A/N: Special treat for Easter. Here chapter 42. Happy Easter!

Note:

"Where are you bringing me to?": normal speaking.

"Is that all you can do?": speaking in German.

From last time…

Ryoma froze again and dropped on her knees, panting. But this time, Niou saw that her eyes didn't lose focus like the other times. It was the first time she didn't lose her focus from the moment they stepped in the court. On the other hand, she was very tired now. She was sweating and her clothes were damped. Niou reverted back to his normal appearance and walked to her.

"Niou-senpai… Mou ichido… Onegai shimasu!" Ryoma said between her pants.

Niou kneeled in front of her, shaking his head.

"No! That's enought for tonight," he said. "I understand you want to continue this, but have more consideration for your body," he said. "It's very late now. Your body needs to relax and rest. And so you do."

"Come on. We will bring you home now," Marui said, smiling.

"Hai…" Ryoma obediently said.

On the way to her house, Ryoma was so tired that she fell asleep. Marui took her on his back and gave her a piggy-ride to her house while Ootori and Niou carried her things for her.

"Where are you bringing me to, Atobe?" Sakaki-coach asked.

They were in Atobe's private Benz. Sakaki-coach just returned back from his business trip when Atobe came to meet him. Atobe wanted to show him something.

"We will be there soon," Atobe only said.

The car stopped at the entrance of the of public park. Kabaji opened the door for Atobe and Sakaki-coach. They walked in the park, Atobe leading the way. Atobe guided Sakaki-coach to a tennis court, where Sakaki-coach saw some regulars gathered. They were watching the two people inside the court, Niou and Ryoma. But what surprised Sakaki-coach was Niou, disguised as one of the German players.

"During the whole week, everyday, Echizen has been practicing with Niou very early in the morning before school, and until very late at night after school," Atobe said.

Inside the court.

Wolfang-Niou marked a point.

"Hahahahaha! Is that all you can do, weakling? You are dead now! Hahahahaha!" Wolfang-Niou laughed maniacally, sending cold shivers down Ryoma's spine.

Ryoma bite her lips because of the stab of fear in her heart.

"Arrrrrrrrrgggggggggggh!" Ryoma growled. She refused to give up. She picked up a ball and served. " Hiyaaaaaaaaaah!"

Outside the court.

The gathered regulars watched them played.

"She made a lot of progresses. She no longer freezes like at the begining fo the week," Inui said.

"But she is still scared each time Wolfang-Niou grinned like a wolf," Shishido said. Kirihara gripped harder the railing of the tennis court. He knew he must not run inside and stopped Ryoma.

Back to Sakaki-coach and Atobe.

"Echizen knows very well that she is no longer a regular, yet she still continues to practice very hard every day, even harder than all of us put together. She is not doing this for her, but only for Tezuka," Atobe said.

Sakaki-coach saw Tezuka and Yukimura standing under a three, retreated from the others.

Yukimura and Tezuka were watching Ryoma. Yukimura smiled.

"You have such an adorable kouhai, Tezuka," Yukimura said. "She works so hard just for you."

Tezuka didn't say anything (but he had a tiny, tiny, tiny smile on the corner of his lips).

"Echizen refuses the idea that Tezuka will be dropped out because of her," Atobe continued. "Sakaki-coach, can you reconsider your decision about Tezuka?"

"Atobe, are you aware of what you're asking me?" Sakaki-coach said.

"Yes, I am aware. I'm also showing a weakness, like Tezuka did," Atobe answered. "However, Sakaki-coach, I believe that showing support for a person who deserves it isn't a weakness."

Sakaki-coach didn't say anything. He watched Ryoma and Tezuka a last time. After a second, without saying a word, he turned on his heels and left.

The next day.

