The countdown to Nationals for Squid Academy continues on a Wednesday that already carries more weight than just an average school day for the members of the team. A day for recruitment, Fuchsia and company have several players on their radar they needed to snag without any hitches, but their start to the day already proves hectic as they fail to gain any traction before class. A covert operation of the utmost secrecy, the crew needed to recruit Todd of the Sealions, Evelyn of Mayhem, Mason of Legion, and Zaneki of the Rebels as their priority picks since they all were capable of making a difference if they joined forces. Problem is, they didn't know their schedules and every day counts-they needed to start practice as soon as possible. Azule promised to handle Todd, but for the entire time they had class, Todd ignored him and even avoided talking to him at every encounter-despite his efforts to start a conversation. Violet decided to take on recruiting Evelyn and Mason to make things easier for the others, and none could refuse when she looked so sure to complete the task. That only left Zaneki as the remaining target for them, but even he would prove troublesome to convince given his personality and team's history with Squidcom.

"The only chances we have to make a move today are during lunch and after class…" Fuchsia said prior to leaving their homeroom that morning.

The moment the lunch bell rang, Tangie, and Cobalt rushed out of their classes and scoured the buildings for Zaneki, racing against time. His location was easy to narrow down thanks to the information Bianca provided the night before, but what would prove troublesome was that he was rarely ever alone. Around the time Cobalt and Tangie split to search for Zaneki, Azule, Reice and Jory are already together having lunch and savoring the meals in the rare peace and quiet of the rooftops now that the others were all busy. Plenty of things are on their minds as they munch, with each person thinking about what they could be doing to make life easier. Reice's mind is preoccupied with polishing his game, thinking of ways to bolster his defensive game while also improving his offensive game as well-figuring that he might need to pick up an additional class for variety. As their keen defender, Reice was often regarded as the most underrated member of the squad because he didn't stand out nor did he make an effort to. He was the hardest working member of Squidcom and yet he never got the spotlight. That doesn't bother him, but what does concern him is how despite all his efforts, their side keeps losing in big games. When he recalled their only loss since they started the new campaign, he was bothered by how Special Forces-of all teams-were the ones to end their streak. They conquered a gauntlet of opponents and then finally peak by beating the seemingly better Beacon Hills, and yet Special Forces came away. At first he thought it was because of the star power of Special Forces and that it was solely Jin's presence that made the difference. But once he recalled the games and replayed them over and over and over in his head with each bite he takes, his face tensing up in frustration; it was a team effort. Beacon Hills had a better squad and leader, but Special Forces played with far more tenacity than the former-something Squidcom had up until that point. It was that difference in urgency that decided their fate that day, and the reason he's so agitated now that he reflects on it. So many things went wrong that campaign that he couldn't gloss over and just attribute it to Special Forces being the better side. With a side glance to his captain, Reice's face softened.

We made the same mistake as the Elites, huh? He thought, understanding why the result ended in a loss. We became too reliant on Azule and his Midnight mode. We got sloppy towards the end and paid the price by going up against a side that wanted it more. He looks up to the sky with dejection, Now I understand what the Elites felt when they played with Sky. Azule has the same energy as her, that same towering presence when he enters that mystic state. When we played with him, we must've unconsciously held ourselves back because we had so much faith in him and his ability. We were in such awe that we forgot that he was only a single person. We should've learned our lesson from what happened to our seniors in the winter, but we fell in the same hole as them after all. He shakes his head, "We'll be different…" he whispered under his breath with a smile, refusing to make the same mistake again; Squidcom went on an unbelievable unbeaten run of 25 consecutive games the entire year, with their first loss coming from the team that is arguably the best in the country and one of the best in the world. If that meant anything, it was that they could make significant improvement in the coming weeks and shock everyone. At Nationals, there will be dozens of teams like Special Forces, and for sure some stronger than them as well. The thought of such monstrous teams existing inadvertently awakened something in Reice, a gaze so ominous that even and Azule and Jory paused to glance at him; he looked beyond the realm the intense focus.

