A/N: So this is it! I've begun my first long GF fic. I hope you gonna like it! :)
Contains every official pairings, and one Thran/OC ;) No slash.
Disclaimer: I don't own GF and any of its characters. Only Corinna (Rory) is my OC.
Chapter 1 – Problems and solutions
"I've thought we never got to here!" Tia lumped down to her bed tired.
"To win the GF cup second time?" Mei asked while she took her pain causing stilettos off.
"Neither that but momentarily I thought of the bed…"
The brunette didn't answer just shook her head smiling. Though she had a relish for to be a celebrated football star but since they returned to Akillian, they were liable for dozens of formal parties and interviews. Which ones, sometimes, were more difficult than the GF cup itself.
"I'm wondering if we can win the cup for three times…" Tia spoke few minutes later.
"Oh Jeez! The championship has just ended and you think about the next one? Rather enjoy the free time! And if we speak about free time…" the other girl smiled with a telling look.
"I'm afraid you have to tolerate my presence this night." Tia answered before the question was asked. "But if you need the room…" she took the opportunity to retort.
"I don't think so. When I last saw him he was on an interview… You know, sometimes I'm envious of you. Rocket at least doesn't depend on his ego."
"Yeah, only he goes to an underground arena and becomes nuts!" the blonde girl answered bitterly.
"I've thought you got over that…" Mei looked at her comforting.
"I'm glad that he came back finally and I've forgiven him and I love him like before but… but I can't put his face when I saw him first to play in the sphere that damn Netherball out of my head." Tia brushed aside a bit of hair from her forehead. She didn't wan to cry but that unbearable feeling became ever worse and her eyes glistened by tears.
"Listen!" the midfielder sat down next to her friend. "Don't be worried about the past! The important is he's here now! And of course last but not least we won the GF cup twice!"
"Yes, you're right!" Tia looked at Mei.
*****
Three months have passed since the finals.
"OK, two rounds left after you are free!" Arch's voice was heard in the cold afternoon.
"C'mon! Two rounds are a piece of cake!" Micro-Ice tried to cover his exhaustion with enthusiasm.
"In sight of your dangling tongue I doubt it…" Mark bantered the boy.
"Hehe… Very funny! Like you were so fit!"
"C'mon guys! I already have only one round left!" Yuki told the boys smiling while she begun her last distance.
"Hey! I bet I can outrun you!" and the boy begun to run like if his life depended on that but when he got to her he slowed down.
"I've thought you wanted to overrun me!"
"I've changed my mind!" the striker grinned at Yuki.
Behind them Thran, Ahito and Mark jogged.
"I've never thought they would be a couple… But they are so similar!" Thran swayed his head.
"You're worrying too much bro!"
"Ahito's right! If they are OK that doesn't matter they are really almost the same." Mark nodded. "Anyway, if I could find a girl as cool as me…"
"Man! You asked D'Jok about how to be a perfect egoist?" Thran scowled.
"Easy guys, that was only a joke!"
While the Snowkids almost finished their practice, their coach's face was stern. The reason for they made the practice on the outside wasn't only the fresh air but 'cause Clamp noticed an error in the holotrainer's system. Of course the technician begun to fix that then and there however a thought was always in Arch's mind: what if? What if something happens to the man? There wasn't any irrational fact in his mind even so what if for example a sickness knocks him out? Only one or two days absence could be critical, especially if there is a match. He was fully awared of if that happened and he had no choice Thran could operate the system. And there would be more players to his place on the field. But he knew that if he use the boy for running the computers he would take a great player from the team. In the last years they were lucky but he couldn't recline upon goodwill of Fortune. He had to talk about this with Clamp and Dame Simbai!
*****
"Are you gonna come in?" Mei asked leaned on the doorframe hours after the practice.
"May I come in?" D'Jok asked playfully.
"What do you think?" the girl continued the flirting.
"I dunno, maybe if I get too close to you I would do something like that you don't want to anybody knows about that…" while the boy spoke he went closer and closer to his girlfriend till she hadn't any other choice than take a step back.
"After all the room is empty and if my informations are correct we won't have any company soon…" Mei almost whispered but this soft voice was enough for him to feel like there were thousands of thunderbolts in D'Jok's body.
