A/N: Because the last one was so short, here's the next one. So far so good. Thinking ahead for the plotline and I think things will get interesting

Disclaimer: Takeshi Konomi asked what I had seen in that universe and I said A New Prince of Tennis. He was inspired. (truth-Randomness)


Chapter Ninety Two

Today and tomorrow morning would be the last moments for the boys to prove themselves worthy before Sakaki-sensei, Hanamura-sensei and Tezuka as they would decide the final seven to represent Japan. Everyone was putting their best on display. Those who initially saw it as a week get-away and slacked off in the beginning were now taking it seriously. The air in the camp was heating up as they all saw each other as rivals

Hanamura-sensei still allowed Fuji to participate with some special training of her own. She sent Fuji to the gym to build up her strength. The rest of the group were on the courts and finishing off running laps. There were only a few in the gym with her from the other groups but they kept to themselves.

Fuji was more compliant today, much to Hanamura-sensei's delight. Fuji thought her mind would be preoccupied with his words. She did wonder why it lacked any kind of explanation. He could have said his will was weak or the unknown energy in him was overpowering his own. He just seemed to say it was her fault for not taking it back and because of that she would happily ignore him.

She placed the dumbbells on the rack and sat herself down on the mat to do some sit-ups. Her left hand caught her attention and she stared at it for a while. Strangely, she wanted to bother him, irritate his day somehow. Maybe she could lob a ball at his head. She fell back on her back and did 5 sets of 30. Surprisingly, the training was paying off. She wasn't able to do this much before coming here and she still had enough in her to do more, but she wouldn't over do it.

Once that was done she just laid there, staring up at the ceiling, wondering what he was thinking, wondering how he was coping with that part of her wrath inside of him. "Stupid boy." She mumbled. "I hope it burns."

Maybe she was more ticked off than she first assumed. She rolled off the matt and headed out to join the others.

Those on court A were packing up, ready to go to lunch. She caught a glimpse of Tezuka and turned away immediately. She wouldn't give him even that much of her attention. As she turned away she heard someone call out 'oi'. Thinking nothing of it she walked on towards court C. The person kept calling out until they stumbled in front of her.

"Didn't you hear me calling to you!"

The young man took her by surprise that she took a few steps back to see Kirihara.

"I didn't know you were calling me. Next time call me Fuji-san."

"Forget about that. Have a match with me?"

"Why?"

"What do you mean 'why'? I heard you won a match against Oshitari-san. So I want you to put your money where your mouth is. You've forgotten, haven't you?" *

His dark green eyes glistened in the noon sun. She suddenly noticed that she couldn't feel that demon inside of him. Had he come before her just to show off? Fuji reached forward to pat him on the shoulder but he jeered back away from her touch.

"What did I say to you?"

"You said you could beat me in a match. Not only that, I heard your dark and twisted thoughts when that white beast in you roared at me."

Fuji grew cautious and took a step closer to him. He was able to see it? She didn't think he was that perceptive.

"I didn't care for anything it said until it spoke about me."

"...What did it say?"

"You didn't have to be in a match to beat me."

So much had happened in-between their little moment that she couldn't remember what she said, let alone that her –now revealed - white creature could communicate with anyone.

"...So you want to have a match?" She wouldn't refuse him.

"Yeah I-"

He wasn't given a chance to finish. Some of the Seigaku boys came over to see why the two of them were together.

"Are you okay Fuji-chan?"

Oishi was the first to interrupt the two. Soon Iwara, Momoshiro, Echizen and Takashi had surrounded them.

"Why is this Raikaidai punk speaking to our Fuji-chan?" Iwara stepped round to face Kirihara.

"Mind your own business. This has nothing to do with you." Kirihara shouted at them.

His words fell on deaf ears as the boys waited for Fuji's reply.

"Guy's he's only asking me to play a match."

They were both confused and shocked.

"Fuji-chan, I wouldn't do that." Oishi said.

After the night she had, she needed to left off some steam and this request couldn't have some any sooner.

"It will be a harmless game. I mean, he's only a year 7 kid, what harm can he cause?"

"I'm in year 8!" He yelled.

Iwara covered Kirihara mouth. "Fuji-chan, this guy may look harmless but he's a dangerous player."

"How dangerous?"

They moved her away from Kirihara as Iwara held him in place. They told her that he was innocent enough when he played as himself but once his eyes become bloodshot it's like he's a completely different person. His style changed too. He would deliberately hurt his opponents and make it appear as if it were an accident so the umpire won't send him off.

Fuji heard them, but she didn't absorb their words. All she saw was another opportunity to have a match. Once this was over she would have to go back to sitting on the side lines. When would she get another chance to play a serious match? Even if this was a dangerous game, if for the last time she wanted to play.

