Hello everyone, and welcome to my Splatoon Story! This is actually a spiritual reboot of an older story I was working on, which is now deleted since this one has caught up with it. Most of the stuff is the same, with a few minor tweaks here and there. One quick notice, if you do not like this story, I completely understand, just please leave a review detailing what you didn't like, and some suggestive criticism. Please don't leave a review saying that you would rather self-harm then read this story, that won't help me improve as an author.
Note (8/1/2017): As of Splatoon 2's official artbook; Nintendo has announced that Octolings actually reproduce asexually. This completely ruins the canon of this story... I have, however, thought of a way Octola could have a hybrid child, and while it may seem silly, it's really one of the only ways I could make it work, and thus I rewrote this chapter to accommodate for that, as well as will cover it in more detail in the sequel story. Also please don't flame me on Coral's status as a half-Inkling, half-Octoling. I wrote this BEFORE the Splatoon 2 artbook confirmed Octolings reproduce asexually, and tried to make Coral's existence work with this knowledge.
That being said, enjoy!
The Octarian cause was a simple one, yet those that were not Octarian themselves would call it insane. The Octarians were once a great and mighty species, but the rising sea levels forced their former friends, the Inkings, to do battle with the Octarians over turf. When the Great Turf War ended around 83 years ago, the Octarians were forced into the area now known as Octo-Valley, where they built themselves underground dwellings connected by kettles. These domes, however, didn't have much power, and slowly but surely, the Octarian army were currently beginning an uprising to take power from the Inklings just to survive.
For Octola, Elite Octoling for the Octarian Army, this cause was absolute.
The Octoling in question was looking around the dense valley, her Octoshot held at the ready. She wore the standard Octoling armor, and like all elites she had kelp in her hair. Unlike other Elites in the military, however, her hair was a dark purple color, instead of the standard black most Octolings in the elite seemed to possess. She was being followed by two Octotroopers, which resembled red octopus tentacles with faces on them.
Octola flinched just then, sensing something to her left. She pointed her Octoshot in that direction, but found nothing there. The Octotroopers, dumb but observant, started at her with intense interest, but they had started for too long, and she turned to them with her teeth bared.
"What are you looking at?" She hissed. "Keep scanning the area, you useless inkbrains!" At that, both Octotroopers quickly resumed scanning the area. Octola sighed, resuming her searching. Ever since Octavio spotted Inkling activity in the area, he had been sending patrols on the regular to search the entire valley for signs of Inkings, and although Octola knew no one had found anything, she was on high alert for a sign of Inklings. If she was to find an Inkling, her orders were to splat first, ask questions later.
Suddenly, a wave of blue ink splatted an Octotropper behind her. Octola turned in shock, watching as her other Octotropper was dispatched just as rapidly. She raised her gun, unsure of what attacked them, but when she looked at the thin lines on the ground leading to where her troppers were standing, she knew what had struck them down. "An Inkzooka."
"That would be correct," a deep voice behind her said. Octola turned sharply, her Octoshot pointed at the source of the voice. A dark blue colored Inkling stood there, his hair short and tied up in a low bun. He held in his hands a red Carbon Roller, and was wearing a set of Hero Gear. "Hi."
Octola didn't wait, instantly pulling the trigger of her weapon, but the guy was too fast for her, zipping around through the Ink he had already created to avoid her shots, occasionally resurfacing just long enough to throw Burst Bombs to have more ink to swim in. Octola ran out of ink quickly, and just as she dived back into the ink under her to refill, the dark blue Inkling zipped in front of her, tapping her with his roller to damage her and force her out of the ink, but not splat her. "Gotta admit, you actually give me a run for my money there, almost thought you would actually splat me."
Octola blinked, realizing that he was just now standing there. Although his roller was held firm, she had already recovered from the slight tap he gave her. She had also filled up enough to splat him, and if he even raised his roller to splat her, or tapped her again, she'd pull the trigger. "Are you an idiot? You are aware that this is the perfect opportunity to kill you, right?"
"I am aware," the dark blue Inkling replied. "But I don't think you will shoot me if you aren't given a reason to."
"Wanna bet, Inkling?" Octola growled, raising her Octoshot, pointing it at his heart. The Inkling didn't even flinch, something that Octola found infuriating. Why wasn't he afraid of her? Octola's mind was racing, but she quickly forced herself back to the task at hand. She needed to eliminate this Inkling under Octavio's orders, but while he was here, she might as well extract some information from him. "What are you doing down here?"
