Hey I actually managed to get this one done pretty early this time. As of right now school is on break for the moment so maybe I can knock out another chapter if I try. I could use a distraction from all this studying -.-

~*One's Pain*~

"Huh? Is it going to rain on us today?" a raven haired girl asked as she held her hand out. A few droplets falling on to it.

"Wouldn't be the first time we've played in rain. Might be fun to play in a mud fest again." Another one snickered as the rest of their team stepped off the bus behind them.

Cheers rang out loudly from their classmates and other fans they'd made as the Kitigawa girls walked towards the stadium. Heads held high. Unaffected by the light drizzle that had picked up. This is what all the hard work they'd put in finally led up to. If they won this game, they were guaranteed a spot in nationals that would take place after the winter tournament. And the girls had no intentions of giving up that spot. A certain pitcher making that promise to herself as she stepped off the bus before her catcher. Howls rang out from all around as Tonya humored them. Raising her fist in the air to their calls.

"Wow, who knew your girl was so popular?" Kuramochi muttered from where he and a few of the Seido boys stood under cover from the rain.

"She's not my girl." Miyuki said. Grinning as he watched Tonya and her team make their way past them.

As if she could feel his eyes on her, Tonya turned to see Miyuki. He raised his chin a bit, that cocky smirk on his face. Tonya returned his smirk with ease. Giving him a quick nod before they headed off to the field. The boys made their way up top to where Kataoka and Nathaniel were sitting a few rows above the Kitigawa cheering section. Energy was flying through the stadium as the boys took their seats.

"Do they really intend to play if it rains?" Zono asked. Flinching as a drop of cold water hit his nose. Looking to the sky to see it darker than he ever had before. Not even during their game against Teito was the weather this ominous.

"I don't think a little rain is going to stop them." Kawakami said. Motioning down to the two teams.

Even from where they sat, they could see that unless the sky just let loose and flooded the field or if lighting began to strike like crazy, neither team planned on backing down today. They'd fought too hard and too long to get to this point. They weren't about to let a little water stop them from doing what they came to do. Play hard and win themselves a spot in nationals. Only after everything was said and done would they allow themselves to worry about anything other than softball.

"Why are they calling her Wolf?" Furuya asked. Pointing down to Tonya who was warming up in the bullpen. A few of the guys chanting Wolf while others howled in response to the chants.

"Because they say it's like staring down a wolf when you're in the batter's box facing off against her." Haruichi whispered. Feeling excitement rising within him even though he wasn't one of the players on the field. "I wonder what it would be like to try and hit off her."

"Watch her closely Furuya, Sawamura, Kawakami." Miyuki said. Locking his eyes on to the small girl as she ran out to join the line. Wishing her opponents good luck before taking up her spot on the mound.

No matter how many times he watched her, that same feeling over took him. Wanting to be her catcher for a game. Wanting to form a battery with someone like her. Miyuki glanced over to the others to see the same look of awe on their faces that he'd worn the first time he'd caught for Tonya. All wanting to experience her pitch for themselves. Wondering if she was as good as Kataoka had bragged the first time the guys had seen her. Four batters later the teams were switching things up as the rain began to pick up.

While the fans started to cover up, the fielders continued to play hard. Not letting the weather drag them down. Playing seamlessly as if it was any other day. Diving head first into the mud, fighting to not lose grip on the ball when they threw it around, slipping a bit whenever they had to push off the ground in order to move. While it was more work, it made things that much more fun. Despite that fact, it was still a heated game. Balls were flung around at incredible speeds to get outs. And even harder shots were hit. Neither team showing any mercy. An occasional sorry being tossed out after someone got hit by accident. But otherwise they paid their opponents no mind. Calling to their teammates at the top of their lungs. The chill in the air starting to set in within all of them. Knowing that the only way this game would stop would be if there was blood on the field or the weather forced them off.

"Was it like this during our game with Inashiro?" Sawamura asked, turning to Zono who nodded. It wasn't often the guys got to watch such a heated game. They were usually the ones playing them.

"Yeah. It had the same intensity. You can feel how badly each side wants to win. How they'll do anything to make that happen." He said, motioning down to the batter's box with his head. As if to prove his point, the next batter began crowding the plate.

