World Cup LXXV - AK75 - The RP Thread

[Anglatia]

The Ross New Press
First shots fired in Second Torsjo War

The first Torsjo war was one of the most destructive wars in Imperial history, and saw a then independent South Valeria and East Kisote invade Jugoskania from two fronts in a war to spread Islam and gain resources. South Valeria was actually the state to fall first, but less than a year later, the majority of the populace converted to Islam and turned on their former allies, marching south and starting a three year battle in the mountains for control of important provinces around Otavice. Jugoskania capitulated in the end, after taking innumerable losses, with the island falling completely under the control of its northern state. The only reason why both states are part of the Empire now is because Anglatia began a crusade to retake the region, invading from Lower Valeria and capturing everything from South Valeria(which is located on the northern part of the island of Jugoskania) to East Kisote.

South Valeria never went completely away, however. The state still maintains a semi recognized status as independent, based almost entirely in the provinces around Torsjo, and has an active military, the South Valerian Liberation Army. While Jugoskania swung to the far right wing after the first war, the South Valerians swung to the left, particularly socialism. For a state that had just been ravaged in a crusade by a far right monarchy, socialism looked quite appealing. It also was appealing to those who had seen their cities forced to fight in the crusade, which is partly why Middle Valeria is largely left winged. The other big difference is still religion. Jugoskania is largely Christian, both Orthodox and Catholic. Their neighbors are Sunni Muslims, and the borders of the region are almost totally defined by religion. Between the first and second wars, the SVLA massacred a series of Anglatian Catholic villages by the border. The militias from the south got their revenge by destroying any and all mosques in the country and murdering any Sunni leaders that they could find.

Some say that because of this and the frequent border skirmishes between Imperial and SVLA forces in the mountains means that the second war already started, but most believe that it didn't start until the militias of Otavice rose up once again and officially declared war on South Valeria, poising themselves to strike through the mountains and surround Torsjo. The first attacks came when three SVLA installations in the border mountains were destroyed by air to ground attacks by the militias, who still have a number of dated planes from the original war. The paramilitary forces have surprised everyone by their speed and quick mobilization, and an artillery battle between both sides has already started.

Ultimately, the point that needs to be controlled is the main mountain passage, which has a highway crucial to transporting soldiers in and out of South Valeria. That point is called the Wolfe Passage, and it is currently contested. Reports from the field say that the militias are sending two infantry divisions and two heavy armor divisions to take the passage quickly, but the SVLA has fortified it and has set up bunkers and defense points that will need to be taken down. Both sides have a reputation for fighting like demons, with the paramilitaries never officially surrendering in the first war and holding out on their own until they were relieved by Imperial forces. Their motto, in fact, is "No Surrender". On the other hand, the SVLA has been able to stay alive for over a decade after their defeat in the first war, and their own motto is "Not one step back".

The war is already affecting the populace, even celebrities. Footballer Zahara Santana notably showed support for Jugoskania by taking off her jersey and showing off a shirt after scoring in a national team match, that said "FCK SVLA". Hunsen Loggers midfielder Alysha Hakala, a fellow national team member, posted a photo to her social media accounts showing a poster that read "NOT ONE STEP BACK". Polling shows that the war is most devisive in Middle Valeria, where support for the SVLA is mixed, and in Valpalma, where the rebels are supported by 75% of he he populace. The biggest loyalist cities are Otavice, which is 99.6 percent loyalist, and Ross, which is 96.5 percent loyal. Underfell is the largest Valerian supporter of the Empire, at 92 percent support.

If the Second Torsjo War is anything like the first, this is only the beginning of a long and extremely bloody cycle. We can only hope that things will be wrapped up more quickly this time.

[Eura]

Glittering lights adorned the streets of Lymeton, a large Euran town on the coast by the border with Electrum. The catering at the Purple Room was among the most legendary in all of Eura. Many celebrities and powerful people from throughout the nation had wined and dined here. It was closed completely this evening as two government officials had the place to themselves, after a very discreet request had been made to the restaurants owners. The Foreign Minister, Amy Yarley, and the Chairman of the OSI John Doyley, had arranged to meet here for what was on the face of it a bit of social catchup, but was actually a high level political meeting. She was possibly the most intimidating powerbroker in the country at the moment and had been for a couple of years, but the Chairman had her ear in a way that few others did. As she dug into her lamb rack main course, her favourite spook poured through his latest avalanche of advice. 'Naturally, we shouldn't be too worried about the annexationist lot getting violent or anything over here. But we've picked up rumblings south of the border, not even far from here actually, about groups popping up on both sides of the argument. We are particularly worried about the EPF and Endemian Fraternity. Three of the top five officials in the latter have connections to the far right and the EIP over here.' Yarley tucked away what was left of her course and pondered what he was saying for a minute.

As a waiter came by to pick up her plate, she quickly thanked him and sought to address the key point. 'I think it goes without saying that my chief concern is what we need to be doing. Should we be worried?' The Chairman looked a bit indifferent about her question, as she sat there on the edge of her seat. He enjoyed it when she was grasping for answers from him; it gave him a nice feeling of self worth and power. 'My instinct is that for now, all you need to do is keep the focus on finding a moderated, democratic solution to the issue. You're the politician, not me, and I'm certainly not as politically minded as the Ticker. If you think an advantage can be had then take it. In security terms though I'm not too worried about what's happening over there. Electrum isn't going to build a wall and if they did we could punish them for it.'
'I guess so. I don't think the PM wants us to overplay our hand. Its also becoming difficult to bury the stats the Social Party are bringing out with the Population Density Act.' This provoked a curious response from the Chairman, who was somewhat aware of what she meant but far from totally informed of how it affected the Prime Minister's decision making. 'What stats do you mean?'
'The Office for National Statistics and Data has completed its report on what the act would do to migration figures if we finally passed it. We had no choice but to accept the pressure asking for the assessment because some of our own backbenchers were kicking off. Really we don't want this report done at all, but its been done and its not good - for our international relations, that is.'

A large open air bar shook with groans of dismay outside as Eura hit the post in their frustrating stalemate with Azrea. It distracted them both for a moment, as did the arrival of wine brought in by the head of the staff. 'It can't be that bad.'
'It really is though, you'd be shocked. The ONSD are saying that they think there could be two million people going south within a year. Two million! Not because they're hungry or anything, or poor, or unskilled, but because there's no bloody room anymore. Even more might head out to the EOT, and Endemia, Helving even. It could reverse the age old trend of more Szavodan's going into Eura than the other way around. It would be a disaster for us from a foreign affairs point of view if we couldn't control how that is publicised. The only real positives are that we relieve population pressure and that it polls well with the public. 52% approval for the policy at the moment and rising. What do you think?' She waited for the Chairman to respond for a little while but he had instead risen from his chair, and walked over to the window. He looked out to the south, in the direction of Electrum. 'Chairman?'
'Who cares about what happens with Electrum? We should be grateful that this as bad as it can get with them. We should be grateful that this neighbour isn't armed to the hilt.' The sore topic of Sameba was coming up once again. The Chairman was going against much of the political class, public opinion and the intelligence community establishment in his paranoid approach to Sameba's recent behaviour, though he knew there were sympathetic voices in some political and military circles. It was only Yarley's very high personal estimation of the Chairman that had preserved his influence in a time of such wilderness thinking.

Nevertheless, he now had a bit of proof on his side. Not much, but a start, and enough to have prompted the Prime Minister to covertly reactivate some of Eura's deep lying defensive military installations and the operational plans required to make use of them. Yarley was acutely aware that she had been the one to push through this favour on his behalf. 'Its only been a couple of months. The public appetite isn't there, nor is the funding.'
'Public appetite? Screw the public appetite, this is about our most basic level of national security and safety!' He had become very animated as he swung back towards her, gesticulating with his hands to emphasise the point. 'You have seen my latest report, yes?'
'Yes.'
'Then you will know that there are a lot of questions that need to be answered. Why have my officers been picking up more and more cases of "domestic" Sameban nationalist terrorist plots? Why has the Sameban military halted most fresh procurement in favour of resupplying short term war materials? Why haven't we heard a peep from our eyes and ears in their nuclear facility ever since they stored however many bombs it is? These are all things we need to deal with. I don't think I mentioned either the naval thing. Did we tell you in enough detail about that? Its extremely suspicious, the way their fleet has been gradually dispersed to all corners from the Sameban coastline I'm telling you, Gartanzo is gearing up for something, even if it isn't the worst case scenario, and he's trying to do it when we are too paralysed to act.' The Chairman had hoped for a long time now that this onslaught of updates and information would turn those he had on his side. Yet Yarley's skepticism was very clear. 'I get that its difficult at the moment, and we will continue to give you the resources needed to get answers. For now though, let's just be vigilant and make sure we can react if necessary.' The discussion was over, but from his perspective it couldn't go on long enough. The next time they would meet, he would have a dossier on the Sameban leadership to present, and he hoped with every inch of his being that this would make an impact.

[Super-Llamaland]

Return to Normalcy: Tigers Smash Pridnestovia at Home
Written by James Felix

SUPER-LLAMALAND (4-2-3-1): Bernholm - Lindberg, Reichart, Ynoa, Sorenson - Adrian, Vesely - Vorobyov, Rasmussen, Chamberlain - Penbrooke
PRIDENESTOVIA (4-2-3-1): Kirilenko - Shevchenko, Gevorgian, Tymoshenko, Artyomova - Shostakovich, Feltzer - Hedervary, Poroshenko, Haralampieva - Pavlyuchenko

---
The Tigers' home win against Pridnestovia doesn't mean much. It's still been a massively disappointing campaign, the Tigers still will probably miss out on qualification to Cosumar and Arconius. But the largest win of the Tigers' qualifiers so far (not much to choose from, admittedly, but still) at least brought a smile on some Llamanean fans' faces - something that'd been sorely lacking after six performances that could best be summarized as poor.

Pridnestovia brought out the same lineup that'd stunned the Tigers on their home turf. Meanwhile, Trevor Duncan brought in a new center-back pairing (Ynoa and Reichart, excluding the disappointing Immanuel Kane entirely) and shifted Reid Adrian back to defensive mid to accommodate the surprising Jessica Chamberlain. Right after kickoff, Chamberlain rewarded the manager's faith in this decision. Pridnestovia was more compact than the attacking team of the previous game, but this seemed to be a playstyle they weren't used to playing together. Whatever the reason, Reid Adrian (who was on his finest form of the cycle) managed to thread the ball between Gevorgian and Artyomova to Chamberlain, who decided to unleash a thunderous shot from outside the box. One-nil after a minute and eighteen seconds, the fastest goal in Tigers history. Something had definitely changed.

Pridnestovia went on the offense after that, scrapping their old plan. Shortly afterwards, Pavlyuchenko managed to evade Ynoa's tackle and fire on target - but Lukas Bernholm got down to make a nice save. Pavlyuchenko then stole Bernholm's pass and passed cleanly to a wide-open Poroshenko, who scored. Alas, the ball was offsides, and the Tigers regained their momentum. After fifteen minutes, Jessica Chamberlain almost had a second, but Tymoshenko brought the Arrowhead Point winger down in the box and Ansel Penbrooke was gifted another penalty. You can guess what he did to that.

Pridnestovia tenaciously hung on, forcing the Tigers back, and Feltzer was a key architect of that, just as she had been in their first match. While the new back line of Emily Ynoa and Kurt Reichart held relatively firm, the Tigers missed Ethan Candelario's sturdy presence in midfield, even if Adrian and Vesely proved to be a great playmaking duo in the center. Towards the end of the first half, Feltzer managed to evade Ynoa's tackle and pass to Hedervary. The Hungarian calmly cut past Lukas Bernholm and scored, sending both teams into the break two-one. A comfortable win had become less comfortable.

And then, in the blink of an eye, it became comfortable again. Right after the half, Nemanja Vesely went on a lumbering run, managing to keep it out of the feet of the opposing defenders with his defining grace. Vesely passed to Vorobyov, lurking barely onsides, and the winger curled a beautiful cross into the box, off Penbrooke's head, and past a stunned Kirilenko. Miro Vorobyov proceeded to steal the kickoff, dash recklessly into the defense, and lob into the net. Kirilenko should've saved it, but Shevchenko caught up to it and back-passed it. Of course, it was only of limited worth, because Jessica Chamberlain came out of nowhere with her devastating speed, intercepted the back-pass, and smashed in the fifth goal of the night.

After that demoralizing goal, Pridnestovia remarkably managed to regroup and launch into a prolonged assault on the Tigers. But the Tigers were on very good form defensively and simply ran out of time.

A strong victory for the Tigers, and perhaps a symbolic one. But we'll need to continue this good form against Arconius, our most important match of the qulaifiers.

[COCANEFA]

CUT OFF

[New Gazi]

New Gazi entered World Cup Qualifying ranked at 189. Nassau-Hessen is ranked 58th. This is the second meeting between these two teams. At a glance, based on ranking, one would surmise that New Gazi would lose one or two games in the series.

New Gazi sat near the bottom of their group. They had not been ruled out, but advancing seems highly unlikely at the moment. This all pushes New Gazi against a wall. Many teams would bow out at this point and mail in their effort.

Yet the New Gazi Ravens fought for one more game and managed to pull a second draw with Nassau-Hessen.

"I should have wished for wins earlier in the season", said Coach Oliver Hausta. After pulling a draw in his first game, he told reporters that he "wouldn't mind" drawing every match. "Maybe we'd be higher in the standings by now."

Of course, it has taken a fair bit of luck and skill to help New Gazi earn the eight points it has.

"We hope these points will help our ranking", Hausta said. "It's a bit tough, dredging up each point, one-by-one like this. I realize that things could have gone a lot worse for us. A draw against a team like this is not a bad result."

Amare Contee had a different point of view. "I want wins", the center forward said. "A coach once said; you play to win the game. That stuck with me. I don't think it's our year. But the goal in the future is to win. Of course, we must take baby steps. I just think we could have done more this season."

Of course, analysts would probably label Contee optimistic. There was still time for New Gazi to pull a few upsets.

"In the future, we might look towards becoming a more defense team", said Coach Hausta. "But for now I like our formation. It's punching through some of these tougher defenses. We need those extra boots in the box."

Diya found himself the lone goal-scorer for New Gazi. It came at the 77th minute. New Gazi was down by one and it was looking bleak. Many had written the game off as a win for the higher ranked team.

