Hey guys what's up? We meet again in Chapter of Life...
First of all, I want to thank readerC137 and CandyPain124 for another fav and, or fol... that means a lot to me.
Then, have you read Vindicate Teaser? Well, I still can not be sure when to continue that story, but I hope that weird teaser can convince you guys if I will continue it in the future... because this is almost half a year I didn't write about Vindicate, am I right? And maybe, I'll make a little teaser about Planet-X the second Arc too... just wait for it, yes?
Okay, enough talking, let's... happy reading.
Eight years ago, on the way home at night with the sound of a crying child that broke the silence on a quiet street. Right, that child was me... I'm the one who was crying behind her back.
"Stop crying, whiny Blu...!" shouted a little bird that carried me on her back, she's Gracie, my childhood friend.
On her back, I kept crying like a useless kid, just because my ankle was dislocated, and my feathers were dusty, "But my ankle is swollen, though I said I don't want to do that..."
"I know, I know... my ankle is swollen too, you know...!" Gracie, her condition was the same as me, but she still tried to carry me on her back. though, she would fall several times, and lose her balance due to pain, but she's still trying, not like me who could only cry, "Come on... stop crying! I'll carry you to your home!"
After hearing her words, and seeing how hard she tried to keep carrying me, and ignoring her own talons. Above her back, and her wet feathers because of my tears... I started to feel something...
"Even though your own talon is also hurt, but why you want to keep carrying me?" my crying began to subside, "Are you alright?"
"Of course not!" she replied, her face describing being in pain, "But it is my fault that your ankle becomes dislocated. So, let's just say this as an apology from me."
I was silent for a moment, wiping my tears and smiling at her, "Then... someday, let me carry you on my back."
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Present time...
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A few weeks after the four of us cleared this storeroom, now this room is like being home to us in this boring school. Where I'm used to writting, and where we used to chatting during breaks, or after school.
But on this sunny morning, there was a loud and rushed talonsteps from the hallway that leads here...
"Substitute character...!"
Suddenly, Jewel came into this room. She slammed the door while shouting with anxious face.
I turned to her, sitting on a chair with a beak full of sandwiches, "Yes...(*munch, munch, munch*)." I replied as I chewed it up.
"Yes...?!" her anxious face turned into a face that held her nerves, but also looked grateful.
Then...
"I can't believe it... you fainted and fell off the stairs because of not having dinner and breakfast!" Jewel said irritably, now sitting across the table, "Then, unbeknownst to your teacher, you run away from school medical room, and turns back here."
"Well, I've no other choice. I have to finish this story right away, because it's only a few days left." I replied, drinking the milk box in my wing while focusing on writing.
But Jewel was still silent as she looked at me with her worried face.
"Don't worry, I've eaten Gracie's sandwiches." I continued, smiling at her, "Seven sandwiches..."
"Seven...!?" she seemed a little surprised.
"Yes..."
She took a deep breath, then walked to the window and stared at the students from other schools gathered in the schoolyard below. Because today is the day that Roberto and Gracie are waiting for... they are both always as eager as ever.
"You're stupid, you should pay more attention to your own health..." Jewel suddenly gave me an advice, "You have no idea when you will meet your end..."
"Yes... of course..." I replied, somewhat hesitantly because she was suddenly talking about it.
"Oh... it looks like the Gracie's match is about to begin..." she said, then turned to me, "Let us see it..."
"Sorry, I'm not coming..."
"Come on..." then she reached for my wings, and pulled me out of the chair, "There are times when a writer should come out and look at the sky..." she told and smiling at me.
Although I've tried to refuse to come, but in the end I keep coming with her, because she stubbornly keeps pulling my wings.
"Wow... there are so many students who watching the match." Jewel commented in amazement at the crowd of students watching a baseball game.
"They are students from other schools, because of the preliminary round is held in this school, so, it's natural that they all came to give support..." I tried to explaining, but...
"Come on, Gres...! You can do it!" suddenly, Jewel shouted among the crowd.
"Hey! Did you listen to me or not?!" I asked her irritably.
"Yeah, yeah... I know... giving support, am I right?" she turned and smiled at me.
"Haaah..." I took a deep breath, then smiled, "You are always right..."
But, is it only with encouragement and support, can change the situation? The opponent that Gracie's team faced was the second winner of last year. The team became the second winner because...
