Chapter 1: A good day goes bad
Disclaimer: AH CRAP, I forgot to say this in the prologue. I do not own Callie, Marie, or the Splatoon universe. Those belong to Nintendo. I do however own my OC, who will appear in the next chapter.
I hope I did that disclaimer correctly. Anyway, on with the chapter.
Callie had just finished getting ready for the day and had stepped out of the apartment complex wearing a pair of jeans and a black tee shirt with short pink sleeves. However her usual golden stare was replaced by a pair of green eyes. Probably not wanting anyone to notice who she really is she had put on a pair of contacts that changed her eye color. She noticed that a taxi was already waiting for her and thought, 'Right on time as usual.' She waved to the taxi driver. "Morning Jim!"
Jim, a middle-aged sea urchin wearing a plain pair of jeans and a white tee, was standing next to the cab. "Morning Jewel." He opened the taxi door for her. "Off to work, right?"
"Yep. Thanks for answering my call." She placed her purple purse on the seat next to her and buckled up. She patiently waited for Jim to get in the driver's seat and they soon took off. It only took five seconds for Jim to start up some small talk.
"So I got to ask, why do you always call a cab, Jewel? If you don't mind me asking, that is."
"Because I still don't have my license. It's not my fault those tests are near impossible." She got a slightly annoyed look on her face.
"Well, it all depends on who teaches you how to drive. Heck, I could teach you if you want."
"That's okay. Thanks for offering though." The cab had slowed to a stop at a red traffic light. Callie looked out the left window and saw the strangest vehicle she had ever seen. It looked like it was built from pipes and metal found in a scrapyard, but looked fortified like an armored tank except without the treads. The wheels were attached to the vehicle by pipes and other pieces of assorted metal. There looked to be only two sitting locations. The driver's seat was situated at the front of the main body, while the second seat was at the top of the vehicle. And at the back of the vehicle the engine could be seen.
"Hey Jim. What kind of car is that?" Callie pointed toward the armored vehicle.
Jim looked at where she was pointing and noticed the car. "Oh, that? I don't know, Jewel. It's the only one I've ever seen, but it's been in this city since about one and a half years ago. It just showed up one day. I don't know who drives it, but honestly I'm a bit scared to ask. I mean, how are they allowed to drive that thing? It looks like a hazard."
"Who knows? But that thing's been around for nearly two years? How come I've never noticed it?"
"Well, it is the only car in this city that looks like that. And it usually shows up later in the day. This is the first time I'm seeing it in the morning."
The light had finally turned green and the armored vehicle had gone left while the taxi had gone straight. Callie sat and pondered for a moment until the taxi came to a stop. She noticed that they had reached her destination.
"Thanks Jim. I guess I'll see you later today." She grabbed her purse and paid Jim what she owed him. She stepped out of the cab and walked up to the front door of the model company Biolumin-Essense. 'Our clothing will light up your world.' Callie remembered that's what their slogan was. She thought it was kind of cheesy, but she just went with it. She walked up to the front desk and told the receptionist that she was here for the photo shoot. The receptionist looked up and smiled.
"Hello…? You look… um, familiar..." The reception girl replied.
"I get that a lot. Are you new here? My name is Jewel." Callie waved at her.
"Yes, I am new. I'm Annabelle. OH! But that's not important. Madam Renay is looking for you. I'll page her right away. There is an elevator over there. She's on the 25th floor."
"I've been coming to this same place for photo shoots for about two years, Annabelle. I already know my way around. But thanks anyway. You are doing a great job."
"Ah, I see… Sorry."
"Don't be. You're just doing your job. I understand that."
"Well see you later… if I don't get fired first."
"Hey, don't worry about it. You did what you were supposed to do. They won't fire you." Callie gave her a reassuring smile before heading toward the elevator. "See you later."
"Bye…" Anabelle plops back down and rubs her arm.
Callie pressed the button to call the elevator and waited patiently. When it arrived she got on and pressed the button for the 25th floor. When no one else entered the elevator the doors closed and she could feel it move upward. The ride took a bit longer than it could have due to someone calling the elevator from another floor, but it eventually stopped at 25, which is when Callie got off. She walked down a hallway towards a door labeled Studio. She knocked on it and heard someone yell, "Come in!" She opened the door and was greeted by an anemone wearing a long flowing blue dress and a green and blue striped scarf.
