We had to find a new coach fast. Or else we won't be able to participate in the district finals. Kuroi suggested my dad, which they thought was a great idea, but I let them down saying that my dad would be busy because he was organizing the Football Frontier with the chairman this year. (Dad told the news to me last night). 

Then I suggested my aunt from America, but even she was busy making arrangements for the American soccer tournament in a few days right after the Football Frontier. (I called up my aunt and asked her, but she said she was going to be busy at the time)

"Oh man, what rotten luck!" Kuroi said in an exasperated tone.

"Well, can't your mother be our coach?" Kino asked me.

"My mom's a busy woman." I said, sighing. "Unless I can convince her, which is an impossible thing to do."

"Why?" Kuroi looked at me.

"Uh..." No. I was not going to tell them that I needed Jirou's help in order to convince my loving mother. Well, it was going to be impossible since me and Jirou aren't talking at all. 

"Never mind. But now what?!" Kuroi groaned.

"Then let's split up and find a new coach!" Endou confirmed before running out of the room, then Kazemaru spoke. "He can't be just anybody you know? If we don't find someone who can go up against Teikoku..." He trailed off, and Endou walked back into the room.  "He's right, we need to be careful about this." Asuka said.

"Then, what should we do?!" Endou asked, with a hint of anger and persistence in his voice. 

"No matter how thin his existence was..." Kageno suddenly said, making Kuroi, Shourinji, and Kabeyama back away. "As long as we had a coach, we'd be able to play matches... The coach had a good reason to exist, eh?"

I had the shivers, and so did everyone else...

"YOU SCARE ME WORSE THAN JIMON!!!"

I sweat dropped and saw Kuroi on top of the bookshelves, making everyone sweat drop. "Jimon isn't that scary.... I think it was Masaru that creeped me out..." I said, remembering the first time I saw his face. Yeah his smile, was really scaring me the first time, and I just pretended to not notice the freaky smile on his face.

"Now you're making me even more afraid!" Kuroi shouted.

"Get down from there!" Natsumi scolded.

"Endou, the boss at Rai Rai Ken knows your grandfather," Shuuya said.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All of us were at Rai Rai Ken; Well, them anyway. I didn't feel like going in, and I was just waiting for the others with my arms crossed. It would have been easier to put my hands in my pockets, but I had to wear the girl's uniform because my regular jacket and pants were in the wash.

"I hope he can convince him... Meh." I leaned forward to the door to hear the conversation.

"Erm, you know my grandpa, right?" I heard Endou asked. "You even knew about the secret manual. Then, you should know a lot about soccer, right?" 

"Or you could say, you played soccer together with Endou's grandfather." I heard Asuka said.

I couldn't hear the rest anymore because it became muffled. I leaned forward in, making sure that I wouldn't fall over the door like I did back in 4th grade.

"I said that the Inazuma Eleven will bring forth disaster. They'll only bring terrifying things."

That must have been the voice of the noodle boss. 

"But we've already come this far!" I heard Kuroi exclaimed. "We have to get into the Nationals!"

Silence for a minute... then... 

"Look out!!!"

"Kyahh!!!"

I was trampled, literally trampled by the rest of the Raimon team and managers. And I was unlucky enough since Kabeyama landed on me. 

"Can't breathe! Can't breathe!"

----------------------------------------------------------------

Practice was really gloomy. Only Endou, Shuuya, Kuroi, Asuka and I had the motivation to practice. The others were just down in the dumps. But due to Endou and Kabeyama, things started to lighten up a little.

"Gojou! Pass it to the left!"

"I am passing it to the left, Sakuma is the one who's passing it to the right!"

"Which Sakuma exactly?"

"Both of them!"

"Hey! We were passing left, you were passing right!"

"Now you're just scaring us, Rena, Jirou..."

"How?"

"STOP SAYING THE SAME THING PLEASE!"

"They're twins, Kuroi, don't even bother telling them..."

I laughed a little. Endou and Kabeyama's antics reminded me the same thing we had in Teikoku. Kidou was sick that time so he entrusted Jirou as the captain. During practice, Masaru kept passing right and blamed us for the pass, because he thought we were passing right. Apparently, they freaked out a little because the both of us said the same thing. Kuroi overreacted, while Koujirou just ignored it, since he knew that twins do that.

Then Asuka tapped my shoulder; He saw Kidou watching from the bridge. Kuroi growled a little, and I backed away from him. Everyone stared at him with suspicion and anger. I saw Endou run up to the bridge. I blinked a little.

"Oi, Endou!"

"Hey! Rena!"

I ignored Asuka and just followed Endou. In a short while the both of us met up with Kidou, who looked like he was about to leave. He looked a little surprised, then he just went back to his serious expression. "I wanted to apologize for the incident with Fuyukai. As well as Domon and Sakuma."

Oh. I guess he thought I was still working for him? Well, at least he apologized for it.

"Ah, it's alright." Endou said. "Domon's really good at soccer, and Sakuma's been a good addition." 

I saw Kidou look down at the rest of the team... is he... thinking of something? 

"I'm envious of you guys." Kidou said, making me perk up a little. Him? Envious? Of what? Sure he said his backstory, but what made him envious? 

"Compared to you..." He trailed, then continued on. "Teikoku is able to stand at the top because of our commander's strategies. It's not because of our abilities." 

He looked down. It was the first time I've seen his expression like that. Other than that, it surprised me a little.

"That's not true." Endou said.

"To stay at the top, I intended to keep doing my best. Yet what I've been doing all this time... are all false victories." 

"In order for me to stay with you guys, I have to do my hardest."

