Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ The Clan Echizen ❯ the new sibling on the horizon ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimers!: GAH!!! I own nothing!!!!!!!!!

Heheh. And yes, it is a MomoXKaidoh, KaidohXRyouma fic… with a bunch of other random pairings! And the other characters will make an appearance in a while, so no worries! Mwahahah! ;P

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" Pregnant?!" Nanjiroh spat out the food in his mouth, gagging on it before finally managing to regain his `composure.'

Ryouma was in shock himself.

How was it possible?! His mother hadn't been around the compound in at least two months, so how could she be pregnant? He highly doubted that Nanjiroh had spent `valuable' time with his wife; so who could have caused such a thing?

His mother sighed and beamed at Ryouma.

" Yes, pregnant Nanjiroh. This is the reason I had been so preoccupied with creating excellent relationships with the Yamabuki state - I would like my children to grow up in a world where they will not be afraid of war looming over their shoudlers. Ryouma-kun, " She turned to her son, smiling again with a much softer look then she had used on Nanjiroh.

" I know that you do not want to inherit the clan's leadership, so I believe that this pregnancy will benefit you in two ways. You will now have a sister or brother to train to take your place, and you will no longer have to worry about taking over leadership permanently after your father gives it over to you. You will simply be the guardian for your sibling - as well as for your many cousins. It is your responsibility to look out for the welfare of everyone you care for Ryouma-kun and I know that you will do your best - with the help of your bodyguards I would like you to work you hardest! I know you will make me proud my son." She said.

Ryouma felt numb.

Was he to be cast aside so easily for his still non-existent sibling?

He felt Kaidoh's hand on his shoulder and nodded once to his mother before looking down at his plate with sullen disregard.

It was true that he did not want to lead the clan - everyone knew that. But still… to drop such a thing on him after he had been training for seventeen years to take over the throne was painful for even him to understand. Why it hurt him so, he was unsure, but he knew that his training would now likely become less and less…

All of his teachers would be assigned to care for the new sibling….

What would become of Kaidoh and Momo? Would they too go to his sibling's side? Was he to be thrown away like refuse?

Nanjiroh took a sip of wine from a crystalline goblet beside his plate, clearly trying to think of a way to counter the information that he had just been handed. Ryouma watched his father with dark eyes, close to emptiness.

" Dear - you can't be serious! The firstborn always inherits the throne - It will take years to train the new child to take over Ryouma's place. I'm not sure that it is in the best interest in the clan for this child to take leadership - "

Ryouma's mother sent her husband a sinister look, and he fell silent, looking down at his plate.

" I will put my foot down if it causes any more trouble then I want it to be - you understand? It's not that I don't want another child, I just feel for Ryouma. It has to be quite a shock to find out that he's going to be pushed aside so that someone else can lead - even if he didn't want to lead in the first place. Perhaps we should just let the new child be trained as a replacement in the case that Ryouma does not wish to lead. There is always the possibility that he WILL eventually grow to like it you know dear." Nanjiroh said solemnly.

Ryouma's mother nodded sternly.

" It is the child's choice if he would like to lead - he will need time to adjust to this new development. Kaidoh," She turned to Kaidoh, who averted his eyes in respect.

" I would like you to take Ryouma back to his room now. He will need his rest, for tomorrow he shall be given yet another burden to bear. We shall be picking his wife soon - in the case that he decides to - "

Ryouma pushed his chair back; the wood dragged on the floor, squealing in protest to the harsh treatment, but he paid it no mind.

His fists were clenched, eyes narrowed.

" I hate you."

He turned and fled from the room.

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Ryouma ran as hard as he could down the empty corridors.

He knew that his parent's words were final. He would not dare go against their wishes and he knew that no one in their right mind would speak up for him in the event that everything was stripped away from him.

He felt tears streaming down his face and wiped at them with cold fingers as he continued to run.

He could feel the rain bouncing off the roofing above him; the sound of wind wiping up caused him to cringe.

The world was dead to him he felt.

