Chapter 38.

Everyone in the tennis club stood around the courts or sat in the bleachers when regular-challenges began. Anyone who was challenging for a spot was standing on a court in front of Yukimura, who had the signup sheet in his hand.

"We'll start with singles," Yukimura announced. "Anyone who is challenging for doubles can go to the bleachers. You will be allowed five minutes to warm up before your match."

Yukimura waited for the doubles players to walk away. During that time, Kirihara had walked up beside his captain, racquet resting on his shoulder. He looked agitated – it was obvious he didn't want to be playing the challengers.

"Let me remind you all of the rules," Yukimura said. "To become a singles player, you must defeat Akaya with a score of 6-3 or better. Same goes for doubles. The regulars have been instructed to go easy on you. If that makes you mad, which it should, then use that rage to your advantage. We'll be going by the order in which you signed up. Kubo, you're first."

A nervous looking third year walked onto the courts. Kirihara sighed – there were never any good singles players. That was a lie. Everyone on the team was good. It was just that no one good enough to beat him 6-3 besides Yanagi, Sanada and Yukimura, who never played him.

Sanada climbed up into the referee chair, the rest of the regulars sitting on nearby benches.

.

Only one of the singles players managed to get a game from Kirihara, and that was after Yukimura told him to bring it down a notch. Marui and Niou played rock-paper-scissors to decide who would be starting off the doubles challenges. Marui lost.

"Come on, Jackal," Marui said with a groan of annoyance. "Let's go play."

Jackal got up and stretched his arms over his head as he followed Marui onto the courts.

Kirihara sat on a bench next to Yanagi and Yukimura. "Nice job, Akaya," Yanagi said. "But you should practice your serve. It's getting rusty. I doubt you meant for the ball to fly the way it did during that last game."

Kirihara scrunched up his nose. "I know. I got tired, okay? There were thirteen guys. That's a lot."

"Marui and Jackal have five pairs," Yukimura said, checking the list of challengers. "Niou and Yagyuu have one. First years."

Kirihara smiled. Urayama and Oyama. That would be a good match.

.

Marui and Jackal finished their matches in record time. Not even one team managed to score a game. Only one managed to score points. Marui was generally pretty aggressive in those matches – he and Jackal always had more challengers than Niou and Yagyuu, and the reason was obvious. Everyone thought Marui was weak. So Marui added in some extra kick ass just to prove them wrong.

"Next! Urayama-Oyama versus Niou-Yagyuu!" Yukimura called.

A few of the members began to murmur amongst themselves as they watched the first years walk onto the court. Some people called them cocky, saying first years were allowed to challenge regulars but weren't supposed to. A few of the first years who had been regulars in junior high pushed to the front, eager to watch the two play.

Urayama was laughing, Oyama smiling beside him. Niou slung his racquet over his shoulder, slowly walking onto the courts and tilting his head to the side. Marui tossed Yagyuu a ball as he walked off the court with Jackal to join the other regulars.

"'roshi, isn't Akaya obsessed with Ice-Cream-Head and his partner?"

"I believe so."

Niou smirked. "Let's show Akaya that they're nothing special, 'kay?"

Yagyuu pushed his glasses up.

The four walked up to the net. Yagyuu and Niou had to look down at Urayama, but Oyama was their height, maybe a little taller. To anyone else, Oyama would have looked terrifying. To Niou, the Trickster, he was just a tall guy. To Yagyuu, the first year was nothing more than someone he was going to defeat.

"Call it," Niou said. He put the tip of his racquet on the court and spun it.

"Rough," Oyama and Urayama said in unison.

The racquet clattered to a stop against the court. Niou picked it up, bringing it up so he could see the 'N' on the bottom of the handle. It was rough.

"You brats serve."

Yagyuu tossed Oyama the ball. Yagyuu raised an eyebrow when he caught it. "You're both right handed? Strange. Doubles pair usually have a lefty and a righty."

"Usually," Urayama said as he bounced on the balls of his feet.

Niou pointed to their wrists. "Take those off."

"Take yours off," Oyama said. His voice was level, but it seemed low, dangerous.

Niou put on his signature smirk. "I'll take them off when you make me. Don't think that bad boy look works on everyone. Now get to the baseline and serve."

Oyama headed to the baseline without another word. He reached up, tying his hair back into a tight ponytail that swung as he walked. Niou raised his eyebrows fractionally for the briefest of moments – the giant, bad ass ogre didn't have a temper. Then his eyebrows lowered and his lips twisted up into a wolf-like grin. He wanted to break that boy and make him scream in fury.

"Urayama-Oyama pair versus Niou-Yagyuu pair! One set match, Oyama to serve!" Sanada called.

Oyama served without hesitation.

The serve was faster than any of the other challengers had showed, but it wasn't nearly fast enough to get an ace. Yagyuu hit the ball back, his shot fast and ferocious. Urayama went to move, but Niou stood directly opposite of him like a giant wall blocking him.

Urayama stopped moving completely; Niou stopped as well. The ball flew past them and towards Oyama.

Marui and Jackal weren't surprised to see that Urayama wasn't the least bit phased by Niou blocking his movements. Kirihara didn't look that surprised either. Urayama's play style was to focus on the ball. Niou's psychological play was based on his opponent paying attention to him. It was a stalemate that neither could win.

Urayama chased after the ball when he could see it, breaking away from Niou. Niou followed him, flinching the first time Urayama hit the ball at him – he had done the same the first time Kirihara shot a ball at him. Niou hoped to the side without a second thought, returning the ball to his body with ease.

"Niou's been working on his footwork," Yanagi noticed.

"Isn't that a single-footed-split-step that Niou-senpai just did?" Kirihara asked.

Yanagi nodded in confirmation.

Kirihara scowled – Niou had copied his move. Didn't that guy do anything that was purely his? Imitating Yagyuu, imitating others... He was a copycat through and through.

Yagyuu shot the ball to the baseline. Oyama swore under his breath, barely able to register that Yagyuu had hit the ball and that it was in. Yagyuu's shots were faster than he expected. His Laser would be even faster.

"Love-15."

Oyama served the ball again. Niou hit it back, going up to the net – a poach. It didn't matter, though. Urayama's eyes followed the ball, returning Niou's drop shot with ease with a shot over their heads.

"15-15."

Another serve. Urayama stepped right in front of Yagyuu's return, tilting his wrist and bending his knees as he hit it back. The ball rolled along the net for a short moment, tittering on the net. It rolled off, landing in front of Urayama's feet. An imperfect Tightrope Walking.

"15-30."

Urayama rotated his wrist and frowned. He had done it just like Marui had showed him. Why didn't it work like his did? Their plan was to attack until the end. If his attack didn't work, how would they win?

"Shiita," Oyama said, "don't worry about it."

Urayama nodded and gripped his racquet a little tighter. It didn't matter. He would get it next time. When Oyama's serve went flying past his head, his eyes were drawn to the ball.

.

"Game, Urayama-Oyama! 3 games to 2! Urayama-Oyama lead. Yagyuu to serve."

Yagyuu took his place at the baseline. Oyama rocked back and forth on the other side of the court, waiting. Yagyuu tossed the ball up into the air.

"They're keeping their service games," Kirihara pointed out. "Niou-senpai is having too much fun. I hate it when he plays around. It freaks me out."

"I think it's Yagyuu who's having too much fun," Marui said. "That guy hasn't used his Laser."

"You're supposed to play around during the challenge matches," Yukimura reminded them. "Unless you honestly believe you're going to lose. If you play around, you can drag the match out, show how much the challenger actually knows. However, I believe Niou simply likes to screw with people."

The regulars returned their attention to the rally. Niou was sticking to Urayama like glue to paper. Urayama jerked to a stop in front of Niou, the ball flying by his head as Yagyuu and Oyama rallied.

"Niou-senpai, you're not that scary."

Niou's face remained blank. Urayama kept talking.

"Kenta's a lot scarier than you are."

Oyama rushed the net, causing Niou to swear out loud. He had been too distracted by the brat to actually follow the match. He was getting weak, he decided, he was the Trickster, not the Tricked.