"But what are you doing?"

"...my best, in order for you not to replace me..."

His words were a little like mine. I gave him a pat on the shoulder, and Endou and Kidou looked at me. "It's not true, alright?" I said.

"Sakuma's right, Kidou!" Endou exclaimed.

Kidou slapped my hand off. "What do you know?!"

"I know! I've taken a lot of your shoots!" Endou said.

"I knew because I've seen you before I was here." I said.

"Teikoku's strength..." Endou placed his hand on his chest. "My body knows it all!"

Kidou looked at him for a minute, then gave a wry smile. "I'm looking forward to the match with you."

"Yeah. We'll show you that we're different from before!" Endou gave one of his cheeky grins. 

"But how are we going to participate in the finals without a coach?" I asked.

"We'll find a way somehow!" Then Endou turned to Kidou. "Why don't you practice with us?"

"I'm an enemy, you know?" Kidou said.

"That doesn't matter. We'll be comrades for one day. Isn't that OK?"

"Comrades?"

"Yeah! A team is nothing without comrades!"

"In the coming future."

My thoughts were snapped out when I saw Kidou walk away. Endou had already gone back to the others, but I kinda called Kidou back again. He looked at me curiously, then I asked;

"How's Jirou?"

---------------------------------------------------------------

"Aren't you going to attend class today?"

I looked at my mom, then sighed. I woke up with a start at midnight; Having nightmares can make you hyperventilate. I couldn't sleep after an hour, plus I felt kinda cold. 

"You've been very quiet... Is this about Jirou? I told him that he has to talk to you but your father here said that siblings need time to think." I saw mom glare at dad, who was drinking a cup of coffee. "It took me a month for me and my brother to make up, so why can't they do the same thing?" Dad asked. I sighed. 

"Rena.... look, attend school. I'll just sign the paper if the principal gives you one of those late passes." Mom handed me my duffle bag and ushered me out the house. Then I looked at her again. To be honest, I did tell them my mom was busy, but I never really tried asking if she would agree.

"Mom, can you be our coach for the District Finals?"

----------------------------------------------------------------

"What're we going to do?! We only have two days until the finals! We have to find a coach within two days!"

Right now, me, Asuka, Endou, Kino, Someoka, Kazemaru, and Kuroi were at the rooftop, thinking of how to convince the noodle boss and my mom. I groaned and sighed in exasperation. "How are we going to participate in the finals?"

"Geez, I hate these rules!" Kino shouted. 

"Same here Kino..." Kuroi mumbled.

"Everyone's motivation is in the dumps, so there's no point in practicing..." Asuka sighed.

"Who would have thought that we would be in this kind of pinch..." Endou said before lying down on the rooftop floor. "I can't think of any good ideas."

"Try asking your mom again, Rena." Kuroi suggested. "I mean, what did she say when you asked her?"

I groaned again before looking at them. "She said, 'I'm already a 36 year old woman and what I should be doing is helping you, your twin, and your father. I can't go back to playing soccer.' And when I told her I was desperate, she said, 'Then ask someone else who isn't married.'."

"She never complained about your dad working..." Kuroi mumbled.

"Maybe I can convince her again, right En-- Endou?"

I saw that Endou had already left the building, and I sweat dropped, along with Someoka, Asuka, Kino, and Kazemaru.

"Maybe... is there some way you can?" Kazemaru asked.

I tapped my chin. And then it hit me like a ton of bowls.

"I have an idea that might just work!"

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Endou had challenged the noodle boss, whose name is Hibiki Seigou, and I challenged my mom at the exact same time at the exact same place. Although Endou and Hibiki-san will have to go first because Endou was the first one to challenge. And it was a 3 point challenge, and no misses were allowed, and after that, Hibiki agreed since Endou had somehow surprised him

Now it was my turn. My mom's condition was that I have to get past her three times in order to be the assistant coach. This was going to be very, and I mean very, hard for me.

"Ready when you are dearie!" 

'Even at a challenge she still calls me that?' I thought.

And it started. It was like I was getting past through a midfielder, but I failed at the first try; How did my mom know was I going to use a low kick?

"That's one." I saw my mom give a small smirk--- A smirk?! OK mom, let's do this!"

The second round started, and I used all my willpower so I can get past her. Eventually I did by jumping over her, with a perfect landing nonetheless. 

"Now that's one for me, mom!" I exclaimed.

"Looks like you've been training a lot harder than I thought. Well, this time I'm not going easy!" My mom exclaimed.

"Bring it, mom!"

The last and final round. The both of us were giving at our best. I really wanted my mom to be the assistant coach for Raimon. I wanted her to be happy, like she was before; She said soccer was the reason why she and dad met, and she would be doing anything to teach or play soccer again.

"Sorry mom! Hurricane Da---!"

"Aikido, low kick!"

My mom got past me. How in the world she know I was going to use Hurricane Dash?! Did she read my mind or something?!

"That was fun!" I heard my mom said. "I haven't played in a while. Well, I think I'll agree to being the assistant coach of your team!"

"Thanks a lot, Ms. Sakuma!" Endou bowed and thanked her.

"Please, just call me Nozomi." My mom chuckled, then faced Hibiki. "I'll be glad working with someone from the Inazuma Eleven."

"It'll be a pleasure for me too, since my assistant will be someone famous for her Aikido." Hibiki laughed.

Wait... mom was famous for that?! 

"Mom, and you say I've been hiding things from you." I said.

"It's a different matter if it's for adults." 

I sweat dropped, but smiled. "Thanks for agreeing."

"No problem sweetie."

I gave my mom a hug.