Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ The Elements of Tennis ❯ Change of Game Play ( Chapter 16 )

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

The Elements of Tennis
Chapter Sixteen

"Players, please return to the court," the referee orders politely.

"Yeah, yeah, we're coming," Kurai responds as she puts her water down. "Let's go, Akari."

With that, Kurai drags Akari away from the bench by the arm.

"OK, see you in a few minutes, Mizu," Akari waves as she turns to walk on her own.

They set up on the service court in a straight line on the baseline.

"Now what are they up to?" Horio asks.

"Man, I really wish that pipsqueak would keep his mouth shut," Akari sighs.

"Akari, remember how this game started," Kurai states.

"Huh?" Akari blinks.

"Fate dealt them certain cards, remember?" Kurai explains.

"Right," Akari states in realization. "I understand, Kurai."

Akari starts her serve and throws the ball into the air.

"Which serve will it be this time, girls?" Mizu questions quietly from her seat.

Kikumaru focuses his eyes on the ball, expecting it to move any second like it had in previous serves.

Akari jumps up and hits the ball in a normal serve sending it flying over Kikumaru's head and right to Oishi. The racket belonging to Oishi begins to drag across the ground.

"Moon Volley!" Horio leads the other Seigaku freshmen in their cheer for their senpai's special move.

"Kurai?" Akari asks.

"No," Kurai shakes her head.

Akari pouts a little as the ball comes back towards the two girls.

"But, why not? Come on, Kurai," Akari pouts.

Kurai runs forward and jumps up to smash the lobbed ball.

"What are you two doing?" Hikaji shouts, annoyed.

"Shut up, Hikaji!" Kurai shouts back.

With that, she hits the ball lightly into a drop shot.

"Eiji!" Oishi calls in alarm.

"Hoi hoi," Kikumaru states as he quickly dives for the ball.

He manages to hit it with the end of his racket, sending it back over the net.

"Got it!" Akari claims as she appears beneath where Kurai is falling, surprising everyone, even B.E.T.'s other team members.

She hits the ball to the center of Seigaku's court with a smile on her face.

"Watch out!" Kikumaru shouts as he watches Kurai fall lower to the ground where Akari is standing.

"Eiji, focus!" Oishi calls as he races for the ball.

Kurai smirks as she leans back into a flip, enabling her to land gracefully in the back of the court to return the ball Oishi had just hit. Both Oishi and Kikumaru were slightly distracted, so the ball lands in the court and bounces twice before either of the can touch it.

"15-0," the referee announces.

"Smooth as a baby's bottom," Mizu smiles on the bench.

Once again, Akari serves using a normal serve.

"You're not fooling us with that one again," Kikumaru smiles as he moves to hit it back.

His racket makes contact and he finds it difficult to return it.

"It's heavy!" he comments as he forces himself to send it back. "Oops, I lobbed it."

Sure enough, the ball rises into the air. This time, Akari goes on the attack, leaping up to hit a smash.

"Is it another fake?" Oishi asks, keeping alert.

"Psyche!" Akari shouts in a childish voice as she lowers her racket and falls back down to the ground.

Kurai stands ready at the baseline. The ball approaches and she hits it back over the net. It passes Kikumaru and heads straight for Oishi, who is ready for it. He swings but the ball stops one millimeter out of his swing and falls to the ground.

"Huh?" Horio opens his big mouth again. "What just happened?"

"Slow speed Gravity Glitch," Mizu states proudly.

"30-0," the referee announes.

The game continues, Kurai and Akari never using the same combinations or style twice during the entire game.

"I can't believe it's already 3-0," Horio complains. "And the senpai Tichi haven't scored a single point."

"Here's where we make a come back, right, Eiji?" Oishi asks as he stands by his partner before Ryuzaki.

"You got it, Oishi. This time I'm going to be serious," Kikumaru nods.

"You should have been serious from the beginning," Ryuzaki comments.