Tonya stared down the batter. Glancing over to her team who showed that they weren't going to back down just because she had superior pitching. Looking to fight this out to the bitter end. Tonya took a deep breath, held it, and let it out slowly. It was time to reveal one of her other pitches now. She reached into her back pocket, making sure to rosin her hand up good. Ensuring that she had a good grip on the ball for the pitch she planned. She wouldn't dishonor her opponent by back down from the challenge she was presenting. Signing to her catcher as to what she had planned. Receiving the go ahead as the girl set up just where her pitcher wanted her. Tonya zoned out the minute her cleats touched the plate. Pitching the ball with all her might. Sending it down the inside corner. Just what the batter had been hoping for. She planned on turning on the pitch and hitting the runner at second home. Her plan was ruined however when the ball rose sharply at the plate. Causing her to swing wildly and miss. The batter's eyes were wide as she realized how close that pitch had come to hitting her. She looked up to see Tonya with that cold intensity in her eyes. Looking exactly like the animal she was named after right before it went in for the kill.

"Her pitch looked like Furuya's." Kuramochi nodded in amazement.

"Difference is, she purposely sent it flying high. And she still has three more in her arsenal." Miyuki grinned. Adjusting his hood as the rain picked up even more.

It didn't take much to strike that batter out. Bottom of the fourth with two outs now. Kitigawa had the lead by one. Tonya quickly looked around to see only a runner on second. They needed this out in order to keep the game in their favor. Wiping the water from her eyes, she took her place on the mound. Seeing that her catcher was leaving the first pitch up to her. Tonya nodded, going through her windup and throwing a changeup on the first pitch. Throwing the batter for a loop as she struggled to hold back. While the batter had slowed her swing down enough, she still didn't catch the ball cleanly. Getting underneath it and popping it up.

Since it was two outs anyways, the runner on second took off. Third and short stop both chasing after the pop up with left coming in to back up. Tonya quickly ran to cover the bag, hoping that one of them caught the ball. Just as short stop seemed like she had it, her foot slipped in the slick grass. Sending her to the ground. Thankfully third was right there. Picking the ball up and turning towards Tonya who was hollering. Her glove outstretched as third fired the ball to her pitcher. Right as the ball hit her glove, Tonya turned to tag the girl low. Expecting her to slide into the base and make it a close play. But Tonya had been a half step off the bag due to her having to chase the throw a bit. Putting her right in the way of the runner who'd dived to the bag. Sending her crashing into the smaller girl just as Tonya tagged her. The runner landed on the base hard, and Tonya had hit the ground even harder. Her knees knocking together hard. She rolled for a bit before finally coming to a stop. Covered in mud as she weakly pushed herself up. Holding her glove with the ball still in it.

"Out!" The umpire called as the runner scrambled to her feet to help Tonya up.

Those that had been holding their breath over the play let out cheers as Tonya smiled to the runner and waved the situation off. Knowing it wasn't her fault. She knocked the mud off herself as she slowly made her way back to the dugout. Her teammates all giving her a high five as they ducked under cover. A brief intermission had been called to allow the weather a chance to clear up so that they could fix the now muddy and torn up field.

"I'll be right back." Miyuki muttered. Standing up quickly and ducking out of the stadium.

"Seems he's keeping his promise." Nathaniel chuckled. Lowering his head as Kataoka looked at him with a confused look on his face.

Having played in the very same stadium, Miyuki knew his way around. Easily sneaking past security and down into the walkways underneath the stands. He wasn't sure what he was going to say to whoever happened to open the door to the dugout. But he knew he had to check on Tonya. He couldn't explain why he felt the sudden urge to check and make sure she was okay. The crash hadn't sat well with him. Especially after seeing how hard her legs had slammed together. Even though Tonya had gotten up like it was nothing, he needed to be sure she was okay. He just needed reassurance that he was worrying for no reason. He needed to know that the wreck hadn't been as bad as he'd been fearing. Reaching to his side as he recalled his own injury. Stretching his other hand out towards the door to pull it open.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm going. I'm going." Miyuki heard Tonya call out. The handle on the door turning. The door opened and now the two were face to face. "Huh? Miyuki? What in the hell are you doing down here?"

"Is this from that crash?" Miyuki asked as he took a step closer to Tonya. He'd had a feeling she'd been injured. But this wasn't the injury he'd been expecting.

Blood was trailing down her face, mingling with the caked on mud that she hadn't managed to get off yet. He grabbed the hand that wasn't holding her injury and pulled her behind him to the locker room. Sitting her on the bench as he ran to get paper towels to clean her face off. The two sat in silence as Miyuki tended to her. Wiping the blood off first before pressing a damp towel to her head. Instructing Tonya to hold it before he began cleaning the mud off her face. Ignoring the annoyed look on her face as he knocked all the dirt off the best he could.

"You want to kiss my boo boo and make it feel better too?" Tonya asked. Pulling the gauze and tape out of her back pocket that her coach had given her to cover her injury. Handing it to Miyuki.

"This is how you thank someone helping you?" Miyuki smarted off in the same tone she'd used. Focused on taping the patch down as Tonya held her bangs back.

