Silent Wish Chapter 14: Enter Rikkai Female Team!, a prince of tennis fanfic

Disclaimer: I don't own PoT…

Enter! Rikkai Female Tennis Team

'Stop it, Niou-senpai. It hurts!' Kirihara yelled as he tried to squirm his way out of the older boy's headlock. His attempt was futile since Niou was pushing his kouhai's back against the fence of the hospital rooftop.

He tightened his headlock on the poor second year. 'You think you are going to get away with what you've done, brat?'

'Niou, whatever you do, you better do it quickly before Renji, Sanada and Yukimura get here,' Marui advised from a nearby bench, throwing a sweet cake in the air and catching it with his mouth.

'I told you what would happen if you couldn't keep your yap shut, didn't I?!' The words were screamed in Kirihara ear and the headlock tightened even more, making it impossible for him to swallow in fear. 'And what do you do? You go and tell Ran and her bloody over-protective friends, Yukari and Juri, about me flirting with other girls! Do you know how much trouble I'm in because of you?'

Kirihara couldn't say anything, his body completely paralyzed with fear. He looked over at his bespectacled senpai who was sitting beside Marui on the bench. Pleading eyes sending invisible messages to Yagyuu's back. Yagyuu, who was obvious to everything, coolly shrugged off Kirihara's silent plea for help and chose to concentrate on his golf magazine instead.

Jackal, also sitting on the bench, shot a worried glance at the pair. Yukimura had entrusted Kirihara to him and if there was anything happened to the youngest member of their team, he wouldn't be able to face Yukimura. He was about to get up when he saw Kirihara's face start to turn blue but Marui shoved a sweet cake in his mouth and said with a laugh, 'Don't even think about ruining the show Jackal!'

'There was nothing I could do, senpai,' Kirihara tried to defend himself, starting to feel a bit dizzy due to the absence of oxygen. 'If I hadn't told them about it, they would have killed me!'

'You mean you'd rather die in my hands instead?!' Niou threatened, trying to tighten the lock even more. 'Are you a man or a chicken? They're just girls for crying out loud!'

Kirihara could have sworn his neck would break if Niou pulled it any harder. He was aware of them being girls and all, but from his past experience he had learned that it was best to yield to his overprotective hormonal female classmate's demand to avoid instant death. Although, at that moment he didn't know what was best: instant death from the girls, or slow torture from Niou. Probably the latter, he managed to think despite of the pain he endured.

'NIOU!' Sanada's bellow could be heard in a three-mile radius. 'RELEASE AKAYA THIS INSTANT!'

Niou was taken aback by Sanada's presence, causing his grip on Kirihara to weaken. His kouhai took this opportunity to escape and run behind Yukimura who was standing between Sanada and Renji.

'What is happening here?' Yukimura asked concerned while patting Kirihara's head and assuring his kouhai that he was safe with him.

Marui bounced to his feet to greet his fellow third years. 'Nothing unusual, Yukimura. Akaya told Yukari-chan and Juri-chan that Niou was cheating on Ran-chan.' He said before popping another sweet cake in his mouth. 'Umm, yummy. Want one?' he offered to his captain.

'So, naturally I would want to break his neck,' Niou snapped, ignoring Marui and throwing a murderous glare towards Akaya who was cowering behind the team's captain as if his life depended on it while protecting his neck with both hands from Niou. The trickster knew that he wouldn't be able to even touch a single hair on Akaya's head as long as both Yukimura and Sanada where there. It was obvious that Yukimura, if not the entire team, had a soft spot for Rikkai regular team's baby. But Niou was pissed, very pissed. And when Niou was pissed he didn't have mercy for anyone. Yet, his logic side told him that involving the captain was a bad idea, because if the Yukimura was involved, so was Sanada. And nobody in his right mind would want to mess with the overprotective Fukubuchou.

Yukimura nodded, accepting one of Marui's cakes before turning back to Niou. 'I would appreciate it if you didn't break his neck, because then he won't be able to play for the next tournament anymore.'

