A/N: I'm leaning towards pretending U-17 Camp never happened in this fic, aside from perhaps some important exceptions. Why? Because…would you guys like to see me try to invent crazier skills than the ones in New PoT? The truth is…I can't do it…!

DeadlyVampire: Hahaha! You know, I didn't even realize until you mentioned that, with the draping, they're sitting in a very similar fashion.

Hitsugaya-tomome: I'm glad to hear you've enjoyed the story thus far! No need to worry, you'll see that this story is ultimately Hyoutei-centric; I'll just have a roundabout way of approaching plot and character development. I've decided to dedicate this story to the Hyoutei boys, after all.

General

"One set match. Rikkaidai's Sanada to serve."

The stands over at Hyoutei's side were riddled with tension and suspense. Being the regulars of the team, the place with the best view at the front was reserved for them.

Oshitari suavely remarked, his attention on the two figures taking positions out on the court, "And thus commences the match between two monsters."

"Wakashi-kun." He and Mukahi turned to see a worried Otori, who was hesitantly trying to dissuade Hiyoshi from coming up to the rails. "Is it alright for you to be standing...?"

The stubborn lad… Though his knees were in danger of buckling under the strain, he didn't want it to stop him from observing this match closely, huh?

Not that they could fault him for it. A match like this took place only once a blue moon.

Between the 'King' of Hyoutei and Rikkaidai's 'Emperor', they were all curious to learn whose level of improvement had overtaken the other.

Rikkaidai's Sanada regarded Atobe for an assessing moment, before tossing up his serve—

"Swift, like the wind."

Within the frame of a second, the serve had already rebounded to the corner of the court, where Atobe was set to receive it. Fast.

Sanada, at the net.

"Still, as the forest."

Shizuka had never seen a drop volley like that. Not only did it arch close to the net, it seemed to have nearly no spin and no bounce on it. As expected, Atobe could only force it back over the net with a heavy underspin.

It was the perfect setup for his opponent's smash. "Invade, like fire."

However, today, as usual, Atobe was in top form. As though having foreseen where that shot was going, he caught control of it with his racquet, driving it back to his opponent's court with centripetal force.

"Game, Atobe, one game to none"

"Just like watching a confrontation between two old rivals," Yagyuu Hiroshi commented, adjusting his glasses. "The two are sounding each other out."

"Game, Sanada, one game all"

"Heeh~ It's coming up," Niou Masaharu noted drawlingly, propping an elbow up on the rail. Sanada had just hit a lob in reply to one of Atobe's powerful groundstrokes. How will Atobe respond to that? It couldn't be…?

The Hyoutei captain was airborne the moment the lob crossed the net, his eyes on the grip Sanada had on his racquet.

Ho…? Was Atobe really intending to take the bait?

"Fool!" Sanada barked in disapproval, simultaneous to the telltale smirk that appeared on Atobe's lips.

The smash that came down impacted not on Sanada's wrist—or at where his wrist would have been—

—It glanced the top of the net, and darted into the court a few paces before a surprised Sanada, who reacted quickly nonetheless.

He knew the mistake he made the moment the ball landed on his racquet's face.

The grip and stance he used for retrieving low shots at the net were especially vulnerable—

—and the next instant saw his racquet being ripped away from his grip.

Atobe, in position for another smash—this time, to the undefended corner of the court.

Three-part Rondo.

"Game, Atobe, two games to one"

"Ahn?" Atobe Keigo drew an arrogant hand through his hair. "For how long did you think I would allow you to keep sealing off my techniques?"

"Atobe! Atobe! Atobe! Atobe!"

"Humph." Atobe answered the cheers with a haughty point up to the sky. "Ore-sama's brilliance," he declared, smirking, "Evolves brighter with each passing day!"

"Atobe-sama!" came the adoring cries of his female fans.

Sanada went to pick up his racquet. "Atobe." He looked back at the Hyoutei captain. "There are still shots you cannot touch, even if you see them coming."

"Ho…?" Atobe responded to the challenge with a cool, knowing smirk.

"Show me."

Over at the Hyoutei stands, Oshitari was hit with the sudden realization. "So that's it. That Atobe. He's chosen to play defensive, after all, na?"

"What is it, Yuushi?" Mukahi asked.

