You know who is an awesome person who I hope has a wonderful week? Your answer lies in the first word of the sentence! I know it's corny but I feel happy to start writing again and I really want to thank anyone who has been following or favorited this story, it's reassuring knowing that there are actually people out there who enjoy my work and I hope that as time goes along that I can get better and this stuff so that in turn I can show my appreciate to you all much better! As always, thank you for your support and I hope you enjoy this chapter! :D


A white screen appears within the darkness of what could only be considered a room. Slowly illuminating a small path before it, a pair of hands type furiously on the keys, revealing a reflection of glasses that gaze up the light. The person typing had a face unrecognizable in the dark as their shining glasses float, but by the way they typed their keys, they were someone who knew how to work a computer; the angle at which the hands placed made it feel as though the person typing had to be hunched over with their face nearly buried into the screen the faster their fingers got. What they were typing was being displayed on the screen in a colorful font which a bunch of characters posted afterwards; twenty tabs opened as they mash in their message on what appears to be a private group chat. They seemed anxious as they frantically worked their fingers like a puppeteer does the strings to a puppet, precisely punching in each key with minimal error trying to convey their message before someone else replied.

"They took the bait!" the message read after a huge paragraph in the previous message sent. It got viewed by the rest of the members in the chat and immediately several names began typing.

"Those idiots always believe in such falsifications. No wonder the Jellyfish are the ones in charge of the inkling society. Those idiotic pea brains can't even govern themselves properly!"

"But what was said wasn't false by any means." Another said.

"Their obsession with fashion and trends, the stupid game of turf wars, and blindness to the concerns of those around them and of the greater good of their own nation. Sooner or later, it is bound to happen that there'd be an uprising among those who're intelligent enough to know that something is about awry within this nation. We're simply going to be the catalyst and bring them to fruit of knowledge."

"A long time coming… It started back when they unfairly kept the octos underground. Next they had the government cover up of the Deep Sea Metro and now the assassination is the last straw! This country will succumb to ruin!"

"We should still hold our tongues, however. That school has more fight than I imagined. Did you see the way those kids fought back against the message? They rallied against X's threats."

"It doesn't matter. Time is running out for the powerhouse nations, and Inkopolis will be the first of them to fall!"

Everyone logged off afterwards and soon, the white screen clicked off and left everywhere in darkness…

Two days had passed since Ixia's attack on Squid Academy and the Rank Wars and things continued as normal; there was a game yesterday, and security was on high alert as everyone anticipated a follow-up, but the games continued like normal. While Ixia's message still echoed in the minds of everyone, the student body's response of intolerance was well received by everyone across the nation. Respecting the fight of Squid Academy, most news outlets avoided discussing Ixia and instead gave their attention to the Rank Wars, refusing to give any attention to a terrorist hacker group. The talk of the top two favorites: Kidvel and Squidcom, dominated the campus as everyone slowly began picking their support in the same way that the Elites and Kidvel had been. After both teams managed to stay undefeated, the question became of whether one of them could go undefeated. Regular season MVP candidates were being polled in with early favorites being Sally, Todd, and Pastelle as the top three choices in this early campaign. A day that'd been marked on the calendars of those involved and by many who knew of the rivalry between Azule and Todd was that today was the long-awaited showdown between captains; months in the making, this was the game of the entire week that many people had their eyes on once schedules were released. Sitting alone on the steps of a building somewhere on campus, Todd drank cup of coffee while admiring the morning sun with a side of free time to do some reflections. Looking back, he was a jerk. The rudeness he showed Azule when they first met, his inability to extend a hand of kindness towards his blue rival, and his situational respect all made him shudder with discomfort as he reviewed his nature. Shaking his head, he knew that he couldn't behave that way any longer after being excommunicated by his fellow Rebels, who turned on him and chose a new leader just before the Rank Wars began. He was humbled. Forced to re-evaluate himself and understand that the selfish and unfriendly persona he had was nothing but a deterrent, losing him the friends he thought he had. Luckily, he found a team that was willing to accept him and make him their leader, but how he obtained this position wasn't anything he could have imagined. Thinking back to that day before the Rank Wars…

It all started on the eve of the Rank Wars when a furious dispute erupted between Todd and the Rebels, who were turning on their leader after announcing that they no longer wanted him as their captain and had already selected a replacement. Todd was flabbergasted by their bold stunt and wanted a proper for why he was being cast aside, to which the new leader, Vince, took over and spoke on behalf his team. Taking place at a basketball court somewhere nearby the campus, it ended in Todd throwing fists and punching Dustin in the face, before getting beat up by the rest of the Rebels.

"You're unfit to lead a team with the poor attitude you have. Nobody wants to take orders from a barking dog." Vince scoffed before making his exit with his team following behind, "If you wanna settle the score like the sore loser you are, get your own team and come after us...Ex-Captain. HAHAHAHA!"

Facedown on the burning green asphalt, Todd punched the ground before forcing himself up. His own team turned their backs on him, their reason being that they were sick of his bossy attitude and that he'd suck the fun of competition with serious demand for perfection and his obsession for winning, even calling him a bully for the way he treats others. When Corey said it, he only shrugged it off, but as Dustin and Phillip stepped forward and explained their reasons for wanting to follow someone else, he couldn't deny that his actions had caused this. Where did he go wrong? Obsessive? What's wrong with wanting to win? They didn't have the same drive! All those thoughts ran through his mind as he tried to dissect every bit of that encounter. Upon looking it over as he saw on the ground, maybe he shouldn't have thrown the first punch at poor Dustin...Looking down at his ruffled uniform that was dirtied at the calf and patella, he dusted off as much dirt as possible and held his face where a bruise from the kicks of Vince and Corey still stung. Making his way home, he took a shower and went for a long walk to figure out his thoughts and wonder what changes would have been made in his attitude to avoid this situation. Running into Azule that night confirmed one thing in him after he felt like a loser for possibly missing the Rank Wars, and that was that under no circumstances would he ever feel the way he did again. He was the proud top prospect that entered the school as one of the best players and led a powerful team all the way into the semifinals. Simply put, he was a natural leader. At least that's what he'd thought, but even a king isn't a king without his people. Knowing it was last minute to form a team since the Rank Wars were about to begin the next day, Todd had to see if there were any teams still looking for an opening or for any reserve players; reserves were allowed but many teams found them unnecessary since the only time reserves were used were if they were in Turf Clans which was more associated which public competitions that organized events like the Rank Wars. Surfing through the boards to find a potential team willing to accept him, to his surprise he saw a team with just a single open slot left and a caption under it saying that they were looking for a fourth member.

