Chapter 4: Building a Reputation
A/N: Hello folks are here we are again with another Chapter! Thanks to you all for taking the time of reading this tale and I hope we can continue this journey together. With that take care as always and stay awesome!- Poshil
School finally concludes for the day and that means a pleasant weekend ahead for the young Inklings of Squiddorm Middle School. Amber quickly gathers up her gear and races toward Inkopolis Square to start her first rank match since reaching Level 10 and a chance to battle alongside with her recent new friend Brian. After a quick text to Brian for a meetup time, Amber hurries on over to the Square.
Along the way to the Square Amber encounters several promotional posters of the so called Splatblast tournament, the same one Tyde mentioned during lunch. Inkopolis Plaza never had something like this to Amber's recollection. Perhaps it was exclusive to the Square but without much info, Amber has no clue what's so special about the tournament. More importantly on why would Thomas wished to recruit her for a big event despite her recent debut. Not like she didn't have any complaints. If Amber had the opportunity to battle alongside her idol that would be a chance of a lifetime.
Before she could cast aside her thoughts, Amber bumps into Brian along the way. Once again both inklings crash onto the pavement on their bottoms in pain and humiliation.
"Yeah, we need to stop meeting like this Amber." Brian groaned after Amber helps him up to his feet.
The two walked towards the Square, sharing how the day went and so forth. Turns out Brian Miggs goes to the same school as Amber did, but the boy eats lunch off campus. More importantly, their class locations are quite far apart from each other so it was no wonder they never met once at school. Speaking of school Amber recalled Tyde's offer to join his squad for the Splatblast tournament and wanted to get some insight from Miggs.
Without realizing Amber has arrived at the Square, a lot sooner than she anticipated. Before she could ask Brian a question about the tournament the male Inkling quickly grabbed her hand and dragged her inside one of the shops at the Square.
"Since you're a high enough level to start some ranked matches, you gonna need some new gear to be on par with the competition. Those Moto Boots of yours won't be enough."
"Good idea."
The two shopped around for some new gear and left the stores with plenty of new items to put to use. A fresh new look to match her boots and abilities, Amber is confident she has the right loadout for a win.
As for what new weapons to select from, Amber settled to try the Splat Duelies solely for their utility and capabilities to hold both effective offense and defense. To her, they felt like the typical shooter, just with two guns instead of one. Brian shared Amber about the Roll ability the Duelies inherit to fully take advantage on the battlefield when dealing with certain weapon classes. This knowledge alone brought more joy to Amber on making the right decision in switching over to battle at the Square. The vast new mechanics this place has to offer only fuel her interest in furthering a career in becoming a pro in the higher leagues. Geared up and ready to go, the two set off for the lobby.
Unfortunately for Amber, she didn't take into account the matching system differing from the Plaza's in terms of Ranked Battles. Despite that Brian and Amber settled to go solo until she reaches a high enough level to compete in the League Battles, where at least she then could join up with Brian.
With her name called upon, Amber sets off to the Connector Platform to be sent off to her first ranked match. Splat Zones, a game mode she's familiar with but on a map she has never been on, Manta Maria. This Manta Maria area looked to her like a cruise she once went on with her father; it was a great trip if the boat didn't break down at the port.
Memories aside, the match starts and Amber races ahead with her teammates for the zones.
Fully utilizing the rolling ability, Amber proved to be a difficult target for her opponents to hit, leaving them too distracted to pay attention for her teammates to splat them from the side. After several exchanges of control of the Splat Zones, Amber and her team claim a solid victory.
Amber jumps into another game and to her surprise, she finds Brian on the opposing team. The two competed with each other before but Amber is curious how things will play out now they're competing against each other. It could be a good learning experience for both of them she thought.
The match begins and it's Splat Zones on Manta Maria again but this time Amber and her team struggle from the start as Brian and another roller player rushed them with a sneak attack of vertical swings and Curling Bombs.
Spawning back, Amber heads towards a raised platform to the right side of the ship before closing in towards one of the zones. After dispatching one the inklings guarding the zone, she spots Brian using a curling bomb to surprise one of her teammates trying to claim the empty zone.
Knowing Brian would use the Bomb as a swimming path to ambush her teammate, Amber shoots a stream of ink to cut off the Bomb's trail, forcing Miggs to swim directly into the opposite ink.
Defenseless and stuck, Amber sends Brian back to spawn and the zones quickly fall back into her team's control.
