© 2009 Gold

Title: Beyond: A Tribute

Part 9: The Inconvenient Truth I

Author: Gold
Rating: K+

Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis is created by Konomi Takeshi. This work is a piece of fanfiction and no part of it is attributed to Konomi-san or any other entity holding any legal right associated with and arising out of Prince of Tennis . It was written purely out of fanservice and it is not to be used for profit or any false association with Konomi-san or aforesaid entities.

Part Nine: The Inconvenient Truth I

Yukimura Seiichi was sitting up weakly in bed, his back propped up by several huge bolsters and plump pillows. He looked pale and tired, and a slender tube was taped to the back of his left hand, protruding from it and connected to the drip by the side of his bed. A nurse sat discreetly by his bed.

Sanada Genichirou was in a distant corner of the hospital suite, leaning back against the wall. His head was lowered so that his eyes were hidden from view by the dark fringe of his hair.

Kirihara Akaya sat gingerly at the foot of Yukimura's hospital bed, more off the bed than on it. He plucked nervously at the bedspread and tried to make himself smaller and less noticeable.

"Akaya, how did you get that… your face?" Yukimura tilted his head curiously and then blinked, the corners of his mouth tightening very slightly as the room began to sway slightly.

"Um," mumbled Kirihara Akaya, putting a hand up to gingerly touch his swollen cheek. It hurt. His only consolation was that Echizen Ryoma was at least in as much pain. But he had to change the subject. "Buchou… how are you feeling?"

Yukimura opened his mouth and then shut it tightly, his eyes fluttering close as he fought a sudden wave of dizziness.

"Buchou…?"

"Quiet, Akaya," ordered Sanada from his corner, without looking up.

Kirihara subsided immediately and turned his attention back to the bedspread.

The nurse reached over and carefully shifted the pillows, allowing Yukimura to sink back against them.

Someone knocked on the doors.

The nurse lifted her head. "Come in," she called softly.

The doors swung open.

Atobe Keigo stepped into the room, followed by Tezuka Kunimitsu and Kabaji Munehiro.

Atobe swept a glance around the room and his eyes landed on Kirihara. "Kirihara. There is a long-distance call for you. Yanagi Renji is waiting to speak to you."

Kirihara almost fell off the bed. He wailed: "But I haven't done anything—honestly! Except maybe fight with Echizen, but that's 'cause he started it! And—"

Atobe snapped his fingers.

Kabaji's arm shot out, holding out a mobile phone.

Kirihara scooted away from it, as if it were a snake or scorpion, or at any rate some kind of squirming reptile.

"Akaya, take it outside," Sanada said from his corner.

"Hai," mumbled Kirihara meekly.

The doors had hardly closed behind Kirihara before Atobe said, "Nurse Shimano, leave us. You may return in an hour."

The nurse rose to her feet and bowed. Then she exited the room.

"Kabaji."

"Usu."

"No one enters."

"Usu."

Kabaji left the room.

Yukimura stirred. "Atobe. Tezuka. What's going on…?"

"I spoke to Yanagi Renji and Inui Sadaharu," Atobe said shortly. "They have a curious theory which, while wildly imaginative, may have shed some light on matters."

Yukimura eyed Atobe coolly.

"The doctors ran similar medical tests on both you and Sanada," Atobe stated. "If this were any other situation, the results of these medical tests would be disclosed to you privately. No third party would be entitled to the doctors' report without your consent. At this point in time, I personally have not been informed by the doctors of the medical results although they are here under my orders." Atobe's fingers tapped against the arm of his chair. "But this is not an ordinary situation."

Yukimura eyed Atobe warily.

Atobe met Yukimura's gaze head-on. "It is not what happened six years ago, Yukimura," he said levelly. "That much, I have deduced, although the ultimate confirmation lies with the medical experts."

Yukimura's gaze shifted from Atobe to Tezuka. Then he spoke. "Why did the doctors run tests on Sanada?"

Atobe sniffed. "That, you can ask the doctors. Or you can interrogate Sanada at your pleasure. I'm sure that you'll find that entertaining. But do that later, please. As I was saying, this is not an ordinary situation. I have reason to believe that if Yanagi Renji and Inui Sadaharu are correct – regardless of whether their logic proves to be right or wrong – then the results of your medical tests may be irretrievably linked to Tezuka's recent test results."

Sanada started abruptly from his position, then seemed to change his mind, and sank back against the wall.

Yukimura's eyes narrowed and his lips parted, as if to say something, but he remained silent.

Atobe looked at them, his face stern. "Apart from myself and Tezuka, I am asking you to consent to allow Oshitari Yuushi, Tachibana Kippei, Yanagi Renji, Inui Sadaharu and Fuji Syuusuke to be likewise informed, and to allow us to discuss the matter together with you and the doctors, if the need arises." Atobe added, "And, of course, Kabaji."

There was a brief silence.

Yukimura's gaze grew distant. "There was a time once," he said, his voice sounding strangely as if it came from far, far away, "when we did not need to concern ourselves with these."

Atobe shrugged. "We were children then." But his voice had softened a little.

Yukimura's voice took on a hard edge. "I learnt a long time ago that adults would bend me to their will if they could. None of them would listen to me. I decided that I and I alone would get to decide what I wanted. The teams that I led never needed supervision, because we knew, better than anyone, what we wanted and how to achieve our goals. We did not need anyone to teach us. We did not need anyone, but ourselves." Yukimura lifted his eyes to Atobe's. "My mistake lies in having forgotten that lesson."

Atobe frowned.

Sanada turned his face away.

But Tezuka stepped forward.

