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Chapter Twenty-Three

Mesonii, Sankra, Peppie, and Guppi rose from the Spawn Portal, weapons in hand and ready to go.

Delpha remained in the lobby with an uncountable number of other inklings. For here, at the Dome, she'd stay put, and let the others do their magic- this role would later be taken at Mahi-Mahi Resort by Guppi, and then in Moray Towers by Mesonii.

The four inklings who came out of the Portal got a bearing of their surroundings. Kelp Dome was an experimental greenhouse when the turfers weren't turfing around- one of the Squid Sisters had stated they grew French fries on occasion. Covered in plants and other fauna, but also hosting many metallic potters and feeder systems, the Dome was somewhat intimidating yet also cordial in its general aesthetic.

After taking his eyes off the center, Guppi whispered to his comrades. "Miss Mesonii! Miss Sankra! Small! You all ready?"

"I've never been more scared in my life," Sankra murmured, as she was the only one to speak.

They then remained standing in the lull, waiting for the music to begin and for them to jump off and get ready to go. It pained everyone in varying degrees.

Something caught Mesonii's eye at the other end of the Dome- the other team. A guy with a Sploosh-O-Matic, a rather short-ranged gun. Another with a Bamboozler, the fastest charger in the field. One last one with a scary-looking Splatling that even she couldn't identify. Finally, a girl with a Carbon Roller.

There was reason for concern as the music began and Mesonii found herself left there, the last once again to fly off the podium. Sankra and Guppi headed right, and Peppie was heading haphazardly left, to the first enemy territory.

She splashed into the ink trail left behind, swam to Peppie's feet, and threw a Suction Bomb as far as she could. Right up near an entrance.

Mesonii saw it as good to go and moved on to the main area of the greenhouse. The Dome had a central podium, not quite as tall at the one at the skatepark, but if someone maintained control of it, they essentially won the match for the team.

Holding her gun between her two hands, the mint inkling shot a trail up the wall and squidded up to get a view. Sankra had made it onto the grate walkway and was running to the podium, deeming the area safe.

Splat.

Mesonii couldn't describe it with her own eyes, but her friend attempted to escape from the barrage of shots coming from the left, falling through the grate as a squid. Even then, Sankra's fate was inevitable.

As the dust rose from the floor of the Dome, she didn't even have time to screech her name before the creepy Splatling was in her view and charging up another deadly fire.

Because she had no other option to be safe, Mesonii retreated to the underside of the podium, and, still knowing enemies were abroad, peeked from the side.

The Carbon Roller girl and the Sploosh-O-Matic guy were fending off something from the right... until the thing popped through midair and drilled through their bodies in a heartbeat, splatting both of them.

She gasped as the monstrous squid swam closer to her. Maybe she could swim to her right and help Peppie. The Bamboozler wielder wasn't in her sight, but surely it had to be in his.

The decision couldn't be made in time; Mesonii was too focused on the Kraken as came out of his form and ready with his weapon- she didn't realize that the squid was mint and that Guppi had activated his special attack.

"Miss Mesonii! The Splatling guy. What do we do?" He exclaimed as he hid behind the wall with his friend.

She contemplated the options as quick as possible. "We gotta flank him. Follow me."

They climbed back onto the podium and peered, once again, to their right, to another bridge This grate walkway lead straight to the enemy's base, but was also a risky one to follow. Mesonii made an 'all clear' signal and the two started running.

While they ran, she saw Sankra with the charger, aiming carefully now to avenge her previous death. Peppie was still not in sight.

Guppi entered first and knelt down onto the ground below- in a hidden corner, he started unfolding something from his pocket- a Squid Beakon, a jumping spot of sorts to be used later. Mesonii kept the three seconds of guard while he finished up.

"Just in case. Now, shall we do this 'flank'?"

She nodded and readied her gun for "inking mode". Guppi created the trail by throwing his Octobrush down on the ground and running, allowing Mesonii to swim behind. Every so often, they would stop to ink the much-needed turf to merit a win.

The move felt eternal, and Mesonii just yearned for the flank to be over- and successful. These feelings distracted her from everything, including the fight going on in the corner of the battlefield and Peppie's screeches for help.

"You hear that?! It's Small!" The goateed inkling freaked out and started diverting his path to the center of the Dome. "We need to get him, we gotta!"

"Why take it slow, Guppi?" Mesonii started to plant her feet firm on the ground, readying herself for what most people called a 'Super Jump' to Peppie.

"He's in trouble! You can't follow him there!"

"I know I can do this!" She yelled her words as she suddenly changed into a squid, ready to shoot into the air.

-

Vrooooom! PITTERPITTERPITTERPITTERPITTER!

Delpha had told him about this one. A Hydra Splatling, authorized for semiprofessional turfing at Level 11 but almost never utilized at that stage. Slow charge time, but an incredibly drawn-out and powerful fire followed. In the right hands, the gatling was 'a bitch to knock out', she said.

Peppie found him scary, too. How could anyone use a weapon that remorseless?

Three wielders from the other team- the Splatling, the roller, and that bamboo gun, had thrown him and Sankra into a corner. He had to fight, though. Be like Delpha!

"Peppie! Can't we get out of here?!" Frantically, the ponytailed inkling was shooting random, uncharged shots against the opposition, distracting her and him from the object ready to land in their vicinity- a potion, from the Bamboozler.

As the glass shattered onto the surface of the Dome, Peppie found his movement slowing down and his gun shooting closer and closer to his body. Random lights came from the ground, revealing the position of Sankra's squid, slowly moving as well and obviously vying for cover from the attackers.

The kid shut his eyes, then heard a faint sound, like a sonar. He opened them up again, and in front of him was a small circle with a holographic arrow hovering above it. In large typespace, the lettering stated the word "MESONII".

Mesonii! She was going to come and help them. Peppie looked again, though, and saw the group of inklings grabbing bombs. He had to protect her landing, and so he shot slowly, the potion still in effect.

THUD!

She hit the ground successfully, laying down a Suction Bomb in her wake.

"M-" Sankra, weakened, tried to call for her friend, but by that time, the projectiles were already flying into the shadows of the three turfers.

The last thing Mesonii saw before all hope was lost was the grin of the Splatling user, charging up his red minigun and spraying its bullets like a pesticide.