A man will wait patiently for Splatoon 3...
Super stoked for the game and excited to hear of any new details that'll inevitably get teased as we near close to release date, especially about the new characters and returning characters and of course the music. I hope everyone reading this is doing well physically and mentally and stays safe despite all that's happening whether it be in the states or overseas, even though I don't know any of you it really makes me happy to see that I can reach far and wide even if our communication is only through me uploading a chapter with these messages attached. But truly, I hope you all are doing fine.
As always, thank you for reading these little notes and please enjoy the chapter.
The fumes of hype run rampant through the dry and dust-filled air as the once blazing sun lowered its red hot heat in the midst of the afternoon clouds. Troves of gold shirts and silver shirts were still filing into the venue of Shamsa stadium to join an already packed audience who were enjoying the pre-match festivities as it was to be one of the biggest matches within the storied rivalry of the top two teams of Inkopolis. Dubbed the "Inkopolis Derby" for its history as the greatest rivalry between the nation's two most successful programs, the two teams were live manifestations of the word hatred when it came to the subject of this rivalry. The gold hated the silver, and oh did the silver loathe the gold. A duel that historically favored the team in gold and white, there were times when the squids in silver and black lashed back and had their own brilliant runs over the years. But what made this meeting in particular so special compared to the countless other meetings in history was that for the first time in ages, the two were meeting at Nationals-and even bigger-in the knockouts. Not just any round of the knockout either, but the round of 16 with the winner earning the right to advance to the quarterfinals and contend for the championship. To raise the stakes? One of the greatest sibling rivalries ever seen was about to come to an unfortunate end as Special Forces' captain and third year Jin Ika would face his younger brother and second year captain of Beacon Hills' Gin Ika in a final showdown for all the bragging rights. Even though history favors Jin's side thanks to the well documented meetings between the two, Gin has proven to have had the greater success within this season ever since their last meeting when the two met before the beginning of the new season in Inkopolis where they competed in a commemorative classic-a match that ended in Jin's victory. The gambling houses full of greedy risk takers throwing their funds at the hope of striking it rich off a possible result going their way, sports media were also feeding into the frenzy and hype surrounding the once in a lifetime opportunity. With several dozens of alumni from both teams present in support of their alma maters, the pressure on both teams to perform to expectation only heightened as the families of both teams made the long trip for today's epic clash-including the extended Ika family who were split in team colors supporting the boys, although the brothers' parents were picking Jin's side as usual.
"The journey to this fateful encounter can be defined as polarizing with two teams who couldn't be any more different now than ever before, a plethora of history and emotion etched into the meaning behind this battle that'd be too overwhelming to unpack. The team who lived in the shadow of their arch rival versus the team who painfully shined the brightest. The duel of a team struggling to find an identity amid a critical transition versus a team who'd discovered their identity and were now polishing themselves for this very encounter. The theme of infighting overtaking one team versus the theme of unity built by the other. Maintaining the status quo versus shattering it. A conclusion of multiple years in the making, a grand finale for two brothers, a revelation awaiting the winner, this is the magnum opus of the Inkopolis Derby." The lead commentator narrates, introducing his fellow colleagues in the booth for a very rare three man commentary specific for today's match due to the projected viewers expected to tune in.
"Wow, talk about a dramatic way to phrase it." Ollie sneered hearing the commentary echo through the speakers and throughout the stadium, annoyed with all the coverage the teams were getting; "They're acting like this is the greatest match ever created! Both teams are ranked at 9 and 13 respectively but that's nothing deserving of all this hype."
"It matters something to everyone who calls Inkopolis home. A perfect example is us…we're all in attendance, aren't we?" Cannola responds, motioning her head over to the rest of those who were attending; gathered together as a team, every member of the Elites were here to witness the end of an era and see a part of history, a history they knew all too well.
A team that were the hidden fifth member of the Inkopolis Big Four, The Elites were a talented bunch who always flew under the radar behind the likes of Aaron and more importantly, Sky. A team that was denied an appearance at Nationals for all three years of their time at Squid Academy, it almost exclusively came at the hands of one of those two teams that were about to eliminate one another here and now. A blessing of an opportunity to come out of retirement and finally compete on the big stage, there was a different level of satisfaction that came with seeing these two teams beat one another up, and also a sense of bitterness knowing they'll never get the chance to exact revenge on the team that loses.
