"Hey freshman, maybe when this is all over you can become my towel-boy," laughed Narawari-san. The match hadn't even started yet and the whiny idiot was already going off about how he was going to defeat her. Reiko was angrily ranting in her head, but looked as calm as a pond on the outside. Truly she wanted to strangle the boy, but she was pretty sure that was against the rules.

"Hey, are you going to stop laughing any time soon, I kinda gotta play against the captain soon," she complained. That match was the one that she was really looking forward to. She was sure that in order to even be captain for Seigaku you had to be the ultimate best.

"Don't be in too much of a hurry, you won't even be able to score a point against him," the whiny boy exclaimed. Now that she thought about it, he really sounded like a horse.

"Speaking from experience?" she asked him. He seemed taken back, but that seemed to focus him in on playing. He threw the ball in the air. He hit an easy serve. So, he was going to go easy on her, eh? What a huge mistake. Reiko did a lightening fast return to the left corner. Narawari was left dumbfounded as he realized what had happened.

"T-that was a fluke," he stuttered. Reiko rolled her eyes, it was always the same dialogue with these boys, couldn't somebody come up with some new material?

"Whatever you say senpai," she replied and waited for him to serve once more.

1 match later… (estimate the time yourself)

"H-how could I get beaten by a freshman? It's impossible!" whined Narawari. He was completely out of breath and sweating a lot. Reiko was a little damp from sweat, but that was mainly because it was hot. She was upset that all the senpai she defeated still couldn't come up with some new material. What was wrong with a "Hey, good game," or a "wow you're good,"? Was it that hard? Possibly even a handshake. But no they always had to be depressed and think it was a fluke, or that they were having an off day.

"Yeah, apparently not so much," she said rather calmly. Narawari glared at her and his grip on his racket tightened.

"Y-you shut up," he yelled at her then threw his racket at her. Reiko didn't have time to duck as it came flying at her face. She closed her eyes, waiting for the impact. She slowly cracked one eye open and saw the racket about two inches from her face. She followed the hand that was holding it up to the face of the person who had just saved her. She saw a boy with dark brown hair and purple eyes…Momo-chan! She was proud of herself for remembering his name.

"Oi! What do you think you are doing Narawari-san? I'm going to have to report this to the captain," he yelled at Narawari. He looked extremely pissed.

"Psh, whatever! I quit, so don't come crying to me when the lame-ass freshman loses the Nationals for us," he yelled in that horribly whiny voice. He stomped off angrily, cursing loudly. Momoshiro sighed and lowered the racket from Reiko's face.

"Are you alright?" Momo asked her. She just nodded and wiped off some dust.

"Thank…"

"Good cause everyone is looking forward to your match with Fuji-bochou," he cried cheerfully putting her in a headlock and messing up her hair. Reiko struggled to get out of his grip, but ultimately failed.

"Momo-chan, can you please let me go so I can prepare for that match," she complained from under his armpit.

"Oh, sorry, just got a little too excited. Everyone is looking forward top the match between the captain and the freshman," Momo told her. He let her go and she cracked her back.

"is it really that big a deal?" she asked exasperatedly.

"well yeah, you're the first freshman to play in the ranking matches since, well, your dad," he said. Reiko stiffened, great another way she was just like him, was this never going to end.

"Though also you are the very first g-" Reiko slapped her hand over his mouth. Everyone gave them suspicious looks. Didn't Momo know that only the regulars, minus Narawari, know that she was a girl?

"Momo-chan, didn't Coach Ryuzaki tell you to keep that under wraps?" she forced out. She really wanted to yell at him.

"Nya, who says under wraps anymore? Well, I guess since its Shounen-chan, I should expect him to be old-fashion," said Kikumaru as he walked over to them. Reiko could feel the blood vessels in her head pulsing, ready to burst.

"Hey, Momo-chan, have you given Tezuka-san your scores yet? He needs them before the start of Fuji-bochou and Shounen-chan's match," Kikumaru informed Momo, who took off running.

"Why before my match with the captain?" Reiko asked. Kikumaru flicked her on the forehead before answering.

"Because Tezuka-san, like everyone else, wants to watch your match," he stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Reiko was silently cussing him out in her head, but kept silent as she rubbed her now sore forehead.

"Why is it that special?! I mean sure, it's the newbie against the captain, but doesn't everyone already 'know' whose going to win?" she did quotes in the air when she said know.

"People know that Fuji-bochou is going to win, we just want to know if you'll be able to score a point against him. That's something only top players and Tezuka-san have been able to do," he explained.

"Oh, great confidence booster, Snoop-san," she snapped. He just shrugged.

"It doesn't really matter, you'll be on team regardless, you beat Narawari-san," he said. Reiko ignored him and walked over to where her stuff was. She took a sip of water and relaxed. She had a couple minutes before play and she wanted to relax.

"You really shouldn't sit after playing, besides you need to stay warmed up for your next match," said a shadow that came over her. She looked up and saw a boy with soft brown eyes and reddish-brown hair. She stood up faced him.

"Alright," she told him, she went back to sipping her water.

"You also shouldn't drink so much water, it'll give you cramps," the boy said. Reiko put her water down and crossed her arms.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" she asked him. The boy looked vaguely shocked then smiled warmly. Reiko got the feeling that this was someone she could trust easily.

"Oh, I am Kawamura Naoto, I'm the team manager," the boy answered. He held out his hand, Reiko shook it. So this must be the son of the great Kawamura Takashi, the best sushi maker of all time.

"E-Kishimae Rei," she responded. She quickly covered up her mistake. Kawamura just kept smiling warmly.

