-This is the story of a very special inkling. Who has an interesting life, very interesting life.- You don't actually need to understand the game to understand the story.

Sweat is running onto my face and ink and blood pound in my head. This turf war needs to end soon because I'm scared of psychopaths that most would call the enemy team. We've covered most of the turf ink our ink color blue, which would secure a win but "Auh, Carp!"Green ink is pushed into my body making me explode into a puddle of ink.

Don't worry we respawn after this kinda stuff. It's no biggie, besides the fact that hurt like shell. This had happened alot today but in particular this match had the most.

The enemy team had a Goo Tuber a type of charger, which was the flash of orange I saw before I was splatted. That's the cool Inkopolis way of saying killed, wait that kinda sounds like an oxymoron.

In about 8 seconds I'm back at the spawn, Splattershot Jr in hand. That was my weapon of choice for today's battle, it was blue; changing to the color of my teams ink. Its sub weapon is a splat bomb and special is ink armor, which are pretty rawesome choices for a weapon they give out in the beginning for new comers.

How in the world was I sniped from over here? Shouldn't they be worried about covering turf?



"Painter are you good?" A voice came into my ear from my little earphones. It was one of my team mates called Wheeler. I'm glad I'm not lonely in this Splat Match gone wrong.

The enemies were sure annoyed by her Run and Swim speed up. "HUH? Where'd she go, ahhh junk!" is what they'd say as she rolled over them like this was a game. Her blue ink would replace all of their green and it was beautiful. It was nice having such an asset to the team, covering up all the mistakes.

"Yeah good job, just wait for me Wheels. Keep running circles around those shell heads." I reply deciding not to super jump back into the action but take my time. Black Belly Skate Park is pretty good stage, lots of vantage points. My other team mates were also doing a good job keeping the other squids in check.

Dice is the nickname of another friend on my team and he was making these guys look completely idiotic. His Heavy Splatling Deco rained blue ink splotches down on a male blaster with ease, while both of them were moving.

"Heh, heh thought I couldn't see you swimming just cause you got ninja squid? " The boy mocked into his mic and in response I booyahed from all the way across the map. " But no, Boom Head Shot! Gottem! Dice didn't have to add that, I don't know him anymore.

When we speak into our mic all of our team members could hear it and say something back. "Good communication is the key to- oh squit!" I started to say before seeing the dot of a charger. My teammates didn't respond, focused on their own part. Guess ya'll wouldn't have cared if I was splatted by the same foe twice.

Cringing at the sight of the Goo Tuber who ended me earlier I quickly swim away to check on the right side of the map to make sure the enemy doesn't take it. Luckily the moron was just looking to see if he could splat someone, instead of painting the floor. That's like the opposite of what you are supposed to do.



Instead I see a Tenta brella getting vertical flicked by Wheeler. "Guess she couldn't handle how I roll!" the girl taunted, squidbagging the area where she made a splat. Now that was a funny roast. When she jumped up and down her hair bun was covered by her tightly fitting hat

For some unknown reason when we are splatted we are able to see who killed us till we respawn. I'm lucky to have quick respawn on my shirt as an ability or this would be unbearable.

On instinct when I heard "Checkers for Chess!" I super jumped to a teammate in danger. Before I did I saw a blast hit a wall near by where I just was. Oh! I remember that rapid blaster guy he's the one who kept trying to shoot me from the bottom of the drop.

The reel problem was an aerospray RG that was chasing my last team mate Helmet around, so I decided to help her out. My splat bomb made it's mark and caught the enemy in his tracks. Wheeler and Dice cheered me on from the otherside of the map and I felt like a hero.

"Hey! I could've done that myself!" my Slosher wielding team mate complained. That comment was condescending but I've become used to it. Whatever I don't really care we've got like 20 seconds left, be thankful. Although if she didn't say that command she would have been splatted so she was worried about not getting the krill.

"Woohoo! We did it guys!" Wheeler cheered as we received our prize money from the Judd the Booyah Base refree who happens to be a cat. Helmet and Dice were more concerned about the points. "Could we go for another round?"

