Happy holidays to you and your family and also best of luck in the upcoming year!
"Isn't it a little too early in the morning for a meeting like this? I rather spend my Saturdays sleeping in..." A grey haired beauty twirled her umbrella while wearing a black and grey kimono with trims of lime green; her disengaged expression was as powerful as ever as she gazes lazily over to the darkened navy sky off in the horizon that saw a faint sight of a lighter blue appearing with white shining in the horizon.
Agent 8's shoulders shake a little as she contains her laughter before giving a warm gaze to her comrade, "I see you still haven't changed after all these years, Agent 2."
"Hey, no fair! She's not even wearing her disguise and you still acknowledge her before me!?" Another inkling complained, throwing her arms in the air in shock; dressed in pink, her face matched her trendy outfit as she scolds her old comrade. "I even dressed extra special once I heard from gramps that you'd be coming here today. It's rare for you to come this far and visit without it being more than a day's worth." Callie chirped excitingly as she looked around at the rest of the Squidbeak Splatoon. Present are Agents 1, 2, 4, and 8 along with a sleepy Cap'n Cuttlefish sitting on a bench that overlooks the sight below. A meeting called by the Captain himself, it involved all the senior members of the squad, so Sky and Pastelle weren't notified of this secret meeting. Everyone seems happy but uncomfortable with the sudden reunion; Agent 8 has been missing for a while and only kept in contact with Cap'n Cuttlefish, Callie and Marie have been living their lives like normal, and Julian…
"I'm excited to see everyone again..." Agent 8 smiled as she looked at her fellow agents, her smile fading once her eyes met Julian's; "...Well, almost everyone."
Julian rolls his eyes and puts his hands in his pockets as he leans against a light post with his foot against the concrete holding the pole in place, "Yeah, Yeah, yeah, whatever."
"I see you're still as sore for the eyes as always." Agent 8 sneered, her tone less friendly than when she spoke with Callie and Marie.
"I see you're still pompous as ever, too." Julian retorted.
"I hope we're not late!" A cheerful voice called from the distance, catching everyone's attention.
Two figures emerged from the shadows of the inside of the lot and onto the roof where everyone awaits. Callie and Marie's eyes shined as their favorite idol duo made their appearance. Holding hands and dressed in a more suitable outfit for the chilly weather in the morning, Pearl and Marina made it to the meeting. Julian gave a whistle as he glanced at Marina before Pearl shot him a glare. Agent 8 gave Marina and Pearl hugs as they greeted her, then the Squid Sisters.
"I see Agent 3 hasn't arrived yet. I was hoping she'd be with you." Agent 8 said as she looks behind them in case she might've just been a bit behind.
Pearl shrugs her shoulders, "Dunno. We didn't see her on the way here."
Marina's head tilts as she observes the surrounding area, "Wow, she's running late..."
Cap'n Cuttlefish awoke and trembled as usual as he limped over with his cane, "She'll be here soon. She's always the last one here."
Julian laughs, "Saving the best for last. Man, she never changes."
Idle chat dominates as everyone passes time waiting for their last member to make her appearance. During that time waiting, Marina and Agent 8 share nostalgia of life back home and catch up on how their daily lives have been since their adventures before the war, Pearl and Cap'n Cuttlefish spit a freestyle for old times sake with Callie giving them a beat, and Marie and Julian stand over by the ledge overlooking the view of the city. All is well until a sudden cold breeze blows, forcing them to turn their bodies to the direction which the powerful pressure of wind came from, though not physically there-it was the strange sensation of a powerful presence feeling that sent shivers down one's spine and gave goosebumps as everyone identified only one person capable of giving such a feeling. Hearing the sound of leather squeak with each step, a hint of yellow-then pink-then finally lime is seen bobbing as it comes to the light accompanied by amber eyes that transition to blue then to velvet red. Dressed in a hybrid Agent outfit with her trademark cape, instead of her usual inkopolis military outfit, finally Agent 3 made her arrival.
"Maya…" Julian whispers under his breath as he gazes at her then closing his eyes and giving a shrug; Agent 8 is speechless, but overjoyed to see her beloved comrade again. As for the rest, there wasn't much to say other than a warm greeting from Pearl and Marina and the usual greeting from the Squid Sisters.
"I see you're still using that strange shift ability of yours…" Cap'n Cuttlefish remarked stroking his beard while examining his trusty agent.
"Been a while Cap'n, how are you." she saluted, her masculine tone as lifeless as always.
"Hehehe, no need to speak in that tone. You're among your family! Come to think of it, you don't usually speak so willingly...what changed?"
Maya gazes at the rest of the Squidbeak Splatoon, giving a tiny smile and then shrugs, "Just feeling sprightly is all."
Callie claps her hands to get everyone's attention since the meeting is about to commence, being held in secret at dawn in a parking lot structure, the contents of this meeting ranged on the various assignments that the Squidbeak Splatoon had been working on for the previous few months and years, their moment of truth approaching as they're prepared to begin Operation Rapture. From politics to the welfare of the social class, this gathering would address all the issues settle any last strings that needed to be wrapped up before the operation commences. Agent 8 steps forward and pulls out a cubed looking device from her black leather jacket sleeve and places it on the floor. A circular opening is revealed followed by a blue light that ascends to about the height of everyone, giving off a buzzing sound while it does so. Agent 8 pulls out a tiny looking device that resembles a miniature smart phone and begins flicking her thumb on the touch screen.
"My mission in Octaria and the data I've gathered are all presented on this screen-turn your attention there... Along with my objective there, I've managed to gain maps of the land's infrastructure as well as detailed maps on notable locations like the palace where the monarchs reside…" Agent says as she transitions from screen to screen; On the screen were graphs about the many issues taking place in Octaria from its growing rate of poverty, mortality, and violence to its dwindling of resources-a disaster of a society awaiting its demise. Agent 8 stops for a moment as her eyes meet Marina, who struggles to accept the fate of her motherland. "As you can see, there's plenty of negative and few positives happening within Octaria. To make matters worse, there are whispers and rumors going around about strange appearance of ninja and other foreigners entering and exiting the country. I suspect that like we discussed last time, Octaria is planning an attack on Inkopolis-though not limited to only them."