"The Captain wants us… well, me, to do regular patrols," he replied, looking at her with an expression that told her he wasn't found of these patrols. "He's off enjoying time with his kids, so he's off in Calamari Country. General Bay can't do it, since he's off on his honeymoon, so guess little ole me has gotta do it. Dull work too, don't even know what he wants me looking for. I've taken to just wondering around the valley, seeing the sites."
"Not much here," Octola replied coolly, her finger firmly on the trigger. "And you're an idiot for even bothering. I dunno what your 'captain' wants you looking for either, but you made a mistake crossing me."
"Did I?" He replied, looking at her with a smug grin. "I think you are the most interesting find I've had."
"Enough!" Octola roared. "You have taken my time for too long, Inkling!" She fired, but to her surprise, although her aim was true, he wasn't splatted. Two of her shots bounced off him before he dove back into his Ink to dodge the rest, swimming a bit back, before emerging and swinging his Carbon Roller. The ink slammed into her, knocking her back and stunning her. She fired again, but missed narrowly as he dove once again, swimming past her. "H-how did you?"
"Don't make me do that math, babe," the Inkling groaned.
"Babe?" Octola hissed, shaking in anger.
"Well, if you must know, I've done some studying on that weapon of yours," he dully replied, as if lecturing a child. "It would take three direct shots to kill me, normally. I got defense up on his gear, which means you'd probably need four shots. You only hit me with two. Gotta admit, if I didn't have good reaction time, you would've gotten me… maybe."
Hatred rose inside of Octola for the Inkling standing before her, but at the same time she couldn't help but be curious about him. He wasn't aiming to kill her, he was toying with her. He seemed very skilled, so if his goal was to kill her, he would have done it by now. "What do you find interesting about me anyway? I am an Octoling, you are an Inkling. We are supposed to hate one another!"
The Inkling frowned at that. "That is bull. Just because we are separate species, does it really mean we have to hate one another?"
"Well, yes!" Octola spat, raising her weapon at him again. "Octavio said-"
"Octavio?" The Inkling interrupted, laughing. "Your ruler, DJ king or whatever can hate the Inklings all he wants, but why do YOU hate us?"
Octola blinked at that. "I-I…" She then remembered her resolve, and glared at him, her weapon aimed at his head. "Your kind resides up in the world above, and we are forced to stay here, in the shadows with dwindling resources and no sun!"
The Inkling sighed. "I don't force you to stay here, hell if it was up to me your kind would be with us, doing Turf Battles and having fun."
"There is no fun in these battles," Octola said, looking down. "We fight not for play, but for victory, for survival." Silence filled the air then, and by the time Octola realized she let her guard down, the Inkling grabbed her weapon. She flinched, looking up to find her was very close to her, staring at her. "W-what!?"
"You really are not getting it, are you?" The Inkling muttered, his eyes locked onto her. "Look, if you and the rest of your kind learned to let go, maybe you and the Inklings could work something out, but if you let your heart be filled with hate, you won't get what you really want."
Octola growled at him, trying to wrestle her weapon from his grasp. "Y-you know nothing about what I want!"
"But I do know," The Inkling replied, looking up. "You want to live up there, where we live. Look, come meet me in a week, on top of the large Octopus shaped rock. I'll show you Inklings aren't bad, ok? Maybe I can get you to let go of some of that hate you carry within you."
He suddenly let go of her weapon, and before she could get a good grip to shoot him, he had sunk back into the ink and swam off. She raised her weapon and fired, but missed each shot. He finally popped up, turning to her and smirking. "Oh, and my name is Toru Reef, Agent Blue of the Squidbeek Splatoon."
He then vanished into the ink again, leaving the Octoling to herself. Octola growled, before yelling loudly, shooting everything around her in rage, coating everything within her range in a shade of fuchsia ink. She never, never, had anyone escape her like he did. It infuriated her, how casual he was, yet how strong he seemed to me. Was it because she wasn't as strong as she thought she was, or was it because of his skill?
