Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Bleach Baseball ❯ Inning Nine ( Chapter 9 )

Inning Nine

“The Arrancar are taking a 7-5 lead into the ninth with the top of their lineup coming to bat,” Urahara announced. “It's coming down to the wire for the Shinigami.”

“Yeah,” Yoruichi said. “These Shinigami better pull it together and put some runs on the board or they're going to have a lot of explaining to do back in Soul Society.”

Urahara checked the stats. “Szayel is one for four today, but he might have been two for four if he wasn't batting behind Wonderweiss.”

Yoruichi chuckled. “But you gotta admit, that little Arrancar has added a lot of excitement to the game.”

“Yes, if by excitement you mean unpredictability.”

“Predictability is for boring people.”

Szayel arrived at the plate with a sneer on his face. “This is the beginning of the end for you, human,” he said to Ichigo. “We're going to take such a decisive lead that you'll have no chance of catching up.”

“You know what I'll like best when this game is over?” Ichigo drawled back. “Not having to listen to the idiot whining of all you damn Arrancar. You are the whiniest bunch of pussies I've ever had to waste a day with.”

“Just pitch the ball,” Szayel snapped back, “and we'll see who whines more.”

Szayel ignored the first two pitches, but he swung hard at the third. The ball bounced between Rukia and Matsumoto and rolled into left field. Chad came up with it quickly and Halibel held Szayel up at first. Ichigo scowled as Rukia tossed him the ball.

“It's ok, Ichigo,” Rukia said. “Stay on top of them.”

“Right.” Ichigo faced Nnoitra, who was wearing his customary superior smirk.

“Szayel tagged you pretty good there,” Nnoitra said.

“That puny little thing?” Ichigo replied with a shrug. He glanced at Szayel on first and then went into his windup. Nnoitra cracked the first pitch right over Ichigo's head, but the ball started curving into left center field. Renji had to run to get to it as it rolled toward the wall. Szayel rounded second without slowing down and slid into third easily. With his long body, Nnoitra stretched way out in his slide and beat the throw into second by inches.

“Dammit!” Ichigo growled.

Ganju trotted out to the mound. “You're losing some speed off your fastball,” he noted.

Ichigo frowned. “My shoulder's starting to hurt,” he muttered. “But I'll be damned if I let these assholes beat me.”

“Why don't we stick to the curveball for now? You've been fooling them with that pretty well.”

“I guess.”

Ganju returned to the plate, where Zommari was waiting not terribly patiently. “It looks like your boy is falling apart.”

“He's got enough left,” Ganju chuckled.

In the announcer's booth, Yoruichi leaned way forward in her chair. “Come on, Ichigo! Show us what you got!”

“Ichigo has pitched himself into a little trouble,” Urahara announced. “He's got runners at second and third with no outs. I don't see how he can get out of this without giving up at least one run.”

The first pitch to Zommari was a curveball that just caught the outside corner.

“Strike one!”

Zommari frowned at Isshin, but said nothing.

The next pitch was inside, but also managed to catch a corner of the plate.

“Strike two!”

Zommari stepped back and regarded Isshin with annoyance. “Are you quite sure about that?”

“I call `em like I see `em,” Isshin replied calmly.

Zommari sniffed in disbelief and stepped back into the batter's box. The third pitch was another curveball outside and Zommari swung sharply at this one. He caught it off the end of the bat and it bounced slowly toward Kenpachi. The big man charged forward to get it, but it was still too late to get Szayel. He streaked toward home and slid over the plate in a cloud of dust, so Kenpachi did not even try for the play there. He turned and tossed the ball to Ichigo, who was backing him up at first. Ichigo caught the ball and skipped across the base a step ahead of Zommari. Nnoitra stopped at third.

Byakuya lifted an eyebrow. “Good decision, Zaraki, to go for the sure out.”

In the outfield, Renji scrubbed a hand over his face. “He praises everybody but me. It's not fair.”

