Prince of Tennis is not my creation. This story is.

I'm not a Native english speaker/writer. Grammar mistakes and orthography errors in this text are unintentional. You may also leave a word or two as a review.

1

Practice playground.

Players scattered around. Some swinging rackets, some gathering balls, sometimes bragging, some shouting, some smiling, some smirking, some smashing, some snaking...some scratching slyly behind their glasses.

Surely Data Tennis was interesting.

He delicately closed the book, fearing his notes might be blown away by the wind.

The game was about to end, even though it had just started. As always, Tezuka had been expeditious. His glasses were gleaming under the sun and not a single sweatdrop could be seen on his face. Calm and collected, he raised and lowered his racket with straight movements that, although they look gentle, were eating his opponent's stamina. He was cooling down Kawamura's Burning Tennis with his wave-like Tezuka-zone. No matter the intensity of the fire, it would always be watered away.

Enough.

He knew this scenario very-well, having experienced it over the past three years. It was only a matter of time. Data Tennis was all about time. Time to get to know your target, time to get to know his style, time to reach his level. And surpass him.

The ball tenderly kissed the ground, sealing the pale-faced boy's victory.

He walked away from the court, already thinking of a more elaborated training menu.

"Inui...!" The vice-captain called.

Ah, he had forgotten.

"Where are you going? We're supposed to play against each other."

He adjusted his glasses.

Oishi seemed to have already recovered from his previous game.

He took a quick look at his watch.

Eight minutes and fourteen seconds. That was a new performance coming from him.

"Yes, I'm coming." he said, not wanting to sound aloof.

"Let's take court D, since Tezuka's match has already ended."

"How did yours go?"

"Huh, well... I lost..."

It wasn't surprising. Fuji was the prodigy afterall.

"...6-4." Oishi added finally.

This got him to raise an eyebrow.

Usually Fuji would win by 6-2, at least most of the time.

He turned to his opponent.

Oishi was doing small jumps, stretching his arms and massaging his wrists. He finally seized his racket, waiting for him to serve.

This was going to be an interesting match.

-

"Mwaaa I'm all worn out."

"I told you to take it easy Eiji, but you didn't listen..."

"I know, I know. But playing double against our Ochibi was so fun! I couldn't help giving all out."

"That was reckless of you..." the ever-worried vice-captain scolded.

"Mwaaa" he yawned again. "Say Inui, have you done your Japanese work already?"

"Hn, I've almost finished."

"Ah, lucky...I still have half of it undone."

Eiji looked on the verge of sleeping, his eyes ready to close. Oishi was right: he had done too much than necessary to win their match against Kawamura & Echizen.

Still, his complaining was amusing.

"I think I'll just swallow a lot of coffee and work all the night."

"It isn't a good idea. Since you're that tired, you should take a rest. Coffee would only make you even more tired tomorrow." He pointed out as an advice.

"Inui is right. You have to take some sleep."

"But, I have to do that work. Besides, I recover fast, I'll be fine." Eiji said, pouting.

Oishi paused for a second.

"Fine. I don't have much to do tonight, I'll help you with your work."

Eiji beamed.

"Myay! Let's go Oishi!"

"Ah, yes... Tomorrow Inui!"

He nodded absent-mindedly.

The door was hurriedly shut.

He proceeded to clean his glasses as the surroundings became soundless. Until he was pretty sure no one else was left, he didn't move from his seat.

Suddenly catching his towel, ball and racket, he stalked towards the exit.

It was getting late, but the streetlamps were on, so he didn't mind. As long as he had enough light to read his notes, to write down few corrections and to see the ball bounce to him.

He tested his wrists. The weighs around them weren't too heavy. He could barely feel them. Tomorrow he would adjust them. Just to make sure that next time, training will be effective in a match.

-

Canteen.

High schoolers in queue, here and there sat at a table behind large fuming trays. Chewing, drinking, swallowing, chatting or grimacing.

