Chapter 21

Sarah's POV

Oh yeah, at the bottom of the Canyon, darkness with Octarian ink below us, this place definitely looks like a 'Final Area.'

We blew through several areas, splatting Octos and collecting Zapfish all the way. I was growing concerned for Otis. He must've been bothered by the recent news. We'd just cleared the fifth area when I had to stop.

"Otis?" I said.

"Yeah?" He responded.

"Are you okay?" I asked him. "I can tell something's bothering you."

"This just doesn't make any sense." He told me. "There's no way Callie would be willingly working with Octavio. She's way too nice to do something like that."

"Maybe she isn't doing this willingly." I suggested. "We already know about the brainwashing."

"Maybe…" He said. "Yeah, that actually makes sense. Callie loves Marie. She'd never turn on her like that."

"Well then, we'll find Callie and bring her to her senses!" I said.

"Yeah!" He agreed

"She'll be reunited with her cousin, Marie!" I continued.

"Yeah!" He was getting excited.

"And she'll give a kiss to her handsome hero, Otis!" I cheered.

"Ye-whaaa?!" Otis's face went red. "S-Sarah!"

I just grinned.

"Oh, come on." I teased. "You totally have a celebrity crush!"

"I do not!" He asserted.

"Otis…" I had my arms crossed and raised an eyebrow.

"Well…maybe…" He admitted. "But they're huge celebrities. Who doesn't have a celebrity crush?"

"Eh, you're right." I agreed.

"Well, back to the topic at hand, the next kettle will be another fight with Octolings." Otis said.

"Oh, that'll be fun I'm sure." I sarcastically responded.

We dived right into the kettle.

More Octolings. With us together, we blew through several of them, retrieving every Zapfish we came across. We were on edge the whole time though. We were just waiting for Cass to jump out. We collected Zapfish after Zapfish, but still nothing. Eventually we had one left to go. I saw a familiar face guarding the Zapfish. It wasn't Cass. It was that brush-wielding Octoling from the first time.

"Hey!" I called out.

That caught her attention.

"So we meet again…" She readied her Brush.

"And I came ready this time…" I readied my Brush.

We charged at each other, trading blows. I was doing much better this time now that I had the proper weapon. It was much more even this time. She swiped, I dodged. I swiped, she dodged. Eventually, I managed to knock her down.

"I yield." She admitted defeat.

"Cass not with you?" I asked.

"No, she just told me to give you a good fight, and then give you these." She held out two letters.

Before I could thank her, a charger shot splatter her.

"Otis!" I yelled. "She gave up!"

"Sorry!" Otis yelled back, walking toward the Zapfish. "What'cha got there?"

"Two letters." I told him. "One from Cass, the other one I'm not sure."

I opened the mysterious letter first and read it. It read as follows:

Dear Octo Valley recruits,

I'm writing this letter to inform you that Captain Cassandra is currently in medical care after suffering a large concussion and brain hemorrhage, though from what, she wouldn't tell me. It's a good thing you got her to me when you did, or it's likely she would've died. Some may not appreciate the fact that you chose to save her life, but as a Doctor, I believe you did the right thing.

Sincerely, Gracie

"Oh, it's from that Doctor Cass flirted with to get info. She apparently still thinks we're Octoling recruits." I told Otis. "It's a letter thanking us for helping Cass."

"Oh, that's nice of her." Otis commented. "What's the other letter say?"

I opened the letter from Cass and read it. It read as follows:

Dear Sarah and Otis,

#$ % you.

Love, Cass

"Yeah, that sounds like something she'd write." I commented.

"What's it say?" Otis was curious.

"Cass isn't happy." I told him.

"Yeah, what else is new?" He quipped. "Why wasn't she here anyway?"

"You hit her a lot harder than we thought." I explained. "Apparently you almost killed her."

"Oh, wow…" Otis was surprised. "I didn't like her one bit, but I didn't want to kill someone."

"Well, for better or worse, she's okay." I said. "Truth be told, this mission was kinda boring without her."

"Well, at least we can get to the boss kettle without any trouble." Otis said.

"Right!" I was hyped. "Now let's go save Callie and the Zapfish!"

Cephalon HQ…

As soon as we got out of the kettle, a large platform holding the boss kettle rose out of the ground.

"You know they're probably expecting us, right?" Otis asked.

"Oh yeah." I replied. "Definitely."

We made our way over and dived in.

On the other side was a large stadium. The seats were filled with the largest crowd of Octarians I've ever seen. In the center was some sort of stage with someone standing in the center.

"Octo's got style, I'll give them-wait," Otis looked at the stage. "Is that Inkopolis Plaza? Did they steal the ground?!"

"Maybe they just copied it or something." I suggested. "Now come on, we've got a boss to fight!"

