Warming up, Aiko noticed that Fukurodani got a new wing spiker from last she saw them. "Cat got your tongue, Fuji?" Makoto teased but to only see the tall girl focusing her eyes on the captain of the Fukurodani.
"Oh, nothing!" Aiko chirped and went back to help Keiko. Makoto was uncertain with Aiko's state as of lately, she was shakier and worrier more. Like it was something that happened in her past.
Chou watched the ball flew to the other side of the net and went to get it. While getting the ball, Chou noticed a girl with light brown hair and eyes. "Oh, hey." The girl greeted her and she nodded. "Ya need this ball? Sure, here." She tossed the ball back to her and Chou could feel her cheeks warming up.
"Chou-chan!" Makoto called to her as she walked away.
'That was weird for sure.'
"Mirai, you know her?"
"Nah, just givin' the ball back to 'er."
Kaneko was chatting with the coach, seeing as they were friends in the past, they would catch up with one another like friends do. "Kaneko-sensei, I think we're ready." Hikaru informed her. Kaneko nodded and zipped up her tracksuit. "Your new team has cute players now." The coach chirped. Kaneko laughed and ruffled Hikaru's black hair. "Awh, this cutie? She's the cutest!" Hikaru felt secondhand embarrassment.
"Hikaru-chan, meet Mizuno Kurumi." Mizuno waved and smiled sweetly, her dark blonde hair neatly framed her round face, her deep brown eyes staring right at her soul and glasses. Hikaru had to admit that Mizuno was a beautiful woman, that's a fact. "N-nice to meet you!"
~~~~~~
Finally they were starting the practice match.
The coin was flipped and it landed the serve for Fukurodani. "Here's to a good game." Aiko smiled nervously. The vice captain smiled back and nodded.
Serving went to Fukurodani's #3, she licked her lips, tossed the ball high in the air, leaped, and smashed the ball as fast as lightning. Naomi immediately sprinted to counter it and passed it on. Makoto carefully watched the ball as she ran to her setting position, next to their #7. "Aoike!" Aiko shouted and she tossed the ball to Chou.
As the she jumped above the net, Chou was greeted by tall hands. She smacked the ball and it was immediately blocked. "Free ball!" Naomi ran and dug the ball as it went high up. Going to the edge of the court, Hoshiko sled and bumped the ball. "Aoike-san!" Sticking her nose up to the air, Makoto noticed the setter's constant state at the ball. Never letting that ball out of her site.
'Tch...this girl is tricky....better be quick.' Makoto focused on the ball and monitor as it went from Fumi to her.
Looking at #7 again, she knew what to do. "Fuji!!" Setting the ball, Aiko slammed it right through the blockers. "Got it!" #10, their libero, dug the attack.
#7 was running to the other side of the court. Makoto focused on her as she watched her shoulders loosened. 'She isn't going to...'
"Shirosaki~!" #5 called to her for a set. #7 nodded and watched the ball like a hawk. Finally, the ball came to her and...
She dumped it?!
"W-woah...that's a pretty cool dump..." Emika quivered in fear and hugged Hikaru.
"Don't worry, Akabane-chan. We'll win this!" Hikaru cheered on.
#5 walked to her setter. "Shirosaki, why did you disobeyed?" She asked sweetly. "Sorry, senpai. I'll try better."
Fukurodani: 1
Nekoma: 0
"That's some neat dump." Makoto commented, eyeing a cunning look to #7. She moved her honey brown eyes to her and nodded, "Thanks."
Serving went to Nekoma, Hoshiko took a deep breath. She did a powerful serve and made it to back row. #2 was there to dig it, "Misaki-chan!" The vice captain called. #7 walked backwards and kept a straight face through it.
Makoto had a feeling in her gut that she'll do something unexpected again.
"Hano!" She jumped and tossed the ball as #4, their ace, jumped and deflect their blockers. Makoto's eyes widened and didn't want the ball to land and score a point, she had no choice but to receive the ball with her foot.
Emika froze, "With Aoike-san touching the ball...who's gonna set?"
#4 and #7 didn't expected it and was shocked by it. But they also had a good feeling that Nekoma wouldn't be able to do another attack without their reliable setter.
