Hey guys Frederico De Sciglio here with another story for all you fine folks.
I know my other two stories haven't been updated but that'll change as soon as I get a bit of my writing mojo back. Ignoring that, this story was inspired by UnitedOsprey1991's story bleach grand Prix which I suggest you all head over and check out because it doesn't get the acclaim it really deserves. Anyway this story is based around football, and by football I mean European football, not the American version so sorry for all you lovers of *Google's American Football phrases* throwing the old pigskin? So the idea is that the top 16 nations from around the world compete in a tournament every 6 years. The top leagues also have women intermingled with men although there is no limit to the amount of each gender the rules state that teams have a minimum of 3 members of each gender in a starting 11 as to promote the inclusion of women in the game and equality and all that
I've made a few changes to world football in this tale. Instead of being individual states, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland will all play as Scandinavia. Likewise England, Wales, Scotland and northern Ireland will all play as Great Britain. Anyway let's get this show on the road.
Also I don't own the names of any footballers or bleach and its characters. Only the OC's I create.
Also this was written in June 2015 so any similarities with anything since then are 100% coincidental
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
"Commentary announcers"
July 23rd 2005
A figure much akin to that of lightning thundered along the grass. The little mess of orange hair being the beacon of where the danger man would be. A long ball came over the top of the defence before being trapped on the touchline right by the corner flag by the orange haired mess.
"And its Kurosaki coming in off the inside, Kurosaki beats one he beats two. He's one on one with Buffon and he's scored! Ichigo Kurosaki has scored the winning goal in the final of the world cup for Japan and like his father has led them to victory! "
"Itsygo! Don't kick the ball so hard at me!" the small girl, clothed in red shorts and shirt, bearing long and flowing teal hair, who was by no means the worlds most expensive goalkeeper.
"But Nel how am I supposed to get as good as my Dad without trying my best? And when will you get it right Nelliel its ICHigo not Itsygo " the now named boy retorted. He was waiting a Dark blue Japan kit, much too big for him with the name Kurosaki on its back along with the number 15.
You see, Ichigo was not from an ordinary family. Although he seemed like a regular eight year old boy, had both his parents, along with twin baby sisters (slightly abnormal but hey who are we to judge), he was still raised differently to every other child his age. His parents weren't lawyers or accountants or teachers not even shelf stackers at a grocery store. No. His father was the Captain of the Japanese national team and had lead them to glory in the Jules Rimet cup, an international competition between the 16 Best national teams in the world competing men alongside women footballers combining the world cups of men and women, not a week beforehand.
Ichigo's mother had been the physio for Isshin, Ichigo's fathers, club when he still played in Japan for Yokohama. Isshin, Ichigo's father, had been told to train with a young up and coming footballer called Shunsuke Nakamura as the boy had decent ability from a dead ball but not as good at thinking on the fly. So naturally Isshin made the boy chase after him for a good 10 minutes not allowing him time to rest. When Shunsuke caught Isshin however, he broke the senior players ankle. It was at this time the new Physio was called into action.
Flashback October 4th 1996
"Oh god. Shiba-taicho are you okay"
It was at this moment that Isshin looked up and saw what could only be described as a goddess. She had strawberry-blonde hair and a beautiful flawless face. Her eyes...you could lose yourself in those eyes. However the reason Isshin was being seen to soon dawned on him.
"Yeah I'll be fine." The downed captain chuckled, fingers scratching his beard "Although I'll be more than fine if I can get to know your name missy"
This stumped the woman. She was being flirted with by a major footballer. So naturally in a calm cool manner befitting a respectable woman...she knelt there mumbling awestruck, managing to get out two words.
"Masaki...K...K...Kurosaki" (Damn it Masaki)
"So then Miss K. K. Kurosaki how about after this old guys patched up I take you out for a meal" Isshin smirked, even with the pain of his ankle causing his voice to become strained.
Flashback end
Ichigo never knew why his father took his mothers name after they got married, must have been some unknown tradition. He was however smacked back to reality by Nel stumbling over to him and pushing him onto his behind.
"Don't ignore me Itsygo, I said where are your mum and dad today?"
Snapped back into focus Ichigo remembered where he was. Back in Japan with his best friend Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck. When Isshin and Masaki got married and had Ichigo on the 15 July 1997, Isshin received an offer. It was to go and play with some of the worlds best talents at Borussia Dortmund after there champions league success, the biggest domestic trophy in Europe. The transfer some was too large for Yokohama to turn down and the wages Isshin would earn in Europe as opposed to the Japanese League would make it so he could support his wife and child for the foreseeable future even after he'd retired from the game. After the first few months a pregnant Masaki travelled with Ichigo to live with there father. Masaki would journey between the home in Japan and the house they lived in with Isshin the twins, Yuzu and Karin, whilst Ichigo would be cared for by a nanny in Dortmund who would home school him, unfortunately this caused Ichigo to grown up without much in the way of social skills or in the way of friends at all.
