A Fear of the Inevitable

Disclaimer: I do not own Eyeshield 21.

Note: BOLD text are ENGLISH. ITALICS are THOUGHTS. NORMAL text are JAPANESE (imaginary).

Chapter 16: OH How Dastardly they come

Arrogance defines Kongo Agon. That, and self-awareness. No athlete will survive and emerge victorous based only on guts and stregth. Even a genius like himself, won't stand a chance in a world where only geniuses thrive. When he joined the NFL, he thought he would coast through his training towards a highlighted career, in a breeze, like what he did in Japan. How very wrong, he was. These amateur punks do not know what kind of hell he had gone through. Before he reached this peak in his career, he'd probably seen and felt the worst that the sport can throw at him.

That is why he believes that this match will not be easy. With the NFL season finished, he can bet that all the good players must have joined the blond hag's team. Their prices aren't cheap. The other team have probably offered him more than the others, given his fame and status. But in a game where money can be counted on, he knew of more than a few who would surely grab such an offer. And of course, coupled with a chance to crush a no-name team from an Asian country, headed by a billionaire businessman who probably doesn't have a freakin' idea of how the game is played.

Kongo Agon grinned to himself. His wife, sitting comfortably beside him - poised and proper- if not only as vicious as himself, would have fled the room seeing his menacing countenance. But she just sat there, chanting in her brain or meditating over some airhead thing. They were perfect for each other.

So Kongo Agon just grinned to himself as the rest of the team settled down around him. He grinned because if there was anyone that matches both his arrogance and his self-awareness, that would be no one else but Hiruma Youichi. The devil was why he chose to be on this side, rather than on the other. He not just want to see the trash play; he longed to be part of his plays. And he wanted to show those NFL bastards that he, Kongo Agon, can take them all, even if he only has these trashes on his side.

Robin had set-up the projector. As he played the contents of his research, the rest of the team settled in comfortable chairs and was served coffee and juice and snacks by the efficient and professional staff.

"Ehem - may I have everyone's attention please!" he shouted over the clink of glasses and expensive silverware.

"I would like to welcome you all to America. Shortly, we will be transported to our hotel where we will stay for the duration of this er- game" he explained.

"Of course, you have met our vicious, vile, and good for nothing, evil, witch-looking-" he muttered loudly, showing more emotion than he has ever shown before.

"Robin!" his boss spat.

"hag of an opponent!" Robin continued.

He did not stop until his boss fired a few rounds at the ceiling.

"Get on with the fuckin' briefing" the devil shouted.

"O- of course , Sir, right away sir.." he stuttered.

"As I was saying- you have met the old hag Antonia Harvey, who threatened the freedom and fortune of and FBL Enterprises. But who you have not met are the members of her team"

"so, may I introduce you to the team assembled to specifically crush and the rest of you" he finished, clicking a key on his laptop, flashing the profiles of more than 20 players.

He had put the last statement so bluntly that the rest of the team was not able to react.

As the faces and profiles of the other team's members were flashed, Robin rattled of their names and statistics, while all the people in the room listened with rapt attention.

"What does 'ex-convict' mean?" Suzuna whispered to Rikku, who sat beside her, with his arms at the back of his neck.

"It means he's been incarcerated before" Rikkun answered nonchalantly.

"Eh?"

"It means he's been to jail" Sena murmured.

"what? He's a criminal?" Suzuna whispered, loudly, this time.

"Ehem" Robin castrated her, with a stern look.

"He WAS a criminal, some time ago" Rikku corrected.

"But.. how can they play?"

"Well, in this game, there are no guidelines on who can and cannot play" Yukimitsu was the one who answered her, as he has been listening to their conversation.

"Right. It's just a game born of a bet between two scary people" Sena added, eyeing their Team Captain, who was, unexpectedly, playing with his daughter, showing her how to insert the cartridge into his choice firearm.

"They all look sccaaarry" Kurita commented, his big cake slice, forgotten.

"Scary-MAX" Monta whispered. "That guy stands 7 feet and 2 inches and - and he has assaulted 6 referrees in 2 years"

"He doesn't play in any league any more, he's already banned" Akaba added.

"They don't look so smart, ne, Akaba?" Kotaro asked his former teammate.

"They don't need to be smart" Taka commented, his eyes closed. He even looked bored.

"You're not even a little bit scared?" Monta asked the white-haired man.

"I'm only interested in fighting a receiver that can match my talents. If they have such on their team, then I am honored to play" he answered calmly, opened his eyes and looked at Monta squarely.

The shorter receiver looked back at the screen. "You're right, Taka-san. This is still a game. And we've fought bigger men, anyway" he said with new found resolve.

