SailorStar9: Relax guys, I'm not dead, just spent the last two days figuring how to start this. Anyhow, this is Chapter 43.
Disclaimers: I own nothing, well except the pairing.
SailorStar9: And no more Kakashi-torture.
Kakashi: YAY!
SailorStar9: From me, that is. Instead...
Eva (from her 'Bonded' fic): "Behemoth!" (Summons Behemoth and the Titan slams his rock on the ground)
Kakashi: (Pales)
Chapter 43: Manga World Youth: Book 5
In the Japan National Stadium...
"Let's go!" Tsubasa led the injured team into the field, stealing the ball with a violent slide-tackle.
The Taipei team closed in on Tsubasa, intending to regain the ball.
Tsubasa jumped into the air to dodge the assault, launching his trademark 'Overhead Kick'. "Run, Taki!" he barked, sending the ball over.
Taki missed the pass and the ball rolled over to the side line.
With the rest of the team not in peak condition, Tsubasa was forced to fight the match alone.
"Damn, I can't stand these things." Mamoru pulled his bandages off. "We can't lose like this without doing anything. I'm counting on you, Tsubasa." he snatched the ball away, making a sliding-pass.
"My turn!" Ishizaki took the stage.
"Ishizaki!" Tsubasa made the pass over.
Ishizaki barely caught the pass. Finding Taki, Kisugi, Sorimachi and Tsubasa marked, he passed it back to the incoming Matsuyama.
"Go!" Matsuyama fired his 'Eagle Shot', pulling the equalizer. "There, Tsubasa." he made his pass over to Tsubasa who then shook free of his markers.
"Go!" Tsubasa made his shot, reversing the score 2-1 after 20 minutes into the second half.
The next day...
It was the day of the decisive match: Japan vs. Thailand.
In the locker room...
"I'll be straightforward about it, the champion, Thailand is in our group for the first round of the Asian preliminaries, and I didn't expect this." Gamo Minato, the All Japan Youth's coach, admitted.
"Look, in this match, our formation will focus on the defense." Rei lectured. "Tsubasa, on the first half, you will focus on defense too. You'll defend and defend again, to prevent the opponent from scoring. "Thailand will be disheartened for sure."
This will be our chance against the opponent." Minato took over Listen, we have no other option available against Thailand, they have an explosive attack power. Tsubasa, you will command the team and adapt it given the situation. Understood? You will be the coach on the field."
"Yes." Tsubasa nodded.
On the field...
"What?" the Japan's defenders gasped when the Konsawatto brothers started circulating the ball between them, instead of their trademark attacking.
Chana caught the pass and made a cross over to Faran, who then fed the ball forward to Sakun.
Sakun then proceeded to make the shot, only to have Tsubasa block off the ball.
Chana caught Faran's toss-in and headed straight for the Japan goalpost.
Takasugi made a charge forward to stop Chana, only to be awarded a foul and earning Thailand a free kick.
Sakun proceeded to make the shot, only to have Tsubasa and Ishizaki counter the shot, the team having been informed beforehand by Misaki's letter.
"Go, Sano!" Tsubasa passed the ball out.
"Right, Tsubasa." Sano charged forward.
"Over here, Sano." Tsubasa caught up.
"I leave it to you, Tsubasa." Sano passed the ball out, avoiding clashing with Bunnark.
Tsubasa caught the ball and made a beeline for the goalpost, scoring a goal with his 'Drive Shot'.
The whistle sounded and Tsubasa was forced back into defense.
"Tsubasa, go up." Matsuyama insisted. "The Konsawatto brothers are shocked since we defended against their sepak takraw shot, and they aren't participating in the attacks. We can defend against Thailand's attacks on our own. This is our chance to aim for a 2nd goal."
"Yes, understood." Tsubasa nodded. "I leave the defense to you, Matsuyama."
Matsuyama caught Mamoru's header and passed it over to Tsubasa.
After bypassing the Konsawatto brothers, Tsubasa headed straight for the goalpost, only to clash head-on with Bunnark.
The Thailand's team captain then hammered a kick into Tsubasa's stomach.
"Tsubasa's life, I have stopped it." Bunnark grinned.
With Tsubasa out, the Konsawatto brothers scored the equalizer with their 'Great Air Rolling Spike' attack.
"Die, Tsubasa!" Bunnark readied his finishing blow.
Tsubasa dodged the shot, the ball rolling off to the side.
"Go, Chana!" Sakun launched his brother over to the ball.
