Warnings: OCs. OCs everywhere. OC-centric, but not all on one OC. A couple of OC/canon pairings. Profanity. In the future, mature themes/discussion/implications but nothing explicit past kissing and groping. When something comes up it will be mentioned here.
Word Count: ~10k
Disclaimer: This will only be here once: I don't own Prince of Tennis, although I own any OCs present.
Summary: "Budget cuts due to underperformance in the previous years causes the Seigaku girl's tennis team to share training space and time with the boy's team. Sparks will fly, people will be set on fire and poisoned, and they might just make it to the end if they cooperate. A Seigaku girls' tennis team fanfic, set during their high-school years. Because I refuse to believe that those brats are in middle school."
Note: For any readers who read the first version of this chapter, Ai's name has been changed to Azumi. New readers, ignore this and read on.
All That Glitters
Chapter 1 – Mergers and Tryouts
So it's gonna be forever
Or it's gonna go down in flames
You can tell me when it's over
If the high was worth the pain
- Blank Space, Taylor Swift
"May 4th – In an amazing turn-around, the Seishun Academy girl's tennis team, whom in the previous year lost in straight sets at the Kanto tournament semi-finals against Fudomine High, has this year won all of their matches so far in the Kanto regional tournament!
"The captaincy was passed to 16 year old Kuroi Kyouko, the daughter of the retired tennis player Kuroi Daiki. The new line-up holds plenty of raw potential; how far will they go under Kuroi's lead?"
"June 8th – It would seem that Seishun Academy girls team's progress has come to a halt. After being defeated by Hyoutei in the regional finals, they were crushed in the second round of the national tournament by the same school. The captain, Kuroi Kyouko, did not play in their games against Hyoutei."
"Isn't it about time you stopped sulking, Kyouko? It's already been three days. This isn't like you." Seishun academy second year Shibata Yui lay on the twin-sized bed, a lollipop in her mouth. She turned her head to regard her friend, who was curled up on a chair in front of the desk.
Kuroi Kyouko. Seishun academy second year student, and captain of the girl's tennis team. Daughter of a famous tennis player, and middle school division champion in Osaka. Regarded as the strongest female tennis player in Kanto.
All in all, she did not take losing well.
She'd been so confident, so sure that they would make it. That they would bring home that trophy, and she'd be able to prove to her team that hard work really paid off.
Instead, they'd lost, now half the members had dropped out, and the third year regulars refused to talk to her.
She curled further into herself and willed herself not to cry.
Yui sighed and sat up. "Oi. Are we gonna do this or not? I seriously hope you didn't make me practice until I dropped all these months just to give up now." She nudged Kyouko with her foot. "C'mon, buchou-chan. Let's go hit some balls."
Kyouko sat still for a while more, before slowly unfurling and standing up from the chair.
She was the captain.
She would bring her team to the nationals again.
But first, she had someone to apologize to.
Nishimiya Haruka slammed her fist against her bed, tears of frustration dripping onto her sheets. One hand was covering her mouth, to hide the wretched sobs. Her body shook as she tried to hold it all in.
She'd lost.
She, the supposed prodigy of the team, the rising star. After the captain, she was supposed to be the strongest player, not just on their team, but in all of Kanto. And she'd lost.
True, she'd been playing against the captain.
True, she'd lost 7-6 in the tiebreaker at 27-25.
But it didn't change the fact that she'd lost.
So many people had been counting on her. If she'd won singles three, they would still have had a chance. Shibata-senpai would have won singles two, and Kuroi-buchou would have won singles one. They would have had a shot at the championships. Instead, they'd been shot down as soon as they'd stepped foot inside the stadium.
She buried her face into the sheets. Three days later, and the pain was still just as sharp as it had been when her last ball had hit the net. She felt the urge to scream building up, rising from the pit of her stomach-
There was a timid knock on her door.
"Haruka?" It was her mother. "Haruka, you have visitors..."
Haruka stiffened. She opened her mouth to tell them to go away, but a sob came out instead. Horrified, she covered her mouth again, but now the tears wouldn't stop. They burned a salty trail as they fell down her cheeks. Her body shivered and convulsed lightly as she hiccupped and sniffed.
A pair of arms wrapped around her, holding her gently, protectively.
"Oh, Haruka," her captain's voice whispered softly. "I'm so sorry."
The miserable first-year burrowed into her captain's embrace and wailed.
Yeesh, Yui thought, standing awkwardly in the doorway with Haruka's mother. Are they on their period or something? Is that why they've been so moody?
A Bit Over Half a Year Later
"You're going to what?" Kyouko stared at the principal, hoping she'd heard wrong. Behind her, Yui was equally stunned, but schooled her face back into a mask of indifference.
The principal looked at them gravely, upturned eyes and wrinkled forehead expressing his sympathy.
"You heard me, girls. Funding has been cut. The staff have discussed it, and the majority agreed that the girl's tennis team should be cut."
Kyouko pursed her lips and frowned in displeasure. "May I inquire as to exactly why my club is being cut, sir?" she bit out with as much respect as she could muster. Yui grimaced; Kyouko only reverted to formal talk when she was really, really pissed at a superior or senior.
"Most insisted that the girl's tennis club is, for the most part, a reason for girls to get close to the boy's tennis club regulars," the principal explained. "They believe it's a waste of funds, especially given the club's historical performance at tournaments-"
"We made it to the nationals last year," Kyouko cut in, her tone flat and unimpressed. "The reason we lost is because Nishimiya wasn't in her peak condition. She will be this year. We all will be."
The principal regarded Kyouko with a long stare, not moving. Finally, he sighed.
"I thought you would say that. Your father was a friend of mine, you know. So much potential." Because Kyouko's hands were clasped behind her back, only Yui saw the tightening of her fists. "So I compromised with the staff." He stood up from his desk and walked up to the two girls. "If you can get further than you did last year, the club will not be cut. But if you lose before then, the club ends with you. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir."
"Oh, and one more thing..."
"We're sharing space with the girl's tennis team?" Oishi repeated.
Tezuka nodded. "That's what Ryuuzaki-sensei told me. Apparently the nearby club where the girls practiced was demolished, so they have nowhere else to practice."
"But we don't have all that much space either," Oishi fussed. "We need at least three courts, and it would be rude to not let the other members practice, and that's only assuming that the girls only need one court..."
"Ryuuzaki-sensei said not to worry about that and to leave it to the girl's tennis club captain." Tezuka returned to organizing the ranking matches. "She says there is an agreement between the captain and the principal."
"Well, I guess if Ryuuzaki-sensei says so..." Oishi sighed and looked out the window, to where their club was practicing.
"What? We have to share space with the girl's team?" Momoshiro repeated incredulously. "Oishi-fukubuchou, are you sure that's... Safe? I mean, half of those girls are rabid fangirls. People like Tezuka-buchou and Fuji-senpai aren't going to be able to blink without a girl hanging off him, or getting in his way. And there are bound to be catfights, and screaming, and-" Echizen kicked him in the leg to shut him up. "Ow! Oi, Echizen, show more respect to your senpai!"