Some of them just never stopped working.

Mada mada dane. A certain year one would have said. But he still had to make a lot of researchs and to try a lot of strategies. His program would take some times to be archieved. He would take that time and maybe more. He cared too much about this to rush things. Patience. It was all about Patience.

That was what he thought as his eyes ate the words scribbled on the salada-covered notebook.

"Scheming again?"

Glasses raised up to reflect the brown-haired boy's smiling face.

"Hn. Not that much."

He jealously closed his book. His companion's smile didn't waver.

"I see."

He adjusted his glasses to steal a look at the newly come tray. Tomatoes, cucumber, corn and some carrots blended with a light sauce. Ultimately dietetic. He himself hadn't done better.

"Well, Itadakimasu." Fuji said.

He nodded, picking up his fork.

It didn't taste bad. It was decent for a meal. Actually, had he been the cook, he wouldn't have minded adding some more basilic. Right now, this would do.

"Eiji! watch where you're going!"

"Mwhaat?"

A faint clinking of glasses and plates.

He inwardly took note of Eiji's evergreat reflexes while Fuji waved a hand at the duo.

"Eiji, are you alright?" he asked, his voice soft as usual.

"Myeah. I didn't get much sleep last night. And I haven't even finished my work. I'm so drained..."

"Maa, maa. It'll be ok after you've eaten..." Oishi said, drawing a chair.

" 'don't think so. Besides, you didn't really help yesterday, talking about Tennis and stuff..."

Oishi had gone all red. Certainly from embarassment.

"But...you weren't that much into doing your work either..." he retorted defensively.

Eiji scolded even more, rolling his tired eyes.

"That's why I asked for your help..."

No doubt Eiji was pretty down that day. Something quite understandable, considering the heavy neurones-killing work their sensei wanted them to do. He himself wasn't certain about what he had done, but at least, it was done.

"Since it's quite urgent, why not work on it together?" the team prodigy put in.

"Mweh? Fujiko-chan want to try it?"

"Well, it can't be that awful...can it?" he answered, his face serene.

Always trying to get through people's problems to give a solution. That was very much like Fuji.

"Myay! Let's WORK on it this time!"

Oishi gave a shy smile.

"Fine. Let's do it right."

Actually, that was very much like Oishi too.

-

Warm weather. Light wind. Dropping dusk.

Perfect conditions for his evening training.

Let's still take a track suit...just in case.

The following moment he was running an almost deserted alley. Right-left. Right-left. His feet had taken on his usual pace. He will have to keep it for a whole hour. He will not allow anything to break this rythm. Secretly, he was thanking Momoshiro for having shown him this peaceful country-like area of their district. Running the streets would have made him stop whenever fire was red.

Seven minutes left. He needed to find a small comfy spot to stop to. He passed by a bridge, running at the river's side, and instantly recognized the place. The trees standing in line, this leading one-side way, this abrupt ditch bordering the river's bed. And the sun diving behind the whistling leaves. Things seemed to replay all around him. For even Kaidoh was there, just like last time working on his swing.

But unlike last time, he was practising the way he had shown him. And even more: he had brought a larger towel to increase the pressure on his muscles. Maybe next time he will manage to return Kawamura's wrist-breaking Hadoukyuu.

Three minutes left. Ah, he had slowed down too early. Usually he would have already been 800m ahead. He was reflecting too much. This wasn't time to gather data.

Berating himself, he made his way to a quiet-as-abandonned park.

First, relax his muscles. Then stretch arms and legs, back and shoulders. After, he will do random exercices to reinforce his whole body's condition. This would take something among forty five minutes. Later he will jog back home. Hopefully, he'll make it before dinner.

What a fool.

He had forgotten to make himself a new menu.

He hadn't calculated the ration yet, but with this new practise he was going through, he would definitely need a lot vitamin. Which meant a lot of fruits.

He touched his pockets.

Too bad he hadn't brought any money.