SailorStar9: Nya? Chapter 10 goes up and only one review. No one else is reading this fic?
Big Boss: You really shouldn't be staying up late...it's bad for your stamina.
SailorStar9: Bah, Stamina means nothing to me...or you it would seem, seriously, there's like ten layers of steel between your room and my office and I could hear everything.
Big Boss: What can I say, it's a talent.
Kakashi: The...beauty...
Big Boss: (Points patriot ant him) I charge per viewing (Fires the gun) Payment in full
Kakashi: MY...MY BALLZ!
SailorStar9: Ha ha...dangly parts.
Disclaimers: I own nothing, well except the pairing.
Chapter 11: The Long Shot of Fate
Wakabayashi, it's only the beginning of our battle. Tsubasa promised.
Will you continue not to attack, Tsubasa? Genzo challenged.
On the stands…
"This goal will weigh heavily." Misaki noted.
On the field…
"Let's go." Tsubasa told the team. "The match is only beginning."
"Okay, let's go, guys." Ryo encouraged as Tsubasa moved to the front.
You finally decided to move up, Tsubasa. Genzo mused.
At the referee's whistle, the match restarted.
"We have to stop Tsubasa." Mamoru barked as he charged to stop Tsubasa. "Forget the wingers."
After passing Mamoru with a feint, Tsubasa pressed on, passing Taki and Teppei in succession. Jumping to dodge another slide-tackle, Tsubasa headed forward.
"Keep going at this pace." Ryo instructed, following behind Tsubasa.
"Leave him." Genzo ordered, once Takasugi moved in to stop Tsubasa. "No need to mark him. Let him shoot." Just as Tsubasa ran past the defender and fired his shot.
Genzo jumped to stop the ball.
"As expected from him." Ryo noted.
"Go, it's our chance." Genzo told his team. "Go." And tossed the ball to the striker.
"Hurry guys, we have to get back!" Ryo shouted, hurrying back to the Nankatsu field.
The striker then passed the ball to Taki, who in turn sent it Mamoru's way. Maneuvering out of his marker's path, Mamoru passed the ball, only to have Masao clear the ball before it reached the winger's feet. Mamoru got the throw-in, sending it to Taki's way, who then passed it to an incoming Teppei.
Tsubasa had by then return to the Nankatsu field and stole the ball from Teppei.
Such a clever player. Genzo mused. He read the path of the pass in a split second. Eh? What? He blinked when Tsubasa readied to shoot from half-court.
Stopping at mid-field, Tsubasa fired the shot.
"Great." Ryo beamed.
"It's the super long shot he showed us against Nishigaoki." Masao added.
Are you losing it, Tsubasa? Genzo smirked, catching the ball. You thought that such a shot could work against me?
"It was close, Tsubasa." Ryo remarked. "I thought it would go in for sure."
On the bench…
Keep your calm, Tsubasa. Roberto mused. You're trying to shoot too much. Soccer has to be played by eleven players.
"This is troublesome." Ami noted. "Bas' flaw is showing up in this match."
"What do you mean?" Roberto inquired.
"A goal can't be scored alone." Ami elaborated. Until our arrival here, Bas always played alone with his ball; which means he's not used to team play." As Tsubasa reclaimed possession of the ball on the field.
On the field…
"He's playing alone." Teppei remarked as he and the rest of the strikers dashed forward. "We have to completely mark Tsubasa."
Alright. Tsubasa smiled and sent a long pass forward, stopping his markers in mid-step.
"What?" Teppei gaped at the flying ball which Oda claimed under his feet, before passing to Masao.
On the bench…
Was this his plan all along? Roberto wondered. Or did he decide to do it, when he realized what was happening? In any case, he really has an incredible flair for the game.
That's it, Bas. Ami smiled. You can't do this along. Soccer is a game played with 11 players.
On the field…
"Don't leave Tsubasa unmarked." Genzo barked as the unmarked Tsubasa reclaimed the ball Masao passed and passed the ball near the throw-in line, where Ryo was waiting to claim the ball.
"Watch the opposite side!" Genzo ordered just as Ryo passed a centering to the incoming Oda, who ducked the flying ball, causing Genzo to completely miss his mark and enabling Tsubasa to fire a diving head shot.
