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Chapter 29
Otis's Apartment, Flounder Heights…
"So your mom somehow ended up in Cirrina Countryside and had you?" Otis asked.
"I don't really know the details." I admitted. "For the longest time, it was just her and me in this abandoned house she found before I was born."
"Bet that's an interesting story…" Cuttlefish remarked. "I'd like to hear it some time."
"Mom doesn't like to talk about it." I told him. "I've only heard some pieces from her conversations with Gramps. Something about some military stuff I didn't understand."
"So yer gramps is there too?" Cuttlefish asked, intrigued.
"He's not my real grandpa." I told him. "He just took us in. His name's Gerald and he's Sarah and Otis's grandpa."
Cuttlefish, surprised, then looked at Otis, who was also surprised.
"Well…that'd explain where he is half the time…" Otis remarked. "Then again, Tim's mom isn't the most…popular person in town…so I can see why he didn't mention it…"
"Why didn't ya say there were Octolings in yer hometown?" Cuttlefish asked Otis.
"I didn't even know they were Octolings until now." Otis told him. "I didn't even know what Octolings were until joining the Splatoon. Let alone that the lady no one liked from back home was one."
"Please don't tell her I've been doing Ink Battles…" I begged. "She'd never let me hear the end of it…"
"Youngsters gotta make their own choices some time…" Cuttlefish said. "Ya can't hide it forever and she can't keep ya cooped up forever."
"Right…" I nodded in thought. "So um…why are you here, anyway?"
"Oh, my old friend Ammoses came by." Cuttlefish told me. "I'm avoiding him until he goes home…"
"Why?" I tilted my head. "Isn't he your friend?"
"It's just…" He looked uncomfortable. "I can't understand a word he says anymore and I don't have the hearts to tell him, so I tell him I'm on the job… and avoid him until the problem fixes itself…"
Wow…understandable, but wow...
"So why're you here?" Otis asked.
"Oh, I was leaving a flash drive at Sarah and Guyver's apartment." I told him. "I made a song and thought they'd like to hear it."
"A song?" Cuttlefish sat up. "Well, let us have a listen!"
I got my computer out, opened the file, and hit 'Play.'
"…This your first song?" Otis asked.
"M-hm!" I nodded my head.
"Well, that's quite a nifty beat!" Cuttlefish complimented. "You've got potential, young lad!"
"Thanks!" I grinned. "I learned from the best!"
"So yer the boy the lady Marina's been teachin'!" Cuttlefish knew about that? "She says you've been learnin' quickly."
She talked about me to her friends?! Yesss!
"Well, I should probably go…" I got up. "It was nice meeting both of you."
"Likewise!" Cuttlefish replied.
"See ya, man!" Otis said.
"Oh, I almost forgot!" I turned. "My mom's coming to visit for my birthday, so behave yourself around her."
"Cool!" Otis shouted. "It'd be nice to get to know her. Oh, when' your birthday, anyway?"
"Friday!" I told him as I left. "I'll be 14!"
"Cool!" He replied. "I'll tell the two when they get back!"
I got about a block from Flounder Heights when I realized-
Oh, right...their dad and grandpa are coming too...oh well. It'll be a nice surprise for them.
Back at my Apartment…
I opened the door, kicked off my shoes, and set my computer on the table.
"Guys?!" I called out. "You home?!"
"…Tim?!" I heard Sheryl from her and Carol's room.
"Hey Sheryl!" I started walking over. "Wanna listen to a song I made?"
"Don't come in!" She shouted. "…Wait…you made a song?!"
"Yeah!" I nodded my head.
"By yourself?!" She sounded shocked.
"Yup!" I replied.
I then heard what sounded like arguing for about a minute. Another minute later and Sheryl came out with some unhappy-looking Urchin.
"Were you two in the middle of something?" I asked.
"We barely got started…" I heard the Urchin mumble…
"Alright Tim, oh, this is Stuhf by the way." She introduced him. "He's our first Roadie. So let's hear that song of yours!"
