Ball is Death

Start writing here…The sun rose on a beautiful day shining on the dew-covered grass which deflected an awesome ray of light into Hinata’s bedroom, illuminating it in a yellowish glow. Then the alarm clock sounded Hinata sat upright eyes still closed and crusted over from the night, he wiped them with some difficulty.

He had not been sleeping lately, how could he when the big match was coming up, Karasuno Vs Seijou, also he had gotten up several times that very night to use the restroom. This team was widely considered to be the toughest there was, and Hinata would be lying if he said that thinking about this match didn’t give him a stomach ache that shook him to his very core.

“Bathroom, bathroom I gots to peeeee,” He sang weakly for what must’ve been the thirtieth time that morning. He looked out the window on the way to the bathroom and gazed out at the beautiful morning putting him at ease for only a moment or two before heading straight to the bathroom.

In a different part of the training camp building, Suguru Daishō was walking outside his face upturned in a creepy, almost forced smile. He looked around to make sure no one was snooping and pulled two bushes apart to reveal a large cobra-like snake. “Hello, Century,” Daishō said stroking the Snakes hood. “May I tell you my grievances?”

Century nodded its head and turned its attention to Daishō. “Hinata and the Karasuno High team is going to play the greatest team in Japan, I am so angry our team didn’t make the finals and the small fry that is Hinata, of all people will be front and center. That glory should belong to the Nohebi academy.”

Daishō noticed himself breathing heavily and took a minute to compose himself before speaking. “I just needed a few minutes to rant but if I didn’t have a certain respect for the so-called “Great giant” then I would wish on them something would prevent them from playing this Saturday,” Daishō said while walking away.

When Daishō had gone Century turned a large smile and floated into the sky “May the Eldritch gods curse the Karasuno High School Volley Ball Team that Suguru Daishō may play in their place with whichever team he may choose.” The serpent cursed the team that the next time that at least six of them meet that a terrible yet unlikely anomaly would happen.

Hinata left his room and began walking down the hall to meet up with everyone for the last practice. He reached near the end of the hallway and found Kei Tsukishima, Daichi Sawamura, Asahi Azumane, Tadashi Yamaguchi, and Tobio Kageyama all talking together about their best strategy.

“Their team is nearly always doing an offensive play.” Kageyama began “Their stuff block is honestly intense.” Azumane chimed in “I’m starting to think we should just forfeit, the prospect of this match is starting to affect Hinatas health.” Yamaguchi added. Hinata cleared his throat and everyone turned their attention to him.

“No one quits, especially you Asahi,” Hinata said with relative firmness. Azumane backed up with his hands in the air “I didn’t say anything about quitting.” “The only ones that stay on the court are the best Tadashi, I’ve said that many times don’t you ever forget it.” Yamaguchi looked offended “Legitimately caring for your teammates well being doesn’t make me any worse than you at volleyball Kageyama.”

Hinata stepped forward “Remember everyone when we feel like we want to quit that’s the best time to take a step forward.” Everyone nodded at this. Hinata looked as though he was going to speak again but instead he passed out. Everyone was shocked “I told you guys he wasn’t feeling right, call the nurse.” Yamaguchi said before fainting as well.

Everyone followed suit, and a few minutes later Hinata stood up causing a layer of ash to fall off of him he looked around dazed, and saw several lumps in the ash-covered ground around him which also stood up revealing themselves to be his team “What happened?” Tsukishima said groggily.

Hinata looked upwards at the surrounding area. It seemed to be a giant cavern chamber as big as a mountain valley with pillars of smoke and fire all around with very few buildings, and they appeared to be standing on a dark volleyball field. “Oh shiiiiit!” Said a very loud voice behind them. “Huh?” Everyone said at the same time.

“You messed up my score you assho_,” A strange red figure said until he saw them “Holy shit! Moxxie, get over here.” The figure said pointing over at a car. “not now sir, or have you forgotten that we need the car to be working to get to the terminal? Which is the only way back to Pride.” Another similar looking figure named Moxxie said.

“Are those living humans? Here in Hell?” Another figure said. “Millie? Did you just say human?... Oh, Crumbs.” Moxxie said. “Blitzo please tell me the fucking car is fixed. And when the hell is practice over, I’m sick of getting the bench, a cramp is not a good reason to put me out!” A large dog-like creature said stepping out of the car. “Loona, look humans!!” the figure named Blitzo said

“Holy shit!!! Did you guys bring those here?” Loona asked. “No, and I think it would be best to take care of this now,” Moxxie said nervously. “Now now Mox, on the one hand, I could use the target practice for work tomorrow, on the other hand, we could tie up these filthy flesh bags and make ’em watch us play some Black-Ball,” Blitzo said excitedly.

“Who are you calling flesh bags?” Yamaguchi asked angrily. “And more importantly what’s Black-Ball?” Kageyama parroted calmly. Hinata was still in shock of having no idea where they were or what these creatures were. “I think you’re all missing the point here, What is this place? What are you? and who are they?!!!” Hinata asked pointing to some bleachers where a small handful of horrifying creatures were sitting down holding up signs that read I.M.P.

