Takeshi clutched the phone, nearly breaking it. He was gritting his teeth in frustration. How? The phone beeped again to signal that it was still going through. The line at the other end clicked and there was silence.
"Ryoma, it's me." Still silence. Takeshi didn't really expect more. "Why didn't you warn me about all of this? Did you know about this?"
"Aa, I knew." The voice was dead.
"Why didn't you tell me! How could this have happened?" Takeshi roared over the phone. He wasn't really angry at Ryoma but more at the situation and his helplessness. He knew that Ryoma would know that.
"I couldn't." Ryoma's voice was heavy with emotion. "I couldn't bring myself to say any of this was reality. I'd heard from everyone over the past few years, but I didn't know the true situation."
Takeshi released his grip on the phone. So, that was it. Ryoma was blaming himself for their friends' torments. He was planning on reviving them somehow. That much Takeshi could tell.
"It's not your fault, Ryo," Takeshi whispered over the phone, not trusting his emotion-heavy voice. "It's not yours, it's not mine… It's not even their fault. We're all friends. We should have been in better contact then we have been. What are you planning?" he asked to change the subject. If he didn't, he would have broken down and cried.
"I know." Ryoma hesitated. "But I'm the only one who can fix them. And you, too. We're all that's left. Besides…" Here, his tone changed. "I have a plan. You'll see when you go on the trip with Fuji. I'm counting on you, Takeshi, my love."
Takeshi gaped. Ryoma didn't show his feelings toward even him easily. For him to say that must have been hard. Or, he could have been putting more faith in Takeshi then he first thought. Either way, Ryoma was counting heavily on Takeshi, and he wasn't about to let his love down. Ryoma must have been very desperate.
"Aa, you can count on me, Brat."
He heard a snort at the other end. "Of course."
A click and then a dial tone announced that Ryoma had hung up. Takeshi hadn't expected any more. He had expected less actually. He looked down at the table and saw envelopes. Each of those envelopes had a letter addressed to certain people. One of them even had his name on it. Some were fatter than others.
He tapped the table a couple of times before clenching his hand into a fist. Even now he couldn't go against his love's wishes. No matter how curious he was. Ah well. He'd find things out soon. He glanced out the darkened window. Yes, very soon he'd find out Ryoma's plans.
He turned toward the bathroom. It was time for bed. He'd better get as much rest as he could because tomorrow was a whole new day that promised no rest.
Fuji tapped the pencil in his hand against his chin. The early morning sunrise went unnoticed by the occupants in the room. Tezuka was idly flipping through a book. Fuji was staring at a wall in thought. There had been almost no sleep that night. They were both too strung out with their teammates' health to get any sleep. Tezuka didn't look too bad off but he'd told Fuji earlier that he'd trust Echizen.
Echizen. There was another worrying problem. Why didn't he come out and tell them what Momo had to say? Could it be that even he could barely stand the sight of them? Fuji shook his head. No, that couldn't be the case. Echizen wasn't like that. Then what game was he trying to play? Fuji nodded mentally. Yes, that was the key. Echizen was playing a game. But what kind and how dangerous were the two most important questions in that field.
The soft sound of a page being turned brought Fuji out of his thoughts and into new ones. Today they would learn where they would be going. Today they would pair up into their teams and set off to learn a lesson. Fuji smile grimly. No, to get rid of demons. He critically looked at his right hand. Nothing wrong, none of the skin was broken. It was as smooth as it always had been. But it was indeed his demon. With a grimace of contempt, he put his hand under the desk effectively hiding it from view.
"That's not going to make it go away." Tezuka's all-knowing voice rang out in the silence.
"Saa, I hadn't known that. Please Oh-Wise-One, tell me more." He knew the sarcasm was dripping.
Tezuka raised a brow, his piercing gaze catching Fuji. Fuji wasn't prepared and so had the deer-caught-in-a-headlight look on his face. He hated when Tezuka looked at him like that. It was as if Tezuka was trying to tell him to grow up. Fuji nearly laughed himself hysterical mentally. So far the genius has fallen.
