A/N: Let me think about Ryoga… Three canon teams seem to be enough characters for me to work with. Rather than adding in more characters and leaving minor roles for each, I feel more comfortable giving players from Rikkai and Seigaku more recurring roles. Yep, you'll see them pop up every now and then to drive the plot forward.

As usual, thanks for sharing your thoughts with me!

RichPauper: A thank you, for taking the time to reread and expressing your thoughts objectively. I feel extremely blessed to have a reader like you following this story!

Seigaku's Regulars

"Oh my gosh~" Setting the smelling salts aside, the man with platinum blonde hair and green eyes held out a bottle of water to her.

"How could you not recognize the symptoms of dehydration happening to yourself?" he chided as she ingested the liquid slowly, fighting back her nausea. "I'm made to wonder if the boys will be alright with you."

"…Sorry," Shizuka murmured. "I may be a bit sleep deprived today…"

Her head pounding, she took in her surroundings. She was sitting on the cool, hardwood floor of…Okura-san, wasn't it? His office.

Tezuka seemed to have left already. She really hoped he hadn't yet broken the news out to the teams.

"…Okura-san…" the girl said as she was helped to her feet.

"…I can't do what is asked of me," she said apologetically. Not only was he trying to put her into a leadership role—something she was uncomfortable with—for a group of strangers, it was also in a discipline she had less experience in. Rationally speaking, she could only disappoint them.

"Oh?" Straightening up, Okura-san tucked his hands into the pockets of his white coat. "You're giving up without trying?" he requested to know.

"Even though this may be your one and only chance," he impelled, "to realize how you can assist them?"

She looked up at his eyes that were a viridian green, and saw the well-humoured amusement within them.

"Kagami-chan," the blonde man said, moving over to one of the balconies of his office and gazing out to the back of the building. "This place doesn't just train athletes and team spirit," he informed her professionally. "It creates trainers."

Before she could think of protesting, he held a hand up. "Will you listen to my explanation?"

She hesitated, and nodded once.

The man took off his glasses briefly, wiping it with cloth. "It had been different in our generation. We haven't been under the same type of pressure as youngsters today are in the competitive sports world."

He continued to elaborate, "Athletes these days are aged younger and younger. The risks they have to take, and the sacrifices they have to make, get greater and greater as the bars get raised ever higher."

"While their youthful passion is commendable," he said, "Before reaching the cognitive maturity of an adult, the adolescent is rarely capable of the same scope of thinking that processes the consequences of his or her actions. Many have therefore taken on restrictive approaches to coaching, to prevent their charges from taking on risks that might ruin their future careers."

Well. She completely understood the standpoint of those coaches. If it were her-

"That's why this pilot program was funded!" Okura-san said with a sudden burst of vigor. "Research has shown that a coach belonging to the same age group, one who better understands their passion, is seen as more trustworthy by the athletes, and will yield better results!"

What-

"Sure, you don't have the tennis experience," the man admitted. "But, from what I've read, you do have the necessary foundations."

Shizuka blinked, mystified by what he could mean by that.

"Most importantly," the tall man placed his glasses back, looking down at something beyond the balcony which she couldn't see, telling her, "Seishun Academy's tennis team regulars. Sakaki wouldn't have recommended you here, if he didn't believe that there is something you can learn from them."

He met her eyes.

…

…Her gaze lowered to the floor, absorbing that thought.

"If I haven't shown up today…" Shizuka said "…it would have been my, Hyoutei's captain, you would have assigned." She asked him, "Isn't that right, Okura-san…?"

"Hmm~" His hand reached up contemplatively to his glasses. "Hyoutei's Atobe Keigo." The man sauntered to his desk, leafing through the pages of a file. "You can say his insight is one of a kind. In terms of recognizing player weaknesses and potential, there are few better choices."

However, Okura Ashita had considered this thoroughly with the data available to him. "But, Atobe doesn't know limits," he said. "Tezuka knows what it's like to have to recover from a sports related injury, and can be trusted to understand where to draw the line. You have your background in specialized training. I can't feel as easy entrusting players to Atobe," he claimed, and added in the same breath, "By the way-"

The blonde man whipped out a form before she could speak. It was held out to her along with a calligraphy pen. "I need your signature here~"

Coaching Contract

Shizuka scanned through the list of provisions and clauses, until her eyes reached the end of the page.

By signing this contract, I agree to be held solely and legally responsible for the well-being of, and will conduct my activities with the fiduciary duty owed to, the individuals entrusted to me by the authority of the facilitator of this establishment, the names of whom are provided to me at the time of signing. I am aware that, prior to signing, I am free to seek independent legal advice.

