Yuri's PoV

Yuri sat at the table, eating cereal with York and Yana while his mom was washing dishes. Occasionally, she glanced over her shoulder to see what was going on, only to progressively become more panicked as time passed. He could understand why—Yasmin had yet to show up to breakfast. Which was odd; she almost never overslept.

As he put his dish in the sink, his mom called his name, grabbing his attention. Yuri whipped around, expectant.

"Can you wake up Yasmin?" she asked. "I don't want her to miss the bus."

"Sure." With a nod, he dashed up the stairs, walking over to Yasmin's room. The door was closed shut, and faintly, he could hear...crying? Yuri's heart lurched. Did something happen? Light peeked out from underneath the door, and, pressing his ear against it, he could hear the crying more clearly. Frowning, he knocked on the door, and the crying was interrupted with a gasp.

"Don't come in!" his sister demanded, her voice cracking.

"Yasmin?!" Yuri shot up straight, removing his body from the door. "What's wrong?"

"Just...don't come in, OK?" She let out a sob, and he could hear her weight shift around inside. Yuri's hand hovered over the doorknob. Despite Yasmin's protests, he couldn't just ignore her. If something was wrong, then he had to solve it immediately! "Leave me alone."

"Yasmin, you won't convince me with that," he said. "You have school today, and you still haven't eaten breakfast! You'll be late!"

"Well, I'm not going to school today. Now go away."

"Yasmin, this isn't like you."

"Well, maybe this is like me!"

He sighed, crossing his arms. "You can't keep up that act forever. I really don't want to do this, but I'll force my way in if that's what it takes."

"No!" she squealed. Footsteps hurried over to the door on the other side, pressing against it. "I'm not letting you in!"

"Yasmin Gahhm." As he raised his voice, Yuri rested a hand on the doorknob. "As your older brother, it's my duty to make sure you're okay. And clearly, you're not! So tell me what's wrong!"

A pause. And then, Yasmin muttered, weakly, "...Don't tell anyone, okay?" He could only imagine her pouting.

Despite his concern, he doubted he would get anything else out of her. "Alright," he replied. "I won't tell anyone."

Without another word spoken, the door unlocked, and Yuri slipped inside. Yasmin's room was much more decorated compared to Yuri's, posters and shelves lining the peach-colored walls. A few succulents sat by the windowsill, bathing in sunlight. He couldn't spot Yasmin at first, but eventually, he spotted a hint of yellow peaking from behind her bed. When he tried to approach her, however, she disappeared, leaving a little bit of yellow ink behind.

Yuri's eyes widened. There was no way she could've fit under that bed, unless... "Did you-"

He quickly cut himself off when a yellow blob emerged, shifting into a girl with long hair and dark skin, just like his. She wore a Squid Sisters t-shirt and baggy, dark purple pants, the exact clothes Yasmin had worn to bed last night. Trembling, she met Yuri's eyes with yellow eyes of her own, tears streaking her cheeks.

"Y-Yes," she replied eventually. "I changed."

Yuri blinked, his worry immediately dissolving. "That's great, though! Why are you so upset?"

Yasmin sniffed. "What if no one recognizes me?" She clenched a fist. "You didn't recognize Aleah after she changed. What if she doesn't recognize me either?"

"She will," Yuri assured her. "She's your best friend; you said it yourself."

"But it's still so weird." Yasmin plopped onto her bed, looking down at her hands. "My whole body feels funny, and changing forms is so weird. But if I want to play turf war, I just gotta get used to it. I don't know if I can."

"You have your whole life to get used to it." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know, it's weird to suddenly wake up completely different and being able to do things you couldn't do before. But that's life, Yasmin. We can't stay kids forever, whether we want to or not."

Yet, she still seemed troubled. "I wish I could be as carefree as you," she mused, frowning.

"'Carefree?' Where'd you get that idea?"

"Well, you always have everything under control, and you always know what to say."

He laughed. "I think you're describing Perry, not me." Or maybe even Geneva.

"Maybe I am, but you're so much better than me. I always say stupid things and make things awkward."

"Don't say that." He placed his other hand on her shoulder, fully grabbing her attention. "It won't make you feel better. You'll only make yourself feel worse and worse, until you do something you'll end up regretting."

Octavia often lamented how she didn't notice Alexis's behavior until it was too late. Though they were lucky it didn't escalate into something worse, Via still wondered if she could've prevented her from running away in the first place. Yuri didn't want the same thing to happen to his sister—for her self-worth to get so low that she would consider such extreme options. ...Had she been putting herself down for a long time, and Yuri just hadn't noticed until now?