"It's ok, I know who you are," he told her. He put emphasis on the 'know' so that Reiko could get the under meaning. Reiko smiled back, one less person she had to worry about, plus he seemed really friendly.

"Kishimae-san, our match is going to begin now," said Fuji. Reiko nearly jumped out of her skin, the boy was like a ninja, coming out of no where all of sudden. She grabbed her racket and headed to her side of the court.

"Good luck Rei-san!" Kawamura yelled. Reiko smiled and waved her thanks. She took her serving stance.

"Let's have a good game, shall we?" Fuji said. Finally, some originality, and as an added bonus, it came without the cocky attitude. She threw the ball into the air; she hit it at just the right angle. The ball went soaring to the sideline. Fuji went racing towards it; the ball however, did not bounce outward, but instead towards his body. It was Reiko's variation of her father's twist serve. Instead of hitting it straight at the person, she made them run. She smiled confidently, but it disappeared as the ball came soaring back. It hit the base line and went out before she could hit it. She was mildly surprised; most people couldn't hit it on the first try.

"15-Love"

"That's an interesting serve you have there. Ingenious, really," Fuji said. Thank god he wasn't cocky, or else Reiko probably couldn't handle it. She grabbed the ball and bounced it once more. So that plan didn't work, maybe she should aim for the baseline? But she could only do that with her left. She decided to go for the corner instead. Unfortunately, Fuji got there in time to hit back to her. She was able to hit it back, but missed it on his return when he hit it to the corner.

"30-love"

This was harder than it seemed. And she got the impression that Fuji wasn't even going all out. This was going to be a hard game.

"5-0, Fuji. Service Fuji," called the referee. Reiko was panting hard now. She had lost all of her service games without even getting a point on the boy. It seemed as if he always knew or something. Could anyone really be that good? His style did seem familiar…

"Are you going to get serious any time soon?" his question broke her train of thought as she focused on him.

"What do you mean?" she asked him. His creepy smile grew wider; Reiko didn't think that was possible.

"I mean, are you going to play with your left hand," he stated more than asked calmly. Reiko maintained her composure; her Obaachan must have told them she was left-handed. She wondered what other stats she had given her.

"I don't play with my left anymore," she told him.

"I guess I'll have to force it out of you then," he said, it almost sounded like a threat, his voice became a little too excited. He served the ball so fast that Reiko almost didn't see were it was going. She couldn't catch up to it, or reach it.

"15-love." She understood what he was trying to do now. He was hitting it just out of her reach, or at least out of her right-hand's reach. The brilliant jerk. She played with the strings on her racket, darn habit always got to her. He hit it once more, going out of her reach once more.

"30-love"

"Going to get serious yet?" he asked her. She remained silent and kept the racket in her right hand. "I guess not." He served it, Reiko immediately ran towards it but the unusual spin on the ball made it go out of her reach. She was getting tired of this.

"40-love, game point," yelled the ref. Cat-calls and cheers were coming from outside the fenced area, but Reiko had long since drowned them out.

Fuji bounced the ball. It was going to be that last serve of the game. He was a little disappointed, he was hoping for more of a challenge. But the girl was steadfast in not using her left hand. Oh well, hopefully over time she would overcome that stubbornness, if not he'd force her too. He was not above using petty tricks like he was now. He threw the ball in the air; he let it linger on his fingertips before completely releasing it, that's what gave it its unusual spin. It made it spin much faster and on a tilted axis. He hit it with his racket, right towards her, then bouncing as far as it could from her right arms reach. He was expecting the ref to call his win when he felt the ball whiz past him. His normally closed eyes opened slightly. Reiko's racket was in her left hand. She had switched hands in midair, something most pros found difficulty doing. Fuji smile surfaced, it was a good return. To bad the game was over.

"Out! Game Fuji, 6 games to Love!" the ref yelled. The crowd went wild, cheering for their captain. Reiko sighed and tapped her racket on her shoulder. Damn left arm muscle hadn't gotten soft like she thought it had. She had hit it back too hard; she was aiming for the baseline.

"So are you ready to become serious yet?" Fuji asked as he held out his hand for her to shake. She took it and looked up at him.

"Are you?" she asked him back. His smile grew wider once more, so she had noticed that he was holding back, she had a good eye.

"Only when you do, and by the way," Reiko looked expectant, like for advice, "you really do have soft hands." Reiko nearly fell down with shock. This boy was so, so; she sighed, there was no word on earth in any language to explain Fuji Kazuya. She just nodded as her response and walked off the court after grabbing her stuff. She sighed, if only she hadn't hit it so hard…

"Reiko! Reiko!" her Obaachan came running towards her yelling.

"Obaachan, you can't call me that…"

"Reiko your mother collapsed today, she's in the hospital," Ryuzaki interrupted her. Reiko's world stopped.

"Wha-what?"

"Reiko, your mother is pregnant."

"WHAT?!"

DUM DUM DUM! Cliffhanger! Congrats to those that correctly guessed what was wrong with Sakuno. And thank you to those that review, and to kikumalu01, yes, yes i did reply, he was going to be put in anyway but i was like what the heck, why not put him in now. So appluase for you, take a bow! ^-^ To all the other constant reviewers, you als get an applause becuse you care about my story obviously! ^-^ So i own only the plot and OCs! thats all for now, my dad is getting pissed! AND SORRY TO ANY WHO READ THE "UPDATE" WHEN IT WAS THE SAME CHAPTER, MY DAD WAS GETTING PISSED SO I WAS RUSHING WHEN POSTING ANS PROBABLY DID THE WRONG ONE. MY BAD!!!! '-_- SORRY

~Defiance out