Regukar talking: "fdgfhj"

Thinking/Past: "gfhgfg"

Haha, I finally got this part finished. You get to see al ittlbe bit more into the personalities of the other characters and some slight romance development.

Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis all rights belong to Takeshi Konomi.

Thanks to all that have reviewed.

The group excited about their lead decided to go to the computer lab to see what the name of this mysterious disease might be. Walking in they found that everything was shut down and when they tried to start up the computers they immediately shut down again.

"What is this junk?" Usagi asked becoming flustered.

"This is strange." Kikyo commented as she pushed the seats back in neatly.

"How the hell are we supposed to find this stupid name without a computer?" Juro huffed slamming his fist down on a table.

"There is a library…" Maro stated.

"A what?" Juro asked tilting his head to one side in confusion.

"A library…A place that holds books that contain knowledge about a wide variety of things." Maro answered.

"Hm…good thinking lets go, I think some other team may have figured out where their antidotes are." Nana said softly as she looked out the window.

Everyone gave a nod and ran towards the library following Maro, who was probably the only one that knew of the library. It turns out to be underground under the gym; it was moderate in size but had many books. The place was a bit dark because there was little lighting but a reading lamp was on a few of the tables that lined the side of the building.

"So how do we find it?" Juro asked.

"We look in the correct section." Maro stated.

"And which one is that?" Juro asked annoyed.

"Follow me." Maro said and walked off deeper into the library and stopped in front of a tall book case."

"Diseases and the like are up there." He said pointing to the top of the bookcase.

"I'll get it" Juro said and only leaned forward to get a few books.

"Well, at least you're good for something." Usagi said with a smirk.

"Haha…At least I can do something." He retorted and took the books over to a table.

Maro sat down and turned the reading lamp on, he took the piece of paper the teacher gave them and tried to find anything that resembled the description. The strange part was that whenever he thought he found it, a page was missing and there was no other information. In every book a few pages were missing.

"S-strange…"Sakuno said softly, she began to feel as if her heart was being squeezed, she had a terrible feeling about this disease.

"I can't take being down here anymore!" Usagi yelled and stood up abruptly knocking her chair back as she walked towards the stairs. Kikyo picked the chair up, placed it back nicely and followed Usagi.

"I don't think we're going to find the answer here either." Kikyo said.

"Yeah, guess you're right." Shiro said and followed them.

Sakuno's heart sunk and she felt as if they were giving up so early, they got a lead and now they were stuck. She didn't know what to do or if she could do anything to help, she could only follow and watch them. Sakuno looked to the side and saw Kyo, he looked bored but it was hard to tell with his attitude.

"Sempai?" Sakuno said softly.

He turned his head towards her, and even though she couldn't really see his eyes she knew she at least had his attention.

"D-do you think this is weird." She asked him.

He turned his head back.

"Much worse." He said softly.

Her heart began to race and she struggled to understand the meaning of what he said. Could there be something more to this, or maybe she was taking what he said to literally it was hard to tell with him what was serious and what was not.

Usagi swung the door open and almost ran into someone who were about to walk in.

"Watch it!" She snapped to them and they instantly took a step back. By then everyone else caught up to Usagi and were right behind her looking to see what stopped her.

"Hey there, you guys find anything?" Came the familiar calm voice of Yoi who was in the back of her group.

"Ah! Yoi-chan! Good to see you and no we haven't." Shiro said excited to see his friend.

"It seems we are at a dead end Y-Yoi-chan." Sakuno commented.

"I see, the paper he gave us was not really helpful." She said walking towards Sakuno as she took it out and read it over.

"Do you want to trade?" Nana asked.

"What?" Yoi asked.

"I want to know what's written on yours." Nana mumbled.

"I guess so." Yoi said and they handed each others paper over.

"It's different…" Nana mumbled.

Everyone leaned over and looked to see what was on the paper it didn't help very much but it gave another clue to what the disease was.

It read: Do not get your heart rate up or the chance of the disease spreading and destroying your body goes up by 45% the blood carries it, the more it goes to your heart the more likely you are to die. This disease hasn't been studied in live specimens due to its undetectable nature. It has no smell or taste.

