A/N: How the heck did I manage to get this done in two days!?
Cap'n Cuttlefish's shack, Octo Valley
"Lila! How are you feeling?"
Kal immediately rushed to Lila's side as soon as she and Captain Vale left Cuttlefish's shack.
Lila rubbed her eyes upon exiting. "Tired"
"She just woke up, give her some time." Vale explained.
Captain Vale was now carrying a boombox with her, which was playing the Calamari Inkantation, it seemed like she was taking no more chances with Octavio and his form of mind control and planned to listen to the Inkantation at all times now.
Kal thought to question why Lila had to be asleep during whatever de-mindcontroling process Vale just used, but didn't.
"She's shouldn't feel compelled to obey those trigger words anymore, observe. Lila, it would be much appreciated if you perform a handstand for us right now."
"Hmm? Why?" Lila asked, still half asleep.
"Hey, there aren't going to be any side effects, like say…. Lila is always going to look drowsy from now on?" Kal asked
"Of course not, it doesn't work like that." Vale replied.
Kal turned back to Lila "Hey Lila, it would be much appreciated if you joined us in Octo Valley."
Lila looked to Kal in surprise. "What? Really? But I really don't want to see Octo Valley anymore."
Lila's response was an uncertain one.
"Sorry I just had to check." Kal explained.
"Well if you are satisfied, we should get back to the lair as quickly as possible." Vale said
Kal nodded, and turned to Lila "Let's get you back to the orphanage."
Kalus and Captain Vale went in opposite directions.
"Come on Agent 3." Vale said.
"I think I'll go with Kal, you know, just in case something happens on the way back."
"Hey I can handle myself just fine!" Kal protested
"Ehh…" Inker smiled awkwardly.
"I'll send Eliza here as soon as we get back, now come on."
"Eliza? I'm sure literally anyone else would be a better choice."
"Fine then, I'll send anyone but Eliza."
"Why not Lynn? She's familiar with Kal already. Why are you in such a hurry to get back?" Inker asked.
"Because I've wasted too much time in these past days! Now come on, let's get going."
"Hey at least give the Cap'n his boombox back."
Vale was planning on keeping that boombox with her the whole time so that she could keep her mind clear using Calamari Inkantation.
"Ahh I let her keep it. It's a gift, from one cap'n to another." Cuttlefish explained
"Weren't you two at each other's necks just a while ago?"
"Ahhh that's in the past, anyone who is a fan of the Squid Sisters and their squidtastic grooves is a friend of mine!" Cuttlefish declared
Vale nodded "Besides, it's only natural for there to be some bit of rivalry between us captains of opposite races. Still, there's no hard feelings, heck I wouldn't mind grabbing a drink and discussing strategy with you, should we meet again. Ahh but that's unlikely."
'Rivalry? You two were practically staring daggers into each other every time your eyes met. Does one song really make that big of a difference?' Inker wondered.
"Ahh right, what about the crates?" Kal remembered
"Crates?"
They almost forgot such a conspicuous bunch of items.
"Yeah, Neon felt bad about leaving us to dry, so she spent a lot of money on extra rations for your splatoon."
"In that case I'll send some Octolings here to retrieve it, for now Agent 3, I want you to return to the lair with me, there is a lot we must do."
Guerilla hideout, Octo Valley
When Vale returned, she was back to the normal self, not the one which sat around doing nothing, but the one which did everything to accomplish her goals.
Inker and Vale were greeted by Lynn as soon as they returned, Lynn handed Vale the report she requested and Vale began giving orders left and right.
"Lynn, find some volunteers among the refugees who can carry heavy loads and send them to the manhole leading to Inkopolis to retrieve some supplies left there. Just in case Octavia tries to intercept them, send a squad of soldiers as well. Also, go find Victoria Holter and meet me in the sparring room as soon as possible."
Lynn smiled seeing Vale's reenergized self.
This was the captain she and all the other Octarians trusted.
The real hero of Ark Polaris.
"Right away ma'am!" Lynn saluted Vale and hurried off into the lair.
"What about me?" Inker asked
"You're coming with me."
Vale took Inker to the sparring room, where a few other soldiers were, they stood at attention as soon as Vale entered and Vale quickly dismissed them.
