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Apollonia didn't expect an email from Isobe so soon. After their prior meeting, she operated under the assumption that he and the other educators were too engrossed with their own academic obligations to speak to her again until after the holidays. Judging from the email though, Isobe was just as surprised.

It came on Thursday afternoon during lunch hour while she sat outside with her fellow third years. They already knew how perturbed she was before she even finished the email, and snickered quietly as they watched her nose and brow twitch from one emotion to the next - gestures quite dramatic for their poker-faced Finn.

She told Ukai before practice that she would have to miss another Saturday in order to go to Tokyo. He grunted in affirmation, seeing it as a bit inconvenient, but otherwise not out of the ordinary. Takeda-sensei looked up from his booklet, a little less understanding.

"Well this is a surprise! They must be preparing you for internships by now, huh," he asked in a voice that was noticeably strained, "my guess is they'll want you to shadow the upperclassmen more often. Maybe even go on trips with the team."

Despite his tone, he was smiling. Bright and adoring like a proud father when their child boasts grades worthy of being hung up on the fridge. Ukai however, did a double-take then went rigid, as if a dark thought crossed his mind.

"Whatever you need to do, kid, you do it. Wherever they ask you to go in the future, just know it's fine with us. Anything that'll help you get into that university is what matters most."

"You're a student first," Takeda affirmed. "And you have brought Karasuno great pride with this, so please don't think you need to stay here if they are granting you bigger opportunities in Tokyo. We will still support you in Miyagi, and you will always have connections here."

"It's only a meeting," Apollonia clarified quickly. Both of them were suddenly so… paternal. It was new and weird and left her flushed pink down to the neck and she didn't even have a clue as to why it did.

"Even so, be careful in the city when you're alone. When you're not with us or your advisor, then know where the police stations are and don't trust guys who tell you you're mature for your age. Or guys that look too happy that you're only 17! And don't-" Takeda-sensei cut off Ukai's rant mid-sentence upon seeing the foreigner wringing her hands until the knuckles turned white.

"Apollonia-kun what Ukai-kun means to say, I believe, is that you can depend on us! And your safety is the most important thing!"

Their sentiments almost seemed like a new concept to the Finn, as if no adult had ever spoken to her in such a fussing, brusque manner. Ukai had scolded her less than a handful of times for volleyball-centric reasons, never for her… general wellbeing. As much of a shock it was for Apollonia to hear that they cared, it was even more of a shock to both men to see her so disturbed by it.

She thanked them before excusing herself to help Kiyoko with the water before the boys came back from their circuit training, leaving Ukai scratching under his headband and Takeda flipping through next week's itinerary.

"Sensei, do you know anything about her host parents? Do they know about all of this too?"

Takeda brought his pencil to his lips. He wracked his brain, trying to remember everything from her emergency phone to her first person of contact. Apollonia always appeared well taken care of: she was active, mentally sound, and as acclimated as a foreigner could be with the language, transportation, school system, etc. She had health issues pertaining to the vast difference in climate, but her grades never suffered and she still had over a 70% attendance rate. He overheard her teachers from last year discuss sending a student to her complex to deliver homework, but she always appeared in time before such measures were needed. Her apartment wasn't located in a great neighborhood, but it wasn't a slum either. Individual studios, not a mansion or family home.

Which meant...

"I'm. I'm not sure she has any."

July 14, Saturday Morning

University

"Apollonia-kun! You're early! Come come!"

Isobe gestured her down the hallway and away from the office, causing the foreigner a bit of distress that her routine was being broken. "We're not meeting here," he explained, "we're actually gonna go somewhere I've been meaning to show you for a while now. The boys have been away, and the other trainers are jumping around with other events, so it's been hard to synch everyone up."

