A tied series at Mugil arena, the world tunes in for the conclusion of the final match remaining within the group of death now that the standings have nearly finalized following the conclusion of the other matches with a series of upsets rocking the tables to its core. Kalebrough officially clinches the top spot with a victory while Crystal Coast holds the second spot with confidence after their victory. Thus far the Bluerings were projected to finish third regardless of a win or loss but below them was where the stakes were dire. The Titans and Baiji both lost their games in upsetting fashion and opened the door for Squid Academy! With the conditions met, Squid Academy only needed a single win to catapult to the fourth and final spot and meet the advancement into the knockouts but it won't be an easy task with the Bluerings standing in their way. The tension in the arena reaches its breaking point with the noise in the venue also at its peak, players from both sides exhausted as the final game approaches; six rounds of grit, determination, and pride later has led to a decisive game of booyah ball.
Having been on the verge of despair after the utter terror of defeat became a reality in the fifth, C.C. had a different look in his eyes following that attitude adjustment in the sixth with his biggest rival bailing him out; the captain of the Bluerings had enough of Squid Academy, tired of his nerves getting scrambled and worn thin by an opponent he hadn't even acknowledged as a threat until this point. Motivated to send them home in crushing heartbreak after having his pride wounded in such humiliating fashion, he was forced to respect them as capable opponents on a similar wavelength to the talented forces of nature that bested him in prior encounters. Looking like he was at peace with himself while the coaches did their best to lay out a strategy for the final round, Frazzy simply looked up to the bright lights in the rafters and listened to the atmosphere of the arena and reflected. The underdogs failed, they choked royally. The pressure that was on him and the others to snatch victory away from them seemingly disappeared in an instant and now with the anxiety about what should come next also vanishing from his thoughts, his heart beats calm and steady. A strange occurrence, he realized that this is what it felt like to play without any regrets.
On the Squid Academy sidelines, they looked dejected realizing they just screwed up a huge opportunity to close out the match and allowed the Bluerings a chance to win-no doubt that team was thinking victory now that they caught second wind and erased the mental block that plagued them in the fifth. Nothing short of being considered an iron man match, Sky, Pastelle, and the rest of the starters from the first whistle looked drained after such a battle. Sky sat on the bench with a cold towel covering her face doing her best to control her breathing, her pacing disrupted from the exhaustion of tapping into midnight while already in her reserve energy. Pastelle wipes off the beads of sweat rolling down her face and neck and shields her eyes from some of the droplets attempting to invade, breathing calmly out of fatigue with her head feeling like it'll swell if she thought about that game any further. None of them wanted to think about the frustrating loss, but when Fuchsia gathered them around and opened up with her thoughts, they had no choice but to be reminded their botched error…
"You all choked." Fuchsia states plainly folding her arms with an emotionless stare at her squad; Cobalt and the others wear nervous smiles, all sharing the same thought in that moment as they watch their coach state the facts in a brutally honest manner.
Too harsh! They all scream behind their smiling masks.
Parker sighed, "We took our foot off the gas pedal and lost our ground because of it."
"That was definitely our loss." Aaron adds, the two of them answering for their frustrated girlfriends who didn't want to face the static of their coach at the moment.
Fuchsia furrows her brows and begins massaging her face with an agitated groan, "As much as this is a battle of physicality, it's also one of psychological warfare. We had our best chance to beat them just now in the sixth with all that pressure on them to force this final round. Our failure to close them out due to our lack of experience has given them a spark of life. Frazzy has stepped into the spotlight and taken the reigns of the team and given C.C. a chance to recover his lost mojo. No doubt they'll be a problem this time now that they found their groove once more."
"While that is cause for concern, all isn't lost on our end." Tangie said coming forward; "We've pushed those blokes to seven games and even spooked them mentally! A long way we've come, don't you think?" Reice and Violet flash tiny smiles at her positivity in response; "I can only imagine how tired you all must be since this is the first time we've ever gone up against an opponent like this; even our matches with Crystal Coast and Kalebrough weren't as intense. This is a test of endurance with so much on the line-I get that." she lifts up her index finger and then points at every single one of them; "But you signed up for this, right? We all knew what we were getting ourselves into and struggled through everything to reach here! We fought on even footing with some of the best teams in the world and even beat a few and now we got one of them on the ropes here in the final round!" she clenches her fist and looks at them sternly; "We can beat them!" she screamed so loudly that the other team could hear every word.
"All that practicing and conditioning has led to this moment, and though you all must be depleted of energy, your bodies are prepared for this." Cobalt said resting his hand on her shoulder, his calm voice quelling her wild emotions; "Sky, Pastelle, and Reice, we'll be counting on you three especially."
Though Sky and Pastelle weren't surprised to have their names called, Reice was stunned by his friend's decision. "-Wait we're subbing out Violet and the others!? Why am I staying in!?"
"Huh?" Sally exasperates wrapping her arm around his shoulders; "You got cotton in your head? You're our best attacker for booyah ball!"
Fuchsia nods, "Sky and Pastelle are our lifeline for leading in these types of scenarios and though they must be exhausted, this is the role they must fulfill. As for the others, as much as I'd like to keep them in, there is no doubt the Bluerings are going to make substitutions for fresh legs. We need to stay fresh as well so they must be swapped out."
"No complaints here." Violet said with a shrug.
"Me neither." Parker resigned.
"It's to be expected." Aaron nods.
"H-hold on!" a flustered Reice responds, realizing the expectations placed on him all of sudden; "Don't you think this is a little too much-"
Azule elbows him on the side, "Come on, man. You're ready for this." he said with eyes full of faith in his friend; "You're our defender, aren't you?"
