Me: Finally, Hyotei pulls of the win! So, what happens now with the Regionals coming to an end? Will Niou finally pull himself out of his bad boy ways? Will Atobe understand Ayane? Can Marui sort himself out? Who will Ayane choose? Will Tezuka make a move? So many questions! Thank you also for all the reviews you have all given me. I am highly appreciative and grateful for all the support. I don't own Prince of Tennis! I only own the OCs!
Chapter 60 - Straight through the Heart
Shishido stared at himself in the mirror, looking at himself disdainfully. He had never imagined himself having another shot at redemption after rejecting her chocolates. The dash specialist inhaled deeply before checking his clothes. If ever, he might be severely underdressed. He wanted to give Isane the freedom of choosing the place where she wanted to go for today since he himself couldn't think of a nice place to bring her. The Sniper however abashedly insisted for him to be the one to plan as she wasn't sure how he was with things she liked doing or liked places she would rather go to. His sienna coloured orbs narrowed at his reflection in the mirror before noticing the picture of himself in first year. It was his class picture with Gakuto being his usual jumpy and mocking self while Jirou had almost completely nodded off to sleep. His brown hair cascaded past his shoulders back then hence the ponytail. However, he couldn't help but notice silver haired giantess standing at the very back. Isane even in her first year was already tall for someone her age. Her silver hair long time ago had been a pair of braided pigtails. She had a shy yet glowing smile on her face while desperately trying to hide her height with not much success. Shishido felt a chuckle bubble in his throat. It was so easy to find the girl in their class picture.
"Alright," Shishido cracked his neck before throwing on his backpack. "It's game time."
Walking towards Isane's house sent shivers down his spine. He remembered how Sasuke was willing to put a bullet in between his eyes. Itachi seemed the calmer one between the two brothers but both would be furious at him at their own right. Isane had been extremely forgiving but what about her father and her two brothers? Come to think of it, he had barely seen Isane's mother around the house. It was always the three men watching over the female sniper. He wondered though who he should be more afraid of: Itachi, commander of the police force and master pistol marksman, Sasuke, the hand-to-hand combat specialist and a dual handgun specialist or the father who probably knew more than both of the boys put together. Isane at least inherited her mother's meek and mild personality despite being a maser sniper.
Damn, I hope her brothers don't shoot me the moment I walk through the door...
He chuckled at the thought of having the female Hyotei team coming out as a mercenary group. If he remembered right, Hitomi was a chemical analyst, Haruka and Rin were Kung-Fu and Wu Shu practitioners and Ayane was Ayane. He shuddered at the thought of being punched by the buxom tangerine haired girl considering she wrestled Kabaji and gave him a good run for his money and pulled off a license car plate before bludgeoning Atobe with it. Shishido chuckled dryly at the thought; Japanese version of the Expendables in female form. Kiyone had her flexible wrists to fling yo-yos at people or perhaps her famous so-called "infectious rabies bite" and Momo had kendo to back her up. Shizuru on the other hand had the reputation a year ago for dealing things via Knock-Out. That wasn't exactly what he was looking for; Shishido nervously swallowed his saliva upon thinking of the possible ways each of the regulars could possibly finish him off. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Shishido looked up and found the huge white westernized house in front of him. Inhaling deeply, the capped dash specialist weakly removed his cap before shakily pressing the button on the door.
Ding dong.
Shishido could feel his whole body shivering all the way down to his converse sneakers. If ever, he wanted to shoot himself for shivering so violently right in front of the door. As soon as the door opened, the dash specialist immediately began praying for Isane to be the one to answer the door and shut his eyes tightly. Instead, he heard something cock and reload right in front of him as a piece of cold steel touched his forehead. When he opened his eyes, instead - he found a black haired male standing around his height with a dark ominous emerald glare while holding two hand guns one in each hand.
Shit, it's Sasuke, Shishido shivered but immediately kicked himself to buck up.
"What are you doing here," Sasuke glared coldly with murderous intention dripping from every side, almost tightening his finger around the trigger. "If you're here to break my sister's heart again, I'm going to unload a full clip at your face. And if Amaterasu and Tsukiyomi won't work - I'm sure Susano-o will."
Shishido wanted to run but decided to stand his ground and kick back his fear; no way was he letting this guy take advantage of the fact he had guns to his head! "Look Sasuke, can we talk like normal people instead of you unloading an entire clip on something so petty?"
Before Sasuke and he could get into a glaring match, Shishido immediately softened up the moment he heard his name from the door.
"Shishido-kun!"
The capped dash specialist swivelled his head towards the tall female standing behind her glaring younger brother as the Sniper flicked the back of his head. "Sasuke, stop being mean to our guests. That's rude."
Sasuke scoffed before shoving his hands into his pocket, storming off. "Tch, whatever."
Shishido blinked several times as Isane warmly dusted her jeans before holding onto her messenger bag. "Sorry about my brother. Sasuke's in one of those emo-phases again. Shall we go?"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Shishido wanted to hit himself for being severely underprepared.
Other than having no idea where to go other than walking around the entire city of Tokyo, he had no idea where to bring her. He couldn't exactly drum up ideas until a street market caught his eye. Shishido bit his lower lip; should he drag her there or not? Isane on the other hand seemed particularly content with simply just walking around. He watched her emerald green eyes glisten in contentment as she breathed in the fresh breeze while watching the other kids running around with their balloons. The capped specialist looked to and fro before finally sighing to himself; he looked at her and found her so ideally distracted. Without thinking, his hand immediately jumped out to get her hand.
"Let's go there," Shishido immediately grabbed her hand before pulling him along with her.
"Eh," Isane began blushing madly as the smell of mint from his usual bubblegum wafted into her nose. Wah, how did I suddenly get all giddy all about this?
However, the scent of mint reminded her also of a foxy man who she had come to know.
She laughed a little as Shishido started jumping from shop to shop. His eyes widened in amusement as he found little trinkets being sold. Isane also found some nice bracelets but instead of a smile, the silver blue stones caused a slight frown to mar her features. The silver linings and carvings on the bracelet reminded her heart of the heartbreak back at Rikkai. Did he intentionally lead her on or was she just that stupid not to see it right away? She knew Niou was a trickster but the way he brought her around and acted around her felt very real.