The pair smiled, understanding what Reice must be feeling-they felt the same way too. Jory was still focused on how he could establish himself as a dual threat and ease the burden of his captain and sniper and become that follow-up option to keep other teams busy, knowing that unlike before where teams didn't have much of a sample size on him and they were winning, that loss left a telling blueprint on how to stop him. At Nationals, he'll need to elevate his game by any means. While those two were focused on improving their game, Azule was juggling between management and his own personal growth. As a team captain, he had far more responsibilities than the others and as such things like team construction fell on his shoulders. Right now, his intent on bagging Todd grew much larger. He knew such a talented player in their depth chart would bolster them greatly, but he felt a little concerned about the success of recruiting based on how he behaved earlier. The once confrontational rival now avoids him at all costs, and in such an awkward way that he can't imagine why. He thought they patched things up the last time they have a serious talk and that water was under the bridge, but the way he behaved now was almost as if he was ashamed of something; Azule didn't know why, but for some reason that riled him up, and he took it out on his food with a couple wolfish bites wearing an angry look. As the three each own a thinking cloud, Jory's is the first to burst as he senses another presence-immediately looking to the door to see the handle turn, poking his head out a little to spot the first person to walk through.

With a nudge to his partners, "I see Kidvel." he whispers, using his head to point to them.

Azule and Reice put their thoughts on and look over at their seniors, who all wear serious expressions led by none other than Azule's former mentor. The air that they carried was opposite of their usual friendly nature that Azule and Reice couldn't help but identify it as hostility. Azule shrugs his shoulders with a smug look once he locked eyes with their captain. "Oh? You're approaching us?" he said spreading his arms wide, as though to challenge them.

"What brings you all to see us up here? Surely it isn't to say hello with the aura you're carrying." Reice adds, also feeling a little arrogant; "You know it's rude to look down and people who are higher than you right?"

"You've gotten cheeky, haven't you? I'm only here to speak to your captain. Shoo shoo, bottom of the pecking order." Pastelle sneers, while making a motion with her hand to brush him away; a detrimental blow to his ego, he goes off into a corner sulking followed by Jory trying to cheer him up.

Azule gulps down his food, "Meanie."

Pastelle rolls her eyes and crosses her arms, "I heard from Parker about the offer…" Parker is behind her waving with a smile; "Are you serious about creating a team beyond Squidcom? This has to be a joke, right?" her face twists, confused by request.

Azule raises his chin with confidence, "Well, you're standing here. I guess it can't be a joke if you need an explanation."

Pastelle goes silent for a moment with an annoyed expression followed by Parker popping the conversation, "The audacity of this first year am I right?" he chuckles, elbowing Pastelle.

"Why though?" she asks, somewhat disturbed.

Azule maintained his stance, "You heard the details from Parker-"

"I don't mean that! I mean why are you recruiting us specifically? We're your rivals aren't we? And the same goes for the others. If we work together with you, we'll know how to beat you in the Rank Wars. Aren't you worried about that?"

"Sheesh! Why is everyone so obsessed with the Rank Wars? There's a chance for all of us to go out and work together for a common cause and you're concerned with an event where we beat up each other? Honestly, this is so trivial." he said with a casual shrug.

Pastelle smiles wide, glad to see how far he's grown. No need for her to continue bombarding him with questions when he clearly had the right mindset, and one that should be followed. "You've really come a long way."

"I still have a ways to go." he winks.

"Then allow us to accompany you on that journey. As captain of Kidvel, you have my confirmation to join you for Nationals. Use our squad however you see fit." she declared, followed by nods from Parker, Taylor and Nelson, who also looked pleased to join the roster.

Jory and Reice's mouths drop, though Jory closed Reice's mouth quickly since food was showing. That was way too easy! In just a matter of minutes, they went from a team of 5 players to 9! Not only did they acquire likely the best player in the school, but they acquired the best team as well. Already their side looks strong with a possible lineup of Azule and Pastelle on the same side. Things are already looking up for the side, but there is still work to do elsewhere. Around that same time in an empty classroom, Violet is eating lunch with Evelyn and Mason. It's a tad bit awkward for the pair since Violet was the one who invited them, and no way could either of them refuse her.

"What's wrong, why are you two so quiet…" Violet asked before continuing to each; "Your food won't taste good cold."

"O-oh no, I appreciate this. I'm just a little surprised by-well, uh…"

"This is sudden." Mason declares, refusing to dodge around the situation like Evelyn.

Violet's eyes shine, "Whatever do you mean?"

"W-well…" Mason couldn't elucidate for her, and instead went silent.

Evelyn gave a nervous laugh and tried to take the attention away from him for his own good, "I think he just meant that it's unusual for you to go out of your way to hang out with people aside from your friends. You do appear standoffish."

"Standoffish, huh. Noted…" she said with a nod to herself; "Anyways, I apologize if it was sudden, but I wanted to eat lunch together with the two of you because I have an announcement." Mason and Evelyn get tense; "I'd like to recruit you as representatives for Squid Academy and compete at Nationals."

