Format issues, work, cosplay and all! Let's get this story completed! I did start writing this in 2007! High School Student Much! 10yrs later, 5 re-writes and here we are! Hope it's okay! R&R is appreicated

C1

The water was cold, the sun was bright, a perfect day for Blitzball. The Sphere Pool was filling slowly into the globe used for the spherical field. Being the middle of summer, the water would be crisp and refreshing to the players and the crowd.

The crowd was beginning to get restless with the anticipation of the game; this game was the opening game of the season. After 5 months in the off-season, everyone was getting antsy. Too long had they waited for the beginning of a new season and the hopes of many clubs for a chance of bragging rites for the next year.

The excitement was building as the pool filled further. For the last two years the Besaid Aurochs had been the runner up in the championships second only to the Luca Goers each year. But this year, something will be changing. The crowd knew it. A new coach had been hired in the off-season.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please take your seats!" said the clear over the stadium speakers, "The game will begin in 15minutes"

Shelinda was an old hand at this. It had been many years since she had been a Yevon Preacher – something she had come to regret when Yevon was found out for what it truly was – and now had progressed into commentating. People seemed to listen to her when she took this up, something new for her and her use of language was colourful to say the least.

People of Spira had come to listen for Shelinda at most of Spira's tournaments for Blitzball. The red haired and blue-eyed lady was a common occurrence. Blitzball was not Blitzball with out Shelinda.

The crowd cheered when they heard and were getting anxious and extremely excited. People started to walk to seats around the pool, pushing and shoving each other along the way. They were smiling and their children danced around.

Blitzball was still the most popular sport in Spira and still - even during the age of "Sin" - made the lives of many more enjoyable.

A flash of white hurried through the crowd. Jumping on chairs and leap frogging families as they made their way towards the locker room. Not many people took notice of this, shoving and moving quickly at a game like this was normal, almost something to be expected.

The large screens in the stadium showed re-runs from last season; most people were captivated by this; except one blonde girl who happened to be walking towards the stairs, the next obstacle in her way to her seat.

The white flash bumped into the young lady; knocking her to the ground. The flash turned back and from under a black hood he could see her crystal blue eyes as she glared death at him.

She took him in. Dressed in his white shirt and black pants; he seemed to be just another know it all guy who was in Luca today, in a hurry before the next match. She could see some black sprigs of hair under his black hood and startling red eyes. Something you didn't come across in Spira often.

"Sorry! I'll dedicate the winning goal to you!" he apologized as he turned and continued to run, yellow boots carrying him as fast as they could

"You should be!" she yelled after him.

The armour on his arms, she noted, he was a Blitzball player and that of the Besaid Aurochs. Not one she knew though, he must have been from this years drafting.

The girl continued on her way up the stairs and sat down at her seat. Perfect view of the Stadium and well away from the Coaching boxes.

Kano ran for the locker rooms at a full sprint - dodging camera toting tourists, spectators, fan girls, security and even his own parents to get there; he was late after all. His feet carried him quickly down the hall toward the Besaid lockers and he grabbed the doorframe - using it as an anchor – and pulled himself around and into the room. He stood before the rest of him team.

Alto looked up from the floor, startled at the sudden arrival of Kano. Alto was captain and also goalkeeper of the Aurochs. He had a younger sister whom also played for the team. Both grey haired. Both blue eyed. Both now looking at him with a obvious disappointment masking their faces.

They dressed in baggy yellow overalls and sandals, also wore black skivvies underneath and wore black ascots around their necks.

Kano looked at Kelly, smiled and shook his head and then looked at Alto. Kelly was 22 and her brother, Alto, was 23. They were the eldest two on the team. But nothing got past them.

Alto, though looking disappointed with Kano but couldn't suppress a surprised laugh as the huffing and puffing form of Kano bent over.

At 18, Kano was new and one of the youngest players on the Aurochs. He was generally a bashful and arrogant teen but today his nerves were eating at him. His first A-Grade game; the Big League.

Joe and Ash also looked at Kano. They acknowledged him then went back to talking tactics.

Joe and Ash weren't related but many swore they were. Both of them had chocolate brown hair and eyes and usually wore goofy smiles on their faces. Most of the time they kept to themselves, but not so much when Kano was around; they liked to tease him about anything he did, and Kano always played along in good spirit. They both wore black pants and yellow shirts with white leather jackets and white sandals. They played as fullbacks.

