This story takes place between "LII Chapters 23 and 25." This is a short-story detailing Cass's incarceration in "LII" as I felt it was getting a little long and wanted to focus on some other things before the tournament. Hope you enjoy.
Life in Inkopolis: The Interrogation
Chapter 1
Prisoner's POV
"Answeres." Marie glared at me. "Now."
"Fine…" I groaned.
"First off, since it shouldn't put your life in danger," Marie noted. "Detail the Salmonlings. Their traits and what they're like."
"Well, they're basically humanoid Salmonids." I explained. "They can do almost everything we can do, but they can also swim. They're also kind of annoying due to their immature, childish behavior and complete lack of public decency. Sieg says he can whip them into shape, but he's got his work cut out for him."
"Good." Marie said. "Now, why are you interested in the tournament?"
"I can't answer that." I told her.
"Right…" Marie noted.
"How are you an Elite?!" That little Octoling runt demanded to know.
"I'm sorry," I lied. "Who are you?"
"Mei Argo!" She said. "My cousin is Guyver Wolfi. You oversaw our training in Octo Valley."
"Spe-ci-fy." I told her.
"You threw a wrench at Guyver because he stood on top of the Octostomp." She told me.
"Oh yeah…" I remembered. "My aim was on point that day."
"Answer my question!" She ran out of patience. "Why are you an Elite? Who in their right mind would make you an Elite? Why hasn't someone killed you yet?!"
"Mei!" Agent 3 was surprised to hear her talk like that.
"I'm an Elite because I'm better than you," I told her. "Sieg made me an Elite, and I haven't been killed because fate decided that I deserve to live."
"You-" She was stopped by Agent 3.
"How would you describe Sieg as a leader?" Marie asked.
"We don't exactly see eye-to-eye, for many reasons, but he promoted me to Elite, so I do what he says…mostly…and it works out for me." I told them. "If you ask another soldier from the Gorge, they'll go on about how he's an inspiration; someone who'll defend his people to his last breath and will lead them to victory."
"Is it possible to reason with him?" Marie asked. "Maybe ask for peace?'
"He doesn't see that as a possibility." I told them. "I actually asked him if he was considering that once. He told me that after a hundred years of inaction on your part and past attempts at communication failing miserably, it's obvious you Inklings want us buried and forgotten."
"That's not true!" Mei told me.
"Whether it is or not doesn't matter, runt." I told her. "No one else thinks Inklings and Octolings can get along."
"Yes we can!" She asserted. "There are Octolings in Inkopolis right now!"
"How many of them outside of the Splatoon know you're Octolings?" I asked her. "Our spy told us that everyone else thinks you're just Inklings following a haircut fad. If they knew the truth, what would they think of you?"
She didn't respond. She just stormed out of there grumbling about how that wasn't true. Agent 3 followed her out.
"Geez, I think Sieg's rubbing off on me." I remarked. "I sounded just like him for a second."
"Callie was right." Arnold remarked. "Cass is much more useful an informant."
"Only when compared to a senile old Octotrooper." Cass stated. "Old fart doesn't know where he is half the time. One time he accidentally left his shower cap on and thought he was a genie."
"Well, I think that's enough for now." Marie said. "What do you want as your cooperation reward?"
"…A blanket, pillow, and more drinks." I listed. "It's uncomfortable in here and I wanna forget this experience as soon as possible."
"Okay." She agreed. "I'll get you the first two and call Pearl to deliver the last thing."
"Kay." I lied back down. "But no more questions until I get all three."
"Right…" Marie walked out. Leaving me with Arnold again.
Arnold's POV
Alone with Cass again. Well, at least she's not drunkenly flirting with me. Her fatigues still didn't help though…
Eventually, Cap'n Cuttlefish came in with a pillow and blanket while Pearl walked in along with a random Inkling wheeling in a fridge.
"Here's the money, Gene." She handed him a wad of cash. "No questions asked."
"Ooookay." He took it and left.
"So, yeah, got ya a fridge." She plugged it in. "Figured this'd probably be the regular thing ya'd ask for."
"You figured right." Cass was impressed. "Now hand it over."
"What's the magic word?" Cap'n Cuttlefish asked.
"Abracadabra." Cass hissed. "Now give it or I'll rip your beard off, old man."
"I heard you were a troubled young lady..." The Cap'n remarked. "Wonder why that is…"
"None of your business." Cass spat. "Now can I get my stuff already? I was promised."
"Right, right…" He handed the stuff over to Pearl, who lowered them in.
"Nice." She took a can out of the box.
"Yo, we should have a drinking contest sometime." Pearl suggested. "I bet'cha I can drink faster than you can think. Yo face'll be pink as I bring you to despair's brink!"
"Rap sucks." Cass stated right before taking a sip.
"You're just jealous you can't do it." Pearl shrugged. "I bet ya can't even sing."
"Yes I can." Cass took another sip. "My singing voice is good enough to make you cry."
"Prove it." She told Cass.
"I don't sing when I'm trying to get wasted." Cass told her.
"Whatevs." Pearl turned to leave. "Later!"
"…and she doesn't even like rappin'." The Cap'n lamented. "She's gonna be a real piece of work."
Cass just ignored him as he left.
"Aaaahh…this is good stuff…" Cass said. "Wonder where she got this…"
I just ignored her.
A whole minute passed without her sipping or opening a can, so I turned to check.
She was lying down, looking right at me with a bored expression on her face.
I flinched a bit, that startled me.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"So why are you watching me and not someone who hasn't let the DJ escape?" She asked.
"Because I actually have backup now and I'm not going to fall asleep on the job this time." I told her.
"So where're you from?" She was weirdly curious.
"Why do you care?" I asked.
"I don't." She stated. "But I'm bored and you're here, so I might as well make conversation."
"Well, if you must know, I've lived all my life in Inkopolis."I told her.
"So your fam's a bunch of city folk?" She asked.
"Not really a 'fam'." I told her. "Mom died when she had me, dad dropped me off at a foster home when I was 5, and I have no siblings. Those answer everything?"
"No siblings?" She raised an eyebrow. "Lucky."
"You did?" I asked.
"Seven." She answered. "They all sucked."
"Where're they now?" I asked.
"Disappeared after three defeated the DJ." She told me. "Maybe they died…I hope that's what happened..."
"What'd they do?" I wondered.
She looked at me a second before cracking open another can.
"Right…" I said. "So what's with the deception and cheating during a fight? Aren't Elites supposed to be skilled in their own right and scoff at dirty tricks?"
She drank the whole can in a few seconds.
She then opened another one.
"Come on, it's just me." I said.
"You wouldn't understand…" She stated.
"Try me." I told her.
"You really wouldn't." She said. "You can splat Elites with your eyes closed."
"It wasn't always that way." I told her. "I actually lagged in ink battles since I was 14, but I had people cheering me on and supporting me. Eventually, with help, I managed to get pretty good at battling around the time I met Beth and Otis."
She didn't say anything. She was just swaying a bit.
"Maybe I'll just let you sleep." I said.
She lied down, head on her pillow. She started snoring.
I took out my phone and played a couple games.
