2026-04-14, 08:19 AM - Word count:
What does it mean to have talent?
Is it just being naturally good at something, having an affinity for it unlike others?
Is it the ability to easily improve in whatever that one category is?
Can hard work overcome talent?
Dante had never even considered these things, as to him everything was easy ... and that made it boring. When he bothered to try in school he aced everything, then teachers wouldn't stop bothering him and it quickly became an annoyance so he simply stopped trying. Dante could still remember that feeling in his chest as teachers asked him to join clubs, participate in contests, and do all the "extra" things people are supposed to do ... but that simply isn't Dante's way of life ... so how the hell did he end up here?
Camera's flashed around him rapidly, a barrage of questions coming from a dozen different reporters holding microphones just a little too close to his face like all reporters seem to have the talent to do. He was standing in front of a patterned wall with the logo of a soccer team on it, the academy team "Istanbul FK". This dreadfully lazy Canadian was way out of his comfort zone here, being roughly an 11 hour plane ride away from home and woefully underprepared for just how much attention he was going to get simply by ... existing. He had just arrived at the airport and disembarked from his plane, searching around for the car his manager was supposed to have sent to pick him up when the media popped out of every corner like they were waiting at a surprise birthday party. He was swarmed.
It was far too much attention for the young man, who was quickly trying to rush through this by giving simple, straightforward answers. Jeez, he really missed having Sei around to answer people for him. Whenever his cousin Sei was around he just took care of all the hard stuff naturally, it was just the way he was. Dedicated, strong, and logical. Family doesn't always mean friend, but Sei and Dante had always gotten along. Dante didn't need to do anything that required too much effort ... and being around him was actually pretty fun. Dante recalled their first meeting when his parents brought him along to visit Japan and was able to recall some fond memories, but the first time they really connected was during a big family get together in New York. Their second meeting wasn't really anything special at the start, just the two boys trying to avoid catching the attention of their extended family whom were present. Talking to them would be such a damn bore, Dante would probably fall asleep standing upright.
Instead, Dante began to walk off and wander. Sei followed him which Dante didn't mind, and they wandered the streets of New York. Instead of just seeing New York, they truly experienced it. There was people being beaten up in an alleyway, probable mobsters walking around like they owned the place, friendly construction workers, and plenty of kids bouncing around in these backstreets tossing a ball into a hoop. But they came to a park amongst the concrete jungle and that was where Dante discovered the joy of soccer. Pure chance. A ball was kicked towards them with impressive power, but Dante with a bored expression on his face just trapped it on his foot perfectly, killing it's momentum with ease. They walked away after watching for a bit ... just long enough for Dante to see one decent kick send a ball into the back of the opposing teams net. It didn't seem all that impressive ... not until later during their wandering when they came across some streetball. The ground didn't matter to them, every fall and scrape was just another reason to get back up and give the game 110%.
When Sei and Dante were passing by the net the ball bounced in their direction, but this time Dante didn't bother to trap it and kick it back. It was just pure instinct, a little tap of the ball with the end of his foot to bounce it up over his head before flipping around and smashing it into the close corner. That feeling Dante had when his foot connected with the ball ... the sound of it slamming into the back of the net ... it was like a revolution occurring within Dante's mind. He joined that streetball game and Sei not being one to get outdone so easily jumped into the game right after him. Who knew kicking a ball could be so entertaining?
From there on after, whenever Sei and Dante's families met there was always a ball involved. Those moments were what made Dante who he is today, and although some things have stayed the same after all these years he was looking forwards to playing with Sei, someone who understood him quite well. Unfortunately fate had different plans as Sydney never even made Dante an offer. He considered heading there anyways ... but what was the point if he wasn't playing soccer? Why waste a plane ride when they would just turn him down? Instead Dante just chose a team at random, and although he joined late it seemed there was already excessive fanfare involved. Every question the group of reporters asked him were unimportant to him.
"Do you plan on playing striker?"
"What made you choose Istanbul?"
"Do all Canadians live in igloo's, and is Istanbul FK planning on acquiring one for you?"
Lazy answers were all he gave.
"Yeah."
"Sure."
"No, but I'd take one anyways."
Yet there was a single questions that Dante answered seriously.
"What are your goals as a player?"
Dante's eyes gained a sharpness that wasn't present during the rest of the brief interview, and images of him smashing the ball into the back of that shoddy ol' net in New York flashed through his mind. There was only one thing in this world which got his heart pumping enough to reassure him that he was in fact, still alive. Only one thing which he felt like he could give his all. A single-minded goal that was far off into the future, yet the first steps on the journey there had already been taken long ago.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to become the best Striker in the world."
