SailorStar9: Nya? Chapter 26 goes up and only one review!

Random voice: Just roll the damn camera already!

FRAG-A-DOOM!

SailorStar9: (Growls and lowers RPG) NEVER, interrupt me when I'm addressing the audience!

Disclaimers: I own nothing, well except the pairing.

Chapter 27: Glorious #10

"I'm gonna go out first." Matsuyama stated.

"We finally come to Germany and we lose." Ryo sighed.

"And losing in front of Tsubasa." Misugi added.

"Tsubasa is in Germany, but he can't play." Ryo complained. "What was the coach thinking? If Tsubasa were here, they won't look down on us."

In the stands…

Roberto, I'm here in Europe. Tsubasa mused. The language is different, but soccer is an universal sport. "I really want to play with the players in the world." He sighed.

"You never change, Bas." Ami noted amusedly.

"Tsubasa." Genzo voiced.

"Wakabayashi, why are you here?" Tsubasa inquired.

"Tsubasa, what are you doing here?" Genzo stated. "There's a friendly game with Italy, right?"

"I wasn't listed as a member of the team." Tsubasa reminded. "Coach says we should keep an eye on my shoulder for a bit longer."

"He's still not letting you play after the game with Bayern Munich?" Genzo inquired. "Europe is not the simple."

"Hyuuga and Matsuyama are just not used to it yet." Tsubasa reasoned. "It's okay today."

"Really?" Ami wondered.

"He's Gino Hernandez of Italy." Genzo supplied. "I hear he's Italy's best goalkeeper. He's very well-known in Europe."

Gino Hernandez… Tsubasa beamed. It's a big world. Schneider, Hernandez, there are still so many players I don't know. I really want to play with them.

"Oh boy, I know that look anywhere." Ami grinned at her cousin's excited expression.

"Let's go down." Genzo suggested as the Japan team exited.

"Okay." Tsubasa nodded.

On the side…

"I don't want to keep losing like this." Sawada remarked.

"Italy, huh?" Ryo mused. "They seem pretty good."

"Wakabayashi." Matsuyama blinked at Genzo came into view.

"I'm gonna be in the team from now on." Genzo informed. "Representing Japan for the big game in France. Nice to meet you."

"What?" Wakashimazu demanded.

"Where's the coach?" Genzo inquired.

"The Italian team called him over to talk about the game." Matsuyama replied.

"Coach Misugi, why didn't you put Tsubasa on?" Genzo pressed.

"Because…" Misugi started.

"That was the decision." Hyuuga took over.

"But we've always relied on Tsubasa." Matsuyama reminded.

"Matsuyama, don't underestimate them." Genzo warned. "Teams from all over should be here for the Bayern Munich game. Including them." He pointed over to the Italian team.

"They're laughing." Ryo blinked.

"The soccer of the world is much tougher than you think." Genzo cautioned. "If you don't do your best, you won't break through the wall."

"Misugi, Mizuno." Mikami voiced. "There's a problem."

"What is it?" Tsubasa wondered.

"Could it be…" Genzo realized.

"Come on, guys." Misugi shouted over to the team.

"We're going back." Mikami told the gathered team. "Italy refused to play."

"What?" Ryo demanded. "Why?"

"They saw our game against Bayern Munich." Ami supplied. "They said they have nothing to gain from playing with Japan. So, they're going back."

"What?" Ryo gasped.

"Bastards, they're playing with us." Matsuyama cursed.

Nothing to gain? Tsubasa echoed.

"It's good to get a vacation before the France game." Genzo translated. "They're screwing around with Japan."

"Bastard." Hyuuga hissed when Tsubasa stepped into the field.

"Tsubasa." Genzo started when Tsubasa broke into a run.

"Let's go, Italy." Tsubasa charged towards the Italian goalpost. "Don't underestimate Japan. Try and stop me if you can."

"Who wants to go?" Gino inquired.

"Alright, Tsubasa." Ryo cheered as Tsubasa bypassed the charging defender. "Alright, Tsubasa makes a 'Drive Shot'!" he beamed once Tsubasa scored against Gino with his trademark 'Drive Shot'.

"Tsubasa…" Hyuuga blinked.

"Tsubasa, you're awesome." Ryo hugged him.

Tsubasa, your 'Drive Shot' is still great. Genzo mused.

'Drive Shot', huh? Gino noted. "Let's go." He told his team. His name is Tsubasa? He thought before exiting the stadium. I'll remember that.

"If Tsubasa joins us and we work together, we'll beat them for sure." Kazou was certain.

