Roy was on a date with Oscar at the Reef. As soon as he got the text, he hurriedly left, much to Oscar's confusion. He wished he could spend more time with him, but some things were just more important.
Yuri had just finished up a ranked battle. He had planned to play some more, but when he got the text, he left, fear settling in. His suspicions had been correct—something was up with Alexis.
Geneva was at home, watching a movie with Asher and Eight. She got the text at the climax of the movie, and she proceeded to leave, telling Eight not to follow her. Asher and Eight were disappointed, but whatever this was, it was important.
Bonnie was at Starfish Drinks, reading a book. The sudden ring of her phone brought her out of the world written in the text, but as soon as she read it, she immediately packed up and left. Just what was up with Alexis?
Perry's PoV
Perry read over the text again, making sure his eyes weren't deceiving him. Alexis? Missing? Those were two words he never thought he'd hear in the same sentence. But, it was true. The words were right there. He couldn't deny them.
"Alexis is missing," Inigo repeated the text. He lifted his head and met Perry's purple eyes, panic shining in his own indigo eyes. "Alexis is missing!"
"What're we standing here for?" the pale-skinned boy snapped. "We gotta go! Now!"
"Right, right."
Inigo unlocked his car, and the two inklings climbed inside it. He immediately pulled out of the parking spot and drove off, getting on the road. Perry leaned back in the passenger's seat, reading the group chat. At least it was much comfier in here. There were even heated seats! It surely beat sitting on the top of the car in the form of a squid, hanging on for dear life.
"Via's at the square," he told Inigo. "Go, go!"
"Figured," he muttered. At the next stoplight, he grabbed his phone and set the GPS on it to the parking lot near Inkopolis Square. He set it back on its stand and continued to drive, the robotic voice's instructions ringing through the car. Orange light shining through the clouds, they soon made it to Inkopolis Square. As soon as they parked, Perry hopped out of the car and started running, Inigo calling after him to slow down.
He didn't care how fast he was going. He just had to make it to the square and help Via. Alexis could be in danger, and he couldn't even begin to imagine what his friend would be like if they lost her forever. Adrenaline pumping through his veins, he continued running as the Deca Tower got closer and closer. Soon enough, he entered the main street of Inkopolis Square, inklings and jellyfish wandering around, entering and exiting shops. He caught a glimpse of orange hair—Octavia's—and used the last of the sudden burst of energy he had to sprint over to her. He bumped into the table, stumbling back a foot or two out of surprise. Now, he stood in front of the Rainbow Squids, trying to catch his breath. Inigo arrived not long afterwards, also out of breath.
"He's...faster...than he...looks," the boy with the ponytail commented.
"Who cares?" the wavy-haired girl snapped, slamming a hand into the metal table. "We gotta focus on the situation at hand."
"Right, right," he acknowledged, rubbing the back of his head as a blush of embarrassment dusted his cheeks.
"With everyone here..." Her eyes darted between the group, making sure everyone was present. "First things first. When did everyone last see Alexis?"
"The Splatfest," Perry replied. "Right after she decided she would go solo." The other inklings nodded in agreement.
"What 'bout you, Geneva?" Bonnie spoke up, looking over at her. "You, um, technically work with her."
"Yeah," the green-haired girl acknowledged, "but I don't see her every time I go over there. Last time I went there was yesterday, and I didn't see her then."
"No one mentioned her?" Octavia quickly interjected.
She shook her head. "No one. If they had anything interesting to tell me, they would've."
"Come to think of it..." Yuri mused. "Didn't she agree to go solo for a little bit?"
"And then she ended up soloing the entire time," Roy concluded. He dug his face into his hands at this realization, grumbling. "...Cod dang it."
Via blinked at the two boys, brows furrowing. "You seriously can't think that's the reason she went missing."
"Well, it's a lot better than the other options!" the yellow-haired inkling pointed out.
"Still bad," Perry sneered.
"I think it's possible," Inigo commented. "If someone killed her, they would've found her remains by now, unless they dragged her out to the middle of nowhere. But I don't think the average person is smart enough to do that."
"That's...actually pretty solid," Geneva admitted.
He smiled. "You really think so?"
"Yeah," she said. Her eyes then narrowed, sending daggers at Inigo. "Don't get your hopes up, though."
"Figures..."
"Back on topic," Octavia spoke up. "If no one has seen her, then we'll need to ask someone else."
"Octa Prisma would be a good start," Yuri suggested.
