Knight and Shade walked through the Reef together, and Shade was smiling like her usual self while Knight was observing his surroundings, seeing a bunch of cephalopods staring at the two, especially at him.

Inkling boy:....who is that?

Inkling girl: a better question would be "what is that".

Octoling boy: it looks like an Inkling...

Inkling girl: are you blind or stupid? There's no way that's an Inkling.

Octoling girl: *scoffs* so you're automatically assuming it's an Octoling?

Inkling girl: exactly. He's ugly, so he'll blend in perfectly with you Pit-Dwellers.

Octoling girl: EXCUSE ME!?

Knight saw the two girls get closer and closer to each other, glaring in each other's eyes before they started to throw punches back and forth, catching a lot of cephalopods attention and making them crowd around the two fighting girls while recording with their phones.

Inkling boy: Whoop her ass!!

Octoling boy: GET THAT PARASITE!!

Inkling boy 2: pull her tentacles!!

Knight:.......

Shade: *smiles* don't worry, this happens quite often, Knighty poo~

Knight:.....Knighty poo?

Shade: it's your cute nickname! Do you like it?~

Knight:.....no.

Shade: *giggles* you'll get used to it, cutie~

Knight: where are you taking me?

Shade: to my Café. You get to meet all of my nice friends, Knighty poo!~

Knight:......

Knight simply put his hands in his pockets and let out a tiny sigh after hearing the obnoxious Octoling girl, Making their way past the extra stores until they saw a Café in the distance. Shade ran up to the door and grabbed onto the handle, but before she opened the door, she looked back at Knight.

Shade: trust me, my friends are amazing! Once you see them, you'll be instantly dragged into their fun.

Knight:........

Shade opened the door and the first thing the two saw was Shadow screaming while dancing on top of the counter, Conner and Rose were sitting at a table and playing a simple game of checkers while Rune was finishing up his sandwich and Mona was standing near Shadow, gesturing her to come down.

Mona:....s-shadow.....please get down.....

Shadow: They're actually coming to Inkopolis!!!! Fuck yes!!

Knight:.......*looks at Shade* these are your comrades?

Shade: yup! Sis!! Why are you screaming!?

Shadow: The Squid Sisters!! THEY'RE GONNA BE IN INKOPOLIS DURING THE SPLATFEST!!!

Shade: FOR EEEEEEEELL!!!?

Rune: *nom* she could've told us that like, forever ago, but she decided to just scream instead.

Shade: w-wait! How did you find that out!?

Shadow: squidstagram! Callie just posted a new image that shows her with Marie, and the caption says "after a long discussion and debate, me and my cousin have decided to return to Inkopolis for this upcoming splatfest. I'm definitely going team squiddy cakes" "winky face".

Mona: t-the squid sisters....are....coming to Inkopolis?

Shadow: i have no idea what you said, but I'll just respond with a yes.

Shadow hopped off the counter and let out an amazing sigh of relief before looking over at Mona to see her adorably standing there with a concerned look on her face.

Shadow: heh....sorry.....just a very, very big Marie fan.

Rune: I'm pretty sure we already noticed that....But anyway, Shade, who the hell is that?

Shade: oh!

Shade did a cute little hop before presenting Knight with jazz hands, which didn't really amuse anyone in the café, but rather make them more confused than before.

Shade: this is Knight! Say hello to your new coworker!

Everyone:.........

Knight:........

Silence completely filled the Café from head to toe and everyone just......stared at the boy.....he looked as if he's been through 1,000 battles....his skin and fingers looked very odd and scarred. Knight's eyes averted to everyone around him, connecting with Rune's dark red eyes, noticing his calm, yet strong and menacing demeanor, which could be said the same for Conner, who just recently stood up after finishing and winning his game of checkers.

Knight felt no sense of strength from Mona and Shadow....just purity of their hearts......but when a certain Octoling girl walked away from her game of checkers with Conner, Knight was caught off guard from her. She didn't make any sense of eye contact with him, but instead checked out of work for her break with an umbrella in her hand, and simply walked past him, walking straight out the door and paying him no mind. Knight turned around and watched the girl walk away, which even caught Shade's attention, making her a little concerned in his sudden change of emotion.

