"Hm… now moving onto the next one. Heber, it's your turn." Kenzo named. Hearing his voice Heber hopped up standing straight. "Okay!!" he responded. Picking up his bat he looked at the middle schoolers winking at them.
"Rest assured, we will win this!" he showing his thumbs up leaving for the pitch. "He always behaves like the wind hun. I didn't even knew when he left." Ezekiel wondered. "Let's see what he shows us now…" claimed Helios.
Suddenly Heber came back. "Huh?! Why did you come back again?!" asked Feng and Adam together. Alan staring at them blinked his eyes, "What's taking them so long just to send a single person?" Heber gawking Kenzo stood silent. Kenzo stared back at him, none of them batting an inch.
"Just what in the world is going on…" asked Poseidon as Xavier shook his head clueless. Kenzo sighing after a while, began searching inside his pockets for something.
Ryan peeked perplexed. "I wonder what he's doing…?" the middle schoolers thought curious. "It's senior Heber we are talking about. His brain won't work until he gets a candy from the captain." Azazel sighed.
"A candy?!" asked all of them stunned. Keeping the sweet on Heber's palm Kenzo eyed him seriously, "You know what to do right? Don't disappoint me." Heber nodded unwrapping the candy and chomping it down.
A sudden gleam revealed his face, "Yes, your highness!! And, don't forget about the reward later." he headed back. "Now that was weird…" murmured Ryan confused.
"Haha… its Heber after all. King Kenzo would have to do this every time when we played at the inter academy tournaments before." Damian informed. Izack and Faris agreed. "Yes… he only plays with sweets as a bait that little brat…" added Silas.
Heber walking towards the pitch smiled twirling his bat round and round in midair.
"Huh? So you are here this time 'Heber bin Saad?" asked Alan settling the bails over the wicket. Heber waving at him smiled. "Yup! It's me this time. Alan, was it right? Say, do you like candies?" he asked abruptly coming closer. Alan blinking his eyes stared at him wordless for a minute.
"You know, his highness just gave me candies before. If you don't mind will you try some? I'll eat one and you eat as well. They are really good!" Heber praised.
"Huh? Is that so… then I won't refuse. Thank you by the way." Alan answered placing his hand forward. Heber grinned sneakily.
"What is he doing?" asked Orion puzzled. "Don't tell me he is someone like Adam?" Elias sighed. "No, not at all." Replied Zach.
"He is the exact opposite of Adam who is a cloud head. Heber is a crafty joker, one not to be taken lightly." The highschoolers gazed solemn. Nidou and Rauf eyed Alan silently.
Heber grinned at Alan. Placing his hand in midair above Alan's, he kept his fist closed. Alan blinked his eyes in wonder. Suddenly he opened it however, nothing but thin air came out.
Kenzo eyeing the sight chortled evilly, "Hehe… that's what you get for being such a showoff…" For a while Alan gazed at Heber's smiling face uninterested, "Ah...ha?" "Oh my!" Heber exclaimed, "Where is the candy? I had it in my hand a while ago." He acted gazing at his empty hand.
"Ah… I remember! I ate it before coming here. Hehe, sorry, but I think I am out of them." Heber uttered unfazed and defiant at the same time. The highschoolers looked at him stunned.
"What the hell?! Is he toying with Alan or what?" asked Orion annoyed. "He is indeed playing with him. So, it begins now. Time to see how much Alan has improved his patience these past 2 years." Rauf examined.
The middle schoolers at the sight chuckled. "Oh my~" Seles blinked surprised, "Now this one's a tricky one."
"Heber Bin Saad, I suggest no one messes with him. Or else, he is really gonna mess up your head in turn." Ezekiel commented as the others agreed. "Haha, just look at Alan's face!" joked Adam while Ryan sighed.
"Pfft!! HAHA!! Serves him right that rascal. Ahaha!!" Nidou laughed at Alan out of the blue who had made a huge fun of himself.
Alan hearing Nidou's mocking laughter eyed Heber masking an agitated caring smile instantly taking his hand away, "So he's messing with me hun…?" "And that old man, is laughing at me all thanks to him!!" he continued to think.
"Oh well, not that it matters, but I was still looking forward to try that candy of yours." Alan replied walking away making sure to keep his cool till the very end. Heber grinned wider and as soon as he Alan walked away he instantly threw his arm beside his ear.
Alan surprised gazed at his palm which once more opened revealing a beautiful yellow diamond shaped candy right before his eyes. Before it fell Alan tried to catch it however, before he could Heber rolled around before him throwing the candy up into the midair. And, before Alan could react he had already caught it back gulping it down his throat.
The whole stadium stared including Alan gazed at him in disbelief. "Magic…?" he whispered shocked. Heber keeping the bat on his shoulder, winked his eye, "Welcome, to this joker's circus. Too bad my dear, you were just a little late."
"My… WHAT?!" bellowed Orion cross as he slammed the seat rails agitated.
"Did you see it your highness, weren't his reflexes were way too fast?" Noah confirmed. "Yeah… it felt as if seeing a magic trick." replied Isa looking at Zach.
"Oh my… and here we got another bizarre specimen on our hands again." sighed Elias alongside Aigou.
"I don't know why, but this one might really get on Alan's nerve with his tricks." smiled Ren. "Yeah, I think so to too." Aaron endowed as Kazuna and Senri stared the pitch silent. Alan eyed Heber, his expression blackened. Soon marching towards the end balling wicket.
"Hey Alan." Heber called. Alan ignoring his words peeked from the corner of his eye. "After you throw this ball, if I say we'll teleport to whole different world, will you believe me?" Heber asked cunningly.
Alan smirked, "Yeah… if all that is going to be fun. I don't mind believing it." Heber grinned.
"A whole different world…? What does he mean by that?" wondered Noah. Nagi turning the page of his file around spoke up, "Heber Bin Saad, a 2nd year middle schooler and a crafty cricketer. A Left handed batsman who excels in playing against pace deliveries. Mostly, against dangerous swingers. His witty play tends to create a circus around the pitch. That bizarre quality of his made him earn the title of 'Joker of the pitch'. Moreover, he is a tactful player and tends to confuse ballers with his ultimate skill. He is most likely to succeed after Kenzo with the title of the leading batsman around the world."
"Again the one who counters pace deliveries? Alan can't really have a break." sighed Aaron. "But, what does that ultimate technique mean?" inquired Aigou. "Who knows… let's take a look to find out." replied Kazuna.
"Hm… I look forward to it." Haruf anticipated as Evan, Nidou and Rauf eyed them seriously. "So it begins…" Seles whispered. "Ah~ it begins. King Kenzo's circus!" Kenzo sneered declaring. Helios looking at Xavier and Poseidon nodded.
Alan spinning the ball rushed towards the pitch as Heber took his position on the batting crease. The moment Alan stepped on the popping crease, a sudden jolt went through his brain as he tumbled.
However, still managed to force a straight delivery towards Heber. The ball wheezing misbalanced went past Heber who eyed it in wonder. Going past even through the wicket keeper's hand it crossed the boundary. Alan blinked his eyes at his surroundings stunned.
"What just happened?!" asked Elias surprised. "Alan threw a wide delivery?" asked Ren stunned. "How can that be?" Aigou uttered in disbelief. Isa looking at Heber and Kenzo spoke up, "It can be… and here I was wondering who he send forward this time. Who knew it would be a pawn all of a sudden."