Passing the Torch:
Welcome to Captaincy, Kirihara Akaya.
Summary: It's time for the third years to graduate, and Kirihara Akaya's about to find that the new year is going to be anything but easy. Time to step up his game then.
Tournament season was over, and the high school entrance exams were coming up. In other words, it was time for the third years to step down. Every member of the Rikkai tennis team was gathered to listen to Yukimura speak.
"And so," Yukimura says in that quietly powerful way of his, "Kirihara Akaya will be the new captain of Rikkai."
There is a silence. Not shocked, because everyone had already guessed that Kirihara would certainly play a central role in Rikkai next year, but maybe slightly dismayed, because there was always the hope that they or someone that was more even-tempered would have been chosen instead.
Yukimura continues, unabashed by the silence, "Hideki Haruko will be the vice-captain."
There is a slight easing of the tension coursing through the Rikkai tennis team. Hideki was a good choice. Calm, easy-going but with enough of a backbone (hopefully) to stand up to the wildfire that was Kirihara.
Yukimura nods slightly at the pair, who both have proud smiles (a more calculating edge to Hideki's, and Yukimura knows he made the right choice in Akaya's new partner) on their faces.
Kirihara steps back and allows Hideki to make his speech first, and Yukimura can almost see the thoughts mulling around Kirihara's head.
Yukimura smiles slightly, and feels a hint of disappointment at not being able to observe Akaya's captaincy first-hand. It would be an interesting experience, if nothing else. Although Yukimura knew it would be than just interesting, since he had hand-picked Akaya out of all the first and second years, after all.
But it was time for him to step back and focus on the high-school courts now; this place was now Akaya's.
Yukimura was proud of his kouhai.
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Akaya stands there, a calculating gleam in his green eyes as Hideki goes about his speech. There's nothing special in Hideki's little monologue, just the usual things about honour, determination and such other details that all of Rikkai already have in them.
It takes more than talent and a desire for fame to survive in Rikkai after all. But Hideki is running through the motions, and Akaya is not so stupid to not realize that Hideki is testing him. Trying to see what he can bring to the table.
The juniors and freshmen already know Hideki well, and Akaya is well aware that quite a number had hoped in their heart of hearts that Hideki would be in Akaya's current position.
Akaya has spent too much time playing with only the Regulars, and he supposes that this little test is what he deserves.
Hideki's speech draws to a close, and the blond boy invites Akaya to speak with a flamboyant pose.
With the barest hint of a feral smile, Akaya straightens and prepares to speak.
"We are Rikkai." A simple statement of fact, but the meaning behind the words speak volumes, and everyone there knows it. Out of the corner of his eyes, Akaya sees Sanada smile slightly under his cap. This small acknowledgment brings a sense of calmness to the furious torrent of gung-honess coursing through Akaya's body.
They trust him with this team, and he will not allow it to break with their absence.
"And we will win. There is no excuse for failure, not in this , I, and Hideki," he says with a slight nod as his new right-hand, for he knows better than to alienate any possible assistance, "will be choosing the Regulars beginning tomorrow."
There is a slight rustle now in the crowd as the aspiring Regulars clench at their racquets, determined to mark their place in the elite group.
"I know we usually just select a choice few and they are the Regulars as per observation, unless they slip up or someone comes bounding in, but I will be changing things slightly." Kirihara continues coolly, eyes gauging the crowd's reactions.
Some surprise, some disappointment, some elation and some resentment. Just as he expected then, but it would be for the best, seeing as no one here possessed Yukimura's natural instinct for brilliance or Yanagi's calculating edge.
"We will be selecting a roster of a maximum of 28 players. Anyone, and I mean anyone, including next year's freshmen, will get a chance to enter the roster."
There is a murmur of dissent, because freshmen rarely get the chance to shine, with the only recent exception since the Three Demons standing in front of them right now.
Akaya continues smoothly, voice banked with his usual mischievousness now, "But I'm sure that won't threaten any of you unduly."