Otis nodded and we jumped over.

"Let's go, agents!" Marie shouted.

When we landed, we got a closer look at the figure in the middle. It was an Inkling. Otis stood still.

"Wait…Is that…?" Marie wondered. "CALLIE?!"

Callie turned around. Her outfit was pretty killer. Must've been more risqué than what she usually wears since stumbled back Otis had to look away.

"I told you to leave…" Callie told us.

"Callie…Why?" Marie sounded hearbroken

"Now you leave me no choice..." Callie struck a pose. "Prepare to be rocked!"

I sense a boss battle

"Hey, DJ!" Callie called out.

Suddenly, the stage she was on rose up, revealing a giant machine with fists piloted by what must've been DJ Octavio. We saw the great Zapfish get sucked in through the bottom. They were ready to brawl. The screens read:

DJ Octavio feat. Callie

Octobot King II

"Octavio in da houuuuuuuuse!" DJ Octavio cheered. "GYAH HA HA! I REMIXED CALLIE'S BRAIN!

Well, we saw that coming…

"Time for our first song of the night: Bomb Rush Blush!" Callie announced.

"Time to drop the beatdown!" Octavio put his hands on his turntables.

"Spin it, DJ!" Callie cheered.

A fist launched out at us, then another. I slapped at them with my Brush while Otis shot at them with his Splattershot. They got sent back, hitting the Octobot King.

"That's it agents!" Marie cheered. "Show no mercy!"

The Octobot King attacked attacked us as Callie did a song and dance at the top.

"Blushing faces covered in pink!" Callie sang as bombs flew out at us. "Rushing bombs, exploding ink!"

We dodged the bombs as the fists started spinning. We couldn't ink those, just dodge.

Otis sent another fist flying back.

"HNNNNG!" Come on, Octavio!" Callie shouted.

"SNAP OUT OF IT, CALLIE!" Marie yelled.

Then both fists were sent flying at us. Otis shot one, I slapped the other. When they hit, Octavio got knocked out of the cockpit.

"Octavio is exposed!" Marie told us. "This is your chance!"

Otis shot at Octavio and he flew back to the Octobot King.

"HMPH…" Callie was trying to compose herself.

"Callie! It's me. Your cousin Marie." Marie tried to reach her. "Try to remember!"

"DJ!" Callie struck a pose. "DROP THAT SPICY WASABI BEAT!"

"GYA HA HA! Comin' with that hotness!" Octavio responded.

"Faces blush a rush of Ink!" Callie sang as more bombs flew our way. "Bombs explode, no time to think!"

What followed was more of before. Octavio sent his fists flying, we sent them flying back, Callie sent out another bomb rush, but this time we had to dodge a shower attack too. It kept going until we knocked Octavio down again. This time I ran up and smacked him with my Brush like a baseball back into his machine.

"I'm here! Hold on!" Said Marie flying in on Sheldon's hover-truck. She took aim with a charger and blasted the shades off of Callie.

"NOOOOO! The hypnoshades!" Octavio yelled.

"YES! That was a direct hit with my special low-tide ink!" Marie cheered.

"Unnhhh…" Callie said, a bit stunned from the hit.

"Now agents! While Callie is stunned! Marie yelled to us. "Make DJ Octavio pay!"

"Gladly!" We said in unison.

It was more of before, except Marie was here singing to jog Callie's memory while Callie kept singing her song, still a bit brainwashed.

"THAT. IS. IT!" Octavio roared as he did another ink shower attack that we dodged.

"You'll have to try better than tha-" Otis was cut off when Octavio spun around mid-flight and sent a fist flying at him.

Otis was firing at the fist when it suddenly opened up and grabbed him. It raised him up and slammed him into the ground.

"Otis!" I yelled.

The gauntlet picked him back up and threw him over the side. Sheldon moved his hover-truck just in time to catch him.

"Got him!" Sheldon cheered.

"GYAH HA HA!" Octavio laughed. "Now that one's outta the way, I'll have a much easier time dealin' with you, pipsqueak!"

"No you won't!" I yelled out. "You just made me angry!"

Octavio laughed and sent both of his fists flying at me. I waved my Brush like a mad-squid, inking both enough to send them flying back, knocking him onto the stage again. I ran up and baseball-smacked him back again.

Suddenly the music stopped.

"My…My head…" Callie said.

"The low-tide ink is working!" Marie cheered. "Callie! Remember!"

Marie pulled out a boom box. Music started playing again, but different music this time.

"That heavenly melody!" Marie started.

"The one and only…" Callie continued. "I…I remember…"

"YEAH!" Callie jumped onto the hover-truck.

They started singing the Calamari Inkantation, but it was different. It was a bit…spicier.

"THE SQUID SISTERS ARE BACK!" Sheldon cheered as a drone carrying weapon case flew from the truck.