However, the pending goal missed its mark, bouncing off course when it hit the goalpost.
Luck is also a strength. Genzo smirked. Sorry Tsubasa, but this match is for us. What's he thinking? He frowned at Tsubasa's smile. Smiling at this stage, is he admitting defeat? Okay, in that case, you'll see. He decided as Taki readied the corner kick. "Taki, pass it to me!" he ordered.
"Captain…" Taki blinked as Genzo dashed out of his post and threw the ball to the goalkeeper who immediately sent the ball flying towards Nankatsu's net with a long shot and scoring a goal.
On the bench…
"Okay, wasn't expecting that." Ami blinked, the sudden turn surprising her.
On the field…
"Alright, the 'birdcage'!" Genzo barked upon returning to the goalpost.
"The 'birdcage'?" Teppei echoed.
"What's 'the birdcage'?" Tsubasa was puzzled.
"The 'birdcage'?" Ryo blinked. Could it be… and turned to the team strategist on the bench, Ami giving him a nod to confirm his suspicions.
"What's 'the birdcage'?" Masao wondered as he headed back.
"I don't know what it is, but if they get the ball back, this will be bad for us." Tsubasa remarked.
"Having to use the 'birdcage' against a team like Nankatsu…" Teppei noted, snatching the ball away.
"We don't have a choice." Taki admitted. "We've only managed to score one goal against Nankatsu."
On the bench…
An elementary school team plans to use the 'birdcage'? Roberto mused. If we get caught in it, we won't have any chance to counter-attack.
Meanwhile, Ami started the mental countdown as Mamoru passed the ball, the Shutetsu team getting into position.
On the field…
If we don't get the ball back… Ryo hurried back to the Nankatsu side. Not yet, Ami? He turned to look at the girl genius. Alright. He smiled, at Ami's nod, his cue to commence her counter-plan. "Everyone, scatter!" he shouted, intercepting Mamoru's pass to Taki, his left ankle clashing into Taki's outstretched right foot.
"Yosh!" Tsubasa declared, taking possession of the mislaid ball as the rest of the team spread out across the field.
With everyone in place, Tsubasa sent the ball flying into the air, passing it to Oda, who repeated the aerial shot to Masao.
This is… Genzo was stunned to see that Shutetsu's trademark delaying tactic was countered by the scattering of the Nankatsu players and their consecutive aerial passes. That girl… he cast a look at Ami. To poach on one main weakness of soccer players… She's no ordinary girl, that's for sure.
"Tsubasa, everyone, I'm counting on you!" the injured Ryo shouted on the field.
"Damn, they got us." Mamoru cursed as the Shutetsu team hurried back.
"We have to stop him." Teppei promised.
Come, Tsubasa. Genzo was ready. We'll put an end to this challenge once and for all.
"Tsubasa, last pass!" Oda fired the final aerial shot.
"I won't let you pass, Tsubasa." Mamoru stood in front of the goal.
Tsubasa pulled a feint and headed straight for the goal, just as Genzo dashed out to stop the shot.
"So, you persist on shooting outside the penalty area, Tsubasa?" Genzo wondered. "This shot again…" he trailed as Tsubasa fired his shot and dived to intercept, causing the ball to hit the goalpost bar. "I win." He was confident of his victory, before gaping when Tsubasa somersaulted in the air, sending the ball into the net with an overhead kick.
"I did it!" Tsubasa cheered as the equalizer shot entered the goal.
Back in the present…
"The morale of that goal: never count your chickens before they hatch." Ami grinned at her grimacing love who was recalling his first official loss to Tsubasa.
"You don't have to rub it in, Nymph." Genzo muttered.
Kakashi: Ballz...river...of blood...
SailorStar9: Ah shite...it's all over the floor (turns head) VAMP!
Vamp: (Twirls in like a vampire ballerina) You called Star?
SailorStar9: Don't call me that (Nods to the pile) clean that up, and be quick about it.
Vamp: But of course (leers at Kakashi) Haaaaaaaaaaaaah...!
Kakashi: ...whimper...
R&R!