Earth-chan and Friends

Chapter 4: Basketball Match

People were gathered in the basketball hall of the Planetarium College. It was already the final match. Both teams belonged to Milky Way's class – the Solar Team, and the Betelgeuse Team.

"Haha, we've made it to the finals! Now all that is left is to kick Sun-kun's butt!" Mars grinned and clenched his fist.

"I didn't think I'd make it to the finals..." Earth smiled – finally, she got a chance to play in a basketball team and show off her might. "I... I thank you all for allowing me to play."

"You play quite well for a person who has never been chosen for a team before." Victor put a hand on her head, making her start and look up at him. "Someday, Earth, I am sure you'll achieve great heights."

"U... Um," Earth blushed at such a compliment, "VY Canis Majoris Senpai, are you not concerned when you touch my head? I... I've got parasites."

Victor only chuckled and rubbed her hair as if she was a little child (comparing her age to his, she was indeed but a child).

"Do not worry. Those parasitic creatures can't scare me. Main is you are a good person, Earth. What you have in your hair makes no difference."

Earth brightened – he really thought so?

"Thank you. I feel relieved when you say so."

"Ugh, of course, little one!" Betelgeuse caressed her too. "Now let's go on the court and beat them all!"

All of the teammates, including the rather cold and quiet Uranus, rushed out on the court. Their opponents – the Solar Team – appeared on the other side. It consisted of Sun, who gave a blazing grin to the fan-girls rooting for him; Jupiter and Saturn, who sent kisses to the fans whooping for them; and twin sister stars from Milky Way's class – VV Cephei, whom people called Vivienne, and Mu Cephei, or simply Mu. They were Sun's close friends, hence had accepted to help him in the basketball team formation. What was more, they both had a crush on VY Canis Majoris and hated the fact that a girl who was only the fourth coolest star after them, Betelgeuse, had gotten her hands on him. So, they were happy to compete against her.

"Vivienne Senpai and Mu Senpai, huh?" Mars furrowed his brow, "This is not good news."

The basketball teacher announced the match:

"The final match begins – the Solar Team against the Betelgeuse Team! Who will turn out to be the brightest star of Milky Way's class?"

The fans whooped at such an announcement, so excited they were. Victor gathered the group and whispered:

"This is our final match. We should go all out. Everyone remembers their positions, I assume."

"Sure. Uranus and Earth are guards, you and I are forwards, and Betelgeuse nē-san is the center," Mars replied.

"Yes. Now, here's the strategy: Uranus-kun is our point guard. He shall do the most active part. Mars-kun will be the power forward. Help Uranus to penetrate through the enemies and rush into their zone. Betelgeuse-chan and I will serve as a back-up, to score the shot if you don't manage it. Earth-chan, as the shooting guard, will try to pass the ball to the best suitable candidate, or, in a tight situation, will try to score the shot."

"I... I too must score?" Earth grew worried – up until now, they had no need for that!

"Sun-kun's group is good. They have a good formation, too. However, the twins – Vivienne-chan and Mu-chan – have a weakness. They are always in sync so they play as a duo, but Mu has broken a leg recently, so she won't do as well as she used to. We must use that to our advantage."

"Wait, if she broke a leg, how come she was allowed to play?" Mars raised an eyebrow.

"It happened long ago so she's fine, but I could see she tends to make more mistakes than she used to," Victor explained. "Just follow my advice – keep attacking from the right, and she won't do much."