SailorStar9: Nya? Chapter 18 goes up and only one review!

Hellboy: You okay?

SailorStar9: As can be expected.

Anderson: Amen!

Hellboy: Holy! What's he doin' here?

SailorStar9: Relax, he won't bite, I've been feeding him sedatives for some time now.

Anderson: Amen!

Hellboy: What...kind of sedatives? (Blinks as SailorStar9hands him a pill) What the hell? This is Viagra!

Door opens, Hienkel sticks her head in

Hienkel: Father? Are you coming to bed? Yumie's getting impatient.

Anderson: AMEN!

Note: Alcohol is an evil, evil substance that should only be used responsibly for comedic purposes.

No insane killer priests were harmed in the making of this fanfic...just Kakashi, who had to be returned to the hospital for plot conveniences.

Random medic: God...what the hell happened to YOU?

Kakashi mummy: ...whimper...

Disclaimers: I own nothing, well except the pairing.

Chapter 19: Opening! The National Competition

"It's here." Tsubasa declared, upon arrival. "The National Competition is finally here."

"What a huge arena." Ryo remarked.

"Oh yeah, it is the first national for Nankatsu, right?" Taki pointed out. "Don't be scared. It's just soccer."

"Yes, but there are pros from all over the country." Tsubasa agreed. "We must be careful."

"Move, move, move!" Tachibana Masao barked, passing the ball over to his twin.

"Kazou, hurry." Masao chided.

"Twins." Ryo blinked as the Tachibana siblings passed by.

"Are you guys going for the game too?" Kazou inquired.

"Yes." Tsubasa replied.

"We're with Hanawa FC." Kazou stated. "Nice to meet you. Bye." He took off.

"They're strange." Taki noted.

"They're fast with the ball." Ryo admitted.

"Twin soccer players." Ami mused. "They must be a tough combination."

"We see new opponents each year." Taki added. "That's the National Competition."

"We must work hard for Wakabayashi." Tsubasa declared. The captain agreed. I will not lose until we fight Meiwa FC.

"There's a lot of people." Ryo looked around in the gathering hall.

"48 teams from around the country." Ami recited from her notes.

"They all seem very good." Ryo noted.

"I'm nervous." Tsubasa admitted.

"Let's go, Tsubasa." Ryo stated after the announcement came on for the teams to assemble on the field. "What's wrong?" he asked, once Tsubasa stopped in his tracks.

"Where's Wakabayashi?" Hyuuga demanded. "Is he too scared to be here?"

"Jerk. "Ryo growled.

"It's okay, Hyuuga." Ami assured. "He will be here to fight you."

In the Wakabayashi household…

"What?" Genzo echoed after Ami informed him on the phone. "I see. I hate it when your predictions come true."

"So do I." Ami joked and hung up.

"Man, we are going up against Meiwa in the first match." Genzo cursed.

On the field…

"Thank you, everyone." Tsubasa shouted to the stands and put on the captain's arm-band. I must defeat Meiwa.

"What?" Hyuuga taunted, seeing Tsubasa wearing the captain's mark. "Are you replacing Wakabayashi?"

"Not replacing." Tsubasa corrected. "I'm the captain of Nankatsu."

"Without Wakabayashi, Nankatsu FC is no match for Meiwa." Hyuuga declared. "Sorry, but we're going to win this game."

Kojirou, Nankatsu not only has Wakabayashi, it also has Tsubasa. Misaki mused.

The whistle was blown and the match started.

Kid, I won't let you catch me. Hyuuga promised as the two captains headed towards each other. "Come on!" he called as Misaki and Sawada followed closely behind their respective captains.

"You're not going to beat me." Tsubasa promised as the two clashed, the impact causing the ball to fly upwards, with Mamoru passing the ball to Taki via a header.

"Kisugi!" Taki called.

"I got it." Teppei closed in, only to have Sawada steal the ball.

"Takeshi, leave it to me." Hyuuga shouted after Sawada dodged Mamoru's slide-tackle.

