Tin Pin Turnabout:
A Sauce Project Production
By EeveeGen9988 and Chronic Guardian
[Shibuya Operation - Story Storm]
Chapter 7: Overshot
Power was a funny thing to Yoshiya Kiryu. He'd seen it create great men just as soon as he'd seen it destroy them. He wasn't one of those it would destroy, of course, he knew how to keep a loose grasp and give a gentle nudge. Not like his self-absorbed middle cousin, no. That one thirsted for control like a hopeless drunk, convinced it was all he needed to piece his perfect little comeback together and revive Ayumu's affection and trust.
This was because Rueban was foolish.
Even now, as the lights above the table flashed green and the first match began, Joshua knew his least favorite cousin would only be keeping half an eye on the match while he spent the rest of his energy fussing over Ayumu. And if there was one thing Josh knew Ayumu didn't want, it was to be fussed over.
But if Rueban could protect their poor, inexperienced, handicapped cousin, then that would give him a sense of the power he so desperately longed for. After all, most people didn't actually need power, just the illusion of it. And as long as Rueban felt he was making some impact somewhere for someone, even if it was only because he was forcing himself in Ayumu's way to take the punishment for him, then that illusion would stay intact.
Yes, you did this all for him, Joshua mocked silently behind his soft, inscrutable smile. You wanted to fix things, but you placed the emphasis on you instead of fix.
The clang of clashing pins rung around him as he nursed his old annoyances with Rueban back to health. Any other round he would have put the thoughts on the back burner to simmer as he focused his offensive, but the current crop was too green to pose any real threat. He would wonder how they made it to an invitational event like this if he hadn't specifically requested their inclusion . They hadn't seem particularly gifted when they asked for his autograph at the local arcade, but the tournament needed an extra team to even the rankings and Ayumu could probably use the warm up. Besides, the "poor chumps" they were playing would still get a nice resume item for their troubles.
He launched one of his two loaded pins and prepared to pretend it was a fair fight.
The opposing team was still reeling around like a herd of cats with their paws taped by the time Ayumu managed to draw first blood. Joshua threw in a bomber maneuver to jump an incoming opponent and purposefully missed his target to give some drama to the sorry scene. Inexperienced Slammers tended to overcompensate with the fine-tuned tournament controls, sailing off the edge without so much as grazing their more seasoned counterparts. Even if these children had been back alley experts, the game wouldn't be on even footing until the second half. Assuming things lasted that long, of course.
Satisfied with the current state of affairs, Joshua shifted some attention back to his middle cousin to gauge the stickler's reaction. Rueban caught his glance and returned it with obstinate tranquility. He even wore a soft, self-assured smile to lend a little congeniality to the performance.
It was a good mask.
Under Rueban's chin, Joshua could still see the slight twitch of taut jugular veins. As predicted, playing against a weaker team was messing with Rueban's overwrought sense of justice. Probably not enough that he'd consider quitting again; for as much as Joshua despised his cousin, he was at least willing to acknowledge Rueban's conviction here. But there was definitely a reaction.
Maybe it was a sick game to play at a time like this, but old vendettas died hard and Joshua was determined to pull back the curtain on his cousin's fatal flaw. It had cost them the tournament years ago and it would cost them everything again if it was left alone. Rueban's judgment was purely conceit built on his own truth and wisdom. No two sides to any argument for that one. If Rue Kiryu didn't approve then obviously it had to be wrong, for who could ever contradict such boundless wisdom?
The thought threatened to release Joshua's breakfast on the battle table. He indulged in the morbid fantasy for a moment, watching as semi-clear liquid carried chunks of rice and egg on a triumphant collision course with the unsuspecting game pieces. Rue would flush red with embarrassment, and Joshua would grin in spite of himself as his cousin's fragile little rules came crashing down.
He stopped himself before his stomach could follow up on the vision. While he could certainly do it with a straight face, it would be a short lived victory with an unseemly bill of associated costs attached. And determined as Josh was to show up his cousin, he was still a Kiryu at heart. Unless he could win on his own terms, it was better to pretend he'd never tried at all.
On the as of yet non-vomit-covered battle table, Ayumu managed to get another ring-out. Joshua's own chase had drifted to an isolated corner of the field, allowing his younger cousin free reign of the center. The surrounding spectator screens went to instant replay of the graceful dispatch and the crowd cheered, just as planned.
Joshua also noted that the replay revealed Rueban playing matador to lure the enemy into Ayumu's gambit, definitely not as planned.
"Enjoying the limelight, cousin?" Joshua asked, layering his voice over with mild disinterest. Rueban would catch the jab. While the middle Kiryu tended to be a paranoid conspiracy theorist when it came to anything Joshua so much as breathed on, that didn't mean he wasn't sharp on the draw. Granted, Rueban was also making an effort this time around to constrain himself, but he still had breaking point and Joshua was edging him towards it by inches.
"Just playing my part, Joshua," Rueban answered, not missing a beat. "You wouldn't care to join the fun, would you?"
"Who, me?" the elder Kiryu giggled and leaned in towards the action a little to hide any misgivings in his expression. "I thought you'd never ask."
Without being too obvious about it, Joshua upped his game by degrees until he actually posed a threat again. He couldn't jump back to his normal skill level without raising suspicion, and it still benefited him at this point in the game to play a close hand. Rueban's intolerance for trick play would make him the most obvious target for the next round, especially with how he was smothering Ayumu from any outstanding opportunities. And yet, for all the annoyance Josh shared with his youngest cousin over the patronizing habit, it actually gave Ayumu a tactical smoke screen to hide his relatively unknown play style.
