Gale-Dragon: Chapter 8, finished. And now college has started, so I'm not going to be able to work on Amefuto isn't Just for Boys as much as I would like. But education is important. I'll try to work on chapter 9 as much as I can if I have some free time.

"Talking" mostly.

'Thinking'

(Author making a comment)

~}i{~

8th Down: Routs, the White Knights vs. the Wild Gunmen, and the Hospital.

~}i{~

When Sena came down for breakfast, his parents knew something was wrong with their boy. After feeding Pitt, the teen sat down and started eating with very little vigour. Sena's mother was the one to finally ask "Sena sweetie, are you okay?" Sena didn't answer; his mind was elsewhere, or in this case, his dream from last night.

Sena wasn't sure how to put that dream into words, but the best way to describe it would be A More Romantically Sweet Version of THAT KISS. 'How in the world am I going to face Hiruma after THAT KISS and THAT Dream,' Sena thought as he mindlessly ate his breakfast. "SENA!" His father got his attention. Sena finally noticed that his parents were looking at him in a concerted manner. "Are you alright, son?" Sena's dad asked. Sena looked down at the table. He knew that his parents would realize it sooner or later. He'll have to tell them, without dropping the Amefuto captain's name of course.

"Ano… Actually… I, ano… Well… I kind of accidentally kissed a, ano, schoolmate of mine. And before you ask, it wasn't Mamori-neechan," Sena finally said nervously, and then added "We kind of met during the first day of school, we don't really talk to each other much and, um, actually we're in different classes and years. We just ran into each other, ano, literally, in the hallway one day and we accidentally kissed. Now the thing is awkward and I don't want that feeling between us." Well, there was some truth to that story. Sena was reeeeealy hoping that his parents buy that story; he didn't think he could add anything more information without accidentally dropping the She-Devil's name.

"Was it your first kiss?" Sena's father asked him. Sena nodded. "Was it her first kiss?" Sena's father asked and Sena replied "Ano… I don't really know…" Sena's mother interrupted the conversation by saying "It probably was dear if she's acting the same way you are about the kiss." Sena was surprised by this, it made sense, but then again the speedster wasn't really looking at the She-Devil to see her reaction… Wait a minute… Does that mean that Sena was Hiruma's first kiss? Oh by the love of… Sena completely shut down. Currently, his parents were trying to get their son's attention and to get him out of that self-imposed shutdown. Perhaps Sena should write his will before he leaves for school. Why? Because Hiruma WAS GOING TO KILL HIM! That's why. Sena was going to miss his parents and all the new friends he made.

~}i{~

Currently, all of the Deimon Devilbats were running laps around the school's block. Okay, the delinquent trios weren't with them, so Hiruma made Sena call them on three separate cellphones, which she happens to have on her. They refused immediately after the request was said. The She-Devil decided to teach the secret Running-back a spell. The spell was the word "Photos". After that word was said, Toganō, Jūmonji, and Kuroki were now running with the team. Sena wasn't sure what was more confusing; the trios' sudden appearance after the word photos was mention or the fact that Hiruma was acting like the KISS never happened yesterday… Sena concluded that the later was more confusing.

Sena took the opportunity to glance at the She-Devil, he immediately regretted that decision. The sun was at the perfect angle to counter the evil aura on the She-Devil, and without that evil aura, Hiruma actually looked… (For heaven sakes, don't kill me for writing this) pretty (Hiruma looked pretty… I wrote it… Don't shot me, and definitely don't tell Hiruma). The determined look in her eyes and the light hitting her face seem to… Sena ran right into a street lamp. Mamori immediately used the first aid box that she always carries around with her on the teen, a little too enthusiastically… Um… to put it simply, Sena now looks like a mummy. Hiruma had her suspicions about the hidden Running-back's "accident".

~}i{~

During the rest of the team's morning exercises, the rivalry between the delinquent trio and the pint-size powerhouse was even more obvious now than it's ever been.

Huh Huh Brothers' Bench Press record; 65 kg.

Komusubi Daikichi's Bench Press record; 110 kg.

The trios were currently trying to outdo Komusubi's bench press record, while the pint-size powerhouse was making sure that he will not be outdone. The She-Devil commented that those four were going to improve rather quickly. Kurita was really happy.

Outside, Mamori was timing Raimon, Eyeshield 21, and Yukimitsu on their 40-yard dash.

~}i{~

After the morning training, the Devilbats were getting ready to attend their classes. That was when Kurita wondered if the Spring Games Regional Finals were today. While on her laptop, Hiruma said casually "Kanagawa prefecture's finals just finished. The champions are… You know who, right?" The giant's face fell to the floor when he said: "It's Shinryūji Nagas, isn't it?" Sena wondered why Kurita seem so down when he said that. "As for the Tokyo city finals…" Hiruma said as she looked at her laptop. "Oh! It's just getting underway!" An evil grin appeared on the She-Devil's face. Wait, does that mean the game is starting right now?

