"Blitzball, Its Not a Game, Its a Life Style" by Joshua Price

Blitzball, an all-terrain sport in which two teams of five attempt to score goals via tricks without the ball hitting the ground or touching it with one's palms. There is no goalie and a match can be held anywhere. The Tyreki Archons were playing the Kular Predators in a game to advanced to the play- offs. Nisfimar was the starplayer of the Archons. 

Trees were everywhere, hence this particular game was in a forest...more accurately known as the woods. The bluish-green humanoids, aka Tyreki, looked to their opponents, the feline humanoids, aka Kular, who returned the gaze. They awaited the for the announcer to finish talking to the crowd and those watching the game at home so they could start.

One of the former creatures was Nisfimar, a nearing middle aged Tyreki, aged at about 32 years old. Along with the skin color, he was hairless and had orange eyes. He wore his blitzball uniform, much akin to a football uniform minus the pads and helmet.

 Nisfimar and one of the Kular were chosen to fight for the ball when it was tossed. The finally, the announcer finally stopped. A ref walked up in between the two players and spoke the usual stuff about a good clean game and all the other nonsensical stuff, or at least thats how Nisfimar viewed it. After the red finished speaking, he tossed up the ball. Simultaneously, Nisfimar and the Kular jumped to get it. However, Blitzball wasn't a non-contact sport. So, as he went up, Nisfimar drove his fist into the Kular's gut, sending him back and away from the ball. Nisfimar caught it and landed. The other team was coming at him, so he had no choice but to pass it, as much as he hated to.

"Randa! Catch!"

Nisfimar bounced the ball from both knuckles and then his head before smashing the ball with his fist to his female team mate. She managed to bounce it to gain control of it. Nisfimar then turned and weaved through the other team to get close to the goal. When he turned, to recieve any passes, his heart sank. The Predators had claimed the ball and where shooting a goal. The first member bounced it off his head to a second, who repeated to a third. The third, after bouncing from his head, made the shot.

"GOAAAAAAALLLL! GOAL GOAL GOAL GOAL!" screamed the announcer. The Predators got 30 points tacked to their score, 10 for it being bounced from the shooter's head x3 for involving three members.

Nisfimar grumbled and returned back to his team's side. This time, two different members of each team were to fight for it. And when the ball was thrown, the Kular went up and the Tyreki went down. Nisfimar ran quickly to get in the other team's way. The Kular with the ball tried to perform a stylish kick pass which involved a front flip, but the recipient wasn't where he intended. The ball struck the ground and the spot was remembered by the refs. A whistle was blown and Nisfimar, being the closest, was moved directly to where the ball first hit the ground and was handed the ball. He decided to shoot instead of passing. As one Kular started to charge, Nisfimar kneed the ball up, slammed it down with a first, and kicked it. Another of the Predators saw the technique ahead of time and tried to jump in the way. Nisfimar's shot was guaranteed then. Just as the ball was bouncing off the blocker, Nisfimar jumped up and boosted off the charging opponent's head. He then kicked the ball in mid-air towards the goal. It couldn't be stopped. The announcer started to go crazy again as 60 points was added to the Archon's score. 20 for shot difficulty x3 for involving an opposing team player. However, that would be the only Tyreki goal the rest of the half. The Predators proceeded to score many more times, beating the Archons around. Nisfimar was always in place, but his teammates weren't. Nisfimar at one point tried a backflip shot, but was knocked out of midair. Not long later the Predators mocked him by successfully doing a backflip shot. Other details aren't worth mentioning, as it generally gets very repetitive and basically ends up with the Kular with 645 points compared to the Tyreki score of 60 points.

At halftime, Nisfimar led his team into their locker room to rest and prepare for the second half. Nisfimar wasn't in a good mood and promptly yelled at his teammates when they assembled.

"What are you guys doin'? I know you can play better then that!"

Randa looked to the ground and responded quietly, "They aren't playin' fair. They've been performing illegal attacks when the refs weren't looking. I'm busted up pretty badly."

