A/N: This is only the beginning - It was about time they lost. Now they can train harder! Gambatte Seigaku!
This chapter seemed a little rushed... but I really don't care at this point! It's done. (^_^)
Disclaimer: I was shopping for paper when I saw Takeshi Konomi. I asked him which Prince of Tennis character was his favourite. He said the easiest one to draw, so I thought maybe Echizen, cause he's short. Konomi-san corrected me and said Kurapin's little toy. (Randomness/not true at all!)
Chapter Thirty Five
"I can't believe that just happened." Suzu said, holding back tears that were ready to fall after hearing Shikawara's screams. She turned to Fuji. "What exactly…" Suzu didn't finish. Maybe she knew what the reason was behind those screams, but what a lot of people didn't understand was how Uki Ito was able to access it.
From behind the fence, it looked like Shikawara just broke down, as if her stress levels had buckled under the weight of the game, leaving her exposed to everyone's eyes. And, even that reasoning didn't sound right. Shikawara was calm and confident from the start.
Nobody knew what to say. It all happened quickly; and then for those two men to carry her off… did it all really happen?
"Both teams line up!"
Yeah, it did happen. Seishun team hesitated. What about Shikawara?
Fuji stood up first closely followed by Arai. They both had the same idea. They made their way onto the court. Slowly, the rest of the team followed. They stood opposite their opponent, Miura Academy. It was a weird feeling. Fuji stood before Hitomi Hattori, Miura's captain. They didn't play today. They didn't make eye contact. Instead, Fuji looked at the empty space beside her. Sai was right… she knew that was going to happen but what could she have done to prevent it? Sure, she could have swapped Shikawara with Suzu, but then what would have happened to Suzu who likes drawn out games, which would only have made Ito's move stronger? Really, it was a losing game from the get-go and she knew it.
Fuji glanced up at Ito whose eyes saw the pain of Shikawara's memory. Fuji could tell. Ito's face should be flushed red from her game but it was the opposite. Her skin was pale because she saw what Shikawara wanted hidden. Ito's eyes darted around thoughtfully stopping her from enjoying her win.
The umpire said what he had to say and the girls bowed and thanked each other for a good game. They were all asked to wait around for the other schools to come onto the courts to close the city tournament and opened the Kantou tournament.
Hattori called to Fuji. In her hand she held firmly onto Ito's deeply bowed head. "This one has something to say."
"Go on." Fuji said.
"…Erm, I didn't mean to… that is…" Ito fumbled over her words.
Fuji shook her head. "You saw, didn't you, Ito-san?"
Ito spoke. "What… what exactly did I see? Was that real? Who was that woman?"
Yokoishi leant over. "Her family used to associate with… certain members of society."
That could really only mean one thing, and both the Miura girls weren't so unaware of their surrounds to know that Seishun spoke about the Yakuza.
"Maybe you saw her mother, Ito-san." Fuji said.
Both the Miura girls looked up slowly. Hattori didn't know whether to believe them, but, she didn't see what Ito saw on the court.
"Whatever the case may be, this one is apologising for bring distress to your team mate." Hattori said to end it.
The two of them walked off to stand with their team.
"Are you disappointed, Fuji-senpai." Yokoishi asked once the teams began to move.
Fuji felt a lot of things but, like Shikawara, she wanted to keep them hidden. "… I could ask you the same thing."
Yokoishi placed her hands behind her head. "More annoyed that I didn't take into consideration that ability of Aihara-senpai's. But, it's not something I need to worry about for the future. I am amazing after all."
Fuji laughed lightly. "You have a solution already?"
Yokoishi winked, not saying anything.
It was only a matter of time before the other schools entered the court. As expected St Rudolph joined them with Yumi Fuji looking around with disinterest. Only once did Yumi's eyes find her sister's and they quickly fixed on something else. Fudomine walked in with confidence oozing from their smiles. Hyotei followed. Their team looked as glamorous as ever; not a hair out of place. With them came Sannoji middle school. All the schools lined up within the courts and listened to the announcer.
"Now we will announcer the results of this year's tournaments as well as the five schools who have advanced to the Kantou tournament. The National Middle school tennis tournament, Tokyo prefectural Tournaments Girls team division winners are Miura Girls' Academy. Next, runner up Seishun Academy. Third place, St Rudolph. Fourth goes to Hyotei, and fifth place goes to the winners of the consolation match, Fudomine Junior high"
"He doesn't have to spell it out." Arai muttered under her breath.
"I'm not worried about that," Kikumaru replied. "what's Ryuzaki-sensei gonna say?"
They all heard and they didn't want to think about it.