"OK..." Yasmin gave a half-hearted smile. "If you say so."

"That's the spirit!" He pumped a fist and started heading towards the door. "Now, come on down. You don't want to be late for school, do you?"

She sniffed, rubbing her eyes. "Right."

Together, they walked downstairs, Yasmin staying close to Yuri. When they reached the kitchen, his mom turned around to speak before surprise overcame her, mouth gaping with awe. Yasmin sheepishly revealed herself, dark-skinned hands clamped tightly behind her. A few moments later, the twins noticed, though they got over their shock sooner than Mom's.

"You changed!" Yana burst out of her seat and tackled Yasmin, nearly knocking her off her feet as she wrapped her in a hug. "Now you can be fresh like Yuri and play turf war!"

"You're so lucky," York whined. "It's gonna be forever before we can change forms."

"But every squid changes," Yasmin pointed out. Rubbing her shoulder, she added, "It's so sudden, too..."

"Yasmin, it's nothing to be ashamed of." Their mom walked over to them and rested her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "It's part of growing up." Smirking, she added, "Yuri must've said something similar, right?"

"Yep," he confirmed. "No matter who you hear it from, it's true."

She nodded and continued, "I can cook some toast for you."

"Toast? Really?" she groaned. "I'll just get food from school..."

"School food sucks," Yana argued. "You should eat the toast."

Yasmin paused, thinking, but then she said, "Toast is so boring, though."

"So is cereal!" York retorted.

"Yeah, but you can have all different kinds of flavors for cereal. Toast is just that—toast."

"Put jam on it," Yana suggested. "It makes it delicious!"

"You're just saying that because you like sugar," Yuri remarked.

She huffed. "It's true, though!"

Mom laughed. "Well, if you don't want toast, how about oatmeal? There's a few packs for it in the cupboard."

"Oatmeal?!" Yasmin grimaced. "That's even worse!" She stuck her tongue out, faking a gagging sound. "You know, I'm just eating the school food. At least it's more interesting than toast or oatmeal!"

As she stormed back upstairs, Yuri called, "What about an energy bar? That works as breakfast!"

"Not interested!" she fired back.

"But-"

"Leave her be," his mom whispered. "She just changed, after all. Her feelings must be all over the place."

He sighed. "If you say so." Walking over to the entrance, he slung his backpack over his shoulder. "I'm going to school now," he announced. "See you later!"

"Bye!" the twins exclaimed, waving their stubby arms around.

A smile on his face, he stepped outside and started walking down the street, letting himself bask in the budding sunlight. Today was going to be a busy day, and he needed to be as ready as he could be.

The first thing Yuri did after school was go to the middle school Yasmin attended. After all, if something happened, he wanted to be there to comfort her. School let out a few minutes after he arrived, and he sent her a text to let her know he was here. He leaned against the lamppost, scanning the gates for his sister as children poured out of the school.

He eventually spotted Yasmin's yellow hair and started waving his hand around in hopes of grabbing her attention. The moment she saw him, she ran over to him, though she tripped on the pavement along the way. Yuri caught her before she could fall to the ground and get hurt. After helping her up, they began walking down the street, chatting among one another.

"How was school?" Yuri started.

"Good," she replied. Frowning, she added, "Aleah wasn't at school today."

"Well, what about your other friends?"

"They said I looked good...but I still want to know what Aleah thinks."

"You can't text her?"

"I...ugh." She waved her hand, dismissing the thought. "Can we talk about something else?"

"Something else, eh?" He grinned. "Well, now that you can change forms, you can do turf wars! There's a Splatfest tomorrow; you know that, right?"

"Yeah, but I don't want my first match to be in the middle of a Splatfest!"

"We can at least get you registered."

"Registered?! Why do we need to register to play turf wars?!"

Yuri shrugged. "Legal reasons, I guess. I haven't really looked into it."

Yasmin smushed her cheeks with her hands. "Oh, but I'm not prepared! What do you even need?!"

"Relax! Just a school ID works," he assured her. "That's how I got registered."

"How? It's just a school ID."

"It counts as legal documentation, apparently."

"If you say so."

Instead of going straight home, they took a detour to the registration building, located between Inkopolis Plaza and Inkopolis Square. Given it was the day before the Splatfest, it was very busy, tons of young inklings crowding the building. They had to wait a half hour before their number was finally called. Yuri guided Yasmin through the registration process, though he doubted she needed it. She always had been a little spoiled...