A good clearance started making it's way up the left flank. The ball would exchange possession from Gazilian to Gazilian. Lefisse found a little space after pulling a freestyle type spin with the ball, breaking past his man. This drew a double team, but Lefisse sent a through ball ahead. The left winger, Diya, found it, controlled it and sent out a shot that curved to beat the goalkeeper.

"It happened so fast", Diya later told reporters. "One moment we were down, next thing you know, the ball was at my feet and instinct took over."

New Gazi has a BYE for the upcoming matchday.

"We can use the day off", said goalkeeper Talib Mensah. "We'll have practice and go over a few things. But we'll get some recovery time too. We need to unwind and reset."

Thao Yeboah played a tight defensive game, keeping the box clear. He stayed away from any sliding tackles, but kept pressure on anyone who approached his space. Yeboah found himself playing cautiously throughout much of the Baptism of Fire as well. He seemed good natured enough, except for being clumsy and reckless.

"Coach talked to me after the yellow card", said Yeboah. "He warned me about hurting the team with another yellow. If I leave the field and get suspended, my team is going to suffer. That's not fair to put them in that situation."

Yeboah was called for a foul on a push, but it did not draw a card.

The Gazilians look forward to the next day's light practice and the BYE.

[Fluvique]

Fluvique is still alive

---

WEST-EAST TIMOR- Fluvique did what it had to do. In a solid match, won with justice the three points to continue breathing, in a qualifiers which are more an odyssey than a football competition. With so many problems, including the sacking of the coach, the White Foxes will play against the top team in the group with a chance, almost a feat, but still, to qualify for the next world cup.

Sam Gonza and Nick Auze scored two goals for the Fluviquean triumph, while Andy Paribas saved a penalty kick (thanks to a non-existent foul) of Tim Hansraw when the result was 1-0; near the end, Félix Carnatas scored the only local goal, again from the penalty spot. With this result, Fluvique will play at South Lane with a weak life, but playing to continue breathing.

Fluvique landed in Baranburg Arena with the weight of its history, the support of thousands fans and the ilusion of leave the bottom. Thus, the team controlled the game, occupying free spaces and possesing the ball thanks to a great effort of its midfielders. Hence, Lucas Topolsky and Henry Mhago were the main leaders of that idea and fulfilled it without errors

The work of Paul Di Angello was different, due to his characteristics, with a messy deployment, but not less effective, to the point that near thirty minutes of the first half he threw the center, which Nick Auze headed to goal without jumping. And with that goal 'Nicky' is one of the team goalscorers, replacing Adam Wilde with sucess. Of course, the young player also has other duties rather than only be in the area: he also has to return in defence, pressuring and trying to quickly grab the ball and start a counter attack with the rival defence in bad state, what this team loves.

All of this serves to define that in this hard times with an interim, the effort is a key and non-negotiable instrument to supply the shortage of work times. That is why Fluvique didn't resigned pressuring or the constant attacking when scored the first goal, neither the final fifteen minutes of the first half neither the start of the second.

The solidarity and the good ball distribution of its midfielders joined to the runs of FEDE and Di Angello. However, the best player of the team, Sam Gonza, wasn't showing his best face and failed many passes and lost the ball repeatedly, in part thanks to a huge and for some times violent defence of West-East Timor. But he is always ready to recover. Before, however, the team faced a big problem when the referee decided to give a penalty to West-East Timor. Nobody saw foul of any of the Fluviquean defenders, even the local players seemed surprised. Tim Hansraw, the team's captain, took charge of the penalty, but Andy Paribas brightly tipped the ball to his right

And shortly four minutes after Sam Gonza appeared in the match and defined with his huge ability to avoid the goalkeeper, Jannick Schneider, and push the ball to the goal with his left foot.

The match seemed to be finished, despite there were still thirty minutes to play, but the only failure between Mhago and Topolsky in the night and Lucas commited a clear foul in the area, resulting in a new penalty to the locals. This time Félix Carnatas shot and scored the 1-2.

With the difference again in one goal, Fluvique had the plausible attitude of not wait on it own field, rather the team tried to icrease it, something that could be dangerous and deadly, due to a final counter attack wich surprised the White Foxes recoiling in defence. However, Fluvique finished the match without many problems. Thus, Fluvique will return home with three key points to continue dreaming with a qualification, at least, to the playoffs. The dream will need to be feeded again in South Lane, when the tricolors receive the visit of Nova Anglicana. There, with it supporters, a feat will start to begin?

What is sure is that a hostile atmosphere will be deployed in the stadium, in the surroundings and in the visitors hotel, when fans are organizing to explode bombs, fireworks, flares and play drums all the night, to keep them awake with the slogan 'three points or eleven lives'. Thus, the National Guard is preparing an anti-riot protocol to ensure the safe arrival of Nova Anglicana players to the stadium. Fluvique and the Royal Football Association are also trying to reduce problems to minimum, specially after the agression to Abanhfleft's bus and the itching powder attack to their fans, which also included police repression and robberies when they left the stadium. We pray for a matchday in peace.

West-East Timor: 1
Goal: 84' Félix Carnatas

1 Jannick Schneider
12 Hirkan Narkiwov
17 James Newkinton 70' Nico Nernam
3 Ksing Jang-Tuang
6 Järnä Irlyynä
9 Hans Manmeierer 74' Mattia Benderetto
10 Félix Carnatas
20 Max Kanralanok
14 Johann Nakkankasson
5 Tim Hansraw (Captain)
8 Giorginio Latenucci 80' Gangari Hankanari

Fluvique: 2
Goals: 29' Nick Auze, 60' Sam Gonza

1 Andy Paribas
3 Gabriel Varelovsky
13 Dennis Castanginnet
2 Rodrigo De La Mesea
15 Teo Calmwater 70' Julien Kaleshko
8 Lucas Topolsky
5 Henry Mhago
7 Paul Di Angello
10 Sam Gonza
22 Nick Auze 90+1 Abel Bianchi.
20 FEDE 90+2 Luke Mathews

1- bye
2- Fluvique 4-3 West-East Timor @South Lane Stadium.
3- Nova Anglicana 3-0 Fluvique
4- Fluvique 1-1 Greater Cascadia @South Lane Stadium.
5- Port Christopher 3-0 Fluvique
6- Fluvique 3-3 Abanhfleft @South Lane Stadium.
7- Savalen 3–0 Fluvique
8- bye
9- West-East Timor 1-2 Fluvique
10- Fluvique vs Nova Anglicana @South Lane Stadium.
11- Greater Cascadia vs Fluvique
12- Fluvique vs Port Christopher @South Lane Stadium.
13- Abanhfleft vs Fluvique
14- Fluvique vs Savalen @South Lane Stadium.

[West Angola]

NAMIBE CHRONICLE

DOUBLING DOWN


Sophia Valdez (left, #6) and Elsa Scott (right, #3) celebrate after Scott put West Angola ahead

BURNINGHAM- Two matches, two wins, two clean sheets. For ninety minutes last night, West Angola owned the grounds at Mount Crown Stadium as they claimed a convincing second win over Osarius. Whereas West Angola’s first win was essentially delivered by a lucky bounce to Peter Simmons that gave the national side the lead early on, the second victory was a dominating performance; West Angola led 2-0 at halftime and easily held the top seeds at bay as Wesley Reynolds returned from suspension. Jan Pawel’s eleven employed a series of shifting formations and personnel to confuse and overwhelm the hosts. At one point in the first half, Pawel flipped his lines, sending Elsa Scott, Reynolds, William Craig, and Keith Glover forward while pulling Peter Simmons and the front three middles back to defend. The move succeeded in causing a few moments of confusion among the Osarian players, which is all Glover needed to knife through and serve up a perfect pass to Elsa Scott for her first goal of the tournament. Back in their standard formation, Peter Simmons added a second goal just before halftime to bring his total to seven. The Namibe United striker has set a blistering pace so far in qualifying, a major reason for West Angola’s unexpected and unprecedented success in the first eight matches.

West Angola shocked the multiverse in the first leg of qualifying. The national side upended Osarius and Falatulu en route to an undefeated record of 3-3-0. Confidence in the team was extremely high going into the opening match of the second leg in Namibe against Herendon. After a 0-0 away draw against that team to open qualifying, West Angola was expected to easily handle their opponents at home, but instead was shocked 2-0 as they suffered their first loss. With the road fixture against Osarius looming, the prospects for Jan Pawel’s team seemed dim after their dismal performance. Pawel, however, reportedly his strategy manual in the locker room following the loss and told the press they would see a different team the next time they played. Pawel’s work was on display in the match, as the entire team played with a renewed level of intensity which allowed them to outplay Osarius even when they weren’t employing a formation change.

In addition to the line flip, Pawel also experimented with a 3-4-2-1 for a few minutes in the first half, and employed a 3-4-3 with Ramirez and Taylor up alongside Simmons to set up the captain’s goal just before halftime. Jan Pawel spoke to EPSN as the players headed into the locker room about the formations, “I told them after our last match that they hadn’t played like a world-class team, and that if something didn’t change then there was no point in playing Osarius anyway. We managed to defeat them in Namibe, but winning in Burningham is a whole different matter. We’ve got an excellent side, but Osarius has been playing together for years and is one of the top-fifteen teams in the multiverse for a reason. If we’re going to win this match, we have to keep them on their back foot so they can’t key on our weak spots and press the attack. We’ll keep the changes coming and hopefully we can hold our lead.”

The first several minutes of the second half were run in a 4-5-1, and EPSN commentator Alan Harrison criticized the strategy, saying: “Pawel looks as though he’s trying to crouch and run out the clock, which is totally at odds with what he said about not letting Osarius press the attack. This is totally the wrong move; you can’t keep a side this good at bay for forty-five minutes.” Indeed, the hosts began to bring the pressure, and the defense showed signs of cracking until Jeremy Thomas out-jumped two Osarian heads to snatch a corner out of the sky. As the young keeper cleared it out, the formation changed again, this time to a 4-3-3, and the whirling counterattack that followed very nearly made it 3-0. The hosts found themselves short at the back, and Paul Ramirez and Abraham Taylor found themselves had only one defender on the left side for the both of them. Taylor drew him in towards the middle, then fired a perfectly-timed pass to Ramirez to avoid putting the latter offside. Ramirez’s shot was as open as it could be, but he curved it just wide of the mark and out of play to keep the deficit at two.

West Angola would change formation twice more before the final whistle sounded, transitioning to a traditional 4-4-2 in the 63rd minute before finishing out the match in the 4-2-3-1 which we’ve grown accustomed to seeing them play. Osarius was unable to find a way to penetrate the West Angolan defense again, but prevented the visitors from scoring again as they sought to seal the victory. Peter Simmons, Paul Ramirez, and Nathan Gonzalez all had promising chances scuttled by excellent defense over the final twenty minutes, and Alan Harrison explained the urgency with which the team was playing despite their lead, “This Osarian side can score very quickly. Make no mistake, a two-goal lead isn’t safe until the whistle blows. Simmons, Ramirez, and the others want every goal they can get so there aren’t any nasty surprises waiting towards the end.” At last, however, time ran out for the favorites, and as the West Angolan team celebrated triumphantly Jan Pawel again spoke to EPSN, “This win is enormous for us, both in terms of this qualifying campaign and for showing the other teams that our last win wasn’t just a fluke. Whenever you take six points from the top seed it shows you can play with anyone, and hopefully we can play this well against Falatulu in two weeks and keep this momentum going. Make no mistake, we intend to qualify this cycle, but even if we fall short we’ll know we showed everyone that we’re better than they thought.”

With the win, West Angola moves back into second place in the group on goal differential, one point behind Frenline Delpa, who claimed a 2-0 win over Herendon last night. The two sides will meet in their final match of qualifying, and if both continue at their current pace they will play with a qualifying spot on the line. To reach that point, however, West Angola essentially has to win over Falatulu in two weeks when they face them in Namibe. Tickets for that match are be available through the Sporting Ministry Ticket Office, which can be reached by phone at 22-81-1995 or online at http://www.football.wa/national/tickets.

West Angola (120) at Osarius (12)
Elsa Scott 23'    1-0
Peter Simmons 43' 2-0            
Yellow: Ramirez 27'
Red:    None

Group 13                                 Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Frenline Delpha                          7    5   1   1    12    5   +7    16
2 West Angola                              8    4   3   1    16   10   +6    15
3 Osarius                                  8    5   0   3    16   13   +3    15
4 Falatulu                                 8    5   0   3    23   25   −2    15
5 Herendon                                 8    1   3   4     8   11   −3     6
6 Legalese                                 8    1   3   4    16   19   −3     6
7 Tobiasia                                 7    0   2   5    15   23   −8     2

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Chronicle writers Christopher Lauren and Paul Wilson contributed to this report.

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Part One|Part Two|Part Three|Part Four|Part Five|Part Six|Part Seven|Part Eight

Part Nine: Canvassing
Emily and Richard Morris had waited on pins and needles for Browning to return from delivering his message to Preszek. After two hours (which had felt like two days), a soft tapping pattern indicated that their courier was back at last. A WASABI agent silently escorted the Royal Curator into the Prime Minister’s office, then closed the door and left the three conspirators alone. As soon as the sound of the agent’s steps had faded away Morris began bombarding Browning with questions.

“Well, what did he say? How did he know? Did he seem receptive? Does he want a bribe? Concessions? Endorsements? Talk, man, talk!”

Emily put a hand on Morris’ chest to stop him, “How can he when you won’t shut up?” She turned to the curator, “Tell us what happened, Mr. Browning.”

The elderly man took a deep breath, “He didn’t say how he knew. In fact, he seemed rather cagey about the whole thing. We had a long conversation, and he promised me he wasn’t going to go to the press about the fake after I outlined the danger of destabilizing the government if he did so.”

Emily was relieved, “Oh thank God,” but Morris still looked worried, “Not going to the press is good, but it’s all for nothing if he starts trying to find it himself and draws all kinds of attention to the effort. People start asking why a candidate for the crown is combing through museums and vaults they may just stumble on the answer.”

Browning shook his head, “Oh no no no, he won’t be doing anything like that, at least not by himself. In fact, he’s offered his services to you and your search teams, Minister Morris.”

Morris and Emily were both caught off guard by this, and after a quick glance at one another, they both started to speak at the same time. They shared another look, and Morris nodded at Emily to go ahead, “What do you mean he’s ‘offered his services’? In what way?”

“Just that. He asked if you were searching for the Orb, and I informed him that Minister Morris had WASABI teams surreptitiously scouring various museums and the residences of August’s major supporters in hope of finding it, and he expressed doubt that such an enterprise could remain hidden for long.”

