Hey guys! This next chapter covers how and why white settlers decided to cross, NOT SETTLE (That'll come in a later chapter;)on the Great Plains. And also we got OIKAWA IN THIS CHAPPIE! WHOOO!XDXD #Oikawaisbae I'll probs have the next chapter based off Nekoma as I seem to be repeatedly using Noya, Tanaka, Hinata and Kageyama as my simple minded students lol;P
Anyways hope you enjoy! Again if you're not studying the course I hope you'll read and enjoy the characters madness anywaysX)
Migrants and Settlers in the West
Oikawa sat down comfortably in his armchair, a cup of British tea by his side. He did quite like the taste of it, and something warm like this was certainly satisfying after a day's hard school work followed by gruelling practice.
His slumber was ruthlessly disturbed by the continuous ringing of the doorbell.
"Moooommm!" He called out, not feeling quite in the mood to get up, before quickly realising that his mother had gone out to the shops, followed by a meal, with her friend, a Karasuno history teacher named Runi.
"Pft…" He moaned and paused for second, before heaving his tired body of the chair and shuffling towards the door.
"Hello?" He swung open the door with a click and smiled sweetly at the visitors.
"HUUUUHHHH?"
"OIKAWA-SENPAI!?"
He stood there with his mouth hanging open looking in despair at four of Karasuno's finest players. His stupid underclassman Tobio, his crappy but madly fast Shrimp, their- he hated to admit it- awesome libero and the baldy left.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING AT MY HOUSE? NO SCRAP THAT: HOW THE HELL DID YOU FIND MY HOUSE? HAVE YOU BEEN STALKING ME? LOOK I KNOW I'M AWESOME AND HANDSOME AND WELL… Really quite beautiful… BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT CREEPY!"
"We didn't know you lived here!" Hinata protested.
"Haha… we must have the wrong house- lets go guys!" Tanaka said jumping down the concrete steps.
"Nah Ryu, it's the right house…. Look," Noya-san pointed to the number 1 on the door.
"The... huhhhhh? I am so confused but anyway bye!" Oikawa went to shut the door but Kageyama stuck his foot in the way.
"Please wait Oikawa Senpai!"
"Dahh! Get your foot out my door! You're breaking and entering! I could call the police for this…OY MOVE YOUR DAMN FOOT!"
"Do you know anyone called Runi-Sensei?!" Hinata asked loudly.
Oikawa paused for a minute in his attack on Kageyama, his hand pressed to Tobio's face and his knee in an awfully tender place. "She's YOUR history teacher isn't she?"
Hinata nodded, "We're trying to find her house but…"
"WHAAAAATT? WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO FIND HER HOUSE?! WEIRDOS!" Oikawa shoved Kageyama out the house and went to slam the door shut again. But this time it was Hinata who leaped up and stuck himself in-between the door and it's frame.
"WAIIIT A MINUTE GREAT KING! Please we saw in her diary that she was coming to this house this afternoon- do you know where she could be?"
Oikawa's jaw dropped in disbelief but he quickly composed himself, "I have no idea what the hell you're up to but my mum's friends with her and they went out for a meal together- I ain't got a clue where but it clearly can't be that important that you see her… I mean WHY THE HELL ARE YOU TRYING TO STALK YOUR TEACHER?! You guys are freaky. Bye!" He went to push Hinata out the door but Hinata held on fast.
"Please Oikawa! We had a homework assignment and we have no idea what to do for it! Plus it needs to be in for tomorrow and if we don't do it we'll be banned from volleyball for a WHOLE week!" Kageyama protested, "HELP US!"
"Wait… first years and second years get the same assignments? LMAO!"
"Nope- we're just failures so have to do their homework as revision…" Noya said into the ground.
"Well why don't you have a look on a magical thing called the internet. BYE!" He tried again to shut the door but with no avail.
"OIKAWA! IF YOU HELP US I'LL DO ANYTHING FOR YOU! YOU'RE SMART!" Kageyama screamed in panic.
