HTE

Erray had snuck out the window, backpack on his back, and a guitar case at his side. He had some money from working a few odd jobs around the village, but didn't know if it would be enough. He had to try, though. So, he went onward, leaving the property of the Zapfish farm, leaving only footprints. The Inkling already felt cruel for just leaving and not even writing a note, but he couldn't leave a trail.

It was late into the night, and the sound of only crickets and his footsteps were in the air. He had also bought a Splattershot Jr. from someone who had actually been to Inkopolis. The Inkling was also told about how there were so many weapons that he hadn't even seen yet. Erray's hearts raced with the possibilities. He couldn't wait to get there and see what the big city would offer him.

Erray made to Ceviché Village's local gas station, and bought a few snacks in the shop. Inkopolis was a long way away, as he read on the maps. Once he stepped outside, he was tapped on the shoulder. Erray turned around and yelped, but to his relief it was just Jade.

"Jade?" he said. "What are you doing here this late?"

"I guess I could be asking you the same thing," she responded.

"Um…" Erray looked away from her briefly. "I'm, uh… Leaving this place, Jade."

Jade tilted her head slightly. "What?"

"I'm going to Inkopolis to pursue a career in music!" Erray's eyes lit up upon saying this. "I've wanted this since I was little, but…" He frowned, looking to the side, before continuing, "my grandfather… no one believed in me. So, I ran away."

"Whoa…" said Jade. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

"I love it here…" said Erray. "I've been here since I was six, but… I don't wanna spend my whole life here."

Jade looked at him, but Erray was staring at the road. A bus pulled up at the sign. Erray put down his guitar case to adjust his backpack, before he picked it up again.

"Well, I gotta go… Maybe I'll see you again?" said Erray.

"I'll go with you," said Jade.

"Huh?"

Jade shrugged. "I live underground. I can just slip back into some kettle in Inkopolis." She put on a straw hat to hide her tentacles and started walking towards the bus. "Besides, I've been there a few times. I can show you around."

Erray chuckled, but smiled. He felt warm and comforted. "Okay… I trust you." The Inklings climbed the steps into the bus. Jade stood still for a moment and slowly followed.

"You… do?"

"We're leaving," said the bus driver. He was some kind of shark. "You riding or not, girl?"

"Huh?" Jade stopped herself from thinking too much. "Of course." She quickly stepped in and followed Erray to a pair of seats near the middle of the vehicle.

"This is pretty neat," Jade said, sitting down next to Erray.

"Do you have buses underground?" said Erray.

"We do, kind of," said Jade. "But, they're kind of like giant lifts. They're attached to a rail high up in some of the domes. So, what are you gonna do when you get there?"

"When I get there, I'm gonna figure out how to survive." The Inkling boy set his guitar case on the floor. "I've been doing tons of research on places to stay over there, that are really cheap."

Jade placed her hands neatly in her lap. "I see."

The bus went on, traveling into the open road. The only lights that lit the way were that of the vehicle shining down on the road ahead. Erray showed Jade a few things on his phone and laughed at some videos.

Into the night, Erray started getting sleepy. He leaned against the window he sat next to watching the sights outside go by.

Jade, on the other hand, was sitting perfectly straight. Her hands were neatly in her lap.

"Erray… I'm really sorry," she said.

Erray mumbled softly and rubbed his eyes. "For what?"

"You said your grandfather was what again?"

"He was a lieutenant in the Great Turf War. He tells me stories all the time about how he supposedly worked with Captain Craig Cuttlefish."

"I know." Jade's voice was flat.

"You do?" Erray said, softly.

The bus driver, sitting up front, moved one of his limbs over briefly to change the music on the radio. When he looked back out on the road there was a whole line of suspicious figures. All of them were wearing shades, glowing with a red light.

"OH MY CO-"

The bus suddenly swerved, causing everyone to yell. Erray grabbed onto something before a huge crash and everything went dark.

Erray awoke on the floor, or the roof to be exact. The bus had completely flipped over and most of the windows had shattered. The Inkling moaned softly, clutching himself. He knew he had several cuts on himself from the glass. Some purple ink was on the floor and there was screaming outside. He shivered, fearful for himself and for what was happening.

"He… Help…" Erray whimpered. "Please…"

Suddenly, Erray screamed. His legs were pulled and he found himself getting dragged through one of the windows. Quickly, he grabbed his fallen Splattershot Jr. and shot whoever grabbed him right in the face with several bullets of ink when he was outside. Only a puddle of ink remained, meaning that whoever was there was going to respawn.

