Hey rissalissa here sorry for not updating my other stories recently my laptop broke on me. Right now I'm using my brothers laptop, and I got this idea and just had to write it out to get it out of my head. I'm suppose to get a new laptop in a couple months so hopefully I'll update more often!
So this story is about what would happen if Sawamura had a real coach in Jr. High. So this is a smart Sawamura story because one day while watching the anime I got this notion in my head that Sawamura is kind of like Naruto in the smarts aspect, and we all know even if Naruto is on the slow side he is not truly all that stupid. So I'm making Sawamura have a chance of brilliance even if he will have some flaky moments. So please tell me what you think!
Sawamura Eijun didn't know when exactly his life change so much. But if he had to pinpoint one exact moment then he would have to say it was the moment he injured his leg in a game the beginning of his second year. He enters his knee so bad that he had to be transferred to a child specialist Tokyo only to find out he just needed therapy the type of therapy that one Niigata Akihiro specialized in. One Niigata Akihiro who use to be one of the best catchers in pro baseball. So of course of Sawaamura being who he is in his therapy session he begged to get Niigata to coach his team because they didn't have one. But of course Niigata didn't want anything to do with baseball after his career ended ending injury to the shoulder. Still that didn't deter Sawamura in getting what he wanted, and sure enough one of his therapy sessions Niigata finally broke.
So there you have it the one exact moment that changed Sawamura's life forever. That's how they got this far anyway. Without Niigata's help his team wouldn't have gotten this far in the first place. Sawamura thought this all while he was standing on the pitching mound about to pitch one of the most important pitches of his life. The reason this pitch was so important was because he was in the middle of the finals for his towns Prefecture. No one ever really thought that his team would've ever gotten this far as they were a public school who was about to close down at the end of this year anyway. Because of this it made them the dark horse of the series. No one expected them to even get past the first game, but here they were standing in the finals all because someone finally paid attention him and this team.
But that didn't matter now all that matter now was that when they won this game and showed them that they weren't just a dark horse but champions. All they had to do was defeat Okino Kadonomaro the reigning champions of their Prefecture. It all came down to this in the last inning only first base was loaded. With two strikes in the bag all hehad to do was out one more batter they would be the champions with one point ahead of Okino. He wound up his pitch try not to think of all the other things on his mind just on his catcher's mitt. Releasing the ball it looked as if it was going to make it. Hell everyone probably thought it was going to make it, but instead there was a big...
Clang!
He followed the ball with his eyes all way back to left field to his teammate trying frantically to catch the ball as it came down from the sky. But it was all in vain as the ball came rolling to a stop in his glove. Trying to salvage the play his teammate throwed the ball to first baseman whom through to the third baseman, but it was all in vein because the runner was already making his way to home base. All he could hear was the umpire yelling safe and that was it. Okino had won there wasn't an inning after this to make up the lost point. All there was after this was the roaring crowd that made his ears ring. After all their work blood sweat and tears they had lost. He guessed the black horse never wins after all. It wasn't the worst part either because he was the one who got most of his friends into this baseball business in the first place. It wasn't just that he was there ace and Captain.
He felt as if he was a zombie while lining up for the last think you. He had really thought that they could've done this. He wasn't even crying unlike the rest of his teammates. Instead he just felt numb to his core.
'What's wrong with me?' He looked up at the sky that clouded up in the middle of the game with rain drops. 'I guess even the gods can feel our sadness.'
After the game felt like as if time had slowed down, it was as if nothing would matter anymore. It didn't make sense what went wrong. It wasn't as if they hadn't practiced enough because they did. They probably practiced more than any other team. All he could come up with was it was his entire fault. Only if he didn't pitch fast was right down the middle. Then maybe just maybe they could have had a chance. But as he kept thinking what he should have done different, everything just kept coming up blank. Nothing he could have done probably would have actually made everything worse.
Picking up his head and looking around him on the bus that he was on with all his teammates going back home to the town that was routing them on. He could see all the faces of his friends and teammates cry made his heart hurt. These were the guys who stuck with him through thick and thin. Even when he wrecked his knee, and thought his baseball career was over they still kept on fighting for him. After this disaster he didn't know how to make it up to them by sticking by him even though they didn't want to do it at the beginning. He knew just had to say something.
Getting off the bus one by one his teammates went down the stairs to their middle school courtyard. He could see the faces of all his teammates' parents waiting for them probably just getting back themselves from the game. But he knew what he had to do.
