Disclaimer: Salvation - Plot ©XT3 on BlackVoid, XT1 on Devaintart and XT3100 on fictionpress. Black Void © XT3 on BlackVoid, XT1 on Deviantart and XT3100 on fictionpress. Splatoon © Nintendo All Rights reserved
Rated: M
Black Ice Vortex
Book 2: Salvation
Chapter 1
Wet. Cold. Dark, A cold wind brew through the tropical forest. The black sky that was normally open sky had it stars complete covered by the black clouds that roared. Yellow and white light struck and brought over the land while cold wet rain tor out of the clouds. As the rain poured the hash wind pushed the tall pine trees. A loud clap echoed in the green forest.
Water reflected each white lightning bolts over the grass and bushes of the forest floor. Under the flashes of light, twenty figures could be seen in their all black attire. Each of the figures was wearing skin tight clothes. Over their heads was a tight black mark that covered their heads entirely with goggles built into the black masks. The clear glass of the goggles showed off the bright green markings under the yellow eyes of the humanoid creatures. Right over their mouths there was a black rod they went horizontal across their mouths with holes for them to breathe through.
On their backs was a clear tank. Much like a scuba tank only it was mad e of glass except for the top dome and bottom dome of the tank which was pitch black metal. Inside it was a dark purple ink that help just a few air pockets against the glass. Out of the bottom of each the tanks were a tube that wired into a weapon that each of the figures carried.
In the group, there was three different kind of guns that they held. Two of the ten held onto a long-barreled gun that held more of a sniper rifle as the long barrel of the gun attached right to black tilted handle for a gunner to hold onto. Then on the other side was a small purple tank that was held in a bracket to the grip for the gun. At the start of the gun attached to the other end of the mini tank was a black shoulder rest.
Two more of them was holding onto a brush like weapon. A long stick with a tank and a brush tip. Holding halfway through the long pole was the purple tank in the black pole. At the end of the pole it shifted into a rectangular shape that held thick brush strands.
The rest of them held more of a multi firing weapon. It was a very simple design, like a small hand gun with a purple tank on top of the hand gun like base. This tank on the top of the weapon connected to the barrel of the weapon.
"You know the objective," One of the beings spoke in a gargling gibberish. "Kill them all and we gain more land with them losing a good tactile point."
"Yes sir!" The others saluted. Following the leader with the sniper rifle they dodged through the forest, hiding behind trees and in the shadows. One of the snipers climbed a tree in the pouring rain and looked through the scope of the gun and peered out to the little wooden town.
The wooding town held a few houses that was held up above the ground by wooden pillars. Looking up through a window on a porch near the tree. He aimed through the window and made a hand motion for a gunner to see. The gunner nodded and prepped himself. The sniper then pulled the trigger to have a trail of purple ink blast through the air. But under the crying sky. The rain diluted the ink as it hit the window. Yet somehow the ink was to crack the window.
The snippers companion then rushed up to the window to smash it apart with the base of his weapon. Jumping into the house he stuck to the walls and walked with his weapon in hand. Stopping in a hallway he leaned against the wall of the hall right next to a wooden door.
"I'll the see what that was." A voice from but hind the door spoke. "Just stay hear honey."
The being smirked behind his mask. He watched the door knob turn open for a new creature to walk through the door and shut it closed.
This humanoid creature held a very human shape. He, this male had no true hair like a human over his head but instead a smooth tentacle like texture of those of a squid. Only behind his elf sharp ear was two long tentacles. Squid tentacles that reach his hips.
His teeth that was visible when his mouth opened held three sharp fang based teeth. One was on the dead center of his bottom row of teeth. The other two was on his top row of teeth. They split his top row of teeth into three sections. His eyes held a rounder iris and pupils making it look much rounder and taking up a good amount of the creature's white space of his eyes. Lastly around the eyes was black markings that created the illusion that he was wearing a mask over his eyes.
Turning his head to his right he froze as the black robbed figured pulled the trigger to have purple liquid drench his body in ink. The Ink seeped into his body making it break apart and fracture into nothing more than a mix of dark and purple ink.
"Inkling down," The black dressed creature told himself. He prepped his weapon before he opened the door and slipped into the dark room.
"Blu-?" A female pink inking muttered as she sat up right in her bed but froze as the last thing she saw was the end of the creature's gun. He pulled the trigger leaving the female Inkling nothing more than a blend of pink and purple ink.
Speaking over his communication system, "Two Inklings down."
"Copy that," his boss told him. "Alright then prime this house with an ink mine."
"Roger." The covered being replied as he stepped out of the bedroom. Taking out something from behind his back he walked down the hall and out into the living room to start preparing the ink mine. The round and flat disk stat snuggly on the floor.
"Mines are prepped on my location," a feminine voice spoke over the com line.
Wet. The rain stung and burned. The dark skinned purple inkling rain through the rain over into the porch of another house. Opening the door, he burst into the house with his body still dissolving. "Ocean!" The purple creature cried.
He looked out of the window of the house to see a building fall apart. Wood splintered and cracked under the pressure of the ink forced it apart. Turning back to look at the hall he gritted his teeth and grabbed his left shoulder trying to block more ink from escaping through the holes.
Out of the hall his friend broke out from the door to his bedroom where his wife was staying. "Purple!" Ocean exclaimed. "What the cod are you doing here?! It's raining outside!"
"The Octolings," Purple cried in pain as he breathed. "They came during the storm!"
