Yay, second story I translated! This is tough stuff, I'm telling you!
But well, I can imagine that many of you already know~
Disclaimer: I do not own Inazuma Eleven or it's characters, they belong to Level-5! I just own my OC's!
"Suzuki-san, training is starting!"
"Hm? Oh... yeah, I'm sorry!" I hurried to get a ball and walked over to my team mates. My friend Anna gave me a dig with her elbow.
"Ne, Haruki, what's up with you?", she asked with an innocent smile. "Fell for someone?"
"Eh, no...", I drawled, raising my eyebrows.
"And why do you always stare at the boys then? Come on, who is the one? Tell me! Maybe Ibuki-kun? He's here today, that's rare!"
I suppressed the need to facepalm. Anna was talking like a waterfall again and didn't let me say a word!
"I want to know...", I began and emphasized every word individually. "... why they are losing every match recently. They're playing really well! In the tournaments before, they always took the first rank."
"Oh, that's it! Well, the problem should be..."
"Nakayama-san, Suzuki-san! Listen to me, please! Especially you, Suzuki-san, should give a good example to the other members as the team captain!"
"I'm sorry!" Man, that the coach always has to interrupt when it gets interesting! But he was right, though. And what is that nice saying? No disadvantage without benefit: At least Anna stopped talking.
"We are going to practise layups and passes today. And following this, I have a little surprise for you!" The coach blinked mysteriously. He was nice, nothing to disagree. But he has a talent for being a fun killer!
I teamed up with Anna and we started practising passes, and shortly after, the gym was filled with the sound of bouncing balls. The noise didn't came from us only. The main culprits were the boys, who practised dribbling in the other half of the gym.
"Watch out!", Anna suddenly shouted, but before I was able to react, the ball hit my shoulder. It didn't hurt, so I wasn't complaining, but my hand still gripped the struck spot.
"I'm sorry!", Anna said awkwardly.
"It's okay, my fault! There is no need for you to apologize, it's me who has to focus!", I replied and pulled myself together. The constant staring at the boys seemed to become a habit, which wasn't cool at all.
We continued our training.
"What is the surprise our coach has for us?", Anna wondered.
"If I'd know that, it wouldn't be a surprise, right?"
"That's true. Well, but don't you think layups and passes are a bit few for a training session?"
"Who knows? Maybe the surprise is that we can go home earlier!"
"That would be nice!", Anna smiled and I did so, too. Basketball is fun, but to come home earlier also would be a good thing.
In the end, the surprise was a practise match against the boys. I was really happy! Up to now, we only had matches amongst ourselves, since there was no need to play against them. It still wasn't there, though. We had girls tournaments and boys tournaments, no mixes. But still, the idea was pretty cool!
The boys weren't an easy task. But they were boys, right? Stronger and mostly taller than us. Their plays were astonishing, but why do they loose all the time? Before I realized it, I ended up observing.
"Haruki, stop dreaming!", Anna shouted and I pulled myself together. I'm supposed to play, not to watch! The score was 12:7 with the boys in the lead, and my team needed me!
I ran to the centre of the field, where Mina-san fought a duel with Matsumoto-kun. As Matsumoto-kun wanted to pass the ball to Yurou-kun, I jumped between them and got the ball. I was dribbling to the other team's basket, when Ibuki-kun from my class suddenly blocked my way. After two years, I still wasn't used to his height. He towered up in front of me like a sunflower, although not as fragile. In seconds he had snatched away the ball from me, dribbled all the way back to our basket and scored by dunking.
I felt my jaw dropping. He was amazing, he was JUST AMAZING! With a player like him, they coast to victory, so what's the problem? I wanted to know, no matter what!
Anna had the ball and passed it to Tamamura-san, who dribbled up the field until Itou-kun blocked her. She feinted a dodge to the left and then passed to the right to Mina-san, who scored immediately. And that from far back, which meant three points and a loud cheering among us. The score was 13:10 now, we were catching up!
Ibuki got the ball and made his way to our basket. I was the nearest one and ran over to him, trying to take the ball. He might have been taller than me, but I was quicker and significantly more agile without the ball.
He knew how to defend and proved it. It felt like ages until I was able to touch the ball and make Ibuki lose control of it, but before I could grab it myself, Ibuki already had it again. Still the little success encouraged me and I kept on pressuring him.
"This way, Ibuki!"
Too bad! From the corner of my eyes, I could see Matsumoto-kun being unmarked. That ball was as good as out of reach!