(Author's note : Start from here, please let me know if there are mistakes in the mention of the baseball game. Honestly, I'm not very familiar with this game.)
"Batter out!"
The voice of a loud referee was heard... Batter from Gracie's team has 'out' with two strikes, then for the third throw, he didn't swing his baseball bat at all.
"What? Again? This is the ninth time Gracie's team got 'Batter out'." Jewel who was next to me commented,"For three innings her team didn't get any scores... no doubt Pitcher from the opposing team is so deadly."
Right, the opposing team won second place last year because of Pitcher's ability. His throw is said to have reached a hundred miles an hour... that is a number that almost matches international players. The team can always win the game by removing all Batter by utilizing three strikes or Strikeout. Therefore, almost all the opponents the team had ever faced had scored zero.
It's now entering the ninth inning, the last chance for Gracie's team to make score. Gracie's team is a very great team I admit it, because her team's score with the opposing team does not disputing much, 7 for Gracie's team, and 8 for the opposing team, like 1 to 2.
Somehow, her team players began to be able to hit the ball from the opponent's pitcher who was so dreaded of his throwing speed. Although in early inning, they looked overwhelmed facing his throw. But apparently now they can see the pattern of his throw.
'There is hope...' I said to myself.
Now it's Gracie's turn, If she can get one score, then the result will be the same and will be continued with extra innings. In that way, things can change. The spectator seems to be tense too... they may never expected if our school team can make it difficult for the second championship team last year.
I think I know why...
Although the opposing team has a very creepy pitcher, and almost perfect defense, but their stamina is nothing compared to our school team. I saw an hour ago the Gracie's team at the beginning of the innings didn't exert all their strength, they just centered on their analysis... analyzed the opponent's ability, and looking for weaknesses to find a gap in order to get score. At the beginning of the game they are left behind, they just need to catch up, though.
I took a deep breath. Breathing in all the warm air on this sunny morning... gathering all the energy to support her... my childhood friend.
"Gracie! Do not lose!"
My voice was so loud, it makes people around look at me, but I don't care... the thing is, she can easily know my position, no... but, both of us... because I'm not alone here...
Jewel also shouted again, "Hey Gras! If you lose, you have to buy me ice cream, you hear that?!"
Gracie's POV
Those voices... I can easily recognize them. While sitting and waiting in the Dugout for my turn to hit the ball, clearly visible, two blue birds who were suddenly create a furor in the spectators.
Blu and Jewel...
I guess the shouts of both of them not only gave me the spirit, but also to the spectators who also started shouting.
'My goodness... it's already hot, why they're both making the atmosphere even hotter...' I mumble to myself.
Well, but thanks to both of them...
"Gracie, get ready..." my coach said to me.
"Okay." I replied curtly.
I can enjoy this heat.
Among this excitement, I walked slowly toward the field with Baseball Bat in my wing... walking towards Home Plate.
Currently the opposing team has a score of 8, while our team scores 7, and this is the last inning for our team. That means, it all depends on me, if I manage to make a good swing... like a home run, I can change things. But I don't think it's that easy, because the pitcher of the opposing team is very dangerous, during this game I only managed to hit the ball once. That was just a Bunt hit, though.
"What is it? Am I trembling?" I whispered in my mind, as I stood ready to hit the ball, but somehow it feel like I'm not ready yet, because all of a sudden my wings are shaking.
"Strike!"
'Hey, I'm still not ready! What the heck was that? I couldn't see it...!' I grumbled to myself,'Alright, come on... second throw! Now... I will be able to see it.'
"Strike two!"
Wha-... why? I can see the ball coming, but why all of a sudden... I lost power in my wings. Is this what Blu feels, so he stopped writing?
"What are you doing there!? Stop being a stone statue and swing that bat!"
I gasped as I heard Blu's voice once more, I slowly turned to him, and saw his smile...
Oh right, how I can forget... the new Blu is now different from the old Blu. He has now re-written his beautiful chapters, his wings are no longer shaking as they once were. It's true, I can't make a story as good as his, but at least... let me write my own chapters... in my own way...!
Moments later, a clash between the bat and the ball was heard so loud. I opened my eyes and stared at the ball bouncing high in the air.
In the crowd...
Blu's POV
"Oh no..." I said, after seeing Gracie's blow that bounced the ball too high in the air,"The ball bounced too high."
"What do you mean, Blu? Doesn't that mean good?" Jewel, who was standing next to me, asked.
