Silver
I couldn't stop it.
I couldn't prevent it.
Now, I realize that there were many chances to take them down.
But no, I absolutely failed.
I instead chose to be a coward and run. I decided to retreat instead of push forward. I could have saved the many lives lost in the collapsing of Inkopolis Tower and the fire. Now, this brings me to a choice. Live to defend others and witness the taking of lives...
Or die and just end it all.
Of course, this isn't a critical decision in reality, but if I was forced to choose, I would pick sacrificing myself for the sake of others. Losing one life is better than losing thousands.
Dying wouldn't really matter that much too me, though. I mean, who am I compared to everyone else? I would be forgotten anyway...
Hazy images flickered on and off in my mind. Whether it's reality or not, it gave me a lot to think about.
My eyes fluttered open slightly. The sharp pain in my head had subsided a tiny bit. Through the blurriness of my vision, I saw Sapphire, her silver hair reverted back to light-blue. My head was presumably in her lap, her looking down at me with a sad expression. Tears were falling from her face and onto the sand; tears that glimmered in the sunlight. Out in the ocean, the rising sun shined down onto the glittering water as it moved in minuscule waves. Behind Sapphire were the cliffs, and beyond that, I could see, just barely, the outlines of the buildings of Kettle City.
My eyes opened up more, and I could see Sapphire notice. A hopeful smile appeared on her face as she leaned over and cupped my chin. She gave me a slight kiss on my lips. As she retreated, I began to notice the small cuts and injuries she had, and the ragged clothes she wore. My mind immediately recalled me speeding on my bike on the girder, Sapphire holding on tight to me, the shots and explosions dangerously close to me.
Suddenly, the sharp pain returned to my head. I began to feel light-headed and dizzy. In the last few seconds before I blacked out again, I saw the expression of worry reappear on Sapphire's face.
And the silver and light-blue Mach Bike floating towards the shore of the beach.
In my weak vision, I saw the shadowed white ceiling of a bedroom, shadows of raindrops projected on the white surface from the window. The room was dark. The rainy weather outside made it gloomy. Rainy weather rarely happened, which was weird, for we were all surrounded by bodies of water. Since it was raining, that meant no squid was outside, for they would get hurt by water.
I opened my eyes further. My tired eyes peered around the room. There on a chair sat Sapphire looking down at her phone. Attentively, she noticed my movement and came to me. Her mouth opened, seeming like she was calling out to someone. But no sound came out. Or rather it was me who couldn't hear.
Soon, familiar faces surrounded me. Aiden, Chloe, Sean, the Squid Sisters. They all smiled and tried to talk to me. But I still couldn't hear a thing. Then a faint sound became apparent.
"...silver..." a voice whispered as quiet as could be. I began to have a questioning look on my face. Everyone around me appeared confused as well. Then, the voice grew louder.
"Silver," it said clearer. Gradually, the voice became louder and louder. The sound became irritating and booming, causing the sharp pain in my head to return, as well as ringing in my ears. I clamped my hands over my ears tightly, while seeing the distraught faces of my friends.
"SILVER," the voice echoed back and forth, making me feel like my ears would burst. The ringing in my ears augmented.
I couldn't take it anymore. The sound of my name echoing in my mind was too painful for me to hear. Then, the very familiar feeling in the back of my head began to get larger. With too much pressure, I blacked out again, my eyes closing once more and my mind blanking.
What kind of dream is this?
Why does my mind let me experience this?
I know it's just a dream, but it's too heartbreaking for me to imagine.
Of course, Sapphire's in it. Of course, she was killed by an Octarian, shot to death with a gun. Of course, I run up to her and fall to my knees and mourn over her death. Of course, there's no "secret power" that would bring her life back. That's what all bad dreams are for protagonists. Then, when it actually happens, the "secret power" is instantaneously introduced. But I know there is nothing to bring a life back. Why wouldn't that be what I would dream? All of these dreams are horrible. Why was it Sapphire that died? Why did it have to be her that died in my dreams? I know that she's someone very close to my heart, but this is to difficult to dream of.
Every bad dream, someone dies. And obvious as it is, it will probably become reality.
What did I do to deserve this?
What have I ever done to have this happen to me?
A cycling process of dreams and reality. It was too much for me to handle. All I wish was for everything to return to the way it was before. Before all the conflict with the Octarians and us.
Or maybe I do deserve it.
Maybe I am the bad person.
Maybe if I overthink this, I'll be able to convince myself that I am the enemy. And kill myself.
...Actually, why not kill me now. What do I look forward to living for? What do I want to prolong my lifetime for?
Absolutely nothing.
