A few days have passed since the New Squidbeak Splatoon gained the support of the underground world in the fight to protect Inkopolis. Since then, all of the powerful bosses of the underworld and other top mercenaries turned to their efforts to make contributions in any form they could from spread wild rumors to get people to evacuate while also opening up wonderful deals at safe institutions like hotels to attract customers to book and stay as a means to serve as a shelter, expecting a massacre on the day of rapture that will destroy many residences in the city. The leaders of protecting Inkopolis were Akane Yoshikara who had the voice of the other mafia bosses, Lime and Verde Royale, who would supply their militia to fight in the cause as well as disclose any new information gained from Agent 8, and the Galloway family, who operated on behalf of the Sororias who would lend their support in various ways as well. Traction gained like an avalanche thanks to everyone working on the same page-convinced by Cap'n Cuttlefish's master plan. A chance to expose all the injustice of the Inkopolis government, the secrets of the Octarian government never meant to see the light of day, a hope to quell the anger of the growing cuttlefish social groups, as well as prevent a war from bringing forth immeasurable disaster. A surreal feeling for most who thought this was only something that could be thought up in movies and fictional books, they couldn't fight the restless air swirling in the atmosphere that foretold an epic clash about to unfold. If they could help in any form, then so be it. A defense to protect the place they call home, the ants of Inkopolis work to protect their queen of the colony, the crown jewel of the nation-Inkopolis City.

"Is it me or does the air feel ominous." Akane said while holding her hand out like she was catching rain; at her side are Takui and Yuuya as they roam the streets of Inkopolis going from business to business informing shop owners of a recommendation to evacuate and seek refuge as well as offer coverage for any damages. No one dared question a crime boss, and such she gained the cooperation of everyone she met. Careful to stay out of the peripherals of law enforcement and avoid entering the heart of the capital where all parliament was held, Akane made sure to keep the thoughts of her people in her mind as she walked the sidewalk imagining the terror about unfold in just a few days. Most of these buildings and homes might be destroyed, cars flipped over, bodies of warriors scattered every painting the roads red and souls unable to rest in peace. Her skin crawls thinking that this will only be one of a trio of sights that will share such carnage. "A good thing this is a joint venture. I don't know if I could shoulder so much pressure on my own." Akane muttered, her mind heavy on the war.

"Don't worry, Boss. The unity of Inkopolis is unmatched. In the face of any adversity, we'll always prevail." Takui said with confidence lowering his head afterwards to show his respect one she looked in his direction.

"Please continue to laugh and smile like always…" Yuuya added, knowing the struggles the young don had to carry on her own since taking over the family.

Akane chuckled, "If there are young girls like Sky and Violet fighting the same fight as me, I can't lose! We'll show our enemies the true might of the Yoshikara and of Inkopolis!"

In a conference room on the top floor of a hotel room, the audience of the Galloway family is present for Lime and Verde Royale. The other leaders of the defense of Inkopolis, this meeting was held to go over the specifics of Rapture. From what they were informed by updates from Agent 8, they were to expect a hack from Ixia that would likely prompt the war followed by the invasion of the octarians. As to where they would attack, the capital city was the prime target since it served as the beacon of power for the country much like the great zapfish was many decades ago where it sent inkling society into a massive panic. Had it not been for the efforts of a young Maya Royale and later a young Luna, the country might've fallen. Much like that time, the guess Agent 8 concurred was a hack that would breach security and systems alike, one that'd freeze all electronics. They would likely hack the television networks and announce a message-one declaring war on Inkopolis-and finally, they would make their attack. Since Octo Valley was the only known way to reach the underground of Octaria, one would think that the attack would start there and work its way into the city, however Lime explained they had several secret entrances that were used to escape and integrate into the surface world.

"Hence why there are so many among us. More than likely if this fails and the government prevails, they will begin purging all octolings and cuttlefish alike."

Joseph raised his hand, "You're implying they won't attack from Octo Valley but rather the secret entrances?"

Verde shook his head, "No, the secret entrances will likely be unused. Agent 8 warned that they were building powerful weapons just for this day. If they live underground, then obviously-"

"Drills!" Chase answered; Verde nodded.