Ocean's eyes went wide. "Bullsquid." He paused and looked out the window to see the pouring rain. "How would they even…" He got cut off as he heard an exploration.
"Believe me now?" Purple asked as he winced at the sound. With one of his eyes closed. Ocean could only nod at the muffled sound under the heavy rain. "You got to get your wife out of the village before the Octolings get here."
"Come on," Ocean gained a hardened face. "I guess we have little time." With that said he lead his friend to his wife. He hurried into his room and awoken his wife. "Nu wake up. You need to get Splash and leave right now."
His wife Nu rubbed her eyes and sat un in bed. Nu was light skinned Inkling with nuclear orange tentacles. Her orange eyes held onto her tiredness as she yawned. "What's going on Ocean?" She yawned.
"Grab Splash and leave now!" Ocean sternly ordered before he rushed rough his wife's clothes grabbing her dry clothes in a rush.
"Wait why!" Nu slipped out of her bed. "What–" She didn't get to finish her statement as her husband threw a pair of water resistant pants on her face.
"The Octolings are here and killing everyone. I need you to take Splash and leave," Ocean told his wife. "I can't let them kill the both of you." Ocean looked over to the crib that held their egg. The blue sphere held the little unborn squid inside.
Nu turned her attention to the blue translucent egg. "But what about you!" She held her one hand over her chest as she nearly screamed. "I'm not letting our family get split up!" Tears swelled up in her eyes.
Pain and guilt wen over Ocean's face. "I know that. But I will make sure that you get out of this alive." He spoke as he watched his wife put on the water-resistant clothes. Of long pants, boots and a hooded jacket. "We wasted too much time. I'll make sure you get out with Splash."
"But!"
"Once this fight is over I'll meet you at that place." Ocean said as he picked up their egg and wrapped it into some layers of clothes. When Ocean handed it to Nu. She grabbed their egg and held onto their son tightly.
Nu held tightly onto her egg as she looked down with her hood on. "Promise me that you will do whatever it takes to make it through this."
"I promise," Ocean smiled. Just then he heard a door bust open. "Shit." He cursed as he then hurried his wife out of the room and into the hall. "You go out the back. Get into the forest."
"You better." Nu cried in anger and worry. Not wasting anytime, she tore through the back door and through the door. 'You have to be here for Splash.' She gritted her teeth as she jetted through the down pouring rain on the muddy grass.
"There one goes!" the ink in Nu's veins went cold with her skin turning white.
'Cod damn it!' She cried even more as she started to tear into the bushes to avoid diluted ink blasts. 'Ow!' Nu cried mentally as she tore through the brush. As she did part of her clothes started to rip on the sharp thorns in some of the bushes.
After what felt like hours Nu was running in the rain being burned and stung by the rain. She only had her long white sleeve shirt and pants on but her entire body was starting to resolve under the heavy rain. 'Splash,' She cried. 'I will make sure that you live.' Nu had wrapped her son up in the leather jacket to keep him dry.
Finally, she collapsed and fell to the muddy grass. To her left was a tree that seemed dry. 'Looks dryer than everything else around here.' Nu thought. Using her one arm she pushed herself up to get off the ground. Nu leaned against the tree. 'If anytime I'll make sure you survive. My little Splash.' She cried.
A noise, the bushes to her left moved and rustled. Her sad and dry eyes turned to see the bushes part as if something was moving through it. Before her eyes a new figure shimmered as the rain created an outline of the tall being. "Sta- stay." Nu chattered her teeth with each cold breath. She watched it raise what looked be its hand before she shut her eyes tight and looked away. 'Why can't the rain just…' Nu's eyes snapped open. "The rain." She breathed. Looking up about her she saw a black metal block that simply floated above her.
"It's not touching me." Her quiet voice whispered as she eyes saw the non-seeable dome that was forcing the water to run over something that was not there. "Like a dome. I'm in a sphere." Turning her head to look down. She was that a hand was coming into existence as it was filled with color. She watched the figure stand underneath the dry area.
Taking in the sight of the creature. 'It's tall. Double… my height.' She mentally noticed. Looking at the tall figure it was about six feet compared to her three feet tall body. The main things that stood out was what covered the head. A black helmet, the skin-tight metal that surrounded the being. It's shoes and something that it had on its back. Nu couldn't a good look at it but the mask and it's hands she was able see get a good look at.
Over each joint of the hand it had glowing blue lines that broke up the metal I to sections over its hands. This metal armor was thinker over the hands as it seemed nice and then over its arms and legs. If only by less than an inch. Looking up at the helmet she saw how the glass on the metal helmet was outlined by a thin glowing blue line. This glass dome covered what Nu figured to be the face of the head of the being.
It then kneeled onto its knees. Holding out its hand a silver liquid came out from the palm was a silver liquid that flowed out of the blue lines on its armored hand. It flowed and bended through the air as it went to the ground. She walked the cold liquid left her into the air. 'It's dry?' She thought in a bit of shock. At that point it was hoisting her up in the air by a foot off the ground.
The figure stopped the flowing silver liquid from coming out of its palm and turned its head to the left. Holding a finger up to the helmet it made a be quiet sign. 'Why does it…' Nu froze as she turned to see two of the Octoling walk through the bushes and stop.
"What the…" One said. "Why is the rain doing that?" One of the Octolings walking into the small area. Nu was about to scream as she opened her mouth. Only for the mystery being to cover her mouth with its right hand.
It then raised it's right hand to have the silver liquid come out of the palm of its hand. Pointing at the moving liquid at the one of the Octolings she watched it form a barrel shape with a blue glowing rod instead of the liquid mish tube.
