Yay! And I'm back with another GORGEOUS chapter! Unfortunately (this is especially embarrassing after my spiel at the start of the last chapter) I may miss an update or two soon. There's been a death in my family yesterday, 'nough said.
Here We Go Again
Chapter Eight: Meshika Kokou
Last Time: A deep, vaguely familiar voice yelled at them from inside the school grounds. "Oi, you bastards coming in or not?"
"Oi, you bastards coming in or not? Hey. Is that…? So the brat's really back, huh?" There, behind the iron bars of the school's front gate, stood a tall man with spiked up silver hair and fierce amber eyes. Akutsu Jin.
"What's he doing at Kawamura-senpai's school?" inquired 'the brat' in a bored tone, looking up at Fuji for an answer.
Chuckling, the brunet replied. "While Meshika is known for its strong emphasis on cooking, it is something of a sister school for Yamabuki Chuu. Many of their graduates move on to this school, and that includes all of their former tennis regulars."
"So we're basically facing Yamabuki in the finals?" deadpanned Ryoma, his mind automatically simplifying the prodigy's lengthy response.
"I guess you could say that," replied Fuji with a fond smile. 'How cute.'
"Che. Just like two years ago."
"Fuji, Echizen! 97% chance that Tezuka will assign you extra laps for tomorrow if you don't hurry up," Inui cut in, motioning from inside the gates.
"Gotcha (1)"
"Hai, hai…"
Walking towards his teammates, Ryoma felt a domineering presence approach him from behind. Turning around, he found exactly who he thought he would. "What?"
"Brat, come play a match with me," Akutsu demanded, staring down at him.
"I wouldn't play a match with someone who hasn't picked up a racquet in two years," taunted Ryoma, smirking up at the man.
"As if. The old man got me to rejoin the dumb club last year." How Akutsu's former coach managed to get the cantankerous teen to start playing a sport he hated again, when they didn't even come into regular contact anymore, the young tennis player would never know. Kawamura had come jogging out of one of the buildings just then, a few unfamiliar people looking out of the door he'd come through.
"Hey guys! You're just in time. We just finished making taiyaki as a treat for you."
"Really? Thank you, Taka-san! Oishi, let's go get ours, nya!" Kikumaru then bounced off, dragging Oishi by the hand.
Smiling nostalgically, Kawamura addressed the rest of the group. "Come on, while they're still fresh. Oh! Echizen, you look…"
"Don't even think it."
Laughing at the short boy's response, Kawamura walked back to the building he'd just come from. Inside was an expansive kitchen with top-of-the-line equipment and eight individual stations. Several teenagers, four girls and three boys stood around, talking casually among each other.
'No, there are five boys.' Kikumaru and Oishi stood with them, and no doubt the former would be chatting if he didn't have the tail of his taiyaki held between his teeth. 'Like a cat…' thought Ryoma, the fact that should he do the same, he'd be no better completely slipped his mind.
"Echizen, this is Akio, Kaede, Yoshiro, Chiyoko, Haruko, Yuzuki, and Amaya." The first three, all boys, nodded in acknowledgement. The last four, the girls, froze. Four pairs of eyes widened in recognition.
'Damnit.' As Ryoma feared, these girls knew him.
The three that Kawamura had indicated as Chiyoko, Haruko, and Yuzuki all pounced on him at once. "Echizen-kun, is it really you?" asked Yuzuki animatedly, grinning ear to ear. The only thing that the young star could think as he stared at her was how unusual her hair was. It hung past the small of her back, even in a high ponytail, and was a pale, icy blue to match her stormy gray eyes.
"Oh my god, I never thought I'd meet you! Can I get a photo with you?" Chiyoko, a short girl with shoulder length strawberry blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes inquired.
Haruko, a tall girl, at least five foot seven, with curly red hair and hazel eyes, piped up. "It's really great to meet you, Ryoma-sama! Can I get your autograph?"