"Guys, I'll be okay."

"Fuji-chan, reconsider, just this match."

Again they tried to dissuade her, but she had walked away from their cluster of concern and stood in front of Kirihara.

"Come on Fuji-chan, don't play this pip-squeak."

"Iwara-kun, it's okay. If he's willing to challenge me, I'll accept."

Fuji glanced above the two of them to see Hanamura-sensei and those from her group approaching.

"What's all this about?" Sensei interrupted the group.

"Hanamura-sensei, do you think it's appropriate for these two to play a match?" Oishi and the others caught up behind them.

Sensei saw that Iwara had his arms locked around Kirihara and thought the two of them wanted to play.

"Nah, sensei, not me, he wants to play, Fuji-chan."

Sensei looked at Fuji and gave it some thought. She then looked at Kirihara.

"Would you like to play, Fuji-chan?"

"Of course, sensei."

"I believe Ryuzaki-sensei would allow this match and if she wants to play, let her play. But you'll be eating out of your lunch again, so make it quick. I'll watch to make sure nothing gets out of hand."

Fuji had a feeling sensei would agree. She probably wanted to see the results of her training, but to have brought up Ryuzaki-sensei meant there might be other reasons.

Much to the concern of others she asked for a racket to use. They hesitated to give her one but they soon handed her Iwara's racket. To make matters more awkward, the other groups and their teachers began to woander over believing something was wrong. Those from Raikaidai enquired of Kirihara and he politely told them he had something he needed to take care of. He matched off ahead of them nearly knocking into Tezuka. He side stepped around him and onto the courts.

For a split second she wanted to hear this opinion on the matter, why she was playing a match with this suspected 'dangerous' player but she calmly walked pass him following Kirihara onto the courts. Her ears pricked up when she heard his voice. While walking into place she listened. He wanted to know what was going on and why she was taking up people's lunchtime. Then Hanamura-sensei stepped in but by then she had already stopped listening. He could have been a bit softer. At least that much was himself! She may not have cared to think about Arai right now, but even she was starting to understand that pained feeling every time Tezuka responded harshly, more annoying knowing it normally wouldn't have bothered her if she was herself.

She flexed her muscles, now focusing on this match. Kirihara stood waiting.

"You might be older than me, but I won't show you any respect."

Well, the statement was different, she'd give him that much. If he had made that lame excuse that he wouldn't go easy on account of her being a girl, she would have walked off. Echizen said that, as well as Oshitari, she didn't want to hear it again.

"I don't mind earning your respect if you won't give it to me, but remind me, why are we having this match?"

"Not very smart, are you? As I already explained, I'm going to prove to you that I can beat you." He took a step back. "What's wrong, the one you like not paying you any attention?"

Fuji studied him. There was no indication that he was unleashing his demon's, which meant he heard more that day than his was letting on.

"Fuji-sanpai, what are you doing!" An ran up to the fence. "Why are you playing against that demon?"

"...For that very reason. Don't worry, it takes one to know how to deal with one."

"You don't understand! He put my brother in hospital! Even Echizen-kun had a hard time against him."

Ehcizen tutted. "Why did you have to tell her that?"

She turned back to catch Kirihara smirking. He shrugged off their words as if it were nothing.

"Interesting. I think I'm going to enjoy this match." Fuji decided.

Kirirhara had had enough of standing around. He chucked the ball up and put it in serve. Fuji skipped forward and returned it with no problem, though slightly off guard.

"How are you going to beat me when you move so slow?" He taunted.

With every returned shot, this Kirihara kid was able to keep up with it. She tired hitting the ball from right to left but he returned it, though just barely. He nearly tripped on this last return. Before he could regain his balance Fuji was under her shot to backhand it to the left of his court.

"You're being annoying!" He yelled as he ran to catch up to it.

He had to jump across to reach it. He was able to lob the ball straight in her path. He only had a second to see her smash it back at him. She didn't hit the ball to the far corner. It went in a straight path towards him. He panicked. She saw the slight hesitation in his steps causing him to miss the shot.

"What was that?" She mutteres to herself.

A few began talking, mentioning something about aiming for the knees. She didn't quite understand and patiently waited for Kirihara to ready himself. Suddenly, the peaceful surroundings grew dark and heavy. She had to catch her breath to withstand it. It was that sensation that she felt a few days ago. He was already relying on it. A dark red glow emitted around the courts, never outside it. She had to squeeze her left hand to cause some pain to stop her own energy from being provoked. Fuji didn't know how, but he was the first to ever aggravate the manifestation of her emotions. To even have seen the white beast... still, he didn't see enough of it to identify the creature. She had to be cautious with this kid. He was starting to be more menacing then she first imagined.

