<p>Of course you remember the fifth inning, as the Crabs proceeded to get two home runs, taking the score to 3-2.</p>
<p>You sat in the stands with The Girl in the Custom Jersey as you shouted encouragement at all of the players. Most of the other Dale are doing the same thing; that's just the way the Dale do.</p>
<p>You reminded yourself that the players aren't people.</p>
<p>You looked at them, and they engendered in you the same emotions that you get when looking at another human being. You can see why people get so invested in them. You can see why YOU get so invested, why you want them to be okay.</p>
<p>Even if they aren't actually people.</p>
<p>You had to keep reminding yourself of that.</p>
<p>The commissioner says they aren't people.</p>
<p>[[➜|sixth]]</p><p>What do you remember about the first inning?</p>
<ul><li>[[talking to The Girl in the Custom Jersey|talking first]]</li>
<li>[[checking your phone|checking phone first]]</li>
<li>[[watching the game|watching the game]]</li></ul><p>You remember chatting with The Girl in the Custom Jersey, though you're not sure about what. Simply the way she turned to face you, the time she laughed and tossed her head back and her hair got snagged on the seat back.</p>
<p>She let you reach over and untangle it. The Crabs struck out; [[you don't remember|raul first]] much about that.</p><p>You remember checking your phone. You told your family where you'd be going and they were worried about you. Last season, your father's second cousin had to go to a blaseball game and ended up being carried away by birds. They found what was left of him miles away, picked apart by the side of a highway.</p>
<p>The weather seemed mostly bird free. You remember spotting a seagull scavenging a basket of fallen peanuts in the upper stands and feeling [[a cold sweat break across the back of your neck.|raul first]]</p><p>Blaseball, like it's progenitor, has moments of extreme action bracketed by longer moments of extreme inaction. The Crabs, while good, seemed to just be warming up during this first inning.</p>
<p>You remember feeling lucky. A boring game was more unlikely to result in a body count.</p>
<p>And once the Crabs struck out, you felt more confident in that thought. [[The Dale could always deliver on boring.|raul first]]</p><p>Not every player on the Dale has a chant. All thirteen fans do their best, but most of the time it is enough to simply scream DALE and be done with it.</p>
<p>Raúl Leal sometimes has a chant. That day, there were three whole fans in the stands calling him out.</p>
<p>LIFE OF THE PARTY!</p>
<p>LIFE OF THE PARTY!</p>
<p>LIFE OF THE PARTY!</p>
<p>The rest of the dugout howled and began to echo it. It clashed, off tempo with the thrumming dembow coming from the stadium speakers.</p>
<p>Raúl grinned widely. He did look the least tired out of all the players, though perhaps the most manic, almost vibrating. You wondered how much coffee he'd had.</p>
<p>Finn James pitched a fast ball. Strike, looking.</p>
<p>You settled in for another Dale game.</p>
<p>Finn James pitched again.</p>
<p>And Raúl Leal hit a Single.</p>
<div class ="ticker-wrap">
<div class="ticker">
<div class="ticker__item">[[LIFE OF THE PARTY|chant cont]]</div>
<div class="ticker__item">[[LIFE OF THE PARTY|chant cont]]</div>
<div class="ticker__item">[[LIFE OF THE PARTY|chant cont]]</div>
</div>
</div><p>The chant continued even after he got caught trying to steal second. You remember the way it echoed. The way it rose and fell and rumbled like a thunderstorm approaching distantly from across the Everglades.</p>
<p>But that's probably not important.</p>
<p>It's a memory of a Dale game, how could it be important?</p>
<p>[[➜|second]]</p><p>What do you remember about the fourth inning?</p>
<ul><li>[[home run dance party with The Girl in the Custom Jersey|home run girl]]</li>
<li>[[home run dance party from the safety of the bathroom|home run bathroom]]</li></ul><p>The Girl in the Custom Jersey was on her feet before you were, just as Cannonball Sports struck the ball. You stood up by the time the ball had flown past the outfield.</p>
<p>"JONRONAZO FOR CANNONBALL SPORTS! LOOK AT 'EM GO!"</p>
<p>The music increased in volume as all the Dale fans began dancing and chanting. Even you found yourself swept up in the delight of it. You held hands with The Girl in the Custom Jersey as you danced and chanted "¡DALE!"
