Squelch and Slosh: Fluke
12:19
"Boys, you've been staring at those weapons for at least half an hour," spoke a friendly Sheldon, "are you planning on testing them?"
It was a rather sunny day, and the clear light blue sky seemed to permit Inklings, Octolings and other beings to spend even more time in the outdoors, specifically Inkopolis Square, than usual. Octo and squid kids were chowing down on seanwiches, browsing the gear stores or strolling in groups around the packed area.
Two brothers, Jack and Ryan, were browsing Ammo Knights, studying each weapon with intent. Jack was a rather lanky individual, almost 19, who wore an old and battered red Takoroka-branded mesh cap over his unkept, numerous, lime-green tentacles, a relatively clean red t-shirt,and mucky blue lo-tops. Ryan was aged 15 and a half, slightly shorter than his older brother, and donned a cheap sports headband which aimed to keep his untrimmed and wavy light blue tentacles of his face, a grey tee and shabby orange and white basics. They didn't look particularly fresh at all.
Jack was currently occupied by the Jet Squelcher. It's matte cyan finish had him awestruck; he couldn't wait to see it out on the range. Ryan was studying the standard Slosher, and even picked it up to test the ergonomics. Both Jack and Ryan knew with absolute certainty they would never be able to afford a gun, roller or inkbrush within the next few years. This was because their mother did not bring in enough money. She could barely afford to feed and clothe the siblings, let alone throw money away at expensive recreational activities such as turf war.
It was an immense shame, and the brothers were not the only ones living in poverty in what many creatures called the 'Inkopolis Slums'. Sheldon let people test inking weapons for free, and knowing many inklings' and octolings' tragic situations, turned a blind eye to them testing guns and brushes for hours. He couldn't let people borrow weapons due to the fact "word will get around and I'll have no business". Despite that, the boys were exponentially thankful (and their gratitude increased) each time they tested a weapon.
Adjusting his hat and gesturing to the cyan power-drill, Jack asked, "May I try that Jet Squelcher, please?"
Sheldon turned away from his papers, "Of course you can, Jack. Ryan, have you chosen anything?"
"Erm, not yet," responded Ryan, and Jack proceeded to give him a disapproving look, "can I have a minute, please?"
Jack, now agitated, tapped his blue lo-tops as if that would speed Ryan up in choosing a weapon. A couple minutes later, Ryan had decided on the same Sloshed he'd been looking at since Sheldon asked, just to irritate Ryan.
"Alright Sheldon, I'll take this Slosher if that's okay."
13:39
Jack and Ryan each spent about an hour and a quarter practising aim on the mobile and stationary balloons, and mixing in a few tricks in the process. They were in separate testing arenas, and despite they couldn't see each other, they were calling to each other each time they pulled off an interesting move.
Jack honed his skills with the Jet Squelcher, experimenting with burst firing and precision. Meanwhile, Ryan tried to maximise the amount of ink going from his Slosher onto the targets. At the end of their time there, their ink was practically boiling.
As they returned to the strangely deserted Ammo Knights, covered in their own ink, the brothers rested their weapons upon the desk.
"Wow boys, you've been at it for quite some time," Sheldon gasped, shocked at the state of Jack and Ryan, "you better head to the Crust Bucket for some refreshments!"
"We were planning on going home straight away actually, we need to take care of our baby sister at quarter-past two," responded Ryan, "And anyway, we don't have the money for any drinks…"
Sheldon studied the used drill and bucket, "I'll give you a bit of cash if you clean the ink off these weapons, polish them and remount them on the shelf."
Jack nodded, "We'll have them clean in no time!"
Despite the fact that ink was devoured by airborn microbes, Sheldon always insisted on manually cleaning the ink. Ryan wiped the light-blue liquid, revealing a black and orange Slosher, while Jack had a go at removing the green gunk from all the nooks and crannies of the cyan drill weapon. They had polished the weapons to perfection and were about to carry them to the shelves when a sound was heard.
It was the sound a Splatterscope would make, only if it's power had been increased tenfold. What followed was a collection of ear-piercing screeches and screams. It was as if someone had been killed…
13:37
Super jumping from a pitch black helicopter, two Octolings landed by the Crust Bucket. One was an average height male, no younger than 20, covered in shiny black gear, except for the face and neck. He was wearing some sort of black glasses, although they did not look like average hypnoshades. Over one 'eye', there was a scope kind of thing. His tentacles were black and neatly trimmed. The other Octoling, a female, probably 24, was dressed similarly, but she didn't have fancy glasses, just plain ones with the standard red light in the top right. Her tentacles were short. It seemed they weren't going for aesthetics, rather, they were dressed as if to rob a bank.