“Ichigo manages to get one out,” Urahara announced, “but the run still scored. With two outs to go and another runner on third, the Shinigami are still in a lot of trouble.”

Yoruichi eyed Urahara. “Whose side are you on, anyway?”

“I'm an announcer, so I'm unbiased,” Urahara replied archly. “I just enjoy a good game of baseball.”

“And the fact that all the refreshments for sale here today came from your shop has nothing to do with it.”

“I provided the refreshments as a public service.”

“For a nominal fee, I suppose.”

“A very nominal fee.” Urahara grinned. “I'm barely making any profit at all.”

Yoruichi glared suspiciously. “So was this whole thing your idea?”

“Not entirely.” Urahara cleared his throat. “With one on and one out, the big man Yammi comes to the plate. Yammi is zero for four with a sacrifice fly.”

Yammi grinned hugely at Ichigo. “I'm going to get a hit this time!” he declared. He took a couple of big practice swings.

Ichigo just wrinkled his nose and prepared for the first pitch. Yammi fouled it off, sending fans into a mad scramble for the ball. He fouled the second pitch down the first base line, where it bounced off the wall right where Hanataro was sitting. Hanataro scooted out of the way with a yelp, and then he ran down the line to retrieve it. When he picked it up, a long-necked Hollow with big blue eyes leaned out of the stands.

“Let me have the ball, kid,” the blue-eyed Hollow wheedled.

“I don't think I should do that,” Hanataro replied nervously.

“Oh, come on! No one will care! You won't get in any trouble! Just toss it to me!”

Hanataro shook his head and backed up a few steps.

“Give me the stupid ball!”

“Don't give him the ball!” a neighboring Hollow called out. “He'll just eat it.”

“I will not! I want a souvenir!”

“Hah! You ate the souvenir bat you talked me into buying.”

“I didn't eat it!” the blue-eyed Hollow said defensively. “I was just... sort of gnawing on it.”

“You ate it!”

Hanataro sidled away from the arguing Hollows and scurried back down the line to his seat.

At the plate, Yammi now had two strikes and one ball. He watched Ichigo wind up for the next pitch carefully. The breaking ball didn't break quite enough and Yammi got his bat under it. He hit it hard but not very high, although it was high enough to clear the leaping Kenpachi. The ball took a big bounce into left field and Hitsugaya had to wait for it. Nnoitra made it home standing up, but Halibel stopped Yammi at first.

“I could have made it to second!” Yammi complained.

“Have you not been watching the little guy throw?” Halibel retorted flatly. “You'd have been out by a mile.”

“Did she just call me the little guy?!” Hitsugaya demanded angrily.

“She's just stating a fact,” Renji responded.

“I'm a Shinigami captain!” Hitsugaya growled. “My physical stature is not representative of my enormous spiritual size.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Renji waved a dismissive hand.

“I swear I'm kicking everybody's butt after the game!” Hitsugaya muttered darkly.

Stark slouched up to the plate with a yawn. “I can't believe this game is still going on! What have we played, like, fifteen innings? I've missed about ten naps.”

“We've got `em on the ropes, Stark!” Grimmjow shouted. “Keep hammering him! He's losing it!”

Ichigo scowled. “I can finish this!” He blazed in a fastball and Stark swung late.

“Strike one!”

Stark grinned sheepishly at his dugout and settled in for the next pitch. Another fastball and another strike, but this time he did not even swing.

“You're not even trying!” Grimmjow screamed.

Stark smacked the next pitch down the left field line, but it curved foul and bounced into the stands before Chad could reach it. Grimmjow scrubbed a hand over his face. The next pitch was a curveball outside and Stark let it go by.

“Ball one!”

Ichigo made a face. He took the sign from Ganju and did a full windup. Obviously expecting a fastball, Stark started to swing as soon as the ball left Ichigo's hand, but then he tried hard to pull up when a breaking ball floated off Ichigo's fingers. He ended up twisted around with his hips pointing toward Ichigo and his shoulders still square in the batter's box. The ball dropped down untouched through his strike zone.

