Inkopolis
Neon spent the final hours of sunlight playing turf wars.
Finally as the sky darkened, Inkopolis tower became less crowded, as the citizens of Inkopolis turned their attention away from the battles and to the sky, waiting for the fireworks to begin.
Others hung out in the Plaza, where Callie and Marie were already set up, ready to sing Ink Me Up till the sun rose again.
But Neon wasn't part of either events, even though she loved the colourful and rowdy scenes of Inkopolis, right now she wasn't in the mood.
Rather it was because of what she had said earlier that day, when she was in Octo Valley.
Caught in the heat of the moment, Neon said some rather embarrassing things.
Thinking about it made her flinch with embarrassment.
To clear her mind, like before she played Turf Wars, then she would spend the last few minutes of sunlight in tranquillity.
On that unnamed hill overlooking the ocean.
However, as Neon was wondering if she could just laugh off what she said, she felt someone's presence.
Sky arrived, having anticipated that Neon would be here. Without a word, Sky sat next to Neon as the sun was halfway down.
He looked happy. Neon, on the other hand was suddenly feeling nervous.
Before Sky could say anything Neon was trying to come up with an excuse for herself.
"Sky… About what I said earlier, err. I was just kinda…. Well you know how excited I can get while fighting and ….."
"Did you mean it?" Sky asked
"I.. err…. Well I wasn't lying….. But well…" Neon stammered, getting slightly flustered and unsure what to say.
Sky, just smiled.
"Good."
Sky gazed off for a moment before continuing.
"What you said… really caught me off guard you know.. So naturally I needed some time to think and decide how to respond to- Hey! Why are you covering your ears! Listen to me! This is serious!"
"Noooo! Just hurry up and get it over with! Stop teasing me by going in circles!"
Out of fear that she would not hear what she wanted to, Neon was covering her ears, much to Sky's annoyance.
"I just got here! How am I going in circles!? Would you just listen!" Sky said as he tried to pry Neon's hands away from her ears.
"Hey stop! Let go of me! Just pretend I'm listening and get it over with okay!?"
Sky wrestled and rolled with Neon, but he just couldn't uncover her ears.
Finally he gave up, figuring she could still hear him somewhat.
"Geez, why are you such a troublesome girl? Oh well I guess I don't mind it that much. First off I wanted to say; thanks for coming back for me."
Neon, who was wincing with her hands clasped over her ears, seemed to relax a little.
Sky took this as confirmation that she was listening.
Even if Neon was too afraid of being rejected, she was still listening on the off chance that Sky would reciprocate her feelings.
Sky continued "I thought I was done for, then to my surprise you show up, then you say that you think of me as a dependable and trustworthy person. You really are just full of surprises."
Smiling as he noticed Neon slowly start to remove her hands from her ears, Sky said "Well I can't say I feel exactly the same way about you. I can't say you're trustworthy nor dependable…"
Neon flinched as she heard Sky say that.
"But, if you ask me if I like you… I'd say yes."
Neon finally stopped covering her ears and sat up to face Sky.
"...What did you say?"
"I said, I like you. You aren't trustworthy or dependable because you are so wild and unpredictable, but I don't dislike you for that. Yes, even if you act like some goofy and loud girl, you occasionally break character and do some pretty incredible things, for some strange reason I think I'm attracted to that and…. Huh?"
Sky noticed that Neon's face was a mess.
She was blushing furiously out of embarrassment and the corners of her eyes were laced with joyful tears.
Yet at the same time she was sweating profusely and shaking with nervousness.
She was smiling nervously and her eyes were wide with surprise.
"snort…" Sky couldn't help it. "Ha! I wish you could see yourself right now, you look like a mess. This is the first time I've ever seen you lose your cool like this. Serves you right, you troublesome girlfriend."
In reaction to those last words, Neon's heart soared like an Inkstrike missile.
As quick as a flash, she leapt onto Sky and hugged him as tightly as she could, knocking him down in the process.
"Ow!" Sky said as he fell back with Neon on top of him. "Stop it! What if someone passes by? They'll get the wrong idea!"
"I don't care, I'm too happy." Neon said, though she did get off Sky quickly incase someone did happen to pass by.
Sky sat back up, brushing bits of grass and dirt off the back of his head.
"What?" He asked, upon noticing Neon stare wordlessly.
"Oh nothing…"
Neon hadn't felt this happy since she discovered Turf Wars three years ago.
Sky watched Neon slowly start to smile.
It was that same pure smile he saw in Octo Valley.
But this time they weren't in the middle of an Octarian war, this time Sky could properly take it all in.
The relieved yet bright smile on Neon's face, as if a great weight had just lifted off her shoulders.
The glitter of tears in her eyes, her blue eyes contrasting with the orange sun setting behind her.
Sky never thought that out of everyone else, Neon would like him.
Neon never thought that Sky would accept her.
One was a rowdy and carefree girl, the other a quiet and rational guy. You could say the two were pretty much opposites, but that didn't mean they wouldn't like each other.
As the sun finally settled beneath the ocean waves, the Splatfest fireworks began to launch.
Loud crackling and popping noises filled the air.
Sky and Neon both looked in the direction of Inkopolis Plaza.
