Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ It's My Game ❯ Wanting to Win ( Chapter 1 )

A/N: This is for two people. 'Hana' for introducing me to Digimon and co- authoring my first Digi-fic with me. The second is 'Mero' the one who helped me though a hard time and made me realize that there can be a Kai without Hana. For all you who think I own Digimon I am flattered really but nope I don't. ^^;; It's owned by rich people in Japan. I wish I was one of them. I also got the idea of this from a book trilogy called "The Forbidden Game" It's not really all that similar but similar enough that I think I should give the author L.J. Smith credit where credit is due.

Feb.04/04 UPDATE: For all you who are first time readers, You don't really have to pay much attention to this notice. The only thing that may interest you is that I'm changing Cody to Iori and Yolei to Miyako and I haven't caught all of them yet. Their English names were bothering me. I'm sorry if this is confusing but it will be worked out shortly. All those who have read chapters, you're going to want to re-read them because I have re-written them with more information and things that will hold more consequence in chapters to come. Also details were lacking in some parts in the rush to put up another chapter so now it's to my liking. Please ENJOY! Hopefully Chapter 9 onward will be written soon.

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Tai lay on his bed tossing his soccer ball up and down trying to get his mind focused for the upcoming game. Not only was it the last game of the season, was also against Odaiba's rival high school, Nishi High, who, were also the toughest team to play against. Tai was feeling a lot of pressure resting on this game. This year he had been chosen to be captain of the soccer team and now it was his responsibility to lead his team to victory. If he wanted to keep the position of captain for next season, be better put on one hell of a show tomorrow.

"Tai what are you doing?" Kari asked from the doorway. She was already changed into her pajamas and was heading to the washroom to brush her teeth before bed.

Tai caught the ball one last time and sat up. "Not much. Just trying to get in the right mind set for tomorrow," he sighed.

Kari smiled "I'm not sure why you're so worried. You're the best soccer player I know! You're also the best captain, in my opinion, and Odaiba's soccer team has done great this year. I mean you've won almost all your games this season. That's better than last year. I'm sure tomorrow won't be much of a problem for Soccer God, Tai."

Tai chuckled slightly "Thanks Kar… Hey come here."

Kari crossed the room and Tai hugged her then ruffled her hair.

"HEY! What did you do that for?" Kari laughed backing away from her brother, trying to straighten her hair which was now full of static electricity.

Tai laughed as she smoothed her hair back into place. It was then that he noticed the glint of metal around her neck. "Hey Kari, what's that you got on?"

Kari pulled on the chain around her neck to reveal the pendent on it. The pendant was engraved with a picture that had a small little diamond in the middle with four small diamonds on each side, pointing North, South, East, and West. Four huge diamonds beside each small one finished the picture. It was the crest of light.

"Wow... it's been a long time since I've seen a crest. I've kept mine put away in a drawer so mom won't find it. It's been about four years now hasn't it? Since we were last in the DigiWorld…" Tai said. He smiled with a far off look in his eyes.

"It's too bad that you weren't there from the beginning like the rest of us! Kari it was amazing and you would have loved all of it. I just can't believe that you got sick right before camp started that year."

"But it all worked out in the end right? I got there and we did what we were supposed to do" Kari smiled, she looked sad almost "It's a shame that Wizardmon had to die. He was a great friend huh?"

"Yeah… I thought that we were done saving the DigiWorld after that. But then when Ken showed up as the Digimon Kaiser you got to have another great adventure. I can't believe that it was Daisuke, Miyako and Iori who ended up with digivices. I remember when they got pulled in the first time. I couldn't believe it when Daisuke pulled the egg of Courage." Tai laughed.

"Well Daisuke has been trying to be like you since we were little. It isn't surprising that he got the same traits as you and had them mirrored in the DigiWorld." Kari smiled. "And I remember when you gave him your goggles! I thought that Daisuke was about ready to pee himself with excitement! And he still wears them to this day!" Kari laughed, "I don't think that Daisuke will ever take those off. I hear a rumor that he sleeps with them on.

