A/N: I originally posted this on wattpad under my name Duchess210 there but now I'm also posting it here. Hope people like it. I'm looking forward to your review to make the story better!
Also, this is somewhat revised and edited than in my wattpad version.
Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis.
CHAPTER 1: HOMECOMING
*3rd person's POV (just for this 1st chappy:)
"They sure will be surprised." A girl chuckled in front of the Echizen's residence. She walked inside , not bothering to knock since it'll ruin the surprise. Nanako and Ryoma must already be at school so that only leaves two more people, she thought. Surely, as she peeked in the kitchen, she saw one and carefully she walked behind her and covered the woman's eyes with her hands.
"Guess who?" she asked.
The woman who has her eyes covered gasped and was on the verge of tears. She turned around to see the sneaky girl and sure enough she was the person she thought and wants her to be.
"Rima! Oh, Rima! Why didn't you tell us you're coming home! We could've...oh! How I've missed you." Ringo sobbed because of happiness of seeing her daughter again.
"Aww, don't cry mom! I missed you too! Is dad at the temple?" Ringo wiped her tears.
"Yes go on. I'll make something for you."
Rima went to the temple and found her father sleeping on a bench with a magazine over his head. She walked silently, kneeled beside him and gently blew on his ear. Nanjirou jolted up instantly shivering from what Rima did. He looked around him and his eyes fell to the very beautiful face of his daughter.
"Rima?" he asked unsure.
" Hi dad." She smiled sweetly.
Nanjirou was in happy tears.
"Oh! My beautiful beautiful daughter! I've missed you so much! Look at how much you've grown! I'm in awe at how much you've changed!" Nanjirou recalled the last time he saw his daughter, it was a year ago. They visited her in Germany where she was having her rehabilitation and certainly she changed so much. Her hair now reached to her waist, they were a shade darker than Ryoma's. She had side bangs that framed her face perfectly and made her light gray eyes shine brilliantly.
"Why don't we go inside so we can catch up on things?" They went inside the house, shared tea and snacks which Ringo had prepared and chatted. She had told them that she was already good for discharge at the rehab center in Germany for almost a month ago...but she had decided to stay there and secretly make her plans for when she comes back. After a few hours, Rima decided to visit some of her old friends since she had already contacted her prospect school prior to her arrival and she's all ready to go the next day and also because Nanjirou had said that Ryoma won't be back until later.
AT RIKKAIDAI'S
"um, excuse me? Can you please tell me where the tennis club is?" she asked a random student which pointed her in the right direction.
"thanks." She said.
After walking a little, she started seeing courts and she luckily spotted the two people she was looking for immediately. She made her way to the bench where they were, talking.
"Gen-chan! Yuki!" she called and they quickly turned their heads from that name. Only one person called them that.
"Rima?" they both asked unsure.
"hope you didn't miss me very much?" Rima grinned while Sanada tried to suppress a blush. Yukimura smiled warmly.
"Of course we did." Yuki said.
"I missed you both too! And I heard that you had an operation Yuki, are you okay now? I mean really really okay?" Rima asked worried.
"Yes, I'm okay now Rima. Sorry for not telling you, I just didn't want to worry you." He smiled and patted Rima's head while she also returned the smile back.
"How about you gen-chan? How have you been? Did I miss any news on you?" she asked.
"I'm fine, nothing new and nothing to worry you about. So...are you back for good now?" Sanada said.
"Yepp. " she smiled happily.
"So that means that you're good to play again?" Yuki asked and Rima froze at the question. They noticed her reaction but waited for her to answer.
"Y-yeah I guess." She replied after somewhat recovering but Sanada didn't stand for this, he held Rima's right arm and looked her straight in the eyes.
"What's wrong Rima? Please tell me." He asked. Rima just looked at him for a while but then sighed and hugged Sanada burying her face and not noticing the blush that crept its way to his face.
"I've really missed you guys. I'm okay. I'm just afraid I guess, I mean I haven't held a racket since the accident so I'm not so sure about myself." She half smiled and Sanada patted her head.
"We-" Sanada started saying something but was interrupted by someone.
"Yo! Captain, Sanada-san who're you talking to?" a certain red head butted in feeling very high and energetic from all the cakes that he just ate. Rima turned around to face him and he instantly had hearts in his eyes.
"Hi, I'm Rima." She said with a small smile while holding out her hand for him to shake. He immediately held her hand and held it...