"Umm, what are we doing here? Don't tell me you want to fight me again, I really can't beat you in a fistfight." Inker reminded Captain Vale
"We call that hand to hand combat here, and you're right. Despite your achievements against Octavio and the army, you still managed to lose to me, that is unacceptable."
"It's just cause I hardly ever fight without weapons."
"Oh is that so? Then what about your friend Neon? She was at least able to tie with me."
"Yeah but that's Neon we are talking about. She's probably the most unpredictable Inkling on the planet."
"Unpredictable, yes that's right, being unpredictable will give you an edge in combat."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because, Agent 3, I can't keep this up. I keep thinking that I can simply resist Octavio's control and get rid of Octavia, but if anything these past weeks have shown me that I can't."
"But the Calamari Inkantation! That helped you get back on track didn't it?"
"Yes but what's the use? I can't fight while listening to music, i'm pretty much losing one of my senses in exchange for freedom and there's no telling if the Inkantation will fail someday. The most I can do now is to prepare you and the others for the upcoming conflict."
"I think i'm fine."
"No you really aren't. Haven't you already been splatted several times by now?"
"Well yes, but that was to save those who can't respawn."
"In other words, you are far too dependant on your whole respawning gimmick. If you had properly planned ahead, you wouldn't need to get yourself splatted. Get ready Agent 3. You might be used to turf war games and whatever Cuttlefish did to train you, but in these next few weeks I'm going to give you some Octarian military training."
Inker just stood there and shivered at Vale's declaration.
"Heh, uhhh… can I pass?"
"No. Didn't you say you wanted Inklings and Octarians to stop fighting? This may be your chance to make that dream a reality. Once I'm done with you, Victoria and Lynn. You three will be the ones to really make a difference."
"Victoria, the captain wants to see you."
Lynn brought Victoria to the sparring room, where she was tossing Inker around in many different ways.
"Lynn! Victoria! Good, you are all here."
"What did you want me for?" Victoria asked
"Simple, to train you."
"Train me? I've already been-"
"Trained? By the regular officers in the Octarian army yes, but that won't suffice. Right now you need to be all you can be, I'll make sure of that. You too Lynn."
"E-ehhh!? Me? But umm, why me?"
"Who else would be more trustworthy than my adjutant?"
Victoria was surprised by this sudden development, but she was also a little excited.
All her life, she dreamed of becoming a perfect soldier, a great defender of Octo Valley.
She had spent years preparing herself to enroll in the Octarian army, while she may have lost faith in Acting Leader Octavia and befriended Inklings, being a soldier was still something she looked forward to.
In other words, this was an opportunity she could not pass up.
To think that an Elite Octoling was offering to train her and such a well respected one at that.
Victoria beamed, and alongside the still fidgeting Lynn she exclaimed
"We're in!"
"Good, for starters let's practice hand to hand combat, think you can take on Agent 3?"
Vale helped Inker back on his feet, where he then faced off against Victoria.
"So uhh, are we supposed to fight?" Inker asked.
"Of course? What do you think hand to hand combat is?" Victoria replied "I lost to you once in Inkopolis back when we were enemies, so today I can even the score!"
"Alright! If you're so confident, then come at me!"
After bringing Lila back to the Molluscs of Mercy orphanage, Kal returned to Octo Valley, he found around two dozen Octolings at Cap'n Cuttlefish's shack.
They were there to retrieve all the food that Neon had bought for them.
Kal recognised the Octoling leading the bunch as the one who held a grudge against Inker, Eliza.
Inker had insisted that Vale send anyone but Eliza, however Vale forgot to pass on those instructions to Lynn when she sent her to pick a squad to send to the manhole.
Of course, Eliza's personal grudge only applied to Inker and not Inklings as a whole, so she had no problem with Kal.
Kal helped Eliza and the Octolings carry the crates full of rations to Vale's hideout.
When they arrived, Kal happened to pass by a curious looking Sky.
"I thought you and Neon went back to Inkopolis, Where did you get all this stuff?" he asked
"Neon bought it."
"Huh?"
"Neon bought it, she ran off as soon as we made it to Inkopolis, then when I brought Lila to Cuttlefish's place Neon showed up with a bunch of jellyfish hauling these things."
Sky sighed "Really… Neon doing something unnecessary again."
"I don't know, Neon seemed very self conscious about leaving us to participate in the splatfest. She actually wanted you to know directly and was shouting into Inker's Hero suit just in case you happened to have your headset on."