"A large scale attack then?"
"Perhaps. Her highness has basically assumed the throne from his highness and a rift has occurred. Her radicalized vision of how to save Octaria is plagued with nothing but a thirst for vengeance for the failures previously taken by her husband. His highness seems to have a change of heart from his prison break a few months back. Now, it seems like he wants to end hostile relations with Inkopolis, but since his wife has taken power since his absence it can also be assumed that the rift comes from those loyal to him going against those loyal to her."
"...And because of that, DJ Octavio realizes that she's more trouble than he was and could potentially ruin the entire country. Octarians as we know it would cease to exist…"
A divided government focused only on foreign affairs and conflict that fails to identify the issues present in their homeland, scores of citizens trapped within the borders and forced to suffer underground to their eventual death as poverty, pollution and even poor birth rates add to the mess. If nothing is done, Octaria won't be around anymore. Cap'n Cuttlefish knew as much many years ago that this would happen eventually based on everything that happened post-war. That's why he sent her. This specific mission was one that needed to be carefully done and required the most qualified agent to take command, which is why he chose Agent 8. Though he was against anyone else knowing about it at first, it was thanks to Agent 8's insistence that everyone including the younger but capable Agent 5 got to know what was on his agenda for Operation Rapture.
"Before we continue on that, I must stress this: I believe her highness is looking to wage another war against Inkopolis. From the recent reports of heavy equipment being imported to strange looking items and weapons, I believe that some notable shinobi clan has decided to take arms with them and plot to attack the nation from the shadows, and I believe the day for this to occur to be on-"
"The day of the Ravia conference." Maya finishes.
"Correct." Agent 8 nods with an impressed smile; "The day of the Ravia Conference. It's the most important day we know regarding diplomacy as a day where all the leaders of the world gather together to discuss a solution to having peace reign. It's that day that I say they'll attack. It's the perfect chance to strike down the many powers of the world in one fell swoop, causing pure chaos. Octaria's working with other people and who is to say that there aren't several? They have an army and the help of allies. We can't sit idle on this matter anymore."
"Even so, it's the most heavily guarded event ever with guards scattered everywhere. Do you really think anyone would be dumb enough to plan an attack on that day?" Agent 4 rationalized.
Pearl shakes her head, "Normally I'd agree with you, but…"
"With the recent events with Ixia that young Agent 5 has dealt with, it's a possibility that a network like that coupled with ninja and the backing of an aggressive nation like Octaria could pull that off."
After several back and forth conversations, Cap'n Cuttlefish brought it to a conclusion and accepted that something will be done, but it'd be decided later in the meeting. Shifting from the news of Octaria given by Agent 8, Marie takes over by calling for everyone's attention to give her report on the update of the Ravian conference. Expected to move to a new date to avoid conflict with the popular National Tournament that shares a venue right nearby where the conference is being held. Looking to avoid the traffic disaster that'd unfold if both events were held together on the same day within proximity of each other, the council organizing the Ravia conference decided that it'd be better to reschedule their event for an earlier date since the National Tournament took priority by the masses for its entertainment.
"All major officials looking to attend the conference are expected to adjust their plans accordingly and prepare for a new date that'll be announced officially by next week. Talk around those involved is that the new date should be sometime in late spring, preferably the end of April or early May since the National Tournament date is in mid June to early July."
"Hmm. Maybe we should take some serious precautions then…"
"Yeah, if they're moving up the date then surely many organizations will be anticipating the new date. The rumors of Ixia and of possible terrorist attacks will have to be monitored closely until the date is announced. Surely they'll mobilize themselves the moment they get the chance."
Marina's concern filled eyes turn to Marie, "If Ixia's a potential suspect for being involved in plotting a terrorist attack on the conference, it'd start with a hack, right?"
"Yeah…" Marie nods; " Ixia's a cyber organization, so from the reports Agent 5 gave. We can rest assured that there won't be any foot soldiers from them specifically-they're a massive network who'll relay information and secrets to other allies who'll probably be the ones performing the attack."
"Well…" Callie chimes in; "Given that the conference is a major meeting where the most important people from all nations and territories gather to discuss world peace, and it being held in Squirabia, a nation growing in power, who is to say they might not be in on it? I mean, our tedious situation with parliament right now doesn't help our standing as the premier nation of the continent and nations like Squirabia are looking to take our spot, so what are the odds that they could be in on this? We don't even have a prime minister right now, and since a deputy wasn't selected by the elect, we're stuck with that corrupt Liandt as the next best option since he was the second most popular choice."
Cap'n Cuttlefish shakes his head, "No worries about Liandt since he's my problem. For the conference, I'll have a guy I can trust to be our representatives and from there I'll have you as his escorts. While there, the mission is to keep him safe and be alert for anything suspicious. I'd like two of you to go, so I'm thinking Agents 3 and 4 for this one."
"What about home base…" Maya muttered as she unfolds her arms with slight satisfaction at being pegged to a mission with Julian.
"Home base huh?" Julian smirked, finding Maya's reaction cute; Maya shot him a cold stare.
Pearl shrugs her shoulders at the thought and taps her foot while looking at the ground, "Why not split us up? It seems like there's a trio of major events about to unfold: Liberation of the Octarians if we can work with DJ Octavio to overthrow his wife who seems to have taken power in his absence. For that, we send in the kids to handle that since Agent 5's got a pretty close relationship with the eldest princess and Agent 6 has a solid relationship with the younger princess. They're brilliant kids so I know they can get the job done, especially if we have Agent 8 guiding them. For the Ravia conference, stick with Maya and Julian since they are our most powerful assets and can protect whoever attends. For home base, leave it to Marina, Callie, Marie, and myself. We know this country like the back of our hands and can split up territories to cover and take a small force of soldiers just in case. I'm sure General Royale wouldn't, right Agent 3?"
Maya nodded, "She's a kind soul. I know she'll be willing to help but if need be I can visit her in person and explain the situation for the sake of security reasons."
"Thanks!" Pearl winked.
Julian gives a pleased nod, "Sounds good to me...whaddaya think Cap'n?"