Hiruma showed Kurita, Sena, and Raimon the matchup on her laptop. It was the Oujou White Knights vs. Seibu Wild Gunmen. As the catcher and the running back read the datasheets, they realize that the Seibu team was a recent addition to the tournament. It made the two want to watch the match. Hiruma made the decision to take the entire team to see the game. Kurita positively loves that idea, he was hoping that maybe he could think of a way to get Hiruma and Sena together. At least until Hiruma gave the giant a look that stated I-know-what-you-been-up-to-and-if-you-try-another-stunt-like-what-you-been-doing-you're-a-dead-man. With that, Kurita knew that Hiruma would be more vigilant about his plans. Maybe he needed to be a little bit more discreet about his plans.

~}i{~

The She-Devil called the Zokugaku Chameleons to give her team transportation to the City Eikou Stadium. The said stadium was relatively packed, but the Devilbats managed to find some really good seats for the game. Sena theorized that maybe Hiruma had at hand in it. To the entire team surprise, there was a bunch of cowgirls doing a cheer for the halftime. Sena noticed that one of the Seibu players, whom was wearing a cowboy hat and was in Gunmen jersey #7, was leaning back in a chair muttering something about the first half ending with 20 to 7. Kurita couldn't help but be surprised when he said "7 points means… They managed to score one touchdown!" Both Sena and Raimon were also surprised; they guess that the Wild Gunmen's went all show. The She-Devil told the three to look at the scores carefully. The score was 20 to 7 in favour of the Wild Gunmen!

Coach Shōji was currently yelling at his team. The Gunmen member with semi-long brown hair, ziggy brows, somewhat of a moustache, laid back eyes and that was sitting in the chair stated "Scoring 20 points from the Oujou team… It's going to well. When things go too well, it never ends well." What did he mean by that? That Seibu Gunmen picked up a water bottle, said "Jōdie, Slant!", and tossed it into the air. The next thing Sena knew, he was nearly run over by a young woman in her teens with brownish-black hair that was in a low ponytail with sed hair being the length to nearly reach her elbows, slightly hooked nose, small black eyes, somewhat thick brown eyebrows, and was wearing the Seibu Wild Gunmen jersey #15. 'Wait a minute! She's wearing an amefuto uniform?' Sena thought as he made a double-take, looking at the Gunmen girl. She was holding the now empty water bottle and Gunmen #7 said "I knew it. Things are going too well."

Seibu Wild Gunmen #7 :;: Position; Quarterback :;: Name; Kid, Real Name Unknown.

Seibu Wild Gunmen #15 :;: Position; Receiver :;: Name Tetsuma Jōdie.

Sena couldn't believe his eyes, there was a female player on the Seibu team. 'Wait a minute?' Sena thought as he remembered the Oujou team and looked in the direction of that sed team. He was looking directly at the White Knight's QB. She didn't have her helmet on, so Sena could see her soft features. Sena felt a little embarrassed that he completely forgot that the Takami Ichigo was a girl. 'Hold on,' Sena though trying to wrap his mind around what he's just found out, completely ignoring the weird half-time show, 'There are two girls openly playing amefuto… If they play openly, then why does Hiruma feel the need to hide her gender?' Raimon interrupted Sena's train of thought by saying that the Seibu's coach had a bad hobby or something along that line.

~}i{~

Tetsuma was drinking a water bottle through a straw as Kid said "Our head coach sure is full of energy. I've got a bad feeling for the second half…" The Seibu coach then said in a very excitedly loud tone "FOR THE SECOND HALF AS WELL… LET'S AGGRESSIVELY! CHARGE!" He then pointed his pistols to Tetsuma and said "Tetsuma! You're our main force! Drink water aggressively!" Tetsuma nodded.

~}i{~

With her trusty laptop in her lap, Hiruma read out loud the data off it about the female player on the Wild Gunmen team "Tetsuma Jōdie… Record for the 40-yard dash is five seconds exact, bench-press record 115kg. It's not just statistics that make this gal fearsome." Both Raimon and Sena were utterly shocked at that data.

~}i{~

As Tetsuma drank from the water bottle, Kid said, "If you tell Jōdie the path to take, no matter what sort of obstacles she meets, she'll remain accurately on her track." Twirling his pistol on his index finger, the Seibu coach said "She's just like a real Steel Horse! In other words, a train on its unchangeable tracks." (Oh right, the kanji for Tetsuma means Steel Horse. Talk about name puns).

~}i{~

"Speaking of which, just then," Sena said remembering the run Tetsuma did. Hiruma confirmed that that was a pass route. Kurita said, "Because if the runner doesn't have a pre-determined direction to run, you can't pass." Hiruma started handing out pass routes from a vanilla envelope she conveniently had on her telling the team that they had to memorize ALL 16 of the routes listed. Sena, Raimon, and Yukimitsu looked at the list in utter horror, while Komusubi just looked at the list in confusion. Kurita quickly stated that they didn't need to learn all of them, just some of the good ones. Yukimitsu said "But Eyeshield 21, he… remembers them all without fail, right?" As if she was adding salt to Sena's wounds, Hiruma stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world "Of course. He studied at the University Of Notre Dame after all." Sena felt like he would have a heart attack and wondered if she WAS indeed punishing him for THAT KISS.