Their faces draw blanks.

"Huh?"

"Eh?"

"Come again?"

"Repeat that."

Violet's clear her throat, "I said-"

"Wait, no! We heard you the first time."

"It's just-why us?"

"Since this is the national tournament, we'll need more players and not just any players. We need players who have serious potential for greatness, and I believe the two of you are just the type of players we need. Please fight alongside us in the desert in the next few weeks… Not for us, not for this school, but for yourselves as competitors. There is no greater thrill than taking on the world's best."

"Wha-"

"She's serious…"

They marveled in response, shocked by her offer to join Squid Academy for Nationals. An irresistible offer, the pair could only look at each other with questions before turning their attention back to her. It was clear from her brimming confidence and serious posture that she didn't have any doubts on whether they would accept-she had complete trust in them. They were in awe, wondering if the rest of the team carried the same energy and if so, perhaps there was something to learn from playing alongside a team of that nature. Everything she was appealing: to fight for the glory of the school carry the experiences into the following season and also satisfy their personal goals of making Nationals, it felt all too convenient of an opportunity. A few minutes pass before Violet asks them if they've arrived at a decision, and with hesitant glances to one another, they both bow their heads as if to apologize…

"We'll be in your care…" they say in unison, lifting their heads to reveal the glimmer in their eyes the radiates with their smiles; they're on board to make this challenge an unforgettable one.

Violet looks relieved as she finally catches her breath, having held it the entire time in anticipation of rejection; surprising the pair, who misread the entire time. Thank goodness, two powerful players also join their roster to now make the total up to 11 players-only a quintet of players needed to complete the bare minimum. Afterwords, the pair were curious about how Violet felt on the possibility of recruiting their teammates to join the team as possible players to fill the quota, to which the expressed her regret that they weren't on the radar but expressed that if they wanted to play a part, they could help in becoming members of the team staff since they could use extra hands. Elsewhere, there's been some trouble on the end of Tangie in her efforts of recruiting Zaneki of the Rebels. It became a complicated approach when Tangie noticed the captain eating lunch with his teammates and still attempted to make contact. They were hostile right away and did their best to silence her before they could even get the chance, which didn't sit well with her. In hopes to damage control, she expressed her apologies for interrupting but explained that she needed to speak with their captain, but they only got more agitated afterwards and shouted at her to leave; they did everything together as a squad, and if she wanted to talk with him, she had to answer to them first. But for Tangie who spent the last few months separated from her friends and mostly around Cobalt and his family, she picked up some of their intimidating mannerisms; she was also fed up with the false bravado they had, having experienced her taste of hell, the last thing she wanted were a bunch of wimps trying to bark at her-she wouldn't tolerate as a member of Squidcom, Cobalt's bride to be, and certainly not as a Citra. Speaking before she could think, she said a few harsh and honest criticisms that had them squirming, making it clear from her glare that her fuse is much shorter than they imagined, they made their exit instead. Even if she gave them a piece of her mind, she failed in her objective.

"You had one job." Cobalt sighs, walking ahead of her with his attention on finding the crew.

"I'm really sorry…" Tangie apologizes tailing him.

"It's not me who you should be apologizing to, and you know it. Some of the stuff you said was pretty harsh."

"Those lamebrains deserve it! If you heard the way they were speaking to me you'd understand and even intimidated them yourself. They were so rude that I couldn't help it. They act like a bunch of fussy children! I'm glad Todd left them and found a better group!" she hissed speaking so hurriedly that her head was turning red already.

"I think my mother is starting to rub off on you…" his disappointment grows, glancing at her with worry for how she'll be when they get older; Tangie blushed and looked away in denial, stating that Simone was far worse and she'd never end up like that. "Anyways, we weren't there to witness it for ourselves so we shouldn't be so quick to judge. Fuchsia believes their captain is useful and that should be all that matters. They won't be giving you an attitude this time around."

"That's right, Ao! You show 'em!" Tangie said throwing out air jabs like a boxer and making the sounds with her mouth.

The pair turn the corner and spot the group of rebels hanging together by a wall, the air around them giving off those of delinquents. Without hesitation, Cobalt and Tangie head their way and confront them. The glare of the samurai inkling is too strong for them to simply ignore as he enters their peripheral. Right away, they glare at Cobalt, but wipe it away once they shining scarlet irises lock on them.

"Hey now, leave us be-lunch is almost over!" Corey shouts in irritation, followed by Phillip and Dustin growling.

Zaneki stares them down with a tired look, "What do you two want now?"

