[PREVIOUSLY]
Baro wore the number 9 jersey on his back, while Neron wore the number 14. As they stood at the center circle, an excitement coursed through them as they looked at each other.
The first team in black, not really bothered as they already expected to win this game. The idea of loosing didn't even cross their mind.
While the white team, nervousness could be seen on their faces. Each one of them hoping to perform to get into the team. Though two people were much the opposite, excitement was all they felt.
Neron gazed at his team, before his eyes landed on Baro. His leg rested on the ball, "Baro, let's have some fun." Neron grinned, before kicking it to him, indicating the match has started.
_______________________________
______________________
[SIERAN HIGH FOOTBALL PITCH]
The sun stood tall, it's rays shining down on the pitch, though not with much intensity. The gentle breeze travelled through the pitch, as the players stood in anticipation of the match. Their fate for the first team determined by how they would perform.
The sound of the whistle was heard, the game commencing. A match between the first team 11 vs. the new recruits.
Neron quickly passed the ball to Baro, then advanced forward.
Baro recieved the ball, advancing down the pitch with the ball.
Sophia eyes focused, as she stared at Barou. She started writing down, the number 2 next to Baro's name."Shoei Baro, good all round game and a good forward. Strengths Include; chop dribbles -"
As Baro ran with the ball, he was met with an obstacle. Eyes closed and a mocking smile on his face, "End of the line buddy." He spoke.
Baro took a touch to the right, the defender seeing this titled his body to stop him, but was left in the dust as Baro quickly chopped it before driving past him.
Baro continued with the ball, cutting through the defenders like swiss chess.
"-Powerful on the ball as well, and a good shot." Sophia commented, as she watched Baro advance forward towards goal.
She then turned another page, the number one next to his name. "Neron, a good all-round player much like Baro. Strengths Include: Good change of pace, eye for a pass, as well as finishing. Those two combined are a deadly duo." She watched as Baro passed the ball to Neron.
Nero took a step to the left, the defender shifted his weight to stop him, but neron just passed it to his right foot. Executing a feint to a la croceta. Neron winded his left leg to shoot, the defender lunging to stop it. Then neron skillfully passed it between the defenders legs to the running Baro, then he dashed forward.
Reaching the edge of goal, Baro winded his leg back for a shot. The defender cut in two minds as he noticed Neron's run in behind. He quickly followed Neron, but he froze as realized that he left baro open .
Baro capitalizing on this as he blasted it; the ball heading for the far corner.
The keeper stretched his hand to save it, but the ball had to much power to it and it entered the goal.
"Woooooooahh." Baro screamed in celebration, Neron joining him.
"Nice goal Baro." Neron said, as they walked back.
"Of course it was, I scored it. Besides, if this is all to enter the first team then it'll be a walk in the park." Baro said arrogantly, earning a shake of the head from Neron.
The score was currently 1: 0.
The game restarted with the first team, as they past it around. The ball reaching the left winger. He took the ball forward, trying to cut in, but was met with an orange haired....Kid.
Seeing the look, Daichi grew annoyed. "Hey, I'm still growing. I'm not a kid." He shouted in annoyance.
Sophia's gaze landed on him next, the number 5 next to his name. "Daichi Takeda. Despite his small and cute...I mean babish appearance," she quickly corrected herself, before she continued, "he is an excellent defender. Strengths Include: Excellent one vs. one defending-"
The attacker took a touch to the right to shoot, but Daichi quickly tapped the ball away before using his body to shield the ball.
'Shit, how is he so strong for someone so small.' The attacker thought.
Daichi quickly took the ball from the left winger, leaving him baffled as he skipped past him with the ball forward.
"- can also drive into space if need be due to excellent close control." She commented more as Daichi dribbled pass multiple defenders before passing it to the midfielder in front of him.
Sophia turned another page, the number 3 written by the side of the person's face. "Shinji Mori. An excellent attacking midfielder. Strengths Include: Great tight control-"
Shinji turned with the ball, but was met with two defenders in front of him. "Oh, new people on the dance floor." He commented, flicking his hair. The two defenders looking at him strangely.
Shinji took a touch to his left, before executing a 360 around the defender. The second one came for support, but shinji just passed the ball from his left foot to his right, before bursting forward with the ball.
After passing he two defenders Infront of him, his eyes quickly scanned the field.
"-And an excellent passer of the ball, able to find passes no one would think of finding." She finished, as shinji looked up before hitting the ball dead center, passing a clean through ball to the left wing.
