Episode 8: Foul Balls and Foul Play
Hey hey, everyone. Guess who's back? That's right, all of you. Ready to see a new episode.
Had you for a second there, didn't I?
1602jaw: Thanks. We came back swinging. Glad you're excited for the new and improved Bon Voyage.
Guest: I knew full well what I was doing with that months joke. It's so great to be back.
G-man 2.0: Well, I knew not everyone would be thrilled. I literally just came back to this story, so I was a bit rusty in that department. Getting rid of the three of them was a tough decision, the whole way through.
Superwheeltires: Well, things changed. I decided to keep them as friendly rivals.
NondescriptNorbert: Totally get why it left a bad taste in your mouth. I knew the risk. And it's cool to see the characters and potential arcs you're looking forward to seeing.
Happiness studios: You're pretty much right about that. I trimmed the fat of the story, in a sense. This story is now going to only have one romance plot. Putting 3 on hold until this is finished is most definitely the best call. It's not going anywhere.
ThelastCyberKnight: Yep, we came back strong, and this train is not slowing down. Four eliminations and a larger prize are sure to cause a stir, inside and outside the story.
Now then, let's commence!
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(Due to the intense nature of the last two episodes, we'll be skipping the recap this week. Besides, you all already know of the crazy stuff that went down.)
Thank you.
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Out on the open sea, we see a couple of large birds soaring over the Jolly Rancher. Strapped to their legs were stacks of newspapers. They drop them down to the ship below, and fly away in the opposite direction.
It had been a solid week since the events on Halovanx. Even after the big party that was held after getting out of there, almost everyone was in low spirits. On top of Robin leaving for everyone's safety, Yang, Bunnie, and Tifa had all been medically evacuated due to the severe injuries they sustained. No one really had a reason to be in a good mood.
But when those papers were dropped off, things would change quickly.
We see Barry walk out onto the main deck, yawning and stretching as he shook that early morning drowsiness off of him. He noticed the stack of newspapers and casually picked one up. As he skimmed the contents, the look on his face changed from sleepiness to worry and concern.
"Oh crud……" he gasped. "This is serious!"
He runs back inside, yelling for everyone's attention.
"GUYS! GUYS! EVERYONE COME HERE! THIS IS BIG!
(Five minutes later…)
Everyone had gathered together in the dining hall, all still looking tired or somber. They all crowded around one table.
"Alright, pipsqueak." Pete warned. "This better be good, since it's interrupting my precious sleep time."
"Trust me, this is important." The trainer said. He throws two different newspapers on the table. "Take a look for yourselves."
Erza picks one up and looks at the front page article.
"This is that paper that Zach works for." She said, "The Universal Economic Journal. It's talking about the fight at Halovanx last week."
"What does it say, Miss Erza?" Ryu asked. "Go on."
"His article is citing us as heroes, defending our friend from a corrupt and unjust government."
"So, that kid's speaking the plain truth, eh?" Lobo said. "Good, because I hate fake news. If he was saying fake shit about us, I'd wring his scrawny neck."
"What about this article right here?" Futaba said as she pointed to a different article. "Hundreds of prisoners in the world we're currently in are dropping dead in their cells for unknown reasons."
"Whoa……that's crazy." Pit said. "But if that's happening to people locked up in jail, then I don't think we should be worried."
For a brief moment, you could see Light smirk at this news. His own handiwork, with only he and Ryuk knowing the truth. But the guy changes the subject quickly.
"So, what does the other paper say?"
Pit grabs the other paper and looks at it intently for a moment, before going, "Aw man, I just remembered I don't know how to read."
Kronk takes the paper out of his hands and reads it.
"This paper is from Robin's world." He said. "Published by somebody named "Big News" Morgans. This paper is calling us lowdown criminals and terrorists."
"That's it." Yami said as he drew his sword. "I'm suing this asshole for slander and defamation."
It was then that several fliers fell out of the paper Kronk held.
"What're those?" Panty asked.
They looked a the fallen papers, and upon further inspection realized that they were wanted posters.
"They put us on wanted posters?!" Percy gasped. "This would tarnish my good name as an officer!"
"Hmm…..it doesn't look like everyone got a bounty." Shermie said. "You don't appear to have one."
Those that could see their names on the posters picked them up and looked at them.
"Huh……666 million berries." Alucard said as he marveled at his bounty. "A fitting number, though I'm sure Sir Integra won't be thrilled about this."
"Bloody hell, I got one, too?!" Draco complained, as he stared at his bounty of 230 million berries. "Well that's just great."
"You're not alone, pal." Barry said. "I got one similar to yours."
"Huh……did I really make that much of an impact to deserve this?" Tiff asked herself. She had a bounty of 155 million. "I don't know whether I should feel proud or worried."
Yami could be seen laughing at his bounty. "Wow, over a billion! Read it and weep, people! Guess taking the Fleet Admiral head on earned me the big bucks!"
"What a coincidence." Erza said as she showed him her bounty. "I have the same amount as you."
"You two should feel proud." Pit said. "I'm pretty sure Robin once said that in their world, the bigger the bounty, the bigger the clout. You're deemed that much more of a threat, but amongst pirates, it's a sign of respect."
Bernadetta shakes and shivered as she stared at her bounty.
"Is this…… me?!"
Ryu peered over her shoulder to take a look himself.
"What's the matter, Bernie? Was it too low or some-AHH!"
The shaman fell back in fear at what he just saw.
"What the hell did they do?!"
"Let me see that!" Panty said as she snatched the poster out of her hand. The look on her face quickly turned to shock, but she managed to read the details.
