Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ The Elements of Tennis ❯ Pet Shop Encounter ( Chapter 5 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

The Elements of Tennis
Chapter Five

After some practice matches, Seigaku is also released to go home. Momoshiro and Ryoma head off together as they always do. Kawamura's sister stops by and picks him up on her way home. Fuji and Tezuka head home as well in the opposite direction of Momoshiro and Ryoma. Inui heads up to the open lab to make a new batch of Penal Tea for the next day's practice session with an evil look on his face.

"Where are you headed off to, Eiji?" Oishi asks.

"I'm gonna go tour some pet shops; see what kind of animals they have. You wanna come, Oishi?" Kikumaru responds.

"Nah, I'm just gonna head home and get some rest for tomorrow's practice. With the way things have been going lately, we might have to run each lap in forty-five seconds tomorrow," Oishi smiles.

"Later, Oishi!" Kikumaru waves off his friend.

"Later, Eiji," Oishi smiles back.

With that, Oishi heads home and Kikumaru heads off to one of the pet store in town.

Kaidoh sighs as he starts his ten kilometer run that he always does after practice, hoping he would be able to run it in peace today.

Kurai changes into a non-sweat-covered outfit identical to her uniform minus the white stripes before heading off.

"Kurai, where are you going today?" Akari asks, catching up with her.

"To work, don't follow me," Kurai responds coldly.

"Why not?" Akari asks with a pout-y face. "Are you embarrassed?"

"No, you're annoying," Kurai responds truthfully, leaving Akari frozen where she stands.

Kurai heads down the road with her racket bag over her shoulder as she places her headphones in her ears. Breathe No More by Evanescence starts playing in her ears as she continues to walk.

I've been looking in the mirror for so long
That I've come to believe my soul's on the other side
Oh the little pieces falling, shatter
Shards of me
Too sharp to put back together
Too small to matter
But big enough to cut me into so many little pieces.
If I try to touch her
And I bleed
I bleed
And I breath no more
Take a breath and I try to draw from my spirit's well
Yet again you refuse to drink like a stubborn child
Lie to me
Convince me that I've been sick forever
And all of this
Will make sense when I get better
I know the difference
Between myself and my reflection
I just can't help but to wonder
Which of us do you love
So I bleed
I bleed
And I breathe
I breath now
Bleed
I bleed
And I breathe
I breathe
I breathe
I breathe
I breath no more

She makes it to a pet shop and walks in.

"Hey, Kurai, about time you got here," a girl behind the counter with shoulder length brown hair greets. "I was getting worried; your shift starts in five minutes."

"Practice ran later than usual because the finals to the Prefectural Tournament are in a few days," Kurai explains.

"Ah, who you playing?"

"Seigaku Jr. High," Kurai responds.

"Really? Already?"

"They're the last team, Minouse, before the Kantou tournament, at least," Kurai comments.

"Well, I hope you guys win, you've been working hard. And to play against the boys and come this far, it's amazing!"

Kurai shrugs, "It's not that much more challenging than playing against the girls."

Kurai goes into the back and drops off her rackets before clocking in.

Kikumaru makes it to a different Pet Shop and goes inside to check out all the different animals.

"Oh, aren't you a cute one," he states to a puppy that comes up to the edge of the kennel to meet him with its big eyes.

"Arf," the puppy squeaks happily.

"Who wouldn't want you?" Kikumaru asks as he scratches the puppy's head. "You'll have a home soon, I'm sure of it."

Kikumaru walks around the shop stopping at each cage, mexmerized by the creatures inside. After about an hour or two he leaves and heads to the next store.

Kurai sits in the puppy pin as she watches the little puppies eat the food she had just placed down for them. One of the puppies can't seem to get to the bowl without being pushed away, so Kurai reaches into the bowl and grabs a handful.

"Here you go, little one," she states softly as she pulls the outcast into her lap and allows him to eat out of her hand while she pet his black fur.

When the puppies are done eating Kurai gets up, placing the black puppy back on the floor, and grabs the empty bowl. She then climbs out of the pin and goes to fetch the cat food from the back.

