Tensions arise as the game begins. All the boys from each school were watching intensely. Serving next was Ukai, spinning the ball in his hands to get a better feel of the leather.

"Nice serve!"

"...Exhale~..." His focus was sharp.

TOSS~

With one jump, his arms swings like a whip.

SLAM!

The ball swoops down towards the middle of the opponent's court-side.

"Got it!" Their libero receives it.

"Tsk," Ukai clicks his tongue.

Haruto sets it to his cousin, just as Satoshi and Takinoue were trying to block.

BAM/WHACK!

Takinoue felt the impact on his fingers.

"One touch!"

Skye receives it as the ball bounces up.

"Nice receive!" Ukai positions himself.

'Who will it be?' His eyes scan to two players, running towards the net. Within seconds, he made the toss, letting it pass Masaki and stopping towards Mizuki.

BAM!

FWEET!

"Alright!" Nishinoya and Shoyo exclaim.

"Nice one, Mizuki/Way to go Momo!" Kuroo and Bokuto cheer.

"They won the first set," Asahi smiles.

"That may be true, but you can't deny the facts."

"Ah..." The boys see Shotarou behind them, walking to the front.

"What do you mean, Shotarou-sensei," Sugawara asks. The old man takes a seat next to Shoyo and Nishinoya.

"Look at the scoreboard." They did, and they saw the point-difference.

"Two points behind," Akaashi implies.

"You boys know very well, that such distance between teams can shift at any moment during a game. If I had to say anything at this point...it would be that Venomous Gangsters and Sky Warriors are evenly matched."

While the game commences to the second-set, Skye was keeping an eye on her opponents.

'Yokuto-san and his cousin are one heck of a team. As for Kobe...he's a problem.'

Fweet!

FWOOM!

BAM!

"Got it!" Masaki receives the ball as it bounces towards Satoshi.

SHOOM!

Ukai and Mizuki simultaneously jump, but Ukai was the one who dunks the ball.

WHACK!

BOUNCE!

"Ngh!" That's when Kobe appears.

"Stay focused," Masaki warns. Just as everyone was looking up, Mizuki's eyes widen at Kobe as he stares at an oblivious Ukai.

SKID!

SHOOM/WHACK!

Kobe spikes the ball towards him, making Ukai fall back.

'Shit! Too close!'

"Ah!" Out of nowhere, Mizuki stands in front of him, as the ball furiously hits her chest. She bites her cheek through the impact and the ball soars above their heads.

"Keishin!" Shouting his name, Ukai regains himself as Takinoue sets it to him.

"Yosha~!"

"You okay," Mizuki pats his shoulder.

"I'll live," he grunts, "but that guy's really pissing me off."

"Just concentrate on the game and I'll handle Kobe myself."

"By letting him hurt you again?"

"He won't..."

Ukai and Mizuki walk back to their positions.

"...I'm stronger, now."

"You got this nee-san," Shoyo hollers.

"Do your best," Asahi cheers.

"Yokuto..." The man glances at his captain.

"Remember, we're here to win. Don't do any favors for that girl." Yokuto holds back his frown while walking away.

Even though a half-hour has passed, the action never disappeared. Although, in the eyes of the high schoolers, it was a brutal fight.

"Gah!"

"Ngh!"

"Cough!" Every time Kobe serves or spikes near the net, Mizuki was following the ball like a missile to a moving target, taking on the powerful hits. Venomous Gangsters were three points ahead, with only two to win the second set.

"Talk about intense," Kuroo implies.

"I'm a little worried," Bokuto sighs.

"Well, the opponents are close to tying," says Yaku.

"No, not that..." They follow Bokuto's eyes, staring at Mizuki.

"She looks exhausted."

"I bet," Sawamura nods, "knowing Mizuki, she must've purposely used herself as a shield when the others couldn't react."

On the court, Skye was also looking at her friend, seeing her breathing pattern quicken.

'She can't keep this up. We gotta think of a way to sustain Kobe's attacks.'

Yokuto exhales and caresses the ball.

FWOOM!

WHACK!

"Got it!" Skye receives as it floats to Takinoue.

"Nice receive!"

SHOOM!

Masaki, Satoshi, and Mizuki jump simultaneously.

"Ooraa!" Satoshi spikes it.

"Too slow!" The opponent's libero receives with ease.

"Haruto!" Yokuto passes the ball to him as Haruto readies for the set.

"Look sharp," Ukai hollers.

FWOOM

Tap!

"Ah!"

"A feint," Kageyama gasps. It goes to the corner of the court.

FWEET!

"Ah~ so close," Sugawara and Tanaka groan.

"Dammit," Skye curses.

"One more~!/One point!" Haruto was next to serve.

FWIP!

But when he threw the ball up, he did a small jump.

