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‘You can fit everything you know, in a bottle for you to show’
A 7-year-old Eijun sat in his room, holding onto a baseball, his eyes full of wonder. The scene zooms out showing another, clearly older, Eijun watching himself in a bottle. Eijun gently stroked the bottle, with his left hand, a bit of nostalgia very clear in his eyes. However as he stroked the bottle, his hand was revealed to be shaking a bit.
‘Pick your brain apart and put it in, and build it again with needles and pins’
The younger Eijun is seen continuously failing to get a strike anywhere close the inside. He seemed frustrated but the next second he apparently shook off the thoughts, stabling his mental fortress. The boy seemed to have grown-up, he was now 10, encouraging his friends to join him while he played baseball. An energetic smile seemed to have been plastered on his face.
Older Eijun seemed to have remembered this time and tears began to form in his eyes, however he refused to let those tears drop. He didn’t seem to notice the water beginning to pour in from the cracks through the door.
‘Everything you have earned is a ship, with blue waves crashing into it.’
The scene depicts the now 11-year-old, taking criticism from people around him, especially his teachers as they watched his grades. Even his parents were asking him to be more serious about his future and pay attention to school, because he couldn’t afford to ‘waste’ all this time on baseball and it wouldn’t be a proper job.
The older Eijun stood there with his lips pursed tightly, his eyes filled with regret. As if, if he had listened to them it would’ve been a bit better for him. His right hand, holding onto his left elbow, massaging it gently.
‘But nothing can touch your happy thoughts anymore,
with your glass ceiling, walls, and floor’
Despite the opposition, 11-year-old Eijun was still energetic, smiling all the time. He would casually brush off the adult’s remarks by saying, ‘Well it’s just dreams and happy thoughts.’ His eyes were filled to the brim with happiness, despite that there was just a bit of space that had some sadness and disappointment. He would cry occasionally when no one was around, just to keep up his ‘happy’ persona.
Older Eijun smiled wryly, his eyes went to the glass walls, he now felt as fragile as the glass room, outside the glass, it can be seen that water was now covering the whole room. Eijun’s eyes were now filled with despair and the vicissitudes that came with age.
‘Sailing on a ship in a bottle, anchor all your thoughts to the bottom’
12-year-old Eijun still had his energetic smile, though they was occasionally some melancholy mixed in. His eyes were still filled with smiles, though they seemed a little duller. He was still the sunshine Eijun. Whenever anyone looked over all they would see was the always so happy Eijun. He was after all the sunshine. He would suppress his occasional sad thoughts, that wasn’t him.
‘Pulling ropes and pulling your head back, to see what is breaking the foremast.’
12-year-old Eijun began to get serious about baseball despite the many whispers and things that were against him, he would pull the rope of his tire and run around the field, despite what other people said. This was his happy place after all. No matter how tired he was, he would run. One time he seemed to feel the tire was heavier, when he pulled his head back there was nothing, so he shrugged it off.
Older Eijun seemed quite disturbed as he watched his younger self try to navigate through the world. His eyes also seemed to have realized something before they turned a bit gloomy.
‘You set sail alone, there is no crew, no one on the deck who can help you.’
Now a 13 year old stood on a mound, he seemed quite relaxed despite the fact that ‘no one’ was behind him. He watched as all the batters he feared walked into the batter’s box. If anyone were behind to defend they would notice his slightly shiver as he watched the batters and his eyes were quite dull. If anyone were behind him they would notice the pressure was getting to him and would try to find a way to relax him, however…
‘This is all your own battle to win, this is your ship, and you are the captain.’
This was all his own battle to win, this is his ship and he is the captain. He was ‘the one man team,’ after all. As if he would need someone else to help him win the battle. He was the Ace, The Captain. No matter the mistakes the fielders makes, he can fix it. That’s the type of Ace he should be, he could win this all by himself.
The older Eijun watched this with a lot of disappointment and regrets filled in his eyes, if he wasn’t so stubborn then, could he be better now.
‘Oh, captain, let's make a deal, where we both say the things that we both really feel.’
