Okay, so I believe everyone knows about these things on Fanfiction called one-shots. If you don't...
GET THE FREAK OFF THIS STORY!
I'm kidding, please don't leave.
Today is gonna be a day where I make my own Splatoon one-shot. What if I told you this story will be about life choices?
Random dude: *CLICKS OFF OF STORY IN ANGER*
You know what? Fine! Let's do this thang, so Staaaay Fresh homies!
WARNING: Some profanity that is censored because I said so.
Aah, another normal day in Inkopolis Square. Just the usual. Good things always happening. Right now, scene is at the Squid Bits members at Ammo Knights. Joel told his friends that his dad's car just got a flat tire, and he thinks Sheldon can help fix it. Joel asked his buddies, Redd and David, to come along, and they agreed. Since Aaliyah was also around, she decided to come as well.
"The car got a flat tire, so I was thinking of bringing it to your garage to help fix it. You can, right?" Joel asked the horseshoe crab.
"You better believe it! Not only do I spend all of my hours helping with weapons, but I can repair cars as well!" Sheldon replied.
"I don't exactly need a repair... I just need another tire. That's all." Joel corrected.
"Sure thing, pal!" Sheldon said with a salute, and then he walks over to a collection of tires at his garage.
"How long will it take?" David asked.
"We'll just have to wait. I'm not sure how Sheldon does with this..." Redd responded.
"So, what happened exactly, Joel?" Aaliyah questioned.
"Well, we were on our way to the grocery store, but one of the tires on my father's car seemed to have flattened," Joel explained, "And don't even get me started on the work I had to push it back here. Fortunately, I know Sheldon is an expert at repairing, so I think he got this.
"He is a funny one indeed." Aaliyah giggled.
"Heh, says the girl who has blue as her favorite color." Joel teased.
"H-Hey! That was not funny! You should know by now that my favorite color is pink!" Aaliyah protested.
"Would you calm down, Octoling? You should know I'm just messing with you, so lighten up."
"That didn't seem like a form of teasing. More like making fun of me."
"You know, Aaliyah? You're being a complete squid a** right now."
"Whoa! Language!" David exclaimed.
"Ngh..." Aaliyah groaned. She turns away and crosses her arms, out of arguments for fighting back. Redd caught up to this, and he can relate. He doesn't take teasing very lightly, just like Mia mentioned before.
"How's this on for size?" Sheldon asked as he rolls a tire to them.
"That looks good. It's the exact same size." Joel replied.
"Alrighty then! I'll go hook this up to your car, and you're basically free to go!" Sheldon said. He goes to Joel's car and removes the old, flattened tire, and replaces it with the new one.
"Oh, Redd. Your shoe's untied." David reminded, pointing to his right shoe, which had the laces undone.
"Carp. Thanks, David." Redd said, then bends down so he can tie his laces.
"If you have any trouble, you can ask your friends," Joel responded, "Heck, even Aaliyah can help if you want! You know how to tie your shoes, right?"
"No." Aaliyah replied. The next thing the innocent Octoling knew, Joel glared at her, and the orange Inkling was NOT happy. At. All.
"Well, when I come home from the grocery store, I'm coming over to your apartment, and I'm gonna teach you how to tie your shoes." Joel snapped.
"Wha-?!" Aaliyah yelped.
"Oh, don't feel too bad! Joel is a great friend. He'll help you anytime!" David said, giving Aaliyah a smile.
"..." Aaliyah didn't know what to say. She just stared blankly.
"All done! Go ahead and do what you want, Joel." Sheldon said, covered in a bit of dust from the work he had to do with screwing the tire on.
"I'll be back. Expect me to be there in 10 minutes, Aaliyah." Joel reminded, and then walks away. David gives Aaliyah a thumbs up, and Redd had just tied his other shoe, in case that shoe was getting loose as well.
