A/N: My bad (I say that as if it's anybody else's fault!) for taking so long to update, but I have to make sure it all makes sense. ('-.-)
I'm finishing up chapters 37 and 38 so I will have them up as soon as!
Can't upload right now because FanFiction won't let me, so you'll have to wait a bit longer, sorry
Disclaimer: I was drinking Oolong tea with Takeshi Konomi when he came up with the idea for Prince of Tennis. I told him it wouldn't sell. More fool me! (Randomness/not true!)
Chapter Thirty Six
Arai replaced her hair behind her back and adjusted her bag so it didn't tug while she walked. She thought about the little girl. It wasn't hard to miss that head of magenta hair around the park and Arai had seen her wondering through today. She couldn't figure out why the way the little carried herself appeared familiar.
"Don't you think she kinda looks a little like Sai-kun?" Arai said as she played with the thought.
The two hurried out of the park. Fuji, who held tightly onto her right shoulder, disagreed. She probably had spent the most time with Chise and could safely say they weren't siblings.
"What! You don't think the two of them have the same eyes?"
Fuji shook her head. "They don't look alike, and besides, she's too cute to be Sai-kun's sister. You know how Sai-kun is."
Arai rolled her shoulders. "Yeah, you might be right there." She picked up her camera that dangled carelessly off her right hip. She looked at the counter. It had finally reached the thirty sixth frame. She pressed the button to try and take a picture but it wouldn't go beyond that.
"Stupid, negative cameras. I think I'll have to buy a digital after this. Oh, here's yours. At least you got some good pictures. I took some of all the matches and Umeko-chan took some of the closing."
Fuji took her camera awkwardly in her right hand and hooked it onto her wrist.
"What is the matter with your shoulder?" Arai finally asked. Fuji didn't let it go. It wasn't as if she played against Miura or anything, yet she's held on to it all while they started moving.
Without hesitating Fuji gave her an answer. "Something bit me."
"Huh? Like a bug?"
"…Yeah, a bug bit me."
"Why didn't you say so! I wondered what was wrong with you. Geez… When we get to Shikawara-san's place, treat it."
Fuji couldn't stop thinking about the mark. How visible it was or what it even looked like. He bit down hard so there would be teeth marks no doubt. It was so quick and sudden that Fuji couldn't stop him. The words wouldn't come to her. Sure, she had toyed with the idea of him getting that close, but heck, she didn't believe he would do it. It was a silly little fantasy! The sad thing about it was her body couldn't tell the different between who she liked and who she didn't. It reacted to his kisses even if she didn't want to or liked it. How shameful. She couldn't tell Kikumaru about his, at least not until her nerves calmed down enough for her to make sense of it. Kikumaru would definitely tell Oishi and before long Tezuka would know. She lowered her gaze at the thought, but she told herself that Tezuka's not the type of person to jump to conclusions. He'd give her a window to explain… he has to…
The two made their way outside Shikinomori Sports Park where their team waited quietly for them. The team looked up to greet them and saw Fuji holding her shoulder.
"Something bit her." Arai told them.
"Yeah, I bet!" Yokoishi said aloud, which made everyone stare at her. She held her hands up in defence. "Don't mind me, I was thinking out aloud about something unrelated! Tee hee!"
Fuji didn't dismiss Yokoishi's reaction. She probably knew.
"…Does anyone know where we're going?" Umeko Kikoishi posed the question.
"Yeah, I have her address in my phone. It's far. On the edge of town." Nariko told them.
"Huh? Shikawara-san gave you instructions to her house?" Most were shocked by this.
Nariko looked over her shoulder. "It's the third house. She wasn't too bothered."
Third house? They set off knowing that that kind of life-style allowed for the out-of-ordinary things.
They waited and boarded the train that took them southwards. They then changed trains and took a twenty-minute ride in a south-westerly direction. Many of the girls' kept glancing back to Fuji, who didn't move her hand from that supposed bug bite. Kikumaru sat in the seat next to her and was one of those who glanced at her every now and then. About Five minutes into the ride, Kikumaru leant over and whispered to her.
"Something happened didn't it, Fuji-chan?"
Fuji didn't answer straight away – she didn't want to answer at all! "Yeah, something happened."
Kikumaru leant back in her seat, not facing Fuji but continued to speak calmly so only the two of them could hear. "Every time you're alone in that park, something testing happens to you."
"I… I wasn't alone. Arai-chan was there as well as Chise-chan."
