A pillow whacked me in the face. Then another. And another. Until finally I've just about have had enough, and shouted, "Will you stop it all of you?" But of course, nobody heard over the sound of the whoops of laughter the boys made as they continued their pillow fight. Oh how I missed the days where everyone would steer clear of the Death Bringer...

Somehow, I had been caught in the middle of the first years' pillow fight, and now it was nearly impossible to find a way out. Suddenly, I felt a huge force surge into me as I was pushed near the brim of the huddle, and glad that I got the opportunity, staggered out. I looked back to see that it had been Kabeyama who just lost his balance and tumbled into me. Thankfully, I wasn't that short, or else I would've been a gonner like that Kurimatsu, who was now crushed under the weight of the said defender.

Suddenly, there was one thuk that sounded as if it didn't belong, and then awkward silence. Not knowing why, although I had a bad feeling about it, I turned toward where I felt an angry aura rising most profusely. And of course, it just had to be the most hot headed boy on the team, Someoka Ryuugo. Seeing the poor pillow he was strangling in his hands, I assume that he must have accidently been hit by a stray pillow. The first years, being one step before me, ran for their life. But I, on the other hand, was left to face the wrath of Someoka alone as he chased me around the gym. Now how did this even happen, you ask? Even I'm not completely sure myself...

Flashback

I felt a gentle touch on my shoulder. Turning my head, I saw that it was Kidou who had came up to me again after he had backed up earlier. "Ne, you recognized her too right?" he asked. I nodded. "That was the girl from the picture in Kageyama's office."

During our little conversation which we had said quietly so as not to reveal the fact that we already knew Eris, shouts went around the bleachers too. At first I thought Raimon was shouting about me, then slowly I heard pieces of their conversation.

"Did she say that she was Suishou Hakuchou?"

"Yeah, she did! Actually, now that we mention it I can kinda see the connection between her and Suishou. But how come she's in Zeus?"

"Doesn't she look a bit different to you? And I could've sworn I saw her hair and eyes glow earlier."

"Her eyes used to be a light clear blue like water not amber and her hair was pure silver instead of silvery blue."

"But that move earlier! When did she get such powers?"

Me and Kidou exchanged glances. "How come they all seem to know Eris?" I asked. He shrugged. "Hey you guys! What's up with the info exchange?" he shouted toward them.

Some of them turned their attention to us, though most still talking among themselves. "We faced her before. She was a forward for Mikage Sennou," Kazemaru explained. "A hella strong one too, almost got us wrecked. That Arata was nothing compared next to her. Hurt Endou pretty badly too," Someoka piped in.

Seeing the power of Eris' hissatsu scared me, even though she didn't even shoot it yet. The charge up proving easily how strong her shoot was already, who knew how terrifying the actual hissatsu would be. In no way would Kuroi Hane Taifuu be able to stop, deflect, or even slightly change course something like that, and Chi Sakura Mai's power is way weaker than Kuroi Hane Taifuu's, it's only purpose to traumatize the goalie. This meant that Endou, who couldn't even stop my normal shoots let alone Kuroi Hane Taifuu (who knows about Chi Sakura Mai, I've never shot one at him. Maybe his innocence and brickhead tendency would make him immune, jk, jk), had no chance against victory.

He knew that too. Right after everyone had collected themselves and let what just happened soak in, he went directly to the Inabikari Training Center and started training for Majin The Hand, which was supposed to be some legendary hissatsu his grandfather used. I also heard his grandfather was part of the Inazuma Eleven who made it to the finals in the FF.

But truth be told, even if they really were that amazing, I didn't think of them with such high respect as Endou. One, they didn't win the Football Frontier, Teikoku had won instead and had been for 40 years in a row, and two, if a team would become so famous just by making it to the finals, I don't see why Kidokawa Seishuu or Sakurazaki doesn't get the same treatment. Kidokawa Seishuu went to the finals twice in a row, and Sakurazaki would've definitely have won the cup that year, beaten Teikoku even, if their most valued player who has been deemed the strongest player ever and talented in all fields hadn't been unavailable and if their coach hadn't been forced to withdraw that cursed seven years ago.

Anyway, Endou became so fired up it was almost as if he was in his own little world. In his eyes, I saw insanity floating around. Not insanity of horror like the victims of Chi Sakura Mai, but of craze. Seeing him push himself to the limit like this, the craze in his eyes lured me into the same trance as him and I began to practice too.

Aim higher. Not fast enough. More power. Your accuracy is off. That strength isn't good enough. I can't defeat Zeus with only this. Have to be better...

But it seemed the more I strained myself, the worse my form became until finally, during a shoot out of anger, the soccer ball bounced off the goal instead of going in. I stared at the ball which tumbled harmlessly away, toward where Gouenji was standing. He looked up when the ball bumped his foot, and his eyes met mine. He picked up the ball and started making his way over, but never breaking eye contact during the whole process. Through his eyes, I could tell that he wanted to ask me if this ball was really mine, and why, I, with my best points being speed and accuracy, could miss the goal at such a close distance when usually I could still make it in from the defense line. All of this, him, being the one person who has stuck with me all this time, and only him, knows best my abilities. Sometimes, even better than myself.