"Rikkaidai's Sanada Genichirou," Oshitari smoothly remarked, "Frankly put, that guy has perfect form. Furthermore, when he activates 'Shadow', he is fully capable of negating our captain's 'World of Ice' with its random fluctuations." The blue haired regular then asked cryptically, "What do you think our captain will do against a player who has no weakness?"

"Hmph." Hiyoshi seemed to have understood.

Fourth game, Atobe's shot glanced the net with the intention of executing another three-part Rando. This time, Sanada was instantly before the ball's path.

"Strike-" with the inhuman speed of his quick draw "-like lightning."

His return shot past his opponent at the net, dropping away from the wall moments later, a dead ball. It was a technique that, even if one could recognize the grip and stance it utilized, the shot itself was nearly impossible to intercept.

"Game, Sanada, two games all"

Without faltering, Rikkaidai's Sanada claimed the next game with flawless execution.

"Game, Sanada, three games to two"

"I see," Atobe remarked with nonchalance, straightening from his stance. "It seems I really can't follow its path, after all." The Hyoutei captain placed his fingers to his eye regions, temporarily shutting his eyes.

"Emperor! Emperor! Emperor! Emperor!" Needless to say, the members of the Rikkaidai tennis club were pleased to see their vice-captain's dominance over the court.

"Atobe. Unless you want to be crushed here and now," Sanada Genichirou forewarned, "Fight me with all your power."

The demand only drew forth a smirk from the captain of Hyoutei, as he reopened his deep, unfathomable blue eyes. "Ma. Sorry to inform you," Atobe drawled, utterly unremorseful, "a headlong gamble is not suitable for a person with my refined taste."

So, he won't bring out his most formidable weapons. Sanada made for court change. "Very well." He told him pragmatically, "Then sink along with that useless vanity of yours."

...

"Atobe…" Shizuka said as the tall and dark haired captain of Hyoutei passed. He slowed his steps, deep blue eyes slanting an appraising look down at her.

"For goodness' sake," Atobe said with the faint tug on his lips, as though thinking she were truly hopeless. "In your eyes, his shots are also unreturnable, ahn?"

…Well…

That aura of self-assurance he carried hadn't dimmed the slightest. Atobe placed two fingers up to his cheek, right beside the 'beauty mark' beneath his eye. "Ma. Watch carefully, then."

Atobe's service game. He again had his fingers up to his eye regions, this time, with his eyes closed meditatively.

"One must wonder what the Hyoutei captain is planning," Yagyuu mentioned. Surely, Atobe didn't believe that his 'World of Ice' could put a halt to Sanada's 'Lightning'. At this rate, the match was as good as decided.

Atobe tossed up his serve.

The speed of his serve was no match for the power incorporated into Sanada's footwork. Another of the Rikkaidai vice-captain's high speed and high intensity returns shot back over the net—

—and shocked them all to see Atobe land a clean hit right after it bounced with a super rising, striking it back to Sanada's court; who reacted in time owing to his trained reflexes. "Atobe-…You-!"

"What the-!?" Kirihara shoved himself to the front of his teammates. "What just happened!?"

A repetition occurred immediately after. This time, the ones who were quick at discerning saw it clearly.

"I see," Yanagi commented. "That's how he intends to handle the power that can break through the gut strings."

"My, my," Niou concurred with that analysis. "How reckless."

"What?" Kirihara demanded to know. "What?" He was desperate to know how another guy besides Yukimura could return that technique of Sanada's, whereas Kirihara himself could not.

"Energy transferal," Yanagi explained. "Atobe is allowing most of the kinetic energy to transfer into his racquet's beam by receiving the ball on the dead spot. However, though he is partially mediating it by carrying forward with his arm and body, the strain on his arm should be considerable." Because the vibrations created by receiving with the dead spot is the worst, as physics cause the racquet to rotate clear of the ball.

"It's still too early for you to pull that off, kiddo," Niou remarked to his underclassman.

There was one thing puzzling to Yanagi, however. "The likelihood that Atobe needs to know where 'Lightning' will land with pinpoint accuracy, in order for this counter to work…99.9%"

It's not predictions based off data, 'Lightning' was far too erratic to be countered by data tennis. "Foresight…?" Yanagi pondered aloud, though, 'Pinnacle of Great Wisdom' had been previously defeated by Sanada's 'Shadow'.