How could he say no after something so honest from his captain? Suppressing a smile out of embarrassment, Reice looked around at the rest of the team who all gave him a look of approval, receiving a soft punch on the chest from Violet who gave him a look telling him to fight on in her place. With all of them placing their trust in him, he knew he had to deliver. The final lineups presented for both teams as they lined up on the shiny hardwood court to adoring screams and cheers from their respective supporters, the blue and yellow jerseys of the Bluerings met the pink and blue of Squid Academy under the net for a formal handshake to show their respect. Sky and C.C. both carry a sharp glint in their eyes while grasping the other's hand, aware this is the climax of the match. The final selection the Bluerings are rolling with are C.C., Frazzy, Marvin, Rocco, Ellis, and Drake with plenty of fresh faces in, and on the opposing end Squid Academy's final six has Pastelle, Sky, Reice returning for one last hurrah and Jory, Pearl, and Hannah coming in as replacements. A choice to put her trust in the explosive Jory, an experienced Pearl, and the lucky Hannah who had already provided a clutch moment in this particular game mode already in the tournament, Fuchsia believed this to be the best available team given the circumstances but not everyone was happy with this rotation-Mason, Evelyn, and Zaneki in particular. Upset initially because they were hoping to hop in the game with the stakes raised and help their team, they were denied that chance because Fuchsia and the other coaches highlighted that there will be later substitutions when necessary, but in their eyes, this is an urgent matter since it might be too late when they get a chance to go in. If they could lend a hand in helping their side win, they wanted to do so-even if it meant butting heads with the coaches. Fuchsia understood how they felt though, but wanted them to realize that everyone needed to be on the same page if they wanted to overcome this opponent and get to the next round.
The atmosphere in the closed space under the arena lights comes alive with everyone letting their voices sing for the opening serve from the Bluerings; there isn't a soul present in the arena who could contain their excitement for this match. The hype building further with the match branded as a potential instant classic in the tournament, everyone wanted to know what Squid Academy's fate will be at the hands of the Bluerings in a game mode that already carries history for them. An emphatic serve that carried a burst of air propelling it faster across the court, its speed is cut in half on the receive by Pastelle. The first rally officially kicks off as everyone scrambles to their positions. The Bluerings have their wall set up and are ready to halt the attack. Squid Academy's attackers are on the move with an all-out approach. Right from the start, Squid Academy plans to get aggressive! One. Two. Three. Four attackers rush the net behind Sky's set from the right wing on their half of the court. A strange position to serve following Pastelle's clumsy attempt on the return and pass, Sky made lemonade out of the lemons given and targets the available attacker. Her gun firing a charged shot and sending the ball close to the net, the wall of blue erects and hugs the opposing side of the net-rollers placed up high for the rejection; three bodies jump prematurely and trigger the wall, but it was on the fourth that the ball would connect. A strike so swift, none of the defenders for the Bluerings caught sight of the fusion ink ball, the whistle blew with the point awarded to Squid Academy. The cheers start pouring in immediately.
"And Squid Academy opens up the score on the rally off a sensational set from Sky Royale! The person who scored that first point for them is Hannah! The girl who gave them a miraculous push the last time she made an appearance in this game mode."
"What a start by Squid Academy! Let's see if they can continue to build off of that and set the tone for the remainder of this battle."
High fives and pats on the back piling in for Hannah following that first point, they all looked relieved to be first on score sheet-the anxiety of not scoring or falling behind weighing a little on their minds; now that they scored first, they felt that pressure vanish-allowing them to focus on establishing their rhythm and take the game one set at a time. The Bluerings don't look pressed from losing that opening point though, but none of them were keen on letting Squid Academy get away from them after they worked hard to force this seventh round and knew booyah ball was essentially Squid Academy's bread and butter in this tournament with their most memorable battles all happening in this game mode. The Bluerings fired back on the return after Pastelle's serve, earning the point after a couple exchanges that went in their favor after Rocco hammered a strike through the wall of Reice, Jory, and Hannah. The points tallying up quickly for the first set, it was a classic exchange of fast-paced rallies that went on for several minutes as both teams jostled early on for control of the game. At one point Squid Academy jumped to a three point lead, but that's as far as they would go as the Bluerings not only responded with a run of three unanswered points won to even up the score but also jumped ahead for a two point lead right afterwards; Squid Academy would erase that lead a few points later to tie it up once more.
Point awarded: Bluerings off of one rally. Point awarded: Squid Academy off a serve. The highlight of the round thus far being that of the involvement of fresh faces for both sides, Jory and Pearl made an immediate impact for their team by getting low and fighting for those receptions to extend rallies and even set up plays that led to strong point winners. For the Bluerings, Rocco, Marvin, and Drake all had their names called frequently as they fought for points and did an excellent job at connecting the ball to one another to keep rallies alive, and as for Ellis, he did a great job in getting some service aces when it was his number called. Overall, both teams looked about even after a total of 36 points were tallied already in a quick first set: the score 19-17 in favor of the Bluerings who extended their lead behind a pair of service aces from C.C. with the captain of the Bluerings up to take his third serve in a row.
"He's killing us…" Fuchsia lets out a strained sigh looking up the rafter in irritation; "Every time we close the lead or even tie it up, they always pick up the pace and pull ahead by a pair!"
