Hey there everybody. I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a while. I'm trying to get ready for the soccer season. Today it's all icy outside so I decided to type a bit here. Anyhoo… I just realized that my last chapter was extremely rushed. Hopefully this one will be better.

PS: I know I skipped a week but you'll just have to deal with it. I couldn't think of any good ideas to shove in here and I really want to write this chapter so here goes.

Chapter 13: Whatever It Takes

"Ready girls?" The team turned to Kojima standing at the front of the bus and gave her a solemn nod. A serious vibe echoed all around them and had nearly silenced their ride. There were no pep talks, no cheering, just quiet. Everyone was getting 'in the zone.'

Once there we quickly found our locker rooms, noting that it may rain soon. We changed in relative silence and followed Kojima out onto the field. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite the field we had expected. Apparently, after failing to screw up our equipment, the rest of the school was seeking a new revenge. Spray-painted on the field in white was: Girls can't play soccer.

"I think someone has a death wish," Eva mumbled unconcerned. We'd seen enough of this to be relatively used to it. Besides, we had bigger problems.

"Yeah," Keiko chimed in. "Now they're going to have us, Hitana, and every other team in the tournament crashing down on them." We jogged the field a few times for warm up and stretched before grabbing a ball and getting into the rhythm. Hitana looked absolutely pissed when they walked in.

The rest of pre-game passed in a blur and before I knew it we were taking our positions on the pitch. We didn't have many spectators but that didn't matter right now. All that mattered was the game.

"C'mon, please? I want to see it," the black-haired boy begged his friend.

"They already told you what it looked like. Besides, it's raining," his blonde friend argued.

"That's not the same!"

With a sigh the second boy gave in. "Fine, but only for a moment. I have better things to do than watch girls try to play soccer on Hikaru's horrible penmanship." The 2 boys peered through the chain link fence unsuccessfully. The rain was coming down too hard. Silently, they and their umbrella went to join the few on the sidelines. "There, you see? Now let's--." He jumped when he realized who was standing next to him. "Aren't you supposed to be... you know, refereeing or something?"

The tall man in the black and white striped uniform glanced down at him momentarily. "I tried that. They've had at least a dozen fouls now but when I blow the whistle they just ignore me." The blonde and the black-haired boy turned their attention to the game in time to see an illegal slide-tackle from Hitana. The girl they recognized as the always gentle, fragile-looking Miyuki roll out of it and dive for the ball, passing it to Kojima.

"Of course they ignored you." All 3 males jumped violently at the cracking voice nearby. "This is a grudge match. They won't hear anything but the game whistle."

"What if the ball goes out?" the dark-haired boy asked.

Obassan smiled. "It won't. Not until they're done with it."

I slid hard to a stop. The mud was getting worse. It was almost impossible to not fall. Nobody had scored yet. I think the ref had given up and was standing on the sidelines under an umbrella. I was breathing hard and squinting through the rain, wiping it off my face when necessary. Everyone was dirty and tired, fighting with everything they had for the point. The only point. We knew only one team would score and it had to be us. It had to.

I dribbled around 2 of Hitana's half-backs and passed to Miyuki (right forward by the way). She was slide-tackled from behind but managed to get it to Kojima (left forward). Kojima fought but in a 4 on one match you are pretty much doomed. I should know. The defender attempted to make a long pass to one of the forwards but our left wing Akiko got there first and headed it to me. This time I dribbled up further, as far as possible without losing all opportunities to pass. My pass was intercepted and cleared. It made it all the way to Eva who-- even in the rain with a concussion-- was able to catch it. She punted it to our right wing Cho who got caught against the sidelines.

She tried passing it back to Gina (our right defender) but it too was stolen. Gina stole it again and passed it up to Etsuko (our right-center). She was stopped by a forward and passed it across to Kimiko (left-center). And so it went on. We chased the ball back and forth across the pitch from one base line to the other but nobody could manage to score. Then I heard Eva shouting something.

"We only have 2 minutes left! Go!" Rin (left defender) booted it hard up to me. No time to stop. If I trap it, they'll be on me in an instant. I'll just have to give it to Miyuki before that happens. I grunted, sliding to get under the ball before it hit the ground and volleyed it. It earned me a slide tackle to the stomach but at least Miyuki received it.

Miyuki probably hadn't heard Eva but knew that this was our last chance. We could all sense the end of the game drawing near. Unfortunately, even Hitana did. They were defending this point with everything they had left (which wasn't much do to the fact that we had played through half-time). The red-head dribbled around 3 people before giving Kojima a perfect pass. Yuki gave a hard header but it was knocked away by their goal keeper Yume.

I have to get there. I have to get there! I thought. So close... YES! I slid and kicked it up before Yume could grab it and Miyuki burst in with the most amazing volley I'd ever seen. A whistle from the sidelines. We scored!

We had no time to cheer though. One of Hitana's defenders grabbed the ball from the net and ran it to the half line. Stalling was not an option, not after this kind of game. We'd worked too hard to just leave it to lost time.

"Protect the goal ladies!" Kojima shouted at the top of her lungs.

With nothing to lose, Hitana went for it. They sent everyone, even Yume up to attack. They simply crowded our half of the field. The first shot was stopped by Keiko, the second by Rin, the third by Kimiko, and then they gave one more shot. It flew past the defenders easily and right towards the upper right-hand side of the goal. No! They're going to score! But then, Eva appeared out of nowhere and punched it away.

TWEET... TWEET... TWEEEEEEEEEEEET

The guys' team entered the dorms excitedly, chattering happily about their victory until Obassan shushed them.

"What?" Shige hissed loudly. She smiled gently and slid the door open. The boys peered into the lobby curiously and then held back laughs. Inside, the girls were scattered across the floor, on the stairs, and in the hallways still in their muddy uniforms.

"I take it, it went well?" Mizuno whispered, noting the smiles on their faces. "S-Shige! What are you doing?"

The blonde had scooped up Miyuki who had been the nearest. She remained asleep. He responded in his normal loud voice. "You know as well as I do that they aren't going to wake up. Besides, were you just going to leave them here?" Mizuno sighed defeatedly and reached down to scoop up Casey bridal style. "So... I don't suppose you know which room is theirs?" Mizuno sweat-dropped.