Team One
"Attention Dad of Team One! We have wonderful news for you and your family, so be sure you are reading this loudly and clearly to them. Our final challenge has been rained out, so instead we will be meeting at the indoor tennis courts. And guess what? We will actually be playing tennis."
Kirihara looked up from the letter as the family sat around the kitchen table, and at the astounded expressions of Mizuki, Taka and Yana. Fuji was still lying in the same spot he had fallen since no one wanted to be the one to touch him and discover that he wasn't actually sleeping, and have his hand SHOOT up and grab their wrist and then proceed to suck the life out of them. Because hey, it could happen.
"Tennis?" Mizuki said.
"Did they just say we would be playing…TENNIS?" Taka gaped.
"Impossible…" Yana shook his head.
"No, that's what it says." Said Kirihara. "We will actually be playing tennis. Right there."
"Well, what else does it say?" said Mizuki. "Maybe later on they'll admit that they're joking."
Kirihara cleared his throat. "And no, we're not joking. You really will be playing tennis! We will be having an exciting tennis tournament as the challenge so two things must be done before you arrive. First off, the Dad must think of a Team Name for your family. This is crucial. Whatever the Dad declares is the name is what the name is going to be with no arguments from any other family members."
Everyone gasped and Kirihara continued.
"Second, you must split your team up into one doubles group and three singles. Be sure to choose wisely, and if you fail to make a decision then we will make it for you. That is all for now! Show up on time and good luck."
Kirihara stopped.
"That's all." He said.
"OHMYGOODNESS!" exclaimed everyone.
"Could I be in the doubles group?" Yana asked. "I only play doubles."
"I will be playing singles." Said Mizuki.
"Me too." Said Kirihara. "So I don't have a problem with you playing doubles."
"Oh…" said Taka. "Well… the thing is… me and Fuji play doubles a lot. So I'm thinking it would be best if we played in the doubles match."
They all stared at him.
"You're volunteering to spend MORE time with Fuji?" questioned Mizuki.
"Well, when it comes to tennis, it's different." Said Taka, looking offended.
"But we want Fuji to play singles and get us an automatic win…" said Kirihara.
"You can play doubles with me." Said Yana.
"That's the thing…" said Taka. "I don't want to play doubles unless it's for a REASON, and that reason being Fuji and I play doubles all the time together so it makes sense for us to be in the doubles match…"
"That's not going to fly." Said Kirihara. "I'm the Dad, and I say that Fuji plays Singles 1, I play Singles 2, Mizuki plays Singles 3, and you and Yana play Doubles."
Taka lowered his head as if he did something wrong.
"Why am I Singles 3?" Mizuki questioned.
"Because I'm better than you." Kirihara answered. At once, everyone immediately started arguing over who would be playing where.
"Tell you what." Said a voice over them.
All of them froze and looked up to see Fuji standing right behind Taka looking totally pleasant.
"Taka and I will play Doubles," Fuji said. "Kirihara can play Singles 1, Mizuki will play Singles 2 and Yana will play Singles 3. We can afford to lose that match as long as we win all our others."
Everyone paused.
"I LIKE that idea!" said Yana.
"Yes, wonderful!" Kirihara agreed, clapping.
"Genius." Said Mizuki. Fuji only smiled.
Team Two
"This…is…HORRIBLE!" exclaimed Gakuto as he looked at the letter.
"I know!" said Eiji. "After we've recently established that we're ALL Doubles players, now we have to force three people to play SINGLES!"
"I'll play Singles because I'm a second year after all." Choutarou offered.
"No way, Ootori." Said Marui. "You've won the most challenges out of all of us. I'LL play Singles!"
"No!" said Gakuto. "I won't let you do that! I'LL play Singles!"
"Wait, wait, wait." Said Momo. "There are three people who have to play Singles. Let's just figure out who has played Singles before and then work from there. I know I've played Singles, so I'll be in one of the matches."
"Momo, you're so reliable!" said Eiji. "I feel inspired! I will play Singles as well, since I used to before I teamed up with Oishi!"
