Unity At Last
Octolings and Inklings walked in tandem outside of the studio. They wore the freshest clothes and accessories. Later on, they engaged in friendly fire, splattering each other with ink and laughing at the end of each Turf War.
It was another bright, sunny day in Inkopolis. A cool breeze wafted along and brought in the scent of salty sea. The square was bustling with teens running from store to store, stocking up on shoes and weapons before racing over to lobby to team up with others. Smiles adorned their faces as they showed each other their brand new clothes. One Octoling breezed through the levels of the nearby arcade machine, accumulating a crowd of eager Inklings and Octolings cheering for him. Over by Grizzco Industries, confident Inklings and Octolings partnered up to battle Salmonids and get rewards while some complained about the irregular schedule.
Marina kept watching them pass. How they looked at each other without a hint of malice made one of her hearts flutter. She rested her hand to her cheek, idly listening to Pearl mess with her turntables. During their break from reading the news, she found herself watching the teens scurry past and waved each time they caught eyes.
It was far more peaceful than she could have ever imagined. Clear skies, happy faces, kindness all around, Marina almost thought she was still dreaming. Inklings and Octolings getting along without any strife still felt like a momentary truce and then the real war would begin, but that was a thought that only tormented her late at night, pricking at her mind and forcing her to relive her training under DJ Octavio.
She sighed, her breath fogging up the window. Leaning back in her chair, Marina glanced over to Pearl and found her scratching her records, the electrifying sound already making beats pop up in her head for an unwritten song. Stretching, Marina cracked her neck, and Pearl gasped, making her snap her head towards the Inkling.
"Yo, Marina, what if we use zapfish in our next hit?" Pearl asked, and Marina hummed, her eyes wide.
"Zapfish? Wouldn't we hurt those little cuties?"
"Naw! They'd be fine. We'd just, like, shake 'em."
Marina lowered her head, an amused smile playing on her lips. "Shake 'em, huh?"
"Yeah! We'd record how their electricity crackles into the mic, and we'd use it as a sort of-" Pearl waved her hands as if to demonstrate how she would shake the zapfish. "-bass line!"
"But how would you do that without getting shocked yourself?"
"Rubber gloves!" Pearl pressed her chest out. "Easy as that to make a track! A shocking sound like a lightning crack!"
Chuckling, Marina pushed her tentacles over her shoulders. "I think that rap needs a bit of work, Pearlie."
"That's just the alpha opening I'm working." She waved her hand. "'Sides, if we throw in a couple of your signature sick lyrics, then we'll strike gold again! It'll be another Ebb & Flow, babe!"
Cupping her cheek, Marina tilted her head. "Aw, Pearlie! There you go again making me blush."
Pearl smirked. The victory in making Marina blush was always a pleasant one. Stepping away from Marina's turntables, she checked her oversized gold watch and rolled her eyes. They only had a few more minutes of peace before they needed to announce the new tracks for Turf Wars, thoroughly interrupting them from their creative process. She loved this gig, but she really needed to talk to their management about letting the Squid Sisters take over at times.
Rolling her shoulders back, Pearl was about to call Marina over for them to move into the studio. She opened her mouth and quickly closed it, noticing the far-off look in Marina's eyes. Following Marina's gaze, she uttered a tiny hum of understanding.
Agent Eight still tiptoed in the square, fiddling with the hem of her shirt. She still had a bit of a nervous way around her. Her time in Inkopolis was going well, but Pearl and Marina knew she still needed to get acclimated. She had saved Inkopolis without anyone even knowing or really having the time to befriend anyone, but Marina and Pearl noticed the two others by her.
Three and Four stood with Eight. They were going to the Crust Bucket with tickets in hand. Four gave his to Eight while Three suggested which snack she should try. Sean beamed down at them, offering the latest specials on his greasy and crunchy treats. Their backs faced Marina and Pearl, leaving them unable to see Eight's reaction to the whatever she picked.
"She's getting used to things quicker than you," Pearl said, and Marina nodded.
"It took me a while to get up to speed on everything, too. I'm glad Three and Four are giving her a hand." Marina smiled over to Pearl. "Just like how you helped me."
Pearl smirked and tossed down her hand. "Aw, it wasn't a big deal."
"You might say that, but it's true." Marina stood up and pushed in her chair. "Seeing Inklings and Octolings getting along like this, I never thought it would happen."
She turned her attention back to Eight, finding she had pivoted. Her cheeks were pushed out with one of Sean's snacks, and he laughed as she swallowed. Three and Four crowded her with wide-eyed anticipation, and Eight broke into a grin, licking her lips. Four pumped his fist in the air and bought them all treats. Three smiled and held Eight's crumb-covered hand, heat rushing to Eight's cheeks at the comforting gesture.
Marina sighed and relaxed her shoulders. She remembered being in the exact same situation, so unsure of Inkling society and how to react. She knew Eight had some irritation towards the plentiful squid-themed objects, but she had come to love them all. Food, clothes, battles, and music, they had all becoming ingrained in Marina's life, and she hoped Eight would feel that same bliss.
"Yo, Marina! Time to get going," Pearl called from the door, cocking her head towards the inner studio.
Waving to Eight when they caught eyes, Marina nodded. She skipped over to Pearl and grabbed her hand, squeezing slightly. With her smile spreading into her cheeks, Marina pecked Pearl's forehead and giggled at her girlfriend's embarrassed laughter, happy to be home in Inkopolis.