Erray stood up on his painful legs, looking around. He could barely see anything since it was so dark, but there were figures running around. His body trembled, unsure of what to do, through the pained souls of people screaming, pleading for help.

"NO! THAT'S MY DAUGHTER!"

"DON'T TOUCH ME!"

"SOMEBODY HELP!"

Tears entered his eyes, and his breathing hitched. He wanted to run, but his legs wouldn't listen to him when he commanded them to move.

"That's him!"

Erray was then tackled onto the ground, dropping the Splattershot Jr. on the dirt. Whoever was on top of him pulled one of his hands behind his back. He reached out for the weapon with his other hand, but then cried out when a foot stepped on it. He looked up and saw a familiar Octoling wearing the red shades.

"J… Jade…?" Erray said, tears streaming down from his eyes.

"That's him," said Jade. "Grandson of Lieutenant Coel Trow of the Squidbeak Splatoon." She applied just a bit more weight to her step, making Erray yell some more. "Nothing personal, kid. Boss's orders."

The last Erray remembered that night was the bottom of Jade's shoe in his face.


Erray shivered, forming fists in his lap, while Vichay, who was sitting right next to him on the couch, rubbed his back. He wiped his eyes as tears emerged from them. Marie and Cap'n Cuttlefish were sitting in chairs nearby. Angel had refused to take a seat.

"So that's what happened to you…" said Vichay.

Erray nodded. "I… My eyes, Vichay..." The Inkling bit back a sob.

"What's wrong with them?"

"It's… Well, okay. You ready?"

Vichay nodded. Erray gestured to Marie and she got up, closed the curtains and turned off the lights. The Inkling girl gasped, almost backing away, when she saw Erray's glowing eyes.

"They… glow?" she said.

"And… I can see where stuff is, even in the dark," said Erray. "You." He pointed at the Squid Sister. "Marie." Then he pointed at the kitchen. "That broom over there. Even the lines of the tiles in the kitchen and where every utensil is in there."

Vichay continued staring, even when Marie turned the lights back on.

"But, why would they do this?"

"I… try not to think about it," said Erray. "They did stuff like this to me sometimes."

"Like what?"

"They would just drag some of us out one night and do some tests…" He wiped his nose after sniffling. "I never did find out what they were for. But, one night I fought back against a guard, because he wouldn't stop hitting me, and it was bad. I… uh…" The Inkling held himself, rubbing his arms. Angel bit her lip and stepped forward.

"It's okay, Erray," she said. "We're all here."

"They dragged me out in the middle of night, and… I was in this weird room, and one the doctors there, grabbed this weird syringe. And… They put it in my eyes." He shivered, starting to sob at memory. "I was screaming the whole time, I… I had bandages over my eyes for about a week, and I don't remember much of it, because I remember they gave me tons of medicine to keep me calm. So, I mostly slept. But, when I woke up and the bandages were off, the room was dark… but I could still see."

"Erray," was all Vichay could say before her brother practically lunged at her for comfort. She held him gently, rubbing his back as he cried. "It's okay, now. Shh. I'm here." She almost started crying herself, hearing her own brother crying from such pain. She looked over at Marie. "So, how do we kick these Octos in the nose?"

"No, Vichay," said Marie. "These Octarians are being controlled and manipulated by General Octavio, or most of the public know him as DJ Octavio."

"The general of the Great Turf War?" said Vichay. "But I don't get it. Why would he even want to do this to my brother?"

"Agent 3…" Angel then said. She was staring at the wall behind the siblings, but she was clearly thinking. "Erray's eyes glow whenever he uses his powers, just like 3's… Maybe…"

"They were trying to replicate 3's powers," said the cap'n.

"Ha. And failed," said Vichay.

"Did they?" said Angel. "Erray has 3's gift now, too. They may have actually done it, but it just took a while for it to manifest."

"She's right," said Marie.

Angel rolled her eyes. "I wasn't looking for your validation." Marie looked away.

Erray raised his head from his sister's shoulder. He realized he had cried on her shirt. "I'm sorry." Vichay smiled, a little warmed to see his brother needing her. She felt a little selfish, but what mattered right now was that he was here, and she knew he was well. Or at least well enough, and above all else, he was safe.

"There's no need to apologize. It's okay."

Erray almost wiped his nose with his sleeve, but Marie handed him a tissue."B-But I was jerk, to you, to Cici, to-"

"Cici and I were just trying to uphold what our grandfather wanted. The only reason I was able to come here was to look for you, and grandfather couldn't leave his farm unattended. Right now, some of the village is handling it for us. You chose to come out here, Erray." She lightly held his chin and guided his purple tear stained face to meet her gaze. "We were just worried for you. And, so was gramps."

