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Chapter Text

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The players of the original Inazuma Eleven were special people. Their actions had saved numerous people and even an entire country. One striker even saved the life of a little boy and his dog, but, shockingly enough, it would be the actions of one windy defender that would inadvertently change the entire future of Raimon Junior High’s soccer club.

Kazemaru Ichirouta is lost. Not only physically, but mentally as well. He has no idea what to do after the Dark Emperors fiasco. Sure, the team has forgiven him and all, but he couldn’t just forgive himself for hurting his friends and teammates, could he? Even if he chooses to return to the track team and forgets about his time in the soccer club, the memories and scars he had from their time together would never fade, and returning to the club so soon after trying to destroy them seemed a bit in poor taste…

Ichirouta is so lost in thought that he barely notices when he almost tramples a small pink-haired child as he paces around the unfamiliar park. It’s only the shocked squeak of the child that drags Ichirouta out of his head. The child is sprawled on the ground, gazing up at Ichirouta in shock and awe. What’s most surprising about the situation is the lack of tears. He doesn’t have much experience with kids (he’s an only child, and that’s fine with him), but he knows most young children cry when they get knocked to the ground. This child, though, seems far more preoccupied with staring at the teal haired defender than sobbing, and Ichiroua is not complaining at all. Then it hits him how rude he’s being, so he bends down and takes the child’s hand while muttering a soft apology, helping him back to his feet before turning to leave.

“Hey! Don’t just go! You’re from Raimon, right?” The boy calls out to him.

Ichirouta turns and nods, deciding the boy at least deserves a proper introduction, “Yes. I’m Kazemaru Ichirouta, and I was a defender at Raimon.”

“Wow,” the boy smiles before introducing himself too, “I’m Kirino Ranmaru. I’ve watched you play on TV. You’re so cool!”
Ichirouta blushes at that. “I don’t know if I’d go that far, and I’m sorry for running into you. I’ve had a lot on my mind and wasn’t paying too much attention to my surroundings.”

“It’s fine,” the boy’s smile is even brighter this time, “I’m just glad I got to meet you. I play soccer too, and I’m a defender like you. I like it, but nobody seems to pay attention to defenders. But when you’re playing, it’s different. You’re so cool and strong, and everybody knows they have to be careful if they want to win while you’re on the field. I want to be like you someday!”

“You’re definitely on the right track, Kirino-kun, I can tell. With determination like that, I’m sure you’ll become a great defender,” Ichirouta flashes a grin to the boy, but he doesn’t seem satisfied quite yet.

“I mean, I want to be great too, but I want to be like you more,” Kirino sighs. “I want to be an ultra-reliable defender that supports and leads the team, even from the back, like you do.”

The kid knows how to flatter people, and he’s almost enough to make Ichirouta blush. Ichirouta isn’t sure how to respond at first. Is he supposed to give Kirino his “big secret to success?” Ichirouta doesn’t have one, and he’s pretty sure that he shouldn’t be advising little kids after all that he’s done recently. He looks to the sky instead, “I’m glad that you think so, but I don’t think I’m the best example for you right now.”

“Why not?” Kirino stares at him in pure shock. “I know about your evil team, but I don’t care! You were still really awesome there too. It doesn’t matter if you did something bad. People will still forgive you, right? If you were really that bad, there’s no way you would’ve helped me earlier. I know you’re a good person and a good defender, and I want to be like you!”

Ichirouta has to admit that the boy’s little rant surprises him, but the very valid points Kirino made shock Ichirouta even more. If a kid like Kirino can believe in him, maybe it’s time for him to start believing in himself again too. It’ll take some work, Ichirouta knows, but now he feels lighter, less burdened if only a little. He finally feels ready to start forgiving himself and move forward, and although he is certain it won’t be easy, he is finally confident enough to take the first step.

He turns back to Kirino and gives him a (recently) rare, genuine smile. “Thanks, Kirino-kun. I needed to hear that. Is there something I can do for you? I want to thank you.”

Kirino’s face morphs from concern to shock to amazement all in the span of what must only be seconds. He blushed a bit before meeting Ichirouta’s brown eyes. “I want some advice. I have a friend, and we play soccer together. He’s a midfielder and is our captain. I’m happy for him, but sometimes it’s like I’m not even playing in the game. What should I do? I want to be like you and help my team, but they barely even notice me at all!”

Ichirouta looks at the dejected boy for a moment. He’s shared the same feelings at times but never to the extent Kirino seems to. He crosses his arms and closes his eyes, thinking for a moment. When he opens them, he looks straight into Kirino’s blue eyes and says, “I don’t know exactly what you’re going through, Kirino, but I think I have an idea. If your captain is anything like Endou, he’s a bit silly at times, right? He forgets all his common sense because he’s playing soccer?”

Kirino nods, and Ichirouta continues, “Well, there’s your answer right there! Give what your friend can’t give the team: common sense. Let him do his thing and lead the team on the field and lead them off the field. Make sure your captain’s choices make sense and take care of your teammates too. I think you’ve got a good head on your shoulders, so I think you can handle it! What do you think, Kirino-kun?”

Kirino’s eyes brighten, and he tackles Ichirouta in a hug even though he only comes up to Ichirouta’s waist. Ichirouta bends down and returns the hug gently. The hug seems to go on forever, and Kirino’s grip is amazingly strong for a kid his size. When they finally break apart, Kirino is still looking at him in wonder. Ichirouta smiles a little at the boy’s inability to hide his emotions, but the kid did do a lot for him, even if Kirino himself is completely unaware of that.

He looks down at the child with pink twintails as he straightens up and prepares to leave. “Tell you what, I’ve got to go, and I’m sure you do too. It’s getting dark now, but I want you to call me Ichirouta if that’s alright with you.”

Kirino is shocked, and his brain short circuits a little before the boy can reply. “Yeah! But if I’m calling you Ichirouta, then you should call me Ranmaru. It’s only fair, right?”

“Sounds good to me. I have to go, so maybe I’ll see you later,” Ichirouta nods before turning to leave through the park’s gate.

Ranmaru waves and runs down the path to another gate near the back of the park. He waves once more before disappearing from Ichirouta’s sight. It’s only then that Ichirouta remembers he’s lost and has no idea how to get home. Oh well, hopefully the locals are friendly.

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If he’s completely honest, Ranmaru is shocked at how helpful Ichirouta’s advice turned out to be. He’d become a pivotal member of his recreational soccer team and eventually his elementary school team, which was one of the only reasons Ranmaru had managed to convince his family to send him across the city to attend Raimon Jr. High. Shindou’s parents had sent him in a heartbeat, but Ranmaru knows that his family does not have nearly as much money as the Shindous. Switching schools was expensive, but Ranmaru had received a scholarship, partially for his grade and partially for his soccer playing. Ranmaru’s just glad he and Shindou can keep playing soccer together.

Their first year flies by, and both Shindou and Ranmaru grow as people and soccer players. Shindou is appointed captain (of course he is. Ranmaru wouldn’t expect anything less), but he still lacks confidence in his abilities. Ranmaru follows Ichirouta’s advice and encourages Shindou while working to bring the rest of the team together. He is only partially successful, though. Fifth Sector’s tight hold on the soccer world makes it hard to truly motivate the team, but Ranmaru does his best anyway. Shindou grows into his captain role, and by the end of the season when Raimon plays in the Holy Road finals, Shindou finally acts like a proper captain. While Raimon is frustrated at their loss, they are happy to have finally played a real game and know they did their best.

By the time his second year rolls around, Ranmaru has a bit of a reputation as the team’s secondary captain. He’s developed a few strong hissatsus for defensive plays, and if Shindou is the team’s head, Ranmaru is the team’s heart. Ranmaru is the one to calm Hayami’s nerves and Kurama’s anger. He’s the one to deal with Kurumada’s wild nature, and he’s the one his teammates come to for emotional support. He is also the only one capable of handling Shindou’s mood swings with any degree of control, so the team has a lot of respect for him on and off the field.

It’s not until he meets the first years that he realizes how much of a soccer mom he really is. He had been practicing with the first team in the morning when they heard about a commotion involving the second team and a Seed. Ranmaru is ready to run out at that moment, but Shindou insists they finish their current drill. Ranmaru is about to drag him out by his hair, but Sangoku shakes his head, signaling for Ranmaru to let it go. Ranmaru does, but he and Shindou will certainly be discussing this later. Sangoku slows them down, even more, when he runs off to chase a runaway soccer ball. Ball tucked in his right arm, he starts walking back to the field to set the ball down, but Ranmaru grabs his left arm and drags him out. By the time they’re done and have made it to the school’s front field, the second team has been annihilated by a dark-haired Seed, and the Seed has moved on to bullying a small brown-haired first year.

The first team stays out of sight and observes the situation, much to Ranmaru’s frustration. The Seed holds nothing back, and the first year falls after every shot, but the first year never stays down. He gets back up and keeps trying. Vaguely, Ranmaru realizes the boy is moving in ways to protect himself and his body, and Ranmaru is somewhat impressed, but he is mainly worried. It is only Shindou’s hand on his shoulder that keeps him from charging down onto the field and facing the Seed himself. He knows his skills have improved greatly, but he’s not sure if he could face off with a Seed and win. Even so, he would still be a better opponent than the poor boy down on the field. If this goes on much longer, I’m going to intervene, he resolves, and Ranmaru is sure Shindou knows what he’s thinking without even looking at him.

Thankfully, the boy manages to finally take the ball from the Seed and declares himself the winner of the contest. The boy passes the ball back to the Seed, and to the horror of everyone, the Seed shoots the ball right at the brunette boy’s face. Ranmaru yanks the ball from Sangoku’s arm and, thankfully, kicks it quickly enough to knock the Seed’s ball off course and save the brunette. Ranmaru has had enough and shoves Shindou into the boy and the Seed’s sight, elbowing him and whispering, “Say something, Shindou. You’re the captain.”

Shindou blinks in shock but recovers quickly and launches into a speech about tarnishing the soccer club’s “sacred ground” (Ranmaru isn’t laughing, he really isn’t), but Ranmaru tunes out what Shindou says after that. Instead, he focuses on the Seed’s disgusted face and the bruises covering the boy’s body. He frowns. This shouldn’t have happened. The first team should have come straight to the field instead of doing drills they’ve already done tens of times. He doesn’t realize his body is shaking with rage until Shindou’s hand brushes his. Sangoku comes up behind him and places a steadying palm on his shoulder. Ranmaru closes his eyes and breathes deeply, opening his eyes as he exhales. He’s fine. He’s in control, and he can deal with this Seed, no matter how strong the Seed is. He has choice words for Shindou, Sangoku, and the rest of the team, but they will have to wait for now.

Ranmaru starts down the hill to the field. His team follows, but he can tell from their soft gasps and whispers that they are surprised by his actions. Ranmaru laughs inwardly. They’ve been together for over a year. If the first team really thought Ranmaru would let a Seed bully a first year, he’s not sure they know him all that well.

Shindou quickly falls in beside him and matches his stride, as he should. He really should have been the one to lead them down (he is their captain), but after years of knowing Shindou, Ranmaru is well aware that Shindou is not the most decisive, especially under pressure, which is why Ranmaru now has no problem with taking charge and pushing Shindou into action. He knows their relationship is a bit odd to some (Kurumada and Amagi once told him they were shocked that they got along so well), but he figures it’s better to let people think what they want instead of starting fights.

Ranmaru has never been one to start fights on a whim. He tries to only fight to defend others even if he wants nothing more than to duke it out with a few particularly annoying people. He’s always been fairly relaxed, but that never stopped him from practically flying to the aid of others in need. The brown-haired boy certainly fit that mold if the way everyone around only watched the Seed ruthlessly attack him was any indication.

Ranmaru strides toward the dark-haired Seed, body relaxed and head held tall. He stands in front of the Seed as Shindou makes his way to the other boy and starts pulling him away from the Seed. The Seed tries to intervene, but Ranmaru steps between his captain and the Seed, staring into the Seed’s orange eyes (he didn’t know people could have naturally orange eyes, but that’s not important right now). Ranmaru gives the Seed a flat smile, allowing just a bit of anger to shine in his blue eyes.

“Hello, I am Kirino Ranmaru, a defender for the Raimon soccer club’s first team. And you are?” He’s not expecting the Seed to give him his name just because Ranmaru asked nicely, but if the Seed does, he won’t be upset.

The Seed’s eyes darken as he shoots Ranmaru an ugly smirk. “What a warm welcome. I didn’t expect the entire team to come out here to give me a personal welcome to the soccer club!”

The enthusiasm is all fake, and if there was any doubt that the dark-haired boy is a Seed, there isn’t anymore. In the corner of his eye, he can see Shindou pulling the brunette along towards Sangoku and the others, and Ranmaru realizes he has to keep the conversation going for a while. They don’t want the boy near the Seed after what they’d just witnessed. “Of course. We take good care of our members, new and returning.”

“How nice.” The Seed is growing more frustrated by the minute, and his fake enthusiasm has vanished completely. “But there is something you should know, Kirino-senpai. I’m not like your other members. I am-”

“-A Seed. We know. You aren’t being very subtle,” Ranmaru quips airily as the Seed gnashes his teeth together in irritation. Shindou and the boy have now successfully reached the rest of Raimon’s first team, and the boy is placed between Sangoku and Shindou to keep him safe and away from the Seed. “But you still haven’t told us your name. If you’re going to join our club, we have to know who you are.”

The defender’s smile is bright, but both he and the Seed know it’s false. The Seed scowls, probably realizing that Ranmaru has a point, and mutters his name in a low voice, “Tsurugi Kyousuke.”

A grin settles itself on Ranmaru’s face. He has won their little face off and bought enough time for Shindou to get the other boy away from the Seed and over to the rest of their teammates. “Welcome, Tsurugi-kun. If you’re joining our club, we should go to the club room. You need a uniform and to be properly introduced to the rest of the team. I can show you if you want.” He may not like the boy, but his offer is still completely sincere. However, having seen Tsurugi’s behavior for the past few minutes, Ranmaru doubts Tsurugi will take the offer.

“Hmph. I don’t need your help,” Tsurugi hisses, “and before I forget, I challenge the Raimon soccer club on behalf of Fifth Sector to a match for the fate of the soccer club’s existence. My team, the Black Knights, will face the Raimon Eleven, and when we win, we will replace the Raimon Eleven. Are those terms agreeable to you?” Tsurugi asks chairman Kyouzou (who has just been standing there watching one of his students beat up the other because he could or something). The chairman, being the slimy creep he is, immediately agrees to the Seed’s terms.

Kyousuke looks to Shindou, “You heard him, Shindou-kun. Prepare your team for the match this afternoon.”

The team is uneasy, and Ranmaru knows many of them will be too scared to stick around for the match, no matter what he says. Some of the more cowardly ones are already departing, too frightened of crossing Fifth Sector to stay, though Hayami remains weirdly enough. Ranmaru locks eyes with Shindou. They both know they won’t stand a chance if they can’t keep enough members for the match. Luckily, only three walk away, so the team still has eleven members. They just might be able to pull this off.

Tsurugi’s smirk is full of malice, and his orange eyes meet Ranmaru’s blue ones. “Thanks for the help, Ranmaru -senpai,” he sneers before beginning to dart away from the remaining team members.

Ranmaru knows Tsurugi only called him by his first name to aggravate him, but the little petty voice in his head is begging for a comeback, so Ranmaru calls after him with words he will definitely come to regret in the future. “You can call me Ranmaru, Kyousuke . I don’t mind.”

Ranmaru can see the faintest of hints of blush on Tsurugi, no, Kyousuke ’s cheeks as he runs off to… somewhere, and he can hear the faint chuckles coming from his teammates. He doesn’t get why they’re laughing. Did he say something funny…? 

His face turns the color of his hair when it finally dawns on him. Ranmaru had just given a Seed and total stranger the right to call him by his first name! Of course, his team was laughing. You didn’t just let strangers call you by your first name. That was a right to be earned by friends, family, or other people close to you, and here Ranmaru was, just letting a creepy, dangerous Seed address him like they’d known each other for years! It was a dumb mistake, and Ranmaru was sure he wouldn’t live it down for years to come.

Ranmaru takes a deep breath and lets the pink fade from his face before turning to the rest of his team. “We should go. The game will start soon, right Shindou?”

The captain blinks and frantically searches for a clock (no one had their phones with them, as per practice rules). “Yes, you’re right, Kirino. We should go back to the soccer building and get ready.” He turns to the rest of the team, “You’re dismissed. Practice is over for the morning.” Then he turns to the brunette, “We’ll hold a try out after school in two days, uh, what’s your name?”

The brunette smiles brightly, “I’m Matsukaze Tenma! Um, would it be alright for me to come to the match today too?” His smile dims into more of a shy grin, but determination burns bright in his grey eyes.

Shindou freezes, so Ranmaru steps forward with a kind smile. “Of course, Matsukaze-kun. Do you know where the stadium is? We can show you if you want.”

Matsukaze beams and nods enthusiastically. “Yes, please! You can call me Tenma. Matsukaze sounds so formal.”

Ranmaru hums as he pulls Shindou along to the stadium, “You can call me Ranmaru, then, Tenma, but I don’t know what Shindou wants you to call him.”

Shindou recovers from his daze and turns to stare at Tenma while they walk. “Shindou is fine.”

Together, they make their way to the stadium where the fate of their team will be decided. Ranmaru isn’t sure how he feels. Somewhere between nervous and terrified with a dash of excitement. Today, they’ll take on Fifth Sector for the first time in Ranmaru’s soccer career, and as great as that is, he is well aware that Fifth Sector could tear the soccer club apart like it was made of paper, which scares him stiff. But even so, there is nothing more Ranmaru wants to do than play real soccer, not the Fifth Sector communist soccer they play now, and he is willing to do anything to get it back. He knows that deep down, Shindou feels the same, but Raimon’s captain is nothing if not incredibly stubborn, so Ranmaru has no way to predict how Shindou will act when they face Fifth Sector. The only way he’ll truly know is when Raimon faces Fifth Sector later that day, and Ranmaru can’t wait for the match to begin.

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Chapter Text

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Ranmaru, Shindou, and Tenma arrive at the stadium early, and the two second years direct Tenma to the bench before they disappear into the locker room to change. Most of the team participating in the match is already there. Ranmaru knows not everyone will join them. Some of their third years have already left, but they were mostly benchwarmers and rarely ever played, so Ranmaru’s not too upset. Kosaka and Mizumori are the last to arrive, and the team quickly changes into their uniforms. 

Ranmaru and Shindou walk to the field together with the other Raimon Eleven players trailing behind them. Tenma is still waiting at the bench, joined now by Coach Kudou and the managers. The managers and Tenma are chattering lightly to each other, and Ranmaru is relieved to see Tenma is getting along with them. Shindou approaches Coach Kudou to discuss pregame strategy, and Ranmaru takes that as his cue to go to his teammates. The rest of the team has gathered in huddles on the sideline, grouped into their year and friend groups for comfort.

Ranmaru stands in front of the huddles, puts his hands on his hips, and gives his terrified teammates his best reassuring smile. “Come on, guys. Let’s get warmed up.”

“Kirino-kun,” Hayami is shaking so hard it’s almost concerning, “you aren’t really going along with this, right?”

“We don’t have much choice, Hayami,” Ranmaru sighs. “If we want to keep playing soccer, we have to play the Black Knights and win.”

“The Black Knights are Tsurugi’s team, though, right? Can we win against a Seed’s team?” Kosaka murmurs dejectedly.

Amagi shakes his head solemnly. “There’s no way we can win. Seeds are trained by Fifth Sector to be the best. We won’t stand a chance.”

“Maybe, but I still want to try,” Ranmaru’s gazes at his teammates, fire burning bright in his blue eyes. “If we play, we might win and get to keep playing soccer together. I think that’s a better option than giving in before the game even starts, right?”

The team looks at him before they slowly nod or quietly agree with him. Ranmaru grins and gestures them towards their half of the field to begin warm-ups. Shindou joins them shortly after, and soon the team is passing, dribbling, sliding, and shooting in preparation for the game. Shindou lines the team up in front of the goal to shoot at Sangoku one-on-one before pulling Ranmaru aside.

“Do you think we can win?” He mutters quietly into Ranmaru’s ear.

“I don’t think we have much of a choice. Either we win, or we lose soccer. Winning is our only option,” Ranmaru mutters back.

Shindou hums in agreement as he and Ranmaru return to the shooting line. Mizumori takes his shot, which is gracefully caught by Sangoku. Then Shindou takes his shot, and the ball sails into the top right corner of the net, just a bit too fast for Sangoku to knock away. Finally, it’s Ranmaru’s turn, and he kicks the ball into the bottom left corner. Sangoku is just barely able to reach it, but he succeeds in punching it away. As Ranmaru gets the ball, he hears a “Nice shot, Kirino!” from Sangoku and smiles at the keeper’s compliment while he returns to the back of the line.

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Soon the warm-up period ends, and Shindou and Kyousuke are called by the referees for the coin toss. Shindou wins the toss (he can tell by the deep scowl on Kyousuke’s face after the toss), so the Black Knights will get the ball first. Shindou returns to the bench and gathers the team, so he and Coach Kudou can tell the team their formation.

Shindou tells them the result of the toss first. “We won, so we’ll start on the left side of the field.”

Coach Kudou nods and starts telling players their positions. “ Kurama, left-wing. Shindou, center-forward. Minamisawa, right-wing. Hayami, left-midfield. Mizumori, center-midfield. Hamano, right-midfield. Kosaka, left-back. Amagi, center-back. Kirino, center-back. Kurumada, right-back. Sangoku, goal.” 

They jog out to their places as the Black Knights take their positions. The whistle blows, and the game begins with Kyousuke dribbling up the pitch. Instead of continuing, though, he takes aim and hits Kurama with the ball and repeats the process until all Raimon’s forwards have been struck down. Then he moves on to the midfielders, hitting them just as hard, and soon the only members of Raimon left standing are the defenders and Sangoku. Kyousuke charges at Kosaka as the boy desperately tries to run from the sadistic Seed, but his actions are proven futile when Kyousuke drills him with a powerful shot. 

Kurumada makes the mistake of running across the field, frantically trying to help and protect Kosaka. As soon as he’s within Kyousuke’s line of sight, a ball slams into his abdomen and knocks him to the ground. Kurumada groans pathetically and tries to get up, but he is too slow to prevent Kyousuke from going after the remaining Raimon players. Amagi is targeted first, and Ranmaru watches in horror as Kyousuke kicks the ball to Amagi’s feet only to follow with a brutal sliding tackle seconds later. Amagi collapses to the ground in a pitiful heap, and suddenly Ranmaru is the only defender still standing.

Then Ranmaru is facing down Kyousuke, and his breath quickens when he realizes he’s all alone. He’s completely terrified. He doesn’t think he’s been so scared in his life, but even so, there is still a small fire of resolve flickering feebly in his heart. He clenches his fists and resolves quietly to himself, ‘if I’m going down, I’m taking him with me.’

Kyousuke charges, but unlike the other Raimon players, Ranmaru doesn’t shy away. He stands his ground and prepares to slide tackle the Seed. Kyousuke continues charging, and if he notices that Ranmaru isn’t running, he doesn’t show it, so Ranmaru slide tackles him. Kyousuke stumbles, and suddenly Ranmaru has the ball at his feet. Kyousuke recovers and whips around to stare at Ranmaru in equal parts disbelief and fury. Ranmaru is also shocked. He’d just stolen the ball from a Seed and gotten away unscathed, at least for now. His teammates are also staring at him, just as surprised as himself. 

He sees Kyousuke’s eyes narrow, and that’s the only warning Ranmaru gets before he is brutally slide tackled. Ranmaru falls to the ground with a gasp of pain, but he knows he can’t stay down. He hisses as he pulls himself to his feet and faces the Seed again.

“Kirino, what are you doing?!” Amagi hisses, “Just stay down and be quiet. He’ll just hurt you even more if you keep challenging him!”

Ranmaru knows that, of course, but he just can’t stay down. Something in his heart won’t let him rest until he is sure his team is safe, and as long as they’re playing Kyousuke, Ranmaru knows Raimon isn’t safe. If he stays down, the Seed will just switch targets to Sangoku or another already downed player, and Ranmaru can’t let that happen, so he’ll keep getting back up as many times as it takes.

“Kirino…” Shindou whispers, still sprawled on the ground like a child. Then, to the shock of every Raimon member, Shindou’s crawling to his feet. He stands back up and looks Ranmaru in the eye. Shindou is still fearful, but now he’s willing to fight. Ranmaru nods, and the two face down the Seed together.

Kyousuke’s face twists in fury, and he lunges Ranmaru. Shindou’s actions have stirred something in the hearts of the Raimon Eleven, and despite the danger, fear, and pain, each member begins to gradually get back up, and soon the entire team is standing once again. Kyousuke sends Ranmaru to the ground again and moves on to the rest of the team, but no matter how many times the Seed knocks them down, the Raimon Eleven continue to stand again. 

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The first half continues in this way until Kyousuke gets too frustrated to continue and begins shooting at the goal. Raimon is never able to stop the shots or score, but Ranmaru can tell the thing that aggravates Kyousuke the most is that the team is still standing. The first half ends with a score of 15-0 and all of Raimon’s players sporting numerous painful bruises. They limp to the bench and collapse on the ground pathetically as soon as they get there.

The managers have recruited Tenma to pass out water bottles, and the energetic first year is darting around the team, offering water bottles and encouragement. His smile is genuine, and Ranmaru is grateful for that. Tenma is certainly optimistic, Ranmaru will give him that.

Coach Kudou and Shindou talk for a minute before Shindou joins Ranmaru and starts chugging his water bottle. Neither of them talks, but after such a brutal first half, that’s fine with Ranmaru. He has almost no energy, but there’s still another half to play, so he’ll have to suck it up. He gets to his feet gingerly and offers Shindou a hand. Ranmaru helps Shindou up and they walk out onto the other side of the field. The next half won’t begin for another few minutes, but they don’t have much else to do. The rest of the team joins them except for Mizumori. The midfielder is near in tears on the bench and is refusing to move.

“I can’t do it,” Mizumori sobs softly. “It’s just too much.”

Coach Kudou regards the midfielder coolly and turns to Tenma. “What position do you play?”

“Well, um…” Tenma stutters nervously, “I don’t know. I can dribble, though!”

“Give your uniform to Matsukaze,” Coach Kudou tells Mizumori. The boy sighs miserably and leads Tenma back to the locker room. 

Three minutes later, Tenma is running out onto the field in Mizumori’s uniform. He stops in front of Coach Kudou nervously. “You’ll be playing center-midfield. Go stand between Hayami and Hamano.”

Tenma looks terrified as he takes his position, so Ranmaru jogs up to him and pats his shoulder. “You’ll do fine, Tenma. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the rest of the team isn’t doing too well either.”

Tenma laughs a bit, “I guess that’s true, but this is my first real Jr. High soccer game…”

Ranmaru smiles encouragingly, “We all have to start somewhere.”

“Yeah!” Tenma beams back, confidence restored. Well, that was easy…

Ranmaru returns to his position, and the whistle blows, starting the second half. The second half follows the same pattern as most of the first. Kyousuke shoots and sends a Raimon player to the ground, but Raimon continues to get back up. The first fifteen minutes of the second half are a brutal cycle of pain Raimon’s players are barely able to withstand. It’s mindless violence that just keeps going and going and going. Until Kosaka and Hayami don’t get up anymore.

They’re both sent tumbling to the ground by one of Kyousuke’s brutal shots, which ricochets off the left goalpost and bounces back to Kosaka. However, instead of getting up and passing the ball to a teammate, Kosaka stares at the ball in horror for a moment before curling up into a ball. Hayami, who had been watching Kosaka, only pushes himself to his knees before curling into a ball himself, muttering about how pointless the game is and how he’ll only get hurt if he keeps going. 

It hurts Ranmaru to see his teammates giving up, and he knows the rest of the team will follow suit soon enough, but he knows he can’t quit. Ranmaru will keep getting up, keep pushing until he breaks if it means he’ll get to keep playing soccer with his friends. Ranmaru is keenly aware that most of Raimon’s players do not share the same sentiments as him, but Tenma, the sweet, naive first year, just might agree with him. While they walked to the stadium, Tenma had babbled on and on about soccer and his undying love for it, but even as he chattered on incessantly, his face was earnest. Tenma truly loved soccer, and Ranmaru had no doubt Tenma would do all he could to protect Raimon’s soccer too.

Shindou was iffy, though. He loved soccer but wasn’t the strongest emotionally. If he let his emotions take hold and dictate his actions, Ranmaru was sure he would collapse on the ground and dissolve into a sobbing mess in the middle of the game. However, if Shindou could keep ahold of himself, he might join Ranmaru and Tenma in their fight to protect the soccer club. It depended on Shindou himself, though, which was what made Ranmaru nervous, but he’d have to trust his best friend to keep himself together and continue to be their captain.

The second half continues, and Ranmaru’s prediction is frustratingly accurate. The team is dropping left and right until only Ranmaru, Shindou, Tenma, and Sangoku are still on their feet. With a limited number of targets, Kyousuke’s attacks become more frequent, and it’s all Ranmaru can do to keep getting up. He’s stopped trying to truly block Kyousuke and has resorted to standing in his way. Shindou and Tenma adopt a similar tactic, and Tenma is still doing the “move to minimize the damage” thing, which is good because if Tenma were to take a few of Kyousuke’s full power attacks, Ranmaru’s not sure the rookie would still be able to walk. 

However, Tenma’s movements attract Kyousuke’s attention and he’s begun to single the brunette out for his attacks. Shindou’s not doing anything, presumably too stunned to move, so Ranmaru leaves his position and tries to block the Seed. It doesn’t work, and Ranmaru is sent flying by a powerful ball to the stomach. He falls to the ground and almost starts gagging, watching Kyousuke’s ruthless assault helplessly.

He staggers to his feet again and charges the Seed once more. Kyousuke’s retaliation this time is far worse. The Seed kicks the ball gently against Ranmaru’s chest before slamming his foot into the ball and Ranmaru. Ranmaru flies back, arms and legs flailing uselessly in the air until he hits the ground roughly. He lays there stunned, unable to breathe properly for what seems like an eternity. When he can finally move again, he turns his head and sees Tenma staggering his way through each of the Seed’s shots and tackles. 

Tenma’s doing admirably until he is hit by a particularly strong tackle followed by a savage shot to his stomach. Tenma lands on his back and cries out in pain. Ranmaru winces and rolls onto his stomach, desperate to help the younger boy, but no matter what he does, Ranmaru can’t get his arms and legs to work. They lay uselessly on the ground and refuse to obey their owner’s commands. Ranmaru hisses in frustration, and his eyes dart around the field, looking for someone else to help the brunette. His eyes land on Shindou, who is still frozen in shock.

“Shindou!” He calls frantically, “Shindou, please! Help him!”

Shindou blinks at Ranmaru, finally free of his daze, and stumbles into a run towards the brunette. He reaches the midfielder with no interference from the Seed at all, shockingly enough. Kyousuke looks to be lost in his own little world, giddy with his apparent victory over Tenma and Raimon. Shindou gently pulls Tenma into his arms, and Tenma whispers something to the captain that has the older boy’s head shooting up, tears falling from his brown eyes. 

Ranmaru watches in wonder as Shindou lays Tenma on the ground and climbs to his feet. The captain glares at Kyousuke and begins to charge, but then Kyousuke places his hand in his pocket, and a dark aura materializes behind him. Something takes shape in the aura, and then a knight burst forth from the dark cloud.

“Sword Saint Lancelot!” The Seed smirks, and he makes a shot so powerful it almost looks like a hissatsu.

Shindou stops and looks at the shot in horror. He and all of Raimon know he can’t possibly stop Kyousuke’s shot, but Ranmaru also knows this shot could be the end of the soccer club. Ranmaru wants to cry, but instead, he lifts his head and looks to his captain.

“Shindou!” He cries desperately, and Tenma echos his cry. “Captain!”

Then there something pulls in Ranmaru’s chest like something is trying to escape. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Tenma clutching at his chest along with a few other Raimon players, but his attention is quickly drawn away by Shindou’s scream. Shindou’s back is arched, and his hands are balled into fists. A dark cloud much like the one Kyousuke’s Lancelot came from has materialized behind Shindou. Something begins to take shape, and a humanoid figure with four arms has appeared behind Raimon’s captain.

“Instrumentalist Maestro!” Shindou calls as he runs towards the shot. Shindou’s leg connects with the ball, and Ranmaru watches in awe as Shindou struggles against the shot for a moment before he finally repels the ball. The ball flies back to Kyousuke, who barely catches it. Kyousuke stares at Shindou with a mix of shock and horror before charging Raimon’s captain, intending to face him head-on. 

Kyousuke almost makes it before the referee blows the whistle. The Seed and Raimon’s captain freeze at the sound. Ranmaru knows there is still time left in the second half, so why did the whistle blow? Kyousuke doesn’t seem to understand this either, and he glances around the field frantically for an answer. The Black Knights’ coach, Kuroki, is standing next to the referee, Ranmaru notices, and Kuroki strides to the center of the field.

Kyousuke locks eyes with him and hisses, “What are you doing?! The match isn’t over.”

Kuroki regards him calmly, almost lazily, before turning to Shindou. “Your Keshin has saved Raimon this time. We will withdraw for now, and Fifth Sector will make its decision about Raimon at a later time.”

With that, the coach turns away and returns to his team’s bench. Kyousuke seems frustrated, but after a moment, he follows his coach. Shindou watches them go with glazed eyes before falling back to the ground. 

*^*

“Shindou!” Most of the team shouts as they pull themselves to their feet to check on their captain. Much to his frustration, Ranmaru isn’t one of them. He has no energy and is forced to stay on the ground. Tenma also seems to have trouble getting up, but the team is too focused on their captain to notice Ranmaru or Tenma’s predicaments. Coach Kudou runs onto the field as well and goes to Shindou. The coach gathers Shindou in his arms and walks off the field.

“I’m taking Shindou to the infirmary. Help your other teammates and get ready for the entrance ceremony,” Coach Kudou instructs as he and Shindou exit the stadium.

Most of the team walk to the bench, but Sangoku chooses to approach Ranmaru instead. “Are you alright?” He asks as helps Ranmaru into a sitting position.

Ranmaru winces, “Yeah, I think so. Tenma, how are you?”

Tenma groans and attempts to sit up. “I’m alright, Kirino-senpai. Just a little sore.”

Sangoku starts to pull Ranmaru up, but as soon as Ranmaru is on his feet, his legs give out, and suddenly he’s falling against Sangoku. 

“Woah!” Sangoku catches him. “I think you might need the infirmary too.”

“Don’t worry about me, Sangoku-san,” Ranmaru says. “Tenma needs help too.”

Sangoku glances at the brunette still sprawled on the ground and turns his head towards the bench. “Kurumada, Amagi, help me out.”

The two defenders jog out onto the field, ready to aid their goalkeeper. “Amagi, can you help Tenma? Kurumada, can you help me with Kirino. I’m taking him to the infirmary.”

Amagi helps Tenma to his feet and guides him back to the bench while Kurumada helps settle Ranmaru onto Sangoku’s back. Kurumada steps back as Sangoku stands up. Ranmaru’s arms wrap around Sangoku’s neck, and Sangoku’s arms support Ranmaru’s legs. Ranmaru’s head falls forward and rests on Sangoku’s shoulder as they leave the stadium. 

“You can relax, Kirino. We’ll be at the infirmary soon,” Sangoku reassures the exhausted defender.

Ranmaru hums and closes his eyes. He doesn’t really sleep, but it’s still nice to relax against Sangoku as they head to the infirmary. Ranmaru isn’t sure what happens during their trip to the infirmary, but he opens his eyes when Sangoku sets him one of the infirmary beds. Sangoku leans Ranmaru against the wall, pulls the sheet out from under him, and pulls the sheet over his lap. Ranmaru can see Coach Kudou settle Shindou on the bed near the window before stepping away from the bed and pulling the curtains around the bed closed.

Coach Kudou approaches Ranmaru's bed and sits on the edge. Sangoku sits down in the chair beside Ranmaru's bed, and they both look at Ranmaru silently. Ranmaru eyes them tiredly. 

Coach Kudou is the first to speak. "Do you know what happened out there?"

"Shindou used a… Keshin? Right?" Sangoku asks uncertainly.

"That's correct," Coach Kudou says, "but something was unusual when Shindou called his Keshin. Did you feel different after the Keshin was summoned?"

Sangoku and Ranmaru nod. "It felt like something was being pulled out of me," Sangoku whispers. "Me too," Ranmaru agrees softly.

Coach Kudou looks concerned, but he says nothing to the two Raimon players. He stands up and glances at Ranmaru, "Get some rest. You and Shindou need it." Then he walks out of the infirmary.

Sangoku nods, "He's right, Kirino." The goalkeeper readjusts Ranmaru so he's laying down on the bed and pulls the sheet up to Ranmaru's neck. "Get some rest, Kirino. We'll visit you when school's over."

He leaves, and suddenly Ranmaru's alone in the infirmary with only an unconscious Shindou for company. With nothing better to do, Ranmaru leans back and relaxes. He closes his eyes and drifts off a minute later.

*^*

Ranmaru wakes up to Shindou throwing the curtains around his bed open. Ranmaru jolts and struggles into a sitting position, gazing at Raimon’s captain bewilderedly. Shindou smiles back sheepishly while standing near the foot of his bed.

“Sorry,” Shindou says. “I didn’t mean to be that loud…”

“It’s fine,” Ranmaru hums. “How long have you been awake?”

Shindou shrugs nonchalantly. “Not too long. Why are we here?”

“I don’t know why you’re here. Coach Kudou mentioned something about a Keshin, and you did collapse on the field, but I don’t know anything else,” Ranmaru states. “I’m here because Sangoku brought me after I exhausted myself during the match.”

“Kirino…” Shindou’s gaze is disapproving.

“What? We were playing a Seed , Shindou. I think exhaustion is getting off pretty lightly,” Ranmaru snaps.

Shindou frowns deeply. “Maybe so, but we shouldn’t have had to go through that! That game should have never happened in the first place!”

Ranmaru agrees with that. Nothing was resolved because the Black Knights withdrew before the game ended, and the only thing that happened in the game was Kyousuke destroying Raimon’s entire team. “Yeah, it shouldn’t have, but it did, so I did what I had to do. If I hadn’t done anything, someone might have gotten seriously injured. Could you forgive yourself if one of our teammates ended up in the hospital?”

Shindou sits on his bed and curls his hands into fists in frustration. “No, but I hate that you got hurt too.”

“Fair enough,” Ranmaru nods as he pulls his feet out from under the sheet and swings them over the edge of the bed. He doesn’t have much strength, but at least he can move a little now. Something is better than nothing.

He is about to stand when the infirmary door is thrown open forcefully. Ranmaru flinches and stumbles forward onto his feet, only to discover that his legs are not ready to support him. His legs give out, and he falls against Shindou’s bed. Ranmaru hisses as his shoulder makes contact with the bed’s metal frame. The defender turns his head toward the door, searching for the one who startled him. His eyes find Kurumada standing beside the door, looking very uncomfortable. 

“Sorry, Kirino,” he apologies, “but something’s going on with the soccer club, and I thought you two should be there too.”

“It’s fine, Kurumada,” Ranmaru sighs as he uses the bed to pull himself to his feet. This time, Shindou is beside him and supports him when he stumbles. 

Shindou supports him until they’re at the door to the infirmary. Then, Kurumada supports Ranmaru instead. It’s a bit awkward since Ranmaru is a bit taller than the other defender, but they make it work. Slowly but surely, the three soccer players make their way through the halls to the soccer building to see exactly what is going on with their team. Ranmaru can only hope things don’t get any worse for the team, but knowing their recent luck, he is almost certain it’s something bad. They reach the door and pause for a moment. As they enter the building, Ranmaru takes a deep breath. ‘Here goes nothing…’

*^*

Chapter Text

*^*

Ranmaru, Shindou, and Kurumada pass through the front doors and head to the club room. When they enter the room, Kurama is already having a very one-sided yelling match with Tenma, who had come to the club room despite not being an official member of the club yet. The midfielder shies away uncomfortably, trying to make himself as small as possible. Kurama isn’t deterred and continues to scream angrily at the first year. The rest of the team watches silently, though Kosaka and Mizumori are suspiciously close to the door, and Kurumada and Shindou help settle Ranmaru into his usual seat. Ranmaru waits for a moment, and when no one attempts to stop Kurama, he coughs loudly. The team’s eyes lock on the defender, and Kurama freezes mid-rant. 

Ranmaru smiles pleasantly and gestures for Shindou to speak. Shindou looks around the room cautiously before he speaks. “What’s going on?”

An air of nervousness settles over Raimon’s first team, and Hayami fidgets restlessly. Kurama regains his composer and takes a threatening step towards Shindou. “What’s going on?” He mimics mockingly. “Fifth Sector just showed up and tried to shut the club down. Then we disobeyed Fifth Sector! Do you know what happens to people who disobey Fifth Sector, Shindou?!”

There are murmurs of agreement from a few other members. Mizumori is the next to come forward. “I’m… leaving the soccer club. I’m sorry, Shindou, but something like this on my record could ruin my chances of getting into a good high school. I like soccer, but I can’t risk my future for it.”

Kosaka nods in agreement. “Me too. My parents will kill me if I get caught up in all this. Sorry, guys. I had fun, but I’m a third year and need to think about my future too.”

The two boys say their goodbyes to their teammates, and they head out the door. The team is silent as they go. Some share glances, wordlessly asking each other about their plans. No one else leaves, though, so Ranmaru will count that as a win for now. Even with the third years gone, the team still has eleven members, twelve if Tenma passes the entrance exam, so they can still play games. It’s awful they’re losing members, and Ranmaru can’t help but feel a bit responsible. He was the one that pushed the team into resisting the Black Knights, so he is technically the origin of the disobedience.

Ranmaru is surprised Kurama is still here if he’s honest. With the forward’s earlier hissyfit, Ranmaru was sure he would storm out with the other third years. Minamisawa’s presence is also unexpected. The purple-haired boy has never been one for conflict, so the fact that he’s sticking around despite Raimon causing conflict with Fifth Sector must mean something . What that something is, Ranmaru isn’t sure. It could be that Minamisawa’s love of soccer is stronger than Ranmaru thought, or it could be that Minamisawa is waiting it out to see what happens to Raimon. Knowing the older boy, Ranmaru’s guess is the latter.

While he’s glad Kurama and Minamisawa are staying, the high tension in the room is undeniable. Shindou looks like he wants to say something, and he opens his mouth, only to close it seconds later when he losses his nerve. Ranmaru sighs inwardly. Oh well. Looks like it up to him, then.

“Everyone,” he begins, “I know things are tough right now, but we can’t fight each other like this. If we’re fighting anyone, it’s Fifth Sector and their corrupt soccer.”

“Ranmaru-senpai!” Tenma whispers, and Ranmaru swears his eyes are actually sparkling . Is that normal?

“Kirino is right,” Shindou states firmly like he hadn’t just lost his nerve seconds ago. “Things aren’t the best right now. Believe me, I know, but it’ll only get worse if we keep arguing with each other. We have to rely on each other if we want to get through this.”

Kurama’s eyes narrow menacingly. “He’s not even a part of the team though!” Kurama points angrily towards Tenma. “And who keeps blabbing on about ‘real soccer’ and ‘freeing soccer!’ Saying stuff like that is just going to get us into even more trouble!”

“I’m sorry,” Tenma’s eyes are downcast, “but it’s true. If things stay the way they are, soccer will never be happy! Are you really happy with playing Fifth Sector’s soccer instead of real soccer?”

“Yes!” Kurama hisses, “I will play their soccer forever if it means I stay out of trouble and get to keep playing soccer with my friends. Don’t you get it, Matsukaze? It’s you who caused all this trouble. If you hadn’t challenged Tsurugi earlier, we wouldn’t be in this mess to begin with!”

Kurama storms out of the club room, and Minamisawa is quick to follow. Tenma is on the verge of tears, eyes glistening with unshed tears. Ranmaru isn’t sure if they’re tears of sadness or frustration, but neither option is great. The other Raimon players are still uncomfortably silent, and Shindou has lost his earlier conviction. Coach Kudou has yet to join them, and Ranmaru sighs deeply. The team is a mess. Fifth Sector has shattered any sense of unity between them, and Tenma’s presence makes many of them anxious. Ranmaru isn’t blaming the first year. Tenma’s views aren’t wrong, and Ranmaru agrees with most of them. But Tenma’s too vocal about his opinions, and that will only serve to aggravate some players. There’s no way anyone can win, and Ranmaru is keenly aware of that.

