My first contribution to the Next Generation Captains Week, for the prompt First Meeting. This short piece could also be called: "The Story of How Terushima and Yahaba Become Eternal Rivals."
It was a balmy afternoon as Terushima, in a black sleeveless vest, tromped down the main drag in town. He let out a wide yawn as he swayed, letting his eyelids lazily close. He didn't see the other boy, the forthcoming captain of Seijoh, round the corner in front of him, hypnotically thumbing a text message on a cell phone.
They collided, and Yahaba's cell phone somersaulted through the air. It bounced on the grate of a street gutter and summarily disappeared through the slits into the darkness beneath.
Terushima just gawped as the other teenager got on all fours and probed the subterranean blackness. He couldn't make out a thing. Finally, Yahaba sternly looked up at the kid who'd hit him and sent his phone to a sewer-y grave.
"Why don't you watch where you're going?!"
Terushima smirked with an unsympathetic giggle. "Why don't you, loser?"
He spun around blithely and halfheartedly waved goodbye as he began to saunter off. Moments later, he felt his shirt get tugged from behind, and Yuuji was twirled around like a ragdoll until he hit the road.
"You owe me a phone!" Shigeru shouted as he landed on Terushima to hold him down on the street.
"Get off me, you psycho!" Terushima barked. He suddenly noticed the boy restraining him wore a pale green and white volleyball jacket. It was the colors of Aoba Johsai. But that didn't matter, given that he was being assailed. And Yuuji Terushima didn't accept being the losing end of a fight.
"I ain't buying you a new phone, so get the freak off me, you Seijoh reject!"
At that, the other boy winced slightly, and his face contorted with offense.
"What did you say to me?"
"Clearly you're one of the benchwarmers, 'cos I don't recognize you one bit!" Yuuji spat.
"Oh, yeah?" Yahaba stuck out his chin. "Well, I'd never forget an ugly dye job like that, Undercut."
That hit a nerve. With a growl, Yuuji latched both hands onto the biceps of the boy straddling him. Yahaba forced his hands onto Terushima's head and began squashing him against the tarmac. A car, swerving around the pair struggling against the curb, honked irately.
Terushima managed to roll his foe over the curb onto the sidewalk and come on top. With the dominant position, he proceeded to do the same thing his enemy had done a minute ago, crushing Shigeru's skull against the cement and earning a groan. Yahaba solidly kneed Terushima in the rear, astonishing Yuuji into releasing him. At that, Shigeru scurried free, shoved Terushima down again, and the cycle repeated. By now, they had the attention of various pedestrians. A salaryman thought it was a gang scuffle and shuffled past pretending not to notice. Two teenage girls snapped photos with their cell phones.
And after several rounds of flip-flopping on the sidewalk, with Terushima on top once again, Yahaba, sweating profusely, gasped for air.
"Fine! I give!" he squawked.
Terushima immediately stood down. He rose, dusting off his knuckles like a prized weapon.
"Next time you'll look where you're going," he snorted.
As soon as Terushima spun around, a malevolent fist swung into his visage. Yuuji literally flew onto the ground, landing on the side of his thigh. His earlier foe frightfully clambered to his feet and addressed the boy who'd suddenly intervened.
"Kyoutani! What are you doing?!"
Kentarou Kyoutani stared maniacally down at Terushima massaging his red cheek and glaring back spitefully. This boy also had a Seijoh jacket but had a rabid stare that could kill.
"Fend for yourself next time," Kyoutani scoffed and made an about-face.
"You saw all that? Why didn't you step in sooner?!" Shigeru berated, totally ignored as he chased after his teammate, leaving Yuuji with a bruised cheek and even more bruised pride.
Terushima irksomely wiped drool from his lip and dusted his trousers off as he stood, pretending nothing had happened. He noticed the two female bystanders who were now bona fide frightened. Terushima gave them a thumbs up, acting as if he was the victor. Unimpressed, the girls shuffled away nervously.
Yuuji fished in his pocket for his cell phone to check the time. He saw his screen and jolted.
After the second boy's punch, his hip landed right on top of his phone; the smartphone's glass was totally shattered.
"Curse you, you Seijoh copout! I'll make you pay!"
Honestly, I really wanna see Seijoh vs. Johzenji now! Who's with me?