Hi! I am sorry for the long wait. Christmas and New Year were really busy days for me. I only had the time to post this today. I hope this compensate for my absence. I hope you like this. This will be a long chapter so please brace yourself. Domo.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Prince of Tennis and never will.

Chapter 9: The Beginning

Chapter Summary: The curtain had finally risen and everyone was performing on stage.

'Everybody so everybody
Days we grew up are days are we treasured show
Everydoy show is beginning
curtain has risen
Make your own storyline
Dream as if you will live forever…'

~ C. H. A. O. S. M. Y. T. H – One Ok Rock ~

The students of Seigaku were busy attending different activities of the school that day. It was the school's foundation day and each club and class was performing individually. Seigaku boys and girls tennis club decided to go to the gym where a big play was being implemented. Some students were staring at the casts who would do roles of their own;

Les Misérables

Cast:

Echizen Ryoma – Marius Pontmercy
Kanzaki Honoka – Cosette
Ryuzaki Sakuno – Éponine
Kachiro - Jean Valjean
Katsuo – Fantine
Osakada Tomoka – Mrs. Thénardier
Horio Satoshi – Mr. Thénardier
Student A – Enjolras
Student B – Javert
Student C - Gavroche

Some students were already watching the play. It was when the young Cosette was left by her mother, Fantine in the house of Thénardier. Fantine promised the she would give them money in return of taking care of her daughter while she was away and working for their living.

Cosette stayed in the couple's care together with their children. She was mistreated with the couple and ordered her to do all the work. There were times that she felt jealous of the kids playing outside their houses.

She even saw Éponine playing outside with the other kids but she couldn't. The young blonde girl started dreaming of a 'castle on a cloud' wishing that it would take her there… someday.

She suffered under the care of the Thénardier until Jean Valjean found her when she was eight years old. The poor girl also learned about her mother passing away, leaving her alone. But the good man promised her that he would be her father from now on.

Cosette was taken away from the couple and traveled with Jean Valjean for years.

"Are you ready, Sakuno?" Tomoka whispered to her after that scene.

"I think so…" She replied as she watched the others doing their performance. Gavroche and the gang were singing on stage. It was the time they were showing themselves in front of the stage. They were minutes to show. Sakuno turned around from the stage, took a deep breath, lifting her hand, face palm, wrote something on it and acted like she ate something from it.

"What are you doing?" Tomoka asked raising an eyebrow in the process.

"I am gathering courage." She answered as she looked at her.

"By eating an invisible food from your hand?"

Staring at her best friend for a couple minutes, she gave her a tiny smile and replied, "It was something I learned from him."

"Him?" Tomoka asked curious about the person she was pertaining. When she didn't answer and was only giving her an understanding look, comprehension got her and reacted a little late, "oh, him!"

Sakuno nodded and smiled at her. Kanata taught her how to gather courage by just writing the word to her palm and bringing it to her lips and eat it. It was a weird thing to do but it was effective for her… somehow.

The scene was already at Marius and Cosette's first meet up and it was her time to show up as well. Tomoka tapped her and wished her luck. She drew another breath before she walked out from the backstage.

xxx

Fuji was watching her on stage. Éponine was talking to Marius for the first time. She was a great artist indeed. Her expression was telling her from the start. She was talking to him and he couldn't help admiring her from that stage.

Cosette entered the stage and Marius couldn't stop staring at her. Éponine showed some signs of jealousy towards the girl. The tensai could see it although he doubted whether it was real jealousy that she was showing or not.

It was all a play after all.

(Éponine, Marius, cosette singing a heart full of love)

Marius made his way back down the street after the warning, filled with thoughts of his love, completely forgetting Éponine there. Shadows moved up the street from the other direction. It was Thénardier and his gang. They gathered at the wrought-iron gate. Brujon started working on the gate lock. He found Éponine lurking in the shadows.

BRUJON:

What have we here?

Thénardier:

Who is this hussy?

BABET:

It's your brat Éponine!
Don't you know your own kid?
Why's she hanging about here?

Thénardier

Éponine, get on home!
You're not needed in this.
We're enough here without you.

Éponine:

I know this house, I tell you!
There's nothing here for you!
Just the old man and the girl.
They live ordinary lives.

Thénardier:

Don't interfere!
You've got some gall!
Take care, young miss,
You've got a lot to say!

BRUJON:

She's going soft!

CLACQUESOUS:

Happens to all!

MONTPARNASSE:

Go home, Éponine!
Go home, you're in the way!

They huddled round the garden gate, which they broke opened.

Éponine:

I'm gonna scream! I'm gonna warn them here!

Thénardier:

One little scream and you'll regret it for a year!

Her father went to the gate and opened it and just he did that, Éponine screamed.