*^*

Ranmaru isn’t sure what to do. Nothing like this has ever happened to any of his team before. Nothing has ever torn apart any of his teams so brutally. Raimon is forced to choose between two options, and neither is ideal. If they go against Fifth Sector, they put their futures at risk, and there is no guarantee they will succeed. If they stay as they are, Raimon will never be able to play a real game. They’ll be forced to play Fifth Sector’s pale imitation of soccer for the rest of their school soccer careers.

Ranmaru isn’t even sure what to do, and he can’t imagine what must be going through the minds of his friends. He wants to fight, he does. He’s already fought against Fifth Sector once when he resisted Kyousuke. But what about his future? Is this fight even worth it? What if he loses his chance to go to a great school because he was a little too outspoke in Jr. High? 

Is playing real soccer worth that much to him? Ranmaru is cautious by nature even if he doesn’t always show it. Is playing soccer with Shindou and his friends that important to him? Yes, yes it is. Soccer has always been Ranmaru’s escape from the world. From expectations and parents and school and grades, and he’ll be damned if he lets Fifth Sector ruin soccer for longer than they already have.

But he also has his team to consider. He won’t put them at risk if they’re unwilling to fight Fifth Sector, and it doesn’t seem like too many are on board with the idea. Even Shindou looks undecided, and he loves soccer more than most of Raimon combined. Unsure of what to do, Ranmaru remains silent and observes his teammates.

Hayami is terrified, naturally, and Hamano’s eyes keep darting around the room to avoid making eye-contact with anyone else. Amagi’s eyes are closed in deep thought. Kurumada is still and quiet, something Ranmaru never thought he’d witness in person. Sangoku’s arms are crossed over his chest, and his chin is tucked against his chest. Tenma fidgets miserably, and Shindou’s eyes are trained on the ground, refusing to even so much as look at the rest of the team. Only Tenma has stated his position on fighting Fifth Sector, and Ranmaru thinks that’s how it will remain for the rest of the day.

“Everyone,” Ranmaru starts, “why don’t we go home for the day? There are only eight of us here, and I don’t think anyone is in the mood to practice right now.”

Sangoku eyes him and nods in agreement. “Yeah, let’s go home. Besides, you and Shindou aren’t in any condition to practice anyway.”

Shindou sighs dejectedly, “I agree. There will be no practice today. Go home and relax. We can discuss this more tomorrow.”

Their teammates mutter half-hearted goodbyes as they filter out the door. Soon only Sangoku, Shindou, Tenma, and Ranmaru remain. Tenma is at the door, waving goodbye to his seniors before he darts out the door. His movements are stilted as he goes, but Tenma is probably in the best place mentally of Raimon’s remaining members.

With Tenma gone, Sangoku turns to Shindou. “We should let Coach Kudou know what’s happened, and then I’ll walk both of you home. Kirino, are you staying with Shindou tonight?”

“If he doesn’t mind,” Ranmaru looks to Shindou, and the brunette nods in approval. “Of course, Kirino.”

“That’s good,” Sangoku sighs. “With what you two went through today, I don’t want either of you to be alone. Your parents still work late, right Kirino?”

Ranmaru hums lazily, “Yeah. I don’t mind, though. I still see them plenty.”

“That may be so, but I feel more comfortable with you at Shindou’s place after your thing today.”

“Fair enough,” Ranmaru shrugs. 

Sangoku supports Ranmaru as he stands and holds onto the defender’s shoulder as he takes unsteady steps to the door. Shindou hovers beside them, his steps stronger than Ranmaru but still shaky. They walk out the door to search for Coach Kudou. He’s very easy to find, standing beside the doors to the soccer building. He glances them up and down for a moment before walking toward them. He gestures for Shindou to speak, and the captain does.

“We canceled practice. Mizumori and Kosaka quit, and the rest of the team wasn’t in any shape to play soccer,” he explains. “Kurama and Minamisawa walked out, but I think they’ll be back.”

Coach Kudou nods solemnly. “You’re taking them home?” He asks Sangoku.

“Yes. After today, I don’t want them going home alone.”

“That’s fine. I will see you tomorrow.” Then Coach Kudou is gone, disappearing through the doors.

“Right then. Let’s get you two home!” Sangoku extends his other arm to grab Shindou’s shoulder, and he pushes them out of the soccer building and onto the sidewalk. Sangoku continues to support Shindou and Ranmaru as they walk, and Ranmaru is glad for it. While he feels better than before, dealing with his team took a lot out of him, and his body aches and strains with each step. 

*^*

They continue until they finally reach Shindou’s massive house. They walk to the gate, and Sangoku takes his arms off his friends’ shoulders. He smiles at them warmly, but Ranmaru can tell the goalkeeper is still worried about them.

“Go home and get some rest,” Ranmaru says. “We’ll be fine.”

“You better be,” Sangoku levels them with an intense stare for a second before he turns in the direction of his house and starts walking away. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow morning!”

As Sangoku leaves, Shindou opens the front gate, and Ranmaru makes his way inside. They’re both walking slower than they normally would, so getting inside Shindou’s mansion seems to take forever. By the time they’ve entered Shindou’s house, the evening has already come. Shindou leads Ranmaru down the main hall to the music room. Shindou sits down on the piano bench but doesn’t touch a key. Ranmaru seats himself on the sofa and groans when he’s finally off his feet. His legs ache fiercely, and his entire body is trembling lightly.

“Do you want to eat in the dining room or my room?” Shindou asks when Ranmaru quiets down.

“Your room. I’m really tired. I don’t know how much I’ll be able to eat,” Ranmaru leans back into the sofa’s soft cushions.

“That’s fine. I’m tired too, but we should still eat. Sangoku will kill us if he finds out we skipped a meal.”

“That’s true,” Ranmaru laughs light-heartedly. “So, a light dinner, then a shower and bed?”

“Sounds good to me.” Shindou stands up and walks to the sofa, offering a hand to Ranmaru. Ranmaru takes it and is pulled to his feet. They exit the music room and head up the stairs to Shindou’s massive bedroom. They pass a maid on the way, and Shindou quickly instructs her to bring a light meal to his bedroom. When they reach Shindou’s bedroom, Ranmaru goes to a dresser on the far side of the room, dropping his school bag beside it and pulling out a set of pajamas from the bottom drawer. This isn’t the first time Ranmaru has stayed over, so Shindou decided to designate a drawer to Ranmaru’s things, so Ranmaru could stay over whenever he wanted. Ranmaru has a variety of essentials stashed in the drawer, everything from extra uniforms to casual clothes to toiletries.

Ranmaru places the pajamas on the left side of the bed and joins Shindou at the small table in the corner of his room. The maid Shindou had spoken to earlier appears and places trays in front of each of them. She bows politely and leaves the room without a word. The tray holds a bowl of cream stew and a small bowl of fruit. A glass of water is set in the left corner of the tray, and a hot cup of tea is in the right corner. It’s a light, simple meal, and Ranmaru digs into it gratefully.

Ranmaru can’t finish his entire meal. Most of the stew is gone, but a fourth of it still sits in the bowl. He can’t eat his last few pieces of fruit, so he leaves them and sips his tea instead. Shindou finishes not long after, and they both neaten their trays. Ranmaru stands from his seat and returns to the drawer, grabbing his toiletries. He places them on the bed next to his pajamas.

“You can shower first, Kirino,” Shindou gestures politely to the bathroom.

“Thanks, Shindou,” he shoots his friend a grateful glance before stepping into the bathroom and closing the door. The bathroom’s massive and beautiful just like everything else in Shindou’s house.

He turns the shower handle to hot and undresses as it warms up. He leaves his dirty clothes in a pile on the floor (he’ll deal with them later) and takes his hair ties out, setting them on the sink. His pajamas are places on the counter next to a towel Ranmaru pulls from the towel rack. His other things are left by the sink to be used later. He tests the water with his hand and deems it warm enough. He steps into the shower and scrubs himself free of sweat, dirt, and grime. He washes his hair thoroughly and conditions the ends. 

By the time he’s done showering, the mirror has fogged over, and Ranmaru wraps himself in his towel, drying his body. He wraps his hair in the towel and tugs on his pajamas. He’s still damp, so they stick to him a little. He goes through his nightly routine, flossing, brushing his teeth, and drying his hair. Shindou’s hair drier is fancier than his own, but Ranmaru figures it out quickly. He brushes his dried hair, hangs his towel on the rack, gathers his things, and exits the bathroom.

Shindou is sitting on the right side of his bed patiently. Ranmaru smiles at him as he walks over to the other side of the bed. He pulls back the covers and settles himself beneath the soft sheet and thick comforter. Shindou enters the bathroom, and Ranmaru leans back against the pillows tiredly. Sure Shindou could have taken him to a guest room, but Ranmaru is uncomfortable causing Shindou and his family any more trouble than he has too. They’ve shared a bed on other occasions too, things like school trips or soccer camps had gotten them used to sharing a bed long ago.

The shower starts, but Ranmaru’s so tired he barely notices. His eyelids are heavy, and his eyes burn as he strains to keep them open. He struggles to stay awake for a few more minutes, but eventually, he’s too tired to care. He snuggles into the pillows and shuts his eyes. The defender drifts off to the sound of the shower. The last thing he hears before he drops off completely is the sound of the bathroom door opening. Then, he’s out like a light until the next morning.

*^*

Ranmaru awakens to shaking. Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, he sees Shindou, fully dressed and sitting next to him on the bed, forcefully shaking the defender’s shoulder. Ranmaru yawns and sits up, and Shindou’s hand retracts, falling back to his side. Ranmaru blinks sleepily as he shifts and pushes himself off the bed. He’s never been an early riser and has gotten used to Shindou’s aggressive wake-up calls. He dresses in one of the extra uniforms in his drawer, ties his hair back into pigtails, and grabs his school bag from the floor. 

He glances back at Shindou, who is also getting his bag. They leave Shindou’s room and go to the dining room, where they are served a light breakfast by the Shindou family’s chef. After breakfast, they put on their shoes and leave the Shindou residence and take a near uneventful walk to Raimon Jr. High.

Midway through their trip, Shindou’s eyes catch Ranmaru’s, and the brunette looks troubled. “Is something wrong, Shindou?”

The brunette averts his brown eyes evasively. “No, it’s just… I’ve been thinking about something, and it’s bothering me a bit.”

“What?” Ranmaru asks, blue eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“You’ve let a lot of people call you by your first name recently,” Shindou sighs.

Ranmaru hums quietly. “Is that all? That’s what’s bothering you so much?”

Shindou balls his fists. “You barely even know them, though! I’ve known you for years, and you’ve never let me call you ‘Ranmaru!’”

“You’re jealous, then?” Ranmaru smirks mischievously. “I never said you couldn’t call me ‘Ranmaru.’ If you want to call me that, Takuto , I don’t mind.”

Takuto stammers, cheeks flushing in embarrassment. It takes him a moment before he regains enough composure to speak. “If it’s really alright with you, I do want to call you that.”

“I’ve already told you it’s fine,” Ranmaru shrugs, eyes still gleaming with mirth.

“You’re ridiculous, Ranmaru,” Takuto sighs as they continue on their way. 

It doesn’t take long for them to reach the school’s front gate, and they pass through it on their way to the soccer building. Even though it’s early, students are already at school. Some are sitting on benches with books in their laps, studying for classes, and others are standing with their friends, gossiping about something or another. Takuto and Ranmaru pass a group playing a card game Ranmaru has never seen before, and a group of track team members jogs past them later.

They reach the soccer building without issue and go to the club room. Coach Kudou is nowhere to be seen, which is slightly concerning, but Coach Kudou has disappeared at times before, so neither Takuto nor Ranmaru is too worried. They’re the first ones there, so they leave to change for practice in the locker room rather than sitting around waiting for the others. When they return, only Tenma and Sangoku are in the club room, both still in their school uniforms. Ranmaru sends them away to change while Takuto leaves the room to search for the club’s other members. He returns with Hayami and Hamano by his side, though the former is practically shaking with fear. Hamano looks relaxed, but Ranmaru can tell he is tense too.

The duo is sent off to the locker room, and Ranmaru and Takuto take their usual seats in the club room. Amagi and Kurumada stumble in a minute later and are given the same instructions their teammates received. Ranmaru knows Kurama and Minamisawa probably won’t show up, but a part of him still wants to hope they’ll come. The door does open, but instead of the missing forwards, a short brunette walks in. 

Ranmaru and Takuto share a look of veiled confusion before Ranmaru turns to the boy. The boy freezes awkwardly for a moment and looks at the second years sheepishly. “I’m Nishizono Shinsuke, a first year. Is this the soccer club?”

“It is,” Takuto confirms. “Are you here to join?”

“Yes!” Nishizono shouts excitedly. “I am! Who are you guys?”

“I am Shindou Takuto,” Takuto introduces himself calmly. “I am the captain of the soccer team, and this is Kirino Ranmaru.” Ranmaru waves pleasantly.

“Wow!” Nishizono chirps. “Nice to meet you, Shindou-senpai, Kirino-senpai. Please call me Shinsuke! I’ll be in your care this year.”

“Ranmaru is fine, Shinsuke,” Ranmaru has to look down at the first year because he’s so short. “There’s no need to be so formal.”

Takuto shoots his a disapproving look that clearly says ‘you’re going to do this again?’ Ranmaru grins smugly, ‘you can’t stop me.’ Takuto sighs, stressed, ‘that’s true. You’re going to make me go along with this, aren’t you?’ Ranmaru smiles and nods slightly, ‘it’s good for team-building.’ Takuto’s eyebrow is raised, but he doesn’t fight it, ‘fine, I’ll play along.’

Shinsuke is visibly confused by his seniors’ silent conversation, but he says nothing, thankfully. “You can call me Takuto, if you want,” Takuto offers, despite his internal discomfort about the idea. “It’s nice to meet you, Shinsuke. The try out for new members is tomorrow, but you’re welcome to join us for practice today.”

Shinsuke beams at Takuto’s words. “Thank you so much! I’ll do my best!”

Takuto directs him to the locker room and explains where the spare uniforms are. Then Shinsuke runs off to change, leaving his senpais alone in the club room. The pair look at each other and shrug. Their meeting with Shinsuke was certainly different , but they saw much weirder things yesterday, so they aren’t too bothered.

*^*

Tenma and Sangoku finally return from the locker room dressed in their uniforms. Ranmaru realizes they never told Tenma where the extra uniforms were, but Sangoku must have helped the midfielder in the locker room if he needed it. Besides, Tenma is still wearing Mizumori’s old uniform, so he probably didn’t need a spare uniform anyway. Hayami and Hamano file into the room after them, but they all spent a long time in the locker room. What were they doing in there? A few different ideas float through his head, and Ranmaru shakes his head. Whatever it was, he didn’t want to know.

Amagi and Kurumada enter the room, followed by Shinsuke. With their teammates gathered, Takuto starts talking. “Thanks for coming back, everyone. We’ll practice outside on the front field today. We’ll start with two laps around the field.”

While he’s great at giving instructions, Takuto has completely forgotten about the first years present, so Ranmaru steps in. “Everyone, we have two first years practicing with us today. Most of you know Tenma. He played with us yesterday, and this is Nishizono Shinsuke.”

Shinsuke waves cheerfully. “Hello! Please call me Shinsuke.”

Welcomes are murmured to the young brunettes, but none of them are the least bit warm or welcoming. Most of Raimon’s remaining players are still thinking about yesterday’s events and are unable to focus on the present. With the chilly reception from their senpais, the first years turn to each other and begin talking. They’ve met before, Ranmaru realizes. The way they talk to each other is too comfortable for a first-time meeting, and Ranmaru is glad they have each other. Raimon’s players are good people, but Ranmaru isn’t sure how quickly they’ll warm up to the energetic first years. 

When Ranmaru sees his teammates have no intention of talking to the younger players, he sighs inwardly and looks at Takuto expectantly. Takuto nods in understanding, and together the pair shoos their teammates out of the soccer building to the front field. The team begins their laps with Takuto and Ranmaru leading the team. Tenma and Shinsuke keep pace with the second years fairly easily, Ranmaru notes. They finish their laps, and Takuto calls everyone over to the bench. Takuto sends the older midfielders off to play against the defenders and try and score on Sangoku, and he tells them to use the right goal and stay on the right side of the field. Tenma and Shinsuke wait at the bench as the other players leave. 

“What position do you play?” Takuto asks Shinsuke.

“I’m a defender,” the small boy replies. Ranmaru smiles subtly. It’ll be good to have another defender on the team since Kosaka left the team.

“You two will work with Ranmaru and me on the basics of your positions. Tenma, come with me. Shinsuke, go with Ranmaru. He’s a defender too.” Takuto says, and he pulls Tenma away to the far corner of the field’s left side. 

“Come on, then, Shinsuke,” Ranmaru gestures for the boy to follow him to the unused corner of the field. “We better get to work too.”

*^*

The defenders spend the rest of soccer practice working on basics and techniques. While Shinsuke’s jumping ability is impressive, the boy’s dribbling needs work. He also lacks speed and kick-strength, but Ranmaru’s kick strength is also pretty low, so he can’t say too much. They work through various defender drills, and Shinsuke catches on to all of them very quickly. He’s a good defender, though Ranmaru can’t help but feel Shinsuke isn’t meant to be a defender. He doesn’t know what Shinsuke is meant to be, but as good of a defender as Shinsuke is, Ranmaru thinks he could be even better in a different position. His technique and stamina are good, so maybe midfield…? 

Ranmaru shakes his head. He needs to focus on his practice with Shinsuke, not repositioning the boy. He switches to a passing drill and takes note of Shinsuke’s catching skills. If he passes the entrance exam, Shinsuke could be a real asset to the team. Tenma too if what Ranmaru’s seen of his abilities is anything to go on. They finish with a heading drill, and Takuto calls the team back to the bench to dismiss them. 

The team is in better spirits than they were at the start, but Ranmaru knows they still have a ways to go. Takuto dismisses them, and he and Ranmaru walk back to the soccer building together. They have practice after school, and they’ll have to continue working on reuniting the team. That can wait, though, because Ranmaru’s class has a history test later today. As they get ready for class, Ranmaru begins reviewing in his head. He’ll focus on his soccer problems after he aces his history test.

*^*

Chapter Text

*^*

History test taken and energy restored, Ranmaru returns to the locker room to dress for afterschool practice. Practice is just as awkward as it was that morning, but Takuto and Ranmaru make good progress with Tenma and Shinsuke, so Ranmaru tries not to be too bothered. Practice ends, and most of the team leaves, save for Tenma, Shinsuke, Takuto, and Ranmaru. A blue-haired girl is also on the bench. Ranmaru doesn’t recognize her, so he thinks she’s a first year, and if she is, she’s probably here for Tenma and Shinsuke. Ranmaru’s theory is confirmed when the girl waves to Shinsuke and Tenma.

“Hey, Aoi!” Tenma smiles cheerfully and waves back.

“We’re coming. Don’t leave without us!” Shinsuke calls as he also waves.

The first years look at Ranmaru and Takuto respectfully and bow politely. “Thank you so much for your help today, Shindou-senpai, Ranmaru-senpai. We’ll be back tomorrow, and we’ll definitely make the team!” Tenma says as he straightens back up.

“Yeah!” Shinsuke grins. “See you tomorrow!”

Then they’re off, running over to the girl, Aoi apparently, for a moment before dashing up the stairs to the front gate. Takuto is frozen, dumbfounded by the first years’ actions. Ranmaru laughs and punches the captain’s arm lightly. “You like them.”

“I don’t,” Takuto huffs and crosses his arms. “It’s just… They remind me of us when we were first years. Is that strange?”

Ranmaru smiles and places his hands on his hips. “I don’t think so. I can see the resemblance too, but you still like them, right? I know you, Takuto. You wouldn’t have spent two practices working with them if you really didn’t like them.”

“I… Well, maybe you’re right…” Takuto mutters, a blush covering his cheeks. “I don’t want them to end up like us, forced to play Fifth Sector’s soccer, so I keep trying to push them away. But they won’t stay away, and now I’ve started to enjoy their company. It feels selfish dragging them into this, but it also feels selfish pushing them away. I don’t know what to do.”

Takuto’s shoulders sag, and Ranmaru reaches out, placing a gentle hand on the brunette’s shaking shoulder. “That’s alright. Takuto, we’re in Jr. High . I’d be a little worried if you did know how to deal with this. It’ll be fine. We’ll work through this, and I think Tenma and Shinsuke joining the team would be a good first step.”

“It’ll aggravate some of the others, though,” Takuto sighs. “What will we do if they get angry and leave the team?”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Ranmaru hums. They will eventually need to figure something out, but Takuto’s already a nervous mess. If they try to do anything while he’s in this state, nothing good will happen, so they’ll deal with it when he’s calmer. “Besides, if they don’t make it through the try-out, you won’t have anything to worry about. Speaking of which, we have a try-out tomorrow. We should find Coach Kudou and make a plan for tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” Takuto’s shoulders have stopped shaking, and Ranmaru removes his hand, letting it drop to his side. “Let’s go find Coach Kudou.”

*^*

Their search doesn’t take long at all. Despite not showing up at either of the day’s practices, Coach Kudou is sitting stoically on a couch in the soccer building’s entrance hall. He glances at the second years and waves to the open seats at the opposite end of the couch. Takuto and Ranmaru look at each other hesitantly before taking their seats.

“Coach Kudou-” Takuto begins, but he is cut off by the purple-haired man.

“I assume this is about tomorrow’s try-out?” Coach Kudou asks.

“Yes…” Takuto stumbles over his words for a second, startled by his coach’s interruption. “Ranmaru and I wanted to discuss plans for the try-out tomorrow.”

“I’ll handle it. Go home and rest. Neither of you is back to one-hundred percent yet,” their coach states.

“But-” Ranmaru’s rebuttal is halted by Coach Kudou’s raised hand. “Go home. I’ll handle it, and I know about those first years you’ve taken a shine to as well. Everything will be fine. Think of it as my way of thanking you two for leading practice today.”

With that said, Coach Kudou stands up and gestures for the second years to do the same. When Takuto and Ranmaru are standing again, Coach Kudou places a hand on each of their shoulders and gently steers them toward the door. When they’ve left the soccer building, Coach Kudou removes his hands and fixes them with an intense stare.

It’s not until Takuto and Ranmaru are a few meters down the sidewalk that Coach Kudou stops watching them and goes back inside the soccer building. Ranmaru sighs heavily as they walk. “That was weird, right, Takuto?”

“Yes. He’s been absent all day, and then he completely takes over the try-outs? Something happened, but I don’t know what,” Takuto crosses his arms and tugs at his shirt. “He didn’t even let us change.”

“True. He was in a rush to get us out. Come to think of it, I don’t think Tenma or Shinsuke changed either,” Ranmaru hums lazily. As interested as he is in Coach Kudou’s motives, he also trusts the man a great deal, so he won’t pry just yet. Ranmaru has a feeling Fifth Sector is involved somehow, but Ranmaru will only investigate if Coach Kudou becomes suspicious. “I hope they bring their uniforms back tomorrow. It’ll be troublesome if they don’t.”

Takuto nods in agreement. “Are you going home today? You can come over if you want.”

Ranmaru shakes his head. “I’m alright. I feel better, and I need to go home anyway. I have some chores and other things to do. Thanks, though.”

*^*

They part ways when they reach the gate, and Ranmaru is on his own for the first time since yesterday’s game. He stretches his arms over his head as he walks and groans in relief when the tension in his body finally begins to fade. The past two days have been rough, and Ranmaru doesn’t think tomorrow will be much better. As much as he wants to be an optimist, Coach Kudou’s behavior and expressions during their talk had told Ranmaru just how difficult of a position Raimon was in. 

Ranmaru stops in front of his front door and pulls his keys out of his bag. He unlocks the door and steps inside. No one else is home, but that’s not surprising to him. He hurries through his evening routine, taking off his shoes, completing his homework, and cooking dinner. Then he gets ready for bed, showering, changing into pajamas, brushing his teeth, brushing his hair, and falling into bed, exhausted from the day’s events. His sleep is deep and dreamless, and he wakes up the next morning feeling refreshed.

Ranmaru gets ready for school and soccer practice, making sure to put his uniform in his bag, and heads out the door. He walks to school and enters the soccer building early. Only Takuto is there because it’s so early. They exchange a silent greeting and change in the locker room before heading out to the front field to wait for the rest of the team. Tenma and Shinsuke are the next to arrive, waving merrily as they chase each other to the soccer building. Takuto sighs at their antics as Ranmaru waves back to them. 

Sangoku and Amagi arrive. Hayami and Hamano are next, followed by Kurumada. Kurama and Minamisawa also show up, but they refuse to join practice, instead choosing to sulk in the shade of the trees next to the sidewalk. The third years are far from the field, but Ranmaru is fairly sure they can still see the events of their practice. He also thinks that’s why they picked that spot, but he doesn’t want to start any fights, so he keeps quiet. 

Practice runs like it did yesterday: quiet and boring but trouble-free. Takuto still works with Tenma, and Ranmaru still works with Shinsuke. They work the first years hard in preparation for the try-out that afternoon. Neither Takuto nor Ranmaru knows what Coach Kudou will do, so they work with the first years on everything they can think of. By the end of practice, all four boys are tired, but Tenma and Shinsuke are so excited about the try-out that Ranmaru and Takuto swear they feel reenergized just by looking at the duo. 

The team changes into their uniforms, and they head off to class. Ranmaru knows he should pay attention to his teachers, but the try-out afterschool keeps him distracted through all his classes. He barely even notices when the final bell rings, signaling the end of the school day. Takuto places a hand on his shoulder, snapping his out of his trance. They rush to the soccer building to see what Coach Kudou has prepared for the try-out.

The rest of the team has also gathered. Even Kurama and Minamisawa are there, though Kurama is busy glaring a hole into the floor, and Minamisawa looks like he wants to be anywhere but here. The try-out participants are in the center of the cluster of players around Coach Kudou. Ranmaru recognizes Tenma and Shinsuke, but the other three are completely unknown to him. Coach Kudou is about to speak when the soccer building’s door is thrown open, and Tsurugi Kyousuke steps into the room flanked by the chairman and the assistant principal (they’re creeps, and Ranmaru hates them both).

Everyone’s eyes turn to them, and Kyousuke smirks arrogantly. Takuto glares at him, “What do you want?”

“I’m here to join the soccer team,” Kyousuke gives them a false smile.

“That’s right,” the chairman chimes in. “Please give Tsurugi-kun his uniform.”

Otonashi-san passes Takuto a uniform, and Takuto presents it to Kyousuke, teeth clenched in anger. Kyousuke slaps the uniform out of the brunette’s hands and leers as the team gasps in shock. Kyousuke sniggers and leaves the room, his goal accomplished. The chairman and vice-principal follow him, and those left in the room stand in uneasy silence. 

Coach Kudou clears his throat, drawing everyone’s attention, and gives instructions about the try-out. “The try-out will consist of two five-on-five matches. Sangoku will be goalie for both matches. Kurama, Hayami, Hamano, and Kurumada will be on the first team. Minamisawa, Shindou, Amagi, and Kirino will be the second team. You five,” he gestures to the participants, “are responsible for determining your positions. You will play against both teams. Go change and gather on the front field. Dismissed.”

*^*

They follow Coach Kudou’s orders, and soon everyone, even Aoi,  is gathered on the field. The first team gets into position. Sangoku stands in the goal. Kurumada and Hamano are playing defense, and Kurama and Hayami are on offense. Kurama is still angry but the chance to face Tenma head-on has seemingly brightened his mood. The participants’ team is using the same formation. Tenma and a black-haired boy are playing offense. Shinsuke and a redhead are on defense, and a tall blonde is in goal. Coach Kudou blows his whistle, and the game begins. 

Ranmaru doesn’t pay attention to most of the match, only watching when something really impressive happens. Kurama brutally slide tackles Tenma at the start of the match, but Tenma gets him back by gracefully stealing the ball and dribbling up the sideline. Shinsuke has a great block at the end of the game, stopping a shot from Hayami with a high jump. At the last moment, Kurama dribbles past the redhead defender and lets loose a powerful shot. The goalie attempts to stop it but is knocked back into the net by the shot’s power. Coach Kudou blows the whistle to end the first game. 

The first team swaps places with the second team. Kurama looks particularly smug as he takes a seat on the bench. Tenma and Shinsuke are together drinking water before the second game starts. Ranmaru and Amagi are defenders, and Takuto and Minamisawa are forwards. The purple-haired boy still acts uncomfortable around the rest of the team, but hopefully, the game will help him adjust. 

The other players get back in position, and the second game begins. Tenma’s team is immediately outclassed. Between Minamisawa and Takuto’s aggressive attacks and Ranmaru and Amagi’s intense defending, Tenma and Shinsuke’s team can’t do anything. As the game goes on, Takuto becomes even more aggressive. Ranmaru can tell he’s losing himself to his frustrations about Fifth Sector and their soccer, and he’s taking his frustrations out on Tenma and his team. 

Ranmaru wants to intervene, but Takuto’s too far up the field for them to talk without Ranmaru leaving his position, so he’s forced to do nothing. Takuto’s temper tantrum only gets worse as the game progresses. He and Minamisawa’s shots are brutal, and the second team has scored five points already. Takuto steals the ball from Tenma again, his slide so rough it was nearly a foul, as Minamisawa stands back at the half field line. Tenma staggers to the ground but gets back up a second later. Takuto does the same to the other forward and the two defenders, and Shinsuke and Tenma are the only ones to get back up.

This only infuriates Takuto more, and instead of shooting on goal again, Takuto directs his shot at Tenma. The ball slams into Tenma’s stomach, eerily reminiscent of what happened in the match against the Black Knights, and the brunette crumples to the ground. But even after that, Tenma refuses to stay down, standing on shaky legs to face Takuto. Ball at his feet, Takuto’s body tenses, and he looks like he’s ready to shoot at Tenma again. Ranmaru’s had enough. The entire display is ridiculous, and Coach Kudou doesn’t look like he’s intervening anytime soon. 

“Takuto!” Ranmaru shouts, and his best friend’s head whips back to look at him.

Takuto’s eyes are filled with anguish, and he freezes in place. Tenma looks at him hesitantly, and the midfielder tries to steal the ball from the captain. Tenma falters after his second step and crashes to the ground in a heap. Shinsuke shouts in alarm and rushes to Tenma, snapping Takuto out of his daze in the process. Takuto bends down to help Tenma, and Ranmaru also jogs over to the group. Coach Kudou whistles the game to an end, and Takuto and Ranmaru help Tenma to the bench. Aoi brings the midfielder a water bottle, and the team looks to Coach Kudou to learn the try-out’s results. 

Coach Kudou’s gaze is cool as he reveals the results. “Matsukaze, Nishizono, you’re on the team. That’s all.” Tenma and Shinsuke cheer while the other participants slink away from the field. Most of their teammates also leave, either uncomfortable or upset with the results. Ranmaru and Takuto are the only ones to stay. 

“Congrats, guys,” Ranmaru smiles kindly. Tenma and Shinsuke look at him, eyes filled with tears, and that’s all the warning Ranmaru gets before the first years trap him in a tight hug. 

“Thanks so much, Ranmaru-senpai!” Shinsuke cries.

Ranmaru chuckles awkwardly. “It’s nothing guys,” he wiggles, trying to escape their strong hold. “Can you please let me go, though?”

*^*

They quickly release him and rattle off apology after apology. Ranmaru waves them off in favor of finding Takuto. He finds the captain and jogs over to him. “Are you alright?”

Takuto’s fists are clenched, and his face is drawn in a tight frown. “I don’t know,” he sighs, staring intensely at the ground. “I don’t want them to have to play this fake soccer, but they’ve fought me every step of the way, and now they’ve finally won. I guess I’ll have to accept that, but I can’t be happy about it.”

“That’s fair, but now you won’t feel conflicted. They’ve joined the team of their own accord, so if things don’t work out, it won’t be your fault,” Ranmaru reasons, hands swinging lazily at his sides. “You’re their captain, not their parent. You can’t protect them forever.”

Takuto hums thoughtfully. “I should go talk to them.”

“You should,” Ranmaru agrees and gives the brunette a light shove in Tenma and Shinsuke’s direction.

The pair are babbling excitedly with Aoi. Two other girls are standing near them. Ranmaru recognizes the redhead as Seto Midori, a particularly excitable third year. He knows the brunette girl is in his year, he just can’t remember her name. Oh well. He can ask it later if he has to.

Takuto looks embarrassed as he apologizes to the first years. “Tenma, Shinsuke, I’m sorry about earlier. I shouldn’t have acted that way.”

The group looks at Takuto in shock, and the brunette girl lifts the camera around her neck to snap a photo of Takuto’s face. Did she always have that camera?

“It’s fine, Shindou-senpai! Really!” Tenma and Shinsuke sputter together.

“No, it’s not,” Takuto says solemnly.

Ranmaru grins playfully as he chimes in. “If you feel that way, Takuto, maybe you should let them call you by your first name. You call them by theirs, so it’s only fair.”

Takuto glares at him, and Ranmaru smiles innocently. Tenma and Shinsuke’s eyes light up with delight at the suggestion. “Really? You wouldn’t mind?” Tenma asks anxiously.

Takuto shifts in place uncomfortably. “If you want to, that’s fine with me.” 

It is most certainly not fine with him, and Ranmaru laughs silently at his friend’s discomfort. Takuto glares at him again, but Ranmaru doesn’t care. Instead, he turns his focus to the other girls still standing with them. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around the soccer club before. Who are you?” He asks the girls politely. 

The redhead steps forward. “We’re you’re new managers, duh! I’m Seto Midori, and this,” she slaps the brunette lightly on the shoulder, “is Yamana Akane.”

Aoi waves to them sweetly. “I’m Sorano Aoi. It’s nice to meet you.”

“You too,” Ranmaru returns her wave. “I’m Kirino Ranmaru. You can call me Ranmaru if you want, and this is the soccer team’s captain, Shindou Takuto,” he pats his best friend on the shoulder. “You can call him Takuto.”

“Ranmaru!” Takuto squeaks in protest, but the damage has already been done. The girls are giggling at their antics, and Tenma and Shinsuke are grinning wildly. Ranmaru is pleased with his accomplishment. He always had a talent for embarrassing Takuto.

“Nice meeting you guys!” Midori calls, and she and Akane leave the field together.

“We should go too, Tenma, Shinsuke,” Aoi says before she waves goodbye to the second years. “It was nice to meet you, Takuto-senpai and Ranmaru-senpai!” Then she’s gone, disappearing up the stairs with Tenma and Shinsuke chasing after her.

“That went well,” Ranmaru hums as he and Takuto return to the bench to talk with Coach Kudou.

Takuto punches his shoulder lightly as they walk. “You did that on purpose.”

“Of course,” Ranmaru smirks slyly. “ Someone has to embarrass you.”

“I don’t agree with that,” Takuto retorts.

“And I don’t care,” Ranmaru snickers.

Takuto sighs, exasperated, and approaches Coach Kudou. “Coach,” he greets.

“Shindou,” Coach Kudou responds. “What is it?”

Takuto fidgets a bit before finding his words. “Why did you let Tenma and Shinsuke on the team? Their showing during the try-out was poor at best.”

“True enough, but the team needs new players, and those boys have heart,” Coach Kudou explains. “They will improve immensely as they train with the team, so they won’t hold you back.”

That’s all Coach Kudou tells them before walking away silently. Takuto’s fists clench in irritation yet again, and the second years are left on their own. There’s a minute of strained silence between them before Ranmaru finally gets uncomfortable enough to break the silence.

“We should go home,” he says as he picks up his bag from the bench and slings it over his shoulder. He’s still in his soccer uniform, but the defender doesn’t care. He wore it home yesterday anyway, so it’s not too big of a deal.

“Yes, we should,” Takuto also grabs his bag, and the duo heads to the front gate. They stop at the gate, and Takuto looks at him. “You’re going home?”

“Yeah,” Ranmaru says, and he starts to walk his route home. “I’ll see you at practice in the morning. Bye, Takuto!” 

Ranmaru’s walk home is uneventful save for an encounter with a neighborhood cat. The cat, orange and adorably fat, follows him most of the way home. Occasionally, it darts in front of him and rolls onto its back, begging to be petted. Ranmaru obliged and rubs his hands on the cat’s soft belly fur. He waves goodbye to the cat and goes home. His parents are still out, so he does what he needs to and goes to bed.

*^*

The next morning, Ranmaru is at the soccer building with Takuto waiting for the rest of the team. Otonashi-san is there too with the new uniforms she had prepared for Tenma and Shinsuke the night before while Coach Kudou stands silently against the wall. Tenma, Shinsuke, and Aoi join them soon after, but the rest of the team is agonizingly slow. When the team has finally assembled, Otonashi-san presents Tenma and Shinsuke with their proper uniforms.

Tenma takes his uniform gratefully but stares at it in confusion seconds later. “Is this the right uniform? It’s a first team uniform, isn’t it?”

“Don’t worry,” Ranmaru states calmly. “You have the right uniform. The entire second team left along with some of the first team members, so there isn’t much of a point in giving you a second team uniform, is there?” 

“I guess not,” Shinsuke mutters, also visibly surprised by his uniform.

“We should practice,” Takuto says after the first years have settled down, and then the team is off to change and practice.

Practice is the same as before except Coach Kudou is now present. Their practice is intense, and Ranmaru is happy to lose himself in blocking, dribbling, and passing. He swears that Coach Kudou disappears from the bench at some point during practice, but by the time Ranmaru looks back over to the bench, Coach Kudou is still there. Ranmaru brushes it off as nothing important and continues to practice with his team. Tenma and Shinsuke, now fully-fledge members of the soccer club, still have a lot of work to do to catch up with their teammates. Ranmaru and Takuto train them hard to help them catch up. 

Practice draws to a close, and the soccer players prepare for school and classes. Ranmaru pays attention dutifully in each class, unlike yesterday, and soaks in all the information he can. His teachers notice his attentiveness and praise him for it, but the other soccer-playing second years aren’t like him. Takuto is deep in thought, buried so deep in his mind that no one can get his attention. Hayami is extra jittery today, nearly jumping out of his seat anytime someone so much as walks by him. Hamano doesn’t seem too different, but Ranmaru can tell he’s off too. Hamano’s jokes are too fast, and his retorts are too slow.

Ranmaru sighs quietly. His team is a mess. The only functional members are Tenma, Shinsuke, Takuto, and himself, and calling Takuto functional is being generous. Hopefully, Tenma and Shinsuke’s presence will pull his teammates out of their funks, but that’s not guaranteed either. Tenma and Shinsuke may set off Kurama again, and that would splinter the team even further. 

Class ends, and the team gathers in the club room. Coach Kudou is standing in the front of the room with his arms crossed. His eyes are serious, and his mouth is drawn in a grim frown. The team shifts uneasily before taking their seats. Everyone knows Coach Kudou has bad news, but no one wants to ask what it is, so they sit in miserable silence until Coach Kudou finally speaks.

“Everyone,” he begins solemnly, eyes flickering across all their faces, “we have a match tomorrow against Eito. Fifth Sector has issued a score order for the match. 3-0, Raimon loses.”

Raimon is silent for a moment. The soccer players stare at each other and then at their coach, unable to understand what they have just heard. Raimon is silent for a moment longer before Ranmaru finally breaks the silence with a very eloquent and refined question. “What?!”

*^* 

Chapter Text

*^*

Coach Kudou’s announcement sends the team into a frenzy. Hayami wails about how “we’re all going to die!” Kurumada yells variations of “nice knowing you guys” in tandem with Minamisawa’s faint mutterings about what to do with his future. Sangoku is silent, but his arms are crossed tightly, almost defensively, across his chest. Kurama looks like he wants to kill someone, but that’s been his default for the past few days, so Ranmaru isn’t sure what he’s thinking. The rest of the team is somewhere between extreme panic and deep denial with the exceptions of Tenma and Shinsuke, who are, surprisingly, more composed than most of their teammates. Ranmaru is leaning towards panic himself, and he can tell Takuto is internally panicking as well from his blank expression. Kyousuke, who presumably only showed up to see the team’s reaction to the news, smirks in satisfaction.

Coach Kudou coughs loudly to regain everyone’s attention. “That is the order Raimon has received. I have nothing more to say to you. Practice will continue as normal today and tomorrow, so prepare for practice. We will begin in fifteen minutes at the front field. Dismissed.” 

Coach Kudou leaves, but no one moves to follow his orders. Everyone is still in shock, too focused on the score order to do anything else. Eventually, they get dressed and head to the field. Practice passes in a blur but not because it’s enjoyable. Raimon is too dazed to have a meaningful practice, and thankfully, Coach Kudou doesn’t push them to do so. Takuto gets angry at Kyousuke at one point, but the brunette is too distracted to stay mad at the Seed. Kyousuke leaves after that, and practice ends uneventfully. Ranmaru goes home after practice. Takuto doesn’t bother to invite him, knowing the defender needs to go to his own house to clear his head.

Ranmaru returns to school the next morning for practice. It’s a little better than before, but many players are still detached and distracted. Tenma and Shinsuke are the only ones completely focused on practice. Even Ranmaru and Takuto are still thinking about the upcoming match and score order, though practicing with the first years does force them to focus more than they would otherwise. 

By the end of practice, Ranmaru still hasn’t decided what he’s going to do. He hates the score order and wants to ignore it, but doing so might hurt his teammates and their futures. Ranmaru couldn’t dream of doing anything like that to his friends, but Tenma and Shinsuke seem determined to fight Fifth Sector, and Ranmaru has an obligation to them too, being his younger teammates. 

Technically, Shinsuke hasn’t said anything about his feelings on the matter, but based on his observations of the short boy and his friendship with Tenma, Ranmaru is fairly sure where Shinsuke’s feelings lie. The varying opinions of his teammates make Ranmaru feel suffocated. No matter which option he picks, someone he cares about will be unhappy, so he can’t bring himself to make a decision. But being unable to make a decision also feels suffocating. There’s nothing good about the situation, and Ranmaru is keenly aware of this frustrating fact.

School begins and ends in no time at all. Ranmaru is too nervous about the game to properly absorb anything, so he’ll have to make up for it with his studying eventually if he doesn’t want his grades to drop. At the end of the day, the soccer team meets in the soccer building. Coach Kudou sends them off to the locker room, instructing them to change and prep for the game. The team does as he says, and soon they are at the stadium, standing on the field for warm-ups. They halfheartedly run through the drills and gather at the bench for instructions and the line-up. 

Coach Kudou uses the same line-up as before but swaps Mizumori for Tenma and Kosaka for Shinsuke. Kyousuke sits on the bench with the managers and Coach Kudou, indifferent to everything around him. Eito’s players get in position, and the game is set to begin. Most of Raimon’s players are visibly tense and uncomfortable. The only ones who look ready to play soccer are the first years, but that’s not too surprising considering their attitudes yesterday. While Takuto was undecided yesterday, his body language today cements his decision. Takuto will not fight the score order. He, like most of their team, has decided it would be better to obey Fifth Sector and not cause any more trouble. 

Deep down, Ranmaru expected this, but it’s still frustrating to see. Takuto’s decision also forces Ranmaru’s hand in a way. With the captain deciding to obey Fifth Sector, Ranmaru has no excuse to rebel. The only support he’d have would be Tenma and Shinsuke, and as much as he likes them, they hold little influence in the school. Ranmaru wouldn’t be surprised if they just threw the two off the team to suppress any potential rebellion, and Ranmaru can’t get caught up in that. He needs to finish school, and he needs to stay on the soccer team. They’re the only things keeping him centered right now, and he can’t afford to lose them.

His decision is made, then. He won’t fight the score order. He’ll be a good little defender and let Eito’s forwards keep the ball even when he could steal it with his eyes closed. He hates it so much, but it’s all he can do for now. The game begins with Eito’s kick-off, and it doesn’t take them long to score. The shot isn’t too powerful, and Sangoku could have stopped easily with Burning Catch. But Sangoku doesn’t because he too is obeying the score order. 

Tenma and Shinsuke are frustrated by Raimon’s lack of participation in the game. Tenma babbles about real soccer and “making soccer sad,” whatever that means. His speech changes nothing, and most of Raimon’s players refuse to do anything during the match. Instead of trying to encourage them again, Tenma uses a different tactic. He and Shinsuke try to bring the ball up the field by themselves, and they get pretty far before a midfielder slide-tackles Tenma, stealing the ball and sending it to a forward.

The forward dribbles up, and Hamano intercepts him, though he fails to steal the ball. Kurumada also faces the forward, but he gives in and obeys Fifth Sector, letting the forward pass him without much of a fight. The forward shoots, and this time the shot is stronger. Sangoku still could have stopped the shot, but he doesn’t, letting the ball zoom past him into the net. The score is now 2-0, and the first half ends quietly.