"Huddle up guys!" Faces turned around to look at him with tears in their eyes. "I know we didn't get it this time, but next year will be different. We'll get to nationals even though we didn't get there this year because even though we may not have as much talent as the other teams we have just as much or maybe even more heart!" He could see the change in their faces with the words spoken in his speech.
"So who's with me?" The echoing screams of his teammates yells would probably stay with him for the rest of his life. Because this is what it meant not just to be the captain but to be their ace. It meant stroking the fires in their hearts that he knew was there.
"Okay then just because our seasons over doesn't mean that you will get to slack off. Because next time we'll come back better than ever that means practice. Go home get some rest just because we had a game today doesn't mean we don't have school tomorrow." He watched all his teammate's backs until they dissipated into the crowd of parents before he went to look for his own.
The next day wasn't different than any other day. Before class started he had a meeting with the guidance counselor to talk to him about his high school choices. Other than that everything was normal same teachers, same room, and the same people till the end of school when he had baseball practice with his team. This went on and on until one day the cycle got interrupted. This is the day his life would change again for a second time and would stay that way for a long time.
"Hey Eijun! Hey! Someone's here to see you." A voice rang out calling to the teenager hunched over on the desk in obviously teen's room. The teen woke up to turn around to see who called out to him. The teen turned around to the voice of called out to him to see an old man.
"Oh come on grandpa I was having such a great dream I don't care to go see who ever came for me." While he said this he didn't see the hand that was stretched out to slap him. And bam it connected and he fell out of his chair. "Stop dreaming!" His grandfather screamed at him. "Now wash up and come downstairs. Someone came all the way from Tokyo to see you." The boy looked up to us for grandfather a ridiculous look on his face and could only say the one thing that came to his mind. "Tokyo?" The old man just nodded. "Yes now hurry up and come downstairs she's waiting for you."
Coming down the stairs and going into the dining room he could see his grandfather, mother, and father in a sitting position across from a woman in glasses with her hair tied up in a business suit. "Nice to meet you." He turned his attention solely on the woman. "You must be Sawamura Eijun." The woman smirked and pushed up her glasses, and pushed across a piece of paper on the table that read Takashima Rei Seidou High School baseball. While he was looking at the paper she started talking again. "I'm the assistant director of the Seidou High School baseball team. My name is Takashima Rei. We would love to have you on our team." All while she said this Eijun found a place to sit in between his parents.
"Seidou High School?" What in the world was a Seidou High School recruiter doing here? His grandfather interrupted his thought process. "Hey! Seidou High is a famous baseball school that has been the nationals numerous times!" He had already known who they were, but he didn't want to let the lady across from him know that. It would just mean to her that he already had an interest in going to her school. "That's supposed to be amazing or something?" He could hardly feel the shock from everyone around him. "There are tons of professionals on TV who graduated from Seidou." His grandfather whispered to him even though everyone in the room could hear him. "Is that supposed to be amazing or something?" He asked already knowing that it was amazing that they've been the nationals because he himself almost tasted nationals himself. "Anyway playing baseball is more fun than watching it on TV." He laughed to himself before getting a smack across the face from his grandfather with a shut your mouth screamed at him. While he lied on the floor trying get over the slap he got. His grandfather faced the woman and bowed to her. "Please excuse my grandson's ignorance." All she could say was no problem to the face of the man who slapped his own grandson. His grandfather rose from the bowing position asking the all-important question on everyone's mind. "But why would such a famous school in Tokyo come here looking for him?" She answered the question that his grandfather had asked with an answer that surprised his family. "I was present at the game he played the other day and saw great talent in him." His family were all in disbelief and turned to him with the "This is your chance, Eijun!" All synchronized which was a little creepy. "Tell her you accept the offer before she changes her mind!" His grandfather told him with his mother following up with. "We need to celebrate with the feast tonight." He rose from lying down on the ground with disbelief on his face. "What?Hold on…" But he was cut off by his grandfather once again. "Do you have something to say?" Yeah he had something to say.
