"What do you mean they took out the train gang?" The man demanded.

"They pulled off some trick with a suitcase," The Inkling replied, "I think they could be our ticket to get things running again."

The man looked at his decrepit shop, the chaos of the city and fees for passing through gang turf safely, he sighed, he knew that their services would not be cheap given the deeds he was about to ask of them, but what choice did he have?

"Bring them to me," he demanded.

"Of course," The Inkling replied, "Mr. Grizz..."

Albert looked out over his turf, a few who wished to avoid combat had taken refuge at the train station, providing other services such as scavenging cooking, and maintenance of the walls and turrets established over the last two weeks to protect the area. While the station was secure as a refuge and escape for those who wished to escape the chaos, the lack of combatants made expansion difficult to say the least. In the last two weeks Albert and Terry had made only moderate territorial gains fighting nearby gangs.

What they needed was manpower, but Albert refused to draft noncombatants into the fray, knowing that to do so was selfish and wrong. While he was a prideful and spiteful man, he was a man of his morals. It was there choice to fight, and his duty to protect those who would not as a leader.

Terry fired a round of blue ink at an Inkling in a fisherman outfit as she approached the wall.

She stuck her hands in the air, "Hey! Hey! I come in peace!"

Albert approached, having heard the commotion, "What's the word Terry?"

"I don't know she doesn't look like she's from any of the local gangs," Terry replied.

"No need to shoot at someone who's not shooting back," Albert replied, "I'm going in. Watch my back."

Terry nodded in understanding.

Albert jumped the wall and approached the Inkling. She wielded a Tenta Brella, kept ready to fire at her hip, and wore a standard issue Grizzco uniform. She had long green hair and green eyes. She greeted Albert with a nod, "My boss has an offer for you."

Set set a wooden bear carving on the ground, and after a second or two if radio static a voice crackled through, "Ah, is this Albert?"

Albert nodded, "Yessir it is."

"I understand you have taken refugees under your wing but are... say," the voice continued, "Lacking in manpower."

"Who is this?" Albert demanded.

"Mr. Grizz of Grizzco industries," the voice replied, "Now, I beleive we can help each other Albert."

"Go on," Albert requested.

"I have been unable to conduct by business due to the take over of the docks by a gang taking and hoarding power eggs for themselves," Mr. Grizz explained, "Power eggs that could improve living conditions and allow trains to transport refugees faster."

"That's all well and good," Albert conceded, "And I would love to help. The good of the people does take priority, but as you said we can't spare the men."

"I can supply you with soldiers to do as you see fit," Mr. Grizz replied, "I can fund them, my employees are chomping at the bit for any work, even if it's fighting under your banner. Take the docks, and we can take the city together. This chaos is... bad for business."

"If it'll help these refugees you have a deal," Albert confirmed, "When do we attack?"

"Tonight," Mr. Grizz replied, "My best gunman, Ms. Cara, will assist you in this matter."

The radio fell silent. Cara picked it up and put it into a backpack she was wearing, she asked, "So Terry will be staying behind to stand guard I assume?"

Albert nodded, "Terry! I've got an offer that can help us out! I'll be back soon!"

"Stay safe," Terry replied.

Albert and Cara began to walk, Albert making conversation as they strolled through the ink stained city.

"So why you still working for Mr. Grizz?" Albert inquired.

Cara shrugged, "Not sure what else to do. He gave us some level of security, before the Ruby Runners, that's the gang we'll be fighting by the way, came in. I know the whole cooperation is family thing is poppycock, but, Grizzco, my friends there, are my family. Outside of work and inside. If I quit tomorrow they still would be. So, I guess it's for family. Family by love."

Albert nodded in understanding, "I don't have a family. I just had my Stormbringer. Mostly I grew up down under, as you could assume. Only came to the surface after Agent 8 did all their stuff and opened the way for the rest of us."

Albert gripped his brush, "Then they betrayed our people."

"Pardon?" Cara inquired, baffled by that leap in logic.

