Crawling forth from the deepest recesses of slumber, Jade felt the world become manifest once more. The first sensation came in the form of soft fabric caressing the skin of her legs and back. Then came a fade of shapes and colors filling her vision. Next, a soft rumbling and the feeling of her body rocking gently every so often.

A moment of confusion passed before she realized; Oh right, this was inside a car. Whose, she did not know. The details were dissimilar to the last time she rode one of the things. Her droopy eyes scanned from side to side: On her left was an assortment of trinkets and things hastily piled onto the passenger seat; on her right lay Khal, wide awake and staring down at his feet. Straight ahead, she could see the center console of the vehicle along with the backs of two seats. And on the driver's side was.. her.

"Good morning," Nephrys greeted dryly after a glance through the rear-view mirror. "Or good night, rather. It's still dark outside."

Her words also startled Khal out of whatever stupor he'd fallen into, and without a second thought he threw himself into another hug with Jade. The girl hugged him back, of course, but any relief she felt vanished once she brought her attention on the woman again.

"Now that you're both awake, maybe we can start setting the record straight between us," Nephrys said, her expression unreadable. She didn't appear too hostile or malicious, but her stiff posture and unbroken focus on the road wasn't the most welcoming image either. "So.. who wants to go first?"

The youths remained silent, merely sharing a glance before looking at Nephrys again. Soon, Khal spoke up with a question.

"What do you wanna know?"

"The start of it all. It'd be better if you didn't leave anything out."

"And if we did?" Jade added groggily.

"Then you're off to Grizzco."

Loath to admit it as she was, Jade had to go along with her demand and play nice if she hoped to keep her freedom after tonight. She was lucky to not have been captured by her immediately upon losing her strength.

So they told her everything; The Salmon Run shift on the Marooner's Bay, the bite, the first side effects Jade experienced afterwards, the first change, her day of hiding, the rampage that followed, the time she was sent to the Salmonids' island, and the salmon run shift where she aided the salmonids and met Khal again…

"I've been wondering why I wasn't splatted that day. Now I know…" Khal reminisced, directing a small smile at Jade. She returned one of her own, though it looked even more half-hearted than Khal's.

"I don't get it. You were always aware of your actions, you knew how to change back and leave. Even then, you chose to stay with the salmonids. Why?"

"Gee, I dunno, maybe 'cause some ragged girl randomly showed up and claiming she was captured by salmonids looks ridiculous? Suspicious, even?" Jade snarked, crossing her arms.

Nephrys suddenly slammed the brakes, the car grinding to a halt soon after in the middle of the street.

"If you want me to leave you alone after tonight, that involves dropping the attitude," The woman cautioned, purple eyes narrowing at Jade. "We're here to help one another, not mock ourselves."

"You attacked me first! I don't owe you anything when you keep hurting me and my friends!"

"Just drop it, okay?!" Khal pleaded, placing his hand on Jade's. His glassy eyes and long frown directed at her was enough for the girl to relent, and with a huff she crossed her arms and quieted down.

The car soon started to move again.

"Khal, you mentioned getting into a fight with a friend. I take it you were talking about her?," Nephrys asked once more, sparing another glance at the boy. He gave a silent nod with his head in response. "I can see why you'd become strained over something like this."

"I-it's not like that anymore! I forgave her."

"And I'm glad. But that doesn't take away from the danger you put yourself in because of it. Or the danger she poses."

Jade could only roll her eyes in response. "How do you want me to convince you I'm not a threat?"

"Not leaving a mess wherever you go, for one," was Nephrys' response. "But I digress…"

The car took a turn to the left, and a short while later, a turn to the right. Nephrys continued to drive through the nighttime streets, different shapes and colors of buildings passing by with each second. The pair of youths lay close to each other all the while, myriads of differing doubts swarming through each of their minds.

"Our priority right now is getting you somewhere safe and isolated. Somewhere Grizzco can't possibly find you."

"I thought you were gonna take me to Grizzco," Jade wondered aloud.

"If you misbehave. I trust it won't come to that, right?" The woman glanced at Jade again with a raised brow.

An uncertain shake of her head was Jade's answer.

"Wait, why is it isolated? Can't Jade just try blending in with other people now that she's an inkling again?" Khal asked.

"With that outfit and whatever injuries she got, you'd be risking someone putting two and two together before siccing Grizzco's forces on her."

Such an explanation led Khal to observe the blue attire Jade still had on her, just to check. It's size adjusted to fit her now smaller frame compared to her beastly self. Orange ink from the earlier battle still clung to some spots as tiny stains, while her top and shorts had been damaged in small ways. He could even spot a bruise or two along Jade's skin, though they did not appear to be severe.