Right before her eyes, Fuji began to see his demon. Some of it... well, only its head with his body. It was a traditional noh mask, a red faced oni, horns and all. He was only at this stage? Not able to see or unlock its true form? It stood behind him, never stepping out on its own.

Kirihara began to laugh to himself. When he stood up straight she saw the white of his eyes were now red and his grin spread wide.

Without a word Kirihara throw the ball up and smashed it into the left corner of the service box. Fuji caught it and instantly felt something different. Though just a serve it was more powerful. Whatever that demon was doing to him it was certainly giving him a huge amount of power, and fast. The ball flicked off her racket into the far right corner of his court. In the blink of an eye, he was in line with the ball before it bounced. He sliced it, rising up in his step. This caused Fuji to lunge to her left to reach it. It caught on the edge of the strings but she got the ball over the net to the far left. He skidded as he stopped, giving himself plenty of time to return it.

Unreal. She wouldn't say the word aloud; she wouldn't give him that much satisfaction. Instead, she stepped up her pace to match his, anticipating where he'd hit and being in place to catch the ball. Whether back handed, sliced or volleyed the two saw what was coming and refused to let up. The only difference was Kirihara was taking it in his stride.

She needed to figure out what exactly his demon was doing, where it was coming from and if Kirihara even knew it was hovering behind him. No wonder his opponents had a hard time playing against him. They were up against a supernatural entity and were none the wiser. If it was an unwanted guess, then he could at least be freed from it. But if it was a resident, like her own, it needed to be locked up. Problem was she wasn't sure how to do that. For now she'd have to leave the demon and go for the human.

The rally they refused to end wasn't for any reason, not on her end anyway. She waited for an old friend to build up momentum and invade this heavy atmosphere. Once it broke through Fuji readied a backspin on the ball and waited to see if it would go up.

Without fail, Kirihara was in position to catch the ball, he at least waited for it to dip with a cocky grin on his face. Shame the ball didn't fall. It swooped up into the sky.

Great, she thought and stepped back, not taking her eyes off him. His smile dropped as he watched the course of the ball.

The girls from year 7 cheered and called out her move. It was the first time many of them were seeing this move. Once the ball hit down behind him it rotated and shot backwards over Kirihara left shoulder. Almost out of instinct he lounged forward to try and hit it.

Seriously? She tutted. Kirihara was right up to the net when he slammed it into her court. There was only one way for her to return a smash and she quickly caught it on the centre of her racket and did the higumi otoshi. Fuji was sure he wouldn't be able to get to the ball in time, but she heard his frantic steps to try and reach it. She turned to see that he hit it. By some luck the ball hit the net winning her the point and the first set.

"How is that possible?" An was near tears. "This is the same guy who hurt my brother. How is Fuji-chan able to keep up with him?"

Tomoka and Sakuno tried to comfort her.

"What are you talking about? Fuji-senpai is not even playing at her best! Of course she'll win!" Tomoka tried but didn't realise her error.

"Mind you," Sakuno look up to the court. "She's playing differently right now."

"Yeah," Emiko** said. "Almost on the same level as when she played her sister."

Echizen listened but didn't say anything. Thinking back to the match he had with her, he didn't think she was this strong. But with that said, Kirihara wasn't playing at his potential either.

The two were asked to change sides. Kirihara in his frustration kicked the net before walking across.

"I'm going to crush you." He said as he passed her.

She didn't say anything back to him and got in place to ready her serve. Now on the other side, when she peered up to see where Kirihara stood and where she would hit the ball, she also saw the eyes of those watching. She saw Tezuka standing with Hanamura-sensei. She lowered her sight slightly. She still wouldn't give him 'that' much. For that simple reason she won the second set quickly and swapped over so her back was to him.

The two kept up the same intensity, not letting any points go easily. A few watching took their leave wanting, they didn't want to but they needed to eat. Still many watched. Fuji kept her eyes on that ever present demon believing at any moment it would do something. Because she didn't focus on Kirihara's eyes it seemed easy for her to think of other things.

She might not have wanted to look at Tezuka but she was happy that he had arrived out of the blue. Her thoughts drifted further still. Arai popped into her head and she completely lost her focus on the game. She only signed and lowered her arms a little but he saw it.

"Took your eyes off the game! Got'cha!"

Kirihara jumped up to caught the ball. In all his enthusiasm he aimed it right at her and hit her.

...tbc...


A/N2: Oh man, I've been away for so long that I've spelt all the names wrong (T_T) Even when I was regular I still spelt names wrong. ARGH!

* reference to chapter 88 of this story (^_^)

** Emiko: minor year 7 team mate from the girls' team.

Chapter 93: Match concludes.

Thanks for reading 3