The tension in the room burns like a setting sun, silence so deafening it rivals the scorn of a lover. All members present were stuck between a rock and a hard place when discussing the fate of every school on the continent. At the headquarters of Moonrock in Jensen, Fjedlin. A small nation wedged within several other small nations that make up the cluster surrounded by the powerhouses. The location where the committee responsible for the National selection takes place, there are representatives from each nation along with scouts and other senior officials to do a reflection on the teams competing in Nationals. The National rankings were stagnant up until this point, changing rapidly with many teams on the outside looking to make the late push for consideration for one the last 8 spots where the committee hand picks teams rather than rely on the stats. There was little to no animosity between anyone at the start of the discussion where everyone unanimously agreed on the top 5 teams in the country based on their rankings in the National Leader board, which are: In the fifth spot, Skolar High of Roland, a smaller nation out in the west who were dubbed by many as the strongest team going into the competition with an unprecedented might led by their powerful starting six and explosive bench. The team that sits in the fourth spot is Vulerby High, an especially strong team from Squirabia that managed to turn eyes in their qualifiers, with such a dynamic style that they were regarded by many as the most unpredictable team among the top 25, able to play at a level rivaling the teams ahead of them but also having poor consistency as a glass cannon that could be exploited by fellow ranked opponents. Crystal Coast is in third, a perennial semifinalist finishing third in the National tournament six times in the last decade looking to keep that streak going for a third consecutive time, the fastest team heading into the tournament, their amazing team chemistry and talent were enough for even the members attending to view them as possible favorites to finally win it all at Nationals. In the 2nd spot are Hugh-Napri Vocational, the team who appeared at the last two finals of Nationals with powerful prodigies all together on the same team, they are overwhelmingly regarded as the best team in this tournament with their explosive power and amazing discipline. In the top spot at first place in the rankings for the Nationals, it's Rukovna High of Kolnogov, Mollusca. A school that carries a tradition of always being led by royalty, the team captain is none other than the crown prince of Mollusca. The defending champions of Nationals, they've proven all season why they are the cream of the crop and the committee's votes show it; many of them believe there will likely be another rematch from the previous two finals between Rukovna and Hugh-Napri in a deciding championship game. After those five teams were selected, it became a mess. Many were still in agreement on selecting teams, but the further down the table go, the increase in opposition to the selections. In attendance for this was the octoling who watched the Spring Invitational games live, serving as a representative from Inkopolis. There to witness the final results and report to Inkopolis media outlets, he saw the reigning 4 heavy hitters of Inkopolis all achieve an incredible feat of cracking the top 25. One of the two newcomers who played well throughout their qualifiers and then finally showing their worth in the Invitationals, Yermozani made it to 15th spot with all arrows pointing upwards on room for growth, the trust in the boisterous captain Janice a focal point for their success. In 13th despite their failure to replicate the success they had in the winter, Beacon Hills were still undoubtedly one of the most dangerous teams on the continent with unit that operated on automatic, led by the silver inkling Gin Ika, who many believed finally blossomed into a superstar after getting over the hump. At 9th, still regarded by many outside of Inkopolis as the gem of the country in this sport and still the class of the east is Special Forces who will approaching the tournament from an unprecedent spot in decades-the honor of being the top ranking team from Inkopolis. Instead, that belongs to the team that gave the biggest surprise that no one could've imagined-a team so exciting it felt like it was written out of a comic book. Ranked as the 7th best team on the continent and possibly the hottest team in the world going into the tournament, led by their adorable wonder girl believed to rival the likes of the big three of the Fifth Emperor, Street Queen, and Siot of Tropicanos, it's Kippy Moreno and the Kalebrough Inkstinct full speed ahead. With an impressive record coming into the spring that further bolstered after stopping the resurgence of the Hero and his golden squad, the world has been forced to notice them. A favorite by many to win it all, everyone was interested in seeing how the newcomers would manage against the many veteran squads who would surely look to spoil their dreamlike run. Aside from that fun storyline, the octoling was disinterested for the rest of the board's unveiling and zoned out, finding that a discussion about the final standings that starts early in the morning and lasts for almost an entire day was tedious enough, but now must wait until the evening to give his vote on the teams that mattered: the last 8 spots.
"Now that the teams are finalized for the first hundred and twenty spots, we'll begin our round table discussion on the final eight." the one in charge of this gathering announced, glad that the group was on the final stretch.
