"Dame Simbai?" asked Tia tentatively as she slipped into the medics room. The room was filled with plant life and Tia could just see Simbai's head poking out from behind a row of ferns.
"Dame Simbai?" She called a little louder and Simbai rose up with a quizzical look on her face. "Um… its just…" She struggled to get the words out.
"You're not feeling well?" Simbai asked, knowing what the answer would be.
"Yes," smiled Tia, "How did you know?"
"Oh I have a six sense about these things," laughed Dame Simbai, "now please come sit down over here."
"I'm telling you bro, the Xenons are scary!" Warned Thran, leaning on his crutches as they made their way into the common room.
"It doesn't matter how scary they are, the Snow Kids can beat them!" Grinned Ahito, settling himself on one of the sofas.
"Have you seen their main striker?" Asked Rocket, walking over to the two brothers, holding a stack of papers.
"His name's Lurg," said Rocket, handing Thran a page filled with stats. "He's got 85 accuracy on his shots and an average of 140Km/h for them!"
"Really?" Gasped Thran, "Those stats are incredible in comparison to D'Jok's who's averages can be a little sketchy…"
Ahito yawned heavily, and people wondered why he was always sleeping!
"Our first match Mei!" Sighed Mark, looking out the enormous glass window to the inhospitable surroundings. "A home match against the Xenons! I just know we can win!"
"Yeh…" replied Mei dreamily, but she wasn't really listening to Mark, she was just wondering where D'Jok was.
"Listen up Snow Kids!" Yelled Aarch as he, Simbai and Clamp made their way into the room. "Today is our first match of the Galactik Cup!"
The Snow Kids erupted into cheers and Aarch struggled to silence them. "Yes, I know its very exciting, but please let me finish my sentence before you have a street parade!"
"Now then, as I was saying today is your first match against the Xenons. Don't expect it to be easy!" Warned Aarch. "You've never played them before, the Xenons are a very strong side!"
"They're favourites to win the whole cup," Thran chipped in.
"Yes Thran, they are!" Agreed Aarch. "You've made your way into the cup, but now it's time to prove yourselves! You are the Galactik Cup champions! Don't ever forget that! Now its time for the line up."
"In Goal: Yuki," Ahito hung his head sadly but he accepted that Yuki hadn't had as many chances to play as he had.
"In Defence: Mei and Derek," No surprises there, with Thran injured, they were the only two defenders left.
"In Midfield: Rocket and Mark."
"Sir, what about Tia?" Asked Rocket.
"Tia's not feeling too well at the moment," replied Simbai, "I think its best if she doesn't play this match."
"Oh…" answered Rocket, shocked to discover that Tia was ill, she hadn't said anything to him.
"And in attack: Micro-Ice and Rose."
Rose grinned at Micro-Ice, "We're gonna win it!" She cried, holding out her hand for a high-five.
Slowly, as though afraid it was a trick, Micro-Ice extended his arm and slapped his hand against hers.
"Remember this is a home game, everyone's going to be watching," Grinned Aarch, "Get out there and make us all proud."
"GO SNOW GO!" Cried the team, before making their way out of the common room.
The podium lifted into the air, carrying the seven Snow Kids within it. The doors opened and they found themselves in an enormous stadium, coated in ice. The sound was deafening as the crowds went insane with excitement. Rose and Mark looked around incredulously, the stands were definitely a lot fuller than the match against the Red Tigers.
"Don't mess up Yuki," smirked Derek.
"You know what?" Retorted Yuki, quietly so that only Derek could hear, "last time I checked, you were the one who's been screwing up every match."
Derek acted as though about to reply and then scowled as he realised he had nothing to say.
Opposite they could see the Xenons dismounting and filing out across the pitch. They were large and bulky with scaly reptilian bodies, their eyes were cold and Lurg, their star player, fixed the Snow Kids with a steely glare.
"Let's go team!" Yelled Rocket and the team hurried off to their places. Rocket took the spot opposite Lurg and both captains stared at each other defiantly.
"Here we are Nork!" Screamed Callie, "The Xenons against the Snow Kids, the match everyone has been waiting to see!"
"The Snow Kids are at a real disadvantage here though, no star striker D'Jok." Nork explained.
"And no Tia, she played so well in the Red Tiger match, I wonder where she is?" Asked Callie.
"And without Thran and Ahito, the Snow Kids have lost their strong wall of defence," said Nork, thoughtfully.
"Here's the kick off!" Gasped Callie and both presenters turned to watch the match.
Rocket and Lurg leapt into the air, blue and green flux crackling off one another. Lurg took the ball, ramming Rocket with his shoulder. Rocket fell back to the ground and Lurg began to make his way up the pitch.
Mark sprinted over to Lurg, but the reptile just span round Mark, leaving the Snow Kid trailing. As Lurg approached the defence, Mei began to run towards him.
Lurg stopped the ball and slammed the floor with his fist. A line of green shot across the pitch, engulfing a shocked Mei and freezing her on the spot.
"That's the impressive Heat of Xenon!" Gasped Callie.
"Mei won't be moving for a bit!" Said Nork.
