Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ There and back again ❯ A match and a revelation ( Chapter 14 )

Miru's first match! [well, at Hyotei at least]

 

Disclaimer - don't own PoT, don't sue me.

 

 

ENJOY!

 

 

“Smooth.”

“You get first ball. Sure you're up to this?” Miru walked to her position on the court, her racquet slung over her shoulder.

“Up to what,” Kirihara growled. “Beating a girl?”

“Close.” Miru used a mocking tone, edging on her opponent. She knew how he played from how Atobe and the others had talked about him. She wanted to see him /really/ play. “/Being/ beaten /by/ a girl. I mean, I know it might hurt your pride.” She pushed a stray hair from her face.

She may look and act perfect, but I'm sure she can't /play/ perfect. She's not good enough for me to have to break her. “Let's go.”

`POP' “Hurry up and serve already.”

 

Momo ran as fast as he could. He needed to tell the others! He couldn't help Miru, but they could. She better be okay. He flew into the clearing where the clubhouse was, running towards the courts.

“Senpai, where's my ball.”

“Shut up Ryoma. Everyone, come here! Miru…” He felt a pain in his leg, and realized he had been kicked by Ryoma. He pushed the freshman up against the wall, and growled at him. “Shut up! Listen to me!” He turned away to talk to everyone. “Miru is playing Kirihara! Alone! We need to help her!”

Fuji's eyes widened. That meant…

Seigaku rushed to follow Momo to where he had seen Miru, hoping that they just weren't too late.

“2-0 games for me. How are you feeling?” `POP' Miru still hadn't gotten him to play seriously, and it was really starting to annoy her.

“Shuddup!” Kirihara was panting already, realizing that he had sorely underestimated the girl.

“Heh,” `POP' “Suit yourself! Your serve. Hope you can get a point this game.” `POP'

 

“Did she just say…2-0 and…get /a/ point this game?!” Momo was confused. Maybe Kirihara was coaching her?

“She told me she played tennis, but I think she forgot to extenuate on how good she was…” Fuji remembered back to his game with Kirihara, it had been somewhat of a challenge to him, but /she/ seemed to find it almost…The game finished quickly, but Fuji found that Miru had no playing style. It was if she was only playing to hit the ball.

“Mada mada dane.”

“Yes, she /is/ better than I expected, but…” Oishi had noticed her complete lack of style as well.

They watched as she served the ball, the trade off, her return straight at Kirihara. He didn't stop it, and ended up on the ground.

“She didn't just…” The regular members eyes widened as they fully grasped what this meant. He would turn, and he would break her.

“MIRU! GET OUT OF…” *muffle*

The regulars thought they heard Eiji's voice yelling for Miru, but it faded among just as quickly as it came. They watched as the Rikkaidai player picked himself off the ground, watched as he stood, posing at his end of the court. Watched as he stared at Miru, /listened/ as he talked. “Sorry if I ruin your pretty face, hunn.” He spat out the last word as if it had tasted vile. “It wouldn't be my fault, and now is where it starts.” He smirked, never taking his eyes off of Miru.

Fuji knew what he said was true. `It all starts here' This was going to be a different game, with a seemingly different person. Was she good enough?

 

“Finally!” `POP' “This means your playin' for real now, ne?” Miru stood, unfazed by the now red eyed teen standing in front of her, racquet once again thrown over her shoulder.

Kirihara blinked, confused for a moment, then roared in rage. “You think this is a joke?! I'll give you a memorable game, though I don't think you will /want/ to remember it! I'll break you piece by piece until you can never play again!”

`POP' Oh, good, your serious. I guess I can play for real too! Finally, I was beginning to think I would never be able to!

 

“What…” Momo stared in awe. Even Ryoma, Tezuka and Fuji showed signs of emotion as Miru took her next serve. A /completely/ different serve from her last.

Her movement is more…fluid…Fuji watched as her serve flew, untouchable, past Kirihara's frame.

 

“What, having a hard time, /hunn/?” Miru sneered at her opposition, making sure he had heard every. single. word. All she got in reply was a glare that would have sent shivers down most people's spines. She seemed unaffected. “So you can't play /or/ talk? Wow, I sure picked the wrong opponent today.” `POP' She didn't notice her last statement had pushed Kirihara over the edge.

“WHAT! NOW YOU'RE…”

He stopped screaming at her when he realized she was starting to serve again. The ball flew up, hands changing over as she danced under it, sending it at him. This time though he was ready for it. His eyes shone with malicious content as he returned the ball. The elbow should be good for the first target. He watched as the ball took it's cause, going down hard and fast, the perfect bounce, and…

 

“No…” Oishi's comment was barely heard by those around him. They watched as the ball hammered it's way towards Miru, she couldn't move, there was no time left! “No…” Oishi repeated his statement and turned away, waiting only for the cry of pain to come from Miru. He waited and waited…

“It…missed?” Fuji was in shock. Even he hadn't…how…He thought back to a moment before, her seemingly simple flowing movements, spinning to hit the ball straight back at the unsuspecting Kirihara. Those movements…It was like she was…

“Dancing tennis.” Inui pushed up his glasses, letting them catch in the sun. “Her quick fluid movements, seeming weightlessness and power. It's all a form of dancing tennis.”

Seigaku stared as they watched the game finishing quickly, a pointless, hopeless for the Rikkaidai ace. Now he was on his knees, panting, sweat pouring off his figure as he stared up at the girl at the net.

`POP' “Thanks, that was one of the best games I've had in a long while. Thanks.” Miru had reverted to her `second personality'; she was smiling kindly at Kirihara, her hand reached over the net to help him up. `POP' They talked for a while, a lot of it about her tennis style, before she decided to flip again. “Don't tell anyone I /ever/ did that.” She shared a secret smile shared with no one, walking away, racquet still on her shoulder.

 

This place has done something to me…I'm starting to break my shell and get closer to people, why, why when I know I'll just get hurt? And why here…When I've been to so many other places…