"I think emerald green is more your colour," Isane snapped herself out of her daze as she found Shishido holding up a vintage brass pocket watch with an emerald face and brass numbering.
Isane fingered the engraving and intricate designs as a smile curved up her lips. "It looks beautiful."
Seeing her expression brighten up considerably, Shishido immediately placed the bills down before handing the pocket watch to Isane. "Here you go."
Isane stared agape at the capped dash specialist, stammering with a bright blush."B-but you...!"
Shishido inwardly chuckled before blushing himself; he soon began sputtering and averting his gaze from her. "J-Just take it alright? I bought it for you."
Isane weakly took the pocket watch as cautiously held the pocket watch in her hands. She glanced around before taking notice on a couple of CDs and then a few rings. Her father never allowed her to go around alone especially in markets. Usually, her older brother would avoid the darker or the crowded districts. Sasuke on the other hand was well - either at home reading and shooting or being his usual emo self. A small laugh escaped her lips, catching Shishido's attention.
"You look so much like Sasuke when you start pouting," Isane giggled lightly while placing the pocket watch around her neck.
Shishido scowled slightly, averting his eyes away from her cheery expression. He remembered the time she gave him the chocolates - her expression had been extremely cheerful that day despite them being bombarded by a history long test, Latin orals and a music presentation. That was first time he had been so panicked in his life; Latin and languages had never been his forte. He had no idea how Atobe had been so capable in memorizing the languages and still have enough energy to rub things in people's faces. Shishido remembered how the both of the managed to become orals partners. The both of them continued walking around as they found pets on one side and some children eating some of the takoyaki.
"So where do you wanna go now," Shishido glanced around after seeing all the stalls.
Isane glanced around before taking note of an Arcade on one side before glancing back at Shishido. "Umm..."
"What is it, Uchi- I mean, Isane-chan," Shishido raised an eyebrow, mentally slapping himself. Damn you Oshitari, none of your advices are freakin' helping!
Flashback
"I need you to teach me how to romance a girl," Shishido grabbed Oshitari by the collar, slamming him against the railing.
Oshitari whistled slightly, plucking off Shishido's fingers easily with a chuckle bubbling from his throat. "Now now, take it easy Shishido. You're becoming very jumpy. The one thing women love is a very smooth and suave man. You have to walk with your head high and straight back. You stride with style."
Shishido stared at him stupidly before blinking several times, trying to walk suave. "Dude what the hell-?"
Oshitari shook his head disdainfully, tugging Shishido along. "It seems we have a lot to do. And for starters, we have to work on your brazen and crude attitude. That never attracts a woman."
End of Flashback
Shishido sighed deeply to himself; Oshitari definitely subjected him to all sorts of etiquette fixing which included dancing and even the way he dressed and spoke. What was wrong with wearing a normal shirt with a pair of jeans and loafers? Oshitari had even told him to ditch his cap but Shishido found himself feeling naked without it. It was what made him the way he was after all. But since Oshitari had insisted he look good, Shishido ended up wearing a white collared quarter sleeved shirt and a pair of jet black pants and black loafers that he grabbed off Oshitari. The kansai prodigy pretty much drilled him on everything including on where to bring a girl, what to get a girl and how to talk to a girl. Who knew going on a date could be so damn complicated, Shishido grumbled mentally to himself while watching Isane stare distantly towards some place. The capped dash specialist tugged his collared shirt lightly, allowing himself some breathing space.
Shishido groaned while making sure his hair was flat, wiping the sweat away from his face. "So," - he scratched his nose sheepishly. "So where would you like to go?"
Isane swallowed hard, looking at the Arcade before shyly pointing there. "Do you mind?"
Shishido's eyes widened before excitedly dragging Isane to the Arcade. "Do I?! What are we waiting for?"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Mai sighed deeply while walking along the stage, looking straight into the ceiling. She inhaled deeply and danced around the stage, letting the light shine down. She smiled brightly at the blazing stage lights. She slightly scratched her nose before looking at her green coloured hand with a sigh; she mentally noted to bring green coloured powder instead of allowing people to spray paint her with an entire can. Then again, Mai found herself standing as a wicked witch; the irony of it - she could actually see herself ripping apart Yukimura and Rena from one another to tell him the truth. A sigh escaped her lips; people would call her a "home-wrecker" for that. However, on the stage - everything was different. The stage was her world; Mai twirled and danced around as she whirled around in her black dress. Other people stared in amazement as the centre light drifted from one place before shining down on her. Although the tennis court had given her so many memories, there was one memory she could not let go of.
"So if you care to find me," Mai spread her arms and raised them high into the air, gazing at the imaginary crowd only to see her director and head producer. "Look to the western skies! As someone told me lately that everyone deserves a chance to fly? And if I'm flying solo at least I'm flying free! To those who ground me - Take a message back from me!"
Mai felt her body tingle with excitement as she continued dancing around, gliding across the stage. She remembered the match she had with Atoli especially with the wind djinns making their appearances. The excitement in tennis racked her to her very core but feeling the spotlight blazing down on her - that was true art!
Tell them how I am defying gravity!
I'm flying high; defying gravity!
Mai twirled around with her black dress flowing in the air with her amber eyes glimmered proudly with excitement. Although she didn't have make-up on, Mai could feel the thrill of dancing on stage. She inhaled deeply before casting back her eyes towards the imaginary crowd.
"And soon, I'll be renowned! And nobody in all of Oz, no wizard that there is or was - is ever gonna bring," Mai inhaled sharply as the lights flashed even brighter as she hit the high notes. "Me down!"
I hope you're happy!
Look at her, she's wicked! Get her!
Mai belted her last few notes, watching men and women in green suits converging towards her. "Bring me down!"
So we shall bring her," the people crowded with their spears pointed at her.
Mai shut her eyes tightly before hitting the last note; there was no way she could foul it up. "Ahhhh!"
"-Down!"