"So, Tsubasa should play in the next game." Ryo agreed.

"If Tsubasa plays, he'll bring out the team's strength." Teppei insisted. "Misugi, Ami."

"Yeah." Masao looked at the two coaches.

"Tsubasa, how's your shoulder?" Ami inquired.

"You made a kick like that, so you're okay, right?" Ryo pressed.

"Anytime." Tsubasa agreed.

"He said it, Misugi, Ami." Ryo stated.

"Looks like we don't have a choice then." Ami turned to her fellow coach. "It's either we tell the coach or we get murdered in our sleep." She joked.

"Okay, I'll tell the coach." Misugi relented.

"If you go on the field, it's a test of strength." Matsuyama reminded.

"You must show our strength." Hyuuga added. "You must play."

The next day…

It's been a long time. Tsubasa mused on the field. And this is a new team up. Matsuyama is not in the midfield. I have a great responsibility.

At the whistle, the game started.

"Okay, let's go it." He told the team, dodging the Rodgroque tripe slide-tackle.

"Tsubasa." Sawada took to the side.

"Go!" Matsuyama made a high pass.

"If it's Tsubasa…" Sawada passed the ball over with a header.

"Hyuuga, there's a chance." Tsubasa called.

"It's an offside trap!" Hyuuga shouted, dashing back. "Tsubasa, go." He trapped the pass and kicked the ball back to Tsubasa.

"Okay." Tsubasa fired his shot. "'Drive Shot'!"

"Tsubasa…" Ryo gawked. "They're different." He blinked once the match restarted, the Rodgroque forwards bypassing him easily.

"He's coming up." Matsuyama barked. "Stop him. Not a chance." He intercepted the ball with a header.

"Oh no." Ryo gasped when a forward stole the ball and fired his shot.

"Alright, Wakashimazu." Matsuyama beamed when Wakashimazu saved the ball. "Tsubasa, come on."

"Hyuuga, here goes." Tsubasa caught the pass.

"Nice pass, Tsubasa." Hyuuga trapped the pass.

"Go, Hyuuga." Tsubasa called.

"Got it." Hyuuga needed no prompting and fired his shot, scoring Japan's second goal.

"My hand is okay now." Wakashimazu noted, having saved his second ball.

"Okay, come on." Matsuyama called.

"Yes." Sawada nodded.

"Leave it up to me." Ryo agreed.

Tsubasa. Matsuyama looked over, skidding to a stop once he scored Japan's third goal after receiving Tsubasa's pass.

Omake

Be Careful What You Ask For

Naruto had finally succeeded in dragging a battered Sasuke back to the village.

As he approached the village gates, he noticed that a surprisingly large crowd had gathered, waiting.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Utatane Koharu's voice rang out over the crowd. "For your unprovoked attack on a fellow Leaf nin, and based on evidence that you drew upon that chakra in said assault… "

She paused for a moment to heighten the dramatic tension. She was absolutely loving this.

(Drama queen.)

"We hereby banish you," Mitokado Homura interrupted, unwittingly ruining the moment for his teammate of fifty-plus years.

Koharu gave the old man a withering glare. He would definitely be sleeping on the guest-futon tonight.

"Yes," she picked up once more in a slightly sharper tone, trying to recapture the spotlight. "You are banished. And Uchiha Sasuke will be made Rokudaime. To ensure his loyalty."

"What the hell?" Naruto choked, totally confounded. He sure never saw that one coming. "Isn't that a little backwards? Besides, why are you punishing me? He's the traitor! Why does he get special treatment?"

"He is the last of the Uchiha," Koharu replied with a huff, as though the answer was self-evident and any moron should be able to figure it out. "We must do everything in our power to restore one of Konoha's most powerful clans."

"After you yourselves wiped them out?" Naruto asked incredulously. "That's not really something you get a 'do-over' for, you know. You were afraid of the Sharingan, and you hated the Uchiha!"

From the crowd, there came the muted murmur of muttered agreement.

"Besides," Naruto continued, regaining his bearings and back on his game. "I'm the last of the Uzumaki. Does that mean you're going to start kissing my ass, too?"

"And I'm the last of the Mitarashi," Anko piped up from the sidelines, seeing where this was going and wanting cut in on the action.

"And I'm the last of the Hatake," Kakashi added, copying Anko.

"Maito," said Gai, not wanting to be one-upped by his 'Eternal Rival'.

"H- (cough, cough). Sorry. Haya- (cough, cough, gasp). Ewugh. Sorry. Haya- (cough, cough, gasp, wheeze, rattle)." Plonk.

