Notes:
Wow, I actually got some reviews. Thank you! Sorry for the confusion. The story plays in my head like an episode of the anime, and I'm not really good at transferring that to words. I've never tried writing before!
Again, sadly, the characters do not belong to me.
Practice went pretty smoothly. The drills were not particularly hard, but still Aya made several stupid mistakes. It was hard not to feel self-conscious when the person on the next court was Fuji. The tensai had not made one single mistake all afternoon and in fact, did not look challenged at all.
"Okay, take a break you two. Kikumaru, Momo, you guys are up!"
"How do you like the club so far?" Fuji asked Aya as they made their way off the court.
"It's great. You guys are amazing. I mean, you didn't miss a single shot just now."
"Saa, there was no motivation," Fuji replied. Aya looked at the boy quizzically as he walked toward the water fountain. Aya headed in the other direction, towards a tree under which a certain first-year was lounging.
"Your form is still mada mada dane," he said without looking up.
'Gee, thanks Ryoma. I've missed you too,' she said sarcastically as she plopped down next to the younger boy.
Ryoma gave no answer. They sat in silence for a few minutes. Aya couldn't take it anymore. 'Aren't you curious as to why I'm here?'
"Not really."
'Well, that's too bad. I'm going to tell you anyway. By the way, why are you keeping your history a secret to them anyway?'
'No reason. It's not really any of their business.'
'Fair enough. You know, it's really your fault I'm here.' No response. Aya continued. 'I came to Japan because I am going to represent it in the Junior Americas Cup.'
Ryoma looked at her in surprise. Aya was one of the best players on the girls' circuit. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time she didn't make it to the finals in one of their tournaments. Before he left, she had just won three in a row. It was assumed that she would be the first seed for that tournament.
Aya looked off into space as she kept talking. 'Your leaving caused quite a stir with the association. It brought up a lot of racist sentiments. Something ridiculous about not being able to trust the foreigners' loyalties. When they were deciding on who to send in your place, they decided that I was not the image of American tennis that they wanted to portray, so they replaced me too. Officially, they said that my dual citizenship would cause problems. Unofficially, they thought I was going to leave the US and represent Japan. They said that my winning the last tournament didn't matter; it was the association's right to chose the delegates.' she spat that last part out vehemently. She turned to the boy. 'And you know what really gets me? Do you know whom they replaced me with? Kingston. Sarah Kingston who is ranked 5th on the circuit, whose best finish in 7 tournaments is the quarterfinals, who hasn't been able to win a single game from me. UGH!' She groaned in frustration.
Echizen simply kept quiet.
'Sorry, sorry about that. It's just that it is so STUPID! If they had replaced me with Davis or Miller or someone good… But no, apparently neither of them is the image of the future of American tennis. I guess they weren't blond enough.' She gave a huge sigh. 'But yeah, they thought we would just sit there and take it. Right, like we're really that well behaved. Too bad you missed it. Press conferences, threats of lawsuits, editorials, the works. The media was completely on our side. They issued a formal apology, and then they said that they would reevaluate the delegates to JAC.' Another breath. 'And then I did exactly what they thought I would, I came here. I don't want to play for them anymore, and what's more, I'm going to beat them at JAC.'
'… That's not my fault.'
'Hmm, it's not, I guess, but it got you to listen, didn't it?' She smiled at him. 'But it's your father's fault I'm at Seigaku. My mother found out you moved here and asked him for a school with a good tennis program. He told them here. You know, I haven't even met your father, but I think he thinks I'm a boy. They're in the nationals, but the girls' team's really not that great. They've just been really lucky. It's all about you guys.' She looked at the powerhouse Momo return a shot to Oishi. 'Oh well, too late now. My team's gotta do well at the next tournament for my sponsor to back my bid for the JAC spot.'
"Uhn," Ryoma made a sound of comprehension. Silence fell over them again.
'I wish we had this level of intensity.'
"We're in Japan. Why don't you speak in Japanese?"
"Fine, fine. Hey… Was that a not so subtle way of telling me to shut up? You know I'm not too comfortable with Japanese."
Ryoma made no comment, but took a drink from the can he had in his hand and then smirked.
"You're so mean."
"Hey ochibi-chan! It's your turn!"
The two on the ground looked up to see Kikumaru and Momo approaching.
"'Ochibi-chan'?" Aya looked at Echizen as he stood up; her lips curled up into a grin. She bounced up and patted the boy on his head. "That's a great nickname for you. It fits so well! Have fun, ochibi-chan!"
"Why are you calling me that? You're not that much taller than me," Ryoma said with a slight pout. It was a slightly sensitive subject for him because the girl was actually not more than a few months older than he was.
"All the more reason to call you that while I still can. Look at you, you're growing faster than me. Pretty soon, you'll be taller, and I can't call you that anymore! Go Ryoma, your sempais are waiting for you." She grinned at him.
"You better hurry Echizen. I hear that Inui-sempai is looking for a test subject for his new prototype…." Momo warned.
Aya had never seen that look that was now gracing Ryoma's face. The color drained out of his face, and his eyes were bugged out of their sockets. "Ryoma, are you okay?" Aya asked, but the boy was long gone.
She turned to the other boys, confused. "What's going on?"
"You don't want to know," Momo said with a sweatdrop.
"Don't worry about it!" Kikumaru added with a nervous chuckle.
