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starlumioverload · 7 months

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Isagi Yoichi: problems with anger expression

Clickbait, right? One would think that what kind of anger expression problems could there be with a guy swearing on the field with war-crime level insults and joyfully bringing a child a few years younger to tears?

The kind where one derives from the the other.

Now, let's figure it out.

To do so, we'll have to go back to Isagi's novel (hoshi801_ translation is used for all of the quotes). From it, we know that Isagi grew up as a quiet and shy child. "He never gets into fights with his friends and never disobeys his teachers."

Nevertheless, it ended quite simply then - thanks to Noa, he learnt how to express his anger and negative feelings. Problem? Only on the football field. The novel says he "was fearless in running into his opponents, as if he had never been a crybaby."

He was winning, and what he liked best about football - his football, Noa's football - was the beauty of Noa’s playstyle brutality. Because that's what made it an acceptable outlet for him - fighting with friends is bad, arguing with teachers is not allowed - but on the football pitch you are free. You can be angry. Football became his safe space.

Except that then Isagi entered the root of all his troubles - Ichinan.

Even before it, the novel mentioned and emphasised Isagi's inability to express himself. For a while, despite this, his plans worked: the coaches let him play the way he wanted, and he didn't have to come into direct conflict with them.

But that trick didn't work in Ichinan - the dream school suddenly turned out to be somehow strange, and Isagi felt that he wasn't allowed to fulfil his potential here.

But no one on the team was unsatisfied by the current system.

Even before the conversation with the coach where he was ridiculed Isagi had tried to test the waters. Specifically to test - he doesn't say anything outright in fear of being rejected. "Uhm, Tada-kun… don’t you think there’s something wrong with this?" he asks his club mate very cautiously, while in thoughts having more direct “Huh? Am I the only one who thinks that this is ridiculous?”. It's written out separately in the novel that "he watches the expression on Tada's face to see how he'll react" - Isagi already has problems. He's already learnt that he can be rejected if his opinion doesn't coincide with the majority - especially since the conversation wasn't taking place in 'football territory', where he was more or less able to talk straight.

Having an opinion for Isagi means isolation.

But he still tries one last time - one that finally cracks him up, convincing him that the others know better and he just needs to be patient.

In the novel his friends are "Surprized, seeing the quiet and obedient Isagi talk to the coach" - again, he is used to keeping quiet and not risking. Still, he dares to - and is immediately ridiculed for allegedly trying to "show off".

And this is what finally kills in him the will to resist. Because losing his friends and football is more terrifying for him than losing himself.

What does the novel says about Isagi after this episode? "He is afraid of being disliked for being assertive", "always timid", "compliant". "When his friends get excited, Isagi would say something like this: “Uh, yeah… me too”."

"He just goes with the flow."

Isagi agrees with Tada's taste in girls, agrees to eat what he doesn't want to, pleases in every way possible just so he won't be abandoned. He obeys the coach's strategy, and even on the field - the only thing that gave him joy and was a safe place for him - he ends up obeying the rules his surroundings have imposed on him.

He doesn't try to argue, he doesn't try to prove anything - he just chooses the safest path, the one where he doesn't do anything and doesn't fight, but he stays safe. Not abandoned.

What's the conclusion?

Isagi doesn't know how to express anger at all. He just hasn't learnt it because he hasn't tried it. And most importantly, doesn't know how to express it correctly.

Why is it necessary (and important) to know how to anger correctly in the first place? The point is that for the mentality anger is a kind of marker that lets us know when our interests are violated and our needs are not satisfied. Which by its presence helps us to build boundaries and achieve what we need. Anger is the power and energy to change an unpleasant world to suit us and achieve our goals.

But Isagi was shamed for showing negative emotions and for any attempt to express himself. He was shown non-verbally that any expression of self and attempt to argue, even just a different opinion would be received grudgingly, that you had to agree on everything, that if you tried to argue you would be rejected and not only that, you would lose the football.

