Those with pitchforks, torches, and whatever weapons you would like to kill me with, I would like to speak first.
I won't really state my reasons for my inactivity since it will take a couple of millenniums to finish stating them all. But you know, the main one is still school.
I fell sick when doing this chapter, so it got dragged on for a few extra days. Hate the flu bug :( Hontou ni gomenasai! TT_TT
Ohoh! And try viewing the page in 3/4 why don't you? Its right over there at the top right hand corner and trust me, the formatting looks SO much better this way.
Disclaimer: I killed my Yukimura wig. What a terrible crime *sniffs*
Warnings: Carried over, some crack, yaoi, OOCness if you see it that way, Hanako being herself XD, oh and throw in Akaya and Marui…add more if you deem fit.
That silver hair.
Those mischievous teal eyes.
That tennis-toned body.
Yet, he no longer had the mysterious air of an experienced trickster. Perhaps time had slowly pulled him back in line, calmed that rebellious streak the teenage him had been so infamous for. Or, it could just be another clever trick or illusion, by the one and only Trickster of the courts. Little had changed about Niou. His face had grown a tad longer- his hair too, if that rattail was anything to go by. Otherwise, there did not seem to be much of a difference.
"Konnichiwa…minna."
This could not be real. There were few things that could render Yanagi Renji speechless, and this was one of them. All logic about the subject has just dispersed into thin air, like water droplets from a spray. But then again, nothing made sense from the start. From the point Niou's drawl came out of Hanako's mouth till the present frozen time, where the man himself stood tall and proud in front of them…almost as if he never left.
"Niou? You're Niou…right?" Jackal asked, wide-eyed.
The silverette gave a bored look, choosing to lean casually on a nearby tree trunk.
"No…I'm Marilyn Monroe…" he muttered, ironically loud enough for all to hear. Sarcasm dripped from those words.
Meanwhile, Yukimura had been rendered speechless as well. But he did not react like he did with Hanako. Instead, he chose to take in the unbelievable sight of who had been lost and then returned…of what could possibly be the ultimate illusion, specially designed to attack him where he was weakest and then disappear into thin air.
"Haru…"
The bluenette reached out a hand to stroke the side of Niou's face as he stepped closer, feeling the warm flesh, the smoothness of that obviously living body.
So everything was real. He was not dreaming. Yukimura had always known in his heart that Niou never truly died, and yet, to have the proof of that set so blatantly right before his eyes…it still felt difficult to accept.
"I see even boys have their disbelieving moments."
All heads looked up to where Hanako was sitting on a branch of one of the taller trees. She smiled amusedly as she hopped down, beckoning for the others to follow her back to the pond. Yagyuu stayed nearly frozen, as the silverette slowly stepped across to the front of him, reaching out to touch the megane's face, trailing his fingers down the other's cheek, chin, then down the neck and collarbone. Yagyuu pulled him only too eagerly into a tight hug, then planted a chaste kiss onto his meant no offence, but the giddy smile and the tiny blush that followed looked way better on Niou than Hanako.
"Hanako."
Said woman looked up from the koi pond that she had been dangling her legs in, in a very undignified manner. She smiled at the speaker.
"Yes, Masaharu?"
The two had everyone's attention. The silence was almost deafening.
"Thank you…thank you for everything!" The silverette all but blabbered out, still a tad bit uncomfortable about speaking to the opposite gender (obviously, with the experience he had gone through with one in particular). Hanako tilted her head, tossing a pebble she had been holding up in the air before catching it again.
"If any thanks should be given, it should be from me to you-" she began.
"No…"
Niou shifted his weight onto his other foot, not caring if he had interrupted.
"…if…if you hadn't been there, if you hadn't talked to me, if we never met. There would not be a now. I would not be standing here among the people I care about the most (Kirihara and Marui mock-sniffed)…You gave me what should never have been mine and what I never deserved. You gave me a second chance at the love that I had waited for for so many years. And…I know its cheesy coming from me after 11 long years but…Hanako Masahira…thank you so much. I can say it over and over again. This debt will be one I will never repay in this lifetime."
