Fresh Developments

As the sun rose into the sky, the Inklings aboard the boat (Which had been teleported, Inklings and all, to a private marina) stretched and woke up.

"Morning, squiddos." Carson said.

"Morning." Everyone replied drowsily. As they got changed and grabbed their hero gear, Carson's radio began to buzz. As he picked it up, Twilight's voice started to speak.

"Carson? This is Twilight. We've got a breakfast planned, plus a Q/A session with the press. care to join us?"

"I guess." Carson replied.

"Great! Can you be here by eight?"

"We'll try. Carson out."

Carson headed downstairs to find the rest of the Splatoon ready to go.

"Let's head on out, then." Carson said. As the Inklings walked down the gangplank and into Canterlot Castle, the mysterious figure from the night before watched them leave. He sighed and then vanished in a puff of smoke.

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As the Inklings walked into the dining room, they were pleasantly greeted by Celestia, Luna, and Twilight, plus two other ponies introduced as Shining Armor and Cadance, Twilight's brother and sister-in-law. Sitting down to eat, Carson and the Splatoon dug in.

"You squids sure are hungry." Celestia said.

"Tends when the only thing you've been eating is fish patties and miscellaneous other preserved foodstuffs. Been too long since I had a cinnamon bun as good as this one." Alesa said.

"Amen to that!" Armor said. "I also heard from Twiley that you put the nobles in their place somehow. Mind telling me what you did?"

"I shot them with a Killer Wail. Basically a super-charged sound amplifier hooked up to a subwoofer." Carson said. "Nonlethal to ponies, but it does leave them covered in Ink."

"Yeah, Twilight sent us an overview of your biology. To be honest, I never knew there were other inhabitants on our world." Cadance said.

"Neither did we. I guess we all got thinking when an aurora borealis, light patterns in the sky, went off in the middle of the day. Then, all the radios went haywire and we ended up coming here due to a prophecy in the Sunken Scrolls." Carson said, taking one out. Celestia perused the scroll for a few moments, and sighed.

"It's rather vague, I can say."

"I noticed that too." Bri said. "To me, part of me feels it's incomplete or something."

"I agree." Celestia replied. Then, the door opened revealing two Guards.

"Princess, the press has arrived."

"Really? Weren't they not supposed to arrive for another hour?" Celestia asked.

"We were thinking that too, Princess, so we checked up on the schedule. Somepony changed it."

"But who?" Luna asked.

"Dunno. Thing is, we're ready, so let's get going." Carson said.

"We'll lead the way." Twilight said, and as the five of them walked out, accompanied by the guards, Celestia turned to Luna.

"I think I need to pay a visit to my former nephew."

"You do indeed."

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As the Inklings stepped up to four podiums in the conference room, cameras flashed and pencils scribbled. The Inklings pulled up some chairs and sat down.

"So, let's get started." Carson said. "Any questions?"

"Do you eat ponies?" a mare blurted.

"Uh, no." Carson said. "We're squids. We eat fish, kelp, pretty much anything a squid can eat, we can eat. Next?"

"Why are you here?"

"Well, that's interesting. We live on this world too, on a landmass a few thousand miles to the south. Due to some unforeseen events, we had to mount an exploration mission to find out the cause of said events. We ended up here. Next?" Bri said.

"You said exploration. Did you swim all the way here?"

"No. We took a specially made boat. Next?" Leo said.

"Would you consider your kind civilized?" a noble-looking reporter asked.

"Yeah, we do. Why would you ask that?"

"Do you have an upper class, a ruling government?"

"That's interesting. Thing is, most decisions we put to a vote, and the majority rules. We also don't have a formal government, but we know the laws and we follow them. Crime and law-breaking is low, and as for the upper class, some are richer than others, but taxes paid to support our infrastructure and other developments usually keep most Inklings on a comfortable standard of living." Alesa said.

"How exactly do you earn money?"

"Through Ink battle participation, our favorite pastime, or full to part-time jobs for older Inklings." Carson said. "We get so much cash through taxes and such, we really don't know what to do with all of it, so often, it gets paid back as prizes for Ink battle participants. To counter, prices for clothing and weaponry are higher compared to food and housing." Carson said.

"Why do you fight?"

"Technically, we don't fight in wars, Ink battles really are just games to us. We've had them since we first started developing, and to be honest, nothing gets an Inkling more pumped up than an Ink battle."

"What cultural things can you share from your homeland?"

"This." Carson took out his SquiPod, and started to play a familiar track. As the sounds of the Squid Kid's SPLATTACK! song resonated through the conference room, the Inklings nodded their heads to the beat, while the ponies stood there in mystification. As the music ended, the ponies were astounded.

"What was that?" a reporter asked.

"That was the most popular song where we come from, SPLATTACK!, by the Squid Kids. Those guys are so popular, their disguises have disguises." Leo said.

"Anything else?" Carson said.

"One last thing." Alesa said. Spreading her fingers into a V, she spoke in a deep voice.

"Swim long...and prosper."

She was promptly smacked on the back of the head by Bri.

"You didn't tell me you watched Squid Trek!" she said, laughing.

"That's exactly why I didn't." Alesa replied.

"So, any other questions?" Carson asked. There were none, so as the Inklings walked out, they were greeted by Twilight and the group.

"You handled them well." Twilight said. "To be honest, the paparazzi is going to be a pain real soon."

"I hear you on that one. Half the articles in the National Squidquirer are about conspiracies related to the Great Zapfish disappearing and reappearing. The rest are about Callie and Marie." Carson said.

"So, lunchtime?" Leo asked, looking at his wristwatch,

"You and your stomach." Carson said, rolling his eyes.

"You can't exactly keep it on a schedule, you know."

Carson laughed and followed the ponies to the dining room. As they sat down, Celestia applauded them for their successful Q/A.

"Eh, thanks." Carson said.

"Princess!" A guard said, walking in. "Pri...I mean, LORD Blueblood wishes to see you."

"Let him in." Celestia replied. Then, Blueblood walking in, accompanied by several other beings that made the Inklings scowl.

"Octarians!" Carson yelled, drawing his dual Hero Shots.

Blueblood cackled.

"Yes, yes, I got in contact with the remaining Octarian forces, and they so happened to hate you just as much as I do. And now...kill the squids!"

As the Octarian Octolings opened fire, the Inklings flipped the table over to use it as cover. As they returned fire, Carson swore.

"How did the Octarians get here?"

"Dunno!" Bri replied, sniping an Octoling.

Then, a bright streak smashed through the windows. Carson saw it was an Inkling, only Inklings didn't carry swords laced with dark blue ink, nor were they clad in Ninja gear. Theninja Inkling deftly dodged the barrage of Ink sprayed at him and sliced and diced all of the Octolings into sushi. As they disintegrated, the Inkling sheathed his sword.

"Nice work." Carson said.

"I aim to please, Carson." the Inkling replied, in a voice that made Carson flinch.

"No squidding way." Carson said. "DAD?"

The Inkling took off his mask, revealing a face similar to that of Carson's, only older. He walked forward and stood in front of Carson.

"Introductions can come later, Carson. We need to move. There's more Octolings incoming."

Carson nodded and motioned to the other Inklings and the ponies. As they sprinted out, the sky was filled with Octarian forces.