"Why are you down here by the way?" She asked, kinder this time. Truly curious as to why he'd rushed to her aid. It's not like it was that big of a deal.

"Isn't this what friends do? They make sure each other are okay don't they?" Miyuki winked. That annoying grin on his face as he lowered his hands.

"Yeah. I guess they do." Tonya smiled softly. Shaking her head as she lowered her gaze. Unprepared for the sudden darkness that overtook her. "Hey!"

Tonya yanked whatever it was covering her eyes off her head. Surprised to find Miyuki's favorite beanie in her hand. She looked from the beanie to Miyuki, tilting her head in confusion. Miyuki lightly touched her wound with his finger. Causing Tonya to wince a bit as he leaned closer to her.

"That tape won't hold up in the rain. At least with that you can use it to hold the gauze in place should the tape come off. Plus, I'm sure playing in that rain must be cold." He looked to her arms to see goose bumps forming. Her soaked uniform still clinging to her body.

"You get used to it. Don't worry, I'm going to change into one of my dry tops when I get back." Tonya said. Sensing that he was going to say something about her drenched attire next. She reached up and yanked her hair out of its high ponytail. Raking through it with her fingers to help smooth it out before gathering it up at the base of her neck and retying it. Pulling his beanie back on last and smoothing it out over her gauze patch and over her ears. "Thanks Miyuki. I'll bring it back with a healthy coating of mud and water."

She grinned. Holding her fist up as Miyuki bumped it with his own. He scanned over her legs once again, figuring that they were okay since she was standing just fine. The two going their separate ways after that. Miyuki pulled his hood up over his head as he returned back up top. Feeling better as he took his spot by Kuramochi back while the field got fixed. The Seido boys all wondered where he'd gone, but didn't say anything as the rain turned back into a slow drizzle. Both teams finishing up maintenance of the field.

Finally the game was able to resume. Number 1 for Kitigawa walked back on to the field with a helmet on her head and bat slung over her shoulder. Howls rang out as the band began playing. Unbeknownst to him, Miyuki's lips turned up into a smile as he watched Tonya take up her stance in the right handed batter's box. The ump calling for play as Miyuki leaned forward. Seeing that all too familiar smirk on her face. Taking aim and connecting hard with the first pitch and sending it flying into the gap between left and center. Earning her an easy double. Starting the game off right.

"Oi Kawakami, is that….?" Kuramochi motioned to the snarky catcher who for once wasn't wearing his usual smirk.

"Quick! Take a picture!" Kawakami hissed. Trying not to distract Miyuki who was focused on the game.

"What are you two doing?" Maezono asked. Leaning down as Kuramochi held the phone up for him to see. Since Zono was sitting above Miyuki, naturally he couldn't see what the fuss was about. Now he understood. Doing a double take from the phone to Miyuki even though he couldn't see his face.

"What are you idiots looking at?" Miyuki asked. Glancing over to Kuramochi and Kawakami who were doing their best to stifle their snickers.

"Hey, Grey-chan has the same kind of beanie as you Miyuki-senpai." Haruichi pointed out as the teams swapped positions again. Tonya was adjusting the beanie as she covered up the drag hole left by the other pitcher so that she wouldn't trip in it.

"Wait…Miyuki where is your beanie?" Sawamura asked. Noticing for the first time that it was gone. Furuya's eyes widening a bit as he looked from his beloved senpai back to the field. While he was an idiot most of the time, he still did tend to put things together quicker than Sawamura.

"Yeah, she's really just a friend." Kuramochi snorted. Poor Sawamura was still trying to put two and two together as Miyuki rolled his eyes at Kuramochi. But that same smile that the others had caught him wearing earlier came back once again as he watched Tonya strike out yet another batter.

_._._

It was dark when Tonya got home. Thunder boomed above as she stepped inside. Sliding the door shut behind her. Luckily she'd made it home during the break in the storm. A metallic taste filled her mouth. It was from the blood that had pooled in her mouth. She'd been biting her cheek for some time now. Struggling to keep quiet about the pain racking her body at the moment. Both knees were swollen to a good size. Her right one was throbbing badly and all she wanted to do was get off her feet. Sad thing was that her right knee was still the good one. The left one couldn't take any weight at the moment.

She'd struggled to look as normal as possible going home. Her teammates knew she'd been hurting after that collision on third. But Tonya hadn't let them know just how bad it was. Fighting through the pain in order to finish out the game. As long as she'd kept moving, she'd been okay. She could block it out. It was when she stopped the pain washed over her tolerance threshold. Tears slid down her face as Tonya kept up her silence. Unsure of if anyone was home or not. Not wanting to give herself away just in case someone was there. Digging her nails into her palms, Tonya limped into the kitchen. Smiling humorlessly at herself as she reached up into the medicine cabinet and pulled down a bottle of painkillers with her name on it.

