SailorStar9: Nya? Chapter 16 goes up and only one review! No one else is reading this fic?
Hellboy: Man, she's takin the abridged war pretty damn hard.
Wesker: Tell me about it...who started that thing anyways
Hellboy: Dunno... hey, where'd the major go?
Wesker: (Blinks)...ah shit...
Disclaimers: I own nothing, well except the pairing.
Chapter 17: Fierce Fight In The Mud
On the bench…
"That's it." Ryo cheered as the team retook their positions. "Go on, guys. We're not going to lose to an unknown team. Right, Wakabayashi?"
"Yeah." The goalkeeper nodded.
"What's with the funeral face?" Ryo protested.
"It will be a tough fight from now on." Ami remarked, looking at the overcast sky as lightning crackled.
"Well played, Misaki." Ryo declared after Misaki passed the ball to Tsubasa, when Teppei cut in, claiming the ball and fired his shot, only to have his shot miss its mark when it hit the crossbar.
On the field…
"Kisugi, why didn't you pass the ball to Tsubasa?" Urabe inquired. "He would have scored."
"So what?" Teppei shrugged. "I wanted to try my luck."
"Haven't you seen the score or what?" Urabe pressed. "We're losing, just in case you haven't noticed. We're getting beaten."
The match restarted with Shimada's keeper making a long pass to his teammates.
"That was close, Misaki." Tsubasa noted after Shimada 's goalkeeper saved the ball.
"Yeah." Misaki agreed and the whistle blew, signaling the end of the first half.
On the bench…
"Fools!" Murayama barked. "What are you doing? Your attacks are too slow."
"Yeah, why don't you pass it to Tsubasa?" Ryo agreed.
"We can't get a pass at him." Mamoru defended.
"So we're shooting the ball ourselves." Teppei added.
"So, let me get this straight." Ami leveled a look at the two. "You're sacrificing the team's chances of getting into the Championships just to sate your ego."
Murayama raised a hand to stop the manageress' rant. "I understand, but our best scorer is Tsubasa." he reminded. "Pass to him, so he can score."
"Captain." Genzo voiced. "Let me onto the field."
"Wakabayashi." Morisaki blinked.
"But your leg is still…" Tsubasa protested.
"It doesn't matter." Genzo insisted. "I know I can do it."
"No, we're using the same formation." Murayama cut in. "I'm counting on you, Tsubasa."
"Yes." Tsubasa nodded.
"Remember what I just said." Murayama addressed the team.
"Yes." The boys chorused and headed back to the field.
On the field…
"It's raining." Teppei blinked as it started to pour. "Izawa!" he passed the ball to Mamoru, only to have the ball fly past him.
Taki cut in, taking possession of the ball, passing it to Tsubasa.
Tsubasa dribbled the ball towards the opposing net, the rain making it more difficult for him to control the ball.
Shimada then took advantage of the opening and snatched the ball.
On the bench…
"What's going to happen?" Genzo wondered.
"Shimada qualified narrowly each time." Ami reasoned. "This shouldn't have been a very hard game. Unless I'm missing something. Coach, let me see your notes on Shimada SC's team. This is…" she took a glance at the scores. "Just as I thought."
On the field…
"I'm counting on you, Tsubasa." Mamoru made a long pass.
"Alright." Tsubasa dashed.
On the bench…
"Look at this." Ami raised her head from the book, passing the book to Murayama. "Like us, none of their opponents managed to score any goals. Yet they all had plenty of chances. The whole team defended the goal. In other words, they have an 'Iron Defense'. And their attack pattern is…"
"They push their opponents to attack, and when there's nobody on defense, they try a long pass." Genzo finished her sentence, the Shimada defender having made a long pass to the team's forward, after the ball stopped rolling in the rain. "He's unguarded." He realized once the forward headed straight for the goal. "He's going to shoot."
On the field…
Morisaki hand barely brushed past the ball, Shimada scoring their second goal.
"They're a strong team." Teppei admitted.
We will not lose to them. Tsubasa swore.
On the bench…
"Coach, let me play." Genzo insisted, grabbing his gloves. "We'd end up losing if they continue to score."
"You won't play." Murayama objected. "Wakabayashi, our aim is not only the qualifications, but the victory in the National Tournament. If they can't come together to beat this team, they won't have what it takes to go all the way. So it would be better to lose and stay here."
"Coach…" Genzo blinked.
"And that's why he's the coach." Ami quipped. You can't do this alone, Bas. She mused as the match restarted.
"No, what is this madness?" Ryo cursed after Tsubasa's shot missed its mark. "Tsubasa failed to score, once again."
"Bas, you…" Ami breathed, once Tsubasa reached the ball first, and led the attack, dissolving Shimada's defense with passes.
"Go, Tsubasa!" Ryo cheered after Misaki passed the ball to a diving Tsubasa.
Hooking the incoming ball with his right leg, Tsubasa sent the ball into the net.
Back in the present …
"Morning, beautiful." Genzo kissed Ami on the cheek. "I see you got that back." He nodded over to the Sapphire Starfire Gem which dangled as a pendent around her neck.
"Yes, got it back yesterday." Ami nodded. "It was a long time ago, but I still feel it..." her voice cracked as she pointed towards her heart, "Right here. Our child. I remember your last words to me before you passed away from your battle wounds. You said.. "
Pulling his sobbing love into a tight hug, Genzo picked up from where the Senshi of Ice trailed off, "Take care of our first born. I should've stayed at your side when you miscarried during your last pregnancy. I was scared of losing you and too afraid of overwhelming you with my grief when you could barely handle your own." A slight pause. "Laugh a little more. Keep us in your heart, always. What happened to our first child, Ames?" his voice was gentle, as Ami's sobs subsided. "I know you miscarried our second child but I do not remember ever hearing from Pluto about our first born."
"As soon as you and the Pantheon Knights were killed, I did what I thought was best for the children of the Senshi, and the girls agreed with me" Ami answered. She frowned, "I took Helios and Caelestis to Elysian."
Wesker: Here comes Nemesis.
Nem-ito: Murrrrr...
Hellboy: (tosses him a pack of smokes) Here, just stay away with the smokes...those things smell awful.
Wesker: I agree, nothing beats a good cigar.
Nem-ito: (shrugs and lights up) Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh...