(Part 7)

Kenzo heading back towards the pavilion gleamed. Helios giving him his hand clapped it together continued by Heber, Poseidon, Gabriel and Seraph.

"A job well done." remarked Cassiel.

"But it wasn't a perfect over." Adam rolled his eyes.

Kenzo smirked mocking, "But it wasn't an out as well, unlike a certain someone."

Adam gritted irritated. "This stupid monkey wannabe king. Alan was totally right!" he taunted making faces at him.

Kenzo sitting down eyed Silas and Damian who showed him a thumbs up. "You were the best your highness!!" cheered Izack and Faris together.

"How was it, facing Alan?" asked Ezekiel and Cassiel together.

Kenzo drinking water grinned, "He's a pain in the neck! However, he isn't that bad."

"That means you had fun right?" Helios patted his shoulder. "Yeah, he was fun to toy with." Kenzo replied sarcastic.

Ryan hearing his comment rolled his eyes. Azazel walked closer. "Hm?" Kenzo traced his shadow. Azazel at a loss of words stood silent before him. "Did you see it?" Kenzo asked amused.

Azazel nodded, "I did."

"Now then, when will you show something like this back to me again?" he asked grinning proud.

"Very soon. I'll show you my pride very soon as well!" Azazel declared.

Kenzo keeping his bat inside his gear stood up, "Aza… don't show me your pride. Show me, its flare..."

"It's flare…?" Azazel gazed at the ball in his hand confused. "Yeah… its flare. Find it, that's your homework. And, when you do, let me have a look at It." Kenzo patted his shoulder.

"And me you highness? What about me?" Heber excitedly pointed at himself. "You just do what I told you to do before." Kenzo responded. Heber sighed.

"Flare…" wondered Azazel clutching the ball in his hand tightly.

Kenzo instantly realizing called out, "Xavier?"

Xavier who sat beside Seles smiled, "Yes?"

Kenzo stood up speechless, "And… what are you doing over there? Do you want me to take your turn as well?"

Xavier looking at Seles headed down. "Nothing. I was just talking to coach Seles. Here I Am." he stood before Kenzo. "Are you ready?" Kenzo questioned.

Ryan hearing him rolled his eyes, "He is. Don't compare him with the likes of you." Adam and Ezekiel endorsed.

"Shut it!" Kenzo yelled turning to Xavier once more. "Don't worry, I am ready Kenzo." Xavier grabbed his bat and ball.

"Best of luck Xavier!!" cheered Mikael and Hadi. "Yeah! Show them who is boss, Vice-captain!!" endorsed Feng.

Xavier hearing their cheers headed outside instantly realizing. "Kenzo…" he called out. "Hm?" Kenzo asked.

"Thank you." Xavier thanked. "For what?" Kenzo added unaware.

"For… making me tremble in thrill." Xavier whispered as wind began to move making his golden hairs fluttered.

"Ah… the wind feels nice doesn't it?" he asked himself smiling contented. Kenzo smirked, "Go on now and give him a blasting final blow…" "However…" Xavier interrupted. Helios and Seraph with Ryan, Feng and Kenzo eyed him puzzled.

"I wonder… if I would be able to give my fullest?" he headed towards the pitch.

"Huh? What does Xavi, Xavi mean?" Adam wondered. Kenzo thought hard. "He is worried about Alan." told Seles from above. For a moment the middle schoolers looked at him silent.

"Ah ha…? And why do you think he would be worried for his own opponent? And Alan on top of that." asked Ezekiel in disbelief.

"It's simple, because Alan is at his limits now." Cassiel pointed.

"Indeed, do you expect a world ranker to play a twenty over match all by himself? Yet, Alan even did that while facing against all of you. That's what Xavier was talking to me about before. After all, be it a world ranker or a platinum one. In the end he is also a human being." Seles continued.

"So you mean, Xavier is acting just like Feng was?" asked Poseidon worried. "No, Feng let his guard down. While, Xavier on the other hand, would never do that. I am afraid what he meant to say was not that he would take it easy but, he would wipe the game clean of the pitch using the least bit of his strength." Seraph clarified.

