Bleach Fan Fiction / Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ Princes of Death ❯ Coach's Decision ( Chapter 4 )

Title: Princes of Death: A High-spirited Saga

Author: chibi-kyuubi

Genre: Action/Adventure/General

Rating: K+

Summary: Prince of Tennis and Bleach crossover. The Seigaku regulars go to Karakura Town for an exhibition match, but end up getting influenced by Ichigo's reiatsu. Will they be able to master their newfound powers before it is too late to save Tokyo City from being turned into a base of operations by Aizen's minions?

Disclaimer: I neither own Bleach nor Prince of Tennis.

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Chapter 4: Coach's Decision

“So, what did Ryuuzaki-sensei say?” Oishi asked as he saw Tezuka put down the telephone receiver.

“She told me that we should take a break and just rest for three days,” Tezuka said as he adjusted his eyeglasses.

“Isn't three days a little too much?” Oishi said. “Even though it's summer vacation, we still need to practice for the Nationals.”

“I know,” Tezuka said. “I told her the same thing but she insisted that we take a break. She even instructed that we save the trip back home until we are fully recovered.” Tezuka handed a piece of paper to Oishi. “Here are the details of our accommodations for the next three days. The coach already prepared everything for us.”

“So it seems,” Inui said without even looking at two. He's been writing non-stop in his notebook since he got it back “Even if we try to go home earlier, and Ryuuzaki-sensei probably thinks we will; it seems that our bus has already left town right after it dropped off our bags here.” Inui turned back a page from his notebook. “Public transport is an alternative of course, but because of the suspected terrorist attack earlier, the local government is putting a limit on the number of public utility vehicles moving in and out of town. I saw it on the news as we passed the TV at the lobby. If that's the case, the chances of us finding a bus heading for Tokyo tonight or tomorrow with nine empty seats would be 5.5 percent. We have better chances on Monday and Tuesday though.”

“She's really serious about this isn't she?” Oishi said as he examined the piece of paper Tezuka gave him. The address and phone number of the hotel they were supposed to stay at were written in what Oishi immediately recognized as Tezuka's handwriting. But on the other side of the paper, written in small but recognizable characters, was the name of a person that Oishi didn't know, as well as an address to a store of some kind. He ignored it, thinking that Tezuka probably used scratch paper. “I guess we have no choice then.” Oishi sighed. “Besides, it's the coach's orders so it's probably for the best.”

“Kaidoh!” Tezuka said as he saw the second year suddenly appear in the hallway, running towards them. The junior's face was pale and his skin was covered with cold sweat. By the time he reached the nurses' station, he was trembling and couldn't even stand up without Tezuka supporting him.

“What happened?” Oishi's voice was full of worry. The only time he saw Kaidoh like that was when Inui told them that stupid story about a cursed racket.

Kaidoh couldn't look straight at his senpais as he struggled to get the words out of his mouth. “T-there i-is a g-ghost i-in m-my r-room.”

Inui almost dropped his notebook when he heard the word `ghost.'

“Inui, do you know what he is talking about?” Tezuka noticed Inui's surprised reaction.

“I think I do.” Inui said as he aligned is eyeglasses. “We should go check his room as soon as possible.”

“I'll stay here with Kaidoh, you two go ahead,” Oishi offered.

“Alright,” Tezuka said. He glanced once more at Kaidoh before passing him to Oishi. The poor second year really did look like he saw a ghost. “Let's go Inui.”

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As the two seniors briskly walked towards Kaidoh's room, Inui reviewed the data he had collected since he woke up an hour ago. Number of people seen passing through walls and objects: 6. Number of people seen hovering above the floor: 3. Number of people seen that are translucent: 4. Probability that I have suddenly become mentally unbalanced: 99.8 percent. Inui crossed out that last line. It looks like my data isn't enough for a conclusion after all.

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“Buchou?” Echizen has just finished eating when he saw Tezuka and Inui pass by the open door.

“Echizen, you're awake already,” Tezuka noticed the freshman and stopped abruptly to acknowledge him. Inui almost bumped into Tezuka but he was able to stop himself before he crashed into his captain.

“Where are you going buchou?” Momoshiro asked.

“To Kaidoh's room,” Tezuka said. “But we're in a hurry so-”

“Kaidoh's not in his room,” Kikumaru interrupted. “I saw him run past here a while ago.”