They exited the main building and started for the satellites down the block. The school felt so vast beyond the drudgery of the admin building and Isobe's poorly lit office. There were trails wide enough for three people to walk side-by-side. Shrubbery and gardens that inched along the perimeters, full and flourishing despite the summer heat. Students, staff, and visiting families all weaving through different buildings, navigating their own little worlds. And yet, the campus still had acres to spare. The universities in Finland were less abundant, and less extravagant than the ones in Japan - in Tokyo at least. She had only seen a small portion with her route from the entrance to Isobe's office. There was no time budgeted for exploring when the train schedules were so strict, so Apollonia resigned herself to stay in the building she was used to. As adventurous as she seemed on paper, she still at her core was a creature of habit.

"Today I'm introducing you to the team you'll be watching over once you're accepted," Isobe declared, putting emphasis on the 'once.' "You'll want to familiarize yourself well to these buildings. They're newly renovated, so you're coming in at a great time."

From her position, almost everything looked 'newly renovated'. So many buildings were such an odd mix of glass, stone, and steel, but they all had the same imposing aura that made Apollonia feel as though she were in another world entirely.

"You'll also get to meet the trainers you'll be supervised by," Isobe continued as they passed the wide fields full of soccer players and hobby athletes. "And! Okamatsun-sensei is finally back from America. He's who I really wanted you to meet. I think you'll find you share similar ideals, given the subjects of your papers."

'Okamatsun.'

It was a name Apollonia came to know only after she received her acceptance email. Her mother (a fellow professor) taught her well, encouraging her to skim through his resume and read whatever publications were available for free.

He was the head of the Sports Medicine department, and like herself, studied internationally. Apollonia all but memorized his essays that were published in English. Their ideals did in fact coincide, but that didn't mean they would get along, or that he would even fully accept her as his student until she proved herself. In all likelihood, he would not be as accepting as Isobe, especially when he likely saw a hundred students at the start of every term, before his roster ultimately whittled down to tens.

They entered the training complex, conveniently not too far from the gyms where volleyball practices were typically held. It was a winding building attached to the weight room where most of the athletes would spend their time bulking up, forcing Apollonia and Isobe to weave past people that were coming and going.

A few minutes later they stood in front of a small door with "Athletic Trainer" carved on an old but shiny plaque. The air was stale with sweat, but permeated with menthol rub. Upbeat pop music played at a comfortable volume, the bassline raising gooseflesh on Apollonia's arms as she was ushered through the doorway. She took in the newly refurbished training room with a deep, slow breath. At the front was a rack holding numerous athletic shoes and discarded phones, leading towards a line of beds and benches where a few athletes sat - some with ice, some with heat packs, some stretching with colored bands. There was a long countertop holding a few sinks, littered with timers and clipboards and spare wrapping supplies.

Apollonia suddenly felt compelled to touch all of it. What brands they used, what colors they had, how they organized it. This is what a real trainer's complex looks like. It was almost like a dream. To think, she might actually get to train here, with state-of-the-art machines, name-brand wrapping, working with like-minded individuals and passionate, blossoming athletes. This very well could be her future in just a matter of months.

She was so fixated on every square inch of the room she almost didn't feel the gentle tap against her shoulder.

"Heya."

Beside her was a young man almost a head taller than her with lightened hair. He winked, though his amber eyes did not seem to move, the color itself flat. He searched her, but it felt as though he could not truly see her despite the undivided attention he gave. Before he could open his mouth to speak, Apollonia was waved into a side office with Isobe. There were two seperate rooms, both doors open. She figured it was for the other head trainer, or at least a shared student office. But the office she entered was much larger, and cluttered with paperwork.

"Apollonia-kun, this is Okamatsun-sensei."

He gestured to a man with a fatherly appeal to him - handsome in a demure, scholarly way. He grinned warmly at her and waved the person next to him to leave the office. The other was a much younger man, with dark, curly hair tied mostly up in a ponytail. He had stormy, tired eyes, like a slow-moving hurricane. He was along the same heights as her, given the small nudge against her shoulder as he trudged past her without even giving his name.

"Ah, Manner-kun, welcome," Okatmatsun began. "I'm sorry I don't know much about you other than what you write in your papers. But I must say, from what I've seen, I do hope you pass your entrance exams on the first try. I'd really like a view such as yours at this university."

