Skull x Headphones (Splatoon Manga)

Part 1: Adapt

A lot went through Neo's brain as she finally glimpsed the square for the first time.

She was here! She finally escaped Octo Valley, found Inkopolis Square, and now was about to become a part of all the fresh kids (and squids) as she had long dreamed.

However, Neo was an octoling. So it made sense when, with all the other emotions flooding her brain, she also felt frightened by the possibility that she could get found and reported. She wanted to live a life in excitement and fun. But Neo knew in order for that to happen, she had to use gear to disguise herself. Ever since she had moved into the nearby apartment complex, she mysteriously got 3 pieces of gear and a weapon, which were labeled as the "White Headband", "Basic Tee", "Cream Basics", and "Splattershot Jr.". Whew, she was really starting to get the hang of the Inkling language!

Despite how much she wanted to wear these, she knew it would be no use. The head band would reveal too much of her tentacles, so she needed a new headgear ASAP. Neo considered her options. She could go back home, but she would be considered a disgrace among her kind and left to fend for herself. She could try the gear she had just been given, but she would be revealed and exterminated. Which left her with her third and final option; find some gear now. 

All she really needed was headgear, because she didn't show any other signs of being an octoling (she thought), and if she still had mostly new gear on, some other team might take pity on her and let her join. So, following her plan carefully, she stuck in a corner and observed the surroundings.

But one more thing: Neo's eyes are different. They distinguish her from inkling, octoling, and cuttlefish alike. She has no pupil, just the colors that are supposed to surround it, and where her pupil should be on her right eye is a mark that looks like a slash, orange colored. And she forgot about those when she headed out.

(Neo's POV)

There were a few teams chatting over by a few sets of chairs and tables, though the teams didn't seem to have all their members with them at the moment. One group of inklings were bright blue, and one of them (who I assumed was the 'leader') was complaining to another team for accidentally getting crumbs on his shirt. This other team was a deep blue, with only 2 members being present. They were both female, and one of them was apologizing while the other continued to stuff her face with crunchy looking food and shouting "Air walk! Air walk!" The second team's ink color looked familiar, though I don't know why. Yet another team was talking among themselves, but it looked odd because they were all wearing the same type of gear; they looked like they were going to some sort of school. Unfortunately, I didn't see any type of abandoned gear, so I figured that inklings must only have one set of gear. I was reluctant to resort to this, but I needed headgear, so clutching my bag of money I stole from Octo Valley, I quickly walked to the headgear shop.

Lucky for Neo, nobody was in the shop. As she looked at today's gear (she discovered that the gear for sale randomize every day) she hoped that there was something to cover her tentacles, because surely she would look weird if she ran to the shop and left with a clearer view of her hair. So she had to pick fast.

The Designer Headphones wouldn't work, and neither would the Full Moon Glasses. The Anglerfish Mask looked promising, but looking out in the square told her that wearing it would draw attention, and she didn't want that. She wanted the Golf Visor (as she had heard about Aloha and adored his confidence, so she though making her feel like Aloha might help) but it clearly exposed her head, and again, she didn't want that. Fake Contacts? She might as well have been wearing no headgear at all. That left her with one last choice: the Sneaky Beanie. In fairness, It covered most of her head, but her tentacles still hung low. And yet this was the best option they had to offer. Knowing she had no other choice, she reluctantly bought the beanie and equipped it immediately. Thanking the sea slug who ran the place, she thought up a quick back-story on why she wanted to join a team. Here's what she came up with:

She and her friends had wanted to form a team together, but a family member came back with some more than adequate team members for two of her friends (they were brothers) and her other friend simply wanted other people to play with, given Neo's lack of skill. So could you please let her join her team, even if just for one match?

Neo decided it was believable enough, so she set out for a team. She decided on joining that dark blue team, because if it was familiar, surely it was good, right?

Feeling confident, she walked up to the team.

(Maybe she didn't need Aloha's visor after all!)