Kettle City is the city introducing the invention of the teleportation kettle and the transportation methods of vehicles. In a random house in a bedroom, lays Silver, and all his friends surrounding him.
Sapphire was sitting down in a chair next to the bed where Silver was. He had woken up a few minutes ago, but then blacked out for an unknown reason. Sapphire had refused to go anywhere until she saw Silver wake up, for he saved her life. He hugged her putting her above himself so she wouldn't land painfully on the ground while they were falling from the air. Though, it was he who crashed to the ground, protecting her from the fall.
Meanwhile, Sapphire was texting Sheldon from Silver's phone, who had already gotten to HakoForge Base in the SquidForce Islands, which had the best fighters and military of the Squids. Their citizens were natural born fighters. Sapphire and Sheldon were planning on attacks back into Inkopolis, or if the Octarians would follow them into the islands.
Lately, they've been discussing the position of Firefin Town, for there were some that evacuated there. They also planned where everyone would meet up to recruit people to fight. Also, they thought of ways for support from all of the islands.
Everyone would be recruited at Takoroka City, inside the high school and college assembly halls and gyms.
Inkline City would be in charge of making weapons and supplies for the fighters.
Zink Island is planned ti be a backup plan for aerial attack or attack on water.
Zekkori City makes the gear and armor usable in battle.
HakoForge Base has all of the groups of leaders and fighters ready for combat.
Tentatique City has scientists testing and studying the almost invisible substance that was sprayed on the inklings on the night of Splatfest. All at the scientists know are that the substance makes you harmed by ink and unable to spawn back to the nearest teleportation kettle. The arms that the Octarians used are also being studied. The deadly bullets that were found in dead squids' body were taken out to be studied.
Rockenberg City is just there for natural resources. There are forests on the island and mountains.
Sapphire sent her final message to Sheldon. To go ahead and start gathering fighters to Takoroka City and inform them fully on what's going on.
Then, she heard the soft rustling of the bed sheets. She turned her head to see Silver propping himself up on the bed with an elbow. He winced as he moved his back and his head.
"SILVER!" Sapphire exclaimed, running to the side of his bed, alerting everyone in the process.
"Hey, Sapphire..." Silver greeted weakly. He looked at her to see her still in her ragged and ripped clothes, everyone else changed.
"Don't move anymore. I'm right here," Sapphire said. "I thought you would die! You passed out like two or three times!"
"W-What happened?" Silver questioned her. Sapphire couldn't get herself to say it.
"You plummeted from the girders of the bridge to the rocky beach," Aiden explained it for Sapphire. "You put yourself below Sapphire so she wouldn't hit the ground, but you did instead. You've been passed out for the whole day of Splatfest and Sunday. Today's Monday."
"Wait, how did I survive?" Silver asked softly.
"I have no idea. At least you didn't smash your head open on one of the rocks on the beach," Chloe said. "Some Squids saw you guys fall off of the rails to the ground and told us. But Sapphire's been here with you the whole time and refused to go anywhere until you fully woke up." Chloe glanced at Sapphire. Sapphire only smiled.
Silver tried to get up and out of bed. Instead, when he moved, he felt sharp pain in his back, shoulders, and neck. "Ahh-oww..." Silver's voice trailed off as he laid back down on his pillow. "Did I break anything?"
"Break anything?" Callie laughed and flexed her arms. "We don't have bones, Silver. It's all muscle!"
Marie face-palmed and sighed.
"What? It doesn't hurt to have fun at times like this," Callie pouted. "Oh, and Silver. The Mach Bike that fell into the water, it's being repaired by Archie from the repair shop, Sheldon's associate. He made it out of there," she informed.
"...When am I able to get up and move freely?" Silver asked after it got quiet.
"The doctors in the city said it would take at least until Friday to heal," Sapphire said nervously.
"...Friday?!" Silver complained. "Today's Monday! And why am I not in a hospital?"
"You're at someone's house that let you to recuperate here. Remember, you don't like hospitals," Sapphire responded.
"Oh yeah, that's true..." Silver said. "But I want to get up now and fight."
"Well you can't," Sapphire said, "but we have a meeting with the automation specialists downtown on Thursday. They said they were researching why the kettles aren't functioning correctly, and they wanted to share with us a new transportation technique that they developed using the technology of the kettle device."
"Oh, okay," Silver sighed as he rested back down on the bed. Sapphire neared him and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.
"I'm just glad that you're okay, Silver," she smiled, pulling away from the kiss. She hugged him tightly.
"O-Okay," Silver stuttered, hugging her back. He smiled as well as Sapphire went to get him some food.