*^*

Halftime begins, and Raimon gathers at their bench. Tenma and Shinsuke are still upset with Raimon’s subservience to Fifth Sector but still try to convince the team to play real soccer. Coach Kudou says nothing, and neither does the rest of the team. The atmosphere is heavy and suffocating. The only person pleased with the current events seems to be Kyousuke, who is sitting silently on the bench, eyes glinting smugly. Tenma and Shinsuke are approached by Kurama and Minamisawa, and Ranmaru knows the conversation won’t go well. His lips curl into a deep frown, gaze dropping to the ground. He doesn’t know if he can handle facing his teammates right now, especially not Takuto, Tenma, or Shinsuke. 

He returns to his position on the field without a word. The other older defenders see him go and are quick to join him. Sangoku follows them too. They don’t speak to each other, but none of them are happy. Amagi’s face is stoic and cold, but his eyes are downcast and longing. Kurumada is uncharacteristically silent, but dissatisfaction blazes coldly in his dark eyes. Sangoku tries his best to look aloof and uncaring, but his face falters when he looks at his teammates and their playing. None of them want this, but they aren’t confident enough to face Fifth Sector and the rest of their team, so they wait silently for the second half to begin.

The rest of the players on both teams take their positions, and the second half starts. With minutes, Eito has broken through Raimon’s defenses and scored yet another goal. With the score order complete, Ranmaru thinks they’ll back off. Eito has a reputation for being one of Fifth Sector’s most loyal followers, which is one of the reasons why they win as much as they do. Ranmaru doesn’t doubt that if Raimon and Eito faced each other in a real game, Raimon would win with no trouble at all, but that’s no what’s happening. Fifth Sector has skewed the game in Eito’s favor, and they know it. 

Saewatari, Eito’s captain and the one who had just scored their third goal, smirks at Takuto condescending as he returns to his position. “Raimon’s pathetic, you know. If you hadn’t caused Fifth Sector trouble, they might have given you a better score order. I guess I shouldn’t complain, though. After all, it’s because of you , Shindou Takuto, that Eito gets to win this match.” The Eito midfielder laughs haughtily as he walks away.

Ranmaru hates to admit it, but Saewatari is technically correct, and Takuto knows that too. The brunette has balled his fists and is glaring at the field. Ranmaru wants to talk to him, but the whistle blows, and the game resumes before he can. Tenma and Shinsuke are still trying their best against Eito, though they are significantly less energetic than before. Ranmaru knows that’s because of the chat they had with Kurama and Minamisawa, and he’s shocked the third years were able to say something to dissuade the first years in the slightest. They must have learned about the risks the club will face if they fight Fifth Sector, like disbandment. 

Tenma blocks a pass from an Eito midfielder with his body and tries to pass to Takuto. Takuto ignores it, and the pass is intercepted by Saewatari. With the score order complete, he has no reason to try to score again, so he kicks the ball back to one of his teammates. Tenma blocks the pass again and passes to Takuto again. It’s a pathetic display, but no one attempts to stop it. Shinsuke joins in too, and the first years desperately try to reach their distant captain. Takuto is stubborn, though, and refuses to have any involvement with the first years’ passes. 

It’s petty and ridiculous, but Takuto can’t bring himself to face Fifth Sector, and neither can his teammates. Ranmaru keeps waiting for the half to end, but it just keeps going. Tenma and Shinsuke keep passing, and Takuto keeps avoiding their passes. It’s upsetting, and eventually, Ranmaru just can’t watch it anymore.

“Takuto!” He shouts to his captain.

Takuto jolts and turns to the defender hesitantly. Ranmaru looks back at him, eyes blazing with anger and rebellion. Takuto turns away and looks at the faces of the first years instead, watching their unwavering determination and dedication. Takuto’s fists finally unfurl, relaxing against his side calmly for the first time since the game began, and Tenma passes the ball to him again. This time, though, Takuto doesn’t avoid it. The pass connects beautifully, and Takuto makes a powerful shot, using the momentum of the ball to strengthen it even further. 

The ball flies past Eito’s unsuspecting players, zooming toward their goal. Kageura, Eito’s blond goalie, attempts to stop the shot with Moonsault Stamp, but his hissatsu fails. The shot knocks him into the net, and Raimon scores their first goal. The score order is officially broken, and Ranmaru is happy, even though he will most likely come to regret it later. Tenma and Shinsuke are ecstatic, hugging each other happily, but the rest of Raimon remains frozen, unable to comprehend what has just happened. Ranmaru is the only one to move, approaching Takuto as the midfielder returns to his position. Takuto stops, and they share a single glance before Ranmaru turns around and goes to his position. 

The whistle blows to continue the match, but it is followed by another whistle seconds later, signaling the end of the game. Raimon lines up and shakes hands with Eito silently before returning to their bench. The managers, especially Midori, congratulate Tenma and Takuto on their goal, but Takuto darts away from her, leaving only Tenma and Shinsuke to celebrate with the managers. Coach Kudou sends the team to the locker room, but Takuto doesn’t join them. Instead, at Coach Kudou’s request, he remains at the bench with the purple-haired man. 

*^*

The remaining players enter the locker room and start to change, talking quietly amongst themselves. Ranmaru sits on one of the benches between the lockers instead. He sets his hands in his lap, balling them into fists and staring at them intently. He can’t bring himself to look at his teammates right now. He doesn’t want to see their agonized expressions and disappointed eyes, so he continues to stare at his hands and lap like they’re the most interesting things in the world. No one talks to him for a while until suddenly someone does. 

“Are you alright, Kirino-kun?” Hayami asks softly, voice weak but sincere. 

Ranmaru lifts his head to respond because looking at someone when you speak is the polite thing to do, and Ranmaru is a naturally courteous person. As soon as he looks at Hayami and the rest of his teammates, though, his eyes begin to water. He opens his mouth to speak, but no words come out. Instead, tears pool in his eyes and begin to slowly drip down his face. He tries to speak again, but only a miserable, weak sob comes out.

“Kirino...” Sangoku says gently. He abandons his bag, which he was attempting to organize, and sits beside the defender, wrapping an arm around Ranmaru’s shoulder.

This only makes the tears flow faster, and soon Ranmaru is sobbing in earnest in front of most of his teammates. Ranmaru curls in on himself as he cries, too embarrassed by his current behavior to look at his friends. Sangoku adjusts his hold so he can give the defender a side-hug. Hayami also hugs him lightly, followed by Hamano rubbing his shoulder in small, soft circles. 

Kurumada kneels and takes Ranmaru’s wrist into a reassuring hold. Amagi comes up, and Hayami and Sangoku shift to give him space as he pulls his fellow defender into a tight hug. The rest of the team, even Kurama and Minamisawa, comfort Ranmaru too, offering hugs or gentle touches to the distraught defender.

Ranmaru cries for what seems like forever, though it can’t possibly be more than a few minutes. It’s still more than he’s cried in a while, so he feels like it’s alright if he cries for a little longer. When his tears finally stop falling, he lifts his head to look at his teammates, sniffling away any more tears teardrops trying to escape. His eyes have reddened, and wet tear tracts still streak down his cheeks. He feels better, though, lighter and calmer.

His friends are still gathered around him, heads lowered and eyes closed, attempting to make him feel less embarrassed. It works well enough, and Ranmaru leans into Amagi and Sangoku’s embraces, comforted by the warmth and gentle touches. “Thanks, guys,” he murmurs, voice rough from crying.

No one responds, but they don’t need to. They stay together for another moment before separating, though they still stay close to Ranmaru. Sangoku, because he is totally a team mom, is the first to check on Ranmaru’s wellbeing.

“Are you alright, Kirino?” He asks. “What was that?”

“I…” Ranmaru isn’t sure how to respond, and he doesn’t know if he can tell his team. But Sangoku’s worried gaze makes him feel guilty, so he decides to at least try. “It’s all this stuff with Fifth Sector. I just… don’t know what to do?”

“What do you mean, Kirino-kun?” Hayami’s voice isn’t anywhere near as powerful or compelling as Sangoku’s, but Ranmaru welcomes it anyway.

“I don’t know what to do,” Ranmaru says as he looks around at his teammates. “I don’t like Fifth Sector. I don’t want to listen to them, but if I don’t, something might happen to you guys, and I just can’t…”

Ranmaru’s voice fails, but Hamano picks up the conversation for him. “I totally get it. I hate Fifth Sector and their soccer. I hate it so much!”

“Me too!” Kurumada shouts his agreement in true Kurumada-fashion. “But I feel kinda bad. I had no idea all this Fifth Sector stuff upset you so much, Kirino.”

“It’s fine. It’s not your job to look after me.” As Ranmaru says that, he realizes it’s the wrong thing to say from the looks on his teammates’ faces.

“I can’t believe you!” Kurama hisses, and Ranmaru jumps at his hostile tone. “It’s not our job?! We’re your teammates, Kirino! Of course it’s our job to look after you!”

Minamisawa jumps in next, voice smooth and even. “That’s true. Teammates look after each other, don’t they Sangoku?”

It’s a low blow, bringing Sangoku into the conversation like that, but Ranmaru guesses he deserves it for his stupidity. Sangoku seems to think this too and wastes no time in reprimanding Ranmaru. “Very true, Minamisawa. Kirino, we’re here for you, you know. You can come to us anytime you’re feeling upset. You should know that.”

“I do. I swear I do. I just feel bad burdening you with my problems,” Ranmaru confesses. “You all have a plenty to worry about without adding my troubles on top of that.”

“I had no idea you were such a martyr, Kirino,” Amagi says. “It’s alright to talk to people about your problems. We can’t all be as cool and stoic as Coach Kudou.”

A small smile settles on Ranmaru’s face. “I guess you’re right.”

“That’s good because we are,” Sangoku smiles and pats Ranmaru’s shoulder reassuringly. “Get dressed. Coach Kudou will want us at the bench soon.”

*^*

Ranmaru takes Sangoku’s advice and changes into his school uniform before heading to the bench where Coach Kudou and the others are waiting. Takuto, Tenma, and Shinsuke are still in their soccer uniforms, but no one mentions it. Coach Kudou doesn’t have much to say and dismisses them a moment later.

Takuto and the first years go to the locker room to change, and Ranmaru realizes he’d left his bag in the locker room. He enters the locker room and retrieves his bag, intending to leave, but when he sees the downcast look on Takuto’s face, he decides to stay. The first years change quickly and leave without much fuss.

“Bye, Ranmaru-senpai, Takuto-senpai! See you tomorrow!” Tenma calls as he and Shinsuke leave the room.

“Bye, Tenma, Shinsuke,” Ranmaru calls back.

Takuto says nothing, and Ranmaru turns his attention to the silent brunette on the bench. “Do you mind if I stay over tonight? I’m tired, and I think we need to talk.”

“Fine,” Takuto responds, voice low and exhausted.

Takuto changes, and they leave the stadium and go to Takuto’s house. They don’t talk in the end, but that’s alright. Ranmaru knows Takuto is going through a lot at the moment, and it’s partially Ranmaru’s fault too, so he gives Takuto space. They eat and get ready for bed without speaking. It’s only when they crawl into bed that Ranmaru has finally worked up enough nerve to say something.

“It’s alright, you know, making that shot. No one’s mad at you,” he whispers to the brunette’s back.

Takuto huffs wordlessly and rolls over to look at Ranmaru. “You don’t know that.”

“I do,” Ranmaru reassures warmly. “We talked in the locker room while you were with Coach Kudou. They’re not mad at you. If anything, they’re mad at Fifth Sector.”

“Really?” Takuto whispers in disbelief.

Ranmaru smiles kindly at his best friend. “Really, so there’s no reason for you to blame yourself. Everyone’s scared right now, so they might seem upset, but they just don’t know how to deal with their feelings.”

“I think I understand,” Takuto sighs and lays on his back, resting his head on the soft pillow behind him.

“Good. I think I do too,” Ranmaru hums lightly and turns onto his side. “Goodnight, Takuto.”

Takuto yawns deeply and shuts his eyes. “Goodnight, Ranmaru.”

*^*

When Ranmaru finally wakes up, it’s well past ten o’clock. He doesn’t realize it at first, too busy with blinking the sleep out of his eyes and pulling himself out of bed. He stands up and sleepily walks to the dresser. He pulls out a uniform and puts it on. He folds his pajamas and puts them away with a yawn. He lifts his arms over his head and stretches, looking around the room. Takuto isn’t in the room, so he’s probably in the dining room eating breakfast. Ranmaru stumbles out of the bedroom and goes to the dining room.

Takuto is indeed there, sitting in his normal seat with an empty plate in front of him. He’s fiddling with his phone, which is odd, but after everything that happened yesterday, Ranmaru’s willing to let it slide. He takes the seat across from Takuto, and the brunette jumps when he notices the defender.

“Ranmaru!” He yelps, nearly dropping his phone in shock. “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” Ranmaru returns pleasantly. “What’s for breakfast?”

Takuto smiles and calls to the family chef, who appears moments later with a tray filled with food. Ranmaru takes it gratefully and thanks the chef before he starts eating. Takuto is silent, still messing with his phone absently. Ranmaru finishes his meal, and the chef returns to take both of their trays. 

“We should get going. We don’t want to be late,” Ranmaru says as he gets up from his chair.

“Don’t bother. We already are,” Takuto says airily, and Ranmaru recoils in shock.

“What?! What time is it?” Ranmaru exclaims as he searches for a clock.

Takuto looks at his phone screen. “Past ten. My parents called the school and let them know we wouldn’t be coming today.”

“Really?” Ranmaru raises his eyebrow, suspicious of his friend’s words.

“Yes. We are both sick today. The team knows too.”

Ranmaru sighs at Takuto’s nonchalant attitude. “We can’t just skip school whenever we feel like it, Takuto.”

“I know, and we’re not. Yesterday was an extremely taxing ordeal, and my parents thought we both needed a day to recover.”

Ranmaru crosses his arms, not fully satisfied. “What about the team? We should at least go see them during afterschool practice. We owe them that much.”

“That’s fine, but we’ll stay here and rest until then,” Takuto agrees. “Sangoku told me something earlier, and I think you should know.”

“What is it? I’m guessing it’s not good.”

“Coach Kudou was fired, and Fifth Sector sent us a new coach. The team is meeting him today,” Takuto explains.

Ranmaru nods. While he is sad, doing something like that is pretty inline with Fifth Sector’s behavior up to this point, so it’s not super surprising. “Then we definitely need to go to practice later.” 

“Agreed, but we still have some time until then, so we should relax while we can. Come to the music room. I have some new pieces to play for you and some new songs for you to look at.”

“And by that, you mean sing them, right?” 

“Yes.”

“Fine. It’s not like we have much else to do, and I haven’t sung anything in a while.”

“Let’s go. I think you’ll enjoy some of them. I got some with different styles, so you can try those out and see if you like them.”

“Sounds good. Thank you.”

“Of course. Now let’s stop talking and go to the music room.”

“Right.”

*^*

A few hours later, Takuto and Ranmaru leave Takuto’s house to see the team during afterschool practice. They arrive at the front field, but no one is there. 

Ranmaru sighs, “Where could they be?”

Takuto shrugs, “Are there any other soccer fields in town?”

“There’s one by the riverbank, I think,” Ranmaru hums.

“We’ll check there first, then,” Takuto nods to himself, and the duo begins their walk to the riverbank.

They’re walking on the bridge near the riverbank when they finally spot Raimon’s team. Kyousuke is missing, but the rest of their teammates are on the soccer field. Otonashi-san and the managers are also present, but Ranmaru’s focus is drawn to the unfamiliar man also standing on the field with the team. He has tanned skin and brown hair held in place with an orange headband. Ranmaru recognizes him, but he can’t recall the man’s name. Takuto does though and gasps. “Endou Mamoru!”

Endou Mamoru, famous goalkeeper and Raimon alum. No wonder Ranmaru recognized him. He was a legend all across Japan but especially in Inazuma Town and Raimon, where he rose to fame. “He’s our new coach, then?”

“I guess so,” Takuto says, “but why would Fifth Sector send him?”

Ranmaru shrugs lazily. “Who knows. It’s Fifth Sector. Nothing they do makes much sense, to be honest. Come on. We should go see the team and introduce ourselves to him. Make a good impression and all that.”

Takuto rolls his eyes. “You’re way too relaxed about this, but you’re right. Let’s go.”

They walk to the end of the bridge and run down to the field. The team is doing some sort of shooting drill, and everyone is doing well. Even the defenders and midfielders make strong and accurate kicks into the net. Ranmaru wonders if he and Takuto will be asked to join. Neither of them is in their soccer uniforms. Takuto is in his casual clothes, and Ranmaru is still wearing his school uniform. The team doesn’t notice them at first, too preoccupied with their drill.

Tenma is the last to complete the drill, and he goes to kick the ball confidently. Only to miss the net entirely and fall onto his back. Ranmaru stifles a laugh, and Takuto sighs at the boy’s antics. Tenma gets back on his feet and looks around the field. His eyes find Takuto and Ranmaru and he gasps loudly.

“Takuto-senpai! Ranmaru-senpai! You’re here!”

Tenma’s announcement causes the rest of the team and Endou Mamoru to look at the two. “I thought you guys were sick,” Sangoku eyes them skeptically.

“Sangoku, Coach Kudou is gone. We couldn’t just stay at home,” Ranmaru explains.

Sangoku sighs and nods. “Fair enough. Just don’t push yourselves. Neither of you has any sense of self-preservation.”

“That’s true,” mutters Amagi, and the rest of the team nods in agreement.

Takuto huffs at his team’s behavior and looks at Endou, who had silently watched the team’s exchange. “I’m Shindou Takuto, Raimon’s captain.”

“And I’m Kirino Ranmaru. Nice to meet you,” Ranmaru finishes.

Endou grins, and it’s a bit weird to Ranmaru to see a coach smile. He can count the number of times Coach Kudou smiled on one hand with ease, but he can tell from Endou’s smile and body language that their experiences with him will be quite different compared to Coach Kudou.

“Nice to meet you too! I’m Endou Mamoru, your new coach,” he smiles warmly. “Welcome to practice! I’m glad you two came.”

“Thanks,” Takuto says, but the captain is still uneasy, as is the rest of Raimon. 

Coach Endou may be nice, but he was sent by Fifth Sector, so they all have unspoke doubts about him. They’re still hurting from the loss of Coach Kudou, and they don’t want to get too attached to Coach Endou and risk getting hurt again. Even if everyone participated in the drill, Ranmaru can tell they have reservations about practice and won’t participate fully until they’re addressed. 

Ranmaru groans internally. That’s another thing for him to handle, then. Even if his teammates want to fight Fifth Sector, they’ll still have to warm up to Coach Endou before they can make any real progress, and based on the level of hostility in the team at the moment, that could take a while. Well, at least he won’t be bored.

*^*

Chapter Text

*^*

The next day is relatively peaceful and boring compared to the previous few days. Hayami, Hamano, and Kurama constantly grumble about the new coach and fighting Fifth Sector, but no matter how many times they threaten to leave the club, they never do. The highlight of the day by far was Midori’s attempt to punch Hayami after he’d made a particularly negative remark about the team’s future. Takuto also tried to talk to the team, but his indecisive words only made his teammates angrier, so when Tenma and Shinsuke suggested Takuto and Ranmaru train with them at the riverbank, Ranmaru dragged him out of the room with barely a second thought.

Ranmaru and Shinsuke practice on their own while Tenma badgers Takuto about fighting Fifth Sector. The defenders work on Shinsuke’s heading and jumping skills, and Ranmaru has to admit that they are far superior to his own, though Shinsuke lacks the knowledge of when to properly use his skills in games. They work for a few more minutes before Ranmaru has a flash of inspiration. He traps the ball and brings it to a stop as he looks at the short defender.

“Shinsuke,” he calls, “do you want to make a hissatsu?”

Shinsuke freezes and blinks in confusion. “With you, Ranmaru-senpai?”

Ranmaru laughs a bit before responding. “I meant your own hissatsu, but if you want to make one with me, we can work on that too later.”

“That sounds great!” Shinsuke exclaims happily. “What should I do?”

“Well,” Ranmaru crosses his arms as he thinks. “It should incorporate your jumping skills or heading skills, and since your a defender, a block hissatsu would be useful. I guess you could make it a long-shot hissatsu too if your kick strength is high enough.”

Shinsuke thinks for a moment, swaying back and forth mindlessly. “I don’t know what to choose… What type of hissatsus do you have, Ranmaru-senpai?”

“I have a few. The one most of the team talks about is “The Mist.” It’s a block hissatsu I use pretty often,” Ranmaru explains.

“That sounds cool!” Shinsuke bounces on his toes in excitement. “I want something like that! Can I block a ball with my jumping?”

“Let’s give it a try,” Ranmaru says as he kicks the ball at his feet forward, dribbling towards Shinsuke.

Shinsuke jumps into the air above Ranmaru and crashes down in front of him, but instead of stealing the ball, Shinsuke stumbles from the impact, allowing Ranmaru to easily dribble around him. They repeat the process, and Shinsuke improves with every attempt. Behind them, Ranmaru can distantly hear Takuto and Tenma facing off. Tenma keeps trying to convince Takuto to play real soccer, and Takuto keeps yelling and crying about “captain responsibilities.” Ranmaru sighs. He hopes they can work it out on their own. He doesn’t want to get involved with those two at the moment.

Shinsuke continues to work on his hissatsu, and at times, Ranmaru swears he can see faint outlines of hissatsu energy. Finally, around his twentieth attempt, Shinsuke succeeds in performing his first hissatsu.

“Bounce Guard!” Shinsuke shouts as he leaps into the air. He crashes to the ground in front of Ranmaru, shining with hissatsu energy, and his energy takes the form of a rabbit as he steals the ball from the pink-haired defender in an elegant leap.

Ranmaru grins at Shinsuke, who is completely dumbfounded by his success. “Nice job, Shinsuke! That’s a great hissatsu technique!”

Shinsuke blushes a bit and laughs shyly. “Thanks, Ranmaru-senpai! I couldn’t have done it without your help.”

“We should show Takuto and Tenma too. They’ll be so excited.” Or, at least, Tenma will. With Takuto in one of his mood-swing funks, Ranmaru has no idea how he’ll feel. 

“Yeah! Let’s go!” Shinsuke grabs Ranmaru’s hand and pulls him towards the other two. Ranmaru has to lean down a bit for Shinsuke to do this, but he doesn’t mind. It’s kind of cute, seeing his underclassman so excited about a hissatsu. It reminds him of his time in on the second team a little, actually, but he can reminisce later. He has a moody Takuto to deal with.

“Tenma!” Shinsuke shouts, releasing Ranmaru’s hand so he can wave to the brunette. “I have a hissatsu technique now!”

Tenma grins widely and beacons them over to where he is still challenging Takuto. The younger brunette looks a bit beaten up, but he’s still extremely energetic, so Ranmaru isn’t too worried. Takuto’s mood seems to have worsened, though, so the defender will have to watch that and make sure his friend doesn’t do something too stupid. 

“Shinsuke, show me your hissatsu! I’ve been working on one too, but it’s not ready yet,” Tenma explains as he settles the ball he and Takuto had been using earlier at his feet. “Maybe you can help me.”

“Yeah! Are you ready, Tenma? Here I come!” Shinsuke yells and charges at the midfielder. “Bounce Guard!”

Shinsuke steals the ball from Tenma easily, and Tenma grins merrily, chattering about “how cool” Shinsuke’s hissatsu was. Ranmaru laughs at their silly behavior, but he keeps his eye on Takuto, who is still glowering at Tenma. Shinsuke passes the ball back to Tenma and instructs him to work on his hissatsu. Ranmaru and Takuto stay out of their way as the two work hard to improve.

“They’re getting a lot better, aren’t they,” Ranmaru states mildly. “Are you impressed?”

Takuto looks away stubbornly, and Ranmaru huffs at his antics. “I’ve already told you what happened with Eito wasn’t your fault. Why are you still so upset?”

Takuto scowls at the ground. “I know that, but what about Coach Kudou? My shot got him fired, and now the team is even more divided than before. I can’t just deny responsibility…”

“True, but you wallowing around like this isn’t helping anyone. What the team needs right now is a strong captain to unite and guide them,” Ranmaru declares. “I know you can be that captain. I’ve seen you do it before, and Raimon needs you to do it again.”

Takuto doesn’t reply, but he lifts his eyes to look at his practicing underclassmen instead of the ground. Ranmaru gives his shoulder a shove and calls to Shinsuke. “Hey, Shinsuke! Can you come here? I need to talk to you about something.”

*^*

Takuto and Shinsuke switch places, and Ranmaru hopes Tenma’s undying optimism and dedication will help Takuto come to his senses. Ranmaru and Shinsuke talk at length about Bounce Guard and potential combination hissatsu. Most of what they come up with is wild and ridiculous. One particularly stupid idea involved Ranmaru throwing Shinsuke like a track-and-field hammer and kicking the ball up for Shinsuke to shoot the ball. Shinsuke suggests they call it “Hammer Shot.” Ranmaru suggests they forget the idea entirely. 

By the time they stop discussing hissatsus, Tenma has made good progress on his hissatsu despite Takuto’s extreme reluctance to face him. Tenma’s progress has irritated Takuto even more if the look on his face is any indication. Tenma tries to dribble past his captain again, but Takuto roughly shoves him to the ground as he takes the ball.

Ranmaru winces at the rough treatment, but Tenma jumps right back up without complaint and tries again. This time, though, something’s different. Maybe Takuto’s rough play sparked something, or maybe it’s just the right time, but when Tenma tries to dribble past Takuto, instead of losing the ball, a green gust of wind gathers around him. He sidesteps the other midfielder with ease as he calls out “Soyokaze Step!” Tenma darts past Takuto as the captain is carried away on another gust of wind. Takuto lands ungracefully, sprawled on the ground. Ranmaru thinks he can see tears in his eyes, and he hopes Takuto doesn’t start crying here and now. He could cry later because Ranmaru really didn’t want to deal with explaining Takuto’s fragile emotional state to Tenma and Shinsuke right now.

The other defender doesn’t notice anything and voices his excitement for Tenma. “Tenma!” Shinsuke cheers.

Ranmaru joins in with him once he’s sure Takuto won’t burst into tears at any moment. “Good work, Tenma!”

“Thanks, Shinsuke, Ranmaru-senpai!” Tenma walks over to where Takuto is still sitting on the ground and offers a friendly hand. “And thank you, too, Takuto-senpai! I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Takuto sighs and takes the younger midfielder’s hand without complaint, wiping the tears from his eyes with his other hand. When he’s on his feet, the two defenders join them. Ranmaru raises an eyebrow, and Takuto sighs for the second time before complying with Ranmaru’s silent order. “You’re welcome, Tenma, but it was you who did all the hard work. Learning a hissatsu isn’t easy, but you two both learned one today.”

“Captain!” Shinsuke and Tenma cry as they engulf Takuto in a tight hug. Ranmaru laughs and makes no move to help his best friend. Takuto glares at him, but Ranmaru shrugs mischievously. This is Takuto’s punishment for his earlier behavior. Takuto huffs and surrenders himself to the first years’ embrace. When they finally pull apart, Takuto looks half-dead, and Ranmaru is thoroughly enjoying himself.

“You did work hard today, so I think you deserve a reward of some kind,” Ranmaru smiles at the first years while Takuto sobs silently. “What do you want?”

“Well…” Tenma leans back on his heels as he thinks. 

“Um…” Shinsuke presses a hand to his cheek.

They look at each other, and their eyes light up. They whip around to face their upperclassmen, practically radiating excitement. “Hissatsu techniques!” They shout. “We want to see your hissatsu techniques!”

Ranmaru and Takuto share a look. It’s not as bad as it could be, so Ranmaru’s willing. Takuto is less so, but Ranmaru’s intense stare helps him make up his mind.

“Alright,” Takuto agrees reluctantly. “Which ones?”

“Fortissimo!” Tenma cheers, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“And The Mist! They’re both so cool!” A bright smile stretches across Shinsuke’s happy face.

“I think we can handle that,” Ranmaru hums pleasantly. “Want me to go first?”

“Yes!” His underclassmen cry.

Tenma passes a ball to Takuto, who begins to dribble up to Ranmaru. Ranmaru strides forward easily. “The Mist!” He lifts his arm, and a cloud of mist forms around him and Takuto. Takuto stops, head whipping around in confusion. Ranmaru locates the ball and darts forward through the mist. He steals the ball from Takuto’s feet easily and dashes away from Takuto, who is still trapped in the misty cloud. 

Ranmaru stops and passes the ball to Takuto once the mist has faded. Takuto dribbles towards the far goal. “Fortissimo!” He jumps up with the ball a little, and a staff covered with musical notes surround the ball. Takuto gives the ball a powerful kick, and the ball glows blue as it zooms into the net.

Takuto retrieves the ball and shoots Ranmaru a pointed look. Ranmaru smirks in response. Tenma and Shinsuke run up to them, jabbering enthusiastically about the hissatsus they’d just seen. Ranmaru’s a little overwhelmed by the two’s exuberance, but he doesn’t let it show. He elbows Takuto’s side, and the two of them join in the conversation.

“Hey, everyone!” A voice calls, interrupting the group’s aimless chattering.

They freeze and look around for who called out to them. After a moment, Ranmaru’s eyes settle on a very familiar figure. Coach Endou walks towards them waving amiably. They stare at him silently, too stunned to say anything.

Coach Endou doesn’t seem to mind and starts talking for them. “Those were great hissatsus! They’ll be put to good use in our next match. I can tell!”

The group stares at each other awkwardly, not sure what to say. Eventually, Ranmaru opens his mouth. “Next match?”

“We’ll play Tengawara two days from now,” Coach Endou explains. “It’s good to see Raimon has some players who will play real soccer. I’ll be counting on you a lot in the match.”

“Of course!” Tenma and Shinsuke shout as Ranmaru glances at Takuto. Takuto pauses before giving Ranmaru a slight nod, finally ready to be Raimon’s captain again. “Yes, coach,” they say together, and Coach Endou flashes them a bright smile before he walks away.

They stand around for a few minutes before they finally decide to go home. After the surprisingly exhausting day, Ranmaru decides it’s better to stay with Takuto again instead of going home to an empty house. His parents will be home tomorrow, so he’ll definitely have to go home then. Ranmaru and Takuto wave goodbye to their underclassmen before they return to Takuto’s house. Things had gone fairly well today, and Ranmaru hopes the trend will continue for the coming days, though with Fifth Sector’s involvement, nothing could be certain.

*^*

The next day doesn’t go as well as Ranmaru had hoped it would. The rest of Raimon is still distant, but Takuto has regained his confidence as their captain and gathers them for practice despite their reluctance. Practice is half-hearted and awkward, and Coach Endou’s presence only makes it worse. Most of the team won’t even look at him, let alone obey his orders. The ones who listen still feel disconnected from Coach Endou and are uncomfortable with his directions.

Morning practice ends, and school goes much better than practice, as sad as that is. The atmosphere when afterschool practice begins is abysmal. Minamisawa and Kurama are uncooperative, and Hayami and Hamano exist in their own bubble. Amagi and Kurumada are trying, but their attachment to Coach Kudou makes it difficult for them to accept Coach Endou. Takuto, Ranmaru, Tenma, Shinsuke, and, surprisingly, Sangoku are the only ones practicing seriously. Ranmaru isn’t sure how or when Sangoku joined their little group, but Ranmaru has a sneaking suspicion that Tenma has something to do with it. Throughout practice, Tenma and Sangoku talk with each other like they’ve known each other for years despite barely speaking since Tenma joined the team.

Ranmaru doesn’t particularly care about how Sangoku joined them, and he welcomes the goalkeeper’s involvement wholeheartedly. They’ve always gotten along. They bonded over the burdens of keeping their teammates alive and out of trouble and have been good friends ever since. With Sangoku, they now have five players for the upcoming match, which is better than expected, especially with the bonus of Sangoku being a goalkeeper. They might just stand a chance after all.

Coach Endou closes practice with news about the Tengawara game. “Tomorrow, we will play Tengawara. Fifth Sector has issued a score order for the game. 2-0, Tengawara wins,” Coach Endou states. “I want you to have fun and play real soccer tomorrow! Enjoy yourselves! I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

Practice ends, and Ranmaru goes home for the first time in a few days. His parents are finally able to come home, and they have dinner together. Ranmaru works on homework and goes to bed. He gets up the next morning and goes to practice. It’s just as bad as yesterday, but he gets through it. Shinsuke and Tenma work to perfect their hissatsus, and Ranmaru and Takuto help them as much as they can. Takuto also works with Sangoku at times, allowing Ranmaru to coach the first years on their basic skills.

In what seems like no time at all, it’s time for Raimon’s game with Tengawara to begin. Ranmaru is nervous, but he feels more confident than he did when they were facing the Black Knights. It’s not a lot of confidence by any means, but it’s still better than nothing.

They change, and Coach Endou sends them onto the field for warm-ups. Takuto leads the team through the warm-ups, but only a few of them try at all. Warm-ups end, and Ranmaru stretches his arms and legs as he prepares for the game. Tenma and Shinsuke stretch with each other, and Takuto shoots on Sangoku to warm the keeper up. The rest of Raimon stands around awkwardly, unsure of what they should do. Eventually, Coach Endou calls them back to the bench to tell them the line-up.  

Coach Endou uses a new 3-3-4 formation. It doesn’t seem too odd, but Ranmaru can tell Coach Endou carefully created the formation. Even though Raimon only has five players who will truly play, Coach Endou has arranged them in a way to make full use of them. 

Takuto is a forward, despite normally being a midfielder, giving Raimon someone to score goals. Tenma is their center midfield, creating an easy passing line to Takuto. Ranmaru is at center-left back, where he can block Tengawara’s forwards and stop shots if needed. Shinsuke a right-back, giving him the freedom to join Tenma in midfield if things get rough. Sangoku is their goalie, naturally, and Ranmaru is impressed by Coach Endou’s line-up.

They get in position, and the referee blows his whistle. Tengawara starts with the ball, and Kita quickly dribbles up the field. He gets around Takuto with relative ease, and Minamisawa and Kurama don’t try to stop him. Kita similarly blasts through Raimon’s midfielders and attempts to make it to the goal. Ranmaru blocks him and steals the ball in a single fluid motion.

Ranmaru passes the ball to Shinsuke, and Shinsuke passes to Tenma. Tenma takes the ball up the field, dribbling and dodging his way through Tengawara’s players. Higashi charges at him, but Tenma passes him with a well-timed hissatsu. 

“Soyokaze Step!” He shouts as he sidesteps the other midfielder. Tenma then passes the ball to Takuto, who also uses a hissatsu.

Takuto sends the ball flying towards the net with a powerful “Fortissimo!” Minami attempts to stop the shot with “Rapid Whip,” but Takuto’s shot breaks through it easily. 

Ranmaru, Shinsuke, and Tenma cheer at their captain’s goal, and Sangoku also shouts his congratulations. The rest of the team is fidgeting uncomfortably, well-aware of the game’s score order, but no one says anything. Ranmaru can tell his teammates are torn, and this game might give them the push they need to fully defy Fifth Sector.

Everyone returns to their positions, and the game resumes. Tengawara becomes more aggressive, now aware that Raimon has no intention of following the score order and that they will face punishment if they can’t defeat Raimon. 

Tengawara starts with the ball. Kita makes a backpass to Hayabusa, who runs up the field with no hesitation. He blows by Takuto easily and knocks Tenma to the ground when the brunette tries to steal the ball. Shinsuke runs up, ready to end the midfielder’s charge.

“Bounce Guard!” Shinsuke calls.

Hayabusa smirks devilishly. “Mad Juggler!”

Hayabusa kicks the ball into Shinsuke’s chest and knees it repeatedly before delivering a final kick. Shinsuke flies backward and lands roughly on his back. 

“Shinsuke!” Ranmaru yells, but Hayabusa’s run doesn’t stop.

“I’ll destroy you, Raimon! Birdman Falco!” The Tengawara midfielder calls forth his Keshin. He passes Ranmaru with ease, sending the defender tumbling to the ground. 

Hayabusa calls on his Keshin as he jumps into the air. He kicks off the ball, propelling himself even farther into the air. He sends the ball towards Raimon’s goal with a final kick. “Falco Wing!”

Sangoku tries to stop it, even using his hissatsu “Burning Catch,” but it isn’t enough. The Keshin user’s shot sends Sangoku flying into the net, and Tengawara scores. Hayabusa struts back to his position, a cocky smirk covering his face. Ranmaru grits his teeth and stands back up. Shinsuke does the same, and the game resumes. 

The rest of the first half is a stalemate. Tengawara attempts to score, but Ranmaru, Shinsuke, and Sangoku stop them. Tenma and Takuto try to break through Tengawara’s defenses, but with just the two of them, they’re easily outmatched. The first half comes to a quiet end, and Raimon is uneasy. They spend halftime divided into two groups. Those who will play for real talk strategy for the second half, and the others sit in silence. Coach Endou offers advice to Takuto. Ranmaru is sure he’s suggesting Takuto’s famous tactic, and with how the game is going, he’s sure they’ll need it if they want to win.

*^*

The second half begins, and Raimon starts with the ball. Kurama passes to Takuto, probably the only meaningful thing he’ll do in the entire match. Tenma and Shinsuke head up the field with Takuto, and Ranmaru hangs back at the midfield line. 

“God’s Baton,” Takuto calls as he guides Tenma and Shinsuke into position.

Their passes connect, and suddenly Raimon is in position to score again. Tenma passes to Takuto, and Takuto gets ready to shoot. But he’s interrupted by Kawasaki, who steals the ball effortlessly. Kawasaki passes to Kita, and the redhead runs towards the midfield line. 

Ranmaru is quick to block him, calling on his hissatsu. “The Mist,” he says as he steals the ball. He passes to Takuto, and he uses “God’s Baton” again. Takuto is ready to score again, but Hayabusa stands in his way yet again. Raimon loses the ball to the midfielder, and Shinsuke is forced to run back and help Ranmaru with defense. Hayabusa passes to Kita, who passes to Andou. 

Shinsuke confronts Andou, and he’s determined to use his hissatsu successfully. “Bounce Guard,” he calls, and he takes possession of the ball. “Ranmaru-senpai!”

Ranmaru redirects Shinsuke’s pass to Tenma. The brunette uses “Soyokaze Step” to avoid Itokawa and sends the ball to Takuto. Takuto tries to score, but Kashio takes the ball with “Killer Whale.” The constant back-and-forth continues for most of the second half. 

There are only a few minutes left in the half when something finally changes. “The Mist,” Ranmaru declares as he takes the ball from Andou. “Takuto! Go!”

Takuto uses “God’s Baton” for the final time, including Ranmaru as well. He directs Ranmaru first, followed by Shinsuke, and finally Tenma. Tenma passes to Takuto, and the captain is in the same situation he’s been in twice already, but this time he’s determined to score.

A dark cloud forms behind the midfielder, and a four-armed man emerges from the cloud, “Instrumentalist Maestro!” Something pulls in Ranmaru’s chest, and pain shoots through his temple. Ranmaru staggers slightly as he watches Raimon’s captain attempt to score. He hopes this will be enough to win because he’s not sure how much more he has left to give.

Takuto runs through Tengawara’s defenders and prepares to shoot. “I won’t hold back. We will fight Fifth Sector! Harmonics!”

Takuto’s shot soars into the goal gracefully, Minami’s “Rapid Whip” doing nothing to halt the shot. Sangoku’s victorious cries echo throughout the stadium, and Ranmaru sends Takuto a supportive smile. Tenma and Shinsuke cheer, but their cheers are less energetic than normal. Ranmaru chalks that up to exhaustion, and he’s feeling it too. His steps are slower and less steady as he walks back to his position. 

The ref blows the whistle to continue the match, and Ranmaru follows Takuto’s orders mindlessly. The defender can’t seem to focus, thoughts clouded and muddled. They block Tengawara’s attempts to score, and the game ends with Raimon’s victory. Ranmaru is vaguely aware of the final whistle, but he’s so disoriented that he isn’t sure what’s going on around him. He feels… wrong . Everything is too much. He’s shaking, and his head feels like it’s about to explode.

“Kirino? You okay?” Sangoku comes up behind him and claps his shoulder, and suddenly Ranmaru’s on the ground.

“Kirino!” Sangoku screams, and the sound leaves Ranmaru’s head ringing. Sangoku pulls the defender up into a sitting position, supporting Ranmaru’s limp body. Nausea flares from the movement, and Ranmaru feels sick. He’s not sure what’s happening, but he doesn’t like it.

Takuto supports Ranmaru too. When did he get there? Ranmaru isn’t sure, and he can’t find it in himself to care. People are yelling, and Ranmaru’s headache grows worse with every shout. Coach Endou is suddenly talking to him too, but Ranmaru isn’t sure what he’s saying. At some point, Ranmaru thinks he hears something suspiciously like someone collapsing, but he isn’t sure. He leans back in Sangoku’s arms, eyes half-lidded and body exhausted.

Coach Endou and Sangoku carry him to the bench and lay him down. A cool rag is placed over his eyes, and the team continues their loud, panicked chatter. Ranmaru isn’t sure what happens after that. He closes his eyes, and the world disappears. He’s floating, hovering somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness. 

Ranmaru feels someone pick him up at some point, and he’s carried somewhere. The rag on his face keeps most of the light from hitting his face, which Ranmaru is grateful for. With the intensity of his headache, even light through his eyelids would be excruciating. The jostling as they move doesn’t help his nausea, though, and he pushes weakly against the person carrying him, face palling and cheeks puffing. 

Whoever is carrying Ranmaru understands his silent plea and stops moving. The rag is removed from his face gently, and Ranmaru is set down. The figure supports him as he leans to the side and vomits everything in his stomach. Ranmaru feels a little better, but his stomach is still unsettled. The rag is placed back over his eyes, and he’s picked back up and carried again.

Eventually, he’s laid back on cool leather that is vaguely familiar. Ranmaru doesn’t want to think, head aching fiercely, but even so, Ranmaru still recognizes the Shindous’ fancy car that he is currently in. There’s more sounds, too many for just someone getting in. Something else is happening, but Ranmaru doesn’t know what. 

There are more sounds and shuffling, but eventually, they stop. Someone sits beside him and takes his hand in a gentle hold. “You’ll be alright, Ranmaru. Don’t worry.”

The car starts, and then they’re moving. Takuto grasps his hand for the entire ride. They stop twice. The first stop is quiet. A few murmurs are exchanged, but they’re on their way soon after. The second stop is much louder. Ranmaru hears lots of shuffling and talking, and it goes on for a few minutes before they’re finally moving again. 

When the car makes its third and final stop, Ranmaru is picked up again and carried somewhere. He’s carried for a while before he’s finally set down on something soft. His shoes are removed, and his hair ties are removed. He’s laid back on a pile of soft pillows, and a blanket is pulled over his body. The rag that has (somehow) covered his eyes the entire time is briefly removed. When it’s returned, the rag is wet and cold again. 

Ranmaru closes his eyes and relaxes, headache finally relenting enough for him to sleep. While he drifts off, he feels someone take his hand gently. As Ranmaru slowly falls asleep he hears someone whisper, “Rest, Ranmaru. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

*^*

Chapter Text

-_-

When Kirino collapses after the Tengawara match, Raimon panics. Hayami screams while Hamano becomes unnaturally silent. Kurama and Minamisawa freeze, staring at their friend in horror. Sangoku and Shindou are the only ones to actually help Kirino. Sangoku is still holding the boy from when he collapsed, and Shindou is quick to help the goalkeeper. Hamano and Amagi stand by the first years, who haven’t spoken a word despite their bond with Kirino. 

Then Raimon dissolves into chaos as they realize what is happening is very much real and not some twisted nightmare. They begin shouting at Kirino, trying to confirm the pink-haired boy’s wellbeing while shouting at each other to not shout. Sangoku and Shindou refuse to shout, keenly aware of the poor state of the boy they’re currently supporting. Endou finally joins them on the field, and Tengawara has thankfully cleared the field to avoid any involvement in the present situation. 

Endou leans down beside Shindou and Sangoku and tries to talk to Kirino, but the boy is too far gone to respond, so Endou and Sangoku carry him to the bench in an attempt to make him more comfortable. Hayami appears with a rag he’d wet using his water bottle, and Shindou, who had followed them to the bench, places the rag over Kirino’s eyes. Endou tries to speak with the defender again, but his attempt is cut short when Tenma’s knees give out and the boy crumples to the ground as Kirino had minutes ago. Shinsuke also sways dangerously, but Hamano catches the defender before he too takes a trip to meet the ground. 

Raimon panics again, and so does Endou. The coach now has to deal with three sick children and a team that still doesn’t trust him. Amagi helps Tenma as Sangoku had done, and Endou moves beside Amagi to check on the brunette.

“Tenma? Can you hear me?” Endou asks as he looks at the boy’s half-lidded silver eyes.

“Coach…?” Tenma moans, moving his arm to cover his eyes. “What…?”

“What’s wrong, Tenma?” Endou questions worriedly, “We need to know what’s wrong, so we can help you.”

