(Note:This is a couple weeks after the Kanto Tournament where Ryoma beat Sanada, lets pretend that Tezuka just came to visit around this time)
"You won't get anything out of this Ryoma." Aira said coldy, clearly she was annoyed that her time was being wasted. "Maybe not, but you will." said Ryoma on the other side of the court, smirking.
Aira was in her tennis garments and holding a tennis racket, it felt odd in her hand, but it felt...weird. Aira shook her head and dismissed her thoughts. Ryoma smirked and pointed his tennis racket towards her, "Ne, you might want to try hard, after all you want to lose with no regrets." Aira's eyes started to blaze dangerously, "Don't push it Echizen Ryoma, if I remember correctly, you have never beaten me." Some of the regulars spectating gasped. Aira and Echizen ignored them. "Maa, I think I have a fair chance, after all someone who has not picked up a tennis racket for 2 years" Ryoma smirked, Aira's bang fell over her eyes, she said nothing and served. It was a backwards twist serve, it landed near Ryoma's feet and went towards his face, he moved out of the way, but the ball didn't stop there it twisted behind Ryoma and started going back the Aira and hit the net. "15-love." said some random umpire. Ryoma just smirked while the others gaped. "I haven't seen that serve for a while Aira-nee."
Aira smirked. "Believe me, you will see much more."
No one's POV:
"Game to Tskiyomi, 1 game to love!" the umpire announced. Aira took the game entirely with her serve, Ryoma made few efforts to return it, but didn't manage. For some reason Aira was feeling weird, she unconsciously clutched her heart, 'Am I sick?' she wondered, Ryoma then did a twist serve, Aira returned it easily, "Ara Ryoma! I'm not impressed!" Ryoma just ignored me and returned the ball, they began rallying. Aira was wondering what this feeling was, 'just leave me alone' that was her thought, she looked at Ryoma who was slightly panting, 'I'm sorry Ryoma, but I don't like this feeling, I'm going to end this.' I put 50% more effort when returning the shot, "15-love" Aira looked at Ryoma, what she did not realize was that her expression was quite ...sad, this did not get unnoticed by Ryoma and the regulars, Ryoma just smirked, 'You don't realize it yet?'
Some time later:
"Game to Tskiyomi! 5 games to love" Aira was now sweating, but Ryoma was sweating a little bit more, Aira looked coldly at Ryoma, "I'm disappointed Ryoma" Ryoma just smirked, then he slid under the ball and jumped up and hit it. 'Its going out.' Thought Aira, when the ball suddenly fell down, and went up again, "Love- 15" said the umpire. Aira stared at the ball, Ryoma smirked, "Drive B" Aira slightly narrowed her eyes, "You were holding out?" she asked, Ryoma just answered, "I would have figured that you would already know, your observation skills have become somewhat rusty." Aira glared, because what he said was true.
****
"Game to Echizen! 5 games all"Aira was now panting just as much as Ryoma, she didn't expect Ryoma to have a whole bag of tricks, 'Drive B, Drive A(he didn't actually hit her in the face) and some others'
Ryoma was sweating too because of my tricks, true Aira does have techniques, but all Ryoma could counter, she was playing mind games, and focused on the basics, and thinking. "Aira-nee, mada mada dane," Ryoma smirked, then suddenly a strange aura surrounded him. 'No...it can't be..' Ryoma took this chance and preformed Tsubame Gaeshi, Fuji's move.
"Muga no Kyochi...." Aira breathed, then unconsciously smiled. "Game starts now!" they both said, with the same smirk, then Aira had an aura surrounding her as well.
"Hehh~ Aira-nee know how to do Muga no Kyochi as well" Ryoma smirked, then preformed Tezuka zone, 'Why is all my hits heading towards him?' as Aira hit a special buggy whip shot she had seen a professionals do. It went straight out. Aira widened her eyes. "What were those moves called?" she asked quietly. Ryoma just smirked, "Tezuka zone and Tezuka phantom, both made by our buchou" Aira looked at Tezuka who was just watching all of this with a stoic expression. Aira said nothing and they continued.
"Game to Echizen! 6 games to 5!" Aira dropped on one knee panting for a moment before standing up again. 'All these techniques, they were made from them?' she looked at the regulars, 'and there is more people like them?' She clutched her heart again as it got that strange feeling, 'What is this feeling? I felt it before I know it..' She began rallying with Ryoma, technique after technique, trick after trick, hit and breathe, the feeling when getting a point. "6 games all. Tie breaker".
Ryoma and Aira were sweating and very tired, the affects from Muga no Kyochi were showing, but that didn't stop them, they continued. Aira looked at Ryoma, he had a big smile on his face, 'he's having...fun.' Aira said to herself slowly. Ryoma did a Scud serve. Aira hit it, 'This feeling...this thrill....I love it!' A big smile grew on Aira's face. (Shin-chan: I noticed a few regulars blushed) Suddenly a voice came out of nowhere. "Aira, is tennis fun?" Aira stood still as the ball went past her. She looked at the voice. It belonged to a dirty looking man in monk's clothing. 'Uncle Nanjirouh!' She and Ryoma began rallying again.