Nonetheless, she got her official license in no time, along with some starter gear—a white headband, a basic tee, some white basics, and of course, a Splattershot Jr. Yasmin didn't change into her new clothes immediately, prompting Yuri to take her to an empty parking lot for some training. Some cones and boxes had been set up by the last people who were there, so he used them and the Splattershot Jr. to create a path for his sister to follow.

The first path he had set up was a straight line, ending with a box. All Yasmin had to do was to run back and forth a few times—which she did without difficulty. The next path was a simple, curved one, inked yellow for his sister. All she had to do was swim down the path a few times so she could get used to changing forms. There were a few pauses between each lap, but after she completed them, they took a short break, even if they spent it texting on their phones. Once that break was over, though, it was back to training.

"Can we stop?" Yasmin soon protested as she climbed one of the boxes on the fifth path. "I'm getting tired."

"A turf war is three minutes long!" Yuri barked. "You gotta build up your stamina!"

"But we've been doing the same thing over and over," she whined. "This is boring."

"Well, if you wanna play in the Splatfest, we gotta get you in tip-top shape!"

"Who said I was going to play in the Splatfest?"

"...Actually, yeah, you got a point." He quickly got over his dismay and shook his head. "No matter! It's fun, so why don't you at least try it? If you get tired after a match, I can drop you off at home."

Yasmin hopped off the box and took a few moments to reassure herself before transforming into a squid and reached the next set of boxes, the tower they created taller than the last. Upon reaching the top of that box, she transformed back and surveyed the area up ahead. Then, with a final leap, she transformed into a squid again and landed in a puddle of ink, darting to the end of the path. Upon reaching the end of the ink trail, she emerged, yellow dripping from her body.

"Booyah!" Yuri cheered. "That was great!"

Yasmin groaned, plopping onto the floor. "Now can we stop?"

After thinking about it, he nodded. "It is about time for a brea-"

"I don't mean a break!" she interrupted. "Like, just stop all together today! I'm tired!"

Hearing her insistence, Yuri frowned. Maybe he had taken it too far. He was so excited that his sister could change forms now that he was eager to get her into turf wars, only to not consider her own feelings. He was being a bad brother right now—he had to snap himself out of it.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, lowering his head. "We'll go home, I promise."

She huffed. "You should be! I never want to work out that hard again!"

He laughed, meeting her eyes. "Well, you still wanna play in the Splatfest tomorrow?"

"I guess. Maybe Aleah will be there."

"Do you know what team she's on?"

"Yep, Team Tortoise. She showed me the shirt the other day."

"In that case, you could join that team and text her to let her know."

"I can't just text her! She's gotta see me in person!"

"Alright, then what about joining the other team? I'm on Team Hare; we can play together!"

"Team Hare? But doesn't the tortoise win in the original story? Why'd ya choose that?"

"Just because the tortoise won originally doesn't mean I can't choose something different! Besides, hares were fast! They're much fresher than tortoises."

"You're just saying that because they're extinct."

"But they're also furry. Like Judd. Have you ever met Judd? His fur is really soft; you should give him a pet some time!"

Yasmin sighed. "Fine, I'll join your team."

"Booyah!" He patted her back. "Let's go get your Splatfest tee then. It'll be easier to get it sooner than later."

"If you say so."

After tearing down the cones and boxes, the siblings were off towards Inkopolis Square, the sky slowly fading from blue to shades of orange. But even at sundown, the streets were packed, the citizens of Inkopolis walking home from whatever they were doing that day. They managed to reach the Square before it could fall completely into darkness, and quickly did Yasmin receive her very own Splatfest tee. For a few moments, she lingered in front of the Deca Tower, staring up at the screens plastered onto it. Yuri thought about asking her if she wanted to do a turf war, but remembering her prior complaints, he decided against it.

Soon enough, Yasmin was dragging Yuri back home, and their arrival was met with the chorus of laughter from York and Yana. They swarmed them with questions about their day and if they had done a turf war yet. After Yasmin disappeared upstairs, exhausted, Yuri explained what they did after school. The twins seemed disappointed, but they quickly got over it and went back to whatever they were doing before Yuri and Yasmin came home.

Later, before he went to sleep, he went up to Yasmin's bedroom again and knocked on the door. "Yasmin?" he called. "You there?"

"Yeah," she replied, tired. "Don't come in."

He put his hands on his hips. "Again?"

"I want to sleep."