Tenma winces and wiggles weakly in Amagi’s hold. “...My head hurts so much…” 

Tears gather in his eyes, and Tenma presses his face into Amagi. He doesn’t say anything else, but in his current state, that isn’t surprising. Tenma’s words aren’t much to go on, but at least Endou and the rest of Raimon’s players have some idea of what is going on.

Endou talks to Shinsuke next, and the more coherent boy can provide a better description of what he’s feeling. What Shinsuke describes, extreme headache, exhaustion, and general malaise, matches Tenma’s symptoms, so Endou concludes that they are suffering from the same thing. Kirino also seems to have those symptoms, though Endou can’t be entirely sure, so whatever happened affected the three players in the same way, which is both odd and concerning. Endou returns to Kirino, Shindou, and Sangoku, unsure of what to do. 

“I’ll take Ranmaru home with me, and I can give Tenma and Shinsuke rides if they need them,” Shindou offers.

“Thank you, Shindou,” Endou agrees, and the captain pulls out his phone to make a call.

Sangoku monitors Kirino while Shindou makes his call, and different ideas of what could be happening flash through Sangoku’s mind. Migraine? No, how could three people get migraines simultaneously? An illness? No, they all were fine at the start of the game. Head injuries? No, none of them had hit their heads during the game or in the practices before it. Sangoku was running out of ideas and wasn’t any closer to figuring out what had happened to his friends, which was incredibly frustrating.

Shindou finishes his call and says his family’s driver is on the way to the front of the stadium. That’s good, but the team is now faced with the problem of moving the three boys to the front of the stadium. Amagi volunteers to carry Tenma, and Kurumada declares he’ll help Shinsuke walk too. With that settled, Endou picks up Kirino, and Raimon heads to the front of the stadium. 

Shindou and Sangoku hover behind Endou and Kirino as they walk, keeping watch over their friend. The trip is relatively smooth, but in the middle of their journey, Kirino begins moving, pushing against Endou’s chest. His face is pale, and his cheeks are puffed out dangerously. Endou quickly sets him down, and Shindou reaches over to remove the rag. Kirino lists to the side, and Endou holds the boy up as he vomits. Hayami screeches again when he sees the defender throwing up, and the rest of the team silently agrees with Hayami’s sentiments, though they refuse to say anything. 

During the ordeal, Kurumada refuses to let Shinsuke see what’s happening, placing himself in front of the short defender to block his view. Amagi also turns away to shield Tenma, though it’s doubtful Tenma’s even conscious enough to see anything anyway. Kirino stops vomiting, and Shindou relays the rag over his eyes. Endou picks the pink-haired boy up, and Raimon’s on the move again. They reach the front of the stadium, and the Shindous’ car is already there.

Shindou walks ahead and opens the car door, and Endou sets Kirino on the seat, buckling his seat belt as well. Shindou pulls the door on the other side open and climbs in. He sits on the middle seat and helps Amagi situate Tenma in the other open seat before sitting back and taking Kirino’s hand worriedly. Shinsuke climbs in the passenger seat with Kurumada’s help. The doors are closed, and Raimon watches as the car disappears. There is nothing more they can do for their teammates right now, and it hurts. Raimon is hurting, which isn’t new, but for the first time in a while, they don’t know why they’re hurting. It’s unsettling, and the remaining players make a wordless vow to find out what had happened after the game, for their sakes and their teammates’ sakes.

*^*

When Ranmaru wakes up, he knows he’s at Takuto’s house (the decor is extremely expensive, and Ranmaru’s family doesn’t own silk sheets), but he doesn’t recognize this room. The wall color is different, as are the sheets, pillows, and furniture, so Ranmaru isn’t in Takuto’s bedroom. Takuto is, however, sleeping beside him and not in his bedroom. Ranmaru sits up, pink hair draping down his shoulders. Ranmaru rarely has his hair down, so having it loose feels somewhat weird. A cloth falls into his lap. His forehead feels damp, so it must have been on his head previously. 

Ranmaru’s head still aches, but it’s a far cry from the intense pain he’d felt yesterday, so all in all, he’s feeling a lot better. Ranmaru sets the cloth aside and shakes Takuto’s shoulder to wake him up. “Wake up, Takuto.”

Takuto awakens with a jolt and flails around until he realizes who’s talking to him. “Ranmaru! How are you feeling?”

Ranmaru leans back against his pillows, hissing as his muscles protest the action. “Alright, I guess. My head still hurts, but it’s not as bad now. Everything just kind of aches right now.”

Takuto sighs in relief and pulls his friend into a gentle hug. “I’m glad. I still have school today, so I’ll have to leave soon, but I’m glad you woke up. You gave everyone a scare yesterday.”

Ranmaru chuckles awkwardly. “Sorry about that. I didn’t plan that or anything.”

“I know,” Takuto says as he releases Ranmaru from the hug. “You’re going to the doctor later today. My parents have already arranged everything. They got you an appointment at noon, so I can’t join you. Tenma and Shinsuke are going too, though, so you won’t be alone.”

“Tenma and Shinsuke?” Ranmaru echos, mouth twisting in confusion.

“You don’t remember, but with what happened yesterday, I’d be surprised if you did.” Takuto exhales deeply before continuing. “Something happened to them too after the game. Tenma collapsed like you did, and Shinsuke almost passed out too, so my parents agreed to get them checked out as well.”

“Okay,” Ranmaru murmurs as he lays back down properly. He knows he should be concerned, but right now, he’s too tired to think about his teammates. His body aches fiercely every time he moves, and he just wants to go back to sleep.

Takuto laughs and rubs Ranmaru’s head affectionately before he pulls the blankets back over his friend. “You can go back to sleep. Your appointment is still a few hours away. Sleep well, Ranmaru.” Then the captain leaves the room, and Ranmaru drifts off to sleep despite the sunlight streaming through the windows.

*^*

One of the maids wakes him up a few hours later. She gives him clothes and tells him to get dressed. Ranmaru does but doesn’t bother with putting his hair up, and the same maid guides him to the car he’d ridden in yesterday. He climbs in, and the driver makes two stops to pick up Shinsuke and Tenma before they’re finally on their way to the hospital.

The car ride is silent, the three players are still exhausted, and even if they had the energy to speak, none of them would know what to say. They arrive at the hospital, and the driver checks them in at the front desk while the boys sit next to each other in uncomfortable hospital seats. They’re called back soon after. Nurses take their heights and weights, and then each boy is sent to a different room. The room Ranmaru is sent to is very white and very basic. 

A doctor is in the room too, and she instructs him to sit on the examination table. He does, and the doctor introduces herself. “Hello, I am Doctor Azumi, and I will be taking care of you today. Can you tell me your name?”

“I’m Kirino Ranmaru,” he replies softly, and Doctor Azumi seems satisfied with his answer.

“Can you tell me why you’re here?” Doctor Azumi pulls out a clipboard and pen, ready to record his responses.

“I played in a soccer match yesterday, and I passed out after the match was over,” Ranmaru explains.

Doctor Azumi hums as she writes. “What about your symptoms?”

“I had a really bad headache, and I threw up too. I still have a headache today, and everything aches. I feel like I have the flu, but I know I’m not sick.”

Doctor Azumi writes some more before she sets her clipboard and pen down and grabs a thermometer. “I need to take your temperature.”

She puts the thermometer in Ranmaru’s mouth and takes it out when it beeps. She picks up her clipboard and pen and writes the information down. “I don’t know what’s wrong from your symptoms alone, so I’m going to do some tests. Come with me.”

She leads Ranmaru to a new room with various needles and medicines. He is guided to a chair in the corner. A nurse comes up to him when he sits down and ties a tourniquet around his bicep before she takes his blood. Three tubes are filled, and Ranmaru feels a bit woozy once she’s done. Doctor Azumi takes him to another room with a large machine with a stretcher in front of it, and she instructs him to lie down on the stretcher and stay still. He does, and the stretcher is rolled back into the machine, where he stays for what seems like an eternity. 

For the next two hours, Ranmaru is subjected to various tests, ranging from MRIs to EKGs. It’s not pleasant, and Ranmaru is very happy when Doctor Azumi announces they’re done with tests. She takes him back to the room they were in before and tells him he’ll receive his results later in the week. He is sent back to the waiting room where he waits with the driver for Tenma and Shinsuke. They come out a few minutes later, and Ranmaru can tell from their faces that they too underwent many tests.

The driver takes Ranmaru home, dropping off Tenma and Shinsuke on the way. When they arrive at Takuto’s house, Ranmaru returns to the guest room where he’d been staying and lies down on the bed. A maid brings him a bowl of soup, but he can only finish half of it. Ranmaru dozes for a while before he is woken up by loud shouting from outside his door.

*^*

Ranmaru sits up and settles himself against the pillows as the guest room’s door is thrown open and his teammates rush in. They surround him within seconds. They hug him, rub his head, and chatter about how worried they were. Ranmaru is grateful for the affection, but it feels like they’re smothering him a bit. 

After a few minutes, his teammates finally give him space to breathe. Ranmaru looks around at his teammates. Tenma and Shinsuke aren’t present, obviously, but Takuto is also missing. Ranmaru assumes he went to check on Tenma and Shinsuke first because he could check on Ranmaru whenever he wanted since Ranmaru was staying in his house. 

Sangoku sits on the bed beside Ranmaru and wraps an arm around the defender’s shoulder. “How are you? We’ve been really worried about you.”

Ranmaru leans into Sangoku’s touch and sighs. “I’m alright. I went to the hospital today, but they don’t know what’s wrong. I feel a lot better today, though.”

“That’s good,” Hayami sighs wearily.

“Yeah,” Kurumada agrees. “That was scary. I thought you were gonna die or something!”

Ranmaru laughs at Kurumada’s exaggeration. “I’m fine, guys. I promise I am. I’m sorry for scaring you yesterday though. I feel bad.”

“You shouldn’t feel bad,” Minamisawa flips his purple hair. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“Yeah! That’s right!” Hamano exclaims loudly.

Ranmaru winces at his friend’s volume but smiles anyway. “I guess you’re right. Thanks, everyone.”

“No problem, Kirino,” Amagi grins at him, and Ranmaru is reminded of just how lucky he is to have such great teammates.

“I don’t want to ruin the moment,” Kurama says, eyes shifting from teammate to teammate, “but are you really going to keep this up?”

“What do you mean?” Ranmaru asks, looking at Kurama.

“You know,” the forward says, “Fighting Fifth Sector. The… revolution thing. Are you going to keep doing that?”A hush falls over the room, and everyone focuses on Ranmaru and Kurama. 

Ranmaru exhales and takes a deep breath before answering. “Yes, I am.”

The silence remains, and his teammates eye each other uncomfortably until Minamisawa finally breaks the silence. “Why? You could end up like this again, and you’re going to keep fighting them?”

“I am,” Ranmaru confirms without hesitation. “I’m sick of Fifth Sector and their fake soccer. I’m sick of how they drive Raimon apart, and I’m sick of how they hurt my teammates. So yes, I am going to fight Fifth Sector.”

The room is quiet for a moment as Ranmaru’s teammates process his words. “So you’re doing this… for us?” Hayami whispers, and Ranmaru nods.

“You guys are the reason I got involved in the first place,” Ranmaru continues. “I don’t know if I agree with everything Tenma says about ‘making soccer sad,’ but I know Fifth Sector makes everyone unhappy, and I can’t stand seeing everyone taking sides because of Fifth Sector!”

“Kirino…” His teammates whisper, shocked by the defender’s statement.

“If you’re fighting for us, then I’ll fight too!” Kurumada states confidently. “I’ll fight for you, Kirino, and everyone else too!”

“Yeah! Me too,” Hamano agrees. “I’ll fight Fifth Sector, so I can play real soccer with my friends again.”

Slowly, everyone else agrees to fight too. Only Minamisawa and Kurama remain silent, but Ranmaru can tell their resolves are wavering. Finally, Kurama breaks.

“If everyone else is fighting,” Kurama says, “I guess I will too.”

Minamisawa side-eyes Kurama and sighs. “You’re not giving me much of a choice, are you? I’ll join your little revolution too, I guess.”

And just like that, Raimon has become unified in their fight against Fifth Sector, and Ranmaru is relieved. No more infighting over how to handle Fifth Sector. For the first time all year, Raimon will work together to fight Fifth Sector and end their false soccer, and Ranmaru can’t wait. 

*^*

“That’s great,” Ranmaru smiles brightly. “I’m glad we won’t be fighting anymore. Handling that was stressful, you know.”

His teammates laugh, and Ranmaru revels in his teammates’ happiness. This is what he’s wanted from the beginning, and he’s finally gotten it. Sangoku, who has been silent for most of the conversation, finally speaks up. “We should go. You must be tired, Kirino.”

Everyone agrees, and they filter out of the room without any fuss. Sangoku gives Ranmaru a side hug and ruffles his hair fondly before he leaves. Only Minamisawa is still in the room, which is unusual.

“Minamisawa?” Ranmaru watches the forward with confusion. “Do you need something?”

The purple-haired boy shakes his head. “No. I just wanted to talk to you.”

“Oh. Why?” The defender questions.

“I didn’t want to say anything while everyone else was here. I have an image to maintain, you know,” Minamisawa says.

“Sure…” Ranmaru raises an eyebrow. He wishes Minamisawa would just get to the point.

“I just thought you should know why I decided to stay with Raimon,” the forward states.

“So you were thinking of leaving Raimon,” Ranmaru whispers. He knew Minamisawa was unhappy, but he had been thinking of leaving Raimon all together?

“I was,” Minamisawa confesses, “and I was going to do it soon, too, but you and Shindou convinced me not to.”

“What did we do?” Ranmaru wasn’t under the impression that the third year had cared for either of them much.

“Shindou was a self-sacrificial idiot in the Eito game, and you were too,” the forward explains. “And then there was the Tengawara match yesterday, and you ended up like this.”

“So, you’re staying because you’re worried about us?”

“Not exactly,” Minamisawa shakes his head. “Just because I was thinking about leaving didn’t mean I wanted my team to fall apart, but I thought everything would work out because you and Shindou were in charge. But with how reckless you two have been recently, I don’t feel comfortable leaving the team anymore. You guys take great care of the team, sure, but who takes care of you?”

“The team?” Ranmaru squeaks uncertainly.

Minamisawa crosses his arms, frowning, and Ranmaru knows his answer is wrong. “They try, but you two are so stubborn that they can only do so much.”

Ranmaru huffs and leans his head back to look at the ceiling. “What’s your point?”

Minamisawa’s lips twist into an amused smile. “You still don’t get it? I’m staying to watch over you guys.”

“That’s it?” Ranmaru gawks at his senior. “You don’t care about playing real soccer or rebelling against Fifth Sector?”

“Sure I do,” Minamisawa shrugs. “Playing real soccer is nice and all, and Fifth Sector is technically the reason why you and Shindou got hurt in the first place, so I don’t like them. You guys were the reason I saw that side of Fifth Sector, though, so I feel like I owe you. I don’t know how else to make it up to you, so I figured I’d watch out for you guys while we fight Fifth Sector.”

Ranmaru is shocked. Minamisawa is known for being stoic, so hearing him openly describe his feelings was not something Ranmaru is familiar with. “Thanks, then, Minamisawa.”

“Call me Atsushi,” the forward replies. “You’re the reason the whole ‘first name’ thing started, right? And it’ll aggravate Shindou, so it’s worth it.”

“Mina- Atsushi,” Ranmaru stumbles over the unfamiliar name. “Why are you like this?”

Atsushi shrugs nonchalantly. “Who can say, Ranmaru, but you’re not entirely innocent either. I heard you permitted the first years to call captain by his first name without captain’s approval. You’re surprisingly devious, you know.”

“What can I say,” Ranmaru hums, “but if you really want to annoy him, call him ‘Takuto.’”

“Thanks for the advice, Ranmaru,” Atsushi smirks slyly. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Atsushi leaves the room, and Ranmaru is left alone to process their conversation. What just happened?!

*^*

Takuto comes by later to check on him and bring him food. Ranmaru goes to sleep early that night and wakes up feeling unexpectedly refreshed. His muscles aren’t aching, and his head has stopped pounding. He gets out of bed and is shocked by how much energy he has. 

A maid had brought his bag in the day before, and Ranmaru riffles through it looking for his uniform. He finds it sitting on top of his schoolwork, freshly cleaned and folded. He changes and picks up his bag. He goes to the dining room to eat. Takuto is already at the table drinking a cup of tea, and the brunette nearly spits it out when he sees Ranmaru.

“Ranmaru!” He coughs. “Why are you here? You should be resting.”

“I feel better,” Ranmaru explains, “so I want to go to school.”

“Ranmaru, no! You aren’t in any condition to go to school,” Takuto denies.

“I already told you that I feel better,” Ranmaru defends, “and I shouldn’t miss any more school. I don’t want to fall behind.”

“Ranmaru…”

“Takuto.”

“ Ranmaru… ”

“ Takuto. ”

“Fine,” Takuto gives in, “but no practice today.”

Ranmaru huffs, but it’s better than not going at all, so he takes it. They eat and go to school soon after. Ranmaru sits on the sideline during practice working on a math assignment as his teammates fuss over him until Coach Endou tells them to get back to practicing. Tenma and Shinsuke don’t come to practice, but Ranmaru sees them and Aoi walking through the school gate right as practice ends. 

School begins, and Class is normal except for the constant stares from his teammates. Hamano still looks cheerful, but his gaze is intense, and Ranmaru swears he feels Hayami’s gaze burning a hole in him. Takuto is in front of him the entire time, but Ranmaru is sure he would stare at him too if he could. 

Afternoon practice runs similarly, except Tenma and Shinsuke are there to get stared at too. Halfway through practice, Ranmaru gets tired of the constant gawks and stands up.

He looks at the two first years sitting next to him. “Come on. Let’s go somewhere else. This is boring.”

“But where should we go?”Shinsuke asks as he gets to his feet.

“I don’t know, but anywhere is better than here,” Ranmaru sighs.

Tenma stands up too, looking around, and his eyes catch on something on the walkway. “It’s Tsurugi!”

“Huh?” Ranmaru whirls around and looks at the walkway, and indeed, Tsurugi Kyousuke is there. He’s walking towards the gate, and Ranmaru realizes that they know next to nothing about the Seed. His eyes glint mischievously as a plan forms in his mind. 

“Let’s follow Kyousuke,” he declares.

Tenma and Shinsuke gasp at their senior’s idea but are quick to agree. “Yeah! Let’s do it.”

Then they’re off, clumsily stalking Kyousuke across town. It’s a wonder Kyousuke doesn’t notice them as they bumble around trying to stay out of his line of sight. Kyousuke’s destination turns out to be the hospital, and the trio follows him inside. At this point, it’s ridiculous Kyousuke hasn’t caught them because the trio has given up being sneaky and is just walking behind him.

Kyousuke goes up some stairs and walks down a hallway until he finds the door he’s looking for. The Seed opens the door and enters the room as the trio sneaks after him. They don’t enter the room, but they do read the name on the door’s nameplate.

“‘Tsurugi Yuuichi?’ Who’s that,” Shinsuke whispers to the others.

“A relative probably,” Ranmaru whispers back. “We should go now. We don’t want to be seen here. Kyousuke might get mad.”

The younger two agree, but as they turn to leave, the door is opened. A boy in a wheelchair leaves first, followed by Kyousuke. The Seed takes a look at them and sighs. “What are you doing here?”

The trio freezes for a second before they turn stiffly to face the Seed and his relative. Ranmaru puts on his friendliest smile. “We were worried about you, Kyousuke. You left practice early and didn’t tell anyone where you were going.”

Kyousuke raises an eyebrow, “So you followed me?”

“Yeah!” Tenma joins in, voice sweet and friendly. “What if something happened to you? We’re your teammates, Tsurugi! We watch out for each other, right?”

The boy in the wheelchair, Tsurugi Yuuichi, laughs. “You have good friends, Kyousuke. I’m glad.”

“Nii-san!” Kyousuke hisses, cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

“Oh, don’t mind me. I’ll head out on my own,” Yuuichi begins to wheel himself away.

“Wait,” Ranmaru says. “We should introduce ourselves before you go. I’m Kirino Ranmaru.”

“I’m Matsukaze Tenma,” Tenma grins brightly.

“And I’m Nishizono Shinsuke,” Shinsuke waves to Yuuichi.

“Hello, I’m Tsurugi Yuuichi,” the boy introduces. “And you already know my brother, Kyousuke.” Kyousuke huffs in frustration but acknowledges his brother’s words anyway. 

“It was nice to meet you all,” Yuuichi smiles at them as he wheels away from them down the hallway. “Please take care of my brother. I’m sure I’ll see you all again later.”

Yuuichi leaves, and the trio and Kyousuke stand together in awkward silence. “You shouldn’t be here,” Kyousuke says, finally breaking the silence. “You should be resting after what happened yesterday.”

“You know about that?” Ranmaru looks at the Seed in surprise.

“Of course I do,” Kyousuke smirks. “I’m a Seed sent to Raimon. It’s my job to know everything that goes on in the Raimon soccer club.”

“So you’re a stalker?” Tenma asks the Seed innocently.

“What? No!” Kyousuke sputters. “I just watch everything you do and report it to Fifth Sector.”

“Sounds like stalking to me,” Ranmaru hums.

“Yeah!” Shinsuke says, “So does that mean all Seeds are stalkers?”

Ranmaru shrugs lazily. “I guess it does. Thanks for telling us that, Kyousuke.”

Kyousuke growls in irritation, and Ranmaru takes that as their cue to leave. He drags Tenma and Shinsuke out of the hospital and back to Raimon without looking back.

When they get back to the front gate, Ranmaru glances at the other two. “We shouldn’t talk about what happened today to the rest of the team. They’ll get upset, and we’ll get in trouble. Got it?”

“Got it,” Tenma and Shinsuke chorus together, and the trio walks through the gate. Who knew their day off would turn out to be so eventful? 

*^*

Chapter Text

*^*

The match against Mannouzaka starts the following day. Because they’d been kicked out of afternoon practice yesterday, Ranmaru, Tenma, and Shinsuke learn about the game the morning of. Ranmaru glares at Takuto for failing to mention such an important thing, and practice carries on like normal except for that Raimon is trying to improve, not sulking about Fifth Sector. 

The day moves too fast, in Ranmaru’s humble opinion, and then it’s time for the game. Mannouzaka is practicing on their half, already dressed in their navy and red jerseys. Raimon changes and also begins practicing. Everyone is there, even Kyousuke, who is sitting on the bench refusing to warm up. 

Coach Endou calls the team to the bench to tell them their positions. They’re still using their standard 3-3-4 formation, and Kyousuke is benched. That’s fine. Ranmaru thinks it’s more likely for Kyousuke to help Mannouzaka than Raimon anyway. 

Mannouzaka starts with the ball, and their captain, Isozaki, charges up the field, knocking away anyone who tries to take the ball. Isozaki’s plays are rough, and he isn’t holding back. Takuto attempts to take the ball but is roughly shoved to the ground. Tenma also tries, but the first year is sent flying instead. 

Isozaki singlehandedly breaks through Raimon’s offense and midfield. Amagi is the only one who successfully stops Isozaki, and Amagi passes the ball to Hamano. The midfielder passes to Kurama, but Mitsuyoshi is quick to steal the ball back. His plays are rough too, and Raimon soon learns rough and dirty plays are Mannouzaka’s specialties. 

Raimon the next few minutes defending their goal and getting beaten up in the process. Ranmaru takes the ball from Sakazaki, passing it to Kurama, and Raimon finally has a chance to score.

Kurama prepares to use Sidewinders, but before the blue-haired boy can shoot, Shirato brutally slide-tackles him. Kurama losses the ball, which isn’t good, but doesn’t get up either, which is worse. Takuto and Minamisawa run over to check on the third year, and they end up helping Kurama limp off the field. Coach Endou sends Kyousuke in to replace Kurama, and things go from bad to worse. 

The first thing Kyousuke does when the game resumes is steal the ball from Mannouzaka, and for the briefest moment, Ranmaru thinks Kyousuke may be on their side. That thought vanishes as soon as Kyousuke uses Death Sword to score an own goal. The rest of Raimon looks at Kyousuke in shock, and the Seed dares to smile like he’d helped them out in some way. Kurama shouts some very rude things from the bench, which only makes the Seed’s smile widen.

Mannouzaka’s players snicker at Raimon as the match resumes. Raimon kicks off, and Minamisawa and Takuto do their best to score. Takuto loses the ball to Ushio, and Shinsuke runs up to get the ball back. Ushio sends Shinsuke to the ground with a rough tackle. Ranmaru grits his teeth at Mannouzaka’s rough play style. He isn’t the only one bothered by this though. Out of the corner of his eye, Ranmaru sees Kyousuke glaring fiercely at Ushio.

It’s odd to see Kyousuke displaying emotion in a match, and it’s even weirder to see him emote because of a Raimon player, but Ranmaru brushes it off. He doesn’t have time to worry about Kyousuke’s emotional state right now. Ushio has passed the ball to Isozaki, and the captain is currently charging towards the goal.

Ranmaru runs at the forward and calls out his hissatsu, “The Mist.” Ranmaru takes the ball and passes to Tenma. Isozaki, seemingly frustrated with losing the ball, pushes Ranmaru’s back and sends the defender sprawling to the ground. No foul is called, and Ranmaru hurries back to his feet. He’d have some bruises from the fall, but Ranmaru would live. As Ranmaru gets up, he sees Kyousuke scowling at yet another Mannouzaka player. This time, the Seed is glaring at Isozaki. Ranmaru thinks he’s starting to see a pattern, but now isn’t the time to mention it. 

Tenma dribbles up the field. He uses Soyokaze Step to dodge Mitsuyoshi, and he skillfully darts around most of Mannouzaka’s offense. Ranmaru hopes Raimon will be able to score, but his hopes are dashed when Sakazaki gets in Tenma’s way. There’s a look in the Mannouzaka midfielder’s eyes, and Ranmaru doesn’t like it. 

Sakazaki uses a slide tackle, but it’s different from any slide tackle Ranmaru’s ever seen. Just as Sakazaki is about to make contact, Kyousuke shoves Tenma out of the way. Both Raimon players dodge the tackle, and Tenma stares at Kyousuke in a mix of shock and awe. The rest of the team stares too, but Tenma is the least subtle about it. Kyousuke glares at Tenma, and the midfielder scampers back from the Seed. 

Kyousuke is the one to end up with the ball after the failed slide tackle, so Ranmaru prepares to stop another own goal attempt, but to his surprise, no attempt is made. Instead, Kyousuke turns to face Mannouzaka’s goal and uses Death Sword to score Raimon their first point. No one from either team says anything, too busy gawking at the Seed and his behavior. The gawking session is cut short by the referee’s whistle, and the first half ends with a score of 1-1.

*^*

Raimon is confused. They spend most of half time awkwardly whispering about Kyousuke behind his back. Ranmaru is pretty sure Kyousuke can hear them, but he doesn’t say anything about it, so neither does Ranmaru. Kurama’s leg was inspected by Coach Endou at the start of half time, and the forward will be benched for the rest of the day and possibly a few days after that. Kurama isn’t happy about that, but Minamisawa keeps him from blowing up and saying things he’ll regret later. 

The managers pass out ice packs to the rest of the team after they’re done tending to Kurama. Everyone is beaten and bruised, but they know better than to complain. They’ve chosen to fight Fifth Sector. Mannouzaka’s rough plays were part of the consequences. They ice their injuries as Hayami quietly complains about Mannouzaka’s “barbaric plays.” Hamano laughs at Hayami’s complaints, and the others join in too.

Half time provides a nice mental and physical break before the second half starts. Raimon and Mannouzaka take the field again, and the game continues. Raimon starts with the ball but loses it quickly. The teams fight for possession, and the ball rarely stays in one team’s possession long enough for them to make a play. Kyousuke ends up getting the ball again, which puts Raimon on edge, but Kyousuke surprises them yet again.

“Death Sword,” the Seed calls, and the ball flies towards the net, crackling with purple energy.

Shinoyama laughs and calls out his Keshin, “Machine Soldier Galleus!”

Mannouzaka’s keeper uses his Keshin to block Kyousuke’s shot with “Guardian Shield!”

Shinoyama catches the ball and throws it to Oosawada, who passes it to Mitsuyoshi. The forward blasts through Raimon’s players and calls out his Keshin, “Conjurer Purim!”

“Magician’s Box!” Mitsuyoshi shouts as his Keshin creates a folding box. He jumps in the air and kicks the ball into the box, and the box folds around the ball. Then the box opens, allowing the ball to fly out towards the net. The shot, pulsing with dark purple energy, sends Ranmaru and Raimon’s other defenders flying before they can do anything.

“Burning Catch!” Sangoku calls as he tries to stop it, but the shot breaks through his hissatsu and launches him into the net.

The whistle blows, and Mannouzaka is now up 2-1. The game starts again, and Raimon is nervous. They’re losing by a goal and unsure where Kyousuke’s loyalties lie. As a Seed, he should obey Fifth Sector, but his recent behavior made it look like he was on Raimon’s side. The uncertainty put everyone on edge. Even Hamano and Kurumada were nervous, and no one has seen either of them get nervous in years .

Busujima gets the ball and shoots at Sangoku. The goalie is just barely able to stop it, and the ball ends up bouncing off the crossbar to Ranmaru. Ranmaru passes it to Shinsuke, and the short boy dodges a few Mannouzaka players before he passes to Tenma. The midfielder darts through Mannouzaka’s midfield and sends the ball to Kyousuke. Ranmaru knows it’s a risky play. There’s no guarantee Kyousuke will help them, but given Kyousuke’s recent actions, Ranmaru is willing to take a chance on him, and Tenma is too.

Kyousuke summons his Keshin and shoots with “Lost Angel!”

Shinoyama summons his Keshin and uses a hissatsu to block the shot. “Guardian Shield!”

Kyousuke’s shot breaks through the shield, and Raimon cheers. Takuto and Tenma high-five Kyousuke when he gets back to his position. Minamisawa and Kurama offer approving looks, and Ranmaru and Shinsuke grin and cheer for Kyousuke. The rest of their teammates slowly joins in, and Raimon is finally unified, even if it’s only for a moment.

They continue playing, and Raimon gets even better. Mitsuyoshi attempts to summon his Keshin, Kurumada uses “Dash Train” to take the ball, disrupting the Keshin summoning. Kurumada passes to Hayami, and Hayami shouts “Zeroyon” as he dashes past Ushio. The ball is sent to Hamano, and Hamano uses “Surfing Piero” to avoid Shirato. 

The ball is passed to Takuto, and Ranmaru starts to feel the same strange feeling he’d experienced the game before. A dark cloud gathers behind the captain, and his Keshin is about to emerge. Before it can, though, Oosawada tries to tackle him. The purple-haired defender misses, but the shock is enough to prevent Maestro from appearing. 

Takuto isn’t discouraged and uses “Fortissimo” instead. Shinomiya tries to summon his Keshin, but he lacks the energy to do so. The goalkeeper is forced to stop the traditional way, but the hissatsu is too strong, so he is flung back into the net.

The final whistle blows, and Raimon is ecstatic at their victory. They cheer and gather around Takuto, congratulating their captain on his goal. Even Kyousuke joins them, though he avoids any physical contact with the other Raimon players. Ranmaru still feels… off , but it’s a lot better than how he felt at the end of the Tengawara game. Tenma and Shinsuke also look pale, but no one mentions it. They’re all too busy celebrating their first win against Fifth Sector as an actual team to focus on anything else. 

Ranmaru feels someone watching him, and he turns to look at Kyousuke, who is openly staring at him. Kyousuke doesn’t only look at Ranmaru, though. He alternates between staring at Tenma, Shinsuke, and Ranmaru. No one else notices, and Ranmaru doesn’t want to start trouble, so he says nothing.

Coach Endou calls them over to the bench, so Kurama can join in their celebration. Even the managers and Otonashi-san join in the celebration. They carry on for a few more minutes before eventually falling into an awkward silence. Coach Endou sends them to the locker room and disappears with the managers and Otonashi-san to do who knows what. 

Most of Raimon’s players are quick to obey their coach, but Kyousuke doesn’t move at all. Once most everyone is gone, Ranmaru moves to follow them only to be stopped by Kyousuke’s hand on his shoulder. He turns to face the Seed. Tenma and Shinsuke are still around too, apparently stopped by Kyousuke as well.

They stare at each other in awkward silence before Kyousuke finally speaks. “I saw what happened today.”

“What do you mean?” Tenma chimes curiously.

“When Shindou tried to summon his Keshin,” Kyousuke elaborates, though his elaboration isn’t very helpful.

The Seed groans at their blank stares. “It hurt when your captain tried to summon his Keshin, right?”

“Yes,” Ranmaru confirms, “but why does that matter? Do you know why it happens?”

“No,” the striker shakes his head, “but I have some theories. And I think that’s more than you have.”

“Are you going to tell us what they are?” Shinsuke asks.

“Not here, and not right now,” the Seed frowns. “Fifth Sector may be listening, and your team should be there too.”

The other three nod in understanding and walk to the locker room with the Seed. As they walk, they strike up a conversation.

“They’re your team too, you know,” Ranmaru hums as he glances at the Seed.

“Does it matter?” Kyousuke shrugs.

“Of course it does!” Tenma chides. “Since you’re playing real soccer with us now, Raimon is your team!”

“Yeah!” Shinsuke agrees, grinning amicably at the Seed.

“Who said I’m playing real soccer?” The striker shoots back, but Ranmaru’s ready for it.

“What did you do today, then?” Ranmaru asks innocently. “It looked like real soccer to me.”

Kyousuke blushes and looks away. “It doesn’t matter. If I call Raimon ‘my team,’ will you stop?”

Ranmaru smirks at the striker’s embarrassment. “Only one way to find out.”

“Fine,” Kyousuke sighs. “ Our team should be there. Happy?”

“Very,” Ranmaru snickers as Tenma and Shinsuke trap the Seed in a tight hug. Maybe things were finally looking up for Raimon after all.

*^*

At the end of afternoon practice the next day, Kyousuke finally decides to share his theories. Practice has been tense because of the Seed’s (former Seed’s?) presence, but it’s still lightyears ahead of their practices a few days earlier. Coach Endou sends them back to the soccer building and tells them to go to the club room.

Once everyone arrives, Coach Endou smiles at them. “Take a seat, everyone.”

They do, and Kurumada is the first to open his mouth. “What is it, coach? Are we in trouble?”

The room dissolves into chaos. Hayami cowers under the table while Hamano shouts about how “it wasn’t me, I swear!” Kurama rolls his eyes at his teammates’ childish behavior, and Minamisawa snickers. Everyone else is yelling, and Ranmaru rests his head in his arms. This was a mess. 

Coach Endou clears his throat loudly, and the room quiets. “No, you’re not in trouble. Tsurugi has some theories he thinks might help us.”

All eyes turn to Kyousuke, and Minamisawa is the one to speak this time. “So what do you know, Seed-san?”

Kyousuke huffs at the sudden attention but continues anyway. “It’s about what happened at the end of the Tengawara game and yesterday’s game.”

“That’s not very specific,” Hayami mutters, and the rest of the team agrees.

“The thing with Matsukaze, Kirino, and Nishinozo,” the striker elaborates with a sigh.

Everyone looks around uncomfortably, not wanting to remember that. “So, what are your theories?” Takuto asks, finally breaking the silence.

“They’re just theories,” Kyousuke warns, “but I think it happens because of Keshins.”

“Keshins?” Amagi questions. “Are you sure?”

“No,” Kyousuke says, “but during my time with Fifth Sector, I saw things like that happen with other Seeds. Our supervisors always blamed Keshins. I don’t know exactly what’s happening with them or why, but it probably has to do with Keshins.”

“You know more than that,” Takuto fixes the striker with an intense stare.

“You won’t like it,” Kyousuke warns.

“I don’t care,” Takuto snaps. “Tell us.”

Kyousuke sighs and rocks back on his heels. “I figured out that it was Keshin-related because they reacted to your Keshin, captain.”

“What?” Takuto reels back in shock. “This is my fault.”

“He didn’t say that,” Ranmaru cuts in. “We don’t know if it’s you’re fault. We only know that your Keshin helped Kyousuke realize that whatever’s happening to us is Keshin-related.”

“But…” Takuto trails off weakly. 

“I told you that you wouldn’t like it,” Kyousuke sighs. 

Everyone sits in miserable silence. They aren’t much closer to figuring out what’s going on, even with Kyousuke’s revelations and theories. Coach Endou dismisses them, and Ranmaru can tell their coach was hoping the meeting would go better.

*^*

Ranmaru goes home with Takuto again. At this point, he’s starting to wonder if he should change his address. He’s spent more time at Takuto’s house than his own, and occurrences like that aren’t new. 

They walk along in comfortable silence for a while, but Takuto gets more and more fidgety as time goes by. Ranmaru knows the brunette wants to talk, but the captain can’t seem to bring himself to say anything.

“What’s wrong?” Ranmaru finally asks.

“It’s nothing.”

“It is something,” Ranmaru glances at his best friend. “You’ve been fidgeting for the last kilometer at least.”

Takuto sighs, “Fine. I’m mad at you.”

“Mad at me?” Ranmaru blinks. He can’t recall anything he’d done to anger the brunette, but it was Takuto. Ranmaru has known Takuto for years, and he’s still not sure how the captain’s emotions work.

“Yes,” Takuto confirms, unable to meet his best friend’s eyes.

“Why?”

“Why?!” Takuto snaps. “You didn’t tell me that it happened again yesterday.”

“So?” Ranmaru shrugs, “It wasn’t a big deal. I didn’t tell anyone about it, and I don’t think Tenma and Shinsuke did either.”

“But you told Tsurugi!” Takuto nearly shouts, cheeks flushed.

“I didn’t,” Ranmaru denies. “He noticed it on his own. He held us after the game to talk to us about it . That’s all, Takuto. There’s no need to be jealous.”

“I’m not jealous!” Takuto shrieks. His entire face has turned bright red, and Ranmaru laughs.

“Then what are you?”

“I’m concerned! You’re my best friend. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“So you want to be my bodyguard?”

“No, but with your lack of self-preservation, you need one!”

“Takuto, don’t act all high and mighty. You don’t have any more self-preservation than I do.”

“I do so!”

“The Keshin incident when we played the Black Knights?”

“That doesn’t prove anything!”

“Sure it doesn’t.”

“Don’t sass me! I’m your captain!”

“Whatever you say, captain .”

“Ranmaru!”

“What? I just want to show respect to my esteemed captain.”

“You’re making fun of me!”

“It’s not very hard, Takuto. You’re very easy to rile up.”

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Of course. I’m your best friend, so laughing at you is part of the job. You’re supposed to enjoy your job, right?”

“You’re terrible. Why am I friends with you?”

“I don’t know, but you’ve had years to ask that, so I think that’s a ‘you problem.’”

“That’s not fair! Get back here, Ranmaru! Don’t run away from me!”

*^*

The next day’s practices are devoted to hissatsu techniques. They practice the ones they already have, and some even work to make new ones. Shinsuke and Tenma are hard at work through the practices working to develop Shinsuke’s new shot hissatsu. Ranmaru is surprised by his junior’s choice, but he’s excited to see what the other defender can do with his new hissatsu.

Takuto and Ranmaru work together on Takuto’s dribbling hissatsu, Presto Turn, along. Ranmaru is also developing a new hissatsu technique, Melody Wave. Takuto laughs at the name and accuses Ranmaru of stealing his music motif. Ranmaru reminds him that he doesn’t own the entirety of music itself, and Takuto laughs.

The day proves to be a nice break from the heavy topics of yesterday, and everyone enjoys themselves. Coach Endou ruins that at the end of practice when he announces they will play Teikoku tomorrow. The short notice and powerful opponent crush the happy atmosphere into tiny pieces. The only slightly good thing to come out of the announcement is Takuto’s idea to try a new hissatsu technique, Ultimate Thunder.

Ranmaru thinks the name is stupid, but the idea is good. He’s able to convince the rest of the team (even the emos: Kyousuke, Kurama, and Minamisawa) to stay after practice to work on it without much trouble, and they get to work. Takuto selects Hamano, Hayami, Ranmaru, and Amagi to be the first four kickers, and Takuto will be the final kicker. The others stand on the other side of the field, acting as a pseudo-Teikoku.

Hamano passes to Hayami, and Hayami passes to Ranmaru. Ranmaru kicks the ball to Amagi, and Amagi sends the ball to Takuto. The force is too much, and Takuto loses control of the ball, resulting in him falling to the ground as the ball flies away.

They try again and fail again, but Takuto is determined to make the tactic work, so they try again anyway. In the end, it takes seven failed attempts for Takuto to figure out that Ultimate Thunder isn’t going to work like this, but by then, Ranmaru has an idea.

“Takuto,” he says. “What if Kyousuke is the final kicker? His kick strength is high, so he should be able to control it.”

Takuto crosses his arms in thought. “We can try it, I guess. Hamano, I want to try being the first kicker. Is that alright?”

“Yeah, sure.” Hamano shrugs and walks towards the others. “Have fun, captain. Tenma, pass it here!”

They attempt Ultimate Thunder for the eighth time. It still fails, but it’s far closer to what it’s supposed to be. The ninth attempt is even better, and Ranmaru has a feeling that the tenth time will be the charm.

“One more time, guys,” Takuto calls as he starts the passing chain. 

Takuto passes to Hayami, who sends the ball to Ranmaru. Ranmaru kicks the ball to Amagi, and Amagi passes to Kyousuke. Kyousuke struggles against the built-up power of the passing chain, but this time, he doesn’t falter. Kyousuke controls the ball and gives it a powerful kick, sending the ball into the other side’s defense. Energy crackles around the ball, and the rest of their teammates are sent flying by the intense energy. 

Takuto, Hayami, Ranmaru, and Amagi cheer at their success as Kyousuke smiles softly in satisfaction. They’ve done it. They’ve completed Ultimate Thunder and just might have a chance of winning tomorrow’s game. Ranmaru is thrilled, and he knows the rest of his teammates are too. Their extra practice session ends on a high note, which hasn’t happened in a while. 

Ranmaru hopes they can carry the momentum and optimism of today into tomorrow’s game and use it to win against Teikoku. For the first time since their little revolution started, Ranmaru is heading into a game with optimism, which while exciting also makes him nervous. He hopes they win tomorrow. Ranmaru doesn’t think he’ll handle it well if they lose after everything they’ve been through.

*^*

The game against Teikoku does indeed happen the next day. Raimon is nervous, but the recent success of Ultimate Thunder has given them a major boost of confidence. It also helped many of Raimon’s players get over most of their differences with Kyousuke. They aren’t best friends by any means, but they’re willing to talk and play together, so Ranmaru thinks it’s good enough.

Coach Endou swaps Minamisawa for Kyousuke in their starting line up, but Minamisawa is chill about it, which Ranmaru is thankful for. Minamisawa said he’s there to keep an eye on Ranmaru and Takuto, but if or when he causes trouble for either of them even though he’s supposedly there to help them, Ranmaru will not hesitate to call him out. Ranmaru has a feeling that Minamisawa knows this, and it’s one of the reasons why he accepts the substitution so well.

Before they go out onto the field, Coach Endou has the brilliant idea to casually mention that Teikoku’s coach is Kidou Yuuto, Raimon and Inazuma Japan’s former brilliant strategist. That goes over about as well as one might expect. Hayami is shaking so much it looks like he could have hypothermia. Hamano has to physically drag Hayami to his spot in the end, and the rest of the team isn’t much better.

Even Tenma and Shinsuke, Raimon’s ever-optimistic first year duo, are a little shaken. Great job, Coach Endou. That was exactly what they needed to hear right before their most nervewracking game yet. Ranmaru knows Coach Endou is relatively new to coaching, but really?

Ranmaru sighs and glances at Takuto. They, Kyousuke, and Minamisawa are the only ones that don’t seem shaken by Coach Endou’s announcement. While it’s good that Minamisawa isn’t freaking out, he’s also not playing, so that isn’t much of a benefit. Kyousuke was a Seed and had gone through who-knows-what in his training, so Ranmaru would be surprised if the announcement rattled him.

Takuto’s reaction is the most surprising. A few days ago, Takuto would be sobbing or screaming after Coach Endou’s announcement, but he seems very composed right now, which is unexpected. Maybe the whole Fifth Sector ordeal is slowly teaching Takuto how to handle his emotions. Ranmaru hopes that’s true. He’d love it if Takuto wouldn’t cry every time he lost his pencil. They always got weird looks from their teachers and classmates when he did (Ranmaru didn’t even do anything! Why were they looking at him?).

Ranmaru handles pressure and extreme emotions well. It’s a necessary skill when you’re best friends with Takuto and spend time with his family. While facing Kidou is intimidating, it will take more than that for Ranmaru to cower in fear. Now, if Teikoku’s coach was Ichirouta, Ranmaru’s reaction might be different (he’s not entirely confident that he’d be able to overcome his inner fanboy), but Kidou is Teikoku’s coach, so that’s not an issue.

