15. swear that you'll never lose (your true strength)

Fifth Sector's retaliation takes a step too far. 

The consequences of Kirino's naiveté begins to rear its head.

Raimon stays strong. They still find ways to be what they are. But Kirino knows that these ripples will only get larger from here, and they're not going to be stable for long.

-

-

-

"Wait– that seriously happened?!"

Kirino, Akane, Ichino, and Aoyama were eating dinner at Kirino's house.

"Yep," Aoyama says, "I'm scared for my life now. I wonder how long they've been driving around to find me? I kind of feel special."

"Like paparazzi!" Akane says.

"Yes, but that's illegal, so I'm concerned," Kazunari says, setting down the last dish in the center of the table before sitting down himself. "Don't walk to school alone anymore, Shunsuke."

"Okay?"

"But that's freaky," Ichino says, "what if they've approached Mizumori or Kousaka like that, too?"

"What? Surely they'll be more reasonable than this?"

"You never know until it happens, Aoyama."

Kirino tries to focus on the conversation, but he's lost in thought. Ishido Shuuji personally came to scout a former club member? Is this to stir unrest with personal feelings? They were lucky then, that Aoyama decided against it.

If it had been anyone else...

"Fifth Sector is moving," Kirino says, thoughtful. "We need to be careful outside of school. The lockdowns are a pain... but they might just be what protects us from now on."

-

Hamano, Hayami, and Kurama were at the fishing hole today. It was just the day after they were let out of their lockdown and the day after they visited Teikoku. They would have to go back in once their next match began, so this was a lucky day of freedom.

"I didn't catch anything," Kurama sighs.

"I caught four!" Hamano cheers.

"I would like to go home and sleep because I don't care either way," Hayami says.

"This is dumb. I should've gone with Minamisawa to Sangoku's house to play games," Kurama says. "Though Amagi and Kurumada said something about third years only."

"Oh come on now, killjoys," Hamano pouts. "Kirino and Ichino ditched on us too. And Shindou. Can't some boys have some fun that isn't technology?"

"You got a big haul today so it was fun for you. It was just frustrating for me."

"Yeah, yeah."

Despite their gripes, the three of them walked home together, chatting about stuff as mundane as fishing tricks to a new candy store down the street.

"You know, we always have leniency on homework when we have matches and all, but don't you think Suzuki-sensei's been pretty mean to us recently?" Hayami says, "no matter how I look at it, we can't do the research paper by tomorrow."

"Yeah, I'm ditching it," Kurama says. "We're literally going back into lockdown tomorrow. Not using it to play around today is just stupid."

"You say it like it's no big deal."

"What's the worst she can do, give me detention?"

"Uh, suspension? That'll stop you from going to matches."

"Pfft. Stop me? From going to an important soccer match? In Raimon Junior High, most prominent soccer name in history? Yeah, no," Kurama scoffs.

"You say that, but you're just hiding behind Raimon's influence," Hayami says. "Normal soccer players from other schools don't get to go if they get in disciplinary trouble, you know? We're pretty privileged if you ask me."

Kurama scowls.

"Ahh, the other class is so lucky," Hamano sighs, "they have the nicer homeroom teacher. And even if they have homework, they can copy Aoyama's."

"Shindou and Ichino are too uptight for that," Hayami says.

Kurama actually needed a moment to ask, "and Kirino isn't?"

"Blame us for not having any real friends outside the soccer club," Hamano shrugs. "Either way, with all this public unrest related to soccer, I wouldn't put it past the teachers for actually going through with stopping us from going to matches."

At that, they grimaced.

Hayami sighs, "that's true... either way, we shouldn't take unnecessary risks..."

"Hey."

The three of them pause.

The timing was too perfect. It wasn't even funny.

Three people stood behind them. They were around the same age, and the boy in the center had distinctly mismatched colours in his eyes.

He grins smugly, a soccer ball under his arm, "remember us, Raimon?"

They wanted to say they didn't– but unfortunately enough, they did. Kurama grit his teeth, ready to yell– but Hayami whimpers first, sticking closer.

"Oh no."

These three were part of the Black Knights that Tsurugi had led on his first day. SEEDs, and the violent kind that you found outside of the court.

A forward, and the other two were midfielders.

(Position-wise, it was like they'd planned this. Of course they did– why else would government puppies be out here, in the streets?)

