Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis. It belongs to Takeshi Konomi
Hello! I'm really happy I could get this little plot idea up and running at last! I'll have to admit, this is my first attempt at a Prince of Tennis fic, and I'm a little worried about the characterization. Please tell me if something's off with anybody! Now then, I guess I'll let you read the story!
These Untimely Questions...
by saphirablossom
Chapter 1: Disappearance
Introduction/Prologue:
Sometimes, when asked a question, it's best to not respond to it. Especially if said question was asked by a certain Fuji Syuusuke. That's a lesson that Echizen Ryoma had learned a while back, when his senpai had asked him if he appreciated Momoshiro Takeshi's company. Naturally, Ryoma had responded by a brief 'yes', not seeing the danger that was about to be brought on by his response. After that, Ryoma spent a whole week with Fuji after him, teasing him about his 'crush' on Momo. Needless to say, never again did Ryoma catch himself answering those trick questions, no matter who they were from.
Yet, even if not answering those types of questions can be put to one's advantage, in some cases, answering them with the one and only truth can also be a necessary option. Even a lifesaving one. That's why, in those few rare cases, answering to Fuji Syuusuke's lethal trick question, 'What did you do yesterday?' can be an experience far more relieving than anything else. At the very least, that's the second lesson about Fuji Syuusuke that Echizen Ryoma ever learned. Though he hadn't counted on having to pay that awful price in order to see the truth. Now, Echizen Ryoma knew that fate was always cruel, and he'd long since allowed the notion of 'good luck' to pass him by. Nerves of steel was what the young man had. Yet with persistence, and with the necessary tools, steel can be broken...
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Monday, August 3rd; 4:35 P.M.:
Echizen Ryoma, young tennis prodigy aged of 15 years, currently attending Seishun Gakuen High School Division made his way towards the street tennis courts. Ryoma and his senpai-tachi were fully enjoying their summer vacation away from school, and they'd decided that for the team's sake, they would practice twice a week on the nearby street tennis courts. After all, when they returned to school, the Kanto Championship would be fast approaching, and they didn't want to see their skills rusted because of slacking.
Even though Ryoma wasn't exactly the type of person to show enthusiastically just how happy he was, unlike his senpai Kikumaru Eiji, his fellow teammates could tell that Ryoma was glad that the old middle school dream team was reunited at last. Indeed, after all his third year senpais had left, and even when Ryoma was appointed team captain during his own third year, he was never truly satisfied. He kept his word and truly had served as Seigaku Middle School's pillar of support, but the now high school freshman that he was was completely satisfied that he could call Tezuka Kunimitsu his captain again. What was even more satisfying was most likely who the eight regulars were. Tezuka Kunimitsu, Fuji Syuusuke, Kikumaru Eiji, Oishi Shuichiro, Kawamura Takashi, Kaidoh Kaoru, Momoshiro Takeshi, and Echizen Ryoma. How relishing it was to know that his was back together with some of his best friends, not to mention the infamous Inui Sadaharu and his vegetable juices from hell. Ryoma could officially say that he was in a very good mood indeed.
Ryoma's mind returned to the present when he heard the familiar smack of a tennis ball against the rough court. He followed the sounds that he knew would lead him to his fellow teammates, carelessly walking with his face hidden by his long lasting white cap. Unfortunately, he never saw the figure in front of him before he collided with the said individual. Lifting his cap from his face so as to apologize, he found himself staring into the eyes of Fudomine's captain, Tachibana Kippei.
"Sorry", Ryoma said bluntly. Tachibana, already knowing that Ryoma wasn't mocking him, due to a few years of experience, simply smiled, letting the latter know that it wasn't a problem.
After bidding good-bye with a wave of his hand, Ryoma made his way onto the adjacent tennis court, where his senpais were all gathered. Setting down his bag and taking off his Seigaku Regular jacket, he took his racket and yelled out to his senpais,
"Oi!". The reaction was almost instantaneous. The first to rush up to him was the ever optimistic Eiji, who jumped onto him, dragging him into a hug, while crying out,
"Nya! Ochibi finally showed up!" Momo quickly followed suit, embracing him in a rough bear hug, while all the others walked up to him and greeted him.
"Echizen! Finally you came!", let out Inui, who was holding his precious data book close to him. It was only when he heard Fuji's greeting that he inwardly smiled.
"Ah, it's good you made it Ryoma-kun." Fuji was the only person, besides his former sensei's granddaughter Ryuzaki Sakuno, to call him Ryoma-kun. The only reason he'd allowed it was because Fuji had endlessly pestered him, wanting permission to call Ryoma by his given name. When at long last he'd given in about a month ago, Fuji had always called him Ryoma-kun. Nothing else. Ryoma couldn't make out why, put he felt his heart flutter slightly whenever Fuji called him that. He wondered why, though he tried not give the thing much thought. For the past year he'd been hanging out with the tennis genius an awful lot. Perhaps that was what it was like, being close friends.
