A/N: Were would the drama be if everyone got their facts right!
(sorry for the late update. I had planned to post this sooner but got caught up in the London riots, so as you can imagine my levels of motivation have been low. But as you learn with such events, life goes on.)
Edited: (01/07/2016)
Disclaimer: I asked Takeshi Konomi why, and he said Prince of Tennis… Made prefect sense! (Random)
Chapter Eighty One
"You did WHAT!" Ryuzaki-sensei yelled out, forcing Kikumaru to close her eyes and wince back.
There was too much anger in sensei's eyes for Kikumaru to face her. It felt safer to close her own, even if she couldn't escape. Kikumaru at first didn't understand sensei's anger. When Ryuzaki-sensei breathed in deeply, it suddenly hit Kikumaru. Her match with Arai was supposed to help the girls get into the finals, and then the Nationals. But she threw her game away. She forfeited her match. Why didn't she listen to Arai and focus on the match? Even a little! Had she pictured this moment in her mind she would have sucked it up and played until the end. She shouldn't have been so hasty.
"Explain yourself!"
"… I… sensei, I'm sorry."
"What would you have said to me if the team had lost?"
Kikumaru peered up and saw the four girls running around the courts, slowly becoming red in the face.
"… I would have… apologised."
Ryuzaki breathed out. She couldn't believe, out of all the girls' performances, Kikumaru would be the one to f-. She shuddered. Ryuzaki-sensei didn't want to acknowledge the hideous word and wiped the stress from her eyes before calling Inui over.
"I knew it, I just knew she would." Yokoishi whispered.
"Thank God I won." Umeko said quietly.
"We're not out of the clearing yet." Shikawara, who lined up with the other two, didn't take her eyes off the front.
Inui, who had a creepy way of appearing from the shadows, came up grinning from behind sensei. He had in his hand a flask and in the other a shot glass.
"Morning Kikumaru-chan. Ryuzaki-sensei said I would have the opportunity to test out my latest drink. I didn't think you'd be the lucky one to taste it. I'm most thankful, and you'll be healthier for it."
Kikumaru couldn't say anything as she saw the blue liquid being poured into the little glass. It gave off a grey vapour of death. Inui walked towards her and held it out to Kikumaru. What could she say at this point? She knew she did wrong by forfeiting the match. The boys would not have done that. She accepted that sensei would be upset. Kikumaru took the shot glass, shuddered and closed her eyes to drink it.
Before she had a chance to gag on it, the vapours hit her nostrils, in an instant the sour taste of this strange vinegar hit her brain receptors. Her vision blurred and her eyes rolled back. Having tasted that nasty concoction, her body thought it was safer for her to pass out rather then endure that vomit-inducing drink. She fell back into the arms of two non-regulars who were on post to catch her limp body.
Inui whipped out his notebook and wrote down the effects of his drink: INSTANT KO!
Ryuzaki-sensei shook her head and turned to the three who remanded standing. They tensed up. She didn't both them yet. She didn't bother Fuji either. To the four she kept running for forty-five minutes, she was ready to pick them off.
"Nariko-san, come here!" She boomed and the poor girl nearly tripped up in her step.
She didn't see what happened to Kikumaru but she knew to get there quickly.
The two who held Kikumaru carried her over to Fuji and placed her down over Fuji's lap. They left her there to get ready for the next one.
Fuji looked down on her friend, knowing she was too passionate about things sometimes. Now look at her – drooling blue slime from the corner of her mouth down Fuji's leg. Kikumaru told Fuji that she no longer wanted to play in doubles. Not with Arai. Not with anyone!
Fuji understood. Arai betrayed her by breaking up the team. Fuji lowered her head down to Kikumaru's and whispered a word of thanks in her ear and for a few seconds laid over her, glad that someone would stick up for her.
"Even though you did your best Nariko-san I'm getting annoyed with you doubting yourself in every match. You understand team work right?" Nariko nodded. "So if your partner says something that goes against the team working DON'T listen to her! You carry on acting like a team, especially when the other team are happy to play two against one! Never give the other team that advantage! Why would you leave Jinhana-san to play by herself?"
Nariko wanted to speak but common sense said to be quiet until this was over. She could only lower her head. Ryuzaki-sensei sighed. What did she have to do to get some confidence in this girl? Whatever the case, she was going to have some of Inui's special drink. Maybe that'll invigorate her… by some means…
"Fuji-senpai?"
