It's a Sunday morning with dull Grey skies f accompanied by thousands of little droplets bursting on the concrete surface echoing like beads scattering on the floor as they drop, concealing the sun. Hidden in plain sight by the forest housing the rain sits a massive hospital, and nearby but still a decent walk away is a set of office complexes where many doctor offices were along with other businesses headquarters. The light in the office offers a melancholy atmosphere as Azule sits patiently in his seat awaiting an answer, a doctor sitting across from him dressed in a white coat, a light green tucked in button up shirt and some khaki pants with black shoes. His plaque on the wall displaying his certification clearly behind him as brings one of his legs up and leans back reading his clipboard; his name is Dr. Adam Adgero Rayman and he is an acquaintance Azule made through his relationship with Dr. Sinclair. His hand moves steadily as he jots down notes, his silence proving to be a bit intimidating as Azule sits diligently awaiting the doctor's next question.

"The side effects are getting worse, you say? Can you recall when that occurred?" Dr. Rayman said in a calm yet commanding tone like an authority demanding the most precise of details as he kept his sight on the clipboard.

Azule nods nervously, "Yes, doctor. Lately I've been coughing and vomiting blood too frequently. At first I thought it was just some severe side effects from the medication I was prescribed but...I feel it might be worse. I feel terrible afterwards, the pain increases with each session, and they're getting too frequent."

"How frequent?" he raises his head, stopping his notes.

"Ummm about half an hour after I take a dosage. I'm usually supposed to take it three times a day I think, but the pain is so insufferable that I can only manage one. I don't think my body can handle the pain any longer."

The doctor's eyes lower to the clipboard, "Everything you said is as it is here from the notes Dr. Sinclair left before her departure, even the side effects listed are as accurate in their occurrence. She foresaw this happening, incredible."

"So…?"

"That means this is to be expected. However, something I must bring to your attention is your weight. You've lost weight since your last checkup. Any clues how?"

Azule shakes his head with puzzlement, "I've ate like usual. That's strange."

"It might be a side effect but, given your condition…"

Based on the doctor's pained expression, Azule could tell there must be something difficult that the doctor didn't want to bring up. However negative the news, Azule felt at peace with it. After seeing how Sally went from being indestructible to a sudden injury, it gave him notice that if someone as healthy as her wasn't safe, then he shouldn't fear too much what became of him. That said, he still wanted closure for the sake of not going insane from the anxiety.

"If it's in relation to my heart problem, could it be that the weight loss is a form of stress? I'm aware that my anxiety seems to have an insane effect on my body."

The doctor sighed, "You're a sharp one. It's just my hypothesis, but if you're still eating like normal I don't believe you've lost an appetite; not yet, at least. It's an unconscious occurrence, meaning that you're still unconsciously thinking about the trauma that triggers the events. Now that you take medication to nullify the effects of your heart it attacks you in a different way."

"That's weird…"

"Indeed. Regardless, monitor that, and as for your dosage on the medication..." he takes a moment reading through his clipboard before continuing; "To confirm my hypothesis, have you been experiencing any recollection of your past trauma consciously?"

Azule shakes his head again, "Nope. Aside from the pain and the episodes caused by the side effects, I genuinely haven't had night terrors, flashbacks, or any heart pains as of late. Well, maybe not the heart pains-I definitely don't get the others."

"Alright, since you're taking less than you should and experience such heavy side effects, I'll have you off the medication for a week. Monitor how things go by then and come see me, I'll have your blood test results by then and we can see if there's anything else going on, alright?"

Azule nods with a nervous smile, "Okay. Also, may I ask you a question Dr. Rayman?"

"Sure."

Azule takes a deep breath and in a calm tone, "How long do I have." Dr. Rayman's face shows visible confusion as he leans back a little in his seat; Azule knows this wasn't an appropriate question, but he felt this was the best time to clear his mind.

Dr. Rayman calms down once he realizes that Azule was as serious as his question, "Less than a year. Well, it goes more on how you fare over the next couple weeks and how you blood test comes back. But from your condition with your heart, anytime could be your last moment."

"Like a heart attack or cardiac arrest?"

"It feels so wrong to tell a child this, but yes. Your heart is in such a poor state that anything could trigger it. So please, do take care of yourself."

"Is there any chance it can improve?"

"I'm sure if you treat yourself good it'll extend your life a bit, but I don't think you'll live too long unless a miracle occurs."

Azule's mind turns to Dr. Sinclair, who left to journey west for some cure-an impossible task for such a rare case like this. Though this was treatable, in Azule's case, it was more severe and sensitive of a situation that it couldn't be treated in the norm. Even though many medical scripts from thousands of years ago contained information of how to hand similar situations, medicine progressed at rate much different from the ancient times with some drugs and ingredients being nonexistent now. Either way, Azule looked less tense as he digested the news with a satisfied nod and saddened smile. Dr. Rayman dismissed Azule, though it looked like he had plenty on his mind he wanted to say; telling a kid he might die at any moment wasn't something he was proud of, but he knew that at the same time if any kid had the guts to live with that knowledge and still make a comeback, it'd be the kid who take a bullet to the head. Exiting the office, Azule takes his four fingers and presses his chest for any discomfort and detects nothing, giving a sigh of relief. Even if it wasn't what he wanted to hear, just knowing that his window was closing made it much easier for him to digest what the future had in store and instead of worrying about what will become of him, he turned his mind to figuring out how to spend this time wisely and enjoy everything in the best way possible. From family to friends, every thought that came to mind he cherishes deeply, thankful to have them in his life. Now that he knew he had to take it easy with his mind he figured that this walk through the calming rain might be perfect as the repetitive beating of rain soothes him; he couldn't think as hard as usual, or rather he had to be very aware not to let anything get his heart pumping crazily and instead stay calm.

"I guess I should pull a page out of Cobalt's playbook…" he chuckles recalling how stoic Cobalt is, knowing that if anyone would have encouraging words it'd be the relaxing tone of his best friend whose red eyes were as hypnotic as the morning sun and at that same moment he thought of Tangie, and how her citrus-like smile filled with sweetness would brighten his mood at any second. His eyebrows sink as his eyes lower with regret at their absence, "I miss them…" he mutters. He continues to mumble to himself ignoring the continued tattering of raindrops on his umbrella, rushing over to a bus stop and taking a seat shaking his umbrella furiously to his right then resting it there, leaning his head against the wall to collect his thoughts with the peaceful rain serenading him. But there's a strange warmth that suddenly hits him from the left like body heat as though someone was there, but he doesn't pay it any mind. That is until he can feel light penetrate his eyelids and the feeling that he's being watched. Opening them abruptly and looking to his left, he's met by a beautiful tan lady with short pink hair and amber eyes with an ecstatic smile. It takes him a second to realize...