A derisive snort sounded from a few feet away. "Can I get you to leave?" The source was a distinctly Asian girl with long, sleek black hair and dark eyes. "Why are you guys being such idiots? This guy's totally fake, and he's probably all stuck up. He looks like a girl, none of those professional matches are for real, and do you honestly think a teenager could be the best player in the world?"
Ryoma's lips twisted up into a smile, his eyes twinkling in amusement. "Which one are you? Well, comments about me aside, as I'm the best there is, your take on the pro circuits is spot on."
The girl only seemed to hear the middle of the sentence. "See, he's a stuck up jerk!" she exclaimed, shaking her friends' shoulders.
"Maa, maa, Amaya-chi. Ochibi can be a brat-"
"And cocky." Inui interrupted Kikumaru.
"And impulsive," chimed in Momo.
"And mean," continued the redhead, not missing a beat in his explanation of the enigma that is Echizen Ryoma. "But he's nice, if you look really-"
"Really."
"Really, really."
"Deep down. Plus he's fun to huggle (2)," the cat-boy added as an afterthought.
One eyebrow almost disappeared into the subject of their discussion's hairline. "Che."
"Saa… I don't know about all the other things, but you should give Ryo-chan a chance. He really doesn't like the spotlight, but that's why it's fun seeing him under it. And his arrogance is part of what makes him so adorable," stated Fuji calmly from where he leaned on the doorframe.
"That sounds really creepy, Fuji-senpai." As he spoke, a nervous smile wound its way onto Momo's face. Judging by the way Kaidoh was edging slightly away from the smiling brunet, the two were in agreement for once.
"Hmph. Whatever," huffed Amaya, spinning on her heel and walking back towards her station.
"Well… That was interesting." The three boys had finally stepped forward to introduce themselves. "I'm Kaede. You're really that big tennis star, huh?" Kaede was a relatively short (not so short as to be smaller than a certain dark haired tennis prodigy, but short nonetheless). with tousled silver hair and electric blue eyes. As he reached out one hand to shake, Ryoma's sharp eyes noted the small scars on his hands that matched some of Kawamura's.
"Un."
"Well, nice to meet 'ya," he said with a laid-back smile.
"Akio, a pleasure" stated a lanky teen with dark red hair and silver eyes. The two simply shook hands and returned to their business. The phrase, 'Two of a kind,' ran through several of the group's minds.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Yoshiro." The last of the boys stepped forward with a small smile. He and Kawamura seemed to be the only bulky ones in the group; Yoshiro's muscles could compare to several of the men Ryoma had seen in tournaments. "You look like a girl, you know that?"
Those who knew of Ryoma's complex froze. "Yoshiro, I'm afraid to say you've just all but ruined any chances of Echizen liking you," stated Oishi, smiling ruefully.
"Che. Not even worth it anymore…" muttered the androgynous boy, pulling a hair elastic from his pocket. In a matter of seconds, his hair was pulled up in a high ponytail.
"Echizen-kun, do you want to come sit down?" Yuzuki inquired, gesturing towards a large table off to the side of the kitchen.
"Ah? What's this? Brat, stop hogging all the attention!" scolded Momo, putting the small teen into a headlock, dragging them towards the table with several more taiyaki in hand.
"That hurts, Momo-senpai," Ryoma deadpanned.
"Bah, you're fine. Now have some taiyaki and sit down." Seishun's trickster ruffled the teen in his grip's hair playfully before shoving a fish shaped pastry into his mouth and sitting down.
"Che."
~X~
"Wakey–wakey!" That morning, as a change of pace, golden eyes had opened to two wide purple eyes blinking at them. Kikumaru was kneeling next to him on the bed, poking his stomach experimentally. Ryoma sat up, having long since learned to deal with living with the redhead, and brushed said redhead off.
"I thought it was Saturday…" he mumbled, fully prepared to flop back in bed if Kikumaru didn't have a good reason for waking him up.
