your arm?
Taka- What would you do if (God forbid) your sushi shop closed down?
Fuji- What would you do if Mizuki hurt Yuuta again?
*Smile evily at the others*
Momo- What would you do if Ann started going out with Fudomine's Kamio?
Kaidoh- How do you feel about Inui?
Inui-How do you feel about Kaidoh?
Eiji- What do you love about Oishi?
Oishi- What do you love about Eiji?
Ryoma- If you had to chose between saving Sakuno's life or Tomo's life, who's life would you save? (O BTW if you answer with I'll pick Ryuzaki. At least she's less bothersome or niether, I will put the picture of you and Sakuno at Taka's shop on the internet and send it to Ryoga. *sadistic smile*)"
"That's all for now! I'll be watching!" And just like that, the line died.
"LOL." Ryoma finally said after some silence. Lol to the questions, he thought.
"Okay, let's start by sequence!"
Tezuka coughs.
"I won't say mad, after all these years. I've grown to mature, although the memory piques me every time. Hn."
"Taka's next!"
"Well, I would, do my best alongside my father to try to open another sushi shop. It is, after all, our passion. It's just like what they say, when you fall, all that's left to do is to rise up. That sushi shop was my father's dream. And yeah, uh. The sushi shop is still running by the way. We've made some renovations and it's gotten bigger now."
"Really?"
"Yeah, why don't we go there when the show is over, my treat."
"Score!" Both Eiji and Momoshiro cried in unison.
"Anyway, Fuji-senpai. It's your turn now."
"Hm, what I would do. Or maybe, what I've already done, neh?" Fuji smiled sadistically, making those around him shudder. "Humiliation never grows old. So maybe that would be the theme, if it so happens again."
"My turn, my turn!" Momoshiro suddenly buts in. Coughing proudly, he says. "What would I do if Ann started going out with Kamio?"
"WELL. That already did happen."
Someone in the audience gasped.
"And what I did was that I stole her from him. They dated all throughout junior high, begrudgingly. And after graduation, they broke up. Ann and I connected. And now, we've been officially dating for a month."
People congratulated him, his teammates cheering him on, patting his shoulders, and ruffling his hair.
"Thanks, thanks!"
"So, when's the baby due?" A voice said. The speaker's smirk was plainly evident. Momoshiro's head shot to Ryoma, his face flaring red.
"You…" he seethed dangerously.
"Anyway. Kaidou-senpai's next."
"Shh. I don't feel anything." Kaidou answered, shrugging.
"Nor, do I." Inui seconded.
"But inside, maybe something a lot like LOVE." Eiji snickered from behind, earning a glare from Kaidou.
"I—have a girl—"
Heads instantly shot at Kaidou expectantly, their eyes all wide and waiting.
"Nothing. SHHSHHHH." Kaidou glared at them, his hiss was louder than before and his cheeks, tainting a pinkish hue amidst his tan skin.
"Meh. What a let-down." Momoshiro scoffed at the viper. "Anyway, to the love team!"
"Ah. No, no."
"What?"
"We aren't like that anymore. Or at least I'm not."
"Hey! We've talked about this already." Oishi cried in indignation. Turning to Momoshiro, he said. "We don't think we're gay anymore."
"Ah."
"So, you're like, bisexuals now, neh?"
"What a smart tongue you have there, Echizen-kun." Fuji smiled at the young lad with the white Fila cap. Ryoma could only scowl, sinking into his seat. He had always hated these shows. Which was why the moment it died, he bought the first flight to America and pursued his waiting tennis career. Now though, it all seemed like a distant memory to him.
"I'm dating. And he's dating." Oishi said in fact. "And maybe some men will come around, I don't know. All I know is this, after a while… it kind of gets old."
"Yeah, nya!"
"Well, that sucks." Momoshiro said, his eyes dropping. He was in a relationship after all.
"We really thought there was something great going on with the both of you."
"We thought to, nya." Eiji said, his eyes shining though his smile wavered.
"We broke up after two years."
"More like, two and a few months, nya!" Eiji laughed. Oishi smiled, nodding.
"Yeah, two years and a few months."
"Anyway. Ryoma's on now, nya!" Eiji said cheerily, clearly wanting to dwell off topic.
"Me?" Ryoma sighed in disinterest as he sat up. "What was mine again?"
In an instant, his question was flashed on the wide screen in front of the stage, now vividly seen by the whole vicinity.
