Chapter Text
Will is what some might call a “determined” person, but others might call him a “stubborn” person too, someone who never takes a no for an answer, and finds ways to get what wants. Who would’ve thought that this would lead to him becoming one of the first little animals to play AND win in Roarball’s most famous team; The Vineland Thorns.
But every dream comes with a cost. Some might be small, but some might be too big to handle. To everyone’s dismay, Will is also known for taking the biggest risks, the biggest costs, even ones that he doesn’t know how to take. All of it to prove something he has already done many, many times before; whatever gets him closer to his dream, his goal.
Even if it can get him hurt, or worse— killed.
—[]—
Today is yet another game for the Vineland Thorns, preparing themselves for the competition, along with some friendly bantering, warmups, you name it’s the new routine Will’s eagerly getting used to.
Everything felt like it was going so fast! In what he felt were just a few minutes passing by everyone was walking to the court, either to see them play, or compete against them.
He wonders who’s the team they’re playing against. . .maybe the Shivers? Oohh or the Tectonics? Maybe—
“Let’s all welcome. . .drumrolls please— THE MAGMA! Who are back to Vinelands to have the most awaited rematch in this new Roarball season!”
“. . .” Crickets could only be heard from the Thorns, eyes, although wide with surprise, carried some default exasperation towards the name of the rival team alone.
Ah.
You’ve got to be kidding— Seriously?
Man, that means they’ll have to deal with Mane, again.
“These guys are just trying to find ways to embarrass themselves. . .” Jett couldn’t help but to mutter to herself, being just loud enough for the rest to hear and nod along. She wasn’t wrong, they have beaten them what, two? Five times already?
And that’s without including him humiliating Mane the first time they met each other in person!
They should know by now that the Thorns aren’t going to let go of their well-earned reputation, even less their wins!
They sure were all growing tired of the rematches with the Magma team, but at least he knows that it usually equals to an easy win, so not a whole lot to worry about!
As they waited for the first quarter to begin, Dennis already had the game play in hand for them to make; eagle 24.
The first three quarters will basically be the warmups; they can mess up a little without any big consequences.
But when the fourth quarter comes around, Will is going to get the ball first. He’ll be the starting point.
Olivia and Modo, whoever is closest, will get the first and second pass.
Jett and Archie will get the third and fourth pass of the ball. She’ll block off anyone who tries to get in the way along with Archie.
Then Will is getting the fifth pass. He’ll try to get the remaining players focused on him so that Lenny can get his pass without any problems.
And finally, Lenny is getting the sixth yet final pass, and score the win for the team!
Easy peasy, not hard to follow.
Sure, they have been using that team play more often these past few weeks— but even then, it still is Will’s most all-time favorite tactic!
Especially because he knows that Lenny has his back— err— more like his neck —on this one, he always has.
—[]—
The game was going amazing, just like usual, the Thorns have gained 30 points already, while the Magma has barely managed to get 20-ish points; easy, as they all expected!
Sure, they (or at least he) shouldn’t get too comfortable, considering how the Magma team is a fan of playing dirty, but can’t a guy just feel confident in his team? After all, it is the best one that has existed since ever!
His body was starting to feel a bit. . .fatigued though— maybe it’s because of the extra training he’s been doing since the start of this month— or months? He can’t really remember; still, he can’t let that get to him, his teammates need him focused.
Second quarter goes by fast along with third quarter, but at some point, Archie was benched for “pushing” one of the Magma’s players— even though nobody saw him even near any of them —Dennis tried to reason with the referee, but it was no use.
Still, it didn’t really change much, the Thorns are still winning by a lot. Maybe after this they can get Archie some pie from Carol? It sounds good enough.
And in the meantime, he can catch up with his friends too, and everyone else can get to have pie (especially when Carol has been giving the team discounts, amazing, he knows that)! A win-win situation that brings delightful meals to everyone’s stomachs.