"Those substitutions they made are really making a difference with how they've all been performing. Think the coaches put them for this particular reason? Similar to how we have a squad tailored for this game mode?" Cobalt asked, hoping his calm tone and question would ease his coach into regaining her composure, finding himself to be a little uncomfortable with the agitated princess.
Fuchsia shakes her head, "Our tailored team involves our starters. Even if we wanted to, it'd be pointless now with most of them exhausted. Quite a bind to find ourselves in, actually. We can close the lead but we're unable to go ahead like before-like we're just barely keeping up with them. I'm not panicking or anything but we need to change the tempo soon or else we'll be down a set and staring at elimination!"
"Have faith. This team will pull through with those two on the floor together." Cobalt said looking over at Sky and Pastelle who coordinate the next attack following Pastelle's solid receive and pass to Sky who then locates where she'll be sending the ball.
A solid kill from Jory to close the lead to just a single point once more, the players in pink are already sweating heavily in the first set. The scoreline is 19-18 and the target goal is 25, which meant they had to rally on the next few plays would be crucial to how the end of the set plays out. If Squid Academy could even the score here on this next serve, they not only had a chance to take the lead but could also wrestle the momentum away from the Bluerings and command the tempo heading into the second set. Usually it wasn't wise in their case to look ahead when there's so many possibilities that could unfold, but at this point they needed a plan-an incentive-to fight this uphill battle and will themselves to victory. The arena quells their noise a bit for this next serve with all cameras flashing and lights brightening on the next person taking to the service line who is up for Squid Academy.
Her cheeks filling up as she collects air, the veteran member of the Elites now represents her third years who sat on the bench rooting for her; catching a glimpse of Violet giving her a fist bump, the pressure starts to get to her. From where she stands, the court looks massive under the spotlight setting of the arena where the audience is blacked out with only the center court receiving any lighting. This is the moment she always imagined ever since she first joined the Elites that fateful day in her first year at school, all the battles and the trials have led to this moment where she can stand on the battlefield with her comrades and fight for a spot in the knockouts.
"Let's get that first point, Pearl!" Reice shouts with encouragement.
"Don't worry about the opponent, we'll connect no matter what!" Pastelle reassures her.
"Y-you can do it!" Hannah cheers, trembling with her weapon with nervousness at the tension within the game.
Jory holds up his finger with a gaze peering beyond the net, "One point at a time!"
Her eyes wandering to each of them as they kept their faces forward in anticipation of the next move, Pearl looks over to Sky who was looking directly at her with a blank stare. Spooked for a second by her friend's dead eyes, she's calmed once Sky gives her a thumbs up with a slow smile following up with a nod of approval. A look that only she would know as her long time friend and teammate, Sky was giving her a look that said "go wild" and letting her know that she and the others will deal with what happens afterwards. A connection shared as fellow charger users, Sky knew what Pearl must be thinking and feeling in that moment. Abandoning her tense nerves, Pearl readies the ball. Booyahs pour in to grow the pink ball into a much larger sphere, and in a second, it's released. A floater of a serve that coasts over to the net and into the Bluerings territory, Marvin is there for the return and sends it over to Frazzy who looks for Ellis on the spike. The wall of Squid Academy disrupts the attack however, and that's just what Sky and Pearl needed to extend the rally. The ball soaring high with each toss and strike and ricochet, another point is earned for Squid Academy following the efforts of Hannah.
A tied series at 19, the arena exploded in a rowdy cheer. Proving that they wouldn't shrink under the spotlight, Squid Academy were showing the giants they were up to the challenge. With Sky up to serve, the entire arena holds their breath in anticipation; the Bluerings players tensed up feeling the pressure from across the net, her intense glare simmering with steam. A solid serve that breaks through their defenses with ease, Sky snatches the lead away from the Bluerings. Frustrated at the scenario presented with her having her number called when the set was nearing the end, C.C. and the others knew they needed to find a way to stop her serves or else they'd face defeat; Sky wasn't like her teammates who had nerves heading into these moments-she had ice in her veins. Ace serve after ace serve, Sky pockets a couple more points to extend the lead 22-19 with no intention of slowing down, her gaze widening as she looks to have crossed into another plane of thought separate from the natural conscience. Her eyes glowing and her hair flashing wildly, Sky was unaware that she was unconsciously tapping into Midnight with her intensity alone; her teammates all had chills watching her display her dominance, but none more so than Azule, who was seeing glimpses of his sister at her true strength. Despite what she said and felt regarding Midnight, Sky was finding ways to master the ability on the battlefield-even if inadvertently.
"And that stretches the lead to five!" the commentator announces following another pair of ace serves; "With that, Sky Royale is just one serve short of tying the record of six consecutive ace serves at Nationals. Could we be witnessing history!?"
"How in the world did the global media sleep on this talent? What this girl is doing is truly historic! Did you know that she has yet to lose a game in this tournament when participating? Ever since stepping for the battle against the Titans, Squid Academy has won every game and a large part of that comes from that girl right there!"
"Let's hope Rukovna, Hugh-Napri, and the other top ranking teams are paying attention because it looks as though the giant slayers are here to stay if they can upset the Bluerings!"
That's right, sing her praises more-Say it louder for those in the back! Shiva beams unable to contain her emotions, a twinkle in her eyes as she watches Sky up on the screen command the attention of the whole world.
