Every household and every viewer that tuned into the broadcast all wore the same expression, their jaw agape and their eyes wide while slowly shaking their head in disbelief at the score displayed. Against all odds and expectations, Skolar were the team in danger of elimination staring down a 3-2 deficit heading into the sixth round. Social media was abuzz thanks to the very popular and recurring "Upset alert" tag trending worldwide with hundreds upon thousands of people sharing their thoughts live during the break. It was almost impossible to have imagined this scenario happening to Skolar at the beginning of the tournament, and much less to a team like Squid Academy who were doubted since their inclusion! The Kalebrough Inkstinct watched on in disbelief as the team they'd crossed paths with was again holding their own against a top 5 team in the tournament, but it wasn't because they were surprised to see this team doing so well against type of team but rather, none of them expected this level boost in talent. None of them had ever faced Sally but instead only saw the footage and heard the stories about the hallowed ace of Squidcom who mained a Heavy Splatling of all weapons. They were aware of how good she was, but this…this was far beyond their wildest imagination! Her eyes twinkling alight, Kippy's jubilant smile widened as she hollered and punched the air excitedly in response to every positive outcome that favored Squid Academy. As someone who'd always wanted to face Azule and his team for the longest time, the thought of Sally even slipped even her mind due to her ailment that kept her sidelined for so long despite being arguably the best player on the team. The thought that the team she faced that were devoid of their seniors like Sky and missing their lethal weapon in Sally would potentially meet her again in the quarterfinals only made her more anxious and enthusiastic to get out on the turf and compete; this rendition of Squid Academy was the one she wanted to test her might against as a clearly different beast from the one she encountered.
The sidelines full of tension, everyone felt a heavy pound in their chest struggling to make eye contact with one another following that defeat-their crestfallen gazes locking to their feet to avoid the intense gazes of the two terrors who stared daggers underneath their dampened towels. As the cornerstones of the team, it fell on them to produce results and thus far they were failing on that front, but luckily all wasn't lost as they were keenly aware of the development and still within contention to survive-though it'd take some work. From being in position to advance and controlling their own destiny to now falling to the brink of elimination, the twin terrors got a dose of their own medicine and now experienced the same despair they'd inflicted on other teams. Frustration and fear imminent in the deep rear of their minds, they tried to block out the negativity by reminding themselves that there were still a couple of rounds left to be played. And although there wasn't anything that could be stated that none of the players already knew, Miralem performed an action he seldomly ever took initiative upon. Lending his voice and narrating his thoughts aloud for his teammates, the gentle giant documented the struggles he, Carmichael, and the other seniors experienced that ultimately led to this point. The many defeats and close calls, the lofty expectations and hunger to achieve success, the burden and stress and fear of failure, this was the last chance for most of them. He confessed to them all that he realized as well as the captain and the coaches that they made a critical error in not accounting for Sally. Now, she was burning them down like a wildfire as a result and making them pay for never considering her to be an option. As such, Miralem showed remorse-a rare occurrence as he was one to never display such an emotion; he felt responsible for the predicament they were in now.
"Our hopes of going to the final and winning it all…I've become responsible for jeopardizing that to nothing more than a fever dream when it should be a reality that I helped forge with my hands. For that, I apologize." He bowed his head slightly, closing his eyes with a solemn tone spoken; "Squid Academy symbolizes our hardships, our perseverance, and most importantly, our luck. They are the team we once were. If anything, we are staring in the mirror at ourselves in a test to determine whether we are worthy of achieving our dreams. If we can't overcome ourselves, we can't reach our goal. So, let's respond the best way we know. We're ogres. We get rowdy. We get brutal. Play relentlessly and remember that our season is on the line. Our survival starts here!" He shouts with passion, receiving an overwhelming roar of support from his teammates who were moved by his words and understood the meaning behind every statement made, their energy returning as they knew that Miralem going this far for them meant they must do the same for him.
