Note: Unedited. No beta. Additional Notes below. Slow Update.


Palm Strike

08:

"Begin!"

Hinata watched and waited as the players on the court didn't even move. He could see that the captain, Sawamura-senpai looked a little confused while Ennoshita-senpai and Sugawara-senpai sighed in unison. Yamaguchi even looked worried now, but not about himself. He looked like he couldn't decide if he had to stay put on his team or go to his friend on the other side.

Hinata's eyes narrowed at the two players at the opposite sides of the court, the aura around them becoming tense as seconds passed.

"I really want to see when the King loses," Tsukishima said in a mocking singsong voice, his mouth lilting into a mocking smirk that strangely made him looked like a villain. Or perhaps not so strange. Tsukishima had that kind of aura that spoke of 'villain'. Kageyama's visage had darkened a little at that.

"H-hold on Tsukki, that's pretty awful," Yamaguchi whispered in a worried tone. At least he supposed that he was whispering considering he had his one hand cover the side of his mouth as he spoke towards his blond friend. Even if that said friend was at the other side of the court. Meaning, he had to make his voice a little louder than a whisper to be heard.

Meaning, whispering was pretty useless when he could still be heard by others.

"I'm only speaking the truth. If he lost his composure, then that's good points to us," Tsukishima said, looking like he couldn't care less what his words were conceived. Yamaguchi now looked extremely worried as he looked at his friend and at his current teammate in trepidation.

Sawamura-senpai laughed in a carefree manner, as if he wasn't concerned that they hadn't started their play yet. "For a guy with such good personality, you do some mean things Tsukishima,"

Hinata looked at the two in concentration, took note of the tension between them, especially with Tsukishima's seeming confrontational and antagonistic attitude towards Kageyama and concluded that the two had probably never gotten along from the first time they saw each other as members of the club.

Some hidden anger during middle school tournament perhaps? Or jealousy? Or is it just a clash of personalities?

"Hinata, shouldn't you end this?" Kijima's voice piped in, making him look at his friend who was looking at him with raised eyebrow. He shook his head after a few seconds of contemplation.

"Not yet. I wanna see this. I think knowing their personality will help with the training I would put them up to," Kijima sighed at him before looking back towards the players.

"You're the team's coach at the moment. It's your decision," Kijima stated. Hinata grinned at him brightly before both of their attention was grabbed once again by the players on the court.

"Not really. A King who has been abandoned by his retainers and left on his own would be a real sight worth seeing,"

"Tsukishima-kun, do you know that a littered army, even weak, once led by a brilliant King, could be successful in an assault?" Sawamura-senpai said, his aura now in serious mode while is face looked at Tsukishima intensely. Said first year looked taken aback and had shivered.

"Daichi, tame it up a bit alright? Tsukishima is still trying to get along with everyone," Sugawara-senpai said with a smile. He then turned towards the blond first year and looked at Tsukishima like he was actually telling the first year that he was expecting a positive response. Tsukishima looked to be gulping before ignoring him completely.

"Respect your senior first year," Ennoshita commented rather forcefully.

'Karasuno's captain and vice-captain are formidable'

Hinata saw Kijima's reproachful look that he interpreted as you've-seen-enough-so-start-it-already. He sighed before putting the whistle back on his mouth and blew on it.

Prrrrrrt!

"What are you still doing there? Start already!" he said seriously. The players appeared to be taken aback before they went back to their places and started playing.

The start was okay. Kind of calm and full of meticulous moves. It was something he would expect to be happening in a for-fun game. He supposed he couldn't complain. He didn't exactly gave the any reason to be really serious. He wanted to see some really intense game, but beggars can't be choosers. At least they were doing well in their play.

He decided to look into their techniques.

He observed how balanced Sawamura-senpai received the ball. Kageyama's rather strong spikes were easily received by Sawamura-senpai. It was like the ball that was spiked wasn't hard. He made the receive look so easy. It was actually quite good. Though he had trouble with left side receives. A few more adjustments and he would be able to receive the balls anywhere on him whenever he did. The possibilities made him giddy.

Ennoshita-senpai was actually good too. It was like he was a water, calming the raging ball and his teammates. He was like Sawamura-senpai, except his were like he was attracting the ball onto his hand to receive it easily, unlike Sawamura-san's that he had to move towards the ball to receive it and hit it to calm it down. His technique was quite interesting. It was the only time he had seen that technique, at least in this sport.

He'd seen something like that in soccer, not in volleyball. It would actually be quite a powerful technique if he could utilize it whenever he liked. A thought he could ponder on…

Sugawara-san's tossing was good too. It was steady and calculated, yet quite predictable. He had quite a good mind there, thinking of how to make his toss easy to the person he wanted to send it too while also making it good and unorthodox. But it really was predictable since he seemed to be taking in his teammate's personality into account. What if his teammates were all to be in trouble and he couldn't decide whom to toss to because one of his teammate who were in the best position to spike were having some internal battle? That was quite common in a tournament where pressure was quite high.