"Sealions? Why haven't they found a fourth member yet? I hope they realize they'd be screwed without a fourth member." Today said under his breath as he copied down the contact info and called the number given. A girl answered the phone cheerily before asking to meet with him right now. "R-right now? It's pretty late!"

It didn't matter to her…

After heading back out, he followed the address given and found himself at the girl's dorms and on the third floor at that. Knocking on the door of 372, he waited patiently before hearing a trio of girls clumsily trying to answer the door; Bracing himself for whatever crazy people he was about to meet, Todd kept a stone face as a trio of girls greeted him. Reddish Pink, Teal, and Orange were the colors that stood out. The girls introduced themselves and invited him in; There was a fourth girl who was sitting on the couch with headphones on while looking at her tablet. The Reddish-Pink one's name is Audrey, her tannish complexion paired with her long cowlick hair and green eyes had a cute appeal as she shook Todd's hand. The Teal one's name is Sandra, having a darker complexion and a deeper tone than the cheerful Audrey, she seemed to be the most relaxed member of the team. The orange one, Hannah, seemed like another energetic person as she kept introducing herself with a beaming smile like a child. After spending a few minutes getting to know a little about each other, Audrey went straight to business.

"The popular Todd has come to us, huh?" Arrogance present as she smugly elbowed Hannah.

"Ignore her. Anyways...Todd, thank you for taking the time to come and see us. I know it's late."

"It's fine, Sandra-was it? I came because I'd like to help you out. Having a team of three is an uphill battle in the rank wars."

"Right. I appreciate you coming all this way for us. Truth is, we had a captain, but she flaked out on us at the last minute because of her grades. She wanted to focus more on her academics and less on extracurricular activities."

"Oh...it wouldn't happen to be the yellow one over there, would it?"

Sandra nodded, "It's her. We made a promise we'd enter together and have fun this season, but she said she didn't want to be leader or play anymore, so we had to find a replacement."

"Wait, a replacement leader?"

"Yeah. As much as I'd like to lead these goofballs, I'm quite busy as is it is. The idea of having to think up schemes and tactics while looking after these pair of daft punks isn't something I'm thrilled about doing."

"Interesting…"

"O-oh, it's fine if you don't want to be leader. I understand your situation and it's fine if you'd rather not ta-"

"I'll do it. I'll be your team captain."

Sandra's mouth dropped-her eyes glimmered with hope, "Really!?"

"Yeah, the reason I was kicked out my own team was because apparently I was a suckish leader and friend. I want to prove them wrong and show them that even the most stubborn of jerks can turn a new leaf. So, please. Let me lead this team. I'll do my best to be a great captain."

"S-sure!"

Audrey popped from behind Todd and looked over his shoulder with a cat face, "Awwright! We got our fourth member!"

Hannah popped out from the opposite side of Audrey, "We're gonna have fun in the Rank Wars!"

"Will you shut up!?" the yellow one shouted, returning to her book afterwards; Todd held out his hand to shake everyone's hand declare their goal for the Rank Wars. He didn't want to just have fun like them, he cared about proving everyone wrong and winning the entire competition for the sake of the school. But, as he saw their enthusiasm at being allowed to play in this season, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of warmth that he didn't have with the Rebels.

It was an awkward meeting that'd eventually bloom to a friendship, with Todd and his team learning to work together with each game that passes. The fortunate luck of already having a solid team chemistry among the girls with an experienced leader in Todd meshed quite well as Todd learned to show more respect to his teammates and likewise, the Sealions learned to handle their own weight while under his guidance. The image of the four resembled a philosopher and his students as Todd calmly led the way for his team, adjusting his approach according to the situation and always keeping calm under all scenarios. Not once had he ever had to raise his voice, partly due to his attitude adjustment, but also because the Sealions were just that proficient of a team. Only working together for a little over a couple weeks and they were already one of the best teams in the competition, but this showdown against Squidcom proved to be a statement game. Sandra, Aubrey, and Hannah had already heard from Todd about his history with Squidcom and his rivalry with their captain. An encounter and exchange of words that fueled a rivalry that had yet to blossom, this match was the first chance that Todd and Azule could meet on even footing. Expressing regret that Azule had to miss out last season because of his hospitalization, and the luck of avoiding each other in the playoffs, Todd knew the rest of Squidcom, but though he lived with Azule and watched every single game he played, he had no idea what Azule was going to bring on gameday. Starting off with bitter hatred for the other over the smallest of insults, the pair learned to show some respect to the other-partially because they had to see the other's face every morning-since they were aware of the other's capability. They were cut from the same cloth, both were physically gifted, natural leaders, and had an unrivaled competitiveness about them. After Azule's return, Todd began to show some warmth and respect to his arch rival, but the feeling of true respect didn't come until their talk just before the Rank Wars.

"I don't know to communicate with him. I don't hate him as much as before, but I still don't like him. However, I acknowledge that he's got skill and... I want to face him on even grounds. Maybe I can learn something if we exchange blows with each other. If I face him, maybe I can become a better person…" were the words Todd expressed at the end of his story, showing determination and anxiety to face Azule. It was thanks to Azule's words of encouragement that he became the captain of the Sealions, it was because of Azule's words that he still had hope in the Rank Wars. He was aware of Azule's close relationship with his team and how much his team reciprocated that feeling of affection; Maybe, if he could learn from playing against Azule, he could also become that type of figure for the Sealions. He cared about them enough that his goals included them and how they felt. Returning from his memory, Todd stood alone in spawn as he heard his teammates in the distance behind him-about to join. "It's thanks to them. Their extension of kindness is the reason why I'm able to compete in this competition. They took in a stranger like me, and opened up their history, sharing their goals and even willing to share secrets they wouldn't do but did for the sake of team chemistry. There's no way I'll give any less effort, especially today. There's no way I'm letting them down."

"Hey Todd, Whaddya whispering about!?"

"G-gah!"

"Aubrey, I already told you it's rude to sneak up behind people like that. Todd, I'm sorry about that."

Todd shakes his head, "It's fine. I was just in deep concentration is all, so don't mind the muttering."

