by Lee Morgan
“Really?” Connor looked around the hundreds of spectators, most of which were still watching him. And around the ball field as the next two teams were preparing for their turn. He looked back down at her. “Is Xaon some kind of big shot around here or something?”
“That he is, Connor.” Their attention turned upon Clarein as she slowly stood and brushed her robe straight with her arms. Once her purple eyes looked at the remarkable Balancer she elaborated. “Xaon is next in line to become an Elder himself. Once an Elder becomes deceased the next oldest person is selected and tested to become an Elder. If they pass all requirements, they get all rights and privileges of all the other Elders immediately. I still cannot understand why he did what he did though.”
“It’s not all that hard to figure out.” Sarah’s brother-in-law Ben stated aloud. “He hasn’t gotten a single worthy challenge until the Kid showed himself.” He sat next to his mate and pointed over Sarah’s head to Connor. “I believe Xaon is itching for a rematch. I would be looking forward to it too if some stranger suddenly showed up out of nowhere and revealed how inept I was. He might even possibly believe that other teams have been going easy on him, but I haven’t the faintest idea on how a Keeper thinks.” He turned his head to smile at Amber. “Tomorrow will be something for the record books for sure.”
Connor changed the subject by asking “Has anyone not played Baseball before?”
Veronica was the only one to raise her hand. “I’m sorry, but I have not physically played this game before, if that is what you are asking. I have watched this whole time and have learned the rules and basics. I am prepared for whatever is to come.”
Sarah looked up to see Connor sigh and shake his head. “I’m sorry Veronica, but watching and doing are two completely different things.” Veronicas jaw dropped slightly and snapped shut, but before she could defend herself he went on. “I have a special plan for you, my friend. First though, we need to have a practice session with the whole team… wait here, I will be right back.”
Connor’s pressure disappeared from Sarah’s back. She turned around to see him bounding down the bleachers like a lithe jungle cat descending a large tree and then he stalked down the fence line. She lost him among the crowd, but used her bond with him to know where he was and it helped keep track of his location. He stopped moving for a minute and started making his way back.
He made his way up the stairs again, but this time carrying a large metal baseball in his left hand and a Keeper’s sized bat laying over his right shoulder. He came closer to say “Team Equal, follow me so we can have a practice session.” He looked up. “Veronica, since you have the longest arms and the most experience out of all of us, you will be our designated pitcher and I will be your catcher. We will start working together first.”
Veronica gave Sarah and Connor a questioning look for a minute. She stood up beside Clarein and looked her straight in the eye. “Follow me and keep my egg safe as you do so. Be sure to not rip the covering either.” She carefully held her egg out.
Clarein even more carefully received the egg and said “I will, Honored Mother.”
Connor asked “Veronica, why does she always call you Honored Mother?”
“Because I have proven myself to be a mother. There are slightly more females than males of our species, since we can control the sex of the offspring, but of those females not all can breed more young. We are kind of like bees if it will help you to think of it that way. Once mated we remain so even after becoming barren, but if a barren female loses her male she cannot apply for a new mate of breedable quality, but she may choose whomever will take her. Female Keepers who have laid eggs are given the second highest honor of being called an Honored Mother. The only higher title is being an Elder or next in line.”
“Well, I’ll still call you Veronica because saying Honored Mother is a little too honorific for my tastes.” Connor said while smiling.
Clarein and another Keeper who was close enough to hear that statement, hissed at him. Veronica let out a small laugh and disarmed the two angry others. “I’m glad you see it that way, my friend. I don’t like…how do you say it…? Beating around the bush. I like straightforwardness in a conversation. Sometimes being too courteous can get taxing. Being politically correct is a pain in the ass. Wouldn’t you agree?” She smiled wickedly at them. Her colloquiums were very good. She must have learned them after reading another’s mind, or listened to Kara for a little too long.
“I couldn’t say it better myself.” Sarah said, smiling back at her and Connor turned around, smiling himself.
He stopped at the bottom and said “Come on guys. I was told where we could get in some practice time.”
Sarah didn’t need to hear him ask again. She quickly made it to the stone floor and walked beside him and turned to see Mark and Kara following right behind them; both on all fours. She caught a glimpse of her parents as they followed behind Veronica and Clarein. Strangely her sister didn’t follow until Sarah found her and Ben still sitting where they were. She turned to continue walking along with her mate, but entered Amber’s mind and made sure no one else was in either her mind or her sister’s. “Amber, aren’t you coming with us? Did I do something wrong?”
“Not in the least, Sarah. I just want to be surprised during tomorrow’s game. I think you know what I mean.” She did. “By the way, I have a question.”
“Go ahead.”
“Just where did you find your mate?”
“Would you believe me if I said we met on the first day when I started teaching at the school almost a year ago? He was the most impressive person in the world, even back then” Amber did believe. “Well when I got home that day I found out that he lived directly across the street. Mother wasn’t home yet and had some loose ends to tie up and Father was drunk.”
“Nothing worse than a drunken Balancer… So self destructive. I know because Ben is the same way whenever we part.” The sisters both actually agreed on something for once. “Go on.”
