Today was the big day. Today was the day one way or another, the Storm of the Downpour Defenders would end.

Today was the day Albert would take the world in his hands and bend it to his distorted, frightened, and misguided desires.

Albert gripped Stormbringer, he thought about what Pearl said as he walked towards the exit of the train station. He thought of all the good he had done, as despite his pride and delusions, he did mean well, and did his best to help others who didn't wish to fight.

But Albert was no longer helping people, he was only hurting himself.

What Pearl had told him about stopping those you love, about how he's wrong but there's exceptions...

Could he save Dedf1sh? Should he? If he went to save her, would it be what was best for her, or another act guided by pride and fear.

He sent Dedf1sh a text, a simple question. He was afraid of her answer, maybe that was why he had never asked before, because if she said yes, that meant he couldn't save her. Ever. It would kill the ember of hope that held him together.

But Pearl's words echoed in his mind as he looked at the text he had sent her. "Are you happy?"

He had gotten no reply yet.

He decided to turn his attention to the task at hand, taking the Great Zapfish. He could overhear Cara giving a rousing speech to the Grizzco employees, one of which turned to look at Albert, before being nudged by the worker next to them.

In preparation, Albert, to prevent panic attacks, used the Radio Tower to blast #20 Torrent on every station.

Everything had fallen into place perfectly, as far as he knew.

Cara turned to face him and gave some order he couldn't hear before she walked up to him, "Hey Albert! You got a second?"

Albert nodded, "Yeah what's up?"

Cara explained, "So, look, I was just thinking, you're not fit to rule, and your whole never let people choose thing seems like a bad idea. We've done a lot of good but, I think we should cancel this attack."

Albert shook his head, "Quit and do what Cara? I have nothing. I am going to win."

"You're just lashing out in pain at this point," Cara stated sternly, "And you know it. It's time to stop Albert."

Albert then noticed that the Grizzco employees were using a different shade of blue ink. It's then it dawned on him what Cara had said.

They had orders to splat him.

"So that's how it is?" Albert demanded.

Cara pleaded, "Please. Stand down. Dedf1sh wouldn't want to see you destroy yourself like th-"

"WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT HER!?!" Albert snapped, "DON'T TRY TO LECTURE ME ABOUT WHAT SHE WANTS!"

"Albert you're scared I get it," Cara pleaded, "But if you just stand down things can return to normal. If you just stand down, we can help you. You love us as family right? You can trust us. Please. Stand down. We can help you. Maybe we can even help Dedf1sh. You want to see her again, right?"

Albert glared, "You think it's that easy? Just go down there and save her? What if she doesn't wanna be saved?"

"Do you really believe that or are you just to scared of the idea that you left her waiting?" Cara demanded, "It's not your fault. You didn't know better. Come on. Drop your weapons and just let all this go."

Albert didn't answer, but, like a cornered dog, he continued to lash out, readying Stormbringer...

"Sorry Albert," Cara sighed. "This is for your own good. Terry take the shot."

Albert quickly whipped out his pair of Dark Tetra Dualies and rolled out of Terry's attack as he leapt down from above. Like a firing squad, the Grizzco employees opened fire. Albert swam out of the way, whipping out Stormbringer he called down an Inkstorm before blasting the panicked squadron.

This left only the trio, a tense silence in the air as they starred each other down. Cara gripped her Inkbrella. She stated sternly, "This is for your own good."

Albert didn't reply. He had no rebuttal. He felt betrayed, hurt, these were his family, his brother and sister, and they had, in his eyes, betrayed him.

So he did what he had always done, all he knew how to do, and lashed out in pain.

Albert charged forward with Stormbringer, he made certain the battle was short and decisive as he threw a Splatbomb to separate the two. Terry inked the ground to get some distance between him and Albert, knowing that with his brush range was his only weakness.

Cara made the mistake of trying to block Albert's attack, leaving her wide open to be splatted from behind with a slap as Albert swam through the ink below her.

Terry opened fire on Albert, who swam through the freshly inked turf to avoid the attack, only to find his route cut off when Terry threw a Burst Bomb. Albert emerged and leapt forward, Terry strafed out of the way, trying to get some distance between him and Albert, only for Albert swing his brush down, shattering his Splattershot into bits.

The two glared silently at one another. Terry sighed, "I forgive you... no matter how this goes, but I have to take you down."

In a last desperate move, Terry took out a modified Grizzco Splattershot. Even Mr. Grizz saw that Albert was destroying himself at this point. Albert clenched his fists and refuted Terry, "I have... nothing else left. I will take the Great Zapfish."