People were cheering for Ryoma and Sanada. It was a match between Ryoma and Sanada. Without explaining why, Sakaki-coach had called for a match between them. But for whatever reason it was, Ryoma would give everything she had in this last match, which was likely her last one in Seiyou tennis club. She played all her might against Sanada. And Rikkaida's Emperor wasn't holding back either. She gave everything she had. For everyone. For all the regulars who took so good care of her since she stepped in the tennis club. And for Tezuka.

"Hiyaaaaaah!" Ryoma served.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Sanada responded.

'To think that she actually corned me to use my to use my Invisible Serve,' Sanada thought.

Sanada never used any of his techniques unless he needed to do it. But if he didn't use his Invisible Swing, he wouldn't be able to take the three first games against her. The Invisible Swing was made so the opponent couldn't see the path of the ball, thus not be able to return it. But Ryoma's eyes got used to the speed of the ball because of her incredible sense of observation, which was the same as Kikumaru Eiji. However, watching his Invisible Swing tired her eyes. To reply back to his Invisible Swing, she closed her eyes and used only her ears to heard the sound of the ball. She won the next games. Sanada had no choice to unveil his Invisible Serve, which was faster than his Invisible Swing. Ryoma was driven in pinch.

'Echizen, you are truely a talented player. Even against me, you were able to go this far,' Sanada thought. 'I highly respect you for your talent and your hard work. For these reasons, I will play seriously against you!'

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Sanada marked.

"5-3. Sanada," the referee called.

Ryoma clenched her teeth. This time, she was seriously driven in pinch. Only one point for Sanada and it would be her lose. It had been only thirty minutes that they played, but Ryoma already felt her body exhausted. Because she hit too many Cyclone Smashes in row, her muscles were sore now. But it was the only way she found to counter Sanada's Invisible Swing. She had been too reckless. But now that Sanada used his Invisible Serve, she no longer know how to face it. Panic was starting to take hold of her.

Sanada served. He marked.

"15-love."

'At this rate, I will lose,' Ryoma thought. 'I have to find a way!'

Ba-bump… Her heart beat, resonating strongly in her chest.

"30-love. Sanada."

'I won't let him win!' A cold sweat ran down her neck.

Ba-bump…! Ba-bump…! Her heart echoed again.

Ryoma returned Sanada's ball.

'I must win this game!' She clenched her teeth.

Ba-bump!

"40-love."

Only one ball left to decide either her lose or Sanada's victory.

'It's not true that everything will end here!'

Sanada hit.

Ba-bump! Ba-bump!

'I must win this game!'

Send back.

Ba-bummmm…

'For Tezuka-buchou, I must…'

Ba-bump! Ba-bump! Ba-bump!

Hit. Return. Hit.

'And for me!'

BUMP!

'Ah…!' Ryoma's heart stop beating, her mind blanked.

Silence.

'. . .'

She lose consciousness.

"7-5. Game and match! Echizen Ryoma!" the referee called.

Ryoma snapped. She woke up, her consciousness back.

"?"

Every thing was silence around her. They all looked at her, speechless.

'Huh? What happened?' she wondered, blinking.

She looked to the right, then to the left. She was still on the tennis court. It was normal, right? Since she was playing a game. But what was strange, everyone was watching her, no one making a sound. And they were gasping like fish out of the water.

"Huh? What? What?" Ryoma spoke, turning her head right to left.

She saw Sanada looking straight at her, eyes wide. He wasn't in a defense nor in attack mode.

'But what about the game?' Ryoma wondered.

As for Sanada, he couldn't believe it what happened. He lose. It was the first time that he lost. And he lost to a female freshman.

'She… She…' Sanada thought. 'She unlocks…'

Ryoma blinked again, staring strangely at Sanada.

"Sanada-senpai, why do you stop playing? What happened? What about the game?" she asked.

"Ochibi-chan, you're finally back to normal," Kikumaru said, his hands on his hips. "The game is already over."

"Huh? What? The game is finished? But how?" Ryoma repeated. They stared blankly at her.

"She wasn't aware of it," Oshitari said.

