A/N: Noooo, it's the last chapter in the Shutoku arc of this series. This was honestly such a blast to write. Compared to Kaijou's, I don't know which one was more fun, but this was amazing. Thank you to everyone who has read and favorited and reviewed. You all are such lovely folks. Please do tell me what you thought about the whole story? Like it? Hate it? Tell me! I'd love to hear everyone's opinions so I can write future stories with the criticism in mind. But thanks again to everyone who read and liked the story.

Also, to anyone interested, the first chapter of FIVE THINGS TOUOU RUINED is now posted. So go check that out! Now onto the chapter~

They took away his only joy in life.

v. Miyaji's threats

"What do you mean I can't threaten the brats anymore?!"

Three first stringers took a step backwards from the fuming small forward, except for Ootsubo, who bravely stood his ground. The other players glanced in the direction they had heard the shouting, but the moment they saw Miyaji's angry face they looked away. No one wanted to pulled into that mess.

It was after practice ended, but the players were still in the gym. It was during the down time the team had as they put away the basketballs, mopped the floors, and did whatever else they needed to make sure the gym was in top condition for their next practice. While the rest of the team were busy cleaning up, the first stringers were stupidly trying to win an argument against Miyaji.

Miyaji was standing in front of the rest of the regular team. A hardened jaw and narrowed eyes graced his face as he glared at all them. He would give them hell for this.

"You need to stop threatening the younger players every time they do something wrong. I'm getting complaints from parents ever since you made that one freshman cry," Ootsubo explained again. Honestly, it wasn't the complaints from parents that were bad, it was the fact that Ootsubo couldn't go one day without hearing Miyaji's annoying and over said phrases that was really the issue.

Miyaji crossed his arms and stuck out his tongue childishly. "You can't stop me from saying something! You're not the boss of me!" He then uncrossed his arms and plugged his fingers into his ears, shouting incoherently as he walked towards the locker room.

Miyaji often reverted back to the mindset of a five year old once someone said something he didn't want to hear. It was impossible to have a civil discussion with him. It was even worse to attempt to even fight against him.

But Ootsubo was having none of it. He had already pardoned Midorima's three ridiculous demands for the day and he wasn't about to do the same for his immature fellow third year. With a sigh, he ran after Miyaji. The other three looked at each, wondering if they should follow, but did so anyway. This wasn't going to be a conversation they were about to miss.

Ootsubo and Miyaji were already going at it by the time the other three regulars walked into the locker room. They had managed to pull innocent players into their fight now. Miyaji was speaking to Ootsubo through an extremely confused first year and Ootsubo was yelling into the ear of another.

"It's irritating to hear your stupid threats all the time! Especially the ones involving pineapples or Kimura's pickup truck!" Ootsubo argued. He scowled and gave Miyaji a harsh look, though the small forward was paying no attention. "Can't you be nice to your teammates for once?"

Hearing this, Miyaji spun around and glowered at his captain. He pushed the poor first year he had been using to speak to Ootsubo away, and the kid ran like the wind. Miyaji paid him no heed, but Ootsubo sighed and made a mental note to apologize to the kid the next day. "You can't tel me what I can or can't say!" Miyaji retorted. "You're violating my right of free speech!"

"Yeah, well you're violating my right to have a peaceful and hostile-free practice!" Ootsubo countered. "It'd be nice to come to practice without someone telling me you threatened another one of our teammates!" he shouted. Ootsubo then closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself down. He knew that the more agitated he got, the more Miyaji would start to ignore him. "Look," he said, much more calmly than before, "just try to be nice for a week or something. After that we can figure something out. You threaten someone and I'll make you run two laps for each threat. Got it?"

Without even waiting for an answer, the Shutoku captain grabbed his school bag and left. He didn't want to wait around for Miyaji to come up with another way to weasel his way out of the new policy. He knew that if he stayed any longer, Miyaji would use those persuasion skills of his to make him revoke his new rule.

