"It's Seigaku!"
"Kuso (damn), it's Seigaku. They look strong," another player commented. Then he stared in surprise.
"Ara? Who's the kid? No doubt, he's a freshman."
"Seigaku has great composture. They even got a small fry and a bean to participate. That new guy isn't the build for a tennis player," the other said in awe.
Unfortunately, Taiya heard them. An anger mark appeared on her head as she clenched a fist in front of her chest. 'Did they....just call me a bean?!?!'
Taiya stared around and observed the surrounding once again; people playing matches, people cheering, people booing, people warming up. Fuji observed Taiya as she scanned the surrounding with her violet eyes, standing still with her tennis bag over her shoulder. "It'll work out somehow...."she mumbled, surprised at her sudden lack of insecurity. A voice abruptedly came from behind her, startling her. 'Ne, Tai-kun—"
"Call me -kun again, and I'll seriously hit you," she sang innocently, continuing her walk around the vicinity.
"Eh...okay." Fuji sweat-dropped. "Well, don't be nervous. Just play freely; not everything is about the game." Taiya raised an eyebrow.
"Aa, okay, thanks, Fu-"
He had already left. Taiya resisted the urge to swear.
Seigaku was up against Gyokurin Junior High. Taiya rolled her shoulders and neck until she heard a pleasing crack. "I wonder if the people we're versing next are good players," she commented with an anime sigh.
"It will be fine; relax."
Taiya's stay in the Fuji residence had altered their attitude towards one another noticeably. Ignoring the times the hot-tempered Taiya was about to mutilate her house-mate and team-mate, the unsure walls aheld around them collapsed as they got along with each other in a much gentler, pleasing manner. Not having many close acquaintances in the first place, Taiya welcomed it despite her constant mental warnings to draw a line when she started to fall off track.
"Well, I'm going to warm up for a bit." Before Taiya could say anything, Fuji had already left for a spare court to practice.
----
"Seigaku against Gyokurin; 6 (I know it's 5, but I changed it.) matches are played. In order to win, 4 matches must be won. This is Seigaku's first match. All matches are a one set match!"
Everyone nodded, understanding the rules, while silence entered. Taiya felt some loose strands of hair slip out, and further tightened the cap around her head, earning a quizzical look from Fuji, which she didn't notice.
"So what is going to happen?" Ryuzaki-sensei question to herself. She turned to the Captain. "Don't think so hard, Tezuka, it is better to relax."
"I understand."
"First match in doubles. Seigaku's Momoshiro and Echizen pair. Gyokurins Izumi and Fukawa pair."
"I haven't really seen these two play. This will be interesting." said Taiya to a silent Fuji standing beside her, as she sat on the bench still. He nodded.
"I have a feeling you'll like this match."
"Can't wait then, Fuji-san."
"Just Fuji is fine."
"Echizen, let's go with the AH UN strategy." Momo said as he stared down at the shorty—I mean, Ryoma. Taiya cocked her head to the side, confused. "AH UN?" 'Is that native Japanese?'
"You heard of it?"
"Nope."
The game started. Gyokurin served first.
The ball went straight down the middle of the court, and Momo and Ryoma both went for it at the same time.
"AH!"
"UN!"
Ryoma stayed back and Momo went up front and hit the ball straight down the middle, earning them a point.
"Love 15!"
Seigaku supporters were all cheering and throwing their fists in the air triumphantly. The game looked like it was in Seigaku's favour. There were mistakes, but it was awe-inspiring when the two younger players overcame it with little difficulty.
"I'm lucky."
"Hm?"
Taiya smiled at the sky. "The first matches I see in Japan are already brilliant play."
-
'6 games to love for Kawamura, Kaidoh and Fuji's matches. They all ended in the blink of an eye. Especially Fuji's,' Taiya thought. Literally.
Fuji didn't blink! He's always got his eyes closed.
Her own game, to her surprise, went rather flawlessly. 'Weakening grip as the game progresses. Exhaustion is making his footwork clumsy. But good eye for things. Just not good enough.' She ended it with a firm smash with a love game.
"Doubles 2-0, Singles 4-0. Total is 6-0, Seigaku wins. Bow once."
"Thank you very much!!"
"Seigaku is strong..."
"After it was all said and done, it was a sweep."
----
"So who are we meeting in the final?" Taiya asked Eiji, whom she had taken quite a liking to.
"Fudomine Junior High."
"They were unseeded."
"I know, Oishi-san told me."
"Fudomine Junior High?" Taka-san (Kawamura) started in puzzlement. "The same Fudomine which had to withdraw last year?"
"Huh?"
