Capture The Captain

by SecretLeePsycho

The guys are off to training camp, but it's obvious they have multiple things they need to work on, their most crippling fault being their lack of teamwork! Coach Ukai is sick of the bantering and can't seem to make them get along, but day four provides an interesting opportunity. Six teams will compete in a special, day long game of capture the flag, can Karasuno get it together?

5. Running Uphill

Okay, so Suga, Tanaka, and Kageyama's part sat pretty much done in my saved files for quite some time… But it was a few months later that I actually finished this damned chapter XD I forgot just how fun this story is to write and how excited I was when I came up with the idea haha To my followers who had to wait so long, I appreciate your patience and hope the length of this update can mildly make up for the radio silence! This story is my largest writing project so far, I hope it brings you as much entertainment as it does me!

"Hey! You guys okay down there?"

Yaku looked over the edge of the valley, peering between the bushes and brambles in search of the two Karasuno players. He knew they had a rowdy second year of their own, but to say he was surprised when the bald guy accidentally tackle Suga over the side of what was practically a cliff, was an understatement.

With the other three beside him, he squinted until he saw two people huddled up at the bottom of the grassy pit.

"Uh—Not really! Suga-San passed out—What should I do?"

"He's unconscious?" That wasn't good. "Yamamoto, help me get them back up here. Lev, stay here with—" Yaku looked at Karasuno's first-year setter, who robotically gave his name. "Kageyama."

He nodded, "Stay here with Kageyama, we'll need help when we get back up."

With fisted hands, Lev nodded in return. "Got it."

"Let's go."

Leaning back and bracing themselves on skinny trees and boulders, Yamamoto and Yaku shimmied down the treacherous slope. They stumbled and kicked rocks loose as they went, but otherwise made it to the bottom in one piece. Crunching to an unsteady landing, Nekoma's libero pushed past weeds and crouched beside the guy propping up an unconscious Suga.

Both players were covered in scratches and dirty head to toe. Burs and twigs stuck to their clothes and were hopelessly tangled in Sugawara's light grey hair. Afraid to exacerbate the situation, Yaku gingerly helped support the other third year.

"Did he hit his head or something?"

Baldy's eyes were wide, his face pale and oozing panic. He couldn't blame him; he'd freak out if he knocked out his teammate too. As it was, he was the senior here and needed to keep it together.

"Uh, I think I might have elbowed him… My arm hurts and there's a cut on his forehead. Shit, shit, shit, I'm so sorry Suga!" He was quickly losing his cool, his eyes pleading for someone to make things better.

Resting a hand on the other boy's shoulder, Yamamoto squeezed and bobbed his head. "He'll be okay, Yaku will help, right?"

Freezing momentarily, he coughed and cleared his throat. "Uh- Sure. Yeah, of course." He could practically hear Kuroo's grating snicker in his ear.

Clearing that from his mind, he shifted to his knees to better situate himself and pushed Suga's shoulders back. "Let me see how bad the cut is."

Between the two of them, they were able to prop the unconscious setter up and tilt his head back for inspection. Expecting to see a much larger gash, Yaku hitched an eyebrow and pushed Suga's bangs out of the way. Above his brow, there was a deeper cut than the others, but it was thin and only about two inches long. Although it'd left a thin trail of blood to run down his temple to his chin, it was shallow and already beginning to coagulate.

"Hmm… It doesn't look that bad…" Lacking a better idea, he used his free hand to pat Suga's cheek. "Hey. Earth to Sugawara. Come on, wake up."

Yaku wasn't rough as he tapped his face but made sure it was firm enough to rouse. Nothing happened at first, and then Suga's eyelids began to flutter. Baldy gasped beside him and shook his upperclassman by the shoulders. The action elicited a faint moan from the other teen as he came to, his eyes opening with a hazy awareness.

"Ugh…W-what?"

His face was pale, his lips holding hardly any color, but at least he was awake.

"Welcome back, how do you feel?" Yaku asked, relieved as Suga sat up and supported himself.

He lifted a wobbly hand to rub over his face and shook his head. "Light-headed. Kinda like I might throw up."

Yamamoto skittered away, crossing his arms in front of him and vigorously shaking his head. "No way, dude. I'm gonna puke if you do, hold it in."

"Look the other way if you have to." Yaku snapped, then turned back to Suga. "Does your head hurt? Do you think you have a concussion?"

Swallowing thickly, Suga shook his head and wiped the back of his hand over his damp forehead. The action made him wince as he touched the cut there, and then his eyes shot open before squeezing shut at the sight of red-streaked across his fair skin.

"N-Not a concussion. It's the blood." He murmured weakly, clenching his shaking fists tight and trying to take slow steady breaths through his mouth.

Yaku tilted his head, perplexed. "What, that little scrape?"

"OH!"

He jumped as Baldy exclaimed beside him, his expression incredulous while he looked between the two Karasuno players.

"Suga's homophobic!"

"Uh, what?"

Growling, Suga punched Tanaka square in the stomach, causing him to stutter a cough and double over.