Unlikely as it may be, Khal found it hard to deny Nephrys' words. It never hurts to be careful, after all.

"Can't you drop me off at my house instead?" Jade suggested instead.

"Not an option."

The girl let out an annoyed huff, while Khal deflated in his seat. In her mind, Jade couldn't help but wonder why this woman insisted on complicating things, or if she somehow wanted to upset her on purpose.

"Nephrys.. is there really no other place Jade can go?"

She remained silent, instead glancing away from the road and contemplating the question for a few moments. She had no guarantee Jade wouldn't try to sneak off and do something stupid if she sent the girl anywhere that wasn't held by lock and key. But being so forceful would only make her less willing to put aside her grievances and cooperate. They could only go so far without trust.

If confinement nor personal responsibility were ideal, then the next best thing would be…

"Khal, do you know where you live?" The inkling woman asked once more, receiving another nod in response before he told her his address. She handed him her phone in turn. "Call your parents. Tell them you're safe and got in contact with a friend, and that they're driving you home. Put the call on speaker, too."

At once he dialed his mother's phone number, and with bated breath the teens listened to the phone's beeping…

"Hello?"

"Mom! Are you okay?!" Khal shouted, clutching the phone tightly in his hand. He turned the speaker on as Jade leaned in closer to him.

"Me?! I should be asking you that!" Lena responded with equal worry in her tone. "Taking off without saying anything.. you almost gave me and your father a heart attack!"

Before he could utter so much as an apology, Jade chimed in. "Nothing happened to him! He.. he just needs to recover..."

"Jade! I don't understand what happened just now, but... what matters is that both of you are safe. Where are you?"

"Uh, we met up with a friend! I told them where our house was and they're taking us there right now," Khal answered.

"I'm about to head there myself. It's been a long night and.. I don't need to say how exhausted you must feel," Lena acknowledged, before an odd blowing noise came through the speaker.

"Are you okay, Lena? You sound.. out of breath…" Jade inquired, a twinge of fear in her words.

"Well.. I have been getting away from the mall once the police started showing up. Fear's a surprisingly good motivator when you want to go for a jog!" She answered with a small chuckle.

Her jest did little to assure either of the squid kids, however. After sharing another glance, Khal spoke into the phone. "Is dad okay?"

"Wilbur is…" A short bout of silence followed before a gasp broke through. "I really should follow my own advice! Hold on, I'm gonna call him once I get on this subway. Stay close with your friend and don't try anything weird!"

"Mom?"

"I'll let you both know when I get back! Take care and see you soon, bye!"

Beep

The pair of squid kids couldn't help but dumbly stare down at the phone, utter confusion plaguing them both. A rather sloppy farewell was not what either of them were used to. Nephrys on the other hand, let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and relaxed her unusually tight grip on the steering wheel. Of all the voices she expected to hear…

The woman was pulled out of her thoughts once she noticed Khal's outstretched hand from the corner of her eye. Without a word she took her phone back and continued to drive until she reached a traffic light.

"So.. what now?" Khal wondered aloud, his curious stare directed at the back of Nephrys' head.

"You heard your mother; Right now you hide, rest and wait for all of this to blow over. Then, I… I'll see what else I can do."

"You mean you don't know?" Jade pressed, brows furrowed in confusion.

"Whatever procedures Grizzco had in mind regarding your capture become muddied the moment your identity factors in," Nephrys explained, looking over her shoulder to meet Jade's gaze. "We hunted you under the belief you were little more than a stray beast. The fact that you aren't complicates things."

"I really don't see how that's such a problem. It's not like Mr. Grizz hates inklings or something."

"But you're not exactly an inkling, are you? I can't guarantee your safety even if I tell the rest of the company the truth," Nephrys shook her head.

"Well.. if he still wants to capture me or whatever, then I'll just keep fighting back," Jade declared, determination evident in her eyes.

She heard a disgusted scoff come from the woman's lips. She was facing the road again, as the traffic light turned green and the car began to move once more.

"What's wrong?"

"You don't get it, do you…" Nephrys muttered.

The vague words struck a nerve in Jade, and the girl grit her teeth in frustration. "Get what?!"

"Always running into trouble, always causing mayhem wherever you go, all without the slightest idea of the dangerous position you're in."

"I know how risky it is when I go out—

"Oh really? Because the three times you've caused an uproar in the city tell me otherwise!" Nephrys balked. "Khal got himself injured, your other friends are arrested just for trying to protect your sorry hide; And all those salmonids you hung out with? Guinea pigs for some machine meant to suck you dry of whatever golden eggs are forming in your gut!"

