I do not own CLAMP, or Prince of Tennis
(Use of any other objects that may sound familiar to you is either not my doing or else are coincidental. -I'll note it anyway if it is.-)
I hope you enjoy (~'',)~
Story legend:
thoughts will be in italic
"dialogue"
[character comment...]
(author's extra notes, thoughts, or commentary)
editted 11/12/10: Choutarou should've been called Ootori. T_T
(~''.)~
Sign-up (03)
Yuki felt her phone vibrate, she checked her watch again – for fear of being tardy, or something along those lines. It read 12.23.
"Where is your boy tonight I hope he is a gentleman..." her phone began to ring this time, after the initial vibration. She pressed the call button.
"Change of plans Yuki, looks like ore-sama will have you play after all." Atobe Keigo said, making Yuki smile for a bit ~Finally!~ "Be here in 30 minutes for briefing, so you could warm-up after." he dismissed.
"Hai-hai, arigatou Buchou-sama," Yuki teased her cousin,
"U-urusai!" a peeved Atobe replied. Yuki smirked before ending the call. She checked her reflection on her phone's backside (because it's one of those really shiny types *.*) and noticed that her hairline could already be seen.
Must've gotten loose with that wind...
(~''.)~
He quickened his pace when he was sure he was ready. He asked a male schoolmate of his that he recognized "Where are the regulars?" who replied the direction. He indeed spotted them readying themselves for the upcoming matches in an empty court and a quadrangular cottage.
He looked around for 'Ore-sama' which wasn't hard to spot, for he was always accompanied by the ginormous, Kabaji. Atobe just finished talking to Sakaki-sama when Yuki called, "Keigo!" earning glares from the other regulars and non-regulars.
Atobe nodded at his cousin, and motioned him to come over.
"I would not have allowed this, Imonoyama-san." his coach stated frankly, Yuki raised an eyebrow at Atobe,
But, I thought that Sakaki-sama wanted me to play? Yuki thought, disappointed, he knew that there was a hidden meaning in his coach's statement.
"Honto-" Yuki began, but Atobe dismissed the conversation, not letting the coach explain Atobe's 'mistake'.
"Maa, that's that." Atobe declared, pulling Yuki away from their coach and team to the other side, leaving Kabaji behind.
"Explain yourself, Ore-sama." Yuki said in a low tone, it was evident that she was angry.
"Maa... eto" Keigo always had feared Yuki when he hears his cousin's 'I dare you get out of making yourself clear because I'm pissed' mode of voice. He began story-telling the yesterday's 'mix up'.
Flashbacks
Keigo just got out of the shower from the day's practice. He was not quite confident about winning their second city tournament as he took his and his coach's decided line-up and read it again.
D2 – Oshitari & Mukahi
D1 – Wakashi & Ootori
S3 – Shishido
S2 – Akutagawa
S1 – Atobe
Of course, it's too early to bring Kabaji out. And their coach had retorted to Atobe when he first decided to put Yukiko on the S3 slot. He searched for the other paper (the officials gave each team one extra registration paper, just in case), where his cousin was out as S3 and sighed to himself. It's because of your stubbornness Yuki-chan.
It was his cousin's decision not to practice with the team because she had experienced being a freelance national 2nd ranked player for the 20 and under bracket all-girls' Japan tournament. She was afraid that they'll notice her moves, even though Atobe assured her that his team only watched the matches that have something to do with them (aka all-boys). She argued back that Oshitari might recognize her, because of his love for legs, as she was informed. Atobe ended the argument after her last statement.
He smirked evilly and absentmindedly signed his name on the 'other' paper, which had a certain someone's cousin's name and then he threw the paper signed by his coach.
(next day)The 15 minutes after Yuki left...
"Arn, suminai Sakaki-kantoku" a faux distressed Atobe said, "I seem to have lost the paper you signed."
Sakaki could only look curiously at his buchou, surely he won't? he started thinking worriedly, "What would be the new proposition then, Keigo-san?"
"Arya," the diva handed his coach the paper, unsigned by the kantoku.
D2 – Oshitari & Mukahi
D1 – Wakashi & Ootori
S3 – Imonoyama
S2 – Shishido
S1 – Atobe
"How could we register him when he just left then?" Sakaki asked, curious about what Atobe will do.
