Author's Note: I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I've just been so busy that I haven't had time to write this chapter. But here it is! Thank you to all my loyal readers. I love you!

Disclaimer: I do not own PoT/TnO...how many times do we have to go through this?

Chapter Eight

Atobe tapped his pencil against the wood of the desk, a sheet of paper in front of him. 'Hmm…how shall Ore-sama organize this to benefit Hyotei?' he thought, glancing at the blank sheet. He knew that Seigaku would use their strongest players even for a petty match such as this one and if Hyotei wanted to win, he would have to find a way to cripple Seigaku.

Atobe placed the pencil down and stood up from the desk to look out at the courts. It was still too early for practice so it was pretty quiet and allowed the diva to concentrate on coming up with the lineup. For two days, Atobe had been considering who would play in what position. He mixed and matched pairs for the doubles positions and tried various people for the singles slot but none of the results stood out. He looked back to the paper that lay innocently on the desk and narrowed his eyes. 'Ore-sama will figure this out. Ore-sama does not need assistance from anyone.' Of course he was referring to the comment Oishi made about having the both of them work on the lineups.

"He will be awed by Ore-sama's prowess," Atobe said out loud.

The door slid open to reveal the Fukubuchou. "Atobe?" Oishi called.

"You are early," Atobe said.

"Hai, I came to help you with the…" Oishi began.

Atobe growled softly. "Ore-sama is perfectly able to handle this," he said.

Oishi nodded. "I know that," he said. "But I think if the both of us worked on it, we could come up with the best possible arrangement."

"You dare to insult Ore-sama?" Atobe asked, his voice dangerously low.

Oishi quickly shook his head. "I did not mean anything by my comment," he said, not wanting to start off the day on a bad foot.

"Wise comment," Atobe said.

Oishi just sighed. "Why must our conversations always turn into arguments?" he asked.

"You continue to defy Ore-sama's orders," Atobe answered simply.

"I have said this before and I will state it again: We are not your servants," Oishi said, taking a step towards the arrogant Hyotei captain.

Atobe's eyes flashed dangerously at Oishi step towards him. Getting up again, Atobe walked to Oishi, leaning towards the other in a total invasion of personal space. "Ore-sama will treat others as Ore-sama sees fit," he whispered into Oishi's ear. Oishi shivered a little at the closeness between himself and Atobe and quickly took a step back.

Oishi shook his head. "Money does not give you the right to treat people as inferior," Oishi said.

"Yes it does," Atobe drawled. "With money comes power. I hold power over this school and the students."

"Not me," Oishi said.

And with that, Oishi turned on his heel and walked back out of the room. He just couldn't understand how someone could have the same mindset as Atobe did. Shaking his head for the second time that morning, Oishi made his way to the changing room to get ready for morning practice.

Atobe stared after Hyotei's Fukubuchou, slightly shocked at what Oishi had said to him. 'Tezuka raised you well.' Atobe thought. 'Showing defiance to Ore-sama will not be tolerated.' A slow smile spread across his face as the perfect plan formulated in his mind. 'Tezuka, you're friends defiance will cost you.' Atobe hurriedly scribbled the first name down on the sheet of paper.

:Seigaku:

Tezuka sat at his desk, in the same situation as Atobe was: making up the lineup for the upcoming match. Ryuzaki-sensei offered to help but Tezuka declined her offer.

"It is my responsibility," Tezuka had said. He was about to say that Oishi could help him but he reminded himself that Oishi wasn't coming back. He was gone; Tezuka had to keep constantly reminding himself of that fact. To him, it just wasn't plausible to think that his best friend wasn't by his side. 'I drove him away.' Tezuka thought. 'It is my fault our promise will not be kept.'

The promise they made back when they were freshmen burned clearly throughout their junior high career. It had been their promise that kept each of them playing their hardest and trying their best. We'll take Seigaku to Nationals! Tezuka let out a small sigh.

"Tezuka,"

Tezuka looked to find Fuji standing in the room. "Fuji," he acknowledged.

"Are you done with the lineup yet?" the tensai asked.