The boy leant close to her face but instead of kissing her on the lips he begun his way up on her jawline till he reached her ear.
"D' you know what I thought about when I almost fell down in the Genesis Stadium?" D'Jok's breath tickled the girl's skin.
"What?"
"If I die there I never gonna see you again… I don't want to loose you! Do you know that, don't you?"
Mei stepped back a bit and cupped his face and she moved to she could look into his eyes.
"Maybe sometimes your self-respect is one hundred times bigger than a normal person but do you think I would be here if I ever had any doubt in you?"
D'Jok's answer was a kiss which, how the distance became smaller between them, became more and more passionate.
But when they reached the bed a beeping sound broke the idyll.
"Won't… you check… who could that… be?" speaking was a really hard thing to Mei.
But the boy didn't plan to give up the assault for his girlfriend's body.
The sound continued with cruel stubbornness.
"It could be important…"
"Whoever could that be, if the message not THAT important I swear…" D'Jok didn't finish the sentence.
"Is anything wrong?" to see the change in her boyfriend's look the worry begun to grow in Mei.
"My father. But what does he want?"
"It must be important if he's calling you!"
The boy sat to the edge of the bed and pressed the receive button. On the watch's holomonitor Sonny Blackbones's showed up.
"Hi dad! What's happened?"
"Hi D'Jok!" the fact he didn't call him 'son' just heightened the striker's suspicion about something really wasn't OK. "Are you alone?"
"No, Mei is here, too."
"Do you want me to go out?"
"No." the answer was heard. "Perhaps that's better if both of you know about it."
The pirate's words were determined and worried at the same time.
"Please don't tell it's Blaylock again!" D'Jok said the name with mere disgust.
"No, last time we could rid of him once and for all but…"
"But?" the youngs asked in unison.
"When we tried to catch him last time a Technoid craft waited for him…"
"Someone had helped him!" the realization hit the boy.
'I only would like to know that the Technoid's tactics why are hidden before everybody's eyes! If not sooner but when they arrested Tia's parents… Although truth to tell who would think about interrogate the galaxy's biggest supplier?'
"And do you have any idea who could that be?" Mei broke the sudden silence.
"I'm afraid, no." Sonny sighed. "Don't speak about this anybody and keep your eyes open!"
The warning was incontestable for sure considering the well known relationship between D'Jok and the girl. And because of that Mei could become target more easily as well. Besides the pirates didn't have any information about this new enemy.
"Don't worry father, we'll take care!" the boy nodded. "But please be careful you, too!" he added.
"Don't fear for me son, I'm going to be OK." the man smiled faintly.
After they said goodbye each other, the silence became almost unbearable in the room.
D'Jok took a deep breath and laid down onto his back. His girlfriend also couldn't say a word. Only one thing was sure: first plan for the night was cancelled.
"That never gonna be over…" the striker said looking at the ceiling.
Mei didn't tell anything. She was afraid of if she said anything that would seem like empty babble. But what really made her upset she couldn't change the fact: D'Jok was right.
'It's awful! What could I say to him? We hoped with Blaylock's disappearing this whole madness will disappear, too. But instead of that there is somebody who actually helped him… for it's own free will?'
The girl curled up to her boyfriend and hugged him tightly. She couldn't do much more.
*****
"So?" Ahito looked at Dame Simbai with a questioning look after the medical examination was over.
"It seems like everything is fine." the woman answered smiling. "From tomorrow you can do the normal training."
"Cool!" the boy said with a wide grin.
After he thanked the woman's help he went out from the room.
"So what did she say?" asked Thran.
On the corridor he and Yuki waited for the goalkeeper.
"Everything is OK!"
"And the training?" the girl asked.
"I've said: everything!"
"Great!" the girl grabbed her cousin's arm. "Movie?"
"What do you have?" Thran looked at her.
"I've just got the third episode of the Overheated passion."
The two boy's surprised-terrified-what-the-hell face was rewarded by the red haired relative's laughing.
"The Machinemonster vs. Shadowwarrior sounds better?"
"Much better…" the twins said in relief.
"But the first title was worth the look on your faces!" she continued the joking.
