3rd P.O.V.
mettle
/ˈmɛt(ə)l/
noun
noun: mettle; plural noun: mettles
a person's ability to cope well with difficulties; spirit and resilience.
The first years who looked at their upperclassmen sweat-dropping of how energetic they were. "These are your senpai!" Atsumu, Osamu, Ginjima boasted after passing all of their exams. Holding up the test paper that was just given back awhile ago, the eighty percent circled in red that they boasted of. Atsumu who just got five percent less than the other two, he flashes a grin with his perfect white teeth.
Mayumi giggling in the background, trying to hold her giggles in. "You guys I expected more than that but I guess idiotic behaviour still surpasses knowledge. Maybe we should have taught you harder." Mayumi was laughing because the first-years who got higher than their upperclassmen just stared at them sweating while looking at them blankly. "If you guys didn't know my precious kouhai got higher than you lot!" She plants a smirk on her face, Riseki who got ninety-seven percent on two of his test and ninety-two percent on his Biology, all of his tests were basically above ninety percent.
"What did you get!?" Atsumu demanded for an answer, pointing at Mayumi accusingly as if she's done something wrong. Ginjima nearly slapped his face when he heard Atsumu demand for Mayumi's grades, Ginjima was thinking that Mayumi possibly had and probably had a hundred percent on her exams or above ninety-five percent. Mayumi took out her exam papers and flashed them like cards showing off her grades. She was a genius.
"As if you guys didn't expect that." Suna says entering the gym, Y/n who walked behind her yawning behind her mask. He places his water bottle above the brown bench besides Osamu's grey bottle. Ryūjin's head popped up from the door motioning Y/n to come, they all turned their head to the curly head male wondering why he was there.
"What is it Ryūjin?" Her muffled voice sounding quite angry, "m' quite in an impatient mood today and I apologise in advance if I say anything inappropriate." Ryūjin just beamed her a smile similar to his twin's, the Sakamoto twins sure have the same smile Y/n thought, not like she never knew that anyways. Waiting for him to answer as he was taking quite long, he rubbed the back of his neck looking quite nervous.
"You know about the training camp? I heard from coach that we won't have enough space in the bus since lots of new members came this year so some of us might join your bus. That being said, Tenji might be there." Fidgeting with his fingers while saying it, drawing small circles on his palms. Y/n just placed her palm on his shoulder and patted it, she knew that her friends were always worried about her and she didn't want them to be. She always had thought that they were more invested to her life rather than their own life.
"Ryūjin don't worry, it's not like something bad will happen." He sighed of what she said, they both knew when Tenji was around the four aren't able to control their anger. "Please don't send him to the hospital like last time." She said making him let out a low chuckle. He remembered clearly how the four kicked Tenji's ass after breaking Y/n's heart, no one had dared to stop them as they were too scared, stopping them would be like signing a waver to hell.
"He deserved that beating." Mikazuki said entering the gym. "Ryūjin practice is gonna start, come. G'luck dealing with idiots Y/n." Mikazuki waves off her goodbye with Ryūjin who walked in front of her going to the basketball court. Y/n just rolls her eyes when she heard Mikazuki's evil giggle. The basketball team was more disciplined than the volleyball team but it doesn't mean they are not idiots like them.
"Man if I was in the basketball team maybe I can stare at the captain's abs, he looks packing as well." Her thoughts were disrupted when Komori Motoya enters her mind. "But Komori-kun is much more hotter and cuter than them anyways." Everyone looked at her oddly when she blurted out her lewd thought about the basketball team's captain being packing or giving off big dick energy, penis rather to sound a bit more appropriate. Osamu looked down on his lower area while covering it, Ginjima who did the same thing looking quite uncomfortable.
Y/n hits her friend's head while kicking her bottom in the process. "Mayumi! Stop making them uncomfortable!" Mayumi who just let's out a huff, she thinks that being more open with them will make them be closer with her but maybe lewd thoughts didn't count as saying those things to them as they just lead them further away.
"That hurt you bitch." Mayumi began chasing Y/n around the court, trying to pull her hair. Y/n's breath hitched when she felt Mayumi's finger softly brush her hair, she noticed that with that type of pace Mayumi would catch up on her. After laps around the gym they both panted, the two knew that they were getting more unfit as they had been more lazy these past few weeks.
After catching her breath Y/n began to talk to the whole team noticing they had all arrived. "All of you guys passed your exams right?" Y n asked, she just wanted to see if anyone would be unable to attend or be late to the training camp. "If any of you failed please do tell because I need to inform the coaches who will be unable to attend, if only the coaches were here." Y/n mumbled the last phrase, she pictures the two coaches having a good sunbathing in a beach while sipping coconut drinks. "None? Okay." No one had failed meaning it was set.
"Stretching everyone!" Mayumi began the afternoon practice with her leading it. "After that do the drills then we'll get right through the deal." Mayumi said after ticking all their names to see who was in the practice, she seemed to be please that everyone was there. "Oh and we forgot to say that we have a practice match on Thursday just before our training camp, it's with a neighbouring school. If we haven't mentioned it yet, we will be travelling to Miyagi in Friday night so make sure to be packed you have four days." Atsumu's eyes gleamed when he heard the word 'practice match' being a little bit more energetic than a while ago.
"Rintarō you'll only be in a few sets on Thursday, you haven't fully healed yet. No buts." Y/n knew he would be protesting, even Suna Rintarō who seemed like a lazy person always had motivation for volleyball. He muttered a forced "fine" knowing he couldn't go against it.
