Disclaimer: I don't own Eyeshield 21 or any of these characters.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Here's another chapter. I know I said that this stuff would start to move faster when Mamori joins the team as manager (which should be like the next one), but I just realized that I haven't even introduced Shin or Sakuraba and the whole deal with Oujo…. URGH I hate introductions they take so long. Now I understand why people have such a hard time starting stories and then not finishing them. I'm hoping to get the Cupid's game out of the way next chapter and then the Oujo game with in two chapters MAX. I reeeaaaaallly wanna move onto getting all the main guys into the story so I can start adding my own flavor to the fanfiction. Here's to hoping!
Also, some of you may have noticed that I like to tweek certain parts of the story by like .01%. Sometimes my tweeks will make a huge difference later and some of them are just due to laziness. I will mention that girl Sena will progress faster as a lead than boy Sena did. This is just personal taste.
Feedback to reviews:
itachisgurl93: Thanks for the beta offer, but I tend to get things done faster when I just do them myself. LOL. And I'm ¼ Japanese, but I went to Japan as an exchange student from America. Quite the experience. And as for Agon I'm not a huge fan of him, as a person, but as a character it'd be hard not to use him for something interesting later. BUT That's all I'll say for now ;)
END OF AUTHOR'S NOTE
"You joined the American Football team?!" asked Mamori in utter disbelief.
"Well you see, Kurita senpai is a really nice person" Sena smiles broadly at the prospect of a new friend. That is, until she remembered who the other member of the American Football team was, "But Hiruma senpai is the worst…" Sweat drop.
"Sena! I warned you about Hiruma! And now you're in cahoots with him? Why?!" This is the worst possible scenario out of all the ones I imagined!
"Kurita senpai made it sound like fun and he was really happy when I joined" I don't think I've ever been that appreciated in my entire life.
"Yes, but what if that devil tries to take advantage of you! You're way too naive for a girl your age!" Mamori imagined all the horrible ways Hiruma could torture poor cute little Sena and shuddered to think of them. If Hiruma tries ANYTHING I'll make sure to finally put an end to him and his awful ways!
And as if Sena knew what Mamori was thinking, Nee-chan you're too late. He's already taking advantage of me… Poor Sena cries inwardly at the remembrance of her first meetings with Hiruma and already regrets coming to Deimon High School.
"Please don't worry too much about me nee-chan. I'm just the team manager. I'm sure nothing bad will happen" I think…..
"Thank goodness for that. I just can't imagine you playing a dangerous game like football. I mean, you're so weak and fragile minded. They'd break you into PIECES!"
"Nee-chan…. Please don't say things like that" because I'm afraid that they might happen!
"But wait, if you're just the manager then why are you coming to school so early?"
Sena beams at this question and fixes her bow tie. "We have a team meeting today" And I'll be able to see what my abilities are as a team manager!
BREAK…
"BAM!" The door to the old school shed burst open while hundreds of red eyed black crows fly out from behind.
"Time for morning practice! YA-HA!" Crackled the evil captain of the Devilbats.
"Kyaaaaaaa! Nooooooooooooooo!" Cried Sena as Hiruma mercilessly dragged her out of their club's shed and to the field. I knew this would happen! Uwahhhhhh!
At the field Kurita was already practicing with a large blocking sled.
"UMPH!" Kurita's massive body and strength easily pushed the blocker down.
"Whoa you're early today?" Said Hiruma as he let Sena go. She stood up and wobbled from the harsh treatment that was just inflicted upon her.
"Oh! Good morning! I'm so glad we have three members again. I was so excited that I got here at 2AM!"
"…"
"This here is an idiot" Hiruma pointed out to Kurita.
Maybe I shouldn't have joined this club after all… Sweat drop.
"CRASH!" The blocking sled suddenly broke at its hinge.
"Damn fatso you broke it didn't you!" Raged Hiruma.
"I'm so sorry!" Kurita begged while Hiruma kicked him over and over again.
This person's strength is incredible.
"Che. Whatever, I'll just blackmail the principal into buying us a new one. Need anything else from him?"
Eek! This person is even more incredible… but in a bad way.
Sena tried to take her mind off of Hiruma by looking around the field and saw a bunch of strange contraptions she's never seen before.
