Splatoon Manga: NightRoad

Chapter 30: Hook

⭐️Chapter 30: Hook

Gloves and Flip were still walking with Heise. Nothing had gotten better, few words were exchanged. The group was getting hungry, and that just made things worse. Flip had TRIED to get along with Heise, to find some common ground, but all Heise did was reply with smart retorts that really weren't necessary.

"What's your favorite kind of music?"

"Electric/Rock, why, you got something against that?"

"Favorite food?"

"Don't have one. You picky or somethin?"

"Do you at least like some kind of color or activity??"

"Pink, and I dunno. Whatever happens happens."

You could see why it was annoying.

Gloves just...didn't even wanna get involved at this point. He knew he would lose a verbal battle like that in seconds flat. He was just focused on finding some wild berries or something so the group could just have a break. But all it was was just trees and plants. He looked around for something to occupy himself with. Birdwatching, animal noises, anything to avoid conversation at the moment.

Flip noticed.

"Gloves, you doing okay?"

"I'm just...bored and hungry. I'm sure you are too, though..."

"Now that you mention it, I kinda am..." Flip said, now realizing how bored and hungry she was.
She didn't want to ask Heise if she knew anything about the forest in case Heise was like "no I don't I'm just as lost as you losers" or worse, "yeah I know the way out but why would I tell you lol".

"Yeah. I just wanna find out if this is the right place or not." Gloves said.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, and Gloves felt awkward for saying the last sentence in a conversation.

Heise stayed quiet. Cod, she hated this. But if they weren't bothering her, she wouldn't bother them. She couldn't let them know that she was just as lost, or that she was trying to get back home. She wanted to groan in frustration, or anything of the sort, but she thought that if she did that, the other two would think it was their fault, or might turn on her with THEIR smart remarks, or something along the lines of that. She too, was looking for a way out of this mess.

"Wait, I see something up ahead!" Flip said, pointing.

The group came up to a dead end on their path, which was a large, flat grassy area with huge rocks sticking out. Trees surrounded it, and the dark sky was open. It was...kinda pretty, actually.

"Welp. I guess this isn't the right path then. Time to head back-" Gloves grumbled, and began to start walking.

"Gloves wait. There has to be another way." Flip said, stopping him by grabbing his shoulder.
Gloves stopped and turned around.

"Last time I checked, there was only one path that actually got people out...dunno what would happen if you tried to cross through with another path..." Heise mumbled.

"Well then let's find out!" Flip said, letting go of Gloves.

Heise sighed. These inklings were hopeless.

Flip ran to the other side of the fields to check and see what stopped people from crossing this way.

Sure enough, she saw it.

They were on an elevated piece of ground. Which overlooked more forest below. Flip could see some weird rock formation, some mountians, and more of the forest from here, but still no sign of Black Forest. What was it supposed to look like, a group of dark trees? Or dead trees? Well, soon they wouldn't even be able to see it when it became nighttime. She walked back, a little upset about her discovery.

"Well? Is there a way out?" Heise asked, before Gloves could.

Flip decided to try something.

"No, we're just on a piece of elevated ground, why do you care?"

Let's see how Heise would react to her own talk back.

"Okay, I was just asking, sheesh."

Are you kidding me.

NOTHING?!

Flip could've responded like that the whole time?!
She couldn't contain her anger much longer. Gloves saw and went over to her before she did anything nasty.

"Flip, you okay?"

Flip turned to him and whispered in his ear, despite the fact it was covered up by his hook cans.

"I'm tired of this smart-alic responding so rudely when all I'm trying to do is get along with her."

Gloves nodded in understanding.

"Is this about me?" Heise said loudly, as she was standing further away from them.

Flip held out her index finger to say "wait a minute I'll get to you later."

"Wow, okay. Guess it is." Heise grumbled loud enough for Flip and Gloves to hear, but quieter than her last remark.

"You see what I mean?" Flip whispered.

"Yeah...now I get it." Gloves whispered back.

The two turned to her. Flip took a deep breath, keeping a straight face.

"Look, Hei. Or. Whatever you prefer to be called. All I wanted to do was get along with you. We're lost, we're a little hangry, and we don't want this to get any worse. We don't have to fight, and we could just...I dunno, work together?"

Heise hesitated. She looked away. She hadn't really expected them to bring this up. She liked the nickname, but...she couldn't. She had only said those rude remarks just to get Flip off her, because the last thing she wanted was...

She took a breath in.

"I can't. It's his orders. If he finds out I've disobeyed him, he'll be disappointed or maybe even furious, and I might be demoted. Or maybe exiled, I dunno. But I can't, even if it was a secret, he'd find out in no time flat because he has..." She stopped herself, shaking her head.

Flip stared at her in shock.

Gloves did as well.

What.

The heck.

Was that.

Heise had been keeping this within her the whole time? Is that why? And...she dropped her smart-alic act too. She seemed worried, even! This mystery had to be solved. And now, because they didn't have the time to keep secrets.

"Wow...I um...didn't know. If I had, maybe we could've at least reached an understanding? If you get what I mean? Well, whatever, but the real question is...who is this "he" you keep bringing up?" Flip asked nicely.

Heise was going to regret this.

"Like you need to know." she said quietly.

That did it.

That pushed Flip over her limit.

"Okay, that's it. I've had enough of your talk." Flip said as she pulled out her hookroll, "Let's decide this once and for all!"

Heise also took out her hookroll. Gloves backed up. Like waaaaay up. He wasn't going to be involved in their conversations, OR battles.

"Alright, I guess we shall." Heise mumbled.

And with that, they leapt at eachother, hooks in hand.