Jade's eyes widened upon hearing the last part. She figured Grizzco had reason to hunt her, but not that it had anything to do with something like that. Whatever confidence remained within her had fizzled out in that instant.

"Nephrys—"

At once, she slammed the brakes on the car and whipped around to face the youths. A stern glare and a warning finger pointed at him were enough to silence Khal.

She turned toward Jade once more."Your body and mind are being twisted apart in a way so severe that there'll be nothing left of the current you. And you have the nerve to run around as if nothing is wrong!"

The woman had to stop and take a shuddering breath just so she wouldn't start screaming like a banshee. "Do you not remember how close I was to taking you away?"

The girl remembered all too well. At the ship, on her last legs, crawling mere inches away from escaping to the sea. If she'd reacted a second too late, if that stray shot hadn't pushed her off, she…

"W-well… I still got out in the end," the girl weakly retorted.

"Only because of dumb luck."

Jade looked away. The woman was not wrong; in both instances something always presented itself just in the nick of time to whisk her away from danger. The slosher with horrible aim, and Khal 's rescue just now. She had no power over either of those. Her own power was never enough against their legions…

That roof may as well have been her last stop.

"I've been wondering if you did all this on purpose. If you... enjoyed spreading chaos. Tell me, did it thrill you to see everyone around you hurt?"

She could only look down at her feet in shame.

"How many people need to get caught up in your mess, huh? How many things need to break before you realize—?!"

"I GET IT, OKAY?!"

A heavy silence grew within the vehicle. No further comments were made, no one lifted a finger or a muscle. No sound to be heard.

It was not out of intimidation that Nephrys went quiet, however. She was just curious to see if her message had actually gotten through to Jade. Judging from the sniffling and distressed expression, it probably had.

Khal appeared as if he wanted to say something, anything to calm things down and ease both of his friends' worries. But no words came to mind. Alas, he could only look on helplessly.

"I d-d-didn't mean to.. I never wanted to h-hurt anyone… I just…" Jade whimpered, tears starting to form in her eyes. Even as she tried to keep her composure, a few sobs broke through her lips. She struggled to meet the woman's gaze now, not wanting to feel those purple eyes accusing her, judging her for every mistake and accident she was a part of in the past month or so.

"I'm sorry…"

"Are you truly?" Nephrys asked.

She nodded feebly, her lost gaze making contact with the woman's cold glare.

"Then lock yourself away. For good."

Jade flinched at the words. A command that rattled and raged within Jade's mind for the rest of the trip back home.

The car eventually parked near the front yard of Khal's house. The rear doors swung open before the inkling youths stepped out tiredly, and they made their way towards the house's entrance. A ring of the doorbell cut through the nightly silence, and only seconds later did the door open. Lena stood at the door, clad in a yellow night robe and looking slightly disheveled.

She wasted no time moving to embrace both of the teens, and they in turn clung to her like lost children. Her hold only tightened once the sounds of sniffling and sobbing reached her ears.

In the midst of the hug, Lena took a moment to look up and see who it was that brought her son back, and the face she saw caused her eyes to go wide. Nephrys' neutral gaze met Lena's own full of disbelief, and the huntress' features softened ever so slightly.

It was as if a long, wide gap of unspoken things spanning years suddenly closed in that moment. Their faces differed from what each of them remembered, time and myriads of unknown experiences having shaped them into something barely recognizable to the other.

But the way they held their gazes, reached out for each other without so much as a word? That had not changed from when they were young, only the circumstances surrounding it. A shared projection of uncertainty, of uneasiness; They needed to act.

Nephrys sent a worried glance at the youths in her arms and Lena understood her friend's message. Take care of them.

A wordless nod from Lena was her only response. Nephrys' gaze lingered for a moment more before she turned away from the trio and hastily drove away. The fading noise of the car's engine startled the youths, but Lena quickly led them inside before they could look up or ask about anything.

She closed the door, and soon enough the household went to bed.

Even after a long night's sleep, Jade did not truly feel rested. Not when all that transpired last night still hung over her mind.

The inkgirl was lying on the living room's brown couch, her expression downcast. Thanks to Lena's silver tongue convincing a baffled husband, Jade was allowed to stay in for the night once again. Though she felt grateful for the woman's continued support, a part of her hated being cooped up in here. Just another instance of sudden fortunes pulling her out of a rut.

The sounds of frying eggs and utensils clattering on pans filled her ears all while a pleasant smell entered her nose. She didn't feel very hungry at the moment, and whatever breakfast Lena was preparing was meant for the family, anyways.