…She might have just gotten herself into something more than she could handle.

"Please…" Shizuka said with some difficulty "…save me a copy."

She left the office minutes later to encounter an unexpected sight.

Tezuka was by the stairwell. Upon hearing her exit, the professional tennis player half-turned toward her, and inclined his head down in a nod, two fingers holding his glasses in place.

Had he waited up for her?

"Sorry about that…" she said, corking the water bottle in her hand. "I must have lost more water than I realized running up that path."

How embarrassing, for a first meeting.

"Take precaution next time," was his succinct, straightforward response. He indicated for her to follow with another slight incline of his head.

"Tezuka-san," Shizuka was curious as she followed him down the stairs. The slight turn of his head evidenced that he was listening. "Are you alright with this arrangement? This wasn't what you had in mind, was it?"

To him, he seemed to give off the impression that acceptance was the logical approach. "There's no cause for misgivings." He spoke without looking back. "Whatever the circumstances, Seishun Academy regulars will proceed with due care."

One thing she noticed just now.

He was speaking for his team's regulars regarding the abrupt situation. Then, he thought nothing of the possibility that he might encounter resistance from the Hyoutei team, confident that he could get them to accept someone of the same age as their coach. Then again…he was backed up by professional experience.

…Too bad she didn't share the same confidence.

That aside… Shizuka looked through the documents Okura-san had transferred to her. Of particular interest to her was the illustrated map of the surrounding area, including all its facilities.

This place was amazing. It was on par with state-funded institutions. Or perhaps it was one? Hard to imagine a privately owned establishment with this degree of ambition.

"—Attention, Hyoutei's group. Pause what you're doing and head to the main building. There's an announcement to be made—" came the voice of Okura Ashita on the speakers, right as the two found the sliding glass doors leading out the rear. Oh, she was not prepared for this.

"Uwah…they said 'Hyoutei' just now. Those guys are also here?"

The semi-circle of guys in uniform jerseys was alerted by the sound of the doors sliding open, some turning around. "Tezuka," they said.

One of the tall, hardy figures near the back caught her eyes. Maybe it was the strangely familiar colour of his bandana.

Or perhaps it was the incensed recognition quickly distorting his eyes.

"It's YOU—!" With the accusatory point of his finger, causing his teammates to part on both sides.

Oh…

She didn't understand half the slangs he was flinging at her…but she got the gist of it.

"Kaidoh." Tezuka was appalled by the display of rudeness toward the guy's to-be coach.

"Tezuka." Atobe Keigo's astounded voice, as he caused them to look back in the direction of the approaching Hyoutei regulars.

"Atobe." That was Tezuka's simple reply.

"Manager!?" Mukahi exclaimed as his sharp vision spotted her at Tezuka's side, his hands dropping away from their clasping at the back of his head.

"…Mukahi," Shizuka replied, almost quietly, and confirming her identity to the shock of her team's regulars.

"Shishido-san," Otori said, unable to understand what was going on.

"JIROU!"

All eyes went to the strawberry blonde at the back of Hyoutei's group, whose arms were thrown up in excited abandon.

…Jirou lowered his arms back down, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "Sorry, sorry. I've always wanted to try that at least once." A guilt-laden laugh.

Oshitari adjusted his glasses with a sigh. He could never tell if it were on purpose, but Jirou always seemed to dispel bad atmosphere with his antics at the right time.

"What is the meaning of this?" Atobe demanded to know, removing his direct gaze from her, to the utterly unflappable guy next to her.

Tezuka wasted no words. "I am your team's assigned coach for the duration of this camp."

…

"Ehhh!?"

Surprise and bewilderment from both sides.

"Ahn?" It could be said that the deep blue of Atobe Keigo's eyes darkened even further. His teammates' glances flickered over to him, furtively.

Wait a minute…these guys…already knew each other?

"Oishi," Tezuka said, and one of the guys at the forefront of his team quickly responded with, "Yes."

"Go somewhere where it's quieter," Tezuka said with a glance to the one who answered.

"I understand." The one named Oishi turned to his teammates. "Everyone, let's head over to that side," he said, directing the way.

At the meaningful glance Tezuka gave her, she followed suit. But, not without a backward glance at those who remained behind.

…Wow…that atmosphere was intense.

She snapped back to the present when a few of the guys slowed to fall into step beside her.

"I kind of get the gist of it," Oishi said, his kindly green eyes landing on hers. "You will be the one working with our group, if I am correct?"

"95% probability that hypothesis will hold true," speculated the sagely and cryptic voice of one up front, who turned his head to look with eyes obscured by thick lenses of his glasses. "Hah!?" The bandana guy glared back at her.

