A/N: Hello, readers! We're finally at the start of nationals! Enjoy!

edited on june 22nd, 2022 @ 2:25am

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CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX - EVERYONE'S NIGHT

"YOU'VE GOT A LOT TO LEARN, HINATA."

"Damn it!"

"Call me Ryu of the Hagoita."

"Nice, Ryu!"

"Here I go! Hup!" Hinata called out, throwing up the badmition.

"Take this!" Tanaka jumped up and slammed it down.

"That's nothing!" Nishinoya told him.

"Sorry!"

"Ah, Daichi-san."

"Daichi-san!"

"Captain!" Hinata greeted as he waved.

"Heyo."

"What are you guys doing?" Daichi asked, walking over towards them. "The gym's not open today."

"I swung by after my New Year's shrine visit and ran into everyone!" Hinata explained.

"I just swung by during my jog." Kageyama said.

"I was in the area and saw everyone." Rei admitted.

"I ran away from my drunk sister." Tanaka stated.

"I was looking for a worthy new challenger!" Nishinoya added on.

Daichi sighed. "Seriously, are you guys like tuna?" He questioned.

"Huh?" Tanaka cupped his hand over his ear.

"I'm asking if you'd die if you had to stay still." Daichi elaborated. "Go on. Your days off are meant to be for resting! I'll kick your butts if you catch a cold."

"What are you doing here, Daichi-san?" Tanaka asked.

"I came to make sure the basketball team didn't take over our court." Daichi answered.

"Huh?"

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Rei was currently on the bus heading towards Tokyo. Hinata, Nishinoya, and Tanaka had their faces pressed onto the windows.

"That's the actual..."

"... Skytree!"

"It's huge!" Hinata exclaimed.

"Hey! We're going to be dropping off our luggage at the inn, then we're going to be lightly warming up at the gym that Nekomata-sensei arranged. Listen up, I'm sure you know this, but don't you dare cause a ruckus at the inn." Daichi told the chaotic trio, giving a deadly look.

"Right..."

"All right. We're almost there. Great job enduring the trip."

"Thanks!"

The bus came to a complete stop as everyone got off. "Seriously?" Tanaka questioned, looking up at a tall building. "This is the inn?! Holy crap!"

Ennoshita then pointed over towards where they were actually staying in.

"Sweet! We're totally gonna see a house ghost here!" Tanaka exclaimed, who had stars in his eyes, along with Hinata and Nishinoya.

"Let's go explore!"

"Yeah!"

Daichi gave him one of his looks, causing the three to stop in their tracks and look towards him.

"Right."

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"Bring it!"

Everyone was currently warming up in the gym.

"Is it just me, or is there less oxygen here?" Asahi asked.

"Um, we're not in the mountains, so..." Ennoshita trailed off.

"Make sure you're breathing, Asahi!"

"Looks like all the nervous ones are already getting antsy." Ukai commented.

"I thought that Hinata-kun had gotten used to keeping his nerves in check, but I guess they can't help it, since it's their first national tournament." Takeda pointed out.

"But this is exactly why I treated Tattsun to some beer. There's no reason to worry." Ukai said.

Soon enough, everyone was back at the inn. "There's something I want you guys to see." Ukai announced.

"Are we going to be analyzing our opponents for the first match?" Daichi questioned.

"No, not right now." Ukai replied. "What we're going to be watching is Takinoue's Electric Shop's very own 'I'm Awesome Video.'"

"This is a collection of your very best plays." Ukai continued explaining as each Karasuno member appeared on the tablet's screen. "We have some from all of you."

"Holy crap!"

"I wanna see!"

The first clip was of Rei receiving the ball during the finals against Shiratorizawa.

"Oh, man! That's cool!"

"Th-This song... Th-This is much higher quality than I was expecting... Do they actually get their own theme songs?"

"Tattsun even checked with their family and friends ahead of time." Ukai explained.

"I thought we were going to be analyzing our opponents right up until game time, but..." Takeda trailed off.

"There's no point if we aren't able to give our all." Ukai interrupted. "I'm gonna have you boys engrave your best selves into your brains with these videos and music. Being able to think back on this is incredible important."

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"Kageyama?! Where are you going?" Ennoshita asked when he saw that Kageyama was tying his shoes.