Hanako stayed silent, before standing up and tossing the pebble across the pond. It jumped across the crystal clear surface, leaving multiple ripples in its wake as they wavered and spread into nothingness, scaring little koi away.
"You are welcome, Masaharu."
xXEternallyXx
The house whirled back to life as the ex-tennis team finally awoke from their positions. Yanagi looked at the clock, then at his watch.
"5 minutes." The brunette murmured. Marui's jaw dropped.
"Only? It felt like hours in there!"
There was apparently some kind of difference in time where they had just gone and it reflected on the clock. To have pulled all 8 of them into one common space that was Hanako's mind…this woman was far from a normal person.
There was small talk for a bit and then everyone exchanged contacts.
"I won't question what happened back there with all the darkness and all, but it's still bugging me that you're staying with Yagyuu, Haru." Yukimura said, sipping his drink.
Niou rolled her eyes. Seriously, they were no longer fourteen. She had her own life she wanted to live and while she appreciated the attention, it seemed to be going overboard. There was such thing as over-protectiveness, and this was a perfect example of it.
Thankfully, Yanagi decided to save them.
"The best place for Niou to be right now is with Yagyuu. After all, it is nothing short of a hundred percent chance that the two are destined to be together." The brunette spoke.
The gang stared incredulously at Yanagi before doubling over in laughter, sans Sanada, Yagyuu and of course, the brunette himself. Marui wiped his tears off once he had calmed down.
"Seems like with our Trickster's return…our past selves are coming back."
It was very true. Some part of each of them died together with the silverette all those years ago when they saw the eyes of their teammate shut themselves, never to open again. Yukimura didn't smile all that much anymore, and even if he did, it was a painfully fake one. Sanada still slapped people, but those slaps lacked a certain inner strength that was once so characteristic of it. Yanagi spoke out his data less, and for once people actually saw him as a normal tennis player. Marui became more independent, brushing up on the subject that a certain other used to tutor him in. He also ate less sweets. Jackal just threw himself into more intense training on top of his own menu, because to him, that was the only thing he could do to continue moving forward. Akaya never thought that his school life would feel so lacking without that hot pink glitter all over his spare uniform in his locker, or that bucket on top of the club door every other day. He also did something he never thought he would do, to actually put tennis to the side a little more and bring up his grades.
Yagyuu…Yagyuu never changed. He went about his life as if nothing happened, as if Niou never went. And that was what scared the others.
Life is all about changes. Without changes, there would never be a King Rikkai that was so all-powerful. Without changes, there would never be a stronger bond, a stronger team. Yet, there were also changes that pushed those trying to move forward a few steps back, and sometimes, not merely a few steps, but a few miles.
Those few miles were enough to make anyone change in order to gain back distance. One could never walk the exact same path twice, much as they would like to. You would always deviate somehow, be it to this direction, or to that direction. Or maybe even choose a completely different path because the memories just hurt too much to remember.
In this unlikely and unpredictable event that had surprised even Yanagi, something unexpected happened too. The parts of the team's personalities that she had taken with her had been returned, and it was with those pieces that bit by bit, they found themselves again. With time, perhaps they would heal themselves, and feel whole again.
"I have to agree then." Yagyuu said, pushing up his glasses out of habit.
Past selves were often reminders of painful journeys through self-discovery, betrayal, and lies. Many if given a choice, would not want to revisit them. Then again, the ex-Rikkai regulars were not exactly normal in the first place. To tell the truth, tennis was a very sanity corroding sport.
"Speaking of the past…how has it been? Have all of you been continuing with…tennis?"
Niou retied her hair, waiting for the reply.
Even Sanada looked surprisingly guilty. But it could not be helped. The same expression was appearing on everyone's faces as well, to different extents. Niou huffed. Seriously, were they really once the reigning tennis team in the whole of Japan? No one had really gone on to pursue the sport that they all loved and shared, and their current jobs had them too tied to really work out properly.
"Well, I actually have an idea that I want to propose to everybody. It sounds crazy, but if we are willing to cooperate to do it, it will work!"
Those eyes shining bright with passion unnerved Yukimura and some others. Jackal was miraculously unaffected though.
"What's the idea?"
The silverette started to twirl her ponytail around, much like she did before. She grinned.