On the other side stood Azule and Squidcom in their team colors of blue and pink with their hair colors donning the blue hue of their captain. Azule's eyes have fire burning as his eyebrows furrow, a serious expression that rivaled what Cobalt would have. A stare that could be felt from miles away. Only a few seconds would separate the fate of the two. As the game starts, Squidcom were surprised to see their captain wasn't at their side. His legs move like a seasoned runner as he jumps from spawn and is already making way for the right side of the track, working his way to the middle; under no circumstances was Azule going to hold back when he'd been waiting months for this day. The match had just started, but already the volume within the pump track was deafening from the cheers of students outside the facility who're watching from big screen monitors; though they weren't in the building themselves, the magnitude of their cheers transcended the barrier of the monitor. This was a game most of the first years had been awaiting: the battle for the future between the two rising captains. Todd and his team take a different approach to the map for the Clam Blitz mode, choosing to attack from the middle and disperse towards the sides once the middle was secured with Todd's orders out of spawn being ignore the small portions and tracks of ink that'll come from the enemy on the side paths, and that they were just bait to get them splatted and to focus solely on collecting as many clams as possible but to be patient-the mentality being to hold out for a defensive game as long as possible. The Sealions are running a 3 shooter-1 slosher setup while Squidcom went with their usual 1 shooter, 1 roller, 1 charger, and 1 splatling; advantage seemed to go to Squidcom, who're already collecting their clams with Azule having six clams a piece and hunting for any stray Sealions within their sights. The turf seemed to be steaming from the pouring anxiety of each player there. Todd's heart felt heavy with each movement he took, careful not to overextend while he collects another group of clams, just a few more and he'd have a power clam. The radio blasts the latest of tunes throughout the pump track while commentators from the school give play by play of what's going on. As time goes by, the tension builds between the teams as splats begin to get racked up. From making mistakes in running into the wrong person, to having poor aim or mistiming their shots and use of sub weapons, neither team was able to snag an advantage over the other as it always seemed like whoever got the splat was the victim of the next splat, and when anyone made an attempt for the goal, they were met by enemy ink that sent them back to spawn.

"This is frustrating to watch. Can we score already!?"

Jory clenched his pants restlessly as he watched his teammates go all out against Todd and the Sealions; he'd learned from Azule about how important this match was. "The captain of the Sealions is a guy I can't lose to. Not in a million years." Were words Azule spoke coldly as his glare pierced the defenses of the calm Jory, who felt petrified after having asked his captain why he seemed so intense about this match more than others. Jory couldn't get that image out of his mind-that sight of Azule, because ever since his arrival to Squidcom, he'd never seen that side of Azule, nor had he ever felt such a coldness from his captain.

"This game is personal from what the others told me. Apparently Azule and the captain of the Sealions don't get along and have a bit of a rivalry. But, the rivalry itself is sorta weird. There's only been one matchup between Squidcom and Todd, and that was when Azule was inactive. So, this is the first time that they'll get the chance to meet since both sides didn't meet each other in the playoffs and Azule never met Todd in the regular season." Fuchsia narrowed her eyes as she dissected the tactics of the Sealions; along with Kosami, who'd been keeping a watchful eye on her surroundings in anticipation of another Ixia attack.

A few seconds later, a huge cheer erupted where they were sitting that soon grew in decibels as many students began jumping out their seats frantically and pointing at the screen monitors. In the blink of an eye, Squidcom were the lead! Taking a commanding 45-100 lead, Squidcom shattered the Sealion's defenses, piling on the many clams they'd collected onto the goal and working their score to under the halfway mark. That wasn't all. Azule and Todd finally met face to face-both with a power clam in hand, and before another glance at the other could be made, they went at each other's throats. If the lights were to go out, the entire would've been brightened by the furious tempers of the boys as they clash at each other with their weapons. Azule's glint sharpening like a knife each time he took a aim at Todd, who kept jumping from spot to spot trying to dodge the lethal ink of Azule, who kept closing in. Both of their hearts were popping out their chests as their power clams float behind them in their respective colors of blue and maroon as their guns fire what felt like bomb shots instead of the usual shots they were used to-their ears ringing furiously as they closer to each other. A critical situation for Todd. If he lost here to Azule, this first game was as good as done. After having gotten caught off guard by Sally's splat on Aubrey and Hannah, Reice's destruction of the goal with his power clam followed by Sasha's splat after failure to protect the goal saw Violet pile on her clams as well as Sally. If Azule got past Todd with the fiery momentum he had, the rest of his Sealions wouldn't stand a chance against this monster.

I admired your sister…

Todd toughens up and darts for Azule, something the blue inkling wasn't expecting so suddenly after Todd's careful choice to keep a distance which favored the mobile Azule. Using a Rapid Blaster at times seemed like it had more flaws than it did perks, but for Todd to have adapted well enough that he had his own special style of play with the weapon, even a lethal monster on the dualies couldn't stand against him at point-blank range. Azule does a pair of backward rolls and swims through his blue ink down the right side of the track back to his side of the rank, looking to regain ink; Todd had the choice to ignore the threat and rush for the goal as soon as possible since the timer would be up in about any second, but he knew he couldn't let that shadow hang over him. He knew Azule wouldn't rest until he returned the favor Todd said back in their first encounter.

"You'll send me to the bottom of the ocean, huh!? BRING IT ON!" Azule screamed in a cracking voice as his eyes went bloodshot with rage.

Todd's body flinched as he heard the viciousness in that familiar voice, turning around to see a psychotic expression upon his rival's face. Azule's blue eyes resembled those of a madman, his grin widens like a laughing hyena with two tenta missiles in hand. "I'll drown you!"

Detonating his missiles that were locked on the Maroon inkling, Todd is forced to decide there and now. If he tried to flee, he'd probably play right into what Azule was expecting and only give advantage to Azule, who easily swims and catches up to him if he attempts to execute that plan; he needed the element of surprise.

Her commanding presence was the reason I chose to attend this academy, that possession of precision and talent. I wanted to follow in her footsteps…

Todd's fiery dark green eyes form a dagger like glint of his own as he charges at Azule, dropping into his maroon ink and popping a couple times firing at Azule.

But, to think I'd make an enemy out of someone who shares her blood...

He emerges from the ink right before Azule, who's frozen by the sight of a silhouette of an inkling right before his eyes.

Honestly, you make me sick. But, if you're going to show the same intensity as Sky's...I better see that mode, dammit!

Blue and maroon ink clash like a pair of explosions as the tenta missiles rain on Todd from the heavens, but not before he made his statement to Azule by splatting him. Neither of these youths were going to hold back their punches on the other. From the stunned members of the Sealions who never saw their captain behave with such a ferocious intensity, to Squidcom, who'd never seen anyone go at Azule like that, to the those watching the match-praising the brilliance of the Sealion's captain. Soon, everyone became torn on who to cheer for as the crowd erupted with enthusiasm. Todd's brilliant splat, Azule's killer instinct attitude. If this was a street fight, it could've become a deathmatch quickly with the way Azule and Todd looked at each other. This might have only been a game, but to them, this game was life or death. Inspired by their captain's performance, the Sealions have their battle cry and announced their arrival for war; Squidcom returned with a similar war cry, as even Violet got fired up with her eyes doing the screaming as she widened them through her scope as fired thunderous shots at her enemies, aiming for the heads as if she was going to blast them off!

