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Agent 4: Don't worry! Geneva and Inigo will talk soon! You'll just have to wait a little bit longer to see the resolution. And yes, Eden and friends recognized Alexis when she arrived. Agent 3 and Agent 4 are both pretty well-known among the Octarians!

Now, onto the story.

Perry's PoV

When the filming session finished at last, Perry was quick to run to the door leading backstage, waiting patiently for his actor friends to arrive. Like usual, Callie was the first to exit, and quickly, she took notice of his excitement.

"You're chipper today," she commented. "You find anything new about your mom or something?"

"Nah, still haven't found anything," he replied. "...Though I did look up a few things about her attempted assassination."

The idol shuddered. "Oh... Did you learn something, at least?"

"It was mostly the same as what Steffany told me. Just with more details. And the name of the guy who did it." His excitement started to ebb away. "I did find out which prison he was being held at. I was thinking about visiting him and seeing if he had any answers, but...I don't know. He's pretty dangerous."

"Yeah, maybe you shouldn't do that. That'd lead to something bad for sure."

Kim and Alyssa exited together, purses slung over their shoulders. While Alyssa still donned her signature look—a pink feather boa over a black corset, a red miniskirt, black leggings, and high heels—Kim simply wore a turtleneck sweater and leggings alongside brown boots. Together, they were elegant, but also simple, which Perry found fitting.

"Hey, you're here!" Callie exclaimed. "So, where are we going today?"

"How about my mansion," Alyssa suggested. "You've yet to see it, and besides, my kids want to meet you."

"I've been there plenty of times," Kim added with a smile. "It's quite a nice place."

Perry looked over at Callie, trying to see her reaction, but she only seemed to be contemplating the suggestion. Clearing his throat, he asked, "Any objections?"

"Nope," the idol chirped. "I'd love to meet your kids, Alyssa." Her face was beaming. "What're their names?"

"Well, I have two daughters and a son," she started. They started to walk towards the exit of the building, and in the meantime, she continued to ramble on. "My oldest child's name is Maddie. She turns 11 next month. She absolutely loves Off the Hook. Seriously, she owns a bunch of magazines about them. She even got a shirt signed by them.

"The middle child's name is Charlie. Her full name is Charlotte, but she usually goes by Charlie. Cute, isn't it? Well, she's 9 now. She's a little troublemaker, that's for sure. Always trying to get into places she shouldn't. Oh, and she likes playing video games with her little bro. Their favorite is InkKart.

"My youngest is named Leo. He's 7, turning 8 in June. He tries to act mature and all, but he's still my sweet little boy, and a kid at heart. Other than that, he's about what you'd expect from someone his age. You'll just fall in love with him."

"I wonder if any of them know about the Squid Sisters," Perry wondered out loud.

"I don't think they do," Kim commented. "They're just focused on Off the Hook for now. And in a few years, they'll probably be focused on the next group of idols."

"Well, they want to meet me, so they must have some idea of who Marie and I are," Callie remarked. "Though, maybe they just know me as the actress and not the pop star."

Alyssa shrugged. "It's mainly because you're my co-worker. Maddie wants to hear you sing, too."

"Ooh, maybe I can sing Bomb Rush Blush. ...I wish Marie were here, though. We could have a mini concert for your kids!"

"Kim and I can both sing decently. One of us could substitute Marie's parts."

"But it's not the same..."

"Alright, alright. If you say so."

"Thanks for understanding. I'll be sure to sing them a song they won't forget!"

The group stepped outside the building, and now, their destination was Alyssa's car. Everyone climbed inside it, and the purple-haired actress started it up, pulling out of the parking spot before driving onto the streets. Her mansion couldn't be too far from here—Perry knew she lived in Inkopolis. He leaned back into his seat, taking out his phone and scrolling through Squidsagram. Might as well entertain himself.

About twenty or so minutes later, the car came to a stop. He lifted his head, forcing down a weak bout of nausea. They were on a small hill, arriving from a small offshoot of some main road in the neighborhood. The lawn was neatly trimmed, and a variety of flowers were planted in the garden surrounding the exterior of the mansion. Not far from the garage was a bike rack, though only an old, purple bike was present. Steps led up to the doors of the mansion, the walls shining like marble. Though, compared to the mansion Perry lived in, it was actually kind of quaint. Nonetheless, it was not a place the average person could afford to live in.

Alyssa climbed out of the car, clearing her throat. "We're here," she announced, tapping her heels on the pavement.

