Chapter 11
"Go Seigaku!"
"A little louder."
"Nice Shot!"
"Nice Return!"
"Practice has been so much fun lately," said Kachiro as he kept on cheering for the regulars.
"That's because you don't do any running," said Rei blandly, "You're just picking up balls. Coach Ryuzaki does nothing but work on the regulars."
"That's probably because we're so close to the District Semi-Final. It's just in ten days," said Horio, "They want Seigaku to win."
"Man, that old lady hasn't been out in awhile," said Takeshi as Coach Ryuzaki stood pounding hard on the second years. Takeshi snickered. "I'd hate to be with them."
"Momo-chan!" said Kiyoko reprimanding him. The regulars were stretching in the sidelines.
"Okay! Everyone, gather up!" said Tezuka. The regulars assembled at the front while the rest stood behind them according to year. "We have just chosen our eight regular members from the rankings and two who have joined for mixed doubles. Before we can go to the national tournament, we have to win regionals. Regardless of which school, the level of tennis has increased. Do not let your guards down."
"Finished!" said Coach Ryuzaki.
"Second and third years are in Court C," ordered Tezuka, "First years are to pick up balls. Regulars are in Court A and B."
"Wait," said Coach Ryuzaki, "I've asked someone to make a special training menu for the regulars."
"Him?" asked Oishi before smiling, "Ah! Inui."
"Hey," said Inui in greeting before setting a box he had been carrying down, "To survive until the national tournament, first you have to work on your wrist and footwork. Everyone, please come and put these on your ankles. There are 250 g training weights inside. They will go on your wrists and ankles and will help your footwork! Both weights will weigh 1 kg heavier."
"It's not so bad," said Takeshi testing the weight on his ankles by jumping up and down.
"I have red, blue, and yellow cones and balls color coded to match the cones," said Inui setting three different color cones down on the court.
"I get it!" said Eiji. Inui served a ball to Eiji who grinned.
"Red!" said Eiji returning the red ball to the red cone. "Yellow!" "Blue!"
"Wow!" exclaimed Horio, "No wonder Eiji-senpai is a regular. He can distinguish the ball just as it's served and hit it to the right cone accurately."
"Sugoi! Eiji-chan!" cheered Yuki smiling.
"Being able to distinguish moving objects like that, no one can match Eiji," said Oishi nodding knowingly.
"You think so?" asked Fuji with a smile before nodding his head at Ryoma's direction, "Look."
"Blue! Red! Blue!" said Ryoma hitting the ball to the cones with pinpoint accuracy.
"Those two aren't tired," said Inui, "But soon enough, they will begin to feel the 1 kg weights and their endurance will gradually hold them back. When they start losing their stamina, their judgment will be impaired as well." Just as he said that, Eiji and Ryoma stopped surprised.
"What happened?" asked Eiji aloud, "My ankles suddenly felt heavier. I get it now, I'll gain stamina by doing this. Re-red!"
"Kikumaru, isn't it blue?" asked Inui.
"Huh?" asked Eiji as the ball flew by. Upon closer inspection, it was red. "Inui! You're so mean. It really was red." Inui now made a maniacal grin.
"I forgot to tell you," he said holding up a glass with a nasty green liquid, "If you miss, you have to drink Inui's Special Juice! Don't worry, it's filled with vegetables, except, there's a slight change in the taste." Eiji grimaced before gulping down the juice.
"Eh?!" exclaimed Eiji before running immediately to the water fountains. Everyone looked after him thoroughly scared. A ball went pass Ryoma when he wasn't looking.
"You missed Echizen," said the coach. Everyone watched now wondering what was in the drink as Ryoma gulped it down.
"AH!" yelled Ryoma as he ran stumbling in Eiji's direction.
"Next, Oishi, Takashi!" called Tezuka. The two clutched their rackets tightly and grimaced.
"I can't miss!" they thought to themselves.
"Red! Blue!" shouted Oishi as both balls hit the right marks.
"As expected from the Vice-Captain!" said Horio proudly just as Oishi missed. Inui suddenly stood next to him smiling.