"It's the biggest match of the tournament, no doubt. Considering this is the end of an era, whoever wins has the ultimate bragging rights for the last three years of heated competition." Apollo joins, wearing a serious look as the moment of battle approaches.
"Isn't it kind of ironic? We spent so long getting denied by them only to book our ticket while one of them is gonna get humiliated as the loser. Maybe that's more poetic than ironic…" Pearl strokes her chin, ready to enjoy the suffering one of the teams were about to face.
Sky and Aaron weren't entertaining the conversation however as in their eyes, this was less a match about the Inkopolis Derby and more so about the possibility that the winner of this match may very well be there at the very end of the road in the Final. They needed to be prepared for the possibility and know how to handle going over the hump. If Special Forces were to win, they'd have the experience of already beating Jin and his team back in the winter tournament but also knew they couldn't beat Beacon Hills as they were, and should Beacon Hills win, they had the benefit of Squidcom having that experience of beating Beacon Hills but knew that Squidcom couldn't get past Special Forces. Lucky for them, they weren't the same teams anymore and collectively had enough firing power to not only stand equal to them but possibly beat either of them.
Not a single seat empty ahead of the introductions, the stadium roared to life as the two teams made their appearance. A spectacle made out of simple introductions, both teams were doing their infamous chants and sent shade at the other, spoiling for a brawl. On the turf however, both teams were acting professional as they met one another face to face. Their hate-filled eyes locked on one another, players from both teams acknowledged this would be the final time they occupy the same space. And what a displeasure it was. The record attendance highlighted overhead, a round of applause went around as both teams begrudgingly shook the other's hand per the request of the referees who wanted to ensure no fights would break out during the match, something that wasn't uncommon back in the early days of the rivalry. With the coin toss happening right afterwards, both captains were there to make their call to huge cheers in support. Jin called heads to leave Gin with tails and sure enough…it was tails. Both players returned to their lineups with their game face worn; the next potential rounds surely to be the ugliest display of war that anyone in the stadium were going to witness. The starting lineup for Special Forces didn't change all too much with Jin and his young trio of Kary, Eijun who went by the nickname 18, and Seni who went by the nickname 12, their elder cousins Rina who was known as 24 and Taro who was known as 79 serving as the first wave for the golden squids. For Beacon Hills, their starting squad consists of Gin, Silvia, Obi, Tatyana, Davy, and Spanner as their starting roster. Despite being on the team due to her explosive speed, Machi wasn't starting even with a favorable game mode like booyah ball, although the coaches of Beacon Hills had their reasons.
A thunderous wave roaring from the silver side, they once again sang their chant as Beacon Hills prepared to serve first. The sidelines were already on edge before the whistle even blew, especially the coaches who'd seen countless years facing off against the other; even they could feel it…something was different about today, there's something in the atmosphere that just makes today feel far different from the other encounters. The pressure, the tension, something so suffocating it left a strange tightness in their chests and gut and felt like there was a grip on their heart and lungs at just the right strength to allow them to breathe. A whopping slam from Obi cuts through the thickness and instantly it all went away as the ball soared over the net, an immediate scramble ensues from Special Forces who all get into position sharply. Taro is there to receive and immediately everyone gets in motion to the beat of the swirling ball of silver and gold leaving Taro. Rina is in setter position, her expression cold as her eyes quickly dart to her target and then back to the descending ball. Soaring dangerously close to the net with all intentions for a kill flew Kary, who delivered a mighty strike evading the silver wall protecting the net. But there to defend squarely stood Spanner who sent it over to Silvia who already had her target chosen for the attack. The captain's number called early, Gin launched the ball at a space that nobody else other than him would have reached…except across the net there was someone who fit that description! A save by the Special Forces captain that sends the ball off at an odd angle, Rina chased it down and did a difficult serve sending it over to Eijun for a strike-meeting the silver wall this time. Seni saves it however and it finds its way to Kary who in a panic sets the ball to Taro for the delivery. It meets the wall once more. But a body dives once more to save the rally point and it was none other than Jin, who quickly rose to his feet after sliding across the court once he saw Rina getting into setting position. A swift delivery where only he could reach, Jin slammed it over the net with enough power off the spin that the ball would've popped once it hit the surface, except it never did. There to return the favor for earlier, Gin denied his brother that opening point…or so he thought.