"Fsshuuu. Lame."
"What did you say, Mamushi?! You wanna go?"
"Come on you guys..." Oishi sighed as Momoshiro and Kaidou began wrestling on the ground. Eiji began cheering them on from the sidelines as Fuji watched, amused, and Kawamura tried to stop them.
"Excuse me."
Oishi and Echizen turned around.
The newcomer was a brunette with medium-length hair fixed in a ponytail. Beside her was a slightly shorter girl with black hair tied up in a bun, twin locks framing her face and falling to her collarbones. Both wore the girl's tennis club regular's uniform.
The taller girl spoke up. "Are you Tezuka?" she inquired.
Oishi was interrupted by the girl standing behind her before he could correct the newcomer. "No, Kyouko; haven't you seen any of the regulars?" She sounded rather disdainful. "That's the vice-captain, Oishi Shuichiro."
"Oh, I apologize. I'm Kuroi Kyouko, captain of the girl's tennis team," she introduced herself. "This is my vice-captain, Shibata Yui." She gestured to the girl behind her, who nodded politely and began inspecting her painted nails, evidently bored. "I look forward to working with you."
Whispers arose from the club members, who had been eavesdropping.
"What's she talking about? The two teams have never worked together before."
"Bah. They probably need our help to improve or something."
"I wish they'd stop distracting us and go away. It's not like they're serious about tennis anyways."
"Ah..." Oishi glanced about helplessly. "I'm sorry about them," he apologized to the two girls. They simply shrugged; they were used to this sort of attitude.
"Look, it's Tezuka-buchou!"
Oishi sighed in relief as Tezuka stepped into the courts. Immediately, the club members bowed. Even Momoshiro and Kaidou stopped fighting.
"Cheers!"
Tezuka nodded solemnly, then spoke. "Everyone except for Oishi, ten laps. Now."
"Eeeeehhh?" A collective groan rose, but they nonetheless obeyed.
Tezuka returned his attention to Oishi and the two girls. "I apologize for the conduct of my team." Ah, so he had been listening. "Ryuuzaki-sensei has informed Oishi and me of your situation. We will do our best to accommodate." Oishi nodded in agreement.
Yui smiled a sharp smile, lips pursed and tight, eyes gleaming. It was her trademark smile as the infamous Queen of the third years; being in her class, Tezuka knew that smile meant trouble. From the narrowing of the female captain's eyes, it seemed she knew that too.
"Then, for starters, could we borrow your courts after school in two days?" she asked with false sweetness.
"Ah, how many of them?" Oishi asked.
"All of them."
"Eh?" Oishi's eyes widened. "But... We have practice..."
"Is that a no?" Yui sneered. "Not very accommodating. You have practice every day. I thought-" She was cut off when Kyouko jabbed an elbow into her side. "FUCK!" Oishi jumped, startled. The loud curse attracted the attention of some of the club members running laps. Tezuka's eyes narrowed. "Damn it, Kyouko-" Kyouko jabbed her again and she groaned, backing off, clutching her ribs. Kyouko turned her attention back to Tezuka and Oishi.
"I apologize for her," Kyouko said with a wry smile. "We're all a little tense with the current situation. We'd like to use your courts in two days after school for matches to determine the new regular spots. It won't take as long as your ranking matches; one evening is enough. Your team is welcome to watch. In fact, it would help greatly if they gave their input."
"That should be fine," Tezuka acknowledged.
"Thank you." Kyouko nodded in thanks. "Please excuse me." She turned and left the courts. Yui, who'd been waiting at the gate, took up her place beside Kyouko again and jabbed her in the ribs. Kyouko didn't even flinch.
Oishi sighed. This was going to give him a headache; he knew it. Tezuka adjusted his glasses with a finger.
"Are you sure this is going to work out, Tezuka?"
"Yudan sezu ni ikou."
"Hey, Fuji-senpai, have you heard of this Kuroi Kyouko before?" Momoshiro asked his senpai once they were done laps.
"Mmm, I don't think so."
"Kuroi Kyouko; height, 168cm." Inui suddenly popped out of nowhere, startling everyone.
"GAAH! Inui-senpai, please, make some noise!" Momoshiro begged. Ignoring him, Inui went on.
Birthday, July 5th. Dominant hand, right. Daughter of Kuroi Daiki, a retired professional tennis player. Kuroi Daiki was once a serious grand slam contender, but backed out due to an injury to his knee. His daughter, Kuroi Kyouko, has participated in and won numerous tournaments, and was ranked the number one female player in the Osaka region in the middle school level. She was a reserve player two years ago for Shintenhouji high, that year's national champions."
"... Inui-senpai," Kaidou asked hesitantly, "Why do you know so much about her?"
"Hmm? Because I heard from sources that the girl's tennis team would be joining ours," he replied calmly.
"Wait, Inui, you already knew?" Kikumaru exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"You never asked," he replied succinctly, causing some groans from his audience.
"Never mind that," Momoshiro interrupted. "She's been to the nationals? She was on the champion's team? Who is this girl?"
"Out of your league," a crisp voice announced from behind them. Kikumaru and Momoshiro, who'd had their backs to the new arrival, turned around.
The new girl gave Momoshiro a derisive look. She had clear green eyes that were surrounded by the red frames of her rectangular glasses. Her curly black hair, let loose behind her, was rather long and reached the middle of her back. She wore a decidedly unfriendly frown. All in all, she had the stereotypical top-ranking-student look down, except for her ears, which were pierced three times on each side.
Inui pushed his glasses further up. "Ushimaru-san. Can we help you?"
The girl – Ushimaru – handed him a sheet of paper. "Suzuki-sensei asked me to give this to you, since we're in the same class."
"Ah, this is... I see. Thank you." Inui stuck the paper inside his notebook, closing it. "If I'm not mistaken, you were on the girl's tennis team last year as a reserve player. Will you be trying out for the team again this year?"
"If I have time." With that, the girl nodded politely and left the courts.
"… Who was that?" Momoshiro asked, confused.
Inui flipped to a page in his notebook. "Ushimaru Azumi, student council vice-president. She has a reputation for having a sharp tongue and little patience. She skipped a grade and does not socialize with many people outside of obligation. She is also known for setting high standards for herself; her grade ranking has never dropped below tenth place."
"Nyaaaa, she sounds scary," Eiji shuddered, having never placed in the top ten in his life. "Her name's cute, though."
"Despite this, she is considered very reliable. She works frequently with Tezuka in the student council. There were rumours at one point that they were dating."
There was a pause, and then-
"EEEEEHH?"
"Dating? With Tezuka-buchou?" Momoshiro exclaimed, skeptical. "No way!"
"Well, my sources tell me that they sat beside each other in class during first year," Inui reasoned. "Perhaps that has something to do with it?"
"I think she's weird," Momoshiro shuddered. "Did you see her eyes? They were practically frosted over. It felt like she was going to stab me with her glare."
"Heeeh. Are you scared of her, Momo-senpai?"