"Something is not right," The second Octoling started to speak. "Let's look—" He froze and turned to see bullet shoot through the first Octoling's head.
Nu's eyes grew large and shook as she saw that the head of the Octoling was evaporate leaving the rest of the body alone. 'Did the Octoling's head just!' She flinched as she watched the other one fall backwards onto the ground.
"?&8^$," Nu turned to look at the unknown speaking to her. She watched it use more of the dry silver liquid.
"OW!" She yelped as she felt the silver liquid enter her wounds. She opened her clothes eyes as she still grinded her teeth. She watched the metal prevent her body from leaking Orange ink. As it broke of the flow of liquid silver it, the creature in black reached out to gently take the egg wrapped up in cloth in Nu's arms. "Hay give me my egg back!" She grunted in pain. She tried to reach out her hand to grab the wrapped but stopped as more silver metal formed what looked to be a tube made of silver.
Gently the being in black unwrapped her egg and held the egg ever so gently. "What are you!" She flinched in pain as she grabbed her left arm. Closing her eyes, she opened them again to watch the unknown lower Splash into the glass tube. "Wait! Did you just!" Her small egg sat in the moving silver metal. Slowly the liquid moved to create a top and a flat bottom plates that held her egg firmly in the middle. It then held the container and handed it back to her to hold.
"Splash," She whispered as she held on tight to her egg. She jolted in place as she heard a new voice and flipped over to her left to see another being. Just like the one before her standing there. 'Bigger hips?' Nu thought as she looked over the figure. 'A female?'
The second figure keep speaking to the male one. While the second one had more of annoyed and mad posture. She watched in aww as the two seem to argue. At one point the one that saved her held up his hand to have its middle finger being the only one up. 'Is that an insult?' Nu wondered. The second one then waved him off and then walked back into the forest to vanish into the air. The creature then turned his head to look back at Nu and held its right hand over Nu. 'What in the world is he going to…'
The liquid, the silver liquid below her then short out from below her and wrapped all the way around her to connect to the metal palm of the mystery being. 'I got to!' She never finished her thoughts as the silver liquid turned transparent. Allowing her to see. 'Wait.' She found herself looking up at the sky. 'Is it taking me?'
Turning her head side to side she watched the finger carry her through the forest till they finally reached. 'THE OCEAN!' Shifting her body the creature that was carrying her stopped at the beach. "I can't!" She cried, "the Water!"
As she was trying to move the bag that held her, three others phase into existence. The creature started to talk to the others as he carefully moved the bag with Nu and her egg so that he was holding her in front of his chest.
Nu continued to struggle as she took in what the three-looked like. 'They look just like him,' She noticed. 'Are two… of them female?' She wondered as two of them was slimmer and held more rounded features at the hips and chest.
Nu only stopped struggling in the bag as she watched a female in the group of the three speak up. Under the heavy rain, she watched and heard these creatures talk. 'I wish I could understand what they're saying.' Nu thought as she winced in pain from her dissolving body.
Eventually she her them stop talking and under the heavy rain storm she heard something raise out of the ocean. 'What is that?' Nu pondered as she saw something non-natural. A black narrow looking shape. 'Did it just come out of the water?'
Once the figure was floating on the water Nu watched her savior and his friends walk through the water. Looking down at the ocean that moved right beyond the bag that held her. The inkling held tightly onto her egg. I did not take long for her to reach the thing. 'Metal?' She noticed the object.
Nu watched the other climb over the metal to the more rounded surface I. The middle. On the side of the curving metal wall she watching a rectangular slot open for them all to walk into the thing.
Once inside she felt the being that held her walked to the right. As she was being carried she heard wet metal colliding with every step it took. Just a minute later she was set down in the bag onto the mesh metal floor. Looking up she looking at two things. Both of which was floating in the air.
"&&%#7," She heard the creature speak. She looked up and saw a that it had taken off It's metal helmet and gloves. The pale skinned creature reached down to open the bag to lift both her and Splash onto was looked to be a table. The silver padded floating slab sat snugly into the curving wall. On her left was the creature with the right side being a black wall with a thick glass window.
'Wait!' Nu's eyes widened. 'Is that tentacles?' She was shocked at the sight of a haired being. While he looking like a male Inkling in humanoid form. But it's face not as round but more narrow. He had what she could guess was some sort of soft fur over the top of his head. But it was the two inkling tentacles that it had. One on each side of the. Much like a female inkling but the tentacles reached his shoulders and went down its back.
With a gentle hand the inkling like being took Splash out from her hands and set him on a small float table right to Nu's left. Sitting in a sit up position Nu watched another one of this creature walk up behind the male. 'One of those females,' Nu thought. 'I think.'
She noticed how this one had no tentacles but the fur that grew out from the top of her head was long, brown and very wavy. She watched as the female called at the male and the two broke into a quick argument. Only for the male to win and reach out to Splash. But instead of touching the container that held her egg of a sun. A white light thing appeared and as it dimmed she saw how it was more like a clear glowing panel.
Watching the Inkling like creature she watched it go through the menu and talk to his complain pointing at things. It didn't last long till it turned to look at Nu and put one hand onto her deforming arm and held a needle. "What are you doing!" She squeaked.
It held a firm grasp on her arm while it used something to clean a spot on her skin before it poked the needle instead of her arm. "OW!" She winced. As soon as she felt it enter it was removed from her arm. Turning to look at the small tube she saw that it held some of her ink. 'Why does it want my Ink?' She wondered. Put the little thing with her ink right next to the panel she watched it float.