"Is Tetsuma really a girl?" Raimon asked his senpais and both Kurita and Hiruma looked at him. "What the hell are you yapping about now f*ing monkey? Of course, she's a girl," Hiruma said in an annoyed tone. Kurita added, "Believe it or not there are other female players in the Amefuto League." This did surprise the entire Devilbats team, Sena included. "REALLY!?" All said in unison. Kurita nodded and said "Yeah, there are currently five of them. Takami Ichigo of the Oujou White Knights *Points to the White Knight's QB*, Tetsuma Jōdie of the Wild Gunmen *Points to the Seibu's Receiver*, Maruko Rei of the Hakushū Dinosaurs, Harao Kimiko of the Taiyō Sphinx, and Kongō Usagi (1) of the Shinryūji Naga." Sena knew that the giant lineman was leaving out Hiruma on purpose. Hiruma was relatively surprised by one of the names on the list and said "That damn rabbit's still playing? Wasn't she hospitalized the day before the semi-final bracket of the Kanagawa prefecture?" Kurita turned to his friend and said, "She was, but the doctors cleared her a few days before the final match." The She-Devil scoffed "F*ing rabbit's got some f*ing willpower. I'll give her that, but if THAT keeps up she's not going to be playing for very long." Kurita had a sad look on his face when he said yeah. 'Did they know this Kongō girl?' Sena thought. Raimon interrupted by saying "Wait! These girls actually PLAY in the games?" Both Kurita and Hiruma nodded, and the giant said, "Yeah, they play just as hard as the guys, and they practice just as hard too." The Devilbats were now looking at the players in a whole new light, but Sena had his eye on Hiruma, the sixth female player in the Amefuto league. The Lightning Running Back couldn't help but wonder why Hiruma was keeping her gender a secret when the other female players were out in the open, so to say.

~}i{~

"Did Tetsuma eat food?" The Seibu coach asked Kid somewhat nervously. Kid nodded yes and added that he even gave her a list of things to eat. The two remembered what happened last year when the coach told the team not to eat too much before the game and Tetsuma ended up not eating for three whole days. The only main problem the Wild Gunmen had with Tetsuma Jōdie was that she'll carry out the orders exactly to the word. Kid scratched his head as he said, "Judging from the first half, there shouldn't be any problems." The coach added "I even told her to drink water aggressively…" that was when they realized the error in that order. Tetsuma was completely bloated with water, Kid quickly ordered her to stop drinking. Water was practically squirting out of her ears when the announcer said that the second half was starting soon. Kid asked her if she was okay.

~}i{~

The second half started, it was Seibu's offence. Raimon asked why the Gunmen's stance was so spread out and Hiruma explained that the stance was called "Shotgun". That was when the Seibu went into action; all of the receivers ran in different directions. Sena asked what the Shotgun was and Kurita explained "It means having receivers run in all directions. Just like bullets of a shotgun." Hiruma added, "Their strategy is totally focused on receivers." Raimon immediately stated that it was a great strategy (No surprise there). The lineman on Tetsuma was knocked over by her, she was on her track and she wasn't changing that path no matter who or what obstacle that was in her way (Strong gal). Sena couldn't help but think that not even Shin could take all of the spread-out receivers himself. Ōtawara shouted that they'll tackle the quarterback before he could pass instead. Two of the Seibu linemen blocked Ōtawara. Komusubi, Kuroki, Jūmonji, and Toganō were impressed by the players in the same position that they play. A huge grin appeared on Ōtawara's face. Shin ran through the opening that the White Knight's giant made for him. The fastest lineman ran straight towards Kid, the Seibu's quarterback. Takami pushed her glasses into place as she said, "Now he won't have any time to pass." The thing was Kid already knew who he was going to pass to and he knew that he didn't even need to have his eyes open to pass the ball to her. The next thing the White Knights knew the ball was no longer in the Seibu QB's hands. The Seibu coach said, "Quick Draw Kid should not be underestimated." Tetsuma caught the ball and gained 14 yards for her team. The Seibu cheerleaders fired their pistols as they cheered (I really hope those things are shooting blanks).

After all that running with a large amount of water, Testuma's stomach finally had enough. The female receiver ran right towards the restrooms and it looks like she's not going come out anytime soon. The rest of the Wild Gunmen were worried about what they were going to do without their main receiver. The coach told them not to lose faith and that they're still in the lead. Kid sat in front of the fence and said "See! I told you so! When things start going too well, it never ends well… I hope Jōdie's going to be okay."

~}i{~

The White Knights made a comeback, they won 21-20. If Tetsuma were still playing, the Seibu would have won. Sena was impressed, not just by the fact that the female receiver would have single-handedly brought her team victory but also by the fact that there were a lot of strong teams that were going to be participating in the Fall Games. Raimon commented that if they wanted to be champions they had to defeat all of those teams. Sena knew that he would face Shin in the finals of the fall games.

