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Agent 4: Geneva worrying about being alone is more complicated than that. It stems from her time in the Deepsea Metro - so much time spent down there can scar anyone. Though she appreciates privacy, she still can't imagine life without her friends and family. This especially rings true when she's Agent 3 - having no one to back you up is a very dangerous situation. And yes, Cap'n Cuttlefish wanting to retire is referring to Splatoon 3. Though, I feel like it was mentioned before in Splatoon 2. I just forget where.

Anyways, onto the story.

Bonnie's PoV

Out of all sports, football was probably Bonnie's least favorite. Who would even be interested in watching a bunch of men throw a ball around? It was a sentiment shared by many other inklings her age, yet for whatever reason, it still retained an audience.

Her dad was one such fan of football, and he managed to secure two tickets to the championship game. He initially wanted to invite her mother to watch, but she was busy with work. So, he asked Bonnie instead. Unable to say no, she accepted the offer, and now she sat back in the stands, watching as two teams poured out into the field, separated by opposite colors. A lady began to sing, and she checked her phone for any texts. Nothing. Sighing, her eyes traveled down to the arena once more.

"Look who it is," a new voice commented in the midst of the singing. Bonnie turned her head to the source of the voice to find Patch, Zip, and Tackle, all standing between the bleachers. Patch had been the speaker, a toothy grin on his face.

She blinked, surprised. "I didn't think you were into football."

"Eh, the tickets were cheap," he said with a shrug. "What can I say? It's somethin' to do."

"Cheap?! Aren't they like, 30,000G per ticket?"

"We bought them off of someone for a much lower price," Tackle explained. "I was worried they wouldn't be legit, but low behold, they are."

"We can't just sneak in here, y'know," Zip added. "Those detectors can sniff out anything."

At the sound of his voice, Bonnie's dad had finally snapped out of the trance the game had enthralled him in and looked over at the newcomers. "Oh? Beth's child, hello." He studied the other two boys, and Bonnie could see him clench a fist. "I see you're with those...friends she keeps mentioning."

Zip grumbled, rolling his eyes. "C'mon, let's go," he told the others. "I don't want to deal with him."

Her eyes widened as they walked further down the stands. "Huh? Hey, wait!"

She got up from her seat, but before she could run after them, her dad stood up and grabbed her shirt collar, pulling her back. "Now, now, Bonnie," he reminded her. "Beth distrusts them for a reason. I don't want you falling in with the same squad."

She turned around to see his eyebrows furrowing. "C'mon, Dad. Zip can hang out with them. Why can't I?"

"Because Beth is the one responsible for him," he argued. "I'm not her, Bonnie. Our parenting styles are very different."

"In that case, then the Rainbow Squids would be forbidden too, wouldn't they?" she argued. "Some of them do remind me of Zip's friends. Besides, Yuri's friends with them, too. They're not bad at all!"

Her dad's eyes widened, his mouth falling open ever-so-slightly. "W-Well!" As quickly as he had become flustered, he adapted that stony face of his again. "T-That's different. You've been friends with them for a very long time. If we thought they were bad for you, we would've forbidden you a long time ago."

Unable to come up with anything else to defend herself, she sat back down, defeated. Her dad patted her head and placed his hands on his stomach, resuming his attention back to the game. Without anything else to do, Bonnie focused her attention on the football game, too. The first quarter had started, and a ball flew across the field, the football players chasing after it.

The minutes ticked on, and even by the end of the first quarter, she was already consumed with boredom. She started searching the stands for Patch and his friends. Where could they have possibly gone? Unfortunately, she could not search further without getting up from her seat. If she did, her dad would be suspicious, and without an excuse, she would not be allowed to go further.

As the second quarter started, an idea popped into her head. "Hey, Dad," she started, looking over at him.

"What?" he quickly asked, his eyes still focused on the game.

"Can I go buy some food?" She clasped her hands together, hoping that her plan would work.

"Sure." He reached into his pocket for his wallet, and then he pulled out some cash. "Get me some TentaCola, will you?"

With a smile, she nodded. "I will."

Rising from her seat, she took another glance at the bottom of the stands before walking inside the arena, hoping that she would spot Patch and his friends down there. Unfortunately, she didn't, and she began to hope they would be ordering food or something. On the other hand, people usually didn't order food until halftime. Sighing, she began to wander around the lobby, searching for someone she knew.

After a few minutes of searching, she gave up and started looking for the food stand. She didn't want to keep her father waiting, after all. Eventually, she found it. The line was shorter than she expected it to be, with only a few people crowding around it. Workers moved behind the counter, preparing food for its patrons. Her head low, she entered the line. She could've sworn she heard someone calling her name, but after looking around, she decided she must've imagined it.