Yukimura stood up from his bench. He uncrossed his arms and walked to her. He stopped in front of her, frowning. He looked down on her.

"Yukimura-senpai?"

Yukimura bend down and looked in her eyes, still not saying anything.

"Huh? Yukimura-senpai? What is it?"

Ryome frowned, but didn't avert her eyes away from Yukimura's. Maybe interrogation marks popped around her head. After many minutes of silence, Yukimura slowly straightened up.

"You reach it, Echizen-chan," Yukimura calmly said.

"Huh? What?" More interrogation marks appeared.

"Mu… Mu…" Sanada stuttered.

"Mu… Muga no… Kyouchi…" Sakaki-coach too stuttered, his orbs trembling.

"She… She unlocks… Muga no… Kyouchi… door…" Sanada said.

"Eh? Mugi what? What's that?" Ryoma asked.

"Not Mugi. Muga no Kyouchi, Echizen-chan. Muga no Kyouchi, the state of Self Actualization," Yukimura said. "You reach it, Echizen-chan. You open the door of Muga no Kyouchi," Yukimura simply said.

"Hah?" Ryoma really didn't understand anything.

"It looks like she was unconscious when she open the door of Muga no Kyouchi," Inui said, scribbling in his notebook.

"Ah!" But something was still present in Ryoma's mind. "The game! What about the game? Who wins?"

". . ." No one answered her. 'She won but didn't realize it,' they thought.

"She was unconscious," Yanagi stated, confirming Inui.

Ryoma was standing in front of Sakaki-coach. Sakaki-coach, arms crossed, looked down on her. Everybody watched the in silence. No one made a sound. The atmosphere was very tense and heavy.

"Sakaki-coach, I know I'm no longer a regular and I'm fine with that," Ryoma said. "But can you please let Tezuka-buchou continue to be buchou, please?" She looked up at him with pleading eyes.

Sakaki-coach looked sternly down at her. Everyone became very anxious. Sakaki-coach still kept silence, not saying anything. Ryoma charged again.

"The condition you stated was that I become stronger, right? I am stronger now compare to before the training camp. Thus, I fill the condition. So, can you not drop Tezuka-buchou, please?"

Sakaki-coach still kept silence, not moving a muscle. Ryoma was panicking now. It seemed to her that Sakaki-coach wouldn't change his mind.

"Sakaki-coach, Tezuka-buchou is a very good captain. Everyone knows it! Rikkaidai's and Hiyotei's people too know it! And you too, you certainly know it more than everybody! You know how much Seigaku became stronger with Tezuka-buchou leading the team! Not only he is a good captain, but he is also a good team mate! Under Tezuka-buchou, me too, I got stronger even if I'm far as strong as everyone! Tezuka-buchou…"

While Ryoma continued to argue for Tezuka, the other boys watched her, in shock.

"Ochibi-chan…" Kikumaru said, his sad eyes fixed on Ryoma.

"It's the first time I see Ryoma talking so long and so much…" Yuuta said. "And so desperately too…"

"Me too, it's the first time for me…" Marui said. "Usually, she never say more two sentences aligned one after the other… And usually, her sentences are short. Nothing long like this…"

"She is so desperated…" Ootori said. "She should be arguing to defend herself in this situation. Not for Tezuka! But I feel all moved by her devotion for Tezuka!"

'Ryoma-chan…' Fuji watched her. Seeing her be like this disturbed his heart. He tensed himself so he won't run to her.

"Even knowing that she was dropped, she still wanted to save Tezuka. She sincerely didn't want him to be punished because of her. She lowed her pride and asked my help. And she even came to confront her fear face to face. Just for Tezuka. That was the reason why was I accepted to train her every morning and every night," Niou said.

"Tezuka sure has a very good underline. If I were a captain and Echizen-chan as my team mate, I would feel very proud and happy to have her in my team," Shishido said.

"Every captain would feel the same thing if they have such a caring kouhai," Gakuto said.