"Makes sense," said the cap'n. "I'd do anything for my grand squids."

Erray sniffled. "What about our grandfather?" he said. "And Cici?"

Vichay shook her head. "Nothing… But at least you're here." She said it surprisingly sweetly, but she was still frowning.

"I'm sorry…" said Erray. "I dragged you guys out here."

"It wasn't you. They disappeared at Starfish Shore Stop. The police just don't have any leads. Before they disappeared, Cici did call me talking about someone who made her cry, when she wasn't actually sad."

"3…" Marie said, softly. Angel looked over, too but said not a word.

"What?"

"When Agent 3 feels an intense emotion, others will feel it, too, without even needing to be set into it by something. Sheldon thinks it's an early Inkling evolution thing. Before we could have these forms, Squids would change colors to communicate. It's super rare, but Erray has used it on me before, by accident."

"Listen, bucko," said the cap'n. He leaned forward, holding his cane of a Bamboozler. "I'm gonna tell you what I know. This power you have ain't no curse. You may not have wanted it, but you have it, and it can help you. The thing you need to know, is that when you activate it, to not lose control. Keep your mind in check, and stay calm. I don't think we'll be there every time to drag you back onto a couch or a bed, if you don't."

"Yes, sir," said Erray.

Angel shrugged. She took her Splat Brella and started walking to the door.

"Angel, where are you going?" said Vichay.

"You seem to have this handled," Angel responded. "So, it looks like I should head elsewhere."

"But-"

"I'll see you at home." She opened the door and left. Marie sighed.

"Perhaps we should take a break for the day. Well, you should, Trow."

"M-Me? Are you sure?" said Erray.

"Get reacquainted with your sister, Erray!" Marie said, standing up. "Gramps and I'll take care of things for today. We need to get into the Slimeskin Garrison. We're getting closer to where their main base is." She turned to Cap'n Cuttlefish. "What do you think, sir?"

"I think that'll be fine, kiddo," said the cap'n.

Vichay stood up for a moment and saluted. "It's been an honor to meet you, sir! And you, too, Marie."

"Why thank-you, bucko!"

Marie smiled, with her relaxed eyes. "Heh. Always a pleasure. Come on, gramps!" The two started heading towards the door.

"Oh, wait!" said Vichay. "Can I ask one more thing?"

"Sure."

Vichay was suddenly starstruck. She held her hands together shivering with excitement. "CAN I HAVE YOUR AUTOGRAPHS?!"

Erray smacked his own forehead. The two sort of laughed it off and looked around for some pen and paper. Vichay was excited and decided to help out.

Erray smiled a little, but then his phone started ringing. It was from Anemy.

"H-Hello?"

"Hey, Trow!" she sounded like she just woke up. "You weren't back here last night. You okay?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah. I worked things out with my roommate." He awkwardly looked at the clock. "Uh… it was pretty late, so I slept here, and I was gonna tell you in the morning."

There was a sigh, and the sound of something moving. Maybe she was still in her bed.

"Okay… Uh, are we still gonna go watch that movie tonight?"

"Huh?" He sat up straight. "Oh yeah! That!"

Vichay said her good-byes and Erray waved as Cap'n Cuttlefish and Marie headed out. Then she ran over to her brother.

"Who are you talking to?"

"A friend," Erray whispered. "She's asking if we're still going to the movies, but I want to hang out with-"

Vichay snatched the phone from the boy. "He'll be there! Oh, hi! I'm Erray's sister, Vichay!"

"Hey!" Erray stood up and chased her around the room.

"Aren't you the girl who would let me see him at Grizzco?" She ran into the kitchen and hopped over the counter. "No, we worked it out. Okay, fine. Sorry I tried to tackle you to get into the building." Erray ran up to her but with one arm, held him back as he tried to reach for his phone. "Yeah, he'll be there. I promise. Okay, bye." She finally handed the phone back to Erray who was blushing deeply.

"Sorry about that," said Erray.

"Nah, that was kind of funny," said Anemy.

The Inkling boy sighed. "Not for me." He started walking back to the couch. "So are we meeting at the theater? It's a little far."

"No, meet me at Grizzco. I'll get us there."

"How? Do you have a car?"

"Ehhhh… Nope. You'll have to come and see. Later!"

"Okay, bye."

Erray put down his phone and then saw her sister staring attentively. "What?!"

"Are you going on a date?!" she said, excitedly.

