Chapter 1

Let me introduce my problem to you

I crept from the bathroom door, twenty feet to my locker. I was desperate to check if it was there.

"Still there…" I murmured to myself. The snapped inkbrush gleamed with the dim light from the hall. I had gotten out of class just to check on it in my locker. I really needed it fixed, but I needed to catch the subway after school. The next one would be after Sheldon closes shop... Turf war weapons are forbidden in school, but I had no other choice-

"Look who's got a weapon," A voice said from behind me. I looked over my shoulder to see Cassandra leaning against the wall, her arms crossed and her face brooding. A sticker on her chest proclaimed that she was the hall monitor today.

"You're part of that dumb Tri Squad, right? 'Fast pace?' The one who are flashing around the plaza showing off their shiny low-range weapons?"

I groaned.

"Its 'Quick Start'. Listen. I have to take this to Ammo knights right after school. I can't even use it, If you aren't blind, you can clearly tell it's broken." I said.

Cassandra's tentacles were tied in a spiral, and two of her stubbs hung over her ears. In Turf war, It was difficult to play with nice tentacle-dos, so I never did mine.

"Still, aren't allowed. And I'm the hall monitor," She sneered. I could feel my ink boiling. What was it about this squid that drove me crazy? She was a teacher's pet, her tentacles were always done, she reported any "suspicious" activity (AKA, mention of Turf War weapons, swearwords, mention of anything inappropriate) and she was a big brown noser.

"What are you going to do anyway? Tattle like you always do? My squad is getting ready to go to the semifinals for Turf War champions. And we do just fine with low range weapons! You're just jealous I have a squad, and your old one ditched you." I almost yelled. Oops. She looked hurt for a second, but then regained her demeanor. Cassandra walked over and leaned real close.

"I'll have you know, I'm an independant S-rank player. I left my squad, thank you very much, I wanted to go solo." She snarled, her face flushed blue with the color of her ink, I . She was so close to my face, I could hear her breathing. "Let's make a deal, Coral. You beat me at a turf war, and I'll keep my mouth shut. But, If I beat you, I'll make sure you get detention."

"Four O clock. Dojo." I snarled.

"Deal." She smiled. She wiped a little bit of deep blue ink of her tentacle, and flicked it on my cheek. It stung, but I stayed composed, I didn't wipe it off. Cassandra sashayed off, probably to look for other people to blackmail.

"Deal." I murmured angrily, as I smeared off the blue ink on my cheek.

The subway ride was not fun. The two different parts of my inkbrush fell multiple times, and the creepy old squid next to me was babbling on and on and ON about how "They didn't have inkbrushes back in mah day" and "Why not a Bamboozler? They are the weapon of tradition". FINALLY I got off the subway and ran into Inkopolis plaza.

Several kids were talking about the big Tentacles game tonight, and the Splatfest next month. The theme was still unannounced. A few were chilling by the shops and the Turf war entrance. It was 3:30. I had half an hour to get my inkbrush fixed before my match with Cassandra. I was a little nervous…

Cassandra was a legend when we were all in eighth grade. She belonged to the top squad, "#Shellfie", A purple inkling squad, composed of all S rank players. But one day, she stopped strutting around the plaza with #Shelfie. Some say they kicked her off. Some say she left. I don't know. I just know she got a lot less "Ruthless Player" and more "Prissy Jerk".

My squad back then was my sister Miff, my cousin Cal, and his best friend Lucas. I met Lucas in my chemistry class. He stared at me for the whole lesson, and three days later he became my lab partner. We got to know eachother a bit, and now he's the leader of my Squad. Miff, my sister, used to be one of the top players… but she hurt the muscles in her foot one day… and she never played again. I miss having her on my team, but she says it better for her foot not to get hurt again. And after my father disappeared, she abandoned charging and dyed her tentacles yellow. As for me? I never changed. I used my dads inkbrush and just played for fun. But when my team when tri-squad, I think we got stronger. We held up better, and look at us now! We are going into the semi-finals! Its us against Ink Or Sink, another legendary squad. #Shellfie is up against "Splattack!" the squad that hoisted the legendary Blue once...

"Yo! Coral!" A voice called, interrupting my thoughts. I turned to see the rest of my tri-squad, Cal and Lucas. I instantly grinned to see my friends. "Wanna start a squad battle?" Cal asked, my cousins face curved in a grin. My heart fell.

"Oh. Uh, I'm kinda busy… I need to get my inkbrush fixed and Cassandra challenged me to a dojo battle…" I said, rubbing my foot against the cement. I expected disappointment, but instead I saw shock!

"Cassandra? Cassandra Fishbait? The Cassandra Fishbait? Dude, you'll get squashed!" Yelped Lucas. His bronze skin was shiny with sweat. He sweat a lot.

I cringed. "Yes?" I said shakily. Lucas slapped his hands to the side of his face and began to hyperventilate.

"Bro, chill! She'll be okay. She beat up Sadie, remember?" Cal reassured the panicking Lucas. I frowned at the memory. It was true, I basically beat up my other cousin last week. Poor stick. Krak-on-SplatRollers are no match for my Inkbrush. I still feel bad.

"Sadie and Morgan are like, the lowest people on the rank board. This is past champion Cassandra Fishbait we are talking about." I would prefer if Lucas didn't insult my cousins, but it's true…

"Guys i'll be fine. I bet she's rusty." I lied. I've seen her in turfwar. She tops the list every time. She's level fifty, and wanted on twenty different squads,

I set my own death.

I'm doomed.