"Let's head back, you wouldn't want to miss the end of all splatfests would you?" Sky suggested
"Ahh so you DO understand me! Alright! let's go!" Neon grabbed Sky's hand and took off in the direction of Inkopolis Plaza, completely ignoring Sky's shouts to slow down as he couldn't run as fast as her, in the end Sky was dragged all the way to the Plaza..
Inkopolis Plaza
Kal hadn't spent this much time on Turf Wars ever before.
Doing his best to force Victoria and Octo Valley out of his mind, Kal repeatedly entered Splatfest matches over and over.
He played so much, that he had even lost count of how many rounds he played.
Finally it was night time, Kal took a break from the action to watch the fireworks and his favorite pop idols perform live.
Though for some reason Kal felt lonely this splatfest despite battling and meeting so many new Inklings.
'Ahh right, usually I'd meet up with Inker, Neon and Sky after each match to chat.'
Inker was still stuck in Octo Valley, Neon was nowhere to be found and Sky seemed to have other things on his mind.
So pretty much all his friends missed the last splatfest.
In addition to feeling a bit lonely, there was this weird sense of foreboding troubling Kal.
It was probably because the Final Splatfest was ending and the Squid Sisters would no longer be hosting Inkopolis News afterwards.
Deciding to simply enjoy the moment, Kal decided not to think about such things and just take in the sounds of Callie and Marie's wonderful voices singing to 'Ink Me Up' live in Inkopolis Plaza.
They would always sing that same song continuously every Splatfest, but to fans like Kal, it never gets old.
As the moon rose, nearing midnight, Callie and Marie stopped singing and dancing, this was met with a wave of cheers and applause from everyone in the Plaza, Kal included..
This would normally signal the end of the Splatfest, but not this time.
Callie and Marie rubbed their throats, somewhat burnt out after hours of singing, but the sight of the squealing fans kept them going.
"Hi everyone! Hope you've all enjoyed the Splatfest!" Callie began
"I can't believe the day is over already." Marie followed up
"Oh but hold on to your tentacles!"
"Huh!? There's more!?"
"Yep! The day might be over, but the Splatfest continues!"
"What kind of grand finale would this be if it was the same as every other Splatfest?"
"This final Splatfest will continue for another day!"
"So if luck hasn't been on your side of late, fear not! You've got another 24 hours to turf!"
"Yeah!"
Kal and the rest of Inkopolis Plaza cheered.
They were blessed with a 48 hour Splatfest.
Kal was glad it wasn't over just yet, now he can keep his mind off Octo Valley.
Though for some reason there was still that strange sense of foreboding.
Kal thought it was because of the Splatfest coming to an end, was it not?
As the crowds calmed down, Callie looked over to Marie's stage.
"You know, even though it's a bit early, I think I'm really going to miss this…" She said
"I think so too Callie, I think so too." Marie replied with a half smile.
"Well then why not end our run with the song that got us started?"
"You mean, the Calamari Inkantation?"
"Of course! Come on folks! What do you say?"
"YEAH!" The Inklings and other creatures of the plaza cheered even louder than before.
With a smile on their faces, Callie and Marie began to sing and dance to their cover of Calamari Inkantation.
Kal enjoyed it, but only for a while.
He loved the Inkantation, but it was reminding him of what was happening below the ground.
Strange, why would the customary chorus of Calamari County reminding him of the Undercity of Octo Valley?
Victoria and Lynn had only described a few Octarian songs to him, but he never actually heard them before, so it couldn't be because Octo Valley had a similar song.
Kal shook Octo Valley out of his mind and decided to distract himself with Turf Wars.
Just cause it was past midnight didn't mean there weren't any Night Owls duking it out under the starry sky.
"Sky! Come on Sky! This is the best time to battle!"
Speaking of skies, Kal spotted Sky and Neon near Inkopolis Tower.
Despite their constant banter the two seemed to be getting along better than before.
Neon seemed to be dragging Sky around, though for some reason Sky wasn't complaining.
"Hey! Neon! Sky!" Kal called out to his friends.
"Hmm? Oh hey Kal! You're still up?" Sky asked
"Of course he is! Who wouldn't be!? This is the Final Splatfest after all, imagine going to sleep and missing the big announcement! Yeah! anyone who went to bed today is missing out on the time of their lives." Neon declared.
"Ehh I wouldn't go that far, I just wanted to see the Splatfest's end. Who would have expected it to be extended?"
"Who's complaining?! This is awesome! I thought I'd have to give up the Final Splatfest when I left for Octo Valley! Now I get to enjoy both things that are important to me!" Neon somehow managed to look more excited than ever before, shoving a fist into the air as if to celebrate her good fortune.
Crossing his arms, Sky muttered "Still a troublesome girl…" but then he straightened up saying "Well some late night Turf Wars never hurt anyone. I guess I can put my sleep schedule aside for now."
"You have a schedule for that? Boring! Why would you follow a timeline? That just makes every day a thousand times more dull!"
"There's nothing wrong with being organized."
"If you say so."
Kal thought that the two were about to start shouting at each other again, probably ending with Neon strangling Sky or Sky scolding Neon, but the two seemed to have gotten used to each other.
Kal assumed it was because Neon and Sky were often left out before, when he and Inker would help Victoria and vice versa.
"Hey hey Kal! We all picked the same team right? You know that anyone playing at this time will probably be tried, so if you're not sleepy yet, you can win much easier! It's not a problem for me, but you two will need the easier opposition!"
