Author's Note

I've been getting a lot busier with work lately, and haven't found as much time for my stories... It's not so much sitting down and typing that's the issue, I just don't have time to dedicate my attention to furthering the plot. But I'll get through, somehow...! Thank you so much to everyone who sent in reviews, it really helps me going. This next chapter might seem like a bit of a waste of time... But bear with me! It'll make sense later :D

Puppiesssss: I love replying to reviews. It gives me a chance to know my readers, haha. I'm not much on writing lovey-dovey or naughty things, as I think I've mentioned before, but I'll try to throw some in perhaps? Maybe in the near future. Thanks again for reviewing every time, it makes me really happy to receive word from you!

Milana16: I can only ever see Atobe in a humourous light, so I know what you mean. (Sorry to all Atobe friends out there, but he's such a peacock sometimes.) And if that's true, then I am going to go crazy waiting for this new book! As if my time wasn't jeopardized enough! Ahaha, thanks again for reviewing, friend! I really want to get a Golden Pair side story up soon... Just a heads-up ;)

Elyonne: Welcome to the Bells trilogy! I'm glad you're enjoying the second arc so far. Have you read the first? It might be less confusing to do so before continuing with this one. Glad to have you on board though, and thank you for your review! Hope to hear from you again soon.

miyaka0008: Gotta throw some humour in the midst of all the drama, you know? It can't all be serious stuff, I do not have the brainpower to keep that up :P I'm really glad you love the story, and extremely flattered with the praise about my writing style. Inui doesn't appear in this chapter, unfortunately, but he and Fuji will have their own schemes going on some time soon. Never underestimate Inui's data...! (He's scary.)

Thank you all again for the support, and I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

(Prince of Tennis does not belong to me, reads and reviews greatly appreciated.)

Chapter 25

The morning came after an uninterrupted night. The morning sunlight peeked through large windows, dancing upon the closed eyes of those who slept within. Throughout the castle, workers bustled about, ensuring that preparations were complete for their king and his guests. Maids dusted and cleaned the large halls and chambers, while butlers moved furniture about. In the stables and barns, farmhands brought food for the animals, collecting ingredients for today's meals as they did. In the kitchen, chefs sweated over hot fires, creating masterpieces that would suit the tongue of their king, for he would accept nothing but the best.

A crash sounded from the kitchens as a new apprentice mishandled a platter, causing the head chef to reprimand him soundly. In a chamber, floors above, Ryoma stirred. He groaned, turning to get closer to the warmth that enveloped him. "Five more minutes, Syuu…" he mumbled. He breathed in and sighed happily, content to rest in the arms of his lover.

Just then, the smell of lavender registered in his mind, and Ryoma awoke with a start. He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he blinked slowly. He turned his head to glance at the pillow beside his own, where a familiar blue-haired male was also awakening. "Ah… Good morning, Ryoma."

Ryoma frowned, turning to glance at the other bed in the room. The sheets were still neatly arranged, the blanket ironed and pressed over them. Not a single pillow was out of place. He turned back to Yukimura, scowling, as his sleepy brain came to its own conclusion. "If you didn't like the canopy either, I could have ripped it down for you."

The Child of God chuckled at the sleepy boy's conclusion, and wrapped his arms around the young prince again, drawing him against his chest. "What if it was just too cold and lonely in that bed, all by myself?"

"Then ask the Monkey king to get you a teddy bear or something," the prince grumbled, pulling the covers off of his body and swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. He grabbed a silk robe from the closet, supplied by the Kingdom of Hyoutei, and swept it over his bare shoulders. He yawned, stretching his arms above his head, before sleepily trudging into the bathroom to wash up for breakfast. Yukimura chuckled, before climbing out of bed himself and following.

"Hmph, about time you joined us, brat!" Atobe sat at the head of the large table, sipping tea from a porcelain cup.

Sitting to the king's left, Tezuka snorted. "He's been eagerly awaiting you since the break of dawn," the usually silent captain informed.

Yukimura raised an amused eyebrow, looking to Sanada, who sat on Tezuka's other side, for confirmation. The Emperor cleared his throat before he spoke. "Atobe was up at sunrise to ensure that nothing but the best was prepared for his esteemed guests." Sanada flicked his eyes towards Ryoma, who was busy being ushered to the seat on Atobe's right.

