Co-Existence: A Splatoon Fanfiction
DISCLAIMER!
Splatoon is created by Nintendo and is owned by Nintendo. I do not own Splatoon, nor do I use this Fanfic as profit.
-Checking In-
Adam woke up in another room, feeling pain pulse through his body with every beat of his heart. He groaned at the sudden feeling, before remembering what had happened to him, not long ago.
"I...I failed to be strong in front of my friends-no, not friends...in front of people. They couldn't be my friends. I'm different from them. What was I thinking?" Adam says in defeat.
Adam sits up on the bed in his cell, and looks around. Composed of metal mostly, it was a dull grey, with no shine to any of the surfaces. Adam looks down at the floor, head hung low as he thinks about himself being the weakest person ever.
"I'm worthless. I can't even defend myself." He thinks to himself.
A door opens and two Octolings walk inside the room on guard duty. Adam sees that the two Octolings were the girls that were setting up the cameras earlier in the broadcast room. He looks at them for a mere moment, before looking back on the floor. Mai and Mina look at the broken person sitting in the dark cell. A light was trained on him to make it even look like he failed in life. Feeling pity on Adam, Mina spoke to him.
"Hey...Eve says she didn't want to torture you any further, but...I don't know. I'm just sorry,Adam." Mina says.
Adam says nothing on the matter, just looking on the floor with teary eyes. He grasps his head with his hands, not caring that he was becoming weak in front of the two girls standing outside his cell.
"I... I'm weak! I can't do anything right, I'm just a traitor to your kind. You shouldn't be talking to me, after all. I'm nothing but a prisoner." Adam says.
Mina and Mai look at him with shocked and worried faces. Where was Adam's kind personality, where he always put others first, before himself? He wasn't like he was now. Broken. Letting himself go dry. Mina and Mai started tearing up at this display of cruelty to him.
"Adam...I understand that you feel this way, but don't beat yourself up over it... It's not your fault. Look, I don't like what went on in there, and I certainly don't like seeing anyone hurt." Mai spoke.
"Then why do you wage these pointless wars?! Don't you realize that both sides of this war are losing innocent lives, day by day? You say it is for peace... But your ends do not justify the means. Octarians and Inklings alike have to stop fighting. Just...stop."
Mai and Mina say nothing, due to the truth hurting all of them in the room, but Adam was hit the hardest.
"You know...maybe the reason why I'm feeling like this is maybe because of my Hu-man genes. My kind... I remember that my kind was originally a race with peace, until wars raged on. War... War HAS changed, last I saw... I'm a peace loving guy, and I don't like seeing people getting hurt."
Adam and the two Octolings say nothing in silence. After what seemed a long while, Adam broke the silence.
"You know, from what I hear...your species used to be such good friends. I don't know what happened in the past, but you guys are fighting each other to oblivion. Sooner or later, both of your species are going to die out, and new species will take your place, and the cycle begins all over again."
Realizing the facts and truths in Adam's statement, the two finally realize something. They have to get Octarians and Inklings to repair their past, and walk towards a brighter future. Feeling motivated, the two start shutting off cameras and unlock Adam's cell. Adam looks on, confused by the sudden change of heart by Octarians. Weren't they supposed to be guarding him, not freeing him instead?
"W-what are you two doing?" He asks.
"We're freeing you, and we're getting you back to your friends. Now can you walk?" Mai says impatiently.
"I-I can..." Adam stands up, walking over to Mai and Mina. They all head outside the prison sector, and start walking towards an escape route. They walked stealthily, for if they were to be found freeing a prisoner, the consequences would be dire for all of them. Adam had walked with them for quite a while, before stopping at a sewer hatch like the ones in Octo Valley.
"And where does this lead to, if I may ask?"
"This leads nearby to the arena that we have set up for your friends. We will escort you to them, then we shall part ways." Mina says.
