Episode 23: Sazanara: Planet of Water

"Well then, I'll leave for Sazanaru…" Ishigashi bowed leaving the planet immediately after dropping Liberta, Tsurugi and Barga off.

Without saying a word, Barga started to walk off. Still asleep in the capsule, Tsurugi was taken inside the building by some people of Faram Obieus.

Liberta put the hood on his jacket over his head. After scanning his surroundings to see it anyone was watching, he transformed into the Yatagarasu and flew up onto the highest building in the area. Reverting back once he arrived, he looked down onto the city.

"Beep, beep," a sound came from the satchel Liberta wore and he took out the cellphone-like device answering it.

"Liberta, have you arrived?" the voice spoke.

"Yes, though I haven't encountered 'them' yet." Liberta put on the scouter on his ear.

"We'll meet in an hour, until then, No. 8, Justice."

"Yes, sir!"

"I-I don't want to…" Han sniffed.

"…are warps that bad?" Zephyr asked.

"Hmm… Han's the only one unable to stand it," Kusaka laughed nervously, "but it is far from pleasant."

"Matatagi, is something the matter?" Tenma asked the striker.

Forcing a smile, Matatagi replied, "Nothing's wrong, why are you asking, Captain?"

"Oh, if nothing's wrong than it's okay…"

Matatagi then turned away from the captain and mumbled to himself, "…I don't need anyone's pity…"

"You aliens really creep me out. What do you mean by "I've watched your memories"" Matatagi sneered.

Alsius bit her lip, "So there you are, the 'real' Matatagi Hayato."

The striker glared, "I don't know what you mean…" he slammed Alsius against the wall, "It wasn't confirmation I was asking for… but how did you see my memories. It's disgusting you know, intruding into other people's privacy."

"Don't worry," Alsius said calmly, "I'll tell you since this happened. You've heard of chimeras?"

"The mythological creature?"

"…not quite, in our planet, Melfelse, Chimera's are referring to altered or man-made life forms." Alsius said, "I and Zephyr are one of them."

"So?" the striker snorted, "What's that got to with my question?"

"During an experiment, I received an ancient power, though not perfect, and that's being able to see the memories, more correctly darkest past of another person."

Matatagi shoved Alsius to the ground, "You're sick. So you just looked into my past, huh?"

"Yes, I did see your past, but I didn't want to… I can't chose when or who's memory I see… it just happens randomly." Alsius explained, still calm and got up back to her feet. "That's just one of the results of the many experiments done to me. I was lucky, most don't make it out alive."

"Hmf, I don't know what exactly you saw, but better keep it to yourself…"

"I never intended to speak it…" Alsius said frowning and looked to the ground, "It hurts doesn't it, to be betrayed."

"That's my dark past?" Matatagi sneered, "That's when I realized how pointless it is to 'trust' someone other than yourself. You're just going to hurt more when they betray you." Matatagi started to walk away.

"I don't think that." Alsius yelled.

The striker stopped, still facing away from Alsius.

"You should be starting to realize that too. Tenma and the rest of Earth Eleven, your comrades, they're different. They'll always be by your side."

"They only like the 'fake' me. They'll never accept the 'real' Matatagi Hayato." Matatagi whispered before disappearing.

Alsius' stern face finally turned into a small smile, "He'll be alright. I won't let him make the same mistake I did…"

"Good job, Han." Alsius chuckled, "You didn't throw up this time."

"Cause I didn't eat anything…" Han gasped holding his mouth in sickness. "I don't have anything to throw up, only gast-"

"Yeah, yeah, we get it…" Tetsukado frowned.

"Zephyr were you okay?" Komori asked.

"No problems," Zephyr nodded, "You seem more cheerful, Alsius."

Alsius grinned, "Well of course, you know what that planet is?" she pointed outside.

Han suddenly brightened up, "Sazanara!? The planet under water?"

"I see…" Zephyr nodded, "You two use water as a medium for your magic making this planet where your powers are the most strong."

Exiting the Galaxy Notes, the Earth Eleven set foot onto Sazanara. The planet was like a giant aquarium. The city was literally under the water with only the dome around it protecting them from being engulfed by the water.