Arai glanced up on hearing her name but turn away when Jinhana spoke to her. Kikumaru didn't buy it and glimpsed Fuji from the corner of her eye. "Were they with you all the time?"
Fuji lowered her head. "…I can't say that they were."
"Hm," Kikumaru slumped in her chair. "so what happened?"
Fuji closed her eyes. "I'm sorry Kikumaru-chan, I need to think it through before I can tell you. Please, can we leave it at that."
Kikumaru now turned down to Fuji's hand, the free one that softly stroked Tezuka's coat. If Kikumaru thought back to when they spoke on the roof for lunch, she remembered what Fuji told her. She remembered Fuji mentioning someone being around her once the matches were over. Kikumaru put two and two together and figured it out. She had a good idea of what might have happened. Ten minutes into the journey she found the courage to ask in a whisper.
"Can I see it?"
"…See what?"
"That love-bite."
Fuji arched her shoulders and rubbed her neck. It burnt. After Kikumaru said what it really was, it burnt her and made her feel sick. It's true name made her feel the very opposite. She hesitated because she thought Kikumaru would tell someone like she promised she would. Fuji couldn't help but smile with little sense of joy. "You figured it out?"
"It wasn't hard." Kikumaru murmured with disappointment. In the beginning she had faith in her best friend, but now it was slowly dwindling.
Fuji took a deep breath. "It's more complicated then what you might be thinking. Until I figure it out, I don't want to say anything."
Kikumaru sat back up. She would respected Fuji's request and not bring it up for now.
The train journey was altogether peaceful. It was a nice moment for them to reflect on their match and think ahead towards the Kantou games.
Nariko announced that they had reached their stop and they collected their bags and walked off the train and onto the quiet streets.
"Oh, I can sense her energy!" Yokoishi stepped forward. "This way!" and marched onwards.
"Is she right Nariko-san?" Kikoishi asked.
Nariko nodded and they followed. It was about a ten-minute walk from the station before they neared Shikawara's third house.
"I can sense her. She's behind this huge wall!" Yokoishi said.
"Did Shikawara-san say where the door was?" Arai yawned.
"Not really." Nariko said.
They kept walking until they reached a traditional Edo period entrance with several stairs leading up to the main doors. The whole house was lifted off the ground, and adorned with all five elements. Cherry trees in full harvest hung over the walls. They could hear a deer-scare in the distances, which meant a pond was built in the garden. The wooden panels on the house were made from cherry tree wood but stained for a darker effect. The only odd thing about what they could see were the lilac tilts and the eight bodyguards hanging around outside.
"I think this might be the place." Kikumaru gulped.
No one moved. Nariko took out her phone. "I'll text Shikawara-chan again so she knows we're here."
It didn't take long for one of the men to walk down and investigate. He was a handsome host-type with his three-piece cream suit and matching vest. Detail aside, the Seishun girls tried to find the glare in his eyes behind his reflective sunglasses. Forcefully, he asked what they wanted and Yokoishi pulled Nariko forward to talk to him.
"Erm… we're here to see-"
"Does this look like a museum to you, kid? Take yourself and your friends off of this property before you get yourselves h-"
Someone exited the opened doors and tapped the aggressive host-guy on the shoulder. He glanced up, saw who it was and calmed down.
"It's alright Choukichi, these are the young master's friends."
The host-guy, who went by the name of Choukichi, glanced at the girls again, shook his head and walked back to his post. Nariko sighed with great relief.
They recognised the one who came to their rescue from their match. He bowed before them and stood up straight. Amazingly, he oozed the same amount of confidence as Shikawara. "My apologies. My name is Yuta Takahashi and I will take you to the young master."
He didn't wait for them to reply. He turned expecting them to follow him. They hurried along, not wanting to hang around outside and entered the large house. The outside might have looked historic but the inside reflected modern Japan. The took their shoes off before continuing. The first three rooms definitely had an Edo feel to it, but the other rooms were fitted with expensive and designer furniture. Plain and colour co-ordinated items and expensive imports was all they saw. The girls didn't touch anything. They walked in single file and carefully.
They walked through a maze of corridors before Takahashi halted at a slide door. He knocked on the wooden frame and opened it. The girls watched his face. He didn't look pleased as he stepped back to allow the girls into the room.
Nariko stepped into the doorway first and the others piled around her to see the state of their friend. To their confusion she was up and on her feet acting normally. Shikawara opened her curtains and the garden door to let the evening light in. Shikawara looked over at the open door and smiled.
