The Annual Spring Cookout

[Chopper]

"WHAT!?" Chopper said with his mouth open, having just thrown the ball to Rogue as Torri crossed the base. "NA-UH! No fair that was cheating! Do over!" He stomped his foot in the dirt and crossed his arms. "That can't be fair! They can't cross the base together like that! And Austin's portal came up, it's not his fault! DO OVER!" Chopper yelled and scowled at everyone. That play did not go as planned and he was not happy. No way was Chopper going to lose to some stupid GIRLS, especially when there was no way that any of that could be fair.

"I call a do over! It wasn't Austin's fault that he went through a portal! Lily was too STUPID to get to the base on her own! No fair at all!" Chopper didn't care that he was throwing a fit, he didn't like to lose and he was extremely competitive in sports. "Who's refereeing this game anyways? I vote for a do over!" He crossed his arms and scowled looking the opposite team with as horrible a glare as he could muster.

"Stoney they cheated didn't they? If they cheated and Austin had an accident with his portal, we deserve a do over on that play!" Chopper said adjusting his backwards baseball cap and looking at his best friend to back him up and let him know that he was right. At least that's what Chopper wanted to hear from him.

[Puppy~Love]

Lurai munched slowly on her burger, the number of burgers she had managed to snag was lost to her since she got another as soon as she could, watching as everything slowly seemed to start returning to a relative norm. The hairs that stood up on end hadn't relaxed yet as she anticipated something more to happen after the fight that had just been stopped. And they think I am an animal, she thought with a slightly raised eyebrow as she looked at the people involved. She didn't understand why Lorelai had just done all she did. She knew about what she had heard that morning, and she saw what had happened before the ice bender snapped. For a minute Lurai thought that she would've probably blown her top off much sooner than Lorelai had. In theory, she understood the snapping, however Lurai believed that had it been her, she wouldn't have been stopped so easy.

However, she wasn't going to linger on it. The burgers on the grill that were continuously getting cooked overrode the interest she held in the still fresh conflict. Her eyes glued themselves to the freshly cooked burgers and beckoned Cyclops to give her another. She almost had her fill, but even when she did, she'd probably still linger around the grill. When she got her next one, she just looked around again, wondering why she tried bothering to understand why she should act like everyone else when they acted like they did. Half the time, she realized they weren't any better than her, or in fact they were worse off because they weren't animals. She was, so what was their excuse?

"I do not think I will ever fully understand how to act with you people," she said quietly to herself, shaking her head before looking at her burger lovingly and taking a big bite of good juicy and cheesy meat.

[Stoney]

Chester grinned at Chopper's outburst. It was just the diversion he needed from what had just happened with his Hellion brothers and their sister. It never made much sense to him why they still kept on doing things the way they always had when things were so much better here at the Xavier Institute than they were back at the Massachusetts Academy. He would have to express himself one of these days, he resigned himself to that fact, but for right now there was the matter of the game.

Waving Chopper in to the mound he took a knee and placed a big meaty hand on the little man's shoulder. His face melted from a smile into something a little more serious. He knew what Chopper was saying was technically right, but this was not anything more than a little game for fun. It would take away from the fun to have a do over and he needed to let his buddy know that. He shook his head as he sucked his teeth for a second, a squeak sounded as air passed in. "Don't need a do over Chopper, we got this."

A dry wisp of a smile dusted across his face as he nodded to Chopper and stood. The boy knew then that the meeting was over and Chester watched him return to his position in the field. Turning Chester saw who he faced next and he nodded in respect to the Headmistress. She was a woman who he loved and who he feared, but more than anything he respected. With a glance back to Chopper he winked and then he was into his windup.

AAaaand the pitch. Chester whipped the ball into home, it was an amazing pitch that had so much force and spin on it as he let it go that he knew it was going to be a beauty. It must have bounced fifteen times as it spun with some major english on it, each bounce sent it this way and that so it appeared to zig zag it's way in to Emma as she awaited the pitch. She was batting clean-up for a reason and he knew she was no joke. She wasn't just 'some icky girl', she meant business and she could kick a ball like no other... at least in her diamond form.

