Hey guys! AkashiSeijuro105 here! I was rewatching Haikyuu! and I had a quick moment of truth. True, I did overpower my OCs in my old stories, but, what if I tried again? What if I managed to keep all characters in character? And so, I decided to pick up my pen and started to write my fanfics again. This time, I'll try to keep all characters in character, and keep my OCs from being too overpowering. That being said, I decided to rewrite my old fanfic "The Fallen Angel that rises again" and tweak some of the parts. Here's the prologue, and I hope all of you will enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I do not own Haikyuu!, only my OCs and my fanfic!
Rating: M
WARNING! - Descriptive scenes of violence, blood, mental disorders and bullying, please read at your own risk!
Pairing: Kageyama Tobio x OC
Bold - Important Clues/Information
Italics - Thoughts/Inner Monologue/Time passed
Underlined - Emphasized words/actions/news report on TV
Prologue
The sound of a volleyball slamming against the ground was heard. A whistle blew, signalling the end of the match.
"WE WON!" The winning team, Flightful Ravens yelled out, celebrating their win against their opponent, the Honey Bears.
"Kirara-chan! You were wonderful!" The captain, Hanasaki Sonoko, praised the ace, who was wiping her face on a fluffy towel presented to her.
The ace smiled faintly, sweat glistening on her rosy cheeks. "T-thank you, Sonoko-senpai..." She replied, as she was glomped by her best friend Otsubo Nagisa.
"Great work out there, Kirara-chan!" Nagisa ruffled her hair affectionately, ignoring her quiet protests.
"T-thank you, Nagisa-chan..." A smile graced Kirara's face, showing her happiness of their win.
The sound of clapping reached their ears. Their coach walked over to them, sprouting a huge grin. "Well done, all of you!" Raia Winters grinned at them. "We've reached our objective of winning the Nationals! This calls for a celebration!" He punched the air in excitement, the team mirroring his enthusiasm.
"Isn't that great Kirara-chan?" Nagisa grinned from ear to ear, slinging her arm over her shoulders. "We won the Nationals!"
"Y-yes!" Kirara replied, unaware of the hostile gaze trained onto her from the losing team, the Honey Bears.
It's your fault...
A shudder ran down Kirara's spine, prickling in fear of something. She glanced behind her nervously. W-what just happened?
"Natsumiya-senpai?" A underclassman, Miyagi Lena, saw her unease, asked in concern.
"Eh?" Kirara snapped out of her unease, and plastered a fake smile on her face. "Y-yes?" She replied, shoving down her unease down.
"Are you alright? You look a bit pale..." Lena stated, drawing the team's attention onto her.
"Eh?" Kirara fidgeted under their gaze, uncomfortable with the attention she had. "N...no I'm okay, Lena-san..." She kept smiling, even though she had a bad feeling about this.
"You sure?" Raia asked in concern, knowing his team's players well enough to know that something was off.
"I'm okay! R..really!" Kirara repeated with a fake smile. Sorry... I don't want to spoil the mood...
"Well okay!" Raia turned back to the team. "Let's go to the award ceremony!"
"YEAH!" Everyone cheered in excitement.
~Timeskip to the ceremony~
"Congratulations!" The Head of the National Volleyball Association, Phichit Myers shook the hand of Sonoko, who smiled in return.
Everyone is in perfect uniform, though some, e.g. the Flightful Ravens, are totally soaked in sweat.
Phichit took the gold trophy and handed to Sonoko, who received it happily. "Again, congratulations on your win!" He said warmly.
"Thank you!" Sonoko replied, smiling as the cameras started to flash.
"Group Photo!" Nagisa shouted out in excitement, glomping Sonoko along with the team.
The team cheered, hosting the trophy on top of their heads, showing everyone the win they possess. Cameras flashed, and the press took notes on the win of the Flightful Ravens.
"Ahem-" The host cleared her throat, drawing all attention to her. "So now... we present the MVP award for the Nationals..."
"And the award goes to..."
