Disclaimer: はじめてなんですが。。。 Roughly translated into a bunch or random squares for some people :
Ange: This is the ficlet that won't end. In a good way though. It's good practice for writing dialogue in any case since I haven't written stories like this in this style before. I know I said this is going to be the last chapter but erm…April Fool's? The last chapter is after this one Scout's Honor! Anyways still read this one in any case. I even forsaken my precious Prince of Tennis viewing time to get this one out.
The T-Zone Unveiled
Chapter 3: Line
Eiji was just about to leave the tennis locker room to start his warm-ups when Fuji showed up. For a moment he forgot that he was even mad at him until Shuusuke's face turned apologetic. In Fuji's case that just meant a smaller smile.
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"I'm sorry about earlier," Shuusuke started before Eiji had a chance to say anything, "Sadaharu needed a tester for his new Inui Juice so I volunteered. Not only that but we even managed to come up with three new juices to top it off."
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"So you were fraternizing with the enemy then," Eiji concluded, horrorstruck.
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"Inui is the enemy?" Fuji questioned intrigued.
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"If any person is willing to force their teammates to drink such vile stuff without remorse, then they are." was Kikumaru's simple explanation.
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"Oh Eiji," Fuji fondly said, "You never stop amusing me."
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"With that smile you would think that you're always amused," his friend remarked. Shuusuke only smiled larger giving nothing away.
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"Do you still want to hear about the Tezuka zone?"
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"Maybe I don't care anymore," Eiji replied still unwilling to let go of his disappearing anger.
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Shuusuke turned to leave, "Well if you really feel that way…"
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"No! Wait! Stop!" he pleaded, running around Shuusuke to block his exit, "you know I was just joking. I wanna know so tell me, tell me, tell me!"
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Fuji laughed this was turning out to be really fun, "Well first calm down. You don't want the whole tennis team running in here now do you?"
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"Sorry," Eiji said with a small grin, slightly abashed, "Well" he prodded his friend when Shuusuke made no moves to release the information Eiji so badly wanted to know.
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Fuji's smile turned more devious and his eyes opened to catlike slits, both actions Eiji completely missed, "Well if you insist…" Shuusuke relented.
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"I do! I do! I do!"
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Fuji leaned towards his shorter teammate unleashing the valuable information to him. With every whisper he breathed into Eiji's ear, Kikumaru's eyes became more rounded and surprised.
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There is no way this can possibly be true Eiji thought. Shuusuke is a prodigy but even geniuses have a limit right? This couldn't be the truth…could it?
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Eiji's gasp echoed in the empty locker room as he listened to the last bit of what Fuji had to say.
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"Now that I don't believe," He declared adamantly, "It's just not possible."
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"What will it take for you to believe it then?"
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"Proof," was the tennis player's firm reply.
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"Now the only way to get that," Shuusuke responded, "is from Captain himself."
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Kikumaru balked at the idea. If what Shuusuke told him was true then…No! It was impossible. How could Tezuka, how could the T-zone even work that way? Not even Inui would have the answers for that.
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With eyes narrowed in determination Eiji strode out of the locker room.
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"Where are you going Eiji?" Fuji called out to him while knowing the answer already.
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"To get the answer straight from the source," Kikumaru shouted not even bothering to look back at him.
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Oh yes, Shuusuke thought his eyes opened to show the full depth of his mischievous intent, this was turning out to be fun indeed.
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Eiji marched out onto the tennis courts, ignoring as Inui commented on his tardiness. He even disregarded the fact that he was supposed to be running laps with the rest of the Regulars.
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Marching up to his captain he fiercely stared up at his towering form, throwing him and the teammates around him into a confused state.
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"Captain Tezuka, I challenge you to a match!"
A/N: So that's if for this chapter at least. I said it will be longer too and it is so don't I get a gold star for that?