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When I wake up, my first job is to make sure everything isn't covered in water. To make sure the doors were sealed correctly and no form of liquid got inside. I was part of a survey team and we were supposed to see any changes in the environments and the atmosphere. Ever since the flood had happened, we were all put in cryogenic pods to do this job and was ready to see what the future had in store. I woke up, stretching to get all the bubbles out of my joints. I slowly crawled out of the pod, still feeling stiff as a stick but I still have a job to do, so I pressed on. I started to check for any leakage and any forms of liquid that would screw up the systems, but I didn't think to look inside the pods, they were still frozen, and I didn't want to wake them as each pod had a timer. I didn't know that all the pods were supposed to open the same time I did. Minutes passed, and I got bored waiting around for the pods to open and I decided to survey the outside without them. I grabbed my gear and opened the door by punching in the numbers on the panel, and with a swish, the doors opened. The sun had become foreign to me. The rays of light had burned my eyes, making me recoil in pain. It only took a few seconds before his vision returned but also came with a gift of warmth. To be frozen for years and to wake up with the sun's embrace is an experience nobody would ever know. As my vision returned, I was surprised to see, not the deep blue seas but land. I saw trees, grass, flowers, and insects. It felt like the flood had never happened and it was only a bad dream. I started to explore the area, watching the trees breeze in the wind, butterflies sit on top of small delightful flowers, and the grass singing in the breeze as if they were near the ocean. During my exploits, I stopped on top of the hills and noticed that there weren't any animals in sight. I didn't see any herds of deer, no rabbits, no mice, not even wolves, I only saw reptiles, amphibians, avians, and insects. My mind was boggled by this, but I pushed it as pure coincidence, maybe I was just unlucky to see any mammals in the area. I pushed on, ignoring my sadden thoughts.It took me hours of studying the whole terrain until I accidentally approached a small park. I expected to see algae or moss covering the park, but to my surprise, it was perfectly clean. Well, I wouldn't say "perfectly," it was all covered in graffiti which is strange, the waters should've washed them away but what's even more strange is that the park is untouched by the seas. The park should've rusted or be covered with barnacles. I thought that maybe this was a dream until I saw a humanoid figure sitting on a wooden bench.I was even more confused "Were there other pods except for ours? Why is this park clean? Why is there no signs of the flood?" all these thoughts were rushing into my head like lightning striking a metal rod. I started thinking about the situation I put myself, but over time I slowly calmed down, "It was only another person, there are probably pods in other places." I thought, mustering up the courage to speak to the individual. I slowly walked up behind them and noticed something different. They had long "hair" with a somewhat purplish color and seemed to have movement, like some form of liquid slowly flowing off of there head. Their ears are long and sharp looking. This gave me an uneasy feeling. I wanted to step back and run into the forest but my legs wouldn't move. There were many choices but I picked the one that could get me eaten, either way, there was no backing out. With all my courage I gave out a "Hello," but sadly, my voice was a little strained and making it sound profound, this was either from the cryo or fear in this person.The person jumped at the sound of my voice, as I did the same and they quickly looking behind them and meeting my eyes. I couldn't see her face from behind, but now I can see that she was not human. She had the same features as us, but many things give it away. For one is the "hair," has suckers on the end of them. The other being her eyes. Dark circles form around them as if she was wearing a superhero mask. The last one is her teeth, as she had gasped in surprise, I had a good look at them. Two sharp teeth were at the top like a vampire while one sharp tooth was at the bottom, worsening my fear of the female figure.We both had a long staring contest before I decided to speak up, "Sorry I didn't mean to scare you, are you alright?" I said, feeling a little sorry for sneaking up on her but also feeling scared, especially with teeth like that. She just stared at me, in confusion of what I just said. "otadiena oidaoi nutine naienu?", Now it was my turn to stare at her with confusion. It would seem we had hit a language barrier and I am guessing she wasn't interested in my flesh. I had tried to come up with a way to speak to each other, but I couldn't find anything to help me translate until it hit me. Why communicate with words when you can interact with pictures. Luckily, I had my survey pen and some papers. I started drawing my apology, and she seemed to catch on the idea surprisingly quick. We both shared pictures with each other, but after the 5th picture was transferred, I noticed that she looks like a kid, probably 12 or 14.After she gave back the paper with a drawing of a squid, I started to ask "Where are her parents?", I gave her the paper, and she started to draw quickly and gave it back to me. The paper had a drawing of her smiling and waiting with a car driving to her. I guessed that she was getting picked up by her parents if so I didn't want to stay here to get her in trouble for talking to strangers. I got up from the wooden bench and made my way back to the forest. "didenu!", I turned around for the girl to be behind me. She was much shorter when up close, then again she is a child. I noticed she had something in her hand and before I could say anything, she stretched her arms out with my pen in her hands. "nutine dotinodutina nadidanai" she said, even with the barrier, it was easy for me to understand what she said. "You can keep it, I have loads of those anyway," I said, gently pushing the pen away. I turned back around and walked away, waving the girl goodbye as she waved back. I was happy that day, not only did I meet a new species and not get eaten but I became friends with one as well. I wonder if I'll see her again and I wonder if I'll see more of them and learn about their culture.The way back to the pods was a long one, but I made it without any troubles. I saw that the pods were still closed but I too tired to care. I was too tired to crawl inside my pod, so I lied near it, shutting my eyes and letting sleep take over.
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"So, it's just the five of us?" Desman said as sadness can be heard in his cavernous voice. Eli looked at us, then focused his eyes on Desman before saying "Yes, and with five pods we can leave future races with details of the human race. Once the water retreats, we shall awaken and study the world. All surviving items will be gathered here; whether it is music, flags, old, middle, or modern ages, we shall preserve them." A simple plan but I could see some flaws in it. I was going to speak up, but it seemed Claire had shared one of my thoughts as she said "How will we keep all the water out? If any of these pods get wet, our plan would be a total failure.", "That is what the capsule is for," replied Eli, now staring at Claire "With the help of Hayden and Ryan, we can keep all forms of liquid out. The doors would be sealed, so we should be fine." I wasn't any good when people relied on me, it made me nervous, but if it's for a greater good, I'll do it. It was a terrible idea to fall asleep on the floor. It was cold, hard and it could get me sick, and it was too early for that. I got up from the ground and made my way to the storage room and started gathering my gear. I stopped to look at the pods; they still haven't opened. A voice keeps telling me to open them, the feeling of curiosity had become an addiction to me. If I wanted to satisfy that addiction, I need to open the pods, but I refused. They're all on a timer; I need to be patient. I suited up and headed outside.I enjoy the outside world; it feels like tranquility had engulfed this place, filling it with warmth and the songs of nature. I have no idea what year it is but whatever or whenever I am, seeing the world now is an experience I wouldn't want anyone to take away. I stood there, taking in the scenery before snapping out of my fantasy, remembering what I'm supposed to be doing. I started walking in the same direction toward the park.I know I'm supposed to scout the whole landscape, but I couldn't get the thought of that kid at the park. She looked like a human child. She had skin, eyes, two arms, and legs, five fingers, basically every regular feature except for the teeth, hair, and ears. I wondered what species she was and how did they get here? Did they come here from space? If so, did they claim planet earth, after the human race have been wiped out by our technology and by nature itself? Maybe, they were trying to find planets to settle on and found earth, desolated and decided to claim it as their own?I was so deep in thought that I didn't notice I arrived at the park until I accidentally collided with a figure. I staggered back and started apologizing, and as I looked up at them, I saw a man who towered me. If I had to guess, he was about 6'8, and he was staring deep into my soul, like Odin finding a Viking deserter. I have never been so intimidated in my life. I started to shiver and looked around frantically for an explanation. The only thing I found was two people looking at me; one was a female who looked liked that girl I met yesterday except taller, and the other person was the girl I met yesterday. I was now shivering so much that you would have thought that winter had come early. I was now silently praying to every god from new to old, that they would not eat me and if they did, could they at least make it painless.As I was know coming to terms with death, the tall male spoke up "Enode nutine titu?" he said as he gave a concerned look but mixed with his deep voice made it sound menacing. "Didenu, nadiena'nai nadide dunenu da madena nudenainadenooienu!" said the girl, glowing with joy as she saw me. I'm still not sure what she said, but I heard "die" so I thought my fate should end here and I will be known as the first human to eaten by aliens or just murdered. The female figure had perked up and stretched her hand, waiting for me to shake it. I didn't want to feel their wraths, so I shook her hand which was surprisingly soft. She smiled at me and shot a commanding gaze at the male figure. He smirked as he rolled his eyes and extended his hand for me to shake, which I accepted.I was surprised to see them be friendly to me. I was expecting the family to be aggressive towards me, but instead, they are very kind to me, even though I don't know their language, which I hope I learn in the future. Even with the language barrier, I still had some fun, talking with the couple and playing with the kid. I feel my fears decay into nothing, overpowered by joy and high spirits. As I was going to show her more of my terrible drawing, her mother called out to her, signaling to "come here.". She got up and started running towards her, not before smiling and waving goodbye. I waved back and decided to return to the capsule.I got to the capsule after a walk that felt shorter than yesterday. I was glimmering with euphoria, it felt like all my worries with the new species was just an imagination. I entered the capsule, taking my gear off and dropped them off in the storage room. As I was going to check the panels for issues, that feeling came back, the sense of curiosity. I looked at the pods, and they still haven't opened. This time curiosity had overcome me, and I decided to open the first pod I saw, Eli's pod. I accept the consequences of Eli yelling at me for opening the pods too early, but I just had to know. As the pod opened, I was expecting Eli, but I only saw a skeleton. I stood there, petrified with fear. Out of sheer panic, I started opening the other pods. Desmon, Ryan, Claire, were all the same. My legs gave out, and I dropped to my knees. Dread enveloped me as I know the truth.I am alone.I am the last human.
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"Hey Hayden, what's wrong?" the voice said, smooth as a perfect crystal. I looked up to meet the aqua colored eyes of my closes friend, Ryan. "I was just thinking about this whole idea," I said, now releasing the frustrated thoughts in my head. "There are so many things that can go wrong, what if we don't wake up in time, what if the doors aren't sealed correctly and we drown in those pods, what if we don't wake up at all." with every word I said, Ryan nodded his head, understanding my worries. After minutes of venting, I finally stopped to catch my breath. I looked at Ryan to see if he was still listening, only to see his eyes closed. I was about to say something to wake him up until he said, "Dude, you are like a blitz.", "A blitz?" I responded, "Yeah a blitz, cause you are always spitting out a barrage of questions, but it's understandable. Five people are freezing themselves in a bunch of refrigerators and not thinking what could go wrong." Ryan said in that silky voice of his. He finally opened his eyes to meet mine, " I don't trust Eli or his whole "future species" idiocy, but I do like the idea of preserving our history. There's something about keeping relics of the past that makes things, interesting." Now that he said it, it does sound interesting, but I still had this gut-wrenching feeling that things could go wrong, I don't know what. I just sat there, not even sure what to think. Is this some dream? Some nightmare? "Maybe, I just needed to wait, and this dream would be over, and I'll wake up to enjoying the new world. I need to wait," I said to myself, waiting for hours for the dream to end but every hour that passed, my hopes started crumbling, every minute my mid told me that this is a reality, but I couldn't accept it. After another hour passed, I decided to get up and leave. I needed air; denial had stripped me from oxygen, strangling me with its ill-lit hands. I opened to door and met with the moon-lit sky with the sound of crickets singing and fireflies flying around like little fairies. I sat on the ground next to the capsule, taking in deep breaths, and waited. I still had a speck of hope that this was a dream turned nightmare. Always held on to that small light but after hours of waiting for them to wake me up, to see Eli giving rundowns of our mission, for Claire to start yelling at me for oversleeping, for Desmon to make more boring plans, and for Ryan to start being the closest friend I have ever had in my life. I just sat there, as the night grew lighter, slowly evolving into dusk. I was becoming tired, but my eyes wouldn't shut. I just sat there, emotionless to everything. The speck of hope gone, just like my team, my race, and my only friend. I was alone, stuck in a world so foreign to me. The aliens here have a language I don't understand, and the only person who was willing to do all of this, who would be excited to meet this new species is now dead. Question after question ran through my head, but I still sat there ignoring the world around me, even when the sun's blazing light shot through the forest, I didn't move, silence had overcome me.Hours had passed before I heard rustling coming from the far bushes. I thought it was a deer, so I didn't think much of it. The rustling had come closer, and any other person would've jumped at the sound, but I just sat there, not out of bravery, but I didn't care. Whatever it is, whether it be a pack of wolves or a bear, I didn't care, at least I can join my race. As the rustling had become inches away from me, I saw a yellow color trying to get through the shrubs. I felt relief but also slightly disappointed. I let the yellow thing come towards its destination. As he got close, he stopped to look around the area, scouting out the spot before ending to see the capsule and me sitting by it. He gave a look of surprise which changed to excitement surprisingly quick. He walked over to me, stick in hand and started poking me with it. I started getting annoyed with his activity and was about to say something to scare him off until I saw another figure coming out of the bushes. It was the same girl I meant as if fate wanted to taunt me or to tell me something, but I didn't get it. She looked around and saw the yellow kid poking me. She marched over to the child and took the stick from his hand. " Nadiena'nai nadide donodadetedi da otaenai naejitudatedu eitinena," she said, stopping the pointy assault to my face. The yellow kid looked at her, then at me, then looked at her with a bewildered expression, "Didama? Dide jitititunai tudateoi tido naieoi.", He said. She was confused before she gazed at me, changing from confusion to a worried expression. "Didenu, enode nutine titu?" She said as she crouched down, to see if anything happened. When I woke up, I didn't expect to be consoled by a bunch of children. I huffed, standing up and walked to the capsule door. I didn't want to talk about this whole situation, but I also didn't want to go inside. Those two might have noticed but didn't do anything; those kids were awaiting my next action. I started to build up as much courage as I could and walked inside. I roamed the room, looking over my teams remains. I didn't shed any tears cause I didn't want to show such a broken state. I remembered my mission, our mission of coming here and I don't want to fail them. I changed the plan that we had in store, instead of collecting the past, I will teach them the history, and maybe our legacy won't be forgotten. I went into the storage room and got my gear and was prepared to continue the plan but the first thing I needed to do, was to bury my team.I carried the body of Eli first, always the leader of a group, forever taking the initiative in any action. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be here.Claire was second, she was almost like Eli, but she didn't like being the leader, she was always strict, but she still held a soft spot and thought of all of us as friends.Desmon was third, he always acted the strong silent type, only talking when it was needed. He looked like a mean guy, but behind that aspect, he was a kind and shy guy.So the fourth was my best friend, Ryan. He was a smart guy, thinking of his friends rather than himself. He was always cynical to his surroundings, but he wanted to see the best outcomes in the world, whether it be the end or the beginning.I wiped away the dirt from my gear and put makeshift crosses on top of their grave. I stood up to see if those two kids were still there. The yellow kid and light purple girl were staring at me in silence. They didn't want to disturb the activity I was doing. I was ready, my friends are now resting, and it's now my job to leave a legacy. I will learn their language, history, art, everything. Then, I will teach them ours, it won't be easy, but this is our mission. I will not fail my friends. I walked away from their resting place and had the kids follow me through the forest.The plan has changed, and the human race will never be forgotten.