Kurama scoffs. "Almost couldn't tell without your ugly black and yellow jerseys, shitheads," he says. "What happened to those, finally realized how dumb you looked in it?"

"Shut it!" the boy snaps. "Well, I guess it doesn't matter. I'm sure you know what we want here," he deems, dropping the ball in his hand and kicking it toward Kurama.

Wisely, Kurama swerves aside, rather than try to receive it.

"...a soccer battle, I presume?"

"Wait," Hayami yelps, "you can't be serious, Kurama!"

"Hey, they're the ones picking a fight," Hamano says. "It's not like we haven't been holding a grudge since day one."

"Not you too, Hamano! We just talked about this!" Hayami yells, "plus, you can't possibly think we've gotten thatmuch stronger! Don't you remember? We were curbed by these guys and we were trying really hard back then too!"

"Geez, Hayami! Get a grip already," Kurama hisses, turning around to retrieve the ball behind him, whirling right around to kick the ball right to the enemy's face.

The SEED stops it, barely fazed, catching it in his chest as if it were a pass rather than a full-powered kick.

Kurama turns to Hayami. "You really think they're going to let us go if we say no?"

-

"Kurama!"

The curtains of the ER cot are thrown right open.

Inside, Hamano and Kurama jump in surprise. Hayami jerks upright on the bed with a yelp, wincing as he tugs on his heavily casted foot.

Minamisawa is at the entrance, followed immediately by Sangoku, Amagi and Kurumada. Hurriedly, Hamano pulls his bandaged arm behind his back, and Kurama turns away, discreetly tucking his bandaged side inward so it was partially obscured by his own body

"Oh– uh, hi, senpai," Hamano addresses, stuttering very unlike himself. "So you heard already."

"Coach Endou and Ms Otonashi are outside with the nurses," Sangoku says. "You got into a fight?"

"That's not something you guys would do," Amagi says, "who was it?"

"Hayami, your leg–!"

Hayami tries not to look at anyone, laying helplessly.

Kurama groans, turning away, hiding his left side, holding it warily. He sits, apprehensive on the stool, still dressed in his slightly burned and torn casual clothes.

"What happened?" Minamisawa demands, coming right beside him and slamming his hands onto the bed.

Kurama flinches away slightly. "Nothing! Big fucking deal," he mutters. "It was those guys Tsurugi came with, the Black Knights. They picked a fight–"

"The SEEDs attacked you?!"

Kurama cringes, unable to answer that. Minamisawa slowly takes in Kurama's left side. There were burns, so they couldn't fully wrap up the wounds– but his head was bound in gauze, and he smelled distinctly of ointment.

Hamano was the same, just visibly less, and he was still covering it with his other arm like that would make it not exist.

"We didn't really have much of a choice," Hamano says, defensively.

Hayami clamped shut. He simply clenched his hands tight around his knees and tried not to cry. When he did manage to say something, it was a weak reminder that "I need new glasses," as an attempt to distract himself.

"Kurama, Hamano, Hayami!"

That was Shindou, charging right in with Kirino and Ichino in tow.

"What's with those wounds?" Shindou exclaims. "Even if it's the Fifth, isn't that going too far?"

Kurama scoffs. "And when has that ever bothered them? We can't prove that those punks were from Fifth Sector, so for all they know..."

He eats his words.

"This is too far!" Shindou snaps.

"That looks painful..." Ichino winces. "Our next match is in two days, too."

"This is clearly sabotage," Kirino says, frowning.

Kurama crumbles at the reminder.

"It's unfortunate, but I'll definitely be handing in a formal complaint," Endou enters the cot, his face set in a stern scowl. "This is unforgivable."

"Coach Endou!" the crowd turns to him. "What was the doctor's verdict?"

Unfortunately Coach Endou shakes his head. "Hayami and Kurama," he says, and the two jump. "Both of you will have to sit out the match with Kaiou."

They both balk.

"Wha– wait, I can–!!" Kurama is sharply interrupted by Minamisawa, who shoves him right down by the shoulder with a painful grip.

"No you fucking cannot," Minamisawa warns.

Hayami just shrinks a little, passive. "I– I understand, sir..."

"Hamano, ideally I'll want you to sit out too, but as long as you promise to avoid straining that arm, the doctor gave the okay," Ms Otonashi assures.