I found the file and pressed play.
Sheryl was bumping her head to the beat. Stuhf, though still looking not happy, was bumping his head too.
"You. Are. Awesome!" Sheryl hugged me.
"…It was pretty cool, I guess…" Stuhf admitted. "Well, guess I'm leaving now…"
"Hey, I'll see ya at the party though…" Sheryl kissed his cheek. "Promise!"
Stuhf rubbed his cheek, smiled a bit, and waved goodbye as he left.
"…Party?" I looked at Sheryl.
"Oh yeah, the three of us are going to a party." Sheryl told me. "We're playing there."
"Can…can I come?" I asked. "I've never been to a party before."
"I don't know…" Sheryl seemed worried. "It's mostly gonna be people my age."
"Sheryl, the only people I've hung out with most of my life are an old war veteran and my mom." I told her. "I've hung out with older people before."
"…Alright…" Sheryl reluctantly agreed. "But only drink water, soda cans, and punch you know is okay, and stay in areas where there are a lot of people."
"Ooo…kay." I agreed. "So when is it?"
"Thursday." She said.
"Oh, cool!" I got excited. "My birthday's Friday!"
"That's awesome!" Sheryl remarked. "We should get you something."
"Well, I already have DJ equipment." I shrugged. "And a teacher."
"We'll think of something." She assured me. "Oh, I know one thing…"
"What?" I was curious.
"My weird birthmark…" She grinned.
"…Aaaand it's…where?" I was hesitant to know.
"Riiiiiiight….here!" She lifted her arm. "Right on my armpit!"
"…Oh…" I was surprised. "I thought it'd be somewhere else…"
"Oh?" She smiled devilishly. "Where'd you think it was?"
"I-uh…don't know…" I admitted. "I guess I thought it'd be weird adult stuff I don't understand..."
"It's fine!" She patted my head. "I have three weird birthmarks! This is just the tame one. Pretty weird though, right?"
"Yeah, it…kind of looks like an eel." I noticed.
"I was thinking sea snake, but yeah." She shrugged.
We then heard the door open. It was Carol and George.
"Hey, little man!" George shouted as he and Carol waved.
"Hey guys!" I went over to the computer. "Listen to this!"
I pressed play and they listened.
"Don't tell me…" George said. "You made this?"
I nodded my head.
He raised his hand and I gave him a high five. Carol gave me one too.
"Looks like I pointed you in the right direction." George remarked. "How about we take you somewhere to celebrate?"
"Yeah!" I got excited. "Can we do that sushi place?"
"Yeah!" Sheryl seconded my choice.
"Then it's settled." Carol said.
10 Minutes Later…
"Hello, what can I-YOU!" The Octoling at the counter flinched when she saw me.
"Hi again!" I waved.
"Something wrong?" George was confused.
"That…thing…ate an entire stick of wasabi in 27 seconds!" She told him.
"Can I have the same thing as last time, but with a Tenta Cola?" I asked. "Plus another wasabi stick? I wanna see if I can beat my time!"
She stared at me, dumbfounded before regaining her composure.
"And the rest of you?" She asked.
The rest gave their orders and we sat down.
"I like her black hair." Sheryl commented. "Think it'd be a good color for me? Should I get her opinion?"
"I don't know…" I shrugged. "She did have to earn that color."
"How so?" Carol asked, confused.
"If she's an Octoling with black hair, she must've been an Elite." I told them. "DJ told me that Octoling Elites get black hair and goggles with kelp attached to them to indicate their rank. Apparently it takes years of difficult training."
"Huh…neat..." Sheryl remarked. "But do you think it would look good on me too?
"Probably." I shrugged.
Our food arrived not long after. Service here is great…
We had a nice meal. I shocked the entire table, as well as the Octoling server who was looking over at us, by reducing my time to 20 seconds.
Afterwards, we decided to end the day by watching a movie at the apartment and hanging out.