"Hi guys." She was her usual self.
They all watched her face and it was as if the events of the day didn't happen. Confusion made them look at each other. Her screams didn't really correlate to her behaviours now.
Nariko wiped some developing tears from her eyes. "Shika-chan." She went over and hug her friend.
"Wow, what's with those tears Nariko-chan." Shikawara patted her Nariko's hair.
"Why aren't you resting?" Nariko wanted an answer but Shikawara laughed it off.
"You sound just like Takahashi. If I stay in my bed, I'll go nuts. I was about to sit outside and then I see my team outside my bedroom door. You guys are quick. Come in."
"Are you sure you're okay?" Nariko asked, now looking up to see into Shikawara's eyes. They were red, and even her voice was a little hoarse but she had that collected glow about her.
"After I have my pills I'm fine." Shikawara answered.
The girls, after hearing that, didn't know what to say.
"Aneki wants a hug too, Taichi!" Yokoishi beamed over and hugged the both of them, crushing Nariko in the process.
"Does it really get that bad?" Kikumaru asked next. She followed after Yokoishi and stood just before the three.
Yokoishi eased back so Shikawara could walk up to her bed to sit on. She kept hold of Nariko's hand. With her free one she put her glasses back on.
"No. I was just caught off guard. If I feel my panic attacks coming on I can take my medicine and they subside."
The girls gathered around the bed. "Is it okay to ask what it was like to be in her attack?" Suzu asked. It was one thing that was on all their minds.
"You guys, her attack is serious. You really do smell something in the air that's related to a past memory but it's not some random smell… how can I explain it… she puts you right back in that moment of time. I re-lived everything in that memory." Shikawara leant forward and rested her head in her hand, thinking over the attack. "She's inside your mind unlocking doors and triggering the right ones. Guess she saw the door that held that memory."
"Ito-san was really freaked out. Whatever she saw, made her lose her cool." Yokoishi told her.
"Yeah, I don't blame her. It wasn't a nice memory. You know, it wasn't as if she put the me that I am today back in the memory. I became that joyful eight-year-old girl who didn't know what was happening. I even felt the bullet wound again."
They didn't know she got shot! Now they were really worried. Shikawara slipped her arm out of her sleeping gown and showed them the dent in her left arm. Her flesh had imploded in on itself taking the shape of a leant oval. The mark became a shade lighter than the rest of her skin. Shikawara touched it before putting her sleeve back on.
"Shikawara-chan I'm learning new things about you!" Jinhana gasped.
"You mean I haven't told you guys? I was sure that I had. Anyway, her technique is one hundred percent effective. To be honest I thought she would have unearthed the death of my pet kitty, but she dug deep… "
"But you don't look affected by it." Arai said.
"Yeah I know. I was surprised too. Once Takahashi took me off the courts the effects of her attack wore off, which surprised me. That's why I said it wasn't the stable me who sure that room but the eight year old me. Crazy... how was... Ryuzaki-sensei?" She said, changing the subject.
"Mad as hell!" Arai stepped closer. "So mad that she couldn't find the words to vent her madden state."
Kikumaru interrupted Arai. "That's not totally true. She was more concerned about you, Shikawara-chan."
On hearing this, Shikawara gave a moments thought and sighed. "I thought she might." She turned to the door. "Takahashi?" She called and he walked in. The girls thought he left. "Because I got Nariko's text earlier I was able to get the chefs to cook us a little victory meal, so, if you would all kindly follow Takahashi to the dinning room the fun can begin."
The girls didn't know what to think of it, but if Shikawara insisted, they would go. They could continue talking in the dinning room. They all followed Takahashi out of the room, except for Fuji, who was called back by Shikawara. She wanted to have a quick word.
Shikawara placed her glass back on the side draw and fell back on her bed. She stared up at the ceiling and comfortably placed her arms behind her head. Fuji hesitated when the door closed. She couldn't hide behind her friends and cover her shoulder. She moved her hand slowly and faced Shikawara.
"Aren't you cold." Fuji asked as she approached the bed and held her hand to Shikawara's cheek. It was cool.
Shikawara closed her eyes. "Aren't you going to put that coat down?" Fuji was so comfortable carrying it she forgot to put it down. "I think this is the first time I've seen you a little unsure about something, Fuji-senpai."
"You have the same eyes as Yokoishi-chan if that's the case."
