Raiden looked around the gym, he had forgotten which match came first but he saw people preparing for volleyball. Seems like he found his answer right away. "Well, I'd say if someone doesn't know how to play volleyball now, speak up.
Kasaru came into the gym later due to him getting changed into sports gear, comprised of a tanktop and shorts. He stuffed his clothes in a corner as he wrapped up his arms with some bandages. "That's like asking if grass is green." He muttered to himself.
Joseph went and got himself situated in his own Gym outfit. A black tanktop with some sporty brief like shorts, setting his own stuff inside his jacket and wrapping it up accordingly before setting it beside Kasaru's things. "If you're worried about any of my scent rubbing off, don't worry, I keep clean and I haven't been shedding yet." Just to reassure the idea was all good, stepping over to raiden and yuki.
"I'm not concerned about that, don't worry." Kasaru gave him an almost disgusted glance before moving over to stand with the current team.
Joseph stood tall, oblivious to the look he got from Kasaru before turning to Raiden. "I'm just using the bandages to give myself some better leverage, I imagine it won't be against the rules."
Raiden noticed everyone getting changed into different clothes and looked around. "I don't know if Gym wear is necessary but the bandages should be fine." He looked around the stands to see if he could see anyone he knew.
"Yeah, I was just saying in case, since it looks like there's eh...not many of my kind it looks like round here." He knew gym wear wasn't mandatory but, it always gave an edge in keeping the body free for certain movements.
"Perhaps it's not needed but, having free space for movement and plenty of ventilation will help keep the body shaped up for each game."
Raiden nodded agreeing with Joseph's advice. "Well yeah, I just think the fact we'll get to use our abilities is going to make this event interesting."
"I need skin showing for my ability to work properly if I'm gonna use it later. It's just to ensure I'm using it safely." Kasaru leaned against the wall and eyed the surroundings of the gym, looking at the other people there.
"When do we get started?" Joseph walked over to Kasaru and moved his shadow to promptly overlap with his, not seeming to do much for now. However, it served as his own extra insurance for a small trump card to use in the game.
"Don't mind that, just adding an extra bit to the plan if needed, not that I'm saying we will or won't." He stepped back and stood against the wall with kasaru, waiting for further instruction.
"That won't be necessary right now, save it for later. If you're going to use anything use it on the rest of us and not the guy who's gonna be basically a regular person in a volleyball game with mana." Kasaru eyed him from the corner of his retinas, while he wasn't trying to be rude he didn't understand why Joseph didn't do the rest of the group as well. Something was suspicious about him.
Raiden continued scanning the room, looking up at the stands and seeing someone that was important to him, his face turned red from embarrassment after seeing the one who oversaw the kingdom, his father. Rai was sitting up in the top of the stands in a secluded area for VIP personnel, his skin was pale now from the sickness that brewed inside of him all those years ago, he had stress marks coming down the sides of his face but yet, even in critical sickness, he looked like a seasoned warrior to this day. His aura was overwhelming to the competitors and members in the gym. This was the King of Ashina watching his sons compete after all. He smiled and waved down to his sons below, cupping his hands around his mouth and shouting. "Go Raiden and Gharma!"
Kasaru moved away, shifting towards Raiden as he turned away, he smirked a little and tried to keep it not obvious he was talking to him to not embarass him. "Is that your dad? The dude looks like he shits bricks, I'm jealous." He gave a soft chuckle as he continued to look over his shoulder at Raiden and his father.
Raiden nodded, his embarrassment turned to laughter. He rubbed the back of his head and smiled. "Yeah... that's my dad, he's one of the strongest people in the world and yet he comes here to watch us compete." He continued laughing nervously.
"I wish my dad would do that. I'm still waiting on him coming back from his fifteen year vacation." Kasaru smirked back at him, it was a bit of a coping mechanism but he didn't mind too much if people knew about that. "I don't know what your family life is like, but I'd kill for a dad like that."
"Well it's not the worst thing ever, a little strict but again not the worst thing ever. I imagine he's really here to step in if needed. I think he's more excited to see us at the exams though. He's been having me train with Aladdin since I was able to hold a sword right." Raiden was not equipped with a sword at this time, but the previous training was a hint of what type of fighter he was, a master of some sort of blade for sure. "I wonder if anyone else is gonna be here."
"He's obviously proud of you enough to come and see you compete." Kasaru made sure the other team was not listening in on their conversation. "Whatever happens can I count on you to help me not get incapacitated before dodgeball?"
Raiden turned towards Kasaru and put his thumb up to his face, pointing at himself with a cheeky smile. "Of course, as the team captain I won't let anyone be out of the count before we win!"
In the same VIP booth was the father of the King of Ashina, the Lion of the Otizawa family standing beside his ailing son. Though he didn't stand nearly as tall as he did fifteen years ago-but even in his age he was imposing and currently he smiled fondly at his grandchildren preparing to compete.
Yuki turned and saw her grandfather, she herself resembled a young Noelle. Her face lit up with a bright smile as her love for her grandfather was unbound. "GRAMPS! I FUCKING LOVE YOU!!" Raiden looked up seeing Yami next to his father, he waved excitedly to his grandfather.
Yami waved at his grandchildren and put a hand cupped around his mouth, shouting out to them. "You all shall make your fathers proud!"
Kasaru looked away while smirking at Raiden. "I might take my words back, parental expectation would be the death of me." He was happy for Raiden and his family, it was honestly somewhat encouraging seeing someone's entire family gathered for them.
Raiden clenched his fists and pumped them in the air* "We're for sure gonna win now! Nobody's going to stop us!"
"It could happen pretty soon if we get too ahead of ourselves, but I digress...my parents wouldn't have shown up anyway, I'm not the model businessman they wanted me to be so."
"My mom wants me to pursue a medical career and luckily at least part of my ability lines up with that." He glanced back at Joseph, keeping his back to Raidens as he eyed the auditorium above. "I'm a bit thankful my mom didn't show up, she's at work right now and I wouldn't want her to walk this distance. Knowing she told me to win before I left is enough to keep my confidence up."
Yuki picked up a ball and started launching it into the air higher and higher after each hit. Raiden looked around and grabbed another ball to practice with. "Hey, I'm just happy I haven't seen my mom yet, she'd probably be up there cheering us on louder than anyone else."
Kasaru decided to follow suit, he at least wanted to try something out given the circumstances. He grabbed one of the spare balls and held it, he shook his hands a few times with it to confirm the bandages gave him better grip. He threw it in the air and caught it a few times, getting his mind and body into rhythm as he sighed out.
"If I can't use anything here I'm still going to try and be useful." Joseph mumbled under his breath, keeping his eyes on the ball. Raiden continued practicing, thinking about Cynil and when she would possibly show up or his own mother for that matter.
Mamba sat in the stands and relaxed. She looked out and wondered where Cynil was as well. "God damn it Rai don't make me regret putting you as team captain. We better not lose to them."
Raiden looked around before turning to Yuki* "Hey, Yuki, have you seen your sister?"
Yuki shrugged her shoulders between bouncing the ball up and doing different volleyball motions. "She came here with me but we split as soon as we got here."
Raiden caught his ball and scanned the room before turning to everyone* "Hey, I'm going try and find Cynil while we have the time left. Call me if anything goes down." Raiden paused his practice and immediately exited out the double doors to the gym, looking for Cynil before it was to late for Ashina.