𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐖

l - scouting shiratorizawa

A while earlier...

"No one's behind us.." Hinata panted as he stood beside Kageyama. "You totally went the wrong way somewhere, didn't you?!"

"That'd be you, boke!" The setter retorted back, and then they started growling at each other until Hinata glanced around.

"Where are we?" His eyes wandered until it landed on a street sign. "Wakano 3-chome?"

"Isn't Wakano near Shiratorizawa?" Kageyama asked himself, because obviously the ginger wouldn't know. However, the ginger ended up going off of it.

"Shiratorizawa?" He parroted in surprise as someone jogged passed them. "Like the school Ushiwaka goes to?"

"Did you need something from me?" A distinctive voice rang out, startling the two as they turned to face the person. Low and behold, it was the very same Ushiwaka that Hinata had just brought up.

"JAPAN!" Hinata exclaimed. They sort of just stared at each other for a few moments before the ace glanced at the walk sign that had just been displayed.

"If you don't need anything, I'll be leaving," He said, starting to jog across the cross walk.

"We came from Karasuno!" Kageyama yelled after him, which caught Ushiwaka's attention and caused him to slow. "Would you mind if we did some recon at Shiratorizawa?"

"Karasuno..." Ushiwaka murmured, then glanced back at the two first years. "The team that Crow chose over us?" He reiterated, and when they didn't answer and just looked stunned, he returned his gaze forward. "Do as you like. No matter how skilled you may be, we won't get weaker just because you watched us. I'm heading back to school now, so if you want to watch, follow me," He challenged, then added. "If you can keep up."

"We're going!" The two expressed, then started stretching to probably get out their jitters. "We're gonna defeat you at spring nationals. Of course we'll watch."

"Yeah." Hinata agreed before asking, "Are you out jogging by yourself?"

"Everyone else is just slow," The ace replied. "They're back there somewhere. If it were Crow, he'd probably be ahead or beside me. That's why," His eyes were sharp as he glared back at them for an instant. "He's wasted on you." And then the all-star took off. Kageyama ran after him, which left Hinata in the dust.

"Ack, Kageyama!" The ginger yelled after him as he also bolted. "Don't you dare get a head start!"

"You're just slow!"

He sure as hell didn't stay slow, as Kageyama soon saw once the ginger had caught up and started skipping instead of running. "Holy crap! I'm super excited! Yay!"

"Calm down dumbass!" Kageyama critisized. "Are you a dog?! Are you out on your first walk, you idiot?!"

Ushiwaka barely spared them a glance as he kept running. They soon made it back to the school known as Shiratorizawa, and the moment they stepped in the gate, the ace felt them stop. Good riddance, he thought to himself as he kept running. "It's so big! Their school building looks so cool! It looks like a hotel! What's with this super huge sports ground?! Whoa, this place is so big they need signs! Kageyama, horses! They have horses! THE VOLLEYBALL TEAM HAS ITS OWN BUS!"

"Crow, it's me," Ushiwaka held his phone to his ear, having grabbed his jacket from his bag after completing his run. "Come get your first years, they followed me back to Shiratorizawa and," He glanced over at where the yelling was coming from. "Are yelling about our bus."

"...Seriously?"

"Yeah. You can take your time since they asked to watch us, but I'm sure Tendou will rip into them when he gets back if they aren't gone by then."

"You're right, then I'm on my way. Thanks for looking after them."

"Sure. See you when you get here." With that, the call was ended, and Ushiwaka made his way over to the gym. "Took you long enough," He remarked, seeing the two Karasuno first years squatting at the lower window.

"I'm Kageyama from Karasuno high school!" The taller one exclaimed as Ushiwaka made his way up the steps into the gym. "Would you mind if I had a look?" He asked as he jogged over.

"Kageyama..." He recalled the name. "From Kitagawa First, right?"

"H-hai," Kageyama confirmed. "I applied to this school but wasn't accepted--"

"That's not surprising," Ushiwaka said, causing the boy to flinch. "I remember seeing one of your matches from junior high," He turned so his gaze was penetrating the first year setter. "We have no need for setters who can't devote themselves to their aces. And from what I saw of your match with Aoba Johsai," He felt like scoffing, but only narrowed his eyes. "You still refuse to use your best weapon to its potential. I pity Crow for having a selfish setter like you."

"Pfft," Hinata grinned. "It's true, you're not the type that'd be devoting!" He laughed as the setter growled.

"HUH?!"

"But the same would go for the great king too, wouldn't it?" The ginger brought up. "And he's the best setter in the prefecture."

"Oikawa-san has nothing to do with this!" Kageyama snapped.

"Oikawa..." That made the ace turn his full attention to the two Karasuno first years. "He is an efficient player. He should have come to our school, just like Crow should have."

"By that," Kageyama's eyes narrowed as he also turned his full body to Ushiwaka. "Do you mean Oikawa would be able to devote himself to you?"

"No matter where he is," Ushiwaka started as he made his way down the stairs so that the three of them would be on level ground. "Oikawa is a setter that can bring out the absolute best in his team. If the team's absolute best is still weak, there's nothing more to be done. If it's strong, he'll make it as strong as possible. That is where his abilities lie," He held his hands out like he was giving a sermon. "A sapling must have good soil in order to grow strong. Good fruit cannot be harvested from barren soil."

"Barren soil?" Hinata parroted, stepping forward. "What do you mean?"

"Other than Oikawa," Ushiwaka went on. "Everyone at Aoba Johsai is weak."

"Weak.." Hinata whispered, as if the very word were committing a grave offense by being associated with Aoba Johsai. Then, he stepped forward once, then again, approaching the ace. "If Seijoh is barren soil, does that make us concrete or something?"

Ushiwaka made a face at the look he was seeing in the ginger's eyes. "I apologize if I hit a nerve," the ace responded. "But someone on a team that can't even make it to the prefecture finals because they lost to Aoba Johsai can say all they want, but I will make nothing of it."

Then, a ball made it past the safety nets, so Ushiwaka jumped to catch it, only to find Hinata getting to it first. "I'm Hinata Shoyo from the concrete," He spoke as he straightened, then moved to hand the ball back to the Shiratorizawa player. "I'm going to crush you and go to nationals."

"Okay, I've seen enough," Hinata was suddenly flying through the air, causing the other two to flinch at the sight of Crow with one leg extended. "Sorry about them, Ushijima. I'll take them off your hands now." He told the ace, who nodded.

"No problem. It's good to see you, Crow."

"Why are you talking like that? We literally saw each other a week ago," The ravenette rolled his eyes before glancing at Kageyama, who looked shell-shocked. "Whatever, guess I owe you one," He muttered as he moved over to the unconscious ginger and hoisted him into his arms. "Let's go, Kageyama."

"Uh, hai!" The setter quickly followed after his ace, casting a confused look at Ushiwaka as he watched them go.

"Good fruit must be harvested from fertile soil," the Shiratorizawa player mumbled under his breath. "But such rules do not bind those born to rule the skies," A smile graced his lips, small though it may have been. It disappeared as fast as it had come, and the ace returned to the gym.