Clumsy

Chapter 14

"Listen up, folks! Today's battle is between Team Cyan, S4 member Masks team, and (I/C), an uprising fresh new group!" Marina's voice boomed over the speakers, and the audience overlooking the battle whispered excitedly.

"Yo yo! The stage is Walleye Warehouse y'all! Mode is turf war, let's gooo!" Pearl continued as both teams spawned on the spawn pads. Team Cyan was looking formidable with scary looks on their faces, and Team (I/C) were smirking. Unlike Team Cyan, they were prepared.

Aloha was filming the battle of his inkphone, confident (Y/N)'d wipe the floor with Mask's team whilst Skull, Army, Rider, and Goggles stood calmly at the railings. Well, Goggles was barely being sensible and Rider constantly had to pull him back to the railings (or to stop him falling onto the turf), Rider also was holding onto Goggles' confiscated pickled plums. "You only get these if you don't do anything stupid," Even though Rider knew Goggles couldn't help it; Goggles is the literal embodiment of stupid! ((but he's a sweet boi! No hate for Goggles.))

"Just remember the tactics we practised and have fun! If we have fun, it doesn't matter if we win or lose!" They all nodded their head at their leaders short speech.

"But what if we have fun and want to win..?" Bapa trailed on. Tenta-Brella slapped him over the head as (Y/N) and Bubble deadpanned.

"Just... YOU GET THE POINT!" (Y/N) yelled as the count down began.

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Go!!

Taking off, (I/C) team split up and inked each route separately before rejoining in the middle. To their surprise and dismay Team Cyan had already made it, and was waiting for them in the center.

"What took you so loooong~" Mask yawned and splatted Bubble, rolling his sleepy eyes.

"All good things take time," (Y/N) splatted Designer Headphones and dodged Mask's carbon roller. As he sped past, to her amusement she could hear him humming Tidal Rush. 'Probably because he thinks he's a speedy squid with his roller' She thought, a smirk plaguing her features.

Midway through the battle, a small screech and the sound of glass shattering could be heard from the viewing stands.

"MY PICKLED PLUMS!!"

"OOF!" *glass shattering*

"RIDERR!"

Goggles had tried to snatch his pickled plums from Rider, resulting in a small struggle and then a heartbreaking sound (at least for Goggles anyway). The jar had slipped from Rider's grasp over the railings, into the stage, and (with the amazing luck of Team (I/C)) shattered on Bapa's head.
Rider and Goggles' faces fell and they peered over the railing. Bapa was fine, his Hydro Splatling beside him undamaged yet sticky from the plums. Rider looked relieved, but Goggles seemed to be having a heart attack! Bapa could see the blue inkling hyperventilating and eyes glaze over. He was gripping onto the rails so hard that his knuckles were white, so hard that Rider had to pry him away from the edge and sit him down before he passed out.

"I'm fine, by the way! Thanks for asking!" Bapa called out sarcastically as he resumed. Now, his head slightly stickier than before and smelling bitter.

Both teams were at each other's throats: neck and neck, an onlooker would have no guess as to which team would take it out. Aloha was almost on his knees praying that (Y/N)'s team would win, because if she lost it would stuff up his plans BIG TIME ((rush)) ((haha I'm so funny :'))). His plan (which he'd told Skull and Snorkel about) wasn't exactly out of his comfort zone, but he was still almost wetting himself. Sure he was flirty, and he'd gone on dates before, but she was different. He didn't want to mess this up- no, he needed this to go to plan.

Back on the turf, (Y/N) and Mask were violently inking as much as they could, along with their teammates as the countdown from 10 began. Team (I/C)'s strategies were working, and the battle leaned towards them suddenly, when they all activated their special weapons in the last 5 seconds.

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Mask leapt from a ledge, beginning to bring his carbon roller down on (Y/N)...

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The whistle blew before he could splat her. She rolled her eyes up to see a disappointed looking Mask mid-swing, his mask slightly displaced so she could see the corners of his mouth drooping downwards.

'That was close' (Y/N) thought before Judd and Lil Judd began to show the results.

Aloha clung onto Skull from the viewing stands as Judd + Jr did their cat dance.

"Get off me-!" Skull grunted whilst prying the nervous boy off him. Goggles still mourned his pickled plums, but his mood had picked up when Rider offered (reluctantly) for Goggles to sit on his shoulders. So, from Goggles high perch he saw straight down into the stage and took an accurate guess to who the winners might be...

"Team (I/C)!" Judd pointed to, and Aloha let out a long breath he didn't know he was holding. Team (I/C) was ecstatic! They jumped around and congratulated each other, before shaking hands with a gloomy Team Cyan.

"Don't look so upset Mask; it was only 5% difference! Your team was tough," (Y/N) smiled when she shook hands with the slouching S4 member.

"Hyuk!" Was all he said before walking off. (Y/N) looked puzzled as he slouched off with the rest of his team out of Deca Tower.

"YOU DID IT!!" Aloha tackled her from behind and Team (I/C) stood back as they fell to the floor with a thud. The rest of the S4 (excluding Mask) approached after him (but without the tackling) and saw a squirming (Y/N) getting a noogie from Aloha, before (Y/N) transformed into a squid to escape his knuckles.

"GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO!" (Y/N) yelled back at him once she'd returned to her kid form, just this time free from his grasp.
Aloha smiled breathlessly and stood up. Taking his squid-shaped inkphone from his pocket, he quickly took a selfie with (Y/N), and before she knew what was happening he had already posted it and tagged her + the rest of the S4 AND all of Mask and hers' teams.

"Damn son, you type fast!" (Y/N) chuckled when she felt her phone buzz in her pocket.

Making eye contact, Army walked over and firmly shook her hand.
"You played well today. Good job." Was all he said before walking off to join Mask, who was currently elbowing his way through crazed fans.

Skull was next, except instead of shaking (Y/N)'s hand he bro-fisted, which was accepted much better by (Y/N) than a stiff handshake.
"I'm glad you bet Mask to be completely honest. He was getting too cocky anyway..." They walked out of the stage, and into the air conditioned hub of Deca Tower. By now, all of the other teams had left and only those three remained in the tower.

"Haha, thanks! I kinda feel bad, because I might've ruined his reputation. But, thanks Skull!" She grinned,

"Don't sweat it. Anyway, I'm pretty sure I'm next. Though I think you might find that I won't be as easy to beat!" Skull winked, before elbowing Aloha. "I'll leave now. Aloha has something to ask you, by the way."

Aloha spluttered before attempting to elbow Skull back, but only hitting empty space as Skull began to walk away. Bidding adieu, Skull walked into the square, waving to the pair standing behind him, before joining a male inkling with purple tentacles and 18k Aviators.

After 10 seconds of staring into the crowd outside, (Y/N) put her hand on Aloha's shoulder.

"So, you had something to ask me?"