~}i{~

Coach Shōji was currently shouting at his team for letting the opposing team score 20 points during the first half (He's harsh). Shin noticed that Eyeshield 21, he didn't know his real name but he knew that the running back saw the game. 'Not only did I play poorly in this game… I did so in front of Eyeshield 21 and in front of *glances at Takami* her…' Shin thought. The only thing Takami Ichigo saw was the aura surrounding Shin, it kind of scared her.

~}i{~

The Oujou White Knights boarded their buses. Ōtawara noticed that Shin wasn't on the bus and asked where he was, then farted. Takami said that Shin was going to run back to the school; she was unfortunately used to Ōtawara's bad habit (Not sure if that is a good thing). Shin was running beside the buses (on the sidewalk, not in the street). 'I will prove to Ichigo that I can support her,' Shin thought as he ran down the sidewalk. Back on the bus, Takami sneezed.

~}i{~

Sena had an idea for the team. The idea was to run back to the school as afternoon practice. The She-Devil like that idea and decided to use it to practice the routes, so that's what the team did the entire way to the school. Every single member of the Deimon Devilbats were practising the routes, even the delinquent trio (who were being motivated by Hiruma of course). During the run, Sena couldn't help but wonder if Hiruma had a good reason to hide her gender. Maybe he could ask when the two were alone… Scratch that idea, the She-Devil would kill him if he asks.

~}i{~

The next day. The first thing that the Devilbats noticed was the fact that their club shed was being majorly renovated. There were construction workers, a scoop, and practically every single construction equipment surrounding the amefuto shed. What was Hiruma doing now? Well, she was having changing rooms installed into the shed. Guess now it was going to become more of a clubroom than a club shed. Kurita did make a point about the team office being too small when the number of the team needs to be increased.

Hiruma stated with her trusty AK-47 resting on her shoulder "I made a deal with the principal. Every time we win, we may expand the office. This time it's too celebrate our victory against Zokugaku." Sena can help but say aloud "To what degree does s, er, HE wants to expand the team office?" Raimon stated that he had absolutely no idea. Hiruma asked the construction manager if they can finish the construction in one week. The 30-year-old head construction worker with a grey bandanna, heavy muscled, and was smoking a cigarette stated "Don't be ridiculous. The cement won't even be dry by then." In an all too serious tone and with the butt over her AK-47 resting on the ground, Hiruma shouted at her team "ALRIGHT! TIME FOR MASS PRODUCTION! YOU GUYS GET TO WORK TOO!" The entire team was flabbergasted and all shouted in unison "YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING!" Sadly, the She-Devil was not kidding (Come to think of it… Does she ever joke?). Tossing the construction personnel uniforms at each of the Devilbats and said "Helping out with the construction will help train your bodies! Time to build up your basic strength!"

~}i{~

There are four basic training courses for the team, each catering to his/her abilities. Strength Building; for Kurita and Komusubi. Agility Training; for Sena and Raimon. Endurance Building; for Mamori and Yukimitsu. And finally Determination Building; for Toganō, Jūmonji, and Kuroki courtesy of the construction manager (and boy is he tough on them).

After an hour or so of that, both Raimon and Sena sort of wanted to practice their skills. The construction manager noticed that. Hiruma asked the construction manager why they had a mixed cement anyway and if the wood was good enough for the foundation. The construction manager replied somewhat loudly "If you slack off on the base, problems will happen in no time." The She-Devil stated that they weren't going to be using the building for decades, but the construction manager stated that they were using it until the end of the year. It was at a good point. The construction manager tightened his bandanna stated: "To be able to stand firm and unstoppable, that requires a firm foundation, no slacking off!" That statement really hit the Devilbat running back and receiver.

~}i{~

Now that some of the construction was out of the way, it was time to start practising some amefuto. The team was split into two. The defence group had Kurita, Komusubi, and the delinquent trio; who will be responsible for tackling and blocking. While the offence group had Hiruma, Yukimitsu, Raimon, and Eyeshield 21; who will be responsible for rushing and receiving.

The offensive team was currently practising a Hook route with Yukimitsu. He did successfully do that route pass but fumbled the ball when he tried to catch it. Hiruma explained "If Baldie had practised receiving… That pass would have gained 10 yards for us. What do you think? These are receiving basics… Pass routes!" Eyeshield 21/Sena stated happily "The basic sure are amazing!" Raimon then shouted, "The basics are great!" Off to the side, Hiruma was teaching Yukimitsu the proper way to catch a highball and a lowball. From the construction site, the construction manager could hear the team shouting about the basics is the best and couldn't help but smile.

