FYI: Ashitare is 6'5", has greyish-brown hair and grey eyes, and is human :p

Firey Remembrance

Chapter 4

"Ladies and gentlemen, with only 45 seconds left in this match, the Wingblades and the Resisty are tied with two points a peice," the announcer called. "If niether team scores, we may be going into overtime."

"Come on Konan!" Houjun cried, nearly on his feet. Hikou was on his feet, as was half the stadium. Kouji was gripping the back of the seat in front of him so tightly, it seemed it might break from the force. It wasn't often that a game was forced into overtime. At the back of their section, Tasuki had moved from watching Houjun to watching the match. He hadn't been in a crowd as large as this and found the boisterous atmosphere highly contageous as he began cheering for Konan just as loudly as everyone else.

Amiboshi and Suboshi swam up on either side of the Konan center, who was recieving a pass. Just before he caught the ball, the two slammed into him, knocking the air out of him. Both grabbed for the ball and then turned and swam in different directions. For a moment, the Konan team didn't know who to go after, but then decided it would be safer to head for thier goal. The three-quarters of the crowd that wasn't cheering for the Kutou team showed their dissatisfaction of the play, but that didn't stop Suboshi from passing the ball to Tomo, who passed the ball to Amiboshi, or so it seemed to the goalie, who didn't seem to notice the ball as it flew passed him. Just as the ball hit the net, the buzzer sounded, signalling the end of the match.

"And, in a startling upset, the Kotou Resisty move on to the finals. The Kouto section cheered, but were hardly heard over the shouts of protest. Houjun frowned. He didn't know what it was, but he felt that Kutou had somehow cheated without being detected.

"Kouji, do you think they cheated?" he asked the emerald-eyed player.

"Huh?" Kouji blinked, trying to shake off his anger. "Yeah, I think dey cheated, but I didn't see anythin' illegal."

"Funny...but I think I know what it is, and I have an idea."

"I'm listenin'"

"Not here," Houjun said. He took Kouji's hand in his and looked at Hikou. "I'll be right back."

"Yeah, I'm gonna go punch something," the mage growled and stormed off. Houjun sighed and teleported to the locker room with Kouji in tow.

"Ok, I think I know how they keep getting away with cheating," he announced.

"Wah!" Watari cried in shock, leaping to his feet and turning to look at the pair.

"Where did you guys come from?" Viollet asked, a hand on his chest.

"Everyone, listen up," Kouji commanded, drawing his team's attention. "Houjun's got somethin' ta say, so stop askin' questions." They gathered around their leader and the mage quickly except for Sakata and Alexander.

"I'll talk to you after the game, Alec," she whispered before joining her teammates. The blonde sighed quietly and smiled before turning his attention to his pupil.

"I think one of the players on the Kutou team is a mage," he began. "One that can create illusions."

"That would explain it," Watari nodded.

"Those dirty bastards," Haruko growled.

"I have an idea, though," Houjun grinned. "I can't use my magic to conteract his illusion because I'm not familliar with illusion spells, but I can make it so you guys can see thorugh his illusions, with your permission, of course."

"I think we should," Kouji nodded.

"Yeah, then we can beat them at their own game, right?" Nasch agreed.

"I don't think anyone is going to object to a fair game," Viollet pointed out, Sanosuke and Haruko nodded.

"Alright then," the mage said, holding out his hand. His staff appeared and he held it high and began chanting the necessary spell.

~*~*~*~*~

"And now, ladies and gentlemen," the announcer called out. "The final match of this years Blitzball Tournament begins. The Kutou Resisty versus the Reikaku Riptides." Both teams entered the field and took their positions. Kouji faced the Kutou center, Soi, and nodded to her. She merely blew him off as the ball was launched. Kouji caught the ball and threw it to Viollet, who was quick to take the ball towards their goal. He caught the sight of one of the twins coming up on his right and spun around in the water and passed the ball to Sakata, who continued toward the goal. Tomo swam right before her and seemed to be waiting for her to slam into him. His eyes widened in shcok as she merely dodged around him and passed the ball to Watari, who kicked the ball hard towrds the goal, bouncing it off the right side of the net, drawing the goalie, Ashitare, away from the center and leaving it completly open for Haruko to slam the ball in for the first goal of the game. She high fived Watari and they swam back to the center of the field to await the next play.

"Incredible!" the announcer cried. "And the Riptides manage to score a fast goal. This is going to be a heated match. It seems that Kutou has called for a time out and the teams exit to the player's ring.

"What is going on out their, Tomo!?" Soi snapped at the slightly taller man.

"I...I don't know," he admitted. "My spell didn't have any effect on her."

"Is it possible for them to be immune to the spell this year?" Amiboshi asked.

"No," Tomo spat.

"Yes, actually," Miboshi pointed out. He was the shortest person on the team, standing at only 4'10", but also the stratigist. He brushed back his black hair, ebony eyes looking over his team mates. "They must have gotten help from a mage."

"Then what can we do?" Suboshi asked.

"We go with plan 'B'", Soi smirked.

"I don't kno-" Amiboshi began, but then decided against it as Tomo glared at him.

"Then let's show them how dangerous a sport Blitzball can be. Tomo, you get in the goal. Ashitare, you play in his place."

After a moment, they signaled that they were ready to start again

~*~*~*~*~

Half-time couldn't have come sooner for the Reikaku team. They entered the locker room wearily and sat down, tending to their bruised bodies.

"They're playing...hard now..." Watari panted.

"Yeah..." Nasch agreed. After a moment of silence, he looked up to Kouji. "What do we do now?"

"Yeah," Haruko aggreed. "What can we do?'

"Don't be dat way," Kouji replied. "It's simple. If they want ta play hard ball with Reikaku, den we'll play hard ball. Dey haven't beaten us yet."

"That's right," Sakata agreed. "They're only tied with us. We can take them."

"Just remember dat when we go out dere, we gotta watch out for 'em and fer each other. Now, are you guys ready ta show 'em?"

"Yeah!" Viollet grinned.

"Let's get them," Sanosuke said, pounding his fist into his hand.

A light flared to life above the door, signalling that it was time to return to the field. They lined up on their side of the player's ring and prepared for the final round. Kouji raised his hand high.

"For Reikaku!" The team responded with a loud, lupin-like howl, the crowd echoing the cry. This match was for more then the championship now. It was for Reikaku's pride.

They lept into the water and the game was underway again. The ball exchanged hands several times between the teams, neither wanting their opponent to score, but both wanting to win. The clock ticked away the seconds as though they were hours as the entire stadium was on edge. Kouji pushed himself upward through the water to get a quick look how much time was left when he spotted Ashitare about to catch up with Watari, who was ten feet from being in shooting range of the goal. He narrowed his eyes and shot through the water, angling at the larger player. He slammed into him with everything he had, sending him flying out of the field and into the stands. He righted himself and glared at him with an expression the read "don't mess with my team."

Watari passed the ball to Viollet, on the verge of exhaustion from the intensity of the game. The brunette player faked a shot at the goal before pulling away from it quickly as Sakata slid up from benethe and kicked the ball into the goal. Tomo dove for it, but it was too late. The buzzer sounded and the stadium erupted into a frenzy of cheering. Kouji grinned and swam to meet his team mates in the center of the field, pulling them into a group hug. They exited the water and waved at the crowd, panting heavily. They were about to receive the tournament trophy when a shadow covered the stadium.

And then the screaming started.