The entire dome showering cheers for Kalebrough and more specifically Kippy for her dazzling moves at the end of that round, the sidelines of the Inkstinct were radiant ahead of the second round with the likes of Pascal and Tiffany encouraging the team to channel the feeling, driving home that obtaining victory in this match will be a collective effort. On the television broadcast, the commentators were dissecting the match and pointing out what worked in favor for the teams and what went wrong at the end that led to Kalebrough's victory.
"Talk about a phenomenal prospect, she's already made an impact right from the first round. And she's only in her first year?" A bewildered Pharaoh Nefertina commented as she digested that match, listening to the broadcast on the TV; the suite was lively thanks to Squid Academy's victory earlier in the day boosting everyone's mood, and the Pharaoh was also pleased due to her homeland Sun Pharaohs winning their match today as well to advance to the round of 16.
"Yeah, she's the pride of Kalebrough and one of Inkopolis' finest talents. I've seen some of the prior games and I must say that she appears to get better with every match. Almost as if the more comfortable she gets the more intense and polished her play becomes." Verde remarked, remembering when Kippy clashed with Azule back in the group stage.
"They're an entertaining bunch." Leor shrugged her shoulders; "But I'd still take Squid Academy over them despite last time. And now that I recall, they were playing amazing today too."
"Right? I still don't see my sweet Sally playing yet but I won't fret! That team is capable even without her gracing the turf!" Mika stated dramatically, her arms extended with the back of her hand resting on her forehead pretending to be a noble from ancient times.
Leor furrowed her brows, "Would you tone it down on your love obsession O Madame Mika?"
"Hm? That sarcastic tone! Do I sense jealousy from my partner in crime? Worry not Leor, I love you less than Sally but more than Leeks!" Mika let's out a sophisticated laugh, committing to the act now that she managed to agitate Leor.
Leeks!? Leor wore a terrifying smile as she hid her demonic aura, "Mind if I spend a few moments with her outside?" she said looking over to the Pharaoh and Handan while balling a trembling fist, the veins sprouting on her face until she had a slight twitch.
"No beating up the pop star!" Marina and Callie say in unison making an "X" with their arms.
"Tch!" Leor clicks her tongue full of dismay.
"I didn't take you for the jealous type." Pearl said in a such tone void of emotion, as though to mask the sympathies she felt understanding Leor's position all too well.
"N-not you too!" A flustered Leor whined, not expecting Pearl of all people to pile on her.
Amid all the excitement, a thought popped into Verde's mind. "Ah that reminds me, why did the committee choose you all to headline the event as the musical acts? Wouldn't it be strange that everyone performing happens to be from Inkopolis?"
Marie waved her hand in denial, "Oh no, we're not the only ones performing. There are other musical acts who will be performing alongside us but we're all well acquainted with one another and are big acts to secure. Truth be told, the performances we'll be doing are partially more than just a show."
"It'll be like a charity concert! We'll be collaborating with others to help spread the message of unity given what's been going on lately. I'm sure the sporting event has been a good distraction for everyone but it's time we take it a step further and take action and demonstrate that solidarity, you know?" Marina adds, glad to hear someone ask about the reason for such an all star assembly.
"After everything that happened before, it's clear that there needs to be a sense of unity and peace, especially thanks to the efforts of the queen, pharaoh, and others."
"In other words, make sure to watch us!" Callie beamed.
A laugh shared among everyone, the room felt light and comfortable with how at ease everyone was. Indeed, the last few months were stressful on all of them in unique ways and this period of time at Ravia for this tournament served as a wonderful break from all the turbulence in their lives. Gathered together on the many couches to sit around and have a glass, they all do a toast to a good future. The sight of the many glasses raised brought a smile to a certain visitor's face who'd just arrived after a long flight. No introduction was needed as their laugh alone announced their presence, their familiar tone from the far side of the room enough to make Verde shudder coldly as their arrival brought a different level of terror considering the circumstances.