"I propose that we go back to our alma mater. To show the new generation what got us that championship."
That. Was. The. Most. Ridiculous idea that they had ever heard of. After so long? Not to mention how their sedentary lifestyle had taken its toll on their once admirable stamina and skill. Like a lightning bolt out of a clear blue sky on a bright sunny day, the question was unexpected. Yagyuu however, did not seem to think it so.
"It would be a good opportunity to revisit where we started out from. Tennis as part of the equation should be enough reason for us to go, no?"
Damn Yagyuu. Damn him and his damn persuasiveness.
"I agree with Yagyuu. While we may not have touched out rackets in a while…tennis is still a part of us. Why not? I'm sure the school will be happy to have this kind of event too. Something akin to exhibition matches?"
Damn Yanagi too.
"So. Since this is settled…" Niou smirked.
The table was strewn with numerous photos (the whole team still could not believe Yagyuu was the one who provided them). To think that they still carried this much blackmail value after all these years. While the commotion they might have caused diminished quite a bit, there was still a reputation the individual members had to keep. As adults, one could do without the extra baggage of remembering the embarrassing things they did during those rebellious and reckless teenage years (okay look, to Sanada's defence, he was forced into that frilly monstrosity). For them right now, it was a do-or-die situation. Or to put in nicer terms, a do or die-of-horrible-embarassment-and-humilation-that-will-follow-you-for-the-rest-of-your-life situation…hmm, not that that is any better.
"…we…have to call the school to ask or something right?"
Yukimura chuckled, folding his arms and for a moment looking once more like the captain that he once was and always will be in their hearts.
"We don't have to, Haru."
xXEternallyXx
This time, the woman blinked.
"Heh? Why not, Sei-nii?"
Yukimura knew Niou's ignorant side existed, but he didn't know it was THIS pronounced now that he was in Hanako's body. The bluenette put an elbow on Yanagi's shoulder and leaned a little on the other.
"Because, Haru. We have already got permission."
"Huh?"
This was confusing. Did they not need to ask for permission? It was a requirement for this kind of thing right? She turned to Yagyuu for an explanation, but he simply stayed silent. So did the others. The fact that Marui had on this very amused look did not help matters at all. It in fact only annoyed the silverette more. She put her hand on her hip.
"Look…is there something I don't know?"
"A ton."
Thank goodness that plastic cup was empty, else Marui would have had to clean himself up and then explain to his hairstylist the next day the reason for his destroyed hairdo. Not to mention the cup might have broken if it were made of some other material. Akaya chose to ignore his redheaded senpai (oh yeah, revenge~).
"Yagyuu-senpai…you mean you never told Niou-senpai…?"
The man in question had on an expression that was perhaps too innocent to be true.
"Told her what, Akaya-kun?"
Yukimura rolled his eyes at the drama that was unfolding before him. On one hand, one could blame Yagyuu for choosing not to tell Niou about it even though it was obviously essential knowledge. Whereas on the other hand, one could blame Niou for simply being too ignorant. So ignorant, there was a need to mention it twice. The bluenette looked to Yanagi for help.
"Niou, has Yagyuu ever told you who the current principal of the Rikkai Dai Middle School Division is?"
"…come to think of it, no…"
The sannin bakemono all fell anime-style. Yukimura got up first, staring at his godbrother(?), then shaking his head in mock sadness and disappointment. He even held a hand to his forehead for added effect, sighing.
"You mean to tell us that after working so long as a TEACHER there, you don't even know who he is?"
Marui gave the woman a I-can't-believe-you-don't-know-this-oh-yeah-check-out-my-genius look as he popped his gum (say…where did that gum come from?).
"Hm…well I know it's a guy…"
"Holy! How did you know that?"
Niou sweatdropped as she stared at the redhead pointing childishly at her.
"You…just told me."
Ah, the wonderful sound of the cricket choir.
Yagyuu shook his head at the chaos that was taking place. To think Marui still acted so childishly even though they were no longer teenagers. That guy was really lucky to have Jackal by his side to keep him in line. No one else would be able to do a better job.
"Oh I know, we should ask Yanagi!"
Of course, there was a perfect reason to headpalm right there and then. Yagyuu only wondered how he had fallen in love with this person.
