Author's Note:
Ok, a couple of little things before I start...
One, (not as important, but I'll add it here...) I know it's confusing, but Karasuno goes to a few training camps. Most of them are at Nekoma High in Tokyo Prefecture (Nerima City, I think), but the week-long one is at Shinzen High in Saitama Prefecture.
Two, you may have noticed from the title, but I decided to make multiple parts for this episode! Just so it doesn't get too long of a chapter, (and to buy myself more time, but shhh...🤫😅) Part 2 coming next week!
Thanks for reading!!
***
"Oh, man! Oh, man! Taking off in the middle of the night is pretty exciting!" Hinata had big, starry eyes as Tanaka laughed beside him.
"Oh, right. You guys were late last time," the wing spiker remembered.
Tsukishima made a usual, cool retort, and the teacher gathered their attention to begin explaining the details of the trip.
"Well, we're scheduled to arrive early in the morning once again. Ukai-kun and I will take turns driving."
"Sorry if I nod off." The coach yawned and apologized in advance.
"Counting on you, sir!" the captain led.
"Sir!" the others followed, but Takeda-sensei quickly became flustered.
"Ahh, it's the middle of the night, so not so loud," he told them.
Daichi, Asahi, and Ennoshita looked guilty and apologetic.
"Oh, sorry, habit," Daichi admitted.
The guys started to get on the bus and got ready to leave.
"Do you guys have everything? You should check your belongings once more," the teacher called to the students as they gathered their overnight bags.
Hinata and Kageyama haven't really talked to each other lately, Sugawara thought as the Greatest Decoy spoke to Yamaguchi. I wonder if they'll be okay.
Ai noticed the vice-captain watching the first-years with concern. "I wouldn't worry too much, Sugawara-senpai."
"Huh?" He turned to her. Was I thinking out loud? he asked himself.
She just smiled. "Communication isn't always verbal. They'll be fine once they start playing with each other again on the court." Ai looked reminiscent. "As long as volleyball is a team sport."
He stared at her in surprise for a moment and then smiled. "You're always right, you know? How'd you become such a mind-reader?"
"People-watching. Like the Phantom Sixth Player." She smiled back and went to stand with Ennoshita, who carried her club bags.
His lips turned up softly. "Want to sit together, Ai?"
"Sure-"
"Wait! I want to sit next to her!" Nishinoya interrupted. "This is the last time we have her to ourselves before she goes to Nekoma's team for a week!"
"You make it sound like she's leaving us for them," Sugawara laughed bitterly.
"Which is definitely not true," Ai added.
"A-actually," Asahi started, "I was kind of hoping to sit together, too..." he confessed.
"Then, I suggest you play rock-paper-scissors to choose." She went to join the line to get onto the bus. "I'd be happy to be your psychotherapist for the ride there," she smirked.
"Alright! Who's in?" Nishinoya conducted. The libero, ace, backup setter, and sideline wing spiker gathered in a circle. Their youngest manager seemed to participate as well. After a few rounds, the decree was in Asahi's favor.
"All right, we're heading out," the club advisor called.
"All right, Ryu! Let's show them what we're made of!" Nishinoya yelled energetically after sulking for a bit.
"Heck yeah, Noya-san! Let's do this!" Tanaka responded just as loudly.
"We get it, just hurry up and get on," Sugawara said in an exasperated tone.
Ai wasn't in the mood to sleep for the drive, so she sat close to the front and kept the drivers company. Before moving back to Japan, she had not really been the type to sleep in car rides and buses. However, after experiencing the busy schedule of a Japanese student, she had grown used to nodding off in moving vehicles. Being constantly sleep-deprived had especially contributed to developing the new habit.
She chatted with the third-year ace for a bit and did the best she could to relax enough to fall asleep.
———
Shinzen Training Camp
Day 1
Takeda-sensei and Coach Ukai took turns navigating the meandering, hilly road, as they were the only adults. They arrived at the Shinzen High School parking lot in the morning; Ubugawa and Nekoma's buses were already there when the teacher pulled up. The campus was secluded in the countryside, and it truly felt like a forest of nature.
Tsukishima hadn't spoken to her since their conversation the other night. Instead, Kuroo came over from their traveling bus in the next lane over to greet them, although it was mostly for her.
"Hey there," Kuroo said to her captain, waving a casual hand. Kai and Kenma were with him as well.
"Oh, hey," Daichi replied.
Ai took Asahi's sturdy hand as she gracefully stepped out of the bus. She smiled up at him when her foot touched the ground. "Thank you, Asahi-san."
"You're welcome," he said shyly. "And, thanks for talking with me on the way here."
"I was happy to," she assured. "I'm glad we had the chance." Ai turned around as Ennoshita came out behind her with her bags. "And thank you, Chikara."
"I can hold onto them if you don't mind," he offered.
It touched her heart, and Ai placed a hand on his arm. "Thank you, Chikara," she said again.
"No problem," her classmate answered genially.
Then, Kuroo caught her eye and gave her an exaggerated bow, which had now become a custom for their greetings. She did a small curtsy back and shook hands with Kai.
"Ah, Kenma!" Hinata exclaimed happily.
"Hey, Shōyō." The Cats' quiet setter smiled at her next. "Hi, Ai." He did a small wave.
"Hello, Kenma. It's great to see you again." She gave him a short side hug.
