242A/N:
I'M BACK!
Sorry for the long absence for the Taiora guys. I got the other fic out of the way and now I have time for my first true love- Taiora!
So, are you ready for another story filled with fluff, suspense, drama, soccer, (probally some spelling mistakes, but deal with them, I do what I can) and most importantly… TAIORA!?
Before I begin- I do not have much experience with the game of soccer itself. I would practice with my little brother and I do watch soccer games, but as for the technical stuff, I will have to do a little research. SO, if I do get something messed up- by all means call me on it! Also the team names will be totally made up. I don't know that much about soccer, let alone Japanese soccer teams… so once again, deal with it.
Let's Go!
(PS- my computer was on the fritz, so I am now working on a Japanese computer- let me know if there are any weird characters, sometimes the apostrophes, quotations, and triple periods get a little retarded...)
"And now, representing Japan in this years Women's FIFA World cup, let's see the starting line up. On defense we have..." The announcer's voice only added to the roar of the crowd as the names of the Japanese women were called off. "In the Center Forward position we have the one, the only, the Princess of the Pitch, Sora Takenouchi!"
She heard her name being called, and she ran fast onto the field. The crowd was going wild. Banners and signs were being waved, and the person at the center of the attention enjoyed the warm sun and the warm welcome. This was her time to shine as well. She had worked so hard and long for this moment. To finally be here, to finally have her dream come true took her breath away.
Out of no where a loud ringing sound could be heard, she looked to see what it was and suddenly a giant alarm clock rushed at her... she felt cold, and looked down to realize her soccer uniform was missing. She was in her pajama shorts and sports bra... looking back up utterly confused she found the crowd and the FIFA tournament also had gone AWOL.
"Sora, it's time to get up." A voice called from off to the side. It was the giant alarm clock...
Sitting up in bed with a start, Sora Takenouchi looked around and found her self in her room. Her heart beat was still going a mile a minute and she was sweating a little, with a groan she dropped back onto her mattress.
"So, it was just a dream again." She muttered as she pulled the covers over her head once more.
"Sora! Will you turn off that damn alarm clock?" It was her roommate's voice from the other room.
Reaching her arm out from under the warm niche she had created in her bed, she tried to blindly find the snooze button. Instead she ended up pushing the damned clock off the stand and on to the floor.
It broke... but at least it is turned off now. She sighed to herself as she heard the thud of her third alarm clock that month. Extra early practice was making her buy a lot of alarm clocks. She rolled over and looked out her window. The sun was just about to rise above the city-scape. It was on mornings like these that she missed the little towns on Kyushu. In her home town, she never would wake up with tall skyscrapers and buildings upon buildings that made up Tokyo.
I couldn't be helped. She told herself as she rolled out of bed, mindful to miss the broken alarm clock. After making a mental note to drop by the store again to pick up a new one on her way home, she rushed to her shower and began her day.
Like clock work she was out of her apartment, piece of toast in her mouth as he grabbed her soccer gear and put on her shoes in thirty-five minutes.
Running down the three flights of stairs took mere seconds for her and she was off on her way to the training ground. There would be a game tomorrow and then the announcement she had been waiting for... the L. League (Japan's Women's Soccer League) cut. If she could get on a professional team in Japan, she would be on her way to finally making that dream a reality... but this time, no giant alarm clock and she would always double check that she had on her uniform.
Her shoulder length auburn locks danced in the morning breeze as she made her way through the urban jungle towards the practice field. At the moment, her minor league life was going no where. She had skill, which is why she had gotten scouted when she was in high school down on Kyushu. But she had insisted on going to college before entering the big time. This was partly due to her mother, but she too did want to have some kind of education before seeing where her dreams would take her.
However, at the moment, graduation from college was in sight, and she still was not offered anything permanent from the L League. That is why she had to work extra hard at tomorrow's game. Several scouts would be there watching as she played in the final game of her university years, and the University Cup Championships. The announcement of the L. League draft was also coming up...
'You can do this!' Sora told herself as she entered the college stadium and went to the lockers.