Cobalt's irises glimmer, "I'm here to pick up where the conversation left off, is that a problem?"

"You mean the one ended earlier because of that girl over there?"

"Just go away, man. We don't feel like talking, especially after our appetites got ruined."

Cobalt ignores them and keeps his attention on Zaneki, "What I'm here to talk about-"

"Didn't you hear us?" Dustin shouts.

"Leave." Corey adds.

Cobalt looks to them with a plain stare-clearly irritated, "Interrupt me again." he dared in a spiteful tone, shutting them up immediately; Tangie snickers at how easy they hushed up. Cobalt already didn't like the Rebels because of how they treated Todd, and Zaneki could tell as much that he should be careful with what he says or else he might find himself losing a few teeth.

"No-nonsense guy, huh?" Zaneki mumbled, trying to keep up the tough act.

Cobalt crosses his arms and sighed, "I'll make this quick and go on my way…" he furrows his brows, "Join us for Nationals."

The group falls silent with disturbed expressions as though he offended them with such a request; Tangie was a little surprised by the bluntness of Cobalt, having expected him to be a little more careful about the approach at least, since Fuchsia really wanted this guy on the team for some reason. Zaneki didn't look as disturbed about it as the others, but hesitation still filled his mind weighing on a sudden decision; the others looked a little concerned, noticing that the captain was seriously contemplating the offer rather than immediate denial. No questions are asked as there's nothing but silence. The Rebels look disturbed by who deeply Zankei is contemplating this and Tangie's sweating bullets hoping they can return to their friends with some good news. After what felt like minutes when in reality was only a matter of seconds, Zaneki looked at his disapproving teammates who were strongly against Cobalt's offer and then looked at the samurai inkling.

"As someone with a competitive spirit, I accept." he nods in confirmation; "I want to show not just you all, but the entire world what the Rebels are capable of." He said with a sparkle of hope and joy, much to the dismay of his teammates.

Cobalt's unimpressed, "Glad to have you on board…" he turns to Tangie; "Let's head back before classes resume."

"Wait!" the Rebels shout, stopping the couple. "Is there anything we can do?"

Cobalt looks disgusted, "What?"

"Is there anything we can do to be part of the team? If our captain is competing, we want to be by his side." Philip declares.

"Oh yeah, you can be by his side-the sidelines, that is."

"Huh?"

"We don't desire you on the team, only the captain. The rest of you could prove useful on our team staff as extra hands for assistance.

"B-but…"

"Read the mood." Zaneki mumbles, trying to explain that Cobalt's giving them a chance to tag along even if it meant they couldn't compete. He and Squid Academy were being gracious enough to consider someone from their squad capable of going to Nationals-they needed to show gratitude. Right away they understood that of course Zaneki wasn't happy about having to bow down to his rivals, but the competitive spirit in him knew to seize the opportunity; they had to follow in their captain's footsteps. A begrudging acceptance, the Rebels were now part of Squid Academy!

After school the news came in through the group chat that there were unofficial members added to the team, which meant Azule needed to mash the gas and get Todd on board. As it stands, Azule is searching high and low for him but can't track him down and found it strange that of all the times to get bashful, he waited until it was dire where he could prove useful. Just then, a sneaky thought wandered into his mind. Todd didn't happen to over hear, did he? It would explain his strange behavior for sure, but Azule was still confused as to why he'd then go out his way to avoid him if he was aware about the recruiting. Was he shy about Squid Academy thinking so highly of him and his team that he'd try and play hard to get? Either way, Azule was a little irritated that it was far more difficult to talk to his rival about joining a team than it was to hold a conversation with Fuchsia without it getting awkward. Continuing his search through the campus, he happened upon the next best thing to Todd-his teammates! It was no secret within the group that they wanted the Sealions on the roster with Fuchsia falling in love with the chemistry that team built seemingly overnight, believing them to be key pieces to making a run in the tournament. Azule agreed that their chemistry was something else, attributing his rival's tremendous growth directly from his relationship with the Sealions. To Todd, they were more than just his teammates with the way they allowed him to be true to himself and embrace his insecurities-something the Rebels couldn't do for him.

"Ah, there she is." he mumbles, spotting Sandra sitting at a pavilion nearby a huge garden where the botanical club frequents.

Sandra looks up as he nears, "Oh, afternoon." She greets politely, moving aside some of her books; from her beam of smile to her glowing expression, everything about her was pleasant.

"Sorry to bother you, but have you seen Todd? I've been meaning to speak with him, but he won't talk to me."

