SailorStar9: I've decided to restart this fic, so here it is. This is Chapter 5. Read and review.
Disclaimers: I own nothing, well except the pairing.
Chapter 5: Spread Your Wings in the Sky
Come Sunday...
"Now this brings back memories." Ami mused on the park's bench, the group photo taken after Nankatsu's victory of the National Championships in her hand.
"Hm..." Genzo muttered, an arm cradled around his beloved waist.
"Tsubasa, Ami, we're leaving." Oozora Natsuko shouted from the back of the transport truck.
"One day, I'll make that come true." Tsubasa looked at his autographed 'World Cup 1982' poster.
"Knowing you, you definitely will." Ami sounded from his door. "Let's go now, or else…"
"Tsubasa, Ami, it's time to leave." Natsuko called.
"Well, here we go." Tsubasa gathered his football and kicked it out of his window.
"Really, Tsubasa…" Natsuko chided, catching her son's football.
"Let's go!" Tsubasa declared, the two six graders having jumped into the truck.
"Tsubasa, Ami…" Yayoi Aoba arrived too late to see the cousins off. "Tsubasa! Ami!" she chased after the truck.
"Yayoi!" Ami waved.
"Tsubasa, Ami, don't forget me!" Aoba shouted. "I will never forget you, Tsubasa, Ami. I'm sure one day we'll meet each other again soon."
"Look, Mount Fuji." Ami pointed to the mountain in the horizon.
"That's true." Tsubasa beamed.
"We already arrived in Shizuoka." Natsuko informed the cousins. "We will soon be in Nankatsu."
"Nankatsu." Tsubasa echoed.
"You're still reading that magazine?" Ami echoed when Tsubasa picked up his magazine.
"But, the players of the Shutetsu team from Nankatsu City won the last national tournament." Tsubasa argued. "And I'll be one of them soon. We're coming, Nankatsu. Shutetsu has a really good goalkeeper. We'll show him our strength."
"Yeah, my baby." Natsuko giggled, catching her son before he fell over as the truck turned a corner. "We're going there. We're going there."
"Stop that!" the embarrassed Tsubasa protested. "Let me off! Let me off!" and Ami just burst out giggling.
"We've arrived." Tsubasa looked around as the truck entered the street. "Here's Nankatsu. Mom, we're going!" he shouted taking off with Ami in tow, as the adults moved the furniture into the new house.
"Hey, Tsubasa, you could help us a bit." Natsuko called. "You can continue please." She told the movers. But it was unavoidable. She mused. "After all, we came here to let Tsubasa play soccer." She placed her husband's photo on top of the fire place. "My dear, where are you right now? I hope you'd let us know sometime."
"Wait a second!" Mrs. Ishizaki called to her son who had left off washing the bathhouse floor. "You're going to play ball with your friends again? I want you to finish first."
"I don't have time to do that right now." Ishizaki Ryo complained.
"Stay here, Ryo!" Mrs. Ishizaki barked as Ryo headed out.
"Bas, look out!" Ami warned her cousin who was about to collide with an incoming Masao on his bicycle. "Oh, look out!" she exclaimed when Masao was sent skidding down the slope and into the river.
"Are you alright?" the cousins ran down the slope.
"Hey, it's not deep at all." Tsubasa entered the water.
"You're right." Masao stood up. "I was afraid of sinking." His admission causing the three to burst out laughing.
"It's impossible here." Ami giggled.
"Stop mocking me!" Masao snapped.
"Masao, what happened?" two Nankatsu players inquired.
"I fell into the river because of this boy's soccer ball." Masao stated.
"Because of a soccer ball?" the pre-teen echoed.
"Who left this ball in the middle of the road?" Nakazawa Sanae picked up Tsubasa's ball.
"Sorry, it's me." Tsubasa admitted.
"Don't give him back his ball." Masao protested as Tsubasa walked out of the water. "It's because of it that I fell into the river."
"Well..." Sanae remarked and kicked the ball off, Tsubasa reclaiming his football with a header.
"Great!" Sanae beamed, seeing Tsubasa's expert handling of the said ball.
"Never change, Bas." Ami chuckled. "Sorry just now." She apologized on her cousin's behalf. "See ya."
"Hey, wait." Masao voiced, stopping the cousins in their tracks. "I've never seen you around here. Where do you two come from?"
