Teiko's basketball III: Three's a charm

Yukiji's quarter

Tip off!

Akira took the ball. She passed it to Yukiji but Yukiji was double teamed by number 8(pf) and number 7(sf) and so she passed back to Sora. Sora passed the ball to Mayu. Mayu charged forward and put the ball in the hoop. She turned around, waiting for some sort of reaction but number 15(c) took the ball as soon as it hit the ground and raced towards the other side of the court.

"What on earth..." said Mayu, puzzled.

"This is Yukiji-san's quarter!" exclaimed Akira, racing after number 15(c).

Number 15(c) passed to number 4(sg). Number 4(sg) tried to take a shot but Akira knocked the ball out of his hands and Sora picked it up once it bounced on the open. She passed the ball to Aoba. Aoba raced near the hoop and then raised her hands to shoot because of her instinct as a shooting guard. She saw Yukiji motioning frantically out of the corner of her eye and realized her mistake.

"Damn!" she said and changed her course but number 7(sf) took the ball from her immediately. "Nice try!" he said with a merry chuckle. He passed to number 8(pf). Akira took the ball from him but number 7(sf) took it back and passed to number 4(sg). Number 4(sg) scored.

0 – 3.

"Are you feeling lazy today, senpai?" said number 7(sf) tilting his head.

"Damn you, foosball!" said Akira shaking her fist at him.

"Akira-san, we're in a match," reminded Sora.

"He's just as annoying, no matter where he is!" said Akira.

"Am I annoying senpai?" he said, a grin forming on his face.

"Now you've gotten him fired up...." said Sora.

"Hey, it's not my fault he's weird," said Akira.

Number 12(pg) got the ball but Sora predicted the direction of his pass and caught it midair. She passed the ball to Akira. Akira passed it to Mayu. Mayu went towards the goal with the intention of passing the ball at the last moment. She was blocked by number 15(c) and a small flash of blond hair among the black mess on his head caught her attention.

"Don't tell me it's dyed as well," she muttered. Number 7(sf) took advantage of her confusion to take the ball. He tried to pass to number 8(pf) but Sora took it and passed to Yukiji. Yukiji sighed in relief and scored.

2 – 3.

"Senpais! Both of you are awesome," number 7(sf) said brightly. "But, it will be all the more hard on you if you lose, nah?"

"But I don't understand!" said Mayu. "I could have sworn he was far away!"

"Foosball...." said Akira in a mysterious tone laying special emphasis on the 'o's. She did the imaginary lever imitation again. "Great. I was criticizing the opponent for being nuts when my own team mate is completely bonkers," said Mayu sadly.

"What about yourself?" inquired Yukiji.

"I'm sane enough of be on the streets," said Mayu with a wink.

Sora got the ball. She passed it to Akira. Akira rushed forward and made a drive past number 8(pf). She tried to do a layup and realized halfway in. "Yikes!" she exclaimed and passed the ball to Mayu with the force she had intended to put it in. Mayu caught the ball but it slipped from her hands because of the force of the pass. Luckily, Aoba was quick to react. She picked it up quickly and passed it Yukiji.

4 – 3.

"Nice one!" said Sora.

"Sorry!" exclaimed Akira.

"Oh, don't be. You'll pay for it later," said Mayu grimly twisting her hand with a wince.

"This is bad," said Akira twisting her hands. "At this rate, foosball will gobble us..."

"Will you stop obsessing?" demanded Mayu.

"What do you about the humiliation of losing to a kouhai?"

"Relax," said Sora, stepping in. "If we play to our best, then we don't have to worry."

"You said 'best'. Not 'keep on playing' or something..." noted Aoba with apprehension. Sora merely smiled.

"Akira-senpai is going to lose!" said number 7(sf) doing a sort of ballet step in front of her.

"Oi, kid..." said Mayu.

"What?"

"Show a little more respect!" she said sternly.

"Eh? You think so?'

"We're your senpais," said Mayu.

"Ma-chan's sticking up for me!" said Akira with tears in her eyes and trying to look a bit dramatic.

"Shut up! And 'Ma-chan' sounds horrible."

This kindled a few memories in Sora. She remembered when the g.o.m had first come together. She had been to most of their matches and she had received rather colourful accounts of their practice sessions from Satsuki. When Kuroko had joined, Satsuki told her that Nijimura-senpai had thought that they argued quite a lot. It was true. They did so even now. But Satsuki's personal opinion was that 'basketball dunderheads have no other means of communication'. She smiled. Somehow she felt contended. Looking at them both, she could almost see Aomine and Kise.

The match continued. The first quarter was nearing completion. The girls were having a hard time keeping up. The pressure seemed to be mounting in a weird way. Yukiji had never been too comfortable with shooting and she was now missing a few baskets to boot.

"What's up with Yuki-san?" said Akira concerned. "Hell, she has even played in the finals without missing!"

"Pressure. She's worried about messing up. As a result, she's messing up," reasoned Sora.

"You think she'd shoot better, being close to Shin-chan and all," speculated Akira.

"She denies that you know," said Sora lightly.

"Yeah, yeah. The earth isn't round too," countered Akira.

Aoba heard their exchange. "Yuki-senpai and green-head senpai?" she said incredulously.

"No!" said Akira and Sora a bit too quickly.

"We can't let the kouhais hear any of this!" whispered Sora anxiously to Akira.

"Heck, we can't let anyone hear this if we don't want Yuki-san to kill us," said Akira.

Nearing the end of the first quarter, the girls were only four points ahead. The score was around 24 – 20. Aoba saw that Sora and Akira were right. Yukiji was under tremendous pressure. Yukiji kept passing and taking the safe route whenever possible. So they couldn't get any further in the score. So, she decided to take things into her own hands. Aoba received a pass from Sora and instead of going towards Yukiji, she went away from her. She drew number 7(sf) and number 15(c) towards her. She turned sharply and then got into a shooting position.

"Why...." Began Akira.

"Do it, senpai," exclaimed Aoba and shot. Instead of aiming for the hoop, she tried to pass to Yukiji. Yukiji didn't see it coming but she on alert once the ball hit the court. Luckily, Mayu had been quicker to take the hint. Yukiji caught the ball and Mayu screened her just as backup arrived.

"Quick!"

Yukiji took the shot.

26 – 20.

Everyone was a bit unnerved. "Unbelievable...." said Sora.

"Nice!" whooped Akira.

Coach blew the whistle. The first quarter was up with the score being 26 – 20.

"And you guys thought this couldn't happen...." said Sora with a smile.

"Things are looking up!" said Akira addressing number 7(sf) who stuck out his tongue and grinned.