Morris cut him off, “We’re aware of that, but considered the risk justifiable as long as we had a cover story. Even the teams doing the searching don’t know what they’re looking for, they’re just told to report anything that looks valuable.”

“And I told him that. Rest assured, Mr. Morris, I am fully aware of the circumstances of the situation, you and the Prime Minister having informed me of them less than three hours ago. I would appreciate it if you didn’t interrupt again. He still has reservations about your chances to keep everything under wraps, and he has offered himself as a viable cover for your agents. Essentially, your team will travel with his campaign disguised as part of his security detail. He will make it a point to stop at museums, historical sites, and other points of interest to your team such as the aforementioned residences of high-ranking Augustinians. There, his team will be allowed to search the entire structure top to bottom for potential threats to the candidate, giving your agents ample time to scour the area for the Orb.”

Everyone was silent after Browning had finished speaking. Emily hadn’t expected Preszek to be so willing to help, and his offer had apparently caught Morris off guard as well. After about a minute, the Minister of State broke the stillness, “And what does he want in return for his generosity?”

“Surprisingly little. At first I was as cynical as you are now, Minister, but he only requested one thing: a meeting with the Prime Minister.”

“Absolutely not.”

“I’m afraid he was quite insistent, and said that his offer would be rescinded if he did not get an opportunity to speak with you privately.”

Emily considered. While they didn’t necessarily need Preszek’s help, the candidate’s assistance would be extremely valuable, and having him as an ally would hopefully prevent him from exposing the falsehood. “I can’t meet with him only. Election law requires that I act only as a neutral overseer of the proceedings, and if I meet with only one candidate it could be seen as the Prime Minister’s blessing to them. We’ll have to come up with a reason to meet with each of the candidates individually, one that won’t look to contrived.”

Browning spoke up immediately, “What about the weekly briefing on the military operations against Arel’s soldiers in Malanje?”

Morris snapped his fingers, “That’s perfect! Saunders has been running those but he’ll definitely let you do it if you tell him to. He also won’t ask too many questions, and it’ll give you a perfect opportunity to talk to Preszek without raising suspicion.”

Emily nodded, “It’s a good plan, Mr. Browning. Richard, you make the announcement, while I inform the Minister of Defense.” She turned to the curator, “Please go and inform Preszek of our decision.”

(Three days later)
The briefings had come off without a hitch. Emily had received the same briefings as the candidates, so it was no trouble for her to turn right around and conduct it herself, especially when she was able to do it six times in a row. Eriksson had been trouble, of course, as Saunders had warned her he would be, with the elderly fascist taking every opportunity to insinuate that the fighting in Malanje was solely the fault of the Exile government, likely in service to some secret nefarious goal. Emily had gritted her teeth and endured his infuriating accusations, however, and at last was able to show Eriksson to the door and welcome the object of the day’s events, Karol Preszek. The handsome pacifist greeted her warmly as she rose to shake his hand, “Madame Prime Minister, it’s truly an honor.”

“Mr. Preszek, the honor is all mine.”

“Please, call me Karol.”

Emily smiled warmly, still trying to figure out the man’s angle, “Thank you, Karol. Please call me Emily. Shall we begin?” The two seated themselves and opened their briefing manuals. Once Emily had finished outlining the new developments in Malanje and answered Preszek’s questions, she placed the manual on the table and leaned forward, “So, Karol, you’ve attracted quite a following.”

He nodded, “Peace tends to get popular after fifteen years of war. There’s a whole generation that’s known nothing but fighting and preparing to fight, and I’d like to show them there’s another way.”

Emily smirked, “A True Way?” True Way was the name of Preszek’s civilian aid group.

Preszek laughed, “Yes, I suppose that’s a good label.”

“So why did you request this meeting?”

The man across the table leaned back, “I wanted to get the chance to talk with you away from the cameras and reporters. I wanted to see if you really loved war as much as you seem to.”

Emily was taken aback, “I don’t love war. I don’t think anyone loves war, we just recognize that sometimes you can’t solve a problem except with force. People like August don’t respond to anything other than that.”

He nodded solemnly, “So you see it as a necessary evil. Where’s the line, though? How can you always be sure your cause is just?”

“That’s why you have to be careful about which causes you fight for. Our cause was just because we were fighting for more than just ourselves. August had driven us from our homes, yes, but the true evil was being perpetrated against those who had stayed behind. We fought to free them from tyranny, from a leader who saw their lives as expendable and suited action to thought in that regard.”

“But the people on whose behalf you claim to be fighting get hurt along the way. I was with your army of crusaders every step of the way from Benguela, to Lobito, to Huambo, the entire campaign through Bie, and that final sweep down the coast to Namibe. I saw all the innocent people caught in the crossfire, everybody whose home was destroyed by an airstrike, or lost a family member to friendly fire, or didn’t know what they were going to eat after two armies fought a war on top of their crop for that year. You got to go around making speeches about sacrifice and martyrdom and the great cause of freedom, I went around helping martyrs who never wanted to sacrifice anything put their lives back together.”

“That’s not fair, and you know it. If we hadn’t toppled August those people would have been hurt far worse and have no hope for a better life.”

“So the only solution was to break everything? If there were more people doing what I did maybe we could have turned August out on his own. Even a brutal tyrant can’t stand against thirty million people.”

“You have far more faith in the limits of a tyrant than I do, Karol, and unfortunately that’s one topic in which we cannot afford to underestimate our opponent.”

“You can’t sacrifice innocents for the greater good like that. If a madman has a gun to the head of a hostage you don’t shoot the hostage so that you can get to the kidnapper!”

“No, but you also don’t let him shoot the hostage so that it doesn’t weigh on your conscience. If I were in the situation you describe and I could shoot the hostage in the leg to make the madman drop him, I would cause him pain to save his life.”

The debate went on for nearly three hours, neither side willing to concede the larger point, and likely would have lasted all night had Morris and Colin Manning, Preszek’s new campaign manager, not knocked on the door. “Madame Prime Minister? Mr. Preszek? We just wanted to check on your progress. It’s getting late, and Mr. Preszek has an event at the Huambo Museum of Royal History tomorrow.”

Karol rose, “Madame Prime Minister, as much as I would like to continue this discussion, the Minister is correct. You have given me much to consider, and I thank you for your time.”

Emily smiled again, “Thank you for speaking with me, Karol, I will certainly think on what you said.” Preszek and Manning departed, leaving Morris and Emily alone. He looked at her, “What did he want?”

She chuckled, “A morality debate, if you can believe it.”

Morris shook his head in disbelief, “It takes all kinds, I guess. At least he’s on our side.”

[Hasznia]

New Gelderland 0-1 Hasznia

GK-Summers
RB-McAdams
CB-Johnson
CB-Iverson
LB-Rogers (out 85')
DM-Diaz
DM-Rogers W.
CM-Vick (out 85')
CM-Pearson
FW-Hawkins (goal 80')
FW-Miller
Bench: Scott, Burns, Villa (in 85'), Shepherd (in 85'), Henry, Clayton, Wright

Just Hasznian Things #5: Sporting Events

It’s well-known that the favored sport of Hasznia and Hasznians is association football, but contrary to popular belief, it is not the only sport played, nor the only sport Hasznians care about. Despite strict restrictions on professionalism, high-level sports rose to prominence in Hasznia in the latter half of the twentieth century, and their championships and major events draw crowds comparable to the largest football crowds. Below are three of the most popular sporting events in Hasznia outside of the White League.

Barracha Bowl

Sport: American football
Contestants: Top-ranked collegiate team vs. top-ranked club team
Years contested: 1995-present
Current champions: June Park Shamrocks (Club)
Most championships: Naval Academy Midshipmen/Maritime Academy Mariners (5)
The Barracha Bowl is the national championship of American football in Hasznia, contested annually on the last Saturday in September, following the regular American football season which runs from June-September. The game is contested by the regular-season champions of the Hasznian collegiate and club leagues to determine the “overall” champion of Hasznia for that year.

The game has its origins with the American football clubs at the military and naval academies, which began in the mid-1980s. By 1990 American football was a varsity sport at both institutions, and alumni had founded clubs within their respective services. American football was included in the Armed Forces Games for the first time in 1993, and two years later in 1995, a challenge was issued by the Naval Academy team to the navy team competing at the Armed Forces Games. The resulting game would become known as the first Barracha Bowl.

The following year, the Military Academy beat the Naval Academy in their annual game, and so insisted upon challenging the navy’s Armed Forces Games team to determine the “true” champions. The tradition expanded throughout the 1990s to include the air force and genderarmerie teams that competed in the Armed Forces Games. Barracha University was the first civilian college to field a team in 1999, and in 2002 the service teams were joined by Deloraine United, the American football branch of the club.

With the demobilization of the military in 2010, the Military Academy and all the service teams were shut down and the Naval Academy became the Maritime University. The remaining clubs and collegiate teams formed the Hasznian American Football Association, HAFA, and organized a draft for the demobilized military players entering the club scene. While the high potential for injury and startup costs have limited the penetration of the full-contact game, a healthy flag football scene has developed to provide talent to the collegiate and club teams.

Regional Promotion Playoffs

Sport: Association football
Contestants: Five regional winners and three runners-up
Years contested: 1965-present
The Regional Promotion Playoffs are held annually to determine which of the teams in Hasznia’s regional leagues will be promoted to Conference, the third tier of Hasznian football. The games are traditionally well-promoted and well-attended, with attendance figures that dwarf regular season regional games as well as many professional games. The Promotion Playoffs are often televised as well, and draw audiences comparable to White League games.

The origin of the playoffs and their popularity came when the White League was founded under the Kingsley Republic. Only the best teams from each region could compete in the White League, and only White League clubs could pay their players, so for a team to make the playoffs meant they were playing for a chance at a better life. Over time, the White League came to eclipse the regional leagues in importance, but the playoffs remain an important part of the Hasznian football landscape.

Recently, the promotion playoffs have been a source of talent for the upper league clubs. Since most Hasznian clubs do not have robust academies, many loan their younger players to play in the amateur leagues to gain experience and exposure, and many of these players end up as stars for their home club. Ever since a 19 year-old Alex Hawkins led Emmerich Town to the playoffs for the first time in 2007 and wound up with a Rolster contract, a sort of game has been played among Hasznian fans to see which players from the playoffs will make the White League.

Armed Forces Games

Sport: Various
Contestants: Representative teams of Hasznian army, navy, air force, and gendarmerie
Years contested: 1965-2010
The Armed Forces Games were a multi-disciplinary sporting event conducted among the four armed forces of the Kingsley Republic; the air force, army, gendarmerie, and navy. Teams were ostensibly composed of ordinary service members from each branch, but in fact AFG athletes rarely had to perform their regular duties, instead spending their time practicing and training for the AFG. For the sports it represented, minus association football, the AFG was the highest level at which they were practiced.

The list of events changed from year to year, with association football, athletics, and boxing being the only events to occur in all thirty-five iterations. Alumni of the AFG football teams would often go on to successful careers in the White League, and in other sports they formed the core of the competition outside the military. For a time the AFG’s athletics event doubled as the Olympic trials for the Hasznian team before it was cut for budgetary reasons.

With the demobilization of the Hasznian military in 2010, the 2011 Games were cancelled. There have been a few grassroots efforts to replace the AFG with a different amateur multi-sport event, but so far these have not yielded anything. The most successful attempt was 2013’s Hasznian Autumn Festival, which saw teams from colleges and clubs across the country compete, but a lack of funding and interest cause it to be cancelled part of the way through.

[Red Blackiland]

Red Blackiland Sports and Off-topic Chronicles

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The hole

RB Ultras - Associated Godlands 2-1 Red Blackiland

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Author : Mathias Gërdorffen

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I do not remember since when I started to fight with myself, but I'm sure this bullshit with me since I started trying to be a better human being. In a historic moment where all the rotten roots of the human condition begins to appear, and make us realize that our behavior affects directly or indirectly other people, especially those that make up the two extremes of social status: The (few) who have very and (many) who have little. Because our "natural" behavior always favors those who have much and those who have little fuck! A look at my delivery machismo; a phrase, my racism; a joke, my homophobia; a party, my speciesism ... A life, my prejudice rooted out of time to be reviewed by me before the eyes that watch the oppressors of their privileged conditions in this capitalistically naturalized society! I put as a lookout from which I feel secure even in the bathroom. My first masturbation was almost hidden from myself, eyes closed ... And with boogered hand asked forgiveness to him who was watching me from above, by far, just judging me, condemning my wrong and dirty pleasure. I looked like that in a keyhole, a peephole ... More than that, there are access holes into my life all over the place, even when no wall or without corner, made a hole in the sky with an eye on me and others who turned to take care of the other six billion at the time, out the other species of animals that were later included in this watch for me disdainfully, that just looks and does nothing. Then I got tired, I killed God until he came to kill me! Meanwhile, those not watched by anyone continue to profit and make us secure to obey afraid to be judged by one of these holes exhibiting our steps all the time for someone who no one knows, but it knows everyone! When you think gives to breathe and get lost in a bar, corn drink and transgenic rice opens new holes with the pupils of the truth to remind you that you should not be where you are spending money that you do not have, exploring the girl working the night and live over there Redinxson, makes you smell the flesh burning in the corner and will turn dinner. Then you pay what the bank will charge you triple, look at those who sleep on the street and feels guilty for having a warm, dry bed waiting for you. The hole opens on the sidewalk and then I killed God, there are more than six eyes that compete where I should look to remain healthy, social, pleasant and pay the bills on time. I wonder if anyone're seeing these fucking this hole all, full of snitches little action and dry eyes, because I was more myself, I jabbed a barbecue stick and poked at these holes to find out what's on the other side, which should be a hangover bender uselessness that make these damn get all the time breaking into my atmosphere to whether the underwear that I seen was manufactured by the labor of orphaned children across the planet, and ask why they will not watch the children of the devil to make the common worker who just wants to enjoy a Sunday football without going to Mass in the morning, load the evil of guilt, sadism, indifference that should be pinched made nerve in each space of articulation that these damned, they do not get their hands dirty for anything or holy land, because they buy the hunger of those who suffer in action and conclude as a dishonest challenge in trying to be recognized as a human being ?! Whyyyyy ... They do not see the holes !! Who sees the holes all the time, it is the one who cares and fucks it can not do much more than dying choked with indignation to live an arbitrary reality and imposing makes you do shit can be cool, with another lot of lost doing shit can be cool, with more somewhat narcissistic that make shit can be cool, with the few bourgeois who have to do shit for them to give the coolest parties that everyone wants to participate because it is sold as the coolest parties of so much shit that we go getting used to accept ...