Callie stared at the mansion, her eyes seeming to sparkle. "Wow..." Once she got over her initial awe, she glanced over at Alyssa. "I like how you added some flowers. It's a superb touch you've made!"

"Thank you," she said, dipping her head. "It was Kim's idea."

"I can't take all the credit," Kim spoke up. "I got it from a magazine. It's all the rage right now, you know."

Perry walked up to one of the flowers, his fingers brushing its fragile petals. "I'm surprised they're alive and kicking."

"These flowers specifically can survive during the winter," Alyssa explained. "There were more in the summer."

"Geez, then this house must be extra colorful then!" Callie exclaimed.

The actress smirked. "If my husband didn't have any pollen allergies, then there would be a lot more flowers." Recomposing herself, she added, "C'mon, let's get inside."

They approached the door and rang the doorbell. Immediately, footsteps could be heard rushing towards entrance, followed by some yelling. The door swung open, and Perry found himself surprised to be staring into the eyes of a familiar face—Maya.

"You are home," she remarked. "I suppose my shift is over, then?"

"Mom!" A teal inkling with long hair ran up to the door, purple eyes wide with excitement. Currently, she cosplayed Marina, though she neglected to put on a wig. Fake eyelashes were stuck to her cheeks, and she used a small jewel as a beauty mark. Otherwise, it was pretty accurate, even including the bright tights the dark-skinned idol wore. Perry presumed she bought it from a store somewhere. "Don't I look great?"

"Hi, Maddie." She kneeled down and gave her a small kiss on her forehead. "You do." She stood up and looked over at Maya. "Yes, your shift is over. Thank you for taking care of them while I was gone."

The funny-looking inkling nodded. "It is my pleasure."

"Don't leave just yet, though," she reminded. "I still need to pay you."

Maya nodded. "I know. I would not be leaving without it."

Maddie stood on the tip of her toes, looking past Alyssa and towards her companions. "Who are they?" She outstretched an arm towards Callie and Perry.

"I'm Callie," the idol introduced herself. They filtered into the house, and with the extra space, she was allowed to strike her signature pose. "Of the Squid Sisters!"

"And an actor," Kim added.

"Oh, Mom's talked about you!" Maddie remarked. "She said you're super talented!"

Callie laughed, rubbing the back of her head. "Aw, thanks!"

The young girl soon turned her attention towards Perry. "And what about you?" Now, her lips thinned, eyebrows furrowing in a cute display of boldness. "Mom didn't mention you! She didn't mention any guys coming over!"

"Huh?!" He looked over at Alyssa, his mouth gaping. "You didn't?"

"It...just slipped my mind," she admitted. "Sorry."

"So?" Maddie stepped up to him, curling her hands into fists. "What's your name?"

"Perry," he replied. He struck a pose, winking. "Perry Sculpin. You ever hear of the Sculpin Company? I'm the CEO's son."

She hesitated to answer, the girl's face falling. "That sounds familiar..." She lifted her head. "Are you even an actor?"

"Nah, I'm just background cast," he explained. "I know Callie, which led to me hanging out with her co-stars, and yeah, that's that."

"Well, if you know Callie, then you must do turf wars, right?" Her purple eyes only seemed to grow wider. "What weapon do you use? Oh, have you ever run into Off the Hook? They're superfresh!"

"The Sloshing Machine," Perry answered. "It's my favorite. When you're old enough, you should try it out. It can pack a punch! And yeah, I've run into Off the Hook. Not in turf war though—I won a contest to spend a day with them...last spring, I think? It was a while ago. And that's not all—I wrote a song for Pearl once, and she liked it." He pumped a fist. "It's my most popular song thus far."

"Wow!" she gasped. "Can I listen to your song? If Pearl likes it, then it must be good!"

"No," Maya interjected. She crossed her arms. "I have listened to it before. I do not think it is appropriate for children."

"Hey, it's not that bad," he defended, lowering his voice so that only the funny-looking inkling could hear. "A lot of it will go over her head, anyways."

"You may be surprised at some of the things children know," she argued. "Now, do not play it. Is that clear?"

Perry conceded rather quickly. "Fine..." His attention returned to Maddie. "So, who do you like more? Pearl or Marina?"

Unsurprisingly, she replied, "Marina! She makes the most fresh beats! And I like the comebacks she gives to Pearl sometimes, too!"