"Th-that escalated quickly!" Jory rose from his seat with astonishment. This is what it meant to play in an intense match. He'd heard from some older folks when he was at the mall that there are times a regular season game can have the same feeling as a playoff or championship game. A feeling where both teams are willing to sacrifice everything for bragging rights. This was that battle. It was more than just bragging rights and honor. For Todd, it was first step of redemption and rebirth-his team of Sealions, it was their awakening to be a serious threat for the title. For Squidcom, it was about revenge for the painful loss of the previous season, losing their captain and taking his burden all the way to the playoffs. For Reice, this was about surpassing his limits-whether his training had paid off. For Sally, this was about finding her love for this sport-maximizing how much she was willing to sacrifice for the people she loved. For Violet, this was about going the distance with a squad she felt she'd known forever. For Azule, this was to become the new icon of the school, to carry the torch dispossessed by his older sister and follow the trail of tears she'd left behind, to take revenge against the ones who'd caused her to become a shell of herself. Giving a violent war cry embedded with the frustration he'd built over these past few months, Azule's body acted on his own and out of nowhere...Midnight appeared.

The first game was over. Ending in a knockout victory, Azule and his fellow commanders proved they were serious about staying undefeated. It might've been a knockout, but the match was anything but that. The Sealions fought like a team possessed, baring their fangs in response to the ravenous Squidcom, who had a leader resembling a conqueror as he slowly turned from looking like that beaming blue boy who always had an innocent smile on his face to a cold blooded monster with deadly eyes like his predecessor who possessed that same glare when she stepped foot on the turf. Todd felt every limb in his body swelling with pressure as he finally got to witness it up close: Midnight's awakening. The mode that'd been Sky Royale's trademark had now become her little brother's signature. The air pressure in the pump track was suffocating and could be felt from where the spectators were as they watched in awe, unable to find any reaction to the spectacle before them. Again, this boy was finding way to go back to that place. Again, this boy was a tease in the way he played, reminding his seniors of their former queen. As he raises his dualies and points to the goal guarded by the Sealions, he locks eyes with Todd yet again, and roars. Tears begin to drop to floor as many of the third years have to wipe their faces while others refused to miss another moment of the rare sight. This was the first time ever that Azule no longer looked like Azule and instead looked like a clone of Sky. A sky-blue illumination with fire raining from the tips, Azule made his run. Sky wasn't at the game and instead was somewhere deep within the city doing her rounds throughout the area with a tracking device in hand, but when she felt that cold shiver run through her body, she knew. This wasn't normal. Immediately her mind turned to Azule, knowing that only that idiot brother of hers would push his fragile body far enough to reach that forbidden zone. Running to the nearest place with a TV she could find, she entered a sports pub and looked for a any monitors displaying the game and found a crowd of dudes standing over at a bar watching a monitor and commenting about some blue boy who looked like a demon. She rushes over, knowing that's none other than her brother, beholding her eyes as she saw Azule's midnight form.

"Oh no…" she muttered as she shook her head.

After the end of game 1, the state of shock could be felt throughout humpback pump track as the radio silence, the air sizzling like steam, and both teams looking exhausted. Resting in spawn for the few minutes they had, both teams tried to recover as much strength as possible. No one wanted to sit though, for they knew to sit down now meant they couldn't get back up-their body wouldn't allow them. Midnight Azule kept his eyes locked on enemy spawn as he memorized the map layout and began giving order for everyone and gave one last warning before their time was up.

"They're going to come at us with everything they got. If they overwhelm us, don't worry. That's what three games are for. We'll play to win, but we'll play smart."

The trio smiled at their captain. He was still as calculating as ever while in that state, if not-even better. His face looked intimidating, but the air around him was calm. He might've looked like he was on far, but they weren't burning flames-only cool embers that could ignite on command. On the other side, the Sealions looked as focused as imaginable. After all, they just lost a hard-fought battle. Declaring war was a good start though, because that meant that they recognized what match this was-a Clam Blitz showdown in the heart of the regular season against arguably the best team in the Rank Wars. This wasn't going to be an easy battle, but it wasn't an impossible one.

"Sandra, switch from sloshing machine to a kensa roller. Aubrey, go to squelcher. Hannah, stay on splattershot pro. I'll switch to dark tetras. We'll fight them with what we know best!"

"Right!"

The second game didn't have the same intensity as the first, but it was still a heated contest as Todd and the Sealions replied to Squidcom's aggressive statement in game 1. An offensive onslaught that saw the Sealions continuing to chip away at Squidcom's defenses, the Sealion's avoided getting splatted while applying pressure throughout the match and slowly racking up points while containing Squidcom and keeping them from slipping by. A complete shutout, the Sealions returned the fire in game 2 and scored a knockout victory, preventing Squidcom from scoring. Everyone watching this match went into a complete frenzy! The undefeated record might get ended today, at least that was what many were declaring after seeing the Sealions take the second game. Rallying chants for Squidcom were getting neutralized by the war cry of supporters for the Sealions like a collision of waves against the cliffs. As both teams were sent back to their spawns, the encouraging cheers and discouraging jeers grew louder as the fans watching from outside the arena grew so loud and intense that it felt as though they were in the building! Even the commentators had trouble calling the game with such a rowdy crowd behind them. In the thick of the crowd were Jory, Kosami, and Fuchsia, who'd grown so used to the noise that they were able to cancel it out and yell over the wave of yells.

"That last game wasn't a good sign. Todd's composure wasn't something I expected. HE's like a completely different player from what I remember." Fuchsia shook her head in disbelief. If Todd kept this up, there was no way the Sealions could drop the third game-they had momentum on their side, and with the support from the fans, they'd clearly turn the chance opportunity into a golden win.

Kosami had a confident smirk visible as she kept her eyes on the monitor, "I don't think so. We've got something in store for them. I just know it."

Jory didn't say anything, but that's because he was analyzing the match just like his big sister had suggested, using the valuable time on the bench to better his knowledge on the competition. He noticed something familiar about the way Todd and his team operated. From their calm leadership at the hands of Todd to the flexibility of the team to rotated with weapons and commit to an objective, it was no surprise who Todd reminded him of; Squidcom, of course. In Jory's eyes it was clear what Squidcom had to do…

Game 3 came roaring like a lion as both teams went at each other like two heavyweights in the ring, matching each other blow for blow as they transition from body blows in the previous games to head shots. Exchanges in scoring went down immediately as within the first minute as Sally put points on the board by smashing down the Sealion's goal with power clam. The crowd goes wild as Reice follows up with his trio of clams to extend the lead; Squidcom took the lead, but the Sealions weren't backing down! They answered back as soon as their goal closed with Hannah firing her power clam just before getting eradicated by Violet. Todd picked up five clams and threw them in the goal before expiration and gave his teammates time to recover and adjust, taking the lead as well. The decibel levels are through the roof after both teams score on each other, this was as close to a playoff game as it could get. The game continued to be a seesaw battle as both teams chipped away at the other's score until a late comeback by the Sealions put the lead in their favor as they only needed 10 more points to grab victory while Squidcom got a bonus and had to work that off before winning the game.