[Ripple]

"This is why I didn't get my vag popped by a f@#kin' sociopath," she finally said to the group closest to her. Lian wasn't really surprised at anything that had just happened. It was like watching a damn soap opera every single day, and she smirked at loving the fact that she didn't miss an episode. This week on 'Xavier Academy', she thought with a giggle. Lorelai faces Rumble after a whole day of torment. Lorelai snaps and threatens everyone including her friends!! Will she turn on them? Will she accidentally kill them? Or will she realize she is being a demented retard and needs f@#kin' therapy? All will be revealed... NOW! The entertainment was too great and funny that she and Sky couldn't help but laugh at most times. Then Lian's amusement would dissolve when Sky would basically have an orgasm when talking about Rumble.

Lian enjoyed her cheese-dog without really caring if it was Bobby's or not. She liked Bobby and got along with him, so she assumed he wouldn't mind. But then again he was the kind of teacher to drop a snowball into your coffee when you weren't looking. She made a mental note to talk to him about it later, making sure he wouldn't sabotage anything of hers in the future.

It was so funny to see Haven get put in her place. Not that Lian had anything against the girl. She respected the chick's honesty and actually got along with her whenever they rarely talked. Finding someone who was completely honest was a hard thing to find in a friend- it was what tied Lian and Sky together. They were able to tell each other anything, literally. They had no shame in saying anything to anyone or speaking their mind... clearly.

Sitting down on one of the chairs near the grill, Lian leaned back and watched everything unfold. "By the way Chase," she commented lowly. "Did you not learn from the time you tried looking up my cooch? Or Sky's for that matter? F@#kin' idiot."

[Rogue]

Rogue looked at Torri and made sure that she wasn't going to try and steal a base. She was ready to call to Stoney for the ball in case the little Alpha tried. "Ya ain't gettin' past me Torri," she joked. "Ah'll make sure o' that. C'mon Chopper don't worry!" she called out to him assuringly. "Stoney's right. We got this!" She chuckled at how boys would always be boys and the kickball game itself was a relaxing way to forget about everything.

She knew what was going on at the pool and patio area and Bobby was going to handle it. Rogue didnt' want any of the little kids seeing what was going on. And if it were up to her, she would have been the first to be there in order to break it up. But keeping the kids away from the danger, as well keeping their attention from it, was currently the best option. But with Rumble in the picture, Rogue remembered the conversation with all of the X-Men in Xavier's office. She didn't want to think about it for Emma's sake. They were very close, since they both understood how it felt like to be "villains turned good" and all. In fact Rogue did feel a bit bad, not being able to hold back or understand much of Emma's reasoning about her Hellions.

Trying to get the meeting out of her head, she looked to Emma as she stepped up to 'bat'. Think Scott and the rest can handle it? she thought to her good friend and colleague. If Emma thought not, Rogue would make sure they could.

[RUMBLE]

Brock sighed and shook his head, a look of mock disappointment on his face. "I guess I just didn't give it to her hard enough to loosen her up. Tsk, Tsk," he said and kept a straight face for a moment before cracking a deep and almost sinister smirk. "It's fun to humiliate the stupid and emotional." He leaned his elbows at the table and almost giggled to himself at the possibilities that entered the twisted mind of Brock Van Alstyne. "Oh the choices, I just can't decide what's gonna be funnier and more gratifying. Since the sheets are all wet, I should hang it up somewhere nearby to let them dry for all to see." Brock looked over at Rose in time to see the look on her face. "Yea okay point taken, it may make this one messy barbecue with everyone puking in disgust. Oh but it would still be funny. Hang it on her door perhaps... hmm..."

The most amused and sinister of grins came upon Brock's face as his twisted mind calculated a plan. He looked around at all the people there, looking for a good one to bring on his radar, one that would comply and perhaps bring him a bit more amusement for the sake of it. He was a very proud man, taking all credit for his own work and also delighting in turning people against each other. In the last couple of months, Brock's mere presence seemed to have stirred up a storm in the lives of many here, even if he never spoke to them. He saw people as mere pawns in his game of amusement, with the world being his playground and everyone else just inhabitants of the playground there for him to use as he pleased. Brock was a very smart man, an intelligence of a dark caliber, but then it had been said that the most intelligent of men is favored by the devil. He knew how to work people, how to play them as he saw fit and to his liking.