...Still, it might be nice to let the youngest member stretch his legs a little.
"Ah!" Joshua pretended surprise as he sunk into a stinger stance, recreating a text-book example opening for his opponent to stun him with a hammer strike. Thankfully, the child caught on and proceeded to ram Joshua's game piece away from the main action. If Ayumu was viewing the game through a proxy, odds were good that Joshua had just dropped out of his visual focus.
Ergo, the blind boy would have to trust his ears.
"Quick, Rueban!" Joshua pleaded. "I can't do anything!"
Rueban shot him a shrewd glance before Ayumu offered a prodding nudge and entered on Josh's side. "I can take care of myself!" the youngest cousin cried. "Rueban, you've got to help Josh!"
And that was all Rueban needed. Feint or not, he wouldn't risk upsetting Ayumu.
Joshua couldn't help a small smile as Rueban dutifully rushed in to brush off the pursuing pest. With the tables properly turned, Josh took the liberty of securing the ring-out for his own scorecard.
"Wonderful performance, cousin!" He offered a gracious smile and turned back to the remaining enemies. "Now… what to do about them?"
Rueban didn't answer. He was already halfway back across the board to baby Ayumu again. In his absence, the blind boy had not only held his two opponents, but had them on the brink of a double KO. Assuming Rueban didn't bungle things of course. Just to be sure though…
Joshua launched into another bomber jump, sailing over his middle cousin's return trajectory and landing squarely between him and Ayumu's moment of glory. Predictably, Rueban's momentum hadn't accounted for the unexpected obstacle, and Joshua proceeded to make a great show of almost falling off the edge.
Once he was safely back, he clucked his tongue and gave Rueban an unveiled reproachful look. It was more for the audience, anyway. "Getting a little excited, are we?"
"Apologies," Rueban returned curtly. "It's been a few years since I played nursery games. Is leapfrog back in fashion?"
Joshua tutted. "Well I was going for teamwork, but that might be a little above your grade level. Should we start with not running in your neighbor's space?"
Rueban almost replied before one of the enemy players attempted a charging stinger run. The middle Kiryu rewarded his efforts with a minimal dodge and a deft hammer strike. Once again, Joshua helped himself to the results.
"I think-" Rueban began.
But he was cut off by the end-of-match bell. Joshua smirked and made a shushing motion with his finger. His cousin's face shifted a shade redder than its natural hue, but Rueban at least had the grace to quit before Ayumu interceded. With the potential disaster successfully primed for delayed detonation, Joshua went back to smiling and waving at the crowd.
"Aaand we have a winner!" the announcer cheered over the PA system. "Or, oh, I'm sorry: winners! Looks like Team Pink at his Primes is moving on to the semi-finals! Congratulations! And congratulations to Team Saucey for putting up such a thrilling fight against such seasoned pros. Don't forget to buy the latest issue of Pin Heads Weekly so you can keep sharpening those skills, kids!"
Sidling up to Ayumu, Joshua leaned in to his younger cousin to whisper some encouragement. "Smile, dear cousin," he purred. "You don't want them editing it in later to make you look like you're having fun, trust me."
Ayumu mumbled something back that wasn't quite audible over the general hubbub. Frowning, Joshua leaned in again and tried to at least make out an expression. Ayumu stared back stone faced.
A half-thought tease paused on Joshua's tongue as he puzzled through the possible scenarios. What had Ayumu sensed during the match? He'd been able to hold his own against two (admittedly underqualified) Slammers, so he must have spent at least some focus in that direction. Did he have any emotional energy left after that to worry about whatever his two elder cousins were up to?
Wouldn't that be a hoot, Joshua noted with wry cynicism. Three years of avoiding us and suddenly he wants to play the Kiryu family politics again. I thought you'd keep clean of it once you got the chance, Ayumu. I know I would.
The thought seared in fierce, self-gratifying sarcasm for a moment before evaporating in quiet shame. Joshua tucked it away like he always did and pretended nothing happened. He'd learned a long time ago that things could only hurt him if he cared in the first place. In that sense, it was just easier to live the jerk role and let people say what they would.
...So long as those people weren't Ayumu, anyway.
Turning back to the table, Joshua pursed his lips and glanced at their current event coordinator for directions to the next match. The young man (Oshiro, was it?) seemed to already be signalling Rueban towards the sidelines so they could make way for the next set of Slammers. Waiting for the semi-final would be murder, but Yoshiya Kiryu could turn murder into a joke if he felt like it. He'd have to have a talk with Makoto afterwords about getting multiple tables going for next year, but for now he'd just weather it out like a good little competitor.
Falling in behind his middle cousin, Joshua tapped Ayumu on the shoulder as he passed and headed out. The situation wasn't ruined yet. He was playing his gambit on the edge of a knife, but so long as he was careful he would emerge victorious.
At the end of the day, he would clear his name and expose the true culprit of the disaster three years ago.
"So… care to watch the game?" Joshua suggested, looking for some way to fill the time between matches. The less room Rueban got to stew over that last maneuver the better, and keeping him from talking frankly with Ayumu was absolutely essential.
Surprisingly enough, Rueban merely raised his eyebrows before looking to their youngest cousin for a verdict.