Everyone held their breath, sans for the Flightful Ravens, who exchanged amused glances, knowing exactly who's going to get the award.
"Kirara Natsumiya!" The host threw her hand forward, pointing to the direction of a shocked and happy Kirara.
The audience went wild, with the Flightful Ravens cheering and whistling in celebration, as Nagisa and Sonoko gently nudging Kirara forward for her to go recieve the award.
Kirara stepped forward, allowing everyone to see whoever received the MVP award. Whispers flitted around as she walked towards the spotlight.
"She's the MVP?! She's so tiny tho..."
"And she's not a libero either..."
"I'd expected someone with more... presence and glamour..."
"Shush! You should have seen her play! She has an amazing jump and speed!"
Both good and bad comments are heard as Kirara kept her back straight while walking towards the podium. To those who don't know Kirara, they would think that she's holding her head up in pride. But in reality...
Here comes the comments... Kirara sighed inwardly, resisting the urge to shrink and curl into herself. I know... I look like a kid... Of course people will laugh at me just as per usual...
With the height of a mere 148 cm, Kirara was noticeably shorter than the average girl. Her build was average, but slightly toned, her legs more so if you squint. Add on her baby-ish looking face, her hair covering part of her face, plus her short stature, Kirara looks like a young, emo girl in grade school. The only feature that distinguishes her as a middle-schooler was her high ponytail, signifying her as an athlete and her deep blue eyes that holds more wisdom than any adult would possess.
Kirara walked up the stairs to the podium, her expression betraying nothing of her emotions. Phichit gazed at her with a gentle look in his eyes, as he held out his hand for Kirara to shake. "Congratulations, Natsumiya-san." He said, shaking her hand when she accepted it hesitantly and giving her an encouraging smile. ""We expect great things coming from you in the future. Do your best!"
Kirara, unsure at first, stole a glance at Nagisa and Sonoko, which they returned with matching grins and thumbs up, allowed the unreadable expression on her face to soften, and accepted his encouragement. "Th-thank you, Myers-san..." She took the award in her hands, allowing her lips to curve into a slight smile.
Cameras flashed, momentarily blinding Kirara for a few seconds, as Phichit took up the microphone and stepped up to speak. "This year, we have a lot of talented players, which makes this year really special, as more and more people are acknowledged by amateurs and professionals alike." He began, gazing at the gathered teams, the press and the audience alike. "But there can only be one MVP each year. That's why we go through the processes of observing each player's interactions, abilities and personalities. And this year, we are pleased to say that we have found our best player yet, who is standing up on this stage."
At this point, all eyes turned to Kirara, who resisted to urge to shrink back. "Natsumiya Kirara, she is an all-rounded player, with her deadliest weapon would be her jumping power and spike." Phichit gave an encouraging smile to a now nervous and slightly shaking Kirara. "With her impeccable teamwork and trust in her team, she is able to draw out all sorts of potential she possesses in the game." With every comment, drops of nervous sweat started to drip from her face. Phichit, who noticed this detail, decided to get to the main point. "With that being said, we are pleased to announce that the National Volleyball Association had gained the approval of the Unified Sports Association, and Natsumiya-san is allowed to receive professional training to prepare her for the future Olympics."
Everyone went silent, so silent that you can hear a pin drop. After a few heartbeats, the announcement sunk in, as everyone's jaw dropped in shock.
"P-professional training for the Olympics?!" Nagisa was the first one to overcome her shock, as she repeated her words again in disbelief.
The crowd went wild, cheering and whistling loudly to show their support and happiness to the news. The Flightful Ravens overcame their shock, and cheered loudly, rushing up to a shell-shocked Kirara and locking her into a group hug.
"Natsumiya-senpai!!!" Her kohais wailed in happiness, most of them crying with joy.
"Kirara-chan you sly fox!!! You hit the jackpot!" Nagisa trapped a still shocked Kirara into a headlock, rubbing her hair affectionately.
"Kirara!!!" Sonoko sniffed, wiping a tear away from her eyes. "My baby's grown up!"
