(( Just wanted to start this adventure by throwing in the usual disclaimers; Splatoon - and all its components, Inklings, Octolings, Turf War, SquidForce and related brands, et cetera, et cetera - belongs to its creators, and I claim no ownership or responsibility over the Splatoon series/universe/franchise or any of its components, or over any real-world songs, products, et cetera, referenced or alluded to in this work or any related work. Therefore, let it be known (as it should) that the species, locations, et cetera created by Nintendo and such are not owned by myself, but the characters that appear in this work (with the exception of the members of Squid Squad and whatever other canon characters used/referenced, however few or rarely-appearing they may be) are my own original creation and I claim full ownership and responsibility for them. Places such as the diner known as Yellow Submarine, or the nightclub Moonage Daydream, were created by me, and I claim ownership and responsibility for them in terms of area concept, layout, design, et cetera, but do not claim any possession of the names, and use the names only as an homage, tribute, display of endearment, et cetera. The same goes for group names such as The Fabulous Killjoys and The Spiders From Mars; these names are given only as a tribute, homage, et cetera, et cetera, and neither I - the creator - nor the innocent fictional children who "salvaged" such names from relics of a bygone era, mean any harm or disrespect by such choices. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy. ))

1. Get Me Out Of My Head

"Hey guys... You ever think that maybe there's more to life than Turf Wars?"

A collective gasp rose from the rest of the gang, and the three battlers and their two friends stared at Ankyr, who had his back turned to them, leaning on the railing and staring off into the sunset.

"Oh no," Rocky half-whispered.

"He's getting older," Caurel said soberly.

"It can't be time yet," Ecto said.

"More important than Turf Wars?" asked Moises, their Jellyfish friend.

"Yeah," Ankyr said, turning around to give his squad a toothy grin. "Y'know, like Ranked Battles!"

"Phew!" The group let out sighs of relief.

"You scared me there for a second," Caurel said.

"Seriously though." Ankyr's grin relaxed a bit. "I think about it a lot these days. What we're gonna do, y'know?"

"We're not gonna replace you, if that's what you mean," Rocky said.

"No, bro," Caurel shook her head. "I think he's just worried about the 'event horizon'."

"The what?"

"I'm gonna be eighteen soon," Ankyr said, grateful that at least Caurel got it. "I've never seen an Inkling keep interest in battling much longer than that."

"So?" Rocky scoffed. "That won't happen to us. We're totes dedicated to Turf War. And we're one of the best squads! They're gonna build a statue for us if we keep up at this rate."

"Dream on, roller-boy," the Crayfish Caasi said with a short cackle. She was also a fan of the team, but loved to give people a hard time, and Rocky was her favorite victim.

"I prefer Jet-Star."

"I prefer Alpha Centauri, it shines brighter than your dim bulb."

"Look, the Killjoys aren't going anywhere," Rocky said, steering the conversation back onto its topic and ignoring Caasi's sly commentary. "And that includes you." He poked Ankyr's chest with his index finger. "You're not gonna lose your passion that easily, just because you age a few more weeks. Come on, let's get outta here. Your philosophical stuff is making me hungry."

"Everything makes you hungry," Caurel cackled, cleaning her glasses with her purple and white Grape Tee.

"Same," Moises said.

"I third that," Caasi nodded as the teen sea critters climbed up the steps to exit Blackbelly Skatepark. Now that the Turf War was over, the majority of the pink and turquoise ink had vanished, and people of all ages - and species - were enjoying the activities the park was originally intended for. It was only a short walk from either end of the park to the train station.

"But how long do you think we'll keep battling?" Ankyr asked once they were all seated on the train.

"ENOUGH!" Rocky groaned and threw his arms in the air.

"I'm serious. Do you think we'll keep doing this when we're thirty or something? I don't wanna be the 'creepy old guy'."

"Thirty isn't old," Caasi said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"You know what I mean."

"Nobody's gonna be the 'creepy old guy'," Rocky said. "Nobody's gonna do anything about anything, and nothing's gonna change. The future doesn't matter. All that matters is now. Now shut up, you're making me hungrier."

"Actually, I have interests outside of Turf War," Ecto finally spoke up.

"UGH!" With one final growl, Rocky got up and walked away, heading into the next car, before slamming the door behind him. This sent Caurel, Moises, and Caasi into a fit of laughter, while Ankyr continued staring solemnly at the passing scenery. Ecto simply shrugged.

