Hoshi Eleven - 1 - Learning the game

Raphael Peters

The ball laid there, battered and beaten. Hoshi was bruised all over. Hoshi wiped a bead of sweat of his forehead. He had to go on, he just had too. Gasping for breath, Hoshi pulled himself up, ignoring the excruciating pain he was experiencing. He gazed at his target. He strived to reach it. Stepping forward, he felt immense power rush through his veins. He felt no more pain. A blue streak of light shot up from his body into the sky. The clouds swirled round and the winds grew strong, overcoming everything but the bearer of it, Hoshi. "STORM SHOT!!!" he screamed as he shot the ball. The winds circled the ball, and the strength of the wind sent the ball crashing into the back of the net, with force of the unknown. 1-0. Hoshi turned back to normal and collapsed. It was too much for him. He fell unconscious, just like his father did when he was in the World Championship Finals. Like Father, Like Son...
Seven Years Before...
"I am the son of Heiwa, a legendary soccer player, and I will achieve the greatest, just like him!!!" screamed Hoshi, standing on top of a table, in Soccer Academy. "Get down, Hoshi, there is no point in trying to prove yourself to the whole class." said Saske. "Oh I think there is, cause you're one of the people I need to prove myself to, right Zumo?!" said Hoshi, nudging Zumo. Zumo was looking into a soccer news magazine, and then was finally brought back to life. "Oh, yes, pigs do fly, Hoshi, yes!!!" said Zumo coming out with the wrong words. Everybody started laughing. Zumo blushed. Hoshi fumed. "Aarrgh! I'll prove myself to all of you, just wait and see!" shouted Hoshi, storming out of the room.
"I'll show them, after all, they don't know who they're messing with!" muttered under his breath. Zumo ran after him. "Hoshi, I'm sorry for what happened." apologised Zumo. "It's all right, you were just reading, it's ok." said Hoshi quietly. They both walked together home talking about soccer and all their favourite players. "You know you can actually prove yourself of how good you are by passing the graduation exam tomorrow." said Zumo, his eyes widening. "Oh yeah, that..."muttered Hoshi. Hoshi was aware of that test, and he had been training for it ever since. "I've got to pass that exam, Zumo, otherwise all my training with Sensei will come to waste." panicked Hoshi. They both remained quiet for a few seconds. "Anyway, I got to get home, see you tomorrow, Hoshi!" said Zumo running to his home.
The next day...
"Welcome everybody, and we all know what's happening today, right!" said the teacher. The whole class shouted out. "The graduation exams!" they shouted. "That's right, and if you pass you get to join your own team!" the teacher whispered. "Oooooooh!" everybody gasped. Hoshi didn't do anything, he was just ready to get on with it and pass the exam.
2 hours later...
The exams were taking place. Hoshi wore his dad's old kit that he had when he was younger. It meant a lot to him. He ran onto the pitch. The graduation exam was a big match and you had to show at least one special move. Kick - off came and Saske had the ball. He was a truly formidable player, he was after all, now the world's best player, Senzo, the person who was the second best player while Hoshi's dad was still alive. Everybody had expected Hoshi to be a great player as well, but ever since Hoshi's dad died he wasn't cared about anymore, and he wasn't able to show everybody his skill, not that he was that good but the Soccer King had said to Hoshi when he was born that Hoshi was a destined Soccer King, the best soccer player in the world. His dad Heiwa had died before he was crowned Soccer King which was pretty sad, and now Senzo was crowned Soccer King which is something Hoshi's dad never would have wanted. Hoshi was done with thinking about all these stuff that he knew about his father, he chased after the ball, which was currently still on Saske. Saske saw Hoshi coming and smirked. "Ok then, com prove yourself then Hoshi!" Saske sneered. Hoshi fumed. He ran at Saske and slided towards the ball. Hoshi's defence wasn't very good. He slided straight past Saske into the side-line barricade. Hoshi hurt his leg in the process. Wincing in pain, Hoshi laid on the floor. "You'll never prove yourself Hoshi, and you'll never pass." muttered Saske to Hoshi walking away, laughing smugly. Hoshi growled and tried to get up on his feet, but he couldn't. Hoshi was lifted on a stretcher.
In the medical room...
"Hoshi, wake up..." said a mysterious voice that seeped through his ear drums, making him want to listen much more closely. Hoshi recognised that voice from anywhere. "Sensei?" he muttered. His sensei stood tall and looked at Hoshi madly. "You failed the exam." said his sensei calmly. Hoshi felt like he wanted to cry but he held his tears back and forgot about how he had failed literally right at the start. "Though it wasn't your fault, I should have taught you a move for you to be able to pass anyway." said the sensei. The sirens suddenly went. "What can it be!" said the sensei running towards the entrance, and then he found an old enemy. "Senzo!!!!!" he screamed. Senzo was holding a teacher in one of his special moves, Death Lock. "Leave me Senzo!" said the teacher with his strangled voice. Senzo's eyes glowed bright red and so did his hand as he was controlling giant red hands in the sky that was holding the teacher. "Leave him alone Senzo!!!!" said the sensei slipping on his goalie gloves. "Gyro Punch!!!" the sensei screamed as his hand turned into a giant rocky fist. It was actually a goalie move to punch the ball out, but when people use their moves as a fighting weapon, it's called a soccer battle. Senzo didn't have to think twice, he grabbed sensei by the hand with his giant hand and crunched the rock, with sensei falling from a high distance. He plummeted to the ground. Hoshi went outside to see the commotion, and then found sensei on the floor. "Sensei!!!" cried Hoshi meeting sensei. The sensei looked up at Hoshi. "It's too late for me now Hoshi, go, GO! Save yourself, quick...." the sensei's voice trailed off as he died peacefully. "Sensei..." Hoshi muttered as the tears poured down his face. "Ha!!!" laughed Senzo evilly. Hoshi stood up. His pain in his leg was gone completely. For the first time ever, Hoshi was face to face with his enemy...
TO BE CONTINUED...
 End of the first volume