“Well, I ran away as Father set his eyes on Connor. I became lost before realizing it. Connor was worried for my safety and tracked me down in total darkness. He mostly figured everything out even before I told him about what we were. He wasn’t even surprised when I told him how old I was.” Sarah smiled to herself at remembering how they met and became one spirit. “I have been blessed with the man of my dreams and not once has he ever intentionally disappointed me… It’s funny, no matter what he gets into or what finds us, I can never seem to get mad with him.” She felt a smile tugging at her lips for the next questioning thought that formed. “Would you believe that the first time Father and Connor met, that they shook hands and Father had met his physical match even before Connor became my mate?”
Amber’s mind went completely blank for a minute. The team rounded the other side of the bleachers. “You have got to be kidding with me! That strong!” Amber realized she wasn’t making it up when she pushed the mental images of their father and Connor shaking hands. “A human with the strength to hold his own against Father… I can honestly say that you have found a mate as odd as you are.”
“Thank you, Amber.” Sarah cut the mental conversation as Connor stopped.
They were on the other side of the field. To the left lay the flat, brown stone wall and to the right were the other bleachers. The aisle before them was devoid of people and held enough room for three Keepers, if they stood shoulder to shoulder. Little light shone back here, but some light bled through the cracks in the bleachers. This area wasn’t very large, but would do for pitching practice. In the middle of the lane sat a mound of dirt and Connor stood on the base of the catcher’s diamond. Sarah turned to see everyone curiously looking around. This place felt perfect to keep them hidden and the noise from the spectators will drown out whatever they’d say.
Connor turned around to look at everyone. “Veronica. Please go stand on the Pitcher’s mound. Sarah, will you please hold onto this for me?” Veronica passed by them jus
t after Connor handed over the oversized bat. Its weight wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle, but getting her hands around its grip and not drop the object would be another story.
Veronica stood on the mound with a hand on her hip. Connor threw the oversized metal ball to her as easily as normal regulation baseball. “First let me see what you’ve got. All I need are three pitches to see what I can do to help you out.”
Veronica caught it easily out of the air. She looked at the spherical metal for a moment before placing it in her right hand. She then mimicked the stance of the other pitchers when they took the mound.
Connor sat on his heels, looking straight at her with calm determination. Sarah decided to move back and stand next to her father. Jack sat Haunt down on the ground and laid a single hand on her left shoulder. Her attention was drawn back to her mate as she felt him gathering his energy. Within a few short seconds, Connor made a water orb and stuck his left hand inside. He made a Liquid catcher’s mitt out of the air. He called “I’m ready whenever you are.” Veronica mimicked hiding the ball with her left hand. Her body moved sinuously and perfectly forward as she threw the ball over her shoulder.
The ball went wild. Connor had to jump ten feet in the air just to catch the unguided ball. Some water droplets flew when he caught the ball. He landed softly and Sarah could tell he was trying with difficulty to not laugh aloud by how tense his back muscles were flexing and bunching. Then they all heard Veronica’s embarrassed mental voice saying “Sorry about that. It is more difficult than it appears.” She scratched the back of her neck self-consciously as she looked at all of them with discontent in her eyes. She looked honestly embarrassed.
Connor threw the ball back and it startled her. “You still have two more throws. Once you have gotten the feel of it being thrown, then I’ll show you how the ball should be held and released. I’m a fan of learning through action.” He dropped down to sit on his heels again. His left hand came up and his fingers looked like a rippling mirage inside the water. “Ready?”
This throw wasn’t as high, but it went towards the rock wall. The third throw went much better because Connor had to only take two long steps to his left to catch the ball at his chest level.
“Alright. That one was by far the best.” He jogged up to Veronica with the wet ball while his left hand remained encased in water.
Connor gave her the ball and spent five minutes teaching her all about how to control the baseball. It was strange to hear since he never had a chance to play with others. He must have spent a lot of time alone practicing. “Hold it with your fingers like this… yes, just like that… to do a slider you keep your index and middle… knuckleballs are more of a flick with your fingertips… no, like this… to do a change-up… ok now this is how you throw a…” Connor’s lecture was very detailed and he clearly gave her subtle and little demonstrations on how to do the finer things. He taught her the finger signs he would give her to do a specific pitch. She smiled as Connor taught her so much and in a way so that anyone could learn.
Sarah looked up at her father after he whispered in her ear “He is a good coach. If we play our cards just right we just might win tomorrow.” He smiled down at her and said “I wonder what position we should be in? We have a pitcher and a catcher, but we need to discuss our other options.” Connor remained busy teaching Veronica and Sarah decided to add to her father’s thought.
“I think that Mark and I should take the outfield. You, Mother and Kara take the three bases.”
Mark pushed himself into a standing position. Sarah could feel his voice reverberating in her chest as he asked “Why do you think we should do it this way? Why not Kara and I in the outfield?”
“Next to Connor, you and I are the swiftest. I want to take the right field for personal reasons.” He watched as her hand dropped to her belly. He understood instantly that right field is usually the least active and that it gave her more time to keep her child from the most amount of danger. “With your speed and my range of elemental skills we will defend that area well. Father will be our first basemen because that base needs a person with experience to adapt if the person bunts, runs through or rounds the base. Mother will take second so she has the options to throw it to either base. Kara will take third if she has to chase down a runner, she will have the speed advantage.”