"Wow there's a lot of stuff here. What's it all for?" She asked.
"Training of course!" Explained Kurita. "Like this is for the ladder drill". Kurita picked up a loose rope ladder.
"Ladder drill?"
"You just step into the holes like this" He demonstrates, "And it helps you get down the movement to play football!"
"So I just step in here and – GASP!" Sena stopped immediately and jumps out of the ladder. I almost joined in their practice without realizing. That was dangerous.
"Oi fucking brats! Practice that later, let's do the 40 yard dash since there's a newbie here".
"Eeep!" I don't like where this is going…
"My neck is kinda sore so I think I'm gonna call it a day after the 40 yards" Said Kurita.
"Damn, it really has been a long time since we timed this. You better show us the results of your morning practice fatty!"
"Ehhhh but I can't make myself run so fast so soon!"
"Here fucking legs" Hiruma thrusts a stop watch into Sena's hands.
Fucking legs?! What's with that nickname?
"Time the run for him" Hiruma ORDERED.
"Umm, o-ok". I hope I time it correctly. "How long does it usually take to run 40 yards?" As manager I should probably know at least this much.
"For the average player, about 5 seconds. You can say that 5 second is the barrier between your average Joe and a sprinter. Anyone who can break the 5 second wall has potential to become a valuable player".
"Ooh I see. So then what's the record?"
"The fastest highschooler in the league is a guy who can run the 40 yard dash in 4.4 seconds. His name is Shin, but he's basically a monster".
Wow. That's amazing! Speed was something that impressed Sena to a different extent. This was because running was the only real talent she had and listening to Hiruma's explanation of this guy named Shin was almost inspiring to her.
"Oi! You ready fatty?"
"YOSH!" Yelled Kurita.
"On you mark. Get set –"
Sena expected Hiruma to be loud and dangerous, but of course he always had to move beyond of all expectations.
"BOOM!" The sound of his bazooka went off like, well… a bazooka. Students who knew of Hiruma shook in fear, but did nothing, while students who have yet to meet their future master look outside in curiosity.
"Holy shit!" Yelled Sena as the smoke from the bazooka settled just as Kurita passed by.
"Click!"
"Time?"
Kurita Ryokan, 40 yard dash: 6.5 seconds.
"FUCKING FATTY YOU GOT SLOWER!" Hiruma shot at him rapidly, "What happened to all that training?!"
"Can't help it, I'm tired" Puffed Kurita.
"Tsk! Here! Watch how a real 40 yard dash in run" Hiruma said and then was already at the starting position.
SO FAST! Though Sena in disbelief. Hiruma took off and finished much faster than Kurita by far.
"Click!" Sena hit the stop watch.
Hiruma Yoichi, 40 yard dash: 5.1 seconds.
"YA-HA! Ran my best time ever!"
"Wow that was amazing!"
Hiruma recovered from his excitement and turned his head towards Sena.
"And lastly… fucking manager it's your turn".
"Errr I think I'll pass".
"What? You wanna run that badly?" Hiruma remarked sarcastically and then, "GET YOUR ASS DOWN THERE!"
"Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" Sena ran as fast as she could towards the starting point.
"Heh, with those legs she'll probably break the 5 second wall"
"No way! Are you sure Hiruma? Is it that easy to beat?"
"Well, maybe you're right. Let's see for sure shall we?" He positioned himself at the end of the 40 yards, "Okay! Ready. Set – KABOOM!"
Again with the bazooka! What is this guy?! Sena thought quickly and ran. Fast. "WOOOSH!"
"Click!"
Kobayakawa Sena, 40 yard dash: 4.9 seconds.
"Waaa! Sena you broke the 5 second wall! Hiruma you were right!" Yelled Kurita.
"Ehhh no- no way…" I can't believe I was capable of running that fast.
While Kurita and Sena marveled at her amazing feat Hiruma was doing the opposite. Instead he began typing rapidly on his laptop.
"Kobayakawa Sena. Never officially participated in any sports. Placed first only in repetition hopping" He read from his screen.
How does he know these things? Sena sweat dropped.
