Chapter 4: Eight and Ranked Battles

"Tag, you're it!" The inkling child tapped her friend on the back and grinned.

The other child stood up and brushed the grass off his knees, pouting. "Aw no fair, I was tying my shoes. I was safe."

"Hehe, you didn't say time out so you were still in the game." The child giggled and started to run away while her friend slumped his shoulders in defeat.

"Aw maaaan…."

Eight smiled at the scene. Inkling children were adorable - so full of happiness and energy, enjoying life without a care in the world. Sitting on a bench, she looked around the park and observed a similar atmosphere; couples were walking hand-in-hand, families were having picnics and teenage Inklings were hanging out with their friends. Eight even saw several of them pass by her on bicycles and what she could only describe as a wooden plank on wheels. They seemed rather impractical, as far as wheeled vehicular transport was concerned. The energy required to push themselves forward and maintain that velocity seemed far less efficient than say, a bicycle. Still, there was still something visually appealing about them. An inkling riding one of these wheeled planks jumped in the air, spinning the board around a full rotation, before landing back on it flawlessly.

"Wow," Eight gasped, clapping her hands. "That was, um, totes wicked fresh m-my dude!" She pointed with both fingers awkwardly and tried her best to give a natural wink, which came across as very unnatural. The skateboarder paused, looking at Eight in confusion before continuing on his way.

She sighed. Did I do that right? She had picked up a little on the slang of the city, partly from overhearing conversations between passerby on street, and partly from chats she would have with Pearl and Marina. She had done her best to practice in the mirror but she still felt awkward saying the phrases, almost as if she was speaking in a different language. Which, to be fair, wasn't too far from the truth.

Eight reached into her pocket and pulled out her smartphone. It was a gift from Pearl and Marina, given to her a few days after she went shopping with Three and Four.

"Check it, it's the newest iFoam X," Pearl said as she handed Eight the white phone. "Lotta new features in this one, way fresher than the last model!"

"Pearl, they didn't add anything, they just made the screen a little bigger." Marina sighed and rubbed her temples. "They do this every year, they release a new model without changing anything and sell it for full price. And every time you throw your old phone out even though it still works perfectly fine."

Pearl snorted. "Yeah but what do you think squids'll say if they saw a super-fresh pop star like me using last year's model?"

"We could have just gotten her a Swamsung Galak-sea, like mine," Marina suggested.

"Nu-uh, no way, Swamsungs are totally lame, we can't let Eight have something like that."

"They're not lame," Marina retorted. "They're functional and practical, unlike iFoams which are overpriced, overdesigned pieces of hardware that go obsolete after a few years."

"Oh no you didn't!" Pearl pointed at Marina and declared, "That's it, set up a Splatfest, we're settling this."

In the meantime, Eight had already left and already made it to her room before the pair even noticed she was gone. Pearl and Marina would sometimes bicker about the silliest things, and in almost every case, Eight had no strong opinion on the matter one way or another so she had learned to leave before they dragged her into it.

She had noticed, however, that the two always made up after they retired to their room and engaged in what Eight could only imagine as some sort of intense physical exercise for a few hours. It was an odd idea, to exercise in one's own room rather than a training facility, but it did explain the loud noises and why their faces were so flushed after they were finished. Perhaps I should ask to join them some day. I would be very interested to know what manner of drills and exercises they perform. I might even be able to incorporate some of it into my own activities.

Eight glanced down at her phone. Visually, it was quite a bit different from the CQ-80. This new phone was more or less a giant screen, unlike her old device which would project a holographic image in front of her. Thankfully, apart from the visual differences they operated quite similarly which allowed her to grasp the basic functions rather quickly. Familiar applications such as calls, messaging, and camera were present, along with additional features she wasn't familiar with.

Eight scrolled through her contacts list. Pearl had already added several phone numbers like Three's, Four's, and of course, hers and Marina's. Four had contacted Eight the night she received her phone, which was strange since she hadn't actually told her what her phone number was.

"Good evening. Is this Eight I have the pleasure of speaking to?"

"Hello, this is Eight. Is this you, Four?"

"Of course it is, darling, who else could it be? Listen, I have a request to ask of you. Would you care to accompany me to ranked battles tomorrow?"

"Ranked battles?"

"That's correct. It has come to my understanding that Three had you participate in Turf Wars a few days ago. Ranked Battles are similar but not quite as, how do I say, pedestrian."