"Of course it wouldn't bother you." Kal said
"Yeah, I don't think you've ever been sleepy before." Sky added
"Hmm? Oh that's simple! Being sleepy is boring so I just ignore it until I feel like sleeping!"
"How does that make any sen-..."Kal began "You know what nevermind…"
"Yeah we're here to turf not talk all night, come on both of you! Let's go already!"
"I'm not going anywhere! No need to rush!" Sky complained
"I'm here to forget about Octo Valley anyways. Sure let's go." Kal said
"Hmm?"
"What?"
In response to Kal's last statement, Neon glanced at him with a look of curiosity.
That look then became one of clarity as Neon went "Oooo"
"Uhh what's wrong?" Sky asked
"Ohh nothing... "
"Doesn't look like nothing."
"Well fine! something! I'll tell you later, lets go a few rounds first!"
"Ow! you don't need to pull me with you!"
"Sorry! Forgot I was still doing that!"
"I swear I'm going to lose an arm thanks to you…"
Kal watched Neon and Sky begin matchmaking for a splatfest battle, he followed and did the same.
He wasn't sure why the Calamari Inkantation suddenly put Octo Valley back in his mind, but he had 24 extra hours of Splatfest to get it back out.
Octo Valley
The entire area around Cap'n Cuttlefish's place had previously been empty and quiet, now it was crowded and flooded with ink.
Since they had nowhere else to go, Victoria and the New Octopolis army had to fortify their position, in other words they went around inking as much ground as they could and inking it all over again when it began to dry up.
Apparently there was some kind of festival going on in Inkopolis, one that was too popular to postpone.
Victoria knew that if she was to forcibly retreat through the manhole now, it would be chaos.
Though it was somewhat infuriating to know that there were Inklings celebrating and having a good time just on the other side of a manhole, while the Octarians down here are fighting for their lives.
If a younger version of herself had been in this situation, she would have rushed into Inkopolis without hesitation.
But if Victoria knew anything about Vale's revolution, it was that all those old hatreds stemmed from Octavio.
Everything she and the other Octarians were told growing up, about how the Inklings were selfish and cared for no-one but themselves, some of it was truth other bits were fiction, but it was all used by Octavio to gain control of Octo Valley.
If everyone was so busy hating on the Inklings, nobody would realize how oppressive Octavio's regime had been.
Well that and apparently music had something to do with it, but Victoria didn't really make much sense of that yet.
"Ahh it should be three by now, guess it's our turn. Come on Tony."
With their great sense of time, Victoria's troops knew when to change shifts.
Kevin the Octostriker and a splatoon of New Octopolis Octarians got up, grabbed their gear and left to switch with another splatoon.
A few moment's later Eliza and another splatoon returned, having been relieved of guard duty by Kevin and the others.
Eliza and the returning splatoon removed their armor and ink tanks and proceeded to get some rest.
They would switch again in three hours
Observing this repeated event, Victoria paid close attention in case anyone started to complain.
She was worried that some of the Octarians on her side might lose faith in the New Octopolis Army and head back to Octavia's side.
Hearing no complaints, Victoria concluded that she might be getting a little paranoid.
Then again, it was probably normal to be a bit paranoid in this situation.
The giant Octarian army could come crashing down on them at any moment.
They inked as much turf as they could around Cuttlefish's shack in preparation, but with the Octarian army plus the reserve army's numbers, all of that would only slow them down.
If that happened, who could she depend on?
Victoria glanced over at Cuttlefish's shack, the only place not covered in Octarian ink.
Inker and Cap'n Cuttlefish tried their best to help out, but the two had nodded off a one in the morning.
Inklings weren't so dependable after all.
'If those two are asleep, then Kal should be as well.'
With how paranoid and anxious she felt, Victoria was glad that she forced Kal back to Inkopolis beforehand.
Kal was never meant to be a soldier or agent or whatever Inkopolis would call them.
It was only sheer chance that the two got along so well.
'I wonder, could all Inklings be like Kal once you got to know them?'
Victoria thought about it for a moment.
She hadn't met too many Inklings but she could name a few.
Starting with Inker, who despite the rumors is really just somebody doing what they think is right and tries to enjoy himself whenever he can.
Then there is Neon, who is the definition of free spirited.
Cap'n Cuttlefish was supposed to be an old war veteran, but he didn't seem like any veteran Victoria knew, he seemed pretty laid back despite living on the border of Octo Valley.
Kal was kind of like that too, except he was the kind to avoid everything unless things got urgent.
'Are Inklings just very carefree in general?' Victoria wondered.
They were the opposite of the Octarians she knew, though that might be because of how Octarians had been discouraged from socializing due to the low life expectancy of Octo Valley. They would make small talk with each other, but they always had that hint of fear in their voices as their city could crumble over their heads at any moment.
Kal was pretty scared of dying too, so maybe he was more Octarian like? Actually nevermind, he would hop into danger if certain conditions were met.
'Guess Kal would be somewhere between the average Inkling and Octarian? Or maybe I've just happen to only meet carefree Inklings?'
But wait, Victoria had also met Sky, who always had a stiff expression, so that kind of balanced things out.
She almost forgot about Agent 1 and 2, but she never really got to know them since they seemed to always be busy with something called 'Splatfest'.
There were some Vanguard Inklings too, but to Victoria those pricks weren't worth the brain cells remembering.