“Oh, Captain! Let’s make a deal!” A now 15-year-old Eijun was talking to the captain of the Seidou High Baseball Club, Yuuki Tetsu, “Let’s both say the things that we both really feel.” Eijun’s smile was so blinding that the captain was now caught up with his rhythm, following him to the dorm room. As soon as they entered Eijun locked the door and his tense body began to gradually relax.
Older Eijun covered his eyes as he remembered this scene, he didn’t want to see it again. It was embarrassing. This was after Tanba-san’s injury and he was even more fragile than he usually was.
‘I feel scared and I'm starting to sink, and I only sink deeper the deeper I think’
As soon as the younger Eijun relaxed it was as if a dam broke, tears began to fall from eyes, “I feel scared and I’m starting to sink.” Tetsu was quite surprised that the boy started crying, he hesitantly patted. “I only sink deeper the deeper I think.” Tetsu was really quite shocked, he thought the boy was without problems as he always had that carefree smile on his face. At this time however, he seemed to be the most vulnerable of everyone on the team.
Where no one could see there was Miyuki laying on top of one of the beds, his expression was solemn.
Throughout this whole ordeal Older Eijun never looked towards the bottle, from his ears to his neck, they were all red.
‘Oh, captain, oh, captain, deal
Oh, captain deal, oh, captain deal
Oh woah…’
Another person appeared next to the older Eijun, their hand caressed Eijun’s shoulder, while they whispered the words in his ear, trying to tempting him. “Oh captain, let’s make the deal.” They said while gently rubbing Eijun’s shoulder, “Oh captain deal~”
‘There are red spots under your eyes, from when you cry into the sky.’
Miyuki sat next to the still in shock Eijun, “There are red spots under your eyes…” As he said this Eijun looked towards him, his fully haggard face came into full view, there was a bit of surprise in his eyes as if he didn’t expect Miyuki to talk to him. At this time, he smiled a very sad smile.
“It’s from when I cried into the sky.” Eijun said going back to look down at the ground, except this time he covered his eyes as if he was afraid anyone would ask him about it again. “I just didn’t expect him to get a homerun off of me…I almost ruined our chances.” Miyuki took a good look at him before naturally wrapping his arms around Eijun’s neck.
‘Ocean waters rising above your neck, you feel the glass start to crack.’
It’s the bottom of the seventh. Eijun was just put in as a relief for Tanba. He looked at the ball in his, excitement coursing through his veins. He was playing in the finals, finally. “You’re the Ace now.” That touched him, he felt the adrenaline pumping and he thought, yeah…I’m the Ace now.
‘Sailing on a ship in a bottle, water's leaking through holes in the bottom.’
Eijun felt as steady as he could possibly be. Ignoring the sweat on his face. The batters were just giving off way too much killing intent, he wasn’t nervous, not at all. There was no chill in his spine, he wasn’t scare. He was fine, after all he was getting to play in the finals. This is great. He’s happy even.
Older Eijun watched as the glass around him gradually started crack, water slowly leaking through those holes.
‘Flying flags of ships that have long since, sat at the floor of the sea, but in defense,’
This is all for Tanba-san and the others. They couldn’t participate in the end. I will carry this team Koshien. Eijun tried to reset his resolve, he had to carry everyone to Koshien no matter what. No matter who stood in front of him, it was a job he could do. Bringing the team to Koshien is something he has to do.
‘You set sail alone, there is no crew, no one on the deck who can help you,’
Eijun watched as Kuramochi covered for Kominato-senpai and he felt a breath of relief. Why would he be worried? He’s no longer alone, there’s a crew behind him. A reliable bunch of senpai. These are the people he wants to go to Koshien with, of course they’re reliable.
‘This is all your own battle to win, this is your ship and you are the captain.’
Eijun stood on the field trying to get rid of the nerves. This was still his own battle to win, He thought as he tossed the rosin bag. But this isn’t only his ship and he isn’t the captain. Eijun blew the excess off his fingers, as he looked towards Miyuki. The pressure was now getting to him, he looked towards his now shivering hand. He just had to finish this quickly. No big deal, just throw three inside and finish it. His gaze zeroed in on Shirakawa.