With all that announcements taken care of, the schools all bowed out and filtered out the park. When the Seishun girls walked out to retrieve their bags, the rest of their team applauded them, as well as the boys who stayed long enough to watch until the end.
"We didn't come first but we made it, right Captain!" Umeko was the first to congratulate them.
Fuji nodded. "Yeah, we made it."
"Way to set the bar ladies," Sai couldn't help but say. "if we fall below runner up, Sensei will kill us."
"Y… yes Sai-kun." Fuji reluctantly answered while her team packed their equipment away.
"Will you cut it out Sai, we should be encouraging them." Oishi rebuked his partner who just pushed his glasses back.
Echizen and Momoshiro stepped forward to ask a question.
"Fuj-senpai? Fuji-senpai, there's something I really don't understand. Both Yokoishi-san and Shikawara-chan played the better game today. How come they lost?" Momoshiro said.
Fuji was about to answer when Leiko Arai butted in. "Idiot boys. Girls' tennis is a little different from boys' tennis."
"You mean strength-wise, right, Arai-senpai?" Momoshiro answered.
"No! Geez! Tennis isn't always about strength. When you play against a girl you'll find she will use her spiritual energy to influence the flow of the game. For example, Yokoishi-san was the better player physically and should have been spiritually too, but her inner spiritual strength was subdued by Aihara-san's, same for Shikawara-san. Any fool can see that."
"Ah" Inui moved closer. "It's no wonder my data wasn't adding up. I will take that into consideration in the future."
"You mean something like will power?" Iwara wondered.
"No! I said spiritual energy. Look, you can be as strong as Takashi-kun when he has a racket in his hands but if I attack his spiritual energy, he'll be a dripping mass of muscle. K.O'd!"
They were starting to get the concept. They would have asked more questions but Ryuzaki's shadow slowly loomed over them until its heavy weight covered the team whole. They didn't have to turn to look at her for the boys to know they should leave. The aura she emitted told them to go home and practise for their own city tournament in two days. The non-regulars too felt unwelcome and slowly stepped back leaving the eight to defend themselves. They all diverted their eyes waiting for their sensei to lay into them.
Ryuzaki sensei stood in front of them with arms crossed. Yokoishi backed off a little. Arai wasn't too bothered. She won her match. Jinhana also didn't feel the lecturing was directly aimed at her so she continued to pack her bags. Kikumaru fought back the need to make excuses while Nariko waited.
"Sorry for disappointing you sensei." Fuji spoke first. "We underestimated Miura."
"I know you underestimated them! I can plainly see you thought too highly of your own ability," Ryuzaki-sensei yelled. She pointed at the two who won. "and you two who won aren't any better. You barely managed a win. Miura completely dominated all the games."
Arai rolled her eyes and Jinhana dropped her bag in disgust. She didn't lose.
"But," Ryuzaki-sensei wiped her forehead leaving a long silence to fall between them. Ryuzaki glanced around at her girls and they didn't say anything. In fact they were waiting for her to say something to them. "What are all of you so quiet? Are you expecting me to say something more?"
"Yeah." Arai said sarcastically.
"Don't get me wrong, I want to tell you all off but… I have a player who has just remembered something unpleasant… I'll have to save it for later. For now just be glad that we got to the next stage. Fuji-san, Arai-san, we need to do some serious thinking when we get back to school."
"Yes sensei."
"I can't really think straight without knowing how Shikawara-san is… For now, go home."
Without leaving room for the team to answer or confirm that they understood, Ryuzaki walked off. The eight girls stood around decided for themselves how their little talk went. Once it made sense in their minds they slowly finished packing their bags without talking.
"So… what are we going to do now, guys?" Suzu wondered.
"I… I'm going to Shikawara-chan's house." Nariko said while wiping some tears from her eyes. "I don't think she should be alone right now."
"Yeah, that's a good idea. Let's go give her some support. She probably thinking she let us all down by not winning." Suzu said and patted Nariko's shoulder. "You guy's all played great today."
"Thanks Suzu-senpai." Yokoishi jumped up with her bags on her shoulder. "After all we gotta tell her the good news."
The girls were pretty much ready to leave, all except Fuji. She looked to the spectators' bench where she left Tezuka's coat on top of her bag.
"Are you coming too Fuji-chan, or are you going to hang around like always?" Kikumaru asked as she walked by.
"I'm coming." She said and walked on to retrieve her stuff.
She lifted up the weighty coat and draped it over her arms but found that her bag wasn't with it. She didn't have the strength to react horrified but a spark did run up her arm to her neck. Who would touch her stuff? She looked over the length of the bench, behind it and beneath it and saw nothing. She tighten her hold around the coat knowing that someone had walked off with it on purpose. No doubt they took it when all the schools were gathered around the one court. Nobody would be looking around at that point.