"Ah."
People started snickering. Ryoma scowled.
"I take it that you don't know them anymore, now do you, Echizen?" Momoshiro sighed, taking Ryoma's silence as ignorance. "Tomoka's the cheerleader from your fan club and Sakuno's the—"
"The old hag's granddaughter." Ryoma shot Momo a look. "I know who they are."
"Anyway, to answer this useless question. And your threats are useless, by the way. I'd pick Osakada-san."
"Wow."
"Really, Echizen? Is that what your heart is telling you?"
Ryoma shrugged.
"Ryuzaki has someone to save her if ever. Osakada doesn't. So, do the math."
SO MUCH HIDDEN DRAMA.
"Ah. Yeah, of course."
"Why? I don't get it."
"Sakuno-chan's dating someone."
"Who?"
"None of us know."
Ryoma's face darkened.
"I know."
"ANYWAY." Momoshiro suddenly said. "That's all for today's segment. PLEASE ASK QUESTIONS. Because without you, we'd be dead."
"Thank you LifeIsADream1234 for calling!"
"Anyway, until next segment! BYE!"
"WAIT!" Eiji turned and saw a staff member huffing before them. The man was out of breath as he whispered into Momoshiro's ear. In an instant, Momoshiro's eyes lit up distinctly.
"It seems we will be having some guests later on the show. GET YOUR QUESTIONS READY FOR Sakuno Ryuzaki and her grandmother, Sumire Ryuzaki!"
Their eyes lit up.
"God, can't it be today. The coach is coming! The coach! The coach!" Eiji cheered, his cheeks flaring red in excitement. It has been a long while since all of them had last seen their Junior High tennis coach. Remembering the past alongside their ever trusted consultant, Eiji's eyes dimmed. Remembering the past... the constant bickering, the embarrassing calls, the pinches on the cheeks, and- and.. "OH GOD NO!"
PROFILES YOU NEED TO KNOW
Ryoma Echizen
He has just come back from the US after winning several international tournaments. At the age of fourteen, he ranked third in the Grand Slam. After the show, he'll be joining again, this time he plans on breezing through the competition and earning the Grand Slam title as the youngest pro-athlete. He continued his studies abroad but visits Japan every year. And throughout his years, he's kept in touch with the previously known "Freshman Trio", the pair, Sakuno and Tomoka, and of course, his team and his coach.
Takeshi Momoshiro
He is sixteen years old and is currently dating Ann Tachibana. Now as a high school student, he is studying at Chua High along with his girlfriend and Tomoka Osakada.
Kaoru Kaido
He is currently studying at Fukaku High along with Yuuta Fuji and Sakuno Ryuzaki. And, from his slip-up, there seems to be a rumor that he has a girl—. He never did say, though.
Kunimitsu Tezuka
He is currently studying in England after his tournaments. He had previously started in Germany. Against popular belief, he still hasn't joined a single Grand Slam tournament. He rarely visits Japan because of his hectic schedule. And merely came back for the show and publicity, although he rarely talks during airings unless needed. He is in college, attending an Ivy League school.
Sadaharu Inui
He is on his last year in Juukan High School, an elite school for those with the money and those who are particularly smart. He attends this school with Fuji Syuusuke. He reports as a sports analyst in a firm in Shibuya.
Syuusuke Fuji
He is still a genius and is currently studying at Juukan High. Nothing more is known about him.
Shuichirou Oishi
He attends high school as a senior. He still has fishes. Previously on his last year in Junior High, it was said that he had dated Eiji Kikumaru. Now, they've broken up because of an unknown reason. He is bisexual and is currently dating. His girlfriend has no idea he has tastes for men as well. BURN!
Eiji Kikumaru
He attends high school as well on his third year. He has made new friends in his school, but Seigaku will remain his family forever. He had previously dated Oishi. He says he is bisexual. He still likes toothpastes and cute things. Especially his teddy bear.
Takashi Kawamura
He plans to stops studying after his last year in High School with plans to further develop his family's sushi bar.
And that's all, folks!
I was wondering. What writing style do you guys prefer? The previous one or what I've done with this chapter? Oh yeah, and REVIEWS. :D I won't be able to update without them. XD
Anyway, Sakuno and Sumire's joining in the fun! Some of you from that ever distant past had asked for it. :D
Duly,
kenrik