And with that, the lights went out as Mai let down the smoke bomb before laughing maniacal similarly to that of a witch. The other people drew back as the spears clattered onto the ground. As Mai found herself standing in the darkness, she wondered how it was like to be in the confinement of four walls. She shivered at the thought of being caged in a room let alone her own body. Although she didn't know exactly what Guillain-Barré syndrome was; she remembered how he suddenly collapsed when he had been helping her with Broadway performance.
Flashback
Eleven year old Nagisaki Mai danced around in a black ballet tutu. She watched black feathers dance around her as the lights slowly dimmed into a dark red light. She wore her black feather mask while her pale face glistened under the spotlight with her pale pink cheeks glimmering. She twirled around lightly and leapt gracefully. She inhaled deeply before performing a pirouette.
"Alright, that's enough," - Mai snapped her head up as the music stopped, watching the director bring someone in.
"Why Reishi-nii," Mai pouted a little, seeing that she had been cut off.
The director, her older cousin brought in a bluenette effeminate looking male. But ever since Mai had seen the boy back at Hyotei, she was very careful to make sure she was looking at a boy and not a girl. Shizuru was already the worst case when they both got into a fist fight although Shizuru was the one who inflicted more damage. A pout curved up her lips; why do people keep cross dressing nowadays? It made no sense to her or to anyone for that matter! Mai frowned upon remembering the time Shizuru had first walked into her classroom. Many people had suspected Shizuru for being a boy due to her short messy hair but the moment she started speaking, Mai resisted the urge of howling in laughter and chiding the girl right there and then for looking so much like a male. However, Mai's eyes widened the moment the effeminate bluenette looked up with amazing lavender eyes.
She pointed in astonishment at the familiar bluenette. "You!"
The bluenette smiled serenely with his usual calm face. "Ah, so it seems. I had not thanked you properly, Nagisaki-chan."
Mai blushed bright red abashedly, looking at the ground. "Oh, um - I didn't expect to see you here, Yukimura-san."
The effeminate blue haired boy laughed softly. "I've always wanted to try out for the arts you see. But I had tennis also to deal with. When I heard that Hyotei's tensai had been studying here, I was hoping to get a few pointers. Oh and please, just call me Yukimura-kun."
Reishi chuckled in amusement, clapping his hands and letting Yukimura go to the stage. "Alright, we have a new member in our cast today. Treat him well - he's a pretty good singer and his movement coordination is a lot better than it looks."
Yukimura bowed down humbly before smiling at the cast members. "Hello, my name is Yukimura Seiichi. I know I am nothing compared to you all in terms of art but I will do the best I can to help you. Please take good care of me!"
The cast members warmly received him as they started showing him the ropes. Days began to pass as Yukimura slowly began gaining his bearing throughout the plays with him dancing with the other members. He would wobble every once in awhile but Mai started him off fairly easy and he soon started picking things up. Yukimura blinked several times as Mai started teaching him how to dance and spin around, giggling as he tried to kick back for ballet. Clearly, Yukimura's body had been used to being stiff from swinging his tennis racquet. Days passed, Mai found herself in her dress rehearsal with Yukimura and her other cousin as they prepared for the dance-off of the white swan and the black swan. The bluenette soon began following her as he started dancing towards her in a white prince suit. Her eyes glimmered in amazement as he caught her gently before fluidly dancing across the stage. His hands didn't grip hers out of fear but were more of a gentle guidance. Yukimura maintained a gentle smile as the music and the orchestra continued to play. Mai felt her whole world dim softly as she spun around and let Yukimura embrace her. As the black swan, Mai soon found the white swan dancing towards him as she spun Yukimura behind her with a protective gaze as was her part.
"Cut! That was beautiful!"
Mai relaxed her stance as she shook her hands with her cousin after the lights dimmed out, smiling cheerfully. "You were great!"
Her cousin smiled happily, shaking Mai's hands vigorously. "You were too!"
Mai spun around before running towards Yukimura, grabbing both his hands. "You really came a long way, Yukimura-kun!"
The bluenette smiled kindly, bowing modestly at Mai. "Thank you but it's because I had a very talented teacher."
Mai blushed bright red before averting her eyes away from Yukimura. "N-No, you did so much more... I...!"
However, all of a sudden - Yukimura's hands suddenly tightened as Mai noticed his breathing suddenly became more laboured. His eyes dilated all of a sudden when he fell forward right towards Mai. His arms dangled limply with his breathing completely going to a stop.
"YUKIMURA-KUN!"
Flashback End
Mai bit her lower lip while glancing at the pseudo-sky set-up before getting off the stage. Inhaling deeply, she walked towards her dressing room labelled with her name on it. Ever since the Regionals had ended, the Nagisaki Entertainment Company boomed louder than ever with her returning to the stage. Her cousin became intensely busy with the Wicked Broadway they were putting out. She glanced at her posters, revealing pictures of Idina Menzel, Sierra Boggess and Sarah Brightman. She smiled lightly when the other lights revealed the male Broadway stars such as Ramin Karimloo, Michael Crawford and Julian Overden. She sighed deeply before falling onto her Arabian style cushions, staring in the ceiling.
I hope he got better from it.
"Gather around everyone!"
Mai immediately rushed outside with the director gathering all the cast members. Her cousin walked in before revealing a sheaf of tickets in his hand.
"I'm sure you'd like your families and friends to see this grand production of Wicked," Reishi smiled confidently, handing out the tickets. "After all, the Nagisaki Academy for Dramatics has never directed a failure. So, make sure you choose carefully. I have given you twenty tickets each. We saved the VIP tickets for each and one of you. Remember, choose wisely."
Mai blinked several times as she received her sheaf of tickets, counting each and every one of them. She began counting in her head - her team alone composed of nine tickets. However, a sly smile curved up her lips and she shoved the tickets into her bag. Many of the other cast members started chatting and squealing at the tickets before counting each and every one of them. Some had been going to their boyfriends, another to their families. The opportunity had presented itself - all she needed now was willing accomplices. All she had to do was tell the team about it. Shizuru had never missed one of her plays; ever since they had become friends - Shizuru had always made time for the plays to see her perform along with the seniors. That was one thing Mai had forgotten to thank Naomi for however; the older brunette captain had called going to see Mai's performance as a bonding session and that the stage is where they could see the truth better than anywhere else.
