I'm looking forward to this Final Splat Fest!
"Man! Looks like lady luck isn't on our side today, huh?"
"We really had to go up against the defending champions!"
"Oh well, it can't be helped!"
A team of trust and joy at their core, the Solastine Twilight were a team that irritated most. Their carefree attitude during games sent their opponents into a blind rage which worked in their favor since they never played poor. A team overlooked by the Big 4 and popular picks like Squidops and Squid Academy, Solastine was another school that had some history in the winter and spring events. Though they never outright won a national title, they have come close a few times to winning the Winter tournament and Spring Invitationals, usually falling to the eventual champion. This year was supposed to be more of the same as the third years returned yet again after suffering defeats in the major competitions to the likes of Special Forces, Squidops, and Octo Valley in the previous year only to miss out on the Winter event entirely. It hit them hard as they watched arguably one of the best games in recent memory get played: The Ultimate Individual-Midnight Sky facing off against The Perfect Machine in Beacon Hills. A match that captured the passion and intensity of the two sides, they felt reborn watching the battle of the year. A quest to return to the spring stage, the Twilight endured the grueling trials of the qualifiers and earned their birth for the Invitational, only to meet none other than the team responsible for their reawakening…
Clad in Black and Silver attire with shiny silver ink and hair led by their intimidating captain known throughout the country as one of the best players of his generation, Beacon Hills arrived in full force. An unfortunate matchup, they prepared for their clash. A clash that told two separate stories from both sides. Throughout this battle instead of fatigue or desperation to persevere against a mighty opponent, the hearts of the Twilight are consumed by frustration and humiliation-the punches from Beacon Hills becoming lighter and lighter as the game continues. As though using their main weapons wasn't enough of an insult in underestimating them, now they were playing halfheartedly while controlling the game as though this battle was nothing more than a chore. For the Twilight-as one of the several teams in the competition fighting to qualify for Nationals-it felt as though the message sent by Beacon Hills spoke of their unworthiness to live up to their expectations; clearly, Beacon Hills looked ahead to the next round rather than focusing on the game at hand-already dismissing the Twilight as a threat. Though they played with sharpness despite using weapons that weren't their main choices, they somehow managed to control the game all while pulling their punches. The score is 2-0 to Beacon Hills after yet another knockout courtesy of Gin's actions. Proven to be the best team in the country, Beacon Hills showcased their power right from the beginning by defeating the Twilight in under half a minute in the Rainmaker battle at the park-rendering the challengers useless in both offense and and defense. An onslaught of sorts, Beacon Hills piled on the pressure in the second game where they virtually controlled the Splat Zones throughout the entire game. Despite this, the Solastine Twilight never once wavered in their resolve to put up a fight and go down swinging-capturing the zone several times only to lose possession straight afterwards. A cruel fate to draw the best team in the competition, the Solastine Twilight were nothing more than an example to be made out of as the spectators create their own narratives as the third game reaches its midpoint. The time on the clock is a minute and a half as Beacon Hills has the lead with 88% of the turf inked in their color-growing by the second too as only one member of the Solastine Twilight remains. The match started off as expected with Beacon Hills getting the jump on the Twilight. Gin and Silvia led the way in both forms of scoring as Silvia focused on inking turf on every inch of the map while Gin played aggressive and prioritized eliminating the members of the Twilight at each chance. His speed was unrivaled. At spawn, he constantly stalked them and was able to at least grab a pair of splats while the ones that got away eventually met their demise at the hands of Platinum and Alumia. Around the 2 minute mark is where the game started to improve for the Twilight, who tried to muster up a fight and get at least more than 10% of the map in their ink only to learn firsthand that of all the matchups to get dealt in these modes, Turf War was the least successful. Gin and his squad just operated on another level and treated the game as if it was a second nature to them. In crushing fashion, Beacon Hills won by a score of 82-17. The response of their fans were as expected as all the supporters of Beacon Hills were on their feet to give a standing ovation and sing their fight song. Composed of current students and plenty of alumni from various classes, everyone knew the lyrics to their school's anthem and sing proudly with puffed chests as the country watches them. There's no school in Inkopolis that has a more loyal following than Beacon Hills, and as of the moment, there is no school in the country more proven than the squids in silver.
Jory grimaces bringing his hands up to his ears as the cheers grow louder, "It sounds like an indoor arena right now…" he yelled, hoping to overpower the echoing cheers and reach the ears of his teammates; right now, the supporters of Beacon Hills-alumni and current students alike-sing the alma mater of their school, proudly swaying arm in arm projecting their voices as though to reach the heavens.
