Episode 43: Ratoniik: VS Ratoniik Eleven part 2
Aoi handed each of the players a bottle of water and a towel.
"Wow... look at those claws...!" Komori whispered as she examined Zephyr's hands.
"Can't move them very freely though. Easier with the mittens on." Zephyr sighed as he put them back on.
"What's the matter, Minaho-kun?" Manabe noticed.
Minaho frowned, "Kusaka's not showing jealously when Konoha's talking to another guy like usual... He seems occupied..."
Manabe glanced at the tall midfielder, "Hm... I wonder what's bothering him..."
"If we got that Jet Stream, we would be tied right now." Matatagi glared at Alsius.
The blue haired Melfen glared back, "You suggesting it was my fault?"
The striker just snorted.
"No fighting... both of you calm down! Everyone makes mistakes!" Tenma said standing in between the two. "We'll just take it back. Right?"
"Hmf." Matatagi walked away.
"Like I care." Alsius went the other way.
The game resumed with Zephyr and Tetsukado switching positions. The second half began with Ratoniik's kick off.
Kusaka went to stop his opponent, however was easily avoided.
"Leave it to me!" Manabe yelled as he unleashed his soul, transforming in the Ratel. Slashing his claws at the Ratoniik player, Manabe knocked him away and successfully stole the ball.
"Shindou-kun!" Manabe passed it up.
"I messed up again..." Kusaka growled to himself.
The midfielder continued to try and try, however, he wasn't making any progress. He couldn't get the ball.
"Haah!" Tetsukado used his soul to block the Ratoniik's attack.
"Gigant Vine!"
Ibuki went on all fours transforming into a large blue mammoth. He then stomped on the incoming shoot completely stopping it.
"Shindou!"
The midfielder unleashed his soul, Kujaku to dribble past his opponent.
"Everyone's using their souls... But I don't even have one, I'm not sure if I have one..." Kusaka mumbled as he saw his teammates unleash their souls. He felt... weak.
"Kusaka-kun..." Konoha spoke up, "You're getting too impatient... causing you to make mistakes."
"I know, but I need to work harder since I'm not as good as everyone!" Kusaka argued.
The small defender shook her head, "Kusaka-kun, you are as good as everyone else; not falling behind in anyway." After a slight pause, she continued, "You just need to understand your weakness and accept it; accept it and grow stronger."
"K-Konoha...?"
"You strength is your kindess, Kusaka-kun." Konoha smiled, "Believe in yourself more."
"...thanks..." Kusaka ran up, "Shindou!"
The midfielder passed the ball.
Kusaka was dribbling up, "Again I was saved by you, Konoha..."
A Ratoniik defender started to dribble towards him.
"Haaaaaahh!"
A blue light surrounded Kusaka's body as a large brown bear emerged from it. A new soul, Grizzly!
Letting out a roar, Kusaka intimidated his opponent causing their legs to give way. He then crushed them underneath his large body and easily got the ball past them.
"Kusaka!"
"Go, Matatagi!" The ball was passed to the forward.
"Hell yeah!" Matatagi unleashed his soul, Hayabusa. Clenching the ball in his talons, Matatagi dove down towards the net, shooting it with the dive's momentum.
"Big Mouth...!" The Ratoniik keeper attempted to stop the shoot, however failed. They were tied now!
"Hmf, much better shooting alone." Matatagi sneered.
"Kusaka-kun...!" Banda clenched his fists, "I can't lose against him!" He smiled.
The game resumed and Shindou stole the ball and was dribbling it forward.
"Haah!"
Kusaka looked up to see his friend Banda try his best to steal the ball from Shindou.
"Nice try." Shindou said before dribbling past the Ratoniik.
However, Banda didn't give up. Running after Shindou he slid to steal the ball, which the midfielder easily avoided.
"I'm not giving up!" Banda yelled.
"...Banda..."
"Haaah!"
"What!?" Shindou gasped as the ball was taken from his possession.
Kusaka grinned. He went to stop his friend and unleashed his soul.
Banda smiled, "This power I feel inside me..." He whispered as he clenched his chest, "Kusaka-kun! I've never had so much fun before!" Banda's soul then was unleashed changing his appearance to a strange green beast with fruit bearing antlers on his head.
Shaking his head, the fruits fell off. As they hit the ground, the fruits exploded blinding Kusaka and dribbled past him.
"You're shining, Banda..." Kusaka smiled softly.
Banda continued to dribble up, however, before reaching the net, the Ratoniik's body suddenly fell over, motionless.
Kusaka immediately remembered Banda's words,
My first and last game.
"Banda!" Kusaka ran to his friend's side. He touched the Ratoniik's lifeless body.
A bright light shown and Kusaka found himself in a strange place filled with light. Though there was nothing; it made Kusaka feel safe here.
"Kusaka-kun..."
The midfielder turned towards the familar voice to see Banda floating before him. His voice was distant.
"Seems my lifespan ended." The Ratoniik smiled, "I hope I was able to shine in the game..."
"You were Banda! You were amazing!" Kusaka nodded.
"Really?" Banda brightened up, "If I did, it was thanks to you!" The Ratoniik then paused, "I wish I could've played til..." He shook his head.
"Kusaka-kun."
Kusaka nodded.
Banda smiled one last time, "I'm so glad I got to meet you..." His voice faded.
Kusaka found himself back on the field with his friend's dead body before him.
The fellow Ratoniik's came to take the body off the field.
"Banda... He had no regrets during his short lifespan; he played his very best until the end... While I was worried about small things like getting a soul..." Kusaka whispered, "Bandaaa!"
"Kusaka-kun...!" Konoha mumbled.
A new player took Banda's position and the Ratoniik continued the game as if nothing had happened.
The ball was brought up to the Baran brothers.
"Let's get the leading point, Gandales!" Ryugel grinned.
"Alright, Ryugel-nii...!"
"Scream of Eden!"
Kusaka had ran all the way back to the defense line.
"What are you doing, Kusaka!?" Ibuki gasped.
"I'm going to stop it...! Haaah!" Kusaka became the Grizzly and tried to stop the shoot with his head.
The shoot was overpowering him...
"Urgh..."
"Hmf."
Kusaka felt someone support him from behind.
All four defenders, Tetsukado, Minaho, Manabe and of course, Konoha were holding Kusaka from behind.
"You guys...!?"
"C'mon Kusaka...!"
"You can do it."
Kusaka grinned, "Haaaah!"
The ball was deflected upwards as Kusaka and the defenders were blown backwards.
"They stopped our hissatsu!?" Gandales gasped.
Ryugel growled, "We're not done yet...!" He leapt up to get the rebounded ball.
However, someone had reached it before, Alsius! "Too bad..." She grinned as she swiftly passed it down to Tenma.
"The ball everyone stopped... I have to get it in!" Tenma gathered wind energy around the ball as he kicked it towards the net, "God Wind!"
The soared in and the whistle blew to indicate the end of the game. Earth Eleven won, 3-2 and was going to play in the finals!
"Urgh...! How could we lose...!" The older of the twins growled.
"Ryugel-nii...! What do we do!?"
Ryugel clenched his fists and yelled, "Retreat!"
The two brothers skedaddled out of the stadium.
The semi-finals ended. As Kusaka was saying his last good bye to his friend, Pixie led Tenma to the fourth and final shard, only to find out it was missing!? How can they save the galaxy now? And to make things worse, he finds out Tsurugi was replaced with a fake...! Episode 44: Manuuba