"Guess she is more popular," he admitted. "Well, I like Pearl better. She's such a big inspiration for me. And besides..." He blushed, rubbing the back of his head. "She's hot, too."

Maddie pouted. "Oh, I don't want to hear about that!" She skittered away, disappearing into another room. Perry sighed, while Alyssa merely gave a small laugh.

"Childhood innocence," the actress mused. "What a wonderful thing it is."

"Can we see your other kids?" Kim asked.

"Of course, of course," she replied. "I'll be discussing payment with Maya. They're probably watching TV or something." Maya nodded, confirming her thoughts.

"Alright." The other actress started walking deeper into the mansion, raising an arm up into the air and pointing at the ceiling. "Follow me!"

The living room wasn't far from the entrance hall, being the next room over. There, two young inklings, both colored purple, were watching some old turf war footage. From the looks of it, it dated back to before Perry was even born. It was in color, though, so it wasn't too old. At the sounds of their footsteps, they turned their attention towards them, and the older of the two immediately ran up to Kim.

"Kim!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down. "You're here!" Presumably, this was Charlie.

She smiled. "Yes, yes, I'm here." The short-haired woman looked up at the TV. "Whatcha watching?"

The younger sibling, who Perry assumed to be Leo, proceeded to speak. "We're watching some turf wars Mom did," he explained. "Maya found...I don't know. But she put them on."

"VHS tapes!" Charlie corrected. "That's what Maya called them!"

"Yeah, VHS tapes." He turned his attention back to the TV. "Real turf war must be nothing like this!"

"Well, that's a real turf war too," Kim pointed out. "It's just older."

"I used to commentate on turf wars," Callie added. She chuckled. "Cod, has it really been three years? Time flies!"

Charlie jumped at the idol's voice. "Woah! Who are you?!"

"Callie!" Once again, she struck a pose. "You staying fresh?"

The girl nodded. "Yeah!"

Leo confirmed her question as well, chirping, "Yep!"

"Great!" Callie relaxed and walked over to the couch. "Mind if I sit here?"

"Sure," he replied. At his response, she sat down, crossing her legs and leaning back into the cushions. Kim sat down as well, while Perry opted to lean against the wall, crossing his arms as his eyes focused on the TV. A new match had just started, allowing him to catch a glimpse at a younger Alyssa. Her hair was down, waving around from strong winds. Though everyone's ink colors weren't as vibrant due to the nature of that era's technology, her purple eyes still seemed striking. A charger curled around her hands. The match started, and while her teammates charged ahead, she stayed behind to ink the base with orange ink.

While the match definitely wasn't as exciting as a modern-day turf war, he still found his leg bouncing with anticipation upon its end, desperate to see who won. Crossing his figures, he watched as the cameraman pointing the camera towards Judd upon his arrival, surveying the area before giving his final decision. The cat proceeded to strike out an orange flag, and some of Alyssa's teammates cheered, while Alyssa herself merely gave a wry smile.

The camera turned around, and, startled, he immediately recognized who the cameraman was talking too. It was none other than Perry's own father, though he, too, was significantly younger. He seemed to be in his mid-to-late twenties, though, donning a white suit while his purple hair was combed back.

"Impressive," his dad complimented. "These are your sister's friends, right?"

"Yep," the cameraman replied. "Makes me wish I was in college again."

"Those were the times." The younger version of his dad put his hands into his pockets. "And now I'll be CEO of my dad's company sooner or later."

"Where's Mom?" Charlie suddenly cried, her voice drowning out the men's conversation. "I want to see her!"

"Be patient!" Kim insisted, rubbing her back. "You'll see more of her soon!"

The camera soon flew through the sky, landing in front of the inklings who had been battling previously. All of them seemed surprised upon arrival, with one inkling from the other team, a blue-haired girl with light brown skin and golden eyes, stepped up to face the camera.

"Pat?" She lowered her Splattershot Jr., rubbing the back of her head. "Why are you down here?"

"Jerry had the idea to record everyone after the match, too," the cameraman explained. "I thought it would be neat, so...how about you all strike some poses?"

At the mention of the cameraman's name, Perry recalled that Pat was the name of one of his dad's friends. He didn't know him well, but he did know he made ink battle compilations for some company. Judging by this tape, he hadn't been hired by said company yet.

Nonetheless, the blue-haired inklings on the TV proceeded to dramatically fall to the ground, pounding their fists on the ground, while the orange-haired inklings struck bold poses, reminiscent of the poses he saw on more recent compilations.

