In Hellene's turn, she simply showed why she's still holding the four championship trophies from the multiple skateboard championships they had previously held in Luna Nova, causing a huge repercussion mainly on the internet where the views simply exploded from the quiet 127 to 1861 in just a few minutes just to watch the championship being broadcast live on the internet for the first time, catching a lot of interest not only from the stands, but also from the internet audience, with several comments that appeared in the chat, even donations that came, in a very unexpected way for Croix and Ursula, who did not expect to burst into the world showing Hellene's ability.
There were only six more participants left, and of these Diana was also in the middle, only that by fate she ended up being the last to be chosen from these last ones. So the score was set with Daisy scoring 166.4 points, Carmen 159.8 points, Hilda with 171.8 points. Catharina with 165.3 points and finally Rina with 161.9 points, which was already defining a certainty of some eliminations. Diana kept looking concentrated to the screen, just thinking what to do in her turn, already analyzing enough the lines that the girls did and also her younger sister.
Soon Diana is drawn, she goes walking very quiet and cold, listening to her friends wishing her good luck, arriving at the dance floor she remains in the same neutral reaction as always, looking at the audience that also clapped with her arrival, mainly Hannah and Barbara that were in a great euphoria.
Even the visualizations that had a slight drop, increased again when Hellene's sister showed up.
" And Diana Cavendish, our last contestant to be called, the eldest daughter of the great Bernadette Cavendish, will we have a golden closure, let's see how the eldest will do on this one... In three, two, one... Let's go! " Ursula said.
Diana stays focused and starts to go in her line, like everyone else she picks up momentum on the ramp, also mimicking her little sister by doing a slide, only coming out in an even much cleaner and smoother way, she uses the momentum to grab the railing, coming in by doing a Nollie Heelflip fitting a nice crooked one footer which then becomes a one foot nosegrind midway out of there kicking an impossible one which is incredibly smooth, where she's simply on a manual, slowly making her way to the ladder nearby where Cavendish kicks a Hardflip to engage in a darkslide, down the ladder and finally engaging the manoeuvre closing with a nice clean 360 flip, that's in the first 30 seconds.
" Woah, like mother, like daughter, it's clear that both have the similarities, like Bernadette, Diana is extremely smooth with her manoeuvres, you can see how meticulous she is, it even seems that the skateboard and her are one and the same! " said Croix impressed.
Diana was continuing smoothly paddling with the skateboard, this time instead of going towards the bowl like her sister, she follows a different route, towards a miniramp on the side where she fits the nose, then she does a 180, where she fits with the tail and in this she starts to go down getting momentum, where she does a 180 hardflip towards a railing, where she can fit a BS Nosegrind, with all the balance comes out with a Nollie Heelflip, continuing the Switch line, where she goes with the impulse in another miniramp on the other side that when she reaches the top, she goes down with impulse climbing on a box nearby balancing herself with a manual nose, after jumping with style doing a Nollie Inward Heelflip, supporting herself on the manual nose with only one foot, just like her sister, only this time she went to the end of the course, where she pulled a impossible with strength, getting out a Double that enchanted everyone.
" Diana Cavendish is simply smoothness on a skateboard, this is to be delighted, while in one we can note the creativity and even aggressiveness in trying something new, in the other we can see the total smoothness, dominance and control of the older, this that is fascinating to see in the Cavendish sisters! " Croix said.
Akko was getting amazed, looking at the serious way in which Diana was walking on the skateboard, quite similar in how she was when playing on the car simulators, the same concentrated and serious expression, which was even making a little Kagari feel a little pang in her heart so much so that the two girls strange a sudden reaction of a jump the Japanese girl had made.
" Akko? " Hellene asked.
" What was that Akko? " Amanda asked.
" Nothing... I'm just impressed, now I'm noticing how your sister is, this serious way of her, sometimes she charms me, I mean... She really showed that I still have a lot to improve, but I will try my best," Atsuko said.
" Hmmmmm, that's strange Akko, is anyone into my little sister? " said the redhead.
" I think it's kind of obvious, you're very slow Hellene, just by the way she wants to win your little sister already shows that hahaha " O'Neill said teasingly.
Kagari just blushed, ignoring the two teasing her, she decided to just watch the screen, where the cameras focused on Diana's expression of concentration, continuing to do her battery.
In the last seconds, she decides to impress even more, paddling with speed towards a ramp, with the momentum she catches she reaches the fitting end of Blunt, where she does the same invert as her sister only with the smoothness of the movements she does something more impressive. She simply stood on one foot on top of the skateboard's truck doing a yoga"like pose, holding it for the last 20 seconds, finishing the maneuver with style, pulling the skateboard up and down the ramp, showing her tranquility.
" What kind of balance is that? Just for 15 seconds she stood on a skateboard like it was the smoothest thing in the world, that's skill! That's lovely, Bernadette Cavendish's two daughters are extremely talented " said the amazed meridies.