Azule tightens his cap, analyzing that game with a trance; a cold sweat runs down his face with the knowledge of what Beacon Hills were up to. He knows that performance was meant for him, a direct message from Gin Ika that his actions in the winter had consequences. He aimed for the King's head, now he'd have to reap what he sow; a clash between the best team in the tournament against the hottest one. After both teams made their exits, the song dies out and soon afterwards an announcement follows announcing that there would be an intermission and the games were to resume later on in the day, giving people plenty of time to take a break and wait for the rest of the games. While they wait, Squidcom discussed in their circle just a little bit of the events that occurred in the previous match and what to expect for the upcoming games playing later on today. Starting with Beacon Hills' victory, they establish right away that what they saw today is nothing compared to what they'll be facing. Gin and his team purposefully chose different weapons to conceal their power for the following round, which meant they were anticipating a clash with them. Secondly, they specialize in psychological warfare that starts at their captain. If they weren't careful, they'd be tossed around and trapped in the Silver Squid's tactics. A comparison between the two teams and their battle in the next round brought up by Reice is that both sides are heading in with perfect records having swept their opponents in a trio of games each.
"Defending champions… well, we're going to have quite a battle on our hands." Reice said with concession, putting his hands at his waist and shaking his head, dreading the next 24 hours until the day of reckoning.
Violet scoffs for a moment detecting what he was trying to convey with that comment only to then think about the circumstances in play and understand where he's coming from. They might have the impressive undefeated streak but it doesn't change the fact that the next opponent they face are one of the best teams in the nation, arguably on the continent. To think the next game would be anything short of a full series going five games was disrespectful to Beacon Hills. Azule gives a nod agreeing with Reice about the idea of this becoming a full series-no way could they contain that team in just 3 or 4 games, it'd ultimately come down to a full count deciding the victor. Afterwards with both teams departing to prepare for the next match, Fuchsia takes this moment to give her report on what to watch for in the upcoming games and who to be wary of; after all, the winners of this next game were potential opponents for the semifinals. A focus on the big name of Jin Ika, she gave special instructions on what to observe with the captain and his team of juniors, especially the numbers duo of 12 and 18, who've grown better since their debut in the Winter. Even Kary played with desperation as opposed to her indifferent attitude in her debut. Though he had an ugly heart, it seemed as though Jin warmed up to these 1st year Inklings and took them under his wing, nurturing them to use their potential to the fullest.
The second double header is ready to begin with Special Forces and Keystone Golems taking the fight to the Rellan Exhibit. A gigantic five-story building filled with nothing but rich art and history native to Giande, even the aroma throughout the building was the essence of some of the native plants in the garden on the third floor. A unique layout to even the Rellan Complex, the exhibit welcomes the two teams. In Gold jerseys with trims of Black and White, it's Special Forces switching up with an inverse colored attire; a seasoned group who have an official semifinal appearance along with tons of qualifiers as experience, they look ready to get to business. On the other side wearing lime and green with white and yellow mixed into the design, it's the Keystone Golems. A fight for survival from one team, and just another measly opponent for the other, the match begins. Over before it can get started, Special Forces records a knockout in just a little over a minute, managing to hold onto possession the entire time. It seemed like the Keystone Golems were simply caught off their guard by the aggression of Special Forces, but for those who knew of Jin's caliber-it wasn't a surprise. After his reputation went through the mud after his performance in the winter, he only got redemption by showing an improvement in his leadership during the qualifiers. For him, this Invitationals is more about re-establishing his authority on the hierarchy of Inkopolis' finest, irritated at the thought that his brother finally reached him or worse-surpassed him. A vicious mentality, he wanted none spared on their journey to the finals-his intentions clear from the first game. The demur of the Keystone Golems showed after that defeat in the first game, their movements sluggish and reluctant as the Special Forces once again brought the fight to them. Much the same once again, Jin led the onslaught of attacks against the Golems with his juniors resonating to his resolve; their failure to reach the finals in the previous finals going unaddressed as a they looked to prove to the world that they were ready to be the next generation of the Special Forces' driving force. With every attempt the Golems made to create a rally and counterattack, they were shut down by the Special Forces. Such a tragic sight of annihilation of their team, the fans of the Keystone Golems couldn't even bring themselves to fight to their last breath with a passionate cheer-having the wind knocked out of them in that first game and reinforced in the second game that they weren't worthy of sharing the turf with the Special Forces.
Unimpressed by the anticlimactic sweep by Special Forces, the skipper for the Fangs rises to her feet and begins winding her arms, "ORA! We're up brothers! Those punks don't know how to put on a show! Three sweeps today? Unacceptable!"
Nantes looks up from where he sat with confusion and humor, "Uhm Janice, that's kind of the point. They're all doing their best to conserve energy by fin-"
"IT'S PATHETIC!" She shouts following with a boisterous laugh putting her hands to her hips and puffing out her chest like a villain, "We're here to entertain 'em. Can't be satisfying if every game from opening day ended in a straight sweep. We gotta make it exciting!"
