Because everyone deserves the chance to bask in the limelight~
Chapter Six
--
"I'm really not so sure this is a good idea," a certain blue haired girl said to her friend as she jogged up the field.
Beside her a puffing Nao nodded.
"Uh huh, I get where you're going with that Natsuki I do but umm... we're kind of in the middle of a game right and now and you have the ball so..."
"Shut up and run with it idiot!," Haruka said from the sidelines.
"Yeah what she said," Nao said with a smirk as she and Natsuki ran and weaved through members of the other team.
"Offside!," the referee yelled as he took the ball off Natsuki and a member of the other team ran up to get it.
"That wasn't offside what the hell are you talking about!," Nao yelled out. "She was onside! Yeah you see that side she was on it! Hey don't walk away from me!"
"Nao do you know what offside is?," Natsuki asked as she pulled the girl's arm.
"No but who cares I always wanted to argue with a referee!"
"Those two aren't bad," Tate yelled out to Chie as they ran up the field looking to place themselves in open spots to receive passes.
"Wish we taught 'em the rules first though," the Captain replied with a sheepish smile.
--
"Ahh this is ridiculous!," a frustrated Natsuki said as she kicked the ball to a seemingly just as frustrated Chie.
At that point in time, the score boards were clear with neither team able to manage to break through the other's defences.
Nao and Natsuki clearly outmatched their opposite players with pure physical prowess but as both were still struggling with the rules of the game, neither made it very far without committing some unnecessary mistake or another.
Midway through the second half Natsuki found herself growling during the fifteen minute break. Even the usually amiable redhead had a small frown gracing her features.
"I can't break through dammit!," Natsuki said as Nao beside her nodded her head.
Chie nodded.
"You guys aren't bad, their defence is just solid as a rock. Seems like that's all they really focussed on though since none of their players even seem to be trying to break into ours and score."
"From where I'm standing it looks like it's gonna be a tie," Coach Sakomizu said with his arms folded across his chest.
"What? No way!," Nao yelled out. "We can't possibly lose to those people. Come on they're all ugly, there must be something we can do, right pup?"
Natsuki steeled her expression before turning to both her coach and her captain.
"Field Yukino," she said calmly prompting raised eyebrows from the two standing before her.
"Umm what?," Chie asked slowly.
"Take me out and field Yukino in my place," Natsuki replied.
--
"Kuga, I respect you I do. And I have absolutely nothing against Yukino but I don't think that's a very good idea."
"Coach don't think. Trust me and send Yukino into the game. I can't see out there, those guys keep running up at me and every time I get away I break some damn rule that I didn't even know existed."
"Yeah and if you hit the ones that get all over you the referee jerk gets all crazy with his coloured cards. Damn douche on a power trip."
"Yukino knows the rules and she can find the holes in their defences. Right Yukino?"
"Kuga...," Sakomizu began as he tried to find a way to politely decline. His attitude however just prompted Natsuki to let out another low growl.
"Look my plan is good, you people have to believe me."
Natsuki looked Yukino herself in the eyes while placing her hands on the girl's shoulders.
"Yukino... you have to believe me. Make them believe in you."
Unable to hold Natsuki's gaze Yukino dropped hers to her feet.
"Kuga-san is the better athlete," the girl said.
"Kuga-san needs your help so she can help you," Natsuki replied. "And by the way Kuga-san's name is Natsuki. And Natsuki is saying this as your friend."
--
From beside her, Natsuki suddenly felt a familiar presence and smiled at her sister.
"You better be here to say something in support of what I'm saying Alyssa," she told the girl.
"But of course Nee-chan," Alyssa replied with a smile. "Don't think I exist only to play parts in your idiot redheaded friend's plans."
"Well then get to it kid," Natsuki said as Alyssa answered her with a nod.
"Theoretically a brilliant mind will be able to calculate the movements of the opposing players. If Yukino has spent the allowed time calculating each member of the opposing team for strengths, weaknesses, preferred movements and the like, I believe she will be able to break them down with minimal difficulties."
"I've had... enough time to analyse them," Yukino confirmed with a soft voice.
