Chapter 11 – Double Team

"Aww man… the wait is really killing me…!" Yeran complained as she stretched both of her hands into the air, who is sitting on her chair for a good seven minutes.

Everyone in the living room is growing anxious as those minutes' passes them by, except for Laura, as she left early because she receives a text from one of her family members about something important and they need her for a while; and some of them are really tempted to go back upstairs and check her condition, but they knew they can't, because after what happened back at the lobby, they knew that they have to give the reunited family some space to talk things out. The only thing they could do for now is to hope that everything may go well for the three of them, and maybe make amends after Kael's long absence.

"'vwe know, Yeran," Verique sympathizes with Yeran and the rest of Inklings that are also worried and waiting in the living room, with the atmosphere that quickly turned from lively to anxiety in a matter of minutes didn't help to ease it either, "She's a strong squid; I'm sure 'zat she'll recover quickly from it."

"I hope you're right, Verique. I can't really get this uneasy feeling in me…"

"Don't worry, Yeran," Yhavin the 3rd reassuringly said, "Like I said, she didn't suffer a serious case of syncope, and it won't affect her brain and mind too badly."

"Trust 'ze doctor, Yeran."

And there, they waited for another two minutes in silence, hoping that she would wake sooner than later so that some of them can ease their anxiety.

Until they can hear the door opened up from upstairs…

Yeran and Verique quickly glances at the staircase, while making Yeran stood up just as fast, "Is that…?"

"Ja… she's finally awake…" Everybody in the living room switches their gaze back to the staircase, as they could hear footsteps getting louder as they are getting nearer and nearer to the living room. Finally, after an intense staring contest with the staircase, Tara finally came down to the stairs, safe and sound.

"Uh… hey, everyone."

"Tara!" Yeran immediately run to Tara and gave her a big hug while lightly shaking her, "I'm glad that you're fine!"

"S-Si, si, yes, I-I'm fine, Yeran," Tara then patted her back, albeit with slight difficulty as Yeran is shaking her in excitement, "d-don't worry, and sto-op sha-sking me, I'm fe-eeling sick," And there, Yeran finally stops excitedly shaking her and let go of her from her rather powerful grip of a hug. She gasps in some air after such a tight hug.

"Tara! We're so glad that you're fine!" Yeran said in a tone mixed with relief and worry, "You don't know how worried we are after you just fainted back there!"

"S-Sorry that happened… it was something…" She looked down with a gloomy expression, "… very personal for me…"

"'vwell, 'vwatever ze reason is, 'vwe're glad 'zat you're ok," Verique said with a relieved tone as he approaches Tara, "It 'vwouldn't matter if something like 'zat happened to 'ye."

"Heh, thanks for your concerns, then, but I'll be fine. This won't stop me rising back up like a tsunami," she bashfully then strokes her hair, touched by his words.

"HAH! Now that's Tara for ya!" Rodhann stood up with his fists raised in pride, "Glad that faint didn't lose yer touch, Cap!"

"Oh, shut up, there, Rodh, I always have it!" She retorted with her thumb pointing at her chest, "And it will always be there and it'll stay there forever!"

"Alright! Noice!"

While the members of the Rising Tsunami expresses their relief to Tara, Kael and Sero followed, as they came out of the stairs next, with came in first, with his eyes now half-opened and a small smile on his lips. He seems pretty happy, "Looks like the little tsunami is lively again."

Tara glances back to her cousin, smiling, "I guess I am."

"You just stole my line there, Kthulhu," Yhavin the 3rd said with fake annoyance, arms crossed, "Took you three long enough."

"Like I said, Third; it's some familial matters. Sorry if it did take us long to talk out some things."

"Meh, it's alright with me, K, I'm not in a rush or anything at the current moment."

"Hey, where's Laura?" Sero, after he came down stairs next, asked Yhavin as he looks back and forth around the living room for his teammate.