The strategy did need to be changed, but Jett assured them all that her ankle wouldn’t fail her.
. . .Even though Olivia mentioned seeing her limping a little when a timeout was made.
Knowing Jett, she’s going to try to deny it, so it was no use for them to be bickering about it. Dennis told them that he would talk to Jett after the game; he’s gotten better at getting through her with and without using the water spray bottle.
Soon enough, the fourth quarter is happening, the Thorns have gained 46 points by this point, while the Magma has gained 33 points, many gained with free throws.
The Thorns were in a circle, arms resting on each other’s shoulders (everyone except Will, who had to conform with keeping his hands on their lower backs) as Dennis discussed the strategy for the millionth time.
It’s so easy to remember with how often they have been doing it, if he was being honest.
Will first
Olivia second
Modo third
Jett fourth
Will fifth (again)
Lenny sixth
He has the most important part; he gets to pass the ball two times now.
You cannot mess this up Will, you got this.
—[]—
After a strategy was made, the team left to the middle of the court, Lenny and Will staying close to each other this time.
What a better way to finish the game than to use an iconic move? Everyone loves it!
.
.
.
.
Everyone got on their positions, including Mane, who put himself right in front of Will, probably in an attempt to assert dominance (and to protect his fragile ego) over him and the others. Does it work? Of course not!
But, from the corner of Will’s eye, he could see that Modo seemed. . .off. Not the usual off, a weird off off; him and Archie kept giving themselves nervous glances— was something wrong?
He does remember Archie feeling like “something bad is going to happen” before the game started, but that’s probably his dad instincts taking over, right?
It. . .doesn’t matter. He can ask Archie and Modo later after they get this victory back home where it belongs.
Everyone is in their positions.
.
One second.
.
Two seconds. .
.
Three seconds. . .
.
The sound of the whistle rang loud, announcing the fourth quarter’s start with a buzzing, steady chorus.
.
Go.
.
With a hard push from his hooves, Will pushed himself into the field, ball on hand already. His eyes were in squares, not missing a beat to pass the ball to Olivia when he saw the Crocodile get closer to block him.
Olivia got the ball fast, feathers fluttering as she’s ready to—
!!!
Before she could even pass it, Modo was suddenly blocked off— wait, what—?
Wherever she looked along for Modo’s voice, for his hand to at least appear, she was only met with him struggling, actually struggling, to get pass them without having to hold himself back just to not get benched too.
She didn’t even have time to react when two other players lunged themselves to crowd her too, to block her from doing her part.
“. . .damn it—!” Her feathers tucked themselves tight against her as she backs away with a startled jolt, eyes widening too quickly. Everything’s suddenly going too fast—
No no no, she doesn’t want to be the poster girl again!—
“OLIVIA, IM FREE!” Jett’s voice rang out from behind the ostrich, ears flat as she waved her hands at her.
!!
Jett— but her leg—! Forget it, the game—
Pass it pass it pass it pass it pass it PASS IT!
A panicky squeak escaped from her beak as she threw the ball behind her to Jett, the sound of it hitting the ground one time, two times, before it was caught swiftly by Jett’s death grip.
So, they have to improvise some parts of the play, eh?
Perfect.
Although she doesn’t have Will’s freaky vision, she has her other senses sharp like her claws, still fresh from the oven.
She can hear footsteps hovering over rapidly from her sides, the first pair coming from Mane, based on the sound is so unsynchronized from his other teammates.
Lenny is currently blocking off one of the Magma’s defenders, so he’s not available.
Will has to be then.
A low snicker-like growl rumble from her tongue, and she waits for a second.
One second.
Just one.
And when the wind around her tail blew differently, interrupted by another’s own wind, she dodged to the side, ball bouncing one time, two times, three times, more and more times, slower, faster, a hybrid of everything, whichever benefits her and her team is being used one way or another.
And she ran.
