Shattering Humanity-Chapter 316: A Takamagahara Instant Classic: Shelly’s Curveballs
"Alif-Lãm-Mĩm.
This is the Book! There is no doubt about it—a guide for those mindful of Allah(God), who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and donate from what We have provided for them, and who believe in what has been revealed to you O Prophet and what was revealed before you, and have sure faith in the Hereafter.
It is they who are truly guided by their Lord, and it is they who will be successful.
As for those who persist in disbelief, it is the same whether you warn them or not—they will never believe.
Allah(God) has sealed their hearts and their hearing, and their sight is covered. They will suffer a tremendous punishment. And there are some who say, "We believe in Allah(God) and the Last Day," yet they are not true believers. They seek to deceive Allah(God) and the believers, yet they only deceive themselves, but they fail to perceive it. - Surah Al-Baqarah 2:1-9
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[20 Minutes Before The Start Of The Game]
Katsu and Shelly are throwing the baseball back and forth.
The blonde haired, blue eyed athletic woman looks at the ball in her right hand.
Shelly: "Hey Katsu..."
The younger adopted brother tilts his head in confusion.
Katsu: "Yea Shell?"
Shelly: "Katsu... didn’t your dad play baseball when he was younger?
I remember seeing some trophies in your house."
Katsu beams in elation. Remembering his Pops and the total amount of rewards his dad received in athletics.
Katsu: "Yea.
When Big Bro’s told us about his old war story with our fathers, I don’t doubt that my dad used his athletic skill to save his friends."
Shelly glows too, remembering her own father.
Katsu: "I still remember the day he taught me how to throw a curveball.
He was so happy when I finally gotten one of my pitches to break."
Shelly blushes and seems unsure as to whether or not she should ask the question on her mind.
Shelly: "K...Katsu..."
Katsu: "Hm?"
Shelly: "D-Do you think you could teach me how to throw a curveball too?
I-I mean, since you taught me how to throw and catch a football, and now you taught me how to properly throw and catch a baseball..."
Katsu’s smile shines as he gets closer to her.
Katsu: "Okay, so when someone wants to be a pitcher, they need to have what is called ’a pitch arsenal’."
Shelly: "...’Pitch Arsenal’?"
Katsu nods as he grabs the ball from her hands and lightly tosses it in the air and catches it.
Katsu: "Mhm!
So you can just ’hum’ the ball in at 90+mph, but sooner or later, the batters are gunna catch up to your speed.
Baseball is a lot about adaption on the fly, which was my father’s favorite part.
The professional players are so adaptive, that usually batters can get a timing down on a pitcher if they face each other enough."
Shelly is completely interested in the psychological breakdown of her adopted father’s favorite past time.
Shelly: "I can relate to that."
Smiling Katsu nods as he uses his fingers to examine the entire ball while continuing his explanation.
Katsu: "The curveball is one the most reliable ’off-speed’ pitches to have in your arsenal.
Seeing as you can already throw four seam fastballs at a professional level, your curveball should range from 10-15mph slower, which can make a batter uncomfortable.
Because of the spin rate and axis thrown on of a curveball, it causes the pitch to ’break’.
Shelly: "...’Break’?"
Katsu: "To curve."
Shelly: "Ohhhh..."
Katsu: "For the batter, timing is everything, so if you throw this pitch when someone is expecting one of your 90+mph heaters, they will get all twisted up at the plate."
Shelly: "I see...
So how do I throw a curveball?"
Katsu chuckles and rotates the ball to where he wants.
From inside his glove, the captain secretly shows and explains to his interested, adopted sister how to add yet another weapon to her athletic arsenal. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞
...
[Faithful Friends Firehouse Field]
Laban DaeMon: "You know what,fuck you Skalmönd.
Throw the hands right here, right now!"
Shelly raises an eyebrow but chuckles as she stares down the ex-Don with an Above Sanpaku.
Stopping the possible scuffle, a deflated Saku can be heard from the dugout.
Saku: "Laban...
Just get back to the dugout...
You’ll get another chance to face her later..."
...
Shelly looks at Aiden still on his ass and she holds out a hand for him to grab, which he does.
Shelly: "Good job Aiden.