"Oishi!" A red haired one darted ahead of the group. "Take a look at this! Wow!"

The entire expense of the establishment's space…literally in whichever direction you looked, there was an observation deck in plain sight. The redhead seemed to be ecstatic, leaping onto a camera that was installed below the closest observation deck, and grinning as he waved into it. "Yaahoo~"

"—Get off the camera—" came the announcement only moments later.

…So Okura-san had been serious when he claimed that he would be observing to make sure no one broke the rules.

"Oi! Eiji-senpai!" another member with black hair and a lively loud voice yelled up to him. "Tezuka can hear these announcements, you know!"

"Eh-" The red haired member dropped back down with an effortless backflip.

"Why don't we start off with introductions?" Oishi suggested, sensing that they have come to a good spot.

The members of his team gathered alongside him, facing her direction. Seven young men calmly accepting their situation with professional pride…with the exception of the angry looking one.

…Seven…

Shizuka glanced down at her list. Was she missing someone?

She supposed she would find out once they were named. But, first of all.

"Kagami Shizuka," the brunette introduced herself as. "But, you may call me Kagami. Well, then…"

They exchanged glances, as her attention went to her files. That was all for her introduction?

"Seishun Academy's tennis team regulars…" She noticed an interesting fact. "Also a Tokyo based school?"

"Ehh~ That's right!" The redhead chirped up. "Seigaku! You know, Senior High National finalists two years back? You haven't heard of us?"

Um… She only really looked at the competitors ranked above Hyoutei the previous year, to be honest. "…I'm not from around here," she decided to say.

"Uwah…" The redhead faltered back a few steps, pressing quivering hands to his cheeks in denial. "This is doing wonders to my self-esteem..."

"Oh, but-" That's mainly because she wasn't into tennis in the first place, was what she was about to say. Then she realized it was probably not the best way to make an impression for herself as their temporary coach. "…I will learn your names."

The first on the list, "Third year when school starts, Captain Oishi Shuuichirou," she said.

"Yes," he answered in his firm and cordial voice. So, he was the captain of their team. No wonder, it appeared that he was the center of responsibility among his teammates.

The transparent and nonjudgmental gaze of his was shut for a brief moment as he made a light bow. "At your service."

She was going to be counting on this one a lot.

"Hm… Third year vice-captain, Fuji Syuusuke," she read.

"Yes," a pleasant voice replied to her. She followed its source to the one with honey amber hair. Really… Seigaku's vice-captain was a guy with such an ethereal air to him. It wasn't just his appearance, flawlessly handsome as it was. His demeanor and mannerisms suggested someone who had never encountered much hardship in his endeavors.

When he smiled, simultaneous to the faint tilt of his head, his closed eyes formed upward crescents. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Oh no… She was bad at dealing with this type. What was she to do if he were to complain about being made to sweat?

Shizuka carried on. "Oh…? Your team's manager is also a regular. Third year Inui Sadaharu?"

"Affirmative," the guy with very thick-lensed glasses answered her. "If there is anything you need to know, do not hesitate to ask. I will be able to provide you with answers."

She gazed at him for a moment. He appeared to be the intellectual type, but he had height, as well as the perfectly balanced proportions of toned muscles all over his body. This was a formidable player, that much she could pick up on straight off the bat.

"Tell me," Shizuka asked, genuinely curious, "Can you see well behind those glasses?"

His teammates glanced to him at her unexpected question. He petrified, just for an instant.

"Kukuku…" Securing his glasses frame with two fingers, Inui slanted his head aside and let out a somewhat disturbing chuckle. "You still have to ask the right questions."

…

In other words, 'will be able to provide with answers' isn't the same as 'will be willing to provide', huh?

"…Third year Kik-"

"Yeees! That's me!" the lithe and energetic redhead interrupted enthusiastically with the upheaval of his arms and a cheeky grin. "I'll be introducing myself! Ahem-" He cleared his throat with an exaggerated gesture, and then flashed her a victory sign. "Kikumaru Eiji here, born on November 28. Blood type A. Ah-…Even though that is my name, I actually have two older brothers and two older sisters. My favourite colour is red. Ah-…and just so you know, the reason I have rivalry with Gakuto is not because I'm extremely jealous his hair magically retains its shape, nyeh. I like listening to pop music while exercising. My favourite-"

"Eiji..." Oishi's hand came down apologetically on the guy's shoulder. "That's enough..."

"…Mou…"

Kikumaru, was it…? He reminded her strangely of someone. She wondered who…?

"Third year Kawamura Takashi," she said.

"Ah-…Yes, present!" the robust-built player at one end of the row snapped to attention, reporting.

