Independent Associations Championship 25 EVERYTHING THREAD

[Natkr]

The Power of Two² - Part 1

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produced by ReemSports

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The intensity at the Apex Eagles stadium was huge and crazy, a great force of sound that met both of them as they came right out of the tunnel. For most of the players, the noise was kind of intimidating, a chaotic force that seemed to just never leave them alone. But for Benjamin Devonshire and Christopher Fairfax, walking outside-by-side like friends as they had done countless times before, it was nothing. The noise was simply background music for them. Their world came right onto the pitch, and the frequency with which they both shared together as a defender-partnership. They were the central defensive walls of their hometown Apex Eagles FC, and in the minds of the fanbase, they were undefeatable.

Benjamin Devonshire was the hammer of the partnership. He was jacked. Standing at the height of six-foot-four with shoulders just like my mother's beautiful pasta made right at home, he was the classic old-school tall defender. He loved a good physical battle, which was his specialty. In any single aerial duel, he could always seem to hang in the air seconds longer than anyone else. Not to mention, he was an excellent defender. The special tackles he would make that would always seem to make every striker he ever played against. He put intensity into everything. He wore his heart out every game. He was a vocal leader on the defense and on his teammates.

Christopher Fairfax was the seal to Benjamin’s hammer. The peanut better to his jelly. Pretty bunch of leaners, trickly and quick, and having a high football intelligence that he used in every single defensive battle, Chris was the modern -day ball-playing defender. He never needed to even slide tackle because he had already read the pass that was sent three seconds before it was made, stepping in with elegance to easily intercept the ball. When he had the ball; the players all seemed to chill and slow down; he saw premature passing lanes for midfielders to thrive in, starting great attacks from deep in the pitch with authority.

Together, they formed something greater than each of their positions and abilities. Critics called them "The Power of Two," defensive masterminds with absolutely zero weaknesses. No mercy shown to their opponents. If a striker tried to overpower or defeat Chris, Ben would arrive like a bullet to easily shut down the striker. If a speedy winger on the left tried to beat Ben for speed, Chris would already be covering the space in between, taking care of all the danger before anything between it could materialize. It wasn't any single communication between them; it was an automatic understanding set between them from a decade ago.

Their story didn't begin with them meeting each other during transfers to Apex Eagles or at the stadium. It started on the muddy fields of the Apex Eagles academy complex, where hundreds of Apex City academy boys with dreams arrived every year, each of them believing they were the next big player and could make the first team. Ten years before, Ben and Chris were just two of those boys in the academy, and at first, they couldn't have been more different.

In the under-14s, Ben was already a giant, relying almost entirely on his huge strength to dominate each of his games, but he was often clumsy with the ball at his feet. Chris, meanwhile, was so painfully short, a technical and smart defender who got bullied off the ball constantly because he hadn't hit his growth spurt yet. They looked at each other with jealousy and rudeness; Benjamin thought Christopher was too soft to play professional football, and Chris thought Ben was just a huge Bigfoot player with zero tactical brilliance.

Luck, in the form of their youth coach, Mr. John Henderson, decided to intervene within them. Tired of his defense always conceding and being open, he put the two polar opposites together as center backs during a youth cup match against Azure Cove's youth academy. The first twenty minutes of their partnerships was absolutely horrible, a movie of mistakes and errors as they both got in each other's way, arguing constantly about what the other was doing as they now went 2-0 down.

Then came the moment that changed their partnership. It changed their life. An Azure Cove striker broke free in the middle, about to score the third for his team that night. Ben, who was driven by pure flow state in his head, threw his body across the field in a spectacular last-sliding block right in front of the striker. The ball rocketed off his shin, spinning wackily towards the touchlines. Before it could go out, Christopher sprinted down there with all his might, killed the ball dead right there with an excellent touch, turned away from the sides of the pitch, and played a 40-yard diagonal pass that finally set up the Apex Eagles' first goal of the night.

In that split moment of the game, they saw it. Ben saw the value of Chris's speed and intelligence that turned an close out-of-bounds ball into a quick counter-attack. Christopher saw the value of Ben's strength and courage on the field that kept them in the game. They took a short look at each other as they jogged back to the center line, showing a short moment of respect for each other that hadn't existed minutes before. They actually ended up winning that match 3-2, and from that cold night on, Coach Henderson never separated the two center-backs apart again.

[Dhemixia]

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The Columbus Dominion(Est.1873)
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Sins of Our Forefathers, II

It seems that coming to terms with why the Serpents have lost all of those knockout games and applying the lessons learned from them leads to results. Their Round of 32 win against Calgasia is much more than just a nation-first. It's the first time Dhemixia has won a knockout in football, but it represents a spiritual righting of the wrongs that led them to be on the wrong side of Maggie for all of those tournaments.

Most supporters will take their ball and go home at this point. They got what they came here for, and don't want to further condemn their hubris of tournaments' past. A small few will continue that reconciliation. Only Bolton knows whether or not Margaret will have mercy a second time.

IAC 23
Expectations

Seemingly everywhere Dhemixia goes, chaos follows.

The jury is still out on whether that has anything to do with Marvin Bolton and if Margaret continued attempting to speak with him, but it's undeniably clear to see as a pattern.

At the time, nobody had ever seen a loss as bad as the one suffered against Omerica in CoH 90. Letting up six goals was hardly fathomable at that stage, regardless of the fact they'd only played 30 matches prior, but going down 6-0 was practically unthinkable for any bystanders blissfully unaware of the events that transpired as they were happening. To that point, 10 combined goals was the most the FA would see in a game, and letting in 6 would only be tied by the loss to who else but Calgasia in IAC 22. Point being, nobody in Dhemixia truly understood how irrelevant they were in the grand scheme of things at that point in time, and to some extent, they still don't. 10 goals remains the record high in a single match.

As previously harped on, Omerica and Drawkland, the two antagonists in CoH 90, would go on to be bested by the great equalizer and eventual winner of that tournament, Reçueçn.

The next time multiversal football rolled around in IAC 23, the Dhemixians found themselves in a similar situation to the competition before. The only change? IAC 23 was hosted in Reçueçn. Nobody truly expected much in their first cycle, but after such a positive ending to the 98th, fans kind of assumed they could keep that momentum rolling into the 99th. No one knew for sure, but a lot of supporters presumed the squad was good enough to get past the Round of 16, and as such, expected the Serpents would in that IAC.

Enter the final MD, and the Serpents look all but buried in their group. Sure, the Dhemixians were sitting just above the cut line in second, but it would take a lot to actually get through. Indusse, just two points below, could pretty much coast to an easy victory against the bottom-table United States of Devonta. The Dhemixians, however, would have to at the very least steal a point away from the Pot 1 team dominating the rest of the group. They hadn't dropped a point yet through three games, and in all honesty, looked poised to continue that trend for a fourth.

You may be wondering who exactly could be this dominant and this prominent in a story not even about them and not even be mentioned by name.

I think you know the answer to that question.

Filled with protesting supporters threatening the fabric of the tournament itself, clinched to the Round of 16 and all, the Dhemixians would have to walk into Stade National on the final MD and somehow not lose against the hosts themselves, Reçueçn.

On paper, the Dhemixians were utterly outclassed by the hosts, regardless of the protesting atmosphere. As Indusse got out to a 2-0 lead from two early goals, that scenario quickly fell apart. It became increasingly clear that the Serpents would have to do it themselves, and they'd need some form of divine intervention to even have a chance at doing that.

Divine intervention they asked, and divine intervention they found. In the 56th minute, who else but Marvin Bolton would go on to score the winner.

If that's not an act of Margaret, speaking to Bolton directly in that moment, then I do not know what is.

Somehow finding a way to win the group and advance to the Round of 16, this was essentially more of what the Dhemixian public expected to see. They saw that win as the Serpents "getting back on track" to what they thought was possible at the start of the cycle. Knowing the team was good enough to beat the hosts in their own backyard, practically the whole nation expected them to coast to an easy victory. For some supporters, it had gone beyond expectation: it had become celebration of what was to be. They didn't think it was going to happen, they knew it was going to happen.

The Dhemixians would lose 3-1 to Aphrilia.

Much like the competition before, the populace had learned yet another lesson.

Nobody expected the national team to win again. That was when the mistrust in leadership began, and that was when the fans stopped believing in the team.

Fast forward two cycles, and the Dhemixians have finally avenged the loss to Calgasia that continually haunted them in the Round of 32.

Their Round of 16 matchup? No one else but Reçueçn. Their manager? Who else but Marvin Bolton.

[Drawkland]

It was a rout. There was a great deal of beef between Drawkland and Abanhfleft in the other kind of football, but as far as soccer was concerned the two rival nations had only met once. That was an IAC-15 group match which Drawkland won 3-2. It's incredible to believe, but the only two nations to participate in every single IAC edition to date had only met a single time on the field. Fifty cycles of participation came to a head, and one of them was going to end that night.

The Kick Corps made sure it wasn't their run being stopped short. Even without Sarah Arrowsword there to help anchor the defense, Drawkland's national team kept Abanhfleft scoreless while putting four on the board: three being assists from Toni Dillan and two coming from the boot of Cece Benbow. It took a while for the train to get rolling, as the match was only 1-0 with a single Benbow goal to Drawkland's name at halftime.

Due to her status on the injured reserve, Sarah had to watch from above in the Kick Corps team box reserved at Millennium Dawn Stadium. Inside the box were mostly friends and family of other players, many of them related to newer members of the team who were taking advantage of the close proximity to Aphrilia to travel to the game. Sarah didn't talk much, and to make matters worse she couldn't even drink. If it weren't for the second-half spanking to send Drawkland to the Round of 16 against Crpostran, the night would've been a total loss.

That's what Sarah thought when she left the box at the end of the game, at least. Regardless of how the match went, her night was taking a turn for a worse directly afterwards. The concourse behind the boxes at Millennium Dawn was pretty barren. Due to the blowout, most Abanhfleft fans had left already and Drawkians were heading out for merrymaking. It felt eerily quiet, with only the faint echo of stadium noise muffled in the background. Sarah was heading towards the elevator at a pretty quick pace, but slowed down when she heard the footsteps of another person approaching.

The source of the footsteps appeared, and Sarah's heart almost stopped. She recognized the person right as she stopped in front of the elevator doors. It was none other than Iarocav, the head of the immortal Drawkionels who ruled Drawkland. He was often seen once or twice per tournament if a national team was performing well. His presence at a Round of 32 match was a little less ordinary. That also ignored that Sarah had a bit of an odd history with Iarocav, but that was nothing Iarocav knew about. Either way, it was all Sarah could do to put forth a poker face.

"Sarah Arrowsword? Is that you?" Iarocav started with a warm smile, but something seemed different about his eyes.

"Ah, yes, that's me. Good to see you, um, sir." Sarah inclined her head slightly. She still wasn't really sure of the decorum required when informally talking to a Drawkionel. She'd spent more than enough time with Ellzidan, but Ellzidan wasn't exactly the best source of decorum in any case.

"No need for formalities," Iarocav winked, forcing another skipped beat from Sarah. "We are, after all, peers."

"I guess we technically are," Sarah admitted. She was immortal too, even though she didn't really feel it yet (beyond her well-extended soccer career). Running out of small talk, Sarah just blurted what was already on her mind. "What are you doing here? Round of 32 seems a little early to be gracing us with your presence, huh?"

"I agree. I'll withhold a devious quip about how many playoff rounds we can even expect the Kick Corps to play in and simply say that I was in the neighborhood. Aphrilia is Sonnelian, after all!" Iarocav replied with a flourish that was undoubtedly sourced from hundreds of years of political smoothtalking.

"Right, right." Sarah nodded faintly. Before she could clamber for another small talk line, Iarocav spoke again.

"You know, it's quite a fortunate coincidence that you're here. I need to extend congratulations to you, of course!"

"For me-" Sarah repeated before Iarocav's glance hammered the meaning home. The baby. "Oh, yeah. Thank you, I guess. I don't really feel it emotionally yet."

"I see." Iarocav's smirk dropped for a moment. Sarah immediately felt like she could've handled that response with better tact. Iarocav raised his brows furtively. "Well, I'm sure this is no surprise to hear from me, but raising a child is one of life's greatest joys. I wish you success."

"Yeah, thanks." Sarah said again. She wasn't really ready for this sort of talk, and she was sure Iarocav was more than used to that, having so many kids Sarah didn't remember the exact number from her middle school Drawkian history class.

"I apologize if I'm being a tad ... blunt," Iarocav started again, "but I heard the father was also among our ranks. It was from a pretty reliable source."

"Y-y-y-yes," Sarah confirmed with a slow nod. That she certainly didn't expect, for multiple reasons. First and foremost, now she had to wonder which of her friends spilled the beans. Only a select few knew who the father was, and none of them had a direct 'line' to Iarocav. She supposed gossip would move quickly among the immortals with how tight some of their relationships were, at least. "He is."

"It is quite an interesting situation. I'm told you two aren't necessarily close, like one might expect." Iarocav raised his hands lightly. "Not that such a thing is forbidden. But it's certainly unique among immortals."

"It is?" Sarah cocked her head curiously. That didn't sound right, based on what she knew. "I'll admit I'm not completely plugged in to all the immortal circles but I've heard a fair amount of relationship gossip. Surely it's not that rare for two immortals-"

"To be 'friendly' outside of relationships? Of course not." Iarocav interrupted. Sarah's ears grated hearing the word 'friendly' like that. "However, out of the hundreds of those relationships over thousands of years, do you know how many have resulted in a child?"

"Um ... no." Sarah shrugged. She had a feeling this wasn't going in a good direction.

"It's more than zero. But not much more." Iarocav's gaze hardened. "The creator of our immortality knew that reproduction among immortals could easily get out of hand. Among all the other changes our bodies experience, fertility is slowed immensely to prevent that sort of catastrophe. When proceeding naturally, a single couple could experience thousands of years between pregnancy. There are ways around this, naturally. Certain rituals or incantations that can be performed."

"Thanks for the history lesson," Sarah said as lightly as she could. At the word 'incantation' she felt her stomach drop somewhere between her toes. The details weren't clear, but she was starting to understand what this conversation was about.

"I don't mean to bore you, of course." Iarocav softened his look, but he still seemed intent on something. "It's just that this is an extreme rarity to happen completely naturally. I thought it was interesting."

"Yeah." Sarah considered leaving it there, but Iarocav's eyes made it seem like he wouldn't be shaken off so easily. "To be incredibly honest, I don't remember much about the night that it happened. My - our - judgement may have been clouded."

"I see." Iarocav nodded slowly. He looked down at the floor for a moment, as if collecting himself. "Regardless, Sarah Arrowsword. You are now charged with a great task. The rearing of a single child is difficult but gratifying work. The rearing of an immortal child is that times a thousand. You recall the challenges we all faced in the maze."

Sarah nodded, even though the rhetorical question didn't seem like a question when Iarocav said it.

"Of course," Iarocav continued. "Among other things, the ordeal of the undying quest is meant as a test of character. Only those with exceptional willpower and mental fortitude can pass. And these traits can be passed on to their children as many traits are, but genetics is not foolproof. These children are given the gifts with none of the work -- an incredible example of privilege. You may know how ridiculous mortals can be when born and raised under utmost privilege."

