Its the final day before the Second Great Turf War at last. The inklings are getting ready by practicing with S+ players in Ranked Battle, every single one of them.
"Well i guess this is it, everything's set in motion now. The teams are assigned their positions, and all the civilians are out of the city."
"That's great and all but what're we gonna do today?"
"Isn't it obvious? We're gonna play in the snow and wish for unicorn seahorses." Amethyst sarcastically said but then she explained they still need training if they're gonna be doing lots of fighting. Xavier is tired and lazy from the amount of training they've already been doing and Carter is exhausted as well.
However Jared is more than ready to keep going, he's come a long way since the day he first started. Getting better with the L-3 Nozzlenose, experiencing new things in Splatoon and Inkopolis and making new friends along the way. Before he goes with Amethyst, a tan boy in a Squid-Vador Cap, White Shirt, and Tan Work Boots runs and bumps past both of them.
"Ugh what the heck!? The nerve of that squid."
"Hey who was that?" Jared wondered as he was eager to help that sad person.
"I don't know, must be a rude new troop."
"I've never seen him before." Carter said while Jared then runs after him for some answers.
"Ugh I'm so stupid! Why'd i think that... its just...ugh I'm so confused." The boy began talking to himself in anger with slight tears coming down his face. as Jared came up to him he immediately says "go away."
"Jeez i only wanted to help you."
"It doesn't matter what your name is. I said leave me the fuck alone." The boy then points his E-Liter 3K at his innocent yet confused face.
"H-HEY no need to do that!...that's a weird weapon, never seen it before."
"WHAT?? How did you never run into one of these in turf war before?"
"I fight lots of people but never remember the weapons. I thought you said to "go away?"
The boy stands up and reveals his face from under his cap.
"My name's David and i was just really pissed." He then wipes away his tears and passionately gives a brief bio of his weapon. "This is probably the best Charger in this sport, it has incredible long range and feared by all if stacked with damage up, the E-Liter 3K."
"A Charger? We could use more of those! Why don't you help us with this war tomorrow~"
"I'm not the least bit interested in fighting right now... besides I'm late for a train."
"Your leaving!?! But why!?"
"Im going somewhere important sheesh i'm not explaining my whole life story to a stranger."
Jared then asks if he had just a little bit of time to meet with everyone but he declines saying he doesn't want to meet anyone anymore.
"Ok but just ONE battle with me and then you can leave, I'm dying to know what makes E-Liter's so feared!"
"Just one battle? Fine but be quick, ill meet you by the lobby."
He gives off a stern cold look at Jared's happy easygoing personality and then leaves. Feeling concerned for his new acquaintance, he goes to his friends really quick to talk.
"Oh there you are." Carter jumped up from sitting on a pile of snow. "Did you catch up with him?"
"I did and you were right, we've never seen him before, and he hasn't heard of the Second Great Turf War at all."
"So we should try to recruit him? The more members the better for us."
"I don't know guys i think we should leave him alone. It feels like he's been through a lot."
"Did you at least learn anything about him?" Amethyst asked ever so politely.
"Well he's an E-Liter user and~"
"AN E-LITER!?! OH CRAP!" Amethyst yells in shock at the thought of those kind of Charger users. Saying they are fierce and known for taking control of the whole map.
"Aka, the Salt Charger."
"Shut it, Carter! I mean those things out range everyone! No way am i fighting them."
"Well I'm fighting David in a few minutes, I'm sure he won't be that bad."
"It's you're funeral, Urchin."
Jared then walks in the lobby with his team and sees David waiting impatiently.
"What took you so long?? Your 2 minutes late."
"Jeez someone's a control freak." Amethyst says as David gets an even madder look at Jared. he asks who they are but then quickly guesses his friends, to which David shouts friends are nothing more but an illusion that'll turn on you the second your useless to them.
"Whoa are you ok? That's not true, not everyone's like that."
