Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to these characters.
The days flew by and before the volleyball club knew it, the Inter-High Prelims were here—and over. Team Nekoma made it passed the first round, but were knocked out during the second. It was strange to feel sad yet indifferent to the results. The third years had improved somewhat, but overall, they stayed in the same mindset that they have always had. Simply going through the motions as they played, and arrogant to believe that that should be more than enough. Never once realizing that they stifled themselves by assuming that they could overtake their opponents with very little effort. It was a mindset that was not based in any logic. Their practices with the Fukurodani Academy Group should have shown them the error of that thought process.
While the rookies had some concern about the upperclassmen deciding to remain in the club instead of retiring, those fears were replaced with trepidation for the week following the Prelim. The week before the tournament began, Coach Naoi tournament was completed.
"All members will be required to participate in all morning and afternoon practices. Also, your stair master sets will be increased from 3 to 4 sets daily. We will continue with using the sand pit on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with the possibility of increasing to 3 days a week depending on the basketball club. If they need the gym more, then we'll go to the Sports Center."
He paused in his reading of the list of changes for effect. Smirking to himself slightly as the majority of the team paled and quietly groaned in misery. The third years glanced at each other wide eyed, and breathed a sigh of relief that they would not have to suffer the same fates as their underclassmen. Retirement was a beautiful thing in their minds—Watanabe grinned in relief that he would not have to endure any of the changes that were to come.
'Well, Kagome was right. This definitely caused the third years to think twice about remaining. Too bad for the rookies that these changes aren't just for show.' Grinning at the teenagers in front of him, he brought the practice session to an end and dismissed them for the day.
Needless to say, as soon as the tournament was done, the third years gratefully confirmed that they were retiring and walked off into the sunset—leaving the Nekoma team reborn in their wake.
The newly formed volleyball team were loving the freedom that they now had from their senpai. However, they had to be honest, that feeling of freedom was short lived. For once they allowed themselves to truly enjoy the fact that the third years would not be joining the club ever again, they also somehow forgot about the petite shadow-cat that lurked around the edges—waiting to pounce. And pounce she did, they had the scratches to prove it.
All of the aches and pains that they felt in the beginning when Kagome took over their conditioning, paled in comparison to their suffering now. Turns out that Coach Naoi's announcement wasn't just to help scare off the departing third years—it was all true. But that wasn't the only bombshell that was dropped upon them. The reminder that final exams were looming on the horizon caused several of the members to flinch in horror. Especially with the announcement that any failed exams would come with dire consequences.
One being that any individual whom failed an exam would miss some or all of the home turf training weekend because supplemental exams would be held at the same time. The other being, that their resident Tiny Tyrant would be sure to help them make up for the missed training time. The fear of what kind of diabolical horrors that their beloved manager could unleash upon them made the few struggling academic cats scramble for any study partner that they could latch onto. That person happened to be Kenma, who quietly informed them that he studied with the very person that they currently feared.
Slowly the panicked eyes of Yamamoto and the other first years turned to their potential savior and tormentor. Kagome, feeling the weight of the attention that was placed on her, looked up from her notebook of doom to see the trepidation in front of her.
Kuroo cackled as he saw the look of curiosity on Kagome's face and the cautious fear on the rookies. "Hey Kago-chan? Why don't we all have a study session at the shrine this weekend?"
"Hmm? That sounds like a good idea. I'll run it by mama."
The boys gave a small sigh of relief as they began to clean up the gym once more before they dragged their exhausted forms home for the night.
As the days passed, the team studied as much as they could until the weekend. Lunchtime and homeroom were used for review, and getting the lagging students up to speed. The need for all the members to succeed was high. They were a new team with little experience, any and all opportunities to test themselves against other schools was paramount to their growth. So, having a few of their members miss those chances to practice was unacceptable—at least it was according to their manager and their coach.
She ruled their study sessions with as much of an iron fist as she did their training. When Yamamoto lamented the laser focus that was placed upon their homework, he was surprised by the sneeze like laugh that Kenma released.
"What's so funny?"
Kuroo grinned evilly at the younger members. "What's funny is that if you think she's strict now, wait until you study with her for more than an hour at a time. Oh, and just a fair warning. Trying to run away only makes it worse. Isn't that right, Kenma?"
Wincing in remembrance, Kenma paled and looked away with a sigh. 'At least she'll have more targets to keep an eye on. But I'm not going to risk it. Souta still won't say what his punishment was from the last time he tried to sneak off.'
"Why? What happens if you try to run?" Yamamoto began to panic as he observed Kenma silently pale and cringe. "Kenma?! What happens?! Kuroo!"
The two in question wandered off leaving Yamamoto and a group of fearful first years behind.
"Why won't you answer me?!"