"OK, fair." He paused, and with a smile, Yuri said, "Make sure you're ready for tomorrow!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. ...Do you really think Aleah will be there?"

"Yeah, of course! But it's a different story on if we run into her or not."

"Oh...okay. Good night."

"Good night."

Yuri retreated into his room and slipped into his bed, dreaming that one day, he would be able to play turf war with all his siblings, even if it'll take years before then. At least he can play with Yasmin now!

Inkopolis Square was as busy as Yuri expected, with a crowd of inklings gathered around the stage above the lobby entrance as usual. Pearl and Marina did not wear their usual outfits today, instead donning streetwear reminiscent of some of their official merchandise. Pearl was wearing a hoodie like the one Perry owned, though it appeared to be much bigger on her, almost reaching her knees. A gilded crown sat on top of her cream hair, the gems sparkling in the light. Marina, on the other hand, was wearing a white crop top, coupled with a giant silver necklace, and jeans. A white paisley bandana was tied around her head, and the lights on her headphones glowed green. For some reason, it felt refreshing to see them in something other than their stage outfits.

Yasmin, as he expected, was enthralled by the two idols, watching their memorizing dances. Her yellow eyes seem to shine like gold as lights danced around, her mouth hanging open slightly. They stood there, watching Off the Hook for a few minutes before Yuri finally elbowed her, egging her to go into the lobby. Her eyes seemed to grow even larger as inklings swarmed the lobby, filtering into the various elevators scattered around the place.

"Impressive, isn't it?" he queried, putting his hands on his hips. "There's no better place to battle than Inkopolis!"

Yasmin gulped. "Y-Yeah."

"C'mon! Let me show you the Rainbow Squids weapon storage!"

He grabbed her hand and dragged her over to the panel near the end of the lobby. After inputting the password, the floor paneling slid open to reveal a set of stairs. With Yasmin's surprise, Yuri returned it with a grin. He descended the stairs and turned on his phone's flashlight, scanning the area for his Heavy Splatling Deco. While he found it in no time, he noticed everyone else's weapons were still here. He did let everyone know the situation with his sister, but he really thought everyone would be out playing turf wars by now. Maybe he just got here early...

When Yuri returned, Yasmin replied, "How did that happen?" With every new experience, her eyes seem to grow larger and larger.

"Technology," he replied, waving his hand for extra flair. "The Deca Tower is pretty advanced!"

"Yeah, I can see that." She laughed. "It'd be even better if there was somewhere to practice!"

"Oh, you're right! It'd help me warm up, at least!" He pumped a fist. "Well, enough talking. Let's get into a match!"

Yasmin seemed to tense up at the thought, but eventually, she took out her new Splattershot Jr. and nodded. "Right."

"Don't be nervous," he whispered. "It'll be fun!"

"I hope so."

They entered one of the nearby elevators, where two inklings on Team Hare were waiting. Judging by the awkward silence, he figured they didn't know each other. Nonetheless, Yasmin stayed close by Yuri's side, eyeing the two other inklings from the back of the room. Yuri attempted to strike up a conversation with them, but they ignored him, instead scrolling through their phones like nothing ever happened. So, he set his sights on the elevator doors. Who would their opponents be?

A group of twins on Team Tortoise soon walked in, physically identical except for their hairstyle—one twin had long hair, while the other had short hair. They also wielded completely different weapons—the long-haired girl wielded Kensa Splat Dualies, while the short-haired girl wielded the Kensa Undercover Brella. They chatted up a storm, much to the annoyance of the two strangers on Team Hare and the next person to enter, an inkling boy wielding the Soda Slosher. Yuri found himself unable to join the conversation.

At the sight of the final inkling to enter, though, he could hear a gasp escape Yasmin's lips. A girl with light brown skin and rich blue eyes stepped into the lobby, her hands wrapped around a Tentatek Splattershot. She wore a green novelty visor along with neon sea slugs and of course, a Splatfest tee. It soon became obvious to him who this newcomer was.

"Aleah!" Yasmin jumped out from behind Yuri and spread her arms out, grinning. "It's you!"

Aleah stopped in her tracks, bewildered. "Yasmin?! Is that you?"

Her smile wavered. "Of course it is! Who else would I be?"

She laughed. "It really is you!" She put her weapon under her arm and grabbed Yasmin's hands. "When did you change?"

"Yesterday," she replied. "I-I wanted to show you at school, but you weren't there!"

"So you're battling already?" Aleah blinked, surprised. "That's bold."