"Ayumu?"
"...How long do you think it will take?"
"Not too long," Joshua chuckled, reaching out to tousle his cousin's messy golden hair. Ayumu shrank from the movement, but the remaining tension from the match seemed to recede a little. "These are only two-pin matches, after all."
"Professional level two-pin matches," Rueban added curtly. "We're just as likely to see them run out the timer as we are a flawless victory."
"Oh, Rueban…" Joshua sighed and shook his head. "You're assuming everyone plays the same way you do. Variety in viable playstyle is a thing, you know. And some of those viable playstyles get to the point pretty quickly."
Rueban rolled his eyes, but let the statement stand.
Too ashamed to even fight me on something like that... Joshua noted, scanning back with a smile as they settled into the crowd. I guess he's really serious about making a good impression on Ayu.
"So…" Rueban began again after a moment, leaning slightly towards Ayumu. "Nicely done out there, cousin."
Joshua smirked at the ambiguity. Rueban had just handed him an opportunity to make a point. "Thank you, cousin! You shaped up nicely by the end, if you don't mind my saying so. And Ayumu! Who knew that once we gave him room to play he'd actually manage on his own?"
"J-Josh!" Ayumu balked at the back-handed compliment. "I thought you said-"
"Well, I knew," Joshua went on, lightly putting a hand above his own sternum as he accepted the modest praise. "But that's what happens when you play from afar, I guess. You should really try that more often, cousin."
Rueban shifted a measuring look to their remaining cousin, as if this were the first time he'd ever considered giving Ayumu space in a positive light. To Joshua's satisfaction, Ayumu didn't try to downplay the suggestion.
"... I'll look into it," Rue said at last. "Thank you."
So gracious, even in defeat… Joshua let his false smile widen as he settled back for the moment. Still, he'd done enough. If he pushed any further they'd start to suspect something. Better to poke at Rueban's constructed narrative in little bursts than give himself away now. If he wanted Ayumu to understand why they couldn't trust Rueban, he'd have to do it subtly. An outright accusation would just make Rueban appear more justified.
Without much else to do, Joshua finally settled into one of the front row seats reserved for the competing teams to wait for their next match. Rueban followed suit after a beat, followed by Ayumu. If they had anything else to say, they weren't offended enough to say it now. Rueban had an image to protect and Ayumu, for all his care-free outbursts, couldn't really accuse Joshua without sacrificing the hard won point against Rueban's hovering. He wouldn't like the tension, of course, but Ayumu had never been very good at asserting himself against his cousins. So if somebody had to stand up to Rue anyway, it may as well have been Joshua.
They sat together in silence after that, a gradient row of Kiryu blonds from Joshua's ashy tones up to Ayumu's golden. A photographer snapped a picture from across the room and Joshua smiled on instinct. Without looking to check, he knew Rueban had done the same. Fittingly, only Ayumu had refrained from lying with his face. It would make a nice "moments before disaster" image when they documented things later: the one honest cousin on the end looking pensively into the distance while his elders continued on their destructive course. The press would probably ask for an interview after everything fell apart, but Ayumu would never go so far into family matters with strangers. The great undoing of Rueban Kiryu would have to be sifted out of whatever tell-all memoirs the victim chose to release after years of stewing.
In a way, it would be supremely ironic. Joshua Kiryu, falsely accused at the tri-tan-tour years ago, now scheming so far as to cripple his own team in the name of revenge. Not to say he couldn't take the remaining competition with Ayumu. His youngest cousin had always been talented, if a little stage-shy. Things would be more difficult with only the two of them, but they could manage without Rueban. And once Ayumu realized that, then Joshua's victory would be complete.
Meanwhile, the eldest Kiryu would have to figure out how to deal with his middle cousin's recent developments in false humility. An external push would probably be best. Direct action was too implicating. Perhaps if he used another player, then? He'd have to scout the prospects for a proper instrument. Following the elimination rules, the winners of the current match would be their next opponents. If he could find something suitable, he could get this done and over with before they headed into finals.
The competition proved pretty cutthroat and, as Joshua predicted, more aggressive than tactical. The active match featured a punk metal group playing as part of a publicity stunt set against the a ragtag band of Slammers led by one Daisukenojo Bito. Having played alongside Daisukenojo in the past, Joshua wasn't surprised to see his brash tactics end in a decisive loss. The boy had some talent with Tin Pin, but his blind reliance on brute strength came up short whenever he ran into someone who did the exact same thing but better.
And so it was decided: the semifinal would be Team Kiryu against Team Def Marche. Joshua studied the Slammers as they left the table. He would have to stay on his toes if they ever focused in on him, but their team numbers would probably be effectively whittled down before that became an issue. After all, why go after a wiley little evasive target when you could go after the predictable tag-along instead?
Joshua wondered how Rueban would react to that. Would he draw away from Ayumu once he realized he was painting a target on both their backs? Or would he stubbornly stick we he decided he was meant to be? In the end, it wouldn't matter. Rueban would do whatever Rueban decided was best, and Joshua couldn't change that.
He could, however, change how people perceived the actions. And given the right conditions, he could show just how selfish his cousin had always been.
...
The other two matches passed without much cause for interest. The Dan brothers passed to the next bracket, but that was to be expected. In all likelihood, they would be the final opponents of the tourney. In the meantime, Rueban tried once or twice to point out certain tactics and maneuvers to Ayumu, but eventually fell to silence again. He could tell something was off, that much was obvious, but he hadn't quite caught on to Joshua just yet. His eyes held guarded curiosity, not accusation.