He hears Niou-senpai snicker quietly in appreciation. A soft prod at both their pride and their determination, a double blow.
"Anyway, each of the players will be playing a total of 4 games, round robin style. I will, naturally, be participating."
The tennis team is worried now, because Akaya's viciousness is well-known, and none of them, no matter how arrogant, want to be on the receiving end.
"Winners of the most matches will, of course, be the Regular members, from there on out. The seven runner-ups will form the pre-Regular group." And as the next words come out, Akaya's voice is edged with the ice that only tennis brings out in him, "Two matches of singles and doubles, each. You can choose your partner for one match, I will decide the other. I expect all my players to be competent at both doubles and singles."
He can almost taste the fury and worry in the air, and it makes him want to laugh.
"Is there a problem?" Not so much of a question as a challenge. Let them try and prove him wrong then, if there was.
A moment's silence, before the team grunts out a resounding no.
Yanagi seems to be going on a data high, Akaya notes, and he supposes that this will be the last one he sees in a while.
(He couldn't be more wrong. The now ex-Regulars can't seem to let go of him just as much as Akaya can't let go of them.)
"Very well, then, I'm sure we'll get along just fine." Now the usual cheerfully mischievous smile is back in his voice and manner, and he can see the crowd relax. They are not used to Akaya's steelier side. His bratty side, his vicious side, his gentler side even, are things they are used to, but this undercurrent of cunning and steel and pure icy determination is the one thing they have never gotten used to, even though they are faced with it every time they've fought him on the courts.
Oh well, they will learn.
"Hideki," he calls, "carry out the warm-ups. I need to settle things with Yukimura…senpai first." The word sounds strange on his tongue, because he is used to calling him buchou, but doing so now would be seen as shirking his new job.
His vice-captain nods, and runs off, but not before shooting him an approving wink.
Akaya rolls his eyes, it appears that his second-in-command approves of him. He has the sinking feeling that working with Hideki is going to be like playing Go against Yanagi-senpai. Pleasant on the outside, mind-twisting on the inside.
Joy. But he supposes that Hideki isn't that bad of a choice, compared to people like Misami and Osamu. At least Hideki shows potential of being useful and exciting.
He shakes the thought off; he needs all his wits when dealing with his senpai-tachi.
He walks over to the group, and they aren't making it any easier, with their sly smirks and all-too-obvious fondness. A part of Akaya can't help but wonder why do they keep caring so hard, because it's just making it harder to walk away.
But that, he supposes, is why he likes them in the first place.
So he goes and tries to gauge their approval of his recent speech.
Before he can get the first words out his mouth, Marui is there, grinning, "Impressive, brat, looks like you might be able to keep some degree of genius in the team, after all. Not as much as you would've had with me, but a pretty good job of riling them up, considering."
"Hmph," Akaya snorts and sticks out his tongue. It feels good to be able to slip back into the role of the team baby, and he knows that he'll have his hands full soon, so he'd best take advantage of this when he still can. "Your genius, Marui-senpai? We'll be hard-pressed to beat that then?"
Marui chuckles, "Darn right, brat."
"I supposed we'll just have to go and find a way around it then." A subtle warning, for Marui to keep an eye out for a junior that would be the complete opposite of Marui himself. A volley killer, if Akaya could shape one.
Niou chuckles appreciatively, "Looks like I'll be able to make a Trickster out of you, after all, bratling."
Bratling. Akaya's always hated that name. Brat he was used to, but somehow the –ling made it all the more annoying. "Don't call me that," and since he's sure that Hideki's having fun running all the juniors and freshmen into the ground, he allows himself to pout. "And I suppose I have to thank you for your guidance and experience then, Niou-sama," He drawls out the title, and Niou laughs.
Yagyuu cuts in, careful and quiet and deadly as ever, "The best of luck, Kirihara-kun." A warning for both of them.