Not some reckless freeloader.

The sound of soft footsteps prompted Jade to glance up, and she found Lena standing over her.

"Couldn't sleep well?" she asked, glancing at the bags under Jade's eyes.

The girl nodded silently before she let out a yawn.

"Well, just hang tight. The fatigue goes away after a bit."

She shook her head. "Don't feel like sleeping some more…"

"In that case… Wanna help me finish the sandwiches?" The inkling woman asked innocently. What a random thing to say, to her of all people. Jade mulled it over for a short time: She never felt like she was an amazing cook or anything close to that, but there was nothing better to do at the moment, so…

She got off the couch and wordlessly made her way over to the small kitchen. There weren't too many things on the counter; just a few condiments, cheese, ham and a toaster holding pieces of bread. There were other plates with loaves of bread and various things already on them; unfinished sandwiches no doubt. Not much was required for them to be ready.

So she went to work, placing ingredient after ingredient on a neat little stack, her movements smooth yet sluggish. She finished off the first of the sandwiches by placing another loaf on top of the stack.

"Don't forget the eggs!"

She looked up to find Lena holding a frying pan with cooked eggs in them, sizzling and trembling against the metal. Jade removed the top loaf and allowed her friend to deposit the eggs before placing it on again. Now it was finished. And she didn't damage anything throughout the whole process.

Not like the nonsense that purple-tentacled hag spewed out of her beak.

"Is something wrong?" Lena asked, and Jade glanced toward her worried expression. "If there's something you want to talk about, I—"

"I'm fine."

"You look upset."

Jade paused. If she did, she hadn't taken notice of it. She unfurrowed her brow and took a soft breath to refocus. What Nephrys said was just words. No need to get hung up about them any longer.

Jade muttered an apology before she began to prepare the second sandwich.

"I don't blame you, if that's what's bothering you," Lena spoke up once more.

The only indication that Jade ever heard her was an absent-minded nod.

While the two ladies worked, they could hear footsteps growing closer and louder, along with the sound of a TV turning on. Jade didn't really listen to the noise at first. It just sounded like the usual drivel from the daily news, nothing that truly grabbed her attention. For now, at least.

A short time later, Lena told her to set the dining table. Jade gingerly picked up some plates and napkins from various drawers around the kitchen, and as she moved to place them down on the table, she caught wind of a particular story being shown on the news.

"In other news, we have received new footage of the harrowing attack that occurred last night, and the following battle between Grizzco and the elusive salmonling…"

The reporter's words blurred together as Jade focused on the images displayed. Of her monstrous self in full view, smashing through glass and terrorizing innocent people. Of cephalopods and other creatures being slashed or swatted away by her claws. Of a night of horror and trepidation.

So this was what Khal told her about on the roof. To hear of the senseless chaos she caused was one thing. Seeing it from an outside perspective on the other hand...

Well, today might've been the first time Jade's ever felt threatened by herself.

And all this, just because she wanted to rescue a baby from a fire.

Just because she decided to rush in and be a big, filthy degenerate—

Crash!

Everyone in the room flinched, their attention now drawn towards the shattered plate strewn about on the floor. Jade hadn't even realized she dropped it.

Lena called out her name, but the girl barely paid attention as she continued to stare down at the scattered shards and her own trembling hand in a daze. Nephrys' words and the declarations on the news both thrashed around in her mind, over and over again.

It was only when both of the parents approached her that Jade could bring herself to move. She crouched to pick up the scattered shards, only for Willburr to beat her to the punch before she could make any progress. "I'm sorry—"

"Don't worry about it, I'll just find another one," Willburr pardoned with a wave of his hand.

"Are you sure you're alright, Jade?"

"I-I just…"

She didn't even know the answer to that. Not anymore, at least. As she averted her gaze from the woman and desperately looked around for something— anything to distract herself with, Jade figured that staying here wouldn't help either.

She ran off toward the front door before anyone else could get a word in. After putting on a sleeveless black vest she found nearby, Jade walked out of the house. She ignored Lena's shouts as she took off to parts unknown.

After wading through the hustle and bustle of the city, Jade finally found some place she could consider a haven. A small, quiet park a short distance away from the main hubs of Inkopolis. Perfect for her to lie down, plug her ears and sort through all the noise inside her head.

All that noise screeching that she should just bury herself in a hole and never come out. That if she can't be anything more than a ticking, volatile time bomb that didn't help anyone, she was better off being alone. After all, who'd want to be friends with a freak of nature that only knew how to rip their faces off with her claws?

