Kalebrough Inkstinct. Squid Academy. Primetime at Ravia stadium with the world in anticipation, it'll be a spectacle under the lights with the storyline of the undefeated Kalebrough welcoming the unpredictable Squid Academy. Believed by many to go on a tear through the group stage, the Kalebrough Inkstinct are led by their wondergirl first year Kippy Moreno-one of the brightest stars of the tournament so far. A rising sensation in Inkopolis, she had many pundits and critics alike painting her to become the next major star to carry the torch of Jin and Gin. Following a couple strong performances, Kalebrough were expected to be the favorites to not only win this match but even the group! It won't be an easy task though as their opponents are also a young team with some spunk, led by their tenacious first year captain many were considering to be a dangerous prospect with unlimited potential. The lime green and black jerseys of Kalebrough capture a unique appeal, and so do the pink and blue jerseys of Squid Academy on the opposing side; the ink colors for the teams lime green for Kalebrough and salmon pink for Squid Academy. The overview for the match has a map rotation of Ravia Park, Hafaf Hotel Lobby and Rooftop, and Station Park as the additional locations for the match. The game modes of Booyah Ball, Turf War, Last One Standing, Hide Ink Seek, Clam Blitz, Rainmaker, and Tower Control as the lineup for today. The starting lineup for the team in pink is once again Azule, Reice, Violet, Jory, Todd, and Pastelle while the team in lime green and black works with their effective squad of Zepp, Kippy, Kappa, Virgil, Pascal, and Tiffany. An exciting match between one of the hottest teams in the tournament and one of the most curious yet to grab a victory, many of the knowledgeable spectators and players in attendance and watching from the comfort of their rooms saw this as a potentially unforgettable contest-the two names of Azule and Kippy highlighted as the key players displayed on the board overhead while the stage below is prepared for the first game mode. The players are already lined up and the back line and staring at one another with serious gazes, the loud cheers from the crowd almost blocked out as the only sound heard are the faint breaths of their comrades and their pulsing hearts pounding in their heads; Kalebrough's starters look focused for the most part as their captain Zepp and Virgil wear analytic expressions trying to read the thoughts of their fellow rookies of Nationals. Azule's strong glare at Zepp loses its intensity as he looks over and catches the soft gaze of Kippy, her irises full of life as she keeps her eyes on him-and him only.
This is it! It's finally happening! Kippy screams in her mind, doing her hardest to contain her excitement. After missing out on the opportunity for a clash in the spring, they finally meet on the biggest stage imaginable. A dream recognized for her, Kippy knew this is her one shot to finally show her thanks to Azule, aware the only way she can do so is by giving her best performance and show him that though he is her idol, she must take him down, much like how he would've if he had to play against Sky. No mask worn this time around, Kippy remembered what her coaches told her in the team meetings about this match. She needed to keep calm and play to her usual style and avoid falling into their tempo. Don't get emotional and lured out by what they throw, suspecting that given who their head coach is and her track record for unique formations and schemes, they will likely be in for quite a war.
On the Squid Academy sidelines, Fuchsia looks composed, though she's already in a cold sweat about the stakes for this contest. Down a couple matches already, the opponent before them is once again an unprecedented foe like Crystal Coast. Ranked within the top 10. Favorites to win it all. Local Rivals. And most importantly, the polished version of their side. A difficult task to conquer, Squid Academy wouldn't just be going up against the 7th ranked team in all of Inkland, but against a team that had a similar composition and style of play to theirs with much greater efficiency. Yet another near impossible task, the goal for Azule and his squad was the same as last time, but with much more conviction: win a round. After seeing for themselves just the difference in skill and efficiency between them and Crystal Coast, Fuchsia went back to the drawing board to go over what went wrong. Following her conversation with Azule that night, she held an early morning meeting and went over a rather simple plan that surprised everyone given how much time she'd spent dedicated to improving on their mistakes. An easy enough goal, they needed to first do the impossible and get a win or else they stood no chance for the rest of the tournament; their next opponents happening to be another challenge like Towson Senior. If they still didn't have it in them to grab a win on a meaningful adversary, then what was the point? A look of confidence on her face, her hands are at her hips and her chin raised-no sign of doubt present. The rest of the Squid Academy also look hopeful, though the reason remains unknown for now. All pre-match ceremonies come to an end with both teams getting into their position on the hardwood court, their weapons in hand and officials already in position to commence battle. Todd is up for Squid Academy and the opening server, looking focused as his feet hug the backline; Zaneki, Mason and Parker all watch on in anticipation in what he'll do after seeing for themselves just how good he could get when competitive, and who better to step it up against than the opponent that the media considered to be the polished version of themselves? The stadium is rocking and the atmosphere buzzing, the fans of Squid Academy wearing smiles on their faces and still upbeat even if their team isn't in the best of spots-all trusting their team to turn it around and grab an upset tonight under the lights.