Sarah nodded again. Over her career she'd met plenty of privileged teammates. Born into wealth, or even just born into a sane family. Sarah had about half of either, and she knew girls from worst situations than her. It was enough for her to recognize how spoiled someone can get.

"Again, the immortal child is granted riches beyond measure simply by existing. I would argue it's a worse challenge than anything you face in the maze." Iarocav's eyes bore directly into Sarah's, as if looking into her soul. "This is not an assignment which can be taken lightly. This is not one that can be given away. You, Sarah Arrowsword, must be prepared to do whatever it takes to ensure your child is raised correctly. There is no one path, or one result. The best laid plans can fail. But your heart must be dedicated to doing your best. Your actual best."

"Yes, sir." Sarah replied quietly. It wasn't necessarily meek, but it was far from imposing.

"You are not alone. For one, the father will be receiving a message not much different from this one." Iarocav smiled again, but this one felt a little more real. "And we at the Accords have many resources, including members whose lives aren't much different from the one you'll be bearing soon."

"Thanks." Sarah didn't know what else to say. She mostly wanted to get approximately three thousand miles away from the spot she was standing in.

As if on cue, the elevator dinged and the doors slid open to an empty car. Sarah looked over at the elevator, then back to Iarocav. Even though she desperately wanted to leave, she felt frozen to the floor.

"Take care, Sarah. We'll have more time to talk another time." Iarocav patted Sarah on the shoulder, then walked back down the concourse, as if going to a different box.

Sarah took the cue and rushed into the elevator, jamming the ground floor and close door buttons. As if this situation wasn't difficult enough! The pressure had just been cranked up a hundred times. So much for staying off the field helping her stress levels.

[HUElavia]

We're truly well into the Chase of the Independent Association Cup.
16 Teams will fall into 8 after tonight.
Will you continue to Catch the chance to lift the trophy or will you go home empty handed?

Round-of-16 Cutoff

Round-of-16 Results

HUElavia 0–0 Saterun (0–0 AET) (3–1 pen.)
(Aditya Varma Kulashekara International Stadium, New Hind City, Indusse)
Scorinated by Kordavia

Chromatika 1–1 Aphrilla (1–1 AET) (4–2 pen.)
(Stadium Strata, Telm City, Britonisea)

Nieuweland 1–1 Sudilia (1–1 AET) (2–0 pen.)
(Estadio Nacional, Curumba, HUElavia)
Scorinated by Kordavia

Crpostran 1–3 Drawkland
(Millennium Dawn Stadium, Darlingtown, Aphrilla)

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Natkr 4–1 The Osnari Federation
(Spartan Veteran Stadium, Sadeg, Drawkland)

Sel Appa 1–0 Choppyhausen
(Harald Kistner Memorial Stadium, Lysborg, Solgavden)

The Elder Lands 0–5 Edsmontik
(The Lithico™, SoccerLand, Taxhavn)

Dhemixia 1–4 Reçueçn
(Skyhold Dome, Skyhold, Natkr)


Quarter-Finals Matches

HUElavia vs Chromatika
(Olympic Stadium, Baseton, Free Republics)

Nieuweland vs Drawkland
(Spartan Veteran Stadium, Sadeg, Drawkland)

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Natkr vs Sel Appa
(Crpostair Arena, Crpostown, Crpostran)

Edsmontik vs Reçueçn
(The Lithico™, SoccerLand, Taxhavn)

[Nieuweland]

IAC 25 Round of 16
Nieuweland (NWL) 1-1 Sudilia (SDL)
(2-0 on penalties)
RIchardson (SDL) 61', Claasen (NWL) 89'

NieuweSport.net

PENALTIES MADE THE NIEUWISH FANS GO NUTS!


Nieuweland takes the kickoff in the first half, it starting out well, until in the second half... In 61', Richardson of Sudilia recieved a beautiful pass by Laprise, Richardson takes a shot and he scores 1-0! It was a heartbreak for the Nieuwish fans!

But fortunately in 89', Nieuweland's winger, Dirk Claasen outruns Sudilia's defenders and Claasen shoots with a finesse shot and GOAL! He responded to the Sudilians by scoring the equalizer, Nieuwish fans went relaxed, and the Sudilian fans went furious!

There goes a penalty shootout, it's a biggest chance for the Sky Blues, this is 50/50.

The score went nothing until Matthijs de Jong, the defender of the Sky Blues silences the Sudilian fans by scoring a decisive penalty, 1-0 but there's more, the last penalty taker, Vincent Bergwijn, another defender takes a panenka shot and then it went in 2-0!

Thanks to Thomas van der Bijl, because he never concedes in penalty shootouts! Marvelous performance!

And then it ended 1-1 (2-0 on penalties), the Sky Blues starts to get winning streaks, it's the best day ever for the Nieuwish fans!


(Note: The Starting XI for the next QF match will stay the same.)

[Natkr]

The Power of Two² - Part 2

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produced by ReemSports

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The years that followed in the academy were nothing but a grueling grind, as they both witnessed friends getting cut from the academy each and every year. The pressure made their connection with each other stronger. They became best friends. They became an unbreakable bond. They realized that to survive the cut of the academy, they needed to help each other cover for each other's weaknesses until those weaknesses became strengths. They worked to improve greatly.

They spent countless hours together on the pitch after practice was officially over. Chris would hit a bunch of balls at Benjamin to improve his touch on the ball and his control under pressure, refusing to let him stop until he could properly trap the ball perfectly ten times in a row. Benjamin, to get back at him, put Chris through very hard defensive physical drills in their gym sessions, pushing Chris to build the muscle mass he needed to play professionally in the Natkr Prime League, standing on top of him as he took a squat, pushing on him to do one more rep.

By the time they reached the Under-21 squad, they were a different breed of people. They moved in harmonization, with precision and elegance. They were a defensive line of two that operated with the same mind and the same mindset. When the time finally came later for their senior team debuts, it felt less like a surprise and more like an awakening for the boys. They broke into the Apex Eagles FC first team within about the same time as each other at the age of nineteen years old.

The first Natkr Prime League game, both starting and playing with each other, was an intense and fiery match against the league leaders at that time, CSKA City. The pace was very swift for what they were expecting, and the physicality was like any other thing they had thought of before. Yet, even with their early confusion and chaos during their team's relegation battle, they managed to find their form immediately. The rhythm of the other team never matters to them, because Benjamin and Chris together both managed to operate at the speed of sound. They secured a huge-needed clean sheet that day, a 0-0 draw that, for their team, felt like a massive victory.

Gradually over the next two seasons, they managed to set their legacy within themselves as undroppable from the lineup for the Apex Eagles. They both matured very quickly, facing the best attackers in Natkr every single weekend, learning the physicality of the professional game they played while maintaining the same clean partnership they shared ever since they were 14-year-olds. The media began to take notice, not just of how each of them was individually talented, but of the great chemistry between the boys that made the Apex Eagles FC defense one of the greatest in the league.

But even as they managed to top their domestic league, there was still a bigger dream for them all this time. It has been talked about since their early days playing together at the Apex Eagles academy. The Natkr national team. To play for their beloved country, and to wear the Green and Blue jersey was their ultimate dream, but their dream was different compared to many players: they didn't want to just play for Natkr; they wanted to play for Natkr together.

Their call-up for the national team finally came during an international break in November. They were at the Apex training complex, relaxing and chilling after a training session, when the set piece coach, Tim Shelling, walked onto the pitch with a paper in his hand, looking and calling out for them. The news was delivered quickly to them: they had both been selected for the upcoming Natkr friendlies against Woodsmere and Bulgar Rouge.

The emotion shared between them in the moment was nerve-wracking. It was hard work that paid off. It was work shown of every extra hour they spent in the gym, every rainy night spent playing and training each other right after practice, every sacrifice they had made for each other and their families. They didn't cheer; they just did their classic dap-up in a silent acknowledgment of what they had just accomplished. They had made it to the top of their mountain, and they had finished it together.

Arriving at the Natkr national team training camp in Nordhammer was crazy for them. Suddenly, they were now in the presence of the players they had both grown up idolizing and loving, players they both looked up to as they were growing up in the academy. The thankfulness and gratitude seemed to get in, the feeling that they realized that they were some stupid kids from Apex City who had gotten lucky with their dreams somehow. It was crazy.

But I mean, all they had to do was look across the room. Benjamin saw Chris quietly tying his cleats for the game, not caring about all the Natkrian superstars around him. Chris saw Benjamin joking with Ethan Carter in the background, already making friends on the national team and making his presence known. They loved each other. They grounded each other. As long as each other was there, they were both happy.

The night of their debut at Skyhold Dome, the stadium air felt just right this time, carrying the weight of the classic Green and Blue on their backs. No pressure. Standing in the tunnel waiting, wearing the new Natkr home kit for the first time, the value of this moment hit them swiftly. The Old Green and Blue anthem finally began, and they stood beside, neck-to-neck, shoulder-to-shoulder, singing the words they never thought they would be singing right at the national stadium.

As the players finally headed towards the pitch and the referee blew his whistle to begin the match, Benjamin Devonshire turned to his right. His best friend, Christopher Fairfax, turned to his left. They both gave themselves the same look they share in each game they play with each other, since they've shared the pitch since the Under-14 level ten years ago. The stage was bigger, the pressure was on, but their partnership still stayed the same. The game started. The Power of Two was ready for Woodsmere.

credits song (the perfect pair - guitar cover)

[Chromatika]

Paranoia isn't something that comes by naturally. It's usually a state of being someone arrives at because of circumstances that have befallen them. It's not comfortable - and it is very hard to get out of. There is no denying the fact that the general Chromatik populace is in a state of paranoia at the moment, and nobody can blame them at all.

Just look at where the country has been in the last hundred years. The Chromatik Party was in power, and there was a bit of hope when the Rainbow Revolution rose up. Franscesca Larriet-Cortes was martyred, and the Revolution succeeded. It looked like they had come out of the ashes whole, but then the Enlightened Ones from the Planes of Possibility showed up to reveal that the creation of Chromatika had been an act of a rebellious one of the Enlightened Ones.

They proceeded to have their first free election, Hélène Émbroise winning by the narrowest of margins. Halfway through her term, it was revealed that The Shadowed Ones had been controlling her, and the Chromatik Security Council had to take over. In the middle of their term, the Yesopalithan crisis caused the Abyssal Invasion and Occupation of the eastern half of Myana Island, and that was staved off. This was subsequently followed by the current crisis that Chromatika finds itself in - the translation/transposition in the pocket plane/dimension that they are in now.

Why was Chromatika so unlucky? Was it something of a cosmic nature? Why couldn't things that happen to other nations happen to them, instead? Were they cursed? Was there something that was causing it all?

This current conundrum that they find themselves in may give them the answer that they are looking for, as the scale seems to be higher than any of the problems that they have faced so far.

Chromatiks would love to return to a life of complaining about politics of following the current economic and fashion trends, of keeping up with the entertainment industry. To look at traveling abroad, to see what they can discover.

Will they finally be able to break free from this cycle?

Independent Associations Championship 25 Round of Sixteen: Chromatika 1-1 Aphrilia (1-1 AET) (4-2 pen.)
Goal: Karjalainen 88'
Penalties: Bittencourt O Holgersson X Heimdell O Shaefer O Karjalainen O
Starting XI: Swanson (C); Lehmann - Han Cunningham - Ataciara; Hauptmeijer - Lethbridge-Antonio - Lee - Panaś; Karjalainen; Jean-Baptiste - Baïe-Verte.
Substitutes: Holgersson -> Lethbridge-Antonio (53'), Shaefer -> Panaś (53'), Heimdell -> Jean-Baptiste (66'), Nana -> Ataciara (66'), Hrönn -> Han Cunningham (78'), Bittencourt -> Baïe-Verte (112')
Summary: Linnea Karjalainen sneaked in a free kick from range in the eighty-eighth minute, the Chromatik defense stood firm, and Jill Swanson proved her worth in penalty kicks as Chromatika defeated top-ranked Aphrilia to move to the Quarterfinals of the Independent Association Championships. The Aprhilians looked very much like the team that was ranked atop the rankings, with Kevin Lacey scoring in the seventeenth minute; Phillip Karnwell was in total control, and the Chromatiks looked lost. It was Karjalainen's shot from just outside the penalty box that moved the game into extra time, and Chromatika managed to hold firm. Then, Swanson stopped shots from Hannah Morgan-Keynes and Brent Wallace while Chromatika completed three of the first four. This left Karjalainen as the fifth kicker, and her shot was a perfect penalty, leaving Karnwell in the dust. Chromatika had taken the biggest scalp available in their inaugural tournament.

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Independent Associations Championship 25 Quarterfinals Chromatika vs. Aphrilia
Starting XI: Swanson (C); Lehmann - Han Cunningham - Ataciara; Hauptmeijer - Lethbridge-Antonio - Lee - Panaś; Karjalainen; Jean-Baptiste - Baïe-Verte.
Substitutes: GK Jessika Aniston, GK Hera Courtois, DCR Ineke van der plas Bouwmeester, DC Hrönn Sæsdóttir, DCL Dean Crankshaw, DCL Nana Sæsdóttir, MR Kandice Oriol, WBL Willemieke Janissen op Colmans, WBL Marci Shaefer, CDM Eden Gunsdorf, BWM Erica Holgersson, AM Þyrill Bjarnhéðinsson, AF Adélaide Bittencourt, CF Jack Heimdell, AF Freya Sehlman
Preview: From the frying pan into the fire. Indusse, Aphrilia, and now HUElavia - eighth ranked in the IAC, twenty-seventh in the world. This team has gone further than anyone in Chromatika had hoped.

[Recuecn]

Laurent Lapix decided he could trust Théophile Theriault. Of all his teammates on the équipe nationale, Laurent was probably closest with Théophile. They'd been good friends ever since Théophile had joined the team seven years ago as a young prodigy. Since they both played in the midfield, they coordinated very closely and spent a lot of time together.

Up until last year, Gerauld Firaut had been team captain. When he retired at the end of World Cup 100, that role fell to Laurent. Gerauld had often brought Laurent along to his meetings with Hyron LeBouffe, the ÉNRF manager. Laurent had recently opened up to Théophile about the way these meetings frustrated him, so he figured he could trust Théo enough to bring him along, the way Gerauld had invited him.

It was the day of the round of sixteen game against Dhemixia when Théophile tagged along to his first manager-captain meeting.

"Hey Théo, welcome!" Hyron LeBouffe seemed pleased that Laurent had brought his friend.

"Is it cool if I sit in on this?" Théophile asked.

"Yeah, of course. Laurent asked me ahead of time. It used to be that he would sit in on my meetings with Gerauld, when he was captain. We don't officially have a vice-captain position, but I think it makes sense to have another player to back up the captain."

"Well, cool," said Théophile. "I'm not sure I'll have anything to add, at least not my first time here—I'll sit back and listen to you two."

The meeting went pretty smoothly. Laurent had a great plan for the game against Dhemixia—he thought he saw a mismatch in the midfield that the team could take advantage of. LeBouffe, as Théophile expected from what Laurent had told him, agreed with everything Laurent said. After the captain-manager meeting, LeBouffe had he briefing with the rest of the team. He pretty much just repeated everything Laurent had suggested to him earlier.

