Shattering Humanity-Chapter 335: "Our End."
"Start a youth out on his way;
even when he grows old he will not depart from it.
The rich rule over the poor,
and the borrower is a slave to the lender.
The one who sows injustice will reap disaster,
and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
A generous person will be blessed,
for he shares his food with the poor.
Drive out a mocker, and conflict goes too;
then quarreling and dishonor will cease.
The one who loves a pure heart
and gracious lips—the king is his friend.
The Lord’s eyes keep watch over knowledge,
but he overthrows the words of the treacherous.
The slacker says, "There’s a lion outside!
I’ll be killed in the public square!"
The mouth of the forbidden woman is a deep pit; a man cursed by the Lord will fall into it.
Foolishness is bound to the heart of a youth;
a rod of discipline will separate it from him.
Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself,
and giving to the rich—both lead only to poverty." -Proverbs 22:6-18
____________________
[Faithful Friends Firehouse Field]
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!"
...
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.
The ball cuts through 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.
The referees and umpires with a complex, making bad calls, and directly having an affect on the outcome...*
Zoram’s bat comes around and makes hard contact.
*CLACK!*
Katsu(thinking): *Unrespectable bad sportsmanship and cheaters amongst the lists of champions.
Never to be caught, and reaping the benefits stolen from the losing team that played fair...*
The ball flies off the bat in a line drive back up the middle of their infield.
Itsuka’s glove barely misses the frozen rope fired back at her, while dodging out of it’s way at the same time.
Shelly: "Look out...!!!"
Shelly, Scylia, and Drakania are worried and horrified.
Still in the shadows of his dugout, Katsu in the corner is scolding the situation.
Katsu(thinking): *And maybe worst of all, the fans.
The fanatics who cause mayhem to the surrounding area, and violence amongst the shit talking winners.
To idolize a super athletic human being because of their uniform colors, but if those colors change..."
The baseball is flying straight for Princess Rebekah’s face, as she is a few steps off 2nd base. The surprised little girl is frozen in place, not knowing what to do as the ball is flying straight for her.
At 3rd, Laban’s eyes widen as she sees the ball’s trajectory.
The blunt falls out of Laban’s lips as she takes a fast step towards her daughter, but it’s too late.
Laban DaeMon: "Rebekah!"
Zoram doesn’t run towards 1st, she stands still in disbelief, also knowing the accidental injury that is immanent whenever playing sports.
Zoram: "No..."
The ball is getting closer, and closer until...
*snatch*
Princess Rebekah is flinching back and her eyes slowly flutter open. She looks up in confusion and sees the back of Jormungand’s Iceman fist out in front of her.
Everyone’s mouth is wide open in shock.
The "knuckles" of the diamond-like hand softly taps the little princess on the helmet.
Jormungand: "Out.
Sorry princess, but I got you."
She looks over and between her two Mamas then back up at Jormungand.
Princess Rebekah: "Wh-What?"
Turning his hand made of the alien matter over, Jormy opens the hand and within the palm is the caught baseball.
Jormungand: "If someone catches a hit ball in the air and you don’t get back to the base, you’re out."
In the Izanagi dugout, the girls are more relieved to see the princess saved, and less worried about the double play made.
Katsu’s nose twitches and he takes a deep breath as he steps away from the wall, out of the shadow.
With the smile back on his face he signals over for his tiny pinch runner to come back over.
Katsu: "He’s right Princess Rebekah!
You’re out too!
Come back in!"
Zoram and Laban look at each other but eventually accept the fact she is okay
The third basewoman walks back to her position and the out batter meets her daughter in the dugout.
Zoram: "Rebekah, a- are you okay?"
Rebekah takes the helmet off and puts it down on the bench before sitting down next to it, resting her arm on top of it.
The close call seems to have the girl confused but also shook silent as she stares at the ground.
The guilty mother takes a moment to examine her daughter’s body language and goes to sit down with her.
Outside the dugout, Katsu and Shelly are having a captain talk while looking at the troubled mother and daughter.
The Yang Vessel has the bat and is leaning on it like a cane.
Shelly: "That was a close one."
Katsu: "Haha, yea.
Luckily Saku’s team is full of talent."
Turning to look at Shelly, Katsu puts the bat on his shoulder and smiles.
Katsu: "Welp, we’re down to our final out, and we’re losing by one.
It’s up to us Shell.
If I get on base, I trust you to bring me home."
Blushing Shelly nods and admires her captain as he walks to the plate.
Trying his best not to acknowledge his rival, Saku puts his mask over his face and squats down.
Katsu, still holding his secret resentment for his rivaling captain, uses telepathy once again to talk to his rival, but keeping his Anjell at it’s base kit while walking the last 10 yards to the plate.
Katsu(telepathy): *You have fun today, you bitch?
Did you have a nice team bonding moment?
Well you’re welcome.