Chana claimed the ball before it reached the goal-line and headed it over to Faran.
Faran was about to make his 'Overhead Shot' when Misugi blocked off the shot. Making a last-minute decision, Faran punted the ball over to Sakun who scored a second goal with a diving shot.
The Thailand team's assault continued, Chana jumping once again at the 25th minute of the first half, faking his shot as he passed the ball over to Sakun.
"Eat my 'Scissors Spike'!" Sakun scored a third goal.
"Everyone defend, and pass it to me." Tsubasa instructed. "This is the only tactic we can use now."
"Fine, let's do that." Matsuyama agreed. "We took 3 goals, so we can't go on with the tactic that Coach Gamo explained before the match. Everyone will defend against Thailand's attack and counter with Tsubasa. This is the best way for us to fight right now."
That decided, the rest of the team fought hard against Thailand's assault, with Matsuyama finally getting the ball to Tsubasa.
"Go, 'Drive Shot'!" Tsubasa fired his shot straight into the incoming Bunnark, only to have Bunnark take on the shot effortlessly.
Both captains then shot up into the air for the ball, with Tsubasa claiming the ball.
"This is the perfect conclusion, Tsubasa." Bunnark smirked, licking off the blood dripping down his forehead, Tsubasa having crashed to the ground once again.
With Tsubasa taken out, Bunnark scored Thailand's fourth goal.
In the infirmary...
"Get up, Tsubasa." Genzo barked. "For how long are you going to sleep?"
This voice... Tsubasa peered open his eyes. "Wakabayashi! What are you doing here?"
"I didn't come all this way from Germany to see Japan doing in an unpresentable match." Genzo chided. "Of course if I have the Japanese flag on my chest... it's because I came back to fight with you."
"Is this an illusion?" Tsubasa wondered. "But your injured hands..."
"What are you talking about, idiot?" Genzo snapped. "Quickly regain consciousness, Tsubasa. If we want to win the World Youth, All Japan Youth can't lose this match. Since we first met, I always believed that with you to attack, and me to defend, we would manage to change Japanese soccer. Right, Tsubasa?"
"Right!" Tsubasa got up.
On the field...
"Nice play, Morisaki." Genzo declared on the side, Morisaki having prevented Bunnark's shot.
"Wakabayashi, Tsubasa." Morisaki beamed.
On the bench...
"Wakabayashi..." Gamo blinked.
"The match is just beginning, Gamo." a four-month pregnant Ami stated. "Genzo is registered, use him for the remaining time if you want All Japan to win."
"Ami, you're..." Rei blinked at Ami's slightly bulging tummy.
"Yes, pregnant." Ami confirmed.
"We girls are so going to have a baby shower." Rei remarked.
Omake
Behind the scenes of Naruto, Part Eight
"Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Shino ran around the Naruto set carrying his machine gun and drenching random people. He stopped and looked around for someone to splash with holy water. Then he saw her. She was sitting just sitting there, so unaware of what he was doing. An evil smiled spread across Shino's face as he tip-toed slowly to his next victim. He fixed his machine gun on her and pressed the trigger.
Temari threw her magazine the air, backflipped out of her chair, and landed kneeling on the floor behind her chair. The spray of water missed her head by inches. "What do you think your doing?" She asked angrily as she stared at him narrow-eyed.
Shino stood straight and fixed his glasses. "'There are vampires on the Naruto set. I'm hunting to see if anyone here is one." She stared hard and Temari. He had bad feeling about her.
Temari stood up, while continuing to glare at Shino. "Well, I'm not one so why don't you go bother someone else."
Now he was positive. "Liar! You are a vampire!" Without a second thought Shino sent another spray of holy water towards the "vampire".
Temari jumped out of the way just in time. She was kneeling on the floor with her head down. As she lifted her head she smiled evilly at Shino. "How did you ever know?" With that fangs grew out of Temari's mouth. She licked her lips and picked herself off the floor.
"You'll never make me surrender my toothbrush!" Shino yelled. He got ready to send the third spray of water when he couldn't move. He tried to move but his body just wouldn't obey. "What did you do to me you dirty vampire!"
Temari just laughed evilly at him. "I thought you knew everything about us. Remember we have special mind control powers. Now I control your body!"
"Well what are you going to do to me now?" He yelled hysterically as he tried to move.
Temari continued to smile evilly at her victim. "The worst thing imaginable."
