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branchandrootFic post from my archive.
The long awaited last match of Nationals.
Seiichi's smile changed, undiluted pleasure added to the satisfaction. It was the last round of Nationals, and they were ready.
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Date: 2004-08-09 01:40 am (UTC)Just perfect.
[snuggles]
(Besides, I don't WANT to know who wins, damn it. Because when one of them wins, it ENDS.)
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Date: 2004-08-09 03:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-09 01:51 am (UTC)EEEYUKIMURA! XD
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Date: 2004-08-09 03:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-09 06:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-09 05:22 pm (UTC)*whistles* Snazzy art.
I have to say, it was Momo's eyes that got me at first. Well, that and the scene when he and Ryouma first meet and they just grin at each other with this "Aha, a little challenge, this'll be fun!" look. It was cute, I was hooked. Though it wasn't until I started reading the manga that I really appreciated Momo as a player rather than cute comic relief. That was when I actually started to work out a decent MomoRyo plotline.
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Date: 2004-08-09 02:04 am (UTC)And Niou being the evil/mischievous person he is? Of course I can't resist.
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Date: 2004-08-09 03:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-09 02:18 am (UTC)And here I was thinking whether I was the only fanfic reader/writer who bounces in her seat whenever a tennis match is covered in fanfictions... In many fanfics, somewhere along the romance and angst/fluff the actual tennis part often goes missing, and despite being a non-sports person, it made the fanfictions less TeniPuri-authentic to me. Like, such events could have taken place in any other fandom, not specifically in TeniPuri. That's another reason why I like your fanfictions. You cover the tennis matches with enough details to excite, but not enough to lose non-athletes completely.
Speaking of the actual matches, I thought the outcomes of the matches up to Singles 1 were very realistic. Doubles 2, especially, because the Regional's final made me wonder how the Golden Pair would have fared against them; while Momoshiro and Kaidoh were both baseliners, Eiji is a serve and volley player, with same emphasis on net play as Bunta. Plus, Oishi's closest counterpart in terms of defense and support seemed to be Jackal.
Anyway, in this arc, each story was a joy to follow, with an equally beautiful ending. Thank you for sharing them. I look forward to reading your new arcs!
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Date: 2004-08-09 03:58 am (UTC)I'm glad to hear you like how much tennis I include; I always kind of waffle over that, because it's tempting to go outside the environment canon provides. But I think you're right--too far from tennis, and it just isn't tenipuri anymore.
*delighted* Thank you for reading!
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Date: 2004-08-09 12:43 pm (UTC)I couldn't agree more. I'm a tennis fan and I simply LOVE when Emily writes the matches...and mix it so well with characters lives.
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Date: 2004-08-09 03:14 am (UTC)Goes it makes me anticipate so badly - not only is there such a clear view on each character, this could very well be the closet possible prediction to the outcome of the manga! (I'M HOPING SO BAD. >3)
And the cliffhanger kills me at the end but it's a nice peaceful death. <3
♥
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Date: 2004-08-09 04:02 am (UTC)You and me, both, because if Konomi just drops Rikkai after all this, I will be absolutely traumatized.
*giggles* D2 did make a nice, little Pair moment for themselves; they really are cute.
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Date: 2004-08-09 04:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-09 05:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-09 07:34 am (UTC)*sends emily truckloads of cookies*
*goes back to reread again* *and again* *and again*
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Date: 2004-08-09 05:24 pm (UTC)*snugs you*
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Date: 2004-08-09 12:48 pm (UTC)What I think interesting is that I never liked Rikkai Dai. I mean...they were totally...geez, I forgot the word. It's not that I disliked them, I just didn't care about this team. Until I started to read your fics.
You made me love all of them. You made me a Rikkai Dai fan, as much as I am a Hyotei fan, and you are great for it.
I'm eagger waiting for the next arc (with a little worry, I confess, because even though I love Akaya, he's not my preference in fanfics) and I can say you couldn't end this arc better. YOU ARE TERRIFIC. Really.
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Date: 2004-08-09 05:27 pm (UTC)Rikkai deserves all the love they can get; the poor boys got such a raw deal in the anime. Though I'm kind of amazed at how they grew on me, too. After all, this was only supposed to be a little Yagyuu/Niou fic, at the beginning!
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Date: 2004-08-09 10:13 pm (UTC)And I have loved, loved, LOVED this entire series, even if sometimes the pairings (and then some) make myself and my muses go "ACKACKACK!!!!", I have still cherished every word.
And YOU are the first person to receive my long-awaited "holiest fucking gods" icon (believe me, this is an achievement)!
And I can't wait for Kirihara-buchou. *little squee* Akaya's my favorite character in the entire series (though very closely followed by Marui and Yukimura and the entire Rikkai team) and the thought of him as team captain makes my heart leap. *bounces*
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Date: 2004-08-10 12:15 am (UTC)*pleased* Not bad work, then, considering that I know zip about tennis, myself. Besides the fact that it's harder than it looks, and counts the score weirdly. ^_^;
*pets Kiri-buchou* And he's going to have such a hard time to begin with, poor dear. But there will be a happy ending, because I don't do any other kind!