Hamano sighs in relief. "Of course! Imagine if we have to face a whole team of SEEDs with ten players! I'm definitely playing."

"Don't be proud now," Kurumada hisses. "What were the three of you even thinking?!"

There should've definitely been ways to run from that match.

"We tried to run," Hayami says, defensive. "I said we should. But there was nowhere to go."

"It was late," Kurama says. "The streets there were empty, and only the old lady was there at the fishing hole today. Running back there wouldn't have been a good idea."

"And they were definitely faster than us, so running was pointless," Hamano says. "Hayami tried to sprint away first, and well, you see what happened."

Kurama cringed, reaching up to cover his ears. They both still remembered the sharp, distinct crack, followed by the agonized scream.

And that certainly was it. If it was a bunch of kids roughing each other up, there was little anyone could do about it except regret that there were no adults around to mediate the situation.

Kirino's fists balled in regret.

Sure, this has always been a route Fifth Sector could've taken– but he didn't think they'd actually do it. Ishido Shuuji had standards. Maybe this wasn't him.

Last time around, this didn't happen. Attempted retaliation like this only happened with Protocol Omega, and even then, it was no big deal when they used brainwashed pawns. This time, they were coming at them personally, and that made it leaps more dangerous.

"For now..." Kirino says as everyone turns their attention to him, "we might need to talk to Tsurugi."

-

Tsurugi is understandably mortified.

"I..." he's at a loss for words. But he lowers his head. "I'm... really sorry."

"No, no we're not blaming you or anything!" Kirino assures, "just... those guys. We don't really know what happened to them after the initial fight."

"And I... I didn't particularly care either," Tsurugi says with a sigh. "That's how it always is— we do a mission, we're done. We don't make connections, not usually."

Same thing to Mikado. And the SEEDs of the previous schools— they all transferred out abruptly. It's information El Dorado's taken and posted out on their site for the world to scrutinize. No one yet knows what happened to them.

Until now.

"Since their names are out, they can't exactly operate in schools anymore," Sangoku says, "I suppose it's more liable for them to just pull their agents out of the schools, once they're exposed."

But where do they go from there?

Do they have anywhere to go?

(Tsurugi didn't. He's barely getting by on his own, and being able to bunk in Kogarashi Manor was good fortune on his end. Not everyone had that liberty.)

"...do you think they hold a grudge?" Shinsuke asks.

"Well, I certainly do," Minamisawa says, stepping into the clubroom with the rest of the club coming in for pre-match lockdown. "I'm breaking curfew to go throw some hands."

"And where the hell are you planning to go?" Kurumada snatches Minamisawa by the sleeve as he turns around. "We don't know where any of them went."

"Midori," Minamisawa says, like it's a matter-of-fact.

Midori is typing away on a phone. Seems like she's contacted her gang, and they're doing delinquent things right now. "My boys have eyes on them. Anyone else on board?"

"Absolutely not," Sangoku emphasises, slightly mortified. "All of you are henceforth grounded. Sit down."

"Midori, your friends are going to be in danger if they pick a fight," Shindou says, "and they don't have the protection we have. They'll get arrested."

Midori sulks. "Bummer."

"Can't we get them arrested, then?" Tenma suggests, "they're not players anymore."

Shindou sighs. "That would be a legal battle against Fifth Sector and unless we have a lawyer to hire, I'm not interested in getting anywhere near that train of thought."

Kirino, however, simply turns to Endou.

Then, "oh," the coach, who has for a while been just staring at the banter, realizes something glaringly obvious. "I do have a lawyer friend."

"How much can we sue?!"

"Can we go beat them up now then?!"

"I'mma sic my boys on 'em, gimme the signal!"

"Calm down! Calm down!" Endou yells, holding his phone as far away as possible, as if that would change anything and honestly he has no idea why they're trying to grab it as if they'll know which number on his phone is the lawyer friend, "that's not how any of this works! Also she's barely just passed the bar exam she can't just— WOAH!" he swings back when Shinsuke leaps two metres to try and snatch it, "let's all talk this out calmly!"

"What is going on?" Otonashi asks, walking into the clubroom with Kidou Yuuto. They have no idea why Endou is holding out his hand before the children as one would while trying to size up wild dogs. Kidou isn't sure he wants to know either.

"Miss Otonashi, do you know who's Coach Endou's lawyer friend?"