His life had been shattered into total chaos.

Ryouma heard someone running after him and picked up his pace, turning a corner, flying out into the open courtyard closest to him - he saw the leaves dancing and the sunlight flickering as it began to dip under the hills in the distance.

He collapsed to the wet ground, sobbing to himself for reasons he didn't want anyone to understand.

" Echizen-San…"

Kaidoh slipped into the courtyard, shielding his face from the coarse droplets of water that were cascading down from the ends of the roofing; the tiny figurines there used to keep water from over loading itself on the surface.

" Echizen-San - your mother is upset with what you said - she is crying." Kaidoh knelt beside Ryouma, putting a warm hand on the top of Ryouma's head to shield him from the rain.

Ryouma ceased his sobbing and straightened up, batting Kaidoh's hand away.

" Go away - don't you have preparations to make? I won't need you any more - " Ryouma glowered, wiping his eyes again as his tears mingled with the raindrops from above.

Kaidoh reached out and touched Ryouma's shoulder again; it was perhaps the first time that Ryouma had heard Kaidoh do something so trivial so many times in a day.

" Echizen-San, please, calm down. I will not leave your side. I swore that I would protect Echizen-San for the rest of my life and I stand by what I said. Momoshiro is the same - we would never accept being taken away from Echizen-San. We would die first."

Ryouma spun around, looking to Kaidoh with watering eyes. He held his hands up to his face, trying to hide the fact that he was upset, but it seemed impossible to hide anything from Kaidoh.

He swallowed a lump in his throat and moved forward, burying his face in his bodyguard's chest, clutching at the soft black fabric of Kaidoh's shirt.

Kaidoh stiffened, but wrapped an arm around Ryouma, using his height to shelter the teen from the rain and the wind.

" Echizen-San…"

Ryouma wrapped his arms around Kaidoh's waist, holding on for dear life.

" Don't tell anyone about this - don't tell them I'm so pathetic that I fear being set aside for someone better - I'll prove to them that I have what it takes to beat them at their own game… one day I will beat him. I will beat him. I will be strong - " he whispered tearfully.

" You have my word that I will not say a thing Echizen-san."

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"Did you hear? They say that her Ladyship is with child - "

" Really? Is it his Lordships? She has not been with us for so long - "

" It's his Lordship's! Our Lady would not do something - she is loyal to his majesty."

" And what is to become of Echizen-San? The new child will be quite a shock to him…"

" I've heard that someone said he is no longer receiving the title of clan head, is it true?"

Ryouma could hear them talking about him.

Everywhere he went he could hear them talking. Behind his back of course, but they were talking. Jabbering incessantly like little birds.

He hated it.

He wanted to make them stop their chattering.

He clenched his fists and turned to strike at a pair of maids that were gossiping as he walked past, but Momo grabbed his arm and shook his head.

" Let it go Echizen. They are nothing but little bees with time on their hands. They will stop their buzzing when the see that there is nothing new to buzz about. You'll see." Momo bowed low to Oishi-Sensei before he pushed Ryouma toward the man.

" Oishi-Sensei, please give Echizen something fun to do today - he is in such a bad mood…" Momo said with a cheeky grin.

Ryouma glared half-heartedly at Momo, but allowed himself to be pulled by Oishi-Sensei to where the day's lesson would be learned.

Oishi-Sensei sighed as Momo took his place just outside the door, resting against the wall with his arms crossed and eyes closed.

" I see that Momo will be taking a nap again today…" he smiled affectionately to Ryouma, motioning for him to take a seat at the desk in front of him.

This room was Oishi-Sensei's best lecture hall, for it was decorated in wall scrolls and knickknacks from people Oishi-Sensei had met in his travels around the world. Ryouma was always able to pry some stories about the other lands from Oishi-Sensei in this room; Oishi-Sensei believed that everything seen in life should be treated with respect and kindness, and he loved to tell preach about responsibility to anyone that would listen. He had maps from every place he had been tacked up on the walls, and often used them as points of reference when speaking.