"Perfect!" Pat exclaimed. "And..." The scene cut off, and moments later, a new turf war began, this one also starring Alyssa. Charlie and Leo both cheered upon seeing the younger version of their mother, who appeared serious as ever.

As the match progressed, Alyssa entered the room, holding Maddie on one of her hands. Upon their arrival, her other kids burst out of their seats, running up to her.

"Mom! Mom!" Charlie exclaimed. "I never knew you were so good with a charger!"

"Could we try one?" Leo asked. "I want to learn how to use it!"

She chuckled. "You're too young to use a proper charger." She patted their heads. "Maybe when you're older."

"Aw..." Leo pouted. "But by then I'll forget!"

"But patience is a good thing," she said. "It may seem like a long time, but time flies, you know."

"OK..." The boy crawled back over to the couch and sat down on it, though he continued to intently watch the TV screen.

But Charlie wouldn't quit. "Please?" She started jumping up and down, purple eyes wide. "Please?"

Alyssa sighed, crossing her arms. "No means no, Charlotte. And that's final."

"Aw..." The girl returned to the couch as well, plopping down on it. Alyssa started to make her way over to the couch as well, and Callie got up, allowing her to replace her spot. Maddie sat on her lap, and the group continued to watch the turf wars on the TV, each match filled with excitement.

As the tape neared its end, Maddie jumped off of Alyssa, raising a hand. "Ooh! How about we watch this DVD I got next?"

The purple-haired actress's eyes widened. "A DVD? From where?"

"Oh, uh..." She rubbed the back of her head, her cheeks darkening with embarrassment. "Um, basically, I found a DVD near the woods during recess. There were some words on it, but it was in a different language. No one at school owned it, so I brought it home." She stomped a foot on the ground. "I was waiting for everyone to get together so we can watch it!"

"Can you bring it down here?" Kim requested. "I want to see it."

"OK!" She ran out of the room, and a few minutes later, she returned, holding a glass case with a silver DVD inside. She held it out towards Kim. "Here you go!"

"Thank you." She took the case and read it, but she only became perplexed. "Huh... I don't understand a single word on this."

Callie lifted her head, now piqued with interest. "Can I see?"

Kim chuckled. "Didn't know you were bilingual."

"'Bilingual?'" Leo tilted his head, confused. "What does that mean?"

"It means you can speak more than one language," Alyssa answered.

"Oh!" Charlie smiled. "That's fresh, Callie!"

"Thanks." A solemn look overcame the idol's features for a few moments, but soon enough, she seemed chipper as ever. "So...can I see it?"

"Yes, yes." Kim handed the case over to her.

"If you're able to read it, then that's great," Alyssa added.

Callie proceeded to read it, though as soon as she finished, her face fell, eyebrows knitting with worry. "Let's...not watch this." She put the DVD away and returned to where she was standing near the wall. "It's related to when I went missing. I don't like thinking about it."

Kim gasped, covering her mouth. "Oh...!"

"I'm sorry!" Maddie immediately blubbered, hugging the idol's leg. "I didn't mean to!"

"I know, I know." She patted her head, and the purple inkling smiled. "It's not your fault." She proceeded to run back to Alyssa, and Callie cleared her throat, announcing, "I just remembered, I gotta call someone." She started walking out of the room, waving goodbye. "See ya in a few!"

Perry waved goodbye as well, smirking. "See ya." As the idol went out of sight, he began to wonder, if what Callie said was true, just how did an Octarian DVD end up in some private school's playground? He would have to tell his friends later, provided someone from the New Squidbeak Splatoon didn't do so first.

But, now was not the time to worry about that. He stepped into the middle of the room, grabbing everyone's attention. "I have an idea," he started. "We could watch some turf wars live." He snickered. "Who knows, maybe we'll see one of my friends."

"Yeah!" Charlie agreed. "That'd be fresh!"

"What about a turf war you're in?" Kim suggested. "Surely it wouldn't be hard to find some old footage."

"On the internet? Sure, but I don't even know where to look," he noted. "The only thing I can think of is the Deca Tournament from last year, but that's all ranked battles."

"The Deca Tournament?" Maddie leaned forward, interested. "Doesn't Off the Hook host that?"

"Yep," Perry confirmed. "I fought in the first one, but not the second one."

"Why not?" Leo puzzled.

"Eh, no one else on my team was interested." He crossed his arms, chuckling. "I didn't want to bother anyone else, so that was that."

