Good to be back again on this fic!

After so long, I wanted to come back with two updates for you readers, but I lost passion halfway. So sorry. I'm still in the middle of writing the thrid part. I'm trying to keep it up.

That said, I'm amazed to see the numbers of follows and favorites since the last update. Thank you for reading and keeping reading it! Special thanks to xMelancholia, jeya mendoza, belladu57 for leaving reviews. Maybe I'm not saying it often enough but I really appreciate them. Some of you find most of Akashi's interactions 'refreshing' and I'm glad to know that because it is my main goal in writing this fic. I still have a lot of part to improve on, I'll do the best I can. Thank you.

Good reading.

"...But the higher we go, the tougher our opponent is, that's a common rule in competition." She added, using a lighter tone to not feel the weight of defeat on her any longer.

"As there always are victors and defeated at the end." said the red-haired boy matter-of-factly.

"That's absolute."

Akashi cracked a smile and was mirrored by her.

"If anything, that just reflects the level of our team."

"Is that so."

Ritsu leaned back on the chair and then, brought her hand on the fork once again, her fingertips hesitantly grazing the tip of metal while she meditated on her own words. Swaying between bitterness and sweetness, what she just said left her with this undistinct taste. Did it sound as a fact or an excuse? As a beginning of an answer, deep down, she found it hard to bear this defeatist sentiment which she felt in both. And for someone who tried her best to prove herself, didn't those words somehow undervalue her efforts?

Drawing herself out of pointless thoughts, she grabbed the fork but still didn't know what to do with it. She was unable to appreciate the cake as she would like to, and it forced a sigh out of her.

When her attention came back on Akashi, she saw his lips moving and uttering silent syllabes. Before any questions could form in her mind, the boy gave voice to a piece of his thoughts.

"And what is your team level?", he asked.

She gave thought to the question while in truth she didn't have a proper answer to give to her own statement. Even her wasn't really convinced by her words. Besides, his silent interest also didn't help her to compose her mind. At best, she had imagined he would only esteem and acknowledge this fact, with more or less expression on his face, just as he did a minute earlier. But, it seemed like this half-conviction had reached him to a certain extent.

"High for playing at the quarter-final and low for not winning." Ritsu answered, tilting her head as she tried to find a better formulation. "Or, to be a bit more precise, I'd say a team with raw potential that still have to be polished."

"A lack of experience."

Akashi got the gist of it and she nodded for a lack of ideas. "Hm, well, this could best define our team."

It rather resumed it pretty well. When she thought about it, her team had welcomed two new faces since the start of school year : Yagami and her. And, it surely brought its load of changes inside the team. From the organisation of new formations and combinations, to the search a good balance between all various talents, in just a few months, the team harmony had to change for another rhythm by including the two of them into the melody.

Inevitably, such counter-balance would not be resolve in less than a year. She remembered Yagami telling her that she didn't have any experience in competition and concerning herself, her own experience paled in comparison to what she had gone through in the club. Both were only first-years with few selections in official competitions to their credits, and perhaps that had been their main obstacle on their road to victory.

At this point, she still wondered why Hibari and the coach kept their choice on them. Her captain did tell her that they lacked experience, which undoubtedly dropped the team's strength. Well, far was the intention of questioning their choice, but to fit the actual level of the Nationals, the former team would have increased their chance in victory. This would have been a wise decision, instead of appointing a few ex-regulars as substitutes, or so she supposed.

"That would define everyone." Akashi made the remark in a quiet tone.

Ritsu chuckled, much aware that her too-general statements would not work on such specific matter.

"So it seems." She put the fork down and crossed her arms over her chest, taking a more solemn approach. "As much as I dislike the idea of resuming our game to a simple difference of level, I can't see anything else which could have explained our defeat."

In other words, whatever they did or the team they faced, they would not be able to go higher than this limit defined by their lack of experience. Ritsu pursed her lips at that thought, this indistinct taste in her mouth became more bitter. This unsettling sentiment swirling inside her like a wind of confusion gained in substance, she could grasp little by little a part of this bitterness. Because by saying this, she took conscious she was reasoning as a real loser. Was this game all about victory and defeat?

It didn't sound like her to give it such importance. And yet, she unconsciously did.

Ritsu nervously pressed her lips.

...A question of level, is it?

This same question seemed to reflect in Akashi's eyes and glinted with a light intensity that revealed an interest. But a sharp feeling let perceive more depth in that gaze.

"At this stage, I'd not restrict and generalize your team performance and potential to just a level, like bystanders do. Victory and defeat are an inevitable end, but be that as it may, this doesn't necessarily draw a limit in which people fall within. Competitive sport isn't that shallow. As a player, you're aware of it, aren't you?"