"I don't wear that very often, but did Neon really want me to know specifically?"
"Yes, she called you by name."
"Hmm, I wonder if this is because I called her an unreliable buffoon. That troublesome girl, don't tell me she put herself in debt just to try and make herself useful." Sky muttered.
"Still, at least she tries to make up for leaving us to indulge herself in Inkopolis. Honestly though, I kinda want to do the same."
"You too huh? Same here."
It goes without saying that everyone who ever enjoyed Turf Wars was looking forward to it.
But unlike Neon, Sky was determined to show self restraint and only return if there are no consequences.
Consequences being that he'd need an escort to get back to Inkopolis.
Besides he was still studying Octarian and was almost capable of fluent speech, though his vocabulary is still lacking.
Kal, on the other hand, did want to leave, but he felt uneasy at the thought of it.
He told himself that it was simply because he knew too many people down here.
Inker and Sky could return to Inkopolis with him, but not Lynn and Victoria.
There were some things that were just more important to Kal.
That night.
"Ahhhh! Everything hurts." Inker complained as he lay in his bunk bed.
"What happened to you?" Kalus asked
Inker had spent the entire day training with Vale, Lynn and Victoria.
"Did Vale kick you around the block again?"
"If only, I thought I was better, I mean come on! I'm Agent 3 for crying out loud! When did I get so weak?"
Inker knew he couldn't take on Captain Vale in unarmed combat, but he didn't expect Victoria and even Lynn to best him.
"Victoria never stops trying to improve herself, from what I've seen, being a soldier is everything to her." Kal explained.
"Okay I get that, but I beat her once before, I didn't think so much would change in these past few months. Lynn too, she looks acts so shy and nervous around me but even she still managed to pin me down once!"
In that particular event, Lynn was surprised she managed to take down Agent 3, she didn't believe it at first and asked if Inker was feeling sick or hungry, which only hurt Inker's pride further.
"Well, I think I saw Lynn practicing with Neon before." Kal recalled.
"Even though you are Agent 3, that doesn't mean you won't fall behind." Sky added
"I'm not falling behind! If this was anything like Turf Wars I wouldn't have any trouble!"
"But that's the thing, this isn't Turf Wars. Victoria has been telling me that all the time." Kal replied.
"Stop it, seriously I'm starting to feel useless now. I think I'll turn in early."
'No you aren't nearly as useless as me.' Kal wanted to say.
He hadn't been doing anything noteworthy as of late and was starting to feel anxious about it.
Over the next week, Captain Vale's splatoon found itself being led by a newly motivated Captain Vale.
"Eliza take your squad and mix yourselves in with the protesting Octarians, observe the army and take note of which Elite Octoling is leading which splatoon."
"Yes ma'am"
"Sui, your squad is going to the Undercity as well, your job is to keep an eye on Eliza's squad and help them escape if needed."
"Understood ma'am."
"Ashley, your squad is going to stay on standby and send new orders to Eliza and Sui when needed."
"Got it."
She was vastly different from the captain who had done nothing but hole up in her office just days ago.
"That's our captain for ya."
"Yeah! With the captain's head back in the game, we are back in business!"
"Let's end Octavia's regime!"
The sight of Vale's determination and leadership motivated the rest of her troops.
They had already been loyal to the captain, now they were reminded as to why.
Meanwhile Vale now spent most of her time training Victoria, Inker and Lynn.
First there was physical training.
"Huff huff."
"Huff huff."
"You two tired already?" Victoria asked, as passed by Inker and Lynn.
"Huff… I'm used to running around playing Turf Wars, but Turf Wars don't last this long… How do you have so much stamina?"
"I used to jog every day while preparing myself to join the army. I can run five miles in less than 30 minutes and keep on going."
"Huff… You are amazing Victoria." Lynn commented.
On the sidelines, Vale took note of what was happening.
As for why Vale was doing this, she wanted to assess the trio's strengths and weaknesses.
Victoria was undoubtedly the most physically fit of the three. As for Inker and Lynn they seemed to be on a similar level.
As for target practice…
"..."
"..."
"... I can feel you staring at me, what is it?" Inker asked.
"Ahhh s-sorry, I'm just trying to figure out how you are doing that." Lynn replied
Lynn and Victoria both received weapon training, but it wasn't anything like Inker's experiences with Turf Wars, which could be considered a much more advanced way to train soldiers.