"Luna?" he blinks heavily then pinching the bridge of his nose; "I'm not seeing things am I?" he whispers.

"Hiya Azule! It's been a while!" she beams to a point that her smile is unable to close her mouth.

Azule's stunned cold as he locks eyes realizing this wasn't a mistake, "S-somewhat. How did you...what are you... why are you here!" his brain scrambles to figure out how his mentor could find him all the way out here, at first thinking she might've planted a tracking device or stalk him.

Luna laughs hysterically; though she looked just like the usual, something about her seemed oddly different. There's a strange glow about her from her face with her features seeming more lively and enchanting, even her tone seemed more appealing with a sweet and easing sound to it in the way she laughed, in such a way that it made him feel more relaxed than when he was normally around her. "Seems like I caught you off guard, huh? You don't sound so happy to see me." she teases while wiggling her eyebrows.

"It's not that. Just, you sound so different...You never are this cheerful." he goes into a thinking pose; "Honestly, it's kinda scary." he mumbles under his breath; Luna's face darkens with a demonic smile before putting it away once she felt Azule's eye gaze at her yet again.

Luna blushes with a beaming smile again, "My my, you're too kind! Don't flatter women out of your league hahaha!" she motions with her hands, almost sounding like a jovial mother.

"But still, this is out of the blue. Even for you." Azule responds, his hands channeling his emotions as if they were talking as well.

"Blue and out as it may seem, it's indeed your favorite Luna!" Azule's face turns cold and emotionless with no reaction, finding no amusement in Luna's poor attempt to portray a young idol; "Wh-whassup dude?"

"Don't do that…" Azule shuddered at the forced attempt to sound fresh; "What are you doing here?"

Luna laughs again resuming her peachy display of energy, "You hadn't reached out to me in a while so I figure I'd surprise you. Little did I know you were down in the dumps based on that terrible posture of yours. But have no fear! My appearance shall rejuvenate you to peak form! C'mon, C'mon, smile at my appearance!" she shouts with glee as she opens her arm and guffaws; Azule's visibly confused as he scans his mentor once more in an attempt to reassure himself that this is actually happening. Nothing about this encounter made sense from her actions to even the way she spoke. Her facial expressions were so animated it felt like he was seeing a fictional character come to life. It all seemed so unnatural, yet welcoming.

I-is this really the same Luna?-He looks at her for a second, met by her same animated smile as she laughs again-Yep, this is real. That's definitely her. There's no mistake it's her. I sense an extreme familiarity with her that I can't describe but... Luna never was this cheerful nor was she the type to crack jokes like that. Have I...earned her trust as a friend?

Luna gently blows in Azule's face to knock him out of his spaced out state, making him flinch and fall out his seat. "HAHAHAHA you're too easy to spook! Azule, you can't be my student if your defense is so easy to penetrate. What happens if some enemy tries to attack? Offer some resistance!" she points at him while trying to hold back from falling out of her seat from laughter.

Azule gets up using his umbrella, "I didn't expect you to do that..."

Luna gives a childish smirk, "Expect the unexpected!"

"So uh, what's your real reason for coming here? Training?"

"Geez, why are you so adamant on my reason for being here? Can't I visit my favorite student?" she pouts with one cheek growing larger as she crosses her arms.

"This is too strange! You're never like this. This goes against your character entirely, but for some reason I can't help but feel like you're still Luna."

Luna goes silent with a disappearing smile but her amber eyes still have light in them. She leans toward him and with those same beady eyes she tilts her head and raises her eyebrows, "I'm the real deal, little blue. The real deal." Azule blushed furiously, both from her sudden new nickname for him and because she was too close, way too close for comfort; "You don't know me, Azule." She said in a straight tone, her eyes filled with a different type of light as she tilts her head toward him with a sharpness in her aura as though to give him a warning. Remaining calm on the outside was the opposite of how he felt on the inside, rattled and shivering with fear unlike ever before. He thought he'd been used to her glares and scoffs before, but this one felt more terrifying than the previous with the ominous nature of this Luna seeming somehow natural and authentic that it left an uneasiness within him. He respected Luna with all his might, so it was also safe to say he felt a little intimidation form her as well, and that form magnified during this encounter.

"S-sorry…" he mutters sheepishly.

"Hmph! Respect your elders. I thought you learned that by now." she said with a puff of steam descending from her nostrils while she crosses her arms to contain her anger.

Azule bowed, "Yes Ma'am. My apologies for being insensitive."

"So…" Luna brings her legs up to the bench and sits cross-way facing Azule; "Mind telling me why you went to the doctor?" she tilts her head filled with curiosity.

"Huh!?"

She points off in the direction he came from, "There's some office just up the hill right? Further away sits a hospital. What's that about? Everything alright?"

"I…"

Luna sighs and clicks her tongue realizing the hesitation wasn't going to get her anywhere, "Everyone has secrets so I won't lambaste you for wanting to keep something hidden from people for their sake, but remember that if someone cares about you, they'll worry. If you're trying to hide the truth from me then know it's useless to do so since I know about the frequent hospital visits. You aren't slick."

Azule breathes heavy for a moment and tries to figure out how to word it perfectly without giving too much away, but once he looks up at Luna he felt his complexion fade to paleness once he met her serious glance. That raised chin, those emotionless eyes, the lowered brows, and glow lining of her nose; even though there was no sunlight visible through the thick clouds it felt like rays of sunlight were hitting the left side of her face because the right side looked completely dark with nothing but her pink brows and amber eyes being visible.

"Don't lie to me, boy. Speak the truth about your visit." Her tone and demeanor changed completely; Azule felt his body run cold as he saw his mother for a brief moment, recalling the last time he hugged her right before he killed the prime minister.

"I…" he chokes on his words, unable to get them out. Just like that time, he couldn't bring himself to start from the beginning again and come clean-not even to his own master.

She raises an eyebrow, "I…?"

Her voice just now was too imposing that he couldn't continue to think straight, but as he began to look behind the powerful figure before him and focus on the view in the distance of the dull sky hugging green forest with thousands of rain droplets falling in synchronization did he begin to feel better about opening up. A rushed explanation to avoid triggering any flashbacks, he felt better explaining his dilemma with the side effects of the medication and what could happen should he stop. Exhaling for a few seconds after letting the load off his chest he looks as though his complexion had been restored. Luna appears to lighten up a little after seeing that he gave a genuine answer, and with satisfaction, she gives him a pat on the head thanking him. Azule's eyes widen as the strange sensation hits him in full that the warmth he felt was indeed alien and abstract from what he identified prior. This person patting him on the head indeed was Luna, but the nagging feeling that jabbed at his heart led to a thought provoking question that needed clarification.