Thénardier:

Make for the sewers!
Get underground!
Leave her to me,
Don't wait around!

He turned to face Éponine and slapped her hard across the face.

Thénardier

You wait, my girl!
You'll rue this night!
I'll make you scream!
You'll scream all right!

His men had levered up a grating, and now Thénardier and the gang disappeared down into the sewers.

She screamed loud for the first time in her role playing life. Mon'sieur Thénardier slap was painful and at the corner of her eyes, she knew that some of their audience was glaring furiously at her 'father' who was actually crouching from the backstage. It couldn't help it. It was a part of the play anyway.

I didn't do it on purpose. Why is Fuji-senpai and that loud-mouthed girl glaring evilly at me. It was just a play. Horio hid himself at the backstage after his character slapped Sakuno's character on stage. Sakuno gave him a quick look telling him that it was alright.

It was all a play and their teacher wanted everything real.

As the play continued Cosette hurried down the garden to the gate, and went to put the folded letter in the grill where her and Marius' hands entwined. Then she saw Éponine. Éponine stepped forward. She thrusts her letter into her hand.

COSETTE:

Please give this to Marius!
He must know where to find me.

She ran back inside without saying another word to her.

Rain fell drastically that night and Éponine let herself soaked under the rain, letting herself drowned in pain. From the corner of her eyes, back at the stage, she saw Marius and Cosette looking at her. Cosette was smirking while Marius was showing a blank look. The rain effects on stage were giving her more expression as she started singing with all her got. She caught the tensai's eyes as she started singing, crumpling the letter in the process as she walked sadly on the street.

Éponine:

And now I'm all alone again -
Nowhere to turn, no one to go to.
Without a home, without a friend,
Without a face to say hello to.
The city goes to bed
And I can live inside my head.

On my own
Pretending he's beside me
All alone
I walk with him till morning
Without him
I feel his arms around me
And when I lose my way I close my eyes
And he has found me.

She crossed a bridge over the river as the rain kept on pouring.

Éponine:

In the rain
The pavement shines like silver
All the lights
Are misty in the river
In the darkness the trees are
full of starlight
And all I see is him and me
forever and forever!

And I know it's only in my mind -
That I'm talking to myself and not to him.
And although I know that he is blind,
Still I say there's a way for us.

I love him
But when the night is over
He is gone - the river's just a river.
Without him the world around me changes -
The trees are bare and everywhere
The streets are full of strangers.

I love him
But every day I'm learning
All my life I've only been pretending.
Without me, his world will go on turning
A world that's full of happiness
That I have never know.

I love him

I love him

I love him

But only on my own.

Fuji saw her expression and he nodded telling her that she could do it. Telling her that she would just be herself in the play and he could see it.

She was Éponine and Sakuno at the same time.

The play continued as Éponine's solitary journey brought her to the Gorbeau slum and went inside. Éponine stood outside Marius' door. She opened the letter and read it, and then she hid it in her pocket. She pushed the door open where Marius was. The gentleman looked up and waited for her to say something which she did.

Éponine:

I came to tell you she's gone.

MARIUS:

Gone? What do you mean?

Éponine:

She's gone to England.

Marius set off at a run towards the Rue Plumet. He found the gate broken open, and watched the house beyond dark and deserted. He pushed in to the garden, up to the house windows, and saw the rooms empty within. He stood staring there in shock. Éponine followed him, and watched him in silence.

The revolution began that time. Jean Valjean met Javert, the police trying to chase the former for years, in the barricade. Jean Valjean let him escape for some reason telling him that it was the wrong to do. The good man still insisted in the end. He also met Marius who was helplessly in love with her daughter and now he was wishing life would be saved from this young man.

And he would do anything to save this young man.

It was already night. The students were waiting for hours. A single flaming torch atop the barricade caged in by cobbles underlights a fluttering red flag. There was no sign yet of any opposition. A boy climbed down from sentry duty on the barricade. Marius realized it was Éponine. The girl made a decision and changed clothes. She hid her hair from her hat and dressed liked a boy as she was now. She joined the barricade hoping she would be with Marius no matter what. She sat down with her back to him.

MARIUS:

Hey, little boy, what's this I see?
God Éponine the things you do!

Éponine:

I know this is no place for me,
Still I would rather be with you!

MARIUS:

Get out before the trouble starts!
Get out, 'Ponine, you might get shot!

Éponine:

I've got you worried now, I have!
That shows you like me quite a lot...

MARIUS:

Get Out!

Joly entred on the main barricade and saw a figure approaching.

JOLY:

He's back! Javert, still in his disguise as a rebel, is let back through the guarded 'gate' into the barricaded street.