"If you really want help just ask."
"R-really? I figured that maybe you would be too focused on your own training and…"
"Don't worry about it. The Octoshot isn't too different from the Hero Shot right? I'll give you some pointers."
Although Inker's method of handling his Hero Shot didn't look as polished as the way Victoria and Lynn handled their weapons, Inker was much more accurate.
But in hand to hand combat, Inker really flunked.
He never had to fight anyone with his bare hands before, so unlike Victoria and Lynn who receive some basic hand to hand combat training, he had no idea what to do.
The three repeated the same activities for two days on their own, before Vale was satisfied with her assessment of the three.
But there was more to battle than just stamina, shooting and strength.
"Today I'm going to teach you strategy!" Vale declared. "You may be used to fighting in smaller engagements, but today I want you to think on a grander scale."
Of course, strategy differed between the various Octarian leaders Octoweapons and officers.
Obviously Vale couldn't know them all, so she made sure to drill in two important points:
"One: No strategy holds forever, always seek to adapt and overcome. And two: always aim for a killing blow, it's better to end things quickly than to prolong the fighting and cause a greater loss of life!"
Vale would go on to explain what sort of tactics she had used, or seen during her time in the Octarian army.
Victoria, wanting to become the ideal soldier, paid close attention to everything Vale said.
Lynn did so too, as she looked up to the captain like an idol.
Inker on the other hand wasn't sure if he could relate to the kinds of battles that Vale was explaining, but he figured it could be important in the future.
This kept on going, everyday Vale would spend a few early hours in her office, listening to the Calamari Inkantation and evaluating the situation in Octo Valley, then the rest of the day was spent on shaping up Inker, Victoria and Lynn.
Then on the third day of training.
"You guys have a break now, right?"
Inker, Lynn and Victoria had just finished running, when Kal showed up, followed by Violet and a bunch of Octoling kids.
They brought towels and drinks.
Even though Inker and Lynn were completely out of breath Kal handed a towel and drink to Victoria first.
"Thanks… Oh Violet, you're here too?"
"Of course! Why wouldn't I be? We heard that the captain was push you to your limits so we figured we'd offer you our support!"
From behind her, the Octoling kids ran to Lynn and plastered themselves to her.
"Lynn!" x3
"They wanted to know why they didn't see you yesterday, so I brought them here." Violet explained.
Kal recalled that these Octoling kids were the siblings of Lynn's now deceased friends. Lynn had been taking care of them along with Violet, but now Lynn was too busy to see them.
"Ahh good to see you kids… ahh hold on stop! I'm going to fall over!" Lynn panicked as the three young Octolings hopped on her while she was already tired from her run.
"We don't know what's going on." one of the kids said.
"It's important grown up stuff remember! We can't understand."
"Ahh right! The red Inkling said we should cheer you all on!"
Then all three of them said at once "Good luck! We hope you can save Octo valley!"
This put a smile on Lynn's face, as for Victoria and Inker, they turned to Kal, as if asking what the kids meant by "the red Inkling said we should cheer you on." In response Kal averted his gaze.
But he and Violet didn't stop showing up to support their friends.
About a week into training, Inker, Lynn and Victoria were exhausted.
In the meantime, Eliza and the Octarians that Vale had sent out, returned.
On that day, Inker, Kal, Sky, Victoria, Lynn, Eliza and some other Octarians met during dinnertime.
"Great job today Victoria." Kal had been doing his best to support the three ever since they began training.
"Thanks." Although Victoria was as tired as Inker and Lynn, she made an effort to hide it.
Meanwhile Eliza still disliked Inker and generally avoided him, but then she found out that Captain Vale was now training him.
"I can't believe the captain is training you personally! I mean training Lynn makes sense, but why you and Victoria?" Eliza complained to Inker
"Oh? Jealous?" Victoria cut in
"No! If anything I'm envious! Why is it that you and this Inkling are being shaped up into brilliant soldiers, while I, who spent three years under the captain's command, is sent to do recon work?"
Victoria couldn't help but wear a smug expression in the face of an obviously jelly Eliza.
"You look happy." Kal remarked.
"Of course! Do you know how much I've wanted this? The opportunity to be an even better soldier?"
Kal smiled "Of course I do, you went on and on about being a soldier back in Inkopolis. I'm happy for you."