"Hemophobia, you idiot." He paused to take a few slow shallow breaths. "I faint at the sight of blood…"

Suddenly, everything made a whole lot more sense.

"Oh," Yaku said, then let out a sigh of relief. "So, you'll be fine, we just need to clean you up?"

Suga creaked an eye open enough to see the other third year, his nod slight. "Yeah."

Getting to his feet, Yaku looked at the other two. "The games on pause, no grabbing for flags. Let's get Suga back up and wave a ref down for some help."

Without a word of disagreement, they nodded and got to work. Turns out it was way easier to fall down the hill than climb back up it, especially while keeping a woozy Sugawara on his feet. The bald teen took on the brunt of the work as they labored to climb to the steep slope, and his head glistened with sweat as they crawled along at a snail's pace, ducking under branches, and occasionally slipping. Yamamoto and Yaku caught the two whenever they tumbled back, the group needing to stop a few times to catch their breath. After what felt like an eternity, they finally managed to clamber their way to the edge where Kageyama and Lev grabbed ahold of Suga and hauled him up.

"Are you okay?" Kageyama asked, assisting Suga in taking a seat on the ground beside the trail. Yaku was bent over his knees as he tried to catch his breath and watched as the prodigy setter knelt next to Suga, Baldy groaning and flopping onto his back. Much like his twin from Karasuno, Yamamoto sprawled on the ground, panting.

From his place on the grass, Suga continued his slow methodical breathing but tried to respond to Kageyama. He swallowed, his eyes closed, and shook his head.

"Nnnh… Lightheaded."

"Is it the blood?" Kageyama asked plainly, to which Suga pried an eye open and directed his glare at Tanaka.

"Yeah. How does Kageyama remember and you didn't?" His question was pointed and even Yaku shied away from the irritation Suga exuded.

Kageyama's brow furrowed. "You told us yesterday."

"I guess playing on the same team for two years means nothing," Suga muttered.

"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?!"

"As fun as this is," Yaku interjected, chest rising and falling as he looked around. "We've got to find a ref and get Suga patched up. Baldy, you stay with him, the rest of us will go search."

Affronted, Tanaka's nostrils flared, and he sat up abruptly. "I've got hair, you know! And my name's Tanaka!"

"Sure, sure." He amended, waving a dismissive hand, then nudging his head toward the trails. "Come on guys, there's bound to be someone not too far off."

Before they could make it more than a few steps, there was a call behind him.

Turning back, he found it was Sugawara who'd called his name, slouching forward and looking greener than any healthy person should. Tilting his head to the side, he paused and placed a hand on his hip. "Yeah?"

Suga took a second to swallow again, then nodded his head. "Thanks."

No words were needed, Yaku could see the gratitude in the other teen's eyes, and he understood what the gesture meant to him. With a smirk and a thumbs up, he turned to jog down the path with Kageyama, Yamamoto, and Lev.

Sure enough, it wasn't long before they stumbled across a of couple managers walking side by side, one girl with tied up black hair, the others down and shoulder in length, the color reddish-brown.

"Kageyama, isn't the girl with the glasses from your team?" Yaku said, his eyes shifting up to the first year beside him.

"Yeah, that's the chick Yamamoto-san was crying about when they came for a practice match," Lev announced.

"Shut your stupid rookie mouth! I wasn't crying, those were tears of passion!"

"Wouldn't that be the same thing- Ouch!" He exclaimed as Yamamoto punched him in the back. "Why is everyone always hitting me?!"

Yaku sighed, "Give it a rest will you." His attention returned to Kageyama as they slowed to a brisk walk and approached the girls.

Kageyama was stoic as ever as he nodded his head once. "Yes, she's one of the managers."

Yaku huffed a short laugh, amused by his lack of conversation. "You don't say much, do you?"

Kageyama's response was to shrug, and then when they were close enough to call out, Yaku was surprised to hear him be the one to speak up.

"Shimizu-san, Suga-san is bleeding, we need help."

The girls had been relaxed upon seeing the group of guys headed toward them, but as Kageyama spoke, they tensed with instant worry.

"Sugawara is bleeding? Where?" She asked her voice level but laced with urgency.

"We left him by the valley with Tanaka-san. We should probably hurry before he passes out again."

"Again?"

This time it was the other girl who interjected and Yaku was pretty sure she was one of the managers from Fukurodani. Her posture gave the impression of aloofness, but concern raised her brow as she tilted her head to the side.

"Woah, woah, hang on." Yaku intercepted, holding his hands up as if in surrender. "It's not as bad as it sounds, he has a cut on his forehead, but it isn't anything a band-aid can't fix."

"Then why'd he pass out?" The girl with russet hair asked, her voice lethargic despite the curiosity in her question.

Shimizu answered, "Hemophobia."

"What's he got against gay people?" Lev inquired, to which Yaku sighed and raised a hand to rub his temples. He was surrounded by idiots.

"He faints at the sight of blood." She corrected, stepping around Yaku, and looking to Kageyama. "Show me where he is."