'How about if I break that brat's right arm instead? He doesn't need it in the tournament since he's left-handed anyways.' Niou offered, a malicious grin on his face. He cracked his knuckles a few times, making Akaya grabbed Yukimura's hospital gown.

'That's enough Niou! Another word about this and I'll make Renji change your training menu so you'll have intensive training everyday, got it?!' Sanada warned.

Niou scowled at the threat but decided that it was probably best to shut up. It's not that he was scared of Sanada but he wasn't stupid either and quickly decided that Akaya's life wasn't worth an everyday intensive training schedule. He wasn't afraid of the training either, but more training meant less time for himself, or for flirting with girls.

'You know Niou, you should learn to be a gentleman from Yagyuu,' Renji told his silverhead teammate.

'Hell will freeze over and the dead will come back to life before that happens, Renji. If living his entire life with his gentleman twin has had no effect on him, what makes you think that Yagyuu will make any difference?' Marui stated, earning a death glare from the trickster. Yagyuu nodded a little in agreement but made no further comment.

'Talking about your brother, Niou. I heard that Kazuma-kun's Seishun Gakuen team had won their game against our school's baseball team.' Yukimura said, trying to change the topic of their conversation. 'I wish I could have watched the game and congratulate him myself but it wasn't possible. Could you pass on my congratulations to him?'

Niou simply nodded to acknowledge his captain's request, still upset for not being able to break Kirihara's neck.

'Oh right, I forgot to tell you, Mura-buchou. I heard that Niou-senpai and his brother found out that Rie-san is currently in Seishun Gakuen when they were having a double date,' Akaya informed.

Niou's eyebrow twitched. How the hell did he know that? He wondered, not liking his team talking about his private life and the fact that Kirihara was yet to learn how to keep his damn mouth shut. Wait until I get my hands on him… he thought, throwing invisible daggers towards the other boy.

What Kirihara had said surprised Yukimura. It had been a long time since he heard about the girl since she was abruptly transferred to another school. Nobody knew where she had gone after her family's death. 'How do you know that, Akaya-chan?'

Kirihara who saw Niou's murderous glare, realized the mistake he just made, he cowered lower behind his captain to shield off the glare.

'I also heard about it, Yukimura. It's become a hot topic among the girl's tennis team members. Not to mention that the news has spread among the second year students,' Yanagi informed.

Oh right, that is how the brat knew about the date, Niou thought grimly. The boys and girls tennis regulars were close to each other and occasionally played mock-matches against each other to measure their teams' strength. Kirihara was especially close to the girls' teams mostly because the female team's ace regulars were in his class. Including Niou's girlfriend and her protective best friends.

'Of course, senpai! No one could ever forget the chaos she caused when we were in our first year. She managed to mercilessly terrorize the entire first year student population, especially the weak ones. Everyone was terrified of her because of her cruelty and I doubt that her victims could ever forgive her for what she had done,' Akaya replied heatedly. He felt uneasy when he remembered what had happened last year. There had been many rumors, even reaching his class. Her cruelty towards the weak fellow students was still fresh in his mind even though he had never been one of them.

Yukimura knew that Akaya was right. What she had done was certainly unforgivable. He didn't care how dangerous a person was as long as they released their fury in the tennis court. However, being a compassionate and caring senpai as he was, he believed that everyone deserved a second chance and should be treated equally despite what they have done in the past.

Sanada could sense Yukimura's uneasiness. 'What is it, Yukimura? Are you alright? Do you want to sit down? Should I get a doctor?' Worry was written all over his face, causing the rest of the team to be alert and ushering the captain to the bench.

Yukimura smiled, touched by his friends' thoughtful action. 'I am fine. I am just worried about Rie-san.'

'Why would you be worried over that good for nothing girl, Mura-buchou?' Akaya asked puzzled. He knew that his captain had a soft spot for everyone especially those who were younger than him. But, the second year thought that Rie didn't deserve Yukimura's kindness. 'I rather be worried over the Seishun's students rather than her. For all we know she probably has half their students terrorized already.'