"SplatTube can be streamed to this TV," Alyssa mused. "So, we just find a recording of the Deca Tournament, and that way, we can watch the match."

"Should be easy enough," Kim agreed.

"Oh! I can get it!" Charlie declared. She grabbed a remote, switching the TV channel to that of YouTube. She navigated to the search bar, where a keyboard popped up. She handed Perry the remote, and he proceeded to search up the Deca Tournament, and while several clips popped up first, he quickly found a video that recorded the entire thing, all matches included.

"What?!" Maddie blurted. "That's so long!"

"Yeah, can't we find something shorter?" her younger sister agreed.

"Fine." He navigated to a shorter video that started from the top 8. "Does this work?"

"Yeah!" the kids replied. Nodding, he selected the video, and after a few ads, the video was put in full-screen as Off the Hook began to introduce the top eight contestants. Perry stood near the wall again, watching from a distance

When the Cool Rainbow Squids were introduced, Leo pointed to the TV. "Hey, it's you!"

"You have a pretty solid team," Kim mused. "A shooter, a charger, a roller, and a slosher."

Alyssa continued to stare at the screen, deep in thought as she placed a hand on her chin. Whatever she was thinking, Perry couldn't tell what it was.

The first match soon started, consisting of Octa Prisma against a team of inklings he didn't recognize. It was then he realized just how big Octa Prisma had gotten—when they first formed, they only had four members like any other standard team, and they didn't know each other too well. Now, they had seven members like the Rainbow Squids, and their friendship was tight, too. Nonetheless, they had a very obvious lead against the other team.

As time passed, they eventually reached a match where the Cool Rainbow Squids would be fighting. Callie had yet to return, but he reckoned it wasn't important. Alyssa's kids cheered as Perry came on-screen, and they proceeded to root for his team. Towards the middle of the match, though, he found himself with the urge to pee. He turned into a squid and crawled towards Alyssa, tapping her foot. She gasped at the feeling, and she looked down at him, unamused.

"Hey, Alyssa," he started. "Where's the bathroom?"

"It's down the hall," she informed. "A few doors down, but it should be obvious which room it is."

"Got it. Thanks." He crawled away, and once he was far away enough from the TV, he transformed back into a kid, walking down the hall and keeping his eyes peeled. It took no time at all for him find it, and he stepped inside, closing the door behind him and proceeding to relieve himself. Minutes later, he left the bathroom, strolling towards the living room with his hands in his pockets.

Before he reached it, however, something else caught his eye. He stopped in his tracks, turning around to face a room, its doors wide open. The walls were painted beige, cabinets surrounding its perimeter. It reminded him of an antique office, and it was rather tidy, too, with not a single object on the floor. A large, navy rug was in the center of the room, a crest of some sort printed onto it. A desk was towards the back of the room, a small lamp and several papers on top of it. Light filtered in from the window behind, and Perry started to trail towards the center of the room, pausing to look at the trinkets locked within the cabinets. Though many were just decorative, he spotted pictures and awards behind the glass casing.

Eventually, he made his way to behind the desk, where he spotted a lick of paper peeking out of the drawer. His hand hesitated over the handle for a few moments before opening it up, curiosity getting the better of him. Inside were several letters, all written with the same handwriting. It didn't take long for him to realize just who it belonged to—his father.

This must be all the fan mail he sends her, he realized, taking one out of the drawer. Holding it out in front of him, he began to read it.

'Dear Alyssa,' it began. 'How are you? I know you probably won't respond, but I saw you on TV. I'm surprised you got into acting. I know you never liked being in the spotlight. However, I will be watching Mean Squids when it comes out. I know you'll be great.' Perry paused, his eyes widening. He'd been a fan of Alyssa longer than he thought.

...Just how long had they known each other? Nonetheless, he kept reading.

'Perry's been doing good. I don't know if you keep track of his birthday still, but he turns 4 in a few weeks. I read that the Inkopolis Bay Fair starts then, so I plan to take him there. Remember when we went to the beach there a few years ago? I should've brought a camera; you and Perry were so cute together. Well, I hope this finds you well. Love, Jerry.'

He put down the letter. What was his dad even talking about? And why was he even talking about him in the first place? Sure, he did vaguely remember going to the fair when he was a kid, but other than that? The events described were lost on him. Still, curiosity continued to gnaw at him. He set the letter down and pulled out another letter from the drawer. This one seemed more recent.