Frustrated, I let out a cry at the ceiling. Nobody else paid any attention though. Endou was still going through hell that he made, and everyone else somehow managed to not notice my voice, which was going dry and cracking at this moment. When I finally ran out of breath, it was as if I could finally see the world clearly.

I was nobody special. Raimon didn't care about me. Kidou was all a lie too. I couldn't win against Eris, though it is understandable for her to want to kill me from her perspective. And Aphrodi was just another boy laughing down on me. Teikoku was all a dreamland where I could hide but never escape the truth as I lived in my own little love fantasy. And I was just a girl who had been involved through too many cases that if someone had a grudge against me it would be easy to prove me to court. Nikaidou-kantoku had never wanted to help me, he was just repaying my parents out of politeness and pity for me. I was not just that monster who stepped on others, I was also a selfish brat who thought too highly of herself and never once looked back on who had to suffer to make way for me.

"Mama. Papa. Hinata. Yuuka. Kidokawa Seishuu. Sugimori-san, Eris, and all the others who had to face Chi Sakura Mai, the ones whom I stripped soccer and their lives from. I'm sorry..." I whispered unconsciously. Then suddenly, there was a whiz, and before I could react, a flaming fire ball slammed into me. I fell forward onto my knees with all fours from the pain that had been inflicted when the shoot hit my stomach. "Ah..ah.." I couldn't help but gasped from taking the full impact of that hit.

When I looked up, I saw Gouenji staring down at me with cold unsympathetic eyes. Was this really the Gouenji I knew? The one who I always trusted to cover my back?

"Get up," he said. I didn't move. "Get up!" he shouted this time. Finally, I dragged myself up slowly. He nodded in satisfaction. "You're going to stop wallowing in self pity and stop destroying yourself to get stronger. Got it?" I nodded.

"Good," Gouenji then nodded to Hibiki-kantoku, who had came over to see what was wrong. Hibiki-kantoku nodded back. "I have an idea that can make you and all of us feel like ourselves again."

Resume Back to Present Time

So there you go. That's how come we ended up spending a night at training camp instead of practice. This is also why I hate Gouenji like there's no tomorrow right now, yet also the reason why we're best friends.

"Hey guys! Let's make the dinner now!" Haruna announced, stopping Someoka mid-swing right before his fist came in contact with my face. "Hai!" everyone chorused, following her and the rest of the managers into the school kitchen. I silently thanked my ex-captain's sister.

I was assigned to the sausages. In front of me lay a grill, next to it a plate of raw sausages, and in my hands a spatula and prongs. I stared at the clean metal rods and then at the pinkish lump next to it. Then back again, and then again.

"What, you don't know how to grill?" a voice said from behind, that familiarly annoying tone of amusement in his voice. "I never said that," I replied, trying to hide the fact though it was easy to tell from the waver in my voice and the stiff way I was holding the spatula that yes, I didn't know how to grill. Hey, if you have to live along with parents that were barely home, you wouldn't have much barbecue either.

Obviously, Kidou, being Kidou, noticed. He grinned, sending me the message that he saw right through my lie, making me blush even though I didn't want to give him the pleasure. "Here, let me help you," he said. Then in a strangely kind gesture, the dreadlock boy came up behind me and grabbed my hands which were holding the spatula and prongs. My heart was beating so fast, for our bodies were touching and he was so close, I feared that he would be able to hear them.

Suddenly, he twitched. It was a small movement, could have easily been my imagination or the cause of an innocent slight position change that wasn't suspicious, but it almost looked like Kidou was hesitating. But just as soon as the movement was there, it was gone, Kidou back to his normal. As he helped me and taught, I half heartedly followed along his instructions as I tried to push the thought behind my mind, to forget about it.

This was Kidou Yuuto, Teikoku's spoiled confident jerk who toyed with people for fun just to see their reactions, not a guy who actually cared. Kidou couldn't possibly nervous or insecure. Right?

Even though I tried so hard to convince myself, I honestly didn't know anymore. After all that happened since I became entwined with the Football Frontier again, it was hard to say which was true. Kidou had so many sides, or maybe all of them were fake. Just like how I can act arrogant and be cruel and heartless like Inoue Shizuro, there is also the shy, timid Sakurai Shizumi who enjoyed skirts hiding underneath. Maybe both of us have empty hollow cores when stripped open, the "nice" Kidou just another face painted on and the "girly" Shizumi all an act. Or maybe both of us were still hiding behind our masks, those strong walls we built meant to isolate our true selves, fighting to find courage to face reality but peeking out one step more each time with the help of each other.

Yes, VERY LATE update. I'm very sorry minna. I'm pretty sure you're all tired of my excuses but if you were wondering I was studying for finals. I passed them (woohoo!) and now its summer break, where I can finally be free! I'll try to update my stories faster, but I'll also be very busy with dance camp, drawing OC requests, and planning a new story which I am considering for Camp NaNoWriMo (which unfortunately means a one month hiatus for this fic if it does happen). Next chapter will either be part two of the training camp or the Zeus game :3