The pair suspected that Inkopolis would suffer damages if usage of mass weapons made it to the surface. As such, the Galloways were responsible to use as much weaponry to counter them as possible-including banned ones such as the explosive bullets used in Beacon Hills. A meeting focused on how to better strengthen security and make battle formations under the head general's command, the next topic turned to an enemy the siblings couldn't ignore: the Tower Bridge Unit. Not only were they part of the Inkopolis government and would likely be dispatched during the chaos-with them possibly under Liandt's influence, they could stir up more problems as a third party interference. Led by Landon-a decorated soldier within the Inkopolis Army, the Tower Bridge Unit are an elite force that rivaled the strength of the New Squidbeak Splatoon. Within their ranks were powerful operatives such as Victoria, Lance, and Duke, who were all powerful in their own ways and offered even matchups against the strongest Inkopolis has to offer, there was also Abby, John, and Eliza, who also boasted enough skill to rival that of a hundred soldiers. If any of them were to step in and interfere with their operations, they were to be killed on sight. Lime made that clear as her sweet sisterly aura carried a pressure similar to a god about to pass judgment; the Galloways didn't know why, but none of them wanted to dare question her order and as such accepted the task. Verde watched on from the side knowing the reason for Lime's aggressive approach to handling the enemy stemmed from the recent reports she received from her trusted scouts that confirmed her suspicions. Indeed, the Tower Bridge Unit was under the shadow command of Liandt rather than General Garston. Though she didn't know the reason why the unit would follow Liandt's orders and betray their general's command, she learned that Liandt suspected Azule for the assassination of Saint Henry and considered the corruption of the Tower Bridge Unit to be a way to retaliate. That unit had a long rivaled history with her mother and her squad, and who was to say that his orders weren't to exterminate her little brother, or worse...

"A-achoo!" Lance sneezed violently, sniffling afterwards as his brother doesn't even bother to say a blessing; "I wonder why so many businesses are closing temporarily..." he said following behind his brother, who didn't pay him any attention.

Landon's eyes wandered to the side with vigilance like that of a hunter. He memorized Azule's face and all the spots her frequented except for school, where it would be mighty suspicious for an imposing adult to be asking about a student. His intensity wasn't that of someone who would be searching for just any student; in his eyes, Azule was no different from his powerful family of monstrous inklings who possessed raw power unlike anything seen. In their background assessment of his profile, they gathered quite the telling data of who Azule Royale is and why Liandt wanted him so badly. Aside from suspecting him as a killer, it was widely known within the military that all of Maya Royale's children were practically products of the military as a project to create super soldiers. Once it was known that Maya and Julian were growing closer than simple comrades during the peaceful times of Inkopolis-a time where Maya dedicated her life to serving to protect her nation after years as a vigilante, she was pressured by her bosses to have children before it was too late. As such, she birthed two healthy children: Lime and Verde. Before they could ever have a normal upbringing, the couple was pressured into putting the children through hellish training to make them stronger than even their parents. After an upbringing that saw two super soldier children made, they requested that the couple birth more kids and raise them to a higher intensity than Lime and Verde since their youth would prove a big boost to the power the already growing children in Lime and Verde. As such, the couple followed orders without a fight and birthed Sky, and later Azule. Born in secrecy due to the media trying to pry into confidential matters surrounding the births of Lime and Verde, Maya and Julian raised them to a tougher upbringing than their elder siblings all for the sake of making them weapons for war. Unfortunately, a war occurred around that time, and Inkopolis needed all of their strongest soldiers to participate-a perfect time for the child soldiers to be used. Maya already felt disturbed about sending her eldest children to a battlefield to stain their hands of blood, but she couldn't stomach the thought of sending her youngest children to die. As such she left them behind in secret and swore to return. The return never came after the war, she-along with Julian-were dispatched to explore the forbidden lands outside the continent of Inkland and report for potential expansion and addition of colonies. In that time, Sky sought after her mother's attention and followed in her footsteps, much to her dismay since the entire point of her putting them in hiding was to protect them from becoming property of the government and military. She just wanted them to live a normal life outside of war and bloodshed, but with Azule's involvement and the attention he caught from the government, who were willing to overlook him since his sister proved to be quite enough of a main cannon, it was likely that Liandt wanted to capture Azule and make him another weapon of the Inkopolis army. The last thing Maya ever wanted to witness since he was the only member of the family to escape the clutches of the military, if he was captured or killed, it would mean the end of freedom for the Royale family as they would either meet death of enslavement in the shackles possessed by the higher ups.

