Shattering Humanity-Chapter 332: "There’s Just One Thing About Team Sports That Absolutely Ruins Them..."

Chapter 332: "There’s Just One Thing About Team Sports That Absolutely Ruins Them..."

"Those who hide the clear proofs and guidance that We have revealed—after We made it clear for humanity in the Book—will be condemned by Allah and ˹all˺ those who condemn.

As for those who repent, mend their ways, and let the truth be known, they are the ones to whom I will turn ˹in forgiveness˺, for I am the Accepter of Repentance, Most Merciful.

Surely those who disbelieve and die as disbelievers are condemned by Allah, the angels, and all of humanity.

They will be in Hell forever. Their punishment will not be lightened, nor will they be delayed ˹from it˺.

Your God is ˹only˺ One God. There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him—the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth; the alternation of the day and the night; the ships that sail the sea for the benefit of humanity; the rain sent down by Allah from the skies, reviving the earth after its death; the scattering of all kinds of creatures throughout; the shifting of the winds; and the clouds drifting between the heavens and the earth—˹in all of this˺ are surely signs for people of understanding." -Surah Al Baquarah 2:159-164

_______________

*CRACK!*

Katsu: "Good hit, Big Sis!"

Shelly: "Way to go, Big Sis Scylia!"

[Faithful Friends Firehouse Field]

The athletic woman with blood red hair stops at 2nd Base and once again, does the team celebration of pretending to eat from a huge invisible bowl.

The successful batter’s teammates in the dugout do the signal back at her while Xaaydagaay chases Friend, trying to get the ball out of the running pooch’s teeth

An excited Katsu looks deeper into his dugout and spots Princess Rebekah peeking over, knowing what Scylia’s two base hit entails.

Katsu: "You ready to try and score so we can tie this game, Ms. Princess?"

The little girl excitedly nods as she jumps up from her seat.

A slightly too large helmet is softly placed over her black pigtails and it covers her eyes.

Princess Rebekah lifts the protective gear away from her eyes to see her other Mama also standing up.

Zoram: "Make sure you keep your cute little noggin protected, Rebekah.

Don’t get hurt out there."

Princess Rebekah: "Hehe!

I know, Mama!

I know!"

Scylia jogs in from 2nd and she gives the tiny pinch runner a half five as they pass by each other.

As she walks down the dugout, high diving her teammates all the way to Katsu at the end.

Katsu: "Good hitting today, Big Sis.

I knew I could count on you!

Haha!"

The woman in her late twenties chuckles and looks over at the equally beaming Shelly.

Scylia: "Sports are more than just games to you two, aren’t they?"

The two Izanagi Captains look at each other before Katsu answers.

Katsu: "Each player in a team sport has a specific role they are entrusted with by the rest of the team.

In football, based on how well the lineman up front in the trenches play, can determine whether or not an offensive play or defensive scheme works."

He looks at his purpose to his right and puts a hand on her shoulder.

Katsu: "But in baseball, it is basically a game of 1 on 1 battles between the pitcher and the batters who individually step up to the plate.

Like all great team past times, both of the sides of chosen warriors are relying on the others behind them, in case they lose that 1 on 1 battle."

The oddly specific described detail, makes Shelly remember how Katsu had metaphorically stepped up to the plate the night before against Berserk Saku, after Shelly was knocked away from the battle.

[FLASHBACK]

Everyone outside of Sanpaku looks in shock to see the "meteor" fall out of the cement side to the freeway tunnel entrance.

The last of a heavily burned Shelly’s golden pink SoulSeiõrShield flickers then goes dark, her katana falls out of her clenched jaw and her eyes all white.

Shelly: "Ka-tsu..."

Itsuka: "Shelly!?"

Nobody responds as they watch her shaking legs keeping her balance until...

Itsuka: "Hey, Shelly. Maybe you should take a-"

Shelly: "OPEN A FUCKIN PORTAL!!! IF YOU DON’T, AND KATSU DIES I SWEAR, I WILL KILL EVERYONE OF YOU IN THIS FUCKING SANCTUARY!

I’VE ONLY HUMORED ALL OF YOU!

I DON’T CARE IF ANYONE BUT KATSU DIES!

DO IT!

