Break Him Out Of His Shell

Chapter 14: His Return

-Third's Pov.-

Tenma really wanted to tell him everything was going to be okay somehow, that things would work out, but Hayami was so distressed he didn't know what else to do.

"If... if our football is crushed, it would be your fault." His eyes were focused on the ground, behind his glasses tears fell down, Tenma's heart broke a bit more.

Next day, at Raimon's outside pitch, was a surprise awaiting the team.

"We want to be back." Explained Aoyama, Ichino stood right beside him, both wearing pleading smiles. "We know we might not be accepted, after all, we were the first ones to give up, y-yet." Ichino completed his friend's sentence. "We no longer want to play like this: restraining ourselves, please, guys!" It was then when Takuto hugged them, he missed those two, not only because of the friendship they had built over the years, but because of the moments they shared playing together. 

"Welcome back, you two." Smiled Tenma. After that, each player welcomed them in their own way. 

The ride was quick, in less than takes the eye to blink, they were standing on the new pitch, their opponent in position; ready to 'crush them'. When the whistle blew, Tsurugi was the first one to react, as quick as his plays were, he had trouble to maintain the ball. 

After a few minutes, their control was total, their plays perfect, their passes could be barely seen, their speed incredible. Raimon was no match at all, they were stuck in defence on the first minutes of the match. Fish started moving around, flying, as if air was water; "Flying Fish". Sangoku could do nothing, it wasn't enough. Raimon spirit arose and passes were connecting, Kurama's snake was easily stopped. 

"Is that all you've got? We were going to play against Raimon, not trash!" The goalkeeper yelled, cheerily smile on his face.

"We need to tighten up the defence!" Takuto ordered running from mild field all the way back. Kurama and Tsurugi followed him. Yoshimiro, other team's captain, was standing before Tenma, he didn't expect Tenma would have developed his new technique by now, 'Spiral Straw' surprised him to the core. Our midfielder's pass reached Tsurugi's feet and Death Drop made the score be 1-1. 

As they had score, their rivals got furious, very serious in fact. Time to show off, they started using their Keshins. Sonic Speed Barious made appearance and got passed Tenma and Shindou, number seven passes the sphere over to their captain, who used his Keshin  Sea King Poseidon, who had no problem to score. It's shot was way to powerful. The ball was later recovered by Kurumada and his 'Dash Train', he passed it to Tenma, the only playmaker who wasn't marked but he was stolen from by another Keshin user: a defender and his Elite Soldier Pawn.

Tenma hurt, as his own Keshin couldn't appear, what was happening to him? He decided to push that away, or else, he wouldn't be able to save the team. They passed the defence and scored with 'Flying Fish', it turned into 3-1, this wasn't any pretty for them. The whistle blew, alerting Raimon the first half had ended.

It was then, during the break, that Endou said something strange... "Tenma, you will be our new goalkeeper." That was met with unbelievable faces and horrible comments such us: We are lost, We are dead, We are going to loose... 

-Tenma's PoV.-

'Will I be able to stop the shots when my Keshin is blocked?' I had nothing to do but accept as Sangoku believed in me. I felt strange on the new uniform. 'You? Goalkeeper? What's next, the Earth exploding?' J-Jack... damn not now. I hope Demon comes out, or else, not Raimon, but i will be lost. 'Demon? Your expectations are all on something so broken as him? Oh, please, don't make me laugh!'