Momo: Why is Echizen so close with Ibu?!
Kaidou: Isn't it obvious, baka?
Momo: What'd you call me?!
Kaidou: You heard me.
Momo: You want to start a fight?!
Yoruko: Whoa! You want to start a fight, you can leave.
Shusuke: Indeed. It would be rude to wreck someone else's home when they're kind enough to let us stay here.
Yoruko: Eiji, the disclaimer, please.
Eiji: Yoruko-chan doesn't own Prince of Tennis or Inuyasha, nya.
Chapter Three: The First Day of Practice
Kagome made her way home. When they were at the street she and Ryoma lived on, she had parted ways with them. Finally at her door, she entered the house and made her way up to her room. Once there, she noticed that she had an e-mail. She checked it. It was from Ryoga.
It read: Kagome, how are you doing? Mom's almost done here in California, and then she can transfer to Japan for good. How's Chibisuke doing? She's not causing you any trouble, is she? Speaking of which, no one's giving you or her a hard time, are they? They're dead if they are. I can't wait to get back to Japan- I miss you. Things just aren't as fun without you or Ryoma around. Though don't tell Ryoma that I said that about her. As soon as I'm back, we're spending the day together- just you and me. Okay?
Forever Yours, Ryoga
Kagome giggled. That was just like Ryoga. He was a little arrogant sometimes and tended to tease or aggravate Ryoma a little too much, but she loved him anyway. Besides, he had been a big help when she was upset or stressed out over Inuyasha or something else that had to do with the Feudal Era. Kagome still had a hard time believing that it had only taken around two years to gather the whole jewel and kill Naraku. Now there was a memory and a half. Apparently, everyone had been under the impression that she had feelings for Inuyasha. Yeah, right. As if. She could never bring herself to see him as more than a family member of some sort- a brother or cousin. It helped that at the time she had already had feelings for Ryoga. Kagome still had a hard time believing that Ryoma of all people had a hand in her and Ryoga finally becoming a couple. Snapping out of her thoughts, Kagome typed out a reply.
Ryoma and I are both just fine. And no, no one's giving us a hard time. Just the average sort of teasing that happens between friends. You and Rinko-san are coming back to Japan for good soon? That's good. I miss you, too. And as for the day together, I can't wait. It's been far too long since I've seen you.
Love, Kagome
That done, Kagome lied down sideways on her bed, legs hanging over the side. Shinji was a nice boy. He was usually polite, and he bantered with Ryoma but it never really meant anything. He was also a mumbler and often mumbled about this in that under his breath or sometimes he just ranted, but Ryoma didn't mind. He wasn't rude, arrogant, a prick, a wannabe, or simply loud and annoying. They had common interests. Their tennis matches were always enjoyable, apparently. And best yet- apparently, he had been very upset that she got hurt in their first match and had felt guilty, showing that he was caring. When Tachibana had graduated Jr. High, he had named Shinji captain. He had done well, apparently. It was only too obvious that Shusuke-kun and all of the other regulars cared a lot about Ryoma-chan. It was cute. Kagome could tell that had Shinji not been in the picture Ryoma would probably ended up with Shusuke, Eiji, or both. As it was, that wasn't the case... Though it seemed like said pair of boys liked each other and seemed to be in a relationship anyways. Kagome smiled. Things would definitely get interesting around here. Especially if Ryoma was the interesting freshman her classmate from her old school mentioned when talking about tennis rivals.
'Moving back to Japan is definitely the best thing that happened to Ryoma.' Kagome thought as she fell asleep, 'This should be an interesting school year.'
The next day
Ryoma was walking to school with Kagome. There was a comfortable silence between them. Which Ryoma appreciated, as she was usually a quiet person and also tended to be in a bad mood in the mornings. Plus, there was another reason for Ryoma to like the silence: it gave time to think uninterrupted. Her mind wandered back to last night. Just as the three of them had arrived at the street she lived on, Kagome parted ways, saying that her house was just across the street. Meaning, of course, that Ryoma and Shinji had been alone. Che. She probably did that deliberately. Not that Ryoma cared much… though she did appreciate it… In fact, she had made plans with Shinji to check out a new electronics shop Saturday at the mall… and get lunch while they're out. She'd have to try to keep it from her senpai-tachi. They tend to have a habit of either stalking her when they want to know what she's up to or they think she has a date or ruining her plans. Finally, she arrived at the school's tennis courts.
"Ochibi-chan! You're finally here! What took you so long?!" Eiji said as he glomped Ryoma.
"..." Ryoma didn't reply.
"I bet Echizen just had trouble waking up again." said Momo.
"There is a 70% chance that that is the case." said Inui.
"Eiji, let go of Echizen-chan! She needs to get dressed!" said Oishi.
"Oops! Sorry, Ochibi!" Eiji said as he let go of Ryoma.