“Strike three! Batter's out!”

“Well, dang!” Stark exclaimed. He slouched back to the dugout. Ulquiorra lifted an eyebrow at him. “I misjudged the pitch!” Stark said defensively. “It happens!”

“Hmm,” was all Ulquiorra said.

Stark sat at the other end of the dugout.

Grimmjow stalked out to the plate with a triumphant smile splitting his face. “We're four up on you, Kurosaki! What do you think of that?”

“I think we're gonna shell you and win when it's our turn,” Ichigo replied with an equally fierce grin. “You up for it?”

“I'm always up for it!” Grimmjow stepped into the batter's box, his bat held high.

Ichigo wound up and delivered a smoking fastball. Grimmjow didn't bite and let the ball thump untouched into Ganju's mitt.

“Strike one!”

Grimmjow laughed. “Why don't you give me another one just like that?”

“You think it'll make a difference if you know what's coming?” Ichigo sneered. “You'll still miss.”

“Just try it and see,” Grimmjow snapped back. “I'll put it in the bleachers.”

“You think so, eh?” Ichigo did a fast wind-up and pitch, but the fastball was actually high. Grimmjow swung hard, already committed to the pitch, and he tried to adjust mid-swing for the unexpected height of the ball. He managed to get a good piece of it, but not enough. The ball floated out into right field and Hitsugaya drifted under it casually.

“Goddammit!” Grimmjow growled, slowing to a halt about halfway down the first base line as Hitsugaya caught the ball.

“So it looks like I was right,” Ichigo said.

“I still hit it!” Grimmjow declared angrily. “You said I would miss!”

“Close enough. You're still out.”

“But we're still winning! When I strike your side out and you go home losers, we know which one of us the fans will be celebrating.”

“Yeah, me,” Ichigo smirked, “because I'm hung like a man, not a pre-pubescent boy.”

“What?!” Grimmjow screamed. He charged at the mound in a fury. “I'm not taking anymore of your snide remarks about the size of my dick!” He tackled Ichigo on the mound and the pair went down in a tangle.

“Cut it out!” Isshin shouted. “No fighting or you both get ejected!”

“I'm not fighting!” Ichigo protested as he protected his face from Grimmjow's pummeling with his glove.

Ulquiorra sighed. “Go get him, Yammi.”

“Yes, sir!” Yammi jogged out to the mound and plucked Grimmjow off of Ichigo. “You're pissing Ulquiorra off.”

“Well, he's pissing me off!” Grimmjow cried, struggling to grab Ichigo again.

“We need you for the bottom of the inning, Grimmjow,” Yammi pointed out reasonably. “If you get ejected, how can you strike them all out and win the game?”

Grimmjow stopped struggling. “Fine! But I reserve the right to beat his skinny orange-headed ass to a pulp later!”

Yammi slung Grimmjow over a shoulder. “I'm sure he'll be glad to accommodate you.”

“You got that right, bone-face,” Ichigo said. He jogged back to the dugout. “That guy sure is fun.”

“You make a good couple,” Renji snickered. “You should date.”

“Nah, I like `em a little less girly.”

Renji laughed out loud.

“Well, the Arrancar have really put the Shinigami's back against the wall with that performance,” Urahara announced. “It should be exciting to see how the Shinigami respond to the situation.”

“We Shinigami are fighters!” Yoruichi responded. “I'm expecting a big comeback.”

“Boo!” the Hollow fans howled. “Kick that biased announcer out of the booth!”

“What are you whining about?” a Shinigami fan shouted back. “Your team's winning! Who cares what the announcer says?”

“Announcers should be unbiased!”

“She's the color announcer for the home team! She doesn't have to be unbiased!”

“How come you're the home team, then?! None of us live in this plane of existence!”

“But we're much closer to human than you soulless monsters are! So clearly, we are the home team!” The Shinigami puffed out his chest.

“But our leader is the same as you!” a Hollow shouted back.

“What leader?” the Shinigami sneered. “There's nobody in your VIP box!”