"Lime!" Callie chirped, rushing over to hug her.
"Head General!" Shiva beamed, also rushing over to greet her.
A cold sweat broke on Verde's face, "You're not supposed to be here until tomorrow!" he said, attempting to keep his composure before Handan.
Lime's eyes twinkle as she hears her brother's hidden despair, "I was scheduled to arrive for tomorrow but things changed and I caught the fastest flight I could! My dear little brother, did you miss your big sister?" she fluttered her eyelashes spreading her arms wide with her fingers in motion as though she was ready to pounce on him with a familiar torture full of love.
Verde sensed malice and quickly went into a defensive response putting up his arms in an "X" formation with a tremble as a sentiment shared by him and his younger siblings was to dread the hugs given by the monster of an elder sister, but his guard immediately dropped once Handan opened her mouth and outed everything by showing the bling on her finger. That next moment felt as chilly as the highest peak on a mountain, the sharpest of glares hidden behind a mask of a smile that only the eldest sibling of the Royale family could produce.
"Ho? It's even prettier than I imagined!" Lime said in a high pitch, examining the engagement ring, her words daggers through Verde's chest as he finally knew the reason behind her early arrival. "Well then, congratulations Verde. Looks like you'll be the first among us to get married."
"I-I appreciate it." the bashful second in command responded, unable to look his sister in the eye.
"Must be nice to settle down with someone you love without a worry of all the responsibilities of work, huh? Hmmm?"
"Oh don't be too hard on him, I already make his life tough as it is and plan to do until death do us part!" Handan bellowed.
"Please don't say things like that so proudly."
"So? Have you told mom and dad yet?"
"No." Verde responded immediately without a hint of guilt or consideration.
"Wha-so fast! You do know they'll find out one way or another right? Better they hear it from your mouth than from someone else."
"I can't blame him when considering how those two are, especially Jules." Callie laughed; "I'm sure Maya would be fine since she's gotten softer over the years but that father of yours…" Callie immediately cringed, as did the rest of the women in the room who were familiar with him.
Verde sighed, "Then you get where I'm coming from…"
That moment elsewhere...
"A-achoo!" Julian sneezed terribly grabbing his handkerchief and blowing furiously with phone in hand observing the live scores of the national tournament.
The noise in the Pelagi Dome trapped and swelling the interior as the decibels soar, the second round was already under way and highly competitive in the Last One Standing battle. Starting off red hot following their win in the first round, Kalebrough lashed at Nimaroshi with a double kill within half a minute into the match! A group battle that broke down quickly due to the obvious risks posed with letting Kippy flourish in a team battle, the attempt to break away into isolated battles allowed for Kippy to pounce on the opportunity of shaving the enemy numbers down and in turn eliminated Shoto and Iguro during the commotion and subsequent retreat where Nimaroshi were getting overwhelmed by the aggressive likes of Zepp, Kappa, Kippy, and uncharacteristically Virgil and Pascal. Boasting a 6-4 advantage following the pinpoint kills from Kippy, Kalebrough went on the offensive and worked to pick off Nimaroshi one by one, eliminating Meguri and Yonji in the process and strengthening their grip on the round and match. Although Kalebrough played with the numbers advantage throughout the round, Nimaroshi didn't falter one bit, and during the period where Kalebrough were tightening their grip with kills, Nimaroshi retaliated and took down Tiffany and more importantly, Virgil. By eliminating the premier charger for Kalebrough and making their lives a tad bit easier to maneuver without an enemy constantly marking them from afar, Nimaroshi were able to at least weaken that iron tight grip. It was from that point that the tempo of the match appeared to alter as Kalebrough went from and all-out offensive to playing with a bit more conservation, primarily due to the numbers not only dwindling on Kalebrough's end, but the two that remained for Nimaroshi happened to be the two best players for the side.