The force was so strong that not even Gin could've saved that one unless he had the perfect angle to receive that product of a monstrous use of spin techniques. The whistle blowing the rally dead with the point awarded to Special Forces, a rapid cheer exploded as the expectations of the audience were already getting satisfied from the first play. The perfect way to open up the "Magnum Opus of the Inkopolis Derby" with none other than a face off between the brothers grimm, the camera dual focused on them and their reaction: Their stone faced expressions unchanging.
You cheeky little…! Jin thought, surprised that his brother really thought he could stop that, though deep down he knew there was a slither of a chance that would've happened if he was a moment quicker on the receive.
I'm not the only one who made progress, so it looks like today will finally be the day. Gin thought as he watched the hideous splat of gold occupying where he stood.
This should be a kicker! The brothers thought in that moment, masking an excited smile underneath that cold look.
Up to serve came Seni, who launched the ball overhead to a quick responding Obi who put a little too much oomf and accidentally sent the ball back over the net for a soaring Kary who smashed it over the net instantly to grab the second point quickly; the audience went in awe once more as Special Forces jumped ahead to a two point lead. The second serve of Special Forces coming courtesy of Seni once more, it wasn't enough to secure the point as Davy interrupted the attempt and initiated the rally. A back and forth battle followed right afterwards for that third point and both teams were hungry for different reasons; Special Forces wanted to start building that early lead while Beacon Hills wanted to start to build their rhythm before it got too late. A block by a silver wall, a close save by Silvia, an emphatic strike from Jin. The early moments of the set were already captivating the crowd as both teams fought for those important early points. A three point lead created off a pair of rally points won each time, Special Forces did well to hold onto that margin once Beacon Hills got rolling. Gin and his squad kept improving and bettering their connection and pace, but Special Forces looked far more prepared and hungrier to deliver the first strike. No matter what Beacon Hills did, Special Forces always retaliated and piled on with an emphatic answer. In no time, that early 5-2 lead that produced a 18-15 score going into the break soon reached match point.
"The score 24-21 at match point for Special Forces, Beacon Hills need to get a stop here and get back possession before it's too late. Unfortunately they're going to have to deal with Eijun as the server this time."
"After an excellent job by Jin and Rina swapping roles to grab back the point following the momentary surge of Beacon Hills, they now control their own destiny. Here and now, they can take the first set and really deal some damage to their little siblings!"
"This next possession is crucial…"
The stage set for Special Forces to secure the first set, Eijun tosses a high serve and times his jump to launch it over the net. Veering just a bit off the initial track, Davy is there to start the rally. Beacon Hills bring their numbers in response, but Special Forces are ready and their wall erected in time to cushion Spanner's kill, in turn leading to an opportunity for Kary to take flight once more like earlier. Her body soaring dangerously close to the net, the ball heads in her direction. Her instincts kicking in, she had herself ready to fire at the silver defenders-the ball going right over her head. A move that not only tricked the silver wall but also her, Rina sent the ball over to Jin who managed to travel even higher than her as he smashed the ball with just the right amount of force with the pull of a trigger. A strike down the baseline, hugging out of bounds, Jin clenched his teeth as he landed-realizing he'd beaten Gin by just a split second but couldn't capitalize on the chance. 24-22, Jin missed a keen opportunity to put the set away right then. As such, Beacon Hills felt some rejuvenation as they knew who was up to serve. Just before the mighty captain of the silver squids was to take his serve, first would come his shadow who'd been with him since the beginning of this journey. Her silver hair sparkling in the sunlight, Silvia stretched out her arm to create the silver ball under the rain of booyahs in her corner. An imposing aura emanating from her, the Special Forces crew knew her all too well. A silent but deadly striker who proved to be even more reliable than the captain, they knew the last person they wanted to give up points to would be her of all people. The seriousness in her face radiating with her teammates, the overall atmosphere of the silver squids shifted.
It's go time! She leaps, sending her ball quickly over the net; Rina and Taro react instantly and clash by mistake, letting the ball roam free and leave behind a splat of silver ink.
Point awarded: Beacon Hills.
"Woah…"
"Oh no…"
"Here we go again."
