Hidden Plays

7: As she went forward

"I'll play him." Tomo said.

"But your injured." Another girl said coming over. She had brown braids and parted bangs.

"That's never stopped her from playing short matches, but I wish I could take her place, but she's too stubborn." Nori said.

"Huh?" Another girl asked. This girl had ginger pigtails.

"Tomi loves tennis to the point whenever she get injured she'll just stop using that part of tennis while playing. Though she hasn't practiced in a good while, her skills never go away. She's a natural prodigy." Nori explained.

"I hate that word...Prodigy." Tomi said.

"Are you sure you can handle it? How are you going to play?" Coach Ryuzaki asked.

"She's plays by jumping instead of running. Of course it will slow her down, but she's done it before." Nori said looking proud of her partner. Tomi hadn't moved an inch.

"She'll need to borrow a racquet though. A lighter one should do the job." Nori said. The tennis players offered their racquets, but Nori couldn't find a suitable one for Tomo. Until she came across the racquet that belonged to a girl in braids.

"No, the tension on the strings is too loose. I'll use the racquet that belongs to the red head-senpai. He's an offense player, his racquet should have been used long enough to adjust to his playing style." Tomi said.

"But, you play defensive tennis. Also how-" Nori asked, but was cut off.

"Just looking at how loose the strings are proves it. As for my playing style, Coach Ryuzaki clearly said 'Your father's biggest rival, her life time coach'. You should know by now he plays offensively. I'll just change my style of tennis for a short game." Tomi mumbled, quietly just so people near her could hear.

Kikumaru Eiji also know as Red Head-senpai handed over his racquet.

"Heavier than mine, but it will do." Tomi said then placing her crutches down and her bag before taking off her jacket and tying it around her waist as her sport T-shirt was flowing a little. Using one foot she hopped to the court.

"This is quite tiring. Unfortunately I'll only be able to give you three minutes. I highly doubt that's even enough for one game, so let's do our best, Echizen-san." Tomi said.

"Your clearly injured. I'll defeat you." Echizen said. Tomi smiled under her mask, which meant no one saw it.

"Just think of it as a handicap. I'll only be slower by 3.7 seconds according to 'Data'-senpai over there." Tomi said in a nasty tone making everyone shocked.

"My balance is affected by 93%, once again according to Data-senpai, so if I were to fall, I default. That is all." Tomi said in that same tone.

"But if I were you I'd use that to my advantage." Tomi said. Then the referee came. Shiba-san and Inoue-san were taking notes and pictures.

"Get as many pictures as possible of tomi. She's currently the number one junior ITF for females. She earned herself the name Japanese Queen." Inoue said.

"Why is she so mysterious?" Shiba asked.

"Her identity is very important and she cannot leak it to just anyone." Inoue said.

"Up or down?" Tomi asked Ryoma.

"I feel like going with down today." Ryoma said. Tomi spun the racket.

"It's up." Tomi mumbled. Ryoma was heading back to his side of the court.

"I'll choose this side. This way I'm giving you a handicap too, by playing with the sun facing me." Ryoma said.