"Inui!" shouted Oishi as he ran for the fountains. Takashi was filled with energy but he still ran screaming.
"Takeshi! Kaidoh!" said Tezuka.
"Look! It's Snake," said Mizuno as Kaidoh launched it saying "Red!" with a grunt. The ball hit its mark but it was actually blue. Kaidoh took it without a word and said nothing as he walked trying to bear the pain. Rei watched with a grimace before Kaidoh ran to the fountains with a hiss. Fuji and Tezuka went next. Fuji made a miss on the first try.
"Fuji!" whined Eiji, "You missed on purpose."
"I wanted to try Inui's juice," said Fuji as an excuse. He gulped the drink and smiled. "This is good! I highly recommend it." Inui sweat dropped while Eiji pointed his finger accusingly at Fuji.
"Liar!" The first years shivered in fear.
"There is someone scarier," they said.
"Kakkoi Fuji-chan!" said Yuki with stars in her eyes. Fuji blushed his hand behind his head.
"Kazumi! Aihara!" called Tezuka. The girls went forward.
"Red! Blue! Yellow! Blue!" shouted Kiyoko hitting every target.
"Hey Odango," said Ryoma, "You cheated."
"Echizen!" said Kiyoko as she served a ball at him. Yuki laughed before stepping forward.
"Red!" said Yuki hitting the red ball at the red cone. The cone was knocked back by the force.
"Look at the power in her hit!" said Horio amazed.
"Yellow! Blue! Red!" said Yuki catching up to the balls and returning them with pin point accuracy before she suddenly tripped and fell over. "Ouch!"
"Are you okay Yuki-chan?" asked Eiji stepping forward and helping her up. Yuki was in chibi with tears forming in her eyes.
"Eiji-chan!" said Yuki looking to the third year for moral support. She buried her face in his arms as Fuji went forward with a medical kit. Takeshi and Oishi snickered.
"Momo! Oishi!" shouted Eiji as he blushed.
"Don't worry Yuki-chan," said Fuji patting the raven haired girl on the head, "You just pulled a muscle. It should be better in a day." Eiji carried Yuki to a bench
"Gomen nasai minna," said Yuki bowing with her face red. Rei whacked Yuki on the head.
"I always told you to be careful," scolded Rei, "You probably added those weights Inui gave you to the ones you already wore. Baka! At least Kiyoko didn't put to much stress on herself by pivoting but you must really be the stupidest of us three."
"Rei-chan!" whined Yuki. Just then Inui came forward with a glass of his juice and an evil glint in his eyes.
"Eww," said Yuki when she had drank it all in one gulp. She was gagging before Fuji stood up.
"I'll get you some water Yuki-chan," said Fuji.
"I'll tape you're ankle Yuki-chan," said Eiji sitting on his knees on the floor with tape in his hand before looking up, "Do you want some pillows? I think I saw some in the club room just now."
"Here you are Yuki-chan," said Fuji, "How about I get your racket too." Everyone sweatdropped.
"Am I the only one who thinks that Eiji and Fuji are spoiling Yuki?" asked Kiyoko. An image came in the regulars heads of two knights in shining armor coming to help the damsel in distress.
"It's just a pulled muscle," said Rei shaking her head.
"All of you did well for regulars but I still see holes in your tennis," said Inui to the regulars. They were sprawled on the floor around him while Yuki was sitting up with a large lollipop in her mouth. A sign showed that Eiji and Fuji gave it to her. Tezuka was the only one standing. Rei stood unconsciously next to him. "Eiji, I noticed you loosen your racket after you return the ball but that can be fixed by working on your forearms. Momo, you should be able to gain more accuracy by lowering your power to 70%. Takashi, you need to be calmer to gain more control of the game. Oishi, Fuji, and Kaido, you need more power but that can be achieved by working on your biceps, triceps, and forearms."
"Where the heck is that?!" asked Momo and Eiji sitting up. Kiyoko laughed.
"Kiyoko, you need more protein," said Inui, "You look way too fragile." Yuki snickered. "Yuki needs to know how to gain more control over her body." Kiyoko howled with laughter. "Are you guys really friends?" asked Mizuno, a first year, sweatdropping.
