"Go Kintsuki!" Sensaina cheered from the bleachers.
Kintsuki maneuvered her way to the net, she knew how this would turn out. She ducked and searched for a teammate. Nobody was in sight. She dribbled and was ready to conclude her endeavor. She positioned herself and concentrated as the clutched the ball in her hands.
"It's all up to you now," She thought. She intensely opened her eyes and flung the ball to the net, letting it depart from her grasp.
"And..." Kintsuki turned around as she predicted what would happen. The crowd cheered wildly as the ball fell into the net.
"Nothing but net!" Kintsuki exclaimed.
"Hooray!" Sensaina cheered. Even Jonetsu was cheering her lungs out for the basketball teams' victory. Kintsuki gave a theatrical bow making the crowd go insane.
Later the team had a victory after party and as predicted Kintsuki was the life of the party.
"It must be fun being a basketball MVP," Sensaina quietly said to herself. She leaned against a wall watching all the basketball members praising the gallant Kintsuki. Jonetsu was laughing ferociously as Kintsuki created jokes.
"I can't believe you're team won!" Jonetsu exhaled. Kintsuki shrugged without concern.
"It's not that hard to win when you're team is full of champs!" Kintsuki cackled. The room itself was cramped with people, forcing a few of the basketball members to exit and receive some fresh air. Suddenly they heard a pair of screams echoing down the staircase that lead to the exit.
"Who was that?" Kintsuki and Jonetsu slid down the stairs' banister, only to find two of the basketball members fallen onto the ground. They struggled to get up, and eventually gave up on their attempt to stand.
"What happened?" Kintsuki frantically asked. One of the two fallen girls leaned herself onto the wall and opened her mouth to answer Kintsuki.
"We fell," The girl said.
Kintsuki seemed doubtful, "Hidari, you and Migi are the most coordinated girls on our team, so how-?"
"Hmm..." Jonetsu began. She idly walked towards the stairs, and leaned down to swab her finger against the stair steps.
"It looks like it's just been waxed," Jonetsu observed, rubbing her two fingers together.
"Well, are you two hurt?" Kintsuki and Jonetsu helped two girls up.
"I feel kinda sore," Migi groaned.
"Me too!" Hidari moaned.
"Nonsense!" Kintsuki denied as she and Jonetsu helped the two girls up the steps. As they were back in the room, everyone put their gaze on the two injured girls who sat on chairs as Meihime examined them.
"Your ankle is terribly swollen," Meihime cringed as she examined Hidari's ankle.
"And you might have a fracture on your knee cap," She advised Migi.
"Thank goodness we had Meihime on standby," Kintsuki sighed in relief.
"I didn't come to play nurse you know," Meihime glowered," But anyways, it seems they'll have to be replaced."
"Re..placed?" Kintsuki repeated.
"Yes, as in..get new players," Meihime warned. Kintsuki blinked a few times before shrieking in distress. She started to breath heavily with stress and darted her eyes around the room desperately. She lowered her gaze to Jonetsu and grabbed her wrist viciously.
"Oh Jonetsu, please please please please pleasee join the basketball team!" Kintsuki begged.
Jonetsu sighed as she caved in,"Um, well, I guess I could-"
"Thank you so much!" She gave Jonetsu a death gripping hug in gratitude.
"But we need one more person! Jonetsu please tell me you have someone in mind!" Kintsuki pleaded.
"Yeah, I was thinking Sensaina over here would make a great addition to the team," Jonetsu improvised as she pulled Sensaina towards her.
"Then it's settled! Our replacements will be Sensaina and Jonetsu!" Kintsuki declared as she held each of the girls' hands up. The crowd gave applause while Sensaina was flashing glares to Jonetsu.
"Ha, replacements for the basketball team?" Haruko jeered. She and Sensaina were walking to school together the next day.
"Shut up Haruko it's worse than it seems," Sensaina hung her head in despair.
"Maybe I should watch your next practice to see your 'skills'" Haruko snickered. Sensaina hung her head lower.
"I want to watch too-desu!" Toki proclaimed.