The king flipped the hair off of his face and fixed the boy with a proud smirk. "No doubt you slept well, brat. Everything here is the best of the best, suitable for tastes as fine as mine," he proclaimed, before beckoning a maid over. "What will you have to drink? We have the finest teas and coffees, imported from as far as you can imagine."

Ryoma frowned as he took his seat. "Do you have any grape juice?"

"Grape Ju- Are you out of your mind? We have all sorts of fancy brews to serve our guests here, and you want a child's drink?!" Atobe stammered. On the other side of the table, Tezuka spat into his coffee, failing to mask his laughter. The captain coughed a few times as the King shot him a dirty glare.

The prince set his jaw stubbornly against the king. "What's wrong with juice?" he challenged. He looked at the maid by his side. "Since the Monkey King doesn't seem to understand the words I'm saying, I'll ask you instead. May I have some grape juice?"

The maid's amusement was difficult for her to hide, and she excused herself quickly, saying that she would bring Ryoma his juice immediately. She could barely contain her giggles as she left the dining all, and Atobe's face turned bright red. "Brat," he muttered, before turning to beckon to his head butler. "Sakaki! Bring us breakfast at once."

The blond gentleman nodded respectfully, his expression serious as he left the room, heading to the kitchens to talk to his staff. Yukimura took a seat next to Sanada as Shiraishi and Kintarou joined the group. "Morning, everyone!" Kintarou called, waving wildly to the table. Shiraishi promptly bopped him in the head, reminding him of his manners.

Yukimura chuckled as Kintarou plopped down in the chair next to Ryoma. "How are you feeling this morning, Kintarou?"

The wild boy grinned. "Feeling famished, mister Child of God!" he exclaimed. "I'm so hungry, I could eat Noor for breakfast!"

"You'd better not say that in front of him, Kin-chan," Shiraishi warned, taking the final seat beside Yukimura. "He's a pretty smart horse. No doubt he'd understand you."

Kintarou began to panic about no longer being allowed to ride the horse, clinging onto Ryoma and crying to him about his worries. "Koshimae, let me ride Royal with you!" he whined.

Ryoma scoffed, trying to pry Kintarou's hands off of his arm. "If Royal will allow you to ride him, then sure."

"Really?" Kintarou said, his eyes wide. "Awesome! Shiraishi, I want to go ride Royal right now!"

Tezuka cleared his throat. "That horse does not allow anyone to ride him other than the prince," he reminded the redhead.

"Ahn? Tezuka, it sounds like you speak from experience," Atobe accused, looking to gain revenge from the captain, but before he could press the other any further, Sakaki re-entered the dining hall, followed by seven tray-bearing maids.

"Breakfast is served," he announced curtly, and the maids placed the covered platters on the table in front of the diners. In unison, they lifted the cover off to reveal their meal. The maid assigned to Ryoma also placed a goblet of grape juice before him with a slight smile. "Please enjoy."

"Ehh…?" Kintarou stared at the food on the plate, poking it with his fork. "What is this?"

Everyone turned to Atobe, awaiting an explanation. The king put his hand to his face, and smirked. "It seems that you plebians have yet to experience such fine dining," he mocked. "On your plate before you is a luxurious breakfast from a faraway land. It's no wonder you have not heard of it. You have chicken eggs, fried in a manner they call 'sunny-side up', and you have slices of delicious pork belly called bacon, fried to perfection. There are also tomatoes, halved and sliced, as well as a strange thing they call 'toast.'"

Ryoma speared what looked like a flat brown square with his fork and lifted it to his mouth. Carefully, he bit into it with a crunch. Crumbs dropped everywhere, and Ryoma dropped the revolting food item back onto his plate. He chewed and swallowed before gagging, disgusted. "It's all dry, and it tastes like cardboard!" he spat, standing up to brush all of the crumbs off of his robe and lap. "How could this be considered fine dining?"

Beside him, Kintarou had picked up a burnt red strip, and was chewing on it. "This is really salty!" he cried. "It tastes like it came from the foot of a rickshaw driver, and then was dried for ages in the desert!"

Across the table from them, Yukimura was carefully sampling something white, shiny, and rubbery. "Are these… eggs?" he wondered, watching the thing as it wobbled on his spoon. He gingerly bit into a corner of it. "They're awfully oily, aren't they? Such a strange texture, without any taste…"

Atobe's frustration was obvious on his face, even as he tried to eat his breakfast daintily. "Perhaps this is just too sophisticated for your tongues…"

Ryoma frowned, turning to Tezuka. "Buchou… Do we really have to eat this?"