There really is something different about playing under the lights… Todd faces the open roof where beams of light shine brightly that the black center wasn't even visible. His arm extended and his palm opened, Todd created a swirling ball of pink. The Squid Academy crowd feeds into it, and his teammates alike give him their booyahs, trusting him to take it away and get them started on the right foot. The ball is tossed. Todd brings out his weapon right away and stiffens his body. With a powerful smack, the ball is launched like a rocket.
"Boooooyaaaaaahhhhh!" The Squid Academy crowd goes the moment the pink ball soars.
Zepp, Pascal, and Tiffany's heads all jerk as their eyes can't track the pink cannonball that zooms pass them, only hearing it connect with someone's weapon as they keep the ball in play. A pained grunt follows, belonging to Kappa, who received the ball in time to keep it in play. Thankfully he intercepted it well enough for the ball to fall right to Virgil, who blasts it with blinding speed into the target of a Kippy who already took flight-her wings spread wide like an angel and her impact as thunderous as a fierce deity. A sonic boom of a slam, the pink ball transitioned completely to green and left a huge mark on Squid Academy's turf as nobody could stop the ball this time, the wall unable to get themselves set to even block. The stadium fell silent the moment the ball connected with the court, everyone stunned by what they just witnessed from Kippy-the first point awarded to Kalebrough leading to an eruption of support from their fans. The wondergirl did it yet again, putting everyone in awe with her unrivaled explosiveness that begged the question of whether she could be stopped-viewed as a force of nature that could command the fate of the game by her breath alone. What works out for Kalebrough and has them rising out of their seats leave Squid Academy's side sinking in theirs, already feeling their soul snatched out of their body after seeing the hard flex of the Kalebrough ace. Everyone on the floor looked stunned too, the wind knocked out of them as they struggled to process the few seconds in that exchange that led to the first point. Their minds blank and their bodies frozen, none of them could breathe easy anymore as the effects of that spike brought with it a toxic air that clogs the lungs and poisons their minds. This is what Kalebrough had as their strongest weapon, a weapon so destructive it could cripple opponents within a single strike. Her aura felt unique like Siot's but somehow more berserk and similar to a jagged block of steel that can bash anything in, whereas Siot's had a refinement to it through years of experience like a proper blade that can cut through anything. A flinching moment for Squid Academy as their minds latch onto that moment of weakness, of frailty as they come face to face with another behemoth of a player, they all fall into their sunken place of despair as the image of a colossus towering over them occupies their thoughts.
"Squid Academy!" Azule shouts in defiance, his piercing tone unyielding to the fear-the same fear that trapped them, and when they looked at him they saw a different shine in his irises-one that resembles the glow of another. As they turn to him for guidance, they watch as he takes a deep breath; "Squid Academy!" he yells to the point of his voice breaking, the emotion in his tone radiating with how they felt and reigniting the fire that nearly got extinguished in a single play.
"FIGHT!" they respond matching his intensity and shaking off the fear, finding reassurance in their captain being unafraid of the enemy and instead looking like someone ready for war.
This isn't our first rodeo, nor will it be our last. Violet thought, calming herself down after seeing the threat her team will be up against.
Jory covers his mouth with his jersey to control his breathing, Calm down, they're just like us!
They might run a similar setup but we'll need to be on the dot with our receptions and blocks-once we play our own tempo and avoid getting sucked into theirs, we'll be golden. Pastelle thought, getting her thoughts in order and reapplying what the plan will be.
Thanks to Azule they came back to their senses, but the two most thankful people on the court are none other than the best attackers they got for this game mode in Reicec and Todd, both burning like an inferno after having allowed such weak resolve to nearly defeat them. Now that they saw firsthand for themselves what made Kippy so troublesome, they knew right away that they needed to make it up to their captain-understanding that if their resolve weakened so heavily in that moment it meant that Azule didn't have any doubts in his mind about winning against them. Azule saw absolute victory in his blue irises, and that was enough to reignite their flame.
Zepp raises his chin carrying an analytic gaze, "Unfazed after an emphatic spike. That captain is something else, after all."
"I was sure we could spook them and make this a cakewalk, but it looks like we'll be doing it the usual way." Pascal comments, a little happy that the round will be competitive.
