Story Title: Forces of Magic
Chapter Title: Witches?
Author: Mathais
Rating: PG-13
Category: Tennis no Ouji-sama
Archive:
Warnings: Magic, Shonen-ai, Quiet Eiji, and First-Year Focus
Pairings: Golden Pair, slight First-Year Pairings, hinting of others
Summary: Eiji tries a lot of things to make Oishi's wrist feel better, even dabbling into magic. However while he does this, he learns that there are some things you can't do without guidance, no matter how pure the intent.
Disclaimer: I do not own Tennis no Ouji-sama or its characters; they belong to their owner(s). There are Charmed references and Charmed does not belong to me.
References: None.
Eiji smiled the next day. Inside, he was feeling happy. He didn't know why, except for the fact that he knew, without a doubt, that his spells worked. How he knew? He didn't know. There was just a tingling in his bones, a certain feeling in his flesh that made him believe it. There was a certain bounce in his step, even if he was almost late for morning practice.
"G'morning!" He called as he raced into the clubhouse.
"Morning Eiji." Oishi smiled tiredly, the first smile that Eiji had seen on his face in a while. It brought a flutter into his heart and made him think things that he didn't want to think right now. "How are you?"
"I'm fine. I should be the one asking you that, Oishi." Eiji replied, a small bounce in his step. "How's your wrist feeling?"
The co-captain of the Seigaku Boys' Tennis Club was about to reply when he accidentally jarred his wrist, bringing a sharp wince to his face and a muffled shout. "I'm fine." He said anyway with a slightly pained smile to his face.
The bouncy redhead barely refrained from saying liar. His mood came down a bit slightly when he realized that the bruise on his friend's wrist was still there and hadn't diminished at all. It was brought up again, however, when he convinced himself that the spells would get the job done soon.
Thinking about that, Eiji forced Momoshiro into playing against him, causing Ryoma to murmur rather darkly under his breath.
"Don't worry ochibi-chan!" Eiji smiled cheerfully. "You'll have your boyfriend soon enough."
All struggle had ceased on Momoshiro's part as both he and the first-year tensai blushed.
By afternoon practice, things had changed considerably.
Eiji was one of the ones who had witnessed the way Oishi had methodically searched through all the rooms in the school during lunch. Almost every single room was checked, except for girls' washrooms and teacher offices. There had been a cold fury in his features, in his very aura, that, apparently, worried even the unflappable Fuji. Not even the third-year tensai was willing to cross the teen, he was that pissed.
When Momoshiro and Kaidoh had gotten into an argument during practice, the red-headed half of the Golden Pair sent a rather fearful glance to the acting captain. The way Oishi was gripping his pen was astounding, his knuckles white with pressure. As the argument's volume increased, so did the whiteness of his knuckles. At the peak of the argument, a loud snap echoed through the area and all action ceased. Everyone stared at Oishi, at the halves of the ballpoint pen he was holding, and at the red ink running down his hand, like a river of blood. His breathing was sharp and quick, a vein pulsing slightly on his forehead. Green eyes narrowed at his kouhai, deadly lasers that pierced into their very beings.
The acting captain stood and glared at the two second-years. "20 laps, both of you."
"But Oishi," Momoshiro started as Kaidoh let out a hiss. Eiji could dimly hear Ryoma smack himself in the head, but he was mainly focused on this side of Oishi, an angry Oishi, that he had only had glimpses of before. There was a cold fury in his actions, almost calm, but his eyes held a dark fire. It was such a balance of fire and ice that it would be beautiful in any other way- but on the enraged face of a normally shy, kind, and generally nice person.
"40 laps." Oishi spoke. "And I'll double it if you don't get to it right now." He added a dark tone to the last word.
Both boys meekly started the laps as Oishi swung his gaze to the rest of the tennis club. "What are you waiting for? Get back to work!"
It was a rustle of activity as everyone returned to what they were doing before.
"Eiji and Echizen. Fuji and Inui." Oishi added, replacing those he had sent for laps. "Ten laps for anyone not doing what they're supposed to do." It was at that note that Oishi slammed the clubhouse door.
With a muted aura, everyone returned to practice.
"Do you know what's wrong with Oishi?" Fuji asked as Eiji served.
The acrobatics specialist shook his head as he tracked Fuji's movements and returned a ball driven down the middle, speaking truthfully. "No, I don't."