"Janice, what are you smoking?" Hector jokes with a sneer.
"Janice, we can't underestimate our opponents." William added with his irritation clear in his tone.
"I ain't! I expect 'em to bring us a fight! We're the ones that became the replacements so they'll want some hot revenge!"
"The 'hot' wasn't necessary." Nantes added, once again unsure whether to be humored or confused by his captain's comments.
"And cool it with the accent, already! The others aren't even here." Hector shouts with a laugh.
Already at spawn are Squidops in tri-black layered outfits with their names etched in a lighter shade of black, they're dressed for the funeral of the Fangs. Led by Carbon, who has his arms crossed with his mind filled with different thoughts recounting the map layout, the team looked ready to take on the team considered by many to replace them. The wounds from their demotion still stung greatly as an air of embarrassment loomed over the captain, who felt ashamed after losing both in the winter and then the position as one of the top four teams in the country. Even though they sat in fifth and were first in line after the big four to get their number called for nationals as a representative of Inkopolis, their names were now bunched with a bunch of teams they knew they had no business being mentioned with, downgraded in both local and national recognition. On the other side are their opponents who have just made their arrival, sporting an improved version of the white and purple jerseys seen as Cobeale. Their captain, Janice, had her a fiery expression while winding her arms stoked at the opportunity to cross knives with one of the better teams in the nation, a team they supposedly overtook. From her imposing aura similar to that of a gang leader to her sharp yet appealing appearance and finally to her sister personality, the fans of the Fangs were out in abundance chanting her name, in turn firing her up even further until her head swells from the excitement. The final game of the opening day taking place in the evening welcomes more than just the fans, also inviting many curious scouts and journalists to view the game in hopes of being entertained to game with an interesting storyline and outcome of who should face the Special Forces in the next round. A special occasion at the Rellan in having a game in the evening, the exhibit is open to accommodate for a live audience-a useful move based on the packed crowd. Due to there being multiple levels for the games to take place, people attending were restricted to staying on the first floor only. For the first game, a rainmaker battle it would operate with both sides having their spawns and goals on a different floor from the rainmaker's barrier. On the fourth floor is the Squidops, the third floor in the garden is the rainmaker, and on the second floor, the Fangs. A dimly lit setting where only the works of art received the brightest of lighting, the path to the rainmaker would be difficult for the teams with black and purple ink as the only brightly lit place would be the floor of the rainmaker. The time to prepare is now as the Fangs arrive at their spawn after the Squidops made their early arrival. Team introductions are called to reactions of the adoring schools, and thus the game begins.
Like a fleeting dream, they're gone. A clash between the fourth and the fifth strongest, Carbon leads his pack of Squidops-Janice leading her Fangs. Rainmaker awaits on the third floor. The descending Squidops arrive first, quickly setting up shop as the Fangs' ascension to the third floor leads to the long awaited meeting. Glares are sharpened with bloodshot eyes as both sides grip their weapons and grit their teeth, heavy on the rush of adrenaline. Who will draw first blood? It's the Fangs who do so with their Captain Janice shouting a war cry to proceed forward. Nantes makes his rush with a sharp cut to the left to intercept the rupturing barrier of the rainmaker, Hector to the right to create a distraction and lure Squidops away by antagonizing them, and William locks aim on the center of the barrier-firing away. Janice locates Carbon among the four, and without hesitation, she's gone. He felt a cold shiver run down his spine watching Kuro and Ciel fight to keep the rainmaker in their advantage, struggling to explode the barrier in their favor-the looming presence of a certain inkling slipping from their sight. Carbon readies himself as he shifts his vision to his left spotting a blurry shadow come at him, feeling a dagger like presence with ill intentions rush at him like a storm. He steps back and throws down an Ink mine, readying his aerospray to the sounds of the barrier at its limit for an explosion.
"Nice try!" Janice yelled with a fierce expression, hungry to fight the skipper; he felt his heart sink, immediately drawing the comparison of this girl to another rowdy inkling from his past.
Her eyes shine like diamond beads, widening with a hungry smirk as she fires away. Carbon rolls to the left and begins distancing himself, but he can't go far as he enters the range of Nantes. His attention turns to avoiding a fight with Nantes, or worse, both, but he instead gets a surprise of an explosion. Purple ink rains, a familiar voice cries in pain before disappearing. It's Nachtia's voice. Janice leaps into the puddle of purple and emerges with the rainmaker, her chin raised as she uses her free hand to beat the rainmaker with a fiery grin; she's asking for a fight, taunting the prideful captain to avenge his fallen comrade. It's a suffocating sight for Squidops with their odds to survive the skirmish dwindling, surrounded by the poisonous purple and low on their own supply of black ink. Decision time early on in the game, Carbon has to decide between sacrificing this moment to regroup or stand ground and bring the fight to them. In any case, he's forced to make an unfavorable play at hand.
