Kyandi: Hey hey! I promised you two chapters in a row so here they are!
Hikari: And then we're working on the third.
Kyandi: Yep. So hang in there. We should have it up today!
Hikari: You know this is the longest story you've ever done.
Kyandi: I've noticed.
Hikari: So lets keep it rolling!
Kyandi: Please enjoy and review!
Hikari: Kyandi-sama does not own Prince of Tennis!
Chapter 38 Clashing Egos
"Where is Hika-chan?" Eiji asked looking around. The girl had yet to show up and Tezuka was starting to wonder if he had mad her so angry last night that she would actually skip out on them. No he couldn't think like that.
Hikari wouldn't let her team down like that and she certainly wouldn't go back on the promise she made either. She was probably just running a little behind today. Tezuka fished his phone out of his pocket and flipped it open to give the girl a call. "Say cheese!" Everyone turned to get a flash in the face as a camera went off.
"Damn it! What the hell was that for, Hika-chan!?" Momo demanded as he rubbed his eyes. Tezuka removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose while he waited for his eye sight to come back. The others blinked and rubbed their eyes trying to get the white spots to go away.
Hikari looked down at the picture on her digital camera ignoring the question asked. "Nice! I always did love surprise pictures. You get the purest of emotions. No posing." Hikari said with a smile as she looked back at her teammates, most of which were glaring at her after being blinded by the flash of the camera. "You didn't answer me, Hika-chan!" Momo snapped, glaring at her.
"And why are you late today?" Eiji asked. Hikari smiled at him. "I like collecting pictures. Really I've been taking them the whole time I've been at Seigaku. I've just never let you see the camera before now." she told him.
"As for being late, Sosuke-nii insisted I get a good breakfast in me before I headed out here so it took a little longer then usual for me to get out here." she added with a smile when she saw the worry on some of their faces melt away.
"You already have pictures of us?" Eiji asked, his worry turning to excitement. "Tons. Why?" she asked. Eiji's face lit up. "Can I see!?" he asked. "Sure." Hikari said letting him look over her shoulder as she flipped through the pictures stored on the camera.
"This one I took at the bowling alley when Oishi-fukubuchou wasn't looking." Hikari said pointing at a picture grabbing Oishi's attention. "You had a camera at the bowling alley?" he asked looking at Tezuka who had been sitting next to her at the time.
"I didn't see one." Tezuka replied. "Like I said I didn't let you see it. If I don't want you seeing something more then likely you'll never see it." Hikari said in a disinterested voice as she showed Eiji and Fuji, who had joined in, more pictures.
"This is one of my favorites! Tezuka-buchou had no idea I was even there!" Hikari told the two who both instantly broke out laughing. Tezuka turned to look at Hikari wonder what exactly could have both Fuji and Eiji laughing.
"What picture do you have?" he asked. Hikari held the camera against her chest not allowing him to have even the slightest peek at the screen. "Its just an innocent little picture, Tezuka-buchou. Nothing else." she told him with a grin that promised trouble to come. That did nothing to reassure Tezuka.
"Delete it Higarashi. What ever it is, delete it now." he told her firmly. "Oh I'd gladly delete it." she told him actually looking down at the camera and deleting it without so much as a single protest or complaint at all.
Something that was completely unlike the girl. "Hika-chan!" Eiji protested pouting at the fact that she had actually agreed and deleted the picture. "Its alright Kikumaru-sempai really." Hikari told him. "Tezuka-buchou wanted it deleted so I deleted it." she said as she took off to sneak a picture of Ohtori while his back was turned.
"I have it saved on my computer and printed out anyway. So its not like it matters if its on my camera." she added over her shoulder with a sly little smile before she took off. Tezuka turned a glare on Hikari's back as Eiji followed her asking for a copy of the picture.
Tezuka turned to Fuji silently asking what the picture was, not that he was sure he wanted to know anyway. Fuji smiled at him. "Oh its nothing Tezuka. It was actually a very….cute picture. She has quite a skill for taking pictures." Fuji said before walking off.
"You know if I'm not mistaken, Hika-chan seems a little mad today. I wonder why that could be." Fuji added over his shoulder. Now Tezuka was really worried.
-0-0-0-0-
Hikari looked around the court as Atobe stepped up, cheers of, "The winner will be Atobe!" raising from his supporters. Atobe just basked in the cheers while Hikari didn't like them at all. "He is so cocky." Hikari remarked before turning to Ryoma.
"You better not lose." she told him sternly. Ryoma smirked as he adjusted his hat. "I didn't lose and saved you last time." he reminded her as the others watched the two from behind them as the two first years talked.
"Yes well you didn't play Atobe-san last time. Tezuka-buchou did. There's a big difference between Atobe-san and Hiyoshi-san." she replied. "I'll win. Don't you have faith in your predictions and your teammates?" Ryoma asked.
"You know I do. I wouldn't have taken the bet if I didn't." she added. "Then don't worry. You won't have to kiss him." Ryoma told her before heading out onto the court.