"Yuki, watch out! He's going to shoot!" Warned Aarch.
Yuki gulped and set her eyes on the ball. Lurg punted the ball at goal with all his force and Yuki watched as it streaked towards her. She leapt through the air and just caught it, hugging it tightly to her chest.
"Great save Yuki!" Encouraged Aarch.
"Looks like you're the one "messing" up Derek!" Hissed Yuki.
Yuki kicked the ball out to Mark who bounced it off his chest and dribbled around a Xenon defender. He then crossed the ball all the way across the pitch to Micro-Ice.
Micro-Ice hopped over a slide tackle with the ball clamped between his feet and then hurried on towards goal.
Micro-Ice was suddenly confronted with a reptilian defender, watching his every movement. He feigned left and the Xenon darted left but then returned. He feigned right and the Xenon did the same thing.
Micro-Ice was thinking of what to do, when the Xenon unleashed a blast of green and kicked the ball out from under Micro-Ice's feet. The Xenon sprinted past, shoulder barging Micro-Ice to the floor.
"You alright?" Asked Rose, her head swimming into view. Micro-Ice nodded, lying on the floor of the pitch. Rose offered her hand and Micro-Ice took it. She lifted him to his feet and patted him on the shoulder.
"You'll be fine," she smiled, "come on, lets go!" She sprinted off, her dreadlocked hair waving behind her.
The Xenons passed the ball around Rocket leaving him stranded in the centre of the pitch. Lurg was on the ball again and making his way toward goal. Mark and Mei run towards him together. They stood in front of him, blocking both sides of his attack.
Lurg growled viciously and then launched himself into the air, green flux sparking off him. The force of his jump threw Mei and Mark to the floor. Lurg pulled his foot backwards and blasted the ball at goal.
Yuki didn't stand a chance. The ball flew into goal before she had even reacted.
"1-0 to the Xenons!" Shrieked Callie, "that shot was almost 160 km/h!"
"Lurg is on top form today," remarked Nork, "I'm not sure that this Snow Kids team can beat them, even on their home ground."
"Come on Snow Kids! Don't give up!" Yelled Aarch, watching as Rocket and Lurg prepared for the kick off.
Lurg was brutal, his flux engulfed Rocket and threw him back out, looking frazzled. Lurg stormed up the pitch, but Mei was having none of it.
Mei felt the Breath explode into life around her and she felt the power it gave her. Lurg prepared to shoot, but Mei was too fast, skidding under his pulled back leg. Mei got quickly to her feet and passed out to Rose.
Rose dribbled around a midfielder and headed onwards. A defender got into her way and she turned her back to him. She rolled the ball onto her foot and threw it into the air, up and over the defender. She then hurried onwards, almost at the goal.
She didn't see the tackle coming. A Xenon slammed into her, throwing her to the floor. The crowd erupted into boos as the Xenon reversed the play and no foul was awarded.
"WHAT? How is that not a foul?" Shouted Micro-Ice at the little computer Ref. He flicked the lens of the screen angrily and suddenly the red light started flashing.
"About time," he remarked. But the red light was not for the Xenon, it was Micro-Ice. Micro-Ice complained and yelled as he was lifted into the air and out of play.
"Why does he care so much about Rose?" Yuki thought sadly to herself. But then she had to leave her thoughts as she saw Lurg make his way towards the Snow Kids goal.
Lurg kicked the ball at goal at an insanely fast speed. Yuki leapt through the air, arms outstretched, in an attempt to catch it. But it was too fast.
"2-0 to the Xenons!" Screeched Callie.
"It really does show that the Snow Kids, just aren't up to the task without their star players, Rocket, Mei and Micro-Ice just aren't enough!" Answered Nork.
"But check out the Xenons, they truly are hot favourites for this cup!"
"Come on team, we can still do this!" Shouted Aarch.
"So what about the Snow Kids? Do they have a chance?" Asked Callie.
"Well Callie, Yuki has been doing pretty well in goal, but without the Breath she just doesn't have a chance of saving Lurg's stronger kicks. Mei can't handle all the defence on her own and Derek has been more or less useless."
"I know what you mean Nork, Derek is definitely a strange choice for the Snow Kids. But up in midfield Rocket hasn't been his usual self, he hasn't won a single kick off and we haven't seen any of his usual midfield dominance."
"And Mark?"
"Mark's been playing well, but again without the Breath he just doesn't have chance. What do you think about the attack?"
"Rose hasn't really had any chances to prove her worth and Micro-Ice…" Nork groaned loudly and rolled his eyes. "Arguing with the Ref is a stupid mistake, which you would have thought someone as experienced as Micro-Ice would be able to avoid."
"Well this isn't Micro-Ice's first time to tangle with the Ref, it happened before in their first group match last year against the Rykers."
"Oh and there's the half!" Announced Nork.
"Aarch is going to have a hell of a pep talk to give," laughed Callie.
"They're good, you knew that!" Growled Aarch, "Don't let them throw you around like that!"
"Sorry coach," mumbled Rocket.