Someone put a hand on her shoulder, and she jumped, whipping around to see who. She found herself staring into Victor's purple eyes, his lips turned downwards in a frown. He wore a sports jersey over his Black Inky Rider—a true crime in the name of fashion.

"Sorry," he apologized. "It was the only way I could get your attention." He laughed. "So...what are you doing here?"

"I'm with my dad," she replied. "I could ask the same to you."

His frown only deepened. "I thought you did not like your parents. Why would you go with them."

"H-Hey!" she protested, flustered. "Please answer my question!"

"Fine." He raised his hands up in front of him. "I'm with Eden. She is in the bathroom right now, though."

Having calmed down, Bonnie stared at him. "Huh. I didn't know Eden was a football fan."

His eyes broke contact with hers for a few moments before continuing, "Haha, yeah. She is quite interested in Inkopolis culture."

"You do learn something new every day..." she mused quietly.

"What?"

"Never mind." She looked back at the food stand. The line had gotten a little longer, and if she didn't act soon, then she would be back by halftime, and her dad would only even more curious. As much as she didn't want to be with him right now, she did not want to face his wrath. "I should get in line."

"I can come with you," Victor offered. Smiling, he outstretched a honey-skinned hand. "I can pay."

"No, no, my dad gave me money." She reached into her pocket and showed off the cash he had given her. "He just thinks I'm in line right now. If he notices that someone else paid for me, then he'll get suspicious."

He punched a fist into the palm of his hand. "What, does he not think you can have friends? If you show me where he is sitting, I can knock some sense into him."

Bonnie's eyes went wide with alarm. "No, don't!" She grabbed his wrist and forcefully pushed it down. "If you do that, then he won't let me see you or your team for sure!"

He slouched. "OK, I won't." Pouting, he quickly added, "Can you not tell your dad to stop?"

She groaned. "It's more complicated than that." Bonnie took another glance towards the line. It had only grown, to the point where Bonnie worried she was taking too long. "Now I really gotta get in line."

"Is it really that urgent?" he continued to press. "We could hang out longer until Eden comes back. Even then, perhaps she would like for you to tag along."

"If you want to keep talking to me, then you're coming with me," she declared.

At last, Victor conceded. "Fine."

Finally, they entered the line, and Bonnie's eyes drifted up to the menu. Burgers, fries, chicken tenders, and even pizza! Though she could smell the grease from here, it would be nice to eat something so crispy and savory. Victor, on the other hand, didn't seem to have much interest in the menu, as he continued blabbing on.

"It has been a while since we were last alone together," he commented, digging his hands into his pockets. "When we have the time, I can take you out on another ride."

Bonnie stared at him, unimpressed. "It hasn't even been a month," she pointed out. "Nearly a month, sure, but not exactly."

"I have only been in Inkopolis for about two or three months," Victor countered. "To me, that is a lot of time."

Her eyes widened. "You don't care about the eighteen years before that?!"

Annoyed, he placed his hands on his hips. "First of all, you do not remember anything when you are a baby, so it is more like fifteen years. Second of all, you are underestimating the effects of the Calamari Inkantation. If you were in my situation, you would discard your old life in a heartbeat."

She went silent with a squeak, and immediately, Victor's expression softened. "...Is something wrong?"

"It's..." She gulped, the words on the tip of her tongue. Perhaps she underestimated life in the Octarian domes. While some octolings spoke of their past so casually, others wanted nothing to do with it. However, out of everyone, Victor was the first to denounce it so harshly. She just couldn't understand why. "...Never mind," she finished.

An awkward silence hung between them, and as they moved along in the line, Victor eventually cleared his throat. "Ahem. My offer to go on a ride is still valid."

Bonnie narrowed her eyes. "No."

"No?" he repeated, bewildered. "But you went with me last time!"

She shook her head. "That was different. I can't just hop on a motorcycle any time I like."

"Maybe you should." With a smirk, the octoling crossed his arms. "It is fun!"

"Still a no."

He groaned. "C'mon...please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"I said, no!" Bonnie took another glance over at the line. "Besides, we gotta order now."

Victor scoffed, digging his hands into his pockets and looking away. "Have it your way, then."

They stepped up to the counter, where a sardine with multiple piercings across her body was taking orders. "Welcome to Fishy Eats," she greeted. "May I take your order?"

"Yes." She glanced up at the menu again before meeting the sardine's eyes and requesting, "I'll have a slice of cheese pizza, a cup of TentaCola, and a cup of lemonade."