Shikawara let out a playful sigh and got down to business. "Can you tell Ryuzaki-sensei not to take me off the team."
Fuji tilted her head. "Why would she do that?"
Shikawara rolled onto her front and Fuji sat down, draping the coat over her legs. "The teachers in my old school did that. It was about a year after the incident and I went back to school. As you can imagine it was hard to get back into a routine. And when I was on the tennis court I would have flash backs and panic attacks so they took me off, but for me, being out there helped more then being in the class room and staring at four grey walls. I know they've told Ryuzaki sensei because she keeps looking at me every now and then. After a year going by with nothing happening, all of a sudden Ito-san shows up and makes history repeat itself. I know Ryuzaki –sensei is battling with taking me off. If you get a moment, tell her to leave me on the team."
Fuji understood and nodded. "Of course… Ryuzaki-sensei wouldn't be in such a battle if she didn't care."
Shikawara grinned. "Did I scare you guys? It's the first time you've seen me like that."
Fuji stroked Shikawara's hair. "You scared us all."
She giggled. Odd. Maybe the medicine was kicking in. Fuji had never heard her screams before and this was the frist time she heard a childish laugh from her. Shikawara whipped her hand out and took Fuji's hand from beneath the coat.
"Takahashi is too caring of me. If I stay in this room any longer I'll go mad. Let's have a nice victory meal together."
Shikawara pulled Fuji off the bed and out of her room. They made their way to the dining room where the rest of the team enjoyed strawberry and pineapple soft drinks. Takahashi stayed in the room as he wanted to wait for Shikawara. When he saw her enter the room with Fuji he didn't like the passive look in her eyes and disapproved of her being up and walking so soon. Shikawara, with a single word, ordered her huge bodyguard out of the room. Fuji placed her bag and coat with the other bags and joinned the team at the table.
"I'm glad you guys came today. Now we can have a meal as a team, including Umeko-senpai."
Kikoishi nearly choked on her drink. "Hey! I may not be on the court, but I'm still apart of the team!"
"Oh really, so why'd you lose your ranking matches?" Kikumaru pried.
"Hmpf! I'll say the same thing Yokoishi-san said against Aihara-san, you guys were better than me."
"Oh really, but you were so awesome last year Umeko-chan." Jinhana recalled, making Umeko blush.
"Yeah, well, don't mind my lack of ability." Umeko murmured into her cup.
All while they grilled Umeko, Fuji wondered what she would do about Atobe. The fire she played with was slowly burning her. How could she control it?
She picked up her cup with a desire to see Tezuka. She needed to remain herself of many things, and maybe finally tell him what's happening. He'll know what to do, especially if Atobe is looking to harm him.
"Is that bug bite still hurting you?" Arai glanced up from her drink to see her captain lost in thought.
"Hm? Oh, no, it's stopped hurting." Fuji said awkwardly.
"Stop looking so miserable, you'll spoil the food."
Fuji looked around and saw several servants bringing the food in and setting the table. She didn't hear or see them. "I'm sorry." She forced a smile and listened to the conversations around the tables.
"So Umeko-chan, you run round the courts like a lunatic… when are you getting back in the regulars?" Suzu asked her.
Umeko held some streamed vegetables in her chopsticks. "Can we drop the subject about me… even if I did make it back into the regs, beating you guys wouldn't be a problem."
"Hmm, sounds fishy." Suzu teased, nearly burning herself on her hot bowl of boiled rice.
They continued to talk about Umeko, against her wishes, laughing at her expense and making her feel uncomfortable. Fuji thought back to when Umeko was on the team. It was only last year. The fact that she lost all the matches was the very reason Ryuzaki-sensei and herself were dubious of her losses. She, like Ito, used a scented technique. In fact, it was through Umeko that they were able to know about Ito's move. Umeko's attack was different. Very different. Unlike Ito, whose technique destroyed you by drawing out a bad memory, Umeko was able to muster up different earthly scents… poisons. She used those toxic smells to make her opponent vomit on the court or go limp on one side of their body. In a nutshell, she was dangerous. She would send seventy percent of her opponents into a mild hallucination. Only those with a strong spiritual energy, like Yokoishi, were able to break such an attack. Like Ito, she has never lost her tournament games. Some of her opponents saw spiders or snakes around the court. Some would get vertigo, others claustrophobic.
