After maybe only a few days of bus-hopping, walking, subway exploring, even bike riding, the group finally found a subway station that was headed for Inkopolis. They have been able to find food and other necessary nourishment along the way, but it definitely wasn't sufficient. They were more than eager to find Inkopolis and just make money there instead of settling for some random small town that was unfriendly to octolings.
On their final train ride, they all were the antsiest they've ever been. Even Mano was excitable and optimistic. They all had no idea what to expect there. Once they got off the rain and clamored their way up the stairs to where they would be spat out directly in Inkopolis Square, they were greeted by a funny looking silhouette.
The figure was about their size, but its tentacles were sticking upward, and his ears were pointed. An unfamiliar pale face with wide deep blue eyes finally came into view once they all walked closer to it, now slightly more cautious. "Yo...What the hell?" he said, staring down the stairs at the strange looking bundle of sea creatures. "We should be asking you that. Where the hell are we?" Yuta suddenly spat. The other creature flinched and took a step back, holding his hands up in defense.
"Damn dude, chill out. You're in Inkopolis Square," he answered Yuta's question clearly and concisely, but he seemed a bit on edge now that he learned that at least one of the six were hostile. Everyone else knew that Yuta's dehydration and sleep deprivation was to blame, but this kid didn't know any better. "Who are you?" Vai asked, staring up at the stranger curiously. "Oh, um, the name's Aaron. Aaron Stark. Nice to meet y'all," he said, winking at everyone. This guy seemed pretty upbeat considering the circumstances.
"I heard y'all stampeding up the stairs while I was on my usual midnight stroll, and damn were y'all stampeding! Look guys, you're here now, so you can totally chill now," he explained casually, waving his hands around as a gesture of dismissal of some sort. "A-are you an inkling?" Krahn breathed, gazing wide-eyed at Aaron.
"Indeed I am, and you are?" Aaron replied. He might've been confused, but he still wanted to keep his charisma on. "Ohhh my cod, my name is Krahn Orneta! I'm an octoling scientist from the underground and I've been waiting like literally my entire life to talk to you and-" words from a several times rehearsed introduction tumbled out of Krahn's mouth so fast that Aaron could hardly comprehend it.
While Aaron was occupied, Vai looked at Mano. He was looking at her. She flinched slightly, but then shook it off. She knew he was going through a lot at the time. She walked over to him and greeted him with a nod. "So, is this goodbye?" Mano murmured softly, letting his gaze flick off to the side while he spoke. "No, of course not," she replied with a slight smile. "I could never leave you, you know," she elaborated on her answer and elbowed Mano gently. Mano smiled back at her. He looked like he was going to say something else, but he was silent.
Instead of words, his hand slowly rose up to Vai's face to convey his thoughts in the best alternative way possible. He slipped her mask off of her face and stared for a moment. Vai was silent, staring right back at him. Mano instinctively moved to close the space between them, his eyes starting to close, but Vai stopped him soon after he started. "M-Mano, I'm really sorry I didn't t-tell you this earlier, but I'm n-not into you," she tried her best to sound strong and assertive, but her nerves gave her away. Mano froze in his tracks and rebounded to his original position as best as he could. He didn't know what kind of excuse he could conjure up this time.
"We can still be friends, you know. I still like you as a friend," she said as softly as she could. She didn't want to let him down too harshly after his true father died in his arms a few days prior. He gave only the slightest of nods to convey his agreement. It looked like he was trying to obscure his flustered face, but Vai didn't say a word about it. She would hate herself if she gave him a hard time for it.
Then, his attention was snatched away from Vai by a second silhouette appearing further behind Aaron. Vai followed his eyes to it. It looked like another inkling, but its hair was different; it looked like a bun atop its head. It seemed to scan each and every one of the creatures on the stairs, but its breath hitched when its eyes fell upon Mano. It shuffled closer, and another rather pale face came into view, this one with golden eyes and ink.
"M-Mano?" she choked, holding her hands close to her chest and her eyes brimming with tears. Mano's eyes widened to the size of pie pans as he stared at her. She sniffed and started to tremble as tears streamed down her face. "Y-you finally came b-back!" she wailed, charging down the stairs toward Mano and embracing him tightly. Mano looked like he wanted to cry again.
"Mother?" he breathed, almost in disbelief. "Yes my darling, it's me," she cried, a huge smile spreading across her face as she stared at her son's own. She sobbed and sobbed, prompting the others to stare at them, making Mano slightly uncomfortable. He gently pried her off of him, and this sent her the message she needed to hear. "O-oh, I'm so sorry dear. Are these your friends?" she asked, looking every single one of them up and down. Mano smiled slightly at the mention of "friends". "Yes mother, these are my dearest friends," he murmured, his eyes shining.
"That's so sweet hon. I would really love to meet up with them another time, but we have to get home, your brother and sister are waiting," she quickly explained, tugging on his arm. Mano's jaw dropped along with everyone else's. "You have siblings?" Krahn hollered, bouncing around Mano and his mother. "And I'm standing next to Agent 4! Pinch meee!" Krahn yelled again, absolutely overwhelmed by his excitement. Agent 4 giggled and waved him off slightly.
"Ah, please. My name is Natasha," she corrected gently, winking at the buzzing octoling. He looked like he was going to burst. Mano still looked absolutely stunned at the mention of other relatives. "I h-have a brother? And a sister?" Mano echoed with uncertainty lacing his already fragile tone. "Indeed you do. They will be elated to see you. Your brother still remembers you," she included that last detail as a sort of motive to get Mano's feet moving, and it certainly worked. He nodded at her, a huge smile breaking through his shocked expression, and a tear or two sliding down his cheeks.
Aaron stood and watched the heartwarming scene, looking almost as if he were going to cry himself. "Alright other guys, I'm electing myself as your tour guide. Come check out all the cool shit we've got around here!" he announced, probably loudly enough to awaken nearby apartment residents. Everyone else nodded eagerly and trailed after Aaron, finally able to take in a deep breath of fresh, Inkopolis air, and start their lives anew.