"O-of course not! Echizen, quit grinning like that! I mean it!"
"Uisu~"
Azumi waited in the hallway close to the door of a first-year classroom. After a few minutes, a group of girls walked out, chatting with each other. One of them glanced at her and stopped for half a second, before ignoring her and continuing on. Once they walked by her, Azumi stepped out.
"Natsuki."
The girl that had glanced at her stopped. Her friends stared between the two of them. They all resembled Natsuki – they wore makeup and fancy jewelry, and had dyed hair done up in the latest trends.
"What do you want?" Natsuki addressed her tonelessly.
"How has school been so far?" Azumi inquired in the same tone. Natsuki didn't turn around.
"Why do you care?" she snapped.
"I'm you're sister."
One of Natsuki's friends spoke up. "Are you two twins?" she asked Natsuki. Natsuki nodded once, quickly, then laughed. It was a harsh, humorless laugh.
"I wish she weren't," she sneered. "She's so useless and has no friends. All she does is study all day long. She hasn't even had a boyfriend yet." Her friends laughed and started up another conversation, walking away.
Azumi made one last attempt. She walked up and placed a hand on Natsuki's shoulder. "Natsuki-"
Her hand was slapped off.
"What the fuck! Don't touch me, you creep!" Natsuki snarled. She shoved Azumi, hard, making her lose her balance. Azumi closed her eyes, expecting to fall over, when someone grabbed her arm.
"Woah! Are you okay?"
Azumi opened her eyes in surprise. A petit brunette with medium-length straight hair smiled back at her. Natsuki recognized her as Kawamura Sakura, a very popular second-year girl who was also in the tennis club.
She helped Azumi steady herself, then turned to Natsuki and her group. "Natsuki-chan, it's not nice to push people, even if you hate them," she chided.
"Che, whatever." With one last glare, Natsuki turned and left with her friends. Azumi stared at her twin sister's departing back.
"Are you okay?" the brunette asked anxiously. "I'm Kawamura Sakura."
"I know," Azumi replied bluntly. It didn't deter Sakura.
"You look exactly like Natsuki-chan. Are you two twins or something? I don't remember seeing you in the entrance ceremony. I was one of the volunteers."
"I'm a third year."
"Third... Year?" Sakura blinked. "Oh goodness! I'm so sorry, senpai! I though you were a second year like me, so I was super casual..."
"... It's fine." Azumi owed Sakura for this. She regretted it instantly when Sakura latched onto her (figuratively and literally) and continued asking questions.
"Ne, ne, what's your name?"
"... Ushimaru"
"No, silly, your first name."
"None of your business."
"That's a weird name," Sakura laughed. "So, why does Natsuki-chan hate you?"
Straight to the point.
"None of your business."
"Come on, don't be like that," Sakura grinned. "Is it because you skipped a year and she was held back?" Of course, Sakura had been able to infer that from the information she'd been given. "I'm right, aren't I?" Azumi didn't reply; Sakura took that as affirmation. "Ooooh, I see. She's jealous of you. I bet your parents compare you a lot, too. Well, that's her loss then! She should be sucking up to you and asking you to help her with homework, like I will be!"
Azumi's hand twitched sharply. You're a student council member. Homicide is against the law. Plus you're wearing a lot of white today. And Natsuki saw you with her. Resist.
"Sakuno! Sakuno, great news!" Osakada Tomoka ran up to her best friend's desk. "My brothers are enrolling into an after-school program, so I don't have to babysit them anymore! I can join the tennis club!"
"That's great, Tomo-chan!" Sakuno cheered. "We can walk home together after practice."
"Yeah! Aaaah, I'll be able to be with Ryoma-sama more often now..." Tomoka sat down in the desk in front of Sakuno, dreaming of her prince. Sakuno smiled fondly; Tomoka would always be Tomoka. "Ah, I almost forgot! I signed us both up for regular tryouts!"
"W-what?" Sakuno gasped. "But I can't- I'm not- Tomo-chan!" Tomoka waved her off.
"Don't worry! You actually practice with your grandma. You know most of the members are just fangirls that want an excuse to get closer to the boy's tennis team and hardly ever show up to practice. Besides, I hear that this year the captain's making some big changes this year. You'll never know if you don't try!"
"Tomo-chan..." Sakuno slumped in her seat dejectedly. Inwardly, though, she was just a little bit hopeful.
News that the girl's team was going to be practicing with the boy's team spread like wildfire, and within a day the regular try-out sign up sheet had over fifty names.
"What the hell is this?" Yui glared at the list, as though hoping it would spontaneously combust. "We don't even have fifty club members. I would know; I'm the friggin vice-captain. Kyouko, are we really going to let every one of these brats try out? I know some of them. I can name ten people from this list that we shouldn't even have to consider."
"We can't afford to be picky. You never know what we'll see. I don't want to miss someone by accident."
"Che. Oi, Nishimiya, talk some sense into her." Haruka didn't look up from her music player.
"So, how is this going to work?" Oishi wondered, glancing at Tezuka.
"We can't hold ranking matches; it takes too long, and we have too many people," Kyouko explained. "So instead, we're going to let each person play once or twice, against a random opponent. We'll note any potential candidates. If there are too many at the end, we'll hold more matches. In a pinch, Yui and I can step in to test them personally."
"Eeeeh? I'll have to play?" Yui groaned, having assumed she would just be watching.
"If it's any consolation, you don't have to hold back that much," Kyouko said wryly. "Feel free to go wild. If they can't handle the pressure, they won't last at the nationals." She turned back to the sign-up sheet. "I don't care if half of them are fangirls. If they have the skill and the drive, I'll consider them."
"But... Would they become a distraction to our club members?" Oishi asked tentatively, not wanting to insult the girls. "If they're in the club, then won't they be allowed on the courts during practice anyways, even if they aren't regulars?"
"We have a way of dealing with that," Yui replied cryptically with a tight and wide smile that promised pain.
"If they have skill and drive," Kyouko repeated, "then they deserve a chance. If they're a club member and they prove to be too much of a distraction, they'll be given a warning and then kicked out. If they're a regular, we'll beat the fangirl-ism out of them." Her eyes darkened ominously.
"... I'll take your word for it."
"So, we'll hold the tryouts tomorrow after school," Kyouko confirmed. Tezuka nodded. "Alright. Once again, your team is invited to watch, but I request that only the regulars be permitted to watch, along with your data master, Inui."
"Aah, that's not a problem."
Kyouko turned to speak to Haruka. "So, are you going to be watching as well?" Haruka shook her head. "Right. Dismissed, then." With that, Haruka and Yui left the room. "I swear, those two..." She chuckled. "Tezuka, you're lucky you have such a loyal and reliable vice-captain. The only reason those two obey me is because they've never once won against me in tennis and are sticking around to do so."
"Ah." Tezuka nodded in agreement and Oishi blushed a bit a receiving such praise.
"How long have you known them?" he asked.
"About a year now, I think," Kyouko answered. "I moved here from Osaka for second year."
"Only a year? But you all seem to get along very well," Oishi remarked.
