Hinata walked through the forest, his heart thumping in his chest as he wondered if he was even going the right way. "Oh man… where did that rabbit go?" he groaned as he came to a fork in the road leading into three different directions. Three different signboards were placed on a stick, leading down each path. "Mermaid pool. Nekomata Forest. Fukorodani Mansion. What weird names…" Hinata mused as he lifted his finger and closed his eyes.
"Okay. Eenie. Meany. Miney. Moe!" he said as he opened his eyes to see his finger pointed towards Mermaid Pool. "Right! This way!" he shouted as he walked down the path going straight. As he walked, he thought he smelled something like cigarette smoke as he entered a large field, wondering if he had made the wrong turn. "Lost, girl?" a cool voice came as something shifted on a large mushroom. A guy slightly older than Hinata sat on it, his lower body that of a caterpillar.
"Welcome to my humble home. I'm Daichi the caterpillar," he said as he puffed on his pipe. "Uh.. Daichi-san. I'm looking for a rabbit. He wears glasses and had a volleyball with him. Have you seen him?" he asked and the guy sighed as he puffed on his pipe. "Ah that rabbit. He was always a trouble-maker. But no. I haven't seen him pass here," he said as Hinata's heart sank a little. "However, I might be able to guide you to where he may have passed," Daichi said as he jerked his pipe to a blue path. The sign Mermaid pool was hammered into the ground next to it.
"My caterpillar senses tell me he went that way. But be warned. Mermaid pool is a place where someone young as you shouldn't go unless absolutely necessary," Daichi said. "Oh! Thanks, Daichi-san!" Hinata shouted as he turned to the other path. "I hope you don't see what will scar you for life!" Daichi called out as he disappeared in the shadow of the leaves. Hinata wondered what he could mean when he heard the sound of splashes and female laughter.
He reached the pool and hid behind a large rock. As he peeped from behind, his eyes widened when he saw several mermaids perched on the rocks, laughing as they splashed water at each other. All of them wore nothing but sea shell bras and their colourful tails flicked water at each other. "Wahhh… so pretty…" Hinata mused as he gazed at them. One of them caught his eye, her dark eyes shining from behind black glasses as she lifted a hand and ran it over her hair, droplets of water sparkling in the air when she did so.
As Hinata stared, he heard a few chuckles from nearby and he turned to see two guys, one bald and one super short squatting behind the rocks, a box of chocolates and a bouquet of flowers in their hands. "Come on, Nishinoya! We have to man up and do it!" the bald one told the shortie, who grinned. "Oh! She's so beautiful!" he grinned as his friend lifted his fingers. "On the count of three, we jump and give them to her," the baldy said and his friend, Nishinoya grinned. "Okay, Tanaka. And a one, two…" he said as they leapt as one, flying through the air.
"Kiyoko-san! Please accept our love!" they shouted as they made a mad dash towards them. The mermaids shrieked as they dove back into the water, the only one remaining was the one with the glasses. "My, you look beautiful today, Kiyoko-san," Nishinoya said as Tanaka nodded furiously. "Please, accept this tokens of love," Tanaka begged as he held out the gifts like an offering. Kiyoko stared at them for a moment before sweeping her tail forth, spraying both boys with water.
"No," she said as she leapt into the water, wetting them even more. As both of them stood there, dumbfounded, they stared at their wet gifts for a moment before shouting in triumph. "She sprayed us with water! Oh, how amazing!" they shouted as they jumped in the air, bumping fists as they danced. Hinata wondered if they were that desperate or just nuts.
"Uh, excuse me. But have you seen a rabbit pass by here?' Hinata asked as he stepped out from behind the rock. "Oh! This guy is as short as I am!" Nishinoya grinned as Hinata turned red. "Oi! I'm still growing you know!" he snapped as Tanaka rubbed his head. "Ah man. Now we have to find another way to surprise her," he groaned as Nishinoya nodded.
"Uh, so have you seen him?" Hinata asked again and Tanaka sighed. "If you're looking for four-eyes, try going to Nekomata Forest. I think he has to pass by there to go to whatever place he goes to everyday," he said and Hinata smiled, bowing low as he thanked them. "Thanks!" he called as he ran down the path, which was now red in colour. "Come on, Tanaka-san! Let's continue our quest to win Kiyoko-san's heart!" Nishinoya shouted as they skipped arm in arm down the road.
….
Hinata shuddered a little, the trees shielding any light from him. The air around him was cold and eerie and he tried to block out any images of ghosts coming after him from his mind. "Come on. Where can you be?" Hinata muttered when he heard a chuckle from the trees. "Whose there?" he called as he whirled around, his heart slamming against his chest. "Who dares to cross our borders?" a voice said as a grin appeared in the air, followed by a guy with spiky black hair and cat ears, a tail dangling from behind.
"Uh, have you seen a rabbit pass through here?" Hinata asked as the guy grinned. "Ah, you must be the shrimpy Lev told us about. There aren't that many short guys here in Wonderland," he grinned as Hinata fumed. "Oi!" he snapped as someone whacked the black haired guy on the back of the head, making him wince. "Come on, Kuro. Don't scare the kid," a guy with blonde hair muttered as he appeared, his eyes fixed on the game console in his hands.
"Please don't mind Kuro. He can be a simpleton at most times," he said as Kuro glared at him. "Can you please tell me where the rabbit went? I need to get the ball back and practice volleyball to go to nationals!" Hinata shouted as Kuro grinned. "You hear that, Kenma? This shrimpy wants to go to nationals!" he grinned as he roared with laughter but Kenma didn't join him.
