Fernando Valdez had been many things in his seven years of professional baseball. Wunderkind. All-star. Social media darling. The first Ghost to be fined for “unlawful drone deployment” during a barbecue. No one, however, expected him to be the most controversial starter in PEBA. After a forgettable start to launch his 2042 campaign, Fernando strutted […]
The rain in Niihama-shi came sideways in April. Not hard, but persistent, like it knew you were hoping it’d stop and wanted to disappoint you. That first road trip back from Okinawa, the bus smelled like rosin and wet cleats, and Wesley Carter pressed his forehead to the cool of his window and watched the […]
“Layla, it, literally, does not appear physically possible, despite countless valiant attempts.” Dad meant well, and he was right at the time. But you had to go and up end physics, you little hag. She toed the rubber on the beaten mound. Nine innings of work had already eroded the sand and clay of the […]
Pat Allen dug his cleats into the batter’s box, twisting them into the dirt like desperate roots in dry soil. The pitcher, a hulking figure from Toyama with a fastball that seemed to blur the edges of the world, stared him down. The count was 0-2. The crowd hummed like cicadas in the summer heat, […]
The air in the Kuwana pub hung thick with cigar smoke and the sour scent of spilled beer. António Figueroa leaned back in his chair, the wood creaking under his weight, and swirled the amber liquid in his glass. Across the table, Chris Puddiworth, towering even while seated, tilted his head and raised an eyebrow, […]
The Niihama-shi Ghosts were a team as wild and erratic as the summer storms that swept across the region. They were a blend of cultures, egos, and quirks, held together by a shared pursuit of glory and, beyond that, the antics of one Fernando Valdez. A pitcher as brilliant as he was exasperating, Fernando had […]
Former star third baseman Christian Webb, once celebrated as a charismatic leader on the field, finds himself embroiled in legal controversy yet again. The 42-year-old, whose athletic prowess earned him a place in the hearts of fans during his four standout years with the Shin Seiki Evas, is now facing his eighth paternity lawsuit in […]
The lights in Sakura’s End flickered weakly, casting shadows on the cracked linoleum floor. The bar was mostly empty, save for a couple of regulars nursing their drinks in silence. In the far corner, two men sat opposite each other at a small, battered table. Between them was a growing collection of empty glasses—vodka sodas […]
Niihama-shi—For the past three winters, a mysterious figure resembling Hotei, the Japanese god of happiness and good fortune, has delighted the children of Niihama-shi. Clad in flowing robes and carrying a sack of gifts, the man has visited neighborhoods across the city, handing out toys, books, and winter essentials to children from low-income families. This […]
The bar on the outskirts of Niihama-shi wasn’t much to look at. A neon sign buzzed weakly, its colors bleeding into the night air, and the wood-paneled walls bore the scars of time and too many careless elbows. Noritada Akiyama, owner of the “Most Games Pitched” record (483) in Ghosts history, had made it his […]