"To tell the truth, I feel jealous of Tezuka," Atobe said. "He can bring his kouhai to care and to worship him to this point."

". . ." Kabaji didn't say anything.

Meanwhile, Ryoma didn't stop talking, arguing solely for Tezuka.

"Sakaki-coach, you also aim for Seiyou's third victory of the National, right?" Ryoma said. "You must be! With Tezuka-buchou, you will have the third National! He is the pillar of Seiyou right?"

"Echizen, that's enough," Tezuka said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "What is done is done. I don't have any regret-…!"

Ryoma cut him.

"No, Tezuka-buchou! I cannot let you be punished because of me!" Ryoma shouted.

"Echizen…" Tezuka trailed.

Ryoma turned her attention back to Sakaki-coach.

"Sakaki-coach, I know I am still weak to you. I understand your reason for dropping me. But you cannot do that to Tezuka-buchou! He doesn't deserve it! Please, Sakaki-coach, please don't punish Tezuka-buchou because of me! Please, let Tezuka-buchou be continue to be Tezuka-buchou! I will do whatever you want! I will-…!"

"Echizen, what makes you think that you are dropped from the regulars?" Sakaki-coach cut her infinite arguing speech for Tezuka. She would likely continue like this if he didn't say anything.

"Eh?" everybody said, including Ryoma.

Everyone was confused. What did Sakaki-coach mean? Ryoma was dropped from the regulars, and everyone knew it. But Sakaki-coach's last line confused them. No one understood anything.

"Wha-what do you mean…?" Ryoma asked, unsure.

"Indeed, you only had three day to prove yourself to me, but I left the training camp on the second day. I couldn't make a final decision with one day missed. It was true that when I returned for the third day of observation, you didn't fulfill what I wanted from you. As a matter of fact, I had decided to drop you out from the regulars on that day. However, something else happened, something which was beyond my expectations."

Flashback

Sakaki-coach watched Kirihara, sat on Ryoma's bed, at her feet. Kirihara looked at Ryoma with a worried expression on his face. Yukimura came to him put a hand on his shoulder. Kirihara looked up to him.

"Buchou…" Kirihara trailed sadly. Yukimura smiled to him.

"She will recover soon. May-san said so. Don't worry," Yukimura said. Kirihara didn't respond black, but turned his eyes to Ryoma again. Yukimura's eyes softened.

'He changed a lot,' Yukimura thought. He looked at Ryoma too. 'Kirihara must be thinking 'If I didn't fell sick and spread it to everybody, then she wouldn't be sick too.''

'Kirihara, who never cares about anyone who was sick or hurt, is worried about her. This is a first time,' Sakaki-coach thought.

End flashback

"A strong team doesn't depend only on very skilled and talented players, but also on the bond between its members," Sakaki-coach said. "I don't know how you did it, but it seems that thanks to you, they learned to care for each other and make their bond be stronger. Even Atobe came to me to argue in your favor."

". . ." Ryoma didn't say anything. She let him continued.

"It is true that you became stronger and you are not scare to face your own fear, but you took more than three days. Exceptionally, I will overlook it this time…"

Ryoma's heart skipped, in hope and in fear. Did Sakaki-coach mean that she…?

"You may stay in the team as a regular," Sakaki-coach finished.

Ryoma's heart skipped again, but from joy this time. But, she was still not sure that she heard the right thing. Maybe she was dreaming! She would ask him again to be sure.

"For… For re-…! Gaggggg!" Ryoma got cut because of three heavy weights piled up on her back.

"FOR REAL!" Kirihara, Ootori and Kikumaru shouted, stealing her line. They were the one piled up on her back.

"Aaaaaaaaaah!" Ryoma stumbled on the ground because of the heavy boys on her small little body.

"That's so cool, Ochibi-chan!" Kikumaru squealed and caught her in his arms, suffocating her in his death-glomp.

"Oupffffffff!" Ryoma turned white.

"You're staying! You're staying!" Kirihara chanted, choking her in his arms too.