"Exactly what I was thinking," Perry followed. He turned his attention to the nearby table where the aforementioned group of octolings usually sat at. Over there, he spotted Giovanni and Iris sitting across from each other, playing chess. He didn't see anyone else, unfortunately. "Let's go," he announced, gesturing for the group to follow him. When they arrived, they lifted their heads, puzzled looks on their faces.
"The Rainbow Squids," Iris announced. "For what reason are you here?"
"Alexis," Octavia immediately replied. "You see her anywhere?"
The poufy-haired girl paused to think, but then she shook her head. "No. I see her last at the Splatfest."
"When?" she followed.
"A match. She not look happy."
"Well, that's one lead," Bonnie commented. "She was battling after she left. ...But she wasn't happy."
"And that text she sent me..." Via frowned. "Did she really mean something else?"
"Don't give up yet," Yuri egged. "We'll get to the bottom of this. We just gotta stay positive, aight?"
The wavy-haired girl gave a half-hearted smile. "Thanks."
"What about you?" Roy inquired, red eyes drifting over to Giovanni. Perry glanced down at him. He stared straight ahead, as if his mind was somewhere else. The tan-skinned boy kneeled down and waved a hand in front of his face. "Hello? Gio?"
Gio's head snapped up, eyes wide. "What?" he demanded, his face growing red.
"Ya see Alexis?" Perry asked.
"Alexis, you say?" He placed a hand on his face, hiding it from the group. "Alexis, Alexis..." After a pause, he shook his head. "No, I do not remember seeing her recently."
"Not even at the Splatfest?" Bonnie muttered, bewildered.
"Not even at the Splatfest," he confirmed.
Octavia frowned, worry etching her features. Perry could understand why—if he was in her shoes, he would feel the same way. No one had seen Alexis since the Splatfest. And since Alexis was Via's sister, she would be especially worried. He just had to hope someone else would pop up and give them the answer they needed at this point.
"Roy!" he heard someone call. At this, everyone turned around, looking towards the source of the voice. Oscar stood some feet away from then, orange eyes wide. His gaze drifted over behind them to see the two octolings at the table. He examined them before asking, "Why are you together?"
"Long story short, Alexis is missing," Geneva explained, stepping up to the front of the group. "Have you seen her? Specifically within the last two days?"
"Alexis?" The boy with the afro paused to think before shaking his head. "No."
"You too?!" Octavia exclaimed. Groaning, she muttered, "We'll never find her at this rate..."
"If you want to find Alexis, perhaps you should ask Callie and Marie," Giovanni suggested from behind them. "She is a member of the New Squidbeak Splatoon, after all."
"Maybe he's right," Bonnie agreed, looking over at the orange-haired inkling. "We should ask them."
"So..." Oscar spoke up, his attention turned to Roy. "Will you be coming the back later?"
Perry raised an eyebrow. "Why were you with him earlier?" he asked the red-haired boy.
"Uh..." He blushed, rubbing the back of his head. "Just forget about it," he insisted to the Rainbow Squids.
"You do not have to-" the boy with the afro started.
"Shh," he hushed him. He then went up to Oscar and whispered in his ear. The octoling merely closed his eyes and smiled, nodding. Roy patted him on the shoulder, and he proceeded to walk over and join Octa Prisma. The tan-skinned inkling turned to face the group. "We should be going now."
"Right," Via agreed. "There's no time to waste!" She ran past Roy, gesturing for the rest of the group to follow her.
"Bye, Gio, Iris, Oscar," Yuri called as they departed. "Thanks for the help!"
It didn't take them long to reach the manhole that led to Octo Canyon—they just had to make sure no one was around to watch them go in, first. However, standing at the manhole was someone he didn't recognize, and when they approached it, the girl didn't seem to leave. A funny-looking inkling with red, poufy hair and tan skin leaned against the wall, drawing something in a sketchbook. She tapped the page with her pencil, her tongue sticking out of her mouth. She wore newbie gear, signifying to Perry that she either just moved to Inkopolis or had just turned 14. She didn't look 14, though... At the Rainbow Squids' arrival, she looked up from her drawing, her brown eyes focusing on the group.
"Hello," she greeted, her voice heavy with an accent. "You...question?"
"Uh... We're just...hanging out!" Yuri responded. "Yeah, hanging out!"
The girl stared at them, perplexed. "Really?"
"Actually, we have another reason for being here," Geneva interrupted. "We're looking for someone named Alexis."
"Alexis?" She smiled. "I meet inkling name Alexis this Splatfest. She nice."
"What did she look like?" Via butted in as soon as she finished.
