Clash of the Titans [Football Edition]

Before Orca became Real Madrid's number fourteen's eldest son, we have to go back a little further, to before he became a person. He used to be an orca.

And not just any orca, but a subadult male. Orcas are highly intelligent, but Orca's first attempts at being human still gave Guti a serious shock.

That was also the moment Guti's fatherly love was at its strongest. By the age when even cats and dogs found him annoying, Orca had become an absolute little menace.

Growing up in a family steeped in football, it was only natural that Orca would love the game too.

In 2009, Orca's rare illness had finally improved considerably. In reality, he had already mastered his human form. That same year, Cristiano Ronaldo's unstoppable knuckleball free kick would give Manchester United a future prince.

The Red Devils fans were thrilled.

The Madridistas, meanwhile, were devastated.

Even in the pure-white home of die-hard Madridistas, things were hardly peaceful. Chaos and mayhem were a regular occurrence.

In Manchester, Orca would also face Haaland, the other central figure in the city's "rivalry of the century."

Together, they would stage a red-versus-blue showdown at the highest level.

The Madridistas, thinking to themselves: That's our prince!

[Baby Orca Forum]

"World Cup year: Question, where did you first hear of Orca?"

"1F: Obviously, when the young Shark scored the youngest hat trick in Premier League history in his first start. Oh, wait, he doesn't like being called a shark."

"2F: Obviously, when he still managed a terrifying 30 goals and 18 assists in a single Premier League season, even after VAR was officially introduced in 2019."

"3F: After Ronaldo's aquarium theory, I think the prince's 'sperm damages the egg' theory takes the cake!"

"107F: He sings beautifully!"

"?"

"?"

"110F: I repent. I'm only a World Cup fan, but I've known about Orca just as long as the rest of you. I became a fan when he covered MJ's songs on YouTube. I'm a full-on music fan!"

"+1"

"+1"

"People in the music scene joke that this guy is a musical genius whose talent has been wasted on football!"

Author's notes and warnings:

1. The pairing is Haaland. Their relationship won't only become official at the very end. The romance develops fully, with the characters' thoughts as they go from friends to lovers. A major highlight of this football romance! Happy ending, but the protagonist may be shown dating other people along the way.

2. The balance is 5:2:3 for matches, plot, and romance. The matches are narrated in a serious, realistic style, the plot is a satisfying power fantasy, and the romance is full of tension, a touch literary, mature, and Western in style.

3. The 2022 World Cup will diverge from reality, and Argentina will not win. The protagonist will earn a full collection of individual honors and team trophies. The story will run through the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. He won't change clubs during that time. I started this because I wanted to write about this period at Manchester United, since there is so much going on with the club then.

4. The story may not stand up to close scrutiny, but I'll do my best to check matches and research the details. If I have time, I'll revise it a second time.

5. I can't promise a regular update schedule.

Theme: Love of football knows no colors, red or blue. Winning and losing are never the only answers on the field