Still, Silver couldn't get of the dark feeling that constantly nagged him. It made him feel dark and shady, his heart burdened. He looked around at all the others in the room wearily, who grinned back at him. Though, he still could not comprehend the feeling that he had.
The deadly and outcasted feeling that was deep down in his mind.
"YOU SAID THEY WERE DEAD! KILLED!" the general's voice hollered, even making his supervisor, DJ Octavio, flinch. "THE SQUID SISTERS ARE STILL ALIVE! WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO?!"
"..." the girl octoling stayed silent.
"WHY! WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH?!" the leader yelled again.
"..." the girl octoling still kept quiet.
"ARE YOU TRYING TO SHOW HATRED?! HATRED AND DEFIANCE TO MY POWER?!" the leader marched up to her and shouted louder.
"...Actually, yes. Yes, I am!" she responded rather confidently, her hands balled up into fists.
"Oh, you are?" the leader's eyebrows furrowed. "Well, are you trying to get yourself EXILED?!" the leader was suddenly enraged, his fist an inch close to smashing her face in.
"...Without a doubt," the girl took a chance to stand up to him. "I've seen the torture you put some of the Octarians in. There are so many of them out there who don't want to fight against the Squids. And I'm one of them!"
"Oh yeah? Do you want to get beat up and excommunicated from your own SPECIES?!" the leader hollered. He took her by the neck and slammed her into the dark wall behind her. She tried to yell in pain, but unfortunately, the leader was choking her to the wall.
Three days later on Thursday...
"So, we've teamed up with the scientists down at Tentatique City. With them, we were able to discover something remarkable!" a scientist said. She pushed up her glasses to look at her paper. "But all that information will be revealed to you when you get to Tentatique City. For now, we will demonstrate a new teleporting technique we discovered while playing around with the specs for the kettle."
Silver, Sapphire, Aiden, Chloe, Sean, and the Squid Sisters were sat around a meeting table with a bunch of other scientists. The room had windows, overlooking an experimenting room. A small stack of papers was in front of everyone at the meeting.
"...Well, what is it?" Callie spoke up, since no one else did.
"Look of page three of the packet," another scientist told them. "We are made mostly of ink-"
"I thought we were made of muscle!" Callie interrupted.
"No, we are made mostly of ink. That's why when we are shot with different ink, we explode, and our soul goes back to a kettle and materialize there. Water too. Because ink is a liquid, and water is a liquid. We have our usable ink-water, and real water. When you fall in real water, the liquids meet, and your body of ink disperses," the scientist said.
Down in the experimenting room, a demonstration began. A shot of ink, landed in the kettle on the left side of the room. It then appeared and materialized on the other kettle in the right side of the room.
"You see, the kettles transport you by heating your bodies made of liquid into steam, and transports it to another kettle, which cools you down, allowing you to materialize again."
"Then why does it not feel hot in there?" Sean, who hasn't talked since breaking away from Frank, Luke, and Clarisse.
"We've managed to cool down the temperature and still have it heating and transporting. Because the temperature is somewhat lowered, sometimes messing up the transportation system, there's bad connection sometimes when you play Splatoon, like when you play with some Japanese people. We plan to fix this in a later update in Splatoon," the scientist told them.
"So why doesn't it work anymore?" Aiden questioned.
"That will be revealed to you in Tentatique City, but for now, I'll show you this revolutionary transportation technique," the scientist said, signaling down to the workers below in the experimenting room.
"Moving on... Because heat can change your physical properties, we figured a way to teleport sneakily and invisibly," the scientist said, turning their attention to the demonstration below.
"If you heat up your body, it will turn into a more fluidic state. If you heat it up even more, it will boil and evaporate. But boiling your body up that much can be deadly. So we've managed to use the beacon sensor, or the red blinking light on each beacon, and compact it into this little portable cell."
The scientist showed them a model. A tiny pocketable case was in his hand. It was about the size of a Suction Bomb. The capsule was indented in the middle. On the top split part was the red flashing light on Squid Beakons. Regular beacons were in the shape of a tower, with a protrusion coming from the middle of it. One half of the capsule was designed to fit the protrusion that helped Squid Jump battlers and the red light.
Down in the experiment room, an orange-haired adult easily pried open the capsule and threw the half with the flashing red light over a wall. In his other hand, he squeezed the other half of the capsule. In less than a second, he was set on fire, his body immediately vanishing into a state of gas. A hint of orange flew in the air of the room. Then, appearing on the other side of the wall where the beacon was thrown was the adult, gradually forming back. He was transparent, and it gave him another few seconds on slight invisibility.
"You see, the packet in the bottom half of the capsule, when squeezed, it will engulf the user in the hottest of flames, and instantly evaporate your body," the scientist said.