However when he was 6, during the Bundesliga close season after Isshin and Masaki had journeyed home to Japan in order to catch up with their friends and family, Ichigo snuck away from his parents whilst they were having coffee with some friends and found himself in the middle of a playground. He then noticed on the swings on her own was a girl around Ichigo's age. The girl had beautiful teal hair and was being comforted by another with shorter black hair. The girl on the swings had obviously been crying and was being picked on by a group of slightly older boys.
With Ichigo being the boy he was raised with his father's football and mothers compassion, did something that would truly echo his names true meaning, 'he who protects'.
Flashback
"Hey blockheads!" The oranged haired boy shouted, gaining the attention of the bullies "leave that little girl alone what has she ever done to hurt you?"
The largest boy who looked no older than 9 spoke up before any of the other kids.
"She offered to be our goal keeper, unfortunately the only thing she managed to stop the ball with was her face, pathetic girl, that's why the shouldn't be able to play football alongside us men"
His friends all nodded in agreement supporting what looked like there bosses decision
"Please, please kids what's all the commotion about here hmm?" a new voice spoke out. Although Ichigo knew very well who the voice belonged to. And before blurting out exactly what had happened remembered he had snuck away from his parents.
"Hey dad, sorry about wandering off there." Ichigo muttered sheepishly, yet soon remembered why he was so angered at the moment "But forget that these boys were picking on that little girl over there!"
Isshin looked at the boys with a disappointed look on his face. "know why would you boys go off and do something like that hmm?"
The unofficial leader spoke up again "like we said to pip squeak over there, she couldn't catch a cold in the net unless it hit her straight on the face"
Isshin looked back over to the small girl who'd taken her head out of her hands and was observing the commotion with her friend. Reminded of how his niece and nephew Kukaku and Ganju were with each other when one was hurt, Isshin walked over to the two girls with his usual goofy smile.
"now little ones what are your names?"
The black haired girl spoke up first, standing in front of her friend. "My names Tatsuki Arisawa, and this is Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck."
This made Isshins mind kick into serious mode as opposed to his usual care free attitude he had off the field.
"Wait. Not the same as Tier Hallibel-Odelschwanck who plays for the American National team's daughter Odelschwanck?"
The little girls head was red and the tears had started to stop before she built up the confidence to finally speak.
"That's my mum, I'm at home with dad more though as mum plays for the world XI so plays against teams all over the world." She managed to get out, with a slightly happier tone. It was true, Hallibel was one of the world's best players and without a doubt the best female player since Yachiru Unohana the woman who fought to get included in the Spanish national squad in the early 80's and since then the mixing of genders was common place.
But the fact that this little girl, who's mother was one of the worlds best, was getting abused for her footballing ability. Then an idea formed in Isshin's mind, the mans grin grew and he turned still smiling at the group of boys.
"well then lads, how about a friendly wager. We play you at a game of football, and if we win you leave little Nel here alone."
"and what if we win?" the snotty child asked.
"well then I'll leave and act like I saw nothing" Isshin shot back. Not leaving much time between to think.
"Hang on a minute" a different boy, with short blond hair stammered out, getting a dark look from the leader of his group. "You're grown up how are we gonna play against you?"
The boys nodded at this and in all fairness Ichigo, Nel and Tatsuki were all intrigued as to what his excuse was.
"Me?" Isshin spoke, disrupting the thoughts of those around pointing to himself before chuckling out "I'm just an old man no need to worry about me"
'Lies' a thought shared by all three of the younger children. 'There's no way those idiots would agree to something like tha-'
"Okay you're on" all of the bullies bellowed in response
'although I've been wrong before' They once again all thought
Ichigo walked over to the two girls and in his kindest voice asked "So do you two wanna play with me and my Dad?"
At this Tatsuki scoffed, which caused Nel to giggle.
"Unlike those idiots we actually know who your daddy is. He's the Japanese captain but plays in Germany now"
After a few moments Ichigo spoke up again.
"I'd still like to hear your answers"
Tatsuki rolled her eyes, but Nel for the first time took the lead.
"Yes we'd love to join you kick there buts" she said with her most serious face, before she started giggling. Which in the process got Tatsuki to finally smile and join too.
