Chapter 3! Yeah! I'm proud of myself. Did you guys like the last one? *rock gets chucked at head* I know. I left you with a cliff hanger and you hate me for it but don't worry. There will be plenty more. Heh heh heh…
I do appreciate when you guys review so, make me happy and tell me what you thought. I know this isn't like a 'Hey! Look at me! I'm full of action and adventure!' type of story but it's getting there! If anyone has questions or anything, feel free to ask!
Okay, I DO NOT own Prince of Tennis, no matter how much I tell myself that I do.
Chapter 3. Enjoy!
The beeping got faster. Echizen looked at the black ball in his hand and his face was horror struck. "Momo-sempai."
"N-Nani?" Momo saw the horror on his kouhai's face.
"Doesn't this, sort of look, like… a bomb?"
Neither of them had time to react. The constant beeping stopped and was followed by a long, drawn out one, followed by an explosion.
"Saa, why not cut them some slack?" Fuji asked with a smile.
"Would you care to join them?" Tezuka adjusted his glasses. Fuji just smiled and went to warm up.
"This was the first time in a while that they were actually here when the bell rang." Taka said.
"Fsshhh… they both live closer than any of us. Why are they never here first?" Kaidou asked.
"They're just not morning people. It can't be helped." Oishi said.
"My data shows that, not only are they not morning people, but they are also lazy, incomprehensive and slower than most of the people here." Inui said reading from his notebook.
"Mou, don't blame them. They can't help it!" Kikumaru said trying to defend them. "Plus, Ochibi's brother is here. That could have something to do with it."
Tezuka sighed and rubbed his temples. He didn't like how he had to deal with this almost every day. Most of the time, it was just him instructing everyone in the morning since Ryuzaki-sensei didn't arrive until later.
"Kikumaru." Tezuka's voice was a stern as ever.
Kikumaru froze in place and slowly turned to face Tezuka. "A-Ah?"
"Go see what's taking them so long. And tell them they now have 20 laps for making us wait."
"Hai!" Kikumaru was happy to go see why Momo and Echizen were taking long. They were the next ones he had a strong bond with beside Oishi. He happily skipped out of the gate and went towards the club room.
"O-chi-bi! Mo-mo! Tezuka says you have to run even more if you don't hurry!" he half singingly shouted as he skipped towards the club room door. "Ochibi, M-" he stopped when he heard a loud boom then saw smoke come out of the club room. "Ochibi! Momo!" he ran to the club room and opened the door to a huge cloud of smoke.
"Eiji! What was that sound?" Oishi and the others came running towards him as he fanned the smoke from his face. "What's with all this smoke?"
Kikumaru turned to face him and was about to answer when he heard coughing from inside the room. He turned back to the room to see Echizen and Momo coming out, coughing and fanning the smoke from their faces.
"Echizen! Momo!" everyone rushed to them. They were slumped on the ground trying to regain their breath. "What happened? What was that explosion?" Taka was patting Momo while Fuji was helping Echizen breath properly.
Tezuka knelt in front of them. "Echizen, Momoshiro, what happened?" his voice was stern but showed more concern than it normally did.
"Phone call… box… black ball… bomb…" Momo couldn't string together a sentence.
"What do you mean?" Fuji's eyes opened at the word 'bomb'.
He got his breath back. "There was this… box in his locker and it… had a black tennis ball in it."
Echizen stifled his coughing. "I got a call on my phone. The person on the other line asked if I liked the gift they left."
"They? You don't know who it was?" Inui asked with his notebook to his face.
"Iya, I didn't recognize the number and they wouldn't tell me who it was. I kept asking who it was but they wouldn't answer then we heard a beep."
"A beep?" Taka asked.
"Ah." Momo continued the story. "There was a beep, then another and another. Pretty soon it was one right after the other then it went flat like one of those heart monitors in the hospital."
"Echizen, where you still on the phone?" Fuji asked.
"Iie, the person told me to be careful then hung up." He looked at his hand. It was full of burns and bloody.
"Echizen! Where you holding that thing when it exploded?" Oishi grabbed his hand causing him to flinch. "You could have lost your hand!"
"It actually wasn't that big of an explosion." Momo said.
"Fsshhh, how could it have been a small explosion?" Kaidou gestured to all the smoke still pouring out of the club room.
"That smoke is from smoke bombs. We heard some crackling before the explosion then smoke started coming out if it. The ball was probably filled with fireworks."
Everyone looked at them. Who could have done this? Why would someone want to attack Echizen? Sure he was a cocky first year tennis prodigy but that wouldn't give anyone a reason to go this far. Tezuka stared at Echizen who was getting his hand treated by Oishi.
"Echizen, Momoshiro, go get treated at the nurse's office. Oishi and Kawamara go with them."
Echizen didn't refuse when Tezuka told him to go to the nurses'. His hand was in immense pain. He couldn't even fold it let alone move it without pain shooting up his arm. He gladly let Oishi and Taka led him and Momo to the nurse's office. With a quick turn of the corner, they were gone.
