The Great Debate Tournament

2 years ago

The high school's auditorium was nearly full as audience members were streaming in for that evening's planned debate team tournament. While most of the attendees would be parents and teachers, there were also going to be a small smattering of local business and college recruiters who were always on the look out for exceptionally-talented academic students to put onto their radar for future contacts, so this was no minor event for the participants looking to stand out and perform.

Among the crowd, Mitsuha's and Michiko's families made their way into their assigned seats. While the parents prepared to sit quietly, Tsuyoshi struggled to contain his excitement to watch the two girls perform their magic. As far as he was concerned, any group going up against Mitsuha and Michiko on the same academic team may as well just throw in the towel. Pick your poison, you guys... Michiko might be nicer about it but either girl was more than prepared to slice their opponents apart... rhetorically speaking that is.

Up on the stage, both debate teams were gathering up on opposite sides, with their respective teachers giving last-minute coaching instructions. The tournament had two, four-person teams, with the home team giving the affirmative argument position and the visitors presenting the negative position. Michiko and Mitsuha were on the home team, with Michiko holding the opening position of the roster. It would be her job to give a strong presentation out of the gate. Mitsuha held what was arguably the most important anchor position. It would be her job to give her team's presentation a graceful close, and if necessary, shut down any opposing attempts to undermine their positions. Being second-year students, it was unusual for both of them to be on this team, which would normally be held by third-year students. However, the two girls' academics and debate performances had persuaded the coaches to give them the nod.

Finally, the MC stepped up to welcome the audience, announced both teams, along with the rules. The contest would use a rotating format to swap which team would present first. After the initial greetings were concluded, he stepped aside, and the competition began.

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Michiko opened the competition. As expected, her presentation was clear and logical as she skillfully laid the rhetorical foundations for her teammates to build upon, all the while sprinkling in the occasional anecdote with her trademark wit and charm that she was known for. In the school debate club, her natural charisma complimented her intellect, making her popular among her classmates. She wrapped up her opening as the warning buzzer went off.

Nicely done... Mitsuha smiled and nodded as the auditorium gave polite applause. Couldn't have asked for a better beginning. The groundwork was laid, leaving little room for their opponents to undermine their basic arguments and her deceptively-genial presentation would make any negative retaliation look like bullying. The middle rounds would be led by their third-year seniors. She mentally kept track with the back-and-forth of the debate, so she would be ready for the wrap up once her turn came.

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The second half of the debate kicked off with the home school's third teammate laying down the groundwork for a closing delivery. A third-year student, he delivered a solid preparatory for the team wrap up, with the intent to hand off the finale to Mitsuha to deliver the close. However, due to the round-robin format, the visitor team would have two consecutive respondents. The opposing team opened their arguments with a more aggressive stance, trying to seize the rhetorical initiative back from the home team.

They're trying to push an ad hominem attack instead of a logical one to provoke an emotional response, Michiko thought as she watched the visitor's shift in demeanor. Since all our third-year students have gone, they must be looking at Mitsuha and thinking she's the weak link and believe they can provoke her into making a mistake, especially for the closing. The format of the competition didn't allow Michiko to say anything to Mitsuha so she couldn't express her concern, but one glance told her that her worries were unwarranted. To anyone else, it looked like Mitsuha was just being dispassionate, but Michiko recognized that cool, composed expression. She was normally a cheerful, optimistic person, but the one thing Mitsuha didn't stand for was being looked down upon. That expression was her truly angry look; those poor fools had no idea what they just unleashed...

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Thirty minutes later, the auditorium was in a mixture of applause and aghast even before Mitsuha had finished her final presentation. The last two members of the visitor team were flabbergasted; their arguments in shambles as she had effectively laid their baseless attacks bare for all to see, exposing their strategy and ending any chance at their team's win for good. The rest of the home team all congratulated her as Michiko thought to herself with a mixture of admiration and awe; what a demon...she's going to sell refrigerators to Eskimos one day...! It had been a stunning reversal and by far one of the proudest moments in her academic history.

In the audience, both girls' families were equally proud of their girls' performances, but Tsuyoshi was especially beaming with pride. The master assassins had done him proud , he thought. Of course, those idiots from the visitor school made it easy by underestimating his little sister, as so many had in the past, but he was confident that the outcome would have been the same regardless. He could not be prouder of them, if he weren't their own guardian.

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"So that means... you'll be going away...?" both girls exclaimed to Tsuyoshi, as the three of them met in the back of the auditorium. He had come to gather the girls up while the parents were heading out to meet with their teachers. However, amid the celebrations, the topic had drifted when Tsuyoshi had quietly mentioned that he had just passed his University entrance exam.

"Eh?" Tsuyoshi explained with surprised. "No way... I would never leave my Imoto-chan all by herself!" He patted both girls on their heads, a practice that usually garnered a mix of bemusement and annoyance, but not this time. "And you..." turning towards Michiko, "where else am I going to be able to find another Shogi partner to keep me sharp?"

Mitsuha blushed at the affectionate title. "But... it seems like a long commute to have to drive?'

"Don't worry about it," Tsuyoshi assured them both. "Besides, I need to be around to make sure you both reach your true potentials."

"P-potential...?" They both asked and looked at each other. Michiko then said, "But you're the one we all look up to," she insisted.

"Don't doubt in your own abilities," Tsuyoshi insisted. "You two... you're going to be true stars," he assured them both. "Trust me... one day... you're both going to do great things! I see a day when a whole stadium... no...a whole city out there will be cheering your names!" he waxed enthusiastically.

"Oniichan... don't be so silly...!" Mitsuha replied sheepishly with embarrassment. She recognized when he was off on one of his wild tangents; of course that could never happen , she thought.

"Well...regardless of what happens, just remember," Tsuyoshi drew Mitsuha close to him affectionately. "I'll always be here for you, Imoto-chan," he assured her.