"Perhaps many are in financial instability the recent tax increase. Who knows?" Landon's emotionless tone explained, his shoulders squared as he continues ahead.

"Look, I'm not too thrilled about catching this kid." Lance said clutching his shoulder in discomfort; "That's Verde's little brother."

"What Liandt is doing will put his-and our-lives at risk and he trusts us enough to choose us as his secret task force to capture that child. Put away your personal feelings and behave as a member of the Tower Bridge would." his harsh tone only made the rift between them worse, his condescending and intolerant attitude proving distasteful to Lance.

"Why are we the ones to go after him? Why not Duke or Eliza? They're plenty qualified to hunt down a kid. Also, why are we stuck with Abby? She's bonkers!"

"Abby is a victim of the trauma that comes with war. The poor woman has seen her fair share of battles. Since it involves a Royale, there's no way I could turn down her insistence-especially with you behaving the way you are."

"Why? Because politics, right? Well excuse me if I just don't want to kill a child for the sake of fu-"

"Curse and I take your tongue off."

"Well excuse me if I don't want to stain my hands with the blood of a child for the sake of some political objective." Lance said minding his tongue-though he still wanted to express his displeasure at becoming a lackey for someone incapable of leadership. When he learned of the true intentions behind warrant for Azule's capture or assassination, his disgust heightened to a level he never thought possible. The idea of slaughtering a child or capturing him as a slave to be milked by the government; he knew if Azule got captured, another war would likely occur. "When the New Squidbeak Splatoon abandoned their old ways as a secret militia and joined us, a war with the octarians soon followed. If we don't kill that boy, we'll surely enter another war."

"Murdering a child or starting another war-the answer is easy."

"Landon-"

"Your opinion doesn't matter, Lance. If you can't follow orders, I'll put you out of commission right here-right now."

"Sometimes you can be a real hard-"

Just then, Landon received an incoming call from Victoria, one of the fellow members who was posted at a nearby district. Apparently she found a lead on where he might be after doing a little dirty work to track his electronic footprint. As such, Landon and Lance redirect to her location as well as call in the others. If she indeed found a lead, they could pursue him and take him down swiftly. As the Tower Bridge Unit make their moves within the shadows of Inkopolis, another interaction occurs in the shadows of that same country, well, in the shadows of Sky at least. Gathered together after Aaron received a message from an anonymous contact with a number from Octo Valley, the Elites came together to see what the sender had to say. They requested that all the members meet together and then a video call will be performed. Once Aaron notified the sender, they revealed themselves to be none other than a hooded Shiva, the princess currently based in Octo Valley. She would have liked to meet in person but for reasons left unknown she wouldn't allow herself to leave the proximity of the area until the week of the Ravia conference; the room she was in had covers blocking all sunlight with her loyal retainers stationed behind her at different parts of the room appearing to be on the lookout-which meant the location where she was calling from was probably a place she wasn't supposed to be in. She explained the current situation within Octaria and told them of Sky's involvement-much to their surprise since she never mentioned a word about leaving. She continued and told them that the reason she had to spill everything was because of a change in plans through the operations: "She won't be part of the operation to take back the throne since her mother became suspicious of her and sent her to attend the Ravia conference. She looked irritated at the thought that her mother thought as much and used the opportunity to ship them off but it worked both ways. Even though she wouldn't play a part in fighting alongside the resistance, she still had a purpose to make at the conference and would use that chance to capture the world's attention. She promised she'll do her part to help unify both warring races, but asked in return that they be mindful of the coming days.

"More than likely, she worried that if she told you it would prompt you to take action and join your sides. During the time we spent together there before I came here, she always expressed her guilt in keeping this a secret. I know she'll probably hate me for this, but you all at least should know the truth, and know that she's fighting this battle with your sake in mind." Vaairie taps her on the shoulder with a worried look, which forced Shiva to swiftly conclude-hanging up afterwards.