Tezuka glanced at his plate. The meal did not seem too appetizing, but breakfast was the most important meal of the day. Without it, the group would not be able to recover fully from yesterday's attack. He cautiously picked up a slice of tomato with his fork and bit into it. Chewing contemplatively, he realized that the vegetable, at least, tasted fine. He swallowed and nodded to Ryoma. "Yes, my prince. It's important for us to regroup as soon as possible so that we may resume our journey."

The prince grumbled, picking up his grape juice and taking a sip. Sanada smiled at the boy's adorably grumpy behavior. "We will be staying here for a day, to restock on supplies and recover," he informed Ryoma. "We were discussing this before you joined us."

There was little discussion as the group tried their best to eat the meal. The silence was interrupted by a meow from under the table. Feeling a furry paw on his knee, Ryoma glanced down and saw the black, fluffy head of Mada, The dog's eyes were large and watery, focused on Ryoma's. He licked his lips. "Ah… You're hungry, Mada?"

The little dog barked, stamping his paws on the ground excitedly. Ryoma glanced at Atobe, then seemed to think better of it and called for the maid instead. "Can you find something for my animals to eat?" At the sound of his voice, Karupin bound into the room, followed by Raishu with Suzu lying on his back. The three had been in the garden, enjoying the warm morning sun. All three animals turned to gaze at the maid expectedly. "I would ask the Monkey King, but he would probably poison them."

Atobe coughed as the maid nodded, and turned towards the kitchen. The spirits scampered after her, Raishu chittering in glee. "Ore-sama definitely would not poison the spirits!" the King insisted. "Ore-sama is more than capable of doing such plebian tasks."

"Hn." Ryoma hummed, pausing to take another sip of his grape juice. "Well, Monkey King is a monkey, after all. He probably would know what animals can eat."

The king turned red once again, and everyone at the table laughed. Finishing up with breakfast, they split into two different groups. Tezuka opted to stay and relax at the castle, while Atobe addressed court issues that had been on hold since his leave. Kintarou wanted to explore the kingdom's offered entertainment, such as the parks, theatre, and restaurants, so he and Shiraishi headed to the town centre. Sanada proposed to the others remaining that they gather supplies before taking off for their journey in the morning, an idea which Yukimura and Ryoma agreed to, and so, after dressing appropriately for an outing, they left for the market.

The market square was lively, with vendors calling out their wares. Yukimura had noted that Ryoma had not eaten much at breakfast, and bought the boy something that a vendor had called a hamburger. It was a patty of meat between two buns, accompanied with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and other ingredients. Ryoma had thanked Yukimura politely, sniffed it cautiously and, when his stomach rumbled at the delightful aroma, eaten it with much gusto.

"This is a lot better than the cardboard that Atobe served this morning!" he laughed care-freely, his spirits raised by the delicious treat. He was dressed in a royal blue tunic, a golden sash around his waist, and loose black trousers, tucked into his riding boots. The little prince skipped down the cobblestone path, with Yukimura on his left and Sanada on his right. The two from Rikkai smiled at the boy's childish innocence.

"You should laugh like that more often, boya," the Child of God smiled, linking his arm through Ryoma's so that the prince did not leave them behind to get lost. The frail boy's short purple robe fluttered after him, but he moved easily in sleek dark brown pants. He had given up his leather boots for more comfortable flat shoes. "It makes you look more your age."

Ryoma pouted. "I'm not that much younger than you, Yukimura." The blue-haired boy only laughed gently before glancing at his emperor.

"So what do we need to purchase, Sanada?"

The stern man reached into the pocket of his dark blue, knee-length pants and pulled out a list he had made after breakfast. He wore a tight black sleeveless shirt with a red vest, a brown leather belt hanging at his hip. "We should make sure that we have plenty of dried fruit and salted meat, as we don't know how long it will be before we reach another town," he read. "Water would be good as well. Kintarou needs a new cloak, and I need to sharpen my sword."