Sky extends her arm out once again, the sweat pouring down her face as she breathes heavily still pushing her limits before tapping into Midnight mode. Only one point separates her team from achieving the first set and downing all the pressure on the Bluerings. Just a single point. She felt great physically and mentally, but for some reason she found it strange that everything was clicking so suddenly. Were the Bluerings up to something? Would she hold out for another round and close the match unlike last time? These thoughts plaguing her mind at the worst timing possible, Sky misses her chance to tie the record. A light shining in his eyes at the opportune return, Marvin gets the bump over to Frazzy who finds the best person for such a situation; when a game was starting to get away and someone needed a spark to light a comeback, only one person could answer the call.
"BANG! It's C.C. with the kill and the set still up for grabs! 24-20 with Squid Academy in the lead, C.C's killer spike is just what the Bluerings need to begin the counterattack."
"A missed opportunity by Sky to close it out, now it's up to the Bluerings to answer back and put Squid Academy in the hot seat."
With Drake up to serve, the Bluerings shout out nothing but words of encouragement for the substitute player with awareness that this moment had to be quite the scenario to get placed in. Spotlights all shining on him with the set point on the line, could he answer the call and rejuvenate his side with a comeback? A solid serve that travels across the net with considerable speed, Reice is there to return the ball, shouting out Pearl's name ahead of time. A change from their usual tactic of a Pastelle-to-Sky return and set, now it's Pearl on the setter position with Pastelle in motion for a kill. The Bluerings all shout out commands and get in position marking the skipper of Squid Academy. Jory goes up for the spike. Blocked by the wall! Hannah gets the save and sends it Reice's way, who gets in position for an awkward set. Sky goes in motion and locks gazes with him-Reice knew what was up. A high toss that soared through the attack line, Sky coordinated her jump just in sync and almost hung in the air for a solid second before her charger got positioned directly under the ball and fired a tip over the wall, fooling the wall of players expecting a strong spike. Ellis isn't amused however, saving the play with a dive that flew to Drake. Drake finds Frazzy for the counterattack. The wall of Squid Academy gets contact on it!
"One touch!" Jory shouts desperately looking behind for anyone to extend the play.
Pearl is in position.
The ball drops to her and she finds the most unlikely of attackers for this moment.
"It's Hannah on the spike-but Bluerings get a hand on it! Here comes the counter force of the Bluerings…! Ellis on the return, Drake with the set-it's Marvin!"
Marvin hops up and arches his back to put everything into this spike. A wall erects for Squid Academy: Hannah, Reice, and Jory. The blue ball swirls with a spin as it gets smacked and heads for the net, the trio jumping in that moment to answer the call. A powerful slap echoes through the arena like a sonic wave, the crowd gasping as the whistle blows to end the first set. A denial that was heard around the world, Reice Galloway laid down on the floor out of breath following a set winning block to deny the Bluerings of a comeback. The Squid Academy supporters are howling after seeing their breakout ace pull off yet another feat, quickly emerging as a fan favorite. Jory and Hannah rush to help him up, hugging him afterwards for stepping up on the clutch block. Pearl and Pastelle give him a head pat, and Sky gives him a fist bump, acknowledging that as an amazing play. The Bluerings were visibly upset following that block, mostly because their star players weren't in the mix for that crucial play.
"Alright!" Kosami shouts with both her fists clenched and her knees slightly bent, looking up to the rafters with energy radiating; the entire sidelines were on the feet and making noise for Reice, waving towels, beating their chests and even flexing.
Having to calm everyone down during the break, Fuchsia reminds them that they still have another set left and the match is far from over. If they start thinking too far ahead they'll get heartbroken; Cobalt also adds on that though they did well it was due in great thanks to Sky anchoring the team when she did-those five consecutive ace serves were the difference maker at the end of the set. For this next round, they needed to take control early on and put them away or else face something similar to the sixth where the Bluerings found a spark and got into the groove. Finalizing their break with no updates to the lineup, Fuchsia placed her trust in the current team to close out the Bluerings this time around. On the Bluerings' side, the coaches were composed. The players were settled down, and the only message given was to "Play like it's the final set of the tournament."
Resonating well with the players, they all looked motivated to get back in the game with C.C. getting vocal about the set. Since it could be the end to their match, he got personal with his speech. He acknowledged his faults, his lack of responsibilities at times and apologized for shrinking in critical moments. After crossing paths with Squid Academy, the arrogant second year got a much needed attitude adjustment that his teammates knew was for the better. A vow to never let Squid Academy or any other team get the best of him, he promises his team a victory that all starts with this next set. Frazzy looked happy to see his rival step up, the coaches looked satisfied with the show of maturation, and the players looked ready to follow their captain to the trenches. A fight for their pride as one of the best in the world, the Bluerings march to battle. With the first set in the books on a final score of 25-20 to Squid Academy, the second set starts with a ferocious rallying cry from the Bluerings supporters who didn't want it to end here-not when their team showed so much fight in the sixth round. The Squid Academy fans were also rowdy and letting their team know they wanted to see that victory-invested for the long run after seeing their team pull off so many unforgettable moments that couldn't even be described as miracles anymore. They were convinced this team was for real.
A fast start much like in the first set, a pair of rallies end in favor of the Bluerings and help them jump to a two point lead. Followed by an ace serve from Frazzy to extend it to a three point lead, Squid Academy answered back on a return to make it a 3-1 lead. From there, the battle rages on in wild fashion. A successful kill off a return. A block to deny a kill. Both teams trade points like a card game with every player having a moment of their own. Drake's kill to extend it to a four point lead at 8-4, Jory's impressive pair of points off of ace serves to cut the lead to 10-7, C.C.'s revenge block on Reice to bring the score to 14-9, the spectators were having a field day. Other teams that concluded their matches were now tuning in to see how everything plays out. Valentina and her team watch on holding their breaths rooting for a Bluerings victory, Kippy and the Inkstinct root for Squid Academy to get into the knockouts, and Siot and Crystal Coast watch on with a neutral stance simply interested in seeing how the game would end. The score now at 16-13 following an impressive run by Squid Academy's powerful trio of Sky, Pearl and Pastelle netting in points for their side, it looked like they were on track to surpass the Bluerings once again just like last time. That was until C.C. stepped up to serve…
"A three point lead separates these two teams. The captain of the Bluerings has a chance to bury them here and extend the lead, but can he do it?"
