Week 2

[captainryan]

Another week’s gone by and Ryan’s still trapped in the animated Stantz’s world. It’s frustrating knowing he can’t open the Door to Milliways himself, that he has to rely on the other man to get back. Not that he’s unreliable, he just tends to get distracted. Ryan would ask him to try the doors more often, but he’s seen the man come home covered in slime. He deserves some downtime.

Which he had yesterday. When Winston was teaching him how to shoot, the other guys had the day to themselves. Stantz can open a few doors for him today and one of those will lead to Milliways. He hopes. Ryan steps into the main room just in time to here something about baseball. An American sport, he thinks, dismissing it and heading towards Ray.

Comments

[gone_byebye]

The umpire's eyes gleam in the darkness of his mask, but he says nothing further.

Perhaps it was something about the disruption that did it, but that marks the point where the tide turns in Evil's favor. The batter swallows the ball and spits it out with such force that it dissolves one of the fielders; once it's caught, two runners are tagged out despite Winston's urging. The third runner hops onto home plate and is declared "SAFE!", marking the first point scored in the game. Visibly irritated by this, the Good pitcher's arm quickens, and the next batter is struck out in a bare eyeblink.

As the teams change sides, Winston trots over to his comrades. "I only have a minute, guys, but I wanted to say I'm glad the ump let you say. You don't know how important this game is," he says.

"I... think we have an idea," says Egon slowly.

"Hey, you're only down by one point!" says Ray. "You still have three outs to go."

"Yeah, so go on, get out of here," says Peter. "We're not worried."

"Okay," Winston says with a grin. "Thanks!"

As he jogs to the dugout and Evil takes the field, Peter says, "I'm very, very worried about Winston..."

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

So is Ryan, but Stantz is right. Good is only down by one point. They get two hits in a row, filling up two of the bases before the Evil's pitcher disappears in a puff of smoke. One of the other team members squeaks something into the umpire's ear.

"Time out for a relief pitcher," the umpire spirit declares as red storm clouds gather over the pitcher's mound and a screeching elephant's trumpet sounds, making Ryan wince. There's a sharp ozone spike as a bolt from the cloud strikes the mound, sending up a cloud of red smoke. When it clears, there's the largest spirit yet, a pink monstrosity with a trunk for a nose.

"PLAY BALL!"

[gone_byebye]

The pitcher inhales ferociously and snorts the ball out at speeds that distort it beyond belief.

"Steerike one!"
"Steerike two!"
"Steerike three! You're out!"

"Down to the last out already?" says Ray in some disbelief. "They'd better have their best hitter coming up."

Peter, suddenly pale, points. "It's Winston!" he says, and sure enough the dark-skinned Ghostbuster is stepping up to the plate with an air of grim determination.

"Can Winston take this guy?" Ray wonders.

The umpire notes, "That's Evil's best pitcher. Your friend may not have a chance."

"It's just not right, letting a game decide Winston's fate," says Peter. "There's gotta be something we can do."

Egon looks thoughtfully towards the plate. "If they won't let us in the game, what can we do?"

"Maybe Winn-ston would have an easier time against another pitcher."

"Hey, we're not playing in the game!" Peter realizes. "No one said we couldn't cheat..."

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Ryan doesn't think in black and white. That's not the way the world works, even if that's the way of this game.

"You have a point," Ryan admits thoughtfully.

"PLAY BALL!" The pitcher shoots the first ball, and the force of it slamming into the catcher's glove is enough to send Winston stumbling back from the plate.

"Strike one!"

[gone_byebye]

"Egon. Get ready with the trap. As soon as we fire our proton beams at him, get the trap out there."

Egon looks a little reluctant; he's muttering "If no one is neutral..." even as "STRIKE TWO!" sends Winston sprawling.

"Ready?" says Peter, unshouldering his particle thrower. Ray follows suit.

"... then if we cheat..."

Peter kicks the trap into position. "Aim..."

"Oh, no!" says Egon, and suddenly bolts to stand between the pitcher and the other three men. "No, stop! We can't do it- if we cheat, good loses!"

Peter stares. Ray stares.

"Nuts!" Ray finally says, lowering his thrower as the pitcher draws himself up for one more blast.

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

This is such bullshit, but Ryan complies, lowering his thrower with a growl. He scowls at the pitcher as he fires the last ball at home plate. Encased in a red glow, the white sphere streaks towards Winston who actually manages to swing at it this time...and connect.

The red missile flies back the way it came, catching the pitcher in the gut and carrying him through the air to smash into the scoreboard and send the structure tumbling into the ground. The entire field is silent for one long moment before Team Good erupts into cheers.

[gone_byebye]

Winston trots the bases bringing in the last of three runs as Team Evil dissolves. Team Good assembles at the plate to shake his hand individually before vanishing, leaving the Ghostbusters and the werewolf alone with the umpire. "It was a test, wasn't it?" says Egon, and there's an edge in his voice.

"I told you no one can be neutral," says the umpire. "You had to choose. Would you cheat for your friend, or would you trust in fair play and let Good win on its own terms?" He cants his head in Peter and Ryan's direction. "Perhaps we'll meet again someday."

The umpire dissolves in a spray of orange light, and the field returns to its old self in the clear light of morning. Egon grumps about not having been able to study the umpire properly, but Peter leans forward and says, "At least we saved our buddy here, right?"

"What?" says Winston.

"We knew all along it was your soul, Winston," says Ray.

Winston throws up both hands. "Oh, no, you got it all wrong," he says. "That would've been a conflict of interest. It was your soul, Ryan. That's why they let me play."

Peter blinks a few times and then says, "Oooohkay. Sorry about the whole putting you at risk of five hundred years of evil torment thing, Cap'n. No harm, no foul, right?"

"That's basketball, Peter."

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Ryan's too shocked to say anything at first. His soul? They were playing for his soul?

"Right," he manages weakly as he realizes just how very close he came. "It could have just as easily been your's, after all.

"Why my soul?"

[gone_byebye]

"They drew lots," says Winston. "Out of everybody in a hundred miles. And your name was the one that came up."

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Ryan just nods silently, still stunned. He can't... The odds... He's not even from this world! How can...

It'll be some time after they return to the firehouse that Ryan manages to order his thoughts enough to pull Winston aside.

"You had my back," Ryan says simply, studying the man. "Thank you."

[gone_byebye]

Winston nods. "That's what we're here for, isn't it?" he says. "Don't mention it. It's all good."

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

Ryan nods once in return. They barely know each other, but Ryan now feels he owes the man. At the very least, he saved him from another five hundred years away from his pack. Ryan won't forget.

"The next time you decide to go on a solo ghost hunt, don't hesitate to bring me along." It's a bit chiding, yes, but Ryan makes sure to stress the last half a great deal more.

[gone_byebye]

"I don't think I'll be doing that again any time soon," Winston admits. "I kinda learned my lesson this time. But yeah, sure, if it comes up."

[captainryan.livejournal.com]

"Fair enough," Ryan says with one last nod. He moves past Winston to hang up his jumpsuit, bumping against the man's shoulder as he passes.