He continued, "Basically you gained your speed by running away from bullies and doing errands for people. But since you aren't motivated in the same way during a footrace you tend to slow down unconsciously. Which is why you've never set any records".
Wow he's spot on….
Hiruma got up and approach Sena nonchalantly, "Here. Hold this and stand there" Hiruma threw Sena a dog bone and then hurried to the end of the 40 yard dash again.
"Huh? A bone? Why?" I really don't understand this guy.
Hiruma stood quiet for a moment, took in a breath of air and then, "CERBERUS!"
The sky became dark and sinister. Sena could swear she saw thunder clouds forming.
"ROAAAAAARRR!" A loud and sudden roar came from afar and soon the sound of galloping followed suit.
Wha-what was that? Sena's question was answered instantly when she saw a large bull dog with big glowing eyes and smoke coming from his nostrils approach at an impossible speed.
"GET HER!" Yelled Hiruma.
"WHAT! NO- KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" And she was off, running for her life.
"WOOSH!" Sena didn't stop until Cerberus captured her with his jaws.
Uwaaaaaaaa! Why me… Sena cried as Cerberus dragged her limp body back to Hiruma and Kurita.
"YA-HA! This chick shows her true colors! Look at this damn fatty!" He shows Kurita the stop watch.
Kobayakawa Sena, 40 yard dash reprise: 4.2 seconds (But only when chased).
"WOOOOOOW! You- you broke the high school record. This is NFL level speed! You shouldn't hide such a talent Sena-chan!"
"Kekekekekeke that's right, they're the golden legs. With this we'll win the spring tournament" Hiruma smirked wildly when the words "win" and "tournament" were put together.
"Tour- tournament?!" Sena gasped while she recuperated from her death race. What have I gotten myself into!
"Yeah! The tournament is coming up isn't it? When's out first game Hiruma?"
"Tomorrow".
"EEEHHH TOO SOON" Cried both Sena and Kurita at the same time.
Hiruma picks up his gun and reloads it. Eeek!
"Okay fucking brats. We need eight more players to play in the tournament".
"Eight? I thought you needed 11 people to play American Football" Asked Sena.
"That's right. We get 8 more; I'm 9, fatty's 10. You're 11".
"PSSSSSH" Sena spit out all the water she was currently drinking. "I'm being counted! But I'm just the manager!" Sena began to panic.
"We'll to be honest I wish Sena-chan would be a player. You have such amazing legs, but I don't want to force you. Who knows, maybe after being the manager for a while you'll want to become a player? Until then let's work hard to find 9 more people!"
"Che! Okay this is how we're gonna do it" Hiruma pasted a poster with their names in three columns. "Three recruits each! The last person to come in with 3 or with the lowest number of recruits has to do a penalty game!"
"P-penalty?!" Oh man I hope it's not me.
"Alright brats" Hiruma prepares his gun, "NOW GET TO WORK!" He shoots rapidly at the two unfortunate souls in front of him and they scurry off in seconds.
"Kyaaaaaa!"
"Waaaaaa!"
"YA-HA!"
BREAK…
"SIGH" Sena laid her head on her desk and tried to make the best of her situation, which, at the moment, wasn't looking great.
I've just entered this school so obviously I don't have a large network. What should I do? If I don't find 3 people to help out at tomorrow's game Hiruma will kill me… Sena inwardly cries at her predicament and the potential penalty she'll have to face. Knowing Hiruma it'll be something awful, like lying on a bed of spikes or being hung upside down! Uwaaaa!
"But I can't give up! It's the job of the manager to do things like this, so I'll just have to man up and ask around the sports clubs!" Yosh! This sounds like a good plan.
Sena set out to every sports club on campus in hopes of finding at least one person to join in their game tomorrow. She stopped at the basketball club first.
"Knock Knock!"
"What is it?" Came a voice from inside. Sena opened the door slowly and went inside. There were two freshman basketball club members who were sitting around reading magazines. Both of them were pretty tall, a plus, and didn't look too scary.
"Um… Hi! I'm from the American Football club and wel-well we need some extra players for a game tomorrow. Do you think you could um participate?" Sena tried her best not to stutter or look too timid. She hoped that if these guys joined then she'd only need to find one more player.
The light haired one spoke first, "Ehh? Football? I don't think so, sounds tiring".