"Tezuka said our dorm's having practice today because we've got the finals against Yamabuki tomorrow, nya."
"Get out." The vertically challenged teen ruffled his hair, already rising. No matter how much it pained him to do, he lived with his teammates. They would know where he was, so he couldn't lie about being late. Not to mention if he wasn't down by breakfast, Kikumaru and Momo would likely initiate another 'Ryoma Hunt.'
It was with tousled hair and eyelids that still drooped slightly that he stepped out of his room five minutes later, fully dressed. Not breaking pace as he dropped down the slide, Ryoma strode towards the kitchen, using the ribbon (2) clenched between his teeth to pull up his hair.
Stepping into the kitchen and seeing his team, the youngest member stated plainly, "Morning."
The Seishun Regulars then followed their morning routine of a noisy breakfast, followed by Tezuka virtually booting them out the door ("Kaidoh, Momoshiro, calm down and get out the door or it's fifty laps!") and one member or another nearly trampling an innocent student on the walk to the courts. Upon their arrival, Tezuka assigned Inui, Kaidoh, Oishi, and Kikumaru to putting up the nets, as the first years weren't there this morning.
"Everyone, line up!" Tezuka called across the courts. "Inui has prepared a special training menu for the Regulars. We will be training until lunch today, and then we'll return to our dorms to rest before the finals against Meshika tomorrow. Saa, yudan sezu ni ikou." At this point, Inui had stepped forward, notebook open and several pieces of paper in hand.
"We'll be starting with group drills and workouts for the first two hours, taking a short break, then proceeding to more specialized exercises for an hour and a half. We'll use the last half hour of practice for self-training, if you want to work on anything yourself. First, everyone's taking fifteen laps to warm up, then partner up for stretching." The data player seemed to remember something just after he finished his speech, and turned back around from where he'd begun to walk off. "Oh, and while you're fully expected to just be warming up for the laps, the loser will still be receiving a shot glass of, Penal-Tea."
Many of the group gulped. If Inui was breaking out the Penal-Tea this early, god knows what other vile drinks would appear by the end of practice.
'I'm not drinking that.' A commonly thought sentiment at Seishun's tennis team ran through the Regulars' heads.
"Well, then. Ready, set, go!" Inui gave the order abruptly, setting off at a brisk jog along with Tezuka and Fuji, who hadn't been concerned by the prospect of Penal-Tea in the least.
Blanching and snapping out of their determination to not even touch the shot glass, the five other Regulars took off. Almost sprinting to compensate the distance between them and the three seniors ahead of them, the five teenagers resorted once more to the anarchic race that is running laps at Seishun.
Noticing how Inui and Tezuka couldn't see him, Ryoma sent the Pinnacle of Hard Work into his legs, immediately catapulting him in front of the four other stragglers. Smirking over his shoulder, he called to his upperclassmen, "Mada mada dane!"
"Unyah! Ochibi's abusing his power again! Dad!" Kikumaru screamed up into the sky.
"Oishi-senpai," panted Momo, turning his head to the mother hen. "When Eiji-senpai says 'Dad,' does he mean Tezuka?"
"Probably," replied Oishi, smiling slightly.
"Echizen, there's an 89.59% chance that Kikumaru means you're using one of your Pinnacles. You'll be getting the whole jug of Penal-Tea if you keep relying on them," Inui called, not even looking back.
"Fine, it doesn't really matter to me," Ryoma responded in a blasé tone, the aura around his legs dissipating.
"Echizen, you can't do that, no you can't." Momo had used the time that the freshman been distracted to catch up with him. "Looks like ever since you got control of your Pinnacles in that match with Yukimura-san two years ago, you've been using them a lot." Though the words were largely teasing, there was a slightly chiding tone in the second year's voice.
"Che. I just don't want to drink that gunk. I can win my matches without it."