And I think the time that these holes all close they shut my heart! Because they are only outside, inside ... huh! Here, not !! It is not to have the hole in my heart that my head to see the gaps that weaken the contemplation of life. Of all!

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Montreal Noire Walktrough #8 - Ko-han finally starts his work in the Homicide Desk

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Montreal Noire Box - Buy your game now!

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Case/Mission #10 - The Lipstick Signature (Homicide Department)

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The mission takes place fifth months after Ko-han's promotion. He and his new Homicide partner, Subaru Kirikato get a briefing from Homicide's Capt. Shirogoto Karigawa, Ko-han will get the address from his partner, and drive to the crime scene. At the crime scene, they find the body, marked off by police tape. After you arrive in it, you'll see that thevictim found at the scene is naked, mutilated, and badly beaten, in a hill called The Suns. Once on the scene, you’ll talk to Officer Juniroto Fujigara, then talk with the coroner, and you'll be able to find clues and evidences.
Closely inspect the head (blunt force) injury. Closely inspect the victim’s right hand, you'll find a wound on the finger and the coroner tells you that was something removed, a ring most likely and that was taken postmorten. Look at the writing on victim’s torso that haves an 'f...' 'J.F', then the coroner guesses about Junko Furuta or its something to it or could be the killer's trying to throw Ko-han and his partner off the scene, he tells you that by the temperature of the body she was killed after midnight. Walks a few shoe prints from the body to the north, you'll find the victim's bag, which contains lipstick, but it's new and Ko-han thinks that wasn't the one used in the body. You'll find a puzzle game in a form of a globe ( turn the bottom piece: right three, middle piece: left once, top piece: right twice ) to open the Sayonara's Club lighter. Walk a few shoe prints to the south, you'll find a couple of size 7 shoe prints. Time to go to the Sayonara's club.

The head of the body

Drive to the Sayonara's club. Soon when you enter in the club, you'll talk with the bartender, he speaks that his name is Shotigoto Hunigaka, Ko-han asks if he did saw a woman in the club last night, gives a physical description of her, and the bartender says that probably was Juni Rutsugi, Ko-han asks if he knows anything about her, the bartender says 'no' but a Mr. Yutsugo Ekigaro serves her most nights and asks if you would like to speak with him, then head to the back of the club and speak to Yutsugo.

The wound on the finger of the body

Ko-han then introduces him speaking that they are investigating the murder of Juni Rutsugi, Yutsugo gets shocked with it and that she was in the club last days with her husband, Osakuko Hokonika and that was a regular of the place. Ko-han asks if she was in the place with anyone in the last night, then Yutsugo says that not a first, she already had quite a head start, Ko-han asks if she attracted attention, Yutsugo then responds that certainly she was and a few gentlemen became very enamored with her and her stories and that have one guy in particular, Ko-han asks if he knows him, Yutsugo then says that he has been in the place a couple of times but doesn't know nothing about him, Ko-han asks if they leave the place together, Yutsugo confirms that, at around ten almost eleven, and gives the license plate of his car to Ko-han. Ko-han speaks that Mrs. Rutsugi appeared to be missing a ring, torn from her finger but wasn't her wedding finger, Yutsugo explains that she always wore a blue ring, on the large side, pretty large, Ko-han asks if she had it for a long time, then Yutsugo confirms speaking that she used that since way back in her flying days, Ko-han asks if her husband buy it for her, Yutsugo denies and says that it was before Osakuko, with a doubtful facial expression you can sure select the option Doubt, Ko-han presses him to say where the ring came from, Yutsugo explains that bought it years ago and carried a touch for her in those days, and says that her old man never knew about that. Ko-han asks if Yutsugo knows the husband, he says that surely know him explaining that him was in the Royal Navy Corps and met Juni Rutsugi on a furlough and married her when one of the Quebecois War was finished and that he put up with a load of shit, Ko-han asks if Yutsugo thinks that this hadn't happened in his opinion with failures in the voice, Ko-han in a tough voice explains that if wasn't Osakuko, probably Yutsugo let her out of the place with the guy who killed her, Yutsugo tells Ko-han to 'slow the attitude' and explains that tried to get onto Osakuko and rang him up, asked him to come pick her up like usual but he refused, Rutsugi picked some night to push him over the edge, Yutsugo rang him up back around 12:30 but got no answers, Ko-han asks if he haves any address for Juni Rutsugi, and then he gives it (142 North Centralian Avenue). End of the interview. Before you leave, use the payphone at the front of the Sayonara's club to start the trace on the license plate.
Drive to the Juni Rutsugi's residence. Subaru (your new partner) will try to enter from the back door once the front one is locked, he'll discover that the back window's been jimmied and looks like somebody creeped the joint. Once inside, Pick up the following: In the dining room, pick up the women's shoe, and look at its sole, will discover that is a size nine and a above average for a lady. In the bedroom, next to a photo, you'll find a The Koreto & Co Ring's empty case. A photo of a woman pilot in the old days with a distinctive ring from her. A Newspaper in front of the record player (talking about a family burnt to death and the Surete saying that the house fire deaths are suspicious, a reference for the future of its storyline). In the kitchen, look at the note on the fridge, that says ''If you sober up, you can find me at Apartment 4 - 1260 Urigato's Drive / tel - RKQ3331. - Osakuko'', Ko-han analyzes that clearly Osakuko and Juni are having problems and it speaks to motive. The glass on the floor, also in the kitchen, Ko-han sends Subaru to call in the Burglary desk and the Technical Services in the place in there. Then, Ko-han asks to talk with the neighbors. Canvass the neighbors southward, at the red house. In the backyard is Jeniko Junigara, talk with her. She'll be shocked talking with her and Juni grew up together, tells that Rutsugi had been drinking, and she and poor long-suffering Osakuko had a terrible row, that thinks Osakuko may give her a black eye, he stormed out and she get back inside, Ko-han asks if he came back, Jeniko explains that Rutsugi was listening to music and shouting until she left around 10PM, that she was very drunk to had been driving, but she's unstoppable. Now, time to go to Osakuko's apartment.

The size nine shoes

When you reach in the residence and break the door, take a look around before interview Osakuko. In the bedroom, in the luggage on the bed, pick up the men's shoe and look at its sole, will discover that is a size eleven one. Read the impression from the note pad beside the phone, after you made the trick with the pencil, the note says ''Thanks for the offer. I need you to do something about my wife.''. Ko-han asks who would have killed Juni and where did she go last night, Osakuko suppose that it was a bar and doesn't know, Ko-han says that he knows where she went, you'll use Sayonara's Club lighter or Yutsugo Ekigaro witness that speaks that the husband was in there and knows where she went, Osakuko speaks that the barthender calls him if things are getting out of hand and he go and bring her home, that Rutsugi called him last night and said 'no' to her, the phone rang a couple more times after that and he ignored it. Ko-han asks which was the last time did he meet Juni, then he explains that was last night, went to see her, they talked, things got a little out of hand, then he left, Ko-han asks if he don't remember what time he last saw his wife alive, and Oksakuko guests that probably was around 9PM, that might have been a little later but was around nine, Ko-han asks why did he killed Juni and that things will go better if he come clean with this, Osakuko with a doubtful face explains that is a lousy thing to say because never gave up on his wife, Ko-han tells that doesn't believe in him, and says that he didn't have the guts to do it himself and then he had someone else to do it, Osakuko denies, Ko-han speaks about the note by the phone suggests he meant her harm and death threaths, Oksakuko says that was sick to death of her and that was trying to have her comitted. Then, Subaru will enrage Oksakuko who instigates a fistfight. Defend yourself against Osakuko, then use the telephone in the kitchen to call for transport, to pick up a message from the coroner about the cause of death that was several wounds to the head from a blunt metal instrument, the closest match would be a socket wrench handle, but for Ko-han's suprise, the cause wasn't the blunt but from hemorrhage and shock from fractured ribs and multiple injuries caused by the stomping and completes that the killer's some kind of sex fiend, the tissues of the anus were bruised about one-eighth of an inch, but no trace of semen in the anus, vagina or stomach, and to learn that the license plate was traced to Yunigaro Henigo. Time to go to the Central Station to interview Oksakuko again.
Ko-han asks what do he do for work, Oksakuko explains that he's a mechanic and works with engines, differentials, transmissions and that kind of stuff, Ko-han asks if he haves acess for tools, Osakuko confirms it, Ko-han speaks that his wife was brutally beaten with a socket wrench handle, then stomped to death, Osakuko says that was home in bed, Ko-han thinks that he's lying and that probably he hated the woman, followed her, dragged her into the car and then took her out to The Suns Hills, that she woke up and he smashed her face in a socket wrench, that stomped her because she's a drunken whore and treated him like shit, with repeatedly no's Osakuko still try to deny, that he was at home that should have gone to her at the bar but he didn't, that Ko-han can't prove he wasn't home, and then explains that the Sayonara's club owner Yutsugo gave him up, that he called Osakuko's house, right at the time that someone was smashing Juni's skull in and got no answer, and that if they find this socket wrench he'll fry, Osakuko explains that the only thing that he killed was her dreams,that she was a famous aviator, flying around up there like a bird but she never wanted to come back down, that Ko-han knows his pop was a sod farmer, dirty poor one, that all he had was security and she wanted things that he couldn't give to her. Ko-han asks about the lipstick marks in victim's body, Oksakuko responds that doesn't know nothing about it and for him are two types of marriages: the first, where the couple love each other and equally roses and there's the other, where one person loves the other more than life itself and always put them first, that chumps like him, who love them no matter what, no matter how badly them behave and that's his confession, that he loved his wife. Ko-han asks that his marriage was over, that took her in and she threw it back into his face, that he didn't go over there to hurt her, just got out of hand, Osakuko says that isn't how it was, Ko-han says that he's lying, Ko-han speaks about one of the neighbors witness, Jeniko, that said Osakuko blackened Juni's eye, Oksakuko finally admitts that hit her because she was coming to him with a frying pan, and asked what Ko-han would do. Ko-han asks why did Osakuko break into his wife's house and why steal the ring, Ko-han completes that he breaked into her's house and steal the ring because discovered who gave it for her, Osakuko still denying that asking what Ko-han and his partner are talking about, and Ko-han asks about her praized garnet ring, given to her by her's old boyfriend Yutsugo Ekigaro, shocked Osakuko says that lived with this woman for three years and never knew that. End of the interview. Time to go to Yunigaro Henigo's apartment.
Reaching in there, look at the mailboxes and go inside. Enter Henigo's apartment on the fourth floor: In the bedroom, beside the bed, look closely at the shoe. If you do not look at the shoe before you look at the items in the bloody box, you will be forced into a cutscene and you will miss a clue at the end of the case, although it is possible to obtain a five star rating if all questions are answered correctly and damage is kept to a minimum. In a box is a bloody socket wrench consistent with Juni's injuries and a lipstick. Make sure to look closely at each.
As Ko-han and Subaru leave the bedroom, Henigo arrives home. Pursue him across the rooftops toward the gas station, where Subaru pulls up with the car. Chase and arrest Henigo.

[Banguela]

”And then we return to the second goal, the equaliser... Gentlemen, what do we think of it all here.”
“Well, you could consider it a bit unlucky that he...”
“Unlucky? No, this isn’t about luck. This disastrous moment is sheer arrogance, an emblem of a player who gets punished for the way he considers himself greater than the opponent.”

An applause that sounds a tad too enthusiast.

“It was indeed possibly a tipping point in the campaign if we look to the table.”
“I’ld even dare to say more, we could look back at this moment and say that this was the moment our chances of qualifying were ruined b-“

I sigh and rewind. Why am I exactly rewatching the wrap-up commentary two days after the game?

”This disastrous moment is sheer arrogance, an emblem of a player who gets punished for the way he considers himself greater than the opponent.”

And as I sit here, apparently the dictionary image for the word arrogance but previously addressed as Ignacio Carbela, I seldom have felt more lonely as gets confirmed by the dark living room and the quiet cell phone. The five seconds when all crumbled run through my mind again and again, teasing my brain. When I look at them, I see a confident right back trying to run down a clock that’s already halfway the nineties. The player fakes hoofing the leather up the field twice, making his upcoming opponent flinch as many times. It’s a treatment that is always a bit humiliating, I realise, and if there was one Brigantii that didn’t deserve it, it certainly was Stephan McNamara.

He had played a pivotal role in the brilliant opening half hour by the Stags, who simply overran us on all sides of the pitch. Frankly, we were lucky to get away with just a single goal by Winter, a header out of reach for Landa Landa to push away. What made them so dominant was difficult to define, contrary to pointing out when things suddenly turned upside down. At our very first corner kick, already thirty-three minutes into the game, a sort of human pinball machine developed in the Brigantii box. And while the referee was contemplating which of the dozen of faults happening in front of him to whistle, Fabricio Santos put his laces through the ball. Fab has a rare talent for kicking the leather into all sorts of directions on the training pitch but carefully hoofing it into the roof of the goal at such an important moment.

Instantly, the Brigantii resistance was broken and fuelled with hope, we started to push them back. The second half was the reverse of what had gone on before, in that we created a truckload of chances and converted one through an Amarinho who showed why he still managed to keep Kubunga on the bench. All well that ends well, it appeared, especially as Byron Samuels ran into a light second yellow with even Edison Joao indicating to the ref that it was a tad harsh. And you start to calculate, especially as people from the stands yell to you that Sameba is fumbling with their points against Cre Drago. Quick calculations give you a four point lead for second, with a game in hand...

I just should have booted it to Rui Mokanga at the first instance or passed it along the line to Leandro Poku who had just picked up his first minutes in the black-and-red shirt. Instead I tease like a first-class dickhead. Once. Twice.

The third time I actually kick it but... I’ll never know whether it just came so unexpected to McNamara or that he refused to cower once more for a haughty defender. Either way, the ball hits him in the middle of his face and drops somewhere in between our central defenders and Landa Landa. The goalie storms forward but the leather, rotten with effect spins back infield for the rushing opponents. Landa Landa has a damn good sprint but is half a second later on it then Michael Irwin who sends it soaring like an eagle, just to land a few centimetres below the crossbar.

