AN: weekends more like an excuse to update early. also man u (manchester united) and real madrid brings this update to you because i wanted to watch it since their match was only three hours away from where i am but i am not THERE.

Nationals is finally here and you would probably realize its almost exactly like the junior high tournament. I have a reason for that. I guess since Tsubasa missed junior high in Japan, then I could do it when he was a first year high school student instead. The All Japan Jr. Youth will happen, except it will happen according to how Sanae see it.

SoccerGirl- ugh dont even get me started on the anime, especially the newer one. when it comes to the girls, the 1980s one are better but not much. The manga did have them get more screen time, but it's not really enough for my liking (also i cant get really into manga because of their body proportions but i still read it occasionally). Also, here's Nationals.

yeah i dont own captain tsubasa

Chapter 16: Injuries

Their quarterfinal match ended quickly, with them winning 2-1. It was definitely hard getting those two goals, Hakone High was a tough opponent to beat, especially when they have Miyahara and Akasumi in their team, but they managed to win and was into the semifinals like they planned. That was a good thing, because she didn't know what Akane-buchou would do to them in the Fall Soccer League if they didn't win Nationals this year. It's the third years' last year before they go to their separate ways and try to be a member society.

If they lose, it wasn't just them that would be disappointed. The lowerclassmen like them would be too, because they were playing not only for them, but for senpai-tachi as well. They wanted to give them the dream they've always wanted.

But, for now, they passed the quarterfinals and got into the semis. A little break from all those matches shouldn't be that bad. Besides, their next match wasn't until tomorrow.

Well, for her senpai-tachi anyway. She was out watching the boys' quarterfinal against Hirado. It was the first of their game she could manage to watch because of their conflicting schedules and she couldn't help but be grateful. She had a bad feeling that something was going to be wrong in this match, and if it happened to her boys, then its better if she saw it and make sure they were okay.

"Man, when are they going to start?" Ayame whined from beside her. "It' so hot and really thirsty."

She sighed and turned to face her cousin. "You know you didn't have to come with me to watch, right? God knows how much I can't stand you complaining right now. I'm nervous and tensed I don't need to put up with your shit."

"And that's why I came," Ayame replied calmly. "You're not exactly in the right mindset right now because of your nerves. Who knows what you would do when you see one of them get hurt?"

That shut her up. Ayame knew how much she's been stressing out about this game. Her cousin could pick up all the signs. She was squirming in her seat, she was constantly biting her lower lip, and she was even clenching and unclenching her hands together. She was definitely anxious.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I just have this bad feeling and I don't really know what to do about it."

"Look, just calm down, okay," her cousin tried to comfort her. "Whatever you're anxious for, it's probably not going to be that bad."

She sighed again and nodded her head. "I just hope you're right."

Ayame patted her shoulder one last time before the crowd cheered and out comes the two teams, ready to play. Ayame, Shiori, and Rika was also cheering for Nankatsu as well, and normally she would be too.

When she that tall player from Hirado, her senses worsened. She just knew that he was bad news.

Hirado had the kick off were already on the attack. Kisugi managed to steal it really quick and pass it to Taki. They were doing great until he was suddenly blocked by Jito, the tall player.

She took a deep breath when Taki stumbled over as he hit Jito. Her hands were shaking really bad as she watched Taki have trouble getting up, clutching his shoulder in pain. Ayame held her left hand to stop it from shaking, but even then it didn't help at all. She was shaking until the whistle blew to signal Hirado's goal.

Takano-senpai and everyone else went to Taki, as if asking if he could still play. Knowing him, he would continue.

She managed to release a breath she didn't knew she was holding when Taki stood up. Her eyes stayed on them as Tsubasa went near them and exchanged a few words with Jito, with the tall boy scoffing and returning back to his place.

The whistle blew again and it was Nankatsu's ball this time.

She thought that everything would starting to be okay when as Tsubasa passed by almost everyone that tried to block him. Even Jito seemed to have a hard time catching up to him.

She hoped to soon.

Jito managed to hit Tsubasa and he went flying over.

"Tsubasa-kun!" she shouted in concern as she tried to stand up, but Ayame's grip on her tightened, preventing her from going anywhere.

Her eyes never strayed from his unconscious form as Jito raced pass everyone.

Why wasn't he standing up? Was he hurt badly? Oh god, she hoped it wasn't too bad. Why wasn't he STANDING UP?