Reluna walks over and warns her that they probably have less than 20 minutes to make an escape from the building before the guards stationed in the town would search the area for them since they were only allowed a visit up there through the Queen's condition that the princess must be escorted by her own personal guards rather than just her retainers, which Shiva and company knew meant the Queen wanted to keep an eye on them thanks to recent events and the growing rift between the princess and her mother. As they make their exit, Ciri note that Shiva didn't mention anything about Rapture and Rebirth and if she didn't trust them enough to share them in on the plans as warning. Shiva felt regret in not telling them but believed that though she should trust them, they were still members of the young division within the military. Even if it was for the sake of Sky, some of them might throw everyone under the bus for the sake of the country and ruin everything-a risk she wasn't willing to take. As they make their escape to find a location where they can reappear without any suspicion, the Elites are left gathered together to sort through their thoughts after learning the truth form Shiva. At first, none of them appreciated anything that occurred since it seemed better to simply leave them uninformed. Now that they knew, there was an inclination to take action However, Inklings weren't really welcomed in Octo Valley and they were forbidden from entering Octaria-for Sky and Pastelle to break the and venture into "enemy" territory didn't seem logical. But after some consideration from Apollo, who explained with a reasonable mind that Sky and Pastelle were both agents who had close relationships with the octoling princesses and that their mindset and opinions on them differed greatly from theirs, he convinced the other to not take it to heart that she never said a word-especially Aaron, who felt the most hurt by his own girlfriend keeping secrets from him.

"While we may have no ill will towards them, we have to admit that what we are is nothing more than simply tolerant of them. We're willing to become friends and treat them the same way we'd like to be treated, but would any of us seriously risk our lives for them? Would we go against the law for their justice? We have to understand where Sky was coming from." he concluded, his wisdom shining yet again. From Gileslie and Ollie, to Chlora and Austin, one by one, they started nodding in acceptance of their comrade's choice-looking to guidance from Aaron, who already had a thinking look on his face. Every member could tell it would only take a few minutes before he started calling out their names to assume action. There's no way he would take the information given to him and do nothing, that wasn't why he was the leader of the Elites; Aaron knew there had to be more to Shiva's message than at face value and as such he began reviewing everything she said a dozen times. Even though she was annoying to be around she was a brilliant mind when she got serious, and that exchange was one of the few times he didn't see anything remotely childish in her facial expression-she resembled a young queen ready to rule with an iron mind.

Out on the outskirts of the major metropolitan city of Octaria, Hatu is leading a small patrol group who are returning from securing resources for a local village nearby. Within that group is Sky, who had switched with Pastelle after she complained that Hatu is too awkward to be around for her to concentrate. His calm yet powerful gaze intimidated her beyond sanity, as though he dissected her through his eyes alone. Either way, the pair switched after Sky also admitted that Veronica wasn't the most friendly of octolings and would probably suit better to partnering with someone like Hatu, who seemed like a lone wolf within the resistance despite being one of the 8 Legs. Since it was late in the afternoon the artificial light synced to make it look like it was evening with orange and yellow coloring the panels high above. As they return to the village, Hatu switches from doing his usual patrols and errands to perform private tasks for some of the more respectful elders of the villages, having Sky accompany him along the way and dismissing the others to work as guards for the villages until it was time to switch shifts. Quest by quest gets completed at an accelerated rate thanks to Sky's assistance, and not before long are the pair back on their legs marching on the way back to the village where Hatu resided. On the way back, the silence between the pair is accompanied by the songs of the wilderness from buzzing bugs and singing crickets of the underground to other wildlife making preparations for their rest under the artificial night. Nights like these would usually be lonesome for the 6th leg, but with Sky at his side, it felt a little lively, though she didn't speak much and instead followed close behind him and watched his back with great observation-her eyes glued to his bow and quiver and the spear hidden behind them; overall, she was exhausted from the numerous patrols of all the villages in his jurisdiction.

"Your gaze is a little too strong." Hatu comments to break the silence; Sky jumped at his response but quickly calmed down.

She tilts her head a little to catch sight of his face, "I noticed you're well equipped. You have a bow, spear, and even a dagger at your waist. You're like a hunter from the wilds. You're not from around here, are you?"

Hatu's glance to her leaves her off guard since she thought he'd ignore her, "Observant one."

Sky's cheeks reddened since as a person who enjoys history, she's never met a person from outside the domain of Inkland. There's a little hop in her step as she closes distance between them, "That bow...I notice it's pretty unique. The based built from machinery resembling the tech the octarians use, yet its sturdy wooden structure remains under that metal. Also, I see there are paint markings on it…"

Hatu stops and looks to the happy inkling, "Do you dislike the silence?" Sky shakes her head in response with the same friendly aura she had when she asked her previous questions; "Then why do you disrupt it?"