She hated him, but under that hate she felt something else for him. A general interest in him, something that bugged her brain. She blinked, shaking her head, dismissing the thought instantly. "He's just some stupid, punk Inkling… put it out of your head, Octola. Next time you see him, he's dead." And on that note, she went off to deliver her report. But that entire week, her mind occasionally drifted back to the Inkling, Toru Reef. How skilled he seemed to be, and how calm he was in the face of danger. Her interest in him just festered overtime, and eventually, as much as she hated to admit it, she found herself wanting to go to the rock, just to meet him… to know him. By the time the week was over, her mind was made up.
"I was hoping you would come," Toru said, grinning as she walked forward. "I see you are not that trusting of me yet."
Octola smirked a little, holding her weapon to him. "I noticed you don't have a hand on your Carbon Roller." She gestured to the roller, which instead of on the Inkling's person, was leaning against the rock. "Your unarmed, and I have you in my sites. Try anything funny, and I will kill you, Inkling."
"Hey," He said, raising his arms up. "I won't hurt you. I came here to get to know you, that is all."
"Know me?" Octola asked, staring at him in shock. "What about me do you find so interesting anyway?"
"I could tell just by looking at you, you are tough," Toru complemented, smirking at her. "Probably the toughest Octoling in the army."
"If you are trying to flatter me, save it," Octola hissed, glaring a little. "There are several elites, each one as good at me, if not better."
"Bet you're wrong," Toru said, leaning forward. Octola tightened her grip on her weapon, but he made no move to advance. "But that Octoshot just… doesn't suit you."
"Doesn't suit- I beg your pardon!" Octola said, taking a single step forward. "I have you know that this is standard Octoling equipment!"
"And I just feel like you'd be better with something else," Toru replied, gesturing. Octola glared, but was curious. She looked toto her right to find a standard Splat Roller leaning against the other side of the rock. The weapon looked brand new, never used before, almost as if he had bought it at a store just for her to have. She turned back to him, her expression filled with interest. He smirked at her before speaking again. "I find rollers to be powerful weapons. Sure, you don't have the range of a gun, but in the right hands, the roller is an excellent weapon to have."
"You… are you giving me this?" Octola asked, staring at him with caution.
"I feel like the first steps toward peace between our people is some kind gestures, and this is one of them," Toru explained. "Just try it out and see how you like it."
Octola hesitated for a moment, before finally lowering her gun. "If you so much as move an inch, you will be killed."
"I understand completely," Toru responded, leaning a bit back with his hands still raised.
Octola put her Octoshot back into its holster, before walking forward and picking up the Splat Roller. It felt strange, but at the same time comfortable in her hand. She swung the roller, and globs of her dark purple ink fired from the roller, spreading across the ground. She was stunned at how much came out. Next, she placed the roller on the ground and ran around a bit with it, covering the ground in her ink. "This… this…"
"Feels natural?" Toru asked. "Yeah, I thought so. I feel the same whenever I use my Carbon Roller."
Octola gripped the weapon tightly, turning to Toru. "You just gave me something I find that I can use very well… and what makes you think that I won't just turn around and use this on you?"
"Because something tells me we just bounded a little," Toru answered her, a smile on his face.
For the first time in her life, Octola smiled at an Inkling. Not a rage filled, smile of hate, but a genuine smile of kindness.
XxXxXxX Two Years Later XxXxXxX
For the next two years, Octola continued meeting with Toru. The two of them found themselves drawn to each other, despite their kind being mortal enemies. Their meetings had to move a lot, however, as the Octarian Army could never find out what she was up to. It was the 85th anniversary of the Great Turf War when Octola and Toru met again, her face grim when he approached her under an old bridge. "Hey, you look down."
Octola sighed. "Well, today is the day we lost the Great Turf War. You tell me how I am supposed to feel…"
"Oh, right… forgot about that," Toru muttered embarrassed, sitting down next to her, putting his weapon down behind him.
"Can you answer a question for me," She said suddenly. "Do you think Octarians and Inklings will EVER get along?"
"It might take some time," Toru stated, sighing as he leaned back to look up at the metallic ceiling. "But eventually I think we can get along again. We didn't used to be enemies until the sea levels rose, and even then, I don't know why we had to fight." He then smirked, looking over at her. "I think we are proof that Octarians and Inklings can get along just fine… after all, you trust me enough now to completely lower your guard around me."
Octola smirked, turning to him. "Is that a fact? I'll have you know that I haven't lowered my guard completely. After all, we technically are still at war, and you are the enemy."
"Oh yeah?" Toru said, looking over at the Splat Roller. "That looks like lowered guard to me, babe."