Ending that train of thought, Victoria glanced around in case something was coming.
Nothing so far.
She sighed, they were stuck here, exposed and weak until Arcus gave the all clear.
Victoria wondered why Octavia and the army wasn't coming.
She thought that maybe she was toying with her, giving her a false sense of hope only to take it away by suddenly overwhelming her with a huge force.
Or maybe they were being watched the whole time and the Octarian army was just carefully making plans to minimize casualties on their side.
Victoria was being paranoid again.
Well it's not like she could have possibly known the real reason for the Octarian army not arriving, which was that the rebelling Octarians that had been trapped in Octo Valley's Undercity were being stubborn and refusing to surrender.
The Calamari Inkantation, the defection of Captain Vale and the call to arms by Victoria. There was no way the Octarians could live under the old oppressive regime anymore after all that.
They might be on the back foot, but they weren't giving up just yet.
Kalus's home, Inkopolis
Kal had been up playing turf till two last night, so today it was almost noon when he woke up.
He would have turned in earlier, but he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep with Octo Valley in his head.
Plus Neon and Sky were there too, all that was missing was Inker, then it would have been just like every other Splatfest.
It might seem repetitive to some, but Kal thought it was nice to have some bit of consistency.
Since it was almost noon, Kal decided to have brunch and see if Neon and Sky were already at the Plaza.
There was no rush, since everyday in Inkopolis was like a vacation.
Yes that's right, there was no need to rush, it's not like Kal wanted to get to Turf Wars quickly because he started thinking about Victoria and Octo Valley again.
Grabbing his Slosher and throwing on some clothes, Kal left for Inkopolis Plaza immediately.
Kal didn't find Neon or Sky anywhere, so he went to Inkopolis tower alone.
He assumed that Neon might have spent the whole night playing and was already in a match, as for Sky maybe he was in a match as well since he was the type to get up early every day.
As soon as Kal started his first match of the day, he ran into another problem.
Apparently for the second half of the final splatfest, Callie and Marie had organized for the Calamari Inkantation to be played as the battle music, instead of the usual Ink Me Up.
It was playing during the night battles Kal joined too, though Kal thought it was only temporary.
It really didn't help that Calamari Inkantation was somehow reminding Kal of Octo Valley.
He just couldn't shake Victoria out of his mind.
He tried his best to ignore the music and focus on the sounds of 'ngyes' and 'woomy' or the sounds of Inklings being splatted or the shouts of annoyed Inklings who didn't get a booyah back.
If only Calamari Inkantation wasn't being played so loudly…
After failing to forget about Octo Valley during Splatfest matches, Kal left Inkopolis tower for a break.
It was already three in the afternoon, Kal sat in Inkopolis Plaza, drinking an ink shake and chatting with some local Inklings, he noticed Neon and Sky show up, the two seemed to argue a bit as usual, then Neon hopped into the manhole to Octo Valley, leaving Sky waiting for her outside.
He didn't want anything to do with Octo Valley, but he was curious as to why Neon went there.
He considered going over there to find out, but decided against it since they would probably talk about Octo Valley.
Kal watched Neon return to Sky and the two seemed to chat about something.
'Strange, those two seem closer than usual.' Kal thought as he noticed Neon and Sky getting along better than usual.
It didn't look like Neon was talking about Octo Valley so Kal wondered how he should make his appearance.
He considered just greeting them as usual but since Neon always teased him and Victoria by saying the two were in a relationship, Kal figured he might take a shot at doing the same with Neon and Sky.
It really wasn't normal for him to do such a thing, but Kal thought it would be interesting to see Neon's reaction to getting a taste of her own medicine.
Yeah it would be payback for Neon making things awkward between him and Victoria. Though he would probably be throwing Sky under the bus as well, if it bugs Neon he probably wouldn't mind.
With that in mind he walked up to his two friends.
"Why are you two so close all of a sudden?" Kal began getting both Sky and Neon's attention. "Don't tell me you've been dating behind everyone's backs." he joked.
"Yup!" Neon replied without hesitation.
"Wait what?"
"Was it that obvious?" Sky added
"WAIT WHAT!?"
If only Neon agreed Kal would have thought of it as a joke, but Sky as well?
Neon tilted her head in confusion "What?"
"That was supposed to be a joke! You know, kinda like what you say every time you see me with Victoria!" Kal exclaimed "W-when did you two?"
"Yesterday!" Neon puffed her chest out with pride. "I made the choice of a lifetime going after Sky instead of playing in the Splatfest. Things went so well! The Final Splatfest got extended! And I got Sky! Life is great! Wooohooo!" Neon cheered herself, as Sky was making motions telling her to quiet down.
"In all seriousness, this is our first day after confessing to each other so I guess that makes us a couple… right?" Sky asked
"Yeah I think that's how it works… Maybe?" Neon answered.
Both weren't really sure how a relationship was supposed to work.
"Hey don't look at me." Kal said "Still that was quite a surprise, I thought for sure your type would be Inker."
"I thought so too." Sky agreed
"Hey! Why are you agreeing with him! You're supposed to scold him out of jealousy or something along those lines!"
"No I really thought that."
"Really? Come on, I know you said I was hard to understand but seriously! I'm not so easy to just fall for anyone who manages barely beat me a few times in Turf! Hold on! is that how you think of me?"