On the score board it said; Blue Ink Rapids Blue team 76.3 and Green team 43.7. I didn't bother to read it but everyone near by won't shut up about it. "No Wheeler we are all spend for the day. And guys," I groaned swaying side to side. "I'm tired as junk can we go home now?" Lately I've been getting more and more tired after each battle.

But when I looked back up my friends were gone. Even though Wheels was behind me she must have run off to catch up, thinking I'd follow in. Outside the other enemy teams we faced were standing outside talking, so I waved at them. A dude with spiky hair flicked me off and by the power of Cod I somehow didn't go over there and give him a piece of my mind.

"Don't act you're tough Blue Ink Rapids, you still suck ass! Nobody even knows about you losers!" His teammates squeaked in to rub it in my face. These chum need to shut the shell up, their fueling my head ache. Walking through Booyah Base wasn't too hard untill I hit a road block.

It was a camera pointing at the Deca Tower which is where inklings go to do battle with each other. Somehow it takes us to our battle location no matter where it is. "Hey, you look familiar squidkid! May I ask for some details on your victorious Turfwar? We didn't get any footage of all the action or anyone on your team's name." A loud and upbeat voice asked me from out the blue.

Looking it's way I met eyes with some amateur reporter, by look of his clothes. The poor guy is decked out in shirt and tie with long pants and dress shoes. If only Inkopolis Sqaure wasn't so hot, I mean it's almost fall!

He said he didn't know our names "Sure thing." Blue Ink Rapids is kinda new around these parts. Our Clan is more popular around Manta Maria and Sturgeon Shipyard, not around Moray Towers and Arowana Mall area.



"Hello, my name is Spectrum and I am a Blue Ink Raids clan member who just- ." Hold on something's not right. Gotta tell the fans the truth!

"Wait hold it, my first name is Painter, Spectrum is my middle name. Sorry, where was I again?" I hold my hands up to my aching head, feeling quite dizzy. Then I remember this dude is having me recorded.

In a quick second I'm back on track." Okay, so we just won another turf war on team Blue Ink Rapids! I'm with team mates Dice, Helmet and Wheeler, make sure to get that down. See ya'll later, and RIDE THOSE RAPIDS!" I finish, waving to the camera, hoping to look friendly as possible.

The kid smiles and runs over to his friends,camera man flipping down the big device , leaving me alone. At least during the match I wasn't alone. But then my searing headache returns and I drift closer to my crew who is sitting at some table.

Or so I think because right now I look like some crazy buffoon to the inkling I approached." Hey Painter, the other B.I.R are over there waiting for you, bye." He directed me onto the right track. Guess this guy knew who we were way better than the reporter.

Gotta love folks around these parts, more helpful than people around where I grew up in. "Good thing my head is starting to feel better."

Hey, I can't help it! I'm only this dazed after being splatted about 5 times in the last 3 minutes, due to an intense turf war. At least it was a turf war that my team won which is why we are happy right now.

Meanwhile my friends just noticed my sudden reappearance. "Oh there she is!" said Dice waving over to me. Helmet and Wheeler looked at each other when he said that. Awkward, but hey I'm not denying it.

In our most recent match we have the youngest inkling on the team named Wheeler. She is a pretty good Krak-On splat roller, almost rivaled to the legendary Rider from Inkopolis. Wait do folks even care about the old Inkopolis that much?

We met during a ranked rainmaker match, when she did a sneak splat to save me and made a hilarious joke. Something along the lines of roll over my issues or something, can't fully recall the details. Reminds me off today's joke; How I roll.

She also uses an .52 Gal from time to time as her main weapon, as well as a Luna Blaster. For some reason she is never not wearing shorts and claims it's because they are comfy and easy to wear. I guess the girl doesn't mind the cold too much since she's from up north, somewhere I don't really know.

Wheeler loves to wear those eely short biking shorts. I have a feeling there is another reason why she like shorts, most likely so she can show off her cute sexy little body. Wait, actually didn't she say that word for word earlier?! Oh, Cod.

I'm also sure she might possibly have a crush on me. That girl is getting in trouble all the time with us and our other clan mates, she must love getting hurt.