"A lover's quarrel?" Sandra giggles, making him chuckle a bit; "What's up? I can relay it to him if he's being difficult. He can be moody sometimes."

Azule takes a second to make a decision, "Actually, I think it's fine if you hear this too, no-it's better if it's you." Sandra stops what she's doing and focuses on what he has to say; Azule explains everything that happened-the truth behind Nationals, and why he wanted to recruit Todd and the Sealions, also mentioning that it might be possible Todd overheard everything and thought that to be the cause; "I know it must be strange to hear it from me, but I believe we can't do anything at Nationals if we don't have a team like you all on our side. Your chemistry that was built in a literal season was something that I dare say can rival the likes of what I have with Squidcom, though the circumstances are different-the principle is there. Your team will no doubt be an amazing addition. I want to see you all up close, working alongside us to help bring a championship back to Squid Academy."

Sandra's a little surprised, "Thank you for the kind words! That means a lot coming from the current champions of our school, and I must say-a little weird. Rivals don't think so highly of each other, do they? I think I understand what Todd must be feeling now…"

"Really?"

"Yeah, I'm shocked to hear this from you and I don't have any personal grudge with you. I can't imagine how Todd would feel hearing that from someone he swore to hate."

"He's still on about that, I guess."

"If I were in his shoes, I wouldn't know what answer to give either. There's nothing we'd love more than to do than beat you and go to Nationals ourselves, but clearly the reason why you're reaching out to us would mean that even so, we'd probably have to take such measures as well. Do you know why such a requirement was made for us?"

"It's because we weren't believed to make it in. Though we were on a shortlist of considered teams, it took a gamble from someone else to make this dream a reality. If you mean why all teams have four to a team and no reserves, I'm guessing it must be along the lines that we were never once thought to stand a chance of making it to Nationals." He had a point, as not a single team since the golden age of many years ago has a team from Squid Academy ever gone to Nationals despite having that level of talent capable. More than likely, the Rank Wars weren't just about in-fighting, but to also serve as consolation for always missing the big event with students realizing that it was fine to simply settle for their own competition instead of competing with others. The reason why the Elites were so beloved was because of their dominance, their seamless ability to contend with the top teams, even if they still lacked that one breakthrough quality. Luckily this wouldn't happen next year thanks to Squidcom breaking the curse, with many fresh first years surely coming in to compete, and with the way the competition always evolves-especially after the last couple-there is a likelihood many students would settle for being a reserve on a good team if it meant they could contend for a title rather than form their own, a miniature replica of the real deal. "Will you help break the mold with me?" he asks, holding a hand to shake on it; Sandra's stuck with two options. Personally, she agreed with him and thought it was sensible to join the team, but it still felt wrong to make a decision without Todd's approval.

"I think you should speak with my captain, I'll tell him to stop avoiding you and man up."

"B-but couldn't you just tell him for me?"

"Nah. This is between two captains, I have no business in making such a decision. Besides, after what you've told me, I'm sure you already know the answer." she said with a confident smirk.

After that, Azule excused himself and thanked her for her time, understanding what it was he had to do. This wasn't as tough as he made it out to be, and it was probably the same case for the rest of the members who agreed to join. Everyone wanted to compete, everyone was hungry to show their strengths on the grand stage on their own terms, but first and foremost, representing the school came first and foremost-that's the endgame after all. If there was a chance to represent the school, it didn't matter what it took, they'll do it. That's the case for everyone on this: Kidvel, Evelyn, Mason, Zaneki, and the Sealions. Even if they are rivals with Squidcom, that meant nothing compared to the rest of the world that slept on their potential. A chance to shock the world, to get everyone talking about a little school in a big city with overwhelming talent smashing the competition, that's what matters most. Unfortunately that night, it was more the same for Azule and the others when dealing with Todd; he already had dinner and went to bed early. A vow to trap him next time since there wouldn't be any plans, the boys set up a plan to recruit one of their favorite players. The next day-a Thursday morning-is one of a radiant dawn that welcomes the city happily with rays so bright that even those deep in slumber within the protection of darkness couldn't fight its warmth-as if the goddess of light shines on the city, she's telling Squid Academy that fortune favors them today. Up early with a big notepad in her hand with her phone resting below and several sheets of paper scattered on the table, she's hard at work doing her research. She dedicates the morning to planning ahead for what will happen after they collect all their members, believing Azule when he promised her the previous night that he'd get Todd and the Sealions to join. She needed to calculate the time available for training, create menus for said training, find lodging in Ravia, search up places to visit while in town to boost morale, along with many other things. To start her morning she was reviewing the notes left by Violet and piled it with hers, calling over Tangie, Kosami and Sally to assist her. It was agreed in the group chat that today was a free day for everyone to do as they please, but with the initiative-driven personalities of Squidcom, everyone knew there was something they could do. As such Reice and Cobalt decided to hit Inkopolis square first thing in the morning while Azule decided to confront Todd.