The setter wasted no time, turning on his heel and taking off at a jog. The rest followed as Kageyama led the way, and he was surprised Karasuno's manager didn't struggle to keep up. The water bottle on her athletic belt bounced against her rear as she ran, and Yaku's face may have gone a shade or two darker as he jogged behind them. He made a mental effort to avert his gaze and thankfully they returned to Suga and Tanaka quickly.

The two remained where they'd left them, Sugawara hunched over and looking clammy as Tanaka ran a hand back and forth across his shoulders, trying to help him relax. The spiker's face was a mask of anxiety, but when he heard their approaching footsteps and looked up, relief washed over him. Halting his previous comforts, Tanaka shook the other teen's shoulder.

"Suga, they're back!"

"Uh-" Suga put a hand over his mouth and ducked his head. "Don't shake me."

"Woah-" He lurched back in case his upperclassman was about to puke. "My bad."

Kiyoko went straight to Suga and dropped to her knees in front of him, sitting back on her heels. "Yukie, could you get me a couple of bandages?" Her voice was soft and even, and Yukie hummed her agreement as she began to dig around in her athletic belt.

As the other girl retrieved the bandages, Kiyoko pulled Suga's hands from his mouth, before going to her belt and tugging out her water bottle.

"Keep your eyes closed and hold out your hands, I'm going to rinse them. Where are you bleeding?" She asked, taking his hand as it was offered to her and pushing it off to the side before squirting water onto his palm and rubbing away the dried blood.

"I think… Jus my forehead?" He murmured, and Yaku couldn't help but notice how pale he still was.

She scrutinized his appearance, then briefly looked at the bald guy- Tanaka, before moving to Suga's other hand. "What happened to you two?"

As Tanaka stiffened, he hit his upperclassman with large pleading eyes. Suga lifted a lid to peer at him from the corner of his eye, and there was a small stretch of silence as the two had an unspoken conversation. Making his decision, Suga took in a breath that he let out as a heavy sigh before giving a sheepish laugh. He grimaced as he looked back at Kiyoko who was brushing hair from his forehead and dabbing away the trail of blood running from his temple.

"Would you believe it if I said I tripped and knocked Tanaka and me into the valley by accident?"

So, he'd opted to cover for Baldy, Yaku hid his snicker in his shoulder as the manager gripped his chin and turned his head up.

"Keep your eyes closed." She reiterated, dabbing meticulously, Suga giving the occasional wince.

With an apology, he did as she asked and shut his mouth too. She was silent as she worked, then took the bandage Yukie offered her and placed it over the cut above his eyebrow. She placed another one over an angry scratch on his neck and yet another over a scrape on his knee. When she was done, she sat back and looked him over.

"I think that's all the blood, the other scratches aren't deep enough to need a bandage. You can open your eyes now."

As he did so, he let out a breath of relief, his shoulders sagging. The color was beginning to return to his face, and Yaku was pleased to see this.

"Thanks, Shimizu, you're a lifesaver." Suga groaned, his hand falling to his knee and rubbing circles.

"You're welcome. Tanaka, you need a bandage on your elbow."

Jumping to attention, Tanaka's cheeks turned pink and he threw his hands on his hips. "What, this? It doesn't even hurt; I don't need a bandage!"

Kiyoko blinked, her expression flat. "You need to put a bandage on if you're around Sugawara, he'll pass out again."

"O—Oh… Right." He said, his laugh awkward and forced as Suga closed his eyes and shook his head.

It was an embarrassing scene to watch if Yaku was being honest. Suga tried to help Baldy save face, but with a head filled with rocks, he'd need more help than a white lie could offer.

A few minutes later both Karasuno players were all patched up. They were filthy and disheveled, but no longer bleeding. Yaku helped Sugawara to his feet and patted him amicably on the shoulder.

"Try to avoid tackling your teammates over cliffs in the future, not everyone will be nice enough to save you." He advised, his grin growing as Suga glowered.

"I'll keep that in mind."

They were interrupted as Kiyoko approached, handing something to Sugawara.

"Eat this, it will get rid of your lightheadedness."

She put a granola bar into his hand, and he nodded his thanks once again.

Good deed done for the day, Yaku crossed his arms over his chest and backed up a few steps to gather with Lev and Yamamoto. "Alright, truce over," he said, jabbing a finger at Kageyama and then thrusting a thumb back in the direction of their base. "Get your hands up and start walking to Nekoma's base. As for you two, I'd suggest you make yourselves scarce. We'll give you sixty seconds head start, but I wouldn't stick around if I were you."

Sugawara nodded, his face stern. "Right, thanks for helping us." He said, bowing and putting a hand on the back of Baldy's head to make him bow as well. "Let's go, Tanaka."

Gripping his teammate by the sleeve and yanking him along, they began to jog in the direction of the bridge, Suga hesitating to look back over his shoulder. The expression on his face turned to one of anguish as he called to the underclassman they were leaving behind.

"Sorry, Kageyama… Someone will come to get you, promise!"

Kageyama's response was to frown, but he nodded and put his hands in the air as he began to head toward Nekoma's base. The whole thing almost made Yaku feel guilty for taking the kid's flag. Almost. As he counted sixty seconds aloud, Yaku could hear Tanaka trying to convince Suga as they hit the bridge.