The tensai couldn't agree more.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Ayane bit her lower lip as she started packing her tennis racquet and extra clothes into her gym bag before looking out the window. The bright sun created a small pool in her sandy yellow room that was decorated with green straw reeds in white jars along with her wooden bed leaning against the wall. Her walls were decorated with drawings of reeds sitting near the lakeside. The white windows were covered by floating white translucent curtains as the sunlight managed to penetrate through the curtains. Her dresses lay scattered on the bed with some of her dumb bells lay on the ground next to her strawberry patterned slippers. She started packing her other tennis things until a white towel came into her view with the initials A.K. on it. Ayane blinked several times; wait, was this Anne Klein or...? Ayane frowned slightly as she traced her fingers on it.
A.K. also meant another... Atobe Keigo.
Ayane bit her lower lip darkly while she held the towel in her hand. She remembered the day Atobe had thrown the towel in her face when Oishi and she had been talking. The tangerine haired girl sighed deeply; Atobe really only thought in one direction. If anything, Atobe always shot straight rather even if he had already made a mistake. Ayane groaned in annoyance; it must've been the time he had gone to England to study or something.
"What was Keigo thinking," Ayane kicked her dumb bell away with a frustrated grumble, flopping down onto her bed. "He's such an idiot that stupid mole diva."
The tangerine haired vice captain glanced at her tennis racquet before she stashed it away in her bag. What did Vera want with Atobe exactly? Was it to rub salt in the wound? The thing that irked her more was: how did Vera find out that they had some mutual relationship or maybe a romantic relationship? Growling in annoyance, Ayane picked up a tennis ball before bouncing it off her wall. As the sound echoed loudly, the tennis ball zoomed back to her as Ayane caught the ball before completely crushing the ball in her hand. Exhausted and annoyed, she opened her laptop and began scrolling through her playlist with not much idea. She clicked the play button as Demi Lovato's voice blared through her stereos.
Let me give your heart a break
Give your heart a break.
"Give your heart a break," Ayane whispered in a hollow silence while staring straight at the ceiling.
Her loss against Jerrard left her wandering around; she curled her hands into a fist and tried to figure out what exactly allowed Jerrard to win while punching the wall. Vera had easily ransacked her mind and Ayane was certain that there was a throbbing inside her for her to rage at her with berserker fury and break her into pieces physically. She remembered how her blood boiled at the sight of her and how Vera laughed and mocked their capability as a doubles pair. But what stunned her more was how Kiyone easily took over her role and pulled her back. Kiyone however handled the fight better than she expected; Ayane bit her lower lip as she remembered how Kiyone managed to fend off both players in a singles versus doubles match. Kiyone had never shown that kind of ability before; where did she get that power?
Probably she gained it from her other friends. Kiyone soaks up everything like a sponge.
Ayane sighed deeply as she slung her bag over her shoulder, checking her wallet for money. Today, she would push herself to newer heights. Everyone had been evolving and jumping over their obstacles easily but she could barely feel any improvement on herself. Marui had offered on the day she lost to train with her to help her become a full-rounded player. Soon, she began walking towards the train station headed towards Kanagawa since Rikkai still had training during the summer. No wonder Hyotei barely had a chance against them; she definitely had a slight idea on how Yukimura worked them to the ground. Marui would text her at night saying how exhausted he was and how he couldn't drag himself out of bed. Hopefully, Yukimura or Sanada didn't kill them before she got there. Soon, her phone began vibrating as a familiar number appeared on her screen.
To: Kobayagi Ayane
From: Marui Bunta
Hey Yane-Yane, fukubuchou allowed me to have you train with us today! ^_^
He's also asking a favour that kind of involves clobbering Niou with a right hook or something.
I have a few baseball bats here from my brother; I can lend you one if you wanna leave marks on Niou! ^_^
Oh btw, I'm at the train station already! :)
Ayane giggled softly before thinking about what Niou had done to Isane. As the bullet train began to move, Ayane glanced put the window to see the passing tall skyscrapers and buildings. She saw blimps at LED screens flashing news and all sorts of things but nothing did give her an answer. She glanced at the other people sitting around; some of the men were old and were reading newspapers. Little children were excitedly looking out the window as they continued bouncing up and down happily. Ayane smiled lightly at the kids until she found a couple kissing one another at one side of the bullet train. She frowned slightly; were they always this unlucky with love? Rin and Kajimoto according to Mai had been working well and famously. Although Isane did have a very forgiving personality, Ayane knew at one point it could break. Did Niou really do that on purpose? She couldn't tell as she texted back.
To: Marui Bunta
From: Kobayagi Ayane
Hi I just finished fixing up my stuff.
Sorry for the late response!
I had a lot of things to think about. .
Hopefully there are no delays but I'll be there in 10 minutes!
Satisfied, Ayane smiled as she clicked "send" before looking out the window once again. The buildings sped by as a small relaxed smile curved up her lips. She could imagine the winds in her hair but chose to close her eyes for a moment.
Dream
A tennis court suddenly appeared in her mind as Ayane found herself standing at the middle of it. She found herself in the tennis courts until the tennis ball cracked past her ear. Her emerald green eyes widened with shock as something exploded right behind her. Her whole body tensed as she immediately swivelled her head around only to find Kiyone plastered on the ground. The sandy blonde girl remained on the ground completely unmoving as Ayane stared in horror.
Kiyone!
Ayane opened her mouth to yell only to have no sound come out of it. She grabbed her throat, trying to wring out her voice. Where did it go? Her eyes widened as Kiyone mechanically stood up again as the ball zoomed towards the smaller girl with Kiyone pushing herself to attack the ball. Shots echoed back and forth as Kiyone started volleying without showing any hesitation or any intention to fall back. Her body trembled as she immediately darted forward upon finding a tennis racquet lying in front of her. She rushed towards Kiyone's side before attacking the shot. However, she found herself completely astonished as her eyes widened when the ball mysteriously passed through her racquet. As the ball echoed behind her, Kiyone stumbled over and fell to the ground with her body all covered in dirt.
