Blue. So much blue. How did she even survive this massacre? Oh yeah. She hid. She was a disgrace to the entire Octarian race. But what was she supposed to do? That darn suction bomb almost ended her life. Her weapon wasn't as fortunate. She was completely defenseless and only watched as that accursed Agent 3 made quick work of her soldiers and her squad.

There was no way she could've taken him on without a weapon. Her entire squad, those under and above her all had their weapons pointed at him yet he managed to not only evade the rain of ink, but kept a safe circle for himself the entire time. He was obviously a highly trained killing machine. He rhythmically splatted everyone one by one with a bored look on his face, his helmet's tinted lens blocking whatever hid behind them.

She bet his eyes were red. The brightest, bloodiest shade of red that could ever grace anything this side of hell. There was no way he was an inkling. He was a monster. She took a sad breath as she looked for a way to possibly escape this ocean of ink. She scanned over what used to be her allies and spotted a leftover octoshot. There wasn't a lot of purple between her and the weapon but she needed to get her hands on it.

She stepped into the blue ink and let out a hiss. Her foot felt like it burning. She expected this but it didn't make it less painful. She decided it would be best to simply move as quick as this goo would allow her to and attempted to make a sprint towards the gun. Her attempted sprint was immediately slowed into a crawl as the ink latched on tightly to her feet and pulled it deeper into it with each step. She struggled but she pushed forward. The distance between her and the weapon didn't seem that far at first, but with her feet burning and getting heavier by the step, it might as well have been halfway across the world.

But she had started this. She had to finish it. She focused solely on the Octoshot and kept pushing forward. Slowly but surely, she made her way to it, prying it out of the ink that held onto it. She let out a disappointed groan seeing a few cracks and bends in the weapon.

"Please work," She muttered attaching the Octoshot to her half full inktank, the gun letting out a high pitched hiss at it being connected. She pointed the gun at the ground under her feet and pressed her finger against the trigger. She took a deep breath and pulled the trigger.

Click.

Click.

Click click click click.

"Oh come on!" She screamed smacking the weapon on the side a few times and continuing to press the trigger. The weapon oozed purple ink from its barrel, small droplets practically being absorbed by the blue ink already on the floor. "Why?! Why can't you just work!?" With another shake and a smack, the Octshot fired a blob of purple ink into the distance. The Octoling girl paused before pointing the weapon once again at her feet and pressed the trigger again. It took it a second but it fired again, the ink around her feet turning into a bright purple.

She let out a relaxed sigh as her ink soothed the burning on her feet. She fired a few more times making the puddle bigger and changed into her Octoling form. She let her ink calm her and refill her ink tank. Hearing the beep of the canister filling all the way up, she returned to her humanoid form and began making a trail back towards the kettle leading to her place of residence. The sun was going down and if she hurried she could be back to her house before it got to dark.

It was dark. Really dark. The only reason she could even see her hand in front of her face was the moon was kind enough to grace her with its entire presence. Every kettle she found, every way back to her house, was broken. A pool of dark blue ink telling her just who the culprit was. She fumed.

She looked up towards the full moon, and began to question what her next move would be. She couldn't just stay here. Stranded in the valley with no food or anything to drink did not sound too appealing. And she had no idea how to repair the kettles or even how those things worked. Her trying to fix those may cause them to warp her somewhere terrible. Or worse.

So yeah, trying to fix those things was not a good idea. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself. Wait, how did that Agent 3 get here? Obviously he had to come from somewhere. She turned around and looked towards the stream of purple she had created to get here. If she backtracked and followed the blue ink that remained she could possibly find a way out of the valley. But wait…that would mean she'd probably end up in Inkopolis.

In the enemy home front. Surrounded by those monsters of war. She brought her fist into her mouth and bit down lightly, a nervous habit of hers. Surely somewhere in the city there would be other ways to get to a section of Octovalley with functioning kettles. But she reaaaalllly didn't want to get surrounded by a bunch of Inklings. She glanced up to the moon again. It was the middle of the night. Maybe if she was really quiet and stayed to the shadows she could sneak pass any Inkling still up.