"What is it?" Todd asks with annoyance, sitting on the couch with some brewed coffee prepared by Azule just after the others headed out; "You're the last person I want to spend my morning with, no offense."

"Shut it, green bean." Azule said, swift on the response in such an emotionless yet sharp tone that it cuts through Todd's defense in an instant.

"G-green bean?" he mumbles to himself, visibly disturbed by the insult. Azule stares at him for a while, letting the silence simmer between them. He didn't blink, sure to let his blue irises burn into the mind of the green inkling. Todd didn't feel comfortable with his focused gaze and started to look elsewhere. "Man, what do you want?"

"I thought there wasn't bad blood between us anymore..." Azule said crossing his arms, leaning back into his seat with his focus still on Todd; "So, why are you avoiding me? We're not enemies anymore."

He looks exasperated, "What are you, my mom? I don't need to answer you." he said in a scornful tone.

Azule's face turns blank, "Sandra was right, you're as stubborn as they come."

"Huh?"

"Ah, there it is." Azule's face relaxes with his eyebrows jumping up with contempt.

"What? Where what is!?" Todd scoffs, perplexed by the abnormal behavior.

Azule looks at him smugly, "You always get interested as the Sealions are brought up." he said maintaining the same condescending tone.

"Piss off, Royale."

"Are you scared?" he mocks.

"SCARED?"

Full of arrogance, "You're scared, aren't you?"

Todd shakes his head attempting to figure out what is happening, "Where is this coming from?" he shouts, uncomfortable out about the situation.

"No need to yell, I'm right here." Azule grimaced, clearing his ear.

"You're pissing me off, man!"

"How?"

"Drop that stupid tone!"

"Why?"

Todd makes a strangling motion with his hands like he wants to choke Azule, only giving an annoyed sigh. "You really want an answer?"

"Yeah, that's the point of this conversation."

"I overheard everything."

"From the other night?"

"Yeah, I know about everything. The requirements made, and the deadline you have to reach. I don't know who you have in mind of recruiting, but I'm almost sure of it that you were thinking of adding my team to the mix."

"How vain…" Azule mumbles under his breath.

Todd's face twists, "Huh? Say that a little louder!" he shouts; Azule doesn't continue.

"What if you were wrong? What if I had no intentions of adding you or the Sealions to the team?"

Todd shakes his head, "That isn't you."

"How do you know?" he narrows his eyes.

"I might hate everything you stand for, but I know you well enough through observation. In the beginning, you were overconfident and naive. You hadn't even seen a star pitch yet but you wanted the entire galaxy. The best case is your eyes, always full of life, vibrant and burning like a sun in the sky. When I first met you, you had a sharpness that was almost scary to see from someone our age. You hid it well with your usual smile and friendly demeanor, but I could tell from the times you glared at me that you carried something dark, a serious burden I couldn't ever fathom. It never disappeared, not when you won the rank wars, not after the spring. But, the moment you came back a few days ago, that petrifying glint was gone. There wasn't a hint of that sharpness of blinding hatred, but instead a somber glow that told the story of someone who was hurting."

Azule's face wrinkled, "What does this have to do with you avoiding me?"

"I hated you because you are everything I'm not, and you've done everything I couldn't. I was mean, arrogant, and had such weighted expectations, but each time I crumbled. I failed. On the other hand, you had far more to wrestle with, and each time you continued to improve until you finally kept your word. That sharpness you had was sort of like a reason for me to continue hating you, to serve as an underlying cause for improvement. But when you lost that glow, I could tell there's no way I can still harness abrasive feelings towards you. I don't know what you went through and it ain't my place to ask, but all I'll say is that I'm not sure how I should feel about you. Should I continue to view you as a rival, or can I look at you as a friend? I'm confused about everything because rivals shouldn't work together, but at the same time, we're both students at this school and we share a common goal, so it should be easier right?" He gives another strained sigh; "Are you happy? You picked my brain all you wanted, can I go now?" as he looked up to Azule, he saw two streaks of tears run down Azule's face-though he still kept an emotionless. "Yo man, are you okay? You're crying."

