A Race Apart
Chapter 9
The New Hope
"Ha.. Ha..." Splat panted as he lay down on a motel bed, "I'm exhausted.." he groaned,
"Hey..." Paprika mumbled, "Thanks for saving me out there."
"No problem." Splat sat up, "I wish you would run a little faster, what's going on?"
"I'm just tired..." Paprika answered as she took off her leather half-gloves,
"No... it's not that..." Splat said, "There's something really wrong with you." he mumbled and placed his hand on her forehead,
"I'm fine..." Paprika said, "Please..."
"You don't have a fever." Splat mumbled, "Your heart?" he pressed his ear near her chest, "No... it's fine..."
"Please.. stop." Paprika mumbled,
"A tummy ache?" Splat playfully laughed, first time in ages, "No-" he paused when he felt something odd, "Huh?" he felt the area once more, "Paprika, what's this bump?"
"Splat..." Paprika turned red, "I-I-"
"There's two of these..." Splat mumbled, "These things must be weighing you down... What are they? Tumors!?" he said in fear,
"No..." Paprika mumbled, "Splat... Those are... eggs..." she peeped,
"Eggs?" Splat said in surprise, "What?"
"I... made them..." Paprika continued, "After... you kissed me..."
"What?" Splat was still skeptical, "No no no no..." he shook his head, "Paprika..."
"They haven't been fertilized, if that's what you're asking.." Paprika mumbled, "But..."
"Oh no." Splat said, "Paprika... we're different species! This would never work!"
"Not if we don't try..." Paprika whispered,
"We're not even partners..." Splat mumbled, "Though... we can be..."
"Splat..." Paprika mumbled, "You are the only one I find worthy..."
"I... I..." Splat stammered, at a complete loss of words.
00000000
"Where are you...?" the figure asked as he walked the streets of Inkopolis, "Where could Master be?"
00000000
"Hah... ha..." Paprika took deep breaths, "Ah..." she groaned, "AH!" she screamed in pain.
"Please keep it down.." Splat urged her,
"You're not the one laying eggs!" Paprika growled in anger, "AH!" she continued to yell,
"What's going on in there!?" a voice yelled from outside the door,
"None of your business!" Splat responded,
"Ah! Get a room!" the voice growled and didn't respond back.
"Ha.. ha..." Paprika panted, "Almost.. done... AH!" she yelped.
00000000
"Where would a teenage boy and girl hide?" the figure muttered as he walked around, "Ah..." he looked off into the distance, where a lonely sign that read "Motel" stood,
"Bingo..."
00000000
"Ha.. ha..." Paprika smiled as she held up three mango-sized spheres, "I'm... done." she told Splat, "I have laid our eggs."
"Really?" Splat ran over to her, then looked at the spheres, "Did it actually work?" he looked inside the clear surfaces, and sure enough there were little embryos inside.
"Do you know what this means?" Paprika said,
"We finally have breakfast?" Splat joked, though Paprika did not find it funny,
"No you dolt.." Paprika growled, "It means... inside each of these eggs is an Inkling-Octoling child..." she grinned, "How do you think they'll look?"
"I dunno." Splat mumbled, "Maybe... Cool?"
"Well, we'd best take care of them if we want to find out..." Paprika said and took out one of the pillow covers and placed her precious eggs inside.
"We need to move then." Splat said, "Maybe with my grandparents in the country, where that beast will never find us."
"And maybe we can raise our kids in peace.." Paprika smiled at the thought, "I never had a family before."
"That makes two of us.." Splat chuckled, "I'm sure we'll do great. But we'd best leave if we want to find out." he said,
"Alright." Paprika nodded, and the two left the motel.
00000000
"Hello, welcome to Tiki Motel." the inkling behind the counter said, "Would you like to-"
TRAKANTRAKAN! The figure splatted him with his N-ZAP, then walked to the main motel complex, weapon in hand.
