It has now been a week since you've arrived to Inkopolis for vacation, so far it has been relaxing. You recently played your first Splatfest in Inkopolis, it was very eventful. Battling alongside Aloha wasn't as bad as you thought it would be, though his remarks towards you did irritate at some points of battles but you retrained yourself from pushing him off the stages.

As of right now, you were resting in the comfy bed of your room. It was like sleeping on clouds, it almost made you cancel your plans of going out to the square and just sleep in all day, after all the Splatfest had exhausted you out, never in your life have you play a more intense turf war than that.

"..Maybe sleeping in isn't so bad. I could always go tomorrow." You muttered, closing your eyes.

For a short moment you had silence before Lilith cursed out the microwave for the nth time.

"Heat up my damn food!"

On second thought, it would just be better for you to go out. You got up from the bed and walked over to the kitchen where Lilith was leaning against the counter with her arms crossed, glaring at the microwave.

"Microwave not working again?" You asked, watching her press the buttons on the machine.

"I swear this thing never works for me." She groaned. The purple octoling looked over at you, glaring, "Why does it always work for you?"

"Probably because I'm not aggressively pressing down on the buttons unlike you." You respond, with a grin. It was amazing to have manger that was around your age, it felt easier to get along with her.

Lilith scoffed, turning her head, "I was not aggressive, I would press down on the buttons like a normal person would do." She said.

"Okay, whatever you say." You said walking over to the microwave and pressing the minute button, but this time it didn't start.

You tried again but nothing happened. There stood you and Lilith looking at each other in silence before sighing.

"So, it's time to call maintenance, isn't?"

"Yep."

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Soon the jellyfish maintenance arrived at your hotel room beginning to work on the microwave in the kitchen.

Lilith sat at the island looking devastated, "I just wanted to heat up my food." She muttered, resting her head on the table.

She looked over at you, raising a brow, "You can go, you know that right? I'll take care over this." She said, hinting that she wanted you out.

"You sound like a mom." You snickered, while Lilith rolled her eyes before pushing you towards the door.

"Also make sure you don't get abducted or something. Now go, shoo."

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It was less crowded at the square, mostly just the clean up crew was there to clean the mess up from the Splatfest the other night.

"(f/n), over here!"

A familiar voice called out your 'name'.

Looking over towards the tables near Crusty Sean's there sat S4 and Team Blue. A smile formed underneath your mask that you wore as you walk towards the table pulling up a chair and sitting down next to Headphones.

You noticed two blue squids were missing from the group; Specs and Goggles were nowhere to be seen. You looked over to Headphones and tapped her shoulder to gain her attention.

"Hm?"

"Where's Specs and Goggles?" You asked.

The girl glanced over towards the Deca Tower, "They went to go check out this new team." She said.

"I heard they're good for a rookie team," Army said, writing down in his manual, "Perhaps we'll go against them one day." He said.

"I bettt we'll beattt them in nooo timee." Mask slurred, "it'd beee a shameee if we loosstt to rookieess." He 'tsk'ed while focusing on the switch console in his hands, going back to whatever game he was playing.

Aloha whistled, resting his arms behind his head leaning back into the chair, "I wouldn't mind losing. Their sniper is pretty cute, if losing means I get sniped by her a bunch of times it's worth."

The table quickly went silent after what Aloha had just said. You gave him a judgmental stare with a little disgust, did he even think before he speaks or does his mouth run on its own.

Aloha noticed the stares and quickly waved around his hands, shaking his head, "Wait! Wait, it's not like that-"

"Dudee, you're weirddd." Mask said.

Aloha glared at the cyan squid, shaking his head, "No, I'm not!" He snapped back, his voice cracking.

You had to hold back your laugh when his voice cracked, it sounded like a preteen boy going through puberty.

Though Aloha's and Mask bickering didn't last as long because Specs and Goggles had finally arrived.

"Guys, come on! The new team is about to arrive!" Goggles exclaimed, pointing at the Deca Tower doors.

Everyone sitting at the tables got up and walk to the battle center, which was already crowded with inklings and octolings surrounding the entrance.

"This new team is really the talk of the town if they're already this popular." You commented as you squeezed your way though the crowd.

"Their team is good, you can tell they took their time into training." Army said.

Once you finally made it to the front of the crowd the doors had opened to reveal the new team. The girls around squealed so loud into your ear you they'd start bleeding.

Are they popular for how good they are, or are they popular because they're hot? You thought to yourself, getting irritated by the people around you.

"Lee! Lee!"

"Nick, over here!!"

"Griffin, I love you!!"