'I don't know. I couldn't help but feel that something would happen to her now that everybody knows where she is.' He told his friends in a calm voice. 'Especially with our female tennis members.'

'Well, actually you're right, Yukimura. She should be worried,' Niou interrupted.

'What do you mean, Niou?' Yukimura asked.

'Yukari's currently at Seishun Gakuen "visiting" her old friend.' He answered.

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'Guys, hurry up! The library's going to close any moment!' Horio shouted over his shoulder before turning a corner with Kachiro and Katsuo a few meters behind him.

When Kachiro and Katsuo finally got to the corner at full speed they collided with someone about their size dressed in green. 'Horio-kun, what's wrong?' Kachiro asked, rubbing his nose.

'That.' The unibrow answered, pointing towards the female tennis club benches. The two stared in said direction and gasped. The entire female regular team was sitting on the benches; four of them had ice bags either on their heads or arms, three had their swollen wrists bandaged, and the last one, which the boys recognized as the captain, was having her right ankle bandaged by one of the first years.

'Wow, I wonder what happened…' Katsuo was able to say once he overcame the shock. 'I didn't know the girls trained that hard.'

'Horio-kun!' Yelled a distressed Sakuno as she ran towards the freshmen trio.

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'Those were the worst matches I've ever played: I didn't even have to use my special technique to beat the entire regulars of the Seigaku's Female Tennis club! They seriously suck, don't know how they got on the regular team.' Rizuhashi Yukari said in frustration while twirling her racquet in one hand. 'This school sucks too, smells like crap!'

'Well, Rikkai is a school for the elites. Of course our school is much better both in sports and academically. I don't think that it is fair to compare this school to ours,' Wanisaki Juri reasoned as she caressed her silky wavy long hair. 'I guess that explained the reason why they were eliminated early, no way Rie would want to be in a team that can't even make it past the preliminary round.'

'If she is not there where could she be then?' the bespectacled Kizuna Ran asked timidly while playing with the black strands of hair that had gotten lose from her French braid. 'I couldn't imagine her being here without joining the tennis team.'

This question hung in the air without answer. 'She probably withdrew from the team since it sucks so much. I know that's what I would have done. To tell you the truth, I can't understand how an ex-Rikkai student can stand being in this school. I think she's lost what little reason she had.' Juri replied.

'Ran, are you sure that Rie is here in Seishun Gakuen?' Yukari asked towering over the girl.

'Yea I'm sure, Yukari. I was having a double date with Masaharu-kun and Kazuma-kun last weekend and I saw her pictures there. Apparently, Kazuma's girlfriend is Rie's bestfriend.' Ran answered. 'I'm very sure that it was her in the picture, in Seishun Gakuen's uniform.'

'Well, we will definitely find her if she's here,' Yukari said. 'Didn't you ask Kazuma and his girl about Rie?'

'Well, apparently, Kazuma didn't even know that Rie is here in Seishun and his girlfriend refused to tell us more about Rie.'

'Rie must have threatened her or something, Ran. That was why she didn't dare to tell you,' Juri speculated. 'You know what Rie is capable of, right? She would do anything to make others yield to her.'

'I just hope Rie's okay,' Ran thought out loud.

'You're too nice even after what she did to you, Ran.' Juri replied. 'But, I doubt that she'll be okay after Yukari is done with her.'

'Think the rest of the team will mind us visiting Seigaku without them?' Ran asked, trying to change the direction of the conversation.

'Don't worry, Ran. Yukari's got it all covered.' Juri assured.

'Let me see. Where did that girl say the Seigaku's boys' tennis club was?' Yukari mumbled to herself.

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'SENPAI-TACHI!' Horio shrieked in panic as he saw Seigaku regulars outside the clubhouse followed by Kachiro and Katsuo. 'The-They're c-coming!' He managed to say between pant breaths. The other two were also panting behind him.

The riot caught the attention of the regulars who were ready to head home, except Taka-san and Eiji who had left early for the day.

'Calm down, guys.' Momo told his kouhai. 'Take a deep breath and tell us what's going on.'