Diana first heat: 97.0
And there goes Diana on her second battery, simply continuing quietly, she has already gone for a crate, where she does a manual, midway making a few small flips where she switches to a foot only ending with a short 50"50 at the end of the crate, where she gets out of there slowly and smoothly with a nice impossible.
" And there we go with Diana kicking ass, this girl makes every manoeuvre she pulls look easy, it's just the smoothest and most beautiful thing I'm seeing " Said the Italian delighted with the way Cavendish was going.
After Diana's batteries run out...
Total Diana: 97.0/ 93.7/ 94.2 = 191.2
Diana hears clapping, things were quite different than the previous year, where the public apparently booed her, but this time it was just Chloé, the girls were enjoying seeing a contest that was going to get more intense ahead, just with those scores.
Cavendish walks back to the waiting room, while on the screens it would show how the Top 20 had looked.
1st. Hellene 198.5
2nd. Diana 191.2
3rd. Akko 178.1
4th. Amanda 175.9
5th. Rita 173.9
6th. Hilda 171.8
7th. Sarah 170.7
8th. Aira 170.5
9th. Heather 168.8
10th. Molly 168.7
11th. Irene 167.5
12th. Wangari 166.9
13th. Daisy 166.4
14th. Catharina 165.3
15th. Sola 164.2
16th. Rina 161.9
17th. Carmen 159.8
18th. Shao Yi 159.6
19th. Verochka 155.0
20th. Mary 154.0
And with that set ranking of all twenty, going into three heats taking practically 5 minutes for each in a total so far of 1 hour and 40 minutes of heats, what Ursula and Croix did a short 20 minute break for the girls to rest, also the spectators being able to stretch a bit after sitting for so long.
" And now we're going to take a break and also announce that we already have four contestants who are eliminated for having the four lowest scores " Croix said.
" Carmen, Shao Yi, Verochka and Mary got the four worst scores overall, but don't feel bad or give up, you can still have more attempts next time, besides that the important thing was the fun you had participating in this championship, the most important thing was your presence to cheer up even more, remember to call more people to participate with us, it doesn't matter the ability, we just want to give good entertainment " Ursula said.
Meanwhile in the waiting room, there were the sixteen finalists waiting and chatting, also welcoming Diana after taking her batteries, with a smile on Akko's very evident face.
" Woah little sister, where did you get all this skill from, I know you're good too, but like you've been without training for practically a month " Hellene said.
" I did stop, but after a while a flame lit me back up, just now that flame burned stronger, I needed to show that the old Diana was back, I am no longer holding out for you to win, I have one more reason to stay in contention " Said Diana who was watching Akko right on the spot.
" I know the flame that ignited in you sis " Said the redhead
" I won't be holding back like you are doing, I want to show that the old Diana from that first championship in 2013 when we first came here is still active, I've picked up the will to compete again " Said the older Cavendish.
" You noticed, didn't you? I just want to save the best for later, if we end up facing each other I just wish you good luck, it's good to see your passion for skateboarding coming back.
" I still love skateboarding, don't say that sis, anyway I'm going to take a nice rest, soon we'll start the finals " said the blue-eyed girl going to sit on the sofa next to Kagari.
" That Diana really came back, I remember you two gave me an inspiration to continue here five years ago... Before your sister was the silent and cold one she is today, Akko's presence was the best thing that happened here in years " O'Neill said, as the Scot goes to agree with her.
The one with platinum hair arrives to sit next to the brown one, both of them keep exchanging glances, in a silence that wasn't that uncomfortable, as if the language and the glances of both said by themselves the lines they wanted to say, but soon the Japanese one makes a point of opening her mouth.
" Diana, what you just did was spectacular, how did you manage to do as well as your sister? You're doing really well, even though you've been out of practice for almost a month, you've never shown any interest in skateboarding to me at least, I always thought you were kind of oblivious " Atsuko said.
" I went with everything and I will keep going, Hellene was just warming up and holding on, but I will try my best to get my best out, I am also in this contest, don't think that just because I didn't do anything that I won't give anything to win, I will show that I am also good and I am not rusty " Cavendish said.
" Speaking this way it seems that you want to prove something more than anything, I just want to have fun, I was also holding back at the beginning, I didn't want to risk so much, that's why I even sacrificed my last battery to see if I'm still willing and balanced to try riskier maneuvers, anyway, let's see which one of us is the best " said the one with crimson eyes with a smile on her face that the one with blue eyes answered equally.
The two of them are chatting, as well as eating some snacks, passing the time of the break. The time goes by, the views of the livestream held well in 2093, people were amazed watching all that competition, sending even some donations to Croix and Ursula.
After the 20"minute break comes another call from the two to start the second phase which will be the finals of the Skateboard
Championship.