"Don't insult people when you don't even know their capabilities," Kenma muttered as he swung down the tree, landing on the ground gracefully. "Oi, Hinata. Want to play some volleyball?" he asked as Hinata's eyes widened. "Oh! Sure!" he smiled as a court came out of nowhere, the lights shining on it. "If you can spike my ball, we will tell you where the rabbit went. If you can't, I don't know what Kuro will do with you," Kenma muttered as Kuro grinned. "A round of diving laps!" he grinned as Hinata gulped. He hated diving drills the most.
"Okay! Toss!" he said and Kuro grinned. "You sure you can jump in that getup?" he grinned as Hinata smoothed his skirt. "Of course! Toss to me, Kenma!" he shouted and Kenma sighed. "Too loud," he muttered as he threw up a ball. Hinata grinned as he dashed forward, soaring into the air. "Wow!" Kuro gasped as Hinata's hand connected with the ball, slamming it onto the court. The sound of the ball slamming rang throughout the forest and for a moment the two could only gape at each other.
"Wow, great spike for a shrimpy," Kuro commented as Kenma tried to stop Hinata from hitting him. "Okay! I did what you want! Now tell me where that rabbit went!" he shouted as Kuro rubbed his head. "I heard he had some business as Fukorodani Mansion. Maybe you can go there and take a look. Use this path," he said as a grey stone path swung into view, an owl perched on top of it. "Thanks guys! Toss me some time, Kenma!" Hinata called as he ran down the road. As he disappeared, Kuro smiled as he scratched his cat ears. "Such an interesting guy," he said as the darkness swallowed them up.
….
Hinata panted as he ran, wondering how much longer he had to run to reach the mansion when a large mansion swung into view. From afar, he could hear the sounds of shouts as a ball hit a court and shoes squeaking against the surface. "Hey hey hey! I'm awesome am I?" a voice called out as another snapped. "Oi, Bokuto-san. The tea is getting cold," he said as the one called Bokuto replied. "Fine, Akaashi," he said as Hinata heard the sound of a person sitting down.
He walked through the gates and into the compound, rounding the building to see a long table heaped with all kinds of tea stuff. A teapot with volleyballs was perched on top of a pile of volleyball plates and the guy at the head of the table grinned as he swung a hat with a volleyball perched on it onto his head. "Oh, welcome shrimpy! Kuro told us you were coming!" he called as he patted on the seat next to his, which was empty. The guy Hinata assumed was Akaashi sipped his tea, looking bored.
"Say shrimpy! What are you doing in this part of wonderland?" Bokuto asked. "Please stop calling me that," Hinata muttered as Bokuto laughed. "But look at you! You are short for a volleyball player!" he grinned as Hinata fumed. "Bokuto-san, your tea is ready," Akaashi said as the sound of a kettle whistling filled the ai.r. "Oh, my bad!" Bokuto said as he rushed over to the pot, a teabag containing volleyball tea leaves in his cup as he poured his tea.
"Uh, have you guys seen a rabbit pass by here?" Hinata asked as Bokuto slammed his cup on the table. "Hey hey hey, shrimpy! Its tea time! Let us talk something else other than that four-eyes! You know, he refused to practice blocking with me and Kuro no matter how many times we asked him to, saying he was busy," he sighed as he slammed a hand onto Hinata's back, making him spit out the tea in his mouth. As Hinata tried to recover himself, Bokuto looked at his pocket watch and grinned.
"Hey, since there's still time before the main event, why don't we practice some blocking?" he said as he got up, Akaashi following suit. Hinata gulped, knowing how much he sucked at blocking. "Uh, I think I'm fine here," he said as Bokuto grabbed him to the court. "Hey hey hey. It ain't nice to turn down a challenge from a host, especially when it's from Mad Hatter Bokuto!" he said as Akaashi took a ball, spinning it in his hands.
"Okay, shrimpy. We'll fight with you," Bokuto grinned as Hinata gaped. "How?! I'm on my own! So not fair!" he shouted as Bokuto laughed. "I'm the Mad Hatter so anything goes!" he grinned as Akaashi tossed the ball, Bokuto flying into the air and spiking it with a slam. The wind whistled as the ball slammed onto the table, sending food flying in all directions. "Wohoo! I'm the best am I Akaashi?" he grinned as Akaashi gave some mock applause. "Bravo Bokuto-san. You're the best," he said as Bokuto fumed. "Oi, be more sincere!" he snapped as Hinata groaned.
"Fine. I'll play with you," he said as Bokuto grinned. "But first, can Akaashi-san toss for me?" he asked as Bokuto's eyebrow went up. "Oh? Fine," he said as Akaashi sighed, moving to Hinata's side of the court. "Ready?" he asked and Hinata nodded. He tossed the ball into the air and Hinata dashed after it, leaping into the air with his arm out. "Wow! Such a jump!" Bokuto shouted as Hinata spiked the ball, the ball exploding into pieces as it hit the ground. "Wah! The ball exploded!" Hinata shouted as he landed. "Awesome…" Bokuto muttered as the sound of horses whinnying filled the air.
As they turned, a carriage came into view, the sign of a crow drawn onto it. The man driving the carriage stepped down, coughing as he removed a paper from his robe and reading from it. "His highness, Kageyama Tobio, King of the Court, requests an audience with Hinata Alice at his palace immediately," he said as Hinata jolted. "Hinata Alice?!" he blurted as another man stepped from the carriage. "Come on. His highness is waiting. Let's go, princess!" he snapped as he snatched Hinata by the head and threw him inside. As Hinata protested, the men climbed back onto the carriage and the glasses guy clicked the reins, sending them jolting down the path. As they sped off, Bokuto grinned as he stroked his cheek. "This year's Inter-Kingdom games are going to be interesting," he grinned as Akaashi face-palmed himself.