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I sat on the bench, thumping my leg up and down, thinking about the quest I had set up for myself. I thought for a while, but all came back the same, language. Language is one of the strongest pillars of humanity and the most important to human life. We have created so many styles, some were old, and others were new. Some of these languages were forgotten in time or have never discovered. With this idea, I concluded that I must start with the writing of this species. I broke from my hypnosis and looked over at the two kids sitting next to me. They were silent throughout the whole walk here and gave a worried expression across their faces. I understood why the entire burial was calm, even the winds and insects who lurked in the night stood silent as if they didn't want to disturb the downhearted funeral. I wasn't the most significant person when it comes to comforting it was my biggest weakness. I never liked sultry moods or when tears rolled down someone's face, but I didn't want to leave them in this state. "Hey," I said, gathering their attention as they looked at me with questionable eyes. "There's nothing to wor-" I stopped as I remembered that they couldn't understand me. Sure, I had those drawings, but it wouldn't make any sense as it would be a bunch of awkward stick figures. I needed to figure out where to start. I looked around, examining the park until I looked at the people that I realized that they are in a modern age or that is what I assumed as they dress weirdly, the future could've just killed any sense of fashion. But if this is the modern age that would mean museums have been created and hold as much knowledge, then it already has in store. I'm killing two birds with one stone; I'm getting to learn their language as well as their origins.My heart thumped with excitement but an uncomfortable feeling had set in my mind. Museums held a mix of knowledge, both young and old, which means that I will be learning about this species but also finding humanity's technology and their remains. I felt hesitation, but I could not let this pass when it's sitting there on a golden platter. I purged those thoughts away and needed to focus on the tasks ahead, no matter how disturbed I get. All I need is the location, and my journey will begin. I got up and was ready to set out. After I had used some drawings for directions and wandering around like a lost puppy I’ve finally made it to my destination. The museum was not as big as old museums, but the exterior was still the same. Pristine windows covered all sides of the building. The walls coated with white stones with the roof held up by pale columns with marble statues forever standing in place. This place gave me a nostalgic feeling of old human buildings except this one was covered in graffiti. There wasn't a single soul to be spotted, but I didn't question it at the time. I just walked to the front, grabbed the handle, pushed down on it as gently as I could, and realized it was locked. The handle wouldn't budge, and I stood there in pure disappointment. I wasn't angry or upset, just disappointed that I took all that time of miscommunication, wandering around, and showing random people and the kids a bunch of stick figures. I was now back to square one.I gave a deep sigh of defeat, but as I turned, I was met with a red-haired female figure, and I felt my heart skip a beat when I saw her. "Enatonoi oitoti'ne matotoji matajide etiena Tatijimatatidi ta'otade nadedeti," She said, giving a puzzled look as if she was examining me. "Nidaene enaide enatonoi?" sadly, I couldn't give her an answer to a question I didn't understand. Luckily, the light purple-haired girl had caught her attention as if they were acquainted with each other.I didn't bother listening to their conversation since I wouldn't be able to understand them. The redhead gave the girl an understanding look and turned to me "Dyedjajijidji, bapi buojabadja fazi Zaojabaojazuoja," My life has now become the guy who gives people confused looks. The younger girl behind her snickered and got her attention again; then the older girl stood there looking at me once with a slight embarrassed look crossing her face.She cleared her throat and what she said took me by surprise, "Hello, my name is Tamara." I didn't expect anyone to speak any human languages I had thought they were all lost in the deep blue seas. "It's good to meet you, Tamara, my name is Hayden," I said as I stretched out my hand for a shake which she gladly accepted.
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"Hayden?" I said, giving him a puzzled look. He looked like an adult Inkling, but there are too many features that distinguished him from us. His ears are short and round, not long and sharp. His eyes didn't have the black masquerade that we have around our eyes, and the color was dim rather than colorful, his hair was the most notable feature as rather than tentacles, he had short black fur on top of his head. "Hayden? Such a common name for an exotic looking person," He gave me a slightly annoyed glare but masked with curiosity. "Exotic?" he said, and I replied with a smug smile."You have some similarities, but you're no Inkling or even an Octoling. What exactly are you, Hayden?" my curiosity was starting to get more excited, and I began to make up some theories in my head. My best approach was that he's a mutant that came from the lab of the Great Professor Inkenstein. I waited anxiously for his answer, but what came out was a little disappointing. "I am a human," he said, but I didn't believe him for a second, humans have been extinct for thousands upon thousands of years, and one decides to pop up out of nowhere. I gave him a deadpan look "A human, really," with disbelief coming from my voice. He's probably hiding the fact that he's a mutant, ashamed of his history."Yes, I am a human, and I just came out of cryo," his rough tone seems to be telling the truth, but I have to be extra sure. I put my hand on my chin and gave my best thinking pose "I don't believe you, humans are supposed to be way taller, and you're pretty short for one," At this point, I was having fun the longer I talked to him. He gave me a very annoyed look and mumbled under his breath, something about being the "tallest of the group," but I may not have heard him correctly."Ignoring that comment and that question, I want to ask you something," he said, looking straight at me. I just gave a huff to let him know that he can ask me anything. "How do you know English?" I gave a smug smile, "Well I don't know what English is but if you mean humanese I learned it from my time working at this museum," He looked to cringe when I said humanese, but he started to get a little more interested, "Well, can I look inside?", "The museum isn't open right now," he gave a disappointed look. "But since you look like a history man, I allow you inside as a little tour of the building," I finished with a big smile on my face.I've only seen a few people excited for a museum, and all of them are kids, never from someone taller than me. I grabbed my keys from my pocket and unlocked the door. I opened the door for Hayden, which he accepted and walked inside. I looked over to one of the wooden benches and forgot about my little nephew sitting with her sluggish friend. "Cora, you're coming?" she looked at me before shaking Austin awake, "Coming!" and as Austin awoke, she walked through the door, and I patted her on the head. Austin attempted to catch up with Cora, but I patted his head and let him through nonetheless.
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If you are wondering, no this isn't a new chapter. I'm still working on it but it seems I have hit a block. I don't really know how to continue the story after he leaves the forest. I was thinking of giving information on our unknown traveler but I felt that would either be a spoiler, exposition or just really lazy writing.
At first, I wanted him to go to the city but I thought that was going too fast and I wanted to slowly but surely have him travel to places and meet characters that are well known and those who aren't. I also want to let you guys know, that this takes place before Agent 3 became, Agent 3. I do want our unknown traveler to have a fatherly relationship with Inklings and Octolings but to be honest, I'm also a little stuck on that.
At first, I wanted to create a comic of this but I wasn't skilled enough to make jokes, art, or even writings but I do want to continue this story and finish it and if I can't finish it, I would want someone else to as I feel like I'm creating a book but it needs more work and it's unfinished like Game of Thrones.
Anyway, if you guys have any questions, you can post it in the comments and I will answer them the best I can and I will continue the story. Also, this does not count as chapter 4 this is just authors note.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Welcome to Shellendorf Institute," my voice echoed across the scenic hall. White pearl columns protruded from the ground to reach the ceilings above as limestone colored the floor, covered in debris. Hayden, the unique visitor, looked around the museum, forever stuck in a trance. My niece Cora, and her close friend Austin, were looking around the interior of the building, probably trying to cause trouble. "Cora, you and Austin can look around the museum but don't touch anything; you don't want auntie Tamara to get in trouble now, do you?" Cora seemed to contemplate for some time before nodding her head and running off in a random direction, "I swear Kiawah had a demon-child," I thought before turning to the foreign guest.Hayden was scanning a small stone carving of a Long-Nose monster with big ears and horns growing from its mouth. "So," I said as I leisurely strolled to Hayden, giving my best courtly smile. "Now that it's just the two of us, how about you tell me how you came to my lovely abode? " He looked at me with those dull blue eyes, then looked around the building. "I will, but let's walk and chat since It'll get boring standing here all day," I nodded in agreement, and we walked down the alluring hallway.The halls were adorned with antiquated artifacts, theorized to date back before the Mollusc Era. We first walked in silence as I was plucking the number of questions I would ask, but Hayden decided to break the silence first. "So tell me," Hayden said, his voice sounding a bit austere as if he was regretting being here. "How did you come to learn English? I would have expected a lot of human cultures and history to be erased?" I gave him a toothy grin, "Is it weird for me to speak this language,"
"I would be a liar if I said no,"
"Then I'm glad you're no liar," I said, "But, to answer your question, I've been studying humans for years, so I practically know everything about your species," Hayden gave me a look of intrigue.
"Everything?"
"Everything," I pointed to one of the displays that held an ancient set of human armor; the armor looked traditional yet combative. It contained a sense of honor and majesty inside despite possessing no owner. Hayden looked at the armor with some sense of nostalgia, "You have a whole set of samurai armor, ō-yoroi, no doubt," Hayden seemed to be in some trance, remembering something as a smile crept across his face. "Yep, it became so popular that they made costumes out of it, even became more popular in Turf Wars," Hayden wanted to say something before his eyes lied up a replica model of the Great Zapfish. Hayden had a look of bewilderment, trying to study the replica model. "What is that?"
