Volleyball League Practice Catch-all

[bluecastleace]

Who: primarily those who signed up to participate in the Void’s new volleyball league, but anyone and everyone is welcome!
What: volleyball practice for the new Void volleyball league
Where: the underground gymnasium
When: early December
Content Warnings: none yet, but will update if necessary!


((ooc: this log is gonna be used for a few practice sessions, as well as a practice game and other such things! Iwaizumi will be sharing his knowledge with everyone and acting as a coach of sorts until the practice game, so feel free to use the TLs to interact with him, or make your own TLs under the sections to start your own threads with your teammates or others participating! also, if you are not a player but want to be in the audience or are playing another role, feel free to make TLs reflecting that! everyone is welcome (walk/ins included!) If you have questions or want to plot, feel free to add me on Plurk at pantheraliam))

Comments

Post-Practice Game

[bluecastleace]

[None of the established teams (Team Iwaizumi, Team Akechi, and Team Ahsoka as it stands right now) have enough players to actually start playing real games, but Iwaizumi definitely wanted to run a practice game to get everyone started. Given that, the entire group was divided into two teams of six:

[Team 1:
Iwaizumi
Ren
Ann
Add
Haru
Kimihiro

Team 2:
Akechi
Ahsoka
Raihan
Blue
Parsee
Yoshizawa

[Everyone’s practicing seems to have paid off greatly, and with Iwaizumi taking care to make sure all rules were strictly followed, it was a close game of three sets. Team 2 managed to take the first set, was beaten by Team 1 in the second, and then narrowly beaten again by Team 1 in the third.

[The chat after the game may have you sulking, gloating, comforting, congratulating, or frankly not giving a shit either way. Feel free to do all that and more here!]

[kimihiros]

(he promised mugetsu he'd try. it's something to do other than to meditate, tend to the shrine, eat and drink sake. he was good at sports, and his body remembers, albeit his talent lied on soccer, not volleyball. the match is over, he's back in his pristine changshan and mugetsu is also back to snuggling against his cheek.

kimihiro was trying to sneak out before he had more interaction he wasn't sure how to deal with, but the fatigue caught up to him much faster than he expected. kimihiro doesn't make it past the door, so there's a mage taking a nap against a wall somewhere. oops.)

[bluecastleace]

[Whoops. Looks like one of his players is down for the count. Iwaizumi nudges him with a sneakered foot, laughing a little as he does so.]

Woah, buddy. You overdo it a bit out there or what?

[kimihiros]

(no response. the light around him is as dark as it was before iwaizumi came around. it's mugetsu who responds, jumping from kimihiro's neck to iwai's hand, wrapping around it and squeaking anxiously so that the man wakes kimihiro up.

it's damn near impossible for mugetsu, kimihiro's ears already filter the squeaks.)

[bluecastleace]

Huh? [Iwaizumi is naturally a little surprised when Mugetsu wraps around his hand (though it’s also pretty fucking neat), but the anxious squeak makes Iwaizumi think that something more serious might be wrong. He stoops down lower, giving the man’s shoulders a healthy shake, brow furrowed with concern now.]

Hey Kimihiro, wake up. The game’s over, but that doesn’t mean you can just pass out on the floor.

[kimihiros]

Who're call-- (it's a much more annoyed tone than iwai recognizes, only because his sleepy self somehow has mistaken iwaizumi's attempt to help with doumeki's ungentle manners.

when he does realize it, he just taps the other's arm to let go, his tone much more polite now, even if it is still sleepy in essence.)

Apologies, Iwaizumi. I thought you were someone else... Seems like I dozed off again.

[bluecastleace]

Seems like it. [Iwaizumi glances down at his wrist to see if Mugetsu is still wrapped around it.] Your friend seemed a little worried. You okay down there?

[kimihiros]

(mugetsu was, but not for long. as suddenly as he left kimihiro, he returned, gently pressing kisses along with loving squeaks on his master's face.)

Yeah, sometimes the sleep thing is wonky. (only phrased like this because he knows it's news.) I haven't found a schedule yet.

(but like, has he ever? kimihiro is known for sleeping through afternoons, mostly because of his physical restriction. dreams are fine though and he travels through them, hence never actually having a set time.)