'Tennis kaa....there is no way I would hate it....thats right...this thrill...the sound of a racket hitting a tennis ball...' Aira smiled, and returned the ball. 'Tennis is fun!' then she nearly fell as she felt her heart stop. 'Is she going to use Temi ho no kiwami?' thought Nanjirou, If someone was in Aira's shoes, they would activate Temi ho no kiwami with no hesitation, but it was different with Aira.
'No! Not yet, not now!' She looked at Ryoma and the regulars ,time was slowing down, 'Its not my destiny to let them be in the presence of Temi ho no Kiwami!' Aira didn't know why but something in her gut told her that. It was not time.
Aira controlled Temi ho no Kiwami, the glow never appeared. To the regulars it merely looked like she stumbled, everyone expected her to fall, but she put her leg out and stopped herself, then she closed her eyes, and breathed slowly.
She served the ball, Ryoma hit it back with another high-leveled technique, Aira, her eyes still closed, elegantly returned it no problem. Ryoma couldn't return it. His eyes were stuck on Aira, the regulars were shocked. Nanjirouh widened his eyes in surpirse. The aura around Aira was different. It was strong, her long blond hair was flowing gently, Her body arched and she held her head up high. Then small orbs started to circle around her. 'A princess.' That thought ran through everyone's head. Ryoma snapped out of it. "I won't lose to anyone in Tennis!" He said in English, He served a knuckle serve, Aira's eyes narrowed and returned it elegantly, the orbs of light still dancing around her. Ryoma then started firing all kinds of techniques. Aira returning them with elegance. "72-71, Tskiyomi leads." Ryoma was having fun. Despite feeling frustrated he was having fun, and besides there was one more move he hadn't showed yet.
Aira was also having fun. But she was also confident. Her mind was completely at peace, her body seemed to know what she was doing. No matter how her mind was shocked by all the techniques Ryoma fired. But was it just in her eyes or did Ryoma have fire in his eyes? He was faintly glowing. She was so distracted she accidentally lobbed it, the orbs starting to disappear, Ryoma took this chance.
Ryoma twisted greatly and jumped high, "Cyclone Smash!" The ball went flying towards Aira her eyes widening, she hit it, but the force flew her away and she fell. Her racket had a big hole in it.
There was a moment of silence. Aira was looking at her racket. This happened before so she shouldn't be surprised, but the aura...the glow...the thrill growing bigger. "72-72" the umpire announced. Aira looked at Ryoma who was smirking and panting. Aira then smiled, and walked up to the umpire. "I forfeit"
"Eeeehhhhhhh!!!?" Everyone around them said. Ryoma looked shocked and confused, then went back to his cocky smirk trying to hide his disappointment "Can I hear the reason?" he asked. Aira smiled then hugged him. "Thank you Ryoma, I forgot the thrill of tennis, I haven't felt this good for a long time." she whispered in his ear. Then said louder, "When I started this match I had absolutely no interest, no meaning, later in the game I found what I lost." She smiled a sweet smile with closed eyes and a few tears glistening. "I want a match with you where I play with my whole heart, if I lose I will feel no regrets and if I win I feel the happiness of the result of hardwork. At my current state, I won't get either of those. So lets postpone this match for another time and this time why don't we make it official?" She said with a smirk. Echizen returned the smirk "You might regret it when you lose. Your skills are still rusty, Mada mada dane" Aira just smiled and kissed him on the cheek(which made him blush slightly) "Then I will challenge you again when both of us get stronger" she picked up her stuff and walked away.
Aira stopped before Atobe, "Ne, can I talk to you later?" she asked, Atobe really didn't know what was happening but nodded with a smirk, "Arn, so you want talk to the great Ore-sama" Aira just smiled and ruffled his hair which shocked many around them. "A talk is all, Atobe-senpai, no need to be so dramatic" she chuckled and bowed to them and walked away.
Ryoma walked to his bakaoyaji, "You know what bakaoyaji? I'm just glad she is back. Do you know what that move was with the orbs?" Nanjirouh just smirked, "She showed it to me once, she said she called it 'The dance of a princess'"
"Nya~She is so cool! Na Oishi?" shouted Eiji, "She certainly is talented." replied Oishi. "Its a shame she doesn't go to Seigaku, she would make life here much more interesting" said Fuji with a pretend wistful smile. Some people from Hyotei glared at him, "Sugoi..." said Choutarou. Shishido kind of was shocked and really didn't know what to think. "Princess sure is special for treating Atobe like " said Oshitari looking at Atobe who was still in the shock that someone actually dared to ruffle his hair.
Aira's POV:
I was happy. I found what I had lost and I felt like a huge weight has been lifted from my heart. When I got home I took a shower and went out to the sakura tree in the garden. The wind started to blow and I stood there peacefully, smelling the sweet aroma and feeling the sensation of the wind, tingling on my wet skin. It seemed like a happy ending but one question went through my mind. "How did I lose my love for tennis in the first place?" I chuckled bitterly, I knew the answer to that.
But she didn't want to think about it now.
The sakura aroma grew strong as if it was comforting her.
'For now, why don't we just enjoy the moment?'
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(Spoiler alert!: You won't know why Aira lost her love of tennis for a long time. I know the reason, but its not the right time to write about it. In fact you probably won't know for a while)
Anyway I am so tired! I think I might lay off of fanfictions for a couple of days to relax, but I will continue soon, don't worry (it will only be like 3 day vacation)