"I'm going to Tokyo just to play baseball? Besides I don't want to play baseball in such a stuffy environment." It was more like he didn't want to go to a private school just like the one that had beat him in the finals. Shock again was present from the people in the room by what had come out of his mouth. He sighed and told them his reasoning's for saying such. "It might be true that this will be much easier than testing into a school. But I'll be chasing after the same dream wherever I go. So I'd rather do that with the teammates I have here at home." There was a pause after his rant before the recruiter spoke up again. "I see. So, when would you like to pay us a visit?" There was one thought after she said that throughout the whole families' thoughts was that she just didn't give up. Eijun crawled from the spot on the floor to the table to protest. "Wait-" But the woman still didn't give up said "We are getting busier as time goes on so it would be nice if you could come as soon as possible." All he could think at this point was 'Is she even listening?' "The basal field is a mirror that reflects the players' spirit. It is the only place you can find the truth, Sawamura." She continued on. "The truth?" Eijun muttered. "That game. That final ball you pitched… Bottom of the ninth, two outs and one on first. A single hit might cost you the game. That pitch was unlike any pitch you made before. You raise your right leg without a hint of doubt in you. Your form, balanced on one leg, was truly beautiful. Your natural ability to prevent a bad outcome showed as he stood in danger. Or perhaps it was your pride as a picture, but that pitch…. You threw instinctively with your heart and soul to take that batter down." All while she explained this to him he thought about her reasons she thought he pitched so beautifully she was wrong on most accounts but on the last one she was correct. He did pitch heart and soul to take that batter down. But still.
"That last ball I pitched?" He asked her hoping for an answer. "I saw the qualities of a true pitcher when you threw that ball." But that really didn't answer his question he thought. His family though called a family meeting even though she could still hear them. She interrupted them halfway through with a. "Anyway, you should come to see one of our practices. From what I saw, you didn't have an actual instructor or rivals who drove you to strive to improve at your junior high school." But she was wrong on both accounts he did have those things it just looked like he didn't have an instructor because how weirdly he pitched. The rival thing the other hand he did have one it just wasn't a tangible one his rival was himself or at least himself before he got an instructor. "If you are actually aiming to go to the nationals; you should gain something from seeing top-level practice." She said to him knowing that she got him at nationals, and she was right. Because all he could think about 'Was that just me? Or did she make fun of my junior high team? You better be kidding me!'
"Very well! I'll take a good look at your so-called top level." She smiled like she was the cat that caught the Canary. "Okay then it's still early enough that we can take a train to Tokyo get back in time before nightfall. You should get ready while I talk to your parents about going to Tokyo." He sighed while he got up to go to his room do exactly as she suggested. Soon enough they were out the door with his family saying their goodbyes for his trip to the city. It was the quiet all the way to the train station, and even while they got on the train with the two tickets the recruiter already had. While they sat there waiting for the rest of the passengers to get on the train she asked the question that has been on her mind for a while. "So why did you play dumb back there I know you know who Seidou High is. Any baseball player worth their salt especially one that got into the finals of their Prefecture knows who we are. What I don't get is why you're down playing your skills. You're probably one of the best pictures in junior high. But your parents act like they don't know that. So what exactly is going on?" Sawamura sighed and closed his eyes trying to think of the best way to answer the woman next to him.
"Last year I got injured and couldn't play baseball for the rest of the season. It was so bad actually that in the beginning the doctors told us that I could never play baseball again. So when this season turned around and I told my parents that I was playing again I don't think they really believed me. Because after my second season when I got injured they never really went to any of my games again. It's not really all their fault we are farmers and this season has been rough." After he finished silence followed after their conversation without either of them speaking. They spent the rest of the train ride like that.
Getting to the school was actually faster than he initially thought because the school was pretty close to the train stop. When he got onto the fields it looked as if it was like baseball heaven for a small town boy like him.
"Like it? This is our prestigious baseball field. We have an indoor practice area over there, and most of the team members live in the dorms." While she was saying this all Sawamura could do was not fan boy over their equipment too much. But his expression was too obvious as the recruiter got a smug expression on her face. "I'm not falling in love or anything! I was just caught off guard!"
"Is that so?" She totally didn't believe him. Trying to prove her wrong he said. "Besides, you don't need all this expensive equipment to play baseball. I bet you just gather all the best players from around the nation. Then it's no surprise that you're good. In fact, I would hate to lose to a top-tier team that's granted anything they want." The woman just sighed and said. "I won't deny the fact that half our team members are from outside the Prefecture. They're here to play baseball abroad, so to speak. However, this is the age when Japanese high school baseball is known to be the best in the world, and some scouts come from the major league to invite players to their teams. I want to be the best baseball player ever. Fifteen-year-old boys leave home for the purpose of honing their abilities. Respect all players have that determination and aspiration." Determination...huh looking over the players practicing on the field he could see what she was talking about. She's right. I can feel the sense of tension in the air.