The three foreigner's clothes had been supplied by Atobe, and they had been dressed by his maids. The luxurious fabrics made the three stand out in the crowd, which was why Sanada and Yukimura had positioned themselves at either side of the smaller boy. Most of the townspeople were scared of the fierce Emperor to approach their little trio, and those that were brave enough to look past Sanada were immediately frightened away by Yukimura's unnerving smile and sharp words.

Just then, one vendor's cry reached their ears. "Preserved goods!" the man called. "Dried plums, cured meat, salted tuna! All for the best prices in the kingdom!"

"Ah… Karupin loves salted tuna," Ryoma mentioned.

Yukimura's eyes gleamed. "Looks like that will be our first stop then!" He grasped Ryoma's hand, pressing forward. "Let's go!"

Ryoma paused, looking at Sanada and holding out his free hand. The Emperor seemed to freeze, flicking his eyes between the prince's face and the proffered hand in confusion. "What?" Stubborn golden eyes stared back. "You heard Yukimura, let's go."

Eyes wide, Sanada hesitantly took the prince's hand, his larger fingers wrapping around the smaller ones. "Aa…" he nodded, shyly. Ryoma grinned, and turned to follow in the direction of Yukimura's insistent tugs. He took a couple of faltering steps, not believing what was happening, before Sanada gave a small smile, and eagerly followed after the two.

The sun had already set by the time the trio returned to the mansion. The simple supply run had somehow turned into an excursion for fun, as Yukimura shopped for clothes and toys for his two companions. Ryoma had followed Yukimura obediently, taking in the sights of the new kingdom and staring curiously at everything new and strange. Sanada had simply followed, carefully capturing each precious moment in his mind.

Two furry bundles collided with Ryoma as soon as the prince stepped through the door. "Wahh!" he shouted, toppling over as Mada eagerly licked his face in greeting. Karupin rolled over, settling herself on his chest. Ryoma laughed. "Mada, stop that! Karu, get off of me, you're heavy."

The little dog leapt off while Karupin relocated to his lap, and the prince sat up, fondly petting the two creatures. A trilling chirp had made him glance up to see Raishu and Suzu watching nervously from a fair distance. The otter shuffled its paws nervously, tilting its head.

"You can come over, too, you know…" Ryoma called. With his words, the otter chirped excitedly and sprinted to where the Guardian sat with the other two spirits. He dove into the boy's lap, scrambling up onto his arms and shoulders. Ryoma laughed, before turning to Suzu, who seemed to raise her nose in the air as she calmly made her way over. She coiled her scaly body next to the small huddle, prim and proper.

'Such is not the way a spirit should be behaving,' the snake hissed in a dignified manner. The other three creatures exchanged a glance before Mada bounded towards Suzu and gave her a giant, sloppy lick.

'Stop being so stiff and just have fun!' the dog barked. Raishu quickly joined in on the teasing of his sister, pouncing on the poor serpent and rolling around with it. The snake hissed in protest, but Mada bat her scaly head down with one paw. Only Karupin remained on Ryoma's lap, enjoying some rare uncompromised attention. She nuzzled her head into his chest, prompting him to absentmindedly stroke her neck. The boy let out a loving scoff, watching the spirits play. It had been centuries, possibly millennia, since they had last seen each other, and their reunion was joyous.

Yukimura and Sanada entered the hall after Ryoma, and stopped to watch the pile of creatures as they frolicked. Yukimura smiled softly. Having grown up as the next Keeper, he had been carefully taught about the legend of the spirits and the role of the Guardian, but never had he imagined that these powerful beings could be so carefree. He watched as the prince reached out to pick up Suzu, who coiled instinctively around his arm.

"That's no way to treat your sister, you two," Ryoma chided gently. He stood, Karupin scrambling to his shoulders, as Atobe, Tezuka, and Shiraishi joined them in the foyer.

"I thought my magnificent ears heard a commotion," Atobe announced grandly, spreading his arms wide to present himself. He was dressed in a pristine white suit, a flash purple robe draped over it. The three returning travelers gaped at the flamboyant ensemble, while Shiraishi and Tezuka rubbed at their temples. "Ahn? It's only amazed that you plebians are amazed by Ore-sama's fashion. This is merely what a king such as Ore-sama wears while lounging in comfort!"

Sanada raised a brow and glanced at Tezuka, who seemed to think most like him. The captain shook his head, but it was Shiraishi who provided the answer he sought. "He's lying," the silver-haired lord informed them. "He was standing in his wardrobe for hours, trying to choose what to wear to dinner. I think he wants to impress … us."