~}i{~

By the end of the day, the entire team was Exhausted. Nearly falling out of his chair, Raimon said: "Trainin', after construction work is a killer…" Kuroki groaned out "Do we hafta do this killer trainin' every day until the changin' room's finish?" The construction managers stated, "It'll take at least three weeks if the old man hadn't been hospitalized, it probably could've been finished earlier." Hiruma commented, "He's still not out?" The construction managers stated that he wasn't.

That was when Sena realized something. "Right… We still haven't paid Sakuraba a visit yet," Sena finally said. But because of his idol status, where he's been hospitalized was kept all hush-hush, so that all of the fans wouldn't disturb him. The construction manager said "My old man is at Joukamachi Hospital. Since the middle of April… There's someone in room 418 with broken bones due to the playing of amefuto. I heard that he's in showbiz. I remember that he's Sakura-something of the Jari-Pro agency." That was him!

~}i{~

Both Sena and Raimon were heading towards Joukamachi Hospital. Sena figured it would've been better for him to visit as a secretary representing the Deimon Devilbats rather than going as Eyeshield 21, especially after what a certain She-Devil said on that television program. He really needed to explain that it was a misunderstanding. Raimon went with him so he could ask Sakuraba for tips on becoming popular just like him. Sena wondered out loud "Why do people always treat others like heroes without permission?" Raimon explained "Cause that's how guys are! We gotta have a hero in our minds that we aim for! Your hero is Shin, while ma hero is player Honjou and Master Sakuraba." The moment the word Sakuraba was uttered, the two Devilbats were surrounded by a horde of Sakuraba's fangirls, all of whom were demanding if they knew what room the teen idol was in. (That's gotta be uncomfortable). Luckily, the two Devilbats managed to weave through the crowd with the Slice In passing route and get into the hospital. Unfortunately, the horde followed the two into the hospital.

Here's a good news/bad news moment. Good News; Sena and Raimon were hiding behind a couple of large potted plants, completely out of view from the horde (This is a perfect example of where being short comes in handy). Bad News; they couldn't move from where they were without being spotted by any of the fangirls. They were trapped.

A young woman, probably a year older than the two hidden Devilbats, with long midnight black hair loosely tied back in a low ponytail that hung over her left shoulder, stood around 170cm (5ft 7in), soft black eyes, pale lips, and was wearing the blue hospital gowns, came around the corner near where the two were hiding. Sena heard the young woman mutter something along the lines of "Again…" One of the fangirls went up to the raven-haired teen and asked if she knew which room Sakuraba was in. The ravenette asked, "Are you talking about the teen idol?" The horde of fangirls gathered around the ravenette asking again about the room that the White Knights' receiver was in. "He's not in any of the rooms," the ravenette said calmly and then added, "He was transferred to another hospital last night." There was a surge of "Aww"s, "No way"s, and "You're kidding"s. The ravenette said she didn't know which hospital Sakuraba was transferred to, and with that, the entire horde of fangirls left the hospital in utter disappointment. The two Devilbats were close to having the same feeling of disappointment but the feeling only lasted until they herd the ravenette say "Perfect. Now the hospital will go back to its nice, quiet, peaceful, healing self now that those inconsiderate brats are gone." Both Sena and Raimon came out of their hiding place, which did surprise the ravenette a bit.

Sena finally spoke up "Ano, did you just say that Sakuraba-san wasn't at this hospital just to get rid of them?" The ravenette nodded and explained that those fangirls were not only bugging the doctors and nurses about the teen idol, but they were also bugging the other patients and hospital visitors. The two Devilbats could understand why the ravenette did what she did. With all of those fangirls annoying everyone inside and outside the hospital, no wonder she had to lie to get rid of them. 'Hold on…' Sena took a good look at the young lady. She was pretty and she was wearing a hospital gown. 'Is she a patient here too?' Sena wondered but didn't say, after all, that would have been rude.

The ravenette noticed the Deimon school uniforms that the two were wearing. "Are you two students of Deimon High?" the ravenette asked. Sena nodded and said "We're also part of the Devilbats Amefuto team. We're actually here to apologies to Sakuraba-san on behalf of Eyeshield 21." She smiled and said, "I've heard of him, but why doesn't he come himself to apologies?" Sena shakily explained, with a picture of a certain she-devil in his head, that there was a bit of a misunderstanding and it would have been very awkward for the two to be in the same room. With the smile still on her face, the ravenette said that Sakuraba was on the fourth floor in room 418. The two Devilbats were about to thank the ravenette but they realized that they didn't know her name. "Sorry. I didn't introduce myself," the ravenette said and the two Devilbats apologized as well since they too didn't introduce themselves. The ravenette introduced herself as Usagi. Sena introduced himself as the Devilbats' secretary and Raimon introduced himself as the Devilbats' receiver. "I do believe I should also warn you that the White Knights team is already in Sakuraba's room," Usagi stated with that soft smile still on her face. The two thanked Usagi and were about to head off to the fourth floor. "Sena, Raimon," Usagi suddenly said, making the two look in her direction. She smiled again and said "I know I'll be seeing the two of you again. Oh, and tell that devil of a captain of yours that he still owes me a date." Before she left. Both Sena and Raimon blinked in confusion. What did she mean by that? Wait a minute…

Did she just say that Hiruma owes her a DATE?! Sena nearly had a blackout, until he remembered that only he and Kurita knew that Hiruma was a girl. 'Riiiiiiiight, to everyone else, Hiruma's a guy, so I guess her saying something like that makes sense,' Sena thought with a red hue on his face 'But who would want to date someone like Hiruma?' The running immediately retracted that thought, he knew that HE wanted to at least try to ask the She-Devil out even if he knew that she'll say no. Raimon was in total disbelief as he thought 'How on earth did that horrible devil get the attention of a pretty girl like that?'

