Hey All! I'm glad that there are a couple of follows and one review, it gave me the kick to post the second chapter, for some it may seem as though this is a bit boring as you're re-reading what you've already read but well... it needs to be done and I HAVE re-written each chapter so that its better than it was, a bit longer as well. I've tried to aim for between 1.5 to 2k words per chapter. Sometimes it's easy, like in this chapter.

Also I think I may post every Sunday... it sounds good to me and it's on a day I'm not so busy and it gives me a week to write the next chapter (I am ahead on Chapters for the moment so I'm hoping to keep it like that)

Anyway, on to the Story!

The Re-Birth of the FFI

By: Sentic1

Chapter 2: Inazuma Japan

The day had finally arrived and every single candidate that had been picked to try for the chance to represent Japan and play in the Football Federation International tournament and play against the world's finest teams such as Italy, England, Argentina, Little Gigante and every other team that they could face again. For some it was the chance to play against old friends and retain the title as world champions but for others it was a chance to see the world stage.

Just like the year previous, Mark found himself at Raimon Junior, the headquarters for Inazuma Japan. He was busy talking to the new Raimon Junior football team, even though one or two of them were his old teammates and had played for Raimon Junior before. They talked about how the team was doing, what the other teams were like and hissatsus that the new members had come up with recently. They were so caught up in the talk that they didn't notice as a group of teenagers appeared that Mark recognised to be some of his opponents throughout his first year playing for Raimon High. Instead, it was Axel.

He tapped Mark's shoulder and nodded his head in the direction of them. "Looks like we've got competition this year." Mark looked over at them and a huge grin crossed his face as he looked at the challenge that was facing him.

"I can't wait." He said.

Meanwhile Darius stood a little bit farther away from the growing crowd around the pitch. He bit his lip, thinking yet again 'What on Earth am I doing here?' But it was too late for him to turn back now and head home in hopes to beg his way into the English national team, instead he had accepted Japan's offer and therefore made it clear that he was going to play for Japan during this year's FFI tournament and probably for every international football tournament that he ever entered which meant he would always be competing against Mark and his friends, against the legends which are Inazuma Japan.

He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment but his moment of peace was immediately destroyed as a whistle signalled that the try-outs were finally beginning and meant he had to make his way over to the pitch where all the other candidates were waiting, all of them in their tracksuits that showed what school they attended. Some had the same, others had different but none stood out like his. His was obviously an English tracksuit, the fact that the name of his school was written in English made sure of that.

Coach Travis stood in the middle of the pitch, in front him stood three solid rows of players ready to try to make the national team. Some hung back whilst others got as close as they dared to make sure that they heard exactly what the coach was going to say.

"First of all," Coach Travis began. "I would like to wish you all good luck, but I must warn you, to make the team is no easy task. And those that believe that they will automatically get into the team due to their success in the previous year better think otherwise." At this he glared at a few members of last year's team, one of them being Mark himself. "The game has changed over the past year, there will be even bigger challenges and I intend to win, therefore, only the finest can be a part of the Japanese team this year."

"Before the game begins I will call out what team you will be on, Whites will stand to my right and Blues to my left, you will then go into the dorms and change into a kit that will be given to you. After that you will return to the pitch where I will announce the starting line-up." And with that he ended his speech.

Coach Hillman looked at a clipboard that he had been holding and coughed into his hand in order to get our attention. "Evans, Mark – Blue. Sharp, LaChance, Darren - White. Banyan, Scotty – White..." He continued reading until all the names had been read out and everyone was then escorted into the dorms.

Darius had been given a goalkeepers uniform, unlike both Mark's and Darren's uniform that he'd seen them wear his was different. Instead his colours wear black and white, similar to Darren's uniform yet unique and to Darius, ironically suiting for him.

Once back outside the line-ups were announced, on the blue team were most of the last years previous team all-together and on the white team were quite a new faces except for Scotty, Daren, Nathan, Jordan and Xaiver who somehow kept the balance.

To begin with, Darius was on the bench. He sat there, alongside the many other candidates and watched as the game began. The white's begun the game and began to charge up. The two teams fought hard, each individual showing off their unique talents but also showing how they can work as a team.

The shots were strong and the saves were challenging for the keepers and Darius watched on excitedly, itching to get on the pitch himself and play alongside the finest players in Japan.

It wasn't long before Coach Travis did his first switch. "Dragonfly off, Frost one." He announced. The switch was quick and the match resumed, Kevin sat down on the bench and watched the game quietly.

A few more switches came, and Darius began saw how Travis wanted the game to work. There would be no half time, just players switching out when he wanted to rest them. It was genius, as the game went on for longer he switched more and more players. Kevin had played three times and was now currently playing again.

