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Ruby was in Ryoma's room again. Nanako, Nanjirou, and Rinko were downstairs doing whatever it is they do. Well Nanjirou of course reads his pervy magazines, that's no surprise.

Ruby was sitting on Ryoma's bed with him next to her. They were reading a tennis magazine. Their tennis bags on the ground next to the bed. Karupin in Ruby's lap while her tail was swishing against Ryoma's legs.

Ruby then pointed to a player in the magazine and started laughing.

"Look at his face! He looks so stupid!" tears started forming in her eyes as she kept laughing. "How did he get to pros!"

"I don't know, but I doubt he'll last at all," Ryoma smirked at the picture. Ruby giggled.

"I agree!" she laughed.

"We should go to bed, we have to go out again tomorrow with the team, more practice and all," Ryoma explained.

"Fine," Ruby replied and put the magazine away. They both cuddled up into bed with Karupin in the middle of them.

"Night Ryo-kun," she whispered smiling at her best friend.

"Night Ru-chan," Ryoma's eyes were soft and happy as he smiled a real smile back at her. Then they both fell into their own dreams.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

"Shut it off! Shut it off!" Ruby yelled annoyed to be disturbed in her sleep.

"You turn it off!" Ryoma shot back.

"I don't wanna!" Ruby countered. Ryoma sighs and gets up to turn the alarm off. But he had to reach over Ruby to do that, so when he looked down, his face was centimeters away from Ruby's.

The two stared at each other for a couple of seconds. Then both blushed.

"Uh sorry," Ryoma pushes himself away, still blushing.

"Its ok," Ruby was also still blushing. The two look at the time.

"WE'RE LATE!" they both yell in unison. Then they jump out of bed and start gathering their things and hopping around trying to get their clothes on.

"You ready?" Ryoma asks opening his door holding his tennis bag.

"Yeah, lets go!" Ruby grabs her tennis bag as well and they both run past Rinko and Nanako saying morning grabbing some toast and an apple and ran out the door passing the old man.

"You two need to learn to be more punctual!" he yells at them.

"Coming from him, that really means something…" Ruby stated. Ryoma sighed.

They made it to the tennis courts at last. Where everyone was waiting impatiently.

"Echizen! Ruby! Your late!" Momo scolds them. Ruby sticks her tongue out at him and he gets a vein. Ryoma sweat drops.

"Oh, Ruby, you brought your tennis bag today. Are you going to play as well?" Fuji asks.

"Well I haven't played in a while, so I thought I would play a bit today. Momo could be my opponent!" Ruby beams. Momo gets cocky.

"Your never going to beat me!" he says happily. Ruby smirks mischievously.

"We'll see about that."

They all head to the courts. Ryoma didn't want to play any matches and was content with watching Ruby's. the regulars decided they would also like to really see why Ryoma has interest in this girl. Other then the fact that they met when they were younger and had been friends for years. She must be a very good player for them to bond.

The match began. Momo was showing off his moves and jumping like a mad man. Ruby was playing with her left hand. Her shots were powerful and fast but Momo was used to Ryoma's shots and easily countered them.

Ruby saw that she was losing this battle so she decided to stop messing around. It was her turn to serve. She switched her racket to her right hand.

"What!" Momo cried.

"Eh! She's right handed!" Eiji exclaimed. The team looked to their super rookie, who was smirking. Ruby smiled. Then giggled.

"Your face is hilarious Momo-sempai! Its like you've seen a ghost!" she laughed. Kaidoh stiffened at the word ghost, and hissed quietly.

Ruby got into her serving position. In a second the ball was gone from her hands and on the other side of the court.

"You blinked," she giggled. Inui was the one keeping score and writing some very, VERY interesting things down in his notebook. Then he realized what happened and called the appropriate score.

Momo couldn't move. He was staring at the girl with wide eyes. She stared laughing.

"I told you I love tennis! I love it, its fun!" and the game continued from there. But didn't get far. Ruby won soon after. Score was 6-4.

"Yay! I won!" Ruby ran to Ryoma who smiled at her. She gave him a hug and laughed.

"That felt so good I haven't played like that in a while!" she exclaims happily. Then she hears her phone ringing. She walks over to her tennis bag and opens it revealing her red cell phone. Her eyes widen at the number.

"Hello? Mom? Yeah I'm fine. Yeah I'm having lots of fun. Do you remember Ryoma? Yeah he's here too, did you know that? Hmm? Oh… he is… you are…? When? Yeah I'll be home soon. Ok bye," she hangs up her head was down. Her hair covered her eyes. All signs of happiness gone.

"I have to go," she puts her things in her tennis bag and starts walking away. Her voice was still ringing in the regulars ears, the darkness in it. The hate, the sadness, the pain.

"Wait-" Kawamura was about to grab her but Ryoma stopped him. He looked down at the boy who's eyes had mixed emotions. They showed hate, sadness, and desperation.

"Echizen, what's going on?" Fuji asks. Ryoma shakes his head not able to speak.

"Echizen." Tezuka's voice rings out through the silence. Ryoma glances at his boucho. Then sighs.

"He's back," his voice dark, filled with venom and pure hatred. They have never heard him speak like that.

"Who's back?" Oishi asks, uncertainly.

"Ruby's father."

Vamp: didn't see that coming, now did you!

Ryoma: your getting annoying…

Vamp: oh shut up!

Ryoma: no.

Vamp: grrr… alright next time there will be more info on The Father! And thank you to those who have commented on my stories and are supporting me! Your all awesome! Until next time!