Warning: Contains a near-death experience

Inigo's PoV

Inigo sat in his bed, the hours ticking away. By the time he had gotten home from the Splatfest, it was past midnight, and things had gone...more poorly than he hoped. Though Geneva didn't fight him, there were plenty of arguments between them, and they constantly competed against each other, to the point where sometimes, it was a detriment to the team. They plagued his mind to the point where he couldn't fall asleep

He turned onto his side, looking at his nightstand. His phone rested on it, the screen facing downwards. He picked it up and turned it on, squinting as the light hit his eyes. He pulled up his list of contacts, scrolling through. Perhaps he could call someone? In his head, he went through his list of options. Yuri and Bonnie would probably be asleep, and Geneva wouldn't want to talk to him either way. Roy would probably get mad, assuming he was awake, while Octavia would probably be concerned. He wasn't sure what to expect from Alexis, too.

Which left him with Perry. He could call one of Octa Prisma or another friend, too, but he wanted to talk to someone on the Rainbow Squids right. He tapped Perry's name, and his phone began to ring. A few seconds later, the answerer picked up.

"Inigo!" Perry's voice scolded. "Ya scared me!"

"Sorry, sorry," he apologized. "I just wanted to talk to someone, and you're the only squid I can think of that's awake right now."

"Well, I'm up later than usual. But...guess I don't mind chatting before I go to sleep."

As for what Perry could possibly be doing, the options were limited. He decided not to ask what. "How was the Splatfest?"

"Superfresh. We won a bunch of matches."

"Yvonne didn't give you any trouble?"

"Of course not. Why would she?"

"Fair."

"But what about you? You do good?"

Inigo paused. "They were...alright. Geneva was being a dogfish about it the entire time."

He could hear the disappointment in Perry's voice. "Dude, that's a little harsh."

"Well, what else am I supposed to say?" he snapped. "She kept starting arguments for no good reason."

"Hey, chill! You did something too, if she's that mad at you."

Inigo's mind drifted back to just a few hours ago, during the worst of the arguments he had with Geneva this Splatfest. Once again, he had brought up Tiffany, and somehow, he had reminded her of something that happened in the past. He pointed out how many baseless assumptions she was making, and she didn't take kindly to that. The final straw was bringing up Asher again, and soon enough, it had escalated to a full-blown fight. Roy and Yuri had to break them up.

Perhaps he really did deserve that attack. Was he being too tasteless? Should he apologize? No, he wanted Geneva to apologize first. Clearly, he was in the right here.

But maybe the Lurker had a point. At that thought, his face fell, and he went silent.

"Inigo?" Perry called. "You there?"

"...The Lurker," he muttered.

"The what?"

"The Lurker," Inigo restated, his voice louder. "They're a Goldie who can speak the Inkling language."

"A Goldie is a type of salmonid, right? Why bring up them?"

"Last time I ran into them, they said a lot of carp, but they had a good point. If I come across them again...then maybe they'll say something that's actually helpful."

"Well, Salmon Run should be open in the morning. After the Splatfest results, you could do a bunch of shifts and try to find them."

"Yeah, but...the last time I encountered them, it was on Salmonid Smokeyard. The shifts are mostly on Marooner's Bay right now. I think to encounter them again, my best bet would be to go Salmonid Smokeyard, somehow."

"I don't think that's how it works."

"The salmonids aren't all together, you know—there's a bunch of different clans out there. We just don't know the specifics."

"So what you're saying is that the salmonids attacking Marooner's Bay are different from the ones attacking Salmonid Smokeyard?"

"Exactly. The only problem is the fog..."

"Wha? Why?"

"The Lurker only shows up when it's especially foggy. I don't think that fog's exactly natural, but I think my best bet is going out there on a foggy day."

"Well, if you're going to go as soon as possible, my dad's friend's wife is a fisher. She could take you out to Salmonid Smokeyard tomorrow. Or, later today, I guess."

"Perfect. Let me know if she agrees."

"Will do. See ya later, Inigo."

"See ya."

Inigo hung up and placed his phone back on the nightstand, closing his eyes once more. The plan he had just hatched seemed very, very feasible—he just worried what the Lurker had to say to him, or if it would even work.

Only time would tell, he supposed.

Inigo walked along the wooden docks, sea salt in the air. The person Perry described had responded very quickly to his request, and accordingly, he informed Inigo on who to look out for.

She's a sea anemone with scarlet hair. Ya can't miss her.

His eyes drifted over to the collection of boats off to the side, and soon enough, he spotted a bit of poufy red hair, belonging to neither an inkling nor an octoling. Excitement flaring up in his chest, he ran towards the figure.

Indeed, standing in front of him was a chubby sea anemone. Her hair was tied up into a bun, and her maroon eyes seemed to pierce right through him. Her skin was a golden color, and she wore rubbery, yellow overalls over a beige shirt, not unlike the Grizzco uniform. She had anticipated his arrival, setting her phone down on the wooden beam.