The familiar silver liquid that was still holding her limbs togather reach up from the table top to attach to the needle drawing out the ink. Then he forced her to lay down flat on her back. She felt and watched the being put his right hand on her shoulder. "^%*#$&$% # $&*." She heard a calm but unknown words tell her. The silver metal then flowed down to her should and ringed around it. But it was what happened next that surprised her. The sharp pain. So sharp. Like water touching her skin.
She gritted her teeth and camped her eyes shut before she gasps out and screamed in pain. For what felt like forever only lasted seconds, by the time the pain felt. Nu swung her left hand to smack the creature but her hand met his. Freezing in place her eyes snapped open and shook. Widening her eyes, she turned her head to look at her arm. 'It's…' She cried. "Healed." She whispered the last word aloud. 'Not a single scratch!' Finally, she saw the smiling creature and his friend. "Is this what you're doing?"
"Wait what's that?" The nuclear orange Inkling asked as she looked at a floating piece of silver liquid. Spinning around in a DNA patterned there was something in there that matched her skin tone. 'Don't tell me!' She nearly threw up. 'AN ARM!' She finally noticed that it was a new right arm for her as the being had a ring of silver liquid clasp into her right shoulder. She closed her eyes for the next round.
In the mites of the screaming she opened an eye to see what they were to her right arm. 'Cod damn it!' She mentally puked. Her arm was being ripped apart by the silver liquid and shifting into a nuclear orange ink that the liquid keep pumping into her new arm. Once it lowered in place she saw that the new ink veins were created out of her shoulder. Her new veins then connected to the ones in the freshly made arm before the silver liquid sewed her new arm in place.
Squinting her eyes, she watched that silver liquid exit her shoulder to create a refreshing relief. 'This is cod damn ridiculous,' She thought. Looking down to her deformed legs she sighed. 'I guess I'm not done with the pain.' She mentally complained.
She heard the two being talk. Turning her head, she watched their mouths move as they looked at the silver light thing that defied all logic. They turned their heads to look back at her legs and had that damn stuff cut into her left hip. 'Don't look,' she repeated as the pan coursed through her body. 'Sti- ick with,' she mentally trailed off. Breathing a sigh of relief, she felt the liquid get pulled out of her hips. As she left out a breath of relief she felt the pain once again start in her other half of her hips. Letting out another yell of pain Nu waited out the pain till she felt all the pain leave.
"%$# &^$ !," Nu heard the being speak. Opening her eyes, she sat up on the bed and looked over her body. Not a scratch.
She watched the being grab some sort of cloth. 'A shirt?' She wondered. 'Why would he…' Her eyes went open and she tried to cover herself. Only to blush as the male laughed and stole a glance at the female who she watched shake her head. 'Pervert.' She thought as she grabbed the shirt with one hand. After slipping the white shirt on she found that reach down to her knees. 'Way to big.' She thought but she felt the being put two more things on her waist.
Nu felt a sweat drop down her head she took in the sight of the last two items. Going a bit red. 'They better not watch.' Nu tried to hide her neater regions as she put the white clothes. Nu was about to jump to the floor but stopped as the male used his hands to stop her. He then slipped something over her feet. A pair of sandals. Nu's face fell. She shook her head and then slipped down to the floor to stand on the slightly wet floor. 'Ok. I see why they gave me shoes.' She looked up to the creature she handed her son Splash back to her. Holding her son's container tightly she followed the two mysterious beings down through the big metal thing.
"So remember the restrictions," a female told one of the two males in the group. "Ridge."
Ridge, the one in question was, like the rest of them in the four-person group, he was a human. His black hair was a bit messy but what stood out about his hair was two black squid tentacles that went down and framed his face. He had them reach down to his shoulders where he then had then going down his back instead of his chest. His yellow and green eyes looked over to the one speaking. Ridge like all humans, had adapted to have larger pupils as if they were dilated like the humans from the past. "I know what they are Roxy."
Ridge deadpanned at his female friend. He looked over to his long hair friend. Roxy, was blue eyed girl with long wavy brown hair. Roxy like every other human had slightly pointed ears and the ability to breathe underwater. But unlike her friend's whiter skin ton she had a bit darker shade of skin. She spoke up, "Just reminding you." Roxy's deadpanned as she walked through sub dock that held the large black sub. "We are not to interact with all those squids and octopuses."
"I got it mother," the second female in the group spoke up. She was a blond-haired woman with thin, octo-tentacles that was tied up in a large round bun right behind her head. But she did not all her hair was tied up in the bun. Some of it framed the front of her face. Her brown eyes stared at Roxy.
"Don't let her get to you Alicia," A male voice spoke up right behind the blond woman who jumped in place.
"DAMN IT MAX!" Alicia spun around to look at the last one in the black research suit. Max's pink tinted hair stood out against his steel blue eyes. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"
Max just shrugged and turned to look at the glass submarine. "I didn't." Max's monotone voice remarked. He took a step over to the edge of the dock where the underwater craft floated on top of the ocean water. That filled the white dock room that could hold four of the submarines. "I was there the whole time."
"Smart ass," Alicia deadpanned. "I think you need to work on your person skills."
"My person skills are just fine." Max remarked he looked at the side of the sub. Before him, a door opened on the side of the main body of the bullet train like shape. Then a silver liquid shot out from the underneath the door and attached to the dock. Max took a few steps onto the wide liquid. He stopped over the section that was over the wing blade of the sub. Looking over to the other. "I just want to get this started. The sooner we can solve this issue the better."