The trio took the elder boy's advice.

'What?! The whole regulars female tennis team got beaten by a girl in Rikkai tennis uniform? That's ridiculous,' Momo said in disbelieve after the freshmen trio delivered Sakuno's message.

'Interesting,' Inui commented.

'Is everyone in the female club members alright, Horio-kun?' Oishi asked in concern.

'Except the regulars, everyone else was relatively fine.' Kachiro answered. 'Just a bit shaken probably after seeing their regulars beaten.'

'Ryuuzaki-san told us that the Rikkai regulars have asked permission from their coach to train together with the Seigaku female regulars. Everything was fine at first but the next thing they knew the Rikkai girls were "terrorizing" the place and challenging every regular to play against one of the Rikkai girl,' Katsuo told the regulars.

'And now they are heading this way,' Horio added panickly.

'Wasn't their coach there to stop the Rikkai girls from injuring the girls?' Fuji asked.

All three boys shook their heads.

'Why are you panicking?' Echizen said smugly. 'I am sure I alone can beat those girls if they really come here.'

'You are not beating anyone, Echizen!' Tezuka commanded sternly. He frowned, clearly upset by the news.

'Where are you going, Tezuka?' Oishi asked when he saw the Seigaku captain heading out of clubhouse.

'I want to make sure the girls are alright,' Tezuka answered, feeling obligated to check on the other team that probably needed help.

'I'm coming with you,' Fuji said following Tezuka from behind.

Tezuka nodded and instructed Inui and Kaidoh to stay behind, in case the Rikkai regulars did come to their training ground, before heading to the girls' court with the rest of the regulars.

'Hi, guys!' Asahina ran up to the Seigaku regulars who were just exiting the clubhouse. Her expression changed when she saw the boys' (especially Tezuka's) worry looks. 'Did something happen?'

'Rie, I am sorry. I have to call off our outing this time,' Tezuka apologized. 'Something came up at the female tennis court and I need to make sure everything is okay.'

Asahina nodded, a bit disappointed about the news but decided not to show it: Tezuka looked worried enough without her adding anything. 'I understand, Kunimitsu-kun. Do you need my help? I don't have anything to do anyway,' she offered.

'Well, if that's the case, then you can start by entertaining us, Asahina Rie.' Said a tall redhead girl in Rikkai uniform. Her fiery red eyes piercing through the back of the greenhead girl in front of her.

Yukari? Asahina was shocked to hear the familiar voice in Seishun Gakuen and turned around slowly towards it. To her horror, she saw three of her ex-Rikkai teammates standing in front of her. Her face turned pale and she was rendered speechless.

Tezuka frowned at the scene before him, looking between Asahina and the other girls. How do they know Rie?

'Nice to meet you too, Rie.' Yukari sneered, clearly enjoying Asahina's confound look. 'Long time no see, huh?'

Asahina didn't answer and avoided Yukari's sharp glare. She turned her attention to Ran who was standing behind Juri and nodded to acknowledge the timid girl's presence. Ran was taken aback at first by Asahina's unexpected gesture but gave her a small smile in return anyway.

'Aren't you going to greet your old friends properly, Rie? We traveled this far here just to see you, you know.' Yukari said sarcastically while studying Asahina critically. 'What's happened to you, Rie? Who are you trying to fool with your innocent look?'

'I have to agree, Yukari. In fact, she looks so fragile and weak. It is hard to believe that she used to be one of Rikkai regulars,' Juri said while looking at Asahina in disgust.

Asahina twitched after hearing the two girls' comments. She clenched her fist, trying to hold back her desire to plant her fist on their faces. Calm down. I shouldn't lose my temper easily. She told herself.

'I see,' Juri sneered, amused with Asahina lacked of response. 'You look like a completely different person from what you are used to be back in Rikkai, Rie. You would have lunged us for being rude to you. I am surprised that you chose to hold back instead of fighting back. However, let me tell you, Rie. Your naïve act can't fool us. We know who you really are.'