But her ankle is killing her already, throbbing whenever her foot lands too firmly, too confidently, too slowly, too anything, on the rough ground. It’s taking her attention away from the game, despite her best efforts.
Her improv skills can only get so far, and she’s already reached that point.
But still, she doesn’t stop; she’ll get the ball to Will wether they like it or not!
Will tried his best to keep the attention on himself, but he was surprised to see that they all ignored him, going after the others even when he had the ball at first— is this them raising the white flag? Are they surrendering??
Still, he has to stay focused; stay close to Lenny, you have to make the pass happen.
“Harris! Ball!” Jett’s voice roared from not-so-far away, ball slamming itself into the ground two times before the pass was suddenly made, the Grizzly almost tackling her in their attempt to stop the pass from happening.
But even then, they failed. Though the pass was harder than expected, sending him back just a few inches from his original position, he stood firm, pupils dilating into squares within seconds as he bounces the ball on the ground more quietly, swiftly.
From here he could see that Modo has managed to get out of the crowded blockers along with Olivia, both already running back to where they’re needed now.
Lenny was waving his hands, mouthing “free” from far away. He was ready to finish this pity party.
He can also see Archie from the benches, but something in his face screams panic; probably his anxiety exploding?
Meanwhile Jett is keeping the defenders distracted along with—
Wait, where’s Mane? He can’t—
Just as he saw Modo get close enough for him to feel confident enough to make an improvised pass, the blockers and Mane suddenly threw themselves in front of the Komodo— too quickly for Modo to stop—
Will froze.
“WILL, MOVE!” He swore that was Olivia’s voice— he—
He froze, ears barely managing to lower and eyes widening back into two small dots when Mane’s elbow clashed hard with his face. A loud CRACK could be heard from the collision alone.
. . .
Intentional or not, whatever the goal was, they did it.
Will is too small to be able to keep himself from falling, everyone knows that— but he didn’t fall, he was thrown headfirst into the hoop’s pole.
A loud, too loud crack could be heard as his head— his skull —was slammed into the solid, metal pillar of a pole.
—[]—
.
.
.
.
. . .ow, his head. . .what—?
When did he— get on the ground?
Ow— fuzzy. . .something is—
. . .
His hands slowly felt through his head, first to somehow numb the pain, but then it turned into a fuzzy curiosity.
He doesn’t— he can’t feel one of his horns— d-did it break? When— h-how—?
Something weird— mushy? Something liquid? He doesn’t— he can’t really recognize the texture. . .
He couldn’t help but to feel further around his head, soon stopping once he felt too much of the mushy texture on the palm of his hand— what even is—
. . .
It’s blood.
It’s.
Blood.
. . .
. . .oh— o-oh.
He— heh— haha, it’s blood! It’s actually— wow, it really is—!
He coughed hard, too hard, he didn’t feel himself move but he knows he coughed.
And from his nose, more of the mushy texture— his blood, came running down and dropping onto the surface in droplets.
He can’t— i-it hurts it hurts it hurts— where’s— his head, fuck—!
He can hear someone calling his name. . .Jett?
Damnit— the game! Stand up— you can whine later!
He tried to, he really, really, tried to stand up, and he did!
. . .For two solid seconds he stood up and took one step forward, before he dropped down to his knees. He was barely managing to not throw up from the sudden wave of nausea, so how can he even stand up. . .?
He can’t— it hurts he can’t breathe he can’t— his chest feels so tight, has it always been this tight?
He can’t handle his own fur, everything’s mushy, so mushy he’s—
He feels eyes on him— how can he—??
How funny he says that, because can’t even see right now! H-He can’t— how funny, so funny. . .!
He tried to at least listen to his surroundings, anything that could give him a hint of what was going on. He can hear someone scream “timeout!” from the sidelines, Archie maybe? O-Or Dennis— no, that has to be Dennis—
Archie somehow got on the court, screaming— or yelling? —at who he guesses is someone from the other team. . .?
