nine innings shared between two teams beneath an eclipse that's plain to see and the umps we looked up to, you and me incinerating violently stick your bat out swing it through the zone feel it tearing at the air as they tell you just what to tell yourself: "this is all for which you must care" nine more nerve-rending innings spent thinking of the bones trying to squeeze tears from two pale white stones they say the system's flawless in the tomes, but even now, i can hear the engine start to groan hold your microphone put it to your lips feel the tension in the air as you flash the message the whole world needs to hear: "there is far more for which we care"

i have not been writing that many new songs about how i wish that ty stayed longer, how i wish she'd never gone, and now and then a star will cross the sky and i will wish for her to know, wherever she is, just how much she's been missed, and i saw my fortune carved into an old blaseball symbols i don't recognize in shapes that i cannot recall, and the teller told me that she knew the flame comes for us all and though i knew that it was true, i kept on hoping it was false, and now it's like i've seen a vision in that very same blaseball and if this is how the future is, this order's far too tall, and i keep on sprinting, hoping i don't hit that wall but i'll hold out far more hope i don't see one more player fall don't let 'em fall i have not been writing as often as i hoped but there are some things you're good at, and then some you can't control, and i probably won't be finishing this new ep on time when you've got so many sad songs done, it's tough to leave some behind, and i sewed my fortune in the seams of a blaseball in a crowded stadium, with faces i cannot recall, and the teller told me that she knew the flame comes for us all but i didn't think she'd meant so soon, no not so soon at all, but now i know i found the vision that i saw in that blaseball and if this is how the present is, this order's far too tall, and i still keep sprinting, hoping i don't hit that wall but I'll hold out far more hope i don't see one more person fall but no matter what i see, we have to make it through the world looks now to me a way it never has before and if this is how it ends, then what did i do this for? i said the world, it looks to me a way it never has before and if this is how it all will end, then i can't do this anymore, and it's like i was stricken by a speeding stray blaseball and the odds mounting against us now are climbing far too tall, and i really don't know if i can muster up the gall to soldier on like nothing's wrong if one more person falls so no matter what, i must believe that we can make it through i know we can, i know that we can we can make it through i know we can, together we can we'll all make it through

richie now i know that you're gone it already feels like it's been so long richie, i know someday i'll get to you but i never expected you to be taken and leave me feeling this empty your gurgling right now would sound like music to me i swear that one more day feels just like an eternity please come home, 'cause i miss you, richie (richie come home) richie come home (richie come home) richie, i knew that there would come a time but it still crept up and caught me blind more than a teammate, you're my best friend too cool to forget, come back 'cause we are family my soul's a broken keyboard sounding out one tone and now my heart is beating like the saddest metronome somewhere i hope you're hearing my latest three-word poem richie come home (richie come home) richie come home (richie come home) richie come home (richie come home) richie come home (richie come home)

richmond: *gurgling* ziwa: the league is breaking down each time we attack i can hear it splintering with each bat we crack and i look around and see that it's not just me who's dreaming of a land where we can be free i've found a new horizon and i'm counting the miles until we make it to the place where we can learn how to smile and all the cheers i hear echo off concrete they're wearing on my ears and i won't get no sleep, no richmond, richmond, whom we stan carry us in your strong hands though i won't know when it's my time i feel safe when i'm by your side love forever, love is free eating worms together, you and me richmond, richmond, our big friend we'll love you 'til the end richmond: laughin’ gas these hazmats, fast cats, syncin’ ‘em up like bat cracks, play these peanuts at the track, a leviathan attack shoot i’m steppin’ in the damp of this here, richmond repping it harder this year bite me i regenerate, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! yo we gon’ burn down this ump town, with yo’ sound, feedback the blink gon’ bite the dust, can’t swing with us, with yo’ sound, reverb the inc. so don’t stop, get it get it until you’re cheddar-headed and watch the way i hit the plate ha-ha-ha-ha-ha *more gurgling* ziwa: hobbs, one of my oldest friends i swear that i'll see you again we'll keep moving, stride by stride until you are back at our side my friends and a microphone taught me that if we fight, we can be free take position, bat in hand is everybody in? richmond: don’t stop, get it get it, now your team captain’s in it steady, watch me hit the plate ha-ha-ha-ha-ha don’t stop, get it get it, now your team captain’s in it steady, watch me hit the plate ha-ha-ha-ha-ha *self-satisfied gurgling* ziwa? did i do okay? did i do okay? i did okay! sick bars? what's a sick bar? are they okay? ziwa are they okay? ziwa? ZIWA!

ziwa: tyler belonged to this league, until the day it took her life it stole her from the ones she loved, so long before it was her time and i swore upon her grave, that somehow i would make things right so i trained twice as hard, made sure i'd memorized the rules and i volunteered myself for the hell that she went through deep down i knew, i couldn't accept if there was nothing i could do we've waited so long for this day some way to take the death away no one would ever have to say "my hero worked into her grave" mooney: ziwa, listen to yourself, then listen carefully to me. you know that nothing can be done to this invincible machine. it doesn't care for what we feel, and we can't stop it from what it will achieve. i know that you're still searching for a way to make a better world. but you joined long after we'd passed the point of no return. and here we are, like puppets dangling until our strings are burned. ziwa + (mooney.): we've waited so long for this day (we've waited so long for this day.) some way to take the death away (but its price is one we cannot pay.) no one would ever have to say (and there is no way we could have.) "my hero worked into her grave" (just let go and let it be.) ziwa + (mooney.): what will come of us if this league will have its way it will kick us until we bow, and it will bend us until we break but even if we're facing death i will stare upon the gods until i see them start to bleed and if i see them feel pain, then i will never bend my knee until they know what they've done to us (you are a fool.) you underestimate the bonds between our friends (but they are weaker than you think.) you think that they'll surrender, but if we all connect our hands we'll all be strong (just wait and see.) we'll visit them and make them pay (but you would cower at the sight.) we will foray into the heavens (you were not built for such a height.) we will be heroes (you are no hero.) ziwa: we've waited so long for this day some way to take the death away no one would ever have to say "my hero worked into her grave" they can't match our hearts pumping blood and our hands clutching bats of steel i swear this league will be destroyed and it will never be rebuilt i'll stand over halifax, my city my parting will be bittersweet and when we desecrate the heavens millions will rise to their feet and we will raise our bats above us cold steel shining in the sun and in time both of us will see that tyler's battle will be won