Carmichael nodded with a serious look plastered on his face, his mind running on autopilot as he dissected all the events that transpired on the turf. It felt like though they were in danger of elimination they were still within striking distance and just needed one effective strategy to turn the tide of the battle. Rewinding the mental reel in his mind and arriving at a potential spot for focus, he broke away from his sea of thoughts and called everyone in for one big huddle, placing his hand in the middle as the stage was almost set for both teams to return. A unified cheer released as the team declared their resolve to survive with every player's hand piled on one another, the trust they established in connecting with one another to get to the next round would prove to be anything but a miniscule task thanks to Fuchsia's very clever and risky tactic of employing Sally into the chaos that worked in the ace's favor with her explosive and unorthodox play tripping up the ogres and stealing the momentum away. Luckily, the captain and crew knew what to expect now and wouldn't fall for her shock factor now that they made the necessary adjustments during the break, acknowledging that Fuchsia definitely had the upper hand on them by making that move when she did. Nevertheless, they wouldn't let this round end the same way as the last.
We'll be ready to return the favor. He concluded standing at the head of his squad of ogres, a wave of discomfort showering them as they understood the importance of this next round. It's do or die.
The Squid Academy sidelines buzzing in response to that comeback performance from Sally, everyone showed their support for her and showered her with love-suffocating her even; the proud faces of her teammates were enough to get her emotional as for the first time in months she felt like she'd returned to where she belonged, the first person she showed her thanks being none other than the coach who gave her the opportunity-hugging Fuchsia tightly as her first action after the round. Multiple months out of commission, fear of severe health deterioration and possible death, a grueling recovery process physically, mentally, and especially emotionally, despite all of that, the Walleye hadn't missed a beat in her step which was a testament to her raw talent.
"I love that look in your eyes!" Fuchsia stated as she pulled Sally off and held her by the arms, staring at her intensely as her ace had the same sharp glint in her irises as always, if not even sharper in response to the thick weight of pressure she forcefully entered.
"We're whole again." Sally responded with a wide smile, the hunger growing stronger as she searched for Azule and immediately fist bumped him.
This is our true strength Fuchsia thought watching the others pile on Sally; It took us several months but we've finally reached the team I'd been hoping to attain ever since we got to nationals. I want to showcase this team to the whole world and show everyone that we're more than just a giant slayer, we're as much of a candidate to win it all as the others here. We'll prove it! Her resolve strengthened thanks to what she'd been seeing, hungry to win it all regardless of who stood in their way.
The break finally over and the teams set to wage battle once more, the air on the turf felt chilly ahead of the countdown; this round was going to decide the fate of both teams: A Squid Academy victory meant advancement to the next round, but a Skolar victory meant a seventh round, and with the history Skolar had, that was almost an assured victory. Desperation manifests. The looks on their faces turning serious as the countdown begins, the grip on their weapons growing tighter by the second. Minds clearing and the surround sound tuned out, the only noise heard is the thumping beat in their hearts.
The whistle blows to start the clam blitz battle.
A stampede out of spawn occurring for both teams at ground zero, the turf gets so hot from the heat getting expended from the players that it was like seeing a pair of heavyweights charging at one another ready to launch haymakers at the other in a ring of fire, their eyes red yearning for the blood of their opponent after the opening bell sounded. Skolar bring the fight hard first with the group of Carmichael, Miralem, Jean, and Sigurd all ignoring the clams and zipping towards the Squid Academy crew, trusting Amber and Pierre to handle the clam and power clam while they dealt with the enemy force in hopes to build early momentum cut down Squid Academy's numbers. Squid Academy however weren't surprised by the tactic and sent forth their best attacking trio of Azule, Sally, and Pastelle with Sky providing cover from a higher point, acting as surveillance for Reice who guarded the goal while Violet went into stealth mode to gather clams.
"And it begins everyone! The blitz is underway as the vanguards of both teams collide like a pair of freight trains. A sprinkler is thrown from Skolar to create some spacing but in comes Carmicahel and Miralem using the cover to close the distance, Azule and Pastelle however aren't backing off and instead engage in battle!"
"There's nothing I love more than seeing attack oriented players. These two genuinely want to beat the brakes off the other!"