And— a-and—
He can’t—
. . .
H-He can’t hear anything— anymore— all he hears is ringing and his heart beating on his ears and—
He tried to stand up again, he needs to stand up, he needs to be okay—
He—
He. . .
“I-I—. . .’m ff— in. . .e. . .” But nobody asked him that, at least he thinks he hasn’t. He can barely see what’s in front of him, his head’s throbbing so much— is this how Jett’s ankle pain is like? —he can’t hear anyone he can’t—
He’s—
He— hehe—
H-He’s feeling sleepy. . .he’s just. . .g-going to take a nap, yeah?
Great.
He didn’t even notice when or where he blacked out, eyes rolling to the back of his head while his body fell limp like a ragdoll.
This is the cost of having a goal.
—[]—
“ROLLS THE ADVERTISEMENTS NOW!”
“SOMEONE CALL AN AMBULANCE!”
.
.
.
.
Olivia was crying, eyes unbelievably wide as she couldn’t shake her vision away from the view.
Will got hurt, badly hurt—
He’s hurt he passed out he— where’s the ambulance!? Where— medics, nurses, doctors, anyone ANYONE PLEASE—!!
She can’t breathe, she did this, if she didn’t pass the ball to Jett, if she just let herself get blocked, maybe this wouldn’t have happened! She should’ve she—
“Call an ambulance, Olivia!” Jett— w-when did she get to Will. . .? Oh god, that’s a lot of blood— oh no no no no—
“OLIVIA!” Damn it— right, r-right!— she had to swallow hard, maintaining her gaze on the ground the whole time whilst she moved. She needs to move and help.
Her phone, where did she leave it!? Stupid stupid. . .!
It should be with— Archie!
Oh god, Archie—
Before she could start panicking, Archie was already approaching her, his lower lip busted, yet his gaze remained gentle and caring.
What— w-what did he— focus Olivia, focus! She needs her phone now! She— where is it!?
“I already called emergency services, don’t worry.” Archie gets her attention fast, eyes still wide with tears. He did. . .? Oh— what a relief!
Will’s going to be okay— he—
He— h-he’s still bleeding badly, he’s still— h-he—
She couldn’t stop the tears to pour down her cheeks— she’s never seen someone get so seriously hurt before now, what is she supposed to do. . .!?
Oh god—
I-Is he—
Is he going to die. . .?
He can’t— damn it, why did she make that pass!? Why, why—!? She should’ve cowered, she should’ve, this is her fault! Stupid stupid stupid!
. . .she didn’t even notice Archie getting in front of her, wrapping his arms as gently as he could around Olivia without hurting her. He was doing everything he could for her to not see Will any longer.
“It’s okay, he’s going to be fine, Olivia. We’re all making sure of that, I promise.” Archie muttered for a moment, voice just as gentle as he is with his daughters.
She could feel some kind of desperation in him— he wanted to be there with Will— I mean, who doesn’t? He needs them! He shouldn’t be on the floor alone, bleeding out, scared, hurt! he shouldn’t!
But. . .Jett’s got him, and so is Lenny, and Modo, and Dennis— he isn’t alone. . .
. . .
A weak sob escaped from her beak, soon turning into a quiet, crying mess.
“. . .I-I’m scared, I’m sorry, I’m— I-I am, I-I am, please forgive me. . .!” She knows that he knows, she knows, but she feels like she should still apologize. This shouldn’t have happened in the first place, why did it have to happen anyways. . .!?
“I know, Olivia, I know. . .it’s not your fault, sweetie. . .” Archie just kept reassuring her over and over again; he understands what she feels, he really does.
But she isn’t at blame for any of this.
None of them are.
Mane is the one who caused this. HE is at fault.
And that damn horse could only laugh when he saw the kid struggle to stand up. It wasn’t so funny when he punched the teeth right out of his fucking— his damn mouth, was it?