Asahina still refused to yield to such petty attempt to provoke her and threw a murderous glare at Juri instead. Juri's smug look instantly disappeared from her face when she saw Asahina's fierce glare and looked away.

Well, wasn't as brave as you thought, were you? Asahina snickered at that thought and was satisfied by the girl's lack of retaliation. 'Why are you here?' She demanded venomously at Yukari, ignoring Juri.

'Visiting an old friend, Rie. It's been a long time since we've seen each other. Besides we still have an unfinished business that needs to be settled,' Yukari answered scornfully, unaffected by Asahina's glare.

'As far as I am concern, we have never been friends,' Asahina said through her gritted teeth. 'So cut the crap and get out of here!'

'True. We've been no more than rivals.' Yukari smirked.

'Rival?!' Asahina mocked with a humorless laugh. 'It's good to know that you are so loyal to me but I hate to break it to you but I no longer play tennis,' Asahina said sardonically.

'You think I am going to let you off that easily?' The red-head girl demanded, annoyed by Asahina's cynical statement.

Asahina deemed that question unworthy to be answered. Ignoring her "old friends", she began to walk away from them.

'I swear that you would regret if you ignore me,' Yukari warned. 'You should know what I am capable of.'

Asahina halted when she heard the threat and turned around. She glared at Yukari for a while, contemplating her next move. 'What do you want from me?' she finally said in desperation. 'Why can't you just leave me alone?'

'You need to settle the debt you owe me, Rie. It's payback time so play a match against me.' Yukari demanded and swung her racquet forward, pointing it to Asahina.

'No!' Asahina answered firmly. 'It's been a long time since I've played tennis, you can't expect me to pick up a racquet, which I don't even have right now, and play a fair match against an elite national player like you, Yukari. Besides I am not going to play tennis in my school uniform. That would be ridiculous,' Asahina reasoned, trying to evade the challenge.

'Don't take me for an idiot.' Yukari snapped, finally showing her impatience towards Asahina's refusal. 'We both know that it is impossible for you to forget how to play tennis that easily,' she refuted Asahina's reasoning heatedly. 'I know you well enough to know that you don't need your own racket to play. You'll be fine with any racket you could find. And as for the clothes…' she gestured Ran to hold up a Rikkai Dai regular uniform, 'we brought a 'gift' for you.'

Asahina chuckled and derisively said, 'Look, Yukari, I'm sure that it takes a lot of courage to propose to me like this, but for your information I'm straight, only interested in boys. So, all of you can run along because I don't want to hear your compliments or accept your gifts.' Asahina walked away leaving the bewildered Rikkai regulars.

'Hey! Where do you think you are going?!' Yukari demanded furiously when Asahina ignored her again. How dare she make fun of me! Yukari darted towards Asahina and grabbed her arm to prevent her from escaping. This action surprised both her teammates and the Seigaku boys as well.

'Let me go!' Asahina yelled angrily while trying to escape from the redhead girl's grasp.

'No!' Yukari refused holding her tightly.

Seeing the commotion before him, Tezuka marched towards the girls and separated them by force. 'ENOUGH, BOTH OF YOU!' Tezuka bellowed. 'I will not tolerate such disgraceful behavior here!'

The two girls were taken aback and halted momentarily by Tezuka's sudden action. Asahina stepped back and rub her aching arm. Without warning, Yukari advanced towards Tezuka and slapped his face. Hard.

SLAP!

The sudden attack from Yukari left Tezuka staggering backward and the rest of the regular's mouths gaping.

Asahina watched the scene in slow motion, feeling her anger building up inside her waiting to erupt. She marched angrily passed the stunned Tezuka and slapped Yukari as hard she could. 'Don't you ever be disrespectful to him like that, Yukari. Try that again and I will not be as forgiving as I'm being right now,' She threatened fiercely, her hands convulsed into throbbing fist.

Yukari was taken aback by Asahina sudden protectiveness towards the boy. Caressing her aching cheek, she could feel the girl's anger radiating directly at her. She smiled in victory towards Asahina's sudden aggressiveness. Just like what she was back in Rikkai. 'Then play a match against me.'