"Hey kid! Ya gettin on the bus or what?" the driver yelled with his doors open; from the looks of the plenty of rain on the steps and the irritated face of the aged man it was clear he'd been waiting for a while. The man shouts again telling him to stop spacing out or he'll leave, to which Azule bowed in apology and grabbed his umbrella. Hurrying out the stop he takes his first step on the bus when he remembers Luna is still there. Turning around he looks to see her off, "Alright Lu-"

But no one is there.

Azule's disturbed for a moment as he tries to process how she would have disappeared so quickly, but then remembers that she was comrades with his mother so she had to have been amazing anyways. Shrugging his shoulders he makes his way to a seat by the window and shakes his head, believing his morning to be too much for him to handle. Later that day at noon, all members of Squidcom are gathered together with bags in hand and Violet holding a large duffel bag. On Fuchsia's request, everyone made their Sunday free to spend the day over at the hospital and be there for Sally. Everyone's expressions are the same: miserable. None of them recovered from the initial shock of yesterday, frozen by the wailing cry she gave as she clenched her leg pounding the ground in agony; even Reice grimaced to tears just thinking about it. No one uttered a single word, on the walk to the bus stop even staying silent on the ride there, preferring to collect their thoughts about what to say to Sally. After all, this will be the first time any of them are seeing her since her injury and the last image they saw of her was damaging enough. The solid rock that keeps the team together showed a side that none of them thought existed, though she tried her best to stay humble, everyone on the team held Sally to a high level in the same way as Sky was depicted. To see her fall down to earth after reaching for the heavens left a state of gloom that covered the team with the harsh reality that even in this day and age, an injury was still very much possible. Arriving at the hospital together, the team checked in and arrived at Sally's room, only to walk in on what was a famous idol feeding their ace with a spoon.

"Say ahhhh~" Hatsunika sang as she took the spoon and hovered it near Sally's mouth.

"A-ahhhhhn…" Sally blushed heavily as she kept her eyes closed, eating the food with a fidget.

Sensing another presence in the room, Sally froze as she saw Squidcom standing before her to the right-caught in the act with Hatsunika's hand still holding onto the spoon in her mouth. Sally's face goes beet red as she tries to hide the evidence all while Hatsunika gives a jubilant laugh, holding a hand up to her cheek.

"Oh my...seems we've been caught Sally!"

Sally's chewing happily when she looks over-her eyes widening in shock,"Wha-"

Reice's eyes are filled with a dazzling gleam of mischievousness, "Ehhhhhhhhhh? What's this, Sally? Are you having a tender moment with your girlfriend?"

Sally's flustered as she looks down to block out the sight of Mika to her left and Squidcom to her right, "S-s-s-s-s-stop! It's not what you guys think!"

"This is cutest I've ever seen you." Violet chuckled, unable to resist a snicker at her macho friend having such an embarrassed yet cute expression.

Sally's head goes hot as she feels an explosion of embarrassment erupt, "It's not that, guys! C'mon, believe me!" she yells in response to the snickering Azule and Jory.

Azule lowers his cap, "I knew this ship would sail…"

"SHUT UP!" she screams, pulling her blanket over her head.

After minutes of an embarrassed Sally trying to explain the wholesome moment with Hatsunika to Squidcom, the team learned why the famous idol was there in the first place. From what Sally said, Hatsunika arrived first thing in the morning after getting a call from Leor, who'd been watching the game, she learned that Sally got injured. Getting the permission from the doctor to go ahead and see her, Hatsunika spent the morning with Sally and helped cheer her up, admitting that she'd been feeling a little bummed when she woke up. Since then, she's felt better having a wonderful companion by her side.

"It happened so suddenly and I don't even know what's wrong with me but I'll get the results later. Well, anyways...WE WENT UNDEFEATED WOOOOHOOOO!" happily while kicking her feet under the covers with a stoked expression causing a ruckus; Kosami and Violet immediately shush her.

"At least you're smiling like normal, I don't know how I'd feel to see you without that." Azule snickered.

Hatsunika raises an eyebrow and lowers her head with haughty eyes, "Ohhhh? Well Azule, how bold of you to go flirting on my wife like that!"

Sally coughs furiously as if she choked on air, "W-wife!?"

"She's got it bad for her doesn't she?" Jory whispered to Fuchsia, who nods happily.

Hatsunika flexes her arm, "If anyone is going to steal the heart of Maiden Walleye it will be none other than I, Hatsunika Mika!"

Azule shakes his head, "I didn't mean it like that."

"Azule's like a brother to me, Mika. No need to worry about losing me."

"Awwwwwwwwww."

"Don't do that!" Sally responded with a heavy blush covering her face.

Hatsunika seems satisfied by that response as she gives a hard nod resting her hands at her hips, "Guess I can leave then. I've got some work to care of so I'll swing by later tonight~"

With that she's gone and happily waves goodbye heading into her limo, promising to come and visit tomorrow. The mood in the room feels much lighter thanks to Mika's presence which was a testament to her ability as an idol to brighten the mood of anyone that might be feeling gloom. All eyes are on Sally in anticipation of what news she has for them about her health, but she immediately dismisses it by saying she hasn't received word from the doctor yet. She's supposed to get some blood tests today and take a physical checkup but other than that she had no clue about what was up with her body; All she knew was that she felt an immediate rush of pain to her legs that caused her to pass out from the immediate threshold reached.

"You can rest those right here…" Sally pointed over to a corner nearby for Violet to put the bags; "Sorry for the lack of chairs."

Kosami shook her head, "It's fine, what matters is you right now."

Jory crosses his arms and gives a nod, "Yeah, yesterday was-"

"Awwww man! This sucks! I got no clue why my body did it but it felt like my legs were burning. I couldn't move and I felt like just ripping them off because the pain was more than what I could handle. I honestly felt terrified of what would happen next." she said casually trying to downplay the situation, but after seeing the concern on Kosami and Jory's faces she knew it was wrong to try to lighten the mood like that; "B-but it's fine! I feel way better thanks to you all showing up, so don't worry!"

"Really, you should know we'll still worry about you." Reice shrugged; "Want me to spend the night?" he teased, looking to lighten up the atmosphere himself.

"NO THANKS!" Sally rejected throwing up her hands as instant as microwaved food; Reice is ruined as he feels his soul escape him after such a swift rejection.

"Aside from the siscon over here-"

"Siscon?"

"We still have business to discuss…"

"Ah, Azule-"

"The playoffs start on Tuesday, we need to go over preparations. We got this far thanks to you, but if we don't know your status, it'll be a liability to us."

"Azule!" Fuchsia called ready to scold him for the insensitive tone.