But to my surprise Ibuki didn't pass. I saw my chance and dived underneath him to hit the ball, directing it to Anna who was free and scored immediately. 13:11!
"That was great, Anna!", I screamed, giving her a high five.
"Your play wasn't bad as well!", Mina-san praised. "Ibuki-kun is a hard opponent."
"Thank you, but I wonder what was up with him? He heard Matsumoto-kun, didn't he?"
The Matsumoto in question was complaining to Ibuki, I COULD hear him: "You should have passed the ball!"
But the reply was only a "Pff!" and Ibuki was gone, a behaviour which I consider quite childish. His abilities went to his head, didn't?
Afterwards, the whole thing turned into personal business between Ibuki and me. I had an assumption regarding the recent losses of the club and wanted to confirm it. Ibuki wanted to prove that he can get past me without help. I don't want to boast, but I wasn't captain for nothing! I hadn't the talent Ibuki had, but I've been practising basketball for seven years and I didn't intend on letting Ibuki surpass me just like that! As Ibuki had the ball, I was there, as I had the ball, waiting time for Ibuki was zero. The result of these duels where somewhat the same, the one possessing the ball ended up giving it away. Difference was that the ball possession didn't change the teams every time since unlike Ibuki, I didn't forget how to pass.
My team took the lead soon and as I scored the 30:47, the players slowly realized that the boys' team of Gassan Kunimitsu was about to lose again. Of course they couldn't leave it like this and went the extra mile, beginning to leave Ibuki alone; he received passes only if worst came to the worst. Quickly, the score was 43:48 as the boys played somewhat outnumbered, but way better than before, and soon nobody cared about marking Ibuki any longer.
It wasn't like he wouldn't participate in the match anymore. He played quite well on his own, making his way to my team mates and stealing them the ball if no one else was faster, and his throws scored exceptionless. I was flabbergasted as he sidestepped four girls at once, but also proud of being able to steal him the ball.
It felt like we'd play against two small teams instead of a complete one, but we ended up winning 52:64. Happily, I gave my whole team a high five and walked over to Matsumoto then, who sat on the ground to rest.
"Good job!", I greeted him. "It's been a long time since I had so much fun!"
Matsumoto smiled. "I had fun, too. Well, we didn't win, but that seems to be destiny."
I sat down next to him. "You know... I think I understand the problem."
Matsumoto froze. "I do so as well. It has white hair, a headband and goes by the name Ibuki Munemasa."
I couldn't help glancing around. I might have been a wise decision to do it earlier, but luckily I couldn't see Ibuki anywhere. Was he at the changing room already?
I relaxed and had to giggle suddenly. "He's an arrogant bonehead, but I think it will be over someday. I know him for two years now, he wasn't that haughty back then. His success somewhat turned his head, I think..."
"Let's hope it will be over! We can't play like this for eternity." Matsumoto shook his head. "Y' know, he considers himself better than everyone else. At the beginning of every match he demands from us to give him the ball and not to be a drag. He believes that he can play the matches on his own. That he himself is the only one needed for victory. He forgot that basketball is a team sport and one can't win alone. He blames us for the recent series of losses. He doesn't come up with the idea it could be him. And what is also striking: It seems that he have banished words like 'we' or 'thank you' from his vocabulary."
I mulled over Matsumoto's speech a bit. The latter was indeed striking, but I didn't really notice the rest. Well, I didn't play on the same team as Ibuki, so this might be the reason. "Sounds bad, if you ask me. Did you try to talk to him?"
"Of course, but he doesn't listen. Goes deaf and rejects everything; his conviction that nothing of this disaster has to do with him is settled."
"Not cool..." I was running out of words. Maybe I don't know Ibuki as good as I thought. We might attend the same classes, but we hadn't talked too much yet.
I sighed. Slowly, this situation got awkward, but I didn't want to just stand up and go.
Anna saved me: "Haruki, would you come here, please?"
I rushed on my feet. "Oh, looks like I've been yearned for. Have a nice day, Matsumoto-kun!"
"Goodbye, Suzuki-san!", Matsumoto replied, taken aback, and I darted to my friend. "What is it?"
"Nothing. It just seemed you'd like to take flight.", Anna explained grinning.
"Was it so obvious?", I asked, slightly abashed. "Anyway, thank you!"
"Well, we should get going! The other girls are in the changing room already."
"Good idea!"
We left the gym together and changed clothes. As we were about to go through the school's gate, laughing and chatting, something rushed into my mind.
"Darn! I forgot my water bottle!"