"That being said... if there is a lack of athletic ability," Alyssa continued allowing Chie to break into the conversation.
"She doesn't have the legs Kuga. It'll be useless for her to find those holes if she loses the ball."
"We just need her to show us the holes, Nao can be her legs. They don't have players that are skilled enough to get through their defences but I'm telling you, we have the skill to get through theirs. I'm telling you this doesn't have to be a draw.
"Kuga..." Chie said as she was mirrored by Yukino. Both were unable to find anything else to say in light of Natsuki's unexplainable determination.
"Kuga-san..."
--
"Out of my way fools!"
A certain blonde cheerleader said as she wandered over to the team.
"What's going on?," she asked.
"Kuga wants to field Kikukawa," Chie answered.
"And so she should," Haruka replied simply. "I agree."
"You do?," Yukino asked the girl quietly.
Haruka nodded as she faced the girl with a gentle smile.
"You can do what she's asking you to do right Yukino?"
The smaller girl nodded slowly.
"Keep the ball with Nao, just let Yukino lead us through," Natsuki said. "Believe me, she can do this. I'm not asking you anymore Captain. Take me out and field Yukino."
Chie paused for a moment before giving her final answer.
"No."
"Captain Harada," Natsuki said with her jaw tightened.
"I'll field her in place of me. You think you know what's going on out there, get her through it. Get your ass on the field Kikukawa. Let's see what you can do."
Natsuki looked at their Coach for further argument but all she received was a shrug and smile from Sakomizu.
"You heard your Captain Kuga, get this done. And you, enthusiastic cheerleader get your ass back over there to where the jumping girls are."
"Yeah Haruka," Natsuki said to the girl with an uncharacteristic wink. "Semi-date with Yukino later."
--
At the referee's whistle to signal the end of the break, Alyssa watched her sister lead Yukino onto the field as they were all welcomed with loud cheers from the cheer squad.
"No wonder the blonde has certain feelings for that mousy girl," the young blonde observed aloud. "Kikukawa has guts."
--
As they reached the field Natsuki made a beeline for Nao before placing a hand on the redhead's shoulder.
"Nao," Natsuki began.
"Relax pup, I got this," the redhead replied as she threw a smirk over her shoulder. "I'll get you the ending you want, just be there when I need you pup."
Natsuki nodded and kicked the ball to Nao as soon as she gained possession of it.
Nao looked over at Yukino and gave the girl her best smile.
"That's your cue Yukino, lets go!"
--
At the prompt, Yukino skilfully takes Nao past the defenders, causing the other team to panic as their perfect formation falls prey to Yukino's perfectly analytical mind.
In a last ditch effort to protect their goal, the other team's captain calls for his team to swarm Nao and Yukino.
Natsuki who took to running up the wing while keeping her eye on how their attack was playing out found herself repeating a sort of mantra in her mind.
"Play in the hole Yukino... come on you can do this come on come on..."
Closeby, a certain blonde was also repeating things to the extent that they could be considered a prayer of her own, although hers was to be considered more than a little violent.
"Tear that defence to shreds!!! Kill them all Yukino! Kill them all!," Haruka repeated as she jumped up and down, her excitement matched by nearly all members of the cheerleading squad.
"Ara Haruka-san seems excited today doesn't she," Shizuru observed aloud.
"I agree," Mai said as she nodded her head.
"I wonder what could possibly have gotten her all riled up?," Shizuru continued leading Haruka to release and exasperated sigh.
"Quiet bubuzuke, we have a game to cheer!"
"Suzushiro-san certainly has a way with words."
"Oh shut up Fujino."
--
Meanwhile on the field...
Yukino and Nao had all but left the members of the other team in the dust, breathing hard Yukino managed to release a final command to her redheaded counterpart.
"Pass to Kuga-san," she said between breaths as hurriedly as she could.
"Run up Yukino..." Nao said as she measured the perfect shot to Natsuki.
"What?," the mousy girl asked as she saw members of the other team scrambling towards them.
"Run up!," Nao screamed as she kicked to Natsuki.