"So, any chance we could keep this from Daichi too? -Ouch!"

"Shut up, before I kick you over this bridge," Suga muttered, shoving him forward as the other rubbed his arm.

"I'll take that as a no…"

…

Rolling across the ground and popping up to hide behind a tree, Hinata looked left and right before diving through the foliage and ducking behind another tree. He looked around as if someone might fall from the branches above, then spun around and plastered his back to the tree so he could motion for his teammates to follow.

Daichi's brows pinched in exasperation as he crept through the woods after the redhead, Tsukishima following behind him without any attempt to conceal himself. When they met Hinata at his tree, Daichi tried to give some constructive criticism.

"Hey, Hinata?"

He slapped a hand to his forehead and stood at attention. "Yes, Captain!"

Looking around to make sure no one overheard, he put a finger to his lips. "Shh. You're doing great, but I don't think it's really necessary to do all the uh—Diving and rolling."

Tsukishima's pushed up his glasses, his voice apathetic. "It's counterproductive if you ask me. You're making more noise than if you walk normally."

Hinata scowled at him. "I've read a ton of manga with ninja and spies; this is how you sneak up on someone!"

"Can it be considered reading if it consists mainly of pictures? Aside from that, you barely made the volleyball team, you think you could be a ninja?"

"I made it onto the volleyball team just fine! If anyone had a problem, it's Kageyama!"

"I seem to recall both of you being locked out of the gym."

Drawing a hand down his face, Daichi sighed and gripped their shoulders. "Focus guys, we're in enemy territory, someone could show up any minute. Let's go over the plan again."

Leaning around one of the many ancient oaks that stood towering above them, Daichi observed the wooden boardwalk that wove through the trees. It had a wooden railing on either side that was about waist high and was the telltale sign they'd found Date Tech's base. Until now they'd been skirting the perimeter to avoid being seen, but there hadn't been anyone else around to see them. It was becoming clear the other team must be closer to their fort at the center of the boardwalks, and they weren't going to have much success if they didn't take some risks.

"Oh yeah, what was the plan again?" Hinata said, his face was scrunched up as he peeked around the tree with him. Daichi looked over his shoulder and waved the other first-year forward.

"Tsukishima, get closer so you can see too."

"I can see from here, thanks."

Accepting this was the most he would get out of him, Daichi turned back around, his eyes on the wooden platforms before them. "Okay, here's what we're going to do. We've got to get onto the boardwalk and follow it to the center. I'm not sure where they all are, but there's bound to be a least a couple of them guarding their base. We'll find them, form a plan of attack, and go from there."

The two nodded their heads without objection, and Daichi prepared to spring into action.

"We'll go on the count of three… One… Two…Thr—"

"Going somewhere?"

The trio spun around to find a large group of Date Tech players walling them in from behind. The group stood with their arms linked and formed a chain that blocked them from fleeing into the woods. Moniwa stood at the center, the picture of pride.

Daichi could feel his eyes grow to the size of saucers, embarrassment washing over him at how they neglected to hear so many people sneak up behind them.

"H-How did they find us?!" Hinata squeaked, jumping behind Daichi.

Tilting his head to the side, Koganagawa pointed at him. "It was you, man. We could hear you rolling around and yelling from a mile away."

With irritation dripping from his stare, Tsukishima glared down at Hinata who went red-faced and stuttered.

"Uh-Oh…"

Daichi bit the inside of his cheek, panic festering. They didn't have time for this, they needed to get out of here. Without another option, he grabbed Tsukishima and Hinata and shoved them around the tree.

"Get onto the boardwalk, go go!

"Don't let them get away!"

A stampede of feet breaking sticks and leaves ignited behind them and it was enough to send his heart into overdrive. They sprinted toward the boardwalk as if their lives depended on it and Hinata was the first to get there. Daichi feared he wouldn't be tall enough to reach but was ever surprised as Hinata leaped into the air and scrabbled onto the wooden bridge. Tsukishima was next, and with his height, he pulled himself up and over without hindrance. Being a stocky guy, Daichi didn't have the reach or jumping capabilities of his underclassman and was severely grateful for the hands that grabbed his reaching arms and hefted him up.

He felt a hand swipe at the back of his thigh as he narrowly avoided someone's grab for his flag, and then he was lurching to his feet and pounding down the boardwalk after Hinata and Tsukishima. The wind rushed by Daichi's ears, his lungs battling for air as adrenaline pumped through his body. With the other team hot on their heels, he was living real-life Temple Run, a game he was never particularly good at. When the bridge turned left, they did too. When it made a sharp right, they bounced into the railing and pushed off it to launch themselves in the new direction. As fast as they ran, they couldn't lose Date Tech. Daichi could feel the gap between them lessening and his stamina dwindling. If they didn't get away, they'd all be caught. It was then that he saw it, a split in the boardwalk.

Glancing over his shoulder to see three guys in pursuit, Daichi pushed his legs to move even faster and called to Hinata and Tsukishima.

"We need to split up, go left, I'll go right!"

