PoT: Standalone: The Quality of Mercy

[branchfic]

Fic post from my archive.

The Quality of Mercy

Yukimura's reaction to his team's behavior during his absence. Drama, I-3

"Too many of those games were sloppy, and too many were aimed at cheap victories that were unworthy of you. We are Rikkai. We are the best." His eyes narrowed. "We don't need to win by default. Ever."

Comments

[annotated_em]

Words fail me. Utterly fail me.

♥

[branchandroot]

*snugs* Thank you, darling.

*wry* They almost failed me, too, on this one. Had to revise about six times to keep it from devolving into exposition. *squints* But I think I caught what I wanted.

[featherfire]

I'm so glad you're still writing Rikkai. I love your Rikkai.

[branchandroot]

*beams* Thank you!

[lady_readwolf]

Rikkai? + Branch?
=
a very happy fangirl.
[purrs with contentment]

I just like the way your Yukimura handles everything. It's beautiful to observe. Not to leave out, everyone else's reactions... Actually, I just finished reading vol.28--I remembered hearing something about Tachibana's old play styles being similar to Kirihara's aggressiveness and was wondering why you hadn't already written something specifically about that comparrison. [laughs] I'll have to re-read Third Watch to see if I can pick any of it up in there, too...

[branchandroot]

There, you see? It did work. *grins*

And, yeah, as I read on with the manga it really is changing my ideas of the characters here and there. *snorts* Of course, a lot of my latest thoughts got ploughed straight into rp, and may never see the light of day. Ah, well.

[lady_readwolf]

Of course, a lot of my latest thoughts got ploughed straight into rp, and may never see the light of day.

[cries] say it ain't so! say it just ain't so!
[tries for the sad wolfie look]

[branchandroot]

*pleased* Thank you!

I think writing Bleach fic was good for me. It really cranked up my desire for indirect characterization in all of my fic. Which worked out nicely in this one. ^_^

Sanada: *mutters* I think I'd have preferred it if he'd just hit me.

Emily: *patiently* Well, yes, that's rather the point.

[lawnmower_elf]

Your Sanada. My god. The way you so captured him, right there, on the receiving end of the rebuke...

The ebb and flow of emotions between the team members and their captain was also beautiful - all that in such a short scene, in just a short conversation.

**holds you in awe**

[branchandroot]

*blushing* Thank you!

Really, this one was mostly about trying to work out some of the more complex bits that I see in Sanada's character, and in Yukimura's. Great to know it worked out. *pleased*

[lawnmower_elf]

**suddenly recognizes the name**
Ahh!!
You're the one who did the Rikkai "Challenge" arc, and the beautiful Seigaku ones, and the Tennis Sanctuary drabbles, and the wonderful FMA ones...!!!

Have you any idea how legendary you are? (I apologize for my utter lack of incoherency here, because MY GOODNESS it's YOU, isn't it?)

It's odd how Yukimura comes across (to me) more like the lens through which we get insight into Kirihara and Sanada, and less so into Yukimura himself. Your Sanada is amazing, and so was that essay you did on him (manga!Sanada is canon for me; the anime sometimes just doesn't mesh...). And it's luverly that you're ficcing in Tenipuri again! (now that I realize who you are... <.< )

**shock**
Ahh!!

[branchandroot]

*blushing fit to fry an egg on her face* Yeah, that would be me. #^_^#

*thoughtful* It's true, this story reveals Kirihara and Sanada more directly than it does Yukimura. His action and understanding makes the... frame, perhaps, for their responses to him. Which makes a certain amount of sense, since the relationships between them were the central idea. Glad you liked the essay, too!

*grins* And you can mostly blame Lynn for this line of stories. She keeps bringing up these ideas, and they morph into plot-bunnies and latch onto my ankle. Every time I think some other show has wrested my soul out of Rikkai's clutches, the muses just have to go and prove me wrong...