"Nope~ Not foresight," Niou proclaimed. "Look," pointing two fingers with a careless flick of his wrist, "Guy's not even paying close heed to his opponent's mannerisms."

That was true. Something about the expression in Atobe's eyes had changed, noticeably different from before. But what? Exactly what was he doing?

"Yare, yare." Oshitari was greatly amused by the sight before him. "Those guys look positively astounded. Now this is a sight you'll rarely chance upon."

The blue haired regular chuckled, commenting smoothly, "Suppose not in a million years would they have thought Atobe would turn 'World of Ice' onto himself."

"Ehhhh!?"

"Th-That's what he's doing!?" Mukahi asked incredulously.

"Hmm." Oshitari surmised that this must be the first time the others were made aware of this. Before this, Atobe had only needed to resort to such lengths while playing him.

"Could say it's the technique he further developed, to counter my ability to render his insight ineffective," Oshitari summarized. "A skilled and experienced player, regardless how unpredictable he tries to be, will still make a rational choice. By reversing 'World of Ice' onto himself, Atobe creates his version of absolute defense that maps his own weaknesses, and narrows down the potential targets." The rest was up to his ability to read into his opponent's motives.

"That's…That's amazing," Otori said. In contrast, Hiyoshi was cynical. "Just a minute. Doesn't that mean…?"

"Sadly," Oshitari admitted with a soundless sigh, "Not yet perfected. As might expect, focusing on one's own weaknesses during a match creates sizable mental burden." Furthermore, from his experience playing against Atobe, the latter still experienced challenges in focusing concentration on both ends of the court at the same time.

Even as they were discussing this, Oshitari could see the trickling of perspiration working down Atobe's jawline.

Atobe… He wanted a match to determine who will give out first: his unfathomable willpower, or Sanada's monstrous fortitude.

"Game, Atobe, five games all"

Both players were breathing heavily, having gone from strong and self-possessed to having rivulets of sweat soaking into their uniforms within the space of five games.

"Atobe! Atobe! Atobe! Atobe!" The cheers were incessant, now.

When he adjusted his grip on his handle, Shizuka saw the angry marks the grip tape had left him for being gripped too tightly.

Atobe. It looks laborious. It looks painful. Is this what it means to be standing at the top of 167 members?

"I've said so already." Sanada landed a strike on the ball with an adept right to left motion on his racquet's face, releasing the shot with extreme sidespin. "You're ten years too early in trying to surpass me!"

"Repel – like magnetism."

When it met the surface of Atobe's racquet—much to the Hyoutei captain's chagrin—the ball proceeded to 'slip' off its side.

He stared after it rigidly, panting with the exertion. "Tsch."

"Fifteen – Love"

"Probability of Atobe fully absorbing the tremendous sidespin from that technique," Yanagi stated, "Less than four percent."

It was the technique Sanada Genichirou had tempered in order to surpass Yukimura's ability to return his 'Lightning' with the end of a racquet handle, instead causing the ball to roll off to the side.

But, as expected of their captain Yukimura; he proved himself capable of reading the irregular spins on the balls and slicing the exacting reverse spins on his return, in the form of drop volleys. The guy was truly undefeatable.

However strong Atobe may be, the gap between Yukimura and other high schoolers was far too great.

"Game, Sanada, six games to five. Change court."

"Genichirou," Yukimura said to Sanada during the brief changeover break. "There is no need to get this serious over a practice match."

Sanada was prepared to defend his decision to use one of his most taxing techniques. "It will become troublesome if this goes into tiebreak."

"Well." Yukimura Seiichi told him, "He is past the point where he can hit his Tannhausers. You need not overexert yourself in ways that will interfere with our training."

Sanada got up from the bench, tossing aside the towel he had been using. "I got it."

Atobe. That insight you have carefully cultivated and are so proud of. Is this the furthest it will take you?

"Humph." Sanada was severely disappointed, remarking for his own ears, "You've gone soft."

Atobe, too, was returning to the court, amidst the incessant cheers of, 'Atobe! Atobe!'

"Sanada," the Hyoutei captain said haughtily over to him. "Ore-sama extends his gratitude for showing him your true strength. And now," smirking, he raised his hand to his eyes, "I will respond in kind."