Up until this point, Squidcom had been exhausting their hearts out to extend their lead after grabbing two power clams back to back to secure a comfortable lead. But whenever it seemed like Squidcom had a chance to adjust and use a new scheme, the Sealions had them all tied up by returning fire and scoring as well. Azule's patience went to its limit and once again, the captain of Squidcom pushed his body to the limit and entered Midnight yet again. Getting a nosebleed this time around, the recoil damage was starting to take effect as Azule's glow intensified. Springing from the inkrails after avoiding a series of shots from Sandra and Aubrey, Azule leapt in the air and snagged a double before running into Todd, who anticipated Midnight Azule. Seeing seven clams in Todd's possession, Azule knew that was more than enough to and the game if he could capture those clams and use his power clam to break the goal once again.

"Show me your blood!" Azule shouted before darting behind Todd with the help of his rolls; Todd's eyes followed Azule calmly and already his gun pointed at Azule.

"Too slow!" Todd responded as he fired, counting Azule's rolls and knowing he could roll out the way.

The lights in the building shut off suddenly just before this can happen, however. Saving Azule from getting splatted and hindering Todd from possibly winning out the head to head battle. The music playing throughout humpback pump track was silenced, and so was commentary, but the game appeared to still be on. The next thing seen that the maroon ink of of the Sealions was glowing in the dark, and so was Squidcom's blue ink. Their weapons were glowing too, but why? Before both sides could recognize the situation, a familiar voice appeared over the soundwaves, hijacking yet another game! Spreading the same message as before, Ixia continued their ramblings about society and the change they would bring, but this time, they'd up the ante. Instead of just interfering like they did last time, they were "cancelling" this game, deactivating both team's weapons and cutting off coverage completely. At least, that's what they thought. Returning like the big bang, the lights illuminate the area and the match was still ongoing as if nothing happened; the spokesman for Ixia was stunned to silence before making his exit from the soundwaves, giving the music and commentary a voice again. Immediately dozens of inklings moved to action to find the perpetrator; Kosami's among them. Sky's already in her car and about to make a run when she waits for Kosami to hop in, doing a burnout that screeches loudly in the parking lot as Kosami got in quickly, leaving skid marks as she floors it. This was the chance opportunity to catch the whereabouts of Ixia thanks to the setup from many members of the AV club who foresaw something like this happening and took countermeasures while also putting in a tracker to sense the location the moment anyone bypass the initial sensors that were placed. Back in Humpback pump track, a conclusion was reached. After destroying the goal yet again and racking down the bonus, thanks to the pile on of clams from Sally and Reice after the catalyst Azule, Squidcom nabbed the victory with about a minute left in the game, earning another knockout victory. Falling to his knees in defeat, drenched in sweat, Todd couldn't believe it. He was so close. If it wasn't for Ixia's involvement, he could've splatted Azule, then and there and prevented him from swimming to the goal in the darkness and scoring on goal. It was Ixia's fault. They got involved and ruined everything. Throwing a hard punch to the ground, the captain of the Sealions rose to his feet and looked over to his exhausted teammates; this was the hardest they'd ever played together, and they'd done their hardest to endure the fatigue that had long set in from game 2. Feeling pure frustration, Todd had to mask it as he glanced at his teammates and appreciate their effort. They took the fight to the best team in the competition. Next time, they'd win for sure.

The next day came by smoothly with the talk of Squidcom and Sealions being everywhere on all medias. Surviving against Todd and his Sealions, Squidcom's reputation was through the roof as everyone jumped on their bandwagon. Many called them the best team in the Rank Wars, some were calling for them to even be a contender for best in the country and bring a huge challenge at the upcoming invitationals and nationals. Remaining as one of two undefeated teams after closing their week out, Squidcom earned their fill of stardom thanks to the debut of Jory and the super performance of Azule in his showdown with Todd. However, while those games were great for them, their following victories weren't as impressive, but what mattered was the result. After an exhausting week fighting against tough opponents and Ixia, the members of Squidcom saw this Sunday as a chance to recuperate and not think about the Rank Wars, even if for just a day. Sally decides to use her free day to hang out with Mika and Leor in the city after getting a message in the midweek from Hatsunika that they'd be touring the city and visiting a bunch of shops, which was perfect for Sally, who was looking for inspiration with her music lately and saw exploring the city as a chance to immerse herself within the sounds of the city and create some new sounds, even share them with Mika and Leor. Violet planned to spend her day at the Inkopolis archives located in downtown after a newfound interest in history was born. Always reading a book of some sort, Violet wanted to get a grasp on history and see where it might take her, maybe she might find some clues to why the world is the way it is nowadays? Kosami's Sunday was at her job, where she worked from morning until dusk-not that she minded since this was a good time to get some extra hours in and get a bigger paycheck. Fuchsia's Sunday was to be in her bed. Exhausted from the stress of worrying over her beloved teammates and the in depth scouting she'd been doing while juggling some research on Ixia, now the octoling just wanted to stay in bed and watch her shows on her phone. Jory was at the pier, spending his Sunday viewing as much of the coastline as possible; he planned to view Port Mackerel, Manta Maria, and the many other coastal hotspots nearby and take as many pictures for remembrance. Reice and Azule, however…

"Who could be at the door at this time of the morning?" Reice yawned; it was an hour afternoon…

Answering the door, Reice went from nearly shut-eyed with crust in his eyes to immediately clearing his vision as a tan, pink haired goddess stood in his doorway impatiently with her arms crossed, without realizing who it was at first. Reice fidgeted while thinking of something to say to the lady. Finally, she spoke, refreshing him on her identity.

"I'm here to see Azule, do you know where he is? He hasn't answered his phone." she spoke in a disinterested tone as she brushed off Reice; who couldn't stop staring.

Reice got a hold of himself and invited her in, "He's probably sleeping. I can wake him up for you…" Stiffening his form, he asked if she wanted any tea, to which she politely refused and asked if he may fetch her student for her, "AZULE!? GET OVER HERE!" He whispered in a frantic tone as he walked over to where the bedroom was. Luna takes a seat in the living room and observes the western styled room, observing each detail and trim of the room in detail as she waited for her student. After a few minutes of strange thumps and rummaging sounds from down the hallway, Azule stumbles over to her. Dressed rather hastily, the poor boy didn't even have his shirt on properly and even his hat was on lopsided; Luna sighed and helped him switch his backwards shirt around and adjusted his hat; Reice peered from the shadows with envy as he watch his teammate.