Joshua weighed the reaction with a long-seasoned skepticism. After all, Rueban wasn't necessarily malicious, but that didn't mean he wasn't wrong. That was the trouble with self-righteous meddlers: they ruined things by trying to help them. At least for now, though, Rueban had decided not to stick his nose any further down the rabbit hole. Joshua gave a silent thank you for the blessing and moved on before he could think about it too hard.
By the time they were called back to the table for their next match, the tension between the Kiryu cousins had settled into a dormant net. Joshua could still sense it, ready to spring given the right conditions, but it didn't feel immediate any more. In fact, if they played this right, it might never spring at all.
But Joshua had sensed the same settlement years ago just before Rueban flared up and ruined everything. He knew better now than to trust the calm before the storm. Rueban always seemed to understand in the moment, but he never changed on the inside. Disaster was still coming, and Joshua was determined to beat it to the punch this time.
Stepping back into the spotlight, Joshua waited until his cousins took their places on either side of him before offering a bow to the opposing team. His face was calm now, smoothed over with self assurance and that slight hint of innocent Kiryu bravado. Everything had to be perfect for him to pull this off. If he gave Ayumu any reason to suspect foul play then it would all be for nothing.
Joshua exhaled on his way up and smiled again at his opponents. As far as punk metal groups went, their costumes weren't very elaborate. Of course, this could just be their street clothes, but Joshua would still be lying if he said he didn't expect more leather. The lead player rocked blond porcupine spikes and a dog collar, but his wingmen were content with generic hoodies.
...Actually, come to think of it, the black hoodie on the right looked suspiciously familiar.
Before Joshua could drudge up whatever memory the look stirred, the announcer was calling for first positions and his hands were automatically gripping his controller. Shaking his head, he promised himself he could always try remembering again later. Right now he needed to focus on staying in the game. The lights above the table were flashing yellow. Two more flashes and it would all begin.
He glanced to his right at Ayumu. The blind boy was bent over in a solid ready stance, eyes ahead, mouth slightly parted as he breathed in and out. He didn't need protecting. He deserved respect, and Joshua would make sure he got it. Today he would receive justice.
Joshua turned to his left to look at his other cousin. They matched eyes and Rueban gave a thin smile. Joshua returned the expression and turned back to the board. Something in his heart sunk as he realized this would probably be the last time they played on the same board. As much as he hated Rueban, their rivalry would always hold a special place in his heart. Today, that rivalry would end.
The lights above flashed green and Joshua launched into the field to meet their enemies. He'd picked a bomber-centric deck for the occasion, so it would be mostly hit-and-run tactics until he got a solid window of opportunity to strike. Oddly enough, Rueban and Ayumu seemed to be banking on a similar strategy judging by their current selections: a Mus Rattus Burning Cherry and Sheep Heavenly Crackle Pop Barrier, respectively. Joshua had played with both in the past for sponsorship events and remembered practicing to get their specific weights down for momentum maneuvers.
The funny thing was, Ayumu had chosen the heavier pin of the two, making him a more vulnerable target. It wouldn't be so much of a problem if all eyes were on Rueban, but assuming the blind boy meant to play alone…
Maybe he doesn't plan to play alone, Joshua mused as he jumped over an opponent and narrowly avoided landing on a stinger pin cushion. He winced and tried to buy some time with a retreat so he could think this out. Maybe he's already given up getting out of Rueban's shadow, so he's just embracing it.
The bitter sting of stomach acid seeped into his mouth and he forced the thought back down his throat. Ayumu was nobody's puppet. It was all a coincidence, it had to be. They were all using similar strategies because they all had the same sharp Kiryu wit. The youngest cousin could play perfectly well on his own.
Regardless of the intent, though, Rueban's strategy seemed to be working. Thanks to his over-the-top showmanship, he'd garnered the attention of the entire opposing team. And as it turned out, the boys of Def Marche weren't just vicious, they were also surprisingly coordinated. Joshua watched on in grim admiration as the whammy system's traditional rock-paper-scissors style balancing was laid to waste by tight formations and synchronized attack patterns. Any hammer-ripe stinger was covered by an allied bombing run, and Rueban was left barely dodging the onslaught, much less countering it.
Joshua, in the meantime, was left looking for the prime moment to make his entrance. Ideally, he had to get in before Rueban's little distraction went over the edge and the rock stars had time to regroup. His current pin was more on the lighter side, so he would be able to get by evasion-wise, but he'd also be a sitting duck if he got caught in a whammy. With no weight to hold him down, he'd probably go flying before he had a chance to recover. Ayumu on the other hand…
Well, Joshua would never think to use his youngest cousin as shield. Maybe as a distraction if the situation specifically happened to call for it, but not as more than that. As the heaviest member of the team, Ayumu would also have to be the most tactical. He could take a beating when the time came, and until then Joshua would have to play runner up.
"Say… cousin?" Rueban asked, a light strain slipping over his usual polite tone. "You wouldn't happen to feel like living up to our team title, would you?"
"Certainly," Joshua kept his face straight and reexamined the situation. "...Just not right this moment."
Rueban hissed at a near miss and tried to make a bomber jump out of the pursuing ring. One of the enemy Slammers threw down a stinger mine to discourage him from landing in their midst, but Rueban was already gone with the remaining two on his tail. "Right... Take your time, then."