"Hey wait a second Yamaoka!" The dark haired basketball player turned to his friend and spoke to him a whisper, but Sena could still hear them a little.
"What is it Satake? Don't tell me you wanna play?" Said Yamaoka.
"Man who cares about Football, the girl, it's the girl. She's kinda cute right?" He directed towards Sena.
"Yeeeah, but she's too tall for me. What guy wants to date someone taller than them?"
"Che. You're so lame. Don't you know tall women have the best legs?"
Yamaoka and Satake creepily look through the corner of their eye to analyze Sena's long legs.
"I guess you're right, but Football looks dangerous".
"Don't be a wimp! We've got a good opportunity here!"
Sena was watching from afar and could hear bits and pieces of their conversation. Unfortunately she only heard these parts: "It's the girl […] "too tall" […] "so lame" […] "I guess you're right" […] "looks dangerous" […]
Gasp! They think I'm lame and dangerous! Why am I such a fail at life. SIGH. "Um it's okay… I- I'll just go ask someone else…" Sena left quickly to avoid certain embarrassment.
Just as Sena leaves the basketball club Kurita enters it.
"Let's play American Football together!" He shouts while entering the clubroom.
"Tsk. Again? And it's not even the hottie" Said Satake
"Go away, shoo shoo." Waved Yamaoka.
Kurita too left in despair. Fortunately (or unfortunately) Hiruma was only seconds behind both of them. He enters the basketball by rudely kicking the door open.
"Kekekeke, you two are going to play in the American Football game tomorrow" He ORDERS.
"What the hell!? We said no already! Get out!" Yelled both Yamaoka and Satake.
"Oooh? I see that this year's freshman are a bit rowdy. Well that's okay –" He flips threw an ominous black book, "Satake Yohei-kun and Yamaoka Kenta-kun from class 1-2".
"Eh? How does he know?" Asked Yamaoka.
"Ehhhhh Satake is the one who stole the girls swimming club's underwear last summer? How bad! And what's this? Yamaoka gives a good morning kiss to his poster of Kyary Pamyu Pamyu every day?" Hiruma closes his threat book and puts on a sinister looking face, "Kekekekekeke".
"Wha- how-how does he know!"
"I think I'll go tell everyone right now!" Hiruma laughs as he fakes running away.
"Wahh! We'll participate!" Yelled Satake.
"Please let us play in the American Football game!" Yelled Yamaoka.
And thus Yamaoka Kenta and Satake Yohei became Hiruma's slaves.
Meanwhile Sena had exhausted most of the sports clubs and ended up not finding a single recruit.
I knew I should have just given up earlier. Most of the students have already left campus too…
There was only one club left, Track club, but Sena had her doubts about it. She knocked on the door and found one 2nd year track club member still cleaning up. He was a pretty plain guy.
"Can I help you?" He asked.
"Um I was wondering if you'd be interested in playing in an American Football game!?" Sena asked in one quick breath.
"Football? Sure" He replied curtly.
Ehhhhhhhh! Really? Were the only thoughts going through Sena's mind, "Really? You'll play?!"
"Yeah, sure. Plus Hiruma is gathering freshman. This way I can gauge their athletic abilities and scout new members for the track club. Give and take right?"
"Of-of course!" Sena was so happy that she was able to recruit someone, "Thank you so much! I guess I'll see you tomorrow then?"
"Ehhh! Tomorrow? Impossible!" Said the track club member.
"Wha?!" Suddenly Sena felt her hopes go down south.
"I work for a magazine delivery and have to deliver a huge load by tomorrow afternoon. Sorry".
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Sena felt herself fall into a large bottomless pit. She had finally found someone who was willing to play, but of course fate would be so cruel. Why did the game have to be so soon? Uwaaaaaaa!
Sena walked back to the American Football shed in defeat. Maybe Kurita senpai and Hiruma senpai were able to find enough players without me…. But that means…. Penalty game…. Sena starts imagining all the horrible tortures Hiruma would concoct. She opens the door to the shed slowly just in case Hiruma is around, but finds only Kurita slumped in his chair once again and in total despair.