'Dear Alyssa. Perry turned 14 today. He still can't transform into a squid, though. What about your kids? Are they good? I wish Perry was a kid again, sometimes. I feel like he hasn't been talking to me much lately. But I remember doing the same with my parents when I was his age. I assume the same applies to you. Well, good luck on your new movie. Love, Jerry.'

The letter was shorter this time, and still, no new information had been revealed to him. Sighing, he set the piece of paper down before grabbing another letter. This one dated back to around the time Maddie was born.

'Dear Alyssa. First of all, congratulations on the baby. I hope you're happy now. Though, it does make me wonder what would've happened if you didn't run away. Maybe Perry could have a sister. I think he would enjoy that. He doesn't have many friends, so he seems lonely sometimes. Either way, I think it would be nice to see her some time. Babies are quite cute, after all. Let me know if you ever want to see me. Love, Jerry.'

His eyes widening, Perry read over the letter again. All this talk about running away and potential siblings... Suddenly, the pieces started to click in Perry's head. Now, it meant sense why all these notes seemed affectionate, and why he kept being brought up in his father's letters. But it couldn't be true, could it? Alyssa was a mother who cared about her kids deeply. She couldn't possibly be the same squid who left him when he was a baby.

He needed more proof, and hopefully it would be proof that his mom and Alyssa were not one and the same. He set down the letter he had just read and started digging through the drawer, searching for the oldest letter he could possibly fine. Eventually, he found one yellowed with age, this one dating back to his second birthday. Taking a deep breath, he shakingly opened it up to read its contents.

'Alyssa, I finally found you. Please, come back. Everyone misses you. The maids miss you. Your son misses you. I miss you. At least write back to me. Please. Love, Jerry.'

Shock overcame him, and the letter slipped through his fingers, fluttering down to the desk. It couldn't be true. It just couldn't. But a voice in his head was telling him to stop being in denial, that it was true. They looked alike, after all. If he grew out his hair and mimicked her hairstyle, he'd look like a male version of Alyssa. He found himself releasing a breath he didn't know he was holding, and his eyes started to water up. He sat down at the chair and slammed a fist into the desk, the papers rumbling upon impact.

He heard someone step inside the room, and lifting his head, he found himself staring straight into Alyssa's eyes. Quickly, her expression shifted into one of horror.

"Mom," he muttered, tears stinging his eyes. "You're my mom, aren't you?"

Alyssa said nothing, her mouth instead falling open.

Perry rose from the chair, clenching a fist. "Answer me!"

She closed her mouth and managed a nod. "Yes. I am your mother."

He went silent, stumbling back into the chair. It really was true, then. They continued to stare into each other's eyes, no words passed between them. They were so similar to his own, but at the same time, they were very different. There was no use denying it any further, though—he and Alyssa were related. But as the initial shock passed, his denial quickly turned into anger. A white-hot fury boiling in his veins, he slammed a fist on the desk again, his expression contorting. When he found the ability to speak once more, his words were scathing.

"Then you're a terrible mother," he shouted. "Seriously, who leaves their kid and disappear entirely? Especially when said kid is a baby. And now you live an entirely different life! To the point where I think you've forgotten all about me!"

As he finished his rant, his voice was cracking, and he blinked away tears from his eyes. A deep frown was etched into Alyssa's features, her hands shaking. She averted his glare, and she took a breath before finally answering.

"I've never forgotten you," she began. "Despite how hard I've tried, you can't forget someone you gave birth to that easily." She sighed. "Every time, you and your father somehow manage to work your way back into my brain again. When Noelle told me about your search...I panicked. I tried even harder to come up with some way to get myself as far away from you as I possibly could. But then you showed up at the set, and I soon realized it was only a matter of time before you discovered the truth. Even then, I tried to ward you away...until it all came to this. I guess there was no use delaying the inevitable."

"That doesn't make things better!" he snapped. The fact that his mom willingly tried to push him away? That just made things even worse! "And your reason is just as bad! Leaving because some squid tried to kill you? That's the definition of an overreaction! Did you even think it through?"

"It wasn't just that. Yes, that was the main reason, but...our relationship wasn't the greatest, to be honest." She rubbed her arm. "We fought a lot, and sometimes I felt like I didn't have much say in things. The age gap probably had something to do with it. When you were born, though, a lot of the fighting ceased, since we were so busy taking care of you. But we still had our arguments. A divorce was inevitable, honestly. That attempt on my life only sped up the process."