“ARE YOU HAPPY NOW!? YOU—!” . . .as much as he would love to give that man a piece of his mind (or rather his fists), he can’t. Not right now.
The team needs him.
His friends need him to be the bigger person right now, even if it’s just to hug them until the professionals get here.
Modo somehow was quiet, still, frozen.
This is. . .probably the first time he has seen someone like this, and for it to be a friend? It’s not what many would like to see.
Maybe they were worried, or shocked, or just numb, but whatever it was, it was still unsettlingly saddening to see.
Lenny wasn’t doing well, despite his calm demeanor. His hands were shaking crazy, he could barely keep his eyes on Will before he had to look away, or else he might’ve thrown up from anxiety alone.
He was trying to get closer, to be a lending hand, it was so obvious that it hurt to see him force himself to get away from the scene; it was too much for him to handle, and that’s without including the mental aspect of it all.
They all shouldn’t have to be experiencing this— they all know the risks of Roarball, that’s for sure —but to see its consequences on someone they care about?
It hurts.
It’s haunting.
And now they have to experience it twice.
First, it was Jett.
Now, it’s Will.
All because of someone’s fragile ego.
—[]—
“Harris, ball!”
“WILL, MOVE!”
“I-I—. . .’m ff—. . .in. . .e. . .”
“ARE YOU HAPPY NOW!? YOU—!”
“CALL AN AMBULANCE!”
“HARRIS!”
.
.
.
.
She moves fast, everyone knows that (despite her ankle now being against her), but this time she moved faster. She didn’t think, she didn’t hesitate, she didn’t even breathe, her paws throwing themselves forward as her body ran and lunged itself forward without her order before Will’s head could hit the floor.
And she caught him in time.
Even though she wanted to scream at Will, to shake him awake, she fought herself back. Instead, she sat down on her knees quickly, being careful as she placed the goat’s head on her lap slowly.
He’s bleeding out fast.
He’s having a nosebleed.
He doesn’t have his two horns anymore.
He’s barely breathing.
Fuck— FUCK!
“Harris, Harris— Will, stay with me now— Harris!” Jett’s tone was firm, but it was dripping with worry.
Will was barely managing to breathe, he keeps wheezing— is he choking on his own blood. . .!?
N-No, it can’t be— he only hit his head, right? Maybe his neck too, but his head was the one thing that took the most damage— right? R-Right—?
Everything around her is a hazy mess, she could see people getting closer, Dennis yelling at the referees, her team splitting up for seconds before getting back together, but she didn’t care about that, she needs to focus on keeping Will conscious.
Damn it, damn it! Damn Mane, damn the referees, damn the Magma team, damn everyone! They all enabled this from happening!
Her paws were getting drenched by blood.
Her paws are getting wet with someone else’s blood.
Her paws have blood.
Her paws.
Have blood.
She doesn’t want to have blood on her paws, even less when it comes from a someone as close as Will, she doesn’t— why is this happening why why why—
A stronger wheeze came from Will, his eyes soon opening slowly.
!!!
“Harris— Will!” Jett’s voice grew tender, softer, in a matter of seconds, her tail, which was once thrashing side by side in distress, now flat and straight. He’s awake, yes!
Keep him awake Jett, he needs to stay awake.
.
.
.
.
Will could barely see what was happening around him when he woke up— oh, his nap is over. . .? Boo. . .
Ow— o-ow, ow— his headache(?) is worse now, great.
When did Jett get here? Why— what is he laying on?
He tried to talk—
—no matter, the nausea is hitting him back.
He can’t—
It hurts. . .!
I-It actually hurts— haha!
Ha—
H-Haha. . .—
He wants to cry, he can’t handle this—
I-It hurts, make it stop!
He can’t handle it he c-can’t hhe can’t he can’t—
Mom— mom! M-Mom. . .!
“M-M. . .mgh. . .! M-Mo. . .m. . .! M—. . .o-om—“ He hates crying, he hates crying in front of people. . .
