This story is in spirit of the 2010 Soccer World Cup. Even thought it was written two years ago when I hadn't yet developed my interest in soccer it seems like the right time to post this. So without further ado, here's chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own E7

Prologue:

"GOODBYE HOLLAND!" Talho yelled as she slammed Holland's room door. She and Holland had been arguing about what they were going to do when they encountered Ray. Holland had killed Charles Beams and Ray had blown him up the previous night. Holland had been injured and if he went against Ray he had a high chance of getting killed. Talho had tried to stop him and change his mind but nothing she did seemed to work. In the end the two of them had an argument which led Talho to leaving the Gekko.

Chapter 1

It's Been a While

"Todd, hurry up or we'll be late," Talho said.

"Coming mummy," a small voice said in reply. It had been six years since Talho had left the Gekko and Holland. In that time she had become a mother and part of a soccer team. All five of her brothers had been soccer crazy so Talho knew everything there was to know about soccer.

"Todd-"

"I'm ready to go," Todd said. He was five years old and was the splitting image of his father except for his eyes; those were his mother's features.

"Well then let's get a move on," Talho said as she rushed her son out of their apartment and into the car. I don't want to be late. Not today at least.

"Are you really going to be playing the Gekkostate?" Todd asked. He loved lifting and Gekkostate.

"Yes."

"Will you beat them?"

"I'll try."

"You just got to."

"Okay Todd. I'll beat them if you say I must," Talho said as they pulled up at the playing field. Looks like they haven't arrived yet.

"You're late," Edward complained. Edward was the teams' coach. The soccer team that Talho was in had both genders and were called the Manchester Strikers. "Well you're not the only one."

"Xavier," Todd called out in delight. Xavier had Talho's boyfriend since Todd's second birthday.

"S'up little man?" Xavier replied. He carried Todd upside down from the car to the pitch. "Hello gorgeous."

"Hello handsome." Talho said kissing him on the cheek.

"I've brought you a gift. It may be a bit small now, but when it's bigger it'll serve well as a servant or pet," he joked.

"Put it down before its blood floods its head," Talho said giggling.

"Yes milady," Xavier said lowering Todd. Talho giggled again.

"Hey Talho quit wasting time and start warming up," Edward yelled.

"Yes sir," Talho said running over to the rest of the team. They started practicing when the sound of cars were heard in the distance. It turned out to be LFOs which could only mean one thing- their opponents were here. There were five LFOs racing one behind the other. First was a white and red one which was followed by a magenta one, a blue one, an orange one and lastly came a green one. Not too far behind the LFOs came a Jeep. Talho watched the LFOs for a minute and then turned her attention to practicing.

"Renton take the lead, I'll follow. Hilda, you and Matthieu follow behind. Anna you follow Matthieu and Ken-Goh you follow behind," Holland said.

"Do I have much of a choice?" Ken-Goh replied.

"Gekkostate move out," Holland said ignoring the comment. As they approached the pitch Holland saw their opponents stop and look at them for a minute. One of the players seemed unaffected and carried on practising.

"Hey leader, do I really have to play?" Hilda asked over the radio.

"Yeah, but I'll only let you on in the second half," Holland replied.

"Remind me why we're playing a game of soccer and not out doing something else," Anna's said.

"Because it's fun and we need a break from the military," Holland said. He had been with Anna for four years. They had met while Holland was out performing another one of Hap's shady deals. When they arrived at the pitch the coach from the opposing team came up to Holland and introduced himself as Edward Deravitch.

"Hi. I'm Holland Novak," Holland replied.

"World famous lifter huh? Xavier might be jealous," Edward said. Holland found himself looking at the player who had partially ignored the arrival of Gekkostate. It was a female who had skin tight shorts and a shirt on with the Manchester Strikers colours. She was kicking the ball up into the air and kicking it again before it hit the ground. Her hair was covering the back of her shirt so he couldn't see a name and she didn't turn around. He turned his head as the opponents coach ordered his team to run around the field to warm up before the match. The women followed her team and took the lead. Holland watched her until Renton came up to him.

