FIVE

The air around the four Inklings was thick with tension and anticipation as they moved closer and closer to imminent danger. None of them talked much as they crept over the rocky ground and around large boulders. Occasionally they would stop for a break, eating some food and then moving on.

It was a slow process; Rina had made it clear that they needed the advantage of surprise, thus being undetected was incredibly essential.

Blue looked more apprehensive than usual as they neared the rear of the Octarian patrol. Cream would scout ahead, giving the others an update on their position. The city was growing in size.

"We're nearly directly behind them now..." The pink headed girl said in a low voice.

Blue let out a quiet moan of distress and looked down at her shaking legs.

"Are you okay?" Rina noticed the sudden trembling of her friend and gazed at her with concern.

She gulped and nodded stiffly. "J-just a bit nervous.." Her voice was barely audible.

"About battling the Octarians?" Rina said gently, remembering how she had first felt as well. Blue probably felt even worse, having very little battle experience in general. Blue once again stiffly nodded. Rina tried to think of a way people reassure one another, and recalled Callie and Marie's visit. Rina hesitantly stepped forward and pulled the Inkling into a hug. Blue straightened in surprise and Rina leaned away. "Don't worry, kiddo. We'll all be here to look out for each other! I won't let you get hurt."

Blue mumbled something that sounded like, "I'm not younger than you..." but she looked slightly more relaxed, if not just more prepared.

"Yeah!" Binke stepped in, pulled Cream over by the arm. He smiled widely at everyone. "We'll be unstoppable!"

Blue laughed softly. "I hope so..."

"Don't get too confident. We'll need to be fighting to the best of our ability." Rina reminded them.

Cream nodded once in acknowledgement. The atmosphere turned heavy again, they would attack very soon. "I think we should ambush them..." Cream said cooly. "I could back you guys up from a distance if you want."

"Like our Turf Wars tactic!" Binke exclaimed, hanging on Cream's shoulders with excitement. "You're so smart!" Cream just shrugged, though Rina though she saw a flicker of a smile cross her face.

"That does sound pretty good..." Rina said thoughtfully, looking between everyone. "I think that I should lead the attack."

"What? Why?"

"I've done this before. I.. don't want any of you to be in danger." Rina looked away.

"Rina..." Blue's quiet voice called next to her. "We're all ready to fight with you. We know the risks."

"If you insist though, me and Blue can stick together and flank them." Binke suggested, Cream nodded at this.

"Flanked on three sides. Me on that hill over there," She motioned towards one of the larger chunks of stone jutting from the ground. "Rina from the back, right down the path. And our two blues from the left."

"Two blues?" Binke said with a sceptical pout.

Rina giggled. "She's not wrong. Though Blue's blue is more of a pale color."

Blue appeared to attempt looking at her bangs. Binke stuck out his tongue.

"Okay, well then it's settled." Rina said, hoisting her Hero Shot firmly into her hands. "Let's get into position. Signal when you're ready."

Everyone nodded solemnly, moving their separate directions.

Rina looked over a while later to see the glint of Cream's weapon in the distance. She was ready. Binke and Blue were in position as well, tossing a rock to catch her attention. The Octarian patrol had stopped for a break, allowing the Inklings to move in close.

Rina crept up stealthily, darting behind rocks and crouching low to the ground. Her breathing was shaky as she tried to stay quiet. This wouldn't work if they were detected, and it needed to work. As Rina got close she could hear the shuffling of many Octarians. Peeking an eye around the jagged black rock, Rina saw that there were a good many number of Octolings with them. At least nine, that she could see.

Rina let out a quiet exhale, trying to relax. She leaned back against the sharp stone and closed her eyes. Calm down. You can do this. She thought to herself, regaining composure.

"Hey, why are we going this way? There are kettles right into the city..." Rina heard an Octarian gurgle in annoyance to another.

"Cause them Inklings from last time will be following probably." Another burbled in response.

"I thought we got them already?"