“What?!”

Everyone looked up at the Arrancar luxury VIP box. It was completely empty. Even the sushi chef was gone.

Tatsuki smacked her forehead. “I warned him! That Aizen guy is probably sucking his soul out right now!”

“He's probably sucking something, anyway,” Ishida muttered under his breath.

“Well, he'll get no sympathy from me when he turns up dead!” Tatsuki concluded with a loud sniff.

“How about if he shows up with a really sore butt?” Ishida smirked.

“Then I'll kick him in it!”

“You're a caring friend.”

“Damn right!”

A fat Hollow with long white fur all over its back jumped up. “Our leader didn't need to stay because he knows victory is assured! Our Arrancar will beat your stupid Shinigami team every day of the week!”

“That shows how much you know!” the Shinigami shouted back. “Hollow is just another term for airhead!”

“What?!” Several Hollows jumped to their feat and started for the Shinigami. Several Shinigami jumped up in response, more than ready to start a fight.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” Urahara announced loudly. “Please restore order in the stands immediately or my loyal and caring staff will be forced to hand out more prizes!”

Everyone froze in their tracks. Ururu quickly shouldered her bazooka and Jinta swung his heavy club eagerly. After a moment of hesitation, Hollows and Shinigami both scurried back to their seats.

“I already won a prize,” one Shinigami muttered. “I don't think I could survive winning another one.”

When the fans were all back in their seats, the Arrancar players jogged out onto the field.

“All right,” Urahara said, “let's get on with the game. It's the bottom of the ninth, and it's make or break time for the Shinigami. They're starting at the bottom of their lineup with Ganju.”

“I think I should resent the way that sounds,” Ganju said with a frown.

“Alright, Grimmy, stay sharp,” Gin said. “Just three quick outs and it's over.”

Grimmjow nodded and wound up for the first pitch. He stuck with his knuckleball and Ganju watched the first one go by with raised eyebrows.

“I still can't get used to the way that thing moves,” Ganju said.

Grimmjow pitched another knuckleball and Ganju cracked it straight at Nnoitra. Nnoitra threw him out easily at first.

“That's ok!” Yachiru called encouragingly. “That's just one out. We're still in it.”

Matsumoto arrived at the plate with most of her majestic chest shoved into her uniform top. The uniform looked like it was not going to take the strain for much longer. She took a few slow swings in the batter's box while she watched Grimmjow take the sign from Gin. Grimmjow pitched a hard slider and Matsumoto took a big swing that was not even close to the ball. Her uniform promptly gave up the ghost. Buttons shot in all directions and several pounds of creamy white bosom spilled free.

“Oops!” Matsumoto exclaimed.

The crowd was on its feet.

“Oh, wow!”

“I've never seen boobs that big!”

“They can't be real!”

“Orihime's are bigger!”

“Time!” Isshin shouted. He waved to the Shinigami dugout. “Replacement shirt, please.”

Hanataro jogged out, his cheeks flaming, with another uniform top in his hand. He handed it to Matsumoto with his eyes averted.

She took it from him with a chuckle. “You're such a sweetie, Hanataro.” She patted his cheek, causing Hanataro to inadvertently look at her. His cheeks promptly got several shades redder.

“You're welcome!” he squeaked and dashed back to the dugout.

Matsumoto put the shirt on and leisurely fastened the buttons. “Well, that was unexpected.” She smiled sweetly at Isshin. “I don't think that strike should count.”

Isshin gave her an appreciative smile. “While I enjoyed the view, the strike still counts.”

“Dang!” Matsumoto stepped back into the batter's box.

Grimmjow's next pitch did not have quite its usual speed and Matsumoto got a piece of it, but it bounced straight back to Grimmjow. He threw her out at first.

“Oh, shoot!” Matsumoto exclaimed. She jogged back to the dugout with nearly every eye pinned to her chest, eager to see how the new uniform would hold up.