"That's--!"

"A float serve!" Shoyo and Yamaguchi gap as the ball swerves.

"Tsk!" Masaki receives it, but the balance was tipped off as the ball goes back to their opponent's side.

"Sorry!"

"Don't mind!"

"Cover!" Yokuto hollers. Skye readies herself while watching Kobe run up to the net.

'Will it be another feint?'

SHOOM!

But she was too late to react the moment he jumps, facing her.

"Akira/Skye!" The full-on attack impacts on her face, forcing her to fall back.

As if time had slowed down, she can see the ball falling towards the back of the court.

'...Shit...I...'

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.

.

.

WHOOSH~

"Gasp!" Suddenly, her vision was blocked by a flash of orange. Mizuki's body was soaring inches above the ground, as the ball touches her right arm.

"Woah/Ahh!!" People scattered.

"NEE-SAN/MIZUKI!" She collides into multiple chairs.

"Ah!" Masaki quickly looks up at the ball.

"Ukai!"

"H-hai!" He set the ball to Masaki when he jumps.

SLAM/BAM!

"Wh--?!" But the middle-blockers rebound his spike back to them. The referee raises his arm.

FWEET--FWEE~EET!

Two spectators were helping Mizuki up. That's when Shoyo runs to her.

"Are you alright?!"

Drip...

A lump in his throat forms as he stares in horror. His sister now had graze marks on her body, her right-forearm bleeding, especially.

"Nee-san..."

"Mizuki!" Asahi and Tanaka come to her aid and walk towards the team's bench. Unaware to them, Yokuto was glaring daggers at Kobe.

"You...you knew this would happen!"

"Hmph...who knows." The captain just shrugs him off and walks away.

"Hey!" Yokuto was about to smack him, but his cousin pulls him back.

"Stop," he pleads, "it's bad enough Hinata is doing this for our sake. Don't make it worse."

"...Dammit."

Both referees nod to each other, one of them raising his hands with all fingers out.

Once the break started, it took five minutes for Shotarou and Ukai to treat Mizuki's wounds. Though, no one except the high schoolers could see it, since they crowded into a circle.

"S-s-senpai! A-are you okay?! The b-blood--and uh--well--!"

"Calm down, Yachi," Kyoko pats her back.

"Here." Mizuki grabs a water-bottle from Skye, who was holding an icepack to her head.

"Does it still hurt," Mizuki tiredly asks, "you took quite a blow."

"I don't wanna hear that from someone who's part mummy," Skye retorts, eying the white bandages.

"Seriously, what were you thinking, diving like that?" Mizuki sheepishly smiles.

"Sorry. My instincts as a former libero took over."

"Are you still going to play like that," Shoyo asks, worriedly. Mizuki rubs his head.

"I'm sorry I gave you a scare, but I can't walk away, now. I made a promise."

"But..."

"...Sigh~...guess I got no choice."

"Eh?"

"Matsuko...did you bring it?"

"Eh...ah, hai. I don't why, though..." Mizuki stands up.

"There's something I need you to do. You too, Asahi. Bring the first-aid."

"M-me?" Mizuki unravels her bun, letting her hair down.

"Sensei...Keishin...we're going to the restrooms."

"Alright. Just be back before halftime ends."

"Come on, guys."

"W-wait!"

"What are we doing? Mizuki?" Just like that, the trio leave the courts and leaving everyone else baffled.

>>>>>>>10 Minutes Later>>>>>>>

Shotarou, Ukai, Satoshi, Masaki, and the girls watch the boys become restless. Some were pacing, others crossing their arms and looking back and forth.

"There's only five minutes left," Nishinoya implies.

"What's taking them so long," Sugawara wonders.

They weren't the only ones worried, as Aoba Johsai and Shiratorizawa were looking through the crowd.

"Mizuki hasn't come back yet," Iwaizumi mumbles.

"I hope everything's alright," says Ohira.

"D-don't tell me," Goshiki stutters, "you think senpai will have to be subbed out?"

"If Hinata doesn't come back, or she can't play, then the team will have to forfeit."

"Don't say that, captain!"

"That's the truth of the matter." Ushijima's fellow third-years sigh at his oblivious-straightforwardness.

"There's no way Mizu-chan would let that happen," Oikawa proclaims.

"You sound so sure of yourself," Hanamaki thought.

In more ways than one, though. They didn't notice some people giving their attention to the very person in question, as they step aside.

"..." Shoyo abruptly stands.

"I'm gonna go check on her."

"Hold on," Satoshi intervenes, "you should stay here in case we'll have to--"

"No! This...this isn't right. I'm sorry..." He clenches his fists.

"But there's no way I'm taking her place."

"Shoyo..."

"Geez," Shotarou sighs, "you boys are getting too worked up."