One. Two. Three. The ace serves poured in. C.C. looked in the zone and his motivation for going beyond his standards? Sky Royale. After seeing her nearly tie a record against him, C.C. had more than enough motivation to fire back, fed up with some underdog trying to show him up on the grandest stage in the sport. A runaway score of 19-13, the Bluerings were more than in a comfortable position behind their captain's heroics, but he didn't look quite satisfied himself! Netting in another pair of aces to stretch the lead to 21-13 to eight points, C.C. found himself matching Sky for the very same record with five consecutive aces-the next one tying the record and the following breaking the record. All eyes on him, C.C. looked composed with a burning light in his irises locked on Sky who carried the same fire in her eyes too-the two alphas only having their sights set on surpassing the other. This next point becomes a huge statement: would it be C.C. tying the record and rubbing it in Sky's face? Or would Sky and her squad stop him in his tracks with a return? The next serve played, the ball headed directly to Sky; C.C.'s challenging her. Sky's eyebrows slant as she braces for the powerful return, but when the ball hits her, a sharp pain courses through her body in that moment. Having to ease up or else risk injury, the ball bounces off of her and heads out of bounds.
The arena is stunned to silence and these words echo with life.
"SAY MY NAME!" C.C. shouts with vice, a victorious look in his eyes staring down Sky.
The impact is immense as the Bluerings supporters and sidelines hop to their feet with C.C. just sending a message to Squid Academy that this battle is far from over. The score at 22-13, Squid Academy are in danger of getting blown out and relinquishing their momentum to the Bluerings, but they weren't dejected nor were they fazed. Why? Because Sky looked pissed off. Having tried her best to avoid tapping into the forbidden room her sleeping monster laid in wait, Sky bit the bullet and finally unleashed Midnight Mode. Her eyes glowing like burning stars and her hair like embers, finally, the moment Shiore, Siot, C.C. and everyone else had been waiting for had arrived.
There she is! They all thought in that moment, now focused on seeing what Sky would do with that mystic ability that became quite the phenomenon among many circles.
Azule sweats profusely with concern, having seen how the match is playing out and knowing that the way things are progressing, it might backfire with Sky channeling Midnight now of all times. But that look in her eyes wasn't one he could bring himself to speak out against as the first thought to come to mind while seeing his sister wear suck a brazen look in Midnight mode was that the aura surrounding her resembled their mother now; likewise, Cap'n Cuttlefish, Netifla, and the rest of the New Squidbeak Splatoon all shared the same thought: she looks just like Maya did in her prime.
"Calm down Sky…" Maya whispers under her breath watching the game, wishing she could be at her daughter's side and calm her down.
"Don't get so worked up now-still plenty of time left." Julian said, also watching the game wearing a serious look, coaching through the screen.
An exchange that could only be described as breathtaking, Sky Royale led a furious march against the Bluerings. First starting off by shutting down C.C.'s attempt at a record breaking seven consecutive aces, Sky scored on the return to make the score 22-14,and then followed up with another to make it 22-15, and finally 22-16 with another point scored. Squid Academy won three rally points in a row behind Sky's dominance, and she didn't look like slowing down any time soon. C.C., Frazzy, and the others didn't look concerned but they did find it mystifying with how well she played with that power-up, finding her to be nearly invisible in that state, but C.C. looked hungry to beat her at her best. Trading points off rallies, serves, and bonafide kills that neither side could keep up with, the set enters its climax with a score of 24-22 with the set point on the line. Squid Academy needs this next point to stay in the battle-Bluerings need it to end it here and force the third set. Once again, up to serve for Squid Academy...Sky Royale.
Unlike usual where the Squid Academy brass band would play their fight song and theme made especially for Sky, they all kept silent and wanted her to concentrate entirely on getting this next match point. A nerve racking situation to be put in as a spectator, it all came down to whether Sky could continue her heroics or fail under the pressure. Her body burning like a furnace, Sky still had plenty of energy to spare.
I'm not pushing it...I'm not pushing it…! She grimaces for a moment while taking her breath, aware that she won't be able to maintain Midnight mode for much longer. Her body was starting to overheat, her heart beating much faster, and her senses sharpening to a higher sensitivity, a sharp pain rings in Sky's head that nearly catches her off balance. Do it...for them!
A high toss that disappears under the lights, Sky launches the ball over the next and over to the Bluerings. Swift and emphatic, point scored for Squid Academy. 24-23, Squid Academy are in prime position to tie up the series and for the deuce rule. Sky has the ball once again, can she replicate her performance from last time? Her supporters sure think so! The noise quelled once again as she stepped to the line, the adverse effects hit her harder as she prepared for the serve. The Bluerings look ready to defend this time around, with all of them prepared to return whatever she sends their way. Whether by fate or on purpose, Sky's serve found its way over the net and into C.C.'s direction. His instincts guiding him to the chosen spot, he returns the serve and sets up the rally. Frazzy sprints. Marvin sprints. Drake sprints. Ellis plants his feet prepared to set up the trio, sending it over to Frazzy for a spike.
