Chapter Text
The whole team stared at the screen in shock. Karasuno had… just beat Aoba Johsai. Ivy clapped her hands.
"Alright. Time to get some rest. We have our work cut out for us tomorrow." They nodded and split apart, heading to their dorm rooms, but the third-years stayed. Ivy gave them a knowing smile.
"Just let me clean this up and we'll head upstairs." They turned to help her clean up making the process go faster. Once it was cleaned, all five of them headed upstairs to Ivy’s room where they settled in her living room just like they had all those months ago on the first day of school.
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The next morning, their group was up bright and early and had already headed out for a run. They stayed in a group and only ran long enough to work up a light sweat. They then headed back and changed into their game jerseys. They were different from the ones they wore in the tournament before summer break. They were the same colors, but this time, they were a little tighter and sleeveless. Ivy also had a pair of black knee-length leggings underneath her team shorts, and a pair of black compression sleeves that went from her wrist to her biceps.
Ivy grabbed a breakfast sandwich that she had made before she went to sleep and ran downstairs, excited for the game to come. The rest of the team was soon there and waiting for the bus. They quickly loaded up and they were soon on their way, all of them chattering excitedly. When they got off, they headed inside. They got ready in one of the empty halls before heading into the gym a few minutes late.
Ushijima slammed the doors open, causing the gym to go silent for a few seconds before their student section erupted into cheers. They walked in, seeing Karasuno staring at them, of which the two first years Ivy and Ushijima had met a few weeks ago were glaring at them. She gave them a flirtatious wave and a wink causing both to go red and glare harder. She laughed before turning her attention to where Ushijima and Karasuno's captain were choosing who got serve or receive.
Ushijima came back looking as stoic as ever.
"We have serve." Washijo nodded and wrote a few things down on his rotation chart before showing the team who nodded in understanding. They took off their jackets and set them and their bags behind the line of chairs. They jogged on to the court to warm up.
Ivy pulled Hinata to the side and peppered with him, pulling their classic "make people underestimate them scheme". People who had never watched them play, mostly those from Karasuno's student section, were whispering and quite a few were laughing at the two of them. She shook her head, Hinata relaxing at her expression. Once the whistle blew, they went and stood in place, the whispers changing from mocking to surprise as she stood next to Tendou. She did some minor quad stretches as they were waiting for the Refs to double-check their numbers.
She bounced on her toes before she stood still, her hands behind her head as the game began in earnest.
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They had won the first set 25 to 16 and were well on their way through the second. They were gaining points at equal intervals, the score constantly neck and neck. Shirabu and a few of the others were getting frustrated from how often the tall, blonde middle blocker was getting touches on Ushijima’s hits. They had just gained a point, putting the score 29-30 with Karasuno in the lead.
And that’s when it happened. The set from Shirabu was low but Ushijima went for it anyway. He jumped, ready to swing and the blockers also made their jump to try and block. He swung at the ball and with a bang, it was back up in the air, heading off to the side and back at a high angle. The ref was about to call a dead ball when he saw the girl on the floor in the splits, a reddening mark on her shin.
"It’s up!" Ivy’s voice echoed in the silence that had fallen over the gym.
"Did she just… dig a blocked Ushiwaka spike? With her leg?" One of the students asked in shock.
“Cover!” She cried and everyone moved into action. Yamagata raced over to where the ball would land, stopping with his arms flung out wide, watching to see where he needed to adjust to. He put his arms together and received it cleanly, passing it up towards the net.
“Someone cover that! Third ball! Get it over!” He shouted.
“I got it. I got it!” Tendou called, watching as it came closer. Then he noticed it was falling in a perfect outside set. “Reon! Swing for it!” He yelled at his friend who was already on the move for it. He lept into the air and hit the ball past the block and to the ground between the Libero’s legs before he could react.
The student section roared in excitement. The score was once again a duce. Tied at 30-30. Ushijima grasped her hand and pulled her to her feet. She leaned down and rubbed at the red mark for a second before straightening and walking back to her position in the back as they rotated, which meant it was Tendou’s turn to serve. She cracked her fingers before smirking at the scowling Karasuno First-year setter. She gave him a mocking smile and laughed as steam almost literally erupted out of his ears. She watched the ball and turned so that she would be able to pass up the ball that their tall number three hit down. She rolled backward and popped back up as Ushijima hit the ball through their block and to the floor. They all cheered. They were up two sets to none. They walked off the court to change sides and get a few sips of water.