"Daisuke's a good kid, you remember that now Kari" Tai spoke softly.

"I know… I just like to tease him every once in a while. It is just weird having someone want to be just like your older brother and then have him be in love with you. It's almost like YOU being in love with me. I think that it is kind of creepy if you ask me. I still like Daisuke as a friend though." Kari smiled.

"Hey is there anything wrong with wanting to be just like me?" Tai laughed and winked at Kari.

"Yes there is" Kari replied seriously "The world couldn't handle more than one Taichi… With two it might explode! With all that hair… you'd start to suffocate people in the streets with it!"

"I'll show you hair!" Tai yelled as he shoved his hair in Kari's face. Kari laughed and pushed her brothers head away from her.

When Tai finally stopped laughing he spoke. "I really miss it in the DigiWorld. We had some great times there. Sometimes I wish that something would go wrong, just so that we could go back to save the day!"

Kari smiled back "Yeah, I miss it there too. It was almost like a second home for us back then wasn't it?" Kari played with her crest around her neck, "I like to wear my crest so I can remember it there… But you need sleep right now for the game tomorrow" Kari took the soccer ball from Tai's hands and put it down by his closet. "Good night" Kari said.

"Night" Tai replied. Kari then left his room and closed the door.

"She's right. What I need is sleep" Tai muttered yawning. He stretched and then took off his shirt.

~

The day of the game had finally arrived. Tai had spent most of the morning stressing about the game until Kari had been able to talk some sense into him. Tai didn't remember ever feeling this nervous about a game before in his life.

"I just know you're going to win Tai!" Daisuke said excitedly.

"You better watch it or you'll jinx him" T.K. laughed.

Daisuke glared at T.K. who had his arm around Kari's shoulder. "There is nothing wrong with encouraging a friend before a very important game" Daisuke retorted.

"Just relax out there" Sora smiled. She was leaning on Matt who had his arms around her waist. "I wish I was going to be out there with you today"

Tai remembered when he and Sora used to play soccer together back in the day. Laughing he spoke "It's your own fault for choosing to join the tennis club. I could have told you soccer was better!"

Sora laughed as well "I'm better at tennis than I ever was at soccer. If you were captain when I was playing, you would have never let me on the field!"

The look in Matt's eyes gave Tai enough encouragement that there didn't need to be an exchange of words between the two.

"Where's everyone else?" Tai asked looking for the rest of his friends.

"They are saving us spot's. Today's game is going to be PACKED!" Daisuke explained pointing off towards the stands where a large crowd had assembled.

Tai's eyes searched the crowd that had gathered and saw Izzy, Ken, Miyako, Joe, Mimi and Iori. They weren't far from the field and Tai felt better knowing that his friends were going to be close though the whole game. Izzy had his head buried in his laptop, like always. It was Miyako who first saw Tai looking at them and she elbowed Izzy. Izzy looked up and saw Tai. He then smiled and waved to his friend. Tai waved back, happy that everyone was there to support him..

"You guys should probably get up there too. Besides I need to warm up." Tai said.

~

The game was half over and it was a close one. Odaiba had a three- point lead and Tai had every intention of keeping it that way. If things kept going in their favor Odaiba would have no problem winning this game.

One of the other players of Odaiba had the ball. He looked around for who was open and Tai signaled to pass the ball to him. He heart was beating fast and he knew that this was his chance to prove himself.

Once Tai had possession of the ball he started to charge down the field zigzagging through the other players down to the other teams net. If he made this point they would then have a four point lead. Things were only going to get better from here on in.

Suddenly out of nowhere a girl with short blonde hair and fiery green eyes was running beside him. She was wearing a green and white uniform of the Nishi team. Tai knew that he had to loose her fast. He sped up but she kept pace with him every step he took.

Tai took another look at the girl. It was then that he recognized her as the captain of the other team. What sweet victory would it be if he could score a point with her covering him. Nothing else would make Tai happier.

