The next day sped by, and too soon Rei found herself on the gym floor sitting next to Minako and the others, waiting for their turn to play. Minako wasn't acting any differently than usual, and she hadn't told anyone that she had visited Rei's shrine. Rei was fine with that.
"So what's the plan, captain?" Makoto asked. "Same as last class?"
Minako looked at her thoughtfully. "You know, I was thinking about it, but a little mouse reminded me that this is only PE."
"I think you mean a little bird," Ami said.
"Yeah, that. Anyway, I figured we could just go out there and, y'know, feather it," Minako said easily.
"Wing it," Ami said helpfully.
"Right. That." Minako playfully stuck her tongue out at Ami, who maintained an innocent look.
"So can I come out of goal?" Makoto asked.
"Sure," Minako shrugged.
"Can I play up field?" Melvin asked in his nasally voice.
"Yep."
"Do we still have to call you captain?" Rei asked sarcastically.
"Absolutely." Came the immediate reply.
"Yes sir, captain sir," Serena said giggling. She threw an arm to her forehead in an exaggerated salute.
"Are you laughing at an officer?" Minako asked darkly.
"No sir," Serena said, still giggling.
"That'll be a hundred push-ups private," Minako said, as threateningly as she could. The effect was ruined by the laugh in her voice.
"Eh? Isn't that a little harsh?"
"For insubordination? Of course not!"
"Well, you see, push-ups aren't really my thing, so..." Serena took off and Minako chased after, intent on exacting retribution. The others laughed and cheered at their antics. Rei shook her head, though she was glad to see that the relationship between the two blondes was as healthy as ever.
Too healthy, she thought as Serena grabbed her and hid behind her.
"Help Rei, you're the only one she's afraid of," Serena squealed.
"Apparently not as afraid as she should be," Rei said, a warning tone in her voice as Minako continued to stalk towards her.
"Don't worry, I'm just after the blonde," Minako said.
"There's a mirror in the locker room you can try." Rei held her ground.
"More insubordination, eh? Watch out, or it'll be a thousand sit-ups for you."
Rei readied a retort, looked behind her at Serena, and decided it wasn't worth it.
"You know what, she's all yours."
Serena 'eep'ed' as Rei moved away from her and Minako jumped. From the field, the teacher's whistle blew, signaling the end of the game, and the beginning of their turn. Minako stopped short of tackling Serena. Serena stuck her tongue out as they made their way onto the field. Minako did the same.
After they were set, the ball dropped, and Rei's teammates ran wild. Minako and Makoto sprinted after the ball, Serena and Ami sprinted away from it, and Melvin and Molly… mostly stood around, wondering what the others were up to. Rei ran to the middle of the field. She arrived just in time to intercept a pass, which she sent towards Minako. Minako took it and ran with it, and Rei chased after her towards the other goal. Makoto joined them, and together they led a charge, with Serena and Ami tentatively following.
Minako was met by the other team. She passed backwards to Ami, who promptly hit it to Serena, who swung wildly in Rei's general direction. Rei sprinted to the ball, an opponent close behind. She didn't break stride to hit it, getting it to Makoto in front of the net, who raised her stick to the sky. The opposing goalie dove out of the way, whimpering the entire way to the ground, and Makoto swung. The ball rocketed to the back of the net.
Minako and Serena cheered and gang-hugged Makoto, who barely kept on her feet. Ami came up beside Rei as she headed back to their side of the field.
"That was surprisingly easy," Ami said.
"Yeah, it was." They had scored so quickly she hadn't had time to think about it, but everyone had worked together remarkably well. There hadn't been a plan, but each of them had taken a role and executed it- not perfectly, she thought, considering Serena was playing with them- but well enough to score. More, the other team didn't seem any worse than the one they had played the previous class. But they hadn't been able to stop them.
After the teacher reset the teams, they started again. The other team got the ball first, but couldn't form an effective attack. Minako and Serena aggressively hunted the ball, and Makoto, Ami, and Rei positioned themselves such that there were no clear paths to the goal. Rei again marveled at how well they were doing, and when they stole the ball back and scored again, she couldn't say she was surprised. They won handily.
At the end of class the others were in high spirits. Winning seemed to bring out the giggling in Serena, and her mood infected the others. Makoto and Ami were caught in a fit of laughter when Serena started a dramatic reenactment of her best moment; when she ran into an opposing attacker, accidentally stealing the ball and ending a dangerous opportunity for the other team. Minako joyfully helped her as the unwitting enemy player.
In the locker room the two blondes continued going over scenes of their victory. Their act quickly turned into some friendly roughhousing. Rei tried to maintain her cool demeanor amidst their enthusiasm, but it was difficult to do so when she got a face-full of someone's PE shirt. She spit out a sleeve that got in her mouth and grabbed the shirt and threw it to the floor. She looked around to Minako and Serena, and found them deeply engrossed in whistling innocently at the ceiling.
"I don't know which of you threw this," she said while shooting a dirty look at Minako. "But you aren't getting it back." Serena's head snapped down.
"No fair," she said. "Minako threw it, but it's my shirt."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Minako said with mock outrage. "Does that sound like something I'd do?"
"Yep," Makoto said from behind Rei.
"Yes," Ami said from Minako's other side.
"Uh-huh," from Serena. Rei just stared at her.
"Well, okay, but that doesn't mean I did," Minako said, conviction in her voice.
"Why don't I believe you?" Rei asked.
"Because you're a cynic?"
"I gotta agree with Hino on this one," Makoto said.
"Indeed," Ami added. "You can be quite rambunctious."
"I don't know what that means," Minako said. Rei cut her off.
"It means loud and annoying."
"But I know when I'm being insulted," she finished loudly. Haughtily she turned to her locker and began to dress.
"Aw, I think we hurt her feelings," Makoto said with a grin.
"We should show our captain more respect," Ami said.
"We didn't mean it!" Serena dramatically shouted. Minako yelped as Serena bear-hugged her from behind. She struggled mightily to pull from the other blonde's grip.
"I meant it," Rei said dryly. The others laughed. Slowly Rei realized she had said it to make them laugh.
"Don't worry, I know that's just how you show you care," Minako said. The others looked at Rei, waiting for her response. She hesitated, but gave one.
"I see our fearless leader is fearless because she's delusional."
The others chuckled, Minako huffed and smiled. They continued to cajole her while they dressed. Serena asked for her shirt back and Rei returned it. There was a warm feeling in her chest. She had never spent so much time talking with her classmates before. It was as if they were close. It was as if they were friends.
The rest of the school day was spent in a daze. Rei didn't know how to feel about the sudden camaraderie the others were showing her. She didn't know how she would react when next they played together. She didn't know why she allowed herself to get involved with them. And she didn't know if she minded it was happening.
