It's a hot late summer afternoon and the sun burned down on the hot pavement of suburbia. There were very few vehicles on the road. And there were two kids playing in the yard. It was their last day of summer vacation and they were going to use it to the best of their ability.
"Can you believe it's almost over? We have to go back tomorrow." An Inkling boy bellowed. As he kicked a ball to his friend. Another Inkling this one female.
"At least you get to go to that cool school." She sighed as she kicked the ball back. "I only get to go to the boring one." She sat in the grass and looked up at the cloudless sky and the soon to be setting sun she waits a few moments. "What does it feel like for you? You know, getting fully grown?" She said as she looked at her half squid held humanoid hands.
The boy shrugged. "You're going to get the same answer as the last time you asked. It doesn't feel like anything. It just happens when you turn 14. It's only a few months away for you." He kicked the ball up to his hands and walked over to his friend sitting next to her.
"Too bad we're at different schools. It would have been a lot more fun going to high school together." She said somberly.
He smiled and bumped her side with his elbow. "What are you talking about? We're still neighbors, right?" His smile was infectious as she smiled back just as big.
"Yeah, your right. You're still going to do my homework aren't yah?" She joked as she stood up.
"As if!" He sprang up from his spot and stretched. "Besides I won't have any time."
The girl looked confused. "Who's that?"
"Well obviously I'm going to be on the Turf War team and I'll bring the school to the finals!"
She laughs a full belly laugh as the boy scowls and crosses his arms. "Come on! You can't be serious!"
"Yes I am! I won't stop until I've won! You've seen me in action I'm pretty good!"
She crossed her arms and shook her head. "Yeah you're good. Good at getting yourself shot and to be used as bait. Ram and his gang beat you every time but it's good to have a dream I suppose."
"Whatever, you'll see." He said still with much confidence. She kicked the ball back to him but his ears perked up distracting him as the ball hit him in the face, and the girl looked at him questioningly.
"Hey what's up?"
"There's a car coming." He said pained rubbing the side of his face. He walked to the street and looked. She scrunched her face looking confused as she walked over next to him and looked down the street with him, seeing a large truck coming their way.
"Wow, you've got some ears on you there."
"It's a gift." He gloated as he rubbed the slowly growing red mark on the side of his face. The truck started to slow to a halt and stopped at the house next door.
"Shelies Safe Mover's, hey someone must have finally bought Barbs old place." The girl stated.
"What gave it away? The truck or the name?"
"I didn't need your squidin' sass." She replied, crossing her arms. Several movers immediately went to work as they moved the stuff into the house. The boy's ears perked again and turned. A car rode down the street and pulled up to the driveway. A Inkling woman looking to be in he late 30's came out of the car and immediately went to help some of the movers.
"Kara? Can you help these gentle squid here please?" The car door immediately opened to reveal an Inkling girl. The boy felt a small felling in his stomach as he watched her help.
"Hello? Shio? Earth to Shio?" He snapped out of it and shook his head and turned to his friend.
"You kinda blacked out for a moment there." She said as she turned around looking at the girl who was carrying a lot of boxes. She looked like she was going to fall over. "I think she might need help!"
Shio turned and jumped over the fence and across the yard and caught her by her back and placed his hand on the boxes just barely catching her. He quickly balanced her up as the woman came outside.
"Kara! Let the movers handle those boxes." She grabs each box individually and stacks them on the ground. When she finishes she looks over to Shio and smiles as she stretches out her hand. "Hello, my name is Anju I'm Kara's mother." She greeted. Shio gladly took the hand and shook.
"I'm Shio and my friend over there is my friend Suke I guess we're your new neighbors." He smiled as he signaled Suke to come over. Anju smiled as she looked to Kara who was remaining silent.
"Come on squidy, introduce yourself!" Anju smiled. Kara nodded as she stood up and stretched out her hand.
"I'm Kara it's nice to meet you. I'm your new neighbor." She said confidently.
Shio felt his hand shake but smiled. "Shio good to meet you. This here is my best friend Suke." Suke waved as she go in closer.
"Hey you want to play with us it's pretty boring around here. Especially with this guy." Suke said pointing at Shio.
"What's that supposed to mean?" He chuckled as he elbowed her.
Kara shook her head. "Sorry I can't. I have to help unpack everything and I still need to study." She said calmly.
"That's right! Mommy's little generous!" Anju lifted a few boxes as she went inside.
Shio scratched his head starting to feel a little intimidated. "Genious, huh?"
Kara blushed as she turned and took up another box before quickly going inside. The two teens looked back to each other shrugged. "She's a weird one." Suke said as she walked out of the yard and back onto the sidewalk. Shio followed after her fell into step with her while looking back.
"I wonder what school she's going to." Shio said absently as Suke gave him a look.
"What? It's just a question." He said sheepishly. Suke walked on ahead and waved.
"Alright I'm getting something to eat. Then I got to get everything ready for tomorrow." She waved goodbye at him and he waved back as she ran to her house next door.
Shio glanced over his shoulder again as he watched the movers continue on with their work. He turned and ran back to his own yard next door and into his house.
He opened the door as it creaked. "I'm home!" He called out. No one answered back, empty as usual. He didn't seem too bothered by it as he took his shoes off and placed them at the usual spot at the side. And checked the clock.