"You must be that Inigo kid mini Sculpin was talking about," she noted, eyes studying him.

"Yeah," he confirmed. "I'm Inigo." He held out a hand. "And you?"

She took it, shaking it while nodding her head. "I'm Harley Arboreum. You can just call me Harley, though. No need for formalities. Nice to meet you."

"Same goes to you." He bowed. "So, let's get going!"

"Sure thing, squid." She picked up her phone and gestured towards the fishing boat behind her, his indigo eyes drifting over towards it. The boat was a little smaller than the boats Grizzco used, but it was still obviously a fishing boat. The hull was decorated with a decal of a stylized hell's fire anemone, displaying the name 'Red Anemone' next to it. A bridge led to the deck, and Inigo walked up it, Harley not far behind. She raised the bridge, and after a few more minutes of preparations, they were sailing off into the cerulean sea.

In the meantime, Inigo sat on a chair, playing a game on his phone to pass the time, given there was no reception out in the middle of the ocean. The sky had started to turn orange as the sun set, the light sparkling off of the gentle waves. But, he paid little attention to them. For now, all he had to do was sit here and wait for his arrival at Salmonid Smokeyard. He still had his doubts in the back of his mind, but he pushed them aside for now. He had to encounter the Lurker, no matter what.

Eventually, he heard footsteps, and he lifted his head to see Harley standing in front of him.

"We're getting closer," she informed him. "In case you get splatted, I need to connect you to a spawn point so you don't actually die."

Grim, he thought. "OK," Inigo agreed, standing up and shoving his phone into his pocket. "Where is it?"

"Over there." She pointed to a device covered by a blue tarp. She headed over to it and pulled the tarp off, revealing a standard spawn point—it was the current model, too! She knelt down and turned the spawn point on, the arrow pattern on it lighting an orange color. She studied it for a few moments before beckoning him over. He changed his ink color to match the spawn point's, and she gave a thumbs-up, allowing him to step onto the platform. It flashed briefly before settling down to a soft glow again, signifying that he had successfully connected to the spawn point.

Harley put her hands together, smiling. "Great! Now, you'll also need a weapon."

"Why a weapon?" Inigo questioned. "I don't plan to splat anything."

"For self-defense," she explained. "You are going into salmonid territory, after all. And as the captain of this boat, it is my number one priority to ensure the safety of our passengers, crew member or not. Now, which do you prefer: Splattershots or Splat Chargers?"

"Splattershot."

"Alright." Harley excused herself and disappeared into the cabin. When she emerged, she held the shooter in her hands, giving it to Inigo. She ran over to the bow, looking out towards the distance. Fog started to roll in, obscuring the area up ahead. But it wasn't like they were completely lost—light illuminated the path, and in the distance, he could see the faint shape of a structure. They were almost at Salmonid Smokeyard, and Inigo's leg bounced with excitement.

Eventually, the boat slowed to a stop just in front of the docks. The water level was low, a hill leading up to the central area. Setting his phone off to the side and putting his weapon away, Inigo super-jumped to the dock, landing on the bridge between its two sides. The fog still remained at the same consistency, much to his dismay.

Perhaps the Lurker wouldn't show themself yet because he was too close to the boat. At that thought, he started to walk deeper into Salmonid Smokeyard, disappearing into the fog. One look over his shoulder told him that he was straying far from the boat, but that didn't bother him. It was still close enough that he could return safely if he splatted.

He shook his head, removing the suggestion from his mind. Why would he even think that? He was in no danger hear. Not a single salmonid had showed up yet. But the fog was gotten worryingly thick. He was at the top of the hill now, and he bumped into the egg basket's base. Grizzco Industries's logo was apparent on the top of it, though as he expected, nothing popped out of it. Taking a deep breath, he walked down the other side of the hill. He could barely see now, and the moment he felt water lap at his shoes, he recoiled, stepping back a few feet.

He spotted a golden glow pierce through the fog, and his heart skipped a beat. A Goldie! Could this be the Lurker?

Heart pounding in his chest, he reached out towards the light. "Is it really you?" he called, his voice pattering on. "The Goldie that speaks Inkling?"

At first, there was no reply, and he slouched over, disappointed. But then, he heard someone: "You are alone."

He knew that voice. It belonged to the Lurker. They spoke with the same tone and inflection, an accent thick in their voice. There was no other person it could be.

"Y-Yeah," he confirmed, "I am alone."

"Nor are you wearing that cursed uniform," they observed. "You have come to seek me out alone... You're rather odd for an inkling."

That was not the words he had expected to hear. "So why'd you show up?" Inigo challenged. "You didn't have to."

"That is none of your concern. However, it seems you have changed since the last time we met."

"Changed?" He blinked. "How so?"

"Your emotions are more turbulent. Anger is bubbling towards the surface, but to whom I do not know. Perhaps you had suffered another loss, and you refuse to accept things for the way they are now."

