CHAPTER 10: "At the top"

The next day everyone was in the tactics room again, ready to find out who would be the next opponent to beat, when Diego arrived tired and said:

- Wait! Don't start without me-

- and why are you late?... you have never been late before, did something happen? - Rubencho asked him; Diego started to doubt because he didn't know what to tell them, but he answered him: "e...this one!

- e...this one! I was helping my mother with her shopping, don't worry about me, we have to focus on soccer, right?

Again Rubencho found the young man's attitude strange and didn't want to worry since he insisted that he was fine, after this Bruce made him take a seat and gave the floor to Kitty:

- Our next opponent is the Centhury Fly... this team is one of the ten teams in Zone Zero, we will also be visitors this time we will play at Rockford Stadium, a stadium with a rock field and every so often there are certain elevations in the field when Reimon hears this Diego notices him asking him:

- What is it that worries you - Reimon thoughtfully stands up and answers him:

- This is a very difficult field, I remember that certain parts of it are elevated making it difficult to have a precise angle at the time of a pass and even to score a goal... the Centhury Fly players are the kings in this stadium, I could never understand how they move on this field.

- This field must have some trick, do you think you can figure it out, Reimon? asks Bruce.

- Ok... I will do my best, could you stay with me? I need another point of view besides mine," answers the young man.

- And why her? There are other people who can help you," says Rubencho all jealous; Valentina laughs and pats the young man on the back, saying to him:

- easy, silly, it's not for you to be jealous".

Bruce tells the others to stay and train, then Marcos remembers that he has something important to do and tells Diego that if he can accompany him, the young man gladly accepts and they both leave. In the house where Marcos was staying the phone rings and the young man answers it and starts talking, Diego observes some pictures of the boy and is surprised to see that his parents lived separated and that he did not show any sadness, the young man hangs up the phone asking Diego:

- I don't get it... your parents live apart and yet you are happy, how do you do it?

- I had to learn to get over it and not live with the pain... now I am happy, my father will come to see me to play, he is always busy but he told me he would set aside a little of his time for me and I am happy about that.

- that's good," replies diego.

- come on... come with me, I have some shopping to do," says marcos.

The afternoon fell and the youngsters said goodbye and the boy left thinking about how strong Marcos was in spite of the separation of his parents, apparently he reminded him of Rubencho. The day of the game arrived, in the locker room, when the Thunder World players were getting ready to play, Bruce came in with a letter giving it to Marcos and was surprised to see the letter, when he noticed that it was from his father, he got angry and said to himself:

- Diego observes him and notices that the young man is sad although he manages to hide it very well, he approaches him and asks him: "Are you okay?

- are you ok? you look sad-

-I'm fine... don't worry," replies Marcos with an arrogant tone.

Upon hearing how the young man had responded, he immediately noticed that something was wrong and wanted to help him but did not know how. Minutes before the game started, Bruce asked Reimon:

- Did you manage to figure it out? the young man calls Valentina and answers:

- we couldn't get much information... the only thing we managed to decipher is that every three and a half minutes the field rises and the parts where there are more elevations are the defense area and the goal area - with this information Bruce says to everyone:

- give your best effort! I trust you - I trust you!

The Centhury Fly High School started the game with the kickoff. Between passes they managed to advance, Marcos tried to make his quick throw to recover the ball but the player of the rival team made the Roca Impulso technique and managed to evade the attack, leaving the young man lying on the ground, he looked towards the stands saying to himself: -Why dad? why do you always do this to me? Centhury Fly was reaching the midfield when one of the platforms was raised and the player made a big jump passing not only the midfielders but also the defense, and in the air he deployed his Monster saying: -descend "Ave Férrea Frigias"- performing the technique "Storm of Feathers", Rubencho took out Thunder Lion but when he was about to do his technique a platform unfolded in front of him and prevented him from seeing where the ball was coming from putting the ball in a corner of the goal giving the first goal to Centhury Fly. Thunder World sacked, this time Diego gave a pass to Reimon while dribbling the ball and he said: "It's time for you to fall into your own game! looking at a possible elevation zone the young man went to the side of the field achieving that a platform was raised giving a great leap past the defense and in the air performed his technique dark roar, like Rubencho the platform of the archery was raised, but the goalkeeper of Centhury jumped, stood on this while rising and performed his technique crushing rock stopping the ball.

The first half ends, leaving the score 1 to 0. Everyone was cooling off, then Diego looks at Marcos and says: "I know something is wrong with you... why don't you say anything?

- I know something is wrong with you... why don't you say anything - Marcos bows his head and answers:

- I try to be strong but... my father was supposed to come to see me play but every time I do something important and I want him to see me he always comes out with some excuses... I would like him to see someday how strong I have become, that's all I want- Diego hearing this gets a little sad, but he smiles saying:

- I understand, but why didn't you read the letter... when you were talking on the phone you looked very happy, I don't think your father will abandon you, I'm sure he will come to see you, the game is not over yet... come on we have to win!

Both shake hands and the second half begins. The Thunder World players couldn't find a way to score a goal, the Centhury Fly forward used the platform again, but this time Rubencho used the platform to elevate himself calling his Monster to stop the ball, then the young man passed the ball to Alejandro, who gave a pass to Diego, the players of the rival team cornered him, this time the boy saw Marcos free passing him the ball when he was reaching the defense he heard a voice that said: -Look, that's my son! He's the one who's going to score the goal! the young man was happy to see that his father did what he promised him, at that moment a platform was rising and he took it saying to himself: - Diego was right... this time I promise I will read your letters father, but first we have to win- at that moment the young man could take out his Monster and called it saying: “The Knight Spear, Kaiser Lancelot" appears - performing the special technique "Lost Lance", the rival goalkeeper also used the platform but could not save the ball, giving the first goal to Thunder World, thus tying the score. As time was running out, Reimon gave a pass to Marcos and in the same way he scored the second goal, giving the victory to Thunder World

After the game, Marcos sat down to read the letter his father had sent him: -I may not be on time for some games, but I am sure I will get to see a great champion, so try hard, I will never abandon you, I promise" - Marcos was happy to see that Diego was right, he got up and when he was going to thank Diego, he left for the same reasons as the previous time, Marcos thought it was a little strange but he didn't pay much attention and looking at the sky he said: "Thanks Diego, you are a great friend: "Thank you Diego you are a great friend... never change".