"Thanks Kal!" Even though Kal wasn't the best when it came to fighting, Victoria couldn't help but feel joy with him backing her.
'Though it would be better if he did so from a safe place, like Inkopolis.' Victoria thought
"Is it really that big of a deal? I mean sure we are doing full body workouts and studying strategy, but I don't feel any different. heck I still can't hold out against Vale in hand to hand combat." Inker said
"Are you serious? You know who studies strategy? Elite Octolings and those applying to become Elites." Eliza exclaimed
"Wait so basically Vale is making me into an Elite Octoling?" Inker looked to Victoria for confirmation, who nodded in response.
Eliza on the other hand grew increasingly jealous.
"Though it normally takes much longer, perhaps the captain knows of a way to streamline the process... Yes that must be it! Lynn! Please pay close attention and teach me once you are done!"
"Well uhh, I'll try my best."
"Hey if you want you can take my place, I don't think this whole military training is right for me." Inker said.
However Eliza declined his offer "Nonsense! The captain chose you so you must follow! As much as I'd hate to say it, there must be a reason why you were chosen and not me!"
"Well there's the fact that I am Agent 3."
"Are you reminding me of that to piss me off?! No forget that, if it was that simple there wouldn't be a reason to train you over me…"
Eliza had brought up a good point, Inker wondered why she would train him and Victoria instead of someone she knew better.
The only way to find out was to ask, though that would have to wait.
Because Vale would not relent any time for questionning, she spent every second training and commanding her splatoon.
It was almost as if she was on a schedule.
Inker, Victoria and Lynn spent everyday improving themselves, while Kal and Violet continued offering their support.
Sky eventually joined in as well, since he was still staying in the lair to practice his Octarian.
As for Eliza and the rest of the splatoon, Vale constantly sent them on missions to either watch the army's movements, or try to assassinate one of the Elite Octolings leading the army.
Two weeks later, Vale stopped with her training.
So Inker finally had time to ask "Captain, why did you decide to train me and Victoria instead of anyone else?"
Vale just smiled, as if she had just accomplished something great.
Everything was falling into place, there was just one last thing to do.
"Well you see-" Vale began, but she was cut off by the return of Eliza and a bunch of other Octarians.
"Give me a moment." Vale excused herself.
She made her way to the returnees.
"Report."
"Captain, three dead, seven wounded, the army is catching on, this time we weren't able to reach the Elite Octoling, plus they were able to lure us out of the crowd." Eliza said.
"I see ,well we can't expect the same plan to work over and over. Still you did good, tell the others, I am proud of what they've done."
"Of course ma'am"
Vale took some time to go over everything that has happened.
'The Octarian army is catching on, the initial shock from those broadcasted messages is starting to wear off.'
Vale knew that sooner or later the Octarian army was going to fully recover, find some way to calm down the protesting Octarians and come for her and her splatoon again.
She felt that Octavia might have been holding back before, perhaps because Vale had a good reputation and a strong following, so Octavia wouldn't attack her directly.
But the only way Octavia was putting an end to these protests, is if she could find a way to turn the public opinion against Vale.
It would happen, eventually.
So in these last few times of peace, she should finish what she started.
Time for her to find a way out.
Inker met Vale again and tried asking her to explain why she chose to train him and Victoria, but instead Vale simply said.
"Find Victoria and Lynn, then come meet me by the kettle."
Inker complied, he took Victoria and Lynn to Vale, and the four left the lair.
Vale led them away from the Undercity, until they reached a cliff overlooking a lake.
"What is this place?" Inker wondered
"Lake Gorgon, the largest underground lake discovered by Octarian kind, it was a popular attraction decades ago, when it was first discovered."
Vale then pointed to a stream where water seemed to be pouring in.
"The streams in Octo Canyon lead here. We shouldn't be too far from the Octarian reserve army…"
Vale stood up and turned to Inker.
"Now I believe you had a question."
Inker had much more than one by now.
"Oh right, I wanted to ask you why you chose to train me and Victoria instead of your own soldiers. I mean, wouldn't you be much more familiar with them?"
"Of course I would, in fact I am. That how I knew none of them would be fit for this task which I am about to give you."
"What?"
Vale looked at the lake, then back to Inker, Victoria and Lynn.
She walked up to Lynn first.