"Like you," she replied, staring at the wavy-haired girl, "but hair short. She short too."
"Sounds like Alexis alright," Perry commented.
"When did you last see her?" Octavia then questioned.
"The Splatfest," the funny-looking inkling replied. "I look for her after because Salsa win, but no find."
"I'm not surprised," Inigo muttered, crossing his arms and glanced over at the bronze-skinned girl. "If everyone we've talked to so far last saw her at the Splatfest, then the text she sent you..."
"I'm not giving up yet," she declared. "Not until I have proof she's dead."
The funny-looking inkling jumped, nearly dropping her pencil and paper. "Dead?!"
"We don't know she's dead," Yuri assured her. "We just have to hope she isn't."
"Can I help?" she asked, putting her materials away. "I want find her!"
"Um..." Bonnie's voice trailed off, looking up at Octavia. She put a hand up to her chin, thinking. The other Rainbow Squids also went quiet, awaiting a decision.
Before any of them could give an answer, though, Geneva spoke up. "Sure," she replied. "Come with us."
"You sure?" Perry asked. "I mean, not that I doubt you; it's just that we gotta keep some things a secret."
She chuckled slightly. "You squids really should work on your perception."
"Huh? What does that mean?" he blurted out, perplexed.
The green-haired girl let out a sigh. "Let's just go."
The purple-haired boy opened his mouth to say something back to her, but in the end, he merely shrugged. He watched as Geneva turned into a squid, slipping through the grate that led to Octo Canyon. The funny-looking inkling stared at the grate, brown eyes wide with surprise, but soon enough, she transformed herself, falling through it as well. The rest of the Rainbow Squids then followed, traveling through the dark tunnel. A few seconds later, they popped out on the other side, the sky colored a vibrant orange, clouds dotting the atmosphere. Geneva now donned her hero suit, much to the funny-looking inkling's surprise, while everyone else retained their normal outfits. To their right, DJ Octavio aroused from his slumber, groggily blinking. At the Cuttlefish Cabin in front of them, Callie and Marie hovered over a laptop. The latter lifted her head at their arrival, turning around to face them, the green umbrella she held shading her face from the sunlight. Callie then followed moments later, putting her arms behind her back.
"That's a bigger group than I expected," the grey-haired inkling commented. "...And I didn't expect you to come back either," she continued, looking over at the newest addition to their search party.
"Yeah! What brings you all here?" the black-haired inkling followed.
"We're looking for Alexis," Octavia explained, clasping her hands together. "Please, tell me something other than 'the Splatfest!'"
"Yeah, you're sort of our last resort," Bonnie added.
"Alexis..." Marie frowned. "Well, she did stop by here. And told me to give you this note if you stopped here, too."
"What note?" Geneva puzzled.
She closed her umbrella and walked into the cabin, rummaging through it. She came out with a folded-up piece of paper moments later, handing it over to Octavia. The wavy-haired inkling opened it up and read it. After she finished, she took a deep breath, cleared her throat, and began reading it out loud.
"'Dear Via,'" she started. "'I'm leaving the Rainbow Squids. Don't come looking for me. Signed, Alexis.'" She lowered the piece of paper. "So that's how it is..."
"She ran away because she didn't want to be in the Rainbow Squids anymore," Roy deduced. "Wow," he grumbled, anger seething through his words.
"Yeah, she could've just told us," Inigo agreed. "Why make this big stunt if all she wanted to do was leave?"
"...Do you think it's our fault?" Bonnie muttered. Her words were heavy in the air, the group going silent. Geneva turned away from the group, crossing her arms as her cape blew gently in the wind. Via wiped her eyes clean of tears, and the blue-haired girl placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her, yet tears pricked her eyes as well.
Perry walked over to a stool and plopped down on it, frowning. She might be right...this could be their fault. She was always the odd one out, with everyone preferring to play with their friends than someone's little sister. With Geneva's return, it only got worse. And then there was the issue of Alexis's role in the New Squidbeak Splatoon... No one even knew about it for almost a year! And for the longest time, she had been alone in the group, with Callie and Marie being her only companions. If Geneva had remained in Inkopolis, then perhaps she could've saved the Great Zapfish again, and Alexis would have never been roped into this mess.
"I confuse," the funny-looking inkling broke the silence. "Who Rainbow Squids? Why she give note to you?" She pointed to Marie. "Many questions..."
"It's complicated," the grey-haired inkling sighed. "And there's still the question of why you're here as well."
"Is not obvious? I want help!" she answered, narrowing eyes. "I friend Alexis too!"