"Morning!" Several of the girls smiled at her. Extra morning practice had been called for that entire month, but Sora and two other girls made it a point to get there thirty minutes before the coach did. They were all in the same league as Sora. They wanted into the L League as well.
"Morning Kari, Yolei. You beat me today." Sora smiled as she began to lace up her shoes and adjusted her shin guards.
"Yeah, which means you killed another alarm clock this morning. Am I right?" the brown haired girl asked.
"Leave it to Kari to hit the bulls eye." The girl with longer purple hair smiled seeing Sora's reaction.
"Now, why would you think that?" Sora smiled as she closed her locker and ran out of the locker room. Those two knew her too well at times.
The three girls began to stretch as they chatted a little about classes. Kari seemed to be rather athletic, so she understood why she enjoyed the sport so much, but Yolei struck her more as a book worm, than a soccer girl. But all in all the three had become good friends from the very first day of practice.
When the rest of the team got there, Sora and her friends were already playing a game of one on one, with the third person the goalie. Since Yolei enjoyed being the goalie, that left Sora and Kari to take turns being offense and defense.
"Sora, if you don't get drafted this year, the L League must have the worst scouters." Kari said as took a much needed time out. Sora was definitely one of the best players she had ever played against. And that was a good part of the reason the university's team was undefeated for the time Sora was on the team.
"We will see. But you're just as good. I mean, I only got three goals off you today."
"Well, Yolei happens to be a good goal keeper as well." Kari smiled as the girls regrouped and returned to the full team practice. Tomorrow was sure to be a good game.
"Tai, I am bored out of my mind!" A blond haired man whined as he laid down on an expensive looking couch.
"Well, if you wouldn't have two timed Miko, you wouldn't be here at home annoying me with your boredom." A man with wild brown hair said as he stood in a spacious kitchen that was separated from the living room by a bar style table.
"Tai, I did not two time her." The other man defended himself with a slight scowl.
"Matt, you made out with another girl, I consider that two timing when you already have a steady girl friend."
"But it didn't mean anything! She was just a fan!" Matt said sitting up and trying to get his friend and roommate to see his side of the story. But knowing Tai, this was going to be difficult.
"So, you make out with all your fans now?" Tai asked as he stirred the soup he was making on the stove.
"Maybe." Matt said knowing Tai was not going to be sympathetic at all.
"Matt, why don't you go to the field and practice? Your game was off yesterday."
"That's because Miko doesn't answer my calls!" Matt said standing up on the couch.
"Well, maybe you shouldn't have kissed another girl. Then the team would not have lost because you missed that wide open goal!"
"Tai, you know I love to play soccer and all, but come on! Soccer is not all there is in life!" Matt said as he walked from the couch over to the large windows that lead to a rather large patio. At this time of night the darkened sky and the lights of Tokyo made a beautiful combination. And from their condo on top of a tall building, it made it all the more spectacular.
"Well, maybe for you. But soccer is important for me. Besides, I don't want to have to carry the team all by myself. I mean you are a forward too, and when we have a formation that calls for two of us, you should be thinking about the game and not your break up."
"We didn't break up!" Matt said turning around. "I... we..."
"Only taking a break? Didn't you say that about the last girl... what was her name? Fumiko?"
"Fumika." Matt corrected. "And we might work things out."
"Sure, wasn't Miko the girl she caught you with one night?" Tai shook his head. What had he ever done to deserve such a roommate? Granted it was a lot better to live with someone to split rent and other things like that, and it was convenient to have a good friend live with you who also happened to have the same job and all... but Matt could be very trying at times, especially when it revolved around his love life.
Tai knew he was a little jealous of Matt. Not the cheating and two-timing girls part, but the fact that Matt didn't have any problems talking with girls. The blond could walk right up to them and they would fall in love with him instantly. For Tai, things were a little different. In his short life so far, he had two 'relationships.' One was the most important, his love of the game. And that was one reason that his other relationship had gone sour.
A while ago Matt had introduced him to a lovely girl, who seemed to be a perfect person. They dated. Even got a little serious on a number of occasions. But after nearly a half a year together, things changed. Tai was glad they did as well. He was ready to pop the question, when Ami did a total 180 on him. The end of the relationship was rough, and even now a full four months later, Tai was reluctant to begin a new.
