Chapter 8
"There it is," murmured Yuki, "Momoshiro-senpai's strongest attack, dunk smash. Only a week since his injury and he's doing fine." Yuki walked out the door until a voice called her.
"Hey," said Eiji with Takeshi and Fuji, "How have the matches been going?"
"Very well senpai," said Yuki in her obedient voice. Takeshi grinned.
"You don't have to be so formal," he said, "Just call us by our first names."
"Thank you," said Yuki with a relieved smile. Eiji laughed and ruffled Yuki's hair.
"No sweat," said Eiji, "We are friends. Anyway, good luck!" The three turned to leave but Fuji smiled behind his back.
"Ja ne Yuki-chan," said Fuji.
"Ja," murmured Yuki.
"I wonder how well Ryoma will do with a regular," said Kiyoko curiously as she watched the game. She was sitting cross legged on the ground watching Kaido and Ryoma at the same time.
"Best of one set match!" called the referee, "Echizen. Service Play." Ryoma served a powerful hit to the other side but Kaido returned with ease. Soon, there was a rally going back and forth. Kaido grinned devilishly and returned the ball high into the air. Ryoma's eyes widened as he returned it just barely over the net. His hat had fallen to the ground without a care while the crowd gasped.
"Amazing!" exclaimed one, "This is such a high level match. If you blink, you might even miss something exciting!"
"I told you Echizen isn't without a chance," said a first year smugly to Horio.
"Who thought he wouldn't be?" asked Kiyoko looking up. She noted how Horio sweated profusely.
"But Kaido-senpai still hasn't done his strongest attack," said Horio. Kiyoko eyes widened in surprise before she returned her gaze to the second year. His grip tightened on the racket. Ryoma served.
"Echizen hit an excellent angle just then! He's got this point!" said Kachiro. Kaido swung and returned the ball near the net before it bounced off with immense speed.
"What the heck was that?!" exclaimed Kiyoko. It took her by surprise but Horio's lip trembled.
"It's the one we saw on the tape," said Horio.
"That' Kaido's Snake," said a voice behind them.
"Momoshiro-senpai!" exclaimed the first years in surprise. Yuki was with him, Eiji, and Fuji.
"Momoshiro's fine," said Takeshi before putting on a wise smile, "Just as the body's weight shifts from the left foot to the right foot, his body swings with and amazing strength hitting a ball that spins extraordinarily fast."
"Heh," said Ryoma grinning, "Returning the ball at such a fast angle, only someone with arms and legs as long as Kaido-senpai can pull that off." Ryoma served again.
"He's hitting low and deep towards the line so Kaido can't make the snake," said Yuki watching with interest, "Kiyoko, maybe I should have watched that game."
"Told you," said Kiyoko smugly. Just then Kaido returned with the snake again. Ryoma was barely returning the shots.
"The greater distance still doesn't help," said Horio in surprise. Ryoma managed to return the ball but it was out."
"Both of them don't seem to want to relent," said a second year. Kaido seemed to have heard and glared at the boy who had spoken.
"That's one dismal guy," said Takeshi shaking his head.
"Careful senpai!" said Kachiro, "You might be heard!"
"It's hot today, isn't it senpai," said Ryoma unfazed by the match. Kaido grunted and turned his back to Ryoma.
"Ryoma seems to be able to return any ball," said Horio, "At this rate he may stand a chance." Kiyoko shook her head.
"He's falling into his trap," said Kiyoko worried.
"Trap?!" exclaimed Kachiro.
"The snake is only his bait," said Kiyoko grimly, "His real intention is."
"Ryoma's already sweating!" exclaimed Horio.
"He's trying to weaken Ryoma's stamina," said Yuki finishing Kiyoko's sentence.
"He's almost finished," wailed Horio.
"Wait!" said Kiyoko and Yuki just realizing something.
"He's been hitting at the same spot the whole time," said Rei walking in on the scene, "If Kaido-senpai has to reach down to get to the ball at his feet, he loses more stamina than Ryoma." Kiyoko grinned at Ryoma though he wasn't watching.
"Isn't it getting a little hot senpai?" asked Ryoma smiling.
"So the one falling into the trap was Kaido-senpai?!" exclaimed the first years at the same time. Tezuka walked up to Yuki and Rei.
"It seems Kaido has lost to his own intelligence," said Tezuka not impressed. The match raged on. Kaido refused to surrender. Ryoma grinned now.
"This should be the 'buggy whip shot' right?" asked Ryoma before returning the ball.
"That was the Snake!" exclaimed Horio in surprise. Yuki gave a gasp before turning to Rei.
"He has just the same ability as you Rei!" said Yuki. Rei smiled.
"There's only one flaw to it," said Rei secretively.
"Game Set!" said the referee, "Match won by Echizen Ryoma, 6-4!" "The game is over," said Kiyoko standing up for a stretch, "It looks like Ryoma won his block. He's a regular now." "Looks like the first day of rankings has ended with one definite member," observed Rei. Kaido didn't bother to shake Ryoma's hand as he marched off the court. He turned to Tezuka. "I'll never give up my qualifications on the school team," he said, "Never!" Kiyoko ran to Ryoma when Kaido had left and gave him a bear hug. "Get off me Odango!" shouted Ryoma before pulling his hat down. Kiyoko smiled at him. "Just wanted to congratulate you.Ryoma-chan!"