"Anything?" Oikawa paused for a minute and touched a finger to his lip, "Okay…fine- I'll help you and once I have I'll think of a penalty." He winked and reluctantly let them in. Groaning inside as he did… it was all nice and peaceful and he was blissfully relaxed until… now. Well… at least he could penalty Tobio-chan… but what the hell was he gonna make him do?
The four players shuffled into Oikawa's living room and sat down in a circle on the floor.
"So… whatcha learnin' about?" Oikawa asked, strolling in and flopping back down on his armchair.
"American West," They muttered.
Okay… be a bit more precise?"
"Here's the homework sheet!" Hinata passed across a two side piece of A4 paper.
The setter took it and carefully examined it, "Seems easy enough. So… first question… Give FOUR EXAMPLES of the first white settlers to cross the plains and why they did."
Oikawa looked at the four who stared back at him with big eyes.
"Er… cowboys?"
"KINGS!"
"Volleyball players!"
"WARRIORS!"
"All wrong."
The boys deflated.
"One example would be the 49ers." Oikawa said passing the sheet back to Hinata.
"The who?" Tanaka asked, frowning.
"49ers- they were prospectors."
"Whaaaa?"
"Oh my god how dumb can you be?!" Oikawa sighed and ran a hand through his brown waves of hair. "Prospectors: gold seekers. Gold was discovered in California 1848 and many PROSPECTORS crossed the plains to get rich basically. I think it was around 90,000 people who'd arrived in the state by 1849, but of course many failed to find the 'fortune' they'd been promised by guidebooks." Oikawa smirked at the idea of their faliure.
"OOOOO! MONEEEEYYYY!" Hinata leaped up into the air excitedly, effectively hitting the low lamp shade with his ginger head. "Ahhhhoowwww!"
"Ahhh! Oy! No bouncing!" Oikawa ordered as he jumped up to straighten the swinging lamp shade. "Honestly…"
"Waaahh I'm SO SORRY GREAT KING!"
"Why do you call me that?" Oikawa asked curiously sitting down.
"Er… well-"
"What were guidebooks Oikawa-Senpai?" Kageyama interrupted, his pen resting on the edge of his lips.
"Oy Kageyama, don't interrupt me!" Hinata growled in annoyance, shoving himself into Kageyama's line of vision.
"Guidebooks were like- well guidebooks. They provided detailed advice about the journey and what people would find in the west. But they were written by leaders of wagon trains who made money from persuading people to go west so BIAS! Ahh… the troubles of greed! Hmm… I love it!"
"And what should we put for the other 3 examples Oikawa?" Noya asked, staring down at his sheet with a frown.
Can't he add 'Senpai' to the end of my name? Oikawa thought with annoyance. "Hmm… you could put explorers I guess who wanted to map the new land…Fur trappers were popular actually. People in the East payed a lot for fur coats, hats, scarves etc. So fur trappers made a lot of money by going west where the animals were in excess. And a 4th example… mountain men? They just liked the scenery I guess… Is that good enough?"
"YEP!" The first years chorused.
Tanaka put his thumbs up.
"Thanks Oikawa!" Noya grinned.
"So what's the next question?"
"List the pull and push factors for why early settlers crossed the plains." Tanaka read out.
"Right! So push factors… I'd say the economic depression and overcrowding."
"Huhhh?" The boys looked at him questioningly.
"Do you need legit EVERYTHING spelling out for you!?"
"We're not smart." Hinata replied.
Oikawa sighed loudly, "In 1837 banks in the East collapsed and there was massive unemployment. In some states the price of grain fell so low that farmers couldn't even afford to sell it-"
"Oooo youch!" Tanaka commented.
Oikawa glared at him," Don't interrupt the flow of my perfect brain," He flashed them a dazzling smile.
There was a moment of awkward silence.
Oikawa coughed, "And so many people had nothing to lose by going west. And lots of people were moving to America and filling up the Eastern states, and I mean A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE MOVING. Everyone was getting a tad cramped!"
Oikawa paused for a minute letting the boys write everything down. He smiled to himself as he watched them sitting on the floor beneath him; the couch was so comfy. This was actually quite fun! He felt so powerful!