And held it...
And held it...
And held it...
Until Sanada coughed and he finally but reluctantly released her hand.
"I'm Bunta Marui by the way."
"Jackal Kuwahara." A bald dark-skinned man said from behind and Marui jumped a little not noticing his partner's presence.
"Hey! don't go appearing out of nowhere man!" Marui complained.
"I didn't, we went here together remember?" he explained.
"Oh right...we did.., sorry my bad." Marui laughed and the rest just sweat dropped at him.
"You can be so forgetful sometimes Marui. That's not very pleasant." Someone said from a corner and this time, they all jumped from the sudden remark and looked at Yanagi who managed to walk to them without them noticing.
"I'm Yanagi Renji." He held out his hand for Rima to shake.
"Nice to meet you Yanagi-kun. I'm Rima Echizen." Rima said with a sweet smile as they shook hands.
"Echizen? Are you related to Ryoma Echizen?" Yanagi asked and Rima smiled at him.
"Yeah, he's my-"
"Is there a meeting?" a guy with glasses asked and everyone turned to look at him.
"No. We just have a visitor." Kuwahara explained for everyone.
"Visitor?" a white haired guy asked as he reached his team.
"Must be a reporter trying to cover us." A seaweed haired guy butted in.
"I'm afraid I'm in no way a reporter." Rima said with a small smile.
"I'm Rima Echizen, and yes Ryoma's my brother." Rima introduced herself.
The white haired man shoved his two other teammates to introduce his self first.
"I didn't know that chibi freshman had such a beautiful sister. I'm Niou Masaharu by the way."
"Don't mind him, he's no one important. I'm Kirihaya Akaya, the future captain and no. 1 player of this team." The seaweed haired guy announced with pride and confidence while the others just sweat dropped at him and Rima chuckled a bit.
"I hope you don't mind their stupidity. I'm Yagyuu Hiroshi." A guy wearing glasses said.
"Who're you calling stupid?!" Kirihara complained but no one gave him attention as Yukimura started giving directions for their training
Meanwhile at Echizen's Residence...
"Tadaima" Ryoma called. Nanjirou silently snickered at the plan he thought of earlier.
"Ryoma! Com'ere! I got something for you." He said.
Ryoma went to the dining table where his father was sitting and Nanjirou gave him a small box. Ryoma took it and his eyes widened. It says 'To Ryoma; From: Rima'
"She dropped that earlier for you." Ryoma stared at his father. 'dropped he said' Ryoma thought.
"Dropped?" he finally voiced out.
"Yeah well she was on her way to a hospital somewhere in Japan...I forgot the name. She also went by your school but said you weren't there." Nanjirou said innocently but is actually laughing his ass off inside. He knows how much Ryoma cares for Rima. And he really enjoys messing with Ryoma like this.
Ryoma replayed that in his head over and over again.
"She asked me to give that to you a while ago. Actually she just left about a couple of minutes before you arrived. She waited for a while longer because she couldn't find you but she'd miss the last trip so she went on ahead. Bad luck eh Ryoma?" Nanjirou continued teasing and Ryoma just stared at him for a few more seconds until realization finally flickered on his face and he dashed out of the house immediately trying to catch up to Rima while Nanjirou was laughing his ass off at the house, this time, literally.
"What's so funny dad?" Rima asked. Nanjirou stopped laughing and looked at Rima. Then, laughed even harder if that was even possible. He was now holding his stomach with one hand while banging the other one in the table laughing and muttering "he really has bad luck."
"You're starting to freak me out dad. What are you laughing about? And who has bad luck?" Rima asked with furrowed eyebrows.
"Nothing, I just remembered something very funny." Nanjirou managed to say in between laughs. Rima sighed and went to the kitchen thinking her father finally lost it. She started cooking their favorite dishes as she promised her mom she'd cook tonight for them.
After cooking and setting the table, she looked at the clock which said seven thirty.
"Isn't Ryoma a bit late now? I wonder where he is." Rima asked to her parents who were now at their seats at the dining table.
"Who knows? Maybe he's out with his club celebrating or something, he does that a lot. Let's just eat, we can't let the food sit there and get cold." Nanjirou answered
"How about Nanako-san?" Rima asked her mom this time.