Fumi sprinted to the net to attack and watched as Makoto was unable to do her set. She looked the other way and was determined this will succeed. "Murata!" Naomi tossed the ball and landed on her feet. Twinkles in her eyes, Fumi smiled and hit the ball to the corner of the court. A hard to reach spot.
#10 tried to save it but it was too far and fast for her to make it on time. Nor did #2.
"Yosh!" Fumi raised her fist high in the air. "Nice job, Fumi-chan!" Aiko congratulated her.
Fukurodani: 1
Nekoma: 1
"They're really good." #4 commented and wiped her sweat. #10 had to agree with her because, they weren't expecting Nekoma girls would be like that.
#6 was looking at the substitutes. "I wonder how that brunette's be?" She mumbled to herself.
"Give us a good serve, Hime~!" #5 joked, pissing off #4. "I know, Mochizuki-san! Jeez..." She scowled and served the ball.
It wasn't as powerful as she wanted it as it immediately dink. Naomi ran and dug the ball again. "Me!" Makoto took a few deep breaths and watched as #7 move again. "Aoike-san!" Chou hit the ball and it immediately deflected their blockers. "One touch!" #5 yelled. #10 got her eyes steadily watching the ball, reading it as she goes.
'If I dig this shot, I'll help Shirosaki-senpai...' She thought. The ball went to her and she bumped it as it was sent to their setter. #7 was a lot more serious here and watched as Aiko and Fumi went to their blocking positions, as so did Chou and Hoshiko. 'A lot is going on. They're sloppy and random with these. Better make it count.'
"Omotani-senpai!" #2 leaped and slammed the ball right on the court. Scoring a point for the hens.
Naomi punched the floor and her eyes turned into slits as she focused on #2, the vice captain. "Shake it off, Kuze." Aiko advised her and she let out her breath.
"Man, that was pretty cool, huh, Asuka?" #6 pointed out to her captain. #1 just stared blankly and nodded, "Yes."
"Nao-chan is scary when her eyes are like that." Keiko commented and the girls could agree. Naomi might be the feistiest third year but she wasn't the most scary, that title went to Aiko. "That's a lesson." Emika chuckled.
"Never mess with Kuze-san's rhythm."
Hikaru didn't cared about what was happening, all that she could think about was how stressful watching the practice match was. She slowly wiped her cold sweat and her fingers ran cold as another shot was hit and landed on their side of the court.
After some more shots, Keiko was switched for Naomi as for #6 was switched for #10.
"Oh yeah! Yusa is here!" #4 cheered. Having #6 must be a good thing to have, huh?
Keiko high fived Hoshiko as she entered the court but her eyes landed on #6, the tall middle blocker. Being shorter than the average middle blocker, Keiko felt underestimated and looked sown upon. Height mattered as a middle blocker, her height wasn't the ideal one. But with her high jump and positive attitude towards stuff, Keiki couldn't give up.
Not just because someone mentally destroyed her after her team lost at the Interhigh.
Serving position, Aiko was nervous. Seeing the same and new players of Fukurodani was like seeing a pack of lions. The anxiousness in her was effecting her serve too with hers was low and hitting their side of the net.
"Sorry!!" Aiko bowed and apologized profusely. The others told her they weren't minding it and waved it off. 'Even you can't do it...Ito-san was right...I should've jump out that window.'
"Is this the same Fujiwara? She's flinchin' more than last I saw 'er." #3 cringed at the failed serve.
"Now that's just rude, Mirai-chan." #2 scolded her. "Maybe she changed. Y'know those are two years ago, right?"
"Of course, I do, Nozomi."
~~~~~~
Makoto tossed the ball to Keiko. She slammed it but it was immediately blocked by #6 herself. The ball landed and giving Fukurodani a point.
Fukurodani: 20
Nekoma: 15
"That's an awesome hit!" #6 complimented Keiko. The chestnut just smiled and rubbed her head shyly, "Thank you."
"Keiko, why are you interacting with the enemy?" Hoshiko complained.
"This is not a life-or-death war zone." Chou put some sense into her.
Last point.
Fukurodani: 29
Nekoma: 17
"Serves up!" #6 served the ball. It was like a floater serve and it impressed Emika.
"I can't even do a ceiling nor floater, and I'm the freaking pinch server." Emika cried onto Hikaru's shoulder.
