Fracturoad

Day 1 - the black smoke

The square slowly but surely filled up with black smoke. While most would think the cephalopods would be wise enough to run. Most stood there, with their phones out and wondering what to do. To them it was a thing worth staying out for. Maybe it was going to be worthy of staying in the history books. But silently and effectively. Each inkling whose body disappears into the smoke dropped down to the floor. Not dead, simply asleep as more and more fall under the same predicament.

"Is it a fire?" Goggles asked as he tried to squint his eyes. Rider thought so as well, but surely smoke from a simple fire couldn't spread this far into the city.
"Somethings not right-" it was all he got out when one of the nearby inklings that inhaled the smoke dropped down onto the floor. Their expression calm, asleep finally catching their attention.

"OH COD! SCATTER!!!"

It was all anyone heard before every inkling in the square started bolting in all directions trying to save themselves. Rider and Goggles were not exceptions. Thank cod they were the closest to the gates otherwise the other inklings would have trampled over them without hesitation. Behind them the smoke seemed to pick up speed from the wind setting the groups of inklings to what seemed like eternal slumber.

'This way! Hurry!'

The green squid yelled as they weaved through the roads of the main gates. In front of them was a forest. The jade forest. It's one of the most dangerous places in the land. Every inkling knew the stories since they were young. How shadowlings kidnapped and mutated inklings to become them. Skylings taking them for tribute to experiment on the highest peak and Waterlings that lure them and drag them into the river streams.
Out of breath the two sat down in a small clearing just barely setting foot into the forest. The smoke fortunately didn't extend that far. But they were basically evicted from the only safe place they knew. Seeing as the entire city was covered in the deadly mist making it impossible to go back.

'So what now?' Goggles asked as Rider puts on his ink tank and motioning the younger to do the same. He shrugs, but nobody can really blame him, it was too sudden for anyone to process. Laying down on the grass he took a deep breath. The forest air clearing his mind. Goggles seemed to be restless, all his attempts at contacting his friends were in vein because there was no cell service outside the city. Shutting off his phone he joined Rider on the grass. The sun was starting to set and they had no place to take shelter in. Time was ticking and they needed a plan. And fast. They laid there for a while clueless. But finally Rider got up and offered a hand to Goggles to get him on his feet.

'We should find shelter'
'But we have nowhere to go!'

Rider looked behind them. The forest was dangerous sure. But if they stay out in the open sooner or later he feared the worst would happen.

'We have no choice. Staying out here is the worst option we have. We need to find a cave somewhere near here. Let's assess the situation later before it gets dark.'

For an hour they wandered the forest trying to find a place they can hide in for the night. But the odds were not in their favour as either the caves were too shallow or it was so dark they couldn't see the inside. But then, Goggles tapped the others shoulder and they looked up. There was an old abandoned tree house not too far up in the trees. It had cobwebs everywhere and a broken roof with holes. Rider knocked before entering but it was baren. After confirming it was safe he called Goggles up and set his dynamo on the tiny porch outside that somehow hadn't broken with the crushing weight. Standing in the small space that could probably only fit 4 crouching squids.

'This treehouse must have been abandoned for a long time.'
'Yeah! It's so dusty it could make mask sneeze for weeks!'
'We should get some shut eye for now. We need to figure out the situation in the morning. Got that?'
'Got it! Goodnight Rider.'
'Goodnight. I guess.'

Meanwhile a long way from Rider and Goggles location were where Aloha and Skull were. They barely escaped the chaos and had to rest for a few hours to clear the gas from their lungs trading it with fresh air from the forest they've also taken refuge in. But when Aloha goes to find some fruits for them to munch on. A girl with brown tentacles appears next to Skull from to him seemed like thin air.

'What are you doing in the forest?'