Wintersalad │ Disclaimer: I do not own "Prince of Tennis" or any referenced translations. │ Written: 09/12/10 │ Posted: 09/13/10 │ Last Edited: 05/04/11

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Seishun Gakuen, Teacher's Lounge

"Echizen Nanjiro…"

A lady with her streaked hair tied back in a ponytail leaned back in her chair. Gazing at a photo album, she turned the page to an old class photo.

"He could've changed Japan's tennis if only he didn't sustain that injury… The Grand Slam wouldn't have been just a dream…"

Closing the book, she sighed. Smiling with her eyes closed, she folded it upon her lap.

"Twenty-five years since he graduated and ended my headaches…

It must be fate that his child has come here to me with a whole new set of problems!"

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Genius 004: A Declaration of War

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Pock

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He ran towards her with his shit-eating grin pasted wide on his face.

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Pock

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"Horya!"

Dark green tresses glinted in the sun as his lithe figure jumped up front, blocking all the light. All she saw was a growing black form as he descended upon her, his figure all that she could see. His form all that she wanted to see.

His darkness consumed her world.

And he smashed the ball. Right next to her feet.

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So she stumbled.

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Pock

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"What are you doing, Chibisuke?"

"-zen!"

Pock

Blinking, dusty amber eyes looked up from beneath a white cap. They slowly took in the face looking down at her in confusion. What was she doing…?

"Echizen! Are you even listening to me?" Horio asked with a perplexed frown. Really! And he was doing the favor of looking out for him! Echizen shouldn't get a big head over playing evenly with that sempai when the second-year injured his ankle! What would he do if he ended up on bad terms with the second-years…?

Continuing, he looked back at the playing members on the court. "But the level sure is high here at Seigaku. The regulars aren't even here yet…"

Ryoma tuned him out and stared out at the courts. Really, was there someone like this everywhere? Shaking out the wool gathered in her mind, she gingerly got up from her seat on the ground and rolled her shoulders. That stupid old man was really into it this morning…

Walking away from the gathering first-years, the tiny freshman moved towards the entrance. It's better to stay away from that type, she mused idly. Seeing a pair of feet in front of her, she stopped and looked up to see a second-year with his nearly shoulder-length hair held back by a headband. She blinked at him.

"Are you that so-called 'Great First Year'?" he asked with a menacing look to his eyes.

Yup. Definitely best to stay away.

Shaking her head, she turned silently to point at the bunch of first-years.

"Hm? How obvious. All the first years are crowding around him. He's the only one wearing a weird shirt and jumping around," he remarked as Horio continued to loudly boast. Without another word, the second-year strode over to the group. Ryoma regarded the proceedings with a tired interest, only bothered enough to pick up relevant details about the ranking matches. So there's never been a first-year regular to be allowed in the regulars huh? The stranded first-year tilted her white cap, hiding her expression.

"Th-there they come! The regulars!"

Quickly, the youth turned to face the incoming students. There were five, each with a regular jersey on and their racket bags slung over a shoulder. The first in line looked perpetually angry, with his lips pursed and eyebrows creased. The next two were one with glasses and shortly cropped hair and one with neatly buzzed hair, leaving two strands out front, rather reminiscent of an insect's feelers. Standing close to Mr. Insect was a handsome man with curled hair and a bandage across his right cheek. As the group walked closer, the last in line appeared from behind with a smile and creased eyes.

And his calm, carefree smile placed Ryoma on an edge.

As the last of the regulars passed by, the first-year kept narrowed eyes straight forward. Behind the still figure, the young man with light hazel hair smiled just a fraction larger. He wondered at the sudden animosity he felt from the stranger he just passed by. Interesting.

As the vice-captain welcomed the new freshmen by opening up the courts until the captain arrived, the smiling regular kept the short figure in sight out of the corner of his eyes. No need to alert the tense child to his captured interest after all. Tilting his head forward to hide the sharp anticipation in his eyes with soft locks of hair, he smiled at his vice-captain and asked for a friendly game. As they proceeded to practice smashing returns to a basket, he reached out with whatever senses he could spare to keep tabs on his potential new toy. Teasing his fellow regular teammates had gotten pretty routine and dry lately.

"Fuji, your steps are too slow."

Smirking, Fuji opened his eyes slightly to glance back at the teen he knew was behind him. Knowing his practice partner would send the ball back to within his reach, he increased his speed subtly to step forward from the area the ball was sure to land in.

"Oops. That's a bit too high."

Eyes open, Fuji watched with a smile as the short figure executed the perfect timing to return the ball with pin-point accuracy, without ever lifting a foot from the spot. Maybe he planned it a little too well…? Well, as he watched toned muscles flex to make a beautiful jump in the air, he decided it didn't really matter.

"Eh, it doesn't seem that hard."

Creasing his eyes in approval, Fuji smiled with amusement at the issued challenge. Suspicious, Ryoma increased the intensity of her stare, hoping to figure out what it was about this boy that warned her senses. It was not yet to the point of glaring, as she was trying to maintain a nonchalant air, but she was definitely on guard. Mutual interest at this point was definitely acknowledged, but not mutually appreciated in the same respects.

"You punk! I was right all along!" Arai ran forward to fist the front of the bold freshman's shirt. "You're the kid that played Momoshiro!" Fuji paused in his humoring as he processed this information. So this is the child everyone was talking about. "This is no place for a first-year to be showing off!"

"What is the meaning of this on the courts?"

Everyone turned their attention to the new addition. Dressed in a regular jersey with his bag slung over his left shoulder, his slick locks danced in the light breeze as he pushed his glasses closer to his face.

"Ca-Captain!"

The now identified member of the regular tennis team glared at the two figures blocking his path. "The two of you, ten laps around the court for causing a disturbance on the courts."

"What? Wait! It's beca-"

"Twenty laps!"

"…!" Arai, staggered. "Yes captain!"

"…"

Fuji noticed with interest the bored light that entered into his new toy's eyes at the exchange before it sharpened when the child again noticed his attentions. He smiled slyly with slit eyes. Shouldn't the captain be worth taking interest in over a yet unknown club member? As the upper-classmen moved to the courts and the freshmen moved to pick up the balls, Fuji ignored the frightened glances his fellow teammates gave him as he kept his gaze on the child running around the courts with an angry Arai on his tail.

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Haha, what an amusing new toy he's found indeed!

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End Genius 004

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A/N: Some parts of Ryoma's mysteries and reasons were revealed this chapter. Can you guess who she was thinking about at the beginning of the chapter? It's really not a difficult guess:)