Daichi could tell Tsukishima was unhappy with this, but they didn't have an abundance of solutions to pick from. They would have to make it work.

"Which way is left?!" Hinata cried, the turn coming upon them in a hurry.

There was no time to explain, his voice was strained, but Daichi's shout was clear.

"Tsukishima!"

If there was ever a good time for Tsukishima to cooperate, this was it. Daichi made a right as they hit the split and almost cried with relief when the tall blond grabbed his peer by the wrist and yanked him left. His reprieve was short-lived, and reality hit him over the head hard as Moniwa's voice rose behind him.

"Forget them, follow the captain!"

He'd successfully lured Date Tech from his teammates, but now he was in quite the situation. He couldn't get caught; he'd stick his team with a five-point deficit. The muscles in his legs were screaming for a break, but he ignored this and pushed on. He had to keep going, he had to get off this damned bridge. The footsteps behind him were growing louder, he knew he had a matter of seconds to decide. With no better idea coming to mind, Daichi sucked in a hasty breath and vaulted over the wooden railing.

Air whistled through his short hair as he plummeted to the earth, and when he hit the ground with a solid thump, he rolled to lessen the impact. Crushing sticks and scattering leaves and dirt, Daichi slid down the short hill and staggered to his feet. He faced the bridge to see the three Date Tech players run to the railing, but they only looked down at him as they leaned against it and panted heavily.

Feeling brazen, Daichi smirked and gave a triumphant salute, his chest rising and falling as he worked to catch his breath. He could use a minute to calm his pounding heart, but it was time to get moving. As he put his hands on his hips and let his head fall back to gulp in a few more breaths, a sudden noise startled him.

"It is not your day, is it, Captain?"

Dread doused the flame of Daichi's triumph, and he whipped his head around to see an unsettling number of players dressed in aqua t-shirts. Without a headcount, he knew all of Aoba Johsai was present, Tooru Oikawa front and center.

Groaning aloud, Daichi slumped over and rested his hands on his knees. "Fuck."

"Giving up so soon? You're making this too easy on us." Oikawa said, his steps taunting as he sauntered closer.

A wry grin settled on Daichi's lips, and he followed Oikawa's movements from beneath his thick lashes. "You're wrong if you think I'm going to roll over and let you take my flag. You're gonna have to work for it." His words came between pants, but there was a fiery challenge in his dark brown eyes. He was the captain of a flock of crows, after all, he had no intentions of going down without a fight.

Oikawa's smile was cheerful, his tone laced with false friendliness. "That's a bold statement considering it's one against 14. Wouldn't you rather spare the last shred of your dignity you've still got intact?"

"I lost that the day our first-years joined the team," Daichi muttered, pushing off his knees and standing upright. He assessed the players spreading in a slow circle around him, blocking his escape from every direction. He was screwed for sure, there was no way he could outrun 14 guys, not when he was still so out of breath. He was at the end of the line, but he would go out with a bang.

"Take the easy way out, Captain, your team isn't around for you to disappoint them." Daichi glowered at him, his anger drawing the corners of his mouth down as Oikawa's voice dropped to a whisper, his smile treacherous. "I promise I won't tell."

Daichi lunged, his legs protesting the exertion, but carrying him forward as he charged a kid with dark hair that stuck up straight. If his memory served him, this was one of the guys from Kageyama's middle school team, a first-year.

"Don't let him through, Kindaichi!"

"R-Right!"

The young player's hesitance was obvious as Daichi plowed forward, but as he got within arm's reach, he pivoted and targeted Oikawa who had been running after him. Surprised by the direction change, Oikawa stumbled backward, momentarily faltering. Daichi sprung for the other captain's flag, but a light-haired teammate jumped to his rescue.

"Move, you idiot!" He shoved Oikawa with enough force to send him flying but left himself open for Daichi to rip the flag from his belt.

"Maki!"

Daichi tossed the strip of fabric to the ground as shouts rang out around him, then turned in an uncertain circle as they began to close in. There had to be a way to get at least one more flag, he wasn't done yet.

An idea hit him like lightning, and he whipped his head to the right, his gaze going beyond the players surrounding him. He rose his voice as loud as he could and put everything he had into making his shout believable.

"Now, Kageyama! Do it now!"

Fear and recognition lit the eyes of the Aoba Johsai's players, and they spun their heads to search for the well-known threat as Daichi charged forward.

"NO!" Oikawa shouted but was a step too late as Daichi took advantage of the lie and stole another two flags. One from the spiky-haired first year, the other belonging to a guy he was certain was third year. These were the last flags he managed to get before Oikawa finally reached him, the sound of ripping Velcro telling him it was over.

Exhausted, he dropped to his knees and panted, his grin ferocious despite having his flag taken. He looked up at Oikawa as he towered over him, pleased by the unpleasant sneer that replaced his once cheerful smile. His words dripped venom, and he glared at Karasuno's captain.

"You're an annoying bastard." He said, throwing the flag at him.

Daichi huffed, his teeth glinting in a satisfied smirk. "Why thank you."

…

"Wooooah! Did you see that? Tsukki, did you see—Mmph!"