"Well... We've ben through a lot together," Kyouko grinned wryly. "Thanks, Tezuka, Oishi. See you guys tomorrow." With that, she left as well.
The next evening
"Thank you all for coming." With her arms crossed, no smile on her face, her jersey on her shoulders and her sidekick- errr, vice-captain – standing behind her, Kyouko appeared rather intimidating. Apparently, though, it wasn't enough to stop some of the girls in the crowd from chatting rather loudly (probably due to the fact that the male regulars were waiting on the sidelines).
Kyouko was content to wait until everyone quieted down, but Yui had no such patience. "Oi. If you don't all shut up, we'll just tell the principal we changed our minds and we don't need a girl's tennis club after all." That caught their attention, and the girls that were chatting quieted down, chastised.
"Thank you," Kyouko repeated wryly. "This is how things will work. You will each get to play at least one match. Regulars from both the girls and boys team will be watching." This caused another wave of excited whispers, but another glare from Yui quieted them down again.
"You don't have to win to make it, although it helps. If we see something we like, we'll put you down as a candidate. The rules are subject to change at any time. We may ask you to play a second or third match right away. Shibata here or even myself may play you. We will choose our regulars from among those that show the most talent, drive, potential, and skill; so don't hold anything back. If you don't like it, you may leave at any time and we will withdraw your name from the list of candidates. Are there any questions?"
There were none.
"Alright. We'll be playing four matches simultaneously. Court A, Watanabe and Kirio. Court B, Yamato and Osakada. Court C, Kawamura-"
"Onii-chan!" Kawamura Sakura jumped up and down, waving her arms excitedly. "Onii-chan, over here!"
"Eh?" Kawamura was stunned; he'd had no idea that his little sister was trying out for the tennis team. "Sakura..."
Fuji smiled. "That's your sister? She's cute," he complimented.
"Ah, thanks." Kawamura smiled shyly, touching his neck.
Kyouko coughed. "Court C, Kawamura and Mitobe. Court D, Ueno. You'll be playing against Shibata."
Whispers broke out again, the crowd wondering whom this Ueno was and how good was she to have already caught the attention of the captain.
"What are you waiting for?" Yui snapped. "Get moving!" The candidates quickly scattered.
Kyouko turned to the male regulars. "Kikumaru and Oishi, please observe court A. Fuji and Kawamura, can you two take care of court B? Tezuka and Kaidou, court C please. Momoshiro and Echizen, court D. Inui, feel free to observe any of the courts."
"Hai!"
"Fsshhh."
"Hoi hoi!"
"Uisu~"
"Okay."
"Ah."
"Great." With that, Kyouko went to observe court A.
Court B
"That first year is doing pretty well against a third year," Fuji remarked.
"She's losing though," Kawamura pointed out.
"Yes, but did you notice? Each game she loses, she takes longer to lose." He pointed out a footwork mistake that she quickly fixed and wouldn't make for the rest of the match. "The match hasn't even ended yet and she's already fixing most of the mistakes she makes and slowly diminishing the gap between her and her opponent. Plus, she's more focused." He gestured to the third year, Yamato, who was getting more and more distracted glancing at Fuji to see if he'd noticed her.
Osakada Tomoka, on the other hand, knew that her Ryoma-sama was on another court, and so didn't bother wasting time looking around. Even though she was down three games, she couldn't help but giggle every time she hit the ball.
Tennis was pretty fun.
Fuji recognized the look in her eyes and smiled. "If there's no one else, I'll recommend her."
Court D
"One set match. Ueno to serve!"
Yui observed the candidate. Second year Ueno Kaoru. Red hair that matched her spitfire attitude, and known as the "Second Year Queen"; a parody of Yui's own title, "Queen of the third years." Many considered her to be Yui's successor in the popularity games. She was also no slouch in tennis, with three year's experience behind her. She'd been on the team last year, and Yui had seen her play occasionally.
But, Yui thought, as the second year threw the ball up, it's pointless if you won't draw on that experience. Kaoru served, fast and true. Yui was there half a second before the ball bounced. She slammed her racquet forwards, and the ball flew past Kaoru's cheek with a centimeter to spare.
"Love-fifteen!"
Kaoru's eyes widened, as she stood, frozen. She slowly turned her head around to see the ball rolling behind her. She hadn't even recovered from her serve.
"I'll give you this one warning," Yui called from across the court. "If you don't get serious, this match will end before you can even score a single point." Her eyes narrowed. "Play your real tennis."
Kaoru grit her teeth. Grabbing another ball, she bounced it a couple of times. You want my real tennis? She backed up about a meter from the baseline and threw the ball up, much too high, and at an angle.
"What the hell is she doing?" Momoshiro exclaimed. "She'll never hit it properly like that.
You'll get it.
She jumped from her right leg, twisting her hips to pivot and reach the perfect angle. Her eyes remained fixed on the ball. Her racquet reached out, and she slammed it into the ball with all her might, curling the racquet under the ball as much as she could.
Bam!
The ball hit the ground half a second later, right in from of Yui, and shot back towards the net. Yui watched with a satisfied expression on her face. There it is; Ueno's Backlash.
"Fifteen all!"
Whispering broke out around the courts, where the other candidates were waiting.
"Oi, Echizen..." Momoshiro murmured. "What was that?"
"Hnnn. Kind of reminds me of Kikumaru-senpai's acrobatic play," Ryoma remarked. He jumped back when a ball hit the fence where he face had been.
"Fault!"
"It's not acrobatic play!" Kaoru shouted, waving her racquet at the first year furiously. "It's dance!" This was why she didn't like playing this way.
"Ueno," Yui interrupted. "Focus on the game. You can maul him later."
"Cht." Kaoru grudgingly turned back to the game. Backing up a few steps again, she tossed the ball way up, and hit her strange serve again. This time, Yui caught the ball on the way to the net and hit it over successfully. Her serve's gotten much faster since last year, she acknowledged. I was lucky to be able to return her serve this time.
Kaoru, not expecting her serve to win the point, dashed to the net. She caught the ball as it was passing her and aimed right for Yui's feet. Yui, seeing the path of the ball, was just able to catch the ball before it bounced. The ball flew up, slow and easy. Kaoru launched herself up into a backflip, following the ball, and then passing the ball. Once she was about a foot higher, she let gravity do its work as she smashed the ball as hard as she could. It zoomed past Yui.
"Thirty-fifteen!"
Yui smiled and walked back to the baseline. Well done. Kyouko, glancing over from the adjacent court, nodded in approval and spoke quietly to Inui. Kaoru served again and Yui was unable to return the reverse-bouncing serve this time.
"Game, Ueno! One game to love."
"Waaaaah! Ochibi, look!" Kikumaru draped himself over the disgruntled first-year. "She's using acrobatic tennis too! And she's not bad at it either!"
Kaoru twitched. It's not acrobatics! It's dance! She hated that term, acrobatics. It made her feel like she was a monkey when she played. Even if she did incorporate a bit of gymnastics. Just a bit. But it was Shibata's turn to serve. She returned her attention to the game.
