Chapter 3: Striker Team B

FYI

: Speech

(Tone/Context):

- Thoughts

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Man In A Black Suit: You're Oriyamaru Ashina right?

Ashina doesn't speak a word as he places the football onto the ground.

Man In A Black Suit: I would prefer if you put it back were you found it.

Ashina doesn't respond as he steps backwards twice and then runs forward pulling his leg back preparing for a shot as the Man In A Black Suit tries to block his shot course but Ashina shot the ball along the Man In A Black Suit's right side as it curved 185 degrees left as it looked like it was going into the goal.

Kousuke- Wait how is this possible how did it curve soo much that's gotta be at least 180 degrees!?

Suddenly the ball falls harshly hitting the ground and then bounces upward hitting the crossbar as falls to the ground.

Kousuke- Wait how did that not go in? There was no Aura... was that just his pure skill? No that's simply not possible. So how did he do it?

Kousuke looks to Ashina and sees a look of disappointment. Ashina then proceeds to start walking away. However Kousuke runs over and grabs his arm.

Man In A Black Suit: Kousuke let go of him and head to the your building!

Kousuke: What the hell! Why did you miss that shot? What kind of Football did you come here to play?!

Ashina pull his hand away forcing his arm out of Kousuke's grip and walks away gritting his teeth in frustration.

Kousuke: Don't ignore me!

The Man In A Black Suit stops Kousuke.

Man In A Black Suit: Stop! Do not follow him! You're not allowed past this point!

Kousuke: Let me through! What were you thinking? It's not possible for you to have missed that shot!

Man In A Black Suit: Wait Kousuke... He's a midfielder.

Kousuke is shocked.

Kousuke: A midfielder? With a curve shot like that? No there's no way!

Man In A Black Suit: He was most likely trying to put the ball in a place where his teammate would be to take the shot.

Kousuke- No that wasn't it. That was going into the goal. No doubt about it. He messed up the shot for some reason.

Man In A Black Suit: Please head to your building.

Kousuke- The way he shot the ball, it's just like how Ren described. So he's the one. Oriyamaru Ashina. I'll destroy you completely!

Man In A Black Suit: Please listen to me.

Kousuke: Alright fine.

The Man In A Black Suit: Thank you. Follow me and I'll take you there.

The Man in A Black Suit leads Kousuke towards one of 10 pathways that connected the Football Field to the various buildings in the estate.

Kousuke- I need to learn more about this place.

The Estate itself was huge with the entrance at the from that lead directly into the Football Field. Then the 9 of the other pathways connected to several buildings, 8 of which were living quarters and the other lead to a meeting area.

Kousuke- 9 doors to different areas? Probably some living quarters.

There where labels above the doors that lead to the pathways that going in a clockwise direction read Striker Team A, Midfielder Team A, Winger Team A, Defender Team A, Meetings Building, Striker Team B, Midfielder Team B, Winger Team B, Defender Team B. The Door with the label Meetings Building was directly opposite to the entrance Kousuke had come in from. Kousuke was then lead towards Door with the Label Striker Team B.

The Man In A Black Suit: Well this is the way to your living quarters. There's still one team missing so the meeting with Mister Yoshino can't begin yet. In that case get to know you're teammates.

Kousuke: Oh sure. Thanks.

Kousuke leaves opening the door and heading through to a garden area with a building in not to far with Sakura trees blossoming on both sides of the pathway as he walks through and opens the door to the building to find a hallway.

The Hallways featured 15 doors running along it's sides labeled 1-11 and then one being labels Bathrooms, another being labelled showers, another being named Gym area and one more being named Locker room. There was one more door directly opposite to the Building's entrance that was labelled Training area.

Kousuke- Yep. Living Quarters.

Kousuke opens the door to the Locker Room to find his teammates waiting from him one of which approaches him immediately. This young man was Kinoshita Hirata. Hirata was 18 years old, 5 foot 6 with black short hair and brown eyes and had a lean build quite similar to Kousuke.

Hirata: Hello there.

Hirata offers Kousuke a handshake to which Kousuke accepts.

Kousuke: Yes hello.

They introduce themselves as Hirata guides him as they meet their teammates. All except one.

Kousuke: Hey aren't we missing on person?

Hirata: Oh don't worry about the last guy. He never really shows up for anything but the matches.

Kousuke: Are you sure we can depend on him? Where even is he right now?

Hirata: He's in the gym. He practically lives his whole life in there. Caught him going to sleep in there too.

Kousuke chuckles at this a little.

Hirata then leads Kousuke to his locker as Kousuke opens it to find a Grey jersey that said on the front and back in writing Team B with the Number 3 written underneath both in Red.

Hirata: You're our Augmenter right? So what's your Augmentation?

Kousuke: My Augmentation?

Hirata puts on a concerned look.

Hirata: You're joking right? Let me see your Aura.

Kousuke turns on his Aura to which Hirata is shocked as he face palms.

Hirata: We're doomed.

Kousuke: Wait what are you talking about?

Hirata: Mister Yoshino didn't say anything?

Kousuke shakes his head to which Hirata sighs.

Hirata: There are 3 stages to your Aura. In Stage 1 White symbolizes an Aura that doesn't have and Augmentation. In Stage 3 your Aura will attain a new color that symbolizes that you have achieved Augmentation which gives you an ability.

Kousuke: What about Stage 2?

