Chapter 8: Discoveries made

Disclaimer: I don't own Splatoon. I own Adstrum.

"He's not gonna like me for this…" Clair swiftly kicks a rock into the side of Adstrum's car to sound the alarm. About five seconds later said inkling came running out of the restaurant holding a gun with double barrels.

"You seriously couldn't leave my car alone?! You're lucky I have the turret turned off at the moment!" He saw a familiar sniper in front of him. "Oh, you had a different reason. I still don't like-..." He was cut off by Clair.

"Just wanted no surprises I know how you work… you arrogant ass." Clair looked at the sniper, "Humph no surprise for you…"

"Shut up, bitch." He looked over at the sniper. "You still don't know how to surrender, huh? The match is over stupid!"

The sniper said nothing as he looked at Adstrum.

"Come on guys let's go" Clair opened her car, "This is getting ugly"

"Still acting like a brick wall? Holy fuck, dude. Say something or at least show some emotion on your fa-!" He was cut off by the sound of a charger shot. He looked down at the gun in his hand and saw that the concentrated ink shot bounced off his weapon. He looked over at Clair's car and saw her windshield was cracked with a blue spot of ink on it. "You missed. My turn." He aimed the double barreled weapon at the inkling in front of him and pulled the trigger, leaving a large area in front of him covered in black ink. The sniper however was hardly damaged at all. Only one spot of black ink hit him. "Prototype testing note #1: Has short range." He started dashing toward the charger user.

Clair's tentacle boiled as she walked out to her trunk. She pulled out a pair of Splat Dualies.

"Clair, calm down." Callie said.

"Clair! Let's not…." Annabelle muttered.

"I'LL. KILL. THEM…" Clair cocked her pistols.

The sniper aimed at Adstrum again but misfired due to getting tackled by said inkling. Clair shot ink needles at them which stuck into the ground and exploded one at a time. Adstrum and the emotionless inkling rolled around on the ground exchanging punches, narrowly avoiding the small explosions.

"Okay, what is happening?!" Callie screamed. A spot of violet ink landed on the left side of her face. "Oh, come on." She wiped it off, unknowingly wiping off some of her makeup.

She pointed the guns at them. She fired into the sky and it began raining needles. Adstrum looked up and saw the incoming needle rain. He punched the inkling once more before getting up and running from the incoming downpour. The sniper got up as well but was unable to avoid getting an ink needle stuck in his back. It exploded, covering him in violet ink. Several more stabbed into him and exploded until she stopped firing. A single blue squid ghost flew off toward an unknown location, likely a hospital or something. Adstrum looked at Clair.

"THAT'S WHAT YOU GET ASS WIPE!" Clair roared as she fired at the sniper's car and it was littered with holes and probably unusable.

"Thanks." Adstrum walked over to where he dropped the experimental weapon. He picked it up and placed it on his back. "Not the first time someone's personally come after me after I beat them in a turf war." He noticed the damage to the sniper's car. "You feeling better?"

"YOU'RE NEXT…" Clair was enraged as her pistols clicked.

"Alright. Bring it."

"NO!" Annabelle hugged her. "S-sorry… She gets out of hand when she's mad…"

Adstrum looked at Annabelle. "Hey, don't worry about it. I'm kind of the same. I'm just easily annoyed by even the smallest things."

"Clair is a nice person I swear… It's my fault she acted that way toward you. I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry? You impress me. People usually don't avoid getting splatted by me in turf wars. You avoided me pretty much the entire match. That was impressive."

Clair growled.

"I am afraid of you honestly… and she tried to protect me… I shouldn't be afraid. I was hiding the whole match… or at least inking places where nobody was..."

"You did a great job that match. Nicely done."

Clair quieted down a bit. Her tentacles stopped bubbling.

"You are actually really nice…" Annabelle replied.

"When I'm not mad or annoyed, that is."

"... I guess I owe you an apology too… Sorry." Clair regained her composure.

"That's okay." Adstrum saw Jewel walking over, causing his face to immediately turn red. "Uuuuhhhh...Hi…" He noticed what looked like a birthmark under her left eye. 'Was that there before?'

She looked at him with a confused look. "Why is your ink black? There's something strange about you?"

"Jew- OH Hey! " She turned Callie around and whispered to her. "Your make up…."

"What?" She quickly covered her left cheek with her hand. "Oh no. Do you think he noticed?"

"How would I know?... Just go fix it…"

"Okay, yeah." She turned and saw Adstrum walking backwards toward the door.

"Um, I'm going to go back inside now. It was nice meeting all of you." He turned around and saw Chase standing in the doorway holding a Custom Splattershot Jr. "You're a little late, buddy. Get inside."

"Okay, what happened?"

"Nothing important, just get inside. We need to talk." He started pushing Chase through the doorway.

"But-" He was cut off by Adstrum now shoving him.

"Get inside the building now." He muttered through clenched teeth.

"Likewise! I guess we may come back anyways... " Clair shoved Callie back into the car.