~}i{~

The entire White Knight team, who somehow managed to fit into the room, were happy to see that their receiver was healing up well. Every member brought some kind of get well gift for their teammate. The one thing that really made Sakuraba happy was the fact that one of the nurses said that she'll deal with getting rid of the horde of fans outside the hospital. Well, at least he thought she was a nurse; after all, she did seem to know the hospital like the back of her hand, knew all the rules, and knew all the staff by name, but she was wearing the hospital gowns... Don't get him wrong, Sakuraba loved his fans, but he just didn't like the ones that were completely obsessed with him and he wasn't in any shape to really handle any of them.

It was time for the team to leave. Shin was the last person in the room. He really wanted to ask Sakuraba about how to earn Takami-chan's affection, seeing as he was popular with the lady and all, but Sakuraba got in the first word "Shin, tell me the truth. If I was on the field… Would we really have won the game against the Sangaku Punks easily instead of winning by one point?" After a moment of silence, Shin finally said "No… It probably wouldn't have made a difference." Somehow, Sakuraba knew that was going to be the answer. Shin left, he knew that it wouldn't be a good idea to ask his question.

~}i{~

(I'm going to apologies now for not including Sakuraba's flashback in this story, but because of the fact that I'm gearing this story more towards Sena and his team at the moment, plus it's a bit too long. Sorry to all Sakuraba fans).

Sena and Raimon somehow managed to miss the White Knight team. The two entered Sakuraba's room with some smiles. Sena handed Sakuraba a basket full of fresh fruit and said he had a letter from Eyeshield 21. Sakuraba immediately said sadly "I know he didn't mean to run into me… I was the one who charged onto the field without thinking. It wouldn't have done him any good to injure me on purpose… Even without me, Sakuraba Haruto, it wouldn't have made a difference in the overall strength of the Oujou team." The two Devilbats were rather surprised by what they just heard.

Sakuraba's hospital roommate, a young boy in elementary school with short spiky brown hair and a missing canine looked through the curtain that divided the two. He was curious, he heard the words Oujou and Sakuraba, he knew those names and when he saw the blond teen, he immediately knew who was next to him. The kid pulled the curtain completely aside and shouted with excitement "Wow! I don't believe it! You're really Sakuraba! Autograph! *grabs his backpack near his bed so he could pull out something* I need your autograph!" Sakuraba took out a marker and asked if he was signing a cd or autograph paper. The kid asked the teen idol what he was talking about as he pulled out an amefuto ball and said "I've only seen one Oujou White Knights' game. I didn't think you could have caught the ball just like that. Ever since then, I've always remembered your name… Oujou White Knight Receiver Sakuraba Haruto, you're my kind of hero."

As Sakuraba signed the ball, the kid asked if he could write 'to Torakichi'. That must have been the kid's name. Sakuraba asked Torakichi if he played amefuto and the kid replied that he didn't have an amefuto team at his elementary school, but he did play touch amefuto. Torakichi explained that he saw an Oujou game last year after his game was finished and he saw Sakuraba catch that incredibly high pass for a touchdown. Torakichi stated that Sakuraba was amazing and wanted to be just like him when he gets taller.

Sakuraba lowered his head and said solemnly "That one catch was… merely a coincidence." All present company was surprised by that statement. Sakuraba continued "Other people always do as they like and turn me into a hero… You guys probably don't know how much pressure it is, eh?" Sena thought that Sakuraba was in the same position that he was in, or more along the lines of the same position as Eyeshield 21, and softly said "No… I can understand this…" Sakuraba added "Everyone expects so much from me, and put their hopes on me… Hero? To tell you the truth, I'm really troubled." Raimon was officially mad, he jumped up onto the railing of the hospital bed (Without his shoes… Wait, when did those come off?) And shouted angrily "HEY! HOW COULD YA SAY THAT? IT'S A BOTHERSOME THING WHEN PEOPLE TREAT YA LIKE A HERO? HOW CHILD YA SAY SOMETHIN' LIKE THAT TO YOUR FAN? F* I HAVE BLINDED ALRIGHT! YOU AIN'T MY MASTER YOU'RE AN F* USELESS LAMER!" Then Raimon got into a fight with Torakichi, and boy was it a weird fight. With his eyes cast onto the blanket, Sakuraba said "Could you guys please pass this message on to Eyeshield 21? Please tell him that to have involved him in this accident with a small minion like me… I'm terribly sorry…" Torakichi couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Sena didn't want this kind of thing to happen, especially not in front of a kid like Torakichi. The running back looked that the folded letter. He unfolded the letter and said out loud "From Eyeshield 21 to Sakuraba… Because player Sakuraba was hurt and hospitalized, um… Oujou team's passing abilities were greatly decreased! I think I was so lucky!" That wasn't what was written on the letter, but Sena really wanted to cheer up Torakichi and Sakuraba. Well, the kid was happy. Raimon just had a lightbulb. With a smile on his face, Raimon said "That's right! He even said the strongest hero can only be defeated by a killer tackle!" Sena soooo didn't like what his friend said. The Devilbat catcher picked up the signed amefuto ball, which fell to the floor when Torakichi cheered after what Sena said, and handed the kid the amefuto ball. "Be careful with this. It is your most important treasure," Raimon said, actually sounding kind of cool there.