"I like the organization of your suggestion, but...how do I put this?"
"Considering the stakes and what's on the line, though it's an organized plan we can't be too sure of what the magnitude of these potential attacks could be or if at all. It might be better for us all to be together and act as a unit." Maya stated with comprehension of her captain's feelings.
"No, I like it."
"Agent 8…?" Marina's surprised.
"Even though it pains me to see Agent 3 with that fool on a mission, they are the most logical choice for protection. I trust Agents 5 and 6, from how Agent 5 is...she's just like you, Agent 3. A true clone to you, only a bit more charming…" Agent 8 smiles warmly, prompting Maya to blush a little at the thought of sharing a similarity with arguably her toughest child since she's the hardest one to approach; "Her and the other junior who I haven't met but heard great things of seem like the seeds of the future that our society needs to create a harmonious world. If we send them to Octaria, I will personally look after them and make sure the mission is completed. We'll negotiate with his highness and try to contain Octaria's radicalism before it can do damage to the relations of Inkopolis and Octo Valley as well as Inklings and Octarians."
Silence fell as Cap'n Cuttlefish's trembling hands stroke his beard, his eyes barely open. "You have a good heart, Agent 8. If anyone can protect those innocent souls from the harsh battles that'll await them there, it's you."
"So it seems like the plan is set? We'll split and take our corresponding mission? Agents 3 and 4 go to the Ravia conference as escorts, Agents 1, 2, Pearl, and Marina will stay in Inkopolis and go on patrol for any abnormalities, and Agents 5, 6, and 8 will go to Octaria to stop the radical queen of the octarians." Callie finalized while taking a look at every member present.
"Seems so." Julian shrugged.
"Okay, I'll meet with the kids and brief them on everything. It's time they knew everything, right?" Agent 8's gaze turned to Maya and Julian, implying that there was another meaning to her words. Both of them are averting their eyes, knowing what the octo agent was implying. Within the Squidbeak Splatoon, the history of Maya and Julian and their relationship with their kids was well known, and though nobody wanted to cross the line and get too involved aside from Callie and Marie who're like godparents to the kids, everyone was aware of the secrets hidden from them. Part of the reason why Sky and Maya didn't have a good relationship stemmed from Sky blaming Maya for leaving them in the care of an orphanage, similar to Azule's resentment of Julian coming from the way he was treated in his childhood. With Agent 8's desire to speak with Maya and Julian afterwards, everyone else got the memo that this was probably the best time to make their exit since Agent 8 had a lot on her mind she wanted to speak about since the last time she saw the duo, from how big the kids have gotten, to Maya's usage of their late friend Luna as an alias to continue hiding the truth from her own blood. Sending her best wishes to everyone, vowing to meet again in the upcoming weeks, Agent 8's warmth dissipates as her eyes turn cold with a harsh glare to Maya. Julian doesn't know why, but he has the urge to get between them. The air feels dead with a subtle chill present in the dampness with not even a howling breeze as the only sounds heard are the pounding hearts of the pair of inklings and lone octoling that stand in a triangular formation looking at one another-shame on the faces of Maya and Julian.
Agent 8 gives a mighty sigh of displeasure, "I never thought I'd see your resurrection, huh Luna?" she crosses her arms, raising her chin demanding an answer from Maya; having heard whispers about Agent 3's ability to alter her appearance at will, Agent 8 wanted to see for herself if it was true that her dear friend was using their late friend's identity to lie to her own child. Maya looks down and takes a deep breath knowing that once she does this, her relationship with Agent 8 might worsen because of the close bond the three of them shared from youth and through the war. "So you go journeying beyond the realms of the continent into the forbidden land and come back here with this strange ability and decide to use it that way? Is it true, Maya? Is what I heard about you used her identity to hide the truth from your son. Are you still avoiding the reality?" her composure slipping with word that comes out her mouth, Agent 8 is visibly disturbed as she takes Maya's silence as an unwelcome answer.
Maya's hair changes from Lime to Pink, shortening to a medium length as her red velvet eyes turn to amber, her complexion darkening a bit. Speechless, the octoling could only shake her head in disbelief with tears starting to form. Maya holds her hand up, changing her hair to black, and her eyes to purple. Agent 8's eyebrows shot up with rage and storming towards Maya with fury, she's stopped by a serious Julian who puts his arm to warn her not to go any further.
"It's true...I'm sorry."
"Why…? WHY!?"
"Look, I-"
"You know what those kids meant to her! Don't you remember her dying wish!?"
"That's enough."
"Shut your damn mouth Julian! You have no right to act all high and mighty like you're above this and have no place. You took her position. No matter how hard you try to fit in, you don't belong. You're not the true Agent 4. You'll never be accepted, especially by me!"
"Aug-"
"Don't call me by my name, Maya. You know I hate that name. The number given to me by Cap'n is the only name I'll accept." Agent 8 glared, her fist clenched furiously with tears in her eyes, her voice filled with hatred, but also filled with deep sadness and shock; Maya knew it made no sense in trying to talk about it, after all, that day didn't only scar her, it scarred Agent 8 much worse since she'd grown a special friendship through their years as budding rivals. As Agent 8 tried to regain her composure, Julian sighed with a strain and takes a step back to let the girls work it out.
"I know it's not my place to be in this. You're right. I wasn't an original like you all, but even so, Agent 8, you should know better than to harbor the feelings that you do. For a moment there, I could tell you meant actual harm to Maya."
Agent 8 places her hands at her hips, "I could never hurt Maya for real. It's just that Luna means a lot to me in many ways and seeing her identity being used by the very person she admired the most just stings when the reason as to why is all linked back to her."
"Even then, it isn't entirely Maya's fault. I don't like it either, but if this is her way of coming back into his life, then so be it. I've tried to reconnect with him too, but that's been a slow process as is. The fact that he's formed a close bond with Maya's alter ego feels as though she's doing the job Luna would've done if she were still here."
Agent 8 crosses her arms and shakes her head, "You're both focusing on the youngest one but seem to forget there was another born a couple years before him. How do you think she'd feel about all this? For one, she's on the same squad as her parents, who never reach out to her. She's the spitting image of her mother and has the personality of her father, you know how rough it must be for her to have to live in the shadows of her parents and not have any relationship with them?"