Théophile kept his eye on Laurent. Laurent didn't say anything or seem to mind, despite his previous complaints to Théo. But to Théophile, it seemed unacceptable. What kind of manager was LeBouffe if he was just regurgitating tips he got from one of his players?

The game was a great success. Laurent's plan worked, and despite Rébecca Firaut still being out with her injury, Laurent and Théo were able to feed balls through the midfield to the ÉNRF forwards, who scored four times. It was Reçueçn's most decisive win of the tournament so far.

The success of Laurent's strategy only made Théophile more upset. He decided to make a call to the FNRF, the governing federation for Reçuecian soccer.

Yves Sabatier, a staffer in one of the FNRF executive offices, answered the call.

"Bonsoir Monsieur Theriault, what can I do for you?"

"Hi, I wanted to make a report to the federation since I have some concerns about the coaching of the ÉNRF, and I don't know who to talk to about it."

Even over the long-distance phone connection from Reçueçn to Natkr, Théo could hear Yves' rise with immediate interest. Théophile was unaware, but at the time that LeBouffe was hired as manager, Yves and his superior, Michèle Simon, had been pushing for a different candidate, Jean-Pierre Boulet. "Please, tell me more," said Yves, eager to find ammunition to push out LeBouffe. Yves was caught in a toxic relationship with his boss where his one ambition was to rise to the top of the federation, but she made him direct his ambition into working for him by blackmailing him over some professional mistakes he had made. If he could provide Madame Simon with the info she needed to get LeBouffe fired, maybe she'd be able to put Boulet in his place, and Yves would win some points with her. "Any info at all you have about Monsieur LeBouffe is very helpful to the federation," Yves told Théophile.

Théo told him everything. He told him about Laurent's complaints. That Laurent was essentially doing LeBouffe's job. That LeBouffe had no original thoughts of his own. Théo mentioned how he'd been invited to the meeting and watched Laurent basically tell LeBouffe exactly what strategy to run in the game against Dhemixia, and how it had been Laurent's strategy that had won the game.

"Thank you very much, Monsieur Theriault," said Yves. "This has all been very helpful, and rest assured that I will speak to the executive committee and make sure action is taken."

"Merci, Monsieur Sabatier," said Théophile.

It was two days later that the team got the news. Coach LeBouffe called an all-team meeting. He looked unwell and crestfallen. "I'm very disappointed I have to call this meeting," he told the squad. "I got a call from Michèle Simon, one of the members of the FNRF executive committee this morning, letting me know that there had been complaints from the team that I'm not doing my job well enough. I'm not here to defend my own performance. Any opinions you may have are entirely valid, and I will be the first to admit that I've received a lot of assistance from all of you as I've tried to coach this team. I am, of course, disappointed that whoever reported me to the FNRF felt the need to go over my head instead of addressing me about their concerns directly. I would have been more than happy to take steps to assuage any concerns."

"However," LeBouffe continued, "the FNRF has given me a strict ultimatum. An FNRF staffer will be coming along with us to Taxhavn for the Edsmontik game. They will be shadowing me at all times to ensure that I am not being fed strategy or tactical advice by players. They will also be keeping an eye on you, to make sure that you're not receiving coaching from each other, outside sources, or anyone other than me. I will have a performance review based on how the rest of the tournament goes under these new guidelines, and it has been strongly implied that if I can't win any games on my own without player advice, I will probably lose my job."

A murmur ran through the room.

"This meeting isn't for me to complain or try to figure out who 'snitched' on me," said LeBouffe. "I just wanted to give you an update so you're not surprised when the FNRF staff shows up with us in Taxhavn, there's a bit of extra surveillance, and my coaching style seems a bit different. Unless you have any questions, that will be all."

The team seemed dismayed. "Why the hell would they do this?" demanded Eric Konig, the right back. "Who the hell had a problem with you?" He glared around the room accusingly.

"I couldn't tell you," said LeBouffe, sadly.

After the meeting, Laurent cornered Théophile. He dragged him to a hallway where the two of them could be alone. "What the fuck have you done!?" he hissed.

"I thought you would be happy! You were complaining about having to do all the extra work!"

Laurent was fuming. "The only thing I care about is that the team wins! We had a good system! It was working! Do you remember the revolving door of coaches they put us through before LeBouffe? Don't fuck with success!"

"I was just trying to help!" protested Théo.

"If that's what you call helping, don't ever try again," snarled Laurent. "That poor man's job is on the line now, and it's all your fault." He began to stalk away.

"You said..." Théophile began hopelessly.

Laurent whirled around, his face red. "I had nothing to do with this. We're up against the #12 team in the multiverse, and when they beat us and that bitch from the federation sacks LeBouffe for 'losing the game', I want you to know that it's your fault." He jabbed a finger at Théo's chest. "I hope you're proud of yourself." He stormed away.

Laurent only knew one thing: there was no way he could trust Théophile Theriault anymore.

[Edsmontik]

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STUNNING CLEAN SHEET AGAINST THE ELDER LANDS

Friday, 6/17/2033
Written by Vyktor Kalsefja

---

After a destructive 6-0 beating of the United Marble Tribes, the Edsmons prepared for their later in the week match against The Elder Lands. The Elder Lands had recently taken down Calgasia in the round of 32, and could be a potential threat to the Eagles' run to the title. Luckily for them however, there was no need to worry, as Edsmontik's star players managed a 5-0 clean sheet win against their opponent.

The match was a quick one, with the Eagles instantly attacking. They tore away at the midfield and defense of the Elder Lands, weaving through the now open cracks. Stuero and Reiovus led the charge, with the former feeding the ball to the latter. There were many chances in the first few minutes, and as the Elder Lands' players were struggling to keep up, it seemed as if the Eagles were getting ever so close to scoring.

And in the 10th minute, a goal came from out of nowhere. Stuero, from pretty far outside the box, made a powerful cross in, which every defender in the box had failed to clear. With the ball still mid-air, in came Reiovus with a diving header to seal the deal. Even though Reiovus was pretty close to the net, the fast header was too quick for Bellwether.

The Edsmons continued to fire away at the net in the following minutes, getting many close chances. The Eagles would inevitably win the match was only a prediction, but could be true with all of the effort put in by the team. But even then, fans were still uncertain. The Elder Lands' Bellwether, despite being short, was a powerful jumper. He had already saved multiple of the Eagles' shots, and even managed to catch one of Ghreksbvy's crosses.

As more time passed in The Lithico™, things began to look a little more mediocre for the Elder Lands. Edsmontik seemed to be gaining strength in the same was as their fans were getting louder. Slowly but surely, the Elder Lands' began to lose possession of the ball before even leaving their half almost every time.

In the 26th minute, the Eagles were celebrating another goal in the back of the Elder Lands' net. The advance started from an interception just past the half line by Darion Verto. After avoiding some attackers, he fired the ball off to the left wing for Aespana, who instantly began charging towards the box. Defenders circled around him, but the left midfielder cut past them and fired off not a shot, but a pass made to look like a shot, causing Bellwether to partially dive. Quickly taking advantage of this, the receiver of the pass, Svaardaen, controlled the beast and launched it right into the top corner.

Two to nothing in favor of the Edsmons was the new score line. The first half was already beginning to close, and they had already grabbed a strong lead. However, they were beginning to wear down. There was especially a lot of fatigue in Stuero, who had played in every match in the IAC for the entire 90 minutes so far. But the Eagles continued to fight, keeping the Elder Lands' players out of the Edsmon lines and pushing them to their limits as well until the end of the first half.

The second half brought nothing less than what the Eagles wanted. Following the substitutions of Ghreksbvy for Reuhans and Stuero for Fotserr, it seemed that the Eagles wouldn't do as well as the first half since their star players were now benched. However, the fresh legs for the Edsmons proved otherwise. Almost instantly, the Eagles found the net yet again through Fotserr, who managed to make a powerful run through opposing lines and score.

It did not take long for the Eagles to find yet another goal, this time with Reiovus yet again, coming in for his brace. That goal began as a back-and-forth passing movement between the striker and the other two forwards. The trio did pretty well navigating the Elder Lands' lines, with only one halfback, that being Nuada, getting a touch on the ball. Even then, it wasn't enough as Reiovus still ended up getting the ball for his chip shot past Bellwether.

Now at a strong 4-0, the Eagles slowed down. They wanted to conserve their remaining energy for the last 20 minutes of the half. Even then, they still pushed hard at the Elder Lands, managing to get a few more shots in as the time ticked away. But they mainly had one goal now with the second half closing down. They needed to get Reiovus up the field to grab his first hattrick.

With just six minutes remaining, and after a few tries, Reiovus found a free run off of a counterattack. der-Zyfragken fired a powerful lob to the striker, who weaved past the few defenders now chasing after him. With some strong footwork to avoid another defender and a powerful finesse shot, Reiovus charged to the corner in celebration of his first hat trick on the international level. The whistle would then blow, signalling the end of the Round of 16. Up next for the Eagles, Reçueçn, who would be a very, very powerful opponent.

---

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SWAT Raids Home of Ilsen der-Reuskov: What to Know About the Man's Dirty Acts - Edsmontik Cracks Down on Badly Managed Buildings - New Anti-Air System in Production for the Edsmon Military

(GK -- LB, CB, CB, RB -- LM, CM, RM -- CF, CF, ST)
E. der-Stouiben -- S. Kizani, I. Javarqa, B. Norseden, V. Jervanois -- L. Fruedenne, D. Ystermakt, M. Ghreksbvy -- M. Rehcikt, S. Fotserr, V. Bervaign

[HUElavia]

HUElavia 0-0 AET (3-1 PSO) Saterun
Aditya Varma Kulashekara International Stadium, New Hind City, Indusse

Belluci's The Best in HUElavia!

HUElavia survive and advance to the Quarter-Finals against Saterun after Belluci makes three saves in a dramatic Penalty Shootout!

After the dominating victory over Sernet in the Round-of-32 with a 3-0 win, HUElavia now had the true test appearing before them in the Round-of-16: Saterun. Group I's winner and former champions in IAC 20 (previously held fully in HUElavia), Saterun were no team to look down upon. Considered one of the current elite teams in the tournament, HUElavia knew they had to take this match fully seriously if they wanted to advance to the Quarter-Finals once more. Traveling to Aditya Varma Kulashekara International Stadium in New Hind City, Indusse, the 2nd largest venue of the tournament, Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos came out with their A-Team, looking to secure their spot back to the "Elite Eight" of the Indies.

The match would turn out to be a very tense and cautious affair. Both teams were the kind to be offensive and attack through counter attacks, but just as one team would attempt to get on the attack to score, the backline would put a stop to it would a tackle to repossess the ball, send it out for a throw or just commit a dumb foul when they miscalculated. Of course, there were shots that were saved by Belluci and Bohler for HUElavia and Saterun respectively, but the backlines were strong enough to offload the work for them. HUElavia's best chance was in the 60th minute, when a pass from Sartori (in for Schmidt) would get to Milano, who got past Sienna to go one-on-one against Bohler, sending a low shot that would narrowly pass the open goal for a goal kick. Saterun's best chance came in the 85th minute, where a pass from Washington would get to Ibañez, and they'd take a shot that would hit off the crossbar to go down, only by the line, just for Belluci to grab the ball and send it out to safety, never crossing the line for the goal. After 90 minute and the additional, it was extra time for both teams. Time ticked on and on, substitutions were made, but neither team could get a goal in during the additional 30 minutes. After 120 minutes of tense football, it would even get more nerve-wracking with a Penalty Shootout.

Saterun won the coin toss to kick first, but HUElavia got to face their fans for the Penalty Shootout. Becker would step up first for Saterun and take the shot that would narrowly slip past the fingertips of Belluci into the goal to have them temporarily lead, 0-1. Milano stepped up and sent Bohler the wrong way as he slotted his shot to the top corner of the goal, making it 1-1. Ibañez stepped up, looking to make up for their unfortunate miss before and took the shot, but Belluci pounced on it to block it out for the first miss of the shootout keeping it 1-1, with the HUElavian crowd reacting with joy. Canales (in for Serra) would step up and give a chip shot past Bohler that was nearly saved but floated into the goal, making it 2-1, getting relief and applause from the HUElavian crowd. VandeLlen (in for Carlisle) would come up and take the chance, sending it low, only for Belluci to dive correctly and grab the ball for another save, keeping it 2-1 in the shootout, with the HUElavian crowd reacting loudly in joy. Sartori would come up next, looking calm and confident, sending a blistering shot past the reach of Bohler to the top corner of the goal, make it 3-1, with the HUElavian crowd cheering in joy knowing the next kick could decide the match. Senistri (in for Schlimme) would come up, needing to score to keep them alive, they took the shot, and it was strong, but Belluci got a hand to it to send it to the post and out to end the shootout, 3-1. Belluci did The Cross and ran to her teammates as they mobbed her, along with the bench, while the HUElavian crowd jumped with joy and passion, cheering wildly for the dramatic victory, with the team advancing to the Quarter-Finals once again.

In the other Round-of-16 match of interest, debutants Chromatika also went into a Penalty Shootout against defending Champions Aphrilia, winning 4-2 on their end, setting up an enticing matchup at Olympic Stadium in Baseton, Free Republics. After the match, Coach Casillas said: "It was a very stressful and tense match, but the team played very well and made the most out of the situation during the match. Belluci was truly a superstar today, she gave it her best and was the hero for the team with her three saves, which could've been four save had she saved Becker's kick. Still, the defense was fantastic as well and they proved their worth today and how good the HUElavian defense can be, especially with the performance from Pazarella, who had a clinic today. I'd also like to extend my comisserations to Saterun, they were a great opponent and gave us a run for our money. It really could've gone the other way and they would've advanced, but we're here now and we're grateful for the victory. We got plenty to study and train for with our next match in the Quarter-Finals and we hope our fans can follow us again to cheer us on." HUElavia and Chromatika will fight for a spot in the Semi-Finals, where the winner will take on the winner of the Quarter-Final of newcomers and surprise package in Nieuweland vs one of the two teams that have appeared in all editions, Drawkland.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

[Drawkland]

Following the team while on injured reserve had been incredibly easy up to this point. The Kick Corps was approaching a quarterfinal date with unranked Nieuweland held in Sadeg, two wins away from a potential historic 8th IAC final appearance, and they had yet to contest a match outside of Sonnel. Drawkland was named as a partial host of IAC-25, thanks to a bid set forth from Spartan Veteran Stadium. That meant every Kick Corps group stage game was held at home in Sadeg, and their first two playoff matches were in nearby regionmate Aphrilia before once again returning to Sadeg.

Sarah had a sort of an odd feeling as she walked into The Vet for the quarterfinal matchup. Watching her team from the box was weird enough. She'd gotten used to watching the Kick Corps play from the stands during the Elite Eleven's reign over the national team, but that was different. Now when she watched from the suite level, it was her own teammates that she saw playing and celebrating without her. This feeling was merely compounded by the fact that this was the same stadium Sarah had been starting games in not even two weeks prior. With the whirlwind she'd been through since then, it felt more like two months ago.