Tezuka placed his hand on Asahina's shoulder to stop her from accepting the ridiculous demand. However, Asahina shrugged him off. The only thing in her mind now was Yukari and that smile on her face that looked like as if she had already won the challenge she insisted. Not that her confidence is unfounded, Asahina thought grimly. She is Rikkai female team's current ace after all. Besides it had been a long time since she had played tennis seriously. Well, not counting the previous match against the high school bully because Yukari was of a completely of different level than the boy she played against. Asahina realized that simple trick like One Footed Split Step won't work on Yukari. But she wasn't going to back off. Not after she dared to slap my… I mean, Kunimitsu-kun.

'Are you going to chicken out, Rie?' Yukari dared.

'You wish. I swear that I'm going to clean the court with your sorry ass!' Asahina declared as she grabbed the Rikkai's uniform from her ex-teammate.

'I will not allow you use my court,' Tezuka told them sternly, in his attempt to stop the match.

'No problem. We'll use the female team's court,' Yukari retorted and gestured Asahina to follow her. They both left with the rest of the Rikkai girls, leaving the Seigaku boys standing there, waiting for their captain's next move.

Fuji got impatient with standing around doing nothing, decided to run after the girls who were heading towards the Seigaku female team's court.

'Where do you think you are going, Fuji.' Tezuka demanded as the tensai passed by him.

'I want to watch the match, Tezuka. Besides, Rie might need to borrow a racket.' Fuji simply said, adjusting his tennis bag behind him, before running towards the female team's court. Echizen and Momo looked at each other and nodded in agreement before they followed Fuji's example, heading to the Seigaku's female team's court.

Tezuka watched his teammates; he sighed in defeat and started massaging his temples. A hand on his shoulder made him look up.

'We better make sure it doesn't get out of hand.' The calming voice of the vice captain said. The captain nodded and followed the rest of the team with Oishi in tow.

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Asahina went out of the changing room and walked towards the tennis court. She halted when she saw Ran leaning against the wall, on her own, while twiddling strands of her hair seemingly in deep thought.

Asahina approached her and waved her hand in front her face. 'Ran?'

Ran squeaked, her eyes widening in surprised. Then, she looked at Asahina, cautiously at first but gradually relaxed when she was sure that Asahina would not harm her in any way.

'You never change, you know. Still same old sweet timid Ran,' Asahina gave her a friendly smile. 'I hope your kouhai haven't taken advantage of your kindness.'

'I came to tell you that Yukari is really serious about this match,' Ran murmured, straight to the point.

'Yeah, I kind of figure that out already,' Asahina chuckled. 'She's scary, isn't it?'

Ran stared Asahina warily, unsure of what to make out of Asahina's unexpected behavior. 'This is no laughing matter, Rie. She'll do anything including hurting you as long as she wins this match,' Ran said, a prickle of unease ran up her spine. She wondered if it was the nervousness she used to feel every time Asahina was around. 'She's been training very hard for this day.'

'Thank you for worrying, Ran. I appreciate it,' She assured her ex-double partner.

Ran was about to say more but held her tongue. Being Asahina's double partner in the past, she knew that she could be very stubborn with her decision when she wanted to. However, she also noticed that the girl in front of her didn't look like the girl she knew. Asahina seemed to be a completely different person. She couldn't believe that this was the very same person who treated her like trash and never respect her even when they played doubles together. She wondered if Asahina had finally changed into a better person. The question hung over her head for a while but decided that a person couldn't have changed that much in so little time. 'Just be careful…' Ran simply said as she began to walk away.

…

As usual! Thank you Kailly for beta-ing this chap… Yup, she deserves huge thanks for the awesome help she had given in grammar and writing style. A round of applause for her!! Yey!!

To Unknown player! KuroiYuki04! ecyoj06! Otakugal! Dragon Reverb! Lei14! Milisante! Thanks for the awesome feedbacks, questions and wonderful suggestions… love them all…

Okay, my battery is running low… Keep the reviews coming in!!