Ryouma leaned forward, slumping against his desk.

He was in no mood to listen to Oishi-Sensei's ranting and raving about diplomacy and courtesy. He would have preferred to skip the lesson entirely, but Momo had insisted that he go, to make sure that Oishi-Sensei would not become worried.

Oishi-Sensei was more of a motherly figure in Ryouma's life that his own mother was; it was hardly secret that Oishi worried about everyone constantly. The man could be a worry wart at times, but it had always been a good kind of worry - no one was under Oishi-Sensei's tutorage was ever misplaced or forgotten. He made a habit of checking up on everyone, even during his or her lessons with other teachers.

" Now Echizen-San, we are going to be discussing the Yamabuki States." he paused, waiting for Ryouma to look up with interest and sighed exasperatedly when Ryouma simply stared at him with boredom dripping disdainfully from his posture.

Oishi-Sensei reached out and wapped Ryouma over the head with a single sheet of paper, one he had been using to explain the lesson.

" Echizen-San! It is imperative that you listen to what I say! Do you want to rule with no information about the people you will be dealing with? I have not taught you so that you may become sluggish and lazy!" Oishi-Sensei grumbled.

Ryouma scowled and looked up, knowing that he would never hear the end of it if he decided to sleep through the lesson, as he wanted to do.

He kept his eyes respectfully on Oishi-Sensei's and waited with an air of impatience for the man to continue with his lesson.

Oishi-Sensei nodded in approval and continued, waving a hand at one of the maps pinned to the wall labelled `Yamabuki'.

" The Yamabuki states are led by the Akutsu family. They are very concerned with relations with the Seigaku lands ruled by your father, Nanjiroh Echizen. Now," Oishi-Sensei tapped a place on the map marked as the compound of the Akutsu family.

" They live here, with their entire family; the leader of the house is Akutsu Jin's mother. Unlike most of the ruling class, She allows the immigration of commoners and the aristocracy - this is why some of the workers in the castle here are from that area. Some of the guards have lived in the area and chose to move here after dealing with problems in their own homeland."

" Most problems in the Yamabuki area are due to the unstoppable use of force by Akutsu Jin. He is one of the only Royal children that is not accompanied by bodyguards. I have heard rumours that only a few people dare talk to him, or speak of him, but seeing as he has no way to finding out that we are discussing him, I believe it is safe to do so. As I was saying, Jin is in control of the armies of Yamabuki. This is due to his mother's unwillingness to fight with other states - your mother has been working tirelessly to try to bring down the barrier of hatred between Akutsu Jin and Seigaku, but so far they have reached a stalemate. Things will progress farther in the future, but it is not my place to speculate what will happen. Now,"

Oishi-Sensei smiled at Ryouma.

" Akutsu has a general that he employs to deal with most confrontations - he becomes easily tired with people and wars that happen, and thus, he leaves all of the real work in planning to Banji, his highest ranking general. Banji is perhaps the only person Akutsu will listen to for advice, although it doesn't really seem as if he actually listens at all. This is why your mother has dealt most specifically with him and the Lady Akutsu. Customs in Yamabuki are much the same as the customs here in Seigaku. They have the same temples, same foods, and the same language; Their way strength is perhaps the only thing that separates them from people in Seigaku. Echizen-San, it is imperative that you keep all of this information in your head, for one day soon you may have to converse with either Akutsu Jin or Lady Akutsu - this is no time to slack off! He is a dangerous fellow, and is hard to predict - get your head up off of that table Echizen-San!"

Oishi-Sensei wapped Ryouma on the head again, for Ryouma had been half dozing as he had been listening.

Ryouma rubbed his head and scowled at his teacher, but returned to gazing at the map behind the man.

Was Yamabuki such a dangerous place? He hadn't heard anything about it in such a long time that it seemed a tad trivial to be mentioned. If it had been so dangerous, wouldn't Oishi-Sensei have spoken to him more directly?