Taka sighed. He wished all people are as gullible as this monkey-brat. Of course he's a bit worried. The other team's players looked coarse and he'd bet they can be as brutal. But, though he is as fair as he is, as refined as the most refined, he simply cannot back down from this challenge. He looked at Monta again, remembered his triumphs against this small man and also remembered his crushing defeat. He has yet to prove he is the best. And now, this is his chance.

On the other side of the room, Mamori listened attentively, taking notes every so often, trusting that Youichi will not accidentally fire than damn AK-47 and scare / injure / maim their daughter (well, if he's equally good at anything other than American Football, that would be in handling armaments). As expected, Antonia Harvey saved the very best for her team. She assembled probably the strongest, if not the most notorious players, from the various amateur and professional leagues. She does not fear for Hiruma, nor for the team. She trust enough in their knowledge and capabilities to overcome any opponent. She fear, however, for her children, who do not deserve to be exposed to a game that is sure to be a demonstration of brutality, more than sportsmanship. They are just too young. But well, they probably think at the level of young adults and are probably smarter than her and their father combined. Still, she has not prepared them for this.

She looked at Megumi, intently re-inserting the cartridge, as demonstrated by her father a few moments ago, then at Hiroshi who is studying the contents of the Devil's laptop a few feet away from her (Wait! What is he looking at in there? a part of her brain panicked). And more than ever, she is determined to win this game. They have to win so that her family can be whole at last, because this is something they just have to get over with. On a lighter note, she thought, they are all together, and she has never seen the twins so happy and content. I'll be damned if I let you destroy this, Antonia Harvey, she said to herself, and went back to taking her notes.

"And that is all, gentlemen" Robin finished, shutting off his laptop, "- and ladies" looking at Mamori and Gen's wife.

Then Gen Takekura raised a hand.

"Er- yes Sir?"

"When is the game?" the former kicker of Deimon asked.

"Oh, that-" Robin started answering, but was interrupted by the ceiling rattling.

"The game is tomorrow, fuckin, old man" Hiruma answered in his assistant's behalf.

"Huh?"

"Huuuh?"

"HuuuuuuuHhh?"

(Apparently, the Huh-Huh brothers are still the Huh-Huh brothers)

"Tomorrow? But we haven't had practice" Kurita said, his eyes full of concern.

"Fuckin fatty! Are you a professional or what?" he spat, pointing his rifle at his bestfriend.

"But Hiruma- we haven't played together for years" Kurita answered.

The Devil Quarterback smirked and looked at the other Quarterback of the team, who was just sitting in a corner, almost asleep.

Shien "The Kid" Mushanokoji just tipped his hat towards his counterpart, signaling that all is well with him and that he can handle a game as near and pending as this one.

"If this is so, may I suggest that we go directly to the field and practice a few plays while the sun is still up" Yamato added.

"I agree" said Shin.

"Kekeke.. you fuckin' brats asked for it.. Get your asses off those fuckin chairs!" he shouted, finally blowing of a portion of the ceiling.

They all filed out of the room into waiting SUVs (limousines are old school). As their vehicles rolled out of the airport parking lot, their eyes looked towards the midday sun. Despite the seemingly tough opponents and the value of what is at stake, and their personal intentions and ambitions on the line, an aura of palpable excitement can be felt. Through it all, a game is still a game. And they are but players who live for it.

The phone rang 20 times. There was no butler to pick it up. Antonia Harvey has locked herself in her room. It was more like a suite. She lived in one of Manhattan's plush condominium buidings. This one was owned by her father. Now, FBL Enterprises owns it, Hiruma basically owns the whole building. They let her do anything she wants. She can bring anyone she likes. Most of them are men of shady reputations. None of them lasted. She was just too much. Except for her darling Yoichi, who did not even give her a second glance. She had always felt he merely tolerated her because she was, after all, her father's daughter. But she'd never thought their relationship would ever cross that line. The Hiruma Yoichi she saw earlier was someone she never knew - protective, serious, caring. She saw underneath his vicious devilish facade, a man who has found his purpose, and will fight to the death to protect it.

But she is equally as vicious and devilish. And her purpose is to be his spouse, to rule her father's empire, to be worshipped and adored by allies and enemies alike.

Her destiny rests on this game and she will win it.

"Hello?" she said into the receiver with her deep sultry voice.

"Hello, Marco, darling" she exclaimed.

"I just thought you'd be interested to play a game and meet your old friends" she answered.

"I will wait for you, Marco, darling. Tomorrow is the day"

"And don't forget to bring your pet.. what's his name again?"

"Ahaha.. yes, darling, whatever you say.. Bye.."

CLICK

She smiled. She cannot wait for tomorrow. She cannot wait to crush Hiruma's pride and look into his eyes as he kneels down before her in defeat.

End of Chapter

Been a while since I updated. Since the next few chapters will be about the actual game, me and my brain need lots of time and concentration. So I probably won't be able to update as frequently as before. Whichever way, I will finish this story during this lifetime. hahah