Eight recalled her previous Turf Wars experience. It was quite exhilarating and she had enjoyed it immensely. If Ranked Battles were similar, she would be more than happy to participate. She was also excited for the opportunity to spend some time with Four to get to know the Agent better. "Okay. I will come."

"Excellent! Then let's meet tomorrow at Moray Park, say, after 1?"

"Okay."

There was a pause on Four's end. "...Erm, you do know where Moray Park is don't you?"

"No. But my phone seems to be equipped with a satellite-based positioning system which should lead me there."

"I see. Just don't get lost, alright? Three would never forgive me. Ta-ta for now!"

"Goodbye." The conversation ended with a click. Opening up her messaging app, Eight sent a text to Three.

"Hello Three, this is Eight. Would you like to come to Ranked Battles with Four and I tomorrow?"

Only a few seconds had passed before the reply came, "no"

Eight blinked. "Why not?"

"cuz ranked battles r annoying af and if 4's gonna come i think id rather jump off a cliff"

"Very well, but please do not jump off cliffs."

"just a heads up tho 4 gets REALLY competitive in ranked so dont take anything she says personally"

"Watch out!" a voice shouted behind Eight. Almost on instinct, Eight stood and spun around, deftly catching a small white ball just inches from her face. A few moments later, a flustered inkling child wearing a baseball cap ran up to her, apologizing profusely.

"I'm really sorry Miss. Me and my friend were playing baseball and he hit the ball too hard and I couldn't catch it."

Eight knelt down and offered the ball back in an opened hand. "Do not worry, I was unharmed. But please be careful in the future so you do not hurt anyone."

The child nodded and took the ball back. "We will, Miss. Thanks." She turned and ran back to her friend before stopping abruptly and looking back. "Your, um, tentacles look really cool by the way. They look like Marina's from Off the Hook."

Eight smiled and nodded, waving her off. She sat back down on the bench, lightly pinching her tentacles. At least they are not too different from Inkling tentacles, she thought. Save for the presence of suckers, they were practically the same. Initially, she was worried they would make her stand out but Inklings were surprisingly accepting and comments about them were sparse - even then, they were almost always compliments. Right now she was more likely to draw attention to herself through her odd mannerisms and bizarre manner of speech. As Eight rested her hands on her knees and waited for Four, she closed her eyes as she listened to the ambient sounds of the park.

Suddenly a jolt shook her body, making her heart skip a beat. Her eyes widened as an uncomfortable feeling crawled up the nape of her neck, making her shiver.

Someone is watching me.

It was difficult feeling to explain to others, and she would have most likely been brushed off as being paranoid. However, years of combat training and battle experience had taught her to never ignore her instincts. She furtively glanced around the surroundings but spied nothing out of the ordinary. Inklings were still enjoying the morning sun, and the child who had apologized to her earlier caught her eye and waved at her. Eight waved back uncomfortably, faking a smile.

Being stared at by others wasn't something foreign to the Octoling, especially in a foreign place like Inkopolis, but this time felt different. It was almost as if whoever was observing her wasn't doing so out of mere curiosity or fascination. No, what she sensed was nothing short of pure malice.

Eight slowed her breath to calm herself. Losing her composure now would only draw more attention herself. At the first opportunity, she would stand up and calmly walk out of the park towards the city square where she could lose herself in the crowd. If she was followed, perhaps she could attempt to get behind her pursuer and catch them off guard. Gritting her teeth and steeling herself, she made the move to stand when a voice spoke behind her ear.

"Good morning, Eight."

Four stepped back and raised her hands as Eight jumped. "My, my, I didn't mean to startle you, I apologize".

Eight ignored Four and quickly searched around to see if she could spot any suspects, but was unsuccessful. Whoever was watching her, they had vanished.

"Hello? Earth to Eight?" Four waved a hand in front of Eight's face.

Finally taking notice of Four, Eight focused her eyes on the confused Inkling. "Hello, Four. I did not notice you. How are you?"

"You didn't? But I was right in front of you. Is there something wrong?"

Eight genuinely considered confiding in Four about what just occurred but decided against it. The last thing she wanted was for Four to be on guard the whole day, or worse, cancel the meetup altogether. It was most likely just my imagination. "I apologize for being distracted. I suppose I am still getting used to unfamiliar surroundings." Eight laughed nervously. "You are dressed up today. I thought we were planning to do Ranked Battles?"

