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Chapter 11: Roaring Rexes VS West Coasters

"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the first match of the soccer season in Rexville University! Today, the Roaring Rexes are playing against our visitors; the West Coasters from West Coast City, NorCal University, California!" said the commentator.

The university's stadium is filled to the brim, hundreds of students gathered for a good game of soccer this Friday of October afternoon. The team's mascot, a T-rex, is seen dancing around in front of the audience along with the visitor's mascot who's a walking palm tree with a coconut head. The West Coasters are still working on changing a new mascot. Even the guy inside the custom hates it.

The event started with an opening ceremony, a marching band, and a cheerleading squad before the players finally came around in the center of the field along with the opposing team.

On the bleachers, Keanu, Hunter, Milagros, Sergio, Natasha, and Xerxes sat near the front row seats. The home team is dressed in a red and blue uniform while the visitors dressed in green and yellow while the goalies were in a different color to stand out clearly on who is guarding the net; the visitor is brown and yellow while the home team is purple and red. Sol, Spicer (the current team captain), and Broderick are present and so as Xavier as he's the new potential goalie and the team decided to take the risk. Xavier spent his available time practicing with Broderick and Wendell. While Wendell is laid off temporally, he will cover for Xavier as a substitute if he gets injured or sent off (misconduct or foul play).

The two teams shook hands each other before lending a coin toss by the referee, the West Coasters were the first to play the ball and the referee blew the whistle.

"And it's play ball!" said the commenter. The Rexes went after the ball. The cheer and the excitement of the audience were so overwhelming for Keanu, the University must be very proud of their reputation all California-wide. Even at fall, it was always kind of warm that Keanu brought himself a thermal bottle of water to keep himself cooled.

"Never been on a match like this one before, huh, Keanu?" Hunter asked he was sitting next to him.

"I have been to Denver for a football game there with my Uncles. Uncle Derrick loves football." Keanu replied.

"You been to Denver? How was it?"

"It was great," Keanu said it almost quiet before the audience stood up from their seat as rising cheers erupted.

Hunter and Keanu saw the running leopard with the ball on his feet, heading straight towards the opposing goal. Before an opposing member could steal the ball away from Solomon Stone, number 04, he kicks the ball and strikes a successful goal! The opponent slid off with green grass on his knees and stomach.

"GOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!" Shouted the commentator. "SOLOMON STONE! ONE POINT FOR ROARING REXES!"

The audience celebrated, jumping from their seats and letting out their cries, Hunter and the coyote twins howled, Keanu just applauded, he would not dare to shout out like crazy and have a sore throat tomorrow.

Only ten minutes in the match and already the Rexes have scored one point. The Coasters have attempted to strike a goal when one member got a hold of the ball and kicked it halfway in the field which ricocheted a long and high kick to the net, but Xavier jumped with both hands stretched up in the air to stop the ball getting past the line, he didn't catch it but the ball bounced back on his chest as he landed on the ground. The ball was claimed by Broderick Wood, number 09, and ran with it under his feet and passed it to another teammate of his, they both exchanged the ball in zigzags as two opposing teams attempted to steal the ball from them.

The audience cheered loudly after that close call by the opposing team.

"Wow! First impression!" Said Milagros after she saw how Xavier stopped the ball from entering.

It was Broderick's turn to kick the ball to the net, but the reindeer-man found himself surrounded by five Coasters in front of him, he desperately kicked the ball ridiculously vertically in the air which one of the five players hit the ball by the forehead but Broderick, with his antlers, struck the ball back, passed over their heads, but the goalie caught the ball with both hands.

The audience let out an exasperated sigh.

"Oh, that was close!" Milagros and Sergio cried.

"Those guys acted like a barrier." Said Natasha the cat.

"Come on, Broderick, get it together!" Hunter shouted.

"There is still plenty of time." Milagros reminded them.