The thought only made her drag her feet through the grass even more than she already had. Friends.. as if the ones she 'had' would've ever been such had it not been for her condition. Who's to say that they weren't hanging around out of a sense of obligation to look after her? It's not like she'd done anything to warrant their company beyond saddling them with problems.

Dead weight. That's all she's ever amounted to ever since she was bitten.

A sudden feeling of fatigue caused Jade to fall to her knees near a pond. As she closed her eyes, Jade took a moment to wonder; What place did she have here? Or anywhere, for that matter?

So lost in her thoughts was she that she hardly paid attention to a cold feeling brushing against her right cheek. Something wispy— akin to smoke— but somehow solid enough for her to feel the touch of a hand. Gently caressing her face and wiping away any incoming tears.

Puzzled, she stopped crying right then and there, and dared to open her eyes to see what this was all about.

She gasped when she saw a black thing stare back at her from within the pond. Something bound Jade's limbs in place, preventing her from crawling away, and she even felt her throat tighten all of a sudden. She couldn't scream even if she wished to.

The apparition slowly shook its head in turn, as if cautioning against Jade's intended act. The girl only grew more confused at the sight. Where did they even come from?

Yet as they continued to observe one another, Jade could make out its form more clearly with each passing second. It looked like another salmonling almost. Her curiosity grew.

"...Who are you?"

The apparition did not answer, not with words at least. It lifted its right hand, and Jade unwillingly lifted her own in sync. Each of its movements were quickly mirrored by Jade; it pointed and tapped at its own chest first, then slowly reached out to the other's. As Jade's finger made contact with the apparition's in the pond, the water surrounding it rippled. Its shape swayed and shifted, growing hazier with each passing moment.

However, Jade was startled to see it soon reformed itself into another, more familiar shape: Her own face.

The face morphed back into the salmonling's, and Jade could only stare back in disbelief. She didn't know how or why, but in some way she understood the message of this display. This specter was not some outsider, it was just her. The her that was little more than a feral beast overwhelmed by rage and instinct, somehow made manifest in a form separate from her own consciousness.

And it had chosen now to reach out from within her mind for… what exactly? To comfort her?

"No more tears.."

The girl cried out in shock upon seeing smoky claws rise from the water to grip the edge of the pond, and jumped to her feet when the specter hauled itself up from the water. The doppelganger stepped on the grass on all fours, and as Jade took cautious steps away, the ghostly salmonling stalked closer to her.

The girl's ankle bumped into a stray pebble, and she tripped as a result. Something caught her before she could hit the ground, and Jade looked up to see the double holding her up by the wrist.

"W-what do you want?" Jade asked with a shudder as she straightened herself up.

She received a hiss in response, with the double leaning closer to Jade's face.

The inkling backed away once again. "Y-you're not making any sense—!"

Her back bumping into a tree cut her off. In an instant, the double closed in on her before she could move away. She closed her eyes and braced herself for any incoming attack…

But none came. The only thing she felt was a pair of wispy arms enveloping her in a hug.

The double spoke into her ear, a slight edge to its rasp. "No one hurts usss ever again…"

Somewhere in this strange fusion of a promise and a warning, Jade found something akin to.. comfort. Reassurance, almost. With the way it held her, she sensed no ire or animosity from her double. She saw no hostility in its movements either. But it lay too close, too intrusive to be considered 'safe'. Then again… she felt no desire to pull away either.

She should feel unnerved, terrified even. This could be a ruse for all she knew; a trick of her mind playing a trick on her mind. But why would she ever deceive herself?

She could not see anything, but Jade could still feel the double's mistlike form dissipate and sink into her skin. Soon enough, she was alone again.

She slid down the tree and fell on her butt. For a while Jade laid in that same spot, silent and unmoving, as the recent exchange replayed in her mind over and over...

"Just what was that all about?"

Fog salmonlings didn't just show up out of the water and leave without a trace. But she'd never had such a strong, vivid imagination before. Especially not for the sensation of touch. Perhaps it came from somewhere..

A thought came over her and she looked down at her hands. Perhaps it came from herself.

A snort slipped through Jade's mouth before she began to chuckle. Soon she erupted into full-on laughter.

Jade laughed and laughed some more, as hard and loud as she could to the point of tears, grabbing her face with her hands in a feeble attempt at getting ahold of herself. If Jade was unsure before, she was certain of one thing now: she's finally lost it!

The inkling girl eventually managed to calm down, letting out a long tired sigh in the process. "...Can I get a break? Please?"

No one was around to answer her.

"No? Okay then…"

She fell asleep soon after.