“We know. We just talked to him at the nurses' station,” Inui said. “He said he saw a ghost in his room. We're going to investigate.”

“I knew it,” Momoshiro said, smiling. “Kaidoh's such a scaredy-cat when it comes to supernatural stuff.”

“I'd like to see his room as well,” Echizen said as he set aside the food tray, almost spilling orange juice on the bed. Inui noticed that the freshman was a little distracted. Echizen clumsily got out of his bed and joined the seniors outside.

“Me too!” Kikumaru almost jumped out of the door in excitement.

“Hey, don't leave me here!” Momoshiro said as he followed the others.

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“Everyone, keep quiet,” Tezuka said as they approached Kaidoh's room. “There's someone inside. Don't let your guards down.”

The five regulars peeked through the open door and were surprised to find two strange-looking men standing in the middle of the room, conversing casually. They wore black robes and hakamas and carried swords like samurai.

“Seriously, this isn't a job for someone from to the eleventh squad,” the taller of the two said, arms crossed across his chest in defiance. His head was cleanly shaved and it reflected light from the fluorescent lightbulb on the ceiling.

“Don't be such a whiner Ikkaku,” the other person said. He had dark violet hair and what seem to be red and yellow feathers on his right eyebrow and eyelash. “How many times do I have to remind you that purifying hollows isn't a shinigami's only job? Performing Konsoh on good souls is just as important.”

“Then why don't you do it yourself Yumichika?” Ikkaku said.

“Alright,” the other shinigami turned around and lowered his body as if trying to reach something on the floor. “Don't be afraid of my beauty old man. I'll send you to a better place than this.”

To Momoshiro, Kikumaru, Tezuka, and Echizen's surprise, the translucent head of an old man rose from the floor as if it was passing straight through the concrete and the carpet. The Seigaku players watched as Yumichika drew out his soul slayer and pressed the bottom of its hilt against the old man's forehead. There was a flash of light and the old man disappeared. Momoshiro almost shouted in surprise when a black moth suddenly flew past his face, but Kikumaru was able to cover the junior's mouth in time.

“Did you hear that?” Yumichika looked around, but the Seigaku members managed to withdraw their heads before he looked towards the doorway.

“It's probably from the other room,” Ikkaku said. “Besides, people can't see or hear us anyway.”

“I guess you're right,” Yumikichika said, still looking around for something suspicious. “But the aura of this place feels strange doesn't it?”

“Yeah, like something's confusing my senses,” Ikkaku said, although that fact doesn't seem to bother him at all. “Well, we can't detect hollows if we stay here. Let's just go.”

“Alright,” Yumichika said, though he looked like he wanted to stay longer and investigate.

By time Tezuka and the others peeked into the room again, the two men were already gone. All the windows were closed and there was no other way out of the room except for the door they were looking through. The tennis players fell down sitting on the floor and a few minutes of silence passed between them as they tried figure out what they had just witnessed. Only the scribbling of Inui's pen could be heard from the group until Momoshiro finally spoke up.

“We all saw that, right?” The second year wanted to make sure he wasn't just imagining things.

“Yeah,” Echizen and Kikumaru nodded.

“Inui, do you have any idea on what's going on?” Tezuka asked.

“I have several theories on the matter,” Inui stopped writing and closed his notebook. “My data on this is far from complete, but if my theories have any semblance to the truth, it would be best for me to share them when everyone is here.”

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Meanwhile, Oishi couldn't sit still at the nurses' station. Kaidoh sat beside him and was already calm after a nurse gave him something to drink. However, the vice captain still couldn't stop worrying. He tried to call Fuji's mobile phone but it was turned off and Kawamura wasn't answering his.

“Is there something wrong Oishi-senpai?” Kaidoh asked.

“I don't know why, but I have this ill feeling that Taka-san and Fuji are in grave danger.”

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“This is bad,” Kawamura said.

“Yes it is,” Fuji agreed. After several minutes of trying to flee from the hollow that was after them, the two seniors made a wrong turn and ended up on the dead end of an alley. The wild howling noise sounded terribly close, and both of them knew that whatever was following them will be on the other side of the alley anytime soon.

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Notes: Please review after reading, I would really appreciate it. I have also posted revised versions of the previous chapters as well as this one. Thanks to all those who have posted their reviews. I found some of them very helpful.