Well, quick update on this story, I've changed my mind- instead of telling just one person's story, I'll be telling 2 stories, maybe more along the way, but yeah, so, this one- here's the summary for this one- Squidward. The world was full of adventure, filled with chances, it was yours for the taking, as long as you were perfect. Born in this culture, you had to be better than everyone else, The world could chew you up and shit you out the other end, all your hopes and dreams were all but just dreams that would never come true, as one octopus would. Childhood. 2 Squidward. -I Think I'll call this story- Long Road- Pt.1 (slightly edited)
The world was full of adventure, filled with chances, it was yours for the taking, as long as you were perfect. Born in this culture, you had to be better than everyone else, to be normal, you had to be talented, which was music, dancing, acting, cooking, painting, you had to marry the opposite sex, the most beautiful woman available, or the wealthiest man you could find that wasn't already taken, you had to have two children, a boy and a girl, name them a certain way and teach them the same thing you've learned growing up. Your friends had to be in the same class, you weren't allowed to talk to lower classes because you'd be laughed at, and if you talked to the higher classes, they'd simply take you for a fool, a pest.
In this culture, if you didn't have any of these, you could have the rest but you would still be a loser, an outcast, a failure, and a disgrace to all cephalopod race, you were just another waste of space, the world you've worked so hard to build will come crashing down, if you weren't normal, then what were you? What was the point in you being alive, why had the gods created such a miserable failure, why did you even exist you might as well have jumped off the face of the Earth, no one would miss you, not even your mother. The world could chew you up and shit you out the other end, all your hopes and dreams were all but just dreams that would never come true, as one octopus would soon find out, the hard way.
The world had just opened up, a brand new life was born, into the cold chill of fall, after nine months in his mother's womb he was ready to come out, though the world was cold, and he didn't know what was in store for him, he was excited to meet everyone, so when the doctor stood up, holding a crying baby octopus, he turned to the mother, exhausted from pushing so long, her blonde hair was put up in a messy frizzy bun, she dropped her head as soon as she heard the beautiful cry of her first born.
"Mrs. Tentacles, i'll be glad to say that you have one happy healthy beautiful baby boy." the doctor announced behind his mask as he handed the baby to the mother. Seeing her new son had brought tears to her eyes, she looked up at her husband who didn't really seem to be affected by the child in any way, "Look Squiliver, we have a son!" she announced with so much joy.
"Oh, what should we name him? Squidothy?" she questioned but then shook her head, "Yeah, I don't think so, what do you think, Squiliver?" she asked, he sighed and shrugged, "How about Squiliver the second, I think it's a perfect name."
"Maybe for you, mister grumpy all the time, I like Edward." she spoke, "You know we can't name him that, people will look down at us if his name does start with Squid or Squil." he spoke up, she sighed, "Hmm, no he looks like a Squidward to me, I like it." she said, and he shrugged, "I doesn't matter what we call it as long as his name is on the paper." Squiliver said with a yawn.
"You're gonna grow up to be a brilliant composer, you will be the best thing this ocean has ever had, and you are my son." she said as she pinched newborn Squidward's cheek causing his face to scrunch up, "But let's get you fed first, you must be starving." she said as she tugged her shirt down, covering the back of her son's head with the baby blanket before she turned to her husband, "and what are you looking at?" she questioned as she hugged the baby tighter.
So far, life had been nothing but a walk in the butterfly garden, Squidward had finally started to walk, he was just a few months and he was already walking. His mother, Squilabeth, held his tiny tentacle as she escorted him into the neighborhood daycare.
Squidward looked around the room at the beautifully painted room, painted a sky blue, with baby Octopus cherubs painted on clouds, he awed at the works of art, never had he seen such beauty.
"Art-" said as another little boy, Squidward turned his head away from the wall of paintings to see another little boy, his head shaved and a little black brow that was starting to sprout across his head, which in a matter of years, if left unkempt, would look like a big fuzzy caterpillar.
The little boy walked over to the little blonde, "Squill." he mumbled, and Squidward cocked his brow before looking at his mother who'd turned to find that her son had found a friend on the first day, she smiled, bending down to him, she ran her hand through his silky golden locks.
Wait a minute, Squidward has hair? Yes, Squidward had hair, take a peek at 'The Original Fry Cook'
"You be a good little boy, mama will be back later to pick you up, and here's to hoping you learn something." she said as she kissed his cheek before she went to turn and leave, but stopped when she felt a tug at her dress.
