Chapter 2
A young girl walked into a classroom wearing a boys uniform.
"Ummm, you must be our new student please introduce yourself." The teacher said.
"Hello my name is Sakura and I am a new student here at Seigaku. I just transferred here. It is a pleasure to meet you all."
"Welcome to Seigaku Sakura! Would you mind if the students asked you a few questions? I am sure they are curious as to where you transferred from."
Sakura nodded and said, "I just recently moved here from the United States. My English I pretty good and that is the only language I have been speaking for the past year so please excuse me if my Japanese is a little off."
"Which state did you live in when you were in the United States?" asked a student.
"I lived in New York. It is a very big place and no I have no clue why it is called the big apple."
"What is it like there?"
"A lot like here actually except it is a tougher society and people don't wear uniforms to school unless they go to a privet school or a very selective school."
"Why are you wearing a boys uniform?"
"Because I hate skirts." Was her simple reply.
"Well since you answered all the classes questions why don't you take a seat next to Midoku? Midoku please raise your hand."
Sakura sat next to the girl who raised her hand and listened to the lesson that the teacher was teaching.
After school Sakura quickly got changed in the girls bathroom and climbed out the window so she could make it to the court to practice before the rest of the team. Putting her hair up again in a baseball cap she ran to the courts.
When Sakura got there she found out that she wasn't the only one. A whole bunch of people were there. They were all crowded around a bulletin board.
Sakura walked to the group and tapped someone on the shoulder. "Excuse me, what is going on here? Why is everyone crowded around here?"
"Ah you must be new, my name is Fuji, Sasyki I am a regular on the team. Today is a qualifying tournament to see who the new regulars will be. You see all of last years seniors left so there are a few holes to patch up. Freshmen usually aren't allowed to play, but lets look for your name anyways. What is your name?" Sasyki asked.
"My name is Saku Fuji-senpi."
After searching for a while Fuji looked up, "Well Saku it looks like you will be playing in court D. You must have impressed Tezuka-sensei yesterday. Well good luck." Sasyki said with a friendly smile and walked away to court A.
"Well isn't he a strange fellow. Oh well so now where is court D?" Sakura said, she after all had her mothers sense of direction.
When Sakura had finally found court D she had run her warm up so she wouldn't be late and met her first opponent.
Sakura got into her position and used her right hand to play this game.
Her opponent was a good player only she was better. She won her game 6-1. She shook hands with him telling him, "Work on your forearm muscles and run a few laps everyday to build your strength and stamina and you will get really good."
Some people wouldn't take criticism or advice from someone who was younger than them but this guy just smiled and thanked Sakura for the advice.
Sakura's games were all easy after that she won them all 6-0.
Sakura's last game and the deciding game to see if she would become a regular was now. She was to play against Momoshiro, Ryo a regular.
Sakura got into her stance and used her right hand.
Halfway through the game it was tied 3-3. They took a water break. Sakura decided to take time and analyze her opponent. Momoshiro was talking to Fuji-senpi. Momoshiro looked confused but nodded anyways.
Their game was the last game of the tournament so a lot of people were watching them including Tezuka-sensei and a man standing beside him.
"Players on the court." The referee called, "Service Momoshiro!"
Momoshiro looked a little nervous but served the ball anyways.
Sakura was so surprised at were the ball was heading she didn't move aside or duck the ball hit the brim of her cap and sent the hat flying backwards letting her hair fall freely.
Everyone gasped except Fuji. Sakura after getting over her shock looked over at Fuji and yelled, "You knew all along didn't you?"
"Actually it was just a guess but that guess turned out to be right. Now tell Momo to close his mouth and serve the ball again. I want to see who wins this game."
"You heard him serve the ball," Sakura told Momoshiro.
"I can't you're a girl! I mean I can't play a girl! It wouldn't be fair!"
"Momoshiro serve the ball and finish the game." Tezuka told him.
"Hai sensei."
Momoshiro served the ball and Sakura easily returned it. Still being shaken up about playing a girl Momo returned the ball with a very easy lob. Sakura not missing a beat and wanting her opponent to play seriously jumped up into the air doing a quick somersault in the air and dunk smashing it on to the other half of the court.
Momo was frozen to the ground with his mouth again gaping. The only person who didn't seem surprised was Fuji who stood in the crowd clapping.
After that Momo started to play again but it was too late he had woken the acrobatics in her. She was flipping every way and even once did the splits, which made all the males wince. She ended up winning the game 6-4.
"Saku or whatever your name is, come here, and all the regulars." Tezuka yelled, "The rest of you dismissed."
"Good game Momoshiro-senpi." Sakura said.