" Attempt to take photo failed."
Indeed, as Bernadetta didn't have a photo on her bounty like the others. Hers was a drawing, and the artist's interpretation was rather dark. They made her appear scary, menacing and horrifying. So terrifying, that I'm not gonna go into the details.
Everyone else took a look at her poster, and were equally horrified.
"No offense, but that's gonna haunt my dreams." Peni said.
"Yeesh, that's rough." Futaba said.
"It's…not so bad." Kronk said helpfully.
"I can't believe they did this?!" Bernadetta cried. "What are people back at the academy gonna say if they see this?! WHAT IF MY PARENTS SEE THIS?! It's already bad enough they don't know I'm on this show!"
"I'm sure they'd understand." Ryu said as he got back up.
She gives him a grim look and shakes her head.
"Geez, you're as loud as you are short." Pete complained.
"Can we all just calm down?" Erza suggests. "I know this is some rather startling news, but I'm trying to take the good with the bad. We may not be happy about becoming wanted, but Zach's story speaks the truth. We were heroes, protecting one of our own."
"You know what? That's a good point." Ryu said. "We won. Miss Robin is safe and okay."
"Can't say the same for our other friends." Futaba said glumly.
Her words dampened the mood in the room.
"Yeah…….I hope Bunnie is alright." Peni says, sounding just as somber as Futaba did.
"Agreed. I miss Yang and Tifa too." Barry adds. "Our team just isn't the same without them."
"Hey, at least those meatbags are getting the best treatment possible, am I right?" Bender said. This comment got him a few dirty looks from the others. "What? Was it something I said?"
"I get that you're a robot, but could you at least show a little more tact?" Tiff sternly told him.
"Well exxuuuuuuse me!" Bender huffed. "I personally didn't know them all that well. I don't have to be chummy with everyone here."
"I guess that's the closest you'll get to an apology." Futaba whispered to her.
Five seconds later, the PA system turned on, but it wasn't Don's voice they heard. It sounded more like Rigby.
" We'll be landing at our next destination, and your next challenge, here shortly."
" Dude, put that down." The voice of Mordecai could be heard in the background. " That's not your job. Besides, we need to get back to work."
" No way, dude! I ain't cleaning the mess of whoever got sick by the pool!"
"Sorry, that was my bad." Pit said. "That's the last time I overeat a midnight snack."
"Kid, you need to quit that." Panty tells him. "You're a pig just like my cow of a sister."
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"Given what we've been through a week ago, I'm really hoping that the people running this show give us something that isn't life threatening or stressful." Raven said. "I know all of that wasn't a challenge, but they should at least have the common decency to take it easy on us after that."
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The ship stops at a small island. And when I say small, I mean small. There wasn't even a town there. Just a small port, and a small assortment of houses in a gated community. Next to it was a fairly large sports field.
The ship docks, and Don and the contestants all disembark.
"Whoa…..this place is pretty small." Tiff said.
"This island is one of the many private islands owned by the boss." Don explained. "He gave us permission to use them for challenges if we need them. This one in particular is used for when his niece's softball team practices."
"How sweet and charitable of him." Percy said. "Given that the most standout part of this place is that baseball field, I assume that it has something to do with today's challenge?"
"You've jumped to conclusions pretty quickly, Percy." Don tells her. "But you're right. Today, you're all playing a game known as "America's Pastime", baseball."
"Hmph. Some muggle sport, I take it." Draco remarked sarcastically. "We care so much. What even is it?"
"Yeah, I have to agree with him." Bernadetta said. "They don't have that in my world."
"I had a feeling there'd be some of you who'd be unfamiliar with the game." Don said. "That's why I'll explain how it's played to everyone on the way to the field."
(One ten minute explanation on the rules of baseball later…)
During their trek, the host explained the rules of the game. How you hit the ball, and run bases as you try to make it to home plate, the positions, three strikes and you're out, etc.
As soon as Don finished explaining the rules of the game, they finally reached the sandlot. It was a large, fenced in area, with a big baseball diamond within, with bleachers sat outside the diamond. A dugout sat off to the side of home plate. A scoreboard and section for commentators to observe the game from above were also present.
"...and that's just about what you need to know." Don finished. "Is everyone clear?"
Most of them nod their heads.
"Good. Today, we will only be playing just two innings rather than the usual nine innings. And by the time it ends, the team that scores the most points is safe from elimination. The losing team won't have that pleasure."
"Anything else we should know?" Pete asked.
"Yes." Don answered. "There are two special rules for this game. The first is that no powers or special weapons or abilities are allowed to be used. If you're caught breaking this rule, you'll sit the rest of the game out."
"That's fair." Erza said. "And the second rule?"
"A game of baseball typically has nine players on each team. Since each team currently has ten members, one member will have to sit out each inning. However, one person may only sit out one inning, and can't do so for the second one. It makes it more fair and gives everyone a chance to play."
A couple of groans could be heard amongst the group.
"Like it or not, these rules are final. Teamwork is important in this game, and everyone must pull their own weight. And one more thing to note…"
"Sweet salty Christ, what is it now?!" Panty complained.
"We've invited a special guest to help out today."
A new face enters the field, yet Yami quickly recognizes who it was.
He was a young man with light gray hair, and black hair styled like a mohawk. He wore black leather jacket, gloves, boots, navy trousers, and sunglasses.
"Oh. Hey, Magna." Yami casually said.
"You know this guy, chief?" Ryu asked.
Yami nods. "Another member of my squad back home. Magna Swing."