”Crucial points lost and this must hurt the spirits ahead of another decisive match.”
“It’s do or die against Sameba and I’m curious whether it will be with the same right defender.”

Sigh. Excellent.

Indeed, Ignacio Carbela receives the donkey ears for the draw at Brigantii. The XI for the upcoming game against Sameba contain the following players. Landa Landa, who hasn't missed a minute yet, on goal. Fabricio Santos, Djalma Yaba, Joaquim Lebo and Eric Kwaganda hold up the fortress. Rui Vunguidica, Edison Joao, Raul Paché and Amarinho in midfield, notice the missing of a carded Macabanga and and an injured Wilson Zuela. Zito Miguel returns in attack along with Rui Mokanga, putting Bogwa on a very young bench with amongst others Joao Caro and Leandro Poku.

[Jeruselem]

In Ceni, after Jeruselem lost to Ceni 4-2

Coach James Troisi with the keeper Dakota Dallas

Dakota: Oh coach, I didn't do very good today.
James: Don't worry, we were expected to lose anyway
Dakota: But I let in 4 goals ... it's a disaster
James: One of them was a mistake by you but the other three you couldn't stop anyway
Dakota: So who's fault was it
James: The defense didn't cope with the Ceni attack, it wasn't your fault

Dakota: They were bigger, stronger and faster
James: Yes and they were playing at home anyway
Dakota: I suppose it could have been worse
James: Not to worry young lady, you made a lot of saves. We could have lost 8-0
Dakota: How come everytime we play Ceni, we lose
James: They are a better team, we need to forget about today

Dakota: Good idea coach
James: Just a queston, do you wear a bra?
Dakota: I would but I'm allergic to rubber
James: I know a few people like that
Dakota: I don't like the smell of the stuff, it's disgusting
James: Rubber isn't nice stuff

Dakota: OK coach
James: Now don't worry, we just need to win the next 5 games
Dakota: Tell that to Princess Elsa
James: Don't worry about her, she's grumpy most of the time
Dakota: Especially after a loss
James: Her Mum isn't much better

Dakota: They really live for the World Cup
James: I guess they do, they are really passionate about it
Dakota: It's not just a job, it's like a Crusade
James: Well it's not important we not give up, 5 games left so it's not the end
Dakota: I don't want to let people down
James: This is a team, not everyone can do 100% every game

Dakota: Thanks coach
James: You need more confidence
Dakota: I'm not a confident person
James: You need to be more like Elsa, have higher expectations because you're better than you know
Dakota: Maybe that's why I cannot attract all the boys
James: Don't worry, I don't have a great dating record either

Dakota: But you hang around all these pretty girls
James: I keep my professional life separare to my personal life
Dakota: Us Dallas girls have trouble with that
James: I'm not very good with relationshipss
Dakota: But you're not a bad person
James: Girls want something I can't give them

Dakota: You better hurry up, you're not getting younger
James: It's not gonna happen during this cup, there's too much work to do
Dakota: You should have a break really
James: Well, not now. We have lots of work to do.
Dakota: Don't worry coach, I'll do my best
James: That's all I ask, I don't expect superheros.

[Savalen]

Sagra looked round at his teammates on the bench. He was the only one not to have played yet and so he was a little miffed when, once again, he was sent to warm the bench after warming up. He walked over to the second row and whipped his bib on the chair in front of him in frustration. He knew that he wasn’t first choice or anything because of his age, but to not play a single minute? Even that Dale guy from the second division had played more minutes and Sagra really wanted to go over and punch Marv just this once. Instead he let out a sigh and started playing with the string on his tracksuit.

Then Marv looked over. It was the 90th minute and with the score at 1-0 to Savalen, changes would be needed. Sagra really wanted to make his debut, but in these circumstances, where he would be a sub to waste time and close out the match? Not for him really.

Lucky Marv’s famous finger moved two seats to his left – Axelson would be the man to waste a few extra minutes. After all, his position was left wing, which was as far away from the bench as possible. Made sense really. Axelson stood up to let the guy through and at the same time imagined that the two had swapped places. Axelson was a regular for the team – hr had three goals for the side and was Savalen's hottest prospect. But then Sagra wasn’t exactly a no-hoper either. He had got an off-season move to a demanding league, where he would be expected to be a part of the team. But there wasn’t exactly a lot he could do to show why he had gone for a good sum of money whilst sitting on the bench.

The final whistle went and the bench stood up in celebration. But there was one person who cut a lonely figure in amongst the crowds celebrating the fact that Savalen had gone top of their group. Sagra knew the papers would talk all about the team spirit and inclusiveness that Marv’s teams showed, but he really didn’t feel needed or wanted as he walked down the tunnel, looking more dejected than some of the Nova Anglicana players

[Nova Anglicana]

Budget Turmoil in Admin Zone

Alice Monaghan, Londinium Democrat

The Nova Anglican Administrative Zone of Esportiva. It's a little territory far away for most people, and was best known for being the vanguard in former Prime Minister Allen Mumford's free trade expansion and for being the reason the national football team competes in the Campionato Esportiva. But it has gradually garnered more and more attention for being the place where thousands upon thousands of refugees have poured into Nova Anglicana. With the many wars occurring in Esportiva and outlying regions, many people were displaced from their former countries and forced to seek refuge elsewhere. Under Mumford, the refugees were welcomed with open arms and current Prime Minister Hal Blackwood has continued that policy, even appointing N.A.A.Z.E Deputy Talia Sherwood as Minister of Immigration. Citizens from nations all over Esportiva, including Felix, San Jose Guayabal, Gregoryisgodistan, The Licentian Isles, Free Republics, and many others have been resettled in the Admin Zone and in other provinces of Nova Anglicana.

Initially, the Admin Zone was underpopulated, and so these refugees were welcomed. They occupied underused public housing and provided a cheap labor source. When the population rose, companies invested into the territories and were welcomed with incentives and public money. This combined with the free trade agreements that Mumford had entered into with many Esportivan countries allowed the Admin Zone's economy to boom. Flush with the largesse of a booming economy, the territorial legislature passed bills providing generous benefits to the refugees. These included cash transfers, free healthcare, and reducing already-cheap rents on public housing.

But these reckless spending decisions have come back to bite them. The Admin Zone was increasingly unable to pay for these benefits and the other spending required to run a functioning government, and so turned to the national government, appealing for emergency funds. Both houses of Parliament approved an AP 50 billion loan two years ago and then an additional AP 30 billion last year. The Admin Zone also raised capital by selling bonds on the open market. Investors quickly snapped up these bonds, knowing that they had the backing of not just the Admin Zone, but also Parliament and the Blackwood government. It seemed as though the problem was solved.

However, the free-spending legislature elected by members of the Admin Zone (including some refugees granted permanent residency) did not pursue fiscal responsibility, but rather continued to dole out money. They now find themselves unable to meet their obligations to their creditors and face the possibility of missing an upcoming payment on their debt. The Blackwood government has deferred payment of the AP 80 billion Parliament has loaned to the Admin Zone, but the bondholders have no such intention. The legislature, dominated by the forces of the collective left, has debated possible solutions.

The Admin Zone has higher tax rates than most of the other provinces, but their corporate tax rate is fairly low due to subsidies and tax breaks given out to companies to attract investment. So of course the legislature landed on the idea of removing the subsidies and obligating corporations to pay higher tax rates; this sailed through. The response was predictable; companies from Anderson's to Smythe & Weston have announced their intentions to move many of their Admin Zone jobs and operations out of the territory. The economy has begun a dangerous downward trend, and the budgetary crisis is no closer to being resolved. The course is clear; the Admin Zone has spent beyond its means, and it will now have to live up to its obligations. They must reduce spending and reinstitute some of their subsidies to keep business around; only then will their budget begin to stabilize and a return to normalcy be possible.

OOC: The Londinium Democrat is a right-leaning newspaper that is strongly associated with support of the center-right Nova Anglican People's Party. If the Londinium Courier, the largest-circulating newspaper, is the New York Times, then the Democrat is the Wall Street Journal.

[Brenecia]

THE ROZELLE OBSERVER
Evolution of the A-League: How Brenecia's middle-class is hoping to fill a UICA void
Karena Fife

When the Mareibat Board of Control pulled the plug on the glorious experiment of a united A-League, Brenecia lost more than the kinship of another nation, the sense of shared endeavour, something even more practical than the amount of slots available to them.

They lost all their Globe Cup level sides, and ever since the now-national competition has been destabilised.

Cillian Najdorf, veteran of the league and now manager of Rozelle United, counts them off on his fingers. "First you had Halholzer United at the very top, with Union. Kept 'em honest. Then Tundra, the Bellights, Pilgrimage... tucked in under North Hall, Rozelle and Kingsgrove, but above the rest of the league. The entire midtable was Brenecian until the very bottom you'd find a couple more Mareibat sides struggling to escape relegation.

So what, in practical terms, does this mean? "It's simple - now we have a four-team elite, a huge gap, and then just everyone else scrapping over the carrot of 5th and the stick of 15th."

And the fact that 15th signifies relegation is, in itself, a huge change. With seven Mareibat clubs leaving the A-League and another nine gone from the second tier, the BFA decided to restructure along the lines of four 16-club leagues, each with two promotion/relegation places and playing each other twice.

And of those that came up to fill the gap this past season, all had been in the unified A-League at some stage - the same batch of yo-yo clubs that there have always been. While Rosbank Town managed a remarkable midtable finish powered by 20-year old sensation Elsie Drover, Westpike and Saint Alexander were immediately relegated, the former scoring just 17 goals and the latter managing only three wins.

At the top of the table, Najdorf's big four were, predictably, all occupying UICA slots - and Union had won their 7th modern title. Fuelled by a mining magnate and fresh off selling Mathis Woodgate for a princely sum, their charge for the title was fuelled by a stable of Brenecia internationals, whether veterans like goalkeeper Geneva Urquhart, midfielders Kilbane and Gryphon and striker Maddon, all freshly signed that offseason, or homegrown stars like Skorupska and Foran (who has since left for Pasarga).

Union are utterly dominant in the modern era, and Kingsgrove - their closest challengers with three titles - have failed to win the league since unification. Instead of a Big Four, the league seems to risk something even worse - a Big One. But Union manager Althea Reader takes an interesting view of the situation, one which has perhaps been too often overlooked.

"We're signing good players, we're winning matches and we're being successful in UICA. Maybe instead of crying all the time the other clubs could actually step up to the plate - we're meant to be the sixth-best league in the world (you're welcome, by the way) so how about some of these other scrub clubs pull their finger out, get their act together and splash the cash?"

In essence, 'get good'. But maybe she has a point. And maybe it can be done without money. Because the side that came third, and who were just two points off winning the league, were not part of the four. They aren't even from either of the two cities. They aren't even, in theory, the main side of Westpike... or the second-biggest side in Westpike. And yet, with an inexperienced manager, a young squad including two free transfers from Cosumar and a fairly standard set of tactics, lowly Pikemouth came agonisingly close to winning the league.

Rebecca Milligan, their 33-year old captain and an impact substitute over the course of the season, grins bashfully to remember it. "Really, it was agonising to be so close without making it, particularly when you look at Starling across the pond doing what they did. But you just have to keep perspective and recognise it for the fantastic achievement it was."

"It wasn't about money, because no A-League side worth its salt can really afford to only be about money. You look at the players we had and most of them were either homegrown or smart purchases made at the right time. All of our foreigners were free. And I reckon that's what it's about for the A-League - making the most of the money."

That's something that Najdorf's in agreement with. "The A-League's one of the most broke mid-tier leagues, and it struggles to compete with other leagues of similar strength financially. So it's all about making the smartest buys possible."

"Really, the league dynamic's nothing to worry about - it'll sort itself out with time, whether Brenecia keeps its high place in the UICA standings or not. You see it already that Lotus Park and Falkner are trying to fill that upper-midtable gap, and Pikemouth are actually managing it. And some new blood's sure to sift into the league sooner rather than later... and maybe one of the other big sides pulls itself together to challenge Union."

It hasn't been a clean breakup, and there's plenty of fissures left through the system. But time, it seems, is still the greatest healer of all.

[Banija]

The All-Banija Sports Magazine
The only nationwide publication that is all sports, all the time!

3 1st half goals power Banija to a 3-1 victory away from home over Losthaven in World Cup Qualifying


Banijans celebrate the game's opening goal in Losthaven

LOSTHAVEN- Losthaven pulled off a huge upset in the 1st half of World Cup Qualifying when they came to Busukuma, on Matchday 2, and beat the heavily favored Banijan hosts 2-0. That was one of the shockers of this Qualifying group, which has taken more than its fair share of twists & turns through this Qualification campaign. Banija knew that, to keep their World Cup Qualification hopes on track, they would need to return the favor away from home against Losthaven. Banija won its 4th game in 5 matches as they came out firing on all cylinders against Losthaven, using 3 1st half goals to catapult this team to a dominating 3-1 victory over their hosts, as they approach their toughest remaining game of this Qualification campaign.

The explosion out of the gates, of course, is what won this game for Banija. They were attacking from the moment they first had possession in this one, and it was clear that this team was on a mission for 3 very coveted points. They were able to score in the 6th minute of the game. Saa Okoro was released down the left side of the pitch, and he went sprinting to the ball, beating the full backs of the host Losthaven side. Saa Okoro was able to cross the ball to Saah Desta, who flicked the ball across the 6 yard box to Kiggwe Mavuto, who had a simple volley into the back of a wide open net from a few yards away to give his team a 1-0 lead.

The team struck gold again in the 17th minute. This time, it was on a counter-attack led by Kiggwe Mavuto, where the Losthaven defense had to put some pressure on the dribbler. He was able to play a through ball to Saah Desta, whose shot was saved, but the rebound went right to left midfielder Abraham Akampurira, who buried the ball into the back of the net to give his team a 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes. That goal was, of course, his first of the entire qualification campaign. Isaac Georgiadis headed the ball into the back of the net on his first goal of the Qualification campaign in the 33rd minute, as Banija cruised to a 3-0 halftime lead.

While Losthaven was able to score from a free kick in the 88th minute, Banija largely cruised the rest of the way to a 3-1 victory over their Losthaven hosts. This game allowed Banija to maintain their pole position for the most coveted playoff spot with 13 points in the group. With Zenic's victory over Ficiscia, they are 2 points behind Banija with 11, and Ficiscia has 9 points, though they have a game in hand. Banija's next game, of course, is at the Stadium of the Restoration against Farfadillis. Even though Banija has momentum, taking 12 points from their last 5 matches, Farfadillis is a perfect 8-0-0 during World Cup Qualifying, not dropping points against any opponent this cycle.