She might look and behave like a delinquent, but she's a smart one! Carbon thought after arriving at his answer. He knew this was a declaration of war on Janice's part-that she had no intention of letting walk away without suffering any wounds. Like a warlord, she craves the passionate battles between leaders that end in the brutality of one's bloodshed. WIth the resolve of an entire community on her shoulders, the only way she knew how to answer such expectations was with brute force and ruthless aggression. Talk about a monster, this new generation is filled with them…
"Forward! We're punching them in the mouth! Kuro give them hell!" he shouts, pumping his fist. A strange call since they were surrounded by enemy ink and even covered in some, he still pressed for a fight. An order that could only be followed by a team that placed as much trust in their captain as he did in them to follow his command, they marched towards their demise. Not without complete failure, damages were taken. Kuro sprinted for none other than Janice, leaving Hector and Nantes to Ciel while Carbon focused on jamming William. William doesn't falter, instead moving closer to Carbon with strong resolve. A revelation he identified early, Carbon recognized why this team acted so aggressively. They're not afraid to take risks. A team that knows no fear, they truly believe themselves to be the best team in this competition…
A double splat records with both Carbon and William trading blows, but it's not enough to slow the game down in these early moments as Janice and her duo continue their fight against Kuro and Ciel. The first floor is almost as energetic as an electric current with the roars and howls reaching the third floor like a jolt, everyone screaming the player's names with excitement to see how the rest of the game will play out with both sides making their intentions clear that this wouldn't be a quick series. Kuro does a leap and throws a burst bomb, submerging and circle around Janice, reappearing like an alligator about to snap at his prey; Janice's grin doesn't disappear as she turns to face him with anticipation. The rainmaker charges as she bends her knees and lowers herself preparing an angle to strike Kuro. Kuro's ready to absorb her hit if it means he can take her with him, however he is sorely mistaken misreading her plans. She submerges…
"What!?" he shouts falling into her puddle covered in the purple ink, trapped as she swims away; instead, he's met by Hector, who eliminates him promptly. A trick play at the very last moment, Janice never had any intentions of crossing blades with anyone other than Carbon. This much he realized recalling her grin. It was never of any confidence on her part that she could beat him, but of mockery at his foolishness for believing she'd ever intercept an attack from him-anyone aside Carbon for that matter. "She's...disrespecting us…!" he mutters with boiling rage returning to spawn.
A small victory for the Fangs, they managed to dispose of Ciel afterwards and begin their march to the fourth floor where the goal in their enemy's territory awaits them. Janice guffaws remembering the final look on Kuro's face as she made her escape, the shock and despair settling as he came to realization of her plans. This is what she'd been waiting for ever since claiming recognition among the best, to play in games like these where she could feel her heart about to burst from her chest at a moment's notice. The thrill of facing teams of the same caliber or greater, a challenge at every corner with elimination following as you roam the battlegrounds. This is the Spring Invitationals! She gathers them together and assumes the lead with them all taking turns creating a path to the ascending floor. While the Fangs begin their push to the goal, the Squidops are awaiting the return of Ciel and Kuro with patience, knowing that they've been in such a scenario before. Their captain is calculating the next course of action as the beginning of Game 1 already seems over, the momentous punch of the Fangs sinking them right in the jaw and leaving them stunned. He knew it'd be a foolish move to rally in the first game of a series considering they have at least a trio of games to make a run and turn the tide. This is only the beginning…
"We'll come at them when the time is right. Show no breaks in your determination and continue to chip away at them. The pressure is on them to deliver under the title they claim. We're here to settle the score and take back what's ours. We'll wait patiently. We'll endure. We'll beat them when they least expect it!" With that, the first game went on for a few more minutes. The Fangs came on the attack ready to knockout Squidops, but the team showed no loss in the fight as they denied the Fangs the privilege of a knockout victory, holding the game in the palm of their hands striking down with an attitude each time the Fangs came knocking at the door. A blessing of experience, it was apparent to Janice what the Squidops were up to once she saw the fire in their eyes quelled from the blaze she encountered in the opening minutes. A plan born from wisdom, she recognized her wish of a full series would come true. They're going to give her the fight she wanted. Game 1 goes to the Fangs, a score of 74-20.