If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have gotten any of this.*
Saku doesn’t respond as he stands back up and holds two fingers up.
Saku: "Alright guys, two outs!
One more and we win!"
Jormungand and Sol look at each other with smiles and nods of determination.
TayTay secretively eats two peanuts while his Mama isn’t looking.
Laban relights the blunt she had dropped then spits the bit of dirt stuck to her lip.
Itsuka closes her eyes and takes as deep as a breath her lungs can take. At the end of her exhale, she opens her eyes and looks at her own captain.
Itsuka: "I’ll give you everything I got, Saku!
Let’s finish this!"
Katsu approaches the batter’s box and looks at Itsuka with his usual friendly grin.
Katsu: "You better give it your all if you want to get me out here, Big Sis!
My team is relying on me to keep their hopes of winning this ’Takamagahara Instant Classic’ alive!"
Saku side eyes him from his squat position then shakes his head, annoyed.
Saku: "So freakin corny."
The Izanagi team is inspired and they all take a moment to admire the leadership behind the statement.
Once the chill runs up their spines, they lean forward in anticipation.
Scylia: "Come on Katsu!
You got this!"
Drakania: "Hit it good Katsu! We believe in you!"
Aiden: "If you get on base Katsu, our win percentage goes up to 97% with Shelly up next!"
Shelly’s left leg however is moving up and down, nervously. She is unable to keep it still while watches the man she loves carry the team on his back for the time being.
Shelly(thinking): *Please Katsu, don’t get out.
I have to prove to you that you can trust me to win for you again!
Your success here means so much more than just the team.
Again...*
The pitcher and batter both get in their designated areas.
Katsu’s grip tightens on the batas Itsuka’s leg begins her ascension and comes down with a driving force.
While batting right handed, the Yang Vessel’s Anjell Eye is the closest to the mound.
It focuses on Itsuka’s throwing hand as it moves as the half speed of real time.
The baseball zips through the air and Katsu swings at the fastball.
*POP*
With the ball in his mitt, Saku gets to his feet and tosses it back.
Saku: "Strike one!"
From behind Itsuka, Sol throws her fist into her glove twice.
Sol: "Nice pitch Itsuka!
If he hits it to the ground, we got you covered back here."
Jormungand: "Beating Katsu and Shelly...
We can do it!"
With everyone ready, Saku decides to start talking at a voice level only the batter can hear while giving Itsuka the sign to throw a pitch.
Saku: "I don’t know what your plan was today, and you might think you are setting up this score, your batting order, and those incredible catches..."
Itsuka nods at the signal and begins her pitch, but behind home plate.
Saku: "...In the outfield to make everyone think you and Shelly are the undisputed champions of everything, over everyone."
The pitch comes in and this time it is a perfect curveball that moves away from Katsu as he swings and misses.
Everyone in the Izanagi dugout is worried now.
Silent, with their leader down to his final strike, with their final out on the line.
Shelly gets up and everyone watches as she presses her face against the chain link fence to the dugout, shouting at her adopted brother and purpose.
Shelly: "Katsu!"
The batter looks over his shoulder.
Shelly: "I’ve been having so much fun, and I’m so happy we all got to play sports together!"
Everyone is smiling while listening to her confess.
Shelly: "I really want to see you pitch!
So please, don’t let this end!"
Back at the plate, Katsu nods and turns back around.
Shelly leans away from the fence but still grips it tight, watching.
In left field, Dom is listening and worries to himself.
Dom(to himself): "Katsu knows how to pitch?"
Xaaydagaay and Friend run by him and knock him into a cartwheel through the air.
Not yet in the batter’s box, Katsu talks to Saku telepathically once more, this time not with the hostile negativity of an enemy, but the truth of a heavy hearted young man with a secret even his contemporary force doesn’t know.
Katsu(telepathy): *You see Saku, I did none of this, instigated today’s baseball game, memorized the optimal batting order, or make those close catches to intimadate you or impress any of the members...*
He steps into the batter’s box and waits for the pitch. The tip of his bat sways slightly.
Katsu(telepathy): *I didn’t do it for glory.
I didn’t do it out of boredom.*
Itsuka nods and inno time at all, her leg is up and coming down to deliver the payoff pitch.
Katsu(telepathy): *Everything I instigate, is for her happiness and her progression to greatness.
I would never admit out loud that as of right now, she isn’t strong enough, but everything will be worth it in the end.*
The pitch comes in and it is a fast ball. Easily the fastest one thrown by either pitcher today.
Katsu(telepathy): *OUR END!*
The passionate and athletic young man drives his left foot forward and swings with all his might.
*CRACK!*
The ball sounds different than any other ball hit that day as well.
Everyone on the field(other than Tay) has open mouths, looking up and in the dugout, smiles with eyes up.
The ball sails and hits the scoreboard over right field.
Katsu smirks at Saku still in his squat behind the plate, and the trustworthy captain flips the bat and starts his jog.