"She's becoming more and more like you every day," Sensaina said under her breath.
By this afternoon, Sensaina donned the number nine jersey previously worn by Hidari and let herself expect the worse.
"This is going to get painful," Sensaina groaned. Jonetsu, who arrived early for the practice, quickly spotted her friend and dashed towards her.
"Wow, that jersey looks great on you!" Jonetsu praised.
"Really?"
"No, but anyways, Kintsuki spent all of last night telling who are our strongest and weakest links and which teams in the district are the best." Jonetsu explained.
"Meanwhile, I have no clue how to play the game," Sensaina thought.
"Alright, everyone here ready to play?" Kintsuki's voice echoed through the spacious gym. All of the team members ,minus Sensaina,cheered wildly and took out basket ball for practice. They all took turns throwing their basketballs to the basket while Sensaina bounced the ball bashfully without being noticed.
"Sensaina, aren't you going to shoot?" Kintsuki asked.
"Well, I wasn't planning to-"
"Just try it," Kintsuki encouraged. Sensaina eventually agreed to shoot the ball. She angled herself properly in front of the net. Her legs were throbbing anxiously and her hands were swishing irregularly with the ball clasped in her grip. She finally threw the ball up and completely missed the basket. The rest of the team mates watched the ball bounce a few more times before it rolled away.
"I'll go get it," Sensaina said as she jogged towards the ball. When she returned to the net,Kintsuki placed her hand on Sensaina's shoulders.
"Don't feel bad about that shot, I doesn't change my opinion on you," Kintsuki grinned," You'll get better with the right amount of practice..and effort." Sensaina nodded and tried again a few more times, but with no luck. Yet somehow, she didn't let that effect her confidence.
At home that night she practiced dribbling with an old ball she played with as a child. She concentrated on the ball and made sure she hit it with the right amount of energy. As Sensaina bounced the ball, Doki watched her with interest.
"Up and down-kore," Doki droned.
"And.." Sensaina aimed the ball to her open closet," Shoot," Sensaina barely made it in.
Sensaina shrugged and felt she had done enough for the night.
For the next few practices, Sensaina seemed like a different person. She was determined and hopeful. She felt like she was getting better but even then she didn't surpass the rest of the girls. Soon her ankles were throbbing regularly with Sensaina's effort overload and her knees were scraped as she would unwillingly slide to the waxy floors of the gym. She didn't mind though, since she felt like she was progressing. Kintsuki could see Sensaina's progression as well. Then during one practice, Kintsuki made an announcement.
"Alright girls listen up!" Kintsuki echoed through the gym," We have our next game in two days. We've been practicing to beat this team particularly and we're not going to let this practice be for nothing." A few of the girls seemed shocked as Kintsuki implied the team.
"Is it?'' One girl, Number three began.
"Already?" Number fifteen added.
"It can't be," Jonetsu said.
"We will be going against our rivaling school, Aotsuki in two days," Kintsuki warned turning her back to them.
"What if we lose again?" Number six asked quietly.
"Either way," Kintsuki began. She turned around," We won't go down without a fight!"
"Yeah!" The girls cheered.
At Malevolent it seemed Hydra and Ignis were becoming familiar with the 'ball concept'.
"Oh, Iggy look at this!" Hydra cried. Levitating in her palm was a water-manipulated sphere.
"What is it now?" An irritated Ignis asked. Hydra threw the sphere to Ignis, knowing what would happen if it came in contact with her.
"Keep that thing away from me!" Ignis hissed.
"Aw, is Iggy afraid of a cute little water ball?" Hydra teased. Ignis' palms were flaring with flames.
"Well let's see how cute your ball is when I scorch it!" Ignis threw spheres made of fire to the ball but as expected her fireballs turned into charcoal.
"And that is why water triumphs all," Hydra beamed," Now if you'll excuse I'm going to search for a dreamstone!" Hydra tossed her water ball up into the air for a few times but after it fell from midair it was zapped and broken into large drops of water, forcing Ignis to take cover.
"All but lightning," Raika declared as she left two girls in search of a dreamstone.