"Ha! I bet you can't go a month without using a Pinnacle!" Having known how to push Ryoma's buttons for a while now, Momo expertly played off of the teen's sense of pride.
"And I'll bet I can. Loser pays for the burgers next time."
"You're on." The tennis star felt a smirk creep onto his face. He could practically see his friend's wallet going into death throes as Momo sealed the bet.
"Echizen, you'd better not let this bet get in the way of winning tomorrow," Tezuka called over his shoulder at his team's ace.
"Gotcha," replied the freshman, quickening his pace so that he was gaining on the three seniors in the lead.
"There is a 64.80% chance that you're planning on catching up to us just to run in my slipstream."
"Not really, just wanted to get away from all the noisy people back there," muttered Ryoma, tugging his hat down to cover his eyes.
Just then, Momo put on a burst of speed, passing the team's smallest Regular. "Yo, Echizen! You look like a chick, you know that?" he shouted, still sprinting ahead. No doubt he was trying to goad his junior into using the Pinnacle of Hard Work, but he'd forgotten that Echizen Ryoma was a top athlete and perfectly capable of keeping pace with those taller than him.
"Argh! Little brat!"
"Mada mada dane, Momo-senpai!"
~X~
"Break's over! Line up!"
Tezuka's shout carried over to where his teammates sat under a tree, recharging. As the six high schoolers joined him and Inui on the courts, their data-tennis player spoke up.
"We'll be moving on from training our bodies now. We'll be starting drills for our shots' power, speed, and accuracy. First, I want you to pair up with someone about your height and weight. Echizen, everyone here is at least five inches taller than you, so you'll just have to make due with Fuji or Kikumaru."
"I'm not that short, you're all just freakishly tall." Despite his words, Ryoma knew it wasn't true. He was sixteen, done growing, and five feet tall. Fuji was the second shortest on the team, and even he was five foot five.
"Saa… Ryo-chan, I don't think I'm that 'freakishly tall,'" joked the genius, suddenly appearing beside the green haired teen.
"That's because you're freakish in a bunch of other ways."
Everyone froze. True, their baby's scoffing, ever-so-slightly playful tone had suggested it, but was he… teasing? Moreover, was he teasing Fuji?
A soft laugh broke the silence. "How mean…"
With Fuji's words, the team seemed to break out of their trance, and Inui picked up with his directions. "Well, if you can choose your partners." There was a brief moment as everyone selected a partner, Kikumaru immediately jumping on to Oishi possessively.
"Now, we'll be playing an advanced version of Queen of the Court."
…
"Echizen's the Queen."
"Ochibi's the Queen."
"Ryo-chan's the Queen."
"Echizen's the Queen."
"Like hell if you think I'm being the Queen."
"You didn't let me finish. While usually, Queen of the Court is played by having a Queen and having everyone lining up to challenge… her, this will be played as a one-game singles match, then the winners will begin a traditional game." Inui looked extremely pleased with himself. His teammates were about to find out that that wasn't because he'd modified a common children's game. "The earlier you get out, the bigger your serving of Super Inui Platinum Remix Pudding will be."
'Oh, shit…'
The tennis players paled as one. Even Fuji and Tezuka had adopted a slight pallor. While most of the drinks were, to Fuji and Tezuka at least, nonlethal, any one the toxic foods Inui had started making last year could knock both of them flat on their back with one bite.
"I'm terribly sorry, Ryo-chan, but I'm not going easy on you." Fuji's eyes had opened, blue orbs trained on the large platter of some metallic, gelatinous… thing.
"No Pinnacles, huh?" was the freshman's only response to seeing the brunet totally serious. He too was trying to see if his unblinking gaze could disintegrate that monstrosity they were being threatened with.
"Wait, Inui. Why did we need to be with someone about our size?" inquired Oishi from inside Kikumaru's death-grip.
