A family thing

Chapter 5 Voices

"Football is at its core, a sport about scoring goals even at the expense of your teammates.", Ego continued with his explanation. "The best player is the one that scores the most goals. If you want to play pretend football instead, then get lost. I don't need such players anyway." 
Disagreement was still written in the air. Yoichi could already smell it. Still, he couldn't disagree. Not after that crushing defeat he had against Kira.
"Speaking of, that idiot started talking again.", voices in his head told him which turned out to be true. 
"Take those words back!", Kira shouted. "Players like Honda, or Kagawa and many others. All of those who shape the Japan national team's lineup. The value of team play instilled in the national team is the same that's a part of us." 
"Oh no, not the Japanese national team! How embarrassing!", inner voice number one said. Yoichi decided to name him the dictator, since it woudln't stop talking in his head. 
"Agreed. They are a bunch of idiots.", the second voice replied. 
'His name would be demon.', Yoichi thought. 
"THEY ARE OUR STARS! YOU'RE WRONG", Kira interrupted his considerations. 
Ego only looked at him in confusion. 
"Looks like he doesn't know those names. Hilarious.", dictator laughed out loud. The man on the stage quickly regained his posture after thinking for a while, "You mean the squad that has yet to win a single world cup? I don't care about that trash. Aren't I talking about becoming the best team in the world? Come on." 
Just then a picture of the current world best player Noel Noa appeared on the TV-screen. 
"Let's talk about Noel Noa. He managed to win the Ballon D'Or over astouding players like Messi and Ronaldo. He's talked about as if he's the best striker in the world.", Ego started another speech. "And he once said the words: 'I feel better losing 3-4 after scoring a hat-trick than winning 1-0 with an assist. Or let's switch to Eric Cantona, one of the best players in the 20th century."
The picture quickly switched to a legend. 
"'When the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea.', this was one of his sentences.", Ego said. "To finalize my argument, Pele, arguably the best football player in history and winner of three world cup."
The photo of the Brazilian legend appeared. 
"He once said, 'The best forward? The best midfielder? The best defender? The best goalkeeper? To all those questions, I always answer, that it's me.'", Ego explained and leaned back to an unhealthy position like a villain. "Whaddya think?! Awful, aren't they?! But they can say it because they are the best. All of them are revolutionary strikers. Their extraordinary 'Egoism' is the one thing Japan's football lacks." 
Then he left the position and stood upright again, "You will never become the greatest strikers in the world unless you have the ego to match." 
The longer this speech lasted, the hyped up Yoichi became. Dictator and demon were cheering and partying.
"My purpose here, is to creat such a player in Japan.", Ego continued. "From the corpses of 299 players, ONE hero will rise in all his glory. Alright you unpolished gems. Let me ask you this last question." 
Everyone in the room gulbed. Yoichi however, was just waiting for the next phase. He couldn't wait to start the training regime. 
"Imagine this, you are at the very finals of the world cup playing under the eyes of 80000 spectators in the stadium and you are on that very field.", Ego formed his question. "The score? 0-0. The time? Last minute of the second half which means, the very last play. A teammate managed to pass the ball to you and it's a 1on1 with the goalkeeper. There's a teammate to your right. If you pass it to him, you'll probaby socre that goal. The hopes of all of Japan lie on your shoulders and you are at a turning point at the world cup finals. Without hesitation you shoot. If you desire that rebellious 'Egoism' then step through the gate."
The screen behind Ego suddenly split in two. Light came out of the opening. Capturing the man on the stage. 
"Football is a sport to develop you all as strikers. THink literally everyone else on the field as supporting you.", he said. "Throw away your stupid common sense. When you're on the field, you are the star. Your greatest joy is scoring points and nothing else. You live for the excitement of that very moment."
A dangerous aura surrounded Yoichi. Fire pumped through his veins. 
"Now that's a 'striker', don't you think?", Ego finished his speech. Just then, Yoichi felt something pushing him to the gate. He started to run through the crowd and jumped up the stage, passing Ego. 
"That's right, Yoichi. Go through that light.", demon said while the boy sprinted through the gate. Soon the whole crowd of high school students rushed through the gate following Yoichi.