"Go Seigaku!"
"A little louder."
"Nice Shot!"
"Nice Return!"
"Practice has been so much fun lately," said Kachiro as he kept on cheering for the regulars.
"That's because you don't do any running," said Rei blandly, "You're just picking up balls. Coach Ryuzaki does nothing but work on the regulars."
"That's probably because we're so close to the District Semi-Final. It's just in ten days," said Horio, "They want Seigaku to win."
"Man, that old lady hasn't been out in awhile," said Takeshi as Coach Ryuzaki stood pounding hard on the second years. Takeshi snickered. "I'd hate to be with them."
"Momo-chan!" said Kiyoko reprimanding him. The regulars were stretching in the sidelines.
"Okay! Everyone, gather up!" said Tezuka. The regulars assembled at the front while the rest stood behind them according to year. "We have just chosen our eight regular members from the rankings and two who have joined for mixed doubles. Before we can go to the national tournament, we have to win regionals. Regardless of which school, the level of tennis has increased. Do not let your guards down."
"Finished!" said Coach Ryuzaki.
"Second and third years are in Court C," ordered Tezuka, "First years are to pick up balls. Regulars are in Court A and B."
"Wait," said Coach Ryuzaki, "I've asked someone to make a special training menu for the regulars."
"Him?" asked Oishi before smiling, "Ah! Inui."
"Hey," said Inui in greeting before setting a box he had been carrying down, "To survive until the national tournament, first you have to work on your wrist and footwork. Everyone, please come and put these on your ankles. There are 250 g training weights inside. They will go on your wrists and ankles and will help your footwork! Both weights will weigh 1 kg heavier."
"It's not so bad," said Takeshi testing the weight on his ankles by jumping up and down.
"I have red, blue, and yellow cones and balls color coded to match the cones," said Inui setting three different color cones down on the court.
"I get it!" said Eiji. Inui served a ball to Eiji who grinned.
"Red!" said Eiji returning the red ball to the red cone. "Yellow!" "Blue!"
"Wow!" exclaimed Horio, "No wonder Eiji-senpai is a regular. He can distinguish the ball just as it's served and hit it to the right cone accurately."
"Sugoi! Eiji-chan!" cheered Yuki smiling.
"Being able to distinguish moving objects like that, no one can match Eiji," said Oishi nodding knowingly.
"You think so?" asked Fuji with a smile before nodding his head at Ryoma's direction, "Look."
"Blue! Red! Blue!" said Ryoma hitting the ball to the cones with pinpoint accuracy.
"Those two aren't tired," said Inui, "But soon enough, they will begin to feel the 1 kg weights and their endurance will gradually hold them back. When they start losing their stamina, their judgment will be impaired as well." Just as he said that, Eiji and Ryoma stopped surprised.
"What happened?" asked Eiji aloud, "My ankles suddenly felt heavier. I get it now, I'll gain stamina by doing this. Re-red!"
"Kikumaru, isn't it blue?" asked Inui.
"Huh?" asked Eiji as the ball flew by. Upon closer inspection, it was red. "Inui! You're so mean. It really was red." Inui now made a maniacal grin.
"I forgot to tell you," he said holding up a glass with a nasty green liquid, "If you miss, you have to drink Inui's Special Juice! Don't worry, it's filled with vegetables, except, there's a slight change in the taste." Eiji grimaced before gulping down the juice.
"Eh?!" exclaimed Eiji before running immediately to the water fountains. Everyone looked after him thoroughly scared. A ball went pass Ryoma when he wasn't looking.
"You missed Echizen," said the coach. Everyone watched now wondering what was in the drink as Ryoma gulped it down.
"AH!" yelled Ryoma as he ran stumbling in Eiji's direction.
"Next, Oishi, Takashi!" called Tezuka. The two clutched their rackets tightly and grimaced.
"I can't miss!" they thought to themselves.
"Red! Blue!" shouted Oishi as both balls hit the right marks.
"As expected from the Vice-Captain!" said Horio proudly just as Oishi missed. Inui suddenly stood next to him smiling.
"Inui!" shouted Oishi as he ran for the fountains. Takashi was filled with energy but he still ran screaming.