Raimon takes their positions on the field, and Teikoku also gets in position. Ranmaru can see Kidou at Teikoku’s bench (are those green goggles ?), and he is every bit as menacing as Ranmaru would expect. Teikoku’s players are also intimidating. Teikoku’s captain, Mikado, is at least a head taller than at least half of Raimon’s players, and he’s a wall of pure muscle. 

The referee hasn’t even blown the whistle yet, and Ranmaru can tell the game is going to be tough. He hopes it won’t be as physical as the Mannouzaka match, but since Fifth Sector is involved, Ranmaru can’t be certain that this game will be any better. Fifth Sector has already shown on multiple occasions that they’re willing to do whatever they can to get rid of those who oppose them. 

Teikoku doesn’t seem to be far under Fifth Sector’s control, but neither did Eito, and it turned out that they had a Seed anyway. Ranmaru wouldn’t be surprised if Teikoku also had a Seed or two amongst their ranks, so he was determined to keep his guard up. Raimon had come so far since their first match with the Black Knights, and Ranmaru will be damned if he lets Teikoku and Fifth Sector ruin everything now. Raimon is going to win, and Ranmaru is going to do everything within his power to make that happen. Look out, Teikoku. You’re going down!

*^*

Chapter Text

*^*

The whistle blows, and Ranmaru is ready to go. There are numerous reasons why he shouldn’t be so ready to play. His apparent condition and the news from the doctor that despite performing numerous tests, they still don’t know what’s wrong with him come to mind first. There’s also his team’s growing overprotectiveness and Takuto’s potential scolding, but Ranmaru can talk his way out of those (probably).

Raimon starts with the ball, so Kyousuke passes to Kurama, who sends the ball back to Takuto. The trio dribbles up without hesitation. Ranmaru isn’t sure what they’re doing at first until he realizes that they’re testing Teikoku’s defenses before attempting to use Ultimate Thunder.

Teikoku’s defenses are, in fact, very strong. Takuto doesn’t even make it halfway down Teikoku’s side of the field before Asukaji steals the ball with a brutal slide. Kyousuke steals it back and sends the ball back to the captain. Takuto uses “Fortissimo,” but Miyabino catches it easily. That isn’t good.

Miyabino gives the ball to Sasaki, and Teikoku goes on offense. It’s tough blocking them, but a well-timed “Bounce Guard” from Shinsuke gives Raimon possession. Takuto has the ball and calls for them to use “Ultimate Thunder.” Ranmaru thinks it’s a bit too early, but oh well. If Takuto wants to get an early lead, that’s fine with him.

Kyousuke seems nervous as he runs back through Raimon’s barrage of passes, but everything else goes smoothly. Ranmaru thinks they might just pull it off. That thought is proven to be wrong when Kyousuke loses control of the ball. It’s odd because Kyousuke had perfect control during practice yesterday, but they don’t have time to focus on that. 

Raimon scrambles to clear the ball and send it back to their forwards. Thankfully, Amagi gets to the ball before a Teikoku player can, and he sends a strong pass up the field to Hamano. Hamano darts around Mikado with “Surfing Piero” and passes to Tenma.

Tenma is fast and gets past multiple Teikoku midfielders before he runs into Kabata. The brunette bounces off the beefy defender and falls to the ground. Kabata isn’t ruffled in the slightest, and he makes an easy pass to Sasaki. 

The amount of back-and-forth in the first half is staggering. Teikoku is better from a technical standpoint, but Raimon is scrappy and persistent, refusing to lie down and accept their loss. Teikoku’s tactics are highly effective (Kidou’s skills have not dulled with age, apparently), but Raimon manages to hold on, no matter what Teikoku’s commander throws at them. Ranmaru imagines Kidou is annoyed that none of his tactics are fully effective, and Ranmaru’s okay with that.

Raimon has the ball, and Takuto orders them to try Ultimate Thunder again. It works much better the second time. Kyousuke is confident and keeps firm control of the ball. He kicks the crackling ball towards Teikoku’s half. It almost works, but Ryuuzaki gets in the way.

“Dragon Knight Tedis!” The defender shouts. His Keshin materializes behind his and blocks Ultimate Thunder with an outstretched hand. 

Raimon groans at the second failure, but with the ball now back in Teikoku’s possession, they can’t let their guard down. Ryuuzaki passes to Sasaki, and the midfielder dashes down the field. When Kurumada tries to take the ball, Sasaki passes to Mikado. The burly forward barrels past the remaining defenders, knocking them to the ground and continuing like nothing happened. 

“Emperor Penguin 7!” Mikado whistles, and seven penguins appear. Each penguin is a color of the rainbow. They converge on the ball, and Mikado sends the ball flying with a powerful kick. The penguins zoom through the air, creating a rainbow as the ball races towards the net.

“Burning Catch!” Sangoku tries to block the hissatsu with his own, but the shot is too strong. It breaks through Sangoku’s hissatsu and flies into the net, giving Teikoku their first goal. 

Ranmaru grits his teeth and gets back to his feet. The half resumes, but things don’t get any better. Mikado’s goal has sapped all of Raimon’s confidence and motivation. Their movements are more sluggish, and Takuto refuses to attempt Ultimate Thunder. Tenma and Shinsuke try to motivate the team, but even they get discouraged when Mikado roughly tackles Tenma to steal the ball.

Kyousuke scowls at everything that’s happening to Raimon. His scowl deepens further at the Teikoku forward’s rough treatment of Tenma, but he can’t bring himself to do anything. Ranmaru is frustrated by this, but he also understands somewhat. Kyousuke is still new to the whole “revolution” thing, and he’s spent the last year at least under the control of Fifth Sector. It’s no surprise that he’s still reluctant to fully rebel, but that doesn’t make it any less irritating.

Mikado decides to make things worse by summoning his Keshin. “Black Wing Raven!” Teikoku’s captain calls out the bird spirit and uses it to make a powerful shot. “Raging Claw!”

“Burning Catch!” Sangoku calls as he tries to stop Mikado’s second shot, but he fails again. Teikoku is up by two goals now, and Raimon’s frustration only grows. The first half ends with Teikoku cheering and Raimon grumbling.

*^*

As soon as halftime starts, Ranmaru pulls Kyousuke aside. 

“Kyousuke,” he begins, “I know it’s hard, but we need you to focus.”

Kyousuke looks down at the ground. “I’m sorry, it’s just…”

“Your brother?” Ranmaru asks softly.

Kyousuke’s head whips up. “What do you know?”

“Not much,” Ranmaru shrugs. “We’ve only met once, but I don’t think you just decided to join Fifth Sector. They must have offered you something to join them, and your brother needs medical help, right? I could be wrong. It’s only a theory.”

“No,” Kyousuke sighs, “you’re right. Fifth Sector promised to pay for my brother’s surgeries, so I joined them.”

Ranmaru nods, “Makes sense. So, you’re worried about how your participation in our rebellion could impact his treatments?”

“You’re good at this, Ranmaru-senpai,” the striker sighs again. “I know what my brother would want me to do. He loves soccer more than anything, and seeing the way Fifth Sector ruins it would kill him. But I couldn’t forgive myself if I’m the reason he’ll never walk again…”

 Ranmaru hums noncommittally. “It’s your decision, but you need to decide before the second half. Kyousuke, we need you if we’re going to win today.”

The defender leaves Kyousuke to his thoughts and spends the rest of halftime discussing strategies with Coach Endou and Takuto. Ultimate Thunder is all they have hissatsu tactics wise, but without Kyousuke, they’ll never get it to work. Their strategy meeting ends with frustratingly few results.

The beginning of the second half goes just as poorly as the end of the first half. Teikoku is in control, and it’s all Raimon can do to keep them from scoring. Raimon spends the first few minutes playing only defense because Teikoku’s hold on the ball is so strong. 

Things only start to turn around when Amagi gets the ball back with “Viva! The Great Wall of China.” Amagi passes to Ranmaru, and the defender starts dribbling up. Itsumi runs up to block him, and Ranmaru sees the perfect opportunity to use his new hissatsu.

“Melody Wave!” He calls as he keeps dribbling. He kicks the ball, and the ball spins in place on the ground before flying up into the air. It continues spinning as music staffs radiate from it. The staffs surround Itsumi, trapping him in a vortex of music staffs. 

“Kyousuke, go!” Ranmaru dashes past the forward and passes the ball to Kyousuke.

The striker nods solemnly and passes the ball to Takuto. Takuto looks confused for a moment, but the captain is quick to catch on. Takuto passes to Hayami, and Ultimate Thunder’s passing chain begins. Ranmaru receives the ball from Hayami and sends it to Amagi. Amagi sends Kyousuke the final pass, and Kyousuke kicks it deep into Teikoku’s half of the field with a cry of “Ultimate Thunder!”

The ball zooms through Teikoku’s players and lands just outside their goalie box, crackling with electricity. All of Teikoku’s players are blown away except for Miyabino, who is left standing alone in the net. 

Kurama takes full advantage of the opening, running up and taking the ball. He faces down Miyabino, determined to score. “Sidewinder,” Kurama yells as he uses his snake-based hissatsu. 

“Power Spike,” Miyabino calls, attempting to block the shot. He fails, and Raimon finally has their first goal.

The team cheers and congratulates Kurama on his goal. Teikoku grumbles, and Mikado looks infuriated that Raimon managed to score. Kidou issues orders to Teikoku’s players just before the match begins, and then they’re playing again. 

Raimon is energized from their goal, and their playing reflects it. Raimon takes the ball from Teikoku with significantly less effort than before, and they’re able to keep the ball as they dribble up the field. Hayami and Tenma use their hissatsus to avoid Teikoku’s forwards and midfielders, and the ball is sent to Takuto for him to score Raimon’s second goal. 

Mikado charges at Takuto, having run back to help Teikoku’s defenses. Teikoku’s captain summons his Keshin with a cry of “Black Wing Raven!” Realizing his options are limited, Takuto also begins to summon his Keshin. A dark cloud forms behind the brunette, and Ranmaru feels it again. 

The defender’s chest is tight, and his head feels dizzy and full. His body hurts, and everything feels wrong. The feeling reaches a crescendo, and just as Ranmaru thinks he’s going to die, it dims to a bearable level. Dropping to his knees, Ranmaru glances up, and Takuto’s Keshin cloud is gone. The captain is staring at him guiltily while Kyousuke uses Lancelot to fight Mikado. Tenma is also on his knees, panting heavily, and if the yelling behind Ranmaru is anything to go by, Shinsuke is too.

Kyousuke wins after what Ranmaru assumes was an intense battle (he was too busy trying not to pass out to watch it), and then Kyousuke uses Lost Angel to score Raimon’s second goal. Raimon doesn’t cheer this time. They’re too busy helping Ranmaru, Tenma, and Shinsuke. Takuto runs over to Ranmaru and helps him back to his feet. Kyousuke does the same for Tenma, and Ranmaru assumes that someone is with Shinsuke too. 

“You should go to the bench,” Takuto whispers as Ranmaru leans against him. 

“I’m fine,” Ranmaru insists, pushing off Takuto’s shoulder to stand on his own. “I want to finish the game.”

“No. You’re in no shape to play,” Takuto argues.

“It was worse last time,” Ranmaru huffs. “I can stand on my own, so I can still keep playing. Besides, we only have one sub. You can’t bench Tenma, Shinsuke, and me.”

Takuto scowls at his point. “Are you sure you can play.”

Ranmaru nods, “There isn’t much time left in the half anyway. I can handle it.”

“Fine,” Takuto sighs heavily, “but if you pass out, you won’t be playing for the next three days.”

“Deal,” Ranmaru grins tiredly and pats Takuto’s shoulder before walking back to his spot. Tenma and Shinsuke are in their spots too, so Ranmaru guesses that they’ve managed to convince the others to let them play too.

The referee had allowed extra time before resuming the game to let Raimon sort themselves out. Now that everyone is back in position, the game can resume. Ranmaru is glad that he’s still on the field. Raimon still has at least one more goal to score before the game ends.

*^*

Teikoku starts with the ball, but they don’t keep it for long. Kurumada uses “Dash Train” to send Sasaki flying and steal the ball. Kurumada sends the ball to Hamano, and Hamano is forced to pass it to Hayami when Horasawa comes after him. Hayami sends it to Amagi, but Mikado is on him almost instantly. So begins Raimon’s frantic passing to avoid Teikoku’s heightened aggression. 

No matter what they do, Raimon can’t get close to Teikoku’s goal. Ranmaru’s too exhausted to use Ultimate Thunder, so Raimon’s only hissatsu tactic is out. On top of that, Ranmaru’s not sure he’ll still be able to play if they’re forced into overtime, so time is not on Raimon’s side.

Raimon’s wild passes continue, and practically everyone gets the ball at some point or another. Even Ranmaru, Tenma, and Shinsuke have the ball for a bit, despite their teammates’ reluctance to let them play. Time is running out, and Raimon is on edge as they scrap and claw for their last goal. 

There’re only two minutes left, and Ranmaru almost believes that this is it. Teikoku will be Raimon’s final opponent in the Holy Road, and Raimon’s revolution will end before it ever had the chance to truly begin.

But then Shinsuke gets the ball again and remembers something very important. If he’s being honest, Ranmaru had forgotten it too until that very moment. Shinsuke kicks the ball up into a high arc and jumps high into the air after it. He flies over the ball and lands on top of it, delivering a full-force kick in the process. “Full Throttle Jump!” He yells, voice confident despite his exhaustion. 

Most of Teikoku’s players fail to react to the shot in time, too shocked by the defender’s sudden longshot to move. Even Miyabino’s reaction is sluggish, and that’s probably the reason Shinsuke’s shot makes it into the net before Teikoku’s keeper can use his hissatsu. Thus, Raimon’s third goal is scored to the surprise of everyone, including Shinsuke.

The whistle blows to end the game (Raimon was cutting it close there, huh?), and Coach Endou calls everyone to the bench. Takuto grabs Ranmaru’s hand and pulls him along like he needs a personal escort to walk 6 meters. Ranmaru decides to flatter his captain and lets himself be dragged. 

All in all, he’s feeling okay. His head still aches, but he isn’t nauseous or lightheaded. Everything hurts, but Ranmaru did just play an intense soccer game, so that comes with the territory. It’s not great, but it’s infinitely better than what happened after the Tengawara game. 

Tenma and Shinsuke also don’t look too bad. Shinsuke is the most exhausted out of the three of them, but he expended lots of energy using Full Throttle Jump. No one passed out either, so Ranmaru counts that as a win. It looks like he won’t be missing three days of practice after all.  

Coach Endou isn’t quite as happy as Ranmaru, though, and he forces Tenma, Shinsuke, and Ranmaru to sit on the bench while he gives his talk. The talk isn’t too long and mostly consists of congratulating their three scorers on their goals. Coach Endou also praises Kyousuke, Takuto, Hayami, Amagi, and Ranmaru for successfully using Ultimate Thunder.

While Ranmaru is glad for the praise, he’s also very tired. Coach Endou seems aware of that and doesn’t drag out his talk any longer. “Everyone,” he smiles at the team. “Go put on your training suits. We have somewhere to go.”

Everyone is curious, but the look on Coach Endou’s face tells them not to question it. They pull on their training suits without a word. Coach Endou leads them over to Teikoku’s bench, where Kidou is waiting. The rest of Teikoku is nowhere to be seen, but Kidou doesn’t seem to care. The team whispers to each other as they’re guided along, unsure of what’s happening or where they’re going.

The former Inazuma Japan midfielder says nothing as he takes the lead and guides Raimon through Teikoku’s many halls, doors, and escalators. Ranmaru wasn’t expecting the last one, but Teikoku is known for being a bit pretentious, so having escalators wouldn’t seem too unusual for them. Kidou only stops when they’re in front of a massive elevator door. Well, it looks like an elevator door, but they’re in Teikoku, so who knows what it really is?

Sakuma Jirou and Miyabino are waiting for them at the door. Sakuma presses some keys on a digital keyboard, and the door opens. It turns out that it is an elevator, and everyone is quickly ushered inside. Sakuma presses some buttons along with some other strange actions, and then the elevator is taking them down. They drop for a while, which gives the team time to look at each other nervously. Takuto and Sangoku look the most concerned, and their frowns deepen every time the elevator drops a floor. 

Halfway through their very awkward elevator trip, Kidou finally starts to talk. Ranmaru doesn’t listen to much of what he says at first. It’s stuff about using the game against Raimon to weed out the Seeds in Teikoku’s line up, and Sakuma chimes in on occasion. Miyabino rarely speaks, remaining silent and polite by Sakuma’s side. The boy is quite different from how he was on the field, and Ranmaru likes this side of him a lot more. It’s when the elevator door opens that Ranmaru starts properly listening to Kidou and Sakuma.

“Teikoku is currently the main base for the Resistance,” Kidou explains. “The Resistance fights against Fifth Sector from behind the scenes.”

“That’s right,” Sakuma hums. “The Resistance will support Raimon while you openly challenge Fifth Sector by defying their score orders. We have members, and I’m sure you will recognize some of them.”

Raimon is led to a room where Hibiki Seigou,  Raimon Souichirou, and other adults are seated around a table. Coach Endou rushes up to talk to them, leaving his team behind. Kidou and Sakuma also join Coach Endou, and Miyabino leaves the room. Raimon stands awkwardly in front of the door, unsure of what to do or where to go. In the end, the move to a corner of the room and sit down quietly.

The Resistance members pay them no mind. They carry on like none Raimon’s players are even there, and Ranmaru isn’t sure how he feels about it. He’s too tired to form any proper thoughts, so he ends up sitting against the wall next to Takuto, his head resting on the brunette’s shoulder. Tenma and Shinsuke are also sitting down, as are the rest of their teammates. 

Hamano and Hayami exchange some playful banter while Kurama and Minamiawa have a pseudo-fight over something stupid. If he closes his eyes, Ranmaru can almost pretend that they’re in the locker room, worn out after a long practice. But the tiled floor is too cold, and they would never have a group of adults discussing how to fight Fifth Sector in their locker room (probably).

The Resistance leaves them alone while they discuss plans and other matters, and Ranmaru almost falls asleep. He’s so tired that not even the uncomfortably cold tiles beneath him can keep him fully awake. He dozes until Coach Endou walks up to them again. 

“Get up, guys,” their coach grins. “The Resistance wants to talk to you.”

Then Coach Endou drags them over to the table where the rest of the Resistance members are sitting. Hibiki and Raimon begin explaining their plan to use Raimon to take control of Fifth Sector. Somehow, Raimon’s victories are supposed to help Hibiki be elected the next Holy Emperor. Ranmaru doesn’t understand everything the adults tell them, and he knows he’s not the only one. 

Hibiki and Raimon finish explaining, and all Ranmaru can think about is how ridiculous the plan sounds. The Resistance seems fairly confident in their plan, though, so maybe Ranmaru is missing something? He doesn’t care that much though, and he’s very happy when Raimon is finally escorted out of Resistance HQ. Coach Endou gets them on the bus, and they finally leave Teikoku. 

Ranmaru falls asleep on the bus ride back, and when Sangoku and Takuto shake him awake, he flails like a fish, almost hitting Sangoku’s forehead with his wrist. Everyone else is just as mentally and physically exhausted as Ranmaru, so their goodbyes are brief before they go home. Ranmaru crashes at Takuto’s house yet again, and he can’t bring himself to care. The bed is soft, and the food is good. 

He’ll go home eventually, but not when he’s so tired that he runs into the front door because he doesn’t realize it is closed. Takuto laughs at him, but a tired glare from Ranmaru shuts him up soon after. Takuto sends him up to bed, foregoing dinner because he knows that Ranmaru is more likely to fall asleep in his food than eat it. Ranmaru falls into one of the deepest periods of sleep he’s had in a long time, and he dreams of playing soccer with his friends. Overall, it was a good day, even if not everything was perfect, and Ranmaru’s alright with that.

*^*

Ranmaru is still a bit sluggish the next day, but he manages just fine. Morning practice runs smoothly, or at least it did before Minamisawa opened his mouth.

“Ranmaru, can you help me with this?” Minamisawa asks, gesturing to the practice cones scattered on the ground.

Takuto’s eye twitches, and he shoots Ranmaru a questioning look. Ranmaru shrugs and calls back to the forward. “Sure, Minamisawa. I’ll be right there.”

Minamisawa gasps dramatically and gives Ranmaru a disapproving stare. “Don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten out conversation, Ranmaru. What are you supposed to call me?”

Ranmaru sighs as he walks over and gathers up the cones. He’d completely forgotten about their talk and had defaulted back to his normal way of addressing the boy. “Sorry, M-Atsushi. Is that better?”

“Much!” Atsushi chirps, unnaturally chipper. 

Ranmaru doesn’t understand why the purple-haired boy is acting so weird until he turns around and sees Takuto’s face. The brunette’s face is flushed, and he’s glaring at Atsushi so intensely that Ranmaru’s afraid Atsushi may drop dead on the spot. 

Atsushi doesn’t, and he decides to make Takuto the full focus of his teasing. “Is something wrong, Takuto ?”

Takuto’s face reddens even more, and if Ranmaru doesn’t intervene soon, Takuto may actually act on his anger instead of turning into a sobbing mess. Ranmaru hands the stack of cones to Atsushi and pulls Takuto away by his shoulder. He waves to Atsushi as they walk away.

“Thanks, Ranmaru!” The forward calls after them, and Ranmaru giggles slightly at how Takuto’s eye twitches again.

“It’s not that big of a deal, Takuto,” Ranmaru soothes. “We talked a few days ago, and we both decided to use each other’s first names. It was a mutual exchange, and I agreed to it. You don’t have to defend my honor or anything.”

“But I do!” Takuto hisses, wrapping his arm around Ranmaru’s shoulder protectively. “You’re my best friend, and I don’t want anyone taking advantage of you.”

Ranmaru laughs and rubs Takuto’s forearm lightly. “I can take care of myself, you know.”

“Of course I do, but I’m still allowed to worry about you.”

“You worry about everything.”

Their banter is interrupted when Coach Endou tells them to get back to practice. As they get back to practice, Ranmaru sees Ichino and Aoyama watching from a distance. 

“You should talk to them,” he mutters to Takuto as they run back to where they’re supposed to be.

“Alright,” Takuto agrees as they get back to practicing. They practice hard, and by the end of practice, Ranmaru feels good about what they’ve gotten done that morning. Morning practice ends on a high note, and afternoon practice starts the same way.

They’re playing a six-on-six practice match, and Coach Endou splits them into teams. Sangoku is in goal for the yellow team, and with no other keepers on the team, Coach Endou decides to give Shinsuke a crash course in goalkeeping and put him in goal for the blue team. It’s an odd decision, but no one protests it. Shinsuke looks excited for the chance to train one-on-one with Coach Endou.

Kurama, Atsushi, Hayami, Tenma, and Amagi are also on the yellow team while Kyousuke, Takuto, Hamano, Kurumada, and Ranmaru are on the blue team. They decide their formations and get settled on the field while Coach Endou has his session with Shinsuke. They finish surprisingly quickly, and Coach Endou, who will be the referee for their game, blows the whistle to start the game. 

The game is very intense even though it’s technically just a practice game. No one holds anything back, and hissatsus are used just like they would be in a real game. The blue team takes an early lead when Kyousuke uses his hissatsu “Death Drop” to score. The yellow team responds by taking a goal for themselves with Atsushi’s “Sonic Shot.”

The teams are tied 1-1, and Hayami passes the ball to Tenma. Tenma slips away from Takuto and Kyousuke will a well-timed “Soyokaze Step.” Tenma sidesteps Hamano too, and he dribbles up the field. Ranmaru grins and darts up to stop his junior. 

Neither of them uses a hissatsu. Instead, they clash the old-fashioned way. Ranmaru pushes hard to get the ball, but Tenma pushes back just as hard. They’re pretty evenly matched at the moment, but Ranmaru wants the ball. He wants the ball!

His chest gets tight like it did whenever it happened, but this is different. It almost feels like something is forming instead of being sapped away. His teammates gasp, and Ranmaru is pulled out of his thoughts. He and Tenma are still fighting over the ball, but then he sees what he thinks his teammates are gasping at. A dark cloud has formed behind Tenma. It looks eerily similar to the mass that forms behind Takuto and Kyousuke when they summon their Keshins. Does that mean Tenma has a Keshin too? 

Then Tenma gasps too, startling both himself and Ranmaru. They back away from each other, ball forgotten. Kyousuke and Takuto come up from behind Ranmaru to look at them. Takuto looks worried, but Kyousuke’s smile is intrigued and excited. Ranmaru and Tenma glance at each other nervously before making eye contact with the two Keshin users. 

“So,” Kyousuke hums, seemingly in a fairly good mood for once, “it seems you two even more interesting than I thought you’d be.”

“What do you mean?” Ranmaru asks cautiously, shifting uncomfortably under the weight of Kyousuke’s stare. 

“You two...” He says, pausing dramatically because he’s a jerk. “Have Keshins.”

“What?!”

*^*

Chapter Text

*^*

“Kyousuke, this isn’t funny,” Ranmaru sighs.

“It’s not supposed to be. Keshins are rarely a laughing matter,” Kyousuke states.

“So we do have Keshins?!” Tenma’s expression is somewhere between extremely excited and terrified, and Ranmaru is also feeling that too.

“I already said you did,” Kyousuke huffs in annoyance. “Shindou saw it too if you don’t want to believe me.”

Takuto fidgets awkwardly under the weight of Ranmaru and Tenma’s stares. “I saw the dark clouds behind them too if that’s what you mean.”

Ranmaru pauses to think. He’d seen a cloud behind Tenma minutes ago, and it was the same dark color and strange consistency of the clouds Maestro and Lancelot appear from, so it’s not too strange of an idea. But Ranmaru still has a lot of questions about why he and Tenma have Keshins and what they’re supposed to do with them. He also has questions about Keshins in general, but he doubts (former) Seeds like  Kyousuke were given enough information to answer his questions. 

“So what do we do with them?” Ranmaru fixes Kyousuke with a curious look.

“Train them and use them,” Kyousuke says like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“How do we train them?” Tenma tilts his head to the side innocently.

“I’ll teach you,” the ex-Seed states with authority he does not have. “We’ll start right now.”

And so begins Kyousuke’s attempts to train Ranmaru and Tenma’s Keshins. As it turns out, all the striker has to go on is his training with Fifth Sector, so Tenma and Ranmaru are subjected to harsh physical training along with frequent one-on-one duels with Lancelot. Kyousuke says that the constant challenges from Lancelot will help awaken their Keshins faster. He delves into a surprisingly detailed explanation of how exterior threats (Lancelot) can bring out inner strength (their Keshins) while also bringing their bodies up to a level that can handle the sheer raw power of a Keshin.

It’s rough training, and even though practice ends, Coach Endou gives Kyousuke permission to continue their Keshin training in both morning and afternoon practice the next day (yay…). 

At the start of afternoon practice, Kyousuke tells them that they’re getting closer to awakening their Keshins. To accelerate the process even further, Kyousuke enlists Tenma and Ranmaru to help him kidnap Takuto, so they can use his Keshin in their training. Ranmaru ends up doing most of the work in their scheme (when doesn’t he?).

Ranmaru approaches Raimon’s captain, who is running drills with the rest of the midfielders and asks him to come to the bench, so they can talk. Takuto doesn’t question it and follows behind Ranmaru obediently. When they reach the bench, Ranmaru takes a firm hold of Takuto’s wrist. Tenma pops up from his hiding place and takes the captain’s other wrist. Finally, Kyousuke comes up behind them and pushes Takuto along to the corner of the field where they’ve been practicing.

“Hey!” Takuto cries as he’s manhandled across the field. “Ranmaru!”

“What?” Ranmaru asks airily. “We need your help with something. That’s all.”

“You could’ve just asked me for help,” Takuto huffs. He stops fighting them and allows them to drag him along. 

“But this is more fun,” Ranmaru smirks at his best friend, and Takuto groans exasperatedly.

Tenma laughs at their antics, and even Kyousuke is smiling by the time they’ve brought Takuto to their destination. Takuto stays with them for the rest of practice. He’s not the most knowledgable, but his distaste for Kyousuke’s “beat people up to make them stronger” philosophy is a nice change of pace. 

As practice goes on, Ranmaru and Tenma become more and more successful at bringing out dark clouds, but their Keshins never fully form. Kyousuke isn’t phased, and he seems rather pleased. His only explanation for his unusually positive behavior is, “Kaiou is a team of Seeds. They’re the perfect opponents to draw out your Keshins.”

Afternoon practice ends, and Tenma bounces away followed by Shinsuke, Aoi, and an unnaturally chipper Kyousuke. Takuto and Ranmaru walk to the gate together, though Ranmaru will be going to his own house this time. During their walk, they pass Ichino and Aoyama, who is tucked back into the surrounding trees like they don’t want to be seen. Even hidden in the trees, they still have a good view of the front field. 

Ranmaru wonders if the duo were watching them practice, but he doesn’t get the chance to ask because the pair dart away as soon as Takuto and Ranmaru get close to their hiding spot. Takuto sighs, and Ranmaru shrugs. He can tell Ichino and Aoyama still have some personal things to sort out before they can approach the soccer team again, and that’s fine. He’s fairly confident that the former second team players will rejoin Raimon in the own time.

Ranmaru and Takuto exit the school gate and split up to go to their houses. Ranmaru waves goodbye and strides along the uneven sidewalk. When he gets home, no one else is there. His parents are working late again, which is fine. Ranmaru knows they need the money. They’re not like the Shindous, who have lots of money to spare. They’re a working-class family getting by just fine, but they could never afford to send Ranmaru to the fancy music camp Takuto attends every June. 

Ranmaru’s fine with that. He is. Everyone in his family does their part, and coming home to an empty house and not wasting money on unnecessary things is Ranmaru’s part. He’s known that for a while, and he’s gotten used to it. Ranmaru can make meals out of almost anything now, and he’s proud of that (Takuto can’t cook at all. He set a pot of water on fire once. That was fun). He loves his parents, and they love him. It’s all he can ask for, and he wouldn’t trade his family for anything.

*^*

Raimon’s match against Kaiou is the next day, and it does not start well despite the fact that Ichino and Aoyama have finally officially rejoined Raimon. Within the first few minutes, Kaiou has already scored with Yoshimine’s hissatsu “Flying Fish.” Hayami is the only one to visibly deflate, but everyone else feels it too. Kaiou is a tough team, and Ranmaru can tell they’re a team of only Seeds from the way they play. 

Kaiou’s goalkeeper, Fukami, blocks Kurama’s “Sidewinder” with ease. “Hydro Anchor” knocks the shot away, and Kaiou has possession again. Raimon steals the ball back, but they lose it to Kaiou as soon as they reach Kaiou’s half. Kaiou launches a series of frantic passes up the field, and when the ball finally reaches Yoshimine, the end of the chain, the Kaiou forward is deep in Raimon’s half.

Ranmaru is the closest to Yoshimine, so he darts forward with a cry of “The Mist!” Ranmaru takes the ball from the forward and passes it to Tenma. Raimon is finally back on offense. Tenma dances through Kaiou’s midfielders easily and only has to use “Soyokaze Step” to counter Nagisawa’s “Killer Whale” and keep the ball. 

Tenma passes to Kyousuke, and with a shout of “Death Drop!” Kyousuke sends the ball zooming towards the net. Fukami counters with “Hydro Anchor,” but his hissatsu is no match for the sheer strength of Kyousuke’s shot. Raimon cheers as the referee whistles to signal their goal. Kyousuke struts back, shooting Namikawa a meaningful look that probably has a deep history behind, and Ranmaru does not want to learn about that history. He has enough to deal with already, thank you very much.

When the game starts back up, Kaiou’s attitude has shifted. They’re more focused, and as Raimon quickly finds out, their plays are far more aggressive. It probably has something to do with their pride. If the Seeds Ranmaru’s met (Kyousuke) are anything to go by, Seeds are nothing if not prideful, and Raimon is facing an entire team of Seeds. Oh boy, this might get a little rough…

It does indeed get rough. Kaiou rushes Raimon and scores two more goals before the first half is over. The first is scored by Namikawa with the help of his Keshin, Sea King Poseidon. The second is taken by Yoshimine’s “Flying Fish.” Seriously, they lost to a long shot twice. Ranmaru sighs and places his hands on his hips. Looks like he’ll be having a fun chat with their defense about shot-blocking because they’ve forgotten how. Ranmaru grimaces a little. That conversation will not be fun.

Half time consists of Raimon trying to pull Hayami out of his depression, Atsushi and Kurama arguing about Atsushi subbing in for Kurama, and Ranmaru attempting to remind his fellow defenders about shot-blocking, which is a skill they’ve already learned about. None of it is fun, but it has to be done if Raimon wants to win. 

The worst part of half time by far is Coach Endou’s decision to change their formation. He places Ranmaru and Tenma at offense even though neither of them has shot hissatsus or experience playing offense. Atsushi and Kyousuke take Hayami and Hamano’s spots in midfield, and the displaced midfielders take Tenma and Ranmaru’s empty positions in defense and defensive midfield. Their formation is a mess, and no one is happy about it. But Coach Endou is their coach, so they begrudgingly follow his orders when they return to the field. 

The whistle blows, and the second half begins. Ranmaru and Tenma totter around cluelessly, unsure of where to go or what to do. Kyousuke and Atsushi try to coach them from their places in midfield, but it just makes everything worse. The only things they can do successfully are stealing the ball and dribbling it, but they’re playing offense, and offenders are supposed to shoot the ball . 

Ranmaru and Tenma lack any form of a shooting hissatsu, so the best they could do is a normal shot on goal. They can’t get close enough to the goal to make their shots anyway, so oh well. Guess they’ll awkwardly pass the ball around until they figure out what they’re supposed to do. Most of Kaiou’s players look mad. They probably think Raimon is insulting them, and they hate Raimon for that. Ranmaru isn’t phased. He hates Raimon’s playing too at the moment, and besides, no one will be able to hate him more than he hates himself (which, at this very moment, is quite a lot).

*^*

In the end, it’s Kaiou who finally helps rectify the situation. Wanda is visibly fed up with Raimon’s odd formation and terrible offense, so he makes a reckless charge at Tenma, who currently dribbling the ball. 

“Sonic Speed Varius!” Wanda calls as he summons his Keshin. Tenma’s dribbling slows while he gazes nervously at the Keshin. 

Ranmaru and Takuto are internally panicking. They both know Wanda will not hold back, and in a few seconds, Tenma could be snapped like a toothpick if he isn’t careful. The rest of Raimon is also tense. Almost no one is sure what to do. Almost no one.

“Matsukaze!” Kyousuke shouts up the field. “Fight! You already know what to do!”

The ex-Seed’s words ignite something in Tenma, and then a telltale dark cloud forms behind the midfielder. A figure forms in the cloud, the vague silhouette of a man hidden by the dark smoke. Tenma yells, and the cloud breaks apart, revealing a strange half-man, half-horse figure. Red wings materialize behind the figure.

“Demon God Pegasus!” Tenma cries as the horseman (pegasusman?) roars.

Tenma runs at Wanda and Varius. Wanda’s charge has slowed due to the shock of the sudden Keshin reveal. “Pegasus Break!” Tenma cries as he uses his Keshin to break through Wanda’s. Wanda falls to the ground, and Varius is forced to retreat. Raimon cheers, and Kyousuke’s smirk is a little too smug for Ranmaru’s liking. 

Tenma’s grinning widely, proud of his sudden accomplishment, and Ranmaru thinks he’s starting to understand their bizarre formation. Takuto races past both Ranmaru and Tenma, and Tenma passes the ball to Raimon’s captain as soon as he’s in position. Takuto uses the moment of Tenma’s pass to power up his “Fortissimo” even more, and Fukami doesn’t stand a chance. The goalkeeper tries to use “Hydro Anchor,” but the ball is in the net before he can even lift the anchor. 

While everyone gets back in position, Coach Endou fixes Tenma, Atsushi, and Hayami’s positions, but Ranmaru, Kyousuke, and Hamano are left where they are. Yep, there’s no doubt now. Coach Endou is using this weird formation to force Ranmaru and Tenma’s Keshins out. Once Ranmaru summons his Keshin, he’s pretty sure Raimon’s formation will go back to normal.

Play resumes, and Kaiou is not pleased with the reveal of Tenma’s Keshin or Raimon’s goal. Their already aggressive playing becomes even more violent. They result to rough shoves and dangerous tackles to take the ball from Raimon. Raimon pushes back against Kaiou, and Hayami even shows up Murakami’s attempted slide with his hissatsu “Zeroyon!” Hayami passes to Atsushi, but the forward loses the ball to an irate Namikawa. 

“Sea King Poseidon!” Namikawa summons his Keshin despite being on Kaiou’s half, meaning that he intends to charge up the rest of the field by himself. That’s not good. Even with their hissatsus, the others wouldn’t stand a chance against a Seed’s Keshin, so it’s up to Ranmaru. No pressure…

Ranmaru stares at Namikawa and Poseidon for a moment before darting toward them. Namikawa races to meet him. They’re going to clash, but Ranmaru’s Keshin isn’t out yet. But he needs his Keshin to come out! He needs to protect Raimon!

And just like that, he can feel a familiar feeling welling up inside him. His chest tightens, and he knows a cloud has formed behind him. He calls out his Keshin with a roar, “Battle Flag Warrior Brynhildr!” 

Ranmaru and Namikawa clash, and Ranmaru can feel Brynhildr clashing with Poseidon too. He’s going to win this clash because he has to win. 

He swings his arm to the side and calls out, “Valkyrie Flag!” Brynhildr’s flag swings in tandem with his arm, knocking Namikawa and Poseidon away, and once the arc is complete, Brynhildr slams the end of her flag into the ground. The ground rises beneath Ranmaru, and the ball flies up to meet him. Namikawa is still laying on the ground, Keshin gone, so Ranmaru takes the ball with little trouble. With her job complete, Brynhildr also retreats. 

“Atsushi!” Ranmaru calls as he passes the ball to said forward. 

Atsushi smirks as he receives the pass. “Sonic Shot!” He says as he uses his iconic shot. He aims for the bottom right corner of the goal, and due to the shot’s tricky position, Fukami can’t get to it in time. Ranmaru and Atsushi high-five as they walk back to their positions. Coach Endou fixes everyone else’s positions as Ranmaru had predicted, and with their formation finally corrected, Raimon is ready to take the lead with their next goal. 

Shinsuke, shockingly, is the one to make the last goal. Kaiou has tightened their defenses, and Raimon can’t manage to fully breakthrough. Shinsuke notices this, and when Amagi makes a frantic high pass to him to keep the ball away from Yoshimine, he uses the pass’s height to boost the power of his “Full Throttle Jump” to a ridiculous amount. The long shot soars across the field, barely losing power despite the amount of distance it travels. 

“Hydro Anchor!” Fukami roars, summoning an anchor to block the shot. Shinsuke’s shot clashes with Fukami’s hissatsu, and there are a few moments of intense back-and-forth before the shot finally breaks through and lands in the net. The final whistle blows, and Raimon wins the game. 

Raimon cheers victoriously and huddles together at the bench. They applaud their goal-scorers, but most of the team’s attention is on Tenma and Ranmaru. Sangoku stands between them and swing and arm over each of their shoulders. Kurama nods at each of them in silent approval, and Kurumada hugs them with very loud approval. Raimon celebrates for a few moments more before allowing Coach Endou to speak.

His speech is largely similar to the last game’s, and no one is paying much attention. The only time Raimon tunes back in is when Coach Endou congratulates Ranmaru and Tenma on awakening their Keshins. Then he goes back to boring stuff and is subsequently tuned out again. They put on their training suits and head to the bus. 

The bus ride back is very energetic and lively. Hamano and Hayami’s conversations run almost always like a straight man comedy, but their discussions on this particular bus ride are on a whole other level. Kurumada and Amagi join in, and their conversations just keep getting more and more ridiculous. 

Ranmaru secretly enjoys it, but he can’t let Hamano know (Hamano will never do work again if he finds out), so he spends most of the ride talking with Tenma, Kyousuke, and Takuto about various things (like Takuto’s mood swings and Kyousuke’s emo wardrobe). Oh, and Atsushi and Kurama are talking to each other again, so that’s also exciting. 

Overall, it’s been a very good day, and Ranmaru hopes more days in the future will be like this one.

*^*

It’s only been a day, and the universe is already out to smite him. Raimon has gathered in the club room in preparation for afternoon practice when Tenma and Shinsuke show up with another first year. He’s short and a bit suspicious-looking. His eyes are shifty, and Ranmaru is instantly on guard. 

“Hi,” the boy greets them pleasantly. “I’m Kariya Masaki, and I would like to join the soccer club.”

The boy smirks at them, and Ranmaru is shocked by the obliviousness of those around him. Kariya is clearly trouble, but no one else seems to notice. 

“Do you like soccer?” Coach Endou asks the boy.

“Yes,” Kariya smiles innocently, but his eyes narrow.

“Then welcome to the team!” Coach Endou declares.

The rest of Raimon groans. They’ve mostly gotten used to Coach Endou’s laidback attitude, but this seems a bit much. Apparently, Raimon’s coach is letting anyone join now. Ranmaru’s sure Coach Endou’s decision will cause trouble in the long run, but he’ll keep his thoughts to himself for now. It’s always nice to get in a good “I told you so” every once and a while. 

Afternoon practice begins, and the first thing Kariya does is violently tackle Tenma to get the ball. Ranmaru and Coach Endou are the only ones to see it happen, and Coach Endou shoots Ranmaru a look that says “don’t bring it up right now.” Ranmaru doesn’t, but he hopes his coach will bring it up at some point. 

The current Kariya situation is unintentionally defused by the arrival of another person. Kurama and Atsushi are practicing their shooting, but Kurama loses control of a shot, causing the ball to fly away towards the front gate. The ball flies high, rising above the hills that surround front field. The ball almost flies through the gate, which would result in a long walk for Kurama to retrieve the ball, but the ball is intercepted by none other than Kidou Yuuto.

Kidou struts down the hill (Ranmaru doesn’t know how else to describe the movement…) and declares that he will be joining Raimon as their assistant coach. Coach Endou doesn’t question it and welcomes (Coach?) Kidou warmly. The rest of Raimon blinks in confusion at the sudden addition to the staff, but there’s nothing they can do. They just have to roll with it. Raimon really is letting in anyone now, it seems... 

Coach Endou ends practice with the news that they will be playing Gassan Kunimitsu in their next game. Atsushi freezes at the mention of the other school’s name, which is odd. Ranmaru will have to investigate that later. He doesn’t want to have to deal with emotional problems in the middle of a game. That was always too stressful for comfort.

During morning practice the next day, Coach Endou continues his streak of shocking his players when he announces Raimon will have a practice game against the Akizora Challengers instead of an afternoon practice. Raimon accepts the news because they don’t have much of a choice, but that doesn’t stop them from being confused and blindsided by all the sudden changes that have occurred in two days. 

Kariya’s antics continue throughout the practice game, though he’s now chosen a new target: Ranmaru. Ranmaru evades most of Kariya’s subtle attacks, which only seems to egg Kariya on even more. The teal-haired boy’s attempts to cause trouble get more creative as time goes on. At one point, Kariya “accidentally” runs into Ranmaru, but Ranmaru isn’t stupid. He knows that Kariya is only trying to cause trouble. 

Kariya also tried to turn Amagi and Kurumada against Ranmaru by spreading rumors that Ranmaru was disappointed with their performance. Thankfully, Amagi and Kurumada weren’t insulted in the slightest. Instead, they took it as inspiration to work even harder. Ranmaru makes sure to point out how they’ve improved once the game ends. 

Kariya is scowling when the game ends even though he’s made a good showing of his skills and body balance. Ranmaru figures now’s as good a time as any to confront the other defender, so he approaches the boy when everyone else leaves the field. 

“Kariya,” Ranmaru says evenly. “We need to talk.”

“What is it, senpai?” Kariya asks innocently, tilting his head to the side to enhance the effect.

“Your behavior during the match today was unacceptable,” Ranmaru begins, “but your playing was very good. You’ll make a good addition to our team, but that’s only when you stop behaving like an elementary school prankster.”

Kariya scowls and mutters some unsavory words before looking at Ranmaru in the eye. “ Prankster ?! I think you’ve got the wrong idea, senpai.”

“Enlighten me, then, Kariya,” Ranmaru hums airily. “What is the right idea?”

Kariya grits his teeth and tries to make himself look as intimidating as possible. “I’m a Seed , Kirino-senpai.”

Ranmaru blinks and looks Kariya up and down. “No, you’re not,” Ranmaru says firmly.

“How would you know?” Kariya asks nonchalantly.

“One, you’re not prideful enough, and two, I’ve played multiple Seeds in the past, including Kyousuke, so I know what a real Seed looks like,” Ranmaru explains with a smirk.