"But doesn't it hurt? The fire?" Sapphire asked.
"No. That's what everyone believes. Because of the destruction fire brings to structures, everyone thinks that they wouldn't survive in it. Instead it will change you to another form. The fire feels like a fiery and rebellious willpower building up inside of you..." the scientist described.
"Oooh, can I try?" Callie asked as she reached for the capsule in one of the scientists' hand. Immediately the scientist retracted her hand.
"At this time, we aren't able to use this," the scientist said. "Because of the nearly invisible substance that the Octarians sprayed on us."
"Well, why can that guy down there do it?" Callie asked back.
"Because that guy hasn't been affected by the substance yet. This substance is contagious and affects others through contact or just being in the vicinity of another person," the scientist said.
But he gave it to everyone anyways. "I'll give it to you anyways. But always know that activating this is the same as suicide, until we figure out a solution to this unknown," the scientist said as he handed three capsules to each person.
...Suicide... The word stood out in Silver's mind.
"I need you to go to to Tentatique City and give this piece of technology to them. They'll figure out how to make it usable soon," the scientist stood up and dismissed his other colleagues.
The others stood up, stretching. They all looked at Silver, who got out of his chair slowly, looking at the capsule in his hand.
"Hey, Silver," Sapphire took his hand and looked at him. "Are you okay?"
Silver only nodded silently, clutching the capsule in his hand. Quietly, he followed everyone out the door, a deep emotional pain growing in his heart.
It was evening in Kettle City, cars and trucks still running throughout the city. But off of the elevated city was a silver-haired inkling on the beach. He sat along the waterline, careful not to touch the water. He looked out to the water, glimmering with the reflection of the setting sun. His eyes averted to the capsule in his hand. Slowly, he pried the capsule open, splitting the sides. In his left hand was the beacon itself. In his right hand was the small, little cell that could set himself on fire.
Silver gazed out to Inkopolis City, distant and far. He could no longer see the standing, green Inkopolis Tower with the Zapfish on it. It was toppled over, and the Zapfish was dead. The wisps of fire raging throughout the city was visible, but it had diminished. But through, Silver's escape, he had left many lives in Inkopolis to the hands of the Octarians.
It was his fault that many people died in Inkopolis.
Or maybe it wasn't. Or maybe he's thinking of this to make yourself feel bad. In his own opinion, he thought lowly of himself. He was trusted with protecting the city, when in the end, a majority of them had perished.
Silver couldn't take it anymore. There was a lot of pressure building inside of him, and things needed to be fulfilled. The pain in his heart intensified as he looked down at the half-capsule in his hand. If he squished it right then and there, he would die. He wouldn't have to blame himself for anything anymore.
He could kill himself. Just as the scientist said.
Sighing deeply, he placed the cell in the center of his hand. With nothing to regret, his fingers descended, ready to squish it.
"...SILVER, NO!" a voice yelled behind him. Footsteps behind him closer as he decided to press down on the cell.
Silver could only feel the burning sensation for less than a second. His hand was then smacked open, the cell flinging out of his hands and into the sand. From the cell burst a flaring flame that grew and heated up intensely. The flame grew massively for one second, and then died. Silver turned around to see Sapphire, kneeling behind him.
"...Silver..." she murmured as a tear trickled down from her eyes. "...Why...?"
"..." Silver turned away and said nothing.
"...Why are you..." she grabbed his shoulder. "W-Why are you trying to kill yourself?"
"..." Silver still said nothing.
Sapphire groaned. "Silver, why? Talk to me."
"..." Silver stayed quiet.
"Silver, answer me!" Sapphire looked into his eyes. "Tell me! What happened?"
"..." Silver turned the other way.
"Silver!" Sapphire grabbed his shirt collar and smacked his face to the sand. "Answer me! You're so arrogant!"
Silver felt the blood rushing to his face. He felt the pain of Sapphire's smack. Then, he put his hand against the cheek that was slammed into the sand and felt blood from where the sand scratched his skin. The blood trickled from his cheek to his hands. Standing up with a sigh, he walked away to the cliff where the town was above, leaving Sapphire behind.
"S-Silver! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!" Sapphire quickly apologized and fan after him. Silver didn't bother to look behind.
"Silver!" Sapphire grabbed his hand that wasn't bloody and tugged it back. Silver stopped walking and stood still.
She made him sit down on one of the smooth rocks at the bottom of the cliff. She ripped off the bottom of her old Splatfest T-Shirt and pressed it against Silver's scratched and bloody cheek.
"I'm sorry, Silver! I didn't mean to! I'm sorry I yelled at you!" Sapphire apologized, her voice full of regret and sadness.