Tiffany wears an air of confidence, "Well then, let's take it up a notch. We know they struggle when trailing heavy, so leave it to me…" she said as her number is called up to serve for Kalebrough, and hopeful to extend the lead for her side. A high toss up in the air, she launches it into enemy territory-the fans echoing behind her as she launches the green ball over the net. Quick on the reception, Pastelle starts the rally for her side-Violet gets in position while Reice and Todd storm the attack for an attack while Azule and Jory focus on removing the giant green stain on their side and replacing it with pink; Kalebrough brace themselves for the Squid Academy spike and move closer to the net while the back line trio keeps their distance. An exchange that occurs like a flash, Kappa shouts aloud that he got a touch on the ball as part of the wall. Pascal is quick on the receive and informally ends up setting the ball as well, which lands right into Tiffany's zone for the strike. Tiffany hammers it perfectly, but it's met by the wall of Squid Academy and repels towards them. A squeaking dive by Kippy-who appears to be everywhere-sends the ball flying towards the far right where Virgil is waiting patiently. A solid set to Kappa this time, the ball gets over the net and wall but is met by Azule this time. The ball almost hovering in the air afterwards, Squid Academy unleashes a triple attack of Jory, Todd, and Reice simultaneously, leaving it to the quick thinking of Violet to draw one of their names. An emphatic strike that catches them off guard, Todd is the one who opens up the board for Squid Academy to tie up the game. The cheers in the audience grow as fans like what they are seeing from the underdogs, noting that the team clad in pink look every bit as hungry to stir an upset.
Cobalt cracks a smile, "Looking good."
"I almost couldn't breathe just now with the way they were playing-glad we took the point. If we can keep this up, we might win a round off of them."
"Not so fast Tangie, this round just started. We've seen enough of these games to know this can only be temporary; what matters most is that we create some separation early on and build momentum." Apollo said, cognizant of their failures last time where they had a lead but still blew it.
Early in the first set, it's a close battle. Both sides show they can hit hard and can take a few shots as well, trading points and blocks like a duel between a pair of skilled jousters racking up the tally. An energetic performance all around, as bodies dive and leap to keep the rallies going that feel gut wrenching when one team is on the losing end of the point. Maskless Kippy is playing top notch today poaching all the points for herself-Azule on the other side showing superb defending while his jersey is doused in the enemy ink as a testament to how hard he's been working to keep the ball from falling on his side. Kalebrough jumped to a slight lead early on thanks to Kippy and Kappa doing well to open up scoring along with Pascal and Tiffany giving assistance and Virgil providing consistent setting the entire way. It's a close contest for a reason however, as Reice, Todd, and Jory, followed up with very strong attacks of their own and made sure to keep the game close. Service ace or rally point, both sides fought for each point like it was their last and still had an entire set left to complete afterwards. Back and forth, the momentum sways like a seesaw as they trade points with Squid Academy playing catch up to Kalebrough's runaway: whenever Kalebrough looks to extend their lead, an important rally point from one of the attacking trio follows. A tied score several times throughout the contest, the atmosphere in the stadium is heavy as the audience watches on anxiously for how the first set of the first round will conclude, and who would get the very meaningful advantage that comes with it. Playing without any reservations or consideration for the consequences that would follow such a risky approach early into the game, both teams looked like a pair of architects competing against one another to establish a stable foundation for their monuments-only focused on outperforming the other. If the two sides weren't bitter rivals, they surely played like it-treating this game like an act of war with their fangs bared.
"Nice one!" Jory said, putting his hand up for a high five following the point scored by Reice to trim the lead to just a single point deficit of 19-18, which is followed by a smack as Reice connects with a satisfied smile-happy the two of them were contributing greatly in the round so far; usually everyone on their side would be sweating buckets and out of breath under the hot sun, but since they were in nightly breeze, their bodies felt lighter and refreshed.
Azule grips the brim of his cap, "Let's get the next point everyone!"
"Yeah!" Squid Academy responds, followed by everyone sending their luck over Todd's way for his serve.
Todd serves it up with a high toss and solid slam. Zepp is on the receiving end, launching it over to Virgil who sets up a quick attack with Kippy on the other end. A loud grunt paired with her attack, Kippy hears the ball smack against the wall of Reice and Jory-surprised to see the ball didn't breakthrough entirely as they get touch on the ball. Azule is on the run tracking the ball as it veers out of bound, contorting his body to keep it in play and launching over into the setter's direction. An unlikely call for her number, Pastelle is the director of this attack, sending it over to Violet who times her jump and shot for just the right moment to pull off a power strike. It smashes against Kalebrough's wall, but it isn't enough to earn them a point as Kappa dives in time to save the ball and keep in play, watching it spin and fly behind him for Pascal to set from behind. An awkward forward pass, Pascal sends it over Kippy's way as she tries once again to smash it through the wall-failing yet again. Zepp is quick to keep the ball in play and extend the attack once more for Kappa this time to set up the play which leads to a solid strike from Tiffany getting over the net-a little too solid as the ball barely goes out of bounds. A rally that has everyone holding their breath, the takeaway from that exchange is a tied set at 20 with Squid Academy taking the next serve; cheers pour in from Squid Academy's fans as the captain steps up. Almost like a rehearsal, the Squid Academy supporters were singing a special song dedicated to Azule-like a theme meant for him whenever he steps up to serve and so loud the lyrics could be heard clearly. His theme playing behind him, Azule felt his nerves shiver as they followed up with booyahs the moment he created the ball. This is what the national tournament is all about.