"Hahaha! I'm glad you have your priorities straight, Captain." Sally said with a shaky smile, brushing off Azule's comment; "You've come far from that silly captain back in the fall, huh?"

Azule winks, "My reliable ace was there to handle the fort after all."

Sally laughs, "Damn right! Well, As I am now I'll be unable to compete in the Quarterfinals but I can push for the Semifinals. Trust me, I'll be there for the finals!"

Azule smiles and nods, knowing if there is anyone who he can take their words as a token of trust, it'd be Sally. Even with Sally out of the loop for now, the show still goes on. After four weeks of intense matches and drama built over from internal and external influences, the Rank Wars regular season finally reached its conclusion and all that was left was the gauntlet of the playoffs. Squidcom swooped in and took the top seed for the playoffs, becoming the favorites of the competition to win it all and represent Squid Academy in the Spring. However, this Rank Wars playoffs featured a cast of strong potential winners, so Squidcom would need to shift their focus to the playoffs and devote their mind and body to achieving success.

Azule thinks aloud, "We're in March now, and the Spring tournament starts in a couple weeks, that means our off-season will be near non existent. The Nationals are still a question since the controversy scheduling with the Ravia conference but we can expect that somewhere in June or July probably."

Fuchsia rests her hands at her hips and hummed for a bit, "Hm. The way the playoffs are set, we should be done by this weekend. The Quarterfinals start on Tuesday, then on Wednesday we have the Semifinals and finally on Friday we have the Finals. Details about the maps will be released later on so when that time comes we can plan a strategy around then..."

Violet goes into a thinking pose, "They're giving us at least a day of rest for the playoffs. How surprising."

"Figures." Kosami enters holding up her index finger; "The scheduling this season was brutal, like, they were putting your bodies through the ringer to test your willpower. That entire season was something else..."

Sally nods energetically, "It felt like we barely had any time to ourselves! We didn't get any new upgrades or a character that broke out of their shell."

Reice looks ready to gloat, "Actually, I think I've done some decent-"

"Shut it bro!" Sally hushed holding her hand up.

Jory scratches his head a for a moment,"Still, I find it amazing that this competition would treat us like this. We're still just students after all."

Azule shrugs his shoulders, "I don't blame them. If you think about it, the schedule had to be done this way because of the crazy stuff that's been happening. We were being tested, to see if we're really worth taking the title as the successor to the elites. At Squid Academy, we're a line of defense who have to be prepared to fight against any evil doers, so this rank wars is just a military exercise-preparation for the worst things to come. We'll have to be on guard like usual. At the same time, this is a sport and we're a team. Our successors failed, so now it's up to us. We need to be up to the task."

Everyone nods in agreement knowing that even though there wasn't anything crazy happening as of yet, that with their luck something hectic would suddenly happen just like Ixia's interference in the competition earlier. For a while there's light conversation to pass the time by, but as a brief moment of silence passes, everyone's thoughts start to become one.

"So Sally has to miss the first round…" Fuchsia muttered trying to hide her bummer, but as soon as she realizes her thoughts escaped her and reached the others she tried to prevent it from becoming a concern; "It can't be helped. You can't leave the hospital so soon, right?"

Sally shakes her head with an apologetic smile, "That much I know." she looks to her discouraged teammates and gives a reassuring thumbs up; "Well, even if I won't be there for the first playoff match, I have the utmost confidence in everyone's ability. Fuchsia's been working hard to give the best game plans, Kosami's cheered her lungs out, and you three have done an amazing job. Hey Jory, come over here!"

"Yes?"

"Come here!" Sally motions a finger for him to come closer before pressing her hands against his cheeks and making his face look like a puffer fish; "Gosh you're so cute! Lookie here, I'm leaving everything to you for this game, okay?"

"Mhm."

"Gooooooood! So, I'm sure you all know what approach to take?"

"Yes, since Jory is an attack based player we were looking to run a style with heavier attack from Jory and myself, Reice substitutes to a more balanced approach, and Violet maintains her usual role although this time to a more offensive to bolster our attack."

"I see, so this mold of Squidcom will be aggressive. I like it!"

"This should do since Jory's shown he can be very proficient in filling his roll. We should be fine until you return."

"Right. I'll be rooting you on!"

Around that same time elsewhere, the suns shines through the blinds that still block out the sun. The sun shines through the blinds in the window illuminating parts of the room as the kitchen sink in the background is filled with freshly washed dishes laying out to dry-the faucet still dripping water with a soaped sponged on the counter. The delicious aroma is thick as the smoke visible in the light rising to the vents right under the microwave and appearing in the rays of sunlight as well; A half-full glass of orange juice sitting alone on the counter as a girl sits in a seat with her hands clasped and the plate before her cleaned off with the residue from her meal still present. Her blue eyes narrow partly as she rests her head on her hands. Silent moments like this were what Sky valued the most when she wasn't being a student or agent or working on her cars, treasuring the time when she could sit quietly and reflect on events that'd passed. From Azule's growth to the reappearance of her family into her immediate life, to her duties as an agent and the many political conflicts going on, scrutinizing it all while sipping on her orange juice in search of the solution.

"They should be here any moment-" Her phone buzzes and there's a knock at the door simultaneously; "That's them…"

Answering the door with no energy present in posture, she's greeted by her older siblings who're both dressed in much casual clothing than what she's used to seeing, even if it was afternoon. She invites them in and puts on some tea, taking her time in catching up and learning about why they were still there instead heading back to work. It turns out their current assignments have them focusing near the capital so they figured it made sense to stay in the area since they'd be on the outskirts. Lime made heavy implications that there's more to their reasoning however as she mocks Verde for getting softer since reuniting with Sky and Azule. Sky couldn't help but laugh while imagining Verde without his cold personality. Lime fidgets as the conversation continues and seems to be running out of topics, "I've been wondering, have you spoken to Azule lately?" She asked, her eyes lighting up with curiosity as her mind rushed to her baby brother.

Sky chuckles, "You sound like a mother that hasn't seen her child in weeks. Of course I spoke with him-er, well not too recent but yeah. He's the only little brother I got, after all." she relaxes, finally feeling at ease with their presence. Usually, she always had a guard up for people-even those she was very close with like her team with Aaron and of course Azule being the only exception, but now she felt at ease with her siblings around. It'd been years since she could feel this emotion, the kind where she knew that she didn't have to be independent and instead could put her trust in a reliable figure. Telfin was the closest thing she had to a reliable adult in her life, and even then their relationship was strictly a professional one, and Cap'n Cuttlefish was also another good figure, but Sky always had fears that if she ever furthered a friendship with him, she'd only be falling further into the shadow of her mother since she already took the same line of duty as an agent. "Say, why you ask? Did you get in a dispute or something?"