Can't forget my dude Dice, who is just a rawesome Heavy Splatling Deco user. He is a fair sport who looking kinda uneasy around me and Wheeler . But man is he such a precious boy when he smiles. His right bang peaking out makes him 12 times cuter.

I met Dice during a turf war, he warned me of the skills of enemy when I wasn't feeling well. We still lost the match though. An "Be careful, he has an ink ray!" still echoes through my head somedays.

The boy is into logistics and programming so one day he may be an developer for some company. But back to battles in which he also likes to main the Classic Squiffer and maybe a bit of Splat Brella.

His personality traits may fool you, he is known for absolutely destructive snark and comebacks. But then again he is a major Marie fanboy, which alludes to him being straight. But I have found that he harbors slight romance towards me. Ah, that is why he is the only one I know to refer to me as 'she' 100 percent of the time.

Then we save Helmet for last, who you guessed it always wears some sort of helmet or large hat or just cover her head. She is a cute Slosher, who never likes to say anything nice or take our help. She's so stubborn it drives me crazy, atleast she'll cry for help now and then .There's another person we know just like that and they butt heads all the time.

I eely can't figure out why she is negative 80 percent of the time .That girl knows all sorts of tricks, shortcuts and formation plans for any situation. But for some reason that doesn't mean she's laid back.

I met her during a salmon run shift, saved her from a Griller, which let her place that last egg in the basket we needed to win. She was adorable when she was cheering on our victory.

I was startled when I the first thing I ever heard come out of her mouth the whole match was "Yes yes! Thank you, so very much um, Painter." That was the first time she ever said my name.

She likes changing her weapon mains to Splattershot Pro and the Octo brush. Helmet doesn't like the wind so she only wears long pants. Which I think is super cute by the way, like every little thing she does.

But I know for a doubt she doesn't like me that way. Which is fine by me, I certainly don't need three people trying to get into my net. I mean Wheeler may have fine legs and tits but Helmet got that nice nice ass and arms. What is an inkling to do?

But the best thing is all my friends love me equally even if Helmet doesn't' want to admit it. I think she tends to act like one of those special dere tropes or something. I don't remember what they were called, hmmm.

Bah it's not important.

"So Painter are you going anywhere during the maintenance tomorrow?" asks Dice shaking his head to move his bangs away from his face, that snapped me to attention from my daydream.

When he does that it looks really hot, am I falling for my teammates? No no wrong subject Painter, wrong subject!

I look down to dodge his gaze, embarrassed as Shell. Damn you hormones, starting problems for me! I guess Dice has really good fashion sense, but that's not important right now brain! He asked me a question, finally my role has come.

To answer his question I point at the manhole grate. "I really wanna see what's down in there ever since I saw this girl go down there every few days and come back. " My new real question is who she and what was she doing?!

From behind us Helmet listens in, but decides to add something that makes me want to go there even more. "She must have brought back the Great Zap Fish or somethong, did you not see the Off the Hook broadcast a while back? I bet whatever took the Zap Fishes must live down there. I feel creeped out by this place, which is a first ." She bent down her head at an angle to stare at it .

Aw, Helmet isn't as fearless as I think. Wonder what facial expression she wears at the moment. Most likely dread or fear, but who really knows. It's not like I can't see her face all the time, but she is usually sporting something like a resting fish face.

Helmet is definitely not a fish, but only her friends would understand that.

We all stared at the exit of Inkopolis Square, in awkward silence. Dice reached for his phone is his pocket then gazed up at the sky. "Think it might rain, Lucky?" asked Wheeler grinning wildly as she checked her watch.

That was her nickname for him, she had given one to us all. Dice smiled and clenched his fist, then thrusted a finger into the air. Which probably means he about to dump some of his predictions on us.

Lucky us, said no one ever.

"Oh you bet your 11th T it'll rain, Wheels! The reasons I can tell by the wind speed and moisture in the air, which that means we better mosey on down to the apartment." Shouted Dice, he always makes weird and highly unusual euphemisms about anything.

And I mean anything. Most of the time his jokes aren't even funny.