Aaliyah was sitting on her bed, listening to the Calamari Inkantation on her octo phone. That reminds her, how Caleb is doing right now. After all, the song changed his life from as far as he can remember. Suddenly, she heard her door open.
"Okay, Aaliyah. I'm gonna help you out." Joel said as he crossed his arms.
"Fine..." Aaliyah groaned, and then puts her phone on her bed and her earbuds off. Joel grabbed Aaliyah's cream shoes, and he undid the laces.
"It's better if you put the shoes back on while tying them." Joel suggested.
"But I also heard-"
"NO, OCTOLING. Put it on."
Aaliyah nods and did said task.
"Now, the first thing you want to do is tighten them like this." Joel said, and he brings two of the loose laces and brings them together, and proceeds to tighten it to show an example to Aaliyah.
"Next, you'll want to form both laces into two long ears (I said long instead of bunny ears because mammals are extinct in the Splatoon universe). Hold the lace between your thumb and your first two fingers," Joel explained, "Then, you must make sure the 'tail' is long and the loop is small. When that is done, place one of the loops over the other, then tuck it behind the other and thread it through the created hole. Finally, grab your two loops and tighten them. Bam. Perfectly tied shoe."
"Um... okay?" Aaliyah said as she raised an eyebrow. Joel once again undid the laces.
"Go ahead. Do what I just showed you." Joel commanded. Aaliyah nods, and begins. She gets the tightening part done right off the bat.
"Good." Joel complimented. Aaliyah made her two long ears, but when she tried to bring them together, they let loose for some reason.
"?!" Aaliyah yelled in her mind.
"Ugh, no. You have to try again, Aaliyah." Joel said. Aaliyah starts over since she was just beginning, so they undoing was easier. Once again, the Octoling failed on placing one of the loops over the other, but she doesn't know why. She would just like to get it over with.
"Did you not see what I just showed you?! I will show you one more time, Octoling!" Joel snapped, and let the laces loose once again.
"Tighten! Long ears! Bring together! Hole! Tighten once more!" Joel shouted, less descriptive this time.
"It's not working for some reason though!" Aaliyah yelled.
"Try it again. I want to see you try." Joel ordered. Aaliyah did much better this time, but it's her tightening that was the problem.
"URRRRGH, you're not doing it right!" Joel screamed.
"I-It's not my fault you're rushing me!" Aaliyah cried, and her tears came.
"Just stop your crying. I think I'll just let David show you how it's done. And I am NOT rushing you!" Joel said.
"Yes you are!" Aaliyah yelled.
"Stop crying! I will let my friend do it and help you!" Joel shouted.
David comes to Aaliyah's apartment, and brought his own example shoes to help the Octoling.
"Okay, so all you have to do is this. Just watch what I'm doing, okay?" David said calmly, but that did not stop Aaliyah from silently weeping and her lips quivering. Aaliyah tried, but once again failed on the same part after David's example.
"No, no. You have to do it like this." David said, giving a much slower example.
"A-At least you're c-calm compared t-to Joel." Aaliyah responded.
"Yeah, I'll admit this, I am a coward. I don't really like yelling that much. When I do, it's usually when I'm scared." David admitted. Aaliyah nods and tries again. Another fail.
"No! Why?!" Aaliyah yelled in a frustrated tone.
"Calm down, Aaliyah. Let's try again." David replied, and keeps showing examples over and over again to help Aaliyah. Despite more descriptions and helps and whatnot, Aaliyah still didn't to it right. Fail after fail after fail.
"How's it coming along?" Joel asked.
"She still didn't get it..." David replied, shaking his head.
"WELL, YOU NEED TO TRY A BIT HARDER!" Joel screamed. Aaliyah started to get scared again, and David runs away so he doesn't get too much in trouble.
"Listen, Aaliyah. Um... how old are you?"
"18."
"You're 18, and you should know this! Until you learn how to tie your shoes... I'm preventing you from listening to any Squid Bits songs."
"You're not my dad!"