Kariya pales and begins to lose his composure. “Oh yeah? Are you sure I’m not a Seed?”

“Yes,” Ranmaru says immediately. “I am very sure, but I don’t care about that anyway.”

Kariya is caught off-guard by Ranmaru’s quick, decisive answer. “Then what do you care about?”

Ranmaru grins lazily and places a hand on his hip. “I want to make a deal with you.”

The teal-haired defender eyes him cautiously. “What kind of deal?”

“I know you’ll keep causing trouble even if I tell you to stop,” Ranmaru begins, “so I won’t tell you to stop. Instead, I want you to redirect your troublemaking away from the soccer club and to other targets.”

“That’s great and all, but what do I get out of it?” Kariya snaps impatiently. 

“Good targets and information on said targets,” Ranmaru smiles mischievously, “along with a partner who can provide help on certain occasions and an alibi for you on others.”

“That sounds pretty good,” Kariya mutters, “but I want something else too.”

“What?” Ranmaru asks hesitantly.

“Us to be on a first-name basis,” Kariya smirks impishly. “Captain really doesn’t like it when people besides him call you by your first name, right?”

Geez, Takuto. Kariya’s only been a part of Raimon for two days, but he’s already picked up on that? “So you just want to mess with Takuto?”

“Pretty much,” Kariya shrugs lazily. “So do we have a deal?”

“Fine, Masaki ,” Ranmaru extends his hand for Masaki to shake.

Masaki shakes his hand firmly. “Good to be working with you, Ranmaru -senpai. Let’s do our best together, okay?”

Ranmaru ends the handshake and smacks Masaki’s head lightly. “Don’t get weird now. I can and will kick your ass if you get too creepy. Got it, Masaki?”

Masaki rubs his head sheepishly. “Got it, Ranmaru-senpai.”

“Good,” Ranmaru smiles at the shorter boy. “Now, do you want to know our first target?”

“Who?” Masaki’s hands twitch at his side in excitement. 

Ranmaru starts walking to where the rest of Raimon is gathered, gesturing for Masaki to walk beside him. They’re centered around Akane and are seemingly looking through her camera. “You know the tennis team, right? Well, lately they’ve been spreading some bad rumors about the soccer club. I think we should remind them who they’re messing with. Sound good to you?”

“Yeah,” Masaki nods subtly. “Do you have a plan?”

“A skeleton plan, but nothing too concrete,” Ranmaru explains. “I’m hoping that you’ll be able to spice it up and make it more… exciting .”

Masaki smirks, “I like your thinking. When can we start?”

“Come to my house,” Ranmaru grins. “We can get started right away.”

“Good. Let’s go.”

And that’s how Masaki and Ranmaru ended up walking home together to Ranmaru’s house for the first time.

*^*

Chapter Text

*^*

Masaki and Ranmaru meet up on the way to school and discuss the plan they’d come up with last night. Masaki’s ideas and additions do prove to be very exciting , and Ranmaru is sure the tennis team won’t mess with the soccer team any time soon. Midori approaches them to ask what they’re talking about, which neither defender was expecting. They’re forced to come up with an excuse, so Ranmaru spins a story about helping Masaki find his way around the school while Masaki chimes in with his snarky commentary. 

Midori looks suspicious, but she doesn’t press them for any more information, which Ranmaru is thankful for. They don’t want anyone to know about their plans just yet, and they have to get to morning practice too. He and Masaki dash around Midori and head to the soccer building to change. 

Morning practice is mostly normal aside from Masaki’s odd attempts to befriend Tenma and Shinsuke. He teases them and asks them weird questions, trying to get the other first years to like him. He’s overthinking it. Tenma and Shinsuke are the types of people who will be your friend if you just ask them. Tenma and Shinsuke are even friends with Kyousuke, Raimon’s resident edgy Lonewolf, so Ranmaru doubts they’ll have any problems with being friends with a prankster like Masaki. By the end of practice, Tenma and Shinsuke are hanging off Masaki like they usually hang off Kyousuke, so Ranmaru assumes that they’re friends now. 

Afternoon practice is similarly normal. Masaki tries to get cheeky at one point when he and Ranmaru are practicing blocking and stealing, but Ranmaru is quick to deal with him. Ranmaru steals the ball from Masaki, and teal-haired defender flops to the ground like a fish. He tries to act injured for a moment, but Ranmaru pulls him to his feet seconds later and lightly punches his shoulder while staring into Masaki’s brown eyes intensely. Masaki doesn’t try anything after that. 

The next day, Raimon is put on a bus and taken to Paradise Stadium. Aoyama and Ichino are chatting with Coach Kidou (surprisingly) while the rest of the team talks amongst themselves. At one point, Masaki, who is seated directly behind Ranmaru and Takuto, gets bored enough to try and tug on Ranmaru’s pigtails, ruining their neat appearance. Then Masaki finds himself with a slapped hand and a death stare from Ranmaru. 

The rest of Raimon watches anxiously. No one except Hayami, Sangoku, Takuto, and the managers have ever dared to touch Ranmaru’s hair causally, especially in a malicious way. Masaki shrinks back into his seat, shivering under the pink-haired boy’s fierce gaze. Ranmaru only looks away when he is completely satisfied that Masaki won’t try anything else. He pulls his hairbands out while Takuto digs a hairbrush out of Ranmaru’s bag. 

Then Ranmaru sets to work fixing his hair. Takuto helps where he can, but there’s a reason he never puts his hair up even though it’s long enough for it. Within a few minutes, Ranmaru’s pigtails are fixed, and the rest of his team knows not to mess with his hair unless they have his expressed permission. They get off the bus and enter Paradise Stadium, which is just as majestic as it looked on TV. 

Workers give them orders, and soon Raimon is sent onto the field with the rest of the teams. Ishido Shuuji, who is very overdressed for a children’s soccer event, stands up from his throne (seriously, Fifth Sector?) and gives a speech that is also far too intense for a children’s soccer event (by this point, Ranmaru is noticing a theme). 

When Ishido’s speech is done, he moves on to explain the rules and different stadiums that will be used during the Holy Road nationals. The fields seem very impractical and almost unfair to Ranmaru. An ice field when you have a competing team that’s from Hokkaido? Really? Also, multiple stadiums look like accidents waiting to happen, but if Fifth Sector wants to get themselves sued, Ranmaru is happy to let them. 

After Ishido finishes, Raimon is guided off the field and sent back to their bus for another long bus ride. By the time they get back to Raimon, Ranmaru just wants to go home. Or to Takuto’s house. After such an unproductive day, Ranmaru doesn’t care where he ends up so long as he can do his homework and collapse in a bed. He ends up following Takuto home because the musical prodigy promises they’ll have a delicious dinner prepared by the Shindou family chef, and Ranmaru’s never been one to turn down free food, especially if it’s gourmet. 

*^*

Raimon is taken to a monorail the next day. Coach Endou explains that it will take them to the stadium that’s been chosen for their match. When they board the monorail, they see Gassan Kunimitsu boarding on the other side of the monorail. The teams are separated from each other by a pane of glass, but it isn’t soundproof, so they can vaguely make out each others’ conversations if they wanted to. 

When Atsushi takes his seat, he glances at Gassan Kunimitsu nervously before staring at the balled fists in his lap. Ranmaru marches over to him and sits beside him, foregoing his usual seat beside Takuto. Atsushi looks up and locks eyes with the defender before resigning himself to his fate. Ranmaru smirks and slides closer to Atsushi, so they won’t be overheard. 

“What’s wrong?” Ranmaru whispers.

“It’s nothing…” Atsushi says lamely. He really can’t lie to save his life, can he?

“Something about Gassan Kunimitsu bothers you,” the defender states. “Why?”

“I…” Atsushi pauses and takes a deep breath before continuing. “I was going to transfer to Gassan Kunimitsu after I left Raimon. I wanted to tell you guys, but most of Raimon doesn’t even know that I was going to leave.”

Ranmaru hums at the forward’s confession. Ranmaru knows that it must be awkward for Atsushi to play against the team he was going to join, but he’s going to have to deal with it. If Raimon is going to win the Holy Road, they’re going to need Atsushi to pull himself together. 

“I know it’s going to be weird,” Ranmaru glances through the glass at Gassan Kunimitsu. “But you’re with us, not them, and we need you if we’re going to win today.”

“I know,” Atsushi smiles softly. “What would you guys do without me?”

Ranmaru smirks at the forward playfully. “If you were playing with Gassan Kunimitsu, we’d kick your ass.”

Atsushi gapes at Ranmaru before he dissolves into laughter. “Bold words, Ranmaru. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you talk like that before.”

“Would you like to?” Ranmaru quirks an eyebrow, and Atsushi laughs even harder. 

Ranmaru grins, and before long, he’s laughing too. Their teammates stare at the odd duo in confusion. Takuto catches Ranmaru’s eye, silently asking what’s going on, but Ranmaru just shrugs and keeps laughing. The first years start interrogating them, and Ranmaru directs their questions to Atsushi without hesitation. The forward shoots him a betrayed glance, but Ranmaru just grins widely. Atsushi groans and tries to explain what they were laughing about, but the first years keep interrupting him.

Ranmaru stands up and walks over to Kurama (he probably shouldn’t, considering their riding a monorail, but oh well). The blue-haired boy had taken Ranmaru’s seat beside Takuto when he saw the defender seat himself next to Atsushi. He nods towards the now empty seat, and Kurama gets up to take it without any further prompting. Ranmaru takes the now vacant seat beside Takuto, and as soon as he’s sitting down, the captain fixes him with a curious stare.

“What did you do?” Takuto whispers.

“Nothing much,” Ranmaru whispers back. “Atsushi was reaching Kyousuke levels of emo, so I helped him get back on track.”

Takuto’s eyebrow lifts so high it almost disappears into his bangs. “He was that bad?”

Ranmaru nods, “He was, but he’s better now. Besides, he’s with Tenma and Shinsuke right now, and they’re friends with Kyousuke. If anyone knows how to get people out of their emo phases, it’s those two.”

“Fair enough,” Takuto nods. “Since we have some time before we get to the stadium, I have something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

Ranmaru blinks in surprise. He hadn’t been expecting this at all. “What?”

Takuto sighs, a look of irritation crossing his face. “What’s going on with you and Kariya?”

“With Masaki?” Takuto scowls at the use of a first name. “We’re friends. I’m looking out for him like I do for all the first years.”

“That’s all?”

“Yeah,” Ranmaru confirms. Technically, he’s telling the truth. Ranmaru is watching out for Masaki and all, but Takuto doesn’t need to know about the prank alliance thing just yet.

“Good,” Takuto’s shoulders sag in relief.

“What did you think was going on?” Ranmaru teases the captain lightly.

Takuto frowns and crosses his arms. “I don’t know, but you’ve been getting yourself into a lot of trouble recently. I just wanted to make sure you were making good choices.”

Definitely not telling him about the prank alliance thing, then. “Of course I am, and I could say the same thing about you. Are you and Kyousuke getting along now?”

Takuto flushes lightly. “Yes. We’ve put aside our differences, so we can work together as teammates.”

“Good,” Ranmaru smiles. “Raimon has enough drama already. We don’t need you adding to it.”

Takuto grumbles, and Ranmaru laughs. Then he sees most of Gassan Kunimitsu staring at them through the glass, visibly confused by their actions. Seems like they overheard Ranmaru and Takuto’s banter. Whoops. Takuto looks at the other team too, and when he figures out why Gassan Kunimitsu is confused, he blushes brightly. Raimon is also watching their captain and his best friend, but they’ve become accustomed to the weird banter the two often have during practice. 

Takuto spends the rest of the ride with his red face buried in his hands. Ranmaru laughs at him, and the first years finally leave Atsushi alone to badger their captain about why he’s so embarrassed. Gassan Kunimitsu continues to stare at Raimon, seemingly fascinated by Raimon’s strange behavior. Coach Endou is watching, also fascinated by his team’s behavior, while Coach Kidou groans and facepalms. Things are off to a great start, aren’t they?

*^*  

The stadium the monorail takes them to is Cyclone Stadium. No one explains exactly how the stadium works, but if the name is any indication, some sort of wind will be involved. Coach Endou explains Raimon’s formation. Atsushi is benched for Kurama, and Masaki takes Shinsuke’s usual spot. Ranmaru is right next to Masaki, so that will be interesting. Ranmaru knows they work fairly well together, but this is the first official game they’ll play side by side. 

Raimon is sent to their positions, and the game begins. Within seconds of the game starting, the massive fans on the stadium’s ceiling turn on. They don’t do anything beyond causing a light breeze, but it’s still unsettling. Tenma has the ball and avoids Tsukishima with “Soyokaze Step” and passes to Kurama. The forward makes his way up the field, dodging Gassan Kunimitsu players when necessary. He begins to use “Sidewinder,” but his shot is cut short when the ceiling fans whip up to full speed. A cyclone forms in front of Kurama, and the boy is sent flying, ball lost to the wind.

Gassan Kunimitsu recovers the ball and wastes no time going on offense. Shibata dribbles up, but he makes the mistake of staying on Ranmaru’s side of the field. Ranmaru darts forward and easily steals the ball with the help of “The Mist.” The defender passes to Hamano, who sends the ball to Kurama again. 

“Sidewinder!” Kurama shouts as he uses his hissatsu. The ball glows green as it flies towards the net. 

Hyoudou just smirks at the oncoming shot. A dark cloud forms behind him as he shouts “Giant God Gigantes!” Hyoudou stretches his arms out with a roar, his Keshin mimicking his actions. “Gigantic Bomb!” The keeper cries as his Keshin punches the ball from each side with its massive hands. The ball spins for a few moments longer but soon stops. Hyoudou catches the ball from his Keshin and passes it to Hachisuka. 

There’s more back-and-forth, but eventually, Shima breaks through Raimon’s defenses. He charges the net and uses his hissatsu “Head Bazooka” without hesitation. Sangoku looks nervous for a second before his face tightens in determination. 

Sangoku kneels and jumps into the air, front flipping multiple times as he falls back to the ground. His arms are over his head, hands locked together. He brings his arms down forcefully, smashing the ground, with a cry of “Fence of Gaia!” Five miniature mountains erupt from the ground and block the shot. The ball bounces off the mountains straight to Masaki. Sangoku smirks in triumph at the use of his new hissatsu, and Ranmaru and the rest of Raimon are thrilled as well. 

Their keeper’s new hissatsu motivates them greatly as Raimon fends off yet another of Gassan Kunimitsu’s attempts on goal, so the current score is 0-0. There’s more back-and-forth before Tenma finally manages to steal the ball only to realize that Gassan Kunimitsu herded him directly in the path of a newly formed cyclone. In a moment of genius (or stupidity), Tenma decides to use a hissatsu on the cyclone. It works (shockingly), and with a cry of “Soyokaze Step!” Tenma avoids the cyclone easily. Only to be caught in another one right after and lose the ball anyway.

Gassan Kunimitsu has the ball now, and Hamano goes to get it back. Kai dribbles up the field. When Hamano confronts him, he uses “Claymore” to send Hamano flying. Ranmaru races to steal the ball. He’s about to use “The Mist” when a massive cyclone forms between him and Kai. The cyclone is closer to Ranmaru and sends the defender flying. 

“Masaki!” Ranmaru cries as he sails through the air, gesturing frantically to Kai. Masaki nods and runs to get the ball back from the Gassan Kunimitsu midfielder. 

Ranmaru lands on the ground with a thud, hissing as he climbs to his hands and knees. Amagi comes up behind him and quickly pulls the other defender to his feet. Ranmaru thanks him as he dashes off to help Masaki. 

Masaki is doing well on his own already. His flexibility and body balance are great enough for him to stick to Kai constantly. Kai gets tired of Masaki’s antics and tries to forcefully remove the defender with Claymore, but Masaki beats him to the hissatsu punch. 

“Hunter’s Net,” Masaki says as Kai and the ball run straight into a glowing purple net. The defender smirks and steals the free ball, passing it up to Takuto. Then the whistle blows, and the first half ends.

*^*

Half time feels little more than a short break to Ranmaru. Kurumada is switched out for Shinsuke, and Atsushi will replace Kurama. Beyond that, nothing much happens. They briefly discuss the cyclones and possible ways to avoid them, but Tenma seems to be the only one capable of doing that right now. Other major discussion topics include Gassan Kunimitsu’s weird outfit and the fact that Kai seems to always have a bulging vein on his forehead. 

Then Coach Kidou interrupts them, looking mildly disappointed at his team’s choice in discussion topics. He sends them back out on the field and grumbles to Coach Endou about creating a team of idiots. Coach Endou just laughs and slaps Coach Kidou on the back, which the goggled man did not seem to appreciate.

Gassan Kunimitsu has the ball at the start of the second half, but Masaki is quick to rectify that with another use of “Hunter’s Net.” Masaki smirks and kicks the ball right into a newly formed cyclone. Ranmaru groans at the other defender’s strange play, but Tenma seems to understand what Masaki’s up to. Tenma runs up to retrieve the ball from the cyclone. 

Tenma then decides to break out two new hissatsus in less than five minutes, much to the shock of Raimon. “Spiral Draw!” The brunette shouts as he forms a miniature cyclone. Everything is fine until Tenma runs into the larger cyclone, cloaked in only his small hissatsu wind storm. Thankfully, Tenma isn’t sent flying. Instead, the cyclones merge, and Tenma pulls the ball from the cyclone. He uses the merged cyclones to send Gassan Kunimitsu’s players flying before he burst out of it. 

Using the momentum and wind from the cyclone, Tenma creates his first hissatsu shot. “Mach Wind!” The midfielder calls, and the ball zooms towards the net at a breakneck pace. 

Hyoudou summons Giant God Gigantes to stop the shot, but to his surprise, Atsushi runs after the shot and creates a shot-chain with his hissatsu “Sonic Shot.” The extra powerful shot breaks through the Hyoudou’s Keshin, and Raimon has their first point. Tenma and Atsushi high-five on their walk back to their positions. It’s the first positive interaction Ranmaru has seen between the two in a while, and he’s glad they’re getting along better now. 

The game resumes, and for the first time in the Holy Road, Raimon scores before their opponent scored. Gassan Kunimitsu is visibly frustrated by Raimon’s lead, so they decide to use a hissatsu tactic. Tactics Cycle proves to be a tricky hissatsu tactic, confusing Raimon so much that they can’t tell which Gassan Kunimitsu player has the ball when they use it. Masaki tries to intervene, but he’s knocked away every time he tries. 

By Tactics Cycle’s third use, Ranmaru is starting to see how it works. He watches Gassan Kunimitsu intently to learn the timing and directions of the players when they use the hissatsu tactic. It doesn’t do him any good because Kai still gets past him when Gassan Kunimitsu uses the tactic again. 

Kai and Kanehira break past Raimon’s defenders and have a clear shot on goal. They use “Rocket Head” to score (it’s a weird and borderline dangerous hissatsu if you asked Ranmaru), and Sangoku’s “Fence of Gaia” isn’t enough to stop it. Suddenly, Raimon’s tied at 1-1 with Gassan Kunimitsu.

If nothing else, after seeing the tactic four times now, Ranmaru is confident in his understanding of how Tactics Cycle works, but he knows he won’t be the one to break through it. Instead, he recruits Masaki, softly whispering instructions to the teal-haired boy as they return to their positions. Masaki smirks when Ranmaru finishes explaining, excited to cause chaos for their opponents. 

The referee blows the whistle to resume the game. Gassan Kunimitsu decides to use Tactics Cycle yet again because of how well it’s been working the entire second half, but Ranmaru and Masaki are ready this time. Masaki darts around the players using the tactic until he finds his target. He snatches the ball from a very surprised Kai and passes it to Ranmaru. Ranmaru passes the ball back to Masaki, and they continue to pass to each other until they’re past the four Gassan Kunimitsu players using Tactics Cycle. 

With Tactics Cycle dealt with, Ranmaru sends the ball up to Tenma, who calls out Demon God Pegasus once he’s received the ball. He runs towards the goal, and Hyoudou calls out Giant God Gigantes, preparing to face off with Tenma. Tenma shoots the ball, using his Keshin to strengthen the shot. Hyoudou tries to stop it, but in the end, Tenma’s shot is just too strong. Raimon scores again, putting them in the lead once more.

*^*

Raimon is feeling good, but that good feeling is quickly shattered by Gassan Kunimitsu’s sudden aggressive play, leading to Shibata scoring with “Rocket Head.” There isn’t much time left, and Raimon will have to fight hard if they want to win. 

Ranmaru is keenly aware of this, so when Shima runs down the field with the ball, Ranmaru’s ready to pull out all the stops to get the ball. “Battle Flag Warrior Brynhildr!” Ranmaru calls out his Keshin, and the sheer presence of Brynhildr is enough to let him steal the ball from Shima. Ranmaru passes to Tenma as his retreats, and Tenma passes to Takuto.

Takuto, possibly inspired by Ranmaru, calls out his Keshin as well. As soon as the dark cloud forms behind Raimon’s captain, Ranmaru feels it again. Ranmaru’s head feels heavy, but he’s lightheaded. Everything is wrong, and Ranmaru can’t focus on what’s going on around him. It’s so much worse than it was during the Teikoku game, and unlike that time, it doesn’t dim. It only grows strong, and Ranmaru thinks he’s going to throw up. 

There’s a sudden increase in noise, maybe from yelling, and it does nothing to help Ranmaru’s ever-growing headache. Ranmaru’s knees are about to give out, but just before they can, someone comes up behind him and jumps on him, pushing off Ranmaru’s shoulders for extra height. That’s all Ranmaru needs to lose what little balance he has left, and he crashes to the ground like a broken marionette. 

He’s on the ground, and he can’t get up. But it is also finally starting to fade, so Ranmaru is becoming increasingly aware of his surroundings. Sangoku pulls him to his feet and loops Ranmaru’s arm over his shoulder. Masaki, who looks extremely guilty, takes Ranmaru’s other arm to help support the pink-haired defender. 

Ranmaru is speedily shuffled off the field and out of anyone else’s sight by Sangoku and Masaki. He’s taken to the bus and placed in his regular seat. Tenma and Shinsuke receive the same treatment, though they’re helped by Kurumada and Amagi. Takuto slides into the seat beside Ranmaru and rubs the defender’s forearm comfortingly. Atsushi and Masaki crawl into the seats behind the pair, shaking the bus with their movements.

The movement irritates Ranmaru’s already nauseous stomach, and his hand shoots up to cover his mouth. His teammates seem to figure out what’s wrong, and within seconds, a bucket is placed on his lap. Ranmaru shoots Takuto what he hopes is a look of gratitude before he leans over the bucket and vomits harshly.

Atsushi rubs his back soothingly while Takuto works on removing the hair ties in Ranmaru’s pink locks. The rest of Raimon boards the bus to the sound and sight of Ranmaru losing everything in his stomach. When the vomiting eventually stops, Ranmaru’s given a water bottle to rinse his mouth out with and drink if he’s thirsty. 

Ranmaru leans back in his seat to distance himself from the foul-smelling bucket on his lap. He takes small sips of the water bottle, which does make him feel a little better. Coach Endou and Coach Kidou are the last to board the bus, following Otonashi-san and the managers. Even though everyone is on the bus, it doesn’t move. Coach Endou and Coach Kidou also stay standing and begin to talk to each other and the team. 

“So this is what’s happened after every other game?” Coach Kidou asks.

“I don’t know if it’s every other game ,” Sangoku retorts, “but yeah. It happens pretty often.”

Coach Kidou frowns, crossing his arms over his chest. “And you don’t know what it is?”

“Tsurugi said that it’s Keshin-related,” Takuto lifts his head to join the conversation. “Do you know what it is?”

“I have a theory,” Coach Kidou nods, “but testing will be required to confirm it.”

Ranmaru groans softly at the implications of that statement, and while Takuto is concerned about his best friend, he decides to speak again. “What’s your theory?”

Coach Kidou inhales deeply before continuing. “I believe it is a result of Keshin drawing, and what Kirino, Matsukaze, and Nishizono are experiencing are side-effects of said drawing.”

Coach Kidou’s words only confuse Raimon more. Hamano is the one to speak up next. “But what’s Keshin drawing?”

“Keshin drawing a technique in which a Keshin user takes or draws on the strength of his teammates to summon or powerup his Keshin,” Coach Kidou explains. “It’s a fairly uncommon technique, so not much is known about it. But from what I’ve observed in Raimon’s games against Teikoku and Gassan Kunimitsu, I believe Keshin drawing is responsible for what happens to your teammates after certain games.”

“So another Keshin is responsible?” Hayami mumbles meekly.

“Correct,” Coach Kidou nods. 

“But which Keshin?” Kurumada questions.

Ranmaru feels Takuto tense beside him, so the defender rests a weak hand on the captain’s trembling one. 

“Instrumentalist Maestro,” Coach Kidou states bluntly. “We will continue discussing this matter tomorrow.”

With that, Raimon’s coaches sit down, and the bus leaves Cyclone Stadium. Coach Kidou’s statement has left Takuto a sobbing mess. Tears drip from Takuto’s eyes onto Ranmaru’s hand. Ranmaru presses himself against his best friend in a poor attempt to comfort the brunette. Takuto presses back against Ranmaru, and they support each other during the ride back to Raimon. Atsushi occasionally pops up to ruffle Ranmaru’s hair or rub Takuto’s shoulder. Masaki doesn’t interact with them, only hovering and keeping watch over the duo. 

Ranmaru throws up two times during the bus ride, but he only brings up bile, which isn’t pleasant in the slightest. Tenma and Shinsuke aren’t doing well either, but Ranmaru is the only one with an upset stomach (lucky him…). As soon as the bus gets back to Raimon, Sangoku and Atsushi usher Takuto and Ranmaru off the bus. 

Sangoku coaxes Takuto into calling his family butler to drive them home, and Ranmaru and Takuto are loaded into the car as soon as it arrives. The ride is silent. The rest of the day is also silent. Takuto refuses to speak to Ranmaru out of guilt or something, and Ranmaru’s too exhausted to fuss at his best friend. They eat in silence and go to bed in silence too. 

Ranmaru doesn’t like silence. He wants to talk with Takuto, let the brunette know that whatever’s happening to Ranmaru isn’t his fault. But Takuto is stubborn and full of guilt, so nothing Ranmaru says will get through to him right now anyway. Ranmaru will just have to try again tomorrow. 

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Chapter Text

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Ranmaru’s attempts to cheer Takuto up before they go to the school do not amount to much. Takuto is too anxious about Coach Kidou’s words and what else he will say to focus on his best friend. Ranmaru is thankful that Takuto cares for him, Tenma, and Shinsuke, but the amount of wallowing in self-pity Takuto has done in the past month is unacceptable.  

Still, they end up rushing out the door far earlier than normal to meet with their assistant coach because Takuto’s silence and teary eyes become too much for Ranmaru to deal with alone on an early school morning. The others were anxious too apparently because the entire team and their coaches all arrive in the club room an hour before practice is supposed to start. Under the nervous stares of the entire team, Coach Kidou is quick to launch into the rest of his theory. 

“Instrumentalist Maestro is summoned through Keshin drawing,” Coach Kidou begins. “In most cases, equal amounts of energy are taken from each player to summon a Keshin. However, that is not the case here.”

The room is silent, so Coach Kidou takes that as his cue to continue.

“The only ones affected are Kirino, Matsukaze, and Nishizono, two of which had dormant Keshins when Maestro was first summoned,” Coach Kidou states. “Therefore, I believe it can be assumed that Nishizono also has a dormant Keshin.”

Shinsuke’s head lifts as his eyes glitter excitedly at the idea of having a Keshin. The rest of Raimon is not as happy, and Sangoku isn’t afraid to let Coach Kidou know. “That’s great for Shinsuke, but why does it matter?”

Coach Kidou glances around the room, green goggles gleaming from the ceiling lights. “Because the presence of Keshins is why they are affected so much by Maestro’s summoning.”

“But Tsurugi has a Keshin too,” Tenma pipes up.

“True,” Raimon’s assistant coach nods, “but Lancelot was active at the time Maestro was originally summoned.”

“And that matters?” Kyousuke raises a dark eyebrow.

“Yes,” Coach Kidou nods again. “When Maestro was originally summoned, Shindou was not powerful enough to bring out his Keshin’s full potential, so Maestro sought out another way to reach its full potential: Keshin drawing.”

Takuto bows his head miserably and stares at his lap.

“Ordinarily, Maestro would siphon equal amounts of energy from each Raimon player, but while doing so, Maestro found players with more potential energy than the others.”

“Players with dormant Keshins,” Ranmaru says softly. “Us.”

“Exactly. While dormant Keshins cannot be used like active Keshins, they still hold an immense amount of power,” the goggled man states. “When summoned, Maestro drew from those with dormant Keshins to power itself further.”

“But Ranmaru-senpai and I have active Keshins now,” Tenma jumps in again.

“That’s true,” Ranmaru agrees, “so why are we still affected?”

“Habit,” Coach Kidou answers simply. “Maestro has gotten used to drawing from you when its summoned, so it will continue to draw from you even if your Keshin is active. Active Keshins still have an immense amount of power that can be tapped by other Keshins.”

Takuto is physically shaking now. Ranmaru wraps an arm around the brunette’s shoulder while Coach Kidou continues. 

“There is one more factor to Maestro’s Keshin drawing,” Coach Kidou crosses his arms.

“What?” Most of Raimon asks anxiously.

“All Keshin, whether dormant or active, possess a unique signature. All Keshin users can acclimate their Keshins to other Keshins and their signatures. This acclimation is caused by users being in extended periods of contact with one another,” Coach Kidou explains. “Typically, Keshin acclimation does very little beyond providing the occasional power boost. But in Maestro’s case, its acclimations determine who will be drawn from the most, which explains the variance in symptoms experienced by Kirino, Matsukaze, and Nishizono.”

“Based on what you said, Maestro and Brynhildr have the greatest acclimation to each other?” Ranmaru asks as Takuto balls his fists in realization.

“Correct,” the assistant coach says. “This explains the severity of your symptoms compared to the others. You have known each other for years, yes?”

Ranmaru nods, and Coach Kidou speaks again. “Matsukaze has known Shindou for the second-longest, and his symptoms are also worse than Nishozono’s but not as bad as Kirino’s.”

“And Shinsuke has known Shindou for the shortest amount of time, so he’s affected the least,” Sangoku finishes, nodding in understanding.

“It’s great that we know how all this works,” Atsushi drawls, “but how do we fix it?”

The stares directed at Coach Kidou intensify, but he doesn’t waver. “I’m not sure. The best option would be retraining Shindou’s Keshin entirely, but that has never been done before.”

Raimon’s players let out dejected sighs, and Takuto’s depressed state only seems to get worse. 

“I’ll speak with others about how to improve the situation, but for now, all we can do is limit Shindou’s Keshin use,” Coach Kidou explains.

Raimon mutters various things, but everyone agrees in the end. Then Coach Endou sends them off to change for practice because their talk had run a little long. Practice was supposed to start ten minutes ago, so Raimon rushes through changing and runs to the front field. Morning practice goes well, but Takuto is distant the entire time. Noticing this, Coach Endou splits them up into defenders, midfielders, and offenders. Ranmaru is in charge of the defense, and Sangoku is in charge of the offenders, who will practice their shooting with the keeper. The midfielders are left in the hands of Coach Kidou because Takuto refuses to speak to anyone.

Morning practice is also when they’re introduced to another new Raimon player, Kageyama Hikaru. Their coaches and Otonashi-san freeze at the mention of the boy’s last name, but the rest of Raimon couldn’t care less. With Takuto is his depressed state, it’s up to Ranmaru and Atsushi to guide Hikaru. As it turns out, the boy is completely new to soccer and doesn’t even know how to dribble correctly.

Masaki has a field day with Hikaru after realizing this. Hikaru runs into a goalpost at one point because Masaki told him to only watch the ball, not where he was going. After giving Masaki a very forceful shoulder clap, Ranmaru teaches Hikaru how to actually dribble a ball. After that, Atsushi shows the boy how to kick a ball. Hikaru’s kick strength is very impressive, and the way he shoots the ball is very unique. Ranmaru sees a gleam in Atsushi’s eyes, and he knows Hikaru will be in good hands (he also makes a mental note to make sure Atsushi and Kurama don’t overwhelm Hikaru with their wild hissatsu plans).

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Afternoon practice is just as chaotic. Masaki keeps messing with Hikaru, but the purple-haired boy doesn’t understand what the defender is doing and falls for Masaki’s tricks every time. Hikaru nearly takes Hamano out with one of his shots and is officially made an offender due to his ridiculous kick strength. With that, Atsushi and Kurama kidnap Hikaru to work on hissatsus. 

Takuto is still wallowing, so Ranmaru and Sangoku end up running everything. New hissatsus and tactics are discussed, but they don’t settle on anything. Coach Endou laughs at the chaos and calls his team “enthusiastic.” Coach Kidou groans and calls them “wild” and “stupid.” Ranmaru agrees with both of them. 

Aoi tells them they’ll be playing Hakuren the next day during afternoon practice. Kurama follows up her announcement by nearly beheading a guy while he’s working with Atsushi and Hikaru on a hissatsu. It turns out the said guy is Fubuki Shirou, the ex-coach of Hakuren. He compliments Kurama, but Kurama only blushes furiously and drags Atsushi and Hikaru off to continue practicing. 

Once they’re gone, Fubuki launches into an explanation of why they need to help him save Hakuren. Ranmaru is fully on board because they’ll fight Fifth Sector in the process, but Fubuki says it won’t be that easy. They’ll need a new hissatsu tactic to break through Absolute Barrier, a powerful defensive hissatsu. He says they’ll need two Keshin users, so Kyousuke and Tenma are placed at the front of the tactic formation (Ranmaru’s a defender, and Takuto is on “Keshin probation”).

They get to work on the hissatsu tactic. It doesn’t go well. Kyousuke and Tenma work well together, but something is missing from the hissatsu tactic. During a break, Ranmaru suggests they name it, but everything they come up with is terrible. Notable names include anti-iceberg task force (Hamano), running up the field dramatically (Amagi), twineedle (Kurumada’s is, of course, a terrible Pokémon reference), and double smash (it’s Hayami’s suggestion, so Ranmaru doesn’t think he means it like that , but still…).

Akane interrupts their terrible naming session with a letter from Nishiki, which is a welcome surprise. Nishiki is coming back to Japan, and Raimon is ecstatic. Even Takuto, who is still deep into his depressive state, smiles a little at the news. Ranmaru always liked Nishiki, even if he was a little… odd. He’s a nice guy, but even though he’s a second year in junior high, he still doesn’t understand what “boundaries” and “personal space” are. He’s also really good a soccer, so he’ll be really helpful in dealing with Fifth Sector.

Practice ends on a high note, and the next day they’re loaded onto a bus and sent to the monorail. The first years discuss even more potential names for Raimon’s new hissatsu tactic, and Masaki makes the brilliant suggestion of “run-run-running.” The first years laugh at him, and Ranmaru chuckles a bit too while Takuto cracks a small smile. He’s not back to one hundred percent, but the past two days have helped bring him out of his depressive state. The letter from Nishiki helped boost his spirits too, and Ranmaru is glad for it. 

After laughing at Masaki, Hikaru suggests the name “Double Wing,” and they go with that. It’s the best name Raimon’s come up with by far. It’s not the most original name, but it’s short and to the point. It’s certainly better than “run-run-running” or “anti-iceberg task force,” so there’s that. Evidently, Raimon is very bad a naming things. It’s a wonder Kurama’s hissatsu isn’t named “big green snake” by this point. 

They arrive at the stadium and get off the bus. They get on the monorail, and there’s a glass wall separating the two teams just like last time. The monorail takes off, and Raimon and Hakuren stare at each other awkwardly. Fubuki has joined Raimon under the pretense of being a staff member of some sort, and one of Hakuren’s two forwards, Yukimura (?), spends the entire ride glaring at Fubuki. It’s clear there’s some sort of bad blood between them, but Ranmaru doesn’t want to pry, so he chats with his teammates instead. Their chatting mostly consists of making fun of Masaki’s naming sense and Hikaru running into a goalpost two days ago, and soon they’re at the stadium.

They exit the monorail at Snowland Stadium, and the first thing Ranmaru notices is the ice field. It’s seriously a wonder Fifth Sector hasn’t been sued out of existence by now. An ice field? Does Fifth Sector realize how injured a person could get playing on a field made of pure ice? Soccer was rough enough but adding the slippery nature of ice? Players would end up with sprains or broken bones if they weren’t very careful, and Ranmaru did not want to deal with that today.

Coach Endou laughs at the field conditions and sends them out to warm up. The field is so cold and slippery that warm-ups are spent shivering and sliding around like idiots. Hakuren has no problems moving across the field, which Ranmaru finds very unfair. Holy Road is run by Fifth Sector, though, so Ranmaru doubts the unfairness is accidental.

Warm-ups end, and no one dies (though Hamano and Hayami almost do multiple times). Kyousuke, Hikaru, and Atsushi are the best at moving on the ice field. Ranmaru, Tenma, Shinsuke, and Takuto aren’t bad either, but the rest of Raimon can only make it a few steps before falling. Raimon is off to a very rough start, and to make matters worse, Hakuren’s players are gliding around on the ice as natural as can be. 

The teams take their places, and the game begins. Ranmaru knows this game will be a struggle when Raimon loses the ball in the first minute. Yukimura flies up the field and gracefully steals the ball from a struggling Kurama. Tenma gets the ball back, but his pass to Takuto is a mess, resulting in Kitaki stealing the ball right back. Kitaki passes the ball to Yukimura, and the forward uses “Panther Blizzard!” to score Hakuren’s first point. 

Raimon is dejected at Hakuren scoring, but it motivates them to learn how to move on the ice field. During the next few minutes, Raimon hones using the spikes on their cleats to control their movements on the slippery ice. With their improved movements, Raimon takes the ball back. Kyousuke runs up the field with the ball, eager to score Raimon’s first point. 

Hakuren counters with Absolute Barrier, but Raimon is ready for the hissatsu tactic. They try to use Double Wing to break through the barrier, but they fail just like they did in practice. Hakuren takes the ball back and gives it to Yukimura, who uses Panther Blizzard again. This time, though, Sangoku blocks it with “Fence of Gaia!” 

Yukimura grits his teeth and calls out his Keshin, “Abounding Snowfall Saya!”

“Icicle Road!” Yukimura yells, sending the Keshin shot flying towards Raimon’s goal. 

The shot zooms past Sangoku, scoring Hakuren their second point. 

Raimon is behind by two goals, which isn’t very encouraging. They also fail at using Double Wing again, dropping the team’s spirits even lower. Then Nishiki burst onto the field in true Nishiki-fashion, and suddenly Raimon is inexplicably remotivated. The first half ends, and  Raimon decides they want to try Double Wing with Nishiki instead of Tenma.

Nishiki promptly shoots down the idea by telling them that he’s now a midfielder, not a forward. Ranmaru groans inwardly, and Raimon is back to square one. Then Ranmaru’s eyes land on Hikaru, and the defender gets an idea.

“Coach,” Ranmaru calls to Coach Endou. “Can we try Double Wing with Hikaru instead?”

Initially, Raimon stares at Ranmaru like he’s just grown another head. Their reactions soften when they remember Hikaru’s high kick strength and ball control during practice, and even Coach Kidou looks convinced. With that, it’s decided that Hikaru will be the next to attempt Double Wing with Kyousuke. Coach Endou benches Amagi and pulls Tenma back to Amagi’s spot on defense. Hikaru takes Tenma’s vacant defensive midfield position, and Raimon’s new formation is complete.

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When the next half begins, Raimon has the chance to try out its new Double Wing formation. Hikaru runs up and leads the left wing with Nishiki and Tenma trailing behind him. Kyousuke leads the right wing and is followed by Takuto and Hamano. Double Wing works, and Raimon finally breaks through Absolute Barrier. The rest of Raimon cheers as Hikaru runs past Hakuren’s defenders and uses his signature weird shot to score Raimon’s first goal. 

Raimon’s next goal is scored by Kyousuke. With Double Wing completed, Raimon has no trouble smashing through Hakuren’s defenses. With his way clear, Kyousuke uses “Lost Angel!” to shatter Shirosaki’s “Crystal Barrier.” Hakuren’s players aren’t thrilled with Raimon scoring another point, which is expected. What’s unexpected is Hakuren’s sudden substitution after the goal is scored.

Seki trots onto the field, and he’s enormous. He’s easily three times the size of Shinsuke and twice the size of half of Raimon’s players (Kurama and Masaki instantly come to mind). The presence of Hakuren’s behemoth player puts Raimon on edge, and Coach Endou orders Raimon to tighten their defenses. 

Play resumes, and Raimon’s defenders and Tenma, who is technically also a defender at the moment, stay close to the goal. Seki is massive and most-likely a Seed, so Ranmaru isn’t surprised when he uses extremely rough plays to steal and keep the ball. Seki makes his way down the field. Anyone who challenges him, teammate or foe, is sent sprawling to the ground by a rough shove.

Ranmaru grits his teeth. At the rate Seki’s going, he’ll have a clear shot on goal. Ranmaru can’t let that happen. He signals for Tenma to go back even farther to help Sangoku. Then he uses “The Mist” to steal the ball. Only to have it fail because Seki charges right through the hissatsu and tackles Ranmaru to the ground. Ranmaru groans as he roughly hits the ground. His left side bears the brunt of the impact, and Ranmaru is certain he will be covered in bruises tomorrow.

As Ranmaru is climbing to his feet, Seki finally passes the ball to Yukimura, who shoots it at the net. Seki’s still charging the goal even though his teammate had just made a shot, which was weird. Sangoku catches the ball by jumping in the air. Seki also jumps into the air, and suddenly Ranmaru knows what he’s true aim is. 

Tenma realizes it too and jumps up, knocking Sangoku away from the massive forward. Seki falls onto Tenma, sending the brunette flying at the goalpost. Tenma slams into the metal and crumples to the ground. He doesn’t get up, and after a minute of Tenma lying on the ground, the referee finally blows the whistle for a time out.

Raimon rushes to their downed player. Tenma is still conscious and didn’t hit his head, thankfully, but he can’t move his right shoulder. Tenma’s right hip is also so badly bruised that the brunette can’t walk properly, let alone run. Coach Endou and Kyousuke support Tenma while they walk to the bench. The poor midfielder limps along, wincing every few steps. Tenma is subbed out due to injury, and Amagi is sent back on the field. Distantly, Ranmaru hears a Hakuren player, possibly Yukimura, yelling at Seki for injuring another player, but Ranmaru’s too focused on Tenma to say for sure.

The game resumes, and Raimon is angry. They become more offensive, bolstered by the desire to avenge Tenma. No one is going to hurt Seki, of course, but that doesn’t mean they can’t humiliate him by defeating Hakuren. Raimon’s plays improve, and Ranmaru uses “The Mist” to successfully steal the ball from Seki the next time the burly forward gets too close to Raimon’s goal. Ranmaru passes to Takuto, and Raimon’s captain uses “God’s Baton” to navigate his teammates through Hakuren’s defenders. 

Nishiki ends up with the ball and uses “Acrobatic Keep!!” to evade Itetsuki. He passes to Hamano, who dodges Makari with the help of “Surfing Piero.” Finally, the ball is sent back to Takuto. Takuto scowls at the Seed in Hakuren’s goal and puts all of his anger into his shot. A powerful “Harmonics” flies into the net before Shirosaki even has the chance to use his hissatsu. 

Raimon returns to their positions silently. Normally, they’d be cheering, but right now, they’re so focused on winning for Tenma’s sake that cheering is deemed too distracting to risk before Raimon’s officially won the game. With Raimon’s third goal, Hakuren’s playing changes drastically. They refuse to listen to their Seki, Shirosaki, or their coach. For the first time since Fubuki Shirou left, Hakuren is playing real soccer again. 

As it turns out, soccer is a lot more fun when your opponents are having fun too. The tension between Hakuren and Raimon dissolves, and the game becomes far more friendly. That doesn’t mean that Hakuren isn’t still fighting, though. If anything, they’re fighting even harder to win now that they’re free to play how they want to. 

There isn’t much time left when Yukimura gets the ball and calls out Saya. He goes to use “Icicle Road,” but Ranmaru runs between Yukimura and Raimon’s goal. 

“Battle Flag Warrior Brynhildr!” Ranmaru yells as he summons his Keshin. 

Brynhildr and Saya clash, but Yukimura and Saya are sent flying when Ranmaru uses “Valkyrie Flag” to block Icicle Road and steal the ball. Ranmaru passes the ball up to Hikaru. Then the whistle blows, and the game is over. Raimon and Hakuren shake hands before parting, and Yukimura even waves amicably to Fubuki before he is pulled away to Hakuren’s bench by his teammates.

