Erray
Marie got a hold of Alex. She tied him up, and for the time being Char was keeping an eye on his unconscious body. Bass and Angel were keeping an eye on the ocean, while helping the Inklings and Octolings that seemed okay, but mostly just as confused as Spyke and Murch. I had been so caught up on staring at the ocean, and with what Alex said, that I almost didn't notice Vichay dragging me away from Alex. I was sitting down in a chair, with everyone staring at me.
"Wh-What?" I said. "I'm okay."
"No, you're not!" said Vichay. "Did you hear what Alex said?"
"You know…" Marie muttered. She adjusted her facemask. "Maybe we should talk about this with so many people around…"
Sheldon was in the building, trying to get a signal for his scouter. I stood up, pushing Vichay aside, listening to the murmurs of the confused Cephalopods, they muttered about the Octarians, and I heard them getting aggressive.
"What did you do to us?!"
"We could've killed someone!""It wasn't us! We swear!"
"This could've happened, and we let it!"
The arguments got louder and louder, but then I heard the familiar foghorn in the distance. The noise alone, silenced everyone. It came from the green ocean. The Salmonids were coming.
Where are you Anemy? We need you… I thought.
Everyone was unsure and afraid. The arguments calmed down significantly, but people were getting hysterical. They didn't know what was happening… Marie said we had to maintain our secret of the New Squidbeak Splatoon, but we had to stop the attack and we didn't have an army.
But maybe, I didn't have to tell them everything.
I super jumped onto the second floor and looked down on everyone below. I wasn't much of a speaker, but here went nothing.
"Everyone, listen to me!" I said. I was kind of shocked to see everyone actually look up towards me. Well, better say something. I took a deep breath. "The Octarians you see around you, didn't do this! We Inklings are just as capable of violence as them, but I don't any of us would call that out! I understand that with the strange things happening and the changes coming to our country are scary, but fighting amongst ourselves isn't going to solve anything! Right now, the Salmonids, those vicious, unfeeling creatures are marching towards this place, and if we do nothing, they will storm this entire city. Many of you have called this place your home! Inkopolis is our home! But we must not give up! For a hundred years we have been divided in conflict, but this our chance to stop history from repeating itself. Just like you, these Octarians just want a peaceful place to live. Let them prove themselves, and we can rebuild the friendship we should've kept all those years ago! We will strike together!"
I took a step forward, holding a fist to my chest. Taking a deep breath, I felt a newfound energy. My hair started to glow.
"We can stop this attack… with the power I possess! We can defeat this threat, and save our home! But only if we stand together! The fight for Inkopolis is now!"
Everyone was staring, but as soon as the first person held up their weapon, others joined as well. The building was filled with the roar of brave fighters.
Suddenly, a small drone flew in through the window and a new pair of Dualies fell into my hands, along with a new ink tank, glowing with light from a Spawn Point link. As I looked at them, I realized that these were the special ones from Grizzco, and the drone looked nothing like the one Sheldon had, as I saw it fly out the window.
"Anemy…" I muttered.
***...
The enemy wasted no time. They were climbing onto the shore, and soon, the docks. Inklings and Octolings, bearing the same shade of purple as myself, raced out to clash with oncoming Salmonids. Chargers cleared the way for Blasters and Shooters to take down Stingers, along with making sure the Steelheads didn't cause too much trouble. Cohocks were a pain, but no match for the Blasters, and the Chum were easily taken down by the Rollers.
Everyone worked together, making sure that anyone who took too much damage retreated to heal themselves quickly, before rushing back in. The lot where the cars would pull up were becoming a mess, along with beaches and the walls of the nearby buildings, but we had to do everything we could to push them back into the waters where they came from.
Then, while I was taking cover behind a car with Angel and Bass, a bright light shone from within the water, and into the sky. It was just like before… in those domes, and with the Octo Stomp. A figure rose from the water with heavy beats.
I looked up, seeing what was before me. They were building it long before the Squid Sisters saved me.
"NO!"
It was a machine. One of the Octo Weapons. It had two glowing red eyes on the main part and looked like a showercap on it. Also there was a rubber duck with a bow on the umbrella. It was held up by Octocopters who were holding it up from the top, and they were slow. They had special thrusters on their heads to dash about.
"Octo Shower…" I mumbled.
It was already shoot Octorpedos and it had extendable hands to shoot hold a hand crank rapid fire weapon and dwas firing at it. Everyone was trying to hit with all they had, but the machine itself was protected with Sardinium armor, and the Octocopters were too far away and fast to shoot.
Suddenly, I heard the loud sound of a trolly that came from it. It began to charge towards us, raining down fuschia ink like a shower.
"RUUUN!" I yelled.
Everyone scattered immediately, jumping and dashing for their lives.
"OPEN FIRE!"