"Sky…"
"Impersonating Luna is one thing, but you fail to recognize there's another child that needs her mother as well, one who is a lot smarter than what her mother gives her credit for. From the conversation I had with her, I could see she's got your intelligence, but his temper."
"Sheesh, always finding a way to take a jab at me…"
"What can I say, I find the sight of you to be revolting. Anyways, I'm here now and that means change is coming whether you're ready for it, or not. Rebirth is happening behind Rapture, which means after everything is settled, we may not even be alive to see the fruits of our labor. You understand that, don't you? That this might be the last time you can see them again. So, are you truly satisfied with hiding your identity from your son? Ignoring your daughter? Time doesn't wait on anybody, Maya. Decide soon where you want to go with this, but remember that those kids deserve to know why you and Julian have been absent. The entire story." Without another moment spared, Agent 8 turns around and makes her exit-leaving the dumbfounded parents to decide next where they want to go. With time ticking until the day of rapture and rebirth, Maya and Julian had to come to grips that if they didn't get the lofty weight off their shoulders, they might never be able to sleep easy. Guilt is a dangerous killer.
A painful sound of gagging followed by furious coughing can be heard from the bathroom of the dorm. Hunched over a toilet spitting out blood was Azule, who looked unusually paler as his hat rested on the counter behind him under the mirror that had a storage cabinet; the mirror showed the gagging boy as he hurls his organ out, then flushing the toilet and sitting on the floor for a moment to catch himself. Getting up and dragging his body to the sink, he washes his face and spits out whatever remaining blood he can. Looking up at the mirror, his face is flushed. His hands tremble with weakness as he struggles to pull himself away from the sink. A trembling gripping of the faucet and turning of the water to a stronger pressure to erase the red pigment scattered as droplets in the sink, he uses his hand to wipe the trail of blood from his mouth and looks to the door with an open ear hoping that nobody heard him through all that. He needed to keep this secret.
"I...can't go belly-up just yet…" he whispered out of breath, staggering a bit and then leaning against the wall to catch his himself, breathing heavily to let in as much air as his lungs could take in that state. He had to snap out of it quickly and get back to his room before anybody noticed.
Opening the door, he is immediately met by Todd, who has his arms crossed and his eyes closed as if he'd been there waiting a while. Azule's heart sank as he stares at Todd in complete shock. Todd opens his eyes and keeps them on the pale Azule who can barely stand up from the pain, having to lean against the door for support. Scratching the back of his head while grimacing and looking a way for a moment, Todd tried to erase the initial image he saw of Azule."Are the others aware of how bad your condition is? You've been hurling your guts up at the early morning every other day..." Azule didn't know how to respond since the look in Todd's eyes seemed like genuine concern; Todd got his answer from Azule's silence that he didn't even want to tell his teammates his health worsens by the day. "Alright, I'll pretend I wasn't here. So uh, go and get some rest. You need it."
Azule's eyes were almost shut from withstanding the agony, "T-thanks Todd. I owe you one." Azule smiled with grimace as he dragged away holding his chest.
Todd couldn't help but feel a piece of himself shiver from the sight of seeing his rival, someone who he'd come to respect and even admire, at his weakest moment. It was terrible feeling to possess, to see the image thought to be true to actually be false. The truth presented to him in the most brutal of fashion. That image of Azule gave him a terrible insight to what the fate of his blue haired rival would be. Covering his face, he massages his forehead and gives a lengthy sigh-heading into the bathroom and spraying the room so that Reice won't the smell faint hint of blood.
Today is matchday 15 of the Rank Wars. After today's game, there will be exactly 1 week left of regular season games before the playoffs begin. Next Tuesday saw Kidvel and Squidcom square off against each other in what felt like the game of the season since both teams managed to stay unbeaten so far and with heavy foreshadowing of a potential championship finals match, everyone had their eyes turned to next week-media and fans alike. However, today wasn't a day to be overlooked either because another popular matchup that serves as a teaser to next week's monumental clash was happening: Sealions vs Rebels, the first time Todd will face his former squad. A solid showdown between two of some of the best teams in the competition, many people had their eyes on this game and some had expectations that it'd be better than the following week's super game. Throughout the day, Squidcom took time to have to themselves wanting to have a clear mind when game time came around; it gets exhausting having to repeat the same routines weekly, especially when most of the time spent in one's thoughts having to revolve around the Rank Wars. Regardless, Squidcom didn't lose heart as they go about their day doing the things that can keep them sane: Azule's going over notes for today's upcoming game with Fuchsia and Jory at a cafe nearby, Sally's practicing her guitar skills in comfort of her own dorm-strumming randomly by ear until she finds a riff she can work with, Violet's in the living room on the couch finishing up her current novel, Reice is doing his core workouts in his room, and Kosami is on her laptop still finding any clues on Ixia. All while a team like Squidcom were spending their hours before the game lounging and relaxing, the opposite is occurring for Todd and his Sealions, who are already at the Goby Arena scoping out the turf for the day. Their game was the last one on the schedule for the day, but that didn't stop the team from coming early to formulate a plan; since this was the venue, teams were allowed to come as early as they like, but because at this time in the year many teams were in such a complacent state that not many bothered showing up early like the Sealions and in fact, the Sealions were always the first team to show up to the venue every week. Having already gotten settled in the boys and girls locker rooms, the team joined in the hallway and headed to the team store to buy gear before going on an impromptu tour of the arena and the Lob-Stars, the popular team that calls this arena home. Heading into the arena and having a panoramic view of the massive interior, the girls gasped since it was their first visit to this arena since none of them ever got the chance to play there in regular turf wars.
"We'll be playing here tonight!?" Audrey hands hold her face as she lets the image burn in her mind.
Todd gives a nod, "We'll be fine. This stage isn't any more intimidating than Starfish Mainstage."
"Yeah except this place can fit way too many people. To think it's quiet now and will be deafening in a few hours. It's one of few maps where bleachers and seats don't have to be brought in for people to watch live. I'll have to agree with Audrey on this one." Sandra said as she tried to keep calm, feeling anxiety just from the mesmerizing sight.