She pumped her arms to her side and decided she needed to act quickly. She turned into her Octopus form and jumped in her ink following the way back. It wasn't long until she noticed the trail of blue ink leading away from the carnage and quickly covered it up with her own so she could follow it as quickly as possible. At the end of the trail she found another grate, a bit larger than most and looked into it.

Once she did this, there was no turning back. She was about to jump into the belly of the beast. She took a deep breath and lightly smacked both sides of her face to pump herself up. She looked up at the moon again. It wasn't at its highest anymore. The night would be over soon. She had to hurry. She once again reverted to octopus form and jumped through the grates.

As soon as she fell through she felt the familiar tug of it guiding her to her destination, though compared to the ones that took her towards where she stayed, it was a lot gentler and wasn't as jerky. It spit her out right into a corner of a large plaza, her landing in a crouched battle stance. Her broken weapon was pointed in all directions while her eyes looked around erratically. Spotting an alleyway, she quickly ducked into it and behind a vending machine, holding her weapon close to her chest. Her heart was beating a mile a second and her breaths were coming out in quick bursts. She peeked around the vending machine and into the opening. She turned back around into her hiding position and froze. There was some…thing in the corner across from her. Something…spiky.

"What the…" She muttered out under her breath. That was quickly realized as a mistake as a small snail creatures opened its eyes and began shaking violently. The one next to it was awoken and began rattling as well, their shells making small clicking noises between each other. The small creatures weren't very mobile, and their shaking wasn't loud, but it was enough to awaken the spiky thing that they surrounded.

Instantly, a bright green eye opened and locked onto her position. She inhaled a startled breath and aimed the weapon at the figure. The eye narrowed at her and she started shaking. It was subtle but it was enough to know that combined with her weapon on the fritz, she would probably miss her target if it decided to make a move.

"What do ya think ya doin' here?" The thing said. Its voice was eerily calm and its face was unfazed by the weapon pointing at it. The Octoling girl wanted to scan over the creature to see if he had any weapons besides the massive ball of spikes on its head but those eyes locked hers in place. "Trying to get the jump on ol' Spyke, eh mate?" The figure said, the arm behind his back moving slightly. On the verge of a major panic attack, she turned and sprinted down the alley the way she came.

Spyke on the other hand watched as the figure fled the scene, his hand loosening the grip on the mini suction bomb hidden behind him. A quick flick of the wrist and boom, right between the eyes. Was that even an Inkling? Maybe their tentacles were just in some "fresh" new fashion. He was honestly a bit too tired to care. Not that he would anyway. He opened his mouth wide and let out a yawn, the snails around him shaking more violently. He could honestly say he hadn't expected that to be the first thing he saw when he woke up. He was expecting a little someone else. He turned his head to the sky. Didn't look like it would be dark too much longer, and he surely wasn't getting back to sleep now. He would just wait for his real guest to show up, followed by the slew of Inklings wanting their gear upgraded. He reached over and picked up one of the shaking sea snails with one hand and a screw driver with the other.

The Octoling was still doing her mad dash in random directions, turning corners and getting herself even more lost than she originally started. She was terrified that if she stopped and turned back that thing would be chasing her. She ran until she was panting heavily and hid between a trash can and a dumpster. Her weapon was still shaking in her hand as she tried to calm herself. There was the sound of a door opening and she stiffened. Peaking around the corner she saw Inklings leaving a building, four to be exact.

Three had weapons. She paled. Did that spiky thing call the cops? Was this an elite force sent out to hunt down the Octarian running through the city? Her heart was almost knocking against the metal breast plate she wore as she kept a warry eye on the group.