The energetic first-year middle blocker went ahead while looking around at the green scenery. "Hey, hey, where's the Skytree?!"
"Huh? The Skytree?"
"Oh! Is that the Tokyo Tower?!"
"Huh? That's just... a transmission tower," Kenma corrected.
The two pairs of captains and vice-captains walked towards them, with Asahi, Tsukishima, and Kageyama close behind.
"What, are there no transmission towers in Miyagi? Pretty sure I've heard that conversation before." Kuroo pointed at the case of déjà vu.
"To us country folk, all steel towers in Tokyo look like the Tokyo Tower!" Daichi said back.
"Hey, that's a bit unreasonable," Sugawara scolded. "Also, we're in Saitama."
So that's not the Tokyo Tower... Kageyama thought as he walked sleepily.
"So, we're going to be playing in a different school than last time," Hinata noticed.
"Apparently, all the summer training camps are held at Shinzen. It's nice and cool here." Kenma slapped his arm. "Though, there are a ton of bugs."
She giggled. "As they say, if you think you're too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito."
The setter nodded and ran a hand over his arm.
"Ai-senpai!!!" Lev screamed as he came running down the concrete staircase. He came up to them. "Hinata! Have you grown any taller?!"
"Lev, shut up," Nekoma's second-year reprimanded.
"How rude for that to be the first thing you say. Like anyone grows taller in just two weeks!" the shorter middle blocker said.
"I grew two millimeters," the half-Russian grinned.
"Uuhh!" Hinata was shocked that the fellow first-year had added to his already impressive height in the short time frame.
Ai giggled. "It's great to see you too, Lev." She accepted the big hug from him. Being around foreigners again was nice. "Also, tell me your measurements later. I'd like to calculate your and the team's nutritional requirements."
"Really? You'd do that for us?" His enthusiastic smile showed his white teeth.
She shrugged. "It's nothing. It's what any manager would do."
"I doubt that," Kenma blankly stated. "Is it really okay for you to be helping us like this?"
"You're my litter of kittens now. How could I not?" She winked at Hinata. "But don't worry, Shōyō. My nest is always with the crows."
"There goes my plan to steal you for Nekoma." Kuroo came up from behind her and draped an arm around her neck. The others from Karasuno joined them, too.
"Ai's a vital member of our team," Daichi said. "We won't let her go that easily."
Kuroo backed away with his hands up, and he showed Karasuno's guys the way to Shinzen's First Gymnasium. She met with the three other managers again and deferentially greeted all of the coaches and captains.
"What good manners. I expect no less from a student from Teikō," Nekomata praised.
"Thank you," she bowed deeply and gracefully, suddenly very appreciative of her interdisciplinary sadō lessons.
After the formalities, she explored the campus and then got to work.
"Hello, Yaku-san," she greeted the remaining third-year.
"Ai-senpai!" Inuoka beamed.
"Hi!" Shibayama said beside the tall middle blocker.
"Hey, you." The older libero grinned. "Looking forward to working with you again."
"Likewise," she smiled.
"Here's your notebook from last time." Kai came over and returned it to her. "We're counting on you," he said kindly.
She nodded. "Of course."
On the next court over, Karasuno was having a quick meeting after warm-ups and before the first match.
"All right, we're gonna swap out members constantly this time around, so be prepared," she heard Ukai saying to the team.
"Right!"
"Our goal is no penalties!" Fukurōdani's captain declared.
Nekoma had a break first while Karasuno and Fukurōdani played next to Ubugawa and Shinzen.
Ai scrutinized the team with pink number jerseys and took notes of their serve and block strategy; break up the opponent with the serve, and once their method of attack was narrowed down, nab them with a block. It was the ideal formation for attack, second only to a service ace.
As the other teams played, the coaches from Nekoma seemed more interested in her team and watched them in their free time.
Karasuno had incorporated a few new techniques since the last time they saw each other. Because they were crows, they were omnivorous. Whether it be deep in the mountains, or in the middle of Kabukichō in Tokyo City, they ate anything edible and took advantage of those stronger than them to survive.
And, at the center of the athletes' evolutionary developments were their three sterling managers, one of which Nekoma was borrowing again. To say that the cats were lucky would be an understatement.
Noticing the coaches' attention on Karasuno, Ai worked with Nekoma and watched them closely to be able to give them feedback, if they asked.
"Coach Nekomata thought of recruiting a manager after having you with us in Tokyo," Shibayama told her as he helped distribute the water bottles to the players. "But one day, he suddenly stopped looking for one. I thought we were just going back to not having a manager, but I guess he didn't see the reason to find a manager if they weren't as good as you."
Ai had to laugh at that. "Aw, thank you. I'm honored he thought that way."
"You're really awesome, Ai-senpai! We all couldn't wait to practice with you again, especially Taketora-san!" Inuoka informed her.
She smiled. "I was looking forward to it too, Sō. Let's have a wonderful week of training camp together," she promised the first-years.
***
Author's Note:
I'll explain a bit more about Ai's current stance with Tsukishima (in case it was unclear) and write more of Bokuto and Akaashi in the next part!
***
Reference:
Shinzen 森然 means "forest/woods" (森) and "natural" or "nature" (然).
***
What are some (bizarre) lucky items that Midorima might have in his collection?
(He borrows them from people sometimes.)
Total Word Count: 1989