To a more or less low degree of consciousness, she understood the general meaning for the most part. Victory and defeat weren't everything in sport, and naturally it shoudn't be restricted to such narrow view. What gave beauty to a game resided, not in its outcome, but in its development. When she plays, the game itself is the main focus while victory and defeat represent a simple horizon.

Ritsu was well-aware of it. Yet, affected by this defeat to some confusing level, she feigned naivety, wanting to hear Akashi follow through with his ideas.

"Somehow...I must be, I suppose. But concretely, what is the general idea?"

"In competition, stakes are stricter and greater than a friendly game and it is rather easy to fall within in a limit and face a wall as victory becomes a priority. Victors are strong and recognized, defeated are weak and denied, such is the standard we are all put in and put ourselves in as well." Akashi explained in a neutral tone, yet a glow in his red pupils seemed to shine on brighter through a vivid spark that she couldn't catch in his voice. "However, playing for and toward victory are two different things. That's what gives dimension to a game."

After letting a few seconds of silence work on the effect and get to her brain, he then added one last thing. "You shouldn't restrict yourself to limits, Asaka. When you're playing, there is only one thing that can stand in your way : yourself."

Ritsu didn't know if her confusion was shown on her face but she found herself speechless. This touch of arrogance that flowed in his words didn't slip past her ears. What a self-centered thing to say, peculiary from Akashi himself. Confidence flowed in every cells of his body, she wouldn't say otherwise, but arrogance would not qualify him. In light of his character, she took it more as a proud side of him. That being said, be it arrogance or pride, it didn't change their roots for people. It still revealed a good amount of self-importance.

And when she added this to teamsports like basketball or volleyball, the total was pretty messed up. For her, inside a team should exist an harmony, meaning a player made efforts in that sense, even if it meant to conform oneself to common standards.

"Y-You mean I should only care about myself?"

"To an extent, yes. Before being a player inside a team, you remain an individual athlete among others." He stated. "Trying to conform yourself to a general level limits your potential."

"So I should just go and play by myself..."

"For yourself." corrected Akashi while kepping the ambiguity. "Even if your decisions and actions won't always benefit your team and be understood by all, you can't always keep supporting your team. Or else, you'll keep running into a wall in every games. And, you won't go very far, whatever your efforts."

This time, his words stamped her mind so clearly that she surprised herself when feeling her nails digging into her flesh. It hurt instead of throwing her into confusion, and if pain stabbed her heart, it only meant she was now facing the real problem. She finally got the rest of an anwser to her question, was it a fact or an excuse that this defeat reflected their level? It was both, a fact because she didn't go beyond the limit and an excuse because she never faced her limits. She was stuck behind a line and waited for everyone to cross that line together, while perhaps she didn't have to wait. Akashi was right, she would not go very far like this...Is that how she hoped – no, intended to prove herself to other?

So weak.

This opinion of herself echoed with all various impressions from the volleyball club members to this colorful bunch. For some she had to affirm herself, for some she had to earn people's recognition, for some she had to find her place and secure it. But with hindsight, didn't those impressions all said the same thing about her?

«You're not weak but you're not strong either.»

"It's still the same after all..." Ritsu uttered dejectedly.

"What is?"

She kept silent, hesitating. If people needed to tell her that she had to impose herself or something alike when they looked her playing, then it meant she still hadn't manage a single step forward. She hadn't changed from the time they first made her aware of this weak side of her. Since she entered the volleyball team, she understood all the expectations falling to her. She made every efforts in that direction, but people still seemed to expect more of her. And it slipped her grasp everytime they told her.

She thought of having achieved rather well, almost the best that could be expected of a first year. This should have been the best way to show what she could do; so why did she feel like she did not meet their expectations thus far?

It hurt her in her pride. Because despite her efforts and accomplishments, in their eyes, she remained at the same point she was when she joined the team.

"...That I'm not weak but not strong either." She answered in a low voice with a bit of shame making her lips shake, and averted her eyes. "You told me that before, and now I kind of understand what you mean. I can't see what I'm supposed to do to go further."

Akashi's lips parted opened, leaving just a thin gap between as though he tried to cover a sigh as a simple breath.

"You can be very frustrating, Asaka."

"W-Where did that come from?" She stuttered, somehow cut in her deep reflection with that cutting remark.

The shadow of a smile passing on his lips, Ritsu frowned. "Even so, you prove yourself to be a rather good challenge. It's quite the sight when you let yourself go."

"I don't really take it as a compliment...It sounds to me like a very rash and desperate way of acting."

"We don't have much occasions to see each other play. However, from the little I've seen of you, it's this spontaneous side that I have sheer fun to face." declared Akashi.