Ayane frantically searched around until a haunting howling laughter rang in her ears.
"YOU'RE NOT WORTHY TO EVEN BE CALLED A DOUBLES PAIR!"
"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? YOU'RE THE WEAKEST AMONG THE HYOTEI PLAYERS!"
The murmurings and the mocking echoed louder as Ayane felt the whole world laughing and sneering at her. Lights blazed down on her as the tennis court distorted into the darkness with howling laughter and sneering echoing in all surround. She trembled violently while staring in horror. Ayane fell to her knees, covering her ears before screaming into the darkness. "SHUT UP!"
"Ayane."
As the silence wedged itself amongst the howling, she suddenly found a pair of familiar icy blue eyes staring back at her. The whole scene suddenly became dark as she found herself suspended in mid-air. Her body shivered when a familiar king stood before her. His eyes no longer revealed arrogance but a more menacing and haunted look as he started advancing towards her. Ayane choked in order to force herself to breathe as he stopped two inches away from her. His eyes stared down at her for moment until a sinister sneer suddenly bubbled from his throat which then evolved into a cruel mocking laughter echoing in the air. The tangerine haired girl shivered at the cold wind licking her skin as her emerald green eyes widened at his words.
"You dare think that you could have become ore-sama's queen, mongrel?"
Her heart pounded wildly with agony as she backed away, wondering how long the nightmare was going to last. Was all this real? Why did everything come out so vivid? Where was all this coming from? Ayane trembled with tears threatening to fall out of her eyes as another voice entered the scene.
"The so-called Queen of Hearts has like been so totally beaten."
Ayane looked up fearfully only to see Vera draping her arms all over Atobe with a sultry cynical smile. Atobe on the other hand didn't seem bothered too much that she was right there. Atobe chuckled haughtily as he teasingly brushed away Vera's arms. The blonde Seishun Gakuen vice captain giggled lightly as he trailed her skin with baby kisses.
"Now we shouldn't shock the little girl," Atobe chuckled haughtily with icy blue eyes suddenly glinting with cruel madness. "After all, most of her brains went to her so-called assets."
Ayane shivered as their laughter howled and thundered in her ears before she let out a wail of fear.
"AYANE!"
Dream End
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Marui had been glancing at his watch and waiting to see a very chipper and determined Ayane. What he didn't expect to find was a wildly thrashing tangerine haired female screaming and shuddering violently in fear. People suddenly began crowding around her as Marui tries to look over the crowd but nobody would move until he shoved them out of his way. His eyes widened when he finally found Ayane screaming in a hysterical fit. Without thinking, he immediately jumped towards her and began shaking her.
"Ayane," Marui shook her roughly, panicking that she wasn't responding. "AYANE-CHAN!"
Ayane's eyes snapped open before she finally stopped flailing her arms wildly, causing her to snap her head in different directions. Her body was trembling with sweat pouring down her face and her complexion becoming increasingly pale and her emerald green eyes were widening with fear. Upon seeing all the people staring at her and Marui holding her hands, Ayane could only wonder - why did everything seem so real?
Why did her heart start pumping wildly and when did her body start screaming as if it were on fire?
On the other hand, Marui frowned at Ayane's current distressed state. He took her hand before leading her out and slinging her bag over his shoulder. Every step seemed so cautious - it was as if her loss had completely crushed her spirits. She trembled as if unsure with every step she took until Marui guided her to the bench. As she sat down shakily, Marui sat next to her as he watched her trying to regain her bearing. Definitely a nightmare; he wasn't stupid. He didn't have to be a rocket scientist to know who and what were the causes of the nightmare.
I bet Atobe had something to do with it! Stupid idiot!
Had Atobe given him nothing but empty threats? Marui frowned darkly at the thought of Atobe taking advantage of Ayane's kindness. She may have been the loudest girl he had ever met but she definitely had more heart than most girls. She meant so much; in Rikkai - the girls liked him for being the Magician of Rikkai Dai. It was all for the fame and glory but talking to Ayane made him feel normal. She didn't mind that he was a tennis player; they had shared candy together and even interests. He had been wanting to learn how to play a guitar from Ayane but cursed his horrible schedule and why did Rikkai give him such a crappy schedule. He liked seeing her smile too but that whole deal thing he made with Atobe - why did he accept that when he knew he was going to lose in a Singles match? Atobe had made short work of him and Sanada had backhanded him like anything. Marui winced at the pain of the memory, getting hit by Sanada was like getting hit by a bullet train straight on. Yukimura luckily had not been there to witness the loss but even Kirihara had laughed at him. He narrowed his eyes at a random dust speck on the ground; he never had felt so small in his life but it wasn't too bad. Marui found himself working more on his cardio in the gym even until the late nights. His legs burned like anything but Marui told himself it was worth it. But...
Not being able to spend time with a girl who saw him for him felt like him being castrated ten times over.
Marui inhaled deeply as he recalled the times he had been plastered by Sanada and Yukimura before. Fighting them was fighting for your life - every shot they had fired at him had the intent on destroying him or reducing him into a useless piece of mush or trash. However, although it was psychologically damaging - Marui found himself somewhat appreciative for his buchou's sadistic tendencies and Sanada's perpetually strict and merciless disposition. His opponents didn't know what to expect and were probably admonished by his inability to be startled unless it was something out of nowhere like his bubblegum being banned. Now that would have been a calamity! He frowned slightly at Shizuru's method and morals for the team; he found Shizuru's way of leading her team being a bit too cushioning. She had shielded them constantly from the psychological wars and dealt with them herself but never gave them the chance to combat along with her. Ayane and Kiyone, being new in the field, Marui knew the horrors of facing someone older and more experienced than himself in his favourite field but it was something they were bound to deal with eventually. Haruka and Rin clearly had more experience in dealing with psychological warfare and Mai was the master at it along with the captain.
"I," Ayane hiccupped before burying her face into her hands, sobbing softly. "Oh my God, I am a mess. What's happening to me?"
Marui pulled her closer while grinning cheerfully, draping his arm on her shoulder. "Well, we're just gonna have to clean you up now aren't we?"