The whistle blew once more to tell of another goal for Hirado, and the end of the first half.

She shook Ayame's hand off and ran off away from the stands just as they took Tsubasa away from the field.

She arrived at the medical ward just in time to see everyone waiting outside. Her chest was heaving up and down as they turned to her with crestfallen and stoic faces. They didn't ask why she was there, already knowing why she was there. They could never stop her from seeing them if they were ever hurt, even more when it was Tsubasa of all people.

She walked slowly towards them, waiting with them anxiously as stared at the door of the medical room.

She thought her heart stopped when she heard him scream in pain.

She gritted her teeth and quickly opened the door, closing it just as she went it and ignoring the surprised faces on the other boys' faces.

"Tsubasa-kun!" she said as she walked quickly beside Takano-senpai.

"Sanae-chan?"

"Nakazawa-chan?"

They looked at her in surprised but she ignored them and directed her attention to the surprised doctor.

"How is he?" she asked, and took a moment for the physician to take in her words.

"Well, he seemed to be fine," the doctor said to her. "Just had to relocate his shoulder."

She gave Tsubasa a glare and both boys seemed to have tensed up from her instense stare.

"A dislocated shoulder," she stated as she crossed her arms. The doctor went to his desk to write so something. "Just for that, you shouldn't even be playing anymore." Takano-senpai only closed his eyes in silence.

He was about to retort something, but she interrupted him.

"But I know, whatever I tell you, you wouldn't listen," she sighed. "So you better follow the doctor's instructions and win this match."

The two boys and the doctor all smiled, happy with what she said. She didn't even notice the captain slip out of the room with a smile on his face, as if he knew that Tsubasa would be fine with her.

"Hey, what are you still doing with your shirt on? I still have to put bandages around your shoulder you know," the doctor said from where he sat.

"What are you waiting? You heard him, get on with it!" she ordered.

"I will, I will, sheesh," he said as he took off his shirt, albeit a little difficult with the pain from his shoulder.

She tried not to blush from seeing his toned upper body, but that soon ended when she saw the large purple bruise on his left shoulder. That looked really painful, but she has to remind himself that this was Tsubasa and not even a dislocated shoulder will stop him from seeing this match to the end.

"That should do it," the doctor announced as he finished bandaging him.

"Thank you, doctor," he said as moved his shoulder around to try it out.

"Well, hopefully you don't hurt yourself even more in the next half," the doctor joked as they all walked towards the door. "I don't even want to know what your pretty lady would do if you make it worse."

"Doctor!" she exclaimed as she blushed, but he didn't seem to get it and only laughed.

"Yeah, I don't want know either," he agreed.

"Keep talking and I'll be the one to make that injury worse."

He just laughed as they got out of the room to be greeted by the boys faces.

"Are you alright, Tsubasa?" Izawa asked, concerned. "You sounded to be in extreme pain a while ago."

"I'm totally fi-"

"Oh you know, he just had a dislocated shoulder," she interrupted sarcastically. "But, hey no biggie right?" She glared up to him, wishing that their height difference wasn't so huge so that her glare would be more effective.

The boys all looked at them in concern and she sighed defeated.

"He's fine," she told them. "Like I said, he has a dislocated shoulder, but he'll be able to play."

"Awesome!"

"Hell yeah!"

"We're start our counterattack now!"

She watched them as their spirits were lifted quickly, just because he was alright. She couldn't help but frown. She knew that if he continued to play, he was only going to hurt himself more. But, she knew, whether he was injured or not, he will win this match.

There was a whistle to tell everyone that their break was over and the boys all started to leave back for the field.

"Tsubasa-kun!" she called out.

He stopped from his run and turned to look at her, telling his teammates that he would catch up.

"Yeah?"

She opened and closed her mouth. Her voiced was stuck in her throat. She didn't seem to know what to say.

Before she knew it, she took a step and threw herself at him.

"Just be careful out there," she mumbled against his chest.

Tsubasa seemed to be surpised by her boldness, but returned the hug nonetheless. "I will," he said.

They separated after a few moments, and she looked up to him with the biggest encouraging smile she could muster.

"Now get out there and win, Eagle," she ordered him with a light push. "I know you can do it."

That made him grin. "Eagle? I get a nickname now?" he teased.

"Just go."

He laughed once again and proceeded to catch up with his teammates, leaving her all alone.

That was also the time she realized what she did and proceeded to flush in embarrassment.