"Got it!" Keiko said as she dug the ball. Makoto was focusing again. 'Fukurodani is going to be the winner, no doubt about that. Just stay focus, Makoto. You'll get this one right and high!'
The ball got tossed as it just landed on her fingertips. Hoshiko jumped and slammed the ball onto the ground. Giving a point.
Fukurodani: 29
Nekoma: 18
"Good job, Hoshi-chan!" Keiko hugged her. Hoshiko raised her fists and lowered them to see the red marks on her palm. "Me do a good spike, me so happy feels." Hoshiko murmured. From hugging, Keiko started jumping with Hoshiko's shoulder as support.
"Is she fine?" Hikaru asked.
"Nah, she probably forget how to talk again." Emika stated.
"Sorry, it's been a while since I felt this..."
#3 noticed her ace's negative mood. "Orihime, yer doin' alright?" She asked. #4 perked up and nodded.
"I think we should be like freaking owls and fly to spike the ball!" #6 joked.
"So l you want us to overlook your screw up from earlier?" #4 deadpanned.
"...maybe..." #6 admitted embarrassingly.
#3 stared back, "Puns are the lowest form of comedy."
#5 focused on the ball as she jumped and got blocked immediately by Keiko. "Eh?!" She squeaked.
Seemed like Nekoma is catching up.
"Woah, she's shorter than Mochi-senpai but she sure can jump high!" #10 gawked at Keiki.
#1 only stared and had a small smirk.
Last point (for real this time).
"Haruhi!" #2 bumped the ball to her as a back row attack. #6 jumped and slammed the ball but Fumi was there to receive it. "On the right! Right!" She yelled as Chou dug the ball and fell onto the ground.
Makoto had an idea up her sleeve. 'How does she does it again?' She stepped back, loosened her shoulders, took deep breaths, and opened her eyes to meet with the ball. She relaxed herself and dumped the ball.
It almost touched the ground but #5 was there to save it. A glare sparked from the navy haired setter as the middle blocker smirked mockingly to her. "Nice one, Ma-ko-to~" She uttered and ran. 'That bitch...!!'
#4 ran to the net as well as #2, #7 prepared herself. "Here!" She tossed the ball for, #3!
She slammed the ball, right beside Chou's foot. She looked down and saw the ball hitting the wall and bounced back.
Fukurodani: 30
Nekoma: 24
~~~~~~
"Gather up." Mizuno ordered.
The teams lined up and listened to what their coaches needed to say about the match. "I have to admit, that was a pretty intense practice match I've seen in years. The constant shocks that was in the match almost made Kaneko-chan have a heart attack." Kaneko glared and continued to smile. "Hope we get to play against together during the Spring Tournament once again."
Agreeing to clean their gym together, everything was peaceful.
"Hey."
Hoshiko turned to see, #4. Her diagonal black bangs covering her face and previously olive green eyes, she didn't realized it before, but #4 was the same height as her. They stared at each other for a few moments.
"What?! Wha'choo want with me? Wanna say I'm unladylike and I'mma rebel like a damn delinquent, 'cause you're the same thing! Or you wanna say my ponytail is stupid?" Hoshiko looked like someone to pick a fight but #4 just convinced her not.
"I-I wasn't talking about that...I j-just want to apologize about the mishap that happened with your first year and Yusa." She explained and bowed. Hoshiko was still suspicious but bowed as well.
"Also,"
#4 grasped her shoulder unexpectedly, "What is your type?"
Hoshiko was taken aback by it but tried to think up her answer anyway. "I think someone who's hot, taller than me, and a gentleman. Like, Johnny Deep." As she finished her answer, #4 released her grip and looked down to ground. "Uh...hello? You okay there?" She sniffed her nose that made Hoshiko jump, she looked up to the sky as tears flowing down her. "We have the same type...we are destined to be BFFs." She almost fainted as she finished saying it, Hoshiko only knew #4 for the day and she already declare them best friends. "BF--what now?"
"I'm Hano Orihime. Guess you aren't that bad as I expect."
"Amemori Hoshiko!"
"Do you have a nickname?"
"Hoshi. Can I guess yours' Hime?"
"Yep."
Emika folded the net and helped Fumi with it, she still had a smile on her face, although when she turned her head back. #7 was staring at her intensely. "C'mon, Misaki-chan." #2 pushed her to the storage closet.