Sky's smiled with confusion, "...Come again?"

"You're making an effort to talk with me. Why?"

"Why not?"

"You were on the money about me not being from around here, so shouldn't you be wary of my kind? I'm regarded as a savage from the blood I carry."

Sky's already present smile widens as her eyes start narrow, "I don't see it."

"Strange…"

Sky comes a bit closer and takes another glance at his weapons, "I am interested in these weapons since I've never seen such craftsmanship-oh, I work on cars and bikes so stuff like this also catches my eye. But if I must be honest, something about them feels...alive. Like, there's a soul to those weapons of yours. I can feel it."

Hatu's emotionless gaze remains, "I see...well, I guess there is no harm in letting you take a peek." he said extending his hand to give her the bow to hold, taking a liking to her genuine interest.

Sky receives the bow from his gentle grasp and holds it close to her face, inspecting the bow and growing more interested based on how dazzled she looked while holding what felt like an artifact to her. A calming but awkward feeling for Hatu, it felt like he got a strange sensation of shivers all over his body watching the inkling handle his most prized possession with such intensive care, his body and guard weakening as he watched her careful eyes absorb every detail of the weapon and her fingers gently run along the bowstring. "Magnificent…" she muttered in awe, truly captivated by the dazzling art of a weapon-handing it back to him. "Did you make this?" she said as she handed it back.

Hatu's face relaxed for the first time ever in her presence, "No. This isn't my bow. None of these weapons are mine. However, it isn't far fetched to say that though I am not the owner, they are part of me. Without them, I can't exist."

"Oh." Sky mumbled, knowing from his nostalgic tone that it would probably be rude to intrude on his person life if she asked any questions further in relation.

"Thank you." he said with gratitude.

"Huh? For what?"

"For showing such an interest. No one here has ever thought twice about the weapons I carry, nor about the beauty in them. You're the first person I've ever met to have such an eye for this type of thing. I guess your friendship with Princess Magenta must be quite special, am I right?"

Sky crosses her arms with a little snicker, "I do admit that Magenta has expanded my horizon on a vast collection of topics, but this is something I can't explain entirely."

"Well, we can continue this another time. We need to return to base."

From there they continued on their way back to Hatu's residence, stopping at every village post along their path. On the way there, they ran into Veronica and Pastelle, who were on their way back to their residence near the outskirts of the city. Sparing a few minutes together, the 6th and 7th Leg struck up a conversation like it was normal-much to the inkling's surprise as both Sky and Pastelle's mouths dropped like anchors as the meeting between the two leaders resulted in Veronica cracking a smile and Hatu sharing a chuckle. Although they tried their best not to eavesdrop on the conversation, they heard a little about what was going on within the city while they were at their respective territories on the outskirts. Porter is nearby the palace still staking out the area with his unit handling affairs nearby and monitoring any sweeper activity, which ceased ever since their success in rescuing all the vulnerable targets. Felix was on the brink of cracking the codes necessary to bypass royal security and aid the infiltration further, as well as take the information gathered by Abraham to locate what most known weapon weaknesses will be as well as a way to deal with the sweepers should they ever used again. Denise was also nearing a breakthrough on her research after finding a possible remedy for the after effects of reversing the zombification of the victims used for the cleansing and brainwashing-should she prove successful then they can slash the number of casualties in half and even prevent more victims; up until now, she was close, but noticed that most of the serums used result in further deterioration when tested on living cell samples affected by the brainwash methods that targeted both the brain and the skin as well. Faye and Sigmund still were on watch guard duty protecting the base along with their forces and the main force of Jonah's group as well, and as for Agent 8, she was due to infiltrate the palace once the meetings concluded along with the assistance of Abraham. A sound operation for the resistance, they move with a groove as momentum is building on their side. An assurance that they had the advantage on the crown, tunnel vision forms for the members of the resistance who can sense hope in their future, but little do they know that watching from the shadows tracking their lowest ranks are two ninjas dispatched by their boss to follow them to their hideout while he humors the queen and her plans, nearer and nearer they approach the hideout of the resistance thanks to the unsuspecting members.