Halfway into the round control for the zones started to switch back and forth, keeping the match in a steady stalemate between both Squid Teams. Amber spots Brian and another roller flanking one of the zones with the same tactic of using a Curling Bomb to swim with. Again Amber goes to cut off Brian and the roller's advancement only to find something off to her plan. Brian was caught stuck from swimming into enemy ink as planned but the other inkling didn't show up. Turns out the Inkling took another path and had Brian as a decoy.
Caught off guard, Amber stumbles backward off the platform before getting eliminated by the attacker, sending her back to wait in spawn for an excruciating five seconds.
Time was of the essence and Amber needed to help her team get back on the scoreboard. Luckily the opposing team didn't notice her ink trail she created earlier on the right side of the Manta Maria. The perfect chance to ambush the enemy. Using that path, Amber sneaks a quick cap of one the zones, drawing the attention of Brian and the same roller player that eliminated her not too long ago.
Amber made quick work of the enemy roller but Brian ambushed her with vertical flings of ink from his weapon. While they were easy to dodge, Miggs had the range advantage and Amber needed something to draw him a bit closer for her to take him out. An idea popped into her mind to get said results and with that Amber taunted Brian to give chase.
Frustrated, the inkling boy pursued Amber around a corner and noticed Amber accidentally stumbling into a dead end.
"Sorry Amber, YOU'RE DONE."
Brian sets down his roller and starts a full charge dash at Amber. Amber tried shooting at Brian to her best ability. Surprisingly he dodged everything by weaving side to side in the most unorthodox way Amber has ever seen. But she wasn't going for accuracy.
"Excellent." Amber grinned.
Brian was a mere foot away from steamrolling Amber, only to watch her dodge roll at the last second. To his shock, Brian couldn't slow down and plummets off the boat and into the water in a crying panic. Not so long afterward Amber watches Brian spawning back onto the field laughing his head off with how Amber thought out that plan.
His smile quickly turned into a focused gaze as he disappears into his team ink. With both zones in control, Amber kept a close eye on both zones from a vantage point set up in the middle of the Maria. Her team was doing fine at keeping Brian and his team at bay, and they only need to hold off for a few more moments.
Out of nowhere, a Splat Bomb rolls beside Amber, forcing her to jump down to the deck near one of the zones. Dusting herself off, she confronted the attacker by dispatching him, only to watch as her teammate falls victim to another one of the attacker's splat bombs.
Soon later her other teammates succumb to a splat from Brian and the roller from earlier. Amber is forced to defend both points solo. With no chance on doing so, Amber retreated to one of the zones to at least stall control before her teammates could spawn back to help.
As soon Amber got a spot of cover, a laughing roar bellowed from above her position, and to her horror, she spotted Brian soaring down from above with his fist pulsating with energy, another special Amber wasn't aware of. The Splashdown.
"Don't forget me!" Miggs laughed, slamming down a blast of ink, taking out Amber in quick fashion.
Amber spawns back and frantically goes to assist her teammates, only to hear the buzzer ring, thus the match ending.
To her shock, her team still won as Brian and his teammates forgot to capitalize on the opportunity to cover both zones while Amber's team was out before time expired.
After exchanging congratulations to each other, Brian bid his farewell and took off home, leaving Amber to ponder on alone in the square.
The afternoon was slowly turning into evening and already Amber was feeling beat. She usually can go the whole evening battling but the recent match with Miggs left her exhausted beyond belief. She settled to grab a snack from Crusty Sean's food truck and rest up a bit before going back into the lobby for a few more matches.
A thought crossed her mind when she waited in line for her food. Sean already got his stand all running but earlier when she went to purchase her Splat Duelies, she didn't spot her friend Ray there working. By now the Ammo Knights in the Plaza should be all cleared of their stock and fully moved in here at the Square.
After finishing up her snacks, Amber made her way to Ammo Knights to see if Ray did show up for work.
Passed the doors, Amber finds herself inside the small Ink Weapons store Ammo Knights, run by weapons enthusiast and expert Sheldon. Although he's quite the obnoxious talker his heart and kind soul is something to bypass his flaws.
"Ah welcome to Ammo Knights!" Sheldon greeted. "Which weapon are you interested in purchasing or testing today?"
"Hello Mr. Sheldon, no weapon for me today but I do have a question for you. One of your employees, Raymond Haikan, did he show up for work today?" Amber asked.
"Ah, Raymond." Sheldon said glumly. "I'm afraid I have some bad news miss. Ray, unfortunately, was forced to resign from my business due to some unprecedented circumstances. I'm not allowed to share that kind of information but if you do know him he can share his thoughts."