Ranmaru is happy. Raimon is happy. Yukimura is happy. Hakuren is happy. Everyone is happy, and Ranmaru thinks this might have been the best game Raimon’s had yet in terms of enjoyment. But then Coach Endou ruins that by announcing that Coach Kidou will be Raimon’s new head coach before he disappears down a hallway with Fubuki Shirou. 

Raimon is tense at the news. It isn’t that they don’t like Coach Kidou. He’s been very helpful with Raimon’s strategies and training. He was also the one to figure out what is happening to Ranmaru, Tenma, and Shinsuke. 

But he’s also very blunt and emotionless. He is everything Coach Endou is not, and Raimon has spent almost all of Holy Road under the coaching of Coach Endou. They owe him a lot. He’s done so much for Raimon, and most of their success is due to him and his coaching. But they don’t feel that way about Coach Kidou. 

During their first encounter, Coach Kidou was Raimon’s enemy. Most of them don’t hold that against Coach Kidou now, but it still happened. Coach Kidou’s coaching style, what Raimon and Ranmaru have seen of it at least, is very different from Coach Endou’s. Whereas Coach Kidou is all data and statistics, Coach Endou is feelings and teamwork. Ranmaru already feels an oncoming headache from how rough Raimon’s transition between coaches will be.

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During afternoon practice the next day, Ranmaru ends up getting a headache from Coach Kidou’s training before his teammates can give him one. Coach Kidou refuses to allow his team to take any breaks (except for Tenma because his shoulder and hip are still messed up from the Hakuren game), and midway through practice, everyone wants to curl up in a ball and die instead of running more laps or doing more squats. Coach Kidou is especially brutal with Amagi and Shinsuke’s training, and Ranmaru can tell they’re getting frustrated with Raimon’s new coach. 

The practices the next day are just as brutal, and by the end of afternoon practice, Amagi and Shinsuke are threatening to skip practice as long as Coach Kidou is in charge. Amagi drags Hikaru into their group as well, and Ranmaru groans. He knows Takuto won’t talk to his teammates to resolve this. Instead, the captain will go to Coach Kidou, but Coach Kidou is never straightforward, so Ranmaru doubts that will work. Looks like it’s up to him then.

“Shinsuke. Amagi. Hikaru,” Ranmaru calls to the three.

“What, Kirino?” Amagi snaps in an unusually aggressive manner.

“You aren’t going to leave,” Ranmaru states evenly. “That won’t fix anything. We can get through this. I know this training is... different , but running away won’t solve any of our problems.”

“But it isn’t fair!” Shinsuke cries miserably. “Coach Kidou is so rough on us!”

“I know,” Ranmaru sighs, “but Coach Kidou doesn’t seem to be the type who does things without a purpose.”

“What’s his purpose, then?” Hikaru asks innocently.

“Making us stronger, probably,” Ranmaru hums as shocked looks cover his teammates’ faces.

“Making us stronger?” Hayami wonders aloud.

“Yes,” Ranmaru nods. “Have you noticed that when you get good at an exercise, Coach Kidou makes it harder?” Ranmaru’s teammates nod and begin to mutter to themselves.

“I don’t think he’s doing it to torture us,” Ranmaru says. “He’s doing it to force us to improve as quickly as possible.”

“That’s an aggressive way of training us, don’t you think?” Hamano asks with his hands behind his head.

“It’s Coach Kidou,” Ranmaru deadpans. “What did we expect? He doesn’t coddle anyone. Why would he be gentle with us?”

The rest of Raimon sighs, realizing Ranmaru’s point. But that doesn’t mean they like it. Amagi and Shinsuke are still frustrated with Coach Kidou, but Ranmaru can’t blame them. In the end, Ranmaru convinces them to continue coming to practice, promising that he and Takuto will ask Coach Kidou to make their training less spartan as they leave practice. Ranmaru is careful not to promise anything, though, because Coach Kidou is a very stubborn person, and Ranmaru’s not sure if he’ll listen to two second years.

The next day, Ranmaru drags Takuto along, and together, they corner Coach Kidou before morning practice begins. They voice their concerns about practice and Coach Kidou’s coaching methods. Coach Kidou gives them a very cryptic answer that boils down to “Coach Endou left Raimon to me, so I want you to improve as quickly as possible.” Ranmaru counters that Raimon won’t improve if they destroy their bodies by overworking them, and sure enough, Raimon’s training is reduced to a manageable amount in both morning and afternoon practice. 

With their training adjusted to a point where it’s possible to complete, Raimon becomes much more accepting of their new coach. Coach Kidou will never be Coach Endou, and both Coach Kidou and Raimon are painfully aware of that. However, that doesn’t mean Coach Kidou is bad. He just fills a different niche than Coach Endou did, and Raimon is slowly coming to realize that. They also realize that Coach Kidou is just as upset about Coach Endou’s absence as they are, and that just brings them that much closer to their new coach. It painful and awkward, but Raimon is slowly accepting their new coach and growing as a team in the process. Then Fifth Sector shows up the next day and ruins everything because of course they do. 

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Chapter Text

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When Ranmaru says Fifth Sector ruins everything, maybe he’s exaggerating. Oh, wait, no he’s not. They ruin everything.

Right before morning practice begins, a black limousine shows up at the main gate. Raimon doesn’t think too much of it and begins preparing for practice. It turns out they should have thought more of it because the limo doesn’t go away. Instead, men and women in black suits, five people in total, exit the car and march down to the front field, coming to a halt in front of the team.

“Who are you?” Coach Kidou asks skeptically.

The people in suits don’t bother to answer him. One man approaches Coach Kidou and hands him an envelope while the others separate and eye Raimon’s players, seemingly searching for something. It turns out that they’re searching for someones because a woman comes to a stop ahead of Ranmaru. She pauses for a moment before reaching out and taking his arm roughly. 

“Hey!” He protests as she begins dragging him away from the field. His teammates start to protest, but suddenly their protests become even louder. Ranmaru doesn’t understand why until he turns his head to look back at his teammates.

Tenma, Kyousuke, and Takuto are also being dragged away by other men and women in suits. Raimon is incensed at the taking of their fellow players, and Kurama and Atsushi look like they’re ready to start punching the suit people. It’s only Coach Kidou who holds them back. Raimon’s coach is holding an empty envelope and the sheet that was tucked inside. He doesn’t look happy by any stretch of the imagination, but he also seemingly knows that Raimon is helpless to stop whatever is happening. 

The four Raimon players are taken up the hill and through the gate before being loaded into the limousine. The limousine is surprisingly spacious and easily fits Ranmaru, Tenma, Takuto, Kyousuke, and three adults. The other two suits are in the front seats, one driving and the other navigating (if the ridiculously oversized map on his lap was anything to go by). No one dares to say anything, and the adults are too busy looking at their phones or staring at each other to care about the junior high schoolers who are also in the limo.

The drive seems to last forever, though Ranmaru knows it logically can’t be longer than an hour or two. When the car finally stops in front of a massive hotel, Ranmaru and the other Raimon players are pulled out of the limousine and handed over to four new groups of people. Each boy is whisked away by one of the groups. Tenma is the first to be taken away, the adults in his group gushing about how adorable he is. Then Kyousuke’s group claims him, and Ranmaru and Takuto can only share a single glance before they’re separated.

The adults in Ranmaru’s group are nice enough. They take him to a fancy suite and explain that they’ll be his stylists and prepare him for the evening. Ranmaru doesn’t know what they’re talking about, but his stylists are so chatty that he can’t even get a word in between their constant babbling. The first thing they do is dump Ranmaru in a bath. They wash his hair with a multitude of products, but they thankfully allow the defender to wash his body without interference.

Then Ranmaru’s pulled from the bath, wrapped in a towel, and dried. A woman from his group begins working on his hair, blowdrying it and mixing in products on occasion. A woman and a man pull clothes from a massive closet across the room. They layout different outfits on the bed, sometimes popping over to compare a piece of clothing to his hair or eyes. 

When the hairstylist woman is done, Ranmaru’s hair has been straightened and left down rather than being tied up like it normally is. The woman doesn’t leave and acts like she still has work to do, so Ranmaru doubts his hair will stay the way it is in the end. The man and woman grab him next and hold up outfit after outfit next to him. One of them always seems to veto the outfit, and the hairstylist gives her opinion on occasion too.

In the end, the stylist duo settles on fancy black shorts, a light teal short-sleeve button-up (the color is eerily similar to Brynhildr’s armor…), an open, short white vest, and a pink tie. They also give him white socks and black loafers. Ranmaru’s hair is left down and lightly curled, and a light teal headband his placed in his hair to keep everything in place. By the time the stylists are done, Ranmaru feels more like a doll than a soccer player. He does look decent though, which is surprising. He was afraid he’d end up in some crazy fashion trainwreck rather than a passable outfit.

Once his stylists deem him ready, Ranmaru is sent into the hallway where the lady who’d dragged him around earlier is waiting for him, but she doesn’t drag him this time. She guides him down the hallway and into an elevator. The woman presses a button, and she and Ranmaru share a silent elevator ride. When they exit the elevator, she takes Ranmaru to a ballroom and seats him at a table near the center of the room. She tells him to stay put before disappearing. 

The ballroom is mostly empty, save for a few other junior high students also seated at other tables. Ranmaru doesn’t recognize them, but they’re also dressed up, so he assumes they’re here for the same reason he is. Eventually, Kyousuke is brought into the ballroom and seated beside Ranmaru. The striker is dressed in black pants, a crimson button-up, a silver vest, and a violet tie. It’s quite different from Kyousuke’s usual delinquent attire, but Ranmaru thinks he still looks good.

Tenma appears next, dressed in black shorts, a ruby short-sleeve button-up, and a short white vest. A golden tie completes the ensemble and offsets the ruby clips in Tenma’s hair nicely. Takuto is the last to be sent in, and he’s dressed up like his friends. His outfit is comprised of black pants, a deep magenta button-up, and a white vest. Takuto’s hair has been straightened, and a light teal tie is hanging around his neck. All four of them have the same shoes and socks.

They look unique but still similar enough to be passed off as a set, and Ranmaru realizes that’s probably what their stylists were going for. Ranmaru also notices that his outfit has more in common with Takuto’s, and Tenma’s outfit is more similar to Kyousuke’s. They’ve essentially been split into pairs with Takuto and Kyousuke wearing the more masculine outfits, and Ranmaru and Tenma wearing the more feminine outfits (they’re still masculine, though. They’re both wearing ties and other things, but they could be passed off as tomboys if need be).

It’s a weird decision. Ranmaru has no idea why anyone would do this, but he’s also not exactly sure who is doing this. His current theory is that Fifth Sector is behind his and the others’ abductions, but he can’t fathom why Fifth Sector would go through all the trouble of kidnapping four children only to dress them up like dolls and seat them in a massive hotel ballroom. 

Sighing, Ranmaru turns to his friends. “Any idea why we’re here?”

Tenma shakes his head, and Takuto shrugs. Only Kyousuke bothers to give Ranmaru a verbal answer. “The Holy Road Gala, probably.”

“Gala?” Takuto tilts his head in confusion. Ranmaru knows the brunette has been to his fair share of galas, and if he can’t recognize a gala by this point, the gala itself must be unusual.

“Yeah,” Kyousuke nods. “It’s hosted by Fifth Sector and usually happens at the start of the Holy Road nationals. It’s been delayed in past years, though, for various reasons.”

“So they delayed this year’s?” Tenma asks brightly.

“It would seem so,” Kyousuke exhales deeply. “And we’ve been brought here to participate in it.”

“Why would they want us to participate?” Takuto huffs. “We’re rebelling against Fifth Sector. Why would they want us at one of their galas?”

“They don’t care about any of that right now,” Kyousuke explains. “They just want to use us and our Keshins to gain more sponsors.”

“So we’re only here because we have Keshins,” Ranmaru groans.

“Yes,” Kyousuke looks just as annoyed as Ranmaru feels right now.

“But why do they need our Keshins?” Tenma questions, confusion evident.

“One of Fifth Sector’s primary goals is the research and development of Keshins,” Kyousuke continues, “officially, anyways. By gathering Keshin-users from different schools, they’re showing the ‘results’ of their research, which will attract sponsors. Those sponsors make donations to Fifth Sector and allow it to continue running.”

“So if Fifth Sector lost all their sponsors, they’d stop all their activities?” Takuto asks hopefully.

“I doubt it,” Ranmaru groans. “Fifth Sector has governmental support, right? And if that wasn’t enough, they could turn to not-so-legal ways to make money.”

“True,” Kyousuke hums. “The only way to take Fifth Sector on in any real capacity would be to publicly expose their crimes, though this isn’t the time to be talking about this.”

“Agreed,” Takuto nods. “So what will we do during the gala?”

“Sit here and look pretty,” Ranmaru snarks. “That’s basically what the lady told me when she brought me here.”

“I don’t think that’s too far off,” Takuto grins subtly at his best friend’s sarcasm. “That’s mostly what people do during regular galas as well.”

“How exciting,” Ranmaru groans. “How long will we be here again?”

“A regular gala can last for hours,” Takuto answers helpfully.

“The Holy Road Gala has been known to last at least until midnight,” Kyousuke also chimes in.

Ranmaru lays his arms on the table and buries his head in them. “Great. This will be so much fun …”

*^*

All things considered, the Holy Road Gala isn’t that bad. But it still isn’t fun. Ranmaru spends most of the night sitting at Raimon’s table having anything from food to alcohol (really? All the Keshin-users in the room are underage) to overeager adults brought to him. The food is very good and easily the highlight of the night. He refuses alcohol anytime it’s brought to him, but waiters and waitresses keep trying to get him to take glasses of wine or brightly-colored cocktails. It’s annoying, sure, but Ranmaru’s dealt with worse.

The worst part of the night by far is the constant introductions and conversations with various eccentric adults that will donate their money to further Fifth Sector’s plots and schemes. Every adult brought to Ranmaru talks too much (mainly about themselves) and asks Ranmaru patronizing questions only to cut him off with more chatter before he can answer. It’s an infuriating cycle that continues throughout the gala. Takuto, Tenma, and Kyousuke are having similar experiences, though, so at least Ranmaru isn’t alone. 

The hotel ballroom may be filled with various Keshin-users, but Ranmaru doesn’t get to meet a single new one before he is taken back to the suite where he’d been dressed earlier. When he asks when they’ll return to Raimon, he’s told they won’t. Instead, they’ll spend the night in the hotel and attend the gala again the next day. They’ll spend another night in the hotel before being taken back to Raimon at some point before their game begins the day after that. The Fifth Sector employee doesn’t specify a time, and Ranmaru gets the feeling that Fifth Sector doesn’t care if they miss school. They only care that the four make it back for the game against Kidokawa Seishuu.

The four Raimon players each get a suite, which is nice, but Ranmaru quickly finds that it’s lonely staying in a room by yourself in a hotel you don’t know. At least pajamas and other nighttime essentials are left in his room for him to use, but having a toothbrush doesn’t bring Ranmaru comfort when he lies down in the massive bed by himself. He lays against his plush pillows and listens for any sort of noise. He doesn’t hear any, and for the first time in a while, Ranmaru falls asleep to complete silence.

The next day of the Holy Road Gala is eerily similar to the first. Ranmaru is brought a breakfast tray at eight o’clock and told to finish it by eight-thirty. At eight-thirty exactly, the stylists from yesterday appear at his door and redress him in an outfit identical to the one he’d worn yesterday. His hair is styled the same way, and he’s brought to the same ballroom for the same type of interactions as yesterday. 

The only breaks from the awkward socialization are lunch and dinner, and those do nothing to improve Ranmaru’s mood because weird people still find their way over to the Raimon table and attempt to strike up a conversation with the players. Kyousuke sends them away with his harsh gaze, and Takuto will deliver a well-timed glare if needed. If a person absolutely won’t leave them alone, Tenma can chime in with an innocent but embarrassing question, or Ranmaru can deliver subtle yet forceful demands to leave them alone.

The night passes, but they don’t leave the next morning. Ranmaru and the others are dressed in the soccer uniforms they’d arrived in (which had thankfully been cleaned). Ranmaru has also tied his hair back up, and Takuto’s waves have finally made a reappearance. It takes until past noon for transportation to be arranged for them. A Fifth Sector employee guides them to a limousine when it finally arrives, and they get in without protest. The drive is around two hours, so they don’t arrive at Raimon until the school day has officially ended. 

They dash out of the limo as soon as it comes to a stop at the school gate. The rest of their teammates have gathered on the front field for some pregame practice and strategy talk. When the team catches sight of their missing teammates, they swarm them and ask so many questions in such a short period that Ranmaru can’t keep up. Eventually, Coach Kidou breaks up the group huddle to start discussing strategies. 

During the strategy talk, Ranmaru is practically tackled into a hug by Shinsuke. Masaki pops up beside them, smiling innocently. He’s been up to something. Ranmaru will have to learn about that later. Shinsuke continues to hug Ranmaru tightly and chatters quietly about what he’d done while Raimon’s Keshin-users had been gone. Masaki also chimes in with sarcastic comments whenever he feels things are getting too boring.

Ranmaru doesn’t learn much from their talk except that Masaki and Shinsuke have made a new combination hissatsu together. Ranmaru snickers inwardly. Knowing Masaki and Shinsuke, it will be something ridiculous and completely nonsensical. He can’t wait to see it in action.

Then Coach Kidou says that it’s time to leave, and Raimon is loaded onto their bus. Ranmaru panics for a moment because he doesn’t have his tracksuit, water bottle, bag, etc. Ranmaru’s panic is abated when Coach Kidou presents each of the formerly missing Keshin-users with their bags filled with everything they’ll need for the upcoming game. Ranmaru’s glad their coach had thought ahead. If he hadn’t, his team might have ended up sharing water bottles and shin guards, which aren’t the most sanitary things to do.

Raimon arrives at the Holy Road monorail and takes their third ride. Kidokawa Seishuu sits across from them, but neither team wants to interact, so they don’t. The monorail arrives at Water World Stadium. The field is made entirely of wood, but it seems normal enough. But it’s also on top of a lot of water, and with a name like “Water World,” Ranmaru’s sure the field isn’t nearly as innocent as it appears. 

Both teams practice and are given their formations before they jog out onto the field and take their places. The whistle blows to start the game, and Kidokawa Seishuu steals the ball from Raimon effortlessly. The only reason Kidokawa Seishuu loses the ball is when a giant wall of water appears seemingly out of nowhere. When the water recedes, it’s revealed that the wall of water was formed when a section of the field in front of Raimon’s defense line dropped into the water. 

Both teams are shocked by the field’s unusual behavior, but with a strange mechanism like that, it makes sense why the stadium is known as “Water World Stadium.” The game continues even though most of Raimon’s defenders are separated from their team by a wall of water. The field does eventually correct itself, but by that point, Kishibe already has the ball and is dribbling up the field.

Raimon’s defenders barely stop him with Kurumada’s “Dash Train!” Raimon is eager to score a point, but the “pitch downs,” as Coach Kidou and the other adults call them, put both Raimon and Kidokawa Seishuu on edge. Raimon has the ball, but they don’t keep it for long. Taki steals the ball from Hamano with little trouble and calls out his Keshin, Iron Horse Warrior Knight W, as soon as he’s in shooting range. Then he scores Kidokawa Seishuu’s first goal with “Gallop Buster!” 

Raimon isn’t happy, but Kidokawa Seishuu doesn’t appear to be either. There’s some sort of infighting going on between Taki and the rest of Kidokawa Seishuu. A game isn’t the best place to resolve stuff like that, but hey, Ranmaru understands to an extent. Raimon’s had their problems, and it didn’t always matter if they were playing a game or not. He just hopes that they deal with their issues without taking it out on Raimon. That wouldn’t be fun.

Kidokawa Seishuu’s next goal comes a few minutes later because of  “Triangle ZZ!” By the time halftime arrives, Raimon is behind by two goals, but Coach Kidou brings his team’s spirits up the news of a new hissatsu tactic to avoid the pitch downs. He calls it Flying Route Pass and describes it as quickly as possible because halftime is quickly coming to an end. It pretty much boils down to using aerial passes to negate the possibility of a pitch down causing them to lose their footing, which is fine. Sometimes simple strategies (or hissatsu tactics) are the most effective.

Someoka Ryuugo also shows up and talks with Nishiki. He also brings onigiri for Nishiki, which is kind of weird. Coach Kidou follows that up with another weird decision. Kyousuke and Nishiki switch positions, making the ex-Seed a midfielder and Nishiki a forward. Amagi also voices his disappointment in not playing in the game, but some reassuring words from Ranmaru and Takuto boost his spirits.

*^*

Someoka’s onigiri apparently inspires Nishiki (Ranmaru doesn’t even want to ask), which results in the successful summoning of his Keshin, Sengoku War God Musashi. He uses Musashi with the shot “War God Multi-Slash!” to score Raimon’s first goal. He also scores Raimon’s second goal with Musashi after Masaki steals the ball with “Hunter’s Net” and passes it to him. Now Raimon and Kidokawa Seishuu are tied, but Kidokawa Seishuu is still fighting amongst themselves. 

Kidokawa Seishuu has the ball but their infighting prevents them from using God Triangle to score a goal. After the whole debacle, Aphrodi subs in Taki’s younger brother, Yoshihiko, which starts the process of resolving the issues within Kidokawa Seishuu. Finally, Kidokawa Seishuu succeeds in using “God Triangle” would have scored if not for Shinsuke’s well-timed use of “Bounce Guard!”

Raimon and Kidokawa Seishuu play hard for the next few minutes. They’re neck-and-neck the entire time, both going all-out and using their hissatsus to the best of their abilities. Takuto and Kishibe talk whenever they confront each other. Shinsuke and Masaki’s new hissatsu, Rage Jump Defense, makes an appearance, and it’s just as ridiculous as Ranmaru had expected. 

Raimon’s final goal is scored through Tenma and Nishiki’s teamwork. Tenma calls out Demon God Pegasus to break through Kidokawa Seishuu’s midfielders and defenders. Then he passes to Nishiki, who uses Musashi and “War God Multi-Slash!” to score Raimon’s third goal. The final whistle rings out, and Raimon cheers at their victory.

Kishibe and Takuto make up (were they really even fighting?), and Coach Kidou and Aphrodi also talk before Raimon and Kidokawa Seishuu have to ride the monorail back. The ride back is uneventful, though Someoka does join Raimon. He sits next to Nishiki, and they seem to enjoy themselves even though the rest of Raimon, including Coach Kidou and the managers, has no idea what they’re doing or talking about. 

Someoka leaves the next day, but not before inspiring Aoyama, Ichino, and Amagi with the tales of him and Nishiki training in Italy. He also throws in tales of him and Nishiki being idiots in Italy, which Ranmaru appreciates. It’s good to know that leaving the country and learning a new language can’t change Nishiki’s personality. Or is it good? Ranmaru isn’t sure how he feels on the matter, but he’s still glad Nishiki’s back, even if he’ll probably end up being a troublemaker in the end.

The awakening of Nishiki’s Keshin has an effect Ranmaru has seen coming for a long time now. Shinsuke, inspired by the appearance of Musashi, wants to awaken his Keshin too. Shinsuke and Raimon have known about Shinsuke’s dormant Keshin for a bit, but Shinsuke had never brought it up before even if he was jealous of his other teammates awakening their Keshins before he did. But Nishiki and Someoka have finally inspired the small boy to work for what he wants and awaken his Keshin.

Shinsuke’s first move is to come to Raimon’s Keshin-users for advice. Tenma and Nishiki are no help, only serving to confuse Shinsuke more with their nonsensical explanations. Kyousuke is better, but his explanations are so barebones that Shinsuke doesn’t learn much from them. So it falls to Takuto and Ranmaru to train the boy and his Keshin.

Ranmaru’s first advice is to change Shinsuke’s position. Takuto and Shinsuke look at Ranmaru like he’s crazy, but Ranmaru backs up his suggestion with facts and logic. Shinsuke has been playing for just as long as Ranmaru and Tenma have, but Shinsuke’s Keshin is still dormant, so they need to try something new to awaken it. Ranmaru also mentions that he and Tenma were forced into new positions to awaken their Keshins, and that method ended up working surprisingly well. Finally convinced, Takuto and Shinsuke agree.

They end up putting Shinsuke in goal because it’s the most high-stakes position in one-on-one soccer. Ranmaru and Takuto take turns shooting on Shinsuke, who tries his best to stop them. They intersperse their shooting with a few “Fortissimos,” and sometimes Ranmaru brings out Brynhildr to try and draw Shinsuke’s Keshin out. Their methods work fairly well, and by the end of the session, a Shinsuke has a Keshin cloud forming behind him almost every time he tries to stop a shot. 

Ranmaru knows Shinsuke’s close, but he still needs one more push to finally pull his Keshin out. Ranmaru suggests they end their training for the day and resume tomorrow with the help of Nishiki and Kyousuke. Both boys have Keshins and Keshin hissatsus they can use to provoke Shinsuke’s Keshin even more than Ranmaru and Brynhildr had been able to. 

Shinsuke and Takuto agree, and the training session comes to a close. They change and go their separate ways. Ranmaru is spending the night at his house, so he and Takuto can’t walk much together. They stay side-by-side as long as they can before they have to go in different directions to reach their destinations. Ranmaru waves goodbye, and Takuto waves back. Tomorrow, they’ll continue to work on awakening Shinsuke’s Keshin, which is the last of Raimon’s dormant Keshin (that they know of). Ranmaru can’t wait, and judging by the way practice went, Shinsuke may have a goalkeeper Keshin, which Raimon has never had before. It’s very exciting, and Ranmaru can’t wait to see how things will work out tomorrow.

*^*

Chapter Text

*^*

Tomorrow turns out to be only okay. While Shinsuke makes good progress with his Keshin, after hearing that Raimon will play Genei Gakuen next, Amagi loses all his focus and throws his teammates off-kilter for the rest of afternoon practice. Coach Kidou isn’t any help. He kicks Amagi out of practice, but that only causes even more distractions. Hikaru runs after the third year as soon as practice ends, and Ranmaru’s expectant stare sends Takuto after Amagi as well. 

Deciding to leave Takuto to deal with the situation, Ranmaru follows Tenma and Kyousuke to visit Yuuichi in the hospital. Kyousuke is initially uncomfortable with their presence, but when Tenma brings up their first meeting with Yuuichi, Kyousuke reluctantly lets them join him. When they arrive, Kyousuke joins his brother in a rehab room, leaving Tenma and Ranmaru to watch the duo from afar. Yuuichi works hard on his rehabilitation, and Kyousuke is surprisingly supportive, a drastic shift from his usual loner persona. After watching them for a few minutes, Tenma loses interest and wanders away to the garden behind the hospital. 

Ranmaru watches for a few more minutes, but with nothing better to do, he follows the midfielder and opens the door to the garden to see Tenma already playing soccer with a redheaded stranger. Stepping away from the door, Ranmaru observes them silently as the new boy keeps up with Tenma quite well despite wearing only hospital clothing and slippers. They play for another minute before Ranmaru interrupts them with a cough.

The speed that Tenma whips around to face Ranmaru is almost comical. “Ranmaru-senpai!”

Stifling a laugh, Ranmaru waves casually, “Hey, Tenma. Who’s your new friend?”

Tenma blinks and looks between the defender and the stranger before laughing awkwardly. “This is, uh…”

Ranmaru chuckles lightly, “You were so invested in playing soccer that you couldn’t even introduce yourselves?”

The redhead smiles lazily. “Yeah, something like that. Anyway, I’m Amemiya Taiyou. Nice to meet you.”

“I’m Matsukaze Tenma,” the midfielder says quickly. “Nice to meet you too, Amemiya-san, and this is Ranmaru-senpai.”

“Kirino Ranmaru. Nice to meet you as well,” Ranmaru smiles pleasantly.

“Great,” Amemiya nods, “but you can call me Taiyou if you want. Amemiya just sounds too formal, don’t you think?”

“Yeah!” Tenma agrees energetically, “you call me Tenma too if that’s okay.”

“You can call me Ranmaru or Kirino,” Ranmaru shrugs. “I really don’t care which one you pick, but since Tenma already calls me Ranmaru, maybe you should too.”

“Okay then, Tenma and Ranmaru,” Taiyou beams brightly, “let’s play soccer!”

Taiyou prepares to dribble at the Raimon players, but his soccer plans are swiftly interrupted by the slamming of the hospital doors. Standing in front of the doors is a purple-haired woman in a nurse’s uniform, and she does not look happy. Taiyou freezes briefly when he sees her before attempting to dash away. Taiyou’s attempted escape fails as the woman snatches his arm before the redhead can escape. 

“Amemiya-kun!” The woman snaps. “You know you’re not supposed to leave your room without my permission!”

“Yes, Fuyuka-san,” Taiyou sighs as the woman begins to lead him away. He turns to Tenma and Ranmaru and offers them a cheerful wave. “I hope we can play soccer together later! See you later!”

Ranmaru and Tenma watch quietly as Taiyou is escorted back inside the hospital by the woman (Fuyuka-san, apparently). Once the two disappear, Ranmaru turns to Tenma, “We should get Kyousuke and go home. It’s getting late.”

“Okay,” Tenma nods, and the pair enter the hospital and walk to the rehab room. 

When they arrive, Yuuichi is gone, and Kyousuke is standing by himself at the entrance. He glances at them silently before walking over to join them. The three Raimon players exit the hospital together and exchange basic goodbyes before going their separate ways. 

Instead of going to his own house, Ranmaru opts to go to Takuto’s house. He still wants to know what happened with Amagi and Hikaru. He arrives at Takuto’s house and lets himself in with his key. It doesn’t seem like Takuto is home yet, so Ranmaru heads to the music room and settles himself on the sofa. Ranmaru pulls homework out of his bag and works on it while he waits for Takuto to come home. 

When Takuto finally arrives, the sun is beginning to set. Takuto stumbles into the music room and flops down next to Ranmaru with a sigh. Setting down his homework, Ranmaru lifts an eyebrow and turns to face the brunette.

“Was it that bad?” He asks curiously.

“No,” Takuto groans tiredly, “just took longer than I thought it would.”

“Hm? What took longer, exactly?” Ranmaru tilts his head slightly.

Takuto sighs again before answering. “Ok, so Amagi knows the captain of Genei Gakuen. His name is Mahoro, I think, but that’s not very important. Amagi and Mahoro were friends in elementary school for a while, but then Mahoro stopped talking to Amagi. I think they talked again today because Mahoro was leaving when Hikaru and I got there, but that would have been the first time they talked to each other in years.”

Ranmaru soaks in the gossip quietly. Then he asks a simple question. “Alright, but how does that relate to Amagi getting kicked out of practice?”

“I think it’s an inferiority thing,” Takuto supplies. “Taking him off the starting line-up and adding multiple first years seems to have shaken him up a lot.”

Ranmaru nods, “That makes sense. So did you fix everything?”

“Hikaru did most of the work, but yeah,” Takuto nods. “They’ll both be back at practice tomorrow.”

“That’s good,” Ranmaru hums. “I’m glad everything worked out.”

“Me too,” Takuto agrees, “so where did you go after practice?”

“The hospital,” Ranmaru says. “Tenma and I went with Kyousuke to visit his brother, Yuuichi.”

“That’s nice. It’s good he’s opening up to us more,” Takuto says as he presses himself even deeper into the sofa.

“It’s also good that you two are starting to get along. I thought the day would never come,” Ranmaru laughs lightly.

“We weren't that bad,” Takuto huffs.

“Whatever you say, Takuto. Whatever you say,” Ranmaru smirks as he leans back into the sofa too.

Takuto waves a hand dismissively but doesn’t say anything else, so they sit in silence for a while until a maid comes to get them for dinner. All things considered, today could have gone far worse, and Ranmaru might even be cautiously optimistic about tomorrow’s game, which is saying something. Well, he can’t do anything now, so he’ll just have to wait for tomorrow to see how their game against Genei Gakuen will go.

*^*

Raimon boards the monorail for the fourth time the next day. As the monorail zips along, Raimon awkwardly stares at Genei Gakuen through the glass. It’s always weird looking at their opponent before a match, but after staring at three other teams, Ranmaru’s gotten more used to it than before, but that isn’t saying much. Amagi locks eyes with Mahoro once. Then he refuses to even acknowledge Genei Gakuen’s existence, spending the entire ride talking with Kurumada and Hikaru.

When they arrive at the stadium, the first thing Ranmaru notices is the bizarre patterns on the floor. Coach Kidou mentions that the stadium is called Pinball Stadium as they warm up, but Ranmaru has no idea what that means. The mysterious nature of the stadium has Raimon on edge, so everyone is tense when they line up for the match to begin. Coach Kidou has kept their line up pretty much the same, but Amagi has been swapped into the starting line up, replacing Shinsuke for the time being. 

Ranmaru takes his place beside Masaki, and they share a glance before the whistle blows and the game begins. Tenma gets the ball first, and he tries to pass the ball to Kyousuke. He passes the ball with good force, but before the ball can reach its intended target, a bumper pops up from the stadium floor. The ball ricochets off the bumper and slams back into Tenma instead. Tenma is sent flying while a Genei midfielder, Kobato, steals the ball. That is a sign of things to come. Takuto loses the ball trying to pass Kurama when a large screw-shaped bumper rises and redirects the pass to Genei. Kurama tries to steal the ball back, but he trips over a bumper that had suddenly appeared at his feet. 

Raimon finally has a little luck when Nishiki gets the ball. One of the Shiranui brothers tries to steal the ball, but Nishiki keeps the ball with a well-timed “Acrobatic Keep.” Riding the high of his recent success, Nishiki takes a shot at the goal. Genei’s keeper, Utsurogi, bats away the shot with ease, redirecting the ball to one of Genei’s defenders. The ball is sent to Mahoro, who charges up the field, clearly intent on scoring a goal. A last-second slide from Kurumada is the only thing that prevents Mahoro from scoring. 

Raimon cheers for Kurumada’s good slide. Ranmaru distantly hears Tenma and Takuto brainstorming ideas for playing better on the bizarre field, but Kurumada’s pass up the field forces them to drop the conversation. While Raimon tries to go on the offensive, Ranmaru can't help but notice the ease and comfort Genei plays within Pinball Stadium. 

Their passes are smooth, connecting cleanly almost every time, and they almost seem relaxed despite the constant field hazards. It’s too strange to be a coincidence, so Ranmaru chalks it up to Fifth Sector’s meddling. Genei was probably told about how the stadium works, and they might have even gotten to play in Pinball Stadium before. It’s not fair at all, Ranmaru thinks bitterly, but when had Fifth Sector ever played fair? 

Ranmaru breaks out of his daze when Kurama loses the ball to a Genei defender, and suddenly Raimon is back on the defensive. It’s touch-and-go for a while, with Genei coming dangerously close to scoring multiple times, but Ranmaru and Raimon’s other defenders repel most of Genei’s advances, and any shots they can’t block, Sangoku just barely catches. 

After catching Genei’s latest shot, Sangoku throws the ball up the field, and Raimon’s defenders get a very small break. Ranmaru glances around the field. His eyes catch on Coach Kidou telling something to Akane. She nods and grabs her camera. Then she leaves the bench and starts making her way around the field. She stops after a few meters and starts taking pictures. Ranmaru is tempted to ask what she’s up to, but Mahoro has the ball again and is charging down the field towards Raimon’s goal.

Ranmaru races up to steal the ball. Just before he reaches Genei’s captain, another strange bumper appears beneath his feet, and Ranmaru is sent flying. He crashes into the ground gracelessly, landing on his left side and hip. Groaning, he gets to his feet just in time to see Sangoku block Mahoro’s shot. He sighs in relief and runs back to his spot as Sangoku punts the ball into Genei’s half, ignoring the constant twinges up and down his left side. 

“You alright, Ranmaru-senpai?” Masaki asks quietly when Ranmaru gets back in formation.

“Yeah,” Ranmaru sighs. “Just hurt my pride.”

Masaki smirks but remains quiet, redirecting his gaze upfield. Ranmaru looks that way as well, and his eyes widen when he sees Genei’s defender Ozuno steal the ball from Hamano with “Dimension Cut!”

With the ball back in their possession, Genei is quick to send the ball straight to Mahoro. Mahoro runs up the right side. Ranmaru and Masaki are too far away to stop him, so Amagi challenges Genei’s captain instead. Mahoro refuses to slow down and continues charging at Amagi. 

Just before they collide, Mahoro unleashes his powerful hissatsu shot “Phantom Shot.” Amagi counters with “Viva! The Great Wall of China!” However, Amagi’s block hissatsu is no match for the sheer power of Mahoro’s shot. Sangoku also uses “Burning Catch,” but Phantom Shot breaks through that too. And just like that, Genei scores their first goal.

Raimon spends the rest of the first half fending off Genei and desperately trying to even the score. They fail at both, however, and a midfielder gets past Hamano with “Trick Ball” before he passes to Mahoro. Mahoro shoots again, and now Raimon is down two goals right as half time starts. Oh well, Ranmaru sighs. They’ve come back from worse.

*^*

Amagi and Hikaru disappear for most of half time, but Coach Kidou calls the team into a strategy meeting before Ranmaru can go after them. Coach Kidou gives a ten-minute lecture on how Pinball Stadium works, using the photos Akane apparently took during the first half (so that’s what she was doing?). Coach Kidou’s explanation isn’t that helpful, though. Most of his speech can be simplified down to: “There are switches hidden on the floor, so move carefully. Don’t stand on them unless you want one of the bumpers to appear, and the switches won’t activate if something crosses over them fast enough, so pass really fast.”

With his explanation finished, Coach Kidou gives them a few minutes to stretch and warm-up before the second half begins. Ranmaru sinks to the ground and stretches his left side, hissing quietly as the forming bruises pull and stretch. His side hurts, sure, but it’s not too bad, and Ranmaru is confident he’ll be able to play just fine in the second half. He stops stretching and is about to get back up when something freezing is pressed against his left side.

Ranmaru jumps, shivering at the icy touch, and he whips around to see Masaki grinning mischievously with an instant ice pack in his hand. Snickering quietly, Masaki offers the ice pack to Ranmaru, and Ranmaru accepts it, pressing it against his side until it’s time for the next half to start. Ranmaru hands off the ice pack to Aoi when Coach Kidou sends them back onto the field. Amagi and Hikaru have reappeared by that point too, so Raimon is ready to play more soccer.

Then the second half starts much better. Armed with new knowledge about Pinball Stadium, Raimon is much more comfortable moving and playing on the field. Tenma and Takuto dribble up the field and pass to Kyousuke as they near the next. Kyousuke uses “Death Drop” to score Raimon’s first goal, and now Raimon is a little closer to winning the game. 

Genei kicks off and wastes no time in resuming their attack. Mahoro has the ball, but Hamano is close enough to try and steal the ball. Hamano goes to block Mahoro, but the redhead counters with a slide-tackle. Hamano slams into the ground, and when he finally sits up, he clutches his ankle with a hiss. 

There’s no foul called, of course, and Mahoro keeps charging. Then Mahoro reveals his Keshin, Illusory Dalamanglass, and proceeds to plow straight through Kurama and Hayami. Nishiki tries to stop Mahoro with Sengoku War God Musashi, but Mahoro gets around him easily with “Ghost Dance.”

Now within shooting range, Mahoro takes a shot, boosting its power with his Keshin. Masaki races to block it with “Hunter’s Net,” and Amagi joins him, using “Viva! The Great Wall of China!” as well. Their hissatsus aren’t enough to stop the shot, but they weaken it enough for Sangoku to block the shot with “Fence of Gaia.” 

The ball rolls out of bounds, so Coach Kidou uses the opportunity to send in substitutes. Hamano is switched out (obviously), with Aoyama taking his place. Kurama is also subbed out, so he joins Midori in helping Hamano off the field. Hikaru replaces Kurama in Raimon’s formation, and the game resumes as soon as everyone is in place. 

Genei takes their throw-in, sending the ball to one of their offenders. Aoyama is quick to show off his improved skills, stealing the ball from the offender easily with “Presto Turn.” Aoyama passes to Hikaru, who uses “Extend Zone” to score against Genei, and Raimon’s chances are looking much better. Genei swaps their goalkeeper before the game resumes, which makes Ranmaru suspicious. Why would Genei switch their keeper now?

Ranmaru gets his answer a minute later when Genei’s new keeper blocks Takuto’s “Fortissimo” with ease. The keeper sends the ball to Mahoro, and he scores another goal for Genei with “Phantom Shot.” Ranmaru glances over at Amagi as they get ready for their kick-off, and the other defender looks defeated. Ranmaru wants to talk to him and encourage him, but Raimon’s kickoff begins before Ranmaru gets the chance to do so. 

Thankfully, Hikaru notices Amagi’s poor mood and jogs down to speak to him quickly before racing back to his spot, stealing the ball from Genei along the way. Ranmaru doesn’t know what Hikaru told Amagi, but whatever it was helped Amagi tremendously because now he’s holding his head high and looks ready to stop anything Genei throws at him. Hikaru passes the ball to Nishiki, who wastes no time shooting the ball at Genei’s net with “Hereditary Treasured Sword.” Nishiki’s shot zooms into the net, tieing the game again. 

Coach Kidou makes another sub just before Genei’s kickoff, and Shinsuke officially enters goal for the first time. Shinsuke still looks somewhat uncomfortable, but all his earlier goalie training keeps him from looking completely lost. Shinsuke doesn’t get much time to get ready, though, as Genei breaks through Raimon’s midfielders and defenders swiftly and prepares to take a shot at Shinsuke. Shinsuke remains calm and catches a Genei forward’s shot without much trouble.

Shinsuke tosses the ball to Takuto, who uses “God’s Baton” as soon as he has the ball. Takuto guides the ball up the field until it reaches its final target, Kyousuke. The striker receives the ball, using “Lost Angel” without hesitation, and with that, Raimon is finally ahead of Genei. Mahoro’s visibly frustrated with the recent turn of events. Unsurprisingly, his play becomes even more aggressive. Genei follows his lead, and soon Raimon is locked in an intense battle to keep their very narrow lead. 

With only a few minutes remaining in the second half, Mahoro gets the ball and breaks free of Raimon’s players. With nothing but Amagi and Shinsuke between Mahoro and a Genei goal, things aren’t looking good. Mahoro uses another “Phantom Shot,” and Ranmaru sighs. Looks like they’ll be playing in overtime today. 

The shot flies towards the net, crackling with energy as it goes. Amagi continues to stand in its way, staring defiantly at the shot and Mahoro himself. Then Amagi shocks everyone in Pinball Stadium. Hissatsu energy gathers around him, but instead of taking its traditional shape of the Great Wall of China, the energy turns blue and forms an even larger wall. 

“Atlantis Wall!” Amagi declares triumphantly.

Phantom Shot collides with Atlantis Wall. Both hissatsus fight for dominance, but it’s Atlantis Wall that wins out in the end. Amagi had done it, Ranmaru realizes. He’d finally stopped Mahoro’s shot.

The whistle blows, bringing the match to a close. Raimon gathers back at their bench, but Amagi doesn’t join them. Ranmaru watches for a moment as both Amagi and Mahoro walk off the field together, heading towards the entrance tunnel. Takuto notices as well, and Ranmaru is almost certain Coach Kidou can see what’s going on, but no one goes to stop Amagi. They all know this is something Amagi has to do on his own. 

Coach Kidou rounds them up and sends them off to get changed before they’ll return to Raimon via the monorail. They change quickly but not before they get to look at each other’s “battle scars” as Hamano calls them. Hamano’s ankle is swollen and red, even after sitting out the second half. Hamano tries to say it’s only twisted, but a pointed look from Takuto ensures that Hamano will see a doctor sometime in the next twenty-four hours. 

Tenma’s stomach is a molted mess of bruises from where the ball hit him earlier. Kurama’s shins are bruised painfully. Masaki also has some bruises from trying to stop Mahoro’s Phantom Shot. Ranmaru’s left side and hip have turned a deep purple from various bruises. The rest of the players hiss when they see their friends' injuries, but there’s nothing they can do right now, so they let it go for now.

After everyone is dressed, Hayami and Kurama help Hamano to the monorail. Everyone else follows them. Takuto and Ranmaru sit together near the middle of the monorail. Masaki passes them on his way to his seat, handing Ranmaru another instant ice pack before running off to sit with Hikaru. Tenma and Kyousuke also take seats closer to the back with Shinsuke following them as well. Ranmaru activates the ice pack and presses it against his side as the monorail begins to move. 

“Are you okay?” Takuto asks gently.

“Yeah,” Ranmaru sighs, shifting in his seat until he finds a comfortable position that won’t aggravate his bruises.

Takuto shoots him a doubtful look. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure, Takuto,” Ranmaru huffs. “Just a few bruises. Nothing to worry about.”

“If you say so,” Takuto shakes his head. “Anyway, how do you think the game went?”

“It was fine,” Ranmaru hums. “It wasn’t our best game, but it could have been worse.”

Takuto nods in agreement, “True.”