"No... that swing just made the ball soar up, but the distance isn't too far. It might just fall on Infield, if lucky. But... if unlucky, she can get Fly Out. It's very predictable..."
"That's... no way..." Jewel seems a little sad and disappointed to hear my explanation.
"Well, look..." I pointed my wings up to the sky, "The ball bounce so high, right? If she can run faster than the ball when it falls, I guess she can safely be in first or second base."
At least, there's still hope, right Gres?
At the same time...
Gracie's POV
Without thinking twice, I immediately threw the Baseball Bat and ran with all my strength to the first base, while the ball was still rising high in the sky, the opposing team began trying to figure out where the ball would fall, while I continued running toward the second base. I saw the opposing team had picked up the ball that fell on Infield, and passed it on to their third Baseman, but I don't care and kept running towards the third base, and then crashed towards home base... home plate.
"Gracie, what are you doing?!"
"Come back! Turn around...!"
The coach and my friends tried to warn me, but somehow these talons wanted to keep running. Without turning around, I keep running to the home base... just a few more steps, I can write my chapters like his. I threw myself down, shoving my body against the ground so my talon would touch the home plate...
But among these dust ...
"Out! Game set!"
My chapter sheets are stained...
A few hours later...
Tonight feels so empty... walking alone under the dim lights of the street. I didn't expect my team to lose in the preliminary round... everything is my fault.
Tomorrow is Roberto's match, so now he's undergoing a briefing from his coach. Blu who will soon be sending his story and maybe he'll be back as writer as he used to be, and I... I have failed...
"Hi..."
The familiar sound was heard in my ears. I stopped my steps at a half-dark intersection... staring at someone standing a little way ahead of me. I couldn't see his or her face, but when he or she stepped forward, and the streetlight shone on that bird's face... I could immediately tell who it is...
"Blu...?! What are you doing here? Don't you have to finish your story right away?" I asked, somewhat surprised by his sudden presence.
But he ignored all my questions, and kept stepping closer to me with a plastic bag in his wing. Then, when he was right in front of me...
"Kyaaa...!"
He kicked my left ankle, and it made me scream in pain.
Then...
"Blu... this is embarrassing." apparently that was in the plastic bag was ice cubes that he deliberately brought to ease my wound. I am now on his back... with my left ankle wrapped in this frozen plastic, "Nobody knows this wound..."
"You silly bird... you think how long have we known each other?" he replied, in a soft voice.
"Don't you have to finish your story?"
"It's okay... I'll get on with it later."
"Where's Jewel?"
"She had gone home..."
On the way home, we chatted casually as usual...
"But you're pretty heavy too, eh... for a crazy sports girl..."
"It's rude, you know... talking about weight problems to a woman...!"
"Hahaha... I know, I know..."
And with a little joke...
In a cold and lonely night... I think I remembered something like this before...
"Hey, Gres?" he looked up at the sky.
"Yes?"
"Look..." he continued, and I obeyed his words and lifted my head...
I was amazed to see what he saw. A sea of stars on black sheets... I cannot say anything, just opened my eyes wide, and keep them from blinking, so I can still enjoy this amazing sight.
"It's the same as it used to be..." he continued.
I lowered my face, and listened to the continuation of his words...
"I used to promise to carry you on my back..." he turned and looked at me with a warm smile.
"Blu... thank you..." I whispered to him.
"You are welcome..." he replied, turned his head, and staring forward to the street with a smile.
But...
"I'm so upset! Very upset!"
For some reason my tears suddenly streamed down my cheeks...
"Because of me... our team lost! Though we've been trying so hard day and night...! But we lost because of me!"
His blue feathers gets wet from my tears... the smell of paper is clearly wafted from his feathers... the soft sighs of his breath are clearly audible.
"Damn it! Why should we lose?!"
I'm very upset...
I burst all my emotions behind his warm back... screaming and crying, because angry and disappointed...
But this is strange... why the stars on this night can look so shining? But I guess the stars will only shine when it's night... the stars can only shine in the darkness...
Chapter 12 : On The Way Home
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Just like eight years ago...
And we're done...
The next chapter should be the important day for Blu, and we finally begin to enter the middle of the story. Make sure you leave a review, such as comments, advice, or questions about plot holes or anything that makes you confuse... hopefully I can answer them.
Alright, I guess that's it... I'll see you soon, in my next CoL.