Arai glanced over and saw Fuji standing motionless. "Hey, Fuji-chan, you coming or what?"
Fuji sprung back to life. "Erm, yeah… I just need to find my bag."
"What's wrong with your voice?"
"Hmm?" If anything she was angry and tried to hide it.
Arai smirked. "Don't tell me you're upset with the outcome?"
Fuji didn't answer or aid what could have been a verbal battle. Yeah, the outcome of their match bothered her somewhat but someone had walked off with her bag.
Arai sighed believe Fuji was moping over the match. "Whatever. Just remember I still have your camera. I'll wait for you so hurry up."
Arai's camera went off without a flash. They heard the reel of film shift "Great! I got one frame left. What stupid picture will it take next?"
Fuji jumped down from the benches.
"What's that in your hands?" Arai asked.
"A coat… aren't you going to help me find my bag?"
Arai frowned. "I wasn't, but since you asked… I'll check around there. I'll come for you when I've finished. Happy?"
It was better then not having her help so she smiled and set off to have a look.
The park was almost empty. Only workers were among the few who cleaned the park and packed away the equipment. It wasn't that late in the day. School had just finished. Fuji held tightly onto his coat by folding it over her arms whenever it slipped slightly.
There was nowhere she didn't look. She walked all around court's C and D, she looked behind the fences and the seats. She went to the lost and found at the kiosk but they didn't have anything handed in. She walked around all the small buildings and it wasn't anywhere.
She signed deeply and fell against the wall to the gift shop. There was only a handful of workers now and they didn't seem bothered by her presence. She leant her head back and closed her eyes. Who would have taken her bag?
A thought hit her. She realised who might have taken it and it irritate her beyond understanding… those Hyotei girls. So they really were looking for a fight. The three of them could have done anything to her belongings. She didn't even think to check the bins or the bathroom.
Knowing there was nothing she could do she begin to walk around to see what Arai had found.
In the park between courts B and D was a large gazebo. With it's octagon shape it provided enough space for about thirty-six people. As she walked past it she saw someone sitting inside it. They had their back to her. She didn't look along enough to see who it was.
"Fuji-chan, you're not walking by without greeting me, are you?"
She halted in her step, suddenly forgetting what she was doing and why she was walking around the park. In the beginning Fuji never liked the way his voice rung in her ears. Now, it had a different feel to it. Atobe's voice was no longer annoying or irritating. His low tones became a pleasure. She still stopped herself from revealing her knowing smirk but her team was no longer around. She had no reason to keep her desires under any control… yet Kikumaru's words did come to the forefront of her mind. And Tezuka's coat was still softly draped over her arms. It was for that reason that she lifted her foot to keep walking.
"Don't walk away from me." He said, his voice getting louder. She stepped her heel down. "Come sit with me?"
She nearly went. "If you want to talk to me, you can come out here."
He laughed lightly, the pompous way that he did, and casually left the comfort of the gazebo. Fuji opened her eyes slightly, waiting for him to stand in front of her. Atobe knew exactly what he was doing and wasn't taking orders from her without getting anything back in return. As he walked up to her he reached his hand out and held her waist and was pleased with himself when Fuji didn't move it.
"I didn't appreciate your little act this morning." He said, leaning close to her ear.
Fuji caught his gaze as he came in front of her. She let him move his hand in his own time and soon enough he put them in his pockets.
"What happened this morning?" She asked. Most of it had momentarily left her mind.
Atobe dropped his hand down on Tezuka's coat and crushed the thick material in his grip. "This happened this morning. As soon as Tezuka-kun show's up, you start playing loyalties."
"I'm loyal to my school, as you are with your school." She looked down. He wasn't only crushing the coat, his hands firmly held her arm in place. "Could you not crease his coat?"
His smirk grew wider, and he seemed overly pleased with himself. "I can't do that. I want to know why you had a change of heart?"
"It didn't change."
"Lying won't do you any good. I recall you asking me to break those foundations, and I gave you three chances… now you've changed your mind but it doesn't work like that."
His grip tightened. He pulled Fuji closer. "I bet you don't even know what your foundation is, do you Fuji-chan?" She didn't say anything. "Well, I will give you a taster."
He moved closer to her, so close that his hair brushed against her ear again. She didn't move. She closed her eyes.
"You haven't told him anything yet have you?" He whispered. His voice tingling over her shoulder.
Without warning his lips moved from her ear and down to her neck. Once. Twice. Trice. Three times he kissed her. She wanted to tell him to back off, yet by mistake, she let out a soft moan.