"Huh?" she blinks, "well, yes I do?"

"Get that phone!" Kirino declares. And half the clubroom charges at the coach, earning a terrified shriek as the coach gets dogpiled by every other member that had chaos flowing in their veins.

"Kirino! Why did you do that?!" Sangoku yells, arms held up in disbelief.

"Well, uh," Kirino says, "I saw the opportunity... I didn't expect them to actually jump."

"Kirino!"

Akane gleefully takes a picture as Kidou Yuuto mulls over his life decisions. He turns around to leave, and Otonashi has to grab him by the elbow and plead for him to stay.

"I promise they're good kids! Promise!"

Kidou simply points at Endou, who's feigning death while the miniature heathens scurry off victoriously with his phone. They're now arguing about his phone background because they just learned he has a wife.

Sangoku, Shindou, and Kurumada are trying very hard to get the crowd under control, but hell hath no fury like a Minamisawa and Midori coalition, and thus, between the first-years and the enablers and the neutral watchers, there was just no way for the three of them to stop them all.

Otonashi has intense difficulty in finding a defence for them at this point. She cradles her head in misery.

Finally, she admits defeat. "I'll get the timeout signs, they're in the old club room."

Kidou nods, "get the Storm Whistle too. I have a feeling we'll need it if we want any semblance of order in this building."

"Hey, Coach Kudou said we're not allowed to use that indoors."

"Well he isn't here now is he?"

-

"It's Urabe Rika, but I'm not letting you guys call her," Kidou says.

"What? Why?!"

Kidou admits, "because first of all, she's in Osaka. Second, she's an enabler."

"Everyone, locate that phone number!" Kirino yells.

Kirino instantly becomes the first in the club to get sentenced to timeout. There's something so cathartic about it, being forced to sit in the far corner on his knees with a 'currently in reflection' sign over his front.

(Kirino's usually the one enforcing these, so it's an experience.)

(Last time around, Coach Kidou only brought these out when Tsurugi and Tenma activated the sprinklers and had the fire station called on the school.)

Wisely after that, everyone shuts right up.

"It's not going to fix anything and all of you should know that already," Kidou says. "Hayami, Hamano and Kurama will recover. But we can't afford to lose any more players right now, so none of you get yourselves in trouble either. I'm talking about the ones that have a record."

Minamisawa, Amagi, and Midori look away, clearly still miffed.

Sangoku and Kurumada sigh. It's rare for the latter to agree on the pacifistic side, but with two of their starters out of the picture, things were stressful for everyone and it really puts his priorities back in order.

They'll be on lockdown until their next match ends. And, for their safety, it might be better that they just accommodate living here until the situation settles. They have all the necessary commodities, too.

"What we're going to do is focus on our match and keep winning," Kidou says. "Anyone's got questions so far?"

Kirino raises his hand.

"Yes, Kirino?"

"Do we have any news from the other teams?" Kirino asks. "Is it just Raimon that's getting targeted now?"

The club turns to him, surprised.

They hadn't considered that yet. Raimon's getting targeted for being the spearhead of the efforts. But what if the other teams, the teams that lost but are clearly on the side of the Resistance, are getting targeted too?

Kidou sighs.

"No, for now, no other school's getting targeted. But I've sent a message out to warn the other coaches," Kidou says. "None of you go outside today except for emergencies, and definitely not unsupervised."

It's a bit of a tough clause, especially since they're all minors— but they understood.

It's tough for the government too, so although the children had to stay in the clubrooms, they were allowed to keep their devices with them for the parents' ease of mind. Fifth Sector now had no way to enforce their censorship.

It was a win for the Resistance.

-

The El Dorado radio broadcast that evening went on, just as usual, and Raimon gathered around the clubroom to listen in.

"They're going to report on daily updates all time from now on," Ichino says, "we've already got a regular audience on the site, so now, we just have to serve the returning listeners."

No more of the 'hacking every station in town' thing. They're getting somewhere.

Kirino leans into Ichino's shoulder on the couch as Akane, sitting on the floor by their feet, leans back to listen.

"We started something pretty cool, huh?" Kirino says.

"It's too early to be melancholic about it," Minamisawa says, placing a mug of warm milk on Kirino's head as he walks by. Midori walks by with one more for Ichino. "You've decided what we'll be doing next?"

