Blood Tennis
Summary: Back in America Ryoma gets caught up in a dangerous type of street tennis called "Blood Tennis". When his parents find out they decide to move the family to Japan to split Ryoma from that scene entirely and give him a "fresh start". Will the Seigaku tennis regulars be able to save him? Does he even want to be saved? And how can they when they don't even know Echizen Ryoma exists?
Disclaimer: If you recognize it I don't own it.
Chapter three
His curly brown hair had long ago escaped from the hair tie that had held it captive and was now flowing around him creating the illusion of wings. Narrowed blood thirsty golden orbs devoid of human conscious eye the bloody nearly unconscious being across the net like it was a prime piece of prey, he didn't even falter when his opponent managed to send the ball soaring into his right shoulder blade knocking him from his flip. The ground felt weird under his feet and his mind screamed at him to get back in the air, something he was more than willing to comply with. Studying his opponent as he sends a twist serve over the net, he could tell that if he looks anywhere near as bad as the 17 year old Health was going to- to what? Who could touch him now? The air was his domain, here he answered to no one. Here he was no one's replacement. The thought drove everything else out and soon all he could focus on was the intruder that dared to force it's presence into his territory. Everything else disappearing in a blood red fog.
After a while the ball strikes his prey in the forehead and it crumbles to the ground out cold. But that wasn't good enough. No, it would get back up any minute now and threaten his nest.
"Ha-"
What was that?
"Hawk!"
That was his name right? He thought so anyway. Hawk, Hawkeye. Yes, a much better name then the one that man had forced upon him. Still, couldn't he just stay-
"Bachou!" Only one person called him that, but the voice was too young to be his little demon. Strong arms surround him and he fights against them. Wanting to fly again but the voices are too persistent and he can't break free.
"Erzsebet calm down. Come back to me." It was the first voice he thinks, stopping his struggles as the red fog around him begins to clear and he feels the arms lift him off the ground before carrying him somewhere princess style.
18 year old Erzsebet "Hawkeye" Andor's eyes open slowly and he looks around the room he is in as his mid puts itself back together; sighing when he realizes that he is in "his room" at that house and not on the bed back at the warehouse that the others had declared his "nest". It had only been a month and yet the need to see that his teammates were OK was overwhelming. He couldn't even contact any of them really. Bat's parents had sent him to a boarding school for the disabled (As if being half blind was a disability. The Scott was better on the court then most twice their age!), the adults at the orphanage had finally found a foster family that had lasted more than two weeks with Demon, Echo's uncle had recently noticed that his nephew wasn't speaking and admitted him into a mental hospital until he did (Good luck with that the boy's been mute for five years now.), the twins had been sent to Germany to live with their older brother until things calmed down at their house, Kitten's parents had moved him to Japan with almost no warning at all, and the Puppy was still sleeping away without a care in the world unless he had finally woken up.
Hawk gets out of bed and throws on a white blouse and a knee length plaid skirt dreaming of actually dressing the part of his actual gender. Great idea, but one that wasn't going to happen anytime in the near future nor had for the past month. All of his male clothes were either at the warehouse or with Angus and he couldn't gain access to either. It didn't help that instead of looking less like her as he had gotten older he actually seemed to become more and more the spitting image of his namesake and mother. Only further adding to that man's belief that his son was actually his wife's incarnation. How the man had even come up with that idea was completely beyond Hawk's ability to comprehend.
Sometimes he couldn't help but hate that woman who had died while in labor with him.
Twisting his obnoxiously long hair up into a bun he throws his school bag over his shoulder and grabs a pair of socks before heading out the door to the kitchen. Not looking forward to another "test" from the man who couldn't decide between being his father or a ghost's husband.
