Spin-off suggestion by CathyMirii.

PizzaTurtle Industries: The Nonexistent Corporation Presents:

Splatoon: A Bate Brothers Spin-Off…?

There sat a dummy woven from fabrics filled with straw, sitting upon the wooden floor of a cottage, the sound of waves brushing up against the shores emanating from the outside the stone walls. It sat there with a rude smirk, a smirk that anyone might want to use as an excuse to lay waste to it. The pencilled features were extremely aggravating or at least that seemed to be the initial idea.

"...Alabaso, what the shell is this?" An Inkling, black rings around his eyes, tentacles draping down his head, walked up to the mannequin with a furrowed brow with his red eyebrows narrowed. "...Is this some sorta joke, or…?"

"It's my gift to you. Consider it, 'a long-arm's generosity'." Came the reply in a voice dripping with a condescending tone from behind him. "Just in time for that holiday you were blabbing about. 'Squidsmas' you called it?"

A pair of male Inklings, one with extraordinary long tentacles, stared at the peculiar creation. The dummy completely resembled an Inkling; it had the two tentacles constructed of what appeared to be coconuts sagging from the top of its head, black rings haphazardly sketched around its eyes.

"Not even close." Xarius scowled as he peered ahead. "Squidsmas was a month ago."

The Inkling standing glared down at the dummy. Bluish tentacles drooped down from his head and his hazel eyes scanned the target with little to no care at all. A basic light brown tunic and pants was his attire. He stood with a large thin Inkbrush clamped between his hands.

The other Inkling sitting behind him had been gazing at him for quite some time with an analytical glare. Several large red tentacles drooped down from his head and pooled together behind him on the wooden floor. Dark mahogany irises stared boredly at the blue Inkling as the other sat down in a grand bright robe that flowed to the floor similar to his tentacles.

The Inkling sitting gave a gruff heave. "Well?"

"...This is it? You serious?" The one standing had on a terrifically cocky smirk. "You make it yourself?"

"Do you want it or not?" The Inkling in the robe questioned. "I am not getting any older here."

The one standing scowled. "Yeah, I know. Unfortunately."

"Brat." The other one shook his head. "That was crafted out of the finest materials the islands have to offer. You should be thankful."

As he spoke as condescendingly as he could have from the floor, in a single swing, it hardly mattered. The for a brief moment as it seemed to cleave through the dummy. The target stood there unmoving. It stayed that way for a while with a diagonal line of blue ink traced down the middle. Much to the blue Inkling's disdain it continued to smirk back at them both.

"...Hate to break it to you Alabaso." The assailant muttered with a smirk as he crossed his arms. "But your gift kinda sucked."

"Ah. Xarius." The Inkling with longer tentacles spoke up with a smirk. "Even with your skill of the Inkbrush, it will take years before you'll come close to scratching-"

He was interrupted by a thump. The Inkling dummy's top half slowly slid off from its legs and fell onto the floor with a clunk. Several boughs of tree needles, leaves, and wood puffed out from the insides and spilled across the floor with a blue puddle of ink.

Alabaso's eyes narrowed. "...What the...?"

His companion who stood at the side sheathed his brush and chuckled. "Sorry. I sorta liked your present too."

"That brush is several years old." He protested, then tapped his chin with the several long tentacles, and just shook his head. "Of course. I nearly forgot; Xarius is destruction incarnate. How callous of me to forget."

Xarius snickered and rubbed the top of his head where a wrap of bandages circled his forehead. Very clean, white bandages that hardly looked as though they were meant to heal anything in the slightest. "What can I say? It's the Hookle touch."

"That sounds disgusting." Alabaso narrowed his eyes as he stood up as an annoyed tap sound clicked behind him repeatedly. The brush of tentacles on his head draped down over his head down onto the wooden floor and tapped the floor impatiently as he glared at the other Inkling. "Just the idea of more people like you, a destructive force that destroys everything they touch-"

"Sounds like a dream come true." Xarius enthused as he leaned back on one of the walls. "A reunion of Hookles...doesn't that sound wonderful?"

"Nightmares can still be dreams." Alabaso argued with a flick of his wrist and a part of his long tentacles. "Besides. We're your family now."

"Put a lid on it you old geezer." Xarius chided as he shook his head and stood up tall. "Wasn't there a thing you had to go to?"

Alabaso huffed and rose to his feet. The robe unfolded and straightened out in a raggedy mess as his tentacles draped about his feet. "I believe there is a 'thing' both of us had to prepare for. Remember Xarius?"

"Ugh." Xarius groaned and tilted his head. "Tomorrow."

Alabaso shifted about. His tentacles swiveled about his person as he did. "You might not care but I do. You've been slacking for too long Xarius."

"Well, and this is just a friendly suggestion, being the friend that you are." Xarius hinted with a cocked eyebrow.

Alabaso glared back.

"Maybe if you let me out to sail then I can, I dunno, uh..." Xarius bit his lip and glanced at the other Inkling's face. Though at least a dozen tentacles crowded his expression the glimpses from within the jungle were not entirely reassuring.

"...Get over it Xarius." He shook his head and turned to the wall where a lay wooden door.

"..." Xarius scowled and lowered his Inkbrush towards his lap.

"Your initiation isn't until noon." Alabaso muttered back at him. One of his tentacles pushed at the door. "Meet me at the beach before then. Be ready."

"Bleh." Xarius waved him off. "Fine."

The sound of shuffling and tentacles as they dragged off into the outside was joined by the noise of a door creak. The aroma of the ocean and the sound of waves as they rushed upon the shore echoed into the room. The noises were dampened as the door closed behind Alabaso. With the shutting of the door Xarius's eyes began trailing back down to the floorboards and his feet.

He glanced down at the slender Inkbrush in his hand. "...Guess it isn't exactly the 'Hookle' family I should thank for this." Xarius shook his head. "...But I guess saying 'Bate touch' isn't exactly the most appropriate either."

The Inkling let the words drift about his head for a moment. A grin planted itself on his face. He shook his head for a moment, placed the Inkbrush by his side, and stood up to face the door. Xarius walked forward and pressed his hand towards the door. He pushed forward and let the scent of the water and the shine of the sun entice him into the world outside.

The Sea Tamers

AN: Hello! It's nice to write a little something something again. It's a bit of a small look into Xarius' backstory that a few of you may or may not know about. Regardless I had a little fun writing this. I have no idea whether or not this will be updated regularly. But it might just stay here as a bit of a reminder of Xarius' past and all that jazz if his character is fleshed out more.

Thanks for reading. This is ThePizzaLovingTurtle and I've got the Joy, Joy, Joy down in my heart.