Jake was the last member waiting for Kano. He was Kano's best friend. The two of them fist bumped as Kano stood beside him. Jake had orange hair and hazel eyes. He wore a black jacket with no shirt underneath, yellow overalls and black boots. He also wore a white head-sweatband that made his bangs stand up. He played right center for the team and Kano played center. Jake was not much older than Kano, he had been playing for 4 seasons with the Aurochs and had helped Kano with his training. Only 22, he had a crush on the High Summoner's Daughter, who ever she was. Jake had only seen her once and "She was a Stunner".

An older man, who sat in the corner or the room, looked at Kano and shook his head making his absurdly spiky dirty blonde hair shake; it was Tidus, ex-player and now coach of the Besaid Aurochs. Tidus sighed at Kano, "We could have forfeited if you were any later."

Since the retirement of the once best player, Tidus, about ten seasons ago, the Aurochs hadn't had much luck with the Championships. Closest to winning was second place. But this was about to change. He was Coach now and he knew what needed to be done.

Tidus could see Kano was destined to be one of the best. The grey eyed, black haired student learned all of Tidus' best techniques and moves in a matter of months and was creating new techniques all the time.

"Uh… Sorry coach?" Kano grinned as he took a gulp of water from his bottle, "I ran into a pretty Blonde…"

Pretty blonde girl with crystal blue eyes; purple dress, black knee high boots accented with rose pink and white-rose pink arm cuffs on both her arms. She was a stunner. Kano couldn't help wondering if she was single and if he would ever see her again.

"Save it Kano." was all he said about the matter; throwing Kano's yellow jacket at him, "Now, I just want you to play like you always play - for fun and fairly."

Coach wasn't normally a serious guy. He had seen him about the Village laughing with Kanos Father and Mother. Best friends from what he saw.

"Aurochs, you're out now." called a security man from down the tunnel, as the team jogged past the coach.

Tidus slapped Kano upside the head, as he passed, "Eye on the game Kano, not the girls."

"If you say so Coach." Kano laughed as he turned quickly to face the coach; pulling a yellow jacket on over his white shirt, "But I can't stop the eyes wandering every now and again."

Tidus shook his head; Kano had a lot to learn.

Kano listened to the sound of the crowd, the wind blowing past the tunnel entrance, and Shelinda calling out the team member's names as they entered the pool. He was last to exit the tunnel and as he did, the crowd was louder than before. Shelinda called out his name as he dived into the Sphere Pool, and the crowd went wild.

The players got into position and the captains went to the centre of the Sphere. They represented with their hands a good luck movement and then shook hands. Alto swam back to the goal and the captain of the Luca team, back to the centre position; opposite Kano.

I wonder if she is watchin? Kano thought as his eyes stayed on the opposite center player.

The siren sounded and ten bodies shot towards the released ball. Kano managed to get his hand on it and pass it to Jake. Jake swam forward hard and passed it to the top of the globe of water where Kelly was waiting for it.

Kano swam forward hard and was waiting for the ball he knew was coming. Kelly was surrounded by three of the Luca players; she threw the ball hard to Joe who passed it straight to Ash. Kano swam harder for the top of the pool. Ash kicked the ball hard; sending it out of the water. Kano pushed out of the sphere in chase of it.

The ball was a good three meters above the sphere pool and Kano was closing in on it. He flipped forward and caught the ball with his foot sending it back into the pool. The ball curved and flew straight and true to the goal. The keeper missed the ball as it slammed into the net.

The point siren screamed and a single point was on the scoreboard for the Besaid team.

"First point goes to the Besaid Aurochs!" Shelinda exclaimed as she ran her hand through her red hair and managed to sit back down. The excitant and the sheer speed of the play made it difficult not to stand. The crowds were on their feet and screaming.

Kano watched the scene in slow motion. He was still in the middle of the flip. His hair flipped in the wind and water flicked from his clothes as he had his adjustments to go back into the pool in a swift dive.

As he did these adjustments, he noticed the blonde with crystal eyes he was ran into not too long ago. She was in the crowd, right behind the goal he was shooting at. Kano took note of this; after all, he did promise her the winning goal.

The Aurochs were on a roll this game, scoring another three goals in the first half but so were the Goers. The scores were even and the crowd was off their seats the whole game.

The half time siren sounded and Alto led the Aurochs out of the pool and back to the lockers.