<p>[[➜|fifth]]</p><p>There was always music in Worldwide Stadium, piped in from what sounded like the AC vents. It echoed eerily in the bathroom, mingled with the announcers' voices and the murmurs from the crowd.</p>
<p>You were washing your hands when you heard the announcers extended shout at a Dale home run.</p>
<p>"JONRONAZO FOR CANNONBALL SPORTS! LOOK AT 'EM GO!"</p>
<p>The music increased in both volume and clarity and you remember a small thrill of joy. You danced to the beat, quietly, alone, as you held your hand under a dryer that pushed out air just as warm and moist as the ambient atmosphere.</p>
<p>[[➜|fifth]]</p><h1>⚾ The Dale Remember ⚾</h1>
<h2>An interactive <a href="https://www.blaseball.com/" target="_blank">Blaseball</a> fan story</h2>
<ul>
<li>[[Start|opening]]</li>
<li>[[Credits|credits]]</li>
</ul><p>This is a memory;
<p>not a truth.</p>
<p>Some may recall it differently.</p>
<p>[[Others may not recall it at all.|intro]]</p><p>It started with the promise of eternal sport.</p>
<p>Tireless players, ceaseless games.</p>
<p>Baseball, they said, perfected.</p>
<p>Baseball, they said, on your terms.</p>
<p>Was it your fault, then, that the Forbidden Book was opened (was it their fault for offering us the choice?)
<p>Was it your fault when the umpires turned rogue and the first player was pitched into flames? (was it theirs for how they were seamlessly replaced? Ceaseless games, they promised).</p>
<p>It was Day 94 of Season 8.</p>
<p>And you had been conscripted to [[watch a blaseball game|outside stadium]].</p><h3>OUTSIDE WORLDWIDE STADIUM</h3>
<p>You remember that Miami traffic was terrible, but parking was good. You weren't surprised by this.</p>
<p>When teams were Assigned, through arcane methods of blood and dice, you were given to the Miami Dale: a team who would almost be more interesting if they were the worst in the league.</p>
<p>So the parking lot was mostly empty of cars. Instead there was an old woman with a hot plate hawking cafecitos, a group of tailgaters, and a smaller group of tailgators. You remember visiting one of them before walking into the stadium.</p>
<ul><li>[[old woman]]</li><li>[[tailgaters]]</li><li> [[tailgators]]</li></ul><p>The woman pulled the shots of cafecito before you got all the way to her, a bubbling black tar topped with a rich caramel foam.
<p>She held one out for you, then lifted her own. She intones a cold, clear "DALE" and downs it in one go.</p>
<p>You follow, and feel the caffeine hit all the way down to your fingers.</p>
<p>Now no matter how slow the game gets, even if nothing interesting happens — and nothing interesting happens at a Dale game — you will stay awake.</p>
[[➜|stadium]]<p>There were a few trailers and pickup trucks arranged in a circle at the far end of the stadium. You could smell hot dogs and onions grilling up; they smelled almost done.</p>
<p>They sounded so cheerful, chatting idly before the game. But then again, they didn't have to go inside with the umpires. You'd be cheerful too then.</p>
<p>They waved and shoted "DALE" as you passed by. Despite your slightly bitter mood, you Dale'd back. It's only polite.</p>
[[➜|stadium]]<p>The alligators had grouped around a moss covered trailer. One of them lounged in an inflatable pool. As you approached, they opened their mouths and released a slow guttural hiss.</p>
<p>Guess you haven't been invited to this party. Frankly, this is against the Dale spirit.</p>
[[➜|stadium]]<p>You approached the tall gates of Worldwide Stadium. All blaseball stadiums seem to be encircled by such a fence; you assumed it was to keep things in. A smiling woman reached her hand out for your ticket and scanned it.</p>
<p>"Looks like you're right behind home plate. Lucky," she said, her smile unmoving as she handed the ticket back. "The commissioner is doing a great job!"</p>
<ul><li>[[Sarcastically: "the commissioner is doing a great job."|response]]</li>
<li>[[Sincerely: "the commissioner is doing a great job."|response]]</li></ul><p>She didn't react to your tone at all, only that you had said the correct words. She moved aside and let you in. A blast of humid air-conditioning hit you as soon as you enter. You could already feel yourself sweating.</p>
[[➜|stadium in]]<h3>WORLDWIDE STADIUM</h3>