"And I will have a slice of anchovy pizza," Victor butted in.

Bonnie looked over at him, her mouth agape. "Anchovy pizza? That's the worst one!"

"It is seafood; it cannot be that bad," he said, brushing off her words. "I think you worry too much. I will be fine."

She paid for the food, and then she added, "It's your downfall."

A few minutes later, the cashier returned with two plates, handing their respective dishes over to them. She then placed two drinks into a cup tray and pushed it towards Bonnie, bowing. "Thank you for your patronage!"

"No problem," the blue-haired girl remarked. Together, Bonnie and Victor walked away from the food stand. The latter took a bite into his pizza, and though disgust crossed his features, he forced himself to swallow it. A small smile touched Bonnie's lips, satisfied that her prediction came true.

Eventually, they reached an exit down towards the stands. Eden stood near it, her back turned to the wall. Victor finished his pizza and tossed the empty plate into the trash can before slowing his gait to a crawl, creeping up on her. Just before he could jump out at her, she looked over her shoulder, red eyes gleaming, and swung an arm at his gut, knocking the air out of him.

"You must be really foolish if you are trying to scare me," she commented. Like Victor, she wore a sports jersey, though she did not wear it over anything. However, the team her jersey depicted was not in the championship—Bonnie knew that much.

"Not even...among friends?" he wheezed.

She crossed her arms. "I would not consider us friends...yet."

Bonnie cleared her throat, stepping up to the two octolings and grabbing their attention. "But you two are hanging out together, aren't you?" She exchanged glances with them before continuing, "I know you're on the team, but some teams only get together to practice. It's not common for teams to just hang out if they're not friends, too."

"Well, we are the exception," Eden argued. "You are correct—we are on the same team, and for now, I intend to keep our relationship to just teammates. It is mainly Victor that is making the effort to become friends with me."

Bonnie frowned. "Can't you lighten up? You can't be serious all the time."

"Yeah, you are being more serious than Trace right now," Victor agreed. "And he is one of the most serious people I have ever met."

"Would you consider Trace your friend?" When no answer came, Eden smiled and concluded, "I thought so."

"I-I am trying to become his friend," he defended. "He is trying, too, unlike you!"

Now, it was Eden's turn to go silent. Frowning, she studied the duo, her eyes a little strained. Bonnie could only hope they had finally gotten through to her, but it was impossible to tell what she was thinking.

It didn't take long for Eden to muster an answer, however. "Is that so...?" she muttered. With a sigh, she continued, louder, "I recommend that you go, Bonnie. This conversation is for me and Victor only."

Bonnie squeaked, surprised by her sudden hostility. "Y-Yes!"

With a nod, she scrambled off, running back out into the stands, the roars of football fans booming through the stadium as the home team scored a goal. When she found her father, though, he was not smiling and cheering like everyone else. His eyebrows were furrowed with annoyance, intimidation radiating off of him. Trembling, she sat down and handed the cup tray over to him, taking a bite out of her pizza. It had cooled off some, but it was still warm enough that she didn't mind.

Taking a sip out of his TentaCola, her dad asked, "What took you so long? Was the line really that bad?"

She had been prepared for that question. "Yes," she replied.

Thankfully, her dad believed it. "Interesting." He propped his legs up on the seat in front of him, continuing to consume his beverage. "Well, you're just in time for halftime. I heard they brought in Diss-Pair for this show. You know them, right?"

"Yeah," she confirmed. "Their music is everywhere in turf wars right now."

"That's what I thought." He groaned. "I keep hearing it at work. I'm so sick of them by now."

"What?" If there was anything she would argue with her parents with, it was music. At least it would carry no consequences. "They're so fresh! How could you possibly not like them?"

"Of course you would like them," her dad grumbled. "I think they're generic. To modern music, they add nothing new."

She shook her head. "They're plenty unique. You just wait and see."

A few minutes later, after the football players scattered, a stage with various equipment on it began moving out onto the field, towed by jellyfish. Once it was centered, they scattered, and a man's voice started to boom across the field.

"Now introducing...Diss-Pair!" he declared. The crowd cheered as a spotlight landed on two tall figures, Ikkan and Warabi, walking out onto the field. They climbed the stage, and after some banter between the two, they immediately launched into their first song of the show, Seasick. Bonnie tapped her foot to the beat as they sang, smiling.

After they finished, some people in the stands closer to the field threw flowers out into the field, and some jellyfish immediately came to clean it up. Warabi struck a pose, while Ikkan shook his head in disapproval. They started their next song, and Bonnie's dad shook his head, rising from his seat.