Banija wants to badly beat Farfadillis, of course. However, many teams have, and not one team has managed to take a point. A point here would be huge, as the rest of Banija's opponents are expected to not pick up points against Farfadillis. "We have to be strong on the ball, and not be intimidated by our opponents to pick up points against Farfadillis." Said manager Jan Cassallerus. "This would be one of the seeded teams at the World Cup if the tournament started today, and we recognize their talent level, as they are likely to make a deep run at the World Cup Finals. However, if we focus on our game, play to our strength, and stick to our fundamentals and execute well, in front of the raucous home crowd at the Stadium of the Restoration, we may be able to pick up a result."

With the team making a legitimate run for the World Cup Finals, this game is widely expected to break attendance records at the Stadium of the Restoration, as with standing room only tickets sold out, over 70,000 tickets have been sold at the Stadium of the Restoration for the first time in the history of athletic events at the stadium. Many of the team's players said the same things as Jan Cassallerus, but with this team playing confidently, there's no telling what they can do, and picking up points against a team nobody has yet earned a result against would undoubtedly make this team the favorite to get that coveted playoff spot.

[Tumbra]

Forty-Six
Part Four: Challenge

"If I did, it would be a betrayal of my principles to be loyal to the current Party leader, and that current Party leader is Leslie Hewson. So no, you might very well think that, but I couldn't possibly say more than what I just did." came the blare of the television which was on the News at Ten.

"What a load of fucking bollocks that is."

"Leslie, you know that John..." Michael Carver began, not even taking his eyes off the Herald. On large print, in bold type, on the front page, was embalzoned the words: HEWSON UNFIT FOR OFFICE?

"I know, Michael. I know. He used those exact same fucking words on Wilson Burke and he was out of the post within the year. What chance do I stand?"

"As I said - go to the Whip's Office and get them to seek current support levels. You know the rules of a leadership election. Half the votes plus one or nothing."

"Michael, I can't do this. Lynne and my two children, they can't know of this!"

"Where are they currently?"

"Lynne's with the children, going to bed..."

"Well then there won't be any problems with that."

"I've been in this fucking job less than a week, Michael, and already I've got ten thousand plots from everyone and their mothers against me! I'm boring, I'm useless, the one who is never seen...I'm just fucking tired of all this shit." Leslie moaned, nearly unintellingtibly as he slumped onto the couch, tie undone.

"I just can't do this anymore."

"Well then quit! Precipitate a leadership election."

"But John..."

"John is dead. There's no fucking use mourning and being sentimental over fucking dead people. Leslie. Listen to me." He grabbed Leslie by the shoulders and brought him up to eye level. For the first time, Leslie got a good look at the steely glint in Carver's electric-blue eyes.

Now he understood why he had been the Chief Whip.

"You're going to win this fucking election. Tell them to put up or shut up. This party's in fucking disarray, and if the Opposition or the press get a fucking whiff of this shit, they've got the next election in the bag."

"You've got to show them that you're capable of taking the reins of this doggard of a party."

---

Stoff appointed as NT manager; first match sees ten-goal extravaganza in Electrum


Robin Stoff at the Olympic Arena, Electrum in his first match in charge of the Tumbran NT.

CENTRALIS, ELECTRUM - The Blue Lions held Electrum to a 5-5 draw in the Olympic Arena yesterday. This comes off the back of a very disappointing 1-1 draw with the Holy Philippine Empire yesterday, whose scorers for legal reasons cannot be named.

It was the first match in charge for Robin Stoff, previously manager of the under-21 side, and in a press conference after the match, he felt that the team had made huge stride forward following the dismal first half of qualifying which saw one win against third-seeded Sarian.

"No matter what we did today, the fact is the match is over. I'm very proud for our boys to have gleaned a point away from the top seed in the group, but this is just the second match of the second half of qualifying. Already our hopes of making the playoff spot are in danger, and we have to start winning to become real contenders."

The match itself got off to a relatively uneventful start until Jake Latham of Electrum opened the scoring, chancing upon an error caused by Henry Butler. Following that, the floodgates opened as Henry Pandon immediately got one back two minutes later, scoring a shot from the far-right corner.

Following a brawl in the middle of the field after Edward Richardson was apparently fouled by an Electrumite defender in the penalty box, a penalty was awarded in Tumbra's favour and Pandon put it away for his second of the game in the eighteenth minute. The circumstances in which the referee awarded the penalty were controversial, and remain so - several Electrum players alleged that Richardson had dived, while Richardson himself says that he was tripped.

Tensions were high amid a converted Electrum penalty several minutes later - Latham converting one after he was tripped by Scott Moore in the twenty-seventh minute. The score at half time was 2-2, and a brawl took place in the tunnel before the second half. Nobody was injured, but Louis Paterson and Will Collins did manage to douse out some black eyes to the Electrum players.

Tumbra then scored two in the next half an hour - with Pandon completing his hat-trick with a volley on the fifty-second minute, and Robert Alexander heading one in in the sixty-third minute. Electrum, however, pulled two back as well, with Natasha Lestrade scoring a well-placed shot and Jake Ingram following that up with an exquisite volley in the sixty-seventh and seventy-third minute respectively.

Stoff faced some criticism for pulling two of the top-performing players off, and replacing them with more defensive players, but the substitutions were proved right when John Rhys-Stevens scored his first goal for the team in the eighty-seventh minute, coming from a left-footed shot.

Two minutes of added time were given, with Tumbra leading 4-5 and about to score a historic win, but Abigail Knight headed a very disputed goal in with the last kick of the game. Tumbran players alleged it was a phantom goal, but supported by goal-line technology, it was given and Tumbran fans began to riot in the streets of Electrum, with several being deported back to Tumbra. The riot lasted for three hours before it eventually dissipated by itself.

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Michael Sheppard, is expected to make a statement later this morning.

[Kandorith]

---

Kandorith Struggles In Position


Kandorith 2–4 Sarrbia

Group 7                                  Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
1 Valanora                                 8    5   3   0    18    9   +9    18
2 Sarrbia                                  8    4   2   2    21   12   +9    14
3 Kandorith                                8    2   4   2    15   15    0    10
4 The Royal Barangay                       8    3   1   4    11   17   −6    10
5 Jeckland                                 8    2   2   4    12   13   −1     8
6 Polaaskan                                7    1   4   2     8   14   −6     7
7 Stacoco                                  7    1   2   4     7   12   −5     5

With Kandorith struggling for control in the group, another defeat seems to be all but trouble for the current team. The Red Dragons have struggled to win since day one and keep looking worse with each match. Surely they are motivated, but without a turnaround things look bad for the Kandorese team a second time in a row. Should this become the second shuffle for the Kandorese team and leadership, surely it would mean a huge demotivation for the entire football in the nation.

The Royal Barangay is the next opponent Kandorith faces, which will be a must win for the Kandorese team, much like all the other upcoming matches. Things are not looking bright for the once so beloved Red Dragons, but it could be a lot worse. The spirits are still there and Kandorith will be searching for a win to get back on track towards the World Cup.

---

Kandorith VS The Royal Barangay

---

Substitutes
GK - N^o 24: SEIJI Sakabara
GK - N^o 25: KEIXÍAN Han
LB - N^o 6: SUYING Shin
CD - N^o 8: HUÁN Jun
CD - N^o 14: MING-HUA Te
RB - N^o 16: SHANYUAN Lee
CDM - N^o 11: MURAKAMI Mitsuhare
LM - N^o 18: OKHA Eiichi
RM - N^o 12: KEILÁNG Xie
CAM - N^o 4: Taiji Moto
ST - N^o 21: QÍNG Weimin
ST - N^o 17:MINGZHENG Shéng

Starting eleven
GK - N^o 1: JIANJIN Tuan
LB - N^o 3: XIAN Shilin
CD - N^o 5: XIEXIE Tian
CD - N^o 7: LUNG Mara
RB - N^o 9: MAO Zhénsheng
CDM - N^o 20: XIN Zihao
RM - N^o 15: SHAN Xiaobo
LM -N^o 10: XÍMÍN Chosi
ST - N^o 19: QEILAN Zhu
CF - N^o 13: MADATO Xien-kan
ST - N^o 23: MÉNG Zeijí

---

[Amazonesta]

The Amazononian Observer

2nd half comeback with 89th minute free kick earns 2-2 draw for Amazonesta


Luciano Rodrigues(14) celebrates his 89th minute free kick to tie the game away from home against the Equestrian States

AMAZONIA CITY- Things were not looking up for this Amazonestan team. They had lost 3 out of their last 4 games, and allowed 4 goals to their opponents in each of those losses. Their only victory was against cellar-dwellars Welcomzia, who they will always be expected to beat, as their World Cup Qualification hopes started to go down the drain. Amazonesta started this game poorly as well, as two 1st half goals, both off of headers from corner kicks, by the Equestrian States to give the hosts a 2-0 lead heading into halftime. This looked like the same old, same old performance from Amazonesta- getting blitzed early by their opponents, and the deficit being too much for this team to overcome.

Orlando Juarez made a strange, aggressive move at halftime- he used all 3 subsitutions coming out of the break. Marcelo Braga, whose man was beaten on both goals for the corner kick, was substituted off of the field for the anchor of the back line for Amazonesta's U21 team, Estevão Vasconcelos. Giving up 4 goals in each of their last 3 losses meant that something needed to change, as the back line for this Amazonesta team was simply getting dominated by their opponents. Miguel Rosário came into the game for Enzo Capistran to play right back, and veteran central midfielder Videl Posada came in for Julio Leal.

These halftime subsitutions seemed to pay off. The back line was assured, and Videl Posada was able to play a strong half in the central midfield. While he is steadily climbing the ladder in terms of age, as the oldest player on this team, his veteran experience allowed him to control the middle. He was able to make those smart, defensive plays that Leal couldn't, and while Leal has more range than Posada, Posada plays the game faster and smarter than Julio Leal, which can only mean trouble for Julio Leal in the future regarding playing time.

Posada was able to set up the first goal. A brilliant overhead ball to Federico Paiz allowed Amazonesta's former captain to feed the team's current captain, who was able to knife behind the defense and bury the ball into the back of the net from 13 yards away, to cut the hosts lead in half in the 73rd minute. It took a long time for Amazonesta to find a breakthrough, but it seemed as if the substitutions were paying off for the visitors. Amazonesta absolutely needed to get points to keep their slim hopes for that most coveted playoff spot alive, and they were going to push heavily for an equalizer.

They kept pushing and pushing, but could not for the life of them find an equalizer. Omar Falcone had a header hit the crossbar and bounce harmlessly over the net for a goal kick. Paiz had a shot saved, and Boaventura saw a goal line clearance deny him his equalizer after he had beaten the keeper. However, on a combination play between Falcone and Boaventura, Boaventura was fouled just outside the box, which set up this team for a free kick. Boaventura lined up to take the free kick, alongside Luciano Rodrigues. Boaventura ran over the ball and then Rodrigues found the back of the net from 22 yards out, to tie this game at 2.

This was a big result away from home for Amazonesta. "We have been lacking for confidence recently, and it can be seen in this team's form. However, we did a lot to earn this point, and I see this as a point gained, not a point lost. I figured that teams expect Boaventura to take the free kicks, but Luciano Rodrigues has shown his ability to hit them as well, so I figured we should give him a chance. He buried it, and that is why we got our much-deserved point. Hopefully we can build on this result and continue to move forward. We cannot worry about the standings, just about our next opponents, who is Corelia. Hopefully we can take 3 points against them going into our bye, so we can have momentum and rest up for our final 3 qualifiers."

[Electrum]

Discussions around the Cabinet Table

The cabinet table was long. Like it was super long. Jim Connors still couldn't believe the fact that he had a place, and more importantly, would play a role in the Electrumite Executive on this fabled table. The dark brown wood was covered by the shiny gleam of the lacquer. Monumental coalitions had been forged in this room, former Prime Ministers laid out their orders in this room, and countless arguments were made in this room. Jim Connors had his own argument to make in his room. Long branded (and some say they are) as a racist party, he was the leader of the Electrum Nationalist Party, a right wing party firmly against immigration, especially from North of the border and for patriotism. He was an old white man, white hair and was well known for wearing a cowboy hat. He always looked sprightly as ever.

Jim is a mainstay of Electrumite politics. Once a member of the Conservatives along side his deputy Alan Rickuss, they both resigned just over fifteen years ago, upset at the fact that they were taking the rural areas for granted whilst the larger, city-based seats got all the attention, they quit the party and made their own, slowly accumulating more far-right tendencies, and an anti-immigration stance. For a while, it was just two of them in Parliament, but after the bumper election last time, which saw all of the seats up for election, instead of staggered halves as per usual, they had gained a sizeable delegation. With the newly passed referendum, that bumper election gained them a seat on the cabinet table.

There were thirty people in the cabinet, but on this non-sitting day, he had invited only a few people for a small luncheon, leaders of some of the other parties he wanted to woo. They leaders, one-by-one, slowly shuffled into the room. They all sat on one end of the table, Jim on one side, next to him was Country Living leader Laina Li, and across from him were Michael Lynton (Compassionate Workers) and Daniel Waters (Family Principles). Laina Li piped up first, 'Alright Jim. What do you want this time?' Straight to the point. Laina was always like that, a direct lady who wouldn't take bullshit from anyone. Jim laughed and said, 'Please, this is just a light lunch. Perhaps we'll discuss after we eat."

They chowed down on the soup and sandwiches which were already placed on the table. Their stomachs fully satiated, Jim cleared his throat. Daniel then said, 'Alright, I think we better hear him talk. You can feel he's about to word vomit everywhere. Jim?'

Jim Connors - Okay. So we conducted our own polling North of the border recently.

Michael Lynton - Why on earth would you do that?

Jim Connors - Let me finish. We contacted a polling firm and asked them to compile our own report on what the perceptions of their nascent Population Density Act. You know, the one that removes the restrictions of movement in Eura, and would see unfettered movement of those ... cockroaches ... south of the border. There's pretty high approval rating. We must stop them from ruining our way of life.

Laina Li - And how do you propose we do that? Please don't say you're going to build that --

Jim Connors - A wall.

Daniel Waters - You're kidding me. Is that why you asked us to come here? To get our cabinet support for the wall? Do you know what will happen if word gets out that we're doing this? Besides, all together we have what - 7 votes out of thirty? There's no way this will pass the cabinet discussions.