"It's good! Set point-Bluerings!"
By a score of 25-23, the Bluerings edged out Squid Academy and forced a third and final set. The arena rumbles in reaction with the Bluerings' supporters animated with joy while the Squid Academy supporters were looking tense about their chances. A narrative that nobody foresaw, a final set in the final round of the final match in the group stage is about to play out with the stakes raised for Squid Academy: If they lose, their season is over. The general public agreed that even in the case of a Squid Academy loss, they've proven their worth on the biggest stage imaginable and have earned the respect of many from their unforgettable performances. But in the eyes of those rooting for Squid Academy, they wanted more. After finally getting a taste of Nationals after the multiple year drought they suffered, they wanted to go further than just an appearance in the group stage. At first they were satisfied with just competing on the big stage against the best teams in the world and didn't take any of their struggles to heart-simply enjoying the ride. But when Azule and his squad won them that first game, followed by their queen bee Sky delivering on the seemingly impossible and upsetting a ranked team, then the performance and skill of this specific team that wouldn't be around next time, it became apparent for them that the pipedream could become a reality. Game by game, they were shown that despite their position they too have as much a chance of fighting in the knockouts as any other team and so, they wanted that birth into the next round! Their feet stomping and their hands clapping, the Squid Academy supporters let their hearts sing in what they hoped wouldn't be their last game.
"Nail in the coffin, it's time to off 'em!" C.C. shouts while on the sidelines, pumped up following that tying set; smelling blood in the water, he wanted to get back out there as soon as possible and put an end to Squid Academy's season.
The Bluerings shared that sentiment, all of them tired of having to see those faces. No doubt they would never forget Squid Academy moving forward but they knew they had plenty of foes to be dealing with and that the time to bring an end to this mess was now. From here on out, they would go for the kill. On the Squid Academy sidelines, the players looked a little tense with the pressure on them once again: this is the final round of the group stage, and potentially for them altogether. With the momentum swinging in favor of the Bluerings, there wasn't much left that Fuchsia and the others could say to motivate their team any further since this is it for them-do or die. The final lineup for this set was decided just before Sky tapped into Midnight mode with Evelyn, Zaneki, and Mason stepping in to replace Pearl, Jory, and Hannah. The players didn't look defeated by any means, but the physical and mental fatigue wore them thin. With all of them having gathered for the team huddle, it was on the breakaway where everyone stripped their masks and showed their true feelings of nervousness. Azule, Sally, Jory, and Violet all wore pained looks having to watch on from the bench, but trusting their team nonetheless and it was likewise for the others who wouldn't participate in the final round.
Noticing her little brother wear a look of concern heading into the final set, she understood everything will be riding on the impact she makes. Her pupils burning its brightest flame at the twelfth hour, she only had one thing to say to him-and everyone else. Almost carrying a glow similar to the moon on a starless night, Sky lowered her chin a sharp glint. "You all did an amazing job of getting us this far, so I'll bad if I don't return the favor!" she said with unwavering confidence wearing a radiant smile. Rushing to the court afterwards, she left her teammates speechless-the blood rushing to all their heads as they recall how difficult it must've been for her and the other third years. The force themselves into retirement after feeling repsonsible for failing everyone, then to come out of retirement ot heavy scrutiny and get themselves conditioned once again to finally having a part to play in the most cirtical of scenarios-all while watching those who they were supposed to protect have to fight their battles instead, the tone in Sky's voice carried all those feelings of frustration, regrets, and most importantly, gratitude.
The final set all ready with both teams lining up their final rotation, the game begins to a massive applause for both teams. With the whole world watching, the Bluerings started off strong by grabbing a two point lead right away off a couple of rally points. Squid Academy followed up by getting a kill of their own to get on the board, and the game officially began. A dive by Mason to extend a play followed by Reice going for a kill, a block from the great wall of the Bluerings opening up a return by Marvin to send to Frazzy who looked for the captain to deliver; every play felt like it could've won the game. The score jumped from one place to another, the teams traded the lead back and forth in the early going with the biggest lead in the entire contest being by no more than a couple points. Firstly a 5-3 game to the Bluerings, then an 8-6 game to Squid Academy, then once again a 13-11 game to the Bluerings, neither side allowed the other to get comfortable at all. The entire arena on the edge of their seats in anticipation of a wild finish, the noise is raised whenever Reice and Sky make an impact for Squid Academy and doubled in intensity when it was C.C. leading the way. Reice played an outstanding game, Pastelle looked more and more like a true leader with the way she coordinated everyone's motions and commanded from wherever she stood. The new trio stepping in also played solid and made sure to refrain from becoming the weakest of links, and lastly Sky shined the brightest for the team, almost looking like a divine spirit with the way she moved and seemingly brushed off her setback from the conclusion of the previous set; though her body aches and her mind is on the brink of giving away to exhaustion, she refused to give in. The Bluerings looked robotic in their play, operating like a machine on maximum output with each player in sync with one another. Frazzy looked dominant, which was to be expected, but it was C.C.'s ascension that really became the story of this set. He hasn't slowed down since the second set, and as of this moment, he looked to be playing at his absolute best. The score tallying swiftly as both sides tried to dominate the other, the hearts of the spectators were racing and their knees buckling as the score was tied heading into the final stretch.
"A tied score of 23. Up to serve for the Bluerings is Frazzy with a chance to seal the deal here. If he can get a couple aces that'll be the match!"