Two inside pitches, and the pressure was still there. Why? Why? WHY CAN’T THE FEELING GO AWAY!!
“DEADBALL”
The older Eijun looked at this scene, replaying with a numb feeling. Ah…, he thought, it never gets worse than this. This scene that kept replaying in his head. He sighed.
‘Oh, captain, let's make a deal, where we both say the things that we both really feel.’
Weeks had passed, Sawamura couldn’t pitch to the inside. He was lying numbly on his back, tightening his hands and then letting them loose. He did that for a while before he heard the door open, he only assumed it was Kuramochi until the person started talking, “Hey, Sawamura, Let’s makes a deal.” Eijun jumped up, looking at Miyuki with confusion deep into his eyes, “Let’s both say the things that we both really feel.” Miyuki said in a relaxed tone, sitting beside Eijun.
‘I feel scared and I'm starting to sink, and I only sink deeper the deeper I think.’
Eijun’s eyes dimmed, as he looked down at his hands, “Well…I feel scared and I’m starting to sink.” He clasped his hands as if trying to feel something, “I can feel myself sinking deeper the deeper I think.” Eijun said all of this with much difficulty and hesitation. Finally he looked towards Miyuki, “Oh Captain-”
‘Oh, captain, make up your mind, before the salt burns your eyes and you run out of time.’
Miyuki grapped Sawamura’s shoulder and roughly pulled him into a hug, cutting him off “I’ve already made up my mind…” Sawamura froze before he relaxed, tears streaming down his face, Miyuki felt his shirt was wet and sighed. “The salt has already burned your eyes, but you’re not out of time.” Miyuki really felt a bit helpless, he didn’t want to go to another catcher to help him with his pitcher but he was without other options.
‘'cause you're popping the cork, you get lost in your brain
and you lose touch with all the things that made you feel sane’
Chris taught Eijun the outside pitch. And Eijun really felt relieved, fortunately he can still be useful to the team as he is now. He won’t lose touch with the only thing that makes him feel sane. Eijun comforted himself as relief washed over him.
“Oh, captain, oh, captain, deal
Oh, captain deal, oh, captain deal
Oh woah…”
The man appeared, yet again. However the older Eijun still insisted on not cooperating. Finally he gritted his teeth and tried again.
‘Oh, captain, let's make a deal, where we both say the things that we both really feel.’
An Eijun of similar age of the one standing outside the bottle was now looking straight towards the older Eijun. His words were now targeting himself, the Older Eijun realized this, and tears welled up. He didn’t want it to be like this either. He wanted to continue playing baseball as well. Eijun fought to hold back his tears as the other Eijun continued to ridicule him.
‘I feel scared and I'm starting to sink, and I only sink deeper the deeper I think.’
“I feel scared and I’m starting to sink,” Was all the older could say as tears began to run down his face. His face was twisted and his heartache could be felt between, “And I’m sinking deeper the deeper I think.”
‘Oh, captain, make up your mind, before the salt burns your eyes and you run out of time.’
“Oh, ‘captain’, make up your mind!” The other Eijun began to get impatient as he yelled, his voice was filled with mockery and anger was evident on his face, as if he hated himself so much, “The salt’s already burning your eyes and you’re running out of time!”
‘'cause you're popping the cork, you get lost in your brain
and you lose touch with all the things that made you feel sane.’
Baseball could make him feel sane, but now that his left hand was injured so badly he probably couldn’t do it anymore. Eijun touched his arm, he had tried everything but the doctors said that he won’t be able to throw in the future, let alone pitch…but he has his right hand still, right? Eijun knew he was kidding himself. He’s never tried anything with his right hand and he wouldn’t be prepared for the professionals.
‘Oh, captain, oh, captain, deal
Oh, captain deal, oh, captain…?’
The older man now stood in front of Eijun again, offering the same thing he offered earlier. Except this time the offer was much more tempting.
‘Deal…’
Was all that was left in the air as Eijun disappeared.