Looking up at the sky it was clear that it was getting ready to have a downpour, plus rain was big danger to inklings. Hopefully it was only around Inkopolis Square where the weather was gloomy.

We made our way to the subway and waited for a Metro to be headed to our station; Coral Depths. Now I may not be a girl but I sure don't feel completely like a guy, when thinking about my friends and how they fit their gender tropes.

I feel so left out, I wonder? But most people think of me a dude but not Dice. Maybe cause he looks manlier than me or something?

"Do you find me to be masculine or feminine, Helmet?" I ask rubbing her shoulder so she pays attention. The feeling of her jacket was quite nice, Takoroka Windcrusher .She glanced up and down then shrugged her shoulders, her face yielding to her matte bike helmet. Wow thanks for an answer, asshole.

Just then the Metro arrived and we all entered, since it low traffic time we got on board it was only us and few passersby on the cart. But this would be no usual metro ride back home at 11:24 AM no sirre.

It all starts when Wheels smiles at me trying looking up and down my body, making me confused since we've known each other for quite a while now. I mean I share a living space with this chick!

"Well Paint, I think you are kinda masculine, is there something wrong with the way you are now?" The younger inkling says out of the blue. But then it looks like she put her hand under her chin and tilted her head.

Which is a quirk of her's when she is fixed on something. Oh no! What is this deviant going to do this time?!

"Ah but didn't you say you were- nah never mind I don't actually know enough to bring it up." She added causing Dice to grow blue and decide to gaze up my body to confirm something. Then he crossed his arms and sighed, his dark blue blush reaching to his tan ears. What the shell is going on with my friends today?

Then suddenly Dice puts his hand on my shoulder, his golden eyes blazing into my eyes like the sun. His large hand felt nice and warm but this was kinda awkward.

Helmet gave him a strange look and began to nod off on her fellow female's lap. But she kinda forced her head with her helmet still on to Wheeler's lap, making the younger girl close her legs to form her lap. She's probably sleepy cause she stayed up late reading again. Typical Helmet.

That sudden contact with her lower stomach caused the younger girl to go blue in the face with surprise and lift her arms from her sides. It's cute to see my friends flustered and such at moments, especially with Helmet involved.

Our male friend apparently had wanted to join in on conversation." In my opinion, I think you are quite feminine but if you turn out to be a boy it's okay Painter. It's cute and cool to be like you, the way I can't tell what's in the box." Is what Dice gushed, then Wheeler out of nowhere shoved him with her free arm, face full of anger.

Totally not normal behavior going on here. Anyone could feel the deadly aura radiating around them and I mean anyone. I wish Aaron or Uiwfuko were to break this up for me, since they're kinda scary when angry.

Am I getting fought over or something? The tan boy and lighter girl stared at each other, having a battle with their gazes and then their hands. Both on my thighs, for some Cod-forsaken reason, making me sweat ink from the stress.

"I wonder what type of things Splat has hiding away? You curious too Lucky boy?!" said Wheels her hands getting dangerously close.

To.

My.

Holy

Excalibur!

NOPE, Nope nope not gonna happen! Having enough of their squit I pushed both their hands away, trying to subdue them. "Calm down, like I told you guys earlier, I have two well kept secrets and if you asked nicely I'd explain that I have both sets of-"

But if my friends would not be so patience to let me finish the sentence. Will I ever get a break with these guys?

"Wheeler, I think it would be okay if one day I would get to see bofa those secrets. Oh and our station is here." interrupted Dice standing up and licking his lips, sending chills down my nonexistent spine. Also isn't that an old joke? Get with the times dude, no one likes stale memes.

Fun fact inklings are celopods having no bones even in human form, just muscle. Then again everyone knows that, we're in a bone digging craze.

But more importantly, Dice doesn't even know what I was going to say! Helmet woke up from her brief nap and stretched her arms and wrists, staring out the window.

This time it was Wheeler sporting a blank face. Possibly from what me or Dice had said? Or is it from Helmet's awakening?

She stared at me for a brief moment waiting for the metro to stop and it's doors to open.

