> Chapter 6.

{Y/N}'s POV

With my face on the blanket, I snored to myself and moved slightly until I suddenly fell off the bed.

In a flash I was directly awake, straightened up and looked around tiredly.
Despite the pain, I could get up and as I realized what is today for a day, my eyes jumped wide open.

I ran into the living room and searched for my inkphone.
As I found it, I decided to take Inkfall-Kun's number and call him.
After about a minute of waiting, he took off and stride me directly.
"{Y/N} !!! Come to the Inkopolis Square NOW, got it?" he asked angrily, sounding rather tired himself and hung up without waiting for an answer from me.

I dropped my phone, grabbed my {F/W}, and ran.
As soon as I arrived there, I looked at the Square with an open mouth, because I haven't seen so many Inklings as today.
Last time I think it was the case at the previous Splatfest.

The whole Square was full and it was hard to get into the middle.
I don't know when the tournament will start, but I can tell you it will start soon.

As I arrived in the middle with a lot of Inklings around me, I turned in a circle and looked at my team.

I was on the verge of despairing, because it was quite hard to find some certain Inklings, when the whole place of the Inkopolis Square was full but suddenly I could see them.

They were standing at the weapon shop, leaning against the wall, surrounded by a few Inklings who admired them.
I was really impressed by the way that no one rushed on them and begged for an autograph.

I tried everything to get closer to my friends until I rammed someone.
I apologized a few times in a row and then I was silent because I knew who that was.

Rider.

At first he looked at me confused until he recognized me and slowly began to grinn. "Look at you, if that's not {Y/N}" he smiled and came closer to me with his face.

"I'll tell you one thing,
{Y/N} ..." he whispered to me, getting goose bumps because he was so close and pausing briefly while looking at his teammates.

I felt his icy cold breath and then he continued talking.

"I'll flatten you all at once, believe me" he threatened, placing his golden Dynamo-Roller on my shoulder.

As he did so, I almost fell to the ground but could still keep my balance even though Rider's weapon was so heavy.

It's just amazing how strong this Rider is and also ... cute?

Nah, what am I talking about?
If someone is sweet, then it's the Emperor.

As I thought of the Emperor, I kept looking around and looking around for him.
Then I gave up and turned to Rider-Kun, who had been away with his team long ago because I seemed so absentminded.

May I not even think about my main goal?
My crush?

I think so and pushed harder towards Team Inkfall, because otherwise it wouldn't go forward.

Inkfall-kun saw me and smiled in my direction together with his team.
"{Y/N}, finally you're here, the tournament is starting soon" he beamed and they seem to see the win ahead of them.

Perfect attitude I would say.

Many Inklings wondered why I was the only one who could get closer to them without them freaking out and were probably jealous.
"This Inkling is one of us, don't be surprised" he said loudly as a brief explanation.
I leaned against the wall too to them and saw Rider's team on the other side of the Inkopolis Square.
Somehow Lyvader-kun could see into my head and spoke softly to me.
"Rider, hm, is already a though Inkling, right?" he asked with interest, following my gaze to him.
I simply nodded in agreement and then looked to Lyvader-kun with a smile.

"Will Team Emperor really come?" I asked, keeping the conversation alive.
He thought for a moment and finally shook his head.
"I don't know, but if they really come at the end, they have definitely a surprise for their opponents, after all, they won the first tournament" he added, glancing at his leader who was thinking.

About what, no idea but he looked relatively sad and apparently something was depressing him.
"Inkfall-Kun? Is everything alright with you?" I asked worriedly, because he is my friend, logic.

He hesitated for a moment and looked at our four worried faces. "Well, I just hope we win, otherwise we'll lose popularity and then I assume that we are no longer able to qualify for the third tournament" he explained and the whole team tried to help him with a smile.
"Come on buddy, we'll clear out Rider's team first and then we'll keep looking" Lyvader-Kun said as he pointed to Rider-Kun, who presented himself as if he were a model.
"Lyvader-kun is right, stay cool and things will turn out well, what we need now is a tactic!" Arrow-chan suggested and we heard through loudspeakers that the tournament will start in a couple minutes.

Of course, there were many other teams here that are admired by many fans, but there will be only one duel against the team of Rider and the winner can then try against the Champion and his team.

A tough challenge but I think that's possible if we make an effort and come up with an unbeatable tactic that Team Emperor has no chance to overrun us.

Once I heard that Team Emperor had won with an 99.99 percent ink of the entire battlefield, which is a huge, admirable achievement, in my opinion.

I took my fist in my hand, and therefore received attention from everyone, which was my goal.
"Arrow-chan says so, but first of all, where will the battle take place?" I asked a question that is important to know, because the tactics should be appropriate to the place and you couldn't use the same everywhere.

