DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS AND ITS CHARACTERS. HOWEVER I DO PARTIALLY OWN THE THEME AND THE TITLE.
THANKS TO: all those who reviewed and is currently supporting the new P.o.T series of mine. Enjoy. ^_^
Please take time to answer the poll I posted at my profile. It will be the basis for the next Ryoma fic I am already planning. Arigato minna. ^_^
PREVIOUSLY:
Morning came and the Shitenhoji Tennis team was filled with new hope. Kintaro jumped out of bed with a smile on his face, knowing that he'd see Ryoma again. "Not soon, but someday…" Kintaro repeated what Ryoma told him. Then he went down to greet his family a good morning and get ready for a new day.
~oO0Oo~
Ryoma was happy that he got to make Kintaro move on. It took him most of the time that was meant for his apology and farewell speech but it was worth it. Ten-chan had appeared with a smile of her face. "Arigato, Ryoma-san. It was kind of you to have done what you did for Kin-chan." She told him. Ryoma turned around to avoid showing that he was actually smiling.
She floated down beside him and tilted her head a little, "Where will you go next? And Kami-sama sent me to remind you that you have three nights left. Tonight being one of the last three." She said. Ryoma was in deep thought. Where was he going to go next? He thought for what seemed like an hour or two. He paced back and forth which made Ten-chan dizzy.
Then he stood up and had an evil smirk on his face. "With you please open up a path to…" he was excited to scare the crap out of the whole team.
~oO0Oo~
Everyone was still threading when they passed by their silent captain. Even Oshitari was warned by Atobe to not speak of Echizen whenever he was within hearing range. Some of the regulars thought that it was just a passing phase. But days had already passed yet Atobe remain touchy and sensitive.
The practices were earlier, longer, and more brutal than before. And no one dared to disobey nor skip. Mukahi thought it would have been funny to see Atobe snap, "I don't think that's a good idea, Mukahi-san." Choutaro piped as he heard the plot. Even Ryo agreed with Choutaro. "It wouldn't end well." Added Hiyoshi. Even he didn't wanted to talk about Ryoma.
Ryoma came just in time to see Atobe come into view of the tennis courts. He was floating next to the sleeping Jirou. "This guy will probably sleep most of the practice." Ryoma told himself. Then Atobe came and entered the courts. "You know, I thought I saw someone that looked like the brat from Seigaku this morning." Mukahi said out loud. Everyone froze in the tracks as they saw a tennis ball fly across the courts and hit Mukahi right in the middle of his forehead.
"Didn't I warn you all before?" Atobe spoke with a cold and spin-chilling tone. He looked so angry yet devastated at the same time. Mukahi was on the floor, holding his forehead in pain. Atobe and Kabaji proceeded to the locker room to change into their practice clothes. Everyone watched as their captain left. Ryoma smirked and was no longer surprised that there was one who was affected by his death.
When Choutaro turned to look for Jirou, he saw the sempai sleeping under a tree. But what surprised him most was the fact that he could see a figure standing near his sempai. Choutaro ran to confirm that he did see what he was seeing. Ryoma turned and thought that he was invisible but Choutaro was looking straight at him.
"E-echizen-kun?" was all that Choutaro was able to say. Jirou was snoring the whole time Ryoma and Choutaro stared at each other. "You can see me?" the stunned Ryoma asked. Ten-chan came down as well which made Choutaro almost scream of fright. "He must be really special to see dead people and angels." Ten-chan said cheerfully. Ryo and Hiyoshi came to wake Jirou up.
"Oi Choutaro! How long are you going to stare at the tree?" Ryo teased. All three turned and saw that Ryo was standing behind Choutaro while Hiyoshi was trying to wake Jirou up. "Jirou-san… Jirou-san… Jirou-san!" Hiyoshi repeated as he finally poured water on Jirou.
Instantly, the sleeping regular was up and awake. "Eh? Why am I wet?" he was confused. But was came next was something none of them expected. Jirou turned and saw Ryoma and Ten-chan. Choutaro's eyes widen in horror. "Can he see us too?" Ryoma leaned to whisper at Ten-chan. Jirou's eyes shot open and he jumped up.
