Edits: Sorry all, not a new chapter. I had forgotten some parts I wanted to add and so I just fixed this last chapter. I am working on the next chapter, my life has been a little hectic recently, RL stinks, but reviews will make me write quicker because they're the best cure for partial writers block :D
~Nyx~
Original AN:
Hey all,
I will blatantly beg for reviews now. I know people are reading, please just drop me a line and let me know what you think? I appreciate being added to alerts, but I would like reviews a little more :D Reviews help me be inspired to write.
~Nyx~
The next day the boys left for school in very different moods. The older boys were quiet, each was thinking about what they were going to about Rin and about Ana's spacing out the night before. Akaya, on the other, hand was practically skipping. His happy energy led to him completely ignoring everything as he collapsed next to his new best friend. He smiled and wiggled a little in his seat at the thought. He had a best friend. A friend that was his, and not his brothers', friend first. He didn't have to share him with anyone.
"You're happy today." Ootori smile at him.
"Yeah! 'Tou-san said that I could play against you anytime I want, and if you're there I can challenge people too, and I didn't get into too much trouble for playing with you yesterday, and senpai-tachi are awesome," Akaya grinned mischievously as he babbled without breath about why he was so happy.
Ootori blinked at the rush of words before smiling again once the hyper boy was finished. "I'm meeting my friend from Hyotei today after school. We're going to play a little bit; do you want to join us?"
"Okay." Akaya settled down as class was called to order, and at the reminder that the other boy had friends elsewhere.
The day flew by for Akaya. While he wasn't happy about the reminder that he did, actually, have to share his new friend, he wasn't going to say anything to Ootori. Besides, the new boy might be a challenge too. After all, Ootori had been a good challenge so this unknown should be one too. After school he called Ana for permission, and she reminded him to invite Ootori over, and that if he liked the one he was meeting today he was also invited. Then they were off, walking to a nearby park with a set of hidden courts that were a little overgrown and probably didn't see much use.
"Looks like we got here first. No surprise, as it's closer to Rikkai. Let's hit a ball around to warm up." Ootori suggested.
"Alright, you can serve first, Ootori-kun." Akaya agreed, bouncing over to his side, his happy energy returning.
After each boy kicked the lose rocks and branches clear of their side of the net, they began to hit a light rally. Ootori was asking Akaya about what Rikkai was like, and about the senpai-tachi Akaya was always mentioning. They got so into their conversation they didn't notice when they were joined. The new boy had light brown hair in a bowl cut. He quietly set down his bag and started stretching, just listening to their conversation. Akaya was happily enumerating how amazing all his senpai were, he had already talked about his brothers and the twins, as well as his brothers' doubles partners. Now he was explaining why Yanagi-senpai was psychic and scary, but totally awesome.
"Wait, you know Yanagi Renji?" The new boy interrupted.
The rally stopped as Ootori and Akaya turned, surprised, to see the newcomer.
"Hiyoshi-kun! When did you get here?" Ootori asked, walking over to his friend.
"Just a moment ago." The now named Hiyoshi turned to Akaya. "You know Yanagi Renji?"
"Aa, he's one of the senpai who looked out for me at Rikkai." Akaya nodded. "I'm Kirihara Akaya, 6th grader, Rikkai Elementary School."
"Hiyoshi Wakashi, 6th grader, Hyotei Elementary School." They shook hands. "Do you also know Yukimura Seiichi and Sanada Genichirou?"
"Hai, they recruited Niou-senpai and Marui-senpai to help them take over the junior high tennis team, and since I'm so close to Niou-senpai and Marui-senpai I got to know them. Yukimura-buchou is scary, but he's so awesome you don't notice it ever. Sanada-fukubuchou is just plain scary though. He's also kinda mean." Akaya explained.
"Why do you call Yukimura-san buchou and Sanada-san fukubuchou? You're not on that team." Hiyoshi asked, confused.
"I will be next year if I can figure out my control. Besides, that's just how they should be addressed. It's just how it is." Akaya explained.
Hiyoshi tilted his head in thought before nodding. "I understand. I have someone like that."
"Who?" Akaya asked, titling his head.
"The First-year captain of Hyotei. His name is Atobe Keigo, and he took over the tennis team nearly single-handedly after transferring in. The only ones who stood a chance of him were a couple of other First-years. Another new transfer was able to play almost equally with him." Hiyoshi said. "When I enter Junior High I'm going to get on that team and I'm going to beat Atobe-buchou and take over."
"I am going to do the same to those three." Akaya agreed. "We should work hard and train together so we can defeat them and become the best in Japan."
"And then we'll play each other and see who is truly the best." Hiyoshi nodded, holding out his hand. "Truce and partnership until then."
"Deal." Akaya shook his hand.
Ootori watched them a little wide-eyed. "I'm glad you two get along." He said faintly, as he shook his head, smiling slightly. He would never understand is hyper-competitive friends.