"As I was saying, I've always been big into making and repairing things. I've been working on my own custom weapon set."

"That's applicable to Turf War though, Ghoul," Ankyr sighed.

"Yeah, but it's still a skill outside of it," Caurel said sternly. "She can carry it with her when... IF she ever stops battling. We understand you're feeling down, Sunshine, but don't turn into a jerk."

"Yeah... Sorry," Ankyr said.

"We're cool, Sunshine," Ecto said, patting her teammate on the shoulder.

"Do you think there's anything I can bring with me? Like, to use when I get older?"

"Of course," Caurel said. "There's your..." She trailed off and stared into space.

"Well," Ecto picked up, "you've always been very... Hm..." She apparently had to think as well.

"Guys!"

"Ankyr, you're really..." Moises said, pausing for a moment. "Um... You're really nice?"

"Yeah, I got nothin'," Caasi shrugged.

"I can't believe you guys!"

\/\/\/\/\/

Once they got off the train at the downtown residential district that most of the group called home, the six hungry teens made their way to Yellow Submarine, their favorite place to grab eats. The double-doors with circular windows greeted them silently with their familiarity, as did the mingled smells of many tasty foods, mostly fried and baked.

"Heaven," Rocky sighed dreamily, closing his eyes and sniffing the air, letting his nose guide him. "I'm in heaven. Sweet Caroline, I'm so ready."

"This way, bro." Caurel grabbed him by the shoulders and guided him to the corner booth the others had already gravitated toward.

"Can I get you guys anything to drink?" a waiter asked - a young Inkling with their tentacles split and styled in dreadlocks. They held a notepad and pen and wore an eager smile to match their pristine uniform.

"Hi," Caurel said, glancing around the diner for a moment before giving the waiter her full attention. "We need whatever appetizers you can get here in a hurry. My brother's about to pass out." She gestured to Rocky for emphasis, and the male Inkling simply groaned with his head on the table.

"Oh! Sure, I'll be right back." And with that, the waiter zipped away to the kitchen.

"Isn't Penny working today?" Caurel asked once the group was alone again.

"As far as I know." Caasi shrugged all of her shoulders while suddenly staring at her phone.

"Our freshest and finest," the waiter declared as they zoomed back to the table with a tray.

"Wow, that was fast," Rocky said, suddenly able to speak again as a basket of bread, a box of steamed rice, and two bowls each of chips, salsa, and a thick soup-like concoction were placed on the table. He grabbed two handfuls of breadsticks and was planning on tossing them into his mouth, when his sister smacked his wrist.

"Tell-them-thank-you," she emphasized each syllable.

"Th-th-thank you," Rocky said, dropping the food - and his forehead - onto the table. "I'm so sorry. Thank you. You've saved my life! I pledge my life to your cause, whatever it may be!"

"Th... at's not necessary," the waiter awkwardly chuckled.

"Thank you, though," Ecto said, "in all seriousness."

"You're all welcome," the waiter said, bowing. "Oh! I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Abbey, and I'll be your waiter today."

"Nice to meet you, Abbey," greeted the entire group, save for Rocky, who had finally started shoving food in his mouth.

"Thank you," Abbey said, bowing again.

"Abbey, do you know if Penny's here?" asked Caurel. "She was supposed to be working today."

"The girl with the daisy chains? I think the boss let her leave early. Something about an interview?"

"Oh my Great Zapfish, she got the interview!" Caurel hopped up and down in her seat. "I'm so proud of her!"

"That explains it," Ankyr said, nodding toward Caasi. "She was probably so excited she rushed off without thinking of texting us."

"Whatever," Caasi said, now furiously tapping away at her phone.

"So now that that mystery is solved," Ankyr said, "I'll take a Baby, You're A Rich Man and a Melonade."

"Oh, are you guys already ready to order?" Abbey asked, jotting down what Ankyr had said.

"We kind of have the menu memorized," Moises said. "I'll just take a small Walk The Plankton and an Algae Pop."

"Those aren't good for you," Ecto said. "There's no algae in it, it's just algae-flavored soda."

"You know what, I didn't come here to be judged," Moises said, folding his menu and whacking Ecto on the head with it. The bespectacled Inkling retaliated by knocking his makeshift weapon out of his grasp with her right tentacle, innocently humming and pretending to be preoccupied with her salsa the entire time. This quickly devolved into a slapping match of arms and tentacles, and Caurel waved Abbey's attention away from the two troublemakers.

"For me and my brother, just tell the chef that Jet-Star and the Kobra Kid are here. He'll know what to do."

"O-okay, sure," Abbey said, jotting down Caurel's instructions with a raised eyebrow. "What can I get for you?" they asked Caasi, who continued to type on her phone with five of the six slender limbs she used as arms, tapping her four feet on the floor impatiently.

"Caasi," Caurel said, waving her hand in front of the Crayfish's face.

"What?" Caasi snapped, before shrinking back in her seat when she realized what was going on. "Oh... Sorry about that. I'll take a salad with just the lettuce. Actually, can I get that in a to-go box?"

"Um... Sure."

"And I'll take the Day Tripper Deluxe," Ecto said, wiping chips and salsa off of herself. "And another round of chips, please." She ended this sentence with a glare at Moises, who was guffawing at his apparent victory in their battle.

"Sure thing," Abbey nodded, writing down this last order. After finishing their notes, they gave the group another low bow. "We'll have that ready as soon as possible," they said before departing once again.

"Okay, I'm out," Caasi said, rising from her seat and placing her phone in her pocket. "Caurel, hold onto my salad for me."

"You're leaving already?" Ecto asked, though she didn't get an answer, as Caasi was already almost to the door.

"Go get her, dude," Moises cheered as their Crayfish friend ran out of the diner.

"I'm so proud of Penny," Caurel said again. "I knew she would get the break she deserves soon."

"She'll be a hit idol before long," Ankyr said, watching Caasi disappear from view. "She and Caasi will have it made. And Ecto will be an award-winning inventor after she graduates, no doubt about it."

"H...Hey, that's not necessarily true, man," Ecto said, holding out her hands.

"And Caurel and Moises are bound to go far as clothing designers. And of course Rocky is already rank A+... He'll be noticed by the big brands before long. Probably join a pro team. And I'll be... just me."

"I am SO tired of hearing you feel sorry for yourself," Rocky said, slamming down his now-empty salsa bowl. Ankyr turned his attention back to the table, to see everyone staring at him - mostly with solemn expressions, but Rocky was fuming.

"Oh... I was thinking out loud again. Sorry."

"It's nice to know you have so much faith in all of us, homie," Moises said. "Really. But..."

"We are just as uncertain about the future as you," Ecto picked up.

"Yeah," Moises nodded. "We just don't torture ourselves about it like you are."

"Seriously, Sunshine," Caurel said. "You can come to us with your feelings any time. You don't have to keep it bottled up."

"Caurel..."

"Hmph! Well I don't wanna hear any of it," Rocky said. "Don't come to me with your whining."

"Shut it, you," Caurel said, shoving a rolled-up breadstick into her brother's mouth.

"Is... this a bad time?" Abbey asked as they approached with a platter in their hands.

"Not at all, Abbey-senpai!" Rocky said once he had dislodged the bread from his maw. His demeanor had changed to all smiles in the presence of their waiter.

"Please don't call me that..."

"Okay! Your wish is my command."

"The cook told me to give this to you two," Abbey said, trying their best to ignore the uncomfortable moment and let it go floating by. They took a large bowl off of the platter and placed it in front of the siblings.

"Beautiful," Rocky said. "Just beautiful."

"He already had it prepared for us," Caurel said, wiping saliva from the corner of her mouth. "I love that old man!"

"The rest of your order will be done as soon as possible," Abbey told the others as they placed another helping of chips and salsa in the middle of the table, and set each person's drink down in front of them. "Please let me know if I can do anything else for you."

"Your eternal love will be enough," Rocky said with a wide grin. His sister slammed her fist down on the top of his head.

"STOP ACTING LIKE A CREEPER!"

\/\/\/\/\/

Approximately one hour later, upstairs of that very same establishment...

"So, miss movie star, do you have any words for the folks watching at home?"

"Shut up!"

"Hey, don't get out of the frame," Caasi chuckled, chasing after her Inkling girlfriend with the camera function of her phone turned on. "Are you camera-shy?"

"If you show this to anyone, I will end you!"

"As if I'd do that. I want you all to myself."

Penny Lane was considered for most of her life to have the worst luck among any of her peers. She was born into a very poor family, in more ways than one, and she didn't have the easiest childhood. By the time she was in high school, she had accepted the fact that she was going to be stepped on or used by one person or another.

Before she had even reached fourteen years of age, she was lucky enough to be adopted into a healthier family, though the pain of her past would never stop haunting her mind. Her blood family didn't seem to care one way or the other, and some made it known that they were glad to be rid of her, which was its own pain in and of itself, but not to compare with what she had already endured. When she turned sixteen she managed to acquire a room for rent in exchange for working at the diner below it, in the hopes of keeping her mind busy - and subconsciously to try to distance herself from those who tried to help.

Even though she started to turn her life around, bad luck followed her for the next two years, and sometimes it seemed nothing ever went right for her. If she bought a box fan to make her Summers more tolerable, someone stole it. If she bought a lock for her door, she would lose the key. If she got an extra job across town, her car would break down. If, by chance, she could afford to take the train, she could never wake up on time, even though she set alarms. There was more than one night when she cried herself to sleep, snapping from the constant buildup of tiny thing after tiny thing.

But...

She had the best friends she could ever hope for - some of which she had formed a squad with to play Turf War. She had wonderful people looking out for her - no matter how many jobs she lost, she always had her gig at the Yellow Submarine. And now, she had finally landed her first role in her dream career! Sure, it was hardly a few lines of dialogue, but it was something. It was the start. It was her start.

And now, she was celebrating her big break with her loving, wonderful, fun, gorgeous girlfriend, who she had somehow - bad luck be damned - managed to keep around for more than a year. As far as Penny was concerned, she was the luckiest squid in the world.

\/\/\/\/\/

Saturday morning, Ankyr decided that he wanted to feel like someone else. Or rather, the culmination of that decision had finally reached its critical point. So he did something that he would never do - he spontaneously took a boat ride.

"Thank you for choosing Ocean Eyes for all your travel needs," a disembodied voice chimed over the dock's PA system. "We are committed to quality service and safety so that you can have the time of your life. For questions and concerns, or to check in, please see our main desk. Please keep in mind..."

Ankyr tuned out the intercom while he walked from the front desk to the loading gate marked LSOD-2005.

'I shouldn't be doing this... Should I? I could be in a Turf War right now. I could be sleeping in. Why am I awake so early, anyway?' He shook his head and marched forward. 'I'm doing this. I'm gonna do this so I... Because...'

"Hi, welcome aboard the KC Accidental," greeted a uniformed Inkling with a wide grin, pulling Ankyr out of his mental trapeze.

"I... Oh, hi, thanks," he said, giving the slightly older woman a short bow before presenting her with his ticket.

"Thank you for joining us today! It's so great to see people my age take an interest in the sea. I'm Marianne, and I'll be your Captain-slash-tour-guide today. Feel free to wander around on-deck to your heart's content. After all, that's what it's all about - exploration!"

"Thanks, Marianne, I-I mean Captain," he said, bowing his head and running on deck.

"Such a polite guy," he heard her say, and a grin swept across his face, his cheeks turning the same turquoise color as his tentacles, as he slowed down his pace.

'Well, I'm here, I might as well enjoy it. What would I do if I... wasn't me?'

He wandered toward the edge of the deck and placed his hands on the railing, staring out at the bay. He was never so close to the ocean, but it was right there - all over the place - to enjoy whenever he wanted.

He had no idea how long he had been staring off into the distance when Marianne's voice floated over the ferry.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlefish, this is your Captain speaking. Please make yourselves comfortable. We'll be departing in about three minutes."

Several other passengers made their way to the railing to enjoy the view, though Ankyr was thankful that none of them approached him to talk. He was already too busy dealing with himself to pay attention to a conversation.

Soon the ferry started moving, and Ankyr's attention shifted continuously between the rippling water down below, the seagulls flying over the water, and the sight of Inkopolis passing by as they moved.

The air smelled so much better out at sea, it tasted better, and everything seemed bigger, brighter, and more full of life. Marianne was stating facts about the ocean over the loudspeaker, but Ankyr was paying more attention to the sounds of the gulls and the ferry.

"This is our first stop, the Delphine Dropoff. The top of this seaside cliff used to be a famous place for dates, until too many accidents happened, and it became off-limits. The bottom here is safe, though, so feel free to explore."

Ankyr rode out the entire trip at the railings. The wind, smells, and sensations of the sea put him into a meditative state that was only broken every now and then when the Captain brought up a fact that interested him.

"You may have noticed that the seagulls aren't following us out very far past the bay. That's because there aren't that many "living spots" in the ocean around here. Scientists suggest that thousands of years ago, the entire ocean was full of living things. Fish, coral, anemones, and many of our other ancestors could be found all over the ocean, all over the world, not just in select spots like Bluefin Bay. But massive, unprecedented changes in the Earth's carbon dioxide and sea level caused the pH levels of the water to shift enough to throw things out of balance. At first only in tiny spots, but eventually this crisis spread all over the world. If you think about it, it's kind of a miracle that our ancestors were able to stay alive long enough to evolve to what we are now."

"Wow," Ankyr breathed, glancing up to the Captain's deck and then back to the distant gulls flying around the city. "I never thought about it that way..."

"The area we're heading into is another of the few living spots in the ocean around Inkopolis," Marianne continued after a few moments of silence. "Many brave fishers make their livings out here. This is our last stop on the ride, so you may get out if you choose, but we recommend caution, as this area is dangerous." They were pulling up to a rocky coastline that rose into a series of high cliffs, at the top of which was a gargantuan rock formation that seemed to be in the shape of an octopus.

"Whoa..."

"Welcome to the boundaries of Octo Valley."

A few passengers disembarked, though they stayed close to the ferry.

"You've been awfully quiet on this trip," Marianne said as she approached Ankyr. "You haven't gotten down at any of the stops. The ocean has really captivated you, hasn't it?"

"I guess so," Ankyr chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head as he turned around to face the Captain. "I have a lot to think about lately. And... I guess the sights and sounds of the sea kind of helped me push it all out of my mind. I know it's still gonna be there for me to deal with when I get back home, but I still feel like I've been healed somehow. Maybe. Just a little."

"I get that," the Captain nodded. "The ocean does that for me, too. No matter how many times I see it, it helps me. It's like I'm in another world where all of that mess doesn't apply."

Ankyr nodded and smiled, letting out a short sigh. He felt like he should continue the conversation to be polite, but was feeling awkward and didn't know what to say.

"Captain, I... I think I will get down and see the sights. Might as well, at least once."

"That's the spirit! Just be careful. We wouldn't want one of our..." She cleared her throat. "We wouldn't want anything to happen to you. To... any of our passengers."

"I will," he giggled nervously, backing away with a bow before turning and walking toward the ramp.

'Glad I'm not the only awkward person around,' he thought as he realized his cheeks had been burning again.

Once he left the ship, he noticed a small dirt trail leading up and between some of the rock formations. Several passengers were walking up and down the path, so he went ahead and did the same. Several signs were posted at the sides of the trail, warning about the dangers, as well as listing interesting facts about the area.

He was thinking about turning around and returning to the ship, when out of the corner of his eye he spotted a group of wildflowers with vivid purple and red petals. There were at least five or six individual flowers with light-green stems, growing out of a tiny crevice in the rock wall, far off the beaten path.

'Whoa... I think that's the endangered plant we were learning about in Biology...'

He took out his phone and snapped a few photos of the flowers, though he wasn't happy with the quality from so far away, so he moved closer, and eventually climbed up the rock wall.

"So beautiful," he thought out loud, reaching out with his phone to get a closer shot. Still not quite satisfied, he continued up to the top of the rock wall to snap a shot from above, but once he reached the top, he froze in place, all breath taken away. There were countless patches of the same wildflower species dotting the stone terrain like a colorful red, green, and violet quilt. Not far off, a higher rock wall rose gradually up, providing shade for the natural flower beds - shade that was retreating more and more as morning crept closer to noon.

'I... I think it'll be safe to take one now,' he said, nodding his head absent-mindedly as if giving himself approval as he walked closer to the shade.

Just as he knelt down to pluck one of the wildflowers, his ears perked up and he froze. It took just the breadth of a second to convince himself that he had not been hearing things: the sound that reached his pointed Inkling ears was a familiar one. A high-pitched, elongated hum, which his mind equated with his friend Ecto. The young tinkerer was well-known for her skill with the Splatterscope and other chargers, and any time Ankyr was near her during an ink battle, he was likely to hear that high-pitched noise, followed soon by a loud BANG and a splatted opponent.

But at this moment, there was no ink battle going on. No fun-filled sport with his friends. He was alone. On the outskirts of Octo Valley. And he was well off the beaten path.

Another second passed. The sound grew louder. He locked his attention above, at the top of the cliff wall, and the source of the sound. A charger-type weapon that was very similar to the one Ecto owned and loved, but also different. Just a bit different. A weapon in the hands of someone who could almost be mistaken for an Inkling. Again, very similar, but just different enough. And the scowl on their face shifted fluidly into a smirk when the charger sounded its ready-for-action alert.

"Say goodnight, sunshine."