Ayane looked up with her tear-stained face as Marui gave her a confident grin, ruffling her tangerine hair.
"Fukubuchou and everyone will help you work on your kinks, Ayane-chan. You have my word and tensai never go back on it!"
However, Marui couldn't help but think one thing.
I'm gonna need Niou and Akaya to help me topple down the king.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Thunk.
Thunk.
Thunk.
Shizuru stared at the dart board lying in front of her with multiple knives stuck onto it, all intersecting at a certain point. She sighed deeply before recalling the match against Fuuka, glancing at her leg and wondering how it managed to give out at such an important time. She winced slightly at the pain before throwing another knife towards the dart board. As it imbedded itself, Shizuru staggered back before falling back onto the chair, catching her breath. Tezuka had seen her lose and Shizuru found herself realizing how far he truly was and how unreachable. Tezuka had bounced back from his loss so easily while she had her leg that could render her completely helpless. When he went to get a rehabilitation, she wanted to find a way how to tell him that she wanted to play against him again and then perhaps find at some point to tell him how she felt but her pride clamped her mouth shut. In her book, the guys usually did the romancing not the other way around. It was the first time she found herself in the romancing part. Sure women did have a free choice on who to choose but wouldn't she seem desperate? Shizuru shook her head before throwing another knife into the wall until a knock came from the door.
"You busy?"
Shizuru swivelled her head towards the door, packing her knives and politely beckoning. "It's alright. Come in."
As the door opened, Roger Alexandersson revealed a swishing letter in his hand with a smile. "I believe this is for you."
Shizuru's eyes widened with surprise with her heart fluttering a little, causing her to blush. "Oh? He replied?"
Roger chuckled lightly at his subordinate's face; it was one of the few times she had been allowed to act like a normal school girl. "Yeah, don't forget to reply to him soon. Wouldn't wanna keep the man waiting now would you?"
Shizuru swivelled her head towards her superior, raising her eyebrow. "You know him?"
"Heh," Roger laughed sheepishly, scratching his head upon realizing he dropped a clue. "I only assumed the profile of the sender. I mean who else would write letters to you in this day and age? There's such a thing as e-mail after all. I'm going to go with Alisa for patrol tonight. Make sure you get that letter answered."
As Roger left, Shizuru now couldn't help but wonder: why didn't her pen pal use e-mail?
The brunette stared blankly at the letter in her hand, inhaling deeply. She glanced at a small drawer at the lowest part of her shelf, noticing several envelopes stashed away. Shizuru fingered the letter in her hand, feeling her heart jump nervously as her fingers neared the opening. Should she open it or wait until later? The letters had been sent in but Shizuru frowned at her inability to respond immediately. She sighed deeply - someone ought to fix the mailing method in L.X.A. and make things a lot more organized. Kane found one of her letters before with a pressed blue honeysuckle flower in it. Onryou and his brother hooted with laughter when her favourite milk tea suddenly appeared at the door, completely paid for and with a letter a few other days ago. Whatever it was, Shizuru slowly peeled open the envelope before taking a seat on her bed.
Dear Shizuru-chan,
I saw what happened during Hyotei's match; congratulations - you really worked hard to bring them to the top. Your team must be very happy to have you work hard and hopefully, they follow your example. Although, I couldn't help but wonder why you sacrificed yourself. Was it to make yourself a catalyst? Although a heroic effort, is it really necessary to throw away what you want for what they want? Forgive me for my selfish thinking, I found it horrible to witness your self-destruction that day. I wanted to help you; it hurt to see you in pain and to see you self-destruct. It hurt for me to see you to dance your way into destruction. It reminded me of my own stupidity but I realized we had been fighting for the same reason. You inspired me more with the way you play and the way you had continued to carry the torch but also had shared the burden with your members. Thank you for pointing that out to me. I wanted to ask you though - what is it like being a leader? The way you had protected your doubles pair, the way you had desperately fought to make sure they could rise to the top; it's something that puzzled me. What is leadership to you? What is it like being a captain? It's something I couldn't do myself.
Shizuru blinked several times; nobody had asked her questions like this before.
I understand that you have taken responsibility of your team. You heal their broken spirits and teach them how to bounce back. But I hope they take responsibility for you too - the same way you care for them and the same way... I care for you. The way Souma Fuuka had defeated you may have been brutal but I could not help but feel disgust for myself that it had to be something that extreme to make me realize how much I do think about you. Although your sense of martyrdom and devotion is astonishing and awe-worthy, please watch out for yourself as well. Promise me that you will and I promise you - I will reveal myself to you and be able to convey my message along with something important to you... face to face.
Yours truly,
Anonymous
Shizuru couldn't help but notice how hard her heart was pounding against her chest. Sighing deeply, Shizuru fell flat on her bed with a satisfied smile curling up her lips. His words sounded severely inspirational; she pondered deeply on the source of her dedication. Shizuru sighed deeply but as she read the letter again she saw Tezuka cupping her cheek before nuzzling her nose gently. Warmth filled her cheeks as she could feel the heat rising up her face. Imagining how he could - wait, it had to stop - NOW! Her eyes widened immediately before she cancelled any other romantic thoughts from her mind. She couldn't believe her mind had been conjuring these images from her mind! She slammed her face into the pillow.
"I'm going crazy," Shizuru whined straight into her pillow before flipping and tossing herself around.
However, she couldn't help but admit how butterflies suddenly started dancing in her stomach based on the thought.
Shizuru stood up from her bed before walking towards the table before pulling out her favourite gel pen, pondering upon what to write. The whole letter thing had been going for awhile now and she couldn't figure out who it could be. She glanced at her e-mail and frowned, even her colleague in writing hadn't been showing up. Her auburn red eyes flickered slightly as she started writing on the sheet of paper. She inhaled deeply before looking at the blank sheet of paper; what should she say now?
Dear Anonymous,
Thank you for your kind words. But I believe that my team is the one who had brought me up more than I ever have them. Sad to say, I'm not as strong as people usually perceive. My strength is based on the bonds that my friends and I have achieved during our years together.