"Everyone watches us on TV, which is scary enough. But in person!? I don't know how I feel about thousands of people coming to watch us!" Hannah added.
Todd smiled at the innocent fear of his teammates and then looked to each of them with confidence, "The thousands of people that'll be in the stands will b e rooting for us. Think about how awesome that'll be?"
The girls gave it some thought, first Hannah beamed, then Audrey, and Sandra even blushed at the thought of it. The idea of thousands of people from different races and backgrounds all gathered together to root them on, cheering their names to the roof, that thought seemed too good to be watered down by negativity. "See? There's people already here in the stands waiting for the games to start." Todd points to the jellyfish sitting in seats far over. Taking them closer to the court, Todd began going into details about how to stop the rebels and how to maximize their skills to carry out the objective properly.
"I want to maximize mobility since this is Tower Control. That means I want you to choose weapons with high stats in mobility. Stay close to the tower at all times, even if you know you're going to get splatted. We can't let our opponents build momentum of any sort."
"Don't we usually retreat when situations get hectic? Why should we die on the objective this time around?" Hannah interjected.
Todd nodded, "The Rebels are like all the other difficult teams we've faced, they'll seize the moment if they ever gain momentum. If we play with desperation and super jump to the point, we'll hold them-even if just for a second. The point is to always have a body on the tower to allow someone else to connect. After a while, either they give up and we get our opening to swarm, or we falter and they break through, so it's imperative to play to your strongest intensity as possible."
"Rush the tower and always have a body occupy their time just enough for the rest to come and engage in a battle..." Sandra echoes, looking to confirm Todd's intention.
"Yes. If we all just retreat, we give time to gather a defense and protect the tower which leads to us failing to muster an attack since they're one of the most solid offenses this season. As always, read the flow of the battle. If it gets desperate, follow my orders. Otherwise, what is said here is what must be followed."
"So, should we attack like normal? Or go in carefully?" Audrey asked.
Todd smirks and a little chuckle, "Go wild."
Preparations continued like normal as the rest of the teams arrived at the arena, soon turning the somewhat peaceful and quiet arena into a livelier hub as the laughs and snickers from inklings just happy to be there echo to the roof of the huge arena. The many workers who were fixing up the arena finally finished preparations and gave the signal to start letting the spectators in who'd been waiting at the admission gate. An arena record 52,481 people sat in attendance for today's games, and indeed they were in for a treat. The day started off with Squidcom and Kidvel playing their respective games and winning in easy fashion, Mayhem and Legion also bounced back and won their games after having dropped the first games in the match. Meta continued to go on the rise as they swept their opponents, sparking conversation about being a potential spoiler to Kidvel and Squidcom since they faced Kidvel on matchday 17 and Squidcom on the last day of the regular season. With the Sealions and Rebels stepping up to the stage as the main event in front of an arena packed with thousands of ecstatic fans like sardines, the teams are treated to passionate songs by the ecstatic audience who're at an all time high singing the school fight song looking forward to the game of the year. The commentators give coverage and throw out some meaningless stats, trying to fight over the roaring crowd. People are up on their feet already, anticipating an electric start after seeing the promoting leading up to the event: Ex-captain returns to face former team in a crucial game that has playoff implications. Who'll prevail? Change or Revenge?
"During the previous Rank Wars, I was only obsessed with my goal of winning the Rank Wars and gloating to an unconscious Azule. I was blinded by my own greed that I forgot what it meant to be a leader and lead by example. I failed my team and put the blame on them for my errors and forced them to follow orders even when they seemed unnecessary and they still followed them because they respected me enough to put up with my antics. I abused that trust. But luckily I've been given a second opportunity to correct those mistakes, and this is the first test to decide if things have changed.
The answer lies within the match that starts from the whistle blowing furiously to signal the releases of both teams from their spawn. Todd leads the way supported by air horns and balloon sticks from Sealions fans. Likewise, Vince leads his Rebels with support pouring from the Rebels fans as the team in bright orange had to wear their alternate colors since the Sealions wear maroon for this game. Maroon ink expands from the north, Orange ink from the south, the sounds of guns firing rapidly as orders are called on the turf with both sides reaching the tower at the center of the arena. An all out war breaks out as both sides fight for the tower. Sandra shifts to the left, focusing on Phillip, but the slippery Rebel escapes her line of fire and tries to retaliate with a shot of his own, only to be met by Todd. Todd's quickness saved Sandra from an early splat, but left the tower open as Audrey and Hannah were locked in a tag battle with Vince and Corey, who leave the path opened for Dustin to seize the tower. An early capture gets put to halt by the quick instincts of Hannah.
"We're not letting you get by that easily!" she yells furiously, forcing Dustin off the tower and leaving Audrey to fend for herself; Audrey manages to create space by throwing down a splash wall.
"Got him!" Sandra yelled, shifting her gaze to Todd with a quick nod managing to grab the splat.
"Push the tower!" Todd shouts anxiously; all that matters at this point is to gain early momentum.
The Sealions managed to grab a splat on Phillip and secure the tower long enough for it to move just a few points before being halted again. Vince and the Rebels give immediate pursuit and run them off the point, using their medium ranged weapons to their advantage and even covering the tower in their ink. The Sealions disperse, keeping the numbers in their favor by avoiding a splat. Rebels take point and gather with Dustin preparing for a super jump; Todd yells something under the ink and pops up from the maroon hue, throwing an ink sprinkler and swimming in the opposite direction of where he threw; Sandra takes over and does a hop with each fire trying to avoid as much enemy ink as possible. Hannah takes to the right high ground and Audrey swims around to trap them. It's the Rebels in a cluster against the zone formation of the Sealions. As spectators notice the tactic of the Sealions, the hype in the atmosphere grew by the millisecond as everyone anticipates a major play. Squidcom's on their feet for different reason: Azule's surprised by Todd's approach to this game, Violet and Sally are impressed with the way the other Sealions are playing with similar tenacity to their captain, Reice and Jory are stunned by the effort both teams were putting in the opening minutes of the game, and Kosami and Fuchsia both stood with calculating minds dissecting the team's early performance. On the turf, the Sealions and Rebels are going head to head exchanging ink as the Rebels grow their lead with all members still on the tower. Pressure amounts on the Sealions who're forced to keep retracting their steps as the bullish Rebels refuse to abandon the tower and bring the fight to Todd and his crew, keeping the tower locked down. Mobility is on the Sealion's side, but did it mean anything against an impenetrable defense like the Rebels?