Apollonia fought the feeling that swelled in her chest and bowed stiffly, biting down on her tongue to keep her cool. She actually received praise from the mouth of the man that read countless of her papers and held her academic career in his hands. If that wasn't a high honor in itself, she didn't know what was.

Isobe slipped out of the office, and through the glass window Apollonia could see him speaking with the stormy-eyed man and the one with light hair, as if they were old friends - not that she expected any less from her fillipant advisor. Her face didn't show it, but she could feel sweat coating her hands. There was no questionaire for her to study, no formal email prepping her. She was, quite literally, dropped on his doorstep.

He appeared easygoing, as most Sports Medicine majors apparently were. But that didn't erase his spot in the university's hierarchy, especially given his own lengthy academic record. His name long preceded him, while Apollonia was as low on the totem pole as could be.

But one could hardly tell from the outside given the lo-fi music playing idly from his office stereo, and the leisurely pace that he sipped his bubble tea.

"Sorry for the mess. This situation isn't common, but Isobe-san insisted that we meet before summer vacation. I'll admit I agree with him: your latest paper was quite a read." He pointed outside towards the trio still talking. "My teaching assistant out there is the one that does the initial grading of your papers, and it made enough of an impression on him to actually send a digital copy to me while I was overseas."

The swelling in her chest nearly burst. There almost wasn't enough air in her lungs to even respond. Perhaps that's why the man with faux amber eyes looked at her with such precision and familiarity. He must have recognized her before she even said anything.

"I won't waste any time here. In terms of philosophy, I'm sort of an odd-ball if I'm going to be honest with you. Athletic training in Japan is much different than it is overseas - that's why more schools have been allowing students to study abroad. Personally, I feel training should be better incorporated into club sports, as early as middle school. Most of the students I pick to stay in my department represent this hope that maybe our scores, our voices, and our hard work will change the way sports medicine is viewed, and how it can eventually be eased into schools as an extension of club activities."

Apollonia figured as much. He was an open advocate of student health, and believed that they should have easier access to trainers that didn't require strenuous doctor's appointments. She would have been lying to say that the thought didn't inspire her. She too wanted to see a similar coordinance instilled, but she didn't want to seem imposing when she wasn't even a citizen yet.

"The fact that you come from a different perspective is refreshing," Okamatsun added. "And our ideals aligning is helpful too. I trust that you will work hard and not waste this opportunity you've made for yourself. And I hope you won't waste our time either. I know you probably didn't think it would have as much impact as it does, but I want to ensure you know the weight of your actions."

Apollonia tightened her fists against her thighs.

"I do."

Okamatsun smiled faintly. A man of his experience knew not to take the promises of teenagers too seriously, but there was a fondness he failed to hide. "I trust you also understand that you will from here on out be under incredible scrutiny for anything and everything you do in this field. The demographics aren't exactly in your favor."

"I know."

"I cannot promise you immunity from any negative reactions you garner. Things will only get more stressful for you now," he explained. "Especially being a young, foreign woman. Please try to keep this in mind for any future interviews, photo-ops, internships, you know - the works. I know Isobe-san already went through managing any social media you have."

Apollonia nodded again, trying her best not to look too morose at the mention of 'social media'.

"He also mentioned you were interested in scholarships to help with the tuition fees. My TA and I can help with proofing the essays if you give enough notice. You'll still retain your travel stipend, but I trust if you are accepted, you'll consider moving out of Miyagi. This is all far in the future of course, but close enough to at least consider anyway," he shrugged. "You'll be eligible for internships your second year, maybe earlier depending on how quickly you get through the curriculum. Good recommendations don't hurt either." He took a small pause, debating his next declaration before he ultimately sucked down the last of his tea and straightened in his chair.

"To be frank, you aren't special. We have a lot of hard-working students here, and it's little things like your affinity for languages and your ease with traveling that will help set you apart - though not by much. Prodigy or not, every trainer takes the same classes and reads from the same textbook. It's up to you to figure out how to go beyond that."