"She left early, she's needed to help out with their business," Then they heard the sound of the music of Splattack by Squid Sisters. Yhavin then took out his phone from his pockets, where the sound is coming from, someone calling him. He then made a wait gesture, before he pressed the green answer button, moves away from the Inklings, and puts his phone on his ears, "Yes, Ryoko?" He is then out of their hearing range, and proceeds to talk to Ryoko in private. Looks like the 1st called him in for some important stuff for the future to come, but who knows.

"Ryoko, huh? Maybe calling for some business meeting or something…" Raei guessed, knowing his mentor quite well of what's her purpose on some of her actions in some occasions. He, Kael, Yeran, and Verique remembered that there will be a Yearly Turf War Tournament in Oceana. Kael was invited and offered to join the LEF as the 10th Elite, thanks to his performance, guts, and ferocity during the Duel. He refused because he hasn't met the requirements, neither he has any interest on joining neither, though the offer still stands, since he hasn't said his decision to Ryoko yet.

"Probably, since there will be another tournament here in Inkopolis that'll happen around August," Yeran added. The LEF did say that there will be a local tournament in Inkopolis in the time of said month right after they offered Kael the 10th empty spot. This is considered one of Kael's big opportunities to make a bigger name for himself and his team in the Ranks, though it'll be most likely for him to shut down the offer, considering he doesn't want to garner too many attention than he already has ever since the Duel. He never wanted to be a strong magnet that pulls in too many scuffles against the light of which fame uses to shine its victims, "They've been planning it to happen for at least a few weeks now."

"Yeah, I heard from him a few days before we return to Karaga," Tara said, "Guess we should prepare for that, shall we, guys?" The four other members of the Rising Tsunami nodded in response; a goal has been formed for the Team Rising Tsunami for them to train, join, and win for the tournament that is about to be upon within a few months now. This will be an interesting time of the year, they thought, with Kael, a powerhouse and a behemoth with Rollers, joins into what's gonna be an ocean of saltwater that most players are getting doused by because of the immense intensity of these kinds of squabbles for the top position of the ladder, and with him reunited with his cousins, Tara and Sero de Rodrigo, who are also been drenched before by said kind of water with full force. No living being can escape such an inevitable outcome that would soon storm into the hearts of the contestants.

Yeran then glanced to Kael, "Soooooo, Kael…" she started, a tinge of uneasiness can be faintly felt through her voice, "What are you gonna do, now that you've finally meet up with your long lost cousins."

With the question in mind, he pondered only for a tiny bit of time, before answering her, "Hrmm… well, maybe… maybe I should like, try to make amends, after all I did. By doing that, I want to spend time with Tara and Sero, who I did miss as much even if I went absent for over two and half years without any kind of trace left behind that'll lead to my whereabouts are…" You could hear a tinge of guilt swims through his voice, feeling somewhat melancholic, knowing what he did to make his family fall into such despair and feeling being abandoned by their own loved ones.

"Aww, you're still sweet as ever, Kael," a smile formed on Tara's face as she gazes at him, seems to be touched by his words, though it quickly mellowed to a worried expression, "But I believe you still have something to deal with first…"

"Right… Her…" He said it in a really solemn way, and you can also hear a hint of… fear? Strange, Kthulhu is not known to fear anything at all, and now, other than to his team that he's paired up with during his battle with the Rising Tsunami, this is the first time his friends ever saw a sign even the slightest of fear from him.

Out of all the people to notice it first, it has to be nerd, "You seem to be so anxious, K. It's… pretty unusual, if I say so myself." Kael kept quiet, mentally cussing, noting that Verique can somewhat easily read the mood of a person just by one glance and just by hearing them out. It is something to be reckoned with, and it'll be difficult talk against it, "'vhat seems to be 'vworryin' you so much, though, if it's alright to ask."

"And more importantly, who is this, 'her', you just mentioned?" Yeran became suspicious, as she narrows her eyes towards Kael, who still kept his mouth shut through to what seems to feel like a detective interrogation. To add up to the pressure, everyone present in the living room shifted their gaze back to Kael expectantly, waiting for him to answer. Other than himself and his cousins, they don't have much of a clue to who he mentioned, and they are waiting patiently for him to answer the Lochian's and the Lichten's question. The longer they stare at him, the more conflicted he felt about even telling them about his current situation right now, and looking back at Tara, she suggested him through facial gestures to spill out the beans to the people he can consider his friends, old and new. He doesn't seem to favour that idea at this current moment, though.