"Iie," Tezuka answered.

The tensai's ever-present smile widened the slightest. "Let me help," he said.

Tezuka was almost about to protest that Fuji wasn't in a position to but reality hit him again. He had appointed Fuji to Fukubuchou a couple of days ago when the whole team learned of Oishi's withdrawal from Seigaku.

Ever since that day, he was constantly pelted with Eiji's whines about how Oishi would be this way or Oishi did things that way until Tezuka almost screamed at him to stop. It was bad enough that he noticed Oishi's absence but Eiji was just making it worse. The whole Seigaku team seemed to take the news pretty roughly too. He noticed that Kaidoh and Momoshiro made a conscience effort not to bicker quite as often because there was no Oishi to mediate between them. Inui was still furiously scribbling down data although with no Oishi to ask about it, Inui remained silent. Fuji still bore his trademark smile but there seemed to be a hint of sadness in it. Kawamura mostly went through practice with a far off look in his face. Oishi's absence even caused a slight change in Echizen.

At first Tezuka thought that Echizen didn't care but he began to notice the freshman's gaze sliding towards the remaining half of Seigaku's Golden Pair as if doing a double take to make sure Oishi really wasn't there.

Turning back to Fuji, Tezuka gave a slight nod and motioned for Fuji to join him at the table.

"Na, Tezuka," Fuji called.

"Hn," Tezuka answered, staring intently on the paper. Better the paper than the tensai.

"Shall we get started?" Fuji asked.

"Aa," Tezuka said, holding his pencil over the paper. "Doubles."

"Saa," Fuji said. "Inui Momoshiro pair."

Tezuka thought on it for a moment. "Data Tennis and Aggressive Baseliner?" he asked.

"To counter Hyotei's Ohtori Shishido pair," Fuji said.

"Hn," Tezuka said, lightly filling in Inui and Momoshiro's names in the doubles 2 position. He wasn't going to take Fuji's suggestions as the final standings but he would take it into account. "Doubles 1"

"Eiji and myself," Fuji answered without hesitation.

Tezuka just wrote their names on the list. Fuji smiled a bit wider. "You didn't ask for justification," Fuji pointed out.

"There was no need," Tezuka answered.

"Souka," Fuji murmured. 'You have not learned your lesson.' He thought.

"Singles 3," Tezuka continued.

"Well…"

:Hyotei:

"Kabaji!"

"Usu!"

"Bring Oishi," Atobe ordered.

"Usu!"

The junior walked out of the room and to the tennis courts to carry out Atobe's orders. A moment later, Kabaji came back with a struggling Oishi on his shoulder.

"Please let me down," Oishi said.

Kabaji just stood there, awaiting Atobe's command.

"Put him down," Atobe said.

"Usu!"

Oishi was dropped unceremoniously to the ground where his behind made harsh contact with the tiled floor. "Ow," Oishi winced.

"Ore-sama competed the list," Atobe said.

Oishi picked himself up from the ground and walked over to where Atobe stood. He picked up the piece of paper and scanned it quickly. His emerald eyes widened when he saw the order.

"This can't…" he started to say.

"It is what Ore-sama wants," Atobe said.

"But I must voice my objections," Oishi insisted.

"Ore-sama has the final say," Atobe said, his tone clipped. He did not want to argue with Oishi after he spent all that time working on it.

"I'm afraid you made a mistake," Oishi said.

Atobe frowned. He was Atobe Keigo, he did not make mistakes. "Ore-sama does not make mistakes," he said.

"But…" Oishi protested again.

Atobe held up his hand to silence the other. "This will be the matchup against Seigaku," Atobe said. 'Tezuka will be defeated.' Atobe thought.

Oishi continued to shake his head. "I cannot possible play singles," he said.

Atobe looked at Oishi. "Ore-sama has been practicing with you," he reminded the other.

"Still, I could not…"Oishi began to say.

"You will play in that spot," Atobe said, his tone ending the conversation. Oishi could only stare and hope that he was going to be able to do Hyotei justice come Saturday…

Author's Note: Please tell me how this chapter was, thank you!

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