"What was that? Enjoying yourself, are you. Let's hear it again."
He pulled the collar of her dress down a little and bit hard into the tough part of her neck, leaving a visible red mark. She unfolded her arms, dropping Tezuka's coat to the floor, and shoved Atobe back. Atobe felt the aggressive force and willingly stepped back. She threw her hand over her neck and kept it covered.
"Why did you do that?" She demanded an answer.
"Hmm?" He grinned. "You sound startled Fuji-chan. Maybe you don't want someone to see it. Don't worry, it's in a place that won't be seen easily, but, be careful not to let Tezuka-kun see it. I'm sure he'd be less than impressed." He continued to laugh as he walked off leaving Fuji standing alone.
She wanted to call back to him and ask him what he was thinking but the words wouldn't come to her like before when she accidentally moaned. What did giving her a hickey have to do with breaking any foundations? It didn't make any sense to her. Why would Atobe care if Tezuka saw it? The more she thought about it the more bizarre the idea got. She looked down at Tezuka's coat on the floor and knelt down to pick it up. Dirt had clung to the fabric. She flicked it off and held it close wondering what Atobe was really thinking. Did it really have anything to do with her or was he trying to get at Tezuka? No. That didn't make sense either. Earlier Atobe had an ample opportunity to start a fight with Tezuka but like a coward he walked away saying he could see cracks. What cracks, she wondered and buried her face in his coat.
"O… Onee-san!" A sobbing voice called.
There was a heavy thud on the ground before Fuji felt a small pair of arms wrap around her.
"I told you not to get close to him. I told you." Chise cried. "Did he hurt you?"
It was a while before Fuji answered. Chise disappeared earlier and decides to show up now… at the worse possible time. "I'm all right." Fuji murmured.
"No you're not. He hurt you? I won't forgive him if he did."
She couldn't lie to a child. Fuji wiped the tears from Chise face and stood up. "He just confused me, that's all. He didn't hurt me."
Chise hung on to Fuji and wouldn't let go. She covered her eyes and cried. Fuji felt Chise shaking, not from the hiccups but panicky shakes. Fuji wondered if something happened to her.
"You said you had someone you liked, but why would you like someone who would hurt you?"
Fuji didn't reply. Her shoulder began to itch and her neck burnt. The thought of him getting that close made her feel sick. As a fantasy it never felt that bad, but the illusions of the mind can cloud true feelings. Fuji glanced to her left and saw Arai walking towards her, but before she saw Arai she saw her tennis bag on the floor. That must have been the thud she heard before.
"Oi, oi. I expected you to be looking for your bag and you're helping lost little children."
"I already found her bag!" Chise yelled.
Arai was about to tell Chise off when she got a good look at her face. She halted in her words and stepped closer. "You look familiar. Do I know you?"
Chise suddenly quieten down and let go of Fuji's arm. "I have to go now."
She ran off, disappearing again. Arai stood beside Fuji. "She has the same annoying eyes as someone we know."
"I don't know," Chise had a habit of appearing and disappearing so Fuji didn't mind as much when she did it. "How did you find me?"
It was only when Arai heard Fuji's voice did she remembered why she stormed over to her. "If it weren't for my stupid camera going off I wouldn't have looked this way. What is the matter with you? We're all waiting." Arai picked up Fuji's bag and handed it to her. Fuji reluctantly took it. She held the handle but let the bag drop by her side. She didn't want to leave the spot. Something new happened and she didn't understand it at all. In fact, it scared her. She rubbed her neck again and wanted to rub her chin into her shoulder to rub away the mark.
"Fuji-chan, the team is waiting on you."
Fuji peered down to Tezuka's coat. In all her confusion she dropped it. She really was being careless and unguarded.
"I'm sorry Arai-chan, I don't feel like going."
"You don't have a choice. How's Shikawara-san gunna feel if the captain of the team isn't there? She's going to feel as if she let you down. Come on! You're doing this for your kouhai."
She nodded. It was for Shikawara's sake that she was rushing around after all. She pulled up the collar on her dress so it fitted higher on one side than on the other and followed Arai out of the park.
…tbc…
A/N2: Why would Atobe do that?! I'm sorry Fuji, as your semi delusional-creator I'll make it up to you… it'll be sweet. More mayhem to come!
Hmm…don't get me wrong, Atobe is totally not the bad guy in this story, it's Leiko, so Atobe fans don't feel as if I'm picking on Atobe ^_^ As for Fuji… well… now she's in a real mess unless…
What's up with Chise-chan?! Crazy girl.
Chapter 36: The girls go to Shikawara's house.