At least, not yet…

Looking at his friends, then at the other people who just joined in; Rodhann, Mika, and Trix, who are also staring at him expectantly, seemingly glued to their seats. Kael doesn't think that they should really know his situation, considering he doesn't know them quite yet, and don't really find them trustworthy to hear his tale. Even if he knew they aren't the gossipy type of Inklings in the city, he doesn't want any more people to get their own selves to be dragged into the mess Kael has made himself, and he certainly doesn't want any more people to know about it that it already has.

He wanted them to give him some space, but he'll just feel bad, since Yeran and Verique are also their friends, and it'll just be unfair to just leave them. But he doesn't have any choices left in his palms; he just doesn't want any more people to know.

With some reluctance and slightly hesitation, he then spoke to the three, "Rodhann, Mikaela, Trix… can you three leave us be for a while? This is some important matters between me, my cousins, Raei, and the two dorks over there," He then looks at Yeran, who is doing a peace sign with a duck face, and Verique, who is doing what seems to be an "uwu" like the total anime dork he is, before glancing back to the three, "I'm sorry if I sounded rude, but we'll be needing some privacy for the time being. Please, if you may."

The three of the Inklings looked at each other, with Rodhann looks slight disappointed, Mika with a concerned look, and Trix looks really saddened, who is asked by her own idol to leave them be and give him the alone time with his cousin and three of his friends to discuss about some important matters that revolves around Kael's rather gruelling position. The Malaccan's the first to stand up from her seat and looks at Kthulhu, who finally spoke after a short silent ambience, "We understand. It seems this will be some really personal matters that you'll have to deal with the people you trust most."

"But, mate, why do those three get the luxury of the share?" Rodhann complained with scepticism, looking at the Yeran, Verique and Raei, "Not to be rude either, but didn't you say this are for family matters? Do you trust them so much you really can't help yourself but let them in to your little things called secrets? That doesn't really sound so fair at all, to be completely honest."

"Rodhann…" Tara lets her face form a frown at Rodhann for making such a rude remark, "Kael seems to have trusted the three enough to fill them in, no need to be impolite and rude about it." He was right though, it really does feel unfair; Kael only met Yeran and Verique for only a week, then Raei for only a few days, though he immediately find them trustworthy within a short span of time.

"That's why I said 'not to be rude about it', I didn't mean to be, but like, come on, man."

"Whoa, whoa, wait up there, Rodhy boy," Trix stood up, raising both her hands with caution up to her chest level, speaking in a chill and cool tone, "Let all just respect his decision and privacy, ok? I mean, we only just met Kth- er, I mean, Kael for only like, just a couple of minutes or just less than a few hours, so it's understandable, really."

"Still-"

"We'll be off now, then!" Trix then immediately grabs Rodhann's arm before he could even finish and just dragged him, with the sounds of his rant and complains are heard even outside. Mika then said her goodbyes as she bows to Kael, Raei, and her team, before she then shyly scurries off the de Rodrigo residence, following the sounds of an angry Rodhann echoing outside. Boy, Trix sure is some strange squid that admired Kael so much.

"Heh, the kangaroo has been a bit of drag for a bit while lately, doncha' think, nerd?" Yeran spits out a really terrible pun as he lightly elbowed Verique. She was replied by a really sarcastic laugh from the nerd, whose amusement is really as clear as a crystal glass.

"Ja, ja, very funny, camper," his tone then quickly shifts back into his more serious voice, and glances to Kael, "So, 'vwhat's seems to be 'ze catc for ya to have 'zem excluded? It sounds really personal by 'ze tone of 'yer voice."

"… Indeed it is," Kael then just sighs, knowing he hit a point where there is no turning back, he then stands firm, looking back and forth to his cousins, and to his team, who are now gathered on the same living space where Kael is also in, where he can talk about his situation to his two friends, who still yet to have a mist of clue what is going on, and discuss on what he should do next with them. "… you two, better listen up," Kael then takes an empty chair and sits on it, facing the two, "What I'm about to tell you is something I wanted to keep between ourselves, and ourselves alone, alright?"