"Yanagi, do you know who the principal is?"
All was silent as attention fell on the two of them. The brunette smirked, yes, SMIRKED!
"You're speaking to him right now."
The silverette blinked once, twice, and a few more times. Maybe it was because of Hanako's mind-meddling just now, but her brain was working really slow today.
"Oh…oh…OH!" So came the dramatic realization.
There was a sudden flash from a corner of the room. Yanagi immediately dropped the smirk from his face, looking at the source.
"Marui, kindly delete that."
"B-But I've never seen you smirk before! It will make awesome blackmail…"
Akaya rolled his eyes and took the camera out of his senior's hands, deleting the photo with trained expertise. He tossed back the camera to a sulking and whiney redhead, all the while smiling a smile really reminiscent of Yukimura's sadistic one.
It was also at times like this that the whole lot of them wondered what life had done to the two shortest members of the group. It made the oldest act like the youngest and the youngest act like the oldest. Oh the irony. But then again, their team was full of irony anyway, with all the clashing personalities that somehow melded together to form something called a tennis team.
"From the looks of it, it will be a fun event."
"An 88.2 percent chance that it will be, Niou."
"Why such a low percentage? You mean to tell me you're not too confident in our event succeeding, Data Master~?"
Yanagi twitched very subtly. His data being questioned this way was still something he disliked even after so long.
"The other 11.8 percent would consist of the other schools' ex-players from our generation coming to add to the fun."
Yukimura smiled and patted his friend's back.
"I've always known we could trust you, Yanagi."
"Even if you say that…the idea is still the Trickster's. I can't take much credit for this."
Sanada had not spoken much, but it was clear that he too was happy at the unfolding of all the events so far. He tapped on his lover's shoulder, whispering into the other's ear when he had gotten his attention. The bluenette seemed to be reminded of something very suddenly and immediately made his way across the room to where he had placed his bags. He picked the bigger one up and sat back down, looking as if Christmas had come early.
"Haru, please tell me you at least remembered what day it is today…"
Yukimura was almost pleading, not knowing the extent of Niou's newfound ignorance. Niou grinned.
"Of course I did! It's Sunday!"
This time, there was just silence. Akaya however, looked like he very much wanted to find a convenient piece of wall to bash his head against right there and then. Then Niou started on a light and contagious laugh.
"I'm not that forgetful, Sei-nii. It's my birthday today, isn't it?"
The grip on his bag tightened as his gaze softened.
"Yes, yes it is."
The former captain pulled out one of the canvasses, checking to make sure it was the right one before turning it around to show the others. There were awed looks and some gasps as they took in the piece of art. Beautiful could not even begin to describe it.
"…Hanako?"
Yanagi contemplated for a while before nodding in agreement to Niou's statement.
"It does indeed remind you of Hanako-san. You can see the mischief in the kitten's eyes, but only if you look closely. Otherwise, it just looks like an innocent little animal, playing around with its toy."
Yukimura and Sanada turned to regard the painting once more, sweatdropping a little when they realised what Yanagi said was pretty much true. How eerie some coincidences were. The bluenette laughed nervously before slowly slipping the painting back into the bag. He reached in and pulled a a wrapped article out, even though it was obviously a painting from the size and shape of it.
"Here."
Niou received the present a little hesitatingly, muttering a stuttered thanks, asking for permission to open it. The other nodded really eagerly and soon the wrapper was off. Sea-green eyes were wide, and she held a hand to her mouth to stifle, rather unsuccessfully, a gasp. The very same hand started smoothing over the painting, taking care not to damage any part of it. It was almost a mirror, a time capsule.
At the reaction from her, everyone including the Troika darted behind her to see the painting (not that the alpha pair had not seen it), reacting the exact same way she did.
Every bit of it was perfect. The shade of yellow that was so characteristic of the Rikkai tennis uniform. The numerous red 'R's that lined the sleeves. The Rikkai crest that was worn on the left side of the shirt with pride. Most of all, the windows to the soul that burned with undying passion.
It was the Trickster through and through. No doubt about it. The bluenette ruffled the silverette's hair, hugging her from behind, as he lay his head on her shoulder.
