https://youtu.be/pKf7YSXEBn4

Training was intense.

That's what I'm going to say.

Fidio helped us in realizing what we were up against, which was Little Gigant. It surprised me with how Rococo's formation was: The midfielders and the defenders joined the forwards, meaning that every member (excluding the goalkeeper) were up in the front lines. Not to mention that even if that formation was highly impossible (for my standards; I don't know if any other soccer team was able to do that), it was still manageable. How did Little Gigant even master this kind of play? Moreover, the match lasted fifteen minutes only. But even with that amount of time, we managed to get one point. Just one, thanks to Emperor Penguin #3. Endou even managed to get a hold of his new technique, God Catch (courtesy of Megane).

"Pretty intense, huh?" Jousuke asks me while eating a few carrots. At least he can manage to eat without the jelly. I still do. I don't know why people like eating rabbit food.

"Yeah, it was." I answer, still eating the jelly. At least it tastes less like rabbit food.

Two days after that, we got a video call from Raimon. And whoa, the soccer club had a lot of members. Handa had said that Inazuma Japan representatives are from Raimon have gained them popularity, and the number of the soccer club members increases every day. The club room was even rebuilt. Some of the new members of the Raimon soccer club recognized me; Back in first year, while I was with the National Soccer Youth team, my dad told me to train those guys. I did what he asked, and here they are.

Just only a few more days before the match with Rococo.

========================

"You OK?" I turn to Tachimukai. Somehow he had managed to find me at the shore. No one was with him, which surprised. I was expecting Jousuke to go with him, or maybe even Endou. Before I could answer, Tachimukai continued, "You were gone for thirty minutes." "I wanted to think." I answer.

"If it's fine to ask," Tachimukai scratches the back of his head. "What were you thinking about?"

"How we all got this far." I answer. I pat on the ground, telling Tachimukai that was fine for him to sit. He did so, but judging from the distance, he was still pretty nervous around me. An awkward silence immediately came upon us. To be honest, I didn't know what to say to him.

"Uh..." Tachimukai tries to start the conversation. "I've always wondered about your name." He says.

"My... name?" I look at him curiously.

"Etto..." Tachimukai fidgets with his fingers. "Sakuma has a lot of meanings if you look into it."

Aku for Evil. Akuma for Demon. Saku for Bloom. Kuma for Bear. Uma for Horse. "Well, you're not wrong."

"And your first name seems foreign." He points out. It's true, but I never really knew my first name origins.

"Again, you're not wrong. Thing is, I don't know why I was named 'Rena'." I answer.

"Hmm..." Tachimukai ponders on. "Rena means 'Joy' or 'Rebirth'."

I raise an eyebrow. With my last name with both good and bad meanings, why would my mother name me that? Tachimukai notices my expression, then begins to explain. Or, in my case, theorize. "Well, since you had the curse removed, it's like your you again." He says, smiling.

I never really thought of that.

"Wow." I say. "You think I was reborn?"

"The curse is gone now, right? You can play freely again." Tachimukai says. "If your name was translated into English, then you would be The Bear of Blooming Rebirth. OK, I think I said too much." He gives a small, nervous laugh.

"No, it's fine." I reassure. "I just never thought of my name like that."

"I wanted to ask that for a while now, actually." Tachimukai admits, looking at the ground with a small smile. "I just never got the chance to. I asked Jirou-san about it, and he said that his first name either meant Second Son or Color."

"My dad has a twin brother." I say. "And my dad's younger by five minutes, so my dad named him Jirou." I shrug. Well, he was the first one born, yet dad named him Second Son.

"Maybe he's called the Color of the Second Son?" Tachimukai suggests.

"You're pretty smart." I say.

"Ano, Rena-san?" I look at him, and he's looking at me with a mixture of determination and worry. I was taken aback by the sudden expression, but nonetheless I was still sitting down in one piece. Before I could speak, Tachimukai takes a deep breath before saying, "While you were gone, someone challenged us."

Trina.

