So with all the writing in second person for my[ reader X character] requested one shot collection, I do need time to write something in my usual third person heh. Oh yeah, for those of you who have been reading ' Moments with You', I updated it yesterday but it didn't move to the top of Inazuma Eleven fanfiction index page ... thing. So yeah, there's a Reader X Kariya there if you want to read.
This one's a two shot based from my other favourite soccer anime/manga "Whistle!" and honestly if you like IE, you'll love Whistle!. This was based of the manga ending which unfortunately wasn't shown in the anime ;-;
Mostly (Not all) set when the INAGO first years are in their third year junior high and are still playing for Inazuma Japan.
Disclaimer: Don't own Inazuma Eleven GO or whistle... *sobs*
My body feels light
It feels so good!
This is new! I'm running faster than I thought I could!
But then…
I heard a crack
Something's breaking…
…I heard it snap...
That very moment… I understood what had happened.
The sky is dark… and I don't like it at all.
"Tsu-ru-giiii!"
Tsurugi turned around at the mention of his voice to see a familiar teal haired defender walking up, his hand by his head in a form of a saluted greeting. Beside him, the headbanded bunny like goalkeeper and purple haired forward by each of his sides.
"You're late," the eighteen year old bluntly stated to three as the four of them started walking out of the school grounds.
"Gomen Tsurugi, it's not my fault Kariya got kept back with sensei again," Shinsuke said and Hikaru laughed.
"I swear sensei hates me or something," Kariya groaned, reminded of the pain he had to endure at least once a week, "I wasn't even talking this time."
The four of them stopped at the benches by riverbank soccer field. Noticing that they were the first people there, they plopped down on the benches waiting for the others to arrive.
The soccer ball Shinsuke had been holding slipped out of his hands and rolled onto the field. Instead of running after the ball, he watched it as it slowed to a stop near the centre of the field.
"You know…" Shinsuke started, the two looked down at the goalkeeper, "It's been three years since that day."
"You're right!" Hikaru exclaimed, "I hope we get to see Tenma-kun again!"
Kariya nodded in agreement.
Tsurugi glanced up at the sky at that mention, "Three years…"
The finals of the Holy Road International tournament were reaching to a close as no less than two minute remained on the clock.
The score lingered at 6-6, Inazuma Japan coached by Endou Mamoru who was up against his long-time friend Ichinose Kazuya and his team - America's Unicorn.
"TENMA! TSURUGI! GIVE IT YOUR ALL!" He heard Kinako on the bench, yelling at him.
Behind him, Fei held possession of the ball while Shindou, Nishiki, Taiyou and Yukimura guarded off members of the opposition, keeping the ball safe with Fei. In front of him Hakuryuu and Tsurugi ran in front towards the goal.
"TSURUGI!" Fei yelled gave a clean pass to Tsurugi, however at the same time a large defender placed himself in front of him, losing the clear path to the goal.
Feinting left and dodging the defender, Tsurugi saw Tenma running up to the side, the only one who was free without a mark.
Thirty seconds left on the clock…
"TENMA!" It was their only chance, they had to score a goal - And what better way to score than a chain shoot?
Tsurugi kicked the ball up and quickly did a backflip. Just when Tsurugi was about to kick the ball, the energy around the ball condensed then lashed back out when his foot made contact with the ball. Surrounded in blue energy and electricity, the ball was sent flying towards Tenma,
Tenma jumped high to grab possession of the ball but at the same time Alpha jumped even closer to the ball before it came to him.
"Gomen Tenma-kun, but this is Unicorn's victory," Alpha smirked knowing one goal from him and it would be all over.
"I won't let this opportunity go!" Tenma thought as he swung his body round, forcing the incoming ball to fly towards the goal in the form of an overhead kick.
I heard a crack
Alpha's mouth widened in surprised as he watched the ball fly further and further away from him.
Something's breaking…
Alpha let out a relieved sigh as the ball missed the goal and rebounded of the goalpost and landed out of bounds. He landed firmly with two feet on the ground ready to grab the corner kick.