Tezuka gave Fuji a stern look then walked off in the direction to the nurse's office. Fuji answered his look with a nod.
"Kaidou, Eiji, start to clear out the rest of this smoke." Fuji then took out his phone. "Inui, can make a list of everyone who would want to do this?"
Kaidou, Kikumaru and Inui nodded. Fuji dialed a number on his phone then told everyone else on the courts that practice was over. When questioned with what had happened, Fuji merely told them that someone was playing a prank and it didn't quiet go as they planned.
"Nya, let's do this!" Kikumaru started to walk into the club room when Kaidou stopped his. "Hm? Nani?" Kaidou pulled an extra bandana from his pocket and placed it in this hand. "What's this for?"
"Tie it around your mouth sempai. It will stop you from inhaling some of the smoke." He then took the one from his head and tied it around his mouth. Kikumaru let out a giggle. "What's so funny sempai?"
"You look like a robber from the Wild West!" Kikumaru was laughing at how much Kaidou resembled a bandit. Kaidou merely hissed and went into the club room. "Oi! Wait for me! We can pretend that we to save the princess!"
"That makes no sense sempai."
Tezuka made his way to the nurse's office. He saw Momo lying on a bed and Echizen was getting his hand wrapped in gauze by the nurse.
"Tezuka!" Oishi was watching Echizen when he saw Tezuka walk through the door and got up to greet him.
"How are they?" he asked.
"Momo only inhaled some of the smoke. She said that it would be best to let him sleep it off." Taka said rising from his seat.
"What about him?" he gestured to Echizen who was flinching at every move the nurse made.
"Well," Oishi looked back at him. "Echizen has some pretty deep cuts and first degree burns. He can barely touch anything without it hurting." Tezuka saw the nurse spray something on Echizen's hand, causing him to flinch. "She said that it will take a while for it to fully heal." Tezuka sighed.
"Okay, all done. Try not to touch anything with that hand." They heard the nurse say.
"Arigatou." Echizen thanked her and walked over to Tezuka. "Buchou."
"Echizen, stay here and rest. You are excused from afternoon practice too."
He was about to say something but he saw the look on his, Oishi's and Taka's faces. They were looks of concern, even Tezuka's. He then thought that he would be able to catch up on the sleep that he lost that night so he decided not to argue and stay in the nurse's office.
"We'll have someone come and check how you are doing later." Tezuka said as he headed out the door. "When he wakes up," he pointed to Momo, "tell him that he still has to come to practice."
Echizen smirked. "Hai."
"I hope you feel better soon Echizen." Taka said as he exited the room.
"Don't go anywhere Echizen. You need to stay here and rest." Oishi said.
"Hai." Echizen laid down on the bed next to Momo's and tried to sleep.
"Fuji-sempai."
"Hm? What is it Kaidou?"
"Shouldn't you be helping with something?" Kaidou and Kikumaru were fanning the remaining smoke out of the club room; Inui was making a list of enemies that Echizen had and Taka, Oishi and Tezuka were with Echizen.
"I am doing something." He answered as he dialed another number on his phone. Kaidou sweat dropped.
"Did you find anything?" everyone turned to see Tezuka walking towards them with Oishi and Taka following him.
"Buchou-" Kaidou was cut off.
"Nya, Tezuka look." Kikumaru held out his hands. There were a total of four smoke bombs, two firecrackers, a half of a smaller ball and a small clock. "Here. Smell this." He took the small part of the ball and gave it to Tezuka.
He took a smell and his eyes narrowed. "Gun powder?"
"I analyzed it. By mixing the right amount of gun powder and fireworks, it can make different types of explosions." Inui said reading from his notebook.
"Did you figure out who would want to do this to him?" Oishi asked.
"I've made a list of possible suspects but they wouldn't do anything like this."
Tezuka looked around in the club room. He caught sight of a charred piece of paper and read it.
"Minna, look at this." He exited the club room and showed everyone the paper.
Inui adjusted his glasses and read the note aloud. "I hope that you enjoyed my gift. I look forward to seeing you."
They all looked at the note then at each other.
"What did they mean by 'look forward to seeing you'?" Taka asked.
No one answered. They all kept staring at the note. Before anyone had a chance to do anything, the bell rang. Tezuka took the note and placed it in his pocket. "We need to keep watch over Echizen for the next few days." He said.
"Ah. At least until Atobe comes to get us." Inui added.
They all nodded. They all gathered their things and went to class.
When Tezuka, Oishi and Taka left the infirmary, Echizen tried to get to sleep. It was more difficult than usual for several different reasons; Momo wouldn't stop snoring, his hand hurt but mainly because he was dazed. He couldn't stop his shaking. He was scared. What would have happened if he or Momo got seriously injured? He was glad that Momo didn't get hurt.
