Level Horizon (Haikyuu!! WingedAU)

Year Three.80 1/4; Pivotal Calamity

It's difficult, when faced with a situation you cannot control, to admit you can do nothing. ~Lemony Snicket

~ Ten Months Later; Early Spring ~

Kenma Kozume follows Shouyou, Noya, and Yachi through the small village that sits within striking distance of one of the Karasuno rookery's main checkpoints on their sentry scouting routes, but the outpost is silent today.

The avian city will lie empty a few more weeks yet before the murder returns from their yearly migration, and spring has offered them promising weather the last week. The thaw had spurred an impulse decision on Kuroo's part to come to this small hamlet nestled in the mountains for their spring herald festival and Kenma has to smile.

This village's festival some centuries back had marked the first time he and the black cat had come out of hiding and simply relaxed into the joyous atmosphere following Kuroo losing his eye and their subsequent flight. The small cat remembers their food and fireworks well amid his leveler's quiet smiles at the decorations along the stalls. If he could go back in time, he'd tell his younger self not to worry, everything works out and he gets to keep the large black cat.

There is still some snow on the ground, but rivers are running high and the first hints of life are stirring along the edges of the drifts, but they are all distracted by the wonderful food and company. They've just gone through the main market and Kenma is sure they tried every stand; he's beyond uncomfortably full. Kuroo steers them toward the local temple to give thanks for surviving another winter with a pointed glance at the ibis who stares back at him with complete disinterest. Kenma mentally smirks.

The pale winged avian had done as he'd asked and laid off Shouyou and Kuroo, opting instead to spend days in Sheru Bay running the ledger for Suga's relatives, but he and Yamaguchi had gone for a sabbatical in the mountains the first month of winter at the whim of the freckled crow. Never mind that the ibis wasn't adapted for winter weather, the tall blond had stalwartly decreed that he was overdue for an escape from the rest of their company so he and the freckled crow were going alone.

They'd been gone nearly two weeks and were supposed to be gone for two more when they showed back up with a half-panicking Yamaguchi shoving the taller nonplussed, yet sick avian at Kiyoko, begging her to save him. Tsukishima had been most unimpressed and had told them he just had a cold... except it had rapidly degenerated into full blown pneumonia within the week.

He'd been little more than slightly flushed when they'd stumbled back home, but he'd quickly come down with a monstrous fever that he completely denied existed because 'if he was so warm, then why the hell did he feel like he was shivering so damn badly?' The ibis had spent the next two months huddled in blankets and ten times as sour as normal, and the majority of winter found him inside either sulking or sleeping for his misadventure.

So it had been a surprise that he'd readily requested to join when Kuroo had mentioned the festival; even Yamaguchi had asked if he was sure. The ibis hadn't even had to scold the freckled crow before he was apologizing. Yamaguchi had been belatedly stoked to go for an adventure, and Kenma hadn't missed the way the ibis had quietly watched his excitement with reserved fondness.

Yachi and Kiyoko had opted to join then in the event the tall blond became ill once more. It would be good for the girls to get out as they rarely ever managed to escape the beach house— not that they minded overmuch. Nishinoya and Shouyou had been only too happy to come, their traveling itch nearly burning their feet already. But Kageyama had hesitated slightly, because with the last season turn, Shouyou had started waking in the morning, his back stiff enough that it would take him a couple hours to really get moving.