"But my dad always spoke so highly of you! Didn't you have a high position in the Sculpin Company anyways? Why would you even say that?"

"Maybe that's what he says, but you can't deny reality. Face it, Perry, there are some people you don't know as well as you think you do. He may've gotten better as time passed on, but it's been years since the last time I properly talked to him. After all, the entire time I knew him, he was an arrogant, stubborn man. Under all that was someone I loved...but it faded away before I knew it."

"That still doesn't change the fact that you aban..." Perry's voice trailed off, unable to finish his sentence. He looked down at his feet, his tears cold against his cheeks. His fury started to fade away, despair returning and threatening to overtake him.

Why was he upset? Shouldn't he be happy that he finally found his mom? But at the same time, as he learned more and more about her, she started to be framed in a different light in his mind. Someone who selfish, acting on only her own interests. Now that he knew who she truly was...

He stood up from the chair, wiping his cheeks against his sleeve. In an instant, he ran out of the room, Alyssa calling after him. He continued to wander the halls, eventually finding an exit outside. He pried the door open and stepped out, a bitter cold breeze hitting him. Finding a patch of grass just before the hill sloped downwards, he sat down in it, bringing his knees to his chest. There, he sat, watching as the sun dipped below the horizon, tinting the sky orange.

He didn't know how long he had been sitting there when he heard some footsteps approaching him. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Kim standing a few feet from him, a frown on his face. When he didn't object, she proceeded to sit down beside him, facing the sky.

"Did you know?" he murmured, grabbing her attention.

"Yes," she replied, sea green eyes sparkling in the twilight. "She wanted to keep it a secret, though. So I did just that."

"You knew I was looking for my mom," Perry grumbled. "You didn't think to tell me?"

"A secret is a secret, Perry. To share a secret would be to betray someone's trust."

"Even when that secret could hurt someone the longer they keep it?"

"Even in that case, yes."

Perry only hugged his knees even closer, sniffling. Alyssa's image would forever be tainted in his mind. All thanks to his curiosity getting the better of him.

Speaking of Alyssa, she arrived a few minutes later, holding a box. Something blue poked out from the top, and she sat down next to Perry, placing it in front of him. Perry lowered his legs, now sitting crisscrossed as he peered inside the box. It contained several pictures, mostly depicting his dad and Alyssa together, and he spotted a baby inkling with them sometimes, too. On top of all of them was a narwhal plushie, its once vibrant colors now dull.

"After you stormed off, I started thinking, and eventually, I decided that I should give them to you," she explained. "I took almost everything related to me when I moved out of your house. But that was so long ago...I figure your dad should have them back. He'd have more use for it than me."

Perry picked up the narwhal plushie. "What about this? Doesn't seem related at all."

"That's a baby toy," Alyssa replied. Before he could object, she added, "I know, you're almost an adult. But I figured you should have it. I bought it for you for your first Squidmas, but then...that, happened. I never ended up giving it to you, and I took it with me. I used it for my own kids, but now that they're old enough not to need it anymore, it'd be better off in your hands."

He stroked a hand across the plushie's body, feeling the soft fabric against his fingertips. "...Thank you." It was the least he could say.

"You're welcome." She dipped her head. "Even if you never speak to me again after this, it felt wrong to just let you go without giving you something."

"Hey," a new voice greeted. Turning around, he saw Callie standing in the doorway, her face quickly falling. "...Is this a bad time?"

"No," Perry answered. "You can come here."

The idol proceeded to join the group, sitting down next to Kim. She leaned over her, staring at the box Alyssa had brought. "Did something happen?"

"A lot of things," he continued. "Namely, I found my mom."

Callie's eyes widened. "Woah, congrats! But... I thought you'd be happy. Instead, you're sulking around like you lost a Tower Control match by one point."

He chuckled at her attempt to cheer him up. "It's more complicated than that. You see..."

"I'm his mother," Alyssa interjected, much to the idol's surprise. "Sudden, I know. Whatever you have to say, I've probably already heard it."

"Well, um... That's not what I was expecting." She frowned, muttering something under her breath.

"...You're not mad, too, are you?" the actress asked.

"I kind of am, actually," she admitted, "but it's not my business. After all..." She looked over at Alyssa, smiling. "You're a good person deep down, and that's the important part."

She nodded, dipping her head. "It feels nice to hear that. Thank you." They returned their attention towards the sky, faint stars twinkling in the darkness. "I'm surprised how late it's gotten."

