Preservation

CHAPTER 1: Arrival

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DISCLAIMER: I WISH I own the Prince of Tennis Characters and Techniques.

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CHAPTER 1: Arrival

RIKKAIDAI HIGH

Another wonderful day it was in the Kanagawa prefecture. The birds were chirping happily, the leaves rustling along with the cool and gentle breeze of the wind. It was an especially perfect day for a new start, so to speak, and luckily it was the first day of classes as well.

Could it be a sign?

Pop!

A red-headed boy's gum bubble popped covering his mouth. He nonchalantly sucked it in and returned to chewing the gooey substance. His companion, a tanned bald-headed foreigner sighed in disapproval.

"That's disgusting, Marui."

The red-head pouted. "Don't ruin my good day, Jackal." He muttered and blew another bubble. Jackal shook his head and soon felt a greeting hand on his shoulder.

"Yo."

"Yagyuu." Jackal called the renowned gentleman in acknowledgement. Marui held his hand up for a greeting and they walked deeper within the school grounds, dismissing the stares that directed to them from time to time.

They soon saw two of their other friends a.k.a. teammates who were standing by the water fountain ignoring, too, the stares they were all too used to receive. The regulars weren't 'super-star' famous, but they were definitely well-known. Their innate attractive personalities and their development- due to being winners and due to the people that they surrounded themselves with- imposed something heavy yet admirable to everyone's eyes.

"Sanada, Yanagi." He called the pair and all of them stood there for a short chat before proceeding to their respective classrooms. It was unfortunate that club activities were prohibited during the first day of classes, otherwise all of them would have met in the tennis courts. Probably with a few friendly matches to make their day.

"Kya~ It's the Tennis team!" It seemed that a few of the thick-skinned people had arrived in school as well.

"Yagyuu-senpai!"

"Niou-san~!"

"Kya~! Marui-kun!"

Jackal sighed. "As popular as always?"

"You're popular to in the school, y'know. Just not next to me." Marui grinned.

"A few's missing though..."

"Niou-san's not there." A random guy commented and the few spectators nodded. "And..."

"That Sophomore..." his friend, another random guy, cut him off. "Kirihara, right?"

"I wish he was here..." a brunette commented from behind them. The guy shook his head, recalling how bloody pompous the boy was.

"Naw. He's an eyesore."

And then he felt a weird, shivering, presence from behind him.

"What did you say?"

"Eek!" He paled. "K-Kirihara!"

The boy glared at him and soon they were eye-to-eye. Everyone else kept their distance and watched it in a mix of anxiety and amusement.

Sanada, though, was having a headache. He massaged his forehead in an attempt to calm it down. He stared at his teammate who was causing all these trouble.