The girl made a kick for the ball but as she did, the bottom of her cleat scrapped across Tai's shin. A searing pain shot thought his leg and he stumbled. The girl took a pause in her step as Tai tripped. He crashed to the ground in a roll and stopped. His leg was still aching from the cut. The girl looked down at Tai, almost with sympathy but she did nothing to help him up. She took possession of the ball and started down the field in the opposite direction while Tai lay on the ground starting to wonder if he had a concussion from hitting his head so hard on the ground. Things started to blur and he felt sick. He lay there waiting for the sickness to pass.

He could hear his coach call for a time out. Some of his teammates came to help him up but he brushed them away. It would be even more embarrassing if he couldn't get up by himself. Tai pushed himself off the ground and hobbled to where his coach was. He could see the concern in his coaches eyes.

"Tai, your leg doesn't look so good" his coach said pointing to his leg where the blood was starting to flow, "I think that you better sit the rest of this game out with an injury like…"

"Don't even say that." Tai said.

"Tai…" his coach started to talk again but Tai cut him off.

"I'm playing the rest of this game," Tai said with determination. "I just need to bandage this" Tai pointed to the blood on his leg.

"Are you sure about this?" His coach asked.

"Yes. Now get the first aid kit" Tai said. Tai was furious about what had happened.

His coach ran and got the first aid kit.

~

Tai pounded the wall with a clenched fist. Odaiba had lost by one point. He leaned his head against the wall, flattening the front of his huge brown hair. This was such an important game and he had let his team down. What kind of captain was he? But then that girl… it was all her fault. If she hadn't have injured him the game would have had a completely different ending.

"Good Game."

Tai looked up to see the blonde girl from before. She wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her left hand while offering her right to him so they could shake on the game.

"Maybe it was good for you!" Tai said, not even taking her hand.

She dropped her hand by her side and her eyes held a glint of anger "Well at least we know that the best team won. You should've known that you couldn't beat us. We've been undefeated all season! What the hell made you think that you could beat us?"

"You won by cheating! If you hadn't kicked me, I would have played just fine out there for the last of the game and Odaiba would have won! I just had a handicap for the rest of the game. I bet you kicked me because you knew I was good enough to beat you" Tai turned towards her. He flinched slightly as he tried to put weight on his injured leg.

The girl slapped him across the face. Tai looked at her in disbelief, not really understanding that his cheek now had the imprint of her hand on it and was turning a bright red.

"I was never afraid of you. I could have beat you hands down! Besides, only a stupid player would keep playing when they know they can't. You should have sat the second half out!" She said half smiling.

"The game would have been different if you hadn't kicked me!" Tai glared.

"Well I guess we will have to wait until next season to find out who's better. That is, if you haven't lost your position of captain. What a shame that would be, but after the way you handled this game the Odaiba captain position may be open for others" she said half laughing.

Tai clenched his fist and glared at the girl. How could she just stand there and mock him.

"What do you mean by that?" Tai managed though clenched teeth.

The girl looked up, "Well it seems as if your fan club is coming. I guess I should go" she said turning to walk away.

"Yeah, you should" Tai muttered to her retreating figure and kicked a rock in her direction.

Everyone surrounded Tai.

"Who was that?" Daisuke asked.

"Hey, wasn't that the girl who kicked you earlier in the game?" Miyako asked.

"Yeah, she came to gloat her victory" Tai said, still in a bad mood.

"I told you that you'd jinx him!" T.K laughed at Daisuke. Daisuke just glared at TK

Matt grabbed a hold of Tai's chin and pulled Tai's face closer to him. He looked at the red cheek "Is that a hand print? Did she slap you?"

Tai nodded. "Apparently violent tendencies are one of her best traits."

"She's just a bad winner… I've heard that that team is really cocky." Sora added.

"I still lost the game and let the rest of my team down. We've been training so hard this season FOR THIS GAME! It's all my fault!" Tai said as he pounded the wall again.

"No Tai, it wasn't your fault Tai! You got injured and you played to the best of your ability after that. You didn't ask her to kick you, but it happened. No one can blame you because you did your best. That's all anyone could ask of you." Mimi said, "How about we all go out for ice cream?"

~