Perhaps it was because of his mother's direct involvement with Yamabuki that had gotten Oishi-Sensei into the rampage he was now in, Ryouma mused silently.

He had noticed a slight change in the expression on Oishi-Sensei's face when he had been speaking of Akutsu Jin, so perhaps he had indeed had a run in with the man, but was reluctant to speak of it.

Whatever the case, Ryouma felt unconcerned by the man.

`Let what will come, come.' He thought, allowing his eyes to trail away from the map to a painting just to Oishi-Sensei's left.

Oishi-Sensei fumed visibly. He crossed his arms and looked down at Ryouma as he pulled himself up to his full height, trying to intimidate Ryouma into paying more attention.

" Echizen-San, you must be wary! You must practice swordsmanship and fighting if you are to one day take over as ruler - Akutsu Jin will not allow you to have any time to gather your strength together, he will strike without warning!" Oishi-sensei said with a growl.

Ryouma raised an eyebrow.

" But I thought Sensei said that we are trying to have a peaceful agreement with Yamabuki. Why would we have to fight with someone that wants to have peace with us?" Ryouma said.

Oishi-Sensei let out an exasperated sigh and flicked Ryouma in the head.

" Echizen-San, everything in this world is constantly at change. One minute there could be peace and then next there will be war. It is a future ruler's role to know all information about their friend states and their enemy states - have I taught you nothing?"

Ryouma winced.

" I understand that, but don't you have any optimism Sensei? What if things could be peaceful?" Ryouma grumbled, rubbing his head.

Oishi-Sensei crossed his arms.

" Echizen-San, you must understand that to be at peace, one must be constantly wary of possible danger. We cannot allow ourselves to become weak, for once this is spotted, even our friends will come at us with relentless force until we are gone. Such is the fate of the largest State Echizen-San. There is no way that the world can possibly become safe at all times - and you should keep Akutsu Jin in your list of possible and likely enemies. He is unpredictable and will stop at nothing to get what he wants, even if it means killing everyone in the way."

" Oi, Oishi-Sensei. Stop scaring the young master. He doesn't need you filling his head with horror stories before his lessons with Tezuka-Sensei - concentration is key to anything that needs to be developed. Why not let him have a little break, ne?" Momo said, voice echoing down the hall.

Oishi-Sensei sighed.

" Alright, I'll let it go this time Echizen-San, but be warned! I will test you on the information that I have told you today and if you do not get at least nine of the ten questions correct, I will make you study harder! You will not see anything new until you have memorized Yamabuki!" Oishi-Sensei waved for Ryouma to stand up and bowed once to his pupil.

" Now, head along to your next lesson Echizen-San; I doubt Tezuka-Sensei will be happy if you show up late."

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Momo put his hands behind his head and strode alongside Ryouma with an amused look dancing across his lips.

Ryouma was annoyed that Momo could have such a happy expression on his face after having to listen to such rubbish about Yamabuki, but he kept it to himself as usual.

He instead, listened to the soft footfalls that were echoing down the cobblestone corridor towards them, hoping against hope that they were not indeed late for the next lesson.

They rounded the corner and a long elegant sword swung at them so fast that Ryouma felt it glance by the tip of his nose.

Startled, Momo reached for his own weapon -

The sword continued to point at Ryouma's nose, it's holder very stern looking.

It was Tezuka-Sensei; he was dressed in long baggy pants of black with a tunic top and black leather gloves. He glared sternly at Momo, face unreadable.

" You are late." He said softly.

Ryouma couldn't help but gulp.

He had hoped to avoid tardiness, but it seemed that it was impossible now that they had been caught red handed in the hall.

Tezuka-Sensei adjusted his glasses with one slender finger and fixed his gaze sternly on Ryouma, lowering the sword.

" You are getting lazy Echizen-San. Very lazy. No doubt it is because of this monkey here." Tezuka-Sensei gestured to Momo, who gulped and held up his hands in defeat, backing up slowly as soon as he knew Tezuka-Sensei's eyes were no longer on him.

Ryouma collected himself and crossed his arms.