"Mama?" he called, wondering where she was going, and if she was going to leave him in this strange place, with bushy brow. Squilabeth sighed, bending down to unhook his tentacle, "Mama has to go, Squiddy, I can't be late for my meeting, I'll pick you up after." she said before she turned and finally left.
Tears filled the little cephalopods eyes as the door shut, he waited for the next few seconds, waiting for his mother, but, she never came back, he casted his head down, maybe she didn't want him? Like his father, who'd left a few weeks after he was born.
Squidward turned his head to the tentacle that rested on his shoulder before he followed the arm to the owner, the little boy from before, Squilliam, he smiled at him, attempting to comfort him, he was a few months older than he was, and so his vocabulary and such, was already nearly great, for a toddler.
He held up a tiny cord that was connected to a colorful xylophone, "Play." he cooed as he held up a mallet, Squidward sniffled, taking the mallet, he smiled at the boy who sat down in front of him with a little kazooie, the two had started to play random keys, the both of them laughing with each silly sound they played, they'd become best friends when they grew older, or so they thought.
As things went, the two had grown quite close as the next three years passed, they were best buds, they did everything together, but that would all surely change. Squidward and Squilliam happened to be playing in the neighborhood park, playing tag, Squidward was running behind Squilliam, laughing, "I'm gonna get you!" he shouted before they were suddenly interrupted by a loud deep voice.
Squidward turned around to see a large man dressed in black walk past him, "Squilliam Fancyson the third, I am ordered to take you to your father, Squilliam Fancyson the second." the man informed, "Come along, do as you're told." the man said, Squilliam sighed, looking to Squidward, "But Roofus, I wanna play with Squiddy-"
"You had enough playtime, it is time to go, don't make me drag you to the boat, Squilliam." the man said, "Bye Squiddy," he waved as he walked with the bodyguard, his head hung low, "Stand up straight, you know how your father will be if he sees you slouch."
Squidward was left behind, his mother stepped up next to him, "Come on, dear, we must get going- you have music lessons with gram gram today." she said as she reached for his hand, "Music lessons?" he questioned, "well, you can't be a brilliant musician without practice, start you young and you'll be a conductor in no time, mama wants to see your name up in lights when you grow up." she said as they left the park.
Not knowing that that might have been the last time he'd ever have fun, the last time he'd ever see his best friend, at least, not for another six and half years.
Squilliam's family, while they weren't exactly rich, they could still afford somethings that others in their community couldn't, like, private music lessons, while Squidward's family, they weren't so lucky, with Squiliver out of the picture, things were harder, Squidward's mother had to work harder to get things paid, with the few bucks that Squiliver gave, it didn't really make a difference.
However, just because money was tight, didn't mean they couldn't get Squidward a teacher, his Grandmother happened to be one of the best players in her high school band, but that was in highschool, and when was the last time she actually played an instrument?
Squidward's grandmother also happened the be half deaf, her hearing wasn't as good as it was back when she was a young woman, but that still didn't mean anything either, other then that she often had trouble hearing the right notes from wrong. Of all instruments he had to pick, why a clarinet? Without fingers, it wasn't easy pressing the right keys, and his nose would always get in the way, why not percussion, or piano?
Well, simply because Squidward was young, and didn't know, he wanted to be just like his idol Kelpy G, a young musician who was in his mid-teens, it'd be great if he could be like him, a famous clarinet soloist, and he was great, that was probably why Squilliam had also picked the clarinet, and at age of ten, Squilliam was already a skilled soloist, unlike Squidward, who could only manage to play sour notes, and if he really tried, he could play an almost good song.
Squidward was upstairs, playing a few squeaky notes before he and his mother would head off to a concert, he was supposed to be meeting Squilliam, who he hadn't seen since he was three, and was excited to play with his old friend.
Squidward had placed his clarinet in the case before he went to stand in front of the mirror, he was dressed in a nice little tux, he had a thing for great taste in fashion, sometimes, he was surprised his mother could afford it, a solid white tux, and a red bow tie to match, it went well with his growing blonde hair which he combed at least twice a day, it wasn't easy being beautiful, and talented.
Squidward's ears perked up as he heard the front door open, and he rushed down the stairs, stopping at the second floor to see his father, Squiliver, standing at the front door in front of his mother.