And Isagi tamps down the anger inside himself - he no longer stands up for himself, and holds back the anger to the last, storing it up inside for years.

He develops a ban on anger.

And in general, not just anger - any negative emotion. He is unable to express even the despair of losing to Kira correctly; he tries to suppress it, to muffle it, the novel explicitly states that he attempts to lock it up inside, but in the end, having overflowed, this despair against his will burst out in a scream. Isagi suppresses all negative feelings in general. Aside from the crying part, this repressed anger is evident even in the first chapter, when he imagines the goalkeeper in tears from defeat, and dreams of crushing Kira. Without saying it out loud, though.

And in that 'against his will' lies the main problem of why exactly anger needs to be lived out properly.

Because otherwise it'll spill out just like that scream - desperate, seething, expansive, and the worst part?

Uncontrollable.

What is the danger of not controlling the expression of anger? Why can't we just hide it inside and keep smiling, without causing anyone problems and without wasting the resources of our body on it, just adjusting? Yes, in doing so you lose your freedom of expression - so what?

Because anger doesn't disappear over time. It is put inside layer by layer, day by day.

And sooner or later you can't hold it back.

In life this rarely ends well: if a person holds themselves to a completely unhealthy level of control they may at some point experience an episode of derealisation - when repressed feelings become so abundant that the brain rolls out one of the strongest self-defence mechanisms - detachment. If it doesn't? One goes off the rails: he overreacts to the smallest of things, he is thrown from one-time hook-ups to drugs and alcohol. The accumulated anger begins to destroy from the insides.

But Isagi, as an adaptation specialist (unconsciously, most likely) has come up with a great answer to this, learnt from childhood and from the show with Noel Noa. Which one? Express anger where it would be considered normal.

Blue Lock with on-field swearing works for Isagi for many reasons at once. He got Bachira, who showed him that there's nothing wrong with expressing his angry-self - he'll be accepted, he would even be welcomed, it's okay to be angry! He got Chigiri and Kunigami, Nanase and Hiori, dozens of people accepting him no matter what (but in personal conflicts outside the field he usually still doesn't know how to behave - he prefers to withdraw and wait for things to resolve themselves - but that's for another time). Here, also, the issue of survival came into play, as expressions of anger and rage were cultivated by the Ego itself, sometimes specifically manipulating the players to do so.

There's also the application of the familiar pattern of his pre-Ichinan childhood ('I play football as rough as Noa - I'm doing well, I'm not alone, and I achieve my goals because it happens on the field, so it doesn't mean anything'), the general tense atmosphere, and a fair number of trigger characters who would drive even a saint to their grave (heh, Kaiser, heh). Isagi in general has more to do with football than almost all of Blue Lock's characters. Manifestations of anger and determination as a child (on the football field!)? Noa. Manifestations of them now? Blue Lock. He continues to use mechanisms familiar from childhood to protect himself, adapting them to new realities.

(basically, even the fact that Noa is around - who, again, once gave little Isagi the opportunity to express himself openly on the field - can have an impact on the escalation of Isagi's behaviour around Kaiser and Bastards. Whose presence and support is associated with a safe expression of himself)

like father like son

And uncontrollable anger bursts out, but for now like water from a cracked jug - in jolts, strong and those impossible to shut down, but from just one place. The swearing at the match and the opportunity to openly express himself and his objectives (remember how he shouted at Noa that his system doesn't allow him to score goals hahaha) allowed him to relax, to partially release the anger accumulated over the years - all without any realisation on his part. He doesn't even have to do anything - it all resolved itself. He's not being rejected, he's playing the way he wants to play and yet he's angry! That's great!

And everything seems to be fine, right?

The problem is that Blue Lock's setting just isn't going to work in the long run. Ego will be there for the rest of the project - another 2-3 months - and for training for the World Championship, for the Championship itself, and... that's it. The project ends, Isagi flies off to play in another country, but who can guarantee that the environment for such an expression of anger will be replicated there as well?

