Crimson Eagle

Ch.39 An Ace is the Queen in Chess

5-6

Nakano's serve. She gets the ball to the Wing Spiker but she shanks it out of bounds. She then does it again but this time hits it softly as the ball lands in between the Libero and the Wing Spiker. The Libero raised it up as Nana sets it to Kimiko since they are out of system. Kimiko slams it into Yuna's block as it went down near Koyuki's side of the net.

6-7

"Here we go!" Akari claps her hands to encourage her team. Nakano's right next to her. "I'm going to use my left." Nakano nods as the ball came over from a pinch server.

"Mine!" Kiyoko passes the ball as it went to Nakano.

"Kiyoko!!" Kiyoko was ready for a set as it drew the Middle Blocker since she didn't say Akari's name, so she shifts to the right a bit. Nakano touches the ball and arches her back as Raesoo went to cover Kiyoko. Akari was quick to slam it down as hard as she can because she had a clear shot. They saw nothing but a red flash. Kiyoko sweat drops and puts her thumbs up.

"Dammit!" The Middle Blocker cursed at herself. She just got juked. Kimiko deadpans and waves it off.

"We're still in this." Kimiko then turns to Akari who she didn't see since Nakano called another person. She's small compared to the other spikers, and not to mention fast. Not the typical swan who blends in with the rest of the flock. This one had color other than white.

They have a 2 point lead. Akari takes a deep breath and serves with her left. Kimiko picks it up as Nana went for a quick attack with the Middle Blocker. This one loves hit towards Nakano, so Yuna made her hit to Raesoo since she notice that Yuna was going to block her. Raesoo picks it up as Yuna went for a broad jump while Koyuki went in the Middle and Kiyoko on the Left. They watched as Akari wasn't moving. Nakano sets to Koyuki who feints it. Nana digs it up as the Libero sets Kimiko up.

Yuna steps back as Kimiko looks and then spikes it to the open area. But to her surprise, Akari dives to her right to save the ball as Nakano moves out of the way and connects with it. Akari was on her feet but Kiyoko went it hit the ball. It went off the hands and Akari went to retrieve it. She didn't know if it's in or out.

"In! In!" She heard Asami and Raesoo as she bumps it back into the court. Nakano sets Kiyoko against this time Raesoo picks it up.

"Nakano!" Akari yells as she steps back a bit. Waiting for the set. She looks at the defense and notice 2 blockers getting ready for her. Now or never. "Cover!" She yells as she jumps in the air. And faces her body to the Libero but her hands faced the Setter as it hits her chest. Kimiko dives for it as the Opposite Hitter went to hit it. But Kiyoko blocked her. 

"Yeahhh!!" Kiyoko turns and faced us. I turn curled my fingers and put them up. Raesoo and puts her hands up as the wile team went wild.

6-9

"6! 6!" Akari calls out. She bounces the ball as her teammates talked amongst each other, calling out Niiyama's formation. Akari takes a deep breath and tosses the ball witg both hands and serves with her right. Which this one curved and went down behind the ten, near the Opposite Hitter who gets it up but she swings as Yuna went up and slammed it down as the Middle Blocker tried to block her. The Libero touched it but it went out of bounds.

Akari smiles and cheers. Shiratorizawa reaches 10 first as Niiyama calls a timeout. "5 more guys." Nakano states. "Keep pushing. Every touch is always a good one because it's still alive." She smiled and Akari notice that this one is different. Her heart is beating fast now. They might just win it.

Kimiko's POV

I've never thought that we would lose badly. We could lose badly. In one play, everything can turn back around. I can tell that my team is already mentally worned out. We should've secured the 3rd set.

I will do my utmost ability to put the ball away. That's what you do as an Ace. Carry your team. And take out the obstacles. Nana sets me the ball and I spiked it off of Yuna's hands again and out. I'll keep breaking it if I have to. I'll keep making Akari dive and pass if I have to. I jumped and got 3 more kills as I use my maximum power now. Now we're tied. 10-10. 0-0.

Our pinch server hits it out as Akari dodges it last minute. She got taken out I can feel me and my teammates getting mad at that. I raised my hand to Nana and just nods. Their pinch server came in and floats it as well. My Libero went to touch it with her hands but dodges it bc it was going out. But it stops right on the line. My heart begins to pound as I hear Shiratorizawa cheering. "One pass!" I yelled as we turn to the server. She jumps float it again as Libero it came to me. I calculated it and just hit it over. Koyuki touches it but gets it up for Nakano to set it up to Akari does a cut shot with her left. I stuck my platform out s it went over as a chance ball.

"Kiyoko!" She runs to it put looks down and then moves away and puts her hands up in the air. "Out!!!"

10-13

"Come on!" Nana wipes her sweat off her face as she's getting frustrated now.

"Here let's get out of this one." I encouraged my Libero as she took a deep breath. "Just get it up, Nana will be there."

She nods as she raised it up. Nana saves it from going over the net and sets me. I hit is off their fingers and out. 11-13. We're still in this. I heard their bench players saying, "2 more!"

As the play went on, they got to 14. Now Shiratorizawa was on their feet. But that did not stop Nana to dump on them. Now it's our serve as our server took a deep breath. Akari passes it perfectly as she went in from the middle while everyone else went alongside her. My 2 Middle Blockers, my Rooks went up and block her as she uses her right hand and hits the ball our pinch server who raised it up with her face. Nana sets me as I went up and notice that they're blocking angle and the Libero is in the cut shot. My only option is the straight. I hit it but before I know it it went straight down. I looked up to see, Akari!!

!!!!!

The whistle blows as I just stared at her and she stared back at me. Having the same look. I hear screans and that only meant one thing.

Checkmate