"...It's all right, Eiji-senpai." said Ryoma.
"Let's go, Ryoma. The girl's lockers are this way." said Kagome.
"Hai." Ryoma answered.
"Kagome-chan, what are you doing here?" asked Eiji.
"Simple: I'm your new assistant coach and training manager." Kagome answered.
"Ii data."
"Really? I hadn't heard about this." said Oishi.
Later during afternoon practice
"This is tough training!" said Kachiro, who just so happens to be Sakuno's boyfriend.
"Yeah! I'm not sure whose training is worse: Higurashi-senpai's or Inui-senpai." said Katsuo.
"Man! Why are we always running so much in training?!" whined Horio.
"Did you say something?" asked Kagome, who was suddenly standing right there next to the trio.
"Eep! N-no, Higurashi-senpai." Horio said.
Kagome smiled. "Good."
'Like Fuji-senpai…' the freshman trio all thought.
"Nee, Kage-chan, be nice. You don't want to scare them, do you?" Eiji asked.
Kagome thought about it. "Hm… it sounds like it could be fun… (Insert face-fault) But no, I don't think I do. The overall results would be amusing, but troublesome."
"It does sound like fun, doesn't it?" said Shusuke. Kagome just grinned in reply.
Eiji shuddered. 'Let's hope that the two of them never team up with Yukimura. Marui says that he's as bad as Fujiko.' he thought.
Ryoma just rolled her eyes. She knew to be weary of Kagome & Fuji-senpai if one of them was in a 'mood' or seemed to be plotting something, but she wasn't afraid of either of them in the slightest- unless she had somehow managed to get one of them angry. Which, luckily, she not only knew not to do but usually knew how to keep from getting them angry. She wondered what the result would be if they teamed up- maybe even with that one friend of Kagome's that she had told Ryoma about. She smirked at the image the idea brought up, scaring the trio and Eiji...
"What's got you like that?" Kagome asked.
Ryoma's smirk deepened. "Do you still hang out with that friend you told me about?" she asked.
Kagome raised an eyebrow. "You mean Yuki-kun? We still hang out from time to time… when he's not busy with his time. Why?"
"Do you remember the story you told me about the time you both taught fangirls that wouldn't leave Kirihara alone because they disliked how much time he was spending with their victims' affections?"
Shusuke's eyes opened slightly in interest. ''Yuki'? Kirihara? Does Ryoma mean…'
Ryoma's response had been to whisper something in her ear. Kagome's eyebrow proceeded to practically disappear into her hair before she gave off a smile that was a creepy combination between a grin and a smirk, and her eyes glinted. To say that it scared Eiji and the freshman trio- the quieter two of the three you couldn't help but feel slightly sorry for- were scared by the expression on her face was an understatement. It reminded them of Shusuke when he was coming up with one of his plots or was watching something he found particularly amusing… which could not be a good thing. And why did the name Kirihara sound familiar?
"Saa… Kagome-chan, what school did you use to go to?" Shusuke asked.
"Rikkai. Why?" Kagome said.
"So when you say 'Yuki-kun' you mean…" Eiji said.
"My friend, the captain of Rikkai's tennis team since Jr. High, Seiichi Yukimura." Kagome finished, resulting in Horio- who has a cousin from Rikkai who had told him about Yukimura- faint, and Eiji shiver.
"Saa… I wonder what happened to him?" said Shusuke.
Kagome shrugged. "Don't know. If you'll excuse me, I have to start up training." she said. Then she left them.
Training turned out to be interesting. Kagome was certainly different. She did the training right along side them. She was also gentle but firm- to the point that most freshmen, a good number of juniors, and even some seniors felt that she was either harsh or sadistic- depending on whom you asked. Tezuka was satisfied, however. He could already tell that most would improve a lot thanks to Kagome. Though it did worry him how close to and similar to Fuji she seemed to be... not that he would ever admit it. It didn't bother Tezuka much, though. He knew he could handle it. At the moment, he was just glad that Kagome was only going to be the training manager and that Takamura had quit tennis- he didn't have to worry about any regular being left out of the loop. Plus, she could motivate without Inui juice, which not only came in handy but was a relief to all- even Shusuke, who had been more wary ever since the Aozu incident from Their first school year with Ryoma. Though he had a feeling that she was the type to steal and perhaps even 'improve' said juice for use as a threat to those who manage to get on her bad side. Tezuka shook himself out of his reverie. It didn't matter. If it came down to it, he was positive that he could handle either Kagome or any situation that she caused.
"Oi! Echizen! Want to hang out this weekend?" asked Momo.
"Yada." Ryoma said.
"Why not!?" said and annoyed Momo.
"None of your business." she said.
"Oh! Do you have a date?" Momo teased.