Not too long after, the Coasters have earned a goal. A bald eagle had successfully veered out of the way through the Rexes, he fooled Xavier into thinking he was going to kick the ball to the left but came out the opposite and Xavier was left to guess and leaped to where he thought was where the ball was going to hit. This was a sneaky trick that Sol and Broderick have taught him during his practice. Xavier hit the grass with his fist and muttered under his breath.

It was now one on one.

"That can't be good." Said Xerxes the dragon.

"They have definitely improved this year." Said Hunter. "No penalties so far, though."

"If only the West Coasters screw themselves up, then the Rexes can get a free goal."

"Coach Soto and Sol won't tolerate a drama queen like Neymar." Said Milagros.

In this post-Neymar world, no one wouldn't dare to act in pain and injured during a match unless they are genuinely hurt which there are an ambulance and paramedics on standby in case a player does get hurt.

The first half of the match ended while the players took a 15-minute break before continuing the second half. The score is still the same, both teams vainly attempted to score a goal. There hasn't been a penalty so far as both teams played cleanly.

Hunter wishes he could check them out to see if they are fine after their opposing team scored a point into a tie. Leaving high tensions to the spectators. Sol appeared out from the bleachers below and gave a thumbs up at the audience and one wink, specifically to his friends sitting.

At least it released some weight that Hunter had over his shoulders. Sol seemed very confident about it.

Keanu asked Hunter, "Do you think we can win?"

"Yeah, surely." He smiled and patented on his right shoulder.

The second half started. The players replenished after the break and returned to the field. Xavier was seen re-stretching his legs after he came back to his position. His green tail swift left and right and opened it like a fan which is something he does when he is agitated or stressed. Or he is fully motivated to continue his role as a goalkeeper.

The match resumed and both teams are fighting against each other to break the tie. The guys observed from the bleaches, following the ball, and who is holding it by the legs. Moving left and right until Spicer Morales, number 01, got a hold on to the ball between his legs for the longest, exchanging it with the leopard back and forth until his opportunity to aim at the opposing goal.

The audience rose from their seats at the momentum, this was it...

The human kicked the ball at the right clearing, but the lynx-man goalie stopped it with his bare hands reflexively, the audience exasperatedly sighed.

"Aw." Keanu sighed and took his bottle of water; it was getting warm.

The lynx threw the ball to resume playing as all the players ran back from the opposing side. Now things were getting serious. Once again, the bald eagle got the ball, the star pupil of the team majestically ran up to Xavier's once again, the parrot was waiting for the moment to randomly guess...

Everyone stood up from their seats and waited for a blockage.

The bald eagle kicked the ball, and Xavier caught a face from the eagle that screamed 'I've made a mistake'. Before he could respond to that, a white blur struck him right on his curved beak near the forehead between his eyes, he fell back flat on the ground between the white goal line.

Everyone gasped.

The ball bounced up in the air after the hit and flew over the goal net. The referee blew the whistle. The green parrot laid there on the ground.

"Oh, my God!" screamed Milagros. "Is he alright!"

"Good!" cried Xerxes, "That was a foul! They'll get a penalty."

"You idiot! Xavier is probably hurt or unconscious!" the coyote-girl hissed.

The players stood aback from the downed player, only Sol, Broderick, Coach Soto, Spicer, and the referee carefully checked on the parrot.

"Xavier? Are you okay?" said Broderick as he patted his face.

He mumbled, "Yeah...it was just a bump."

Sol and Broderick helped to stand him up. "Think you can keep up?" said the former.

"If my mom can punish me with a flipflop on my head a bazillion times, yeah, I can manage."

The leopard and the reindeer quickly glanced at each other with weird looks.

The referee gave the eagle a yellow card for a warning, even though he felt sorry for his actions as he made a mistake. Xavier nodded in approval. The referee then declared a penalty kick which Sol took his position as he faced with the goalie lynx alone. Sol doesn't know who this goalie is so he must be a newbie, as usual, so he cannot underestimate how he reacts. He did score one point against him, this alone without pressure with incoming players running around near the net made it all incomprehensible to concentrate which he doesn't know how on earth can Xavier and Wendell handle the rumble of running players trying desperately to kick a goal.