I couldn’t have done it without you."
The #2 in academics easily heave-hos the larger #1 back up on to his feet where he dusts himself off.
Katsu: "Good assist Aiden!
Nice heads up play Shelly!
That’s what I’m talking about!
Alright, let’s go!"
Bashfully, Shelly nods at Aiden before she walks back to the mound. Once she gets there, the skilled pitcher looks back at home plate to see a smug Dom. The over confident knucklehead seems to not have learned from his teammate’s failure. He too points to the heavens with his bat.
Dom: "Don’t worry you guys!
I’ll get us on the board.
With just one swing."
Not taking his showboating as serious as Laban’s, Shelly chuckles while shaking her head and from center field...
Katsu: "Aye, Shell!"
The pitcher turns around and sees her purpose attempting to coach her some more.
Katsu: "Why don’t you try that pitch!"
Shelly nods with a blushing smile and looks back forward.
From his dugout, Saku becomes skeptic of the phrasing used by the fellow sportsman.
Saku(thinking): *What’s he talking about? In that short amount of time, there’s no way he taught her...*
Dom puts the bat on his shoulder and awaits for the pitch.
Saku carefully watches as Shelly begins her wind-up and in slow motion, Saku’s Anjell Eye notices how Shelly’s grip on the ball is slightly different from before.
Her middle and index finger are on top of the red stitched seam o f the ball and she twists her wrist spin release.
Saku(thinking): *He taught her how to throw a curveball!*
From center field Katsu is smirking as the pitch leaves Shelly’s hand and the ball breaks in mid air.
Everyone is caught off guard by the off speed, breaking ball pitch, especially Dom.
However, since it was her first ever thrown curveball, the pitch slips and curves hitting a twisting Dom right in the back with a *THWAP!*
Shelly: "Oh my God!
Dominic are you okay!?"
The batter, unable to answer or reach the spot where he was beaned by the ball, can only silently yell in pain.
Saku: "Take your base and walk it off!"
[2 Minutes Later]
At first base, Shelly is still apologizing to Dom while Itsuka takes practice swings off to the side.
Saku walks up next to her while Shelly walks over and takes her place back on the mound.
Shelly: "Big Sis Scylia, do you mind catching some curve balls while a practice really quick."
Scylia gives her the thumbs up behind the plate.
However, in deep disapproval...
Laban DaeMon: "Aye you already had time to practice!"
Shelly: "I didn’t know I was gunna have to throw these types of pitches!"
Laban DaeMon: "Well that’s too bad, so sad for you!
Guess you should’ve done that earlier!"
Saku glares over at her. Laban quickly quiets up and ducks back into the dugout.
He then looks over at Shelly.
Saku: "You got ten warm up pitches."
Shelly gives the competitor and nod of approval.
The Izanami captain EyeEngages with his vice-captain and Itsuka blushes.
Saku: "Alright.
Now that she’s got off speed pitches you can’t just swing crazily at her throws.
You’re gunna have to wait on them."
Itsuka: "But how will I be able to tell if she’s throwing a fastball or a curve though?"
Saku: "That’s the danger of her now, you won’t be able to tell except on her release."
Their eyes disengage and Itsuka’s beautiful face lights up, knowing the man she highly respects and loves has a way for her to counter Shelly’s off speed pitches.
Itsuka: "...’Her release’?"
Saku(nods): "Yea.
If you can notice a twist in her wrist right before she is about to release the ball, that means she’s trying to throw a curve."
Itsuka nods while watching Shelly practice throw her curveball.
The purple eye of the gorgeous light skinned young woman grows wider as she notices exactly what Saku had explained.
Shelly’s wrist noticably twists during her pitch and the ball sinks/curves into the dirt, hitting Scylia between the legs, but luckily with not too much damage.
Saku shivers also noticing where the pitch in the dirt has hit.
He looks back at his vice-captain with a twinkle in his human green eye.
Saku: "Just sit back and wait for the pitch to come to you, hopefully she’ll leave a hanger and you can send it yard."
He pats her on the head at Itsuka’s eyes fill with tears, but they quickly dry up as she gives him a nod of determination.
In the dugout, Laban sucks her teeth at the adorable sight.