Fuji watched Nariko's reaction to the drink before glancing up when she held a cute voice. She looked over the fencing to see Echizen standing by her. He wondered over to see what all the commotion was about. He also wanted to know where Inui-senpai was as he had to train with him. Fuji was pleased to see him. He always made a coy smile shine thought on her face.
"Morning, Echizen-kun."
He glanced up in time to see Nariko running for the fountains to wash her mouth out.
"What happened? Did you lose the tournament?" He asked.
"Somehow, we won, but it wasn't easy."
"Aren't those lot your regular doubles team?" He said of those running.
"Yep, they didn't do the team justice. Why don't you come round?"
Echizen could feel Inui and Ryuzaki-sensei's dark auras. It was better and safer to stay where he was. A tired Jinhana and Arai jogged passed him, while a bothered Suzu lapped them for the second time.
"How was your training at camp?" She asked.
"Annoying." He pouted, remembering his torment. "They took our rackets, we were chased by a mad cows, a weirdo showed up who rambled about a lot of unnecessary stuff… but he did say a lot of interesting stuff too and to make it worse Hyotei showed up."
Ah, no wonder she didn't see Atobe at the Bunsei games. She curled Kikumaru's hair around her finger… Not that she wanted to see him. Fuji just wondered why he didn't show up, and with that thought she wondered what Yoshiko was doing with herself. Hopefully she was staying in school like a good little girl. Fuji hadn't seen her since the hospital visit.
"Also that weirdo was the old captain."
"Who? Yamato-senpai?"
Echizen nodded.
"Really? You know, he was the one who saw great potential in Tezuka-kun. He's pretty eccentric, isn't he?"
"Is that what you call it… He looked like a weirdo…" Echizen mumbled.
She was given a moment to thing back to her early years in the school when Tezuka tried to quit but senpai made him stay and always did little things to keep Tezuka focused on the game. It gave her the opportunity to think about him. She remembered his words again and she suddenly began to glow, and Echizen could see the change.
"Fuji-senpai, I don't really get it but the guys started to feel pretty sentimental when they saw that middle-schooler…" He looked into her case-away eyes. "kinda like how you are now."
She hummed, and stared at him gently, which was starting to make him blush.
"Anyway, senapi… the guys asked if we could go to Germany to see Tezuka-buchou after our next games are over with."
Her eyes widen. She heard him and it took her a second to really understand the extend of what was said. She would have shot up had Kikumaru not laid unconscious on her. This was her chance to… wait… calm down. She had to ask him the important question first.
"Does that mean you'll all go?"
"Ryuzaki-sensei said we could."
She nearly knocked Kikumaru to the floor but she realised she had to ask Ryuzaki-sensein if she could go. When Fuji looked up, Ryuzaki-sensei called Suzu from running laps and barked at her that she didn't make her vice captain just so she could sit around and watch the team fall apart. She was handed Inui's concoction. After some hesitation she drank it and was carried over to Fuji. Next to be called was Arai.
"Echizen-kun, do you really think I can go?"
"Why are you asking me, Fuji-senpai. You want to see him, right?"
She wanted to hold her cheeks. "He said I could call him if I found a way to go see him. He poured his heart out to me Echizen-kun…" The thought annoyed her. She never thought this opportunity would come so soon. While she pondered on her own, Echizen watched her. He didn't really understand things that fascinated the heart like love, but he could see how it affected Fuji. What happened to that confidence that would show up at a match only to later deny it? She wasn't herself. He was expecting her to say she was going with them, but he would wait to see what was to happen.
"I off, Fuji-senpai, before I get poisoned too."
Before she could call him back he had already walked off, leaving her mind even more of a mess than it was before.
Arai was the only one to argue with sensei, showing Fuji that her fighting spirit had grown over the days.
"You should have tried harder to get Kikumaru-san to play." She said. "You can't always use aggression to get what you want!"
That last line shut her up, made her realised that that statement was true in her life. Iuni handed her the juice for the third time this year and she drink it in one. Though she didn't pass out, the two girls had to help her towards the fence with the others where she came over like the living dead.
And there was only one person left.
"Why have you stopped running?" Ryuzaki-sensei shouted to Jinhana when she saw her taking a breather.
"How long do you expect me to run for!"