"Ja, 'vwill do."

"Mhmm, alright then! You have our word."

You better be… "Thank you… now listen; here's the story…"

(x)(X)(x)

Outside of Cephalon Haven

(x)(X)(x)

"So you got any more stories that you could tell, Fishbones?" I curiously asked as I let myself stretch after we got ourselves out of the café after a really nice lunch with Zrix, groaning as I feel rather relaxing feeling that is inside my liquid bones.

"Heh, I can't say, am I authorized to even tell more, am I write?" OH MY FREAKIN- I almost lost it as I feel my bones stiffen as I used up almost all my energy to stifle off my laughter. Cod freakin dammit, why are his puns always knows how find its way to my funny bone so easily!? AARGH! "Har, har, literature puns, literally quite the killer."

"Oh my freaking cod, Zrix," It took so much of my strength to not even try and laugh, and I'm starting to feel like dying inside. I'm still as confused on how my sense of humor comes and kicks my rear so hard and always find a way to make me laugh at Zrix's horrendous puns.

"Alright, puns aside, we have one more place to go to," Said Fishbones, gaining my interest. We've been into three places already, but it felt like we've been through a hundred places already. Ok, that's a bit of an exaggeration, and I may be the only one that sometimes felt that way. Anyways, back to Zrix, he seems to have one more location in mind, with my curiosity finally asked, "Oh? And that is?"

"Tail on me, sweetheart, it's just by the block there, few yards away to the Square," He then started walking to the general direction leading to the Square, and with me followed suit.

Man, it feels really nice to come back from Karaga and have a nice walk around the city with Zrix. He's been a good friend of mine ever since I first got to Inkopolis, and he's pretty much one of those Inklings that usually keeps me company whenever I'm not with my cousins or with their friends. I usually play with him whenever he has the time, and he's scary proficient with the Hydra Splatling, which is just a freshly designed and released for uses in Turf. Well it has to be expected to a rather talented mechanic and tinker of Ammo Knights, now wouldn't it? (Though there was one time he was tinkering the Prototype Hydra by giving it extra spin speed, and since it was still a prototype back in the day with the things are neither so sturdy nor it was durable, the three entire barrels collapsed on him within five seconds while it was spinning. He left quite the mess and Sheldon gave him quite the whack right to the noggin.)

Speaking of which though…

"Here we are," Oh of course it has to be this place. Zrix then leads me to the one and only Ammo Knights, which still looks pretty much the same, and Sheldon is doing his usual thing of nerding out over a weapon.

"Really? I was thinking you'd bring me somewhere a lot fancier."

"Eiiy, you just made a pun, I'm proud of you!"

"Shut it, Fishbones!"

"Heheheheheh," Mmmmhmm, I'm gonna get you someday, Zrix, I swear on that. He then walks and stands beside the door frame, offering a gesture for me to go inside, "Ladies first, Kyla Yun Zhao." Oh, the ever-so chivalrous Zrix who does that with me on several occasions.

"And I thought chivalry is already dead."

"Clichés doesn't die, sweetheart, you know that well." Heheh, I guess, but do you consider that quote a cliché? M-Maybe, I don't know, my knowledge of knowing what the heck a cliché is and what is not a cliché is rather low on the other side of the spectrum, so. Well anyway, I just rolled my eyes as I stepped in first into the shop of my father's old friend, Sheldon.

Inside the shop, I could see Sheldon kind of just does his usual thing on nerding out with the weapon the customers are choosing, just to give them a gist of what they are and what they can do, also maybe give some tips and tricks. This time though, he is giving an Inkling boy a description about a Charger; a Firefin Splat Charger to be exact. After a few more exchange of words between the shopkeeper and the customer, he finally hands the weapon over to him, giving Sheldon a bag of gold coins that is enough to the buy the Charger before he goes to his merry way.