Father Mabeuf fell down dead. While everyone was reacting to the dead old man and the wounded, the men were distracted from noticing that some French soldiers used the cover of darkness to creep down the street. All at once the FIRST FULL ATTACK began. Shouted and the rattle of gunfire as SOLDIERS threw themselves up and over the barricade. The students ran for their guns and returned fire. They were taken by surprise. All could be lost in the first instant. Some soldiers made it up to the top of the barricade, where they were driven back by the fierce resistance of the defenders. They slowly losing their battle and some of them were starting to panic. Marius went to the top side of the barricade and started shooting. His attention was caught by some so he didn't notice an enemy was aiming his riffle at him.

But Éponine did.

She quickly threw herself in front of Marius and raised one hand. A loud bang was heard inside of the stage, making her whole stage gasp at the scene.

Éponine's eyes widened and her breath was shallow. There was a hole to her hand that she raised and it connected to her stomach. She immediately collapsed on the ground and one of the student scolded her.

LESGLES:

What were you thinking!

As everyone surrounded Marius in amazement he spotted Éponine lying propped against the barricade.

MARIUS:

Éponine! What have you done?

He kneeled by her side. Éponine was dying.

Éponine:

Here... It's from Cosette...
I kept it from you...

With a struggle she pulled the letter out of her pocket, and pushed it into his hand.

Éponine:

Don't be too hard on me...

Marius was shocked to find blood pouring from her wound.

MARIUS:

Éponine, you're hurt!
You need some help!

Rain began to fall that time.

Fuji observed their expression. She was definitely a good actress. There was no doubt about that. But Marius, judging from his expression at that moment, he doubted about that.

He was really doubting about that.

This is the final scene. Give all your best. This may be only an act but for the last time… I'll let you see the real me. Even it is only an act. Éponine gave him a painful yet content expression as she touched Marius cheek as the rain effects were falling down eerily at them.

Éponine:

Don't you fret, M'sieur Marius -
I don't feel any pain.
A little fall of rain
Can hardly hurt me now.
You're here - that's all I need to know
And you will keep me safe
And you will keep me close
And rain will make the flowers grow...

MARIUS:

But you will live, Éponine – Dear God above!
If I could close your wounds with words of love -

Éponine:

Just hold me now, and let it be.
Shelter me... Comfort me...

MARIUS:

You will live a hundred years
If I could show you how...
I won't desert you now...

Éponine:

The rain can't hurt me now...
This rain will wash away what's past
And you will keep me safe
And you will keep me close
I'll sleep in your embrace at last.

Marius tried to comfort Éponine in his arms.

MARIUS:

Hush-a-bye, dear Éponine
You won't feel any pain
A little fall of rain
Can hardly hurt you now
I'm here.

Éponine:

So don't you fret, M'sieur Marius
I don't feel any pain
A little fall of rain
Can hardly hurt me now...

MARIUS:

I will stay with you
Till you are sleeping.

Éponine:

That's all I need to know
And you will keep me safe
And you will keep me close
And rain…
Will make the flowers...
Grow...

Éponine died in Marius's arms. Marius looked up at the others, his eyes full of tears.

ENJOLRAS:

They were the first to fall.
The first to fall upon this barricade.

MARIUS:

Her name was Éponine!
Her life was cold and dark, yet she was unafraid!

COMBEFERRE:

We fight here in her name...

PROUVAIRE:

She will not die in vain...

LESGLES:

She will not be betrayed...

They picked up Éponine's body and carried her into the tavern. Marius followed and told them to let him be alone with her for a while. A student asked Gavroche's unexplainable face and asked him.

COURFEYRAC:

(to Gavroche)

Are you alright?

GAVROCHE:

That was my sister.

Marius could remember what she said. Éponine had one wish before she went. After she passed away, Marius would kiss her on the forehead. Then she was gone… Éponine was gone… with a smile on her face. She didn't know how long she remained still in his arms the moment the others left them alone until she felt his warm palm touching her cheek.

The audience of course anticipated the next scene… and a lot of people shrieked at that particular scene. Even Cosette had one.

From the closed eyes of Éponine, she could feel his lips… covering her own. Something was wrong. She wasn't supposed to feel him that way. Shocked was registered to her mind and it was covered from the crowd's reaction.

Marius was kissing her on the lips… not to her forehead. Not what the script was telling them to do.

Not what they had practiced for days.

The crowd applauded at that and it lasted for a few seconds before the light on stage went dark. Some cried of that scene and they could hear it. Just as the scene changed, they parted ways after that. She looked at him with widened eyes and so was he. She sat up and moved away from him and walked towards the backstage… away from him as possible as she could.

Her heart was beating so fast… she didn't expect that it would react to him after months of separation. She took a deep breath and calmed herself down. Maybe he thought that it would be a better way to amuse the crowd which he did succeed of doing.

The crowd liked what they did for the final scene of Éponine and Marius.