Fuji fell onto the floor in a heap. He must have been really out of it because in the next instant Tezuka was there to catch him. The tears flooded down his face as Tezuka wrapped his strong arms around the fallen genius. After what seemed like forever, the tears finally stopped. Neither man moved.
"Trust Echizen, trust the pillar. Don't worry," Tezuka's soft voice kept saying. Fuji had no choice but to believe.
"Aa, I will trust Echizen for now, but I can't see how one trip can wipe away all of our horrible memories. It's nearly impossible."
Tezuka hooked a finger under Fuji's chin and lifted Fuji's face to meet his eyes. Tezuka gave Fuji a brilliant smile and kissed him. For Fuji, it was as if heaven had come to Earth. The smile, the kiss, they were both unexpected but very welcomed. Fuji pulled away from Tezuka and stood up, now more sure of himself then before. Tezuka had that kind of effect on him.
"I'll trust. Thank you Tezuka." He knew Tezuka would know that he was thanking for more then just the kiss.
Tezuka didn't say anything. He just pulled himself up and returned to his chair and book. He had just flipped the page when the intercom buzzed.
Fuji walked over and casually leaned against the wall. He pushed the button.
"Fuji-sempai, Buchou? Would you please come down to the sitting room?" Momo's voice floated cheerfully over the com.
"Mm," Fuji replied.
A quick glance at Tezuka showed him already up and moving. He was right behind him. Five minutes brought them to the sitting lounge they were in the day before. A few maids had to be asked directions, but that wasn't the point. When they walked into the room, they found they weren't the first ones and they weren't the last ones. Momo, Oishi and Eiji were there and sitting down. None of them were talking. Momo looked very uncomfortable. Tezuka and Fuji quickly found spots around Momo and gave nods of acknowledgement. It wasn't long before Inui wheeled in Kaidoh, with Taka walking in behind them. They took the seats between Fuji and Oishi. When everyone was settled, Momo walked to the front of them and gave them a smile.
"Now that we're all gathered, I have something to tell you all and to give you all." He pulled out a credit card. "This is a credit card made for each of you. You will all have one. These can get money out of any bank you come across. They all have accounts in your names with a certain amount of money. Do not exceed because we will not reimburse." He gave a leveled stare at them all. "Ryoma has talked to all of your bankers and they've agreed to freeze your accounts for the time being."
"WHAT!" The combined yell was deafening.
"Oi, oi. I'm not deaf, you know. We did this for a reason. Since you decided to come here, you're all starting the same. No one will have an easier time then anyone else." Momo sighed and muttered something that sounded to Fuji like 'impetuous runaway lovers'. He went on more cheerfully. "These are your plane tickets." He pulled out several rectangular pieces of paper. "Now I told you about your partners yesterday, so you shouldn't be reminded of those. Taka-san arrived late last night, so Inui was given plenty of time to brief him. You all just have to go to these places marked on the map. We would prefer it if you would all write a sort of diary about each court or place you go to, the people you meet and the things you do. That's it," he finished with an impish grin.
While he was handing out the plane tickets, Inui raised his hand. "So all we have to do is write this diary and return? Is there a time limit?"
"No. None. You could take half a year if you wanted. But Kaidoh may not last a half a year without you." He grinned more impishly.
Inui frowned. "Is that why you're mixing us up? To make sure we return in a good time?"
Momo glanced out of a nearby window. "As Ryoma would say 'Saa, who knows.'"
"Isn't Fuji the one who says that?" Everyone jumped when Eiji spoke. It sounded almost joking which was odd coming from someone who looked so close to death.
Nearly everyone in the room jumped when Momo burst out laughing. "After Atobe's party that one year, he's been acting more like Fuji. Well, he has this habit of saying 'saa' a lot now, at least. I think it's cute." His eyes twinkled in amusement when he looked at Fuji.
Tezuka bristled, and his eyes clearly said 'mine, hands off'. Momo waved a hand jokingly. He calmly watched the tickets being passed around and looked at his when he received it.