"That is The Great Zapfish, and over there is the normal Zapfish," I replied, pointing at the Zapfish life cycle. Hayden took some time to look at the little harbingers of energy, "You don't know anything about the big Zapfish?" I shook my head, "The Great Zapfish seemed to be here for a long time as no one captured its life cycle, he was probably here before the Mollusc Era, and by telling of your expression, he was hereafter humans went extinct," Hayden was enthralled with these facts as he began mumbling to himself; the few I could hear were something about myths and catfish, which gave me a chuckle. "You know Hayden," I began attempting to hide my wide smile, "I think I'm growing fond of you and our conversation, and since you are a walking relic yourself, how about I be your guide, and in turn, you teach me about human history," Hayden gave a look of suspicion before quickly shrugging it off, "Sounds like an easy deal," Hayden replied, which gave me an idea, "Also, since we may have got some human history wrong, here in the museum, I think it will be best if we got an actual human to teach the people who come here," I said as I winked at him; he sighed as if he saw this coming. "Fine, but I don't-"
"Inklish,"
Hayden cringed slightly at the word, "Yeah, Inklish,"
"Then," I started giving my biggest widest smile. "How about this, you teach me and any other visitors about human history and culture, while I teach you about Inkling language and culture; a win-win,"
Hayden processed this information for a few seconds before letting a brief sigh, "Guess I don't have a choice in the matter, deal," he said. With a smile still plastered on my face, I reached out my hand, waiting to shake his, "Then I welcome you to the future, Hayden,"
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"Auntie Tamara told us not to touch anything," Austin had started playing with a massive skull; its thick teeth protruded from the front of its face, giving away to an ancient predator. Austin put his head in between its molars, then acted dead before letting out a laugh, " Come on, Cora, lighten up a little bit; you've been sad ever since we left the forest," Austin said, turning into squid form to escape the tusk devils skull. Cora felt anger bubble up, " And you don't? " Austin climbed on top of the tusk devils skull, put his hands behind his head, and lay on top of it, " I do," he said, staring at the glassy ceiling, " But I don't know him, or if he has weird intentions,""Weird intentions?""Yeah, like in that movie Destiny of Professor Shore, where he meets that weird alien, becomes friends with it, then tries to take his brain when he falls asleep,""Wasn't that movie horrible?""My point is that you've known him for three days, and I rather not lose my only friend,"Cora smiled, "Only friend? What about Pontus and Beel?""Pontus is tired all the time, and Beel is only interested in food; I'm more surprise she hasn't eaten any of us yet," Austin snickered.Silence filled the room, momentarily broken by far-away echoes of Tamara and the stranger talking. Cora thought about what Austin said and understood his concerns; a weird-looking stranger being friendly toward you isn't a good sign, but what happened at his ship, him burying his crew members, made her believe he wasn't evil. The look on the stranger's fair face hides a deep sadness he didn't want to express; maybe on his planet, crying is a weakness; if so, she wishes she could comfort him. Needing to distract herself from those thoughts, she called out to her friend, "Austin, want to check out the shark jaws?" Austin stared at her, "Are you feeling any better?""No," she replied, "But maybe checking out those sharp teeth would make me feel better," Austin sighed before smiling, "Alright, as long as I get to tell you a bunch of shark puns," she regretted her decision.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Talking with Tamara made Hayden regret his decision. Tamara is a talkative sort and leaves no room for punctuation; he learned that once she's on a subject she adores, Tamara talks at an incredible speed that she reverts to her language. What he learned about the "Inkling" history so far is that they evolved from the seas, similar to the Stem tetrapods; the only difference was that the Inklings came from...squids. Hayden was confused; squids are intelligent creatures, but nature was not kind to them. Squids only lived up to three to five years; predators saw them as delicacies, overshadowed by their cousins, octopi or cuttlefish; they were an underdog species when humans were around, and the thought they evolved into a sentient race piqued his interest."Not only did the squids evolve but other sea life as well, shrimps, isopods, even the octo-" she stopped as if she was reconsidering her words, "Anyway, many of the sea life managed to come on land, and we've built a pretty peaceful society; though we've had some hiccups in our times," she looked away shamefully, "And I'm pretty sure human society was a way more peaceful then ours," that comment had stung, even though Hayden wished to refute that statement, "Yeah, humanity got along together, even if we weren't as diverse as your era, we all came together in the end," he only told a half-truth he didn't want humanities descendants to think their precursors were bloodthirsty creatures.He will tell her about the dark parts of human history once he explores the world more; for now, he'll focus on the bright sides."To move on from that subject, we call that period of evolution the Mollusc Era; unfortunately, some parts of our history are missing from the records, so I don't have all the information with me at the moment," Tamara gave an apologetic smile. "That's ok," Hayden said, "Even humanity itself could not find every part of their history,""So, humans were as lost as we are,""More than you think," he thoughtDull orange crept into the museum's radiant windows as nearby crickets sang their lullaby into the starry sky. "Tumusugu, it's already getting dark, and it looks like you're about tired as a salmon going upstream," Tamara said, her hair glowing with red bioluminescence as her red-glowing eyes scoured the darkened halls. Despite the fatigue, Hayden watched Tamara with fascination as the chromatophores danced within her tentacle-like hair, "Nuzo nezonedgu migaine muwai noinegaine means my eyes are up here," she chuckled. Hayden blushed with embarrassment, "Sorry, bioluminescence was rare back in humanity's era, so seeing it in action is like watching nature's artwork," Tamara smiled as the tip of her sharps ear turned red."Humans are such strange creatures, and the fact I had the chance to talk to one means I should play the lottery tomorrow," Tamara and Hayden chuckled, "So, you have a place to sleep? I wouldn't recommend sleeping in here; Old Puddles might mistake you for a relic and put you on display,""No, my old sleeping spot-""Uncomfortable?""...Guess you can say that," Hayden said, discomfort permeating his voice"There's an apartment complex in Inkapolis Plaza; used by young Inklings, but adults could rent a room if they want,""That's cool, but I don't-""Have money, and sure as noineji can't speak our language, but that's where I come in," Tamara gave a cheeky grin,"Oh?""I'll pay for your apartment, and you'll use that time to get used to the world around you; noineji, maybe you could even work here if you don't end up in a display case,"Hayden sat still; it's strange to help someone this much, especially when you don't know much about them. For this kind act, Hayden wanted to repay Tamara tenfold. "For now, you can crash at my place until tomorrow," Tamara got up from the bench and walked down the hall where Cora and Austin had ventured. She found them cuddled together near a herbivorous animal that's fur was similar to a cloud. Tamara smiled, "And I told you, little minnows, not to touch anything," Tamara picked Cora up into her arms as Hayden slumped Austin over his shoulder. "You know, with you here, Hayden, it might be an interesting Splatfest this time around,""Splatfest?""I'll tell you later," she winked.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The dome showed a clear blue sky as the choir of birds filled the air, but everyone knew that those were only the recordings of their songs; this did not stop Varus as it only filled him with more inspiration about the surface. He wondered about the serene sky as he wrote poetry of an untold beach, imagining the seas and soft sands. So deep in his imagination that he didn't notice a figure looming over him, "From the soft sand to the calm seas, a luminous hope to see the radiant sun, under the warm summer breeze."Varus dropped his notebook, jumped to his feet, and instinctively saluted before faltering when he realized who it was: a fair-skinned female with lime-colored tentacles and vibrant yellow-green eyes. "You're such an imaginative little octo you could show this to Captain Tsuki; you know she loves poems," Lucia grabbed Varus's notebook from the bench and handed it to him. Varus took the notebook and shook his head, "No, she'll just laugh or give me one of those death glares," "She won't; she always gives everyone an intimidating look, but I caught her reading one of Ms. O'Jelly's love poems. The look on her face when she saw me, I wish I had a camera that day," Lucia laughed, which made Varus giggle. "She had a cute embarrassed face when I found out, just like yours," Lucia began pinching Varus's face, leaving him abashed. The laughter stopped when the lights and the sky within the dome went completely dark, leaving everyone pitch black. After the lights came back on, the mood sour; Lucia's bright face turned into discomfort, "We'll have to move soon if we don't fix the energy supply." Lucia huffed, "I heard Octo Canyon has better power output; maybe we can-""No," Lucia interrupted Varus, "Octo Canyon does have better power, but only slightly; luckily, Octavio has a plan," The smile on Lucia's face returned. Varus was now worried; he trusted DJ Octavio's intuition like any other Octoling but wished it wouldn't be too drastic.
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Today was a special day for Cora; today was her first Splatfest. Excitement filled her chest at the thought of participating in Turf Wars, having fun alongside her friends, and, most importantly, defeating her inspiration. Posters of Inkling Turf Wars, Squid Sisters, and Chirpy Chips were displayed on the cream-colored wall of her room as Squid Sister merchandise sat on top of a rosewood cabinet.Beside the commodities was a picture frame of an eight-year-old Cora and her parents at Camp Triggerfish, but standing next to Cora was her older brother, Koi. Koi was wearing his father's old jungle hat and wielding his favored weapon, the Dynamo Roller. Another picture showed Koi and his team, Scylla, celebrating their first Turf War, and the last picture showed them celebrating reaching S+ rank.Koi always kept in contact with his younger sibling, sending her pictures, giving her tactical advice, and even sending her a picture of him with the Squid Sisters, which made Cora jealous. Koi became an inspiration to Cora, and Cora wished to prove herself to her brother by defeating him in a Turf War. "Cora, come down and eat!" her mother called out. Cora quickly got dressed, wearing her black layered LS shirt, strapping red shoes, and pilot goggles that her aunt gave her as a gift.Downstairs, her father was sitting at the dining table, putting the final touches on a Splattershot, "Look who came out of her room, an Inkling who is ready for her first Splatfest," her father smiled. "Reminds me of our younger selves, getting together, planning," her mother said. "Yeah, when you were younger, Kiawah, you were similar to a Tiger Barb,"
"My fighting style wasn't that aggressive, Coast,"
"It was, but also because you were short and angry all the time," Coasts' smile grew wider
"You were the shortest one in Wipe-Out," Kiawah snide
"I was; now I'm the tallest, funniest, and most handsome,"
"I will have to disagree with you on the funniest,"
"But not handsome?"
"Anyway," Kiawah quickly ignored the question, but Cora noticed that her mother's ears had turned red, "I'm assuming your friends are going to be on your team?" Cora nodded, "Do you have a team name?"Cora opened her mouth to answer but closed it. She had discussed with her friends what to name themselves, but the conversation drifted to food and bands. Kiawah chuckled and gave a gentle smile, "Don't rush; you'll have plenty of time to think of a team name with your friends, but for now," Kiawah handed Cora a brass key, which confused the young Inkling,
"We managed to get you a room in the Inkopolis Plaza," Cora was exhilarated and hugged her mother tightly, saying, "Thank you," multiple times. "We knew you would love it, and we knew it would inconvenience you to drive back and forth," her father said while petting her head,
"It would also be embarrassing to have your parents there, giving you hugs, kisses, and your mother singing you to,"
"Coast," Kiawah cut Coast off, giving him a stern look,
" I'm just joking, Kiawah," he snickeredKiawah rolled her eyes and focused back on Cora, "You'll be living alone for a while, so don't talk to strangers, don't go anywhere that's suspicious, be careful where you step, don't,"
"Kiawah," this time it was Coast's turn to interject; when Kiawah realized her chattering, her ears turned red, "Just be safe," embarrassment resonated in her voice, making Cora and her father laugh.
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Inkopolis, one of the largest cities in Inkadia, is home to various species. From the perplexing hivemind jellyfish to the ever-friendly prawns, it's home to many. Within Inkpolis lies the Plaza, the heart of the city and the prime hangout spot for the residents of the metropolis, mainly the battle-obsessed Inklings, for their participation in games and fashion trends.Cora stood at the front gates of the Plaza, a fire burning brilliantly within her chest as music bellowed into the morning sky. Beyond the gates, Cora could see Inklings dressed in different outfits; some were engrossed in conversation, while some were alone, waiting for their friends or trying to be mysterious."If there's any trouble, remember to call us," her mother said, petting her head, "And make sure to brush your teeth and eat healthily; I don't want you to end up like your father,"
"Yeah, don't end up like...what's that supposed to mean?" Coast asked, only to receive a smile from Kiawah."And before I forget, make sure to relax; you start making a serious expression when you get nervous, and people might take that as a challenge," Kiawah kissed Cora's forehead, "Be safe," with one final hug, her parents departed, waving goodbye.Cora opened the gate and entered the Plaza. Shops lined the street corners, from clothing to weapons; Inklings were in line to either change their gear or repair it. Luckily, only a few Inklings were here because of the morning hour, so stores had free space.
Cora sat in a café booth, waiting for her friends to join her, and after several minutes, she saw Beel. Beel wore a Zapfish Satin Jacket with Black Trainer shoes and a Squidvader Cap that complemented her teal-colored hair. Cora waved Beel over, and Beel responded by swiftly waving back before sprinting towards her friend. Cora's heart skipped a beat, and before she could take any action, Beel caught her and hugged her tight, "Coco! I haven't seen you in forever; where have you been?"
Despite the feeling that her lungs were getting crushed, Cora responded, "Did Austin not tell you?"
"Nope," Beel loosened her grip, giving Cora a breath of fresh air, "But I assumed it was something important, so I didn't ask' sorry," Beel said, gloom permeating her voice."That's ok," Cora offered a seat to her bubbly friend, which she accepted, "Do you want anything to eat from the café?" Cora knew how to cheer Beel up, and it was the promise of food. Beel's sadness instantly disappeared, replaced with a massive smile as she started listing the types of foods in the café.Beel ordered a stack of waffles layered with syrup and topped with whipped cream and a strawberry. Beel was drooling when her order arrived, and when Cora blinked, they were gone; it wasn't anything new to Cora, but it still left her flabbergasted.Minutes had passed as Cora listened to Beel talk about crab curry; they were interrupted by a yawn. They turn to see their friends, Pontus and Austin; Pontus wore a Camping Hat, Camo Layered long sleeves, and Hunter Hi-Tops, while Austin wore an Urchins cap, Krak-On 528 shirt, and Shark Moccasins shoes. An annoyed look was on Austin's face, and Cora noticed a stain on his shoulder."Yo," Pontus said, lazily giving a peace sign, "Sorry we're late; the train was cramped,"
"Yeah, and we had one drooling passenger," Austin said, glaring at Pontus.
"The seat was cozy,"
"Everything is cozy to you,"
"Not the floor, too hard and cold," Pontus yawned; Austin was about to retort before Cora intervened, "How about we order something to eat," Cora forced a smile. Pontus gave a thumbs up while Austin huffed, but both sat down and started to order.Cora waited for Austin to calm down before speaking, "So, did you guys think of a team name?"
Beel raised her hand, "Team Tapioca!" she said while eating tapioca pudding.
"I'd rather not have our team be named after a food," Austin contended, "We should be named something catchy, something people can easily cheer when we climb the top,"
"Team Ladder," Pontus joked
"I will hit you,"
"Team Curry!"
"No,"
"Team Squid,"
"Redundant,"
"Team Teriyaki!"
"Team Slumber,"Each suggestion aggravated Austin's short temper, so when Austin was about to speak, Cora intervened, "We have plenty of time to think of a team name, so let's not rush ourselves," Austin sighed, then nodded in response. "Also, I have news! My parents got me an apartment in the Inkopolis Plaza," Cora said, showing her keys to her companions,
"Nice," both Pontus and Austin said in unison.