"Just tie your shoes, Octoling!" Joel commanded.
"G-Guh..."
"AND STOP YOUR CRYING!" Joel added, his face was all red with anger.
20 minutes later...
"How can I still not get this?!" Aaliyah exclaimed, and she digs her face into her hands and sobs. Her continuous fail at that one part is preventing her from getting any farther. Joel came back with a calm look, but not too happy.
"I heard from Redd about a better suggestion. It seems like it is better if you just take the shoe off while doing it." Joel suggested. Aaliyah didn't respond, she was busy crying.
"WOULD YOU JUST F***ING-" Joel mumbled loudly as he roughly grabs the shoe Aaliyah was practicing on, and removes it from her foot and throws it onto the floor. This made Aaliyah continue her crying.
"Stop crying! STOP CRYING!" Joel screamed. But it just made it worse, as Aaliyah cried louder.
"JOEL!" Redd yelled. He was not happy at all.
"I'm done here, Redd! She is unteachable!" Joel exclaimed.
"Don't say that! She just got frustrated easily, that's all!" Redd protested.
"Find someone to help her! I'll be back for in a week... but THIS IS OVER!" Joel yelled, and storms out of the room. Redd thought of someone who might help with this: Mia. Back to reality, Redd walks over to the sobbing Octoling and gently hugs her.
"I am so sorry, Aaliyah. I never seen Joel get this angry before." Redd confessed.
"I-I didn't want to make him mad..." Aaliyah bawled.
"Tell you what? When the time comes, I'll ask Mia to come help you," Redd explained, "After all, she spent a lot of time with Cuttlefish during her job as Agent 3. I still want to talk to her about those missions she did."
"I g-guess... w-we'll see." Aaliyah cried, and her sobbing slowed down a little.
1 week later...
Aaliyah just came back home with some groceries. After she put the food in their respective place, she saw Mia in her casual clothing (see my profile for her outfit).
"Joel and Redd called me here. I want to help you know how to tie your shoes, Aaliyah." Mia greeted.
"I'll be right here. I might watch, but I got some work as well later on." Joel said. Luckily, he was calm after what happened a week ago. Mia and Aaliyah walked into the Octoling's bedroom, and she got out her cream shoes once again.
"Okay, now here's how it goes. Tighten the two laces like this." Mia started, and proceeds to do the exact same thing Joel did. Expect much more descriptive and slower.
"Go ahead. You try it now." Mia said as she smiles warmly and undos the laces. Aaliyah gulps, and then does the first step: tightening the two laces together. It was too easy.
"Very good! Now for the next step. Make both laces into a long ear. When you hold them, make sure your thumb and first 2 fingers are holding onto it tightly." Mia continued. Aaliyah did just that.
"Great. Next, tie one of the loops over the other, and put it in a hole." Mia explained. As Aaliyah tried, they just poofed out for some reason.
"I see what you're doing wrong." Mia said.
"What?" Aaliyah asked.
"You're going too fast. You have to do it slowly." Mia replied. Aaliyah got it now. That's what she's been doing wrong.
Aaliyah does the first 3 steps, and tries to go more slowly, but still fails.
"I guess the music has been getting you less focused." Mia chuckled.
"It's true, too much music ain't good." Joel added.
"Not funny." Aaliyah snapped.
"Okay, try it again." Mia said. Aaliyah tightens the two loose laces.
"Ears."
Aaliyah does it.
"Hole."
Aaliyah does it very slowly, and tightens them at the end. She did it! She successfully tied a shoe!
"You did it! Great job, Aaliyah!" Mia cheered.
"Yeah, nice! Do it again, I want to see." Joel responded.
"Again?!" Aaliyah exclaimed.
"Oh, don't do that. You just need to know how to do this, Aaliyah." Joel said. Mia makes the laces loose once again, and Aaliyah nods as she is ready to try again.
"Tighten."
Aaliyah does said thing/
"Ears."