A shortlist is presented on a sheet of paper with 30 teams, the goal for the remainder of the discussion to select 8 of them for the final roster. A list of legitimate teams from all over the continent and nearby islands, everyone scans the list for standout names. For the octoling who was so detached from the discussion for several hours, his entire body went into a panic as he spotted a name he found unbelievable to actually make the shortlist. With a glance around the room, he wondered if anyone else was shocked by the list of teams. Now on high alert for the most subtle of cues, he watches for what anyone might have to say, already mounting an argument for the team he'd like to put in Nationals. His leg restless leg shakes anxiously while switching between the list of names and surveying the room, often double checking the list to make sure his team didn't deceive him. After a few minutes of torturous silence, a man with an expressionless face raises his hand asking if he can make a suggestion after reviewing the list.
"I propose we add a team from the nation of Inkopolis, another representative to go with the powerful four that all made it into the top end of the rankings, it should seem right we add another team from that nation, no? As it is, they've shown worthy." he declares in a casual tone, earning plenty of scoffs and disapproval from the others with everyone turning their sights to him, including the octoling who now felt interested in hearing him elaborate. He shared the same thought that another team from Inkopolis should compete at Nationals-their Spring Invitationals was well received throughout the continent and people still were raving about the shocking upsets seen from that tournament. He believed that with their involvement, Nationals would get shaken up to the core."We should include one of the teams that went to the Spring Invitationals in Giande, a popular team that's got similar talent to the big four but also has a chip on their shoulder that makes them an unexpected challenger. Traditionally, Nationals is a tournament dominated by the top 25 teams as we approach the round of 16 onward, perhaps putting them in could prove in seeing a few upsets?"
That's it! You're thinking about it too, right? He thought, with a sprouting smile with his nervousness fading away, confidence emerging. If another person agreed with him, it'd be much easier to advocate for them.
"What team do you propose?" one voice calls out, almost mocking him.
"Yeah, what's the revelation? Who ya got?" another called.
The man looks at the paper and squints his eyes, "Squid…"
Squid…? Squidcom? Squidcom of Squid Academy? The octoling's face brightens, knowing they must be on the same page, that this has to be the team he'd call. It made sense to include Squidcom of Squid Academy since they shocked everyone by not only winning the second Rank Wars, but they upset Beacon Hills and went to the semis and gave Special Forces a run for their money. They not only upset the 13th best team in the world but went on to challenge the 9th team as well! They could easily become the giant killers of Nationals and bring the world to its knees if they were given the chance, but to select such a team also proved risks as they weren't necessarily a proven side since it was a team of first years. It'd take more than just a "What have you done for me lately" approach to get them into the mix.
"...Ops!"
WHAT! His screams in horror, doing his hardest to keep a straight face by the choice from out of left field; everyone struggles to withhold their laughter in response.
"Squidops? The team that was eliminated in the first round?" one person asks rhetorically, almost laughing at the end.
"Why would we include them?"
"They ran into the Yermozani Fangs, the team that knocked them out of the coveted top slots as a representative and engaged in one of the best battles of the tournament. Coupled with their experience at Nationals and their history, I favor them over some of the boring options ranked higher."
A hot take by some, whispers and murmurs grow along with the indistinct chatter.
The one in charge raises his hand to quell the noise, "Fair enough. However, I feel as though we're being a little too generous to Inkopolis by awarding them a fifth representative, don't you think? Most of the representatives had to work their way to this point, fighting tooth and nail to be eligible, and here we're awarding a powerhouse nation another simply because of bias? I'm not too sure…"
"I understand what you mean, but we select the last 8 teams because of that, don't we? As an excuse, it's a poor one considering that Ikayumu and Mollusca have several teams making the final cut, Squirabia has a fairly large amount as well, and the western isles also have a good chunk of teams in there. Would including additional teams for Inkopolis truly be such a terrible thing?"
"Inkopolis don't deserve another representative because their schools never get far. Every year their top teams always get bounced in the first two rounds of the knockout stages. It's been years since any of their teams sniffed the finals appearance." One man interjects, earning plenty of support.
"This will be the year you eat your words." the octoling said after hearing enough, he'd rather have someone else do the work but if it came to this, he'd have no choice but to do it himself; "Inkopolis have the most appealing of teams coming into this tournament, their viewership is always among the most dedicated. Why not test it? I believe an Inkopolis team will win Nationals this year."
The place is in an uproar.
"Such a gamble at the expense of other teams?"
"You just want them in because you had to watch them live in the spring."
"Too biased I tell you!"