"Hn, that's weird." Fuji replied as he hit the ball back.
"I haven't seen Oishi that angry in a long time." Eiji gave a small grunt as he couldn't reach a ball and twisted into a flip to avoid a collision course with the ground.
"Ah." The third-year tensai agreed as he hit a return with practiced ease.
They continued on like that in relative silence (no one faulting Eiji for it either), until the match ended in Fuji's favor. By then, afternoon practice was over and Oishi had come out again.
As the first and second years cleaned and the rest were getting ready to leave, Oishi had come out to supervise it.
One of the first-years gave a small gasp, small enough not to be noticed except by two other first-years, Eiji, and Oishi. The red-headed tennis player turned as Oishi glanced at them, a troubled look coming onto the other boy's face. Eiji recognized that one now. Horio Satoshi, the fiery hot-headed first-year that accompanied them regularly. The second first-year there suddenly put his box of tennis balls down, clutching his right wrist. That one he recognized too: Mizuno Katsuo, a rather down-to-earth person with a normally shy personality and deep thoughts. The third one, whom Eiji realized was Katou Kachirou, the third of their trio, who was shier than even Katsuo and polite like Kawamura, but would do anything to protect his friends, glanced suspiciously around before grabbing the right hands of his friends, inspecting them closely. He spoke a few words under his breath, but as he was doing so, he wavered, as if hurt. When Kachirou finished, he stood, clutching his right wrist desperately.
"Katou, Mizuno, Horio- in one of the classrooms. You too Ryuzaki and Osakada." Eiji blinked and turned to the left of Oishi, seeing the two first-years, Osakada Tomoka and Ryuzaki Sakuno, who also followed them to matches.
As all five followed their sempai, Eiji hurriedly finished changing and soon followed. Kaidoh and Momoshiro had left already, readily unnerved by Oishi's temper. Ryoma had followed Momoshiro, quietly berating him on getting Oishi so worked up. Kawamura had left also, citing reasons to help his dad. That left Fuji and Inui, but Eiji didn't mind them as he stealthily, like a cat, followed the six. It was at one of the lesser-used classrooms that they stopped and the six entered, Eiji looking through the window at the happenings inside.
"Ii data." A voice whispered to his right and it was all Eiji could do to not jump out of his skin. He flicked his eyes to the left and right, recognizing the both Inui and Fuji.
"What are you guys doing here?" Eiji hissed.
"This is my opportunity to gain more data on Oishi." The data tennis player's glasses glinted with a serious light. "I haven't accurate documented what pushes his buttons for he's so controlled in a way outside of tennis that most people don't notice it, not like the way with Tezuka."
"I thought it would be interesting." Fuji smiled.
Eiji pursed his lips in a sign that he wasn't fooled; Oishi had pretty much scared all of them today and they wanted to know what was wrong.
Oishi's voice brought their attention to the inside.
"So, what happened?"
"Nothing Oishi-sempai." Horio replied.
Oishi narrowed his eyes and pointed to his unblemished wrist. "I know one of you or maybe all of you did healing spells. I want to know why."
All five blinked in unison as Eiji felt his jaw drop. Oishi knew about the spells?
Tomoka shook her head. "We didn't cast any healing spells."
"But do you know who did?" Oishi asked. "At the very least, you knew about the spells themselves. Look at your wrists; they're all bruised like mine were." None looked, for they knew. "Except, of course, for Horio and Mizuno because you, Katsuo, cast some more healing spells on them and transferred the bruises onto you."
At this one, Kachirou's eyes narrowed. "How do you know that?"
At this point, Oishi took a bow. "Witch, specialty spirit." He spoke in perfect English.
But Eiji understood and his back stiffened, as had Fuji's. Inui was writing everything down; those Eiji had also noticed how he had tensed.
"And you are the Power of Five Witches." Oishi's eyes turned up to them, watching how a new demeanor overcame them, unlike the simple first-years they were before.
"Mizuno Katsuo, Power of Five Water Specialty." Katsuo introduced himself.
"Osakada Tomoka, Power of Five Air Specialty." The exuberant girl gave a slight nod.
"Ryuzaki Sakuno, Power of Five Earth Specialty." The braided girl, granddaughter of the coach, stared hard at Oishi.
"Katou Kachirou, Power of Five Spirit Specialty." Kachirou spoke, his eyes focused completely at his sempai.