[bluecastleace]

Wonky’s one word for it, yeah.

You think you’ll be able to make it home? [Pause.] You did manage to find a place to stay, right?

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[Although Kaiba liked to keep himself physically fit, he wasn't really into this whole team sports scene. Team anything really. That being said, the participants had been making so much racket that he eventually deigned to show up to see what all the commotion was about. Then he couldn't help smarting off after the winning team was decided]

The correct team won.. [The one with his girlfriend Ann on it] .. and Blue continues to forever remain a loser.

[If he'd had his preference he would have shuffled the teams around further to group everyone he despised into one, and the people he tolerated onto another... but whatever. Not his circus, not his monkeys.]

[bluecastleace]

Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence.

[Said sarcastically and from a few feet away as he drinks from his water bottle. He knows Kaiba isn’t talking about him, which is precisely why he acts as though he is.]

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[Kaiba's first impulse is to continue ignoring that volleyball-dork™ exists, since in a perfect world he wouldn't but that would have also felt marginally like a concession in some form. The idea had to be reinforced that no matter how humiliating the earlier incident had been, it held no sway over later actions]

Ah, Iwaizumi. [The words sounded pleasant but almost too saccharine, and the smile on his lips seemed unnatural and a touch smug as he turns to make eye contact. Should the other male be concerned? Most definitely.] I should have assumed this was your handiwork. [As if he could have missed seeing the other boy on the field- but it was just a gentle reminder about how little Kaiba cared about the other male, said in the nicest way possible]

I trust there are no hard feelings from before? I won't make excuses but we met under unique circumstances that did both of us a disservice.

[bluecastleace]

[...]

Why you gotta say “hard” like that, dude?

[Yeah, no. Fuck you. He’s going to keep Causing Problems On Purpose.]

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[There was a pointed pause, but his mask didn't slip]

.. How droll.

[.. or in other words, how proud you must be to have the iq of a complete buffoon.]

Now that you've held this practice game, are you planning on turning this into a semi-regular event?

[bluecastleace]

Not sure why you care. [He says while turning his back on the man and loading his water bottle and volleyball into his gym bag.] But yeah. Wouldn’t be much of a point in doing all this practice just to quit right after.

[Dumbass, he feels like adding, but refrains.]

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[FYI, he doesn't, moron. When Iwa turns from him, Kaiba can't help but think that it's a pity there are so many witnesses present.] Is it so unusual to take an interest in current events?

[This small talk he would endure, secure in the fact that it would all be worth it later.] I suppose you have a point.

How many participants are you hoping to acquire?

[bluecastleace]

[Iwaizumi turns to him with a blank yet thoroughly irritated stare.]

Don’t tell me you’re interested. [No way. No. Way.]

[bluecastleace]

[It wouldn’t be good sportsmanship to gloat after a won game, and if Iwaizumi’s coach were here, he’s probably kick his ass if he did (if Iwaizumi’s teammates were here, he himself would definitely kick their asses if they did), but there’s nothing wrong with being excited. If you see him looking like he’s glowing after the final point, it’s mostly due to the fact that he got to play at all, let alone win with a makeshift team of newbies.

[Don’t be surprised if you’re a teammate and get a congratulatory slap on the back from the beaming ace. More so, don’t be surprised if you’re an opponent getting some encouraging words. Everyone put in their best effort and gave him one hell of a game, and that’s all he could ever ask for considering the circumstances.]

Great playing out there, man. That practice really paid off, huh?

[He’s grinning - maybe even laughing - as he says it.]

ota!

[rotomphone]

[ though he has little volleyball experience besides pick-up games in Hullbury on warmer summer days, Raihan certainly looks the part of a player - he's taken off his trademark hoodie for once, revealing the full extent of the Hammerlocke Gym uniform. its sporty nature can't be denied, and that in itself is giving him some movtivation! it's always important to look the part, after all.

considering team 2's collective lack of experience (including his own), winning the first set was actually a bit of a surprise. he'd like to give himself a little bit of credit for being a good blocker thanks to just straight up being 6'5", but it was most definitely a team effort - he's quite enthusiastic about encouraging everyone on a job well done, though their job is far from over.

unfortunately, the momentum doesn't quite keep up. hard as they try, the tie is broken by team 1 and leaves their win short-lived. as per his post-loss ritual, Raihan makes sure to take a selfie after the latter two games have concluded - even outside of a Pokémon battle, it's good to remember that sting of defeat. ]

We started out strong, but a loss is a loss. As long as I looked good, I won't complain!