"Yeah," Kirino says. "The main El Dorado channel will be a news channel now, and we can leave Megane-san and Aoyama to run that. But we don't have to stay a Fifth Sector gossip channel, we're all soccer lovers here. So what do soccer lovers do?"

All around him is silence. They're not sure where he's going with this.

Then Hamano pipes up in the other room, "I'm really bored. Shinsuke, do you want to know how it feels to be a soccer ball?"

Another long moment of silence.

"...sure?" Shinsuke says. "What are we doing?"

"So. First you're going to wear a helmet. Then I'm going to kick you toward a goal. Then you're going to spin super fast and launch."

Shinsuke considers his options.

Then, "sure, that sounds cool!"

"Alright!" Hamano cheers, "Let's go upstairs. There's a training room on the second floor that has cushiony walls for jump hissatsu training."

"What kind of training room is that?"

"A very necessary one!"

The group on the couch stare in bafflement as the two cheerfully walk off toward the stairs. No one else is within their vicinity to tell them it's a bad idea.

Minamisawa is utterly disgusted. "I am not participating in the meme channel branch of El Dorado," he declares, an unmoving wall. "Not over my cold dead maggot-infested body that has returned to the cycle of life twice."

"I am miserable we did not have that conversation on video," Midori says.

"I'm going to follow them," Akane says, standing up, looking more enthused than she has the right to be, "I want to capture the exact amount of times Shinsuke gets accidentally kicked in the face before they succeed."

"And make a compilation," Minamisawa says. "And send it to me."

"What happened to not participating?" Midori asks.

"I said I wasn't participating, not that I wasn't going to enjoy it."

"I was going to say we would post actual soccer things, but the meme channel sounds more fun," Kirino says, "what do we tell the adults when they question our life decisions? This is our last chance to pretend to reconsider our actions."

"Why are we doing this? Because why not!" Midori says.

"In our defense, we were left unsupervised and neither Kirino nor I had the motivation to give a shit," Minamisawa adds.

"Great!" Kirino says ,dryly. "We need an actually serious answer next."

Ichino raises, "we're promoting the old and purest joys of soccer as a competitive and casual sport, in contrast to the authoritarian political tool Fifth Sector has turned it into."

Akane has already gone off.

Kirino nods. "Okay! It's decided then."

-

Kirino's philosophy was to keep having fun, despite the troubles arising with Fifth Sector, and have fun they absolutely did.

Akane filmed Hamano and Shinsuke trying to make the trickshot, and it took nearly a hundred attempts before Shinsuke managed to spin into a header, bash the soccer ball into the ground at the speed of laser—

—only for the ball to immediately ricochet off the goalpost, bounce off the ground, and shoot high into the ceiling.

Just then, Trainer Kidou barges in, "what on earth have you kids been doing up here?! Hamano, you're supposed to be resting your ar—CK!"

He is interrupted by the soccer ball as it follows the path of gravity to plunge right onto his head with an undignified thunk, misaligning his goggles on the way.

There is no moment of silence, just deafening horror as Akane scrambles for the camera, Hamano and Shinsuke bolt off running, and their terrified screaming begins as Kidou starts sprinting toward them.

The video ended abruptly there, and it went viral that very night.

They uploaded it after the radio called it an open forum for the public, and honestly, it was the best idea ever.

All schools around were on club lockdowns because of the controversy, so the club members of every school had nothing to do but practice. And monotonous practice led to chaotic videomaking. Which led to soccer videos going viral on every social media possible because the clips kept getting shared.

Hanamura, the forward from Teikoku, accidentally kicks a penguin in the face while practicing his new hissatsu and Miyabino proceeds to film his very emotional apology. Most of the video features Hanamura in a dogeza with his forehead in the grass, pleading for forgiveness as the father penguin sizes him up like a mob boss.

Kidokawa Seishuu starts the trend of doing nonsensical things to their sleeping team members. It starts from Taki Yoshihiko somehow manoeuvring his older brother onto a soccer-themed shrine in the middle of their wooden field. The rest of the team salute like it's a ceremony as the sun rises before them. Their captain Kishibe arrived late to the party and, confused about what was going on, he just saluted too.

(Sousuke woke up utterly confused and everyone just bolted in seven different directions, leaving Kishibe to deal with the consequences.)