"Lynn Radars, you've spent two years in my splatoon. You've never disobeyed orders, never stepped out of line, yet you still questioned my command."
"S-sorry captain."
Vale laughed "No need to apologize, after all, it's thanks to you that I stand here today."
"A-ahh I'm flattered… Thank you captain."
"No I should thank you. You who originally couldn't do anything on your own, ended up being the one to make an alliance with the New Squidbeak Splatoon and Agent 3. You were the one who gave me the chance to meet Victoria Holter."
This was Captain Vale's way of answering Inker's question.
Vale turned to Victoria.
"The last time I saw Maria Holter, she had just decided to retire to take care of her newborn daughter, Victoria. I was still a young Octoling at the time, but already a soldier. Maria helped me through quite a lot during the Salmonid war, so imagine my surprise when I learned that an Octoling named Victoria Holter got stuck in Inkopolis."
"You knew about that too huh. You keep mentioning my mother, but you never really go into detail about it." Victoria said
"Maybe someday you'll find out. After all, I have high expectations of you, your ability to adapt, think on your feet and take the initiative is quite something, your mother would have been proud. I can say for sure that you'll go far."
Finally, Vale spoke to Inker.
"Inker, that name still feels real strange to me so I've been calling you Agent 3 instead."
"It's fine, Octarians and Inklings have a very different naming sense."
"That's not all that is different, everything from our biology to the way we speak is different. It's only natural for two races this different to have trouble getting along, yet despite our history someone like you shows up, who thinks that by some miracle you can reunite these two races. I brushed it off as naivety at first, but now I think that sort of idealism isn't as dumb as it may seem."
"Uhh… Thanks?"
"Haha right, that's not really a compliment is it? Well then let me continue, at first you were a target, that was all the way back at Melanin prison, because of that I was suspicious when you came to my rescue, but then time and time again,I heard reports of you risking your life to save Octarians that were once your enemies. Frankly put, you know what you believe in and you will stand for it no matter what others may say."
Vale took a step back and looked at all three cephalopods.
"And that, is why I chose you three over everyone else."
Inker, Victoria and Lynn nodded in understanding.
"But wait, what is this task you mentioned earlier?" Inker asked
"Why aren't you full of questions? Simple, I was referring to the task of leadership."
"Huh?!" Inker, Lynn and Victoria exclaimed.
They didn't know what Vale meant, yet it was unbelievably obvious.
"I know I can't lead anymore, not after all those years I spent as an Elite Octoling."
This is what Vale realized upon hearing the Inkantation again.
"At first it was just a few problems with trusting Inklings, but that changed when I turned on Octavio."
Trust was important, Vale knew this.
"I just can't do it, no matter what I always seem to slip right back into his hands."
But what happens when you can't trust yourself?
"That's when I realized I had become my own enemy."
This was the way out she had envisioned.
"In order for our little revolution to succeed, I have to remove myself from power. The rest lies in your hands."
"No, wait. Vale you don't need to do that."
"No need to keep calling me Vale, or captain, my first name is Emily."
"Emily, the Calamari Inkantation will-"
"Will what, Inker? I've heard it plenty of times before, but I still find myself falling into Octavio's clutches. It might free the average Octarian, but the Elite Octolings are beyond saving, that includes me."
In fact, Vale could feel the regret coming, the urge to not follow through on her plans now that she wasn't listening to the Inkantation anymore.
Lynn realized what the her captain was about to do.
"Nooo! Captain! Don't leave us!"
On instinct, Lynn grabbed Vale and held her tight.
"Lynn, you've been calling me captain all this time, but I lost that rank months ago."
"It doesn't matter! You are my captain, everyone looks up to you and trusts you!"
"Yes and I can't betray their trust, I need to do what's best for them. Therefore I must go and you must take my place."
"W-what? But that's too much! Take your place? I can't!"
"You can and eventually you will, even if not right away. That's what I've been preparing the three of you for."
Victoria and Inker still didn't realize what Lynn already had, but Victoria knew that Vale was saying goodbye.
"Captain Vale, no Emily. I heard a lot about you when I was in the army. When I heard that you were the one who had turned on Octavia, I thought for sure you would succeed, I guess I was wrong."
"We can't always be right, but that doesn't mean we should stop trying. You should return and take charge of the others, you've done it once already, you can do it again."
Victoria nodded and Vale took that as the sign of her accepting command of her splatoon.