The game being in Sadeg had another consequence. The aforementioned Elite Eleven had their headquarters in Sadeg, so their presence at the game was a foregone conclusion. Thanks to the little bit of influence they held at DISC, all eleven were able to procure tickets for the Kick Corps friends and family box. For better or worse, Sarah wouldn't be as lonely in the suite as she was in Aphrilia. Once again, the worst part was that she'd be surrounded by serial drinkers with open bar access and yet unable to join them in the festivities.

"Oh! Is that Sarah Arrowsword?" Somebody piped up when the Elite entered the suite and made their way to the seats. It was sometimes hard to tell their voices apart when they were in a throng, but Sarah thought it sounded like Roger Apollo.

"Yes sir!" Another one, probably Richard Hanson, blurted a little closer. Sarah turned to acknowledge the boys and maybe get up to grab herself a drink. It was Richard who spoke, and he held his hand out to stop Sarah from standing. "Oh, no need to stand up, ma'am. You're carrying precious cargo! May I grab a refreshment for you?"

"Nothing too refreshing!" Another voice piped in the back. Sarah was cringing too hard to bother identifying its source.

"Congratulations by the way," Ross Hunter said a little softer, but it was a bit late for that.

"Really guys, you don't have to do all that." Sarah grumbled, flicking her hand at Richard's as she sat back down in her seat.

"Enough, everyone." Jaxon Madison added, which got most of the guys to turn back to the bar in the back of the suite and drop the topic. Jaxon rolled his eyes apologetically at Sarah. "Sorry about them. Some of 'em never learned common sense and the rest love feeding a bit."

"Hanging out with ten other idiots for a thousand years will do that to most people." Sarah scoffed.

"We're not that old," Jaxon sniffed, a bit defensively. "And we haven't spent it at all together."

"Yeah, whatever." Sarah shrugged. She didn't really know why, but most of the Elite rubbed her the wrong way. It was a bit ironic considering their shared habits and profession, but she just find the lot of them annoying. Jaxon was the only one she could stand for longer periods of time, but she didn't ever feel a romantic inclination with him. Even if she did, he was now accounted for on that front.

The rest of the Elite eventually got their food and drink and set up camp in one corner of the box, most of them in the rows and seats in front of Sarah. The match between Drawkland and Nieuweland eventually commenced. There was plenty of trepidation in the stadium, even Sarah could feel it. This should theoretically be a rollover match for Drawkland to take advantage of, but the unranked Sky Blues had already knocked off some impressive teams to make it this far. This seemed like the kind of game the black and red would find a way to blow.

Early in the match (not too far into it -- the score was still nil apiece at the time) Sarah finally got up to grab a drink. Even with the open selection she had a difficult time choosing. Water felt too plain, especially because she normally hydrated throughout the day. Alcohol was obviously off the table, and mocktails were just insulting. Just a plain akkorade then? Soda? Sarah couldn't recall the last time she used soda as anything other than a mixer.

While she wrestled with the drink decision, Jaxon Madison arrived to grab a drink of his own. Sarah gave him a wordless nod when she saw him approach. As she ruminated at the counter, the phrase Jaxon said earlier returned to her mind for some reason. We haven't spent it all together. Sarah was reminded of what Cam Cross had told her a couple weeks after Cam and Jaxon started officially dating. Apparently Jaxon, almost immediately after becoming immortal, started a family with his mortal wife, living as a normal father in spite of his wife slowly aging and eventually dying. It was a bit of an awkward topic, especially considering that Jaxon and Cam were eyeing marriage with each other, so it was rarely brought up.

Perhaps it was unsurprising that this would pop into Sarah's mind at this point in time. Jaxon was, as far as Sarah knew, the only one of the Elite to have actually reproduced. Not only had he raised his kids, but his immortality led him to helping raise his grandkids, great-grandkids, and so on. As far as Sarah knew he quit keeping up when his Madison family name had more households than he had fingers. Regardless, he had actually experience being immortal and raising kids. It wasn't a direct equivalent to Sarah's situation, but-

"Sorry again about the guys ribbing earlier," Jaxon interrupted Sarah's train of thought.

Sarah wrinkled her nose, turning back to the drink cooler. "It was barely a big enough deal to apologize once, you don't have to say sorry twice."

"I guess not." Jaxon chuckled awkwardly. "I'm fine to let sleeping dogs lie. But I'm just getting an odd, um, vibe from you. Like you might need someone to talk to."

"Oh." Sarah blushed a bit, not looking back at Jaxon. She didn't like feeling dependent on anyone, but she supposed he might be right.

"Sorry again," Jaxon repeated. "You know, with me and-"

"Yeah." Sarah interrupted. All too late, she remembered that Jaxon was strangely good at reading the emotions of people he knew. It was the 'gift' he'd received when he achieved immortality. Apparently anybody who completed the quest got some neat side effect that enhanced their abilities. Sarah hadn't noticed anything different in herself besides the known physical benefits of immortality, but she'd been told that the abilities could take years to reveal themselves. Of course, Jaxon's emotion-reading was able to discern that Sarah was feeling off. Almost reluctantly, she spoke again. "It's just a lot to deal with. I don't really feel like it's real yet. And I'm getting all this attention for it that I most certainly did not ask for."

"If you didn't want the attention, then why-"

"Oh my GOD," Sarah groaned. She had grown tired of repeating this already. "It WASN'T on purpose. My dumb shit manager down there-"

"Okay, okay, my fault." Jaxon raised his hands in mock surrender. "Divine know I've made mistakes like that."

"Right." Sarah sighed, finally grabbing a blue akkorade from the cooler and turning to Jaxon. She passed the bottle between her hands, looking at Jaxon and wondering if it was worth saying anything else. Was there really anything he could do to help? Regardless of the answer, Sarah figured there wouldn't be an easier time to ask. "I don't suppose you have any, uh, parental advice?"

"Do I?" Jaxon tilted his head, as if turning the question over in his mind. "I suppose I have some. But it's a couple centuries out of date."

"How much could things really change?" Sarah chuckled, though she had basically no idea if that was a joke or not.

"Just wait." Jaxon grinned, grabbing himself a beer from another cooler. "You're still in your normal lifespan. Stuff gets weird. But to answer your question, I can help if you have real questions. I know there's a sort of 'parents' club in the Immortals Accords but ... I bet that can be a little intimidating."

"There is? I've never heard of that."

"It's all in the manual. You've read that, right?"

"Uh ..." Sarah shook her head. She didn't care much about the semi-secret organization of immortals living in or near Drawkland, certainly not enough to read through pages of bylaws and meeting notes. "I'm sure it's all married couples in there anyway."

"Ah." Jaxon nodded slowly. "That can probably make it tough. Though the father is also in the Accords, right?"

"Yeah." Sarah muttered. "I'm not sure how he'd feel about that either."

"Mm." Jaxon opened his mouth to say more, but a huge roar from the crowd caught both their attention. "I guess we should get back to the game, right? You've got time to figure things out still."

"Sure." Sarah stretched to see what was happening on the field as she walked to return to her seat. She didn't know if Jaxon knew who the father was beyond the fact that he was immortal. That was one of the worst parts of this entire situation. She didn't know what anybody else knew, besides the fact that it was a universal 'too much' across the board. Right before she started down the steps to her row, she turned to look back at Jaxon. "Thanks, by the way. I will let you know if there is anything you can do."

"No problem." Jaxon slid past Sarah on the way to his seat.

Sarah looked at the field as the Drawkians congregated around the net. She wondered if Iarocav was right. Would she need to give up soccer to not mess up raising her kid? What if she'd already played her last game in a very long time?

[Sel Appa]

Crpostair Arena Locker Room - Quarterfinal Prematch
"Alright, listen up. No one thought we would make it to the Quarterfinals, but we did it. This is Sel Appan football! We all thought maybe we could make the knockouts, but we made first in the group, with a 2-1-0 record. And then we won the Round of 32 and the Round of 16. We can win this and that puts us in the Semifinals, the top four, out of 48. And anything can happen in the semifinals."

"Whatever goes down out there, I am so proud of all of you, each and every one of you. Rocky is proud of all of you. Hes sorry he could not make it tonight, but told me to tell you that he is so proud of everything we have done as a TEAM. And of course, you know, our whole nation is proud of us. Youve given everyone something to believe in. We have a big future ahead of us in the internationals. It been a rough few years, but all of that is behind us."

"Now, this is gonna be our toughest match yet other than Chromatika, but we still took them to a draw. We beat Abanhfleft. We beat Choppyhausen. Both by a goal. All this takes is a goal. If we dont score, we cant win. And weve scored in every match so far. Lets keep that up. I dont want you boys thinking too much about this. Just go out there get us a goal in the first half. Dont worry about Natkr, just get that goal on the board. If we can score, we can win. Play some good defense of course, but to win, we gotta score. Weve gotten ten goals in five games so far. We have the fifth most goals in the group stage out of everyone, with a few others getting seven goals like us. The reason Im saying all this is so you can remember how far weve come, what weve been able to do. Its easy to get psyched out in the moment, but were not gonna let that happen. Ive been to a few Turtle Classics in my career, as you all know. This is how we did it. We take each match, each half, each minute, each play at a time. Remember the mountain of success youre standing on and get that ball on net!

"Allez! Allez les Tortues!" Coach Daviande called out.

The team responded in unison, "Donnez-nous beaucoup de buts!"

"Johnny?" the coach invited the captain to continue the pep talk.

"Thanks, coach. Yea, we have come a long way. I know a lot of you are new here. Even me, I only came on for 99. Its honestly insane to be in the quarterfinals. We are the lowest ranked team, with Nieuweland unranked. But we have shown the football world what Sel Appa is made of. Like coach said, it all comes down to scoring goals. We have had great chemistry, we work together well. Lets keep it up. Were gonna go over some plays, but always be flexible to the situation. We have had great scoring opportunities so far. That is definitely something we struggled with in the Cup qualifiers before, but this team is something different. I see it in all of you. I see the anticipation, the readiness. We are gonna get to that Semifinal!"

"Coach you are a better speaker than me hahaha."

"No Johnny, that was a great addition. Lets go over some plays on the board. Weve seen some clips of Natkr. Theyve been scoring as well as us, so its gonna be a tough match. But once you get that first goal, anything can happen. Thats why Im pushing it so hard. Stay focused on what you know is attainable. Alright, lets take a look at these plays..."

---

Earlier...
FFSA President Rockwell Bates: Im glad I took you along for this ride. Youve been the coach Ive always seen you to be.

Coach Walter Daviande: Its been an honor, sir. I appreciate it.

Bates: Im sorry I cant stay for the match, but they need me back home for federation nonsense. Dont ever go into management.

Daviande: Haha

Bates: Remember to keep the team focused. Youve always been good at this. Thats why I hired you for Fizroe and now the Turtles.

Daviande: We got this. I really think we can pull it off. This team is on the run.

Bates: I think so too, and optimism is what we need. You always bring the energy with the boys and I couldnt be more proud of you and the team. You are behind them 100%. Ive seen it again and again. And I always want you to know I have your back and you have my full confidence.

Daviande: Thanks, Rocky. Ill let the boys know.

Bates: Please do. I wish I could be here for the match. I am going to try to get back if we are in the Semis. I think at that point, well have a lot of shocked faces thatll want me out here. But I can tell you already, people are very impressed with us.

Daviande: I bet, and Im glad to hear that. You never know with the pundits.

Bates: We have a heroes welcome waiting no matter what, but if we can pull this off, were gonna push to the Final.

Daviande: You really think?

Bates: Its certainly a possibility. Alright, Id best be on my way. Good luck out there. I know you and the boys can take us to another round.

[HUElavia]

We're truly entering the last stretch of this great and historic tournament.
There truly is little to no margin of error for all the teams involved now.
Does your Brain feel the Train of fear or of bravery?
Let's go onwards to the Semi-Finals!

Quarter-Finals Cutoff

Quarter-Finals Results

HUElavia 4-1 Chromatika
(Olympic Stadium, Baseton, Free Republics)
Scorinated by Tumbra

Nieuweland 1–5 Drawkland
(Spartan Veteran Stadium, Sadeg, Drawkland)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Natkr 2–3 Sel Appa
(Crpostair Arena, Crpostown, Crpostran)

Edsmontik 0–0 Reçueçn (1–1 AET) (5–6 pen.)
(The Lithico™, SoccerLand, Taxhavn)

Semi-Final Matches

HUElavia vs Drawkland
(Capitalizt Done, Chromia, Chromatika)

----------------------------------------------------------

Sel Appa vs Reçueçn
(Aditya Varma Kulashekara International Stadium, New Hind City, Indusse)

[HUElavia]

HUElavia 4-1 Chromatika
(Serra 15', 56', Milano 29' (P), Girard 85' | Jean-Baptiste 73')
Olympic Stadium, Baseton, Free Republics

The Fiesta Continues On!

HUElavia dominate in a huge win over Chromatika to set up another historic matchup against Drawkland in the Semi-Finals!

HUElavia once again found themselves in another Quarter-Finals, coming off a tense and dramatic victory over Saterun to return back to the Elite Eight of the IAC once again, which, by ranking, was the bare minimum for this team. Ahead of them was the No. 5 team in the ranking, Chromatika, who came off a historic victory over defending champions Aphrilia in a Penalty Shootout themselves. HUElavia had their chance to be back in the Semi-Finals once again, Chromatika was looking to continue their maiden voyage in the IAC. Both teams came out with their A-Teams, knowing that one error could truly cost the whole run for either team. In a sold out crowd at Olympic Stadium in Baseton, Free Republics, the opening game of the Quarter-Finals was upon the teams.

Both teams were attacking from the get-go, wanting to get the opening goal to set the tone. The opening goal came in the 15th minute, when a foul by Han Cunningham over Milano gave way for a free kick from distance. Gavicaechebarria sent a cross towards the box, where Serra managed to get a header past Hauptmeijer to get past the fingertips of Swanson into the goal, making it 1-0. Serra did The Cross and hugged her teammates in joy while the HUElavian crowd were celebrating with jumps and cheers for the score. Chromatika would begin to pressure more and more, having Belluci make saves and blocks here and there, now having to act more compared to the previous round. Yet, in the 29th minute, a pass from Schmidt would get to Arruda, who was running towards goal, before getting tumbled down in the box by Panas for a penalty kick and a yellow card. Milano stepped up and sent a strong shot just barely past the reach of Swanson into the goal, making it 2-0. Milano did The Cross and hugged his teammates at the corner flag, waving his arms up and down to motivate the HUElavian fans, while they were celebrating with cheers and hugs for the goal. At the half, it was a convincing 2-0 lead, where HUElavia knew they had control of the match.

