Raising The Bar

By: Smash41KMF

Disclaimer: I do not own The Prince of Tennis, but I do own this story and Kathryn!

Chapter Twenty-Five: Dangerous

Hiya guys and peeps, I'm back and I'm feeling great about this story, I love Fuji and I love the thought of how he's so sweet, oh it'd be so great if he were really real, I'd sooooocall dibs!

By the way, thank you to EVERYONE who reviewed, favorited, or alerted my story! I love you guys, and thank you sooooo much!

By the way! Atobe will also be going in and out of being ooc, but he'll be mainly ooc with only Hikaru, and perhaps Sam later on, but with everyone else, he'll be the good old atobewe all know and love! Anyways, Enjoy!

"KARU-CHAAAAAAAAAN!"

I blinked as a very energetic Eiji Kikumaru tackled me the moment I entered the library for our ninth period study hall. He was excited as ever, but this weight left me off-kiltered and I felt the inplant in my back heel strain under the pressure of his weight, and I winced slightly, twisting around and setting my right foot behind me as I twirled Eiji back onto his feet, standing my ground.

"E-Eiji, do you think you could let me go... please?" I asked softly as the boy straightened up, releasing his grip around me shoulders and stepping back to look at me in concern, a small pout carefully etching itself on his innocent features. "I'm sorry, Eiji... I just need some time to myself, I'm sorry..." I said softly

"Oh...okay..." he said quietly, stepping back a little more to allow me to pass. I smiled slightly and began past him when he called after me. I stopped, turning around to see a different Eiji, a serious and more focused Eiji that I had seen before, and in constract to the normally bubbly and playful Eiji I had originally met, it was a major mood swing, but I almost found comfort in it too. "I respect you're desire to keep things to yourself, Hikaru, I really do... but if you ever need someone to talk to... I'll always be here for you, wherever and whenever, my friends always come first, Hikaru, so you should know that you can trust us, okay?" he said evenly, and I smiled with appreciation, before walking back over to him and hugging him.

"Hikaru, what are you-"

"I believe I owed you a hug," I said with a small laugh, before pulling away and holding him at an arms length, "and a thank you..." I said gently, and he smiled in return, before releasing me and watching me walk away. I was heading towards the roof, my private sanctuary no matter where I was, I always loved sitting on roofs to clear my mind.

Sighing, I neared the door, my hand on the doorknob, when felt a larger, unfamiliar hand rest over mine, and I stiffened, glancing over my shoulder to see none other than the dirty-blonde haired and green-eyed baseball vice-captain, Hikoshi Tatsumiko, leaning over my shoulder slightly, undoubtably invading my personal space.

' #!*% ... I hate jocks...'

To say that he had been keeping a close eye on her would be an understatement; although he wouldn't call it 'stalking', rather thorough observations, he really didn't understand what kind of threat this small, beautiful creature seemed to pose to his livid employer. Dark brown hair and matching eyes, thin and well-rounded, but not stalky like other girls; agile, but clumsy every now and then, and an overall quite exemplary student. She seemed as close to perfect as one could get, while still remaining so unperfect at the same time. She was bold but timid, confident but doubtful, passionate but indifferent, gentle but harsh, caring and generous, but spiteful and ruthless as well. However, no matter her exterior, she always seemed to be carrying a burden on her shoulders, although she didn't show it; yet, her eyes yeilded nothing of the inner struggle to the world.

All-in-all, she was beyond a fascinating subject to watch, however, he still didn't understand the threat she posed, if anything, he would have expected this to be the type of girl his employer was looking for, but apparently not. As it was, he was hired to keep an eye on her, to find anything that could be used to bring her shame and have her back out of his employer's business, but he had yet to find anything. It had been a few days since he was hired for the job, and although it wasn't necessarily his style, he didn't mind the job as much, considering he was being paid double and his subject was quite the catch.

He really hadn't learned anything but basic information about her, but- wait, now what's this?

It was ninth period study hall in the library, and after a suspiscious tackle-hug and reassuring smile, she was heading towards the door that led to the roof, just like she normally did, but today she was stopped by the baseball team's vice-captain, Hikoshi Tatsumiko.

Leaning forward, he watched in silence as the scene before him unfolded, maybe this wasn't such a useless job after all.

"Can I help you?" I hissed slightly, turning myself around, hand still under his on the doorknob, as I came to stand a few inches from him, looking up at him with the slightest of irritation.

"Well, I couldn't help but notice you wandering off to be alone again, and I was wondering if you wanted some company?" he purred, his breath wreaking of foul eel and I resisted the urge to gag.

"Um, no thank you, I just want some time to myself is all." I replied politely, trying to act as innocent as possible, stepping back and looking down at my feet as I tried to complete the act of the shy cousin to the tennis team's awesome captain. "But your is very kind, Tatsumiko-san."

"Aww, come on, Hikaru-san, I don't want you to be lonely, let me accompany you, pleeeease?" he was trying to be cute and I bit back a growl as I smiled politely, shaking my slightly.