"Woah! It's 5 already?" He ran to the living room sliding on the wood paneling and entered the living room he jumped over the couch and plopped down on it and grabbed the remote and pressed the button. The Television flickered to life and a few moments later a picture of a Turf War about to start.
"Alright I didn't miss it!" Shio said excited as he leaned in closer.
An inkling man with a microphone came up to the camera with an infectious smile. "Welcome summer fans to the last game of the summer for aaaalll of you gentle squid and lovely lady Squid out there." He wiggled his eyebrows in enthusiasm with the emphasis on ladies. "I'm your incredible announcer Geo!" He said energetically gestured to the area behind him.
"And here we're about to start the summer finals between two Schools! They'll be going head to head in the Blackbelly Skatepark! It's squid against squid. This is an official map in the professional games so both teams will be experiencing this for the first time! Let's hope watching the professionals was enough!"
The screen splits to two teams of four. The kids looking no older than Shio, getting ready with their weapons and going into squid form at the pad. Geo reappears at a balcony nearby as the camera again focuses on him.
"Let's introduce our teams on the north end of the arena! In Orange we have the challenger! The newcomers to the fold, the Inkanators! All the way from Calamari country!" The squids wave to the crowd as they get into their squid form. "This team specializes in Inkstrikes and sprinkler sub weapons for maximum inkage! It's no wonder they came this far!" Geo turns to the otherside of the map. Shio shuffles in his seat as he gets more excited.
"Here it comes!"
Geo turned to the screen and got close. "However can they defeat, the 3 time champions!? That's right! You know them, you love them! Give it up Inktopolis for your one, your only,"
"Tooooooorrrpedos!" Shio said in unison excitedly as he turned up the volume. One of the squids launched himself straight into the air in a flourish as the crowd went wild.
"Excellent! We will get straight on to the game right after these messages!" Geo turned to the screen again and winked. Shio sighed as he leaned back on the couch. He got up and went to the refrigerator at took out a carton of ink. He shrugged as he chugged directly from the carton. A sudden ring on the doorbell made him jump and almost spit out the Ink but he managed to keep it in.
He fixed himself up making sure there was no ink on him where there shouldn't be and opened the door seeing Anju.
"Oh! Hello Shio! Ae your parents' home? I wanted to introduce myself to them. You know get to know the neighbors better and everything." She said looking inside.
"Sorry, it's just me and my brother who lives here and he's out right now."
Anju looked shocked for a split second but just as quickly turned back to normal. "I understand. Well tell your brother I said hello. You're welcome to stay at our house anytime you feel lonely." Anju said. Shio shook his head.
"It's alright. My friend and her parents come over often. It's so often I hardly ever have time to be alone." He smiled.
Anju nodded. "Well m offer still stands." She poked his head and turned around. "I'm going to introduce myself to the other neighbors. I hope to see you soon Shio."
Shio waved as he closed the door. He frowned as he walked back into the kitchen and put the Ink back and looked at he TV.
"In a stunning knockout the Torpedo's win the Tourna-." He placed the remote down and went up the stairs to his room.
-Splatoon: School Tournament-
Shio hung his now freshly ironed uniform on a hook on the back of his door. He smiled wide. He had no time for sadness now! He was going to high school tomorrow. And not just any high school. The one in Inkopolis, home of Turf War competitions and the elite Torpedoes. Sure it took a lot of extra studying and good grades but he did it. He was going to be in one of the best schools to learn professionally.
Shio laid on his bed and looked around the room seeing his favorite Idol group, The Squid Sisters. He relished in the thought of meeting them face to face for the first time. If he wins the competition and actually manages to make it to real games in Inkopolis he might get to see them and... He looked over to his trusty Splat Charger off to the side leaning against his desk.
A knock came from his door. "Hey little bro. You here?" A man called from the other side. Shio rose from his bed and opened the door.
An Inkling man bent down to Shio's level. "Hey how's it hangin? I thought you were out with Suke."
"She said she had to get ready for school tomorrow. So I thought I'd do the same." He walked over to his computer chair and sat down sighing. "I still have to remember the bus and train schedule so I can get to school."
"Responsible as always, bro." A few moments pass until he snapped his fingers remembering something. "You see the moving van next door? Looks like we have some new neighbors."
"Oh! Yeah, I met them earlier today. A lady named Anju and her daughter Kara." Shio waits a few seconds as he rolls his eyes and smiles. "Yes, Geo they're pretty cute."
"Alright! Two babes living' next door. 'Livin' the dream' am I right?" Geo chuckled and Shio chuckled with him.
Geo smiled again once more. "I'm gonna have to go to the city again for a professional Turf War game. I'll be home later but I'll see you off in the morning, alright?"
Shio nodded as Geo exited and closed the door. Shio's smile fell a little but he looked back over to his uniform and it was brought right back up.
"I'll see you a lot more often bro. I just need to get into that tournament." He said resolutely to himself. He began to pack his supplies in his backpack with renewed determination.
Behind the door Geo smiled as he walked down the hall.
-For people to get the joke-
Anju, is an alcoholic drink that goes with Squid.
Shiokara is a Japanese squid dish.
Japanese Ika to satoimo no nitsuke (イカとサトイモの煮付け) (boiled squid and taros with soy sauce and sugar)
san ojingeo fresh squid in Korean
Yes, every name in here is a pun. XD