In flashes, Apollonia's face became frightfully young: too fresh and unaware of her own incredulity to see that her stoic mask had long been removed. Just one meeting with him, and Okamatsun was able to escort her off the pedestal she'd been given by peers and professors and finally speak to her like a student. She was not a weapon that needed to be polished. She was a kid that needed to work hard. Okamatsun expected her to look disheartened, but Apollonia was practically sparkling.

A knock on the window caused them both to turn and see Isobe through the glass, gesturing at his watch while the stormy-eyed man and the one with light hair gathered a booklets and clipboards.

"We'll be meeting the team shortly. There are only a few seniors, so you will be privy to most of the next generation. Treat them well."

That was all he had prepared to leave her with, and rose to his feet. When standing, he seemed far less intimidating, perhaps due to the view of his ratty sweats that had been hidden by his desk, and the fact that he wasn't much taller than Takeda-sensei. He picked up a few items before his door was swiftly yanked open.

A young man barged in holding a stack of folders, his unruly black hair flopping over his face. It was similar in color and texture to the stormy-eyed man, though this individual could hardly be considered dangerous or dreary. His megawatt smile only flickered after seeing that he had arrived unannounced. "Oops sorry, I'm interrupting."

"It's fine," Okamatsun assured. "Actually, this is good. Manner-kun, this boy is from the admissions office. If you have questions you are welcome to ask him anything about the university."

Apollonia nodded and stood up from her chair, putting her almost two heads above than him. He did a poor job at hiding his surprise, and blinked owlishly having to look straight up at her.

"I'm Manner Apollonia. I am my last highschool year, a junior trainer, and prospective student."

That snapped him out of his stupor. "Oh wow! You must be the incredible foreign girl then. They say you're wicked smart!"

Apollonia's face warmed. Something about him felt familiar, something about his radiant enthusiasm and animalistic eyes that made him all-too endearing despite being older than her.

"I'm just a part-timer at the admissions office," he explained, "but I'll give you my email if you have questions in the future. I'm a little nicer than some of the older ladies, but don't tell them I said that!"

Okamatsun chuckled. The boy gave her his work email on the admission's office information card and thanked them for their time. When he handed off the forms he meant to drop off and started to show himself out, he was stopped by Okamatsun.

"Oi, your name! Don't be rude!"

"Oh right," he squawked, spinning around and bowing low enough for his hood to flip over.

"Udai Tenma! Nice to meet you!"

University Gym

According to Okamatsun, the team was gearing up for a quick match before they set off further south for training. They were almost finished prepping and didn't even look up from their tasks when they entered. Unlike Karasuno, the university team was well-known and had the hype to show it: small crowds of women and men lined the rafters, watching idly as the players moved swiftly around the court. They were efficient without compromising their humor, and kept a jovial competitive air that was far from the viciousness or buffoonery she knew of her own team. They had done this countless times before, that much was obvious.

Along with the onlookers, several photography students wandered around the floor, taking pictures with their large, expensive cameras. Some players would stop to make faces while others shied away when the lens was pointed towards them. Not really knowing how to conduct herself, Apollonia stood lock-kneed frozen in place and scoped the gym, clutching her clipboard to her chest. This was not Karasuno's gym, this gym didn't smell like Salonpas or sport's drink. It smelled like metal and citrus cleaner. Apollonia inhaled slowly, figuring she'd better get used to it.

"Smile a lil, Manner-chan," a voice behind her teased, reflexively causing her frown to deepen.

It was the amber-eyed man again. Same smile. Same searching expression. Apollonia wondered if he wanted a thank-you for passing her paper along to Okamatsun-sensei.

"Kaneko Yori," he said upon realizing the Finn wasn't the master conversationalist Isobe was. She briefly considering giving hers, though it was clear he already knew it. She just grazed him, top to bottom; and unlike the others who shrunk under her stare, he seemed to grow.

"I get it, it's kinda a girly name," he laughed. Apollonia figured he was trying to alleviate the tension, unintentionally doing so in a way that caused her even more stress than if he had just left her alone. She looked away, unintentionally turning towards the stormy-eyed man near the opposite end of the gym.

