The ball sat on the grate. It was simply a matter of bending over to pick it up...

OOC: Shawn Rolls Wits + Composure -1 with the following results

0 Successes: Shawn is surprised and something grabs him!

1 Success: Shawn avoids being grabbed, but feels himself taking in a deep gasp

2+ Successes: Shawn grabs the ball and backs away from the grate

Shawn gasps!

OOC: 08:41, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 1 success using 3d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 8,1,3. Wits + Composure -1.

A grimy face appeared beneath the sewer grate. At first Shawn didn't know who or what it was. Then he saw it was Bradford. His half-burned face mostly covered in shadows, flaps of melted skin flexing as the good part of his mouth worked its was into a half-crooked smile.

"Remember. Don't look at the proprietor." he whispered. And then he dashed away, retreated back into the shadows so quickly that it made Shawn wonder whether or not he actually saw him or not.

"Hey come on man! What's takin' so long?" Eddy asked, somewhat put off

Shawn tried to shake off the sudden chill he felt and put his smile back on. "Coming!" Bradford had given him a warning, but why now? Was he going to encounter the proprietor soon?

"Alright! Now we can throw it again. Come on into the circle." Eddy encouraged. Bobby was already poised, ready to throw and to catch the ball with the other boys.

"Here! Throw it!" Eddy yelled at Shawn, arms ready.

OOC: Shawn Rolls Dexterity + Athletics with the following results

0 Successes: Shawn misses, the ball falls way short. Eddy is dissappointed and snickers along with the other kids.

1 Success: Eddy catches the ball due to his athleticism, even though Shawn throw wasn't very good. The focus turns to Eddy who receives praise and acclaim from the other boys for making such a great catch

2+ Successes: Shawn's throw is good and well received. He gains approval from Eddy and the boys.

OOC: 07:47, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 1 success using 6d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 3,8,1,2,3,1. Dexterity + Athletics.

Shawn felt a build up of nerves settle upon the group as he threw the ball. It looked like it was going to go way high, but Eddy managed to jump up into the air and grab the ball. Chants of

'ooohh'

'ahhhh' and

'wow!' came from the boys in the crowd. Even Bobby seemed impressed.

"Think fast!" Eddy said and he threw the ball at Bobby.

19:26, Today: Bobby failed (no successes) using 1d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((1)) Dramatic Failure!.

Bobby reached out with one hand but stumbled awkwardly. The ball curved to the left and hit him straight in the mouth. His face twisted up in a painful grimace, nose snorting as he fell to the ground.

The ball, having bounced off of his forehead, flew over the fence into the bird sanctuary--an abandoned area filled with overgrown trees.

"Holy crap-o-la. Are you OK?" Eddy said, his tone a mix of concern but also seeing the humor in such a terrible display of athletics. The kids around seemed to snicker but they didn't outright point and start laughing.

Shawn rushed to Bobby's side. "Are you okay?"

Bobby wheezed. "I...I think...they don't like me..." He managed to say.

Shawn dropped his voice a little so the other kids wouldn't hear what he was saying. "Just act like it was no big deal, laugh it off and they'll just think you're silly, not bad."

"Ha--huhhh" Bobby said, grimacing all the while and getting up. "Haha." he said again, rubbing at his head.

"Oh brother! That sure was funny." He said.

"Yeah!" Eddy said. "You were all over the place! Man you should have seen yourself and...hey? Where did the ball go?"

Shawn slapped Bobby on his back and laughed, partly to emphasise to the others how silly it all was, and partly to reassure Bobby that Shawn was still on his side. Still, they weren't out of the woods yet. If they ended up losing the ball, the other kids would definitely hold it against Bobby. "I think it went in the bird sanctuary."

"Umm...yeah." Bobby agreed. Though it was clear that he had no idea of where the ball had went. A bit of blood was leaking from his lip where the ball had hit him.

"Well." Eddy said. "Whoever last touched the ball..." He let that last part go unspoken, hands on his hips in annoyance. Perhaps at Bobby, perhaps at Shawn. But probably, more than anything else, at the idea that the game of catch was being delayed.

"We'll get it." Bobby said. Taking the hint and moving towards the fence of the bird sanctuary.

Shawn went along with him towards the fence.

Bobby started to climb over with the worry of losing face motivating him forward. He straddled the fence, before his disappeared behind it. A loud thump as he landed on the other side.

After Shawn followed, he landed on the other side of the fence as well. Kneeling on one knee, he looked up. The forest was beautiful lush green. Birds of yellow, red and black fluttered up as Shawn landed, flapping their wings into the sky.

The ball was visible all right. Shawn could see it right away. Feddler had it. He was hovering in the air, the ball dangling from his bottom claws, hanging from his feet.

Shawn turned pale and glanced over at Bobby, trying to see if he noticed the imp hovering there.

"what....is....that..?" Bobby asked, still and frozen in position. One knee still on the ground as he took in Feddler hovering in the air, ball dangling from his claws.

Shawn tried to think of lies he could tell Bobby to triage this situation, but most of them were predicated on Feddler not being there. He called out to the imp. "Umm, can we please have the ball back?"

Bobby slowly rose, palms open and facing the ground in a crouch like he was about to run for it. "It's just floating. It's just flapping around Shawn. Do you see it? There's, like a devil-thing right there." He said, voice a whisper, but still shrill.

"It's just sitting there....with our ball."