A/N: Huh! What chapter am I on? 29? Really? Damn that was quick... well, sorta. Anyhow, I'm hitting a spot of writers_block so be patient. No crazy reviews for updates! I'm worn out. But enough about my minor problems, here's cahppie 29.

Edited because I suck sometimes (4.1.10)

Disclaimer: Because Takeshi Konomi laughed at me (not true!) I'm not going to write a disclaimer that informs people that Prince of Tennis isn't mine!


Chapter Twenty Nine

Fuji felt burden free for the time being, after her chat with Kikumaru she no longer had those annoying thoughts fluttering around her mind… but a new conflict bothered her. How was she going to tell Tezuka about her wavering feelings? It sent a whole new set of emotions through her, both good and nerve wrecking. Once she got her tennis gear ready, Fuji went out onto the courts. She would take Kikumaru's advice and keep the emotions and the entire fan fair that went with it outside the courts.

"Regulars line up, the rest of you run around, warm up and practise your swings on court D!" Arai shouted and everyone did as told.

The eight regulars gathered around to hear what Fuji had to say.

"As you know we're up against Hyotei and then either St Rudolph or Miura middle school tomorrow. We need to be at the top of our game. Hyotei have some good training methods, though a little self-centred they are not to be taken lightly. Ryuzaki-sensei wants us to mix up the line up, so I still want the normal singles to try doubles and the doubles to practise at singles again. I know it's hard at first but do your best."

Arai paired the teams up "Shikawara-san and Suzu-chan verses Fuji-chan and Yokoishi-san court B, Kikumaru-chan verses Jinhana-chan, court A and Nariko-san will play against me, court C. Let's go!"

"Let's do our best Fuji-senpai." Yokoishi gave a thumb's up as she walked over to her court with Fuji. They stood opposite their opponents.

"Rough or smooth, senpais?" Shikawara asked while placing her racket on the floor.

"Tails! I mean rough!" Yokoishi called it.

Shikawara gave it a quick spin and it fell towards Fuji and Yokoishi.

"Smooth," Fuji answered and Shikawara took up her racket.

The two teams discussed who would serve and receive. Fuji stood on the service line while Yokoishi was to receive the ball. Shikawara was to serve and Suzu took to the service line.

"Hold on, someone needs to take score." Suzu mentioned. So they called Yumi Nishi over, a fellow year eight member.

Shikawara put the ball in play and they all set off at a steady pace. The three year nines' were okay with the doubles format but Shikawara still had to get use to the 'sharing' element of the game. She encountered the same problems as Nariko did but she wasn't without her partner Suzu who was able to watch her back.

Kikumaru was annoying the hell out of Jinhana with her acrobatic play, so Jinhana had to unleash some of her own flowery techniques to over work Kikumaru, and Nariko was holding her own against Arai's crazy strength, but it didn't help that Arai was good with her basics.

Sakuno and her year seven teammates, Megumi, Hachi, Emiko and Oki ran their first lap around the courts with the other years. They got to about their five laps before they started to waver. By their eighth lap they couldn't go on. Sakuno, who had a little more determination, was able to finish her ten laps, much to her friends praise. They entered the courts and began their stretching and practise swings.

Practise was coming along nicely and by the end of the day all the girls felt satisfied with the way things where going and looked forward to the two big matches tomorrow. Fuji dismissed the team and they made their way to the changing rooms.

"Why is sensei standing there?" Kikumaru pointed once she saw the bright pink suit.

Ryuzaki-sensei stood in front of the doors. She wasn't going to let the day end without them experiencing Iuni's veggie juice.

"In the morning matches, which of you lost?" Ryuzaki-sensei asked.

The regulars looked amongst each other.

"Me and Yokoishi-senpai lost this morning." Shikawara answered.

"I beat Arai-chan this morning." Kikumaru grinned.

"And I lost…" Jinhana also owned up.

Ryuzaki-sensei's grin widen. "Come with me you four. Your punishment awaits."

Still unimpressed with the threat, the four followed.

"I wonder if they'll be okay." Sakuno stepped forward, worried and concerned as always.

"What do you mean Sakuno-chan?" Suzu wondered.

"Well, Ryoma-kun and the other boys drank some of that drink and were knocked out. I think my grandmother's planning something awful."

The remaining four regulars followed behind to see what their sensei was planning. Sakuno followed and some others from the team tagged along. Once they walked around the corner they saw the same curious eyes from the boys' team. Inui poured a mustard-colour drink into four little cups and gave two to Ryuzaki-sensei while he held two.

The four girls breathed in deeply.

"Ladies, I'm really happy that you wanted to try my drink, hopefully you'll appreciate it more than those guys. There is always enough to go around. And you're lucky too, this is my new improved recipe, the Golden Power Remix Inui Juice!" The light reflected off his glasses after he spoke.

"Ah! What happened to Oishi?" Kikumaru gasped once she saw him slumped over Sai and Iwara's shoulder.

"And Ryoma-kun too?" Sakuno said once she saw poor Ryoma being held up by Momoshiro.

Inui laughed. "Don't worry about those guys. Here. Cheers!"

Inui handed it to Jinhana and Arai.

"You can do it sis!" Masashi sniggered and hide back behind his team. Leiko's left eyebrow rose in great mistrust.

Ryuzaki-sensei handed her two to Shikawara and Yokoishi, but as soon as the cup touched Yokoishi's finger tips she screamed and dropped it.

"Ew! Ew! Ew! That's disgusting! Nasty! Absolutely nasty!"

