Splatoon Manga - Canon Lightroad

Epilogue: So, What's Next?

⭐Epilogue: So, What's Next?

The squidbeak were now at the train station, waiting patiently for it to arrive. It was the next day, all of them had slept in and gotten a late breakfast, and they'd all packed up in preparation. They'd told the Nexus Laser police that the Luminous 7 had been taken underground and trapped by rubble, and that they were super super sure of it. That got the police off them, and they were able to resume their day after they handed in the rest of the crystals (as well as the Hotel's one they'd found in the Luminous 7's lair later) for safety. It was about 5 o' clock now, and the sun was still in the sky.

Vintage never returned the lighter and kept Amaryllis' spiked brass knuckles. Gloves kept Hessomight's fang, and Skull kept Flavo's knife. Free weapons were free weapons, and they could probably use them for later fights or missions too. As the train came in, the group pressed the pins on their suits, and they returned to their normal clothes. Their weapons also disappeared into them, too. The squidbeak boarded with their luggage as usual and sat down in an empty seat, doing one last double check of everything before relaxing.

"Well, that certainly was...something," Skull said after the train had started moving.

"There's no way they should have survived that blast," Vintage grumbled.

"Yeah, hopefully they're done for good," Gloves replied.

"I never liked them anyway. After I found out Hex was a manipulator, I got weird vibes from him, and not good ones," Rider said.

"He was in control of 3 teenagers, which really does make you think..." Hachi sighed.

"Yeah..."

The squidbeak rode in silence for a bit. Rider stared at the window as they rode, the others choosing to listen to music. Soon enough, the 45 minutes had passed, and the squidbeak were back in Inkopolis. Seeing as the idols were not waiting by the station for them, they made their way back to octo canyon to look for them. As they arrived, they indeed saw all four idols talking amongst each other.

Rider got their attention by coughing loudly, and the idols turned around to look at them. Callie was happy, Marie was surprised, Marina seemed worried, and Pearl looked excited.

"So? How did the test go? You all seem to have some really nasty bruises and cuts..." Callie asked.

"Well we passed, if that makes anyone care at all," Vintage said coldly.

"See? It wasn't so hard," Marie muttered.

"I think I died," Goggles said, with a neutral expression on his face.

The whole squidbeak stared at him.

"You. You what," Gloves stuttered.

"I think Lobelia punched me into the ground so hard I died, and my ancestors literally had to revive me so I could fight her again," Goggles clarified.

"Did you hear voices?" Nana asked.

"Yeah, I heard voices. That argoling Rider saw at the mall...if he was the male voice...he helped me too," Goggles replied.

The entire squidbeak was silent.

"Okay. That mission was too hard for you. We need to have a break and stay away from that stuff for now," Marina said worriedly.

"Ya did yer job, and you passed the test! Pearl smiled.

"Well, congratulations on completing your mission!" Callie exclaimed happily.

Marie just nodded, and Marina gave the other three an even MORE worried look. One of their members literally died, and all they cared about was passing the test? She shook her head and kept up a happy facade. She would talk with them later.

"You all worked really hard for it..." Marina smiled.

"Do we...get anything as a reward?" Rider asked.

"Uh. Yeah. I'd like some spicy ramen like last time," Vintage said.

"I could go for some ohagi," Skull mumbled.

"Alright, alright. We'll provide you with your favorite foods, and a huuuge break to rest up!" Callie said. "We'll even send you guys to the hospital after to heal the rest of your wounds!"

"Yeah, our treat!" Pearl added.

"Well...it's something, at least," Nana sighed happily.

"Yay, food!" Goggles cheered.

As the squidbeak went up to order their food from the idols, Rider hung back. He honestly was glad to have made it through, but it pained him to realize that he'd been the target of the attack for most of the squidbeak's missions. Maybe it was because he was a leader? When the Skylings attacked, it was Bán and Cloud who went after HIM because HE led the squidbeak up to Sky Peak. Then again, it was his fault for separating from Goggles after that fight, he shouldn't have gotten so mad.

It was HIM the Skylings chose to fix, out of everyone they'd captured. HE was the one forced to watch hands stained with blood appear on walls in a room around him. And now...he'd been forced to watch his friends get tortured as well. It was HIM who had to fight Hex, leader to leader. Hex chose HIM to hex first and mock and taunt.

It didn't feel fair. Rider wasn't one to cry, but he definitely felt...bothered in a way that wasn't anger. The other squidbeak didn't know what it was like to go through all that trauma. They probably never would. He was snapped out of his thinking as he heard someone.

"Hey Rider, have you ordered your stuff yet?" Gloves called from the side.

"Oh, uh-no, not yet! I'll be over in a sec!"

Rider sighed and thought about how far the squidbeak had come. It was only their second mission, sure, but it was something. He then made his way over to order his food, with the all of the squidbeak talking with each other.

"By the way, why'd you send Omega and...that Argoling person to help us?" Goggles asked.

"Ah, we sent Omega because of her power in ranked matches, and we sent Nether because he's had a past record of working with crimes!" Callie replied.

'Nether, huh? I wonder who that cuttleling rival of his was, then...' Rider wondered.

"I see, cool!"

Rider ordered as the rest of the squidbeak kept chatting. When he was finished, he told everyone. They all called for a celebratory cheer for their work. Even though they had a feeling the Luminous 7 weren't dead, they were sure they could get them next time.

For now...they had won.

They had passed the test.

They'd taken on the city of light...

And they'd walked its light road.