PART II - A FEW LITTLE SUGGESTIONS
“Here are your mushroom burgers,” Callie said, handing two cloth-tied bundles to Vanis.
“Thank you, Callie,” Vanis said, accepting the packages and passing one to Juniper.
Behind her, Jesca gave Pixyl her wrap, and Ambria slid back on to the bench next to the Twins, giving each their lunch as well.
Callie took a seat and opened up her own tied cloth. Inside was her hot dog. She instinctively knew it wouldn’t be the same, especially since instead of ketchup and mustard, a sticky, light brown sauce was drizzled over it. But this was a ballgame, she was here with her friends, the sun was out for the moment, and she had a goddamn hot dog. It was simply perfect.
It was also strange. Settling in to watch the game resume, she took a bite. It might have looked like a hot dog, but it definitely was different. The sausage was less salty, with a subtle smokey flavor in it, in addition to the taste of the grilled meat. The brown sauce was actually a little spicy, but a quiet spicy that snuck up on you after a few seconds. It wasn’t bad, not at all. It was just … different, and a reminder that this wasn’t quite home no matter what they served at the ballgame.
Out on the field, Xin was now warming up, throwing the ball lazily to Kaisess, and practicing a couple times having Koda snap the ball to her. The break lasted well past the normal ten minutes between quarters, or what this game called ‘battles’, but with the change of Sergeant, the Trainer team didn’t push the issue. Elsewhere on the field, Lena and Celeste eyed each other, seeming to naturally square off, both beginning a little friendly smack-talking.
Play began with a jump ball, each team lining all nine players up in the center. The referee blew his whistle at the same time the ball was tossed straight up, and immediately each teams’ Sentinel raced towards their own bunkers to take up defensive positions. The camp team won the toss, the ball tipped into the hands of the Duelist trainer, Cylanae. About to get tackled, she awkwardly passed off towards Celeste, but Lena came like lightning out of nowhere to intercept. Unfortunately, she ran out of steps before she could find someone to pass to, which ended the charge, but put the recruits in possession. The Duelist trainer was quite angry with herself for making such a poor pass, while the recruit team immediately had momentum.
The next play began with Xin falling back, looking for a long throw. She dodged one tackler, and then stiffly held another at bay using her tail long enough to go for it. Far downfield, Kaisess was already in the enemy bunker. Xin’s throw was dead-on accurate and the Tigerkin spun around the Trainer’s Sentinel that was trying to pull him down. With a whoop, he shoved the ball through the hole for a quick and easy three points. As the cheers went up from the recruits, there was a sense that something on the field had changed.
Jesca explained that since the ball had gone through the hole, the scoring team could either ask for another jump ball midfield, or the opponent would take possession at their own quarter-field mark. The first option was risky, because your opponent could get possession, putting them even closer to your bunker, but if you managed to win the jump, you were in prime position to score again. The more-conservative approach would be to put the opponent at their quarter-field, even though it guaranteed their possession.
Callie groaned as the latter option was chosen, now putting the recruit team on defense. “They should have done the jump ball. We’re so far behind we need to take risks. How many quarters are left, or battles I guess?”
“Three, including this one” Vanis said. “There’s a total of five.”
“Huh, okay. So there’s still time,” Callie said. “Still, we’re going to have to get aggressive on both offense and defense.”
The game moved fast, with all the passing that needed to be done. Xin, always hyper-accurate with her throws, was never intercepted, but others were as they tried to move the ball downfield and were required to pass it to another. Luckily, Lena seemed to master reading the Sergeant on the opposing team, and was able to pick off or deflect passes to Celeste more times than not.
The Recruits managed to hold the camp to only two points through the gate, while overall Xin's accuracy managed to get Kaisess in twice for six points, and Lena in for three. It still wasn’t enough though, and Callie was growing worried. Netting only seven points over several possessions wasn’t going to make up the difference.
“Why aren’t they using Xin to throw through the hole? She’s so accurate even at long range.”
Jesca shrugged. “They probably should.”
Another snap to Xin went off, and she faded right looking for a downfield target. There was none, and a hard hit dropped her like a sack of rocks for a loss. The ball popped upwards, landing almost perfectly in Celeste’s hands. But before she could take two steps, Lena flew in for a tackle, sending the officer face-first into the mud.
A double-whistle sounded, though, as Xin was slow to sit up, nursing her right side. Koda was there even before Bratig could drop from the sky, the Paladin assessing how badly she’d been hurt.
“Oh no,” Callie said, worried both for her friend, and, quite frankly, for their offensive game.