At one point, access to the field and, in principle, to the competitive and encouraging environment for such expressions of character in Blue Lock is bound to be cut off. There are gaps between seasons, injuries, end of career, and the simple fact that such expression depends on how much the coach allows to players - at some point Isagi may well be silenced.

And then all the accumulated, bubbling anger inside, which is now used to being expressed regularly, will spill out - and not on the safe field, where much can be blamed on adrenaline, but on his loved ones, his career and himself.

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starlumioverload · 7 months

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summary: once you stepped in, he knew you were his world. notes: i <3 isagi sm

isagi was an average person.

he've been told brutally by what was supposed to be his friends that he he didn't neither look that attractive nor that bad. at least an acceptable looking guy.

his grads were normal, nothing above the usual B nor anything less than it. he didn't get a top of student once because there will always be that one subject that'll manage to put him in his place every time remaining him he wasn't that special.

he had a ordinary house. nothing much of big or fancy house, nor something too poor to live in. and his parents were the usual housewife and the hard working man who keeps his family well fed.

there was nothing special about isagi yoichi.

yet you still see him as he was the brightest star in the sky.

it's kinda of embarrassing to admit it, but he always had a thing for you. ever since the first year. that day you helped him before his head was a few inches from the ground, holding him by his back. you particularly saved him from being embarrassed that day.

he was sure you stole his heart as well that day.

because ever since than he had never been so in love with someone. no it wasn't a misunderstanding of liking, he loved you. sure call him cheesy but he could sower that he never had a those feelings for anyone in his life.

he knew he was in love with you when he couldn't sleep thinking of you.

he knew he was in love with you when he would start writing your name randomly on his notebook.

he knew he was in love with you when the teacher asked him to answer a question when his eyes and mind were busy admiring you instead.

but he never toke a step.

he never talked to you.

he never approached you.

he loved you in silence. and he was planning to stay there. in the middle, where someone like him belonged.

needless to say that isagi genuinely thought it was a prank when you confessed your feelings to him. him? the same guy that received a total 0 chocolate on valentine?, with you? the girl that had half of the school head over heels for you?

if anything he was caught off guard that you even noticed his existence. him out of all the people that were on your feet.

and how could he ever dream about saying no to you.

life was different since then.

instead of usual cold hands, yours was there to warm it for him, to remind him he was there, that you were there. you two were a thing. his untouched lips were always met with yours, he'd take any chance to feel them against his over and over, he remembered how shy he is when you two first kissed but now he shamelessly asks for them every day. like they were his oxygen that brought his heart to it own beat.

instead of one bare of school shoes on his front door it was two, it's you when you came to visit his home. regardless that his parents adored you. specially his mom, she taught you how to cook kintsuba for him. you told him that you were willing to learn new things if that made him smile. and he just fell more in love with you.

instead of going back home alone, it was you warping your arms around him while the wind smothered the both you. it was illegal for two people to ride the same bike, yet for him you were worth it. your warmth on his back making him all giddy and fussy on the inside.

instead of going with his friends out, he went out with you more. name it; karaoke? multiple times. a cafe?; at least once in two weeks. the park?; twice a week. practice?; you're always there, it's a daily thing.

is it possible that he just keeps on falling in love with you each day?

he loved you on your good days and made sure to add more love the bad ones. you'd never look 'ugly' to him, you could wear the most hideous thing ever and he'd still think your breathtaking as ever.

and the cherry on top all of that, that you loved him the same.

you loved him when he failed miserably at making you chocolate on valentines day and you still ate it with a generous smile, he's the clumsiest person to ever witness yet you'd still look at him like he dose no wrong.

you loved him when he blew his chance to the nationals. you held him gently while he buried himself in your welcoming embrace. he cried and cried wetting your shoulder with tears. yet you still run your fingers through his hair lovingly, your smothering voice mumbles comforting words. you let him know that you were there for him even at his worst times.

even when he hesitated to approve the 'blue lock' project thing.