As the ball travelled to the left wing, Sophia turned a new page. The number 4 next the person's name. "Hayato Ishikawa, left winger. Strengths Include: Ridiculous pace-"
The blue haired boy, Hayato, seeing a defender trying to intercept the pass, quickly rushed towards the ball and dinked it over the defender before sprinting passed him.
"Excellent dribbling, and can cut at high speeds while maintaining his speed-" she continued.
The left winger looked up, seeing three defenders in front of him. He smiled, "Gotta go fast."
Taking a touch, he sprinted in a zig-zag way past all of them before reaching the touch line. He looked up, before cutting in his left foot and crossing the ball.
"-and an excellent crosser of the ball." She finished.
The ball soared through the air, a defender in the box leaped into the air to head it away, but his eyes opened in shock as he saw a child-looking player head the ball past him.
"Woooooahhh." Daichi shouted in celebration, his teammates surrounding him.
"Nice goal Daichi." Hayato complimented.
"Don't forget about me though." Shinji flicked his hair to the side, earning sweatdropped from his teammates.
"Tnks." Daichi grinned.
"It was an okay goal baby face. " Baro commented to the side.
"I'm still growing!!!." Daichi shouted in annoyance. Neron chuckling at the side at the two.
"Combine that crossing with Daichi's tremendous leaping ability. That's a deadly duo." She finished her analysis.
The ref blew the whistle for Half-time .
Neron sat on the floor, drinking water to quench his thirst. Baro plumped beside him, a victorious smirk on his face. "Looks like I'm winning our bet."
Neron's smile twitched, "Oh really, you're all high and mighty about a goal that I assisted. You wouldn't have scored if not for me."
"Huh, I would have still scored." Baro rebutted.
"Oh really." Neron spoke sarcastically
The others just watched in amusement at them arguing with each other.
"You guys both did good." Daichi said.
Baro looked at him, "I didn't ask for your opinion baby face."
Daichi gained a thick mark, "I don't have a bag face, my name is Daichi. And I'm still growing." Diachi shouted, though it did look adorable as he did so.
Takeshi walked towards his captain, a small smile on his face. "They're pretty good cap, don't you think?" He commented.
Ryoji smiled, "Yeah, they really are. But as their senpai's, why don't we bring them back down to earth a little. Let's go up a geat." He said, as he stood over the ball.
"You're really cruel you know that cap." Takeshi commented
Ryoji smiled, avoiding his face. "I have no idea what you mean."
Takeshi shook his head, "Alrighty captain."
The game resumed, the first team passing the ball around. As a midfielder wanted to pass the ball forward, it was quickly stolen by Baro.'Shit.'
Baro advanced forward with the ball, but had to come to a stop as he met a familiar face Infront of him.
"Oh, hello again." He spoke.
Baro ignored him as he looked to go past him like before, but he found it more difficult to do so than before.
"Hey hey hey, it's rude to ignore someone you know." He said in a fake hurt tone.
Baro grew annoyed, 'What's with this guy, I've tried to pass him several times but he's always ahead and he doesn't even look tired, is he some kind of horse.' Baro analyzed in his head, as he kept trying to pass him.
Driving to the right inorder to try to shake his opponent, but that proved to be easier said than done as he followed him like a shadow. "Aww, where are you going, we've still got plenty to chat. I'm Takeshi by the way, what's your name " He said, mockingly.
Baro gritted his teeth in annoyance. "Get the fuck out of my way." He quickly executed a chop to the left, putting his hand out to shield the ball.
"Ah ah ah, not so fast." But Takeshi quickly recovered.
Baro gritted his teeth, trying how to pass the annoyance, as he calls him, in front of him.
"Baro, over here." Neron's voice called from his right.
Baro opened his body up for a pass, but quickly chopped in to advance to the left. His eyes widened in surprise as he found the ball was stolen from him. Looking up, he was met with the mocking smile of Takeshi.
"Hmm, seems they've started to get serious. A shame, I wanted them to do three times the training tomorrow." Sophia said, her face adopting a small frowm. The first team bench shivered at the cruelty of her.
'Shit,' Baro thought, as he ran back to steal the ball back.
Neron also ran back to help as well.
"Hoh, you made it back quickly. But sorry we'll have to cut our chat shut. Ta ta~." He spoke, before doing stepovers and quickly passing baro.
Baro had a stupified look on his face.
Takeshi quickly passed it forward, a long ball over the top of the defense to the running star striker, the captain of the team, Ryoji Sakamoto.
The defenders quickly tried to stop him, but he's physical mite proved to be too much for them.