The whole place talking with that comment and also putting a target on his back in the process, but he accomplished his goal by getting everyone talking. All he had to do was draw them in like sheep and get them under his control and it'd be his victory, but it wasn't enough to just get them into the conversation, he had to drive home facts with overwhelming evidence to back his claims. His uphill battle begins now, but after seeing that glimpse of brilliance displayed that day between Beacon Hills and Squid Academy, he knew he needed to see that spark again by any means necessary.
All the way in Inkopolis, Squidcom make their return to the campus. After having parted ways with Leor and Mika who both admitted they grew attached to the company while enjoying a vacation in the sun, they returned to their respective living spaces. On the way there Cobalt explained that before he left for Ikayumu, Principal Telfin assured him that he'd have a place to come back to, and in truth that was honored as the moment he and Tangie returned to campus, the interim principal filling in for Telfin confirmed that two spots were reserved for them per his request. As such, they split up with Sally and Violet taking Tangie with them to surprise Friya and Brittany while Azule and Reice brought Cobalt along to surprise Todd, hoping the return of their old roommate will be a memorable one. After branching off from Jory, the trio return home and crowd the door, sure to keep quiet while Azule brings out the keys. A jingle of the keys followed by the door unlocking, the trio file in and hear a sizzle from the kitchen followed by a delicious aroma puncturing their nostrils upon entry. After taking off their shoes and announcing their return, Azule and Reice peek into the kitchen to see several pots and pans on the stove and a ton of ingredients laid out on the counter beside, shocked to see their roommate was on the initiative cooking a meal.
"Ah, you're back. I got all the ingredients for tonight's meal, but I couldn't wait until then so I'm frying some plantains."
Azule's stunned, "H-how'd you know we'd be coming?"
"Reice texted me late last night about returning today so I got everything ready in hopes that maybe we could all cook dinner together." he said with a straight face, though it was difficult to hide how lonesome it'd been while they were gone.
"Cook dinner together...wow, quite the character arc."
"Here I thought you'd continue your stubborn ways and be a tsundere the whole way but even you can change!"
"Can it. I'm stuck with you all for the rest of my time here so I might as well make the most of it. Go carry your bags inside and get here-I made enough for you all to snack on."
Reice lifts his finger, "Before we do that…"
Cobalt walks in wearing a big smile, "Got room for another?"
His complexion brightened despite his expression remaining the same, "Cobalt...good, that's another pair of hands to help out."
Disappointed he didn't give them a better reaction, the trio rest their luggage in the next room and get to work, starting off the return of Cobalt with bang by cooking dinner together. On the other hand for the girls, Friya and Brittany were in for quite the surprise once they're met by Tangie again, unable to do anything further than jump in for a hug and show their affection, they all share a night full of laughter and catch up on various things. The next day marks the first time in months that Cobalt and Tangie are back in class, and it's an eventful one for the pair as plenty of people took notice of their return, quick to pry on what they were doing in their absence. Life is returning to normal for the reigning champions of the Rank Wars and with some free time left after club hours, Fuchsia decided to gather everyone and hold a team strategy meeting about what comes next for the team. Before they left for Squirabia, Fuchsia was contacted by the managers of several teams about scheduling exhibition matches after the national tournament. It turns out that summer is the off season for most teams but for the teams that made it to Nationals, they got to compete in the Grand Slams. The Grand Slams are events where 64 of the best teams compete in an exclusive season that has several venues set up as mini-championships. Teams compete against each other in a set schedule for points that are tallied up at the end with the top 16 teams making it to the Grand Tournament, the final tournament of the season where only the best of the best can play. Since they'll miss out on Nationals, Fuchsia figured the best thing to do is some exhibition matches while the Grand Slams are happening since more teams will be available that missed the cut. The reason why the exhibition matches couldn't be scheduled sooner is because it's against the rule for any matches outside of team practicing to be held during the national tournament, giving students and faculty alike a chance to rest from those activities.
"Several teams sent me emails and I'd like to give them a response as soon as possible, but before that I'd like to hear your thoughts." Fuchsia said, giving the floor to the main squad, who caught the attention of their friends awaiting an answer.
"Until after Nattys huh...I guess we can hold a training camp for the next few weeks before the event starts. Who knows? Maybe we could all get together at someone's place and put on the games to watch and study how they play. We could learn a few things from teams competing at the highest level." Reice offered, rending a few surprised looks who didn't expect him to give such a good idea.