Alto jumped for joy, "Kano! That first goal was-" but Kano tuned out. He was more concerned about the winning goal and how he was going to dedicate it to the girl; of whom he still didn't have a name for.

"I saw the blonde too, ya." said an all too familiar voice, "She was pretty but she was more interested in the ball ya. Not you.

It was Vidina, Kano's older and - often debated - wiser brother. He stood in the locker room as the team stretched and chatted about the way everything was going.

Vidina was 20 years old, two years older than Kano and his opposite. Where Kano had black hair and grey eyes like their mother, Vidina had red hair and brown eyes like their father. Kano and Vidina were Lulu and Wakka's only sons and both were Blitzball fanatics, though only Kano showed aptitude for playing.

"How do you know?" asked Kano stubbornly as he leaned against his locker, "You weren't anywhere near her."

"I was only playing with you, ya." Vidina became defensive and adjusted his yellow vest, "Don't get agitated."

"I'm not." he replied and took a swig from his water bottle, "How do you know about the girl?"

"I have keen eyes."

Alto and Kelly were discussing Kelly's mistake in the fourth minute. She had accidently sent the ball to a Goer. Alto was not happy with it and told her to watch it and she would be getting more practice with passing.

Joe and Ash were been pains to Vidina. They had decided to swap names and were going around changing them every few seconds. Vidina gave up with a minute of halftime to go.

"Vidina." said a male voice, "Wakka is looking for you."

"Right, Coach." and Vidina quickly left the locker room, also flashing Kano a knowing smile.

"I told you Kano." said Tidus as he sat on one of the benches; adjusting his belt and then his shoes, "Eyes on the ball."

They are. Kano thought as he ran a gloved hand through his black hair and sighed.

Alto dragged Kano by the back of his hood out of the locker room. Kano struggled as he stumbled backwards and Jake laughed with Kelly as they jogged past him. Kano managed to turn himself around and jog after Alto back to the pool.

The team dived in and swam around the pool before taking their positions. The crowd sat quietly as they waited for the beginning siren.

Kano watched the captain of the Goers; something told Kano that this half was going to be brutal on all of them.

When the siren sounded the captain of the Goers shot forward and grabbed the ball and was on his way to the goal guarded by Alto.

Kano charged him down and tackled him, managing to get the ball into the open where Ash collected it.

Ash took off towards the other end, tackling through the Luca players and managing to score in the end; but Ash was worn out. The run took a toll on him and his support, Kelly and Jake.

It was this that allowed the Luca Goers to score two successive goals leaving the scores tied at two all. Kano had a minute to turn the game around, a minute to sort it out. Alto signaled for Kano for an all out last stand and Kano responded.

When the ball was released Kano had bolted at it, as fast as he could swim and just managed to pass it back to Joe. Joe swam around the oncoming players and through them as he raced for the goal on the other side of the pool.

Kano chased after the fullback as though his life depended on it; only twenty seconds remained in the game, it was the last chance.

Joe saw Kano in his peripheral vision and as he was ten meters from the goal kicked the ball up and out of the sphere pool with Kano on its' tail. This was Kano's last chance, his best move, one always guaranteed to land a goal.

He chased the ball, just like in the first minute, with all his heart and concentration. Kano left the sphere pool and hung in the air five meters above the pool and hovered just below the ball. Kano flipped forward and landed his foot on the ball, slamming it back to the sphere of crystal blue water below him.

He watched mid-air as the ball flew past the Goers and their goalkeeper, and into the goal. Kano had scored the match-winning goal.

Now to keep my promise. Kano thought with a smirk.

Five seconds left…

"I don't believe it!" called Shelinda as the ball entered the goal, "Kano lands the last goal of the game!"

Four seconds left…

Kano readjusted himself in midair.

Three seconds left…

He placed his hand on his heart.

Two seconds left...

Kano looked at the Blonde with a trademark grin of his and a sparkle in his eyes.

One second left…

A two-fingered salute to the Blonde and a wink with his gorgeous grey eyes.

Siren sounds.

Kano landed back into the water with a perfect dive and gave the team thumbs up. The Aurochs had won the game in the last few seconds and secured the first game of the season. A perfect beginning to the year.

TBC

Thanks Team! Sorry about the format issues!

Kano belong to a Friend! Becky-McBecka-Pants

Square-Enix Owns the Rest!