Knight: who.....was that girl?

Shadow: *mash mash* Rose.

Knight:......I see.......

Shade: w-w-what do you mean, Knighty poo!?

Knight:........I suppose I'll settle here for a little while......*looks at Shadow* where do I start?

Shade: don't ignore me!

Shadow: *sigh*......just follow me.

Knight walked away with Shadow and just left Shade standing there silently, looking over and seeing Rune relaxing while reading a book and smirking a little.

Rune: rejection.

Shade: Shut up!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Since it was Thursday, that meant that the splatfest was tomorrow, starting on a Friday into the weekend. Dawn scrolled through her phone as she walked down the streets of Moray city, seeing the news about the squid sisters coming down to Inkopolis for the upcoming splatfest, which only made her scoff and aggressively shove her phone into her pocket.

Dawn: of fucking course they decided to show up when I needed money the most.......hell...

Dawn walked past all of the cephalopods that passed her by, looking up and seeing a Jumbotron that was playing the recent news with an Inkling girl wearing a beautiful dress and tentacle pin in the shape of a blue bonnet flower.

The Inkling girl was known as crystal, the mayor Inkling of Moray City, after being raised by such standards after her father, the previous mayor, was brutally murdered by an unknown criminal, forcing Crystal to take up the role rather quickly at such a young age.

The girl was nice, beautiful, smart, privileged, talented, courageous, caring....everything that Dawn wasn't......which only made Dawn look at herself in shame whenever she saw the Inkling. While the squid sisters and Off the Hook host the news to the citizens of Inkopolis, Crystal hosts the news and makes sure it reaches out to the citizens of her city.

Crystal: good afternoon all of my Moray guppies!

Dawn: -_-........

Crystal: today I wanted to announce to you all that the Undertow is back up and running after being shut down for 2 months, so make sure to go out with your friends and have some nice drinks!

Dawn:...cod, her voice is so fucking annoyi-

Inkling boy: will you shut up? Crystal is talking.

Dawn: *glares*

Crystal: also, I'm pretty sure everyone heard about the news with the squid sisters coming to Inkopolis for the upcoming splatfest, and even I'm excited *giggles* I'm going for team Octo Buns!

Inkling boy:.....I wonder if I talk to Judd, he'll allow me to switch teams.

Inkling boy 2: dude, you can't.

Inkling boy: I must try!! For Crystal!!

Dawn:..........weirdos......

Dawn rolled her eyes and shoved her hands in her hoodie pockets, turning away and walking from the Jumbotron, but then......Crystal opened her mouth once more, and it stopped her right in her tracks.

Crystal: also......I have some depressing news.....just recently, the leader of the Flaming Fury squad, Kai, has sadly passed away unknowingly....some records and evidence say that the boy committed suicide....the investigation is still going on now, so please be patient until further notice.

Crystal gently waved at the camera before the Jumbotron switched to a different broadcast that was showing random advertisements. Dawn was completely lost for words, looking down at the concrete below her, and seeing nothing but a single drop of water splash in front of her.

Inkling boy: No way...Kai committed suicide?....but that doesn't seem like him at all.

Inkling boy 2: that's what I thought......but I guess I was wrong......It seems that everyone here is covered by another thick layer of ink that hides who they really are.

Dawn:.........

Inkling boy: awe shit! It's starting to rain!

Inkling boy 2: dammit....ugh, I guess turf is cancelled then....right when I was in a good mood too.

Dawn saw the two Inklings walk away, just as she felt more and more drops of rain hit her body. She put her hand out and saw the rain gently drop onto her palm, just as she saw many Inklings and Octolings running past her to get into some shelter so they wouldn't get soaked.

Dawn:..........

Dawn slowly slid her backwards cap around and made it face forward, then gently grabbed onto her hood from her hoodie, pulling it over her head and over her cap as well. She slid her hands back in her pockets and slowly walked down the sidewalk once again, ignoring everyone around her, seeing the rain come down faster and faster.