“I’m just surprised that Fifth Sector hasn’t been sued yet,” Ranmaru says. “Every stadium we’ve played on during the Holy Road nationals is dangerous.”

Takuto looks like he’s about to say something, but Ranmaru cuts him off. “I mean, really. A field made of pure ice? A stadium that generates tornadoes? A field with hidden obstacles? How has no one been severely injured yet?! I don’t get it!”

Takuto snickers a little at Ranmaru’s sudden rant but is all too happy to give his opinion as well. “Luck? Well, if someone gets really hurt, we can sue Fifth Sector and shut them down that way.”

“That’s a terrible plan,” Ranmaru snickers back.

“But it’s still a plan,” Takuto gives him a smug smile.

“True,” Ranmaru acknowledges, “but so is beating every Fifth Sector team playing in the Holy Road nationals.”

Takuto hums lightly. “Yeah, but aren’t those both terrible plans?”

“Yes,” Ranmaru nods far too happily, “yes they are. But only one plan can give you the satisfaction of kicking Fifth Sector’s ass on live television.”

“Okay, I yield. You win,” Takuto laughs. “But in all seriousness, we are totally kicking Fifth Sector’s ass on live television.”

“Yes,” Ranmaru smiles, “we totally are.”

*^*

The next morning everyone except Ichino and Aoyama gathers for practice. Coach Kidou begins Raimon’s next practice with “film analysis.” (Ranmaru is also nearly certain that no one on the team understood what he meant because Hamano showed up with a bucket of popcorn, and Kurumada brought candy to share.) What Coach Kidou actually means by “film analysis” is watching a video of their next opponent, Arakumo Gakuen, from last year’s Holy Road nationals. 

The sheer amount of raw power Arakumo Gakuen displays in the game is impressive, terrifying even, but the effect is ruined ever so slightly by Hamano and Kurumada munching on popcorn and candy the entire time. Kurumada also throws candy at anyone who looks in his direction for more than a few seconds. By the end of the film review, Coach Kidou looks more than slightly disappointed, and Ranmaru can’t even blame him. He loves his teammates, but they don’t always make the best decisions. 

Takuto wraps up their little movie night (movie morning?) with a dramatic monologue about how “perfect” Arakumo is, but Ranmaru puts a stop to it with a light bop to Takuto’s head. Takuto grumbles and rubs his head for a moment before caving and admitting that maybe Arakumo isn’t “that perfect.” Ranmaru rolls his eyes slightly, but he knows that’s the best he’ll get out of Takuto for now. Just as Coach Kidou is about to dismiss them to change for practice, Aoyama and Ichino burst into the room. 

“Everyone!” Aoyama exclaims hastily. “It’s terrible!”

Coach Kidou strides up to the duo with purpose. “Aoyama, Ichino, what is it?”

The rest of Raimon waits in tense silence until Ichino speaks up.

“It’s Fifth Sector!” The blonde is nearly shaking. “They’re…! They’re…!”

“They’re closing Raimon!” Aoyama shouts.

“What?!” Everyone else shrieks in horror.

“And it’s not just Raimon!” Ichino cuts in. “Fifth Sector is closing every school that’s joined the Revolution!”

Raimon’s players freeze in shock and dread. None of them want to believe what Ichino and Aoyama are saying, but they all know Fifth Sector too well to deny it. Fifth Sector has threatened them from day one, but now it’s painfully personal. The Raimon soccer team wouldn’t be the only ones to suffer anymore. The entire school would be hurt, and many other schools, like Hakuren and Teikoku, would suffer as well. 

Their reactions vary from person to person, but the sheer amount of guilt swimming in Tenma’s eyes makes Ranmaru wince. Takuto also looks extremely depressed. Ranmaru feels the same way, but he knows far better than to show his feelings right now. Instead, he slips his poker face on, putting on a brave face for his teammates. Tenma, however, can’t. 

“I’m sorry!” Tenma cries as he runs out of the room, tears streaming down his cheeks. 

“Tenma!” Ranmaru shouts after the boy, but Tenma is already gone. 

Growling in irritation, Ranmaru grabs Takuto’s arm and pulls him along. “Stay here, everyone. We’ll be right back!”

Then Ranmaru and Takuto dash after Tenma. Ranmaru hears another set of footsteps behind them. Glancing over his shoulder, Ranmaru sees Kyousuke trailing behind them. They run for a few minutes, but Ranmaru knows they’ve lost Tenma. With his high speed, it would be easy for him to outrun them, so Ranmaru slows to a stop.

Takuto also comes to a sudden stop, but he looks confused. “Ranmaru? What’s wrong?”

“He’s already gone. We won’t be able to catch him now,” Ranmaru sighs. “We’ll find him later. Let’s go back to practice.”

Takuto and Kyousuke share a look, but they both know Ranmaru is right. They walk back to the soccer building together, so they can change for practice. Ranmaru pauses before they enter the soccer building. He doesn’t know what’s going on with Tenma, but he hopes they can help Tenma get through it. ‘Please Tenma,’ Ranmaru thinks, ‘be okay.’

*^*

Chapter Text

*^*

Tenma fails to reappear for afternoon practice, so the team is forced to continue without him. Practice is fine, but it lacks energy and enthusiasm. While Tenma’s absence does contribute to that, the news of Fifth’s Sector’s current actions hits harder than anyone would like to admit.

After practice ends, Ranmaru and Takuto decide to visit Tenma’s house. Ranmaru has never actually been there (while he was coherent, at least), so Takuto acts as their navigator. It turns out that Tenma hasn’t spent his day off at home because the midfielder isn’t there when they arrive. Instead, he pops up a minute later and stops in surprise.

“Ranmaru-senpai, Takuto-senpai,” he blinks. “What are you guys doing here?”

Ranmaru offers a lopsided smile. “We were looking for you. You scared us when you ran off like that.”

“Sorry,” Tenma laughs awkwardly. “I didn’t mean to make everyone worry.”

“We know, Tenma,” Takuto replies evenly. “It’s fine, but where did you go? We couldn’t find you anywhere.”

Tenma laughs again, but he’s nervous instead of awkward this time. “That’s because I left school. I went to the riverbank.”

“By yourself? Tenma, that’s dangerous,” Ranmaru scolds.

“I know, I know,” Tenma says, “but I met some people there, so I wasn’t alone very long.”

Ranmaru and Takuto share a warry glance as Takuto asks another question. “Who did you meet, Tenma?”

“I met a girl first,” Tenma smiles widely. “Her name was Yuuka, I think. We talked for a little, but she left. Then I met Ishido-san. He stopped a guy from stealing a bag, but he didn’t talk to me much. I think he’s the one who saved me when I was little, though, so I don’t get how someone like that could be in charge of Fifth Sector!”

It takes the second years a minute to process Tenma’s rant, but once they do, they stare at him incredulously. 

“Tenma,” Takuto begins, “you met the leader of Fifth Sector at the riverbank?”

Tenma looks confused, “Yes, but why does that matter?”

Ranmaru sighs and shakes his head. Tenma can be pretty dense sometimes. “Tenma, you met the man in charge of the organization we’ve been fighting against since the revolution started at the riverbank . You don’t think that’s a bit of a strange coincidence?”

“Oh,” Tenma blinks dumbly. “Now that I think about it, it is a little weird.”

“A little ?” Takuto shakes his head. “Whatever. We’ll talk about this later. Did anything else happen?”

Tenma tilts his head as he thinks. “No, I don’t think so.”

“That’s probably for the best,” Ranmaru hums. “You cause enough trouble as it is.”

“That’s true,” Takuto nods.

“Hey!” Tenma huffs, “I’m not that bad…”

“Sure, Tenma,” Ranmaru pats the brunette’s shoulder gently, “whatever you say.”

“Tenma,” a woman calls from the front door of the manor. “Why don’t you invite your friends in instead of standing in the road?”

“Yes, Aunt Aki!” Tenma calls back and grabs Ranmaru and Takuto by the arm, dragging them into the manor quickly.

“Hey! Tenma!” Takuto squawks in protest as Ranmaru laughs quietly.

Tenma takes them up to his room. Sasuke is sitting on Tenma’s bed. Ranmaru goes over to pet Sasuke while Tenma and Takuto look at the beaten-up soccer ball on Tenma’s desk. They talk, but Ranmaru isn’t really listening, focusing his attention on Tenma’s dog instead. Ranmaru does overhear that the ball apparently belonged to Ishido originally (Ishido is very important to Tenma, evidently). Aki brings them snacks a few minutes later, and Takuto, Ranmaru, and Tenma sit together to eat them. 

“So Takuto-senpai,” Tenma begins after they’re settled, “what was the soccer team like last year?”

Takuto blinks in surprise. “Why do you want to know?”

“I don’t know,” Tenma shrugs. “I’m just curious. Was Fifth Sector any better last year?”

“I guess, but I was on the second team last year, so I wouldn’t know,” Takuto admits.

“Really?” Tenma asks, “why’s that?”

“Fifth Sector only cares about the games that attract lots of attention,” Ranmaru explains, “but since second team games don’t, they tended to leave us alone.”

“Exactly,” Takuto agrees. “We only saw a few score orders last year, and they were only for our bigger games. We got to play real soccer in most of our games, which was nice.”

“Yeah,” Ranmaru nods, “we had lots of fun last year, didn’t we, Takuto?”

Takuto smiles widely. “Definitely. I kind of miss how things were last year. It was a lot less stressful when we didn’t have to deal with Fifth Sector.”

“That does sound fun,” Tenma grins. “I wish I could have played with you guys last year.”

“Yeah,” Ranmaru and Takuto agree.

They snack on Aki’s cooking for another few minutes before Takuto stands up. 

“Let’s go to the riverbank,” Raimon’s captain declares.

“Sure,” Ranmaru says, standing up too.

Tenma raises an eyebrow curiously. “Sure, but why?”

Takuto offers a knowing smile. “You missed practice this afternoon, didn’t you? You can’t slack off just because you have a Keshin, Tenma.”

Tenma hurries to his feet and grabs his soccer jersey, “Yes, captain!”

Ranmaru laughs at their antics. His friends are ridiculous, but Ranmaru knows he isn’t much better. Then all three Raimon players head to the riverbank together. Looks like Tenma will be alright after all.

*^*

Both practices the following day are devoted to training Shinsuke’s Keshin. Coach Kidou theorizes that training Shinsuke’s Keshin will help correct Takuto’s Keshin drawing issue. Ranmaru has no idea if it will help or not, but he’s all for helping the small brunette.

Otonashi-san even brings in a Tachimukai-san, a former goalkeeper for Inazuma Japan. He takes Shinsuke off separately to work on Shinsuke’s goalkeeping and Keshin skills. Kyousuke is also recruited to help draw out Shinsuke’s Keshin with Lancelot. Nishiki, Atsushi, and Kurama are also called over on occasion. 

With so much Keshin training going on already, Coach Kidou opts to force Tenma and Ranmaru to train their Keshins too. Maestro is still deemed too dangerous to make an appearance at practice, so Takuto is sent off to work with Raimon’s non-Keshin users. Ranmaru gives a small wave as Takuto guides the others to the far half of the field.

Coach Kidou tells Nishiki and Tenma to face Ranmaru with their Keshins. Ranmaru thinks Coach Kidou’s instructions are a little extreme, but Ranmaru also understands why. Ranmaru has Raimon’s only defensive Keshin, and Coach Kidou has to push Ranmaru and Brynhildr hard to ensure they can handle Arakumo’s tough offense. 

Both practices are particularly brutal. Shinsuke can only handle Kurama and Atsushi’s shots at first, but by the beginning of afternoon practice, he can face Kyousuke and Lancelot. Ranmaru, Nishiki, and Tenma are also improving. They can keep their Keshins out for longer periods, and it also takes them less time and energy to summon their Keshins. Byrnhildr’s Valkyrie Flag has also improved, and Ranmaru feels like it will power up soon if he keeps working on his Keshin.

Practice is almost over, but a large purple cloud catches Ranmaru’s eye. A Keshin cloud has formed behind Shinsuke again. Kyousuke and Lancelot rush towards the small brunette. “Lost Angel!”

Shinsuke roars as the dark, formless cloud behind him finally takes shape. “Planet Guardian God Titanias!”

Kyousuke’s shot flies towards the goal, pulsing with dark energy. Shinsuke isn’t phased. Shinsuke reaches out his hand, and Titanias copies his actions. “Majin the Hand!” Shinsuke cries as the ball slams into Titanias’s outstretched hand. Titanias’s hand closes around the ball, stopping it completely. The ball falls into Shinsuke’s arms, and he looks at it, completely stunned at what he’d just done.

Ranmaru stares too as most of the team gapes. Even Kyousuke looks surprised, and Ranmaru can’t blame him. He’d never expected Shinsuke’s Keshin to be so strong, but he’s also glad that Titanias is a powerful goalkeeping Keshin. Titanias will be a huge advantage in their upcoming game against Arakumo. The shock wears off, and everyone rushes to Shinsuke, gushing about how incredible he and his Keshin are. 

Ranmaru stands beside Takuto and smiles. “Maybe that Arakumo game won’t be so impossible after all.”

Takuto huffs lightly at Ranmaru’s teasing but smiles a little too. “Maybe.”

Coach Kidou gathers them up to end practice, and practice ends on a good note for once. 

*^*

But as per usual, Fifth Sector ruins everything the next day. A Fifth Sector bus is parked outside Raimon’s front gate, and as soon as Ranmaru sees it, he knows the day is going to be awful. If Ranmaru has to attend another gala, he’s going to hit someone. 

Ranmaru heads to the front field, trying vainly to ignore the bus as he passes it. Most of the team is already at the front field. Only Tenma seems to be missing, but Coach Kidou is standing far away from everyone else, examining what seems to be a letter. Coach Kidou scowls as he reads it, so Ranmaru assumes that the letter’s contents aren’t good. Tenma arrives a few minutes later, shouting apologies for being so late. 

With everyone now present, Coach Kidou gathers them around. “We’ve been invited to a Fifth Sector training camp to improve our skills before the final rounds of the Holy Road tournament,” Coach Kidou says flatly.

“We don’t have a choice, do we?” Takuto sighs. He is well aware that Fifth Sector won’t take “no” for an answer.

“We don’t,” Coach Kidou confirms. “Now, pack your game bags and board the bus at the front gate. Haruna and I will prepare everything else. Dismissed.”

Ranmaru and Takuto share a deflated look as they pack their bags and begin their walk towards Fifth Sector’s bus. Amagi, Hikaru, and Nishiki board first, followed by the managers. Hayami and Hamano are about to board, but Takuto calls out to them before they can.

“Hamano, Hayami,” Takuto addresses the midfielders first before turning to two others, “Kurama, Minamisawa.”

“Yes, captain?” Hayami asks meekly. The other three players also look at Takuto with anticipation.

“I want you four to stay here,” Takuto declares with quiet authority.

Atsushi’s eyebrow shoots up. “Are you kidding, Shindou? And leave you two together without anyone to keep your recklessness in check? Absolutely not.”

“Please, Minamisawa,” Takuto pleads. “I want to make sure Fifth Sector doesn’t have all of us if anything happens to us while we’re at that camp . We need you guys to stay here and protect the revolution.”

All four players still look skeptical, so Ranmaru sighs and enters the conversation. “We’ll be careful. We’re not expecting anything to happen, but if something does, we need players here at Raimon to help us. It’s Fifth Sector, guys. We can’t afford to take chances, especially if we’ll be on their turf.”

“Fine,” Atsushi huffs irritably, “but if anything happens to you guys while you’re away, I’ll never let you go anywhere by yourself ever again.”

“Alright, Atsushi,” Ranmaru grins slightly. “We get it. You’re an overprotective big brother.”

“And you’re a mom,” Atsushi fires back, cheeks dusted with a light blush. The forward reaches out and grabs both Takuto and Ranmaru’s outer shoulders. “I’m serious. Be careful.”

“We will be,” Takuto says solemnly as he and Ranmaru board the bus with the rest of their teammates. 

Ranmaru sits with Masaki, and Takuto sits with Kurumada. Both Ranmaru and Takuto take aisle seats, so they can get up easily if anything happens. They ride in tense silence until quiet chatter breaks out. Everyone is nervous. Fifth Sector is unpredictable and powerful when they want to be, so no one knows what to expect. 

They drive on for well over an hour, taking roads and streets Ranmaru isn’t familiar with. ‘It’s no coincidence,’ he thinks. ‘Fifth Sector doesn’t want us to know where we are or how to get back. They want to trap us and do who knows what else to us while they have us.’

Masaki breaks Ranmaru’s thoughts with idle small talk. “Do you think this’ll be like the Gala thing?”

“I sure hope not,” Ranmaru groans. “We did almost nothing the entire time.”

“Huh,” Masaki says, “is it true that they dressed you up and everything?”

Ranmaru side-eyes the other defender, “Where did you hear that?”

“Tenma,” Masaki answers easily, “he tells us first years basically everything about his life, so it came up eventually.”

“That’s not surprising,” Ranmaru says. “Are you and Tenma close, then?”

Masaki blushes fiercely. “No! Tenma’s just way too friendly sometimes!”

Ranmaru smirks. It’s fun to get under Masaki’s skin sometimes. “True, but you pay attention to him and remember what he says. I think you and Tenma are friends, Masaki.”

Masaki huffs, and Ranmaru bumps the first year’s shoulder playfully. “There’s nothing wrong with having friends, Masaki. I think they’re good for you.”

“It’s not that. You’re just impossible, Ranmaru-senpai,” Masaki groans dramatically, flopping against the older defender dramatically.

“Thank you, Masaki!” Ranmaru loops an arm around the other boy, pulling him into a pseudo-hug. “I think you’re impossible too.”

Masaki breaks out of the side hug with a huff, but the small smile on his face tells Ranmaru that Masaki is having fun too. Ranmaru laughs quietly before he and Masaki settle into comfortable silence once again. 

Another hour passes, and everyone has relaxed a little, opting to participate in random conversations to pass the time. Well, almost everyone. Takuto still looks tense, and Ranmaru can’t blame him. The bus left Tokyo and any other familiar landmarks behind a while ago. They’re riding blind, completely at the mercy of Fifth Sector and the bus driver. 

Things get worse when Shinsuke complains about being tired and drops off to sleep a minute later. Ranmaru and Takuto tense. They know that isn’t normal sleeping behavior and that Fifth Sector probably released sleeping gas into the bus, but they can’t do much. The others start to fall asleep too. Ichino and Aoyama are the first to go, followed by Tenma and Masaki. 

Ranmaru glances at Takuto before leaning against Masaki and feigning a yawn. Ranmaru is feeling a little drowsy, but he doesn’t have time to focus on that now. He continues to lean against Masaki until he’s sure his face is hidden by the seats in front of him. He ends up with his head nearly in Masaki’s lap, but Masaki is fast asleep, and no one else can see them, so it’s fine. Now hidden from sight, Ranmaru tugs his uniform until the jacket covers his nose and mouth. Ranmaru isn’t sure how effective his makeshift filter will be with how much gas he’s already inhaled, but it’s better than nothing.

Glancing around as much as he can, Ranmaru sees that nearly all of his teammates are asleep now. Takuto is still hanging on to consciousness, but it’s a battle Raimon’s captain won’t win. Ranmaru is also drowsy. His eyes feel impossibly heavy, and he can’t shake the urge to stop fighting and let them close. A nap does sound nice, but he can’t give in. He has to stay awake. Fifth Sector could be taking them anywhere. He has to stay awake…

*^*

Ranmaru wakes up to someone picking him up. He wants to panic and flail, but something in the back of his mind tells him not to. He remains limp as he is carried a distance and dropped unceremoniously onto a hard surface. Cracking his eyes open ever so slightly, Ranmaru finds the surface to be the ground. Ground that is not covered with wood or tile. Ground that is covered in grass, plants, and rocks. 

Ranmaru is outside, but he wasn’t outside before. Ranmaru and his teammates were moved, and Ranmaru has absolutely no idea where they are. He wants to get up and look around more, but people are still around, carrying his teammates out of the bus and scattering them around in the grass. 

Ranmaru waits until the people and the bus disappear before pulling himself to his feet. He’s still drowsy from the gas, so he sways for a moment before regaining his balance. He looks around for the nearest Raimon player, who turns out to be Amagi. Ranmaru stumbles over to his teammate and gives the third year’s shoulder a shake.

“Amagi,” Ranmaru calls gently, “wake up.”

It takes a moment, but Amagi does eventually wake up. Sitting up, he gazes blearily at Ranmaru. “Kirino? What’s going on?”

“I don’t know, exactly,” Ranmaru shakes his head, “but I think Fifth Sector just kidnapped us.”

Amagi stares in shock, “What do you mean?”

“You remember the Fifth Sector training camp and the bus ride, right?” Amagi nods, so Ranmaru continues, “Do you notice anything weird at the end of the bus ride?”

Amagi tilts his head thoughtfully. “I remember getting tired, but I don’t know why I’d get so drowsy all of a sudden. I got a goodnight’s sleep and everything, so it doesn’t make sense.”

“Yeah,” Ranmaru agrees, “so I think Fifth Sector drugged us.”

“Drugged?” Amagi parrots, “Did they spike our water or something?”

Ranmaru shakes his head. “No. I think they used sleeping gas while we were on the bus.”

“Huh,” Amagi says. “That does make sense, and that seems like something Fifth Sector would do.”

“True,” Ranmaru nods before he offers Amagi a hand. “Let’s go find the others. We shouldn’t be separated right now.”

Amagi takes Ranmaru’s hand and stands. “Yeah. Let’s go get everyone.”

The defenders set off together to find their teammates. Everyone is pretty scattered, so it takes them a while to find and wake up the others. Ranmaru searches for Takuto first. It’ll be easier to find everyone with their captain’s help. Ranmaru finds the brunette sprawled between two medium-sized rocks. He rouses Raimon’s captain with a firm shake and quickly explains everything he’d already told Amagi. 

Takuto takes it unusually well. Maybe the adrenaline is keeping him calmer than normal. Takuto joins their search without protest, and they split up to find the rest of Raimon’s players. They find almost everyone, but Tenma is still missing, along with Coach Kidou, Otonashi-san, and the managers. Amagi and Ranmaru focus on keeping the others together in a group while Takuto searches for Tenma. Everyone is nervous and unsettled but the unfamiliar environment, so no one bothers to speak.

The group’s tense silence is only broken once Takuto cries out, “I found Tenma!”

Raimon’s captain marches over to the rest of his team, dragging Tenma by the arm behind him. Ranmaru would laugh at Takuto’s protective display if he and his team weren’t being held somewhere in the wilderness by Fifth Sector. 

“Thank goodness,” Hikaru and Shinsuke sigh together. Kyousuke appears next to Tenma and drags him away from Takuto and towards the rest of Raimon’s first years. Masaki refuses to say anything friendly, but relief shines in his brown eyes. 

Takuto moves next to Ranmaru and loops a gentle arm around the defender’s shoulder. They share a quick side-hug before separating to survey their surroundings again. They’re in the middle of a large, flat field covered in green grass and the occasional large rock. Ranmaru and Takuto don’t know where they are, but recognition flashes in Kyousuke’s golden eyes.

“Kyousuke?” Ranmaru calls to the striker, “What is it?”

Kyousuke freezes momentarily before regaining his composure. “I think I know where we are,” Kyousuke admits quietly.

“Where?!” Takuto asks urgently.

“God Eden,” Kyousuke answers flatly, “a training place for Fifth Sector’s strongest Seeds.”

“Great,” Amagi groans. “This can’t get any worse.”

It turns out Amagi is very wrong because mere seconds after saying that, the ground shakes ominously. Large tanks roll into sight, and Ranmaru questions Fifth Sector’s bizarre spending habits. The lid of one of the tanks opens to reveal a man in a… pink, feathered suit? What the hell…?

The man leaps dramatically from the tank to the top of a colossal, nearby rock. “Welcome, Raimon,” he bellows, “to God Eden. We’ve been expecting you. I am Kibayama Douzan, your instructor.”

“Instructor?” Takuto asks boldly. “We don’t need an instructor. We want our coach and managers back!”

Kibayama chuckles darkly. “I’m afraid that is impossible. You are no longer members of the Raimon Junior High soccer team. You are Fifth Sector’s newest Seed recruits.”

“What?!” Everyone shouts angrily.

“That can’t be true!” Sangoku snaps, eyes narrowed with uncharacteristic anger. “We didn’t agree to that at all.”

Kibayama fixes them with an arrogant look. “And why would such a trivial thing like your consent matter to Fifth Sector. We are the leaders of the soccer world. Silly things like the opinions of children don’t matter to us.”

Ranmaru grits his teeth in frustration. “So we can’t do anything to stop this?”

“Well,” Kibayama smirks nastily, “you could face Fifth Sector in a soccer match.”

“A game?” Hikaru wonders meekly.

Raimon’s players look at each other and mutter quietly as they reach a decision. Eventually, Takuto turns to face Kibayama again. “We accept,” Raimon’s captain declares firmly.

“Wonderful,” Kibayama smirks arrogantly. “Prepare the field,” he says, and the ground shakes even more than it did before. The ground behind the massive rock splits and separates cleanly in two, creating huge dust clouds in the process, to reveal a full soccer field, complete with team benches and proper goals.

Once the dust settles, Ranmaru realizes that the field isn’t empty. A group of teenagers stands in the middle of the field, clad in yellow and white uniforms. Kibayama jumps off the rock and stands in front of the group. “This is Ultimate Shining,” he says. “They will be your opponents.”

Raimon tenses at Ultimate Shining’s sheer intensity as they make their way to the field. A white-haired boy stands at the front of the group, and Kyousuke recognizes him with a gasp of, “Hakuryuu!” Said Hakuryuu doesn’t verbally acknowledge Kyousuke, but he sends Raimon’s striker a look so cold even Ranmaru shivers a little. 

Takuto refuses to let Kyousuke’s outburst shake him, and instead focuses on instructing his team. “Hikaru and Kyousuke will be our strikers. Ranmaru, Kariya, Amagi, and Kurumada will be our defenders. Sangoku will be in goal, and everyone else will be midfielders,” Takuto explains quickly before everyone takes their positions.

With both teams ready, Kibayama, who seems to be acting as a referee, blows the whistle to start the game. Raimon starts with the ball, but Ultimate Shining steals it so quickly that Raimon doesn’t even get a chance to make a pass. As the first half drags on, it becomes painfully clear that Ultimate Shining outclasses Raimon in every respect. 

Kyousuke steals the ball for a split second and fires off a powerful “Death Drop.” Hakuryuu stops it without batting an eye and returns the shot with one of his own. “White Hurricane!” Ultimate Shining’s captain yells as a white and yellow vortex surrounds the ball. 

White Hurricane blows through Raimon’s players like tissue paper, knocking everyone to the ground, even Amagi and Kurumada. The rest of the match isn’t much better. Ultimate Shining destroys Raimon as brutally as possible. Everyone takes countless hits to nearly every part of their bodies. Ranmaru and the other defenders even hit their heads a few times when they’re knocked to the ground by Ultimate Shining’s offense. Raimon’s midfielders also take many brutal shots to their chests and abdomens. 

By the end of the game, Ranmaru is barely standing. He’s faintly aware of something dripping down the side of his face, but he’s far too exhausted to care. His body aches, and he winces as Hakuryuu prepares to use White Hurricane again. Ultimate Shining is already up by eleven points, so he’s not sure why Hakuryuu is so eager to score again. Raimon won’t be making a comeback in this game, that’s for sure.

White Hurricane tears through Raimon again, and Ranmaru doesn’t have the strength to get back up. He pulls himself to his knees as he pants, lungs fighting desperately for air. Some of Raimon’s players don’t get up at all. Masaki and Kurumada lay limp on the ground, and Ranmaru swears he sees blood on the ground underneath them. Where it’s coming from, Ranmaru doesn’t want to know. 

Tenma and Kyousuke are still standing, but they fall to the ground seconds later. Only Takuto and Ranmaru remain at least somewhat upright, and Kibayama gazes at Raimon victoriously. Ranmaru winces and pitches to the side, sprawling onto the ground pathetically. Takuto also staggers, falling to his knees weakly.

“Gather them up,” the man orders Ultimate Shining, and the players move to follow his commands. 

Ultimate Shining approaches Raimon’s defenseless players. Ranmaru hisses weakly, desperately wishing he had the strength to fight back. His eyes lower against his wishes, and as they begin to close, Ranmaru sees a ball fly into the center of the field. It spins rapidly, kicking up a powerful dust storm. Just before his eyes finally shut, Ranmaru sees figures running through the dust. One of them looks like Coach Endou, and another looks strangely familiar, Ranmaru thinks before his eyes close and he knows no more.

*^*

Ranmaru wakes up in a cave. It’s cold and slightly damp, but some of his body is warm. He’s also sandwiched between two other sources of warmth. Turning his head slightly, Ranmaru recognizes Amagi and Nishiki curled up beside him. The energetic midfielder is awake and talking animatedly with someone else. Amagi still seems to be fast asleep, so Ranmaru opts to focus on Nishiki’s conversation.

“So you really didn’t see anything?!” Nishiki asks loudly (how Ranmaru slept through Nishiki’s yelling, the defender isn’t sure).

“No,” someone sighs. It takes Ranmaru a moment, but eventually, he recognizes Aoyama’s voice. “We couldn’t see anything at all through the dust storm. Someone grabbed us, but I can’t remember anything after that.”

“Same here,” another voice, Ichino, agrees. “There was so much happening that it was hard to focus on any one thing.”

Nishiki exhales dejectedly. “You didn’t see anything either, then, did you, captain?”

“No,” Takuto responds flatly. “I think I might have seen Coach Endou, but there’s a strong probability that I was just delirious.”

“Maybe,” Ranmaru agrees, sitting up with a wince. “But I think I saw him too.”

“Ranmaru! You’re awake!” Takuto exclaims in surprise.

Ranmaru shrugs lazily. “I guess so. Where are we? The last thing I remember is our match with Ultimate Shining.”

“We’re not sure,” Takuto sighs. “We’re just glad you’re awake. We’re pretty sure we’ve been asleep for at least half a day. Ultimate Shining did a number on us.”

“Yeah,” Nishiki groans as he stretches his torso. “They beat you defenders up pretty good, huh?”

“What do you mean?” Ranmaru asks, “They hurt everyone, didn’t they?”

“Yeah,” Aoyama nods, “but they targeted the defenders and midfielders for most of the game. Ichino and I weren’t sure why, though.”

Ichino hums quietly. “True. On top of that, you and Kurumada are the only defenders who’ve fully woken up. Amagi was awake for a little, but he passed back out after a few minutes.”

“Then Masaki’s still out?” Ranmaru turns to look around the cave to locate the younger defender.

“Yeah,” Aoyama nods slightly, “Hikaru and Tsurugi are watching him right now. He, Amagi, and Tenma are the only ones still asleep right now, but I think Shinsuke is waking up Tenma right now.” 

The dark-haired boy points to the two first years, and indeed, Tenma is sitting up with Shinsuke’s help. Kyousuke watches silently from his spot next to Masaki. Hikaru is also observing with great interest. 

Tenma fully sits up and looks around in confusion. “Everyone? Where are we?”

Takuto and Nishiki quickly fill the brunette in as Ranmaru pulls his blanket up over his arms. His head hurts fiercely, and the blanket’s meager warmth is the only thing he has to distract himself. Nishiki notices the defender’s discomfort, despite being fully engaged in a conversation, and wraps his own blanket around Ranmaru’s shoulders. Ranmaru nods in thanks and shifts the blankets to achieve maximum warmth. 

Once Tenma is up to speed, the rest of the team decides to awaken Amagi and Masaki. None of them are qualified medics in any sense, but they do know it’s important to wake up people with head injuries every so often and check on their wellbeing. Masaki whines as he wakes up, but Amagi remains silent.

“You alright?” Ranmaru whispers from his blanket wrap.

Amagi blinks a few times to regain his bearings before he responds. “Yeah,” the third year groans quietly, “just feel like I got run over by a bus, so completely peachy.”

“Same,” Ranmaru nods in agreement. “Fifth Sector wasn’t messing around this time.”

“Do they ever?” A smile ghosts Amagi’s lips. “We’re hardly their favorite people right now.”

Ranmaru laughs lightly, “That’s an understatement.”

“Sure is,” Amagi laughs back, “so what’s going on?”

Ranmaru explains their current situation to Amagi, who takes it fairly well. Tenma and Shinsuke also double-team Masaki and force him to listen to their explanation. The first year defender looks much more unhappy than Amagi, but he’s not actively lashing out at the moment, so small victories. With everyone awake, Takuto encourages everyone to think of their next move. They’re about to begin planning when a familiar face walks through the cave entrance.

“Coach Endou!” Tenma and Shinsuke shriek, pinching each others’ cheeks because they’re basically five-year-olds.

Raimon’s formerly-missing coach beams brightly. “Hey, everyone! Glad to see you’re awake!”

Everyone stares at Coach Endou for a moment before tackling him into a tight hug. Amagi, Masaki, Kurumada, and Ranmaru hang back slightly to avoid hitting their heads on anything. Coach Endou hugs them back for a minute. Then he releases his team and waves a hand towards the cave entrance. “Come on in, guys. Come meet my team!”

Four additional people enter the cave, and Ranmaru almost falls over at the sight of Kazemaru Ichirouta. They’d met years ago, but Ranmaru didn’t think he’d ever see the blue-haired defender again after that (maybe he should have, though. Coach Endou is one of Kazemaru’s best friends, after all). Fubuki is also in the group along with two other adults Ranmaru recognizes as Fudou Akio and Kabeyama Heigorou. The adults introduce themselves, and the entire team murmurs in shock and excitement at the presence of such famous soccer players. After pleasantries have been exchanged, Takuto fixes Coach Endou with a curious look. 

“Um, Coach Endou,” Raimon’s captain begins, “why are you on God Eden?”

Coach Endou’s face morphs into an unusually serious expression. “Do you know what God Eden is?”

“A training ground for Seeds?” Tenma responds hesitantly.

“That’s not wrong,” Coach Endou says, “but God Eden is much more than that.”

“God Eden is the birthplace of Fifth Sector’s strongest Seeds,” Fubuki jumps in. “Fifth Sector does unspeakable things to soccer players here, all in the name of keeping themselves in power. I learned of this place from Yukimura and some other ex-Seeds, and I asked Endou and the others to accompany me here.”

“We’ve been looking for a way to shut God Eden down and save the boys trapped here, but we haven’t had much success,” Kazemaru admits.

“Unfortunately,” Kabeyama frowns. 

“Yeah, yeah. Our story’s great and all, but why are you kids here too?” Fudou’s gaze narrows.

“We were kidnapped by Fifth Sector,” Ranmaru says flatly.

Coach Endou frowns deeply but swiftly masks his emotions behind a smile. “Well, I’m happy to see you all again, even if these aren’t the best circumstances.”

“We are too, Coach!” Tenma chirps happily, Shinsuke grinning at his side.

“Good!” Coach Endou smiles. “Now, let’s go get some dinner. You guys haven’t eaten yet, right?”

“We were a little too busy getting our asses kicked, actually,” Masaki huffs quietly before Hikaru can slap a hand over the defender’s mouth. 

Hikaru blushes fiercely and apologies profusely, and everyone laughs. The adults hand out bowls of instant ramen that they got from somewhere (Ranmaru doesn’t want to think about it). Everyone eats merrily, and by the end of the meal, Nishiki and Kurumada are wearing their bowls on their heads while Masaki cackles wildly in the corner. God, Ranmaru’s team is stupid sometimes, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. 

*^*

Everyone wakes up the next morning feeling much better. They eat breakfast and head out to explore their new location. There isn’t much to see, really, just trees, trees, and more trees. Coach Endou tosses them a soccer ball, and a game quickly forms.

Things are just starting to heat up when an ear-splitting shriek echoes across the island. “Attention, Raimon Junior High Soccer Club. Surrender to Fifth Sector or face our wrath yet again. You have five days. We will be awaiting your decision at the entrance of God Eden.”

The announcement cuts off, and Raimon’s players stare at each other in disbelief. “Are they serious?” Hikaru whispers.

“Most likely,” Takuto exhales. “Coach, what should we do?”

Coach Endou smiles widely. “That’s obvious, isn’t it? We train!”

“Huh?!” Raimon shouts together.

Fudou sniggers loudly. “That’s Endou for you. As straight-forward as ever.”

“Maybe a little too straight-forward…” Kazemaru sighs. “But I agree. If you guys want to face Fifth Sector, you have to get much stronger.”

And so it’s decided. The adults gather to discuss training ideas and techniques. They send everyone off for free time, so they can concentrate better. Takuto and Ranmaru walk off together, but neither have any idea of where to go or what to do. Well, they don’t until they see Tenma, Shinsuke, and Kyousuke wandering off together.

“That can’t end well,” Ranmaru gestures to the group.

“That’s true. I don’t think those three are capable of staying out of trouble,” Takuto groans. “Let’s follow them.”

Ranmaru and Takuto do indeed follow the group of first years, and sure enough, they manage to get themselves into trouble. The group finds a statue in the middle of a clearing, and Tenma reaches out to touch it, only to get a ball kicked at him for his trouble. Takuto and Ranmaru sigh before rushing to their teammates’ aid.

“Who are you?” Takuto snaps at the boy responsible for attacking Tenma.

“I am Shuu,” the boy says calmly, “and you are trespassers.”

Takuto puffs up angrily, but Ranmaru intervenes before he can say anything stupid. “We’re sorry. We were brought here by Fifth Sector, so we didn’t know there were other people on the island.”

Shuu’s eyes glint ominously. “Is that so? Well then, I suppose we can forgive you if you beat us in a soccer game.” Other teenagers in black and purple uniforms emerge from the trees behind Shuu. “What do you say?”

Raimon’s other players had also caught up to their group by now. Takuto and Ranmaru share a glance, and the brunette nods solemnly. “We agree,” Ranmaru says. “We’re Raimon, and we’ll play soccer with you.” 

“Good. We are Ancient Dark,” Shuu smiles blankly. “Follow me. The field is over here.”

Shuu leads them to a field, and Raimon organizes themselves in the formation they’d used against Ultimate Shining. Shuu and his team also prepare themselves. Kyousuke and Hikaru enter the center circle to start the game, and Ranmaru hopes this game will be better than the game with Ultimate Shining. Ranmaru isn’t sure his team can take another brutal beatdown like that again. 

As it turns out, Ancient Dark is also very strong, and Raimon discovers that pretty quickly. Shuu easily keeps pace with Tenma, one of Raimon’s fastest players, and Ancient Dark’s goalie even stopped Kyousuke’s new hissatsu shot, “Devil Burst.” It seems like Ancient Dark is just playing with them the entire time too.

The end of the second half draws near, and Ancient Dark’s playstyle gets less and less playful. Raimon’s players fly across the field as Ancient Dark’s offense gets serious. An Ancient Dark player steals the ball and passes it to Shuu. Shuu accepts it gracefully and dribbles up the field, preparing to shoot. Ranmaru knows he’s the only defender capable of stopping Shuu, but something catches his eye. 

Ranmaru blinks at the sight of a lamb standing on the soccer field near the goal. Shuu fails to notice it and unleashes a powerful shot, putting the lamb right in the line of fire. Ranmaru is too far away to protect the lamb, but Tenma isn’t. 

“Tenma!” Ranmaru shouts, gesturing to the lamb. 

Tenma’s eyes light up with understanding, and he pulls the lamb to safety with a well-timed “Soyokaze Step!” With the lamb safe, Ranmaru can focus on stopping the shot. “Deep Mist,” the defender calls on his shot-blocking hissatsu.

It isn’t enough, and Ranmaru falls to the ground from the sheer force of the shot. But Ranmaru did weaken it enough for Sangoku to just barely catch it with “Burning Catch.” Shuu stares at them quietly for a moment before sending his team off the field, emotions hidden behind a blank gaze.

Raimon watches the dark-haired boy warily, but Shuu shocks them all with a genuine smile. “Raimon, huh? Well, it’s nice to meet you all.”

Most of the team is still cautious, but Tenma, ever the optimist, rushes forward to greet Shuu. “Nice to meet you too! I’m Tenma! Sorry for touching your statue. Your team is really good!”

Shuu chuckles warmly at Tenma’s behavior. “Thank you, Tenma. You were all good too.”

“Thanks,” Ranmaru says evenly, “and sorry for the whole trespassing thing. We just got here, so we’re still learning.”

“It’s alright,” Shuu hums. “I shouldn’t have been so quick to judge you. It was my fault, not yours.”

“Well,” Takuto breaks in awkwardly, “thank you for the match, but we should be going now. We have training soon.”

“Training?” Shuu perks up at Takuto’s words. “Where are you training?”

Takuto points in the general direction of the cave Raimon’s staying in. “There’s a cave over there, so probably just around there. Is that alright?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Shuu nods, but his eyes are lost in thought, “but there won’t be enough room there for all of you to train. You should use the whole forest.”

“Really?!” Tenma’s eyes sparkle with excitement.

“Yes. I can show you some good spots to train too, if you’d like,” Shuu offers amicably. 

“Yeah!” Tenma and Shinsuke jump happily.

“If you’re sure,” Takuto responds hesitantly.

“I wouldn’t offer if I wasn’t,” Shuu points out simply.

“Alright then,” Ranmaru turns toward the cave. “We’ll introduce you to our coach. Then we can get started on training.” 

“Sure,” Shuu nods as he walks with Raimon to the cave.

This wasn’t how Ranmaru thought the day would go, but maybe it’s for the best. With Fifth Sector out to get them, Raimon needs all the help they can get. Ranmaru just hopes that Shuu’s help turns out to be genuine and not another Fifth Sector trap. ‘Oh well’, Ranmaru thinks, ‘only time will tell.’

*^*

Chapter Text

This is just a small note from me, but I feel I need to clarify some things. I received a comment recently saying both this story and I lack originality because it is similar to Accidental Reverse, so there are some things I want to clarify. This story is inspired by Accidental Reverse, which means, naturally, that I've read that story. This also means that sometimes ideas from that story might get into my head and appear in this story, but I'm careful to make sure that doesn't happen very often. I've also read Pave the Way (To Tomorrow's Field), so there might be a few shared ideas there too. However, I am not copying them intentionally in any way. I've made sure that my story is significantly different in both characterization and ideas.

Accidental Reverse and Pave the Way both involve time travel. Pave the Way and A Chance of Wind both focus on Kirino. Accidental Reverse and A Chance Wind both focus on Keshins and what can go wrong with them. Just because two stories share characteristics doesn't mean one author is copying another.

The reason these two stories and A Chance of Wind are so similar with plot beats and order of events is that all three are canon-rewrites, so all three stories follow the show's original plot and event order (which is kind of the point). Anytime you read a canon-rewrite, you expect the story to follow the events of canon, which is what's happening in A Chance of Wind. The order of all the matches and even the placement of where the movie events fall will be extremely similar across these three stories because the original Inazuma Eleven Go already decided these things already.

However, even if the events happen in the same order, different things happen within those events. In A Chance of Wind, Kirino and Tenma awaken their Keshins in a very different time and way than what happened in Accidental Reverse and even canon. Different characters also have different roles across these stories. The Minamisawa in A Chance of Wind is very different from the other Minamisawa's in other stories and canon, both in the roles he has in the story and what roles he fills for the development of other characters. 

The characters and the way the authors write them are also very different. Pave the Way and A Chance of Wind have extremely different interpretations of Kirino even though they are both focused on him and his personal growth. There may be some similarities between the stories, but keep in mind that all the authors are working with the same characters and basic information about them, so there's bound to be some similarities between one author's interpretation of a character and another author's interpretation. Again, that doesn't mean anyone is copying anyone. I'm reasonably sure we've all come across each other's stories at some point due to the smaller size of the Inazuma Eleven Go writing community, so a little overlap is unavoidable.

That said, please don't be rude to other authors because you think they're copying someone's work. In my experience, most of the time, they're not. (Now, if you see a story with almost word-for-word similarity, there is a good chance that the author plagiarized another work, so feel free to report that to the original author.) Thanks for reading my rant, and I'll have the next chapter up soon. Goodbye for now, everyone. I'll see you soon (hopefully this week!). - Somnus

Chapter Text

Hi, everyone. I wanted to let those of you still reading this know that I am working on chapter 16 and beyond. Chapter 16 is currently over 1000 words, but I still need time to get it together. Fortunately (?), I have many ideas for the Chrono Stone sequel and have begun working on it (it's currently longer than chapter 16 lol), so please look forward to the upcoming insanity. I don't have much inspo for chapter 16 right now, so if anyone would like to drop ideas/chat in the comments, please feel free. This note will eventually be deleted when the new chapters are posted. I'm really hoping to finish this work because I have lots of ideas for the sequel, and I hope you guys are as excited as I am for what's to come.

Thanks for all your support over these past few years!

-Somnorum_Liber