Albert took out his own Splattershot and charged at Terry, who unleashed a torrent of ink. Albert narrowly dodged each burst of sky-blue ink, slowly swimming his way towards Albert. Albert waited for his moment, strafing around the onslaught until Terry's gun went click. It was empty. Albert burst from beneath the ink, Burst Bomb in hand, and splatted Terry with a point blank explosion.

Stormclouds gathered overhead as Agent 4 awaited atop the tour, it had already begun to rain. They looked through the glass roof watching the torrential downpour and black clouds lit only by lightning. They heard the elevators doors ding, and clad in armor, desperation in his eyes, emerged Albert, covered in the ink of Inklings and Octolings who opposed his climb up the tower.

Albert was armed to the teeth, all three of his main weapons at the ready.

He cried out in agony, "Three months ago you ruined my life!"

Agent 4 silently aimed their Heroshot.

They waited for Albert to strike, and realized he was waiting for Agent 4 to move.

Agent 4 inquired, "Do you truly believe becoming a dictator when you don't even want to rule is what's best? Terry wouldn't want this, and nor would Cara."

Albert shook his head, "I lost the little crumbs of joy I had left! I just wanna feel safe! It's not that hard to understand!"

"You're experiencing a mental breakdown," Agent 4 sighed, "Albert, please. You need to try to calm down. Let us help you. We can help you save Dedf1sh and-"

Albert fired a round from his Splattershot and screamed, "LIAR! If she wanted to be saved I left her to suffer for three years! If I left her to suffer for three years then... then..."

"It's not your fault you didn't know she wanted help," Agent 4 assured, "If you truly love her, and your family, drop your guns. We don't have to fight."

Albert stood silent, overwhelmed by everything, tears welled up in his eyes. He didn't know what to do anymore. He just knew he was in an immense amount of mental anguish, and that Agent 4 was in his way.

Albert was in a full blown mental breakdown by this point. He needed to calm down.

"Normally I would give you a bit to collect yourself," Agent 4 sighed, "But I guess that's not an option right now. Let's begin."

Agent 4 leapt into fray, throwing a Burst Bomb at Albert which he narrowly avoided. The Heavens roared, lightning flashing across the battlefield as the two dueled. Albert countered, aiming in front Agent 4 to cut off his escape route.

However this left Albert low on ink and open to attack. He didn't realize that Agent 4 was counting on this and used this opportunity to rush Albert down and stuck a Burst Bomb down the barrel of his Splattershot, blowing the weapon to bits!

Albert and Agent 4 leapt to opposite ends of the room. The only thing over the sounds of thunder and the torrential downpour was the sounds of Calamari Inkantation, drowning out even Albert's orders to play #20 Torrent full blast on every station.

Albert drew his Dark Tetra Dualies as Agent 4 took out their Hero Dualies. Albert threw two Autobombs, one behind and one on the left, as be dove into ink on the right in an attempt to corner Agent 4. Agent four rolled out of the way of the blasts only to end up looking down the barrels of Albert's guns.

However they were prepared, blasting a single shot in Albert's eyes to blind him, they then kicked the guns out of his hands and blasted them to kingdom come with their Tentamissles.

Albert began to shake violently, "No. No! Come on! You're always with me... right? Right?!?"

He took out the Stormbringer, his last tether to Dedf1sh, and his last desperate ploy to win a battle it would only hurt him to win.

Agent 4 abandoned all pretense of aggression, and lowered their guns. They charged forward towards Albert, who summoned an Inkstorm which they weaved through, flowing like water between the ink drops as they closed in. Albert swung his brush only for Agent 4 to dive under the slinged ink and emerge in front of Albert. Agent 4 kicked Stormbringer out of Albert's hands and away.

They looked Albert, now fully disarmed, dead in the eyes. They were never trying to defeat Albert.

They were trying to help him.

And they asked him, "Albert... are you happy with all this?"

Albert hesitated, tears began to well in his eyes, "I... I just wanted... To keep my family safe. I just wanted everyone to feel safe. I'm tired... I'm so tired..."

Agent 4 hugged Albert, who broke down crying, "It's OK. I'll fix things from here. Let yourself rest."

"...but Dedf1sh..." he protested.

"She'll be OK," Agent 4 assured, "It's OK... You're not a bad guy Albert. You're just a bad leader. It's time to rest..."

Albert cried in Agent's 4 arms until he quickly passed out from exhaustion.

The storm within his heart had finally stopped...