"That's Haru-chan, he's a sourpuss too," Yori chirped.

But players flocked towards him anyway, and they seemed to be able to exchange freely with him despite his prickly disposition. It gave Apollonia a spark of hope that she wouldn't have to adopt a demeanor like Yori's just to be considered worthy of her position. Haru said something that made the players laugh, though his own expression unchanging. He walked towards them at center court, suddenly scowling as he got closer.

"Kaneko."

Yori took a half-step away from her and put his hands behind his back: at-attention like a soldier. Haru didn't say anything else and took place on her other side. Okamatsun eventually joined them, chatting idly with the coach as the team gathered into a cluster in front of them. Even on the sidelines, the photography students were still snapping.

It was a new experience for her to suddenly be one of the shortest in the room. Wedged in between the other two trainers, and in front of the men's volleyball team, there was not a single person that was below her eye-line, save for their Libero. But even he was roughly the height of Kageyama. They all had to look down at her, making Apollonia (for the very first time in her life) feel incredibly small. Their shoulders looked like they could carry boulders, and their chests were wider and bulkier than anyone on Karasuno - they were more like that of Dateko's blocking line. But these bodies were clearly that of a refined adult's, not an overfed child's.

"Thanks for gathering, men," Okamatsun called, his voice much louder than the gentle tone he used with her. The volleyball team didn't even looked affected by it, clearly used to orders that sounded like thunder and lightning.

"We're here to introduce our newest prospect trainer, specializing in volleyball. She attends Karasuno High School, and will be hopefully entering next year. Manner Apollonia, born in Finland, speaks five languages, and is the top three of her college preparatory class. Concurrently, she is trialing a three-hour freshman course and has maintained an 'A' average since the start of the semester. Please welcome her."

Apollonia braced herself for the usual round of bemused noises and hushed exchanges, but it never came.

They bowed, sparing her less than a second of attention before returning it to Okamatsun, waiting for their next order. Some kept on her with beguiled smiles, enjoying the fresh blood. But most looked unbothered by her presence, finding no reason to stare and having no real intention of embracing her so quickly. They kept a mild atmosphere, the only utterance being from a photography student on the sideline that didn't realize she was a girl.

In the pit of her stomach, Apollonia was waiting for some look, comment, or gesture that would spike her anxiety: some instance that would perpetuate the 'otherness' of her and define her as an extraterrestrial, splice her from their ranks and cage her like an exotic animal to be displayed. But that never came either. They looked at her expectantly, in a way that read 'do as you please,' rather than 'show us your teeth.' Indifferent, but disarming. Whether their appraisal of her was favorable or not, one thing was certain: this was a group that she absolutely would not be able to intimidate.

She should have felt powerless.

And to a certain extent, she did. But it wasn't so much the loss of power, as it was loss of a celebrity that she felt unworthy of from the start. It was the illusion of power that was stripped from her, the imaginary laurels that didn't exist. In front of them, she was no more extraordinary than any other try-hard-goody-goody freshman trying to make their stake in the medical field. There was more of her kind to spare, and for that they did not waste a second look pretending to be impressed by her.

They were an A-Rank university: intelligent, hardworking students were not a commodity they were exactly lacking. Okamatsun made sure she knew that from the start. 'You aren't special.' And hell, was it true. She really wasn't anything special. She wasn't extraterrestrial, wasn't god-like, she wasn't a celebrity or a bird or a powerful tree. And on top of that, she was surrounded by stellar athletes, all doubling as students, workers, professionals. All stars in the making, burning bright, and yet they conducted themselves as normally as the commoners crowding the rafters, treating her not as a luxury, but as an equal.

Apollonia let out a quiet breath. The space behind her eyes felt wide and ripped open, tearing all the way down to her chest cavity until every nagging anxiety was repulsed from her, falling and spilling and pooling at her feet. A large hand smacked the center of her back, emptying the last of it on the hardwood floor, until there was nothing else to be afraid of anymore. Beside her, Yori was nearly glowing.