"Oh! You're so lucky; you get to live by yourself, eat when or wherever you want, and you don't have to walk so far to get here," Beel said.
"You live two blocks away from here," Austin commented
"Yeah, but that's still a long walk," Beel pouted, to which Austin responded with an annoyed glare."Let's visit now; the square is getting too crowded," Pontus said as a wave of Inklings and Jellies packed the streets. Cora scratched her head, "I haven't visited the room yet, so it may not be tidy or properly furnished, or," Cora trailed off, listing too many reasons for her friends not to visit her room. "Cora," Austin injected, "We're not having a sleepover; we're just going to have a look around, then bail out,""I-I know that, but a home should be kept clean and neat at all times; an organized room is an organized mind," Cora grinned proudly. She didn't have OCD, but she liked to keep everything orderly and in its proper place. "Then it's best if you don't visit Austins' room," Pontus gave a lazy smirk,
"My room isn't dirty; if anything, it's your room that's dirty from a lazy flounder like you," Austin retorted
"Flounder? Maybe we should name that our team name; it'll roll off the tongue when the people cheer for us,"
"I refuse to be named after a flat-faced fish,"
"Why not? Flounders are super tasty, especially coconut-crusted, but I think grilled is way better," and they were right back to argue about their team name; Cora groaned, holding her head in her hands, then smiled.She wondered if Koi went through the same thing; even when they kept in contact, they never spoke too much about name choices, and when they did, Koi would give blunt answers, "You will figure it out," is all he said. Cora watched as her team argued, and her smile grew wider.She was confident in her friends, even if they were oddballs. Cora knew they would make it to a high rank because she remembers the most critical thing in Turf Wars.It's to have fun.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Rock!"
"Paper!"
"Scissors!"
Both Austin and Pontus threw scissors. They had been playing the game for five minutes, and to make matters worse, they both kept throwing the same hand until one of them got impatient. It was mainly Austin who lost.Cora and her friends decided to play rock, paper, and scissors to choose a team name. Beel, who voted for Curry Cats, lost in the first round, and Cora, who voted for The Rough-Skinned, lost in the second; now the squids are battling between Sleeping Squids or The Wreckers.The duel entranced Beel, while Cora grew bored after more than two minutes."Hey, Beel," Cora called out. "Do you want to walk around a bit? I have some money if you want anything." Beel smiled and nodded as the two stood up and left their teammates to their eternal game.Inklings filled the plaza as Cora and Beel continued to window shop; some were new, sharing Coras' excitement for any upcoming Turf Wars, while some had been playing longer than others, made plain by their attire and confident mannerisms.Beel stopped in place, eyes darting between the many experienced participants, "Hey Coco, do you think we'll get matched up with one of those high-ranking teams?" Beel asked. Cora could hear the nervousness in her voice,
"I'm pretty sure that won't happen, Beel," Cora answered but with fragile confidence.It's not uncommon for new teams to get matched with experienced teams; some hold back for inexperienced fighters, sharing their memories from when they were beginners; however, some don't know the meaning of restraint, only in it to win and take whatever glory, no matter how small."But what if-" Beel said before Cora cut her off,"If that does happen, Beel, I'm confident in our skills and that we'll defeat anyone who challenges us; have some confidence in us, Beel," Cora smiled.Beel was silent for a minute before returning a smile, " You're right, Coco; It's just that-""That's some good thinkin' ya got there," a blaring voice announced, followed by a laugh. Cora and Beel, while startled, turned to meet a bronze-skinned and yellow-haired Inkling wearing a Black Inky Rider jacket, Moto Boots, and 18K Aviators that matched his confident smile."I do like two pretty gals with confidence, but that ain't enough to win against the top beaks," the boy chuckled. Cora stared at the Inkling, analyzing him from his stance and outfit. From what Cora could tell, he could be a very experienced player, probably an S rank."By that face' you're makin', I'm guessing you didn't appreciate that comment, or you're challenging me, probably the latter, huh,"Cora was confused until she realized she was getting nervous, "Oh no, I-I wasn't,""Nah, I get it; gobies always come to the plaza thinking their top shells, so they challenge one of the most solid beaks here," the boy said, the smile never leaving his face, "But to let you know, the Arowana Gang ain't goin' down to a bunch of gobies," he chuckled before turning to walk away before stopping,
"By the way, my name's Ty, but others know me as Arowana Platinum. Remember that when we're dancin' on the sea floor," he said, then left for a nearby weapon shop called Ammo Knights.An awkward silence permeated the air before Beel broke it, "Coco, what just happened?". Cora's mind was now in a jumble of emotions, ranging from panic to embarrassment and, strangely, excitement. Cora pinched the bridge of her nose, "The day just started, and you already got into an altercation with an experienced player, and just when you said that Beel should have confidence," she thought, now nursing a headache."Coco?" Cora snapped out of her trance when her friend touched her shoulder.
"Oh! I'm sorry, Beel," Cora nervously chuckled, "but don't worry about that guy; he's just all talk and no bite,""I don't know, Coco, he looked pretty serious," Beel responded."Nonsense, Beel, I have a good sense whether someone is strong or not, thanks to my brother and his teammates, and I can safely say that creep was all talk," Cora said with fragile pride; already, she could feel her nose grow from the lie.Beel's eyes sparkled, "You have a talent like that Coco, that's so cool,"Cora held her head high, showing a look of superiority. She was glad that Beel was naive, but Cora felt a pang of guilt, even if it was a tiny lie. "Let's go back to Austin and Pontus; I'm pretty sure their contest is over,""Who do you think won? I was betting on Pontus, but I think Austin has it this time,"Cora didn't answer the question because she already knew who won.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------" I know you cheated, Pontus' just admit it," Austin said, frustrated at his loss." You can't cheat in Rock, Paper, Scissors, and besides, you were throwing the same hand, pretty predictable," Pontus responded, smiling. Pontus enjoyed messing with Austin; he was hot-headed and rarely thought before charging forward, and more importantly, he always tried to one-up Pontus in any competition."Say's the one doing the same strategy," Austin retorted."Says the one who lost,"Austin rose out of his chair, " You wanna fight, you lazy-""At least I know who won," Cora interjected. Cora and Beel had returned from their adventure and sat in their seats; Pontus noticed Cora's change in her demeanor, no matter how hard she tried to hide it, but Pontus decided not to question it. Cora wasn't as open as Beel, and if he asked her, she would probably make an excuse or say, "It's nothing,""So we're going with Sleeping Squids," Cora said' Austin cringed at the name but decided to sit down and exhale in defeat, "Yeah, I guess that's our name now,""Nah," Pontus said, " I think I know a better name,""And that is?" Cora replied"Scargo's Heirs,""Scargo's Heirs? What kind of name is that? Did you come up with it when you were asleep?" Austin exclaimedPontus chuckled, "Nah, it's an old legend my gramps told me; it's about this princess whose husband went to war, but before he did, he gave her four fish to swim in a pond and said that he would return before the fish die,""So what you're saying is that we're the four fish," Austin said"Yup, we're the four fishes," Pontus responded."Then who's the princess?" Cora saidPontus thought for a moment and smiled at Cora, " It can be princesses since you're a massive fan of The Squid Sisters, Cora," the comment made Cora's ears red, "W-Well, I won't be against it if we're going with that,""Then it's settled Scargo's Heirs is our team name," Pontus said, " That means our codenames would be fish-based; in other words, I'm going with Flounder,""Mahi-Mahi for me!" Beel blurted"You guys do know those fish don't live in ponds,""Don't be a spoilsport, Austin," Pontus said, making Austin roll his eyes, "Fine, Payara,""Minnow," Cora said"Minnow?" Austin questioned"My aunt calls me a minnow, so I think the name sticks with me," Cora chuckled nervously."Then we're done; we got a team name, codenames, and I'm assuming we have our preferred weaponry," Austin said as he stood up and stretched, "All that's left is to sign up and have our first fight. I'll go and get us signed up,""I'll come with," Beel said, jumping out of her seat."No, that won't be necessary-" Austin said before being cut off as Beel grabbed his arm. Austin yelped before being dragged off in a random direction."Beel seems real excited today," Pontus said, watching the duo leave. "So, while those two are out, want to tell me where you and Austin were yesterday? Out having a play date?" Pontus smirked.Corra shot Pontus a glare, only for Pontus's smirk to grow wider. "No, we weren't, we just went out to meet a friend,""Oh, meeting secret admirers, how scandalous of you and Austin,"Cora rolled her eyes, "I met him three days ago, and he seemed pretty friendly, so I decided to let him meet Austin," Cora decided to leave out their encounter in the woods, as it might raise concerns from her forest green-haired friend."And you didn't invite us?""Austin was supposed to call you and Beel, but you know he tends to forget,""Beel, maybe, but I think he didn't call me out of spite,""Why would he do that?""I beat him three times in Krakozilla: Save the Earth by spamming Iseabi,""Of course," Cora giggled, "You know, he's going to beat you one of these days,"Pontus chuckled and smiled, "Probably, though it'll be a cold day in the abyss before he does,"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------When humanity was the dominant species, one of Hayden's hobbies was to travel the world.His hobby led him to study multiple languages. He loved to learn about the world, understand cultures, and learn their history. He traveled from North to South America, the Balkans, Europe, Africa, and Asia, learning about hundreds of cultures, learning their languages, and making many friends. And after waking up in this new world, Hayden can safely say,He has no idea what the Inklings are saying.Hayden had spent time with only two Inklings, Tamara and "Minnow," though Hayden spent his time drawing crude pictures with Minnow. He noticed they communicate with gurgles and clicks, which is familiar compared to some human languages, but that doesn't make speaking the language easier.Hayden's mental state also wasn't the most sound since he woke up, met a new species, and found out his crew was long dead, but he didn't want to mourn their loss, even if it was an agonizing pain, similar to a snakes venom that seeped deep within the veins, he didn't mourn because a small voice told his mind only one thing,"Keep going,"Hayden would grieve later. The human life span is short, and this world, despite its friendly demeanor, could make it shorter. Hayden remembers what the Inkling, Tamara, said about how other oceanic species evolved towards land.
He hasn't met any, but if he met a walking jellyfish or sea urchin, he would have to steer clear of them as they might still have their venomous stingers.Hayden is now wandering the Shellendorf Institute, waiting for news from Tamara. He has looked at the curatives, artifacts, and carvings of both humanity and the "Mollusc" eras. Strangely, Hayden realized how similar his world and the Mollusc world are. Pictures closely resemble Egyptian art and hieroglyphics, their version of a rosetta stone and familiar artwork.Without knowing that sea creatures had evolved to land, everything felt normal. No nuclear bombs were going off in the Arctic, the land was not sinking into the ocean, and there was not even a war for survival and resources—it all felt like a dream, and paradise still existed.But he knew it wasn't a dream, and even though he felt a sense of serenity, he also felt sorrow and a hint of anger, but for what or who?"Ah, denoimide omane zoimidgu dgumuzununaidenesa zuzo Nunaidgudegainedgunedgu Mizu, noinemisa otu denoine Umibōzu sujimima (Ah, that one was submitted by Mistresses Mizu, head of the Umibōzu clan)," a deep raspy voice spoke out, snapping Hayden out of his thoughts.