"That's why you were looking for me?"

"I wanted to tell you, but if I did you might worry about everyone and run right back." Tachimukai sighs this time. "Endou-san accepted the challenge, and Kudou-kantoku already gave out the positions for tomorrow."

"What's the game plan?" I ask him.

"Well, he's put you on the front." Tachimukai says while giving me a piece of paper:

GK: Endou Mamoru
DF: Fubuki Shirou, Suzuno Clara, Tsunami Jousuke
MF: Sakuma Jirou, Kazemaru Ichirouta, Rosalie Ross
FW: Gouenji Shuuya, Sakuma Rena, Utsonomiya Toramaru, Kiyama Hiroto

That's an odd formation... I've read about their stats already, but it was still... weird. Well, not Clara and Rosa playing, but the formation...

"Hmm." I manage to say, sighing. "Sorry. I would've told you guys about it, but because of Garshield and Hibiki-kantoku in the hospital, I kinda kept it."

"Oh, and Jirou-san said that you should've told us sooner. He found the letter in the waste basket."

"I have a feeling I'm going to get scolded."

===============================

The next day came. Of course, last night I was immediately clobbered with questions and a light hit on the head by my brother.

It was already dawn when we started training. We were lucky that the match was extended for at least two more days. Lucky break, but I'm pretty sure that Trina pulled some strings into this... Rich people.

By the time the sun had risen up, and Trina's team was already at the entrance of the soccer field. They added five new members who I don't recognize, but the remaining members (Albert, Matt, Anthony, Allistor, Mirai, Byakuya) were still there. Counting Trina, they were eleven.

Kudou-kantoku was the one who let them in. Trina's face wasn't full of confidence, but of rage. The rest of her teammates were giving a somewhat worried glances at each other. "You are so going down, Inazuma Japan." She says in a threatening tone.

It was Endou who decides to speak up. "We won't back down."

"You may have arrested my puppets, but that doesn't mean that the ringmaster doesn't have backup." Trina snarled.

"Maybe you're the one who's the puppet!" Rosa shouted.

"Shut up! Let's start the game with a few stakes, shall we?" The rage look was now a smirk. I gulped. "If you win, then we'll leave you to your idealistic championship. If you lose... hmm..." she ponders on. "There's so many options to choose from...~"

She's sounding sadistic.

It's starting to put fear in me.

"I know~! If we win, then you'll forfeit~!" A dark chuckle escapes her lips. "You'll let Little Gigant win, and suffer defeat, just like I suffered humiliation!"

"If you think we're going to agree---!" Kidou was cut off by Endou putting his hand in front of him. "Don't put my team into this." He says to her. 

"It's either that, or I'm making a phone call." Trina says, putting a phone out.

"Stop it." I speak up. They look at me. "It's me your after, don't put Endou and the rest into this mess." 

A deathly silence befalls upon us... until Trina's snaps her phone shut, a smirk coming from her lips. "Guess the stakes are changed. You win, we leave. We win," That dark chuckle escapes from her lips again. "You're gone."

"If you're going to harm my sister---!" Jirou was about to go and probably punch one of them in the face if I didn't stop him. "She won't die, dimwit." Matt yawns. "She'll be sent back home and never play soccer again." 

That was better than getting the whole team ripped off their chance to win. "Rena," Endou gives me a look of worry: That's the first time I've seen him look at me like that. Sure, Kidou, Akio, my brother---let's just say that a few people gave worried looks at me. 

Endou never did. 

I nodded, determination filling in. 

=================================

The five mysterious people were the ones placed up front. For some reason, I don't feel anything. They didn't seem like they were forced or just joined willingly. They felt empty. Not to mention that their masks were... odd looking (Five of them have animal masks: Rabbit, Dog, Bird, Wolf, Penguin). I get that a masquerade theme is famous in Brazil, so. One of them was wearing a rabbit mask, but I can see his short pink hair. He looks familiar though. 

It was going to be confusing to know which one of them would go after us.