Inui walked past with his notebook in hand. "I went to observe Fudomines matches. They are a completely different Fudomine from last year," he stated, pushing up his glasses. Taiya walked up to the front, hands behind her head.
"What do you mean from last year? Come on, fill me in please; still new here."
"All the members are new Regulars, except for the second year captain," Inui informed. "The key factor of their success is the masterful leadership of their captain, Tachibana Kippei. Also, the six unknown 2nd year members beat Kakinoki in straight sets."
There was a tense pause.
"The final....doesn't seem to be easy," Fuji frowned. Horio stepped up determinedly, and foolishly might the author add.
"But if it's Seigaku, there should be no problem against a beginner. We'll crush them and win the tournament." Taiya's eye twitched. 'He speaks as though he's actually playing. -.-'
"It's not polite to go saying stuff like that, first year," she said. "Leadership plays an important part in a team and without the captains, a lot of teams crumble, you know."
"Hey, Horio-kun," one of the other freshmen shook his shoulder. Horio shook him off and crossed his arms. "It's okay. Let me talk. Seigaku can't lose to unseeded, unknown players!"
"Hey, listen to me!"
"What is it?! You're annoying!"
Taiya gave him a light smack behind the head. "Look behind you, first year," she smiled. Horio flinched at what he saw.
"Eh?! Fu-Fudomine!"
Standing there was the captain of the Fudomine team. An air of nobility hung around him and the way he held himself was very proper. Taiya was impressed just by looks.
Standing behind the captain, there were many other players cladded in a dark greenish-black uniform. All of them looked confident and all of them are probably very skilled. Taiya smirked to herself. 'So I have to win these guys...I definitely will win. Because I won't forgive myself if I can't even beat these guys.'
"Are you Tezuka from Seigaku?" Tachibana asked the stoic captain of Seigaku.
"That's right."
"I am captain Tachibana from Fudomine," he introduced himself. He extended a hand, which Tezuka took a hold of, and they both shook hands. "Let's have a good match."
"Aa."
One of those guys stared at Taiya, and she stared back, quirking her right eyebrow. The guy had a dark, deep purple coloured hair, and his eyes were coal-black with a calm expression on. His hair reached the base of his neck, and was limp and parted in the middle on his head. He wore the same uniform as the rest of the Fudomine Regulars. The Seigaku senior and the Fudomine senior locked gazes, staring at each other in silence, as though having a mental match with each other.
"Hey, Karushi-senpai, let's go," some dude with red hair covering one eye said to the violet-haired boy. The boy simply closed his eyes while letting out a sigh, before he walked away, swinging his bag more securely over his shoulder.
"Hai, hai, I'm coming, Kamio."
Taiya stood there, feeling victorious. 'He. Blinked. First. Boo-ya.' Fuji just stared at her from the corner of his eye with a small sweat-drop on the back of his head.
'He looked very proud for just a moment ago...why?'
Taiya and the Seigaku team defeated the other teams quite flawlessly, while Taiya kept her eyes on Fuji and Tezuka, waiting to see any action. But there was barely any. Both of them won all their games 6-0, which was kind of eerie. Even she who was complimented to be known as a good tennis player in China, was worn slightly from playing all those matches.
"Game, Sanzushi, 6 games to love."
Taiya walked up to the net and shook the persons hand before going off again, wiping her brow from sweat.
'Good, I'm perfectly warmed up.'
Silently, ignoring the sounds around herself (or trying), she began to stretch and get ready for her own match.
"Ah, Tai, it's your game now."
"I'm coming."
She got onto the court and started the game. Like the other Regulars, she left the court winning 6-0/6 games to love.
'I have to analyze their skills. Seigaku's I mean.' She glanced at them before adding a quick slice to the ball, sending it towards the other side of the court and thus finishing the game.
"Game, Sanzushi, 6 games to love."
'I'm not sure whether I can hold up an act like this too long. I'm definitely a girl but...' Taiya shook her head. 'No use getting caught up now. Best to focus on the matches and plan later.'
'I really want the current relationship I have with everyone to remain.'
----
Taiya yawned into her hand, tennis bag near her feet. She stared inside the bag as she rummaged for a sweat-towel and smiled at her spare racket inside. On competition days, Taiya had a habit of bringing her brother's racquet as a sort of charm; her hidden talisman.
"Understand this, we'll face Fudomine in the finals and they're like nothing like the opponents we've been facing," Ryuzaki-sensei stated seriously.
"It's final; Doubles 2: Fuji and Kawamura. Go get the first win," said Ryuzaki-sensei as she stared at the two brown haired team-mates. Taiya slapped Fuji on the shoulder (in a mate way, not an attack way for once) while giving a smile, which he returned.