"What about the pull factors?" Kageyama asked.
"Oy! I haven't' finished writing everything down Kageyama-kun!" Hinata cried out, his wrist moving furiously.
Oikawa ignored Hinata and thought for a moment, his thumb scratching the newly growing stubble on his chin, "Propaganda would be one; early settlers had painted a very rosy picture of the West, reporting that California was the land of sunshine and fruit trees and Oregon the perfect farming land and so people were tempted. "
"You know a lot about the West Oikawa-kun!" Noya grinned.
"It's called being smart." Oikawa smirked. "Anyway I've just remembered another pull factor was 'Government incentives'. The PRE-EMPTION Bill, passed in 1842, allowed people who settled on land in Oregon to buy it very cheaply. For people who had lost all their savings when the banks collapsed, this was an unmissable opportunity. And I can't be bothered to think of anymore so that'll have to do."
"Thanks Oikawa-Senpai!" Kageyama said.
Oikawa smiled to himself; he was liking all these 'thank you's. "Oh and also it's important to remember that these factors convinced people to cross the plains, NOT settle on them!" He added; these numpties would need all the 'spelling out' for them they could get.
"Yep!" Hinata agreed, "The next question is 'list the problems created by the 'California Gold Rush'." He looked up at Oikawa expectantly.
"Well do you remember who the 49ers were?" Oikawa started, feeling more and more like a teacher the more he explained.
"PROSPECTORS!"
"GOLD SEEKERS!"
"MONEEEEYYYYY!"
"Er… yeah let's stick with prospectors. Well," Oikawa stretched back on the couch once more, "these guys, and there were a lot of them, flooded across the plains increasing the population drastically and quickly. And this was the problem: the Mining Towns and villages that sprung up for the 49ers to live in be made up of poor, single men desperate to get rich." Okawa finished on a low, pursing his lips.
"So basically me," Tanaka commented.
"Er… you said it," Oikawa blinked, "And these peeps were living in basic housing, were away from the rules and regulations of the East, and there were no effective laws or police because the towns grew up so quickly. So you can see why there were problems…"
"Er… nope!" Hinata replied, his eyes wide.
"So… how were there problems?" Noya asked, frowning and twiddling his pen round his finger.
"THEY WERE A LOAD OF SINGLE DESPERATE MEN LIVING UNDER NO LAWS OR RULES AND YOU CAN'T SEE THE PROBLEMS!?"
The four shook their heads.
Oikawa sighed and touched his finger tips to his temple. "I would not want to live with you! Although I guess Kyotani probably wouldn't be able to see the problems either…hmm…" He stared off into space for a moment.
"Er… so Oikawa Senpai what were the problems?" Kageyama asked, as the four stared up at the third year.
"Right, yes!" He clapped his hands together with a flourish, "Well there were many different racial groups so, at a time were racial prejudice was common, this led to violence between groups, such as bullying, chasing, banning from towns… even murders… and with no law to stop them-"
"Murders!? You mean people actually died!?" Hinata asked aghast.
"Yes Hinata, when you grow old you die. Everybody you talk about who was born before 1900 is now dead, except one who's 116 years old… But yes people actually die."
"I said died! Past tense!"
"Yes people have died in the past- well done Hinata!" Oikawa mocked, enjoying himself profusely.
Hinata growled and started at the floor, frowning hard, fretfully trying to understand how Oikawa had managed to mock him from his one simple question…
Oikawa sniggered, "Claim jumping was another problem: this was when people claimed other people's mining land as their own when it wasn't. And of course fights broke out often, as a sport really as well. There wasn't much to do in these towns and activities such as drinking, visiting prostitutes and gambling became popular, often leading to fights."
"OMG YES GAMBLING! I LOVE GAMBLING!" Noya yelled, clenching his fists in excitement.
"Er… well I wouldn't recommend it- somehow I don't think Mr refreshing would approve." Oikawa smiled sweetly.
"Mr-who?"
"Second setter… pinch server… 3rd year guy… er…the one who always acts like your mother." Oikawa explained.