Nisfimar angrily shook his head. "It doesn't matter how cheap they are bein'. That shouldn't affect our shots and passes."

One of the smaller Archons looked at Nisfimar. "It does when they are striking your nerves. My arm is killing me."

Nisfimar was quiet for a moment. An awkward silence hung in the air during that moment. "If your afraid of a little pain, we got several alternates willing to take your spots. Anyone who fears pain, get out."

Nobody moved. After a minute or two, Nisfimar calmed down and spoke more calmly. "If they are bein' cheap out there, then you gotta protect yourselves. Return the favors without breaking rules."

Another teammate spoke up at that moment. "So we be protecting ourselves, ya? We return the favors, ya? Then we go and win the game, ya? Sounds good to me!"

Nisfimar smiled. "Good, now lets get out there and show those Predators what the Archons are made of."

The whole team stood up and made a circle. Each stuck their right hand in, palm downward. They collectively yelled out 'Go Archons' before returning to the 'field'.

When the game returned, Nisfimar was the first one to fight for the ball. And he returned the favors that his teammates had been receiving. He jumped early enough to where his opponent's head was at his feet. That opponent soon found his head being kicked backwards and falling that way as well. Nisfimar grabbed the ball and while he was still in mid-air, he threw the ball hard at a foe waiting for him. The Predator misjudged the speed and got smacked in the face. The ball bounced and was brought under control of one of Nisfimar's teammates. A shot was made not longer later. It involved the whole team. Each member passed the ball to each other via head bouncing. Nisfimar was the 5th member, so he had to shoot. After bouncing from his head, he bounced from his knee and then smashed it down before kicking it. One of the Kular could have easily blocked it...assuming she hadn't dove out of the way of the speeding ball, which would have hurt like crazy to block. This shot was worth alot of points. 25 for difficulty x5 for teammates + 10 for scaring the foe. A total of 135 points. The game resumed with the Archons scoring many more goals, except none worth more then 30. The Predators continued their illegal attacks by striking the nerves of the Tyreki, though at one point they were caught and received a 20 point deduction. Sadly, that deduction was soon fixed with a Predator goal. Soon, however, it came to how it is with many memorable sports events. The Archons were still down, having only 470 points. The Kular were ahead with 710 points. Only about 30 seconds remained. Not enough time for a teamshot. Nisfimar called a timeout and a group huddle. It was quickly decided that the only shot capable of scoring enough points in time was the Omni Shot. It was absurdly difficult, as the shooter had to bounce the ball on both knees, 'hacky sack' it with both feet, then bounce it with both elbows and both knuckles. Finally, the final bounce was from the head. The shooter then had to perfectly time a backwards flip to finally kick the ball. Only Nisfimar had performed an Omni Shot on his team, and that was in practice. Breaking the huddle, Randa was pitted against a female Kular to fight for the ball. Despite the fact that the Kular kneed Randa in the gut, Randa still got the ball. Time was ticking. She mid-air passed it to another Tyreki teammate while Nisfimar moved into position. Time was ticking. The teammate bobbled the ball between his knuckles as he desperately weaved through the Predators. Time was still ticking. He finally sent a pass towards Nisfimar, who gained control of the ball. Time was almost done ticking. Finally, this was it, an Omni Shot. Everything seemed to go in slow motion. The Predators were coming from behind as Nisfimar bounced the ball on his knees. Soon from both feet. Then the elbows and knuckles. Finally, his head. He then jumped up as the rather large Kular tried to tackle him, missing by a mere inch. Nisfimar started his backflip and even though it didn't seem possible, slow motion went in slow motion. He kicked and was satisfied when his foot struck the leather of the ball. In the slowed slow motion, everyone watched as the ball went through the goal. Things were quiet for a moment, then suddenly noisy. Crowd cheering, announcer going crazy yet again, Kulars grumbling, Tyrekis crowding Nisfimar and congratulating him. The Omni Shot was wroth 250 points, bringing the Archons to a 720 to 710 point win over the Predators. Though it would be a shot imbedded in Nisfimar's memory for his whole life, to the sports world, it was just another lucky and close game.