Kageyama looked over his shoulder. "I'm going for a jog." He replied.

Hinata came down the stairs. "I also haven't moved around enough today, so I'm gonna go, too!" He announced.

"Huh?" Ennoshita said before extending his hand out. "Wait, you can't! No, seriously, you two can't go! It's the wastelands of Tokyo out there!"

"But if they don't go running and have trouble sleeping tonight, that'll be troublesome, too." Ennoshita thinks to himself before turning around. "Tsukishima! Shiro!"

"Not happening." Tsukishima and Rei said in unison.

"I haven't even said anything yet!" Ennoshita exclaimed.

"We already know what you're going to ask, Ennoshita-san." Rei informed.

"Weren't you going to ask us to go with them?" Tsukishima asked.

"You two have been wandering around yourself, so you're probably antsy, too." Ennoshita claimed.

Tsukishima stared at him for a moment. "Do you really think I can keep up with those two?" He asked.

"Thank you very much."

"Oh, don't worry about it! Use it as much as you want. It's pretty beat up, though."

Tsukishima was leaning on a bicycle with Rei standing next to him as he sighed. "As soon as I say we're heading back, we're heading back." Tsukishima told the duo, making them stop. "If you don't listen, I'll make sure to leave you somewhere with limited public transportation so you'll have a tough time getting back. Even then, you'll probably never find this inn."

"Got it..."

The four of them soon headed off.

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It was finally the next day as Karasuno was inside the stadium for the first day of Nationals. "We're here! This is the stage were the Little Giant fought!" Hinata exclaimed.

"Uh, the place where you said you saw the Little Giant compete isn't here. It's in Yoyogi." Kageyama pointed out.

Hinata pointed to him in irritation. "Okay, shut up! I'm talking about the mood! The mood is what's important!" He shouted.

Hinata suddenly got pushed back by someone, knocking Nishinoya forward until he was caught by a girl volleyball player.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes! I'm fine!" Nishinoya reassured her.

"Oh hey, Kanoka! It's been a while!" Tanaka greeted, walking forward.

"H-Hey, Ryu-chan!" Kanoka greeted back as she blushed.

"Ryu, you know her?" Nishinoya asked.

"Yeah. She's one of Niiyama Girls' High School's wing spikers." Tanaka replied.

"Have you been well?" Kanoka asked.

"How long has it been? Since fourth grade?" Tanaka questioned.

"Hey, Kageyama, Shiro. 'Sup?"

Both Kageyama and Rei turned to see Komori in his Itachiyama jersey.

"Komori-san."

"Komori-senpai."

Both Kageyama and Rei greeted in unison.

"It's been a while."

"Whoa, even Kageyama and Shiro know someone." Sugawara pointed out.

"Yeah. How are you two doin'?"

"Good."

"They must've been together at the youth camp." Sugawara stated.

"You're not nervous?"

"No."

"Not at all."

"I think that's Komori Motoya."

Both Rei and Kageyama were talking with Komori. "I saw him listed as the top high school libero in Monthly Volleyball." Sugawara said as Nishinoya looked over towards him.

"Sakusa-san's not with you?" Rei questioned.

"Sakusa's over there." Komori pointed over towards where Sakusa was standing in a corner. "He absolutely hates crowds."

"Thank you for waiting. We will now begin the opening ceremonies for the National High School Volleyball Tournament, otherwise known as the Spring Tournament."

The drums soon started pounding. "The championship flags are now entering. And the 47 representative schools from across Japan are now entering, as well. Hokkaido's first representative, boys, Ohya Tech." The man on the intercom spoke. "Hokkaido's second representative, boys, Morikawa High School."

Hinata was looking around nervously. "You need to go to the bathroom again?" Kageyama asked.

"No!"

Karasuno then began walking out. "Miyagi Prefecture's representative..." The man paused as Daichi walked out, holding the sign.

"Boys, Karasuno High School."

"Girls, Niiyama Girls' High School."

"Fukushima Prefecture's representative... Boys, Furukata High School. Girls, Iwaki Girls' High School.

"It's starting."

"The battle on the orange court!"

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A/N: And the nationals begin! Thanks for reading!

Word Count: 1381 words.