Summary: Inkling Boy changes into dry clothes and rejoins the other fighters.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
"Sorry for the wait, I couldn't find where they took your luggage," Isabelle said, genuinely upset she had kept the boy waiting for so long.
Inkling Boy didn't mind, he was just glad he didn't have to walk around with wet shorts. "Thanks," he said while jumping from the exam table and taking his bag from Isabelle. From behind him he heard Inkling Girl snort, then try and suppress a giggle.
"What's so funny?" he asked, turning toward her.
With one hand over her mouth to hold back laughter she pointed to the exam table. On the white parchment was a blue buttprint where Inkling Boy had been sitting. Inkling Boys face turned beat red and he quickly tore the parchment off.
Isabelle interjected, "Inkling Girl, if you'd like you can head back to the convention hall. All the fighters are getting lunch and finding their luggage."
"Will you be alright?" she asked Inkling Boy.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he said bitterly. He knew she meant well but she really was of no help at all.
"Me and Inkling Boy will join you in a bit, then we can all head to our rooms," Isabelle said. Inkling Girl jumped off her small waiting room chair and gave a wave as she made her way out the door.
Inkling Boy set about grabbing a fresh pair of underwear and pants from his bag. After picking some out he noticed Isabelle standing attentively and at the ready.
"Guess I should get changed," he said.
"And don't forget to wash yourself properly," she said.
He scowled. "It's ink, it's not dirty. It's not pee." Sure it was excess liquid that was stored in a bladder, but it was just ink and water that his body wasn't utilizing. His skin was made of ink as well, so really the only harm that would come from releasing it into his pants is the embarrassment of not being able to hold it in and making a mess.
"Right, I'm sorry, " Isabelle quickly said, again genuinely sorry. "But there's still some blue on your legs…"
Inkling Boy sighed, she was right. "Do you mind?" he asked while holding his dry clothes.
"Not at all," Isabelle said.
The two stared at each other for a second. Isabelle was obediently patient but Inkling Boy was getting increasingly annoyed at how helpful she was. "...Outside?" he said with a hint of impatience.
"Oh right! Sorry!" Isabelle said, bowing profusely. "I'll meet you at the convention hall, I should get to the other children. But before I go…"
Inkling Boy pinched the bridge of his nose, couldn't this wait till he was in dry pants?
"I ran into Dr. Mario in the hall. He mentioned something about trouble sleeping, that you...er…" she said, hoping he'd fill in the blanks.
"Damnit Orange!" he cursed under his breath.
"Well I know all you boys were told to choose cabins amongst yourselves but it might be best if I placed you in Cabin B with Popo, Lucas, Pit, and Toon Link," she continued.
"But what if I don't like them?" he asked, indignantly. His posture and tone softened and he added, "And what if they don't like me?"
Isabelle smiled warmly, "What's not to like? Besides I'm told the boys in Cabin B are friendlier, closer. Less judgemental about any...sleeping problems."
Inkling Boy said nothing, he just clutched his dry clothes and starred at the floor.
"Anyway, join us when you're ready," Isabelle said, making her way back to the other fighters.
O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
Inkling Boy walked down the hall, happy to finally be in dry pants again. As he navigated his way back he heard the feast was in full swing, which piqued his anxiety. They were all there and they all saw him ink himself. He took a deep breath and remembered: he was a fighter, that's all that mattered here.
Nonetheless he peaked around the corner and got a lay of the land. Everyone seemed to be up and about, mingling with one another. There was a clear spectrum from one side of the room to the other, bad guys to good guys and shades of grey in the middle. Inkling Boy quietly made his way toward the "good" side, keeping an eye out for his orange friend or the dog standing upright. He spotted Fox. "Not quite," he muttered.
He searched the room, trying to peek around the taller fighters to find his short friend. He walked past Palutena and Pit who were deep in an argument about something. As he walked around them he saw Palutena's flowing white dress had obscured Dark Pit, who was hanging out with them but seemingly bored by the discussion. Inkling Boy shielded his face and tried to walk by unnoticed.
"But it's not fair, how can I be expected to serve you if I'm not sleeping with you?" he overheard Pit saying.
"Sleeping with me?" Palutena teased, layers of innuendo in her voice.
"Aahh, not like that!" Pit stammered out, flustered.
Inkling Boy giggled at this, then felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Dark Pit.
"What's so funny?" Dark Pit said with a smirk. Dark Pit only stood about a head taller than Inkling Boy but his black attire made him seem all the more intimidating.
"N-nothing," he stammered.
"Oh really? Cuss I saw something HIL-larious earlier today. There was this kid, right, and he apparently waited too long to go to the bathroom so-"
Just then a hand shot over Dark Pit's mouth and dragged him backwards. Pit had come to the rescue..
"We told you no!" Pit said angrily as Dark Pit wrestled himself free.
"But you were over there so upset that you couldn't stay in mommies bed tonight, I didn't think you'd notice," Dark Pit shot back.
"It is my sworn duty to protect and serve Lady Palutena 24/7!" Pit announced, as proud as ever.
As they argued, Palutena came up beside Inkling Boy. "They fight like this all the time, you know?" she said, her elegant manner of speaking effortlessly cutting through the clatter of the crowd. She continued, "But if they're around each other all the time then how much can they really hate each other?"
Inkling Boy nodded, glad to be out of Dark Pit's wrath.
"We just saw the room assignments, it looks like you're gonna be with Pit," she said.
"Yeah, not that I got any choice," Inkling Boy griped.
"Pit's a good kid but he needs friends apart from celestial beings. Rooming with you and the other boys will be a good thing," Palutena said. "You'll look after him for me, wont you?"
This took Inkling Boy by surprise; why was this Goddess being so upfront with him? Pit just said that he and Palutena told Dark Pit not to make fun of him, meaning they knew about his accident. Surely he was the last person Pit should want to make friends with. Still, who was he to deny a God. "Sure, I'll try," he said.
Palutena smiled down at Inkling Boy. "Now if you'll excuse me," she said, walking toward the arguing Pits and pulling them apart like a pair of fighting cats.
Inkling Boy scanned the room again and spotted the unmistakably orange squid girl he called his friend. She was talking to a Link, as he walked closer he recognized it was Young Link. She was twirling her hair with one finger and laughing out loud as the green tunic boy spoke. She saw Inkling Boy approaching and gave him a stern stare and a quick wave off.
'Great, now she doesn't even want to be seen with me," he lamented. He stared into space for a good long while, preparing himself for a very lonely time in Super Smash Brothers.
His one kid pity party was interrupted abruptly, though, by something bumping hard into him and nearly knocking him forward. He pivoted, ready to fight, only to see a small, blonde haired boy looking at him with a worried expression on his face.
Lucas looked at Inkling Boy, then back over his shoulder to Ness, who was giving the two of them a thumbs up. He regained his footing and stuttered out, "H-hi, I'm Lucas."