"And I think how we can all get a bit more of a giggle, wouldn't that just be swell!" His voice to his companions was a mocking one that had a bone chilling effect at the same time. Leaving his food on the table, Brock stood up and walked to a new pawn in his game that he may use again in the future. His eyes were on the thin New Mutant with an impressive set of knockers for someone as tall and thin as her. He caught the smile she caught him earlier, and he planned to use a good number of buttons. "Hello there Beautiful," Brock said to Clutch with the same sinister grin on his face. "You got one hell of a power there, hey you wanna help me play a fun little game with that crazy silly girl that made it snow on your sunny day?" His voice had a mocking tone, but he knew just the tone to use and the smirk to have to ensnare the young thing in his web of amusement.

[Haven]

Pushing Kevin gently aside with one arm she took the three steps forward to get between Brock and the rest of them. Ana was not her concern, but Kevin and Tia were. They were both younger, at least they appeared it, and Niki had a fondness for both of them. Kevin, because she had grown to regard him as something of a little brother... and Tia, because she had proved herself trustworthy while they had done their project for Beast together. "Back-off douche," she said pointing a finger right in Brock's face "nobody wants whatever bullshit you're sellin."

They had wounded her, the words that Iceman had said. It wasn't as if they didn't apply, Niki knew they did, at least to a certain degree. The problem with what was said to her though was that in the moment when she had reacted she didn't think except to know she had been attacked and she wanted payback at any cost. Now, facing Rumble she knew this was the price she had bargained for, the price she had chosen to pay.

There was more going on here than Niki doing her defiant routine yet again. This was Niki making amends to Frostbite, it was her taking back her honor after disgracing herself to fight an incapacitated opponent. The showdown was also her way of evening the field and getting payback on Brock for what he had done to her friends, and the realization that she was thinking of more than just Ian and Aideen shocked her. In her minds eye she was seeing all the faces of those who he had wronged, Beast, Emma and Scott, the Alphas and Karma, Stoney and the Corsairs and so many other faces to whom he had made a game of terrorizing or playing havoc with their lives.

She knew how fast he could work his power, and she was ready for that. Inconspicuously wrapping her forcefield around both herself and Brock, separating them from the earth beneath their feet by the slightest and most subtle of degrees she made sure that wherever she went he went. She had taken away his element and if he intended to sink her in the earth again she was taking him with her. She had been trained to not underestimate anyone, her time on the streets had honed her instincts but her tenure with the Brotherhood had put a killing edge to the blade. She had fought unaided by her forcefield enough to know she could easily hold her own and even stood a good chance of winning a fight with Brock, but she couldn't discount what training he might have had, he was after all one of Emma's own.

A pace or two separated the pair then and she thought of what Kevin asked. All his worries and all that Bobby had said about the lessons she was teaching. She knew she had enemies and she shook the warm fuzzies off that had filled her mind a moment before. She remembered Limbo and all the choices she had made from their until here and now she had made one more choice. She let the ice-water flow in her veins again and her eyes locked on him with a stare she had learned from Sabretooth. It was as if she had just now made him her plaything, like a cat with a mouse or a spider with a fly, he was captive in her little sphere and she was going to make him pay.

[Diesel]

"Aw hell no," Ian said standing up and wasting no time getting to his girl and Rumble. He wasn't happy with her for pulling that crap with Lorelai anymore than he was with Rumble for pulling his own shit. "No babe, not this time. Leave it," he said grabbing her arm and holding on to it. He felt her forcefield and knew that he couldn't hurt her with it. "This ain't you're fight, and I'm done with this clown." He knew that his girl was tough, he loved that about her and never denied it, but there was no way that she could compete on Rumble's level. He was beyond being tough to being a complete and total psychopath, and Ian saw it more for what it was now.

It didn't matter how much someone hurt him or threatened him or anything, he simply didn't care. It was like he knew so much more than all of them and screwing with them the way he did was his way of making fun of all of them. He relished the attention he got, and the more he got it the more he won. Ian wasn't having it, and not now especially. This cookout was supposed to be good, and in truth he wanted to keep his girlfriend alive. The way Rumble was, Ian knew he would have no problem killing Haven and not blinking an eye.

Niki was as tough as a chick comes, and as much as Ian trusted her with his life, he feared for hers. There was no winning with this guy, and Ian was not ready to let Haven risk herself over her pride. "C'mon babe, not now. Please babe," he said looking down at her and tugging on her arm.