Meanwhile, Ryoma tried to shove the energetic third year off.
"What happened to the game you were watching, Kikumaru-senpai?" Momoshiro wondered.
"Ah, Kuroi-chan decided the girls weren't worth watching anymore and told them to leave," he replied, pouting. "One of them started crying, too, but she wouldn't budge."
Yui overheard and chuckled. That certainly sounded like her captain. She tossed the ball up and served. Kaoru placed herself into position to return it-
- then ducked out of the way as the ball went flying towards her face.
"Fifteen-love!"
"Waaa! Ochibi, isn't that your twist serve?" Kikumaru exclaimed. "Wow! She can do it too!"
"Che. Mada mada dane."
Yui smiled at Kaoru.
"Let's see who can break a service game first, shall we?"
Kaoru glared.
Yui threw the ball up, and the match started up again.
Kyouko glanced at court D. They're still at it, huh? Yui had only allowed Kaoru to take one more game, breaking all of her subsequent service games while holding her own. The score was 5-2 for Yui, but Kaoru continued to persist, spinning and twisting and flipping for all she was worth, showing the result of years of dance lessons.
Kyouko remembered what her father had told her many years ago.
Skill can always be taught, can always be ground into your bones. A deaf person can learn to play any instrument perfectly given enough practice. Determination and the will to persevere in the face of failure are what separate the winners from the losers.
Ueno Kaoru definitely had plenty of determination and will, and she wasn't lacking in skills, either.
Kyouko headed to court C. She fixed her gaze on the petit brunette waiting to receive; Kawamura Sakura. The score was currently 5-1 in Sakura's favour. She was only sweating a bit, while her opponent was exhausted. "Mitobe, you can leave. Thank you. Kawamura, stay." She then raised her voice so the candidates waiting to play could hear her. "Ogata! Get over here. You're playing Kawamura."
There was a clatter, and everyone stared at the girl that had knocked a crate of balls over. Her face reddened as she rushed to pick them up and nearly tripped. Kyouko sighed; Ogata hadn't changed much since last year. Knowing the black-haired girl, she'd only signed up to stay close to Kaoru.
There was much speculation about the exact relationship between those two, and exactly why Ueno, one of the most popular girls in her year, spent so much of her time with a shy wallflower of a third year that was constantly getting teased. But Kyouko didn't care about that.
"Leave them. You and you"- she pointed at two random candidates –" pick the balls up. Ogata, move your ass. We don't have all day."
Court A
Oishi winced as he saw Ryuuzaki-sensei's granddaughter walk off with a dejected expression. Ushimaru's tennis was cold and precise; the third year hadn't spoken a single word during the game. It had evidently unnerved the first year.
Oishi hoped Sakuno wasn't going to quit the tennis club; she had a lot of hidden talent. He wondered if Ushimaru had seen that, and purposely prevented Ryuuzaki from showing it.
Court C
"Game! Three games to love, Kawamura."
Ogata Rin was not having a good day. She hadn't talked to Kaoru-chan all day. Had she done something wrong? Then she'd gone and knocked over that crate of balls, showing just how clumsy she really was...
And now she was losing horribly to a second year.
She'd won one match before, and had been pleased that she'd been asked to play a second match, but against this mini ball of endless energy and excitement, she was struggling.
Kawamura ("Call me Sakura!") served. Rin ran to catch it, and just barely managed to return it. For a tiny girl, Sakura had really strong shots. She lined up a slice; Rin backed up to intercept it –
- and then the little girl tapped the ball gently, and it fell right in front of the net on Rin's side.
"Fifteen-love!"
A feint. The second year had tricked her. After three games of hitting fast, heavy shots, she suddenly hit a drop shot. Rin was stunned.
Sakura, on the other hand, cheered.
"Yaay! I scored again!" She skipped to the baseline to serve again. Rin stared after her. How could someone be this happy?
"Waaa! Taka-kun, your little sister's so cute!" Enter Kikumaru.
"Hehe, thanks, Kikumaru-senpai!" Sakura beamed.
"Call me Eiji-senpai!" Kikumaru beamed right back.
"Aren't you supposed to be watching court A, senpai?" Kaidou asked.
"Nyaa, Oishi's there! Uwaaa, Ogata-chan's playing! She's so pretty~" Indeed, Rin's large, black eyes, small nose and mouth, and delicate pale skin, combined with her shy and quiet demeanour, gave her resemblance to a traditional japanese beauty. She was commonly regarded as the prettiest girl in the school.
Tezuka watched the match silently. Ogata had the skills; she was just too shaken mentally after losing three games in a row to use them correctly. But it was as Yui had said; if they couldn't handle the pressure here, they'd be useless in an official match.
"What are you doing, Ogata?" a familiar voice called out. Rin jumped, startled.
"Kaoru-chan?" Kaoru was done her match, it seemed. Behind her, Kyouko gestured to Kaoru and said something to Tezuka, who nodded and wrote something down. Rin's heart clenched.
"Get you act together, Ogata. Your play's sloppy." With that, Kaoru left, leaving Rin to stare after her.
A ball whizzed by her, startling her. Sakura had served and she hadn't noticed.
"Thirty-love!"
"Mou, senpai, what are you doing? Get in the game!" Sakura pouted.
"A-ah. Sorry." Rin took a deep breath and cleared her head. Kaoru was right. She had to get herself together.
Wait for me, Kaoru-chan.
"Hey, look at that," Kikumaru said, pressing up against the fence.
"Look at what?" Kaidou grunted.
"For a while now... Ogata-chan's been getting really close to the ball before she hits it," Kikumaru's keen eyes following the two players. "Is it just my imagination?"
"It's not." Kikumaru and Kaidou turned to face Kyouko. "That's 'Queen's Territory.'" She spoke the last two words in English.
"'Queen's... Territory?'" Kaidou repeated.
"Joou no ryoudo." Tezuka spoke, translating for the onlookers. "Territory of the queen."
Kyouko nodded. "Imagine a circle around Ogata, with a radius of about 1.5 meters." Kyouko's eyes were also locked on Rin as she spoke. "If the ball bounces within that area, there's no ball Ogata can't return." She smiled. "If she's close enough to the ball, Ogata can determine exactly how it's spinning and figure out in an instant how to return it and act on that thought."
"She's used to returning my irregular and high-bouncing shots in practice," Kaoru added. "I don't think there's a shot she can't return, if she just stops thinking that it's impossible. But it's hard to get her into that state."
"She has an excellent grasp of the basics," Kyouko agreed. But all the skill in the world may not be enough to make up for her lack of self confidence. If you don't believe you can do it, you've already failed part of it.
"That kind of incredible technique… There's got to be a weak point though, right?" Kaidou asked.
Kyouko nodded. "She needs to be confident to use the technique. It relies a lot on precise timing. Ogata doubts herself too much; she hesitates and it throws everything off. When she stops thinking and just acts instinctively instead, it works just fine. Also, it's taxing for her to keep it up. Everyone has a flinch reflex when a ball comes flying at their face; Ogata has to suppress it completely to use Queen's Territory. She can only do so for so long before her mental state deteriorates and she starts flinching again, breaking her rhythm."