It was a Rainmaker!

"Agent 4, I brought you a modded version of the Rainmaker! Hold the trigger down to build pressure, and then release!" Sheldon told me. "All right, Agent 4. Now show me what you can do with that!"

"Rainmaker!" Octavio seemed to be a bit worried as he flew up out of range.

"Follow him, Agent 4! End this!" Marie yelled out as a launch pad appeared in the center.

I got onto the launch pad and was sent flying onto a set of rails above the stage.

Octavio sent his fists flying, but when charged, one shot was all I needed to send them flying back into his stupid face. As I fought, the music just amped me up. I could hear the crowd getting into it too. They were cheering and dancing along.

"I CAN'T…RESIST THE GROOVE…ANY LONGER!" Octavio started dancing as well. "Splat you, Squid sisterrrrrrrs!"

A couple more fists sent back and sparks flew out of the Octobot King as it spun and fell to the ground.

"Agent 4," Marie called out. "Head for Octavio from the inner ride rail!"

I knew where this was going and I've always wanted to do this since watching Rainmaker on TV. I jumped on the inner ride rail. It took me down to a spot where I jumped off toward Octavio. His squirming and expression said "no, no, no," but my face and Rainmaker said "yes, yes, yes."

I raised the rainmaker up and slammed it down on Octavio's face. He went flying to the back of his cockpit as I superjumped to the hover-truck.

"Guh…Not again…" Octavio lamented. "Cross-fade to blaaaaaaack…"

The Octobot King rose up, smoking, sparking and spinning, it finally exploded. DJ Octavio was sent flying through the air. Sheldon positioned the truck in just the right place for the DJ to fall flat on his face with a comical "ow."

"DJ?" A still conscious Otis said.

"Yeah?" Octavio asked, still faceplanted on the truck.

"You lost." Otis told him.

"I know." Octavio admitted. "I'll get you punks next game."

Back to Cuttlefish Cabin…

"Well, thanks to you two, both the Great Zapfish and Callie are back, and peace has returned to Inkopolis." Marie thanked us. "That being said, no one except us knows what truly happened, so don't expect the city to throw you a parade or anything."

We nodded.

"It's like they always say," she continued. "The path of the hero is a lonely one."

"No it isn't." I pointed out. "Otis was helping me half of the time."

"Yeah," Otis agreed. "Where did you even hear that?"

"Wait…They don't say that?!" Marie was shocked. "But 'they' say all sorts of things!"

We had no idea who "they" even were.

"Well…whatever." Marie said. "I was able to confine DJ Octavio in this snow globe. I'm keeping an eye on him to make sure he stays out of trouble."

We saw Octavio in the snow globe, looking none-too-happy.

"I'm gonna slow roast him until Grandpa-I mean…uh…Until the leader of the New Squidbeak Splatoon comes back." Marie said.

"LET ME OUTTA HERE!" Octavio yelled. "I'M STARVING!"

"Only if you behave yourself!" I called out.

"NEVER!" Octavio spat.

"Bahaha!" Marie laughed. "Love it"

"Same here." Otis agreed.

"Anyway, you've really impressed me." Marie admitted. "I can't thank you enough."

"You're welcome." We said in unison.

"Okay, how do you do that?" Marie seemed a little afraid of us.

"Not sure." I answered. "We just do that sometimes."

"So…where'd Callie go anyway?" Otis asked.

"She went to tell everyone that she was okay." Marie told him. "She'll be back sometime soon. Why do you ask?"

"Uh…just concerned." Otis responded. "Brainwashing and stuff y'know"

"Riiiiiiiight." Marie grinned. She could see what was going on as much as I could. "Well, I'm going to watch over 3.5 until the lazy squid wakes up. You two should get some rest too. You've had a long day."

We nodded in agreement.

"Until then…" She struck a pose. "Stay Fresh!"

We waved her goodbye as we grabbed our stuff and went back to Inkopolis.

Inkopolis Square

Wow. I actually haven't been here since my second day on the Splatoon job. It was night time and no Splatfest was going on yet, so it was fairly empty with the exception of a few Jellies out. Otis and I walked all the way to Flounder heights to the third floor apartments.

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow Otis." I said.

"Yeah. Goodnight Sarah." Otis hugged me.

We turned and walked to our apartments. To our surprise, we only lived about six doors from each other. We laughed when we noticed and went in our apartments.

I looked at the clock. 11:25. I took my Hero jacket off and noticed…I kinds stank…Well, looks like you'll get some use Rubber Ducky. I squeaked it before heading into the bathroom.

After getting out of the tub, I got ready for bed. After today, I could use some sleep. Man, the bed here is much more comfy than the one in the Cabin. It wasn't long before I dozed off.