"Welcome to the team," Coach Irihata said, reaching out to shake Bodhi's hand, one Bodhi was all too glad to shake. It was at that moment the others present in the gym snapped out of their stupor and started to comment on what they had just seen.
"That was just as hard as Oikawa's serve! If not stronger!" Shigeru Yahaba stated. Talking to fellow second-year and main libero Shinji Watari.
"No kidding, I struggle enough with Oikawa's, I've got to receive his now too!" Shinji said, with a cloud of hopelessness hanging above his head.
Speaking of, the topic of that conversation, Oikawa, began to talk with his fellow third years about what they just saw.
"Iwa-chan, did that just happen!?" he said, asking his trusted ace if saw what they just did.
Hajime Iwaizumi was looking on just as dumbfounded as his setter was, still trying to grasp not only how strong that serve was, but that it was done with his non-dominant hand. This kid might be just what we need. He thought before responding to Shittykawa. "Yeah, Ushiwaka won't know what hit him!"
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Coach Irihata had seen some things in his day as coach. But he had never seen anything quite like this. To be able to put so much power behind a jump serve and have it bend that much and land in was incredible. But to be told that it wasn't his dominant hand was even scarier, to be ambidextrous in volleyball is both a blessing and a curse, but if even a smidge of that inborn ability can be brought to fruition, Bodhi Hamada might very well become a true ace. Becoming one means you can shoulder the team's burdens and carry them through the good and bad. To bring them out from the depths of despair and have them soar above it. Truly a special talent had made Aoba Johsai their new home, and Coach Irihata would be damned to waste it.
With the return of Kyotani from suspension and the new blood in Bodhi, he could see a highly lethal offence begin to bloom in Seijo. Before he could think more about it, his star player made his way over to the new talent.
"What's your name? I didn't catch it before. Names' Oikawa," he introduced himself, and Irihata decided to let it play out. See what the 'conductor' of Seijo was going to do.
"Ah! Your him! The 'best' setter yeah? Set for me, mate!" Bodhi said, going for the cart of volleyballs that had been put out for practice.
"What!? No just tell me your name!" Oikawa said, with a little bit of annoyance, but before he could complain some more a ball was tossed his way, and like any good setter he instantly got in position and sent one over. Seeing as how he had never set for Bodhi before, he did a standard 3rd tempo set, at a similar height to what Matsukawa liked, seeing as how he was a similar height to his friend and a ball and half widths length away from the net.
Seeing the ball coming his way Bodhi started his approach, but as he slammed his right foot into position to leap up high and slam it down, his foot slipped causing him to fall and land on his back. A chorus of laughter began again as Bodhi had just made a fool of himself again, and the best part hadn't even happened yet. The set had come down and landed straight on his face, this time even Coach Irihata began to snicker at the poor boy's misfortune.
"Ya bloody ball!" Bodhi roared as he leapt up and kicked it away onto the balcony. Only then did he notice that he was still in his indoor shoes. Giving him no grip whatsoever.
"Son, why don't we just relax today? Today's practice is just an overview of what transpired during the inter-high and how we can improve." Coach Irihata began, which surprised some of the players, seeing as this was the first, they had heard of it. All of them expected to be put through the wringer for failing once again to topple the mountain that was Ushiwaka and Shiratorizawa. But in all honesty, they probably would have preferred the physical beatdown than the mental dressing down they were about to get.
"So, with that said, everyone to the multi-media room. Coach Mizoguchi is already there preparing the film. Hustle now!" he said, making all the players put it in gear and make their way to the media room.
Bodhi hadn't a clue where that was, so he just followed the procession of players and he found himself walking with the third-year that chastised dye-job. Looking at him, Bodhi thought he had a good frame for volleyball, an all-rounder who probably at some point believed the power to be the end all be all. Almost as if he heard Bodhi's thoughts said person turned his head and looked up at Bodhi with a questioning glare. This time the glare had been somewhat effective.
"Uh. Just wanted to say thanks for getting dye job under control earlier and on the roof too." Bodhi said. "What's your name by the way?"
"Huh, you do have some manners first-year," he said in a tone that felt like he was above Bodhi, which made sense in some ways, seeing as he was older. "I'm Hajime Iwaizumi, third-year outside hitter and ace."
With Iwaizumi's piece said he continued walking on, leaving Bodhi behind to walk with the other first years, who had lagged behind, quickly cleaning up the few stray balls as they had been told by the coach to do.
"Damn, you got a death wish man? Can't be talkin' to Iwaizumi like that," a tall first-year said, as he approached Bodhi. "I'm a fellow first-year as well. Class 1-1 Yutaro Kindaichi." He stated, holding his fist out for a bump, which Bodhi met earnestly. This guy's alright… Bodhi thought. As he had so far been the only chill person close to his age that he conversed with on his first day.
"So, was the loss that bad? All of you seem pretty gloomy." Bodhi asked as he walked side by side with Kindaichi.
"Yeah, you could say that. We lost in straight sets. 22-25 and 23-25. But we we're never in control of the match. Always chasing and never leading, takes a toll on your mental state. Always overthinking and expecting the worst possible outcome." Kindaichi explained, finding it pretty easy to talk with the new transfer student and a new member of the volleyball club now that Kindaichi thought about it.
The two kept conversing with each other as they walked through the hallways, mainly talking about volleyball and not much else, seeing as they had just met. But both had a gut feeling that they would find each other's company enjoyable. Just another bro.
"Here it is, hopefully, Mizoguchi is relaxed somewhat. He's pretty spirited most of the time during practice and anything to do with volleyball," Kindaichi explained taking a seat in the second row as the third-years had occupied the first row, sitting beside his friend Kunimi, whom he had known since middle school. Bodhi sat beside Kindaichi on the end and said hello again to Kunimi seeing as he was the one who led him to the gym earlier.
"Okay? Listen up!" Coach Mizoguchi began, making everyone quiet down and pay attention to the fairly loud man. "We will now begin our post-inter-high debrief and go over our successes and failures as a team. If you have any questions throughout, feel free to ask them. As long as they aren't stupid," he finished before clicking play on their match video against Karasuno High in the third round of the tournament. Bodhi decided he pay rapt attention, to try and gleam the information he could out of the video, on both his teammates and potential future adversaries.