Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Bleach Baseball ❯ Inning Six ( Chapter 6 )

Inning Six

“I'm really excited about this inning, Urahara,” Yoruichi said brightly. “Both teams showed a lot of energy in the fifth. If that carries over, we should see a lot more scoring this inning.”

“I agree, Yoruichi! I think we're going to see a lot of action.” Urahara consulted his notes. “Leading off for the Arrancar is Grimmjow. Grimmjow's hit a double and a pop fly so far.”

Grimmjow marched up to the plate swinging his bat in wide arcs. He grinned fiercely at Ichigo. “I'm letting my bat do the talking from now on,” he growled. He leaned over and positioned the bat high over his right shoulder.

Ichigo just smirked. “Whatever.” He threw a breaking ball and Grimmjow swung and missed. “Seems like you're bat's blowin' the same smoke you were,” he sneered.

Grimmjow sneered back and crouched down a little. Ichigo threw a curveball and Grimmjow missed again. He stepped back for a minute and drew a deep breath, tapping the bat on his shoulder. Then he leaned back over the plate and stared hard at Ichigo. Ichigo wound up slowly and then blazed in a fastball. Grimmjow's bat snapped around and he hit the ball high toward right-center field with a sharp crack.

Renji backed up several steps and then stopped. Hitsugaya never moved. They both watched the ball fly over the fence and then turned to regard Ichigo wordlessly.

Byakuya blinked once. “Excuse me, Kurosaki, but what was that?”

“It was a fucking home run, asshole!”

The Hollow fans were on their feet, cheering wildly. “Yay, Grimmjow! Great hit!”

Grimmjow jogged around the bases with a big smile, waving to the crowd appreciatively. He sashayed into the dugout and went right up to Ulquiorra. “Now tell me that wasn't great!”

Ulquiorra tipped his head slightly to one side. “It was certainly better than I expected.”

“What?!” Grimmjow's face turned red. “What do you mean `better than expected'? I'm the best hitter on this team! I hit a home run! What more do you want?!”

“Well,” Ulquiorra touched his chin. “You could have done that with someone on base. That would have been really helpful.”

“I was the first one at-bat!” Grimmjow screamed. “How am I supposed to hit a home run with runners on base if I'm the first one up?!”

“I admit that poses a problem.”

“AUGGHHH!!!” Grimmjow stamped to the far end of the dugout and punched a hole in the wall.

“The Arrancar manager is tough to please,” Yoruichi remarked. “But I guess you have to set high standards if you want the most out of your team.”

“That's right,” Urahara agreed. “Up next is Tousen, who has yet to get on base.”

Tousen settled in at the plate with an open stance, his upper body turned partially toward Ichigo.

“That's kind of an unconventional stance,” Ganju remarked.

“But I think it will be more effective for me,” Tousen replied gravely. He waited unmoving for the first pitch. It was a curveball inside, but Tousen dipped his shoulders and caught it close to the handle of the bat. The ball bounced slowly down the third base line. Matsumoto dashed in for it and fielded it bare-handed, but her throw was off-balance and arrived behind the streaking Tousen.

“He's safe!” Lirin declared loudly, her little wings spread wide.

“Dammit!” Matsumoto exclaimed.

Ken tossed the ball back to Ichigo.

“Are you getting tired, Ichi-chan?” Yachiru called.

“No, I am not getting tired!” Ichigo snapped. “I'll get the rest of them.” He scowled angrily toward the plate as Gin strolled up to it, his usual happy smile a little wider than usual.

“Ya'll are given up the hits,” Gin drawled. “Maybe ya'll've got another one for me?”

“Oh, shut up!” Ichigo growled. He took the sign and paused for a moment before flowing into his pitch. The breaking ball dropped just as Gin brought his bat around for another bunt and the ball took a huge bounce. “I got it!” Ichigo shouted. He dashed forward and caught the ball as it came down. He looked at second, but Tousen was already dropping into a slide, having taken off from first before Gin even contacted the ball. So Ichigo threw the ball to Kenpachi, who was waiting expectantly at first.

“Gin advances the runner,” Urahara announced, “giving us one out with a runner at second. The Arrancar have another scoring opportunity brewing. Let's see how the Shinigami answer it.”