Yasmin chuckled. "My brother dragged me into it."

She looked past her, eyes falling on Yuri. "Huh."

He waved. "How goes it?"

Aleah let go and put a hand on her hip. "I thought you would be with your friends."

"Well, I can't leave my sister alone on her first battle, now can I?"

"Fair." Blue eyes fell on Yasmin. "You're lucky to even have siblings."

She crossed her arms, smiling. "I think otherwise."

"Hey!"

The girls laughed. Before they could continue talking, the elevator door closed shut, and everyone began to descend. Yasmin jumped and turned into a squid, covering her eyes. Yuri scooped her up and moved one tentacle out the way, allowing her to witness the marvel that was the elevator's floor. Just like in the lobby, the paneling slid open, though it revealed a grate instead of a set of stairs.

"Just turn into a squid!" Aleah instructed. "You'll get there in no time!" Before Yuri or Yasmin could say anything, she transformed, slipping through and disappearing into the current. Yasmin leaped after her, prompting Yuri to transform as well.

A few moments later, he was staring up at a starry sky, neon lights dotting the area. Towers of stone rose towards the heavens, and he spotted a glass wall in the corner of his eye. A Shifty Station—he's been in one so many times that he could now instantly recognize one. When everyone transformed into kids, Yuri's eyes rested on his sister once more. Her mouth was practically hanging open.

"Wow..." she eventually said. "Where are we?"

"A Shifty Station!" Yuri replied. "Marina builds these; isn't that fresh?" His eyes then trailed down towards the center of the stage. A long strip of land went under the glass wall, curling upward. A peculiar pillar stood at the opposite end, its platform isolated from the mainland. Just what does she have in store for us today?

The match started, and the two strangers immediately charged ahead, one wielding a Permanent Inkbrush, and the other wielding a Aerospray PG. Yasmin didn't swim after them, instead staying behind to ink the spawn area. As much as he wanted to help his sister, he also wanted to get into the action. So, he chased after the strangers, soon arriving at the stage's centerpiece. Now that he had a closer look, he could make out a switch within the glass pillar, though he couldn't see an opening. But there must be one somewhere, right?

He didn't have much time to investigate, though, as a wave of burst bombs came hurling towards him. Yuri leaped out of the way, tossing out a splash wall. Though, it served little to protect him, as it broke after withstanding a few hits. He spotted the boy with the Soda Slosher near a bumper, carrying a bomb launcher on his shoulders. One burst bomb grazed Yuri's shoulder, but that was all the boy was able to land. Yuri threw out another splash wall and started to charge up his Heavy Splatling Deco, but his opponent practically ignored it, rushing ahead. Yuri was forced to release the charge early, and thankfully, he managed to splat him with his limited ammo. Letting out a sigh of relief, he resumed his investigation.

Soon, he found an opening in the pillar, exposing the switch to all. He fired a few shots at the switch, and the strip of land began to move beneath his feet, knocking all on it off-balance.

The inkling with the Permanent Inkbrush stood up, wiping the dirt off her skirt. "What the heck?" As dark brown eyes landed on Yuri, her eyebrows furrowed. "You did this!"

"Hey, I didn't know what would happen!" he defended. "Have you been here before?"

"No." She shook her head. "Oh, whatever! I'm going back to inking."

Yuri took his attention off the switch for now, instead joining his teammates in inking the rest of the area. Yasmin finally caught up to him, her long hair glowing.

"Yuri!" she called. "How do I activate my special?"

He shrugged. "You just do."

She threw her arms out, straining her face as she tried to activate her special. Of course, nothing happened. So, she sighed, and continued inking. But she was quickly stopped in her tracks when Aleah stepped into the arena, her hair glowing as well. They pointed their weapons at each other, but neither of them fired. Yuri moved closer to the switch, observing the confrontation from afar.

"I knew we would meet each other sooner or later," Aleah commented. "You doing alright?"

"Yeah," Yasmin breathed. "I almost tripped a few times, but I've inked everything to a T."

"For someone who just changed yesterday, you're doing pretty good, then."

"Yuri gave me a lot of training yesterday. Too much training."

"But it helped in the end, didn't it?"

"We're barely into the match! What if I trip and fall?"

Aleah snickered, bringing a hand up to her face. "Then I'll have to test your speed!"