"No, no, it's quite alright. It's not that I'm lonely, I just want some peace and quiet, I haven't gotten much since I arrived, I'm sorry." I said softly, and his troublesome grin soften slightly.

"Oh, alright. Well, then I was wondering if you would like to join me at the festival this friday?" he tried again, and I sighed, shaking my head again gently.

"I'm sorry, Tatsumiko-san, but I really wouldn't feel comfortable, because I don't know you very well, I'm sorry." I said, and his other hand slammed into the door beside my head, pushing me back against it as he held my gaze harshly.

"Well then, we'll just have become a little bit more familiar, now won't we?" he growled, leaning down as his face grew closer to mine, and I gently put a hand on his chest, holding him back as he pinned me to the door. My body was shaking slightly, but not out of fear, out of irritation and annoyance. He smirked, "Aw, come now, Hikaru-chan, there's no need to be scared, I won't hurt you..." he whispered, and I growled, pushing him back slightly. "so what do you say? How about we get more comfortable?"

"I don't think Mitsu would approve..." I mumbled, and he sighed.

"He'll understand once he hear's it's me." he replied with a false reassurance.

'Sleezy playboy...' I hissed inwardly as I tried to push him back, but he kept leaning down more, until I laughed him. He looked at me with curiosity and offense.

"What's so funny?" he hissed, and I smirked dryly.

"The fact that you're oblivious to how gulible you are." I hissed, taking hold of his collar, and tugging him down, placing my mouth beside his ear as I whispered, " And the fact that you insinuate that you could prey on such a shy and innocent girl makes me sick. Don't play this game with me, Hikoshi-san. I'm not who you think I am." I hissed, finding satisfaction in his audible swallow, before raising my knee in between us and kicking out, sending him to the ground as I released him. "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to play with fire? Because with me you'll become a pile of ash within the first five seconds."

His expression was panicked, and I smirked, strutting over to him and stopping to stand beside him, before leaning over him, my hair falling in my face slightly, as I smirked, giving the final blow to his humilation. "Besides, it's not as if I'm seeing anyone, right?" I added, and his eyes grew as I walked away, seeing that the majority of my free period was just wasted by his inconveinent appearance.

I sighed, running a hand through my shortened hair as I passed by Ren Kyusuke, he raised an eyebrow as I passed, before glancing back in the direction of the stumbling Hikoshi still by the roof door and then back at me, trying to put the pieces together. I smirked, he was obviously baffled, and to me, it was most likely best to keep it that way... for his sake.

Ren let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. He suddenly understood what had his employer so bothered about this particular teenage girl. She was dangerous. He glanced over at the fuming Hikoshi Tatsumiko, known for rarely letting anything ruffle his feathers on the pitching mound, as he warily avoided his subject of interest. He wasn't quite sure what she had done to the boy, but it certainly hit him where it hurt. His eyes found their way back to his subject, now stroding past him to the table where her classmates were studying. It was barely for more than half a second, but her eyes fell on him briefly: analyzing, observing, and piercing. Those eyes, a dark expresso brown and unsubjected to any of the intimidating vivid colors of others', were deadly and his breath caught in his chest as her gaze left him and a sly smirk graced her lips as she approached the table sat down beside Eiji Kikumaru a few minutes before the bell rang and everyone left for their tenth period and final class of the day.

Everyone except for him and the bumbling Tatsumiko, who staggered over to Ren and grabbed him by the collar in straying fury.

" #!*% it, man... did you think it was funny or somethin', to set me up like that? You said she was harmless, a darling, innocent angel! You're a lying bas-" Ren growled, cutting off the furious senior and pushing him away as he fixed his collar.

"I was under orders, and my observation protrayed to nothing of this event happening, what did she say to you anyways?" he asked, and Hikoshi swallowed nervously.

"She said, 'Don't play this game with me, Hikoshi-san. I'm not who you think I am.' " he said with a small hiss, while Ren only smirked as the helpless boy continued, "and 'Didn't your mother ever teach you not to play with fire? Because with me you'll become a pile of ash within the first five seconds.'" Tatsumiko sighed and Ren simply snickered, patting the boy's shoulder mock-sympathetically.

"Than I guess you've learned to stop playing with fire, huh?" he asked, and the senior glared at him.

" #!*% off." he growled, stalking away to his tenth period class, while Ren remained in the library, looking over his notes and writing this new piece of information down.

"You're an interesting one, Kathryn Hikaru..." he said softly, looking over the half-finished profile. "I can't wait to get to know you better."

"Hey you! Get to class!" Ren looked up to see one of the advisors glaring at him, and he glanced down at the profile once more.

"Until then... Hikaru..."

"NOW!"

Hey, I know it's been a while, I've been crazy busy, but anyways, this story is heating up again, will Ren find out the truth? and what'll happen between Keigo and Hikaru when he tells her that he's getting engaged? Find out!

By the way...

Keigo is winning with six votes to fuji's five!