"It's so great to see you again, Captain Yami!" Magna said with enthusiasm. "Yours truly has been asked to show up and help out with the game!"
"Hmph. What does this snot nosed brat know about baseball?" Pete scoffed.
Magna, looking a bit miffed at this guy's comment, decided to answer.
"I'll show you, fatass." Magna conjures a literal fireball. He tossed it into the air, and then created a bat made of fire, too. "Batter up!"
When the fireball comes back down, Magna swings at it with all of his might, and the ball hits Pete in the gut, sending the big guy flying into the dugout, followed by an explosion.
"That answer your question?"
Pete emerges from the wreckage, covered head to toe in soot, and feeling a bit disoriented. He managed to say, "Yep. Got the picture."
"Excellent."
Magna takes out two boxes and hands one to each team.
"These are your uniforms." He explained. "Now go ahead and get changed, and meet back here."
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"Ugh, I hate sports." Futaba groaned. "That's not my forte. I'm the farthest thing from an athlete."
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"First Charmy, and now Magna." Yami remarks. "At this rate, all of the Black Bulls will show up at some point."
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Fifteen minutes had passed, and both teams returned, now fully dressed in their uniforms. The Bulls had white uniforms with black vertical stripes and a black cap. The Fairies wore something similar, but with pink stripes.
"Wow. I looked into the mirror, and I do not like what I see." Lobo said.
"Such attire is rather unbecoming for someone in my profession." Alucard remarked. "But I suppose there's no avoiding it."
"This is ridiculous." Yami complained. I can feel this thing riding up into me."
"Regardless, you all look the part." Don said. "Now, we'll do a coin flip to see which team will start where."
He takes out a coin, and flips it in the air.
"Heads!" Erza calls out.
Don catches the coin, and it's revealed to be tails.
"Heh, tails never fails, missy." Yami said confidently. "We'll bat first."
"Great. I'll give you all a few minutes to discuss strategy, decide who'll play what position. Magna?"
"One step ahead of you!"
Magna hands each team a piece of paper, showing a diagram for them to read.
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The Bulls huddle together, to talk strategy.
"First thing on the docket, who will be sitting out this inning." Percy states.
"I suppose you want to take that honor?" Draco said to Bernadetta. "You never seem to want to do anything except hide away in your room."
"Hey! T-that's not true!" Bernadetta stammered.
"Hey, leave her alone." Ryu warns him. "If she wants to sit out first, there's no shame in that. Somebody has to, regardless."
"Fine!" Draco snapped. "Then I'll sit out the first inning! Happy?!"
"You do know you'll still have to play the next inning of the game, right?" Yami reminds him.
"I know that! I'm not some idiot! I heard the rules plain and clear!"
"Then if that's all settled, let me give you all a good pep talk." Yami said as he put out a cigarette. "There's no telling how hard the other team is gonna come at us. We got no idea what their strategy is, so I'll just tell you this: surpass your limits."
"No offense, sir." Peni said. "But you're always telling us that. What do you mean by that?"
"It means what it means. When the going gets rough, you surpass your limits, and break through that. You do that, and you can overcome any obstacle."
"I'm behind you all the way, cap'n!" Lobo said. "We're gonna mop the floor with those scrubs!"
Ryu salutes. "You don't have anything to worry about, Chief! I'll do my hardest to make sure we win! Matter of fact, I'll bat first!"
Pit looks over at Raven, who was keenly watching the other team, talking strategy together like them.
"You've been more quiet than usual. Something bothering you?"
"No." Raven answered. "Just keeping a close eye on them. Like Yami said, there's no telling what they're planning."
(Meanwhile…)
"There's no telling what Yami and his team have up their sleeves." Erza said. "Everyone's going to bring their A game. So, who'll be sitting this inning out?"
Futaba raises her hand shyly. "I'll sit this one out. I'm terrible at sports. I'd probably just be holding you guys back."
"Yet you do realize you have to play in two innings." Pete brings up. "If you're as bad as you say we are, we might run into a bit of trouble when you inevitably have to bat."
"Come on, at least have some faith in our team." Tiff tells him.
"It's fine." Futaba assured. "I'm not offended or anything. He's speaking the truth."
"You're quite a strange one, aren't you?" Alucard remarks.
Futaba smirks. "I get that a lot."
"How about you be our pitcher?" Kronk asks Barry.
"Wait….me?! Are you serious?!"
"Of course. I've seen how you throw those creatures of yours out of those little balls."
"They're called PokeBalls. But if no one has any objections to it, then I'll totally be your pitcher."
"That's fine by me." Erza said. "Barry, you'll be our pitcher. Bender, Shermie and I can cover first, second, and third bases. Alucard, you'll take center field. Tiff, Light, I need you two to cover left and right field. Kronk will be our shortstop, while Light will be our catcher."
"A perfect plan, Erza." Light politely said. "I'll make sure not to let you down."
"Suck up." Ryuk muttered as he rolled his eyes. "Hope they don't see through this nice guy schtick.
"Does everyone know what they're to do?" Erza reiterates. "Are we in agreement?"
They all nod in assent. It was go time.
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After everyone had decided their strategy, the Fairies take their positions on the field, while the Bulls take their position in the dugout. Futaba, as she was sitting out for her team, sat in there with the other team.
Most of the other interns and Don sat in the bleachers, ready to root for their favorites. Weirdly enough, Tokageroh was sitting with them.
"Tokageroh?! What are you doing over there?!" Ryu exclaimed as he was getting ready.