Lime took a while looking to choose her words carefully but at the least she nodded in denial that it was that; Verde took over and spoke before she could open her mouth. "I doubt Azule would ever argue with us." he said while shaking his head denial with his eyebrows showing his emotions better than his words, as though he felt a little irritation in the lack of interaction with Azule; "The amount of respect he shows us, especially me...it's pretty awkward. Sometimes I wish he'd treat us the same way he treats you. That same warmth, you know?"

Sky's face wrinkles as she give a wid devious smirk while lifting her chin, looking down at her big brother, "Awww are you jealous big bro?"

Verde blushes, "No! It's not like that!"

Lime laughs sensing the embarrassment in her younger brother's tone knowing this was his weak spot, "I was thinking you'd say, 'It's not like I want to have a better bond with my brother, dummy!' or something like that."

"WHAT! Do you take me for a tsun-"

"Yes! Denial won't fool anyone. You're only tricking yourself." Lime declared as she crossed her with authority, knowing Verde wouldn't even dare try to make a case.

"So Lime, how come you ask?" Sky asks, looking to cover for Verde since she could sense his exposure by Lime.

Lime crosses her arms and leans back in her seat while changing to a serious expression; all the lightness in the room turns heavy as she gives a mild glare focusing on what to say next, looking for a proper answer to Sky's question without making it worse than it sounds. "I haven't heard from him in a while and hoped he was fine. I worry about the both of you so much so I apologize if I come off as the doting type."

"W-well It's fine, I love that about you." Sky replied with a beam; Verde begins coughing violently from the wholesomeness while Lime pats his back. Sky relaxes her body relaxes again, enjoying the sight of a choking Verde trying to recover from near death. She found that for some reason whenever she was with her siblings she could always be at ease and even laugh more easily, accepting the jittery feelings of happiness as genuine rather than a facade to keep her image as a cool big sister. At a time like this, she could smile widely knowing she was with the people she loved the most. As Verde recovers, Sky wonders of what next topic will continue this conversation in hopes that she can avoid the unpleasant moment where there's silence between parties that leaves everyone staring off awkwardly looking to find something to continue.

"There there…" Lime whispers, doing the last of back pats as Verde's episode of near death seems over.

"Worrying about us, though? Why? We're pretty independent as we are-no offense intended."

"None taken. It's just a natural feeling of guilt I guess. Whenever I look back on the past I remember the time before the war when we all used to be together. I recall the sunny days we always had with the rays beating on our skin, the breeze cooling us, and the lasting image of green fields. I remember the times dad would yell at us like a drill sergeant, and whenever I remember the strenuous training we went through I always think about how difficult it must've been for you and Azule to have to execute those exercises at such a young age where your minds didn't even begin development yet. The war and separation. The hell you endured at the orphanage. I...don't know why...but…" she fights back tears forcefully, unable to maintain eye contact any longer; "It feels like I'm partially to blame. I could've done more to-"

Sky shakes her head, "There's nothing you could've done to change it. So, don't put that blame on yourself. That's all in the past. What matters is that we've reunited and are making up for those lost years, yeah?"

"You've grown into a fine individual, I'm proud."

"Thanks, that means more than you think. Say, what do you say we go for a drive through the hills?"

"A drive sounds nice…"

"Yeah, this apartment feels cramped. Let's go out and get a taste of the fresh breeze!"

An encounter with more weight than what's been shown thus far, Sky sensed that if the conversation was going to get heavy, it'd be better to have a change of scenery than that of the pictures and furniture in the room that remind Lime and Verde that though they were in Sky's life now, she was doing fine without them and making a life for herself. Leading them over to her garage and giving them a tour of her collection of projects, asking them which restored car would they like to drive in. After a few minutes of glossing over the cosmetics of each car, Lime chooses a black sedan with gold rims and a low lip spoiler with favoritism for the boxed shape of the sedan. Sky approves it and notes it's an import from one of the nations in the wests from a friend who worked his way up to the top, citing that since she's been working on dozens of cars she's had to expand the garage more. Getting inside the black mobile, the interior has an aesthetic to it with the clashing of red, green and gold trims all over the smooth black leather from the seats to the dashboard, even the steering wheel sports the same look. Sky wiggles her brows and starts the ignition.

"I hope you're ready for a wild one!" she says while leading them out at idle speed before sinking her foot into the gas pedal leading them out into the streets.

The sight of the streets in the evening match those of the fancy photography taken with the orange sky serving as nice backdrop for the illuminating city, plenty of life still roaming the area from the honking cars singing at the palm of their driver's hands to the young couples out on a night filled with delight accompanied by the calming spring breeze with plants swaying in dance on the walkways, the lights from many stores and restaurants on the strips stillg in search of their favorite clients that roll in at this time with people advertising. On the rooftop of a bar somewhere deep within this city, the sounds of rackets hitting tennis balls are audible in the background as the clinking of glasses at the bar with some live music dominates the atmosphere at the establishment. There are two patrons dressed in dark olive and dark brown outfits that stand out from the crowd aside from their appealing attire and appearance, their age seemingly younger than the rest. The dark olive dressed individual wears a bomber jacket with a decal white tee shirt, her olive jeans fitting well with her white high top casual sneakers. Her short pink hair and amber eyes are only highlighted thanks to the bright lighting from the tennis court that shows off her tan even better. Next to her is Agent 8 in a brown velour tracksuit with some low top beige sneakers that leaves her naval area exposed, though being an octoling she found comfort in that kind of exposure. Her hair is done up in a ponytail to mask some of the suspicion of her identity as an octoling, but wearing glasses helped the most as she adjusts them accordingly.

"Scotch on the rocks, please. For her, she'll have a Mai Tai…" Agent 8 calls casually as their server stops by them in wait for their order; Maya gives her a subtle glare, expecting Agent 8 to at least acknowledge her history with alcohol.

"Right away ma'am, Now if you'll excuse me..." the bartender responds, proceeding to attending to the other patrons while also handling their order.

Agent 8 returns her gaze to Maya, who's still in the disguise of Luna. "Read the mood. It'll be weird if we don't order drinks at a bar, especially one as high end as this." she says in a inviting tone folding her arms on the table with a sweet smirk and matching eyes, clearly enjoying this moment alone with Maya.

Maya shakes her head a bit to let her short tentacles wiggle while also catch glances at those staring at her, "You should know I'm not big on drinking."

