Death and the Swordsman
By: Leelei
Author's Note: This was a spur of the moment idea that is turning into an epic. Some parts may seem a little mature, but the rating should cover it. If you like It's a Wonderful Life, or Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, you might enjoy this story. But that's all the hints I'll give you for now! :D Starts out slow, so please stick around for later chapters! (and please leave a review, too!)
P.S.: For all who haven't read my other stories- I am in a never-ending format battle with this web site, so I apologize if this comes out looking like total crap. I am trying my best, and it's one of my goals to get this thing working right. ; )
Ulrich ran down the soccer field, his feet feeling like weights as he dragged himself across the soft, green grass. He watched his other teammates kicking the soccer ball back and forth between each other as they dodged the opposing team members, waiting for the brunette boy to reach his mark. Panting and gasping for air, Ulrich slid to a stop a distance from the net and yelled to his teammates.
By then, Odd had retrieved the soccer ball and pushed past the other team, finding a small out to make a pass. "Ulrich!" he shouted. "Heads up, buddy!" The young blonde reached his leg back and swung at the ball, launching it into the air above the other kids on the field, and right above his friend.
Ulrich still panted as he looked up, waiting and watching as the ball started to fall towards him. Clenching his teeth together and gathering his strength, he bent down and shot up in one quick motion, throwing his leg out in front of him as he flipped backwards and kicked out at the falling ball. He had performed the move on nearly every field; the last shot of the game that would gain his team the winning point.
But that time, Ulrich didn't feel the ball's contact with his foot. That moment where he kicked the ball never came and his back fell to the ground with a thud, the ball following with a hard smack to his thigh.
Time seemed to have stopped for him then. The thought raced through his mind that he had messed up. 'Did I actually miss the ball?,' the questions clouded his thoughts. 'I can't believe I actually missed…'
"OW!" he cried out loud as he snapped back to reality and lifted himself up at the waist, grabbing his injured thigh. He looked up to see the other team rush over to him and a tall boy kick the ball away from where it had rolled next to him. He ran it straight to the other end of the field, scoring a goal for his own team to break the tie and win the game. Jim, the Kadic Phys. ed. teacher, then blew his whistle, signaling the end of the game and for all of the students to return to the locker rooms to shower and change.
Ulrich heaved an aggravated sigh as he closed his eyes and let his head loll back after propping himself with his hands.
"Hey man, what happened?" a familiar voice asked as he opened his eyes again and looked up to the side, seeing Odd standing above him and holding a hand out. "That was your move!"
"I know…" Ulrich mumbled in frustration, looking away and ignoring the offer as he got up on his own with some difficulty from the injury.
"Ulrich, don't worry about it," Odd said as he followed behind the limping boy. "It is just a game, after all. I'm sure no one cares."
Ulrich scowled at the defeat as he looked around and saw the other students on his team returning to the locker rooms. They were obviously irritated as their expectations of winning because they were finally chosen to be on the all-star soccer player's team were crushed. "Whatever," he grumbled. "Let's just hurry up and get back before Jim asks us where Jeremie is."
Odd frowned at his friend's depressed state but continued to follow behind him, not trying to cheer him up for fear of agitating him any more.
At lunch the following period, Odd brightened back up at the sight of their two other close friends, but Ulrich's glum mood was unchanged. The usual group found a table after getting their lunches, Odd and Jeremie sitting next to each other, with Yumi across from them and Ulrich flopping down next to her. Their conversation went on without the brown-haired boy's participation.
"So Jeremie, what did you and Aelita talk about during Phys. ed.?" Odd asked before he began hungrily shoveling food into his mouth.
"Nothing really specific, I was mostly just answering her questions about Earth." Jeremie replied as he balanced a spoonful of peas. "I didn't want to cut her off, so I just skipped gym again."
"You know, they're not going to keep ignoring your missed classes, Jeremie. Even a good student like you may not be able to survive Jim's complaints to the principal forever." Yumi informed him as she leaned on the table and slid her fork into the warm macaroni and cheese on her plate.
Jeremie just shrugged his shoulder. "I'll stop skipping when she's here," he said in response, not needing to identify who he was talking about.
"Well, then at least that will be soon," the raven-haired girl added and smiled encouragingly. She was pleased at her friend's thankful smile in return. Turning her attention to her left, Yumi then noticed how Ulrich was excluding himself. "Ulrich, are you okay? You've been really quiet."
"I'm fine," Ulrich snapped sharply in reply. He returned to his slouched position, continuing to stare at his plate.
Yumi's brow furrowed in concern. "What happened?"
"Nothing. I told you, I'm fine."
"Ulrich."
He hated that tone in her voice. That way she seemed to be demanding something from him, as if he had disappointed her somehow. "I just had a bad day, that's all," he finally replied flatly, not wanting her to find any attitude or aggravation in his response.
"Oh," Yumi said, relaxing her set stare at him and looking back to her plate. "Well, I hope you feel better."
"Thanks," Ulrich replied distantly. His mood was still unaffected by her concern. "I'm going to go lay down for a while," he announced as he grabbed his tray. "Odd, come wake me up before Chemistry."
"Sure, but leave your food here. You didn't even touch it." Odd said with his mouth full of pie from his own tray.
"Fine," Ulrich concluded and pushed it away from him as he stood up to leave. He had just pushed his chair in and had turned around when he felt a grip on his hand. Looking over again, he saw the questioning look in Yumi's eyes.
"Do you still want to meet later?" she asked him quietly.
"Yeah, I do," he told her, inwardly becoming frustrated again by the idea of breaking their date. "I'll meet you there."
Yumi smiled and let him go. As much as the drudgeries of the day were weighing him down, Ulrich still managed a half-smile for her before he left the table. He knew he never showed it, but he treasured her love more than anything and, deep down inside, he knew that his life would seem meaningless without her.
Okay, nothing to do with Christmas, but it's got the same theme as the classics of the season (That, and I was waaaayy too into reading Everyman in English oo) Chapter two will be posted shortly! Thanks for reading and, once again, please review! ;D