Akaya relents, "Thank you, Yagyuu-senpai." Sparring with Marui and Niou was one thing, throwing his head out for Yagyuu to ruthlessly slice off is another thing. Yagyuu's fire is seemingly tamed, but lashes out more viciously than any others when approached.
Jackal sighs, and Akaya turns cheeky eyes towards him, "What's the matter, Jackal-senpai? Missing my presence already?"
"I'm just pitying your team." Jackal retorts good-naturedly, and a part of Akaya pangs for this quiet resilience and humour of Jackal's already. Jackal's definitely the nicest of his senpai.
Yanagi interjects, before the banter can escalate to a full-out battle of wills, "A fair job Akaya. You topped my predictions by 7.8 percent."
Akaya pouts, "You expected so low of me, Yanagi-senpai?"
A quiet laugh, "No, you were just in extraordinary form today."
"I aim to please," Akaya grins, "So, Sanada-fukubuchou?"
"I'm not your fukubuchou anymore," Sanada admonishes slightly, and Akaya curses the slip of his tongue. "But I suppose that Rikkai will survive."
As close to a well done as Akaya is ever likely to receive from his taciturn ex-vice captain.
"That good, eh?"
"I suppose."
Yukimura smiles smile Version D2DX3 (Named after the title Smile Death To The Extreme), and it sends a shiver down everyone's spine.
"I leave this club in your hands, Akaya, and I hope that my choice is right."
Akaya stands in salute, and smiles slightly, bittersweet, "You will not regret this, Yukimura-buchou."
Not a slip of the tongue this time, but a quiet farewell to Yukimura's guidance, at least until he makes high school.
"Best of luck, Akaya-buchou." And with a sort-of sad smile on Yukimura's own part, the Child of God leans over to ruffle his kouhai's hair, and says, "You'll need it with that lot."
Akaya scans the courts again, and can't help but say, "I think you're right there."
"I know I am, I captained it for a year and a half, didn't I?"
"There seem to be quite a few wild ones, in the freshmen batch." Akaya throws out, hoping to snag a couple hints as he does.
Yukimura lets him snatch a tiny tidbit, "Maybe they'll turn out as good as you, hmm?"
Akaya scowls, "Now you're just being mean."
"Really, now?"
"Yes, because I can't bully them anymore, because that would make me seem like a hypocrite!"
Yukimura grins lightly, "You'll find a way, Akaya, I know you will."
With that, Yukimura and the rest of the ex-Regulars walk off, with a couple of goodbyes.
Akaya watches them, before taking a breath to steady himself, to let the odd feeling of steel wash through him again, and turns to his (not Yukimura's, not anymore) team.
"I want first years playing second years. Hideki, you're watching Courts A and B. I expect a full list, after this."
There's a cheerful ring of a 'Yes, Buchou', and Akaya thinks that the next year was going to be aggravating and fun at the same time.
He opens his fist, and can't help but smile. There's a small card there, slipped in by Yukimura-buchou, that says, "It's your team now, but it's still our school, so if you need help with your studies, feel free to come over to the high school section."
An obvious hint for him to visit, but a firm line that says he will have to manage the team on his own.
Akaya laughs, slightly breathless, and thinks that he's going to have one hell of a time trying to juggle the wildness of the Rikkai tennis team and the mind games of his senpai.
He couldn't have asked for more.
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If the response to this is good, I'll continue this.
I always loved the idea of Akaya as captain, and if this seems weird, I blame sleep deprivation.
I tried to make the bit with Akaya and the Regulars seem more relaxed and easy-going, but it seemed more like a battle of wits the entire time...
There's going to be OCs, seeing as there aren't any other second-year Rikkai players that we know of except for Akaya himself... But the main focus is definitely going to be on Akaya.
I have the feeling that none of the new captains are going to find captaincy easy, especially after reigns by people like Yukimura.
If anyone's interested, the second chapter of On Hyotei is up.
Much love,
~FO