"I don't get how you guys do it. You could just stay here ya know? We're all friends. Seriously. I mean, it's like what, four, five in the morning?" The unarmed Inkling stated in the doorway.

"Well I have some things I need to do. It would be better if I got them all out of the way now while I'm up and at em then slept the rest of the day. That way I can survive another one of your all-nighters. That's how night owls work right?" A female inkling said descending the five steps to the street below. She held a large brush with bright pink ink on its end to match her tentacles. She was holding it straight up in an almost nervous matter like it would run off if she didn't.

"I sorta, snuck out to come party with you guys, so I kinda have to sneak back in," Another Inkling boy said scratching his bright orange tentacles with one hand and a gold weapon in his other hand. It looked a bit clunky but a weapon was a weapon and the Octoling's was not in any position to challenge anyone.

"And I'm not staying here alone with you again," The final Inkling spoke holding a very long green weapon over his shoulder. His turquoise tentacles hung freely to his shoulders. "Not after last time," The first Inkling laughed.

"Oh come on man! It was just harmless fun! I was bored!"

"Your 'harmless fun' nearly got us arrested," The turquoise inkling said, making air quotes with his free hand. The first Inkling laughed again as the rest chuckled.

"Well, it was fun regardless. See you all tomorrow! Good morning!" He said waving and closing his door, the rest repeated the farewell and began heading their separate ways. One down the street to the left, the other to the right, and the final…down the alley!

The Octoling's panic once again skyrocketed as the turquoise colored Inkling began walking towards her hiding spot. She hid further and further into the corner as he got closer. So focused on getting further away from this armed Inkling, she hadn't notice a small can behind her, knocking it over and making a very audible noise.

The Inkling froze and looked towards the noise. He eyed the area before eyeing the entire alley, never removing his weapon from its resting position. He let out a yawn and continued his journey down the alley, making a right turn once reaching its edge. The Octoling thought that she was dead. She held her breath for a while, not daring to move from her spot. After waiting long enough to where she thought the Inkling was long gone, she poked her head from her hiding space. Seeing the cost was clear, she slowly made her way out, trying to make as little noise as possible.

Which way should she go now? The Octoling once again brought her fist to her mouth in thought. If she followed the path that was more likely to run into the girl Inkling, she may be able to stay out of range of that brush weapon. But then again, that girl looked like the type that would scream first then look over the situation. She definitely didn't need her drawing the attention of other Inklings.

She didn't know what the golden weapon was the orange tentacled Inkling carried, and she would prefer not to find out. So yeah, the way he was going was a no. The one with the turquoise tentacles? Well, his weapon seemed to be a type of charger. If she were to run into him, she would have time to either get behind cover or perhaps wrestle it away from him before he could charge it up enough to do any real damage. Okay! So the path of the turquoise Inkling it was! She turned around and prepared to initiate stealth mode again.

She froze when on the far end of the alley, the boy from before was on one knee, one eye closed, the other looking into the scope of his weapon aimed at her. She panicked and stumbled, falling onto the ground and sitting up to look back at the Inkling ready to take her life. The Inkling adjusted his aim to place the laser pointer right between her eyes.

Was this where it all ended? Struck down by some random Inkling in a back alleyway? Her body shook, every carnal urge in her body telling her to run, to attempt to escape. But the logical side knew better. It was a narrow alley and he was holding a charger. Any attempt to run would end with her shot in the back. She noticed a slight movement in his hand. He was about to fire.

"W-wait!" She screeched, a bit louder and more pitiful than she intended. Her hands, one still holding the damaged octoshot, held between her in a vain attempt surrender. "I don't mean any harm! I-I-I just got lost here!" She was finding it hard to see. Things were going, fuzzy. "I don't even want to be here! I-I-…"She held her head down, her eyes overrunning with tears she didn't know she was creating. "I just want to go back to Octovalley…"

"Drop your weapon," The Octoling looked up, a bit more than shocked. "Drop your weapon and slide it, and your ink tank over to me," Was this Inkling showing mercy? The Octoling unwillingly cracked a smile and quickly moved to do as demanded, earning another statement from the Inkling.