All eyes turned to Ryoma, who was still trying to hold Suzu away from the claws of Mada and Raishu. Feeling their gazes on his back, the prince turned. "… What? Did I miss something?"

Atobe visibly paled. Recovering quickly amidst everyone's snickers, he coughed into his hand. "Come, peasants. Ore-sama has prepared a marvelous feast for us to enjoy before we retire for the night."

Ryoma snorted. "If it's anything like the breakfast you served us this morning, I think I would rather starve."

The King of Hyoutei turned a violent shade of purple and was about to retort as eloquently as one would expect of a flustered "ore-sama", but Tezuka stepped in before he could. "With all due respect, my prince, you need to eat." Tezuka gave Ryoma a respectful nod, but his words were spoken as a command. "We aim to resume our travels tomorrow morning, and you will need to keep up your strength."

The little prince frowned. "Che," he muttered, but he walked past Atobe and towards the dining hall. Mada and Raishu bounded after him, eager to be fed. "Let's go eat then. Tomorrow, we set off once again."

Small body flopping down onto the soft bed behind him, Ryoma sighed contentedly. To his pleasant surprise, Atobe had been able to put together a delicious and extravagant spread of food, which featured slow-roasted pheasant, carefully broiled vegetables, a fresh tangy salad, a delicate broth, and warm, spiced buns. The band of travelers had eaten their fill and spent the rest of the night talking and sharing stories in one of Atobe's many private sitting rooms until late. Kintarou had already dozed off, slumped over the armrest of the sofa he had been sitting in, and Ryoma could barely keep his head upright. They bid each other goodnight, retiring in pairs to their shared rooms, with the exception of Atobe.

Ryoma had showered and dressed for bed quickly. He lay now on his back with his eyes closed, listening was the water ran from Yukimura's shower in the bathroom. His thoughts turned to their quest, and to the strange scene he had witnessed during their last fight. Ryoga's personality had changed in an instant, with no indication of anything happening except for the elder brother's screams of pain. Ryoma frowned. Upon first meeting Ryoga, he had thought his brother to be evil and heartless, but then his brother had appeared beside him at the lake before Suzu attacked. They had shared a moment of calm and brotherly affection, yet they were pitted against each other for reasons unclear.

'He went from one personality to the next without any warning…' the prince reflected. 'It's almost like there are two of him, or his body is split between two beings.' He recalled the vision that Illuse had shown him just a few nights ago. Some unseen force had been tormenting his brother, forcing his hand and controlling him through pain. 'Syuusuke,' Ryoma thought suddenly, recalling how the seer had rushed to his brother's side when his shouts of pain had begun. 'Syuusuke knows what's going on. I need to talk to him.'

But before he could begin to formulate a plan of how to contact the brunet, a pillow fell upon his face harmlessly. "Wh-what?!" Ryoma sputtered, tearing the offending object from his head. He quickly found his attacker and glared at him grumpily. "What was that for?"

"Ara, so you're awake after all." Yukimura gave Ryoma a Cheshire grin, hands clasped behind his back. Peering around the other's body, Ryoma saw that Yukimura held another pillow, ready to strike once again. "You were lying so still, the opportunity to sneak up on you was just too tempting. What were you thinking about, boya?"

Ryoma pouted, swinging the pillow back at the Keeper. Yukimura's playful ways and mischievous smiles reminded him very much of Fuji's, and he had to remind himself of the differences. Feeling a twinge in his chest, he pointed to the still-made bed across from his own. "You sleep in your own bed tonight, okay?" he demanded, not bothering to answer Yukimura's question.

The blue-haired boy chuckled, grabbing his pillows and traipsing to the other side of the room. He lifted the covers and slid in, fixing his pillows and sheets around himself. "Hai, hai, princess," he teased, before reaching over to turn off the lamp on their bedside table. "We have a long day ahead of us. Rest well, boya."

Yukimura listened for a response, but got none. Peering over, he glanced at the figure of his roommate, who was softly snoring. Ryoma had already dozed off. Smiling softly, stood and crossed to the prince's bedside once again. He knelt down and pressed his lips gently against Ryoma's head. "Goodnight, prince," he whispered, before returning to his bed. He tucked himself under the sheets and rolled over, settling in for the night. It wasn't long until he was also asleep.