"Me too," Kim agreed. Looking over at Perry, she asked, "You wanna go home?"

"Yeah." He nodded his head. "I just want this day to end."

Alyssa leaned closer to him. "Not even a picture?"

"Nope."

She sighed. "A shame. It would also give me an excuse to tell your half-siblings about you..."

That's right, he remembered. Maddie, Charlie, and Leo are all related to me, too. Still, he shook his head, insistent. He still needed more time to process everything.

"Alright, alright." The actress stood up, walking over the payment and tapping her foot on it. "C'mon, let's go."

Perry placed the plushie back inside the box and picked it up, following Alyssa through the halls of her own mansion. As they passed the living room, Perry spotted the kids, all sitting on the catch as they watched something on TV. Charlie turned her head and quickly noticed the box Perry was holding, jumping off the couch as running towards him.

"Hey!" she called. "Why do you have Wally?"

Leo ran over to them, too, surprised. "What? He has Wally?!"

Before Perry could answer, Alyssa interjected, "I'm giving him to him."

"Why?" Charlie asked.

"Well, er..." She and Perry exchanged glances, and with a nod, she proceeded to shout, "Maddie, could you come over here?"

"Aw, this was just getting to the good part," she whined. Regardless, she obeyed her mother's command, jumping off the couch and joining the group. "Now, what is it?"

"You see, Perry..." She hesitated for a few moments before finally giving an answer. "He's your half-brother."

Maddie and Charlie's mouths fell open, but Leo stared at them, puzzled. "What's a half-brother?"

"It means we have the same mom, but not the same dad," Perry explained.

"Oh." The little boy nodded. "OK."

"So...is he living with us now?" Maddie perplexed.

"No, no!" Alyssa replied. "He lives with his dad. I just wanted to give him something before he leaves, that's all. Now, we have to get going." The purple-haired actress looked over at Kim. "You don't mind watching them, do you?"

"Not at all," Kim replied, walking over to the couch. "C'mon, squids. Let's keep watching."

"Bye!" Charlie called before running back over to the couch.

"Come back soon!" Maddie exclaimed.

Perry shrugged. He wasn't sure if he would be coming back to Alyssa's mansion any time soon, but he would feel a little bad if he just never saw her kids again. She was right—they really were cute kids! But at the same time, he wasn't always the most thrilled to take care of children, no matter who they were. Nonetheless, he waved goodbye, and Alyssa proceeded to lead him and Callie outside, where they climbed into the car. They drove off, heading to Perry's house first, seeing as it was closer.

When they arrived at his mansion, he spotted his dad standing just outside his car, fumbling with his keys. At their return, he lifted his head, eyes wide. He put his keys into his pockets and walked up to the window, staring at Alyssa.

"Where did you take him this time?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"I think he can answer that," she replied. Moments later, Perry climbed out of the car, holding the box his mother had given him. His dad took it and looked inside.

"So..." He took one of the pictures out of the box, examining it. "You found your mom."

"Yeah." Perry sighed, looking over at Alyssa. "Still don't know how to feel about it, but it is what it is."

His dad nodded. "Well...thank you." He smiled. "It's been a long time since I've last laid my eyes on these photos."

"You're welcome." Still, Alyssa donned a poker face. "I need to get going."

"Wait!" Perry turned into a squid, leaping inside the car and wrapping his arms around her. Though the actress let out a gasp, startled by the sudden action, she eventually returned the hug, patting his back as a small smile tugged at her lips.

"Even after everything..."

"You're still my mom. It'd just feel weird if you left without a chance to say goodbye."

"So that's how it is." They let go, and she dropped Perry out of the car, where he reformed back into a kid. "Well, goodbye, Perry. May we meet again." With that, she pulled out of the driveway, and the car she drove grew smaller and smaller, disappearing into the night.

Now, only Perry and his dad remained. The former took the narwhal plushie out of the box, hugging it close to him. They stepped inside the house, and Perry retired for the night, ready to bring an end to such a long day. He needed it.

A/N: At last, Perry's mother has been revealed! I'm a little surprised no one guessed it beforehand. But, it is what it is. This is also the angriest Perry has ever been in this story, so that was fun to write. Sometimes the people who are scariest when angry are the ones who never get mad. But even then, he calms down pretty quickly. Poor guy... Well, expect something less heavy next chapter. Some plot-related things, but also something rather light-hearted. See you next week, and Branchwing, out!