"Oh, that's right. She called earlier to tell me that she's sleeping at a friend's house to finish a report they're working on. I've told her that you're back and she said congratulations for finally getting well." Ringo said. Rima smiled at her mom.
"Ok!..now then..Itadakimasu!" Nanjirou shouted enthusiastically and started eating.
After two hours...
"Tell Ryoma his food is on the table if he's hungry ok?" Rima said while towel drying her hair as she went upstairs. She's a bit worried that Ryoma's not yet home. They've already finished dinner and she had already taken a bath but he's still not home.
The door opened and closed with little sound but Nanjirou was able to hear it and he was grinning like an idiot when he saw how gloomy Ryoma looked like. Well he can't blame him since he hasn't seen his sister in about a year and he just missed a chance that rarely passes by. Well he thought he did. Nanjirou thought. Ryoma looked at his father briefly and continued to walk to his room.
"Aren't you eating?" his father asked.
"Not hungry." He said glumly but then his stomach growled really loudly and he sighed while his father snickered quietly. He had run a long way and not found Rima, he felt pissed at his self so he tried to cool off a little and just walked around.
He sat on the table not really wanting to eat but his stomach doesn't agree so he'll eat anyway. He looked at the food. They were his favorites. Especially that one dish, but he hates red peppers so he started sorting the food to get the peppers out but to his surprise he found none. 'That's odd' he thought. 'Mom doesn't take the peppers out since it's a lot of work and she wants me to eat it...But oh well, maybe she's just being nice' he thought. Then he started eating and froze.
"This isn't mom's cooking." He muttered then immediately stands up and hurried upstairs to Rima's room. He opened the door...and found...
Nothing.
He sighed and felt disappointed once again. He started heading to his room, not feeling hungry anymore but when he opened the door, he froze.
"Ri...ma" he mumbled. There was Rima, in his room sweetly playing with karupin in her arms. She looked at Ryoma.
"Ryoma! Where've you been? I was starting to get worried you know! Do you always go home this late?" she scolded. Ryoma just stared for a few more seconds trying to take in what's happening then he finally went inside and made his way to Rima. She grinned at him.
"Missed me?" she teasingly asked but opened her arms for Ryoma and he hugged her.
"You know, this lessens your coolness." She teased but Ryoma didn't care. He was always like this around Rima, gentle and caring that you'd think he was the elder one protecting the younger sibling.
"I thought you were supposed to go to a hospital?" he asked Rima.
"Hospital? Why would I?" she said.
"Dad said-" he started then realized what his father did and Rima started laughing.
"Curse that old man." He muttered and Rima patted his head.
"I've really missed you." Rima said.
"Welcome back... Onee-san"
NEXT DAY...
"Ohayo." Rima greeted while sitting down at the table for breakfast still wearing pajamas.
"Rima, shouldn't you have left a while ago? I don't want you late on you first day." Nanjirou said.
"We'll go together. She won't be late, Seigaku's not so far away." Ryoma butted in.
"No she won't. By the way Rima, here's your uniform. Hyotei was a bit hesitant about accepting a student in the middle of the year but they accepted nonetheless." Nanjirou said and Ryoma quickly dropped his chopsticks at what his father said.
"Hyotei? What about Seigaku?!" he said while glaring at his father.
"They didn't accept." Nanjirou said not bothered by Ryoma's growing temper but was really enjoying his little show. Ryoma's very protective of Rima so he'd want them in the same school.
"Did you really try? Hyotei's too far!" Ryoma shouted at him but Nanjirou just ignored him and gave Rima a paper bag.
"Here, put it on quickly so you won't be late." He smiled at her.
If looks could kill, Nanjirou would be dead by now.
'Rima can't go to Hyotei. She 's going to Seigaku with me.' Ryoma thought as he glared daggers at his father.
"Shall we get going then?" Rima asked and as Ryoma turned to look at his sister, his jaw dropped and was about to clobber his father if he hasn't already left his seat and was hugging Rima.
"Doesn't she look stunning Ryoma?" he asked innocently and a vein bulged in Ryoma's forehead.
"Since when did that became Hyotei's uniform?" he asked annoyed.
"Hyotei?...oh! did I said that. Sorry, my bad. It was Hyotei who didn't accept, must've confused them." Nanjirou laughed and went away.
"Goodluck on your first day Rima!" he said as he went to the temple.