"Oh… Hi Sena-chan…. You couldn't find anyone either? SIGH. It looks like we won't be able to play in the tournament. Hiruma seems to have recruited 7 people, but stopped after that". Kurita points to the large poster on the wall that has all their names on it and the number of recruits found by each person.
He's right Hiruma found 7 people… How did he do that?! But I guess it's still not enough.
Sena stood there and thought about it for a moment. It's too early to give up! Maybe I can still catch some people hanging around campus! "I'm going to try one more round!" She said and the sprinted away. There just has to be somebody left! As soon as she thinks this Sena sees a bicycle pass by her. It was the track club member from before delivering magazines like he said he would.
"Um excuse me!" Sena shouted uncharacteristically.
"Hmm?"
"I'll be your gopher- I mean please let me help you!"
An Hour or So Later…
Both Sena and the track club member, Ishimaru Tetsuo, were delivering magazines at a quick pace. Sena sprinted to every house at light speed and pretty soon she was finished. Now all that was left was to wait for Ishimaru to finish as well.
"Hey!" Ishimaru yelled from afar. He had just finished his route and was riding his bicycle towards Sena. "Wow you finished fast ….. You didn't throw them away did you?"
"What?! No I delivered them!" Cried Sena.
"Hahaha I'm just kidding. Thanks a lot, you really helped me" Said Ishimaru.
"So does this mean you can play in the football game tomorrow?" Sena could only hope.
"Yeah, sure! Since you helped me I should be free all day tomorrow. In fact, I should give you half my pay as well".
"Oh no, I don't care about money. I'm just happy that you'll play on our team" Wow I said "our team".
"Yeah no problem, I'll be there tomorrow". Ishimaru seemed like a pretty reliable guy. Plain, but reliable.
Sena and Ishimaru parted ways and she quickly made her way back to the football shed. Kurita was still sitting in the same place looking as somber as ever. Sena went up to Hiruma's poster and proudly put up the one pin that showed her success.
"AMAZING! THAT'S AMAZING SENA-CHAN!" Kurita came out of his depression spell and began swinging Sena like mad.
"How many players do we have now?" Sena asked while catching her breath.
"Ehh let's see, 5, 6, 7, 8…. and counting me and Hiruma, 9, 10." Kurita became still again, "We're still short one player…." And back to his spell of despair he goes, "SIGH. It's was so close too…"
Sena thought about it for a moment. She didn't really want to play, but just maybe, like Hiruma said, her legs could save her from being tackled. Playing one time wouldn't hurt TOO badly right? I just need to run away a lot. Plus football is kind of exciting…. though dangerous….
"Um senpai… maybe the last player could be –" But she never finishes that sentence.
"GODDAMN! The fuckin' convenient store ran out of sugarless gum! Shit! Even damn flies won't chew on sweet gum!" Hiruma bursts into the room like a hurricane and dispels the whole place in less than 3 seconds. He throws both Sena and Kurita a cola and begins placing pins onto the poster.
"I forgot to put these on". Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen … Sixteen, SEVENTEEN!
This means!
"WE DID IT!" Shouted Kurita, who then starting jumping up and down with Sena in hand.
"Che! WE didn't do shit! I did it you damn fatty and with barely any help from our damn manager!" Hiruma starts to kick Kurita and Sena again.
"But this means that the team can definitely play tomorrow!" Said Sena.
"YEAH!" Cried Kurita who didn't even care about getting kicked anymore.
"That's right you useless bastards, tomorrow at the heavenly fields, the Devilbats will get their first win of the year. YA-HA!"
Sena beamed. Though they hadn't won yet she felt like they had already accomplished something amazing. Sena wouldn't admit it aloud, but she actually looked forward to their first game.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
OMG I can't believe I finished this one so fast! I know there's a lot of random periods/punctuations and stuff, but I'm way too lazy to go back and fix all of them. It's not really affecting the story so I'm just gonna leave it as is. I'm gonna take a break tomorrow because I just finished a dance competition and need to recuperate, but hopefully I'll be writing again in no time at all.
ONE MORE THING. I hope it's not totally obvious that my attempt to describe characters is utter shit. I write for a comic and usually just have to do dialogue (which is why it's so heavy here) and personal details, not appearances. I'll definitely work on that.