"Nyaruhodou~"
"Hmm? Isn't that Ryuuzaki-sensei's granddaughter?" Momoshiro suddenly spoke up, pointing to a figure two courts away who was walking out of court A, her head low. "I guess she lost?" Kyouko glanced at the first year's opponent; Ushimaru Azumi, last year's reserve player.
"It can't be helped," Inui said, popping out of nowhere. "She had potential. Her opponent was just too far above her level."
"Poor girl," Kikumaru remarked. "Bad luck, bad luck."
"What?" Yui followed behind. "Ushimaru's played already? That means I don't have to play her, right?"
"Right," Kyouko smirked. "You got lucky today. You'll have to play her eventually, though."
Yui simply shuddered. "I hate playing against that girl."
"Is she that good, senpai?" Kaidou asked.
"Just really annoying to play," Yui replied. "You know how everyone makes mistakes? Hit the ball just a little too hard or too soft, or reached a little bit too far?" She paused to glance at the third year in question. "Ushimaru doesn't make those mistakes. Her form and technique is perfect. She can hit a can on the other side of the court ten out of ten times."
"Woah, seriously?" Kikumaru's eyes bugged out a bit. "That's like Oishi! Well, except he makes a few mistakes sometimes, but then everyone does! How can Ushimaru-chan never make any mistakes?"
"Maybe not never," Yui amended. "But she's never made a mistake that's cost her a match. To her, every ball is a chance ball. To win, you have to either hit a ball that she can't physically return, or outsmart her. And as Inui will tell you, the latter is very, very difficult."
Inui adjusted his glasses. "Indeed. She has an excellent memory; once she sees a shot and figures out how to return it, she will never forget how to."
"Well," Yui added, "it's not like she's invincible or anything. Also, if you put an irregular spin on the ball, or make it bounce weird, you can trip her up. But usually she can adjust within a few points." She grimaced. "We called her the puppeteer. Because she could make us run wherever she wanted. You didn't feel like you had a choice to move any other way."
"Wow..." Momoshiro whistled. "I kinda want to play her, now."
"Don't. She hates guys like you the most. She'll crush you."
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!"
"What about me?" Ushimaru appeared out of nowhere from behind them, startling them all.
"MAKE SOME NOISE WHEN YOU MOVE, DAMMIT."
Court B
"Yamato, stop." Yui's voice broke through their game. "You can leave. Osakada, stay."
Tomoka blinked. "Wait... Am I playing Shibata-fukubuchou?"
Yui raised an eyebrow. "Is there a problem?"
Instead of the reaction she was expecting, Tomoka leapt up into the air with glee. "Cool! I'm good enough that I get to play the vice-captain! Thank you so much, fukubuchou!"
Heh, Yui thought. I like this kid. Let's see how far she can go.
This was even more fun than the previous game, Tomoka though. Yamato had some skill, but Tomoka had picked up on all her skills and strategies and the game had gotten boring.
Shibata-fukubuchou, on the other hand, seemed to have endless tactics and tricks to keep her on her feet. She was losing and hardly ever scored a point, but she made Shibata work for each point more and more.
Yui smiled to herself. This girl, without even realizing it, was improving point after point, game after game, at an alarming rate.
"Tezuka, how are the matches going so far?" Oishi rejoined Tezuka as he moved from court to court, taking notes and jotting down potential candidates.
"Oishi," Tezuka acknowledged. "There is talent and drive in some. At the very least, it's easy to see who's serious about this." He showed the current list to Oishi. Many names were crossed out, but only a few were circled.
"Kawamura Sakura... Ueno Kaoru... Ushimaru Azumi..."
"Mind lowering your volume?" Kyouko interrupted. "We don't need anyone else hearing the list until tomorrow."
"A-ah, sorry..."
They turned back to the Kawamura-Ogata match.
Now that Rin had found her center again, she was doing very well.
Just think of it as a practice match. You're playing with Kaoru-chan. Her shots are faster than these. They're trickier. You can return them. She watched the ball bounce, her eyes locking on the rotation and determining the speed and strength. Her racquet came up at the last instant and she sent the ball across the net to slam into the opposite corner of the court.
"Game, Ogata! Two games to three."
"Geez, how did you get so good all of a sudden?" Sakura whined. "You weren't this good two games ago, senpai."
Rin just smiled. Sakura sighed and tossed the ball up, way up. "Well," she said as she jumped up to meet it, "I guess I'll need to step up my game as well."
Her racquet came down on the ball, and the next thing Rin was aware of was the sound of the fence rattling behind her. She straightened from her receiving position and turned around slowly. The ball was lodged in the fence behind her.
"Fifteen-love!"
"There we go," Yui chuckled from behind the fence. "Sakura's brute force. One of the few things that can sometimes break through even Ushimaru's tennis." Azumi twitched, but nodded grudgingly. As much as it irked her to say it, the little squirt could match her strength when she really tried.
Physics, when broken into its basic parts, wasn't too complicated on a beginner's level.
If two things had the same mass, and one travelled faster, then it had more energy.
Applied to tennis, this meant that the heavier a shot, the faster the ball would fly.
Apparently, Sakura had the ability to hit very, very heavy shots.
Rin swallowed and moved to the other side of the court to receive the next serve. She can't keep up those heavy shots forever, she thought. Calm down. Just play like usual. It's not a shot you can't return if you look carefully.
Sakura served. Rin lunged for the ball; it bounced in her zone. Yes! In a split second, she saw the ball as though it were moving in slow motion. Such a fast ball! Can I return it? She had to try anyways. She pulled up her racquet and held it with both hands.
The ball made contact with her racquet, and it was flung out of her hands.
"Thirty-love!"
Momoshiro whistled. "That's one strong serve. Do you think Ogata-senpai has a chance of returning it?"
"It doesn't seem like it," Oishi offered.
Yui shook her head. "She'll be able to return it the next time," she announced. She pointed to the girl in question, who, instead of looking downcast as expected, was smiling.
Rin lined up at the baseline again. Sakura served, and the ball came fast as ever. Rin ran for the ball; it bounced in her territory. She smiled. Grabbed the upper frame of the racquet with her left hand. Caught the ball-
- and pushed.
It felt like there was a mountain pushing against her.
To stand against a heavy force, be a heavier force.
She heaved.
The ball dropped down on Sakura's side of the court.
"Thirty-fifteen!"
Kyouko nodded approvingly. This was what she wanted to see. Ogata enjoying the game, enjoying playing her opponent and facing down their techniques. Not the shy, clumsy, unconfident girl that constantly hovered over Ueno.
Sakura stared at the ball. "That..." She lifted her eyes to look at Rin, and Rin could have sworn there were sparkles. "That was amazing, senpai! No one's thought of doing that before!" She smiled. "But that won't work forever." She returned to the baseline. She took a deep and slow breath before bouncing the ball.