Everyone shrugged their shoulders and at the same time all the Inklings approached us and looked away from us, towards the center of the Inkopolis Square.
Hat-Chan actually wanted to say something else, but that made us all speechless and tried to make us bigger, to see what would happen now.
In the distance, I saw four hodded Inklings, all dressed in black.
Everyone had something white in their hands, which honestly looked like a coat.
"Is that ... Team Emperor?" I asked curious Inkfall-Kun, who leaned against me with folded arms as a sign of friendship.
He made only a sound and thought with his eyes narrowed.
"I believe so, must be them" he whispered, and the whole crowd Inklings admired the four as they discussed together in small groups. Then the four walked slowly into a corner and had a private room at the side of the tower.

As the last one closed the door, the whole crowd became loud again and the silence was gone. Inkfall-kun was bored and as he suddenly lifted his head, I knew he had an idea.

"Let's go" he suggested quickly, patting us all on the back and following Inkfall-Kun, who apparently was in a hurry.

Together we ran into the Inkopolis tower and went to the waiting room.
In fact, on screen, which team comes when and already at first glance I would like to hit my head against the wall, because Team Inkfall against the Yellow-Green team will take place first.

"Great, we'll come first and don't even have a tactic. If that's the case and the tournament starts right away, we can throw away the win right now.
You don't go into the action without any plan, you have only one try and if you screw that up ... then Team Inkfall is history" I lied in a stern voice, because I didn't know exactly what really would happen.
It spoke again through the speaker and we now knew that the tournament will soon be completed in Musselforge Fitness.
In addition, it was already requested that the spectators take a seat and I could easily see from the waiting room, how all the Inklings formed a row.

The one inkling after the other teleported to the battlefield, where the fight will soon take place, and I looked back at Inkfall-kun.
"We can do this!" he spoke loudly and sounded like a superstar. He got up from his used chair from earlier, cleaned all the clothes with his spray again, that he would feel good and ready for it.

Arrow-chan, Hat-chan, and Lyvader-kun did the same, and each gave me another hug that they all deserved. "Good luck, you can handle it" I stuttered, somehow finding it hard to leave friends for a few minutes.

Still, I had to do it and waved to them, while I decided to join the crowd as well. I ran away without a word and teleported to the battlefield, the Musselforge Fitness.

Shortly after, I was there and saw how many Inklings were here.

The absolute madness.

Fortunately, from a distance, I saw a seat next to some mysterious Inklings and sat down there. Then I made myself comfortable and waited anxiously for the two teams that will come soon.
After a short time turning thumb the whole crowd got up and cheered.
That was a sign for me that the respawn points are responding and in fact, on the opposite side, the team of Rider-Kun stood in their splendor and on the side of the spectator seats Team Inkfall.
With each of the eight Inklings I could see how firmly they see the profit and I was logical even before the beginning, that this will be an exciting fight.

For a change, I briefly looked to the side of the audience and wanted to know exactly how much they were about and as I quickly realized who the Inkling was next to me, I turned my head again.

I regretted that a bit, because he was sitting next to me.

My crush, the Emperor himself.

I know you could easily swap it with his younger brother, Prince, but the size of it convinced me that it was him, the champion.

Instead of screaming around, I stayed calm because apparently they wanted to stay unobtrusive and realized that they were wearing their true clothes in their hands.
"So we'll meet again" he sighed happily and I had to sweat directly, because I was thinking about yesterday because of this sentence.
It made me wonder why they were watching, but I let it be because I didn't want to see a lot of Inklings charging at him.
Everyone loves him, everyone likes him and he's just the champion, of the Turf Wars.

I would set a trap for myself, because then the chance would be smaller that I could convince him to love me. That would be a tragedy.

Anyway, I ignored him and tried to watch Team Inkfall. A countdown started suddenly and it counted down by a hundred, for whatever reason.

100 ...

I stared at Inkfall-kun, who had an uncertain face expression.

50 ...

My eyes went over to the Rider-Kun team and I saw his legendary grinn, which somehow scared me a tad.

25 ...

The tension to watch was huge, even if I didn't join and was somehow happy about it, because otherwise I would have been lying on the floor long ago with excitement KO.

10 ...

I saw both teams squat slightly and hold their weapons in their hands.

5 ...

They were about to sprint up and I bit my lips because I couldn't wait any longer, to see them in action.
Of course I have, with both teams, but today it is finally serious.

It is serious and now everything must be as I wanted it. Team Inkfall has to win, otherwise everything was in vain and I can't prove to my idol, who really sat next to me, how much I like them and how much I know about them.

Apparently, the Emperor didn't know yet that I already know who I have next to me and decided to keep it secret as well.

"Go!"

It started and everyone cheered.