“They may not need to,” Yoruichi chuckled. “Wonderweiss is up next.”

With Tousen on base, everyone else just stared with dismay at the little blond Arrancar, who was sitting in the on-deck circle playing in the dirt. There was no bat in sight.

Grimmjow smacked his forehead, snagged a bat and stamped out of the dugout. “Wonderweiss, you idiot, take the bat and hit the ball!”

Wonderweiss took the bat by the barrel and stared at it. “Bat?”

Grimmjow groaned. “Yes, it's a bat! You hit the ball with it. Go hit the ball with the bat!”

Wonderweiss blinked at him, wide-eyed. “Ball?”

Grimmjow scrubbed a hand over his face. “Yes!” He pointed at Ichigo. “Hit the ball that the orange-head over there throws at you with the bat!” He tugged the bat out of Wonderweiss' hands and held it out handle first. “Hold this end.” When Wonderweiss took it, he tapped the barrel. “Hit it with this end.” He pulled Wonderweiss to his feet and shoved him toward the plate. “You gotta stand by the plate to hit the ball.”

“Uwah!” Wonderweiss exclaimed. He trotted over to the plate and stood next to it, letting the bat rest on his right shoulder.

Ichigo lifted one eyebrow. Wonderweiss stared at him intently. Ichigo pitched a fastball and Wonderweiss hit it! The ball screamed between second and a diving Rukia, bouncing into left-center field. Tousen took off for third, leaping over the prone Rukia.

Wonderweiss, however, stood unmoving at home plate, watching the ball roll. “Ball!” He pointed at the ball.

“Run, you idiot!” Grimmjow screamed.

“Wonderweiss!” Tousen shouted as he neared third, “there's a butterfly on first base! Over there!” He pointed at Kenpachi.

“B'r'fly?” Wonderweiss said and he ambled off toward first.

Renji fielded the ball quickly and Luppi held Tousen up at first, so Renji threw the ball to Kenpachi. Wonderweiss wandered behind the coach's box and Halibel groaned.

Kenpachi looked at Lirin. “Uh, do I have to tag him?”

“Oh, he's out,” Lirin said with a dismissive wave of her wing.

“Wonderweiss!” Tousen called. “Go back to the dugout!”

Wonderweiss looked up and stared at him blankly.

Hanataro jogged out of the Shinigami dugout and took Wonderweiss' hand. “Come on, you need to go this way.” He led Wonderweiss back to his dugout. “There's a good fellow.” He patted Wonderweiss on the shoulder and dug into his pocket with his other hand. “Here, have a sucker.” He handed the sweet to Wonderweiss.

“Eee!” Wonderweiss squealed. He showed the sucker to Ulquiorra.

“That's nice,” Ulquiorra said. He took the wrapper off the sucker. “Go sit down.”

“Well, I have to say I'm a little surprised, Yoruichi,” Urahara said. “That was a solid hit. I guess we need to stop second-guessing the Arrancar manager for choosing that particular player.”

“It was just luck,” Yoruichi grumbled. “Ururu! I could use a beer!”

“The Arrancar now have two outs with a runner at third,” Urahara continued. “Let's see if Szayel can get the runner home.”

Szayel swaggered up to the plate and sneered at Ichigo. “Looks like everybody's getting hits off you now, human. You sure didn't hold up long.”

“You wanna see how long I can hold up, just bend over!” Ichigo snapped. He leaned in for the sign with a glare on his face. Szayel smirked as he settled into a tight stance that hugged the plate. Ichigo shook off the first two signs. Then he nodded and grinned. The pitch was a curveball outside and Szayel let it go by. The next pitch was high and inside and Szayel had to lean back sharply to avoid being hit.

“What the hell do you think you're doing?” Szayel yelled. “Watch it!”

“What?” Ichigo laughed. “You can't take a little brush-back? Pussy!”

“Ichigo…” Isshin warned.

“Yeah, yeah.” Ichigo looked in for a new sign. The next pitch was a fastball and just inside. Szayel swung, but did not make solid contact. The ball floated into shallow right field and Hitsugaya caught it easily. Ichigo grinned at Szayel. “There, I let you hit it.”

Szayel glowered back and stomped back to the dugout.

“How could you not score the run?!” Grimmjow exclaimed. “All you had to do was get any kind of decent hit!”