"Agent 8 helped instill chaos in the final Splatfest," Albert continued, "Just when our people finally knew peace they ripped it away for their own selfish desires. They're a traitor to all Octoling kind, and I will do whatever it takes to restore what they stole from me."

Cara shrugged, "I mean, maybe they had good intentions?"

"I believe in results," Albert snapped back, "Not intentions. I've seen where good intentions gets you. It's nowhere good."

The hypocrisy of this statement was lost on him.

Cara shrugged, "You do you man."

Albert stopped Cara as they approached the docks.

"What's wrong?" Cara inquired.

Albert silently surveyed the docks, they were splattered with red ink, end to end, but there was no one in sight. He fired off a single Splatbomb, four armed goons, all dressed in red, burst from under the ink and opened fire.

Cara blocked with her Splatbrella, protecting both of them before they took cover behind some rubble.

"OK I'll lead and provide cover," Cara ordered, "Can you watch my six and provide cover fire?"

"Yeah just a sec," Albert replied, switching his Stormbringer for s pair of Dark Tetra Dualies. "OK let's go."

Cara put up her umbrella and fired upon the first goon, weilding a Splattershot. He avoided her shots gracefully as she blocked fire from two other Dualie users.

Albert rolled out from behind cover and opened fire on the trio, throwing an auto bomb to sew panic which caused the Splattershot used to get distracted and Splatted by Cara.

Cara began to outrange and overwhelm the other two, blasting them with blue ink, but it was then Albert realized that someone was missing.

He turned around and saw a member of the Ruby Runners emerge with a Splat Roller. He opened fire, splatting them before they could slam down. With that and Cara's skilled accuracy, they had won.

But that was only the easy part. A man in a red jacket dived down from above, "You messing with my boys!?!"

He glared at the duo, "Cara! What are you doing here?"

"Can it Grant!" Cara snapped back, "You know why I'm here!"

"Still loyal to the boss?" Grant chuckled, "The eggs could be ours. We could have a monopoly!"

"And what about the people who need them!?!" Cara demanded, "Price gouge until you bleed this city dry? You only care about yourself!"

"That's the new wave!" Grant laughed madly, "Haters gonna hate I guess! Let's dance!"

Grant drew an illegally modified Grizco Splattershot, and opened fire like a torrential downpour. Cara opened her umbrella, attempting to block, but it couldn't save her, it ripped her defense to shreds and splatted her, however it was not in vain as it gave Albert a chance to retreat.

He hid behind rubble as Charles laughed arrogantly. "There's no Rainmaker to save you now, Albert! You may be good at that but that's nothing in a real battle!"

"Just you wait," Albert growled, taking a deep breath.

He took out a smart phone and put on a song he always liked, he chuckled, "Hey, help me focus. Like you always do..."

He rolled out from cover as the slow melancholic beats echoed in his ears, the 8th track on the Album. Charles opened fire as he inked the ground, diving into the blue to avoid Charles's onslaught. He leapt out and fired, placing an auto bomb midair and shooting the floor to cover his retreat.

Charles was now distracted, Albert appeared behind him and shot him in the back of the head, breaking his armor.

Charles whipped around and blasted Albert, who rolled out of the way and continued to fire.

"Just die!" Charles screamed only to find he was out of ink. He attempted to dive to get away but an array of blasts from Albert stopped him dead in his tracks.

Albert sat down, exhausted, he laid down in the ink as the depressing tune echoed in his headphones.

He spoke, as if to the creator of the song, "I miss you..."

Albert returned to his base to check on Cara, who had recovered back with Terry. Mr. Grizz spoke through his statue, "Well a deal's a deal. You will receive the men you desire."

"Marvelous thank you," Albert replied, "But I couldn't help but notice Grizzco was using illegal tech. I just want you to know, that won't fly under my banner."

"But it's the best way to get eggs for-" Grizz replied.

Albert declared, "No exceptions to my rule. When I get the Great Zapfish, the Grizzco guns go."

Grizz hesitated, choosing the lesser of two evils, he conceded, "...fine, but I'm using them until then."