"You're not allowed to have my help for this one, kid." The bandit ghost answered. "Besides, I made a new friend. One that's already dead like me." Tokageroh looks at Scratch and the two fist bump.
Weirdly enough, some unknown person was in a mascot costume with a cat motif, dancing out there on the sidelines.
Up above, Bugs and Tsukishima sat to do commentary.
"Good afternoon, folks!" Bugs said. "This is no doubt looking to be a good game of baseball!" He looks over to Tsukishima. "Wouldn't you agree? I heard you're an athlete yourself."
"I only really play volleyball." Tsukishima deadpanned. "Comparing that to this is like comparing apples to oranges."
"Don't gotta be such a sourpuss, doc. Regardless, the Bulls and Fairies will engage in a two inning game, with invincibility on the line."
"Don't forget the bragging rights." Tsukishima adds. "But enough about that, I suppose. Let's get this game underway."
Ryu takes his place at home plate, bat in hand, as Barry takes the ball.
"You ready for this, kid?" Ryu said. "You better not go easy on me."
"Trust me, I'm putting all my strength into this." Barry warns.
Behind Light, Magna stood as the umpire.
"PLAY BALL!"
Ryu and Barry get into a stance, and after a few seconds, Barry throws the ball with a lot of force behind it.
WHAM!
Ryu drops to the ground, crying in pain. Barry's throw made the ball hit Ryu hard in his crotch. Everyone winced in pain, as they could even hear the impact.
"Right in the family jewels." Panty said.
"Even I feel kind of bad for him." Draco said.
"If this were a video game….. that'd be a critical hit." Futaba adds.
"Uh…….sorry about that!" Barry said nervously.
"Is he okay?" Percy asked worriedly.
Ryu whimpered in agony as he was slumped over, holding on to his family jewels tightly.
"That's a body shot!" Magna announced. "He may go to first base!"
"Way to go, kid!" Pete complained to Barry. "You just gave them a head start!"
"I didn't mean to!" Barry said defensively. "It was an accident, I swear!"
"It's fine." Ryu said weakly as he limped over to first base. "No hard… feelings. Oh god, that hurts!"
"Looks like pompadour has taken a nasty hit!" Bugs said. "But his pain was his gain, as he's now secured first base. Let's see if the Bulls can really pull this off. Up next to bat, we have Lobo!"
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"Maybe that was a bit too hard of a throw." Barry said sheepishly. "Just got a bit ahead of myself. I knew I needed to dial it back for the next pitch."
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"Looks like I'm up!" Lobo laughed. "This kid's standing no chance against the Main Man!"
Lobo went up to bat next, feeling very confident in himself. Barry looked a bit nervous, hoping he didn't hurt another contestant. He was still going for a strong throw, but would ease up on it just a little bit. Barry throws the ball and….
CRACK!
The ball is sent flying through the air, too high for anyone to normally reach. Past the fence, and even past the bleachers and spectators.
"And it's a home run!" Tsukishima announced. "The Bulls score two points, thanks to Lobo!"
Ryu walked the rest of the bases, back to home plate, followed by Lobo.
"Fuck yeah!" Lobo taunts. "How d'you all like that?!"
"Exemplary job, you two." Percy congratuated as they went back into the dugout. "You've given us quite the advantage."
"It's only two points." Peni muttered.
Ryu sits down, still holding onto his crotch in pain. Luckily Bernadetta, sitting next to him, handed him an ice pack.
"Here." She tells him. "I hope this helps your injury."
He graciously takes it, and groans in relief. "Thank you, Bernie. That feels so much better. You're a sweetheart."
Sweetheart?
Bernadetta blushed with embarrassment. She definitely was not used to such compliments.
"Sweetheart?! No, I'm not!" She stuttered in denial. She covered her face to hide her blushing face. "I'm completely useless!"
"Now don't go and say that. You're a lifesaver."
Nobody really paid attention to these two's interaction, paying more attention to the game or to other things.
But one person paid close attention to both of them. None other than Futaba, who sat right next to them.
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"I know he said he wanted to help her, but do I detect romance?" Futaba said smugly. "I saw how they looked at each other. But what do I know? i may already be in a relationship, but...my experience with romance comes from video games and anime."
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Yami finally notices his blushing teammate, and offers his own input. Or lack thereof.
"Hey, you gotta take a dump or something?" He asks. "It's alright if you need to. It's not healthy to hold it in, just go."
You could practically see the steam coming out of Bernadetta's ears. Her face went completely red.
"Captain!" Ryu exclaimed. "It's not that! And besides, gross!"
"And I thought Bender lacked a lot of tact." Futaba chuckled.
"Alright, I'm up." Panty said, interrupting the awkwardness.
"You sure you got this? Ryu asked.
The angel scoffs. "This is nothing! You just got to treat a bat like you treat a man!"
Silence filled the dugout, as everyone heard this. Even Raven, who was spending her time waiting by reading a book, couldn't help but be shocked at what they just heard.
"Do you mind explaining why?" Draco angrily asked.
Panty thought it over for a second, realizing her mouth went faster than her brain.
"No." She deadpanned. "I sense I've made a mistake of some kind."
"Just get the hell out there and score us another point." Yami orders.
"Sure thing, sweet cheeks."
Panty walks out to home, bat in hand, and ready to score.
Barry throws the ball, and Panty swings, only for it to land in Light's mitt.
"Strike one!" Magna called out.
"Damn it!" Panty seethed. "Okay, that was only one strike. The next one will be a hit."
Barry throws again, and Panty swings and misses the ball again.
"Strike two!"
"Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck!"
"Just focus on the ball!" Pit tells her. Pit himself was busy eating a bunch of snacks.