"Considering last night," Hiroto starts. "You said that you had a nine-on-nine match."

"I didn't know they would get new members. Or maybe they had them reserved." I say to him.

"We have information on the nine but not on the new five..." Shuuya looks at them suspiciously. What did Trina even plan up her sleeve?

The whistle blew. Our kickoff. I kicked the ball to Shuuya. Me and Hiroto ran up with him while Toramaru followed closely behind. The one in the Dog mask blocked Hiroto while the one in the Rabbit mask blocked Toramaru. Shuuya passed the ball to me and I ran up on my own. 

"Struggling Vine!" I see green and brown-colored vines appear in front of me and behind me. Wow. Using a technique from my mother's team was a mistake. 

"Fire Bird!" I kick the ball with much strength I could muster, flames surrounding the ball with a large bird following it.

"Wolf's Haul." Claws appeared next to Matt and stopped the ball with ease.

'Well, that's crap.' I thought to myself.

Matt didn't say anything for a minute, but he gave me a look.

A look that read, "Don't get caught". What did that even mean?

Matt threw the ball to Allistor. Me, Toramaru, Shuuya and Hiroto ran back. Allistor kicked the ball to Byakuya, who passed it to Trina. That's when I felt the uneasy sensation of darkness coming from her. "Saimin!"

My vision blurs. I freeze. Instead of the soccer field, I saw Fidio standing there with a small grin on his face. Was this an illusion? Wait, don't answer that: It obviously is. I didn't move. For all I know this could be similar to Occult's chant or something. Either way, this isn't pretty. 

"You really got what you wanted, didn't you?" He asks me, a smile on his voice.

"Rena!"

I snap out of it as the ball was passed to me. The illusion of Fidio was gone, and I ran up. The ball got stolen from me by Trina, who quickly ran up with Allistor and Byakuya. 

"Kuroi no Saimin: San!"

Kazemaru, Rosa and my brother froze, as if something had grabbed them by the legs. Jirou's eyes (or in other's cases, eye) was wide with terror. As if he had seen something that traumatized him for life. Rosa was the first one to snap out of the sudden trance and managed to steal the ball, only for Allistor to appear and kick the ball from the back.

It stops at Anthony. I could see that his face was also wide with terror. Was he affected by the sudden technique? As if my question was answered, he screamed, "I promise I'll get in the team! Don't beat me up again!", before kicking the ball with brute strength. 

"Don't show weakness, Anthony!" Byakuya shouts angrily, getting the ball. "Chirasu, Zetsubou no Sakura!"

"God Catch!" Endou manages to stop the ball covered with grey and black petals. I could've sword I saw him struggle a bit. 

This went on up until the first half ended: Getting 1/4 of the upper hand, six chances of getting the ball stolen, eleven chances for freezing up, infinite gaps to be filled; It was tiring. 

"Those guys are confusing us." I say to them.

"No kidding." Kazemaru sighs.

"For a minute there I thought we weren't going to get the defense right." Shirou says, a wave of relief overcoming him.

"What were those techniques anyway?" Akio looks them with anger. "It's like they know what you are."

"Considering the first two, I'd say hypnosis." Clara crosses her arms. "Those techniques have more than just the regular ones." 

Before anyone could say something, a scream was heard from the other side: It was Anthony, holding his head while repeating over and over, "I'll make it in next year! Please don't beat me up again! PLEASE!"

"Anthony, get yourself together!" The one with the Rabbit mask says. 

"Roseo's right!" Matt holds the boy by the shoulders. "We can't afford to lose this, not after we lost everything!"

Roseo? Wait, wasn't that a member from Team K? 

"You're pathetic." Trina sneered. "Then again, it was your own fault to why you never made it in."

"Hey! Don't talk about my brother like that!" The one with the Penguin mask says. The voice resembled Violette, also from Team K. Does that mean that five members from Team K joined them even after some sense was knocked into them? 

"This is the result of something bad happening." Allistor sighs. 

