Chapter 12 — The Rival Returns
The next practice day arrived with a strange mix of excitement and dread.
Birds chirped.
Grass shimmered.
Kids joked on the field.
But beneath it all… everyone waited.
For him.
Zach walked beside Priscilla, a little quieter than usual. His new Communication (Basic) skill felt like a soft warmth in his chest.
"Are you nervous?" Priscilla asked gently.
Zach nodded once.
"Just talk from your heart," she said. "That's all you can do."
Zach squeezed her hand. "Okay."
Blake Arrives
It happened suddenly.
A truck pulled into the lot.
A door slammed.
Footsteps thudded.
And Blake walked toward the field.
He didn't stomp the way he did before.
He didn't glare around dramatically.
But he also didn't smile.
He looked… older.
Shoulders slouched.
Eyes tired.
Jaw tight, but not clenched in anger—more like shame.
Kids went quiet.
Some whispered.
Some avoided eye contact.
Blake's dad spoke to Coach privately while Blake stood alone near the dugout, staring at the dirt.
Zach watched emotional bubbles flicker around him:
"Embarrassed • Angry at Self • Afraid of Being Replaced • Lonely"
Zach's chest tightened.
"He's not mad today," Zach whispered to Tyler. "He's scared."
Tyler grumbled, "Yeah, well, he was scary too."
"Yes," Zach said. "But people can be both."
Tyler blinked. "Why do you talk like a tiny therapist?"
Zach shrugged. "Maybe I am one."
Coach Addresses the Team
Coach Ramirez blew his whistle. "Team! Bring it in!"
Everyone gathered. Blake stayed slightly outside the circle until Coach motioned him in with a firm nod.
Once everyone settled, Coach spoke.
"Blake's back today," Ramirez said calmly. "He and I have talked. His dad and I have talked. What matters now is this—every one of you is here to learn and grow. We don't compare. We don't lash out. We don't tear down our teammates."
Kids nodded.
Coach continued, "That goes both ways. Blake deserves respect and a fair chance, just like anyone else."
Blake kept staring at the dirt.
Ramirez finished, "We start fresh today. Understood?"
A chorus of "Yes, Coach" echoed.
Blake whispered his quietly.
The Attempted Conversation
After stretching, Zach took a deep breath.
Ping.
"Communication (Basic) Activated."
Goal: Initiate calm conversation with rival."
Zach walked toward Blake.
Tyler followed half a step behind—
like a short, angry bodyguard.
Zach stopped in front of Blake.
"…Hi," Zach said softly.
Blake didn't look up. "What do you want?"
"I want to say I'm glad you came back."
Blake stiffened.
Tyler added, "And we didn't replace you or anything."
Blake shot him a glare. "I don't need your pity."
"It's not pity," Zach said gently. "It's just the truth."
Blake's eyes narrowed. "Why do you care?"
Zach frowned. "Because you're on my team."
Blake scoffed. "You don't even know me."
Zach shook his head. "I know you work hard. I know you try a lot. I know you throw fast. I know you get mad because you want to be good."
Blake's breathing slowed.
Zach continued, "I think you're strong. And I think… it's okay to have bad days."
The emotional bubbles around Blake flickered wildly.
"Confused • Defensive • Touched • Uncertain"
Blake looked away. "Just stop. You're weird."
Zach smiled a little. "I know."
Tyler snorted. "Yeah, he is. But he's honest."
For one second—
just one—
Blake's face softened.
Then he muttered, "Whatever," and walked to the warm-up area.
Tyler crossed his arms. "Hey… that wasn't awful!"
Zach nodded. "He didn't yell."
"Yeah," Tyler said. "Progress."
Drills Begin — Tension and Light
Coach paired the kids intentionally:
Zach → Shortstop
Blake → Third base
Emma → Second
Tyler → Catcher
Jaden → First
Sam → Pitcher (light)
It was a test.
A big one.
Blake avoided Zach's eyes at first, but he didn't sabotage anything.
His throws were clean. Hard, but controlled.
Zach matched his energy, focusing on footwork and timing.
During one drill, Blake fielded a sharp grounder and fired it to Zach for a double-play turn.
Zach caught it perfectly and threw to first.
"Nice!" Emma shouted.
Blake blinked.
He hadn't expected praise.
Above his head, Zach saw:
"Pride • Relief (small) • Confusion"
Blake muttered, "Not bad… I guess."
Zach smiled. "Thank you."
Blake rolled his eyes but didn't walk away.
A Surprise Incident
During pop-fly practice, Sam misjudged a toss and sent the ball high and wild.
Tyler panicked under it.
He threw his glove up—
Missed—
And the ball flew toward Zach at an angle he couldn't reach.
But Blake saw it.
"MOVE!" he shouted.
He dove sideways, catching the ball mid-fall and rolling safely across the grass.
The team gasped.
Coach blinked. "Great hustle, Blake!"
Kids clapped.
Even Tyler yelled, "DUDE! THAT WAS AWESOME!"
Zach ran to him. "Are you okay?!"
Blake sat up slowly, surprised by the attention.
"I'm… fine," he mumbled. "Just did what anyone would."
Zach tilted his head. "Thank you."
Blake swallowed. "Don't… make it weird."
But above him glowed:
"Proud • Surprised • Less Angry • Unsure How to Feel"
Something had changed.
System Response
As practice ended, Zach felt another chime.
Ping.
"Rival Return Event Complete."
Rival Relationship: +1 (from Hostile → Unstable Tolerance)."
New Path Unlocked: 'Possible Friendship Route.'"
Warning: Rival still unpredictable."
Advice: Continue using Communication skill."
Zach smiled softly.
He wasn't sure if Blake would ever be his friend…
But today was a start.