Dawn looked down and saw a tiny sea snail crawling across the sidewalk, hoping that none of the cephalopods dashing past it would accidentally step on it. Dawn walked over to the little snail and gently picked it up, walking over to an alleyway where the snail was heading, then placed it down close to some trash cans.

Octoling girl: no no no! My tentacles! I just got them done!!

Inkling boy: shit! I left my Dynamo at Inkopolis!

Dawn:.......

Dawn walked out of the alleyway and looked directly across the street, seeing a simple store that was called "Die Dye Rudders", making her look both ways across the street, seeing cars speeding by until the coast was finally clear. Dawn ran across the street and walked up to the front door of the store, grabbing the handle and opening the door, walking inside to instantly get hit with the smell of hair products.

Dawn took off her hood and looked around the beauty salon to see an Octoling girl sitting in a chair, texting on her phone as a tall girl was gently grabbing onto her tentacles and twisting them a little.

The girl was very lanky and skinny, and she had orange skin along with prickly hair that covered one of her eyes, with every single spike being it's own color. Exactly like spike, this girl was a sea urchin of her own. She wore a simple pair of jeans and a nice Annaki hoodie with beat up sneakers. The urchin girl looked over at Dawn and instantly gave her a smile, waving at her and letting out a tiny chuckle.

Dawn: hey Al...

Alina: sup, Vampire.

Alina was the Urchin's name, but Dawn simply referred to her as "Al" while Alina simply called her Vampire squid......or queen of darkness....or other stupid names, but the main name that Alina would call Dawn most of the time was Dip Stick, mostly because of a stupid scenario in the past. Dawn simply let out a sigh and took off her hoodie, hanging it up and sitting in a nearby chair before grabbing a lollipop from a jar that was on top of the front counter.

Alina: you usually never show up in the afternoon, Dip Stick....something up?

Dawn:....*lick*....nothing gigantic....I'm just on break right now.

Alina: so you came all the way to Moray City on your break? You're just asking to get fired at this point, girl....

Dawn: Shade doesn't care.....I can ditch work for a whole week straight and I won't get fired.

Alina: because she knows you need that cash. She cares about you, doofus.

Dawn: "Care" is a strong word....But I guess....

Alina: I highly doubt you can even head back to work right now, It's raining like a Drizzler fuck fest out there.

Dawn: *shrugs* I told you multiple times I don't mind the rain.

Alina: oh, I know *smirks* and you still question why I call you so many emo names.

Alina stopped working on the Octoling's hair, then put on a dramatic pose while making a huge frown towards Dawn while clenching her hands together.

Alina: "uuuuuugh, my name is Dawn, and I swear I'm not depressed, but I usually take 3 hour long showers and I wonder why my water bill is so damn high all the tiiiiiime"

Octoling girl: *snickers*

Dawn: -_-....

Alina: c'mon Dip stick, you gotta admit it one day.

Dawn: I'm not emo...

Alina: I'll hear it eventually....

Alina got back to doing the Octoling's hair and Dawn slumped down in her chair, eventually biting the lollipop in her mouth and chewing on the bubblegum that was inside of it, taking the stick and flicking it in a nearby trash can.

Alina: you saw the news? The squid sisters ar-

Dawn: I know....

Alina: I'm guessing you're going into hiding once again, huh?

Dawn: don't have a choice....

Besides the squid beak, Alina is the only one that knows about Dawn's Agent 3 background, her relations to the squid sisters, Off the hook, the metro, the deaths of her two closest comrades.....when Dawn had nobody else to go to, outside in the cold after getting kicked out of her old home since she couldn't afford the rent after her disband from the squid sisters, who would pay her rent for her.

Cold, hungry, thirsty, and on the verge of death, Dawn was saved by Alina and taken to her home. Alina took care of Dawn for a good 3 months before Dawn was ready to get back up on her own two feet again. After telling Alina her past, Dawn allowed her to dye her tentacles black and hide her from the squid sisters, but no matter how hard she tried, they still managed to find her and try to talk to her somehow.