"Kurai, I think you have a friend," Minouse announces over the sound of whining.

"What?" Kurai asks as she comes back out to see the black puppy in a begging position. "No, this food is not for you. You've had yours."

With that, she walks over to the cat room. She places the food in front of the cats and they all share politely. After a while a white one pulls away from the bowl and sprawls out in Kurai's lap.

When the remainder of the cats have gone off to clean themselves or lay down, Kurai goes to push the white cat off her lap, but it simply crawls up onto her shoulders.

"No, you have to get down," Kurai disagrees.

The cat does not release her as she tries to pry it from her shoulder.

"Minouse, we have a problem here," Kurai announces through the door.

"What kind of . . ." Minouse spots the cat and holds in a laugh. "Oh, well, it looks like you're the one with the problem. Just come on out, she'll get bored and let go sooner or later. But in the meantime, this black puppy won't stop whining."

Kikumaru arrives at the next pet shop and opens the door to see Kurai with the cat still on her shoulder standing in the center of the store with a black puppy at her heels.

"What happened here?" he asks.

Kurai looks up and holds in a gasp, instantly recognizing him.

"Do you need a hand?" he asks. "It looks like that puppy chased that cat right up you as if you were a tree."

"No, I'm fine. The cat just won't let me go, and this dog is obsessed with me," Kurai responds.

"So, the dog didn't do that to the cat?" Kikumaru asks.

"Nope, they're just in love with her," Minouse states happily. "So, what can we do for you today, sir?"

"Oh, I'm just looking," he answers.

"What is this, your fiftieth time in here while I've been on the clock? Why don't you just get yourself a pet already?" Minouse asks.

"I would love to, but there's so many to choose from I couldn't know which one to pick," Kikumaru admits. "Besides, I doubt my parents would approve."

"All right, just holler if you need anything," Minouse shrugs.

Kurai heads into the back, the cat still perched on her shoulder and the puppy still following her.

An hour or two later, the cat is still attached, and the dog continues to follow Kurai around.

"Minouse, I'm clocking out now," Kurai announces.

Kurai clocks out and heads for the door with her rackets over her shoulder. She stops when she remembers the animals. She reaches up and tries to pluck the cat from her shoulder, to no avail.

"Why don't you take those two home with you tonight, they seem to really like you. I'll write a note to the boss explaining where they are, don't worry," Minouse smiles.

"Thanks, Minouse," Kurai nods as she reaches down and picks up the black puppy. "Come on, I don't want you getting hit by a car."

Kurai walks out of the building and Kikumaru follows her.

"Yes," she asks, stopping in her tracks.

"I was wondering if I could walk you home," he states.

"Walk me home?" she asks. "What for?"

"Well, it's pretty late and thee are some pretty bad characters in this world," Kikumaru explains.

"And you think that because I'm a girl I can't handle myself?" Kurai raises her eyebrow. "How about we have a match? If you win you can walk me home, I if I win we'll see what happens."

"A match?" Kikumaru asks. "Awesome!"

"Come on, I know a place nearby," Kurai states as she heads towards a nearby tennis court.

Kikumaru follows and when they arrive a group of kids stare in shock.

"Oh my gosh, is that Kikumaru?" one whispers.

"I think it is," another responds.

"Can you believe it? One of the Golden Pair is here," a third chimes in.

"Hey, we're going to have a match, is that all right?" Kurai states immediately, ignoring the gossiping people around them.

"Sure, courts yours, ma'am," one of the kids nods. "Need a ref?"

"No, we've both got eyes, we'll self judge," she responds, pulling out her racket, finally convincing the dog and cat to stay by her bag.

Kikumaru grabs his racket as well and they meet next to the net.

"Smooth or Rough?" Kurai asks as she twirls her racket on its head.

"Smooth," he responds.

It lands on the smooth side and he smiles.

"Your serve," he announces.

"Whatever," Kurai shrugs, picking up her racket. "Not one point," she states to herself.

They go to the opposite sides of the court and Kurai begins to bounce the tennis ball in preparation for her serve. When she's ready, she throws the ball into the air with her left hand and leaps up after it.