#7 shifted her focus onto another person, #6 was talking to Keiko while jumping. "Hey, Keiko! You were so cool when you play! You jumped so high, maybe you can even go to space like an astronaut! Oh, Yusa Haruhi." #6 rejoiced. "Eh?! Space?! An astronaut?! Wow, I didn't know astronauts can jump really high!" Keiko's eyes sparkled like a kid who just saw a beloved cartoon mouse in front of them. "But Haru-chan, you were much more cooler! You went like "zwoosh!" and then "boom!" and all that stuff!" The chestnut admitted. "No! You were like "bam!" "zip!" "wham!" "don!" and--"
"Can you two speak more normally?" #2 asked them.
"Oops, sorry, Nozomi!"
"How tall are you?" Keiko asked.
"I'm 191 cm." Haruhi said. (6'2)
"Really? I'm only 163!" (5'3)
"Hello."
Emika turned slowly, and there she was. She squeaked, tripped, and fell on her butt. "I'm sorry I scared you." #7 said and helped her get up. "A-ah, it's fine!" #7 had dirty blonde hair tied into a ponytail, honey brown eyes, and had a straight face.
"So you're the pinch server?" #7 asked and she nods. "Yep! I'm not that strong and I can't even get a ceiling serve right, but I'm trying my best!"
#7 smiled and lend out her hand, Emika was confused and just shook it. "I'm Shirogane Misaki, second year too."
"Mochizuki-senpai kept calling me Shirosaki and now Kubo too."
"Sorry."
~~~~~~
"I'm sorry!" Hikaru ran away from Haruhi.
"Fu~ poor, Yukimura." Aiko sighed.
"To think that Haruhi would be so intimidating." #5 giggled it off.
Aiko just looked at the two and clicked her tongue. "It looks like a mother and a her daughter." #5 begged to differ. "I'd say it looks like a kidnapping scheme."
"Speaking of schemes, is your libero okay?" Aiko pointed.
"She's still staring, isn't she?" Naomi asked and #2 nods as a yes. Gulping it down, Naomi looked at #2 and had to admit, she was pretty, the ginger hair framing her face, to the green eyes. "So...how's Akahana-chan?" #2 asked. "She's fine."
"I'm Omotani Nozomi. The vice captain." She introduced herself.
"Kuze Naomi."
"Naomi-senpai!" She flinched, it was #10. "I don't really understand a lot of volleyball as of late, but I think you're pretty cool. I hope I can beat you again." She said bluntly, causing Nozomi to scold her for saying it.
As #10 walked away, Naomi blinked a few times before realizing, she was in a rivalry. "That's Kubo Rin, she's a first year so she's really hard to manage." Naomi waved it off and smiled. "She has potential."
"Thank you for the game, bitch." Makoto said to #5, with a smirk on her face.
"Bitch? You're a piece of shit. Thanks for the game, by the way." #5 fired back with a smile.
"Stop it, Miharu-chan!" Nozomi scolded #5, "This is an embarrassment."
"Aoike, why don't you just shut your dirty mouth, you Blue Heaven!" Naomi fired.
"Oh, shut yer trap, Miharu" #3 said, annoyingly. It caught Chou's attention and asked her what was going on. "Does this always happens?" She asked hesitantly. #3 nods and smiled at her, "They'll gonna stop that eventually. Hope y'all won't continue this 'till y'all are adults!"
"Uhm...are you Uota-san?" She asked.
The girl smirked and crossed her arms, ditching her task of mopping the floor. "Yeah, Uota Mirai. Lemme guess yer Akahana's sister?" She flinched and nodded, but it also made her wonder, do they look similar?
"Uh-huh...tha-that's me." She rubbed her head. Chou doesn't the know the reason but she was fidgeting a lot and blushing next to Mirai, even though they just met. "Ah, alright." Mirai looked away and watched the captain shake hands.
Aiko was quivering and her anxiousness skyrocketed, shaking hands with Fukurodani's girl captain. One of the well-known players in Tokyo, she was sure scared of her presence. "Toshi, are you alright?" #1 asked her. "Hu-huh? Oh yeah, I'm perfectly normal, Gen-Genji." Aiko stuttered, giving her team secondhand embarrassment. "Alright."
"Kitsune udon tastes great." Aiko croaked out of the no where.