Wherever Dawn was, the squid sisters were nearby, or going to, and whenever they're in the same area, Dawn would hide herself in her apartment for a good two weeks straight until she was positive they were gone.

Alina: well your rent is due on Sunday, and your landlord doesn't really like you all that much.

Dawn:....*sigh* he said if I can't pay my rent on time this month, he'll kick me out for sure.

Alina: so that means?....

Dawn:.....I have no choice BUT to participate in the splatfest tomorrow.....I was gonna do it for sure.....but since the squid sisters are coming.......ugh.....I was gonna ditch it....but now I'm forced to risk the chance of them seeing me.

Alina: I have a feeling they found out about you because of that squidstagram post.

Dawn:......shit....*sigh*....yeah, that's probably the reason.

Alina: you already explained that they aren't dumb.....well....one of them is smarter than the other, but they can notice you pretty easily from a crowd.

Dawn:.....

Alina: oh yeah, I was gonna ask you on that. What the hell was that about?

Dawn:.....stupid drama of someone trying to stick up for me.....even though I didn't need her help....

Alina: the Octoling girl, right? What's her name?

Dawn: "Rose"....

Alina: that's cute. I wish someone would stick up for me like that.

Dawn: you don't....it's horrible.

Alina: how so?

Dawn: she embarrassed me, Al! Now I'm known all around Inkopolis as a stupid weirdo who's dating an Octoling!

Alina: do you have a problem with Octolings?

Dawn: of course not!......*looks away* remember?......I dated one before.....

Alina: oh yeah.....well this shouldn't be that much of a problem to you then.

Dawn: I don't like being the center of attention......I didn't need her help....and I definitely didn't want it.

Alina: well doesn't that show that she cares? She went out of her way to protect you, Dipstick.

Dawn: I don't need protection.....I've been protecting myself from swarms of Octarian troopers for years.....do you really think I need to be protected?

Alina: I wasn't talking about physical protection.....I meant mentally.

Dawn:.........

Alina reached up to her spikes and grabbed onto a green spike, snapping it off and grabbing onto the Octoling's tentacles, gently pricking her tentacle with the green spike, watching her hair slowly flow into a green color, then when the process was complete, Alina removed the spike and tossed it in a nearby trash can, pulling out a mirror and showing the Octoling her new hairstyle.

Alina: there ya go. Curled the tips and dyed your hair green just as you wanted.

Octoling girl: oh my cod, it looks amazing! Thank you!

Alina: *shrugs* no problem.

The Octoling pulled out some cash and handed it to Alina then got out of her chair and walked over to the door, grabbing her umbrella and opening it up. She waved them goodbye before leaving, and Alina let out a tiny sigh before sitting down in a seat of her own while looking over at Dawn.

Alina: you heard about the recent shit besides your romance situation?

Dawn: another life taken....yup.

Alina: suicide rates have been skyrocketing like crazy recently.....I don't understand what's driving these little squiddos to take their own lives....

Dawn:.....yeah...one of my coworkers really liked Kai....I don't know how she's gonna take his death.

Alina: it can't be a thing related to species....because both Inklings and Octolings are doing this. Maybe you should investigate on this, Agent 3.

Dawn: don't call me that shit....and no, because this has nothing to do with me.

Alina: eh, it was worth a shot.

Alina stood up and walked over to the front door of the shop, flipping the sign to closed and grabbing her coat, which surprised Dawn a bit.

Dawn: wait, you're closing up shop already!?

Alina: yeah, it's pouring outside and I have nobody that had any scheduled appointments today, so I'm closing up early. Who would get their hair done at a time like this, Dipstick?

Dawn:.....

Alina pulled out her phone and began to text on it while Dawn stood up as well and put her hoodie back on.

Alina: I'm gonna head out with the girls. We're gonna go to the undertow and go bowling while grabbing a couple of drinks. Do you wanna tag along?

