[FIN] Getting Started

[BlackFireKitsune]

Despite the fact her arms were still sore from the previous day's impromptu volleyball lesson, Nicolette nonetheless eagerly accepted Shoyo's invitation for another today. While she'd only heard of the sport the day before and obviously had a lot to learn, she at least felt as though she'd learned a great deal thus far, both from Shoyo's instruction and from the research she'd done afterwards, and was only too eager to learn more. To say she was excited would be an understatement.

It had taken her a little longer than she would've liked to find the facility he'd told her of in one of his previous messages, but once she did find it, she dismounted Epona and pulled out her phone so she could double-check and make sure that this was the right place.  

[Suudonym]

Shoyo sort of wondered why he never looked up that match before. It was the match that had inspired him to start volleyball, after all, and he still really admired the short spiker that scored most of the team's points. He'd had to do a bit of digging to unearth the video and the quality of it wasn't great, but it was no less inspiring for it. He had eagerly transferred the video onto his phone, not caring that it ate up most of his free space.

The following day, he took off on his bicycle to the community center where he'd suggested they meet; he had a reservation on one of the women's courts (as embarrassing as it had been to call in) that would begin in a couple hours, giving them plenty of time to watch the video he had found. It was a little warm out, but he didn't mind waiting as long as there was some shade, and so he locked up his bike and perched himself at the top of the center's steps, sitting beneath the overhang that shielded the entryway, a blue and yellow volleyball in his lap and a similarly round bag slung over his shoulder.

People came and left with pokemon at their sides, but the appearance of the Rapidash and its rider wasn't easy to miss. On confirming that the person was who he thought it was, Shoyo raised an arm and waved it wildly, "Nickyyyy!" He was on his feet in a moment, jumping to the bottom of the stairs and moving to meet her properly.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Well, this was definitely the place. With that confirmed, Nicolette put away her phone, recalled Epona, and turned as she returned the ball, only to hear her new nickname. She saw Shoyo waving a moment later, but he was already up and heading towards her before she could wave back. Goodness, he was quick. "Shoyo! How are you today?" She asked, trying to refrain from bouncing on her toes. Once more she turned to the building, her eyes scanning from the foundation all the way up to its roof as she admitted, "I've never been here before. We can practice in here?"  

[Suudonym]

"Great!" he answered, punching at the empty air to demonstrate his high spirits and energy. "I'm looking forward to trying all kinds of things today - I hope you are too!" The fact that she had been willing to practice for a second day at least meant that she wasn't tired of it yet, and he hoped that she kept up her interest.

He turned to follow her gaze to the building, then returned his attention to his company, nodding his head, "Yeah! There are a bunch of facilities and stuff in here! I made a reservation for one of the volleyball courts with the shorter nets, but it doesn't start for a couple hours, which leaves plenty of time fooor..." He fished his phone out of his pocket, presenting it enthusiastically, "Tada! I found a video of that match I mentioned! The screen is kinda small, but you can still see what's going on!"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Yes, I am!" She said with a bright smile and a firm nod, excited to practice with Shoyo again today. Not only could they play in this large building, but he'd somehow managed to reserve a whole court for them, and even managed to get a short net! No doubt that was for her benefit, given how knew she still was to volleyball. "Ohh... Really?" Nicolette asked almost in awe, completely unaware of how difficult (or not) such a feat really was, but assuming it was a difficult thing to accomplish - and he had succeeded. "That's wonderful!"

As he trailed off and began digging in his pocket, her expression morphed into one of curiosity. Her enthusiasm renewed and she clapped her hands together as he presented his phone and the explanation with it - as if she wasn't excited enough. "Oh, good! That's perfect," she assured him, happy to see the video at all, regardless of screen size. She couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration; she had no idea how to do that with her phone, and yet he - she assumed - had little to no trouble with it. "When can we watch it?"  

[Suudonym]

He beamed at her excitement, then gestured towards the building in response to her question, "We can watch it in the lobby now, before the reservation starts! They have chairs and stuff, and I've got headphones!" Headphones would do little to quiet his naturally loud voice, but he wasn't really thinking about that.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

In response to his suggestion, she nodded and offered an eager, "okay!" before moving to enter the building. The lobby did indeed have chairs as he'd said, and she moved towards a secluded corner and gestured to it as she looked to him curiously, "Is this spot okay?"  