Now, this was his opportunity just him and the lynx, Sol did what he can do.

After the whistle, he dashed at a rapid speed which the lynx didn't respond to that and remained still in the net. He is running out of distances between him and the ball, he swung his left leg at the ball in place.

The lynx leaped instantly in instinct and caught the ball with his bare hands. He was good.

Again, the audience let out their displeasure.

"Oh, we were so close." Said Keanu with his calm quiet, soft voice.

"That lynx is really good." Said Hunter. "Maybe he was lucky to catch it."

"What are they going to do next?" Keanu asked Hunter.

The wolf shrugged, "Let's hope for the best."

The match continued without any scores so far, maybe this year the West Coasters have improved with newer teams or their luck is by their side. Hunter knows Sol, Broderick, and Spicer are the best players in the team that Rexville has ever had. Last year won second place in the semester tournament. Won in the first place by their rival the Conquistadors from San Diego.

Time has ended and extra minutes were given but, in the end, the referee declared a penalty shootout. This is when there's a tie at the end of the match. The team with the most successful kicks at the end of the shootout will be the winner of the match. If it goes more than five rounds without a miss, a Sudden Death will surge until a player misses a goal or succeeds.

"This is it, guys." Said Sergio, "the moment of truth."

Keanu took a swing of his thermal bottle, drinking the few cold ounces of water left.

After a coin toss by the referee, the Rexes start first the shootout. Five carefully chosen players will perform the shootout while the Coasters do the same. Spicer, Sol, Broderick, and two other players with potential skills are chosen to score a goal have stepped up intensely.

With the lynx in place, Spicer was the first to kick. The human heard the whistle, dashed at the ball placed in the penalty mark, and kicked it to the net.

He scored. The audience roared.

Now it was the opposing team, Xavier took over the goal area. He faced first the team captain, a black bear-man. The whistle blew and he skillfully tricked the parrot into thinking he was aiming at the left than the right. He scored a point. One and One, again.

On the second round, Sol followed up next, and back again with the lynx, let's see if he's good or that was just lucky from last time. After the whistle, Sol ran forward to the ball and prepared for one intense kick to the goal. The lynx predicted his kick and leaped at the left, Sol's right...

It was too early, and the lynx hit the ground and the ball flew over him, a terrible miscalculation, the lynx could have caught it but reacted too soon. Solomon scored! Two and One.

"If this keeps up over five rounds," said Milagros, "this could lead a sudden death."

"So, as long as Xavier catches the ball for once, we got a winning streak, right?" said Natasha.

"As long as they don't lose one point before the fifth round." Said Hunter.

Next was a human with red hair, Xavier prepared in his position, the referee blew the whistle and the player ran up to kick the ball at all his might.

The spectators witnessed as if Xavier predicted the ball, he blocked the ball from coming in! The crowd cheered ecstatically. Two and one.

On the third round, now it was Broderick's turn against the lynx. They exchanged glances at each other before they heard the whistle. The reindeer ran forward, with the ball in front of his sight, he swung his leg back and thrust it forward.

As a feline with natural reflexes, he caught the ball right on time this time around. Much to Broderick's dismay. Two and one stood still.

"Dammit!" cursed Broderick. But he still knows that they are one point ahead.

Xavier faced next to a human with blonde hair, Wendell could not sit down on the bench, watching him tentatively. This same goes with Sol and Broderick. This player had been faced from last year and Sol and Broderick know he's one tricky kicker.

The whistle blew, the human with the number 34 on his shirt ran with incredulous speed and rocketed the ball, their fears have happened, he struck a goal. Xavier vainly flew in the air on the left to catch it but flew under between his legs, scrapping his tail feathers like last time. Long plumes and short plumes snowed when the parrot-man crashed on the ground.