Both groups were silent and they exchanged back the papers, and went their separate ways. Everyone was silently contemplating what to do, and where to find the answer when an announcement was made to let people know the payphones are open to be used if you want to call parents. Sakuno's group saw other students line up and Juro, Nana, and Maro went as well, while Sakuno wondered if she should call. She gave a reluctant sigh and walked over to a line.

In the line she thought what she should say, and if her grandmother would care, she would probably say the same meaningless words and end the conversation. She could just hear her grandmother telling her to have fun and try hard with a fake caring voice. Sakuno shook her head and when it was finally her turn to she decided to follow her gut.

"Hello?" came the deep stoic voice of Tezuka.

"S-sempai, I'm sorry to bother you at a time like this." Sakuno said.

"Ryuuzaki-san is that you?" He asked.

"Y-yes! Again I'm really sorry to bother you, but I-I felt like I needed to talk to you for a moment." Sakuno said blushing.

"Ah." He said.

"Sempai…I've been growing and I've been changing I hope in a good way, but…I can't shake this feeling something bad is going to happen."

"What?"

"I have no proof but I feel it, s-sorry I make no sense, Tezuka-sempai."

"Ryuuzaki-san, if you're scared I'll come get you." He stated.

"Ah! No it's not that big a deal, it's just this feeling… I'm not sure why I even called." Sakuno said as she got red.

"I see." In a way he was a little hurt by her words.

"Tezuka-sempai, I think…I know I can count on you, to at least listen." Sakuno said softly.

"You just need to say something Ryuuzaki-san." He said.

"I know, I know that now. Thank you Tezuka-sempai." Her eyes began to water.

"I deserve no thanks." He said.

"No that's not true! Just by…just by…" Her voice started to get weaker and weaker.

"You do deserve it, that's all I know. I have to go now people are waiting. Sorry again." She said as she hung up the phone.

She took a deep breath and went to go find her team who were sitting under Usagi's favorite tree. They were all resting, and Sakuno sat next to Kikyo who seemed to be resting her eyes.

"Hey little lady welcome back." Juro said with a smile.

"Thanks, sorry if I took long." Sakuno said sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it." Shiro said. "Hey everyone let's get into a circle and see if can brainstorm some ideas." He added to everyone.

Kikyo slowly opened her eyes and got up but got dizzy and feel down again, she simply smiled and shook her head telling everyone that she hadn't had a lot of water and got back up to go get some. Everyone watched her walked towards a vending machine with a curious gaze, but they soon returned their attention to brainstorming.

"Maybe, the answers in the teachers lounge hidden somewhere." Shiro said absent mindedly.

"That's a possibility, but I don't think it would be that simple." Nana said.

"Where else can we find it?" Juro asked.

"We've already looked in most of the class rooms and we didn't find anything that would resemble information about a disease." Maro commented. "I looked through any papers that were in the desks and I didn't see anything that would help us."

"That's just great…so all we have is to go into the teachers lounge and snoop around." Usagi huffed to them as she stretched her arm a bit.

"Well, at least we thought of something." Juro said and was tempted to flip her off, but held back due to the fact she was still a woman.

The group continued to toss around ideas while they waited for Kikyo to come back, and it seemed like they were going nowhere but the teachers lounge or the principal's office. When Kikyo came back and sat down with the group Sakuno noticed that she looked a bit pale and that she was breathing hard, Sakuno asked softly so as not to alarm the group if she was okay. Kikyo only smiled softly and gave a nod and told her not to worry. Sakuno didn't notice that Kyo was watching them and noticed that Kikyo was feeling very unwell.

It was true that Kikyo had a weak immune system and that was a big reason why her phobia was created, but it didn't account for why she looked sick so suddenly. They say that people can have a cold and not even know it for a couple days before the symptoms show up but she wasn't showing the usual cold symptoms. Her nose wasn't running and she was talking normally so there was no sign of congestion yet.

Kyo looked back to the rest of the group who were still trying to brainstorm, and thought that it was only a matter of time before they knew the real answer for the name.