"I'm gonna kill him. I'm actually gonna kill him!" the menace whispered from the darkness with bloodshot eyes as he watched them leave a few minutes later.

Exiting from the dorms, Azule follows behind Luna.

"Where are we going, Luna?"

"Training."

Ah, that was reassuring. There was nothing Azule admired more than Luna's quick and cold responses. Whenever they usually trained, Luna did her best motivate Azule by guiding him through his actions, pointing out his flaws the moment he makes them and demanding him to correct them on the next try, scolding him whenever he failed, and never showing any sort of warmth. Luna kept a cold persona that Azule, though he hated his father for it, for a sense of familiarity with that type of treatment. Although in the case of Luna, Azule felt at peace knowing that Luna didn't possess any ill intent like verbal abuse or overwork. Though she tried to kill him before, if it ever looks like he can't go on any longer, she's willing to stop training for the day. Following behind his mentor, the duo make way for a venue of Luna's desire.

Elsewhere deep in the city of Inkopolis over in a large garage, Sky and the Elites are together with Bianca and some investigators who're making preparations for the start of the investigation. Choosing a Sunday to begin this investigation at the request of Principal Telfin, all major members of this operation were gathered together-teams already established for the mission at hand. Code named as the project Ixterminate, the goal of everyone involved was one and the same: Stop Ixia at all costs. The Inkopolis Police Department allowed the usage of their forces under the jurisdiction of Principal Telfin and his men thanks to the help of the commissioner of the P.D. who followed through with his promise to the principal after their meeting the other day. With plenty of detectives and specialists in the fields of hacking and intelligence, teams were created that divided everyone to a certain region of the country. Thanks to the information provided by Kosami from earlier, Sky was able to let everyone there know that as of now, there were several possible big fish with connections to Ixia scattered all across the country with most of them being within the city themselves. This meant that the investigation teams had to split into groups and search separately.

"Ten different units of twelve people, everyone has arms and intelligence. Ok, doesn't seem so bad." Aaron said as he recalled the details given by the leader of the operation, making mental notes in his head.

"Calvin put us all on the same team and I heard Bianca's unit is most of her high-ranking club members. Hopefully she'll be fine." Gileslie mumbled, unhappy with the way the organizer of this allied force handled the splitting up of teams.

"Bianca's no pushover." Sky interjected. "I've known her for a while. This is right up her field of expertise."

Apollo nodded, "She's a worthy fighter when she gets serious. he'll be helpful for this investigation."

"Well, we should probably head to our designated district and start looking around for clues. Hey Aaron, you're driving."

"Sure."

As the Elites packed into a large transit van with sliding doors that opened the way to rows of comfy seats, everyone filed in. Sky, Gileslie, and Chlora chose to sit in the farthest seats in the rear. Ollie, Cannola, Austin, and Pearl sat in row before them with Apollo sitting in the passenger seat next to Aaron. Pearl snuggles into Austin since their row had less room, which made Austin turn beet red as she struggled to tell that his teammate was just teasing him. Ollie laughed at the struggling Austin-only to get elbowed by Cannola, who was claustrophobic and unhappy with having to sit next to him. Overall the mood in the van resembled that of a family going on a trip with everyone doing their own thing to lighten up the mood, pleasing an intense Apollo who was focused on accomplishing the objective. Sky herself tried her best to keep a smile, but behind that attempt was a recollection of what happened yesterday.

Driving along in her car, Sky thought back to yesterday when Ixia attacked in the game between Squidcom and the Sealions. After driving off with Kosami in a frenzy, they followed the coordinates given by the tracking system that caught the ip address of the person who attempted to hack into the system yet again, finding him somewhere in one of the nearby counties. The location displayed led to some old warehouse out on a busy street nearby the entrance to a freeway. Parking her car at the entrance, Sky got out and ordered Kosami to stay in and communicate with the others and send them the coordinates of their location. Dressed in a skin tight black and blue outfit that allowed her as much flexibility to move around, Sky wore a bulletproof vest for protection and some trainer shoes that gave her as much comfort as possible. Taking a quick look up at the blue sky above, overcast weather with a calm breeze, Sky turned her gaze to the environment she was in; the old industrial district of the city of Inkopolis where most of the old buildings were either made of bricks or were painted a dreadful brown and made of wood. The gravel below her feet gets crushed as she takes a step forward, nearing the old warehouse; stepping up to the closed garage door, Sky glanced over at the front door adjacent to it and strained her neck looking over by the corner of the building. Either she could break her way in or look for an entrance. Turning around to make sure Kosami was obeying orders, she saw the teal inkling looking at her with a watchful gaze.

"So, that's who was staring at me, goodness Kosami can you make it any more obvious?" Sky joked, feeling better after being nervous. Pulling out a multipurpose knife tool, Sky knelt by the door and began to unpick the lock before halting, sensing a presence from inside and quickly hopping over the railing behind her. A gunshot fires, and immediately Sky shouts for Kosami to get down as the stray bullet barely misses the car.

"Shots fired! Shots fired!" Kosami shouted into the communicator, calling for back up immediately, but the next glance she takes of Sky, she's gone. The front door is open and there's a gunshot hole in the broken glass of the door. "Oh, no…" she whispered to herself; "Whoever shot that is dead meat…"

It was nearly impossible to see inside the dark office room; luckily since it was still evening, there was stray beams of sunlight that illuminated enough for Sky to trust her instincts to fill in the rest. She made out what looked like an office counter and some chairs and judging by the among of dust flying through the streaks of light, this place was abandoned. Detecting a shadow move in the darkness through what looked like the door leading out to the rest of the warehouse, Sky followed suit. Barging through the wooden door that creaked violently behind her, Sky could already feel the wide space of this room; it had the air about it like it was the main body of the warehouse. Footsteps clank against the metal stairs and a abrupt sound followed afterwards, sounding like a weapon was dropped and indicating that whoever was heading up there was looking to flee and no longer was trying to defend themselves. With a widening grin as her prey marked themselves with a huge target, Sky chose this time to unveil her ultimate hack: Unleashing Midnight in the darkness. Like a blue flame igniting at the stroke of midnight, her sky-blue tentacles began glowing as her eyes sharpened a cool blue; a voice shrieks within the darkness-a big mistake on his part. Within the next few moments, Sky hops over a flight of stairs after lunging with support from the rails and makes out a body running away. Like the sharpshooter she is, she only needs one shot to ground the suspect, sending a bullet into the back of his right ankle. Before they can get on their knees and crawl away, Sky's already blown the other ankle and both of their knees, sensing when they turned over.

