Author's Note: I'm seriously scaring myself with how much I've mangaed to turn out this week. I mean none of my other fics have even come close to this. :shivers: Yeah, FOUR chapter in ONE week. It's insane, but I'm glad people enjoy it because I enjoy writing it! Alright, onto chapter seven!
Disclaimer: I don't own PoT/TnO...pooh.
Risa-chan: It is uncanny how you can read my thoughts. All of your suggestions are exactly what I've beent thinking to put into the next chapter. But I still love you! 3 Thanks for all the support.
Also to all my other reviewers! Thank you so much!
Now...here is...
Chapter Seven:
Ring…ring …"Moshi moshi, Tezuka Kunimitsu desu," Tezuka answered.
"Ah, Tezuka," Atobe's voice spoke into the receiver. "Still awed by Ore-sama's prowess?"
"Atobe," Tezuka said stiffly. "How did you get this number?"
"Never doubt Ore-sama's skills," Atobe said.
Tezuka sighed. 'Truly pompous.' He thought. "Your reason for calling?" Tezuka asked.
"Ah, straight to the point as ever," Atobe said. "Ore-sama cannot call to check up on a rival?"
"That was not your intention," Tezuka said.
"Hmm…very well," Atobe said, his voice now business-like, "A match between Hyotei and Seigaku."
Tezuka raised an eyebrow a fraction of an inch. "Hn," Tezuka replied.
"A friendly bout between the two top ranking schools," Atobe said.
"And why should I agree?" Tezuka asked, very suspicious of the other buchou.
"There is something you should be interested in seeing," Atobe said cryptically.
"Hn," Tezuka said.
"Ore-sama does not have time to waste. Answer Ore-sama!" Atobe said a hint of irritation in his voice. He didn't like it when people stalled.
"Time and location," were all Tezuka said.
"Saturday at 11, Hyotei courts," Atobe rapped out.
"Saturday then." Tezuka said.
"Aa, make sure all your regulars come," Atobe said.
"Aa,"
Atobe smirked as he set down the phone. 'Five days.' He mused. 'Five days to get Hyotei, or rather one particular player for Hyotei, ready to challenge Seigaku.'
:Seigaku:
Tezuka had just changed into his warm up uniform when Fuji strode up to him. Tezuka could sense something was wrong when he saw that the tensai was not his usual smiling self.
"Tezuka," Fuji called out to him.
Tezuka acknowledged him with a brief nod.
"Come with me," Fuji said.
Tezuka just stared at him. "Practice is about to start," Tezuka said.
"This is much more important than practice," Fuji said, his eyes opening to display the azure orbs that were rarely seen.
" 'More important than practice?'" Tezuka echoed.
Fuji only nodded and started out the door. "Come with me," Fuji repeated.
Wordlessly, Tezuka followed Fuji to the courts where all the regulars were gathered. Tezuka could see Eiji in the middle, his chipper attitude nowhere to be seen. Upon his arrival, the murmurs of quiet conversation were hushed and all eyes were on him.
"What is the meaning of this?" Tezuka asked. "Practice has started!"
A cacophony of questions were pelted towards Tezuka.
"Buchou, did you know?" "Is it true?" "How did this happen?"
"Silence!" Tezuka ordered, unable to contain his frustration. The questions subsided. "Why are all of you standing around during practice?"
"Buchou, where's Oishi-senpai?" Momoshiro dared to ask.
Tezuka stiffened. "I do not know," he answered.
"Buchou," their youngest regular called. Tezuka turned to face him. "You might as well tell us the truth."
'Mental note, make Echizen run extra laps.' Tezuka thought. "I have kept nothing from you," Tezuka said, his glared dared anyone to question him.
"Only a very critical detail," Fuji said, daring to oppose their buchou.
"That would be…" Tezuka asked.
Unable to control himself any longer, Eiji burst out. "Oishi's never coming back, nya!" Everyone turned to the obviously distressed acrobatics player.
"Kikumaru-senpai, is this true?" Momoshiro asked.
"Hoi!" Eiji wailed.
"How do you know Eiji?" Kawamura asked.
Eiji sniffled before answering. "Nya, Fujiko-chan and I were wondering why Oishi wasn't at school. Oishi never missed school. So we went to his house and…nya…" Eiji trailed off.
"We discovered that Oishi's house was vacant," Fuji finished.
All the other regulars gasped. "Nani?" they cried out.
"Oishi-senpai's gone?" Momoshiro asked.
"Baka, if he wasn't, why would his house be empty?" Kaidoh said, not missing the opportunity to degrade the powerhouse.
"Oi, Mamushi, be a little more sensitive would you?" Momoshiro exclaimed.
"Fsssh, what did you call me?" Kaidoh demanded.
Kawamura stepped in. "Calm down," he said trying to ease the tension between the two juniors.
"You knew about this, didn't you Tezuka?" Fuji asked, returning the spotlight back to their silent buchou.
"Hai."
"Nya! Why didn't you tell us? Buchou's so mean!" Eiji wailed. He turned to hug the tensai standing beside him, who hugged him back.
"Enough," Tezuka said. "Oishi is not coming back, that is a fact. Now I expect everyone to be practicing."
"Mada mada dane," Ryoma said.
"Echizen, twenty laps for insubordination," Tezuka said.
