For the third chapter: It's MUNETAKU FRIENDSHIP!

Response to reviews/requests:

Guest (TakuFem!Ran): Very well!~ it's also Mist Harmonics' request by the way :3

Mist Harmonics (TakuFem!Ran): Arigatou~ TakuFem!Ran will be posted in the fifth chapter!

IEGuest: Uwah~~ Thank you for the lovely review! I'm really glad that you like it! *w*

Title: As Teammates

Main Characters: Ibuki Munemasa and Shindou Takuto

Pairings: MuneTaku (friendship)

Setting: Canon, Galaxy timeline, inspired by the fourth episode (again)

Rating: K+

Length: 600 words

That day, while Tenma, Tsurugi, Shindou, Matatagi, and Nozaki were practicing together, Aoi, who searched for the rest of the team, said that the whereabouts of them were unknown – they were not in their rooms.

The others maybe out for a walk or something else, but actually Ibuki was practicing alone, in a gym. After warming up with some dunks using the basketball, he then tried to practice catching balls using the ball-throwing machine. Not because he was interested or cared about football or Shinsei Inazuma Japan, he wanted to prove his power to Shindou.

And that night, he went back to the gym to practice again on his own with the machine. He knew he was exhausted, but he didn't stop the machine pouring balls at him.

He didn't know that there was someone watching him, who had followed him since he exited the dinner room, until that person intercepted the flying ball when he suddenly fell down, unable to stand up due to tiredness.

Looking up to see who caught the ball, Ibuki gritted his teeth again when he noticed Shindou there, with the ball on his foot. Then, quickly grabbing the remote control, he watched Shindou stopped the machine and turned his head to him in discontent face.

"Shindou! What are you doing here?!" Ibuki forced himself to stand up, but feeling a sudden muscle strike at his thigh, he fell back in a sitting position.

"I should be the one questioning you, Ibuki… what are you doing here?" Shindou repeated the question to the enraged Ibuki.

"I'm practicing, if you don't even notice it!" He snarled, then pointing his right finger to Shindou, he asked, "So what are you doing here?!"

"To watch over this amateur keeper, who can't even see the limits of himself, tires his body out to the limit." Shindou folded his arms, eyes narrowing in seriousness.

"What?! I know my own body and my own limit!" Just as Ibuki tried to stand up, a pain in his limbs' muscle turned up again, and he fell down again.

"See? I told you." Shindou approached Ibuki, and squatted in front of him.

Ibuki didn't answer, and he lowered his head down, refusing to face him,

"Listen, Ibuki. I know you've been practicing hard, maybe not for soccer or the Shinsei Inazuma Japan team, perhaps to achieve your dreams regarding basketball…" Shindou spoke sternly as he focused his sight to the other boy's bent face.

"But at least, for now, we're a team. Our motives maybe different, but as one team, we carry the same purpose, the same goal. And so we care for each other, as teamwork is a main element for a team to work. Basketball is also a team-based sport, so you do know that, don't you?"

Ibuki looked up to see Shindou's serious face, "And then?"

"Which is why I care about you – as my teammate. If you continue forcing your body to practice day and night, without a good rest, you won't be in a good shape to play in Shinsei Inazuma Japan's upcoming matches. Moreover, you're ruining your body," Shindou now sat down with crossed legs.

"Okay…" Ibuki heaved out a heavy sigh.

"So," Shindou immediately stood up, and leaned out his right hand to Ibuki, "will you listen to your teammate, and have a good rest, for your own sake, at least?"

Ibuki looked at Shindou's outreached hand, before grasping it with his own, "Yes, Mr. Midfielder. Thank you."

With that, Shindou pulled the other boy to stand and with a smile he replied, "You're welcome, Mr. Goalkeeper."

Yosha~ done! Yeah, seeing how Ibuki and Shindou clashed – silently or openly – every single time they're shown together… this fic's idea arose!

Um… I don't have any more to say, I think…?

I hope you all enjoyed this~ especially Yukie-san!

Next up: Kyousuke/Aoi!

Jaa ne and… please review? :3