Adventure Overview
Players: Mr. Rhyze, Morton.
Enemies: Manolo, Blitzball Hooligans and the Electran Currents.
Started: During a meeting about the upcoming shore leave.
Ended: With the conclusion of the promotional game.
Upon entering the stadium, Mr. Rhyze found that it was already extremely crowded. Looking around carefully, he spotted Don Cherry, Mean Gene and George Steinbrenner in an elevated booth. Flying up to join them, the communications officer asked what was going on. Between bites of his breadbowl, Steinbrenner explained that he had come up with a great idea for a promotional event. An amateur Blitzball team, namely the Yankees, would go up against the Electran Currents in a promotional game sure to raise the profiles of both teams. This notion was echoed by Mean Gene, who added that it would be unbelievable. Mr. Rhyze liked the idea, but had to question the choice of the Yankees. After all, the Epsilon Replacements had beaten Steinbrenner's team and proven themselves the superior amateur team. Don Cherry was in favour of this idea, and it also received the support of Daikon-7, who had just arrived on the scene. As a sponsor of both the space station Epsilon and Blitzball itself, Daikon-7 declared that the Replacements would be the perfect team to compete against the Electran Currents. Of course, Mr. Rhyze would need to assemble his team, and had only a few minutes to do so before the game was set to begin. In addition, Mr. Rhyze would also need to find one more player, since the Replacements currently only had three. This proved to be a bigger challenge than anyone anticipated.
Locating Johnny proved easy. In fact, the Man came sliding up moments after Mr. Rhyze had concluded his conversation with Don Cherry. He was accompanied by Vana White, but didn't seem eager to draft her as the fourth member of The Replacements. Finding Keepa also proved to be no challenge. But the search for a fourth member proved vain. Mr. Rhyze checked the practice hydrospheres, desperately hoping to find Sir Jecht. In the end, however, there was no sign of the legendary Blitzball player. Despite Mr. Rhyze's reservations, he was forced to draft Vana White into the ranks of the Epsilon Replacements. And so, the team returned to the stadium and awaited their chance to challenge the Currents. They did not have to wait long. The stands were already packed, and as soon as they returned, Don Cherry began announcing the game. He started by introducing the sponsors of the Intergalactic Cup, including the Daikon corporation and Coca-Cola. He also noted several important guests watching the game, including Mean Gene, the Fenixa Infernos and Vice-Admiral Flanedra. The Infernos didn't seem pleased to be merely watching this game. On the other hand, Flanedra seemed to be enjoying himself. Of course, this could have been due to the comfort of his amazing electronic chair. All introductions aside, Don went on to introduce the Epsilon players. He was harsh in his introduction of Vana White, but that could only be expected. Finally, he welcomed the Electran Currents to the Hydrosphere. Naturally, the appearance of this famous team brought massive cheers from the crowd.
Tsurinam The Player from Harvard Charles Barklay Lord Montagu
Race: Tortalian
Occupation: Captain of the Electran Currents
As a Tortalian, Tsurinam had innate and unbelievable swimming skills. This made him extremely suited to be the Captain of the Electran Blitzball team. Thin, like most Toralians, he is known more for his speed than his tackling abilities. His shooting power is also incredible, and his legendary Tsunami shot has allowed him to become one of the league's scoring leaders. When in the hydrosphere, Tsurinam always wears a green wetsuit, specially designed by the scientists of Tortalus to allow freedom of movement. Always focused, Tsurinam is known as one of the finest Blitzball players around these days.
Race: Tortalian
Occupation: Member of the Electran Currents and Harvard Graduate
Unlike Tsurinam, the Player from Harvard is not very well known at all. In fact, no one seems to even know his name. His only real distinguishing feature would have to be the fact that he went to Harvard, thus allowing granting him his title and large tuition debts. The Player from Harvard's appearance is also rather generic, including long blond hair and a red speedo with a big 'H' on it. His Blitzball skills are almost as questionable as his name. In fact, the Player from Harvard usually doesn't even come into the Blitzball sphere until the second period of a game. For the first half, he usually just runs around the outside and poses. However, when the time is right and he can get someone off guard, he will sometimes dart into the ring to tackle someone from behind. This move is usually followed by some serious posing, after which the Player from Harvard is often knocked right out of the Sphere by one of his opponents, usually not to return that game.
Race: Electran
Occupation: Blitzball player for the Electran Currents
The first actual Electran on the team, Charles Barklay is an extremely tall, tanned guy who wears a basketball uniform and sports a small, civilized mustache. This uniform is indicative of the fact that Barklay used to play basketball, but he found his true calling in a hydrosphere. In play, Charles likes to use his massive height to block all shots going past him. He is also a notorious ball-hog, and doesn't like anyone else having possession of the ball, including members of his own team. Because anything less would be uncivilized.