Rin watched as Sakura threw the ball high up again, jumping up again, and then gasped when Sakura put both her hands on her racquet. She reached the ball, and Rin, shocked, didn't have the time to react. The fenced clanged behind her.
"Forty-fifteen!"
Sakura smiled. "I told you it wouldn't work forever."
Mutterings broke out around the courts. Most of the games had finished; everyone had gathered around to watch this one.
Rin trembled. That kind of shot... I can't...
"It's not that much faster than my falcon drop," Kaoru commented. Rin blinked.
That's right. She looked up slowly. That's right. Her eyes locked onto Sakura.
It's not that much faster. And I can return Kaoru-chan's falcon drop.
I can do this.
Sakura served, and she charged.
"What the heck is a Falcon Drop?" Momoshiro whispered to Ryoma.
"How should I know?"
The ball flew close, way too close, and much slower than it should have been. Rin met the ball much later than expected, her racquet already in half-swing, and barely managed to adjust in time. The shot flew up, slow and easy. Sakura hit a winner into the far corner.
"Game, Kawamura! Four games to two."
A fake.
After experiencing all of those punishingly fast and heavy shots, everyone had forgotten that Sakura wasn't just brute force; she was a devious little trickster on the courts.
It's not over, Rin thought firmly, steeling herself. She'd been caught off guard this time, but she wouldn't be anymore.
I will not go down like this.
She ran for all she was worth, and managed to hang on to her service game.
"Game, Ogata! Three games to four."
She watched carefully as Sakura lined up another serve-
"Fault!"
- and blinked, stunned yet again. The ball landed several inches outside the line.
Sakura smiled sheepishly. "Oops. I thought I was extra lucky today when my serves were going in. Guess not."
Of course. A two handed serve would give Sakura incredible power, but take away an enormous amount of control and precision. Sakura was effectively just hitting the ball blindfolded as hard as she could.
"Double fault! Love-fifteen!"
Rin's eyes focused again. There was still a chance.
"Game and match! Won by Kawamura, six games to four."
In the end, Sakura's endurance that allowed her to keep on hitting heavy shots and wear Rin down won her the match. The two girls met at the net and shook hands, Sakura smiling brightly, Rin giving a small, gentle smile. Kaoru identified it as one of her fake smile; having worked at her grandparents' ryokan, Rin was the master of fake smiles.
When Rin reached the gates of the courts, she arrived to clapping.
"That was amazing, Ogata-san!"
"Charging straight for the ball like that, I don't think I could have done that..."
"You're so brave, Ogata-san!"
"So smart as well! Every time Kawamura-chan threw something at you, you figured out how to return it so quickly!"
Kyouko stepped up to face her and smiled. "You played well, Ogata."
Rin couldn't help the fluttering in her heart. She'd lost, but... This time, it was okay.
Sakura was exhausted. She turned to drag herself off the court, when the captain's voice reached her ears. What she heard made her want to cry.
"Kawamura, stay. You're playing me next."
"Eeeeh, buchou, but I just played two and a half matches in a row!" she whined, flopping down to sit on the court. "Can I have a break?" That was a reasonable request, right? Everyone else had finished their matches and was gravitating towards their court C.
Kyouko stared at her, making her fidget. "You may. Tezuka, take her name off the list." She began to walk off the court.
"Aaaah wait, wait wait wait!" Sakuran scrambled to get up. "I'll play, I'll play! Don't take my name off the list!"
Kyouko stopped and made her way to the baseline. "You can leave when you score a point against me. You will serve all the balls."
Sakura stared at her, slightly miffed. She wasn't so bad that she couldn't score a single point! It wouldn't take that long. With that in mind, she went to the baseline.
She served the ball, hard and fast.
Kyouko returned it even faster, hitting the ball right by her before she could react.
"Next."
Sakura grit her teeth. Tossing the ball up, she jumped as high as she could, and slammed her two-handed serve. It went in-
- and Kyouko returned it with a precise backhand, only stopping for a second when the ball pushed against her racquet. It landed between Sakura's feet and bounced away.
The crowd behind them started murmuring. They'd seen the vice-captain play and easily defeat her and wondered what her true strength would be like. They'd wondered what the captain, someone whom Shibata had never beaten even once, would be like. They were getting a small glimpse today.
"Next ball, Kawamura. Hurry up or we'll be here all night."
Sakura really wanted to cry.
"Hey, Tezuka, isn't Kuroi-chan being a bit too harsh?" Eiji asked tentatively. "I mean, Sakura-chan's had to play the most matches today, and she's all tired out, and Kuroi-chan's in tip-top condition. How can this be a fair match?"
Behind him, Momoshiro and Oishi nodded their agreement. Kawamura was busy pressed up against the fence, watching his baby sister with worried eyes that looked like he was going to start crying every time she tripped or stumbled.
"It isn't." The regulars turned around to see Yui emerging from the clubroom, towel-drying her wet hair. "Thanks, Tezuka." She dropped a set of keys into his open hand and turned to the rest of the regulars. "You think tennis is a clean game? In the nationals, the games are more than half simply mindfucking." She gestured to Sakura. "But that's not the point. Kawamura-chan and Kyouko have something in common with their play styles; it uses a lot of stamina. Once that runs out, it's over."
She walked up to the fence and patted Kawamura's shoulder.
"Kyouko runs 16 miles every day, you know," she added. "Eight in the morning and eight before dinner. And she runs more whenever she can. I hate playing against her, because it always drags out for so long and my legs become jelly after." She watched the match for another minute and added, "If it's any consolation, she's actually pretty serious right now. She must really think Kawamura-chan has a lot of potential. I think she's just trying to figure out how far she's willing to go."
"Still..." Kawamura bit his lip, worrying it.
Yui sighed and slapped his arm. "Relax. I'll step in if she goes too far."
Kawamura stopped biting his lip, but he still looked worried.
"Hey, they've been at it for over 50 minutes now."
"Incredible. How does that squirt have so much energy?"
"I'd have given up half an hour ago."
"Still, it's amazing that Kuroi doesn't seem to be tired at all."
"She hasn't had to run around that much, though. Kawamura looks like she's going to fall over any minute now. Her shots are so weak, Kuroi doesn't even have to hit them hard to get them past her."
Kawamura gripped the fence tightly, unaware of the creaking sound it was making until Yui rapped her knuckles on his hand.
Indeed, Sakura looked like she was going to just roll over very soon. Her eyes were only half-open, her stance sluggish. Her serves hit the net a third of the time.
But Kyouko could see it – the look in the second year's eyes. They were the kind that didn't hold fire; they held lightning, ready to burst out. Lightning couldn't be extinguished – it could only be released. And Sakura was nearing that point.
The captain watched with sharp, focused eyes as Sakura served the ball one more time. Kyouko hit it to her left.
Sakura watched the ball draw near.
Something in her burst.
She raised her racquet.
Mustered up all her energy.
The ball hit her racquet.
She jumped from her right foot.
Kept the ball on her racquet.
And swung with all her might.