"Hyuuga." Sawada muttered.

"Takeshi, you're improving." Misaki caught up with the fourth-grader and the two fought over the ball, with Misaki gaining the upper hand and passing it to Teppei, who then passed it to Tsubasa.

Try catching me if you can. Hyuuga swore as Tsubasa headed towards him. This way? Okay, come on. And both captains clashed once again. "What?" he gasped when Tsubasa kicked the ball with his heel, sending the ball flying over their heads.

With the ball landing right in front of him, Tsubasa fired his shot and scoring the goal.

"Meiwa's not going to win." Tsubasa declared. "It's Nankatsu."

That jerk… Hyuuga growled. Kid, I won't forgive for this.

"What is this?" Misaki caught the ball Ryo passed to him and seeing Hyuuga leaning against the goal post. "Kojirou is not moving. Tsubasa." He passed the ball.

"That jerk!" Hyuuga charged towards the incoming Tsubasa. "Not so fast. Take that." and slide-tackled Tsubasa who jumped to avoid the outstretched leg, the impact causing Tsubasa to fall on his back as Hyuuga snatched the ball. "I'm going to win." He fired his shot, the powerful kick hitting Morisaki straight in the face, Meiwa evening the score. "Remember, we come from two different worlds." He barked.

"Hyuuga, this is not a joke." Tsubasa glared. "Soccer is my dream."

What dream? Hyuuga growled. Stop kidding me. I'm going to make you see the difference between you and me. And fired his shot.

Morisaki… Tsubasa blinked in shock as Morisaki just let the shot enter the net, the referee's whistle declaring the end of the first half.

On the bench…

"Morisaki will not hold through the latter half." Ami predicted.

"Listen, that goalkeeper is out." Hyuuga told his team. "Attack in the latter half."

"Yes." The Meiwa boys chorused.

On the field…

The second half started with Meiwa leading the attack.

Soccer is my dream. Hyuuga scoffed. Stop kidding me, kid. Watch closely, this is Hyuuga Kojirou's soccer. And fired his shot right at Morisaki.

Tsubasa cut in, kicking the ball away. "Morisaki, the ball is our friend." He told the terrified keeper. "Don't be afraid."

Enough talking. Hyuuga trapped the ball under his feet. Take that. And released another shot straight into Tsubasa's face. "If it's your friend, then I'll send you both into the goal."

Tsubasa stretched out his left arm and leg, stopping the ball from entering the net.

"What?" Hyuuga was stunned.

"Tsubasa." Misaki gasped.

"Tsubasa." Morisaki grabbed the ball.

"Look, I am fine." Tsubasa assured.

I know. Morisaki mused as Tsubasa returned to his position. I know, Tsubasa. I'll block the gate with my body. I won't be afraid of the ball. "Okay, I am gonna fight back now." He declared.

That kid. Hyuuga twitched. He made the goalkeeper stand up again. "All of you guard that kid." He ordered. "Don't let him get near."

After dodging Meiwa's slide-tackles, Tsubasa passed the ball to Misaki, who then passed the ball over to Ryo, when the Meiwa defender intercepted.

"Takeshi, shoot." Hyuuga barked after Sawada claimed the ball and fired his shot, only to have Morisaki catch the ball.

"How can Nankatsu be beaten?" Morisaki tossed the ball out and Misaki caught it.

Teppei caught the passed ball and made a long pass towards Tsubasa.

Both opposing teams' captains fought over the ball in mid-air, Tsubasa winning the fight by landing on his feet.

Kid, try and catch my 'Tiger Tackle. Hyuuga quickly caught up.

Tsubasa jumped to dodge the sudden tackle and fired his shot in mid-air, pulling off the equalizer.

He blocked my 'Tiger Tackle'. Hyuuga was stunned. I didn't think I'd be competing in the National. "Takeshi, kick lightly in front of me." He instructed.

After the whistle restarted the match, Sawada did what was told.