Niou was forced to lob back Oyama's drop shot. Urayama suddenly took several steps back and then jumped, smashing the ball behind the two third years.

"Love-15."

"He's short, but he knows when to jump," Yukimura commented. "Timing is more important than anything. If you can get in a well timed shot, you can change the flow of the game."

"We know that," Kirihara muttered.

"What was that, Akaya?" Yukimura asked a little too kindly.

"Nothing, Buchou." Kirihara laughed nervously.

Watching Urayama and Oyama play another doubles pair fascinated Marui and Jackal. Yes, they had seen the first years play those idiots at the street courts, but their talent hadn't been brought out. Niou and Yagyuu were slowly pushing the two, forcing them to do their best. They weren't the best just yet, but they were good. They would be the best one day, the two realized.

"It's like a circus," Jackal said as he watched the two first years rally against Niou and Yagyuu. "I can't believe I didn't see that earlier."

"I see it too," Marui said. "Tightrope Walking. Urayama's weird movements."

"That's their name," Kirihara said. "The Circus Pair. The name makes more sense when they take off their weights and do their other moves. They got it during Nationals two years ago when they dominated a doubles pair from Seigaku. Their opponents forfeited during the fifth game."

"Why?" Yanagi asked. "I apologize, Akaya, but none of us went to see that match. We only watched the finals against Hyotei. You won without these two playing, if I recall correctly."

"That guy's the reason why they forfeited," Kirihara said. "Oyama Kenta. The Ringmaster."

"Ringmaster?" Yukimura questioned. Having a nickname himself, Yukimura knew they meant a lot. Normal players didn't get them. Of course, all of the Rikkaidai regulars did, but that was obvious. They were the best.

"He makes shots at crucial moments to allow Urayama-kun to attack. His partner just hits the ball, but Oyama-kun thinks things through," Yanagi said thoughtfully. "He controls everything, including his partner who has a disorder that makes him chaotic and impulsive by nature. Am I right, Akaya?"

Kirihara nodded. "Yeah. Something like that."

"But that doesn't explain why someone would forfeit," Marui pointed out.

"Oyama's a nice guy despite the whole piercings and long hair thing. For someone who looks like a punk, he's pretty calm and keeps his emotions under control," Kirihara began to explain. "But he has a short temper when Urayama is involved. I don't know a lot about their home lives, but I know they're both kinda on their own. They're neighbors or something and took care of each other when they were kids. I think they still take care of each other.

"During that match, Urayama went after the ball and it ended up hitting his arm. It wasn't his dominant arm, so he was allowed to keep playing. But Oyama changed. He got mad. Really mad. Like, I could have sworn he was in demon mood for a second. He scared his opponents off the courts. Literally. I refused to let them play in the finals against Hyotei after that."

When the regulars turned their attention back to the match, they felt the air grow heavy.

.

"Game, Niou-Yagyuu! 4 games to 4! Oyama to serve."

"To become a regular doubles pair, the challenger must win 6-3. They've passed the three game limit," Yanagi said, stating the obvious. "Should we end the match?"

"Let them play until the end," Yukimura decided. "This is the first time a pair has taken four games in a long time. Besides, I think it would be unwise to stop them now."

No one was quite sure who Yukimura was referring to. Niou's movement were calculated and exact like his eyes were in that moment, and Yagyuu didn't need to tell Niou to get serious – the two weren't playing at top level, but they were playing well enough to prove that those two first years were good. Urayama was bouncing on the balls of his feet, waiting for an opportunity, and Oyama's gaze was determined and unreadable. The four refused to take off their weights because doing so would be the same as admitting defeat.

Oyama suppressed a groan when Niou's shot caught Urayama off guard.

"Love-15."

Urayama laughed it off, the feeling of missing an easy shot leaving him quickly enough.

Oyama served again. Niou and Yagyuu were both around the middle of the court. Urayama waited for a chance to move in and attack, to use Tightrope Walking to seal a point. Niou and Yagyuu weren't going to give him the chance.