Four twirled around, her fur jacket sparkling in the sunlight. "Yes, we certainly are. However, it would not do to go outside without making myself look at least slightly presentable. Entering the public eye requires a certain amount of, je ne sais quoi, elegance in my presentation."

"But enough talk, the Tower awaits," Four announced, heading off in the direction of the Square.

Eight walked beside her, tension in her every step. Every so often she would glance around, certain that someone was there, but every time there would be nothing. Eventually, as she and Four discussed their day Eight began to relax and her posture became more natural. Yet a small part of her remained wary; Eight trusted her instincts, and her instincts were telling her something was amiss. She hoped with all her heart that this time she was wrong.

…

Stepping into the familiar scenery of the Tower, Four guided Eight towards a lift adjacent to the one used for Turf Wars. Like last time, as the pair stepped on the lift, it began to rise with a soft hum.

"So how does the Rank Battle system work, Four? Is it like Turf Wars?"

Four scoffed. "Do you mean is it anything like that horrid, commoner's excuse of a game mode? Nothing of the sort, I assure you. Ranked battles are only for the elites for which I count myself as one."

"The rank system," she began to explain, "at least in its higher levels, pits only the best competitors in Inkopolis against each other."

"Unlike Turf Wars," Four said the name with distaste, "everyone is assigned a ranking, ranging from C- to S+. Everyone starts at C- and since you have never participated before, that will be your rank."

Eight nodded. "How do you increase your ranking?"

"It's quite simple, really. Every time you win a Ranked Battle, you gain points and move a little closer towards achieving the next rank. Losing a single battle does not necessarily lead to a drop in points, but repeated losses will cause you to lose all of your accumulated points and demote you in rank. Which means you will have to, how you say, grind it out from the previous rank, once more."

The ranking system was surprisingly straightforward and something Eight could easily grasp. The Octarian Army chain of command was structured similarly where repeated successful performances would earn you a promotion. On the other hand, a single failed mission would almost always lead to immediate disciplinary action and subsequent demotion; that is if the Octarian managed to escape with their life in the first place. The rigid and high-stress environment of the Army allowed for only the best to take up a position of power. Unfortunately, it also meant that a single honest mistake could cost a perfectly capable individual their status and rank. Eight herself could not remember her own position in the Army, but she was sure that she had commanded at least a small team under her.

The lift slowed to a halt as they reached the weapons room. Like Turf Wars, there were racks surrounding them in all directions, each holding a variety of different armaments.

Four walked around the room, inspecting each individual weapon. "I believe the current mode is Clam Blitz, so something quick and mobile should suffice." She reached out and selected an Inkbrush from the racks, twirling it around her in an impressive display of skill and dexterity. "Marvelous!"

Eight stood still at the centre of the lift, hesitant to select a weapon.

Four raised an eyebrow. "Eight, what seems to be the problem?"

"Um, I do not think I should use one of these weapons." Eight thought back to the rental Splatling she used in Turf Wars and how it had quite literally exploded in her hands. "I have had a bad experience with them."

"Really? I've never-" Four clicked her tongue in realization. "You must be talking about the rental weapons they offer in Turf Wars, aren't you? Ugh, they're absolutely despicable. They may as well have handed you sticks and clubs for all the use they were. To think that you had to endure such a terrible experience for an inferior game mode breaks my heart."

She held out her Inkbrush towards Eight. "As you can see, ranked weapons are regularly inspected and maintained, ensuring only the highest quality. Every weapon here performs as if they were brand new, so you won't have to worry about any unfortunate mishaps occurring once the battle starts."

"I see." Eight studied the Inkbrush. This is rather well-kept, and the quality of the materials appear reliable. Handing the Inkbrush back to Four, Eight approached a rack and picked up a Splat Roller. As she held it in her arms, the lift began to resume its ascent.

"Earlier, you had mentioned that my rank would be C-. May I ask what your rank is, Four?"

Four smirked as she leaned on her Octobrush. "Myself? I don't mean to brag but you'll find that I belong to the most prestigious S+ rank. Such a high-class rank befits a high-class lady such as myself, don't you think?"

"Wow! That is very impressive, Four," Eight said, clapping her hands.

"Although, I have heard rumours of another rank existing above S+, namely the X rank. But of course, such a thing can't exist. How can I be so sure? Because if it did exist, I would already have been a part of it! Ohohoho~!" Four covered her mouth with the back of her hand and leaned her head back, laughing loudly as the lift continued to rise.