[RUMBLE]

"Oh goodie, this scene looks familiar!" Brock said clapping his hands with a big smile on his face. "You two coming against me, and look, the idiot stereotypical surfer is the one who actually is making sense!" He laughed darkly, not even phased by her little challenge. "In case you didn't hear me, I was talking to Beautiful here. Believe me 'Beautiful' doesn't translate to fat albino." He looked down at her, disregarding her cute attempt at a cold stare. He knew the difference between natural and acquired, and this was a sad mimic of someone must have seen do it at one point.

"Explain something to me, what the hell makes you think that you are worth any of my god damn time? Those dirty sheets in the pool are more important than you are. In fact, I never even noticed that you existed until that day on the football field when you thought ganging up on me would teach me to stay away from my prize." The most sinister of chuckles left his mouth, completely amused by the situation. "Don't flatter yourself, you're as important as street trash, and that's no coincidence. Now do yourself a favor and go walk off that burger you just inhaled, and learn to mind your own damn business. You ain't important enough for me to bother with."

Brock stopped his next comment and grinned as if he just had a revelation. "Yet you constantly initiate an encounter with me. See I never bother with you, cause why should I? But somehow, someway, I keep finding myself in these encounters with you. Are you really that desperate to matter to me? Cause that's what it's looking like." He was full on laughing at her at this point. "Ain't that just so precious? Little girl this ain't the Mexican Whore house where the girl that looks like she ate the most people gets all the attention. Now get out of my face and let me talk to someone worth talking to."

He went to pick up Clutch's hand, the way a perfect gentleman would to bring it to his lips, keeping his eyes on the albino the whole time. He stopped the hand midway to his lips, seeing that something didn't feel right. It wasn't skin he was touching, and it didn't even feel like he was holding her hand. It took Brock less than a second to figure it out, and when he did a large grin came on his face. "So desperate that you even brought me into your cowardly forcefield that you like to hide behind, well that's certainly precious," Brock said in a mocking voice. "I knew you were jealous of my prize, as well as you should be, but this isn't the way to get to me. And the fact that you had a month with 'Mutants Rule' Magneto and his clan of Merry Terrorists don't mean shit to me. They obviously didn't take you seriously enough to ask you back, and I got no use for a cheap tool." He was mocking her now, very much so and was ready to move and retaliate at any sign of movement. Emma trained him well, and he now had access to snap that bleach white neck of hers without a second thought. He had more than enough practice in his extracurricular activities to know how to do it just right.

[Colossus]

After watching for quite some time from his spot by the tree with his sketchbook at all the actions that took place, Colossus felt that now was the time to make his presence known. It was more than just the fact that he was Haven's team leader and did genuinely care for her, it was that he was no longer going to allow Rumble to run this school by twisting people for his pleasure, not if Piotr could help it. Piotr knew that he was simply waiting for Haven to make the first move, and then it would all be downhill with a tossup in which direction it would go.

He stood up and placed his sketchbook down walking over to Haven and Rumble. "Haven, no more. Please come sit with me and let this go," he said glaring hard at Rumble. He knew that they were both equally dangerous and if a physical encounter would rise, it would be devastating on both sides, but he would not let Haven be trapped in Rumble's web of amusement like a toy. There was so much good in Haven, so much that had come out in only the last couple of months that made his heart soar, but Rumble was a black plague to the good in her, blinding her with rage and bringing her down to his level. Piotr had seen a great many evils in his lifetime, but there was something about Rumble that frightened him more than anyone else, for the simple reason that life didn't make him an evil, he came into it already tainted and plagued by some kind of dark force in his soul that made him into what he was today.

He leaned down to speak in her ear, words only for her to hear. "Do not let all the good that I've seen come out and be tainted by him. I don't want that, and I know Aideen would not want you to, you are better than that," Piotr said quietly, speaking from the heart and hoping that his words would talk some sense into her. She had come so far, and he was not going to standby and let anymore blood be shed over a cold-blooded conscienceless psychopath, especially not by Haven, who had come too far to let herself be brought down again.

[Haven]

Weighing her options and seeing too many eyes looking at her for comfort, knowing she was already in it up to her neck for what she had done to Frostbite she decided not to add more weight to the already lengthy scrolls of punishment she would be enduring. Besides, as she looked at him and he at her... like warriors of old taking pause in meditative contemplation to play the battle out in their minds before crossing swords, she knew she would be the victor. Now she had no need to prove anything to anyone else and she already knew the outcome for her own satisfaction.