Not too long into the game, the bullies realised that this was amongst the dumbest things they'd done all day, with the most stupid of these being picking on the little girl who stood on the opposite side of the pitch to them
To not put too fine a point on it, there was a reason Isshin was Japan's best player. He twisted and turned before the little tormentors knew what hit them. Of course, howeverm Isshin didn't score. Every time he rolled the ball along to Nel, scoring every time. The only real time that bullies got out of there own box was when they kicked off after Nel had scored.
Flashback end
Needless to say the three are the best of friends now and for the rest of the close season the three were as close as close could be Isshin also managed to get himself on good terms with Nel's parents even going as far to arrange a friendly fixture between the world XI and Dortmund before the new season started. And being his goofy self spoke of marriage between the Ichigo and Nel, which made Tier chuckle, however getting a very stern talking-to from Nels father. Naturally Tier's team, being made of the worlds best players, walked all over Isshin's, but this was the last time Ichigo and Nel would see each other as Ichigo would have to go back to Germany with his parents. Unfortunately, two days before Christmas in 2003, Nel's father passed away after a short illness, this led to her mother having to retire from the game she loved to look after her daughter, because after all nothing is stronger than a mothers love.
For Isshin however, 7 seasons at Dortmund came to an end when the club hit troubles financial times and Isshin, being one of the clubs largest earners, had to go. He was snapped up by Chelsea on a contract to last 3 years before jetting back to Germany to captain the Japanese team in the Jules Remit Cup.
Japan were expected to be coming home on the next flight as in their group were the hosts Germany, the French and the U.S.A for whom Tier had come out of retirement to captain and help qualify for the tournament. All were teams that should have walked over the Japanese, but game after game went by and Isshin solid leadership combined with the skill of one Shunsuke Nakamura, various captains and vice's from the Japanese League teams known as the Visoreds, as they all belonged to a third party company, were instrumental in every win, this alongside the intelligent managing by the head coach Kisuke Urahara and solid fitness managing by Tessai Tsukabishi allowed for them to defy the odds and get to the final against Italy.
A team filled with the world's greatest players and managed by one Sosuke Aizen were always destined to push the plucky Japanese team to it's limits. Eventually in the dying moments of injury time, Isshin picked up the ball in his own half and saw the keeper back peddling towards the goal. With all his might he smashed the ball towards goal rising and rising before the ball started its decline. Lower and lower over the keeper and getting Japan there first ever international trophy. The date was July 15th Ichigo's birthday, making the day all that more special for Isshin.
Getting back to Nels question though. Ichigo, no matter how much he thought, didn't know where either of his parents were.
"I don't know Nel. Let's go inside though its getting late and I don't think mum and dad would want me out so late."
Nel followed the young boy into the living room, where he promptly put on the television and flicked through the channels until he saw something on the news. Although what he saw shook the very foundations of his heart and his trust in the game he loved.
"Breaking news in this hour. The entire Japanese squad are to be stripped of their medals and titles as world champions after every blood sample came back positive for banned substances. They are all subsequently banned from all footballing activities across FIFA's jurisdiction for the next 5 years."
Ichigo sat there. Staring, just staring at the screen. It couldn't be true. His dad wasn't a cheat non of them were, non of them had the heart to do it. He'd seen and spoken to them all after they beat the U.K in the quarter finals. Nel walked over to the speechless child and embraced him
"its okay Ichigo I don't think he did it either"
This was when Ichigo's emotion flooded out. Tears streaming down his face as he cried in to his friends shoulder. the pair went off to go and find Tatsuki and see what she made of all this.
At the local football pitch an hour later
The three youngling sat in silence as to what they were going to do. I mean they knew they were just little kids at the end of the day and them saying that Isshin wasn't dishonest wouldn't exactly hold up in any court.
"So Ichigo, what are you going to do" tatsuki spoke up breaking the silence that ensnared the younglings. the area was devoid of people as if the only life in the world was the grass on the pitch and the three children sat on footballs looking at the ground.
"Yeah Ichi, won't this mean your dad can't play in Germany anymore?" Nel queried
She was right, this would mean that Isshin couldn't play again till 2011. I mean his dad was already 29 and was reaching the swansong of his career, he couldn't go again in 6 years time could he? Of course he could his dad could do anything, including fight the false accusations surrounding him.
"pfft Knowing my dad guy's he's gonna fight this every step of the way. He's not just gonna give up without a fight. Ever hit o setback you get only makes you stronger, dad said that after winning the league with Chelsea following his broken foot, he doesn't et anything stop him so why should we think anything will, in fact im gonna grow up and be just like him and show those men in their suit's that you don't mess with my daddy"" Ichigo spoke with determination. Before feeling a pair of large hairy arms engulf him and hold him close.
"That's my boy"