"Echizen didn't do anything, Tezuka," Kawamura said, placing a hand on Tezuka's shoulder.
"Kawamura, you may join him," Tezuka said through clenched teeth.
"Oi, Buchou, Kawamura-senpai was only trying to help," Momoshiro exclaimed.
"You too Momoshiro!" Tezuka shouted. He had had enough. Everyone was just making the fact that Oishi wasn't coming back worse. He knew all the regulars cared for Oishi because it was Oishi that always was worried about them. It was Oishi that took care of their injuries and worried over them. But now, it was Oishi that was tearing him apart.
"Tezuka," Fuji called out to him softly.
Knowing his cold façade was in tatters, Tezuka tried to remain composed. "Fuji, you wanted to know who was the new Fukubuchou," Tezuka said, recalling the conversation they had. Fuji just stared at the struggling captain. "I appoint you as new Fukubuchou of Seigaku." There he had done it. He had sealed the fact that Oishi was never coming back. By keeping the position open, Tezuka had managed to let the rest of the team believe that Oishi was only away for a temporary reason. Now that he had appointed a new Fukubuchou, it was clear that Oishi was not coming back.
"Nya!" Eiji's cerulean eyes widened, "Tezuka, y-you can't be serious, nya!"
Even Ryoma's golden orbs widened at the statement. "Buchou," he said.
"Everyone, warm up," Tezuka ordered.
He turned and walked back to the clubhouse. He would not allow any of the regulars to see the edges of his eyes glistening. 'Oishi…'
:Hyotei:
"Good practice, everyone," Oishi said.
All the players lined up in rows and stood at attention, listening to their Fukubuchou. Knowing that it had been Atobe-buchou's idea to appoint Oishi in such a position, no one argued with it. At first, everyone had been skeptical when Atobe-buchou announced this but their Fukubuchou's caring personality won them over quickly enough.
Atobe stood beside Oishi and stared out at the rows of players under his control.
"A match will be played against Seigaku this Saturday," Atobe said. "All of you will attend."
"Hai, Buchou!" the two hundred or so men that made up the Hyotei team chorused.
"Please be here promptly at 11," Oishi added.
"Hai Fukubuchou!"
Oishi shook his head the slightest bit. 'Too much like an army.' He thought.
"Dismissed!" Atobe ordered. "Regulars stay behind."
The whole tennis team bowed respectfully to Atobe and then dispersed, leaving the regulars standing where they were.
"Atobe, why are we having a competition?" Oshitari asked.
"Practice," Atobe answered curtly.
"If we played against our fiercest rival, we can do an assessment," Oishi explained. "Then based on this assessment, we will be able to come up with a training program specifically for each of you."
"So what's the lineup?" Shishido asked.
"Ore-sama will think about it," Atobe said.
"As long as Choutarou and I are playing together, it's okay," Shishido said.
"I wanna play Fuji!" came Jiroh's request.
"Yuushi and I have to be a pair," Gakuto said.
"We will consider every aspect when we compile the list," Oishi assured them.
Atobe looked at Oishi. "Ore-sama does not need your help," he said.
"It would be best if there were two of us," Oishi said.
"Are you implying that Ore-sama will make a mistake?" Atobe asked, hardly believing his ears.
Oishi shook his head. "Two opinions are better than one," he said.
"Ore-sama's is the only opinion needed," Atobe said.
Oishi sighed. Whenever it came to important issues, the both of them were always arguing. Atobe would be too stubborn to as for help and it was always up to Oishi to remind of that. No one else dared to or wanted to. It was a wonder to Oishi how anything could be accomplished, but they were.
"It would be better if the lineup was agreed upon by the both of us," Oishi said.
Atobe glared at Oishi. The regulars stayed quiet, knowing how volatile Atobe's temper could become, especially if he didn't get his way.
"Kabaji!" Atobe called.
"Usu!"
"Ore-sama will compile the list. Take it to him when Ore-sama has completed it," Atobe rapped out.
"Usu!"
The regulars just gawked. Did their Fukubuchou just get their Buchou to agree on his terms? Atobe's attention snapped back to the regulars.
"What?" he snapped.
All the regulars shook their heads, except for Jiroh who had fallen asleep again. Their new Fukubuchou certainly was something. As they made their way to the changing room, Gakuto said.
"Wonder why Atobe's bending to Oishi's will."
"I wonder if Oishi-san can deal with Atobe-buchou because of what he gained from being around Tezuka-san," Ohtori said.
"Oh come on!" Shishido scoffed. "Oishi can't remember a thing from when he was at Seigaku, how could he possibly…"
"True," Oshitari interrupted. "Perhaps this 'skill' is natural."
"Hey, I was talking," Shishido said.
Oshitari merely looked at his fellow teammate.
"Whatever, it doesn't matter," Gakuto said. "As long as we kick Seigaku's ass, especially that damn Eiji!"
"Only five more days," Ohtori said.
The Hyotei team was determined not to lose to Seigaku again, even if this was a practice match. If they could win against them once, then at Zenkoku, they could do it again.
Author's Note: Well, yeah. This was not a very good chapter I know. Many may be confused by some of the stuff that happened so please tell me! I will answer any questions you have in the next chapter (whenever I get that one out).
Read and review! Arigatou!
