I do not own Prince of Tennis :(

CHAPTER 25

Everyone was sitting around for a good 3 hours and Keigo was standing there fuming. It seems no one wanted to answer his questions about the brat. They where all having a conversation about things on sale in the supermarkets. Sei had been texting Gen and Syu telling them what Ryoma had done. Keigo had finally had enough and was about to shout out to demand what was going on when the door opened and Ryoma along with the doctor walked though.

Ryoma was holding the file with the results. He had been patient when doing it only complained a couple of times about cold hands. He even fell asleep when one of the machines where taking scans of different parts of his body. Doctor Oishi of course knew the results but promised to give nothing away. He sat on the couch next to Sei and started to get the blunettes medicine. He thought it was better to do it now than any other time. Everyone stared at Ryoma waiting to see if he would say something. Instead he went to the back of the room and sat under a small table with the file being hugged to his chest as tightly as possible.

"So Ryoma what did you find?" Shan thought he might as well try, but the answer they got was a mumble of words that no one could make out. He then brought his knees up and buried his head, so that the file was safely covered by his body. Keigo really was getting annoyed. 3 hours he spent trying to get information out of all of them and now the brat had decided to not say anything and hide.

"Ore-Sama didn't waste his time here to not know the outcome from all this. Ore-Sama demands you tell him." The boy lifted his head up and gave his best glare. Keigo though wouldn't back down. "Ore-Sama said he wants to know." Those two had started a glaring contest and the others watched. They didn't want to interfere. To them it was quite entertaining how both of them where to stubborn to back down.

"Go away Monkey King." Ryoma hissed out.

"Ore-Sama is no monkey you brat. Take that back." The boy got out from under the table and stood up still glaring and now he was trying to intimidate the other. Sadly Ryoma was still short. Hell everyone in his year was at least a couple of inches or more taller than him. Keigo grinned knowing the boy had left the folder on the floor unattended. Quickly going round the child he grabbed the file and waved it in the boys face. Ryoma just stood frozen not wanting others to see.

"Give it back." He said in his firmest voice. Shan hearing the voice stood up slowly and started walked to them. He knew Keigo will get hurt if he continued.

"Or what?" Shan ran towards them as Ryoma jumped at the other. Ryoma pulled the other to the ground and bit his hand then scratched at his arms until he realised the file. The cat was about to grab it, but instead was pulled away by Shan. The man held both Ryoma's wrist in one hand and covered the boys eyes. He leaned in and whispered into the boys ear.

"Calm down." Ryoma started to let his breathing slow down. "Are you going to tell me what you found out?" He took the hand off that was covering the boys eyes.

"I don't know." Shan gave the boy an odd look.

"What do you mean?" He had now let go of the boys wrists and the cat walked over and picked up the folder.

"I haven't read it." Keigo was still on the floor with blood dripping down his arms. He was staring in shock at the boy. No one had ever attacked him like that. "I don't know if I want to find out."

Doctor Oishi had gotten up and went to check up on Keigo. He had to make sure none of the wounds needed stitches. After seeing that there not that deep he called one of the maids and asked her to wrap his arms in bandages.

Shan looked down at the folder in the boys hand. Ryoma started to walk away from them and up to the doctor. Tugging at the man sleeve to get his attention he asked. "Can we go somewhere so you can explain this?"

When the boy had come back into the room he didn't seem either please nor displeased. So no one knew how to react. The boy also gave no information away and kept his lips tightly shut.

Keigo claimed then that he wouldn't go back home until the cat had left. Ryoma hadn't really cared and told him to leave and that he wouldn't be sad of his absence. The Monkey King had then marched out the house saying something about playing tennis.

It was now 10 o'clock and Ryoma had fallen asleep on the way back to the house. The boy decided to keep the file and was hugging it while his head rested on Sei shoulder.

Shan had just pulled up on the drive way and told Sei to go get some sleep and that he will sort the boy out.

It was now Monday and Ryoma had looked forward to tennis practice. He was now a regular meaning he no longer had to pick up balls. He made his way to the changing rooms when he realized his problem. He couldn't change with the others. Looking around he tried not to look worried. It was then he noticed Tezuka.

Walking up to the captain he stood behind him not saying anything and waiting for him to turn round. Mitsu had just pulled his school shirt off and was about to put his tennis one on when he felt someone staring. Turning round and looking down he was met with golden eyes. "Shouldn't you get ready or you'll be late for practice." Ryoma looked at him like he was mad. Tezuka finally remembered the boys circumstances when he put his hand on top of his head. "Ah," Was all he said. He quickly put his shirt on and told the boy to follow him.

He left the changing room with the boy. He made his way to the office Sumire used for the tennis team and looked inside to see the woman.

"Tezuka, what can I do for you?" Mitsu walked in and asked if Ryoma could get change in here. She smiled and said she was going to step out for a bit. Kunimitsu stayed with the boy and sat down on the sofa, closing his eyes and started to think. He opened them seconds later to realize the boy was just watching him and made no attempt to get change. He raised an eyebrow at the kid.

"Um, can you leave?" Ryoma hated it when others saw him getting change. Not just because of the cat features but of the scars.

"No." Ryoma looked at him and gave him a glare. Tezuka seemed totally unfazed by it all. Finally he asked a question. "What are you so worried about? I already know about your secret." Ryoma felt scared. Sure the other knew about the experiments but that's not the point. Unconsciously his hand went to his heart. Mitsu caught the action and quickly came to a conclusion. "It wasn't just your spine they replaced was it." It wasn't a question but a statement. With a nod the boy looked at the ground and could feel his eyes starting to water.

Tezuka got up and walked towards the boy. He put his hand under the hood and undid the clips, pulling it off afterwards, to see the ears spring up on top of the boys head. Ryoma stepped back slightly. The person in front of him guessed something that no one else had. Sure, Doctor Akitaka Oishi knew but that was after the scans and so on.

Tezuka didn't know whether to comfort the boy or just leave him be. After all he didn't what Ryoma to think he was being pitied. He could tell just by looking that the cat wanted something, but he couldn't make out what. Finally he had gone with just running a hand though the other hair. It actually worked and the boy seemed to relax slightly. A second later they heard the slamming of the door and a voice behind them speaking.

"Ryuzaki-Sensei! I..." The person at the door froze when he saw Tezuka and Echizen. He looked at the both of them and saw the boys ears. Without a word he slammed the door shut and left, he was in to much shock to do anything else.

Kunimitsu looked at the boy and saw he was just staring at the door. "Get changed and I'll go talk to him." With a nod from Ryoma, Tezuka left and went to find their intruder. The captain was angry. He had finally managed to make the cat open up to him, even just a bit. He was just lucky that the person was a regular and not any other student.