He had left when he was just a baby, he hadn't really seen him all that much over the years, maybe for christmas, or he'd send a cheap gift through the mail for his birthday, but other then that, nothing, what was he here for now?
"Pa? What are you doing here?" Squidward asked as he stepped up next to his mother, the older man sighed, adjusting his glasses, "I guess I'll see you next month-" "You're not gonna say hi to your son?" Squilabeth questioned, crossing her arms, the man sighed, looking at Squidward, "Hi, son." he waved before he turned around and left.
"Come on, dear, let's get your things, we're supposed to be meeting your aunt at the concert, I bet you'll be excited to see your old friend, huh?" she smiled as she closed the door.
The auditorium was huge, crowded with all sorts of different fish from all over the world, he awed the surroundings, there was a huge stage, for what he could tell half of it was hidden behind the curtains, he could look up and see the mesmerizing crystal chandelier, when he grew up he would play in a place like this, he'd own this place, and the people in it.
All the attention was brought to the doors, as the band started to walk down the isle, Squidward gasped, seeing his old best friend Squilliam, who has grown, but he was the youngest of them all, Squilliam being at least 7 or 8, while the others were 20 and up, and his head, still shaved, and, was that wax? And his caterpillar, looked so, fancy.
He wore a cocky face, as most people do when they think they're better than you, which Squidward failed to notice. Squidward had managed to pull Squilliam off to the side.
"Hey Squilliam, it's me, your old friend Squidward, it's been years since we last saw each other, are you going to sit by me? i brought our old toy instruments, my gram gram taught me to play the clarinet, i'm really good at it-" Squidward babbled, "Silence, peasant, I don't socialize with losers, and no, I will Not sit with you, I am going to go on stage and perform, i will direct my first show tonight, and I won't have you stalling, if you want to talk, we can talk after the show, as for now, sit down, shut up, and watch the show." Squilliam spat.
Squidward stood back, "B, but, Squilliam, it's me, Squidward, I've waited so long-" "Squidward? doesn't ring a bell, hey, do you like my unibrow? My professor said that one day, my unibrow will be valuable, it will make me rich if my music doesn't." he said as he wiggled his brow, before he glanced at the stage, "Now, stop wasting my time, I have a show to perform." he said before he left.
Squidward sat back watching as Squilliam played the lead clarinet in the show, it wasn't until the last song, the director had pointed to Squilliam, and told the crowd who he was, and that he will be the youngest director to ever exist, Squidward sat back watching, he had tears in his eyes, Squilliam, was supposed to be his friend, but instead, he treated him like dirt, friends don't do that, what was with him? So, he went to school, listening to this music, garbage, sure, it was good, but, garbage, he could do way better, if he just, stood up, and broke out his clarinet.
The crowd all turned their heads to the back, the band had stopped playing, upon hearing a fowl, squeaking clarinet, Squidward, stood on one of the chairs, blaring out loud, his mother, sitting next him, covering her ears, seeing the room, lit in anger, she stood up and snatched his clarinet from him.
"Give it back mama, it's not fair, he thinks he better than me, I'm just as good, or even better! you said you wanted me to be famous but-" "squidward, you can't just, do that." "but why not?" "Because, you can't." Squidward looked at her before looking at the people, "And what are you looking at?"
"So it was You who made that noise, you know, If it wasn't for your gorgeous hair, we'd throw you out, and toss that instrument in the fire." one of them said, use the amazing hair, like Squilliam's unibrow. Squilliam had torn through the crowd, "Who do you think you are, disrupting my music?" he questioned, "You call that music?" squidward questioned, "You think you're better than me?"
"Oh, I am better than you, there's no contest, and you said you were good, and I thought you were joking, and now, I know it wasn't a joke, but a cry for mercy!" he said before he started to cackle, "I have no sympathy, whatsoever, now, you can either sit back down, and actually Watch the show, or you can leave, and we'll be taking This." Squilliam said as one of the people took his clarinet from his mother, Squidward just looked up at his mother, "Mama?"
"Come on son, ya done cost us enough trouble as it is." she said as she took his hand and dragged him out of the auditorium.
Yeah, I know, the last bit of this chapter sucked, but I don't care, I wanted to get it done, it's 4 am right now, and I just wanted to finish this. Night Guys.
I'd gone back and edited this a little, to make this a bit of a better story?