<p>You wandered through the stadium, avoiding several iguanas as they cross your path. Eventually you found an usher wearing the same shirt and the same smile as the woman outside. She took your ticket in the same way.</p>
<p>"Looks like you're right behind home plate. Lucky," she said, her smile unmoving as she handed the ticket back and gestures you towards the staircase she seemed to be guarding. "The commissioner is doing a great job!"</p>
<p>How many times would you have to say that today?</p>
[[➜|seat]]<p>Your seat was several rows down, right behind home plate. You could see both teams' dugouts from here.</p>
<p>There were the Baltimore Crabs, whose visiting mascots seemed both confused and delighted at the swampy humidity.</p>
<p>And then there was your team: The Miami Dale. The players in the dugout were already partying. The music seemed muffled, as if coming from a distant apartment, even though they were right there.</p>
<p>Only some of them were smiling; all of them slam back a cafecito and scream DALE.</p>
<p>Your seat was right next to the stairs. Despite the mostly empty stands (because who would voluntarily come see a Dale game), [[a woman|woman]] was sitting right next to you.</p><p>She wore a custom Dale Jersey in sunset colors, and so was obviously a much bigger blaseball fan than you. She smiled nervously as you approached. She was also here alone. (Was everyone here alone?)</p>
<p>"Hi," you say, awkwardly.</p>
<p>"Hi!" she says. "Is this your first game?"</p>
<p>"Is it obvious?"</p>
<p>"A little," her bright smile faltered. "And well, there aren't a lot of Dale fans. You get to know each other."</p>
<ul><li>[[That sounds nice.|sounds nice]]</li>
<li>[[That sounds lonely.|sounds lonely]]</li></ul><p>"That sounds nice," you said. There must be some advantages to rooting for an unpopular team.</p>
<p>"It is," she says. "I mean, most of the time. Things got uh…weird after the incinerations."</p>
<p>"weird?"</p>
<p>"Well, blaseball is a bloodsport. The commissioner is doing a great job, but he can't guarantee anyone's safety in a bloodsport." She didn't seem too convinced about the great job being done, but you understood the sentiment.</p>
<p>However, your response was interrupted as [[the umpires|the umpires]] take the field.</p><p>"That sounds lonely," you said. You remember thinking that with passive income being what it is, it was going to take forever for you to make enough off Dale wins to flute over to any other team. If any other team would take you.</p>
<p>"It can be, but it also well… it does help the odds a little. Since there are less of us."</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"Well, blaseball is a bloodsport. The commissioner is doing a great job, but he can't guarantee anyone's safety. Less of us to target, you know?"</p>
<p>You did not have time to process this. [[The umpires|the umpires]] take the field.</p><p>The umpires always kept their masks on.</p>
<p>The umpires took the field first.</p>
<p>All stadiums were home field for an umpire.</p>
<p>The players shuddered as they all spoke as one.</p>
<p>[[PLAY BALL!|first]]</p>
<p>What do you remember about the second inning?</p>
<ul><li>[[nothing|nothing second]]</li>
<li>[[the wave|the wave second]]</li></ul><p>You remember nothing. The second inning is barely a memory, like threads of spider silk clinging to your skin.</p>
<p>You remember that the commissioner is doing a great job, but that thought echoes in a cavern.</p>
[[➜|third]]<p>You remember doing the wave. An elbow nudge from The Girl in the Custom Jersey as she stood, and you followed.</p>
<p>The wave died as it passed you, trickling down to a few stragglers trying to keep the momentum. People were just trying to settle in for a nice, normal blaseball game.</p>
<p>If there is such a thing.</p>
[[➜|third]]<p>What do you remember about the seventh inning?</p>
<ul><li>[[the seventh inning stretch|move seven]]</li>
<li>[[the seventh inning squash|move seven]]</li>
<li>[[the seventh inning deadlift|move seven]]</li>
<ul><p>You must have left. You don't remember the final innings, and what you do not remember must not have existed.</p>
<p>The Dale are a bad team anyway.</p>
<p>The game might have ended after 7 innings.</p>
<p>This is blaseball, and sometimes things like that happen.</p>
<p>The commissioner is doing a great job, though.</p>
