Completely Rewriting the Plot of Tenipuri, Part 2

[volleygenius]

Kiddo seems to think he's free to leave after the vice-captain's dismissal from practice. This is his next lesson. Socializing is the last thing he wants to do if his face is any indication, and that's really too bad for him. Marui lassos an arm loosely around his neck and grins devilishly at his sputtering wet cat reception to the contact.

"What? Don't look so put off. Jackal's treating us to burgers and shakes."

Comments

[koshimae]

Echizen blinks and there is a pause of about three seconds where he's just trying to process what he's been told is his reality. Except it's not.

"I haven't heard anything about that."

[senselessness]

"Sit down and shut up," Jackal said quietly, while Akaya tried to figure that one out. It snapped him out of the thought.

"But I didn't even say anything!"

"Luckily for you."

[volleygenius]

Marui, who'd been in the middle of a bite of his burger, chokes on a laugh at Echizen's oblivious shoot-down.

"Okay?" He asks from across the table. Marui flashes them a thumbs-up as he coughs a couple more times and takes a drink to wash it down.

"Well, it might not be such a joke. It wouldn't surprise me if we have a first year ace everyone's heard about soon."

[senselessness]

"Wait, what?" Akaya exclaimed.

Jackal can see Akaya's brain split between confusion and anger at Marui's comment-- the initial response morphing into "Wait. What the hell?" The second year is more comfortable with the confusion, but Jackal figures anger would be a better motivator.

"He said every spot on the regulars is competitive and just because you're the only second year to make it now doesn't mean you will be forever. I seem to recall a time when three first years carried Rikkai to Nationals."

[volleygenius]

Jackal understood the assignment. Making Yukimura's dream come true for him is the absolute top priority. If the threat of being surpassed works to motivate Akaya to train harder, they should use it. Marui doesn't have any serious expectations for the freshman to get that strong that fast, of course. He was talented, sure, but so were all of them. They were Rikkai. But it was a good carrot for both of them.

Echizen himself has stayed quiet while all of this unfolds, but Marui can see the gears behind those big golden brown eyes are turning. He's paying attention.

"I don't really care who everyone is talking about," he finally says as he munches a fry, and with all of the aloof nonchalance of someone who means that. "If my senpai wants to be more heard-of, he can have it."

That's a little disappointing. Marui had him pegged as more competitive than that.

"But," Echizen lifts a smile as he meets Akaya's eyes with all of the intended rivalry Marui had misplaced in fame. "When the time comes for us to play, the winner will be me."

[bloodshotdye]

Akaya's eyes flashed.

"Big talk from someone who couldn't beat a doubles specialist in singles," he said.

He thought about last year. About how even training his ass off wasn't enough to close the gap between him and the three demons.

"Anyway, I'll play you any time you want," he said. "But only because it's what fukubuchou and Yanagi-senpai would say to me. You can lose to us as many times as you want, if it means you keep getting stronger. But that isn't enough to actually get into a tournament match."

[koshimae]

Echizen dead-eye stares right back into Akaya's eyes, not the least intimidated. And says absolutely nothing back at first.

Silent staring.

Silent staring.

Silent staring.

"Of course it's like that," he finally says, as though explaining something simple to a toddler. And he smiles with a glint of the challenger's spirit in his eyes, clearly none humbled by his loss a bit earlier. "It'd be boring if I didn't have to get stronger to beat the strongest."

Marui doesn't say anything, but the answer resonates with him. Echizen was right: most matches were boring because there was no challenge. If he's honest, the beatdown he'd given their newbie was one of the first interesting ones he'd played in a while. The skill difference was too enormous, but Echizen hadn't just been spitballing attacks in hopes of a point like most players. He really understood the game's strategy, and he analyzed factors about his opponent's play style and body type for a tailored approach. If he got stronger, he really might be able to put a little pressure on him sometime in the future. Wouldn't that be something.