"Where'd you get all of that food? Ryu asked.
"They had a concession stand here. Can't play on an empty stomach."
Panty takes a deep breath, and focuses her mind. She readied her bat, and Barry threw again.
CRACK!
She hit the ball. Panty drops everything and books it to first base, but Alucard had quickly caught the ball before she could make it there.
"Better luck next time, angel." Alucard laughed.
"And she's out!" Bugs announced.
"FUCK!" The angel stomps back to the dugout, looking very much pissed.
"Hey, don't feel too bad." Pit tells her. "There's still plenty of game left. Besides, we have a good head start."
"Maybe you're right." She sighed.
The team watches as Percy goes to bat next, and takes her spot at home. She remained determined and silent the whole time…
…only for Barry to strike her out three times.
"Ooh, another strike out for the Bulls." Tsukishima said. "One more, and they switch."
"Apologies, everyone." Percy said solemnly. "I tried to remain as quiet as possible to keep concentration. He was just too good."
"Don't sweat it." Yami told her. "You win some, you lose some."
"Even if the challenge has elimination on the line?!" Draco reminded him.
"Quit being so high strung all the time, kid." Yami sternly tells him. "You're never gonna make it through life if you're so critical of everyone and everything."
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"Have I mentioned just how much I hate this team?!" Draco explained. "I have?! Good, then I'll say it again! This team is a group of freaks with a crass, bull-headed ape as our leader!"
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Next up to bat was none other than Bernadetta. Once she took her place, you could clearly see her knees shaking.
"C'mon, you got this!" Futaba and Ryu cheered.
"I thought you were on the other team." Yami said to Futaba.
"Doesn't mean I can't support her." Futaba retorts.
"Just one more strike out and it's our turn to bat, Barry!" Erza tells him.
"Strike that milquetoast gremlin out, kid!" Pete said.
Barry nods, and silently takes a deep breath as he readies another pitch. He throws a fast curveball, and…
CRACK!
Bernadetta hits the ball, and makes a run for it.
"Drop the bat!" Peni yelled.
Bernie realized she still had the bat in her hands and drops it like a hot brick.
Just as it's about to go over the fence, Tiff hops up on the fence, jumps up high and catches it.
"Out! Time to change sides!"
"Bernie's just no good." Bernadetta glumly told herself.
Preposterous." Percy tells her. "You did much better than I. At least you actually managed to hit the ball, unlike me."
With that, both teams switch sides, with the Fairies now having to bat. The Bulls take their positions on the field. Yami heads to home plate as the catcher, while Lobo is the pitcher.
Bender is up to bat first.
"The second half of the first inning is now underway!" Bugs said. "Up to bat first for the Fairies is none other than Bender!"
"Bring it on, big guy!" Bender taunts.
Lobo chuckled. "As you wish, ya oversized toaster!"
Lobo throws with all of his might. Despite his super strength, Bender lands a good hit, and the ball goes over the fence.
"Boo-yah! Home run, baby!"
Bender cracks out a celebratory cigar and struts all the way across the diamond and back to home.
"The Fairies score their first point, courtesy of Bender." Tsukishima announced.
"Wow, that was pretty incredible." Barry said.
"Especially considering that Lobo is a powerful freak of nature." Pete said. "Now step aside and watch me score us another point."
Pete steps up to home next, and is formally put in his place as he swings and misses three times.
"You were saying, smartass?" Lobo bragged.
"Aaaaaaand you jinxed it." Tiff said as Pete bitterly sat down.
"Shut up! That was a fluke!"
"Up next is the Fairies' very own captain, Erza!" Tsukishima said. "Can she pull it off?"
Erza goes to bat next, and manages to land a good hit. Luckily, she makes it all the way to second base before anyone can get a hold of the ball.
"Not bad, not bad." Shermie said as she goes up as batter number four. "Hopefully I'll have the same luck."
"We'll see about that, missy!" Lobo warns.
And like Pete before her, Shermie swings and misses all three shots, as Lobo went for curve shots this time.
"Well darn." Shermie pouts. "You're no fun, you big dummy."
"How are you not furious?!" Pete whispered to Shermie as she sat back down.
"In a show like this, it never helps to fly off the handle over the little things." She calmly tells him. "It paints you as someone your team won't want around. Maybe you should take a leaf from my book."
After Shermie's strike out, Barry is up next.
"Hmph. Easy out." Draco snorts, though he was too far away for the trainer to hear it.
"C'mon, Barry. You can do this." Light tells him.
Lobo throws, and Barry swings.
CRACK!
The ball goes high up into the air, and Barry runs for it, while Erza tries to run home.
Unfortunately, Raven was able to catch the ball before either of them could make it too far.
"That's the end of the first inning, folks!" Bugs said. "The Bulls lead with a score of 2-1. We'll be taking a ten minute break before we begin the second half of the game."
The teams rest up for the break they had, or chat amongst each other, discussing strategy for the challenge.
As Kronk is heading for the bathroom, he's caught by surprise as a hand pulls him aside, out of the sight of everyone else.
"W-what's going on?!"
He sees that the one who pulled him aside was the person in the cat mascot costume.
"It's me, you dolt!" A screechy voice from inside the costume shrieked.
"Wait, Yzma? Is that you in there?"
Yzma lifts the head of the costume, revealing her wrinkly face.
"Yes, it's me! This was the easiest way I could get a hold of you!"
"Wait, what about the headset?"
"That wouldn't have helped in this situation. Here, take this!"