"My name is Oozora Tsubasa." Tsubasa introduced himself. "Me and my cousin, Mizuno Ami." He nodded over to Ami. "Just arrived today."
Tsubasa? Hongo Roberto mused, lying on the slope.
"So, you're new students?" Sanae beamed. "Which class are you?"
"Sixth year." Tsubasa replied.
"You seem to be good at soccer." One of the Nankatsu players voiced.
"I came here play soccer." Tsubasa supplied.
"Cool!" the two Nankatsu players cheered. "So you'll be in our school."
"It's going to be great!" Masao beamed.
"So, you're going to Shutetsu school too?" Tsubasa inquired.
"Shutetsu?" the group chorused.
"What's wrong?" Tsubasa blinked.
"Great player you may be Bas," Ami sighed, resting a hand on her confused cousin's shoulder. "But you don't know the slightest about subtlety. Judging from their uniforms, it's safe to say they are from Nankatsu's public school. In other words, Shutetsu is their rival."
"Your cousin is right." Sanae agreed. "It's a pity that you will be one of them. Well, let's go." She led the group off. Let's hurry to the soccer ground."
"So, that's him." Roberto stretched and stood up as Tsubasa and Ami ran past. "Oozora Tsubasa?" and walked in the same direction as the cousins.
"What's the matter?" one of the Nankatsu players inquired as Sanae and Masao turned.
"Oh, nothing." Masao replied.
"That guy seemed to be really good at soccer though." One of the players noted.
"Ah, you thought about it too?" Masao beamed.
"Everyone, don't forget they're going to Shutetsu." Sanae reminded. "It's better to forget him."
"Nankatsu's Junior Soccer Ground." Ami read off the signboard.
"That's normal for a city where soccer is popular." Tsubasa remarked.
"Hey, what are you looking at?" a girl asked as she and her friend walked past the field.
"Nankatsu and Shutetsu are quarreling among themselves again on the soccer field." Her friend replied.
"Shutetsu?" Tsubasa echoed.
On the field…
"Stop that!" Ryo barked. "Shutetsu's team has its own ground, right? So, use it!"
"Yeah, he's right." The Nankatsu team agreed.
"Hey, Wakabayashi." The elder rugby player stepped in to defend his juniors. "Nankatsu's school ground is not big enough for all the sports teams so they can't train on it. O, you can leave them this one, right?"
"They don't need to train." Wakabayashi Genzo remarked. "They are bad at soccer."
"What?" Ryo demanded.
"You forgot the promise you made before the match?" Genzo barked. "We beat your Nankatsu team 10 to 0. As promised, Shutetsu won the use of this ground."
"Hey, what?" Sanae snapped. "We won't let you get away with this."
"Yeah!" the Nankatsu players chorused. "Shutetsu has its own soccer ground."
"We got some new players after our victory in the national tournament." Genzo stated. "The official field is used by the A-team. So this one will be for our B-team."
"Hey, Wakabayashi." The rugby team captain remarked. "Bring good at soccer doesn't allow you to make your own rules."
Wakabayashi… Tsubasa recalled. That's him, Wakabayashi?
"Ishizaki, what's the meaning of bringing some schoolboys?" Genzo barked.
"Em… well…" Ryo started.
"You don't scare me." Genzo stated. "Well, what do you think facing each other, schoolboys?"
"Facing each other?" the rugby team captain echoed.
"Against them?" even Tsubasa was shocked. "How does he want to face them?"
"The captain of each team will make a shot." Genzo posted the challenge. "One after the other."
"Interesting." The handball team captain remarked. "Are you ready?"
"I am able to catch any ball shot from outside the penalty area." Genzo declared. "If you want the field, you just have to score a goal on me."
"Pretty confident, isn't he?" Ami noted. "What do you think, Bas?"
"Let's see how this turns out." Tsubasa grinned.
"I knew you'd say that." Ami sighed.
"You really are too arrogant." The rugby team captain growled. "Hey, give me the ball. Even if you are a genius goalkeeper, you won't have any possibility of winning this challenge." He caught the tossed rugby ball.
"We'll see once it's finished." Genzo smirked.
"That's enough." The rugby team captain hissed. "I'll settle this immediately. A rugby ball is different from a soccer ball. No one can predict in which direction it would bounce."
Yeah, that's right. Ryo nodded.
"Here we go!" the rugby team captain declared and kicked the ball.
