SailorStar9: Nya? Chapter 13 goes up and only one review! Is this a sign of the end?

Major: Da...dere ist something not quite right about zis.

Captain: ...

SailorStar9: The canine is right (rummages through a box) Here, have a cookie.

Captain: (Catches biscuit)...

Disclaimers: I own nothing, well except the pairing.

Chapter 14: My Dream Is To Go To Brazil

"Let's regroup." Roberto blew his whistle, signaling for a time-out. "You all move better than before."

"You even tied with Shutetsu last time." Ryo added.

"If we keep this up, we'll be able to play in the National Championships." Tsubasa remarked "Okay, guys?"

"Yeah, I know we can do it." Masao agreed.

"Okay, let's pick up the training again." Roberto instructed.

In school…

"Hey, Murayama." Shiroyama called to his junior.

"Shiroyama." Murayama greeted her senior. "Sorry for being rude. You're the coach of the new Nankatsu soccer club, right?"

"Don't act so formal." Shiroyama laughed. "Why so courtesy between students?"

"If you say so." Murayama replied.

"I heard the match between Shutetsu and Nankatsu was a tie." Shiroyama stated.

"Yes, those kids really had a beautiful match." Murayama answered. "And they're going to play in the National Championships."

"I wanted to talk to you about just that." Shiroyama remarked. "The town of Nankatsu is recruiting players to play in the Championships."

"Recruiting players?" Murayama took the list Shiroyama handed to her.

"Yes, to form a stronger team." Shiroyama confirmed.

"The best from both schools, I imagine." Murayama noted.

"Yes, the choices are made based on a test." Shiroyama nodded.

"That's harsh." Murayama remarked. "I don't know if my students can pass."

"I wonder how many players from Nankatsu will be chosen." Shiroyama mused.

"I'd like them all to be chosen." Murayama admitted. "They trained themselves so hard."

"And I learned that one of your students actually broke the Shutetsu's time-delaying tactic." Shiroyama added.

"Ah, our resident school genius." Murayama smiled.

"That's her." Shiroyama nodded. "I would like her to be the team manageress."

In the Wakabayashi household…

"Next, please." Genzo requested.

"Good, that's it for today." Mikami stated, ending the practice.

"I want to practice some more." Genzo panted. "I'm sure Tsubasa and his team are training themselves for the tryouts. Please." He tossed the ball back at his trainer.

"It isn't good to train yourself too hard." Mikami reminded. "Please stop."

"Okay." Genzo relented. "It's the issue this month, right?" He picked up his sports magazine on the side table.

"Yes, your parents brought it a moment ago." Mikami supplied. "What?" he inquired, hearing his protégé's startled gasp. "What's in the article?"

"Roberto Hongo…" Genzo added. "Left the Brazilian team."

"How…" Mikami was stunned. "Roberto Hongo…"

"Roberto Hongo quits soccer." Genzo read. "Because of problems with his retina, he's abandoning his career."

The next morning…

"All of them are really into it." Ryo sighed on the bench. "I can't stand it anymore."

"Patience is a virtue, Ishizaki." Ami reminded, eyes raised from her clipboard as she stopped in mid-sketch. "And no unwrapping your bandages, doctor's orders."

"Wakabayashi." Ryo blinked at the incoming goalkeeper. "I'm really impatient to trash Shutetsu but we have to concentrate on the tryouts first."

"Dare I ask what are you doing all the way across town?" Ami inquired.

"Where's Roberto Hongo?" Genzo demanded.

"He's not here yet." Ryo replied.

"Ah, Wakabayashi." Tsubasa spotted the goalkeeper.

"Did you hear about Roberto Hongo's eyes?" Genzo pressed.

"What are you talking about?" Tsubasa wondered.

"He can't play soccer anymore." Genzo informed.

"What?" the team chorused.

"But…" Tsubasa trailed.

"Liar." Ryo barked. "He still plays with us."

"Yes!" Masao agreed.

"I don't think playing with elementary students is a problem for him." Genzo stated. "But he can't play anymore against professionals. He stopped before running away."