Kirara finally overcame her shock, and smiled happily. Professional training for the Olympics... I can't believe it! But...
"It's because all of you supported me since the start of the year!" Kirara spoke up. "I couldn't had achieved it without you all. Thank you for all of your support!" Wriggling out of the headlock, she bowed to everyone in the team.
"Awwwww don't be modest, Kirara-chan!" Nagisa gushed, slinging an arm over Kirara's shoulders. " You worked really hard for this, you know?" She grinned in excitement. "Now I get to brag about the fact that you are my best friend!"
Phichit approached the excited team, and smiled gently at the commotion. "Congratulations, Natsumiya-san." He reached into his suit and took out a card. "You are welcome to call our Association and start the training whenever you want." He gave it to Kirara. "Again, congratulations on your success."
Kirara glanced at the card, holding it close to her heart. I can't believe it... A smile graced her face. Looks like I'm going to reach my dream first, Tobio-kun... I wonder how you are doing...
The cameras flashed, taking photos of Kirara and her team. Phichit stepped back, and raised the microphone to his mouth. "Thank you all for coming to the Nationals." He said with a smile. "We hope everyone had a great time here, and we'll see you all next year. Good luck!"
With that, the award ceremony ended. Just as Kirara thought she can finally sit down and rest, the press rushed towards her, each of them eager for some juicy news and gossip about her offer.
"Natsumiya-san, what are your thoughts on your offer?!" One shoved a microphone wayyyy too close for comfort to her face.
"Natsumiya-san, what do you plan to do in the near future?!" Another got up close to her face, as she kept a stoic expression on her face, but she was panicking inside.
As the press bombarded her with tons of questions and shoving the microphone into her face, Kirara sneakily directed the media's gaze to another person with the same high ponytail, and made a run for it.
"Natsumi- Hey! where did she go?" The press, of course, noticed her sudden disappearance and looked around. Spotting Kirara disappearing through the doors, the press stampeded after her, with violent curses strewn when someone got trampled on or got pushed out of the way.
The team turned around trying to get to Kirara, and noticing Kirara running away from the press, quickly ran after her. "Kirara-chan!" Nagisa called after her worriedly. But Kirara was quick on her feet, and soon everyone lost sight of her.
"This is bad..." Nagisa was worried. "Kirara-chan doesn't mix in well with people..."
"Yeah... This isn't good at all..." Sonoko turned to everyone on the team. "Everyone, split up into small groups and search for Kirara! She might be hiding because she is scared of the general population, so look carefully!" She raised her voice, and took on her position as captain.
"Roger that!" The team split up into small groups and ran in different directions.
~Meanwhile~
"Phew... I finally lost them..." Kirara exhaled in exhaustion, relaxing with her back to the wall after checking her surroundings to see if there are any pursuers. That was scary...
"I finally found you..." A voice spoke out behind her.
Uh-oh... Kirara stiffened in fear, slowly turning around.
The first thing she noticed, was the jersey the person was wearing. A Honey Bears jersey?... Why would they be here...
"Look at me in the eyes you witch!" The person spoke harshly, grabbing her chin forcefully, forcing her to look at the person, whose face is shadowed by the lighting effect.
"Wh...who are you?!" Kirara asked in fear.
"Me?" The person laughed maliciously, her eyes betraying her madness. "Maybe you would remember me more clearly if I do this!"
The person reached up her head and tore her hairband away. Her hair fell down, including her bangs, which covered her face. With one of her hands still holding Kirara's face, she clipped part of her hair back, showing her face. Kirara's visible eye opened in shock.
"A...Akemi-san..." Kirara whispered in fear, as memories flashed in her mind.
Takanashi Akemi's eyes narrowed. "Didn't I tell you to call me Akemi-senpai?!" She threw Kirara into the concrete wall.
Kirara coughed, as her back hit the wall, knocking the wind out of her lungs. She slumped onto the ground, her head pulsing in pain. A concussion... She blearily thought as Akemi grabbed her collar and hosted her in the air.