They caught people by surprise. Everyone was stunned, frozen in place, staring at the two intruders.
"What exactly are you here for?"
The Octoling duo did not respond. Instead, they jumped onto the Crust Bucket. That was unusual. No average cephalopod could do that.
"We're here to collect some debts," called the man, "and I hope that answers your question."
"A while ago, about one years or so, us Octolings and our Octarian brethren were banished to under the surface," began the female, "We were mistreated. Discriminated against. Forced into hiding. And all because what? We lost a war?"
"You lost fair and square!" Shouted an Octoling standing by the Radio Studio. He had three purple tentacles, stemming from his upper head and going back. The crowd between him and the Octoling duo dispersed, leaving a column of emptiness. Everyone was watching from the sidelines, confused.
"But you're a-- you're an Octoling!"
"Yes, but we're not all bad. Since that crook DJ Octavio was defeated, hypnotunes no longer broadcast. Hypnoshades are useless without the mesmerising music to coincide with it. We - at least most of us - travelled to the surface and realised that the Octarians were manipulating us the whole time. Octolings are - mostly - good at heart. It just appears that you aren't!"
After this message, the crowd was riled. This Octoling had just shown the uninvited crooks their idiocy. It was almost like a debate - or it would be, if not for what took place next.
The Octolings in black did not look pleased. Yet no one had played any attention to the weapons they were carrying. The male had a Splatterscope mounted over his shoulder, in total black, facing the sky. Meanwhile, the woman was lugging a jet black Mini Splatling. The man looked to his counterpart for permission to do something, and got the confirmation he sought. The Octoling woman was a mother reassuring her child it would be safe to…
He pulled the Splatterscope off his back, charged, and aimed for the purple-headed boy. One shot wouldn't permanently splat the boy - or anyone. It would take at least ten concentrated and perfect shots in quick succession for that. However, the evil Octolings were sure this would do fine.
The young Octoling boy mockingly retaliated, "Are you gonna start another turf war?"
The Octoling man let out a sly smile as he released the trigger. He looked like a hunter about to catch his prey. And indeed, he was. From the barrel, ink did not come out. In its place, was water, jetting out at least ten times as fast as ink would. The weapon was modified with Octarian technology. The water shot out slightly thinner due to barrel modifications. Yet it still left a small trail behind it, a trail of Ink- and Octoling poison. A deadly dissolver of Inkling and Octoling kind.
The jet beam of clear fluid hit the Octoling boy in the bottom right of the upper part of his chest, soaking his pink polo shirt. Some water came out on the other side. When he was struck, he yelled and spun around with the force of the blow, descending to the floor. People around him cowered slightly and many screamed. Pearl and Marina noticed the commotion from their window. As the innocent boy lay, a pool of purple ink began to form, rooting at his wound.
13:40
"What happened out there?"
"I dunno… let's take a look…"
"Oh my, Sheldon! There's a large commotion and from what we can see…"
"Someone is lying on the floor, bleeding profusely…"
"Are they dead?" Queried Sheldon.
"I hope not, but I don't know," replied Ryan.
The brothers were by the windowed doors, and Sheldon scurried around his desk to take a look. From what they could hear, it sounded like some evil Octolings shot someone with water. The three could see two Octolings dressed in complete black atop the Crust Bucket, holding some guns.
If you all don't calm down, we'll shoot again!
Oh, don't you dare go and hide, I have a Mini Splatling loaded with water, you know!
Sheldon knew something had to be done, and both Jack and Ryan wanted to act.
"What can we do?" Pondered Jack, "We're in a weapons store, but these things only shoot ink."
"Yeah," agreed Ryan, "We can't face those terrorists. One shot and we are as good as dead!"
"Sheldon, do you have anything… lethal?"
"My deadly weapons is no matter," argued Sheldon, "You two would get yourselves killed."
The brothers both turned to face the horseshoe crab and said unanimously, "You have lethal weapons?"
"Uhhh, no. But I have got a bottle of water under my desk."
"Fill up our weapons with some, please," asked Jack, as the duo reached for them. Jack took the matte cyan Jet Squelcher from the shelf, and Ryan took the glorified orange and black bucket known as the Slosher.
"Boys, no can do. I can't put your lives at risk."
"Do you realise that by not putting our lives at risk you are endangering everyone out there?"
"We've really perfected outlet skills with our weapons. I'm sure Ryan is good at using that bucket thing."
"Hey! It's got a name, y-"
"Alright boys, please save your fighting for those villains. I'll fill up your weapons, but use the water sparingly - there won't be enough to fill you up more than the weapon alone can hold."