The following games is where the story of this battle truly took shape. In game 2 of Splat Zones, after being punched in the jaw by the energetic Fangs, Squidops made their move halfway through the game after chipping away at the leading Fangs, abandoning their failing in-n-out zone tactic and went on a brash assault. An overwhelming move centered around showcasing their true power, the Squidops earned a team wipeout and quickly gained the zones. An aggressive front that worked in their favor, they held the path to victory by stopping several close counterattacks by the Fangs and held onto the second game to tie the series. But it wasn't over yet. Game 3 is where Squidops showed their true colors and made their power move. With Turf War as the mode, this gave both teams an even opportunity to take control of the series with the winner of the third game usually being the one to win the series. However, both teams ignored the idea of a defensive strategy and instead sharpened their spears for the kill in the game 3. Early on it seemed as though the Fangs couldn't be stopped as they started with the same intensity as seen in the first game-Janice playing a bigger role as she actively went for kills on others rather than focus on a dream isolation battle with Carbon. However, that run soon fell flat as Squidops showed why they once held the title as one of the strongest in the country, absorbing the blows of the Fangs and returning fire of their own, making their quick spurt in the back half yet again and seizing control of the momentum by the end of the game, taking a 2-1 lead after three games. The audience went berserk with a myriad of different emotions running amok as many voiced their concerns, displeasure or excitement for the next game to come. In the fourth game, the pressure is mounted on the shoulders of the Fangs, who now find themselves facing potential elimination after the Squidops made their rally in the previous games to take a sudden lead after being down in the first. A critical moment thus far, the Squidops' performance had many neutrals and journalists rethinking their outlook on the series ending in favor of the Fangs, understanding that perhaps the Fangs were a bit overrated and that the Squidops indeed were still on of the Big Four of Inkopolis. A difference in experience, it seemed clear to everyone that the Squidops played the Fangs into a corner by running them to the ground with fatigue and striking their hardest attacks at the right moments, conserving their energy for this very moment where they can finally put an end to this nightmare and repair their fallen reputation. A smell of blood in the water that spreads as the wounds of the Fangs open up, the beady eyes of Squidops illuminate as victory is within their grasp. However…
"THEY TIED UP THE SERIEEEEEEES!" The commentator roared to an awestruck crowd who responded with a powerful cheer for the Fangs, the supporters coming to life after giving their hearts out in every game so far. People rise to their feet to give a standing ovation praising the Fangs for pulling through with their backs against the wall to force a Game 5. It started when Nantes got a surprise splat on Carbon and caught the Squidops off guard by taking down the link that holds the team together. A chance opportunity opened by a brilliant ambush from Nantes, Janice and the others followed blazing a trail to victory-bouncing off the ropes swinging furiously and connecting with a solid hook sending the Squidops reeling.
On the Fangs' end, it's a firsthand experience of what it meant to be at this stage-to carry the weight as one of the best in the country, and against a capable foe. They were exhausted. Their lungs burned every time the inhaled, their muscle's twitching in pain as they try their hardest to stay on their feet; the back of their jerseys drenched in sweat despite being indoors in air conditioning. Janice finally got what she wanted by playing them, by facing a foe as mighty as the Inkstinct, as ferocious as the Special Forces and Beacon Hills. Where her teammates looked as though they might fall over any second, she kept her feet planted firm, her grin still present, her irises ignited by the embers of her resolve. She's got fight left in her and has no intention of going down in this series. She looks over to her comrades in white and purple and points a thumb to her chest.
"This ain't over until the fat lady croaks!" she shouts with rejuvenation, her face beaming at the result of a comeback and a fifth game awaiting; her teammates can't help but crack radiant smiles at her goofiness, feeling their fatigue disappear as they watched how spry she still looks after this hellish series.
"Oh come on, Janice. It's until she sings, not croaks!" an irritable William shouts.
"Honestly, what will we do with you…" Hector sighed with a relieved smile.
"Hmph. I'm glad to see you're still bursting with energy." Nantes smirked, sweating the most of the trio.
"Aw guys...don't be so modest! I'm just doing this for my brothers and sisters cheering us on. We're the Fangs of Yermozani-sharpest weapon of our community. We protect our own and attack those who harm. Let's make this game their funeral!"
A final game to decide their fate, the teams are prepared; the mode is none other than Splat Zones, the same as the second game that saw Squidops winning. A battle on the same setup as the rainmaker battle, the spot where the rainmaker was now replaced by a single huge zone. Both sides are feeling the heat, as their bodies soaked in sweat drip buckets in spawn, sluggish from the wear and tear of battle, but neither showing any dullness in their hearts as their resolve remains as sharp as ever. It's the last game in the Spring Invitationals for one of them, and this is their only opportunity to make sure it doesn't happen. Without any further hindrances, the game begins-both sides relying on their adrenaline to push them to victory. The Fangs are using their favorite setup of 1 blaster, 1 roller, and two chargers: splatling and sniper. Janice is on the blaster, surprising her teammates by taking up the weapon she least liked in the Luna Blaster; Hector is on the Heavy Splatling, William-the Goo Tuber, and Nantes is on the gold dynamo roller. On the other side sits the Squidops, who've evolved since their defeat in the winter; for this game, they have Carbon on the Nzap '83, Kuro on the splash-o-matic, Nachtia on the undercover brella, and Ciel taking the firefin splat charger. Both sides loaded for their final stand, the game begins...
