Authors' Notes: For the first time, we will publish a work that we both made. Please forgive us for the overflow of insanity and we hope that in this time of crisis, we may bring a smile on your faces.

Disclaimers: Tennis no Oujisama belongs to the wonderful and marvelously talented Konomi-sama. All the songs that will be used belong to their respective owners.

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The Prince of Tennis Christmas Carols

Prologue: The New Band

It was one of those days when you were caught by the sudden snowfall and you didn't dress warmly enough. One of those days when Akutsu Jin hated since he had so much to do inside his mother's diner. He could easily go out but he was currently stuck inside since it was too cold out and that pissed him even more.

He could very much stop whatever he was doing and just stare at all the job to be done. They were not his anyway.

But…

"Akutsu-sempai! Could you turn up the heater? It's still very cold, desu."

He very much wanted to glare at the boy but when he looked at those eyes, it reminded him so much of…

He didn't need a reminder of… that. It would get him more pissed than he already was.

"Whatever," he muttered, adjusting the heater. "That ok?"

Dan beamed at him and the older one wished he never turned around. "Domo, desu!"

"Jin, a couple of people are having their Christmas party here later so get moving!"

Akutsu decided it was the worst day ever.

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Yagyuu didn't hate the winter, he despised it.

He didn't like the way the cold weather frosted his glasses. And that explained everything. Period.

That's why he preferred staying inside his house and curling up in his bed. Warm bed.

But when Yukimura had turned those wonderful eyes to every team member and requested that they join the Christmas party that someone was giving, he couldn't say 'no'.

Heck, even Sanada couldn't. But that was another case altogether.

He sighed. Yet, the worse thing was, he was chosen, out of all those people, to represent Rikkai. For what, he did not know.

And, even if he would never admit it, it scared him.

He entered the shop and sighed once again. He just hoped that whatever he was about to represent, it wasn't embarrassing.

"Hoi! I, unlike you, know how to conserve my stamina!"

"Ha! Preserving stamina, you say? Just ask Yuushi just how I can preserve my stamina!"

"Please, let us all be organized."

"I'm glad Davide isn't here to add his unwanted opinions."

"Why couldn't I ever say 'no' to Mizuki-san?"

"These people are so noisy, it's ruining my hair."

Yagyuu scanned the crowd before him and recognized them. Seigaku's Kikumaru and Hyotei's Mukahi were arguing about who could preserve more energy when needed. Fudomine's Tachibana was trying to pacify them. Near the counter were Rokkaku's Kurobane, St. Rudolph's Fuji and Jyosei Shounan's Wakato. Oh, and not to mention a glaring and ready to explode Akutsu from Yamabuki.

"Ah, Yagyuu-san is here too desu! We can start now desu!"

Everything stopped and everyone's attention turned towards the Rikkai doubles player then at the small freshman.

"Taichi," Akutsu started with a voice that made most of the people present shiver. "What do you mean we can start now?"

The boy smiled at him as if his sempai wasn't using a very scary voice. "The coaches from the different schools decided to hold a Christmas party with all of the teams. Then the coaches picked one from every team to represent them."

"Represent them in what, nyah?" asked Kikumaru as he clung on Dan. Really, the boy looked like Ochibi, he thought.

"To sing a couple of Christmas carols."

Everyone turned around and saw the Ryuzaki-sensei, Sakaki-kantoku, Oji, Banji and Hanamura-sensei. The Hyotei coach looked like he was the one leading the bunch.

"Kantoku? What do you mean by sing?" Mukahi inquired, not wanting to jump into conclusions. Well, because the conclusions made him squirm.

Hanamura giggled as if there was something cute. Everyone squirmed.

"Every party would not be complete without a band," she said as if it was so obvious. "And as Dan-kun said, we picked one from each team to represent their school in the band."

There was silence for the first time since the bunch arrived. Seconds ticked by slowly before Tachibana, the first one to let everything sink in, reacted.

"You mean, we're singing for the party later?"

"Yes, Tachibana-kun," confirmed Ryuzaki.

Yuuta hung his head. This was the result of being a willing victim! This was the result from liking manipulative people!

"I think this would be fun," said Wakato, running his hand through his hair. "What? Aren't you proud that you're representing your team?"

"Well, if you put it that way, it would really be fun," Mukahi said thoughtfully. It was a way to show that second rate acrobatic player that he was the best! "Up to the challenge, Kikumaru? Or are you chicken?"

The redhead put up a v-sign. "Hoi! Kikumaru-sama is not a chicken!"

True, Kurobane thought. Kikumaru looked more like a cat.

Seeing that most were already agreeing, Yuuta turned to the coaches. "So what will we sing?"

Banji handed them a couple of song sheets.

"Nyah but these are all old songs!"

"Yeah. Boring old songs," agreed Wakato.

Mukahi grabbed a pen. "Let's revise them!"

"We need a name!"

Wakato, Kikumaru, Mukahi, Tachibana, Yuuta, Yagyuu and Kurobane gathered around the table and each gave their own ideas on how to make the song more interesting. The coaches smiled. It was good to see the rivals help each other to make the Christmas party a success.

Perhaps, Oji thought, the Christmas spirit still lived.

Akutsu snorted. What stupidity! He was glad he wasn't part of it.

"Eh?! Akutsu-sempai, why aren't you helping them desu?"

The senior raised an eyebrow. "And why would I be helping them?"

"Because you're Yamabuki's representative desu!"

The scribbling stopped. Comments were held in mid-air. Heads turned their direction. They were waiting for the bomb to explode.

"WHAT?!"

-Tsuzuku-