Smirking to himself, Joshua moved for the straggler. If he could isolate this one, then maybe-
But then there was Ayumu, homing in on the same opportunity. Adjusting his course, Joshua grazed past the target in an initial sweep before turning tail to rejoin Rueban. Ayumu was more than capable of handling himself, but a little disorienting nudge couldn't hurt the situation. In The meantime, he'd see what he could do about dividing the remaining pursuers.
…Which would have been a brilliant plan if the remaining pursuers hadn't been headed back to reclaim their lost partner right that second.
"Ayumu!" Rueban called out, trailing in after the enemy pieces. "Just hold on!"
Joshua gave a derisive chuckle as he brought out a hammer to stave off the incoming charge. "Don't mind me, of course."
Not that he needed the rescue; he still had enough time after the swing to go running before they could even touch him. He would accept help if it was being offered, just as long as the giver understood he wouldn't be giving any back. It was more a force of habit teasing Rueban at this point. Any chance that opened had to be taken.
As for the enemy, with the rate they'd been using whammies they had to be running low by this point. If he could just out last the first wave with a few of the trump cards still tucked up his sleeve he could tip the scales considerably in his favor.
Behind the one-man hammer line he'd drawn, Ayumu managed to draw first blood at half a minute into the match. Joshua had just enough time to glance at the bump in the scoreboard before the remaining enemies swarmed him off the board. Still, he smiled at the circumstance. It wasn't perfect, but Ayumu was finally free from Rueban's grip.
"Joshua!" his youngest cousin cried in alarm.
"A temporary setback," Joshua returned. "Worry about yourself for now."
The words came a split second too late. One of the Def Marche players had managed to get a stun on Ayumu and the whole lot of them were cueballed over the edge by Rueban a moment later. Joshua had to fight down a scowl as he launched his last pin onto the board. Of course Rueban would steal all the glory for himself! The show of true colors was more nostalgically nauseating than surprising, but Joshua still chided himself for leaving the situation in his cousin's hands. Now every player but Rueban was a pin down and Josh and Ayumu would have to rely on him out of sheer practicality. After all, why risk your last life when Mr. Goody Two-Pins over there still had-?
Joshua cut off the line of thought as Rueban got caught in an unlucky swing. Apparently, the first player to go over had also respawned before all of them and taken advantage of the distraction.
"Say, cousin?" Rueban asked, putting on false calm as he mashed recovery buttons to shake the stun. "I don't mean to rush you, but if you could just-oh! well, never mind."
And there went Rueban's one pin lead. Joshua had only just launched his respawn half a second before the final blow, but part of him instinctively looked for a possible solution to the passed problem anyway. Maybe if he'd used a bomber he could have gotten there fast enough? He had nineteen in stock with his current pin, and he was certainly coordinated enough for the quick draw. If he'd only been a little faster-
He shook the thought off and pushed forward. Rueban had gotten what he deserved. There was no problem to solve.
A moment later and the rest of the players had repawned. Joshua tried to get in a few free hits before they regrouped, but the best he could manage was to split their attention. Breaking from their previous group tactics, the opposing team now took on more individualized maneuvers.
At first, Joshua thought they'd simply lost their rhythm of play, but after a few close passes he began to realize the virtue of the strategy. The movements only seemed divided on the outside. They would each pick a separate target to antagonize and seemingly draw into single combat before "retreating" into eachother's vectors and taking up the offensive against an unsuspecting pursuer who still thought his chosen opponent was running away.
The result was infuriatingly effective. Without a clear pattern for their opponents switching maneuvers, the Kiryu cousins were left playing on the defensive as they waited against a ticking timer for some sort of decisive opening to secure a lead. While they were currently tied for ring-outs, Def Marche had snuck in a few technical points with their earlier whammy tactics. If they all stayed in the current deadlock, those points would be the tie breaker. And Joshua couldn't let things end that way.
The game wore on, but it wasn't until the last ten-second margin that the opportunity struck. One of the opposing players, probably assured of his impending victory, got greedy and tried to pull a stinger mine on Joshua without realizing how far off his allies had drifted. Seizing the opportunity, Joshua bomber jumped and landed just as the stinger spikes began to recede. His opponent was stunned. Now, all he had to do was-
"Joshua!"
Joshua frowned in the crawling half-second that it took for him to realize it wasn't Ayumu calling his name. No, that was Rueban. What was it now? Was he frustrated that Joshua was stealing the show? Of all the times to make a fuss about who got the credit, and he was choosing now?
Then Joshua realized there was a stunned enemy pin hurtling his way. Apparently Rueban had taken the same opening and was now attempting a double ring-out by knocking both his victim and Joshua's off with a single blow. How had he gotten in so fast? He would have to have a feather-weight pin to move in without Joshua noticing.
Whatever the case, it didn't matter. If Rueban managed to get another double ring-out then he'd never let it go that he had been the one that saved them in their moment of need. Perfect little Rueban Kiryu had reversed his cousins' fortunes and forever saved them from divisive defeat.
Joshua couldn't stand the thought.
Rueban had probably meant for him to clear the way for the shot, but Joshua had other plans. Pulling out the single stinger equipped to his current pin, he halted the incoming pin before throwing his full weight against it. The ricochet sent him flying backwards into his previous victim while Rueban's would-be kill was pushed back to the sender. Without much time to counter, Rueban could either get out of the way and let Joshua have the points or stubbornly use the last of the match to reclaim his petty victory.