"New Orleans? Why are you sending us there?" he asked Momo in a calm voice.
Momo frowned at him and his hand went to his pocket. After a little while, he grinned at the group. "You'll find out when you get there. Here." He handed Tezuka a letter addressed to him.
"What are these for?" Oishi asked when one was passed on to him.
"Some of them Ryoma wrote. Some of them I wrote. You're all not allowed to open them until you get to your designated cities." He passed two to Eiji and grinned. "Now, I will be calling you all once a week to see how you all are doing on your progress as well as your money." He looked at each of them and Tezuka felt a chill run up his spine. "I hope that all of you will take this seriously. In the words of a certain Buchou I know 'Do your best, and don't let your guard down.'"
It seemed that everyone was holding their breath but, in the next instant, Momo went back to being cheerful. He dismissed everyone to get packed and ready to go. Most of the flights would be taking off in just a few hours.
When Tezuka and Fuji reached their room, they looked at one another.
"Interesting, is it not?" Fuji said calmly. "Where did Momo get so much… presence?"
Tezuka shrugged. "More interesting is how he's breaking us up out of our comfortable groups and sending us with people we should feel most comfortable with."
"You noticed that too?" Fuji smile grimly. "I think Ryoma is hoping that our old bonds to our friends snap them out of whatever is eating them alive."
Tezuka nodded slightly. "But if that were the case, then Momo should have paired himself off with Kaidoh, and not you."
"That would make the best sense. Unless, of course, he has something else in mind." Fuji cocked his head to one side. "Saa, this new Momo and Ryoma are hard to read."
"Let's get ready." Tezuka moved to his luggage. When Fuji didn't move to follow, he looked back. "What's wrong?"
"Saa," Fuji scratched his head, "I don't have a ticket. Momo didn't give me one."
"Then you're staying here." Tezuka turned again and grabbed his bags.
"I see." Fuji smiled grimly. "Some of us may start off better then others. Right?"
Tezuka frowned. "We'll see." He walked out of the room, leaving behind a very confused Fuji.
Momo watched quietly as the limo pulled away from the circular driveway. Fuji stood silently by him. Both watched the black car until it was out of sight. Fuji finally glanced at Momo and spoke up.
"So, what do we do now? Are we going to stay here, or go somewhere else?" His mask never faltered.
Even if he wanted to believe that Momo had changed but for the better, that didn't have to be the case. It was entirely possible for Momo to be wearing a very authentic-looking mask, for all Fuji knew.
Momo sighed and rubbed the back of his neck with a rueful expression on his face.
"That I don't know. Here." He handed Fuji a colored map. "I guess we'll be visiting those courts later."
Fuji studied the map. It was a very well done map of San Francisco. Every once and while there would be a colored square or several colored squares. He noticed that not all of the squares looked to be tennis courts.
"So, we go visiting and we write a journal on what we did at these courts. That's it?"
"Hmm, how many times am I going to have to say this? Yes, that's it."
"And, by the time I visit all of these, Echizen will be back." He gave Momo a calculating look.
"Yes. He will be back by then." Very serious, no laughter in his voice at all.
"Saa, then let's start right now."
Fuji put the information into the back of his mind. Momo had said that Echizen would be back by the time they visited all the colored squares. But, there was a hesitance as if perhaps there was a possibility that Echizen could arrive sooner. Very interesting information if he read Momoshiro right.
"Now!" Momo looked about to faint. "Dang, I was hoping we could laze around for another day or so. Aww, man. No fair," he complained.
Fuji smiled before he could suppress it. He couldn't help it. This was the Momo he remembered. No one could act that well.
"From the amount of colors I see here, it could take us months to complete this map."
Momo stopped acting and gave Fuji a mysterious grin. "Maybe."
"Why are you making it so long?"
"Hi-mi-tsu." Momo winked at Fuji.
Fuji frowned, but he didn't say anything more. This Momo was interesting. He could feel the glee that he thought was dead rise up in him. This could be fun.