"Wow…" Konoha mumbled.

"Yeah…" Kusaka nodded.

"Welcome to Sazanara…" Ishigashi walked forward and greeted the Earth Eleven Team.

"Who?" Zephyr cocked his head.

"Tour guide," Komori whispered to him.

"We should stay altogether this time." Shindou suggested, "To prevent any unnecessary injuries from the citizens here."

The members agreed as Ishigashi suggested they visit a must go tourist location, which the team also agreed to. As they made their way through the city, the Sazanarans kept peering over at the Earth team with cold eyes. Unlike the Sandorians, they were displaying their hatred towards the aliens freely.

"Hey, wasn't Sazanara the planet with the people who have, 'that' power?" Narukami pointed out.

"What power?" Tetsukado asked.

Narukami scratched his head, "Um…"

"Narukami can't be relied on for any trivia," Ibuki groaned, "Han?"

"Sazanara, right?" Han tapped his forehead, " I believe that was the planet with mind-readers."

"Wait, isn't that cheating?" Kusaka gasped, "I mean, intruding into other people's thoughts. How cowardly."

Alsius looked away, "Haha… yeah…"

"Look!" Sakura exclaimed and ran up to the glass along with Komori. A large dolphin-like fish swam gracefully in the water. It was considerably bigger than any of the other creatures around it and at least twice the size of an average human.

"I wonder if it tastes good…" Han sighed as his tummy growled.

"Oh yeah, you haven't eaten yet, have you…" Komori giggled. She looked back to see Tenma, with the little Pixie, and Manabe walk over to them, but nobody else seemed to be around. "A-re?"

"So much for sticking together… going off on their own…" Sakura sighed.

"I think we're the one who walked away from them…" Tenma laughed nervously.

"Alsius…" Zephyr noticed Komori's disappearance and called the midfielder.

"That's weird when did we get separated?" Matatagi mumbled.

"Huh? But we were just walking in a straight line together…?" Minaho frowned, exchanging glances with Ibuki. It was only the five of them here.

"I've been hearing weird noises too…" Zephyr put his hands over his ears.

"And this strange mist…" Alsius peered around and noticed some Sazanarans walking out of the shadows towards them. "Looks like we got caught in their trap." She sighed.

"…I could finish them in an instant." Zephyr said without changing his expression.

"What's with this guy? His mind's thinking so much at once!?" A male Sazanaran with pale blue skin said with disgust.

"Zephyr, this isn't Melfelse… calm down." Alsius said putting a hand on his shoulder. "What do you want?" She turned her attention back to the attackers.

Grinning the one in the middle kicked a soccer ball at their direction, "Let's play Soccer!"

"They separated us so they could ambush us, huh?" Tetsukado clenched his fists.

Shindou peered over at Tsurugi who was standing on the sidelines of the soccer field, "I don't understand why he volunteered to sit out this match. He's our only forward…"

Narukami grinned, "Keep that thought in mind, Shindou-san." He put on keeper gloves and took his position in front of the net.

"I-instead of me… shouldn't Tsurugi…"

Kusaka patted the small girl's head, "Don't worry, Morimura, you'll do fine."

"Yeah…"

However, no matter what kind of play they did, the Sazanarans stole the ball form them. Their every movement was completely predicted by the other team.

"Is this all you got, Earthlings? I guess your last victory was a fluke after all." A Sazanaran cackled as he cut Shindou's pass.

Narukami frowned, "I guess Han's right… mindreading."

"How can we fight against people like them?" Kusaka mumbled.

"Haha… I guess winning isn't that easy…" Han laughed. They had been challenged to a soccer battle, like the rest of the team, but were beaten to a pulp.

"We lost!" Sakura yelled at the carefree boy, "Why are you laughing? At this rate, Earth's not going to be saved!"

"That's probably part of their plan, to make us lose motivation." Komori sighed.

"From this match, I believe it's 100% safe to say that the people of Sazanara have mindreading abilities as Han-kun suggested earlier." Manabe nodded.

"Well, duh! We already figured that much out, Manabe!" Sakura growled.

"I wonder if, making us lose motivation was the only reason they played us… they seemed to be looking for something." Tenma pondered, "If they just left after winning, why challenge us at all?"