As Atobe and Ryoma got into a laughing match Hikari slapped a hand to her face. "The cockiness between the two is over bearing." she muttered as Momo and Eiji covered laughs of their own. "I don't care if you're the prince of whatever…I am the king!" Atobe told Ryoma who just smirked.
"Aren't you just all talk?" Ryoma asked. "Don't get too cocky, kid." Atobe told him. "Look who's talking!" Hikari said drawing Atobe's attention to her. "After I beat this kid I expect you to pay up." he told her.
"And right away." he added. Hikari crossed her arms over her chest. "I have nothing to fear." she replied. Atobe grinned. "I hope you don't regret this." Ryoma told Atobe drawing his attention back to him.
Atobe looked down at Ryoma. "Say that after you beat me." he told him. "To make it even more interesting, if I lose to you, I'll shave my head." Atobe told him. "Heh…Then if I lose to you, I'll shave my head too." Ryoma replied.
Hikari heaved a sigh. There was just no reasoning when two cocky egos crashed together. The two were off in their own little worlds. Hikari watched the match closely as it started. Right off the bat it got serious as Ryoma was poked into using his State of Self Actualization. Then it was back and forth between the two, both using shots from other people.
"They're just going to keep going back and forth until one of them gives." Hikari remarked as she watched. And that was exactly what they did. The rally looked like there was no end in sight. Then Eiji gasped.
"Hika-chan! Its your Black Oblivion shot!" Eiji told her pointing to Ryoma. Hikari turned her eyes to Ryoma studying his form. The form was right, but he would never be able to hit it. Not yet anyhow. "It'll fail." she said. "You think so?" Fuji asked.
"I know so. I made those shots to be impossible to copy from just seeing them once. Unless he's had the same experiences as me and unless he knows the type of spin I apply, he'll never be able to pull it off." Hikari told him.
Sure enough when Ryoma hit the shot, the spin was wrong and caused the ball to falter and hit the ground before it reached Atobe allowing Atobe to return it with one of Fuji's Counters. "You know somehow I feel like this should be a huge blow to my pride." Hikari remarked sourly gripping her chest over her heart as Momo and Eiji pat her shoulders.
Hikari looked at Eiji when Ryoma used his Seal Step. "Hey Ochibi! Quit stealing my moves!" Eiji yelled. "And now you know how I feel." Hikari replied with a grin. "What's going on? Its like Echizen can't react." Momo remarked.
"He can't." Hikari replied. "Atobe-san has a unique technique, that I myself boost." she added as she watched the match. "What is it?" Eiji asked.
"Just like you and Echizen-san have Motion Vision, Kikumaru-sempai, Atobe-san and I have something on a higher level. Its how I'm able to read people and its how I'm able to change my style to fit others for tennis. Its called Insight. With it one can see every single blind spot on their opponent." Hikari answered. "You mean you've been able to see all of our blind spots!?" Eiji and Momo exclaimed.
"Yes. In my opinion it's a bit unfair. Not everyone can use Insight." Hikari replied. "Then why use it!?" the two yelled. Hikari looked at them as if the answer was completely obvious, which it was. "Their my eyes. I can't help being able to see." she replied effectively shutting the two up.
Hikari turned back to the match watching as Atobe drove Ryoma to the brink. Between games Ryoma dropped to lay on the bench trying to catch his breath. Hikari grabbed a water bottle and walked over to him.
She unscrewed the top as she reached the back of the bench…and pour half of it on Ryoma's head. Ryoma shot up in his seat. "Higarashi!" he snapped. "Good, now that you're awake, listen closely." she told him as she leaned forward.
Ryoma looked up at her. "I think I know what might put some juice back in your tank." she told him. Ryoma raised an eyebrow. "You lose….and your taking the kiss for me." she told him. A sickening look passed Ryoma's face.
"And don't think I won't make you." she added sternly before standing up straight. "Now get going." she added. Ryoma stared at her for a moment. "You wouldn't really." he said with a smirk. Hikari leaned forward to look at him.
"It would be my first kiss, Echizen-san. To protect it…you better bet that I will." Ryoma's eyes went wide before he hurried back onto the court. "Was that necessary?" Fuji asked. "Completely. He won't lose now." Hikari replied.
Hikari crossed her arms over her chest as she watched the match. She was one of the few people not surprised when Ryoma used the Tezuka zone. "Its not possible to achieve this just by having the move burnt into one's mind." Inui said.
"To handle such a complicated spin is…to do it like Tezuka requires a considerable amount of experience." Inui added. "Really?" Hikari asked her back to the others. "I can use the Tezuka Zone too." she added.
All of her teammates stared at her. "Besides, Echizen-san isn't copying the technique. Rather it's the experience he gets from playing against a superior player everyday." she added.
"You can use the Tezuka Zone!?" Eiji and Momo asked looking at her. Hikari turned to look at the two a frown on her face. "Is it only the most shocking things that come out of my mouth that you two hear?" she asked.