"Get ready, everyone!" Zepp warns, getting a terrible feeling about what'll happen next after hearing the crowd sing his name.
Kappa wipes the sweat off his forehead, "He's here..."
" .On!" Kippy's eyes twinkle, excited to finally be in such a scenario.
Captain Royale rockets the ball like a cannon with so much force put behind it that it sends droplets of ink flying everywhere, a perfect shot with the right amount of power and accuracy that Kalebrough is left reeling on the receiving end, it's Kippy who bailed them out by getting in there-though it doesn't amount to much as Azule put so much power and spin on the ball that not even Kippy could do anything to counter it. A point for Squid Academy, the noise in the stadium is amplified. 21-20 for Squid Academy, the captain gets to serve yet again. Kalebrough makes their adjustments with Zepp giving out commands on how they'll handle the next serve, wary of what else Azule might have up his sleeve. Either doing another rocket of a serve or a possible switch to something lighter to keep them on their toes, the possibilities of what he could pull at the moment seem endless-the game on the line this late into the battle.
"Another power serve." Tiffany calls it, noticing how high he tosses it.
"Brace!" Pascal shouts as the ball leaves Azule and heads their way with speed.
Kippy's body moves automatically on the receive-Kappa and Tiffany are in motion with all their trust in Virgil to send it to a good spot; Squid Academy assume their positions, ready for Kalebrough's rally. Virgil finds a sweet spot and launches it to Tiffany who smashes it through the wall, but Pastelle is there to receive. Squid Academy answer back with an attack of their own, this time led by Jory's emphatic strike that beats the Kalebrough wall by just a hair; Pascal's there in time to keep it in play. The ball flying towards the middle, Virgil keeps his eyes on the prize while Kappa inks around him to avoid the pink scattered in pockets-careful not to screw up mid-rally. A launch to the left wing, Virgil finds Zepp on the attack and entrusts the ball to the captain. Zepp grunts as the ball smacks the top of the wall and loses speed freefalling on the pink side with droplets of green scattering-more time for his side to recover and tighten their defenses. Azule's on the receive this time, and once again a triple attack is initiated; an attack that pays off, Squid Academy are up 22-20. Kalebrough are in a bind down by two, Squid Academy once again serving a developing issue for them. If they fail to stop the Squid Academy soon, they may find themselves dropping the first set and even worse, the first round! Zepp apologizes for his failure to end the rally there but Tiffany doesn't want to hear it, instead taking the blame for her inability to end it in the beginning and subsequently allow them to get on this momentous run, but their sulking stops there as Virgil pats them both on the back calmly states to take a look at their teammates; Kippy, Pascal, and most evidently, Kappa, are all focused-almost in an ascended state, doing their best to dig down deep and find the extra strength to overcome this predicament. Even if it's only the first set of the first round of many in store, none of them wanted to start off trailing behind a clearly capable opponent.
Virgil's calm eyes narrow, "Do they look like they're worried about the previous point?"
"Right…" Tiffany sighs.
Zepp shakes his head with a laugh, "We've got promising teammates-how could I have forgotten?" he calls everyone over for a huddle; "Let's get this next point and turn it around!"
"YEAH!" the team responds, energy surging through them; on the other side, Squid Academy looks like a horde of snakes wearing piercing daggers in their irises-smelling their opportunity to shatter the fragile confidence worn by their opponents.
The next point will be crucial in deciding who wins the set: Squid Academy jumping to a three point lead or Kalebrough closing the gap to only a point? A thunderous serve by Squid Academy, Kappa is on the receiving end-falling over as he loses his balance afterwards. Virgil's in position with Kippy as his target in mind, the wall of Squid Academy already set up for the obvious block. Kippy's charging at full speed, tunnel vision taking over as her surroundings turn black and the noise fades to a muffle-the only thing she can see is the spinning green ball. Her eyes dart to the pink inkling on the other side, He's really here. He really made it this far! A springing leap to reach for the ball, her thoughts race on the ascension The thrill of victory and defeat dangling above our heads, our loyal supporters screaming their hearts out hoping for our comeback, and his team as our opponents. This moment is so surreal that my heart won't stop racing at the thought… Kippy twists her body with static in her eyes and furrowed brows, her eyes shifting from Azule to an open spot on the court, of this going all the way!