“Alright. We’re changing things up a little bit. Ivy, you are setting and Goshiki you are taking her place. Hinata, nothing on you or your talent, I just want to keep you a surprise until we need you. And if that happens to be at nationals? Then even better for you.” Hinata nodded with a smile of understanding.
“Don’t worry coach! I get your reasoning!” Ivy ruffled his hair with a small smile. They went back on the court and several of the Karasuno players stared in shock at her standing in the setter’s position. She tilted her head at them before looking back at her teammates who were getting ready for Ushijima to serve.
“Give us a good one, Ushiwaka!” She said, knowing he would hear her over the noise of the crowd. She placed her hands on her knees as she waited for him to serve before she moved to her spot (She was standing in the Outside hitters’ position because she’s opposite of Ushijima). She quickly switched places with Reon and took up her place to get ready to block.
“Coming from the outside!” She called as the ball reached the setter. Tendou was at her shoulder and ready to help her with the block. They jumped together, and the ball hit their hands and went back down, but it was picked up by the Libero. They reset for the block and watched the ball. She signaled a right-side set and Tendou and Reon both moved over. She pulled forward to pick up tips that night happen before she shuffled back as Yamagata passed the ball up. She set the ball up, not saying anything, and Tendou was instantly in the air, hitting the ball just after it left her fingers, not giving time for the blockers to react. They high-fived and went back to get ready for the next serve.
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She noticed the blue-haired first year was late to the block she signaled to Yamagata to shuffle back a few steps. And as he stopped moving, Ushijima hit her set and the kid stuck out his hands, the ball slamming into his palm. It ricocheted off his palm and soared for the back of the court.
“Yamagata!” She called.
“Got it! Ivy! For you!” He shouted as he passed the ball towards the front of the court, but it only reached about the middle of the court. Ivy took several steps forward and got under the ball.
“Wakatoshi! Coming your way!” She set the ball high and behind her. With the sound of thunder, the ball hit the floor on the other side of the court. Making the score 13-10. She raised her hands and bounced.
“Two more points! Let’s go!” She was back at the net as Ushijima moved back to serve. The points went by quickly. The first was gained from Karasuno making an overpass to which she jumped up and slammed back over the net. The second was a bit more praise-worthy.
Ivy turned as the ball was passed over the net, the ball was aimed at a deeper corner of the court. Yamagata got the ball up and passed it to the front of their court, the ball falling towards the middle of the net. Ivy got under the ball and set it backward as Ushijima jumped for it his feet never crossing the attack line. He slammed the ball through Karasuno’s block and down to the floor before the Libero could react to it. The gym was silent as the whistle blew until Hinata leaped from the bench and raced over to Ivy, screaming in excitement. The stands erupted and the rest of the team began to cheer. Ivy hugged Hinata tightly before he ran off to Semi and tackled him to the ground. Ivy turned to Tendou and Ushijima and all but fell into their arms, finally erupting into tears.
“We did it. We’re going to nationals.” She sobbed, pressing her face into Ushijima’s chest, her hands holding tightly to Tendou’s. She could feel them nod before she was ripped away by a tearful Semi. They hugged tightly. They lined up and bowed to the other team, who was stifling tears.
“Thank you for the game!” They both chanted. Ivy ran underneath the net and pulled the Silver-haired setter into a hug.
“I’m sorry, Koushi.” She said softly. He gave her a tearful smile.
“Don’t apologize. Just… keep winning. Do it for us. Do it for all the teams that have lost. Do Miyagi proud.” He whispered fiercely and she nodded, his arms tightening around her. She pulled away and with one last smile went back to her team who were standing around their coach.
“Good job. I’m proud of you. Ivy,” He turned to her as she lifted her head, “that was a beautiful set and the perfect way to end this match.” She nodded with a small smile.
“Thank you, coach.”
“Now thank our student section for coming out, and then head to the bus.” They all lined up in front of their student section and bowed.
“Thank you for coming and supporting us!” They shouted, causing the audience to erupt into more cheers. They circled up and everyone placed their hands into the middle, formed into fists.
“Shiratorizawa!” Semi said, and they all repeated it before they put their hands back in.
“For Miyagi on three,” Ivy said softly, letting them pass the message around.
“One, two, three…”
“FOR MIYAGI!” They all roared, causing the Karasuno players to whirl around, shock on their faces. They broke apart and bowed at them once more before gathering their stuff and heading to their bus.