"Doubles 1: Oishi and Kikumaru."
"No probs."
"Singles 4: Kaidoh. Don't lose." Ryuzaki-sensei smiled at the Viper like member of the team.
"Singles 3: Tai. Have a taste of a true Japanese win." Taiya gave a smile and a peace sign.
"Single 2: Ryoma. Go wild." Ryoma remained expressionless.
"And finally Singles 1: Tezuka."
The Seigaku Regulars started to walk passed the reporters and the First-years before heading to the court they were supposed to play at. Taiya inhaled some fresh air.
"Japan has some great players, but unfortunately I haven't met many of them yet on the court," she stated with a frown. "It's boring."
Fuji smiled. "Don't worry, I have a feeling we'll be facing some very soon."
"If you say so."
-
Doubles 2 was in play and...Taiya received the second biggest shock in her life.
"Oh my God, Fuji actually opened his eyes!!" Taiya shouted, causing people to turn and stare at her. "Geez, I'm his freakin' next-door neighbour and I've never even seen that," she breathed. She thought he might have had an accident when he was younger involving super glue squirting into his eye. I guess that day proved her theory wrong. Fuji's eyes were an icy blue, and they looked like they saw through everything.
"天啊 (heavens). They were so....blue." Taiya shook her head to clear the daze. But then she realized she couldn't get the look of those icy-blue eyes out of her head...she thought they were somewhat hypnotizing...enchanting....
…attractive?!
She didn't like how this relationship was turning. -.-
Taiya then saw Fuji bring back his arm to hit the ball, but his position was a little strange.... she wondered what he was thinking, since his eyes were so serious.
Everyone watched in awe at the speed the ball went as it sliced through the air, and landed onto the opposite court. But to Taiya's surprise, and to Fudomines own, the ball just crawled off the ground to the side. Taiya's mouth was literally hanging open and she was unable to speak. 'Okay, that was weird. What the Hell was that?'
"It didn't bounce," Sakurai breathed in shock.
"What was that? The ball just crawled along the ground," the capped player of Fudomine stated.
"That was one of Fuji's three triple counters called...Tsubame Gaeshi (The Swallow Return)."
"Tsubame...Gaeshi?"
'Tsubame Gaeshi...' Taiya thought in awe. 'Now that was cool.'
"Tennis prodigy Fuji Syusuke, you're not going to take this lying down, are you?" Tachibana smiled.
Taiya gave a small smile. 'I can't wait to see the outcome of this match...and of course play my own...but for now, it's the prodigy's game.'
-
Doubles 2 was won by Fudomine, as an injury to Kawamura's wrist made Fuji forfeit the game for his friend in need. That was shocking to Taiya, who only thought Fuji loved teasing people. Next was Kikumaru and Oishi's turn, and they amazed Taiya with how 'in-sync' they were with each other. They ended up winning the match to many people's expectations.
"Next is Kaidoh's, neh?"
"Aa."
Kaidoh managed to pull off a spectacular 'Boomerang Snake', a new technique he manipulated, causing the crowd to go 'ga-ga'. Taiya found out—to her shock—that Kaidoh does three times the normal amount of training anyone else does and all she could do was watch in awe at his amazing stamina. 'I have to join him one day on a run.'
Kaidoh ended up winning the game spectacularly, causing Kamio, the Rhythm player, to be completely crushed.
"It's your turn, Tai-chan." She felt the weight of Eiji sag on her shoulders as he, like to everyone else, hung off her back in a very feline-ish way.
"Yeah."
Knocking the strings lightly with her knuckles to feel the tension. she finally acknowledged that it was in perfect shape. While walking onto the court, she noticed that purple-haired guy whom she had a staring contest against was on the court.
Taiya's eye gave an involuntary twitch.
They both walked up to the net and granted each other with the grip of their hands.
"Let's have a fair game, ne?" he smiled, making Taiya nod once in response somewhat coolly.
"Karushi Sen VS. Sanzushi Taichi, Karushi to serve."
The game started and she watched as 'Sen' threw the ball up in the air before hitting it hard towards her side of the court. She quickly reacted and did a fluent backhand to the right of his court. Naturally, he returned it with a smile, and immediately thoughts gathered in her mathematical head.
'His style is strategic means and strength play...'
Taiya did an sharp smash to his court, scoring a point for herself while she yawned into her hand. 'Reflexes....87 percent....reaction speeds....76 percent. If it goes over 100, I don't think I can cope...who am I talking to anyway?'
"Love -15."
After a short rally with Sen, she returned it flawlessly, only to have Sen quickly catch up and smash it with incredible strength to her court. Fudomine cheered. Taiya straightened up before she frowned.