" And now we will begin the final phase of our skateboard championship, where they will be separated by duels of one against one, until reaching the finalists, this duel will be defined by each one doing a battery, then the other does, who has the best two batteries is guaranteed in the overall score and moves on to the next competitor " Ursula said.
" So let's see how the duels go until the final! " said Croix.
The girls looked attentively at the screens, dying of anxiety to know a little bit how they would do, if they would be able to move forward, who would be the opponents, but also dying of fear of ending up duelling against Hellene herself.
Side A:
Akko x Sarah
Daisy x Amanda
Irene x Diana
Wangari x Molly
Side B:
Heather x Rita
Aira x Catharina
Hellene x Rina
Sóla x Hilda
Akko, Diana and Amanda were relieved to see that they won't end up facing Hellene before their time. Luckily, they will end up on another side, where the redhead will end up passing the squeegee in each of the competitors, who will still suffer a lot to get past the skilled Cavendish.
In the A side on the other hand the disputes will be very hot, especially for Akko who will have to go through some very complicated duels, especially against Amanda and Diana if she wants to be a finalist against Hellene.
" And now the keys are defined that will start the round of 16 of our skateboard championship, the rules are the same with a basic difference, the batteries will alternate, at the end of the battery of one, goes to another and so it is defined who will advance " said Croix.
" Without further ado let's get down to the call to the first battle of these finals, which will be Akko versus Sarah! The third place against the seventh, with almost 8 points separating the two! " Ursula said.
Atsuko gets up, very nervous to have to start, especially walking next to the tall Sarah Bernhardt, the girl looked like a mountain next to her with her 1,87m, no one wasn't intimidated by her height.
The two were arriving at the skateboard track, waving to the public that clapped for both competitors.
" All right, now let's define on the coins who of you two will start the batteries, pick a side " Callistis said.
" I choose heads " Akko said.
" I choose tails " Sarah said.
The coin was being drawn digitally, by means of a CGI, falling on tails, this way starting with the tall girl, who was already positioning herself on the track while Kagari went to a part where she would be a spectator watching the drums.
" Now are you ready? We'll start the finals in... three, two, one... Let's go! " Said Meridies announcing the start of the heat.
Sarah stayed near a ramp, where she was dropping there, getting momentum, she arrived in a railing doing a FS Crooked, entering there with a heelflip, and then leaving with a kickflip, it was a very quiet battery for the Japanese who was watching carefully every detail.
" And there goes our tallest girl! She shows that she can also be on the same level as Akko! That's amazing! That is wonderful! " Croix said.
One battery later...
" Sarah does her first heat getting a score of 88.7 points! That is impressive, so much skill for one girl! That is amazing! Congratulations to our tallest girl! Now it's the turn of the competitor Akko! " Said Meridies already making the call.
Kagari was walking slowly, walking along the track, where she could hear the clapping going to her, and also Sarah, the two of them even passing each other, greeting each other respectfully, until the Japanese arrived at one of the ramps, already in position.
" Ready? We'll start in three, two, one... Let's go! " Said the Italian woman starting another drum set.
Atsuko goes with more calm and concentration, dropping the ramp, with momentum, getting to another, where she with the momentum she gets the skateboard giving a 360 Benihana in the air until getting close to a railing and fit a beautiful boardslide, which she almost didn't fall, getting out of there with style giving a 180 Impossible, this going of switch, getting close to a ladder with the momentum.
The Japanese simply jumps out of there hitting a beautiful switch hardflip 180, coming back to the front, where she almost didn't end up touching one of the steps, the people jumped to madness, the livestream comments too, it was remarkable how Akko has talent for skateboarding.
" And here comes Akko! Simply starting off in style, a 360 Benihanam followed by a boardslide, with a 180 impossible and if that wasn't enough she jumps off a ladder doing a switch 180 hardflip! That's magical! That's amazing! " said the lilac haired one impressed.
Without more winding she arrives to another ramp, where she jumps with impulse fitting a noseblunt and then goes down to get impulse and go to the other ramp ahead, which she raises a beautiful air, managing to fit with enough effort and almost falling a Backflip nosegrab, leaving all dumbfounded with the deadly given by the Japanese, who managed to fit well.
Another battery later...
" Akko impressed in this first heat, scoring 96.5 points! I didn't expect her to really break out that much! But this is impressive! Now it's Sarah's turn to see what she will do to fight back! " Croix said.
Atsuko confidently walked back to the waiting bleachers, where she noticed Sarah's eyes went wide, she was still in shock at the shenanigans the Japanese woman had so far pulled.
The first phase of the skateboarding championship is over and the finals have begun, which will start the most complicated part of the whole championship, where all of them will give their all so that they can go through each challenge, especially Akko who really wants to surprise and is already practically doing very risky tricks and getting a very high score.
See you, awesome skater witches...