"Of course not, there's no way you could appear easy. I just thought that you would prefer someone who could match up to you in Turf. Like I said you're really unpredictable, but that's what I like about you."
"Thank you! That brutally honest side of you isn't that bad either!"
"That wasn't a compliment."
"Nothing's stopping me from taking it as one!"
Kal watched as Neon and Sky began to bicker like usual, only this time they both seemed to have a slight smile on their faces
The atmosphere around the two felt so different now that Kal knew the two had started a relationship.
"Hey, I'm still here." Kal reminded the two.
"Oh right! Just got a little distracted by what you said earlier. Anyways this is perfect timing! We were just getting back to Inkopolis tower! You want to come too? Or maybe..." Maybe you want to go to Octo Valley?"
"No way." Kal said.
Neon and Sky exchanged glances.
"...Told ya…" Neon whispered "Alright suit yourself!"
Along with Kal, Neon and Sky went to Inkopolis tower to begin the second day of the Final Splatfest.
Normally Neon would be charging in, often pushing past other Inklings in the process but she stood by Sky's side this time.
She and Sky watched Kal walk and an increasingly fast pace, leaving the two far behind by the time he reached the matchmaking lobby.
Neon and Sky watched Kal finish one round, then immediately go for another.
And another.
And another.
"See! Told you! Just like me!" Neon said
Yesterday she heard Kal mention forgetting about Octo Valley.
She also remembered hearing Victoria force Kal to leave Octo Valley through the Hero Headset before.
Even if it is the Final Splatfest, it wasn't normal for Kal to play so many turf war matches without talking to anyone.
Nor was it normal for Kal to return to Inkopolis by himself, he might dislike dangerous places, he wasn't the kind to back out when things were dire. Neon and the rest of Kal's friends knew that by now.
From all this, Neon pieced together that Kal was going through something similar to what she went through some time ago.
That's what she had realized last night.
Having told Sky everything, Neon had gone to Octo Valley that morning to ask Inker just what made Kal come home.
Now Neon pretty much confirmed what was bothering Kal.
As night fell on Inkopolis, Kal was still endlessly playing Splatfest matches.
Neon and Sky, who played their respective games, began to worry when Kal refused to even take a break.
"Hey if you don't mind, I kinda want to speak to Kal alone, you know cause I went through something similar." Neon asked Sky
"Go ahead then, why are you asking me for permission?"
"Aren't we supposed to be a couple now? So wouldn't it be bad if I went to talk in private with some other guy?"
"Do I seem that insecure to you? Plus we've both known Kal for how long now? There is nothing wrong with looking out for a friend."
"Ahh I'm overthinking this aren't I?"
"Yeah, that's twice now. But don't worry about it, that just shows how committed you are."
"Thanks!"
"Plus it's better than your usual self, who doesn't seem to think at all."
"How mean! I'm not like that! I just only think about fun! That's like... Very very different! Stop smirking or i'll smack ya! Ahh! Kal is entering another match! Alright i'll smack you later, count on it! Kal wait up!"
Unfortunately Neon was too late to catch Kal.
After smacking Sky and waiting three minutes for the round to be over, Neon called out to Kal and brought him away, asking him about Octo Valley.
"I don't want to talk about it." Kal said.
"Alright then, hey hold on! Don't run off yet! This is important!"
"What? Octo Valley? I don't care just leave me be!"
"Not that! I just want to point out that you're doing exactly what I did!"
"What?"
"Something is bothering you right? So you're just playing turf to try and forget right?"
"You knew?"
"Yeah! I told you I did the same thing before!"
Neon was right, Kal knew that, he didn't want to think about Octo Valley so he wouldn't talk about it.
But if Neon was telling the truth, then there was something he wanted to ask.
"How did you get over it?"
"Simple! Sky found me and heard me out! Then he made me see things from a different light and I snapped right back to normal! Ohh right, but I did start to like Sky after that.. Guess that's just a bonus!" Neon explained
"What? That last bit seems unrelated."
"It just popped into my mind, I feel like it was connected, so I said it!"
"By that logic, if you hear me out now, I'm going to end up liking you?"
"Ohh? Well I don't know how you see me, but you're not my type, sorry but you should stick to the Victoria route!"
"What the?! When did this turn into a rejection!? You aren't my type either, but for some reason you saying that ticks me off."
"You aren't sad? Good! Then there was nothing between us! Perfect!"
"That just sounds more infuriating! and what did you mean by 'the Victoria route'? I've told you plenty of times before-"
"Yeah yeah, you and Victoria aren't a thing, I get it. But isn't that what's bothering you?"
"No."
"Are you sure? Cause I went to Octo Valley just before to find out what happened, aren't you only feeling dejected cause Victoria made you leave?"
"It's not that simple."
"Oh? There's more? Well go ahead! Tell me all about it! I've got all day after all!"
"You sure you want to waste time here instead of playing Splatfest matches?"
"Bah, it's not like it's really the last Splatfest, there's going to be more! mark my words! Anyways what's up with you? Don't tell me there's a lot of past events stacking up to make you act like this."
Neon hit the bull's eye.
Kal remembered how Neon seems to be able to figure out anything if she put her mind to it.
He was speechless at how accurate Neon was.
"Hmm? You aren't saying anything? Oh I got it right? Did I get it right?"
"You did."