"Takeshi! Kaidoh!" said Tezuka.
"Look! It's Snake," said Mizuno as Kaidoh launched it saying "Red!" with a grunt. The ball hit its mark but it was actually blue. Kaidoh took it without a word and said nothing as he walked trying to bear the pain. Rei watched with a grimace before Kaidoh ran to the fountains with a hiss. Fuji and Tezuka went next. Fuji made a miss on the first try.
"Fuji!" whined Eiji, "You missed on purpose."
"I wanted to try Inui's juice," said Fuji as an excuse. He gulped the drink and smiled. "This is good! I highly recommend it." Inui sweat dropped while Eiji pointed his finger accusingly at Fuji.
"Liar!" The first years shivered in fear.
"There is someone scarier," they said.
"Kakkoi Fuji-chan!" said Yuki with stars in her eyes. Fuji blushed his hand behind his head.
"Kazumi! Aihara!" called Tezuka. The girls went forward.
"Red! Blue! Yellow! Blue!" shouted Kiyoko hitting every target.
"Hey Odango," said Ryoma, "You cheated."
"Echizen!" said Kiyoko as she served a ball at him. Yuki laughed before stepping forward.
"Red!" said Yuki hitting the red ball at the red cone. The cone was knocked back by the force.
"Look at the power in her hit!" said Horio amazed.
"Yellow! Blue! Red!" said Yuki catching up to the balls and returning them with pin point accuracy before she suddenly tripped and fell over. "Ouch!"
"Are you okay Yuki-chan?" asked Eiji stepping forward and helping her up. Yuki was in chibi with tears forming in her eyes.
"Eiji-chan!" said Yuki looking to the third year for moral support. She buried her face in his arms as Fuji went forward with a medical kit. Takeshi and Oishi snickered.
"Momo! Oishi!" shouted Eiji as he blushed.
"Don't worry Yuki-chan," said Fuji patting the raven haired girl on the head, "You just pulled a muscle. It should be better in a day." Eiji carried Yuki to a bench
"Gomen nasai minna," said Yuki bowing with her face red. Rei whacked Yuki on the head.
"I always told you to be careful," scolded Rei, "You probably added those weights Inui gave you to the ones you already wore. Baka! At least Kiyoko didn't put to much stress on herself by pivoting but you must really be the stupidest of us three."
"Rei-chan!" whined Yuki. Just then Inui came forward with a glass of his juice and an evil glint in his eyes.
"Eww," said Yuki when she had drank it all in one gulp. She was gagging before Fuji stood up.
"I'll get you some water Yuki-chan," said Fuji.
"I'll tape you're ankle Yuki-chan," said Eiji sitting on his knees on the floor with tape in his hand before looking up, "Do you want some pillows? I think I saw some in the club room just now."
"Here you are Yuki-chan," said Fuji, "How about I get your racket too." Everyone sweatdropped.
"Am I the only one who thinks that Eiji and Fuji are spoiling Yuki?" asked Kiyoko. An image came in the regulars heads of two knights in shining armor coming to help the damsel in distress.
"It's just a pulled muscle," said Rei shaking her head.
"All of you did well for regulars but I still see holes in your tennis," said Inui to the regulars. They were sprawled on the floor around him while Yuki was sitting up with a large lollipop in her mouth. A sign showed that Eiji and Fuji gave it to her. Tezuka was the only one standing. Rei stood unconsciously next to him. "Eiji, I noticed you loosen your racket after you return the ball but that can be fixed by working on your forearms. Momo, you should be able to gain more accuracy by lowering your power to 70%. Takashi, you need to be calmer to gain more control of the game. Oishi, Fuji, and Kaido, you need more power but that can be achieved by working on your biceps, triceps, and forearms."
"Where the heck is that?!" asked Momo and Eiji sitting up. Kiyoko laughed.
"Kiyoko, you need more protein," said Inui, "You look way too fragile." Yuki snickered. "Yuki needs to know how to gain more control over her body." Kiyoko howled with laughter. "Are you guys really friends?" asked Mizuno, a first year, sweatdropping.