"Fine! Let's go to the teacher's lounge where we can get in trouble." Usagi said standing up suddenly.

Everyone got up and Sakuno offered to help Kikyo up who thanked her and grabbed her hand. Sakuno noticed that Kikyo actually needed to use Sakuno a lot because she was a bit uneasy after she stood up; she said it was probably because of all the excitement going on and the pressure of keeping up that made her seem ill.

"Y-You open it." Shiro said as he pushed Jiro towards the door.

"No way shrimp!" Juro roared.

"Then Maro maro you open it!" Shiro exclaimed

"No." He said sternly.

"Haha what a chicken." Usagi said with a smirk.

"Then you go do it." Shiro said pointing to the teachers lounge door.

Usagi grimaced but decided to play it cool and ignore him.

Sakuno thought to offer but she was scared of what was inside as well, people have already been in there but she hasn't so she could only imagine a torture chamber similar to their classrooms but cleaner.

"Standing outside wont get anything done, I'll do it." Nana said walking towards the door and was about to grab hold of the knob when Usagi stopped her.

"Playing the cool hero, huh?" Usagi asked.

"I'm opening a door." Nana replied.

"Don't worry I'll do it for you." Usagi said and slowly reached for the doorknob she was about a centimeter away from touching it when the voice of one of the teachers was heard over the intercom.

"Everyone! Time for dinner and afterwards showers. Please hurry to the cafeteria."

"Oh we better hurry!" Usagi said with a smile and with her umbrella shot past her group and out the building towards the cafeteria.

Everyone except Kyo smiled or in Juro's case snickered at Usagi's antics and they all knew in their hearts that she was grateful the teacher called the announcement when he did. In a way she was easy to read, and her actions may seem selfish but she just wants to try hard to be liked by others. It obviously hasn't been working and the only way she could coup with people not liking her is to believe they were beneath her and not important enough.

"I have a bad feeling." Kyo said in a whisper, and Nana turned to him slightly to see if he would continue but he stayed silent.

"Me too." She mumbled as she looked beside her to see Shiro's arm slightly red. She then looked at her watch to see it was a little past 5pm and thought that dinner was bit early even when she thought it through and found many reasons why they would have it early she couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong.

Nana rubbed the back of her neck and let out a sigh, but decided it was best if she didn't make a big deal of it right now and just try to choke down whatever slop they give her.

Sakuno was taking a shower and only knew two things for sure, and it was that the food was horrible and the whole student body had no clue on what the name of this mysterious disease is. That could be considered a good thing sense that means they still have a chance of winning but she felt like they were looking for something that didn't even exist. When she thought about it the teachers could have just made it up, or worse the disease didn't even have a name.

Her eyes widened in shock, that would be something messed up and cruel the teachers would do to them. Sakuno dried herself off , got dressed in her pajama shirt and pants and went to go find her group they all decided during dinner to have one last brainstorming session before they had to split up for the night.

"Oi! Sakuno-chan!" Sakuno saw an excited and waving hand as she approached her group. Kikyo, Juro, and Usagi were still showering or getting dressed.

"Hi, I-I have an idea on this disease." Sakuno said to Shiro.

"Really? Let's hear it." Shiro said with a smile.

"Yes, lets" Came the feminine voice of Usagi who was walking up to the group in a tank top and shorts.

The group that was there was a bit stunned because of what Usagi normally wears consists of her whole body being covered by some type of material. The sun was still setting so they were all a bit confused, and thought that what she actually feared was her skin getting burned.

"What? Do I look too plain?" She asked giving a wink.

"Anyway! Back to Sakuno-chan! What were you saying Sakuno-chan?" Shiro said with a slight blush.

"A-ah yes, I just thought that this disease might not even have a name." She said finally.

"That's absurd." Usagi stated.

"Makes sense, little lady!" Sakuno jumped out of her skin to see Juro right behind her and his hand resting on her shoulder. She looked back to see Kikyo was right beside him too. "I mean these guys, excuse the expression, are complete dick-weeds." He said.

"That's a move a lonely old man would use." Maro commented.

"Now, all we have to do is answer the question." Nana mumbled.