Black and Purple quickly fill the map on their way to the eventual clash at the center of the garden floor, with both sides speeding up the closer they reach to meeting at the blank canvas. A sprinkler arrives first, sending sprinkles of black everywhere-only to be met by a purple splat bomb; the captains encountering each other first both have vicious eyes-the embers of Janice facing the spark of Carbon. The atmosphere gets heavy as both captains tightened their grip on their weapons, their blood boiling the longer they see each other's faces. Janice widens her eyes and gives a fighting shout, rushing towards Carbon; he scowls and readies his aim, prepared to draw first blood. Janice creates her path while skipping in her ink in squid form, showing Carbon that she has all intentions of making this a brawl-a fight between the captains. Carbon smirks, firing away at the purple path.
"We'll intercept them!" the rest of Squidops shout rushing past Carbon.
"The Squidops are as good as dead!" The Fangs shout entering the zone.
"So, handle their captain!" both sides shout in unison as they clash on the zone, their captains taking the battle to the edge of the zone.
Both captains give a momentary grin appreciative of their loyal teams, prepared to carry their pride on their shoulders. Carbon abruptly shifts his stance and dodges Janice, who shoots out of her purple stream like a missile leading with her weapon her body flying past Carbon. In just a blink, both sides' eyes met: Janice soaring the air with her body shift to the side trying to readjust her aim at Carbon, and Carbon turning to meet her eyes, readying to adjust his stance to face her and fire while she's exposed. It felt like an eternity staring each other down in what was just milliseconds, but both could sense their mutual desperation, bloodlust, and resolve all in that moment. Time resumes. Janice does an acrobatic landing to her feet sliding on the ground with her focus still on Carbon, likewise, Carbon is ready and fires away. Janice shifts to the side, to avoid his mark, but finds herself running out of ink quickly. Carbon refills. It's only the opening seconds of the game 5, but judging from the thundering crowd watching the game, this is what they wanted to see between the 4th and 5th ranked teams of Inkopolis.
Carbon chases after Janice, who retreats from the zone further into the garden floor, Still fiery as you were before...admirable work, Janice of Yermozani…
Janice looks back before submerging into the ink, You too, Carbon boy.
As they begin to raise the intensity of their personal battle, the 3 on 3 battle between the Fangs and Squidops is under way as the zone still remains within the balance. Kuro does a hop and throws the toxic mist at the area where the Fangs are concentrated the most, forcing them to disperse and create the opening the Squidops need to capture the zone. But the Fangs aren't backing down, instead they backed off the zone and circle for an end around move as the zone turns black. Hector gives an angry howl setting up his Heavy Splatling for an inkling massacre, emptying his tank on turning the black turf purple as his teammates take the adjacent sides. Squidops is prepared for such actions however with Nachtia activating her brella to block out his attack followed by Ciel throwing up her splash wall in time to give Nachtia time to refill her ink gauge. Kuro handles the other two inklings on his own, his bloodshot eyes showing just how deep down he'll dig to hold down the fort until his captain returns. William lines up Kuro and fires his Goo Tuber, careful to charge to max for an opportunity and a one-hit splat, but forced to keep a distance for the dangerous inkling, he leaves the close combat to Nantes' gold dynamo roller. Nantes flicks his roller as much as he can, but Kuro's swiftness proves to difficult to match as he becomes the first victim of the inkling's wrath. A purple splash appears where Nantes stood, and covered in his purple ink is a steaming Kuro on his way to take down William.
"Ah, sh-"
"-Give me your blood!" Kuro shouts, clenching his teeth as he fires at William; William looks to retreat, sensing immense danger should he engage in battle with Kuro.
A pair of cries follow as a player from both sides meet their momentary demise. Hector's plan to take down the defenses of Ciel and Nachtia proved successful as he somehow brought down Ciel after her splash wall disappeared, unfortunately taking collateral damage and getting finished off by Nachtia who got revenge after he obliterated her. Only 45 seconds passed since the game began and the sight of the field diminished with a player gone from Squidops and a pair gone from the Fangs. Squidops breathes a sigh of relief after managing to take half of their forces right away, setting up their defenses in anticipation of a fierce counterattack. While the tighten their defenses and pain the zone black, their captain is painting Janice black, who finds herself in a bind as Carbon's rush of blood to the head sends his instincts wild. He's moving sharper, faster, and with an air of dominance, which petrified Janice as she struggled to steel herself with doom on her heels.
"I picked the wrong weapon!" she shouts while hopping into the puddle of ink, aware that this wasn't what she expected from Carbon after four games; in a way, he looked like a tougher fight than Kippy, which Janice cherished as her favorite battle thus far. She slaps herself in the face to regain her confidence and emerges and quickly and she submerged, twisting her body to face Carbon and fire away, but...he's not there.