Thursday
Practice Match
The neighbouring team who had just entered the volleyball court, they were still wearing their track suits and had their bags on their shoulders. Mayumi who had led them to the court, looking slightly annoyed but that was an underestimation. Mayumi was never the type to be annoyed or ticked off easily making it more unusual for her to act like that. The opposing team was a powerhouse, placing 6th on the overall Hyōgo top volleyball schools.
"They don't even have a coach and girls that are managers!" One of the boys whispered yelled, clearly heard by everyone on the court. "What can girls do in volleyball anyways? They're nothing but measly frail women." The same boy whispered to his teammate. "At least they're sexy." That was Mayumi's final straw.
"Mayumi I'll take it from here." Y/n said holding the upper-arm of Mayumi who was about to throw her hands on the boy. Mayumi heaves out a huge breath calming herself down and closing her eyes. Y/n led them to the changing rooms and gave out their newly washed dark blue bibs. Before she had exited the changing rooms one of the boys decided to smack Y/n's ass. They all let out a huge laugh, giving each other a clap.
"You have a nice ass manager-chan." Holding the chin of Y/n making her look up to him. "Look at how that thick soft ass jiggles, I wonder how they feel on my thighs." Y/n slapped him, giving a good distance between them. Looking at him with fury and hatred, she decided that she had wanted to send someone to hospital. "You fucking slut!" Nearly slapping Y/n, Riseki who had seen everything stood in front of Y/n protectively. Riseki gave a harsh glare to the taller man, Y/n had recognised the man, he was the captain of the volleyball team.
"It's not nice to harass a lady sir." Riseki said in a mocking tone, Y/n who looked shocked her junior had done for her. She acknowledged his bravery for standing up for her, Y/n immediately though that he would be a good boyfriend for his future girlfriend or boyfriend. She was never quick to assume someone's gender, you never know if someone turns out gay or bisexual.
"You brat-" Kita who was just saw the scene where the man nearly slapped Y/n run towards them, he was right on time where the captain of the other team nearly punched Riseki that might have gave him a good bruise.
"Wear your manners and don't you dare touch any of my teammates." Kita lost his cool immediately. "I wouldn't want anything here to result to violence, however, if you're asking for it I am more welcome to give it to you." Kita was never the type to lose his cool nor look for a fight but when he sees people hurt the people he care for he loses his composure.
"Don't but in 'ere! And what's a weakling first year doing here? You're a bench warmer aren't you?" He laughs along with his teammates. He ripped his arm away from Kita and send him a death glare. Riseki was offended of what he said and wanted to punch him in the face to destroy that smug smirk.
"You little-" Riseki was cut off by Y/n.
"It's better to deal with this in court. Don't you dare make fun of our first years, he might sit on the bench for quite some time but he went to nationals and stood in a court where the cameras are set on him, he stood in a court where none of you scums have ever stood on." Sending him a cold glare, "I'll show you what our team can do, I'll show how big the difference is between us."
"I'll show you what even a bench warmer can do." Riseki growled at him, his eyes piercing through his skin. They walked away from the scene, their backs turning against their enemies.
"Riseki's filling in Rintarō's spot, him and Kita-san will be switching out through the match quite often." Y/n announced before the teams went to shook each other's hands. The opposite team captain who shook Kita's hands quite harshly making Kita let out a mental sigh.
They had a new rotation, the one Y/n and Mayumi made five minutes ago to test out new things. Atsumu was first to serve, after performing his sort of ritual he went for a spike serve, the ball bouncing off the opponent's hands. It was a heavy blow for sure, the opponent slightly winced in pain of how much pressure was applied to the ball. Their number four who told them to get the next one looked quite unsure if they're able to get it, it was the demon serve after all.
Couple more tries later they manage to receive the float serve but it went to the setter, he sets the ball that was a bit shaky, it was spiked by the captain and blocked by Riseki.
'That damned brat.' He mentally hissed.
4-0
Atsumu had to serve again giving Inarizaki the advantage, as long as they don't get used to it. Atsumu served the ball but he heard the enemy talking causing him to not have a good one making Osamu snicker. The libero did an underhand receive giving it to the setter it was then spiked by one of the middle blocker landing to the line giving them a point.
"Don't mind!" Aran said, Atsumu was clearly pissed
18 minutes later the score was 14-8. Atsumu was still pissed of his messed up serve that was ages ago. Kita who was swapped in replacing Riseki's position, he went on the the defence lines his speciality. It was their turn to serve which was their middle blocker captain who had a nice serve, Kita was observing the game quite well and his receiving skills are top notch. Kita was guarding the side lines while Akagi guarded the middle. The ball went to the left Kita received it smoothly despite of how strong it was sending it to Atsumu's way who tricked the enemy to a setter dump but actually sets the ball to his twin. The ball was received by the middle blocker with hitting his foot, the ball went back to their side and was slammed down by Ojiro.
Ojiro Aran, the top five ace across the country in high school. Just a step behind Bokuto from Fukurodani, their levels are somewhat close to each other however they still had differences. The libero of the opponent looked at Ojiro with despise but he just returned a smug smirk. They rallied to the end, their sweat dripping down the wooden planked court. Their heavy breaths, trying to calm down their arising heart beats.
The match ended with the Goddess on Inarizaki's side. "I told you didn't I, I told you I'll show you what a bench warmer can do." Riseki said as they exited the school gates, glaring at the captain. Y/n looked proud of his junior and mentally smirked.