Two days had passed and finally the day of the big game against Aotsuki came. Sensaina's confidence was quickly draining from her.
"Did I really get any better?" She asked herself.
"Go team!" A familiar childish voice cried. Sensaina turned around to see who it was. Haruko was dressed in a cheerleader-like outfit and was cheering her lungs out for the sake of the team.
"She's really into it isn't?" Jonetsu skeptically asked. Kintsuki watched as the rivaling team walked into the gym. They all flashed Kintsuki looks of intimidation as the blonde girl fidgeted desperately. She shook off all of her frightful feelings and turned to face her team.
"We'll do great as long as we give it our all!" Kintsuki reassured.
"Yeah!"The girls cheered.
"Hey guys," Two voices harmonized with each other. It was Hidari and Migi. Hidari was on crutches and Migi's right knee was heavily bandaged.
"You showed up!" Kintsuki grinned enormously embracing the two girls.
"We're sorry we got hurt," Migi said.
"That's not something you should be sorry about. It wasn't your fault" Kintsuki responded.
"Yeah.." Hidari said.
"Alright, team huddle!" Kintsuki instructed.
"Alright so here's what we'll do.." Kintsuki began.
"This game will be full of pressure," Sensaina thought.
"Huddle over!" Kintsuki concluded.
"Wait what?!" Sensaina asked. She decided to just follow along with the girls instead of asking to hear the play again. Sensaina played with all her effort but could help but feel inferior to the girls of Aotsuki. After a few minutes, Sensaina gave a glance to the scoreboard. The visitors had six and home had one.
"At this rate..." Sensaina began. Suddenly at the top of the scoreboard, Raika appeared with an unsightly grin plastered onto her face.
"Two? Well, I'm in luck today," Raika declared. She pointed both of her index fingers to Hidari and Migi and extending from her fingertips were two small bright yellow hands with long and very arms. She snapped her index fingers to make a fist and the two girls corrupted dreamstones were instantly removed.
"Escape Malvoid!" Raika shouted as she pointed to the basketball net. The net grew in size and alarmed the crowd.
"Malvoid!" The monstrous net screamed.
"Wahh! Now who is she?!" Haruko cried. The crowd and most of the basketball team fled the gym.
"Now all that's left is the Pretty Cure," Raika noted. The girls were hiding behind the bleachers ready to transform.
"This'll be our first time transforming altogether!" Haruko pointed out.
"Well here it begins," Jonetsu said proudly.
"Pretty Cure, Dream on!" They all shouted as sparks of violet, red, and green were emitting from them.
"Singing the everlasting melody, Cure Songstress!" Songstress introduced.
"Joining two hearts together, Cure Matchmaker!" Matchmaker introduced.
"Growing everything in a lifeless land, Cure Garden!" Garden introduced. They arose from the bleachers and threw one harmonized to the Malvoid.
"Another one?" Raika asked uninterestedly.
"Guardians of dreams, side by side, together we are.."They struck a signature pose," Dream High Pretty Cure!"
"It's Malvoids like you who ruin a good game of basketball!" Garden said passively.
"Pretty Cure, Budding Charge!" Garden shouted as tiny sturdy petals flew to the Malvoid.
"When did she learn to do that?" Matchmaker asked Songstress.
"How should I know?" Songstress responded. The Malvoid picked up a basketball, which enlarged as it touched it, and threw it to Garden.
Garden ducked and ran to the girls.
"I have an idea," Songstress declared," Hey Malvoid! I bet you can't beat us in a game of basketball!" Songstress' words seem to have intrigue the Malvoid.
Even Matchmaker seemed confused," What are you-?"
"Whoever gets three points in our game of basketball is the winner!" Songstress explained.
"I'll keep score!" Garden ran to the scoreboard and reset the board.
"Alright now.." Songstress had a strategy already," Matchmaker, follow me!" Matchmaker followed accordingly. Songstress dove into midair.
"Attack!" Songstress commanded.
"Pretty Cure, Lovesick Barrage!" Matchmaker shouted as she aimed for the bottom of the net. The Malvoid took a few steps back which seemed to be what Songstress had wanted. She curled herself into a ball and fell into the net.