The acrobatic and elusive captain versus the most solid of attacking captains, the polished and experienced vice captain against the most consistent and towering powers among vice captains. The top brass of both teams collided epically in a blast of green and pink, splattering their colors everywhere at breakneck speed faster than the audience could keep up. The sheer speed at which they traded ink without a break in their step was only topped by the performance of Sally and her heavy splatling, who was handling the likes of Jean and Sigurd with considerable ease. It was disturbing to witness. Azule and Pastelle, a first year and second year, weren't backing down against a mighty pair of third years who'd been known to terrorize the circuit their entire careers, and yet here they were fighting on par with those beasts. Even freakier was Sally! For someone who was playing her first match in several months, she handled a pair of Skolar's best while utilizing one of the heaviest and most burdensome of weapons available. A pleasant sight to view from above, Sky could only tease a smile seeing what kind of monsters she was blessed to call her juniors. An explosive and eventful exchange within a matter of seconds, casualties are tallied and clams are collected.
"I want some action too…" Reice sulks while posted near the goal. As the primary defender of the team it was his duty to shut down any potential attackers who'd swarm the goal. "I wanted to get a piece of the twin terrors but they just had to go and butter me up!" he whined, recalling what happened prior to the match starting...
"HUH? You want me to be on total defense!?" Reice's jaw dropped, his fingers twitching in a grabbing gesture while staring daggers at his coach. "Come on Fuchsia, let me at 'em! I'll sock those ogres like a demon slayer!"
"Calm down fire breath, there's a reason for it." Sally bonked him on the head.
"I understand you're hyped up to show out now that we're in control but we can't get ahead of ourselves just yet. Skolar are still the 5th ranked team in the tournament with an abundance of experience. No doubt Carmichael and Miralem will pose a problem but the true threat to deal with is the rest of that unit. If they're going to operate as expected, then most likely they'll be utilizing the rest of their team in the case that we contain their stars, and if they open us up it'll be a nightmare as the twin terrors will surely capitalize. Likewise, shoulder we do the reserve we'll just bleed out from the damage inflicted by those two alone, so to account for that-"
"You want me to handle the rest that come knocking." Reice answered seriously, much to Fuchsia's surprise.
"R-right. We've got an attacking squad with more than enough capability to deal with their firing squad, but the challenge comes from our defenses. We'll play with balance but we can't overcommit on offense and have no on ready to defend our goal, so I've devised that we'll play a fluid 3-2-1 style with Azule, Pastelle, and Sally as our primary kill machines, Sky and Violet will hover between both realms and gather clams while supporting you and them, and then you'll be dedicated to the rear protecting the goal from any defense."
"The intention is to protect our chargers from any imminent danger while also allowing them room to come and support you should things break down and the plan goes awry. As nice as it would be to go hog wild and get a fast knockout, we're still at Nationals." Ollie adds.
If that's the plan, then… his expression serious as he returns from the memory, Reice snaps head in the opposite direction-meeting Pierre of Skolar; They did exactly as Fuchsia and the others foresaw which meant-
"It was a trap!" Violet shouts, firing in their direction but not aiming for Pierre specifically but for Amber instead who lurked nearby as well with a power clam in possession.
Reice is on his guard and Violet is there to support him from a distance, their opponents are Pierre and Amber who were looking to attack the goal with a power clam and several clams to add to the bonus. Quickly understanding the situation at hand, Reice gripped the handle tightly and went for an overhead slam, sending a furious blast of pink in Pierre's direction, then whipping his roller in with an upward swing and sending a flurry Amber's way, who had the power clam in possession. In an instant, the guardian deity of Squid Academy spaced the floor. Immediately the school brass band started playing his theme as he rested the heavy roller on his shoulders and lifted his chin donning an intimidating glare, challenging them to come at him.
Glad he's hyped up… Violet thought as she closed down the distance between herself and the others, also thinking of how hopeless Reice was.
It was a wild encounter between the twin terrors and the Squid Academy trio but it was the ending that brought about the current scenario. After Skolar made the decision to approach with four attackers against Azule, Pastelle, and Sally, Sky made the decision to commit to being their reliable fourth and sent Violet to back up Reice, noticing that the aggression shown here wasn't sensible since such commitment would've meant they would've ambushed and wipe them out, but to only bring four meant they were accounting for the troublesome Reice, which meant they were exposed. At that moment, the two charger specialists knew that if their defenses got exposed, it was as good as over for them. As such, Violet high tailed over to Reice's location but avoided using her super jump to avoid alerting the enemy since it seemed that the two strays were under the assumption that they'd snuck by. Violet decided to use that to her advantage and give them a nasty surprise; while she left it to Sky, and the others, the remaining Squid Academy players stared down the Skolar teams, the tension thick as everyone wore ravenous looks.
