Break Him Out Of His Shell

Charter 4: Eito Gakuen

-Third's PoV-
Once Aki had wished him luck, he ran to Raimon, where the rest of the team was waiting, seeming depressed, all heads were down, no one spoke. ΕIto Gakuen was the name of the Junior High they will be having the match against, on the ride there Shinsuke had asked him for his more visible scratches he had over the face, he answered it was because of practice; the little one was amazed by the fact thinking: 'Wow, Tenma must love soccer if he is hurt by it and keeps on going!' Tenma smiled, glad the tiny one didn't ask anything else and trust his word without a doubt.
Finally, they were standing on the pitch, everyone had that sorrow aura surrounding them, making it hard for the brunet to concentrate, it hurt too much to see his teammates that way. Strangely enough for Tenma, the other team was motivated, smiling and encouraging one another, that made his bold boil. How dare they! Tenma thought
the whistle blew with the Eito's kick off. The match started, both of the teams appeared to be on the same level, until a player stole the ball from Kurama, number nine of the other team and it passed Raimon's weakened defence  with ease. Sangoku got ready to catch the ball, yet, he let it go pass his technique. 1-0 and it had only been the first ten minutes of the match, the goalkeeper hit the post with his fit in distress. He was angry, why did he have lo lesser his level? Why a goalkeeper like him needed  to let a technique as powerless as that in? Why did he let the ball pass? Hose are some questions the elder asked himself. This wasn't the football he wanted to play.
The defence noticed the changing mood of their keeper, they felt him, they could easily win the match if they played their own soccer, yet, they couldn't, because if they were to reverse the order; Raimon would close, no more soccer club, no more matches, no more friends...

-Tenma's PoV-
"Come on, everything will turn out somehow! It is the first goal, we have plenty of time to score!" I shouted from my position, Shinsuke's mood brightened and nod vigorously at my words. I run up to steal the ball, to no avail, they pushed me, I stole it again and passed it over to captain, who would ignore the pass. Sadly, I wasn't quick enough to recover it. Sangoku let the ball pass through. I saw as captain's fits tightened and his shoulders shook and Subaru went over to help Sangoku off the ground and patted his shoulder.
The another's had smiles on their faces, as if they were giving the most of the selves to win, as if there was no order, as they had shared tears, blood and sweat to arrive here! That, that made me go mad, they were encouraging one another as they connected passes. I made a slide and grew the ball out. i heard as the public clapped and yelled. It was then when the whistle blew.
"Have some water to maintain yourself hydrated!" Aoi called for us, those tired faces, those eyes hoping for this match to end, those eyes fixed on their hands to evade looking at one another and feel even more pain... I knew the feeling all to well, but this is Raimon, not poor Matsukaze's life!
"What is happening to you all?" I demanded glaring around the group, only Tsurugi absent. "Something is wrong with all of you! You are not playing as you normally do, I know it's hard but, we must fight for what we stand for, if not, our hopes, our dreams would be shattered! I don't want that to happen to our team!" Suddenly, I shut up... What has gotten into me? What have I done? I know soccer is important for all of them, still, I am not the one who usually talks back...
"Tenma, you can't go and say things like that!" Midory corrected me, captain's eyes were covered by his bangs, he threw the bottle to the ground.
"Do you know? You come to us saying those things but I am positive you don't know! We cannot play that way because Fifth sector will take soccer from us! Do you have any idea of how Sangoku-san feels when he is told he can't protect the goal? How we feel when we are told we must let them go through? Of Course not! You Know nothing of the sort! We would like to play the way you do, carelessly, but we have so much to loose!" He shouted at me, his wine like eyes on the verge of tears, as possibly, were my own, his breathing was harass, his frame was trembling, he expression shouted fury, the rest of the team just nod at what he said.
I felt as the voice on my head came back, Jack was mocking me, he was laughing at my antics, no one would follow me, because they had plenty of things to protect, the only thing I had left was soccer... I stopped in my tracks, I was about to go to Shindou, I was planing on letting him know how much his words had affected me, but I knew better.
The whistle blew, it was the start of the second part. Jack was talking to me, his insults fresh in mind, he was keeping me from the game, I knew my teammates were playing, I knew they were having a bad time but... "You don't have anyone on your side, no one cares about you or your so dear soccer. It is just a sport not a friend in need, just like you are, stupid wind. You are in need of someone like me, that takes cares about you, like Fifth Sector, who takes care of soccer." I didn't want to hear him. "You are wrong, this is wrong." I whispered to myself, Shinsuke stopped to hear. "Soccer is crying!" I left my spot and run up the field, a sudden rush of energy on my body, bright smile on my face, yes, I have my demons, but smiling makes it all go away.