Xin proved resilient. With a quick second opinion from a mud-caked Cheena, who was acting as the Trainer team Sergeant, Xin stood and twisted to work a kink out of her body. Waving to the lightly-applauding crowd, she walked off the hit, a rather fierce and determined look now on her scaly face.
“Whew,” Pixyl said. “I w-w-was worried for a moment.”
The Recruits now lined up for defense, Xin stepping out to let the large Rhinokin take her spot. He shuffled into the line in a random spot just before Cheena blew her whistle and there was a clash at the front. The Recruit line was haphazard, though, giving the Shaman plenty of time to run to the side and then fling a quick pass to Cylanae, who ran six steps before lobbing the ball long to Celeste. Lena tried to take the Major down, but what had to be Instinctive Dodge kicked in and she easily ducked Lena’s unseen leaping attempt from behind. Excitedly, Celeste then slipped around the defending Sentinel and plugged the hole for three points. A collective groan went up from the recruits in the crowd.
“Do … do they even have a strategy?” Callie asked, looking at her friends and gesturing randomly towards the field. “Cheena had way too long to make that throw. What the hell, guys?”
As the teams began to assemble for the next drive, the Trainers choosing to start the recruit team back at their quarter-field mark, the bell sounded ending the battle. Callie looked at the scoreboard, which showed the game now at 33-12, now with only two more battles remaining.
Callie was feeling competitive now. Seeing all her friends and fellow recruits out on the field made her feel invested in the outcome in a way she’d never felt about ‘sportsball’ before. She wanted to win, and she had ideas! With a grim determination, she started to walk down the bleachers.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“Where are you going?” Jesca asked, Pixyl standing with a concerned look next to her.
“I’m going to go give them some suggestions.”
Jesca looked at Pixyl. “She’s turned into Xin.”
With a shrug, the Pixie flew into the air, wings fluttering to keep steady, and followed along after Callie. Jesca had no idea what to do, and looked to Vanis and the rest for guidance.
“Go!” Vanis said with a laugh. “Keep her out of trouble, if you can. Or at least less trouble than normal.”
----------------------------------------
“You must get to the Sergeant before she can throw.” Xin snapped at the Rhinokin.
“I tried, but she was very fast,” the gruff Beastkin replied, “and I am not!”
“Hey!” Koda snarled, charging between them and breaking them apart before tempers could flare any higher. “Enough. It’s a game.”
Xin flexed her nostrils a few more times before snapping, “Fine, but we all must do better.”
“Hi!” Callie said, waving up at everyone. “You did great this quarter … I mean battle. You held them to only five points and got nine!”
All eyes turned to look down at the smiling Gnome, her bright pink hair contrasting loudly with the dark mud. “I have a few little suggestions to show you, if you have a minute.”
“What is this? Little One, leave us be so we can come up with a plan,” a burly Wolfkin said, mud still dripping from his fur.
“Yes, Callie,” Koda added. “We do not have time for this.”
The little Gnome looked up at the Bearkin for a moment, and then promptly chose to ignore him. “Here’s the issue. The three-pointers aren’t going to do it. To start with, we need to get some seven point drives.”
The players were confused. What in the stars was this Gnome doing here? And where did she come off saying ‘we’, for that matter. They were losing, and losing bad. Even with the good battle this time, the Trainer team was simply better.
“Callie, pl…” Koda started to say.
“L-L-Let her speak,” Pixyl said flatly from her spot hovering over everyone, Koda going quiet as he glanced upwards.
“Guys,” Callie said, putting on a pleading look, “Just give me one minute, and if you don’t like what I say, then kick me off the field. But I can help.”
“What the hell,” Lena giggled, “it couldn’t hurt. Talk fast.”
Callie nodded quickly. “Okay, your best weapon for a comeback is Xin. She can throw the ball through the hole easily. Xin, how close do you need to be, do you think, to do that with good confidence?”
Xin boggled at her housemate. She was too little to play this game and up until a half-hour ago didn’t know anything about it. How the hell was she going to be of any value here? But then Xin saw the pleading look in the Gnome’s eyes. She could see how much Callie legitimately wanted to help, or at least she was pretty sure that was the Gnome’s expression. Callie was a Gnome, after all, and their faces seemed a little weird, and Callie was a little extra-weird on top of that.
“How close?” Callie asked again.
“It will depend if I am being chased,” Xin finally said. “Ten meters if I have to throw while running, but if I am standing still, fifteen. Maybe even twenty if I have time. Further than that, I would be less confident.”
“Good! Ten meters. That’s the new goal,” Callie said, gesturing to the Lizardkin. “Get Xin within ten meters so she can score seven. In general, don’t go for the three unless it’s one of the last two charges, okay? Take a knee.”