#1 nodded and acknowledged it. "I'll try it someday."
Chou asked why did Aiko acted like that to #1, but they also call each other by nicknames. "Oh, Asuka and Fujiwara are best friends or somethin' like that. I ain't payin' attention." Mirai explained. "Asuka?" Chou mumbled, apparently Mirai heard it. "Minamoto Asuka, never show emotions actually. Pretty creepy."
"Yukimura, meet Mochizuki Miharu. The nastiest bitch you'll ever meet." Makoto hissed at #5.
"Woah now, don't get your mind mixed up. I'm just here to tell you that I'm blocking all of your dumps from now on." Miharu smiled creepily. Her black hair framing her face like a short Bob cut, her creepy yellow eyes, not to mention that grin of hers. "You must be Yukimura-chan, hello~!" She went closer to Hikaru's face. The poor libero sweated and ran away.
"Look at that, Mi-ha-ru~, you made the kitty run away." Makoto glared.
"Oh-ho-ho, is this some game you're playing with me, Makoto~?" A vein popped on Miharu's forehead.
But both Nozomi and Naomi, the ones who almost act like the caretakers, scolded them and apologized for the new argument.
"Goodbye and thanks for the game, Mi-zu-no-chan." Kaneko gritted her teeth into a menacing smile, "Don't forget to tell your daughter and husband I said 'hi' "
"Sure will, Kaneko-chan." Mizuno fired back at her with the same creepy smile.
"Awh come on!" Naomi begged her coach, "You're a full-grown adult, Kaneko-san!"
"Not you too, Mizuno-sensei!" Nozomi pulled the ends of her red hair, "You're literally married and have a family."
"See you next time, soul sister!!" Hoshiko and Orihime cried as they bid goodbye.
Fumi went on her tiptoes and whispered to Chou, "What're they doing?"
Chou turned to see what was going on with the aces and went back to her phone, "Dunno. Try to not recognize them in public or anywhere, that always works for me."
"Shi-Shirosaki-san!" Emika called.
Misaki just sighed and frowned, "To be honest, I don't like that nickname." She admitted while scratching her head. "R-really?!" Emika squeaked and immediately bowed profusely for an apology.
"If you like calling me that it's fine. Just call me by name, no one ever did that without an honorific for me except for Uota-senpai, that because she doesn't want her Kansai dialect to manifest again." A smile formed on her face as her honey brown eyes looked into Emika's pair of brown eyes. "So what is it, Emika?" Emika could feel her cheeks warming up and she quickly shook it off. "I hope we get to play against each other at the Spring Tournament, maybe the third or the finals? You'll see me serve!"
Misaki felt her heart fluttered and it made her feel fluffy inside. "I..." She couldn't get the words out, Emika was still staring at her. "...I..." Why wasn't she saying it already? She wouldn't have any other chances. "...I love to see you serve later..."
"Misaki, wanna exchange numbers?"
"Uh...sure, why the heck not, right?"
Before leaving, Makoto convinced Aiko to do it, and so she did.
"Genji!" Asuka turned her back to see, Aiko in the sunset, looking much more serious than she actually was.
She pulled her hand and shook it.
"See you next time. But we'll win next time." Aiko smiled creepily that made her everyone's spines shivered.
It made Asuka only smirk and chuckled maliciously, "No, no, Toshi. We'll win again, I'm sure."
Both of them squeezed each others hands really tight.
"Stop it! Stop it! Your freaking us out!" Nozomi and Naomi were scolding the captain's.
"Don't expect us to go easy on you next time." Makoto showed her sharp catlike teeth and shook Miharu's hand.
Miharu only giggled, "You'd better now. You wouldn't give us any worthwhile practice, otherwise."
Naomi gawked, "Them too?!"
"Grow up!" Nozomi shrieked.
As cats waved goodbye at the owls, they are waiting for the next they'll play. At the tournament.
Mizuno's height is 162 cm. If you think Mizuno is a milf, I'll beat your ass ತ_ʖತ)☞
Sorry I didn't got wrote any chapters lately, I mean I was gone for a month and a half.
I hope you checked the rewritten chapters before this because it wouldn't make sense.
Well, I have to say that Mirai is my favorite here.
I'll be updating much more frequently now! ༎ຶ‿༎ຶ don't worry guys.