A cross shot that curls around the wall thanks to the spin the ball possessed, it escapes the range of Pastelle and Jory on the left wing and lands in bounds. Hard landing for Kippy, she's immediately rushed by her brother who rubs her beanie-wearing head, followed by the rest of her teammates who thank her for grabbing that important point. 22-21 in favor of Squid Academy, Kippy's point just reminded them that she has no intention of letting pass so easily. A tale of one lone star against the collective force of the other, the audience wondered which side would prevail: the extraordinary talent of Kippy Moreno, or the chemistry of a desperate Squid Academy. An entertaining game to watch, Jin and his juniors are in attendance for the match, having a reason to view what might be the makings of the match of the group stage thus far. Jin looks uncomfortable viewing the looks of Kippy and Azule on the battlefield-one team defeated him and the other gave him a terrifying warning of would happen if he ever underestimated them; all he could think in that moment was that he's unsure whether he should feel blessed or cursed to be a third year when devastating talent like them are right in his backyard. The next serve going to Kalebrough, it's up to Virgil to give his side the equalizer-the Inkstinct supporters lowering their voices to allow him the chance to concentrate since the situation is dire. A strong serve that can be found any part in the world, it just isn't enough to secure the point as Pastelle receives it with a rolling thunder. Violet follows up with a set meant for only one inkling to take, a towering rolling slamming the ball straight downwards just behind the wall-before they can even get themselves to the apex of their jump. A quick attack never seen before from a roller, Bianca and Squid Academy erupt like a volcano with cheers flooding the atmosphere and drums banging, the school feeling the taste of victory just before them. It might only be a set within a single round, but for Squid Academy to outplay the 7th ranked team on the entire minute for a whole set was a testament to just how far this team had come, and an indicator of how high they can soar. An acapella of a song, they sing their praises for Reice, their unlikely hero of Booyah Ball. The sidelines of the respective teams are deeply in their emotions as Fuchsia and her staff are crossing their fingers for a victory, while Kalebrough's coaches are encouraging their players to keep their head in the game. Squid Academy's serve gets answered by Pascal which in turn leads to a surprise rally spurred by Kalebrough's refusal to lay down in defeat, the top attackers Kippy, Tiffany, and Kappa all coming at Squid Academy's defenses with their strongest attacks yet. Like a spear chipping away at a shield with every lunge, Kalebrough felt that as long as they extend the rally, they can wear down Squid Academy for the following set and set their sights on the a final set to come from behind, but Squid Academy have already tasted such stinging defeats-diving and rolling with their bodies to keep the ball in play until finally...
"There it is!" the commentator shouts as the ball slaps the court once and leaves a huge pink print of ink on a side full of green. "Squid Academy's point! 24-22 to the team in pink!" They announce following the officials awarding the pink team the point; Ravia stadium turns into a concert hall, singing and dancing crowding the stands, flags waving, and the momentum swinging towards Squid Academy entirely as they enter set point.
Zepp and his team look drained, but more so mentally than physically after working so hard to keep themselves in the match only for that team to go ahead and put their feet to the fire. Either they lose this set, or the next one, either way, Squid Academy had their backs to the wall-interrupting their intentions of a perfect match for today. A wolf in sheep's clothing, this team might just be more dangerous than we thought. Kippy and Kappa are looking great today, but we need to step it up...Virgil, Tiffany, Pascal, and myself...we need to step it up! Zepp shouts desperately in his mind as the next serve plays in slow motion from Jory, his mind already up to pace following everything clearly but his body simply lagging. He can get the ball-he can stop the floater, but the problem is his teammates can; he made up his mind that he'd go for any ball whether in bounds or out of bounds, already aware of what almost happened to Siot and Crystal Coast when they played that gamble-he wouldn't allow that, or more he couldn't. The floater drops just as it hits the backline, startling everyone as once again Jory makes the impossible happen.
Redemption for his failure last time, Jory wins the set for Squid Academy-frozen as the whistle blows signaling the end of the first set. Hugs all around for Jory, the stadium is deafening as Squid Academy taste their first ever win against a ranked opponent. Eyebrows are raised, thumbs are dancing-the world is about to know the name of Squid Academy if they didn't already. By a score of 25-22, Squid Academy are the winners of the first set in the first round.