Ridge and the others looked at each other as Max walked into the submarine. "I guess we better get going then." Alicia shrugged.
"Why must it be raining," Alicia complained. "I hate rain."
Max spoke up, "Rain won't kill you." Currently the both was sitting in a section of the sub in the front. This small room was on the bottom floor out of the three that was in this swimming rig. The lounge like room was attached to the hall that held all the rooms. At the back of the hall was the stairs that led to the next floor.
Alicia was sitting on a couch that lined the entire wall of the room that was a step lower than the main part of the open room. The lower section that couch was on started about ten feet from the wall where the metal hallway stood.
"I still hate getting soaked wet," Alicia remarked annoyed. "Have we broken through the ocean surface?"
"I don't think so," Matt replied. He sat next to her as he leaned in to the black leather couch. "Roxy or Ridge would…"
"Hey we broke the ocean surface!" They heard Roxy call over the internal speakers of the submarine. "Get your asses up here to the hatch!"
Alicia stood up and sighed. "Why must she be so brass?"
"Because that's who she is."
Staring down Matt, "That was a rhetorical question." Alicia snapped back at her coworker.
The second floor of the submarine was a unique one. With the entire floor being a long hallway with a silver metal mesh floor that ran from the front all the way to the back where the hall ended into an open room. The room acted as a stair well. Yet as one would look over the floor they'd notice how the floor was split into two. With the east half being the hallway.
Roxy and Ridge stood before the hatch that was roughly ten feet from the end of the long hall that ended at the curving wall. Ridge was leaning against the wall directly across from the hatch door. "I wonder what it's like on the surface."
"Different from what we live in," Matt called over to Ridge and Roxy as he walked over. Stopping next to Roxy he turned and looked over to the hatch. "For one there is the sun."
"We know that smart ass." Alicia deadpanned. "Let's get this over with." She said as a silver metal seeped out of the back of her suit. The liquid floated and defied gravity as it encased her entire head. Solidifying, the silver turned into a single black helmet.
Ridge looked down and sighed while he had a helmet just like her form around his head. The helmet was a lot like a fencing mask. A dome black glass fused covered the entirely of his face. From chin to forehead. Over his hands more silver liquid coated his hands turning black as it solidified. As the others got their gear on Ridge walked up to the door to have it open. "Don't waste this opportunity Alicia. We get to see the sky for once." He turned back to look at the pour rain that clashed with the ship and jumped onto the wing.
Under the moon lit forest the four humans treaded through under the rain that drenched them. Stopping in the endless forest they all turned to look at one another. "Alright, Ridge and I will be going togather." Roxy stated. "You and Alicia will be going in another pair, just don't kill Matt, Alicia."
"No promises," Alicia shook her head. Looking off to the side she looked up into the tree canopy. "Still I think we should have came here during the day and not night."
Matt remark, "I say that night time is a better time to come up here." He looked over at his friend. "We human's evolved to get harmed from sun. Like vampires, only we don't burn like they would."
Behind her mask Alicia grew a tick mark, "I know that! I don't need the damn history lesson!"
"That wasn't a history lesson," Matt titled his head slightly. "It was a statement. Just talking."
Roxy sighed before talking. "Well just remember to collect dirt samples and air readings." Roxy reminded them. "And the rest of the samples that we need." The two nodded. "Good. Now let's get started! But one last thing."
"What now mother?" Alicia moaned.
"We are not allowed to interact with any of the squids or octopus," Roxy reminded them. "Got that!?" Receiving a nod of understanding they split into two groups.
Ridge walked through the rain, pushing the planet life out of the way. 'Wait is that a!' He thought as he froze in the bushes. Without another thought he shifted invisible. Breaking through the plant life on the other side of the mini clearing of grass. Taking in the sight of the creature, 'It's one of the squids.' He noted. Its orange hair glowed under the water that ate at its body. Blood, or Ink rather. Ridge watched it twist its neck under the rain.
'Damn,' He thought. 'Must be in a lot of pain.' Orange eyes met yellow green eyes. Watching it's panicked expression as it held tightly onto something bundled in its arms. It looked around and saw the tree that was off to Ridge's Left. Hurrying over to the tree, the squid held tightly onto the bundle of clothe in its arms and took on the pouring rain that burned away its arms. Ridge sighed. 'Fuck the rules.' Slipping through the plant life he watched the squid turn and look over where he was. Shifting the cloak off he heard the creature speak something.
Ignoring it, Ridge focused and held some the liquid Nano tech seep out of the center of his palms to form a solid block. Looking back at the squid, 'It's looking away.' He noticed it closing its eyes. 'Lucky you.' Ridge thought as he threw the black brick. Stopping in midair over its head, blue grids glowed before an unseen force expanded over the creature.
The orange sea creature shifted her body and looked up with wide eyes at the bar. 'Force fields are mysterious, aren't they?' Ridge inwardly grinned. Stepping towards the land dwelling squid he watched as the creature cried out at him. 'Like I'm going to hurt you.' Ridge thought. Walking under the forcefield that kept the rain from burning the squid. He squatted down in front of the creature. Resting his hands over his knees. Ridge moved his right hand into the air with his palm facing the ground. Liquid Nano bots seeped out of the glowing blue crack in the palm.