"T-t-t-t-t-t-t-that…" Jirou was trying to recall how to form words. "Yes, it seems that he can." Ten-chan answered Ryoma. Jirou let out an ear piercing, girl shriek before he turned and ran away with his hand in the air. Ryo and Hiyoshi wondered what made Jirou scream and run but it got everyone attention. "What the hell was Jirou thinking?" Ryo grumbled as he was adjusting his hearing again.
"However, those other two don't see us." Ten-chan pointed out. "I can see that." Ryoma said dryly. Before Choutaro could say anything, Ryo pulled him by the collar and went straight back to the tennis courts. "Time for a little bit of mischief." Ryoma told himself with an evil grin.
~oO0Oo~
The afternoon practice began and Choutaro was worried. He was seeing Ryoma with an angel floating around their courts. Ryoma kept smirking at Choutaro when their eyes met. Ryo suddenly nudged Choutaro. "Oi Choutaro! Where you even listening to what I was saying?" Ryo hissed. "G-gomen Ryo-sempai. It's-" he had to stop himself. If he told Ryo that he could see Ryoma and his angel, his sempai might think he was crazy and laugh at him.
"What? It's what?" Ryo asked. Choutaro looked down and shook his head. "N-nandemonai, Ryo-sempai." Choutaro answered. He knew that he would either be laughed at or called crazy. He didn't want either one so he didn't say anything. Jirou hadn't returned after he ran away screaming. Which still made the rest wonder why.
Mukahi had recovered from Atobe's ball and was standing next to the silent Choutaro. Hiyoshi was about to pick up his racket when it levitated from the bench and flew towards Mukahi's head. "OOWW!" yelled the red head as the racquet fell on the ground. First his forehead, now the back of his head. He turned around with glaring eyes, "Who did it?" he yelled. He was really angry.
Ryoma laughed because Hiyoshi was still frozen in shock. How did his racquet fly and throw itself? Choutaro saw everything but kept quiet. Next, Oshitari took of his glasses to wipe his sweat and placed them on the empty space beside him. Ryoma was holding on to the glasses and moved it on the opposite side as Oshitari was trying to get it. The brains of Hyotei was in between fright and annoyance. Ryoma was laughing and Ten-chan had to laugh as well.
Ten-chan had to make herself and Ryoma disappear when Kabaji came with Jirou who still looked frightened. The horrified sempai looked around and saw that Ryoma and the angel was nowhere. Maybe he was just dreaming that he actually saw the kid. He knew that Ryoma was dead and no amount of wishing was going to bring him back.
However, Choutaro could still see them. They were making their way to where Jirou, Atobe, Oshitari and Kabaji were. "Why did you scream and run away, Jirou?" Atobe was still mad and was now interrogating Jirou. "I-i-i-i-i… Atobe…" Jirou couldn't explain why. He knew that he would be laughed at. He turned to find Choutaro and they stared at each other's eyes from a distance.
"I'm waiting Jirou." Atobe spoke again as he took the glass of juice that Kabaji gave him. Ryoma found the right moment and made a scary face at Jirou just as Atobe was about to take a sip of his juice. "AHHHHHH!" Jirou shrieked again and passed out. Atobe was startled by the scream and accidentally jerked his hand that was holding the glass. He spilled the juice on his head.
"Hahaha... This is just too good…" was all Ryoma could utter in between his laughter. Even Ten-chan was laughing hard. "Enough!" Choutaro screamed. He had enough of the antics. "C-choutaro?" Ryo stuttered. He wondered what made his double's partner scream. "What the hell is wrong with everyone today?" Atobe asked as he stood up. He glared at everyone and they all flinched.
Ryoma straightened himself and floated towards Choutaro. "Fine then… Kill joy." He told Choutaro and disappeared with Ten-chan. Choutaro waited for a few more minutes before relaxing. "He didn't know why Ryoma was torturing them but it was causing everyone problems.
~oO0Oo~
Atobe got cleaned and cut short the practice that day. Everyone just seemed to be at their wit's end. And he was still on the edge himself.
He was on his way home and Ryoma was in his limo as well. "Monkey King seems to be very touchy." Ryoma commented. "And I think you know why he is acting the way he is now. You saw how the others were." She explained. "He should be different… He's Monkey King. His Atobe freakin' Keigo! The captain of Hyotei!" he tried to debate but Ten-chan had disappeared. He's different, he should be.