Ryoma just rolled her eyes, though Kagome and Shusuke noticed that she was blushing lightly. "No," she said, but I do have plans, for you information."
"Come on, Ryoma! You're having dinner at my house, remember?" said Kagome.
"... Right. Let's go." Ryoma said.
They walked in silence at first. That is- until they were sure that they were out of earshot. Then Kagome spoke up.
"You have plans with Shinji-kun, do you?" teased Kagome.
Ryoma blushed. "Urusai."
"All right, all right. By the way, you don't have to worry- I'll hold up the idiot and busybody front." said Kagome.
"Thanks. They just don't know when to quit and respect a girl's privacy." said Ryoma.
Kagome giggled. "They're certainly a lively bunch." she said, "But don't worry- at least it means that they care about you."
Out of the corner of her eye, Kagome saw Ryoma give a small smile. It was true, after all. And it meant more to Ryoma than she would ever let anyone know, though Ryoga and Kagome both already knew. After all, back in America, she had not only never really ever had any friends, but had even been called the 'ice princess'. Those who bothered with Ryoma in America rarely saw Ryoma Echizen, the girl- they saw Ryoma Echizen, the beautiful and talented Princess of Tennis or Ryoma Echizen, Samurai Nanjirou's daughter. That, or they were annoying fans. Even most people here in Japan didn't see Ryoma for who she really was. It hadn't been until meeting the Seigaku Jr. High tennis regulars that Ryoma had found people who liked her for her. She didn't care too much, she was mostly a loner by nature anyways. So while the Seigaku regulars' obvious affection for Ryoma had surprised and to an extent confused her, and she found the occasional lack of privacy annoying, she found it touching at the same time. Kagome had wanted to- and nearly did- hit Nanjirou on the head when he wanted to drag Ryoma back to the US so they could be with her mother, Rinko, more. Ryoma was finally comfortable in Seigaku and had even found friends who not only saw her for her but even liked her for her, even if they found at least part of her personality annoying or aggravating.
Later, after Ryoma left
Kagome was just finished cleaning up from dinner when she heard Imaginary by Evanescence play. She took her phone out of her poket.
'Hm. I must have a text.' she thought.
And she did. It read
'Kagome-chan,
how was the first day of practice? Are you enjoying yourself at Seigaku?
Seiichi
Kagome smiled then replied.
Seichi,
It went well. And it seems like I'm actually going to enjoy myself tennis-wise. But most of the team are mada tsuyokunai. (AN:not strong yet) How are you doing?
Kagome.
Another text.
They're certainly an interesting bunch, aren't they?
Seiichi
She replied.
You can say that again. So how are you guys?
Kagome
We're all fine. We miss you, though. I can't tell you how often I've already caught Kirihara and Marui whining or Niou pouting.
Seiichi
I miss you guys too… but remind them that we can still see each other, okay?
Kagome
Of course. Any word from Ryoga?
Seiichi.
He's coming back with Rinko-san soon.
Kagome.
Saa. That's good. Maybe your moping will stop completely.
Seiichi
I never once moped.
Kagome
All right, if you say so.
Seiichi
To answer your question about the school itself… in a word, boring. There's no one worth talking to in my class, either.
Kagome
Well, just hang in there. I know you can handle it. Got to go now. Ja ne.
Seiichi
I will thanks. Ja ne.
Kagome
As Kagome closed her phone and finished her homework, little did she know how right Seiichi was about things getting more interesting, or how soon it would happen. Because Ryoga's pending arrival would be the marker of an event that would change the lives of the Seigaku tennis regulars and their lives. Or that on the other end of the phone, Seiichi Yukimura was gazing at an unsent text message wistfully before he sight and also put his phone away.
Owari
Yoruko: I've decided, since I haven't seen any votes yet, that the side pairing I asked about is going to be Momoshiro/Kamio. I would, however, like my readers' input on who I should pair Kaidou with- as long as it isn't Inui. I already have plans for Inui.
Inui:(muttering the percentages for different possibilities of who I'm pairing him with)
Momo: (currently fighting with Kaidou)
Shusuke: Saa, Yoruko-chan. What do you have planned for Tezuka-kun?
Yoruko: I was planning on Tezuka/Oishi… but I think I'll let the readers vote on whether they like that idea or they want him paired with Monkey King or Sanada instead.
Atobe: How dare you call Ore-sama Monkey-king?!
Yoruko: You talk and act like you're under the false impression that you're royalty, and most of your tennis club members and all of your fans act like monkeys. Monkey see, monkey do, and all that.
Atobe: (fuming/sulking)
Ryoma: (snickering)
Eiji: Yoruko-chan, how come so many of your pairings for this story are yaoi, nya?
Yoruko: Because I find that like most anime, there's a vast shortage of likable female characters in Prince of Tennis. Therefore it's easier to find a yaoi pairing that I like.