Erray's shoulders hunched up, and his blush grew deeper. "N-No!" He crossed his arms and looked away. "W-We were just going to the movies tonight."

"What's she like, anyway?"

"U-Um…" Erray shifted, nervously.

"I'm just asking," Vichay said, plopping down next to him.

"W-Well, she's kind of relaxed sometimes, but somehow manages to work herself until she's about to pass out from being tired. Other than that, she's really good at fighting, so much so, that she's a captain of one of the squads." Vichay kept looking, smiling at seeing her brother's eyes lighting up. "She also sings like an angel, plays guitar and keyboard, her hair is a beautiful shade of orange, and… and…" He stopped when he heard his sister giggling. "Stop it!"

"Aw, it's cute," she playfully reached out for him, but he started slapping her away.

"It's not a date… but, I'm…" Erray took a deep breath. He couldn't bear to look at her. "Now that you said that, I'm nervous. Besides, I thought you wanted to spend time with me today…"

Vichay tilted her head. "I do. And now, I get to help you get ready."

The Inkling boy finally turned his head towards her. "You will?"

"Yeah, it'll be fun." She stood up and pulled Erray to his feet. "Do you have any outfits here?"

"N-No, this Callie and Marie's apartment. I think I have some back at Cuttlefish's house, tho-"

"No, splat it!" said Vichay. She pushed Erray's shoes near his feet and she ran to the coffee table for her bag. "We're going shopping."

Erray finally smiled, laughing a little. "Okay, okay."


Anemy was in the storage room. She was really busy and was wearing a work shirt. It was a white t-shirt, with a black apron over it. There was a pen or two tucked into one of the pockets, along with some pins that were tacked on.

"Um, y-your going out with Erray, miss?" Coral said, shyly.

"Well, don't put it like that…" Anemy said, counting some crates with her pen before writing something down on her clipboard. "We're just going to see that new movie."

"Oh, I wish I could go… but I have to help my mom tonight. She's cooking a special dinner tonight for my brother's birthday."

"Save me something?"

"Okay, captain."

"Alright." Anemy put down her clipboard and turned to her. "Your shift's over, so you're free to go."

"Okay," Coral said with a nod. "I-I'll see you tomorrow, miss."

Anemy sighed when she was left alone. She walked back towards the lobby passing by some other employees from other squads as she made it to her quarters. The girl took off her apron and found herself putting her Juice Parka back on.

The captain sat down in her chair and sighed. For some reason she couldn't stop thinking about tonight. She didn't know why.

We're just watching a movie… she thought, as she put her feet on her desk. Anemy had bigger things to worry about. Without the Great Zapfish, they could set sail to fight a lot of Salmonids, and Mr. Grizz was quite upset about that. The mysterious gathering of Salmonids in one place, and the fact that they completely drove them from the Lost Outpost was surprising.

"You're distracted…" Anemy heard it from Mr. Grizz's radio. She just remembered she had brought in here for some maintenance.

"Sorry, sir," Anemy said, putting her feet back down on the floor. "I'm getting back to work…"

"Your shift is over. Relax. Besides, don't you have a big night with Mr. Trow?"

"It's nothing big…" Anemy said, irritably.. "We're just watching a movie. Nothing more. Granted, we have been spending more time together, but so what?" She sighed, tapping her finger on her desk. "I need a drink." She reached under her desk for a mini fridge.

"Erray's falling for you," Mr. Grizz said, bluntly.

Anemy rose back up from her desk, with a soda in one hand and a fist on the desk with the other. Just hearing those words sent shivers down her backside.

"Then, Trow is probably as crazy as I am…" She sat there, thinking about him. His shyness was quite endearing, and when he picks up a guitar, or someone needs him, he really comes out of his shell. No matter how frightened he was, he finds the bravery to stand against that fear, Anemy took a deep drink from her soda.

"You're not crazy, Ms. Arowana…" said Mr. Grizz.

The Inkling set her drink down, swallowing the rich flavor of cherry, and laid her palms flat on her desk. Her eyes fell on the picture frame, and she quickly averted her eyes.

This can't be happening… she thought.


Bass ran down the alleyways, backpack full of stuff. Some rich Squid thought he was the talk of the walk, and he taught him a lesson. Now he had a bag full of rare gear and made it back to Shellover Inn. The sun was setting, so he'd be well hidden once dark had arrived.

Dusting off his sweater he headed back inside and dropped the things off with Spyke without much of a word for one or the other. Then, he went back to his room, finding Char sitting on his bed with a book. He closed it with a slam when he walked in.