24-23, Beacon Hills were just a point away from equalizing and sending the first set into the deuce rules. The late but costly miscommunication between the third year pair proved to be a detrimental development as Beacon Hills not only had the chance to tie the match but could even overtake and maybe win it by two! The venue getting loud as Silvia prepared another serve, the Special Forces crew were on their toes in anticipation-then on their heels. Another quick strike sent at the gold shirts, this one veered towards out of bounds and dropped just in bounds before Seni could make the right call. It's a tie game. Out of nowhere, the loudness erupted as the supporters in silver rose to their feet making a ruckus-their catchy chant infecting the entire section who were now repeating with glee; Silvia was on her best game today and didn't look like she had any intention of slowing down. Preparing to serve her third consecutive point, she had the attention of everyone on her as she once again created a swirling silver ball she expected to secure her the service ace.
Third time proved the charm.
The ball soared across the net once more but this time Kary was there to stop the dangerous strike and initiate the counter attack which in turn led to Beacon Hills quickly setting up their tight defenses for the ensuing response from Special Forces. A silver wall erected to block the strike from Taro, Seni saved the possession with a dive that went straight to Rina who zipped across the court, sliding on the floor right after sending the ball to Eijun. A shot sent over the wall, several silver shirts dove to save the ball but none reached in time. The score back in favor of Special Forces 25-24, the tension thickens during the brief break. With Rina up to serve, Special Forces only needed one more point for the victory. Beacon Hills got in position ready to defend, and on the serve, they pounced. A quick attack once more, Obi was the one to get the point and tie the score once again. Now, the stadium roared to life primarily because the one who would serve for Beacon Hills was the perfect choice this late into the set; the captain's number getting called, Gin had the opportunity to ice the game and steal the set from under the noses of Special Forces.
The stage set before him to deliver the decisive blow to the end of the first set, Gin launched overhead a floater that broke the concentration of Special Forces who were almost sure that he would've gone for a swift and severe serve instead; but one person anticipated this development, and there to return and start yet another quick counterattack was none other than his brother Jin, who immediately went on the move as soon as he sent it over to Rina. The strike faster than the eyes could detect, Special Forces snagged the point and once again took the lead 26-25. It was only the first set of the first round but the pressure that surrounded these two teams only thickened as Kary went up to serve. Maintaining the same effective pace she'd displayed all throughout the battle thus far, Kary delivered one of the fastest serves seen throughout the knockouts. The stadium speechless, Special Forces survived the first set 27-25.
The players of both sides running on boiling blood after that first skirmish, some of them could feel the pulsating sensation running through their body as they controlled their breathing. Even if they had to exert so much energy under such stress, it was hard to deny how fun this felt. The first of at least two sets, there wasn't any time for the front six to catch a break as their numbers were called once again.
A quick and boisterous start for both teams, the score remained even at every moment. Whenever Beacon Hills scored, Special Forces retaliated and likewise, whenever Special Forces took their lead, Beacon Hills made sure to stick to their heels. Point won through rally, service ace, point won by block, the pulse of the supporters for both side could be felt after every score with neither team slowing down. At times there were quick exchanges through service aces and quick rallies, and other times it went into long rallies where every point mattered oh so much. But after 45 points were tallied already, on the 46th point did both sides enter crunch time for the set. Tied at 23 each, Beacon Hills had won the prior point to tie it up and the serve by Obi was just short, triggering the rally. What followed was an energetic exchange where both sides recorded every possible action: A quick attack from Special Forces, a block by Beacon Hills, a diving save from Special Forces, an emergency set from Beacon Hills, a dump from Special Forces, a fight at the net. Neither team allowed the other to prosper, emanating the hatred they felt for one another. The rally extends once more as Kary's strike gets dug by Tatyana, Silvia once again sets up a shot for Gin to power through as a golden wall meets him. Gin acrobatically contorts his body for the cross shot and sends it across the wall to dip before hitting the baseline, but there-like always-was Jin to keep the ball in play.
No matter what we do, he just won't go away. Gin agonizes, feeling frustration as the ball gets set up by Rina once more. A rally point that transformed into a test of mental fortitude, Gin knew that whoever took this point may very well take the set. With every moment that passed with no one claiming this point, the greater the payoff came for whoever claimed it.