Chromatika would push more and more for the 2nd half, with shots from Baie-Verte and Jean-Baptiste forcing Belluci to make diving saves and blocks that had applause from the HUElavian crowd. In the 56th minute, a pass from Kaba would get to Serra, who would run with the ball, past a tackle from Hauptmeijer to another one from Han Cunningham, to send a low, strong shot past a sprawling Swanson into the goal, making it 3-0. Serra was mobbed by her teammates after she did The Cross while the HUElavian crowd jumped in joy and delirium for the spectacular play for the goal. In the 73rd minute, a pass from Lethbridge-Antonio got past the HUElavian backline, played onside by Yepes, where Jean-Baptiste got the ball and sent a strong, blistering shot past the reach of Belluci into the top corner of the goal, to make it 3-1, making it the first conceded goal for HUElavia in this tournament. The Chromatik fans were celebrating with applause and some cheer while Jean-Baptiste picked up the ball and ran back to the center circle, while getting hugs and pats from his teammates for the goal. Despite the attempts by the Chromatik for another goal, the backline began to really press hard and send the ball out for possible HUElavian attacks or for throw-ins. In the 85th minute, a corner was taken by Gavicaechebarria, who sent a ball into the box, where Girard towered over Van Der Plas Bouwmeester to head the ball past the reach of Swanson into the goal, making it 4-1. Girard was hugged and mobbed by her teammates at the corner flag, while the HUElavian fans clapped and were cheering loudly at the goal that sealed the match and the advance. After some minutes of additional time, the referee blew their whistle and the match was over, with the bench spilling onto the pitch, hugging the HUElavian players in joy for the result.

HUElavia return to the Semi-Finals for the first time since their IAC 22 title run 12 years ago. In the other Quarter-Final match of note for the team, Drawkland playing in their stadium obliterated debutants Nieuweland 5-1 to secure their spot in the Semi-Finals once again. Thus, The Indies Classic in HUElavia and Drawkland will have another chapter play out in the Semi-Finals. After the match, Coach Casillas was quoted saying "We're grateful for the victory and advance today. Serra had a fantastic match with her brace of goals, the second one has to be one of the best in the tournament up to now. Gavicaechebarria was also stellar on the pitch with his brace of assists and fantastic crosses into the box. It really could've gone either way, especially for how talented the Chromatik are in the Multiverse, but we were fortunate to impose our play style and get this major victory. We got a massive Semi-Final coming up, funnily enough in Chromatika, and we're wanting to come back to Curumba next week for the Final. Still, we have to get past Drawkland and they're just as hungry and deserving of a title as we are. We got a massive and historic match ahead of us and we hope to have our fans showing up to cheer us on to a possible path to yet another IAC Final." The other Semi-Final will involve surprise package in Sel Appa take on Reçueçn at Aditya Varma Kulashekara International Stadium, in New Hind City, Indusse. Two will find their way to Curumba, the other two to Manchbury. Only time will tell if Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos will have a 3rd IAC Final in front of their home crowd.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

[Recuecn]

The morning that the équipe nationale arrived in Indusse for the IAC semifinal, several FNRF employees flew out to join them. The wording in the official press release from the federation had been that the staff were being sent for "additional support", but everyone on the team knew that they were really there as spies.

They were led by Yves Sabatier, the personal assistant for Michèle Simon, one of the representatives on the FNRF executive committee. Yves had seized onto this opportunity immediately, knowing it was what Mme. Simon would want, and he had proved correct. Simon was thrilled at the chance to potentially push ÉNRF manager, Hyron LeBouffe, out of his role, and she made it clear to Yves that any slip-up on LeBouffe's part might be grounds for dismissal. "You are to report everything," she had told him, which was entirely unnecessary. No one made a better inquisitor than Yves Sabatier. His zeal for the role, like his ambition in all things, was frightening.

Laurent Lapix, however, the team captain, didn't know enough about Yves to be afraid of him. He knew that he had been at least partially responsible for the way the FNRF had mishandled the hiring process when LeBouffe was first brought on, and that he placed his career goals and office politics above the welfare of the team. But he had no inkling of Yves' drive. The first day, in an attempt to protect his teammates, Laurent confronted him.

It wasn't hard to find a moment to speak with the FNRF staffer. He and his crew of federation spies made no attempt to hide themselves as they watched the team at practice. Someone shadowed Coach Lebouffe at all times. The rest hovered around les licornes, listening in on their conversations and monitoring their activity. Laurent saw Yves standing at the sideline as the squad ran a drill, and jogged over to talk to him.

"Is something wrong?" Yves asked as Laurent approached.

"You bring me to my point quickly," said Laurent. "I know you're the one behind this," he said, gesturing at the other FNRF suits hovering around LeBouffe and the rest of the team. "You have to realize this is not good for the team. I don't know what wires got crossed in communication between us and you guys at the federation, but if you think what you're doing is helping, you need to think again."

"I'm afraid I have to correct you, Laurent," said Yves. "A weak coach is not good for the team. A weak coach is not helping the team. It may be a little extra pressure at the moment, but like a visit to the doctor's office, a moment's pain now is for your good in the long run."

Laurent glanced at his teammates, still running the drill, and LeBouffe, who had clearly noticed him walking off but was doing his best to pretend he hadn't. He lowered his voice. "I'm telling you, that's bullshit," he said. "If you want to make long-term changes, the time to do that is during the off-season, during friendlies, or maybe World Cup qualifiers. Not in the middle of a tournament, and not in the lead-up to our biggest game so far."

"It seems that working with LeBouffe, you got used to telling people above you what they should do," Yves said coolly. "Well that's exactly what we're here to change. You do your job, captain, and I'll do mine."

"My job," said Laurent, "is to look out for this team and speak up for them. I'm telling you right now, your presence here is hurting our IAC chances. You're hurting our team morale, and you're hurting our long-term cohesion."

"It may be hard for you to imagine, but there are things that are more important than the ÉNRF's chances in the IAC," said Yves.

Laurent glared at him. "Like what. What could possibly be more important to the federation than its own team's success, the very thing you claim you're here to work for?"

Yves looked Laurent dead in the eyes. "I'm here reviewing Coach LeBouffe's work as an employee of the federation. My chief concern in my role here is personnel hiring and performance. So you'll excuse me for prioritizing the assignment I came here to fulfill."

Everything was suddenly clear to Laurent. "You snake," he spat. "What you're saying is that you're here to fire Coach, and our wellbeing doesn't even come into it for you. You don't give a shit about the good of the team—of the nation."

Yves took a small step forward. "It is certainly within my power, should his performance be deemed deleterious to the ÉNRF, to write a report that would see Monsieur LeBouffe's contract terminated. And let me remind you, Monsieur Lapix: that doesn't just apply to him. If you're committed to defending a detractor of the équipe nationale, I can have you out too."

"You would never."

"If it falls to Madame Simon's office to recommend a new manager for the team, you can be certain we will find someone who will be happy to follow our advice when calling up the new roster this fall. So think about that, and consider how much you value your position on this team, Laurent." Yves turned haughtily and walked away. He left Laurent standing behind him, speechless.

After that, the team atmosphere was suffocating. Things were tense, with a weight hanging on everyone, as if every conversation in the locker room was woven from the steel cables of a suspension bridge. For Laurent, the worst part was that he couldn't even talk about it. The FNRF had prohibited players sharing advice with the coach or with each other, and Laurent and the team were forced to obey. Anyone trying to help LeBouffe risked instead getting him in even more trouble for accepting outside input rather than make his own decisions.

At the Edsmontik game, it was clear to see the way the toxic atmosphere had hurt the team. The reserves not in play huddled together, whispering quietly together while Yves stood just behind LeBouffe's shoulder at all times. Laurent was specially singled out as the person who'd been giving LeBouffe the most advice. Now he sat alone, on the bench, under the FNRF's watchful eye, like a problem student who'd caused trouble by being too smart for class. LeBouffe tried not to look at him, but standing in the technical area by the side of the pitch, he was sweating buckets. Edsmontik was indeed the most challenging opponent les licornes had faced so far, and for LeBouffe, everything was on the line. When he thought Yves wasn't looking, he kept shooting fleeting glances at Laurent, but he didn't dare speak to him or even turn his head, let alone put him on the pitch.

The team, sensing their coach's struggle, came together. The ÉNRF wasn't sure how to support their coach in this moment of trial, but they could be there for each other, helping each other up every time a player fell to the ground, passing more—and better—than usual, signaling each other with gestures and raised arms. They didn't dare call out, fearing the federation's ire, but somehow, they cohered under pressure, fighting to stay in the match.

The Edsmon Eagles were les licornes' biggest challenge yet. For the first time in the tournament, the ÉNRF was the underdog. The Eagles had better stamina, better coordination. Yet Reçueçn was determined. The team gritted its teeth, and hung on for ninety minutes.

In four of its five games in the IAC so far, Edsmontik had scored five goals or more. In the fifth, they had scored four. The Eagles were a team on the attack, and their onslaught was brutal. But the Reçueçn side fell back on its training. For generations, Reçuecian players had learned to slow games down, to stall, to fight for possession, and to defend, and now, with their coach hamstrung by his own federation, the players fell back on their defensive tradition by instinct. For the first time in the IAC, the Edsmontik offense came up short. For the first time in the IAC, Edsmontik was scoreless at full-time.

The game went to overtime, and for Reçueçn, this was the second time in three matches. Laurent, still watching from the bench, silently gave thanks for the game against Solgavden. At the time it had been grueling, but it meant LeBouffe was prepared to coach an overtime game—the strategy was fresh in his memory.

But strategy wasn't enough. Just after the interval during extra time, Edsmontik's world-class team showed its superiority. A strong attack and a powerful goal from Maartin Stuero gave the Eagles the lead with only twelve minutes left. Something needed to be done, or in moments, Reçueçn would be leaving the IAC, and heading home empty-handed.

Hyron LeBouffe turned to Yves Sabatier. "I need to put Laurent on," he said. "It's overtime; we have one more sub. I have to use him. He's all we have left."

"You're the coach," said Yves with a shrug. He jotted something down on his clipboard.

LeBouffe turned to Laurent and waved him on. Clélia Jaccoud, who had started for him, and who was by this point thoroughly exhausting, came stumbling off the pitch, and Laurent jogged to the center of the field. He looked around to his teammates. "Allez!" he screamed, his pitch heightened in desperation. "Allons-y!"

Lapix' strength is his tactical vision. His unique clairvoyance is the greatest thing he offers the équipe nationale, and his tactical advice to LeBouffe had led to the whole FNRF mess in the first place. Once in the mid-field, he is a commanding general, ordering his troops to victory.

That night, playing against Edsmontik, he gave no orders.

Laurent Lapix led the charge himself.