Is it just being naturally good at something, having an affinity for it unlike others?
Is it the ability to easily improve in whatever that one category is?
Can hard work overcome talent?
Dante had never even considered these things, as to him everything was easy ... and that made it boring. When he bothered to try in school he aced everything, then teachers wouldn't stop bothering him and it quickly became an annoyance so he simply stopped trying. Dante could still remember that feeling in his chest as teachers asked him to join clubs, participate in contests, and do all the "extra" things people are supposed to do ... but that simply isn't Dante's way of life ... so how the hell did he end up here?
Camera's flashed around him rapidly, a barrage of questions coming from a dozen different reporters holding microphones just a little too close to his face like all reporters seem to have the talent to do. He was standing in front of a patterned wall with the logo of a soccer team on it, the academy team "Istanbul FK". This dreadfully lazy Canadian was way out of his comfort zone here, being roughly an 11 hour plane ride away from home and woefully underprepared for just how much attention he was going to get simply by ... existing. He had just arrived at the airport and disembarked from his plane, searching around for the car his manager was supposed to have sent to pick him up when the media popped out of every corner like they were waiting at a surprise birthday party. He was swarmed.
It was far too much attention for the young man, who was quickly trying to rush through this by giving simple, straightforward answers. Jeez, he really missed having Sei around to answer people for him. Whenever his cousin Sei was around he just took care of all the hard stuff naturally, it was just the way he was. Dedicated, strong, and logical. Family doesn't always mean friend, but Sei and Dante had always gotten along. Dante didn't need to do anything that required too much effort ... and being around him was actually pretty fun. Dante recalled their first meeting when his parents brought him along to visit Japan and was able to recall some fond memories, but the first time they really connected was during a big family get together in New York. Their second meeting wasn't really anything special at the start, just the two boys trying to avoid catching the attention of their extended family whom were present. Talking to them would be such a damn bore, Dante would probably fall asleep standing upright.
Instead, Dante began to walk off and wander. Sei followed him which Dante didn't mind, and they wandered the streets of New York. Instead of just seeing New York, they truly experienced it. There was people being beaten up in an alleyway, probable mobsters walking around like they owned the place, friendly construction workers, and plenty of kids bouncing around in these backstreets tossing a ball into a hoop. But they came to a park amongst the concrete jungle and that was where Dante discovered the joy of soccer. Pure chance. A ball was kicked towards them with impressive power, but Dante with a bored expression on his face just trapped it on his foot perfectly, killing it's momentum with ease. They walked away after watching for a bit ... just long enough for Dante to see one decent kick send a ball into the back of the opposing teams net. It didn't seem all that impressive ... not until later during their wandering when they came across some streetball. The ground didn't matter to them, every fall and scrape was just another reason to get back up and give the game 110%.
When Sei and Dante were passing by the net the ball bounced in their direction, but this time Dante didn't bother to trap it and kick it back. It was just pure instinct, a little tap of the ball with the end of his foot to bounce it up over his head before flipping around and smashing it into the close corner. That feeling Dante had when his foot connected with the ball ... the sound of it slamming into the back of the net ... it was like a revolution occurring within Dante's mind. He joined that streetball game and Sei not being one to get outdone so easily jumped into the game right after him. Who knew kicking a ball could be so entertaining?
From there on after, whenever Sei and Dante's families met there was always a ball involved. Those moments were what made Dante who he is today, and although some things have stayed the same after all these years he was looking forwards to playing with Sei, someone who understood him quite well. Unfortunately fate had different plans as Sydney never even made Dante an offer. He considered heading there anyways ... but what was the point if he wasn't playing soccer? Why waste a plane ride when they would just turn him down? Instead Dante just chose a team at random, and although he joined late it seemed there was already excessive fanfare involved. Every question the group of reporters asked him were unimportant to him.
"Do you plan on playing striker?"
"What made you choose Istanbul?"
"Do all Canadians live in igloo's, and is Istanbul FK planning on acquiring one for you?"
Lazy answers were all he gave.
"Yeah."
"Sure."
"No, but I'd take one anyways."
Yet there was a single questions that Dante answered seriously.
"What are your goals as a player?"
Dante's eyes gained a sharpness that wasn't present during the rest of the brief interview, and images of him smashing the ball into the back of that shoddy ol' net in New York flashed through his mind. There was only one thing in this world which got his heart pumping enough to reassure him that he was in fact, still alive. Only one thing which he felt like he could give his all. A single-minded goal that was far off into the future, yet the first steps on the journey there had already been taken long ago.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to become the best Striker in the world."