The players were starting to listen to the little Gnome now. Despite everything, she at least seemed to be making some sense. The friction that had been building with the overly-intense Xin and the others also started to fade.
“Koda and, I’m sorry I don’t know your name,” Callie began, gesturing at the Rhinokin, “you need to open a hole for Xin to throw or run through. Lena, you and Kaisess concentrate on looking like you’re going to receive a pass to distract the goalie. Um, the Sentinel, I mean. Get Xin a clear shot.”
There were a lot of blank stares.
Frustrated, Callie dropped to her knees and started to draw in the mud, not caring she was getting filthy for the second time that day. “Just like this!” She filled an area with X’s and O’s, then drew lines where people should move to. “Do you see?”
There was a moment of silence, but Koda broke it with a simple, “Yes,” as he knelt down in the mud to get a better look, most of the other players following his lead.
“Good!” Callie said, looking up from the ground. She ran her hand over the mud, erasing the play. “The other big thing offensively is we’re turning the ball over too many times.”
“Turning over?” Lena asked.
“They are getting interceptions when you are passing it back and forth.”
“Ahh. Yes, you’re right about that.”
“So, keep the passing short. The long plays are great, but risky. It’s better to gain a quick five yards … er meters than risk losing the ball. Kaisess, if Lena receives the pass, run towards her so she doesn’t have to throw as far to you as you pass back and forth. Lena, same to you the other way. If we’re going for the three at the end of the possession, then both of you should be passing back and forth as you rush the Sentinel, and then whoever they don’t focus on makes the score.” As she was speaking, Callie drew out another play, then showed the two receivers. “Don’t be afraid to run the ball past six steps if the pass isn’t absolutely safe. Remember, better to get a small gain than give it away.”
“We can do that,” Kaisess said with a nod. He looked at Lena. “Right?”
“Absolutely,” Lena agreed with a nod and a big grin, actually enjoying the little Gnome’s strategizing. “What the hell, this cant hurt, right?”
“That is offense, but what of defense?” the Rhinokin growled.
“That’s where you two come in again,” Callie began, gesturing back and including Koda. She drew as she spoke, outlining her defensive plan. “I want you both to concentrate on herding the quarter … er … the Sergeant towards …” she rapidly started to draw again. “... towards Lena. Lena, your job is to move fast and take down the Sergeant, deflect her ball, whatever you can do to keep her from throwing accurately. Get in her face, keep her under pressure. If you have an easy tackle do that, but mostly worry about stopping the throw, or at least making her throw bad. You’ve got Acrobatics now, remember? Jump in front of her pass. It’s a perk, not a skill, so you can use it, right?”
“The rules are no skills, so I should be able to, I suppose. But I’ve been concentrating on Celeste. She’s really good.”
“Yeah, she’s too good. So let’s make it so she receives as few good throws as possible, instead. Kaisess, you concentrate simply on stopping passes to the Major. She’s too slippery with her Dodge to take down easily, so just spike the ball or punch it out of bounds or whatever. Don’t worry about the intercept unless it’s super easy. She’s generally been passing off to Cylanae if she runs out of steps, so if the Major manages to get it, do the same thing as Lena. Do everything you can to make her throw poorly.”
The Tigerkin Ranger contemplated for a moment and then nodded. “I can do that, too.”
“You,” Callie said, gesturing to an absolutely mud-covered Catkin. “Sorry, I’m not sure who you are, but I want you to …”
“It’s Fynisse,” the Warlock interrupted.
“Oh! I didn’t recognize you with all the mud. Here’s what I want you to do since you run pretty fast. Just like Kaisess, but instead stick like glue to Cylanae. Same thing, block the ball, and if she gets it, make it hard for her to throw. Get aggressive and get in her face.”
“Sure,” Fynisse said, nodding.
“Last thing. After we score, we ask for a jump ball, rather than giving it to them. Make them fight for everything. Nothing for free. Lena, you take the jump balls. Use acrobatics to get as high as you can. Jump off Koda’s back for more height. Koda, you kneel down for her.”
Koda huffed a single chuckle, and after a pause started to laugh. Callie had stood, and Koda reached out with his muddy hand to rustle her pink hair, leaving a huge muddy paw print behind. “I love this plan. I’m in.”
“We’re going to listen to her?” the Wolfkin asked. “We’re going to let her be in charge?”
“Why not?” Lena said with a shrug. “Do you have a better idea?”
The players looked at each other questioningly before they all mutually shrugged and nodded.
“One more last thing,” Callie said, just as everyone started to turn back to the field.
“What’s that?” Kaisess asked.
“Make sure to have fun!”