"Kawakami! Are you kidding me?" Looking over to the batting cage he could see this big fat guy with a bat in his hands pointing to a slender pitcher. "There like a girl! How about you pitch with some feeling? You're already tired? This is why you can't make the team!" All the pitcher could say was. "I'm sorry." From all around the field you hear whisperings of 'Azuma's at it again.' The batter kept yelling at the pitcher. "If you don't want to get better, then go back home to your mommy! We've got plenty of pitchers to replace you!" But the pitcher didn't stand down. "I want to get better!" The batter got even angrier and yelled. "Give me your best shot!" So caught up in the conversation Sawamura was startled when the woman behind him started talking. "You should take a good look at his batting. That's Azuma Kiyokuni, a monster with forty- two home runs in his high school career. He's one of the players who will be drafted this year." Sawamura stood there in shock as the batter swung at the ball that the pitcher just threw, and he hit it with the ball flying across the field at high speeds over the fence. "It's like I'm swinging through air! You're going to make my skills rust like that!" After the batter said that the yelling of insults directed to the pitcher started from around the field.
"What's his problem?" Sawamura sucked in some air and said as loud as he could. "He's going to play pro ball with a body like that? Impossible! Look at his belly! He looks like an old man!" He started laughing even though he could fill the shocked looks he was getting around the field. By saying this He knew was going to get him in a bunch of trouble, but what that batter just started was an excusable. He was putting him in his place the best way he knew how. By looking stupid and backing the other guy on the corner when under estimating him. He just didn't know on what just yet. He kept on saying things at the batter the same way all the other players were doing to the pitcher.
"Who in the world is making fun of my cute belly?" Sawamura kept laughing trying to get out words. "Cute belly? I think you mean your fat belly!" He kept laughing even though he could feel the dark aura starting to surround the batter he just made fun of. Even if the recruiter told him off even if the batter had to get hold back by three of his teammates Sawamura just didn't care. The batter started it now he was going to end it. He didn't care the recruiter behind them was trying to get him to apologize he just wouldn't.
"A baseball abroad program huh? Maybe everyone here has determination and aspiration, but just being better doesn't give you the right trash talk other people. He made fun of his pitches, and then told him to go back to his mommy? Even if everyone else is fine with it, I'm definitely not going to let it slide. You can't play baseball by yourself!" As he was saying this, the angry batter marched up to him and got into his face and pushed them back with his belly, but Sawamura couldn't just take it quietly. "Didn't this prestigious school not ever teach you that baseball is a team sport?" He glared up tall player even though he was intimidated by the players' suture, but he wouldn't show that he was.
All of a sudden the recruiter got in front of the batter and whispered to him even though everyone on the field could hear her. "I'm sorry, Azuma. He just came out of the countryside, so he's completely lost about the real world." Which was not true. Because Sawamura did know about the real world, and he knew it could suck. That's why he played stupid all the time. "He's a pitcher. Do you mind showing him what batting is all about?" The batter just smirked all assure of himself. Witch made Sawamura want to whip that smirk off his face. "Sure I don't mind at all. However, I won't let him get off the mound until he begs for mercy." Sawamura stared up at the taller player trying to digest what was just said before it just registered. "Wait a minute! I never asked to have a match with some jerk like him."
"Sawamura, this is a baseball field. If you have something to say, you're going to have to say through baseball. Now, go get changed." Sudden voice interrupted them sounding incredibly cocky when saying. "This sounds like a lot of fun. Rei, can I catch his pitch?" Sawamura recognized him as a famous catcher Miyuki Kazuya, but had to ask for appearances sake. "Who's he?"
"Miyuki Kazuya, a catcher." Even though the person next to them yelled at the capture Sawamura didn't pay much attention because he was analyzing the catcher getting yelled at. He knew who the guy was because Sawamura paid attention to any good pitchers or catchers and this guy was one of them. All while he was analyzing the catcher in front of him he missed almost the whole conversation, but he got the gest of it. Before he knew it Sawamura was on the pitching mound to dressed in barrowed clothes. Feeling the hard ball in his hand made excitement swell in him. This would be one of the first times using such a ball with an actual batter to pitch it to. But that didn't mean he would give up. Because no one should insult their teammates the way he did.
Sorry guys I didn't have enough time to research names and their meanings like I usually do I might do it later on in the story though so please keep an eye out!- RissaLissa