"Look, Adam. What you have told us, has made us rethink about the entire efforts that is going on right now. I don't know what will happen in the future, but I can personally tell you that Eve will come and help you, but not yet. She still has to play the leader to everyone." Mai explains.
Adam nods, before looking around the perimeter of the area they were trying to escape from. From the looks of it, there were two passages to either side of Adam, and one in the middle. Mai and Mina were busy trying to open the hatch, when Adam suddenly felt weak, and he fell to his knees. Clutching his stomach, he coughed up blood, along with a black liquid that was inside him.
"What the...*cough* why am I spitting out ink now?" Adam thinks.
Mina looks back to Adam, who is coughing loudly, enough for anyone to hear them in the base for miles. She went to Adam's side, and pat his back to try and calm his coughing fits.
"Adam, it may be linked to the fact that you are part Octarian. We do have ink in our blood, after all. But you gotta calm down Adam. At this rate, everyone is going to come to our location."
Adam nodded, taking deep breaths to calm himself down. When he stopped coughing, he stands up weakly, and turns to Mai, who had worked on opening the hatch. The hatch cracked open, and with a swing, the three head inside the pipe, Adam being guided by the two Octolings.
-Octo Valley-
Leon waited on the platform made for the special occasion the Octarian-Sharkai forces made. They all sat, awaiting any response to them. They were all tense, ready to spring into action, but inside, they had their own emotions to battle inside. Outside, they were warriors, but on the inside, they were kids. Kids who didn't know how to fight a new force that teamed up with the Octarians. Violet and Akane seemed the worst out of everyone. Even Maya, with her happy-go-lucky attitude, had her spirits dampened by the serious atmosphere. It was then that Violet spoke her thoughts, of what had bothered her the most.
"Everyone...what are we going to do when the invasion arrives? We're just a couple of kids, headed towards certain failure. Adam... He isn't coming out of this alive, is he?" Violet said.
Everyone turned towards Violet with shocked faces. Violet always was the one person who looked on the bright side of things, even if there was no side. Optimistic out of everyone, she was always the one person who could make everyone's morale a little bit better. Now, it was the group's turn to be the optimistic ones.
"Violet. Adam will come back, he won't be defeated that easily. He was strong before, and he will be strong now." Leon said.
"Yeah! We don't know if Adam is really gone, do we? Let's give the benefit of doubt, and believe that he's still alive." Inker followed up.
"Adam saved my life. I can't leave without repaying that debt. I'll fight by his side, no matter what." Akane said sternly.
Maya just gave a quick thumbs up and a smile, oblivious to the atmosphere around her. Violet couldn't stop herself from giving a small smile.
"Thank you everyone. But what if he is dead?" Violet asks.
Everyone puts their hands on Violet's shoulders. Clearly not taking the worse outcome, they all knew that Adam had to come back, even if they had to shoot their way to Adam's freedom. Moments later, they all heard a loud bang, as they all headed towards their vantage points, with Inker and Leon taking the front. A moment later, a hatch on the other side reveals two Octolings. They all tense up and raise their weapons, ready to fire once they charged. They didn't expect them to raise a white flag, signalling their surrender. Confused, they all trained their sights on them, not taking any chances. The two Octolings roll their eyes, before dragging Adam out of the hatch. Unfortunately, he was bloodied up, and was unconscious. But Violet knew that he wasn't being held prisoner by the Octolings...no, he was being escorted by them.
"Adam!" Violet called out.
She ran over to him, not caring that she might be killed right there. Dropping her weapon, she knelt at Adam's side, carrying him. The two Octolings help Adam, not caring that they were still untrusted by the group aiming at them. Violet could see that Adam was in danger of dying, so she shouted to her group to help him to a hospital. The two Octolings nod at each other, before running over to a nearby crate that held choppers meant for Octotroopers. Instead, they would be used to transport everyone to Inkopolis, where they would take Adam to safety. Leon's group had taken flight, before looking back at the two Octolings, who were waving farewell.