Azule was frozen for a moment but he realized it the moment he felt something running down his cheek, quickly wiping them away and rubbing his eyes. "S-sorry about that, I didn't think I could go so long without blinking."

"Right…"

"W-well, it's clear you've got a lot on your mind. Sorry about that, I was just pressing for an explanation, but I never thought it ran that deep." Todd curses under his breath, a little embarrassed; "Alright! That settles it. Todd, I want you and the Sealions on my team for sure."

"What?"

"Join my squad."

"Why?"

"You wanted to know whether it's fine to work alongside your rival, right? Well, let's find out together. We have a common goal, and I'm sure it'll be fun with you around."

"Dammit, there it is."

"Huh? What is?"

"That same stupid light from before, it's back now. Honestly, you're ever changing like the seasons man. Go talk to your friends about whatever it is you're hiding."

"Is that a yes? Will you join Squid Academy? Shake on it?" Azule smiles, holding his hand out for a handshake; "We can resume hating each other afterwards, right?"

Todd's face is red as he does his best to look away with a wrinkled face, finding it extremely embarrassing to go this deep with someone he despised. "Whatever, man. I'm only doing it for Sandra, Hannah, and Audrey. It'll be a great experience for them, so don't get any funny ideas. It's not like we're friends or anything.

Azule chuckles, "Tsundere Todd is back!"

"SHUT UP!" Todd growls.

Azule's face softened, analyzing that even now Todd still was conscious of the way people thought of him, and perhaps the underlying reason why he opened himself up to the Sealions was so that he could avoid another relationship where he based himself off of what other people thought. Azule thought it should've been known from their previous talk that he wouldn't think differently at his changes, but also had to remember that Todd was fighting his own personal struggles and was probably feeling guilt more than anything. That insightful comment about his eyes was a clear indicator that there is more than meets the eye when it comes to him. While the two rivals come to an agreement that brings Squid Academy's roster to 15 players, elsewhere, major developments are to be made; as of this moment, Squidcom just needed one more player to make their team official and go on a run at Nationals. Over at Inkopolis Square, Reice, Violet, and Jory were all playing some local games after running into each other on the morning jog while Cobalt was talking with his favorite shrimp, Crusty Sean. Squidcom aren't the only ones up early to begin the day, as over on the campus just before club activities began, an inkling in sky blue makes her march through the hallways looking for someone. After passing through several corridors and speaking with a dozen people, she finally arrived at her destination. In the room that once belonged to Principal Telfin, it now belonged to the interim principal.

"Morning, Principal Caviro." Sky greets, closing the door behind her carrying something in her hand.

"Morning, Royale. Have something to deliver to me?" he asks looking over at the paper in her hand; "You know it's a club day, right? Students otherwise aren't supposed to be at these facilities."

"I'm well aware, sir. I've been here for three years."

"No need to be so stiff, I'm just trying to lighten the mood. You look tense…"

Sky hands him the paper in her hand, "This is why."

The principal reads the paper with a disturbed expression forming as his eyes dart across the page, "Come out of retirement!? Are you-"

"Yes, on behalf of the Elites, I'd like to announce our return to play for Squid Academy at Nationals."

"Why?" he asked in disbelief.

A piercing light shines in her eyes, "I have unfinished business."

The weight of her words weren't those of a student but of a hunter who missed a prey that haunts them to this day. With the eyes of a warrior, he knew it was pointless to argue with her about the consequences that'll come with making such an announcement; while it'll be a morale booster for fellow students and alumni of Squid Academy, the rest of the world would rip them apart for their decision to return after the shocking announcement made months prior-their retirement was meant to be an end of an era and the dawn of a new one, which it has indeed become with her little brother becoming the flag bearer of this dawning age of resurgence. If she and the Elites came back, surely it would seem like they only came back to ride on the coattails of her little brother's success. Would she be fine with such disrespect? Would she be fine with the entire world belittling her? Principal Caviro asked himself these questions ready to shoot them at her anticipating a reply, but he couldn't bring his tongue to roll them off and escape his lips, petrified by the battle-ready inkling standing before her. Unwavering resolve with a shine in her eye, he could tell she didn't get a wink of sleep.

"Even if I clear this, what makes you think you will be eligible for play?" a rhetorical question, he already knew the answer but wanted to see if she might reconsider once she answered aloud.

Sky's shoulders straighten, "Under the rules of the association, we are eligible for play as long as we have agreed to the terms of sitting out four of the games for the upcoming tournament."

"The tournament group stage is seven games."

"I know."