“That's two away and the Shinigami are in danger of letting this one completely slip away,” Urahara announced. “They are back at the top of their lineup, with Kurosaki Ichigo representing their last chance to pull this one out.”

Ichigo slouched up to the plate. “So it's down to you and me, eh?” he said to Grimmjow. “This is your last chance to show you've got some big round ones in your sack.”

Grimmjow held his tongue, but it obviously took a lot of effort. He pitched a fastball and Ichigo promptly smacked it right over Nnoitra's head. The ball bounced twice and then rolled straight to Wonderweiss.

“Wonderweiss!” Tousen shouted. “Throw the ball to Zommari!”

Wonderweiss blinked at the ball and then, to the complete astonishment of everyone, picked it up and rifled it straight at Zommari. Ichigo, who was about to round first, skidded to a stop and ran back to the base.

“Well, who would have imagined it?” Yoruichi exclaimed. “That skinny little Arrancar has an arm!”

“That was some throw,” Urahara agreed. “But the hit keeps the Shinigami hopes alive and brings Hitsugaya to the plate. He's two for four with a home run. The Arrancar pitcher had better be careful.”

“You're still in control, Grimmy,” Gin said soothingly. “Just focus on the guy at the plate. Nothing else matters. He's the last out.”

Grimmjow nodded and prepared to pitch. He went back to the knuckleball, but Hitsugaya wasn't fooled. He fouled off the first pitch, sending it high over the backstop and almost into the announcer's booth.

“Hitsugaya hit that one pretty hard,” Urahara announced.

“But in the wrong direction,” Yoruichi added. “I nearly caught it.”

Hitsugaya fouled off the next pitch, too, sending it bouncing toward the Arrancar dugout. Ulquiorra watched without a change of expression as it bounced off the bench right beside him and rolled to the far end. Grimmjow scowled and shook off the next two signs. He accepted the third one, but then hesitated before starting his windup as Ichigo took a lead off first. He watched Ichigo for a second and then threw a curveball high and outside. Hitsugaya let it go by with a smirk.

“Ball one!”

Grimmjow took a deep breath, checked Ichigo again and tried to sneak one over the plate. Hitsugaya jumped all over it. He smoked the ball between Zommari and Tousen and Ichigo leaped over it as he ran for second. Stark scooped up the ball in stride and threw it in, holding the runners at first and second. The Shinigami fans were all on their feet.

“Way to go, Hitsugaya-taicho!”

“Great hit!”

“With runners at first and second,” Urahara announced, “the Shinigami refuse to go down easy. Rukia started the game with a home run. Will the Arrancar risk that she might have another one in her?”

“Apparently not,” Yoruichi said dryly.

Ulquiorra walked out to the mound with a thoughtful expression. “This female concerns me,” he said to Grimmjow.

“I'm not afraid of her!” Grimmjow declared. “I've gotten her out before.”

“But the odds are better with the next batter. He hasn't gotten a single hit.”

Gin came out to the mound. “Ulquiorra makes a good point, Grimmy. Let's walk this one and go for the next batter.”

“I'm not walking anyone!” Grimmjow responded hotly. “I can get her!”

“Are you saying you don't want to follow my recommendation?” Ulquiorra asked flatly.

Grimmjow flinched. He shook his glove at Ulquiorra. “I don't want to hear about it if this doesn't work!”

Ulquiorra returned to the dugout and Gin went back to the plate, but he remained standing. Scowling furiously, Grimmjow pitched four high, easy balls outside.

Kenpachi watched from the on-deck circle with a confused expression. “What are they doing?”

“Walking her,” Renji replied. “They're worried she might get a solid hit, so they're not pitching to her.” He grinned. “They'd rather pitch to you instead.”

Kenpachi absorbed this for several heartbeats. “What a minute! Does that mean they're more scared of her than me?”

“Yup.”

“That's… that's…” Kenpachi seemed unable to find words to express the outrage of such an insult. “I'm way more dangerous than she is!”

“Not in baseball.”

Kenpachi smacked his bat on the ground. “That does it! I'm hitting a home run!”