"Oh Eiji!" said everyone else as they wiped tears from their eyes.
"I can play Singles too!" said Marui. "I've done it a few times! With my serve and volley style of play, I think I'll be all right!"
"Then it's settled." Said Momo. "Me, Eiji and Marui will play Singles, while Ootori and Gakuto will play Doubles."
"That actually makes sense too." Said Gakuto. "Because Ootori and I are on the same team, so we already know each other's style of play!"
"And I'm a baseline player while you play in the front!" said Choutarou with horseshoe eyes. "I think we'll do just fine!"
"Momo, you can take Singles 1 since you're the best at singles." Said Eiji.
"Come on, guys, you're all good at singles too!" said Momo.
"Not as good as you!" said Marui and Eiji at the same time.
"All right, I'll take Singles 1 then!" said Momo, secretly feeling very excited.
"And I'll take Singles 2?" Marui suggested to Eiji.
"Sure!" said Eiji. "I'll be Singles 3!"
They all cheered for themselves.
Then there was a pause.
"Hm…" said Marui, looking back at the letter. "I still have to think up a Team Name for us… any suggestions?"
"How about 'Doubles Rock'!" suggested Eiji.
"No, because then it looks like we're rubbing the fact that we're lucky enough to love and appreciate and play doubles in people's faces who are unfortunate enough to only play singles." Said Marui.
"And it also might look like we only have faith in our doubles team, when in fact we have faith in EVERYONE." Said Choutarou.
They all pondered some more.
"We should think of something that is team oriented, since we're so connected as a team." Suggested Momo.
"Yeah!" agreed the others. "But what?"
They pondered some more.
"I've got it!" said Eiji, jumping to his feet and turning to Momo. "Remember that time when we were playing against Hyoutei and—"
"HYOUTEI!" yelled Choutarou and Gakuto as they threw their fists up into the air but then they calmly sat back down and gestured for Eiji to continue.
Eiji glared at them for a moment, then looked back at Momo. "Okay, and so remember how Oishi got injured and you had to play doubles with me?" he asked.
"…Yeah?" Momo said.
"Remember how we were like… playing doubles with three people?" Eiji said.
"Yeah!" said Momo. "That's a great idea!"
"Except…" Marui slowly got to his feet. "…We're…"
This time, EVERYONE threw their fists up into the air.
"PLAYING DOUBLES WITH FIVE PEOPLE!" they yelled.
Then they all turned on the radio and had another dance party because they were so excited that they now had a Team Name. Even though it was stupid. THEY thought it was cool.
Team Three"I have called this family meeting for a few reasons." Said Tezuka said as he sat in one of the comfy chairs and everyone else in the family sat around in various other chairs. Wherever they wanted, really, cause they had so many chairs and places to sit and such.
"Can we get it over with fast?" Aoi requested. "Beast Wars in on in just a few minutes."
"Sh." Said Tezuka. "No. Listen to me."
"All right." Said Tachibana. "We're listening. Hurry up."
Tezuka looked crossly at his family as they all generally followed up with a similar statement.
"Very well." He said, crossing his legs. "The letter I received. It mentioned very promising things about the upcoming challenge."
Everyone looked less than interested.
"Concerning…" Tezuka said slowly.
Still, less than interested.
"…Tennis." Tezuka said finally.
"TENNIS? WHERE?" everyone shouted, sitting straight up in their seats.
"We will be playing tennis today." Said Tezuka. "And it is my job to assign us a Team Name and our job as a family to establish who will play when. There will be one doubles match and three singles matches."
"Well obviously." Said Tachibana. "You, me and Aoi will play the singles matches and David and Kabaji will be playing the doubles match."
"What?" demanded David. "Why?"
"Because." Said Tezuka. "We're captains."
"What does that have to do with anything?" said David.
"Captains don't play doubles." Aoi answered.
"It's true." Tachibana agreed.
David raised his eyebrow and shrugged. "Well, whatever." He said. "I usually play doubles anyway."
"Then what were you arguing for?" said Tachibana.
"Because I wanted to know you're reasoning for why it was OBVIOUS that you three would be playing singles." David shrugged.