Eight scratched her head. What a strange laugh. Is it a part of her undercover persona?

Behind her, two other Inklings materialized out of seemingly nowhere. She had expected it this time, but she was curious as to how it actually happened. As far as she was aware, teleportation technology was still in its conceptual stage and wasn't feasible for use, nor was it going to be anytime soon.

The female inkling holding a Splat Roller, crossed her arms and scowled at Eight. "Shit. Two rollers on the same team, huh? You'd better know how to use that."

Eight looked at the Inkling in confusion, unsure if she was talking about her.

"Yeah I'm talking to you, freaky-tentacle girl. What's your rank anyways?"

"Hello. My name is Eight, I am ranked C-."

"C minus?! Are you fucking joking me?" The inkling threw her hands up in frustration. "Matchmaking is fucked, I swear to cod, why does is it keep putting us in teams with C minuses?"

The other inkling, another female, tried to calm her friend down. "Now, now, Shelly, everyone's gotta start off somewhere. And if you think about it, there's a good chance their team's gonna have a C- of their own."

Shelly stomped over to Eight, and placed a finger on her chest. "Listen here newbie, if you're the reason my rank drops, I swear-"

Four placed a hand on Shelly's shoulder and forcibly shoved her away. She dusted off Eight's clothes with her hands and glared daggers at the Inkling. "My, my, it seems that some squids have yet to learn their manners. May I inquire as to why garbage such as yourself are permitted to participate in Ranked Battles?"

"What'd you call me?!" Shelly walked up to Four and stopped inches away from her face. "And what about you, huh? I bet you're probably just another fucking C rank."

Four rolled her eyes and pushed Shelly away again. "I swear, the uncouth really need to be taught their place. I assure you, I far, far, outrank you both in skill," Four turned up her nose. "And class."

"Say that again, asshole. I'm rank A+ and my friend over there's rank A-. You still haven't answered my question. What rank are you?"

Four smirked and chuckled as the lift reached its apex, revealing the battlefield around them. "A+, you say? How quaint."

Five.

"Come on, Shelly, just drop it," her friend sighed. "Let's just win and get out of here."

Four.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Betcha she's also a C- too."

Three.

"Are you ready, Eight? Let's show these commoners the power of the New Squidbeak Splatoon."

Two.

Eight silently nodded. "Okay."

One.

A horn sounded across the field, signalling the start of the battle. Four charged forward while Shelly and her friend headed to the sides. Expertly wielding her Inkbrush, Four inked a nearby tower and changed to her squid form, ascending to the top to get a better view of the battlefield. She spied her two teammates entering into combat with two of the enemy. She witnessed another enemy Inkling with a Slosher colouring the central area with his team's ink as he collected clams. The final enemy held a Splat Charger and was attempting to flank them by navigating a smaller, lesser known route. Four turned her head and called to Eight.

"Eight! One of them is attempting to flank us. I shall deal with him, while you handle the one in the middle of the battlefield." There was no response.

"...Eight?" Four looked down just in time to see the Octoling moving forward with the Splat Roller, inking every surface, and flicking her roller at the hard to reach corners. "Eight what are you doing?"

Eight looked up at her and shouted back, "Four, I have successfully inked our spawn beacon and the surrounding area. This should give us a strong lead in points." Seeing Four's bewildered face, she quickly added, "Ah, do not worry, I have inked the corners as well." Giving her a terse nod, Eight rushed off to a different area, unaware that the rules of Ranked Battles were quite different from Turf Wars.

Four's jaw dropped open. I totally forgot to explain the rules, didn't I? "No, no, Eight, this is not Turf Wars! Listen to me, you must collect the clams from the ground and- GAK!" Four was cut short as the flanking Inkling reached her position and splatted her from below.

He stuck out his tongue mockingly. "Protip, standing still's a good way to get splatted, hahaha!"

As Four respawned, she swore under her breath. She was determined to find Eight as soon as possible and clear up any misunderstandings. Spying the familiar trail of a Splat Roller, Four followed it and soon caught up to Eight. "Eight, stop!"

The Octoling turned around and waved. "Hello, Four. Thank you for joining me. I have inked the majority of this area, including corners, as well. Surprisingly, I have yet to encounter an enemy combatant." Eight puffed her chest out proudly and smiled. "It may be presumptive of me to say, but I believe with this we are currently in the lead."

