Summary: Inkling Boy meets Ness, Villager, Pokemon Trainer, Dark Pit, Isabelle, and Young Link.
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As the child fighters pooled out they began to break off into groups. Ness and Young Link exchanged pleasantries, having not seen each other in years. They were soon joined by Dark Pit and Pokemon Trainer. The last to join that group was Villager, who had had to break away from a hovering Isabelle first.
Meanwhile Toon Link and Pit were catching up, they had both joined at the same time so they had naturally bonded. Lucas awkwardly shuffled up alongside them, he'd joined at the same time as them but had taken a brief hiatus. Nana and Popo joined that group too, seeming comfortable around Toon Link but mostly keeping to each other.
Inkling Boy noted the absence of Diddy Kong and the Koopa Kids. They must be staying with their parents.
Isabelle collected Nana and waved over Inkling Girl. "Make friends fast, then," she said while slapping him on the back and running over to the girls.
Inkling Boy could read the room, the most experienced and coolest fighters were hanging out with Ness, the youngest veteran of the 64 games. He approached the group.
"Hey everyone, I'm Inkling Boy," he said while giving them a quick wave.
"Ah, the celebrity newcomer in the flesh," Dark Pit said sarcastically. "You must be something else if they let you have the premiere trailer," he continued. Inkling Boy shuffled nervously, glad they cut the camera before revealing his accident.
Young Link approached him and reached out for a handshake, "Ignore him, he's just jealous of always playing 2nd fiddle."
"2nd fiddle? Please, I'm irreplaceable. Unlike some people," Dark Pit said, grinning mockingly at Young Link.
Dark Pit and Young Link argued back and forth for a while as Ness and Pokemon Trainer introduced themselves. "So, do you all room together?" he asked.
"Uhu," Ness said, "most of us hang out with other folks outside the room. Like I usually hang out with the rest of the N64 veterans and Dark Pit spends most of his time with Pit and Palutena."
Inkling Boy thought for a second. "Wait, why is Pit over there then?"
"Pit and Dark Pit can't sleep in the same room together and we don't trust Dark Pit with the little ones," Ness said.
"Trust me with the little ones? You trust me around Villager enough!" Dark Pit shot back.
Everyone's eyes turned to face villager. He was standing just outside the circle, his wide eyed smile staring blankly at everyone yet no one in particular. A shiver shot down Inkling Boy's spine.
Young Link broke the silence. "Anyway, I think we have until tonight to tell Isabelle what room we're staying in, since there's 10 of us we should do 5 to a room. Dark Pit can't room with Pit, Nana is afraid of Villager and can't room with Popo since those two are always together, and no way in hell am I going to room with the usurper." Young Link gave an angry glance in Toon Link's direction.
"Well if you want to switch with me I don't mind," Pokemon Trainer said. "I spend most of my free time with the Pokemon anyway."
"I'll trade too if you want," Ness said. "It would be nice to watch over Lucas."
"You mean it? Thanks! Let me think about it," Inkling Boy said. He definitely wanted to stay with these boys, they seemed more experienced and better connected. But first he needed to find a toilet. As he was about to break away the door to the auditorium swung open.
It was Duck Hunt Dog and his bird. Isabelle seemed to understand that the dog was sent to retrieve the group so she rounded them up and they headed back in. 'Damn,' he thought, the weight in his bladder building.
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The introduction ceremony didn't last long after that. The newcomers had already had months of orientation and the returning fighters had enough experience to help the rest out. Still, near the end Inkling Boy was wiggling in his seat.
Inkling Girl leaned in close to him. "Just get up and go! You're driving me nuts," Inkling Girl whispered.
"Is it that obvious?" he whispered back.
She gave a head nod toward Isabelle. Inkling Boy looked over at the humanoid dog, who was staring at him with concern. They caught each other's eyes.
Isabelle leaned over to his other shoulder, "Are you alright?" she whispered.
"Yeah, just kinda have to go," he responded.
"I think it's almost over, can you hold it?" she asked.
"Can I hold it? Of course I can," he responded indignantly. He may have been in the child group but he wasn't even the youngest one here. Well, he WAS by creation date but not by his age, at least.
"So that concludes our introduction ceremony," Sakurai said from the podium. As Inkling Boy was getting ready to stand up, Sakurai continued, "But I have one more thing to show you before you're dismissed. Please enjoy this new trailer."
Inkling Boy couldn't miss this. He may have been excluded from the commercial shoot but he had to support Inkling Girl, who was given a central role. The various characters fought on the projector, woos and ahhs coming from the crowd as they cheered each other on. Then Inkling Girl showed up on screen, firing orange ink out of her shooter. Inkling Boy grabbed her by the shoulder in excitement and cheered as loud as he could for his friend.
Then he froze. What was that in her eye? The camera zoomed in and revealed it: the giant flaming ring with a bullseye in it. It was the object of his nightmares and the flames spread through his eyes and ignited his brain into a rush of anxiety.
Inkling Boy began having a panic attack, he breathed heavily and put his face in his hands. Inkling Girl and Isabelle both leaned over, trying to figure out what was wrong. "Air- -" he said between breaths, "I - need - - air." He was vaguely aware of a wet sensation growing in his underwear but he was too freaked out to worry about it too much.
Isabelle took him by the hand and started dragging him outside. Inkling Girl looked down and saw a puddle of blue ink leaking off of his chair and hitting the floor in a gentle stream. 'You're kidding, he inked his pants on the first day?' she thought to herself, 'How embarrassing.' Still, they were in this together. Inkling Girl walked directly behind Inkling Boy, rubbing his shoulders. She hoped it would look like she was calming him down but in reality it was to help hide the blue ink sliding from the bottom of his shorts down onto his bare legs.