It wasn't until Ayumu cried in alarm that he realized the flaw in his plans. In his haste to keep Rueban's savior complex in check, he'd neglected to check on Rueban's actual game piece: A feather-weight pin sitting in the exact same trajectory as the enemy pin he'd just sent flying. And suddenly Joshua realized how Rueban had been able to sneak in a hit before him.
Rueban's piece remained frozen as the enemy pin collided with it and both went over the edge. He'd only been able to stun the enemy as they stunned him back. He hadn't been asking Joshua to move aside, he'd been asking for assistance.
But now it was too late. As Rueban's second pin clattered over the edge, drowned out by the closing bell as the last seconds of the timer turned to zeros, Joshua could only stare straight ahead. He wasn't worried about Rueban anymore. Stupid Rueban and his stupid glory hogging could wait for their just desserts at the next family reunion. But Ayumu…
Joshua held his breath and tried to imagine his younger cousin's face right now. Had he seen it? Had he known that Rueban couldn't dodge the incoming shot? Could he feel Joshua's rising panic as the realizations found their mark?
Someone grabbed his left arm. Probably Rueban. Nobody else would be so audacious as to touch him right now. The room had filled with noise and Joshua could just make out some announcement about proceeding to the next match. Maybe that was what Rueban was getting at: trying to make him move so the next Slammers could get on with it already. Moments after a fatal betrayal and still all he could do was play by the rules... Joshua felt a faint, sickening smile pass to his lips. Rueban Kiryu would never change.
"Yoshiya!"
Finally, he heard his name break through the general clamour as Rueban slowly led him away from the table. He twitched to the side as his eyes searched for the source. "Ayumu?" he croaked back hopefully. Even if it was only to be scolded, Joshua now felt an odd anxiety to see his cousin. If he could just explain himself to Ayumu, then everything would be fine. Rueban seemed to be handling it pretty well, at any rate.
"Come on, cousin," the same voice as before, now recognizable as not Ayumu, came again as they moved towards the exit. "We need to talk."
"Rueban," Joshua breathed, finally identifying the speaker. Pulling away from his cousin, Joshua again scanned the crowd for Ayumu and came back empty. He frowned back at Rueban. "Where…?"
"Joshua," Rueban said again firmly. "We need to talk."
Joshua rolled his eyes in exasperation and turned away. "Why, for another lecture? You won't believe me anyway. Where's Ayumu?"
"I might believe you," Rueban suggested. His voice didn't carry any malice, but Joshua imagined a sadistic tease in it anyway.
"Sure you might," he shot back sarcastically. "Why wouldn't you? You certainly demonstrated faith in my character three years ago. Of course I have no reason to doubt you now."
Apparently the words hit a nerve. Abandoning all decorum, Rueban grabbed Joshua by the shoulders and glared into his eyes. "Yoshiya Kiryu," he said in a low voice. "Give me a reason to believe you."
Joshua stared back with slowly eroding patience. "And why should I?"
"Because," Rueban sighed, averting his eyes to the side. "Ayumu is gone."
"...Gone?"
"He left right after you…" There was a slight pause as Rueban seemed to think of a better way to word the sentence. "Right after it happened. He's still technically in the running, but I'm afraid he might… that is, not to doubt our dear cousin's character-"
"Which is certainly something you would never do," Joshua cut in dryly.
Rueban gave a searching look for a moment. "...I'm afraid he won't come back."
"Because you're out of the game?"
"Because you turned on a family member," Rueban finished in a reproachful growl.
Joshua balked. "Oh, please! I'm sorry, okay? I might pretend to be omniscient, but I didn't actually know you were stunned! Do you want me to go whine to the referee for you to see if he can make an exception for dysfunctional family circumstances? Or would you just be satisfied if I agree you were set to be our MVP? You know, so you can keep that perfect record you always wanted? You should have just asked for that in the first place, cousin. At least then you wouldn't be dragging us down with you!"
"Oh!" A new feminine voice gasped. Whoever the speaker was, she had to be practically right on top of them to be heard so clearly above the crowd. "I...hope I'm not interrupting something?"
Exchanging a glance, both cousins assumed neutral expressions and turned to their new guest.
Standing only a few inches away was the black hooded figure from earlier. Er… wait, maybe it was just someone with a similar generic black hoodie? The members of Def Marche were all guys, weren't they?
Before Joshua could formulate an opening question, the porcupine-headed ringleader from earlier came up beside the mysterious hooded girl and leaned on her shoulder.
"Hey guys!" Porcupine greeted them. "Glad we could catch you. Close match out there, right? Let's play again once we get the teams back together."
"Back… together?" Joshua asked. Had Ayumu made that much of a scene leaving? Had he really not noticed just because he was too wrapped up worrying about himself? A warm blush fired up in his cheeks.
"Yeah, we were playing with a substitute so we couldn't pull off our sweet synced moves like we practiced," Porcupine explained, rubbing ruefully at the back of his head as if his team hadn't nearly mopped the floor with Joshua earlier. "BJ was sick today so we had to bring in Ribbons here at the last minute. Pretty sweet disguise though, you'd never tell she wasn't Beej if you hadn't heard her. Anyway, just wanted to say congrats on those gutsy moves out there! Give those Dan brothers hell for us, a'ight?"