Across the battlefield, the voices of the other team could be heard. "We have a Power Clam, go go go!"

Four slapped her face with the palm of her hand. "Not exactly." Grasping Eight's hand, Four hurriedly pulled her towards their team's goal. As they ran, Four quickly explained the rules. "Okay, listen closely Eight. We don't win this fight by inking the most ground by the end of the round. See this clam?" Four bent down and snatched a clam before tossing it to Eight. "They are scattered through the battlefield. We must collect ten of them and throw them-"

Four ducked as one of the enemy Inklings noticed her and began firing a Splattergun in their direction. Eight followed suit and took cover behind a wall. "I believe we have located the enemy combatants."

As the enemy inkling approached them, Four quickly superjumped into the air and landed behind the squid, startling her. Four quickly dispatched of the Inkling before wiping the sweat off her brow. "Anyways, for now just eliminate the enemy in the area and collect those clams!" Four tossed a curling bomb and followed its trail as she entered the fight. Thankfully, Shelly and her friend had won their skirmish on their side of the battlefield and were soon poised to attack the enemy goal with a Power Clam of their own. We can do this. We can still do this, Four thought.

Despite the rough start, Four's team was steadily catching up in points. While Eight still had not yet collected ten clams, she was getting close. Four looked up at the timer.

Thirty seconds remaining, with her team only five points behind. If she could get close to the enemy goal, she should be able to score a goal and secure their victory. Unfortunately, the enemy team was attacking them with renewed vigour, and she, Shelly, and her friend were pinned down behind a piece of concrete. But where was Eight?

Twenty seconds remaining.

Peeking out from behind cover, she spotted the Octoling behind enemy lines, diligently collecting clams. It seems the enemy had not noticed her and were focused solely on the three of them. She counted the number of clams Eight was holding. Seven, eight, nine… As Eight bent down to pick up the tenth clam, all the remaining clams in her hand glowed and merged together into one, large, football-shaped Power Clam.

Ten seconds remaining.

Four pointed to her teammates."Cover me!" She stood up from cover and shouted across the field. "EIGHT! YOU HAVE A POWER CLAM! THROW IT!"

The enemy team turned their heads and noticed what was happening. They panicked and began sprinting back to their goal. "No no no, there was one behind us, someone stop her!

Five seconds remaining.

Eight nodded in understanding and gripped the Power Clam, exhaling slowly. Taking a single sharp breath in, she pulled her arm back and threw the clam. Four gasped. It was nothing short of the perfect throw - the angle, perfectly calculated. The power, perfectly measured. The technique, perfectly executed. It was a throw that would have secured Eight a spot in the Clam Blitz Hall of Fame.

It would have, had Eight not thrown it in the completely opposite direction.

The Power Clam landed in Four's arms with a soft thud. Four looked up in disbelief as Eight pointed at her with two fingers, winking awkwardly.

The battlefield was silent, nobody could quite understand what had just happened. Four was the first one to say anything.

"EIGHT I DIDN'T MEAN THROW THE BALL AT- GAK!"

The Inkling holding the charger smirked as he splatted Four once again. "What'd I say about standing still?"

And thus, the round ended in defeat for the Agents.

…

"That was exhilarating. I would very much like to do that again." Eight grinned as she and Four stood in the lobby of the tower. Four hadn't said a word since they exited the battlefield, while Eight had repeatedly mentioned how much fun the mode was. Noticing her friend's silence, she turned to Four and tilted her head.

"...Four? You have not said anything this whole time. Are you alright?"

"...Alright? Am I alright?" Four's voice was deadly quiet. She looked up at Eight and screamed, "Of course I'm not alright!"

Eight flinched and stepped back. Four stepped forward and continued, "We were so close to winning, all you had to do was throw the Clam at their goal. It was literally right in front of you!"

"I-I did not know I was supposed to do that," Eight stammered.

"Ugh, I can NOT believe this, my day's just been, like, totally ruined!" Four threw her hands in the air and stepped outside to cool her head. Eight opened her mouth to say something but stopped herself and leaned against a nearby wall, looking down.

Four paced outside the tower, angrily muttering to herself. "The goal was right there! All she had to do… we even distracted them… we would have won..." As she vented her frustrations, nearby Inklings gave her a wide berth, trying to avoid the obviously angry squid. As she started to calm down, and reason started to return to her, a nagging thought repeatedly wormed its way into her mind.