" I just didn't expect to be attacked in my own hallway Sensei." He said.

Tezuka-Sensei gave Ryouma a thin, displeased smile.

" For your laziness, you will run laps around the courtyard until you have learned to respect time itself. Is that clear - monkey here will run with you, to keep him from his laziness as well. We cannot have a bodyguard slacking off when it could mean Echizen-San's very life… now can we?"

Momo paled and groaned in defeat.

" But it's just a few minutes late Sensei - we can't be expected to be on time after Oishi-Sensei's lectures." Momo grumbled.

Tezuka-Sensei frowned.

" Are you saying that Oishi-Sensei kept him late on purpose, as a punishment for laziness as well?"

Momo paled even further.

" No! No! Of course not! I'm just saying that we were a little late because Oishi-Sensei was telling Echizen about the Yamabuki region - "

Tezuka-sensei tapped a foot in impatience, lifting his sword up to point at Momo's nose this time.

" Are you trying to pin your laziness on Echizen-San? Or are you trying to blame Oishi-Sensei for your lax guarding? Perhaps I should consult with Inui-Sensei for a suitable punishment for liars… I have heard that he needs someone to test some of his potions on - I'm sure you would fit the bill nicely."

Momo froze in fear.

" No! No! Really! It's just a little lateness! It won't happen again, I swear!" Momo crowed, slipping behind Ryouma so that he could use him as a hostage.

" Take him! He's young and youthful!"

Ryouma froze as Tezuka-Sensei's sword tip returned to pointing over his head at Momo.

" See that it does not happen again… and you will run laps with him or else you will help Inui-Sensei. Is that clear?" Tezuka-Sensei growled, lowering and sheathing his sword.

Momo nodded repeatedly.

" Yes sir! No problem sir!"

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Ryouma hated running laps more then anything in the world.

He knew that they were good practice for him, but he would have given anything to have Tezuka-Sensei running instead of him.

Momo had already collapsed to the ground by the time Ryouma finished his last lap, and Tezuka-Sensei was waiting for them with his arms crossed and an unreadable expression painted on his face.

Ryouma panted, out of breath, and looked up at the teacher, hoping that he hadn't incurred the wrath of the man again for his exhaustion.

Tezuka-Sensei simply looked at him once before tossing him a wooden sword to use in practice.

" Now, Echizen-San. You will attack me as best you can and if you can land three blows on me, you may be forgiven for your laziness." Tezuka-Sensei drew his own sword and pointed it at Ryouma with the tip just barley an inch away from the teen's head.

" You must one day become the pillar of strength for Seigaku Echizen-San. Because of this, I will train you until you have the strength suitable for Lord-hood. Come Echizen-San. Attack, but be wary, for I will hold nothing back!"

Ryouma struggled up and swung the sword, twisting his body around so that he could change hand in mid-movement. The blades clashed, wood upon steel -

Tezuka-Sensei blocked another attack and swung faster then Ryouma had ever seen him swing before.

The sword hit him in the shoulder, the flat side of the blade connecting with the soft flesh; he could easily have split Ryouma in half.

Ryouma winced and swung the sword, seeing an opening in Tezuka's defences -

Tezuka-Sensei blocked effortlessly and landed another blow to the other side of Ryouma's shoulder. The impact made Ryouma yelp in pain -

Momo jumped up, ready to swoop in and snatch Ryouma away if necessary -

Tezuka-Sensei moved again, shifting his weight to one side -

The blade connected with Ryouma's backside with a fleshy twang.

Ryouma's eyes watered.

" Echizen-San, you are not trying hard enough! Strike out at me! Try your hardest with both your mind and body - nothing less will be accepted!" Tezuka-Sensei growled. He swung again, sword arching down to slap at Ryouma's side -

Ryouma moved just in time and managed to get his sword in between his side and the blade. He struggled, holding the sword with his left hand and moved his feet forward to shorten the distance between them, knowing that with little room to heave the sword Tezuka-Sensei's offensive would be rendered useless.