It was true what Ian said, it wasn't her fight. It was Aideen's or Lorelai's battle. She realized she was only spittin for spite over what Bobby had said. She didn't even care what Rumble did, in fact she thought his antics with the bedsheets were pretty hilarious. She also recognized Peter's experience in dealing with the kid and she had to admit to herself then and there that her short temper was just what he needed to get off on. She was not going to give him the satisfaction, so she peeled her forcefield back off of him and sealed it tight around herself again.

"Blah-blah whatevah. You just keep on talkin punk cause that's all you ever do" she sneered laughingly at him. "That and get your ass kicked. HA! But we all heard how small you are so it really don't matter what you say, cause from now on we all gonna call you THIMBLE." She held her hand up with an inch between her thumb and finger as a half a smile curled defiantly on her face. "So what you got now Thimble huh?" She bobbed her head at him 'on a swivel' as she grinned. Not turning her back on him she walked off with Ian and Peter. Raising an eyebrow to Kevin and Tia and nodding for them both to clear out. She knew what 'Thimble' was capable of and she didn't want them to get hurt.

It wasn't until she sat with Peter and Ian back under the tree where their team leader had been sketching that she spoke again. "How was that?" It was the best she could do all things considered. She didn't want to have to fight him and she knew she would win because unlike him, Haven was already warmed up and her blood was pumping. It was true that she had spent only a short time with the Brotherhood but it had been the dawning of a new day for the terrorists, Magneto having made a pact with the devil himself, they had poured their complete attention into the young woman. Even now she had little idea of all the skills she possessed, and what else might be lurking within her.

"Aspersion the better part of Valor? Yo, I couldn't just walk off without sayin somethin, but don't worry guys I'm done with that pendejo. I'm just gonna breathe here a while." She leaned her back against the tree and folded her legs together and started to slowly breathe. She looked over at Ian and cocked her head to the side, leaning in to kiss him she peeled back her forcefield from around her lips and face.

[RUMBLE]

Brock was getting a kick out of this, and now it was just complete. He had a blast making this girl look like an idiot, and she came up with the most retarded comebacks too, like 'Broccoli'. This was plain hilarious. "Oh look how cute your trying to be clever. Stick to what you know street slut, though I gotta say you calling me thimble don't mean much. Its like throwing a hot dog in a hallway with you, a damn baseball bat would rattle in there." He smirked all the more, the prize student of the White Queen in his glory, not phased in the least and continuing to live through life on his terms.

The elusive Emma Frost, his Queen taught him all he would ever need, as she did with all the Hellions. They were trained to survive the worst of battles and made to fight any opponent they might encounter, Brotherhood being no exception. His Queen would never leave her students to fend unknown territory, and there was nothing that came up that brought an ounce of fear in him. That was another aspect of Brock Van Alstyne that made the hair rise on many people's necks: he had no fear. Life was a big joke to him and ever since he was just a boy, he entertained himself with this joke, and would continue to do so.

"Oh and believe me I'm sure a lot of people would love to kick your ass but are too afraid that their foot would be lost forever in the white abyss of fat and mayonnaise. Go have a damn carrot," Brock said with another laugh and turned to look back at Clutch, turning the charm right back on. He knew how to do it to charm anyone, a trait that he learned from his Queen. "Now Beautiful, ready to play that game?" He said taking the thin hand in his and turning on the charm.

[Lymited~Ink]

Tsking while shaking her head, Kat was watching the exchange of words between the Joker and the white haired girl, who in her head she named Howie. She couldn't help letting out a few giggles, for what the Joker had said had been quite funny. She named him well, but she wondered if there would be yet another fight. The school never ceased to provide entertainment even on events that were supposed to be fun and relaxed, as it had been before Bluey decided to lose more of her mind than Kat ever had....sober, that is. She didn't have a certain take on it, only that it proved more that the school was a circus.

"Truly this school be a circus....a new act every day and more chaos, how the wee mischief imps do poke every person. I be likin' it a lot, aye Riker?" she said, smirking as she looked at him with a quick glance down whenever she could feel his fingers go under her shirt. "Ye look like ye need some rum, mate, and a different colored shirt while yer at it," she said matter-of-factly to Chase with a serious nod while under the table she inconspicuously slithered her foot so that it could rub teasingly against Riker's leg. She rested her elbows on the table and daintily folded her fingers and rested her chin on her hands. She let out a little girlish giggle as she turned to look at the Joker and Howie again. She looked back at the boys and said in a low but amused voice, "Might be another fight after those pokes, what say ye two? Up for a bit more entertainment? Methinks it might be better than a drunken bar fight, and ye know those be gutbustin'," she said with a little laugh, grinning, waiting for the next act in the day's schedule of activities.