"Holland do you want us to warm up?" Renton asked.

"Yeah, go ahead," Holland replied.

"Anna's gonna get jealous once she notices that you're staring at number seven," Renton pointed out.

"I'm not staring."

"You are," Renton said and ran off as Holland tried to punch him.

"You're still an adolescent," Holland mumbled and walked to where his team was warming up.

"Holland look," Matthieu said and pointed behind him. Holland turned to look at what everyone was staring at and his jaw dropped.

"It… it's Talho," Hilda said in astonishment. Holland looked in disbelief. He watched as she ran in front of the Manchester Strikers. Talho was the one that-

"Can she play soccer?" Anna asked.

"Yeah, she beat the leader of the entire SOF squadron in a ten on one match," Holland said. "Her brothers taught her how to play soccer before she could speak full sentences."

"Wow," came the response of most of Gekkostate.

Look at him standing there staring. Pathetic. Who's that stand by him and clinging onto him. Talho thought as she continued to run around the field until she reached Xavier.

"Hey put a smile on your dial," Xavier said.

"Mummy I understand the formula to Pi," Todd said with pride.

"The problems with having a child who's got more intellect than a fifth grader," Talho said with a sigh.

"It's not that bad. I can finish school before I'm ten."

"Yeah, but your hormones won't be on the same level," Xavier said.

"Urgh," Todd said. Talho and Xavier started to laugh.

"Let's go lifting. Your match only starts in 20 minutes and I doubt that Edward is going to mind," Xavier suggested.

"Let me ask him first then we'll see," Talho said.

"In the mean time I'm going with Todd."

"Ok, I'll catch up to you."

"Go lifting. You know you want to," Edward said when Talho asked him to go lifting. "Give the spectators a show. And tell Xavier not to fool around,"

"You got it," Talho said as she ran off to get her board.

With Holland

Who's that she's with and who's child is that? Lifting before a match. Talho barely could lift on her own back on the Gekko.

"Says here that Talho Yuki is on the Manchester Strikers team and is the best player they have. She's also the women's' champion of the past two lifting tournaments held here. She's the proud mother of Todd Yuki, a five year old genius. He has the IQ slightly higher than that of a fifth grader," Stoner said to the crew. He was reading the information of the internet. Everyone gasped as the saw the picture of Todd.

"You do think he's-" Hap started.

"He's got to be his son," Hilda pointed out.

"Could possibly be," Mischa said. Everyone was looking at Holland.

"What now?" Holland asked.

"Nothing," Stoner said.

"Whatever," Holland said and looked at the field. He hadn't seen the picture of Todd so he didn't know what they were all talking about. He looked over to the LFOs where Anna was talking to Eureka. He heard Stoner read again.

"Says that she's been going out with Alexavier Keyono for three years. He's the Lifting Hype Tournament's champion five years running. Last year he just missed beating world champion Holland Novak's record for speed lifting," Stoner said.

"Looks like our leader has competition," Matthieu said.

"Not really. The last that Holland's speed lifting time was recorded was two years ago," Hap said. Holland had heard enough and got up and went to where Renton was practicing.

"You still love her don't you?" Renton asked when Holland stood on front of him.

"Shut up," Holland said as Renton passed him the ball.

"I'll take that as a yes. You're making it kinda obvious and Anna's getting jealous. You should talk to her," Renton said.

"I talk to Anna everyday and why should she have such a problem. It's not like anything will happen."

"I meant talk to Talho and Anna will be jealous because you were with Talho before her."

"So what that was two years before I met her."

"You were with my sister before Talho and she was jealous."

"Mmmm," Holland passed the ball back to Renton and watched Talho perform a cut back drop turn. "You have a kid and suddenly know everything about women."

"Nah, I just know how they feel 'cause I'm usually the one that they take their anger out on."

"Hey you two hurry up! We've gotta get to our positions," Hilda shouted.

"Coming," they both yelled back. Holland watched as Talho ran onto the field before going to where his team waited for instructions.

Hope you all liked it. I'll try to post a chapter a week. Please review and tell me how I'm doing. I really appreciate the feedback.

~Simone;P