"NICE! And slow…" He said put back on defense at how quickly she moved. His eye never left the scope of his weapon and the Octoling froze, slowly disconnected her ink tank from her back and her weapon and rolled it over to him. The weapon followed soon after. Using his foot, the Inkling took the Ink tank and broke it, splattering ink in a messy pool around his foot. Finally taking his eye away from the scope, he stood fully. He picked up the damaged weapon and dropped it in his backpack, never averting his aim at the Octoling. Flinging his backpack with the weapon he called out to the Octoling again.

"Walk this way," The Octoling swallowed. She slowly stood up and made her way towards the Inkling. She made sure not to move too quickly and even had her hands up to prove she wasn't going for anything. The Inkling gave her a wide girth to get to the other side of him, his weapon never lowering. "Now go that way. And no sudden movements,"

The Octoling complied, following ever direction the Inkling gave her. At the end of the journey, they reached the back entrance of a large compartment building. The Inkling stepped ahead and, averting his weapon away from the Octoling for the first time, opened the door. "In here. Hurry up," The Octoling girl complied again. A few more turns and a couple flights of stairs later, the Inkling boy opened a door and called the Octoling girl in," She entered and he shut and locked the door behind him.

The Octoling looked over the room they were in. Was this his apartment? It was much better than anything the Octarians had. There was a little nook entering the door that gave three options as to which way you could go. To the left was assumedly a kitchen area seeing as there was a fridge staring her in the face. To the right was a TV against the wall and a few couches that she could see from her angle to the doorway. Straight ahead was a long hallway with several doors. One of which the Inkling boy disappeared into. Standing in the little nook without directions, she waited. She eyed her immediate surroundings when the sound of feet returning brought her attention back.

She stiffened when the Inkling boy was coming back, charger weapon cast aside and replaced with a weapon that looked similar to an Octoshot but green with a turquoise color to it. As he approached, she was bombarded by thoughts of what he was going to do. Did he just want to bring her hear as to not disturb other Inklings? Did he simply want to finish her with his favorite weapon? Was he…Her breath caught in her throat. Was he going to have his way with her?!

"In there," He said, gesturing towards the room to her right. She slowly obeyed, her heartbeat echoing in her ears. "Sit. I don't care where," The Octoling looked at the two couches and chair in the room. She opted for the chair for some reason. It was really comfy. She may have enjoyed it if her mind wasn't freaking out on her. She had to calm herself down.

"What are you doing here?" The Inkling boy asked, his weapon pointed at the floor, but his finger on the trigger ready to fire.

"I told you! I got lost,"

"And ended up in Inkopolis?" The Inkling's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"I had to come through Inkoplis! The section of Octovalley I was in didn't have any kettles back to Octrania!" The Inkling raised a turquoise eyebrow at her.

"Octrania?" The Octoling crossed her arms defiantly.

"Think of it as the Octarian's version of Inkopolis. And all the kettles to it were destroyed by that accursed third agent," The Octoling noticed her defiant position and quickly uncrossed her arms. She regretted the comment about the third agent. He may have been a famous war hero for all she knew and he just offended him in front of this clearly aggravated Inkling. With his free hand, he rubbed over his face and down one of his tentacles with an annoyed sigh. Or it could have been a tired sigh. It was anyone's guess.

His eyes stared at the floor. It was probably a tired sigh. His eyes just screamed he was too exhausted to be dealing with any of this. The Octoling noticed that his eyes were also a deep shade of purple. She found herself staring at them. Something about them was so…enchanting.

Those eyes shot up to look at her in an instant. Caught in the act of staring she turned her head and stared at the arm of the chair she sat in.

"I'll help you," The Octoling grew wide-eyed, not that the Inkling knew due to her mask, but she did.

