A/N – I will still write Fuji as "she" and "her" in the narrative unless I write "boy" or "him" or "his" in Italics or other means in which you can tell the difference. But in the end, all the Regulars (excluding Eiji) still think Fuji is a guy. Just a note to settle a little confusion; gender-bender stories really are a pain sometimes.
--
Chapter f i v e – Cyclone Fuji
--
It was a new month with new ranking matches, in which Fuji had beaten everyone in her block to tears (except the other Regular member, who was pretty much used to it by now), making them all leave the courts in a most relieved manner. And there the sadist was, still smiling like he- she had finished her days work.
And of all people, you could count in Tezuka as one who feared the other boy when 'he' got that unpropitious glint in his eye. And Tezuka was by no means a coward.
Tezuka wondered what had gotten on the genius's nerves this time around. If it was a person, they better start believing in God because praying was all they could do to gain mercy from the fair-haired Tennis Regular.
"Ah, Tezuka!" Fuji's brisk voice brushed by his ear in that oh-so-formidable way; speak of the devil- or rather, the devils mother. "Nice day, isn't it?"
Tezuka tried to not show any change in expression. Fuji didn't wait for an answer before pressing, "I'm still waiting for that match, Tezuka. Your arm should be on its way to recovery, ne?"
The captain sighed. 'He still hasn't dropped that.' "Aa, that's right."
Fuji smiled. "I'll be waiting then…Kuni-chan." She left, leaving Tezuka feeling that Fuji was just a bit scarier than usual.
Change of question:
What had he done to get onto the other boy's nerves now?
-
The 3-6 mathematics class passed by in a flourish, as organized and on schedule as usual.
But although that may be true, some peers in that 3-6 class all wondered whether something was wrong with Fuji Syusuke, or whether the teacher was provoking the genius in an unsubtle manner. Because the 'boy' had taken it upon herself to correct the teacher every single time there was an error on the board or in the teachers speech, something she usually refrained herself from doing.
"I believe the answer is negative six point three eight, sensei."
'A-ah, you're right, Fuji-kun, thank-"
"And you got the formula wrong for that question as well."
"Ah, you're right again and-"
"Sensei…?" asked Fuji in a tone sickly sweet. Everybody seemed to seize up as the teacher acknowledged him, slightly intimidated. "I hate to say this, but nothing in this class has ever challenged me." The ever-present darkness in her chuckle caused the teacher to take back everything he had ever thought about the boy being a sweet and good student.
"I-I see. Well then later I can give you some other work to do if you would like-"
"Oh no need, I was merely stating," cut off Fuji. "By the way" he smiled, " the pi sign is missing."
Their teacher seemed to have had held his breath without realizing through the duration of the class as Fuji was seated dead in the middle of the classroom, staring at the back of the teachers tweed suit in a most unnerving manner. When they had left, they caught the teacher letting out a withheld sigh from his lips as though the end of class was like a kicked puppy had just escaped drowning in a pond.
Eiji wondered what it was that was bothering the girl; ever since the 'incident', it had been quite drama-less around their lives almost as though nothing had happened at all.
No personality changes, no fights (excluding Momoshiro and Kaidoh), no injuries (except the opponents Kaidou and Fuji had faced), and certainly no random special events.
What could have happened to reduce the generally friendly, uncaring youth to something like a kettle on low heat- silently fuming?
"Ne, Fujiko," said a slightly frowning Eiji, "are you okay?"
"Why do you ask?" replied the girl as per normal, fixing up the collar of her uniform blazer as they walked down the shoe locker hall. The boy knew she wouldn't say anything.
"Because you're emitting your waves of destruction right now and it's freaking everyone out."
Indeed, all boys and girls alike had taken a step back to make a path for the two tennis Regulars. Fuji merely chuckled. "It must be your imagination, Eiji; let's go to the cafeteria already."
'It's not my imagination, Fuji,' thought Eiji with a small sweat-drop as he spied a terrified-looking sophomore who had the misfortune to make eye contact with the girl. 'Definitely not, nya.'
-
It was after school hours, with groups of students remaining behind doing club activities. The tennis club was just one of the sporting clubs that remained for extra training. During the 5 minute break time they generously received from their Spartan tennis captain and manager, Momoshiro took his chance to steal away at his red-headed partner-in-crime.