"Shut-up, Jinhana-chan." Umeko whispered. If Jinhana spoke she'd only make it worse.
"Hurry up and get over here!" She was finally called.
Of course, Jinhana didn't move immediately, making Ryuzaki-sensei aware that her temperamental behaviours had returned. Now she knew why Nariko had such a hard time. Once Jinhana was stood in front of sensei, Ryuzaki-sensei slapped both her hands down on Jinhana's cheeks. It wasn't hard but it made a painful sound. She began to tell her off quietly. Whatever was said made her calm down a little. She could cause no fuss or fight with what was said. She was given a slightly bigger glass then the others and drank it, passed out and had to be carried over with the rest.
When Fuji looked up to the others, Ryuzaki marched over to her. Had Echizen not said something important to her, she would have been ready for the fight. With her uninjured hand she held onto the top of her shirt and kept her gaze on Kikumaru's hair. Before long her tennis shoes came into view and Fuji had to hold her self from looking up.
Ryuzaki-sensei breathed. "I'm disappointed in you Fuji-san."
Fuji didn't say a word.
"To think you would sit back while all this was happening. What's happened to you Fuji-san? Why are you so withdrawn? It can't simply be because you can't play anymore. That wouldn't stop anyone from at least coaching the team. If it helps I'll tell you hundred times more. These girls still look up to you, Fuji-san, so please don't abandon them."
"Sensei, I think it's too late for that. I think they are turning against me."
"Can you blame them?"
Fuji shut her eyes. Don't say anything that will stop your chances of seeing him. "I… I think… they want to know what's going on…"
"I would like to know what's going on too. Geez, I don't even want to leave if the team is going to have such thoughts."
"I think their gossiping is making them anxious sensei." Fuji said.
Ryuzaki looked towards the three that won. "I think the next time I'm away for a few days," She turned back to Fuji. "You are coming with me."
"Really!"
Ryuzaki-sensei rose an eyebrow. "It's nothing to be excited about. If you're not going to encourage the team with your presence, then I need to get your head back in the game by taking you away from it."
The three who were in the clearing were left standing but they knew not to move. Inui was still amongst them. Umeko and Yokoishi watched what happened, feeling lucky that it wasn't them, while Shikawara saw the need for a greater change because 'this' was just an immediate punishment. What about the long term effects? What is the group going to be like at the next tournament? She called to the two standing next to her. "I think it's about time the team had a talk regarding these rumours and bad vibes."
The two looked at each other, then at the state of their team. If they didn't want to agree with her, they could see that something had to be done, so for the time being, they were on Shikawara's side.
8 8 8
Fuji knocked on the maths' room door and waited until she heard a voice call her in. She hung back for a minute to think over what she was going to say to her. She went in. Ryuzaki-sensei was surprised to see her and welcomed her in.
They greeted and then Fuji fell quiet. Ryuzaki-sensei looked up from her paperwork and stared at Fuji.
"Something you need?" For once her voice was calm and soft but still Fuji couldn't say anything. "Come to tell me something about the team?"
"…That," She cleared her throat. "that's not it."
"Hm? Then what else could it be?"
"Ryuzaki-sensei, Echizen-kun said that they were going to Germany to see Tezuka-kun."
She placed her papers on the desk. "That's right."
Fuji waited. She planned to say something to her. She spend most of the day thinking about what she would say for this moment but the words disappeared somewhere.
"Yes, and? Go on."
She held her right hand over her injured one and couldn't make strong eye contact. Sensei began to think something else was wrong with her.
"Can I go with them?"
Ryuzaki breathed out loudly, thinking the girl was going to say something worse. After what has happened, she didn't know if she could handle anything more. She was a little relieved that Fuji asked her for something so simple. She glanced back over to Fuji and was taken aback to see that she had bowed fully. Why was she doing that? What was so important about going to Germany that she would make such an apologetic gesture? They were only going to go see Tezuka. Ryuzaki-sensei breathed out and remembered the words she said this morning, that if she was taking the boys out, she would take Fuji with her.
Fuji didn't move until she got an answer. Ryuzaki rubbed her chin in deep thought. She had a lot of material to work with. So when she gave Fuji her answer, Fuji hesitated, held back some tears and said she understood.
…tbc…
A/N2: Don't worry I'm still writing this ^_^ hopeful I'll write a better chapter...
Chapter 82: A moment in Germany.