"Shut up, idiots!" A commanding voice hissed. Rina peeked around the rock to see a tall, male Octoling glaring sternly at the two Octarians. Rina had never seen a boy Octoling before... He was very intimidating, with those creepy goggles and black clothes. His dark red tentacles were splayed about his head, shorter in back than the females. "Yeah, there's a third one. And it might be following us right now. So how about you stop discussing all of our plans out in the open?"

The two Octarians just grumbled in response and the Octoling huffed angrily and stalked off.

Rina sighed and bit her lip with a fang. This might be more dangerous than she had initially thought. She shut her eyes tight. Then I'll just have to fight extra hard!

Suddenly, Rina leaped onto her feet and dashed out of her hiding place. With a shout, she pulled the trigger and released a spray of orange ink over the barren landscape. The camp exploded into confusion, Octarians scrambling to get away from the glossy ink. Rina ran straight ahead, determined to reach the heart of the camp and find Callie and Marie.

As expected, purple ink began to fly back at her. A pair of Octarians started coming at her, their strange machinery whirring. At least they weren't very fast... the Octolings were, unfortunately.

An Octoling girl jumped out in front of Rina, weapon raised threateningly. Rina fumbled for a moment, finding herself surrounded. Then, to her right, the Octarians suddenly fell over into a pool of pink ink that exploded underneath them. Rina waved her gun in thanks to Cream atop the hill and quickly darted around the Octoling, shooting ink ahead of her and sliding through it as a squid.

"Shoot it, already!" A cruel voice shrieked. It was the Octoling boy. Rina jumped from her ink trail, letting loose another stream to pave the way. She screamed as she was struck by something and fell hard to the ground, covered in purple ink. She struggled for a moment, clutching onto her weapon and shooting blindly. An Inkbrush? No, he hit her with an Octobrush.

"No!" A shout echoed from somewhere nearby.

"Get away from Rina!" Another voice cried. Multicolor blue ink was arcing over her. It was Binke and Blue!

Rina rolled over and scrambled to her feet, running forward. "Thanks guys!" They grinned in response and ran to her side. The goal was just to make it to the Sisters, they didn't want to fight every single Octarian... The steady blasting of their ink kept most Octarians at bay as they charged straight down the ravine. Blasts of pink ink would occasionally streak around them, splashing enemies and distracting them.

They were going to make it!

But... where were they keeping them? There were only packs and machines. There was no cage, no buildings. Rina whipped around desperately. There was nothing.

An Octoling slipped in the Inklings ink nearby as she tried to rush at them, her weapon sliding away. Rina jumped forward, pointing her weapon at her. The Octoling cried out and threw her arms up in a feeble attempt to protect herself. "Where are the Squid Sisters?!" Rina screamed at her, voice filled with frustration. Blue and Binke kept shooting off rounds of ink, taking turns refilling their tank. They couldn't hold everyone off for long. Another blast of pink ink sprayed in front of the Octoling boy attempting to charge at them.

The Octoling on the ground looked confused and afraid. "Where are they?" Rina screeched again, shaking her gun at her. She whimpered held her hands up.

"I-I-I don't know! They're not here." Her shaky voice squeaked out.

"Where are they!?" Rina's throat hurt from shouting so loudly at the cowering Octoling.

"I-I... The city, I think! P-p-please don't kill me!" She covered her head with her arms, her voice sobbing with fear.

Rina looked back at Blue and Binke with wide, anguished eyes. She quickly motioned for them to follow her, and they fled.

The Octarians gave chase, but they were quickly left behind in the jagged landscape. They shot no more ink, thus to not be tracked. And then they were hidden once again. Crouched behind a rock, the three gasped for breath.

"Why... why did we leave?" Binke choked out, looked at Rina incredulously. Almost with accusation in his eyes.

"They weren't there..." Rina said quietly, looking at the ground. She reached a hand up to rub away some purple ink on her face. "I'm sorry, guys. You did great..."

Binke just exhaled loudly and leaned back against the stone. Blue was gazing at her hands with a blank expression.

"I..." Blue's small voice was barely audible at first. "If they weren't there, then...?"