Daichi ran beside him, trying to stop him from reaching the ball. But that proved futile, as Ryoji was way to strong.
Ryoji noticed him, a small smile on his face."Have to try better than that." He said, before winding his leg back while still putting his hands out to keep Daichi away, before volleying it into the far corner.
"Ugh, damnit." Daichi gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Hey, it's okay. Let's keep playing." Neron cheered him up, before walking towards Baro.
"Damn that bastard." Baro grumbled in annoyance.
Neron slapped his back, "Hey, It's fine, they Let's try to score one goal back."
Baro nodded, as they went to the middle for the restart.
Baro passed the ball to Neron for the kickoff.
Neron passed the ball to the hayato and started sprinting.
Hayato received the ball, but was met with two defenders on him. "Damn, all this just for me." He said, trying to keep the ball away from the defenders.
The defenders swarmed him, before one of them stole the ball away and passed it on to Takeshi.
Takeshi looked up, Shinji coming into view to stop him. Takeshi just smiled, as he excuted some step overs before passing him.
As he advanced forward with the ball, cutting through the defenders. His eyes widened a bit, as Neron came into view. "I'm not letting you score." Neron said resolutely.
Takeshi smiled, as he passed the ball to the side. Neron narrowed his eyes, before they widened as Ryoji came to receive the ball before passing it back to Takeshi, executing a one-two pass.
The keeper quickly rushed him to make him stutter, but he just chipped the keeper.
The score 2:2 now.
Neron panted, wiping sweat of his brow. This trend continued on for the next 10 minutes, their opponents just cutting through the defense. The score currently 6:2 now
Neron took a breath, 'It seems they weren't serious in th first place. As exoected from our senpai's.' He analyzed, 'But I'm not going to loose. Loosing isn't fun.' He concluded, his eyes shining a bit.
Neron stood over the ball, his heart beating loudly in his chest. He felt calm, but also very excited. A joly smile made way to his face. "Baro, you're not tired are you."
"Huh, of course not. I'm just getting started." Baro replied,
Neron nodded, "Good, let's show them who we."
Baro looked at him strangely, noticing the change in his friend. He too was frustrated in the game, but seeing him smiling even when they were loosing. 'This guy is crazy,' but you'll have to call him a hypocrites as he was also smiling in excitement too, his friends energy rubbing off him.
Neron passed him the ball. He started dashing forward to advance the play.
Baro looked up, seeing his run, sent a pass back to him.
As Neron received the ball, a defender quickly marked him closely. But was left for dust, as Neron opened his legs, letting the ball pass through his and the defenders legs, before spinning round him to take the ball.
Neron continued running with the ball, three defenders ahead of him. He feinted to the left, before passing it to his right. Taking a soft touch with his left, he straightened his body up, the defenders relaxing for just a split second but that was all Neron needed as he quickly passed the ball from the right to the left in a flip-flap motion between the two. Passing all three successfully.
Takeshi quickly intercepted his run, Neron slowing down. "Hoh, nice display over there. But I do apologize, but I can't let you pass through." he said.
Neron just smiled, "Well, I'll have to decline though." He replied, before he backheeled the ball to Shinji.
"Elegant pass Ner." Shinji commented, flicking his hair. He winded his leg, before passing the ball over the defenders heads, the ball curving to a running Hayato.
Neron then sprinting forward, Takeshi quickly following him.
Hayato smirked in excitement as he eyed the ball. The defender stoped back, Incase of him driving, but that would soon be useless as Hayato hit the ball forward before sprinting towards it; sprinting past his defender.
The defender gritted his teeth as he forced his legs to run faster to catch him, Hayato stretched his right leg to cross the ball. The defender desperately slid to block it, but Hayato them cut in on his left foot, sending the defender flying. He looked up, then sent a low pass towards Neron.
Takeshi still following Neron saw an eat pass to steal, "Sorry as I said, you're not scoring." Takeshi said, his legs stretched to steal the ball.
"You sure about that." Neron spoke, as he let the ball roll between his legs to... Baro.
Takeshi looked at all this in shock, before a small smile made way to his face. 'He actually fooled me. Well played.'
"You better score from this pass or you're so dead." He bellowed, before sending a chipped pass to Neron.
Neron eyed the ball all the way through. A defender bumped into him to get him off balance, but Neron held strong, holding his hand out to shield the ball from the defender.
He watched as the ball fell towards the ground, before it touched the ground, Neron hit it with the side of his foot, slotting it in the far right corner with a cool finish.