Genzo jumped to catch the ball, but missed his mark. Reacting instantly, he used his foot to kick the ball out of the net.
"He stopped it…" the rugby team captain gasped.
"Great." Tsubasa was awed.
"Only you, Bas." Ami shook her head. "Only you."
"That's one down." Genzo dusted himself down."
"Okay, I'm next." The handball team captain stepped forward. "A soccer goal is twice as large as a handball. If I don't manage to score, I'll be the shame of our handball team." And stuck the handball. "What?" he gasped when he landed, seeing Genzo catching the ball effortlessly. "No way…"
"Incredible…" Tsubasa gaped. Wakabayashi is really an exceptional goalkeeper.
"I'll be the last." The baseball team captain stood forward. "Whatever your level is, it's useless to try to catch it."
"Go ahead." Genzo prodded.
"Can he really catch a baseball?" Tsubasa gaped.
"Damn…" the baseball team captain hissed as Genzo chuckled.
"Bring it on, come!" Genzo declared.
"Okay." The baseball team captain accepted the challenge and threw the ball. "What do you think of that?"
Ami let out a low whistle when Genzo caught the ball in one hand.
"What…?" the rugby team captain was stunned.
"He stopped it…" the baseball team captain gaped.
"This guy is a monster." The handball team captain gasped.
"Well, the case is closed." Genzo concluded. "Now, let's go and train seriously."
"Yes." The B-team chorused.
"Senpais!" Ryo protested.
"Sorry, Ishizaki." The rest of the teams replied. "But we're giving up."
"We can't even count on our Senpais." Ryo sighed.
"What are you saying?" Sanae argued. "You too, you lost against them."
"Captain, where do we train?" Masao inquired after Sanae stormed off.
"No idea." Ryo replied. "There won't be any practice today."
"If this keeps going like that, we'll lose for sure during the school's tournament." The group sulked off.
I've never seen such a strong goalkeeper. Tsubasa mused. I want to challenge Wakabayashi too. "Eh?" he blinked, looking around the empty field. "Hey, wait a second!" he called out to Ryo. "Where did Wakabayashi, the goalkeeper, go?"
"He should have gone back to his house." Ryo supplied.
"Then, can you tell us where he lives?" Ami requested.
"Hey, what do you want Wakabayashi for?" Ryo inquired.
"Not me." Ami corrected. "Bas here, wants to challenge him at soccer."
"What?" Ryo echoed. "Challenge him? You're crazy? Didn't you see how strong he was?"
"And that's the exact reason why he wants to challenge him." Ami replied, causing Ryo to facefault.
"Okay, I'll show you." Roy relented.
On the hill…
"So, you've just arrived here, right?" Ryo remarked. "That's why you're not aware of anything."
"Tact hasn't been one of his strong points." Ami grinned.
"Look, Wakabayashi lives in that big mansion." Ryo pointed. "His family is one of the oldest of the city. But I don't know such little guys like you will win against him. During the last national tournament, no one managed to score a goal on him."
"I know." Tsubasa readied his football.
"Eh, what are you doing?" Ryo blinked. "What is it?" he inquired, when Tsubasa showed him the message he had written on his soccer ball. "That's…! Don't tell me…"
"That's Bas for you." Ami laughed as Tsubasa readied to kick his ball.
"You think the ball will reach Wakabayashi's house from here?" Ryo was shocked.
"Just watch." Ami grinned.
"Here we go!" Tsubasa declared and have the ball a good kick.
"What…" Ryo gaped as the ball flew.
"Go!" Tsubasa whooped.
"Incredible..." Roberto was stunned at the long shot.
"No way…!" Ryo gasped.
"That's gonna leave a mark." Ami joked.
In the Wakabayashi courtyard…
Genzo caught the incoming ball with both hands.
"What's happening, Genzo?" Coach Mikami inquired. "Where did that ball come from?"
"It came from the Shinto shrine over there." Genzo pointed to the temple on the hill.
"Stop spouting nonsense." Mikami chided. "You know how far it is from here?"
"That's…" Genzo noticed the message on the ball. "A challenge?"
On the hill…
"It reached Wakabayashi's house." Tsubasa remarked.
"Amazing." Ryo gaped.
"What an incredible boy." Roberto mused.
In the Wakabayashi courtyard…
"You made a mistake, Genzo." Mikami concluded. "It couldn't have come from there."
