"Gooood evening Ladies and Gentlemen's and welcome to the 3rd hockey friendly match between and Kyoto High schools!"
The crowd screamed in response on commentator greeting. The arena was full of exited people, despite the fact that this was just a friendly match. And the reason was Anh Lu the player from Kyoto High school hockey team. The team itself was very popular and strong itself, but people gone crazy on one person - the captain. Tall, muscular girl with a green short hair and blue eyes – Anh Lu, a daughter of Tokyo vice president.
Comparing with them schools team members was just a freshman's. And Natsuki knew it. Natsuki liked to play hockey and in a time of living in orphans, hockey was like air to her and she hadn't stopped showing it on every single game. Their team passed through a dozen games, only, thanks to Natsuki's skills. This game was just what Natsuki need right now after her recent failure so she's going to take it in full.
"I don't know about you but I'm really excited today. Our favorites from Kyoto High crushed all previous teams all the way till this moment and today I'm gonna cheer them! Ooookay, Let's greet our players FROOOM KYOTO HIGH! Chie Harada! Arika Hiroki! Tomoe Margguerite! Torika Kio! Nao Yuuki! Aand our star! ANH LU!" The crowd burst in cheers and in hysterical screams of joy of sigh of their favourite.
"Ou yeah! Welcome on ice Kyoto High! Now, let's greet their opponents from . Kiko Chi, Amana Mizuki, Sasa Kage, Min Ho, Sumiko Ai and Natsuki Kuga!"
A bright light strike Natsuki's eyes making her squint for a moment in discomfort when she stepped on the ice. The players from both teams made a lap of honour on hockey field and took their places waiting for the referees approve to start their battle after warming up session.
Natsuki was a central striker in her team and a role of play puck laid on her shoulders, so she skate to the field centre and took her position slightly bending her upper body, but a laugh in front of her make her to lift her eyes in confusion.
"What's so funny?"
"I just wonder how the bastards like you manage to get so far? Just look at your outfit, you are so pathetic!" Anh smirked noticing bluenette's shaking body. "Oh, don't worry we will finish you off soon"
"Who said I'm worrying?" Natsuki's shaking stopped and Anh met a dark nephrite eyes ignited and she was stroke with anger and confidence in them. "I'm just in anticipation of kicking your bitchy ass!"
The last thing what Anh saw was girls smirking face as their battle for the puck was done and Natsuki had gone far with a puck in a seconds.
"Shit!" Anh cursed and chased after her as fast as she could. Unfortunately for her Natsuki already was close enough to their gates to make a strike.
Her moves was perfect, accurate and straight. She easily bypassed all opponent and with a one fast strike kick the puck right into the gates.
All fans mouths dropped to the floor. Never ever someone managed to hit the score to Kyoto High moreover in this record time – on a 14nth second of the match.
Kyoto High players froze on their places in disbelieve.
Natsuki lazily skate to the next play puck point.
"Fast bastards, ne?" smirked Natsuki victoriously bypassing her who still stood dumbfounded.
'Tsk! Now, you are dead!' thought Anh shooting an angry looks to Tomoe Wong and Torika Kio who nodded in understanding.
All next two periods went pretty tense for both teams, Natsuki was a strongest, leading figure in the team, so those two, Tomoe and Torika, always blocked her and swapping her out of the feet or smacking her hard to the wall each time they got a chance.
Till the match end left one minute. All players were exhausted and panting hard. Natsuki made them sweat tonight.
For the last puck play teams changed their strategies, Natsuki and Anh took their positions next to play puck players.
All eyes were fixed on the referee. He dropped the puck and the last battle began.
The Kyoto High team took control over the puck and started their attack combination tricking Natsuki's team members as they were closer and closer to 's goaltender.
'Fuck! I can't let them shot this goal! We won't win anyway, but I won't let them either!'
Natsuki took all her remaining strength and speed up. She catch up with Anh just in time as she was about to shoot and without stopping smashed Anh to the wall with her own body, taking the puck to her after and skate through the field in opposite direction.
"Shit! STOP HER!" Shouted Anh in desperation trying to catch Natsuki, but she was too far already.
Natsuki's muscles sored from the intense and hard game, all body screamed in pain from the various punches and meetings with the field walls, her lungs burned, she was tired to no end, but the battle hadn't finished yet. So she ignored all those feelings and flew to her goal bypassing all players never leaving the puck.
When Natsuki crossed the middle of the field Tomoe headed to her leaving Nao and Toriko to help their goaltender to defend the gates. She tried to swept Natsuki out her feet by using her stick, but bluenette jump over Tomoe's hockey stick. All fans stood up from places holding their breaths.
The time slowed down. Toriko and Nao started their contr-atack. Natsuki was alone, her team members still were out of reach. Backing up wasn't an option. Just ten seconds left till the end of a third and the last period. She need to act and fast, so Natsuki done the only reasonable thing she could.
She stopped just in hundred meters from the goal line, she fling puck up in the air with a hockey stick and shoot it.
A loud ringing sound filled the soundless field. All participants stood wide eyed and speechless in awe.
Natsuki's shot reached the target. She changed the score. Players lift their eyes to score board. The numbers said 3:3. They played in draw.
All players from screaming wildly from the happiness lift yelping and sweaty Natsuki on their arms and drove to the changing room out from the field.
"P-put me down!, Hey!? Where are you touching at, animals!" yelped Natsuki when she felt someone accidently grope her ass. Her face was flushed. She started to wiggle and the team was forced to comply.
"Nuts!" barked Natsuki left behind recessive team.
"Are you Kuga Natsuki?"
Natsuki turned around to unknown voice. In front of her stood a tall handsome man in black outfit. He was around 34 years old or so.
"Maybe. And who the hell are you?"
"I am a Japan hockey team coach, Akiro Seiji. Did you heard about 'Black Panthers'?" he smiled ignoring Natsuki's harsh answer.
"You gotta be kidding me, You are Akiro Seiji? That Seiji!? The coach of 'Black Panters'!? It's the best hockey team in Japan!" She glowed like a Christmas tree unable to believe that she stood and talk to this great trainer. However she remained calm outside. She know all about them, well, almost all. She don't remember how Akiro Seiji looked like, she saw him only few times when watched their games, but heard a lot about him and his team 'Black Panthers'. She was a fan of them and always dreamed someday to join them.
"You see, I'm looking for a young talents. I want to create a woman's hockey team. And I want to have you as a player in my team."
"Me!? In your team!?" Natsuki stood shocked. She wanted this, but then the words of orphan director popped in her head.
"Is something wrong? I won't pushing you. I can give you time to think a.."
"No, I want" she cut him in the middle of the sentence, "But…I can't leave without my little brother. We..we are orphans."
"Well, I don't see the problem in there." He smiled genuine "I can adopt both of you until you become an adult to be able to take care of him by your own. But with one condition."
"What condition?"
"I want you to finish school first."
"And that's all?" she arched a brow suspiciously.
"Yes, that's all"
"Deal"
"Good, You and your brother will be transferred into school of Kyoto High tomorrow!"
"What!? Why!?"
"There work the friend of mine. He is a good coach! He will give you a base!"
"A base? But I have a base!"
"Don't get me wrong. You have a spark and I like it. Thank your temper which helped you today. Be honest, you burned out too fast, your skills on the level as you can have. I want to fan this spark into a flame. But before I start to train you, I want you to work on your stamina first. So don't be late on your new classes tomorrow, I will settle all with Orphan director. My manager will be waiting for you to give you a details and a contract to sign, so go change and come to her. Her name is Mai Tokiha" he smiled and waved goodbye to speechless Natsuki who stared blankly at his leaving.