Michael Lynton - He's got a point.

Jim Connors - You haven't heard my plan yet. The quorum for cabinet is only twenty out of thirty. All we need to do is make as many people as possible incapable of coming to the cabinet during the normal meeting time so we have the numbers to pass the bill. We can also get the Surprise Party de facto on board, if we send that idiot Foreign Minister Sam Myers out of the country, so he won't be in the cabinet. That pulls us down to 29. I also know three disaffected Conservative members who are willing to overthrow Nick Wood, their leader. So we'd be up to 10. Also, we make people pay money if they want to immigrate here, set it some BS high amount so no one can get in. That's the libertarians on board, we're up to 12. Now here's the master plan: We make up some bullshit event and invite those Centrists and Labour members. If we get at least 6 more out of the way, it would be 12 against 11 and our policy would pass.

Laina Li - What the fuck. How on earth did you think of this plan.

Daniel Waters - We'd obviously have to be all in on this right? There's no way we can gain votes off of this. Those left wing bastards will tear us a new one.

Laina Li - Until we get more public support, I don't think I can support it yet. Most of my seats are close to the border with a large Eura population. We will be crushed if you pass this bill.

Michael Lynton - I reckon I can get my union workers on board. They're always complaining about foreigners taking their jobs anyways.

Jim Connors - So that's one out of three. If you guys promise to keep this on a down low, I promise to get you what you want: Popular support. And I will deliver.

Jim Connors stood up, thanked the party leaders for partaking in the luncheon with him and walked back to his chambers. On the way his phone buzzed -- Tumbra hooligans were arrested, and as Minister for Immigration, he had to sign the papers to deport them as soon as possible. Those filthy Tumbrans and their ultras, messing up the Olympic Stadium. Us Electrumites would never, ever devolve into hooliganism and rampant rioting. That was the problem with other countries. They just weren't civilised enough.

The pieces were slowly falling into place, but he just needed that catalyst to really get public opinion on his side for the wall. Once that would happen, all hell would break loose.

[Eshan]

Bye days are always boring, sitting and waiting, hoping the other teams playing fluff it so we don't have too much of a task on our hands when the team gets back to business. Unfortunately, absolutely nothing went our way yesterday so now we're stuck playing the 'catch up and hope other teams falter because we're three points behind 3rd, 4 behind 2nd although we do have a game in hand' game. Which turns out to be a pretty shitty game to have to play. Here we are, playing catch up. At least it's all going to be nail-biting intensity and nerve-wracking 90 minute games from here on out; there won't be a dull moment as we battle for our lives.

We did have match, an official friendly against our friends and developing rivals Ethane. At home in Rosaria, a backup team took to the field to get everyone some good international gametime. Indeed, the team that lost 1-nil to Ethane in this friendly was:

------------------AURÉLIAN------------------

-----TADEO-----GRATIZ-----LUC VILLAVIEW------CARSTENSEN

------ARISILDE-------MARTON------

--------DEANDRE---------

-----VAN CIAVATINNI-----DEX TEMPLE-----SILVIO----

It was a good viewing spectacle, a good light atmosphere to take our minds temporarily off the enormity of the looming match against Saintland and qualification overall. In the match against Ethane, we looked pretty sharp, lacked a real killer edge mind you, the team seemed content to play at maybe 70% but to be honest with you I don't have a problem with that. It's good to take your foot off the throttle and just kinda cost for 90 minutes.

Of course, we'll have to shake that off and be at 140% for the match against group leaders Saintland. This will be a tremendous task for the Echani team, Saintland has only gotten more menacing and in the killer mentality since we faced off in a 5-3 defeat on the third matchday. Revenge is the best motivator however, and you can bet that the team in white will be going out with a thirst to avenge our defeat and crawl us closer to qualification. Three points would be incredible, even a single point would be good. We need it if we are to have any hope of progressing at all, if we still realistically do.

---

Rosaria Times
Largest Government Purchase Ever Completed by Department of Defense

Reports first surfaced over two and a half years ago of a change in attitude from the Echani government. For most of our history, we have been a quiet, proud, peaceful people. We have never been to war, never competed in combat, always prioritized the growth of our nation into a global economic superpower. We've placed our attention on developing civil and political freedoms, making Eshan a place where everyone has a voice, any citizen can live life as freely as possibly without removing any sort of governmental oversight.

Now that we're a member of the real world, a powerful country with a GDP approaching a staggering $45 trillion. And yet despite all of this, despite years of unprecedented growth we've remained on the periphery of global affairs, we haven't had so much as a 100,000 man army to protect ourselves, our glorious nation, our beautiful people. All of that is changing.

In a record-book shattering deal, the Royal Federal Republic of Eshan has purchased equipment, designs, and facilities from Halcyon Arms to the tune of roughly $945 billion. Nine hundred and forty-five billion, six hundred forty-seven million dollars. That is an absolutely absurd amount of money, yet it will serve to enhance Eshan by magnitudes. Simply by signing a check we have moved from a economic powerhouse yet relatively powerless nation to a very capable country armed with some of the most high-tech, effective weaponry produced in the world. The people of Eshan are now equipped to defend ourselves against anything the world might through at us.

Of course, simply having weaponry isn't enough to make a nation great, the warriors must also be trained and able to fight as a professional unit. At first details emerged that we had only purchased weaponry, but now reports from the Department of Defense state that we have also purchased several factories and training facilities so we can increase our defense industry and provide highly-trained soldiers for a new age of Echani superiority.

It is some level of worrying that this historical purchase comes during a period of general unrest amongst Echani, especially on the perimeter island where talks of seperatism are gaining traction in a rapid way. President Richard Porras has assured a curious nation that this weapon systems purchase was not in response to these talks, or any single specific reason. Rather, it was the culmination of years of effort and would usher in a new age of peace and prosperity for the nation, a chance for use to elevate to a Golden Age of learning and understanding.

[Schottia]

CMB

Part seven

'So Gary, how have things been since we last spoke?' Dr Elena Durí asked, crossing her legs and flipping open the cover of her iPad. 'Is there anything you feel you'd like to go over?'

The sessions had been helping, there was to doubt about it, and Gary Corsie was grateful to the SFA for all their assistance in helping him get over his issues. He didn't find the idea of laying all his problems out on the table difficult in the slightest; in fact he always quite enjoyed it. While he had been at the Port Sebastian youth academy, he had called up the Schottic Student Night-line for fun a lot of the time, just to get things of his chest. There had even been one incident where he suspected that the phone operator had pretended to be cut off, just so she wouldn't have to listen to him anymore. The joke was on her however, as he had called straight back. He looked forward to the chats with Dr Durí, which were before and after each home fixture with the national team. He was also allowed to call her if he ever needed advice while he was playing in Nephara, and this was of course and offer he routinely took her up on.

'Ach... hmmm...' Gary shifted nervously in his seat. 'You know me Elena, I don't really like to grumble...' He exhaled, and placed his palm theatrically on face.

'Gary; that is my job.' Dr Durí smiled over at him kindly. 'Remember how we discussed you bottling things up might have been what led to the incident last autumn?'

Gary closed his eye and nodded slowly as he sat forward, now milking the situation for all that it was worth. 'You're right Elena.' Dr Durí had insisted on first name terms. 'Sometimes things can just be difficult to... You know, it is rather tricky to repeat something even in a safe space like this, when it is something of a sensitive nature.' Gary leaned over placing his elbows on his knees and his face in his capped hands. 'It's just difficult when the implications are so serious.'

'Well Gary, I would encourage you not to, if the idea of sharing this secret is causing you such anxiety.' Dr Durí began, looking concerned. 'You know, there is also honour in keeping a secret. Doing so may even help you to...'

'No it's okay, it's okay.' Gary sat up straight, not letting her get ahead of herself. He reached for a glass of water from the table draining it in one gulp and filling another. 'I can tell you anything Elena, you are like a doctor to me...' They both laughed half-heartedly at his weak joke. 'Besides, it is more the case that I overheard something, as opposed to being told it directly.'

'Okay.' Dr Durí sat forward, narrowing her eyebrows, but trying to hide the fact that she was herself a little curious. 'Whenever you're ready Gary, just tell me as much, or as little as you feel you'd like to divulge.' She was a nosy bitch at heart - Gary had worked this out early on, and he was banking on being able to exploit it.

Gary inhaled with a loud gasp, and slowly released it. 'Well... just before our last match, I was... walking back to the hotel and I heard something I obviously wasn't meant to overhear.' He rubbed his hands over the back of his neck, trying to create the illusion that he was having a crisis of conscience. 'And I heard another team member say something, which I found deeply worrying. But I'm really not sure if I should say anything. I mean this is really bad; what I heard is really, really bad.'

'Tell me! I mean, Gary. If it helps you to heal, you need to consider getting it off your chest.' Dr Durí lifted a mug of coffee to her lips in anticipation.

'You're right Elena.' He smiled weakly. 'You're always right... It was young Connie, Corinne Martel-Burns. I think she was talking to one of her Quebecois friends on the phone - or at least that's what it sounded like to me. I was outside the stadium taking a little air, and obviously she was oblivious to the fact that I was there.' He took another large drink of water before continuing. 'She said.... Oh my God I'm still not sure I'm doing the right thing, but here goes. She said that she was going to get herself deliberately sent of in the next match. She said that she had had enough of Jane Gullie telling her how to play football, and that she was going to, and I quote: "Do a Conavacio." But I don't really know what that means. She said she was going to do it just to spite the manager.'

'Is that what you wanted to tell me Gary?' Dr Durí asked. 'Does it feel better to get it off your chest?' She glanced up at the clock on the wall.

'There is a bit more I wanted to cover, some more... lets just call it gossip, who is sleeping with whom etc.' He reached for the water jug, but noticed it was empty. 'Oh... eh. I don't suppose it would be possible to have a little more water do you?' He held the jug aloft, looking a bit sheepish. 'It's only that my throat is a little gruff today.'

Dr Durí was on her feet quickly, carrying the jug to the sink. 'No problem, but just keep talking, we don't have much longer in this session.' She was getting worried now, she was going to be in danger of not getting her dose of celebrity gossip - a pack of lies Gary had been drip-feeding her for weeks. She jogged over to the sink in her high heels, only to find that there was a problem.

'What’s the matter Elena, is the water off?' Gary asked biting his bottom lip, shifting nervously in his chair.

'It... Seems... To... Be...' She replied, twisting and pulling at the handle, but to no avail. 'I’m really not sure why it's broken.' She was getting flustered now.

'Don't worry about it, just try the water fountain at the end of the hall, it's not connected to the mains water supply, it runs off a tank.' He offered helpfully. 'I can even go if you like?'

Dr Durí pondered over this for a second, she really wasn't supposed to leave a patient half way through an appointment. 'No it's fine, its just at the end of the hallway, I'll be two seconds.' Quickly as she could she shuffled past him and out the door.

Quick as a flash, Gary ran the length of the room and turned the valve under the sink back on, checking that it was working again. The fact that she always left him alone in the room at the start of the appointment for a few seconds had made this a lot easier. Gary had noticed the potential for this scheme months ago, and had been waiting for the right time to put it onto practice. The whole thing had only been made possible by the fact that the two envelopes pertaining to this meeting - the one which went to Jane Gullie, and the one that was added to his file in the locked filing cabinet - were exactly the same colour. One lay face down on desk in the corner of the room, sat beside the printer, waiting to receive Dr Durí's notes. The other envelope, he was pretty sure, was in an unlocked drawer of her desk, with the Schottia managers name and address (hopfully) already stuck on the front.

The full transcripts of their meeting of course went into the locked filing cabinet at the end of the appointment, and were fully confidential. While an abridged version (simply letting everyone know that Gary was fine) when to his manager.

Before returning to his seat, he quickly located the envelope with the correct date and switched them round. He knew that once they were full, and had been sealed, that they would be distinguishable only by the labels on the front. Gary was fairly sure, that she didn't check the front of the first envelope on her desk, after she attached the label at the start of the appointment. He was also banking, heavily, on the fact that she would quickly double check which had the Schottia manager's address on the front before handing it to the secretary to be posted; and the secretary would come back to her if Dr Durí handed her the confidential files. The whole thing seemed a bit farfetched, but he had been through it a thousand times in his head, he was pretty sure it would work. Worst case, Dr Durí would just think she had been careless, there was no chance whatsoever that it could fall back on him.

Of course he had overheard no such conversation between Connie and the supposed caller, but the truth was, there was no chance of his honesty being put to the test. Gullie would "accidently" receive the supposedly confidential documents, then put them back in the envelope informing Dr Durí's practice of the mistake, while ensuring them than she had stopped reading as soon as she had she had noticed what it was. But Gullie couldn't unread what she read, and there was no way she would be picking that little snake in the grass Connie, after believing that she was going to sabotage a match. Since Gary had found out that Leonardo Conavacio was apparently after him, he had been on his guard around Connie. That incident with the throwing up at the end of the United States of Saints match had been the final straw, and he knew he had to carryout a pre-emptive strike.

Did he feel good about this deception? No. Was he going to lose any sleep over it? Ooooh yes! But did he have any second thoughts? Not one.

[The Royal Kingdom of Quebec]

OOC : Just a short one to wrap up Part V of Leonardo. Part VI will be lot longer and detailed since it's an important RP for all who've been reading Leonardo series.

Part V - 2/2

Leonardo, Part V - 2/2

"Okay, so what you're saying is that you're telling me to do what you would never consider?" Leonardo said as he looked at Xavier Hertel in a very suspicious way. He couldn't believe what his friend was saying; neither of them were that inclined towards living a committed, careful life. Xavier's the reigning Quebecois playboy of the year for 3rd straight year, dating a Jeruselemite princess of all peoples, while Leonardo Conavacio's the one who began the tradition of getting ejected in so called Quebecois fashion: wild, middle-fingering fashion of embellishment and taunting that more than not was practiced by many Quebecois footballers nowadays. Hearing the words of marriage was just weird as hell, man, and Leonardo was simply surprised as his friend's advice.

"It's not easy for me to say it right now, but yes-"

"Wait what? Are you really saying that I should get-"

"You know," Xavier said to Leonardo in a serious tone that people instantly could figure it out when hearing it. "You have better chances of at least converting your career and life a little bit better. As you could see, I've never settled anywhere really." Xavier sighed, pointing to his days in FC Fontvielle and then his current time in CD FAS. "I always was, and still am, the first one to fool around- whether inside or outside doesn't matter because you know why. I am not for such lifestyle, the one of being a hero and an admirable idol. That's boring, you know? Because of that I know I'll never end up getting married, have legitimate kids or even have a family if wished.