Porcupine finished the statement by offered a fist bump. Before Joshua could recall the proper return gesture, Rueban stepped in to bump knuckles and smile back. "Will do. In the meantime, keep on rockin', eh?"
Joshua forced on a smile and nodded. Rueban was obviously trying to sweep on past the social entanglement as smoothly as possible. On any other occasion, he would probably pick it up as a point of contention to tease his cousin over later. As things stood right now, Joshua was just content to let Rueban get them out of the public eye so they could catch their bearings.
And yet, even as Porcupine turned to go, the hooded "Ribbons" didn't seem to follow the same cue. Maybe she'd been hoping for her own little interaction with the famous Joshua Kiryu? Well… He could oblige her that much. Keeping his smile from sagging, Joshua offered her a fist bump of her own and raised his eyebrows.
"Hi there," Ribbons said warmly, taking the fist bump and entirely missing the hint to leave. "I guess it's been a while, huh? Not that I'd expect you to recognize me. I mean, how many Slammers out there wear hoodies, right?"
Rueban stirred and tilted his head. "You… played with Tatsuya three years back, didn't you?"
"Ah, so you do remember!" Ribbons beamed back. "That makes this easier then. See, I feel like I've got some unfinished business with you. Do you mind if we step outside?"
"We're a little busy at the moment," Joshua sighed. "Could this wait?"
"Actually…" she bowed her head apologetically and played with her sleeves. "I have a train to catch now that I'm out of the running. But I won't take long! I promise. It's just... things didn't seem to end so well last time, so I've been meaning to check up on you for a while now."
"Hmm," Joshua hummed his understanding and shifted Rueban a look. "Well, I do just so happen to have a fanmail P.O. box, so if you'd like to send something through there-"
Ribbons shook her head. "I would, but that might take too long. And I wanted to get all three of you together."
"Well, as you can see, we're a man down at the moment," Rueban finally cut in. "So, I guess we'll have to do this another time, then?"
"But that's just it," Ribbons said, as if she hadn't been vaguely circling the point for her last few sentences. "I was afraid you'd broken up over the cheating allegations. And I… well, I wanted to make sure you were all right. And maybe I still can. But you'll need to work together."
"...Your concern is touching," Rueban assured her after a moment. "But I think we have it covered."
Ribbons remained unconvinced. "Were you watching where your other cousin went off to?"
Rueban opened his mouth, then closed it and looked back to Joshua. Joshua merely shrugged in response. If Rueban really hadn't been paying attention, then he would need some sort of lead to track down their erstwhile cousin. Why look a gift horse in the mouth?
"Great," the hooded girl clapped her hands together and nodded. "It's settled then: You hear me out and I tell you where to go. Now, shall we? We can get a head start if we talk while we walk."
"Fine," Joshua sighed, shrugging in defeat. "Rueban? Be a dear and get the door for the lady."
"Ah, thank you," the girl bowed to Rueban as he dutifully followed his orders. "Now then, I wanted to explain about the 'malfunction' three years back."
Joshua raised an eyebrow at his remaining cousin and followed. "Oh? You wouldn't happen to know who was responsible for that, would you?"
"Of course," she stopped to push back her hood as they stepped outside. Long black hair threaded with silk ribbons spilled out of confinement and she took a moment to tug the remaining strands from the back of her garment. When she was done, she turned to offer an apologetic smile. "I did it," she said, then added, "For Tatsuya. He wanted to do it himself, but subtlety doesn't exactly run strong in the Dan family."
"...Because Tatsuya wanted to sabotage himself," Rueban concluded dubiously, looking away from the Josh and Ribbons as if ashamed to be associated with them. Admittedly, the tale seemed decidedly less likely than what Rueban had cooked up in its absence. Joshua would probably accuse himself too if this were the alternative. "Well, that certainly makes more sense than an overzealous rival setting him up. It's a wonder I didn't think of it before."
"I know, it seems a little counterintuitive," Ribbons sighed. "Just hold on a moment. Tatsuya wanted to give Shuto a chance to outshine him. See, before then, the Tin Pin world sort of saw Shuto as living in his brother's shadow, and Tatsuya wanted to give him a decisive victory before he went off to university and left the scene."
"So naturally that meant sabotaging himself," Rueban put in again.
Joshua gave his cousin a sympathetic smirk. "Shut up and walk, dear."
Rueban shot back a flat look and continued on. "Forgive me if I seem skeptical."
"Well, the point was for the world to see Shuto on his own," Ribbons explained. "So Tatsuya thought if we entered a tournament, but then he dropped out halfway through, it would be the perfect opportunity for Shuto to step up and show off his raw talent. The problem was, Shuto would know if his brother threw the match, so we needed some way to get Dan out of action that didn't involve play on the field. Ergo…" She stopped and pointed to Rueban.
"He sabotaged himself," Joshua finished after a few beats of silence from his cousin. In a way, the whole thing made him want to laugh. Here they were, after three years of pointing fingers, and the victim turned out to be the culprit all along. "Well… I'll be dipped in ginger."
Still, Rueban seemed determined to argue. "So he was supporting his brother by abandoning him," the middle Kiryu said quietly. "Did he know he'd be facing us? I mean, if the match had gone any further..."
"Call it the curiosity of the Dans," Ribbons replied wistfully. "Maybe Shuto wouldn't have won the match, but he'd still make his brother proud in his own way. The important thing wasn't to be perfect, just that the brothers could play as equals.
