Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, the characters go with their respective creators of diamond no ace and I do not claim ownership of the characters or the world.

Chapter 4

It was the start of the second inning and Itsuki was watching Tohru closely as he make calls for Sagato. Their sixth batter was on the batters box, and he noticed that Tohru was already asking for breaking balls.

"He is quite amazing right?" Eijun praised as he was also closely looking at Tohru.

"I have known he was amazing ever since he went pro… I want to be like him someday…" Itsuki answered looking serious. He was amazed how Tohru could confidently ask every pitch at the same time notice how he was able to build up the pitchers confidence making the fastball thrown look faster and precise.

"Hehehehe, well he is someone you admire right, but it looks like we would be changing soon Itsuki, so why not show him what you can do as well" Eijun smiled looking at Itsuki giving him a thumb up.

Itsuki looked at Eijun surprised then smiled as well. He sometimes wonder if Sawamura forgets that they go to different schools, thus it is kind of awkward to actually know a pitchers repertoire of pitches, but it is fun having him as a battery partner. He pulls the team in a different way compare to that of Mei. As he turn to look at the field again, he noticed that Tohru and Sagato were already able to strike out their 6th and 7th batter, now it was their 8th batter but it seems he would also be strike out soon. Tohru was not wasting any pitches and if he wants to earn the acknowledgement of their main catcher, he needs to utilize all of Eijun's pitches and make the pitcher shine. As he turn to look at Eijun who was stepping out of the dug out with his mitt, he was obviously grinning wide, since he would go against the 4th batter, and that is none other than Tohru himself. He stretched his arms, as he also started to move out the dugout, looking serious. "Eijun let us use your breaking ball and fastballs against Tohru sempai…"

Eijun smiled the moment he heard Itsuki. He does intend to use everything he learned to show Tohru that he has improved since the holidays. "Strike out, Change!" as Eijun heard their umpire called for the change, he fisted his pitching hand and lightly taps Itsuki's chest. "Let us show him what we got Itsuki…" Eijun said grinning, then he jog towards the mound.

Itsuki smiled as well, watching Eijun as he move towards the mound in full confidence. Then he move towards the catchers position, fixing his mitt as Tohru step in the batting box. "I hope you are ready for this Tohru sempai…" Itsuki said in a soft tone, making Tohru smirk.

Eijun took a deep breath in, inhaling all the air he could. Hero sempai is somewhat like captain Miyuki, not just the position in the field, but also they both are strong batters. As he focused on Hero, he could already sense that half ass pitches would not take him out at all, which include he would need to go all out in terms of strength and control. He watched as Itsuki gave a sign for a 4 seam out low, where he nodded. He fixed his grip, did his wind up and threw the 4 seam directly towards Itsuki's mitt landing hard however the batter did not swing his bat. "Ball!"

"Nice pitch Eijun!" Itsuki yelled out as he threw the ball back to Eijun. He crouched back to his pitching position. He had already known this would be a difficult batter, however he at least wanted him to flinch a bit that was why he asked for a out side pitch. He took a deep breath, then turn to look at Eijun where he saw how focus the latter is looking towards him, and the batter making him grin from ear to ear.

Eijun watched closely as Itsuki gave a sign for his old cutter, where he nodded as agreement. He did his windup and threw the cutter hard, however Tohru's bat connected to the pitch sailing it a long way towards the foul line. He blew some breath out, he was surprised with how fast the bat swing was, it was a good thing it was sent to the foul line. "Foul!" As Eijun heard the umpire called, he looked at Tohru closely in the batters box. He was focused, pretty much the pressure his emitting is tremendous, but he is not someone who wants to back down. He wants to throw every pitch he can to his senior at all cost. He looked at Itsuki giving him a sign for his 2 seam, it seems they want him to lose his focus and throw off his balance in batting. He nodded in agreement, fix his grip, did his windup and threw his two seamer without wasting a bit where it easily landed on Itsuki's mitt, but the batter did not swing again. "Ball!" the umpire called out.

The count now is two balls, one strike indicating they can still work on 2 more pitches at least. Itsuki again gave a sign for the changeup, where Eijun nodded and threw the ball directly towards his mitt, but he noticed Tohru did not even flinch. "Ball!" as the umpire made the call, Itsuki could feel the pressure rising not just from the batter but also from the coach acting as the umpire behind him. He look at Eijun on the mound, but the latter seem to be relax and still focus towards him. He took a deep sigh, then gave the sign for his sinking fastball.

Eijun noticed Itsuki tensing a bit, however the moment he gave the sign for his sinking fastball he smiled. It was not a guarantee Itsuki could catch his sinking fastball since in their short bullpen session he was only able to catch three out of the ten sinking fastball he threw, though it was already a improvement compared to the first time they were on a battery where the latter could not catch it at all, making the catcher body turn black and blue for using his body to block the momentum of the ball then. Eijun fixed his grip, he trusted Itsuki would catch the ball, or more like, he trust he would find a way to catch it somehow, since Tohru is a hard hitter, means he need to throw in full strength. He took a deep breath in, did his windup, and threw the sinking fastball as hard as he could. He saw Tohru swing for the pitch, but completely missing the ball, though Itsuki was not able to catch the pitch, he used his body to stop the momentum of the ball making sure it would not pass him at the back. "Strike!" the umpire yelled, making Eijun release the air he took in.

