"Okay, Tetsu. Our mission is to resolve the dispute between Ms. Empress and Ms. Temper tantrum here," said Aomine patiently.
"Why does she get the cool nick name?" demanded Akira.
"Because she hasn't interrupted my speech for the last ten minutes while you haven't let me speak at all!"
"Aho."
"Well, the point is, even if you are foes for life, yadda, yadda, there's no reason that you shouldn't play basketball."
"Your philosophy on life is pointless," said Akira.
"Oi, Himeji, just because I said that your silence is valued, it doesn't mean that you have to stay shut the whole time," said Aomine.
"You're making us nervous, Himeji-san," said Kuroko.
"Thank you," said Sora evidently straining herself, "I really appreciate the effort. But, I don't know how far your venture will go."
"That's nonsense! Akira will see clear once we knock some sense into her," assured Aomine.
"Excuse me! When did I become the villain here?" said Akira.
"Tell you what... I know what's wrong. It's her mouth, isn't it?" said Aomine, "I'll give you one free shot..."
Sora's lip twitched. "Thank you, but no."
Akira's jaw dropped. "Were you really considering it, Sora-chan?"
Sora cleared her throat. "I'll just get going."
"What? Then why did you guys drag me here?" demanded Akira.
"You get going. We'll continue this operation," said Aomine.
"Hold your horses! Then what am I supposed to do?" said Akira.
"Let's play basketball."
"What? Basketball?"
"Yeah. The game where we use this huge bouncy, orange ball. You know, the one where you guys act like zombies and I'm like a lone apocalypse survivor. Seriously though, you guys have to pick up your pace if you're planning to play against me..."
"Is that what you think of us?" said Akira.
"More or less..."
"I'll prove you wrong!"
"She is so easy to manipulate!" whispered Aomine to Kuroko with a wink. "Aomine-kun, you need to quit bullying Akira-san," pointed out Kuroko.
Sora left the court with a smile. These people seemed to grow on you. But fate looked like it wasn't done with her yet that day. Sora chanced to run into Mai on her way out. Mai was standing in front of the school notice board. She seemed to be looking at one of the notices. Sora went closer and caught sight of a flashy invite. It was a swimming contest. At once several things clicked into place.
"You don't swim anymore?"
Mai jumped and turned to see Sora behind her. Her brow creased a little but still she nodded. "Why not?" queried Sora.
"Every day after practice, I go back home with aching muscles. Sometimes feel like I don't want to move and I just want to nap," confessed Mai.
"But you were a swimmer... Surely..." began Sora. Mai just shrugged and cut her off, "I'm not sure, senpai. I just don't want to."
Sora bit her lip. "I know we got off on the wrong foot..." Mai laughed. Sora smiled too, "We got to know each other on the worst terms possible but do you have time for a little chat with your nemesis?"
"Okay," said Mai, though she still seemed a little bit wary.
"Kouhai, why did you give up swimming?" said Sora abruptly.
"I wanted to try basketball..." said Mai hesitantly.
"So you gave up something you spent so much of your life doing?" said Sora incredulously.
"It... isn't like that!" said Mai, "You could never understand, senpai."
"I want to!" said Sora, agitated, "I need to... I just can't put my finger on why..."
"That makes two of us," said Mai with a grimace.
The two of them sat together in silence for a few minutes. Sora began to hum a tune slightly trying to seem as if she wasn't feeling the awkwardness of the situation. "My sister was a sports secretary. Akira-sama came to our house for the list of the clubs..." said Mai breaking the silence. Sora nodded. That was something she knew.
"They got talking about sports and I heard Akira-sama talking about basketball. She seemed so into it. It was as if it defined her and she was apparently so good at it... I found myself admiring her skill and how she had something she loved. I used to look up to my own sister too..." she trailed off.
"Go on..." said Sora gently.
"I wanted to feel like that for once in my life!" said Mai bitterly, "I saw her and I..." Sora choked.