Yeah, but, you never taught her the rules in the first place. "I know I didn't but-" How was she even supposed to know what to do? It was her first ranked game. "She was-"

Even though she lost, she was still having fun and smiling. And you screamed at her.

Four froze. "I… I…"

Four burst back into the Tower. "Eight! I'm so sorry, please-" She froze as she saw Shelly cornering Eight against the wall. Shelly was screaming at her, just as Four had been doing just a few minutes ago. Eight was looking down and nodding quietly.

Shelly placed a finger on Eight's chest. "Just quit doing ranked matches and I'm sure everyone would thank you for it. And while you're at it- ghk...!"

Four rushed forward and grabbed Shelly by the collar, yanking her into the air. Shelly struggled and attempted to wrest free as she turned to look at her assailant. "What are y-". She froze when she saw the look in Four's eyes.

Four bared her fangs in anger as her words dripped with poison. "Listen closely, because I'm going only to say this once. If you EVER touch her again, I am going to destroy you, do you understand?"

Shelly gulped as sweat ran down the side of her face. "O-Oh yeah? I'd like to see you try."

Four pulled her closer and whispered something in her ear. Eight couldn't quite hear what was said but Shelly immediately paled and scampered backwards as Four let her go. "Okay, okay, I got it, shit! Just… just don't come near me!" Shelly ran deeper into the Tower as Four glared at her.

Eight looked up. "Four? What did you tell he-" Eight stopped when Four suddenly wrapped her arms around Eight's body and buried her face in her shirt. Eight could feel hot liquid seeping through her clothing as Four shook. Is she crying?

"I'm sorry." Four's voice was muffled as Eight hugged the sobbing Inkling back.

Eight smiled and chuckled. "This seems very familiar."

Four looked up at Eight, sniffling, as once again mucus ran down her nose. "I know, I'm the worst! I made you cry yesterday and then I made you cry today all because of a stupid ranked battle that was totally my fault because I didn't even explain the rules and expected you to know everything even though it was your first time and you were having so much fun and I even yelled at you for something that was my fault because I didn't explain the-"

"Shh…" Eight placed a finger on Four's mouth because the squid had begun to repeat herself. "You did not make me cry Four. Three already warned me you are very competitive by nature. I do not blame you for getting angry."

"Really? Three told you-" Four's eyes widened. She quickly wiped her face with her sleeve and babbled, "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, you cannot tell Three I yelled at you. Please, please, please don't tell her. I'm really, really sorry that I did but pleaaaase don't tell her!"

Eight blinked. "I was not going to but why-"

"If Three finds out I yelled at you after what I did last time she's going to splat me."

"I see, that is hyperbole." Eight laughed.

Four looked up at her, dead serious, and responded, "No. I'm not joking. If she finds out she is going to splat me."

"O-Okay, I will not tell her."

"Thanks." Four buried her face back in Eight's chest. "I hope what that Inkling said didn't upset you, I saw she was yelling at you pretty loud."

Eight consoled the squid, patting her head and rubbing her back. The two were met with strange looks from nearby onlookers but Eight didn't mind. "She did not upset me. In fact, I was not even listening to her."

"You weren't?"

"No," Eight shook her head. "I did not care for what she was saying. I was actually thinking about what I should be eating soon." As if on cue, her stomach very loudly grumbled, obviously upset about not being fed enough..

Four looked up. "...Eight? Was that your stomach?"

Eight rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "I suppose now would be a good time to tell you that I have not yet eaten breakfast nor lunch."

"What? Then we definitely have to go grab some food. I know a couple of super nice places we can go to, my treat." Four unwrapped her arms from around Eight and tapped the floor with the toe of her foot, looking down. "And, um, Eight? Thanks for being so nice to me."

"You are welcome, Four. We are friends, after all."

Four smiled. "Yeah. Friends." After a pause, she cleared her throat and fixed her posture. "Ahem, I suppose we should get going now. Most of the establishments I frequent often require reservations months in advance but I am sure I can 'convince' them to clear a table for us."

The pair stepped out of the Tower and walked towards the alleyways. "Ugh. I would prefer not taking this route, but alas, this is the quickest way forward. Stay close to me, Eight. There are plenty of miscreants about and it is far too easy to be led astray."

As they moved forward, following the meandering pathways and taking the occasional turn, Eight made sure to stay vigilant. The surroundings themselves didn't unnerve her; cramped, close quarters were something that she had grown used to in the Metro. Rather, there was something else that made her uncomfortable, a feeling similar to the one she had felt this morning. She leaned in to Four and whispered, "I believe we are being followed."