And because so many schools hinged onto the video idea, it soon became impossible to know who were against Fifth Sector and who were just participants of the ongoing trend. Of course Raimon was still high on the suspect list, but everyone was spreading out the influence by participating.

There weren't just joke videos, though.

There was a rise in conflicts as well. All postings were under a blanket of anonymity (that was also a wonderful idea,) so people started posting footage of their teammates quarrelling over how they were going to play on the field— fair or rough, or who got to play and score for academic credit— which drew controversy all over again.

Someone released a concerning image of soccer players getting into a brawl. Someone started pointing out how certain members of clubs were going missing shortly after losing in Holy Road.

It was going well.

But this all amounted to public unrest. People suspected most videos to be nonsensical attempts at inciting discussion, and most dismissed it as an attempt to defame Fifth Sector. Charges could be issued and that would bring the content posters into legal trouble, but for now, that was another day's problem.

-

There was practice the next day.

"Trainer Kidou," Shindou raises a hand.

"What?" Kidou doesn't even look up from the clipboard, "state your question."

Shindou points upward, "why are Hamano and Shinsuke balancing on the roof beams and why do they look like they're trying to dribble? Is that a bungee rope?"

Kidou flips the page, "equilibrium training, of course. And the rope is there because otherwise it would be a safety hazard," he says, like that makes any sense at all, "any other questions?"

"...no, sir."

"Good," they immediately move on, even as half the team warily stares up at the two poor sods, "start with the laps. Everyone knows the amount they have to run individually, no skimping on practice. Go on now."

"Yes, sir!"

Kirino wonders what on earth is happening to his team. It's fun, so it's fine, but seriously, what is that? That's not legal, sir.

"Kirino, Shindou, and Tsurugi," Kidou calls them over. The rest of the club had a regime to go for, but these three had other things to worry about. "Can all three of you summon your Keshin on command? And how many times a game?"

Kirino raises a finger, while Shindou raises a hesitant two.

Tsurugi says, "as much as I need," and Kidou nods, accepting that.

"Then Kirino and Shindou will focus on Keshin training," Kidou says, resting a hand on Tsurugi's shoulder. "I'll take Tsurugi and focus on something else."

Endou stares at him apprehensively. "You're just taking my kids away from me."

"That's great," Kidou says, dryly, "you have horrible parenting skills. Go do coach stuff for once and I'll trust you with the team-assigned dark monarch."

"The team-assigned what," Tsurugi says.

"It suits you," Kirino weakly offers.

"You're not helping," Shindou chides,

"Hey, that's not fair," Endou says, "I handle team-assigned dark monarchs very well, excuse me? I have three gold star dark monarchs turned to the bright side on my record."

"Yes, with deep regret, I acknowledge your impeccable capability to purify darkness like some magical girl with the power of kindness, happiness, love, and peace," Kidou says, somehow sounding dryer than before. He dismisses the topic and raises an arm to point directly at Sangoku on the other end of the field. "But this one's mine. You do something about that one."

Endou squints. Okay, fair enough.

"Uhm..." Otonashi looks between them. "I'll oversee the rest of the training, I guess. Don't overdo it, you both..."

Tsurugi is left flabbergasted as he's pulled by the scruff toward an empty space on the field, feeling very much like a cat. Endou marches purposefully toward Sangoku, leaving Shindou and Kirino standing there.

"So..." Shindou says. "It's been a while, but I guess we're going to be training together."

Kirino can't help the way his face blooms. The differences in their positions and Shindou's captain duties don't leave them much opportunity to clash during their usual practice, so this was certainly a rare occasion for them.

"Can your legs really handle summoning your Keshin, though? We don't have substitutes for the next match, so maybe we shouldn't do that."

"It'll be fine. For a bit. Let's test it out."

-

"We'll be watching from the hospital, so forget about us and focus on the match," Kurama says, leaning over Hayami from the side of the bed, to the phone where they were facetiming Hamano.

"How nice," Hayami says, "Ichino gets to play the whole game as a starter without a sub for the first time. Thoughts?"

"And prayers," Ichino says, his voice barely a croak as he rests a chin on Hamano's shoulder, "I'm dying. My nerves are killing me inside and my stomach hurts. How do you handle this, Hayami? How do you just play a game from the start to the end? I don't get it. I'm freaking out."

"Bold of you to assume I ever handle it at all," Hayami says.