"Even so, he and those Bluerings will need to be wary of those pink jerseys across the net. Pastelle and Zaneki have done an excellent job of returning many of the serves and jumpstarting the counterattack. Squid Academy have done well to stay with the Bluerings and they have just as much of a chance!"
"Here comes Frazzy with the toss…"
The ball zips over the net and is met by Zaneki, who planted his feet just in time to fire away and return the ball. Sky rushed over to the far end of the net in that instance to prepare for a tight serve, aware that the Bluerings were expecting a kill from Reice or Pastelle. As the pink ball swirls over to her she catches a glimpse at the wall prepared to block the attack, reading the distance between her and the others. Throughout most of the battle, she refrained from being too much attention to herself and stuck to a role of facilitating and becoming an attacker whenever the opportunity presented itself, but in this set specifically, she did everything to draw out the strength in Reice, Pastelle, Mason, Zaneki, and Evelyn instead. The cameras flashing and the voices screaming in response, the whistle blows as the surprise point is tallied for Squid Academy. Off of a dump from Sky Royale, Squid Academy were now in front 24-23 and in position to get the match point. The noise is deafening for those donning pink as they experienced all sorts of emotions in that moment, realizing they were just a single point away from the knockouts. A. Single. Point. And now, everything rests in the hands of Zaneki…
Up to the service line, Zaneki takes deep breaths to calm himself down. His chest beats like a drum with sweat dripping down his face and arms with this moment no doubt the most important one of his life. If he gets an ace serve here, he wins the game for everyone. A quick glance to the bench and he can see all the hopeful stares from his teammates and Todd especially, who gave him an approving nod encouraging him to go for the kill. His teammates on the court give his words of encouragement and try to ease his nerves, reassuring him that all that mattered was that he got it over the net. Closing his eyes and taking another breath, Zaneki tosses the ball up high and locks on target, sending it over the net. A tremendous amount of force is placed behind that shot with the ball doing more than rocket over the net and through the opposing players. It lands out of bounds. Point to the Bluerings. The wind gets sucked out of the sails of Squid Academy as Zaneki nearly falls to his knees, covering his face. The Bluerings supporters roar to life in response to the tragic fault made by the first year of Squid Academy. A chance to put the game away, Zaneki just choked away their prime opportunity and gave possession back to the Bluerings. He wanted to cry, feeling defeated after giving up their best path to victory, but receiving pats on the back from everyone and looking up to see the looks on their faces, none of them had defeat written on their faces.
The score tied at 24, Pastelle leads the chant for her side and has them all get in position ready to return whatever the Bluerings fire their way; their fanbase picks up after them and resonates with them as well to help make the arena so loud that nobody could hear themselves think much less hear the commentary. Up to serve in this crucial moment is Ellis for the Bluerings, aware that with a pair of aces it'll all be over. Tossing the ball up high, he channels everything into this serve and launches a bullet of a shot at Squid Academy's defense. Zaneki jumps in the way ready to return, but his speed is just a bit off. Point to the Bluerings. The noise floods the arena now, the blues beginning to party as match point arrives once more. Squid Academy needed a stop by all means, but who would answer the call? It was clear Ellis knew not to send the ball towards Sky or Pastelle and to avoid serving it so hard it goes out, so it was clear the target was to go for the one most affected by the recent events in Zaneki. Launching the ball once more in Zaneki's direction, Ellis returns to the floor with a grin forming with confidence that this serve would be the game winner but to his surprise…
"Point awarded to Squid Academy!" the commentator shouts full of emotion, followed by the roar of thousands of pink shirts in the stands.
A quick counterattack unlike anything the Bluerings saw from their opponents, they were stunned to see the person who returned the play was Evelyn instead of Zaneki who moved in the way at the last moment and positioned the ball for Sky to set up a quick attack for Mason to fire on the counter before the wall could completely set up. A play built off of chemistry and immense trust, that was Squid Academy's answer to the Bluerings. The score tied once again at 25, it is Squid Academy's serve and the player to take the serve? Pastelle. The entire arena goes silent to a murmur as she takes the long walk to the service line, a solo drum banging loudly through the silence. The spotlight on her back as she stares down the six warriors in blue, Pastelle takes a deep breath with a focused gaze.
Biance raises her hand and turns to her entire section, "I...!" she shouts to the beat of a drum, waving her arms for everyone to join in.
"I…!" The crowd matches her intensity.
"I believe…!" she shouts once more in sync with the drum.
"I believe!"
"I believe that we…!" She balls her fist with a pump, shouting at the top of her lungs.
"I believe that we…!"
The drums bang, the hands clap, and everyone shouts at the top of their lungs, "I believe that we will win! I believe that we will win!"
Pink shirts hopping around and flags waving everywhere for Squid Academy, the supporters made their voices known for Pastelle that they were in her corner; the rest of the team on the sidelines also sang along at the top of their lungs supporting her as well. Pastelle's eyes looked cold as she glared at her opponents, letting them know she wouldn't choke-she's ending the match here and now, so they better brace themselves. C.C. yells commands to everyone and they all get in position, anticipating a thunderous strike from the skipper. A high toss that felt like it carried the hopes, dreams, and feelings of every single person rooting for Squid Academy, Pastelle fires a rocket of a shot directly at Drake-challenging her opponents to return her serve. A strike so emphatic that it bursts on collision, Drake could return the ball. 26-25 in favor of Squid Academy, match point arrives once more!