After that intimate scene, the play went back to the barricade. Gavroche even joined the barricade despite his age. He was the best example of showing enough courage to face danger. He went in front of the barricade to gather some more ammo for them… from the dead people. Despite Enjolras' warning, the young boy insisted to collect them. He was shot two times before his life was ended by the enemy.

The people from the barricade mourned at their brave little soldier. They were able to gather his body and placed it to a neat area.

The audience of them started to wipe their own tears. Eiji was one of them and he couldn't help but sniffed to his doubles partner's sleeves. Oishi tried to hold his tears by just prying his partner's whining.

The play continued after that. Jean Valjean saved Marius from the death that they were supposed to meet in the barricade. Javert met them once again but the good man insisted to let them go or else it would be young man's end. Javert realized that it was really useless to capture someone which was already in front of him but he still couldn't. He ended his life by jumping to the large fall in front of him.

The rest of the play continued until Marius and Cosette reunited with each other, they got married after Jean Valjean's disappearance. He confessed to Marius of who he really was and made him promise to take care of her daughter.

They reunited with the old man before he passed away in Cosette's arms.

Thus, the curtain fell at that final scene earning a round of applause to the crowd. The casts appeared as the curtain was raised once again and bowed in front of their audience. Some of them cried at the scene and some of them cheered for a job well done. It only meant one thing;

The play was successful.

Later on:

The staffs and members of the play decided to have some sort of celebration for making their play a successful one. They decided to stay in the gym for the night and the party was only exclusive for all the members who had a part for the play.

They enjoyed the night and even Sakuno was enjoying herself. She was so pleased of the effort that she showed in the play. A lot of people liked her role and congratulated her for doing the role almost perfectly.

She was thankful that no one opened the final scene. They mentioned it of course but they never voiced out that it was really out of the script. She ignored Honoka's glare and Ryoma's unimaginative stare at her. She decided to spend the rest of the time with Tomoka in the party.

xxx

"I'll wait for you outside the gate." Tomoka said walking ahead of her.

"Hai…" She nodded as she watched her leave. They decided that they would leave the school together after the party. Sakuno needed to get something for the art club so she suggested that she would wait for her at the entrance gate. She quickly made her way to the club room and entered it. Smiling in the process, she saw what she wanted to get there.

It was the canvass that she was trying to finish. She only had months to finish the painting and she needed to finish it as soon as possible. Drawing the canvass from its stand, she rolled it and secured it to her bag before she turned around and left the room.

Only to be stopped.

Ryoma was standing there, leaning on the jamb of the opened door. It took seconds before she recovered and walked towards him where the door was.

"Aren't you going home yet?" She asked fixing her bag behind her.

"I should be asking you the same thing."

She looked at him and saw him staring at her, "I went here to get this," She answered shrugging her shoulder where her bag was, "I am planning to finish this soon."

"Hmm." He only replied as that.

Silence was pretty awkward between them. Before she could stop herself, she already spoke her thoughts to him, "Ryoma-kun, congratulations on doing the play well."

He looked at her for a few seconds and she wasn't sure if she blushed for the first time since their break up. He didn't say anything but he nodded as confirmation.

It was really typical of him. He never changed.

"Anou, I should go," She said turning around, "I'll see you on Monday." She started to walk not really waiting for him to reply.

"About the kiss today…"

His voice made her stop from walking. She didn't expect that from him. She tried to forget that and she didn't think that it would be him to make her remember. Her eyes softened as she looked down, not really facing him at all.

"That was a good act. You did it."

"I…"

"At least you made Éponine's wish come true," She said turning to him this time, smiling in the process, "You added some bonus into it."

"…"

"It was nice working with you, Ryoma-kun," She said closing her eyes in the process, "Thank you." She turned and bowed at him before she turned again and walked away, without saying another word. She didn't know his reaction after that. She didn't even want to know either.

What matter was she did a job well done. She realized something. Ryoma wasn't the only one who was good at acting. She discovered that she was good at it as well.

Done! How was his chapter? This was really complicated. The play… tee hee hee… I hope you like it… Something will happen in next chapter or maybe the chapter after that. I don't know… depending the scene I will make. Find the next scenes soon… domo…

I guess this wasn't long enough after all. I kinda changed some of the scenes and the people who watched the movie knew what I meant. I only reviewed this once so expect so typos and errors. I apologized in advance.

The script, songs and additional characters were all from the movie. I do not own any of them. I just love sharing capiche? One Ok Rock's song C.H.A.O.S.M.Y.T.H was owned by the said Japanese band. Not mine. Thank you for being there until in this chapter… I really appreciate it. Domo.

Reviews please! I need to hear thoughts from you… domo… ^^

Isn't it coincidental? The New Year, 'The Beginning'? :3

Next Chapter: Hidden feelings