Right as soon as he left, Sheldon noticed me and his face immediately beamed up at the sight of my presence, "Kyla! Welcome back to Inkopolis!" He then runs up to me with those excited and cute little hops of his, "Hooo my, so much have change here while you three were away, like you wouldn't even believe it!"

"No worries, shortshell," Zrix, who spoke up for me, enters to the shop next, "I've told her the story, she caught up pretty quickly, so no need to bother yourself retell it to her with such excitement." That sounds a bit rude, though.

"Dangit," Sheldon muttered with such disappointment on his tone, with his excitement suddenly toned down quickly.

"Sorry, pal, but you're shell out of luck." PFFT- MMM, I could feel my face cringing so hard trying to hold off my laughter again. Oh my freaking cod, Zrix! Your puns will so be the death of me one day!

"And you will be short out of your raise, tinkerboy." Ohhhhhh, the horseshoe crab just retorted back. I don't know if he's for real when he said that, but if it was, that'll just one heck of an insult to injury right there, "

"Aw dang, boss, I'm guess I'll be just as broke as you're weapon experiments-"

"ANYWAYS. A-freaking-hem. Ok again, anyways, welcome back, Kyla! How's trip back in Karaga?"

"Ah, well, it felt nice to be back to my hometown once in a while. Haven't been there since I got here, so I feel really grateful to take the chance." Yeah, it's been so long since I last got there. It really does feel pretty nice to get away from the city life here in Inkopolis and give myself time to fill myself in with fresh air for once.

"Ay, that's really great! Glad to hear you had your fun!"

"Mhm."

"So, wanna check out some newly shipped weapons here in the shop? I got some really fine brushes and sloshers for you in stock!" Man, his excitement didn't take long to get back up! Well, when it comes to weapons and tech that is. Quite the geek he is.

"Ohhh, nice, I'd like to see 'em."

"Then I'll be right back!" Sheldon then immediately runs back to the backdoor that leads to the storage room, but before he disappears, he then turns around to us, "And also, Zrix, you mind keeping our lovely Kyla here some company while I get the stuff?"

"Not one bit, boss."

"Ok, good! I may take a while, so you two should wait up!" He then disappears to the storage room in a flash.

My, looks like me and Zrix are alone together once again. Looking around the shop, this brings back memories, when I was still just acquaintances with Zrix, and used to work on Ammo Knights full time. Always the punny squid he is, and that day I never would've thought that he'll turn his full time job to something that he'll just do in shifts that costs him almost half of his pay so that he could just play Turf Wars again, with me out of all people out there.

I still wonder to this day what I really did to make him take such a decision.

"Wonders of all people here, miracle it is that this is where I meet such a wonder," Zrix suddenly said as he walks by the glass counter that shows certain type of weapons, his hands sliding across each individual counter, "Don't you think the same, Kyla? Who would've thought that this would be a place to start off something that almost changed my way of living for cod knows how long will it be."

"You act as if it was a work of fate, Zrix, heheh. Do you really believe in all of that stuff?"

"Maybe. Maybe I do, maybe I don't. If I did, people may start calling me crazy and insane. If I didn't, I would be bombarded with so many nerds out there who thought something like this wouldn't be a so called 'coincidence' and whatever they were into in the first place. Besides, the word 'fate' can be just used as some sort of a propaganda tool used by common people to think someone is special and destined or something and whatever that would float each other's boats."

"I'm curious to how you could say all that," I may not really believe all that well with fate, but hearing his response, I'm kind of become a bit sceptical of his words and I'm confused to what to think of what to say about it, "That sounds rather… let's just say, slightly absurd. I didn't know you would think of it that way, let alone, even say it so out loud."

"I mean, it's not always the case with anyone here, I'm just expressing my own beliefs," Zrix then withdraws himself away from the glass counters and walks right by what seems to be the centre of the shop (at least, the centre of the area of the shop), and looks through the glass window that shows the view of the Plaza, "Beliefs aren't always meant to be followed by anyone else but yourself. Sometimes you just have to keep it within yourself to avoid any backlash."

"Then why are you telling me this, exactly?"