In a flash of light, she lifted into the air, propelled by an Inkjet. Yasmin gaped at her friend, though she snapped out of it the moment a high-speed blob of green ink barreled towards her. She leaped out of the way, stumbling to the ground. Aleah fired another shot, but instead of getting up, she covered her face, a pink mist beginning to surround her. Yuri looked down at himself to find the same mist swirling around him, too. By the time the shot landed, Ink Armor had formed, though it shattered upon contact with Yasmin's body. Yuri shouted her name as she flew across the battlefield, coming to a stop inches away from the edge. Enemy ink dripped off her body as she struggled to get up, her face twisted with pain.

That was enough for Yuri to finally intervene. He swam towards his sister and leaped out of the ink to take the next shot, destroying his own armor and splattering green ink all over his shirt. Breathing heavily, he threw out a splash wall and started to charge up his Heavy Splatling Deco. Aleah loomed closer, rising higher into the air. Once she was in range, he fired, splatting her in midair.

He helped her to her feet, only for her to stomp on his foot moments later. "Yuri!" she whined. "That was our battle! Why'd you intervene?"

"You didn't stand a chance against her!" he argued. "You would've splatted if not for me."

She pouted. "You're the worst sometimes."

Yuri froze, his eyes following his sister as she ran off. The worst? What had gotten into her? ...But maybe he shouldn't have intervened. And she didn't mean it, did she?

He shook his head. He couldn't let that get him down. After all, they were in the middle of a battle! He had to put his all into it, no matter what came up. So, taking a few more moments to compose himself, he ran after Yasmin, towards the center of the stage.

When he arrived, the boy with the Aerospray PG had just fired off a Booyah Bomb, hurling it towards Team Tortoise's base. Yasmin fired at the switch, finally moving the strip of land forward and revealing new turf to ink. For now, Team Hare had the lead, but the other team was quickly moving in. The girl with the Kensa Splat Dualies charged forward, protected by the Baller. She rammed into Yasmin, running over her and splatting her. Yuri winced at the sight, but all he could do was charge up his splatling and fire back. As ink bullets started to pelt the Baller, it started to fill up with green ink, soon detonating and leaving behind a massive explosion. Yuri tried charging up another round, but the girl was too fast, dodge-rolling towards him and splatting him in a matter of seconds.

Yasmin hadn't moved off the spawn point by the time he respawned, trembling as she hugged her arms. When she saw Yuri, she threw her arms around him, sniffling.

"That was so scary!" she sobbed. "Everything hurt! I thought I died!"

"Calm down! Everyone's first splatting is painful, but you get used to it."

She lifted her head. "You do?"

"Yeah! Trust me."

"OK." She nodded. "I will."

"Great! Now let's get back down there. We don't want Team Tortoise winning, now do we?"

Yasmin laughed. "Right, right!"

"Alright! Let's swim on down there and ink everything up!"

"Right!"

They transformed into squids and raced down the hill, towards the center of the map. The strip of land had not moved since they were last there, though Team Tortoise dominated the playing field now. They tried pushing into Team Hare's base, though the inkling with the Aerospray PG was able to hold them off with the help of Ink Armor. He launched another Booyah Bomb, creating a vortex of ink in the very center of the stage. The group scattered, but they soon regrouped and started pushing ahead with their own Ink Armor. The girl with the Kensa Undercover Brella tossed out two torpedos in succession, and her twin charged in after her. But before any of his teammates could fall, Yuri charged up his Heavy Splatling Deco and fired at them, splatting them both.

"Wow!" Yasmin cheered. "That was fresh!"

"Thanks." He joined the two strangers, his hair starting to glow. "Now, let's take that turf back!"

Yuri took a few steps forward and activated Bubble Blower, swinging the giant bubble wand around to create three giant bubbles. They served as a shield for his teammates, who pushed towards the giant mark left behind by the Booyah Bomb. Aleah scrambled up towards the switch and started firing at it, moving the strip of land forward. Everyone bumped around the bubbles, and Yuri figured that now would be a good time to pop them. He charged up his Heavy Splatling Deco and fired, filling them up with pink ink, to the point where they exploded. Aleah screamed as she splatted, dropping her gear as a squid-shaped ghost flew away. At the sound, Yasmin snapped her head over towards the source, dismayed. But she didn't utter anything more.

Once the bubbles popped, though, it gave the boy with the Soda Slosher, protected by Ink Armor, an opening to move in. He tossed a normal splat bomb before activating Burst Bomb Launcher, splatting the boy with the Aerospray PG and forcing the rest of the group to scatter. Yasmin tried her best to dodge the enemy fire and ink the ground at the same time, but she soon tripped up in her footwork and fell victim to an onslaught of burst bombs. He set his sights on Yuri next, but just like last time, he threw out a splash wall in an attempt to slow him down. Once again, he wasn't able to get a full charge, so he released the trigger early and aimed towards his attacker. The ink bullets tore through the armor and pelted the boy with Soda Slosher, leading him to splat.