Aaliyah does it again.
"Hole."
Again, Aaliyah puts it in.
"Tighten."
The Octoling tightens it. Another successful try, awesome!
"Good job, Aaliyah! I'm proud of you." Mia said.
"Nice, Aaliyah! Now you're well prepared for next time!" Joel complimented.
"Thank you, Mia. I guess I'll go see how Caleb is doing and maybe I'll teach him if he doesn't know how." Aaliyah said with a small smile. Mia and Joel look at each other and nod. This was a wonderful day indeed.
2 weeks later...
Aaliyah was listening to music on her phone, this time, it's the Squid Bits latest song, "I ink therefore I am". Joel walked in and observed her room, as if he lost something. Then he looks at Aaliyah and raises and eyebrow.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
"Just listening to music." Aaliyah replied.
"Okay, you're gonna get off that and help me look for something." Joel snapped. Aaliyah groans and stops her music and puts her phone on her bed again.
"Have you practiced tying your shoes?" Joel asked.
"No."
"And why not?"
"Because I already know how."
"Just because you know how doesn't mean you will do it." Joel exclaimed. He grabbed Aaliyah's signature shoes again and places them in front of her.
"Show me." Joel commanded.
Some time later...
Aaliyah tried 3 times in a row, and failed all of them, this time, on the tightening part as they would just let loose automatically again.
"YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENS YOU OCTOLING B***H?! YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON'T PRACTICE?!" Joel screamed.
"I... I..." Aaliyah stuttered as she starts to silently cry again.
"I'M GOING TO GRAB YOUR F***ING FOOT AND SHOW YOU THE TYING SKILLS UNTIL YOU-"
"JOEL!" Redd screamed. Once again, the red Inkling was very mad.
"Can't you see I'm BUSY, Redd?!" Joel yelled.
"Since I knew Aaliyah longer than you did, let me handle this." Redd commanded. Joel growled in rage and storms out of the room again.
"You should know better, Aaliyah!" Joel screamed from across the room. Aaliyah threw her shoes at a wall, upset and angry tears forming.
"Why?! Why can't I just tie my shoes?" Aaliyah cried.
"Hey, Aaliyah..." Redd whispered. The innocent Octoling calmed down once she heard a calm voice.
"Y-Yes, Redd?" Aaliyah asked.
"If it makes you feel any better... I know an easier strategy on tying shoes." Redd replied.
"Could you s-show me?" The Octoling asked again.
"Sure thing." Redd responded with a small laugh. He undid the laces on his Gold Hi-Horses, and showed them.
"Same as before, tighten the two laces. Next, do the same thing, but don't do it all the way so it can leave a small hole," Redd explained as he was doing these things, "Then, grab the ends of the two laces, form them into loops, and bring them to the hole, but not all the way. Finally, grab the two loops and tighten them. Bam. Tied shoe."
"Wow, that does seem simpler." Aaliyah complimented.
"Let me see you try." Redd said.
"Are you gonna yell at me if I fail?" Aaliyah asked.
"No, of course not! Every one makes mistakes." Redd responded. Aaliyah began to do the same instructions Redd showed her, but slowly. She realizes after she was done...
a perfectly tied shoe.
Aaliyah gasped, and she did the other shoe as well with Redd's instructions. It is successful.
"Good job!" Redd complimented.
"Wow, that was so easy! And I didn't get too frustrated!" Aaliyah said as she grins. Redd's eyes widened once he realized he was being tightly hugged by Aaliyah.
"Thanks, Redd! You're the best!" Aaliyah exclaimed.
"Any time, Aaliyah. Be one... with the Squid Bits." Redd said as he hugs back. And so, it's all a happy ending with no sadness at all.
Author's Note: I regret everything T_T. Anyway, what did you think of this one shot? It's my first of these, so... say whatever you want, I don't care XD. Until next time, squid-kids... Stay Fresh! :D