But then something stopped him.
…I heard it snap
"TENMA!" He saw Fei with his eyes wide opened looking at something behind him.
Alpha turned around rushing to the scene of the accident as he as well as players from both Unicorn and Inazuma Japan ran towards a boy who had fallen to the ground… not getting up.
"TENMA!"
"CAPTAIN!"
"TENMA, PLEASE GET UP!"
"TENMA WAKE UP!"
The sky is dark… the world became dark around me… and I don't like it at all.
But it was that very moment, I finally realized what was happening.
Tenma gasped as he blinked himself awake. He wiped the fresh sweat which glistened on his face as he lay there looking at the ceiling.
"I keep having that nightmare…" he said as he attempted to sit up before cringing at the slight pain on his left knee.
Tenma's eyes widened in the realization, "It wasn't a dream…"
"So…" he heard his older brother entering the hospital room with his parents and Aki, "You mean he can't play soccer anymore? That's what you mean?"
"KOUKI! Stop it!" he heard his mother scold him as he pretended that he was asleep.
"The operation was a success, however…" the doctor started, "After making the incision we discovered that the damage was more extensive than we had previously assumed."
" If rehabilitation goes well he should be able to lead a normal life but…" he glanced into his mother and father's eyes, "… he must avoid any intense athletic ability of any kind."
Tenma's eyes widened, "No more soccer… ever" he thought.
Kouki eyed his brother knowing he'd heard the worst thing that could ever happen to him.
"I'm sorry Tenma…" he muttered to himself.
"Alright, I'll come by and pick you up in the evening," Kouki told Tenma as he grabbed his crutches and walked out the car.
It had been three months since the accident, one since he was released from the hospital and two weeks since he had started to go to school again. He was now living with his parents and older brother who had flown all the way from Okinawa after they learned he was in hospital. Now they're on work leave watching their son's health improve by the day. Matsukaze Kouki, his older brother decided to study at the local university for the year, worried his brother had a high chance of doing something idiotic again. He'd miss living with by himself with Aki close by, but living with his family for the first time in a long time… well he did truly miss this more than anything.
"Kou-nii," Tenma started before he left to go into the gates of Raimon Junior High, "Thanks for doing this… every day."
He motioned to the car his brother was driving, "No probs, just don't be late."
"Okay, I'm going now!" he ran off … well as fast as his crutches could take him.
"Taking soccer… away from him!" Kouki slammed his fists onto the wheel of his car resulting in a large 'HONK' scaring some passing students as they walked passed, "IT'S TOO MUCH!"
"I can do this… it'll all work out…" Tenma muttered, he had to climb the many stairs to the Raimon main building in his crutches.
As he got to the last step, a boy shoved past him making Tenma lose balance and was just about to fall off the stairs – his left crutch holding him from falling.
Unfortunately his crutched slipped and he could feel himself falling backwards.
But before he was able to hit the ground, something caught him.
"HEY YOU! You knock someone over… with crutches nonetheless… and then you bail! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?!" Tenma heard Tsurugi yell at the boy who had shoved pass him.
"Shut up… I barely grazed him!" the boy yelled back leaving the two alone in the hallway.
"Why that little…" Tsurugi muttered. He was ready to grab a soccer ball and Death Drop it on the boy's head but Tenma stopped him.
"Tsurugi… I fine… really…" Tenma pulled on his arm as Tsurugi looked as if were to attack the poor boy.
"You're too nice…" Tsurugi groaned at him, "You need help?" he asked him noticing the crutches once more.
"Nah it's okay, It's all part of my rehab," Tenma grinned, "How was the under-15 soccer camp? And your leg injury?"
"It was fine… and it's not my leg injury you should be worried about." Tsurugi said, his eyes looked out in front while Tenma looked at him.
The two stopped at Tenma's class and Tenma thanked him for walking him to his class.
"Hey Tenma,"
Tenma looked at Tsurugi whose back was now turned towards him.