13:55
Sheldon had half-reluctantly filled up the duo's weapons with the most amount of water they could take. They had made a plan, and sneakily exited the shop while the Octolings' backs were turned and tried to blend in with the crowd. The terrorists had been lecturing the frightened citizens of Inkopolis. Jack was to snipe the one who owned the Splatterscope immediately after Ryan sloshed the female holding the Mini Splatling. The Inkopolis Police had come but to no avail - their weapons were knives in a gun fight. They had to hide because the Octarian-Octolings would probably shoot them on sight.
...we just want to make equality and make the Inklings pay! We demand reparations…
Ryan weaved through the crowd, and so did Jack. Ryan we going to sneak up to behind the Crust Bucket and somehow jump three times his height. Jack had split off and was waiting in the crowd that had slightly receded from the shoddy van. Poor Crusty Sean, his vehicle was practically hijacked and all he could do was sit there, frightened as a mackerel.
Jack was about to reach a point near the front of the crowd, when he was noticed. Well, not him exactly, but the cyan Jet Squelcher in his right hand.
...if the Inklings do not pay this debt to the Octarians-
"Hey, you, with a weapon! Drop it immediately!" Shouted the male terrorist.
Jack was under back-breaking pressure. If he didn't do something, something would be done about him. So he aimed his Squelcher towards the villain's face, and fired. The Splatterscope-equipped Octoling noticed his aiming, and began to charge his weapon. Then he realised this red-capped enemy didn't have to do the same. The spectating creatures viewed the fight in nervous fear.
Meanwhile, Ryan didn't know what to do. He was so close to the back of the Crust Bucket, yet at the same time, miles away. He'd have to break cover at the perfect moment...
A slow, but thick bulge of water went towards the man's face. He couldn't react in time and fell backwards as burning acid dissolved his eyes and mouthparts into black ink. The female crook decided she needed to the action, and was about to charge her weapon. Simultaneously, a green-tentacled Inkling holding a plastic bucket rose up behind her and sloshed her back.
The Octoling woman did not get injured due to her covered back, however she still felt the blast of liquid. She turned around to see a 15 year-old Inkling landing on the yellow food truck holding a black and orange, now empty, Slosher. Ryan did what anyone's instinct would have told them to do and meleed the living daylights out of the enemy. He whacked her face with brutal force, stunning her. As she was about to sweep him with her Mini Splatling, Ryan smacked her hands with formidable adrenaline-boosted strength and, after dropping the scuffed-up bucket, wrestled her for the minigun. Jack couldn't shoot the remaining marauder with the risk of hitting his brother.
Ryan was unsuccessful in stealing the Octoling's blaster, but managed to dislodge her hand off the trigger and kick her off the roof. She landed on the vertical metal door, slamming it shut as she fell onto the floor, still clutching the Mini Splatling's handle.
Jack took a couple steps and pointed to the intruder with his Jet Squelcher, "Release the grip of the weapon!"
The evil Octoling moaned and let go. The crowd cheered and began closing in on Jack. Ryan then jumped down off the Crust Bucket.
You saved us!Heroes!….is that terrorist nutter behind the van dead?What can we do to repay you?
"Can I have your autograph?" Asked an orange-tentacled Inkling near Ryan.
Ryan didn't quite know how to respond to that. Everyone seemed to be delighted with these two heroes. They didn't even notice how impoverished and unfresh they looked, which was unusual.
"Someone, get the police," Jack called to the community.
"And an ambulance for that poor bloke over there," someone added.
"But they're dead."
Those words hit Jack like the water hit that 'poor bloke'. He didn't mean the Octoling he squelched in the face, did he? He wasn't facing him. A small crowd had gathered over something. That person from earlier… had he been lying there all this time? Oh no, no no no no no no…
"Hey, you two kids," spoke a grumpy Inkling officer, in a blue uniform, who didn't notice Jack's Jet Squelcher. He was obviously annoyed at having to sit around a corner for ten minutes, "good job. We will take it from here."
"Oh, err, no problem, thanks," responded Jack.
My legs are hurting and I'm hungry, mummy!I'm afraid we can't get anything, it's just past two and…
It was just past two. Jack and Ryan needed to be home in fifteen minutes. That would be impossible. Without them at home taking care of their eight year-old sister and preparing dinner, their mother wouldn't be able to work her Sunday shift at Mako Mart. That was not ideal. The brothers needed out of here.
Jack tapped Ryan's shoulder until he turned around and whispered to him, "We've got to go and take care of Emily!"
Ryan would have argued if it was a different arrangement, but he knew how important it was to his mum that he and his brother got home on time. Ryan's mouth dropped open and called, "Where's Sheldon?"