It was now a tie; Two and two.

"Que jodienda..." Xavier muttered on the ground.

On the fourth round, a human with brown hair, number 12, named Arthur Stores faces the lynx. The audience waited, the whistle blew, he ran left and right and fool him in any direction until he is running out of the distance between him and the ball and swung his leg out. The ball rocketing at the net to the left, the lynx leaps to his right and grabbed it with both hands while airborne. Arthur cursed.

The audience slumped their shoulders, but everyone was on the edge of their seats back again as Xavier stepped in front of the net. He faced a cougar standing in front of him.

Xavier is tired, and so as his team members, but during his training, he had to break in to make sure he can last longer during a 90-minute game, there is more than just standing in front of the net moving around and protect the ball as best he can. His adrenaline is still working at full blast and it won't stop until the end of the game. There's one more round left and he'll face the eagle that bumped his head with the ball before. Just thinking of catching was all he could think of. But right now, he's feeling like he's getting the handle of it, despite each player plays a different style.

Nobody knows what going to happen next. So finally, the whistle blew, and the cougar ran up forward with the ball. Xavier has no idea where this is going but he must guess by one shot at it, the cougar-boy kicked the ball and veered to Xavier's right, he leaped at it from the center with one stretched arm with an opened palm to stop it.

His right gloved palm didn't touch anything, Xavier once again crashed into the grass, but the crowd roared wildly. Confused, he quickly stood up and saw Spicer, Sol, and Broderick were jumping in celebration. The ball hit the post on the right and never went into the goal thoroughly.

It remained still; two and two, but jolly for everyone they are keeping it up, but it is not over yet.

The fifth, and final round. The lynx stepped back into his post and next was a sleek Doberman named William Hacker, number 05, ready to score.

The whistle blew, and the dog-man ran forward with the ball. Did the similar strategy on zigzagging and achieved his target, he kicked the ball with his right leg, the ball turned to the dog's left, the lynx leaped to his left and fell empty-handed.

The crowd cheered savagely. It was now Three and Two. William fist-pumped in the air as Broderick and Sol leaped onto him for a hug while Xavier was replenishing before going back to the field.

It was now or never; Xavier made back to the net and faced the eagle-man.

The guys in the audience were holding, their breath.

"Guys, this is it," said Hunter.

"What happens if the eagle goals?" said Keanu.

"Well, another round until someone fails a goal," answered Hunter.

The whistle blew, and the eagle rushed forward for the ball. Xavier remains squatted still in the middle of the net. The eagle-man dashed forward and thrust his right foot forward and kicked the ball straight, very forward right in the middle where Xavier was standing still. It was getting higher and about to pass above him. Xavier jumped straight up skyward with both arms raised above his head to catch it.

Not even anywhere near his stretched limbs and instead it hit him in the face again....

The ball bounced back and the whole spectators exploded loudly, jumping out of control as they celebrate their victory. Results; One and One. Penalty Shootout; Three and Two.

Xavier quickly stood up from the grass upon realizing he stooped the ball and finally ended the game. He shouted a war cry from the top of his lungs. Probably in pain. A good one.

"PUETA!!!"

"We won!" Keanu jumped. His white fluffy tail wagged excitedly and clapped his padded palms.

Hunter howled loudly and some other wolves in the audience followed. Others just cheered away as normal. One elephant-man, who is a professor, blew his trunk like a vuvuzela since they were banned eons ago, all of this was too exciting for Keanu that decided to howl just once, he let out a long, high-pitched howl.

Hunter caught the moment, it was so cute, he knows he's howling by the nose instead by the stomach as he does. Keanu saw he was caught and blushed. He's usually shy of howling out in public. Keanu looked away embarrassed, but Hunter patten his shoulder.

"That was good." He said. "But you have to do it by the stomach." Keanu nodded, but he doesn't want to sore his throat tomorrow if he howls often during the day.