The mustard-yellow liquid splashed all over the ground but Inui was ready with another one.

"How rude, Yokoishi-chan. I put a lot of work into making this. Besides, how can you tell without drinking it?" He asked her, grinning with delight.

"I don't have to taste it, I can feel the evil in it!" She cringed seeing the second cup in his hand.

"Stop whining and drink it! Call yourselves regulars!" Ryuzaki-sensei openly teased.

The three girls turned to Arai, their vice captain, expecting her to take the first taste. Yokoishi held her cup like it was an ugly bug. Arai stated at the discoloured liquid, glanced at the boys, then at Iuni and at the drink again.

"Fine, I'll get it over with."

She drank the little cup of juice. As the last drop touched her tongue she froze with horror and disgust.

"A-Arai-senpai, are you okay?" Yokoishi stuttered.

Arai gagged. The cup dropped from her hands and she covered her mouth and stomach. "Oh god! Water!"

She ran passed her team and dashed around the corner. Her team could hear her gagging in the distance. The remaining three didn't move. What the heck is this? They thought silently.

"Whoa. What was that stuff? I've never seen Arai-chan run so fast." Kikumaru wondered.

"And the rest of you!" Ryuzaki-sensei ordered.

"No! Don't make me do it. It's evil!" Yokoishi went on.

Jinhana took the next mouthful. Her body instantly rejected it back into her cheeks. She too had to push pass her team and dashed around the corner.

Shikawara nudged Yokoishi. "Come on, we'll do it on the count of three."

Yokoishi shuddered but she agreed.

"1… 2… 3!" They both drank it.

Shikawara choked. "Argh! It's stuck in my throat!"

"Ew! Ugh! I feel sick!" Yokoishi screeched.

They both dashed off, leaving their empty cups on the floor. Ryuzaki-sensei cackled. That's what they get for taking her threats lightly! "Ah, that was fun-"

She would have carried on if it weren't for Echizen staggering forward to get a small cupful of Inui's drink. He walked forward and stopped in front of Fuji.

"Ryoma-kun, what are you doing?" Ryuzaki-sensei asked.

He smirked. "It's only fair that their captain has a taste too, don't you think, Fuji-senpai?"

Fuji saw what he as doing. She glanced at Kikumaru who shrugged. "All right, I'll have a taste too."

She took the cup from him. The boys' team staggered closer to see what was going to happen to who they considered to being Tezuka's girl. She looked at the yellow juice and drank it all. It did kinda stick to her throat but she swallowed it all. It took a while to settle in her stomach but she liked it. The boys watched and saw that she didn't wince in disgust. She just stood there like she drunk a bottle of cool, spring-water.

"As tough as nails." Sai said amazed.

"It's pretty good. I recommend it." She smiled, stunning them all.

"Thanks, Fuji-chan." Inui gave her a thumb's up.

Echizen wasn't satisfied at all. He walked back to Inui and asked him to fill up a bigger cup. Inui was more then happy to do this. Ryoma took it and staggered back to Fuji. Sakuno was a little worried, while Ryuzaki-sensei rolled her eyes.

Echizen handed her the second, larger cup and told her to drink it. As he passed it up to her some of it split over his finger. Fuji opened her eyes and stared at him, accepting the challenge. Without hesitating she drank the whole cup of juice and received a round of applause from the boys.

"I wanna try some too." Kikumaru went to grab the cup when Oishi warned her not to touch it.

"Okay everyone, hurry up and go home and get some rest." Ryuzaki-sensei had her fun and walked off.

Fuji enjoyed the drink a lot and would have to get a bottle full from Iuni later in the week.

"How boring." Echizen muttered and was about to walk off when Fuji called back to him. All but Ryuzaki-sensei stopped to see what Fuji was going to do.

"Echizen-kun, don't waste that little bit on your hand."

She reached out and took his wrist. He tried to resist her pull but she held on tightly. She moved his middle finger up to her lips.

"Fuji-senpai!" Sakuno gasped.

She moved it closer and closer. She parted her lips and held his finger right up to her mouth, waiting for Echizen to part his lips in disgust. When he did, she popped his finger in his mouth and made him lick the juice off. He instantly gagged and rushed off to get some water. Fuji stood up.

"He's a thousand years too young…" Fuji smiled, victoriously.

Kikumaru crossed her arms. "Next time, do that for Tezuka-san." She whispered making Fuji flutter from within. She turned on her heels and headed back to the changing rooms.

Once she got around the corner she saw the sight of her four teammates hanging over the sink area and not bothering to move. They groaned and moaned like they were the living dead. The other girls avoided the scene while Fuji approached Arai.

"Evil, pure evil…" Yokoishi groaned.

"I've never tasted anything so vile." Shikawara propped herself down on the floor.

"What is wrong with that boy." Jinhana burped. "I'll never lose again."

"Oh, it wasn't that bad." Fuji added.

They all glanced over to question how Fuji could stomach it, but then they decided they didn't care!

"Arai-chan, I had a cool idea while I was watching you lot drink Iuni-kun's drink. Why don't we bring our camera's tomorrow and take some pictures. You know, make some memories, seeing as this is our last year?"

"Don't… care… right now!" Arai panted.

"I'll text you later. Don't forget to lock up."

Arai waved her hand for Fuji to get lost. And stayed hung over the side with the rest of her team until they could find the strength to move...


tbc…

A/N2: (bad ending T_T) Poor Ryoma, will he ever win! One day…

Chapter 30 (woo!): Yokoishi feels and sees something that makes her less than happy.