Aya looked at them unsatisfied, but they were quick to change the subject.
"So Aya-kun, I haven't noticed you around. What class are you in?" Momo asked.
"2-6. I only started coming to Seigaku three weeks ago."
"Is that when you came over from America?"
"Yup, I got here a week before that."
"Is that how you know ochibi-chan?"
"Yup."
The trio began walking toward the courts.
"Hey Aya-kun?"
"Yes, Momoshiro-kun?"
"Call me Momo-chan!" Momo said in his usual enthusiastic tone as he waved his hand.
"Uh, okay, Momo-chan. What is it?"
"I'm sorry about before."
"Before, what before? Momo, what did you do?" Kikumaru interrupted.
"Nothing, Kikumaru-sempai! It's just that…. Well, she's the person everyone's been talking about."
"You're the guy with the bun?" Kikumaru and demanded.
"I guess," Aya answered uncertainly.
Kikumaru burst into laughter. "Momo! Can't you tell the difference between a boy and a girl?"
"It's not that! It wasn't my fault! She was wearing baggy clothes and a cap and Arai thought she was a boy and she really looked a guy… and…"
Aya stopped walking and looked at the tall guy with spiky hair. "Are you saying I look like a boy?" she pouted.
"That's not what I meant! It's just that you were wearing guys' clothes and you hat was covering your face and…" Well, it wasn't just the clothes. Her face was broad, and though her eyes were pretty large, she looked no more feminine than some first-year boys. Even in the girls' uniform, Aya had a very different build than that of most other girls. Her forearms were slender, but her shoulders were broad. Her upper arms and legs were muscular, but not overly so. What feminine curves she did have were well concealed underneath a slightly oversized top. In the middle, she curved into a waist that was thicker than most other girls'. Momo probably would have made the same mistake again, if it weren't for the fact that she was wearing a skirt and that her long hair was now down. "I just didn't know you were a girl."
Deepening her pout, Aya let her head droop. She brought her hands up and buried her face in them.
Of course, this sight brought the two boys into a state of terror.
"Oi, Momo, you idiot, look what you did!! You made her cry!"
"Eeeehhh?? I didn't mean to. I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
"Make her stop! Apologize like you mean it, or Oishi will think the two of us made her cry! He'll sacrifice us to Inui!"
"I'm sorry!!!!! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please stop crying. I am so sorry!!!!"
The only response was an increase in the violence of the spasms that were taking over the hunched-over form.
"Momo, Eiji."
"Eeee!! Fuji-sempai! Uh… nothing's going on. We didn't do anything."
"Fuji, help! Momo made her cry, and she won't stop!"
Too bad Aya's face was buried in her hands. Otherwise, she would have gotten to see what she had been so anxious to see: Fuji with his eyes opened, looking serious. He was a little shocked. He had no problems watching or making boys cry; he found those rather amusing. But girls crying… it wasn't quite as fun; in fact, it was one of the few things that he found daunting. But… Something isn't quite right, Fuji thought. He looked at the girl, and the smile reappeared on his face. I see...
"I take it back; you don't look like a boy! Please stop!" He stole a glance toward Inui. "Please…" Momo pleaded.
Aya couldn't control herself anymore. She clutched her stomach and let the laughter pour out. "You guys are so funny!" she said in between gasps for air.
"What? You're not really crying?!"
Aya shook her head.
"Aya! That was so mean!" Kikumaru yelled.
"You scared me!" Momo joined in.
"I'm sorry!" She stopped herself. "I didn't think you'd be so gullible! Come on now! You guys were so cute the way you got all freaked out!" The image of Momo and Kikumaru in a state of panic flashed in Aya's mind, and she couldn't contain herself anymore. "Bwahaaahaaahaaaa!!!"
Fuji held back a chuckle, while Momo and Kikumaru glared at her.
"It's not funny!"
Aya took a deep breath and calmed down. "I'm sorry. I really am. I didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted a little payback for earlier… Forgive me?" She tried her best to whip up a puppy-dog look without bursting into laughter again.
"You're so mean. You didn't have to trick me too!" Kikumaru whined.
"I'm sorry."
"Fine," both of the boys grudgingly said, but glared at her when she gave a small cough that sounded suspiciously like a giggle.
Aya's face lit up in a huge mischievous grin that would make have Kikumaru proud, had he not been so worked up. "Really, I would never get that worked up over something as trivial as someone saying I look like a boy! I get that a lot. Not all girls are that delicate. But usually most people don't care about me that much. You guys are such sweeties." She punched them on their arms.
Momo blushed furiously and ran his hand through his hair, while looking down at the ground. Kikumaru gave a small "hehe" and a large grin. "Of course, we'll just have to find a way to pay you back for that little joke…."
Aya gave a small smirk.
Fuji smiled as well. This will be very interesting indeed.
Oishi looked at the four people walking toward the courts. He could see that they were smiling and laughing. It was a great relief to him to see that Aya was fitting in with the club. He had been really worried about how she would adjust to playing with them. A small smile was beginning to form on his face when a tennis ball sailed past his side.
"Are we done, Oishi-sempai?" an impatient Ryoma said.
"Huh? Ah, sorry, Echizen. Get ready. Here comes the next shot."
A/N: Oishi is such the okaasan, ne? ^_^ Sorry for the venting… I'm a little peeved at certain aspects of the US right now.
Next chapter: Tennis time! Aya plays a match.