"You're both required to wear the same amount of weights. Also, this person will be your partner for any exercises that require them throughout the rest of practice." Inui barely looked up from the box of weights in his hands.
"Inui-senpai, I already wear weights," Ryoma stated blandly from where he was re-tying his shoelaces.
"Saa… I'll just have to match it, then. How much are they, Ryo-chan?" asked the team's second shortest player.
"I've got thirty pounds (3) on both wrists and ankles."
"Heh. Doesn't that mean you're wearing your own weight…?" trailed Fuji, not looking concerned in the least.
"Yeah, and I'm not allowed to take them off." As irritating and obnoxious as his personal trainer was, he could honestly say that the man knew what he was doing. Ryoma had been told to keep them on, so keep them on he would.
"It's fine, I'll match it. It isn't much more than I usually wear."
"Well then, here're your weights. Decide between yourself who'll be the Queen and who'll be the Challenger. The first round will be a one game singles match, and the winner will proceed to our actual game of Queen of the Court. You all know what happens to the loser." Inui's last sentence sent a shudder down everyone's spine. Oh, they know.
"Ryo-chan, do you want to use that court?" The brunet gestured towards the court next to them, as Kaidoh and Inui had claimed the one that the team had gathered on.
"Fine by me." The cat-eyed boy rested his racquet on one shoulder and walked to one side. "You're the Queen. I'm not doing it."
Fuji chuckled in reply, slipping into the receiver's position. "Alright. That means it's your serve."
Using his right hand to bounce the little yellow ball he'd provided from one pocket, Ryoma's eyes narrowed slightly. Catching the ball one last time and flinging it straight in the air, the tennis prodigy's body coiled smoothly.
'What'll it be? Flash? A serve I haven't seen, maybe?' mused Seishun's tensai. What he wasn't expecting was for the ball to land near his right foot, spin, and rocket past his left shoulder.
"I don't need to use my right hand for it anymore." The short athlete smirked, pointing his racquet straight at Fuji. "Twist Serve."
"Hmm… and it seems to be even sharper than before. Would you mind doing that again, Ryoma? I'd like to beat it."
The use of his actual name alerted Ryoma as to how serious his opponent's request was. "Sure. If you can."
The freshman repeated his signature serve, forcing even more spin on the ball than the last one. Even so, Fuji returned it neatly back to him. Countering the genius' quick topspin shot and neutralizing the spin as he did so, Ryoma smiled. Playing Fuji was always so thrilling…
"Tenth Counter: Dove's Landing."
Ryoma nearly gagged. He was up to ten? What happened to seven, eight, and nine?
The brunet's tenth counter seemed to rely on the opponent using absolutely no spin. The drop shot was hit extremely close to the net and flew delicately. The ball arced just a millimeter over the net and landed gently with a few tiny bounces.
Fuji smiled. "I would've like to show them to you in order, but I couldn't pass up this opportunity. There's actually twelve counters, and some of them have improved versions, like the original three."
… Fuji. Had doubled. The number of counters. Ryoma honestly wasn't sure if he was incredulous, (the genius had said five was the final counter, for God's sake!) scared, or excited.
… Excited. That was much less confusing than the other two.
"Not bad, but I'll beat them all." Shaking off his initial surprise, the youngest Regular grabbed another ball from his pocket. "Don't blink, now. Flash."
A bang and metallic rattle echoed across the courts as Ryoma implemented his high speed serve. "Mada mada dane, Fuji-senpai."
"Saa… Could I attempt to see that again?" The two seemed to fall into a routine of taunting challenges whenever they played.
The short teen snorted. "Doesn't matter. Fl-"
"Ore-sama heard the brat was back and demands a match with him this instant!"
"Ack! Freaking Monkey King!" As the doors to the court slammed open, Ryoma lost focus for a split second – which was ample time for the tennis ball he'd tossed to come back down on his head.