"Don't keep me waiting forever, you know how impatient I can be." Tsurugi said before walking down the hall to his class, "I want to play soccer with you again."
Tenma sighed as he walked into his class.
He hadn't told them yet… he hadn't told him yet either…
Kariya had his head down on the desk as he, Shinsuke, Hikaru and Tenma hung out in the soccer club room after school that day.
"So you know those exam results we got back the other day... mine were pretty bad…" Kariya groaned, "If my next test is that bad… I won't be able to go to my first choice high school."
Hikaru laughed dryly as Kariya continued to ramble on, "Because my first choice school is Raimon East and they have a great soccer team. Not to mention Shindou-san, Kirino-san and the others are there,"
"How 'bout you, Tenma?" Shinsuke piped up, "If you haven't applied, let's apply to Raimon East together so us five can be on the same soccer team again! Your leg should be healed by then right?"
I can never play soccer with Shinsuke, Kariya and Hikaru ever again…
"Uh… yeah…" he stuttered hoping to mask the sadness in his throat.
I wish I could tell them…
"Tsurugi!" Hikaru grinned as the door opened letting the third year ace striker in.
Tsurugi…
"What are you guys doing here? I thought the soccer club was over for the year?" He asked the four as he walked in and opened his locker.
I'll never be able to play with him either too…
"What are YOU doing here?" Kariya smirked repeating his question.
"I just stopped by to grab some things," he told them.
I wish I could just tell them…
"So where are you going next year Tsurugi!" Kariya asked him, "I'm sure a smarty pants like you can go anywhere he wants."
I 'll never catch another one of Tsurugi's passes again…
"Hey…you're the one who asked so don't be snotty about it," Tsurugi muttered, "Actually I'm not sure, probably Raimon East or Kidokawa Seishuu High."
… or play against him…
"Kidokawa Seishuu?" Hikaru asked.
"Um… Kidokawa Seishuu girls are hot?..." Tsurugi replied with the first thing he thought of and the four laughed at his failed act of desperation.
"Looks like you're having a good time but it's time to go home Tenma," Kouki walked into the room grabbing Tenma's bags, "Sorry I'm late!"
"Kou-nii!" Tenma grinned before standing up, "Well… looks like I'm going home guys! Cya!"
… I couldn't tell them…
"Take care!"Kariya yelled out as the door closed.
"You're being overly considerate…," Tsurugi told him, "It makes me nervous watching you.."
Tsurugi sighed as he grabbed the rest of his things, he thought of Tenma and his crutches as he did "If hadn't sent him that type of pass, he…"
"If you start saying that…" Kariya interrupted his self-muttering, "I swear I'm gonna kill himself."
"Kariya… I didn't mean…" Tsurugi stuttered.
"Tenma wouldn't like to see you blaming yourself, Tsurugi," Shinsuke ran up to him with Hikaru behind him, "He and I know very well it wasn't your fault he's in crutches."
"Tenma-kun is strong," Hikaru grinned at him, "He won't give up till he starts playing soccer again!"
"Yeah…" Tsurugi muttered. He wouldn't admit it but he was glad to have friends like these.
"You were napping so much in class this year I was worried about you," his teacher spoke to him as he watched Tenma work his leg at the hospital gym. It was part of his rehabilitation and he was doing all he could to get it better, "You're last exam was incredible, you got 473 points out of 500 which means you're ranked 9th in the class. You do really well when you try."
Tenma stopped his leg exercises and smiled at his teacher, "If you keep this up you'll be accepted into any high school with any great high school team,"
But I can't
"Right Tenma?"
I'll never be able play soccer again…
"Right Tenma?"
"Uh yeah…" he smiled masking the sadness in his heart once again.
"Before the next test you have to fill out this form that says which high school you want to attend… you're the only who hasn't submitted yet," she handed him the form, "Tsurugi's been accepted the same way your friends Taiyo and Yukimura have been accepted by the strength of their soccer recommendations.
"Soccer recommendation?" He pulled up another fake smile, "That's awesome!"
