Skyla’s P.O.V
I sat at the chair in the lounge having a water break taking the opportunity to talk to my actual best friend.
“Kayla was ecstatic to talk to you so she did” Cole said taking a drink from his bottle.
“oh….” I trailed off blushing slightly.
“I was worried you forgot about me….You actually called me Nicole” Cole smirked. “Wasn’t that my nickname for you? Nicolette?”
“Shut up” I nudged him.
“Come to think of it….Before I left for Russia we had unfinished business” Cole leaned in.
I turned scarlet remembering all that happened at the pure age of 12….a simple crush.
“I…uh….have I shown you the lightening training centre?” I asked standing up swiftly as Cole glanced at me amused.
“You’re doing that again” Cole said standing up.
“I’m not….Let’s just go alright” I said getting my duffle bag and walking out of the dance gym him apparently following.
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“Training camp?” I asked seeing as Cole and I just got to the training centre. “Hey guys…Cole say hello”
“Hello” Cole said boredly.
“Yep….We’re going to stay in school overnight….cook together and learn stuff” Coach said.
“It’s alright….I’ve already taken permission for you….and the dance squad too” Nelly said as i smiled turning to cole.
“It’ll make learning those dances easier too” I said.
“The team is getting a hang of it…..” Cole smirked. “Why not?”
The juniors agreed instantly.
“Wait a second coach….It’s a nice idea and all but we don’t have time to get all buddy-buddy….Our game against Zeus is the day after tomorrow and I have to master Majin the hand by then” Mark’s muscles tensed.
“Think you can do it?” Coach’s glasses glazed over. “You’ve been practicing for days….so have you gotten any closer at mastering the move?”
“No….but I have to keep trying” Mark argued.
“Maybe you should go” I said quietly to Cole as I saw some glares on him. “It’s a team thing”
“Sure Colette” Cole ruffled my hair before leaving the centre as I took deep breaths.
“It won’t work” Coach’s sharp voice cut through the silence.
“It won’t?” Mark asked.
“Majin the hand is a master skill that your grandfather put all of his blood and sweat into for several years….It’s not something that can be perfected by just going through emotions” Coach said. “Plus you seem to be confused about the nature of the move as well…You certainly won’t make it happen if you’re in a bemused state of mine”
“I agree” I spoke up. “It would be good to take some stress on….Practicing with a clear head then” I shrugged.
“It might be a good idea to start practicing from a different perspective.” Jude observed
“I have to agree with that….There’s a saying where I come from….Haste makes something something something I can’t remember” Eric smiled as I laughed.
“There’s more? I thought It was Haste makes waste….You’re inventing stuff again mister inventor” Silvia scolded Eric as Eric nervously chuckled.
“Maybe I am a little” Eric laughed easing the tension.
“Anyway the training camp is tonight and you’re all coming” Nelly clapped her hands.
“We’ll be meeting here at 5pm don’t be late” Coach said.
“Yeah” We agreed.
******************************************************
I sat up on my bed looking around for my headphones.
“Damn it Cole…Where did you keep them?” I cursed under my breath.
“They’re on my head” Cole said as I gave him a blank look before noticing they were really on his head.
“An update an hour ago woud’ve been appreciated” I took them from his head tossing it into my duffle bag.
“Even if it’s a soccer club and dance squad thing and you’re divided” Cole started.
“It is for the soccer team after all…See you come tomorrow morning” I said slipping the duffle bag on my shoulder and walking out the door downstairs to get my little niece.
“She’s just like you” Cole said as Skyla jr sent him a cute smile. “Quite the charmer”
“Thank you” I said quietly
*******************************************************
I opened the door to Mark’s house to see him holding a pair of underwear.
“You put my name on them?” Mark asked surprised.
“I don’t want you to lose them that’s all” Mark’s mom replied.
“Yeah but c’mon we’re only going to be there for a night” Mark whined.
“I don’t care I don’t want you coming back home with Jack’s underwear” Mark’s mom said.
“Huh? Jack’s underwear?” Mark asked. “What? Are you out of your mind mom?”
“It could happen” I spoke up.
“Oh hey Skyla….” Mark’s mom greeted me.
“What are you doing here?” Mark asked me getting his bag too as we walked out his front door with Skyla jr holding each of our hands.
“The team nominated me to make sure you attended….You know how they worry about you…Yeah” I said giving him a small smile.
“It’s a stupid training camp…The heck was that idiot coach thinking” Mark sighed as we turned on the street to the school.
“Your voice sounds deeper when you lack enthusiasm” I laughed a little running to the school gate a bit so I won’t be late….I entered as Mark made small talk with Mr suvoc
I dropped my bag next to a sleeping bag and was with Kevin, Eric and Bobby while Silvia trying to coax the juniors out of their pillow fight.
“Stop that” Silvia called out.
I successfully maneuvered my way from Kevin’s fall giving him a hard face plant due to the impact of the pillow.
“That’s got to hurt” Eric laughed as he played with junior.
I walked to my sleeping bag and sat on it
“Where are you all….Oh?” I started but finished seeing their sleeping bags around mine.
“You’re here early” Axel teased me sitting on his sleeping bag too.