[Suudonym]

"Yeah!" he affirmed, bounding over to one of the chairs and pushing it beside another so that the armrests touched. "Here, I can put the phone like this," he rested the device on the platform the joined armrests created, the screen horizontal, "and then we can both watch! Oh - I think there's a kiosk a little further in with drinks and stuff if you're thirsty or anything. It's probably mostly sports drinks and protein shakes and stuff though." Did girls like that sort of stuff?  

[BlackFireKitsune]

She followed as he bounded over to the corner, and sat in one of the chairs he'd chosen, watching as he positioned his phone and explained. "Ohh, all right," she said with a nod and a smile, leaning over her arm rest a little so she could better see the small screen. "Oh, that's kind of you," Nicolette responded with another smile, but shook her head a little. "I'm not thirsty right now though. I'll probably be thirsty later though, after we've practiced."  

[Suudonym]

He perched himself comfortably in the seat, fishing his headphones from his pocket. "Oh yeah, you're probably right about that!" he said, setting the bagged volleyball and the free one on the floor beside his chair. He plugged the headphones into his phone, offering one of the buds to Nicolette with an enthusiastic "here you go!" She kind of smelled like his house did when he came home from school and his mother had baked something sweet; it was far from unpleasant, but it made him just a bit conscious of whether he smelled like sweat or sports cream or laundry detergent or something else entirely.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Nicolette gratefully accepted the offered earbud with a polite "thank you" before carefully placing it in her ear, and positioned herself a little more comfortably on the chair.  

[Suudonym]

When Nicolette indicated that she was ready, he loaded up the video and let it play, excited to see it even though he had just watched it the previous evening after finding it online. Just watching it was exciting enough, but knowing that his company was a total beginner, Shoyo figured it would also be helpful to explain what was happening: how the opposing team was awarded a point when someone touched the net, how to tell when an attack was in or out, which player was the libero and why he could rotate in and out without substitution, and other useful details. He enthusiastically emphasized the tiny, dark-haired boy in jersey number 10 with whom Shoyo's own height was so similar - and look at how many points he was scoring even though their opponents were so tall! He didn't respond to or even notice the various glances his passionate narration earned from the lobby's other occupants and passersby.

Eventually the video came to its end, replaced with a dim screen and an icon to replay it.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Despite the low quality of the video, Nicolette could still tell the different players apart on each team, and other various important things. She didn't notice the other people either, so enthralled by the video was she. Each of his comments elicited an appropriate response, usually consisting of a nod or a short, almost awed comment. Thanks to Shoyo's explanations, as well as her own research, the day before, she had a much better grasp of what was going on than she would've had before - though his commentary to solidify what she had learned only served to aid her in committing everything to memory.

When it ended, she removed the earbud and offered it back, a grin on her face, her small hands balled into fists, and a desire to bounce in her seat - a desire she managed not to act on. "That was amazing!" Rather unsurprisingly, she found herself all the more eager and excited to begin playing volleyball now.  

[Suudonym]

He flashed a wide smile in return, "Wasn't it?!" As he wound up the headphone wires to store them again, his disposition calmed to a degree, "If we hadn't moved all of a sudden, I would have gone to that school and played on their team. I was accepted and everything. That would have been so cool." Playing on that team, wearing that jersey... It wasn't as though he wanted to play volleyball professionally or anything, so it was more a bittersweet memory than a real disappointment, but he really would have liked to experience the feeling of playing on a team with a proper setter and a libero and a coach at least once.

He noticed the time on his phone as he exited from the video player, perking up again, "There's still some time before the court is open, but do you wanna go ahead and change your clothes so we can go right in later? There are locker rooms and stuff near the restrooms, I think!"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Her demeanor subdued as his did, but hers more out of sympathy than anything else. Had he not moved, he would've gone to that school and played on a real team - he wouldn't have to practice all by himself all the time, he could've practiced with teammates in a proper setting, and played games with them, and-- "I'm sorry," she said earnestly, suddenly finding herself sad solely by thinking such things. Poor Shoyo.

"Oh, is..." She trailed off almost as abruptly as she'd finished speaking, her sadness completely gone at this point and replaced with an air of confusion and mild discomfort. "Ah, u-um.. Change?" She asked in a small voice behind her fingers, her hands raised to cover part of the lower half of her face. That wasn't... something she had been aware she'd have to do. Change to... what clothes?