Yukino dashes away from the remaining defenders until all but the goal keeper stand behind her, she reaches Natsuki who had kept control of the ball coming from Nao.
At the same second Natsuki deftly passes the ball and delivers it right at Yukino's feet.
--
Two seconds tick by as Yukino looks at Haruka while making rapid calculations in her head.
"Judging from my calculations of this keeper's last few movements he is inclined to stay a little closer to one side of the net... his weakness is that particular leg therefore if he jumps for the other side his reach will be hindered..."
Natsuki felt the light sheen of sweat gracing her forehead as she stared at Yukino's movements as if the girl was in slow motion.
Unbeknownst to her, a honey haired girl was holding her breath as she stared at determination and hope etched on Natsuki's features.
Beside Shizuru, Haruka had once again taken to outwardly screaming in the name of cheer.
"Read him like a book Yukino! Rip his spine out! God I feel exhilarated!," Haruka screamed.
"Really 'cos you're actually making me feel a little afraid," Mai said from beside the blonde.
"Come on come on come on," Natsuki's mantra continued until the sound of boot making contact with ball quietened all other sounds on the field...
Seconds after that when the silence was interrupted by the sound of the ball pushing the net to it's limits and the sound of the referee's whistle blowing the game to an end soon after that, Yukino fell to her knees.
Tears framed her bright eyes as the cheer squad and spectators of the game rushed in to congratulate her.
--
Natsuki looked on from the sideline as Chie made her way to her.
"You know when most people come rushing out to join sports clubs to try and impress girls, most of them want to score the goals," the Captain stated aloud.
Natsuki shrugged.
"I guess I'm kind of a screw up huh?," she replied with a sheepish smile. "Can't even get that right."
"Hmm I dunno Kuga, you certainly seem to be doing something right," Chie replied with a smile of her own.
"What do you mean by that?," Natsuki asked with slightly raised eyebrows.
This time it was Chie who shrugged.
"When most cheerleaders are looking for impressive goals you'd think they'd keep their eye on the ball right?"
"Yeah," Natsuki replied slowly.
"Well, Miss Fujino's eyes?," Chie started. "... they were no where near the ball," she finished as she made to walk away with a wink. "Good job today Natsuki. Glad to have you aboard."
"Hey Chie," Natsuki called out after the girl prompting her to pause and turn.
"Hmm?"
"Talks like this? That's why you're the captain," Natsuki said with a grin.
Chie scoffed.
"Yeah, yeah. Don't tell anyone alright? Ruins my "just good looks" rep."
--
Just as Chie walked away Natsuki caught a flash of red travel past her.
"Oi Nao, where you going?," she asked the girl.
"Ah you know me pup, I gotta go seal the deal. But damn that was some exciting first game! Being the good guy feels pretty good sometimes huh?"
"Yeah well I'll be back to skipping class and looking generally like a delinquent tomorrow," Natsuki replied.
Nao answered her with a shrug.
"Oh well... they say some girls are into that," Nao said with a smirk before heading over to the changing rooms where Yukino was still yet to exit.
"Oi! Kikukawa get your ass out here!," the redhead yelled until she caught sight of the mousy girl making her way out of the changing rooms. "Those were some insane moves you showed out there!! You're gonna stick around right? Come on Kikukawa the team can't lose you now!"
Attracted by Nao's yelling, Mai, Alyssa and Miyu had also made her way to the changing rooms.
"Yukino! That was amazing! I didn't know how awesome you were," Mai said sincerely.
"I was rather impressed with the way you found every possible weakness you could find in their defences," Alyssa said.
Noticing her friend beside her were holding unusual objects for her, Alyssa raised her eyebrows.
"Miyu?," she questioned.
"Kikukawa-san," Miyu started. "We have come to receive your name tagged on these square pieces of paper."
Nao laughed.
"Signature?," the redhead asked. "I want one too!"
Yukino nodded shyly and complied. Looking up she was surprised to find many of their school spectators still hanging around, thankful to her that they were able to see an exciting win for their team.
Alyssa turned away from the field with a smile on her face.
'Guts indeed,' she thought to herself.
---