SailorStar9: Nya? Chapter 6 goes up and no review. No one is reading this fic! *Sob, sob, wails*

Tailmon (from 'Digital Light of Hope' and her current muse): Great, now you non-reviewing readers made her cry. Leave your comments in your review, or else... (Turns non-reviewing readers' faces into chessboards)

Disclaimers: I own nothing, well except the pairing.

Chapter 7: Towards Tomorrow's Kick-Off

The next morning...

"Mom, what are you doing on the floor with my bed cover on your head?" Tsubasa blinked.

"Well, you hit it like a soccer ball." Natsuko replied.

"Ah?" Tsubasa jumped up. "Really?"

"It means you're dreaming of soccer." Ami supplied, poking her head in.

"Ah?" Tsubasa echoed. "Probably."

"Now hurry and get ready." Natsuko told the cousins. "Today is your first day in your new school."

"Yes." Tsubasa hurried to get ready.

"Ah, Tsubasa." Natsuko stated. "Go wake up Roberto and tell him breakfast is ready."

"Roberto?" Tsubasa echoed. "Oh yeah, the professional Brazilian player who will be living with us as of today." he recalled. "Roberto, Roberto." he hammered on his mentor's door. "Roberto, get up. Roberto, Roberto." he shook the sleeping player. "Hey, Roberto, are you alright? Roberto. What's happening?" he inquired as Roberto sat up.

"Nothing, everything is fine." Roberto assured.

"Breakfast is ready." Tsubasa informed.

"Ah, thanks." Roberto noted.

"So, hurry up." Tsubasa urged.

"My appointment at the university hospital center is today." Roberto mused. "I hope the results turn out well."

"Go ahead and eat up." Natsuko told her guest.

"Thanks." Roberto took a sip from his cup. "So, you start school today?" he looked over at the cousins.

"Yeah, we're going to Nankatsu." Tsubasa confirmed.

"Did you choose Nankatsu because all the rich kids go to Shutetsu?" Natsuko inquired.

"This is also for soccer, right Roberto?" Tsubasa asked.

"Yes." Roberto nodded.

"Or I wonder if Shutetsu is a harder school?" Ami joked.

"Eh?" Tsubasa protested. "You're wrong, I don't..."

"To prove the contrary, you'll have to study very hard." Roberto cut in.

"Eh?" Tsubasa echoed. "Even you, Roberto... I'm going!" he called as the two cousins headed out.

"Tsubasa." Roberto voiced. "Let's walk part of the way together."

"Where are you going, Roberto?" Natsuko wondered.

"While waiting for Tsubasa and his friends to start training, I'll go to the beach for a little while."

"To the beach?" Natsuko echoed.

"Yeah, for a little while." Roberto replied.

"Roberto, if we don't hurry, we'll be late." Tsubasa called.

"Well, see you later." Roberto noted.

"Later!" Natsuko bade the three farewell. "Be careful."

"Practice starts after school." Tsubasa informed Roberto from the other side of the road. "I'll wait for you on the field with Ishizaki and the others."

"Got it." Roberto nodded. "See you later."

"Later!" Tsubasa shouted and he and Ami headed off to school.

"Tsubasa." Roberto called. "I'll give you a great gift at practice."

"A gift?" Tsubasa echoed.

In front of the school gate...

"Well, from today, we're students of Nankatsu school." Tsubasa stopped in front of the gate.

"Everyone, meet our new arrivals, Oozora Tsubasa and Mizuno Ami." Sanae declared, once the cousins entered the compound.

"I knew I should have went to the swimming complex this morning." Ami muttered.

"Ah, Tsubasa, Ami!" Ryo called to the cousins.

"Hello." Tsubasa greeted. "I'm glad to see you again."

"You really came." Ryo remarked.

"Though you said you would come here, we were worried that you would end up in Shutetsu anyway." Masao added. "We were all worried. But it's okay now."

"Follow me, I'll show you around." Ryo stated.

"One second." Sanae cut in. "I'm the one who will show them around."

"Eh?" Ryo echoed. "What? What does that mean?"