^_^V
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Date: 2004-08-10 03:17 am (UTC)Just perfect. And not telling is the point. See, this is how I want the PoT manga to end. I don't want to know who wins the Nationals, just seeing all the team I care about making it is worth it. This is perfect. Darling, you make these characters what they are meant to be in ther series, you make them into a team, and I love you for that.
LOVE *huggles*
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Date: 2004-08-10 04:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-10 11:14 am (UTC)Well, in Japan, High School has three years, right? And...people use to play (in clubs or I don't know what) in their last year?
I'm asking because I'm remembering "Dear Boys" where the guys had to stop to play in their last year in High School. And, as I'm planning to write a fic (just planning) in their last year, I need to know if they would be playing tennis or not (at least at school).
If you can help me...or know someone who can, I'd be really pleased.
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Date: 2004-08-10 04:49 pm (UTC)Yes. Both junior high and high school are three years. In both cases, if the student is continuing to the next level of education he must retire from his club and other extracurricular activities during the last six months or so of his third year in order to study for entrance exams. Even someone at a school like Rikkai or Seigaku, which give first preference to students coming up from their own lower division schools, students still have to pass the exam.
This is why the tournament season rushes along so fast; it has to be finished before the third years would have to retire. It's also why Kawamura, at some point, mentions that, if the team is washed out at any point along the way, the third years will all be expected to retire then, since studying for exams would take precedence over continued practice, at least in an academically oriented school like Seigaku.
So, if it's Seigaku or Hyoutei or Rikkai, you can probably assume that the boys retire from the club after the tournament season (spring and summer, maybe a little into autumn, but I'm not sure about that).
Hope that helps!
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Date: 2004-08-10 05:12 pm (UTC)So, what you said to me is that both: junior high and high school student have to retire in mid season to study? (I've thought it was just high school student)
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Date: 2004-08-11 01:59 pm (UTC)The ending was perfect - the unknown resolution that leaves the reader to decide who won. Personally, my bet is Tezuka... he's the main Mary Sue, after all.
I would like to see more Rikkai from you.
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Date: 2004-08-11 02:53 pm (UTC)*snickers* Mary Sue v The Damsel in Distress! Oh, god.
I'm pretty sure there will be more. Kirihara needs to deal with being captain. And he's already found himself a congenial coach, too; resourceful boy. I expect I'll peck at that after the MomoRyo branch.
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Date: 2004-08-13 02:56 am (UTC)I have such a hard time writing him, for serious fics. I always end up throwing him into crack verses.
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Date: 2005-01-30 12:25 am (UTC)The grande finale of 'Challenge' is wonderful in how it climaxes the whole arc, and bring (most of) the plot threads to an end. (Fuji being the exception, since he just has too many too growly Issues(tm) still.:) Ending it without giving the result is--
--well, it's perfect. We don't need to know the result; it doesn't matter to this story. What's important is that the game is played the way they all hoped it would be. Both teams made it there intact and raring to go, and it's glorious and right. I'm so happy. :D
(Icon is in celebration of the cosmic unfairness of being done reading the Challenge ard. In a good way.)
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Date: 2005-01-30 12:58 am (UTC)*snorts water out her nose* Oh... dear. That'll be something to see. *grins*
Glad you liked it, though! Especially the ending; I was surprised everyone seemed to approve of the ending so much. I was sure I'd be accused of a cop out. ^_^ But it's true--the boys care who wins, but playing a good game is just as important.
And I couldn't have chosen between Yukimura and Tezuka!
I still hope to get back to my Kirihara-centric arc, some day, the one that follows Challenge. But it got preempted by Angel Sanctuary. And then the utter crack-arc that crossed over PoT and AS. It wasn't my fault, really. Maybe when the crack is done Kiri-elf will get his turn again. ^_^;
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Date: 2005-01-30 01:09 am (UTC)But it got preempted by Angel Sanctuary. And then the utter crack-arc that crossed over PoT and AS.
Augh the temptation. I am so glad AS is on my to aquire and read list! On the other hand, it's not supposed to happen until I've caught up on Ororon and Demon Diaries! Funds aren't bottomless. *wibble* ._.
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Date: 2005-01-30 01:47 am (UTC)I recruit for that series like mad. ^_^
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Date: 2005-01-30 02:38 am (UTC)Like I have any resistance against pimping done by people whose writing I fangirl. That's how I ended up stumbling into animanga fandom in the first place. ._.
<-- is weak and easily lead.
That is to say, holy jeebus, are you sure?! o.o I mean, that's incredibly nice of you! <:)
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Date: 2005-01-30 03:11 am (UTC)*ahem*
Sure, no problem. *grins* Just drop me your address at ravenwood.1@osu.edu, and I'll send it off.