"Hey don't stop there, come on, don't be afraid, if you don't say anything now it may be too late!"
Out of everyone, Kal never thought he'd be getting help from Neon.
Nor did he know why Neon was so determined to hear him out, maybe she just wanted to take Sky's role as the rational one for once?
"... Did you ever feel like you were useless? That you could only hold everyone back?" Kal asked
"Yeah, I remember messing up a lot in the past, almost splatting Victoria, leaving Sky behind in Octo Valley and going back to Inkopolis instead of helping you warn Victoria. After all that I thought that you guys were better off without me and left without saying anything."
"...I see."
Kal really was going through something similar, Neon could easily relate to what Kal was thinking.
The feeling of being useless, of only holding down everyone around you.
"I want to help Victoria and everyone else, I really do! I keep trying but I just can't seem to do anything worthwhile anymore."
"Well that's fine, maybe it's just not your time yet."
"No you don't get it, I can't do the things you guys do. I can't fight like Victoria, Inker or you, I can't speak Octarian like Sky and I can't even begin to understand how the army works."
"Oh… Well then maybe you can help in some other way?"
"How?"
"I don't know." Neon shrugged
"What, can't relate to this anymore?" Kal asked
"Nope."
"Why did I even bother."
Kal shouldn't have assumed that Neon could help smooth things out.
"Just to be clear, why do you want to help the New Octopolis Army?"
"Why not? You guys are all there."
"So it's peer pressure? Or is it something else?"
"What are you getting at?"
"I think that you only want to help the New Octopolis Army because Victoria is there."
"Seriously?" Kal said "You're bringing that up now?"
"I'm serious! I know I joke about it alot, but i'm serious this time!" Neon insisted
"Ever heard of the squid who cried shark?"
"No I'm dead serious this time. Think about it, when Victoria was in Inkopolis with you, you never talked about going to Octo Valley, but as soon as Victoria left to join Vale's splatoon you started doing everything to go to Octo Valley with the rest of us."
"Hey, all of you left for Octo Valley, it wasn't just Victoria."
"Yeah, but you were always glancing Victoria's way back in the lair."
"That's cause… it was out of concern."
"Of course it was! Concern was the same reason I abandonned the Splatfest for Sky."
"That's different."
"How?"
"Because…" Kal couldn't think of another reason.
"You know, the only reason I kept on teasing you two was because I noticed how close the two of you were. Still I can't believe either of you have made a move yet."
"It should be obvious why."
"Really? Well let me tell you what I think, it was a joke at first, but I think that over time you and Victoria have only gotten closer."
"Well yeah, that's only natural given the time we've known each other."
"Then why didn't you look for me when I disappeared months ago? You've known me for longer."
"Why do you only choose to be observant in times like this?"
"Stop dodging the question, do you like Victoria or not?"
"I don't dislike her."
"Is that a yes or a no?"
"You tell me."
"Why can't you just answer yes or no? Believe me it's easier to say it to someone else than to that person directly."
"Aren't you the one who kept your crush on Sky a secret?"
"That's unrelated." Kal was really dragging this conversation out, Neon decided it was time for a change of pace. "Fine i'll just tell you about Octo Valley then."
"Not interested."
"You said you wanted to help, so you better listen. Victoria and the New Octopolis Army are on the verge of defeat."
"Not my problem, I don't care about Octo Valley."
"Well then you'll be glad to know that Victoria and the others are coming to Inkopolis soon."
This got Kal's attention.
"Wait seriously!?"
"Yep! All thanks to Arcus! As soon as the Final Splatfest ends, the IPD and closing off Inkopolis Plaza and letting the New Octopolis army in."
"Wait really?" this was good news for Kal "Wait so they're going to move to Inkopolis?"
"Not really." Neon explained "I'm no politician so I don't really understand it, but the government is letting Victoria and the others hold out against the Octarian army in Inkopolis Plaza."
"Oh"
"You know what that means? After today there will be no going back to Octo Valley for us."
"But that's fine, Victoria and the others are coming here right?"
"What difference does that make? The IPD are going to block off Inkopolis Plaza until one of the two sides are toast."
"What? They can't do that!"
Neon shrugged "Well, Victoria and the friendly Octarians aren't Inkopolis' responsibility."
"How can you say that? Victoria and the others can't respawn you know!"
"Then you'd better see her before the end of the day. It might be the last time."
"Don't say that!"
Neon smiled
"Are you afraid of talking to Victoria?"
"Afraid? I'm not! It's just that.. Well Victoria was the one who wanted me out, so it just doesn't seem right for me to go back… Do you think i'm just a burden to Victoria?"
"Pfft." Neon giggled
"What? What's so funny?"
"Is that why you don't want to admit you like Victoria? Cause you're afraid she doesn't like you?"
Somehow Neon brought the conversation back to Victoria.
And once again, she managed to figure Kal out.
"Fine, I'll admit it… I was feeling useless before... but it wasn't until Victoria sent me away, that I really started to feel bad."
"There you go! Was that so hard?"
"Even though she pushed me away, do you think I have a chance?"
Neon laughed again.
"Hey seriously! Stop laughing at me!"
"Haha! Sorry it's just too funny."
"I hate you, Sky must have a screw loose to fall in love with you."
"Hey! I don't care if you hate me! But don't say that about Sky!"