"Are you kidding me?!" Azazel gulped surprised. "Of course, have you ever seen him play seriously? So how are you so sure that he would give out his all?" asked Gabriel. "He might startle everyone with the least bit of his strength instead." Helios added.

"He will be serious. I know it." Ryan interrupted abruptly. "Hey shorty, what does that mean?" Mikael inquired.

"Even if Vice-captain Xavier doesn't want to be serious or go all out against him. Alan will surely force him do that one way or another. Since one things for sure, Alan hates one sided matches. And, something tells me… Vice-captain, is going to have a lots of fun since he last played." Ryan added relieved.

Kenzo nodded, "Yeah, he will. After all, he is the heart of my team. He might be a bit emotional, however, he is my most trusted aide." "Yeah… I bet he is going to learn a lot of things from this confrontation." Seraph agreed.

"Let's see how much stronger he has become since then?" Poseidon wondered.

Alan sneered at Nidou, "You? Why should I tell you where you are? Don't you know it yourself?" Nidou grinned, "That means you don't know." "Yeah I don't. Is that fine? If so, then I'm heading out." Alan picked up his ball and headed out. However, as soon as he did a numb sensation began to take over his right arm. Alan with his expression widened stared at it halting.

"Huh?" he thought puzzled. "Is something wrong?" Kazuna inquired. Alan hearing him shook his head. "I just realized. The last one is an All-rounder. I had forgotten to take my bat." he replied turning around. Taking his bat and gloves he walked towards the pitch.

"Seems like it's the sense of feeling next. My legs and arms are starting, to grow numb. I should better hurry up." Alan thought sighing, "Seriously me and my sheer bad luck. I wasn't able to witness the strength of the king and now, I won't be able to witness the ace as well."

Xavier tracing Alan before him halted between the pitch.

"Finally we met… I have been waiting for you since long, Xavier." Alan greeted beaming lightly. Xavier slightly surprised gave his hand, "Seems like I've made you wait long enough, Alan." Alan nodded grasping it.

As soon as they shook their hands they instantly looked at their hands and then back each other once again.

"Pft…" Xavier laughed lightly as Alan blinked his eyes in wonder.

"Looks like our hands fit each other's size, ain't I right?" he asked in astonished. Alan grasping his hand tightly nodded, "Seems so, it's for the first time that I see my hand as the same size as someone else. Every time it turns out to be rather small. So, it surprised me for a split second. But, what gets me more is that your hand is icy cold."

"Yeah you're right, my hands are unlike those of Kenzo, Feng or Helios, which are big and strong. And whenever I am excited they tend to freeze like ice as well." Xavier agreed. Alan smiled, "But in the end, they are longer than mine. Even if they are slender, gentle or as cold as ice. They are still the hands of a boy after all."

"Indeed." Xavier agreed.

Kazuna spoke up at Xavier's sight, "Nagi… who's that boy?"

The high schoolers including Nagi and Rauf glanced.

"That boy?" Nagi pointed towards Xavier.

Kazuna nodded, "Yeah… him. Who is he?" Zach and Senri along with Isa and Aaron looked at him in wonder.

"Xavier Ibn Zain." Nagi looked in his journal. "Xavier Ibn Zain hun…"

Kazuna repeated inquisitive, "So he is their trump Card."

"Ryan Ty Alexandro, Feng Mir Ozer, Kenzo ShahJahan… I have been hearing about you ever since the beginning from my passing opponents. So now that I can finally play against you. Let's have a good match." encouraged Alan. Xavier nodded, "You too. Let's have a great match."

"But, I am quite flattered that I was talked about that many times." he added slightly embarrassed. "Yeah, that means they all have high hopes on you. Make sure, you make them proud and give it your all." Alan advised.

Xavier smiled. "Before we proceed boy… shall I decide to bat or ball myself this time? If that's fine with you?" asked Alan.

"It's alright, Batting first or balling. It doesn't matter to me much whichever suits you best. However… are you alright?" Xavier inquired.

. Alan hearing the end of his sentence stared in wonder.

"I am a little unlucky to be at last. I suppose you might be exhausted right now, yet you have to face me. Taking all thirteen of us together is no joke after all." he continued.