Streaks of orange ink flew through the air, like powerful Stingrays. They made a direct hit and pierced through the machine's armor and the pieces fell to the ground. It staggered back into the ocean, but still close enough for us to actually hit it. The faint sound of music was filling the skies. Looking towards the source, several figures were standing on the rooftop of the building that was closest to the inn, and a small flock of helicopters carrying huge speakers were flying in the sky towards us. They were shining lights of the colors pink and turquoise down from above.
"4!" a voice called from a distance, their voice was amplified through the speakers in the sky. I looked at the middle figure, and my face lit up.
"Anemy?!"
The captain was standing on the top of the building leading the fighting members of Grizzco Industries. While she was still wearing her Juice Parka and Angry Rain Boots, she had the hat we wore on the job, and dark shades covering her eyes. The frames were the same shade of color as her hair, which was currently purple, and she was wearing a headset with a mic. Two Octolings jumped out from the helicopter and landed beside her. They were Oliver and Oscar.
"What?" I heard from Bass.
"That voice…" said Angel.
"Hey! Look alive!" said Coel.
Everyone hid once more as the Octo Shower got a hand crank weapon and started shooting rapid fire ink rounds at us. Octarian Troopers were suddenly on the scene with the Salmonids and trying to make their march.
Then, everyone was starstruck. It was none other than Off the Hook. The rap duo jumped out from one of the choppers and landed on the roof where Oliver and Oscar were. The music that started to play from the giant speakers sounded like Ebb and Flow.
"Alright!" Pearl announced from the speakers. "Come on, everyone! Let's clean up this mess before it's too late."
"If you can't fight or you're too injured, just leave the rest to Captain Arowana's crew, and just follow along with Pearl!" said Marina.
The rap duo looked to each other and nodded, and then locked eyes with. I nodded back at them. Then I stood up on top of the car and raised a Dualie into the air.
"LET'S DO THIS!"
If you're not ready
Just keep it steady
Dance to the rhythm
The Ebb and Flow
And at once Anemy's crew jumped down from the roof, or dashed around the corner of the building to join in on the battle.
One step at a time
Feel the rhythm
Flow like the water
Dance along with me
If you're not ready
Just keep it steady
Dance to the rhythm
The Ebb and Flow
One step at a time
Feel the rhythm
Don't worry, worry, worry
Just keep up with me
The ebb and flow
Everyone cleared the way for myself, Bass, and Angel. Anemy was providing cover from above with the charger. We got Marie close enough so she could shoot the Octocopters holding up the Octo Shower.
Rockstar!
Diva!
Here we go
Dancing away
Even the Octocopters had upgrades. The usually slow firing guns on their head were faster and were able to have more shots.
Here we are
Time to fly
We don't need
A reason to stay
Everyone was cheering and yelling as they raced into the fray. Tapping into my power, I used a wall of ink to block the Octocopters' shots and keep them away from Marie. She managed to splat one, before we ran for cover from the hank cranked splatling.
Come on bring it
I'm down to play with you
Down to play with you anytime
Come on bring it
I'm down to beat you down
Down to beat you down just in time
The Stingray was upon us, before long, and it knew that Marie was the one trying to do the shooting. Boy, that thing was faster than normal Stingrays.
So bring it!
(Rockstar)
Bring it on
(Diva)
My tones will make my life mine
(Here we go, dancing away)
To the sunshine!
(Here we are)
So come one and fly along with me
(Time to fly! Our way)
Most of us had to jump to the floor to avoid the thing. Others had to Super Jump to taller buildings.
If you're not ready
Just keep it steady
Dance to the rhythm
The Ebb and Flow
The Octo Shower spun around. The trolly sound echoed through the lot once again, and it began to rain down ink, racing towards us.
One step at a time
Feel the rhythm
Flow like the water
Dance along with me
Then, with everyone together, we all tapped into our Specials, using Stingrays of our own. We all aimed at the giant machine and used all we had to keep the thing out in the water, while some splatting inkcoming Salmonids.
If you're not ready
Just keep it steady
Dance to the rhythm
The Ebb and Flow
"2! Now!" the cap'n yelled.
Marie didn't hesitate. Open fired on the last two Octocopters and the machine fell right on the docks. A giant tentacle stuck out from the top. Raising my hand into the air, everyone began yelling "Booyah!" for me as I ran towards it.
One step at a time
Feel the rhythm
Don't worry, worry, worry
Just keep up with me
Then I threw the super powered bomb right at it, and destroyed the limb in one hit.
The Ebb and Flow
Everyone stood in silence. The Salmonids were beating a hasty retreat back into the waters, and enemy Octarians were fleeing.
Suddenly, the broken machine began to spark and shake.
"It's gonna blow!" said Marie. Everyone ran for cover. If this thing exploded, it would cause damage to everything around here, and even the people.