"You'll…you'll what?" She said stunned. Never had she expected an Inkling to bring her to his own place of residence let alone help her return to hers.

"I said I'll help you. Unless you want to go back out on your own," The Octoling jumped up and clasped her hands together, a toothy smile on her face as she beamed at the kind boy.

"No! No no! I'll be happy to accept your help!" She beam, unknowingly almost being splatted on the spot.

"Alright, but while you're here, you're going to have to do what I say, when I say it. Got it?"

"Got it!" She said standing straight and throwing her hand to her head in a salute. The Inkling boy sighed again.

"First thing's first. Keep your voice down," The Octoling girl clasped both hands over her mouth. She had gotten too excited at the aspect of surviving to see another day. She didn't want other Inklings to show up. Especially that Agent 3 guy. She did not want to meet him.

"Second, stay away from windows. We don't need people seeing you and calling the cops," The Octoling nodded.

"Third, do not leave this apartment. At all. Got it?" More nodding. The Inkling boy let out a yawn this time.

"I am too tired for this…Come on…I'll show you where you'll be sleeping," The Octoling silently followed. She wondered where he'd make her sleep. On some old newspapers in the corner? Under the sink? In the bathroom?

"The bathroom is the last door in the hall," She knew it! "So there's that if you need it. You'll be sleeping in here," The Inkling opened a door on the right side of the hall. A supply closet maybe? The Octoling stepped in to see an actual bed room. She looked around curiously. There was a queen sized bed neatly folded with a nightstand on either side of it. To the right was a large bookshelf with all shelves completely occupied with books, save for the one at the very top. To the left was a closet that was currently opened, showing it was completely empty. She took more steps towards the bed in awe. This was where he was letting her sleep? Not a box? Not some dirty blanket on the floor? This was a pretty nice room. Wait…

"Is this your room?" The Inkling boy was resting against the doorway, raising an eyebrow at the question.

"What? No. This is the guest room. My room…is somewhere else…"He state blandly. The Octoling placed both hands on the bed and applied her weight, almost shocked just how much the bed absorbed it.

"You got a name?" The Inkling asked. The Octoling turned towards him, his eyes half-lidded but still furrowed into a small frown.

"It's Cerata," She said looking at the Inkling as he eyed her. "Do you?"

"Mine is Leviathon," There was a pause as he looked down the hallway. "But my friends call me…Inkay," Cerata tilted her head at both of his names.

"Inkay…" She said more to herself than him. Standing up fully, Inkay turned to exit.

"I'm going to bed. Don't try anything,"

"I won't,"

"Morning," And with that he closed the door. Cerata stared at the door for a minute before a strong yawn forced its way from her mouth. She removed her mask and metal armor and placed them on the nightstands on either side of her. She laid on the bed and got under the covers. This felt really nice, her exhaustion of her entire night of adventure catching up to her. Just as she closed her eyes to get some much needed rest, the sun shone a few rays through the window. She groaned and hid under the covers. She was usually just getting up by this time, not going to bed.

But hey, there's a first time for everything.

So first Splatoon fic up. Wow I'm all over the place…

But anyway, I wanted to try my shot at a little Splatoon story. Would appreciate your thoughts on it and where you think the story is head. You may be right, you may be wrong. You'll only find out if you stick around for the next chapter.

You can't expect me to have a splatoon story without references galore! Sure this chapter in particular doesn't have any besides the hinted weapons but keep your eyes open in later chapters to catch em all!

On a final note, I chose the characters' names for reasons. Cerata comes from octocerata, which is another word for Octopoda, which if it wasn't obvious, is another word for Octopus. Leviathon translates to "powerful creature of the deep" Because of me not being a complete goober I fought the urge to name him "Inkviathon". I've been hanging around the dank memes of the Splatoonverse too long.

Well I thank you all for reading and I hope you are excited to read the next chapter, and I'll see you next time.

Astalabyebye,

Bang