Kari: This idea won't leave me be, it keeps popping up in my head that I just decided to sit down and just write it for my peace of mind.

Ryoma: Does it even matter?

Kari: yes, because it keeps distracting me and driving me insane

Ryoma: Oh? But aren't you already crazy

Kari: *is silent* maybe?

Ryoma: *rolls eyes* Whatever lets get on with the show

Kari: *smiles brightly* Okay! I don't anything, nadda nadda nothing

Ryoma: Anything we should be aware of?

Kari: Ah sou! Warnings! Hmm… shonen ai, maybe a bit OOC, AU-ish as I'm changing the story line to my own amusement, the usual stuff

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Prologue: A change in beginning. A prince's silence

"Hahahaha! Baka! You still don't know the rules for gripping" A loud brown haired boy yelled. "To hit the top spin, it's the western grip you use!" the boy grinned wildly swinging his racket about nearly hitting the trembling girl sitting in front of him "I'm telling you keep the racket like this" He moved his hands showing them how he held the racket "and hold it like you're shaking hands"

"As expected! Sasabe-san in different" Another boy complemented

"Baka! This is common sense" He shouted swinging his racket again, the girl paled and pressed her back against her seat grabbing one of her long braided tails. The group with the boy, Sasabe, laughed harder complementing him.

A little to their side golden eyes narrowed in annoyance, they were too loud. Scrunching his nose in irritation he pushed a hand into his pocket and fished out a set of ear pieces. The boy, who ever that idiot was, was obviously wrong, as the grip he was teaching them was the eastern grip andnot the western. Pushing the ear pieces to his ear he turned the volume up and sighed. As much as it annoyed him he didn't want to waste time in correcting such an obvious mistake it wasn't his problem anyways if the boy didn't know how to play proper tennis and he didn't want to waste his breath in teaching an obvious amateur. Leaning back against his seat, as far away as possible from the group he pulled down his cap and closed his eyes, idly he wondered if there was anyone good in the competition he was going to enter. It had been a hassle to convince the board to allow him to play in the seniors division and he at least wanted a good challenge out of it.

Feeling the train stop he quickly grabbed his bag passing the noisy bunch without much thought, stepping of the train he adjusted the red jacket around him before raising his head to look around. The contest was to be held in 'Gakino Gizaka Tennis Garden' and he wasn't quite sure where said garden was. Raising his head to read the signs above him he absently thanked his mother for being insistent when she thought him Japanese regardless the fact that he was born and raised in America. Narrowing his eyes he gave up and approached a dark haired, cap wearing boy carrying a tennis bag like himself to ask for direction.

"Sumimasen, but can you tell me which way it is to the Gakino Gizaka Tennis Garden?" he asked in a monotonous voice. The boy looked down at him dark grey, nearly black eyes staring into his golden cat like ones.

"Aa, go down the north gateway you should see it there" He answered in an equally monotonic yet deeper voice.

"hmm, north gateway… Thanks" Turning the golden eyed boy nodded towards the Black capped boy before heading towards said gate way. Dark eyes stared in interest as the other walked away tennis bag swinging behind him.

"A competitor in the younger division?" he asked himself. Shaking his head he turned his head to the side when he heard someone calling his name.

"Genichiro! Sorry I'm late, the doctor was quite insistent on giving me instructions that I already know" He said, the boy had midnight blue hair and dark sapphire eyes. He wore a jacket over a white shirt and dark pants "Thank you kaa-san, Genichiro can handle everything here" Turning from his seat the boy smiled towards the woman who gently ran a hand trough his hair.

"Okay then, have fun Seiichi" Turning to Genichiro the woman nodded in thanks "take care of him Sanada-kun"

"Aa, I will Yukimura-san" Bowing back to the woman he took the handle of the wheel chair firmly before pushing his towards the north gateway smiling a bit as he watched the other wave good bye to his mother "I'm glad the doctor allowed you to go out today Yukimura, it's a pity you can't compete"

Smiling up at the dark haired boy Yukimura, Seiichi sighed "sou ne, but I'm more than happy to just watch, at least I'm out of the hospital even for a day"

Nodding his head Sanada, Genichiro began to walk faster towards the exit. He had a competition to attend to and he wanted to make sure that Yukimura would enjoy his day out of the hospital by putting on a good show for him.

"Ne Yukimura, I saw something interesting earlier" Sanada suddenly spoke.

"Oh? What is it?" Yukimura replied

"A boy, he looked like he would be competing in the same tournament as I was, probably in the younger division"

"And? How did he get your interest?" Yukimura asked curiously.

"He looked like a good player" Smirking Sanada's eyes narrowed as they entered the tennis garden "Maybe I'll see him again in the future"

"Saa ne, maybe"

Smiling up at Sanada, Yukimura looked straight as they entered the garden, if the boy managed to catch Sanada's interest simply by his seeing his posture then he must have quite a bit of potential and idly he garnered the same hope to meet this interesting boy as well but for now he wanted to enjoy himself in watching the matches, he did hope to find someone that can at least post a challenge against his vice captain.

Curious isn't it how history changes with just a single difference in action?

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To be continued…

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A/N: Sooo, this is just a random idea I had about what could have happened if Ryoma didn't interfere with Sasabe and never met Sakuno… Also note that Yukimura is still sick here as he didn't get healed until the near the beginning of the nationalsand that I've taken a few liberties with the tournament hahaha…

Review if you want me to continue this (as this was only an experiment) or if you think this is good, it would basically be a rewrite of the series with Ryoma creating his reputation during that tournament instead of beginning it in Seigaku, the pairing would either be YukiRyo or SanaRyo or a threesome I'll leave it up to my readers but I'm mostly leaning toward YukiRyo.

Like I said review if you want this to continue if not then I'll delete it… ( ^.^'')