Umeko once trapped Arai in her move – Arai thought she smelt strawberries, the next thing she knew she was surrounded by dogs. The scary part of Umeko's move was that she could turn it on and off as she pleased, easily toying with her opponent's state of mind. Some might think that Umeko not being on the team this year a great relief.
But Fuji never stopped wondering. If Umeko had such a fearful move, a successful one, why would she want to drop out of the regulars? Fuji glanced up from her miso soup and faced Yokoishi. She, out of all of them, would know.
Shikawara sat quietly with Nariko, who still insisted she wasn't well. Kikumaru forced herself to ignore Fuji for the time being. If she did talk to Fuji, she would want to know the truth. Of course, this silence made Fuji feel more doubtful and confused about her ordeal. So much so that she decided to go home. The team kicked up a fuss and ordered her to stay.
"I told you that bug bite was still bothering you." Arai complained.
"Or maybe she got a whiff of Ito-san's technique." Suzu throw in her thoughts.
"That sounds acceptable. Were you attacked by bugs when you were young?" Shikawara asked.
"No."
"So much for that." Arai said.
"I have the best sense in the team and I don't recall smelling anything when Shikawara-chan had her match… but that isn't to say that I haven't smelt it before." Kikumaru mentioned, making Fuji turn away to Shikawara.
"Sorry I can't stay longer."
"You're not even going to stay for dessert? We have apple pie?" Shikawara said, trying to entice Fuji to stay. She got a smile out of Fuji but nothing else. "Oh? It must be really bad if you don't want to stay for dessert. I understand. Thanks for coming down to see if I'm all right. You guys need to come down more often. I'll introduce you to my father next time."
They all half agreed, but Shikawara would get them down again.
Fuji retrieved her belongings when Kikumaru walked up to her. At first they didn't make any eye contact. She bent down to pick up Tezuka's coat and her bag. She didn't look at Kikumaru as she turned to leave.
"Fuji-chan?" Kikumaru called to her quietly.
She stopped. "Yeah."
"… Are you sure you'll be okay?" Fuji didn't answer. "I can walk home with you if you're feeling lonely?"
Fuji placed her hand on Kikumaru's arm. "I'll be fine."
"I… I didn't mean to ignore you, but I knew you wouldn't tell me anything if I asked so I didn't. It's on my mind as much as yours now." Kikumaru sighed deeply. She wanted to tag along but could tell Fuji wanted to be alone. "If you need to talk just call me, okay." Fuji nodded. "If you don't call by ten, I'm calling you."
Fuji didn't mind that, by then she would have had plenty of time to put two and two together.
She waved bye to the team and was lead out of the house by Takahashi. They walked through the maze of corridors to the main doors. Those offer bodyguards were no longer by the entrance.
"Thank you for visiting the young master." Takahashi said as a parting gesture.
Fuji bowed before slipping on her shoes and walked down the street backed to the station.
With the sun setting, a chilly wind picked up. She willingly put Tezuka's coat over her shoulders. She rolled her marked shoulder and closed her eyes. What did she feel on the inside? That was a question she couldn't answer right now. While she was in the house, she could have asked Yokoishi. She definitely would have an answer for her. But right now, as she stood on the platform alone, she felt a longing to see him. His heavy coat were like arms rapping around her body. That thought eased her nicely enough to calm the storm of that mark. She parted her lips. As the train rushed by she whispered his name, and the sound was swept away quickly. Too quickly. She opened her eyes and boarded the train. The few people that looked at her never removed that barrier she placed around her. It was his coat. It became his strength. It was always that part of him she carried when he wasn't with her.
She opened here eyes. In her mind's eye she saw him, and it wasn't enough. It was never enough and she knew it. Kikumaru made her aware of her denial and she understood the truth of it. She looked at her watch. It was late, by the time she reached inter Tokyo it would be quarter to nine. She would wait. Wait for the train to reach her stop, wait to see how long it would take her to reach her destination. Once she was there she looked at her watch. A minute after nice. She glanced up at the house, then down to the nameplate. She ran her fingers over the cold writing. As her fingers went between the Kanji she whispered the name again.
"Te… zu… ka…kun."
What excuse did she have to knock on the door? For a junior schooler, being out this late was equal to a crime of sorts. That chilly wind picked up again. She placed her bag on the floor and covered the collar of the coat over and around her chin. It made her realise she couldn't go home just yet.
…tbc…
A/N2: Hmm, so she found her way to Tezuka's house, eh. What could she possibly want there? (^_^)
Chapter 37: Arai develops her pictures.