"Well well," Akemi sneered, showing her disgusted expression. "I didn't think I will miss this feeling, you know?!"
Kirara coughed weakly, her head spinning in pain. "I...i apologize if I made you mad..." She spoke out. "But what did I do to make you this angry?"
"What did you do?" Akemi laughed. "Of course! You took away the spotlight from me!" She ranted, starting to shake Kirara. "If it wasn't for you, I would have been scouted the moment I started playing!"
Kirara's world spun, as Akemi continued to shake her, strength gathering with every word. "I could have been the star of our club! The beauty of our prefacture! And better yet, the beau of my crush!!!" She screeched, full on shaking Kirara.
Crush? Don't tell me... Kirara realized, her world to a halt as she came to a conclusion.
"Yes! I'm talking about Kageyama Tobio-kun!!!" Akemi threw her into the wall again, denting the concrete as Kirara's head connected with a crack! Kirara's head pounded painfully. Ouch...
"He was everything I wanted!" Akemi clasped her cheeks, as Kirara coughed weakly, trying to sit up despite the pain in her head.
"Strength, Beauty, Handsomeness and Charisma!" Akemi stood in front of a fallen Kirara, her glare drilling into her head. "Top it off, he's the best at volleyball!" Akemi sighed dreamily, envisioning herself with Kageyama. "But YOU ruined everything!" She grabbed Kirara and started to squeeze her neck, madness glinting in her eyes.
Kirara's vision swam, as she choked out. "W-what did I ruin?... I just d...did my own business..."
"That's when you are wrong, WITCH!!!" Akemi repeatedly slammed Kirara against the wall, emphasizing her anger. "YOU took Tobio away from me!!! I should had been the one by his side, except that YOU had foiled my perfect plans!
"B-but I didn't d-do anything?!" Kirara choked out, as black spots started dancing in her vision. I really didn't do anything... Why do you think that way...
"Still playing dumb, I see!" Akemi sneered in contempt, tossing Kirara in a fluid motion to the ground. "Shall I list the things you did out loud?"
Kirara coughed, trying to regain her breathing as Akemi shoved a phone screen into her face. Kirara took a look at the screen and froze. T-this is?!
"See?!" Akemi kicked Kirara in the abdomen, causing another bout of coughing. "YOU must had done some sort of witchcraft on him! There's no way he would like a bitch like you!"
"W-wait a sec- *cough*" Kirara started to explain, only to get socked in the stomach with Akemi's fist. Bile rose up in her throat, as Kirara tried not to throw up.
"I've had enough with you, NaTsuMiYA KirARa!" Akemi reached into her volleyball uniform and pulled out a knife.
Eh?A K-KNIFE?!
Kirara paled rapidly. This is bad...
"You are the only obstacle to my Tobio..." Akemi stepped towards Kirara, who scrambled backwards in a panic. "If I eliminate you... Tobio would be mine..."
Kirara's back hit the wall, and she paled even further. I'm cornered! She panicked inwardly.
"I wonder..." Akemi's eyes took on a crazed, manic look. "How would you look with blood spilling out of you?"
Kirara narrowed her eyes at Akemi. Akemi-san... no... is she even a sane person? "And what makes you so sure that I will follow what you say?" She tried hesitantly.
"Why yes! You WILL follow my words..." Akemi pointed her knife at Kirara's neck, earning a flinch from her. "That is... if you want your precious teammates and friends alive!"
Kirara's blood ran cold at the mention of her teammates. "What are you going to do to them?!" She asked defensively.
"Hmmm... I wonder..." Akemi smirked in satisfaction. "Maybe I'll destroy their future career..."
NO! Kirara's blood boiled at the mention of her teammates' future. "You keep them out of this!" She spat angrily, ready to fight even though with the knife pointed at her neck.
"Whoops!" Akemi laughed, as her knife 'accidentally' sliced into Kirara's neck. "Looks like my hand slipped!"