"Hey, Char," said Bass. He set his backpack next to the door, but Char continued staring, his brow furrowed and his violet eyes locked onto his hazel ones. "What?"

"Don't 'what' me!" Char said, swinging his feet off the bed. "You threw Erray out like a piece of trash!"

Bass glared. "Oh, so it's okay when you, Spike, or Murch do it, but not me?"

"It's not what you did, but what you said when you did it? What the shell did Captain Arowana do to you?"

"Oh, you're better off not knowing, Char," Bass grumbled, walking across the room to his own bed, checking his new phone.

"Doesn't matter, don't insult her!"

"Why the carp do you care?" Bass hissed, batting an eye at him.

"Because she's nice to me! She even pays me a decent wage! If it weren't for the fact that Spyke practically raised us, I'd leave and work at Grizzco full time."

Bass rolled his eyes. "Now who's being disloyal?"

"I think you're just taking out what happened to your precious Finn out on her," his partner said, crossing his arms.

"You don't know her."

"I know that she's my captain!" Char yelled. He stood and threw on his own Juice Parka over his Annaki Sweater. The other Inkling stood up immediately.

"Where are you going?" said Bass.

"To finally put in some hours at work!" Before Bass could say anything, he had slammed the door shut.


Angel was working at the studio for Off the Hook tonight. The nightly reports were usually quiet, but there was one more they had to when it was super late, and most of the staff would be exhausted by then.

Despite the work, Angel was still distracted, twiddling her little mood necklace, as she walked around, making sure all the equipment was working. Vichay had finally reunited with his brother. That was a good thing. And yet, she felt revolted having to stand in Marie's presence and… tolerate her. Or was that the spoiled rich girl she grew up as talking?

"I hope I'm doing the right thing…" she mumbled to herself. She walked past the set, where Pearl and Marina were sitting in their seats talking in.

"So, how's tonight lookin'," said Marina.

"Should be quiet!" said Pearl. "We'll have a chill broadcast and then we can go home. Our informant will tell us if anything happens while we're home."

"Sure…" said Marina. "But, I'm still worried about the boss. Ever since we found those blueprints…"

Pearl leaned back in her bean bag chair. "We'll be fine, and so will the boss. We're getting close. Or, that Splatoon will open the way and then we can snub the kill before they can."

Marina nodded. She looked out the window, thinking for a bit and then turned back to her. "You know, Pearlie… You don't have to come with when we do this."

Pearl raised a brow. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean our problem is not really yours. Octavio won't stop following us, because Oliver, Oscar and I are Octolings and we were once in his army. You don't need… ink on your hands…"

Pearl cracked a smile. "Marina, I've long come to terms with this. You're my best friend, and I don't want anything bad happening to you. If some jerk is going to keep making you and the boys miserable, then I'll do whatever I have to for you. We'll carry this burden together just like we both carry Off the Hook."

Marina placed her hands on the table, tears were entering her eyes. "Th-Thank-you, Pearlie."

Pearl reached across the desk and placed a hand on both of Marina's. "Okay, okay. There's no need for the waterworks."


The sun was going down, Vichay's apartment was quiet. Apparently, Angel was still working at the studio tonight. The two siblings had come back from the mall, and Vichay made Erray clean up before putting on some fresh clothes.

Erray walked out, wearing a black t-shirt from Squidforce, and a white, long-sleeved shirt underneath. He still had his regular shorts, with black tights underneath, but he had new dark boots from Annaki.

"Oh! One more thing!" said Vichay. She put a denim cap on Erray's head. "And… there we go!"

"Uh, I don't think I need the hat," said Erray. "It's almost night time."

"Aw, come on!" his sister whined. "It's like a finishing touch, or something." She stepped back, despite Erray's little shuffling and slight nervous twitches and took a quick look. "Okay, you've got the look, you're clean, you have some money, but remember: Ventilate. Chill the shell out, and remember to be yourself. She wants to see you, not someone else, okay?"

Erray nodded, and took some deep breaths. "Okay. Got it."

"Are you ready?" Vichay dashed to the door.

"R-Ready as I'll ever be!" said Erray. His sister opened the door. "I'll be back to tell you how it went, okay?"

Vichay smiled. "I was expecting that." She gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Good luck."

Once he was gone, the Inkling girl closed the door and placed both hands on the wooden barrier. She leaned her head against it.

"I wish you were here to see him, Cici…"

Erray walked into Grizzco Industries. Surprisingly, it was a bit packed tonight, but no one was really busy with anything other than cleaning and taking inventory. Upon reaching Anemy's office, he heard giggling in here, so he knocked.