A strong glint shone on in his eyes, revealing an hue of red as rare as the moments she could observe them. Almost crystalline and so pure, as though she could grasp that flame burning inside them.

Ritsu stared at him for a while, her thoughts drawn by the beauty of such gaze and filled with echoes resounding from two words. Spontaneous and fun, he said. Akashi sounded so honest and gave such carefree notes to his words that she couldn't help but feel perplexed by the whole thing. Even his stern nature aside, Akashi still remained one of the few persons she would imagine express those kind of things so casually. She felt no weight or pression, it just reminded her the simplicity of things, where one could only think and act for himself. Maybe was it innocence or something like it...

"I won't soon forget our duel back then."

"At the school festival, you mean?" followed Asaka, surprised to hear him mentioned this event.

"I had fun on that stage. Against and with you."

Speaking of which, this event was one of her dearest memories as well. She remembered every sensations, every emotions to the tinest details. Her heart had never beated with such wild pulse, her body was moving in light and free movements, all according and in opposition to the boy in front of her. Akashi was her main focus – the one she wanted to prove herself, and to defeat him. In spite the play, their role, the audience, or the inevitable outcome. At that moment, she had only carved for his acknowledgement by holding her head high and fighting until her last breath, even if all along she knew that she had to give up on her victory, and that there was nothing to gain at the end.

"You fought me for real."

"As far as I remember, you didn't spare me as well."

"You too, I came back home with bruises." She countered. "You were so drawn into it. You become really intense when you play."

Looking at things back, her way of acting sure was so reckless. She swayed her wand with intention to hit him hard, she reacted to his movements and protected herself as though her life was on the line...It was stupid to have taken thing to that level. And yet, she still had continued to fight him recklessly for the simple desire to prove herself to him.

"Stubbornness is your pride and recklessness is your determination. I want you to stand proud and determined on court." That echo spurted from a corner of her mind, making vibrate her whole being. This was it took to be a worthy player of the Teikō volleyball club, and more generally characterized a simple athlete.

Pride and determination, an athlete didn't need anything else to prove himself to other and walk on his own path. Without a piece of ego, how was she supposed to prove herself to others? Then, without this desire, how could she hope to improve and grow stronger? An athlete took pride for his own achievements first, and pushed further his own limits against anyone. Be it ally or opponent, it boiled down to the same thing, there was no distinction...

"You could have stopped me if it had become unpleasant."

"No, not at all. I enjoyed fighting against and alongside you, I really do, even now. To be honest, it has been a while since I played like this with someone. It brings me back when I was very little. When we're kids, we know no restra..." She stopped midway.

...Like a kid would do when he plays with other children.

During that duel, she also knew no restrains nor limits because she only wanted to have fun with Akashi. When she fought against him, never had she deemed herself unable to defeat him. As a bystander, she would have compared herself with him, thinking she would not be strong enough to be his equal given his great performances. From the side line, it was easy to judge and make someone fall within a limit. But actually, did all of that really matter when playing? No, if someone played for the fun, who cares about the difference of level or talent?

There is no such thing as a level between teams, even in competition...Players should be just like children who played together at a playground.

All stood on equal grounds, that was the real beauty of sports.

Akashi managed to breach her inner wall, but in the deepest layer of her heart, it was through the words of a certain navy-haired boy that she fully understood her mistakes and opened her eyes to what was beyond the wall she built all alone.

"«A level is just something that traps you within a limit»...Oh...so it was like that..." She whispered Aomine's astoundingly wise words as they came to resound in her head.

Akashi gaped in surprise, her whisper having reached his ears. Under the process of realising, Ritsu didn't pay attention to what she blurted out to herself. Both looked the other in a awkward manner.

Only a minute later, she put her thoughts into order.

"Sorry, I was talking to myself. I just remembered something Aomine-kun said that to me the other day." Ritsu explained, a bit embarrassed that Akashi heard her speaking all alone.

"Aomine?"

In light of Aomine's character, such wise words might surprise and give rise to smile to everyone who knew him. She was about to fill him in about that day but the boy didn't seem to ask for any details. The sight of his soft smile cut her initiative.

"I see. Aomine can be of good advice, it seems." Akashi acknowledged in an amused tone.

He then added nothing else and silenced his delight. Ritsu couldn't help but smile along him. Through his soft expression, she could read a quiet esteem for his teammate.

She took the fork and looked at the part of cake, ready to enjoy it. And Akashi came to share the cake with her.

That chapter is awful on many points. I rushed Asaka's character development, so it might turn to be very confusing. Well I put the essential, everything will unfold on its own along chapters. And it'll start with the Basketball Nationals.

See you next time.