Another quick set coming, Taro was there on the leap but not on the delivery. Instead it fell to Seni, the quiet but consistent first year who'd been close a few times in the set. The swirling ball of gold with a hint of silver blasting past the late wall and through the defenses of Tatyana and Silvia, the point goes to Special Forces; proving once again that their intent was to win at all costs. The score 24-23 to Special Forces, up to serve came Eijun. Beacon Hills switched gears and prepared to get back that point-or so they thought. A rocket of a shot that propelled past all their defenses with a burst, none of them had time to react, not even an expression forming on their face in response.
"Too fast! That was way too fast!"
"Where did that come from!?"
"Just when you thought the first set couldn't be topped, here come Special Forces reminding us once again why they are the class of Inkopolis!"
That's 24… Jin breathed in deeply; we're only one away, but you won't let it be that easy will you, Gin?
His unease well deserved, Jin could feel the vicious stare from his brother.
Another power serve was done by Eijun but this time Beacon Hills were there to react and start the rally with Silvia already in position to pick her attacker. With his number such an easy choice to call at this moment, all attention turned to Gin as he did a hefty leap and prepared to strike; everyone reacted in preparation to shut him down except for one.
We carry the same blood, the same body, the same mind. Jin concluded as his watchful eyes already scanned the floor and went into motion.
A swift and immediate strike, the silver ball found itself back on the side of Beacon Hills with no players there to save it. Point won. Special Forces. Score: 24-23. An experienced read done on the entire field, Jin foresaw the scenario in real time. He knew what his brother was thinking, and if it wasn't for him adopting such a similar unselfish approach, he would've allowed that attempt to get the better of him had he never evolved.
I know what you're thinking now. Jin smirked, reminding Gin once again who was the elder sibling. A smirk Gin hated with a passion.
"I'll wipe that smirk off your face…!" Gin muttered under his breath with a grumble afterwards, stomping back to his position; Silvia and the others could only watch, aware that Gin wouldn't be happy about dropping straight sets to Special Forces to start the match.
The serve once again coming through Eijun, Beacon Hills bring their fight once again. But Special Forces weren't going to show any weakness, not when they're oh so close to securing the win without having to enter the deuce rules. First went Kary, then Taro, and next Seni. Each time, Special Forces called upon someone to hit the money shot that'd get them the first round victory and every single time, Beacon Hills had a body there to deny that opportunity. Not only did they do an excellent job in plugging up any openings, they also had their read blocks done on Jin in anticipation of him being the one who'd try to make a statement through scoring; there was no chance they'd let Jin of all people beat them, not in this context.
An emphatic block coming via the silver wall, Special Forces got caught napping on the response. Their attempt and a perfect sweep ending as Beacon Hills forced the deuce rules into effect with the scores all tied.
Ready to serve the ball, Davy sent forth a floater that baited everyone. But Special Forces handled the return swiftly with a quick attack to Taro to put the score back in their favor, 25-24. The possibility of a victory nearing once again, it was Rina who had the chance to end it now with a service ace. But the point gets denied as she tries to cash it in for the win with the ball veering out of bounds. An aggressive gamble that backfired, now was the chance for Beacon Hills to turn it all around with a tied score, and luckily for them, the right guy was finally getting his chance to serve.
The drums banging, the spectators singing, the main canon and captain of Beacon Hills graced the turf as the server, his eyes locked on Jin. He knew-and so did everyone else where this ball would be going. Bracing himself for the obvious target that was due to come in his direction, instead he's met by the whistle blowing an instance later-the rest of the team stunned frozen as the point is awarded to Beacon Hills.
"He avoided Jin! He avoided Jin!"
"Deferring from challenging his brother, Gin opts to get the victory over continuing the feud!"
A show of growth that nobody from Special Forces expected, the gold shirts were concerned now as their expectations were dashed; what was Gin going to do next? Finally, he had them right where he'd wanted them. He liked that confused look on all their faces, especially the one from his brother that he tried to mask to no success. All those encounters and numerous questions, those many times of trying to get into the head of the "Hero" Jin, finally, he was able to peer inside as an invader and force them to feel the same uncertainty they made him feel for the last two years, and for Jin, much longer.
Consider this the first step to your rude awakening… A powerful strike that flies over the net yet again, Special Forces scramble to react with four bodies diving simultaneously to save it-but none reaching. Even the Hero has to lose.
A surprising but assuring victory, Beacon Hills took the second set 27-25. A third set was confirmed as both teams now had to prepare for a final round to decide who would take the first round.