Grizz hung up, leaving a confused Cara to ask, "Why such a stickler for the rules anyways?"

Albert didn't answer, only for Terry to but in, "Hey, I'm sure he has his reasons. We can trust that, right Albert?"

Albert nodded, "Yeah it's just... personal. We should prepare plans for our next move."

"Or," Terry suggested, "We celebrate our victory! You need to loosen up man! You're to bitter all the time!"

"Oh hey how about movie night," Cara suggested, "I know this great movie I'll be right back!"

Cara left before Albert could protest. Albert inquired to Terry, "Am I really that uptight?"

"I mean kinda yeah," Terry affirmed, "You seem so angry at the masses, even we refugees we help escape. Like you blame them for everything."

"I kinda do," Albert conceded, "They chose this. Did it to themselves. Makes it hard to trust anyone who can't chose for themselves."

"I chose to trust you," Terry reminded.

"Well you're my friend you're an exception," Albert retorted.

"You consider us friends?" Terry asked, baffled, "You don't show it much."

"I mean before this I only had De-" Albert cut himself off and cleared his throat, "Not many."

"We should take a day," Terry suggested, "All three of us. You need to unclench. Grizzco can guard our turf for one day."

Albert shook his head, "No, we need to restore order."

"Friends hangout outside of work dude," Terry retorted, "Come on dude, trust me. As your friend."

"Fine," Albert conceded hesitantly, "I guess. I dunno I just haven't had any friends before now really."

"Then it'll be a real treat," Terry chuckled, hiding the fact he was becoming deeply concerned for Albert's mental state based on what he had described.

Albert was in his early, mid twenties, twenty four or twenty five, Terry wasn't sure which. The fact Albert was so alone up until now was deeply concerning. He did note that Albert seemed to be lying, having cut himself off and changing his story after starting to say someone's name. He wondered who that was, but he knew now was not the time to pry.

Cara returned with the movie, "Found it! This one's a classic! It's about this fisherman who..."

The rest of the night was uneventful. The trio watched the movie, cracking jokes about how chessy it was.

It was... nice. Something Albert had not experienced for a long time.

...

Cara and Terry had fallen asleep on the couch. Albert placed blankets on them so they wouldn't get cold, made sure they were comfortable before walking away.

Despite enjoying spending time with them in a roundabout way it made him feel worse.

He walked outside, the moon shining down on him. He got atop the train station, looking at the stars in the cool air, the silence of the dead of night all around him.

He took his phone and tried to make a call.

It rang.

And rang.

And rang.

Nothing.

Just like always.

"Please leave a message after the beep," the answering machine requested.

Albert took a deep breath after the beep played, and he spoke. "Hey, D1! It's... Albert again. I know you haven't replied yet but... I hope you're OK. You know you can say the word if you want me to stop leaving these, right? But you haven't, and you haven't blocked my number, so I assume you still wanna hear em?

Haven't... said anything at all.

Anyways, I'm making progress restoring order in the city! Made an Alliance with Mr. Grizz! It's going great! Also made some friends! Terry and Cara! They're great!

Terry is really smart! He can really tell how others are feelings and Cara is one of the coolest gunmen I've ever seen! She's great with a Splatbrella!"

Albert's voice trailed off and he took a sadder tone, "You... You would love them D1. You... You really would.

...

Did you mean what you told me?

...

I miss you. A lot.

I... it's why I can't let people choose anymore.

I made that mistake already."

Albert began to sob, "I'm... sorry. I really am. I miss you.

I'm going to save this city.

Then I'm going to find a way to help you.

Please.

Please just tell me you're alive at least.

Give me something.

Anything.

Even if it's that you hate me.

I'll leave you alone.

Just... say something.

...

I love you.

You know that.

...

I'll save you.

And then I'll make sure no one chooses for themself again.

I'll make sure no one gets hurt again.

...

I'll cya later D1."

Albert hung up, crying. He looked up at the stars as he drifted off to sleep, and he drifted into a dream of better days.

Of the day he met D1...