「Queens」

Chapter 6

They weren't really expecting the call from the officials of the tournament. It was a sudden invitation to a game that they could barely squeeze into the schedule, but the last minute tickets were sold out quickly. Everyone wanted to see this event, even if it wasn't the finals. It would be a battle between two of the best teams, even if one of them didn't make it.

Tōō versus Tsuyoi. Tyrants versus the Queens.

The last minute game had reporters filing into the gymnasium, cameras ready, notepads out. Some sat close to other teams, so they could truly understand the events that would happen. Others sat near the exits, so they could interview the athletes that would play. Loud chattering filled the crowd, as the teams walked on court. Tsuyoi having their jackets resting on their shoulders. They whispered to each other, eyes trained on the third years they had also requested. Everyone knew they were discussing positions.

Everyone watched the simple warm-ups both teams were doing, some leaning forward in their seat in anticipation. When the whistle sounded, alerting that warm-ups were over, the Captains of both teams came to meet in the middle. Imayoshi and Kaze shook hands and bowed, sharing similar sly smiles, before returning to stand beside their team. Everyone on court bows quickly.

"Please give it your all!" With those words, they began to set up. Sora stood in the middle, Wakamatsu standing across from her. Kasumi stands right behind Rekka. Kasumi is up on her toes, while one of Rekka's knees is bent, as she's in a ready position. Mamoru and Kaze stand near each other and prepare themselves.

"They switched positions. Kaze and Sora switched, and Rekka and Mamoru switched. What's the intention here?" Momoi muttered to herself. Once the ball was thrown in the air. Both Wakamatsu and Sora jump, but the black-haired girl is slightly faster. She grabs the ball and lands on the ground, and as soon as her feet touch the ground, Rekka and Kasumi split, much to their defenders surprise. Rekka catches the ball while she performs a jump-stop, while Kasumi cuts towards the center. The 'Power Forward' passes to the Small Forward, who begins to dribble her way down the court, Susa hot on her trail. She's surprised when the ball leaves her grasp courtesy of Aomine, but Rekka is already swiping at the ball, intercepting it immediately.

"She was watching Kasumi's back the whole time. What kind of change in style is this?" Riko exclaims, watching the firehead take the shot. It sinks in without touching the rim, earning three points.

Tsuyoi's team immediately looks at Kaze, who raises her hands and holds them parallel to each other. Immediately, Aomine can feel a body pressed against him, and when he turned, he saw that it was the ace of the opposing team. He looked around and saw the other girls doing the same, except for Sora who had her hands in the air.

"I'm actually serious right now. What even kind of style of play is this? It's like extreme man-to-man defense," Kasamatsu notes. "And what is their usual Point Guard doing, with her hands in the air like that?" Said female had one hand hovering in the near vicinity of the ball, the other held out to her side. Sakurai is moving, but Mamoru stands between him and the ball. As Wakamatsu tried to bounce pass, Sora brings her arms down, hand slamming down on the ball, making it bounce higher than Touou expected. Kasumi jumps over the black-haired girl, raising her arm in the process. Her hand grasps onto the ball and she slams it into the hoop in a dunking fashion.

"Are you serious?" Aomine grumbles.

"Man, if this is how good your team is, this is going to be a boring game," Rekka sighs, as she runs a hand through her bangs that weren't in her ponytail, before clipping them back.