"Oh Suga-san! Er… yeah hehe me neither…." Noya trailed off, biting his lip. "Tanaka… I think we should delete our gambling search history… and probably stop going to Karasuno's illegal Friday lunch time sweets gambling club."
"Yeah… He has started questioning me as to why we're always so hyper on Friday afternoons… well- we can't help it if we're so skilled and always win," Tanaka grinned.
("Hmm… Mr refreshing sounds a lot like Iwa-chan y'know…" Okawa mumbled to himself.)
"WHOA! YOU GUYS ARE IN A SWEETS GAMBLING CLUB?! CAN I COME!?" Hinata exclaimed leaping up to his Senpai's, his eyes shining.
"Er… nope, you probs shouldn't do." Tanaka said, "If Suga found out he'd kill us-"
"And probably tell us that we'll wreak our teeth…"
"-and I don't wanna die a virgin!" Tanaka finished dramatically.
The room went silent.
"What's a virgin Tanaka Senpai?" Kageyama asked while Hinata looked questioningly at them.
"And that's our cue to continue! Next question!" Oikawa butted in loudly.
Hinata shrugged and flipped the page over. "How did the settlers make the journey west?"
"You need the short version or the long version?"
"Er…"
"How many lines are there for you to write on?" Oikawa sighed; this was like talking to a child. Wait… I guess they are children…No I mean like Grade school kids. Yeah. This is like talking to a bunch of Grade School kids.
"Four lines!"
"So the short version then: Settlers travelled west in wagons, which carried everything they needed for the journey and the first winter, pulled by oxen, which they could breed upon arrival for meat. Settlers travelled in wagon trains leaving usually in April. They needed to make sure they made it across the Rocky Mountains before winter or they risked being snowed in."
"Thanks Oikawa-kun!" Hinata yelled, his tongue sticking out the corner of his mouth in concentration as he wrote everything down.
"Can't you go a tad slower? I can't write everything down as fast as you talk!" Noya-san exclaimed in frustration.
"Cba- you should be listening." Oikawa smirked.
"Huhhhhh?" Noya-san growled.
"Next question!" Oikawa sang.
"Ahh I haven't finished writing yet Oikawa-Senpai!" Kageyama wailed in distress, his pen flying across the paper messily.
"SLOW DOWN!" Tanaka and Noya-san chorused, "Please," They added upon seeing Oikawa's irritated facial expression.
Oikawa sighed… Y'know he really felt like a massage…
"List five problems settlers faced on the journey west and give a short explanation for each." Hinata said after a moment.
"1) Lack of supplies, there were no shops so wagon trains had few chances to restock. They stopped to rest at army forts but resupplying there was expensive." Oikawa started immediately, eager to get these simpleton idiots out of his home so he could sleep in peace…
"2) Weather: High winds and killer storms were common across the plains, destroying wagons and causing cattle to stampede and kill or injure. Summer temperatures made water shortages bad and if the wagon train didn't get across the mountains fast enough they'd be snowed in."
"Awwwhh but snow is so good! How could snow be bad!?" Hinata cried.
"Yeah and getting all that sun must give you a beautiful tan…" Tanaka sighed blissfully.
"And killer storms look SO COOL!" Noya added passionately
"Whatever you say…." Oikawa said lethargically, he couldn't be bothered to explain that they didn't have sun cream or taps full of water, or freezers or brick houses to sit in and watch the storms safely back in the day.
"Anyway 3) Disease or accidents: Lack of water made it difficult to keep clean and everyone travelled and crapped along the same routes, causing water pollution which led to contagious diseases such as Cholera. And lack of medical care in wagon trains meant that if anyone was injured it was bye bye!"
"You sound so cheerful about that fact." Tanaka scoffed.
"Live your life with optimism my bald friend!" Oikawa smiled.
"Huh!?"
"Nah- he's right you're bald Ryu." Noya said.
"Uhh..." Tanaka deflated, rubbing his shaved head awkwardly.
"4) Attack from Indians and wild animals: The Indians were suspicious of white men, afraid they'd spread diseases and take the land, occasionally they'd trade with the white men but most often not. And Buffalo herds were dangerous in themselves; one stampede could destroy everything-"
"BUFFALO!"" Tanka and Noya screamed.