"...I'm sorry I left people in Inkopolis for dead..." Silver said quietly.
"Left people for dead?" Sapphire raised an eyebrow. "That's not your fault! We couldn't do anything against the Octarians!"
"Yes, we could. There were many chances to stop them," Silver said a little louder.
"You knew we could do whatever we could at the moment. You keep beating yourself up for something that already passed!" Sapphire looked into his eyes. "Stop doing that. You're scaring me."
"..." Silver grew silent again.
"Silver, stop thinking about things that passed. You're overreacting, and hurting yourself over nothing," Sapphire tried to comfort him. "It's all in your head."
"..." Silver listened to her quietly.
"There are still people who love you-" Sapphire was interrupted by Silver.
"People who love you... My dad was killed in the Octo Space. Your mother was killed in the Octo Space. Do you know whose fault that is?" Silver shot back. "It's my fault! Because I got us into trouble!"
"You can always blame Clarisse! She got us into trouble! You decided to help her..." her voice staggered as she realized she was blaming Silver for helping Clarisse.
"Yeah. I decided to help her, then we got into trouble. It's my fault, no denying it," Silver muttered.
"Look, just forget about that, please. You did what you can back there, and that's all that matters. I love you, Silver. And I'd give everything to have you in my life forever. So don't kill yourself, please!" Sapphire stared deep into his cold, silver eyes.
Many seconds passed, him looking out to the last rays of sun on the water. Silver nodded slowly. Crying, Sapphire buried her head under his neck and gave him a tight hug.
"Silver, you always have me. I'll love you forever. Don't ever leave me," she said in between crying.
"Okay, Sapphire..." Silver responded. "...I love you, too..."
"...Come on, let's go back..." Sapphire said, sniffling. "I won't tell anyone what you were trying to do. I'll take care of the scratches and blood on your cheek, Silver..."
Silver nodded and stood up with Sapphire. Sapphire slipped her hand into Silver's hand, dried with blood. In her other hand was the bloody ripped part of her shirt. The two began climbing up the cliffs back the the still busy city, darkness of the night engulfing the beach.
The depressing feeling in the bottom of Silver's heart was gone. Instead, it was replaced with confidence and love for Sapphire and her support and love.
"So, we gotta go to Takoroka, the SquidForce Islands, and then Tentatique City," Aiden confirmed.
"Correct, and we'll be planning for the military to push back into Inkopolis in Takoroka City," Silver said.
Currently, Silver and everyone were near the front door of the house they took residence in. Silver and Aiden had already given thanks to the owner of the house and were about to leave. Silver, more importantly, was fit and well. His back and shoulders were no longer hurting and were healed. Onky his cheek was shown to have blood and cut marks on it. Silver had changed into a hoodie and jeans while Sapphire dressed into a short shirt and shorts.
"So, we ready to go?" Chloe asked. Everyone nodded.
Then, an explosion was heard far away. Instantly alerted, the gang ran outside to the road. In the distance, at the border of the city, arrived what seemed an army of Octarians, luckily with no ancient and deadly weapons. They had arrived by boat to under the cliffs at the beach.
"Are you kidding me?!" Sean was pretty angry.
"It's been only five days and now they decide to conquer here too!" Callie complained.
"Are we gonna try to fight back?" Callie asked Silver.
"...No. We're gonna play it smart this time. We don't have enough fighters to defend. So, all we can do is evacuate anyone here as much as possible to Takoroka City," Silver said confidently and smiled at Sapphire. She smiled back at him.
"You ready to go, Silver?" Sapphire questioned him with a smirk.
"As always, Sapphire," Silver smiled cooly as the gang split ways to help defend and try to evacuate the city.
"Get OUT OF HERE!" the general hollered at the coughing octoling girl. "AS OF NOW, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO BEING IN OUR TERRITORY. YOU SHALL BE EXILED FROM THE OCTARIAN NATION!"
The girl only coughed more, a defeated expression on her hurt face.
"GO!" the leader's voice boomed. Even DJ Octavio flinched at the volume of his voice. The leader grabbed the girl by her shirt collar, threw her to the door, and kicked her out with his boot into the dark hallway.
The girl cowered in fear and ran through the dark hallway, no longer caring about herself anymore.
"NO ONE SHALL UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF ME!" the general yelled through the closed door.
"I AM GENERAL OCTAVIAN SHADOW, AND NO ONE SHALL EVER STAND IN MY WAY!"
~AuraMasterADV13
Originally published on Wattpad on October 16, 2015.
Republished on Wattpad and Fanfiction on October 20, 2018.