"Those two...why didn't they attack us? Furthermore, they even had brought Adam to us. What reason would they help us? Either way, we have to save Adam. I promise that." Leon thought.
Back on the arena platform, Mai and Mina looked at the specks of the Inklings. Looking towards the sky, Mai spoke.
"Adam will make peace between our species again, won't he?" Mai said.
Mina nodded in response. "I don't know why, but I feel like I can trust him with anything. Maybe that's his Hu-man genes talking. Either way, we have to do something about the invasion." Mina said.
The two head back to the hatch, where the Inklings could no longer be seen by the Octolings. Satisfied that their part was done, they headed back towards their base, safe in the fact that a prisoner had escaped.
-Inkopolis-
Leon and everyone had landed shorty after their ride in the sky. They had stopped in front of a hospital near Booyah Base, and carried Adam through the front doors. Bleeding through the front doors, Adam was carried with his friends, with Violet taking most of the weight of everyone.
"Please, help my friend! He's bleeding out!" Violet exclaims.
The nurses send a alarm throughout the whole building, and immediately, doctors and nurses are at the scene, ready to take Adam.
"Get him to the surgery room, now!" The doctor exclaims.
The doctor takes Adam and puts him on a stretcher, and start giving him various fluids. From there, Adam is taken away, but for his condition, nobody can say. Meanwhile, everyone waits nearby in the lobby, to wait for Adam. Violet seemed the most shaken, as she is sitting away from the group.
"What are we going to do?! Adam's in a critical condition!" Violet exclaims.
Violet, as everyone sees, is falling apart in front of everyone. Hugging herself tightly, she looks down, not sure of what she should do. Everyone around her feels the same way, but they don't know what to do. A doctor comes out, to tell them of Adam's condition. Violet sees the doctor, and runs over to him, shaking.
"Is he okay? Is he dying? Is he dying?!" Violet exclaims.
Leon holds Violet back, trying to calm her hysterical state. Leon gives Violet to Akane, whom he could trust to keep her calm. Now that she was calm, Leon talked to the doctor for Adam's condition.
"Your friend...we've done all we can, but..." The doctor takes off his glasses, wanting to rest his eyes.
"He's...almost gone. So I suggest, whatever final words or business you all have, I suggest that you do it now." The doctor read out the report, and it was clear to all, that Adam was dying before them. Guiding the group of inklings, they all head into Adam's room. Looking around of what was inside the room, Adam was hooked up to all sorts of machines, meant to preserve and save his life. From looking around, Leon saw what was left of his friend.
"Adam...what happened to you?"
As Leon saw what was supposed to be Adam, he couldn't look at the monstrosity of his condition. Blood everywhere. Cuts and bruises everywhere, broken bones. But what unsettled Leon, and maybe everyone in the room, is that Adam had a peaceful look to his face, but to others, it was too creepy, and horrifying for others. As if he knew his time was up, and he accepted his fate. Gripping his fists with anger, Leon released an aura that everyone could tell that he wanted a few words with him. When it was just only Adam and Leon, Leon let himself go. He slumped in his seat, not caring that he was uncomfortable, because he knew that Adam was even more uncomfortable, in pain.
"Dammit...why do the Octarians have to fight with us? All we did was win a Turf War, and this happens. Pain. Grief. Anguish. Suffering. But all that... it's washed away with the good in this world, people that do good things for the future. It's people like...Adam, who get the worst things imaginable to them, and for what? For helping? C'mon Adam... you gotta come back. Please." Leon thought, as his friend lay, close to death.
Releasing a sigh, Leon scooted his chair closer to Adam, where he started talking to him.
"Look, Adam. I don't know if you can hear this conversation, but I hear that unconscious people can anyways... so here's the point. I'm feeling quite low myself. Hell, even everyone outside this room is feeling sad, so I need to talk to you. I remember when you helped me, when I was falsely accused. I remember a friend, who was mocked openly, who stood up against all odds inside that courtroom. Not as an Inkling, or a...whatever your named for, but as a friend who helped everyone."