"Happy Birthday, Niou Masaharu."
She chuckled, then settled for staring silently at the portrait.
"Indeed…happy birthday…to me."
No one took notice of Marui as he stepped out of the living room into the doorway, looking at Niou with his sad lilac orbs. It was almost longing, that look.
xXEternallyXx
Yagyuu was fearing for his life. Yes, cuz it was hanging on a thread. And the only way to save his life was to tame the raging silver dragon.
"Hiroshi~"
Niou sat herself on his study desk and slammed it with her left hand. She smiled a sweet smile so sweet it was anything but (not to mention her eyes were closed). It was terribly unfortunate that such a big pair of sharp scissors lay within her reach at the moment.
"Why did you not tell me about Yanagi being the current school principal?"
Another slam on the tabletop.
"I…never really found a need to…"
"Hmm…I suppose so…"
The silverette nodded with her index finger and thumb on her chin. The other breathed an inner sigh of relief, for hopefully, this reason was enough to satisfy her. See? Her aura was calming down already…
She folded her arms when she was done thinking. And then she slammed the tabletop again. Yagyuu seriously pitied the poor table because he of all people knew how Niou's arm strength increased multi-fold when she was angry. To add to that, the table was new! Niou lifted her lover's chin up so he could look her in the eye.
"Yeah, as if I would accept such a ridiculous reason."
Ah. No such luck in calming down that aura.
"Since you didn't find a need to…then I suppose you don't have a need for…"
Niou plonked herself into the Gentleman's lap and help up the pair of scissors, giving it a test snip before pointing it dangerously below his belt.
"…this, right?"
Whatever being up there, whoever can help him, please…in that moment, the bespectacled man saw his life as a normal and healthy male human flash before his very eyes. He really did not want to be confined to life as a eunuch! It would hurt his pride too much.
"M-Masaharu…I believe we can talk things out…"
*SNIP*
"What things out?" The silverette asked, at least not slamming the tabletop this time.
Yagyuu exhaled outwardly this time, holding both Niou's wrists hostage while she wasn't paying attention for a split second. She cursed.
"Look, I'm really sorry. I didn't think you would get so mad. I thought it would be nice if you could have a surprise…"
The woman looked away, pouting.
"But you embarrassed me…!"
That…was a really interesting reason. Quite a good one to allow for Niou to want to strip him of his… masculinity. There…must have been some other, hidden reason that the raging dragon was so mad. Embarrassment was something the Trickster was well known for not being affected by back in the days. Why the difference now?
"Haru…" he smoothed his hand over those silvery locks.
"I-It's just…I didn't want anyone to think of me as any different, or weaker, just because I'm now in a girl's body. And then…"
No more words were exchanged as the silverette found her lips being taken over by the one and only Gentleman. The couple stayed that way until the need for oxygen overwhelmed them and they broke apart, panting and flushed.
Niou smirked, licking her lips as she had dominated in their tongue fight.
Yagyuu smirked…holding up his trophy from that kiss – that accursed pair of scissors.
The Trickster swore a little as she realized the fact that both her hands were empty and that her precious weapon aka the scissors had just landed in the dustbin. Darn, she had been outsmarted.
But…it really had been an eventful day. It was a joyous and indescribable feeling being able to reunite with the team again. Sure, the circumstances were unexpected and logic defying, but a gathering it was nonetheless. Life was looking up now, with all that, and the future just seemed so much brighter.
What more could Niou Masaharu seriously ask for?
My first update for the year 2012. I feel old…
For those who read my other fic, A Smile For Me, well I will have to apologise. No, I'm not going to discontinue it, or put it up for adoption, but it will be on hold for now. I realise that with my school workload now, one chapter-ed story is all I can handle, together with the occasional oneshots^^
Once more, the chapter might have some changes. I tend to just write whatever comes to mind and hope readers like it XD Tell me in your reviews?
Please Review! Reviews are the air we authors breathe, the food we authors eat, the water we authors drink! Don't let us die just like that!
Comments and Constructive Criticism please? We all love the 3 Cs! XD
Thank you very much for reading, will update soon.
Posted: 12/02/2012 (dd/mm/yyyy)