"I don't know, babe." he said hesitated while his grip still around the paper taking a look at it from time to time.

"come on, yo! it's your chance." you told in pure excitement like you were the one who got the letter. it made him intense in joy how happy you looked for him.

"i just don't want to be away from you." he admitted. the words leaving his mouth uncontrollably.

"oh- don't be clingy now. I'll get mad at you if you wasted this." you huffed trying to look anywhere near angry despite the red that spread across your face at his honest words.

isagi sighed, he was doomed the second you knew about this project. he could never resist you.

"only if you company me there."

he hated this.

he didn't like the people here. he didn't like the food. he didn't like the smell, and he definitely didn't like the frustration feeling after losing.

he wished he hugged you tighter when you two were saying goodbye. he wished he had hidden your picture on the aquarium date more unseen before it was taken. now he gotta rely on his brain that was a ball instead. now thinking about it that long-10-minutes (breathless) of his lips against yours was definitely not enough, he wished he kissed you more.

he knew this is his dream, his passion. yet he still missed you terribly. he bet that anyone here was willing to hear his rambling about his theories and noel noa as much as you, god. you didn't even like soccer that much yet you still put up with him managing to ask questiond there and here to prove your interest. he missed you so bad he could cry.

even nagi and barou complain about him repeating a girl's name in his sleep, at least nagi was complaining while barou threatened to cut his tongue if he kept that up.

he already got here, he proved himself. he got rivals, he spoked some unnecessary words that you'll definitely get mad over him for it. he got stronger and somehow wiser, built his own character and slef-worth from the start.

that definitely did not mean that'll leave you in his shadow, if anything he wanted you by his side when he becomes the best striker. the world cup in his hand and you in his mind.

he'll make it happen. he'll make that dream come true.

gotta do part 2 for the return (✿ ◕‿◕). (have a nice day everyone)

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starlumioverload · 7 months

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I have instagram but yes…I’m not a type of play social media so if you search saga212 on instagram you’d find me but you’ll not see I have a lot post there, I’m post only cosplay some time at all.

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starlumioverload · 7 months

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Star Change (2023)

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starlumioverload · 7 months

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snuffy convincing ubers to accept lorenzo into the team:

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starlumioverload · 7 months

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Summary: you team up with Reo and Chigiri and head to the second stage, where you would battle against Isagi, Barou and Nagi, who will win? And who will be stolen?

Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 -> Masterlist

"Reo, wanna team up with us?"

"Leave me alone" he answers, an annoyed look on his eyes

"What happened to him? He used to be so cocky with us" Chigiri asks, a tsk sound coming out of Reo's mouth

"I told you, Nagi wanted to play with Isagi, so he left him behind" you explain to Chigiri before turning to Reo "What? Did you think that Nagi will mindlessly follow you everywhere?"

"Huh?!" Reo asks you even more annoyed than before, making you smirk "aren't you the same with this red hair?"

"Not really, i waited for him because i wanted to, i could easily join anyone and still make it work" you shrugged

"Ouch, I'm hurt Yn" Chigiri says playfully "we wanna to kick Isagi and Bachira asses after they left us being"

"Soo.. You join us or not?"

"Why? Why me? Why would you want me on your team?" Reo asks confused

"Because you're clever"

"Because you're incredible" both Chigiri and you say at the same time, making Reo blush

"Yeah…you're right. I am skilled and incredible, having me on your team gives you value you can’t get anywhere else. And yet… he had to go and leave me… for Isagi! That stupid whiny baby just pisses me off!!" Reo exclaims, making raise your eyebrow

"You know what? I don't want him anymore" you say to Chigiri "I'm sure we can find someone else, i meet this dude called Yukimiya and he was super nice"

"Relax, that could help us" Chigiri chuckles "oi, we want to beat Isagi and you want to beat Nagi, so how about an alliance of revenge?"

