September 2, 2012
The boots were already laced.
Alex hadn't even had breakfast.
He'd been awake since five. Showered, changed, packed, and unpacked his bag three times. Rooney's message still sat at the top of his phone screen, but he hadn't dared to open it again. Not after what Rooney had said the day before.
"Keep it up. You'll hear from the senior squad soon."
It was early morning now, the Manchester air cold and damp. Mist clung to the grass outside Carrington like a warning. The world felt like it was holding its breath.
As he stepped into the training center, something was different.
The usual U21 buzz wasn't there. No Jesse waiting with jokes. No Curtis sneering. Just silence. Until he heard it.
"Marshall," called a voice. Firm. Familiar.
He turned.
Coach McGuinnes stood at the hallway intersection, arms crossed.
"You're with the first team today."
Alex blinked. "Me?"
Joyce raised an eyebrow. "You know another Marshall who scored a brace yesterday?"
Alex's stomach flipped. His mind instantly started running through every possible way he could mess this up.
"But I thought—"
"No time for thoughts. Get moving. Training gear's in Locker 14. Assistant'll guide you."
And just like that, Joyce turned and walked off.
Alex stood there for a second. Frozen.
Then it hit him.
This is it. What he has been working hard since he was a kid.
The hallway to the first team area felt like walking through a portal. A different energy entirely — sharper, heavier, professional. The walls looked the same, but the silence wasn't.
It was focus.
He stepped into the changing room slowly. Dozens of kits hanging neatly in individual lockers. Personalised. Embroidered. Untouchable.
Then he saw it.
MARSHALL#48Training Only – Development Pool
Still. His name. A real number.
He took a deep breath and began changing. His hands were shaking again. Not out of fear. Not quite. It was something else.
Expectation.
Pitch One – Senior Training Ground
It was already active when he jogged out.
The legends were there.
Rooney. Van Persie. Scholes. Giggs. Carrick. Vidic. Evra.
Some stretching. Some passing. Some already laughing like it was just another Tuesday.
Alex paused at the edge of the pitch. Boots rooted. He wasn't supposed to freeze, but how could he not? These were players he'd grown up idolizing. Players from posters.
Then someone jogged over.
"Oi, you Marshall?"
It was Tom Cleverley, grinning.
"Yeah."
"You're with us today. Don't worry, we don't bite." He paused. "Well, maybe Rooney does. But only if you outscore him."
Alex gave a weak laugh.
Cleverley nudged him forward. "Let's go. Boss doesn't like dawdlers."
Alex jogged in, heart hammering.
Sir Alex Ferguson was already watching from the far side, speaking quietly with Mike Phelan.
"Warm-up with us," said Tom, tossing him a ball. "Then they'll break us into units."
The ball bounced off his foot awkwardly.
Tom smirked. "Deep breath. Happens to everyone."
The session started fast.
No easing in. No "newbie" pace.
Rondo. First-touch drills. Five-a-sides. Position-specific rotations.
Everything was tighter, quicker, more demanding. The margin for error didn't exist.
At one point, in a pressing drill, Alex lost track of Van Persie's movement and left a gap. The Dutchman punished it instantly, flicking the ball through to Giggs.
Alex swore under his breath. But before frustration could swallow him, he felt a hand on his back.
"Don't ball-watch," Rooney muttered as he passed by. "Player first. Always."
No sneer. Just a correction. Professional.
Alex nodded, eyes sharpening.
The longer the session went, the more he settled.
Instinct returned. Feet steadied. He made a clean interception against Anderson in a tight space. Later, he released a crisp through ball that nearly led to a goal.
It wasn't perfection.
But it was enough.
When Sir Alex blew the final whistle, the squad huddled briefly. Then broke off.
Rooney jogged over again, sweat-drenched, breathing hard.
"You did alright, lad."
Alex blinked. "Really?"
Rooney shrugged. "Didn't fall over your own feet. Didn't piss off Vidic. That's a win."
He started walking away, then turned back one last time.
"You've got something. Keep coming back."
As Alex walked toward the tunnel, he caught a glimpse of Paul Scholes watching from the edge, sipping from a water bottle. Arms folded, unreadable as ever.
But this time, when Alex looked up…
Scholes gave a small nod.
Just once.
Back in the dressing room, his system interface flickered open in his vision.
System Update: Milestone Reached→ First Team Training Unlocked
Mentorship Path Activated: Wayne Rooney Synchronicity: 2%
New Temporary Buff Unlocked: "With the Pros"+2 to Awareness, +1 Stamina Recovery (Training Only)
Duration: 3 days
Alex closed the tab and looked up at his reflection in the locker mirror.
He didn't smile.
Not yet.
But he would.
Soon.