Oh my word, I am writing my first Sailor Moon fic since Operation: Reality
Check... *g* (sorry, I had to get that in)

Anyways, if you don't see much of a dialogue, it's because there isn't
one, save for the second narration - can't quite tell if the one doing the
play-by-play is Jack Edwards or John Motson. :)

Alrighty then, tomorrow is a VPM fic.  Please give your most critical
remarks as always, though I hate hate HATE negative emails and never get
used to them, I always think of them as growing experiences!

Tough break about France, eh? ;)
---
Caught in the Sun
A 2002 World Cup / Anime Fanfic Series
By Roehl Sybing (indef@infinitedeferral.com)

Episode Ten: One Last Stand
Group F: Nigeria v England @ Osaka
A Sailor Moon Fanfic

"The nation of England will hold its collective breath this afternoon, as
its beloved squad faces Nigeria in the hopes to get a win or a draw in
order to advance to the round of sixteen.  But the Nigerians, eliminated
from the tournament, have absolutely nothing to lose but their pride in
this match, and is expected to perform a brand of soccer that plays like
there is no tomorrow.  Here we are, minutes before the start of this final
group game, and the largest contingent of English fans out of all three of
their team's matcher make up a huge part of this capacity crowd at Nagai
Stadium.  A fan support thirty-five thousand strong has turned out to
support England to make one last stand for the second round of the World
Cup."
---
Mina took her seat among the raucous English crowds, keeping much to
herself only because the letters in her hands kept her preoccupied away
from the action on the field.

Just as the tournament started a week ago, she received some mail from an
old friend in England with whom she had secretly kept contact, letting her
know of all the things that had been going on lately in her old
neighborhood.  Not much to say, though; they've all gone on to different
places but have kept close contact with each other.  A bit of action here,
a bit of trouble there, but all in all it made Mina wish she could be back
in England, if only for a while.

Then there was the piece of writing that caught her eye, the news that
Alan and Katarina, growing apart by time and distance, had eventually gone
their separate paths.  Mina naturally felt sorry for her old friend,
Katarina, but knew an opportunity - or at least a remote possibility - was
at hand.  Alan was following the rest of his buddies to Japan for the
tournament.  The only thing left to do, then, was for her to attend the
game, and perhaps find him among the crowds in Osaka.

She felt almost at home, deep within the crowds that cheered for England.
Taking a good look all around her, it was as if nothing had changed, the
people of her old home being crazy about the game.  She always imagined
what it would be like if she had a moment like this with Alan...

Mina snapped out of her line of thought.  Without a doubt, she was too
wrapped up in wanting to find him so badly.  She found it hard to find an
explanation to justify showing herself to Alan, having thought her dead
after her last adventure in England.  Mina just wanted to see him one more
time, and perhaps experience what she felt when she was once Sailor V.

She looked up as the crowd rose to its feet.  The ball had sailed into
Nigeria's net and all of England joined the crowds in Osaka in jubilant
celebration in the early goings.  All around Mina, crazed fans jumped up
and down and even coaxed her into sharing their joy.  She did so,
sincerely happy for her team and putting on her best face possible.  Yes,
she thought, it was almost like being there, back in her old home.
---
The love-stirred Mina walked the concession area within the stadium,
having some food to ease her mind.  Would she go up to Alan, find some
reason to make the sudden surprise worthwhile?  Though he obviously
thought much of her, she was literally dead to him.

And what of her chances to find him at all?  The crowds were large, the
faces were many, and the space was very limited.  Sure enough, Alan was
here - he would not have gone to Japan otherwise - but finding one out of
fifty-thousand in the large Nagai Stadium recalled some old cliches.
Perhaps coming all this way was a bad idea after all...

Mina stopped herself.  This was silly!  No, she was absolutely going to do
what she set out to do, and that was capture a piece of love for herself.
It was a longshot, it was crazy, and it even drew a bit of ridicule from
her friends back home.  But she wanted true love in the worst way, and
though Mina would probably not find it tonight, she could at least see
what it was for one last time.  She would worry about revealing herself to
Alan once she got there.

She threw the packaged food into a waste bin.  It was not helping ease the
tension that Mina was feeling within herself.
---
"Late now in the first half, England's strikers have become very hesitant
since the opening goal that put them up one-nil over Nigeria.  Without a
doubt, they are feeling the weight of the responsibility that their nation
has put on them, but are aware that their task is indeed a daunting one.
Nigeria has threatened twice in this half to equalize, blowing past
England's defense as if it didn't exist at all.  This side has become
somewhat deflated since the initial jubilation, but they are nonetheless
determined to get out of this half and prepare for the next one.  They
have to find in their hearts the strength they are looking for, and we
will see if it is enough to lift them over the top."
---
Mina wandered about behind the seats, wondering where it is that Alan may
be sitting.  She could never forget his face, unmistakable as it was even
after all this time.  His clothes were quite distinguishable, too, as was
the manner in which he acted.  Mina knew everything about her first crush.
The only thing of which she was uncertain was if she wanted it badly
enough to act on her emotions.

There sure was a lot of people, Mina thought as she stood in the back,
behind them all.  One could surely get lost in this vast stadium,
unnoticed by much of the rest of the attendance.  She didn't want to think
that she could ultimately never find who she was looking for.  She clung
onto a hope that was indeed strong, if remote.

Then, a scream.  Mina looked up.  In the stands on the level above her, a
young woman was fighting to get away from a man who was getting far too
friendly with her.  Stadium security was largely reserved for the fans
closer to the pitch, but the one or two officers that were nearby were
occupied with other rowdiness.