She hands Kronk a sports drink bottle, filled with an unknown blue liquid. "Give that to that Yami fellow."
"What is this?" Kronk asked. "And why give it to Yami?"
"It's a drink that's sure to hit Yami where it hurts him most: his bowels." Yzma explained. "Within minutes of drinking it, he'll have the runs, rather than hitting home runs. It's brilliant, brilliant, BRILLIANT!"
"But why give it to him in particular?"
"I was just getting to that part." Yzma tells him. "That man is one of your biggest threats in the competition."
"He is?"
"Yes. He's already proven to be a powerhouse, both in strength and in leadership. Getting him out of the picture will make victory all the more easy for you."
"Oh. Okay, then. I'll make sure I give it to him."
"Excellent. And be quick about it!"
Kronk runs off to find Yami, who was just chilling in the dugout, having himself a smoke.
"Glad I found you!" Kronk said.
"Uhh……can I help you?" Yami asked.
"Just thought I'd give you a drink." Kronk said as he presented the bottle. "I brought this earlier since it's hot out, but I don't think I'm able to finish it. So I thought I'd give it to you. Don't worry, it's hardly been drank, so there's plenty left."
"Sure, why the hell not?" Yami said as he grabbed the bottle. "I was starting to get thirsty. Thanks."
"Oh, no problem."
With a salute, kronk rushes off. Yami opens the cap and takes a whiff of the drink.
"Ugh, I don't smell a drop of alcohol in this."
He turns to Pit, who sat next to him and was still eating the concession stand food. With him was Panty, whom he was trying to share the food with.
"Kid, I don't think I could eat another bite." Panty groaned.
"Do you feel like you're going to throw up?" Pit asked.
"No…."
"Then you can keep eating."
Pit suddenly feels a familiar hand grip his head.
"Hey, kid." Yami said
"Yes, captain?"
"You want this drink? It was given to me, but I'd hate for it to go to waste."
"Is there booze in it?" Panty asked.
"No. That's why I'm letting him have it."
Pit was more than eager to take it. He needed something to wash the food down.
"Wow. Thanks, Yami." He takes the bottle and chugs the whole thing down. "Mmm, blue raspberry. That really hit the spot."
"No problem, kid." Yami said. "Maybe before we leave, I can get myself a nice cold one to kick back once we win."
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After ten minutes, the break was over, and it was time to finish the game. Both teams took their respective spots in the dugout and on the field. Since they had already went, Bernadetta and Shermie sit out for their respective teams.
"Aaaaand we're back, folks!" Bugs announced. "The final inning has commenced, and the Bulls still hold the lead. It's gonna probably take a miracle for the Fairies to win."
"Or something awful to happen to the Bulls for them to win." Tsukishima adds. "But hey, what do I know?"
"Play ball!"
Yami takes his turn at bat, and everyone watches with anticipation.
"You got this, Captain Yami!" Magna said. "I've been anticipating your turn all day!"
"That's what you think, you Yankee looking fool." Yzma thinks as she's dancing in the costume. " Any second now, his gut should be feeling rumbly. Then it's off to the bathrooms!"
"C'mon, captain!" Ryu cheers. "Knock 'em dead.
Barry readies a pitch, and throws.
CRACK!
Yami swings hard, and luckily hits the ball, high in the air, and all the way out of the park.
"Home run! Another point for the Bulls!"
"What?!" Yzma gasped.
"Ooooh, that's not good." Kronk said.
"Amazing job, Yami sir!" Magna said. "I know I'm not allowed to be biased, but I was hoping you'd do a good job!"
"Heh heh, of course." Yami chuckled as he walked around the diamond.
"What dumb luck." Draco sneered. "Can't believe that boar actually-"
"Scored a point?" Yami finished as he returned to his seat. "Have faith in me, kid."
"Wow, that was incredible, Yami!" Peni said. "Looks like I'm up next."
Peni goes to bat next, feeling confident.
"It's just a child, Barry!" Bender tells his teammate. "This'll be easy!"
"I may be a kid, but I'm no pushover!" Peni warns.
Barry throws the ball, and Peni lands a hit.
"Boo-yah!"
She starts running for first base at the very least, but Erza gets a hold of the ball and throws it to Shermie, who was at first. Luckily for her, she gets it just before Peni can get there, meaning she was out.
"Dang it!" Peni snapped.
"Tough luck for her." Tsukishima said. "That's one out for the Bulls. Hopefully that won't deter them."
"Sorry, guys." Peni said glumly. The young hero hung her head low in shame.
"It's the worst thing that could've happened out there." Raven told her.
"Tell me about it." Ryu adds. "It can get worse. Much more painful, in fact."
"I don't know if you are showing genuine concern, or just stating facts." Panty told Raven. "Always hard to tell with you."
Raven shoots the angel a cold look, then looks away.
"Geez, I think I just got cold chills."
"Ahem." Draco coughs. "I believe it's my turn next. Watch me dominate this muggle game."
He goes to bat, and immediately starts his trash talking.
"C'mon, muggle!" He said to Barry. "Don't make this too easy for me!"
Barry grit his teeth. "You want me to not go easy on you? Your call."
Barry throws a curve ball for this one, and Draco swings…
…only to miss.
"Strike one!" Magna called.
"I said don't go easy on me!" Draco complained. "Not to throw tricky shots!"
"Fine, then I won't throw any curves this time!"
Barry goes for a normal throw this time, but Draco misses the swing again.
"You gotta be bloody kidding me! Give me a break!"
"That's just the way of the game!" Barry smugly tells him. "Don't take it too personally."