"Heh heh, looks like we got the Jackpot." A female Sazanaran sneered looking at the five player before them.

"I see…" Zephyr mumbled, "They're here to toy with us, to see our way of thinking."

Minaho nodded, "Their way of gathering information."

"So many kinds of thoughts here…" a different Sazanaran screamed with excitement, "A beast kid, a lone wolf and one with many minds…" the Sazanarans started to leave.

"Wait, the game's not over yet!" Ibuki yelled.

"We had fun… looking forward to seeing you guys getting crushed by our team…" they laughed. Before disappearing back into the mist, one of the players walked over to Matatagi and whispered something into his ears.

"Hey, Haku, everyone!" Narukami called, "A-are you guys alright?" behind him the rest of the team followed.

"I guess everyone was challenged to a soccer battle too?" Minaho asked.

"Yeah…" Shindou sighed, "We didn't even stand a chance."

"They didn't even try against us!" Ibuki growled, "They were just toying with us!"

Matatagi stood a distance away from the rest of the team. Frustration and confusion filled his face.

"Sazanara…" Zephyr grinned, "That's why I was chosen…"

"Welcome to Faram Obieus, Kyousuke Tsurugi!" a young girl with long black hair and pointed ears smiled. She wore some make up giving her a slightly grown up appearance. "Much better than any of the other planets in any galaxy. I'm Lalaya Obieus, queen of this planet."

Tsurugi growled, "Why'd you bring me here…"

"Don't get so mad." Lalaya pouted, "Come, I'll show you my beautiful planet. I'll make you love it, so you'd gladly work for me."

"Hmm…" Liberta was eavesdropping from outside on the roof of the building. "I can understand what Ishigashi meant by "handful", but she is still a naïve child."

Liberta placed a small chip on the room before flying down, "That was the last one, I guess I should just wait now. Right, Princess."

"It's true guys, I really saw her!" Tenma yelled. It was early in the morning, but he was still full of energy. "You guys kept asking so I told you, but you don't believe me…"

"Well captain…" Kusaka sighed.

"What is it?" Narukami asked.

"I dreamed few times of this girl, Katra Paige and she told me a way to save all the planets. I bet she's sending me the message from her planet, Kieru."

Narukami snorted, "Dreaming of girls, huh, Captain…"

"Narukami…"

"I don't think your stories possible…" To everyone's surprise, it was Mizukawa who spoke up.

"Even you…"

"Planet Kieru, my home planet was destroyed, there's no way princess Katra could send you messages from there."

"Ha, ha, Kieru ga Kieru (translates, Kiera disappeared) pupu" Han giggled, but stopped when Mizukawa glared at him.

"Wait, your planet?" Tenma repeated.

Mizukawa tilted her head, "Oh have I not informed you yet? I am not an earthling."

"Wait, wait… suddenly you're telling us this?" Manabe frowned, "How can we believe you."

"You accepted the fact the Kurogane twins and Narukami were aliens quite quickly, but not me…"

"You said Princess Katra… how can you way she's…"

"I told you, Kieru was destroyed. Swallowed by a black hole." Mizukawa yelled. "There was no way anyone could escape…"

"Then how did you…"

Mizukawa looked at the fround, "I was the only one to escape… but only as a spirit. I am merely using the earthling, Mizukawa Minori's body to assist you planet. Earth's much like Kieru; I felt that is was my destiny to save it."

"Aww, so there's no chance to meet pretty princess…" Han chuckled.

"That's what you get from the conversation…" Shindou sighed.

Episode 24 preview:

The Match against Sazanara begins, but does Earth Eleven stand a chance against the mindreaders? Not only that, even this team has a member from Faram Obieus. Matatagi awakens, but will the rest of the team accept him for who he really is? Episode 24: Sazanara: Matatagi Hayato.

In the games they have announced that you may chose an additional 11 players from a selected bunch of players from previous Inazuma games, so in a later chapter I wanted to have a the top 11 come and assist the Earth Eleven in this fanfiction. I have a poll on my page, but if the character you absolutely want isn't on the list, then feel free to message me.

Stay tuned.