The girl with the Permanent Inkbrush had charged ahead already, so Yuri stayed behind to ink whatever turf was left. However, he was quickly thrown off his feet as someone activated the switch, saved only by his Heavy Splatling Deco. Yellow eyes darted over to the switch, where the girl with the Kensa Undercover Brella stood. Her red eyes met his, and she threw out a torpedo, using the distraction to flee. Yuri failed to pop it before it hit the ground, leaving behind a series of smaller explosions that grazed his body. By the time he composed himself, she was gone.

Or so he thought—enemy ink splattered onto his back, and he whipped around to face the short-haired girl as she fired another spray of ink from her brella. With a startled cry, he threw out a splash wall and charged up his splatling. Though, she merely went around it, even if her brella's shield had been destroyed by the splash wall. This was just the opening Yuri needed, though, as he fired and splatted her before he could splat himself. Unfortunately, his efforts were for naught, as a bomb went off next to him, leading him to explode into a puddle of green ink.

To Yuri's relief, the strip of land in the center of the stage had not moved any further, though Team Tortoise had the advantage again. If he squinted, he could see some pink in their base, but the glass wall made it hard to see any further. So, he ran down the hill and joined his teammates once again. Yasmin hung back and painted over stray green spots while the two strangers went on the offensive. Hiding behind a wall, Yuri charged up his Heavy Splatling Deco and fired it a few seconds later, inking enough turf for him to use his special.

While the boy with the Aerospray PG charged up another Booyah Bomb, Yuri entered the battlefield with Bubble Blower, swinging it around his teammate's feet. They served as an extra layer of protection for him as he fell to the ground, vulnerable to enemy attacks. Someone started shooting at the bubbles, to the point where one of them deflated and disappeared. The moment their attacker was exposed, though, Yuri fired another round, splatting them and carving a way towards Team Tortoise's base. The girl with the Permanent Inkbrush super-jumped towards him, where she activated Ink Armor. At last, they could invade the enemy base.

Here, Team Tortoise made their last stand. The boy with the Soda Slosher climbed up to a vantage point and started swinging his weapon, raining ink down on his foes. The boy with the Aerospray PG fell victim to his attacks, and so did Yasmin. With only Yuri and the girl with the Permanent Inkbrush left, it seemed like their attack would come to a premature end. But Yuri wasn't going to give up here—there was always a chance they could turn things around.

He stepped back onto the strip of land, only for his ears to be met with a warning siren. He whipped his head over to the source of the sound—Aleah was shooting at it, the edges of the container glowing cyan. He stood his ground as the strip moved further and further along, charging up his splatling in the meantime. Once he was close enough to Aleah, he fired, splatting her. The remaining fire hit the switch, and in an instant, the cyan lights turned red. The case clammed shut, as if it were concealing a pearl. The land could move no more.

Yasmin rushed back to him, and he directed her to paint the strip. Then, he charged back into action, using the cover to prepare another round of ink bullets. To his dismay, though, the girl with the Permanent Inkbrush was gone, and green ink started to close in around him. He caught a bright glow in the corner of his eye, and he whipped around to face the glow, only to be met with a face full of burst bombs. His scream cut off prematurely as he exploded into a puddle of green ink, leaving only his gear behind. But when he respawned, he merely shook it off and super-jumped back to the center of the stage.

Thanks to Team Hare's efforts, Team Tortoise couldn't push into the main strip of land. Yuri arrived just in time to witness his sister splat someone, complete with a "booyah." He booyahed back and started charging up his Heavy Splatling Deco. A splat bomb rolled over towards them, and they jumped out of the way before it could explode and take both of them out. Yet, Yasmin still tripped and fell, and she rolled over on her back to face her attack. Aleah emerged from behind a wall, smirking as she pointed her Tentatek Splattershot at her friend.

"A-Aleah!" Yasmin gasped. "What's with that look on your face?!"

"It's nothing personal," she remarked. "I'm just here to win!"

Yasmin's gaze hardened, and she pointed her Splattershot Jr. at Aleah. "And I'm here to win, too."