"We were all part of a team once." Tezuka's voice was strong. "And as a team, the sum of the whole is greater than its parts. That is what enabled us all to pull through and rely on just ourselves, as a cohesive unit, to achieve our greatest dreams when we were schoolboys." Tezuka paused briefly, letting his words sink in. "We have gone our different ways, which is the natural progression of life. Perhaps we have allowed our relentless pursuit of our dreams to put a distance between ourselves and the teams that we were once a part of. And because we are too young, we have left behind much more than we realise." He looked steadily at Yukimura and Sanada. "But in Tokyo, now, at this very moment, Yanagi Renji waits for you. He is not the only one. With him are Jackal Kuwahara, Marui Bunta and Niou Masaharu. I understand—" Tezuka glanced at Atobe – "that Yagyuu Hiroshi is in Europe, but he is on his way back to Tokyo, to meet once more with his old team-mates."

Yukimura blinked; Sanada looked up.

"There are many more back home, whose names you may recognise—Tachibana Kippei, Sengoku Kiyosumi, Saeki Kojirou, Fuji Yuuta…All of them have come, together with their old team-mates. And – my own old team, Seigaku… they, too, are there." Tezuka fell silent for a moment. "It is not something easily explained away, to come immediately when called upon, and to offer help when not asked for…It has been, for us all, many years."

"You forget, Tezuka, that all this is due to ore-sama," Atobe pointed out haughtily. "For it was I who directed Yuushi to contact Inui-san and Yanagi-san, and to bring the rest together."

Tezuka politely ignored Atobe. "And we are also…the Dream Team."

Dream Team.

Those words had an unexpected effect. Yukimura's face glowed with unexpected brilliance. The hard lines of Sanada's face softened visibly, and even Atobe's eyes, for a moment, looked almost childlike.

Once, they had been Japan's Dream Team, handpicked as the finest players in their age group nationwide and, some said then, the best in the world. One by one, the strongest players in the age groups above them had fallen in stunning defeat, followed by the Dream Teams from other countries, including the traditional tennis powerhouses of America and Germany. But in their minds, it was not the recollections of past glories that were conjured up when someone mentioned the words Dream Team—it was, instead, the memories of playing for the exhilarating joy of the game, the sharp delight in the scaling of new and hitherto undiscovered heights in their potential, and the cherished camaraderie with team-mates that had been forged with the help of their beloved tennis.

"Atobe," Yukimura said finally, "what are you up to…?"

"That took you long enough," Atobe remarked coldly. His gaze flickered to Tezuka. "I think we all agree that recent events have highlighted the appalling lack of competence and best efforts in the current management."

Yukimura's mouth tightened and Sanada gave a slight nod.

"As you say, Yukimura," Atobe continued, "we know, better than anyone, what we want, and how to achieve our goals. To that end, we should be our own management. But for that, we must have our own organisation in place. Furthermore, as players, you should not have to spend your time dealing with all the minor details. You will need people you can trust in these positions, which are now being occupied by current management.

"We will need to oust the current management. The difficulty is to put in place, very quickly, a similar structure of experienced and trusted personnel. There is, of course, a way to shortcut this.

"I will provide a number of experienced professionals, people who have years of experience in sports management, media relations corporate governance. Many are already within my employment. They will take posts in a new vehicle that I have incorporated specifically to be the new management company. Others who are part of this new team will be reputable professionals who have worked with tennis players for many, many years. They will provide guidance and training for the people who will be your direct managers. These direct managers will be your immediate support and they are the ones who will genuinesly look out for you." Atobe looked at Yukimura and Sanada. "Oshitari Yuushi, Tachibana Kippei, Inui Sadaharu, Fuji Syuusuke and Yanagi Renji have agreed to assist. They will be the heartbeat of the new management team. From there, it will be a matter of time before the others sign up—but it will not take long."

Yukimura arched an eyebrow. "This wasn't planned yesterday."

"Of course not," snorted Atobe. "Success depends on excellent strategy and ripe market conditions—not miracles."

Sanada cleared his throat. "Atobe, we did sign contracts with the management agency—and the coaches and nutritionists, and so on. I do not see how we can break these contracts without facing some form of legal liability. I am worried, also, about the fact that it was one of your companies that issued a press statement on our behalves—at that time, and even now, we have not yet officially broken with the management. In the context of our contracts with the management agency—will it hurt us?"

"I will deal with the contracts for your coaches and nutritionists, and the medical team from the NTAJ. You can tell me whether you want to keep them or break with them." Atobe's smile was like a shark's. "As for the management agency, you need have no fear. They can try what they will." Atobe chuckled unpleasantly.

"You know something that we don't," Yukimura said sharply. "Atobe, what is it?"

Atobe waved away Yukimura's question with an imperious movement. "All in good time. Now, we are back again at the issue of consent." He looked at Yukimura. "Well?"

Yukimura considered the matter for a moment. Finally he raised his head. "Atobe, let me hear Renji on this first. Then I will decide."

"No," Atobe said. "We have less time now. I feel the clock is ticking. If we do not move fast enough, then it will be ticking against us."

Yukimura's lips tightened.

"Atobe."

It was Sanada.

"Five minutes, Atobe. Let us speak to Renji." Sanada walked forward, stopping by Yukimura's bed. He turned to face Yukimura. "Renji is someone who would not do this lightly. If he thinks in a certain way, he must have very good reasons."

"When does Renji not have a good reason?" Yukimura asked, a slight edge of irritation in his tone. "Well, Atobe?"

Atobe did not look pleased. "Five minutes—with Yanagi, Oshitari, Inui and Fuji."

"Done," Sanada said, before Yukimura could reply.

Atobe immediately pulled out a mobile phone and spoke into it. "Kabaji. Get Ishida and Yamada in here now. They have two minutes to set up the connection to Karuizawa. Arrange with Dr. Aramaki and his team to be on standby outside."