"I'm gonna get you for this old man." Ryoma mumbled. Rima sighed inside and thought 'Nothing ever changes. Still the same as ever.' But also mentally smiled at that.
"Sorry for going with dad's joke. The uniform must have been made when I went out so he thought of teasing you but I honeatly never applied to other schools other than Seigaku." Rima said a bit apologetic to her brother.
"It seems that you've already been discharge for a while now to make all these plans. Why didn't you tell us?" Ryoma said, feeling a bit offended by his sister's secrecy.
"Just wanted to surprise everyone..." Rima said with a cheeky grin.
"So..nee-chan, is your arm fully healed now?" Ryoma asked as they walk to school and Rima's heart skipped a beat.
"Y-yeah." She answered.
"Then you'll start playing again, right?" he said and Rima looked away.
"I-"
"Yo Echizen!" She started but was cut off by a certain someone riding a bicycle but then he noticed the girl walking with Ryoma and he slammed into a post distractedly.
"Are you okay Momo-senpai?" Ryoma asked. Momo immediately stood up.
"Yeah. I'm okay."
"A friend of yours Ryoma?" Rima asked. Momo looked at her and blushed.
"Yeah. He's on the tennis club."
"H-hello, I'm Momoshiro Takeshi." Momo said nervously and Rima smiled at him warmly.
"Nice to meet you Momoshiro-kun, I'm Rima Echizen, Ryoma's older sister."
"Eh? You have a sister Echizen?" he asked Ryoma.
"She just introduced herself didn't she?" Ryoma replied cooly.
"How come you didn't say anything?"
"Never came up."
"Come on Ryoma, Momoshiro-kun. We're gonna be late if we just stand here."
"I go by Momo-chan. Just call me that, ok?" momo said with a blushed and Rima grinned at him.
"Then just call me Rima, ok? It'll be confusing if you also call me Echizen."
"Let's go already." Ryoma pulled Rima annoyed of being left out.
AT SCHOOL
"See you later, Ryoma. Momo." They went off to their respective classrooms. Rima stood outside her room. She was a few minutes late since she stopped by the principal's office. She knocked and the sensei opened the door expecting the new student.
"Everyone listen up! We have a new student." He motioned for Rima to now enter. All eyes are on her, as they take in her features.
"Good morning everyone, I'm Rima Echizen. Please to meet you."
A hand shot in the air.
"Yes Kikumaru?" the sensei asked.
"Are you related to Ryoma Echizen?" he asked Rima and she smiled at him.
"Yes. He's my younger brother." She replied.
"Ehh? Really?" he said loudly and Rima chuckled.
"Now, now save the questioning later. Rima you can sit on that vacant seat beside Fuji." The sensei directed and Rima went to sit beside the brown haired guy.
"You're really o'chibi's sister? I can't believe it!" Kikumaru said as he's in the seat in front of Fuji.
"How come you only showed up now?" he added.
"I just got back from Germany." Rima said.
"Really? Anyway, you look a lot more sociable than o'chibi!...really!" he chatted on.
"Eiji..." Fuji tried to gain his attention.
"Mr. Kikumaru! Please refrain from chatting during class!"
"Hai!"
*LUNCH BREAK
Fuji and Kikumaru had their desks next to Rima's so they could eat lunch together, much to the envy of the other guys.
"So, do you play tennis too?" Eiji asked her.
"Yeah, before." She said.
"Before?" Fuji questioned.
"I had an accident."
"Is that why you're in germany?"
'this guy's quick.' Rima thought of Fuji.
"Yes."
"So you're ok now?" Eiji asked.
"Yes."
"Then you can play now right?" he continued.
"Y-yeah." Rima replied.
"How long have you stopped playing?" Fuji asked.
"Um, about two years I guess."
"Eh? Really?" Eiji asked.
"You must've had a very serious injury." Fuji noted.
"Anyway, you gotta meet the others! I'm sure Oishi and the team would be surprised to know that o'chibi has a sister!" Eiji said excitedly.
"I wonder if Inui has any data about you." Fuji added.
"Inui?" Rima asked.
"He's like the data treasurer of the team." Fuji explained.
"Yeah! And if he ever offers you any drink, don't accept! Ahh, how terrible that last one..." Eiji babbles on with a pale complexion at the remembrance.
"Uh, I don't quite get it." Rima turned to Fuji.
