Splatoon Manga: NightRoad

Chapter 52: Lone

⭐️Chapter 52: Lone

Pitch was resting in the area that he had picked to stay, which was an abandoned apartment further away from the square. Inkopolis was so weird when it was quiet...then again, the shadowlings had only seen it when it was quiet. Pitch wondered what it was like when it wasn't quiet. When there were other species were there. He'd split off from Noir's group if he could, or if it was allowed, but as of right now he was bound via promise. The two brothers had picked him for the mission and now that he had done his battle, he probably wasn't needed anymore.

He had collected a bunch of snacks from places and began eating a few. He was so used to older, more unperishable foods and canned things, since Ebony was trying to make do with what they had while also searching for alternate food options. But now that he had a taste of fresh things again, he would be glad if Inkopolis became their new home. The shadowlings knew how to run stores and work a government, it was just that they didn't have the resources in their current state. Then again, he had heard something about Ebony wanting a peace treaty with Inkopolis instead, which could still work out, but Noir was set on overpowering them instead. Pitch was curious, what had the shadowlings ever done to the inklings? Nothing, as far as he was concerned. Heck, they hadn't stayed away from all those wars for nothing. So why?

He made a note to himself to ask later. He stood up, setting down a bag of gummies he had picked up, and looked around. Now that he had thought about it, he hadn't explored the place yet. Sure he had briefly flown over it, but he hadn't properly looked through the place. He walked out into the open streets and looked around. Was there any other way he could explore?

In the distance, he saw two buildings. Both lead up to a taller building that was about the same height as the rest of the apartments and other buildings here. He wanted to fly up, but there were these other birds there that seemed to make a ruckus whenever he went up there. So instead, he shifted into wolf form to try and get up higher for a better view. The birds were scared away this time, and he was easily able to get up. He looked around, not shifting back to human form yet. The place was pretty cool from where he stood. There was the giant tower they had landed on that one night, there was that square...was that another tower in the distance too?

He leapt from rooftop to rooftop, heading over to the square to get a better look. He stopped when he was able to see it clearly. It was indeed another tower, which was very curious. Had the species moved? Or was this a replica? Curious...
He looked down at the barren square below him. It was so strange, he felt like people should be here, and yet there they were, scaring them all away into...who knows where. Sure, it was a little bit wrong, but he understood the need to find a better home.

He looked for anywhere else to go. He thought to himself, wondering if he should join back with the others. He would, but...he had to admit, he kind of liked it here better. There was food, decent resting areas, um. Oh yeah, those shops from earlier with all the weapons and clothing! He could revisit those. He hopped down from the building he was on, and turned around, since he was already in inkopolis square. He shifted to a shadow form to sneak under the space below the door.

Once he was in, he had a look around. He was in the headgear shop as of now, but it seemed that all the stores were connected. He saw hats and helmets and headphones and shades and glasses...even those goggles that the one inkling he battled had. The only thing was though, most of the headgears had bright colors, or at least two colors on them. Pitch remembered that the shadowlings usually had simpler gear with one color, as they had to save on resources. Besides, they could just have their own helmet and later decorate it with stickers or something.

Since the weapon shop was next door, he decided to check that out next. He walked over and found himself surrounded by all sorts of weird but colorful tools. He looked around, not seeing actual weapon-weapons, like the swords and axes and other things he knew. He of course, had been in here before, and nothing had changed, but it was only for a quick second. Now he could have an actual good look. He spotted a pair of dual guns with golden rims, and looked at the label below it.

Enperry Dualies.

Enperry? Was that this place's version of Enparry? Was this what that one yellow inkling and his brother used before switching to the blades? Interesting. He read further.

Sub Weapon: Curling Bomb
Special: Inkjet

Oh. Nothing out of the ordinary, then. He looked around, already familiar with these types of weapons. They all just seemed like toys to be honest, with their coloration and simple structure. It was so weird. The dualies didn't look like guns, the rollers didn't have any points, the shots? Eh, they were okay, but probably could've been done better. He took one last look before deciding that he was ready to go back. With that, he walked back outside after getting under the door. He sighed, as he looked up at the sky. A calm place in a current event of chaos...

rrrrr-

He perked up.
He thought he heard something.

He shifted back to wolf form and flew back to the building's roof. Since it was a short distance, all he had to do was fly up, as he couldn't fly as a wolf for long distances. He listened closely, again for the noise. His ears picked up on something a little  further away. It sounded like a vehicle? And people yelling, though he couldn't tell who.

And it was getting louder...

"Come on! We have to make it!"

That...that was that one inkling's voice...the one dark skinned one out of all of them.

"Cut them off! Cut them off!"

Oh.
I guess they really were coming back.
He shifted back into humanoid form, and flew back to his original spot.

Well, when the shadowlings and those other cephalopods came back...

He would be ready.