"Would it hurt to say it to someone that will soon have to face what the three ladies have weaved for you as heads up?" What? He suddenly sounds so vague. Three ladies? Weaved something for me…? What does he mean? He rarely say any of this stuff to me, or to anyone, really, and this took me by surprise. What is he implying…? "That is, if you believed in fate."

"I… can't quite catch what you mean there." I just looked at him in confusion, with my face screams 'I need an explanation, right the heck now!'

"You'll see soon." … and I won't be getting one anytime soon, "For now, though, moving on through the philosophical belief BS," He then turns back around to the shop, "Let's just appreciate the memory of how the both of us finally meet up here in this place."

I can't exactly take off my mind what he just said, but with an attempt to shrug it all off, I looked around the shop, before my eyes trained on one specific spot where I meet the punny Inkling in the name of Zrix Denur; the very counter itself where we pay our selected weapons, "I remember the first time we interacted back here a long while back."

"Same here, same here; it was all around magical."

"Mhm."

"Made first few puns, give you some introduction with weapons, all that. Never would I have given much thought about actually Turf Warring for the first time in a while after a few days later."

"Let me guess; was it something I did to get you out of this sink?"

"Maybe, might've been."

"Always so vague you are, Zrix."

"If I wasn't always so, I would've bored you to the bone already by now."

"Ha ha, very funny of you to say."

"Heheheh."

And then, the entire room was covered with a short, yet peaceful silence, as I reminisce all the times I have spent going here to talk to Zrix despite him still being at work, and the both of us usually getting scolded by Sheldon for distracting Zrix and for letting himself get too distracted from doing his own work. Fun times those were. Too bad those doesn't last for too long, and were left to become memories like the rest of all the moments I had to with anyone, and I'm just making sure that I won't forget every single one of it and let them fade to nothing.

"Heh, welp, looking back to our foundation," Zrix broke the silence as the both of us look at each other, with him raising his fist towards me, "It's nice knowing you, sweetheart. Really."

Aww, such an adorable gesture; I could feel a smile creeping up on my lips, as I bump my fist to his own, "Yeah. Truly has been nice, Fishbones." His response was a light-hearted and a soft chuckle, as Sheldon runs back towards their current room, carrying about four weapons, with two in each hand. Zrix immediately rushes over to him and takes off some load off of Sheldon as both lay all the weapons down by the counter.

The weapons were the Octobrush and Inkbrush Nouveau, Soda Slosher, and a new slosher like weapon that looks like some kind of a washing machine.

"Wow, these were kinda heavy… phew," Swiping off sweat from… uhhh, his foreheard…? His forehead, yeah; swiping off sweat, he then looks at me right in the eye with a gleeful expression on his face, seems to be so eager to show off the new weapons as usual, "Now, choose from one of these fine babies that fancies your standards, Kyla Yun Zhao!"

Hoo my, here we go.

(x)(X)(x)

Meanwhile…

(x)(X)(x)

The three family members were left alone in their house, with Yeran and Verique took their leave shortly after they talked about Kael's situation, about Kyla, and about what will Kael do at this current moment. Several plans laid down later, Yeran and Verique goes to their merry way and will be informing the Squid Sisters about the whole matter (but not the full and detailed story) in order to avoid them from letting Kyla know Kael is here by accident and get the whole thing a lot more complicated than it already is.

Kael is now sitting on a chair by the kitchen/dining area, drinking iced tea made by his cousins, alongside with them as they discuss some matters and their times in Inkopolis and about Kael's next move. The nostalgic feeling surely started to sink in on them the longer the conversation runs is running up, reminding how much they used to talk so much about the random-est of things back in the day (except today, which excludes Kyla out for now, because Kael is a bit of a wuss at the moment).

"Mmm, it took me a while, gotta have Yhavin to get me up to shape and teach me tricks with the charger, BUT here I am! I got myself a team!" With glee, she started to explain the story on how she got herself to form the Rising Tsunami, "W-Well, somehow, I didn't think I'd meet those two loveable dorks and form a team with them, but now look how it got me; a spot on the recognizable teams in Turf Wars and Ranked!"