Miyaji was left in the locker room and he was not happy. The rest of the team scrambled to pick up their stuff and get out of Miyaji's line of sight as soon as possible. Miyaji was yelling and cursing Ootsubo, calling him every name under the son. It didn't matter to him that just a minute ago Ootsubo had told him to be nice. He wasn't there, and the others were too scared to snitch on him.

But a second later, Miyaji's phone dinged and a text message from the dear captain himself popped up on the screen.

[Ootsubo: You're really loud, you know that? Two extra laps for you tomorrow.]

Miyaji wanted to scream, he wanted to text back, but he knew he couldn't. He'd only manage to earn himself some extra laps if he did that. Believe it or not, Miyaji was an even more harsh person over text. There was just something about the fact that he couldn't physically see the person he was texting that made him so much meaner. He refused to give Ootsubo the satisfaction of punishing him some more.

That next day, Miyaji hadn't even stepped foot into the gym when Ootsubo appeared behind him and reminded him about the four extra laps he were to run.

"Eh?" Miyaji immediately spun on his heels and stared up at his captain with an annoyed but confused look. "Four? You said I had to run two yesterday! How'd it become four?!"

Ootsubo looked indifferent to the interrogation he was being put through and merely shrugged. But he saw Miyaji look like he was going to snap, so he offered an explanation. "Kimura told me you said it during class today." He gave Miyaji a disapproving look. "You really shouldn't say things like that to your teachers, Miyaji."

At that moment, an unsuspecting Kimura walked up to the duo with a broad grin. "Ready for practice?" He slung an arm around Miyaji's shoulders, evidently not noticing the terrifying aura Miyaji was emitting. He did notice, however, when Miyaji slowly turned his head towards him and looked at him with murder in his eyes.

Kimura started to run even though he had no idea what he had done. All he knew was that when Miyaji started to look like he'd want to strangle you, he probably would. So it was best to just run.

Miyaji didn't hesitate to chase after him. "Come back here! I'll run you over with a truck for ratting me out like that!"

"Make that six laps," Ootsubo said with a long, drawn out sigh. He was starting to think that his punishments weren't going to work on Miyaji. With reluctance in his footsteps, the Shutoku captain walked towards the gym knowing that it was going to be yet another long practice.

When Ootsubo got into the gym, he was surprised to see Miyaji already in his practice clothes and running his laps. He hadn't expected Miyaji to run without some pushing on his own part.

With a satisfied smile, Ootsubo walked towards the locker room. He just so happened to be walked past the supply closet when he heard muffled yelling and thumping coming from inside.

Ootsubo paused and furrowed his brows. Had he heard right? He waited, but no sound came from it so he deduced it to be his imagination. But just as he started to walk on, he heard a clear yell for help coming from inside.

"What the-" He hurriedly opened the doors to the supply room and nearly had a heart attack at the sight in front of him. Inside the supply closet was Kimura, who shoved inside a basketball cart. Apparently, he had been pushed back and was stuck, seeing as how his legs and arms were dangling uselessly from the sides of the cart.

"Captain!" he shouted. His eyes literally sparkled a the sight of someone there to help him. "I'm stuck! Please help me!"

However, much to Kimura's dismay, Ootsubo only turned back around and shouted, "Miyaji!" Ootsubo knew exactly who the culprit was without even having to ask.

Miyaji seemed to know what he done and didn't even flinch when he heard his name called. He just calmly jogged over to Ootsubo and the still stuck Kimura.

Ootsubo's yell attracted the attention of the rest of the team and they also swarmed over to the scene, Takao and Midorima included. As soon as Takao saw the current state of Kimura, he busted out laughing. "Having problems, Senpai?"

Kimura just growled and motioned for the two freshman to come closer. "Just shut up and help me out!"

By that time, Miyaji had also made it over. He didn't say anything and just looked at his captain expectantly.

"Miyaji," Ootsubo said, sighing again. He sounded so done with everything. Just by the way their captain said Miyaji's name, the team knew that Ootsubo was one hundred and ten percent ready to go home. If only practice hadn't just started ten minutes ago.