Todd thinks for a moment as he watches the tower slowly reach closer to the goal, if nothing was done about this problematic fortress of a defense, they'd be done. The Rebels took the tower with ease by running the Sealions off and quickly set up a defense, which meant they were aware of Todd's offense based on the cocky smirks off all the members-daring Todd to come at them. Todd looks over to Audrey up top, then Hannah behind the Rebels, and lastly at Sandra in front of him-all having the same determined look on their faces as they continue firing at the Rebels on the tower with their eyes glued to the tower; if they weren't going to lay down and let the Rebels walk over them, then Todd couldn't either!
"Rally, everyone! We strike at all angles!" he shouts, rushing past Sandra and onto the point; it's very early in the game, but the stakes are high already as the captain of the Sealions throws caution to the wind to contest. Todd leaps in the air and throws his burst bomb at the tower, Corey returns with a burst bomb of his own-Dustin throws a splat bomb at Sandra and forces her to move out the path blocking the tower. Phillip sets up a splash wall to avoid the blind side hit from Hannah, who makes her timed hit on them just as Todd initiates; Audrey's forced to retreat after an autobomb gets thrown her way and follows her, swimming to safety behind a little net that blocks the pathway to the Sealion's turf. Todd's caught in mid air thanks to his leap and is met by an accurate splat from Vince, who waited patiently for the right chance to deliver a meaningful blow like that; Sandra, Hannah, and Audrey's faces go blue for a second as they see their captain get splatted right before their eyes and all bite their mouths trying to hold back the frustration of being unable to land a strong punch at their opponents.
"Retreat!" Sandra shouts, swimming back to guard the path where the tower is heading; Hannah and Audrey join her and let the Rebels secure the tower.
The audience felt the need to catch their breath after that one. If felt as though they were battling for hours but that exchange was only a dozen seconds! Many teams watching the game couldn't help but put on their spectator caps and enjoy the promising game, seeing two teams with a grudge go at it. Even if it was early, what captivates the audience is the desperation in the air between the two teams, their anxiety and tension boiling and filling the turf's atmosphere like a cloud of fog.
"Vince Zaneki Vaseppe, leader of the Rebels. To think that this late in the season against Todd and the Sealions we're still seeing something new." Fuchsia shakes her head in awe of how easy the Rebels defused the attack of the Sealions. "Having everyone stay on the tower and defend that point like their lives depend on it as well as their weapon choice, it's impressive to believe they anticipated the Sealions playing this way."
"They're both playing tenaciously but the Rebels are looking scary right now. To think we faced them…"
"This is the game they've been waiting for. They wanted Todd the moment the season began and saw he was able to lead yet another team. All the whispers and uncertainty of Vince's ability to lead the team in the way Todd did, it can all be put to rest if he beats Todd here. Likewise, Todd and his Sealions have something to prove. They aren't a stacked team like the Rebels, but they have heart, and their roster is growing in experience and will get better as the season continues. The way I see it, it's a polished gem vs a diamond in the rough."
A few minutes go by and the Sealions regroup after having been forced to retreat and let the Rebels grow their lead with the score at 75-100 with the Rebels continuing their path to a knockout victory. Todd's still composed as his Sealions look at him for guidance, and without another moment's hesitation, he's off for the tower yet again. He cuts to the high ground and arcs his shot-then throwing a sprinkler, Sandra follows behind him and throws her inkstorm. Hannah follows from the right with her baller and chases the Rebels off the point; the Rebels disperse to the left with two going backwards and the other pair going completely opposite of Hannah, who claims the tower and releasing the baller. Before the Rebels can pull an immediate counter, the pair opposite of Hannah and blown to just their clothes as Audrey appears from behind the massacre, rushing to the tower to help the push; Todd follows behind and so does Sandra. The Sealions are making their push!
"Good push, everyone! Set up on the tower and gather yourselves, they'll be coming for our throats on the next flank! Once they do, I wan't Audrey off the tower and to find cover-we'll surprise them with an ambush of one while the three of us sit as decoys."
"WHAT!?" the trio echoed.
"Don't worry, trust me on this one."
"R-right!"
A few seconds go by without an attack from the Rebels, and the Sealions begins to countdown their score. Todd knew what the Rebels were up to: they weren't going to entertain an uphill battle, but he also knew they might be prepared to obliterate the initial plan he devised of forcefully holding the defense, which is why he decided to switch up and have Audrey do an ambush. If the Sealions could successfully hold off the Rebels long enough for Audrey to attack in their blind spot, the Sealions could land a psychological blow of reassuring the Rebels that they couldn't take the tower back no matter the effort, allowing for his original plan to be effective in the next game. He knew the Rebels, and knew that the team falters if the captain falters, and no matter what, that's what he plans to do.
I'll make you bow down to me, Zaneki!
"Wh-what the heck!?" Audrey shouts from the cover she's at before her voice gets drowned in ink.
"H-huh!? Audrey!?" Hannah shouts.
"Captain they got Audrey!" Sandra yells, hopping off the tower to see what happened; Todd hops off the tower and goes around the other way to try a pincer attack, leaving hannah alone on the tower knowing Audrey will jump to her position.
As they pair swim to where Audrey's splatted, they notice not another living soul when-
"AIIIIEEEEE!"
It's Hannah.
The tower is lost; The score 75-82.
"What the hell!?" Todd shouts, rushing to the tower to notice it occupied by the entire Rebels squad, who're squid bagging and booyah-ing away.
Sandra shakes her head in disbelief, "How did they…?"
"Doesn't matter, rush the tower. Audrey and Hannah can catch up." Todd dismisses, going for the point; Sandra follows behind.