"What is this, the depression convention?" Minamisawa grumbles.

"Uhm, yes?" Kurama says.

"...ah, of course, my mistake," Minamisawa huffs.

The team sighs in the locker room, bracing themselves for the match to come.

Every player in Kaiou is a SEED. This definitely wasn't going to be easy, and the easygoing nature of the country's current state wasn't any sort of peace of mind at all.

"It'll be fine! We're a revolution, after all!" Hamano grins. His upper arm is bound up in an active brace, but it doesn't affect his spirit at all. "We can do anything, as we are now!"

It's optimistic to a fault.

But they'd like it that way.

"Hamano's right. We'll win this!" Sangoku assures. "So you two sit there, recover, and we'll be waiting for you to join us in the finals."

The team echoes his cheer.

"It sure is nice being able to just follow along at times like these," Shindou chuckles. "Let's go line up, everyone. We've got a battle ahead of us."

And they go, one after another, filing out with differing levels of enthusiasm. Hamano hangs up the video call, placing the phone back into the lockers. Amagi and Kurumada lead the confidence squad as Minamisawa and Tsurugi sigh, begrudgingly discussing something about the match they'll be taking on as two forwards. Shinsuke excitedly follows Hamano's steps, urging Ichino to hurry along as well.

The adults are already outside, waiting on them.

Kirino feels warm. He's so proud of them all.

And yet...

"...what's wrong, Tenma?" He turns around at the door, realizing the last one to exit the room's a little less cheerful than usual.

Tenma flusters, face lacking his usual flush of life, "no, it's nothing— just," his shoulders are tense. "I was just thinking you're all so amazing. Everyone's able to keep their spirits up, and they just never stop growing. It's so cool."

Kirino hums. "You're not all that lacking either, you know," he assures. "You're improving, too, so don't sell yourself short.

Tenma doesn't look too convinced.

"You know, Kirino-senpai," he begins. "During the first match with Tsurugi, you told me that I had a Keshin," he says, clenching the front of his shirt. "I still don't really get what it means to listen to their voice, or understand their will and make it resonate with my own... I don't get any of that yet."

He lifts his head.

"I don't think I'm any closer to gaining control of it than before," Tenma says. "Is that really fine? Can I really go on like this? Is this enough for what we're trying to do?"

Tenma is weak.

Weaker than he's supposed to be.

Sure, this time, they're a match short and fighting Kaiou a round early, but by the time of the Teikoku match, Tenma should have begun to show signs of his Keshin breaking through to materialisation.

And yet, none of that is happening yet.

Kirino's breath holds. He knows why.

(It's his fault.)

Pegasus is a symbol of beauty, of admiration, of majesty. It's Tenma's strength to soar, and his passion to strive for greater and greater heights, no matter what. It's Tenma's capability to keep evolving, beyond his limits, to reach the unseen top.

Tenma does not have that drive now, because the team is doing it all for him. Tenma does not run forth with the same amount of vigor and determination, he runs at ease, knowing very well that if he falls, someone will catch him and pick up the slack.

Tenma is not a fearless zephyr of passion. He does not need to be anyone like that in this route that Kirino has laid.

And the price of that is his connection to Pegasus.

(It's his fault, isn't it?)

Kirino sighs, deeply regretful.

"Then..." Kirino says, eyes steeled, voice cold.

He thought it was all going well, but this is all wrong. He can't do this, he can't keep hoping for the nicest path. Sure, most of the team is growing, but that leaves players like Tenma stagnating. It's the worst possible outcome. They won't be able to get any further if Tenma, the core of their team's offense, stays like this.

Kirino has to be strict sometimes, too.

"Then don't try to understand it," Kirino says. "It's not like you to think deeply and try to rationalize the details and specifics, anyways. Just do what you do best."

Tenma blinks in surprise. "What I do best?"

Kirino nods. "Charge ahead recklessly, over and over, like an idiot," just like dribbling, it's mundane and you might look stupid focusing on the basics, but polish it enough and it becomes a diamond. "Face soccer head on. Maybe soccer will respond, too."

Tenma looks conflicted at that vague piece of advice.

"Please understand, Tenma," Kirino says. "This team is growing so quickly. If you don't keep up... you're going to fall behind. With the Resistance as it is, no one's got the liberty to wait for you."

Of course, that concern applies to Kirino too.