"Listen," sighed Aarch, "we all knew that this was going to be your hardest match, but don't give up, you can do it!"
"We can do it guys!" Yelled Mark.
"Yeh, let's go kick some Xenon butt!" Laughed Rose.
"Now then, for the second half, I want to put Ahito in goal."
"Coach?" Asked Yuki sadly.
"Yuki you performed brilliantly, but I want to give Ahito a chance to play, ok?" Asked Aarch.
"Sure Coach," She replied glumly. She glanced over to Rose and Micro-Ice who were stuck in deep conversation.
"Micro-Ice, we can do it!" She insisted.
"Yeh… I'm sorry about getting penalized," he said sheepishly.
"Don't worry about that," grinned Rose, "you were just trying to stand up for me!"
She leaned a little closer, "I find that very attractive." Micro-Ice let out a high pitched little giggle and Rose linked her arm through his.
"Come on Micro-Ice, let's go win!" She yelled and the two of them walked out of the common room.
Yuki shook her head in disbelief and stormed out of the common room, leaving just Thran to watch alone.
"Man, I miss Ahito now!" Sighed Thran.
"It's almost time for the start of the second half Nork!" Smiled Callie. "Let's hope the Snow Kids are ready to play their hearts out!"
The ball shot into the air and Rocket and Lurg launched themselves into the air after it. Lurg went to barge Rocket out of the way, but this time he was ready. Rocket lifted his legs up and powered himself off of Lurg's shoulderm even higher into the air.
Rocket took the ball and dropped to the floor. He dribbled around a Xenon defender and then cart wheeled over a second one.
"Immediately we can see a large improvement from the first half!" Remarked Callie, "Rocket is about to shoot!"
Rocket blasted the ball at goal, the Breath swirling around him. The Xenon goalkeeper leapt at the incoming ball, he just connected with the ball and it rebounded away from the goal.
Mark darted into position and fired the ball once more at goal, but without the breath the Xenon goalkeeper didn't have much to worry about. The Xenon goalkeeper clutched the ball to his chest and roared loudly.
"Bad luck Mark," said Aarch, "don't ease up on the pressure, lets keep going!"
The Xenons began to race back up the pitch. Rose raced in front of the incoming Xenon. Using her body as a wall to prevent him. The Xenon slammed the floor with his foot and Rose was thrown into the air. She landed with a thud on her back.
"Rose!" Gasped Micro-Ice, sprinting over to her.
"I'm fine," she wheezed, getting slowly to her feet.
"Are you sure?" Asked a concerned Micro-Ice.
"It's fine, really," she whispered in his ear, before sprinting off, leaving Micro-Ice feeling very confused.
"Lurg is about to shoot!" Gasped Callie.
Lurg fired the ball at goal but Ahito was too quick, leaping through the air and cradling the ball to his chest.
"GO SNOW GO!" Roared Ahito as he rose to his feet.
Ahito kicked the ball out to Derek. Derek ran straight at a Xenon and was instantly tackled. Mei groaned as she realised she'd have to defend again.
She swooped in on the Xenon, with a sliding tackle. Her leg caught the Xenon's, sending him crashing to the ground. The red light flashed. The sirens screamed. Mei lowered her head as the red screen unfurled around her.
"A penalty!" Squeaked Callie, "two nil down and Mei has just given away a penalty! The Snow Kids couldn't be in a worse position!"
Lurg took the shot. It flew into goal. Ahito didn't stand a chance.
"3-0 to the Xenons, the Snow Kids are being thrashed!" Remarked Nork.
The Xenons played brutally, abusing the already exhausted Snow Kids. They rammed past them, froze them with the Heat of Xenon and knocked them over. With Mei in the sin bin and only Derek on defence the Xenons quickly scored again. And again.
"5-0 to the Xenons!" sighed Callie, "a dark day for Akillian, as our champions get crushed at their home ground."
Mei dropped back into the game, but it was too late to make any difference. Aarch had stopped encouraging them, every Snow Kid looked miserable, not catching each others eyes.
Mark clenched his fists angrily, it wasn't fair. They were good enough to beat the stupid Xenons. Mark chased down Lurg and tackled him roughly.
Mark sprinted up the pitch, feeling suddenly full of energy. He was breathing heavily, but he knew that he could do it. He dribbled around a first defender, a second, a third. Then, the Breath swirling around him, he shot the ball at goal.
The goalkeeper got in the way fast enough, but he wasn't quite strong enough. The force of the shot blew him backwards and he fell back into the goal, winded.
"5-1! A last minute attack from Mark proves fruitful," announced Callie, "at least some form of redemption at the very end of the match."
"And there's the end buzzer," said Nork, "end score Xenons 5, Snow Kids 1."
"Tia, I know what the problem is," said Dame Simbai slowly.
"That's great," smiled Tia, "I've been feeling so ill. So what is it?"
"Tia, I don't know how to say this," Simbai struggled with her words, "You're pregnant."
Tia's pregnant!
The Snow Kids had a baaaad first match!
Without D'Jok, Thran or Tia do they stand a chance?
At least Mark has got the Breath now
Tune in next time for their match against the Wambas!