"Do we make up a name?" Maro wondered aloud.

"Could be." Sakuno said.

Just then Juro started to go into a coughing fit; he was leaning over and placing on hand on his knee for support as the other covered his mouth. It lasted about 10 seconds until it subsided.

"Oi, you okay?" Shiro asked concerned.

"Heh! No problem shrimp just inhaled some of my own spit is all." He said with an embarrassed blush.

"That didn't sound like it." Nana said darkly.

"It's not." Kyo said finally.

Everyone looked his way and was waiting for him to go on.

"No really! It's nothing, it happens once in a while." Juro said with a smirk.

"No it doesn't." Kyo said with no change in his voice.

"W-what are you talking about?" Kikyo asked as she started to get frantic.

"Calm you heart rate." Nana mumbled.

"W-w-what?" She asked as she began to shake.

"Calm down." Nana said in a dark and assertive tone.

"Y-yes" Kikyo said as she did a few deep breaths.

"What's this all about?" Usagi questioned placing her hands on her hips.

"Yeah? Why are you suddenly making a big deal?" Shiro said putting his hands in his pajama pockets.

"It's a big deal." Nana said.

"Follow me." Kyo said as he walked back towards the cafeteria.

Nana followed, but everyone else hesitated for a moment before following after them making sure to keeping a good distance away from Nana and Kyo.

"Sensei" Nana said as her calm voice filled the room. "We know the answer." She said.

The teacher said nothing but put on the speaker and told all the students to meet in the cafeteria. The group then proceeded to sit down and wait for everyone else to get there, Sakuno was curios to how Nana and Kyo seem to know the answer and that they didn't seem excited that they knew either. It wasn't very much in their character to act happy or excited but it seemed weird they would be acting so depressed. You could barley see Kyo's eyes but you could tell that there was a deep sadness and remorse in them as he looked towards the floor.

When all the students gathered and were all together the teacher handed Kyo the microphone. Kyo stood up and looked around at the other students then his team members.

"We were given the mission to find the name of a disease, but it doesn't have one." He said solemnly.

"Then what is it?" The teacher prompted with a smirk.

Kyo looked to the teacher then back at the other students. "It is the disease that is now inside our bodies." He said softly.

The room was silent and Kyo handed the mic back to the teacher. "Yes! It is true! This is your real test! You must survive and there are only enough antidotes for one person in each group!" He yelled excitedly to the students and went to a bag and brought out some rope, everyone was too stunned to say anything.

"This here is your one way ticket out!" He said as the doors to the cafeteria shut and he held up a rope. He walked by and threw a rope into each group, and a paper with instructions on how to tie a noose. "This is for those of you who wish to give up the weaker ones who don't want to slow the others down. Please feel free to use them!" The teacher said and opened a door on the floor and walked down.

"Wait!" Some of the students yelled, but only heard the echo of the teacher saying. "The antidotes are somewhere down here!"

The students scared out of their minds went to the doors and tried to open them but they were closed tight, and weren't going to open, windows were high in the cafeteria but they were also bullet proof. Some of the kids tried to use their cell phones but had no service, some started crying but Juro became enraged and went running towards the open door in the floor. Maro was able to tackle him and stop him from going down, and Usagi using her limber body was able to lock his joints.

"Let me go!" He yelled eye turning red.

"And do what? Get yourself killed." Nana asked.

"I'll be the one doing the killing!" He said roughly, but suddenly had a coughing fit and was unable to move. Usagi let him go and he rested on the ground, as a bit of drool spilled out of his mouth.

"Am I dieing?" He asked and his eyes looked towards his team.

"We all are." Maro said.

Juro staggered up, rushed towards Kyo and landed a firmly placed punch to his cheek which made him lose balance and fall to the floor. Sakuno and Kikyo rushed to his side and helped him sit down on a chair.

"What the hell, Juro!" Shiro yelled.

"He gave us the disease! It's his fault." Juro yelled.

"He didn't know." Nana said placing an arm on his shoulder.

"Juro-san, Kyo-sempai didn't know, p-please don't hurt him anymore he also drank it." Sakuno said her eyes becoming watery.