"JEWEL! I'm so glad you could come in today." She walked up and gave Callie a hug. "I didn't interrupt any of your plans, did I?"
"Hi Renay. No, I wasn't doing anything today." She returned the hug and noticed an eye staring back at her from Renay's hair. "Hi Sanz. You doing okay?"
A small clownfish slowly poked it's head out of Renay's hair. "H-hi, Jewel. I-I'm fine."
"So…" Callie broke off the hug. "What did you want me to model for you?"
"I have five outfits I want you to model for us, okay?" She walked over to a wardrobe and opened it up. She pulled out a teal rain drop print tee shirt. "This is the first one."
Callie nodded. "Alright."
Renay put the shirt back and pulled out a pink ribbon dress. "Then this one."
"Okay."
She took out a green vest made from scales. "This is the third."
Callie gave her a thumbs up. "Gotcha."
Renay then pulled out a light blue shiny skirt. "Then I want you to model this."
Callie gave a quick unsure look at the outfit. "Um...okay." 'At least it's just a skirt.' She thought as a smile returned to her face. However it quickly faded when Renay pulled out the final outfit from the wardrobe.
"And this is the final outfit." She was holding up an outfit that was an almost exact replica of one of the Squid Sister outfits. More specifically, Marie's. The only differences were that it was white instead of green and there was a light glow coming from the "cuts," as though there were lights in the outfit. A look of anger appeared on Callie's face.
"I'll model the first four outfits, but you get someone else to do the fifth." She folded her arms.
"What? But this is the outfit of-" She was cut off by the angry ex-squid sister.
"I know who's outfit it is based on. I don't want to model it."
Renay saw the look on Callie's face and instantly knew there was no way to win this argument. "Okay. Okay. I'll get someone else to model it." She looked behind her at her secretary. "Get Anita on the phone. Tell her we need her to model an outfit." Her secretary nodded and pulled out her squid phone.
Callie cringed at hearing that name. She also saw Sanz quickly hide in Renay's hair when the name "Anita" was said. "She can model that outfit all she wants. As long as I don't run into her today."
"She's on her way, Madam Renay." The secretary said putting her phone away.
"Dammit." Callie quietly said to herself. "Let's just get this photo shoot done and over with, okay?"
Renay perked up. "Wonderful! Alright everyone! Get everything set up. Sam, get those lights into place. Zack, get ready with the camera. And Jewel…" Callie turned to face her before getting the outfits shoved into her hands. "Take these to the changing room and put on the Rain Drop tee. We're doing that one first."
"Okay." She walked out the door and headed for the changing room.
About an hour later Callie had finished up with the photo shoot and was stepping off the elevator into the main lobby when she heard the voice she didn't want to hear today.
"YOU CALL THAT AN ALGAE SMOOTHIE WITH LEMON?!" A angry voice screamed.
"No! No! I-I-I swear I a-asked for it j-j-just that way you s-s-said." Annabelle's voice was cracking, "I'll go fix right now!"
'Oh boy, Miss Bitch is here. And Annabelle has just met her.' Callie looked toward the front desk and saw Anabelle scrambling toward the exit.
"YOU BETTER GET IT RIGHT THIS TIME!"
"Hey Annabelle, wait!" Callie yelled and ran toward her. "Don't listen to Anita! She's not your boss!"
"O-oh, hi Jewel…" Annabelle stopped, "But she will tell the boss to fire me…"
"No she won't." She glared at Anita. "Bitch there doesn't have the guts to do it. Besides, I'll vouch for you. I'll make sure you don't get fired."
"I'll have you know the reason she is here is because I got rid of the other 3." Anita scoffed.
Callie could see Annabelle's eyes begin to water. She turned to Anita with a look of anger. "She's new here, you prissy bitch. Leave her alone."
"Hey… it's okay Jewel. I don't want any trouble. I'll go fix this and come back…. Do you want anything?"
"No, don't get me anything. You really don't have to do what she says. It's not part of your job." She gave Ana a quick hug.
"It's fine… I'll see you later…" She sadly walked away
Callie watched her walk out the building before glaring at Anita. "Way to make a great first impression on the new receptionist, Anita."