"Ommmmmph!" She turned blue.

"You did it, Echizen!" Ootori rudely hit her back.

"Ouuutch!" Ryoma yelped.

Marui and Niou crouched down in front of Ryoma, who was completely squished by Kikumaru and Kirihara. They smiled at her. Niou patted her head.

"You did a good job, Echizen-chan," Niou said.

"I'll treat what you want after school!" Marui told.

"Arigatou, senpai-tachi!" Ryoma said, smiling too. "Ugggggggh!" Kirihara tightened his hold on her out of excitement.

"Hey! I wanna a treat too!" Kirihara said.

"Me too! Me too!" Kikumaru added.

"Hey! I don't want to be left alone!" Ootori said.

"Hey! Can I join in too?" Momoshiro asked.

"No, you won't! I'm not inviting you! You guys didn't do anything, so you don't deserve anything!" Marui said.

"Hey! No fair!" Kirihara, Kikumaru, Ootori and Momoshiro protested.

Everyone looked at the four of them, laughing. They felt very happy for Ryoma. It was a very good thing that she was still their favorite female kouhai regular. However, Ryoma wasn't thinking about her staying a regular or not. Something more important hold her attention.

"Tezuka-buchou… And Tezuka-buchou…?" she said, looking up to Sakaki-coach through the gap between Kikumaru's and Kirihara's arms.

Sakaki-coach nodded.

"Tezuka is still Seigaku's buchou," Sakaki-coach said.

Ryoma grew a smile, a wide shinning smile. Now, she had a good reason to be happy.

"Arigatou, Sakaki-coach!" she beamed.

'She worried more about Tezuka than about herself,' Sakaki-coach thought. He looked at Tezuka, who was smiling a little bit as he watched Ryoma. 'You are sure an exceptional buchou, Tezuka. In such a short time, you made your kouhai hold such a fervent worship for you.'

Tezuka walked to Ryoma. She untangled herself from Kikumrau's and Kirihara's glomp and stood up in front of him.

"Tezuka-buchou…"

Tezuka looked down on her.

"You did very well, Echizen," he said.

"Arigatou, buchou!" she beamed.

Tezuka's lips graced a tiny smiled, but which was perceptible to everyone. Everybody became shock.

'He smiles! That guy can smile! No way! I must be dreaming!' They looked more closely to Tezuka. It WAS a smile. 'Ah! He is really smiling! I'm not dreaming!' Silence. '…I need to see a psy after this!'

But they hadn't finished to be surprised. This time, it was from Ryoma.

"Buchou!" she happily said. Tezuka-buchou praised her! He praised her! Ryoma felt wonderfully happy. And Hop! She hugged him, her arms around his waist. "Buchou!"

"Ah!/Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Everybody exclaimed out of shock, including Tezuka.

But two people weren't exclaiming from surprise. Niou and Marui hastily pulled Ryoma away from Tezuka. Niou covered her eyes with his two hand while Marui covered her ears.

"Ah? Hey! What are you doing? Let me go!" Ryoma protested, fighting to be released.

"No!" Niou and Marui only said. There was thing that she shouldn't see.

What?

This! Kirihara and Ootori.

Kirihara and Ootori stood in front of Tezuka, forming a wall between him and Ryoma. They grew into giants, red flames from Hell dancing around them. They looked down on the tiny Tezuka with red eyes, which were shooting laser beam.

"Te-zu-kaaaaa…" they trailed his name. "Why you… you… you… you old pervert! Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!"

Tezuka sweat dropped, froze in front of the raging boys. Everybody knew very well that Ryoma only hugged him because she was simply happy. But… But… But… But Tezuka… Tezuka was… an OLD man for god's sake!

"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!" Kirihara and Ootori menacingly growled louder.

Sanada, Yagyuu and Ooishi sighed while Yuuta rubbed his forehead. Oshitari was amused and Yukimura was chuckling.

