Chapter 15 — Training the Flaw
After practice, the sky glowed a soft orange.
Most parents and kids were already heading to their cars.
But Zach stayed behind.
He stood on the pitcher's mound alone, staring at the dirt, gripping a baseball in both hands.
Vertical angle control.
His first real weakness.
He didn't like weaknesses.
Not because they embarrassed him…
but because they stopped him from helping the team.
Tyler jogged over, still half-dressed in catcher gear. "Hey. You okay?"
Zach shook his head. "No. I'm bad at throwing high."
Tyler blinked. "Everyone's bad at something."
"No," Zach said. "If I'm going to pitch, I need to get better."
Tyler put a hand on his shoulder. "Then we practice."
Zach looked up. "Even though you just finished practice?"
Tyler sighed dramatically. "Yeah, yeah… but if you get good at high pitches, can you please NOT use me as the test dummy?"
Zach nodded. "Yes."
A lie.
Tyler instantly sensed it. "You're lying!"
Zach tilted his head innocently. "…Yes."
Tyler groaned. "Fine! But you owe me a juice box."
The System Speaks
As they took their positions—Tyler behind the plate, Zach on the mound—the system chimed softly.
Ping.
"Training Event Started: Fix Your Weakness."
Objective: Improve vertical pitch control.
Reward: Pitch Type Progress + New micro-skill."
Penalty for failure: None."
Tip: Focus on shoulder and wrist alignment."
Zach tightened his grip on the ball.
"Okay," he whispered to himself. "Shoulder. Wrist."
Attempt 1… and Failure
Zach wound up.
Focused.
Tilted slightly upward.
Released.
The ball flew—
WAY too high.
Tyler didn't even move.
"I am NOT climbing that fence again!" he shouted.
The ball thudded somewhere in the grass behind him.
Zach frowned. "Hmm."
Tyler shrugged. "Try again?"
Zach nodded.
Attempt 2 — Slightly Better
Second throw.
Focus.
Wrist control.
Shoulder angle.
Release.
POP—
The ball hit the ground. Two feet in front of Tyler.
Tyler rolled his eyes. "Okay, now you're just messing with me."
"I'm not," Zach said seriously. "I'm learning."
Tyler groaned. "This is gonna be a long afternoon."
A Familiar Voice Arrives
"Well now… what's all this?"
Both boys turned.
Ethan walked onto the field holding a gym bag, wearing his usual easy grin and a Dodgers high-school coach jacket.
Tyler yelled, "Coach-Ethan-who-is-not-our-coach-but-is-kind-of-a-coach!"
Ethan chuckled. "You can just call me Ethan."
Zach beamed. "Are you here to help?"
Ethan raised a brow. "Wasn't planning on it. But seeing how you nearly beheaded Tyler with one pitch and buried him alive with the next, I think I should."
Tyler pointed dramatically. "HELP HIM."
Ethan dropped the gym bag and pulled out a small portable target net with colored squares.
"Special training tool," he said. "We use these for high school pitchers. Helps build vertical control."
Zach's eyes sparkled.
Ethan Begins Training
Ethan set the net behind home plate.
It had a high green square, medium yellow square, and low red square.
"Alright Zach," Ethan said, stepping back. "Throw high. Aim for the green."
Zach inhaled deeply.
He threw.
The ball hit…
The top metal frame.
CLANG.
Tyler flinched. "I almost died again."
Ethan nodded thoughtfully. "Okay. So your mechanics are solid for level throws but collapse when you adjust your angle."
Zach squinted. "Collapse?"
Ethan walked over, gently adjusting Zach's elbow and shoulders.
"Your arm angle is good for fastballs. But for high pitches, your shoulder rises too much and ruins your release point."
Zach blinked. "So I have to… practice?"
Ethan smirked. "That's usually how sports work."
Blake's Unexpected Arrival
The sound of footsteps made all three turn.
Blake stood at the edge of the field.
His dad's truck was still in the parking lot—but his dad was arguing with someone on the phone, windows rolled up.
Blake slowly walked over, hands in his pockets.
Zach saw his emotional bubbles:
"Curious • Frustrated • Jealous • Wanting to improve"
Blake scuffed the dirt with his cleat.
"What… what are you guys doing?"
"Training," Zach answered simply.
Ethan raised a brow. "Want to join?"
Blake froze. "Me?"
"Yeah," Ethan said. "You're a pitcher too, right?"
Blake's eyes widened.
No one had ever included him this easily—not without expecting something.
He glanced at Zach.
Zach smiled and nodded.
Blake swallowed. "Okay. I'll… try."
Tyler whispered to Zach, "Buddy, did you just unlock a side quest?"
Zach's system chimed.
Ping.
"New Optional Quest: Train With Your Rival."
Reward: Increased teamwork and improved rival relationship."
Zach grinned.
Yes. I did.
Training Together
Blake stepped onto the mound beside Zach.
Ethan positioned the net again.
"Alright Blake," he said. "Throw high. Same instructions."
Blake threw—
POP!
Right into the green square.
Zach's jaw dropped. "You did it perfect."
Blake shrugged, cheeks red. "I… practiced yesterday. A lot."
Tyler gasped. "He TRAINED?! Character development part TWO?!"
Blake glared at him. "Shut up."
Ethan chuckled. "Good. Now do it again."
He threw again.
And again.
And again.
Meanwhile, Zach kept learning bit by bit—throwing slightly higher each time.
Until—
PING!
His pitch hit the bottom edge of the green square.
Tyler froze. "DID YOU SEE THAT?! HE DID IT!"
Ethan nodded proudly. "Nice job, kid."
Zach smiled brightly.
Blake stared at him… shocked for a moment.
Then he smirked.
"Took you long enough."
Zach grinned back.
He didn't mind the teasing.
It felt… normal.
Like teammates talking.
The System Unlocks a New Feature
As the sun dipped lower, the system chimed again.
Ping…
"Weakness Partially Fixed!"
Vertical Control +1
New Micro-Skill Unlocked: 'Angle Memory (Basic)'
Description: Your body memorizes effective arm slots for different pitch heights."
Zach stared at the glowing notification.
"I'm getting better," he whispered.
Blake snorted but looked impressed.
Tyler cheered.
Ethan ruffled Zach's hair.
"Yeah," Ethan said proudly.
"You really are."
But Trouble Looms
Before they left, Blake's father finally ended his phone call and stomped toward them.
His expression was dark.
Too dark.
"Blake!" he barked. "We're leaving."
Blake flinched.
His emotion bubble pulsed:
"Fear • Shame • Anger • Pressure • Wanting to stay"
He looked at Zach and whispered, "See you tomorrow."
Zach nodded gently. "Yes."
As Blake walked away, Ethan's smile faded.
He watched Blake's father closely.
Priscilla arrived to pick Zach up.
She exchanged a worried look with Ethan.
They all saw it.
Something was wrong.
Zach's Final System Update of the Day
As Zach climbed into the car, the system gave one last notification:
Ping…
"New Major Quest: Support Your Rival."
Description: Blake struggles with parental pressure."
Warning: His performance and well-being will affect the season's path."
Optional Goal: Become an emotional anchor for him."
Zach whispered, "I'll help him. I promise."
Priscilla smiled softly as she started the car.
"You're a good boy, Zach."
Zach looked out the window, holding his glove.
"I want all of us to win," he whispered.