"The nerd and the hopeless lesbian sure are lucky to have you, 'cuz." Kael commented as he takes a sip on his drink of his iced tea.

"Haha, I'm sure they got a whole lot luckier when they meet you back in your first days in Turf War. Dang, you beaten Yeran in her home turf with just a Jr.? Oh, ho oho, I wouldn't even mess with you if that was the case, because oh mi mierda, I'm a lot more sure you and uncle's training is something else." … it sure is… it sure is…

"Heh, maybe. So, how did Rodhann ended up in your team, if I may ask."

"Ohh, yeah, that roo-roo," She then leans back on her chair, looking up the ceiling, trying to recollect where and when she met the Backdoor Pirate of the Rising Tsunami, "Well, I met that pirate who came from the country of Arafuru when I was still fresh in my career, like, about a few months in to Turfing. I met him one day, when I was still playing more frequently with Sero since I don't have a time, and I absolutely loathe going to Turf without anyone familiar in either teams." She really emphasized the word 'loathe' there.

"He was in the opposite side of our team one match the first time we fought him," Sero added to her story, "back in uhh, where was it again…"

"Saltsray Rig-" In unison, the de Rodrigo cousins said somewhat perfectly in sync, before they glancing at each other, also pointing finger guns at each other, yelling, "Ayyy Ayy! Dumb Syncing!" before giving each other a sibling high five.

This made Kael crack up a really small smile, amused, "Wow, you two still do that?" He remembers the few times the two saying so many things in sync and then just, somewhat screams and do all of that. That basically became a thing between the Yun Zhao and de Rodrigo siblings, because he also remembers doing that with his sister almost right after the former did it the first time, "Such an old trend the four of us do back when we were still tiny squids, I can't believe that it's still a thing."

"Of course it's still a thing! We love honouring the old times' sake." Tara said in such a proud tone, before it slowly mellowed out to a slightly sad one, though, "W-Well… it's kind of one of the only things that can keep me from letting you slip off my memory."

"I really appreciate that, Tara."

"Heheheh. So anyway, continuing with earlier…" Tara then shifts back to the initial subject earlier, "Yeah, we found him when we first battle in Saltsray. It was by then I am under Yhavin's wing, training still, and I still use the Splat Charger with some knowledge and experience on how to fend off rollers from trying to slap our rear up close."

"Y-You could've worded that any better…" Sero just stares at Tara, eyebrows furrowed, looks slightly disgusted not by what she said, but by what he is thinking right now right after she said that. Tara just lets out an exasperated sigh and rolls her eyes.

"Maldita sea, mi hermano, are you just as green minded as your tentahair?"

"I CAN'T HELP IT, OK?!" Kael could feel a small sweat trickling down from his left temple, with him shaking his head was his only response.

"Anyway, then, well, I was in my sniper spot, trying to fend off some attackers. I was like, trying to snipe heads in peace, until this roo-roo over here decides to sneak up on me! He almost splatted me if it I didn't hear him swim up to me and didn't turn around in time. I somehow blocked and avoided his initial flings, but since I am a sniper and close range was not really my thing until I got the Squiffer.

"So yeah, we were in the edge of where you could fall in and be forced to poof back to spawn, and I managed to get him to a distance where I can shoot him off to spawn, but he then slipped off and was about to fall off the ledge."

"And she thinks it's a good idea to rush in and pull him back in and then shoot him."

"Hey, Sero, I wanna make the splat stylish, shush! That is back when I was still a dumb squiddo who likes to do stuff all the time for shits and giggles. I don't do that as much anymore right after I formed Rising Tsunami, so chill your seahorses.

"So yeah, I did that as he was just about to fall off from the edge of the stage, so my instincts just kicks in and told me to just rush in and pull him back in before I put him back to spawn myself. Better to get the kill first before they take themselves out first. So after that, he just approached me and called me a 'really loose'… uhhh, 'a really loose mug'…"

"Arafuran or Roo slangs."

