A/N: I've been binge-watching Eyeshield 21 lately, and after I watched the episode in which Agon stole Kurita's scholarship, this happened. To me, it feels more like an advertisement for Eyeshield 21 through Kurita's story, but oh well.
Unlike Agon, Kurita is no genius at football. While his large build might be perfect for a position as lineman, it's not enough to compete against Agon for a sports scholarship to Shinryuji, despite Hiruma's many connections. Unlike Hiruma or Musashi, Kurita is most definitely not academically competent enough to test his way into Shinryuji. As a result, their middle school dreams of attending the football powerhouse are shattered.
They go to Deimon High School instead, where the only three regulars are him, Hiruma, and Musashi. The rest are fill-ins, summoned by Hiruma('s underhanded ways). But even that changes soon enough with Musashi dropping out of high school, and they're down to two regulars.
In both the spring and fall tournaments, the Deimon Devil Bats lose miserably, and the promise that Kurita, Hiruma, and Musashi made on the TV is too far in the distance to see properly, a dense fog obscuring it. Still, the beacon of light that is Hiruma lights the way for Kurita, who desperately wants the Deimon Devil Bats to go to the Christmas Bowl for the promise he made with his friends ("Let's go to the Christmas Bowl!") and the promise he made to himself (I won't ever let them down again). "Next year," he tells Kurita. "We're definitely going to the Christmas Bowl next year."
Before the next school year officially starts, when the results of Deimon High School's entrance exam are revealed, Hiruma shows up outside Kurita's house, arms loaded with guns.
"YA-HA!" he screeches, firing his guns as he does so. "Get to school, fatty; we're recruiting fresh meat!"
Kurita bursts out of the house, following Hiruma to school. The new school year, the Tokyo Tournament, the Kanto Tournament, and the Christmas Bowl are all fast approaching. If they want to make it all the way to the Christmas Bowl, they need as many regulars as possible, ones willing to take part in their dream.
As if rewarding their patience the previous year, the new school year brings along all the players needed to make a proper football team: a running back, a wide receiver, four other linemen, a tight end, another receiver, a kicker, the necessary stand-ins, a manager, and even cheerleaders.
They all add their names to the promise on the TV, filling its side with a messy scrawl, just like their clubhouse has been filled with a myriad of personalities.
Kurita often wanders into the classroom with that TV when he's worried, fretting over how strong their next opponent is. It reminds him that going to the Christmas Bowl isn't a dream just for him, Hiruma, and Musashi anymore. It's a dream shared by all of his teammates, and that thought never fails to make him smile.
As the Deimon Devil Bats, they face strong opponents and manage to claw their way up to third place in the Tokyo Tournament. When the match-ups for the Kanto Tournament are finally, finally decided, it's like fate: the Deimon Devil Bats, the underdogs, against the Shinryuji Nagas, the champions.
Kurita knows it's ridiculous to think I'm going to beat Agon, seeing as Agon's natural talent seems to effortlessly crush any and all hard work and it's not really his job to beat Agon anyway. But we're going to beat the Shinryuji Nagas isn't that ridiculous, not if they're going all the way to the Christmas Bowl. Even though they're not ninth-time champions, his teammates are the best. Together, they've practiced until they were drenched in sweat, until their legs couldn't move, until they've almost blacked out, and there's no way 100% pure talent can beat that kind of determination.
In the weeks leading up to the Shinryuji game, Kurita practices blocking over and over again from the moment the sun begins to rise until his stomach's complaints are too strong to be ignored. He goes to the shop by the bridge, eats his fill of oden, and goes back to practicing until he feels like he's going to throw up. Then, he goes home, collapses onto his futon, and sleeps. His dreams – no, they're more like nightmares – are filled with football: him successfully blasting through Shinryuji's line, Agon stopping his block, Agon sending him flying, Agon skirting around him to score a touchdown. He always wakes up in a hurry, almost tumbling out of bed in his haste, and immediately starts his routine. The only way he stands a chance against Agon, the only way he can prove to Shinryuji that he could've been an asset to them, the only way he can show his gratitude to Hiruma and Musashi is if he perfects the ultimate block.
Sometime before the Shinryuji game, Hiruma shows up outside Kurita's house. When Kurita gets to the front entrance, all Hiruma says is "Walk with me."
Kurita follows Hiruma to school. It's dark outside, and the grounds feel desolate, dead. The longer Hiruma stays quiet, the more apprehensive Kurita feels. He can't help but wonder: Is this what our football field will look like, if we lose to the Shinryuji Nagas? The clubroom, empty; the football field, empty; the entire school, empty and lamenting the fact that they lost?
"Shut up, fatty! Stop being such a pansy!" Hiruma yells.
When Kurita turns to look at Hiruma, he sees that Hiruma has pulled guns out of nowhere again, his fingers placed dangerously on the triggers. Slowly, his grip relaxes.
"Don't think I haven't noticed your ridiculous amounts of training," Hiruma says, gaze set firmly on the field. "Don't overdo it; winning against Shinryuji without you wouldn't be as satisfying."
"I won't," Kurita says. "Let's win, and go all the way to the Christmas Bowl!"
Hiruma scoffs at that and says so quietly that Kurita almost misses it: "Yeah, make them regret underestimating you."
Then, Hiruma walks off, gun casually slung over his shoulder, and Kurita doesn't bother to follow.
For the next few days, Kurita's dreams are filled with football: him successfully blasting through Shinryuji's line, Agon attempting to stop his block, Agon failing to make him budge, Agon being flattened by the force of his block. He always wakes up with a smile on his face, humming as he goes to practice.
Sadly, as life would have it, the Shinryuji game isn't as easy as Kurita's dreams made it seem. Agon easily sends Kurita flying numerous times, along with his smaller teammates, and by the time the first half of the Shinryuji game is over, they're down 0 to 32. But that's okay – Kurita doesn't have to worry about not blocking competently enough, about disappointing Hiruma and Musashi, about losing to Shinryuji and losing their ticket to the Christmas Bowl – because they're the Deimon Devil Bats: the super-offensive dark horse. They have to win, so if they're down by 32 points, they just have to get 33.