After all of them made themselves comfortable Ahito noticed a shining object on Yuki's night stand.
"Since when do you wear brooch?"
For a moment the girl didn't understand what her cousin talked about but after she recognized the jewel she broke into a smile.
"That's not for me. Present."
"But I don't know about any of the girl's birthday will be in the next weeks…" Thran brought on who tried to avoid that stubborn thought in his mind to the girl - for the humor of that – would like to give this present one of her non-girl teammate.
"This will be for my another friend."
Ahito broke a record. From the very beginning of the movie only two pairs of eyes followed the story. Manifestly Yuki was deep in her own world and didn't pay too much attention for the movie. And Thran was worried about his cousin's almost anxious look.
"What's wrong?" the boy asked.
"Nothing, just…"
"Just?"
"It's strange to think about how many years have passed… With the girl whom I bought the brooch we are friend for eight years. OK, it's not a problem but still…"
"Can you tell me something? If you know each other that long why Ahito and me never met her?"
"Look: before I came to the team I haven't known Micro-Ice as well maybe only from the media…" the girl answered and a moment later a wide grin appeared on her face and her eyes shines like she got the best idea in the whole world.
"What?" the defender looked at her suspiciously.
"Nuthin'." Yuki giggled.
"Why do I have a feeling that nuthin' isn't nothing at all?" Thran sighed.
But there was no time for the reaction because at that second they heard the doorbell's ring and a moment later Micro-Ice stepped into the room.
"Hi everyone!" the boy greeted them cheerfully.
"I think you've come to Yuki…" Thran said after they returned the gesture.
"To her and –for now- to you guys, too. I have some great news and I think all of you wanna hear that!" the young player sat down next to his girlfriend.
"What kind of news?" the other futballists looked at him.
"I've overheard when Arch and Clamp told about the new member of the team!"
"New member?" Thran was amused.
"But we already have two substitutes…" Yuki added.
"A-a!" Micro-Ice swung his head. "I haven't said a word about the new buddy's gonna play!"
"Blurt out what have you heard at last!" the red haired girl begun to lose her patience.
"We're gonna get a new technician or a new doctor." the answer was arrived from Ahito.
"Eerrr… Yeah! How did you know? You haven't slept before?" the striker looked at the other twin surprised.
"And he sleeps again. I've known him for twenty years but he can surprise me yet as well…" the defender grinned and after looked at his friend. "But considering your reaction he's right. Do you know anything about the candidates?"
"No. Only that the choosing is still in progress. I wonder what the new guy will be…"
"How do you know the new member will be a 'guy'?" Yuki spoke up.
"OK if Dame Simbai gets help maybe they won't choose a man but if Clamp will be the lucky winner…"
"Why? Haven't you ever heard about female technicians?" the girl argued with her boyfriend.
Micro-Ice glanced at Thran and they said in unison:
"No."
"Listen my lady cousin! You know I don't use to make difference in these kind of things but the technician-job isn't the girl's favorite… Look at the employment statistics!" the defender explained.
"Aaaaahhh… Whatever!" Yuki shrugged. "And do you have any information about when we would know the results?"
"In the next few days they're gonna check the CVs and if I remember well there will be an interview as well." Micro-Ice tried to mention every detail.
"So we have to wait for a while…" the girl wondered.
"I think they will tell us about this only when they sure of it." Thran added.
"Yeah. The sooner the better." Micro-Ice said excitedly and after turned to the holo TV. "Which film do you watch?"
"Machinemonster vs Shadowwarrior. Do you wanna stay?" Yuki looked at the boy.
"If I won't bother the family-program…" Micro-Ice glanced at Thran.
"Do you sit well?" the boy returned the gesture while he took the remote control.
During the film they didn't speak about the future anymore but there was a thought in Yuki's mind.
'That would be perfect…'
*****
"D'Jok! Mark! There are other players on the field! Micro-Ice! Don't act like a one-man-entertainment if you could that for me! Good Tia, that was great! Mei, try to concentrate more!"
Arch knew what his team was capable for. He knew their abilities and weak points. And he knew very well when they don't play with might and main.