Everyone rises to their feet including the commentators, the arena reaching the very limits it can to contain the sound of the people, it felt like this was the moment of truth. Could the Bluerings stop Pastelle? Or would the vice captain of Squid Academy deliver the biggest play of her career? All decided on this next toss, Pastelle sends serve with the same explosive force as the previous. Frazzy is there to return however, using enough control to pass it to Marvin. The Bluerings spring to action with everyone getting in place to set up a strong counterattack and off of Marvin's set, it goes to Drake! Not having enough power to get over the wall of Squid Academy, it gets tipped for Zaneki to return. Zakei passes it over to Sky who sets up Reice for the finish. But it's blocked by the wall! Pastelle dives for the save and passes it to Evelyn who in turn passes it to Sky once again for the set. Mason has his number called this time. Though it gets over the wall this time, it's not strong enough for the kill as Ellis keeps it in play and sends it over to Frazzy, who finds his captain this time around…
All eyes turn to the critical play of C.C. who glides in the air prepared to kill. A violet slam that breaks through the wall of Squid Academy and soars overhead, everyone's heads turn to finding where the ball will land and whether it could be saved to continue the rally. As if a matter of fate, the ball found itself within the area of Sky Royale who rushed over with a possessed look in her glowing eyes looking to save the ball.
I'll never forget that loss in the winter finals.
The flashbacks of Beacon Hills rush through her mind as she remembers the heartbreak she felt that brutal winter day, the aftermath of that defeat lead to the retirement of her and her comrades and became the catalyst for rapid change.
My juniors played their hearts out to answer the call for a new torch in our absence and underwent unbelievable growth in the process.
Azule, Pastelle, Todd, and the many underclassmen on the team popped in her mind in that moment, recalling the weeks they spent looking to push to push beyond their limits and soar to new heights all for this opportunity, appreciating the effort they poured in to make this tournament the experience that it is.
We finally made it to Nationals. The searing heat, dusty winds, and dry air. I don't want this to end. It's been a grueling tournament thus far, but there's something waiting for us beyond the group stage…
Sky's feet move on their own, her sharpened eyes tracking the ball and her arms already in motion to receive. There's no time to set the ball, only to attack.
I'll take them to the knockouts!
Her gun fires. The ball is blasted. A return with such power that it sends the ball so high to the rafters, all the Bluerings looked up to the blinding lights for a shadow, a figure, anything. It's only for a second but it felt like an eternity. C.C.'s heart beats rapidly as he struggles to find the ball, knowing that fate will have it all come down to him to answer the call now that the ball found its way to her of all people. Frazzy and the others shout out their commands, preparing for the worst in this game of deuce. The ball shows itself and everyone scrambles to their places, the trajectory of the ball heading to the captain-all eyes turning to him as he holds up his hands signaling to handle the assignment. From a floating ascension to a death drop, the sudden descent springs C.C. into action. He can't let it end here, not after they worked so hard to climb back into this game-this match! Cutting it close with the timing, he just needed to take a couple more steps and he'd be there to return the ball and keep the play alive. A straight path to the target location where the ball will drop, C.C. felt it. The hard push of the air against him as he crashes into the court, his body sliding across the court just short as the ball lands in bounds.
The entire arena is silent, the sidelines of both teams, the people in the stands, and the coaches themselves, all wearing perplexed looks with their jaws agape.
"I-it's over! Game-set-match! In the final moments it's Sky Royale who answers the call!"
Sky raises her fist to the air carrying a vicious fire in her eyes, staring over to her teammates on the sidelines. She kept her promise and delivered the final blow. Her words echoing through everyone's mind, the entire team clears the sidelines screaming out her name with tears in their eyes and their arms opened wide ready to hug their queen bee. The victory sending shock waves throughout the arena, the Squid Academy supporters let out a deafening cheer that rumbled the venue; For Shiori and the many other players in attendance, they didn't know how to react to that ending-Shiore wore a satisfied smirk however, glad to see she was on the money about Sky after all and hoping to cross paths with her now that she made it to the next stage. The octoling man with the afro breathed deeply with a sigh of relief, unable to smile after all the stress he was concealing could finally melt away.
"Squid Academy are heading to knockouts, and while the Bluerings are going through as well, this is a heartbreaking loss for them. Looking at them now, it seems the results haven't settled in for them!"
Frazzy and the other players on the court looked confused by the ending, all of them looking at one another with questions written on their faces asking, "That was it?"
"C.C. played a magnificent performance that'll be one for the ages, but all it took was a single point to end the match!"
His head buried in arms as he laid on the court lifelessly, a devastated C.C. couldn't bring himself to get up from his defeated position. He just needed a single point to change the narrative and put them in position for the win, and he blew it before he could even get the chance. A slip up that'll haunt him for the rest of this tournament, C.C. let out bitter tears with a tremble as the realization of all his teammate's hard work in the match was unrewarded and it was all on his shoulders to take responsibility. Receiving a pat on the back, C.C. wipes his face and looks up to see the person comforting him at his lowest point is none other than the person he despised the most. Holding back tears of his own, Frazzy tells him to get up and congratulate their opponents on a hard fought match. Drained by the defeat, the pair of rivals couldn't bring themselves to look up-keeping their heads down as they headed over to center court. An emotional end to what trended on social media as the best game of the tournament and recognizing of Squid Academy as a legitimate dark horse candidate, their run at Nationals will continue into the knockout stage. A storyline that will forever be remembered for years to come about the group stage, Squid Academy pulled off the unthinkable after falling three matches and staring at elimination to come back and win the next four in a row-three of which were ranked within the top 25. A team worthy of next stage, Squid Academy will part of the remaining 64 teams who will fight it out for the National championship.