"Now, admittedly," she went on, holding up a finger to silence any preemptive snark from her audience. "Tatsuya understands now that it was a stupid plan. We had to apologize to Shuto afterwords and he's still asked me to keep it hidden from the public to this day. But for you-"
"What about us?" Rueban cut in. He was trying to keep an even tone, but Joshua could still see his fists clenching white. "Why are you going out of your way to explain yourself to a few perfect strangers? Do you pity us?"
Finally, the girl stopped and faced them with a patient expression. "I'm sorry," she said with perfect sincerity. "We've caused you a lot of trouble over the years, haven't we? It feels wrong to ask for forgiveness but… well, so long as you don't let it get in the way of your family. So long as you can do that, I think it will all be all right."
Joshua watched the girl carefully, trying to find some angle she might be playing. He'd dealt with fangirls before, and some of them were even crafty enough to hide their blind devotion behind a kind of empathy for their idols. But this girl, who so presumptively forced her presence on them all for the sake of confessing a crime… something felt familiar about that. She hadn't come to them for leverage, she'd come simply because she believed it was the right thing to do.
What an oddball, Joshua thought, shaking his head. And yet…
"Anyway," Ribbons finished, offering a hand to her Kiryu companions. "I should be going if I want to catch my train. Your cousin headed off towards Udagawa, from what I could tell. I hope it all ends well between you."
Joshua shook first, then Rueban. Ribbons gave them a parting wave and then she was off. In a way, the experience still felt too surreal to accept. But if Rueban actually believed it…
"I believe I owe you an apology," the middle Kiryu said after a moment.
Joshua weighed the statement, but took comfort in its flat inflection. Rueban's authenticity had better odds if he wasn't trying to make a show of his penitance. Nodding slowly, the elder Kiryu sighed and cupped his chin. "Well… I suppose you're off the hook for today then."
"What, because I'm out of the tourney?" Rueban gave a wry smile and looked ahead. "Ah… if only it were that simple, cousin."
"Let me guess: Somebody has to keep Yoshiya Kiryu's ego in check?"
Rue chuckled. "That too. But I'm more concerned about getting you and Ayumu back to the tourney."
"...You're not mad?"
A beat of silence followed and for a moment Joshua thought the whole thing might come crashing down like an elaborate soap bubble fantasy. Then, with perfect composure, Rueban replied, "I'm furious. But more at myself than either of you."
"I meant about this last match," Joshua clarified. "You know, with the whole-"
"It wasn't your fault," Rueban interrupted. "You didn't know."
"You know, you shouldn't go thinking everything's all about you all the time," Joshua teased, smiling to himself as they passed further into the city.
Rueban only shrugged. "What can I say? I'm still a Kiryu."
…
CG's Definitely-Not-Past-Midnight-Thanks-Why-Do-You-Ask? Author's Notes:
Wow. That was way too long! For examples of stories that are less long and definitely better paced, please check out Aviantei's Yehua "Wildflowers" collection going on this SOSS season.
Also, for general examples for an author who knows what a timetable is, check out Aviantei's page in general, because she has put me to shame with her punctuality.
But enough about all that. As you can tell, once again got stuck with the "unravelling" chapter and kind of just went nuts with uncalled for plot twists and character drama because for some reason I didn't feel like going the easy route. Yeah, good job, me. Way to be unpredictable by not giving anyone any sort of valid clues to guess from! I mean, to be fair, it's difficult to write a mystery element into a collaborative story when you're only half-sure of half the facts yourself, but if any of this somehow worked, then I'm glad you were able to enjoy it.
Now, since it is way passed my bedtime and I have work in a few hours, I hope you'll forgive the lack of Slammer profile and just be content that this chapter is finally published.
See you next week!
-CG
...
EeveeGen9988's Awe-Eyed Author's Notes:
Interestingly enough, I was going to include the first match of Tri-Tan-Tour last chapter, but apparently the chapter was quite long. So it was weaved into this one. I didn't mean for the chapter to mainly be a 'setup chapter'. =3
To be honest, the one thing I find the hardest to write about from TWEWY is Tin Pin Slammers. It's the sort of game where you have to actually play and see it yourself to know how it works. As such, trying to write out the mechanics into the story perfectly hasn't always been my strong suit (which is why I have few scenes of Tin Pin in UF or AFIH). Although, I hope I can get better at it, especially when it's my turn to write the next few Tin Pin scenes. Heheheh...*rubs back of neck sheepishly*
As always, CG does a brilliant job at bringing together everything. It's not hard for me to look up to him, as I know he's way more advanced in his writing than me(especially his awesome art skills). So I had always wondered why he decided checking out TWEWY AFIH was noteworthy, especially when I sucked at writing still at that point (seriously, I was really at that time, but I've really improved since then. One of the things I'm glad about was changing TWEWY A Fall Into Power into TWEWY A Fall Into Honour, heh). I'm lucky to have met him, he's a really cool and awesome guy (you should check out some of his stories, they're really worth your while). =3
Also, if you're in the mood for other great stories as well from the Sauce Project, go check out some of the Twelve Shots of Summer stories. And if you like those, check out the current TSoS AllStars poll in the "Last Rose of Summer" section. There are a lot of stories that are absolute gems from over the last four years of TSos that deserve a little good ol' recognition, y'know? =D
- EeveeGen9988