SailorStar9: Nya? Chapter 12 goes up and only one review! Is this a sign of the end?

Major: OH I zertainly hope not, othervise there'd be no time for ze next war...und ze war to follow that...und ze next...und ze next...

SailorStar9: Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh-tah...(nods to Big Boss) You CAN handle this guy right?

Big Boss: Nazi's? Vampires? Cyborgs? (Lights a cigar) Please.

Major: By Ze way...that charming fellow with ze sunglasses seems to be a little perplexed.

SailorStar9: (Looks up at a monitor to see Wesker dragging a recovered Kakashi down a hallway.) Just testing something. Care to do the honors?

Major: Da. (Points remote, nothing happens.) Eh? Ist this thing vorking right?

Captain: ... (takes remote and turns it to face the right way round, points at screen)

Major: Ah, danke Captain. Roll Camera!

Disclaimers: I own nothing, well except the pairing.

Chapter 13: To Bet Everything On The Last Chance

Tsubasa, I won't just wait here in the goals. Genzo stood ready. I will show you Shutetsu's true power.

"We have to catch up." Tsubasa told the team. "Got it?"

"Let's go." Misaki passed the ball to Tsubasa as the game resumed.

"Be careful, this guy is dangerous." Mamoru cautioned. "We have to take the ball from him quickly."

"Ok, let's go." Teppei voiced.

"Misaki." Tsubasa passed the ball to his partner, their rapid passes enabling them to bypass the Shutetsu players easily.

"Shimada, take care of Tsubasa." Genzo instructed as the two closed in. "And you, Nakamoto, get Misaki. Keep them covered."

"Oda!" Tsubasa made a long overhead pass, finding himself surrounded.

"I got it." Oda claimed the ball and dribbled towards the goal.

"Masao!" he passed the ball off, seeing himself marked.

Masao passed the ball off, as a Shutetsu player came forth to mark him, the entire Nankatsu team moving forward.

"Head up!" Iwami made a long pass overhead to the approaching Tsubasa and Misaki, only to have Genzo catch the ball.

"It's your turn." Genzo tossed the ball. "Go."

Taki took possession of the ball and led the attack, forcing the Nankatsu players to head back to defend.

"Damn!" Teppei was forced to pass the ball when he found himself blocked by two defenders.

"Not so fast!" the goalkeeper leapt to defend the goalpost when Mamoru fired his shot.

Misaki had by then returned to the goalpost, intercepting the ball's path.

"Well played, Misaki." Tsubasa beamed.

"Thanks." Misaki nodded. "Let's go for a counter-attack."

"Alright." Tsubasa focused on the match.

An extraordinary save… a perfect feint. Genzo mused as Misaki feinted yet another Shutetsu forward. He can read every one of his opponent's plays. He's got some remarkable talent. Tsubasa acts with his instinct. It's as if the ball is part of his body. As Tsubasa made another pass to Misaki.

Everyone looked on anxiously as the duo headed straight for the Shutetsu goalpost.

I'm going to anticipate your movements, Misaki. Genzo thought. Will it be you or Tsubasa? Who will shoot? Good, I bet on Tsubasa. And true to his suspicions, Misaki passed the ball to Tsubasa just outside the penalty box. You'll be the one to shoot. Genzo focused on Tsubasa.

"Misaki!" Tsubasa made a last-minute decision, passing the ball back to Misaki.

What? Genzo gasped as Misaki dived for a head shot.

The goalkeeper moved to block Misaki's path, only to have Misaki switch from a head shot to a head pass.

"Yes!" Tsubasa sent the ball into the undefended net with a head shot. "Superb, we're tied again!" he whooped.

"Well played, Tsubasa." Misaki remarked as the pair headed back.

I chose Tsubasa in the beginning. Genzo cursed his misjudgment. And then I was fooled.

"Sorry, captain." Mamoru apologized. "We couldn't stop them."

"Damn idiots!" Genzo scolded. "Why are you apologizing? We're not in the lead anymore. Come on, it's not over yet. There's still some time left."

"Captain." Mamoru breathed.

Tsubasa, I won't lose to you. Genzo promised.

The whistle was blown, signaling the last leg of the match, with Shutetsu going on the offensive and Nankatsu fighting for the ball.

"Here's a long pass!" Tsubasa stole the ball from Teppei, firing a long overhead pass.

"Takasugi, go!" Genzo ordered once Oda claimed the ball.

Misaki retook the ball once Oda was slide-tackled. "Tsubasa!" he made a long overhead pass.

"Damn!" Genzo moved out of his post. "I have to get the ball." He swore, both rivals diving for the air-borne ball, the impact causing them both to drop to the field, the ball rolling away, hitting the goalpost and rolling off the field.

At that, the final whistle was blown, signaling the end of the match and the game in a draw.

"You got me, Tsubasa." Genzo admitted.

"A tie." Tsubasa reached out a hand which the goalkeeper took.

"It's over." Masao breathed in relief.

"Ouch!" Oda winced. "The game just ended and the pain is already setting in."

"What a beautiful match." Mamoru told the exhausted Nankatsu players. "I wasn't expecting that, honestly."

"It's true." Teppei agreed. "We misjudged you."

"I hope that the next match will be just as good." Taki noted.

"We won't lose." Oda promised, both sides exchanging handshakes.

Back in the present…

"Typical boys." Ami muttered. "Have to make friends with every worthy rival."

"Like you're the one to talk." Genzo smirked. "You actually live with the guy."

"Don't I know it." Ami bemoaned. "And as it would seem, the Senshi's lack of awareness came back to bite us in the rear." She remarked, sensing a spike in dark mana.

"Transform?" Genzo suggested, already looking around.

"Agreed." Ami nodded. "And pray it doesn't take over either one of us." At his look, she explained, "I think the dark mana will affect all magical beings, awakened or not. As long as they have the capability of using magic, anyone can be taken over."

"Mercury, any idea where all the dark mana came from?" the Sun Knight asked his female counterpart.

"Yes." The Eternal-level Senshi nodded as she looked up from her computer. "It's residual. I guess it started gathering back when the Dark Kingdom was still around. Each new enemy we fought used dark mana or mana for their attacks, so this residual energy grew larger and larger."

"And now it has enough power to strike" the Phoenix Guardian concluded. "But, what is it looking for?"

"Survival, maybe." Mercury replied. "The dark mana 'feeds' from the darker emotions like pain, anger, hatred, fear... and I think we've just found our latest victim." She added, the pair hearing a crash.

Ten minutes later…

"That was almost too easy." Genzo remarked, the Sun Knight having used his 'Gravity Press' to hold the affected mage-to-be in place while Mercury healed the human.

"Perhaps." Ami stated. "But the future battles will be a lot more difficult."

Major: Ve could Vatch Der show?

Monitor: Kakashi is thrown into a room, looking up in horror into the face of Nemesis. He charges a 'Raikiri', only to be impaled by the tentacle.

SailorStar9: Seriously, he just stood there as it charged up. What the hell?

Kakashi: (Glares murderously at Nemesis, only to stare in horror at the single, visible Sharingan.) No... It can't be... Obito?

SPLORTCH!

R&R PLZ!