Moving like a string the liquid stopped and spun around to form a silver disk. After only a few seconds did it have form pillars that dripped to the ground as if it was water running down the side of a vertical surface. 'watching the liquid now huh?' Ridge thought. 'Must be so alien to you.'
After a good distance the silver liquid formed another disk to create a small container.
Ridge froze as he noticed two dots on his motion tracker appear. They continued to move to the clearing. Taking his only free hand he points a single finger to make a be quiet motion. The orange "hair" squid nodded.
'What are those?' Ridge's he looked over to the moving bushes at his left. 'Fuck.' Stepping out of the bushes was two Octopi if the reactions from the squid before him was anything to go by. Watching the two creatures stop at the edge of the clearing before they looked at each. Listening Ridge started to get worried. 'Shit, the forcefield.' Ridge raised his left hand into the air and pointed at the left one's head. Holding his left hand in a fist he let the silver Nano liquid seep out from the slots in his black armor. Raising like bubbles in water.
Instantly the liquid formed a rotating DNA helix as a long barrel for a gun. In the center of the barrel water was drawn into the center. Being held in zero gravity the water shaped. Into a bullet with a long tip. Then a clear layer of silver Nano coated the water bullet. Pulling an imaginative trigger, the bullet launched out of the spinning helix to go straight through the force field.
Spinning in the air the bullet went through the left most octopi. As it broke through the water exploded from the inside of its head. Making ink blood and water pop the octopus's head from the inside. Falling backwards the creature drew the attention of the attention of the creature on its left. Ridge watched the other take a few steps back and then pulled the trigger once again.
Lowering his hand the Nano fluid receded back into his hand. Turning his head to look at the squid, "There." He spoke. "All gone." Ridge spoke in a soft voice. Slowly he opened the container so the top disk was off. Putting the off to the side the silver container negated gravity and hovered in place. Letting a bit of Silver Nanofluid, he raised the Squid off of the wet ground onto a dry raised platform.
The creature's eyes widened a bit as shock took her breathe. It looked down to silver metal that held her up before she looked back up to her savior. But she then yelped in pain as Ridge used the silver nano liquid to enter her terrible wounds. 'Her arms and legs. They're half way gone.' Driving the Nano bots over her halfway gone limbs.
When that happened, the squid let out a gasping screen. But soon she went quiet again as the chunks of her arms and legs was capped off.
Steadily Ridge reached out to gently pull the wad of clothes that she held tightly against her chest. Listening to the squid cry he started to unravel the clothe but stopped as he slipped one hand into the clothe. 'An egg.' He stopped and looked at the sea creature. 'No wonder you are scared.' Slipping his left hand over the top of the soft egg he pulled the translucent egg out and held the small egg in one hand.
Letting the fabric drape to the grass, Ridge held out his right hand to pull the floating container to the egg. Gently he slipped the egg into the container and sealed it off. Handing it back to the squid he smiled behind his helmet as he watched the humanoid look at the container. She kept turning it around and looked up to Ridge.
"FUCKING DAMN IT RIDGE," Ridge flinched as he turned to see Roxy walk over to him. She had balled her fists. "I thought I said that we can't interact with the locals!"
Feeling a tic mark grow Ridge turned and looked over to his coworker. "You know. I really don't give a fuck."
"We are just here to collect data and…"
"SHUT up." Ridge cold voice hissed at his friend. "I am a Marine biologist and I have been studying the squids along with the Octopi for a long ass time. I already said that we are going to contact them. SO why the fuck not should we do it a bit early!" Ridges rage poured out of each word. "Furthermore, they are sentient just like us! I sure as hell wasn't going to let one die!"
Under the pouring rain, Roxy shrieked. Putting a hand over her chest she shot back. "That is true but we can't interact with them! We don't even know their language!"
Silence, both fell into silence with the only noise coming from nature. Under the rain, Ridge broke the silence. "So then. Let's start with her." He looked over to the squid that watched to two bicker. "If we can teach her then we can find a way to talk with them. So, it's either that or I just kill her right here."
"Then kill her," Roxy coldly snapped. "I can just tell them that you found the egg and decided to keep it."
'I wonder sometimes,' Ridge thought. "Why the hell is your minds so warped."
Roxy shakes her head. "I am not, it's just that right now what they do is not our concern!"
Ridge crakes his fingers. "Well fuck you!" He flipped her. "You know I think I'll just take both her and her egg."
"Jackass," Roxy muttered. Snapping out of it. "Fine. Take them. But I'll be your ass on the line for this! Dumbass!" She waved him off and waved him off while cloaking away.
Ridge twisted and held one hand out stretched over the squid. Ridge then let the silver Nano exit his palm to shoot down and encase the squid in a transparent bag. Raising his arm slightly he lifted the squid in the bag and then had the forcefield that kept the water from touching her vanish. Black to a silver fluid it flowed through the air as if it was traveling through a clean pipe. Slipping back into the palms of his hands. Ridge slipped the bag with the squid over his back and left the clearly where only the remains of the octopi lay.
The sounds of waves from the ocean grew louder with each step through the jungle. "I'm the leading expert on the Squids and Octopi. They'll be mad sure but I can keep her."
"Like a pet," Roxy teased with a smirking.
Ridge stopped at the forest's edge. "Not as a pet." He remarked at Roxy. He turned his head back to look at the ocean beach. "As her friend. I hope." Ridge tacked on at the end. Stepping over the wet sand the human decloaked.
Roxy waved him off, "Keep telling yourself that. Champ."