"You're the idiot that has his guard completely lowered," Octola replied, sticking out her tongue at him.
"Well, I trust you," Toru replied, looking at her, no longer teasing.
"Do you now?" Octola asked, raising her eyebrow in interest.
"I do… in fact," Toru suddenly shut his eyes tightly. "There. Do whatever you want to me."
"Whatever I want?" Octola replied, caution filling her voice.
"Whatever you want," Toru sighed. "Kill me if that is what you really want to do, but I get the feeling that you won't actually do it."
Octola looked at him curiously, staring at him for what seemed like an eternity. It was too perfect, his guard was down and his eyes were shut, she could eliminate him right here and now, and destroy the same Inkling she failed to destroy two years ago. Her hand was inching towards her roller, trembling a bit, but Toru made no moves to react to her reach. His eyes really were closed, completely, and he wasn't peeking through them at all.
But just as she gripped her roller, guilt filled her entire being. For the last two years, she and Toru had been meeting on a regular basis to talk, laugh, and just get to know one another. She learned so much about him, like how he joined the Squidbeek Splatoon and how his ultimate dream was to settle down in a nice house with his grandsquids surrounding him, telling them stories from his past as a military man. She found herself drawn to him, and as she realized that, her heart skipped a beat as her red eyes widened, her grip on her roller gone.
"You're an idiot," Octola mumbled. Before he could respond, she turned sharply towards him and kissed him. Toru opened his eyes in shock, but eventually closed them again, returning the kiss. The two of them kept kissing for awhile, getting more passionate with it before eventually they ended up on the ground, Toru on top of Octola, both panting.
"S-should I," Toru started to say, but Octola placed a single finger on his lips.
"This time, I want you to do whatever you want to me," Octola whispered, once again kissing him, the passion returning between the two of them, before Octola rolled themselves into the complete darkness under the bridge, out of site from the pale moon herself.
XxXxXxX Two Months Later XxXxXxX
"As far as I can tell, there is definitely something going on inside your tentacle. A... mix of cells indicating life, from what I can see."
Toru and Octola both blinked, confusion filling their faces. After their encounter under the bridge, Octola found that her tentacle was acting strangely, as if it was developing a life of it's own. She also found that whenever she changed from her natural purple color into a different color, the purple in this particular tentacle seemed to remain. Currently, she was a red color, though the purple tentacle was sticking out all the same. Thinking that something was wrong, Toru took the Octoling to the only doctor he could trust with the knowledge that he was seeing an Octoling on the side. Doctor Patel wore a white coat with white pants, black shoes, and a mirror like device on a white headband. His dark green tentacles were lying flat a top his head, barely moving as he looked between Toru and Octola, letting the news sink in.
"Wait, I'm... pregnant in my tentacle?" Octola asked, her mouth gaped wide in shock.
"That's... wonderful!" Toru cheered suddenly, hugging her. "We're going to have a kid!"
"How?" Octola gasped, flabbergasted. "Octolings reproduce asexually, and Inklings reproduce sexually! How was this able to happen?"
"You explained to me that you lacked the means of reproduction because your tentacles would just shrivel up and die whenever you cut them off, correct?" Doctor Patel asked, getting a nod from Octola. "Well, my best guess as to what is going on is that your genetic code lacked the capability to clone yourself, which is essentially what asexual reproduction is, via your tentacle, and that whatever you did with Toru," both Toru and Octola blushed at this, though the doctor continued. "It caused some of his DNA to enter your tentacle, and what he did I don't want to know. Still, a strange mutation occurred just then, allowing Octola's tentacle to begin the reproduction process, just with your DNA mixed in. Defiantly a very strange occurrence, one that I've never seen happen before."
"A mixture of sexual and asexual birth," Toru muttered, thinking. "A miracle child."
"A miracle? Or just a disaster waiting to happen?" Octola cried out. "I can't have an Inkling's child! Now while I serve under Octavio!"
"That is the least of your concerns," Doctor Patel replied, and when the two of them looked at him with confusion, he cleared his throat. "I am sorry, I should clarify... a hybrid has never existed before, cause under normal conditions it is impossible. Who knows what could happen to the child."
"What do you mean?" Octola asked, fear filling her voice.