"Don't play dumb with me, your planning on abandoning this poor boy, leaving him to rethink his life and regret living. Friends are just a distraction to anyone's life, a virus, a knife that'll stab you in the back when you least EXPECT IT!" David holds up his weapon and aims at all of their heads but they immediately dodge out in time. David then begins firing multiple shots everywhere, not caring who he hits.
"David! What's wrong with you?"
"Is this guy crazy or something!?" Xavier said while dodging a few of David's wild shots. Jared then tries to rush over but gets shot in the process and falls to the ground.
"You don't understand, Jared! You don't know what it's like to be isolated! Not knowing what true friendship is! Allow me to take that pain away from you for good."
As soon as he is about to get a headshot at Jared, Amethyst snipes his stomach, slightly crippling him and stopping his rage.
"Back off! No way we're letting you near him." Amethyst said as she, Carter, and Xavier circle around a fallen Jared.
"Ugh thanks guy's, man i feel like crap."
"Hmph aren't we the lucky one. Just you wait! Your friends won't have your back for long! THEY NEVER DO!"
He runs out of the lobby while crying, making Jared feel like he's done something wrong despite him nearly trying to kill him.
They take him to Amethysts house to treat his wound. They rest him on the couch having his chest bandaged up.
"Thanks guys but it really wasn't that serious."
"Honestly you kids shouldn't play so rough! Turf War was never this violent when i was young." Amethyst mom said as she finished giving him first-aid.
"The nerve of that guy, whining about how he doesn't have friends. Boohoo, sorry about your pal issues."
"Not cool, we should at least try to understand why he's like this."
"I don't know, Jared. I'm kinda with Xavier on this one, he seemed a bit screwy."
"Guy's c'mon how would you like it if you were sad and no one wanted to help?" They all stand in silent rolling their eyes. "Yeah I didn't think so. I'm going back for him."
"Uh not to sound like a wet blanket but sometimes you just can't help everyone.. i know its hard but sometimes ya gotta know when to leave it alone or else you could start something even worse than what it alread~."
"Carter. He's gone." Amethyst said while he sighs in with an unamused face.
"Should we follow the fool?"
"I don't know maybe we should let him handle this, i mean he has helped other people a lot."
"True, Amethyst but this guy did try to take his life. And Jared's a good person, he wouldn't take anyone's life if he'd have to."
"Like i said, he's got this. Now stop worrying, Gabriel texted he needs help with more Ink Cannons."
As the others head out, Jared searches the entirety of Inkopolis for David but had no such luck. He's tried apartments, warehouses, even Saltspray Rig for him. He continues looking this time at Port Mackerel hoping he'd be at one of the docks.
"Ugh where is he.. DAVID!!!" He yells hoping he'd hear him.
"What!?! Stop shouting!"
"Huh there you are! Why are you in this place?"
"Well i missed my train so i had to wait for a new one, why are you even looking for me? I tried to kill you ya know."
"Look I don't know what happened to you but I wanna try to understand."
"Its non of you're business. And anyways no ones helped me before so why should i just trust you?"
"Don't be dramatic, I'm a good person, you gotta believe that."
"No thanks, saying something is different than actually meaning it. I know."
"Hm what can i do to make you see I'm telling the truth?"
"You wanna help me so bad, kid? Leave me alone!"
As David turns around and heads for the train station, Jared stops him by shooting him with his L-3 Nozzlenose.
"Ya sure you don't wanna have a quick one vs one?" David glares at him intensely and goes a long with it, only to regret it later.
"Your gonna be real sorry you did that."
"Oh just relax, some people are worth trusting."
"And some people aren't worth giving a damn over."
The two inklings walk over in the lobby only to be stopped by Lil D.
"What're you doing? Don't you remember we're getting up at dawn for this thing to start.....who's the boy?"
"This is David, me and him are gonna fight in Turf War really quick, and before you say anything yes I've been practicing with the L-3."