There was an awkward silence.

"So much for the Hayate clan," Naruto observed quietly.

"H-Haruno," Sakura choked out, with a haunted expression on her face.

"Ten," said Ten (there was a funny story behind that, but you'd have to get her drunk to tell it).

"Rock," said Lee.

"Shut the fuck up, Bastard," Naruto hissed.

"I'm the last of the Jiraiya," said the Toad Sennin, whose first name was never recorded.

"And I'm the last of the Senju," said Tsunade, the Godaime Hokage. "And Naruto is not only the last of the Uzumaki, but the last of the Namikaze, as well."

"He's still got the… that thing sealed inside him! The decision stands," said Koharu, putting her foot down.

Priorities were being spelled out pretty clearly in Konoha today.

"Sasuke has a seal, too," Naruto volunteered, throwing his 'brother' under the bus. "Orochimaru's Ten no Juin. Are you saying that you trust Orochimaru's seal more than Yondaime's?"

"Actually," Anko slipped in uncomfortably. (Not that that was anything new, if Iruka's teary-eyed confessions could be believed.) "I have the Cursed Seal of Heaven, as well."

Sasuke has a summoning contract," Homura countered, feeling slightly desperate as the crowd swayed with the wind. "And you know how rare and desirable those are."

"Me, too," said Naruto.

"Me, too," said Anko.

"Me, too," said Kakashi.

"Me, too," said Jiraiya.

"Me, too," said Tsunade.

"Me, too," said Gai.

"Me, too," said Sakura.

"Me, too," said Konohamaru.

"Sasuke is in an arranged marriage with another of Konoha's premier noble clans: the Hyuuga," said Danzō, finally pulling out -what he considered to be- their ace in the hole.

"What?" Sasuke gasped, as surprised by this little tidbit as the others.

"That's right," Hyuuga Hinata confirmed, looking solemn. And ravishing. "It was arranged years ago between our fathers, as a way to consolidate the power of the two great Konoha doujutsu."

"Well," said Sasuke, giving the attractive, powerful kunoichi an appraising look. "That doesn't sound too bad, I suppose. I guess I could live with my first wife being the head of the Hyuuga clan. I accept."

Both Hyuuga sisters unexpectedly began to giggle uncontrollably. And the sound was mellifluous.

"Oh, no," Hinata finally managed to say, gasping delicately for air behind the broad sleeves of her elegant silk kimono. "No, no. No. (Another giggle.) I am afraid you misunderstand, Uchiha-san: you will not be marrying me or my sister, but rather another Hyuuga. That was the arrangement."

"Don't worry though - she is perfectly acceptable in her own right." Hanabi added. "She is a perfectly average kunoichi, with average skills, average intelligence, and average looks."

"Oh, Hell no," Naruto laughed, backing away from the shell-shocked Uchiha and toward the gates. "Well, good luck with the Rokudaime thing, Old Buddy. And congratulations on the wedding! Sorry I won't be able to stick around for it. See ya!"

And with an orange flash and a puff of cartoon road runner-like dust, he was gone.

"I'm out," Kakashi sighed, with a hint of resignation.

"Yeah," Anko quickly agreed. "And I got snakes to ride. Long live the Uchiha!"

"Married!" cried Jiraiya, grabbing a surprised -and delighted- Tsunade by the hand.

"Married!" Gai echoed, grabbing his own 'life-partner' by the... hand, as well.

"Of course," Hinata said sweetly, interrupting the sudden mass exodus of panicking, eligible shinobi. "If you really are determined to restore the Sharingan to Konoha…"

"Yes? Yes?" the Council replied eagerly, wagging their tails and salivating over the prospect (of yet another clan of crazy, traitorous, jutsu-stealing cannibals).

"All it takes is a little red chakra and the Byakugan - and you know who has those," the resplendent Hyuuga heiress continued, finally dropping the bomb. "What a shame you just banished my boyfriend."

"6, 5, 4…" Shikamaru thought to himself, snuggled securely into his blonde sandwich.

"WAIT!" roared the Council, stampeding the forgotten Uchiha and his fiancée into the dust. "Get him back here!"

And so Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto, Rokudaime of Konohagakure no Sato, was ultimately able to unite the Hyuuga clan, just as he had promised. And he and his lovely brides restored the Sharingan as well, pleasing the Council greatly.

In the end, everyone's dreams came true.

And Uchiha Sasuke and his Hyuuga Branch wife lived... ever after.

SailorStar9: (Sniffle.) I love a happy ending. Next stop: the World Youth Cup in France.