"Luna was…" she winks in response with a side glance knowing she got Maya right where she wanted her; Maya gives an irritated sigh knowing she lost and would only dig herself deeper into a pit she couldn't escape from if she continued, so she shrugs and accepts her defeat with whatever grace she had. "Still… I don't think I can get used to this new alter ego of yours. It pisses me off whenever I think about it but I understand your reasoning now-thanks to that idiot Julian. He went out looking for me to clear up the smoke about everything since what happened that night."

Maya frowns, "I know he's done some deplorable things but please stop referring to him as an idiot, he's...my idiot at the least, so respect that." Maya stares down at the counter in remembrance of her actions; "So, he filled you in? How much did he tell you."

Agent 8 avoids her peering gaze at that moment with some guilt settling in, "Enough. Enough that I don't feel as upset as I initially did. I'm still angry that you sunk that low for a selfish reason." Maya doesn't react, feeling at peace with her actions; "But after highlighting that the choices you made were far ahead under the mindset of a mother, I can't hate you for that."

Maya's demeanor stiffened as she sat erect as though she felt something coming up that she wanted to address of her chest, her satin jacket making noises as she moved her arms, "They're still after them. I tried my best to keep them away from this life but Sky ended up following in my footsteps. That's why…"

"You wanted to try and save Azule from the life of killing. You didn't want him to dirty his hands like his siblings. I understand that much based on what Julidiot said."

Maya scoffs for a second in response, Julidiot? Never mind… she thought. "Ever since Cap'n got back into the hands of the military, they've been heavily observing me in anticipation that I might strike back." she whispered, minding her surroundings as she took a pair of quick glances at both sides before staring forward to continue; "They were suspicious from the moment Luna left and Julian replaced her. When Lime was born is when I learned of their intentions to make my kids into super weapons to be mobilized in war, but by the time I was ready fight back I was in labor with Verde, and Julian just wouldn't get the memo that it wasn't the right time to be doing what we did as agents."

Agent 8 gives a devious grin,"I still have no clue what made you fall for him, but I guess him being that helped his case." she sneers; Maya shrugs her shoulders with a blank expression as though she was reliving those years by the moment.

"That war tore me apart…" Agent 8's face softened as dozens of memories came running rushing through mind in that moment, the last being the dying image of a smiling Luna taking her last breath. Closing her eyes and shaking her head, she signaled for Maya to continue and not mind her. "I had to leave them. Leaving them was the only choice I had. I didn't want to leave them behind." The emotion in her tone started to escape with each breath she takes, clenching her fists and wrinkling her brows as she thought back to that gut wrenching feeling when she had to separate from her children in a hasty move, feeling immediate regret.

"Maya…" Agent 8's eyes lowered, imagining the torment Maya must've been through when she was away from her children unable to ever know if they so much as alive. Missing out many years of their lives was a burden she figured must be heavier than even a mountain.

"It eats away at me to know that the reason my kids hate me and have turned to this life is due to my inability to be a mother. I failed them." her voice shaken and her eyes moistening, tears are starting to form. She clenches her teeth and furrows her brow as through to try and hold it in, not wanting to make a scene in public and also to preserve her pride, but Agent 8 knew that more than anything, the person she saw before her wasn't the same silent and ruthless agent she knew from when they were kids, the woman before her now was a mother who felt the connection of bringing life warp her mentality. The cold eyes able to kill now had a warm light hidden deep behind the mask.

"...That's why you've devoted your attention to Azule instead of Sky...because-"

"I must save him before he falls into the same trap as the other three. Lime and Verde were so young but showed such an overwhelming promise that Julian and the other bigwigs couldn't resist training them. I wanted to keep Sky and Azule away from that upbringing, but Julian was too power hungry. He was different from the idiot I fell for."

"And once you learned of Sky becoming the 5th agent…"

"I broke down. I swore I'd make it back in time to find her and watch over her, but I never got a chance because of the missions, and then that ambush came where one day I got a random notification that we had a new member."

Agent 8 sighs, "Alright. I think that's enough of that. It was wrong for me to make you go through remember-"

"It's fine. I need to move forward. If they're keeping their heads up and continuing their lives, then so should I."

The waiter returns with both drinks in hand and hands them to Agent 8 and Maya, asking if there's anything else needed to which the octoling declined.

"Really, pouring out your pent up feelings of frustration before even taking a sip. Honestly, what am I going to do with you."

"What's the other reason you called me here."

"Rapture and Rebirth."

"Oh…"

"Rapture will go on as planned, but Cap'n wants those involved in Rebirth to meet over in Pike's Cave over by Hillside beach. As you know, only a few are to carry out that plan."

"Understood."

"Heh, looks like you already know then."

"No need to bring that up in public…"

"You're right. Even if I had no need to, it still was something I wanted to do. You need to come clean with those kids, before it's too late."

"Alright. Just let me find the right chance."

Over in the hills out on the outskirts of the metropolitan Inkopolis, the car hums different tunes as Sky changes the gears with increasing speed coming to the hillside like planned; Lime and Verde are holding onto the overhead grab handles for dear life as the tires screech with the erratic steering of Sky who has a mischievous smirk the faster she goes. In the same way she spooked Azule, she wanted to spook her elders and test if they really meant what they said about growing closer with her; if there would be anything to make siblings bond, it was the beauty of nearly tasting death together with their lives in the hands of a crazy (and skilled?) driver like Sky. Going up the incline the car enters its first corner of many up the slope, and with the swift movement of her hands, the black car's body moves at her command as the front of the car makes the shift with the rear hanging close the guard rails on the corner.

"Sky Drift!" she shouts with a laugh over her sibling's terrified cries as they ride off into the sunset.

A new day arrives after an unforgettable season filled with different headlines and shocking moments, final leading to the final eight teams going to the playoffs being finalized as the schedule on the school message board sent notifications for all students highlighting important information since the week long event affected school hours on Tuesday and Wednesday. Travel information displayed the venues and the times the events would be starting and of course the seeds for the playoffs and team voting; the games would take place in the middle of the day, so some students contemplated skipping classes just to go watch while there was discussion on canceling classes for those days. There was also the results for who won the seasonal awards: The winner for regular season MVP went to Sally of Squidcom with the runner up being Pastelle of Kidvel. The winner for most improved competitor in the competition went to Todd of the Sealions for his growth since the previous season and being able to captain another team and lead them to the playoffs as well, and then there's best attacker-which meant scoring and splats-also went to Sally for having the lead over teammate Azule and rival Pastelle for most objective splats and points registered. All in all, the awards that'd be presented at school on Tuesday were only part of what everyone had as their interest as the rest of the details showed the information that really mattered to the teams involved: Who would face who?