'I'm such a fucking hypocrite.' Tonya thought to herself. Grabbing herself a glass of water before taking the pill. If it'd been Miyuki in this situation she'd be tearing him a new one for hiding how bad his injury was hurting him. Yet, here she was doing the same thing.

Tonya lived for moments like this. When she was alone and didn't have to wear the mask she'd grown to accustom to. While she had promised her father that she wouldn't try to hide when she was hurting anymore, she hadn't agreed to tell him just how bad she was hurting. And she damn sure didn't want him to see her like this. Recalling the pained look upon his face the many nights he'd woken up to find her crying her eyes out and knowing there was nothing he could do for her. That would send a different pain shooting through her. It had been then Tonya had sworn she'd never let her dad see her in that state again. Nathaniel was no fool. He kept a close watch on her painkillers. He knew she still needed them. But as long as he didn't have to know just how serious her need was for them whenever she took them, Tonya could stand that. If her dad had been at home, Tonya would've slapped a smile on her face, said that her knees were hurting her a little, and that the painkiller was just to help her relax.

She hobbled off to her room in silence. Never so grateful to be off her feet before. Quickly tearing her sweats off and pulling her knee sleeves off as well. The swelling had gone up her legs and the tight fabric of the sleeves had started to make her legs go numb. Tonya just lied there on her bed in the dark. She knew she should get ice on her knees since they were so bad. But the need to rest won out in the end. Finally, she gave in to the pain as sobs racked her body. There were times she could suffer in silence. This time wasn't one of them. Gripping her blankets with her free hand tightly as she wished for the painkiller to kick in quickly before anyone found her like this.

As Tonya cried, she recalled her first meeting with Miyuki. The look of hatred in his eyes for her. Not realizing just how easily she could read him. They were one in the same. They'd rather sacrifice themselves for the team than worry for their own well-being. Knowing that their sport is all they had. For in Miyuki, Tonya had sensed a kindred spirit. She'd never expected to get along with the boy so well though. Even going as far as to declare them friends after the first night he'd caught for her. She didn't know what had possessed her to say such a thing. Tonya had never even planned on getting close to the boy. Just putting up with him till his time passed. Some part of her had felt that if Miyuki thought he had a friend in her, maybe he wouldn't hate his time so much. That way he could focus on getting better and getting back to his team sooner. Little did she know that she would really begin to see him as a friend. Realizing that she actually looked forward to their time together. Finding herself wanting to do things to make him really see her as someone he could trust and count on. Never knowing that she was just making things that much harder on herself the closer she got to Miyuki. Only adding to the list of people she had to wear a mask in front of. Because she didn't want to see that helpless look on his face as well.

Somewhere in between her sobs she could hear her phone going off. Normally she would ignore it, but there was a good chance it was her dad. And if she let it go to voicemail he'd only call again and he would worry that she was hurting. She'd told him that she was going home after the game. Telling him that she'd just wanted to rest. If she didn't answer her phone her dad would freak and rush home to find her in this state. Ruining all of her secrecy till then. Sucking it up, Tonya reached down into her bag and pulled the phone out. Seeing that it was actually a txt message. It was from Miyuki.

'Going out with the guys. Wondering if you wanted to come. They want to congratulate you on your game today.'

'Tell them I say thanks but I'm going to rest.'

Tonya sent the message and quickly typed out another to her dad. Saying that she was going to take a nap. That way he wouldn't freak if she didn't answer her phone. With that she powered her phone down. Not wanting to be bothered as she rolled on to her back. The painkiller finally starting to kick in as her tears slowly dried up. She could feel that nice calming haze settling over her. Tonya took a deep breath, holding it in for a few seconds before releasing it slowly. She wiped away the last remnants of her crying session before staring up at the ceiling.

'This is my pain to bear. And I'll be damned if I'm the cause of someone else's pain.' Tonya promised herself. Closing her eyes and willing sleep to claim her. Hoping that by the time anyone came home her eyes wouldn't be puffy and she could pretend things were okay once again.

And we get a look into how Tonya deals with things. Is she being a bit of a hypocrite? Yes. Just as the story explains. If you've read the manga for Ace of Diamond then you know what a big deal it is for these athletes to hide their pains from each other. Especially for someone like Tonya who was just allowed to come back to playing. She doesn't want to give anyone a reason to bench her again after her recovery. So for those of you who might be a bit pissed because you know she would be chewing Miyuki out if the roles were reversed, you're gonna love the next chapter. That's all I'll say for now!