Suddenly Shino felt a strange sensation going through his body. It was moving by itself. Shino stared at his body in horror he was doing something so horrible words couldn't describe it. "Noooooooooooooooooooo!" Shino screamed. He put his left foot in. He put his left foot out. He put his left foot in and shock it all about. He was doing the hokey pokey and he turned himself around. That was what it was all about.
Meanwhile...
Sakura and Itachi made their way to Sasuke's dressing room. Then she saw it. It was horrible. Sasuke was standing outside his door. His face. His face was smeared with black.
Sakura made her way to him wide eyed. "Sasuke. If I had known then maybe I would have been a lot nicer to know. Why didn't you tell me!" She wrapped her arms around Sasuke and held him tightly.
Sasuke stood in complete shock. Had it worked? Was it his new eyebrows? What the heck was Sakura talking about? "Sakura...I..." He tried to speak but the words just wouldn't come out.
Sakura looked up with tears in her eyes. "Sasuke why didn't you tell you were dying!"
"I'm dying?" Sasuke asked surprised. Then he looked at his right hand. His hand was covered in black eyeliner. When Shino had soak him he had used his hand to wipe his face. The eyeliner must have smudged in when he wiped his face.
"If I only knew that you were dying from some incurable disease I would have been glad to run lines with you." Sakura exclaimed.
This is what he wanted wasn't it? He wouldn't let this chance slip by. He looked down Sakura sorrowfully. (Insert some sad corny music) "I'm sorry. I just didn't want to make you worry about me." He exclaimed dramatically as he looked into her eyes as she held her hand.
Suddenly Itachi grabbed his little brother and hugged him tightly. Tears were streaming down his face. "Sasuke! Why didn't you tell me about this!" Itachi was hugging Sasuke so tightly that he was having a hard time breathing.
"Too tight. Too tight." Sasuke managed to choke out. If Itachi wouldn't let go soon Sasuke would really be dead.
Finally Itachi released Sasuke. Sasuke placed his hands on his chest and tried to regulate his breathing. "You idiot." Sasuke coughed out.
"Oh no! Sasuke's having a hard time breathing." Sakura exclaimed in horror. "Here this will help!" He pulled Kakashi's cranberry juice out her pocket. Quickly she took of the cork and forced the strange liquid into Sasuke's mouth. After almost being choked to death there was little Sasuke could do to stop Sakura from pouring the strange liquid in his mouth.
"What the..." Sasuke started to feel a strange dizzy feeling and a strange warm sensation flowed throughout his entire body. His head was feeling light and he was starting to lose his balance. The world around him was spinning and everything looked blurry. What had Sakura made me drink? This was the last thing on Sasuke's mind before he feel into blackness.
Somewhere at the other side of the Naruto set...
There she was. Naruto stood watching her. Hinata was standing next to Tenten drinking an ice mocha. They were both staring down at a panting Neji and having a conversation.
Now all he had to remember was what Gai-sensei had told him earlier. What was it again? Something about grasshoppers in the winter that were returning to the place called home. No that wasn't right. It was people who are touched that search or grains in the south. That wasn't it either. It was about Sparrows hopping through fields trying to understand the great wonder of life. That was about right. Naruto summoned all his courage and approached Hinata.
"...umm...H-hi...Hinata..." Naruto announced in an extremely high girl voice.
Hinata and Tenten turned around at the greeting. When Hinata saw it was Naruto, she smiled to greet him. "Hello, Naruto. Wasn't there something that you had to tell me earlier?"
Naruto felt his hear beating faster and his mouth start to dry up. But this was his chance. His moment to tell Hinata what he really felt for her. All he had to do was remember what Gai-sensei said and everything would be all right. "Well...ummm...grasshoppers...returning to the place called home...and uh...trying to understand the wonder of life...uh...sparrows..." Naruto exclaimed incoherently.
Hinata and Tenten stared at Naruto blankly. What the heck was Naruto saying. "Maybe we should get Shikamaru to help us again." Tenten whispered to Hinata.
Hinata shot an "Are you crazy!" look at Tenten. Tenten just shrugged then decided that watching Neji panting was more interesting than listening to Naruto babble nonsense.
"I'm sorry...it was just that Gai-sensei...ummm advice...then you and I here...me...uh snow melts..." Naruto tired to apologize but again he had trouble forming complete sentences.
SailorStar9: When will Shino stop dancing the Hokey Pokey? Will Sasuke die? Will Naruto be able to pull himself together? Tune in next time...