"It's called Inui juice although there are many variants. You have to be careful cause some of them really taste deadly. Especially...Aozu." Then Fuji's face became very serious at the thought of that drink. It was the only one that affected him and since then, he's hated and has been very wary of Inui's concoction. Rima noticed this and made a mental note of being careful around this Inui person.
AFTER CLASS
Eiji invited Rima to their club to meet the others and when they arrived, everyone was already their except for Tezuka.
"Oy!" Eiji called excitedly as he dragged Rima behind him.
Everyone turned to see the red head and the girl with him as they stopped. Fuji, catching up a second later.
"Guess who this is?" Eiji asked excitedly and Ryoma rolled his eyes.
"Oh, hey Rima!" Momo called.
"Eh? Momo you already know her?" Eiji pouted.
"Yeah, well I bumped to Ryoma and her earlier this morning." Momo said as he scratched the back of his head while everyone just stood there not having a clue of what's happening.
"Um, Eiji? Who is she?" Oishi finally asked for everyone to know. Rima stepped forward.
"I'm Rima Echizen. Ryoma's older sister. Nice to meet you all." She said.
Everyone who didn't know her turned their heads to Ryoma, then back at Rima. They repeated the process for a few times until the information finally sank in.
"You have a sister Echizen?" Oishi asked.
"She just introduced herself didn't she?" Ryoma replied cooly.
"This is a new data." Inui mumbled as he started writing something in that notebook of his.
"Fssshhh." Kaido said.
After everyone finally got past the introductions, Tezuka showed up.
"What is all this commotion about?" he asked everyone and when they all turned, he quickly spotted Rima.
"Rima?" he asked.
"Hi Tezuka." She waved and smiled sweetly.
"Eh? You know Tezuka-buchou too Rima-chan?" Eiji asked.
"Um yeah. Remember I just got back from Germany?"
"And Tezuka also went went into the same rehabilitation center." Fuji finished.
"Fuji you knew?" Eiji asked Fuji.
"I just kinda figured it out." Then he turned to Rima.
"Am I wrong?" he asked Rima and she smiled.
"No you're not. You're really quick Fuji."
"Rima are you..." Tezuka started.
"I'm back for good. Now, are we just going to talk here and forget about you club activities?" she said to redirect every ones attention.
As everyone continues to practice, Rima goes off to find something to drink. Inui had offered something like Special golden power remix juice but she declined remembering what Eiji had said.
"How have you been?" someone asked her and she turned around.
"Tezuka." She acknowledged.
"Have you really recovered now?" he asked.
"Yeah. Took long enough though." She half smiled
"So..you'll start playing again now?" Rima sighed at this.
"People keep asking me that."
"And I'm sure you keep avoiding them."
Tezuka knows her well. They had been friends during his stay at Germany. He knows about the accident and she knows how he got injured.
"You know I can play, I even beat you right?" She said smiling a little.
Tezuka moved closer and held her left hand.
"I know, but just because you can play well with your right doesn't mean you would ignore your left. You've worked hard for so long Rima." He said.
"So they really know each other. They seem quite close; do you think something's going on between them?" Oishi whispered to Kawamura, Eiji and Fuji. They had seen Rima and Tezuka talking so they decided to hide and watch.
"I wonder what they're talking about." Kawamura said.
"Oh look! He's holding her hand! Buchou's acting really fast." Eiji commented.
"Guys, what are you-" Inui said while trying to look at what the others are doing but was cut off when Eiji put a hand over his mouth.
"Shhh!" he said and Inui gave him a confused look. Finally, he moved quietly and saw what they were watching. Almost instantly, he held up his notebook and began writing while mumbling "New data"
Incidentally, Ryoma was gonna walk by but Eiji, being fast and having great reflexes pulled him into their corner. Ryoma looked at him annoyingly and questioningly so he pointed towards Tezuka and Rima. When he saw them holding hands, he made a face and started going towards them but was stopped again by his teammates.
"You'll uncover us!" Oishi said.
"O'chibi you baka! We'll get punished if Buchou discovers us!" Eiji said.
Just then, Tezuka and Rima left. Ryoma looked at everyone with an annoyed expression and walked off.
"What a protective little brother. I hadn't expected that from Echizen" Fuji said.
"Wonder how he'll cope. Rima's the type to be swarmed by guys, being nice and very pretty." Kawamura added.
"We'll see for ourselves then." Inui said.