She arrived back to her seat just in time to have the whistle blow to start the second half. Rika and Shiori both turned towards her in concern, but she gave them a nod to show that everything was fine. They grinned and went back to cheering the boys on their game.

Ayame was a different matter altogether.

"How is he?" Ayame asked.

"A dislocated shoulder," she answered as she watched him ran with the ball. "He's too stubborn to sit this one out."

Her cousin patted her on her knee. "That's just the way he is. No injury would get in his way when it comes to soccer."

"That's what I'm afraid off," she replied. "He might seriously be too injured that he needs to give this up."

Ayame didn't have anything to stay to this as they continued to watch the match. Nankatsu was on the offensive, passing the ball between their players in quick succession, never letting Hirado gain possession of the ball.

Her heart continued to beat fast as he continued to run past those that tried to block him. She clenched her hands in her lap, hoping to whoever is up there that he scores.

Her breath stopped when he was hit by Jito again and fell to the ground.

"Tsubasa-kun!" she screamed as the four of them all stood up in worry. He wasn't standing up again, and she so badly wanted to run out there just to make sure that he was okay.

But she didn't and could only clench her fists harder and stayed where she was.

Get up, damnit. Get up! She screamed in her head. This is not going to be the end of your career. You have a team waiting for you Brazil. There are people waiting for you out there all over the world. Don't let a simple high school game get in your way. GET THE FUCK UP TSUBASA!

His shoulder throbbed a little, but he ignored it. He didn't need to be a baby about this it was only a dislocated shoulder. They have a match to play, and they needed to catch up with that two goals. He needs to tough this out and win. They were all depending on it.

The whistle blew and the second half started again. He ran across the field as his team passed the ball with each other and it finally came to him. He squinted his eyes in pain as his shoulder throbbed some more, but he didn't mind it. He just needed to get the goal and score.

He didn't notice Jito block him.

He crashed into the huge guy and he was sent to the ground again.

He was in pain, he knew that. He wanted to stand up from he couldn't. No matter how much force he uses, his body just would listen.

Maybe it was right, he couldn't do anything anymore. No matter what he did, Jito was there to block it.

Is that all you can do Tsubasa?

Was that- was that Santana's voice?

Come on Tsubasa, you said you would come back here better than ever!

Pepe?

B-but Jito-

But what?

Roberto?

You have the Drive Shoot ain't ya? You're not going to be able to do it if you don't try. Or is it because you can't?

Of course he can, he was Oozora Tsubasa.

He opened his eyes and sat up, ignoring the pain he felt.

"Tsubasa!" his friends exclaimed in worry.

"I'm alright," he told them. Then he turned to Takano. "Buchou, can you give me the ball once the whistle rings."

"Are you sure, Tsubasa? Your shoulder-"

He ignored his teammates' concerned statements and stared at his captain with determination.

"All right," Takano-buchou conceded. "You look like you have a plan. I'm going to trust you then."

He smiled and nodded. His teammates still looked concerned, but went along the two and they went to their places.

His hand directed itself to find the charm on his neck. The charm she made for all of them, for her boys. He turned to the stands and saw her easily, their eyes making contact.

She was worried, he knew. But he gave her reassuring nod and a smile. She nodded in return, but didn't smile back. But he knew, he was sure, that she believed in him.

I know you can do it.

The whistle blew once again and the ball was in his possession. He ran pass everyone that tried to block him again. He prepared himself for Jito moved passed him towards the goal.

It was now or never.

He prepared himself to shoot the Drive Shoot, and soon hit the ball.

Everyone watched as it soared in sky, and he almost thought he couldn't manage to do it again, but it the ball suddenly swooped downwards, surprising everyone as they scored a goal.

The whistle resounded as his teammates gathered around him to celebrate. He could almost ignore the pain in shoulder.

He turned towards the stands again, and he felt even more joy seeing the smile return to her face.

They scored three more goals after that. They won 4-3. They were going to the semifinals.

End Chapter

AN: Tell me you didn't want to happen. Cause I wanted that to happen. But anyway, I will be getting Nationals scenarios from the 2002 anime. All Japan Junior Youth would also come from there. I'll do some changes just so it fits the story better. I'm also planning something big before we go onto All Japan Junior. So, uh I guess stay tuned? I just hope you guys are alright with that because I promise those are the only soccer games from canon I'll novelize(?)

thank you for reading and hope you review! See you next chapter