Szayel just glared at him without responding.

“Nevertheless,” Tousen said as he came in to get his glove, “I would call it a successful inning. Wonderweiss got a hit.”

“What about my home run?!”

“Oh, that was good, too.”

“Sheesh!” Grimmjow stormed out to the mound. “And who was it got the little twerp to hit the ball in the first place? Me! All your coddling got us nowhere! If it wasn't for me carrying this team, we'd be losing by a huge margin!” Grimmjow continued to grumble as he took a few practice pitches.

“We have a tie game for the start of the Shinigami at-bat,” Urahara announced. “First up is Abarai Renji.”

Renji stopped by the plate to watch the last of Grimmjow's practice pitches thump into Gin's glove. “That's a pretty soft pitch,” he remarked. “I could ride that right out of the park.”

Gin tossed the ball back. “I'll have him throw ya something nice and hard, how's that?” He gave Grimmjow the sign under the shield of his glove.

“Perfect!” Renji grinned fiercely. “I like it hard.” He moved next to the plate.

“So Kuchiki-taicho told me.”

“What?!”

Gin pitched a speeding fastball and caught Renji completely by surprise.

“Strike one!”

“What a minute!” Renji exclaimed. “I wasn't set!” He scowled at Gin and settled into his stance. Then he shifted his glare to Grimmjow. “Try that again, bone-face!”

Grimmjow smirked and wound up for another pitch. He threw another fastball but Renji was ready. He smacked the ball between first and second, and it bounced into right field. Renji tore down the line and rounded first as Stark fielded the ball.

“Don't get out,” Byakuya said flatly.

Renji jerked to a halt and dove back to first as the ball came in.

“The Shinigami are off to a good start!” Yoruichi said.

“Yes, they are,” Urahara agreed. “With a lead-off single, it looks like the Shinigami mean business. Next up is Chad. He scored after getting on with a single and has struck out.”

Chad approached the plate expressionlessly. He let the first pitch, a knuckleball, go by.

“Ball one!”

Grimmjow frowned. The next pitch was also a knuckleball, but this time Chad swung and fouled it off. The ball floated into the stands down the first base line and several fans leaped up to catch it. One Hollow shot out an extra long tongue to slobber the ball out of the air before anyone else could reach it.

“No fair!” a dinky little Hollow who was actually wearing a glove cried. “You're supposed to use a glove!” He waved his glove-encased appendage in the air.

The victorious Hollow spat the ball into his hand. “Only pussies wear gloves!” he sneered. “But you can have it if you really want it.” He held out the ball, which trailed, long slimy ropes of mucous.

The dinky Hollow turned green. “No thanks! I'll catch the next one.”

Renji took a big lead off first. Grimmjow looked over his shoulder at him, but didn't try to chase him back. Instead, after two knuckleballs, he tried to slip a fastball past Chad, but Chad got a piece of it. Renji took off for second as the ball bounced inside first. Tousen had to field it, but it was too late to try a throw for second. Grimmjow was already racing for first, so Tousen tossed him the ball and he squeaked in a step ahead of Chad.

“He's out!” Lirin shouted.

“The runner moves over on a close play at first,” Urahara said. “With only one out, the Shinigami are looking threatening.”

Ikkaku stepped out of the on-deck circle and Yachiru bounded out to him. “Get a good hit, Baldy, so Renji can score.”

Ikkaku winced and ran a hand over his smooth scalp. “That was my plan.”

“Good boy!” Yachiru thumped him soundly on the arm and skipped back to the dugout.

“What am I, a dog?” Ikkaku grumbled. He rolled up his sleeves to expose his upper arms. “There, that's better. Now I can get some decent power.”

In the stands, Ayasegawa sighed wistfully.

The Shinigami next to him eyed him warily. “Don't start moaning about his good looks again!” he insisted. “I really don't think I can take anymore of your hero-worship.”

“I wasn't going to say anything,” Ayasegawa said. “I'll just look and silently appreciate the perfect construction of his magnificently firm and deliciously smooth body.” He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands. He sighed dreamily. “Yes, I'll just sit here quietly and let my eyes caress that faultless musculature, those clean, pure lines, those smoothly flowing sinews, the tight, firm buttocks…”

“That's it! I'm sitting with the Hollows!” The Shinigami jumped to his feet.

