Hi, it's Octoreader. This is a new fic I'm working on but there are some important things to know before you actually start reading this.
This fanfic is set in the fan comic Cafe Cardamari and most of the characters are from that comic. That said you don't really need to read it to enjoy and understand this story but it's actually the best Splatoon fancomics in my opinion so I recommend checking it out though. All credit goes to Tamarinfrog for most of the characters (including the main one) and the setting.
Anyways, updates may be a bit shotty because I'm working on two fics at once and my chapters are a little short but I think short chapters encourage me to write more and people seem to appreciate shorter intervals between updates.
Now please enjoy my story. I really appreciate all reviews! They keep me going!
The sun shined brightly through the windows.
I hate waking up early.
I tossed and turned in the covers, trying to delay the inevitable.
"Little sis," said a gentle voice as she rubbed my shoulders, "The cafe isn't going to open up itself. You have to wake up."
I looked up groggily to my big sister, Vadelma, who was already dressed in her straw brim hat.
"Ugh, alright." I said groggily as I quite literally flopped out of bed.
"Good girl!" said Vadelma cheerfully as she exited my room, "Breakfast is available downstairs."
After she left, I yawned and got up. I looked around my room. The same as always. A nice little pink dresser, a mirror, some old tea sets, and my closet. It was nice and neat, unlike Vadelma's which is covered in turf war weapons and posters.
I went over to my mirror and got dressed. Yep, I was still my short usual self. My name Kirsikka and I'm already fifteen but I've yet to hit my growth spurt. Vadelma, who's 6.3 mind you, always teases me about it. I slipped on my wide brimmed hat and got into my skirt and tie. I then swung open my closet. Also unlike my sister, my closet didn't have much in it except some basic clothing. I don't need to fill my closet to the brim with turf weapons like all the other inklings because I don't play turf.
Yes, I know I must seem very weird. An inkling who doesn't play turf. I know.
I got out my eyepatch hanging up in my closet door and slipped it on over my damaged left eye.
This is why I don't play turf. My left eye got disfigured to the point where I can't really see out of it. It's a bit gross so I just wear this eyepatch.
Well I guess you can say I played turf once but it didn't end well. I remember being so excited to play turf when my sister told me I was old enough. I had always wanted to do it.
"It will be fun!" she said.
Well it didn't end well. I was turfing enemy territory for the very first time I was ambushed. The combat gave me a rush of adrenaline as I fought to gain some ground. In those moments I really could see why our race enjoyed turf war so much. I loved the colors. I loved the sound. I loved my heart pounding.
Well, to be brief, there was some sort of malfunction with a splat bomb. Apparently, the regulators never checked it properly but the bomb had too much of an extra kick to it.
All I remember was a pyramid shaped object hurtling toward my face and then blackness.
I never really recall much more beyond that but the splat bomb exploded right in my face and I respawned as a bloody mess. The match stopped, my sister called my parents and I was rushed to the hospital.
There was a lot of drama at that time but luckily I was patched up by some doctors. I am for the most part fine with the exception of my left eye. I looked at my face in the mirror, I was still a cheeky little girl with a pretty face so all in all the accident didn't really have any permanent impacts.
I've never played turf since the accident. I guess you could so I was...traumatized I think? I mean I don't like to use that word because it makes me think of all those bleary eyed inklings in the history books I read. Those who came back from the Great Turf War and couldn't get it out of their heads. It's not like I...wake up in a cold sweat each night because of it, I just really don't ever want to go back and play turf. Part of me wishes I could sometimes but I really can't.
Like I actually can't. I couldn't go even if I could muster up the will to do it. All inklings need to be able to transform at will from their squid form to their humanoid form if they wish to do turf war. It's all safety and whatnot. Unfortunately, since the accident, I never could change into a squid. I can try but it just ends up being really painful. Sometimes when I really push it and persist, I end up getting really lightheaded and feel dizzy,
What a strange inkling I must be! I don't play turf and I can't even change into a squid!