"'What does that mean?'" Sanae echoed.

"Well, I'm gladly accepting it." Tsubasa voiced.

"So, let's go." Sanae beamed and led the cousins off. "Make it a bit less noise." she snapped at the murmuring girls.

"Good morning." the homeroom teacher greeted her class.

"Good morning." the students chorused.

"What are you looking at, Ishizaki?" the teacher inquired. "Ah, I see." she winked. "You're already aware of it. Well, let's make the presentation. From today on, you'll have two more little comrades in your class. Come on in. introduce yourselves." she told the cousins.

"I'm Oozora Tsubasa." Tsubasa declared.

"Mizuno Ami." Ami bowed.

"Your father is a captain of a ship, is that right?" the teacher inquired.

"Yeah, he travels around the world." Tsubasa confirmed.

"Quite everyone!" Sanae barked, silencing the pending fangirls. "Welcome to our sixth grade class." she told the cousins.

"Be quiet!" the teacher shouted. "Let's see, your places will be..."

"Teacher, here!" Masao raised his hand. "They can sit here with me."

"Let's see, sit there." the teacher gestured.

"Yes." the cousins nodded and headed over to their new seats.

"Tsubasa, send the ball here." Masao pointed to the chair.

"Okay." Tsubasa landed his ball into the ball with a header.

"Nice shot." Masao gave a thumbs-up. "Here." he returned Tsubasa's soccer ball.

Oozora Tsubasa? The teacher mused as the new students settled in. Well, it looks like we have a star in our class.

On the field...

"Oops." Masao stuck out his tongue, his kick having missed its mark. "Thanks." he voiced, when someone stopped his ball under his foot. "The ball didn't go where I wanted."

"So, you still don't understand, and you continue to train yourself?" the pre-teen taunted. "Oh come on, we told you to stop wasting your time and break up your team."

"Hey, you!" Sanae barked. "Don't interrupt this precious training for the schools' tournament."

"Is that a joke?" the bully retorted. "A club of morons like you, if you took part in the tournament, you'd be smashed to pieces."

"Look, we don't have time for this." Sanae stopped his protest. "Look over there."

"Incredible." the boy gaped, seeing Ryo and Tsubasa dribbling. "We have such a player on our soccer club? Who is he?"

"Our ace, of course." Sanae boasted.

"Your 'ace'?" the boy echoed.

"Okay, everyone." Ami declared. "Now we'll practice our shooting. Try to aim inside the goal."

"Okay." the team chorused.

"Here." Tsubasa started the shooting practice.

"Now heading." Ami added, after everyone had a turn. "The most important thing is to focus on the ball. You shouldn't be afraid."

"Let's go." Tsubasa started.

"Really." Ryo complained, the group panting in exhaustion. "You could go little easier."

"Sorry." Tsubasa voiced.

"But Roberto's training will be far harder than this." Ami pointed out.

"That's true." Ryo admitted. "Our coach is a professional player from the Brazilian national team."

"I will never manage to survive the training." Masao muttered.

After school...

"I'm back!" Tsubasa called, tossing his book bag on the floor. "I'm going to practice!" he headed out.

"Tsubasa, wait." Natsuko chided. "Really. It's like he only comes here to leave. Brazil?" she looked at the emblem on the schoolbag. "After all, he's admired it since a child. Now that I think about it, I wonder where Roberto is."

On the field...

"Hi!" the team called, having snuck out of their homes.

Gathering, the group started a jog around the field.

"Tsubasa has already made so many friends?" Natsuko mused, passing on her bicycle. I'm so happy. In his old school, no one played soccer and Tsubasa was always alone. Ami was the only one who understood him. "Well, it's a good thing that he's entered Nankatsu. Now, I also need to make my place in this town." and rode off as the boys started their passing practice.

"What's happening?" Tsubasa inquired, seeing everyone had stopped in mid-practice.

"You're Nishigoaka's soccer club?" Ryo asked the newcomers.

"Yes, like promised, here we are." "I hope you didn't change your mind."

"Like promised?" Ryo echoed. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't act dumb." Urabe Hanji chided. "You're the ones who asked us for a training match."