"Trina, maybe we should just give in?" Mirai suggested. "I mean, we got offered a pretty good deal after Bayhan got arrested."

Trina slapped Mirai hard. "I won't leave until I get what I want."

"You already have everything." The one with the Dog masks says. I don't see his face, but his voice sounded like he was gritting his teeth. 

"Not the privilege of being respected for my skills." Trina's gaze averts to us this time. I gulped.

"Your skills are great."

We look at Endou. Everyone else had widened eyes. "Uh, you just realize that these people tried to kill my sister, right?" Jirou looks at him with disbelief. I painfully nudge Jirou's arm out of embarrassment. Did he really have to remind everyone that? Well, he was going over board with the killing part but that ain't the point.

"You're just saying that for pity. Boys and men do that." Trina says angrily. 

I sorta feel bad for the boys on Trina's team. The majority of them were boys, Mirai and Trina being the only girls. Matt, Allistor and Byakuya give each other an uncomfortable stare. Roseo and Violette just look down at the ground. 

The one with the Wolf mask speaks up. "Thanks for telling her that, but it's useless."

"Don't you even think about it." Trina snarled. That's when the mask was taken off: It was Allen. I stared at him, shocked. Wasn't he with her? Why the sudden change of sides? "I've been telling her that. Oh, and sorry for the encounter, Rena." He gives a small bow, then turns to Trina. "Sooner or later that curse will devour you."

Curse? Does this mean that Trina has the Alteria Curse too?

"Wait, wait, wait," Kidou shakes his head. Now that's the first time I've seen Kidou look confused. "What is happening here?" OK, now that scares me.

"I think, if I can make an assumption," Tachimukai speaks up. "Maybe the curse targets multiple people who are vulnerable."

Gina never said anything about her older sister being vulnerable. I remembered that she told me Trina was a Soccer Achiever. And her skills were no joke. The way she played during the selection match was really impressive. The way she commanded her team with ease was at a Teikoku level. How could she not be respected by her skills?

Wait.

"Endou-san," Allen bows again. "I'm sorry for all this."

"Sorry doesn't begin---!" Hijikata starts but Hiroto stops him. "He didn't know this would happen, right?" The redhead looks at Allen suspiciously. Allen notices the stare and just nods slowly. 

"You're more pathetic than the members you recruited." Trina snarls again. I can feel the sadistic tendencies. It's scaring me. 

Wow. Never thought I'd say that again.

"Trina---"

"I don't even know why I put you in." Trina shook her head. "Then again," She faces Endou and the others now. "You don't know what it feels like to be mistreated because of your gender!"

"I know." I sigh. "I know how that feels like."

"You re just made fun of!" Trina retaliated.

"Yeah." I glare. "Apart from that, I was suspended for 10 weeks because of your sister. The other girls called me a flirt because I was the only girl on the soccer team. Heck, back then most of the soccer jerseys were stolen when I was in first year!" I shout at them. "You have skills! You have a level of leadership that even I can't grasp!"

"You don't know anything!" Trina shouts again. "You're famous for that stupid 'Copy Cat' thing! Your parents love you! You have a brother! You have friends who care for you at every turn!"

"You don't know what it's like for me!" I retaliate, feeling tears coming from my eyes. "You don't know what it's like having an ability like this! I never asked for any of this! All I wanted, is to play soccer freely! But instead, I GET CRAP THAT I NEVER EVEN DESERVED!!!" 

I never actually opened this up to anyone. After the whole incident seven years ago, I literally just---hated myself in general. I was happy with the ability I had. But even with that ability, I still get treated like a piece of garbage. I never deserved the whole crap of being made fun of and the while situation between Kouji and Rushe got involved, the nightmares, the Alteria Curse and everything else that came on me like bricks just made me want to end my soccer career right then and there.

I literally hated myself, to the point where I thought that I would go on a wrong path.

There was silence.

Trina broke it by saying, "Sorry".

https://youtu.be/sMr3kCNYg-c