Hayden turned back to meet a tall, strange-looking humanoid with long, spiky brownish-grey hair, orange skin, and one sclera-green eye with a purple iris, with a long bang covering the other. His long hair had almost touched the ground, resembling that of a porcupine. Hayden followed his gaze and realized he was staring at a Kabuto-styled helmet with a squid ornament.The older creature shifted his gaze to Hayden, "Nai'nu dgumugaiwaigainaidgunesa mimazoomane naidgu suonunaimaije noinegaine dgunaimasune zoinegaine dgudenaiji naima suomadgudemusudenaioma (I'm surprised anyone is coming here since this place is still in construction)," the tall creature stared at Hayden, "Zoinoio migaine zoomu? (Who are you?),"Hayden gave the older sea creature a confused look, hoping he would catch on. Luckily, the old man understood, "Zoomu saoma'de mumasanegaidgudemimasa nune, hm? (You don't understand me, hm?)," the old man asked, his gaze never leaving Hayden. Soon, a smile crept across, "Do you understand this language?"Hayden was now surprised to meet another person who knew English, and he smiled, "I do, sir,"The old man's smile grew wider, "Ah, so Ms. Nicchi was teaching others how to speak this ancient language, and here I thought she was only using it to play jokes on people. I'm glad that wasn't the case,"Hayden assumed he was talking about Tamara since it seemed she was the only person working there. "You're the one who taught her English?" Hayden asked."Aye, I did, back when she was a small one. I taught her everything I knew, and I thought when she grew up, she'd teach others English; I'm glad I kept my hopes up," The elderly man replied, "Oh, but where are my manners? My name is Oscar Oursin Puddles, but young Nicchi calls me Old Man Puddles,""Nice to meet you, Mr. Puddles, I'm Hayden Cadwaldr," Hayden replied"Hayden Cadwaldr, that's an unusual name; tell me, how did you meet Ms. Nicchi?"Hayden didn't see a reason to lie to Puddles, but he heard footsteps coming from the hallway before he could speak. "Noinejidgu (Hells), sorry it took me so long; it took a lot to convince that old bait, but I managed to get a room set up, so no need to."Tamara stopped when she saw her boss talking to Hayden. Tamara's eyes went wide as she straightened her posture and started swearing in her head, "Noinezo ijegaiminuwaidgu nai sanaisama'de enzi (Hey gramps, I didn't ex-),""Ms. Nicchi, I'm glad my lessons weren't just a passing thought and that you taught someone an ancient language, and an Urchin no less," Puddles walked up to Tamara and patted her, "I'm proud of you,"Tamara stood still as her eyes darted from Hayden to Puddles before her ears turned red, "Um, thank you, sir,"Puddles chuckled, "That's one of the few times you've been formal with me,""Yeah, well," Tamara cleared her throat, walked over to Hayden, and grabbed his arm, dragging him towards the building entrance, "Hayden, here is our new employee, and I'll give him a tour tomorrow, I'm just helping him set up in his apartment,""That is very kind of you, Nicchi," Puddles smiled."Thank you, sir," Tamara replied before leaving the museum. When they got outside, Tamara released a breath she didn't know she was holding. She turned to Hayden, who was looking at her with confusion. "Ok, I know you're going to ask why I didn't tell him you were a human,""You are correct in that assumption," Hayden replied."L-look, I didn't want him to be disappointed,""I'm pretty sure finding a living-breathing human would've sufficed,""True, but knowing that old Urchin, he would probably think I'm joking, and besides, it's going to take all day to convince him that a living precursor just walked in the building," Tamara said, giving a nervous smile, "Look, him thinking you're an Urchin that I taught is way more manageable, I'll tell him the truth soon, until then, you are Hayden the completely normal Urchin,"Hayden stared at Tamara and sighed, "Well, I'm not going to judge you, mainly because you're helping me out," he said. Though what he said is true, it is also because he held back on human history during their last conversation in the museum. "So, where will I be settling down?""I managed to get you a place in the Inkaplolis Plaza, though it's one of those dingy rooms,""Better than sleeping on the ground or woods,"Tamara smiled before a thought came to her mind, "How good are you with music?""What do you mean?" Hayden replied"Well, music is a massive part of our culture, noinejidgu (hells), it's theorized that music is a part of our DNA, but what I'm mostly getting at is, you can tolerate loud music, right?"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Austin groaned, finishing the sign-in. Beel's nonstop chatter and boundless energy made it more exhausting than it should have been. Beel talked a lot and had too much power for Austin's liking.Cora and Pontus don't mind, but it's a sugar-rush nightmare for Austin; he likes the peace. But Austin wouldn't admit this; he was slightly happy that someone went with him. Though irritation was his default mode, Austin never doubted his loyalty to his friends. He was straightforward with his actions, would rather fight than talk, and knew his friends would be there with him. Austin stretched, excited for his first Turf War and to use his Splat Roller."Tinny!" Beel shouted, making Austin grumble—he hated that nickname. "I'm so excited for our first Turf War! Should we play it safe or go all out for the win?"Beel went on, and Austin wished he'd gone alone even more. So distracted by Beel's quick talking, Austin barely noticed something hit his head. It was a liquid, and Austin saw the sunny weather had become grey as he looked up.Beel squinted up at the sky. 'Aw, the weatherman promised sun all day."I guess he was wrong," Austin said, annoyed. He hoped it was drizzling; it would be a no-go if it started raining heavily."Come on, let's get to the others before they melt into the drain," Austin spat."Yeah, we should," Beel responded as they started walking toward their friends, "Do you think if they do melt, we can just put them in a jar or a shoebox?"Austin decided to ignore Beel for the rest of the walk.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Meanwhile, Tamara drove through the growing storm, muttering, "Noinejidgu (Hells) thought today would be sunny; that'll put a damper on the Minnows group," she said, glancing nervously at the darkening skies. Suddenly, a loud boom of thunder startled the redheaded Inkling, almost making her car skid off the road. The heavy rain was now lashing against the windows with relentless force.Tamara breathed a sigh of relief, making sure one of her hearts didn't explode, but when she calmed down, there was an awkward silence. Unfazed by Tamara's scare, Hayden murmured, 'Um, yeah, it'll be bad if she gets a cold,' his gaze lost in the rain. Tamara then realized that Hayden knew nothing about Inkling biology, and Tamara knew nothing about human biology, except that they had skeletons. Tamara scrambled for a topic to fill the sudden silence. "Do you like the rain, Hayden?"Hayden's gaze softened, lost in the rhythm of raindrops against the window. 'Yeah, it's calming,' he smiled faintly. 'Reminds me a bit of home.'""What was home like?" Tamara asked, now curious."Depends. I hardly stayed, even as a kid; my parents moved worldwide, and they loved seeing new sights, people, and animals. When I grew up, I followed in their footsteps." Hayden's smile faded, "But I learned pretty quickly that the journey was pretty lonely," Hayden said the last sentence hushedly.Hayden chuckled out of embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I got lost in my head for a bit. What was home like for you?" his focus now turned to Tamara.Tamara giggled, "It's weird hearing that in English, but I was born here—" Tamara stopped when she realized Hayden wouldn't know where they were. "I was born in this region, Naimagumisanaimi (Inkadia), and as a kid, I loved to pull pranks on people, especially my sister. The look on her face would be as red as her hair," Tamara started to laugh."I was a real nainuwai(imp), But then I met that old urchin; he put up with my pranks, taught me a few things, and made me feel-" Tamara stopped, "Actually, we'll save that for another time, we're here,"Hayden looked out the window and saw a stone apartment complex. Despite being bombarded by rain, it had a welcoming and clean appearance. Tamara reached into the back of the car and grabbed two umbrellas, but Hayden got out of the vehicle, which spiked Tamaras' anxiety as she quickly opened the umbrella, got out of the car, and promptly raced to Hayden.Hayden was confused by this sudden response. Although it was raining heavily, there was nothing to worry about.Tamara registered what she did, and despite her making fun of her sister, her face became as red as her hair. "We...Inklings can't stand out in the rain for too long; it becomes difficult to maintain our forms and we disperse," Tamara tried to explain.Hayden didn't understand, especially the "maintaining our forms" part, but he didn't question it. He saw Tamaras' shoulder getting wet and took the umbrella to shield her from the rain, ensuring no water could harm her.They walked into the apartment complex, shaking the umbrella off, and met at the reception front desk. Hayden and Tamara saw a feminine figure sitting lazily at the desk, and Hayden noticed she didn't look like an Inkling.Her skin was ink black, and her long, violet hair, which ended in sky blue, was similar to a flowing fin rather than the tentacle hair. She wore a punkish outfit and watched something on her phone with her black boots on her desk. Tamara walked up to the receptionist. "Hey, Malou! It's good to see you again!" Tamara said."Mm.""Where's the old shark?""On vacation. Back in a few months. What do you want?"Tamara was surprised to learn he had gone on vacation, which would explain how she had gotten a room more quickly than in the past. "I got a room for my companion here," she said, pointing at Hayden. Malou glared at her with her sugilite eyes, "We don't do that kind of thing here, Tamara,""That's not what I meant!" Tamara rejectedMalou rolled her eyes, "Whatever. Number?""304."Malou handed over the key. "Don't cause trouble, or you'll be out in the rain." As Tamara left with the key, Malou snarked, "And make sure to keep it down."Tamara hissed as they left.Hayden couldn't understand their conversation but guessed they were good friends. As the rain intensified outside, Hayden wanted to get to his room immediately and didn't want his friend to get hurt.Hayden and Tamara made their way to the room, which was a compact but cozy inside. It had smooth bamboo wooden floors, cream-white walls, and pure white doors. The apartment had very few pieces of furniture, with essential items: a kitchen, bed, fridge, TV, bathroom, wooden table and chairs, and a sofa. Hayden appreciated the simplicity, noting the Japandi style that suggested a minimalist aesthetic—perhaps characteristic of the entire complex."Mm, nice place; mind if I crash here," Tamara smirked, "I'm joking; you get situated and I'll see you tomorrow," Tamara left."You're going in the rain?" Hayden spoke up."Yeah? Got to get up early tomorrow,""Why not stay here? Since water would make it hard to "maintain your forms," you can stay here until tomorrow," Hayden propositioned, which made Tamara's smirk grow more expansive,"Oh, proposing for this helpless Inkling girl to stay in your little room," Tamara joked."Yeah?" Hayden responded, not getting the joke."Well, don't mind if I do," Tamara replied as she walked back into Hayden's room. As she was getting comfortable, Hayden decided to meet his neighbors.He knocked on the door to his left, room 303, but there was no answer. It might have been vacant, or the occupant was asleep or not home. Hearing multiple voices from room 306 on the right, he hesitated but decided to introduce himself now rather than later.Hayden heard multiple voices from inside the right door, 306. He didn't want to disturb them, not like he'd understand them, but it's better to do it now rather than later.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------As the skies began to darken and the rain fell full force into Inkopolis Square, Austin grumbled, "I can't believe it started to rain," as the room was filled with chatter, mainly from Beel and Cora, as Pontus lazed around on the floor watching television. "On our first day too," Pontus said, "You know that's a bad sign for it rain when you're about to start,""It is?" Beel responded."Yup, they say there is a great skeletal whale that soars across the sky with hundreds of small skeletal fish in the rain, and it loves to curse people, then it'll dive down to gulp you up." Cora and Austin rolled their eyes, not believing in Pontus's story, but the sky beast enamored Beel."That's so cool!" Beel responded"It is and an old Anglerfish once said that it'll send one of its fish, disguise itself into a person so you'll open the door, and drag into the sky," Pontus said, his eyes never turning from the TV screen. Still, he had a Cheshire smile across his face. "That's a load of-""That's amazing!" Beel spouted, cutting off Austin, "I would love to ride it! What kind of fish do you think fly with them? It must be pretty lonely up there," Beel prattled on, much to Austin's annoyance. "Beel, the whale doesn't exist; that slug is blowing smoke in your face,""But wouldn't it be amazing if they were? Since my mom and dad run a bakery, we can feed them all types of sweets, and he'll defintly let us ride on his back," Beel responded to Austin with a broad smile and pure optimism in her voice.Cora was smiling through all, even if she was disappointed that her first actual time within the Plaza started to rain; she was happy that her friends were here, along with their antics. The chatter became silent once they heard a knock at the door. Cora got up from the couch and went to the door before stopping. Even though Cora didn't believe Pontus's story, she did feel a chill down her violet tentacle hair.Cora liked horror but could get easily scared by it.Cora swallowed her fears, repeating that it was just a story Pontus made up, and opened the door.And what stood before the door was a familiar tall figure encompassed by the dark skies and continuously illuminated by lightning strikes. The figure wore a brown bomber jacket with pale fuzz around the rim, blue jeans, and dark brown boots, all familiar to Cora, but that didn't nullify the fact that the sight of them almost made one of Cora's hearts stop.The figure looked around before staring down at the Inkling in recognition. It was dark and raining, so it was hard to tell who it was until the figure crouched to meet face-to-face. When Cora saw the face of the man from the woods, her nerves calmed down, then slightly spiked when she remembered the "disguise itself into a person" part of Pontus's story, that, or that man from the woods might be following her."Zoinoimide migaine zoomu saonaimaije noinegaine? (What are you doing here?)" Cora asked, though it may have come out as mean due to her nervous quirk. Hayden was surprised to see the girl again, and now he's wondering if Tamara knew about this, which is a question he'll ask later. Right now, he's wondering why Minnow is mad at him, though he will admit it is cute, like an angry puppy."Sorry if I'm interrupting something," Hayden said. He knew the girl didn't understand him, but he hoped that body language would be enough. "Just letting you know I'm living right next to you," Hayden pointed to the room beside her.Cora analyzed his gestures and understood, with visible excitement on her face. Ever since they met, she had become interested in the woodsman. He was unique because he didn't have tentacles, fins, or other accessories many residents shared. Instead, he had fur similar to Judd's but dark brown, growing on his face and head. Cora wanted to know more about him, his uniqueness, and that spaceship he came out of.Hayden smiled, thinking he had misread her, when that adorable grumpy face turned excited. Still, before he could stand and wave goodbye, Cora took his hand, "Sumima zoomu suonune deo denoine Demugaitu Zoimigai deonuogaiozoi? (Can you come to the Turf War tomorrow?)" Cora asked, her voice tinged with excitement.Hayden was still unfamiliar with the language, but with a tilt of her head, tilted his head thoughtfully. Sensing her question, he decided to say the word that any tourist would regret when asked a question in foreign lands."Yes," Hayden said with a nod and a thumbs up.Coras smiled broadly and hugged Hayden while repeating, "Denoimimagu zoomu! (Thank you!)" Hayden waited, and once she let go, she raced into the room and returned with three Inklings of varying colors. "Beel, Pontus denoinaidgu naidgu...(Beel, Pontus this is...)" Cora stopped, realizing she didn't know the woodsman's name, an awkward pause that made Cora's ears go red. Luckily, Hayden caught on, "Hayden,"Cora understood, but her words came out as a gargle, "He...Ha-din," Cora smiled jubilantly before turning to her friends, "Hadin,"Beel, ever so full of spirit, bounced forward, "Naide'dgu dguo manaisune deo nunede zoomu! Sanaisa zoomu suonune tugaionu denoine zoinoimijine? Naitu dguo, sumima zoomu naimaisenaidene noinainu noinegaine? (It's so great to see you! Did you come from the whale? If so, can you invite him here?) Hayden chuckled at the excitement from the zircon-colored Inkling. While the moss-colored Inkling raised a lazy hand, giving a peace sign, "Dgumuwai, maminune'dgu Pontus (Sup, names Pontus)."Hayden smiled but wondered who the third person was standing with crossed arms inside the room. He remembered him, even though he wasn't in the best mood then. The only thing Hayden remembered about him was getting poked with a stick, which Hayden forgave since it was childish curiosity. The yellow-haired Inkling caught Hayden's gaze; he blushed out of embarrassment, remembering their first encounter. "Austin," he said, to which Hayden nodded, and snickers from Pontus earned a glare from Austin.Hayden looked at the Inklings, their variety of colors, energetic nature, and weirdly welcoming attitudes. Their friendliness gave Hayden warmth, becoming an aegis of his loneliness. As the Inklings started chatting, Hayden's thoughts drifted back to his journey as he stood up and headed back into his room. He felt a tug of her leather sleeve; he looked down to see Minnow, "Denoimimagu zoomu," she said, bowing with a big smile before returning to her friends. Hayden didn't need to know the language to understand what she said, so he gave a simple response,"No. Thank you," then, Hayden returned to his room.Once he closed the door, he looked around the room, searching for the redhead, only to find her sprawled on the couch, snoring. Hayden chuckled before sitting on the sofa with Tamara. Hayden grew weary; his hand rested on the back of the couch, and his eyelids grew heavier, but Hayden didn't want to sleep; his thoughts scrambled for a plan. Tamara has become Hayden's lifeline, but Tamara can only do so much. What's next when he learns how they speak? What's next once he understands their culture? According to Tamara, there are probably a thousand other cultures and languages. There was so much to do, and it felt like he hadn't pushed himself. As the last human—Adam and Eve's final child, Ask and Embla's legacy, Prometheus's ultimate creation—Hayden felt the weight of his lineage pressing down on him. Sleep eluded him; his mind raced with thoughts of what he needed to accomplish in his fleeting lifespan. Yet, these thoughts exhausted him even more, and without realizing it, he surrendered to the relentless pull of mental fatigue.Hayden felt a deep weariness settle over him, his hand sinking into the back of the sofa as his eyelids grew heavy. The room's warmth and the rhythmic pattern of rain outside lull him into a reluctant surrender.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Cora waited outside, tapping her fingers along the stone railing as her eyes fixed on the bustling sights of Inkopolis Plaza. She watched Inklings swarm below, some already decked out in gear and heading to their battles. Cora unconsciously shifted her weight from one foot to the other, her leg bouncing as she waited for her teammates to finish reequipping their gear.Cora had visited Haidin, but the room was empty, leaving Cora to wait anxiously with nothing to do. Cora closed her eyes, thinking of strategies. She didn't know who her opponents would be, so the best approach was a pure adaptation to read and adjust to the field, which might be vital to winning the battle. This battle is the first test of Scargo's Heirs, and losing the first battle to an opponent on even playing ground would look bad on the team. On the other hand, Cora might be overthinking it.