He tried to lie down in a comfortable position but seeing as he usually put both hands behind his head, he couldn't so he put one hand behind and the other over his eyes and tried to fall asleep even with Momo snoring.
Little did he know, while he was sleeping, each of the regulars stopped in to see if there were any strange people with him. When it was Kikumaru's turn to visit, he heard raised voices and went in to see Momo yelling at Echizen because he threw a pillow at him to stop his snoring. Kikumaru laughed and since Momo was now awake, he took him away so that Echizen could rest. Echizen decided that even if he was excused from afternoon practice, he could still go and 'critique' the other players.
After a few more hours of on and off sleep, Echizen thanked the nurse and headed out to the courts. He passed the club room. It had a sign on the doorframe that said, 'Do Not Close Door'. As he passed it, he could still smell the lingering smell of the smoke. He walked onto the courts to see all the regulars minus Tezuka and Oishi in practice matches.
"Echizen!" Oishi ran over to him.
"Oishi-sempai." He turned to meet him.
"How are you feeling? Is your hand alright?"
"Ah. It doesn't sting as much as before."
"Echizen, why are you here?" Tezuka asked. "I said that you excused. You should be home."
Echizen look at him. Tezuka would usually yell at him the next day if he was excused and he went home instead of staying to watch everyone else practice.
"Tezuka's right Echizen. You should be at home and rest some more. You've had a traumatic day." He stopped his motherly rant for a moment and thought. "But will it be alright if we send you home by yourself? After what happened, I don't think that it would be a good idea."
"That won't be an issue Oishi." Fuji finished his match. "I've arranged for something that will get Echizen home safely." A smile crossed his lips as he heard yelling in the distance.
"What's that noise?" Oishi turned to look behind.
"…uke…ch…suke…chibi…ke…"
Echizen sweat dropped many times as he saw a figure running towards them.
"Chibisuke!" everyone stopped what they were doing and saw the figure run into the courts and tackle Echizen then pull him in a hug that put Kikumaru's to shame. "Chibisuke! Don't die! Your big brother's here for you!"
"W-What ar-e you-" Echizen's air was being cut off. "O-Ois-hi-se-mp-ai-"
"Ah! Ryoga-san, the only way he will die is lack of oxygen!" Oishi quickly turned mother hen.
After calming him down, letting Echizen breath again and Tezuka ordering everyone back to practice, they explained what had happened.
"Oh, Fuji-kun made it sound a little different on the phone." Ryoga sighed with relief.
Echizen gave Fuji a look. "What did you tell him Fuji-sempai?" Fuji just smiled.
"He said that you were caught in an explosion that nearly killed you and that you were crying for me while being treated in the nurse's office."
Both Echizen and Tezuka gave him a glare. "Fuji, 10 laps now." Tezuka commanded.
"Saa, it was worth it." Fuji smiled and started his laps. Echizen sighed.
"Anyway, seeing that it's dangerous for you to be alone, I'm going to come get you every day from now on."
Echizen deadpanned. "N-Nani?"
"And I'm sure that your friends won't leave you alone." He smiled at Tezuka and Oishi.
"O-Oi!"
"Come on Chibisuke. We'll go home and have Nanoko-chan fix you your favorite dish." Ryoga placed his arm around Echizen's head and dragged him out of the courts.
"C-Chotto! M-Matte!" Echizen was trying to get out of his grasp but it was rather difficult with only one hand.
"I'll bring your things by after practice!" Momo shouted to him.
That was how the rest of the week went by. Echizen was picked up by Momo, the regulars all took turns watching him and Ryoga came to pick him up. He didn't really mind except they followed him everywhere. They even went into the bathroom before he did to make sure that no one was waiting to ambush him. He enjoyed his time with Momo the best. They were usually together during lunch and after Echizen took some of Momo's lunch, they both went and slept on the roof.
Thankfully, the week was over. Saturday finally came and everyone met at the school at the appointed time. Echizen was very unhappy. The sun was only just now starting to come up. He was very grumpy considering that he and Ryoga had been sharing the same bed since he arrived.
"Ochibi!" Kikumaru pounced on him. "I hope that I get to share a room with you!" Echizen didn't even have enough energy to fight him off. All he wanted to do was sleep.
A little later, Atobe's bus finally arrived. It was a big, glorious charter bus with his face on the side of it. Everyone sweat dropped when it pulled up.
"Oi, what are you doing? Are you captivated by Ore-sama's dexterity?"
Haha, Atobe, you're so self-centered. This chapter isn't that much of a cliff hanger. At least no one go seriously injured in the blast.
I hope that everyone has like the first few chapters so far. Things might get a little hectic by the end of this week cuz that's when my finals are so I might skip a day or two and actually study for them.
Tell me what you thought! Thank you to all the peoples who have reviewed and faved! I love you all!
Please to forgive stupid mistakes!
See you in a little while! Bye!