After nearly starting a fistfight with Kal, Neon went back to why she was laughing.
"You don't understand a thing! I know I wasn't there but Inker and Sky told me everything, I think there's a misunderstanding, yeah I know why Victoria kicked you out of Octo Valley."
"Why?" Kal wasn't sure if he could believe Neon, but he was curious.
What other reason could Victoria have to kick him out of the Valley?
"Because you mean so much to her! It's so obvious!"
"How is that obvious?!"
"Well she's under a lot of stress, being forced to lead the New Octopolis Army and all. Plus they aren't in a good position right now. She sent you back to Inkopolis because she doesn't want to lose you to the Octarian Army."
"But she was yelling you know, she seemed angry."
"That's just because she's under so much pressure! She doesn't want you too end up stuck in the same situation as her."
"So what she's giving herself up to protect me? Actually, that wouldn't be the first time…"
Victoria had done something similar before when Octolings broke into Kal's house.
Kal couldn't believe he thought Victoria hated him just cause she forced him away from the dangerous Octo Valley.
Normally he wouldn't consider going to such a place, but Victoria was still there.
If today was the last day before Octo Valley was blocked off, maybe he should go.
"... Now that I think about it, maybe I'm kinda at fault for always teasing the two of you." Neon said "Both of you denied liking each other, but overtime that changed and now both of you are scared of making a move because you both denied being in a relationship every time I brought it up…. Hey if you want, you can smack me for that."
Kal didn't care about that.
"Neon… How was it like confessing to Sky?" Kal asked
"Oh it was tough! Really tough! But I'm still glad I did it, yeah I was completely ready for Sky to reject me, but getting all those words out was really a load off my mind!"
Neon smiled brightly, almost glowing like a monk reaching enlightenment.
It looked like revealing her feelings really made her feel better.
There were still other things worrying Kal though.
"I have some things I want to say, but well, Victoria's an Octoling…"
"So what? I don't remember it being illegal to love an Octoling!"
"She also doesn't feel comfortable living in Inkopolis..."
"That can change! Stop worrying about these little things!"
Kal took a deep breath and sighed.
"No… I just can't, this is too sudden for me."
"Whatever you choose to do now, you'll regret it one way or another eventually, so just go with the flow! And remember, Sky and I are here for you."
Neon gave Kal a heartly pat on the back and started heading back to Inkopolis Tower.
Midway however, Sky found them.
"Hey, Kal. I thought you should know that the IPD are already getting ready to block off Inkopolis Plaza" Sky said.
It was almost midnight after all, the Final Splatfest would be over by then.
Neon said that the IPD were blocking off not just the manhole, but Inkopolis Plaza as a whole.
They were also not going to move until either the New Octopolis army or Octarian army was defeated.
Kal already knew that Victoria and the others were at a disadvantage.
There was a chance that Victoria would survive without his help and everything could return to normal, but was he willing to take that chance?
No, things weren't going back to normal, Kal needed to stop thinking that he could go back to ignorantly playing Turf Wars everyday and spending the night in his empty home alone, like he did before meeting Victoria.
Part of him wanted to go to Octo Valley, another told him to stay.
As usual, Kal wanted to stay away from trouble.
But when time was short, when things got dire, Kal would jump in.
That was who he was.
That was why he couldn't make up his mind until nightfall and the clock started counting down to midnight and the end of the Final Splatfest.
Finally, Kal took a deep breath and gave a determined expression.
"I've decided, I'm going to Octo Valley."
"Alright! Good choice!" Neon applauded his decision.
"You're really cutting it close there." Sky said.
Kal looked determined, but he stood as still as a statue.
"Umm, why aren't you moving?" Sky asked
Kal was frozen in place.
"Heh, I guess I'm too nervous, I barely have any time to prepare myself and now my legs won't move."
Inklings began to fill Inkopolis Plaza, ready to begin the countdown to the end of all Splatfests.
IPD officers were waiting to block off Inkopolis Plaza as soon as the crowd parted.
And Kal was there, unable to move.
"Hey Neon, Sky, you guys are here for me right?"
"Of course."
"Definitely."
"Then do me a favor, can you two give me a push? One big push to get me going?"
"No problem." Both Neon and Sky replied at the same time.
Kal felt a strong force propelling him forward.
It was enough to put him in motion, he ran full speed to Octo Valley.
Cap'n Cuttlefish's shack, Octo Valley
The remaining Octarians were packing up, preparing to enter Inkopolis.
Eliza and a group of Octarian soldiers were lining up the refugees and unarmed volunteers in a single file line, preparing to march them into Inkopolis when Kal arrived.
He glanced around furiously, calling Victoria's name.
"What are you doing back here?" Eliza asked
"I need to see Victoria."
"If you're looking for her, she at the defense line along with Agent 3 and Lynn."
"Alright thanks, uhh where is that?"
"Just go deeper into the Valley until you see her."
Kal rushed deeper into Octo Valley.
There was magenta ink everywhere, meant to slow down the Octarian army, it had the unfortunate side effect of slowing down Kal as well.
But he wouldn't let that stop him.
Slowly, he could make out Victoria in the distance.
She was standing alongside Lynn, Inker, Cuttlefish and dozens of armed Octarians, watching the horizon.
"We've got the all clear, beginning evacuations now, captain." Victoria heard Eliza's voice over the radio.