The sudden chime of her phone made her jump. She fumbled for it, half-expecting a message from one of her teammates or maybe even a quick good-luck text from her brother, Koi.Austin: Ready Meet at tower.Cora took a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and tucked her phone away. Her anticipation turned into nervous excitement. Cora didn't desire fame; she only aimed to prove herself to Koi. Until then, she wants to climb that ladder and face him on even ground. Cora straightened up and moved toward the Inkopolis Tower, ready for her first battle.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------As Cora approached the Inkopolis Tower, the plaza's music seemed to fade, replaced by the steady sound of her heartbeats. She took in her surroundings as the sun lifted the sky into an azure morning. Hundreds of Inklings were scattered around the plaza, some waiting while others were moving in and out of the Inkopolis Tower.Cora could see her friends waiting outside the entrance, each lost in their activity. Austin was relaxing on his phone. Pontus slumped against the graffiti-laden wall, nodding off, and Beel was busy petting Judd the Cat."Finally, thought you gotten lost," Austin said, straightening up after pocketing his phone.Cora grinned, giving Austin a playful nudge as she joined the group. "I was just doing a little sightseeing," she said, matching Austin's confidence. "By the way, do you know the stages yet?""Nope, but I think they should tell us in a few sec-""Now," Pontus said, cutting Austin off as the jingle of Inkopolis News Studio came on. The News studio was to the right of the tower, with a TV screen on top of the building for the world to see. The most prominent thing in the studio building was the massive Tanuki statue on top of it. The screen lit up and showed two figures, Callie and Marie.Callie, the Inkling on the left, was dressed in a black and magenta romper with puffy shorts, a heart-shaped neckline, and pure white gloves. She tied her black hair into a ribbon that rested in the middle of her head, with her long tentacles-like streamers ending in a gradient magenta that highlighted her golden eyes. Callie was known for her bubbly, bombastic personality and sometimes airheaded nature.Marie, the Inkling on the right, was dressed in a similar romper; the difference was that hers was black and lime green and ended with a skirt rather than puffy shorts. Marie tied her light gray hair into a bow resting on her head's right side, with the tips ending with a gradient green that emphasized her golden eyes. Marie was known for her laid-back and sassy personality.And together, they are the Squid Sisters, the pop idol duo.Cora had almost forgotten that the Squids Sisters were in Inkopolis Plaza! She wanted to see them, maybe say a quick hello, and perhaps they'd wave back. The News Studio lets you see the Squid Sisters up close, and some believe that the Squid Sisters waving at you is a sign of good luck, but does Cora even deserve that kind of gesture? She didn't want to bother them or come off as a creep. Cora's mind spun before she snapped it back as Callie's cheerful voice rang out."Hellooo, Inkopolis! Hold on to your tentacles!" Callie exclaimed, her smile bright as she waved enthusiastically.Marie glanced at Callie with a subtle smirk. "It's Inkopolis News time!""Today's current regular battle stages are..." Callie paused for effect, raising her hands in mock suspense.Marie deadpanned, "Saltspray Rig and Blackbelly Skatepark,"The screen shifted, showing images of Saltspray Rig, a massive oil rig surrounded by the vast blue ocean under the morning sky, and Blackbelly Skatepark, a bustling urban skatepark filled with ramps and halfpipes."Ugh, I hate that place and how salt can easily get into your eyes and mess up your whole game," Callie said, "At least Blackbelly is nowhere near the sea, though it's so easy to get carried away and accidentally spray the visitors with ink!" Callie chirped, trying and failing to hide her mischievous tone."Right, by accident," Marie chuckled with a half-smile.Cora couldn't help but smile at the Squid Sisters. Seeing them on the big screen and knowing they were just around the corner only excited her, though that could be because she was a massive fan."Now, for the ranked battle stages," Callie announced with a flourish as if ready to unveil a secret.Marie leaned slightly toward the camera, her expression bored but her tone tinged with dry amusement. "Port Mackerel and Kelp Dome."The screen shifted again, displaying the stages for ranked battles. Crates and containers filled Port Mackerel, leaving narrow hallways and unmanned vehicles, while Kelp Dome was a lush greenhouse housing all types of fruits and vegetables. "Do you think I can take a ride on one of the forklifts? It would be so fun!" Callie said with a big smile."Probably but you get motion sick easily,""I do not!" Callie protested with a slight blush as if Marie was telling an embarrassing secret."Despite the Kelp Dome's unbearable humidity and disgusting amount of bugs, it is the perfect for those who like to flank and-""Go in for the krill," Marie clicked her tongue in annoyance at Callie's pun, "You just couldn't kelp yourself, huh?" Marie replied, making Callie let out a delighted giggle. Marie sighed before continuing, "Anyway, this is the end of the broadcast.""Until next time..."The screen switched back to a wide shot of the Squid Sisters, both striking their signature poses. "Stay fresh!" they chimed in unison before the broadcast ended. The bustling plaza's sound seemed to return, but the excitement surging through Cora during the broadcast still lingered."Salt spray and Blackbelly are pretty good stages, at least from what I've heard," Pontus yawned, having to adjust his forest green camping hat."If I remember correctly, Salt Spray has water hazards all over the place, and it'll be best to stay on the middle ground. If we take the high ground, we'll probably get splatted before we can hold it, and taking the low ground won't be better," Austin said. "As far as I'm aware, Blackbelly has no hazards and is a wide area."Austin, Pontus, and Beel considered the best strategies for both stages, but Cora had something else in mind. "Why not take Kelp Dome and Mackerel?"The three stared at her, and it was Austin who broke the silence, "Cora, those are ranked battles,""And?" Cora questioned.Austin crossed his arms, his tone shifting to one of concern. "And ranked battles aren't recommended for where we are now. They have more coordinated teams and more experienced players."Beel, still scratching Judd, chimed in with her usual upbeat tone. "But wouldn't it be way more exciting?"Pontus shrugged, "It would, but we still need to win. Ain't' no sense in bein' a small fish swimming in a shoal of piranhas,"Cora placed her hands on her hips and took a stance that gave her an aura of determination, "That's why we should play ranked battles. Forces us to work better as a team, and adapt to our situations. If we stick with casual fighting, it won't have fire, that excitement that we should be looking for,"Austin sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I get what you mean, Cora, but I'd rather we lose a fair fight than lose to one we never had a chance of winning.""I get where you're coming from, Austin, and I understand, but fighting someone on our terms just seems like a boring way to grow. If we play against someone more assertively and defeat them, the rewards would be way better than any regular battle could give. Besides, I thought you liked fighting anyone stronger than you?" Cora said, meeting Austin's gaze with burning determination—that same determination when they were kids.Austin hated when people brought up old memories of when he was a kid. He was a troublemaker who loved to get into fights. They were embarrassing memories. Even then, there was a sense of nostalgia for losing himself in a fight, but that could be the jumbo squid talking. Austin sighed, "I'm still on the fence about going into rank, but I'll follow where you go."Cora smiled, but not as much as Beel, "Oooh, this is going to be so exciting, our first real battle! Ah, and I heard post-battle meals taste way better, especially with friends!""I'm surprised you're taking this well, Beel. You were pretty worried about meeting someone who was top-rank yesterday." Cora responded."I was and still am, but," Beel hopped toward her friends, grabbing them individually with surprising strength and speed and giving them crushing hugs, "I know you guys will always have my back."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------To say Tamara was bored would be an understatement. At Puddles's request, she had come to the Shellendorf Institute early to help move and refurbish some historical items. Additionally, Puddles tasked Tamara with dusting off some of the artifacts and doing all the boring stuff.Initially, she would complain, but now, she will complain slightly less.Because now, she has a co-worker who can do half, if not all, of the work for her. Tamara stretched on the couch in the break room, her long braid draped over the armrest, waiting for her co-worker. Hell, she'll probably take a nap.Her plans were interrupted when the door creaked open, and Hayden entered, still dressed in his bomber jacket, jeans, and boots—probably his only outfit. Tamara made a mental note to take Hayden shopping for new clothes later."You know, when I woke up, I was expecting to go on some adventure, not get a job, and my "co-worker" leaving it all to me," Hayden said. Tamara couldn't tell if his voice had any agitation or sarcasm, as Hayden's voice was monotone."Sorry, Hay, but it's so annoying doing all the work here alone and having nobody to mess with," Tamara joked, "All that labor takes a toll on my womanly physique and beauty."Hayden grunted in response, "Well, I'm done unpacking and cleaning,""I see it's too much for a simple hu-wait, what?" Tamara bolted upright, "Are you already finished?" she asked, her tone a mix of shock and suspicion."Yeah. Unpacking, cleaning, organizing. Everything you said needed to be done." Hayden said, his expression as neutral as ever."Even all those heavy box?""Yeah?" Hayden was confused by the question.In truth, not only did Tamara want to get away from her work, but she also wanted to make an impression on Hayden. Show that Inklings are a super cool and strong race, so when Hayden struggled with something, Tamara would swoop in and prove how cool Inklings are. Now, knowing her plan failed miserably, she scrambled for a way to save face. "Well, that's expected of humans since some research details that humans could lift a hundred times their body weight, so, you know,"Hayden raised an eyebrow. "Yes and no, we humans aren't that str-""Anyway," Tamara quickly switched gears, clapping her hands to wipe away her previous plans. "You want to do anything? I can show you the museum more, or," Tamara scrambled for an idea until her expression brightened up, "I can show you some Demugaitu Zoimigaidgu!""Demu-what?""Dguogaizo (Sorry), I can show you some Turf Wars, an epicenter of our culture," Tamara said excitedly."What's a Turf War?" Hayden questioned as Tamara's mood brightened up even more.