It's said that at Nationals there's always a monster at the tournament, but never was it mentioned that there'd be so many sharing the turf… Sigurd thought while looking at the stacked roster before him: The vice captain who was a silent force, the Queen Bee and a charger specialist on par with the Street Queen, the explosive ace making a grand return, and lastly, the monster first year captain who led all of them. But luckily for him on his side stood the twin terrors who towered over everyone altogether as the best duo in tournament, those two alone could take on the four of them, but as a teammate, he wanted to do his part to ease the burden for the two of them, keenly aware that even those two weren't invincible. If they planned to win this round and survive, they needed those two to be at full strength for the next round where Squid Academy would surely raise hell. Blow for blow in a consistent trade, both sides were drenched in the other's ink but still had life in them-the duo of Carmichael and Miralem holding out against Squid Academy's best four who swarmed them in greater concentration as they marched to the front with Jean and Sigurd retreating to the rear, using their subweapons to space the floor and provide some room for their teammates to maneuver. Sally shut that down swiftly with her rapid fire spraying everywhere and Sky added to that with her range from above. Nonetheless, the ogres weren't deterred. This type of play where they had their twin terrors in a central role was right up their alley, and to go against Squid Academy's hardest hitters was close to how they'd intended. Those countless hours studying the phenomenon of Midnight Azule, Sky's insane accuracy and range, Pastelle's engine that always seemed to roar to life when it mattered most, they accounted for all the possibilities in the scenario except for that wild card with the Heavy Splatling...
Meanwhile at the Squid Academy goal the battle between the two duos rages on. Reice defends the goal against the relentless power of Pierre and Amber, who were keeping a safe distance to avoid the devastating damage he could inflict. Their safety however wasn't assured as Violet provided meaningful assistance and helped in scrambling them for Reice to pick off in quick succession, proving that despite the surprise attack their chemistry was more than enough to deal with that kind of threat-though that did take a considerable amount of energy out of them. Several streaks of pink and green soaring overhead en route to spawn, the pair realized that must've meant Skolar got the upper hand in that bout. But there was one issue: there were four pinks and two greens… but who were those two greens? Regardless they had to be prepared to defend the goal until the others got back, but the contemplation on who might be on the other side is what concerned them. If it was the other two players aside from the twin terrors that survived, they weren't too worried; if it were at least one of the terrors however-if not both, they might be in trouble. Reice immediately refilled his ink and surveyed his surroundings at the same time while Violet took to a higher point to get a better view, both of their hearts thumping nervously. Despite it being so early in the match it was these little moments that could make the biggest of impact, and after already exhausting themselves with one defense already, mentally it'd be taxing to do it all over again with no help to be expected. Their ears fine tuned and sensitive, they become alert once they hear the audience cheering which indicated that action was about to unfold. Violet scanned from left to right, seeing no green in sight until the third look around where she spotted what looked like fresh ink. Her skin crawling in that moment she frantically turned around looking to want Reice only to see he'd already been doused by a harsh splash of green on the flank followed by another to the rear. They were here.
My blindspot…! They must've submerged at an angle where I couldn't detect them in time. If they were that crafty that must mean…!
Indeed, the two who survived and took down Squid Academy's four best were Carmichael and Miralem. Although a decent amount of that time was spent gathering the clams and sneaking through, they still had a couple seconds to spare before Squid Academy's reinforcements would arrive and it was in those precious couple of seconds that they would inflict fear into the most unsuspecting pair. Miralem had a power clam, and Carmichael had one as well, their gazes cold as they didn't even register Reice as a target and saw straight through him peering at their destination behind him.
"You disrespectful son of a…!" Reice grits his teeth and does a quick leap transitioning to another overhead swing looking to flick a wave of pink at them, but the skilled pair evade with ease.