“That seems like a great analysis of our abilities.” Mark admitted to everyone. “All we can do is try it out and see how things go. If it doesn’t work we can change players to different areas.”
Sarah noticed everyone’s eyes shift behind her. She turned to see both Connor and Veronica making their way towards them. “Ok, now that everything is settled on both of our ends, let’s see how everyone does. Who wants to be first to bat?” he asked.
Jillian jumped up and down, waving her arms like a stranded person hoping for a desperate rescue. She made noises like a grunting chimpanzee which made some of them smile. “Ok, ok Jillian. Your first, just don’t think the bat is a banana and start munching on it.” Connor and Sarah were on the same wavelength.
Jillian grinned like a maniac. “I hope I don’t chip a tooth then.”
Veronica’s throwing ability greatly improved thanks to Connor’s tutelage. He no longer had to move from side to side or jump after a dozen tosses. Jillian tried using the bat the Keepers used, but she was unable to hold it well. Jack allowed them to use Haunt as a bat. Sarah knew they had to do something about the handle that the Keepers use. Connor entered her mind and told her of his solution, but left out how it could be done. With every pitch Veronica became more and more controlled. She started getting into it and quickly. There wasn’t anyone alive who could wipe Veronica’s honest smile away.
Everyone got a turn at batting except Connor and Veronica. When it was Sarah’s turn Veronica gave her two balls and a strike before she hit the ball and the giant caught it barehanded. Connor said he’ll teach Veronica tomorrow how to properly swing the bat and how to move before the game.
It was getting late when Veronica said “That is enough for today. I must attend to my egg and bathe myself before we attend our evening meal.” She looked at Connor. “Thank you, little one, for showing me how to throw a ball properly. I will not let you down for the game tomorrow.”
She started to leave when Connor grabbed her tail. She instantly stopped to look at him with amusement still dancing in her golden eyes. “There is something I must ask everyone before we separate.” He released her tail and walked over to stand by Sarah. “Xaon’s pitch; how many of you could follow the ball after he threw it?”
Sarah raised her hand, but no one else could even lie that they saw it. Connor looked up and she knew he was processing this and searched for a solution. Everyone looked at the two of them and remained silent until Connor looked down at everyone again. “This is the only solution that will save you from getting struck out every time.” Everyone moved closer to listen. “His pitch is too quick for you to see or slow with your external abilities, but he has a tell tail sign. You will know he is pitching once you see his tail twitch suddenly. He only had two throws in his repertoire. The fastball and the Gyroball. He had prided himself on relying on speed alone. His tail usually sways like yours does Veronica, until he pitches to keep his balance.” She couldn’t help but look at her tail to see it swaying.
Connor’s voice took on a cheering chant. “The moment you see his tail twitch, swing! Don’t try bunting, swing! Don’t listen to the crowd or your thoughts, swing! Don’t make any comments or taunts, swing! Forget the passage of time, swing! Whatever you do just…,”
“SWING!” Everyone shouted, getting caught up in his excited chant.
Soon after Connor finished explaining what a Gyroball is, Veronica retrieved her egg from Clarein, who was grateful to hold the egg again. Connor asked the referee if he could borrow the Keepers bat. The referee said it was allowed for tomorrow’s unorthodox game. Jillian, Jack, Mark and Kara had already left them to go down stairs.
&nb
sp; Sarah might not have Connor’s acute hearing, but a buzz filled the air about the special game tomorrow. She became more excited and in a small way scared about what would happen then. Connor threw his left arm around her, sensing the conflicting emotions.
She couldn’t have been any prouder about who she was with. He is strong, smart, caring, compassionate, calm, collected, empathetic, reassuring, humble and completely in love with her. Nothing more could be asked. She looked up at his face as his huge arm lightly slung over her shoulder. His strong and square jaw could cut steel. His straight nose and cheekbones were all perfectly symmetrical. His sandy blonde hair needed another trim, but still looked incredibly handsome. His sharp hazel eyes remained forward as they made their way through the crowd and down the stairs.
Liz eyed the enormous bat as Connor managed to get it through the front door. Once he did, she smiled and said that the rooms were all repaired and all effects remained as is and she personally disposed of his bloody wastebasket.
Connor took their room key from his pocket and unlocked their fixed door. It swung open silently on oiled hinges. Sarah entered the room first. It took some finessing, but they finally managed to get the bat into the room, without destroying anything. The bat was slightly larger than half the length of the room.
He shut the door for privacy.
She looked at him as he scratched the back of his head while studying the bat. “Well what is this miracle fix for the bat so we little people can play?”
He chuckled. “My first idea was to shrinking the diameter of the handle for our grip, but the effect would be the same as when I made the human sized bat into a boomerang. What I need to do is reinforce it from the outside.” He smiled like he had already figured it out. “What I intend to do it pull some of the metal from the inside middle of the bat and pull it out from the bottom. After that, I’ll bend the metal around and weld it where we will hit the ball so that it won’t buckle under extreme force.”