“I was with Mark….he really doesn’t look forward to this…” I said giving a small shrug.
“It’s already happening…isn’t it?” Eric shrugged.
******************************************************
I was peeling the potatoes with Axel.
“Wow…that’s amazing you’re an expert chef as well Axel?” Celia asked.
“Yeah….I used to cook for my sister every night of the week” Axel smiled.
“That’s sweet” I smiled at him as he nodded.
“You’re good at cooking too….I take it” Axel said as I gave a shrug.
“It’s more of a pastime….really” I shrugged.
“Skyla Onions”Silvia passed it to me as I nodded putting on the googles and cutting the Onions so fast then handing them back to her in a bowl.
“Thanks….The boys are so slow….We can’t make anything so fast now” Silvia giggled handing the bowl to Celia.
I was taking a bottle of water from the table as I heard a scream.
“Huh?” We turned to see Jack running to us at speed that could rival Nathan’s
“What’s all the noise about big guy?” Eric asked as he made his way hiding behind Willy.
Some ramblings about a ghost too.
“What the heck are you talking about?” Bobby asked him.
Jack sobbed louder.
“Hey! What’s your problem? Could you stop being so unscientific….It’s offensive to me” Willy said.
“We kind of saw something actually” Jim appeared from beside Jack as Willy anime fell.
“What? Really?” I scoffed.
“Only it wasn’t a ghost….It was an adult” Jim confirmed.
“Huh” Silvia said. “But who could it have been? Mr Suvoc and Mr mildred are with us here….there’s no one else”
“It was Ray Dark” Steve said.
“You’re kidding me?” Mark said.
“It’s past him….He never does his dirty work himself” I said. “It’s not”
“Or it’s more likely some goons that he’s hired…..somebody looking to set something up maybe some kind of nasty action before the game that’s his style” Steve said.
“Yeah that’s got to be it” Tod said.
“Are you guys sure? I mean we know Ray Dark…He doesn’t have anything to do with the school just the team” Tess spoke up.
“Alright let’s do this guys…Let’s hunt him down and reveal his true identity” Mark said.
“Yeah” They cheered.
“Go with them” Tess nudged me “We’ll be fine here”
“Okay” I said running to catch up with them.
*************************************************
I leaned against the wall as Mark and the others scouted the place
Mark and I entered through the first door while the others went around the back.
“There’s no one here” I said calmly.
“There is nobody here at all” Silvia said.
“Did he already run?” Kevin asked.
I noticed Mark and Eric running and then a body unconscious on the floor a few feet away.
“Uh…guys?” I asked unsure….Ray Dark’s goons wouldn’t be running away….He’d be coming at us.
I peeped closer to the body to see one of the old Inazuma eleven there.
“Wait I know you” Mark said confused.
We heard a voice coming from the stairs and looked over to see three other old Inazuma eleven folks.
“Okay….what’s going on here” Mark asked.
“Let’s skip the fact you knocked one of them unconscious with a pillow….sure” I giggled softly at that. “Pretty cool Mark”
*************************************************
After Dinner, the team had to go check on some equipment….apparently.
I was with the girls dancing to Mic drop by BTS….
“Steve Aoki’s beats are on the way” Chloe commented as we changed positions.
The song finally ended as we took off our individual headphones for a water break.
“What do you think the boys will be doing?” Evelyn asked.
“Training” Tess and I answered in sync before looking away awkwardly.
“It’s nice….doing this again….Being the dance squad” Chelsea said.
“We’ve always been the dance squad” I said knitting my eyebrows together as confusion set in.
“We….got an offer from coach Hillman….We cheer on Raimon as Raimon’s official cheering squad and he’ll get us our own dance instructor after the finals” Tess said.
“Are we doing this?” I asked.
“We?” Chloe voiced out a bit shocked. “The soccer team…”
“I’m a professional dancer….Soccer is more or less a life saver” I chuckled as I got drowned in a sea of hugs.
“Captain” They cooed.
“Where were we?” I asked.
“Mic-drop” We echoed. “Mic-drop”
******************************************************
I walked into the lightening centre wiped out from all the dancing….Our routine was finally ready.
I saw my team….Happy and smiling….full of hope…I looked away sadly….I couldn’t play in the finals…He knows that I’m fine to skip one simple little game.
I give one small smile before closing the door and going to back to the dance gym…..I’ll support them….I really will
****************FINALS****************************
I look out of the window….
“It’s the finals junior but I won’t play” I said as Junior looked at me confused from her crib behind me.
“I’m the worst team member any team could have….I can’t put any more risks on their shoulders….They’re in danger and I have to stop it” I continued. “They don’t deserve whatever father and Ray Dark have in store for them….Watch the game well….Tell Axel goodbye for me”
I carried her and gave her to cole.
“Hand her to the team before you leave” I said giving him a side hug.
“And where will you be?” Cole asked.
“Making sure they come out of the game alive” I said leaving the door and running to the steel tower where my father was waiting for me.
“I didn’t think you’d come….Skyla” Father said.
“I didn’t really have much of a choice” I snapped at him.
“All I want is your company for the finals….Is that a lot to ask for” My father sneered.
I turned my head in annoyance towards him.
“Yes….Yes it is”