Leon smoothed his hair, taking a deep breath as he recomposed himself in front of Adam. Thinking that he was going to wake up, he waited a few moments, to see if he would. He only got more disappointment from himself.
"I remember when you stood against that team, all alone for your first Turf War. Battling against a team who had much more experience than you, you fought anyway. And won. All by yourself. Me and Maya would never see such a splatastic feat again in our lives, and you shrugged it off like it was nothing. You were an inspiration to us all, Adam. You may think that your life doesn't matter, but it does. If you die on us now... I won't forgive you. You have to come back. Maya always looked up to you, you know that? Said that you were her ideal father figure to her. As her brother, and pretty much a brother to everyone in our group...I always look out for my family."
Taking a last deep breath, he pondered on what he should say for Adam. Feeling it right to say nothing more, he walked out of the room, giving Adam peace for himself. Everyone went up to him, and asked him for anything that happened in there. Shaking his head in disappointment for everyone, he told them that nothing had happened in there, just only a talk with Adam.
"Guys...let's just call it a day here, and go home. we can look at Adam tomorrow."
Feeling down, they all nodded assent, all heading outside of the hospital. From there, they parted ways, all feeling despair for Adam.
-Adam's mind-
Adam's POV
Where... where am I? Is this what it feels like to die? I can't leave them! I still have to protect them. But...what if I can't? I failed to save them, and now the Sharkai are going to overrun Inkopolis. So dark...is there anyone else around here? it looked like there was nothing for miles around, but I kept walking. I thought I had heard a voice, but it was just inside my head. well, in my physical head, not where I think I am. I walked for a little more, before I saw Violet, standing there. She looked sad, from what I could see. I felt relieved that there was someone else here, and I ran towards her, shouting her name to get her attention. She looked at me sadly, before she turned away from me.
"Where are you, Adam? Everyone is worried for you. Don't die..."
I walked up to her, and I tried to call out for her, but no sound came out of my mouth. I was mute, for the time being. I tried to shake her, but my hand went right through her, as if she was a ghost. she collapsed on the floor, looking like she was dead. I knelt down, trying to keep her alive. I looked around me, and the landscape had changed. A city in ruins...bodies everywhere. I looked at the street I was in, and I wanted to scream, because my friends were all lying down. Dead. Every last one of my friends was dead, and the city was in ruins. Even Eve was slain, her body in a pool of her blood. The only thing I saw that was alive was one of the Sharkai, raising his gun in victory. I keeled over, crying for my loss of friends. this couldn't be real. none of this had to be. I ran, and I ran as fast as I could from that place. just when I thought I had gotten out of the city, the landscape around me changed once more, for me to see two figures standing in front of me. My parents.
"Son...just know that we never wanted to leave you."
"There are others like you, Adam. Even more than you can imagine."
I was surprised at the sudden thought of my parents appearing. I never really thought about me having parents, but I guess this was my real parents, not the ones who made me. They both hugged me, and I felt it, warm flesh, instead of a cold wisp. if this was how I was to die, then so be it. They released me, both saddened and happy that they had gotten one last wish from me. They started to become transparent, before they faded away with one last message for me.
"We love you Adam, never forget that."
"Remember,never let go of what you believe in, and always keep your hopes and dreams. Don't let your dreams be dreams...Adam."
I hugged them for what seemed the final time in my life. I just met them for the first time, and the last. Letting them go, I waved my farewells to them, as they vanished in front of me. I wiped my tears from my eyes, and ran once more to find out why I was experiencing this. After a while, I had stumbled on what was the blank state of my mind. It was completely white, save for some scuff marks that were still indiscernible. The place looked like a train station, like the one near the plaza, but... it was empty, devoid of any living creature, yet the stillness of the place had a solemn feel to it. I stopped to take a breather on one of the benches, and I thought I saw two figures in the distance, talking to each other. Guess that was my mind just playing tricks on me. Then again, this whole scene is a trick. I breathed in the cold air, and tried to recall anything that would help me. The only thoughts I had go through my mind was someone calling me, not to leave. I looked around for the voice, but I saw nobody nearby me. Before I gave up on looking for the source, I saw a figure, completely surrounded by an aura of black. A hostile feeling went through my whole body, and screamed at me to run as fast as I could from this...being. However, I couldn't. I was rooted to the ground in fear of the person or thing in front of me, before it stopped in front of me. Breathing fast, it looked at me, before smirking at me.