"Ya you too! Were did you learn those moves of yours? I mean all the flips and wow your good."
"Thanks! I have been doing gymnastics and dance all my life! Only in the past three years have I taught myself how to play tennis." Sakura said.
"You have only been playing for three years! Wow I would hate to play you if you had been playing all your life!" Momo exclaimed.
Sakura blushed and smiled at him. "Please call me Momo-chan, by the way what is your name?"
"Sakura but my friends call me either Sakura, Saku or Cherry call me what ever you want."
"Well Sakura it was pretty brave of you to lie to Tezuka-sensei he has a mean temper and hates being lied to."
"I also hate people who talk about people behind their backs. Tomorrow at the beginning of practice 20 extra laps for you Momoshiro. As for you Sakura, is there a last name to you?"
"Sir just call me Sakura, I hate my last name because I hate my parents so I only answer to my first name." (Please stop with defending Sakuno I will tell you in greater detail what happened later!)
"Whatever, since you won the tournament you get to be a regular. I want you to meet your teammates. This is the captain, (Tuka, Mitsu,) the vice captain, (Shi, Chirouyui), Shi's partner in doubles, (Kikumaru, Koichi), (Kawamura, Kakashi), (Kaidou, Murata), (Momoshiro, Ryo) and (Fuji, Sasyki.) (Sorry about all the brackets it was too hard to tell whose name was who's so I separated them for you!)
"Pleased to meet you all!" Sakura said bowing politely.
All of a sudden she was caught unprepared and was attacked/hugged by a hyperactive senpi. "Wow! You are really good! All those awesome moves! I wish I could do some!"
"Koichi-senpi you might want to get off of Sakura she is turning blue." Fuji said smiling.
"Hoi! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to, please forgive me!" Koichi gave her a sad puppy face.
"It's alright." Sakura then turned to Tezuka and bowed apologetically, "I am sorry sensei for lying to you. Please forgive me."
Tezuka stared at her through his glasses and nodded, while the team waited in anticipation, "Apology excepted, but don't think I will go easy on your training just because you are a girl, you will be doing exactly what these boys are doing. Starting my assistant has made you a training schedule, you will follow it unless there is something wrong and you need to change it, then you will speak to him. May I introduce you to Inui-sensei."
Sakura respectfully bowed to him. "Here is your training schedule is there anything that needs to be changed right now so you can actually do this?"
Sakura read the requirements.
Drink lots of milk
Run at least 20 laps a day
Eat 5 fruits a day
Ankle weights in total with socks 1kg
100 practice swings before practice
Maximum 3 junk food items
"Well there is one thing that might need to change. It's these ankle weights..."
"Everyone has to wear ankle weights and saying you wont wear them is not right I will have to insist you wear them."
"Well considering I am already wearing them I can't see why I would have to wear another pair, do you?" Sakura stated.
"You are already wearing weights? You did all those flips and tricks with weights on?!?!?!?!" Kikumaru exclaimed, "Wow I want to be able to do that!"
"Since you all ready have some on I don't see why you have to wear another pair but tomorrow at practice you will spend it with me! I need to know how you play so I can make a better training schedule for you." Inui told Sakura while fixing his glasses.
"You mean so you can get more data right? I don't give my secrets out that easily. I will always keep a few hidden. But you can try to learn them." Sakura said confidently.
"Hey Sakura how long did you say you have been playing tennis?" asked Fuji.
"Three years, why do you ask?" Sakura looked at him quizzically.
The rest of the team, except Momo-chan and Tuka (captain), mouths dropped open.
"That's not a very long time to be playing, who taught you?" Fuji said with a smile.
"I taught myself, I have watched tennis all my life but had never tired it out until three years ago."
"Why did you start all of a sudden?"
"Why are you asking all theses questions Fuji-senpi?" replied Sakura.
"I like to know my teammates! I don't see what you have to hide. If you don't want to tell us then don't but it's up to you." Smiled Fuji.
"Then I won't answer the question but I have my reasons."
"Hoi, Fuji why are being so suspicious of Sakura? She seems really nice! I like her! Sakura-chan please call me Koichi-chan!" Kikumaru said hugging Sakura.
"All right Koichi-senpi!" Sakura laughed at the childish antics of the teenage boy.
"That's it for today! Since we now have a girl on our team she will use the teachers dressing room until a more suitable place can be found. Be assured Sakura that no one will be able to go into the change room that you are in." Tezuka said to her, "Dismissed."
Hey thanks for reading! Please I know Sakuno and please trust me! I am not trying to make her out as some neglective mother, but all will be reveled eventually so until then.