"Evans off. Jackson on." Shock passed not just through the crowd but through the players on the pitch. Mark himself wasn't very happy about being benched and not being able to play but was happy enough once he saw who 'Jackson' was. He could finally see how good Darius was as a player, even though they'd played just two days previous with each other, Darius refused to play in goal and take over anyone's position, instead he played midfield which he insisted was as good as being in goal for him.

Darius hopped off the bench and took his place in front of the goal, as soon as he reached it he could tell he was being looked at as if he were a piece of meat. The strikers upon the White team, all of them new to the selection process smiled as if Darius was a deer and they were lions.

The game began again with new life as the white team battled with the blue, trying to get past the defence. A white haired player that Darius had noticed earlier as being a striker with a noticeably good amount of power behind his kick was the first to break through the defence and head straight for him.

He watched as the player overstepped the ball and kicked it with his heel into the air and with the same foot he spun around in a circle and kicked the ball with his other foot. "Spinning Bullet!" He shouted as the ball raced towards goal.

Darius closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. Opening his eyes again he pulled his hands up to his shoulders before he threw them down in an X formation where he held his hands. A white energy surrounded his hands, gathering there as he waited for the ball to get closer. As soon as the ball was directly in front of him he shot his hands forward and upon contact smoke erupted from his hands.

Within the smoke screen Darius spotted Axel who was open and kicked it out to where the fire striker was. Within seconds the Blue team were on a counterattack and it was Axel's turn to shoot at goal.

Mark stood, his mouth catching flies as he stared at the disappearing smoke that came from the goal he had vacated just a few moments ago. "That. Was. Awesome!" He shouted excitedly, "What kind of move is that? How come I've never met this guy?" He asked to all that could hear him, well those that would listen.

It was Coach Hillman that spoke up. "That, my boy, is Darius Jackson. He's a young player from England, although he is half-Japanese."

"But how come I've never seen him?" Mark demanded.

Coach Hillman chuckled. "Last year he wasn't interested in playing in the FFI."

"How come?" Mark asked.

"I think it would be better if you asked him that, anyway, he is the number one goalie in the under 16 competition in England at the moment, his team, the Wolves are currently undefeated and with the Jackson duo on it there's no reason why they would ever lose."

"The Jackson duo?" Mark thought for a moment. "But if they were a duo then where's the other one?"

"He declined our offer; I believe that Darius' brother is planning to play for the English side." Hillman said.

"So maybe we'll play him?" Mark asked eagerly.

Hillman chuckled again. "Maybe Mark, maybe."

Mark turned his attention back to the game but thoughts still swirled through his head about Darius and his brother, he wanted to find out just how strong the two of them were and most of all, play football with the both of them if he could get the chance to.

Coach Travis finally ended the game and called the players onto the pitch for a quick de-briefing. "I'd like to thank you all for coming today, now I'd appreciate it if you would all wait for an hour or two as Coach Hillman and I decide who will be representing Japan this year." He said before he turned towards Hillman.

Two hours passed agonisingly slowly for the tired teenagers that lay about around the football pitch waiting to find out who was on the team and who wasn't. Everyone sat out nervously, some talked. Mark was one of them.

"Darius!" He shouted as walked over to the black haired teen that sat resting under the shade of a tree. Darius looked up at the overly-excited Mark Evans that stood in front of him. "That was amazing! You're super talented – how come I've never seen you play before?" He asked.

"Oh, well I've only just decided to play internationally." Darius replied.

"What about last year?" Axel asked, he too was curious about the new goalkeeper that had arrived.

"Last year?" Darius said as if it were a question. "I wasn't ready." He simply added.

Axel looked at him, watching him for a few seconds; unsatisfied with the answer he was given. Mark on the other hand seemed satisfied enough by his answer. Mark opened his mouth to ask more questions but he quickly closed it as he watched both Coach Hillman and Coach Travis return to the pitch.

Everyone once again gathered around the two coaches once again.

"When I call your name out step forward." Coach Travis said and then looked down at the clipboard in his hands.

"Blaze, Axel." Axel stepped forward from where he was standing in the second row of candidates.

"Hobbes, Austin. Dragonfly, Kevin. Foster, Xavier." The next three stood forward from where they were standing, they were obviously selected to play for Inazuma Japan.

"Greenway, Jordan. Sharp, Jude. Stawberg, Thor. Taylor, Zachory. Swift, Nathan." All of them stood forward.

"Kane, Harley. Hawkins, Archer. Banyan, Scott. Ironside, Todd. Frost, Shawn."

"Evans, Mark. LaChance, Darren. Jackson, Darius." Darius stepped forward in shocked; did that mean that he had managed to make it onto the Japanese national team?

Coach Travis stepped forward, a red captain band in his hand and walked up to Mark, handing him the band yet again. Darius had made it into the team after all.

Please review! I really do like them and they keep me positive that the story is still loved, wanted and etc... It also encourages me to post a new chapter so please, do review and continue to support me as I re-create this story.

And with that.

See ya next week!

~Sentic1