"P-please! No more! I beg you!" A man's voice pleaded as Midnight Sky approached, sensing death knocking at his door. Sky points her gun at the man's forehead as he sits up, then taking her gun and shoving it up his nostrils and pulling his body over to her glaring face; the man whimpers with terror as he saw the girl's terrifying blue eyes filled with bloodlust.

"Before I blast your brains out for failing to hit your target, I need you to answer some questions. Are you one of them? ARE YOU A MEMBER OF IXIA!?"

"P-please! J-just s-sp-spare me!"

"Answer my question or you're dead!"

"Tch. Answer my question or I'll shoot!"

The man cried and prayed, refusing to give Sky an answer because he was too busy worrying about her killing him; growing irritated that the man wouldn't calm down and sensing that if this continued to drag out, he might try something, Sky didn't hesitate. Pulling the trigger, she turned his face into a messy red splatter and watched his body fall over. Returning to normal, Sky took out her phone and turned on her flashlight to inspect the man's body. "I forgot I had my phone the entire time, but I guess it was better to show off my skills and kill that dude than let him live. Yeesh, he wouldn't shut up. So irritating." Sky whispered while looting through the man's body; A few minutes go by and nothing important seems to be on the man, so Sky decides the next best method is to strip him clean and search his naked body for clues. Turning over his body, she spotted a tattoo on his back that caught her eye.

"What the heck…?"

Police sirens and flashing lights are present. Realizing she wouldn't have enough time to decipher the body, she took a bunch of pictures of the tattoo before finding the exit that the man was looking for, climbing the roof and then taking the trail of stairs that led down to the ground. Making her way to the front of the warehouse, she saw Bianca with the police chief talking to Kosami along with two squad cars parked next to her car. The chief questioned Sky harshly as his men recovered the body, to which Sky harshly replied with an attitude, but after Bianca reasoned with her boss that Sky's position in this investigation and in general was that of a way higher rank, the police chief had to cede and politely ask that she doesn't kill any suspects from now on, to which Sky shrugged her shoulders.

"That's the tattoo, huh? Looks pretty weird. Seems to be written in some ancient text." Gileslie said as she examined the photos on Sky's phone; Sky's arm was around her friend as she watched her study the photos.

"It's an old language called English that was apparently pretty popular way back before our evolution. I sent a picture to Kosami and asked her to do some digging on that and see what it means. However, I'm curious about the patterns written inside the letters…"

Chlora's finger was on her lips as she tried to make sense of it, "English, huh? I'm pretty sure our language derived from that. Think about it, Inklish? English? Sounds similar, doesn't it?"

"I don't think it being written in english is what is important, it's what is being said that is important. Rather, I think if we can decipher the tattoo's code, we can find some clues to what their motive might be?"

"I don't care. I just want them to stop messing with the Rank Wars and getting innocent people involved in their antics."

"Well, I'd like to agree with you on that. However, they're up to something on a larger scale and must be stopped. Your duty as Agent 5 makes it clear what you've gotta do, yeah?"

Sky rolls her eyes and gives an agitated reaction as she stares into space, "Ixia pisses me off. If I get the chance, I'm not letting any of them live-better that the others take over or else they'll end up like that guy in the picture."

Aaron laughed, "Even you can have a mean streak, huh?"

"Don't push your luck Aaron…" Apollo whispered with concern for his friend, feeling Sky's hostility from behind.

Around that time, somewhere else...

A blue blur shoots around the dusty cobblestone floor and kicks up a few pebbles thanks to the effects of his speed; Luna parries the forceful blow of wind from his punch and with the snap of her fingers, summons a trio of tiny splat bombs that expand. Throwing them each at a time with a different spin and speed to each, Luna drew out her trusty splat dualies and tightened her cap; dressed in an updated outfit from her favorite one that she wore as a child, Luna's white basketball jersey and teal sneakers stood out as she aimed at Azule. Azule's training was to dodge all of her attacks without taking a splat of ink, one drop and he failed. Luna darts with a pair of rolls and throws out another splat bomb; Azule always thought it was insane that Luna was able to use prohibited weapons with unlimited ink, but he figured that was one of the perks with being in the government.

"You played fine against the Rebels and your game against the Sealions was also admirable given the narrative of Ixia. But, what the hell happened in the following games!?" She was referencing the couple of games after the showdown with Todd where although Squidcom were able to pull through and stay undefeated with ten consecutive victories, Azule's performance was lackluster, and in a way, he was the burden of the team. "You're getting too comfy, boy!" Luna lands a gut punch that has Azule reeling, following up with a roundhouse kick to the face that gives Azule a bloody nose as he clumsily dodges backwards, stumbling while doing so; Luna doesn't give him a chance to breathe as she lands a sumo punch and sends the blood from his nose into an arching trail as he falls over, but Azule's quick backwards-roll and wipe of his nose indicates to Luna that he hasn't had enough yet-the frustration in his eyes clear as he glares at his mentor. With an energetic shout feeling every nerve in her body tingle with anticipation after seeing such a ferocious glare, Luna gave a widening grin with teeth that looked as sharp a shark's, "Come at me, then!"

That embarrassing performance he gave that would have ruined the streak served as a testament as to why nobody believed him to be the captain of the team; his lack of consistency was a downfall that'd catch him sooner or later, and Azule knew it. Frustrating. It was so frustrating to maintain such level of an intensity like what these inklings exerted in the Rank Wars. There were plenty of times throughout the week that Azule had that thought it in his, the kind where he recognized that he could never catch up with everyone else; the health complications he had were slowly catching up on him, and it was terrifying so see the decline beginning to take form. He knew he was going to die soon, but to not be able to enjoy the Rank Wars with the people he loved because of this? So Frustrating…

"I know how great my team is…"

Azule clenches his fist throws a quick punch to throw Luna off him, succeeding in forcing her to create space between them. "And it's because of that-their amazing talent, that I understand my worth. I'm the captain for a reason! I'm supposed to carry the burden, not create it!"