Hirata: Let's hope you don't experience Stage 2.

Kousuke looks confused at this.

Hirata: Stage 2 is when your Aura stagnates meaning those with grey probably won't ever attain Augmentation.

Kousuke: So what's so bad that we're doomed?

Hirata: Every other team has been confirmed to have reached Stage 3.

Kousuke expresses a face that can only be described as awkward concern.

Kousuke: Looks like I need to do some catch up. So you're already at Stage 3?

Hirata: Hm? What are you...

Suddenly a ringing sound envelopes the room to which everyone but Kousuke and Hirata wear their Jerseys and leave the room.

Hirata: We can talk about this later. We need to go to the Meetings Building.

Kousuke: All right.

Hirata puts his Jersey on which has the number 5 written in Red and heads out with Kousuke and the rest of their team as they end up back in the Football Field as Kousuke sees the other teams as they all head the the Meetings Building.

Kousuke: So in here?

Hirata: Yeah.

Kousuke sees that there are about 90 people in the room including Oriyamaru Ashina in a white jersey with Team A and the number 2 written on it and Oyakawa Katsuo in a blue jersey with Team A and the number 4 written in Grey. 

Kousuke- Katsuo? What is he doing here?

Yoshino steps onto a podium above the players.

Yoshino: It seems like almost everyone is here. Welcome to Meeting A of the First Test. We at FIFA have gathered up Aura Augmentation users from Japan, England, Spain, Germany and Brazil. However we have only gathered the 8 most promising players per country. 2 Forwards, 2 Wingers, 2 Midfielders and 2 Defenders.

Kousuke is shocked.

Kousuke- So Hirata and the others don't have Aura?

Kousuke: Why are there no goalkeepers?

Yoshino: For some reason it is rare for a Goalkeeper to make it to the 3rd stage. Most of them stagnate at the 2nd stage. There have only been 3 recorded cases of Goalkeepers making it to the 3rd Stage.

Random Player: So none of them are from Japan?

Yoshino: 1 is from Germany and 2 are from Spain. Spain is the only country that has 10 teams at the start of the First Test.

Random Player: And what about Germany's Goalkeeper.

Yoshino: Will you stop asking so many questions?

Everyone goes silent.

Yoshino: Now back to business. You will all be playing matches against each other starting with the team with an Augmenter of the same position as your team's.

Kousuke (Thinking of Ashina)- So I won't get to go against him yet?

Yoshino: The matches will be a maximum of 30 minutes long. There will be no added time and it's first to 3 goals.

Kousuke- Three Goals? That's it?

Yoshino: These matches will be broadcast to the whole of Japan and the people of this nation will vote towards you. It basically a popularity poll.

Random Player: But that means that the people with flashier Augmentations will obviously be voted for more.

Yoshino: Not necessarily. Make do.. Fight to make it to the end and outshine your opponents.

Random Player: What happens if people don't vote for our team's Augmenter?

Yoshino: Needless to say if you are at any point in the First Test received poorly or outshined too much by your opponents you will be eliminated and not even make it to the 2nd Test.

Random Player: What happens to Teams that tie?

Yoshino: Rematches will be held at the end of next month. Take that time to train.

A player with a Red Jersey with Team A and the Number 6 written in Grey walks up. The player was 5 foot 7 with green hair and yellow eyes with a very athletic build.

Yoshino: What is it Hasshinsha Arashi?

Arashi: Is this all you called us here to say? I don't really care. I'm going to destroy all of my opponents so none of this matters. And I refuse to tie with anyone. That shit's boring.

Arashi walks off leaving.

Yoshino: The matches will be held a the end of the month. That is all. You can all leave now.

Kousuke- So there's some time left? I need to reach the 3rd stage before the first match. I should ask Hirata if know about how I can do it.

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Kousuke and his team arrive back at their Locker Room as Kousuke walks up to Hirata.

Kousuke: Hirata, do you know how to get to the 3rd Stage?

Hirata: Nope. I've got no clue. But it's getting late so it'd be best if you thought about that tomorrow and rested for today.

Everyone seemed to already be heading for their rooms except Hirata.

Kousuke: What about you?

Hirata: I'm gonna go try and convince our other teammate to sleep in his room for once.

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Kousuke wakes up in the middle of the night and walks out the door of his room thinking of training a bit as he opens the door to see Hirata training by scoring goals.

Kousuke- He's got good accuracy and his shot power isn't half bad. Better leave him to it.

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Th next morning Kousuke wakes up as greets his team heading over to Hirata.

Kousuke: I think it's about time that I learnt everyone's positions.

Hirata: Yeah of course.

Kousuke: Well I'm a Striker as you all know. What about the rest of you?

Hirata: Since you're the Striker I will be the midfielder that will funnel the ball to you so you can score goals.

Kousuke- Midfielder? Him?

Kousuke: So you're a midfielder?

Hirata: Yeah I am.

Kousuke: You're okay with that? Just funneling passes to me?

Hirata (with uncertainty): Of course. I'm a midfielder after all.

Kousuke: Hirata. I can tell you have the potential to be a Striker. So what do you say? Become a Striker with me?

Hirata: No... I can't.

Kousuke: I see... 

Hirata: I apologize.

Kousuke: It's fine. All right. Now everyone else.

Kousuke and his team discuss each of their positions as they then all begin to train their stamina.

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To Be Continued

Next Chapter-Training