"Whatever…" Anita crossed her arms. "They need to know their place."
"My cod, you are such a prissy whore. Leave Ana alone next time."
"I'm a whore? You are the one surrounded by males."
Callie gave her a confused look. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't act stupid… You are always in the spotlight. All those males swarming you…Maybe you mated with all of them. SO DON'T CALL ME A WHORE!"
Callie folded her arms. "At least I don't brag about my modeling career and go walk around the city in clothing that just screams 'look at me.' Unlike you I don't need to show skin to get a guy's attention."
"Humph, you are standing in my way. Move it" She bumped into her and walked away.
"Ugh, bitch." Callie headed for the exit. She pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts until she found Jim's number. She pressed the call button and patiently waited until he picked up.
"Hey Jewel. You done with work?"
"Yeah. I need a ride home, though. You don't mind, do you?"
"Nah. Same place where I dropped you off?"
"Yep. See you in a bit." She hung up and sat down on a nearby bench. She checked her phone and saw that it was about 8:00 PM. She waited about ten minutes before she saw Jim pull up. She got up and walked over to the cab, opening the door and sitting down. "Thanks Jim."
"Hey, no problem, Jewel. Anything for you." He got back on the street and started driving. "So, anything happen at work?"
"I met the new receptionist. She's young but she wants to do her best. However she met Anita today as well."
"Ah, the high and mighty ass. What did she do?"
"She sent Annabelle, the new receptionist, out the building crying all because she didn't give her the right Algae smoothie. That bitch needs to learn that receptionists aren't the same as secretaries. Agh!" She looked out the window just in time to see the street they usually take was closed off. "Hey, what's going on?"
"Sorry, but we need to take a detour for a while. They're closing off the usual route due to a concert thing going on."
"A concert? Really?" Callie's eyes lit up for a split second. "Wait, who's coming to Carti Ridge to do a concert?"
"Well, since this city is one of the only places besides Inkopolis where Turf Wars is a big deal-"
"Wait, this city has Turf Wars?" Callie interrupted him. "Sorry for interrupting."
"It's okay. But yeah, it's not as popular as it is in Inkopolis, but that's because not everyone here knows about it. It's more well known in the less company oriented parts of the city. More well known in the neighborhood areas. But that's why they invited Inkopolis's biggest star here. To help promote this city's turf wars to the rest of the city."
"Wait, you don't mean…?"
"Yep! The Squid Sister Marie is coming here! Isn't that exciting?"
Callie replied in a sarcastic tone, "Yeah, that sounds fantastic." In her head she was screaming at the top of her lungs, 'DAAAAMMMMMIIIIIITTTTTT!'
"Yeah, but I just hope she doesn't find the turf wars here appalling. Unlike in Inkopolis the Turf Wars here are more...violent."
"*sigh* Great." She looked out the window again and saw that they were going down a road that was new to her. She looked ahead and saw what looked like a restaurant. "Change of plans Jim, drop me off there."
"Okay. Why?"
"I haven't had dinner tonight and I don't feel like cooking." The cab came to a stop and she hopped out.
"Are you sure about this place. It's been here since this city's Turf Wars started. I could take you someplace else?"
Callie opened her purse and pulled out the amount of money she owed him. "I'll be fine, Jim. Just be ready to come pick me up."
"Okay, Jewel. If you say so." He took the cash and looked back at her. "Be careful, okay?"
"Okay. See ya Jim." She saw him nod and he drove away. She turned back to the restaurant and walked toward the door. "I could really go for a catfish burger." She walked inside and the door closed behind her. Ten minutes later, however, a strange yet familiar vehicle pulled up in the parking lot.
Author's Note: Okay, a few thanks need to be said. Thanks to all the viewers I've had so far. Hopefully you decide to keep on reading. Thank you Dreadangel for leaving a review. You are awesome. And thanks to Apikachua for helping me write this fic and for taking the role of Anabelle and Anita. Now here's a few things that I need to say.
The car that I tried to describe is actually an Outrunner from the Borderlands games. I tried to describe it in words as best as I could. And (spoiler alert) yes, that car does belong to my OC. I do not own the car, however. It belongs to Borderlands and the creators of said game.