"What's wrong with you? You act like you've never seen a ball before!" the man spoke up after the holotrainer's walls were gone.
The players stood in silence.
"Listen! I see something is bothering you!"
Few seconds after D'Jok spoke up.
"Coach! All of us knows about the new technician!"
'Harsh as ever.' the man thought about the strikers comment. 'But where do they know from? Simbai, Clamp and me agreed we put up to the team into our decision when it's eventual.'
Arch was wordless and this was only another evidence for the rumors.
"How did you know?" he asked surrender himself.
"Once I've overheard when Clamp and you talked about that…" Micro-Iced blushed in his embarrassment.
"I see. And you had to tell the big news to everybody immediately." the man sighed.
"And because we met Dame Simbai today but Clamp wasn't anywhere we thought the chance to get a new doctor is almost zero." Mark added.
"Has anything happened to Clamp?" Tia asked the question which worried them the most. "He doesn't feel good and this is why we need another person?"
"No! Not at all!" the coach broke into a smile. "I can assure you there's nothing wrong with Clamps health."
"So what's the reason?" Mei inquired.
"We need a new member." Arch tried to ease the rest of the team's anxiety. "But the newcomer won't be employed instead of Clamp but as his assistant. Considering the last two GF cups wasn't eventless and you want to win the third one as well as me we have to be prepared for anything. Don't misunderstand me, I don't want to any bad for him! But that's always good if we have a skillful help and we don't have to rush in the middle of the trouble. Was my answer satisfactory?" he looked at the team.
"Yes coach!" the youngs replied.
"Great! So can you concentrate at the football finally?"
*****
The interviews took two whole weeks. After Arch and Clamp on the grounds of the CVs could restrict the list of the candidates for the ones whose would get the chance to prove themselves personally. There were dozens of talented and enthusiastic professionals and the decision wasn't easy at all. But somehow the names lessened till only two candidates had the hope for to be the chosen one.
The coach stood at his office's window lost in his thoughts.
'Which one? Which one? Which…'
The question didn't let him any peace. Finally, hope for some changes, he walked back to his table where the last two names waited for their destiny on the computer's monitor. The doorbell's ring broke the heavy silence and after a second Clamp sat down in front of Arch.
"So? Any idea?"
"Hardly…" the coach sighed. "I can't choose! Both of them have perfect skills and you could see they wrote the truth into their CVs. Do you have any idea? One of them will work for you after all…"
"But for your team." the technician answered. "But if you take my advice I would vote for the No. 6. Don't ask why, it's only an intuition!"
"And I trust in your intuitions."
*****
The Akillian Cafe almost burst by the bustle. Lights and happy babel allured the people from the cold night.
"That was cool from Arch to let us out tonight!" Micro-Ice grinned while he ordered their drinks.
"Yeah. But we have one little problem: the place is full! And not because of us! Who organized this whole thing?" Mark glanced at the black haired boy.
"Beeep! You're looking at the wrong answer! If you have any problem go to our official star striker!" Micro-Ice winked.
"Sorry guys but all of you are irresponsible." Mana-Ice interposed to she could preclude the quarrel. "They announced the party today morning. At the same time, 'cause it was too sudden, we agreed with the organizers to anybody can join them who wants. "
"Birthday?" Thran asked.
"No. Surprise-goodbye party." the reply arrived.
"Yeah! And the party was that much surprise to the organizers've begun to make that at the last moment…"
"I know that wanted to be a joke my dear son but there's something to it… Because till yesterday they didn't know they need a goodbye party." the waitress wondered. "But I have to go now the guests need me. You can sit till your drinks are ready."
"OK, thanks mum!"
"I would like to know who this party made for…" Rocket said while he looked at the group in the other side of the room. Suddenly his gaze catched a familiar figure. "Guys! Is that Yuki, isn't she?"
"What? Where?" Thran and Micro-Ice asked.
'So this is why she didn't come with us…' the younger player thought.
The red haired girl seemed like know well those people. She chatted cheerful with her friends till one of them stepped to her and both of them begun to walk to the bar.
"Wow… Yuki just know who she should be friend with!" Mark nodded approvingly while checked the other girl from top to toe.