"Hm something feels off about him." Lil D thought to himself. "As if he's going through some pain deep down."
"Did you say something?"
"Oh uh nothing, just have fun i guess." Lil D walks away to the Booyah Base and Jared and David set up a Private Match on Mahi-Mahi Resort. Jared clenched his L-3 Nozzlenose sorta nervously as he realized he never even fought him before or knows his playstyle. For him he'll just have to rely on his sharp wits and skills to prevail, the battle starts in Three. Two. One....GO!!
"Ok ill just paint my entire base as much as i can and try to find him." Jared always ready to be a step ahead of his opponent tries to reach the center area but falls in the water in the process. "Umm i never fought on this stage before.. lets try that again."
As he hops across to paint the center area, David immediately snipes him from afar.
"Wow this guy is good! He got me in the air."
"Gotta watch the map, Jared, i can see everywhere your going just by your ink trails."
Jared continues to reach the center area but David snipes him again and again.
"I know everywhere you WILL go."
Before he goes at it again the stage's water level lowers, revealing more terrain. Jared heads down quickly and hides behind a wall, trap but also looking for an opening.
"Crap he's better than i thought, my special is almost charged." Jared peaks out for a second to look for him but David uses his Echolocator and nearly snipes his head. "Not good, I don't think i can disrupt him from down here."
"I have more tricks than just regular snipping." David then throws a bunch of Burst Bombs at Jared's hiding place damaging him badly and forcing him to move.
"Got ya!" Jared quickly throws a disrupter at him and uses his Killer Wail but David splats him and swims as fast as he can before it had a chance at reaching him. "Hmm that was close. This guy is surprisingly good for a level 30."
"He might be a little too good. Not complaining i love the challenge, now that i know where he is I'll just try to flank him."
Before Jared could even attempt his plan the time runs out and David comes out victorious.
"What?? Its over already? Man your good, David, you shot me from so far a lot."
"Meh that was a pretty boring match, I thought you'd be harder."
"Hey i gave it my all, thats gotta count for something."
"I suppose. But it was still boring, thats why i like fighting people at my skill cap."
"That sounds fun, and hard, whatever makes you happy i guess. But you need to know there are some good people out there that will want to be your friend, ya just gotta dig deep enough and trust."
"I don't need a whole good guy lesson, ok! I'm just fine doing things by myself now."
"Ok but please try to trust people, like how you trusted me. There will always be good people and bad in the world, just continue living your life positively because the right people will like your smile. "
"Oh just shut up with that dumb stuff will ya!? I didn't trust you, i fought you to get you back for shooting me. Anyways I'm sorry for trying to take your head off before."
Jared's advice may have gotten through to him but he doesn't show any different emotion and instead says~ "thanks but trust isn't my option right now, i have a train to catch."
"Will we ever see you again?"
"Doubt it. Later, kid."
And with that, Jared and David part ways. Leaving him to think maybe they will meet again someday, just maybe. Meanwhile at the train station, an inkling David recognizes greets him while out of breath.
"David! There you are! I've been trying to find you for the past week."
"what do you want, Preston? I have no business with you guys anymore."
"Look I wasn't part of their plan ok. I was always your friend and I always will be, I don't want you to think otherwise."
"Thanks...but i have to do this alone, i have a new goal now that doesn't involve squads."
"Why not let me help you? It'd be easier if you had at least some people. I just don't want you to go away on a bad note...your the best player I've ever seen and a really good person at heart."
"...I appreciate what you've done but this is my path from here on out. With no one. I'm off to reach levels beyond 50 and S+ ...but take care." David gives Preston a hug as his train arrives, leaving a sad Preston behind to shed a tear. He then makes a promise that one day he'll find David and show him how far he'd go just for him. He will remember that. As he takes his seat, the bus driver awaits his destination.
"Its no train but it'll have to do. Take me to Inkopolis Square."