“Ball four!” Isshin said as Gin caught the fourth pitch. “Take your base!”

Rukia tossed her bat toward the dugout and jogged to first. Hitsugaya and Ichigo advanced to second and third.

“Well, that's an interesting play,” Urahara announced. “The Arrancar decline to pitch to Rukia and have loaded the bases with two outs. This could be a very clever move, as Kenpachi is hitless today.”

Kenpachi stormed to the plate with wounded pride and fury darkening his face. He hunched over, his bat held high above his shoulder. Grimmjow tried a knuckleball and missed inside.

“Ball one!”

He tried another knuckleball and almost threw a wild pitch. Gin just barely managed to dig it out of the dirt before it scooted between his legs.

“Ball two!”

Grimmjow blew out his breath. He took his time preparing for the next pitch, checking all three runners before looking in for the sign. Then he went into a full windup. His arm whipped around in a blur of speed as he unloaded his best fastball.

Kenpachi crushed it. The ball sailed straight toward center field.

Yammi stared up at it unmoving. “That's high.” He tilted his head to watch over his shoulder. “That's far.”

The ball cleared the bleachers. There was the sound of breaking glass and a car alarm went off.

“Kenpachi hits a grand slam home run!” Urahara announced excitedly, but it was doubtful that anyone heard him. Every Shinigami fan in the park was screaming at the top of his or her longs. The entire 11th squad was leaping up and down in unison, chanting Kenpachi's name and waving the banner with his face on it.

Ichigo jogged home and waited for the others as they came around the bases. He high-fived with Hitsugaya and then both of them high-fived Rukia. By the time Kenpachi made it around the bases, though, the entire team was on the field and he got mobbed. His grin was so wide it appeared to wrap around behind his ears. It took Isshin some time to restore order.

“The game isn't over, folks!” Isshin said loudly. “Let's get back to business.”

Yachiru climbed up to perch on Kenpachi's shoulder. “See! I said you could do it!” “She tugged on his cheek.

In the Arrancar dugout, Ulquiorra rubbed his chin. “That did not work out as expected.”

“Well, Yoruichi,” Urahara announced, “with one blow, the Shinigami have tied the game! I may have to send for more concessions if this goes into extra innings.”

“I bet you planned this,” Yoruichi accused.

“Who, me? I'm just the announcer.”

“Never trust a man who hides his face under a hat,” Yoruichi intoned.

“Next up is Renji,” Urahara announced innocently, “who could be the winning run for the Shinigami.”

As Renji approached the plate, Byakuya cleared his throat. Renji cringed.

“Abarai-san,” Byakuya said. “Don't embarrass me.”

Renji straightened his shoulders. “You can count on me, taicho.” He stepped to the plate, his face resolute.

Grimmjow faced him, looking equally resolute. “No messing around,” he muttered. “I'm finishing this.” He pitched a fastball right down the middle. Renji swung a little late and fouled the ball down the right field line. A Hollow with very long arms caught it on the bounce right as it was entering the stands. Grimmjow nodded slightly. He wound up and threw the exact same pitch. Renji fouled it again, this time landing it cleanly in the stands on the right field side.

“What are you playing at, Grimmjow?!” Nnoitra snapped. “Just strike him out!”

“Shut the hell up!” Grimmjow snapped back. “You'll wreck my concentration!” He glared at Renji and wound up for another pitch. He snuck in a breaking ball, but Renji didn't go for it. It was low.

“Ball one!”

Grimmjow took a step back and tucked his glove under his arm. He picked up the talc bag and dried his hands, never taking his eyes off Renji. He dropped the bag, put his glove back on and leaned in for the sign. Then he took a full windup. The fastball blazed in, heading right down the middle of the strike zone. Renji swung and cracked the ball down the right field line. For a moment, it looked like it was going to go foul, but then it curved in and dropped just inside the right field line.

“Fair ball!” Isshin shouted.

“What?!” Grimmjow screamed.

“Really?!” Stark echoed. He bolted after the ball, which was rolling all the way to the corner.