"You're still not there!" Carbon shouts with his gun aimed at midair Janice; "You're not worthy!" he shouts violently ending with a splat to her face, making sure the message is clear: he's not letting her go through unless she's got the killer instinct. In his eyes, she's not better than him, nor are the rest of the Fangs. They're inferior. Inexperienced. Unprepared for the challenges that await them. "You want the next round? Get through us, newbies!" he shouts loud enough for it to be heard throughout the exhibit, echoing to the spawns of the Fangs who're respawning together.
It's early in the game, but their bodies can't handle it any longer. They've shared the same bruises and cuts and sweated through the same battles and once again they are being tested. They endured the barbed wire overhead while crawling through the floors while on their journey to the Spring, overcoming obstacle after obstacle all while putting their community first, and now, in these moments where they could hear the cries of every person shouting for their victory and at the top of their lungs, they felt the pressure thicken. But never, did their eyes dull. Janice grits her teeth and slants her brows, so tightly a grinding noise can be heard as she tries her hardest to contain her frustrated tears, her teammates fists clenching and steam puffing from their nostrils as once again a wall stands before them.
"Time's wasting, everybody!" Janice shouts with authority, the others following her on command. "We'll bury them!"
Without a break in step, they marched to the zone occupied by Squidops. The crew in black await them with patience, every member guarding a corner of the zone; even if the match had just started, it was clear to both sides that this is the last stand by both parties and whoever claims victory here will take the game. The score is 67-100 in favor of Squidops, who haven't lost possession since claiming it in the opening minute. A successful defense in warding off the Fangs, Squidops were prepared for any attacks that come their way. They can hear the banging of a drum beat ever so loudly the longer they wait, recognizing this was nothing more than the anthem of the Fangs, the fight song sung to the highest note as possible as the supporters recognize the fierce glint in the eyes of the Fangs meant war. Their heart rate increases as the silhouette figures appear on the garden floor, the immense pressure surrounding them a clear indicator of what is to come.
"On your guard, everybody. This team looks different." Carbon warned, sensing their blood lust as they halt their march and stare them down.
"Those knees are buckling. They'll go down with a single punch." Kuro added while raising his chin with an imposing glare.
Ciel shakes her head, "They're serving no purpose by letting our lead increase…"
"Drawing their last breath, they're looking to use this moment as their final dagger of attack. If we stop them here, we've won this war." Nachtia said with confidence, readying her weapon.
On the other side, their eyes looks as though they shine with hope, a fire burning every single one of them as they prepare for a final charge. Truly, this is what the Spring Invitationals is: A showcase of raw power, intellect, and emotion. Should you lack any of these critical factors, you stand no chance of succession. With a final breath, Janice closes her eyes, opening them and giving a final cry for battle, inking the turf and descending; her teammates follow, then dispersing to take the four corners. Carbon shouts a command and the Squidops shift their positions to a uniform formation, ready to intercept the Fangs. There are no walls within this floor nor are there gates, only small trees scattered throughout the floor. An opportunity to show the Squidops a surprise, Janice shifts her path to a nearby tree adjacent to the zone, climbing up the tree and then setting fire from above. Hector and Nantes take the fight down the central pathway and meet Kuro and Carbon; Ciel and Nachtia turn their focus to Janice up above, but are mindful of the sneaky William, who has both of them within his range of fire. Janice drops into the zone, unleashing her Baller, but Carbon sends out his Ink Storm, testing their resolve to continue the attack within the zone with black rain burning their skin. But the Fangs don't hesitate as they burn in the black with Hector firing his special with a cry in agony, knowing he'll be demolished within a few seconds. The Sting ray fires within the Ink storm much to the surprise of Squidops, who thought the team wouldn't be brazen enough to risk it all so early in the match, but indeed the sneaky feeling Carbon got when he saw their resolve proved true now as his teammates struggle to survive the Sting ray. Ciel catches him right between the eyes, putting an end to the Sting Ray, but before they can breathe a sigh of relief, Janice's Baller explodes, covering the zone in Purple ink and shifting the possession into the Fangs' favor. Squidops are trapped. The stark realization of the tables turning on them has yet to sink in as William rushes to the zone with his Goo Tuber, his hair glowing as he rises, forming a barrier around him.
Carbon looks up with a sinking heart as the shadow of death comes for him. NO...NO NO NO NO NO! Carbon thought desperately as the gates to the garden close, the entry to Paradise in the west slipping his grasps the further their blade dulled.
Please...we can't let this end here! Ciel thought, watching her vision bury in the purple ink.
Nachtia grimaces, All of our hard work…
…Wasted! Kuro shouts in his mind as he gets splatted by William's Splashdown.