Fuchsia narrows her eyes, studying both the teams like a scout. She already knew the reason as to why the Rebels were able to seize the point so easily. After the Sealions took the objective, Vince sent one of his teammates to go and scope the map for any strays while the rest swim in the direction of the tower and prepare for combat, but once the stray was neutralized in an ambush, everything worked in their favor with Todd and Sandra abandoning the point and leaving Hannah stranded. If the Sealion's had just stuck together, they wouldn't have lost the tower so easily-or at all. It was still in the game with plenty of time still left on the clock, but that was the deciding factor in the game. No matter what Todd and the Sealions tried, they just couldn't beat the communication of the Rebels, not to mention getting a little bit rattled by the excessive taunts and trash talk by Vince and his squad. An easy knockout for the Rebels, they proved that it'll take more than schemes to beat them.
"Get good, suckers!" Dustin taunts as he returns to spawn, though not the only one as the rest of the Rebels are at the Sealion's spawn and making noise as the Sealions try to get their break.
Todd shoots them a vicious glare and warns them to back off; the noise in the arena elevating as many in their seats rise expecting a fist fight to get thrown between the Sealion's captain and his former team. It feels like time's slowing down as Todd's eyes meet those of the Rebels, who all have the same ravenous expression; these boys came for a meal.
"We'll feast, my Rebels!" Vince mocked, leading them away from Todd and shooting an arrogant smirk at the Sealions captain.
Todd turns to his teammates and give them a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, we'll get the next one!"
Even though they did well early on in the game, it still ended in a knockout. It stayed a competitive battle until a single moment changed the dynamic of the game and turned into the meltdown of the Sealions. Momentum sides with the Rebels as their convincing play assures spectators that they could sweep the Sealions. Todd takes a look at his squad and already can tell how unnerved they are by the meltdown, feeling like they'd cost themselves the entire match with that error. Todd gives a sigh and smiles at them, clapping his hands together.
"Smiles only! It's just one game, everyone."
Audrey lowered her head, "But Todd, we screwed up-"
"You didn't do anything wrong. It was my fault for having us stray away from the plan we decided earlier. All that happened was they caught us off guard and took advantage. This round we'll stay true to our plan and execute it swiftly. Choose whatever weapons suit you, got it?"
Sandra and Hannah nod, but Audrey's still melancholy feeling responsible for the team losing the first game. Todd tries to cheer her up by encouraging her to keep playing the way she did and not let this hurdle faze her. Doing his best to keep his team morale from sinking, Todd's situation differed from Vince's corner which saw the Rebels team at an all time high as they savor the wonderful feeling of sticking it to their former captain and showing him that they weren't the issue, but it was him. Vince felt his confidence brimming as cheer rain from the fans watching with everyone showing the overwhelming support after their performance with many chanting for a sweep after seeing how easy the Rebels made it look. Serenaded by the cheers of the booming audience showing their support for the Rebels, the second game followed. Game 2 became a battle of willpower as the Rebels found themselves being overwhelmed by a feistier Sealions side that a had sharper bite. Throughout the game, it went back and forth as the tower changed possessions regularly with neither side able to relax with their lead since it could be taken away in a moment's notice, from Vince's evasiveness in avoiding critical hits from the Rebels to the boarish rallies of Todd and the Sealions, every second in the match mattered as both sides matched each other. From inkstorms and ballers causing the entire team to move from the tower to sting rays and tenta missiles racking up splats, it was with 1:43 left on the clock that saw a major shift in the close battle. Todd's up high on one of the blocks where the basket is aiming his ink at the tower, chasing the Rebels off by accurately covering the tower in his ink, Hannah quickly captures the tower; Sandra's right behind her for support. Dustin and Corey return to contest the tower while Phillip shifts to his right try a pincer attack and surround the girls, but Audrey appears from his blindspot and sprays him down. Ink and gear fly everywhere as the teams trade with one another with everyone getting wiped out a second later. Todd looks to the empty objective and scans for Vince knowing the sneaky Rebel is in the area waiting to attack like a snake.
"It's now or never, Zaneki!" Todds shouts haughtily, dropping from his spot to the tower below to claim in the name of the Sealions; If Vince was any bit like the arrogant inkling he believed him to be, this would be the perfect time to settle for a battle between captains.
The sound of ink enters through the left ear of Todd, and immediately he leaves the tower and is greeted by a leaping Vince who's got hunger in his eyes; much like Todd, he was looking forward to this moment. Everyone rises to their feet, for this might be the game with the score 28-41 in favor of the Rebels. Todd's on the defense as Vince pursues him and ignores the vacant tower, trusting his fellow Rebels to swim to the tower and leave Todd to him. Likewise, Todd's expecting his Sealions to understand the objective comes first and leave this battle to him. A personal battle that needed a proper setting, Todd put his pride where it matters and swims into enemy territory having enough confidence to handle the captain of the Rebels in his own territory. Phones and cameras are out with many zooming to the duo watching ink fly forward and backwards between the two as Todd kept facing backwards and Vince, trusting his instincts to lead him where he wanted.
"Are you daft? Do you know where we are?" Vince remarks as the smirking Todd comes to a stop after a fair distance between them is created.
Todd grips his gun, "Isn't this the perfect way? Betrayed by my former team I kick their new leader's ass on his own side of the map and murk them afterwards. Ready to get embarrassed?"
Vince furrows his brows, "The hell? You might be a prodigy but you've got it terribly mistaken if you think you can end me, much less my team. You're not that girl from Squidcom."
Todd smirks, "Once your team understands to focus on the objective, you're my prey. You might be great in a team battle, but I own solos. If we do a one on one, I'm winning."
As Todd says that, the Rebels rush pass him, then halt for a moment as they look to their captain with their former captain-confusion ensuing as they wonder whether to splat Todd or to leave this to Vince. A test of wills, would the Rebels get the hint from Vince to stay out of it and focus on the match or did they lack that trust for their captain? Faced with that scenario, Todd's arrogance grew as he turned his glinted eyes to the Rebels. With just one momentary meeting of looks, the Rebels remembered right away why they followed Todd to start with-he was arrogance personified. Unlike the Todd of old, this one had a different light in his eyes. He seemed free. He lacked that pointless hate and dislike for his opponent, instead he had this innocent smirk of enthusiasm similar to a ripened fruit filled with sweet nutrients. Radiant like the sun, Todd gives a laugh and tests the Rebels to come at him.