"There it is," murmured Yuki, "Momoshiro-senpai's strongest attack, dunk smash. Only a week since his injury and he's doing fine." Yuki walked out the door until a voice called her.
"Hey," said Eiji with Takeshi and Fuji, "How have the matches been going?"
"Very well senpai," said Yuki in her obedient voice. Takeshi grinned.
"You don't have to be so formal," he said, "Just call us by our first names."
"Thank you," said Yuki with a relieved smile. Eiji laughed and ruffled Yuki's hair.
"No sweat," said Eiji, "We are friends. Anyway, good luck!" The three turned to leave but Fuji smiled behind his back.
"Ja ne Yuki-chan," said Fuji.
"Ja," murmured Yuki.
"I wonder how well Ryoma will do with a regular," said Kiyoko curiously as she watched the game. She was sitting cross legged on the ground watching Kaido and Ryoma at the same time.
"Best of one set match!" called the referee, "Echizen. Service Play." Ryoma served a powerful hit to the other side but Kaido returned with ease. Soon, there was a rally going back and forth. Kaido grinned devilishly and returned the ball high into the air. Ryoma's eyes widened as he returned it just barely over the net. His hat had fallen to the ground without a care while the crowd gasped.
"Amazing!" exclaimed one, "This is such a high level match. If you blink, you might even miss something exciting!"
"I told you Echizen isn't without a chance," said a first year smugly to Horio.
"Who thought he wouldn't be?" asked Kiyoko looking up. She noted how Horio sweated profusely.
"But Kaido-senpai still hasn't done his strongest attack," said Horio. Kiyoko eyes widened in surprise before she returned her gaze to the second year. His grip tightened on the racket. Ryoma served.
"Echizen hit an excellent angle just then! He's got this point!" said Kachiro. Kaido swung and returned the ball near the net before it bounced off with immense speed.
"What the heck was that?!" exclaimed Kiyoko. It took her by surprise but Horio's lip trembled.
"It's the one we saw on the tape," said Horio.
"That' Kaido's Snake," said a voice behind them.
"Momoshiro-senpai!" exclaimed the first years in surprise. Yuki was with him, Eiji, and Fuji.
"Momoshiro's fine," said Takeshi before putting on a wise smile, "Just as the body's weight shifts from the left foot to the right foot, his body swings with and amazing strength hitting a ball that spins extraordinarily fast."
"Heh," said Ryoma grinning, "Returning the ball at such a fast angle, only someone with arms and legs as long as Kaido-senpai can pull that off." Ryoma served again.
"He's hitting low and deep towards the line so Kaido can't make the snake," said Yuki watching with interest, "Kiyoko, maybe I should have watched that game."
"Told you," said Kiyoko smugly. Just then Kaido returned with the snake again. Ryoma was barely returning the shots.
"The greater distance still doesn't help," said Horio in surprise. Ryoma managed to return the ball but it was out."
"Both of them don't seem to want to relent," said a second year. Kaido seemed to have heard and glared at the boy who had spoken.
"That's one dismal guy," said Takeshi shaking his head.
"Careful senpai!" said Kachiro, "You might be heard!"
"It's hot today, isn't it senpai," said Ryoma unfazed by the match. Kaido grunted and turned his back to Ryoma.
"Ryoma seems to be able to return any ball," said Horio, "At this rate he may stand a chance." Kiyoko shook her head.
"He's falling into his trap," said Kiyoko worried.
"Trap?!" exclaimed Kachiro.
"The snake is only his bait," said Kiyoko grimly, "His real intention is."
"Ryoma's already sweating!" exclaimed Horio.
"He's trying to weaken Ryoma's stamina," said Yuki finishing Kiyoko's sentence.
"He's almost finished," wailed Horio.
"Wait!" said Kiyoko and Yuki just realizing something.
"He's been hitting at the same spot the whole time," said Rei walking in on the scene, "If Kaido-senpai has to reach down to get to the ball at his feet, he loses more stamina than Ryoma." Kiyoko grinned at Ryoma though he wasn't watching.
"Isn't it getting a little hot senpai?" asked Ryoma smiling.
"So the one falling into the trap was Kaido-senpai?!" exclaimed the first years at the same time. Tezuka walked up to Yuki and Rei.
"It seems Kaido has lost to his own intelligence," said Tezuka not impressed. The match raged on. Kaido refused to surrender. Ryoma grinned now.
"This should be the 'buggy whip shot' right?" asked Ryoma before returning the ball.
"That was the Snake!" exclaimed Horio in surprise. Yuki gave a gasp before turning to Rei.
"He has just the same ability as you Rei!" said Yuki. Rei smiled.
"There's only one flaw to it," said Rei secretively.
"Game Set!" said the referee, "Match won by Echizen Ryoma, 6-4!" "The game is over," said Kiyoko standing up for a stretch, "It looks like Ryoma won his block. He's a regular now." "Looks like the first day of rankings has ended with one definite member," observed Rei. Kaido didn't bother to shake Ryoma's hand as he marched off the court. He turned to Tezuka. "I'll never give up my qualifications on the school team," he said, "Never!" Kiyoko ran to Ryoma when Kaido had left and gave him a bear hug. "Get off me Odango!" shouted Ryoma before pulling his hat down. Kiyoko smiled at him. "Just wanted to congratulate you.Ryoma-chan!"