OPEN ONE NOWWWWWWW!"

...

She falls on her face and her SoulSeiõrShield goes out as she cries hysterically in the dirt.

Shelly: "Katsuuuhoooohoooo!! I’m sorrieeeheeheee!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

I lost again!!!!

I’m sorry..."

As she pounds the ground for a while and throws a Valkyrie style tantrum, a familiar fist grabs Shelly’s wrist and to EVERYONE’S shock Laban DaeMon is holding both her mortal enemy’s arm and also a tear in her matching azule blue eye.

Laban DaeMon: "For the love of God, Skalmönd, do you even hear yourself right now?

I thought you loved that kid, and now that your sidelined, you’re going to completely doubt your partner to not clutch the dub for the two of you?"

Shelly’s eyes drop individual tears as she widens them in realization.

[END FLASHBACK]

The bright blue eyes of the prideful Valkyrie descendant are just as wide, realizing Katsu is basically explaining what her DaeMon rival had said the night before.

She turns her gorgeous gaze upon the pretty pinch playing princess over at 2nd.

The shortstop, Jormungand holds out his Iceman arm with his palm out to the little girl.

Intimidated at first, she flinches back but slowly gives him a tap high five.

After checking her own hand, and seeing nothing wrong

Katsu: "If a batter gets on base, they depend on the next person up to get a hit, and give the base runner a chance to score."

The captain/coach admires his Ace.

Katsu: "For the pitcher however, it’s the infielders and outfielders behind them who can be trusted when they’ve been personally beaten."

He finishes his explanation with a look over at Zoram as she gets ready to bat.

Katsu: "Baseball is a team game where one’s own loss or incomplete personal battles, can mean the rest of the team’s overall success in the end, but only when faith is placed on each other throughout the entire team."

At home plate, Saku looks at TayTay eating whole peanuts.

The shells of the legume shatter between his chompers, but only one at a time while his hawk watching Mama plays at 2nd Base.

Sol(sighs): "You really shouldn’t be eating the shells too, Big Guy."

She sighs again before putting her face in the open leather glove.

Sol: "Can’t be too demanding.

Have to take whatever he gives me.

I guess as long as he isn’t stuffing his face by the fist full."

Saku holds up his fist and then points towards the gigantic first baseman.

Saku: "Okay, there are no outs!

Infield, play is at first!"

He squats down behind the plate as Zoram steps into the batter’s box.

Zoram(thinking): *I’ve gotten the timing down on Itsuka’s pitches by now, but I’m not strong enough to hit it far.

I can only do what I can..."

Before the throw comes in, Zoram’s and Princess Rebekah’s Eyeliens EyeEngage.

Zoram(thinking): *...But I MUST do whatever I can for her success!*

The adopted mother and daughter disengage their symbiotes once Itsuka’s leg is thrown to the sky.

While still wearing her SeiõrSilkSleeves, Zoram’s grip tightens around the white tape at the base of the wooden bat, and she locks in on her 1 on 1 opponent.

In the Izanagi dugout, Katsu is watching from the only shadow I the corner.

He has his arms crossed at the chest and silently let’s put a cocky chuckle, only heard by himself.

His nihilistic thoughts sound like the polar opposite, compared to the usual energy of the outer Vessel.

Katsu(thinking): *Team sports...

The competitive strive amongst multiple groups of humans to win.

Every group, club, or team, containing individuals who have the same visions of success, together.

I really do love team sports as a whole...

I love playing them...

I love watching them...

And I love talking about them...*

Itsuka’s leg slams down, the wind from her shoe blows dirt off the ground, and her tone midsection tightens, although her 7th and 8th abdominals not yet showing.

Katsu(thinking): *There’s just one thing about team sports that absolutely ruins them...*

The tall, dark, and beautiful pitcher slings her arm forward, releasing the white blur towards her desired target, Saku’s catcher’s mitt.

It cuts the air and the usually quiet Middle Eastern Völva who keeps to herself finds all the strength she can muster in her own vessel. She takes her own countering hard step forward and her core flexes as she begins her swing.

Katsu(thinking): *...it is the species who enjoy watching team sports, the species who play team sports, and the species who talk about them.*

Zoram’s bat comes around and makes hard contact.

*CLACK!*