"Go to the tower and win the game. I'll take down the prodigy by myself."
"Wow Zaneki, bold of you to assume I'd be so easy…"
Todd makes dash for the Rebels who have their guns ready and fire, but Todd shifts to the left and splats Dustin before backtracking and engaging in combat with a fiery Vince who feels insulted after Todd's cheapshot. The rebels received their orders, but after Todd's move, none of them felt like getting the tower and instead wanted to pummel the Sealion captain, but duty calls. While Todd played around with the Rebels, the Sealions captured the tower and are en route to taking the lead with the trio setting up on the point, and their specials loaded up after taking longer routes to charge them up in anticipation of an enemy push. Sandra gives the orders after scouting ahead and spotting the Rebel duo swarm for the tower.
"Zone! Zone!" she shouts returning to the moving tower; the serious Audrey and Hannah give a nod and ready their weapons.
What awaits the Rebels is total devastation as the Sealions unleash their specials and splat the duo immediately, and later on the returning Dustin who super jumped to their location only to be met the trio's ink. From the psychological warfare of Todd against Vince to the Sealions setting up their defense on the tower, the game looks to be in the Sealion's favor. Azule gives a hearty smile unable to contain his excitement at the growth his rival, witnessing the blossoming Sealions becoming a bigger threat than what anyone imagined. A revitalized team behind a new Todd, if the Sealions win this game it spelled doom for the Rebels who'd have no chance in surviving the momentum that'd abandoned them. Though many in the audience still showed support and rallied behind the Rebels, it wasn't deafening like earlier, which was why Azule couldn't help but smile at Todd's efforts. To impress the audience to the level of stunned silence and even cheers his way, a true prodigy finally made his mark. Time is ticking against the Rebels as the Sealions close in on the lead, Todd's still engaging in combat with Vince, though it's been cat and mouse as the Rebels captain has been completely on the offensive, which could work against him as he leaves himself completely exposed. Todd throws his sub and darts to his ink for retreat and swims to cover, Vince follows behind like an animal possessed. The Rebels pass by once again to see their captain struggle to make the splat and all of them have the same nagging feeling to go and get involved against their captain's will. Even though Vince felt assured he could beat Todd, he was ruining the game with his selfishness-a sight the rest of the Rebels knew all too well. Corey stops for a moment while the other two move forward to contest the tower and studies the two captains. Todd's cheeky smiles and energetic movements seem like he's having too much fun taunting and playing with the insecure Vince, who's determined to prove himself-the sight of the polarizing personalities forcing him to decide what he should do. Back at the tower, Dustin and Phillip are careful to avoid any close combat and fire away to try and force the Sealions off, concerned that their lead shrinks as the moving tower nears a tie with the score at 28-43. Corey returns, but there's a hesitation in his offensive attack as he continuously takes glances over at the ragin battle in the rear between the two captains, realizing the tower is approaching where they're battling. Though plenty of focus is on the battle at the tower where the game is being decided, many people couldn't help but turn their attention to the resilient efforts of the warring captains who're now exchanging ink. Vince landed a solid body blow on Todd, but he returned fire by surrounding Vince in his ink to slow him down and keep him from coming any closer and delivering the lethal hit, to which Vince still tries but fails miserably as the Todd escapes narrowly and tries to return the favor and splat him. Trapped like a lost animal about to meet their doom, Vince can only watch on helplessly as Todd nears him to end their battle-however that changes immensely as Todd finds himself completely drenched in orange ink, blowing up immediately with his gear scattering. A splashdown from the heavens…
"!?"
"Wha-"
"HUH!?"
Gasps fill the arena as shock settles in with waves of people stunned with widened mouths trying to comprehend the sudden turn of events. Ignoring their captain's wishes, the rest of the Rebels got involved and eliminated Todd before another crucial play in favor of the Sealions could occur. The shock rattled the Sealions to their core as they felt hesitation in their attack-a moment of weakness that the other Rebels sensed the moment the splatting of Todd happened. A sigh of relief or frustration? Shared by the rest of the Rebels, Vince joins them on the objective and they go on the attack and splat Hannah and Audrey; Sandra stays on the tower and fights for her life to keep it contested for as long as possible.
"So this is the team you've built Todd…" Vince bites his lip as he recalls the person who he robbed as the captain, taking an already polished team and reaping the rewards while the excommunicated member had to start from scratch. To see how far one traveled in just a span of a few weeks, Vince had no choice but to accept that while he possessed the better team, Todd was the better captain-able to draw out the potential in a team that otherwise wasn't worth another glance. "Finish her!" he shouts, followed by the Rebels swarming the tower and bulldozing through Sandra, claiming the tower. Todd and the others swim as fast as they could but unfortunately time reaches expiration before they can get to the halfway point.
It all happened in the blink of an eye, so fast that even the audience was struggling to accept the result-one so good that the many people who'd been cheering for the Rebels found themselves silent, stunned by how the unsatisfactory way the match came to an end. A battle between two fierce captains settling the score, only to be interrupted by a teammate of the losing captain to prioritize the objective-shattering the honor and beauty of solo battles. Though it was smart for the Rebels to go the route they did, the audience found it disappointing; in the minds of many, the thought was that Todd had the upper hand and his team had such synergy that it seemed improbable of defeat. If this game went any longer, Todd and the Sealions would've become a serious threat. As the two teams go their separate ways, a standing ovation for both comes. Holding his head up high and looking back to his team with the ocean of applause behind him, Todd could only smile seeing the determined looks in his fellow ravenous teammates, who're starved for a rematch against the Rebels, feeling as though they'd been robbed.
"Don't worry, everyone. We'll lick our wounds and sharpen our fangs. We'll see them in the playoffs. I promise!" Todd smiled as he pounded his chest with a confident smirk.
Next time, the Sealions would be a different team. This, he swore.