Luna didn't respond, knowing she struck a chord that was a little more sensitive than she thought. Instead, she answered in the only way she knew as his mentor; appearing before him in a split second as he got to his feet, Luna whips him across the face with both her dualies and sends him a few meters away from contact, shaking her head in disappointment as she watched her student scrape the floor and create a cloud of dust in the dirt. Azule holds his burning cheek and looks up to his mentor, seeing the deadly stare in her darkened face as she raised her chin, her eyebrows flexed; Azule wasn't the only one with a death stare. Instinctively sensing the danger before him, Azule's body moved on its own as his eyes suddenly dilate before flashing a glow of bright blue. Without another moment's hesitation, Azule is already on his feet, and before Luna knew it-a fist flying at her. Landing a powerful punch to the forearm of Luna, who'd luckily timed her block at the right moment; Any later and she might've been on her back with an imprint of his fist in her face. Luna pushes him back and catches a glimpse of his glowing blue tentacles that look as though they're pulsating, his radiant eyes no longer flashing and instead burning like the sun as if it was dyed blue. Luna could feel her student's intensity through that punch, feeling every sense of his body echo when they made contact from his rhythmic breathing as he blinked a couple times before vanishing like the wind and reappearing in Luna's blind spots each time; Luna wasn't fazed however, for she knew Azule too well to leave any openings. "You claim that you must have the shoulders to carry a burden..." Luna dodges another kick of Azule's, grabbing his extended left leg and pressing the palm of her hand square in his face, launching him to the ground, Luna's attack gave a powerful slam as Azule felt as though his body turned to mush as his vision gets occupied by Luna's hand, barely able to see past the shadow of her fingers; Azule's midnight glow was deactivated the instant he hit the floor like a rock. "A captain doesn't think that way! A captain's role is to be the best leader and best supporter. When it seems like no one can find a solution, you take the initiative and lead the way. If anyone ever shows a hint of progress, you groom it and let them grow to become better. The selfish ideas you withhold are unbecoming of a captain. Don't you dare turn the struggles shared within your team as a burden! Those are the opportunities you seize to better yourself and use them as stepping stones." she said as she strengthened her grip over his face, cutting off his breathing. "When you reach a wall that you can't overcome, you must find a way to get to the other side."

Hearing her yells of emotion, Azule squirms around trying to break free from her iron grip, clutching his hands on her forearm and trying to pry her off, but alas, Luna possessed strength that not even Azule could overpower. Luna's eyes sharpen as she tightened her grip to the point that veins began protruding from her arms, her face turning red with fury; Azule's screaming in pain as he feels his face being crushed. Eyes watering in response to the new thresholds of agony, let's go of Luna's arm and forms a pair of fists and begins punching frantically at Luna's pillarlike arm of marble; at this rate, she was going to kill him, and she wasn't even aware! Fear of death creeping into his mind as he feels his head becoming heavy from the rush of blood, Azule's vision began to blur as what seemed like flashes of his life race through his mind. Eyes dulling as the fight left in him was sapping away, Luna wasn't done hammering what she had to say.

"Don't go talking like you have no hope! What would your mother say if she saw you like this, huh!? You think she'd like seeing you in this pitiful state? Answer me! Are you not a Royale? Where's that family strength, Azule!?"

The more he watched his mentor exert emotions in an unprecedented fashion, the closer of a resemblance he saw of his mother. Behind the cold exterior of a darkened face of anger, the short swishing pink tentacles, and the glint within the amber eyes. Instead, there was long lime hair, red velvet eyes filled with concern, and trembling lips of a mother who was heartbroken to see her son on the verge of giving up. Recognizing the mask behind Luna and noting the similarity and sudden break of Luna's persona, Azule had a spark ignited. He wasn't sure yet that this person was his mother, but this person wasn't Luna either. Loosening his fists and returning to grip her arm, Azule's eyes widen as a force pushed from beneath him, his glow returning as veins pop from his face; using all the energy he had left, Azule needed to get Luna off him before his breath was drawn for the last time. Luna recognizes what's happening and immediately hops of Azule, giving him room to breathe to which he gasps emphatically; For a second, Luna sensed it-Azule's cap of his potential being broken, the cracks forming as she felt his stare.

"You...are...wrong." Azule huffed and coughed as he rolled over staying holding himself up with his forearms and knees.

"I-I guess that's enough for today…"

Drops of sweat fall from Azule's chin as he crouches along the brick wall of a shop in a nearby town, catching his breath after that near-death experience. His mentor returned with two cans in her hand: one was coffee and the other was an energy drink. Putting the can up to Azule's face, she gave a smile. In Azule's mind, he thought this lady to be a monster; she was just about to kill him a moment ago…

Leaning against the same wall and casting her gaze at the people passing by on the sidewalk, "You know, your father used to come here a lot."

A cold shiver goes through Azule as he froze for a second. There it is again. That familiarity that he felt earlier was once again present. Shaking his head as a nervous smile began forming on his face, he tried to deny it. No way was this lady was his mom, she already told him she wasn't, and he knew his mother would never lie to him, and yet this was the closest he ever felt to his mother when it came to his interactions with Luna. Covering his face so that his mentor couldn't see his panic, he looks away while holding the brim of his cap and takes a sip from the can.

In a familiar setting of pitch black, a white light is displayed as a computer monitor is booted up-a pair of glasses appearing with the reflection of the screen visible in their lens. Once again, the group chat became lively as members entered in and began their conversation. Arguing from trivial subjects like what was the best show of the current season to who was their favorite character, the chat soon turned its attention to their agenda. The one who brought this up? A person who have the icon of a crown next to his profile picture that denoted admin status; he wasn't the only one since there were three more with the same icons, all their profile pictures having an image that matched the first letter of their names. An all-seeing eye, Black "x", a smaller eye, and an apple.

"It's come to my attention that they're making their move." Apple initiated; "Morris was killed from what I've heard. One of the scouts did some wire tapping into cameras at his post and found that he was visited by Agent 5…"

"Let me guess...he never emerged from the warehouse." the small eye responded.

"He had it coming. It was decided that there would be sacrificial lambs once the decision was made that we'd return to the public eye and terrorize. There's plenty more where that came from-we're an army, after all. That allied force of children and confused adults have no clue what we're messing with. If they keep this up, a real turf war will get started." black X wrote; after his message got sent, multitudes of followers began putting in their input and supporting him. Some people joked about Morris' death, others paid their respects, and a few voiced disagreements with Black X.

"Shut up, X." Big Eye responded; "We've established connections but that doesn't mean we're going to start a war. If those gangs want to get involved, that's their decision. We formed our partnership so that we had muscle, a physical army to do the dirty work for us while he sits behind and handle everything else."

"There isn't much difference between what I said and what you said."

"Maybe there is. Maybe there isn't. Our role is to let the dominoes fall into place-we attack when the moment is right. For now, we'll let them go on the attack. We know when our day to unleash hell will be. So, refrain from giving away your location or any clues-avoid the bait that'll have been placed to weed us out. We stay anonymous."

With that, Big Eye ended the conversation and forced it back to trivial matters. The seeds of chaos had been planted, and only time would tell when the fruits of the destruction would bear. The instructions by the big boss-absolute. Ixia were to avoid all confrontation. Was this out of fear? Wisdom? Or, rather did they already have a plan of sorts put in place? As Ixia come to terms with their next plan of action, the investigation teams make continued efforts to smoke out members of Ixia from where ever they are hiding, searching every space imaginable based of the nodes, but stepping to the wrong turf can bring repercussions.