On The Side Of The Pitch With You

Chrono Stone: The Soccer Ban

Three months had passed since the Holy Road, and Tenma had been travelling around the country, teaching children from all over to play soccer as part of Gouenji's education program.

However, things took a turn for the worst when soccer began to disappear from Raimon. Tenma had just managed to get through with Fei Rune and Clark Wonderbot, the latter referring to himself as Wondeba. They had come from 200 years in the future to fight against El Dorado, a group of people who were responsible for the whole ordeal.

With their help, Tenma was brought into the past to fight alongside 13-year-old Endou Mamoru, as well as a healthy Tsurugi Yuuichi. Their fight was against Protocol Omega, a soccer team led by a boy named Alpha, who had the ability to turn his keshin into armor. Yuuichi and Tenma both managed to do the same, and they won.

However, they soon found out that, despite their win guaranteeing the formation of the soccer club, Tsurugi Kyousuke's past had been altered. Yuuichi convinced them that their current timeline is a lie, and rallied their help to bring soccer back to his younger brother.

And they did just that.

"Tsurugi!!"

He ducked away from the tackle and raised an eyebrow at the two brunettes. "What are you doing?"

"N-No, I'm just glad you're here..." Whether Tenma's stuttering was because he was nervous or because he hurt his head that badly, he couldn't tell.

Nevertheless, "It's the soccer club. Of course I'm here."

"Yeah!" His eyes shone in delight, so much that he couldn't help but give his own smile. "Um... Hey! How is Yuuichi-san doing?"

Well, he didn't expect that. "Oh, he's recovering well. His rehab is going great."

"I see..."

Thank you.

But it was exactly the next day that even graver news arrived. Principal Hirai came in and told them that soccer had been banned. They came to the conclusion that it was due to a friendly match between America and Japan from a month before, except that nothing about that match was friendly. They soon found out that Protocol Omega had been on the field and made some rough plays in the Japan representatives' stead.

After a brief lesson in space-time with Professor Crossword Aruno, they used Amagi's ticket to jump back to that time and did their best to fight, but Tenma had lost the ability to use Keshin Armed. Raimon Eleven was beaten to the ground, and the new Protocol Omega captain, Beta, replaced their love of soccer with hate. She had also imprisoned their coach in another dimension. When they returned to their own time, only Tenma, Tsurugi, Shindou, Shinsuke, and Nishiki remained.

"Our clubroom..." Tenma frowned when he spotted the 'no soccer' sign in front of their door. "We can't go in..."

"Because of the soccer ban." Shinsuke eyed a box of flat soccer balls. On the side, 'trash' was clearly labeled on it. "We couldn't change history back to the way it was."

"Even Sangoku-san and the others are gone..." Shindou added. "We're the only members left..."

"Tenma! Everyone!"

"Miss Otonashi!" Haruna's steps were heavy as she stared down at the box. "What would Coach Endou have said to all of this if he were still alive?"

That surprised them. They tore the sign off and ushered their counselor into the club room.

"No way! Coach Endou is dead?!"

"That can't be right!"

"What do you mean? We all went to his funeral..." Haruna opened her laptop and an article appeared on the screen behind her. 'Endou Mamoru Dies Instantly in a Car Crash.'