“Touch it, touch it!” a Hollow fan shouted. “It'll be ruled a ground rule double!”

“That's cheating!” several Shinigami seated in the corner screamed and they piled onto the nearest Hollows to make sure no such thing happened.

In the meantime, Renji was tearing around the bases with his head down, pouring on all the speed he had without actually resorting to flash steps.

“Stark, you lazy bastard!” Grimmjow screamed. “Move it!”

Stark skidded into the corner, attempting to grab the ball and turn around at the same time. He subsequently lost his footing and slid into the wall with a bang. A Hollow leaned over the wall, reaching out for Stark and the ball, and three Shinigami grabbed him by various appendages, yanking him back. The Hollow yelped in pain and a half-dozen Hollows came to his aid, prompting an equal number of Shinigami to jump in as well. Stark scrambled to his feet and heaved the ball in as Renji was rounding third and pushing for home. Zommari fielded the throw on the bounce, whirled and rifled it home. Renji dove for the plate head first with his arms fully extended. He slid into the plate in a cloud of dust just as Gin caught the ball right next to his outstretched hands. Isshin leaned over them and the dust cloud raised by Renji's slide obscured him, Renji, Gin, the plate and the ball.

“What happened?”

“Is he safe?”

“I can't see a damn thing!”

Infuriated shouts rained down from every side and the fight that started in the corner began to spread. A flash of bright blue light shot out of somewhere and a whole section of Hollows was blown to smithereens.

“Who shot that lightning bolt?” Luppi demanded. “No one is supposed to be using special powers!”

In response, a Hollow with a gaping mouth big enough to eat a small car whole demonstrated his prowess by chomping down on five unfortunate Shinigami and the seats they were occupying.

“What the hell?” A Shinigami who had just avoided being consumed with his peers, whipped out his zanpakuto and beheaded the offending Hollow. The situation deteriorated rapidly from there. A whole series of explosions collapsed the right field bleachers. Somebody's shikai attack opened a giant rift in the left field stands and several Hollows disappeared into the gap.

“Stop this nonsense at once!” GenryÅ«sai screamed from his luxury box. An instant later, the entire box disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

“I've always wanted to do that,” Szayel snickered. Then he dove aside with a startled shriek as one of Ikkaku's giant bankai blades split open the ground where he'd been standing.

“Dang, I missed!” Ikkaku grumbled. “Maybe I'll get this one!” And he swung his blade at Nnoitra.

Nnoitra jumped backward and whipped out his blade. “You're no match for my strength!”

Interestingly enough, while all this was going on, Renji, Gin and Isshin hadn't moved. And then a ball of red fire exploded directly behind them, blasting the backstop into deadly shreds of twisted wire shrapnel, and all three of them went flying.

“OK, THAT'S IT!” Isshin shouted at the top of his lungs when he rolled to his feet. “Everyone stop what you're doing this instant!”

Throughout the stands, Hollows and Shinigami alike paused in mid-attack.

Isshin stood with his hands on his hips and surveyed the damage. “Well, I can honestly say I have no idea if Renji was safe or not. So the game is a tie, on account of we can't play any extra innings in this mess.”

“WHAT?!”

“You can't have a tie in baseball,” Ulquiorra pointed out, quite reasonably, he thought. “We're supposed to keep playing until someone wins.”

Isshin rather pointedly looked around. Smoking craters ate up big chunks of the outfield. The right field bleachers were obliterated and the debris covered the parts of right field that were not gaping holes. The left field stands were cracked apart like a broken egg carton. Part of the announcer's booth hung over open space. The VIP luxury boxes were on fire. The remaining parts of the stands that were not on fire were caked with ice and snow from various attacks.

“Where do you presume to play these extra innings?”

“Hmm...”

“We could just toss a coin,” Ganju suggested.

“NO!” everyone screamed. “WE WON!”

-o-o-o-o-o-

So who won? We ain't tellin'! You'll just have to wait for the rematch!