Tsukishima clamped his hand down over Hinata's mouth as they hid beneath the wooden boardwalk, the two of them laying on their stomachs and concealing themselves with the leaves.

"If they find us because of you, I'm ripping your flag off and handing it to them."

Hinata glared, but he lowered his voice after shoving Tsukishima's hand away. "Why did I get stuck with the grouchy old man?"

Scowling, the other teen grabbed a fistful of Hinata's shirt. "Does your tiny pea brain function at all? You're stuck with me because you gave away our location and forced our captain to sacrifice his flag."

Tsukishima was fuming. From the second he was paired with the idiot decoy; he knew things would go wrong. Not only had he predicted this outcome, but he wasn't even lucky enough to lose his flag. Somehow, he'd been promoted to full-time zookeeper, while Daichi-san got to stand around in Seijoh's prison. It was an absolute outrage.

Hinata's eyes lit up again, and his attention darted back to their captain who was kneeling on the ground a few yards out.

"That's what I was saying!" Hinata whispered. "Did you see Daichi-san? He took three flags! I didn't even see Kageyama, where is he?"

His lecture had fallen on deaf ears. Tsukishima gave a single blink his sanity threatening to unhinge. When he responded, his voice lacked emotion, and his stare was full of contempt. "Kageyama isn't here. It was a bluff."

"What? Then who was he talking to?"

"Nobody. He lied to get them to look away."

Hinata's face scrunched in thought before his brows jumped up and the light bulb finally turned on.

"Oh! I get it! Daichi-san pretended Kageyama was there to distract them! I never would have thought of that, guess that's why he's the captain."

Tsukishima narrowed his eyes. "Does it hurt being so stupid? Get up, we need to go back to the base."

"We can't go back, what about Daichi-san? They took his flag!"

Hinata looked around as he shuffled from beneath the leaves and crawled out from under the boardwalk. He balled his fists as he waited for Tsukishima to do the same and when they were both out, crept around the wooden structure to be concealed once more.

"And what do you suppose we do? Sugawara-san is the only one who can tag him back in. We have to tell him we lost the captain because you're a child and wanted to play ninja."

Hinata flushed, his teeth grating in embarrassed anger. "You don't have to keep bringing it up you know! I'm sorry my stupid stealth moves got us caught, are you happy now?"

"I'd be happy if I wasn't stuck with you, but that isn't going to happen, is it? So, no."

A loaded silence fell between them, and Hinata didn't bother to respond. With nothing more to say, they put their backs to the bridge and moved along with their heads up and scanning their surroundings. When they came to an open space beside the boardwalk, Tsukishima put an arm across Hinata's chest to prevent him from going further.

"What?" He hissed, looking around but seeing no reason for the holdup.

"Shut up, your voice is drowning everything out. Do you hear that?"

Hinata made a face, but he put a hand to his ear and listened. If he concentrated, he could hear it too. There was a bumping sound somewhere, but with the breeze rattling the leaves above, it was difficult to pinpoint where it came from. As they listened, Hinata noticed something else… The creak of boards.

Taking in a sharp breath through his nose, he ducked beneath the boardwalk and grabbed the back of Tsukishima's shirt to drag him with him. The taller teen grunted as his head clunked against a wooden beam, then fell on top of Hinata who desperately clasped his hands over Tsukishima's mouth.

Fury was evident in what Hinata could see of his teammate's face, but he didn't have to explain his actions as methodical thumping came from above. They froze in place, their hearts clenching.

Suddenly, there was scuffing and then—

CRUNCH.

Hinata and Tsukishima pulled their feet to them as a pair of legs in purple shorts appeared. They held their breath as another person jumped from the boardwalk, then another, and another. Four in total, and then someone was speaking.

"We're on a roll, it's only been an hour and we've bagged five guys from Date Tech. I think we've got this win secured."

"We shouldn't get ahead of ourselves, there's still plenty of time for the others to catch up."

"Semi's right, we must take the flag of every other player to ensure our victory."

There was a soft chuckle, "Every flag seems ambitious, but we can certainly try."

The group began to walk in the direction Hinata and Tsukishima had fled from, but they remained still until the last pair of purple shorts disappeared over the hill. When it was clear they wouldn't be caught, Tsukishima yanked the hands from his mouth and shoved against Hinata's face to push himself upright. The short teen squawked as his head went back into the dirt, then sat up with a sour expression, leaves sticking out of his hair.

"What was that for?!"

Tsukishima's hand went to the back of his head and rubbed a forming lump, his stare pointed. "I'd appreciate a warning before you pull me backward. One of us needs to have a brain, and I can't think with a concussion."

Dusting himself off, Hinata got to his feet and looked around to make sure the coast was clear. "That was Ushijima, right?"

"Yes."

He stepped out from under the boardwalk and followed Tsukishima's gaze. He was staring in the direction the group of players had gone, a frown in place. Quirking a brow, Hinata tried to lean into his line of sight. "Earth to Crankyshima, what are you looking at?"

His stare lingered on the space above Hinata's head, his frown deepening. "Did you hear what they said?"

