Lo-Text Beats: Backsiders Stories

Chapter 1: Offensive

The sun rises in Splatsville. It's peaceful, the people are just getting up... In an apparently inconspicuous apartment, an inktoling is sleeping.
It's name is Mike. He works at Grizzco all week, and seeing as it is the week-end, he thinks he earned the right to rest a bit.

How wrong he was.

*Shifting Stars by Riot Act plays*

Mike, barely waking up, a bit upset: Hnnnngghhh... Who's calling this early, really?

He catches his phone and looks at the screen, just to see a very familiar face calling him.

Mike: Oh no... Why...

His captain in the Squidbeak Squadron, Hinata.

He picks up right after.

Mike: Yep.

Hinata: Took your time to answer.

Mike, rubbing the sleep off his eyes: Sorry... I was asleep. Can you blame it on me though? Work was tough this week.

Hinata, chuckling: Hm. I can't really. From what I've seen from other inklings and octolings, Grizzco seems like a hard job.
But, that's not the point, We have a mission. I'm gonna need you to be at the Tentakeel Outpost very soon.

Mike (thoughts): (Oh no, that's not good...) In how much time do you need me to be here?

Hinata: 30 minutes if possible, 45 tops.

Mike (thoughts): (OH YOU'RE KIDDING ME I HAVE TO SPEEDRUN NOW) Alright, got it. I'll be there soon.

Hinata: I know I can count on you. See you soon.

As Hinata hangs up, Mike rushes to get his stuff ready. "No time for breakfast", he thinks, "I'll grab something to eat on the way out".

10 minutes later, and after grabbing a quick sandwich, He was on the train, on his way to Inkopolis Square.
As he was getting out of it, two of his friends decided to see him.

Yukiko: Hey Mike! How are you doing?

Spyke: You wanna do some matches or what? Thought this was your day off!

Yukiko and Spyke are two of Mike's close friends. Well, recent close friends. In fact, they have been bullying him for the most part of his childhood.
But ever since Spyke saw Mike be shredding battles, he apologized, deeply, and Yukiko even more. She even said that she bullied her with a lot of regrets, as she thought Mike was kinda cool, but she did it out of love for Spyke.

Ever since then, they've been friends, and even created a music band that is quite known, the Backsiders.

Mike, as he rushed past them: Hey guys. Sorry, I don't have time, I need to go fast, we'll play when I have the time!

As he entered the hole to the Octocanyon, he swiftly switched clothes, just before finally arriving at Tentakeel Outpost, with Hinata waiting for him.

Hinata: Almost late.

Mike, walking towards her: Not my fault trains are slow. Plus I almost got two of my friends blocking me.

Hinata: Doesn't really matter. You're still on time. Come here, I'm gonna start the briefing. Also, Peanut isn't here?

Peanut is an octoling that Mike saved, back in the Deepsea Metro. She was sanitized before, and still has a bit of sanitization left. She became an Agent a while ago.

Mike: She's on patrol if you can't remember. Probably with Ayo, Oli and Marie.

Hinata: Oh, yeah. That's right. That sucks, we could've used her Ink Flows.