KINGS OF CRICKET: The Golden Era

(AMERICA)

"Chak-chack-chak-chak-a-chak-a-chak-a-chak-a-chak-a-chaka-chak-a-chak…" propelled the wings of a large helicopter, round and round a top of a towering building illuminated with numerous flamboyant lights. The night as dark as a black velvet was enlightened by the sparkling city below. Beside the helicopter a few steps away, walked past a figure. A black jacket covering its shoulders with jewel studded jeans and a shirt below. Its long blue and red center parted hairs travelled down his waist fluttering wildly with the harsh gale. A smile escaped its lips.

Suddenly a phone began to ring. Gazing at the screen it pushed to respond, "Hello…" the figure answered. His voice sharp yet calm. "Hm… how long has it been since we last talked?" asked the voice from the phone. The figure smiled, "Haha, It's been a while… brother." "Alright, Alright, Leave the emotional talk aside. Alan, how's the progress going in America?" the voice asked.

"My progress …" the figure sighed. "It's been a while since I am at America but, I still couldn't find a single trace of that jerk!" it uttered cross swinging a long bat behind its shoulder. The voice from the phone clearing its throat angered, "Moreover… where the hell are you standing?! My ears are about to burst with all that noise!"

The figure looking aside gazed at the huge helicopter laughing, "Haha! Me? Oh! I am at the training camp's building roof. There's a huge helicopter behind me. Pardon, just give me a moment…" the figure instantly jumped across towards the other building which was slightly shorter than the one before. Moving a further away it asked, "Now is it fine?"

The voice from the phone responded, "It's alright now… Alan listen to me very carefully, the reason I called you is that I want you to come back urgently. The candidates for this year's world cup have been selected." The moment the voice uttered those words, Alan perked up in excitement, "Really?! The candidates have been chosen?!" he confirmed again.

"Yes… they have been chosen." The voice repeated. "Haha!" Alan laughed, "For so long. I have been waiting for so long…" "The high schoolers and you brother, where are you now?" he questioned. "I am at the training camp with the head coach, the middle schoolers are already going through his hellish training. Tomorrow, they will finally meet the high schoolers. So before I finalize the teams, I want you to comeback and have a look." the voice replied. Alan's eyes instantly shone, "That's great!" "Finally it's time…!" he thought.

"By the way Alan, did you call the head coach?" the voice asked interrupting his thoughts. "Father? I did. Why do you ask? But whenever I called sometimes Drake or Seles would pick up, telling me that he's at the mountain at the moment or still sleeping. So I barely get the chance to talk to him." Alan replied. The voice sighed, "If that's the case then, that's all what I wanted to say, so hurry up and come back… I'm waiting."

Suddenly Alan interrupted, "Say! Say! How are the new comers this time?" After a short pause the voice responded, "Promising…" "Haha!" Alan laughed gazing at the wild city below from the roof. "Those little brats might be going through hell! I might as well join the fun! Don't you worry brother, I will be right back!" he assured. Hanging up, Alan smiled twirling the bat over his arm. "U-18, T-20 Men's International Cricket world cup! I am coming to seize you…!" he vowed.

(Pakistan)

(U-18 International Cricket Training Base of Pakistan for Juveniles)

"Huff! Huff! Huff!" panted a bunch of boys, climbing a huge deserted hill. The sun scorched a top of their heads while sweat dripped like beads of pearls. "Awaah!!" cried one amongst them. His hairs golden and eyes green, gazed forward with a cross expression. "Hey! Sera, Sera~ how many more times are we going to climb this mountain again and again?! Even if climbing it's a piece of cake for me now. I don't like doing it again and again!!" he angered kicking the ground.

The boy beside him smiled, "Adam, it was the head coach's instructions. Who are we not to follow them? Moreover, it will only make us stronger." Seraph responded. His hairs Yellow combed slightly to the right with shimmering golden eyes.

"But, it's been three weeks! Even, I am tired of it. And, just look at the reason to why we climb, Only to get that old man's fruit flavored sports drinks from the underground cabin on top of this damn mountain?!! Unbelievable!" recalled another one shocked.His curly black hairs climbing into his red coated eyes which seemed to disturb him quiet often.

"Haha! Aza! You finally complained! And, here I was wondering why you were so quiet since, we started this practice. Now you finally snapped! Haha!" laughed another one, his hairs wavy sky blue and eyes light brown. "Complaining?! Who is complaining from my team?!" thundered another voice as Azazel gulped. "Hurry up you lot! Make way for this king! For I will reach this mountain's top first! And, you Azazel and Heber! Don't you dare complain!? Understand?" he warned running in front of all of them as Azazel and Heber increased their pace behind him. His hairs grey with blue eyes shining ferociously, he made his way forward without hesitation. "Yes captain!" Azazel and Heber replied together following behind.

"That's King Kenzo for you everyone… say Helios, we can't be left behind or can we?" asked another one with sea blue eyes and white hairs which glimmered under the sun. Helios looked at him with a smile nodding, "Of course Poseidon, we won't be left behind." His hairs dark blue fluttered with purple lily colored eyes blinking lightly.

"Haah~" sighed another boy lazily whose sky blue eyes opened and closed with light green hairs covering them. "Poseidon… Helios… why are you so fired up? Pull me up will you? Captain~ Vice-captain~" he cried pulling a puppy dog face. Helios glanced at him annoyed while Poseidon laughed awkwardly. "Ezekiel… don't be lazy. Your performance is 60% behind from all of us who are here. In that case, if you keep up your laziness up then, forget about getting selected even as a substite candidate for the world cup!" advised another voice as it read a book while running. His dark brown hairs dripped with sweat while his grey eyes gazed at Ezekiel in disbelief. "No way~!!" Ezekiel cried suddenly sulking.

"Why did you even say that Cassiel… he was surprisingly walking before, now he won't even do that!" pointed another one keeping an arm on Cassiel's shoulder. His hairs purple and eyes grey. "Leave him be! He'll only make us lag behind, Feng." interrpted another one ignoring the whole situation.

His hairs red flred up like a fire up with jet black scary eyes. "How cruel of you Gabriel~" Feng remarked. "But don't you think it's weird, from last week, only fourteen of us are told to climb the mountain simultaneously from early morning. The rest of our teammates stay at the training camp. I wonder why's that so?" asked a boy. His silky long golden brown hairs dangled over his diamond blue eyes reaching his shoulders.

"You thought so too, Xavier? I was also thinking about the same thing." Helios inquired eyeing Xavier and a young boy beside him, who ran silently. His height slightly shorter than the others but exactly the same as Adam's along with his black hairs which reflected all the blazing sunrays. His emerald green eyes shone incessantly staring forward.

Upon listening the conversation, Kenzo turned around, "About that… why don't we ask our prince?" Xavier looked beside to face the figure with deep black hairs. "Yes… what do you think Ryan?" he asked.

Pausing in his steps, Ryan took a deep breath, "Brother Xavier, I don't think I know it that well but, this is entirely that old man's fault…" "So in the end it is still the head coach's fault? Waah!! I don't want to climb this mountain anymore Ryan!!" Adam cried leaping over Ryan's back, making him tumble slightly. "Easy there…" he cautioned stumbling.