I left my spot and run forward, I was hit with the ball; number nine was ready to shoot. He got closer and closer to the goalpost, I interfered before he got ready to kick the ball, I jumped to stop the ball with my left leg and, once I was in ball possession, I run as if my life depended on it, I wanted to make a goal and I would make a goal with captain's help! I shouted at the key of the team to react, for him to score the goal, I needed him to score to show te rest that playing soccer was great. The ball was stolen, I recovered it. Each time my body ached, I felt the seat covering my front, it was hard to breathe. I put all my force on what would be the last pass of the match. I internally begged for captain to score.
I made a center, he acted out of pure instinct, he kicked it forward. I looked around, sople were confused, Raimon had their mouth's wide open in shock, the public started cheering us when the ball entered the goalmouth, our opponents were on stupor, some of them fell to their knees. The match reached it's end.
"Well done Tenma!" Shinsuke ran up to me, we made a high five. I was exhausted, I wanted to rest, a cold cloth on my face to get rid of the horrible sleepy feeling and the soreness of my body but I forced myself not to let it show.

-Third's PoV-
"See, I know how to pick! I know who I must cheer all the way, Tenma is worth my efforts!" Midori said, proud of the work the first year did, her right hand on her chest.
"Yes, I bet you knew from the start!" Aoi told her sarcastically, Shinsuke broke out in laughter, as did Tenma, then both of the girls.
Tenma could still feel the other's eyes on his back, eying him as if he had just committed a crime, which was not true. Was it bad he wanted to recover the real soccer? That was a question that appeared on his mind quite repetitively. After the match, everyone separated.

-Shindou's PoV-
I have just receive some tickets for a concert, two in total, for a classic concert; in exchange I would have to let a kid score during our next match. Why did I have to do that? Now, after that encounter, I was tired, all the weight of the team on my shoulders, that woman holding the tickets out for me, that scrawny child that seemed not to have a single idea related to football and I needed to let him pass our defence? Why did I need to do that? I stared at the papers, I broke them, I gave my back to the fallen pieces. I decided it was best to put my thoughts into notes, I sat in front of the incredible instrument.
I felt as the notes became higher just as I thought about Tenma and his pass, I didn't and still don't understand how did I kick it, I was focused on standing against fifth Sector, yet, I had heard his voice, shouting at me to look at soccer on the face! To face the football I had to stand against! I noticed I was crying, I couldn't do that! I... I... All I did was to furiously clean my face of all trace of the tears. It was then when i received a call, it was Kirino. I dropped my phone, I had to run: Kudou was fired and that was enough for me to run all the way to Raimon.
This couldn't be happening! This was all my fault! If I hadn't shot that ball this wouldn't be happening, my quick reflexes were the only thing that prevented me from running into anyone on the street. I paid no attention to where I was going, I just was told Kudou was outside the school and I desperately wished I was not the cause of that, he was my mentor, my tutor, he was like a father, he showed me everything I knew. I finally saw him, his things on a back to his shoulder, he had a small smile on his face. I stopped, trying to get some control over my breathing.
"It is my adult, sir!" I cried, it pained me I was the cause of his departure. He looked my way, smile on his face, he put his hand on my shoulder, as to tranquil me. "Sir?"
"Shindou, don't ever forget how you felt when you shot that sphere. This was bound to happen, don't torment yourself with this issue; captain." He told me, still his smile on the face, his eyes held some sadness. I struggled to believe his words. He walked away as I was left with my own thoughts, it really was my fault , he was fired because of me, because of my ineptitude as captain. No... because of the spirit that boy had!
I tried to relax, as I imagined myself getting reunited with my dear piano, but, I wanted to play as freely as Tenma, I wanted to play soccer like nothing else mattered! Those sentiments the boy brought me made me want to hit something, I was furious as I punched the closest wall as tears filled my vision.
I kept starring to the floor, remembering when Kudo told me I would make a good captain even when being just a second year, he made me love soccer am¡nd, his figure, his guidance is now gone because of a stupid shot! Who will come now? Will they be under the Fifth Sectors orders? Will he destroy Raimon? I feared those answers, my heart ached from painful memories, it was indeed my fault.
I chewed on my lip until blood drew out of it, my eyesight was covered by my bangs, prevented me from looking anywhere but the floor. I arrived home, I felt even more tired than before.