"Oh, that reminds me, 'Tou-san invited you over, you too Hiyoshi-kun, she wants to meet you. Something about you being a good influence on me or something." Akaya shrugged and Ootori covered a giggle. "On Sunday if you can. We have someone else coming over on Friday or Saturday, so Sunday would be the best."
"I'll talk to my parents." Ootori nodded.
"I'm sure it will be fine. Let's play." Hiyoshi said. "I need to know the level of my future rival."
"Alright, how should we do this?"
As the boys settled down to play, on another set of tennis courts another invitation was being issued. Masaharu and Bunta had asked the Saitou twins and Rin to stay after school so they could talk. The three agreed, and it seemed like it had been expected, and now were watching Yukimura run practice with iron control. Hajime grinned and looked down at the blue haired girl at his side.
"He sounds a little like you, bossing around your little minions." He teased.
She glanced up at him, boredom in every line of her body. She didn't say anything, just arched an eyebrow at him before turning her attention back to the court, examining the boys thoughtfully. The twins tilted their heads, slightly, in unison as they watched her think. Locking eyes for a moment they shrugged and turned back to the practice as well.
"I wonder what they want to talk to us about." Shin remarked.
"Probably about what happened yesterday. What was up with that anyway? Who is Ana?" Hajime's questions were ignored by the girl.
"Maybe she's the teacher that Rin-chan mentioned to Fujimiya-sensei yesterday." Shin guessed, used to Rin ignoring them.
"But how would Masaharu-kun and Bunta-kun know her?"
"And what does she already know about them that we don't?"
"How do you know it's something that we don't know?"
"Well, it must be, otherwise she would have said it straight out, wouldn't she?"
"You don't know that. Maybe she just wanted to be mysterious."
"Or it was the other people listening in."
"It could be that."
"So, what do you think it is?"
"Maybe Ana-san is a super hero and Rin-chan knows her secret identity."
"Or, a super villain, she can be kinda scary sometimes."
"Point. But what would that have to do with Masa and Bunta?"
"Maybe it's a whole family thing."
"Definitely villains then."
"They could be secret agents."
"With Ana-san as their handler?"
"That would make sense."
"Maybe Fujimiya-sensei is Rin-chan's handler."
"And she's going a little out of control."
"So Ana-san has to train her."
"Why would they tell us then?"
"We could just ask her."
"She's ignoring us."
"Correction, I'm trying to ignore you, you both are too loud, annoying and stupid for me to ignore properly." Rin informed them, not taking her eyes from the tennis courts.
The brothers exchanged grins before turning to pout at the girl as they whined in unison, "Rin-chan, don't you love us anymore?"
"No." Rin finally turned to the twins, motioning to the courts. "They're done, we can just ask them why they want to talk."
It didn't take the team long to change back into their uniforms and the group made their way to a ramen shop nearby. They gave their orders and waited quietly while the owner made their food. The boys frequented the shop regularly because the owner was so laid back. When they skipped school to come the shop he never said anything about it to them. Each of them lost in thought until the food arrived.
"It occurs to me that we haven't done formal introductions yet." Seiichi said, smiling slightly. "We all assumed that everyone knew everyone because you've been together in the broadest sense at school."
"It's not just that." Rin corrected, smirking slightly. "I have met most of you formally, the exceptions being Kuwahara-san and yourself, Yukimura-san."
"You have?" Seiichi asked, surprised.
"Aa, as I am the only representative of my family in the Tokyo area I have to go to formal events where the Oshitari family has to at least of a person there." Rin explained, her smirk growing.
The tennis team looked between the smirking Rin, the frowning Genichirou, and the repressed smiles on the faces of the twins, Renji, and Hiroshi.
"When did that happen?" Bunta asked.
"It was little over a year ago at one of the Atobe family summer parties. We were all formally introduced to each other, some Hyotei students in our year, as well as the Atobe heir in preparation on his entry into Hyotei after his elementary years abroad." Hiroshi explained. "Genichirou felt it was inappropriate to call Rin-san, Rin-san."
"We tried to warn him, but he didn't seem to understand that it was not only appropriate, but also important." Shin added in, grinning.
"And Rin-chan didn't have as much self-control as she does today. That party is actually why Fujimiya-sensei started having more of an interest in getting Rin a teacher." Hajime added
"As I was saying, Genichirou referred to her by her family and she took offense. It was only the fact that he is so well trained that the incident was without injury by the time the twins managed to stop her." Hiroshi finished.
"I am sorry about that, Sanada-san." Rin said, still smirking, "I know how important propriety is for you and why you called me my family name. However, it is better just to call me Rin. In any case, Yukimura-san, Kuwahara-san it's nice to finally meet you. I'm Oshitari Rin, please call me Rin."
"It's nice to meet you as well, I've heard so much about you." Seiichi returned.
Jackal just nodded in greeting.
"So, what did you want to talk to us about?" Shin asked, bouncing slightly and unable to hold in his curiosity any longer.