The Roaring Rexes players ran up to the green parrot who is exhausted from playing against the West Coasters. Sol and Broderick were the first to reach him, both hugging him simultaneously.

"You son of a bitch, you did it!" cried Sol, kissing him on the cheeks, no homo.

Xavier would have slapped him for kissing, but he knows how much this means a lot for Sol and everyone in the sport, so he let it pass.

"After weeks of training, it was all worth it!" said Xavier. "Thank you, guys! For letting me play."

"Yeah, and so that means you're going with us to the after-party?" Broderick offered.

"Are you kidding me? After this, I'm going directly to the dorm and have some sleep, my feet are killing me!"

"Don't knock it 'till you try it, Xavier," said Sol, "but you're right, we're all tired."

The soccer stadium cleared up from people after the big game this semester. The next upcoming game will be against the Los Conquistadors from San Diego University.

In the men's locker room, the Roaring Rexes came back with victorious faces. They celebrated by singing while undressing, showering, and redressing. Xavier took a long cold shower that soothed his sore muscles and legs after leaping and jumping around the net which the guys never have seen him behave like this before.

"Xavier, get out of the shower," Broderick said as he knocked at the stall door. "Are you done?" the reindeer finished with showering, but others were waiting for any of the ten stalls to be available.

"Let me be me, Broderick~." Said the parrot, his voice was as if he never felt so relaxed in his life. "Let me be me~."

"What's wrong with him?" asked Sol as he passed by with a towel on his waist.

"Having the time of his life, I think." The reindeer chuckled.

The leopard dared to sink his head through the curtain and peeked inside which startled Broderick mutedly of his actions.

"Hey, Xavier, are you done?" Sol saw the parrot slumped on the tiled floor with eyes closed relaxingly and saw pretty much everything...

Everything.

For someone who is the least fit in the group, Xavier has shown improvement while training in the soccer club before the game match started. He was completely covered with nothing but green feathers all over except a few parts that shown blue and red. One leg was covering his privates, so no peeping to see his...

Xavier opened his eyes calmly until... "CABRN, QUE TÚ MIRAS!?"

A spurt of body gel for feathers splattered all over Sol's peeking face. Sol retreaded. Xavier muttered under his breath. "Pervertido como siempre." Pervert as usual.

Sol turned back at Broderick with a gel-covered face.

"Dude, what the fuck!?"

"You know, it's fun to see him behave like that." Grinned the leopard as he uses the towel on his waist to wipe his face. Not minding if he was bare naked in front of others. What a shameless leopard. "He cannot help switch his language."

"Don't go too far," warned Broderick, "remember what happened to Sergio, he didn't speak to him for like almost the whole semester."

The two walked away from the stalls, "Getting drenched with honey and pillow feathers by a compressed gun was really a classic." He sneered.

"Whatever, I'm going back to the dorm. Oh, and this afternoon, Hunter wants us to go to Keanu's uncle's café."

"Today?"

"Yeah, today. Don't worry, Sol, we can still go for the after-party this evening."

Broderick made it to his locker and dressed up for the afternoon to celebrate with his friends. He closed it and locked it and strode to the double door. A raccoon-boy opened the door on the left and passed him by, Broderick proceeded forward on the right.

In the Winters' Sun Café that afternoon, the fellas mingled away with iced coffee frappes, most of the talking was about the games, Sol's, Broderick's role and so as Xavier's role as a goalie. This semester's victory was a lucky stroke as they faced some serious competition with newer players from West Coast City. Keanu just sat and listened as he hears what is going to be next for them in the next match against the Conquistadors from San Diego. Rexville City's true rival.

Also next is Xerxes' football game tomorrow on Saturday, Xerxes' position is the tackle guard and defense guard given to his large build he is capable to keep the opposing team from getting their way or blocking the opponents. As for the quarterback, unfortunately, was the ferret that got suspended this month's match, one of the players will substitute him.

But all of this is another story.