"Well…shut up now." Said Tezuka arbitrarily.
David frowned and looked sad as the next thing on the agenda was addressed.
"Team Name." Tezuka said. "I have thought long and hard for a sufficient Team Name for us. And I have finally decided."
"Wait." Said Tachibana. "Why do you get to pick the Team Name?"
Tezuka sighed and handed Tachibana the letter. Tachibana read it and then handed it back to him with a sigh.
"Okay, okay." He said. "What's your idea?"
"It's not just an IDEA." Said Tezuka. "It is what I have decided upon."
"What is it then?" Aoi asked.
"Considering we are, for the most part, captains of our appointed tennis teams, one could consider us as the pillars for our teams." Said Tezuka. "Therefore, I have decided that our Team Name will be Pillars."
"The Pillars?" repeated Tachibana with a raised eyebrow.
"No." said Tezuka. "Not The Pillars. Just Pillars."
"That's lame…" whined everyone else.
"Twenty laps around the house." Tezuka ordered. "Now. Right now."
"But…" said everyone.
"Now." Said Tezuka as he stood up and pointed at the door.
Aoi leaned over to Tachibana. "Let's just go outside and do something else so he'll leave us alone." He whispered.
"Okay." Said Tachibana, gesturing for Kabaji (yes, he was there the whole time) and David to follow him.
Tezuka glared at them as they left and then sat down.
"It is NOT lame." He said to himself after they had left.
Team FourSakurai, Ryoma, Yukimura and Saeki were all sitting in the living room.
"Do you think Hiyoshi's thought up a Team Name for us yet?" questioned Sakurai.
"Well, if he did, I would hope that he'd come out and tell us." Yukimura said.
There was a long pause.
"Hiyoshi's been in the bathroom for a long time." Ryoma commented.
Everyone stared at him.
"Hiyoshi's not in the bathroom." Saeki said.
"He's not?" said Ryoma.
"No." said Saeki. "He went into the other room a little while ago because he said he needed some quiet time to think about what he was going to give us as our Team Name."
Ryoma didn't say anything for a bit.
"Oh." he said. "I get it."
"While we're waiting, we should just hurry up and pick who will be playing where during the matches." Sakurai suggested.
"Well, I know I only play doubles." Saeki said.
"Me too." Said Sakurai.
They waited for anyone to interject with a similar comment.
"Well, I guess that at least settles THAT part." Said Yukimura. "I suppose that leaves Ryoma, Hiyoshi and I to play the singles matches. I don't have a preference which one I play in because I'll likely end up forfeiting because of my poor health anyway."
Yukimura continued to smile.
"In that case, I'll play Singles 1." Ryoma decided.
"Okay." Said Yukimura. "I'll play Singles 2 then."
"And Hiyoshi will play Singles 3." Evaluated Sakurai.
"It fits him since he's the reserve player for his team anyway." Saeki noted.
They all chuckled at this as Hiyoshi walked back in.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey." Said everyone.
"I uh…" said Hiyoshi. "I can't think of a name for our team. A little help?"
"How about the Princes of Tennis?" suggested Saeki, looking very proud of himself.
"No." said Ryoma. "That is SO just my thing."
"Oh." said Saeki.
"But we can be the Prince of Tennis." Said Ryoma. "As in the singular form. As in referring to only me."
"But then our Team Name will only refer to you." Sakurai pointed out.
"Fine." Said Ryoma with a shrug. "The Prince of Tennis… and Friends."
"Aww…" said everyone, glad that he referred to them as friends as opposed to acquaintances.
"Fine." Said Hiyoshi. "The Prince of Tennis and Friends. That's our name."
He sat down.
Everyone considered this new name.
"Wait…" said Saeki. "All that name does is glorify Ryoma and then hardly mention us."
They stared at him questioningly.
"Hey wait." Said Hiyoshi. "You're right."
"Hm…" said Yukimura.
They silently sat there some more.
"Do you guys really care all that much?" Ryoma asked.
"No…not really…" they answered.
So they shrugged and went back to watching television.