A group sits together at a table in a fast food restaurant looking at the screen of a laptop with a mixture of excitement and hunger in their eyes showing the opposite of fear, instead welcoming the difficult task ahead. Every single member were wearing their team colors of white, green, and purple and grinned from ear to ear as they saw their place finalized. For the first match of the playoffs, It's Squidcom (1.) taking on the Warriors (8.) in what could be considered a trap game based on how tough the Warriors played Squidcom previously. Carol, Greg, Quinn, and their captain Leo have joy on their faces, but there's a mixture of shock as the realization of the results finally kicked in. Their captain smiles from ear to ear as he stands up suddenly, looking up to the ceiling before closing his eyes in satisfaction of the news; his teammates are a little confused at first but soon pick up on why he felt so satisfied and could tell that more than anything, he wanted to shout with joy at the top of his lungs in the establishment. Their journey was difficult and paved with a battle against all odds as they tried to fight off the wave of other middle tier teams trying to capture the last spot, winning on the final game they managed to edge out the others and secure the last spot. Even if it was against the undefeated Squidcom-best team in the competition, the fact still stood that they survived the regular season. They had a chance, though small, to win the Rank Wars.

"We got in after all…" Carol said with relief.

"...And we get to face the undefeated Squidcom for starters." Greg added, his face matching her expression.

"Guess we have another uphill climb." Quinn sighed afterwards.

"C'mon, this is exactly what we want. Carol, Greg, Quinn...we did it! We're in! It doesn't matter how difficult the road ahead looks once you look back to admire the journey to get there. We overcame a gauntlet, so who says we can't overcome the best of the rest?"

While the Warriors were at a fast food restaurant to celebrate their playoff berth and learn who they'd be facing after the official results, another team also awaited the news of their fate. Evelyn invited her Mayhem teammates over to her dorm to go over plans for the playoffs in anticipation of who they faced. Unlike the Warriors who squeaked by in the final game, Mayhem was one of several teams that saw their position get switched up in the last game thanks to some surprise upsets on and by the higher teams and as such, had no clue where they'd get placed; prior to their last game they sat in 5th place, but that could change as positions 3-7 were all within a game of each other, so positions changed drastically after the final game. Sitting together with her team in the living room while one of her roommates cooked food for everyone, she leads the conversation displaying the results on the tv screen after connecting her laptop.

"Damn it! We were so close!"

"Tch, now we gotta face Pastelle and Kidvel."

"It's fine everyone, this just means that the road will be more difficult. What's done is done." Evelyn said, unaffected by the results.

"You're in a good mood, captain. What's up?"

"Even if we're up against Pastelle, we can't falter. They lost to Violet and Squidcom just like we did, so on that note we share common ground. We'll be ready for them."

"Let me guess, we'll cause Mayhem?"

"Exactly!" Evelyn snapped.

Even if her team had a rough road of going through the opposite side of the bracket, Evelyn had all the determination in the world to get to the finals and get the rematch against Violet and show her that she could roll with her as a fellow Inkalian. At this point, the Rank Wars itself played second fiddle to her personal rivalry with Squidcom's master sniper. As Mayhem spend their evening together as a team in preparation for what's to come the following day, at a nearby skatepark relaxing on some benches going through the information on their phones regarding the playoffs are Mason and Legion. Disappointed by their placement, they quickly change gears and look to figuring out how to run the table and beat their 3rd seed opponent, knowing that if they advance, they might run into Kidvel in the semifinals. Much like Legion had their focus on finding a solution to handling their opponent, so was the captain of the 5th seed Rebels who were on voice conference call going over details with him. "Yeah, I saw it." Vince responds with his eye glued to his computer screen with his phone up to his ear; veins popping out his forehead in agitation of the results. After defeating the Sealions back in the regular season and even appearing as one of the front runners for the title, the Rebels now saw themselves finishing right behind their rivals much to Vince's dismay. Vince knew he had the better squad, but also knew Todd was the better leader, so this upcoming showdown with them was going to decide the rivalry once and for all who was the better side.

Over at a lake somewhere drawing the scenery on a sketchpad is Todd as he lets the evening sight captivate him with a lamp right next to him. Sitting on a log, he's entertained by the chirping crickets and the soothing sound of the fountain at the middle of the lake. His phone buzzes next to him and without another moment passing by he places his sketchpad aside to read the incoming texts, smiling from ear to ear at the elation his teammates reactions to the message he posted relaying the playoff information. Sneaking by on a comeback and surviving their final match with a victory, the Sealions secured the 4th seed and saw themselves facing a familiar rival in the Rebels. The reason why Todd was taking in the sight of nature and enjoying the evening was to quell the anxiousness in his system. Nervous. Excited. Vengeful. He wanted the heads of the Rebels and their captain, but he knew that there was a lesson to be learned from his defeat in the regular season and thus, decided to calm his mind in the best way he possibly could, remembering to a time where he spoke with Cobalt when they were home alone together: "The strongest storms are the most silent, the ones that nobody can prepare for because they show up out of nowhere. Be like the silent storm and show composure, contain the raging winds within and bend them to your command and unleash when the time is necessary. Never act off impulse." was what the samurai said. Thinking back to that quote, he smiled and nodded, knowing that this campaign was all about cherishing his run with this spontaneous team.

In a back alley over at Inkopolis square sit team Meta, only the main four members together on Mhiki's request. Dressed in their casual street wear, all of them wear face masks to conceal their identities in the dark.

"So we goin up against Legion? This sucks." Roosey states as he folds his hands and shakes his head, squatting against the wall with a disappointed expression; "I wanted to fight that hot girl from Mayhem…"

Fzonli nods, "I second that, something about her is pretty exotic for a person living over here. Luckily we'll face them in the second round, or possible Kidvel. I'd like to tango with that gal from Kidvel, what a beauty."

"Think so? I like the captain, too. Even if she's a dominant personality, I like to steal what belongs to others haha!" Roosey replied wiggling his brows.

"Shut your damn mouths you stupid hornpods. We still have to face a good team before we start worrying about that. Man, why do you sound like generic thugs with no development?"

"Hornpods?" Fzolie and Roosey echoed, confused by their captain's words.

"Relax Mhiki, we're good to go. Our bracket is more manageable than the other side with the likes of that undefeated team, the ultimate trap team, the biggest comeback team, and the most solid team in the playoffs. All four of them are on that one side while we only have to worry about Kidvel in the next round." Delly smirks with his confidence growing after having peeked at the schedule.

Mhiki shakes his head in disagreement with a nasty glare, "Never underestimate your opponent. You should know that. Legion was one of the breakout teams early in the season before falling to mediocrity in the latter half. Nonetheless, they are a troublesome opponent and will need to be treated with due caution."