Four nodded silently, not even stopping to ask if Eight was sure. There had been many stories about unfortunate Inklings wandering into these alleys and finding themselves victims of theft, robberies, or worse. She cursed under her breath. Walking in here wearing such expensive clothes might not have been such a good idea. Yet, she kept her composure, and she felt that Eight was doing the same. They were Agents, after all, and high-pressure situations such as this were something they both had plenty of experience in.

As they reached a fork in the alley, Four suddenly stopped and hugged Eight, before loudly announcing, "It was such a pleasure spending the day with you, Eight. Unfortunately, this is where we part ways. I know that this is your first time here but I'm sure if you just venture in that direction somewhere, you'll find the exit." Four vaguely pointed to the path leading right.

Eight looked at Four in confusion when the Inkling leaned in and hissed in her ear, "I have a plan. We must split up here for now, but don't worry. I know these alleys well and I shall see if I can catch this stalker off guard. Do not act out of the ordinary or they may suspect something amiss and run away."

Eight nodded gravely. She smiled widely and hugged Four back before breaking off. "Very well, Four. While I am unfamiliar with this area, I am certain I can figure it out on my own. Let us meet up again tomorrow."

Four waved goodbye as she began to walk away into the left path. "Of course, darling. Ta-ta for now!" Soon, Four's figure vanished as she took a sharp turn down another dark pathway.

Eight calmed herself. She was alone now, in an unfamiliar and potentially dangerous area. While Four may be close by, there was no telling how long it would take for her to respond if she was attacked. However, she reminded herself that the most important thing for her to do right now was act natural. As Four had mentioned, any abnormal behaviours may tip the stalker off to their plans. Walking down the passage to the right, Eight took a deep breath and prepared herself.

It wasn't long before she realized she was lost. The narrow, twisting pathways all looked the same and judging by the fact that she had passed by the same poster at least twice told her she was walking in circles. Behind her, she could feel that whoever was following her was getting closer. At first, she would only catch glimpses of them whenever she would turn a corner or pause to study her surroundings. But now, they were close enough that she was certain she could hear their footsteps attempting to mirror hers as she walked.

Eight bit her lip. She dared not turn around or take her cellphone out for fear that it might trigger a reaction in the pursuer. As she continued walking,the footsteps grew louder, and she could feel her heart beating faster. Eight quickly considered her options. She was vulnerable and lacking a weapon and at any point, she may be attacked and forced to defend herself. Would she even be able to do so with just her bare hands? As Eight turned another corner, she recoiled as she realized that she had walked directly into a dead end.

As she turned around to head back into the main alley, she froze. A shadowed, hooded figure stood at the entrance, blocking her only means of escape. As they stepped forward, Eight noticed that they were also wearing a tinted gas mask, obscuring their face. Eight took a step back as the figure approached her. Unfortunately, her back was already against the wall and the tight space meant that she had no room to manoeuvre. The hooded silhouette reached into its pocket and pulled something out. Eight felt a sense of dread in the pit of her stomach. A knife?

Just as the figure was a little beyond arm's reach, a loud voice boomed from the entrance of the alley. "Halt, villain!" The startled attacker turned to face the sound and it was in this moment of distraction that Eight decided to act. Rushing forward, she tackled the figure, causing them to drop the object they were holding. It fell to the ground with a loud crack as Four ran to assist her. Eight made sure to keep the struggling, would-be robber face down underneath her, as she pulled their hands behind their back and held on tight.

After Eight had properly secured her hold, Four kneeled down and smirked. "Well, whatever do we have here? Some sort of ruffian attempting to deprive a lady of her valuables? I believe the police would very much like to speak with someone like you. But first, let's see what you really look like, hmm?"

Four reached out and pulled back the figure's hood. Two long, black tentacles tumbled out as Four began to unfasten their gas mask. As she pulled it back to reveal their face, Four gasped.

Eight, who was unable to make out the figure from her current angle frowned. "Who is it, Four?". The body shifted underneath her and turned to look at her. Eight squinted. This is… They looked so familiar yet she couldn't quite remember where she had seen that face.

"Callie?!" Four, who had finally regained her composure, suddenly spoke up.

The black-tentacled pop singer closed one eye and grinned innocently.

"Surpriiiiise~"