"Allow me to demonstrate to you," Atobe proclaimed, reaching his racquet outward. "The true and perfected form of 'World of Ice'."

"The winner will be Hyoutei!" "The winner will be Atobe!" "The winner will be Hyoutei!" "The winner will be Atobe!" "The winner will be-"

Lifting his free hand from his eyes, Atobe snapped his fingers, returning a smug look at his opponent. "Will be me."

"Still fooling around at this stage," was Sanada's stoic response. "Come, then! I'll thrust you down the abyss of despair."

True and perfected form of 'World of Ice'? It didn't change the fact that, even if he could find where weaknesses lied, he still needed the ability to take those points.

Atobe served.

In answer to the Hyoutei captain's net dash, Sanada returned with a deep lob. Quickly rotating, Atobe shot a drop volley that clipped the net on its way back.

That guy. He still had the stamina to go on the offensive.

Sanada sent the ball back with a low volley, and immediately saw Atobe returning it with a short angled shot to his open side.

"Fifteen – Love"

In terms of speed and technique, it shouldn't be a problem. Though, just what is this?

The Hyoutei captain was moving as though in full anticipation of his plan of action. Sanada paused, slipping into the state of mind only accessible to expert martial artists. The state that allowed him to obscure his presence on the courts.

"Formless, as shadow."

Laughter, from the perceptive Atobe. "That's right," the wide-eyed captain said before tossing up his serve. "Activate your 'Shadow' – it will be your downfall!"

'How can this be?' Sanada thought fiercely as the two engaged in head-on battle. Not only was Atobe still clearly anticipating his motives, this didn't feel like the original 'World of Ice' that Atobe had created.

There was the creeping sensation of ice solidifying on his skin.

"Thirty all"

"Kuh." Sanada shook himself mentally. Focus. He couldn't let a mere illusion faze him. His opponent was reading him somehow, he'll figure out what it was!

"Forty – Thirty"

There had to be something!

"Game, Atobe. Six games all. Tiebreak!"

"…Hey, Yuushi," Mukahi needed it confirmed for him. "Did Sanada freeze up just now?"

"That Atobe," Oshitari remarked with a resigned chuckle. "When did he complete it, I wonder?"

"You can stop being cryptic any moment now," Mukahi muttered, earning him an amused glance.

"Players who are exceptionally practiced, ones like Sanada and even Yukimura, are not without weaknesses," Oshitari explained. "As matter of fact, their techniques are so deeply ingrained that they execute based on reflex, rather than conscious thought processing."

While that is all good and well under normal situations, in rare cases it would also work against them.

"Conscious memory is different from the automatic, procedural memory conditioned from repetitive training," Oshitari went on to explain. "Yukimura Seiichi's 'Yips' operates under the same concept; the robbing of his opponents' senses leaves them unable to recall how their techniques were properly executed, since they're robbed of all the perceptual cues that were present during conditioning. As for our captain…"

"Forcing Rikkai's Sanada to consciously think about his play habits, and using highly sophisticated techniques in a full frontal assault," Hiyoshi speculated. "Atobe-san is disrupting his opponent's usual memory retrieval by placing him under immense pressure."

Right? The first year Hyoutei regular had arrived at the same conclusion. "The longer the match goes on, the more Sanada will find himself encased by this ice. Ma. The one whom Atobe had probably wanted to test this out on…" Oshitari gazed across the courts, to Rikkaidai's side.

"Atobe, 4 – 3"

"Vice-captain Sanada!" Kirihara shouted.

"Yanagi?" Marui glanced to their team strategist, who wore a worrisome expression.

Yanagi had a hypothesis on what was causing their vice-captain's delays in reaction time, and how Atobe was anticipating Sanada's attacks. But, it was only a hypothesis; he would need to confirm it by playing Atobe himself. The only person who might be able to see through everything simply by watching was Seiichi. Only Seiichi.

"Dear me." For the first time this day, and since the practice matches against Hyoutei began… Rikkaidai's captain Yukimura Seiichi had his interest piqued. His marble blue gaze, elegant but piercing all the same, was on the guy dominating the tiebreak game against Sanada.

"What a trying opponent."

It's been decided.

"Game and match. Won by Hyoutei's Atobe – Seven games to six."