Ridge sighed, looking out before him the others decloaked and shimmered into existence. "Is that the squid in that bag?" Alicia asked while pointing at the back behind Ridge's back.
"How'd you?"
Matt cut him off, "Roxy told us."
Signing Ridge glanced away for a second before looking back at them. Gently swinging the bag around to be in front of his chest. "This is the squid." He held her in the bag for the others to see. But as he did the squid squirmed and cried something.
"Either it fears us or it sees the ocean." Matt nonchalant stated. "ironic that ocean creatures can't touch the water without dying."
With a hand on her hip, "So why'd you take this squid?" Alicia questioned Ridge.
Ridge breathed in and out. "Rules be damned. I wasn't going to let this one get killed."
Alicia sighed and looked away. "Well it's your ass on the line. Not ours."
Ridge rolled his eyes. "Roxy already said that."
Speaking up Matt stated. "So, did you get any data other than that squid?"
"Yes, I got data on the earth." Ridge deadpanned.
"Well," Alicia cut in. "The sooner we get in the sub the better. I don't like all the this rain. It's depressing."
Resisting a need to face palm, Ridge just shook his head as the Sub surfaced from under the ocean.
Once slipping into the ship he held onto the bag in his arms. "So what are you going to do with the squid?" Roxy asked as the group walked into the dry submarine.
Ridge turned to look at her. "Reconstruct it's body. Should be simple."
"Well, have fun then," Alicia looked over to him. "I'm going to dry off and off load the data." With that said she walked over to the stair well at the back of the submarine. Matt followed her closed behind, once he closed the door to the outside world. Ridge slowly walked over to the front of the diving machine. In the front of the underwater ship was a white bed top.
Fitting into the curving wall perfectly the bed defied gravity with a small blue hue coming out from the underside of the table. To the right of the table was another small table top. This one however was much smaller. Only three feet wide compared to the bed that spanned the entire north wall. Stopping right before the table Ridge set the squid onto the grate floor.
Breathing deeply the helmet dissolved around his head to recede back into his black suit. Ridge cracked his neck letting his two tentacle bangs hang loose. Cracking his fingers quickly his black gloves liquidized so the black Nano liquid revert into the rest of his suit. Reaching down, he lifted the squid and her egg out of the bag to set them on the long table against the front wall.
Locking eyes with the orange squid Ridge gently touched the container that held her egg. "Let me take this for a bit." He gently spoke. Not having to wrestle or fight the ocean creature, Ridge took the egg to place it on to the counter top to his left where the small desk was.
"So how do you plan to save this creature?" Roxy crossed her arms. Silently she stood next to Ridge with her helmet off as well.
Ridge reached over to a space of air next to the egg. But he stopped as a white panel of light shimmered into view. Growing out from a center point the 23' wide holographic screen came into existence. Touching the screen the screen Ridge moved through the navigation menus to get to the point that he wanted. "Well from what I have learned." Ridge started as DNA helix appeared in a box on the top right of the screen. "Their ink holds all their DNA, Like our blood."
Roxy's face fell, "What the hell? But I thought that they are made of ink!"
"Their bodies are mostly made of ink." Ridge replied. "They have organs and ink veins in their bodies." Ridge glance over to the squid that was watching them. "I think the ink veins are what give then their humanoid shape." Looking back to his friend. "But, regardless I need some DNA from her." Holding out a single hand he had more of the silver Nano fluid seep out from the table top. Grasping it he turned to look at the squid with a freshly formed needle and syringe.
"She sounds scared," Roxy noted as she heard the squid squeaked.
"This is foreign to her," Ridge reminded Roxy as he drew out some Ink from the Squid's arm. Placing the ink sample vertically in the air right next to the computer. "Ah! BINGO!" Ridge grinned.
"What?" Roxy asked.
"I got the DNA I need."
"Seriously?" The Roxy droned.
"looks like I can reconstruct her limbs," Ridge beamed. As he finished talking the silver liquid defied gravity as it's rose out of the table top like air bubbles. Behind the white screen the nanites merged and molded into a floating DNA helix.
Placing his right hand onto the squid's left shoulder he spoke in a calm voice. "This'll most like hurt." Mentally the human guided his liquid silver nanites float out from the table, slithering around his arm they ran to his hand. Going around his fingers he guided the nano liquid to her shoulder. Like water following a channel for the first time the nanite liquid created a ring going around the start of her shoulder. Then the nanite ring shrunk and cut into her shoulder.
Crying the squid girl snapped her eyes shut and tried to move. Yet she was unable to as more of the nanite liquid held her down at her arms and legs.
From the ring, the liquidized ring cut her flesh and ink body. Cutting nerves with precision and fluidness. On the half of the ring that the arm once was the silver water shot down over her arm. It dove through the skin like a person swimming through water. Extracting the ink and inners of the arm while it broke them apart into a nuclear orange ink. Creating holes over the mangled arm the orange ink traveled up through the air to the silver ring.
Raising his left hand, he grabbed the spinning silver vortex, looking through the empty spaces on the ever spinning nanites. One could see skin, a new arm was held suspended in the center of the tube. With a steady hand, he brought the second arm up to the squid's shoulder. There the nanite liquid reacted to one another and stitched the shoulder onto her body. Nerve by nerve, ink vein by Ink vein. Within seconds the nanites receded back to Ridge's hand to float around his wrist.
Skin met skin as a small slap echoed in the air. Ridge held onto the newly made wrist of the squid that laid before him. It froze, the see creature froze and opened her eyes wide. 'They're shaking,' Ridge noted. 'Her eyes are shaking.' With a smile, he looked back at the sea creature and let go of her wrist.