"Hello? Anemy?"

"Shh, be quiet!" he then heard. "Here go hide in this."

Once the door was opened, Oscar was hiding behind the desk.

"O-Oh! H-Hi, Mr. Trow!"

"What are you doing?"

"I was just… playing…" he said. "Today's boring, so I tried to think of something to do."

Erray wasn't so sure, but he wasn't in the mood tonight. He just raised a brow for a sec and then brushed it off. "O… kay. Do you know where the captain is?"

"Yeah. She's in the garage. It's to the left of the lobby."

"Okay." The Inkling closed the door leaving Oscar alone. He pulled Anemy's draw open and Chip hopped onto his hand.

"That was way too close…" he whispered. "Wanna play hide-and-seek?"

Erray wandered past the lobby into the garage. A light or two hung down from the ceiling and the floor was made of stone. There was a wall where some power tools hung, with a desk, and plenty of draws for supplies. Surprisingly, there was also a fridge in there. It was simply white, with a few stains from age, and a few magnets from different bands were on it. None of that had caught Erray's attention. What did was the motorcycle in the middle. It was boldly orange and black, with sharp shaped headlights. The wheels looked like they were made of finest Sardinium, covered with dark rubber, of course. Working on it, sitting on a stood was no one other than, Anemy Arowana.

The girl stood, wiping her dirty hands with a rag. "Oh, Erray! You made it." She was wearing a pink striped shirt, her usual black cotton pants, and white sneakers that went up to her ankles. They were tied with black shoelaces. Shoulder and knee pads were also on her.

Erray was already shocked, seeing her in such casual gear. And for once, she didn't smell like the Grizzco. He immediately registered the smell of violets.

Erray approached her slowly. "You, uh… You…" He looked to the floor for a moment unable to find the right words to compliment her with. "You drive a motorcycle?"

"Oh yeah!" Anemy said, turning to her vehicle. Erray silently smacked his own forehead. "It belonged to my brother, so I guess it's… a hand me down. But, I painted it and gave it my own personal touch. I thought we might as well use it to get to the movie theater.

Immediately, Erray's ink was pumping with excitement. "Yeah, I'd love to!"

"Right. There's some spare padding in the draws. Go get set up." Anemy walked into the lobby and approached Mr. Grizz's radio. "Grizz, we're leaving. We'll be back in a few hours."

"Alright, alright," said Mr. Grizz. "Don't worry. I'll make sure these kids are working."

"Okay…"

Anemy walked back into the garage and Erray was already geared up with some padding. Without a sweater, Anemy saw he actually looked pretty nice in a simple shirt. She cleared her throat and tossed a spare helmet towards him. The boy fumbled a bit before catching it. "Alright, let's get going. If we're quick, we can grab some snacks."

The girl put on her own helmet and pulled out a device. Upon pushing the button the garage door, lifted open, revealing the city of Inkopolis outside under the gradually darkening sky. Erray stared upward, while Anemy pushed her motorcycle outside.

Taking his helmet, Erray eventually followed his friend outside, and she pressed the button on her device again to close the garage door. Anemy pulled out her keys, and after turning on the ignition, Erray was shocked to hear the loud roar of the engine. The headlights turned on and Anemy was took the driver's seat. She gestured Erray towards her.

"Come on."

Erray got behind her on the vehicle and put on his helmet.

"Hang on," said Anemy. The Inkling boy put his hands on her hips and then bit his lip as he blushed. That quickly changed when the vehicle started racing forward on to the road, joining the traffic.

Erray, having never rode on a motorcycle, screamed at the sudden fast motion, clinging to his captain like his life depended on it. After a time, he calmed down, but kept his eyes shut.

"It's okay," said Anemy. "That was kind of my reaction, too, when my brother drove me the first time. Open your eyes. It's not so bad."

Erray only cracked one eye open, before he could see all the sights of the town zooming past him. He opened both of his eyes, and eventually started smiling. He felt the wind in his hair that stuck out from his helmet, saw other cars and the buildings around him, zooming by and the few lights that were still on. All of the action and the sights were right in front and all around him.

Anemy chuckled a bit to herself, feeling the Inkling behind her relaxing. It wasn't long before Erray was daring her to ride down hills super fast.

Finally, they made it to the movie theater. Anemy pulled up to the bike lot and the two left their helmets on the motorcycle. They went into the theater and each paid for their tickets. Anemy was not going to pass up the opportunity for popcorn, so she got a huge bucket of it, and when she got it, she took it with an excited grin and they went into the theater.