Shizuru couldn't help but feel that she should continue writing.
In terms of being a catalyst, I can't help but wonder to myself sometimes whether or not I am doing the right thing for my team. There was this one match that I had also seen from a rival school but he did the same thing that I did. It inspired me really; to see someone so unhesitant on whether or not he should sacrifice for the team. I envy that kind of straightforwardness. The way he inspires his team was something I wish I had. But...
Shizuru bit her lower lip while looking at the letter carefully. Did sacrificing really mean anything to her or was she simply fooling around? She had always imagined tennis to be that intense but this one man she had never met started showing his concern. He had confessed to her outright that he did care for her and hold heavy affections for her. Now if only she knew who he was posed to be a problem. The brunette sighed at the letter before inhaling deeply to begin writing once more.
Somehow, I begin to wonder whether I am really that selfless. Or was it all just a ruse to find a way towards him? To understand how he feels? I have seen him play so many times and I understand how you feel about me destroying myself. I felt that way too when I watched him throw himself unhesitatingly into a path of destruction. He had played until he could no longer lift his shoulder and he was already cringing in agony. Sad to say, I don't have the courage that you have to tell him that I care and that he should just stop. But it would have murdered his pride. I guess it only caused me so much pain is because I love him.
Shizuru's eyes widened; what was happening to her? Everything was just flowing out to this one man who she had never met face to face! But there was one question that had bugged her...
What did being a captain truly mean to her?
Shizuru tapped her gel pen on the table, recalling the events that had happened during the Regionals. She remembered how Mai had willingly slung her arm over her shoulder with a confident smile, knowing that they would bring home the gold no matter what. True to Mai's word, they did. Everyone had piled on the red haired tensai and even Mai had burst into tears. Shizuru smiled fondly at the memory; at her loss - her teammates have once again grew. Hopefully, for the better. She however couldn't help but frown at how Vera had crushed Ayane's spirits. When the tangerine haired girl had returned to them, Ayane had completely ignored Atobe and had been harping on about gaining more power. She had trained herself day in and day out to the point of even enlisting the help of Marui Bunta according to Hitomi. Yes, being a captain meant sacrificing for her teammates but she couldn't carry the burden alone.
As a captain, placing one's personal desires and issues as secondary is something that is required. But understanding the needs of your teammates along with their sentiments is the most important thing of all. Disregarding the rules and morals can make someone trash but those who disregard his or her comrades is even lower than trash. I must thank you though - your letter helped me reform my creed. I hope too to see the man behind the letters for I feel I must thank you personally.
Sincerely yours,
Shizuru
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"ACCOUNTING SUCKS!"
Haruka stared at the multiple columnar books stacked on one side with her calculator lying on the other side. She groaned in annoyance while looking at the outbox on her side of the table. Three columnar books remained neat and clean with scratch papers strewn all over the place. The Pearl Dragon slammed her hands on the wooden furnished table before face palming straight into the table. Banging her head against the table a few times, Haruka sighed before pushing herself away from the table via the rolling computer chair before she slid over to the other side of the room. Standing up with a defiant huff, Haruka stormed out before grabbing her coat hanging off the rack.
"Hikifumi-sama, where are you going?! Have you finished your work?"
Haruka groaned in annoyance; why did the old woman have to appear now? "I need a little fresh air, Madame Rainton. Wo bù aì zài zhe li. Wo de Ba Ba ming bai wèi she me wo bù xi huan zài zhe li." (Loosely translated: I hate staying here. My father will understand why I don't like staying here.)
Leaving behind a spluttering and sputtering governess, Haruka placed on her beanie before heading out into the cold afternoon. She watched the red and orange leaves dancing around her. She inhaled deeply while shoving her hands into her pockets while walking out into the cold misty afternoon down the sidewalk. Cars zoomed past her as there were some people chatting and some girls sharing umbrellas. Couples also began walking together, huddling together closely. Haruka inhaled deeply until she found herself standing in front of Raindrop Avenue café. A smile curved up her lips as she walked inside with bell jingling as she stepped inside. The Raindrop Avenue café had been given to her as a test to see if she could apply everything she knew about business. Fair enough, Haruka enlisted the help of her teammates and she couldn't believe what they had done.
Yes, it's ours. Not just mine but the whole team's.
The café barely had the aristocratic aura; Haruka smiled at the effect that Ayane's design had brought the once dull café. Instead of the usual furnished wood and classical music, Ayane had insisted on a more simplistic wrought iron design with leaves and plants as the decoration. The walls had white wooden carvings along with a stone fountain standing in the middle of the café where people could also sit down on the benches and drink their coffee or whatever hot drink they may have. The white daisies arrangement had decorated the top of the glass table top held up by wrought iron welded stand. Haruka fingered the reeds and the white daisies gently; Momo had instantly made money for using her traditional knowledge in flower arrangement. Haruka glanced at the glistening pastries being kept warm by the dessert keeper. Kiyone had applied her knowledge in candy and cookies without relying on her family's import and export company. If the company had not sponsored them, Haruka couldn't have been able to expand the chain internationally. The cakes slid around from the barista to the customer as Hitomi also had reinvented the kitchen with the latest kitchen gadgetry. Ayane had pretty good ideas also considering she made Raindrop Avenue's famous Wild Berry Panna Cotta along with Shizuru's famous cheesecake. Haruka found Rin's famous coffee buns and meat pockets while there were some drizzled with a light dash of gravy. Isane on the other hand helped manage the menu and the human resources, bringing in students who needed money. Haruka walked over to the cashier, glancing at the menu. Shizuru had made multiple combinations including Raindrop Avenue's best seller - Butterscotch Hazelnut Frapuccino.
"I should really rename this place," Haruka dryly chuckled before, walking to the cashier. "Hmm, Royal Flush – maybe..."
"Hikifumi-san?"
Haruka blinked several times and upon looking up, a very familiar bald Brazilian male. "Jackal?"
Jackal blinked several times before regaining his composure. "Oh right - may I take your order?"
Haruka contemplated for a moment, scanning the menu before smiling lightly. "I'll have the Pearl Empress Latté."