Itsuki sighed in relief the moment he was able to stop the ball from passing through him, at the same time making Tohru swing was a big thing as well. Now the count is three balls-two strikes, as he turn to look at Eijun, he could easily see him blowing off air as well. "Good pitch Eijun!" Itsuki praised as he crouched back to his catching position.

"I was surprised, never thought you would ask for the sinking pitch…" Tohru praised Itsuki's guts to actually ask for a pitch he was having difficulty catching.

"Well we won't be able to strike you out sempai if we don't go all out" Itsuki answered honestly, as he hit his glove.

Tohru smiled, as he turn to look at Eijun who was focus on the mound, he feel proud for some reason. He never thought that Eijun and Itsuki would blend so easily, though it would most likely be Eijun's innate talent, since the pitcher have a thing with people after all. He lifted his bat, getting ready to swing, as he watched Eijun did his windup, and threw a fastball directly towards his chest. An in high pitch… he thought as he noticed the movement of the ball towards the plate. He waited for a bit before actually swinging his bat, making a direct hit on the ball. It sailed in between the left and right fielder, making it their first hit on the game as he run up until second plate.

Itsuki flinch the moment the ball hit, he was not expecting that Tohru would be able to get a hit from a difficult in high position pitch. He stood and made a sign to throw to home plate if incase Tohru would make a run for it, however the latter only stop to second base.

Eijun watched as Tohru stop on the second base. Of course he was already expecting to have a hit, but for some reason he don't feel upset about the hit. That was a difficult pitch to hit and yet Hero sempai was able to hit it outside the field. He was getting excited, and the tension on the field was increasing. He turn to look at the next batter, and now it was their co-captain Miro sempai making Eijun feel on fire and excited. He wants to show what he is capable of. He watched as Itsuki look at Miro closely then gave a sign for a change up however he shook his head as a disagreement, and grin widely instead.

Itsuki was dumbfounded seeing Eijun shaking on his sign at the same time smiling widely. Is he planning to go head to head with Miro sempai… but his a power batter… Itsuki clenched his free hand, as he look at Eijun closely, he could clearly see that the pitcher was not backing down, if his pitcher was not going to back up, as a catcher he needs to fuel the desire of the pitcher to go with a head to head battle. He sighed, he was not use to this kind of head on battle yet, but with Eijun being his partner, this kind of thing is pretty much common making him feel the eagerness to actually catch the pitch he was going to throw. So he decided to asked for his cutter to the inside instead.

Eijun grin widely seeing the change of sign then nodded, he did his windup and threw his cutter, as the ball sailed to the stretch towards the batter, he saw Miro swinging for the pitch, however before it hit the bat it break in a different direction making the ball move towards the third base catcher who then threw to first base earning their first out. Tohru was unable to move out of second base the moment he saw the ball sailed directly to third base. "One out!" Eijun yelled enthusiastically as he show a one out sign to Itsuki.

Miro was surprised he got jammed when the ball break before hitting his bat, grounding it towards the third catcher. As he walked back to the dugout, he look at Mitobe seriously, "Be careful with his breaking balls, it seems the kid has increased his power and speed" Mitobe on another hand was surprised with the warning from the co-captain. As he step on the batter box, he clearly noticed Eijun was not the same kid he first met a few months back. The pitcher standing in front of him is already starting to emit an aura of absolute confidence and control considering there is a runner stuck in second base. He could see Eijun standing proudly on the mound like an ace pitcher. He smiled, as he positioned himself getting ready to bat.

Eijun knew Mitobe sempai was not a weak batter, apparently he has one of the strongest power to bat aside from their captain. As he watched Itsuki ask for his 2 seam, he nodded as agreement and threw the ball directly to Itsuki's mitt, where the batter did a swing and miss. "Strike!" the umpire yelled. Eijun feel the moment that Mitobe swing his bat, a gush of air had reached him on the mound, making him shiver for a bit. He took a deep breath in and out as he focus towards Itsuki giving him another sign for his palm ball. He nod and did his windup, then threw the pitch, however Mitobe did not swing for the pitch as it sailed directly towards Itsuki's mitt. "Ball!". This is going to be difficult Eijun thought as he could sense the batters were all starting to be careful with the swings. He saw Itsuki giving him the sign for his fastballs, a in high fastball that would cross the chest of the batter. He nod once, as he did his wind up and threw the ball directly to Itsuki mitt without missing a beat. "Strike!" the umpire yelled as Mitobe failed to swing on the pitch that was within the strike plate. The count was 2-1 now, and they still have 2 balls to work with, yet he was actually surprised that Itsuki would give him a sign for a out low fastball. Owh… he does not want to waste pitches huh… I am liking Itsuki's call more and more Eijun thought as his smile grew wider. He nod once, did his windup and threw the out low fastball where Mitobe swing however miss the ball landing directly to Itsuki's mitt. "Strike!" the umpire yelled making both Eijun and Itsuki smile widely. "Two out!" Eijun yelled, feeling energized as he raise a two sign out and his team responding to his call.

Itsuki was amazed in Eijun ball control, at the same time his composure on the mound. Tohru was unable to move out of the second base and now they are on 7th batter, Youji. He watched closely as the latter step on the batter box, obviously crowding the plate and choking the bat. Itsuki look at Eijun, this was going to be fun, as he gave a rising fastball pitch however made additional sign to only use seventy percent of his strength. He watched as Eijun nod once then did his windup and threw the ball directly towards the mitt. Youji swing hard making the ball pop up, directly landing to the right fielder earning them their third out. "Out! Change!" the umpire yelled.