"Do you know what I am?"
I couldn't speak, due to my fear of saying the wrong thing and enraging the being in front of me. Yet, somehow... I knew what this being was.
"You're...you're me, aren't you?" I ask.
The being chuckled darkly, before raising his...aura of whatever was covering him. What I saw in front of me, was the me if I had taken on the path of siding with the Octarians.
"Correct. Now tell me, why are you here? Because I sure as hell don't want you in here."
I said nothing, feeling shocked that I was standing in front of my dark side of myself."
"Oh? Nothing? Fine then, see how you like this then!"
The dark me thrust his hand inside my chest, his aura spilling out into me, corrupting me. I felt my vision waver, my breathing becoming more labored. I saw my-er, my other me, using his force to take over me. I felt myself go weak at the action, before I steeled my nerves, and tried to repel the foreign aura from my body. The other me saw what I was trying to do, but to no avail. He was launched flying backwards, his aura stripped of his whole being, and I saw who I was to be if I sided with the Octarians. Scars all around me, with my hair like that Spyke guy, my eyes wild and ferocious.
"You... you think that you can destroy me?! I'm part of you, I will never go away. The best you can do is repress me. I am your desires, Adam. I am your wrath, your hatred for this world! You will never be able to love anyone, NEVER!"
He looked at me with the intent of killing me inside of our mind. He dashed madly at me, wanting to kill me and free himself from this mental cage I held him in. I focused myself to try and to get myself away from the sight. I opened my eyes once more, seeing that nothing had changed, and that the other me was dashing closer and closer, before I closed my eyes. I looked around once more, before the world around me was whisked away, with my other me howling at his defeat.
"YOU THINK YOU CAN LEAVE THIS PLACE?! YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE! COME BACK HERE, YOU MOTHER-!"
I was transported to a hospital, leaving me in the room where I was currently in. I took deep breaths, trying to calm myself down. When I felt myself calm enough, I looked at the room around me, before looking at what was supposed to be me. I looked at my sorry state, and saw what I was reduced to. To a mere almost dead corpse. The scene changed around me once more, to land at Octo Valley. I saw my friends on an arena of some sort, waiting behind cover for an ambush of some sort. They all seemed nervous about the whole situation.
"Do...do you think that Adam will survive, Akane?"
"...Just keep thinking of positive thoughts, Violet."
She seemed worried for me. I tried to communicate with them, but no voice came out.
"Guys! Just keep your wits with you, we need it."
"We can do it! Just believe! Believe!"
Together, they were ready to fight for my cause, and for my recovery. Violet altogether seemed the most distraught, and I wanted to comfort her. But first, I had to recover. To be strong.
In mortal danger, Adam is left unconscious to his friends, which have led him to visions of the possible future. Realizing that he has to save them, Adam sees his parents, for the first and last time. From there on out, Leon and everyone have a heavy conscience, for fear of Adam dying, and for losing a friend close to them, who helped without fear. Adam is left to his darker side of himself in his thoughts, and his life is ebbing away moment by moment.
Well! Quite the chapter, if I must say so. I know this chapter was a little bit short, and I do apologize for it, as I'm trying to balance school and my life with this fanfic. But I'm trying! Thanks for reading Co-Existence, and for giving me some ideas to progress with the story. Again, it really does help when I get reviews and ideas for advancing the story. Leave a PM to me if you want any other Fanfics worked by me, or to help with the story. Again, thank you all. Sorry for the late update.