Neron ran, "LET'S GOOOOOO!!!!" before sliding in celebration. His teammates celebrating with him. But their celebration was cut shut as the ref blew the whistle. Signaling the end of the game.
"Eh." Neron spoke, him not knowing that the game was already over. He had thought that they was still time.
Sophia called everyone to the center of the pitch. Clapping her hands to call everyone's attention, she smiled. "That was a nice game everyone. Though as you know, you guys lost. But I've already selected the players for that would be in the first team, the rest of you better work hard to try and break through."
She then brought out her book, before reading out. "This are the names that will be included in the first team: Daichi Takeda, Hayato Ishikawa, Shinji Mori, Shoei Baro and then finally Neron. Congratulations to you all, you're in the first team, I'm expecting a lot from you all. Remember, practice is in the morning by 6:00, don't be late."
"Hai!!!" They all collectively said.
The group looked at each other, introducing themselves and getting to know each other, before calling it a day. It was end of school, so Baro and Nero walked home together since Baro's house was actually in the same direction as the orphange.
Alina had already gone back to the orphange already, so they both left.
"Today's game was pretty fun. Our senpai's are really good." Neron said, a smile on his face as he recalled the match.
"Tch." Baro clicked his thoughts in annoyance, his hands behind his head as they walked. "They were alright." He said, not willing to admit it that they were actually good.
Neron shook his head, a smile on his face. "Today really opened my eyes, there are plenty of players still better than us."
"Giving up already. We'll simply work harder and we'll be better than them in no time" Baro said, his eyes burning in vigor to be better.
Neron stopped. He looked at baro, before a smile made way to his face. "Yeah, you're actually right for once. We'll work hard, though be careful as I might leave you in the dust." Neron teased.
"Huh, if anyone is leaving anyone in the dust, it's me." Baro rebuked, before his mind the realized the words said before. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN FOR ONCE, I'M ALWAYS RIGHT." He barked in anger, earning a chuckle from Neron.
"Hah." Neron laughed, "Let's see who'll become the greatest striker first." Neron held his hand out for a fist bump.
Baro grumbled as he's question was ignored, before a grin made way to his face as well. He bumped his fist. "Oh, you're so on."
After a while, the two separated to go to their respective places.
_____________________________
__________________
In the orphange, we see Neron training in the backyard. Alina sitting by a tree, a book in hand. "So you joined the soccer team huh?" She asked, already knowing the answer, still she wanted to hear it from him.
Neron nodded, "Yeah," he replied without stopping training. Today was an eyeopener. He was still a long way to go before becoming the best in history, so no time to waste.
In Baro's backyard, a similar training was commencing. Baro training hard.
"Big bro, dinner's ready." His little sister called him.
"In a minute." Baro replied, before continuing. The promise he made with Nero in his head, prompting him to train even harder.
"I'll be the best Striker in the world. That's my Dream." They both said, their dream announced into the world.
_________________________
_____________
The next day, early in the morning. We see Neron and the rest receiving their official jerseys. The jersey was a beautiful sea blue color that transitioned into a white color below. The logo on the right hand side, and their names and number at the back.
Takeshi leading them to the locker room, "Well guys here's your jerseys, try them on."
Hayato wore the number 23
Shinji , the number 16
Daichi, the number 15
Baro wore number 20,
And then finally Neron wore the number 14. To which he grinned, 'I wasn't expecting the number to be available. Sweet.' He thought.
As they wore their jersey, they ran to the pitch. The first team already there.
"Looking good in the jerseys guys." Takeshi spoke, as he threw his arm around Baro causing him too be grit his teeth in annoyance as he swatted his arm away. He still remembered yesterdays game and baro doesn't forget too easily.
Sophia smiled, "Okay guys, we'll be training for a friendly game this Saturday. A friendly against Osaka High." She said.
Neron smirked excitedly, a chance to play a game. His sentiment was shared among the new guys, causing the first teamers to chuckle at their enthusiasm.
"Okay, I know you're all excited. As you should, you guys will get an opportunity to play, think of this as a test to see whether you can break through the first team."
Neron and the rest nodded, determined looks on their face.
"Okay, let's begin today's training." Sophia said, as the team started to warm-up.
Neron's mind was on the game, as he warmed up. A smirk on this face as he couldn't wait, the day couldn't come any sooner.
____________________________
____________________
What are your thoughts people. How was the match, do tell me so I can improve and dish out better quality for you all.
Well Neron is soon going to be playing his first ever match, abit a friendly, a match is a match.
Also, do throw me some stones, will help the book guys. Bless you as you do so🙏