Violet closed the distance and tried to hurry them away from the goal but they were so intent on getting past Reice they didn't even acknowledge her. Seeing that Reice already took considerable damage, they wanted to finish him off in one fell swoop. Carmichael's aim changed to Reice and Miralem launched his power clam. A valiant effort by a pair of first years to defend not one but two consecutive attacks, they failed to stop the twin terrors. The goal bursts and the score alters in favor of Skolar, the window for opportunity still open to Carmichael to send his power clam and bolster the lead. Reice wouldn't have it though, angrily launching attack after attack until no ink remained in his tank, hoping that he could do just enough to hold him off. Carmichael liked that desperation since it was an indicator that the plan was working: they were getting flustered by the adjustments and their hope to utilize Sally stopped at just that one round. If he kept this up for four more dedicated strikes they'd be victorious. Aware that the others would return about then, Carmichael and Skolar super jump away and return to their own teammates who'd just respawned, exiting as the window to score additional points expired and just before Azule could show up. The audience goes into a frenzy full of amazement after witnessing the veteran team tactically pick apart the hotshots in a way that hadn't been seen since the group stage; Skolar were showing Squid Academy their cards now, and it was up to them to find a response.
That tougher approach by Carmichael worked wonders, not only utilizing adjustments targeted specifically at Sally but also eliminating her hype with swift decision making and testing her burst factor. That exchange showed that he suspected her of having truly terrible stamina since it's her first game back and he plans to use that against her. What was supposed to be a clever move by that octoling girl is proving to be detrimental to their chances of success. Mori assessed the action with his arms folded and his stare growing stern, a bit peeved at the thought process behind Carmichael's approach.
Fuchsia bit her lip nervously wearing an angry look, realizing the blunder she might've made that she never foresaw until just now. "They're going to try and drain her. They'll drag it out if they want to."
"Attempting to leave a nail out on the road won't be concerning in this case. They looked good out there." Tangie said calmly, her eyes glued to Sally; "She's not letting them get away with that."
A highly contested and fierce duel that saw several isolated battles and group battles whether it be for forming power clams or to score, the two teams were always on the heels of the other. Sally pursued the twin terrors with vengeance, making sure to never let them get a moment of rest, but Carmichael and Miralem entertained her knowing they didn't have to pull off the same stunt they did earlier-their teammates could handle the rest, and that they did. A lead extended thanks to Carmichael cashing in the second power clam, it was the efforts of Jean and Sigurd adding a few extra clams for safe keeping the creating a significant 55-100 lead that had Squid Academy reeling once the goal closed, the subtle despair of being able to crack through that sturdy wall of a defense becoming a problem they couldn't solve with their talent alone. Sally however, became that engine. A workhorse who'd been through much worse when it came to her recovery, she kept the same defiant look and continued to challenge Skolar's best with no end in sight. And each time, she got closer and closer. Eventually Squid Academy did manage to score their points and trim down the lead thanks to bonuses, but it still came at the cost that Skolar would always find a way to score shortly after to rebuild that lead. In response to those efforts however, Squid Academy played sharper and looked to be getting better and better as time pressed forward thanks to Sally's tenacity and the leadership of Sky and Pastelle, who brought a calmness on the battlefield where Reice, Violet, and Azule themselves were feeling some pressure, especially the captain, who'd already worn himself down by overdoing it just a bit today.
Although the comeback was slow but steady, Squid Academy were catching up as time waned in the match. The scrambling tactic employed by Azule and Reice worked to perfection thanks to an aggressive push on Skolar that opened the floor for Violet and Sky to pick the targets easier. A full fledged 6 on 6 battle before the Skolar goal at the closing moments of the match, Pastelle ripped through the defenses and broke the goal as time expired. Overtime in session with a loud horn blasting furiously warning the players, the desperation kicked in for both sides: Skolar wanted to survive the worst case scenario and Squid Academy wanted to keep the round alive for as long as pressure piles on, a frantic attempt to prevent Squid Academy from scoring any points is made with the entire squad unloading on any pink target that possessed clams. Pastelle went down buried in green but not before she brought down Pierre with her and severely weakened Amber in the process. Reice and Violet soon followed as victims before the Twin terrors and dropped their clams in the process, the hopes of scoring the last point dwindling like the window for scoring. It wasn't all hopeless however as the stubborn siblings Azule and Sky were hellbent on surviving with their clams in possession ready to snatch victory away from the hands of Skolar. But the twin terrors had other ideas. It was like watching a cinematic presentation with the choreography of the four: no one was supposed to move the way they did at this late in the match, and yet they all were playing with such brilliant athleticism that if a viewer was just tuning in without any context they would've thought it to be the opening round.