"If it makes you feel better, she's in Octo Canyon," Callie spoke up, grabbing everyone's attention. "She said she didn't want to talk to us, but we've been tracking her signal. She's A-OK!"
"Octo Canyon?!" the funny-looking inkling puzzled. "Why here? It dangerous!"
"She's capable enough," Marie ensured her. "Trust me."
"So that's the other part of her stupid plan," Roy deduced. "Hide in Octo Canyon for who knows how long?"
"Hey, she's being helpful!" the black-haired idol protested.
"Mhm, she's been patrolling the area," the other idol elaborated. "Trust me, we'll go save her if she gets in trouble."
Geneva turned back to the group. "Let's just go home," she muttered. "Nothing else we can do." The others murmured in agreement.
"Sorry I no can help," the funny-looking inkling apologized, brown eyes averting their gazes.
"It's fine," the green-haired girl assured her. "In the end, I guess none of us were helpful at all..."
"Come to think of it," Yuri started. "Ya never gave us your name."
"Skylar," she replied. "It...nice to meet you."
He smiled. "Nice to meet ya too." He proceeded to introduce himself and the rest of the Rainbow Squids, though he opted to call Geneva 'Agent 3' instead of her real name. After he finished, Perry stood up from his stool and tapped his foot on the manhole, grabbing the group's attention. He waved goodbye to the Squid Sisters before transforming into a squid, slipping through the manhole. He popped out in Inkopolis Square soon enough, the rest of the Rainbow Squids behind them. Everyone said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Skylar resumed to leaning against the wall near the manhole, pulling out her sketchbook again. Perry smiled and walked past her, past Grizzco's, into the streets of Inkopolis.
As he started walking, he felt something gently land on top of his hat. He lifted his head, curious. The grey sky hovered the city, snowflakes fluttering down to the ground.
"Huh," he simply said. It rarely snowed at this time of year. He blinked as one landed on his nose, lowering his head and wiping it as a stinging sensation formed. It quickly faded, thankfully. At that moment, though, he realized he didn't have a ride home. Inigo was sure to have left by now. He audibly groaned, shaking his head and continuing to amble through the streets. He wouldn't get anywhere by just standing around.
"Hey," a familiar voice called. He turned around to see Giovanni running up to him. He stopped a few feet in front of him, green eyes boring into him.
"Hey," Perry greeted back, putting his hands into his pockets. "Ya want somethin', or...?"
"I...have something to tell you, yes," he confirmed. "After you and your friends came up to me and Iris earlier, I figured I should get this over with now rather than save it for later or never tell you at all."
"Go on."
He took a deep breath. "I like you," he said. "I have liked you for a few months now." He crossed his arms, looking away from the purple-haired boy. "There. I said it."
He blinked. "...That's it?" He had to admit, he was expecting something bigger than a love confession.
"Yes," he insisted.
"Oh." A silence settled between the two. Perry felt himself at a loss for words. What was he supposed to say? Things were getting awkward real quick. Even Gio didn't seem like he had anything to say. The two boys kept staring at each other, waiting for the other to speak. But nothing came.
"I suppose you do not like me back," the octoling deduced, sighing. "I figured. You only have eyes for Pearl. Good luck with that."
"Hey, who says I can't have more than one crush?" he defended, putting his arms behind his head. "It's happened before."
He shrugged. "You would never have a crush on me, either way."
"Never say never," he remarked. "Who knows? Maybe one day I'll see you and fall in love with you."
At those words, he smiled. "I will be waiting for you if you do."
"Good to know." He extended a pale-skinned hand to Giovanni, smiling. "Friends?"
The octoling hesitated for a few moments before grabbing his hand and shaking it. "Friends."
They let go, and Perry turned around. "See ya tomorrow," he told him.
He nodded back. "Goodbye."
With that, they went their separate ways, snow falling down on Inkopolis. Solemness continued to hang in the air, thoughts of Alexis's disappearance coming back to the purple-haired inkling. She would come back some day...right? He shook his head. He had to focus on the present. No use worrying about the past. It would only bring him down even further. And he wouldn't let that get in the way of the Rainbow Squids, no matter how tense things seemed right now.
The Rainbow Squids would always be friends, and nothing would ever change that...right?
A/N: Season 4, end! Woo! It's finally done! I hope you like it! The next bonus story will definitely be next week, and after that, it's hiatus time. I think it should be easy to figure out who the next bonus story will be about, but I'll leave you all to guess. I plan to write some of my other stories during this hiatus. Hopefully I make some progress. Until then, Branchwing, out!