"Sounds good to me. It's a pleasure to be working with you, Chirigi, Yn" Reo takes Chigiri's hand, accepting the offer "let's kill the bastards who betrayed us"

"You're talking too far" you say rolling your eyes

"Lets beat them all, elite" Chigiri adds with a smile

You three go to the door to the second stage, one of the fastest teams to form and go through the doors. You enter the next room, a big one with a number three on the floor with a few teams waiting there. The TV turns on the moment you enter, Ego appearing on the screen as he explains how this new stage is going to work.

"So basically we battle and take a player of the other team until there's only one left?" Chigiri asks

"Yeah, pretty much. We basically have to play against someone we want to steal for our team" you add. Suddenly your rankings changed, according to Ego's explanation, it was according to the order in which everyone cleared the first stage, explaining the number two on it

"Damn, N°2 huh? Well done Yn!" Chigiri ruffles your hair

"You finished that quickly?" Reo asks for the first time, he had a number 8 on his arm while Chigiri a number had the number 20

"Yeah, i thought about teaming up with that Itoshi guy, but he's an asshole"

"How come?"

"He said that it didn't matter who he teamed up with, everyone was just a stepping stone for him. Like hell I'll team up with him"

"Yeah, you would say something like that" Chigiri adds

"So, we have 24 hours to choose a team right? Let's train for today and choose someone after"

"Sure"

You three go to the training fields to start practicing, Reo was able to understand pretty fast what our our abilities allowed us to do, so your abilities quickly matched up, allowing you to have a very productive practice.

It was already late when you finished, all of you sweating profusely

"That was some training" says Chigiri drinking

"Yeah, that was exhausting. I'm going to the lockers" you say standing up

"I'm assuming you're not joining me in the showers? Chigiri asks, standing up too

"Not yet"

"What do you mean? You don't shower with the rest?" Reo asks

"Nah, he has a weird complex and doesn't like being with others. Don't really get it, but I won't force it" Chigiri answers for you "what about you, Reo? Joining me?"

"Go ahead, I'll join soon" Reo says, making you and Chigiri start going to the door

"Hey Chigiri, is your leg okay?" You ask him

"Better than ever! What? Worrying about me?" He teases you, passing his arm through your shoulder

"Well, I don't want to hear you whining like a baby again if you get injured again? Ouch" you exclaim after Chigiri hitted your head chuckling. You can feel Reo's eyes on both of you.

Chigiri went to the bathroom to have a shower, soon Reo joined after, while you laid on the sit of the lockers, waiting for everyone to come out and also let you breathe freely as you untie your binder. A few minutes pass, when you hear the door open quickly; looking up you se Anri in the locker, looking everywhere before her eye land on you

“Yn-chan” she said with relief “Thank god you're alone here. I need you to come with me quickly”

“Sure, let’s go” you follow Anri towards Ego’s apartment, where he is waiting for you while sitting in his chair rewatching the match of Isagi, Bachira and Nagi.

“Yn-chan” he calls you, turning around “I’ll make it quick. As you know this second selection is an elimination selection too, if you don’t get chosen, you leave. You should try to get eliminated now”

“What?”

“You know that you shouldn’t stay in this project for so long, getting eliminated in this stage would be the least suspicious”

“I’m not losing on purpose” you say, seeing his eyes widen at the sudden opposition “If I can win, I will, losing on purpose is cheap and you should know that; this is not just for me, but because of my teammates too. What if I lose and end up getting chosen?”

“Do I have to remind you that you are getting paid to do this? This is your job, you should do what i tell you” Ego reminds you

"I'm.not.losing" you say annoyed "I'm leaving now, you want to eliminate me? Do it, let's see how everyone reacts"

You don't wait for his answer, turning around and leaving, not before you notice a proud little smile from Anri.