They have the freedom to move around without worrying about others and focus primarily on shaving off our numbers, and though we could bull rush them- Zepp's thoughts are cut short as a stray shot from Yuji nearly finds him and forced to abandon his chase on Shinichi with Kippy, he turns his attention to the skipper.
"I already weakened one of your buddies earlier and my partner will handle the siblings on his own." Yuji announced to the cautious Zepp, which meant that Pascal wouldn't be in the picture for a moment; "So, continue where we were?"
"There's nothing I love more than seeing someone get ahead of themselves...you should be careful of what you wish for." Zepp smirked, realizing this isolated encounter could spell trouble if he engages as his elimination would put a strain on the others. They need leadership and experience. With my removal, they'll be in trouble against these two…He was very conflicted about what option to decide, retreat or engagement? If he runs away here, not only does he let a dangerous opponent run free but as a captain it was his duty to stand up and lead, for him to run away would send a bad message to his squad. But to engage in a risky matchup without any assured backup would be just as troublesome with the possibility of his elimination allowing for the two experienced opponents to tactically pick apart the young siblings who were still green behind the ears when it came to these high stake battles. "I've got no intention of letting my juniors clean up after me, so I'll take you on!"
Yuji smiled in response, understanding that Zepp must've already weighed his options and found the resolve to fight rather than take flight despite the risks posed with such an option; a move worthy of admiration. Without a moment to spare the two captains propelled at one another for yet another duel, moving like lightning hidden in the sloshing green and yellow ink that splashed everywhere as the pair attempted to eliminate the other. As they narrowly avoid death at every moment they collide, elsewhere on the turf saw Kippy tailing behind Shinichi who actively left an obstacle in her way to slow down her pursuit. All for the sake of tiring her out to make matters easier in dealing with her and the stupidly fast speed of hers, Shinichi was dead set on taking Kippy down after how constant he'd been targeted throughout the match in the previous rounds. At this point Kippy only saw Shinichi's back, her vision narrowing by the second as she moved with such speed it was as though she'd been in a wind tunnel. A blessing and a curse, Kippy did manage to break the pursuit by finally grazing Shinichi, but in return she found herself now becoming the target as Shinichi went on the counterattack instantly; Kippy scrambled realizing she didn't have enough in the tank to roll or retreat.
For where there's light, there's always a shadow that follows. If Kippy is the light of Kalebrough-"Then I'll be the shadow!" Kappa yells, intercepting Shinichi in that moment, giving Kippy a chance to refill her tank.
The light and the shadow together, Kalebrough's dual cannons were ready to strike! But their opponent happened to be a fellow cannon as well. What ensued was a heated exchange as Shinichi stepped into a zone and took them both on, much like what Yuji predicted. Regarded as a player who could shine at any moment, Shinichi bore similarity to the gentle giant of Skolar in the way that he never demanded the attention as his superstar counterpart but did demand the respect of his opponents and would display his true strength when necessary; Kappa and Kippy were finding this out the hard way as they realized their team attack offered little success against Shinichi's tanky play. He moved briskly but still aimed with the highest of precision in picking the right moments to launch fire and nearly connecting with his target in each instance. For the first time ever, it appeared as though Kappa but more surprisingly Kippy, were being overwhelmed despite having the numeral advantage. A development that prompted a surprised reaction from the boorish crowd, the neutral audience couldn't help but root for both sides as the players displayed top tier performances: The fantastic chase Kippy gave Shinichi, Kappa swooping in to protect his little sister, and Shinichi keeping two prime talents at bay all alone, to them it felt like they were watching a preview of what the finals would look like with either of these teams as a headliner. But as is the case with tournament matches, only one would be able to advance and in that same respect, only one of these sides would be left standing in this duel. Watching on with great attention were Sky and Azule, who were silent the entire time with their focus entirely on the screen displaying the two siblings. As unfair as it were to make such comparisons despite the differences between them it was inevitable to compare the Moreno siblings with the Royale siblings considering both reside in Inkopolis, the younger sibling was the leader and ace of their respective teams while the older acted as a supportive role that supplemented the younger. The chemistry of Kappa and Kippy on full display as Kippy danced around with her dualies utilizing her speed while Kappa bull rushed Shinichi, Fuchsia and the others could feel blizzard where they sat as the freezing auras of Sky and Azule intensified the more they heard the commentators praise the siblings. Of course they felt irritated to see how lauded those two were when they were arguably just as impressive if not even more impressive considering their current stance.