"Man, Haruki! That you always have to leave everything!", Anna exclaimed with faked desperation and I scratched my head, smiling sheepishly.
"It couldn't be helped...", Anna sighed. "You'd better go and get it before the coach locks the gym. And, eh... I'm sorry, but I have to go home, I can't wait for you."
"It's okay! You can't be punished for me forgetting my bottle. See you tomorrow!"
"Bye!"
Anna turned around and I dashed back to the gym. Hopefully the coach hadn't locked it up yet!
But my worries were unnecessary. The gym wasn't near to 'locked up', the boys were on the way to the changing rooms by the time. I took my bottle and was about to leave as my eyes landed on Ibuki sitting in front of the door, still in full get-up. He looked a bit down. What did he do there? He left the gym way earlier than me. Right?
As I saw him sitting there, I felt something I never felt towards him before: compassion. Seeing someone is this state made me feel gloomy myself. Also if this someone is called Ibuki and doesn't belong to most pleasant persons on this Earth. Putting a spontaneous idea into practice, I sat down next to him.
It was silent for a while, then Ibuki suddenly asked: "So I'm an arrogant bonehead, right?"
I winced. He had actually been there? How much did he hear? No good, no good! Not cool!
"Well, eh... that... I-I didn't really meant it!", I stammered, less than convincing. "Just don't take it serious!"
That was embarrassing! It can't really happen! Oh boy, that wasn't my day!
I waited for a reaction, but nothing came. "Ibuki-kun? I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that..."
"Tell me, doesn't this get on your nerves, too?"
"Hmm? What?", I asked. He caught me off-guard, that was the last question I expected. Actually, I didn't expect a question at all!
"That the others are such poor players! Don't you want to join a better team?"
"Eh?! What gave you that idea? I don't think they're poorer players than me. And even if, they're my friends. Why should I move?"
"Hn! You understand me neither."
"Ehm... no!", I admitted. "Well, but we're in different positions, right? That you're talking to me now shows that you consider me equal. That's not true. Even though we joined the club at the same time, I started with basketball really early. You on the contrary... You just do it! You have a natural talent!" I paused and looked up at the sky, dreaming. "This is to be envied! I want to have your talent, too. No matter what, my team never reached first rank. On the contrast, the series of victory of the boys is just... well, enviable."
"If it wouldn't have been broken already."
I shot Ibuki a glance, who hammered his fist at the ground. "I shouldn't have came. I shouldn't have waste my time with this team and practise on my own again. These guys aren't reliable anymore, they're only in the way! I'd prefer playing abroad, in a team worth playing with me!"
"Ibuki!", I yelled in shock, totally forgetting the address. "Do you actually listen to yourself? Do you realize what you're talking about?"
"Sure! And I'm entitled to do so. These non-starters can't keep up with me! I could play the matches on my own, but no – Coach doesn't let me."
I felt the urge to bottle him, the needed instrument laid tempting in my hand, and I struggled to keep control of myself.
"Why do you think am I able to take away the ball from you if you're good enough to play a match alone?"
"Because you're a good player, too. That's why I asked you if you would like to switch teams."
One word: facepalm. I couldn't come up with something else! Instead on Ibuki's blockhead, I hit my bottle against my own forehead.
"Baaaaaaaka! It's because you didn't pass! Matsumoto was unmarked, y' know? And out of my reach!"
"He would lose the ball in an instant."
"What makes you so sure about this?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
I could have talked to a wall as well, it would be just as wise and reasonable. Now I understood Matsumoto's problem, too. Talking was no use with my white-haired classmate.
"Ibuki-kun, if you want to change, you should hurry up!"
Two surprised glances flashed at the coach who suddenly came through the door. It was the girls' team's coach scolding Ibuki, but after I thought about it shortly, I came to the conclusion that it isn't that unusual. He was responsible for locking the gym after all.
Ibuki stood up and dusted off his pants. "Whatever. See you in class tomorrow, Suzuki-san."
"See you, Ibuki-kun!"
Ibuki disappeared in the door and I stood up as well to return home.
Please! Let there be some prodigy who is able to knock him off his perch!
Wait, what? When the heck did I came up with the sunflower?!
Oh, yes, the pun on Shindou is on purpose~
This was supposed to be the end, but as I published this story in German already, one of my readers requested a sequel and I actually wrote one after hundreds and hundreds of years.
Think I'm gonna translate it as well and publish it as a new chapter, that's why the story hasn't the status 'Complete' yet.