What if he read that teammate's turmoil and hesitates? That could be his toss' downfall. And with that, the team. Perhaps, he had to help him strengthen his mental and his compassionate nature. Not change it but to make it that it won't hinder his plays. Hmm… he had to see more of his play though…

Yamaguchi was, frankly speaking, still in baby steps. He looked to be uncertain and even his play was uncertain. It was like he was still learning yet at the same time looked like he already knew how to play. He was not so easily riled but so easily disappointed. It was noticeable with his hits, but more so when his face crumble slightly when Kageyama often barked at him for not immediately receiving his toss. He needed to build his confidence before he could create his own technique in volleyball…

Kageyama was really a prodigy. He was excellent in his play, good in being a setter and really did earn his title as 'King of Court' back in middle school. He might have even improved. But his team spirit was severely lacking. It seemed his self-mentality from middle school retained even in high school. Although it was curbed, but only just a little bit. His temper was always there and he was easily riled. He also easily gives into frustration especially when no one was immediately there to hit his toss.

The thing that Kageyama lacked was his connection to his team. It needed to be there for him to be able to work with the team. If he didn't change that, he might be in the bench at some tournaments. A talented player would only hinder the team if he couldn't connect to his teammates in a sport that required team play, not individual strength.

And Tsukishima was an excellent blocker. He was observant and reacts quite easily. His height also wasn't bad. It's one of his asset in the position. Being tall was usually a boon for blocker position. Usually, not always, he thought wryly to himself. Short people – he ignored the automatic twitch on the edge of his right eye at the word – could also be a blocker if they really wanted to.

He played that role often enough with his father before he… he was gone. It was often his best position playing against his father when his papa would use that awesome spike of his.

He shook his head at that thought and focused on the play once again. Yes, Tsukishima wasn't bad. Even his personality along with that sharp tongue if his, whom he couldn't help but think was a hazard in a friendly play, was quite lethal in a tournament. He also has an apparently brilliant mind if the way he often neutralized Kageyama was an indication.

But along with Kageyama, he had a little trouble with team play. Not because he thought he was better than them or so wrapped up in his own world – he resolutely didn't look at the prodigy playing setter on the other team – but because he honestly looked like he couldn't be bothered. He looked like he didn't care.

That was easy enough to cure, he decided. His mouth stretched into a huge grin at the thought of curing that certain attitude of Tsukishima. His eyes were probably shining at the thought.

"Yamaguchi, out. Tanaka, in," he suddenly said. The players on the court stopped and waited for the switch. His eyebrow twitched. "Do not stop playing until I say otherwise!" he barked, making them jump slightly and then continuing their play. Yamaguchi immediately ran towards an excited Tanaka for them to switch. When he saw Tanaka already situated within court B, he called out again. "Ennoshita, out. Narita, in!" the two immediately switched out and the play, unlike before didn't stop. He smiled in satisfaction.

"What are you doing Hinata?" Kijima asked curiously. He gave Kijima a wide smile.

"I'm watching their team play. We have a small amount of players. By switching the players around, I get to see their individual plays and their team play. Their strategy and temperament with each other, those things," he answered. Kijima made an 'ahh' voice before he looked back onto the play.

Tanaka Ryunosuke was a power player, that much he could tell almost immediately. It was especially noticeable when he spikes. He carried strength with it. But he was reckless and wild. It seemed his only strategy was spike hard and full of strength and plow the opposition's defense. It was a straightforward strategy but could fail anytime. He had to instill some sort of proper strategy with this one.

Narita Kazuhito's play was… normal. He had normal spike, receive, serve, speed and strength. He had not too little and not too much. It was just enough. But he could still keep up with the game and he couldn't understand. He watched for a little bit more particularly Narita's plays before he understood what was happening.

Narita had incredible sense of intuition in a game. His stamina was not that good so he compensates with moving as little and effectively as he could. He didn't waste any of his movements and he has an innate sense in the play. It was frankly incredible. But it looked like the ability was tapped rather unconsciously. Hmm… he had to help Narita-senpai with it. That innate sense of play would be formidable when used consciously.

"Tsukishima, out. Kinoshita, in!" The two switched out, with Tsukishima slowly moving out while weaving through the play to avoid being caught by the still playing players. Hinata gritted his teeth in annoyance. That bored look really was getting to him.

He'd be having words with that blondie.

He watched Kinoshita-senpai play and saw that it was his speed that was his asset. He reacts faster than average. And though he didn't have his own speed, it was still impressive. Actually, Kinoshita-senpai was the fastest player of Karasuno volleyball team right now. He was also calm when he play even though he looked to be struggling. He had good stamina and strategy. Hmm… what could he do to help Kinoshita-senpai's play the best?

Well, he could think later. He wanted to pull out Kageyama now. Not only because he wanted to see the play without the genius, but also because the setter looked to be scowling rather angrily. He needed to calm down. Hmm…

He put the whistle in his mouth and blew on it.

Prrrrrrrt!

"Play is over. Assemble!"

"So, it's finished?" Kijima asked, yawning a little as he followed him. Hinata nodded absentmindedly, mind already going to what he would say. "So, what's the verdict on your team, coach?"

He looked at Kijima, startled at the words he asked flippantly, and then snorted. "You actually sounded interested Kijima," he said, voice taking on a teasing note.

He remembered Kijima telling him before that volleyball was a simple game that only needed the ball to be passed on the other side. Quite simple and boring he had said.

It was like he could hear and see what was on his mind because Kijima gave him a stink eye and didn't speak. He only followed him, determinedly not allowing him to tease him anymore.

He chuckled and then straightened when he finally faced the team.

Time to face the music.


A/N:

Sorry for the long wait. Got derailed. Here's an update for you. Yeah, writing style changed. Just like people change. But I will try to make every chapter as good as I can considering I'm a third year college student.

I hope you still continue being the story's fan.

Review?