"Soups ready." Tai said as he turned off the burner and went to get two bowls.
"Do you usually cook?" Matt asked as he came to the table and sat on a bar stool.
"If you were ever home around seven o'clock, you would see that I do indeed cook for myself. And leave the left overs for you. Where do you think the food comes from that you find the int fridge? I suppose you will be joining me more often now? Or will you be finding a new girl?"
"I think I should take a break from women for a while." Matt sighed as he looked at his soup and then to Tai. "That's not what I mean!" Matt yelled at Tai for making a face at his last sentence. "I am not going gay! Besides, even if I were, you are definitely not my type. All Work and No Play Tai is not for a guy for me... I prefer something with more curves." He illustrated his point with two hands... a good amount of emphasis was put in the chest and hips area, Tai shook his head again.
"Well, tomorrow we have another practice, then the day after that we have a game and you better be on your best behavior because the officials from the girl's team have invited the new draftees to attend."
"Such a hard life for Japan's best soccer team! Why do we have to perform for some newbie girls? And why do we have a women's team anyway? I say one Tokyo Thunder is enough."
"Just shut up and eat your soup."
The game was over. Sora felt a bit sad knowing that this was the last time they would play as a team. Most would quit soccer all together and go on with their lives and chosen careers. And a few lucky girls might just have a chance at continuing playing soccer in a more professional atmosphere.
Sora hoped that this was the case for her. However, if not, there was a regular job waiting for her back at home with her mother. However, a flower arranger back on the island of Kyushu just didn't seem to be an exciting life style for her.
She needed the excitement and thrill of dribbling the ball past players and the sheer euphoria of the sound of a swishing net after a goal. To Sora, that was the only choice she wanted for her life. To eat, breathe, sleep, live soccer.
And she wanted it badly. So badly that she pushed herself harder in this game than ever before. She could tell that the other girls were doing exactly the same as she was, and that is what made it such a good game.
After it was all over, her team came off the field victorious. The award ceremony at the end was also a good feeling. Not that Sora was a bad winner, she didn't mind losing from time to time if the opponents deserved it, but being named MVP for the game, and for the team's season, and holding the trophy was a great feeling.
"Great job ladies!" Their coach smiled as they all returned to the locker room.
The atmosphere was a little tense as they entered knowing that this was the last time, and any minute now the scouts would come in and want to talk to the select few who got to go on playing.
"Sora, you were fantastic!" Kari smiled as she grabbed her towel out of her locker and wiped her face.
"Thanks, but I was glad to have you on defense. They were really good. Yolei, you saved us there with that last block! I was afraid we would have to go into extra time. I don't think I could have lasted that long."
"No worries, I had to keep us in the game. You were working your butt off over there, so it would only be fair." Yolei smiled as she too went to her locker.
The friendly chatter between the three suddenly stopped when Sora saw a figure walking up to them. She shared a worried but excited look with Kari, whose locker had always been right next to hers.
Her heart stopped as the scout smiled at both women. Still sweaty and in their uniforms, the scout finally spoke.
"You are the defensive player Hikari, right?" Sora's heart was crushed. Giving her friend a forced smile, she told herself to be happy Kari got a chance to go on with her dream. Watching as Kari walked off with the female scout, Sora tried to remain in control.
Never before had she felt like crying. Quickly changing, she grabbed her gear and told Yolei that she would call Kari later, Sora left the locker room.
Before she got very far a voice quickly got her attention.
"Miss Takenouchi, may I have a word with you?"
Sora turned and nearly fainted. Standing there before her was not just any scout. Any woman's soccer hopeful knew the insignia of the most powerful women's team in all of Japan.
"I was wondering if I could take some of your time and offer you a once in a life time opportunity." The man asked. "Can we go somewhere to discuss your future career as the center forward for the Tokyo Ladies Thunder?"
A/N:
Can you smell the Taiora coming? I can! Long live Taiora!
Please drop a line and let me know what you think! Review!