This is going to end it all. Hyuuga promised and fired a long shot.

Hyuuga Kojirou is one stubborn player. Tsubasa admitted, Hyuuga's shot hitting the post bar and Hyuuga continued his charge.

I'm going to win. Hyuuga swore.

I won't let you get away with this. Tsubasa promised.

"Kid, you're in my way." Hyuuga barked as Tsubasa blocked his path. "Move."

"I won't let you kick." Tsubasa promised as the two fought over the ball.

Tsubasa suddenly changed his stance, sliding to the ground. "Now." He declared as Hyuuga raised his foot to fire his shot

"Kid, you did it on purpose." Hyuuga realized his mistake when Tsubasa kicked the ball away.

Sawada took the chance and fired the shot, causing Meiwa to win the match with a third goal.

Back in the present …

"Great, so any of us could go berserk anytime..." Minako remarked after Ami informed them over the communicators, the whole gang having gathered in Rei's Temple, minus Usagi, Mamoru and the cats.

"What should we do?" Makoto inquired.

"Go on with your lives" Setsuna advised.

"But what if..." Rei started.

"Senshi for some reason are always near whenever evil strikes." Setsuna reasoned. "Besides you all live relatively close to one another."

"She's right." Ami admitted. "We cannot stop going to school or enjoying our time just because of this problem. One thing you must have clear. If you're fighting someone turned evil, talking is useless. Call for help as soon as you can, and try to resist until they arrive. One Senshi alone can hardly defeat another Senshi without killing them."

"Is there a way to calculate who the next one taken over will be?" Makoto asked.

Ami shook her head, "This is not a sentient being we're facing. It doesn't have a 'plan'. It just acts on instinct, to survive. So any of us could be next." She shook her head and sighed, "What's more, our powers are no longer rising slowly with each form we have."

"Ami, what do you mean?" Minako asked, puzzled.

"I see, you still haven't regained your memories." Hotaru remarked.

"Setsuna, would you…" Ami trailed.

"Consider it done." Setsuna nodded and begun her chant. "Eles an chronos. Helet an pacia. An chronos est helenest pacia vacarre."

"Well… that was unexpected." Minako voiced, as she held the Topaz Starfire Gem in her hands; the memory seals having been released from the three Inner Senshi's minds, their past memories unlocked.

"The question is," Rei said thoughtfully, the Ruby Starfire Gem in her palms. "What do we do now?"

"With the battle against Galaxia weakening the Ginzuishou's hold on us, it's obvious that Usagi doesn't have the same level of control over the crystal that her mother did." Ami surmised. "So, she must not realize that the power is returning to our Starfire Gems. She made a mistake upping us to 'Eternal'; her mother would never have allowed us to retain that much power. When she sent us, she ensured we would never question Usagi's place. The more power we have, the more we reclaim from the Ginzuishou. Eventually, our powers will rise so exponentially that we'll be able to sever the crystal's connection to us completely."

"What would happen if we did that?" Makoto questioned, the Emerald Starfire Gem in her hands.

"The crystal would return to its Pearl Starfire Gem form and our Starfire Gems' power would be returned." Setsuna replied calmly, the Garnet Starfire in her grasp.

"And Usagi?" Hotaru asked, hesitation evident in her voice, her hands holding the Amethyst Starfire Gem.

"Theoretically, she should be fine." Setsuna assured her, "The crystal wouldn't be drawing on her life force like it has done in the past. The Ginzuishou would revert back into the Pearl Starfire Gem and she would simply retain the basic illusory powers her mother possessed all those years ago."

Ami nodded in acceptance of this answer, "Let's do it then. We let our Starfire Gems reclaim what's rightfully ours, without Usagi knowing anything."

"Right." The girls nodded and focused on their respective jewels, letting the small ribbons of their Planetary magic that seeped out from the Ginzuishou enter their gems.

SailorStar9: (beams brightly) See ya'll soon, if you review! Review if you love fanfiction!