You go back to the lockers, Chigiri and Reo were already there with towels on their hips.

"Oi, Yn" Chigiri calls you once you enter "Where were you?"

"I went to drink something. What happened?"

"We may have decided on our opponents, right Reo?" Chigiri looks at Reo, who smiles kinda nervously

"Well…while bathing I encountered Nagi, and I may have told them that we will play them…"

"Alongside with how he only team up with us only to beat Nagi" Chigiri adds "Also, Barou was with them"

"Barou? That means that they already lost once, lost Bachira, and won another match to gain Barou? How the hell did they do all that in such a short time?"

"Who knows, but long story short, we kinda agree to have a match with them without you…sorry" Chigiri looks guilty

"It's alright, we came here to have a match with them anyway, so we just have to win"

"Ha! Well said!" Chigiri ruffles your hair again "the bathroom should be empty by now, you should go and take a shower"

"Sure" you say, taking your things "also..Reo?"

"Huh?" He asks lifting his head, making you hit the back of his headI know

"Don't you dare to see me just as your tool, you elite idiot" Reo looks at you surprised, making Chigiri chuckle

You went to shower, which luckily was completely empty, and then went to the bedroom, a simple bunk bed and a single bed were the only things in there. You saw some clothes on the single bed one, but considering how things had happened, you just decided to take it over.

"You're back" Chigiri comes in with a tray of food "here, i assumed you hadn't eaten yet"

"Thanks" you take the food, a rare fried chicken, as you sit with your back on the wall

"By the way, Reo claim this bed" Chigiri sits beside you

"Like i care, y'all didn't ask me anything about the match, so i won't ask about the bed either"

"Petty" he laughs

"Oi, that's my bed, move" Reo days, entering the room

"No"

"No?"

"No" you say, making him raise his eyebrow "I'm not Nagi, i won't do everything you tell me to do.. Oh wait, Nagi doesn't do that anymore" you smirk, teasing the rich boy

"You're annoying"

"I bet you're used to people kissing your feet, hey, now you'll experience what a bunk bed is like. Chigiri, do you want top or bottom?"

"Bottom is easier"

"Then it's decided, you sleeping in the top one Reo" you smile at him, he only rolling his eyes "here things won't work always your way"

"I noticed" he scoffs, sitting in your bed too "i hate to admit it, but this is the first time someone treated me like this"

"Hey used to it, he's very straightforward" Chigiri chuckles as you keep eating, by now the pronoun 'he' didn't throw you off anymore "but he means well, he always tells you what no one wants to say to you"

The next morning you are getting ready for the match, Reo practically ignoring both of you. You're sitting in the lockers right before the match starts, preparing a strategy.

"Alright" you start "Reo will be the anchor that balances us out, Chigiri and I will try to use our skills and keep attacking from wherever we can"

"Sure, we've trained for this anyway"answers Chigiri "i don't know their plans, but in terms of powerful defense we're probably even"

"We just need to establish who marks who, but…"

"I'll take on Yoichi Isagi, I'll seal his movements and prove to him that he made the wrong decision…ouch!"

"You're being creepy" you say after hitting his head "Neither of us are a great physical match to Barou, but I'm sure i can give him a better fight when it comes to skill"

"I can mark Nagi then" are Chigiri "also, if we win, who do we take?"

