File Six: Bad News

Practices were the same as usual. Hiruma was yelling at everyone to do better, and Cerberus chasing Monta or Sena. Doburoku -sensei was helping the line men, and Mamori was furiously writing notes from a game she had recorded. Musashi was practicing his long kicks. Yes, everything was happening like every other practice. Nothing had really changed.

Hiruma is acting like nothing happened. Well, it makes sense since he did say he wanted his life separate from his mother's, but still... shouldn't he act just a little differently?

Musashi sighed and tried to focus on his kicks. Hiruma's sister had been on his mind a lot since the day he had met her. It had been several weeks ago that he had met her, and she still was on his mind. He felt like Hiruma should just tell everyone about his sister, but then Hiruma did have somewhat of a point. He wasn't sure if the others could really be trusted with this sort of personal information. That is… he felt that only Sena and Mamori (maybe Yukimitsu?) could be trusted to keep something like this quiet.

Ring! Ring!

Hiruma frowned but pulled his cellphone out and answered it. Across the field, Mamori was frowning as she watched Hiruma.

What is he doing talking on the phone when he should be practicing like the others? He's always telling the others not to slack—

Hiruma's face was suddenly rather pale. He slammed his phone shut and hurried to the clubhouse.

"Hiruma-kun?" Mamori called out.

Hiruma didn't even glance back at her or his other teammates who were also calling out after him. It wasn't like him to just leave like that.

Though… the expression on Hiruma's face worried Mamori. She had never seen him look so... worried? No, that wasn't quite it. Whatever his expression meant, she knew something was terribly wrong. She clutched her clipboard tightly.

Stay safe… Hiruma-kun.

A week had passed, and Hiruma hadn't been very faithful to Deimon's practices. For as soon as classes were over, he would leave. He would come back later during the middle of practice and join in but then left as soon as practice was finished. Mamori was positive it had to do with that phone call the week before. She wanted to call and ask him what was going on, but she had a feeling that she should wait for him to tell her. She wouldn't impose on him.

"Mamori? Hello?"

Mamori blinked and looked up. Her face reddened as she realized class had been over for some time, and Musashi was giving her a funny look.

"Oh, Musashi-san."

"Do you think Hiruma will be at practice?"

Mamori hesitated. Maybe she should talk to Musashi about her thoughts. "I'm not sure..."

No, Musashi probably had a lot to worry about himself. No need to bother him. She would just have to wait things out on her own.

Hiruma panted heavily as he leaned against the wall. He had finally made it to the hospital.

"Onii-san!"

Hiruma looked down at his sister. "Masumi..."

His sister hugged his leg tightly and looked up at him. "Nii-san, I'm scared..."

Hiruma rubbed her back gently. "Which room is she in?"

Masumi shook a little as she replied, "She-she's in room 209."

Hiruma stroked his sister's head, trying to comfort her. "She awake?"

His sister managed to give him a small nod.

"It'll be fine…"

At least, that's what he was hoping.

Hiruma ran his hands through his spiky bleached hair. He'd been through tough situations, but this one was different. He felt so lost. No ideas or plans were forming in his mind. He'd never felt so... helpless?

Ring. Ring.

Hiruma glanced at the caller id.

Kid.

Hiruma smiled slightly. Although he and Kid were on different teams, they had somewhat of a friendship (well, if you could call it a friendship…).

Wonder why he's calling.

"Hello?"

"Hiruma?"

"Hey, what do you want?" Hiruma rested his phone on his shoulder and pulled out a pack of gum from his back pocket.

"I heard from Riku that you've been missing some practices lately."

Hiruma opened a piece of gum and stuffed it in his mouth.

Stupid chibi probably told him.

"So what? I've got stuff I have to do. If that's all, I'm hanging up."

"Heh, so this time you warn me instead of just doing it."

"Ke ke ke. Gets you to tell me what you need to more quickly."

"I see your point. But something is up with you. Have you talked to Musashi or Kurita?"

"Not yet..."

"You should talk to one of them. They want to help."

"Look, I'll talk to them when I need to."

Click.

That Kid. Musashi and Kurita don't need to know. I'll take care of everything... I've handled everything up 'til now and that's not going to change.

Days seemed to roll by quickly as the Devil Bats continued to prepare for the Christmas Bowl. The game against the Hakushū Dinosaurs was fast approaching. But before that game, the team was going watch the Sado Golems vs. Ojo White Knights game. The game was going to be very interesting since the rumor was that Shin had completed his new tackle, the Trident Spear Tackle. Sena was, of course, excited and nervous about this game.

"Shin-san... You're getting better and better every day. I still have a long way to go," Sena murmured as the Ojo White Knights step onto the field.

Hiruma narrowed his eyes. It annoyed him when Sena said things like that. To Hiruma, Sena was better than Shin, but it wasn't like Sena would understand that no matter what people told him.

"Sena! Look at those Sadom Golems! They look huge!" Monta yelled.

Sena nodded and looked over at Ojo's opponent. The players on the Golems were strong looking, but Sena wasn;t worried. After all, Shin was on Ojo, and Ojo had to face Deimon in the Christmas Bowl so Sena could face Shin once again. Sena couldn't wait for the day he would face Shin again.

As the game started, the team (as well as other school's teams) made comments about the Golems and the White Knights. They didn't know much about this team, so it worried some of them. Sena gripped the bar in front of him tightly. There was no way Ojo would lose to Sado. It just wasn't possible. Monta and Taki were making loud comments beside Sena about how strong the Golems looking. Sena set his lip into a firm line. Ojo was going to win. They had to win.

"Eya? Shin looks like he's gonna do something," Monta commented.

Sena leaned over the bar a little to watch what Shin was going to do. He had a feeling that Shin was finally going to reveal his new tackle. His heart thumped loudly in his ears as Shin started to run toward the Golems. He could see the Trident Spear Tackle starting to form as Shin ran across the field. Shin had to be a genius to create a tackle using Riku's Rodeo Drive…

Sena stared at the empty field. He felt dazed after seeing Shin's Trident Spear Tackle. How would he ever be able to dodge that?

"Sena?" Riku was standing beside Sena. "I'm sorry..."

Sena cocked his head and looked at his friend. "For what?"

"For teaching Shin the Rodeo Drive."

Sena smiled slightly. "He would have figured it out even if you didn't teach him."

Riku managed to smile back. "I suppose your right."

Ring. Ring.

Riku and Sena glanced back at the Deimon teammates sitting behind them. Whose phone could ringing? And as if to answer the question, Hiruma picked up his phone and headed out of the stadium.

"Hello?" Hiruma frowned and slapped his phone shut. Mamori blinked, slightly stunned at Hiruma's reaction. What was his problem?

"Hey, manager. Did you keep good notes on Ojo?"

Mamori rolled her eyes. "I wrote everything they did down."

"Good." Hiruma glanced back at Mamori briefly before heading out of the stadium.

Hmph… that Hiruma-kun. Why wouldn't I keep good notes? I'm the manager, aren't I? That's what I'm supposed to—

Mamori dropped her pencil.

He didn't call her "manajerk…"