Not that the vision wasn't there. Not that anyone else could have seen the opening. Not that anyone else could have orchestrated the through ball to Dirk Trommler, seen the exact way to step out of position, ditch his defender, and find the return pass behind the Edsmontik defense and yet somehow, miraculously, still on-sides. But it was Laurent Lapix' perfect run, the precise touch, and the virtuosic shot, that sent the ball soaring into the net, just centimeters past Lankiv's outstretched fingers. Laurent had always been a tactical visionary, but in that moment he reminded the world that he was also an athletic prodigy.

~~~

The game, of course, went to penalties. Laurent stood on the center line, arms around his teammates' shoulders, and they watched each other walk up to the goal as they bit their nails. Edsmontik won the coin flip, and appointed Stuero, Svaardaen, Ghreksbvy, Bervaign, and Fruedenne. LeBouffe named Cocci, Trommler, Lapix, Theriault, and Giordano.

Cocci missed.

Instantly, Edsmontik had a 1-0 lead. As the Eagles' kickers went up, one after the other, they grew more and more sure of themselves, smiles solidifying on their faces. Finally, it was up to Fruedenne. A fifth consecutive penalty, and Reçueçn would be eliminated.

They say penalty kicks are 50/50. So maybe it was luck that meant Edsmontik had made four in a row. Maybe they were due for a miss. Or maybe it was just unlucky that Moesha Ziswiler finally dove the right direction when it finally mattered. But with perfect timing, she jumped off the line to get her hands in front of Fruedenne's shot, and Reçueçn was still alive.

Lauretta Giordano went up to the ball. She took her time. She lined it up. A bead of sweat ran down her temple. She ran forward, glanced up, and slotted it home. She let out a choked cry as she lifted a fist skyward, and the penalties went to sudden death.

Edsmontik sent up Jervanois next. The right-back stared down Ziswiler for a moment before running up with a stutter-step and sending the ball into the top corner.

Reçueçn answered with Emila Streuli. A cheeky Panenka, and Reçueçn was still in the game.

Darion Ystermakt was next to approach the mark. Edsmontik's seventh kicker. This was breaking records for Reçueçn—the nation had never been to sudden-death penalties before. Ystermakt set up his shot and began his run. He locked his eyes on the ball, and fired into the corner.

Ziswiler, perhaps, read his intention in his look. She threw herself in front of his shot, clutching it to her chest. And now, for the first time in more than 120 minutes, Reçueçn had a chance at victory.

Brigitte Breault made the kick. She sent Lankiv diving the wrong direction, and buried the ball in the back of the net. Her teammates swarmed her, then lifted her into the air. In that moment, she was Reçueçn's hero—she was the one who had sent les licornes through to the last two games of the IAC.

Laurent let her have the glory. He didn't mind. He glanced over to LeBouffe, and saw that the coach had run onto the field with the rest of the team to join the celebration. Laurent smiled at him. LeBouffe winked back, then came up and put his arm on Laurent's shoulder.

"I appreciate you managed to score that goal," he said. "Sabatier might let me keep my job now, despite putting you on the field."

Laurent laughed. "Make too many more game-winning decisions like that, and he might just have to admit you knew what you were doing the whole time."

[Drawkland]

CORPSGUY725'S BLOG

Independents Cup 25 Playoffs
yes, I also cover soccer from time to time

People think that I'm a one trick pony. They think that the only thing I can do is shitpost about football. Well, sometimes I dabble with baseball. I engage in ragebait quite often, which is technically different! Also, soccer is technically different from the other football, so that qualifies as more variety. It's just not my main priority. Watching the DLK Drawk Corps move to TOL and play like ass has basically removed all my enjoyment of soccer recently.

Yet even in darkness, there's light. The Kick Corps, after losing 2 of the last 3 IAC championship matches, is now once again on the doorstep of yet another high-profile tournament final loss! I tell you, with how stacked up this tournament was looking, I wasn't expecting the national team Corps to make any big moves in this semi-major anniversary edition. I'm always glad to be wrong!

Let's take a quick look at where we are and how we got here.

the venue advantage

First things first, the classic HUElavian IAC-15 hosting logistic strategy was in play for this edition. That meant group and playoff matches would be hosted in a variety of venues in nations across the "indiesphere," to show off the best and most iconic soccer venues from some of the IAC's big name nations (and inflate the hell out of everybody's travel budget this year). Considering that Drawkland is one of those nations, this serves as an advantage in being able to play a few games at home before braving the playoff gauntlet.

If you recall IAC-15 (a mere twenty years ago by the Drawkian calendar -- sheesh I'm old), the Elite Eleven era Kick Corps didn't really take that big advantage of playing at home, yet it didn't matter in the long run. In the four group games held in Drawkland (all at Kanyo Pitch in Kayo), the Corps went a mere 2-1-1. Not what you're looking for when you get that opportunity! The Elite Eleven still slid into the playoffs, and proceeded to pull off their best run since they'd taken over the Kick Corps moniker. Not only did they advance to the championship game, but they somehow beat TJUN-ia and Indusse in back-to-back rounds, playing in their opponent's home stadium (as it was just the luck of the playoff draw where the matches were held).

This is making me nostalgic, actually. Besides the fact that the Corps lost in heartbreaking fashion in the penalty shootout to decide the final, it was a classic tournament. After scraping by some tough teams, Drawkland had to face their third consecutive team playing at home. Hosts HUElavia were the opponent, and this was the ultimate choke-off. There was something like 7 IAC final appearances between the two teams, and only one win (Drawkland in IAC-6). A true clash of IAC titans! And naturally both teams tried to give it away, with late goals in regulation to send the 2-2 game to extra time, then late goals to keep the score level 4-4 after extra time. And naturally the Elite choked it away in the penalty shootout, but no Drawkian can deny this game was a certified hood classic.

Man, this section was supposed to be about home venues. ANYWAY, same deal this edition. This time the Corps got all their group games in Spartan Veteran Stadium in Sadeg. It almost felt like watching World Cup Qualifying games, the same sort of backdrop and vibe. By some stroke of luck, Drawkland's path in the bracket involved back-to-back games in Aphrilia, then one final game at The Vet. When the playoff draw was revealed, we realized Drawkland could potentially make it to the semifinals without having to leave Sonnel. Talk about staying comfortable!

player performances

Naturally, everybody assumed that Drawkland would somehow blow this golden opportunity. I don't blame them. After watching that nil-all draw against United Marble Tribes at home, I figured the Kick Corps wasn't ready to put up a real fight this edition. After all, we're stuck with the fifth new manager in like four cycles. Danika Garner has done good work with the Metropolon Lights, but it's hard to ask any manager to step onto a team with expectations in a tournament and assume they'll deliver.

Of course, the moment that thought crossed my mind, Garner unlocked something in the team and turned them into mid 50s Aguazul. To be fair, it's not like Drawkland has run into any big contenders until just now, but even in their matches against lowly ranked opposition, the Kick Corps has looked good. They've dominated possession. They've had excellent finishes. Minus that United Marble Tribes game, they've been clean in the card department. This is the kind of form that pisses you off, because why have we not been able to get that in World Cup Qualifying lately?

Enough bitching. I've got two players to glaze. This playoff run has seen an emergence of two key contributors. Number one, of course, is Cece Benbow. "C.C." has been hailed as some future superstar forward for what feels like forever. She was good enough that even as an underclassman at Missomen, she got called up to the national team. She's played alright, but honestly once she got to the pros with the Elstrund Roots, she's actually almost lived up to the billing as an elite player. This playoff run has been the first time I've seen her play and say "wow, she's an actual animal out there." Out of the 18 goals the Corps has scored thus far this tournament, Cece has 8 scores and 2 assists to her name.

More importantly, we've got Toni Dillan becoming a real star at center-mid. I think the only great center-mid the Kick Corps has had is Ellzidan, which is a bit obvious. But even including the Elite Eleven era, it hasn't really been the same since she stopped playing. I've been a vocal critic of hers before. She's bipolar, either playing too much heroball or not enough, but when she's on, she's ON. Ever since she relinquished the starting job, we haven't had a really effective player in that spot. FINALLY, though, we have Toni Dillan, who I think is fitting the bill. She's excellent at distributing the ball, works great in set pieces, and knows how to finish when she has the chance. Seven assists with two goals thrown in so far? It brings a tear to my eye. We might be back to having a competent midfield, folks.

path to a championship?

So here's the problem. It's a rather big one, too. We have to face HUElavia in the semifinals. Thankfully this game will be in Chromatika, so no need to worry about a rabid home crowd. The other option from that QF matchup was Chromatika themselves, funnily enough. Honestly, I think I would rather have to play Chromatika on the road than HUElavia at this moment.

Why be afraid of HUElavia? Well, nothing, besides the fact that every iteration of the Kick Corps has been absolutely unable to beat HUElavia when it matters. Drawkland as a whole is 2-2-6 against HUElavia, but that's actually 2-0-8 because both draws were penalty shootout losses in IAC playoffs. The two wins? A matchday one game in IAC-5 (so actually fossilized history) and an away game in World Cup 97 qualifiers (early in the campaign so it hardly mattered). With a sample size of six, Drawkland has never defeated HUElavia in a knockout game of any kind. Three of those were finals.

Maybe the recency of Danika Garner's system and coaching will be enough to change things. But this is still a pretty similar group of players to the ones who lost back-to-back major finals to HUElavia (CoH 89 followed by IAC-22). Of course the full-strength lineup will be in play, which features some more recent players (Viola, Thompson, Dillan, and Murray to name a few), so at least those girls haven't yet been inflicted with PHTD (Post HUEmatic Trauma Disorder).

Perhaps we should think more about how we're gonna handle this third place match. I don't really see a scenario, even with our current form, that we'll pull off a win against the HUElavians. The other semifinal match has more of a question mark. Reçueçn hasn't been on top of the IAC in a while, but they're part of the supposed IAC old guard for a reason. The thing is that Reçueçn is vulnerable, and the new-old-comers of Sel Appa are in the middle of their best run since reviving their international sporting presence. Sel Appa certainly looks like the cinderella story right now, but you never know when those will come to a crashing halt.

In any case, Drawkland's next match will be theoretically winnable. Even after a HUElavian loss (or an improbable win), the Kick Corps is in good enough form that they should be able to rebound nicely and bounce whoever they come up against. Which is exactly why they'll lose instead! I love being Drawkian. Anticipating a couple more thrilling matches regardless!

corpsguy725 out

[Sel Appa]

Sel Appa's Improbable Run: Are the Bookies OK?

IAC25 Post-QF

---

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NEMNENAIT—Few, if anyone, expected the Turtles to go far in this edition of the Independents Cup. A group stage pass, maybe a Round of 32 match. But then the blue shirted team won a string of victories against an unranked Papo-Iriya, 28th Choppyhausen, and 19th Natkr, sending them to the final four of this milestone tournament. All the more impressive and unbelievable after the World Cup 100 Qualifiers crashout, which prompted a crazed fan to assassinate Federation President Gérard Duceppe. Personnel changes had been made, but the team still needed experience. In the end, it turned out the past is the past, and the fresh squad and management has made their mark. However, one question many have asked: are the bookies going bankrupt?

Sel Appa is known for its strong, but generally not unhealthy, gambling culture. On many street corners, one finds a bookmaker with papered up windows. Inside, television screens covering almost every event. Often, a small snackbar and vending machines. Alcohol, being proscribed in the country, is never served. Except in the more seedy venues, which are unlicensed and totally illegal. But in the legitimate joints, a motley crowd is assembled, especially during a football match. Any prospective bettor can come in and make a wager on almost any element of, well, anything. The most popular bets are sporting results and scorelines. With the Turtles facing long odds to win at almost every stage, and the bookies being forced to pay out many times over the winning bets, its easy to expect them to run out of money.

"Yea, I have to wonder how they can afford all of these wins. The odds were really against us. I cant imagine they have done well." said one such patron who didnt disclose his choices. "They have to have been taken to the cleaners. Fans are crazy for the Turtles." offered another. In fact, almost everyone we talked with wondered the same thing. How do the bookies make money paying out so much? "The fundamentals of making a book. We know fans are going to bet on the home team, and more professional bettors will balance things out. Everything is calculated and adjusted to the bets we take in. If a lot of people are going one way, we shorten those odds. If done properly, either result will make a profit, usually about 5 to 10%. The house always wins, as they say." a manager for Crawford and Rogers elucidated. "Its not even entirely based on actual odds. Its the group perception. If 75% of bets are on A, and 25% bet on B, the odds might be 1:5 and 13:5 or some such, we shorten on both ends, and make about 10%." A Bingham Brothers manager added "It looks bad on its face, but these bets are only a small portion. We get millions of pounds put on the major events, but its spread across many lines. And this is just a small part of the revenue. Its a headline bet, so people think everyone bets on it, but lots of people will bet on their favorite player, the spread, novelties. Plenty of income. And the concessions offer a good fraction of our revenue. Its a whole business, we want people in the door. Some of us, the headline bets are run at a loss to get people in. Look at this! Fantastic odds on what you want. And then once you are here, you end up spending a hundred pounds on that and four hundred on other bets." He continued, "And one match is really a small part of what we do in a year. Bookmaking is doing fine no matter what, as long as people are placing bets."

It turns out the industry has many sources of revenue and many ways to keep customers in the establishment. A small door, a long hallway, another door. Patrons are enticed in, and distracted from leaving. Glitz, glam, and screens adorn the walls. You wont find a clock telling the time, a window showing the sun down, or a way out, easily at least. A lot is going on during any major event. Gaming machines also fill a niche, as do the refreshments. A wide variety of revenue bases ensure the operations are running smoothly. "No matter who wins or loses, we win." the Crawford and Rogers manager assured us. "Its a well-studied business. Everything is designed purposefully, calculated to the penny."

Comments

Ive always wondered how it all worked. Makes sense, the house always wins
kalimar -- 16 minutes ago
Recommend (12)

I knew it was all a scam. Thats why I never set foot in those places!
aliensdidit -- 33 minutes ago
Recommend (25)

I won big on all of this, so Im happy. Lets go Turtles!
zambonidriver -- 54 minutes ago
Recommend (95)

[HUElavia]

After 100 matches, we've made it to the last four matches of this historic, dramatic and entertaining edition of the IAC.
Four dreams will become two, as only two will go to Curumba for the IAC Trophy.
Two will have to fight for the consolation of a Bronze Medal at Manchbury.
Whatever happens, regardless of the result, Don't Stop Believing in the chance to be an IAC Champion.

Semi-Final Cutoff

Semi-Finals Results

HUElavia 1-0 Drawkland
(Capitalizt Done, Chromia, Chromatika)
Scorinated by Zwangzug

----------------------------------------------------------

Sel Appa 0-2 Reçueçn
(Aditya Varma Kulashekara International Stadium, New Hind City, Indusse)


3rd Place Match
Drawkland vs Sel Appa
(Grand Manchbury, Manchbury, Sudilia)

The 25th Independent Associations Championship Final

HUElavia vs Reçueçn

(Estadio Nacional, Curumba, HUElavia)

[HUElavia]

HUElavia 1-0 Drawkland
(Milano 54')
Capitalizt Dome, Chromia, Chromatika

Book It Back Home!

Milano's heading goal sends HUElavia past Drawkland in another classic to set up the Final in Curumba against Reçueçn!

It had taken some years, but HUElavia was able to return to the Semi-Finals of the IAC. A place that seems almost synonymous with the team, although some would say the Final is more fitting for this team. Still, if they wished to play an IAC in their "home" stadium, Estadio Nacional in Curumba, they had one team to get through: Drawkland. Drawkland, the nation that HUElavia has played the most in International Football. Coming into this game, it was a series that had a 6-2-2 record all-time, where the actual record would be 8-2, given HUElavia had defeated Drawkland in two penalty shootouts before. Simply put, while this was a bit of a one-sided rivalry, it was a rivalry nonetheless, especially where Drawkland really wanted to take down the HUElavians for once. This latest meeting would take place at Capitalizt Dome in Chromia, Chromatika, the largest venue of the tournament and the venue by the co-host that HUElavia eliminated convincingly in the Quarter-Finals. With both A-Teams coming out wanting to go all out for a chance in the historic 25th IAC Final, there was plenty of excitement in the stadium and the air.

The match was a nervy affair with both teams taking shots from the get-go. Arruda got a pass from Schmidt, where he got past his marker of Bright to take a low shot past a sprawling Reed right past the open goal for a goal kick. On the other end of the pitch, a cross from Dillan would float into the box, where Octavia won the header over Girard to head the ball out of reach for Belluci and to the post, to go out for a goal kick. There were saves from Belluci and Reed alike during the half that got applause and cheers from the HUElavians and Drawkians in the crowd for the spectacular effort from the two goalies. Despite the chances in the half, it was a draw at 0-0, where both teams knew they had the firepower for a score to come in eventually, especially for how this rivalry has been historically.

The second half saw both teams being more meticulous in their attacks, still applying pressure and trying to open up the score. The lone goal would come in the 54th minute, when a pass by Yepes was received by Kaba, who began to run with the ball, being closed in by Warren. She sent a cross into the box, and Milano was left unopposed in the box to head the ball down and past the fingertips of Reed into the goal, making it 1-0. Milano ran and kneeled to the corner flag while doing The Cross, while his teammates and the bench ran to mob him in celebration while the HUElavians in the crowd were jumping and cheering in joy and passion for the goal. Drawkland began to attack more and more, especially on the wings with the likes of Octavia and Cross, but the HUElavian backline stood tall and strong, making tackles and blocks to prevent shots from getting to Belluci. Time ticked on and on, and Drawkland was throwing all that they could, but HUElavia began playing much more defensively, a rarity from the team, wanting to close out the game. After some additional time, the referee blew their whistle and the bench came onto the field to hug the exhausted players as they gave their condolences to the Drawkian players, and celebrated in front of the HUElavian supporters.

In the other Semi-Final in Indusse, Reçueçn defeated surprise package Sel Appa 2-0 to book their spot into the IAC Final. Thus, HUElavia vs Reçueçn will be the 25th IAC Final, a rematch of countless of matches before, but most importantly, it is the IAC 8 Final rematch. The very first Final HUElavia had lost and it's come full circle. Back then, it was in Reçueçn for the Final, but this time, HUElavia gets the Final on their own home turf at Estadio Nacional in Curumba. In the post match conference, Coach Casillas had this to say: "We're happy, proud and grateful for the victory and for the chance to play in front of our home crowd. I'd like to offer my condolences and commiserations to Drawkland, they were a very difficult opponent as always and brought forward another great game to keep us on alert. Belluci was fantastic today and the defense was superb as well, standing up for the call to defend well. We were fortunate that Kaba sent that cross in and Milano was in the right place at the right time. Now, we return back home, to train well and study film to take on another familiar rival in Reçueçn. They're a great team, arguably one of the best defensively in this region, and we have plenty of cultural friendliness with each other. It always makes me chuckle to see posts of Reçueçnians enjoying HUElavian cuisine on social media. Still, it's a great and worthy Final for both of us. We hope to have thousands of fans present and millions in the country cheering us on for the chance of what can be a historic day in HUElavian football." HUElavia will be in their 9th IAC Final, while Reçueçn will only be in their 2nd IAC Final. Both teams played in groups shared by the same nations of HUElavia and Free Republics, albeit with HUElavia playing all their games in Curumba in the Group Stage. Both came from Opposite ends of the bracket, HUElavia being at the very top end, and Reçueçn in the very bottom end (except for the Round-of-32 where they were the home team). A tale of two extremes that felt inevitable to meet. Another Final awaits, one with the opportunity to see one team end a long drought for a title. The other, with a chance to have the most all-time titles. Here's to what can be a historic Final.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

[Recuecn]

RCN to Face HUE in IAC Final; Licornes on the Rise Again?
The Reçueçn Times
By Georges Quint, Sportswriter

Reçueçn's Zenith

Reçueçn's KPB since it started participating in WCC events. KPB+ before WC 98 is calculated retroactively, and KPB is calculated after WC 97 for comparison's sake.

Any soccer fan in Reçueçn can tell you when Reçuecian soccer peaked. In IAC 7, Jacques Tremblay led an unranked Reçueçn to win a bronze medal, and immediately afterward, still unranked, the team qualified for the World Cup on the nation's first attempt since its hiatus. Les Licornes followed that up by winning the very next IAC, at home.

No other generation of Reçuecian footballers has come close to replicating this feat.

Yet after returning from a second hiatus, Reçueçn has slowly but surely been trying to reclaim the position it once held. The ÉNRF's KPB+ score has been steadily increasing, and there have been a couple more trophies along the way: another IAC bronze medal, and a victory in the Cup of Harmony. The Cup of Harmony win was the first tournament win for Reçueçn in thirteen years—longer, if you follow just about any other nation's calendar. But despite years of trying, the nation has not yet succeeded in retrieving its erstwhile IAC glory.

It's gotten to the point where sports journalists struggle to justify Reçueçn's insistence that it, too, is an indie heavyweight. Sportswriters, unable to point to any contemporary dominance on the part of Les Licornes, refer to them as "historical IAC champions"; it's recognized that the name Reçueçn is associated with the IAC perhaps, but in recent memory, there is nothing to celebrate.

That's why, for Reçuecian fans, the quarter-century edition of the Independent Associations Championship has become such a white whale. After not one but two narrow escapes on penalties, Les Licornes find themselves at the end of an unlikely run that has brought them back to the brink of greatness. A win in the final would equal Reçueçn's greatest sporting achievement, and confirm the nation's star is on the rise.

There's a satisfying symmetry to the match as well. Back in IAC 8, Reçueçn won the tournament at home by defeating HUElavia. Now, as Les Licornes prepare for their second IAC final, they once again are facing off against HUElavia, but this time it is Los Amarillos who are playing at home.

Reçueçn's 3-1 victory over HUElavia was the first time the nation lost an IAC final, and apparently the HUElavians enjoyed that so much, they decided to make it a national tradition. They lost the next three IAC finals in a row, and then threw in IAC 13 for good measure. It's good news for Les Licornes. In fact, the only team we'd rather be facing in an IAC final is Drawkland, but they already handed us a Cup of Harmony final win last time we played, so it's only fair that it's HUElavia's turn. Together, HUElavia and Drawkland account for 46% of IAC silver medals. Honestly it's surprising anyone else has managed to snag any, but maybe it explains why Reçueçn only has gold and bronze.

When it comes to gold, the players on the équipe nationale are certainly hungry for more. This IAC marks the retirement of the very last remnants of that generational IAC 8 squad. Gerauld Firaut, Franky Adams, and Lukas Kayserling have all hung up their cleats, leaving the team in the hands of Laurent Lapix, Théophile Thériault, and Gerauld's daughter Rébecca. Each of them will want to lift the IAC trophy for themself, and prove that they are on par with the Licornes who came before them. But only tonight's result will tell whether we are about to see the next generation of the ÉNRF begin to soar, or if it's Reçueçn's turn to be the IAC's finalist punching bag.

---

---

Michèle Simon put down her copy of the Reçueçn Times with a sigh, and dialed Yves Sabatier's number. He picked up on the first ring.

"Madame Simon?"

"Yves, please tell me you have something concrete on LeBouffe."

"Certainly, madame, I'll send you my report immediately following the IAC final and you'll be happy to see it's quite clear that the ÉNRF's wins are all thanks to its players skill and athleticism. Coach LeBouffe contributes nothing of substance to the team, and I believe my report will be enough to make that obvious to the federation."

Simon pinched the bridge of her nose. "Yves, that's not enough. As long as the team keeps winning, we have no excuse to sack him. My worst fear is that we win the whole tournament and he immediately renegotiates a contract extension. He'll have all the public and the entire executive council on his side."

"I could frame him for something. Make him out to be sabotaging the team."

Sabatier's ambition was always like this. Simon tried to congratulate herself on having such a fervent subordinate under her thumb, instead of letting herself dwell on how annoying his misplaced zeal could be. "Yves, hold your horses. Think about how it went the last time you tried to pull a fast one on the federation. Your heart's in the right place, but I need you to use your head."

"Madame, if the report I send you isn't enough to get him fired, then I'm afraid I'm all out of ideas. Like you said, if he wins the IAC, all of Reçueçn is going to be on his side."

Simon ground her teeth. "Putain! That cretin has nothing to do with our wins! It's inexcusable that he should get credit from the team's performance despite him!"

"Is there... some personal grudge you have against him?"

Sabatier's voice was wheedling, ingratiating. It drove Simon mad. "Fuck, no! It's all business! He was never supposed to get that fucking job in the first place, and I need him out! He's resisted me for so long now... He's always getting in my way... I guess, yes, there's some resentment there after all this time. I can admit that. So don't give up! I want you shadowing him right up until the medal ceremony. If he's going to take credit for this win, don't make it easy for him!"

"Understood, madame," said Sabatier.