"Even if I allow this, you'll only be allowed to play in three of the seven group stage games."

"We'll make it work and go to the knockouts."

The principal sighs, "I can understand your hunger and I can understand what a moment it would mean to finally play alongside your brother on the biggest stage possible. But I have to ask: are you sure you are prepared for this? It's been months since your last game, and that's the equivalent of years of inactivity in a sport where people eat and breathe the sport. I'm not sold on this…"

Sky draws the chair and takes a seat, "Then allow me to reason with you." she said in the same serious tone, her resolve so strong it puzzled him. She didn't care about being under heavy scrutiny nor did she worry about something like 'rust' when it came to an opportunity to battle at Nationals. Along with the rest of the Elites, she desperately wanted one last chance to make things right. A sliver of hope for the Elites, their fate rests in the hands of the interim principal; an extended period of reflection for them, they learned quite a lot about themselves through watching their juniors.

Noontime in Inkopolis. Reice, Violet, and Jory were taking a break after an intense morning of matches in ranked mode; unlike before where their focus was to reach the top of Rank X, they were more focused on maintaining their edge, and after hearing from Cobalt that Azule was on his way over, they all decided to wait for him to start a league battle run. At The same time, Kosami and Tangie were also in Inkopolis Square but for a different reason, stopping by Jelfonzo's shop for a visit. From the looks of it, they must've been making quite an order because the moment Tangie spoke to him, he freaked out, well, not that he wasn't stunned already after seeing what happened to her arm. While moves were getting made by Squid Academy on all fronts, Fuchsia and Sally were in the music room discussing something while Sally played the piano, seeming to be of some importance since both of them wore a serious expression with Fuchsia doing all the talking. As the day progressed, Fuchsia called a meeting with all the members of Squid Academy and gathered them together in a classroom that would serve as their club room until they leave for Ravia. Fuchsia announced to them that in half an hour the rest of the team would arrive, confirming ahead of time that they satisfied the requirement for Nationals and that the first meeting today would serve as an orientation of sorts. As time ticks by and Squidcom sit impatiently awaiting the people to walk through the door, Fuchsia often went in and out of the room to organize their entrance. First up…

"Heya!" Bianca beamed, glad to officially be part of the team staff and serve as a feint to keep them on their toes.

A couple minutes pass to pile on the silence, and breaking it almost immediately, four bodies entered the room. Led by their pastel green haired captain, it's none other than Kidvel! Immediately the room already brightens as Squidcom celebrates the official merger with their heated rivals from the playoff final. Another few minutes pass with the squad wondering what Fuchsia was up to with the huge smirk on her face, only to see her face beam as fellow captains make their entrance. Evelyn, Mason, and Zaneki step through the door, along with the Rebels joining the side as staff members, and though Squidcom did their best to cheer them on and show their support, they weren't as excited about that as the staff of Fuchsia, Kosami, and Cobalt were. Next up…

"I'm Audrey."

"My name is Hannah."

"Sandra…"

"SANDRA!" Azule cheered, knowing that if she saw joining the roster then surely...

"Come on captain, you can't hide there forever!" the trio laugh, signaling for their captain to join them.

As commanded, a bashful Todd enters the room and introduces himself as the final member of Squid Academy. A wonderful development, Squid Academy were eligible to compete at Nationals. Right away, Fuchsia seats everyone and begins her speech by thanking them for choosing to be part of the journey to Nationals, hoping to make the next few weeks an unforgettable experience. Even though she was so elated and couldn't wait to continue with the meeting, she explained that there was still one more thing she needed to do. Holding her hand out and guiding their attention to the entrance, her smile widens; everyone's mouths dropped and their eyes widen as familiar faces walk through the door. One by one they enter, first with the people who would be on the staff, and finally the players. Then followed the players, who walked in together. Jaws agape with furrowed brows of disbelief, everyone is speechless watching the four inklings make their arrival. An addition that nobody foresaw, the Elites of Squid Academy have joined the fight! Sky wears a big smile on her face while holding up the form that made it all possible, looking to her little brother full of hope with eyes pleading to give her and the rest of the Elites one final chance to rewrite the mistakes of yesterday-to avenge their loss and earn redemption alongside their juniors. Squidcom gets especially emotional at the return of the third year upperclassmen since it meant that they were willing to come out of retirement for one last dance before riding off into the sunset. If they weren't resolved to put up a fight before, now they had another reason. An official roster of 20 players and a stacked team with so much raw talent, the pipe-dream of Nationals could become a reality as a long road awaits them.