"Copy."
"Also, there was an Inkling looking for you."
"Say again?"
"A red Inkling entered the Valley not long ago, he's heading your way."
Victoria only knew one red Inkling.
She looked behind her and saw Kal, making a path through the magenta ink using his Slosher.
"Kal?"
"Victoria!" Kal huffed
He was slightly out of breath, but he had done it, he made it to Victoria.
"What are you doing here? I told you to stay in Inkopolis! This is the first line of defense you know!" Victoria began to lecture him.
Kal however wasn't paying attention.
There were just four words he had to say, but it was tough.
'This must be how Neon felt. Come on I can do it, just say it! Blurt it out if I have to!' Kal thought
Victoria was still trying to lecture Kal "Things aren't too good for us so please ju-"
"I love you Victoria." Kal exclaimed
It was enough to silence Victoria and draw the attention of the entire defense line.
Kal felt hundreds of eyes staring his way, his face quickly became as red as his tentacles.
'Maybe I shouldn't have said that so loud…'
Victoria was completely speechless, she shut her mouth and looked to the floor as if to hide her face, almost dropping her Blaster in the process.
To the side, Inker looked stunned by this development, but he also looked like he was ready to cheer on his friend.
Cuttlefish chuckled and muttered something about being young.
But Lynn and the Octarians looked worried.
"Death flag." someone muttered
"It's a death flag."
That term sounded familiar to Kal, maybe he heard it before but he couldn't remember when.
As whispers of 'death flag' begun among the Octarians present, Lynn looked nervously at Victoria.
Victoria wasn't moving.
"U-umm, W-we should return and help with the evacuation!" Lynn said, "Let's give the captain some time!"
Around Kal and Victoria, Inker, Lynn, Cuttlefish and the Octarians all hasilty left towards the manhole.
It was just Kal and Victoria left.
"Umm Victoria? I know that was really sudden and out of nowhere, but-"
"Are you trying to get me killed!?" Victoria shouted, her face flushed red.
"Huh?" was all Kal could say.
Why did Victoria look so angry.
"Don't you know!? saying that before a battle is a bad omen!? That's why the army calls it a death flag!"
"What?! B-b-but how was I supposed to know!?"
"Right… You couldn't have known… It's not your fault but just why?... ughhhh." Victoria groaned
"I'm sorry…" was all Kal could say.
Now he was scared, was there really such a dangerous rule in the Octarian army? Did he unknowingly just kill Victoria?
Victoria noticed Kal's face go from red to a ghostly white.
"Don't worry… it's all just myth anyways…." Victoria assured him.
"...Oh…"
Now that she had the chance to vent a bit, Victoria muttered "...I'm happy."
"Huh?"
"I'm happy you said that. I really am… I'm sorry for yelling at you, both before and just now, being the leader of a losing army is just so frustrating."
"So i've heard… Umm, I know it might seem strange since I denied it everytime Neon brought it up, but I really-"
Victoria placed a finger on Kal's mouth "Hush, stop it there, please don't raise any more death flags."
Kal nodded, now silent.
For a moment, she was about to tell him to go back to Inkopolis so she wouldn't need to worry about him anymore, but then it struck her, this might be the last time she could speak to him.
"I know there's a lot you want to say, so do I, but I really don't want any more bad omens." Victoria said.
Kal didn't say anything he watched as Victoria averted her gaze, her green pupils no longer facing him as she continued.
"So because of that, I can't say that you were the only one I could ever open up to. I can't explain that because of how dangerous Octo Valley was, nobody could ever be themselves and had to hide their feelings and avoid making friends. I can't say that meeting you turned out to be a breath of fresh air for me, I can't say that despite all my time in Octo Valley, you were the first person to ever hear my story because you could care."
Victoria smiled "Yes I would have said all those things, but I can't right now."
'What was with this strange way of speaking? When did this turn into Victoria's confession?' Kal wondered
Kal could see how happy Victoria was, though maybe because she still had a tough fight ahead of her that she tried not to show it.
That was the Victoria he knew, the one who always puts on a tough front to hide her more sensitive side. Who took her job as an Octarian soldier super seriously, yet still had a soft spot for him.
"Umm, I-" Kal began, but Victoria placed her finger back on his lips.
"Not now, I said no more death flags. Just wait for me, give me something to look forward too."
"Yes ma'am." Kal mimicked the usual reply of an Octarian soldier.
He wasn't able to say much, but he still felt satisfied.
Once he got back to Inkopolis, he had to properly thank Neon and Sky for giving him that push.
As for Victoria, she and the New Octopolis Army would soon take a defensive position in Inkopolis Plaza, surrounding the manhole to Inkopolis.
Word quickly spread among the New Octopolis Army, that a death flag had been raised for Victoria.
And so, as the IPD sealed off Inkopolis Plaza and the Octarians began fortifying their position, a sense of determination wafted through the ranks.
Lynn, Eliza and all the other soldiers of the New Octopolis Army had all heard about Victoria's death flag, now they stood with a new goal.
"We must not let the captain be splatted!"
A/N: These last two chapters were the toughest ones for me to write, luckily we got the romance stuff out of the way, now we can focus on the war again as it moves to Inkopolis. I have two chapters planned to wrap this up, there will probably be an epilogue after that, then it will be the end of a long journey. Thank you to all who stayed with me throughout this long story.