Kirara hissed in pain, as blood started dripping from her wound. Akemi tutted, spinning the knife readily in her hand. "Now, now, you shouldn't do that... You won't want to spoil your future career right?"
The pounding in her head got more intense, as the stench of blood made her head spin, triggering some unwanted memories from her childhood. No... No...
"Aha! Maybe I should destroy your best friend's career!" Akemi brought her hand up to her mouth in a mocking gesture. "What was her name again... Narise? Larissa?"
That was the last straw. Kirara saw red, and ignoring the knife slitting her neck, she lunged at Akemi. Akemi was caught by surprise, but quickly overcame her surprise and deflected her grabbing hold, while laughing insanely.
"Take this!" Akemi sang out, while plunging her knife deep into Kirara's left thigh.
Kirara screeched in pain, as the blood from the wound began to soak through her shorts. Tears bloomed in her eyes. "Y-you..." She gritted out in pain.
"Awww~ Did I not stab you hard enough?" Akemi cooed. "Maybe I should do this!" And Akemi mutilated her already bloody thigh with multiple deep stabs and gashes.
By now, Kirara was full on sobbing, as the puddle of blood on the floor kept on growing.
"Mhmm... You look good with blood... Just as I thought!" Akemi drew her now bloody knife back, twirling it in her hand.
"W-why you-" Kirara growled out through tears.
"Oops, I won't do that if I were you!" Akemi giggled out. "That is, if you want your volleyball career to remain intact!" In a fluid motion, she slashed and carved her knife into her shoulder. More blood bled out from the deep wound.
Kirara screamed as the knife scraped the bone in her socket. Her head kept spinning in agony, with the blood loss getting worse with every ticking second.
"Best part yet!" Akemi laughed manically, as she kept on pushing the knife through her shoulder. "You can't tell anyone about this... Or else your teammates' career are in jeopardy, ne?"
Through her pain and tears, Kirara cracked her visible eye open and stared at her Akemi in fear. "Y-you can't do that..." She croaked out, voice hoarse in agony.
"Oh, yes I can!" Akemi had a wide grin on her face, crazed eyes trained on Kirara. "I suppose you forgot who is my father... Did you?"
Immediately, Kirara was assaulted with memories of the past. Akemi and her father, both banding together to make her life a living hell... Akemi abusing her authority to torture Kirara flashed through her mind. "N-no..." Kirara whispered out, succumbing to her deep fear.
"Hmmmm... Great to hear that you didn't forget!" Akemi sang out. "But let me remind you, my father can destroy and ruin your career easily... So it's best to keep your mouth shut, ne?" She drew back her knife, and leveled it at her neck.
Kirara has utterly given up at this point. "Y-yes..." She whispered out, starting to see black spots dancing in her vision due to the blood lost.
"Glad you know what's good for you, Kirara-chan~" Akemi drew back, satisfied with her answer.
Don't call me that... Kirara blearily thought, but kept her mouth shut, head downcast and eyes shadowed.
"Oh right..." Akemi grabbed Kirara's chin, forcing Kirara to look at her eyes. "I have one more order for you..."
There's still more?! Kirara thought, seeing more dark spots appearing in her vision.
"Do not even attempt to find Kageyama Tobio." Akemi said sweetly, but her eyes said otherwise. "Or else... You know what will happen... ne?"
Kirara nodded, her vision starting to fade due to the loss of blood. "Y-yes... I understand..." She whispered out.
"Good!" Akemi grinned madly. "Now, for the last touch..."
Last touch?
Akemi raised her foot, and stomped down hard on Kirara's right wrist. "Here's my present for you!" She sang out in satisfaction.
Kirara screamed in agony as she felt her bones shatter, alerting those who are searching nearby to her presence.
Nagisa heard Kirara scream, and her blood ran cold. "KIRARA-CHAN!" She screamed out, running towards the sound.