"Uh… The thing about taking everyone's flags?"

"No. The first guy. He said they'd already taken five of Date Tech's players."

Hinata's eyes went round with bewilderment, "T—That's right! How the heck did they pull that off? We couldn't even find them!"

Tsukishima shook his head, his stare shifting to Hinata. "We couldn't find any of them because they'd already had their flags taken."

Mouth hanging open, Hinata took his turn starring in the direction the Shiritorizawa players had gone. He gulped, then turned his horrorstruck gaze to Tsukishima. "That could have been us…"

"It still could be, they're headed toward Seijoh now. If we don't leave, we could easily get caught in the crossfire."

Hinata bristled, his eyes darting to the copse of trees before them. "What are we waiting for, let's get out of here!"

Double-checking the area surrounding them, the duo slipped into the trees, the thick foliage camouflaging them from the eyes of anyone that might be passing by. They trotted with caution as they began the jog back to their base, and Hinata spoke in a hushed voice as they fled.

"It was pretty cool how I save us back there, wasn't it?"

"I'm not saying thank you, so you might as well drop it."

Hinata pursed his lips, a breath puffing from his nose, "Tch, you're so uncool, Tsukki..."

…

"Closer, you've got to get closer, Asahi-san!"

"I—I'm trying! You're pulling my hair!"

"Uh—Guys?... Is this really necessary?" Ennoshita asked. He was a couple of feet away, his brows pinched together as he watched Nishinoya balance on Asahi's shoulders, the former working valiantly to reach the branch above him.

"Just a little bit closer—Stand on your toes!"

"Nishi, OW—I don't think I can— Maybe we should-"

"Got it!"

Latching onto the branch above him, Nishinoya pulled himself up and used Asahi's head to give himself a boost. The ace staggered as the foot mused his hair, then he mumbled as he tried to smooth it back into place. Deadpanning, Ennoshita crossed his arms and looked up at Noya.

"Well, you did it. You climbed the tree. Now what?"

Slowly shifting until he was on his feet and balancing himself with the trunk, Noya grinned and looked down at his teammates.

"Duh, we take some flags."

"Uh… How are we supposed to do that if you're up there? Daichi said you, Hinata, and Kageyama should try to grab them while we protect you. I don't think it would end well if we switched roles, I'm not brave enough to try and take someone's flag." Asahi admitted, his shoulders slumped as he stared up into the tree.

Turning his attention forward, Nishinoya squinted between leaves and branches to better see the base belonging to Fukuradani. From this height, he could easily make out the wooden structure on the other side of a large pond. Players in black and yellow t-shirts milled about the open space, and beside the fort with a large green slide, Noya could see two people in red shirts standing inside a white square. He assumed this was the prison, and that meant Fukuradani had captured two players from Nekoma.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch, I'm still gonna be the one to take the flags. I need you guys to lure them over here first."

Ennoshita sighed, "And how do we do that?"

Nishinoya grinned wide and it did well to unsettle the two on the ground.

"That's easy, Asahi-san will go out there and get everyone's attention. When they start chasing him, you call him over here and I'll jump down and snatch some flags!"

Ennoshita and Asahi looked to one another, uncertainty in their eyes. Wringing his hands, Asahi glanced around the tree toward Fukuradani's base and shook his head.

"I—I can't do that, what if I'm too slow? What if I get caught?"

"That's why Ennoshita is gonna stay here, if you lose your flag, I'll still have him to watch my back."

"Yeah… But then I'll be in prison…"

For a moment the smile left Noya's face, and his expression became fierce as he met Asahi's gaze. "If that happens, get to their prison as fast as you can. I'll tag you back in, and we'll get out of there. You've got my word."

Their eyes remained locked for a few tense seconds, and Noya lowered his voice. "Do you trust me?"

Asahi drew in a deep breath and chewed on his lip. After a few more seconds he looked at Ennoshita again. They didn't speak as they debated the pros and cons of the plan, but with simultaneous determination, they looked up to Noya in the tree and nodded.

"We're in."

"Don't blow it," Ennoshita added.

"You can count on me! Alright, get going Asahi. If you walk straight out of here in that direction," He pointed, "You'll run into a bunch of them. Get them to chase you and lead them over here."

Still trembling, the ace nodded and balled up his hands. Ennoshita grasped his shoulder, squeezing in encouragement. "You've got this."

"I've got this…" He repeated, then swallowed down the lump in his throat.

Heading out of the trees the way Noya had pointed out, Asahi continued the mantra in his head repeatedly.

"I've got this. I've got this. I've got this. I—I've got… This?"

As soon as he stepped into the clearing, every player from Fukuradani turned to look at him. His eyes blew wide, and his mouth went dry, what was he thinking?! He couldn't do this! Why had he agreed to a plan thought up by Nishinoya? He stopped in his tracks and fought the desire to backpedal. As the other team awaited his move, the rowdy second year's intense face popped into Asahi's head. Ferocious determination always lit his eyes like fire, and he found his feet carrying him forward once more. Just like volleyball, his teammate had created an opportunity for him. If the other two were counting on him, he wasn't allowed to give up!