"Horio Satoshi, Power of Five Fire Specialty." The last boy finished, with eyes alight with dangerous flame.
"We were not the ones to cast the healing spells." Satoshi spoke, looking at Oishi. "We simply did what we were chosen to do- protect wayward witches with strong powers. We came to an array that wasn't cleansed and did what we were supposed to do- protect them from the consequences of their own magic. We still haven't found the witch, yet, however."
Eiji's back stiffened further and a thought crossed his head. I did this to them?
"As we both know, there isn't magic without consequences." Kachirou waved his right wrist, marred by an angry black mark. "This is simply proof of that, Oishi-sempai. This person was inexperienced, though he or she had power. The spells weren't combined correctly. The slightest shift could have caused it to turn into a pain spell." Eiji felt a more than little nauseous at what he had done. Pain spell? I could have caused Oishi a lot of pain?
"You really should take care of that, you know." Oishi pointed at the bruises. "And call me Syuuchirou. Here, you are my sempai and I, your kouhai." The three on the outside arched brows, though Fuji's was only barely up.
"As long as you refer to us by our given names." Sakuno responded. "At least do us this honor."
Syuuchirou arched a brow, but nodded anyway. "Can I help you? I want to thank this person for at least trying."
"If you don't mind me asking," Katsuo spoke, "why did you act that way about the healing spell."
Here, Syuuchirou averted his eyes. "I... dislike the use of healing magic on myself. I feel like its use should be better used on other people, especially with a self-aggravated wound."
"You hate the fact that someone else suffers the consequences you're supposed to feel." Kachirou interpreted, nodding his head once when Syuuchirou didn't respond.
Eiji's eyes teared slightly, drawing away from the door. No. No. NO! Before either of the other two third-years could stop him, the acrobatics specialists ran away, tears falling from his eyes. I'm sorry Oishi. Sorry!
Sakuno's head snapped up, turning toward the door. "Y'know, you can enter, Fuji-sempai, Inui-sempai."
The data tennis player and the tensai both entered, but paused at the first-years.
"You were spying on us." Katsuo's voice was cold, hiding a deadly promise within it.
"Spying isn't nice." Satoshi stood, glaring at the upperclassmen.
Tomoka snapped her fingers. "So that's what I forgot. A silencing spell." Her eyes narrowed slightly as she berated herself.
The Earth Specialist placed a placating hand on the girl's shoulder. "Don't worry."
Kachirou did the same for Katsuo and Satoshi. "Don't. I think we just found some new charges."
Everyone's eyebrows shot up at the announcement. Kachirou stood before walking up to the two upperclassmen, carefully examining them. There was a hastily murmured spell under his breath and his eyes started glowing a slight purple before he waved over his group. The first-years came over and continued to look at the two third-years, each touching Kachirou's hand once to transfer the spell.
"Ah, Fuji-sempai has the markings of a good Wind, Tomoka." Sakuno spoke into the silence.
"And Inui-sempai for Water." Tomoka added.
Katsuo turned to Syuuchirou. "Syuuchirou's a good Spirit, ne Satoshi?"
Their fiery leader gave a nod. "Good. Good."
Syuuchirou gave the younger students a look of disbelief. "Eh?"
Kachirou ignored him though and nodded while murmuring under his breath. The five's eyes stopped glowing that eerie purple and they all blinked.
"Meet us after tennis practice tomorrow. There we can discuss this further." Satoshi spoke with an air of finality and the five swept out of the room. Right before their very eyes, Fuji, Inui, and Syuuchirou watched as the demeanors of the pre-teens faded from the calm solemnity to a happy if slightly annoying cheeriness that covered who they were so well.
"That was interesting." Fuji turned his slightly-opened eyes at Syuuchirou.
"Very." Inui agreed, putting his notebook away, pushing his glasses up.
Syuuchirou raised his hands in a half-placating/half-surrendering gesture. "Hey, how was I supposed to tell you? 'Hi guys, I'm Oishi Syuuchirou and I can do magic?'" He spoke sarcastically, but then realized it and smiled placatingly.
"Ah, will you explain it to us?" Fuji returned to smile, both only half-into it.
"Yes, it would be interesting. We have time." Inui gestured to the seats and the three of them sat, Syuuchirou beginning to speak.
Err, sorry about this meager offering guys. I couldn't figure out how to spread it on from there without delving into what I have planned for the next chapter.