"What?" Miyaji asked gruffly. Obviously, he was still peeved at being forced to run. "If you want me to finish my laps then you shouldn't interrupt me."

Ootsubo pointed to Kimura, who was being helped out of the basketball cart by Takao and Midorima. "I thought I told you to be nice." Once again he pointed a finger at Kimura. "Shoving your teammates into a basketball cart is not playing nice!"

Miyaji looked away and muttered something no one could make out. Ootsubo knew it was most likely another threat, but decided to just let it go.

"Well, for this you get another two laps."

Miyaji looked at with him wide eyes. "That's not fair! You said no more threats, and I didn't threaten him! It was a legal play!" Miyaji argued.

Ootsubo couldn't believe what he was hearing. The sad thing was, Ootsubo knew that Miyaji probably believed every single word coming from his own mouth.

"I am not in the mood to deal with this. Just go run," he ordered, walking away with a dismissive wave. The rest of the team took this as a sign to continue practice. Miyaji, however, did not back down that easily.

"What's wrong with me threatening the others every once in a while?" Kimura wanted to point out that it was actually very common for Miyaji to threaten his teammates, but his butt was sore from being stuck in the cart and he'd rather not be shoved back into it. "It makes me happy. Why would you guys take away my only joy in life?" he said dramatically.

That was it. That was the famous Miyaji tantrum that the first years had heard so many rumors about but had yet to see for themselves. Much like when he was arguing, when Miyaji got upset or things didn't go his way, he'd throw a tantrum as if he was still a child or something. He didn't do it often because even he knew it was embarrassing, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

No one pointed out that there was something really wrong with the fact that Miyaji actually enjoyed to make his teammates become scared for their lives. But Midorima did point out that Miyaji seriously sounded like his old teammate, Kise. "Whenever he throws tantrums he looks like a five year old too," Midorima muttered, wondering how he managed to get stuck with the most idiotic and immature teammates. Luck was obviously had no been on his side when he had decided to attend Teikou and Shutoku.

Miyaji's demeanor changed so quickly that it startled everyone into taking a step back. "What did you say, brat?! Don't compare me to one of your Generation of Miracle friends!"

A sigh of relief was shared by everyone. A mean and rude Miyaji was much preferred over a tantrum throwing one.

Miyaji turned his wrath onto the nosy players. "What are you all doing? Go practice instead of standing here like the lazy athletes you are!"

They scattered like mice.

Ootsubo, who had not said anything during Miyaji's fit, finally spoke up. "You're never going to change, are you?" he asked in a defeated tone.

Miyaji just scowled at him in a 'what do you think' way and that was all the confirmation Ootsubo needed.

With a sigh, he nodded for the rest of the team to start practicing, even Miyaji. "You don't have to run anymore. I won't force you not to threaten your teammates, but try to be nicer, will you?"

The small forward smirked and with a flippant wave of his hand, said, "When am I ever not nice?"

Ootsubo prepared himself for the onslaught of phone calls from concerned parents he was bound to be getting now that Miyaji was free to say whatever he wanted.

He rubbed his temples as he went to go change. While Miyaji was most definitely happy about getting the 'joy' back into his life, like he said, Ootsubo was anything but happy about the pounding headaches he was getting because of these joys of Miyaji's.

"Hey freshmen! You wanna get hit with a pineapple? If not, stop missing your shots!"

Ootsubo sighed and paused, ready to tell Miyaji to run two laps when he realized that his rule was no longer in effect. Oh, how he wished it still was. He continued walking and had only opened the door to the locker room when he heard, "Kimura, give me a pineapple! These freshmen don't know a serious threat when they hear one!"

Ootsubo wondered how many complaints he'd be getting that night and whether or not he could just route those calls to Miyaji's number. Takao probably could do it. That kid was good with technology after all.

"Do you want to die, second years? You're even worse than the first years right now!"

Ootsubo nodded to himself. Yep, he was definitely getting Takao to route those calls to Miyaji's number now.