"I'm going to the restroom," he announced. "Are you done with your food?"

"Just the pizza." She picked the empty plate off the ground and handed it to him before taking another sip of her lemonade.

"Alright." A fly flew onto the plate, and he swatted it off before stepping over Bonnie and walking up the stairs, disappearing from sight.

As Diss-Pair's music continued to flow through the stadium, Bonnie set her sights on the crowd, searching for Patch and his friends once more. Just before she gave up, she finally spotted two of them towards the front of their section, bopping their heads along. Conspicuously, Tackle was absent. She just figured he was in the bathroom, but at that moment, she saw him fly down the stairs, running over to his friends and shaking Zip rather aggressively. Though Zip appeared to be annoyed at first, both his and Patch's eyes widened a few moments later. Bonnie leaned forward in her seat, interested. If only she knew what they were saying!

Patch and his friends huddled together in discussion, and the dark-skinned boy rose from his seat before the other two boys forced him back down. She could just imagine Patch groaning as he shook his head, eyebrows furrowed. Their eyes met momentarily, and Bonnie felt herself gasp. Embarrassed, she turned attention back towards the field, where Diss-Pair had finished their second song. What would they do now? If her dad spotted her with them, she wouldn't be seeing them again for sure.

Luckily, her dad returned before Patch and his friends could act, and she forced herself to look away from them as he sat down in his seat. The concert continued on, and Bonnie clutched her cup of lemonade close to her, drinking it. Quickly, she found it empty, and with disappointment, she continued to watch the show. Soon enough, it ended, and the football players returned to the field, proceeding with the game.

A couple hours later, the game finally ended after going into overtime. The home team proved victorious, and the audience erupted into cheers. Bonnie covered her ears from the noise, clenching her teeth. Her dad seemed to take pity on her, as he grabbed her arm and helped her up to her feet.

"The game's done, and we should be going," he declared. "We don't want to be caught up in the crowd, after all."

"Yeah," she agreed with an uneasy nod. She glanced behind her shoulder for one last look at Patch, Zip, and Tackle, but she couldn't see them. Pouting, she followed her dad out of the stadium, into the parking lot. She lowered her arms, the winter breeze cold against her skin. The moon had started to rise high into the sky, and Bonnie rubbed her eyes underneath her glasses, tired. Too bad she had school tomorrow. If she didn't, then she would be sleeping in for sure.

When they arrived at the car, her dad rose a hand. "Wait here," he commanded. "I have to go to the restroom again." Without waiting for an answer, he dashed off, a blue ponytail trailing behind him as he disappeared into the night.

Bonnie pulled out her phone and opened up Squidsagram, scrolling through the recent posts. She frowned upon seeing Octavia and Alexis together, posing in front of a Fresh Fish standee at Wahoo World, armed with an Octobrush Nouveau and Hero Dualies respectively. They had opposing ink colors, indicating that they were in a turf war match. If Bonnie hadn't been forced to go to this football game, she could've been with them! Scowling, she lifted her head to check for her dad before returning her attention to her phone.

She noticed some people walking near her, and while she thought it was her dad at first, it turned out to be Patch and his friends instead. They paused in front of her, staring straight into her eyes.

"Um..." She broke eye contact with them, averting their gazes. "Did something happen?"

"Uh..." Tackle started, directing her attention to him. He went silent, studying her. Bonnie couldn't help but grow uncomfortable. She hadn't noticed it before, but looking at him more closely, he started to remind her of something. ...Or someone. Whatever it was, she couldn't quite place it.

Eventually, he shook his head. "Forget it," he muttered. "C'mon squids, let's go."

"Huh?" Bonnie reached out a hand for them. "Hey, you-"

But they were already gone. Despair crushing her, she lowered her head, trying not to cry. Did she do something wrong? Was it her dad's fault?

Before she could settle on an answer, her dad returned, unlocking the car. "Get in," he demanded. "We're leaving."

"Yes."

They climbed inside the car, and Bonnie sunk into the cushions, her mind swarming with thoughts. Patch, Zip, Tackle, Victor, Eden... So many familiar faces, yet everything went wrong. She knew it wasn't her fault Victor and Eden acted the way they did, but the others? Something had to be up.

When she met them again, she would have to ask them herself. But that day would not come today.

A/N: Another short one, sorry. Just something fun while also setting up things to happen in the coming chapters. And another instance of Bonnie not liking her parents. I wanted to show their more controlling side here. Well, her dad specifically, at least. I think we've seen enough of her mom, so it's nice to get some stuff about her dad, too. Anyways, that's it for me. Branchwing, out.