"Yes, yes I know, he told me right after. And then, well, we just started to exchange some words right after, and then bam, we are now casually hanging out now. The next month though, by the time I finally proven myself that I can handle leading a team, then I was suggested to find myself one so I won't be wasting what Yhavin said to be my skills with leadership, and well, there goes Rodhann, pulled in to my cruise to the top along with those two idiots earlier."

"Huh… interesting…" He is starting to notice the trope in the family of meeting new and old people through Turf Wars and it slightly unnerves him. First, Tara meeting Rodhann, then Kael meeting said two idiots also through Turf Warring, plus Raei through the Duel (whose initial is just the same as Rodhann's). He could only wonder how many more people he'll meet through the same method.

They continued their conversation, sorting through the misadventures of the Rising Tsunami and their battles, Sero's history with his team, fully named as the Sea Mavericks, Kael (as Kthulhu) and the Masquidteer's shenanigans in Ranked (yes, they don't take Ranked seriously sometimes and messes around). Again, just minus Kyla, the sense of nostalgia starts to sink in deeper and deeper as time goes on. Kael doesn't know what to think of this feeling, but for now, he just shrugs it off.

"So… Kael… what do you think would happen once the time finally comes?" Asked Tara, as both his cousins glanced to him expectantly.

"Hmm…" Thinking it's a bit too early to put thought into it, he doesn't really know what to expect for it, neither had he wanted to think about it, "I have no idea. I don't wanna ponder too much over it either, it already hurts my head to think about how am I gonna show up to her, thinking of the outcome will give me bad migraines."

"I'm sure it'll all go well, knowing her well, she'd just… well, will be really happy to see you, and that might've been an understatement, but I'm sure you get what I meant."

"I could only hope."

"We'll see soon. The time will come." He knows that well, sadly. He can't possibly hide from her forever, just like how he couldn't hide from his cousins or friends. The time will come every little secrets he is intend to hide from his friends about his family will soon come to a big revelation, and . Like it or not, this reunion will have to happen someday. But when will that "someday" be? Only fate can tell... and better hope that fate goes easy on the already poor Yun Zhao trying to hide himself in the shadows for the time being.

"So, guys," Interrupting his train of thoughts, Sero then stood up from his chair, finishing his drink, "You guys wanna go play Turf or Ranked?"

"Us cousins only?" Tara then grinned as she also stood up from her chair, facing her brother, excited at the thought. Sero nodded, as both looked at Kael again, waiting for him to also stand up from his chair and go with the for a Turf War or Ranked game. Like the de Rodrigos, he's been wanting to play Turfing even before he was taken away, and since now the opportunity has arisen in a good time, he immediately takes it as he also stood up from is chair, responding with;

"Then let's storm the front together."

With the badass quote, the excited Tara launched both her fists into the air, yelling "Alright!" before she runs off of the kitchen and back to her room, getting her Squiffer, along with Sero doing the same thing and gets his roller. Smiling at the sight, Kael also went his way to the living room to grab his Blaster that he'll soon switch with his Carbon Roller later, before looking at his amulet.

"…hmph, looks like fate is taking me somewhere, huh…" He said to himself as both his cousins then went back to the living room, meeting up with Kael, ready to leave. The three then gathered up together, then they bumped their fists together and punches it high in the air, much like how the Masquidteers did back in their first Ranked Match, before they makes their way out of the house, out on their way to the Plaza.

"Alright! Time to take the Ranked mode by storm!"

A/N - Finally... after for so long, it's freaking HERE.

Sorry for the very long hiatus, I was busy with so much shit IRL, and procrastination usually really loves to hug me to death and not let me make progress. But anyways, hope its worth the wait, and I'll try to update more as soon as possible.

New Nationality:

Arafura/Arafuru - one of the neighboring countries near Malacca and Lapunia, it is located in the Southeastern Continent. It's the Splatoon Incarnation of Australia, naming after the sea with the same name, it is well known for having the people to speak with the most slang, and besides Ryujimizu, its one of the countries that has the most beautiful infrastructure, and is more focused on industrial business. Citizens, Natives, and Language is named either Arafuran or Roo.