Dawn:......nah....I'll sit this one out...

Alina: again?....You've been barely hanging out with us recently, Dip.....is something up?

Dawn: it has nothing to do with you guys.....I just haven't been in the mood to....ya know...

Alina: that's fair. *shrugs* well, if you need me, you know where to find me.

Alina pulled out her umbrella and turned off the lights to the salon before walking outside with Dawn giving her a nod and walking out of the salon as well. She looked to her left and saw Alina walking away from her down the empty sidewalk, and she let out a sigh before turning to her right and walking in the opposite direction, down an empty sidewalk of her own.

The rain was pouring down a little bit more than last time, and all Dawn could do was scoff and shove her hands more aggressively into her pockets.

Dawn: I knew I should've brought my umbrella with me.....fuck....

Dawn was interrupted by the sight of another cephalopod in the distance across the street.....a cephalopod that looked way too familiar.

Dawn:......(Rose?........what the hell is she doing in Moray City?)

Rose walked along the opposite side of the road with an umbrella above her head....she looked so...calm and collected....delicate and kind......Dawn watched the girl make her way down the sidewalk, but then saw a car zoom by and straight over a puddle that was next to Rose, splashing water all onto the Octoling girl's side, which only made Dawn snicker a little as she watched Rose look down at herself.

Dawn: (I guess she finally got what she fucking des-....deser-...oh no)

Dawn felt her vision getting a little blurry and she felt her nose get very tingly, signaling to her body that a loud sneeze was coming up. She covered her nose and tried her best to hold the sneeze in, but sadly she did not come out victorious.

Dawn:...*ACHOO*.....bleh.....so fucking gross.....

Dawn felt something creep down her body slowly, and she looked back over at Rose.....and she saw the Octoling girl looking straight back at her.....noticing that her sneeze caught her attention....Dawn couldn't help but feel embarrassed from her loud and obnoxious sneeze, but her embarrassment got even worse when she saw the Octoling turn her whole body in her direction.

Dawn:......(no.....)

Rose took one step and Dawn saw the Octoling look back and forth down the street to make sure no cars were approaching, and all Dawn could do was shake her head rapidly at the Octo.

Dawn: (don't you dare....)

Rose quickly and adorably ran across the street towards Dawn, making her look away in embarrassment and cover her face by pulling on her hood.

Dawn: (why, why, why!?....just leave me alone, dammit!!)

Dawn could feel the Octoling's presence right behind her, and she tried to ignore it, hoping that Rose would've mistaken her for someone else and walk away, but then she felt Rose's finger gently tap onto her shoulder, but Dawn didn't look over towards her.

Dawn:....*manly voice* uh...you got the wrong idea....I don't know who you are at all....

Rose:.....*tap tap*......

Dawn: *manly voice* did you not hear what I just said?

Rose: *tap tap tap*

Dawn: uuuuuugh! What do you want!?

Dawn looked over at Rose and could already see the concern in her eyes, then she suddenly felt the rain above her stop completely....she looked up slightly and saw an umbrella above her.

Dawn:........I don't need your sympathy, Rose.....

Rose: *shakes her head*....

Dawn: why are you even here!? You don't seem like the type to go to Moray City....

Rose pointed in the distance towards an alleyway, but it only made Dawn confused even more than before.

Dawn: I don't understand....

Rose: *grabs Dawn's hand*

Dawn: *snatch* Who said you could touch me!?

Rose: *points*

Dawn: I'm not going with you.

Rose:.....*grabs Dawn's hand*...

Dawn: *snatch* stop!

Rose: *grab*

Dawn:....you really don't take no for an answer.....for fucks sake....

Dawn looked around to make sure no cephalopods were outside to see them, then she let out a long sigh before looking at Rose and gesturing her to move along.

Dawn: go ahead....since you don't wanna let go of my damn hand.

Rose began to walk along with Dawn, across the street and towards the alleyway. The two walked into the alleyway and Dawn was caught off guard by the sight of a door that was at the end of the alley, being lit up by little lights. Dawn looked at the top of the door to see a sign that read "Outcasts".

