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Our first game finally arrived. After class I made my way straight to the locker room to change my uniform that had been given to me by Sensei the day before. I hadn't even looked at it. The day before I just threw it hastily into my bag for the next day, waiting for the inevitable crash of reality to hit.

Now I was alone with it. I removed the purple shirt and shorts from my bag and for a moment I just looked at it, staring at it. It seemed to foreign to me, so unfamiliar.

I shook my head as I undressed and pulled on a pair of black spandex before sliding on the purple and white shorts and then sliding on the shirt. I sat down and pulled on my shin guards and slid up a pair of dark purple socks before sliding my feet into a pair of slides.

I took a deep breath as I walked over to a mirror. I looked completely different, foreign. However the girl in front of me looked less broken than she had before. She looked stronger, more determined.

I smiled at my reflection, feeling at ease that I didn't look like a traitor, I only felt like one. I saw my reflections smile look genuine and seemed to actually make her eyes sparkle. Having enough I turned and flipped my hair over, taking my hair elastic and tying the hair into a ponytail before standing back up.

I checked it in the mirror and when I was satisfied I tightened it and used  a white headband to hold back my hair. When I was finished I zipped then grabbed my bag, throwing the straps over my shoulder and left the locker room.

As I left I turned and spotted Ushijima. I smiled and waved to him. He nodded and began to walk towards me. "Good afternoon."

"Afternoon Ushijima-San, thank you for always checking in on me."

"Please Ushijima is fine. And I know  you  are probably uncomfortable as people don't know you yet."

I smiled. 'He might be awkward but he is genuine, especially in his limited speech.'

"Well thank you again Ushijima."  I said as I bowed.

He nodded. "The purple does suit you." I tilted my head as I straightened my posture to look back up at him. "You belong here, you always have." He released my shoulder and walked around me. "Good luck."

"Thank you."

He said nothing more as he left. I felt my heart warm at the friendship I was creating with the ace and I smiled.

After that I quickly made my way out to the field. Chiya of course had somehow already beaten me out there. She was kicking a soccer ball around and waved madly at me when she noticed my arrival.

"Got the first game jitters yet?" She asked as I dropped my bag next to the bench.

"I'm ready to get back out onto the field." I said as I sat down and began putting on my cleats.

"Was Aoba Joshai really that bad after Sensei left?" She asked as she came and sat down beside me.

I nodded as I tied up my right cleat. "You wouldn't believe the mess our new Coach made." I shook my head as I picked up my other cleat and put it on. "I wasn't allowed to play and any move I made on the sideline was ostracized."

"You're kidding."

I shook my head as I began to tie up.

"Well don't worry." I turned to look at her warm smile. "Here you'll play. From what I've seen the past couple practices I know it."

"Thanks Chiya."

"No problemo! Now let's go warm up!" She cheered as she slapped my shoulder before jumping up and running back to where she had abandoned her soccer ball.

"She means well and she's right. You'll be fine here." I turned to see Akane, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips as she looked down at me.

"Thanks."

She nodded. I then got up and ran out and stole the ball from a cursing Chiya.

~*~

Captains were called and I walked as confidently as I could up the sidelines. The other two decided that I should go up and show that I was strong again and would be taken down my no one. Or more like Chiya decided and Akane agreed. They said I was the head captain and they would help me along the way.

I walked up and shook hands with the captain from the other onel. She smiled devilishly at me. "We're going to win."

I smiled back at her, the tension between us growing. "Right back at ya."

The referee told the girl to call heads or tails. The coin went up in the air. "Heads." She called. The coin hit the ground and tails lay face up, winning Shiritorizawa Academy the ball to start. I shook my head "We would like to give the ball to the other team." I smiled widely. "To give them a chance ya know."

The girl looked angered. I shook her hand again in silence before I made my way back to my team.

'It's either I haven't played in a long time or I picked up some of the traits of that setter.' Immediately my heart sank and I took a deep breath. 'Focus on me now, there will always be time to think of him later.'

The line up was finally announced and I felt my shoulders relax as I heard my name called in the first time in a long time. Left inside defense. My favorite position, and Sensei knew it well.

He gave a speech and then it was my turn. I turned to the team and saw them all looking at me, not as a superior but as my equals. I smiled, taking some of them back slightly. "Let's show them just how strong we really are and why we deserve to be feared." The girls smiled evilly as we put our hands in the middle.

I called out "3, 2, 1."

"Shiritorizawa!" We we all screamed.

The other team looked in shock and Sensei looked smug. He turned, waving his hand out towards the field. "Get into your positions and get ready to attack!" He yelled as he sent us out onto the field. I jogged over to my position and prepared myself mentally to play.

'They think I won't be as good because I haven't played. The jokes on them, I continued to train every single day.'

The ball was kicked and immediately we attacked. I called out what I saw, people coming from behind or a blind spot, who was open to pass to, anything I could yell that would give us a tactical advantage.

"Eyes open eyes open!" I screamed as I watched the field like a hawk.

I had a few amazing plays where I stopped a girl from having a breakaway down the field, blocking a shot so she missed the next completely. It felt good to be back in my element, to feel the adrenaline of a game.

A girl went to score in the very top corner of the net, the hardest place to reach, but Akane jumped and easily took it out of the air, holding it tightly in her hands.

We cheered her on loudly, letting out loud screams. She punted the ball up to one of our midfielders who in turn passed it to Chiya who was itching to score. At the point of the pass she was equal with the furthest back defender. The second she got the ball she ran as she fast as she could. She left the defender behind and was now one of one with the goalkeeper.

"Push up defenders. Prepare for any rebound!" I screamed as I charged up towards the center of the field.

We didn't even need to move for that. Chiya was so fired up she kicked the ball and sent it straight for the far side of the net where the goalie couldn't reach. The ball flew in against the netting and spit before hitting the grass.

As we cheered and I ran towards the girl. She jumped up, giving me a huge hug. When I dropped her to her feet I gave Chiya a strong high five before jogging back to our positions. "Don't let our guard down girls, play your game!" I screamed as I turned back to face our opponents.

The inside of me feel content. More so then it had since this new coach had been announced. More than I felt with my other team. I felt at home.

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