"I get it now," Roxy stated with hands on her hips. "That's what you are going to do."
"From the readings, I got on the way here," Ridge rolled his eyes to look at his friend. "Only her arms and legs was damaged. Fate was on her side tonight."
"I'd say," Roxy shook her head and sighed. "Well," She looked down at the creature. "Looks like you are going to have to take care of her when this is over with."
Ridge snorted. "No…" His voice dripped with sarcasm. "… You have to be joking." He paused and groaned. "Of course, I will." A small voice grabbed both human's attention. Making both turn and look at the creature that moving about its left arm.
"Let's get the others done," Ridge breathed. Behind his right shoulder was another spinning nanite helix. Ridge got the squid to lay down again. Slowly he touched the right shoulder of the squid to create the ring of nanites. Its orange eyes watched as the liquid metal wrapped around her shoulder and cut into her shoulder.
"She's clenching her teeth," Roxy muttered. "that is so human."
"We forced them to evolve," Ridge stated without looking back at her. Instead he took the other arm and brought it up to the squid's shoulder so the nanites could sew the two togather. "Well kind of."
Roxy crossed her arms again and huffed. "What? Due to that poison? Our kind never did that on purpose."
Ridge shrugged, "Well we did it indirectly at least." He retracted the nanites and pointed back at the computer. "Look at these notes left by Hydro."
"What about them?"
"Remember that the poison that was in the water was what killed most of them at the time?" Ridge questioned Roxy.
"Except for himself and his wife," Roxy dropped her arms. "I know that. Hell! Every human knows that! It's why we all became what we are now!"
"Just seeing if you can make the connection," Ridge shrugged. He looked back at the squid and guided the nanites with his hand to her right hip. "Both Hydro and the other scientist's notes are what is allowing me to save her life." Ridge didn't wait for a response as he made the nanites cut into the sea creature's hips.
"I am still shocked with all those human expressions." Roxy watched the creature grit it's teeth and shut its eyes closed.
"They were forced to evolve," Ridge reminded her. "But that is something to keep in mind." Tearing about like layers of paper flakes the squid's right legs broke about. Shifting into orange ink as it dissolved into the ink blood. Running through the air back to the nanite ring they dove into the silver liquid. And with a gentle hand the third liquid helix. Slipping it in place Ridge let the orange Ink Blood inject into the leg as the nanite ring sewed the fresh leg to the hip. As it finished, the nanite liquid slithered up to his arm where it floated and hugged it tightly.
"You're almost done," Roxy noted as she gently cracked one of her shoulders.
Not responding to his co-worker, Ridge put his hand onto the squid's left hip to have the nanites slice into her hip. Reaching over his right shoulder he grasped air and pulled the floating nanite helix. Rotating it in the air he held it over her leg that was being dissolved into blood ink. Once the leg was gone he lowered the leg into place for the reattachment to begin.
"All done," He gently breathed. "Little girl." Calling back all the nanites he smiled as the little squid girl slowly sat upright to look over her reconstructed body. Her eyes shook and tears fell from her eyes. Looking over to Roxy, "Can you grab a shirt, shorts and all the clothes our little squid needs."
"Why?" Roxy's monotone voiced questioned. "She's just a…" Ridge's eyes dug into hers.
"She need clothes," the simple answer from Roxy's friend made her face palm.
"Fine." Roxy turned around while muttering a few things under her breathe. Taking only a few minutes she returned with a set of clothes and sandals with her.
Roxy set the clothes on the computer desk. Ridge never missed a beat as he picked up the white human shirt to hand it to the sea creature.
Ridge just chuckled as the flustered squid swiped the white shirt out of his hand. 'She is blushing, now that's cute.' Ridge thought while out of the corner of his eye he could see Roxy shake her head.
"This is just too fucking weird," Roxy groaned. Her eyes tracked Ridge's movements as he places the shorts and panties over the squid's lap. 'How the hell is it so damn red.' It turned to look away from the two.
"Got the shoes and socks?" Ridge asked.
"What?" Roxy locked eyes and Ridge.
"Never mind," Ridge shook his head and grabbed a pair of white hiking sandals. Using the nanites he shrunk the shoes down in size. Reaching over to her feet. HE slowly pulled her feet to the edge. Stopping he saw that the squid nodded complied as she hung her legs over the edge of the table. Slipping on the sandals over her feet he grabbed her under the arms. Gently he set her on the wet floor before he reached up and grabbed the container that held her egg.
….
I got it done. Chapter 1 of the second book in my Splatoon Series. Book 2: Salvation. Trust me when i say that i got a plan for this book. It'll be split into three sections. The first two chapters are the prologue of sorts. Then arch 1 starts. Also i do have a second arck for this Book before i go into book three.
Ok now more about thisd chapter. I was evil. I wanted something that was dark, and i think i nailed it with Nu and the Octolings. At first i was going to have her run away with SPlash and not tell you what happened to Purple and Ocean but i figured. That i should add in the sceene with Ocean. I was going to leave you all guessing if he lived but i decided i'd rather show you what happened to him.
Ridge, oh boy! He was a fun OC. Now you all should know at this point what effect Katie and Felix had on the rest of the human underwater settlement. Yes each of them got married and had kids. I think i might write a spinnoff series of them living in the settlement after their parents sealeled themselfs. Anywways please tell me what you think of this. I reaslly tried to make it vivid, dark and well more mature in a way.