This is my first proper tennis match (not counting the Arashi-Sumiko match, since it was kinda short and one-sided). I hope you will like it, and give me feedback so I can improve the following matches! Please R&R! Onegai!

And thank you to my reviewers~! Love ya~! XD

Note: To clear any confusion, for Wakana Michiko, in the text I'll be using her given name, Michiko. But most of the other call her Wakana (by Arashi Airi because they aren't close) or Wakana-sempai (by the juniors as a form of respect).

Yuki (Hope)

"We're heading to the top..."

"We've gotten this far..."

"And you're not going to stand in our way!"

"Saa, Yuki is really fired up, ne?"

Sitting on the bench in place of the coach, Michiko opened her laptop. "Well, it is the Kantou semi-finals, after all."

"True, true." Sumiko caught sight of Tsuki and Suzume, exhausted after their match. "But I wonder if they'll be okay..." she said softly.

"Game, Fudoumine! 4-1! Change court!"

Yuzuyu and Yuzuki were both panting heavily. They were losing badly.

Sumiko bit her lip. No matter how good Yuki was, she knew it would turn out this way. Fudomine is renowned for its undefeated doubles. Both doubles are extremely skilled. Doubles 1, in particular, consists of the captain and vice-captain, Sakuraki Tsukiko and Masami Hiroko.

As the twins passed the bench, they loosened their hair-ties. The ribbons fluttered over to the seats and a surprised Sumiko caught them. "Ne, buchou. Yuki means 'hope', remember? We have hope that we can win, and so we're giving it everything we've got. Don't you dare lose hope!"

Sumiko's eyes widened for a second, and she smiled. "Hai..."

Yuzuki and Yuzuyu faced their opponents, sporting identical grins. "Bring it on! But before that, how does it feel seeing double?"

Sakuraki smirked and tossed the ball into the air. "Don't think that's enough to defeat us! You're a thousand years too early!"

The shot was deliberately strong, which would force Yuzuyu, the one with more arm power, to return it. It was a ploy to reveal who was who. Well, it wasn't going to work!

Yuzuyu hit the ball and switched sides with Yuzuki in a quick motion. They changed positions a few times while running towards the net. But still, Yuzuyu gasped as the ball whizzed just out of her reach. Had it been Yuzuki, the more acrobatic one, she might have been able to retrieve it.

"I've got my eye on you," said Masami, pointing her racket at Yuzuyu.

"Masami Hiroko's motion vision is among the best in the junior high division. She even can deduce the direction her opponent will be moving towards just by watching the movement of the feet." Sumiko read out of Michiko's notes. The Seigaku vice-captain had several windows open, one for each player. Saa, scary...

Sakuraki hit a volley. Neither of the twins would be able to reach it, nor get to the baseline in time. Even if they caught up to it, they would have to hit it from the baseline, and the power would be weak by the time it crossed the net. There was no doubt of Fudoumine winning this match. Or was there?

Yuzuki dashed forward and flipped nimbly onto Yuzuki's shoulders, propelling her body upwards. She flew in the air and smashed the ball down, then landed lightly right in front of the net to counter any return ball. Yuzuyu skidded to a stop at the baseline. The tables had turned. This was the true power of Yuki.

"To quote Momo-chan-sempai, DUN!"

After returning the ball, Masami narrowed her eyes. Who was going to hit it?

The net player showed no inclination to return the ball about to whiz past her back. So the other one was going to hit it? Predictably, she is in the position to do so. Suddenly, the net player leaned backwards. The ball thudded to the ground. On Fudoumine's side of the court.

"Ballet Drop Shot." Yuzuki was still in the stance she hit the ball in. Right leg stretched before her for balance, upper body leaning backwards level to her raised leg, racket held in front of her chest which was turned towards the opponent's side. What amazing balance!

"Game, Seigaku, 4-5!"

"Three more games and we'll win this match! Go Yuki!"

The ball was heading straight towards her mid-riff. Damn! The opponent knows that her backhand is weak. Yuzuki raised her racket as if to hit it, but bended backwards at the last moment, allowing the ball to soar over her and revealing Yuzuyu who was behind her. Smirking as she scored the point, she said, "Never underestimate acrobatic doubles."

Sakuraki and Masami had taken on the up-and-up strategy, which stopped all of Yuki's shots. So get past it, they had to use a good lob, or... Masami had just hit a volley!

"That should finish it... Shimatta (1)!" her eyes widened. Yuki still had that! Smash! Masami quickly backed off to cover the space behind her, leaving Sakuraki to deal with the front. What she hadn't thought to protect was the baseline.

"Hoi!" Yuzuki practically flew in the air after pushing off her sister's shoulders. The ball bounced off the opponent's court... and was returned by Sakuraki Tsukiko. Everyone stared at the ball rolling near Yuzuyu's feet.

"Game, Fudoumine! 6-4! Fudoumine lead!"

"Game and Match! Fudoumine Sakuraki-Masami pair! 7-4!"

Despite the twins' agile movements and natural teamwork, they were no match for Sakuraki and Masami's experience and well-planned strategy. They collapsed on the stands, panting.

"Gomen ne (2), buchou-chan..."

"Daijoubu (3). Saa, we'll just have to win all three singles. Ne, Natsumi-chan?"

"No problem, Sumiko. Leave it to me." Ume Natsumi picked up her racket and strode into the court as the umpire announced Singles 3.

"You can't beat me," she informed her opponent, a smirk playing at the side of her mouth.

Thanks for reading! Please review!

Note: 'Yuki' has many different ways of writing. Among them is雪(snow), but in Path to the Stars, the 'ki'希in 'Yuki' means hope. Yuki優希can be translated as 'superior hope' or 'good hope'. My understanding is more based on Chinese, so there may be some misunderstandings.

I'm working on Natsumi's match right now, so please give me advice to improve it! The players not show in the Semifinals will have match scenes in the Finals. I don't feel up to creating so many opponents... Hope you don't mind!

1) Shimatta: I'm not entirely sure about the spelling, but it means oh no.

2) Gomen: Sorry. Full version is Gomenasai.

3) Daijoubu: It's all right.