Adapting

Baseball

Short fic based on my actual experience playing softball in like 7th/8th grade (Can't remember which)! But yeah. True story with some Sonic details tossed in the mix.

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"Please please please please please PLEASE!~ Can I PLEASE play on the baseball team!?" Sonic begged. The whole town knew he was here and considered him one of their own, so he knew he COULD play if Tom and Maddie let him. "If you do, you can't use even a SECOND of your powers." "I know, I won't I promise...!" Tom and Maddie shared a glance before nodding. "Alright, you can try out for the team." "YAY!~" 

Try outs went smoothly, and the other kids were happy to see a new player... that was until the first game. Sonic was very... out of practice to say the least. Without using his speed, he was very out of place, and he quickly got embarrassed by being one of the slowest kids on the team with the least experience. "That's alright, buddy!" Tom encouraged as Sonic got his second strike. "Brush it off, Baby! You got it!~" Maddie said. "Ok...focus, Sonic." The blue devil mumbled to himself as the ball was thrown again. He swung the bat and actually hit the ball. "Yes!~" Dropping the bat, Sonic ran without using his power to first base. Seeing that the players still hadn't grabbed the ball, Sonic took off to second. He stopped at second and the next player was up. Hitting the ball on the first try, the boy ran to first. "Sonic, run!" The crowd shouted as Sonic stood still while the boy made it to second. "Oh...!" Sonic ran and the other boy didn't stop. Out of pure luck, Sonic made it safely to home, and the boy made it to third. 'This is much harder than I thought... and not as fun as I thought it would be.' Sonic thought as he sat on the bench. He watched as the game continued and their places switched. He stood on the outfield, waiting... his mind began to wander again. 'I like all of these humans...but it's less fun when I can't zip around at high speeds...' A ball fell in front of him, and Sonic forced himself to get back in the game. 

The second game was even worse. The poor blue bean was sore, embarrassed, and the team didn't seem to like playing with him... but he was optimistic. He was first to bat, and he did something that caught everyone off guard. On his second swing, Sonic's grip wasn't tight enough. Thus, as he swung... the bat flew out of his hands and flew towards the pitcher. Thankfully nobody was hurt... but Sonic turned bright red. Out of nervousness, Sonic giggled. He was slightly scolded by the coach, but was handed the bat again and told to be more careful... but everyone was staring at him... fighting tears, he just dropped the bat and walked off. "Uh oh...I got him." Tom left Maddie as the game just continued, and followed Sonic. "Sonic...? You ok?" "Fine...." "....It's alright. You'll get better for next time, Bud." Tom said. Sonic sat on a kids playground that was near the baseball field and Tom stood on the woodchips below him. "I don't think I like this game...can I drop out?" "You can't give up on your team so soon, you only played two games..." "But...I don't like it." "Give it time..." Sonic whined, but already knew that Tom wouldn't budge. "Fine...." 

 Two more games went by and Sonic now hated playing baseball with the other kids... but Maddie agreed, and the two adoptive parents wouldn't let him quit. Unfortunately a repeat happened, and Sonic once again threw the bat at the pitcher. This time however, he laughed louder in embarrassment and nervousness, and tears instantly started falling. Sonic ran off of the field crying, and everyone on his team, Tom and Maddie, uncle Wade, Rachel and Jojo, and his coach followed him to try to talk to him but he wouldn't listen. "I DON'T wanna play anymore..." Sonic said as the team went back to keep playing... but again, everyone said they wouldn't let him quit. He understood why they didn't want him to quit, but he didn't understand why they wouldn't listen to him. He didn't like playing baseball this way.... besides, he was the worst on the team and he nearly got people hurt TWICE now. He was embarrased, his team didn't like or believe in him.... he wanted to quit and try something else instead like band or dancing... or art! Anything but baseball. However, he was just... stuck. 

Time passed and the season ended and Sonic was FINALLY able to give up baseball... 

But Tom and Maddie's attempt to teach Sonic to finish what he started... only taught him 'Never try anything new because we'll make to do it even if you hate it'.  

So that's what he did. He avoided trying new hobbies so that he could't get forced to stick with them...

He knew it wasn't right though... so independently, he started trying to learn art.