You Never Play Baseball Alone

Seidou Highschool

Last Pitch until Game Set and it was the hardest batter yet. We weren't winning it was 11-8 but we held down the batters pretty well until this guy showed up. Junosuke Hatara number 5 and their clean up hitter. The bottom of the ninth inning and I finally called a timeout "Sawamura," I started covering my mouth with my catchers mit. "This guy is strong we might not be able to beat him but you need to stop looking so tense alright?" I asked giving my friend a really hard slap on the back which caused him to stumble forward. "Our team is behind us. They're reliable and I'm in front of you. Just relax and give me your best pitch," I reassured looking into Sawamura' s glowing brown eyes. "Right!" He answered and I ran back behind the batters box. "Thanks for waiting," I said politely kneeling down. Gimme your best one right here, I smirked at my childhood friend and opened my mid raising one knee. The sound of the ball smacking into my glove filled the dead silent stadiI'm ams the Umpire called "Strike! Batter out!" Sawamura stood still and I could practically here the words replaying in his mind. "Game set! Line up!" I ran out to where our team was lining up and smirked at Eijun adjusting my hat cockily. "THANK YOU FOR THE GAME!" The players shouted and we dispersed.

The image faded out as the classroom door opened and my friend Sawamura came in and the players of Akagi Jounior baseball team surrounded him.

"Did the coach let you go?"

"Was he mad?"

They kept asking crowding him. Sawamura smiled and replied "That's an understatement! I had to run out of there because he wouldn't shut up!" I smiled at my friend and our other teammate Wakana sighed. "Just be careful you might have a hard time finding a Highschool," I voiced and everyone faced me as I brushed my cyan blue hair out of my face. "Don't be so worried guys! We're all going to the same Highschool!" He exclaimed cheerfully while wrapping his arms around Hosuke and Asahi. (Don't know his teammates names so work with me here XD) "Yeah well how are you gonna pass the entrance exam genius?" Wakana asked and Sawamura froze and looked at the rest of our teammates asking "You've been studying?" I snorted and Sawamura rounded on me "You too?! I thought you were my brother!!" He complained and I smirked "Just because you're my godbrother doesn't mean I'm going to babysit you Ei-chan," I replied back. The rest of the day we hung out with the whole team eating and joking and when they left Sawamura turned to me "Can you help me study?" He asked quietly and I smiled widely placing a hand rather harshly on in his head. "Let's do this!" I shouted as we sat down at his desk. I went over everything he didn't get and by the time I was done Gramps came in "Ei-chan, Kai-kun someone is here to see you," He announfed and Sawamura  and I looked at each other. Someone here to see us? We seemed to be thinking before heading into the living room of our old style Japanese house. "Nice to meet you," someone said when Sawamura and I entered the room. I turned to see a young woman in glasses with brown hair and similar brown eyes. "You must be Sawamura Eijun and Akamaru Kaito," She spoke and we nodded as we sat down. She continued explaining "I'm the assistant manager of the  Seidou High baseball team, My name is Takashima Rei and we would love to have both of you on our team," She finished off. I was speechless but of course Sawamura being the idiot he is asked "Seidou Highschool?" I sighed and muttered insults under my breath. "Seidou is a famous Baseball team that went into the nationals numbers of times!" Gramps hissed in irritation. I chuckled and commented "There are pros on TV that went to Seidou," Sawamura just laughed and answered "It's way more fun to play baseball then watch it on TV!"

"I agree Ei-chan!" I added. Gramps leaned forward on the table "But why would a famous school in Tokyo come looking for them?" He asked and I turned to look at Sawamura. When Two started speaking I snapped back to listen "I was present at their game I saw great talent in them both." She explained.