"Well," Doctor Patel mumbled, clearing his throat. "Back before the flooding of the ancient world, the dominant species at the time, known as 'Humans', recorded documentation of hybrid creatures. Animals like the Tiger and Lion could mate to make a Liger, or the Horse and the Donkey mating to make a Zonkey. However, often this hybrid wouldn't last, cause of an improper number of a structure found in living cells known as a chromosome. Horses had 64, while donkeys only had 62. Normally, when offspring are created, chromosomes from both mom and dad pair up and create the offspring's own… but when there is an improper number, they cannot pair up properly, sometimes creating heath defects. Most of the time, these animals died very early in their lives."
"So, our child," Toru started to say, looking pale.
"May very well end up being miscarried, or born… only to die."
"B-but those animals still existed!" Octola pointed out.
"Yes, they did." Doctor Patel said, clearing his throat. "But like I said before, that animal would often die. Not always, but often." He looked between the two of them. "There were also various other issues, like organ defects, height issues, infertility." Toru flinched at this, but Patel kept talking. "Considering that, and considering your situation, I want you to think carefully… do you want to keep this child?"
"You aren't suggesting that we cut off the tentacle before it is ready, thus killing the child, are you?" Toru muttered.
"You might be saving yourselves, and your child, from very tough lives," Doctor Patel stated. "But it is up to you. Should you go through with the 'pregnancy', I will do what I can to aid you and the child, but I can't promise anything… should she have the same defects as the hybrids of the human age did…"
"I want to keep my child," Toru stubbornly said. "I will raise my child with love, regardless of anything that comes our way."
"Think about this longer, Toru," Patel warned.
"My heart is telling me to go through with his," Toru started, placing his hand above his heart. "Even if I must raise my child in secret, alone, I will."
"I… I also vote to keep her," Octola stated.
"Her?" Toru asked.
"I can just tell," Octola said, smiling as she gently pet the odd colored tentacle. "That our child is a girl… our daughter."
Patel blinked, but shook his hand, smiling. "Very well… I cannot stop you if that is your choice."
XxXxXxX Seven Months Later XxXxXxX
It had been seven months since Toru and Octola found out she was pregnant with their child, and now Toru was pacing outside of the waiting room, anxious for him to be called in. For some reason, Octola demanded he would not be around for her birth, despite him wanting to be there for her. Although he honored her wishes, the silence that just screamed that something was wrong made him want to bust in to keep her company, but she would probably splat him if he did that.
"If you keep pacing like that, you are going to collapse before your even see her."
Toru turned, looking at the other Inkling in the waiting room with him. She had her two dark blue tentacles done in a mock braid, extending down her back, and she wore a white dress with white shoes. "I'm sorry, Taki, but I just… just want to see my daughter."
"And I would love to see my niece quicker as well, but you aren't helping by exhausting yourself," Taki explained, smiling fondly at her brother, and patting the chair next to her. "Sit down."
Toru sighed, walking over, and sitting down in the chair next to her. "You aren't worried that something might go wrong, are you?"
"I doubt something will go wrong," Taki said. "This is a strange case indeed, and all they're really doing is watching a severed tentacle grow into new life. She's fine."
Toru sighed, and deciding to distract himself, turned to her. "How is my nephew?"
"As rambunctious as ever," Taki laughed. "Those boy squids never seem to lose energy, hell I remember mom warning me when I was pregnant… 'Your bother was a never-ending ball of energy, and that child is going to end up the same way'! Guess she was right. He just goes, goes, goes."
"He'll make a mighty fine Turf Battler one day," Toru said, sighing.
"And I'm sure your daughter will as well," Taki replied.
The door suddenly opened and Toru shot up, looking as it swung forth to reveal Doctor Patel standing there. "Come. Your daughter awaits."
Toru rushed forward, with Taki following behind. He burst into the room, looking over to see an exhausted Octola, holding a blanket bundle in her arms. Taki and Toru walked forward, looking down to see a tiny shaped squid in the blanket, blinking at them with pinkish purple eyes, the body purple in color.
"As far as I can tell, she will look like a normal Inkling," Patel explained. "For the most part… I cannot guarantee she won't develop any Octoling like features as she matures. Like I told you two seven months ago, a hybrid between an Inkling and an Octoling has never existed before, so I have no idea what could happen in the future."
"Let's worry about that later," Octola weakly replied, smiling down at the baby. "I just want to celebrate this moment with my daughter."
"Have you thought of a name?" Taki asked.
"Yes," Octola answered, smiling at her. "Her name is Coral. Coral Reef."
