"Where are your managers?" Ukai asked, highly uninterested.
"We have Kiyoko-san…." Nishinoya muttered in reply. "But she's the only one."
"I thought- isn't there a Hinata Shouyou in your school? Kiyoko can you try to find her? She should be a first-year." Ukai groaned. Hinata had helped Takeda convince him to coach, but he never expected that she wasn't even part of the club. Why go through that pain when you're not even part of the club? He thought, frustrated. No matter, we'll get her to help us anyway.
Kiyoko nodded, running off to find this girl that Ukai had asked her to.
"H-Hinata Shouyou?" Kageyama stammered. WHY IS GOD SO CRUEL, he screamed internally.
"What's wrong Kageyama?" Suga pet his back in concern. Kageyama's face was pale and restless. He tried to shake it off. Maybe it wasn't her? Maybe it was some other girl? Maybe- Just take a deep breath, Tobio. If it is her, just talk to her calmly and-
"Found her!" Kiyoko burst into the sports hall, with a girl who had her mesmerising ginger hair bundled into a ponytail. Her brown eyes blinked in confusion as she bowed to her seniors, but widened in embarrassment as she met Coach Ukai's eye contact. "Ah… Coach. Hi." She laughed nervously.
SO CUTE. Tanaka and Nishinoya stared at the first year. "Say hi to your senpais!" They charged at her. She bent down and jumped up insanely high, higher than them, landing on their backs and stomping them to the floor.
"Senpais, you two have some serious problems." She rolled her eyes. "Stop doing that or I'm gonna stomp over more than just your backs."
"Hinata. I expected you were a manager when you came to convince me to be a coach." Coach Ukai raised an eyebrow.
"Just because I helped, it doesn't mean I was part of the group that needs help." She protested. "I told you, I don't do volleyball anymore anyway. I refuse to be a part of this one."
"Whatever, Hinata you'll be Kiyoko's assistant. Maybe you can teach the boys a little something something. They honestly need it." He rolled his eyes.
The boys were about to protest in defiance when Kageyama held them back. "Don't even try it." He whispered. "He's right. She's better than all of us." Everyone stared at him in surprise. Since when did Kageyama admit that a player was better than him, let alone a female player? They started to back off from her, when Tsukishima piped up.
"Wow, King, I had no idea you were afraid of a little tangerine like her." He laughed.
Here we go… Kageyama rolled his eyes and ducked. The rest of Karasuno was surprised, and so was Tsukishima. Until Tsukishima took a flying roundhouse kick from Hinata in the face.
"WHAT THE FUCK?!" He shouted. She blew her orange curls away from her forehead. "Mess with my friend, suffer the consequences bitch." She huffed. "Take that as a lesson. Don't play with me." She smirked, revealing her threatening demeanour.
"Karasuno, may I introduce to you, Hinata Shouyou. Queen of the court and captain/ace of the Kitagawa Daiichi Girls' Team of 2010."
They stared at her in horror and surprise. "It's nice to make your acquaintance." She bowed to the players, who had a newfound fear and respect for the girl.
"Kageyama, you were from Kitagawa Daiichi, right?" Daichi asked him, unable to turn his eyes away from the energetic girl.
"Yup." He squeaked.
"And Kitagawa Daiichi's Girls' Team made it to finals in Nationals last year, right?" Suga asked, also maintaining eye contact with Hinata.
"Yup." He squeaked again.
"So, she's the top 2nd junior high girls' ace from last year, am I correct?" Daichi finished.
"That's about right."
"Ah, shit." They cursed simultaneously.
Coach Ukai broke the tension by blowing his whistle. "Hinata, play with Daichi and Kageyama against Tsukishima, Suga and Tanaka. Time to make them see hell." He smirked, high fiving her.
"Osu! I need to change first, please wait for me!" She wore the same expression as him as she ran off to the changing room.
5 minutes later, she was wearing a black exercise shirt, volleyball shorts and kneepads. Her long hair was at her shoulders. "Does anyone know how to tie a bun?" She asked. Nishinoya bounded over to help her.
"Stop it with the bodhisattva face Tanaka! Suga, you too?!" Daichi facepalmed.
"EASY FOR YOU TO SAY, YOU'RE ON THE SAME TEAM AS THE QUEEN!" They shouted together.
Meanwhile, Nishinoya was vibing with Hinata to her favourite song while helping her bundle her hair into a tight bun. "I SEE YOU DRIVIN ROUND TOWN WITH THE GIRL I LOVE AND I'M LIKE, FORGET YOU! OOH OOH OOH!" They yelled, smiling widely as Nishinoya finished tying her hair.
"So, she can be a crackhead too." Suga laughed.
"We're gonna start the game soon guys, let's get going!" Coach Ukai clapped his hands. "Hinata, you can serve first." He threw the ball to her, despite the shrieks of terror from the other team. A dark aura seemed to surround her as she took the ball and looked their way, smiling.