"Don't get cocky! I've still got one more chance!"
Barry decides to throw a curve ball again, just to mess with him.
"Strike three! You're out!"
Draco throws his bat down.
"Damn it! I said no tricks!"
"I'm just playing to win." Barry said. "I can't just let you win."
"He's got a point." Ryu said.
"Not. Another. Word." Draco hissed as he sat back down.
Pit leapt up in excitement.
"Awright! Looks like I'm up!"
"You sure you're up to this?" Panty tells him. "We already have two strikes, and you've spent the whole game eating."
Just as he was going to answer, Pit felt a painful rumbling in his stomach. The drink was kicking in, and all of the food he ate wasn't helping.
"D-definitely." He managed to say.
Pit takes his spot at home plate, wincing from the pain in his stomach.
"Wait. Something's wrong." Percy noticed. "Pit appears to be in pain."
"No duh." Draco snarked. "He's been stuffing his face all day. Probably gave himself a stomachache or something."
"I think it's worse than that. Much worse."
"Oh goddess…" Pit groaned. "It hurts so much!" He held the bat shakily. "But I've gotta play through the pain."
Barry readies another pitch, and throws the ball.
As if in slow motion, the ball is flying towards Pit. But just as he's about to hit it, he drops the bat.
"HUH?!" Could be heard from everyone.
"SORRYGUYSBUTIREALLYHAVETOGOTOTHEBATHROOMIMSOSORRYALSOIMPROBABLYGOINGTOBEAWHILE!"
Pit rushes off the field and immediately heads for the toilets.
"Uh……what just happened?" Tsukishima asked.
"Hard to tell." Bugs answered. "Looks like he had to go to the bathroom in the middle of his turn at bat."
"Unfortunately, we're gonna have to count that as an out!" Magna said as he checked the rulebook made specifically for this game. Luckily, it had a subsection on just this scenario.
"Which means it's three outs for the Bulls!" Tsukishima said. "Both teams will now switch, and the Fairies are going to need to score at least three points to win the game."
"Good grief." Yami groaned. "I know I said it's not good to hold it in, but doing it now of all times is unacceptable."
"Looks like that little shit might be a while." Lobo said. He then turns to Bernadetta. "Since that's the case, you gotta step in and play in his place, missy!"
"Aw man…" Bernadetta groans.
As they trade places, the Fairies quickly huddle together and talk strategy.
"It's all come down to this." Light said. "If we're gonna win, we need to score three points right here and now."
"Easier said than done." Tiff said. "The other team isn't gonna give us that chance."
"Then we'll do the same." Erza said. "We won't give them the chance. I have…trust, that you all can do this. We're the underdogs here."
"And just like in sports movies, the underdogs usually win." Barry said.
"But this isn't a movie." Futaba points out. "This is a real thing. Doesn't mean I want to lose or anything."
"Good." Erza said. "Then let's finish this, guys!"
The Fairies now waited in the dugout, while the Bulls took their spots on the field.
"It's all come down to this, people!" Bugs said. "Can they make a comeback, and bring it all home?! Let's find out!"
Up first to bat was none other than Alucard.
"Don't go easy on them, Lobo!" Yami instructed.
"You don't hafta tell me twice, cap'n!" Lobo chuckled.
"My, you're rather confident, aren't you?" Alucard points out.
"Shuddup! Don't try and throw the Main Man off! I'll strike you out!"
Lobo goes for a hard throw, but Alucard luckily hits it. Since he couldn't use his powers, he had to run like everyone else. Didn't mean he was slow by any means. By the time they got a hold of the ball, he stopped at third base."
"He's so close." Erza said.
"What was that about striking me out?" Alucard said smugly. "You stood no chance."
"Just wait till I catch you when yer alone, punk!" Lobo threatened.
"Don't let him get to you, man!" Ryu tells him.
Lobo nods, and focuses his attention on who's batting next.
This time, it was Tiff. Due to her size, the bat she held was bigger than her. Still, she wouldn't let that stop her.
Lobo throws the ball, and Tiff luckily hits it, though Bernadetta catches it before it can hit the ground.
"Hey, I caught it!" Bernadetta said. "I actually caught it! Um…. she's not gonna seek revenge on me for this, is she?"
Tiff gives a sad sigh and returns to her seat.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure they won't strike me out." Light tells her. "We still have a good chance. Their team has had worse plays than us today."
"That makes me feel a little better." Tiff said.
Light takes his turn to bat, and fortunately hits it. He managed to get all the way to second, while Alucard made it to home base.
"That's two points for the Fairies." Tsukishima said. "The Bulls still have three, and they have only one out. Maybe this is their comeback after all."
Kronk takes his turn next, and swings a single. He gets to first, while Light manages to get to third.
"You all really need to get better at catching the ball." Draco said under his breath.
"Guess it's time for me." Futaba sighed. Being someone who was never good at sports, she resigned herself to thinking she'd screw this up.
"Hey, don't discount yourself just yet." Light tells her.
"He's right." Erza said. "Hypothetically, if you scored a home run here, we'd win on the spot. No pressure, though."
Futaba inhales deeply. "Okay…..here I go. Wish me luck."
"Next up is probably the Fairies' most physically inept player, Futaba!" Bugs said. "No offense, though."
"None taken."
"Easy out, boys!" Lobo called. He gestures his team to come in closer, feeling this will be the easiest out of the day.
"Don't be intimidated." Futaba tells herself. "He's just underestimating you, even if you have no athletic skills."
Lobo throws, and Futaba misses the swing.
"Strike one!"