Jackal punched in the order before glancing up with a small smirk. "I'm guessing you'd like a Cinnamon Cheesecake with that?"
"Ye - wait a minute," Haruka snapped her head up, staring in shock at Jackal. "How did you know...?"
Jackal shrugged lightly before bringing out her order. "Shimohi-san told me when she brought that guy from Jyosei Shounan here. She told me specifically how to make it."
Haruka immediately beat down her urge to blush, mentally wondering how Rin managed to talk to Jackal despite her hyperactive tendencies. "Really - Wow, so until what time are you here?"
Jackal smiled before handing the drink and cake to her. "I get off in five minutes."
Taking her drink and food, Haruka walked over to the table nearest to the window while watching the red leaves dancing along with some people walking along the sidewalk. There were children holding onto their trench coats tightly and the cars continued to zoom by without stopping. The pearl dragon couldn't help but sigh at how the leaves fell to the ground. Autumn wasn't really one of her favourite seasons; everything was red, dark green, brown, orange or yellow and people were always so bundled up. Shizuru had cancelled training for the time being until the typhoon had come to pass. Haruka groaned for a moment, forking a piece of cheesecake into her mouth, pondering deeply.
"May I take this seat?"
Haruka snapped her head up with a shocked expression, only to see Jackal now standing in front of her in casual clothing instead of his work clothes. "Go ahead."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Huh? Ayane's in Rikkai now," Haruka's eyes widened considerably; she didn't know that the tangerine haired girl would head straight to Rikkai. "Couldn't she train with us or something?"
Jackal shrugged before sitting in front of her after ditching the apron and worker hat, folding his arms. "I don't know. Marui just said that Kobayagi-san would be joining us for the whole summer training. I don't quite understand why either since she has Atobe but I guess she wanted a change of atmosphere."
Haruka pondered deeply as to why Ayane would suddenly train with Rikkai Dai. She could have trained with Shizuru if ever or any one of them. After what had happened between her and Atobe, Haruka was surprised that Atobe only got clobbered and not completely mauled like Ayane would usually do. The tangerine haired girl had barely spoken since her loss and even Kiyone had become worried for the older girl. She took another piece out of her cheesecake before glancing at the dancing leaves.
"I wonder – if you were Vera, would you have done the same thing," Haruka swirled her drink half heartedly, sipping it placidly.
"I wouldn't have crushed her spirits just like that."
Haruka lifted her head towards Jackal as the Brazilian male had a cup of Spiced Cinnamon Tea in one hand. "Kobayagi-san has potential; I think it's more that Vera's threatened by her power. I think Ayane's superhuman strength is famous way beyond Kantou but even in the other regions. I mean – she's in first year and a potential threat in taking the championship for three years straight alongside Shizuru. So, I think it's more an inferiority complex on Vera's part."
"But that didn't give her any right to try and flirt with Atobe right in front of Ayane. The worst part is – he bit the bait."
Jackal sighed sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. "Well, we all know that Atobe simply loves the attention. Regardless who it is, he'll bite it."
Haruka glanced around, seeing more people pile into the café. "So, what made you want to work in Raindrop Avenue?"
Jackal paused for a moment before leaning back against his chair. "I don't want to be a burden to my dad. It's already hard enough that we had to transfer here and make new adjustments to the schedule, workload and everything. So, I plan to make as much money as I can so we can at least afford our own house here. We're just renting out in a compound and sustaining it is not easy."
Nodding slowly, Haruka folded her arms across her chest. "How long do you plan on staying here in Japan?"
Jackal shrugged lightly, shaking his head with a morose smile. "I really don't know. It's been awhile since my mother and father last spoke to each other."
"Why," Haruka blinked several times before shaking her head, berating herself. "Sorry, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
"My mother divorced her first husband due to suspected infidelity," Jackal frowned darkly, taking a slight sip from his drink. "Apparently, it was true and she won the case. After that, she married my father and now he's been hounding her for money. We've been trying to get her here to Japan but she really wants to fight him nitty gritty. I don't blame my mom; I've seen the man personally and frankly – I'd like nothing more for him to get what he deserved but I don't understand why she has to bring him down all the time when she could've just left him alone."
Haruka remained silent for a moment as she remembered how her family was. Despite being part of one big family, Haruka remembered how her mother had constantly fought with her father for neglecting Ino. Fair enough, both her parents ended up divorcing with Ino developing some severe case of inferiority complex and always had tried to crush her or take away what she had. Would things turned out better if they were raised normally? Whatever it was, at least Ino and her had tried repairing the bond.
"You're amazing to think that way, Jackal-kun," Haruka smiled softly, stirring her cup of Pearl Empress Latté. "Many kids would end up blaming their parents for supposedly giving them horrible lives."
Jackal took another drink from his Spiced Cinnamon Tea, glancing out the window. "Well, I think it's more that their parents are affected. Not a third party affecting them."
The two tennis players remained silent for a moment as they continued drinking their drinks, watching the autumn leaves pass them by. Jackal found himself staring at the Pearl Dragon as he glanced at the people looking around the café. The place had a nice Victorian feel to it in comparison to Haruka's Chinese orientation. He leaned against his elbows before casting an observant gaze towards Haruka. Her chocolate brown eyes watched the swirling white foam on top of her drink as the image of the dragon slowly got distorted into the drink. Her pale pink hair framed her face as he wanted to continue observing her. He shook his head; damn, that was more of Yanagi's thing. But he couldn't help but keep his eyes on her until his phone rang. Quizzical, Jackal flipped open his phone with a message saying:
To: Jackal Kuwahara
From: Marui Bunta
Jackal, I'm gonna need your help. Yane-chan needs doubles and singles play tactics.
Jackal blinked several times; what did Marui know about Singles Tactics? He sighed before closing his phone and glancing at Haruka. "I think your friend's gonna need some help back in Rikkai. I was hoping maybe you would like to come along?"
Haruka placed down her drink with a determined smile.
"Totally."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
That's chapter 60! Finally, Shishido makes a move and Marui's working his way. Will Shizuru ever find out who's the one writing the letters? Stay tuned! Please don't forget to review!