"I'm so glad you asked my mammalian friend. Turf War is a focal point in Inkling culture. Friends and families worldwide come together to watch or participate in it. Most people play Turf Wars for fun, but others do it for glory, traditions, honor, or to settle some personal or familiar rivalry. Besides that, it serves as a way to relax and entertain themselves and people.""Interesting..." Hayden ruminated that this Turf War must be essential to their culture if they had rivalries and all these different reasons to play. "Then how did such a thing start?"Tamara opened her mouth before biting her tongue. She can not tell Hayden about the Great Turf War. She remembered their past conversation and how humans were peaceful before their extinction. Tamara didn't want to imagine Hayden's disgust if he knew. "Well, it started about 2,000 years ago and since then has evolved into a rigorous sport for us,"Hayden began to search his memory despite needing more information on the rules. Many old sports dealt with honor, glory, etc, but most of those either led to a war, someone trying to one-up a political opponent, or someone getting killed. French dueling often started from a petty argument and led to death; Pitz mostly ended with someone getting sacrificed, and Gladiator Arenas was good bloody entertainment for any Emperors. However, from Hayden's observation, this new world has some modern ideals, so blood games are probably out of the question."To put it simply, Turf War is a sport in which four players from two team must cover as much territory as possible in three minutes. The team that covers the most territory wins,""And what happens to the team that loses?" Hayden asked; though they probably just lost the game, he still wanted to ensure no one gets sacrificed to a sun god.Tamara looked at Hayden quizzically. "Um, they just lose the game; nothing happens after that." Hayden felt a silent relief that he hadn't woken up to some brutal world. "I can show you some Turf Wars that are going on," she picked up the remote lying next to her, "In fact, I think my niece is playing today. I can explain what's going on as things go,"Hayden nodded as Tamarra made room for him on the couch. She switched channels and looked for a live stream of the ongoing Turf Wars. While searching, Tamara was still a bit peeved by her failed attempt at messing with Hayden and started thinking of a way to mess with him. She didn't want to get up from the couch, so she had to think small, something Hayden hadn't seen before until she remembered something and gave a devious smile.From Hayden's perspective, he watched the channels fly by, not giving a single thought as he still felt the weight of the last few days on his shoulders. He still thought about last night, what exactly he would do. There are many things to do and see, yet the road seems to stop. He couldn't afford to be patient; the human lifespan is short, and this unknown world might make it shorter. What if he ate this world's food? It could be toxic to him, or some radiation the nuclear bomb left over might still affect the water. Hayden's mind became clouded with assumptions, but despite these thoughts, it would be a lie to say Hayden hasn't enjoyed his time in this new world.In a strange sense, Tamara reminded Hayden of Claire, one of Hayden's friends and a deceased member of the Capsule. Claire was a tough woman. She was always business and tried to keep things professional, but she was a chaotic mess in private. Claire loved making dumb jokes, playing around, and being an overall tomboy. She only went with them to the Capsule because she had a crush on Eli. Tamara gave that familiar personality; maybe that's why he was so comfortable around her. Then again, much like Claire, the feeling of annoyance is beginning to creep up now.It took a while for Hayden to snap back to attention as the channels had stopped. The TV screen showed a large shipping yard constructed into an arena with narrow pathways and two strange devices on opposite sides.Hayden couldn't read any of the prompts on the screen, so he turned his attention to Tamara, looking for answers. Instead, he saw a red squid staring dagger at him on the couch.
Hayden sat there, surprised and confused by the creature until it lunged at him. Hayden's heart jumped as the red squid wrapped its tentacles around his body, binding his arms so he wouldn't flail around and one of his legs so he wouldn't run. Despite its size and stature, it was surprisingly strong.
Hayden struggled. Of all the ways to die, he didn't want a giant squid to eat him, but no matter what he did, he couldn't break free from the tentacles. Hayden had to brace for the squid's beak until a distinct laughter interrupted the scene. Hayden looked around and noticed laughter coming from the squid. Hayden's mind spun as the red squid slowly uncoiled its tentacles from him."I'm sorry, I'm sorry," the squid, or Tamara, said in between her humor as a red liquid enveloped its form. The squid slowly became humanoid in appearance as it transformed back, clothes and all."H-How did you..." Hayden stammered, stunned by what he just saw."The on your face is priceless," Tamara said, still laughing, as she finished reshaping herself into her usual self. It took a while for her to calm down or at least stifle her laughter. "We Inklings have two forms we can shapeshift into: our regular form and," Tamara once more shapeshifts back into her squid form. "Our squid form, and we can do this whenever we want," Tamara finished as she shapeshifts back.A hint of anger roused from Hayden, "Why would you do that!""Three reasons," Tamara started, poking the tip of Hayden's nose, "The first reason is for doing your task too quickly, didn't let me get a good joke in,""What?""The second reason is that gloomy face you've been expressing. I don't know what you've been through, but you should live a little. I'm not telling you to forget the past and move on, but don't start living in it. So for here on out, no doom or gloom in the break room; it should be all jokes and smiles in here," Tamara said with a playful smirk."And the third reason?" Hayden replied with a mix of irritation and curiosity."It was funny," she chuckled. "Besides, you would have figured it out sooner or later, so why not bite the bullet?"Hayden stared at Tamara in annoyance, but strangely, he appreciated what she tried to do, though she could've done it less surprisingly. She was correct; he should live a little, stop overthinking, and find a reason to smile."Now that Mr. Grump has calmed down, the Turf War is about to begin, and I don't want to miss it," Tamara got comfortable on the couch again. Hayden slightly stretched, waiting to see what's unique about this sport.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Cora adjusted her Splattershot, shooting at the Squid Bumper to get a feel for her weapon. She watched the others, Austin moving in with his Splat Roller, practicing dodging shots and timing his suction bombs. Beel playfully threw ink everywhere using her Slosher while practicing ambushing methods and her burst bomb-throwing skills. Pontus lazily practiced his aim with his Splat Charger and throwing skills with his Splat Bomb, though Cora noticed that Pontus had hit many of the moving Squid Bumpers dead center. However, hitting an inanimate object was much easier than hitting a living target."Yo," a voice came from behind Cora—an Inkling with white skin and cyan colors. He wore a light blue short beanie, an Anchor sweater, and Pro Trail boots. He had a calm expression, though it reminded Cora of Pontus."It looks like we'll be facing each other," the Inkling smiled. "Names Phobos or Blue Moon of Drowsy Dreamers, if you want to get technical with the codename stuff. "He held his hand out for a shake, which Cora accepted."Nice to meet you, I'm Cora or Minnow of Scargo's Heirs,"Phobos's smile widened as he shook Cora's hand. "Minnow, huh? Fancy name, that is. I don't think I've ever heard of you.""Well, it's our first game, so I'm pretty new to everything," Cora said, slightly embarrassed.Phobos raised an eyebrow, his expression calm but intrigued. "New to the game and going ranked? You got some guts on you. I think Pan would like you," Phobos pointed to another Inkling practicing.
The Inkling, known as Pan, wore a Paisley Bandana over his mouth. He also wore a Varsity Jacket and Hunter Hi-Tops. He wielded a Splattershot Pro and moved aggressively, taking calculated shots at the Squid Bumpers with frightening precision.Cora watched with aspiration as each shot from his Splattershot Pro landed accurately. "Blood Moon is pretty good, but he doesn't talk," Phobo's eyes went elsewhere. As Cora followed, she saw two other Inkings starting a chat with Beel and Austin.One Inkling wore Splash Goggles, a Berry Ski Jacket, and Acerola Rain Boots, while the other Inkling wore a Squid Nordic hat, an Olive Ski Jacket, and Blue Moto Boots."Europa and Elara," Phobos said, nodding toward them. "Honey and Harvest Moon."Cora watched the two interact. Europa laughed at something Beel said, while Elara exhibited a firm presence while speaking to Austin. "I came here to get to know the team I was fighting; I wasn't expecting new players to come in," Phobos smiled, "So with that knowledge, I'll give you two options here. We can hold back for you or we can go full auto, your choice.""You're giving us a choice?""Yup, since you guys are new, we can hold back a bit, though it might take some convincing on Pan's side." Phobos turned his gaze to Pan, who was still practicing. It didn't take much time for Cora to find the answer to his question, "Don't hold back,""You don't want us to hold back? We might wipe you." Phobos said."That's fine with us," Cora replied with determination, "This is all a learning experience for us; if we get wiped, we get back up and adapt. Besides, it wouldn't feel like a victory if you held back."Phobos's once calm demeanor changed to a mischievous presence. "Good," Phobos said, "But before I get going, I should warn you about something,""And that is?""Don't lose yourself."Cora tilted her head slightly, confused by Phobos's words, "Lose myself?""There's been some people who lose their nerves in a Turf War. Pressure starts mounting, and some can't take it or sometimes, they become the pressure." Phobos's tone became serious and almost one of discomfort. "In the best-case scenario, they just leave and give the win to the other team, but the worst case would be the Freedom Feathers and the Stygian Eels."Cora's brow furrowed, "What do you mean worst case?"Phobos's eyes wandered to Pan with an uneasy expression. "Listen, Turf War is just a game, as you probably heard a thousand times, but there are others who don't treat it as a game. Some get serious and think it's a matter of pride, honor, etcetera. Whatever happens, remember that it's a game, and in the end, we all go home and go to bed."Cora didn't know what to think about this information. She had never heard of anyone having a horrible experience in a Turf War. She heard of bad games from other people, mainly her brother, Koi, but those were just strategies that went wrong or bad composition. Cora was a bit worried but refused to get cold feet. "Thanks for the warning, but if you're trying to scare me, you'll have to do better next time."Phobos smiled as his calm demeanor returned. "You got me. I'll try better next time." Phobos made a mock gesture as he laughed."We'll catch you later then, and I look forward to our first match," He gave a parting smile as he motioned his friends to follow him to their side of the practice area. Europa and Beel gave each other an energetic farewell. Elara and Austin nodded to each other, while Pan didn't spare anyone a word or a look, keeping his focus on the future battle. Cora felt a spark of excitement surge through her. She didn't care for fame or status, only to step out of Koi's shadow, but Cora made a new goal deep down. Something within many Inklings, if not all life, is the need to fight. To say Cora wasn't excited would be a tremendous lie.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------As Minnow/Cora transformed into her Inkling form, she looked around the shipping yard, feeling slightly embarrassed for not scouting the map before they entered, as she was so excited that she completely forgot. Minnow adjusted her Splattershot and scanned the arena.
Port Mackerel's narrow lanes twisted into a maze. Three main paths ran through the shipping yard, each lined with crates stacked high. Stacks of cargo containers created narrow pathways, making them good choke points. From across the arena, Minnow saw that the Drowsy Dreamers were already strategizing."So, what's the plan, Minnow?" Austin/Payara said with his Splat Roller resting against his shoulder.Minnow analyzed the arena more before speaking, "Payara, you're in the front; cover as much territory as possible, especially the central passage. Since this stage is mostly close quarters, you should be perfect for you.""You know me so well," Payara grinned."Mahi-Mahi, cover Payara and ambush anyone who gets close or tries to ambush him. Port Mackerel is a bit of a labyrinth, so be careful.""Yes. Ma'am," Beel/Mahi-Mahi said, saluting with her slosher."Flounder, you might be slightly disadvantaged, so use stealth tactics. You should still be able to flank anyone who's distracted,""You're expecting too much from me," Pontus/Flounder joked, adjusting his Splat Charger. "What about you?""I'll be flanking and putting pressure from behind, if I can distract them long enough and disorganize them, we should be able to win,""And if they get past us, what's the plan from there?" Payara questioned."We adapt," Minnow answered as the buzzer came to life, getting everyone into position. Minnow looked up and saw a display readout,"Ready...""Go!"Payara launched forward, his Splat Roller leaving a broad trail of ink as he charged toward the central passage. Mahi-Mahi, who covered and inked walls and surfaces if things went sour, joined him. Flounder moved to the side, covering Payara and Mahi-Mahi while watching for flanking maneuvers.Minnow took a deep breath and sped off to the arena's corners, leaving trails of ink if she was spotted and could make a quick getaway. All she needed to do was disrupt the Drowsy Dreamers from behind and hope she didn't get splatted. It was a flimsy plan, but it was a plan nonetheless.Across the arena, Payara almost painted the central area purple. He noticed the Dreamers were slow, taking time to cover an area light Blue. Payara admits he felt confident in his moment; they seemed too cautious, allowing Scargo's Heirs to claim more space, but even then, Payara felt terrible about this. Mahi-Mahi was lost in her world, covering more spaces and finding any points of interest, but Flounder shared Payara's discomfort."Flounder, you see anything?" Payara asked."I see them, but they're too far, and I can't get a clean shot." Flounder adjusted his position, "Blue and Honeymoon are moving in. I think I can-" Flounder stopped and immediately escaped his position as Blood Moon had almost shot him in the back. Flounder threw a splat bomb in retaliation, but Blood Moon imminently dodged it.