Oh…? That was a good voice, full of breath, belonging to the young man who turned toward her with a charming smile.

He was the only one who addressed her with a full bow. "Please take care of me."

That left a good impression on her.

Moving on, it was the second years.

"Second year Momoshiro Takeshi."

"Here~" He waved over at her with a bright, friendly smile, and rubbed the back of his head. "Just call me 'Momo', alright? Ah, that's right-" he further requested, "We seem to be about the same age, so, I'll just call you Kagami, if you don't mind."

A bold personality, she took it as. One who was not afraid of encountering setbacks.

"If that's what you'd like," Shizuka replied.

"Second year Kaidoh Kaoru," she asked, "here?"

She would have assumed he wasn't, if not for the rest of the Seigaku regulars all looking to one person whose body was turned from her, his hands in his pockets.

The guy with the bandana reacted to their attention with an irate scowl and the release of his breath. "Fshuuu."

So that was Kaidoh, was it? She wouldn't have suspected he was a high school student. Or did high school guys look like they were in danger of becoming ruffians these days…

"Oi!" Kaidoh abruptly spoke up. "I can't just accept this calmly," he declared with a sidelong glare her way. "Just what qualifications do you have to be replacing Tezuka? Hah?" he demanded bluntly. "This is the first I've heard of this arrangement!"

"It is true that this was an unforeseeable event, an outlier, in my calculations," Inui agreed, crossing an arm over his midsection, and propping the other up on it. "I also would like to hear an explanation."

…She had thought this question would come up.

Lowering her files, Shizuka answered, "He did not say when, but the facilitator of this establishment, Okura-san, will be drawing up matchups between you and the Hyoutei team."

"The matchups will be arranged to target what he considers to be a significant weakness each the players hold." She looked at them, repeating roughly what the man had told her of his intentions. "In other words, he will place you before the opponent, or opponents, most likely to crush your play."

Varying degrees of surprise and bewilderment met her words.

"Right now, Tezuka-san is aiding the Hyoutei team in exposing your weaknesses, of which he is already familiar with," Shizuka said. "As someone who is familiar with Hyoutei, my task is to help you counter them, and to expose theirs."

Although, her role would only be effective if she could correctly interpret the strengths and weaknesses of both sides.

"I am no professional tennis player," the girl admitted. "However, I have undergone training in health and kinesiology." At one time, she had been prepared to follow in her father's footsteps as a professional bodyguard, after all. "Aside from that, I am a practitioner of more than one form of martial arts," Shizuka added as an afterthought. "Kaidoh," she said, glancing over at him.

A cool smile. "You look like you want to try."

This guy… She could feel his murderous intent all the way from where she stood. She imagined that his opponents in tennis have no trouble anticipating his offensives.

"Tsch."

"Ah-Ah," stepping forward quickly, Oishi intervened to clear up the bad air. "It's fine, isn't it? Since Tezuka is cooperating with the plan. We'll trust in their judgment." He caught her eyes, smiling almost apologetically.

She nodded her thanks, lifting her files again. "Then…seems like the one who's missing…"

The last name on the list. "First year Echizen Ryoma…" Was she seeing this right? They reserved a spot for a player who hadn't even entered their school yet?

"Oh, that brat…" Momoshiro said with a grin to himself.

"Ah, that one…" Fuji said with a chuckle.

…What was this? All of a sudden, their expressions have changed. Reminiscence and fond amusement, as though they were privy to something she was not.

"Truth be told, we weren't sure if he'll make it to camp," Fuji informed her.

"Sure he will!" exclaimed Kikumaru, resting elbow on his captain's shoulder. "We're talking about Echizen, after all, ne, Oishi?"

"Kukuku…" Inui adjusted his glasses, pitching in his piece, "Probability of him making a pointlessly dramatic entrance…99%"

Was that so...? She supposed that was good. Okura-san had wanted even numbers, after all.

"Alright." Now that the explanations were over, and it appeared that, at least on the surface, they were willing to go along for the time being… She wondered if this was a good time to head back to speak with the Hyoutei regulars.

"—No, Tezuka is absolutely right. I have strictly prohibited matches to take place without my permission, and I am not permitting you to play him now—"

…

Or, maybe it still wasn't a good time.

She glanced down at the map. "…For now," Shizuka decided, buying herself some more time, "…Why don't I have you guys show me the levels of your skills?"

A/N: I just realized something…

…I don't know how Seigaku players address one another. Hu…the wiki isn't helping much… Please correct me if I get them horribly wrong.

Edit2: Oh my god. I keep miscounting the number of regulars. What am I doing!