An utter annihilation of Squidops within mere seconds, the Fangs have taken possession of the zone and inflicted a bonus penalty of the Squidops; the audience is in a frenzy as the counterattack becomes a success. Time ticks faster for the Fangs who quickly find themselves within reach of overtaking Squidops with plenty of time left in the match. There's no wavering in their movement, only precision as they set up their defense for the obvious retaliation of the Squidops. Surely enough, the team in black came roaring with their weapons ready, unleashing their specials right after the stacked release by the Fangs. First on the attack, the toughest objective was to now defend the zone and take the lead all while enduring the punishment of Squidops. Kuro takes the high route and uses his Inkjet to create turmoil from above, Ciel uses her Suction-Bomb Launcher to create a path for the Squidops while also dealing damage, and finally, after all the black ink thrown at the Fangs, Nachtia emerges to swoop in for the finale with a Splashdown of her own. Black fills the zone, and though it looks like Squidops have the majority in their favor and about to reclaim, the Fangs don't give up either! Their eyes glowed like a jade as they perform under the protection of Nantes' Ink Armor that he released the moment Squidops unleashed their assault.
Carbon's stunned, his face turning pale with terror. A-after all that, they're still standing!? The last image he saw before getting splatted by Janice was the look of ferocity on her face, the embers in her eyes ignited into an inferno as the veins in her forehead protrude. She's wearing more than just fury however, also pain. The damage had been done, though it was more physical than psychological, the effects from battle tore her apart. A mesmerizing sight to behold, he witnessed firsthand just how proud, stubborn, resilient, the captain of the Yermozani Fangs were. She's...scared He thought with somber, ashamed to identify the inner turmoil the girl suffers. Even if it was her team's victory, it was her personal defeat. An end to the clash between the old and the new, the Fangs emerge victorious securing their spot into the Quarterfinals against the Special Forces in what would be a battle of No.2 against No.4. A match decided early thanks to the Fangs holding onto the lead for the knockout, the Fangs are rewarded to a standing ovation from their supporters, neutrals, and even respect from the Squidops supporters, who knew this team showed a side only a worthy opponent could perform. The rest of the competition watches on with their own views: Squidcom's in awe of what they witnessed and resonated with the Fangs' resolve, Jin of Special Forces is unimpressed with what he saw and disappointed about having to face them in the next round-drawing comparisons of Janice's feisty attitude to another stubborn inkling girl who had tremendous potential, Beacon Hills is impressed by the team's fortitude to face the devil on their back-the only team considered capable of upsetting them, and the Inkstinct...well, Kippy's on the verge of tears giving a little fist pump trying her best to contain her elation on seeing her rival make it to the next round-inspired to produce a result capable of living up to the expectations of Janice. As the game is decided, the two teams exchange handshake as a show of sportsmanship with both the captains taking the lead.
"Are you sure you can handle that golden team?" Carbon asked, grasping her hand firmly looking for an answer to his concerns. After what he saw before getting splatted by her, he couldn't help but worry. It wasn't as though he'd grown some sort of attachment to her, but rather, come to respect her enough that he didn't want her to get destroyed by the next opponent-the same team that nearly ended Sky Royale's career.
"Ain't that the beauty of this competition? Of course I don't have the answer to that question." She beamed, clearly showing fatigue; his grip softened as he saw her sincerity and realized that this was the toughest game she ever played, so of course she had no clue if she could take down the behemoth that awaits her in a couple days.
Carbon lets go and blushes a little-clearing his throat after getting flustered for a moment by her honesty, "Well, then. Good luck on the next round. It was a pleasure to battle." he said, walking off. He's more concerned than before now that he knows that she'll be entering her toughest battle ever after just fighting for her survival. A mixture of peace and guilt cloud his judgement as he links up with his teammates, who can tell he's conflicted about the result. But before they depart to return to their lounge...
"HEEEEEEY! Carbon! Squidops! I have a feeling we'll meet again, so give me your worst, eh?" she shouts with that same beaming expression, shouting afterwards that she'll never forget the battles fought today and that they're her friends for life after crossing swords; making the entire team blush with embarrassment at her naivety.
Opening day reaches its conclusion. The winners, aware of their brackets and their future matchups all are vigilant and the scores show what has passed and what is to come. The monitor shows brightly what teams and fans alike are to expect on the third day of competition-the Quarterfinals: The first game for the day will see Squid Academy's Squidcom challenge Beacon Hills, the Yermozani Fangs play the Special Forces in the following game at a different location during a later time; for the remaining quarterfinal games, they will play at different locations as well as at the same time as the previous couple of games in a process to speed things up for the following round. As everyone scans each matchup illustrating their views and predictions, a quickly growing storyline is the potential meeting of Jin and Gin Ika in the semi finals for what would be yet another classic battle between the two Kings of Inkopolis.