With that, the intense matches with Rikkaidai's tennis team was finally over.

Relief was setting in…as well as mixed feelings…

"Kagami." It was amidst the loud cheers that Shizuka heard Coach Sakaki's voice coming from behind her.

"Coach." The girl stood at once, checking over her shoulder to see the well-dressed man come up next to her. His eyes rested on her for a moment, before going over to the two high schoolers briefly shaking hands at the net.

No words were exchanged between the two guys. They were old rivals who knew of the boundless ambition within each other's heart without being said.

"I trust you have seen it clearly with your own eyes," the coach stated coolly.

She looked at them, now. At the line of Rikkaidai regulars who have participated in the practice matches, heading onto the court. The one named Yukimura Seiichi led them, his jacket still hanging from his shoulders.

"…Those…are the champions of the National Senior High Competition, last year?" Shizuka asked, a rhetorical question. The true strength…no, not even the true strength, of the team that can claim to be number one in all of Japan.

The Hyoutei lineup joined their captain Atobe on the court.

"What are your thoughts?" Coach Sakaki asked her, jolting her from her daze with the unexpected question.

…Though on the surface they have won, none of the Hyoutei regulars actually appeared to be satisfied.

Her gaze landed on the back of her captain.

Atobe…

If he had struggled against Rikkaidai's vice-captain…how would he fare against their strongest?

"Coach…" Shizuka didn't know how to reply. There was only one, unanswerable question circling inside her mind.

Why…?

They were all high school students, weren't they…?

Then why did there exist this large of a gap between them?

The expressions that the Hyoutei regulars were currently wearing, she had seen them for the first time.

"So then…" Yukimura finalized the formalities. "We'll be taking our leave." He led off.

Marui and Jackal looked like they were about to be dragged off to hell. Sanada was resigned to his fate. Kirihara and Hiyoshi were still trying to crush each other's grip.

Niou smirked wryly, passing by an impassive Oshitari who had his shoulders squared. Yanagi cast a glance back at Atobe.

"Maruiiii-kun!" Jirou promised, waving enthusiastically, "I'll come visit!"

"Yukimura."

They were all equally surprised to hear the girl's voice, calling out that name.

Shizuka came to stand beside her team. "Hyoutei," she declared confidently, "will definitely get stronger. So, next time," she said as the Rikkaidai captain turned his head to look over his shoulder at her.

"Play me again."

And Marui nearly let his gum drop again—… This was the first time they've witnessed someone demand a rematch after being destroyed that badly by Yukimura's tennis.

"Oh." Had Yukimura thought that was a strange request, he gave no indication. Still the patient and aloof captain of Rikkaidai, he turned back ahead. "Next time it is."

…

Shishido recovered quickly, as soon as the Rikkaidai members were out of earshot. "No, I get that you're trying to raise morale, but..."

The Hyoutei regulars turned toward her. "Why would you want to play him again-!?"

They found her frozen rigid.

Yes, why-…why did it come out like that? She had only meant to say the first half, but as soon as that guy looked back at her, the last part came out on its own.

Atobe. This was why she didn't speak out her mind with the first thoughts that appear. They always landed her in trouble.

She glanced up at an unamused Atobe next to her, who only responded with, "Fool."

Ugh…

Perhaps she could take days off whenever they were going to be holding practice matches.

…

Hands on the clock were approaching three.

…She couldn't sleep.

Images of that afternoon's events kept replaying through her mind.

…

Lying on her back with the lights on, the brunette held up the picture frame above her.

Contained in it was the group photo they have taken together at the graduation ball. Her…princes…

She was equally torn between this frame, and the calendar stand on top of her drawer, marked with notations.

…Was there nothing more, she wondered? Nothing more that she could do for them…?

Author's note: Semi-important notice! I've decided to begin developing romance during this arc.

Eventually, the focus of this story will narrow down to just one guy, and I'll make this transition as natural as I can…so it may not become apparent until sometime later. Those of you who are reading for the reverse harem aspect, rest assured that I won't suddenly drop all other character interactions. I do want to start setting up for the final pairing, however.

So here is the pivotal question, I guess. Hm…let me hear some of your thoughts: if you had to pick a Hyoutei boy, whom would you hope Shizuka would fall for?