An audible 'right here!' was spoken by a small creature with a large green hat.
"Sheldon, thank Cod your here," spoke Jack quickly, "please take the weapons and then we've gotta run. The police are taking it from here. I'll explain why we need to leave another time. Thanks, see you."
"Wh- okay, bye." Sheldon bent down to pick up the battered Slosher after taking the rather well-kept cyan power drill from Jack's hand.
The duo pushed through the crowd, although most of them receded on demand as they respected these heroes. On the way out, Jack glimpsed a figure in black, on the floor, surrounded in a pool of slightly diluted black ink. His face was a mess, inky gunk covering - or in place of - his features. Wasn't this the work of his Squelcher? Was he responsible? What had he done?-
"Jack, we've gotta move!"
19:01
"...unfortunately, someone was killed at the hands of them. At about two o'clock this afternoon, these Octoling-Octarian terrorists were vanquished by two unknown heroes. CCTV footage has shown that one boy, who looks to be 18, was wearing a red cap over green tentacles. This man shot the male Octoling directly in the face with water, according to eye-witness accounts. Witnesses say he passed away not soon after. Another boy with blue wavy tentacles, thought to be 15, apparently used his Slosher to eliminate - but not kill - the remaining female terrorist.
"These heroes are unknown, however witnesses have nicknamed them 'Squelch and Slosh' in accordance with their weapons. That's all I have for you right now. Back to you, Marina and Pearl."
"Thanks Dani, those heroes seem pretty brave. Maybe we should interview them. What do you think, Mar-"
Jack turned off his battered phone screen. This wasn't good. His mum was fairly livid at him and Ryan delaying her shift (but thankfully hadn't found out about the incident yet), and now they were all over the seven o'clock news. The two had put their little squid sister to bed a few minutes ago, and now had some time before they had to prepare dinner for them and their hard working mother. Jack was sitting by his pillow, facing outwards from the bottom bunk of a bed with Ryan next to him. Their bedroom was cramped and bare; there were no non-essential items. The cream wallpaper was peeling in most areas, and a permanent damp spot on the ceiling by the window had turned the white paint a murky black. Yet it was the bedroom they'd always known, a small room with a decaying metal-framed bunk bed, wardrobe and desk.
"We have a nickname… We're famous…" Ryan trailed.
"Thanks, I had no idea," replied Jack rather sarcastically.
"This is awesome!"
"No, it's not. Everywhere we go people will notice us. We will no longer be the needles in a haystack that is Inkopolis. We are, right now, headlining n-"
"What are you so afraid of? Freshness?"
"Our lives will be absorbed. Fame will change everything. We have to stay at home and wait this out…"
Jack was agitated. He was effectively having an argument with his brother over popularity. Over being admired… favoured… fresh…? No. Not fresh. Not he or his stupid brother could be fresh. Their wardrobe was all second-hand clothes, not to mention that Jack found his Takoroka hat on the street a couple years ago. Freshness was a pipe dream to those in poverty. But they had the chance to get something they'd always desired.
"No!" Jack spoke, loud and sudden.
Ryan jumped like he had just been electrically shocked and whispered, "Don't shout like that, you'll wake up Emily!"
"I'm sorry, sorry. I just thought, this is the key to freshness-"
"Exactly! You understand," Ryan exclaimed, stepping off of the lower bunk and standing before Jack, "We will finally be socially acceptable, we'll get some fresh friends as well, it will be ep-"
"No, let me finish," Jack scowled, "Do we really deserve this? What did we do that no other person would do in that situation? We aren't special. We were just in the right place at the right time."
"Are you on seaweed? We are clearly skilled. Either you're hiding something, or your argument is terrible!"
Ryan put his hands on his hips, and was rather glee. He had proven his older brother wrong. He was waiting for Jack to say something, however he just looked down, sullen.
"You're right. I am hiding something."
Jack reached down and plucked up his run-down mesh cap, examining the tears, scrapes and scuffs. He looked towards the breaking-down wallpaper, the greeny-black gunk on the ceiling by the window, and the wardrobe with the door missing. After a minute, he spoke up.
"We have a lot already, Ryan. We have friends - like Matt, next door. We chat with him over the balcony all the time. I don't want to be called Squelch, to be noticed everywhere I go, to get treated differently by people just because I'm me. We may not be privileged but... I just don't want things to change…"
Well, that was long.
Thanks for reading!
I don't think any other chapters will be this long; I just needed to introduce the characters. This is the incident that will and has led to their fame.Tell me what you think about this story in the review section (if you'd like).