Urayama didn't see Yagyuu's feet shift to their telltale position. He didn't see Yagyuu's hands shift. He started to move the second the ball left Yagyuu's racquet as a blur.

"Shiita, don't hit that ball!" Oyama shouted. His feet were already moving like he somehow knew Urayama wouldn't listen. "It's his Laser!"

But Urayama was already there. He could see it, he could hit it, and he would hit it.

Then Oyama collided with his side, fast and hard, pushing Urayama down against the court as the ball flew to the empty base line. Urayama's cheek scrapped against the courts as they slid to a stop. He rolled onto his back, looking up at Oyama. When Urayama looked down between their bodies, he spotted Oyama's knees, red and bloody from rubbing against the courts when he tackled Urayama.

"Kenta, what the heck was that for? Your knees –"

"You didn't listen to me," Oyama cut in. "I said, don't hit it."

Urayama tilted his head back, looking up at his partner. Why would Oyama do that? He didn't need to do that. He didn't need to get hurt for him. "Kenta, I could have –"

"Yes, you could have," Oyama admitted. Glancing across the court at Yagyuu, Oyama stood up, his legs shaking beneath him as pain gathered in his knees. The Gentleman was staring back at him, waiting for Oyama to say it. "But it would have broken your wrist."

Yagyuu slowly let his eyes leave Oyama. He looked at Sanada and said, "They need first aid. This match is our win by default."

Oyama looked over at Sanada. "I can't stand much longer, Fukubuchou. We forfeit."

Sanada nodded. "Urayama-Oyama will be forfeiting for medical reasons. Niou-Yagyuu win!"

"Marui, get the first aid kit," Yukimura ordered. Marui nodded and jogged off to the locker room. Yukimura got up and walked over to the courts. Oyama held out a hand, pulling Urayama to his feet. Yukimura stopped next to them, glancing between the shorter boy and the ridiculously tall one.

"Why did you let us keep playing?" Oyama asked. Urayama poked at his skinned cheek and winced.

"It was a good match," Yukimura said with a soft smile that lasted for a second. His face was firm and strong as he continued. "You'll start doing the third years' sets during practice and will run twenty extra laps. You won't be playing in the tournaments, but you'll train to play in them. Do you understand me?"

Oyama nodded once. "So we're not regulars, but we're being treated like them?"

"Very good, Oyama-kun." Yukimura smiled again, that brief moment of pure strength gone, hidden somewhere inside that feminine man. Just then, Marui appeared next to them, holding a small white box. "Make sure to keep your knees clean. Your cheek, too, Urayama-kun."

Oyama stared as he watched their captain walk away. Urayama slapped the tall boy on the back, grinning from ear to ear. Marui walked to a nearby bench, the two first years following after him.

"Kenta! Be happy!" Urayama practically shouted.

"I am happy." Oyama poked his partner's injured cheek. "Be quiet and let Marui-senpai clean your cheek."

.

Yukimura walked over to the referee's chair and leaned against it. Sanada looked down at his captain; Yukimura was still watching the two first years. Oyama was sitting on a bench, his legs shaking from the pain in his knees. Urayama sat next to him, whimpering when Marui began to dab his cheek with a cotton ball dipped in hydrogen peroxide.

"I want them on the team," Sanada said bluntly. "Having another doubles team will be good, even if they're nowhere near the level of Niou and Yagyuu, or Marui and Jackal."

"I don't want anyone else knowing about them," Yukimura replied. "They're a good pair, but they have a lot of weak points. Data players will analyze them and find those points. I'm putting them on a third year practice schedule. That should clear up a few of the minor issues. They need practice with a real doubles pair to clear up their formation problems."

Sanada nodded in agreement. "They'll be a wild card during Kanto."

Yukimura smiled. Tennis season was finally starting to get a little interesting.

A/N: Writing tennis still makes me nervous and I'm trying to ease into it even though there are no major tennis chapters for quite some time. Critique on the tennis portion would be great.

T/N: Oh I just love Oyama and Urayama so much, THEY ARE JUST SO CUTE. I found the Circus Pair thing so clever! :)