Soccer… the soccer he couldn't play.
He started to remember the moment his parents told him no more soccer.
"Tenma…"
He sat on the couch with Kouki beside him. His father and mother sat on the couch opposite of them, "I know you're trying hard to get better so you can play soccer… but I don't want you to play soccer anymore…"
"When I heard you received a severe injury during the game… my heart almost stopped" his mother cried.
"Tenma…" his father started, "What the doctor is trying to say is that with that type of injury you'd have to go through a different longer rehabilitation process. It'll take at least six months to restore in to basic function… but to go back to the level of soccer you were playing…"
Shut up
"From what I understand, if you want to be a professional in any sport, the sooner you start the better," he continued, "At your age you are growing… to halt your training for an entire year could lead to disastrous consequences."
Please, shut up…
"At this point in time, I'd rather you focus on your high school entrance exam and plan on living a normal life. Kouki and Aki told me how much you have worked to come this far… and we're all proud of you. It's probably the right decision."
Shut up, Shut up
"I want to support your aspirations but we need to be realistic here… wouldn't it be better to have soccer as a hobby?"
"Shut… up"
"Thanks… for worrying about me," he smiled hoping the pain would die away.
Why am I smiling?
"I'll think about it.
He jolted out of thought the moment his teacher's phone rang, "Ahh sorry Tenma-kun, I have to go to an important teachers' meeting! Keep up with your school work, it'll all work out!"
It'll all work out… it'll all work out.
Well this time… it wasn't going to work out…
He couldn't play soccer…
And with that thought he grabbed his crutches and left the hospital while the doctor had left the room.
Kouki left the hospital in a rush, he was supposed to pick up Tenma from the hospital yet het wasn't there. Fuyuka said "he'd rushed off," and wasn't able to follow him since she was treating a patient.
"Dammit Tenma…" he muttered, "Please don't do anything stupid.
Down by the riverbank field, Tenma stood with a ball at his feet aligned with the square bricks of the sidewalk. Tsurugi, who was passing by saw Tenma and watched him from the top of the banks.
He was going to practise around the bricks… like old times right?
Who cares what the doctor says… he was going to play soccer and that was that.
But the moment he attempted to kick the ball, his left knee jolted in unbearable pain.
"AHHH" he yelled as he fell to the ground.
"TENMA!" Tsurugi jumped down as fast as he could to help the fallen boy, "You idiot, you're not supposed to be playing soccer, you're injured."
"Tsurugi…" tears were falling out of his eyes as he grabbed the striker's shirt, "My leg… it's turned into a useless piece of junk."
"Tenma…" Tsurugi started, holding the crying boy in his arms.
"I can't dribble, I can't run or pivot, I can't even kick a ball!…" Tenma sobbed. "I don't want it… "
"TENMA!" Kouki had found his brother's hiding spot with the help of Kariya, Shinsuke and Hikaru who ran to aid him
"IF I CAN'T PLAY SOCCER THEN I DON'T WANT THIS STUPID LEG ANYMORE!"
Tsurugi's eyes widened… he'd harmed his brother and now his best friend couldn't play soccer.
Hikaru, Kariya and Shinsuke watched in sadness as Tenma clutched his leg in pain.
He could only cry in pain, in agony…
"Why did this have to happen to me… "Tenma sobbed into Tsurugi's shirt,
"Why won't Soccer let me play anymore…"
Okaaaaaay that was kinda a fail and didn't turn out as great as I wanted. Don't kill me for killing Tenma-kun's leg... I'll fix it I promise xD
Random notes: Tenma can actually walk without crutches but his doctor says he should use them. Placed Alpha in America so I didn't have to use some random.
Second part to this two shot will be out soon - three parts if I decide to split the next chapter. Hopefully will finish this by Friday, working on my one-shot collection tonight and tomorrow! Probably gonna busy dying over whatever the new announcement for Pokemon is tomorrow since they're announcing 'most likely' a new game at midnight my time... can't waaait!
Till next time!
-Tripp