[Fic] Of Wins and Losses

[arahannan]

Just something short written up after reading PoT 358 and 359 - I was so disappointed with the end of the D2 game. Rikkaidai's reactions are impossible to really figure out - this is just one take on the whole situation!

Title: Of Wins and Losses
Characters: Kirihara, and a little of the Troika and Yagyuu (yes, Yagyuu)
Rating: PG/K+
Warnings: Spoilers

Comments

[nylle15]

I love the atmosphere of this fic. There's just something engaging in it. I don't know how to describe it, really - it has tension, a certain amount of discontent, frustration, a bit of an unsettling feeling - but in all the right doses. I can really sympathize with Yanagi's disappointment and Kirihara's frustration. Kirihara trying to justify to himself that he only did what he did to win but thinks that what he really did was wrong. The Troika-Kirihara interaction was really nice too. And Yagyuu, you are so very right! Akaya has far greater potential than his devil mode. Akaya probably hasn't realized that fact yet, though, but he's a real natural, and even without his devil mode, he could reach greater heights. I also like the Yagyuu-Kirihara interaction a lot. Although the two aren't very close, Kirihara shows that he still has that respect for his sempai by listening to him, and he's probably trying to get a bit of consolation about that ugly outcome of the match from Yagyuu too. The ending was perfect. Yagyuu's line just stood

[arahannan]

Glad you enjoyed - I wasn't entirely sure about this one, since I don't usually write actual tennis stuff and Rikkai's reaction to the match could go so many different ways

[nylle15]

True, there are so many ways to interpret that match, but I can picture this as possibly happening. Rikkai is a great team, and they would just not resort to violent options if there are other ways to win. They'd probably only take that as a last resort, like in the Nagoya Seitoku match. I'm pretty sure Yukimura and Sanada would not have wanted that match to go that way -- totally destroying an opponent doesn't really prove anything about a person's skill

[arahannan]

I doubt Sanada and Yukimura were pleased with the way D2 went - even though both of them are set on winning, they also seem to have high expectations when it comes to actual execution of skill. And you're right - destroying an opponent doesn't really show off much skill at all, except for aim, really

[dshae47]

Oh, oh, I have an almost-finished fic about this too. I'm reading the canon facts a little differently, though, so I thought I'd ask you what you think... Yagyuu and Marui and Jackal losing on purpose, and the Regulars' satisfied smiles when Kirihara pounds his Nagoya Seitoku rival to the ground: I read it as an admission that "annihilation tennis" was alright with Yukimura's and Sanada's Winning-Is-Everything attitude.

I like your version better, to be honest. But my mental Rikkai's pretty ruthless... I'd like to hear more about your take on Rikkai's stance regarding Kiri's tennis, whenever you have the time :).

PS. I really liked this!

[arahannan]

When I wrote this shortly after that chapter of the manga came out, and I remember being so irritated with the amount of violence there was - so this was mainly a way to vent, I think. : )

But anyway - I agree that Rikkai is more ruthless than most of the other teams, not just in using violence but manipulation, intimidation, etc. as well. As a whole, I think the team accepts Kirihara's violent tennis as a way to get a win, even if they might not fully support it or use it themselves. Individually, I assume they vary: Jackal always looks a little horrified at Kirihara's behavior, Sanada and Yukimura look detached, and Yagyuu seems quite accepting of the whole thing.

The Yanagi-Kirihara vs. Inui-Kaidoh match is an exception in my mind, however, since at the start of things they seem to be playing by Yanagi's rules, and I get the impression that he'd be seriously pissed if Kirihara managed to take things into his own hands (which he eventually does) instead of falling neatly into Yanagi's manipulative game. Yanagi, I assume, would

[dshae47]

This is going to be long and probably nonsensical ~_

[arahannan]

Lonnnnng comment ahead