"But, there's a challenge for me written on the ball." Genzo stated. "And the handwriting looks like a boy of my age."
"Stupid." Mikami insisted. "How could an elementary boy shoot that far?"
"I accept your challenge, Oozora Tsubasa." Genzo declared. "Whoever he is, I want to make sure with my own eyes."
On the hill…
"You're really great." Ryo gushed. "Your shot was really incredible. How could you shoot so far? that's weird, there should be some trick somewhere, right? You may be able to defeat Wakabayashi."
"A toast for the little soccer champion!" Roberto declared and downed his vodka.
"Well, let's go to the soccer field." Ryo led the cousins off, with Roberto following closely behind.
In the Oozora household…
"Really Tsubasa," Natsuko sighed. "Where could you and Ami be? I hope they don't get lost since this city is unknown to them."
On the streets…
"You just arrived here today, right?" Ryo confirmed.
"Yes." Tsubasa nodded.
"So, you will go to Nankatsu school?" Ryo inquired.
"Well…" Tsubasa started.
"There are two elementary schools in this city." Ryo added. "But only Nankatsu is a public school. Shutetsu is a private one. Maybe I shouldn't tell you, but Nankatsu and Shutetsu are rivals. Nankatsu and Shutetsu have been perpetually fighting among themselves. Today, the fighting was about the retrieval of the soccer field. They have a great soccer field near here. But us, we have to share the field with all the other sports. You'll represent Nankatsu."
"I'm not really concerned about being a representative of Nankatsu or whatnot." Tsubasa stated. "I just want to challenge Wakabayashi."
"If you defeat Wakabayashi, we'll be able to take back the field from Shutetsu." Ryo argued.
"Ishizaki, those two are new students of Shutetsu." Sanae cut in.
"Eh?" Ryo echoed. "Really? If you're planning to go to Shutetsu, then why have you challenged Wakabayashi?"
"This boy challenged Wakabayashi?" Sanae gaped.
"Yes." Tsubasa smiled.
Oozora Tsubasa… Genzo mused, the ball tucked under his arm. Who could he be? He was able to shoot from that Shinto shrine. Would the challenge be thrown by a student of Nankatsu? How could that team have such a good player?
"So Genzo." Mikami voiced. "You said that Oozora Tsubasa is an elementary school student? If that was the case, it would be impossible for him to send the ball so far with a simple shot."
"Ah, here's Wakabayashi." Ryo stopped in his tracks, the two opposing team captains facing each other on opposite sides of the road.
"That would be him….?" Genzo noticed the newcomer.
"Wakabayashi, here's the one who sent you the challenge, Oozora Tsubasa." Ryo declared.
"Eh?" Genzo echoed. "What?"
"Such a small boy…" Mikami muttered. "Impossible."
"You're mocking me!" Genzo snapped. "This runt couldn't shoot that far."
"But, I saw just like I'm seeing you right now." Ryo taunted.
"Okay, we'll check if you're really the one who shot." Genzo declared and sent the ball flying towards Tsubasa.
"Look out, step aside." Ryo warned.
Tsubasa deflected the shot with a kick upwards.
"He managed to block my shot." Genzo was stunned as a bus passed by and Tsubasa sent the ball flying over beneath the bus. "You're Oozora Tsubasa…" he caught the ball effortlessly.
"Oozora Tsubasa…" Sanae trailed.
"Oozora Tsubasa." Roberto took off his hat. "It's this boy, no doubt about it."
Omake
Sounds Like My Ex
Naruto looked through the bars of the massive cage, and was surprised to find an attractive, red-haired woman.
"Hey!" he shouted. "I never knew you were a girl! Well, gee, you must be pretty lonely in there…"
And before you could say, 'Yamada Tarō', he was through the bars and hugging her affectionately.
It took the ancient demon fox about five seconds to 1) rip out his heart; 2) rip off his head; and 3) strip the flesh from his carcass.
Smacking her lips appreciatively as the cage bars dissolved around her, the Kyuubi chuckled.
"You don't know much about women, do you, Dumbass?"
SailorStar9: Kyuubi is supposed to be a thousand-year old demon; but a lot of writers seem to think that if you slap a pair of tits on it, she'll suddenly see this short-lived monkey as her baby - or as her lover. They aren't made out of her brain matter, fellas.