<p>You don't remember saying goodbye to [[The Girl in the Custom Jersey.|the girl]]</p><p>You remember feeling close to her. You remember a connection.</p>
<p>Where is your goodbye?</p>
<p>You felt a connection to the team as well, after 7 tense innings. Where is that goodbye?</p>
<p>You feel the edges of a memory.</p>
<p>One of how great a job the commissioner is doing.</p>
<p>[[Who won the game though?|won]]</p><p>Not the Dale, surely.</p>
<p>But wouldn't it be nice to be sure.</p>
<p>Wouldn't it be nice to remember?</p>
<p>The commissioner doesn't want you to remember.</p>
<p>And the commissioner is doing a great job.</p>
<p>[[But…|but]]</p><p>But…</p>
<p>You are a Dale now.</p>
<p>And the Dale aren't very good.</p>
<p>Even at forgetting.</p>
<p>[[➜|incineration]]</p><p>What do you remember about the sixth inning?</p>
<ul><li>[[the smell of the party|smell]]</li>
<li>[[the feeling of the party|feel]]</li>
<li>[[the sights of the party|sights]]</li></ul><p>You remember the smell of the astroturf, the dirt the players kicked up itching at your nose.</p>
<p>The sweet tinge of bubblegum in a stadium that had never seen a stick.</p>
<p>The coconut shampoo from The Girl in the Custom Jersey.</p>
<%= story.render('sound') %><p>You remember the feeling, the static in the air of an oncoming thunderstorm.</p>
<p>The way your thighs stuck to the hard plastic chair as you tried to get to your feet.</p>
<p>And when you pushed yourself off from the seat, The Girl in the Custom Jersey did the same and your hands touched.</p>
<%= story.render('sound') %><p>You remember the sights.</p>
<p>Raúl Leal coming up to bat again, hands shaking.</p>
<p>The flashing marque declaring that "the commissioner is doing a great job"</p>
<p>The Girl in the Custom Jersey as she took off her hat and wiped her brow right before bat struck ball.</p>
<%= story.render('sound') %><p>And of course, the sound once Raúl Leal hit another home run.</p>
<p>The dembow beat so loud you felt it vibrate your very heart.</p>
<p>The announcers loud, extended call of "JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOON"</p>
<p>And the echo of Raúl's chant</p>
<div class ="ticker-wrap">
<div class="ticker">
<div class="ticker__item">LIFE OF THE PARTY</div>
<div class="ticker__item">LIFE OF THE PARTY</div>
<div class="ticker__item">LIFE OF THE PARTY</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>[[➜|seventh]]</p><h3>BOTTOM OF THE NINTH, SEASON 8, DAY 94</h3>
<h3>CRABS 3 - DALE 2</h3>
<p>The air of yet another uneventful Dale game shifted, as the fans began to look up instead of out onto the field. A moon had appeared in the sky, and began to slowly, inexorably, cover the sun. Already, some of the fans had begun to cry.</p>
<p>One of the umpires, on the other hand, began to [[rise|rise]].</p><p>The moon was almost fully covering the sun, and the stadium saw where the umpire had laid his terrible gaze. Beck Whitney was trembling in the Dale dug-out.</p>
<p><em>(Will they mourn her back in Boston? She is yours now, but before she was theirs and they LOVE her.)</em></p>
<p>A flash, as the moon completely eclipsed the sun. Play had stopped. The umpire threw a ball into the air, eyes not moving off Beck Whitney as it ignited. You almost wished it were smiling, that would at least imply a motive, a perverse joy in the player's destruction. Instead, it was almost mechanical as it threw [[the pitch]].</p><h3>CRACK!</h3>
<p>Here are the events [[as you remember them|as remember]].</p>
<p>And from a distant part of the stands, a chant started to rise. </p>
<p>The call, known: LIFE OF THE PARTY!</p>
<p>The response, new: DEATH OF THE GODS!</p>
<p>It caught like a wildfire, like a rising, cresting wave. You remember feeling yourself carried by it, so when The Girl in the Custom Jersey called:</p>
<p>"Life of the Party!"</p>
<p>You raised your voice in response:</p>
<p>"DEATH OF THE GODS."</p>
<div class ="ticker-wrap">
<div class="ticker">
<div class="ticker__item">LIFE OF THE PARTY</div>
<div class="ticker__item">DEATH OF THE GODS</div>
<div class="ticker__item">LIFE OF THE PARTY</div>
<div class="ticker__item">DEATH OF THE GODS</div>
</div>
</div>
[[➜|death]]<p>The remaining Umpires shuddered, once, and you felt a sick pleasure.</p>
<p>Let them fear you.</p>
<p>Let them fear what they MADE you.</p>
<p>The pitcher must throw the ball.</p>
<p>The players must play.</p>