"Yeah, he also drank so he's sick too." Shiro said.

Juro took a step back, fell down on his butt and took a deep breathe as he tried to sort things out in his head.

"This can't be real…" He murmured.

"I think we all know it's true." Shiro said solemnly. "You've been coughing so much and you never get sick."

"No! I will not allow this!" Usagi said as her face got red, and lost her balance for a moment and stumbled a bit. "I will not…" She said.

"I do regret that I gave it to you guys but it's too late now." Kyo said

The group was silent, there was a dark cloud the hovered over the group that stopped them from hearing the others around them go insane. They were all in their personal thoughts wondering what to do next and if they were going to live to see tomorrow. They were so caught up with their own thoughts that they didn't notice some people from other groups rush into the underground entrance. Not until Rai tapped Sakuno's shoulder did she break from her thoughts and see the students cramming into the hole.

"Sempai? What…is going on? Are they crazy?" She asked astounded by the othersl ack of fear..

"People think it better to try then wait for their death." He said with a depressed sigh. "What do you choose?" He asked her peering deep into her eyes.

"I-I…don't want to die." She said, that was the only thing she knew for sure, her heart ached and her head was spinning but she new that she wanted to live for some reason.

"Shiro, Yoi, Kaito, and I are going to form our own group do you want to join?" He asked her.

"uhh…I…" Sakuno wasn't sure and she felt that she couldn't leave her team.

"Hey no worries, if we find the antidotes we'll save you one okay?" He said with a smile. "You can trust your team, remember don't wander off alone if you guys decide to go down there." Rai commented as he gave her a kiss to the forehead and took Shiro over to Yoi and Kaito.

Sakuno was blushing a bit but she shook it off and looked towards the rest of her group. They were all waiting but they looked nervous as was she but they had to try at least for their dignity as humans beings or as animals. They had to live on.

"W-we should go." Sakuno said to them her eyes brimming with determination.

"Ryoma-kun, I am getting strong. I decide for myself what I want to do, before if I thought about it I probably didn't care if I lived or died as long as I was with you. As long as you were happy I was happy, but I guess that's why I was never happy unless you were playing tennis.

I want to live not so that I can see you but because I want to live with all my heart because there are nice people all around me that are trying hard like me, who have it worse than me. I was putting you so high up in my mind that the only love and understanding I would know that was real was from you. Everyone else was deemed a liar and only you knew the truth. Now I know that I was wrong, and I know that I'm awake now."

"Oi Ryuuzaki."

"Y-yes Ryoma-kun?"

"I'm tired of you."

"w-what? I'm s-sorry, I-I'll go home I-if I'm bothering y-you."

"Ryuuzaki, I don't want to be with you."

"R-Ryoma-kun, I thought w-we were happy."

"Maybe, if you decide to get real voice."

"My voice? Does it sound ugly?"

"Che, What a pain. Try to understand that I don't want to be with you."

"I'm sorry, so sorry, Ryoma-kun. I'm sorry, forgive me, I can't help it. I'm sorry."

"Can you not cry so much?"

"Yes, I can." Sakuno murmured.

"Who are you talking to?" Nana asked.

"H-Huh? Oh just myself." Sakuno said with a sheepish smile.

"Sadaharu, Can you get a hold of Renji and figure what that school is" Tezuka asked over the phone.

"Ah, is everything all right?" Inui asked.

"I doubt it."

"What's wrong is Sakuno hurt?" Inui asked trying to rationalize the situation.

"She's not hurt as far as I know."

"That what's the sudden urgency?"

"That school doesn't seem right, check everything about." Tezuka said roughly.

"Ah, Y-yes." Inui said and hung up the phone to call his good friend Renji.

Well there it is, the next chapter and I accidently fallen for Kyo in my story, and that might get in the way for if he lives or dies. I had in my mind the people who were going to die and who were going to live but for him im kind of on the fence here. He talked a lot more than I liked in this chapter, and so did Tezuka, and I apologize for their lack of stoci-ness.

Please review, and If I can I might put character sketches on my profile or atleast the link to them.