Kuroo cackled as he called over his shoulder. "Yamamoto, shut up and finish getting ready for practice. If you have that much energy, then you can use it for our drills."
"Y-y-yes sir."
When Saturday arrived, the team climbed the dreaded stairs that have been their nemesis since they began the stair master weeks ago. This time they were not running the stairs, and for that they were eternally grateful. Regardless their legs gave faint cries of agony as they reached the top. One member of the newly arrived group looked up at her older brother in confusion as the boys all griped and grumbled throughout the climb. She understood being overwhelmed by the sheer number of stairs, but to carryon about them to this extent was baffling.
"Tora-onii-san. Why do you all hate the stairs so much?"
Yamamoto looked down at his adorable little sister and sighed in exasperation. He was lucky that Kagome and her family said that he could bring Akane to the study session. Otherwise he would have had to stay home with her and try to study on his own since their parents were out of town for the weekend. "Kagome makes us run these stairs every day, and recently she increased our sets."
The younger girl looked at the team in shock and awe—now she couldn't wait to meet the famed manager that has been helping the team grow. She's heard a lot about the new manager from her big brother lately. Comments about how she was really pretty and it was unfair that Kuroo got to her first before anyone else could get a shot. Also, how she was really sweet and evilly diabolical. The way that she was able to instill fear and admiration into her older brother beyond the fact that she was pretty, was something that Akane was anxious to see.
As the group made their trek across the grounds, they took a moment to absorb the peace and tranquility that the shrine projected. Allowing the aura of the Goshinboku to lull them all into relaxing and releasing any tension that they had carried.
"Looks like you boys survived the stairs without having to crawl, eh?"
Collectively the teens just about jumped out of their skin at the sudden appearance of the mischievous Higurashi elder behind them. Whipping around they quickly eyed his hands and saw that they were currently empty of the ofudas that he seemed to have a never-ending supply of. Grandpa laughed at the fear and panic that he caused, and waved them to the house as he turned to wander off further onto the grounds chuckling as he went.
Waving goodbye to one of their sneakiest tormentors, they were ill prepared for Kagome being behind them. "There you all are. Why are you just standing there? Come on, let's go." Blinking rapidly at the chorus of shrieks that escaped the boys before her, Kagome shook her head and guided the group to the house. As they all walked across the courtyard, she took the time to get to know Yamamoto's little sister and learned that she was a first year in junior high school and a volleyball enthusiast.
"I watched the team play at in the Inter-High Prelims! I tried cheering as loud as I could, but no one heard me. I have to say, that the third years were lousy players. They could have taken that team but they just wouldn't move where they should have to attack!"
"Yes, strategy wasn't exactly their strong suit."
"I can't wait to see everyone play! Tora-onii-san told me that the rookie team was much better than the seniors!" The two girls giggled together as they entered the house with the boys following closely behind them.
Everyone broke into groups and settled into their seats. The second years sat off in one corner of the family room, the first years in another, and Souta and Akane sitting near their elder siblings. Kagome and Yamamoto checked on the younger duo here and there to see if they needed any help with their assignments. They took small breaks when needed and snacks were happily consumed.
The studious atmosphere was only disrupted by the occasional sounds of foreheads hitting textbooks—usually from Yamamoto on various subjects, and Kagome in regards to math. Kuroo looked up from his textbook to glance over as his petite girlfriend groaned in frustration, much to everyone's amusement.
The snickering grew into full belly laughs and Kuroo cackled when Kagome griped, "Stop smirking, Tetsu-kun!" while her face remained planted in her dreaded math book.
Days and weeks flew by quickly as the team trained and studied as much as they possibly could. And before they all knew it, finals week had arrived. It was time for everyone to put their brains in gear and grit their teeth as they faced their dreaded foe. Slowly as the week moved forward, they could feel their fingers cramp up, shoulders ache due to hunched over positions, and their heads went numb as if their minds could melt out of their very ears. In the end, all the exams were completed one by one until the very last test was handed in for grading—placing their fates in the hands of the teachers.
All the boys gratefully escaped the main building and ran to the gym to start their stretches for the afternoon as they all discussed how they thought that they did on their tests. Kagome walked in and smiled while she carried the water bottles and towels for the boys in preparation for later.
None of them realized that today was more than simply their last day of exams. Today was a day for a new arrival.
Entering the gym, Naoi wore a proud and excited grin as he stepped aside for his guest. He took a brief moment to observe the team before calling out to them. "Everyone, gather round! I'm pleased to introduce you to your new head coach. Coach Nekomata." Shock and elation vibrated through the team as they stared at the famed coach that had guided the team to the National stage in the past.
"Eh? Uncle Yasu, is that you?!"
Author's Note: Once again just wanted to give a big thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed, and favorited this story! I'm really glad to see that everyone is enjoying it so far.