His companions pulled him back down. “Just have another beer.”

“Can I dump it on his head?”

“It's a waste of good beer.”

“This beer isn't that good.”

“Just watch the game.”

Ikkaku faced Grimmjow with a half-smile curving the side of his mouth. Renji sidled off second, taking a big lead toward third. Annoyed, Grimmjow whirled around and threw the ball to Zommari, who tried to sneak in behind Renji. Renji dove back into second easily. Zommari threw the ball back and, with a big grin, Renji sidled off second again. Grimmjow scowled and faced the batter. He threw a curveball inside and Ikkaku tried to pull it to left toward Wonderweiss. He got the direction, but not with enough power. The ball bounced straight to Nnoitra.

Renji took off anyway as soon as the ball was hit, ignoring Shunsui, who tried to wave him back to second. He pounded hard toward third and dove in head first, but Nnoitra threw him out easily.

“Out!” Kurodo declared firmly.

“Goddamit!” Renji exclaimed as he popped to his feet.

“I told you not to run,” Shunsui said apologetically.

Meanwhile, Szayel tried for the double-play at first, but he threw the ball a little wildly, pulling Tousen off the base. Ikkaku ran with his head down, pulling for first with all the speed he had.

“Safe!” Lirin cried as he streaked across the base.

As Renji jogged dejectedly back to the dugout, Byakuya caught his eye. “It annoys me when you fail to consider the consequences of disobeying orders,” he remarked. Renji ducked his head and flushed. He hurried into the dugout.

“Man!” Matsumoto whispered to Renji as he passed by. “He really reamed you a new one that time.”

“I don't want to talk about it!” Renji slunk to the end of the dugout farthest from Byakuya.

“What a dramatic change in the situation for the Shinigami!” Urahara exclaimed. “They've gone from one out with a runner at second to two out with a runner at first. They still have a chance, but it doesn't look quite as promising.”

“They can still pull it out,” Yoruichi said. “Ganju's up next and he's two for two.”

As Ganju came up to the plate, Gin trotted out to the mound. “Ya gotta be careful with this one, Grimmy. He's tagged ya pretty good twice.”

“I know,” Grimmjow growled.

“So stay focused. Let's get him.” Gin trotted back to the plate and crouched down. He gave Grimmjow the sign. Grimmjow nodded.

The first pitch was a curveball and Ganju fouled it off. The ball smacked into the backstop with a loud clang. Hanataro dashed out to retrieve it and raced back to the dugout.

“Strike one!”

He fouled the next pitch into the left field stands and several Shinigami spectators scrambled for it.

“Strike two!”

Grimmjow tried a knuckleball and Ganju let it go by.

“Ball one!”

Gin offered a sign and Grimmjow shook his head. He offered another one and Grimmjow nodded with a sharp grin. He wound up quickly and blazed in a smoking fastball. Ganju started to swing but the ball zoomed past him and smacked into Gin's glove.

“Strike three! You're out!”

Ganju frowned and gripped his bat by the barrel as he jogged back to the dugout.

In the dugout, Renji tried to escape onto the field before Byakuya came in. He failed. Byakuya confronted him on the steps of the dugout with his arms crossed.

“We'll need to have a discussion after the game,” Byakuya said without expression.

Renji would not meet his eyes. “Baseball's a tough sport! It's easy to make mistakes.”

“I do not expect mistakes from my first officer.”

“I'll make it right!” Renji dashed out of the dugout and ran to his position in center field.

“You shouldn't push him too hard,” Shunsui murmured. “He might get reckless.”

“Is it pushing to expect perfection?”

“We can't all be like you.”

“I don't see why not.” Byakuya blinked. “I don't find being perfect that difficult.”

“So the end of the sixth inning finds us mired in a 5-5 tie,” Urahara announced. “The Shinigami let a scoring opportunity slip away and the Arrancar have pulled even. I don't know about you Yoruichi, but I'm on the edge of my seat.”

“You and most of the fans in the stadium,” Yoruichi agreed. “This game's turning into a real nail-biter. But there will be a break in the action in the next inning, with the seventh inning stretch. So stay in your seats, folks! After the Arrancar at-bat, we have a little entertainment cooked up for you to get you ready for the rest of the game.”