Chapter 4

Yuki and Kiyoko watched as the older senpai practiced. The female players had not come yet. They sat together with Horio and Echizen.

"Hmm," said Horio, "I thought it was pretty weird that Momoshiro-senpai was only using half of his ability to play against a girl because of his twisted ankle. Of course there's no way a girl could play with a regular and a senpai. Even the ones that aren't on the team are strong. Hey! Are you three even listening?"

"Not really," said Kiyoko. Yuki said nothing and leaned back closing her eyes in relief. Kiyoko looked up when a third year girl walked up to her and Yuki.

"Are you girls here for the female tennis team?" asked the girl.

"Yes," said Kiyoko.

"You must not have heard the announcement," said the girl, "There is no girls' tennis team. We've never won any championships so the board decided to stop funding," said the girl, "Sorry about that. Now the only captain is the male captain, Captain Tezuka."

"They must have just announced this," said Yuki, "Otherwise Coach Ryuzaki wouldn't have invited us to be part of the team. Guess we were her last resort before the board stopped funding."

"We can't go back now," said Kiyoko, "You know how hard it was to convince our dads that it was the right thing to do."

"Let's talk to that Captain Tezuka," said Yuki, "If we can't have a girls' team, they could at least let us get registered into the mixed doubles category. You know they needed one."

"Great idea!" said Kiyoko before the two walked to a tall third year Horio had said was the captain.

"Captain Tezuka," said Yuki walking to him, "We'd like to talk with you."

"Are you two the first years from the U.S.?" asked Tezuka getting to the point, "Coach Ryuzaki asked me to speak with you."

"What about?" asked Kiyoko curiously.

"It's a little early for me to be saying anything but I'd like you two to be in the block competition in a few weeks," said Tezuka, "Along with that Ryoma Echizen the coach recommended. If you beat the ones in your block, you'll be special members for the male tennis team. You will be registered into mixed doubles, but you will practice with us for now."

"Thank you!" said Yuki happily. The two girls grinned before running to Horio and Ryoma. Kiyoko shook Ryoma eagerly.

"Hey Ryoma!" said Kiyoko, "I get to compete against you! Isn't that great?"

"What do I care?" asked Ryoma through closed eyes. Kiyoko sweat dropped and smacked him on the head.

"Baka!" shouted Kiyoko. Just then a second year walked to Ryoma.

"Are you that great first year?!" he asked.

"Great first year?" thought Ryoma and Kiyoko to themselves. Ryoma shook his head and pointed in Horio's direction. Kiyoko was surprised but stayed silent.

"So that's him, how obvious," said the senpai, "he's the only one wearing the weird shirt and jumping around." The boy who Kiyoko heard someone later call Arai walked to Horio.

"That wasn't a very good idea Ryoma," said Kiyoko to the boy, "Horio will be the one to suffer the consequences even when you were the one that Arai guy was talking about." Ryoma wasn't listening and Kiyoko got the angry mark on her face before walking to Yuki. She looked around for Tezuka who had already disappeared into Coach Ryuzaki's room. Kiyoko leaned on the wall next to Yuki. The regular players had just walked by.

"Here they come," said Yuki stating the obvious, "I hope the coach was right when she said this would be a challenge." The two girls looked up when the vice-captain Oishi went forward.

"Just to get the new first years to ease up," began Oishi, "Until the captain comes, you are free to use the court." Yuki perked her ears to a conversation of one of the regulars, Fuji, to Oishi. Yuki and Kiyoko had read each of their files the week before. Horio jumped up and down excitedly.

"This is so cool!" exclaimed Horio, "The courts over there at that side are empty. Let's go!" He stopped when Eiji had served a ball into the basket at the opposite end of the court. All the regulars had been serving into the basket. Oishi caught Fuji's ball.

"Fuji! You're steps are too slow!" said Oishi with a grin.

"Wow!" exclaimed Horio, "All the lobs they hit are going straight to the basket! This is my first time ever watching such a smash practice. These are Seigaku's regular members!" Yuki, Kiyoko and Ryoma stood near the court observing the regulars as they practiced. A ball flew over to their side and Ryoma also served it into the basket.

"Eh?doesn't seem that hard," said Ryoma with a grin.

"Show off," muttered Kiyoko.

"You punk!" shouted Arai walking to Ryoma and clutching him at the front of his shirt, "This is not a place for first years to be showing off."

"What is the meaning of this?" asked Captain Tezuka from behind the two boys and Yuki and Kiyoko. He observed the scene before him. "The two of you, ten laps around the court for causing a commotion."

"But wait! I?" objected Arai.

"Twenty laps," said Tezuka. Kiyoko went forward.

"Captain," said Kiyoko, "Is it all right if Yuki and I join them?"

"Suit yourself," said Tezuka.

"Why did I have to join you?" asked Yuki with a whine, "This is all just a question of male superiority."

"But you were the one that caused it," pointed out Kiyoko, "You made all the first years noticeable, especially Ryoma since he's the only boy first year that's actually good. With us, we're the relief force to stand for the women."

"I still don't feel like running," muttered Yuki before catching up to them lazily, "It's not efficient."