"Huh?" Oikawa frowned.
"Buffalo are awesome." Tanaka said seriously.
"Y'know there was a town called Buffalo in America!" Noya exclaimed.
"Yeah it was attacked in the Johnson County War! Best war ever! LMAO!" Tanaka guffawed.
"Wait… so you learn about the wars and not the important stuff?" Oikawa raised his eyebrows.
"War events are important too!" They defended.
"Anyway number 5) Getting lost: although there were some maps, most wagon trains were led by guides who had travelled the routes before and occasionally they tried stupid shortcuts. Plus the land wasn't well known."
"Ughhhh… I'm never going to remember any of this!" Hinata wailed, staring down at his paper in despair.
"Yeah that's true," Oikawa agreed, examining his perfectly rounded finger nails.
"Of course you will Hinata! Just think of a little something to remember it by!"
"Like what?!" Hinata replied, his eyes round and fearful.
"Er…" Noya looked down at his paper angrily.
"Well moving on…" Oikawa started; keen to get the annoying players out his house ASAP.
"WAGS AID!"
"Huh?" The four of them turned to Noya-san.
"What?" Oikawa spluttered.
"No, no hear me out: WAGS AID. Weather. Accidents. Getting lost. Supplies. Animal attacks. Indian attacks. Diseases. The first letter of every word: WAGS AID! Y'know… if you're struggling to remember it just think WAGS AID!" He looked at them all expectantly, a wide grin plastered onto his face.
"Er… I guess…" Oikawa started.
"PAHAHAHAHA! OMG NOYA-SAN! THAT' THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING I'VE EVER HEARD!"
"Oy! Shut up Ryu!" Noya protested as Tanaka rolled around on the floor in giggles.
"OMG GUYS WE'RE ON THE LAST QUESTION!" Hinata yelled elatedly. "And thanks Noya-san! I'll definitely remember it now!"
"FINALLY!" Oikawa sang in relief, "What is it?"
"Explain the events of the Donner Party's disaster," Kageyama said.
"The Donner Party was a group of people heading west to California in 1846. They split, half following the ordinary trail and half following a shortcut that their guide had heard of. The shortcut proved to be much longer, and took the Donner Party across the Great Salt Lake where many of their animals died of thirst. This meant they had to restock their provisions, making them even later to reach the mountains. The snow came early; they were trapped with no food, turned to cannibalism to survive and only half to the travellers made it to California. The end. Right off you go- I've helped you now get out of my house if you will," Oikawa gushed quickly.
The four stared at him dumbstruck for a moment.
"I didn't hear a word of that." Noya remarked.
Oikawa sighed, "Look it up on the internet."
The boys huffed as they started to pack up.
"Oh and Kageyama, as a forfeit for my time you can give me half an hour's shoulder massage." Oikawa leaned back against the sofa. His shoulders were a bit stiff from training today.
"Huh? How come Kageyama gets to stay and we don't?" Hinata huffed.
"Well by all means you can stay and massage my feet." Oikawa winked.
"Ew! Gross!"
"Then you can leave! You're all too loud anyways."
"Of course Oikawa Senpai!" Kageyama said standing up quickly and shoving his paper into his school bag.
"Well we're leaving!" Tanaka said, pointing to the door. He and Noya skipped out, eager to get away from any sort of 'working atmosphere'. "Thaks Oikawa-kun!" They called out after them.
"Wait for meee! I'll meet you in the park for practice Kageyamaaaa!" Hinata yelled at his friend, running out the door to catch up with his Senpais.
"Ahh life is good!" Oikawa said stretching back on his chair in peace and quiet while Kageyama massaged his back to perfection. No noise, nice massage, a peaceful night in front of him... no school stress as of yet… what could possibly go wrong now?
"Oikawa Senpai- after this will you teach me how to serve?"
Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'm trying to make things interesting while still revising lol- I hope it's working. Let me know what you've thought of it so far in the reviews below!X)
Acia xxx