'...When I looked at him, I knew that I would face him someday...'
Kise had told her the same thing except in an entirely different spirit. Sora felt slightly guilty when she looked at the confused girl in front of her. Sora sighed. "Kouhai, have you ever considered that the sport is not probably you need right now..."
"But if she could..."
"We've all got to find our own ways sometime or the other you know."
"You don't understand... I told you..."
Sora hesitated and then held out her hand. "You told me you need to feel like her, right? Like someone with a purpose."
"Yeah, but..."
"Come with me."
Sora half-led, half-towed Mai until they came to the pool. Sora felt the sharp scent of chlorine invade her nostrils and sneezed. She had no idea how swimmers could stand that strong stench. Mai groaned. "Senpai, if you're going to start sprouting poetry..."
"You wanted to know why I hated you?" said Sora. Mai ceased talking and nodded. Sora took a deep breath and began, "You threw away something you loved for something you though you 'might like'. Swimming defined you. When you chose to throw that out of your life, then what are you?"
"Swimming doesn't get anywhere as popular as basketball," said Mai moodily. "Teiko middle school's basketball club... The generation of miracles... Who's going to care about swimming?"
Sora winked. "Rake in a couple of medals in the nationals and they'll be forced to turn."
"But if only you had given me a chance...."
"What would you have done?" said Sora sharply, "You would have played for a couple of weeks and then resented ever joining. You would have resented ever meeting Akira-san and then what... Seriously though, if you just want to imitate her I could tell you what toothpaste she uses and all. Just for the finishing touches."
"Just because it's hard to train..."
"Do you think it will ever be easy for me, kouhai? If you didn't want to stay, I would have you outside my door pestering me to let you go. If you did have the tenacity, then the swim team would be onto me begging me to convince you that you're wrong! Either way, I would have a bunch of idiots after me. You know... I don't even care," said Sora vehemently and then shook her head, "I'm rambling..."
"Yeah..." said Mai slowly, "What do you want me to do?"
Sora looked at her thoughtfully. "My offer is still on you know. I could tell you what toothpaste Akira uses just to creep her out..."
"Senpai, I'm serious!"
"I want you to decide for yourself, kid. Worst case scenario? Akira will be moaning for days... But she'll come to it. I don't want you to throw away something you're serious about on a whim."
"But I've spent all these days practicing..." said Mai hesitantly, "If it weren't for that I might actually see the sense..."
Sora began to laugh. "Kouhai, you've spent most of your life swimming and only a few weeks with basketball! You aren't even making sense!"
"But still..." pouted Mai.
"You never asked me why I made you do only strengthening exercises..."
"Akira-sama...."
"Yeah, yeah... She spoke up for you. But you never personally asked me."
"Why..."
"Those weren't basketball exercise. They were swimming exercises. With a little modification...." confessed Sora even adding a 'tehe' at the end for good measure. Mai's jaw dropped, "So then..."
"Yeah..." said Sora suppressing a smile.
"Should I thank you for your faith or..."
"You should thank me for waking you up," chided Sora.
"I'm stumped," said Mai with her head in her hands, "You're mad, senpai... Mou! I just should have gone home!"
"I am willing to make a deal however," said Sora smoothly.
"What?"
"This," said Sora displaying the flyer from the notice board.
"Isn't this that the flyer for the noticeboard?"
"Yeah."
"Did you just nick..."
"All for a good cause," said Sora airily, "So, what do you say?"
"Eh?"
"You take part in this contest. If you find that you've lost all passion for swimming, I'll take you back into the basketball team without complaint. If you find that you like swimming better... Congrats. You now have a life."
Mai turned the flyer over in her hands. "Testing which one I like more huh..."
"Yeah. Best of both worlds. Swift."
"Senpai, that's actually Miley Cyrus."
"Oh, sorry. My bad..."
"I do have my own conditions though..."
"Hmm?"
"You and Akira-sama have to come to watch my match."
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