Violet's reviewing her thoughts, "Exhibition matches can be helpful, but wouldn't we need to do some traveling? We'd also need money for hotel expenses, food, transportation-"
"I'll handle it." Fuchsia flashes an uncomfortable smile, expecting such an answer from the calculating Violet.
Sally's eyes are full of light, "Man, I wish I could play with everyone again. You all played really well! I'm confident by next season we'll be strong enough to compete in the winter tournament."
"It seems far away but it'll be here in no time."
Fuchsia looks over to the captain, "Azule, what do you think doing those matches in the summer?"
The captain massages his forehead, exposing his hairline for the first time in a while, "I'm not against it but we're being a little hasty about scheduling them. Even if we accept, we wouldn't play them until the summer. That's more than a month away even without counting the next few weeks. Let's take it watch the tournament and soak up as much knowledge-in the coming weeks we can decide on that."
"Alright. But they'll be antsy for a response..."
"Whoa!" Jory shouts, checking his phone-frightening them all in the process with his sudden outburst; "It's on! It's on!"
"What is?" Cobalt asked, a tad bit curious.
"The announcements for Nationals! They're announcing all the teams that'll participate."
"That's TONIGHT!?" Everyone shouts.
"Ah, makes sense." Cobalt said plugging his ears in time.
"Well, turn on the TV!" Kosami pokes Azule on the cheek, hurrying him to show it on the bigger screen."
Turning the TV on, they're just in time as several people are gathered on a set to discuss the results live as the teams are revealed ten at a time. Since there were so many teams, they had bumpers running along the bottom to show every team revealed. After every team came some interesting facts about them as well as their stat line going in and talks about the key players for each team. So far, they missed 127 teams and barely were in time for the last one, only getting saved by the commentators and analysts taking their time dissecting the current selected team and offering their views and opinions about what can be done for them to have a key run. Before listing the final team, they ran through a recap of the teams that made it so far, feeling a different type of way about the Inkopolis teams that were in the top 25 that they crossed paths with before; it put into perspective that they were tested by some of the best talent on the continent, amazed that such talent existed in their backyard. After a few minutes listening to the recap, the final team is presented.
"The final team who will be competing in the National Tournament is…"
Utter silence fills the room as their faces turn pale and their pupils dilate, the anxiety putting wearing them down by the second. Who was that final team? Were they worthy of taking that final spot? They all sat there with struggling expressions, prepared for the worst, but what they got instead sent a force that sucked the life out of the room like a vacuum.
"Squid Academy High School."
Their faces turn blank, dumbfounded by the sudden twist. Their jaws drop heavier than a dumbbell looking at one another.
"EHHHHHHHHHH!?" they all shout in sync, stunned by the major announcement. In an instant, all of them jumped for joy and hugged each other. As if there was divine intervention, they were given another chance at life. They weren't the only shocked by the news, as Todd who sat in the same living space was watching the announcement on his phone and could believe his eyes, not only did Squidcom's own prove their worth in the Spring Invitationals, but their validation was confirmed in an appearance on the biggest stage-a feat that not even the mighty Elites could pull off in their three years together but a group of first years? Amazing. An indescribable moment for them, they join the rest of the world who watched on in utter shock. Around the world, everyone poured their thoughts onto social media with live reactions. For the most part, the reactions are mixed as some people saw the school's addition as a fun surprise while others were outraged by the snubbing of other teams and then there were those who already counted them out. Over in Tropicanos, Siot had the biggest grin on his face watching the reveal-a light sparkling in his dilated pupils as he struggled to hold back his excitement; finally, he could see for himself up close what the wild card inkling from the east was capable of. In Kalebrough, Kippy screaming at the top of her lungs, though she buried her voice in her pillow while kicking her bed, ecstatic that not only did Azule's team make the cut, but she'd have a chance to see him play up close-her inner fangirl getting the best of her. While they saw their entry as a welcomed surprise, alone in his room wearing a glare sat the Fifth Emperor, viewing the surprise addition as an annoying addition to an already stacked tournament; in truth, he didn't see any of the other teams as a threat and instead only focused on the one and only team he acknowledged. Also alone watching the show on her phone, the Street Queen Shiore wore a similar look to the Fifth Emperor, though hers wasn't of spite. As she gripped her phone tighter with a twist on her face, she breathed a sigh of relief and felt her chest. For the first time, she felt nervous about a tournament. She didn't know what brought this, but she saw the encounter she had with Azule as something closer to an otherworldly action-destiny some might call it. Once again, she had a chance to watch him play live and see the raw power of Midnight once again-on the greatest stage imaginable with the entire world watching.