Dawn: (.....what the hell?)

Rose let go of Dawn's hand just as she looked over and saw Rose pulling in her umbrella and placing it into a tiny can that was outside of the door.

Rose walked up to the door and knocked on it, then it slowly opened to show an Inkling boy peeking out and he instantly looked straight at her, then opened the door completely.

Inkling boy: Rose! Welcome back!

Rose gave the boy a tiny nod before walking inside, with Dawn slowly walking behind her. The door closed behind them and Dawn looked around the place, seeing many Inklings and Octolings relaxing and hanging out together. Dawn saw Rose walk over to a table and sit down by herself, so she walked over and sat down across from her.

Dawn saw a Jelly walk over to them, reaching over and patting Rose's head a little while letting out a tiny chuckle, and Dawn looked down at the Jelly's name tag to see the name "Slip"

Slip: Rose, my little minnow! I see you got a new friend with you today.

Rose: *nods*

Slip: well, it's nice to meet you. Any friend of Rose is a friend of mine.

Dawn: we aren't friends......and what is this place?

Slip: young squiddo, welcome to the Outcasts' lair.

Dawn: I have never heard of this place ever....I didn't even know it existed here...and I come to Moray City everyday.

Slip: well, our lair is usually in the shadows from the rest of this city.

Dawn:....oh....

Slip gave Rose a tiny nod before taking the two menus, which made Dawn just...stared at the Jelly as if he was stupid.

Dawn: I didn't even get to order anything...

Slip: no need to order. Rose has been here so many times that I already know what she wants, and I already know what you want as well.

Dawn:....

Slip walked away and Dawn slouched in her chair, letting out a tiny sigh before pinching the bridge of her nose.

Dawn: I think we should just head back to work, I don't want to pay for this damn food.

Rose: *points to herself*

Dawn: no, I don't want you to pay for me.

Rose:......*shakes her head*

Dawn: I don't need your pity.

Rose ignored Dawn and pulled out her phone, opening up an app called "respawn net" and hearing a little jingle from it. Respawn net. Is an app that goes over all of the recent news and updates that have been going down in Inkopolis or Moray City, along with some other distant locations.

Dawn:............respawn net?

Rose: *looks at her*

Dawn: I know that jingle from anywhere....

Rose: *nods*

Dawn:......*looks away* well, you heard about the recent news, right?.......about Kai?

Rose: *slow nod*

Dawn: I know you and Rune liked that guy, but from the way you've been acting....it doesn't seem like you care all that much.

Rose: *quick head shake*

Rose sat there for a second and thought to herself, then looked at Dawn while flipping her phone over and going to her Home Screen, pointing to the squidstagram app.

Dawn:.....what about it?

Rose: *points at Dawn*

Dawn: no, I don't have a squidstagram account.

Rose:......*points to the phone app*

Dawn: no, I'm not giving you my number either.

Rose: *point, point, point*

Dawn: No! The only ones in my contacts are my landlord, Al, and a pizza place down the street, I'm not giving you my contact information.

Rose: *tilts her head*

Dawn: Who Al is....is none of your business. My answer will never change, so stop asking me and being annoying about it for fucks sake.

Dawn could see that Rose eventually got the hint, so she slowly pulled her phone back and slid it in her pocket, sitting there silently until Slip came over and handed her and Dawn bowls of food.

Dawn looked down and saw a weird-looking type of soup, a soup that she's never seen before, making her look over at Slip.

Dawn: what the hell is this?

Slip: squiggle soup! A special type of soup that goes down within my family's generation. You look like you might catch a cold from that rain.

Dawn:.....oh.....uh.....

Slip: and Rose, I got you your signature spicy steel eel toxin ramen, just the way you like it.

Rose: *nods*

Slip: I need you two to be ready for the splatfest tomorrow, so eat up!

Slip walked away and Rose began to slurp on her noodles, with the spicy scent being so strong that it seeped over towards Dawn, making her smell it and instantly cough while covering her nose.