~~~

Hyron LeBouffe could definitely sense the FNRF making things hard for him. Leading up to the game against Sel Appa and all through the match, the federation's surveillance had been a constant, restricting presence, like a sweater two sizes too small. LeBouffe felt he could hardly breathe. Each time he opened his mouth to speak to a player, a federation agent conspicuously showed up to eavesdrop. Everywhere he went, Yves Sabatier followed him like a codependent puppy.

The worst part of it all was that he could feel the way that Yves' presence sapped the team's morale. During the group stage, the atmosphere in the locker room had been charged, ebullient. But ever since the FNRF's goons had showed up, the vibe was Orwellian. The players kept their heads down and their exchanges terse and low, as if citizens in 1984 hoping to avoid the wrath of Big Brother. Reçueçn's deep run into the tournament ought to have been a cause for celebration, but although the fans back home were ecstatic, there was none of the usual play-off energy on the squad. Each of the knock-out wins should have been a party; all of them were either decisive victories by multiple goals, or nail-biting, adrenaline-fueled finishes. But when the players walked off the field after winning a penalty shoot-out, they returned to the watchful eye of the federation, and their enthusiasm evaporated like rubbing alcohol.

LeBouffe watched his players change out of their gear after the win in New Hind City. Yves and one of his federation colleagues stood quietly in the corner of the locker room, and under their gaze, the team's victorious laughter diminuendoed and died. LeBouffe knew he had to do something.

He cleared his throat. "Les gamins, I..." Something caught in his throat and he stopped to swallow. "I want you all to know how proud of you I am. You have been going up against the hardest teams in the multiverse and coming out on top. That's something you accomplished on your own strength, and no one can take that away from you." He paused and looked pointedly at Yves. "No one. I know that things have been challenging over the last few days with the added pressure from the federation. I'm sorry that you've been put through that on my account. It's not fair to you, and it's not fair to our nation that expects its federation to be doing everything it can to support this team." Yves looked like he was going to interrupt, but Hyron continued before he could say anything.

"Many of you have subtly expressed your support to me," he went on. "That meant a great deal to me. I know that the federation's claims are not entirely unfounded—I am not the greatest strategic genius, even compared to some of you. I don't want to hold you back, but more importantly, I don't want my fight with the FNRF to get in your way as you accomplish great things."

Laurent Lapix looked up. He sensed what was coming. So did Yves, who decided in the moment not to say anything as Hyron paused to catch his breath.

"That's why I've decided that I will resign after this tournament concludes," Hyron said. "I can't fight the FNRF without dragging this team down with me, so I intend to resign in protest. Of course, I will wait until after the final match—I don't want to abandon you right at the moment that you need the most stability." He turned toward Yves. "And in search of that stability, I hope that the federation will accept my resignation letter and in turn give the team some breathing room. This is a team that can win the IAC. But to do it, we need our confidence back, and we need our freedom."

Yves walked over to Hyron. "If I have that in writing, we'll be out of your hair immediately," he said, and he walked out of the room.

He gave Mme. Simon a call right away.

"Michèle," he said. "We won."

[Sel Appa]

Post Semifinal Press Conference with Coach Walter Daviande

"What do you think happened with this match?

Daviande: "Well, Reçueçn is what? The 9th ranked team? It was going to be a tough match no matter what. And we are really lucky to have even made it to the Semifinals. We are disappointed, but we are happy to have been here."

"Why couldnt the team score?"

Daviande: "We had that offside in the 2nd half, that unfortunately was discounted, but I think they had some good opportunities. The Reçu defense is pretty strong. Its an experienced team. I would have liked to see a goal even if we lost, but we couldnt quite get it home."

"What could have been done better?"

Daviande: "Well, score. I always tell the team focus on getting a goal. If were at zero, we cant win. Even if we lose, I want to have a goal scored. This was the only match we didnt score in."

"What do you expect against Drawkland?"

Daviande: "Another tough team, higher ranked even. Our base camp is there, so we have been able to study them a bit. Hopefully, we can solve them better than Reçu. A lot of people are talking about World Cup 37."

"Would you be happy with third then?"

Daviande: "Im happy with where we are now. But yea of course, a win there would be great. We would love to show the Sel Appan fight."

"How has this run been overall?"

Daviande: "Oh its been wonderful, an honor. Were all over the moon with the play and the opportunity. A lot of good goals scored. We put Sel Appa back on the map. We wanted to show the fans a winning team."

"The Turtles have faced a lot of disappointment in their return to international football. Whats changed other than personnel?"

Daviande: "Well, certainly the personnel changes did a lot. But, I think overall we have more experience now. We have learned a lot from other teams out there."

"A lot of people are saying you are a lot more attack minded than Marek Löwy was. Do you agree with that?"

Daviande: "I dont like to compare myself to other coaches."

"Looking ahead to the World Cup, what do you think will happen?"

Daviande: "I think well qualify for the next one. We have a team that is clearly capable now. We will go far."

"Are you excited for the World Cup coming off of this success?"

Daviande: "Oh absolutely. Its been an honor to coach this team. I look forward to our future."

"Any tweaks you want to make before then?"

Daviande: "Well review this run, but I think Rocky and I are pretty satisfied for at least the next Cup."

[Drawkland]

The Kick Corps players and staff were on their way to Sudilia. The fact that their plane was headed there instead of HUElavia was a bit of a disappointment, but it wasn't exactly a shock. The HUElavians had been a bogey team for the Kick Corps for years upon years, especially in the 'new Corps' era. Still, the Corps had plenty of chances and only made one big mistake all game. Sarah Arrowsword felt a little bit of responsibility there: she was out on maternity leave, and her replacement had left the cross open which led to HUElavia's lone goal early in the second half. It's not like Jane M. Thompson made a huge mistake on that play, but Sarah felt that things would've been different if she was in.

Obviously nobody blamed Sarah or Jane for what happened. Again, Drawkland had their chances, but they failed to cash in any of them. It is what it is, and now the Corps would be headed to the third-place game for the fourth time against a team participating in their second-ever IAC. Eleven semifinal appearances vs one. The old guard of the indies against an even older but only recently revived guard. It was still an exciting game, but it was far from the IAC stalwart classic that could've been Drawkland vs Reçueçn in the final. Of course, HUElavia vs Drawkland followed by HUElavia vs Reçueçn was still plenty enticing for the average indie fan.

Whatever the specifics were, Sarah was quick to pass her self-blame onto her manager. She didn't intend to be on the injured list in the first place. She'd only told Garner about her pregnancy at the behest of her friends. It was technically team policy, don't run afoul of the rules, blah blah. Of course Garner insisted that Sarah sit out and follow policy, including the truthful note of why Sarah was being moved to the injury reserve. Sarah thought it was ridiculous. She had no bump, no symptoms as far as she could tell, and hadn't noticed a chance in her play. She's only tested herself because she was a couple days late and had probable cause. And if the baby was supposedly immortal too, Sarah figured getting shaken around a bit in the early stages wouldn't cause any long-term detriment.

Still, Sarah was facing typical consequences for doing the right thing. No good deed goes unpunished, as some might say. At least that made it easy for Sarah to wallow in self-pity and dodge any personal discontent. That is, until she thought about why she was in that situation in the first place. That brought her back into a brooding mood as she sat in the back corner of the charter flight to Sudilia (even though she wasn't required to attend due to her IR status, she wasn't going to miss a potential podium game with the rest of her team). It wasn't exactly rare for Sarah to be aloof at team activities, but Cam Cross and Nicole Warren did take notice that something was off.

"Are you alright, Sarah?" Cam asked out of the blue. The plane wasn't totally quiet. There were low conversations here and there, but the corner where the immortals were sitting had been silent for around an hour.

"Hm? I dunno. Just thinking about stuff." Sarah replied flatly. She'd learned since returning from the quest that Cam had gained the ability to discern the truth from somebody -- that was the gift bestowed upon her along with her immortality. Sarah knew there was no use using a white lie to say she was fine, though she really wasn't sure what the truth was in the first place.

"Ah, gotcha." Cam said. She and Nicole knew what that meant. Ever since Sarah told them about the pregnancy, Sarah had been acting a little different. Understandable, of course. They both wanted to help, but neither knew exactly how to do that. Even under normal circumstances, Sarah didn't like to talk much about herself. Cam was prepared to drop the subject and let Sarah brood some more when Sarah suddenly spoke up again.

"Did you guys ... did either of you tell anybody?" Sarah turned to look at them both. It wasn't with an accusatory tone, however, more like curiosity or even confusion.

"No," Cam and Nicole replied in unison. Nicole added, "Why?"

"Not about the baby itself," Sarah clarified. She looked at the nearby rows. They had a couple empty rows of a buffer, and their nearest teammates were either sleeping or had headphones on. Still, she lowered her voice. "I mean, I told you guys, then my parents, then Danika. Then Danika told the entire fucking world the next day. But I meant more about the father."

"Oh." Nicole shrugged, and Cam leaned forward. "Was somebody asking you about him? Who else have you told?"

"You're the only ones that I've told. I haven't even told my parents yet, but that's mostly to spite my dad. Whatever." Sarah shook her head to refocus. "Anyway, that info has seemed to travel through the immortal circles very quickly. I was just wondering if either of you spilled the beans. I wouldn't be mad."

"Really?" Cam raised an eyebrow once Sarah spoke that last sentence.

"Okay, I won't be that mad." Sarah corrected herself, affording a light-hearted smirk.

Cam and Nicole looked at each other before both shaking their heads in response. "It's only been a couple weeks. Nobody's even talked to us about it," Cam said.

"Uh huh." Sarah didn't have the same power Cam had (she still wasn't sure what hers was anyway), but they both seemed truthful. That seemed to bug Sarah even more. It meant that somebody else knew things about her that she didn't tell them.

"Why do you ask?" Nicole said, reiterating Cam's unanswered question prior.

"I told you guys how I 'coincidentally' ran into Iarocav after the Abanhfleft game," Sarah started, prompting nods from Cam and Sarah. "Well, it was a little more than just a simple congrats. And I'm not sure it was a coincidence at all."

"I see," Cam nodded. That explained the mystery from the couple weeks prior when Sarah originally told them about meeting the Drawkionel. Cam could tell that Sarah was being truthful when she said Iarocav congratulated her, but beyond her power she felt like Sarah was holding something back. Given that this situation was still pretty delicate, she and Nicole declined to press further about it. They correctly assumed Sarah would come around to telling them the rest, and here they were.