The man had wrapped his arms around the woman, lifting her off the ground
and taking her who-knows-where.  The crowds behind the incident sat
oblivious, too wrapped up in the action of the match.  Not a soul that had
witnessed what had transpired had gathered the courage to stand up to the
injustice.  Mina was not happy with this, especially when the guards were
too busy to help.  She certainly had to do something.
---
"The English fans have become very quiet after the equalizer in the
sixty-first minute.  They are aware of the score right now between Sweden
and Argentina, and know that they must get this point in order to survive
group play.  If the other match going on right now plays exactly to form,
a loss here will surely eliminate England from the tournament.  Desperate
times among the players on the field for this team, as the momentum of
this match has shifted completely over to Nigeria.  Remember, the African
team has absolutely nothing to lose, which is making them very dangerous
as they have been keeping the ball in England's third of the field.  The
eleven players on for England need to save the day from a possible tragedy
on their home country.  Without a doubt, they are desperately looking for
a hero this afternoon."
---
The woman fought him with all her might, but the man held her firmly in
front of him as they made their way into the outer areas of the stadium.
The onlookers were put to shame as they stood not to lift a finger to
offer some help, while the various stadium personnel scrambled to put out
the fiery passion of the rowdy fans, magnified several times over by the
importance of the match.

The two made their way out through the open-air exit of the stadium,
devoid of many people, and thus interference, because of the ongoing game.
The man was in the clear, free to do what he wanted, as he clutched every
so tightly to his unwilling prize.  Free, that is, until Sailor Venus got
in his way.

He knew who she was, seeing her from all the papers and photographs of her
and the others in action.  The man was all but foiled.  Naturally, she
threatened him to stop what he was doing.  But, desperate as he was, he
was determined to make a fight out of what little fight he had.  He put
the woman down on the floor and kept her from fleeing.  It was hardly nice
to hit any woman with anything, but the man didn't care as he picked up a
large rock taken from the landscaping in front of the stadium.  Sailor
Venus did not have a chance to ask what he was doing as he, in vain,
hurled the rock in her direction, missing her by a great distance as she
ducked from the oncoming attack.

That did it, she said to herself, now getting into her own counterattack.
Sailor Venus saw all that was pathetic and evil in her adversary, and
thought that her love-me chain was a fitting show of poetic justice.  The
chain of hearts was taken from her waist and, in the blink of an eye,
wrapped around the man's pitiful body once she chanted the words to subdue
the woman's attacker.  Quite easily, he fell to the ground, unconscious.
He lay there motionless, long enough for the guards to finally notice what
was going on before taking the man away.

The officers, and indeed the woman that was saved, gave their gratitude to
Sailor Venus, as she assured them it was all part of her job.  She
especially burned into her memory the look of relief on the woman's face
upon her rescue.  Sailor Venus would never be in that position, but being
so independent made her at times less than content, making her wish that
someone would come to her aid.
Sailor Venus - Mina - transformed back to her normal self to get back to
what it was she was doing.  Once she exited her hiding place in the
stadium, though, all that was required for what she needed to do was right
in front of her.

Alan had not changed one bit, Mina thought as she stood some distance out
of sight away from the man of her pursuit, standing right there in the
back behind a section of seats behind the middle level.  He watched the
game as did everybody else in the stadium, but stood with a calm and quiet
demeanor that separated him from the rest of the actively jubilant crowds.
Mina rested behind a stadium support, watching him ever so intently.  What
was she going to do?  Could she possibly explain herself to him?  He was
right there!  Love was in her sight, there for the taking if she wanted it
enough!  Such a decision was never clearer!

Then and there, though, Mina's heart sank.  A woman went up to Alan and
greeted him.  Mina's eyes opened wide as she took a closer look at his
partner.  The woman who she had rescued from the attacker!  They kissed.
They kissed!

Mina gripped her chest, feeling her beating heart.  Surely she should feel
some sort of outrage at herself, some kind of anger over her actions that
ultimately denied her what she thought was hers.  But as she watched the
two of them walk, holding each other hand in hand, towards the seats and
away from her, was too empty of all emotions, after all that had
transpired.  Curiously enough - and she could not believe herself - Mina
was relieved!  She had done one thing for the guy she once loved and still
loved, and though she had never convinced herself that the prize in front
of her was never hers to have, she settled for making him happy, even if
he will never know.

Mina choked back a tear, finding deep inside a drop of happiness that got
her through the rest of the day.  All that was left to do was to return to
her seat, thinking about what may have been and what never will be, and
watch the game.
---
"And that's going to do it!  England did not get what they wanted, and
that was first place in the group, but they do salvage a point after being
outplayed by Nigeria.  Final score, one-one, as England advances to the
final sixteen.  There was a moment in the final minutes of the match where
they had a golden chance to make a lasting impression on everyone at Nagai
Stadium, when the team's two forwards had only the keeper to beat.
Instead, the second and decisive goal was not to be, and the hesitance all
came flooding back to haunt them and their attack was delayed and
eventually averted.  With the way Nigeria played this afternoon, some
might wonder if England is worthy of the opportunity they received to get
out of the second round.  Nonetheless, they walk away with this one, a bit
bruised and emotionally drained but eventually happy with the result.
Again, one-one, final, as England takes second place in the group.
Regardless of this disappointing result, there are surely more adventures
to come from this team, we promise you!"

END.

Next match:
Episode Eleven: Mexico v Italy @ Oita
A Vampire Princess Miyu Fanfic
---
Roehl Sybing
"The past is gone but something might be found to take its place" - Gin
Blossoms, Hey Jealousy

Infinite Deferral - http://www.infinitedeferral.com/
 - stories, fanfic, politics, j-pop, and some curling
every-now-and-then-when-it's-in-season


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