Surprisingly, the place was packed, but then again, the first Caped Crusader was widely popular. Erray and Anemy took a seat next to each other.

"Uh, thanks for inviting me out, I guess," said Anemy. "If I hadn't gone with someone, I probably would've been lazy and waited for this movie to be out in the stores."

"Oh, uh…" Erray smiled, but tried to stay calm. "You're welcome. I think we both needed a break from all that Salmonid business."

"Yeah, and that craziness with your friends and family…" She turned to him slowly. "No offense. I'm happy to help, though."

"Nah, it's okay." The lights in the theater began to dim. "It's starting."

"Here we go!" Anemy said, shifting in her chair, excitedly.


"Almost got it…" Oscar was glued to his phone, lying down on Anemy's bed, trying to beat Oliver's high score on Squid Jump. His character fell down from a moving platform and into the rising water. "NOOOOO!" His arms fell flat, putting his phone down. Chip, who was on his head hopped down onto the floor and started wandering off.

Oscar sat up, seeing that he was heading towards the door.

"Hey, where are you going?" He gasped when he slipped under the door and left.

The Octoling followed the tiny Salmonid, seeing him go down the hallway. His phone started ringing while he chased him.

"Uh-oh," Oscar said, seeing that it was Mr. Grizz. Of course, he answered, because he knew he'd get in trouble if he didn't. "H-Hello?"

"Oscar, why is there a live Salmonid in my building?!"

"Uh, I… I don't know…" Oscar stuttered. He saw Chip go into one of the storage rooms. "Hey, wait!"

The boy swung the door open, dashing into the egg room. There were mostly power eggs in there. The golden ones were sent out to Mr. Grizz almost immediately. Oscar followed the Salmonid and he hopped down a drain. It was there to drain any ink that came off the eggs.

"CHIP!" Oscar yelled, as he reached out. He looked down, but the tiny Salmonid was nowhere to be seen. He thought about turning into an Octopus and following after him, but since he didn't know where it would take him, he knew it could be dangerous.

Suddenly, green started to emerge from the drain. The Octoling backed away, but it was spreading. He ran out of the room and shut the door. There, he saw Char walking down the hall.

"Ch-Char?!" Oscar said, leaning against the door.

"Kid, what are you doing?"

"I-I thought you hadn't come back in a while?" Oscar said, nervously.

"Kid, answer the question."

"N-Nothing…" Suddenly, there was a loud noise of things getting knocked over. The Octoling jumped away from the door. Char pulled out a Splattershot, and kicked the door open.

"OH MY COD!" he shouted.


"DON'T!"

Erray and Anemy were both shocked, the captain stopping herself from eating some popcorn in one hand, with another tightly gripping the armrest on her seat.

The Crusader, Axel, was taking his revenge for the betrayal made by his one and only brother. They stood atop Moray Towers and light, blue hair inkling with the spiky hair aimed at the green Inkling on the ground.

"I can't look…" Anemy covered her eyes, but then parted her fingers slightly to see anyway. She jolted upon feeling two hands holding hers, lifting it slightly off the armrest.

"It's okay…"

Anemy looked and saw Erray holding in his two gentle hands. The Inkling found the courage to move her other hand and look.

Axel yelled, shooting his weapon into the ground and just barely missing the face of his brother. Paralyzed from shock, the Crusader took the opportunity to pin him down and tie him up. In the distance, the two could hear sirens getting closer.

"You're going to be put away for a long time," Axel said, sternly.

"You didn't have the guts…" his brother hissed.

"No, I have the guts to not sink down to your level…"

"Axel!"

His friends had made it just in time. And, when they saw that his brother wasn't dead, the anemone, smiled along with the others, but she was in tears.

The Crusader teared up as well, and he went to his friends, who all joined in a group hug. The scene faded to black and the credits started rolling.

"Whoa…" Erray said, breathing a sigh of relief. The audience began to applaud, some were cheering.

"Well, that was a movie…" said Anemy. She stood up, gathering her hands. "Come on. Let's get out before people crowd the door."

Two got up and walked out of the theater. They were greeted by the pleasant fresh air outside, and the stars were out, while they talked about the movie. The lights on the building were on low setting to save power.

"I dunno, I still think the comic was better," Anemy said, as they walked back towards the motorcycle. "He actually kills his brother in it, and then suffers all the consequences. It's really juicy stuff." She then sighed. "But, of course, they had to kiddie it down for the movie."