Dawn: the hell!!?

Rose: *confused*

Dawn: how spicy is that shit!? Fuck, I can smell it all the way over here!

Rose:....*offers Dawn some ramen*

Dawn: I hate spicy food.

Rose placed her noodles back into the broth, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a new notepad, scribbling in it while Dawn just groaned at her.

Dawn: this shit again?....

Rose: *scribble* *gives to Dawn*

Dawn: "I'm guessing you like sweets more?".....

Rose: *nod nod*

Dawn:.....Yeah.

Rose: *scribble*

Dawn:......"that explains a lot"? What's that supposed to mean?

Rose: *scribble*

Dawn: "because I always see you sneaking the muffins and cinnamon buns, taking them home with you or eating them in the back room".......

Rose: *Nod*

Dawn: The fuck, are you stalking me or something!?

Rose: *quickly shakes her head*

Dawn: you really are making yourself sound like a stalker.

Dawn aggressively grabbed her spoon and took a little sip of the soup, leaning back a little from how delicious it was.

Dawn:....hm.....not bad...

Dawn looked over at rose and saw her holding another note from her notepad, but instead of giving it to her, she hid it under the table, which only annoyed Dawn.

Dawn: c'mon, spit it out.

Rose:....

Dawn: you already took the time to write the note, just fucking show me.

Rose hesitated, but then moved the note from below the table and handing it to Dawn, who took it and let out a tiny sigh as she began to read it.

Dawn: "so I heard you were on team Octo buns" .....yeah, what about it?

Rose: *scribble*

Dawn: "me too"......

Rose: *scribble*

Dawn: "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out during the splatfest and play together"........

Rose:.....

Dawn: hell no!

Rose:......*looks away*......

Dawn: I play by myself, I'm a lone squid, so I would honestly prefer to be alone.

Rose:.......

Dawn placed down the slip of paper and stood up from the table, not even finishing up her soup before looking over at the clock to see the time.

Dawn: I'm going back to work.

Rose:....*scribble*

Dawn: no more notes. No is no, so leave me alone.

Rose:.....*stands up*

Dawn: I don't need your umbrella either.

Rose stood there in silence as Dawn walked away and over to the exit door. Rose hesitated once more, but then built up the courage to run over to Dawn and tap her on the shoulder, getting a long sigh from the Inkling.

Dawn: my cod...what!?

Rose held out a note again, and Dawn stood there with a unamused look on her face from the clingy Octo. She rolled her eyes and took the note, then began to read it.

Dawn: "I want to make a deal".....

Rose: *nod nod*

Dawn:..........what's the deal?

Rose: *scribble*

Dawn:.........." Since everyone earns double the cash from battles during splatfests......If you participate with me in the splatfest, I'll give you all of the money I earned from it, so you'll have quadruple the amount....."

Rose:......

Dawn: are you for eel? *tsk* this sounds like a fat lie.

Rose: *shakes her head*

Rose placed a hand on her own chest, signaling to Dawn that she promised. Dawn looked back down at the paper, then back at Rose, slightly raising her eyebrow.

Dawn: what do YOU get if I play with you? I have nothing to provide.

Rose:.......*scribble*

Dawn:........."I get to learn more about you"............

Rose: *tiny nod*

Dawn: that's it? No gift? No food? You just wanna learn about me?

Rose: *nod nod*

Dawn: are you even listening to what you're saying!? You're willing to give away all of your splatfest money just for something stupid like this!?

Rose: *calm nod*....

Dawn:......you.....I.......

Dawn looked down at the note, thinking hard to herself before letting out a very, very, very long sigh, walking away from Rose and opening up the door, looking back at her slightly and stopping in her tracks.

Dawn:.....9Pm......meet me near Crusty Sean's food truck....

Rose stood there and clenched her notepad a little tighter from her response, letting out a little sigh of her own and looking up at a Tv that was in the lair, showing a picture of a Squiddy Cake and Octo Bun, making her more determined.....more determined to know Dawn.

~~~