"A dash to the side to avoid the dangerous strike from Azule, Carmichael looks to respond. Here comes Sky however to aid her brother, but closing behind her is Miralem."
Even though they were a dynamic pair with unmatched chemistry, even the Royale Siblings were no competition for a pair of terrors with their backs to the wall…
Thus remained Sally.
With Amber removed from the picture after succumbing to too much damage in the crossfire, Skolar boasted a four on one advantage. Problem is, the lone survivor for Squid Academy happened to be the crux of their plans so far. Time is fastly waning and she's only able to nab a single clam, luckily the score is within reach: she lands it here and they win it in overtime, but before her are four bodies and two of them belonging to the twin terrors. She needed a prayer of a shot. Even if the distance was significant, there was one thing Sally boasted over the others: her incredible natural strength and upper body strength that stemmed from lugging around such a heavy weapon. Carmichael and Miralem's expressions changed once they saw the light in her eyes and knew what she was up to, aware that she was considered the loose cannon of an ace and now realizing why she'd been given such a reputation. She's gonna launch that clam from that distance…
"Charge at her!" Carmichael shouts frantically leading the way as his teammates launch their subweapons in response, looking to employ anything as an obstacle for her. Carmichael. Miralem. Sigurd. Jean. The four lunged themselves at her hoping to deflect the clam.
Sally dug the soles of her boots into the ground and placed all the weight in her legs, careful not to apply too much pressure and re-aggravate her condition. Her gaze sharp with slanted brows a piercing shine, she fills up her mouth with air after taking a deep breath and winds up her throw, launching the clam with precision through the four bodies. In that moment, she gets drowned in green. It felt like time was at a standstill, the arena full of gasps and shrieks as everyone watched in horror and amazement of the dying moments of Squid Academy's overtime attempt at a victory; Skolar could only watch and hope they splatted her in time to throw her aim and power off, their heads twisting around watching every agonizing moment helplessly. The clam soared, then lowered the closer it reached the goal until finally, a result was final. The whistle blew immediately to conclude the round and it was: Game. Set. Match.
Total silence filled the dome.
Jaws dropped in disbelief, a stunning result had been brought forth. It was the loudest that any of the Galloways had ever heard in their entire lives, but it felt like a supermassive rumble was about to tear the earth below them through the sound alone! The celebration started for Squid Academy's victory as the drums banged with the school brass band joining in to give a song for the rest of the supporters to chime in and sing along to while their beloved team soaked in the surreal moment. For the first time since the golden age seven years ago, Squid Academy were once again back in the quarterfinals of the national tournament with the road this time far more difficult than what the golden age squad could've ever imagined. An emotional but disappointing end to Skolar's run in the tournament with an early exit just before the quarter finals, the supporters of the team in lime and black gave a standing ovation for their players, aware that this would be the last time they see a few of those faces who would go down within the school's history as some of the best to ever wear those team jerseys. Not a single tear is shed, for this was only the beginning and there would be another chance to come back stronger even if the talent might not be as overwhelming as this edition of the team. Carmichael and Miralem however finally expressed their devastation and took the loss to heart as two players who'd been regarded so highly and yet they came up short once again. There'd be no next time for them playing together. To that extent, the other ogres allowed them to express their bitter emotions but also encouraged them to know that they'll be leaving behind a strong team and that they'll make sure to avenge the loss next time. The brutal nature of nationals showed once again for Squid Academy who were still not used to the sight of killing another team's dream, they all refrained from celebrating too hard on the turf out of a show of respect to their competitors. A team that went from overlooking them to being forced to acknowledge their strength, it was similar to the many other ranked opponents they conquered, especially the Bluerings. Now able to catch their breath and prepare for their next opponent in the quarterfinals, they turn their attention to the winner of the clash between Crystal Coast and Kalebrough.
Final Match Score: Squid Academy - 4; Skolar - 2