'I'm hungry.'
"15 all."
'Smashes...strength, 86 percent compared to the strongest smashes I've experience....to think of it, that's still a Heck lot......'
"Is it just me, or is it that Tai-senpai looks slower than usual?" asked Momoshiro, peering closely at the game.
"He's doing that on purpose," Ryoma said again.
"Huh?"
"Yes, right now, Sanzushi is trying to find out how Karushi reacts to different hits, while figuring out how to counter them, or at least to find a weak spot," Inui said in his robot-like voice, causing some to nod their heads understandingly.
"I need to gather more data on his playing style..." Inui held out his usual notebook, ready to write down any information he could receive.
----
"Game won by Karushi, 2-2."
But...with a low lob, concentration is slightly off since it is dangerously low to the ground, so in order to catch up to the ball, he ends up hitting it with more strength than he wants to. This would wear him off on stamina...' Taiya thought fairly, rolling her shoulders. 'All I have to do is to make him lose his stamina faster than my own. Or I'm screwed.'
She served the ball, only to have him give an exta sharp volley back.
Through experience, she twisted her lean body to the side and returned the ball with a roll of the racquet, making herself smile ever so slightly. The ball soared in the air before it made a slight change in direction downwards to the net. Sen had a face of slight shock as the ball lightly touched the net before falling on his side of the court with almost no bounce.
"What was that move?"
"That's risky."
"Drop...lob?"
Taiya straightened up before giving a smile. "You have known it as the Drop Lob, but it isn't the name, Inui," the girl corrected. "That is just the name of two of the motions it goes through, but in reverse order, so it's actually Lob Drop. Its real name is..." she paused, thinking. She froze and laughed.
"Haha, wait, crud, I think I forgot, hold on a minute."
People fell over, anime style.
Fuji just chuckled. She laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of her cap before a light bulb appeared over her head. "Oh yeah, that's right! It's called the Kibou Henkan," she laughed, embarrassed as she rubbed the back of her head. "I'm so stupid."
"Kibou..."
"Henkan...?" Kachiro finished. Then their faces went to bright smiles. "Just like a Regular!"
"Go, Sanzushi-senpai!!"
"Kibou Henkan? Hmm..." Inui wrote something into his book.
"30 love."
Taiya held out her racquet towards Sen.
"I'll let you on a secret; the good thing about Kibou Henkan is that it is hard to detect when it is coming, since it looks like a regular shot," she explained while bouncing the ball, not breaking eye contact with Sen's own coal-black ones.
Sen allowed a smile to cross his lips. "Thanks for the info. But if you think that's all I've got, you're too arrogant for your own good."
"That's the thing; I don't think that's all you've got, Karushi-san. Let's play harder, shall we?" Taiya smiled. But in an instant, her expression changed into desperation. "Please, I'm starving. Let's finish the game quickly!"
"As usual; a hard-working boy with a stomach that could fit planets. But of course I don't know the Sanzushi family exceptionally well, so maybe he's changed a bit." Ryuzaki-sensei frowned. "Actually, I barely remember much about them, Ryu's children..."
"Game won by Sanzushi. 3 games to 2, Sanzushi lead."
"What do you mean, sensei? You've known Tai from before?" Eiji asked. Ryoma opened an eye to watch as he eavesdropped.
"You could say that. I can't really remember what he looked like back then when I was visiting their father," Ryuzaki-sensei stated, arms crossed over her chest. "Taichi rarely plays all out. Actually...." Ryuzaki-sensei stared hard at Taiya. "He's never been this carefree before, if I remember correctly. That personality matches his sister more."
-
"3 games all!"
Taiya panted before she sneezed. "Is somebody talking about me...? That's mean—whoa! Don't do that so suddenly!"
"Pay attention to the game."
-
"SISTER?!"
"Ah, you mean Taiya-san." Fuji remarked, smiling a soft smile. Ryuzaki-sensei raised an eyebrow.
"You met her, Fuji?"
"Hmm...we're next-door neighbours so—"
"YOU ARE?! No wonder!" Eiji exclaimed. "So THAT'S how you knew Taichi-chan fairly well, nya."
A quick movement caught Taiya's purple eyes and she noticed Sen suddenly straighten his arm to the right side of his body, in a position for volleying. Except his positioning of his arm was strange, as was his grip. Taiya couldn't help but be curious.
"Hehe, here comes Sen's own move." Kamio spoke, leaning forward from his seat to get a better view.
"Yeah, Sen's..."
Sen shot his racquet sharply towards the ball, causing it to volley straight back at her, aiming for the middle of her chest, near the sternum. Taiya smiled.