Exasperated already, Inigo sighed. "There goes that bullfish again. We've only met twice—you don't know a thing about me."

Frustration edged into the Goldie's voice. "Still, you ignore it? I think you're in denial more than anything."

"Well, is that all you have to say to me?" he declared. Needless to say, he felt a little disappoint. Despite his efforts to meet the Lurker, they had little to say.

"What else do I say? Everything else I had said last time still applies. Unless you've forgotten."

Their words still burned into his mind, and their reminder only opened more wounds. He winced as their scathing remarks popped into his head once more, recalling the insecurities they had exposed. Scared, clingy, selfish.

His face twisted into anger, reaching down to reveal his Splattershot. So what if they were true? His negative traits didn't define him. Even in his worse moments, they never had. It was his actions that defined him, and despite his efforts to atone for his mistakes, Geneva still didn't see past them. All she saw him as was an inkling that once worked for her enemy. If she could forgive Octa Prisma for once working with the Octarians, then why couldn't she forgive him? He just didn't get it.

"Did I strike a nerve?" the Lurker jeered. "The bubbles containing your anger have popped, and now it is out on full display. But you have no one to lash out on. You're only getting angry at yourself."

"Shut up!" he roared. He pulled out his Splattershot, pointing towards the light in the distance. "I'll splat you myself!"

"You cannot. The water separates us, and your kind, for some ridiculous reason, cannot swim. Your body will give out before you reach me."

But logic didn't work on him in this moment. Failing to heed their warnings, he leaped into the water, thrashing towards the light. But quickly, he realized his mistake. He felt his limbs go numb as they dissolved, his weapon sinking into the depths of the ocean. Orange ink leaked out around him, his strength ebbing. Soon enough, he was nothing more than a pile of clothes and ink.

Through his hazy vision, he spotted the Lurker approach his remains, leaping up into the air in an attempt to grab the ghost left behind. But he slipped through their hands, floating away, towards the sky. He didn't know where he was going, and with each passing moment, he felt his senses dulling, the world slipping away into blackness.

So this was how he was going to die. Out in the middle of nowhere, without any of his friends. But oddly, he felt content with it. His mind was at peace, and he thought that maybe, the world would be better without him.

Suddenly, a shock coursed through his body, and all he could focus on was the overwhelming sensation. He felt himself emerge from a spawn point, stumbling as his senses were overloaded with the new information. He gripped his head, breathing heavily as his heart pounded in his chest.

"Inigo!" someone shouted, his ears receiving the voice much louder than expected. He forced himself to look at the sea anemone in front of him, her hands gripping his shoulders as his ears rung. "Are you OK?" he could barely hear, but he was too stunned to speak. "Answer me!"

"I-I don't know," he managed to force out.

She placed him down on a chair, disappearing briefly before returning with an ice pack. She placed it on his forehead, the chill soothing him. He took some deep breaths, calming himself down, and soon, Harley spoke once more.

"The fog got so thick, I was worried you wouldn't be able to make it back here. And judging by your reaction, you almost didn't!" She wiped a tear from her eye. "Thank cod you're OK!"

The pieces were finally put together in his mind. I almost died, he realized. I would've died if not for that spawn point.

Immediately, Inigo began to scold himself. How could he be so foolish? Wasn't he supposed to be the wise one of the Rainbow Squids? Yet in his naivety, he jumped out into the ocean just to pursue a salmonid—a Goldie, no less. No matter how close they were to him, he would not have been able to splat the Lurker.

"Now, I don't care if you fulfilled your mission or not; we're going home," the sea anemone scolded. "I don't want you to risk your life that way ever again, got it?"

"Got it," he muttered, eyes drooping with guilt. "Sorry I lost your Splattershot."

"Oh, it's fine. I can just buy a new one." Harley extended a hand. "But you still have to pay me."

Inigo pulled 900G out of his pocket and handed it over to her. "There. You happy now?"

"Yes, I am," she remarked. "Now, let us sail back to Inkopolis!"

Harley disappeared below the deck once more, and Inigo sunk into the chair, looking out towards the sunset. The fog had lifted, and now, he could see Salmonid Smokeyard in all its beauty. When there was no ink dripping off of the surface and no salmonids swarming the area, he had to admit, it was quite pretty. But, of course, he couldn't afford going here alone just to survey the area.

Note to self: don't go seeking out the Lurker ever again. Or any salmonid, for that matter.

A/N: The Lurker's back! You know, writing Inigo almost dying is not the direction I expected this chapter to go towards, but hey, it happens. It sure did teach him a lesson. I was originally planning for this chapter to be later in Season 5, but I figured it would be better now, given Inigo and Geneva's feud is still going on. Now, next week's chapter is one of the first chapters I planned for Season 5. It's not fully written yet, but it will be next week. Next week is also my birthday. How exciting! Can you believe another year has passed? Well, that's all I have to say. Branchwing, out!