It was time for the two Devilbats to leave, but before they can do so, Sakuraba said "When you to see Eyeshield 21… Could you tell him… That he did overestimate me… But not for long." A smile appeared on the teen idol's face, it made Torakichi smile as well as the two Devilbats. Sena said that he would.

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Raimon apologized to his friend for turning him into a badass again. Sena stated "It doesn't really matter what others think. Whether I'm treated as an evil hero or a hero from the University of Notre Dame. Because if I don't become as strong as that… There's no way we can get into the finals." With a determined look on his face, Sena said "I gotta get stronger… And make the lies a reality."

~}i{~

A while after the two Devilbats left the hospital, Torakichi and Sakuraba became rather close (And by close and I mean that they became good friends). The White Knight's receiver learned that Torakichi was in the hospital for a broken leg that he got in a car accident and Torakichi learned a couple of cool facts about the White Knight team. Torakichi told Sakuraba that he was having his first and last amefuto of his elementary school. They were really getting along and everything was just fine until the doctor came in and told Torakichi that he wasn't going to be able to walk for at least a year or two and that it all depends on how much effort he put into his rehabilitation. Now the kid was depressed, he explained that his teacher told him that if he works hard for six years, anyone could be a regular player. But now there was no way he could play, not for a long while. That was when Sakuraba made his decision. He told Torakichi that he made up his mind and "I'm gonna practise hard until that one super catch you saw will no longer be a mere coincidence. I will become stronger." Once he was healthy enough to get out of the hospital, Sakuraba was going to practice until he really became the White Knight's ace.

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8th Down Scored

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Omake Moment:

Sena and Raimon made it safely to their club shed, well the part of their club shed that wasn't under renovation. It was a long walk so they were relatively tired when they got there. Although Sena was happy that he saw Sakuraba and that he cheered up the teen idol and kid, the one thing that kept coming back into the running back's head was that Usagi girl from the hospital. Sena couldn't help but think about what she said. Was Hiruma really willing to date a girl to keep her real gender a secret (Come to think of it… Does Hiruma actually go on dates? I'm just curious…) or if she actually swings that way? Sena had to ask if he wanted to know the truth, but he does need to word it so the team doesn't catch on to Hiruma being a girl.

Before the running back could say a word, Raimon jumped in front of Hiruma, who was currently on her laptop and shouted "ALRIGHT SPILL, HOW ARE YOU BLACKMAILING HER TO DATE YOU?" Hiruma didn't look up from her laptop as she said flatly "I'm not currently blackmailing the f*ing manager and I'm sure as hell not f*ing dating her." Mamori had a look on her face that shouted Oh-my-stars-!-What-in-heaven's-name-are-to-talking-about-and-what-in-the-world-are-you-implying-?! "I'm not talking about that Mamori-chan, I'm talking about that nice Usagi-chan," Raimon said with a serious look on his face. Now Hiruma was sporting a confused look on her face when she said "What the f* are you talking about the f*ing monkey? What does a f*ing rabbit have to do with dating the f*ing manager?" Sena decided to cut in, before the She-Devil kills the receiver, by saying "Ano… Actually… when we went to see Sakuraba-san, we ran into another patient at the hospital who, ano, seems to know you and, ano, that you owed her a date… she said her name was Usagi…" Now everyone in the shed was interested, Hiruma included. "Was she somewhat tall with black eyes, a year older than you two, and long ebony hair tied back in a low pony-tail or braid that's hung over her left shoulder?" Both Raimon and Sena nodded, that was the girl. Hiruma went back to her laptop, frantically typing something. When she was done, she turned her laptop so that the two could see what was on the screen. "This a picture of the Shinryūji Naga team from when they won the Kanagawa finals. Take a good look at their quarterback, #12," Hiruma stated plainly.