"Oof, okay." She opened her purse and pulled out her makeup. She brought down the overhead mirror and started reapplying it.

Annabelle climbed into the back seat. Clair started the car and started driving.

"I now need a new car…" Clair sighed.

"No, all you need is a new windshield." Callie looked in front of her and saw the blue ink spot in front of her. "What's up with the chargers in this city?"

"He was one of my teammates that got taken down…" Annie replied

"Oh, okay." Callie thought for a moment. "But I meant the weapon itself. I thought they only shot a trail of ink."

"They are more violent here so a bullet made of ink is shot when it's fully charged. It will otherwise fire a trail."

"Rollers have barbed wires, Sloshers freeze ink into needles like Clair's dual pistols.

"Oh." Callie leaned back in her seat. "I kind of want to try one of those turf wars now. But not for a while."

"You do?" Clair seemed surprised

"Kind of. But I want to think about it."


Adstrum was pacing back and forth inside the restaurant. Chase was busy wiping down the table the girls used.

"Dude, calm down. What are you worked up about?"

"I...I can't say. Okay?"

"Why?"

"For reasons. Just...agh." He placed his hands against his forehead.

"Alright. But can you do that pacing somewhere else?"

"Fine." He headed for the back door. When he got out back he continued pacing. "I finally realized it. I freaking knew it. That's why my anger disappeared when I looked at her. That's why she was so familiar. That birthmark is unmistakable. Jewel Rime is Callie." A look of realization hit his face. "Jewel is Callie. Jewel is Callie. Oh my gosh, I hit on Callie. Oh, shit. Oh." He started panicking. "She probably thinks I'm an idiot. And her friend was mad at me...Oh, crap." He leaned against the wall. "Okay. Okay. Calm down and shut up, Adstrum. It's okay. Just pretend all this never happened…..Oh, jeez, I tried flirting with Callie."

Someone walked into the bar.

"Hey… can I have… a milk shake Chase?"

"Huh, oh sure. I'll get you one." He grabbed a glass and started making the shake. "I didn't expect to see you here again, Cici."

"Your… front's a … mess…"

"Yeah. A little fight happened out there. But it's been resolved."

"Ah… I need to make more clothes for Jewel. I thought some ice cream would help, but drinking is better than chewing…"

"Okay. Jewel, huh? She was just here. A friend of mine is currently out back freaking out over it."

"Oh…. your friend? The... loud one? He is... usually here..."

"Yep. That's the one. He was so uncomfortable around her, though. He never acted like that in front of any other girl. Except this one time he came close to meeting Callie back when he lived in Inkopolis."

"Well, she is pretty close to Callie's measurements…" She yawned, "I should know I made clothes for the Squid Sister for awhile… In fact sometimes I think I call her Callie… in my sleep."

"She does look like Callie, but I try not to jump to conclusions. There are a lot of people that look like Callie. Most of the time they try to look like her on purpose."

"I have measurements… those are hard to fake… but I never seen her... I usually am asleep when she comes into work…"

"Of course you are." He placed the shake in front of the half asleep inkling. "There you are."

"Here's… your money… just in case…" She pays him, takes a few sips and falls asleep.

"You are out." He hopped across the counter and pinched a specific spot on Cici's waist, making her eyes shoot open.

"Owie…. You're mean…"

"That's literally the only way to keep you awake. I'm sorry. You need someone to keep you awake at work." He looked through the window to the kitchen.

"But I like sleeping…"

"I know you do, but you need to keep that job."

"I learned how to do things while I sleep…"

"Fair enough."

"Is something bothering you?"

"Yeah. Adstrum. I think he needs a break from making new turf war weapons. He's not going to like it, but maybe you can invite me and him to your work one day. Show us around. Maybe meet some cute models." He said that last part under his breath.

"Oh, alright… I'll go ask him if he's interested."

At that moment Adstrum walked through the kitchen door. "Chase, I left the weapon and the instructions on how to use it in the case. Go test it whenever you want."

"Hey, you wanna go to the studio tomorrow...?" Cici asked

"Studio?" Adstrum looked confused.

"She meant the Biolumin-essense building. You need to take a break from your weapon making."

"I'm a tailor there and make all the…. Clothes...zzz" Cici fell asleep.

"Wait, you mean where…? Uh. No. Yes? No? Yes. Uh, I don't know."

"Jewel...zzz... will be there tomorrow...zzz"

"...Yes….."

"...Okay...zzz…8:00 in the morning. Here's my...zzz cardzzz" She pulled out a card from her pocket.

Adstrum took the card and walked out of the restaurant. He got in his car and sat there for a few moments before realization hit. "Wait, what did I just agree to?"

Author's Note: Another chapter for you readers! YAY! Alright, thank you ThePizzaLovingTurtle for leaving a very good review. It was very informative. Also thanks to Apikachua for helping me with writing this story. I don't really have anything else to say here. Sorry if this chapter seems a bit off or so. It kind of seems like it to me. But it's up to you if you think this chapter is weird. Alright, see ya next chapter!