"Gyah-! Momo!"
"Sorry, Eiji-senpai!" apologized the boy before speaking in a hushed tone. "So….what do you think of Fuji-senpai?"
"What do you mean?" asked Eiji, tilting his head to the side in confusion. Momoshiro gave off a short laugh.
"I mean…what do you think of him? Don't you think he's a tad too mysterious?" commented the violet-eyed boy, arm still slung across Eiji's shoulders. Fuji Syusuke- no, Shuuko, wasn't just mysterious; she was also a sadistic, easily jealous teenager who dressed as a guy in their middle school- but a pretty one at that. But, remembering that he was the only one in their school who knew that Fuji was in fact a woman (though with incredibly manly pheromones), Eiji pulled a face.
"Are you gay, Momo?"
Momoshiro stumbled from shock, an incredulous expression on his face. "W-what?! No! How could you even say that, Eiji-senpai!" he cried out while the red-head gave a cheeky laugh. "I mean how he's always gone once a month and stuff? What do you think? Werewolf?"
"Maybe, nya! Be careful, Momo; one day, Fujiko-chan will find you at midnight and eat you alive!" Eiji played along.
"Hahaha! Yeah!" laughed the younger boy. "Or if not, I bet ya Fuji-senpai is doing a part-time job, or is a girl (Eiji's heart almost stopped), or maybe both!"
"A-ah, w-what do you m-mean both, M-momo?" smiled Eiji nervously, eyes in their forced half-moon smile. He always thought Momoshiro was like him, not too bright- so how did he come up with that conclusion?!
Momoshiro took no note of his upperclassmen's worries and continued, "Imagine Fuji-senpai as a female host or something! He certainly has the looks!" he laughed.
Something felt wrong when Eiji merely chuckled feebly.
It seems Momoshiro noticed too for his tone of voice suddenly became forcibly cheery and cold sweat dotted his head; he prayed to several Gods (Gods: traitor!) that he could leave in the most unsuspicious manner possible. "Well, Eiji-senpai, I'm going to go now and train-"
The rest of his speech was drowned by his own terrified wail as a firm hand rested on his shoulder. Eiji eyed the tears streaming down Momoshiro's face with understanding.
Fuji, the owner of the hand, merely smiledher dark, mischievous smile.
"Momo."
"Hai?!" Momoshiro said in a high shriek, still staring straight ahead seemingly petrified as he felt the presence of his senpai behind him.
"This Sunday, street courts- a match." There was no mistaking the venom dripping in the girl's honeyed tone of voice.
The Gods the power-player prayed to laughed down at him demonically.
-
"Hey, Fuji- Fuji, wait up!"
The said person stopped and offered a polite smile to the approaching boy. "Yes, Oishi?"
Oishi smiled nervously. "Na, just wondering if there was something….wrong." 'Horribly, horribly wrong?'
Fuji brushed it off. "Of course not…..why ask?"
Must he really say? "Nothing, you just seemed a little distracted nowadays and-"
"Fuji-senpai, you scare little children."
"Echizen!" scolded a shocked Oishi at the retreating back of the freshman. The boy merely gave a passing wave without looking back.
Fuji chuckled, shaking her head. "That Echizen…" Her eyes were a little bit too dangerous to pass it off as a passing remark. "I'll get him later…"
"Sorry?!" said a startled Oishi, hoping he heard wrong. Fuji smiled again.
"Nothing. Oh, by the way," she added as an afterthought, walking away now with the tennis bag slung over her broad shoulder. "Ask Kuni-chan about his date yesterday."
--
A/N – Heh, what do you think? Sorry it's so abrupt- I just typed this up and made it up on the spot since my computer is still broken and I was forced to type a totally new thing on another computer and abandon whatever I wrote on my comp. But oh well. And I did say around chapter 4 or 5, but yeah, you can count the last bit as Fuji saying something 'interesting'.
I apologize for the late update to those still interested. Exams and bad scores have been a hemorrhoid, seriously; a pain in the ass.
Reviews appreciated; constructive criticism also invited. If flaming, stay as polite as you can- I don't like dealing with people who spurt nonsense because they feel like it.
-Updated 17.05.08-