"He ... mentioned the father," Sarah continued. "He seemed to know who it is, at least confidently enough to tell me that he was going to be meeting him soon as well. For the same reason."

"What reason?" Nicole prompted, being sure to keep her voice down.

"He told me about how the child will be immortal. And other stuff about that." Sarah literally shuddered as she recalled the memory, and briefly switched gears. "You guys have talked to him before. And you've seen him on TV and all that. Like normally he has this sort of easygoing vibe. Obviously a little eccentric given his age. So he feels almost like a grandpa, but in the body of a strong man. This perfect mix of wisdom and natural power, like, um ..."

Nicole and Cam glanced at each other as Sarah trailed off. Sarah shook her head and managed an awkward cough.

"Anyway, you hear these stories about how he was this cutthroat politician or bloodthirsty conqueror back in the day. And that seems a little funny at times because you meet the guy and he's just this goofy older man, right? But when he talked to me that night, it's like he dropped the veil for a second. He was dead serious. I could literally see a coldness in his eyes. It was honestly a little bit terrifying."

"What was he talking about?" Nicole asked, clearly concerned. Sarah didn't necessarily look scared, but she was certainly unsettled. That was not a frequent sight.

"Just stuff about the baby. How it's going to be immortal, and why that's a big deal." Sarah sighed, glancing out the plane window for a moment before continuing. "Like, we all hear about how parenthood is important and you need to put forth the effort to raise your kids right. But the way Iarocav was talking about it ... he made it sound like it was life or death. Which is kinda weird, considering ... y'know."

"Death isn't part of our equation anymore," Cam finished the thought for Sarah. "So that's weighing on your mind, huh? And you're still wondering how he even knows in the first place, too?"

"It's possible somebody else noticed. It's not like you two only ever went out by yourselves." Nicole pointed out. "It's not impossible that some other immortal put two and two together once the announcement came out and put it through the grapevine. And like you said, the immortal circles are pretty tight-knit."

"Or maybe he said something and it came back around to you." Cam suggested. "He's gotta know by now, right?"

"I guess. But he still hasn't called me." Sarah said, indignation rising in her voice. "I mean, I was hoping he'd step up and call me once he figured it out. To show that he has some level of initiative. And even if he was a little intimidated by the situation to call immediately, I know that once Iarocav talked to him he'd be too intimidated to NOT call me. So why hasn't he called?"

"Well, you know. He's living almost full time out in Ba-" Cam was interrupted by Nicole smacking her arm. Sarah's raised voice had naturally brought Cam's response to a louder volume which was starting to pierce through the dull roar of the plane cabin. "Sorry. But that's overportal. It's obvious Iarocav is serious about this, but that doesn't mean he can just fly around anywhere for a single 5-minute conversation. I think."

"He did wait until the Abanhfleft match to talk to Sarah," Nicole pointed out. "He seems to like those more 'coincidental' meetings. Maybe it takes the pressure off, or makes it easier to obscure the purpose of his travel. Do they ever audit the Drawkionels? Either way, maybe he hasn't found an excuse to fly out to Arrosia yet."

"Or maybe he has, and dad just wants to be a deadbeat." Sarah growled. "Either he's an idiot or a coward. Even if Iarocav hasn't talked to him yet, he has to know by now. And it's his stupid fault that this happened in the first place!"

"Maybe that's why he's hesitant. Could be embarrassed. He might be wondering how to make things right," Cam pointed out.

"That's possible. And not to be rude, Sarah, but can you really say it's all his fault?" Nicole added gently.

"Yes. Yes I can. The last time we ... y'know." Sarah visibly cringed and let out a sharp exhale before elaborating. "When it happened. I honestly forgot about this part because we were both blitzed as usual, but something Iarocav said sort of brought the memory back. Apparently there's some sort of like, spell, or something, that immortals can use to make sure that they conceive. For when they're ready for that. Well I guess somebody told this idiot about it and he somehow memorized the phrase. I dunno exactly how it went down but I'm guessing we both accidentally babbled it and ... well here we are."

"Seriously?" Nicole gasped, looking over at Cam who had a similar expression. "Why haven't we heard about that?"

"I told you, I forgot about that!" Sarah caught herself and lowered her voice again. "I guess the immortals keep that on a need-to-know basis. And I guess I'm the prime example as to why they do that. And I don't know who told him about it in the first place, but I'm gonna give that moron a piece of my mind when I find out. While I'm on the subject ..." She reached into her pocket, whipping her phone out and navigating to the call screen.

"Woah, Sarah, are you sure?" Cam asked with alarm once she realized what Sarah was doing. "Are you ready for that?"

"Yeah, maybe this would be better when you're thinking clearly-" Nicole added, but she was cut off.

"I am thinking clearly," Sarah insisted. She continued scrolling, finding the contact she was looking for. The father. "For the last month I've been all mushy in my head. But it's obvious that I can't trust him to be responsible. I'm going to have to be the one that actually gets shit done. Fine. Whatever. It's time to rip off the bandage."

"O-o-okay." Cam said. She wasn't convinced, but she could feel Sarah's conviction. She looked at Nicole, who simply shrugged. Sarah would be Sarah.

"Here." Sarah jabbed her finger resolutely at the call button. As they were on a much more advanced Drawkian airliner, the call went out through satellite, racing to its intended target ...

[HUElavia]

We're down to the Final Two matches of the 25th Independent Associations Championship.
Up in Manchbury, an old guard in the Indies against an old guard in the Multiverse for the Bronze Medal.
Down in Curumba, one team chases the most titles of all time, while the other chases a return to old glory that has eluded them for years.
These two teams have made it to the Final Their Way and have earned their right to compete for the IAC Trophy for this historic edition.
Here's to what's been a historic 25th edition and here's to another 25 more...

3rd Place Playoff and the 25th Independent Association Championship Final Cutoff

3rd Place Playoff
Drawkland 1–1 Sel Appa (2–1 AET)
(Grand Manchbury, Manchbury, Sudilia

The 25th Independent Associations Championship Final

HUElavia 0–2 Reçueçn
Estadio Nacional, Curumba, HUElavia
Scorinated by Tumbra

[Recuecn]

"Vous avez le but devant vous. J'ai plus rien à dire. Allez-y, et nous se retrouverons sur le champs de victoire!"

Hyron's words echoed in the team's ears as they poured onto the field in Curumba. The goal is before you. I have nothing left to say. It had been a long campaign, challenging, as any IAC would be, and made more difficult by the FNRF's meddling and interference. Executives from the Reçuecian federation had gotten in the way of their own coach, getting in the way of his ability to manage the team and undermining his legitimacy. In the end, he'd kept his pre-match pep talk short and sweet.

That was fine with the players. After all, he was right; they had almost achieved their goal. Now, in the final match, they had all the motivation they needed. What could he add in a pep talk that would convince them, if playing for a gold medal wasn't already enough?

The floodlights at the Estadio Nacional shone in the night sky the way nothing else does. The crowd of a hundred thousand rippled and teemed beneath them as Laurent Lapix and his teammates took the pitch. Squinting in the light and looking up into the stands, Laurent could see the fans, decked out in yellow, green, and blue. They waved scarves, hoisted tifos, and released smoke and fireworks. HUElavian fans dominated the stadium, but Laurent could see a sizable section of Reçuecian supporters, sporting crimson, violet, and gold, and doing their best to make themselves heard.

Almost every sporting event kicks off with a huge drop in energy. The fans and announcers get hyped up in the pre-game ceremonies and rituals—the anthems, the superstitions, the noise, the music, and the countdown. But as the game begins, the energy releases. The game will get exciting, and the energy will return, but in that moment that the whistle is blown and the music on the speakers goes quiet, the tension always releases.

Tonight, this was not the case.

Los Amarillos started with the ball, and at the whistle, they surged forward. All the stops were pulled out, as they set the pace for the night at a frenetic level. The fans, thrilled for the beginning of a historic game, were all on their feet, cheering and yelling.

Les Licornes, when they have the chance, prefer to play defensively and park the bus. But Reçueçn found it couldn't control the pace of the game. Cristiano Milano led the charge, with his fellow attackers Ronaldo Arruda and Jéssica Serra by his side. Passing carefully, they made sure to stop Reçueçn from getting what it wanted—possession of the ball and a chance to slow the game down.

However, HUElavia couldn't control everything. To get close to the Reçuecian goal meant to take risks, and although the HUElavians were talented and ready to take chances, they weren't foolhardy. Arruda, Milano, and Serra got off some good shots, but when it became clear that too many attempts from up close would just end with Ziswiler or her defenders getting the ball and starting to kill time, Los Amarillos had to take its foot off the gas a little. HUElavia found itself passing back to its midfielders more often as it prodded the Reçuecian defense, looking for weakness, or the chance to launch a decisive strike. A quarter of an hour in, Milano got the closest, when a shot from twenty yards out tipped off Ziswiler's fingers to hit the crossbar and go just over the top of the goal. The crowd, seeing the ball ripple the top of the net, let out a yell, thinking he had scored. That was followed by a groan, as people realized what had happened.

The first half continued at the same pace. HUElavia had a couple more great chances—a beautiful pass from Kaba that Schmidt sent just wide, and a terrifying chip from Arruda, clearing the defenders, but fortunately wrapped in a hug by Ziswiler.

After a fifteen minute break the teams came back out looking a little more subdued. Reçueçn got the ball at kick-off this time, and began to set a slower pace. But just because the speed of the game slowed, didn't mean the threat was reduced. In fact, Reçueçn struck almost immediately. In the 49th minute, Thériault snuck past Vannier (in for Gavicaechebarria). Thériault was forced into the corner, but he managed to get off a cross, and Lapix found the ball to volley it into the net. As a hush dropped over the HUElavian supporters, Lapix ran over to celebrate in front of the Reçuecian fans, who erupted with joy.

Up 1-0, Les Licornes tried more than ever to park the bus. LeBouffe made some defensive changes, putting on Blaise Gauthier and Corinne Adam to bolster his back line. However, HUElavia was playing at home in front of its fans, and wasn't going to just roll over after a single goal. With renewed vigor and desperation, Los Amarillos threw themselves back into the game.

But there is nothing Reçueçn excels at more than defense. Maybe making cheese. But in terms of soccer, not much. The next twenty minutes were going to be frustrating for the HUElavian fans as Les Licornes began to control the possession and slow the pace of the game. It wasn't until HUElavia found the net in the 74th minute that the game began to speed up again. The goal was disallowed—Arruda had been just barely offsides—but with the clock ticking, the HUElavians began to try harder and harder.

Their attempts grew increasingly desperate as that final whistle grew closer. Los Amarillos made attack after attack, and it seemed they were about to score at any moment. The game was once more a frenetic thrill. "This has been probably the best twenty minutes of soccer I've seen in years," said one of the commentators, as the clock neared ninety. With the pressure so high, every player was playing their heart out, determined to leave no regrets on the field at the final whistle.

HUElavia took shot after shot. Ziswiler dove left and right, knocking away balls, but each one led to another corner kick, and with each one, Los Amarillos grew closer to that elusive, game-tying goal. The fourth official held up the sign for stoppage time: seven minutes, more than enough. The Reçuecians were beginning to look ragged, exhausted from trying to keep up with the home team, determined to do what so many other HUElavian teams had failed to do, and win the final. But the HUElavians were also tired, gleaming with sweat.

It was probably that—a moment of exhaustion from a player who had pushed himself past his limits—that gave Reçueçn the final opportunity it needed to put the game in the bag. A mis-step from Sartori, and Emila Streuli was off down the field. The entire HUElavian team had been on the Reçuecian half, searching for the goal to save their tournament at the last minute, and now they ran after Streuli, chasing her down.

Streuli sprinted as she never had before. She was on a breakaway. This was her moment. Pazarella was gaining on her—running right alongside her with Girard just behind him as Streuli entered the box. Belluci ran forward, and Streuli aimed for the far post.

The ball flew just under Belluci's hand...

...and swooshed into the back of the net.

Reçueçn's victory was assured. Streuli collapsed on the six-yard line, overwhelmed. Her teammates piled on top of her. Reçueçn had won the IAC. Less than two minutes later, the whistle blew, and it was official.

Les Licornes made history that night at the Estadio Nacional. Seventeen years earlier, at a different "national stadium", Reçueçn had won the IAC once before—at its own Stade National. That game had also been against HUElavia, and had kicked off Les Licornes' longest-standing rivalry. Now, with home advantage on the other side and so many years since that last victory, the entire team had changed. The 25th IAC was the first time not a single member of that IAC 8 team was still on the ÉNRF. But a new generation had risen up.

The new generation had earned its first gold. As the crowds in Curumba went home and the floodlights finally flicked off one by one, Lapix was left wondering—with that goal behind them, what was to come next?

[Sel Appa]

Fourth at the Independents Cup, First in our Hearts

IAC25 Post-Tournament

---

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MANCHBURY, Sudilia—Its almost never quiet following a match loss in Sel Appa. It was last night, after the 2-1 extra time loss to Drawkland. An entire nation on the edge of their seats during this unexpected charge to the Independents Cup Semifinals, culminating in the third place match. And what a match it was: Drawkland scored first, and led for most of the time, until a late equalizer by Antonio Rodriguez found the back of the net, giving millions hope. When the full time whistle blew, leaving the 90 minutes at a draw, the Turtles and their myriad supporters wondered if they were dreaming, if they could really pull it off. However, it was not deep into extra time that these hopes were dashed when Cece Benbow headed a pass into the net. Hard as they tried, Sel Appa could not find another equalizer to break the Drawkian defense. The team was outmatched. It was almost ironic that Sel Appa met their base camp hosts for the Group Stage in the 3rd place match. A bit of familiarity with the team is probably the only reason they were able to score after falling 2-0 to Reçueçn.

Police presence in major cities across the nation was ramped up heavier than ever, anticipating the usual riots win or lose. But they ended up with a boring night as normally crazed fans calmly streamed out of watch events at almost every stadium in the country. The fans were proud of their team. They didnt think in their wildest dreams that the boys in blue would get this far. However, responsibility for the quiet may have lain with the urgings of coach Daviande and several players, who put out PSAs asking fans to respect the results regardless. A valiant attempt to clamp down on hooligan culture in Sel Appa. Or perhaps, it was the calm loss itself, with a consolation goal. It was the win that would have set the nation ablaze. The loss kept them passive. They were satisfied with the results.

Coach Wally, as the team calls him, said in the post match presser "We may be fourth at the Independents, but this team is FIRST in our hearts. I am so proud, so proud." Almost anyone in this situation would be explaining a loss, but Daviande flipped the script and celebrated making it this far. Teasing optimism for the forthcoming World Cup 101, he noted the team would look over what they got right and wrong, with a fierce determination to qualify in their fourth attempt at a return to international football. A lot of precedents were set at the 25th Independents, and new Sel Appan football culture developed. A new team takes the stage, walking in the footsteps of giants.

Comments

I just cant believe we did this. I wish we had made it to the Finals or won this, but we had no expectations. Its just, beautiful.
mosium -- 25 minutes ago
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Props to this team, this coach, we couldnt be more proud, boys!
sma -- 37 minutes ago
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Looking forward to the next Cup, never felt better about this team in years.
nicole561 -- 56 minutes ago
Recommend (265)