We all stepped out into the subway station and walked up the stairs into the outside. Suddenly she had the death stare eyes on Lucky while he had a smirk on his face. Inkcoming violent mode for her usually has those eyes.

The pale blue eyed girl suddenly swerved and nailed Dice in his nads with her gloved fist. But apparently the boy has balls of steel cause he brushed the attack off, pushing her hand away and retaliated with a swift knee to her side. RKO outta nowhere!

Surprisingly she somehow brushed it off while still clearly in pain. The way her plan failed made me laugh a little but then I realized she come after me too. "Wait what did he even do?" asked Helmet going into a defensive stance from the side of me.

"Painter, both sets of … Wait a minute, that your!" Shouted Wheeler before deciding to strike me with her multi-colored tennis shoe in between the legs. Now I wish I was a full girl, even though it would still hurt.

My body caved in and knees bent down at the blow. Ah carp! What the junk did I do this time?! "Augh! THat frIcKiNg HURT!" I shot, turning that part into ink to protect it further.

As a normal reaction I flinched hard, clutching myself for split seconds as I solidified it . But I kinda pushed her away into Helmet by accident, trying not to cry or kneel to the floor. My poor puzzle pieces! Atleast I won't have to worry about my future kids cause I couldn't have any before and after this.

But man did that hurt just like getting squished by a Dynamo Roller. Isn't friendly fire banned!? "Ah ha, you laughed at me now you must suffer!" the younger girl cackled in her fury. Oh I just realized Helmet laughed at her too, but she is way more prepared than I'd ever be to deal with this nightmare.



Since she was given the chance Wheels tried punching Helmet's gut but the older inkling quickly dodged then upper cutted younger girl in the jaw sending her flying to the floor. Wait why'd she go after Helm? She did nothing wrong.

"Not today fish. You need to calm down." muttered Helmet clenching her fists in restraint. I pray no one was watching this and planning on reporting us to the local police for causing disruption. Than again, much worse has happened around here, much.



But of course everyone was not spending their time looking at 4 teenagers getting into a little tussle. Or whatever someone sane would call this carp.

Now this all lasted for about 15 seconds for those keeping tabs at home. "Yeah, what just happened

Her face went completely dark blue from shock, Wheels went straight to the floor laying her side, defeated. Hoist by her own petard or so they say.

With a smirk on his face, Dice crossed his arms "Nice try little squid, but that didn't hurt me. No double standards for you today Wheeler." he taunted bending down to face her. I felt like squidbagging her but nah, that's not nice behavior.

"Why? Why'd you have to go wailing on us? You know it will never work out in the end, since we have each other's backs." I asked patting her head under her hat and closing my eyes. "Or are you masochistic? Pervert!"

My girl Wheels is laying on the pavement, stuck kinda like a suction bomb. " Okay, I'm sorry about this. One reason is Painter needs to finish their sentences." She said to me grabbing my hand to support her in getting up off the cement. Her eyes went back to normal because I know for a doubt they weren't red like mine.

I just looked at her with a scowl and crossed my arms. Wheeler didn't make any sense, why should I just forget this happened? And what sentence?



Then she faced our male friend, who looked annoyed and for a good reason. "Please explain." He demanded putting a hand on his hip. Dice is probably just as pissed off as the rest of us, though it seems he didn't get hurt. "It better be a good one too. You know very well that below the belt is out of bounds for fair fighting or roughhousing." Dice pulled her shirt and poked her belly.

"Damnit Luck, did you have to make a bofa joke? It drives me insane and gets my blood boiling at the internet memes you spout. Helmet you bully don't just stand there and laugh." Wheeler growled brushing away the dust and tiny pebbles from her bare knees with a light blush on her face still. "Plus you know-"

She whispered something else to him that I couldn't hear. I assume it's about me or something, so I'm nervous. Wheeler can be so unpredictable at times, Cod.

We all shook our heads in defeat and went towards our apartment. Coral Depths, Floor 3 Room 47. 2 master bedrooms and one bath but we make it work. Then again these are extra-large master bedrooms.

Helmet took out her key and opened the light brown door to our home. Since Dice and her are neat freaks the whole place is nice, would give a designer an orgasm walking into here.

