Trojan Horse

9 - Play

Minna watched the television tensely as the Foxes put up a helluva fight against the Jackals. Minna knew that their loss was inevitable, but it didn't stop her from raging around the living room with Jeremy, Laila, and Cat watching in amusement.

"We still got a little over an hour before first serve," Jeremy said. "Think we should head to the stadium yet?"

"Nah," Cat said. "Take twenty — we've gotta get there at six-fifteen. Don't get there any earlier than everyone else."

Minna threw her head back on the couch and screamed. "That was fucking dirty."

Jeremy patted her shoulder.

"Did you see what that guy was doing to Kevin? Fuck him!"

"Take it out tonight," Laila suggested. "You're Cat's sub, so everyone is going to expect you to be as brutish as her."

"Everyone is going to expect me to play like Jean," she corrected. "I'm going to prove them wrong on both accounts."

Cat sat up. "What d'you mean?"

"I'm fast, I'm strong, and I'm analytical. I'm also instinctual — I'm combining all my training and I can hold my mark. We've got this."

"Fuck yeah," Laila agreed. She high-fived the freshman and after the four had eaten some heavy food, they hopped in the car and drove to the stadium. The opposing team's bus was there, waiting to be led to the away locker rooms, and Minna passed by with an analytical stare.

Jeremy patted her shoulder and the girl pulled Minna into the women's locker room. Their three female teammates were already changing, so Minna started to change into her gear. Her padding went on first, followed by her neck guard which never hooked right. She fiddled with it until she got the connectors together correctly and pulled on her lower gloves, clipping them above her elbows. She strapped her arm guards over. She traded her leggings for shorts and pulled on her jersey with strange maneuvering because she went out of order for some reason. She finished by winding her braid up into a flat bun. She grabbed her helmet and outer gloves as she followed Laila out of the locker room and then she flopped on her beanbag chair. It was only a couple more minutes before Rhemann was gesturing for everyone to settle down.

As he spoke, Minna listened, but she only gave him half a mind. She already knew most of what he was saying. She had been watching games and inspecting each strikers' obscure movements. She knew that she could pin down her mark — what she didn't know was who her mark was.

"Here's their lineup for tonight," Rhemann said.

Minna tuned in.

"Minna, when you go on for Cat, your mark will be either number five or number ten — Rodriguez or La Rue. Got it? Don't let them trip you up."

"Yes, Coach."

"Catalina, same thing. Rodriguez or La Rue. They're fast — you need to be faster."

"Easy," Cat said with confidence.

Minna bobbed her head in agreement. She turned her head and suddenly the world pitched sideways. There was Ichirou, from the main family.

"Oh my fuck," Minna gasped.

Rhemann gave her a look. Jeremy followed her eyes and shot her a confused stare.

"Ichirou Moriyama," Minna said. "He's here for me. Oh, shitshitshit."

"Slow down!" Laila said. "I thought you said you'd never met him."

"I haven't," Minna agreed. "But he's looking directly at me."

Rhemann took a deep breath and stared Minna down until she looked up at him. "Will this impact your playing? I need to know if I have to pull you."

Minna clenched her fists. "Fuck — no. It won't."

Rhemann nodded. "Okay. Is he going to come back here at the end of the game?"

"Probably. If he's here, he's here on his father's orders. He'll want to talk to me but he'll make it quick. In Japanese."

"So no one will know what he's saying."

"Exactly."

"Okay," Jeremy said. "But anything happens, you make sure we know."

"What?"

"Yeah," Kayla agreed. "We stuck by each other."

"No," Minna argued. "I'm not putting you in danger like that."

"Danger?" Robin asked. "Isn't he just the son of a businessman?"

"I... have something to tell you," Minna sighed. "I'll tell you after the game, after Ichirou talks to me. All of you. It's best if I tell you before we hop on our flight to South Carolina... and I've been putting this off way too long. No one let me forget."

"'Forget,'" Toni muttered. He gave Minna a suspicious once over. "You won't forget."

"Of course not," Minna agreed. "But once I tell you, you'll be in danger. But if I don't you'll be in worse."

Rosa nodded slowly. "Alright. Let's just do this. USC!"

"Trojans!" the rest of the team yelled. Everyone began to live up. Jeremy in front, as captain, followed by Rosa, as vice captain and striker, and so went forth the rest of the team. Minna was bouncing on her toes by the time she sat down with the rest of group one, and she kept looking at Ichirou, who was avoiding her eyes until Cat got bashed into the wall by one of the opposing backliners.

Minna leapt to her feet. Alvarez signaled out and Benny and Jamie patted Minna's back as she passed them. She grabbed her heavy racquet and passed Cat. She squeezed the younger girl's hand and Minna stepped out onto the field.

People were screaming as they recognized Minna, almost too loud for the announcer to be heard over them.

"Going on for Catalina Alverez is freshman Minna Day, number three!"

Minna made her way to Cat's spot by the wall and when the game restarted, she charged Rodriguez. She hasn't expected the speed at which Minna came running at her and bolted for the goal. Minna was half a step ahead of her and cut her off, body slamming her with the grace of a charging hippo. They went down and Minna rolled to her feet to screams, cheers, and jeers. She didn't pause to pick out voices and snagged the ball. She hurled it toward Jeremy who passed it up to Alden. When Rodriguez had the ball again, Minna went after her with the same ruthlessness, checking their racquets and stealing the ball. The was no way for her to get free, so she used up all ten steps to pass to Laila. She sent the ball whipping to Holden. The older backliner charged past his mark to pass to Jeremy and was bowled over a moment later. He laid there for several moments and then slowly lifted his racquet.

The crowd booed as Holden limped off, replaced by Benny.

The other team used the swap to change out with some of their subs, so Minna stared down La Rue across the court. He was tall, looked fast, and Minna knew for a fact that she would keep him down.

She was right.

•|⚜️|•

Phew! Chapter done, here's your double.