- Line -
"Nauzoo, could you pick up your sister after school today?" The woman who had declared herself my "Mother" a few weeks ago asks and I grit my teeth trying not to scream at her that my name was Nezumi, Fujiwara Nezumi, NOT Nauzoo. What the hell was wrong with her? The team had never had so much trouble with my name. And with most of them having distinct accents it wasn't as if the name came naturally to them either. Well, for Neko-chan it had but that was about it. The Dog had the worst accent in the world and seemed to have an anti-Japanese ward around him yet it had taken him half this long to get it. Also, last time I checked that brat was not my sister. Of course before I could answer the guy who had decided that I didn't actually want to go back to the orphanage and was just acting out because no one had ever cared for me properly before answered for me.
"Of course he will. It's not like it's that far out of his way. Remember she gets out at 3:30. The teachers get worried when the kids aren't picked up on time." he says happily and I keep my mouth shut like a good little 14 year old foster son. Though I guess that the hundred different ways I could murder them if only I had my tennis racket would shatter the image. But, as Hawk-bachou always says, they're idiots who will probably never know you well enough to read your mind. I hope he's doing OK, last time I saw him he was walking funny again and Bat-Fukubachou was looking ready to murder someone.
Grabbing my piece of toast I place my plate in the sink before picking up my school bag and muttering goodbye to the idiots. Maybe I could get into the warehouse and grab my racket. There was no way I was actually going to school today.
"Ah, wait a minute son I'll give you a ride to school."
Damn it!
- Line -
"What are you doing?" A voice asks from behind me and I turn to see girl maybe a year or two younger than me. She had shoulder length curly brown hair that was put up into two pigtails and was wearing a dress that made her look like a doll. Still, something didn't quite fit about her but I couldn't figure out what.
"If you want to tell me of course." She says blushing, golden eyes redirecting to gaze at her feet and I realize I had been staring at her. My cheeks heat up in embarrassment and I quickly stumble out my answer awkwardly.
"Practicing tennis." Her eyes light up with curiosity and she comes closer. "Tennis? I think I've heard of that before. You hit a ball over a net and try to get the other person not to hit it back right?" Laughing I nod, "My older brother is on the middle school team. He said he would help me with my grip after school." I don't know why I feel the need to say that Donnell is probably going to tease me about it later, he always seems to know everything!
"I'm Angus Gaurdin by the way." I say, if I'm going to be teased it might as well know the name of the reason and she doesn't seem very willing to start the introductions. The girl freezes, and her body tenses, looking down at her feet.
"...Erzsebet Andor" She replies hesitantly after a while. Her voice small and she glances up looking as if she expects me to hate her for some reason. Seeming surprised when I smile and offer her the hand that wasn't holding my racket, "Nice to meet you."
Thinking about that day twelve years ago still brings a smile to my lips even if it currently brings tears to my eyes as well, I was so oblivious as a child. It had taken me nearly a month and a half before I had realized that Hawk was a boy and even then it was only because I had asked my parents why no one else seemed to like him very much. Donnell was the one who had actually answered, our parents didn't seem to know what to say.
Looking back I don't think anyone could have expected that timid six year old cross dresser to take to tennis like a bird to the sky. Even simply connecting quiet unassuming Erzsebet Andor that everyone saw at school with the blood covered Hawkeye that the team saw on the street court was hard...
"Break's over Gaurdin. Do you need help getting back to the classroom?" I sigh, shaking my head no at the aide as I stood. Knowing they are only trying to help doesn't make me feel any less annoyed with them. I don't really know why my parents decided to place me here now, I mean my eye has been MIA since that street match when I was ten, but if these people keep treating me as if I have been completely blind for only a week they're going to have to put me in a mental hospital.
Hello Everyone! I hope you liked this chapter of Blood Tennis and had a great Thanksgiving (If you celebrate it). I got a lot of questions on what was happening back in America so I decided that this chapter and the next one would go through the current lives of the rest of Ryoma's old street team. (As well as give you a bit more insight on their characters). I got a suggestion recently to have Yukimura also play Blood Tennis, what do you think? I'd also like to know if I should have Kevin ever wake up from his coma... Currently I think he should but other days I think he shouldn't. As always reviews, comments, and suggestions are welcome. Until next time...
... Bye!