"Ochibi! Answer me!", he heard Eiji yelling, a slight pout forming on his face. Ryoma sighed. He'd spaced out again. He certainly thought he was doing too much of that lately. And so, Ryoma stood up and walked over to the court, ready to face his opponent, Eiji, like they'd all planned out the day before. It wasn't long until the exceedingly scorching sun began to set over the horizon, and Seigaku's regulars knew that they had to head home, though they were in a high moods thanks to the successful training. Even some of Fudomine's regulars had stopped by to watch and talk with the Seigaku team, catching up on the recent news.
It was when they were all talking, like they usually ended up doing after a practice session, that Ryoma began walking away, calling out,
"I'll be back!". Fuji sent him a questioning look and asked rather bluntly,
"Already leaving Ryoma-kun?" Ryoma shook his head and put his cap over his face.
"I'm just going to fetch my tennis bag." With that, Ryoma set off towards the opposite side of the road, where he'd left his bag in a secluded place that only he and unfortunately, his teammates knew of. When he arrived at the said place, he was surprised to find his bag was missing.
"Strange..." he muttered to himself. Why on earth was his bag gone? He was sure he'd left it here, like he always did. He advanced further into the patch of bushes and trees, hoping to see his bag lying somewhere nearby. His hopes were revealed to be true when he spotted his bag a little off to the side from where he currently stood. He still found it odd that his bag had been there. After all, it was rather far into the small grove he'd found. In fact, while he was resting, he'd even wondered if he'd put it to close to the road.
Ryoma sighed, deciding to stop questioning himself. He had his bag, and that was that. He'd just find a better spot next time. He bent down to pick it up off the ground along with his regular's jacket, when a pair of arms brutally grabbed him from behind, one locking itself around his waist, the other tightening around his neck, choking him. Ryoma gasped for air, panicking, attempting to move his arms and legs, to fight off his attacker. It seemed to be working, as Ryoma felt that the grip on his waist was beginning to slack off. He tried to turn around, ready to fend off the person holding him, despite the black spots in his vision due to the lack of oxygen. He truly thought he was going to escape.
Yet fate had a nasty way of proving him wrong, as he unexpectedly felt a damp cloth cover his nose and mouth. Desperate to breath, he had no choice but to inhale the scent that was rapidly forcing him deeper and deeper into obliviation. Ryoma knew, despite his panic, that he was being drugged and weakly slumped against his attacker, feeling all his strength leave him in a wave of fatigue. The last thing he thought of before falling into the unadulterated darkness was his teammates. Each of their faces flashed before his eyes, and as he let out his final conscious breath, he whispered,
"Help me..."
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Fuji Syuusuke worriedly searched for a sign of Ryoma's return, wondering why his favorite kohai was taking so long. Tezuka must have noticed this, as he asked,
"Fuji, what's wrong?" Fuji looked to all his teammates, who stared at him questioningly. He sighed and let his worry pour out.
"Ryoma-kun's taking an awful long time..." The other regulars all caught Fuji's worried tone of voice and knew that if they didn't go and fetch him, Fuji wouldn't be at ease. Sighing deeply, Momo signaled everyone to follow him with a wave of his hand.
"Come on everyone. Let's go find Echizen so Fuji-senpai can stop twitching so badly!" They all chuckled at Momo's attempt to make Fuji stop worrying so much, and eagarly followed him to Ryoma's bag hideout, in Eiji's case, ready to glomp the living daylights out of him.
When they reached the place and searched about, the sight that greeted Seigaku's regulars was not a pleasant one. In fact, it was rather frightening. Fuji took a sharp intake of breath, while the rest of them all looked down, their eyes showing their conflicting emotions. On the ground lay Ryoma's bag, alongside his regular's jacket. His tennis racket lay upon the ground, like an unwanted object. But what frightened them the most was most likely the shoe prints along the ground that showed that some sort of fight or a similar activity had taken place, and the dirt marked white cap that lay forgotten on the ground.
Fuji felt the painful worry and fear snatch at his heart, causing him to feel the lethal pain in his heart.
"Ryoma-kun..." he breathed out desperately, calling out to the stale summer air, as if it alone could tell him what had happened to the young man.
So, was it all right? I really do hope you all liked it, since this is my first time in the Prince of Tennis fandom. I really don't care whether you flame me or not, so long as you make the flaming constructive criticism. If you took the time to read this, please review! I'd really like to know what you think about it!