"But their was that incident after the game," Gramps added and I snickered making Eijun glare at me. "The use of his wrist in his slaps represents his ability as a pitcher. While Kaito kept his cool, very fitting for a catcher." She finished and Gramps towered over us "Tell her you accept before she changes her mind!" He pestered and I waved my hands frantically. "Wait! Hold on-" Sawamura started but Gramps cut him off. "Do you have something to say?" He asked and I spoke up before Sawamura could. "Going all the way to Tokyo to play is kinda ridiculous plus we don't really do well in stuffy environments," Gramps just blinked at me like I was Crazy. "And then there's all the bonds we made here as a team. We'd be chasing the same dream where ever we go so leaving our team behind just doesn't seem right," I continued and everyone looked at me in shock. I blinked blankly at them. "So when would you like to pay us a visit? I do hope soon we get very busy around these times of years," I smirked while Sawamura tried to protest. "That last pitch," She began and looked at me first before continuing. "Kaito, you called for an inside pitch which was very smart you read the batter perfectly and you Sawamura. You pitched with everything you had and full intention to get that batter out." She presented making me continue to look owlishly at her. Rei smirked "Anyway you should come watch our practice if you two are actually aiming to go to nationals," She finished smoothly and Sawamura twitched. "Very well we'll see this Top-level practice of yours."

So here we are in Tokyo with the sound of metal bars hitting baseball's echoing through the air. "Big Deal! I bet you gathered all the top players from around. No wonder you're so good." He spat out and Rei smiled "It's true that a lot of them are from outside prefectures but they're here because they want to be. I respect a players determination." She answered. I looked around with an excited grin on my face. Strong Players everywhere. They would be so fun to control on the field. I thought as my grin grew wider. "Kawakami!!" A voice yelled grabbing our attention. "Come on! You throw like a girl! No wonder you can't even get on the bench!" The batter guffawed and I tensed up. "Playing pro with a body like that? impossible!" Sawamura  yelled out and I smiled as my hair shadowed my eyes. I knew he was feeling angry at the batter too. "Is he even in Highschool he's like forty!" I called out in a taunting tone. The batter was getting angrier and angrier. "Who's making fun of my cute belly?!" He roared. Other players tried holding him back but he broke through and stormed up to us. "Sawamura, Akamaru apologize now!" Rei commanded and my bangs shadowed my eyes. "I admire the players determination and aspiration and you may let this slide but I wont," Sawamura growled as the batter: Azuma, bumped him with his belly. "Didn't this prestigious school teach you that baseball is a team sport? You can't play baseball alone!" I spat crossing my arms as Azuma turned to look at me too.  Out of the corner of my eye I see Rei smirking as she walked up to Azuma. "Sorry Azuma they came from the sticks so they're a bit ignorant about the world mind showing these two what battings all about?" She asked and Azuma looked lost mumbling out a sure as Reo turned to us. "Better go get changed whatever you have to say, say it through baseball," She stated and I grinned wildly excitement bubbling up inside of me.

I got changed fast and Rei pulled me over to talk. "You seem to be the one he listens to, can you try to draw out his potential?" She asked and I smirked with a top of my baseball hat. "Of course," I answered as Sawamura approached us. "This sounds like a lot of fun. Before you start can I maybe catch his first pitch?" A voice asked through some players. I followed the sound and my gaze landed upon a guy with brown hair and almost golden brown eyes. He had a guard for his eyes on and his hat was sideways. "I don't mind at all. I've been his partner for all of Junior high so I get to catch it a lot," I explained. And I over heard Sawamura ask Rei who that person was. "Miyuki Kazuya. A catcher," She answered and Sawamura nodded before taking the mound. "Ah Miyuki hold on!" I blurted out when Miyuki was about to walk away. He turned and faced me "I should warn you his pitches are a bit peculiar. Even he doesn't know what he's doing," I explained and whispered lowly "it's a moving fastball that breaks right at the plate, it's goes off in a different direction every time." I informed and he looked at me wide eyed. "And you can catch it?!" He whisper shouted. Instead of answering I chuckled and gave him a close  eyed smile. "Good Luck!" I said before going to get the catchers gear on. Sawamura stepped on the mound and held the glove in front of his face like he usually does. That day he threw eleven pitched,7 to me and it changed our lives forever.

[Disclaimer: I don't own Diamond No Ace. I only own Kaito Akamaru.]