"Wow, never seen you so serious…"

"I want to spoil everything, the hype surrounding all these teams irritates me. Squidcom-the undefeated hope of the school, Kidvel-the veteran successor to the Elites, Sealions-the surprise breakout team that gets better with each game, the Rebels-most solid team, Legion-a troublesome team with a jack of all trades style, Mayhem-a team that lives up to the name, and the Warriors-the team that just won't die. Then there's us…"

"Delinquents!" Roosey chirps.

"That's not something to be proud of you dumbass!" Mhiki snaps, karate chopping him on the head out of instinct.

"Owww!"

Delly grabs Mhiki by the arm, "Captain Mhiki go easy on him. Why do you care? You never had such a reason before. You just wanted to have fun going wild. When did it get so serious?"

Mhiki shakes Delly's arm off and gives him harsh glare, "When we fought them. That last game changed my outlook on everything. Seeing those tears stream down her face as the despair knowing that she'd miss out on the playoffs hit her changed the war I thought this competition was supposed to be. I thought having fun would let you get far because you could enjoy what you do, but it takes more. We need to win this."

"Right." Delly nods.

"We'll follow you to the end." Fzonli said with brimming confidence; Roosey's still in the back rubbing his head.

The ocean is endless-a horizon as vast as the endless stars appearing in the evening sky as night approaches. Together at edge of the boardwalk enjoying the salty sea breeze are the second seed team Kidvel.

"This was to be expected…"Pastelle sighed with a smile masking fatigue standing beside Parker.

"Really? I don't think Sky and Aaron would be proud to see their biggest rivals are playing second to a bunch of freshmen." Parker nudged with a sneer.

"Shut up!" Pastelle laughed with a push on Parker.

"Talk about gross. Get a room will ya?" Taylor shakes her head.

Nelson wraps his arm between the couple with urgency, "We came to this spot to discuss a way of handling the playoffs. I'd appreciate if you two got serious this time."

"Right. Ahem-" Parker pulls out his phone goes through the tables and data; "We're facing Mayhem in the first round. A solid team that can go head to head with anyone, their strength if found through their chemistry. They're a prideful group, so we should expect them to fight with resilience."

"Should we advance, what awaits us is either Meta or Legion: both are problem teams in their own way. Meta is a spontaneous team but make up for that unpredictability by always being proficient, however, we've beaten them before and know what makes them tick. For Legion, it's much of the same. Their struggle of inconsistency has made them more vulnerable than they were at the beginning of the season, but that can change should we face them in the semifinals."

Pastelle nods but looks unfocused with her attention glued to the setting sun, "I see, we're in good stead then. Hm hm!"

"Even so. We don't take our opponents lightly. Sure we pull our punches but form here on out, we play with hunger. We all remember that meeting the Elites had with us, right?" Nelson asks with a growing concern about the expectations placed on them; No one says anything for a moment, letting the calm waves and noisy breeze take precedence in the conversation as their eyes lower to wooden boards below. Before the Rank Wars began but after the announcement of their retirement, Sky Royale took it upon herself to have a meeting with Kidvel, representing an Elite's team that felt too ashamed to face their rivals. Sky kept her message short but laid out words of encouragement that though on the surface looked like great appraisal by the queen herself, had a hidden weight of heavy expectations. She highlighted that out of all the teams going into the competition, Kidvel had the most advantage being skilled second years on par with their seniors; if any team deserved to win it all and take the reins, it'd be Kidvel. Yet, something felt ominous in her tone as she continued, as though everything she said was empty and had no shred of believe yet in her eyes there was total conviction. A haunting sight, seeing someone who always smiled with radiance now have glassy eyes like one who'd lost hope. Her final words left a thought provoking impression as the meaning behind them seemed so vague.

"Become the guiding light…"

"Right…" Taylor muttered in her breath feeling uncomfortable thinking back to that day.

"Then, we'll strike tomorrow against Mayhem and make it quick. We'll need to be the guiding light!" Parker declared, holding his hand out for his team; everyone hesitated at first with reluctance to accept their fate as being the martyr, but before leaving Parker out to dry, Pastelle's hand cheerfully joins.

"It's our job to lead the way!" she declared.

"Alright everyone, we'll complete our role until the end."

With that, the team spent the remainder of their free time admiring the sunset together as a team in what'd be their last moment of peace before the hectic war waiting for them the following day. In the same way that Kidvel found their unity by being together on the boardwalk, Squidcom found their unity by being in the hospital. A crowded room filled with the entire squad, Sally couldn't help but be bubbly to be surrounded by everyone she loved once again.

"Now that we're in playoff territory more news is out about what's going on. Since there had to be tight security on what happens for the playoffs we got left in the dark; we were supposed to know sooner but all we know is the venues up until today. So, it looks like for the quarterfinals the venues are: New Albacore Hotel for game 1, Wahoo World for game 2, and Flounder Heights is the final game should it be necessary. The modes that'll be used are Tower Control, Rainmaker, and Splat Zones. Likely it'll be random but it helps to at least know what we're getting ourselves into." Fuchsia said as she reviews everything.

"Huh, so that's how it is. That means for the next round tomorrow it'll be three venues again? But arent there an odd amount of venues for the playoffs?" Reice rests his hands behind head as he leans on his sister's bed, much to her dismay.

Fuchsia narrows her eyes continuing to read her phone, "From what the message board said, it looks like the next round will be a best of seven…"

"BEST OF SEVEN?" Reice's mouth dropped.

"That's ridiculous!" Jory adds while putting his hands to his face trying to comprehend everything.

Kosami stomps her foot channeling her shock, "How ludicrous!"

"I can't even describe what word to use!" Azule joins, losing his immediate choice of words to Kosami and Jory.

"Calm down, everyone. Remember what Azule said yesterday? It's all a test. If we have a best of seven, we just need to win four games, that's all." Violet spoke in her usual calm demeanor looking to quell everyone's emotions, knowing that they've come too far to have a meltdown now.

"So more than likely the semis will include these stages and the others to make it six. More than likely the final will be held on one final stage. We'll worry about that later, right now we set our focus to getting through our first opponents."

"The Warriors..."

"Ah, them. Even if they're the lowest seed in this competition, there is some merit we need to acknowledge on their end for getting this far. They beat out the rest of the competitors to snag this spot, so we can expect them to play an insane performance."

"While we're playing for a championship and thinking ahead, they're playing for survival in an upward journey…"

Though it would be a tale of two different journeys for these teams there was still a stark similarity that these teams had at one point: The role of the underdog. Even if they didn't possess that title any longer thanks to their hard work, Squidcom at one point was looked down and counted out for having absent captain and being short on reserve members. They made it all the way to the semifinals with only three people! If there was to be any signs of improvement, they'd have to at least get to the semifinals and eventually make the finals or else there wasn't any change at all in the months that'd passed; their undefeated streak would be for naught.