Yukimura smiled, looking at Ryoma. Then, he looked at Sakaki-coach.

"Sakaki-coach, you never had the intention to drop Echizen-chan," Yukimura simply said, smiling.

Sakaki-coach didn't say anything for a moment. Then, he turned to Yukimura, his face confirming Yukimura's statement.

"Yukimura, you are still very good at reading people," Sakaki-coach admitted.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!" everybody exclaimed, gasping.

"Huhuhuhuhu!" Yukimura chuckled.

"Then why did he…?" Ooishi asked.

"Do you understand now, Tezuka?" Sakaki-coach said. "A weakness is what it takes for someone to evolve and to become stronger. Echizen, who has a pride and who is usually independent, she learn to rely on her team mates to help her recovering from her weakness. She admitted that she had a weakness and she came to Niou to ask him his help. Admitting that one has a weakness is the first step to become stronger. And she grew stronger. Tezuka, you should take her example. Right now, your elbow is your weakness, but you haven't admit it to yourself yet. But if you don't take care of your elbow now, your injury would get worse and worse. Stop burdening yourself with your responsibility because of your injury and learn to rely yourself on other people. Before you are a buchou, you are also a team mate for your team and a human. Take Echizen's example as a lesson and go to treat your elbow now. Even if you are not here to watch over your team, Yukimura and Atobe are here. They will help you. And Ooishi is here too. He will look over your team mates for you. Leave now to treat your elbow and come back with it recovered for the National Championship."

No one said anything anymore. And Tezuka was the most speechless one.

Flashback

During the meeting at the training camp when Ryoma learn who were the German against who they would play.

'You did well Echizen, but…' Sakaki-coach thought. He turned his eyes on Tezuka. '…but did you realized it, Tezuka?'

"So…" Momoshiro said.

"…does it mean…" Kikumaru said.

"… that Sakaki-coach…" Ooishi said.

"Sakaki-coach never had the intention to drop Echizen, but he only wanted to teach to Tezuka a valuable lesson through Echizen," Inui said.

They gathered themselves around Ryoma, congratulating her.

Sakaki-coach watched them.

'She really bonded them together,' he thought. He turned his eyes to Ryoma.'But to think that someone as young as her opens Muga no Kyouchi door… How far can she go in the future?'

"Echizen-chan!" Yukimura shouted in panic. Ryoma fell in his arms, not moving.

"Aaaaaah! Echizen!"

"Ochibiiiiiii!"

"Echizen!"

"Echizen!"

"Someone call the ambulance!"

"It's not neccessary," Sanada stopped the panic.

"Huh?"

"She's only sleeping," Sanada said, pointing to Ryoma.

They all looked at her.

"Zzzz… Zzzzz… Zzzzz…"

Yukimura chuckled.

"Ah…" the boys said, dumbfounded.

"It must Muga no Kyouchi after effects. While Muga no Kyouchi drives out exceptional potentials, it also consummes a lot of energy. She must be exhausted," Yanagi said.

"And to think that I decided to reward her a treat," Marui said, smiling as he watched her sleeping face. "My invitation is waste."

"But knowing her, I don't think that she will forget about it, Marui," Niou said.

Yukimura chuckled again.

"We should bring her home so she can rest," he said.

"Kabaji," Atobe called.

"Usu!"

Kabaji walked to Yukimura. He took Ryoma from Yukimura's arms and brought her to the car.

"We should go too," Yukimura said to Tezuka. "We owe her parents some explanations."

"Ah," Tezuka answered.

Behind, Fuji watched them left with Atobe.

'I felt ridiculous,' he thought.

When Ryoma hugged Tezuka, Fuji almost jumped to separate them if Niou and Marui didn't do it. Fuji had felt jealous. Jealous! He felt jealous of Tezuka Kunimitsu! That never happened before. He knew Ryoma's hugging was only from an innocent happiness, but still…

'I need to cool down… From now on, I must be careful when I'm around her…'