Before she could react, she fired, splatting Aleah in an instant. Once she was gone, Yasmin pulled herself up to her feet, and the whistle blew, finally marking an end to the match. With heavy breaths, her eyes drifted over to Yuri's. Then, her face broke into a smile, laughing.

"I did it!" she exulted. "I beat Aleah!"

Yuri jumped to her side. "That was fresh!" he complimented. "It was a good battle, wasn't it? Perfect for your very first match!"

She crossed her arms. "Yeah, but everyone else was better than me."

"Well, everyone starts somewhere, don't they?" He patted her back. "Who knows, maybe you'll be the best of the best someday."

"I don't think so," she argued, keeping her expression neutral. "Have you seen X-ranked squids? They're on another level! You're not even X-ranked!"

"I know, but this isn't about me." He tapped her nose. "This is about you! This is your debut! When you're the lowest, you can only go higher."

She cracked a smile. "Yeah. I can only go higher." Then, she looked past him, eyes widening. "Oh! Is that…?"

Before Yasmin could finish her thought, Yuri turned around to find two cats, standing in the middle of the strip of land. Everyone gathered around them, eager to see the results of the match.

"Yep!" he confirmed. "That's Judd and Li'l Judd. They're pretty busy during Splatfests, but once it's over, you can go check them out yourself!"

"Why can't I check them out now?"

"Well, uh, I guess you can…"

"Booyah!" She hopped over to the cats, their fur sticking on end at the sound of her footsteps. The inklings there shot glares at her, but she didn't notice them as she reached a hand towards Judd, fingers hovering over his head. Before she could start stroking him, he held out a paw, shaking his head. Yasmin groaned and lowered her arm. Nonetheless, they began to dance, and just like Yuri thought, Team Hare was the winner of the match.

Aleah joined the group next, adjusting her visor. "So, Team Tortoise lost."

Yasmin turned around, hints of red on her face. "Yeah. I'm happy I won, but you were pretty fresh, too!"

"You think Judd will let you pet him now?" Yuri proposed.

"Maybe." She reached out a hand again, and the larger cat didn't stop her now, letting her stroke a hand across his head. Li'l Judd mewed, lashing his tail, and Judd shrunk away from Yasmin, exchanging a glance with the smaller cat before they leaped away. Once they were out of sight, she groaned, throwing her hands down. The other two inklings laughed.

"Better luck next time, I guess," Yuri remarked.

"I still got to pet him!" Yasmin pointed out. "His fur's really soft; I could pet him forever!"

"Well, he and Li'l Judd are the only land mammals alive…" Aleah mused. "If you move out of Inkopolis, you won't be able to see—or pet—them anymore. And that would be really sad!"

"Don't worry." She winked. "I'm not moving out any time soon. I still want to pet him more, though."

"After the Splatfest, you can give him as many pets as you like," Yuri said.

"Yeah!" Aleah agreed. "I pet him all the time! He really likes it!"

"Really?! Now I can't wait!"

As the two girls continued their banter, Yuri lifted his head towards the sky. They would have to leave soon, he knew that. Yet, it amazed him how quickly Yasmin had gotten over her shock from changing. Now, she was as chipper as ever, even if she ignored him sometimes. Yesterday seemed like forever ago, and his past transgressions had been forgiven. In fact, it seemed like she grew up so quickly! He remembered when she was just a little kid, her limbs stubby and round. Now, she could change forms and participate in ink battles! It was awe-inspiring.

…He would be graduating high school soon, he realized. Despite the scary thought, he was ready to take on whatever happened next. He was sure of it.

A/N: So...it's been over two months since I last updated. I'm sorry this chapter took so long. Lots of things and a general lack of motivation happened. I know this is the last season, and I want to end it off with a bang! But, it's been getting harder and harder to actually write this story. The document I'm writing Season 6 on is a Microsoft Word document, and I've been writing it on the online version of the app. Though, it's been getting trickier to write it - lag, Word not being very respondent, and connection problems, to name a few. I've been considering converting it into something Google Docs can use, as I've been using that for my more recent fics (which you can find on AO3). Portability is surprisingly very useful! I know there's a mobile app for Word, too, but my phone is ancient; it can't run it. Though, it can run Google Docs, so :shrug:.

Therefore, I'm changing the upload schedule to sporadic. I'll update when I have the next chapter ready. I don't know if I'll be able to release the next chapter next Sunday, but hopefully it'll be soon. My goal is to finish this story before Splatoon 3's first anniversary, so we'll see what happens! Thankfully, the next chapter does not have a battle in it, so I can relax. For now.