"Hey, X-Nots!" An intimidating voice grabbed Lord Crump and the X-Nauts attention.
"What the heck is that, boss?" one of the X-Nauts quietly asked their leader.
"Not sure." Lord Crump whispered to his minion. "Let's make this easy, we walk out with the Goomba, you don't get your behind dropped in that water!"
"I don't think so, Lord Flump!" The voice retorted. Red noticed his abnormally large fists were glowing with electric blue… ink? Could this be an Inkling?
The shadowy figure jumped down from his perch and took out three X-Nauts with an explosive punch. Shocked, Lord Crump immediately ordered all troops to take him down. A few chugged down some potions, which super-sized them. Red thought for sure this stranger was done for. That is, until he blew them all up with his special move. It was a Kraken. 'This isn't any old Kraken!' Red thought, 'this looks like the boss Kraken!'
As he morphed back to Inkling form, he challenged Lord Crump. "You're up next, Flump!"
Lord Crump laughed diabolically. "Buh-huh-huh! You think you can stop me?!" The two rushed forward to meet head-on, and a large inksplosion hid the result. Lord Crump flew back into a wall, and it was clear the stranger was the victor. Dazed, Lord Crump gave his final order. "You haven't seen the last of me! I will be back, even stronger than ever! Buh-huh-huh-huh! X-Nauts! We're pulling out! And with that…POW! I'm gone!"
As the remaining X-Nauts evacuated, Red proceeded towards the stranger.
"…Whoa! 'K, was that not like, the coolest thing ever!?" Red backed up hearing this voice.
"Thanks for the save back there. I'm Frederick Yoshi, but you can call me the Red Yoshi."
The ink-dust cleared and Red could finally see the stranger's face, He was decked out in leather from head to toe, and his icy ink colour made him look dangerous. His main weapon appeared to be two large fists drenched in ink for physical combat, similar to the Inkbrush. "Ice to meet you, Fred! My name's Erick." he said as he performed some sort of secret handshake with Red.
"Actually, I said my name was Red, not-"
"Eeeeeeeeh, Ma'an! Nice to meet ya! I'm Robbie, one of Red's friends." Robbie was quick to perform his secret handshake.
"Anyway," Red said with a confused look on his face, "These are my friends. Meet Aimee, Paul, Gyanna and Goombella."
"Ice to meet you guys!" Erick responded cheerfully.
"Likewise!" Paul piped up. "Hey Red, we'd better get going to the hotel, it's getting dark out."
"Yeah." Red agreed, as he looked up nervously at the darkening sky.
"Hotel!?" Goombella interjected. "You're not staying at a hotel. You'll stay at my professor's house. He was the one who told me to come find you guys. He's got somethin' urgent to talk about."
"In that case, lead the way, Ma'an!" Robbie cheered.
"Hold up, it ain't ice to just ditch me after I saved you guys!" Erick quickly added. "You guys will need some help from a local. And I'm just the guy for the job."
"I don't see a problem, do you Red?" Aimee asked.
"Well, no. None in particular." Red was quick to respond.
"Awesome! Thanks a ton, Fred!" Erick began to lead the way up the stairs. "C'mon! Can't keep Professor Frankly waitin'!"