"Both Isagi and Barou are good options, but i want Nagi" you say

"I agree, he had great potential, you alright with that, Reo?" Asks Chigiri

"Well, i was thinking after defeating him that i would make him feel the same pain i did back then"

"I'm kicking your ass, you're just some annoying bast…Oi, Chigiri! Let me go!" You say, Chigiri was grabbing the back of your t shirt, preventing you from getting close to Reo

"We have a match" he hits your head slightly "anyways, let's decide when the match is over, we will choose by majority vote. Let's go now"

You and Chigiri stay behind as you walk towards the field, the purple hair in front of you ignoring you both

"Oi" you call Chigiri "no matter how much i tease Reo, i kinda get him, i guess i would be in a similar mood if you hadn't team up with me…so thanks"

"Don't get too sentimental now" he ruffles your hair "you waited for me, you know? That means I'm pretty amazing"

"You wish, you're lucky that i decided to wait for you"

"I know"

"Let's win this" you say to Chigiri, extending your arm so Chigiri can cross it, which he did

"We got this"

You got into the field, the match starting with them kicking off. The ball goes to Barou, so you immediately go to him; even though you're definitely not nearly as strong as he is, you distract him enough so Reo can come in and snatch the ball, passing it to Chigiri and scoring the first goal. The white team kicks off again, Isagi sending the ball to Barou one more time; you didn't fully understand what was happening, but you were able to intercept him and take the ball rather easily from him, leaving alone as you go to score the second goal for your team.

By the third restart the aura of Isagi and Nagi had changed, Isagi sending a fast pass to Nagi, who does a reverse bound trap to stop Chigiri and makes a goal for his team

"Damn, even Nagi can get better…Also, snap out of it" you say, slapping Reo's head

Now it's your turn to restart the game, sending it to Reo who immediately goes towards Isagi, clearly trying to prove something, he does a quick pass to Chigiri, who is forced by Nagi to pass back to where Reo and Isagi are. With a burst of speed, you intercepted the pass mid-flight, plucking the ball from the air with grace. Your control was immaculate, and without missing a beat, you surged forward, leaving everyone stunned as you started running. You approached the penalty area, making the hologram goalkeeper rush slightly out to close the angle, which led you to do a deft touch, calmly chipping the ball over the goalie. Time seemed to slow as the ball floated elegantly over the line, nestling in the back of the net.

"Oi, we're a team" Reo calls you as both him and Chigiri approach, a small smile contradicting his annoyed voice

"He sometimes gets too in the zone. Well done"

"Shut up" you say, high fiving both of them. You had a chance of winning now.

The white team restarted once again, this time however, Isagi didn't seem to want to pass to Nagi, instead he was going towards Barou. You quickly go to his side, blocking any possible pass towards the self called King; however, you sensed it first, right behind Barou. Isagi was using him as bait. You reacted a bit late to the sudden pass from Nagi to Isagi, or maybe you reacted just in time, but since you were much shorter than the average here, you weren't able to intercept it, only being a few centimeters away from stopping it before Isagi scores another goal. You breathe hard as you sit on the floor.

"That was close, you reacted faster than i did" Reo says to you, offering his hand to help you stand

"Next time I'll stop it" you take his hand,

You restart the match once again, Reo sending it to Chigiri who almost immediately sends it to you; however, you see Barou in front of you trying to take the ball. It's a battle of physique, and clearly you wouldn't be able to win in that aspect, so you pretended to fight against him so he could hit the ball before you quickly ran past him to take it. Barou doesn't yield, so he still runs to take the ball forcibly, Reo arriving just on time to do a double press -which you held onto with all your might so it would be effective- before he kicks the ball away. Reo, however, shoots it just where Isagi is waiting for, who is able to pass Chigiri as he does a pass to Nagi, who scores a goal.

The restart happens again, Reo sending it to Chigiri, instead of a trap to run, which was one of the weaknesses of the red hair, he kicks it forward without stopping, bouncing it in the same direction he was heading. He is able to pass Barou just in the nick of time, but the ball goes slightly higher than he planned, hitting the upper pole of the goal. In that rebound the ball goes higher, close to where you are, but also close to Isagi and with Nagi coming your way too. Suddenly a replay of one of your plays appeared, and since Ego wanted a goal that could be replicated, you were going to give him that.