Race: Electran
Occupation: Goaltender for the Electran Currents
By virtue of his noble blood, many Electrans believe that Lord Montagu is one of the best players in the league. Without doubt, he is one of the best-dressed. Even in the Sphere, Montagu always wears an elaborate black suit, cape and tophat. He is also equipped with both a cane and a monocle, the latter of which seems to actually help him block shots during the game. Like most Electran aristocrats, Montagu looks down on all those without a noble title, and believes that none of them have the right to score on any net that he's tending. Consequently, he even tends to look down on members of his own team, with the possible exception of the civilized Charles Barklay. He is also suspected of harboring a burning hatred for the Capulets, whoever they may be.
With all the players thus introduced, the game was ready to begin. Tsurinam swam forward to take the face-off. Although Mr. Rhyze was tempted to face him, he didn't want to begin the game by losing a Blitzoff. Instead, he decided to make Johnny take the fall. The Man was eager for the attention, and to Mr. Rhyze's amazement, managed to win the Blitzoff. From that moment on, the game was intense. The Replacements did initially have the numbers advantage, since the Player from Harvard had yet to enter the Sphere. However, the speed of Tsurinam and height of Charles Barklay still proved a difficult combination to face. Still, with an early rush, Mr. Rhyze got a clear shot on net with his patented Sphere Shot. However, to his and Mean Gene's amazement, Lord Montagu used his monocle and managed to deflect the shot. From that moment on, The Epsilon team was on the defensive. Vana White proved she was good for more than just turning letters around on some gameshow. Despite all predictions, she played amazingly well, and even once managed to tackle the towering Charles Barklay. However, it wasn't enough to stop Tsurinam, who unleashed his powerful Tsunami shot on Keepa. Although he had time to see it coming, Keepa simply couldn't stop such a powerful shot, and the score was thus 1-0 for the Currents. However, the Replacements came back strong. The Iceman used his special magnetism to catch a rebound and passed down the Sphere to Mr. Rhyze. The communications officer swam for the net, but his breakaway was stopped by the massive form of Charles Barklay. However, to Don Cherry's delight, Mr. Rhyze knocked him right over and launched a powerful shot on net. Distracted by the posing of Harvard, Lord Montagu was unable to stop this shot. As the first period ended, it was tied at one all.
Although the first half had gone back and forth, the tides were changed in the second period by Tsurinam's Tsunami shot. He thus scored a second goal on Keepa, making the score 2-1. In addition, the Player from Harvard also made an entrance into the sphere during this second half. Upon seeing a good opportunity, he tackled Vana White from behind, taking possession of the ball. But despite the urgings of his teammates, Harvard did nothing more than pose for several minutes, giving Johnny time to tackle him and send him flying from the hydrosphere. This was Harvard's only contribution to the game, but it did give Barklay time to tackle Johnny and launch another shot right past Keepa. The score was now 3-1, and the Replacements were getting desperate. However, they were still unable to connect any major plays, and as the time wound down, it looked like the Currents might score again. In fact, they very well might have, if Barklay was not such a ball hog. Refusing to pass to Tsurinam, Charles instead tried several more shots of his own, all of which were amazingly deflected by Keepa. As the seconds wound down, Mr. Rhyze went for one final, desperate shot, but the distance was simply too great. When the buzzer sounded, the game ended 3-1 in favor of the Currents. Although somewhat disappointed, Mr. Rhyze had to concede that his amateur team had never really had a chance of beating the Currents. The applause of the crowd, however, was evidence enough that they had put in a good effort.
Morton was not idle during this game. As the promotional match wound towards its climax, the pilot was on his way to the Blitzball stadium. In order to get in, he faced some fast questions from Chris Tucker. However, his trenchcoat and tuque disguise proved enough to fool the fast-talking officer. Although now Tucker was questioning people about both someone with an eyepatch and someone who could fly. After reluctantly paying the entrance fee, Morton made his way through the stands towards the coach's balcony. It was there that he found the one he was looking for. He could only see the back of George Steinbrenner's head, but he could still tell that the owner of the Yankees was eating a breadbowl. When Morton asked Steinbrenner where he had gotten those breadbowls, George replied that they had been baked in the finest kitchens of Armoria. Pleased to have finally found some Armorian food, Morton offered Steinbrenner a trade: a breadbowl, in exchange for absolutely nothing. After all, Morton had saved his ship from the scourges earlier that day. Of course, this additional fact would not really have even been necessary. Considering Steinbrenner's record in terms of trades, it was really no surprise that he eagerly accepted Morton's offer. Thus, the pilot was soon able to join the owner of the Yankees in hungrily devouring a breadbowl. And though the Epsilon team may have lost the game, Morton still found himself satisfied. Because after all, there is nothing more satisfying than looking down after a meal and seeing nothing there.
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