"No hard feelings girl, but I got a challenge to win, and a million dollars to party with!" Lobo said.
He threw again, and the result was still the same.
"Strike two!"
"Crap!"
The bounty hunter goes for one more throw, and all hell breaks loose here. Futaba goes for one last swing, this time with her eyes closed, and actually hits it with all of her might.
The ball goes soaring fast, and far past the fence.
"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Bugs announced. "SHE SCORED A HOMERUN! IT'S ALL OVER! WITH A SCORE OF 5-3, THE FAIRIES WIN!"
Futaba's team runs out onto the field, and lift her up in celebration.
"That was awesome! How'd you pull that off?!"
"Is that gonna be on the test?" Futaba jokes. "Because I don't think I can pull that off again. Mwe heh heh."
Lobo dropped to his knees in disappointment.
"Aw shit!"
Don comes out on the field to congratulate the winning team.
"Fairies, congratulations on your victory. Invincibility is rightfully yours."
He then looked to the Black Bulls next.
"Bulls, seems like luck just wasn't on your side today. Guess I'll be seeing you at tonight's elimination."
"Well Yami, it's been nice seeing you again." Magna said. "Just know I'm still rooting for you."
"Yeah yeah." Yami said nonchalantly. "Just stay outta trouble while I'm still gone. You got that?"
"Yes, Yami sir!"
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"Every dog has his day, I guess." Futaba said proudly. "But seriously, that was a one in a million thing. If they asked, I most definitely wouldn't be able to pull that off again.
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After this, everyone returned to the ship, but once they got back, Pit ran to one of the bathrooms on the ship. The Bulls start preparing for tonight's elimination.
Meanwhile, in Kronk's room, Yzma was not thrilled about today's events.
"What was that?!" She screeched. "I told you to give it to Yami! Not the angel kid!"
"But I did give it to him." Kronk defended. "Anything that happened after that was out of my control."
"Well, now it seems like he won't be eliminated! That man is still a big threat! Now I need to come up with a new plan!"
"I-I'm sorry. I'm sure that next time, things will go according to plan."
"I'll make sure it does…"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Later that evening, the Black Bulls were gathered together for the elimination ceremony. Nobody really felt in a talking mood.
"Once again, it looks like you guys just got a bit unlucky." Don said.
"Can you tell us why you called us here?" The voice of Pete could be heard.
The Fairies we're here too, asked to come here for an unanswered reason.
"I'm getting to that. I'll explain it after the elimination. The following players are safe…"
"Raven…"
"Yami…"
"Percy…"
"Bernadetta…"
"Panty…"
"Ryu…"
"Peni…"
"And Lobo…"
This left only Pit and Draco. Pit looked rather sad, with Draco appearing miffed.
"I don't think I need to go into details why you two are here. Whether it's costing your team the win, or being a cynical complainer, there's plenty of reasons for your team to vote you off. The last safe player is…..Draco."
As Draco receives his life preserver, Pit gives a sigh of defeat.
"Sorry, guys. Guess I really screwed things up."
"Aw, don't feel too bad." Panty said, giving him a pat on the back. "If it makes you feel better, I didn't vote for you. You were nice having around, like the little brother I never had."
Pit's mood works up at this. "Yeah, you're right."
"Next time we see each other, you can still learn a lot from me. Take care, kid."
Pit kindly waves to his team one last time.
"Well you guys, it's been fun. Hope to see you all again, soon."
And with that, he takes his leave to the raft. Now that that was over, Don was ready to make an announcement.
"As for why I called the other team here, here's the thing: I've noticed closely how both teams interact with each other."
Everyone looked at each in confusion.
"One of you is on very good terms with the other team, while one of you can't stand said team."
Draco's ears perked up at this. Surely he was talking about him.
"That's why I'm doing a little switching around." Don continues. "Draco, Futaba, the two of you are switching teams."
Everyone gasped. Well, everyone except for Draco.
"Well, it's been nice, losers, but good riddance. I won't miss any of you."
The wizard gets up and joins his new team.
Erza gives the new member a curious look. "Welcome to the team. Glad to have you."
Pete then puts an arm around Draco's shoulder.
"Welcome aboard, kid." He whispered. "This'll make our partnership much easier, heh heh."
Futaba looks over at her new team shyly. "Um, hey. Guess I'm you're new teammate."
Yami goes up to her, and raises his arm. Kindly, he gives her a head pat.
"Good to have you. Welcome to the group of misfits. I think you'll fit in nicely."
Most of the Bulls were welcoming Futaba warmly, making Malfoy feel a bit jealous.
"If you they could've shown me that kind of respect."
"They're just jealous." Pete whispers to him. "But it'll make taking all of them out all the more easy…"
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I may have said this before, but it's good to back doing this story again. The new Bon Voyage 2.0, as some would call it.
After the whole arc on Halovanx, I knew we needed an episode that was simple and low stakes. So why not have a fun sports game. Like Futaba, I'm no sports guy myself, but I think I managed to pull off telling an episode about one.
As some remember, Pit originally made it to the finale in the previous draft. But now that I have my game plan for the rest of the story figured out, changes were made. This story isn't going down how it was originally planned. So I apologize to his fans.
And we finish off with Malfoy and Futaba changing teams. This is sure to lead to some interesting stuff for both characters down the line.
Here's what we got in store for next time. We're going flashy, we're going virtual, and we're going Super Sentai. I'll let you all figure that out.
Until next time, please read and leave your thoughts. The feedback is always appreciated. And if you just want to chat about whatever, my PM is always open for that. Until next time, this is MemeKing, signing off.