He could do this; he could do this! Throwing caution to the wind, Asahi began to run in the direction of the closest player wearing black and yellow, his eyes zeroed in on the flag fluttering at his hip. As he got closer, he furrowed his brow and sped up, his attention on the guy he'd singled out and ignoring the other players as they questioned his intentions.

"Is he just charging in here?"

"Why's he by himself?"

"Did everyone else from Karasuno already get captured? It wouldn't be a surprise."

Before he could get too close, a familiar voice rose above the rest, boisterous and excited. "Who cares why he's here, let's get his flag!"

Bokuto took off at a sprint and made a B-line toward Asahi. His courage won for approximately three more seconds, and then the bun-haired teen turned tail and ran.

"Bokuto, wait! It could be a trap; you need to be careful!"

"Yeah yeah, I wanna steal some flags!"

He didn't chance a glance back, but Asahi was sure it was Fukurodani's setter who called to Bokuto. It was a good thing he didn't have to keep a poker face because his mouth fell open and he let out a terrified cry as he fled. The pounding of multiple feet hitting the ground behind him launched his heart into overdrive and he pumped his arms at his sides with purpose. He knew where he stood as an ace against the owl captain chasing him down, but he was hoping his odds were better in a race. Breath leaving him in panicked bursts, Asahi hit the tree line and sprinted into the woods. With his adrenaline flooding his body like electricity, he momentarily forgot where he was going, but was saved by Ennoshita calling to him. Tripping over a tree root and stumbling to catch himself, Asahi saw a flash of Bokuto behind him and let out another fearful shriek.

"Ahh! Help me, somebody help!"

He was getting closer and closer to the tree Ennoshita stood by, but then the other teen turned and ran as well. Wait, where exactly was he supposed to run to? Once he reached the tree, where was he supposed to go?! As it turned out, he only made it as far as the tree before he felt a hand grab at his hip, and then there was a sudden tug, and his flag was torn from his belt. The plan the plan, what was next?

Spinning around, Asahi snatched his flag out of the hand Bokuto held it in, interrupting the captain's triumphant celebration, and slapping it back onto his belt.

"I've been captured!" Asahi announced, then put his hands up in surrender as he began to run toward Fukuradani's base. With his back turned, he couldn't see Nishinoya, but he heard him as he yelled; "ROLLING THUNDER!" and somersaulted from his perch in the tree.

"Bokuto, move!" Akaashi yelled in warning, still a few yards back as he and the rest of Fukuradani tried to catch up. The captain heard his teammate, and as a result, managed to twitch to the right and jump back to avoid Noya's reaching hand.

He grinned and wagged a finger at Karasuno's libero, sniggering as he squatted down and shuffled in place. "You're gonna have to be faster than that, little man."

"Bokuto, move!"

Picking his head up, he looked to Akaashi with agitation and his face scrunched up as he yelled back. "He's right in front of me, I'm fine!"

The distance was closing between them, but to Bokuto's surprise, there was a yank at his belt and the distinct rip of Velcro. Snapping his head around, Ennoshita held Bokuto's flag in the air as if he himself did not believe what just happened.

"Nice, Chikara! Get out of here, I'll get Asahi!"

"Right!" Tossing the flag back to its owner, Ennoshita spun around and took off full speed into the woods as Nishinoya turned and ran straight at the pond.

He may be short, but he'd always been faster than his peers. This held true as he made a wide arch to avoid Fukuradani as they changed direction, chasing after him now that their captain had been captured. Ahead of him, Asahi had made it to the prison and was bent over clutching his knees to catch his breath. He'd done everything Noya had asked of him, now it was the libero's turn to hold up his end. Sucking in a breath, Noya fixed his eyes on the wooden fort and turned up the speed. He hurtled through the long grass, jumping over stray branches, and feeling the wind throw his hair back. He was hoping for a quick rescue and escape, but two players from Fukuradani stood guard and made haste to block his path. Thinking on his feet, Nishinoya pivoted as he hit the mulch surrounding their fort and ducked around the wooden structure. Finding a notched ramp, he scampered up into the fort with one of the guards hot on his heels, then dove head-first down the tube slide. Fortunately, the slide spit him out near the box of prisoners, but as he rolled to his feet, he caught the attention of the other guard. Asahi saw the danger Noya was in and before his brain even told him to, he was accidentally running into one of the prisoners from Nekoma as he stretched one of his long arms out and snatched the flag from the guard.

"Asahi!"

Patting the shoulder of the player he'd knocked down; the ace tossed the flag to the mulch and thrust his hand out to Noya who slapped it and yanked him out of the box. "Let's go!"

They were out of time, the river was at their back, and the rest of Fukuradani blocked their path to the woods. Back-to-back, Asahi and Noya contemplated their options and found only one. Turning to look up at Asahi as Fukuradani stalked closer, Noya hiked a brow.

"You can swim?"

Looking to their opponents and then to Noya, he nodded his head. "On the count of three—"

"Three!" Noya yelled, grabbing Asahi's wrist, and jumping with him into the river.