"They've got to be in the city. The one those Octarians have been heading towards. That's what an Octoling said." Rina looked sideways at her companions. The adrenaline still pumped through her body.

A tiny flash of a smile crossed Binke's expression. "That was pretty cool. Scary, but cool."

"What was?"

"Actually fighting Octarians." He said enthusiastically. "You were right about the Octolings, Rina. That dude with the Octobrush looked dangerous! But also really fashionable..."

Rina couldn't help but giggle at his silliness. "I'm glad you're okay. Don't get too distracted by how cool they look while they're trying to splat you, though!" Binke rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment and smiled.

"Do you think Cream will find us?" Blue mumbled.

"Huh? Oh, course she will." Binke patted her on the head in reassurance, to which her eyes widened in surprise.

Rina stood up and peered out from their hiding place. They appeared to have indeed lost the Octolings in their retreat. Wait...

"I see something moving..." Rina said in a hushed voice, crouching down. There was a glint in the shadows of the land, not very far off. Binke and Blue leaned their heads around to look. Then, slowly, a figure stood. A green knit hat rose up, followed by the familiar pink tentacles of Cream.

A grin spread on Binke's face and he jumped out to wave at her energetically. Rina pushed him down, "Dummy! There might be Octolings watching."

"Oops." He said sheepishly, blushing slightly.

"Let's go to her, we need to go get our supplies." Blue and Binke nodded in agreement, and the three Inklings carefully crept over the rocky landscape and hopped down to where Cream was kneeling. It was a shallow cave-like space.

Cream didn't say anything at first, but simply passed her blue eyes over each of them in turn. Then she walked up to Binke. He opened his mouth to greet her, but before he got the chance Cream had risen a hand and smacked the top of his head. His goggles fell down over his eyes and he sputtered in surprise, "Huh? W-wha.."

"I saw that stunt you pulled back there!" There was a hint of anger in her voice as she scolded the boy. He looked taken aback as he adjusted his goggles back into place.

"What are you-"

"Don't play dumb." Cream flipped a tentacle over her shoulder and folded her arms across her chest. "I saw you charge right at that Octo boy. What were you thinking getting so close?"

"Uh..." Binke smiled bashfully and rubbed the back of his neck. "... that Rina was in danger?"

"So you jumped on him?" Cream gazed at him with stern, narrow eyes. Binke just chuckled quietly and averted his eyes.

"Wait, what?" Rina blinked in confusion, looking at Binke. "You did what?"

Blue shuffled her feet and held her hands together. "U-um... when we first entered the battle you were getting attacked by a scary Octoling boy and, uh... Binke tackled him. You probably didn't see since you were laying in the enemy ink."

"You tackled him!?" Rina smacked Binke as well, who let out a whiny "Ow!"

"What's the big deal?" He frowned at the girls.

Cream just shook her head and turned to mess with her gun. Rina rolled her eyes. "Whatever, B. Just be more careful, kay? You could've gotten hurt."

"Bet I looked pretty cool, though." He grinned mischievously, shooting a glance at Blue. She shrugged.

"It.. did look a little heroic."

"Don't encourage him." Rina nudged Blue in a joking manner and smiled at them. She then looked at Cream's back-turned figure. "Hey, nice shooting back there." Creamed just nodded.

Rina let out a sigh, and looked out over the landscape. The city was but a tall, blurry shape in the distance. What kind of dangers would await them there? Rina didn't really want to find out, but she had a bad feeling that time was not on their side.

Chapter 5! I keep thinking about this story ahhh. I really need to update my other story (which has aloooooot more followers) but I just.. AAH

I haven't even introduced all the characters to you guys yet and I'm having shipping wars with myself DX (idk if I even should put relationships like that in this..)

Well, not officially by name and stuff... huehue

Well, as always, leave a review! How's the writing/characters? Could I have done anything different? Do you guys ship anyone? ;D Thanks for reading! I can't wait for the Christmas Splatfest! Stay Fresh Team Nice! =