"Mataku." Ami sighed. "It's just one wave after another. I swear you boys are really going to be death of me one of these days."

"Ami…" Tsubasa looked over at his cousin. "You… knew?"

"Bas, you forgot who my Mum is." Ami deathpanned. "I'll be both blind and stupid not to notice the tell-tale signs of severe retina tearing. And from what I can deduce, if Roberto takes one more hard hit to his eye, he will be blind, permanently. Or that's what Mum's medical journals tell me." She added an afterthought.

"Then why didn't you…" Tsubasa trailed.

"Tell you about it?" Ami finished his question and gave her cousin a wry smile. "Because I don't want to see you like this."

"Tsubasa." Ryo called as Tsubasa ran off.

"I'm going to ask Roberto myself." Tsubasa insisted.

"Me too." Ryo decided, the boys following the cousins back to the house.

In the Oozora household…

"Please, I beg you." Roberto made his request, just as the children burst into the house. "I'll do all I can to make Tsubasa one of the best players in the world. Let me take Tsubasa to Brazil." When the kitchen's door opened, revealing the shell-shocked boys.

"Roberto." Tsubasa voiced. "Is it true that you can't play soccer anymore?"

"Yes." Roberto confirmed. "My place isn't on the field."

"Is it also true that you have ended your career?" Tsubasa inquired.

"Yes." Roberto affirmed. "I want to continue playing with you without you worrying about me."

"Roberto." Tsubasa breathed.

"I've abandoned all hope of fixing my eyesight." Roberto stated. "But I've found another dream."

"Another dream?" Tsubasa blinked.

"It's you, Tsubasa." Roberto replied.

"Tsubasa?" the boys chorused.

"I'm going to make you one of the best players in the world." Roberto promised.

"Me?" Tsubasa gaped.

"Please." He turned to Tsubasa's parents. "Leave Tsubasa to me."

"I want to go to Brazil." Tsubasa declared. "I want to go there with you to become an international player."

"Tsubasa." Roberto nodded. "I'm sure you can do it."

"Dear…" Natsuko looked at her husband.

"Incredible." Ryo gushed. "Brazil."

"I'm sure Tsubasa can do it." Misaki assured.

The next day, at the selections meet…

"There really are a lot of people." Ryo gawked. "It won't be easy to succeed in the selections. Do you believe we can do it?"

"This is not the time to say that." Ami chided.

"You too, are you taking the test?" Teppei inquired, the Shutetsu team approaching the Nankatsu boys.

"Of course." Ryo boasted. "Remember, we tied in our last match."

"I wish you luck." Teppei remarked. "We're aiming to be all chosen."

"Us too.." Ryo retorted. "All of us. Or not…" he muttered.

"Why are you looking at me?" Masao protested.

Boys will always be boys. Ami shook her head amusedly as the boys laughed.

"Yo." Urabe voiced. "The same goes for us at Nishigaoka, we think we can all get chosen."

"Everyone is motivated." Tsubasa blinked.

"Yo, Tsubasa." Genzo called. "If we're both chosen, we'll play together."

"Yes." Tsubasa agreed.

"And add more to my workload." Ami joked. "Thanks a bunch, boys."

"Paperwork?" Misaki guessed.

"Misaki, did you have to say the 'P' word?" Ami grimaced. "You should have seen my 'In' tray." As the announcement for the tryouts sounded over the loudspeaker. "Duty calls." She told the assembled boys and ran off.

Back in the present, the next day…

'Everyone takes off to make fresh new lives for themselves.', huh? Ami mused, recalling her Uncle Koudai's quote as she watched Genzo practice with Hermann Kaltz and Karl-Heinz Schneider. Guess he's right. Misaki's on a plane back to France, me and Genzo are here in Germany and the rest of the guys are still back in Japan. And after high school, I reckon Bas will head off to Brazil and Hyuuga to Spain. I suppose the only thing that will bring everyone back to Japan will be the World Youth Championship.

Major: (Looks at caffeine-high SailorStar9) Da, Coffee is bad for you.

Wesker: (Nods in agreement) And that's only one cup. She needs help...or Decaf.

R&R, plz!