"Point for Team Pretty Cure!" Garden announced changing the score to 1-0. The infuriated Malvoid chased the girls around the gym.
"Hey this is basketball not tag!" Matchmaker wailed.
"Well, in its' defense, it is dribbling the ball," Songstress pointed out. As they were running, Songstress' lungs eventually gave out on her.
"I can't take it anymore," Songstress gnashed her teeth.
"Pretty Cure, Melody Ring!" She shouted aiming for the Malvoid's 'legs'. The Malvoid lost balance and just before it was about to fall, Matchmaker curled into a ball a leapt through the net.
"Another point for Team Pretty Cure!" Garden exclaimed changing the score to 2-0.
"One more and the girls win-kore!" Doki cheered. The Malvoid dribbled the large ball and tried hard to reach the Pretty Cures' net. He eventually reached the net and grinned wickedly as he nearly plunged the ball into the net. But then they all realized the obvious.
"Come to think of it.." Matchmaker began.
"Our net was still regular sized..so there was no chance of it winning!" Songstress finished. The Cures laughed and the Malvoid hung its head in defeat.
"What are you doing? Now's your chance!" Raika shouted. The Malvoid did nothing but shake it's head.
"I'll take it from here!" Garden called out. She ran up to the Malvoid and flashed him a scary face.
"Pretty Cure, Blooming Empathy!" Garden shouted as a large flower appeared to her. She hit the flower and surrounded the Malvoid with loads of flowers.
"Awake!" She shouted as her flowers cleansed the flowers
" I won't forget this encounter," Raika said darkly as she left.
The game proceeded as the Malvoid was gone and the board was set back to 6-1. Eventually time was running short and the score was 34-34.
"If we get one last point we can win!" Kintsuki exclaimed," I can almost taste the victory."
"Don't worry you'll get your victory!" Jonetsu was dribbling the ball and threw it to Sensaina.
"Here it comes.." Sensaina said. Somehow she actually caught it and was bouncing the ball like a decent player.
"Kintsuki!" She yelled. She threw the ball and Kintsuki caught it. She was right in front of the net and she was clutching the ball tightly.
"Either way, this will be a moment I'll remember for life!" Kintsuki thought. She threw the ball, scared of the turnout. The ball swished and eventually fell into the net. The crowd was cheering their lungs out for Midorikage's victory. Kintsuki was in awe and was having her name cheered by the crowd.
The day after the victory Sensaina and Jonetsu gallantly walked to school. Sensaina was looking for someone to proclaim her team's victory to.
"There's Hideki!" Sensaina ran towards the apple of her eye. He was standing with a girl who seemed to be his age. As Sensaina got closer she got a closer look at the girl. The girl seemed above average even, appearance wise she was a little ordinary. The girl had waist length brown hair letting two chunks of it lay on her chest with above eyes bags. Her brown eyes made her seem nice along with kind and welcoming smile. Her skirt seemed short but maybe that's how all the high school skirts were.
Sensaina couldn't remember what she wanted to say to Hideki so she improvised her way through.
"Good morning Hideki," She greeted as she lost herself in the labyrinth of the boy's bright green eyes.
He flashed her another drop dead smile," Morning, Sensaina."
"So um who is this? A classmate?" She asked as she looked into the girl's direction.
"Yeah, this is Ayane. Ayane, this is Sensaina." Hideki introduced. Ayane bowed respectfully.
"A pleasure to meet you, Sensaina," Ayane greeted. Her voice was soft and smooth. Instantly, the first bell rang.
"Oh! Well I better get going! See you later," Ayane said," And I'll see you after class."
Ayane smiled to the both of them before she left. Hideki waved back to her and Sensaina noticed him reddening a bit. She wondered why for a few moments and then when it hit her, she started feeling very uneasy and promptly left.
"I-I have to get to class too," She ran off without telling him goodbye as she tried thinking of other things to distract her. Could Hideki have a crush on that girl? Or maybe...be her boyfriend?