AN: Mild spoilers for the single player campaign of Splatoon and Splatoon 2's Octo Expansion.
~It Started With A Phone~
Adjusting to the amount of fighters now in the mansion was - understandably - a bit overwhelming for Young Link. After being gone from the mansion for so long and being used to only about twenty or so Smashers, the fact that there were now close to a hundred Smashers - most unfamiliar to him - made his anxiety flare up something terrible and drove him to stay in his room most of the time talking with Navi or playing his ocarina. Sure, he sometimes played with Ness, Lucas, Nana, Popo, his alternate self Toon Link and the Villagers on occasion, but he couldn't help but be a bit shy around some of the other Smashers.
Which is why Navi urged him to go and talk to one of the newcomers; more specifically, the Inkling with the yellow tentacles that was currently sitting on the couch with something in her hand that Young Link had been informed was called a phone. All the Inklings had them and were always looking at them, but this Inkling seemed a bit different than her peers. She seemed calmer than the others, and while she occasionally laughed at something her phone was showing her, most of the time her expression while staring at it was something akin to fondness, a small smile on her face and adoration in her eyes. Young Link paused as he glanced at her from across the room before he took a deep breath and sat down on the couch next to her.
"So... what are you looking at?" he asked, figuring a question about her phone was the best way to start a conversation. The Inkling jumped and instinctively placed her phone screen-down on her leg, but upon seeing it was just a child she relaxed and flipped the phone over, showing Young Link what was on the screen.
"It's a picture of my friends," she explained, that fond smile returning to her face once again. "They couldn't come to the Mansion with me, but at least this way it feels like they're here with me." She gave Young Link a once-over. "This type of technology doesn't exist where you're from, does it?"
Young Link giggled. "I guess the clothes gave it away, didn't it? No, technology like this doesn't exist in Hyrule." he paused, pulling his ocarina out of his tunic pocket. "I have items to remember my friends by, but I'd give anything just to see their faces again."
The Inkling gave an understanding smile. "So you're Young Link, right? I'm Bridgett, it's nice to meet you."
Young Link's anxiety began melting away at Bridgett's friendliness. "Yeah, I'm Young Link. It's nice to meet you too."
"So is there any particular reason you wanted to chat with me?" Bridgett asked curiously. Young Link chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head.
"Well... my fairy Navi said I should probably try making some new friends, and she recommended I talk to you because you seem the calmest out of all the Inklings, plus you're one of the only newcomers who's not an adult."
Bridgett laughed. "Making new friends can be difficult," she hummed. "I have a friend who's exactly like you actually. She's... new to Inkopolis, only lived there a few months actually, and aside from me, Savannah, M.C. Princess, DJ Hyperfresh and Captain Cuttlefish, she doesn't really have a lot of friends." a frown crossed Bridgett's face. "I hope... I hope she's doing alright." She reached up and pulled something out of her... hair? Tentacles? Young Link didn't really know what to call them, and she smiled at it before she showed it off to Young Link.
"This is her Golden Toothpick," Bridgett explained. "Her most treasured possession. She let me borrow it for the tournament. Something along the lines of being a good luck charm or something." Young Link noticed how her face was a light shade of pink, though he couldn't exactly figure out why. "I really miss her," she continued in a quieter tone. "I really wish she were here with me." She turned to Young Link, poking the toothpick back into place. "But I'm getting a bit off track, aren't I?"
"No, now I know more about you!" Young Link exclaimed brightly. "Um... could I possibly hear more about you? Who were all the others you mentioned?"
Bridgett - while surprised - nodded and glanced around, making sure no other Inklings were present. One major rule of being in the New Squidbeak Splatoon was that they kept their organization quiet. After confirming the coast was clear she began to speak. "It all started when I was assigned as Agent Three of the New Squidbeak Splatoon. At first I thought Captain Cuttlefish was crazy going on about the Octarian menace, but it turned out that he was right..."