~oO0Oo~
That night, Atobe was getting ready for his sleep. But before he went to bed, he went out his veranda and looked up at the starry sky. "Are you up there now, brat? Ore-sama is asking you." Atobe asked out loud. To say that Ryoma was surprised was an understatement. "I'm right here, Monkey King." Ryoma answered but knew that he wasn't heard but the man. Atobe sighed and went back to his room to sleep. He deserved to sleep. He had the most tiring day.
(DREAM MODE)
Atobe woke up to the sounds of whispers. He opened his eyes and saw that his whole team was surrounding him. "Your finally awake, baka Monkey King." Ryoma sneered as the rest watched Atobe's reaction. They knew that this was a dream but they didn't know if Atobe knew it. The man's eyes were as wide as tennis balls. It was Echizen Ryoma, Seigaku's brat, standing a few feet away from him.
"I-it can't be…. Y-your…" he stuttered. "Dead? I am. I'm surprised that you haven't realized that this is a dream, Monkey King." Ryoma teased with a confident smirk. Atobe quickly stood up and glared at the green haired boy. "Ore-sama will not stand to be called by such an insulting name." Atobe demanded. Ryoma and the rest sighed. Even in his dreams, he still talked about himself in the third person.
Ryo, Hiyoshi, Oshitari and Mukahi turned to face Choutaro and Jirou. "You two saw him today didn't you?" asked Ryo, looking at Choutaro. "That was why Jirou-sempai shrieked like a girl and ran away." Added Hiyoshi. "And I'm sure that it was the brat who threw the tennis racquet at me, didn't he?" Mukahi asked Choutaro. The simply nodded and turned to face Ryoma who was trying to look innocent.
"Don't give us that face, you… You…" Mukahi was trying to find words to throw back at Ryoma. Atobe sighed, "So it must have been you who scared Jirou as Ore-sama was about to drink the juice earlier too." Atobe said as he twitched. Ryoma simply smirked and nodded once. "Why are you here?" Choutaro asked.
Ryoma sighed and scratched his head. He looked away as if he was looking at something else (Noted: They were up in the clouds so there is nothing much to look at). "Well, you know… Being dead isn't as fun as I thought it would have been…" he began. "But then again, I was given a chance to say my farewell to everyone…" Ryoma thought that being dead means that he couldn't blush anymore. But he did.
"You came to say good bye to us?" Kabaji spoke which made everyone look at him. The rest didn't know that he was capable to knowing other words than "Usu". Ryoma sighed and nodded. "H-hai… I think that I owe Mon-Atobe-san a proper farewell since he had done a lot for me during my funeral." Ryoma said and soften his face. He bowed to Atobe and softly smiled. "Arigato, Atobe-san… For bring everyone that I have met to the funeral… For informing them about what had happen to me… You didn't have to but you did." He added.
Atobe was ow blushing scarlet. It was the first time Ryoma called him by his name instead of the insulting name Ryoma had tend to call him. "Gomen Hiyoshi-sempai, Atobe-san… It seems that I won't be able to keep my promise of having a rematch with you." Ryoma said but was stopped by Atobe. "You think that you won't be able to see us again? We'll see you soon enough, brat." Atobe was back to his old self which made Ryoma and the rest happy.
"It will be quite a while but Ore-sama will claim that rematch that was promised. That you can be sure of, Echizen Ryoma." He told Ryoma. The sun was rising, Ryoma knew his time was up. "I have to go now… Oh, before I forget, thanks your making Seigaku stronger… Keep trying your best Hyotei." He told them then disappeared.
~oO0Oo~
Morning broke through the horizon and Atobe woke up, feeling more calm and less touchy. He got up out of his bed and went out the sunny veranda. He looked up at the sky and smirked, "We shall meet again, Echizen Ryoma of Seigaku. And when that times comes, you shall face a more stronger Atobe Keigo than the one you have fought before." Atobe told the wind. The birds were chirping and he took that as a sign from Ryoma that he had heard what he said and agreed. Besides, being able to have met him before he vanished for the meantime was enough proof that Atobe as going to cross paths with Ryoma somewhere.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed reading this.
Read and Review. Constructive criticisms are very much welcomed.
Again, please take time to answer the poll I posted at my profile. It will be the basis for the next Ryoma fic I am already planning. Arigato minna. ^_^