Now Wheeler keeps us in track with schedules and calendars. I'm the one with directions and understands the instructions enough to dish them out.

"Home sweet home." We all say at the same time, causing us to break out in laughter. After closing and locking the door it's time to get to business for the next few days.

I look at Wheeler and my room to look at my plans for tomorrow's maintenance. That means we won't be able play in turf war, ranked modes or salmon run at all tomorrow, which sucks. But hey that manhole is still open for business!

Isn't strange how inklings with two different genders share a private room? I mean Dice and Helmet share a room together as Helmet would kill Wheeler, Dice would kill Wheeler and Helmet would kill me due to the latter having feelings for the former.

We really are strange squid kids, but nothing bad has ever happened so who cares anyway? Not too worldly like those other dolts. Having squids left and right, it's a wrap.

Many inklings don't understand that I am actually intersex, by having literally two sets of genitals and sex organs that don't work at all. But that doesn't mean I'm one of those crazy fake special snowflakes or something.

Oh and by not working I mean no sex cells, guess my parents will have to wait quite a while for grand squids. Well maybe my older siblings might have some give or take, 10 years.

I was born this way, get over it. To think about it, what pronoun should I use? I never really told anyone to use one, letting them choose. This can get eely confusing at times.

Wheeler thinks I'm lucky but I tell her. "Remember my hormones are out of whack and I can't have squids with anyone. So am I really lucky?"

Putting that aside I stare at my high tops and think. "Helmet tells me to list out all the problems I face and then put everyone else in prospective. She says it'll make me a better squid or something, I don't know."

But there is one thing I know how to do; write almost everything down in a notebook. I choose to write it in the other language my parents taught me: Japanese, so Wheeler won't be able to read it if she gets her greedy hands on it. The benefits of being mixed are nice

Some of the worst things I have to deal with from my body are my biggest little friend wanting to say hi at the wrong time ,nocturnal emissions, and extreme energy swings. Of course these are all not too common for me. They only happen on rare occasions. Very, very rare, thankfully.

Sometimes if I get eely horny I …. No, wait I'm a child of Cod I can't say that! Carp, I don't do that gross, perverted stuff! Who do you take me for, kid? Oh no I'm turning into Wheeler!

I face palm in shame, my face darkened a bit. "What the shell am I thinking about?" Looking at a photo on the wall I'm reminded of happy times with our team. No not just of me, Wheeler, Dice and Helmet but the whole Blue Ink Rapids crew. It was a ten and growing league, full of friends and equally skilled squids.

"I wonder how, their all doing?" The other members; Mask, Caliber, Hunter and Flag. There are other members; Pilot and Sailor but I don't know too much about them. But that will all change in two days with the Blue Ink Rapids Meetup!

Mask and Caliber are brother and sister, who live together. Their parents are clerics who go away for work so they live alone in their large one story house. Mask is older but his little sister is taller than him. Don't ask me how I'm no genetics expert.

Hunter lives with her preppy mother and new father, after her father's death her mother became extremely strict. The mother is apparently so strict that Hunter has become very physically resistant. She been flinching quite a lot around older women and seems to avoid them. It seems her mother dislikes turfwar, from what I've caught onto.

I have a feeling something is wrong at home, but that girl has such a strong personality. "Nah, Hunter wouldn't let that get to her, she's been through too much." That girl is too fiery, but is easy to deal with.

Flag stays with his uncle and his aunt who live near Inkopolis. The adults work at Inkblot Academy so he finds the new knowledge on fashion. His older brother and sister live back at home away from all the mainstream drama but he hates the boring life.

"Pretty sure he'll be proud of what I have on today, Flag is so fickly with fashion." I say to myself, talking to myself or when others aren't listening is a bad habit of mine. But I'll never stop, it's too fun.

No, now I'm getting off track. "I need to go clean my room before Dice or Helmet yell at me." I look back at Wheeler's side of the room. "She'll deal with that herself, let bygones be bygones"

"Well time to start on the closet." I say getting onto the floor and opening its doors. Why are all of my belongings on the floor?

