Long time no see, right? I just got done marathoning the entire series of Princess Nine. It started out really well, but the lack of actual baseball playing made me sad, and the love triangle made me mad, and it made the characters look utterly absurd. So I decided to write this alternate ending sorta thing. It takes place just after the home run.
Light shoujo-ai of course between dense (Ryo) and drill (Izumi). Not sure why it's in present tense; it just seemed to come out better that way.
And as usual, I do not own Princess Nine, and if I did the series would have more actual baseball in it. And Izumi would have only one drill ponytail.
Ryo is sad because they lost, but Izumi is there. The blue-haired third baseman smiles and embraces the ace pitcher.
Ryo then realizes that it was all worth it; it was all for something. Relieved, but utterly fatigued she collapses into Izumi and closes her tired eyes.
She is oblivious to the cheers and celebrating going on all around her. She is unable to hear the offers of congratulations of a job well done from her teammates. She doesn't see her proud mother looking towards the sky, a picture of her late husband clutched to her chest. She doesn't hear the engine turn as the chairwoman heads home not in defeat. She can't see Hiroki's teammates rush the field to lift him up for his game-winning home run.
All Ryo can feel is Izumi's arms around her tired frame, supporting her firmly, but gently. She can smell the familiar mix of grass and dirt and sweat upon the girl's uniform so close to her. She can feel the rushed heartbeats from the taller girl, whose head is resting upon her own sweaty brow. She wants to say something, but can't put words to it. So instead she just enjoys being here, in this moment with Izumi.
Izumi tightens her embrace after a moment, and regards her rival. She sees Ryo in her arms, tired, but relaxed and comfortable now. And to Izumi, this feels right; it was this all along. And she can't help but smile sadly as she realizes it could have been like this much sooner.
Izumi lowers her head towards Ryo's ear and says, "It was always you, Ryo."
Ryo pretends not to hear the soft whisper. But she does and something stirs in her heart, something strong. Not wanting to think about it just yet, she smiles and returns the strong embrace around Izumi and replies, "I look forward to the next two years with you."
GOOD END!
Omake:
It was late into the evening when Takasugi Hiroki finally left the baseball field. Already being the ace batter, and the ace blonde, and having an ace pitcher as a girlfriend, Hiroki was in high spirits as he rode his bicycle home on the familiar path.
Suddenly a large bright light from above the trees put Hiroki in the spotlight. In fear of crashing into something, Hiroki stopped the bike and tried to block the blinding light from his eyes with his hands.
"What's going on? Who's there?!"
"I am Fifi."
"Who?"
No matter how hard he tried, Hiroki could not pinpoint where the voice was coming from, and in a matter of seconds, Hiroki was knocked from his bike and was now lying on the pavement. An invisible force began to lift Hiroki slowly up into the air, towards the blinding light. Hiroki was screaming for help, but no one came as he disappeared.
A loud roar was heard, and the light was no more. The trees rustled in the night air.
"Thank you Fifi-chan... Just as planned."