Tezuka-Sensei's right hand reached under his left -

His hand seized Ryouma's left hand, yanking so that the youth ended up diving forward -

He kicked the sword out of Ryouma's hand and slid the sword to Ryouma's unprotected back, smacking the broad side across the exposed side.

" Show strength Echizen-San! You should have been able to block that - but you are lazy! Don't use your father's attacking style - use your own or else you will have more bruises from my sword!" Tezuka-Sensei said.

Ryouma dropped down to one knee and charged, colliding with Tezuka-Sensei's chest. He struggled against the man, punching at him with all of his strength, but Tezuka simply kicked his legs out from under him.

He lay in a panting pile on the ground, sweat trickling down his cheeks.

Tezuka-sensei scowled and sheathed his sword.

" You will try harder next time Echizen-San. You did well, but you need to let your emotions go when fighting - your blade will only be red with blood if you are cool and level headed - stupid attacks like what you just did will get you no where. Use your body to your strengths and know your enemy by how he moves, or else you will be dead."

He looked down at Ryouma and smiled softly, dropping to his knees beside his student.

" You will become Seigaku's pillar of strength Echizen-San. As long as there is willingness in your heart, there is a way to success." He reached out and ruffled Ryouma's hair.

" Next time you will be more prepared. Show up on time and you won't have to run quite so many laps as this time Echizen-San. Now you had best go to your next lesson with Fuji-Sensei. I expect that he will have hoped that you have improved since your last lesson…"

Tezuka-Sensei rose up and walked out of the courtyard, not looking back at the pair he left in his wake.

"Jeeze. That old man is getting more and more grumpy." Momo grumbled, stalking over to Ryouma's side.

He reached down to pull Ryouma up, but Ryouma smacked his hand away, scrambling up by himself.

" He's right. I wasn't trying hard enough. Next time I will defeat him." Ryouma said, clenching and unclenching his fists.

Momo shrugged and draped an arm over Ryouma's shoulder.

" If you can do it, I'd love to watch. He hasn't lost a single match since the day he last fought on the battlefield. It must have hurt his ego or something, because he's been like this ever since."

Ryouma nodded darkly.

He would defeat Tezuka-Sensei if it were the last thing he did.

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Fuji smiled pleasantly down at Ryouma from the tree he had been sitting in.

Ryouma and Momo had been searching for him for the past twenty minutes to no avail and had only spotted him because he had waved at them.

" Good afternoon Fuji-Sensei." Ryouma said courteously.

Fuji smiled, eyes closed.

" You failed the first test Ryouma-kun. I could have shot you and your bodyguard." He said sweetly.

Ryouma shivered and kept his eyes fixed on Fuji perched up in the tree.

He had always been wary of Fuji; ever since he had been little he had kept his distance. Fuji had a look to him that vented innocence, until he opened his eyes. Then, there was nothing but danger alive due to his existence.

Fuji was wearing his favourite white robes; his cinnamon brown hair was glistening as it curled itself away form the sun against his cheeks.

He held his bow over one shoulder with relaxation, as if not caring for anything in the world, but Ryouma knew better then to judge Fuji's moods by his posture.

" You never told me there was going to be a test." Momo grumbled, scratching his head in dismay.

" This is the second one today, and we've gotten our asses kicked!"

Fuji grinned suddenly, hopping down from the tree. He landed gracefully beside Ryouma and reached out, stroking Ryouma's head softly.

" Is that true Ryouma-kun? Has Tezuka-Sensei tested you as well? And you failed as well? Perhaps you should run some more laps to get your mind to pay attention to your surroundings. Why else do you think I choose the open countryside for today's little lesson, hm? I wanted to see if you had any way to telling apart the living from the non-living… and you've failed miserably. But don't fret; there are still three more tests to be administered! I'm sure you'll get at least one of them."

The bushes rattled lightly -

Momo reached for his sword -

Fuji smiled.

" He's right on time."

Suddenly, someone exploded from the bushes -

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T.B.C