[Decay]

Sky's mouth dropped open as she reached Chase sitting by Riker. "Dude! OH MY GOD BURN!" she said with a hand flying to her mouth. Yea she found something insanely attractive about Rumble, but he just took it waaay too far at times, no matter how funny it was. Despite how messed up the comments were, Sky found her face cracking into a grin and her struggling with herself not to laugh. She had dropped the large plate of aged steaks with her special smoky sauce on it next to Cyclops so he could work his magic. Sky would have done it herself, but she knew from all her brothers that when she tried to take over the grill, they act like she just dissed their cars. Something about a guy and barbecuing was similar to the way a guy was about his car, and she knew better than to mess with that.

"Oh mannnn. Not cool, but so funny," she said to Chase, standing in front of him and looking at him. "What in f@#ks sake happened to you? You look like shit man." Sky shook her head and looked at the bits of melting ice on the ground. "Wow, I go in to make the sweet potatoes and finish the steaks and its all goes to hell out here. What'sa matter Chase? Did Katana flash you or something and you started to vomit while your body you beat it with glass?" She started cracking up at the image and took the rag that she had tucked into the little apron she had around her waist. She went over to the ice chest with all the drinks in it and dipped the rag in to cover it with ice cold water.

"So what the hell just happened dude? I mean, I don't mind a good battle of wits, especially with him." Sky used her head to indicate to Rumble. "Cause let's face it he comes up with some good ass insults. You said something about a fight Kat? Aw man no f@#kin' WAY did I miss that. You see what I do for you guys? I was slaving over the steaks to make sure they were just perfect and I miss all the good stuff." She pouted as she wrung the rag out and used it to clean the streaks of blood carefully off of Chase's face. She glanced over at Riker and Kat and raised an eyebrow. "Wow you guys look cozy. I can't believe it Riker, your getting cuddly with a chick! This is like Twilight Zone stuff." A mischievous grin came on her face as she caught Chase's eyes while wiping the blood off him. "Submitted for your approval, we see what happens when Riker, the wolfman who's mating season never ends, gets sprung by a chick. Will it last? Is he being possessed? Will Katana finally admit she's a man and has more hair on her chest than on her head? Stay tuned for next week," Sky said in a monotone official voice before cracking up all over again.

[Emma Frost]

~*They will have to Rogue, I am playing kickball, as are you... trust that they can take care of things. It is a chance to see what, if anything of our meeting, has stuck with them.*~ She saw the ball coming in all criss-crossy and waited on it, anticipating it for that split second that it took for it to arrive. In truth she knew Chester was going to throw it in like that. It was his tricky pitch and he hadn't used it yet so he was due and who better to use his best pitch on than the woman who he most wanted to impress, as well as best, all at the same time.

It wasn't as if Chester was predictable, he really wasn't any more so than any of the other students were, but it didn't take a leap of logic to see what was in store for the Headmistress. Just as she knew it as a foregone conclusion that Frostbite would snap and that Haven would too. The only one she could count on to keep his head intact was strangely enough, Rumble. So misunderstood he was, but to Emma she simply saw someone who could be counted on to keep a level head at almost every sign of difficulty life threw his way. The fact that he just didn't care was beside the point, in a pinch he was the Hellions' go to guy.

What the rest of the day would bring was a mystery but this ball's destination was easy to predict as she went into her Diamond form right after Stoney let go of the pitch. Even keeping her eyes on the ball she managed to see the scrambled movement and hear the sounds of the 'boys' team calling for Rogue to get way out into the outfield and high up too. ~* Get ready Torri *~ As the southern belle took to the sky and the pitch skittered in Emma turned back to her flesh form and bunted, a side-winding curve kick, spun soft and lazy out between the first base line and the pitcher's mound. Trusting her speed and the element of surprise to help her get on base and advance Torri to third she took off running, a flurry of white beneath her. She wore her sneakers for the day's events because, as was so rarely said, stiletto heels and kickball... hardly a good mix did make.