"A training match?" the team echoed.

"Wait, don't tell me..." Ami blinked.

"Yes, it was me." Roberto confirmed. "I'm the one who asked them about it."

"I see." Tsubasa realized. "This is your gift?"

"Yes." Roberto nodded.

"What an amazing soccer team." Hanji snorted. "It's not surprising that they lost 30 to 0 against Shutetsu."

"30 to 0?" Ami echoed.

"Well..." Ryo muttered.

"The aim of our Nishigoaka team is to defeat Shutetsu." Hanji stated. "We have to finish, at least with the same result."

"Damn." Ryo growled. "Say what you want, you'll see."

The referee's whistle blew and the match started, with the Nishigoaka team weaving through the Nankatsu defenses.

"Hey you!" Hanji cursed, chasing after Tsubasa who had stolen his ball.

"Tsubasa!" Ryo turned.

"What is he thinking?" Ami blinked in confusion as Tsubasa headed back to the Nankatsu side of the field.

"What are you doing, Tsubasa?" Ryo took off after Tsubasa. "That's our side here."

"Mid-field..." Ami frowned. "Don't tell me he's going to..."

And now, I shoot." Tsubasa finished her thought.

"What?" the Nishigoaka team gasped.

"I knew it." Ami sighed when Tsubasa sent the ball flying into the net with a long-distance shot.

"It's in." Ryo gaped. "A great long shot."

"No way!" Hanji was stunned.

"Great, Tsubasa." Ryo congratulated.

"Listen everyone." Hanji gathered his team. "This guy. We just have to mark this guy. The others are not dangerous at all."

The whistle blew and the match restarted.

"And here we go." Tsubasa reclaimed the ball.

"Stop him!" Hanji barked as Tsubasa penetrated the Nishigoaka lines. "Don't give him any space.

"Tsubasa!" Ryo shouted.

"It's for you, Ishizaki!" Tsubasa passed the ball.

Ryo sent the ball into the net with a header.

"Great!" Tsubasa cheered.

"Yeah, it's in!" the Nankatsu team clustered around their captain.

"Me..." Ryo pointed to himself. "I scored?"

"Yes." Tsubasa nodded.

"Great!" Ryo jumped in joy.

"Roberto, this is..." Ami blinked at the former Brazilian national player.

"Yes." Roberto confirmed. "So, what do you think?"

"A morale-booster." Ami stated. "To ensure the team that they, too, can score as well. But for my strategies to work, the rest will have to work on their footwork."

The schools' tournament won't be like that. Genzo mused, watching the match on the sidelines. Prepare yourself, Tsubasa.

"Shutetsu's Wakabayashi." Ryo spotted the goalkeeper.

Tsubasa, Roberto thought as the team headed back. I'll make you a first class player, and you'll fly towards the world. Now that all my hopes have been broken, this is my new dream.

Back in the present...

"Wait, don't tell me that letting Tsubasa play sweeper during the schools' tournament was your idea?" Genzo exclaimed.

Ami just smiled brightly at him.

"I knew it." Genzo sighed.

Omake

Awkward II

The mist closed in, and a choking killing intent filled the air. Sasuke whimpered.

"Don't worry, Sasuke!" Kakashi shouted, "I don't let my comrades die!"

"Not anymore, at least," he continued softly, losing himself once again in painful memories and bitter regrets. "I mean, not since the only other team I've ever had. My best friend, and the girl I should have married. And my sensei, who was like a father to me. And then there was my real father, of course…"

Sakura, Tazuna, Sasuke and Naruto (in that order) slowly sank into the black pit of despair, never to emerge again.

"I don't really know what happened to my mo-"

And with a whispering hushhh! the Master of Silent Killing's glittering zanbatou finally brought Hatake Kakashi's torment to an end.

Walking out of Gato's office counting their money, a baffled Haku observed, "That seemed way too easy."

"Yeah," Zabuza spat in disgust. "Konoha nin. They're all such drama queens."

SailorStar9: Stories where Naruto breaks down in the middle of a fight because he's just made his first kill drive me crazy.