The entire team, minus Kurita and Hiruma, leaned to look at the picture. The delinquent trio, Yukimitsu, Komusubi, and Mamori looked at the picture; they looked like a strong amefuto group in their black jerseys with some two-tone gold detail, all with their helmets off. But Sena and Raimon's eyes were immediately drawn to the player in jersey #12. That was her! Okay, yeah, her hair was in a braid in the picture, but that IS her! The Usagi girl from the hospital! She was a player on the Shinryūji Naga team! The receiver and hidden running back couldn't believe their eyes. "Wait ya mean that SHE's an amefuto player?!" Raimon exclaimed quite loudly. "Yup," Kurita said and then explained, "She's Agon Kongō's older twin sister." The giant then pointed to the player in the #2 jersey, who was standing right next to Usagi. He had shoulder-length brownish-purple dreads, orange shades, and looked to be around 175 cm (5'9"), making him a bit taller than his female companion. 'He looks familiar…' Sena thought to look at the dread-head.

Hiruma decided to tell her team about those two "The Kongō twins are practically the f*ing Shinryūji Naga's secret weapons. That f*ing Agon's a monster on the field, while Usagi can pass the ball from practically anywhere on the field. They're going to be a hell of a problem when we battle them on the field. If you think the White Knights were unbeatable, then the Shinryūji Naga's are practically invincible." The atmosphere seemed to feel heavier at the moment. Sena couldn't help but wonder how someone who's that strong on the field was a patient at a hospital.

The sun was setting over the horizon by the time the entire team and all of the construction workers went home, well… Not the whole team. Hiruma and Sena were the only ones in the shed. They were a good distance apart from one another. Sena was giving Hiruma a serious look, the She-Devil was actually impressed by this and was smirking.

Sena told Mamori that he was going to help Hiruma with the club's inventory, and of course, Mamori immediately told Sena that he shouldn't be with Hiruma alone. The running back wondered if the reason why she was so against him being with the amefuto captain had something to do with the weird stuff she was shouting about when she burst into the club shed when Hiruma was helping him with his math homework, (Looks like he still doesn't understand that… Ahhhh, you don't that kind of innocents very often). After about five minutes of convicting, Mamori finally lets him go back to the shed, alone; on the condition he calls her as soon as he's finished with the inventory.

Sena asked his captain "Are you really just going to date that Kongō girl just so you can keep your gender a secret?" With a smirk on her face she said almost mockingly "Ooooohhhh~ Don't tell me that it actually bugs ya." "I'm serious Hiruma-CHAN," Sena said with that look still on his face. The She-Devil raised a brow, frowned, and said in her threatening voice "I thought I told you that if you want to sire any children, you keep your mouth shut about THAT." Sena pointed out that they were the only ones in the shed and added: "Now answer the question, are you really going to date her?" Hiruma folded her arms and smirked, she really liked this side of Sena, so she was going to milk it a bit to see how long the running back can hold this persona. "I never actually thought about dating her, since I utterly hate that f*ing dread-headed brother of hers… Ooohhh! I see. You gotta crush on the little rabbit, huh. Don't tell me you're jealous that she wants to date the Devil of Deimon High and not the little secretary of the Devilbats," Hiruma's smirk widens when she saw the look on Sena's face darken and his fist tightened. "Yeah… I'm jealous…" Sena finally said.

Okaaaaaaay… Hiruma wasn't expecting the running back to break That quickly. The next thing the She-Devil knew, Sena was right in front of her. The running back grabbed the collar of her blazer and pulled her down into a full-lipped kiss. Hiruma was completely stunned. She deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeefiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaantly didn't see that coming.

Sena finally broke the kiss after a good minute or so and said: "I'm jealous that she wants to date you too." Hiruma was speechless, completely speechless. She didn't think the chibi could ever do something like this. Sena then dashed out of the shed. Leaving the She-Devil alone in her thoughts.

What… The… Hell… Did… He… Just… Do..? Oh, Kami… What was Sena thinking? Okay, yeah, thinking about what Usagi said about Hiruma owing her a date probably sent him over a bit, but still… What Was He Thinking? Tomorrow, Hiruma was going to shoot him, kill him, skin him, rip him to shreds, and feed him to Cerberus. But…. The kiss and confession were well worth it.

As soon as Sena got home, more specifically his room, texted Mamori rather than call her. He didn't think he could keep his voice calm enough to talk to his childhood friend. Okay, now he felt like panicking. How is he going to survive Hiruma's wrath when she sees him at school? It is official, Sena's a dead man.

Hiruma was still processing the information when she got home. "Date you too…" the She-Devil muttered to herself as she sat on her bed. Her face turned crimson red, it finally hit her. The chibi… LIKED her. Cerberus walked into his room, jumped onto his bed, and fell asleep.

~}i{~

Omake Moment End.

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1) For those who really don't know, Usagi is Japanese for rabbit or bunny. Most of the jokes or some of the nicknames for her in this story are rabbit theme.

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Gale-Dragon: … Um… Did Sena really just… Yeah… Anyone have any idea if Sena's going to survive? What does Hiruma think about it? Wait… Will the rest of the team find out? I really dug myself into a ditch, didn't I…