"Eh?" The blink in unison. The old man rubs his head.

"You think my teachings were half-assed? I taught Mizuki how to accept things that stood in her way."

"Heh...so true."

"It's how she is."

"...What?" They see him and the older men smirk.

"And when she does, she finds a way to break through them. Because..."

"Look!!" The crowd's voices echo once again. They all turn to an open path, revealing the trio.

"That...is why she is a true athlete."

"Is that..."

"No way."

Shoyo's eyes widen; not from shock, but in astonishment.

As if revived, Mizuki came back with an unexpected comeback. Half of her luscious hair was gone and now a chest-length with layers, and her fingers wrapped with white-tape. Shoyo stays in place, as his sister stands before him with a smile.

"Mizuki...y-you..."

"Does it suit me?"

"Eh...a-ah, yeah! I-I mean, it's so...so cool!"

"Now you look like a sky-warrior," Masaki smirks.

"You should thank these two."

Snip-Snip

"Anything for a friend," Mastuko grins, snipping the air with the scissors.

"I just put the tape on," Asahi chuckles.

"Guys..." Mizuki faces everyone.

"I said I was going to give you a farewell game, and I meant it." She then looks to her former coach.

"Shotarou-sensei...I have a request."

"Hm?" Mizuki gives a serious expression.

"...I'd like to go all out. I wanna give them everything I've got."

"Ho~...Is that all?" He ruffles her hair.

"You better not disappoint us."

"Yes, sir."

"Excuse me," a referee calls out, "but you have one minute."

"We're ready," Takinoue gives a thumbs up.

"Let's go, Mizuki," Ukai smiles. Mizuki ties her hair into a ponytail and starts walking.

"Nee-san!" Shoyo makes her turn around.

"...Fly to the Skies!"

"...Yeah...Fly to the Skies." Shoyo sends her off with one last fist-bump.

"Sky Warriors~!"

"Let's go!"

"Hey, Mizuki..." She looks up to see Skye, but still facing forward.

"Was it hard?" This made her grin.

"It was hell!" Her teammates laugh. Mizuki spins the ball.

"There's nothing holding me back..."

GRIP!

"I can finally use my full strength." She caresses the ball in her right hand.

"...Wait a sec..."

"Don't tell me..!"

Fwip!

"...Uh..." It all happened in a flash, too fast for Kobe to react.

FWEET!

"OOOHHHH~!!" The crowd was in an uproar.

"That was..." Sawamura was at loss for words.

"You gotta be kidding me," Semi gawks. Even Ushijima was stunned. Karasuno was especially in awe.

"She spiked..."

"Her left hand...?" Mizuki smirks while getting back to her post.

"Awesome~!!" Shoyo, Nishinoya, and Lev exclaim with stars in their eyes.

"What a cool nickname," Bokuto hollers.

"Alright guys!"

WHIRR~

Mizuki spins the ball before gipping it with the right hand, her eyes sharpen with anticipation.

"Let's play our hearts out and win this!"

"Yeah~!"

>>>>>>>FAST FORWARD>>>>>>>

WHAM!

"Ah!"

FWEET!

"Yosha~!"

"Nice going, nee-san!"

"Check it out," Tanaka nudges Nishinoya, "they're getting creamed." Venomous Gangsters were sweating a river. The only one irritated was their captain.

'Shit! How...' Kobe glares at his opponents as their bodies shine in the sunlight.

'Just how the hell are they still going?!'

FWIP/BAM!

"Got it!" The opponents set up.

"Get ready," Ukai hollers, as the middle blockers were in position.

"Ready, and~..."

B-BAM!

Yokuto spikes down as the ball ricochets off Takinoue's arm.

WHOOSH!

Skye gets on one knee to counteract the ball.

"Nice receive, Akira! Keep it up!" Kuroo and Kai smile as Yaku cheers for her.

FWOOM!

"Wh--?!"

"Stay on her tail," Kobe orders. The blockers try to chase after her as she dashed to the other side of the net.

WHIP/SLAM!

FWEET!

"Way to go, Mizuki!"

"That's showin' them!"

"Great toss, Keishin."

"Great shot." Mizuki and Ukai do an urban-handshake.

"Mizuki!/Nice play, guys!" Not once did she miss a step or slow her pace.

[Eh...a what now?]

SHOOM/WHAM!

'I get it now, nee-san. You based it on volleyball.'

SHAA~!

'Gliding through the court...'

"One-touch!"

"One more point~!"

'...taking risks like running through fire...'

'At the time, I believed you. You could've been born as a bird.'

'Because I knew...'

"GO~!!"

His smiles widens, watching her soar.

'...that you could fly with freedom.'

"HAAAAHHH~!!"

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FWIP!