Chapter 1: Part 1


Kira woke up in her bed before the others woke up. She still had the events from the early morning dream replaying in her head. Her venom walker Nimh being her companion who she would ride into the incoming war. All the pains and aches from her encounter with TarTar made her feel queasy, but she shook it off as prewar jitters. But the one thing that made her wonder

Mint was the first to rise and smiled at Kira. "Morning Kira!"

"Morning Mint."

"Did you sleep well?" They wondered.

"Slept like a log." She replied with a chuckle. "Say, what's on the agenda for today?"

"For you? You still need rest. TarTar did quite the number on you." Mint frowned. "I couldn't even finish healing you properly because you were in so much pain."

"B-But Miiiiiiint!" Kira whined. "I gotta do things! I'm the one in charge!"

"Oh phooey!" They replied with a scowl. "You're remaining in bed today, and that's final."

Kira crossed her arms and pouted like a child. "I'm fine Mint."

They smiled and pat her head. "I'll go and get you some breakfast. You must be hungry." And left for the mess hall. The rest of the group rose up and said their good mornings and get better soon's to their squid in charge before leaving for the training fields.

Chili, of course, was always the last one to rise. He groaned a bit as he started to stir. "Mornin' Dipshit."

"Morning sleeping shit-head." Kira chuckled.

"Yer still in here? Good cod, what's Mint doing to you when I shut my eyes?"

"They put me on bed-rest for one more day before I can officially get to work." Kira complained as she moved his tentacles around. "Y'know, missing out on all the action."

Chili moved his tentacles and shifted his position in her lap. "Yer a fuckin psycho. You get injured by an almost life-threatening blast, and you pass it off as if it was a baby's flick. Fucking hell Kira, are you ever going to relax?"

"...Perhaps." She replied while looking away.

"Kira, you know well why I want you to take it easy." He sighed as he crawled out of the bed and returned to his normal form. He was still wearing that black hoodie and the black he put in his hair didn't fade. He gave her a tired, worried look as she lowered her ears.

"I know, I know.. But it's my duty. I have to do this to fulfill this stupid prophecy so that everyone, not just us, can rest easily."

He looked away and grunted. "I still want that vacation, hope you know."

"And after all this is over, we'll definitely go one one." She replied and held his hands. "Promise."

"Promise." He repeated. Chili shoved his hands into his pockets and looked over as Mint brought breakfast in. "Looks like that's my cue to leave. I'll see ya around, loser."

"See ya, dumbass." She grinned playfully as he cracked a smile and raised the middle finger at her, leaving her and Mint in the infirmary tent.

The breakfast the octoling brought her smelled delightful. Scrambled eggs, toast and squidberry jam, with yogurt and a glass of apple juice.

"Oh cod, Mint this looks so good!" Kira commented as she wiped some drool off her face.

They smiled wide and took a seat. "Dig in!"

As the injured squid ate, Mint checked her wounds and grimaced. "Oh dear, I don't believe this wound is healing properly."

"Funny, because I thought it was getting better." Kira commented with a mouth full of food.

Mint shook their head and got some more gauze and ointment. "It needs at least another week to heal."

"You have got to be shitting me." She groaned. "Mint, I can't wait another week! TarTar's next move is to lay siege on the city! And we gotta be ready for it! That can't happen if their leader is on god-damned bed-rest!"

"If we want that wound to heal, it has to be that way!" They huffed. "Besides, you're not well."

"Not true! I'm perfectly fine!" Kira set her tray to the side and got out of the bed in only her pajamas. "See?!" She instantly regretted it as her legs contorted into jello and she turned into a squid, the blast mark visible on her little squid body. Mint scooped up the squid and placed her on the bed.

"You were saying?" They replied with a smirk.

"Oh fuck you." Kira grumbled as she lied on her pillow, crossing her tentacles, glaring at her friend. "Okay, so I'm not totally better. But at least I'm almost there!"

"Almost? You're so full of it." Mint said with a roll of their eyes. "Now rest. And I better not see you out of bed."

Kira squawked and whined, flapping her tentacles in the air as Mint left. Frustrated, she lied on the pillow and returned to normal.

To the entrance of the infirmary, she saw a pastel-blue octoling stick his head in and wave. "Hey!"

"Who are- Aero?" Kira said with a raised eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"

He walked in and sat in a chair. "Mint told me to check up on you. Make sure you don't escape."

She sighed, "Of course they would do that. But what confuses me most is... Uh... Why are you even here? You're the last person I'd ever expect to be in a war of all things."

"Then you've never seen Splatfest Remix when it's crunch time." He laughed. "It gets crazy."

Kira smirked. "Crazy as in people lose limbs kind of crazy? Or crazy as in I wish you were never born crazy?"

"What's the difference?" He asked with a snicker.

"Many things." She replied.


Part 2 coming soon