"Good start, Manner-chan!"

Home

By the time she got back to her apartment, it was dark. The crotchety old woman that was her landlord seemed displeased by this, but then again everything Apollonia did displeased her. She seemed especially irked today however, and when she was done taking off her shoes as wiping down the gekan (as the old lady tirelessly ordered her to do) she was stopped by her landlord. As tiny as a breadcrumb, she had enough personality to fill the hallway, glaring up at Apollonia through her crepey, drooping eyelids.

"Foreigner," she snipped, voice raspy from years of chain smoking. "A delinquent-looking fellow dropped this off a few hours ago."

She shoved a heavy package wrapped in a large plain-colored cloth towards her, nose scrunched as if it were garbage.

"No outside boys allowed," she hissed, wagging a bony, bent finger at her. "Especially ones much older than you! Don't bring that indecency to my family's complex."

Apollonia furrowed her brow. There were so many things to unpack just from that statement alone, but she was just too tired to even begin. She'd ask forgiveness by cleaning and oiling the floors as she typically did when she upset her. Her tea-making and cooking left much to be desired, but at least she could appeal to her landlord with her affinity for hygiene.

She bowed the best she could still holding the package (about as wide as her hips, and heavier than both of her bags combined) and set off towards her room, wondering what 'delinquent' knew her address. The only ones that knew exactly where she lived were her teachers. Apollonia figured she should have had a greater sense of danger about the box in her hands - but the landlord was as paranoid as they came - she might have even considered Sugawara a delinquent if he wasn't dressed to the nines and kissing her feet.

She put the package on her bed and untied the cloth. It was one of those large, multi-tiered bento boxes she'd seen in stores - she remembered how ridiculously expensive they were, and was amazed if anyone could actually stomach all the food capable of being held in them. This one look handmade, though, like it had lasted more than one generation. Inside was a menagerie of fresh and wrapped foods: many of it sliced and preserved, as if it could be eaten by itself or used it future recipes. In the lower shelves were a meal bars, bags of dried fruit, trail mix, and shelf-stable squeeze pouches of applesauce. On her own accord, she'd never stock up on snacks like this, not unless it was for the boys. She learned that from her mother: to always be prepared for the needs of others instead of her own.

Apollonia held her breath, her body going as rigid as wire. Her room was hot and stuffy, but she felt as cold as ice. Who would give her this, and why? There was almost two weeks worth of food just sitting on her bed, and she didn't have to pay a single yen for it. For an act of charity that should have pleased her, Apollonia's entire body filled with dread. Gifts, especially anonymous ones, were high on her 'a fate worse than death' scale along with small-talk and standing at close quarters with someone. In her rising panic, she almost didn't notice the post-it note taped to the inside of the box's top cover. It was a short note, written with a rough, masculine penmanship that was still ten times more legible than her own.

'Kid,

Some of this stuff is expiring soon and it won't sell, so just take it.

Coach'

Author's Note

Ah, this was an enjoyable chapter for me. Another sort of transition chapter, but a necessary one to get Apple in the right mindset for the camp! I like writing characters that are unimpressed or indifferent to her, and of course ones that treat her like the vulnerable, impressionable teenager that she is.

We are also getting a few new characters entering the fray! (And a very particular canon character that I am very excited about. The gears are being set to turn!)

Chisaka, Haru - translates to "1,000 hills," "Spring." Specializes in volleyball and handball training. 24 years old.

Kaneko, Yori - his name is unisex, but overall he's told it comes off as feminine. Translates to "Golden Child," "Reliable." Specializes in basketball and soccer training. 23 years old. If it wasn't obvious, he wears colored contacts.

Thank you for staying with me! Please let me know what you think! I'm glad that Apollonia is relatable to a few of you, I know writing her has been a good outlet of my own anxieties - I hope to uplift us both with her determination!

Up next: Tokyo Camp! What are you looking forward to the most? Or rather, what would you most like to see?

Have a good night!