"No!" I yelled. Hair and eyes glowing, I threw my hand forward. All the purple ink that had fallen on the ground from our battle began to rise into the air. I ignored the surprised gasps, the "oohs" and "aahs" and used my power to try and form a powerful wall of ink. My hearts were pounding, and I didn't know what I was doing. I had put myself in danger many times, even when I was imprisoned, but this time, many of the lives I had been trying to protect were now all around me.
"Erray!" I heard.
"Get back!"
"It's too dangerous!"
"You're gonna get hurt!"
The rumbling and sparks got louder and louder. Even as the wall was forming, I was trembling, fearing it wouldn't be enough, fearing that people would get hurt or worse… that everything we've done to protect this place will have been for nothing if it got destroyed. Tears were racing down from my closed eyes.
"I must protect… everyone!"
"...ray… Er…"
I heard the noise. It blew up. The force knocked me back. The wall I built began to break.
"ERRAY!"
But then, I saw more purple light, tears streaking down from a figure and the wall was fixed and shined brightly. So bright, I couldn't see, and the figure in front of me disappeared into it.
When I opened my eyes, I was sitting on the ground, and I, along with everyone were watching the bits and pieces of the machine fall into the ocean, along with the purple ink falling around us like confetti. In front of me was a Zapfish and Anemy had fallen onto her knees, unable to look at me. The only thing next to her was that rubber duck and her broken pair of shades.
"Captain?" I crawled over to her and sat on my knees. Her ink color was still purple, but she didn't move. I placed my hands on hers, and saw tears fall onto them.
She was crying.
"Anemy…" I said. "Did you…?" I flinched when she sniffled.
"Er…" She gulped, before removing her headset and mic. "4… I came… because…" She moved her hands and held my wrist.
"Anemy…?" When she looked up, we locked eyes.
"I couldn't let you die…" she said. "Erray… I…"
"We did it!" Pearl yelled. "Way to go everyone!"
Everyone began to cheer. They were shooting ink into the air and yelling in celebration. Despite all the voices and movement around us, my eyes were only on her.
"You've been very kind to me, Anemy…" I sniffled myself. "I…" I smiled, even as a fresh batch of tears streamed down from my eyes. "Thank-you." I was grabbing her wrists, too. She was holding me so tightly, I thought she wouldn't let go, and we were so close, I didn't think what would happen would happen. "I'm so glad you came."
The next thing I knew, her lips were on mine. I close my eyes, not wanting to cry, but feeling tears fall off my face anyway. My hearts were racing, every cell in my body felt like they were going numb. Her lips were warm and soft.
And… I think she drank some of her soda before coming here. I didn't mind. It was sweet… and something only she would do.
When we broke away, I had no idea how much the both of us were shaking… and blushing.
"Erray…" she said, softly.
"Anemy…"
"FOUR!"
Anemy immediately stood up and backed away. I stood, holding the Zapfish like a small stuffed toy, turned around and saw my grandfather, Vichay, Sheldon, Bass, Char, and Angel and Marie running towards me.
Before I could say anything they all around me for a huge hug, but Vichay would let me go.
"You squidiot! I was so worried about you!" She held me by the shoulders. "What would gramps say if something happened to you?!"
"Vichay, relax," said Coel. "He's safe." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "But seriously. I'm an old squid. You're gonna give me a heart attack."
I nodded, and wiped the tears in my eyes. "I'm sorry, gramps."
"Whew!" said the cap'n. "I'm glad we pulled through, everyone! And 4, I can't tell you how proud I am."
Marie was still staring forward, towards the docks. Then I remembered. "Oh. Everyone. About Anem…"
I turned around, but Anemy was gone and that rubber duck, too. In fact, I didn't see Oliver, Oscar, or Off the Hook either. The helicopters were flying away, but people were holding up their phones, trying to get pictures.
"4…" said Marie. She was speechless. When Vichay finally let go, I walked up to her. She was smiling, but still a bit shaken up. I hugged her, and she hugged me back.
"I spoke to Spyke," said Bass. "You guys can rest here for a while, if you need to. We'll keep an eye on that Octo jerk." He suddenly got a few stares. "I mean, that… criminal." He rubbed the back of his head. "Anyway…" He turned to the people around him. "Everyone! This calls for celebration! Music, games, and food all around here, even for you Grizzco guys!"
The cheering got louder, and all I could was smile, as everyone headed inside, or hung outside for a while, probably to get pictures or just calm down. I stared up at the morning sky, and it was somehow the most beautiful morning I had seen. I didn't know where Anemy had gone, or why she left, but for now, I just felt… happy. Cici and Callie were still waiting for us, and Octavio was still a threat, but for now, her name was still on my lips.
"Anemy…"