"I mean, it did feel a little anticlimactic," said Erray. The two made it back to the motorcycle. "I still think the ending could've been better, if it was executed properly."

"Maybe…" The Inkling girl picked up her helmet. "It feels kind of weird to just go home, now."

Erray shrugged. "Well, I had fun at the movie." He looked up at the sky, seeing the stars. "I've never seen this many stars in the city."

"Probably the lack of light," Anemy said, looking up, as well. She then gasped. "Oh. I know where we can go. Hop on!"

Erray was curious, so decided not to protest. Plus, he was starting to enjoy riding around on Anemy's motorcycle. They rode through the town, still quite lively despite the lack of power and the violence as of late, and to his surprise, the Inkling girl had driven them to Inkopolis Plaza. He had been here several times, and remember hearing about it when he wanted to come to this city so many times and was shocked when he heard that Inkopolis Square was all the rage now. This place was now somewhat desolate, even more so at night.

Yet, once Anemy parked her bike and they took off their helmets, she strode towards Inkopolis Tower, going into the lobby. Erray quickly followed her. They weren't attempting an Ink Battle, but they instead took an elevator to the top of the tower, where the observation floor was.

Unsurprisingly, it was deserted, but there, Erray looked with his glowing eyes at the shining stars. Anemy sat down on the carpet, and he joined her.

"Grizz has been telling me that I need to take time to relax, if I want to work at peak efficiency. So, sometimes I come here at night." She started kicking her sneakers together. "It's quiet, and it's really unlikely someone will bother you. This place hasn't been as lively, since the last Splatfest here." She slowly turned to Erray. "So, what do you think?"

"It's really peaceful…" Erray's voice was almost a whisper. "The lights and stars are beautiful, but… it also gives me a bit of a sad feeling for some reason."

"Yeah, I get that, too…" said Anemy. She pulled her knees up to her chest. "I, uh… Remember when I said that I didn't mind doing things alone?" A nod was her response. "Well… Lately, I've been finding that less of the case. Ever since we busted you, I've been trying to get to know my squad a bit more, and the craziest thing is… I've been having a lot of fun."

Erray turned to her. She sounded more and more excited, but Anemy bit her lip and frowned. Her crystal blue eyes met with his.

"Erray… I, uh… You're the first Inkling I've really trusted for the first time in a while." She stifled a chuckle, and then wiped one of her eyes. "I know I'm sounding a little stupid." Then, to her surprise, Erray reached out, wrapping his arms around her.

"You're not stupid," he said. "It's okay. If it weren't for you, I would've never even tried to… be nice to Octolings."

Anemy shrugged. "I know you're still scared of them."

"And…" While Erray didn't know where this was coming from, he still wanted to help. "Well, you're still a bit distant. But, you're trying." Before he knew it, his head was touching hers. "I won't hurt you. I promise."

Erray heard a sniffle, but then she saw her smile. It was a genuine smile. She leaned into the touch of Erray's head and closed her eyes. The Inkling boy's cheeks grew to a light purple hue, but he was beaming. He moved one of his hands, hoping to hold one of hers.

Then Anemy's phone rang.

The Inkling girl jolted, reaching into her pocket and pulled out her phone. "Grizz?"

"Anemy, there's S…" His voice was being covered by tons of static. "Os… They're all over th… et… er… NOW!" The static got worse and worse, until she was cut off.

"Mr. Grizz!" Anemy yelled. She shoved her phone in her pocket and stood. "We need to go, NOW!"

Erray jolted, stood on his feet and dashed after Anemy and they rushed into the elevator to get back outside and to the motorcycle.

Anemy drove through the town, passing by cars, and running stop lights. Some of which Erray was sure was illegal. Unfortunately, Anemy did not speak the whole way back, and it really didn't seem like she cared about the law right now.

They pulled up at the front of Grizzco Industries the doors at the front were shut, but Anemy didn't care. They were stuck, so instead, she rounded the corner and smashed the window with rock. Erray yelped, dodging flying glass. The two hopped through the window, only to be met with pitch black darkness and the empty quietness.

But Erray, saw a horrible sight.

Anemy turned on her phone's flashlight and together they saw ink of a dark greenish hue splattered all over the floor and the walls, along with other colors of ink, indicating a massive fight. The screens on the far walls were shattered, glass was lying on the floor, wires were severed and the coolers and cans had been tossed all over the place.

Worst of all, Mr. Grizz's radio was lying in the center of the room, smashed open.

Anemy trembled, her breath hitching. Her eyes shut tightly, and her hair glowed like she was ready to use a special.

She let out the loudest scream Erray ever heard.