"Kippy goes down!" the commentator hollers in disbelief as Shinichi not only staves off Kappa but immediately tags Kippy in the same sequence.
Now even in a one on one duel, Kappa doesn't lose heart one bit and rushes as Shinichi to finish the job, but in that same breath came Pascal with all intentions to finish him off in quick succession. What transpired was nothing short of a miracle for Kappa who escaped with his life and now found himself on his heels as Shinichi played far more aggressively than ever seen so far in the match; now that Kippy was out of sight and mind he had free reign to unleash hell and play to his true strength without worry of a threat interfering. Unable to avoid his fire for long Kappa gets severely weakened and becomes an animal for slaughter trapped by a pond of yellow. Things appear dire for Kappa, who'd be surrendering a tied score to Shinichi if he gets splatted, but to his-and Shinichi's surprise comes Pascal to the rescue. Reminding him that they still have the advantage, Pascal takes attention away from Kappa to give him a moment to catch himself but Shinichi showcases that he was in a class of his own and that Pascal had no business trying to stall him. Almost automatically, the attempt to slow Shinichi down was met unsuccessfully as Pascal bowed out. But it wasn't a total loss however as Pascal planted an ink mine just before getting eliminated and succeeded in drawing him to where the ink mine lay hidden. A furious green blast setting off that caught part of Shinichi in the blast, Kappa saw that brief opening as his moment to strike.
Though he's injured by the blast, Shinichi is very much still well grounded for a fight, and as Kappa pushes forward with all intention of splatting him, he readies for his strike as well. As they close distance throwing caution to the wind, they trade fire and eliminate the other with furious blasts of their own; Kappa implodes to a burst of a green puddle remaining and Shinichi to a yellow puddle, the whistle blowing immediately afterwards to the surprise of everyone. The intentions were to see the two captains duke it out to decide who the last one standing was, but their battle concluded simultaneously with Kappa and Shinichi's! Bewilderment ensues as the scores tally. Indeed, Zepp and Yuji took one another out as well but there still needed to be a winner. As such, a replay review was needed to determine who truly was the last remaining competitor on the turf. The footage turned to dual view display of the two battles that took place in that moment with a timer displayed at the bottom right of the screen to determine exactly what took place at one time, the footage showing Kappa and Shinichi's battle indeed concluding simultaneously with the captain's battle. There is a twist however! Although both captains eliminated one another, there was just one telling difference: Yuji still remained for a ten hundredth of a second longer before the effect of Zepp's shot finally took him down. By this technicality, Yuji remained the final man standing and victory was awarded to Nimaroshi 1st, giving them a controversial 1-1 tie.
The Kalebrough sidelines exploded in opposition to the result with several arguing loudly they demanded a sudden death or overtime, having to be calmed down by their coaches and several of their cooler headed teammates who already knew the rules were the rules. If the officials said Yuji was the last one standing, then so be it. Booing ensued from the Kalebrough supporters who weren't in agreement with the decision, much to the delight of the Nimaroshi supporters who felt over the moon to be level with the red hot Kalebrough. The stakes raised to another level as officiating made their presence in the match felt, Zepp and his squad took this loss on the chin and marched to their sidelines in good spirits and on the other side, Yuji and Nimaroshi soaked in the brief moment of victory-aware that the job was far from over but to celebrate these little achievements as they can go a long way.
Kalebrough - 1; Nimaroshi 1st - 1
The next round awaits.