"I see..."
Naturally, she bent back arm so that her elbow stuck out to the side, and her right hand was holding the racquet in a uncomfortably position, causing the racquet to shield her chest. She tried to do a weird backhand (but a backhand nonetheless) return but when the ball made contact with the racquet, it seemed to ricochet off to a sharp left.
Taiya's eyes widened as they followed the little yellow ball fly to the side. It flew, cutting through the air with a slight wobble before hitting in the court.
".....Sen's Jagged (Jag-ged) Volley."
"In."
'What was that...? He sliced the ball with the edge of his racquet....ah, I think I get it.'
Taiya stared closely at the ball at the side of the court, unmoving.
"By adding a jagged slice to the ball, it loses its natural bounce pattern."
"What do you mean, Inui-senpai?"
"Kind of like how a Rugby ball bounces when it's not skilfully done, the tennis ball doesn't behave in its natural way when bouncing. Adding a diagonal slice to the ball would cause the ball to spin sharply off the racquet either on the left or right, depending on the user. It takes a lot of skill to be able to make it land Inside the court."
"Then why doesn't Sanzushi-senpai do something about it? It looks easy enough to counter," Horio said with an indignant huff. Kachiro and Katsuo glanced at him sideways with rather tired expressions on their faces.
"Iie (no), it's not that. Since the Jagged Volley is usually not noticed too early, and since the attack is so sudden, your body naturally freezes up and doesn't have enough time to move." Inui continued.
"Even if you can mentally think it out, it's hard to control your body to react the same." Fuji said, a small frown on his face as he observed the game through his closed eyes…
...somehow.
-
Taiya knew she wasn't in the best position.
Heck, she knew that long ago, ever since Sen started to use his Jagged Volley. Taiya couldn't feel much adrenaline keeping her awake, but she tried to find a counter, even though her mind isn't processing any information. And she had a fleeting impression all her team-mates—captain included—knew she was slacking (she was very, very hungry). Tezuka looked just about to drag her off the court and make her run laps.
Anyway, Sen, much to Taiya's annoyance, kept attacking with his Jagged Volley and earning point after point. Taiya skidded on the court, out of breath. "Dammit, not even footwork helps," she cursed.
Sen served the ball determinedly. 'I won't lose, Tachibana-san!'
Taiya returned it smoothly but stiffened when she saw Sen get into that same position again. 'Alright, Taiya, get ready for this. Your stomach is on the line if you don't finish quickly.'
Once again, the ball aimed for the middle of her chest but, to a few people's surprise, she fluently stepped back diagonally with abnormal speed before the ball reached her. She hit a reverse spin on the ball, and it landed in Sen's court scoring her yet another point.
Sen looked slightly bedazzled. Eiji cheered. "Yay~! Jagged Volley countered!"
"What?!"
"Sen's Jagged Volley was returned so easily!"
'Asses. It's like you guys weren't paying attention to my suffering on the court.'
"Hmph. You're pretty good," Sen remarked with a smirk. Taiya gave a short bow.
"Doumo."
Sen tried using the Jagged Volley against Taiya a few more times, but she realised she found out easier ways to deflect it, or seal it.
Much easier.
All she had to do, she figured, was always hit the ball low towards the net, so that Sen couldn't volley at all, or it would hit the net. Then Taiya used 'the move' again.
"There it is! Kibou Henkan!"
"And now the match heats up," smiled Fuji.
-
"Game Karushi, 4 games to 3; Fudomine lead!"
Mutters were going around the crowd.
"Fudomine is strong..."
"Seigaku looks like they're in trouble now."
"That guy IS small like a bean. No wonder Karushi-senpai's power-packed returns sometimes knocked that Sanzushi's racquet from his hands."
"This is Fudomine's win!"
"How dare they...!" growled Taiya under her breath in Chinese at the mention of her size and Seigaku. "I don't need tennis to kick your ass, people...!"
"Eh? What's happening?"
"Sanzushi-senpai's....losing," Horio said in disbelief. But they all were surprised when Taiya just gave a smile, which strangely resembled a smirk.
"'If that's all you think I've got, then you're too arrogant for your own good'," she repeated his exact words. She scratched the back of her head/cap, before she gave him a smile. "I told you I would play more seriously now...since I'm close to death due to starvation."
Ryuzaki-sensei smacked her forehead in disbelief. "So that's his reasoning...I thought he knew he was in trouble and just decided to play more seriously....what happened to you, Taichi....?"
Taiya gave a grin. "This game, it's my service play, right? Then, it's time for me to 'bounce-back'."
----