Everything was now in place.
Vale pushed a teary eyed Lynn off her.
"Well then, Victoria, Lynn, Inker, I'll help out if I can, but for now I leave the rest to you."
With that she took one step back, removed her goggles and saluted the three..
'They will probably be shocked, but from what I've seen they'll recover before the Octarian army does. I trust them, after all they are the next generation of soldiers.'
She had to complete one last step before Octavio took ahold of her again.
That's when Inker and Victoria finally realized what Vale had been planning to do.
"No wait!" they shouted, but Vale leapt into the air and off the cliff, diving into the waters below.
'In Octo Valley there is an unspoken rule, the strong will live on, the weak will perish, and the fate of the broken are in the hands of whoever broke them'
Vale remembered the saying that she once believed.
'I don't know how that started, but it's wrong. There is no rule, everyone has a choice, I was once strong, then I became weak, finally I realized was broken. But i'm not leaving my fate to DJ Octavio. I'll leave on my own accord!'
To someone who believed that trust was most important, this was the only way out when you could no longer trust yourself.
`I've always wondered what swimming was like….'
The 35 year old former Octarian captain, Emily Vale, landed in the freshwater lake Gorgon.
There was a burst of black ink followed by ripples in the water, finally a set of Octoling armor, which was once proudly worn against the forces of Inkopolis and Salmonids, floated to the surface..
Back on the cliff, Lynn was in tears, while Inker and Victoria stood, dumbstruck at what had just happened.
Did former captain and Elite Octoling, Emily Vale, the hero of Ark Polaris, just take her own life?
There was no way an Octoling could survive in water like that.
All that she left behind, was a pair of Octoling goggles, which Lynn now held protectively against her chest.
Captain Vale was gone….
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The Molluscs of Mercy Orphanage, Inkopolis
It was late in the night.
Though everyone should be asleep at this time, Lila found herself answering nature's call.
In other words she drank too much juice before bedtime.
Looking out the window, Lila wondered how Kal and his friends were doing.
It had been weeks since she last heard from him after all.
As Lila teetered from the washroom back to her bed she bumped into something.
"Oh sorry I couldn't sleep." Lila said, thinking it was one of the staff.
Instead she found herself looking at a familiar face.
Some she was once afraid of, but recently learned to trust.
"Emily?!" Lila exclaimed
"Shhh, keep it down, let's try not to wake the others."
Lila couldn't believe it
What was the captain of the guard doing here?
"Umm Emily, shouldn't you be in Octo Valley? If you are here, then did something happen?"
"Yes something did happen, but don't worry, your friend Kal is safe."
"Then why are you here?"
"I'm here for you."
Lila was more confused then ever.
"W-what do you need me for?"
"For revenge, revenge against DJ Octavio, Acting Leader Octavia and all the Elite Octolings!"
"W-w-what?!"
Emily was looking for her? To get revenge?
"No I'm not going back to Octo Valley, it's not a good place."
"Yes you are right, but we can make it a better place, for you, for me and the entire Octarian race."
"No, I don't want to!"
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes!"
"I don't think you are being true to yourself. Think about Lila, we aren't so different you and I. We've both lost those we hold dear to Octo Valley, it's only right to be angry."
"Well I am, a little, but anger isn't everything."
"Is it not? Anger is only the natural reaction to loss and we have experienced loss over and over again! We had it all once, our lives were perfect, then Octavia came and ruined everything! I lost my career! My soldiers! I was broken just as you were when Octavia brainwashed you and made you kill your family!"
"Ahhh…"
"Now now, don't be scared, I'm not going to hurt you, yes I'm not the one who is going to hurt you if you do nothing."
Lila found herself embraced by this shadowy Octarian, she was a bit scared, but she was also feeling… compassion?
Somehow Lila understood what Emily felt.
"You say anger isn't everything, but in the bottom of your head you know the truth, you were broken, you had everything good about your life taken from you! You and I, we are the same, we have nothing! But our anger! Come with me Lila, together we'll start our own crusade we'll get back at Octavia and every other Elite Octoling."
Lila realized Emily Vale was offering her a hand, then she noticed she was kneeling on the floor.
She had long accepted the loss of her family, so why did remembering all that make her collapse?
Emily's words resonated with Lila and she found herself taking Emily's hand….
The next day, Lila Fields was reported missing.