"Why didn't you ever tell us?" Momo asked. Hikari turned back to the match. "You never asked." she replied. Eiji and Momo frowned. "You know I'm really starting to hate that phrase of your's." they coursed.
"Huh…well I guess you have to deal with it." she replied idly in a low voice like her mind was elsewhere. Knowing Hikari it probably was. She was probably lost in her thoughts over the match.
"Higarashi!" Hikari raised her hand to look at Ryoma as he threw his hat at her. Hikari looked down at it as she caught it easily in her hands. "I'll make sure you don't have to kiss the Monkey King." he told her. Hikari smiled at him as she gave a curt laugh. "I'm going to hold you firmly to that." she told him. "So you better not let me down." she added. Ryoma gave her a nod before turning back to the match at hand.
-0-0-0-0-
"Game set…Seigaku's Echizen Ryoma! 7-6! Seigaku advances to the Semifinals!" Hikari let out a relieved sigh as her team cheered, some of them even jumping into the air with joy. Everyone rushed out onto the court to jump the half dead Ryoma and toss him into the air.
Hikari didn't follow her teammates out onto the court instead she watched from the side lines of the court as Ryoma broke free of their teammates and jumped over the net. Hikari nearly died of laughter as Ryoma approached Atobe with the shaver actually looking to carry out the bet the two had made before the match had started.
"H-He actually did it!" Hikari said half surprised, half laughing her butt off as Atobe's hair hit the ground. She was slightly shocked that Ryoma had actually gone through with it. But then again it was Ryoma she was talking about and Ryoma always did as he said he would.
"How can you laugh!?" Momo asked her. "It's the guy's hair!" he added. "Because he's so cocky! Its funny to see him get knocked down a peg!" Hikari told him as she tried to rein in her laughter. "Besides you know you want to laugh too, Momoshiro-sempai!" Hikari added.
Hikari took a deep breath. "I'm good." she said as she finally reined in her laughter. Hikari looked at her bag as her phone sounded. She dug through her bag for a moment before pulling it out. She looked at the screen for a moment before standing up straight.
"I'll be right back." she told the others, swinging her bag over her shoulder before taking off flipping open her phone as she went. The boys looked at each other. "I wonder what that was about." Fuji remarked giving Tezuka a look that clearly said that he had to be the one to go find out. Tezuka looked at Fuji before pinching the bridge of his nose.
Hikari was going to get angry at him again for nosing into her business, as she always did. It was hard to decide what was worse…Fuji's prodding or Hikari's anger. In the end both were just as bad as the other, depending on the situation.
-0-0-0-0-
When Tezuka found Hikari she was leaning on a low wall, staring at the phone in her hands as she turned it over in her fingers. "Higarashi." Hikari looked up at him and there were the beginnings of tears in her eyes.
"Dang it! Why do you always show up when I least want you to?" she remarked as she wiped them from her eyes. Hikari turned her phone over in her hands. "Are you going to tell me?" he asked. "You know I'm starting to think my family is cursed." Hikari said.
"Your brothers?" Tezuka asked. "Sosuke-nii." Hikari confirmed running a hand through her hair. "He was one his way here to watch our matches when…when he was hit by another driver." she told him.
"Is he alright?" Tezuka asked. "I don't know. Hisoka-nii was on his way to the hospital when he called." she said. Hikari took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "He'll be fine. I know it. Sosuke-nii is too stubborn." she added.
"It just….makes me worry." Tezuka nodded. That was easy to understand. "Go to the hospital, Higarashi." he told her. Hikari's head snapped up as she looked at him. She stared at him for a moment before shaking her head.
"No. I can't." she replied. "I made a promise to you and to the team. And a Higarashi never goes back on a promise." she added. "Higarashi." Hikari looked up at him. "No. He has Hisoka-nii. And Uncle Tsuzuki will be there too. Besides," Hikari got to her feet. "Sosuke-nii would skin me if I went back on a promise." she finished.
Tezuka stared at the girl. Even when her brother was injured and she had no idea how he was doing, she insisted on powering through and keeping her promise to her teammates. It managed to make Tezuka feel like a jerk after what he had said to her yesterday.
"Higarashi." Hikari looked up at him. "What I said yesterday after the match…I apologize. I was wrong." Hikari eyed him hard for a moment before letting out a sigh. "Really, it truly does take a man to admit he's wrong." she mused a smile curling her lips.
"Thank you, Tezuka-buchou. It means a lot to me." she told him. Tezuka nodded not really knowing what to say in that kind of situation. "Lets go, Higarashi." he told her. Hikari nodded. "Right!"
END
Kyandi: Alright, there's the chapter!
Hikari: Yep!
Kyandi: I laugh every time I read the manga and see Ryoma shaving Atobe's head!
Hikari: You and I both.
Kyandi: You want to say poor Atobe but then again he kind of deserved it!
Hikari: Yep!
Kyandi: Anyway, please enjoy and review!
Hikari: We'll be back soon hopefully!
Kyandi: Bye!