Earth Warriors (Undergoing Revision)

Chapter 146 - Scars of the Past

"Oh, I get it. She was the lowest of the low, not a surprise given what those Zlocu freaks are made of," Dill replies as he rubs his left eyebrow while leaping at a piece of wreckage standing on the road. 

"Perhaps, but even so, part of me wonders if I... If I can be ever forgiven for the screw-ups I've made in there." 

"Then what? You think you're worse than them because of some screw-ups? Gotta lighten yourself up, ya know!" Dill says as he taps on Logan's while smiling, even walking in front of him to glance at him. "Like me, the one who will mock the evildoers in here." 

"It's not like a round of tag or something like that. You'll risk getting yourself in the scope of soldiers trained with the singular objective of exterminating those beneath them." Logan sighs once more as well as he shakes his head while Dill walks backward. Dill closes his eyes while rubbing his chin, maybe to think of it that can cheer Logan up from that demeanor of his. 

"I mean, if you put it that way, you'll be on the money. Hey, we can play this instead!" Dill says as he spots something behind him, running off away from Logan who extends in hand as a way to stop him. 

"Hey, don't leave me behind!" Logan says as he runs in Dill's direction. Who knows what Russ may to do Logan if Dill goes missing under his watch, hopefully, it may be just one minor timeout in Russ' terms but still gives chase as much as he can. A missing kid is the biggest of worries for most caretakers, even for those who go with the duties of a hero. 

Dill stops at a solitary round net, one resembling a basketball net but without standing high in poles. Said net has a handful of holes, some wide enough to throw a round object in them, especially softer ones. Next to Dill is a box that has many tennis balls stacked together in a perfect formation. Even if most of them are either worn out, full of dust, or even with bits torn off, the fact they're still around may mean that it's a fairly popular sport for many in the Foxhole when hanging around, at least in the daytime. 

Logan catches up to him, panting softly as he rubs his knees due to the speed he used up during his chase after Dill. He glances up to see a smirking Dill as he grabs one of the tennis balls, who also bounces it and catches it some times. Maybe a proper "game" to cool off Logan. 

"Ever heard of the drop-shot? It's the best comfort sport of the Foxhole, the best to ease your head full of worrybugs," Dill says, still bouncing the ball. Logan tilts his eyes while raising an eyebrow, his gaze still focused on Dill and the ball. 

"You think so?" Logan asks. Dill merely chuckles in response. 

"Well, you can't know until you find out. That's my life motto by the way. You use one of these fellas and then with careful precision, it should manage to pass through the net and land on the vault behind it. The clanging sounds makes it worth it!" Dill explains with a wide grin. Logan still tilts his head. 

"But, don't you think they may be a bit too big to fit in?" 

"If they were, then this darn game wouldn't even exist." Dill chuckles again, and within the blink of an eye, he hurls the tennis ball right in the central net, passing through it and landing on the vault. Clanging sounds are upon impact, each one as equally as loud as the first one. Once the ball stops bouncing up, it exits through a small opening below the vault, closer to the box of balls. 

"Oh wow..." Logan mutters with widened eyes while Dill claps to himself as he picks up the ball he used for the demonstration. Dill throws it back into the box and picks up another one, this one seems the cleanest in terms of looks. 

"Now's your turn, buddy, release the worries with that baby," Dill says as he hands the ball to Logan, who picks it up as his hand slightly trembles. Logan glances at the wide net, standing still aside from a small wave from the breeze above. If it's something that can release stress as Dill says, it's worth trying out, as minor as it sounds.