The rain came before sunrise, soft but steady — the kind that hummed against the gym roof and made the fluorescent lights flicker.
Inside, the court glowed faintly under the old ceiling lamps. Their new uniforms hung on the bench — white with neon pink trims, crisp and clean, brighter than the room deserved.
Riki spun a ball on one finger, squinting at the jersey.
"Not bad, Manager. You finally got us looking like a real team."
Thea didn't look up from her clipboard. "Presentation matters."
Bong grinned. "Yeah, especially when we lose pretty."
Riki threw the ball at him. "We don't lose anymore."
Teo stood near the baseline, stretching quietly. He wasn't used to uniforms. He wasn't used to belonging.
Scene: Rhythm Training
Riki clapped once. "Alright, Tower. We're upgrading your playlist."
Teo frowned. "Playlist?"
"Every big man's got one," Riki said. "Footwork, balance, rhythm — it's music. Yours just sounds like a funeral march."
Bong snorted. "He's not wrong."
"Shut up and play DJ," Riki said.
He tossed the ball. Teo caught it, pivoted, then hesitated — timing too mechanical.
"Again," Riki said. "Feel the beat before you move."
"Beat?"
"The bounce is the bass, your breath is the snare," Riki said, tapping his chest. "Now move like the song's yours."
Teo exhaled. This time his pivot was smoother — not perfect, but better.
Riki nodded. "That's it. We make chaos look choreographed."
From the bleachers, Jax and Kio watched while running their own drills.
"Think he'll ever loosen up?" Kio asked.
Jax shrugged. "If Riki doesn't kill him first."
Scene: News & Noise
Thea's phone buzzed. A banner flashed across the cracked screen:
Governor's Cup — Semifinal Matchups Announced.
She stood, reading it aloud.
"Flowstate vs. Steel Vipers.
Phantom Wolves vs. Imperium Eagles."
Bong whistled. "Oh great. We get the team that defends like they've got something to prove."
Riki cracked his neck. "Vipers, huh? That's Venom Lao's crew — long arms, longer attitude."
Kio grinned. "You've played them?"
"Street circuit, two years ago. Dude blocks sunlight."
Teo listened quietly.
Thea noticed. "Their center's big, but not your size," she said. "If you time your drop-steps right, you'll control the paint."
Riki tapped his chest. "And if I draw the double, that's your cue to cut."
Bong raised a hand. "And me?"
"Shoot the open one," Riki said.
"Nice. That's always been my plan."
They laughed — tired, but sharper now. Like the noise before a game starts.
Scene: The Visitors
The gym doors opened mid-laughter.
Coach Alvarez walked in with two men in matching windbreakers.
"Eyes front," the coach said. "Observers from the Governor's office."
The first man — Mr. Alcantara — smiled like someone who never sweated in his life.
Beside him stood a tall, clean-cut player in white warm-ups.
"Rafael Alcantara," the young man said easily. "Captain, Imperium Eagles."
Riki froze mid-dribble. "Wait — the Governor's son?"
Raf smiled. "You must be Flowstate. Heard about your... unorthodox style."
Bong muttered, "Translation: messy but works."
Raf chuckled. "Don't take it personally. You play your way, I play mine. Precision, control."
He looked at Teo. "You're the big man, right? You've got height. Do you have discipline?"
Teo didn't flinch. "Guess we'll find out when we meet."
Raf's smirk barely shifted. "If you make it past the Vipers."
He turned and left, every step perfectly in rhythm.
Riki waited until the door shut. "Bro walks like a commercial."
Thea sighed. "That's the Governor's son. Try not to antagonize him."
Riki grinned. "Too late."
Scene: After the Storm
Practice stretched past sunset.
The rain outside hit harder, echoing through the roof.
Teo worked quietly under the rim, his movements more fluid each time.
Riki leaned on the scorer's table, watching.
"Better," he said. "Remember — rhythm isn't about showing off. It's about timing."
Teo wiped sweat from his face. "Then let's stay on time."
Thunder rolled somewhere in the distance.
Thea closed her clipboard, glancing at the tournament bracket glowing on her screen.
Flowstate vs. Steel Vipers — tomorrow, 7 PM.
Below it, the headline scrolled:
Governor's Cup: Imperium Eagles Favored to Win Entire Tournament.
She frowned. "We'll see."
The sound of the ball hitting hardwood filled the gym — steady, deliberate, no wasted motion.
It wasn't perfect. But it was getting there.
End of Chapter 12 — Practice Under Rainlight