The ball dropped down behind Kyouko. She didn't give chase.
And the crowd behind them went wild.
Finally, Sakura sank into blissful darkness with the knowledge of her success.
"AMAZING! Momo, Ochibi, Tezuka! Fuji, Inui! Kaidou! Oishiiiii! Did you see that? Did you see that? What was that shot?" Eiji jumped around, riding on the emotional high of the buzzing crowd. Yui sstared in disbelief. Did you see that potential in her, Kyouko? Or are you just as surprised as I am?
"To think that such a little brat could hit a jack knife... She's one special kid, that's for sure," Yui admitted. She followed Kawamura, who had run onto the court the moment his sister had fallen.
"Jack knife?" Kaidou repeated. "Is that the move Kawamura's sister pulled off, Inui-senpai?"
"Jack knife. A highly advanced two-handed shot executed by using the weight of the body and the momentum from the jump to maximize power," Inui explained. "It's not a move an ordinary high-school student can pull off. Even some professionals have trouble with it."
The crowd took that in as they watched Kawamura hold his sister up. Yui took out her water bottle and splashed some water on the second year's face, waking her up. Upon regaining consciousness, Sakura grabbed Yui's water bottle and drained it within seconds. Yui grimaced as she took her water bottle back, muttering something about throwing it into a pool of sanitizer.
Kyouko approached them and Kawamura pulled back slightly, but Yui placed a reassuring hand on his arm and whispered something that made him stay.
Kyouko took out a spare towel that she'd retrieved from her bag and placed it around Sakura's neck. "Sakura," she asked casually as she adjusted the towel, "what are your measurements?" She stepped back.
"Huh?" Sakura deadpanned, taking a sip from the new water bottle her brother had offered her. "Senpai, you're not a pervert or something are you?"
Kyouko whacked Sakura gently with her own towel. "No, insolent kouhai. I need them for your jersey."
Sakura froze for a moment-
-and then flung herself onto Kyouko, giving her a big hug.
"FOR REAL? I'M ON THE TEAM?"
Kyouko sighed in reassignment and patted her fellow brunette on the head. "Yes, you are."
Sakura squealed and squeezed even harder, not hearing the sharp intake of breath from her victim. "THANK YOU SO MUCH, KUROI-BUCHOU!"
There was some good-natured grumbling, but Sakura was rather popular among the girls, and after the matches she'd played, no one could say she didn't deserve it. The rest of the regulars filed in to congratulate her.
"Congratulations, Sakura-chan!" Eiji beamed. "You deserved it after all Kuroi-chan put you through!" He shuddered. "If Tezuka did that to me, I think I'd just roll over and die. But you kept on going! And you pulled off a jack knife, too! That's incredible!"
"Hmm?" Sakura smiled cluelessly. "Jack knife? What's that?" Kyouko's eyes sharpened.
Could it possibly be...?
"Well," Yui announced, glancing at the list of candidates, "I think we pretty much know who most of our regulars are going to be, but if anyone has any recommendations, let's hear them now."
"Taka-san's sister's spot is already confirmed, right?" Oishi asked.
"Yup."
"I thought Ueno-chan was really impressive!" Kikumaru chirped.
"Yes, she's on the list as well," Kyouko confirmed.
"What about Ogata-senpai?" Kaidou asked.
"That's right, her Queen's Territory was really neat," Momoshiro agreed. "And she was really adaptable."
"…" Kyouko and Yui exchanged a glance. "We're considering her," the former finally said. "Since Ueno is on the team, Ogata is an acceptable choice, but… She's missing something crucial."
"Confidence in herself, right?" Fuji mused. "She doubts herself so much that she stops trying sometimes."
Kyouko nodded. "She'll be useless if she can't get over her dependence on Ueno."
Inui pushed his glasses up. "I would like to recommend someone as well, although there's a 84% chance that she is already being considered; Ushimaru Azumi."
"That weird girl?" Momoshiro whispered to Ryoma, who shrugged. He wasn't good with names.
"Yes, she's on the list as well." Kyouko scanned the list once more. "We need one more, then."
"One?" Kawamura spoke up. "But that's just seven players. Wouldn't it be better to have a reserve player handy, just in case?"
"Ah… The rest of you haven't met her yet, have you?" Kyouko smiled. "Our third regular."
"Third… Regular?" Momoshiro echoed.
"Well, don't worry about it." Yui waved a hand casually. "All you need to know is that three spots are taken, and we only need five." She referred to her list again. "So far we have Kawamura junior, Ueno, Ogata,and Ushimaru."
"In that case, may I recommend someone?" Fuji spoke up. "Osakada Tomoka."
"Ah, that first year," Kawamura remembered.
Kyouko blinked. "A first year? Oh, the one you played, Yui?"
Yui smirked, nodding. "Isn't it fine? We made an exception for Nishimiya last year. I'll vouch for Fuji's recommendation."
"I'll trust your judgement, then." Kyouko circled one last name on the sheet. "That's that, then. Thank you for your help. We'll announce the results before practice tomorrow morning. Dismissed!"
A/N
Inspired by fyerigurl's To Catch a Falling Star and Neon Genesis' 250 Dark Stars/Kick Drum Hearts. Both are addicting and have epic characterization that makes me all weepy from how beautiful and touching it is. I hope this story isn't too similar, because I do admit to drawing inspiration from those stories; please tell me if something feels like plagiarism, and please remember that I would never plagiarism knowingly.
This chapter has been rewritten. This is the new version.
So. This first chapter is more of a get-all-the-new-OCs-in meet-and-greet chapter. I had the first version of this story up to chapter five written, which covers all the way up to the first round of matches in the tournament. Those will be re-written before I post them. This time, I have a much better grasp of their character and tennis style.
Future chapters will not be this long, ahahaha. I just couldn't break it off at a good point.
Now, for the (important) OCs that have showed up this chapter:
Kuroi Kyouko (黒井馨子) – 3rd year, age 17. Team captain. Took her team to the nationals last year, and was the reserve player on the champion team the year before that.
Shibata Yui (篠田右泉) – 3rd year, age 17. Vice captain. Known as she "Queen of the third years." In the same class as Tezuka.
Nishimiya Haruka (西宮羽香) – 2nd year, age 16. Was part of the previous year's team. Quiet. Always listening to music. A tennis prodigy.
Ushimaru Azumi (丑円杏) – 3rd year, age 16. Student council vice-president. Skipped a grade. Not very friendly, but still considered reliable. Has a twin that was held back a year (Natsuki). Has the most precise shots.
Ueno Kaoru (上野郁) – 2nd year, age 16. Played against Yui. Uses tennis based off of dance and gymnastics. Has a serve called Backlash that shoots back towards the net.
Ogata Rin (押方梨) – 3rd year, age 17. Friends with Kaoru (the girl). Uses Queen's Territory. Low self confidence.
Kawamura Sakura (河村桜) – 2nd year, age 16. Kawamura Takashi's younger sister. Super cheerful and friendly. Hits very strong shots and has a lot of stamina. Also very tricky and clever.