"Since our match will be held after lunch, there will be plenty of time to sign Yuki in." Atobe smirked.
End Flashback
"And so, we have to sign you up now, Yuki-chan." Atobe said and coerced Yuki towards the registration area, but not before getting permission from Sakaki. Sakaki could only get an aspirin from their first aid box.
A few moments later found the doubles one and two warming up, whilst waiting for the official announcements. Meanwhile, in a corner, Yuki and his cousin were chatting about Yuki's debut, while having a target practice on a wall. No one would've recognized the panicky voice, afraid of being found out, because it seemed that the other Tennis Club members already pursued their announced play field..
"What if I accidentally let out my drop? Or my serve? Or my return? What if somebody realizes about me being a-" Yuki said, while angling each Atobe-hit ball towards the wall that already had a noticeable spot on it.
"Relax," Atobe began, hitting a ball towards Yuki's hit line, "Just go with your other playstyle and you'll be fine, otherwise, just don't humiliate me!" he finished and backhanded a ball.
"Humiliate in what terms?" Yuki asked, hitting the ball with more power, "Of course, I won't lose, if that's what you mean... what do you expect from me, anyway?"
"I expect a 30 minute game." the diva stated, as he stopped hitting.
"Fine, fine... why can't it be a 20 minute game then?" Yuki compromised, "I can't go with the Cosmic, and still with Shinsei... 30 minutes is too much." The both of them started walking towards their group's playing court by now, and were talking in almost whispers.
"30 minutes is already too much, considering that this IS your debut. They would expect that you're green. Just lose a couple of games... it won't be that hard, considering that Fudomine is an unseeded school, after all." Keigo said haughtily,
"Well, Ore-sama, I heard that Fudomine gave Seigaku a hard time. We can't underestimate that, and it's almost always better to overestimate you know." Yuki pointed out.
"Aa, I'm the one who's trying to prolong your playing time in Hyotei, Yuki. Even if Ore-sama's not the one playing, I'm still your cousin, arn." he concluded as they arrived in their station.
"Ho-e? The reserve's playing?" Shishido exclaimed, clearly confused, "How lame... don't trip on your own shortness, Yuchibi." he ended with a smirk.
Shishido made the young Imonoyama pop a vein and was about to retort when-
"Neh, Imono-kun," Yuki slightly frowned at the shortened clan name, and looked to see it was Ootori-kun, "Gambatte on your first game." ^_^
Yuki gave his teammate a nod with a smile. "Domo." (~'';)~
"Players, please go to the court." the referee ordered, both teams complied,
A certain thick-glassed ex-regular (for now,) said, "Ii data..." as he saw that the unskilled newbie regular of Hyotei go to the court with his team. The Fudomine Chugakko regulars were sizing up the Hyotei Gakuen Chuto Bu, and vise versa. Hyotei initially thought of underestimating the ONLY public school who joined the tournament, but when they scrutinized further, they can only come up with one thought and gave them a 'It won't be by a landslide, but we will defeat you.' look.
Ibu Shinji, who was in front of Imonoyama Yukito started mumbling, "... I thought I was supposed to play against a better player, not an unworthy one, but we shall test you shan't we? Oh yes we shall..."
Yuki blinked at the murmurer's words, and gave him a small smile, thinking inwardly, Who is he talking to? (o_O)
The other players from Fudomine said their own 'battle words' as well. (Per se, along the lines of "I'm getting into my rhythm..." or "Kaa, good uniforms won't do you good.") Ergo, provoking the Hyotei regulars as well into saying their own phrases. "Gekokujo, gekokujo..." - "Ikyuunyuukon" - "Motto tonde miso" - "Gekidasa Daze" and "Usu"
Yuki just stayed silent because Ibu was still talking to himself.
"Exchange your line-up!" Atobe and Fudomine's Tachibana gave the referee and each other the small papers. "Ojigi o suru!" and each member of both teams bowed, the tension already forming.
With someone... (ooh..spooky)
He was not lost, but he certainly wasn't where he was supposed to be. Asking questions led him to another court, Seishun Gakuen's court. And what he saw amazed him. When he quit tennis, he wouldn't have known that it would bloom to a sport filled with drama and passion. He began to have an idea now what Imonoyama was capable of. Shrugging, he went off after hearing the speakers declare the match between Hyotei and Fudomine starting.