<p>The fans must watch.</p>
<p>But they have given you tools, which means they have given you teeth.</p>
<p>The Girl in the Custom Jersey bared hers at you in a feral smile.</p>
<p>Your lips parted, and you [[smiled back|smile back]].</p><p>The Dale, of course, still lose the match.</p>
<p>That you remembered correctly.</p>
<p>This you remember now.</p>
<p>Will you forget the Dale again?</p>
<p>Will they make you forget your teeth?</p>
<p>Will you remember the truth?</p>
<p>That the Dale slew a monster.</p>
<br />
<p>That the commissioner is doing a great job.</p>
<p>[[The Commisioner is doing a great job.|credits]]</p><p>Thanks for reading! You can find more free interactive fiction at <a href="https://astriddalmady.com" target="_blank">AstridDalmady.com</a>.</p>
<p>Like <a href="http://blaseball.com" target="_blank">Blaseball</a>? The Game Band is doing a great job!</p>
<p>Special thanks to my playtesters: Sam Kabo Ashwell, and Cat Manning.</p>
<p>And a shoutout to all of the Dale familia.</p>
<h3>¡DALE!</h3>
[[Back to Start|Start]]<p>What do you remember about the third inning?</p>
<ul><li>[[crabs score, and you saw it|crab score saw]]</li>
<li>[[crabs score, and you were getting a snack|crab score snack]]</li>
<li>[[did the crabs score?|did crab score]]</li>
</ul><p>You remember watching the Crabs score the first point of the game. Peanut Bong pitched an easy lob to Kennedy Loser after Forrest Best had stolen third base.</p>
<p>The Crabs welcomed them both back to the dugout with smiles and back-pats, praise and claws up. So far (so far) there are no consequences to being bad at blaseball, but the Crabs do love to win.</p>
<p>The Dale clapped in sync. The Dale do love a good game of blaseball. With their record, they have to love something.</p>
<p>[[➜|fourth]]</p><p>Oh, did the Crabs score this inning? Maybe. It isn't important. The Crabs score all the time, so why waste your time remembering something like that.</p>
<p>[[➜|fourth]]</p><p>You had gone to get a snack when you heard the roar of the Crabs fans. The old CRT monitor sets that dotted the moist hallways of Worldwide stadium showed what you suspected: the Crabs had scored.</p>
<p>You reached the front of the snack line just as the celebrating was winding down. You prayed beforehand and had just enough coins to buy yourself a tasty snack.</p>
<ul><li>[[you got PEANUTS|peanut 2]]</li>
<li>[[you got peanuts|peanut 2]]</li>
<li>[[you got PeANuTs|peanut 2]]</li></ul><p>You don't remember liking peanuts. You do remember eating them. You wondered when they'll start selling pretzels. You knew better than to ask.</p>
<p>[[➜|fourth]]</p><p>A rousing round of seventh inning movement.</p>
<p>The commissioner is doing a great job.</p>
<p>And after that nothing happened, of course.</p>
<p>Nothing interesting ever happens during a Dale game.</p>
<p>You could have left early, beat the rush out of the parking lot, or something.</p>
<p>You could have.</p>
<p>[[Why didn't you?|why]]</p><p>As the sky grew darker, it's eyes glowed brighter, burning with an eldritch flame. They call them Rogue Umpires, when the sun goes dark and they remove players with pitches of flame, but <em>rogue</em> implies a deviation from their purpose.</p>
<p>Watching the umpire, as he becomes an instrument of death, you remember thinking that this was always their purpose. The dark sky of the eclipse just allowed them to indulge in it.</p>
<p>The Girl in the Custom Jersey reached over without looking, as if this was her own eclipse driven instinct, and [[grabbed your hand|hand]].</p><p>The umpire threw the ball.</p>
<p>The stadium held their breath.</p>
<p>Raúl Leal stepped forward, and bat the fireball away.</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p>[[He hit it back.|back]]</p><p>The creature did not have time to scream. There was only the thunder of Leal's bat, and then a pile of ash where a nightmare once stood.</p>
<p>The stadium still did not breathe.</p>
<p>Then in the distance, a cry rung out, first formless shock, then shapeless joy. From your seat, you see Raúl Leal's hands are still shaking, but he's smiling.</p>
<p>In fact, everyone is smiling.</p>
<p>"I didn't know we could do that," The Girl in the Custom Jersey said.</p>
<p>You didn't either, no one knew.</p>
<p>Now you do.</p>
<p>Now you [[remember|remember]].</p>