I hurried downstairs to my breakfast. My sister was already eating.
"Hello Kirsikka," said my mom as she poured me a bit of Squid O's in my cereal, "You slept well?"
I looked at at my mom. She was a rather chubby inkling women who made the best food I had ever tasted. She outdid everyone I knew at cooking...or anyone else for that matter! Like I said, our family owns a cafe. My mom's the head chef. Consequently, we're none to have some of the best food in all of Inkopolis! Second to Crusty Sean!
"Yes mom." I said as I chugged some orange juice.
"That's good," said my father as he read a newspaper. He was a pale and spindly man, the opposite of my mom. His eyes always seemed to twitch nervously between his glasses when he seemed to come under stress, "I hope you're ready soon because we leave in five minutes." he added/.
I immediately looked down and realized I had not even finished half my food. I had to choke it all down before rushing out the door. Oh the irony! For a family that runs a cafe, we seem to have so little time to enjoy our breakfast!
Oh yes, I have not even told you my last name! I'm Kirsikka Lappi and my family is is just known as the Lappi's.
Anyways, us Lappi's get right to work opening the Cafe before almost all of the inklings in Inkopolis are even up. It seems strange to do this but our cafe, known as Cafe Cardamari, is also quite popular with the other races of Inkopolis, all of whom get up much earlier than us inklings.
The day always begins with my sister playfully teasing me at how groggy I am.
"Kirsikka, I would have given you some coffee if you already weren't so short!" she would always say.
My sister and father would then set the tables and get ready to serve food while my mom would take the kitchen.
I'm always stationed at the front desk which is funny because I'm awful with people. I guess I'm shy. I don't have any friends and conversations just make me feel so awkward. However, Vadelma has insisted that I continue to man the desk.
"Sis you're going to lack sisu (Finnish for guts) if you don't get out there and face your fear!" she would argue.
My sister is very protective. She always seemed like an older sibling to all her friends, especially her turf war team.
After working her shift early in the morning, her team would always arrive at the cafe. They would eat breakfast together and leave. Their team actually won the last turf war championship and her team captain allowed her to proudly display it in the cafe.
After eating breakfast, Vadelma would leave me in charge of waitressing and the desk (which basically means I'm running the entire cafe) and leave to play turf. She's not being mean or anything as hard as it is to run a cafe by yourself. She always works extra hours when she comes back in the evening to make up for it but not before she blabs on and on about what her team did for the day.
Often, another turf team would come into the cafe and my sister would greet them instead of me. The team's around here are very tight and despite all the rivalries everyone seems to know each other. Cafe Cardamari was every team's meeting spot. It wasn't unusual for teams to get together and chat before heading off.
My sister's team always comes to our cafe and gives us a lot of business yet I haven't gotten to know them well at all. Why would I? I don't play turf. I don't know a splattershot from a roller. There would be nothing for me to discuss with them. Yet, I would sometimes envy my sister and all those other squids. They always seemed so...so...so happy. Always laughing, smiling, and eagerly awaiting their next match.
Vadelma got to go out and play every day and got payed doing it. I had nowhere else to go and just stayed at the cafe all day. I'm content with conversing with my sister and as much as I don't like socializing I get a bit lonely sometimes. All the inklings are obsessed with turf so it's hard to find a common interest. Part of me feels like I'm missing out on something. I never knew what it's like to be part of a team and I never will. My life is routine, which is comfortable but also isolated and boring.
Vadelma had to leave unusually early this morning, leaving me again with the dreaded task of manning the desk and waitressing.
"See you later Kirsikka!" said my sister as she waved goodbye with her team.
"Bye!" I said.
I put my head on my desk and stowed myself for a busy day.
Little did I know that that day, everything would change...
Okay so that's the first chapter! I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think in a review!
Fight for all Fiction
-Octoreader