"Whoops, looks like the time has come to an end!" Akemi, hearing Nagisa's scream, singsonged, while twirling the knife in her hand. "I'll take my leave now... and remember what you have to do... or else your friends' lives are in jeopardy~"
With that, Akemi walked away, pocketing her knife and smirking viciously.
W...wait... Kirara's vision darkened, the world spinning around her.
Nagisa and Lena rounded the corner, and upon catching sight of the blood pooling around Kirara, froze in shock. Kirara's right wrist looked really wrong, with her bloodstained gym clothes and hair fanning out, and Kirara's half lidded eye, devoid of any sign of life stared back at a horrified Nagisa.
"KIRARA-CHAN!!!" Nagisa screamed out, dropping to her knees and started shaking Kirara's body. Lena collapsed onto her knees, shaking at the sight of so much blood. What in the world happened? Natsumiya-senpai?
"What happened, Kirara-chan?! Kirara-chan! Lena-chan, quick! Call the ambulance!" Nagisa said frantically, checking Kirara's pulse. Seeing there's a faint beat, a small flame of hope reignited in her chest. "Kirara-chan still has a pulse, we can still save her!!!"
Lena snapped out of her daze at Nagisa's command. "Y-Yes!" She dialed the number for the ambulance quickly.
Nagisa took out her cell phone, and with shaking hands, dialed the number of their coach. "Hurry up, hurry up! Kirara's life is in danger!" Nagisa muttered frantically, listening to the beeping of the dial tone.
"N-na..." A sound made Nagisa pause, and she turned around to see Kirara's left hand reaching out to her.
"Kirara-chan!" Nagisa almost dropped her phone in relief, scrambling to reach out her hand to grasp Kirara's. "Stay with me, Kirara-chan! Help is on the way!" She added, trying to reassure Kirara.
"N-na...gi...sa...chan..." Kirara managed to say, but when she tried to reach out to Nagisa, her vision turned black, and drifted into the unconsciousness.
Seeing Kirara's eye close fully and her whole body slump, Nagisa frantically shook Kirara. "Kirara?! Kirara-chan?!"
"KIRARA-CHAN!!!!!!!"
~15 minutes later~
Kageyama Tobio wiped his face with his towel, fresh from his shower after his volleyball practice. He sat down in the living room, his cup of hot tea in his hand, and turned on the TV.
We bring great news to all people in Japan! A female new reporter said cheerfully on TV. The news broadcast flashed to a photo of Kirara. We are glad to announce that a future Olympic star is born today! Natsumiya Kirara is only 13, but she has already captured the attention of the Unified Sports Association and is allowed to receive professional training to prepare her for the future Olympics!
Tobio spat out the tea he was drinking and stared at the TV screen in shock. Kirara?! He thought in surprise, wiping his mouth with his towel. He took a closer look at the screen. That's definetly her... He mused, staring at the awkward expression she had on the TV screen. He kept watching, as it played clips of Kirara spiking the ball. It's been so long, Kirara... He thought, tightening his grip on his mug of tea. I have to catch up soon...
Suddenly, the TV flashed to BREAKING NEWS!!! Sorry for the interruption, The news reporter on the broadcast said, looking at the papers on her hand. But we have received news that an unknown suspect had infiltrated the National Volleyball tournament, and had critically injured the rising star, Natsumiya Kirara.
Tobio dropped his mug in shock, the mug shattering when it hit the ground, tea spilling everywhere.
"Tobio?!" His mother, who retreated into the kitchen to make some food, came rushing into the living room when she heard the glass shatter. "Are you alright?!"
-the police is following through with different investigations, but the culprit still remains at large, while Natsumiya-san is in critical condition. She is currently in the ICU of the University of Tokyo Hospital...
"KIRARA!!!"
To Be Continued...
Phew! after numerous efforts of retyping and rereading the chapter again and again, this is the final result. How did you readers find the prologue? Who is Akemi, and why is Kirara scared of her? Why is she running away? Please RR, so I can get some feedback for the storyline! Thanks for reading this chapter, and I'll see you all in the next chapter! AkashiSeijuro105, signing out!