"Well first, 'Tou-san invited you all over after school on Friday." Masaharu said. "She also agreed to train you, Rin-san."
"Good," Rin nodded. "I'll tell sensei I found a teacher, and he can lay off."
"So, what does Rin-chan know about you two that we don't?" Shin wanted to know, ignoring his twin who was covering his eyes with a hand.
"You two already know we're brothers. I assume she didn't say it outright because of the listeners." Bunta smirked at the twins.
"I thought you would have figured that one out on your own." Masaharu added, arching an eyebrow at his friends.
Rin covered a laugh. "They were too busy coming up with conspiracy theories."
"We had valid theories." Hajime defended with a grin.
"I rather like the super villain family one." Seiichi commented.
Both twins went bright red. "You heard us?"
"Yes, you weren't exactly quiet." Renji grinned. "I was fond of the secret agent theory myself."
"The other reason we asked to talk to you was to formally agree to an alliance." Bunta cut in, trying not to laugh at his friends.
"This is quite formal for a Middle School class alliance." The owner of the shop commented, overhearing the last part. They all turned to him and he rubbed his bleached hair in slight embarrassment. "Sorry, it's just that we didn't really have a leader in our class until the end of High School. Nothing formal like you seem to have."
"We're Rikkai. We're organized." Jackal said, grinned slightly.
"It comes from our school environment. This is for the next six years." Hiroshi added with his half smile.
"Plus, it'll make it easier to take over the rest of the school to make sure they don't interfere with us." Renji agreed.
"So, it's agreed then." Rin said, holding out her hand.
"Hai." Seiichi, Hiroshi, Masaharu and Bunta all put their hands on top of hers.
While the boys were out playing tennis after school Ana also went to a tennis practice. She had thought about it and decided to give her brother a hard time instead of letting him off as easily as she had. It would help build his character. With this in mind she made her way to Seigaku's practice courts. As she watched she heard some of the boys wondering who she was, until Kunimitsu finally noticed her. He paled a little before walking over.
"Ana, what are you doing here?" He asked quietly.
"Hello nephew," She smiled at him, "I wanted to meet your friends you were telling me about and to talk with your captain briefly. Something came to mind I thought he should be aware of."
"Kunimitsu-kun, who is this?" An older boy walked over. He had round sunglasses and a green bandana around his forehead.
"Yamato-buchou, this is my aunt, Sylvain Ana, she wanted to talk to you." Kunimitsu bowed to his captain as he introduced them.
"Yamato-san, Kunimitsu-kun has told me a lot about you. Thank you for taking care of him. I hope you continue to do so well with him. He may be a very intelligent and studious boy but he sometimes will give up a sport, or anything really, if it becomes a little too confrontational. I'm sure you can help him with that, in tennis at least, I'm sure the rest will follow later." Ana smiled brightly at the boy, ignoring her brother's pink cheeks. "I also came to inform you to be careful at your matches."
"Careful?" Yamato looked slightly confused.
"Hai, Kunimitsu's cousins, my sons, have a problem with him. While I don't think any of them will outright attack him physically, they may try something to harm him in other ways. My youngest is making friends at Hyotei, who I believe you will also face and they may cause problems too, thinking that because Kunimitsu is not a regular it's ok." Ana explained, never losing her smile.
"Thank you for the warning." Yamato still looked slightly confused, but was smiling back. "Was there anything else you wanted, Sylvain-san?"
"One more thing. Where's Oishi-san? Kunimitsu mentioned that he also helped him to remain on the team and I would like to thank him as well. It seems like I've been trying for a thousand years to get Kunimitsu to stop quitting when things get a little tough and you two managed it so quickly. I am truly grateful" Ana looked around the court.
"He's not here today. I believe that a newer member, Kikumaru-kun, took him somewhere to play another match." Yamato shrugged.
"Well, you have my thanks. I must be getting home, the children will be home soon and I have to cook dinner. It's been so difficult since my partner left me to raise them on my own, being a single mother is never easy, but with three official boys and the number of unofficial ones growing daily it seems even harder. Not that I would trade it, or them for the world." Ana bowed to the captain and nodded to her brother before turning to leave. As she walked away she couldn't contain her smirk at her brother's face during the whole conversation.
"You're aunt is a little strange." Yamato remarked to Kunimitsu. "What did she mean about your cousins wanting to harm you?
"Aa, but she's very kind. She took me in after my parents passed, even though she already was taking care of three boys. I moved in with my grandparents this year to help them and my cousins felt like I abandoned them and since the youngest has some problems with that, the two older boys will be out for revenge." Kunimitsu said, not meeting his captain's eyes. "I'm sorry to cause trouble."
Ana couldn't hear the reply as she went out of earshot. She smiled to herself all the way home. She'd managed to integrate herself a little into her brother's current life as well as making statements so he might start to understand that his actions have consequences. Not every problem had a simple solution. He was no longer the son of a rich lord, something he had yet to accept, but was finally starting to.