SHE LOOKS SO EVIL! They shrieked in their heads.
Throwing the ball up, she ran fast and jumped.
A jump serve! Tanaka thought. She's looking to the right, so she'll probably hit it there! He ran to the right, desperate to prove his smarts.
Her hand came into contact with the ball, slamming it to the left side of the court which was left unprotected. "OSU!" She cheered. Tanaka looked absolutely defeated.
"It's okay, Tanaka. I thought she was going to hit right too." Suga comforted him. Maybe she's not all brawn? It would make sense, but the only people who know anything about her playing style is Coach Ukai and… Kageyama. Of course. No one would be able to hit his tosses, not even this girl. We're at an advantage. He thought. "I have an idea." He said to his team mates. "Gather around."
Hinata served again, but this time, Tanaka sent it up into the air with a receive. Suga set it to Tsukishima, who spiked it. Daichi dove in to receive the ball and headed to Kageyama.
Kageyama thought carefully. It's been a while…. But maybe. But if she misses? He hesitated. Just then, he caught Hinata in the corner of his eye and had a memory. A flashback. I trust you. He decided. He tossed the ball to her, exactly two seconds after she had jumped. I trust you, Tobio-chan. Her voice vibrated in his mind.
"There's no way." Tsukishima stared in awe and fear. The tiny ace had a deathly look in her eyes. More horrifying then what she had done to his face. She was determined to kill him and him alone, and she wouldn't have it any other way. Her wings spread as she jumped high. He ran to block the spike with Tanaka, but somehow, he knew they were getting hurt. Don't play with me. Her words rang true.
She obliterated their block, causing both Tanaka and Tsukishima to be sent flying. That was amazing in itself. But what was even scarier was… "Her eyes were closed." Suga stammered. He saw it. This girl had just spiked one of Kageyama's monster tosses with her eyes closed. She landed gracefully, with barely a sound made. "Make them see hell." She hissed softly.
"Why were your eyes closed, boke?!" Kageyama scolded. She whacked him over the head. "Big dummy Bakageyama. We did this in junior high, remember?"
"How could I forget?!" He grumbled.
"I trust you 100%." She beamed innocently.
Wait, what? He had disappointed her countless times before, disrespected her, gotten his ass beat by her and she still trusted him? This girl was something else. He shook his head and sighed.
"If you open your eyes, you'll see the other side, remember? You get better with your eyes open." He whispered into her ear softly.
"Who do you think I am? I'm not weak, and I'm certainly not as dumb as you Tobio-chan!" She whacked him across the head again. "Disrespectful. I'm six months your senior. Don't look down on me."
"That, physically, is impossible."
"Oh, shut the fuck up."
"Stop arguing you two." Daichi split them apart.
With a grumble, they walked to their starting positions. Discretely, Kageyama held up 3 fingers to Hinata. She responded with a slight nod. Tanaka started with a serve, which Daichi managed to receive. Unfortunately, it landed in the other court, which Suga set to Tanaka. "We have power too!" He yelled.
Not fast enough.
Hinata swiftly blocked the powerful spike, sending the ball to go hurtling back. Tsukishima managed to get it up in the air, allowing Suga to attempt another set to Tanaka, which was deflected by Daichi and Hinata. This time, it landed in the other court and Hinata's team got yet another point.
"OSU!" Daichi, Kageyama and Hinata yelled together.
"They're too much…" Tsukishima clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Sugawara-san, your strategy didn't work, how should we approach it further?"
"I'm not sure. Hinata is an all-rounder, she's fast, jumps high, has amazing upper body strength and her reflexes are amazing. I can see she's more flexible, so she could possibly function as a good libero too. I have no clue." Suga mused, defeated.
Soon, the game continued. Kageyama performed a slightly off running jump serve that Tanaka managed to receive. He signalled to Hinata 3 fingers again. She nodded in response. The ball came into their court, and he set it to her. She jumped, the expression on her face more powerful than ever. Suga and Tanaka raced to block her.
No, that's off. His set to her was 2 seconds after she jumped last time, he set it 4 seconds this time. Tsukishima thought. Suga and Tanaka had jumped already, in a desperate attempt to block. Because it isn't for her.
Tsukishima ran to block Daichi's spike, but was too late. Daichi slammed the ball into their court, giving their team a 4-point lead. "Nice one, Tobio-chan!" She beamed, offering him a high five enthusiastically. He reluctantly returned it.
"Tsukishima figured us out. He tried to stop Daichi-san." Kageyama noted. Hinata nodded knowingly. "Shall we go for a number 4 this time?"
"Too soon. I think number 6 would be more suitable. Let's tell Daichi-san."
"Tsukishima, you knew that Hinata was a decoy?" Suga panted.
"I saw the king give the queen a signal. It was 3 fingers. I think they used this in matches before. 3 fingers must mean Hinata gets to play decoy. We should watch out for more signals." Tsukishima said matter-of-factly.
"I see."