“Don’t talk, Harris, you need to save your energy, alright?” Jett cut him off before he could keep going. That was certainly a weird way to call her. . .
But she’s letting it slide.
Will doesn’t need to feel humiliated; he has a lot of his plate right now.
“Mgfhm— hhu. . .rts. . .! Hu— hhh—“ Will was wheezing nonsense, the words he was trying to say were becoming into slurring and stuttering very quickly, even if it didn’t take a genius to understand what he meant to say.
“I know Will, the medics are on their way here, I swear. You need to stay awake.” She just needs to keep him preoccupied, that’s easy, Will’s easy to distract, she can talk about—
“I-I—. . .’m s-sssca. . .rred. . .!”
Jett froze, her voice disappeared along with her firmness as she stared at Will’s face.
She hadn’t dared to look at him fully until now.
. . .
Tears were starting to flow down the goat’s cheeks; his wheezing is turning into weak whimpers as he choked out strained sobs. His eyes shouldn’t be this wide open— but they were, unfocused, glossy, filled with confusion and. . .
He looked. . .terrified.
Who wouldn’t be?
She—
She can’t. . .do this—
She can handle herself being hurt, she can handle herself crying out of pain, out of fear, out of frustration, she can handle herself.
But she. . .doesn’t know if she can handle Will.
. . .
Her mouth opened, but it closed right away. Jett didn’t have words for him; nothing would be able to comfort him, she knows that. He’s in pain, he isn’t going to take emotional support as well as he might’ve prior to this.
Damn it. . .
. . .a small, cracked up sigh escaped from her as she inhaled, her paws tightening around Will’s head as she wrapped her tail around Will’s hand.
“. . .I-I’m here, Will. I’m not leaving you, I promise.” Her voice cracks at first, her eyes wavering with softness and worry while her fingers gently stroke his cheeks, trying to clean the tears on his cheeks (and the droplets of blood that kept streaming down his cheeks from his nose).
All she can do is keep her promise, all she can do is make him feel safe and confident that, if he blacked out again, he wouldn’t wake up to being alone with himself and his pain.
She knows Will would do the same for her, and for the rest of the team, and for everyone else. He’s too stubborn for his own good.
And. . .that seemed to calm him down, at least just enough for his hand to squeeze her tail once.
Just once.
Before his grip became weak; limp.
The world around Jett went from hazy to silent.
“. . .Harris?” She just stared at Will’s face, her eyes blank as her hands started to shake—
Will’s not responding anymore.
Will’s face is pale.
Will’s eyes lost its light before they closed.
. . .
No—
No, no!
NO!
Her ears laid flat against her head, she could only keep stroking the goat’s cheeks. She couldn’t look away, the blood just kept coming.
Why hasn’t it stopped. . .!?
It feels as if she’s a child again, but only if being a child meant having to see your friend passed out, almost looking pale like a ghost. Time was going too fast and too slow all at once, she didn’t feel it or sense it, even less when the ambulance finally arrived.
Will isn’t dead, he just can’t be.
He can’t be dead.
He can’t.
He—
Someone kept calling her name, but she didn’t answer. Someone had tried to get her attention five times, she counted; if she didn’t, she would’ve wandered into her thoughts, and—
—those thoughts aren’t helping.
She wasn’t limp, she wasn’t a ragdoll, she was still standing firm. . .
. . .but that would mean that she’s lying, even if it’s only technically.
Jett could feel herself being pulled away, her hands, though firm and protective of the small goat, let go of his head easily when she was guided to. Her tail could only drag itself on the ground as she just kept staring and staring and staring and staring and staring and staring.
Will was set on a stretcher.
She can still hear him wheezing, albeit with force.
Will got taken away by the medics, she would’ve followed, she really would’ve, she wants to!
But—
She can’t stop staring at the blood on her hands.
She can’t stop staring at the man-made blood.