“Oh yeah, I forgot all humans are fucking retarded.” Blitzo said, ” First off, We’re the Immediate Murder Professionals, Those are some Demons that like to watch us play this game, and this is the ring of envy I.E. center of Hell.” Blitzo said before jumping on Hinata tying him up and throwing him on a chair.

“Come on Mills tie the rest of them up, Moxxie fix the car, and get in jersey, Loona ice that ankle and get out there, we gotta finish practice so we can get home to rest up for work Mm k? Mm, k.” Blitzo finished. When everybody had been bound and put in seats and the car fixed the Demons started running around the dark-colored court in a manner very reminiscent of Volleyball.

“Hey, Demons!!” Kageyama shouted. “What do you want now?” Blitzo asked annoyed “You said you were going to be playing a sport called Black-Ball, this just looks like an awkward version of Volleyball.” Kageyama said. “Very close actually, a lot more than you think, the earliest humans based the sport of Volleyball on Black-Ball,” Blitzo said proudly.

“So how do you play?” Hinata asked being very interested in the origins of Volleyball. “Well, first of all, humans always over complicate things, six players? Pffft in Black-Ball you only need five, and one team just needs to score two points to win, humans even renamed the position of Stabber to Spiker. I mean come on.”

“You only have four players,” Tsukishima said. “He knows,” Moxxie said in the background “He believes that he’ll be able to convince a Demon named Stolas to join when he comes down to drop off the portal back to the human world... Oh crumbs, I’ve said too much.”

“Damnit Moxxie, oh well it’s not too big of a deal they’ll be dead soon anyway,” Blitzo said. “So basically it’s a super basic and simple version of Volleyball that even a kindergarten child could understand,” Kageyama said. This caused the I.M.P’s Demon fans to erupt in laughter.

Blitzo’s fists clenched and he turned around his face blazing with anger. “Now listen here you little shit, my company poured their hearts, and lack of souls into this game so shut the hell up!!! Now I’m going to go get some water to calm down before my shouting makes me sink into the Ring of Wrath!!!!!!”

“Sweetie,” Millie said putting a hand on Moxxies shoulder. “Maybe you should go talk to Blitzo, try to get him to cut practice a little short so he won’t be so stressed.” Moxxie sighed “I’ll try to talk to him.” Moxxie headed over to the cooler where they were keeping the bottles of Acid Rainwater™.

“Sir, maybe we should go meet up with Stolas so we can go home a little earlier, this whole human thing has got you too stressed, and Millie and I think it would be best to pick up where we left off tomorrow,” Moxxie said. Blitzo sniffed took a quick jug of water and cleared his throat his voice breaking a little as he spoke. “Y’know that could be a good idea.... but let’s cut those filthy brats heads off first.”

They walked over to where Hinata and all the rest of them were tied up. “Alright, we’re gonna kill all of you,” Blitzo said brandishing a knife. Hinata was horrified they were in hell, surrounded by fire, he just discovered how Volleyball was invented, and they never got to play Seijou. “Wait!!!! What if we challenged you guys to earn our right to freedom??!!” Hinata suggested.

“Challenge?” Millie asked. “Yeah what do you mean by that?” Moxxie added. “We want to challenge you to Black-Ball,” Hinata said speaking like he was asking a question. Blitzo looked angry, then sad, and gradually his face changed to a smile of excitement. “Yeah, you humans were wearing those Volleyball jerseys weren’t you?” Blitzo said, “Y’know what, we accept. Untie them.”

“Sir?!!” Moxxie said his hands on his horns. “How is that even going to work? They don’t know the additional rules, and they have had no time to practice on this kind of terrain.” Moxxie said exasperated. Blitzo ignored him and reached into his pocket. “Take these fuckin’ buttons that Stolas gave me, whenever a Demon tries to kill ya, these’ll show ’em that you’re under his protection, two days to train. Got it?”

“We’ll be back here at such a time to take you, humans, to Pride where a huge spectacle of Demons will watch us imps finally be victorious,” Blitzo said dreamily picturing them standing on a pedestal. “Unless we beat you,” Yamaguchi said, the rest of the team nodded.

“Which is never gonna happen, because we are gonna have Stolas on our team,” Moxxie said. “Ok.” Hinata shrugged. “Two days,” Blitzo said pointing at Hinata, “I hope for a fair and clean game on Friday,” Moxxie said holding out his hand. Hinata turned to Moxxie with a look of mortification. “Did yoU say Friday? But we might miss our game against Seijou.”

“Listen, kid, nobody gives a shit,” Loona said pushing the imps into the car. “Oh and one more thing,” Millia said throwing a black ball at Kageyama “Good luck,” she said as they drove away. The Demons in the bleachers quickly dispersed. “Sawamura, what do we do?” Hinata asked. “What do you mean? We play to win.” Daichi Sawamura said. “But what I think Hinata means is, where do we sleep? What do we eat? And why didn’t they tell us the rules of this game?”

“It’s just preschooler Volleyball, how hard can it be?” Kageyama said. “I don’t know how we’re gonna do... any of those things really, but I firmly believe that it’s most important we all stay together at almost all times,” Sawamura said. “Almost?? Why not at all times?” Azumane said in a panicky voice. “I don’t wanna watch you guys pee,” Sawamura said. “Alright, the game is set.” Hinata said, “Let’s play.”

To be continued