"But you ain't that, Leo." Xavier opened his eyes. They were lighting up like his friend's firestorm aimed at you-know-who. "You, unlike Hazel or me, have one person you care a lot and a baby. Jesus christ, A BABY. You lucky bastard....."

"Not my fault that it just happened, so, quickly....." Leonardo sighed, his eyes still tight shut. He knew it was kinda his fault- their love-making modes didn't really falter nor change, and he knew it was bound to happen after one of those nights. It's just that he didn't see it coming sooner than later because remember kids, he's still Conavacio.

"I know, I know," Xavier laughed it off. He then offered Leonardo a cannabis tea, which the latter obviously accepted. "On the positive note, you now have a family. Congratulations! Now you have a reason to live more like Fortin and stay on top. It means not staying in nightclubs all the time, maybe going home more often and watching the world pass by in a much slower, gentler way of things. You can't miss out on this window of marriage."

"So......" Leonardo stared into the ceiling of Xavier's quantum tower. The October sky in San Salvador was as beautiful as it could've been; the stars were shining around them in every direction possible and he felt that stars maybe were right in telling him to calm down and settle into a new life. Before that he was unsure about settling in, but now he's sure that he's made the right decision. Maybe some things are meant to be.

"That's correct. Remember though, once you're in it. You're in for good. Don't make a premature judgment like me and Alexia, only to get divorced later," Xavier warned to Leonardo, making sure about this part first and foremost. Xavier knew very well on what had happened with his friend's now-pregnant girlfriend and Gary Corsie. While he didn't really have any personal grudge against the Schottian international, he also felt that the midfielder didn't really do a good job in clearing relations up and didn't want Leonardo to hurt the person twice. One divorce proceedings was painful enough, so watching that happen to a pal would suck. "You're in for once and good, and you'll never, ever cheat on her. Or else I might have to get my AK47 and gun you down. Understood?"

"Always," said Leonardo.

[Port Christopher]

East Vormsi 0-4 Port Christopher
Goals: 18" Ross, 26" 83" Bandos (pen), 50" Uist - Port Christopher
Line up: Laxium, Anderiz, Gonclaves, R.Wessel, Nazario-Silva, Neil (45-Maitfield), Del Arro, Bandos, Rivera, M.Wessel, Jameson (45-Uist)

Port Christopher had a week off from World Cup Qualifiers, taking a break from the tense battle that is Group Four. Jim Reid was keen however, to keep the momentum going as they travelled to the tiny nation of East Vormsi in Tyran for a friendly match. East Vormsi have only actually ever won four matches in their history, so as the two Schottic territories faced of for the first time in eight year, there wouldn't have really been much of an upset on the cards. That said, the Puffins' results have been improving a little of late, and they now have at least eleven professional players when at full strength.

East Vormsi lined up with two or three familiar names on the team-sheet, with Port Sebastian's Kaija Koppel, Nial Fiersen of Augustineopel Saints and Rino Hemnes, a reserve at FC Jansberg. Lining up against them, Port Christopher went with a more or less full strength side.

Being the home team, the Puffins' did their best to take the match to their WCC ranked opposition early on, looking to use the pace of Koppel whereever they could. Port Christopher look a very different side these days however, and they stood up to the threat reasonably well. In fact, it didn't take long for the visitors to break the deadlock, much to the frustration of East Vormsi, who had worked their socks off in the early stages. Samaj winger Rachel Del Arrow did the damage, rampaging down the left flank, riding the challenge of Aiga Ruutu, before playing the ball into the path of Ross Jameson. The New Dundee Star striker showed great composure in tapping the ball home under Ted Kolehmainen in the Puffin gaols.

Port Christopher had a second just before half time, on this occasion it was captain Diego Bandon who got himself on the score sheet, with a well taken goal. Eliza Rivera played a clever pass down the right flank, releasing Blue Coast midfielder Aredhel Neil. The 26-year-old then took her time before cutting the ball back to the onrushing Bandos, for the Lexington Victory man to slam in from 25-yards out.

It wasn't necessarily their best performance, and after World Cup matches against the likes of Abahnfleft, and Nova Anglicana, playing in front of a crowd of three thousand must have been a little surreal. However, Port Christopher didn't have to be at their best to inflict damage, and on the fifty-seventh minute they struck again, this time through substitute Tony Uist. Eliza Rivera, picking the ball up deep inside her own half, played a fantastic through ball for the striker, who was on it like a flash, rounding the keeper to score his side's third. By this stage the East Vormsi threat was all but gone, their only real opportunities arising whenever Koppel had time to run with the ball, even if they were few and far between. With things all but sewn up, the visitors had the final say, after Dietmar Koenig was upended in the box, allowing Bandos to score his second from the penalty spot.

There was only really ever one team in this game, and it will have been more of a fitness exercise for Port Christopher than anything else. However, there is no doubt that a win and four goals will give them a bit of belief ahead of much tougher fixtures, which mean a lot more.

[Northern Sunrise Islands]

OOC: Might be a bit of a bloody episode, hope y'all don't mind.

"I think we did a terrible thing." Vophybia stated, sat by the side of Andy as she tried to read a book. "Nana might've gone insane."
"A bit, I guess." Andy said, her eyes on the Oftalmology book. "You probably should be proud, turning a deadly ninja into a crazed fangirl of sorts."
"She kept saying "I want Noah" the entire time. Hardly the team's member we wished she'd be." The witch sighed, crossing her arms. "Shouldn't you at least look at me while we're talking?"
"Relax, Vophy." The nurse kept reading the book. "Either way, you're able to make an antidote or that thing will eventually get better."
"It's not as easy as it seems, Andy." She shook her head. "One touch of something and things might go wrong pretty quickly."
"Like?" Andy kept reading, scribbling something on the book.
"Making her go fully insane." She sighed. "Even more than how she currently is."
"Might be a bit dangerous then?"
"A crazy ninja. Yep, pretty sure it is." Vophybia replied.
Andy dropped the book with a pretty uninterested sight. "Dear me."

Star's hideout was active as the boss had finally received news of Marcella. The woman, smelly from falling on trash and staying there for at least six hours and then having to take a two hour shower just to be tolerable. And then a day just to have face to talk with the boss about her embarassment.
"Well, well." Star said, staring at Marcella, who once again failed at her assignment. "Vous remain rather incompetent, je see."
"I-I-I tried!" She replied, using as much perfume as she could to hide the stink. "But that boy you sent me to catch was too much! He sent a bunch of birds after me, I couldn't get to him!"
"Well of course the garçon was powerful!" The boss yelled, standing up from his throne. "DOES IT LOOK LIKE JE WOULD WANT A WEAK GARÇON? VOUS IDIOT! DOES IT LOOK LIKE JE SUIS A CHEAP KIDNAPPER?"
"I didn-"
"OF COURSE, VOUS DIDN'T KNOW!" He returned to his position, angry. "Alas, je suis complacent. Je will give vous another chance to make good on the gang."
"Please, please!" She jumped twice, smiling. "Anything, boss!"
"Alex's temper got him on jail. Je needs vous to release him from there before they try to... uh... clean his brain. Oui?"
"S-sir, but these jails are too prot-"
"Je believe on your skills, even if vous are still an idiot." He nodded, waving her away. "Now go, don't disappoint moi."

A girl sobbed sitting on a park bench as the night came.
Nana's last days had disrupted into something legitimately weird.
Her mind had descended on madness out of love for a boy out of no reason whatsoever.
She simply couldn't help it, her mind had gone beserk out of the idea of being in his arms.
Maybe it was just madness. Who knows? She clearly didn't. She only sobbed. Sobbed miserably. Sobbed at his rejection.
But... wait a minute. He didn't say No. He said he needed space.
Space it was! Surely he knew she was the one.
She had to be the one. She wouldn't stop before being the one.
She had to be the one.

CHAPTER XVIII - MADNESS

She stumbled across the streets, her ninja garb a mess, revealing a bit of her face, a dagger in hands. The dagger she used on that very cake that had to bring him to her side fully.
People simply looked at her, tempting any response, letting her be as she kept on.
For some reason, she'd stop every now and then, almost all reflections on the street showing his smiling face.
She knew Noah'd be back to her side. Almost fully certain.

"FREEZE!" yelled officer Joe Marshall as Alex and Marcella dashed through the tight streets of Mardi, fleeing from the police.
"Couldn't you've bring a GODDAMN gun?" Alex yelled to the girl, running as fast as she could.
"I tried but boss didn't let me hold a gun!" She yelled back, sliding across a puddle, catching up speed while fleeing from the cop.
"Stop doing stupid things!" The officer kept hot on their tracks, jumping over a stopped car and still managing to hit the ground and continue on his way. "You won't get away from me!"
The two continued as quick as they could, before the two split. Alex and the cop followed to one street while Marcella tumbled to another one, fleeing from the officer but also missing the guy she was supposed to free.

She could swear she saw Noah right there. Dark-hair, a green arm, cold eyes...
And another one there, driving a car that stopped. Even if he fled after she tried to talk.
And a bunch of others on a bar, drinking. She didn't know Noah was a drinker, probably isn't even overage.
Shame they ignored her.
A slam. She stumbled up, finding... Vophybia?
Yes, that had to be Vophybia. She who stood on their way of happiness.
And here she thought she was her friend. That succubus.

"What's your problem, huh?" asked Marcella, slowly getting up from the slam. She couldn't figure out what was going on with that girl, a messed-up ninja suit, a dagger on her hand and an odd look on her face. "What is it, freak?"
The girl slowly walked towards the thug, who couldn't help but to slowly walk backwards, trying to avoid the supposed ninja's grasp. "U-uh... I've got a gun!"
"Y-Y-You will n-n-not stand in my way, V-V-Vophybia..."
"...I beg your pardon?" The girl stared at her, before protesting. "I'm the Queen of the Bandits, Marcella Tarusev and there's no-AH!"
A quick swift of the dagger almost cut Marcella, who barely dodged the move. Nana smiled. "D-Do not lie... Y-y-you witch!"
Marcella started to yell, fleeing as Nana kept trying to slash her.

Vophybia tumbled, Nana finally had the chance of doing justice.
Nana couldn't help but imagine for a quick second or two how joyous would it be with Noah.
No more worries about her being sidetracked.
No more worries about anyone stealing him from her hands.
Those hands that could almost have stolen her love.
Those eyes that might've possessed him before he could say yes.
That heart that only registered rage towards the eventual success of the duo.
Clearly not a member of a Neon Genesis Esportiva team.

Pieces of Marcella to all parts as a bloodied Nana laughed maniacally.
No longer would Vophybia stay on her way.
Now, where was Noah...

[Turori]

Location :: Almintora National Stadium is located in Almintora, Turori. Almintora is the capital city of the Island Emirate of Turori and has been the capital ever since the time of Turorian independance.

Capacity :: 79,000 (All Seated)

. . . .. . . .
Representation of the Almintora National Stadium
from a World Cup 17 programme showing the newly
renovated arena.

. . . .
. . . .

Stadium History :: The Almintora National Stadium served as the home of the Football Association of Turori and the Turori National team from their entrance onto the international competition scene prior to World Cup 15 until the Football Association relocated their headquarters to the purpose built Eels Park community in Eelandii, Turori.

The Almintora National Stadium was originally constructed as a 45,000 seat stadium for use by the National Team during World Cup 15 and World Cup 16 qualification. However, when it became evident that Turori's nearby neighbors, the Tropics of Vilita, were being considered as the potential hosts of World Cup 17, the Football Association of Turori strategically aligned itself with their former colonial lands in order to ensure that of the 8 stadia selected for the World Cup Finals, one would be from Turori. Naturally, the Almintora National Stadium was the stadium of choice and would serve as the first time the Island Emirate of Turori would open its doors to a major international event. With a lot on the line, the Turorian government partnered with the Football Association of Turori to increase the capacity of the Almintora National Stadium from 45,000 to 79,000 in time for the World Cup 17 finals.

The move was proven even more fruitful when the Turori Eels themselves qualified for the World Cup 17 finals, the first finals appearance for Turori, and were able to play each of their group stage matches at their home stadium.

With the success of hosting one group of the World Cup 17 finals at the Almintora National Stadium, Turori had put itself on the map. Soon after it would be announced that the Island Emirate of Turori would host World Cup 19 in a joint bid with The Belmore Family. Naturally, the crown jewel of Turorian stadiums, the Almintora National would ultimately host the World Cup Final - the single most prestigious match in the multiverse.

Unfortunately for the Almintora National Stadium, hosting the World Cup 19 final was something of a 'peak' over the course of the stadiums lifespan. Co-sharing the arena between the Turori National Team and Turorian domestic side FC Almintora accelerated the wear, tear and aging within the facility. To make matters worse, the mediocre performance of FC Almintora in the domestic league meant that incentive to invest in further rennovation of the arena was minimal. The stadium would still be chosen to host the final of the 26th Cup of Harmony, but even by that time the Cednia Beach Center in Cednia had started to become the premier sporting facility on the Island. In fact, even the Cup of Harmony 26 final was originally awarded to the newly built Coliseum of the Inurahtii in the Inura Forest, however, the Safety & Health Initiative of Turori determined that the site would not be ready in time to host spectators, with the Final site being retroactively chosen as the Almintora National Stadium due to its experience having hosted the World Cup 19 final.

Despite having been supplanted as Turori's international stadium of choice, the Almintora National Stadium has accrued one honor that no other stadium in Turori - or in Vilita, can lay claim. Almintora National Stadium is the only stadium in Vilita & Turori to have been selected as a host site for the UICA Globe Cup, having been home to the 55th Globe Cup final.

Primary Tenants :: FC Almintora currently compete in the Tropicorp Lower League of the Vilitan football pyramid.



The Turori National Team continue to play occasional matches at the arena during World Cup Qualifying due to the arenas central location in Almintora, the capital city of Turori.


Notable Events ::
World Cup 19 Final
Audioslavia 0 - 1 Crystilakere

Cup of Harmony 26 Final
Bostopia 3 - 3 Kiryu-shi [AET]
Bostopia win 2-1 on Penalty Kicks

Globe Cup 55 Final
Fontvielle Impact (VLD) 1 – 1 Magnaeus City (TCU) [AET]
Fontvielle Impact win 5-4 on Penalty Kicks

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