[ he's a little pouty for a little while, but it just as quickly turns back into a smile as the teams begin to mingle. if you're a member of team 1, Raihan will be offering his hand to you for a proper, sportsmanlike shake. ]

Good game! I can recognize good team synergy when I see it, and you guys definitely had the stuff.

Re: ota!

[bluecastleace]

[Iwaizumi accepts Raihan’s handshake gladly, a smile on his face, still breathless from the exertion of that final set.]

Hey, it was one hell of a game, man. You took that first set from us like it was no problem. I’m impressed.

[He pauses a minute then to take a generous swig from his water bottle, using the back of his hand to wipe his mouth as he pulls it away.]

Not sure if I introduced myself properly before. [He was a bit busy orchestrating this whole circus with the last few days of practice.] Iwaizumi Hajime - just Iwaizumi, though.

You’re Raihan, right? You’re a tough player, man.

[rotomphone]

[ once their handshake ends, he takes his own moment to wipe the sweat from the back of his neck with the towel slung over his shoulder. it's been a while since he's exerted himself like this - it's refreshing! ]

Thanks! That means a lot coming from the only non-amateur in the bunch. [ he'd seen Iwaizumi earlier, explaining the rules to those unfamiliar with the game. ] The one and only! Guess you could say I've got a bit of a competitive streak.

[ without the ability to get out that competitiveness in a proper battle, another sport is probably the next best thing. ]

[bluecastleace]

I can tell. [And he seems pretty pleased to be saying so. Volleyball - or any sport, really - is nothing without decent competition, and Raihan was definitely among one of the strongest players on the other side of the court today.]

Volleyball is my sport if anything - it’s pretty much all I do back home.

Have you played before this?

[rotomphone]

I'm glad it's obvious! [ he grins widely; if there's one thing Raihan likes, it's being noticed. ] I don't doubt that - I reckon you could wipe the floor with all of us if this was a one-on-one competition. Is it a professional thing, or just for love of the game?

[ both are valid, but he's not sure if Iwaizumi is even old enough to be a professional... but then again, what does he know? it's not like they're even from the same world, so who's to say high school kids can't be volleyball pros? ]

Not habitually, but I have a few games under my belt. I've got the natural advantage, so why not make use of it?

[ when he finds himself in Hulbury for work and needing a break, he makes a point to bother Nessa to head to the beach with him. it usually ends up with her taking a swim and him taking advantage of the setting for some selfies, but they usually end up hitting a volleyball over a net a few times once they get bored. a model and an online influencer are bound to gather attention like that, but it at least gives them enough bodies to make a proper team. ]

[bluecastleace]

[Iwaizumi can’t help but preen a little at the idea he’d be a professional, but even so, he shakes his head.]

Not professional - not really. I’m just on my high school team, but it’s a powerhouse in our prefecture. We definitely put the work of a professional in. [Oikawa would accept no less - neither would Iwaizumi.]

I’m vice captain and ace. I know a couple of guys on my team that’ll probably go pro some day, but I’m not sure if that’s where my path’ll take me.

[He smirks a little (perhaps with some vague chagrin) at what he assumes is a comment on Raihan’s height. He can’t help but be a little jealous, though he’d never admit that.]

You’ve definitely got an advantage there, yeah. You’d be one hell of a middle blocker. Not that height’s all there is to it, but it definitely doesn’t hurt.

[rotomphone]

So you're high on the totem pole! That's nothing to bat an eye at. [ he smiles, genuine and reassuring. ] Go at your own pace. You're young; you've got plenty of time to figure it out.

[ he's speaking like he's not only a few years older than Iwai... but no matter! dishing out advice is what Gym Leaders do - call it force of habit, even if it puts him at odds with his youthful looks. ]

Think you could give me a few pointers, then? Today was fun - I wouldn't mind working on my game a little more.