"Don't call ore-sama with such a vile name, brat, or ore-sama might decide not to grace you peasants with my magnificent presence. Ore-sama must say, though, ore-sama almost thought you were a girl at first." Of course, it was Atobe Keigo. The diva stood at the entrance to the courts in casual (for him) clothes, flanked by his teammates.
"Che. Listen, Monkey King. I'll be more than happy to wipe the courts with your precious face later, but not now." Ryoma walked towards the two as he spoke, glaring at them all the while. It didn't really bother him that Monkey King had come to his school, the man was an incredible opponent and thus more welcome than the media and the fans, but then Atobe just had to use the g-word. Not to mention the fact that he was already facing a challenge.
"Echizen, you forfeit." Inui called from where he stood, waiting to serve, on the court next to Fuji and Ryoma's.
"Wha- Why?" When did he forfeit? He was trying to get rid of Monkey King so he could continue the drill, after all.
"You stepped off court," replied Inui matter-of-factly, indicating Ryoma's feet… that had indeed left inside of the white lines.
"You're kidding me."
"Afraid not. Congratulations, you're the first to get out, and get the biggest serving of pudding." Inui smiled evilly as his junior gulped and paled. Meanwhile, Hyotei looked on in confusion.
"What's so bad about pudding?" inquired Gakuto. Sweets were good, not something worthy of sending someone so calm and collected into a state of panic.
A feminine laugh pealed from the other side of Echizen's court. "You'll see soon, Hyotei-tachi. Do you remember our yakiniku contest two years ago?" Fuji smiled as he walked over to the other team. "Inui's expanded to foods since then. The penalty for loosing in this drill is a helping of Super Inui Platinum Remix Pudding."
A shudder ran through the Hyotei players. "Well, have fun with that Echizen; you'd better have me down for some cash in your will," uttered Gakuto with a perfectly straight face. Inui's first ever drink had taken him down during the yakiniku contest.
"Che." Accepting the small plate of… goo, Ryoma stared down at the mass of silver. He'd supposedly gotten the biggest serving, but the amount of pudding was still small enough to be eaten in on (large) bite. 'Probably because that bastard Inui-senpai knows no one will be able to take two.'
"Eat up," said Inui with a cackle. The man was towering over Ryoma (by more than a foot) and surrounded by a black aura, glasses agleam.
"I'm really not sure who's more of a sadist, you know that?" commented before throwing the entire mass of goo down.
A blood-curdling shriek echoed across the entire tennis complex.
"O-to!" Fuji deftly caught the Prince's small, prone form as it crumpled to the ground. "Rest in peace, Ryo-chan," he said with a cheer that he hadn't bothered hiding.
Momo laughed boisterously. "Oh, I am so remembering this! Echizen screams like such a girl!"
"If I saw correctly, Momoshiro, you're next. You did just lose to Tezuka, didn't you?" asked Inui, quickly changing targets.
"Wait, what? Noooooo!" As Momo ran like the Hounds of Hell were nipping at his heels, Atobe returned his attention to where Fuji had swept Ryoma into his arms, bridal style.
"Ahn? What's this? Now I can't have my match with the brat! Tell him when and if he wakes up that I'll be waiting for him in the regional tournament, Singles One. Nah, Kabaji?"
"Usu."
Another scream, this time Momo's came from the other end of the block. Two down.
Looking extremely out of his element, Ootori turned to Fuji. "Are things always like this here?"
"More or less."
(1) When Ryoma says "Gotcha" he'd be saying "Uisu (we-s)" in Japanese.
(2) I really need to find a manlier way to put that. Any suggestions?
(3) Sorry anyone… not American, I guess. I am, but I think 25 lbs = 13-ish kilos and 30 lbs = 15-ish kilos
About the random Hyotei cameo... I did it for teh lulz. Like you didn't love it. Speaking of love, I love you all sososososososoooooo much, whether or not I miss an update in the coming weeks! R&R... son of a bitch I finally said it.