Chapter 7.1

Chapter 7.1

After defeating scavens, the team was in trouble. No, no one attacked us, no one poisoned us, no one ratted us out to the tax collector's office. It was much simpler, after the first game with a professional team in years, Grim and everyone else realized that it would only get worse. 

To clarify, most of the players Carroburg Jackasses were outright weaklings, semi-professionals, and even then only thanks to experience and Grim. In the future, our opponents will be stronger teams and with whom tricks like giving away free food will not work. What added to the problems was the morale of the players. After the wave of joy after the victory the players began to realize that their chances of going to the infirmary, or even straight to the cemetery sharply increased. 

Therefore, the morale in the team was just disgusting, instead of training many players just drank, trying to get rid of fear. Some players either did not renew their contracts or simply broke their contracts and ran away to other teams in the amateur league, where after a series of victories they were welcomed with open arms. 

Grim threatened and tried to negotiate with the players, but the bastards only smiled and nodded drunkenly, and came to practice, swaying heavily and blaring alcohol from a mile away. He looked at me pleadingly, hoping that with my help he would be able to turn the situation around, but I just shook my head suggesting that with players like that nothing would help us and the team would soon be finished. 

There was an option to go to Waggy and ask for money to completely re-form the team and hire normal assistant coaches and buy new training equipment. But that was a failure, though. Waggy got what he wanted from us, the publicity for his brand, and his interest in the team dropped. He was looking for another more successful team. How do I know that? Because he offered me the chance to cancel my contract and go to another team that Waggy would sponsor. Promised me a lot of money and other perks. 

But I turned him down. No, I didn't have any loyalty or gratitude to the Carrobug Jackasses, I respected Grim for trying to save the club, but I was disappointed and disgusted with the players and everyone else. And I refused to cooperate with Waggy, because he so easily dumped Jackasses what would prevent him from doing the same with me in the future. 

After two weeks we had a game against a professional team from Averland. This is where all my predictions and Grim's worst expectations came true. I was able to hold off the enemy team's attack on my section without any problems, but I had to forget about counterattacks and successful blitzes. And about the rest of the team...it was very bad. Our defense was torn to pieces and they were bringing the ball into the end zone without much trouble. By the second half a third of our players were knocked out or injured. 

Even I had to get a couple of unpleasant blows, but unlike the rest of the team I was giving such a fight back that some of the opponents were unlucky to be knocked out. There wasn't much hope for more serious injuries. I was being surrounded like a bear by hunting dogs, so I had to restrain myself in order not to give my opponents a chance to pile on me. 

By the end of the match the score was 3-14. The team got three points only thanks to me and that only at the beginning of the game until the enemy team developed countermeasures, which were simple, not to let me get the ball or using half the team to lunge at me from all sides. One or two players should be lucky enough to slow me down, and then the others would come to their aid. 

To some it may seem that after such a failure I should have gotten depressed or angry. But I was ready for something like that, it was clear as day that it was impossible to win in a game where any support from other team members could only be dreamed of. And to be honest, pulling the whole team that doesn't even have the desire to get better, made me fed up. 

So after the announcement of the end of the match, I just sat on the bench and drank light wine and read the "Spike" magazine. Even the shouts of angry Grim after Waggy came in and poured shit on the players and announced that the team will be paid only a quarter of the money, didn't really annoy me. 

Then I was approached by a gentleman who looked like an obvious dwarf. Why obvious? Because the smell of alcohol, tobacco and steel heralded his arrival. 

- Greetings, Azumgi. - the dwarf greeted me and just sat down next to me. 

- And I greet you Dawi. - I put aside my magazine and looked at the gnome. 

- Today was a disgusting match. - he took out a smoking pipe and started filling it with tobacco. 

- That's for sure. Although the Averlanders did not manage to get a clean win. - I answer him and shake my head at the scoreboard. 

- And that's only because of you, Azumgi. Only thanks to you. - The dwarf said with a chuckle. 

- Hmm. You probably know my name but I don't know yours. Why don't you introduce yourself for the sake of decorum? 

- Oh, I'm sorry, I was thinking about the match and forgot to introduce myself. My name is Uzraz Grudgegragh. 

- I'm Bahadur, although everyone calls me Baha. Nice to meet you. - I give him my hand and he shakes it, then goes back to his pipe. 

- Uzraz, did you want to talk about something or did you just come to sit with a player and get an autograph? - I ask him directly, having a rough understanding of dwarves and the fact that they're pretty straightforward guys. 

- I like you already, Azumgi. Straight to the point, without further ado. I want to hire you for my team. - dwarf surprised me. 

- Your team? And what kind of team would that be? 

- A mixed team, for the moment it will be only humans and dwarves. 

- Will be? Are you just in the team building phase? 

- Yes. I have my own tobacco company and to further promote it, I've decided to invest in creating my own team. 

- It's a lot more expensive to create a team from scratch than it is to get a sponsorship deal with a team. Why bother? - I ask him, puzzled. 

- Ha, a sponsorship contract. All the more or less decent teams already have their sponsors. They won't listen to me, they'll just tell me to get out. My company is still small and by dwarven standards it's like a toddler. 

- Stop. You need to spend at least a million on a team, and judging by your words, you have a million. So your company is quite profitable and established. I don't see any reason for dwarf teams to refuse a sponsorship contract. 

- Well, first of all, I have money, but it's not only the profit from my business - it's also my personal savings. Secondly, by dwarven standards, 20 years in business is nothing. And lastly, my personal reputation is also not particularly great that they would want to cooperate with me. Not only my company is young, but also myself, and age is very important to dwarves. - Uzraz sadly explained the core of the problem. 

- But then you could try to get a contract with other teams. After all, not only dwarves can play. 

- And not be sure that the owners of the team will not waste my money or will not decide to do something nasty. And so if I create a team myself, I can keep everything under control. And a mixed team will allow me to attract the interest of both dwarves and humans in the future. 

- Makes sense. But tell me honestly, Uzraz. Is the team an important business for you too, or just a side project to help your tobacco company? - I looked straight into his eyes. 

- Mhm. Bahadur, I'll be honest with you. Before I saw you on the field, I thought the team would be a good asset to my business that I could get rid of if I needed to. But when I saw the passion and fire you played with, it ignited a long forgotten love for the Blood Bowl within me. No, Bahadur, the team has become more than just a good tool to help my business. - Uzraz replied seriously and took a drag from his pipe. 

- Thank you for your honest answer Uzraz. - I stopped talking and started thinking about his proposal.

AN - Hey guys. Let me know about your opinion on this fic. Comments will be great way to tell me if you like it or not. Stones are good but prefer comments. 

Also, I use BB3 as foundation for this fic. Next chapter tomorrow.