Time slowed as the ball hung in the air, so you launch yourself into a scissor kick, your body twisting and contorting mid-air as your foot met the ball with an astounding force. The ball exploded off your foot, a blur of white passing the arms of the hologram.

Both Nagi and Isagi were talking before restarting the game, probably thinking of a strategy since they'd lose if you make another point, when Barou intercepts them, taking the ball and immediately shooting it towards the goal. The goalie luckily saves it, so you go to the ball and take it to do a counter attack; you try to pass it to Reo, but almost immediately you feel Nagi's body in your back, blocking your way.

"Try it, chibi-Yn-kun" he says, you can almost feel a smirk in his voice

"Don't call me chibi"

You see Reo getting closer, so you pass it towards him when Isagi tries to intercept it, Reo sliding just in time to kick the ball away. You aren't able to go for it since Nagi was still in your back, leaving Barou almost able to shoot alone if it wasn't because of Chigiri following him.

In that moment something changed in Isagi's aura, and apparently Barou could sense it too considering that it was the first time ever you've seen him pass the ball, letting Isagi shoot instead and making it a draw again.

You feel a hand on your hand lazily touching your head, Nagi looking at you with a tiny enthusiasm in his eyes

"You're really good for being so small" he says, leaving to go and give a high-five to Isagi. You didn't know if you started to feel hot because of anger or because of his actions

"One more goal, whoever makes the next one wins" you say reuniting with Chigiri and Reo

"We can't let Isagi have the ball" says Reo

"I don’t feel like i can stop him" adds Chigiri "But the last play is starting with our ball"

"That’s exactly why we need to score while absolutely not letting them steal the ball!! Think of losing the ball as losing the match!" Reo says

"They're probably expecting for me to go again, should we use Chigiri this time?" I ask

"That would be the best, yeah" answers Reo

"Let's win this!"

After a few seconds of Reo analyzing the play, he's able to send it to Chigiri, however Nagi instead of following the red head, he goes straight to the ball and intercepts it, knowing fully well that he couldn't win a speed battle against Chigiri. The ball falls directly into Barou's feet.

You can see that he was about to pass it to either Isagi or Nagi, but something in you couldn't let him do that. Maybe it was because you still see this as part of your job somewhere inside you, maybe it was because you didn't want to see the King just fall behind

"Don't win like this!" You are still trying to stop him from keeping going "aren't you the king?!"

Something in his eyes changed, he suddenly started doing chop faints with an incredible angle. An awakening that left everyone behind in mere seconds, shooting a curved ball and making the last goal.

You see the other three celebrate their win as you fall into the ground, breathing hard as you process what had happened. Why did you encourage him? Maybe you could have won if you hadn't, but it would have been wrong…

"Well done guys, we couldn't have predicted Barou's move" you say to the other two, trying to make the feel better after seeing their faces

You could hear them talking, but you weren't making up the words from so far away, you were only able to hear the last part of the sentence

"The only one who could mix into this chemical reaction without disappearing could only be you…Yn" you lay there, a few seconds pass before you could process what he said exactly

"Eh?!" You sit up immediately once you realize "me?"

"Come with us" Isagi simply says. Your eyes widen, but you stand up anyways, feeling a deep guilt inside you…you thought Chigiri would be chosen, what if now they lose again and one of them has to leave?

"Chigiri, I'll be waiting for you, don't you dare to leave me alone" you extend your arm

"I'll make sure to catch up" he says, a sad smile on as he extends his arm too; he then ruffles your hair playfully "well played today, you killed it"

"You too"

You notice that Reo was sitting down now, his head looking down after Nagi had come to say something to him

"Oi" you kick his back lightly with your knee as you pass him, a low grunt coming out of him when he raises his head "prove me wrong Elite, prove me that you don't depend on anyone. After all, sheltered kids like you always get what they want, don't they?" You say with a smirk, trying to rizz him up so he doesn't fall down

"You bet i will"

You start walking towards the winner gate, towards the next stage.

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