"I wish Sage was here, at least her substitute was cute."

Three names made you perk up and look up to see some familiar faces that you haven't seen in a long time.

As much of the urge to tackle and hug Lee and Nick was, there were too many people around, too many of their fangirls. Never in a million years you would see those two have girls fawning over them, but here you are standing in front of the crowd with their loud ass fangirls squealing behind you.

The squeals only got louder when Lee looked over, specifically he was looking at you, you knew because you were staring back at him.

I swear to the Great Zapfish, Lee you better not say my damn name. You mentally prayed, hoping that the octoling boy wouldn't peep a word.

Seems like the Great Zapfish had answered your prays, but not in the way you'd thought it would. The fangirls around you pushed you back into the crowd, were you engulfed by the sea of people, though you did see a glimpse of Lee's face, his face just went blank you couldn't help but laugh at his reaction.

Okay, it's actually really suffocating back here, how do people breathe? You thought while quickly rushing out the crowd where you were greeted by Mask, Headphones and Skull.

"Got too crowded?" Skull asked, offering you a lollipop.

You nodded in response, while taking the candy, "Yeah, it's so suffocating." You said, tearing off the wrapper of lollipop and plopping the candy in your mouth.

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Eventually the crowd had faded away, only a few fans were still around but you assumed it was the sane ones that minded their own business.

"There you are. Thought you ran away after you were swallowed by the crowd." A teasing voice said coming from behind.

You looked back to notice everyone had went back to Crusty Sean's, sitting at the tables.

"Your reaction was priceless." You said turning around looking up at the octoling boy in front of you. Since when did he get so tall and you're still the same height after like 4 years.

Lee rolled his eyes, "Well yeah, I was going to say hi, but then you go poof! You disappeared from my sight!" He said, doing dramatic gestures as he spoke.

"I didn't want you yelling my name out in public." You huffed.

Lee squinted his eyes at you giving you a small look of judgment, "Don't tell me you're like going undercover and have to go under some fake ass name."

You blinked out of out shock. How did he figure it out so quickly?

"(name)?"

Blink

"Oh my carp, (name)."

Blink. Blink

"It's only because I'm on vacation." You squeaked out a response. "Just call (f/n) around others."

"..That's an ugly ass name." Lee commented in a monotone voice. You love him, you really do, but it didn't stop you from punching him in the stomach.

"Ow! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I take it back!" He said, holding his stomach in pain.

"You deserved one, Lee." Another voice said.

Walking towards you two was Nick, he had a amused expression on his face after you had punched Lee's stomach.

You can feel the stupid grin on your face forming underneath your mask, "Nick!" You ran up to him and gave him a hug.

Lee stared at you two in disbelief in what he was witnessing. There was a look of offense and annoyance on his face, "He gets a hug, while I get a punch to the stomach." He said, pouting out his lips like he was a toddler all over again.

"Serves you right, loser." You said after you and Nick broke away from the hug. Lee glared at you while you just grinned underneath the mask.

"I'm just kidding, come here." You opened up your arms allowing the tall octoling to hug you.

"Ahem, (f/n)?"

Lee quickly let go of you, whistling as if nothing just happened.

Army stood there with his arms crossed, his brows furrowed down. Was it just you or he looked more angry than he normally does.

"Do you know them?" His tone came off annoyed, yep he was definitely upset about something and it made you uncomfortable.

You nodded, "Yes, these are my childhood friends, Lee and Nick." You said, avoiding eye contact.

"Awh, that's cute! I'm sure you'd guys like to catch up with each other." Headphones quickly butted into conversation, pulling Army by the arm. "I think we'll get going!" She said walking off with the grumpy orange inkling with her.

She looked back at you a sent you a wink as a your welcome before she continued walking.

"Wonder what he was upset about." Lee muttered as you three watch them walk off until they were out of sight.

"Quick question, where's Sage?" You turned back to the two boys.

"She got sick again, it's worse then last time. So she's sitting out this year until she gets better again." He sighed, running his hand through his tentacles.

You frowned, hopefully she gets better soon.

The was silence between the three of you, until Lee was broke.

"Okay, let's quick mopping around. We all know Sage will be fine, she's strong!" He exclaimed, pulling you two besides him, "Now let's go get ice cream, I'm hungry!" Lee released the two of you from his grip and ran down the street before stopping and turning around.

"Come on, don't be so slow! The ice cream parlar can't be open forever!" He shouted before running off again.

"We should really go after him before he does something stupid, right?" You asked.

"Yes." Nick nodded in agreement, before you two ran after the octoling boy to the ice cream parlor.