"Yet you'll leave the lingerie on her?" D'Jok spoke up. "Pretty girl, yeah, but if you want to stare her please at least not this conspicuously!"
"That's can speak easily who has girlfriend! You can stare her whenever you want but we, lonely wolves have to take every opportunity! Am I right guys?" Mark looked at the twins.
Because Ahito slept on his chair the boy only could gain Thran's frown.
"Whatever. If you are that passive I think I have to make the first step to…"
"I think you shouldn't bother them. Yuki won't be happy your annoyance, too." Rocket forewarned the boy.
"Why? At least there will be a familiar face who can support me!"
"Oh yeah…" Micro-Ice swung his head. "After you will be dumped badly you can find us the regular table."
"Haha… Very creative!" Mark muttered and he begun to walk to his spotted to-be-date.
*****
"All right, I'm ready! If you want we can order some drinks!"
"Okay!" Yuki nodded. "Really! You haven't told me yet why the party was thrown!"
"You need some memory refreshing!" the answer arrived. "The association is this happy to they can finally rid of me."
"Stupid!"
"Why? You liked my humor in the good ol' days!"
"I'm nuts about that yet but I don't like the quibbling."
"That's not quibbling. I really finished the acting and the others wanted to surprise me. Nuff said."
"But this is it!" the futballist argued. "Since I know you the singing and dancing was your life and now it's over from one moment to other? It's not like you."
"If my memories are clear you are an official player only for a year as well… And anyway you know the best I'm not the type of only-the-musical-and-nothing-else!"
"Of course! Just…"
"Hello my ladies!" Yuki was interrupted by a too familiar voice.
"Hey Mark!" the red haired girl greeted him.
"Hi… Mark!" the other girl also returned the gesture.
"I haven't seen you around here yet! Are you new here? Yuki would you introduce your friend?" the boy begun the current mission. "Although without even know you I can tell that this angel-looking face has to have only a fitting inside! And this wonderful charmer only deserves the best!"
The girl waited patiently till the boy would finish but the last sentence…
"So this is why I don't want anything from you! And before you make the things clear for me: I know you play in the Snowkids, I know you won the GF cup twice but you technically only once and I know that well if you knew the rules of good form you would know you have to introduce yourself to the woman especially if she's older than you. So if you take an advice: revise your pick-a-girl-up strategy in the future! And if you excuse us Mr. I Am The Best my drink is ready and I would like to go back to my ordinary friends!" so the girl took the glasses from the bar and walked away with her speechless by avoiding the laughing friend.
*****
"Guys! This was a real suck!" Micro-Ice grinned after the team watched the 'successful' scene.
"He's had it!" Mei giggled. "But it does him good!"
"The scene was embarrassing itself but with Micro-Ice's commentary!" D'Jok didn't giggled. He laughed by his heart.
"Yeah! These times I'm happy I can lip-read!" the striker grinned.
"I can tell… I've had to be disappointed by my stereotypes again. Agreeably of course."
"What's up Thran? You like her too, don't you?" Rocket joshed.
"Listen! If somebody is appealing that doesn't mean automatically that she should been picked up!" the awaken twin retorted.
'But to tell the truth D'Jok was far from reality with the pretty girl. This girl is simply breath taking. And judged by her words the I'm-famous-and-all not her type… Long, blonde hair, light blue eyes, perfect body… Mark was right in one thing: she really looks like an angel. But if I got the nerve to ask her out… I wouldn't give me too much chance…'
"Considering and I'm gonna quote word by word: 'If somebody is appealing that doesn't mean automatically that she should been picked up!' you left your eyes on her pretty much…" Tia looked at Thran smiling.
"Hey if you want to play matchmaking please tell me and I'm gonna have the attitude!" the defender told his teammates.
"Easy man, there's nothing wrong if you like her. You know it's natural!"
D'Jok's comment was left without reaction because the interest now was on the arriving 'charming prince'.
"Don't say a word!" Mark looked at the team and plopped to the empty seat.
But how much he wanted to come through without nagging he had to put away this wish soon.
'This night gonna be very very long…' he thought bitterly as he watched Micro-Ice's almost perfect pantomime performance.
A/N: So this is it. :) I hope you enjoyed! Please review. :)