Payara was about to help until he noticed Blue and Honey had gained speed and were right on top of him. Blue Moon suppressed Payara with his Heavy Splatling while Honey Moon tried to move in until Mahi-Mahi caught and splatted her."Nice one." Blue Moon complimented. Mahi-Mahi tried to splat Blue Moon, but Blood Moon quickly splatted her and then dodged a shot from Flounder."I can't help but notice they got better," Flounder quipped as he positioned himself beside Payara. "Do you have any ideas before we start losing ground?"Payara clicked his tongue, "We could use our specials. I can use my Killer Wail to get rid of that nuisance; you can use your Bomb Rush to cover the area." Payara smirked, "If you're truely good at prediction, this shouldn't be hard for you, corpse.""Oh, challenging me in the middle of a fight." Flounder returned the grin."You know it, the first one to ink the most turf wins."Flounder's grin grew longer. "You're on," he said as both Inklings' tentacle hairs began to glow brightly.Minnow's stealth mission was successful as she climbed up a container, gaining a high advantage to take out any Dreamer from behind until she caught a slight movement and dodged a blast that almost splattered Minnow on the spot. Harvest Moon met Minnow, who wielded a Range Blaster. Minnow's heart raced as her position was now fully exposed. Harvest smirked and spoke with a strong accent, "I wanted to figh' that rollin guy, but fightin' the boss will have to do." Even though the Range Blaster had a low fire rate, it made up for its range and devastating damage."Blue spoke highly of ya; don't go disappointi' me now," Cora gritted her teeth, her grip tightening around her Splattershot. She had no choice but to abandon her position at the top of the container to avoid her blast; she moved to take cover on the ground and out of the blaster range. Minnow's tentacle hair glowed as she activated her Bomb Rush, which had Burst Bombs that would explode on contact. Minnow threw her bombs at Harvest, but Harvest deployed a Splash Wall in response, which exploded harmlessly against the device, making Harvest smirk.In the central passage, Flounder and Payara implemented their plan. Payara set down his Killer Wail, a giant gray megaphone that released destructive sonic waves straight through walls, forcing Blue Moon to retreat. Flounder took advantage, activating his Bomb Rush and launching multiple Splat Bombs. The explosions painted the ground purple and cut off potential routes for the Dreamers. Flounder looked up and saw there were two minutes left.
They may have covered more territory but must hold it and take more territory inch-by-inch if they want to win. "We're going to need to be more aggressive and watch out for any of those roaches," Payara grunted, primarily referring to Blood Moon, who has been snaking around the area, waiting for an opportunity to strike."Good tactics," Blue Moon had taken cover behind a crate, regaining ink for his Heavy Splatling. "Honey Moon, have you spawned in yet?""Yeah, sorry," Honey Moon sounded slightly embarrassed over comms."Hey, no shame, you didn't expect smiles to ambush ya'," Blue Moon comforted Honey; he adjusted his position and watched the two be on guard, "I'm guessing your pack is ready, if so, follow my lead,"There was tension in the central passage. Flounder and Payara knew Blood and Blue Moon were lurking somewhere, but where?
Suddenly, Blue popped behind a crate and began to suppress the duo again, but this time, something felt off, and Flounder could sense it. Was it in the air, someone in the ink? All guesses until Flounder notices a confident spark in Blue Moon's eyes. Flounder grabbed Payara and retreated, "Pontus, what the hell are you-" Two massive blue explosions cut off Payara, an Inkstrike that set off in front and behind them, either meant to entrap the two, cut them off, or both.
They managed to escape by falling back before the missile went off, but now the Dreamers are in the lead as Blue and Honey push into the area, covering territory in blue ink.Harvest pressed on Minnow hard; the splash from her blaster would've been lethal if she was closer, not to mention the trail of ink it left behind. One wrong move would cause Minnow to get stuck in the ink, leaving her an easy target. Minnow had to come up with an idea quickly."Hey Coco, I mean, Minnow!" Mahi-Mahi called out over the comms, "I'm going to super jump to your location!""Don't," Minnow replied, "Mahi-Mahi, do you have your special?""Yup, Yup, all primed and ready to go,""Then when I give you the signal, send it to me,""Gotcha!" Mahi-Mahi chirped over comms, her excitement bubbling through even the tension of the match. Minnow threw a Burst Bomb at the Harvest, then tried being the aggressor, trying to push Harvest. Harvest deployed another Ink Wall, as the last one had already depleted and fired back. "Pushin' me like this is gonna cost ya' little boss," Harvest returned the aggression, making Minnow go back into the defensive. Harvest got closer and closer; Minnow had to steel her nerve as she was almost in lethal range of her blaster."Now!" Minnow said as she charged towards Harvest, taking her by surprise. Minnow zigzagged between her shots in her squid form but accidentally swam in her opponent's ink, forcing her into her Inkling form and slowing her down. "Good night, boss," Harvest said as she lined her shot before a purple explosion hit dead center, splatting Harvest."Did I get them?" Mahi-Mahi chimed in."You got them; thanks for the assists." Minnow breathed a sigh of relief before racing towards the center. It wasn't the best option to waste an Inkstrike on a singular enemy, but Minnow wanted this plan to work; she refused to let a single person stand in the way. Minnow could see flashes of blue and purple dominating the central passage, and now that she had the height advantage, she saw Blue and Honey Moon advancing on Payara and Flounder. Minnow threw a Burst Bomb, directly hitting Blue and splashing Honey, and as if waiting for a signal, Flounder splatted Blue with his Splat Charger. It was Scargo's heir's turn to push.Minnow wanted to relax but knew someone was missing from the Drowsy Dreamers lineup. She scanned the area, trying to spot the elusive Blood Moon. Payara charged ahead with his Splat Roller with confidence in his eyes. He charged forward to splat Honey Moon but was splatted by Blood Moon, hiding on a container wall that Blue Moon inked. As Blood Moon sent Payara back to the spawn point, Minnow felt her gut twist. She realized Blood Moon waited for an opportunity, even when his teammates fell. The reason he didn't attack when Blue Moon hunkered down Flounder and Payara was simple.He was a contingency plan.Blood Moon glanced at Honey Moon, who tensed up. "S-sorry, I should've seen her coming, and I got Phobos; I mean, Blue Moon splatted, and, sorry, I'll take care of the guy with the hat," Honey Moon stammered nervously. She seemed genuinely afraid of Blood Moon.
Honey gripped her Aerospray MG and dove away, leaving Blood and Minnow to face off against each other. Minnow's fingers tightened around her Splattershot. Blood Moon exuded a quiet intensity. He wasn't rushing in to engage; unlike Harvest, he watched Minnow and waited for a single movement.Blood's Splattershot Pro had more range and damage, and the only thing Minnow beat him in was the fire rate. In some strange twist of fate, even though Minnow, no, Cora felt a bit of fear, she was happy to have a one-on-one with Blood Moon. She struggled with Harvest and had an Inkstrike splat her, and even if it was for her plan to ambush the Dreamers, it still chipped a bit of her pride."Guys, take care of the rest I got Blood Moon," Minnow announced in her comms. Her voice carried a confidence she wasn't entirely sure she felt."You sure about that? He's a pretty good shot." Flounder said uncertainly."Yeah, and a sneaky cockroach!" Payara barked."I'm confident,""Fine," Flounder replied with weariness in his voice, "Yo, Payara, Mahi, you guys are with me today,""Sounds like you're already bored of the fight, anyway, make that guy eat dirt,""Good luck Coco!"Minnow cut off her comms, locking eyes with Blood Moon. He hadn't moved. "I heard you don't talk, any reason for it?"Blood Moon tilted his head slightly at Minnow's question."I guess you just don't like to talk, or maybe you're one of those "actions speak louder than words" kind of people," Minnow kept her eyes on Blood Moon as she spoke. Blood Moon's only response was a simple shrug. There was a silent tension, only broken by the faint squelch of ink and the distant sounds of battle elsewhere on the map.They both began the fight as if a ring went off in their heads.Minnow surged forward, weaving through the vibrant battlefield as her Splattershot spewed ink in a wide arc. Blood Moon sidestepped the barrage and returned fire, each shot almost hitting Minnow in the process.Minnow hid behind a crate and fired a trail of ink up on the wall of a nearby container to get to higher ground. Blood Moon tracked her, but he didn't pursue them. Instead, he inked the area around him, creating both a barrier and a trap if Minnow tried to escape. Minnow threw a Burst Bomb at him, making him dodge, and he returned fire, making her retreat back. Cora made a glance at the timer and clicked her tongue.Only twenty seconds left.She had to finish this quickly, but any attempt to get near him would be fruitless. Until a thought came to her, she could use her Bomb Rush. Blood Moon doesn't have an Ink Wall, and using bombs on him could be advantageous. However, the problem is that he'll dodge the bombs, making Bomb Rush a waste. So, instead of directly hitting him, why not around him?Blood Moon waited, still securing the area. He looked back and saw there were only fifteen seconds left. He wasn't impatient, but he recognized when someone was losing ground. It was a good fight, but all good things have to end. He surged forward and saw his opponent activate her Bomb Rush and throw Burst Bombs everywhere. He was about to dodge out of instinct until he realized those bombs whizzed past him and some towards an exit, which the Inkling used to escape. Not wanting his prey to run, Blood Moon quickly followed; his instincts kicked in as he chased Minnow through the labyrinthine battlefield.Minnow dashed behind a corner; she threw another bomb behind her but nowhere near Blood's location. Multiple bombs painted the floor, walls, and objects purple; Blood Moon followed, his eyes tracking her while attempting to keep his footing on the cyan ink he had laid down earlier.Any time Blood Moon lost track of her, she would yell, "Booyah," but he still didn't understand her strategy. She was throwing bombs everywhere in an area that didn't matter, or he could quickly ink back to a cyan color. He glanced back and only saw ten seconds on the clock.He was about to give up until a Burst Bomb had almost hit him, with the Inkling right before him. She threw another, which he quickly dodged to the side in his squid form but fell into the purple ink. He aimed his Splattershot Pro and shot at Minnow, but she predicted it and moved to the side. At that moment, Blood Moon realized her plan. Minnow aimed her Splattergun and splatted Blood Moon.A whistle sounded off, and Judd made his stand.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Hayden was astonished by the battle. At first, he thought it was a weird game of paintball; covering the floor in a team color was a bonus to the beloved sport. How these Inklings would turn into squid form and disappear in the ink fascinated Hayden and made him question their biology.
From his observation, these Inklings don't have a skeletal structure; from how they transform and meld into the ink, there couldn't be a skeleton, especially in their squid forms. If so, how do they maintain themselves? The purpose of a skeletal structure is to keep the form of the body, protect organs, etc. They may have had cartilage like sharks and stingrays, but that would still be skeletal and probably get in the way of their transformations. Then what protects their vitals?Hayden winced; all this questioning about their biology gave him a headache. He could ask Tamara, but she's glued to the screen and would probably make a joke about it.Another thing he found intriguing was the "splat," as Tamara would yell out. At first, Hayden was disturbed, as if his conversation about the Turf War was a deception, as he saw an Inkling explode into a puddle of color. It made his stomach turn until he saw that exact Inkling again."Respawning," Tamara had called it with a grin as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Anytime an Inkling gets "splatted," they have these spawn points to go right back into the fight, which made little sense. When someone explodes, they die; that should be the finality, and yet, these Inklings go to their spawn points and continue like nothing happened. It defied everything Hayden knew about physics and mortality. It disturbed Hayden, but only a little, as that feeling was overwhelmed by fascination with this new life.Questions overran Hayden's mind, and Tamara failed to explain many things as the conversation progressed. "So, what would happen if someone was getting "inked" outside this sport? Is there a respawn point outside?""Nah, outside of Turf Wars, other people's ink doesn't affect us," Tamara spoke, "I mean, it dirties your clothes and might have other adverse effects, but nothing serious,"Hayden stared at Tamara in disbelief at how nonchalant the conversation was. Tamara looked back at Hayden, who, in turn, was confused by Hayden's stare until it finally clicked in her head. Tamara gave a snarky smile: "Oh, the poor human is so worried about us defenseless Inklings, but worry not, the all-beautiful Tamara shall—" Hayden had already tuned her out; his focus drifted back to the screen.After Tamara did her theatrics, she realized Hayden hadn't listened to anything she said, "Zoomu nunaidene! (You mite!),""Ah, sorry, I can't understand squid, what did you say?" Hayden returned Tamara's snark."Denoine mimusamisunaidezo otu denoinaidgu- (The audacity of this-)," Tamara bit her tongue, realizing she had slipped into her native Inkling language out of frustration. Her ears flushed with embarrassment as she quickly glanced at Hayden, who now wore a sly grin. "Anyway," Tamara exclaimed, a bit frustrated, "We are not affected by ink outside Turf Wars; it would only dirty our clothes. Respawn points are a Turf War-only kind of thing, so no, you would not find them around the world.""And how do these Respawn points work?""When someone gets splatted, their soul goes into the checkpoint. That soul reconstructs the body, and you are back in action, like reincarnation, except you are the same person or something like that."Hayden blinked, processing what Tamara had just said. "Cool, so what's the real reason?""That is the real reason." Hayden stared at Tamara, trying to gauge if she was serious or just messing with him. Her expression gave nothing away, a mix of smug amusement and genuine indifference. Hayden began to nurse his worsened headache as a whistle blurted from the TV screen. Hayden and Tamara watched Hayden out of curiosity and Tamara out of anticipation. A fat cat standing upright waddled onto the screen, holding a pair of flags behind their backs. "That's an interesting mascot," was what Hayden thought.Scargo's Heirs: 51.1%
Drowsy Dreamers: 48.9%The margin of victory was thin, but it was enough to declare Scargo's Heirs the winners.Tamara started cheering, clapping, and shaking Hayden in excitement. "That's my niece! That's my sister's little Minnow!" Hayden couldn't help but chuckle at her infectious joy. While Tamara was having her excited bout, Hayden relaxed on the couch, allowing his mind to wander. He didn't fully understand these Turf Wars and had many questions about them, and it feels that with every question answered, there's another obstacle in the way, but that's fine. He's enjoying this new world, even with new species and strange biology.He enjoyed himself in this infectious world.And maybe he can find his reason for smiling truly.