An Inkling of Sympathy Ch. 3
Author's Note: Thanks again everyone for your continued support. I know most of you are probably getting tired of the same old spiel at the beginning of every chapter, but I just feel like I can't express my gratitude enough. Don't forget, I love to read reviews, so posting them is always appreciated. You can also find me on Twitter for regular updates on story progress and general thoughts. My handle is KibaElunal. If you'd like to check some of my original work, you can find my novel "Trinity Wars Book One: Behemoth" on Amazon. Or if you'd like to read the new original novel I'm working on, add me on skype at VulpusElunal (display name Polaris Vulpus Elunal). Also, if you'd like to play Splatoon with me, let me know and I'll send you a PM with my friend code. Be sure to share the story with your friends; help spread the love! As always, I wish you the best of luck with life and literature! -Kiba
After parting ways with Marie, Callie trudged home to Flounder Heights where her apartment waited. It always felt so empty when she was there, and even more so when she wasn't. Undoing the bow her tentacles were tied in, she let them dangle behind her as she collapsed on to her couch with a sigh. She really hoped her Grandpa could help the Octoling; she imagined he probably had a family waiting for him back home. It'd be sad if he died before he could get there.
After a few moments of silence, her hand lazily sought out the remote to her TV and turning it on, she flipped it over to the news. There the night time anchors sat discussing the events of the concert. It was obvious that they didn't think too highly of her or her cousin. "Tonight, at the highly anticipated Squid Sisters concert, (claimed to be a charity event for Ich research and awareness), the fans were highly disappointed when due to a mechanical error, the show was canceled. As typical of the two pop stars, they've made yet another promise of which they are unlikely to deliver. This time, they're offering a free concert at the upcoming splatfest, during which they will be scantily clad in an attempt to provide additional 'service' to their fans. What started as a good cause, has now become a lude bribe to save face for their own shortcomings."
She quickly turned off the TV in disgust. She never really understood how people could ever be so nasty to others. Marie had tried to explain to her before. "There are givers and takers," she had said, "it's up to you if you want to be a giver or a taker." For Callie, she felt it was better to be a giver than a taker. If everyone just kept taking, and no one was giving, then everyone would always be fighting. That was the last thing she wanted.
In a way, that was the reason she'd taken such an interest in the Octoling. He could have killed them. One burst of ink, her and her cousin would be gone, he'd still have the zapfish and could just go home. But instead, he'd turned himself in, wanting to sacrifice himself. She still wasn't sure why he'd done that, but she made it a point that she would ask him when she saw him again.
Off to the side, her house phone began to ring. With another sigh, she reached for it and picked it up. "Hello?" She asked, trying to sound cheerful.
"Ahoy. This is your Gramps. Just wanted to let you know that I fixed your little problem."
Callie sat up quickly. "Really? Already? When can I see him?"
"Whoa ho! Cool your jets squiddo. He'll be needing a while before he has strength for a visit." On the other end of the line, Cap'n Cuttlefish continued to wash the blood from the kitchen knife. "Tell ya what, you can come over tomorrow to see the work I've done, okay?"
Callie sank back in the sofa with a relieved breath. "Thank you Gramps, you don't know how much this means."
He chuckled through the phone. "Don't thank me until you see him." He answered. "Right now, you need to get your sleep little missy. So it's off to bed with you, I'll talk to you tomorrow, alright? And don't stay up all night playing video games, or I'll tan your hide like when you were a little girl."
She giggled softly. "Alright, I promise. What time can I come over?"
Cap'n Cuttlefish looked over his shoulder at the lump of Octoling flesh, blood still pouring from the cuts he'd made. He'd have to stop that bleeding before it began to soak into his carpet. "Let's call it lunch, okay? I'll make sure he's ready for viewing by then."
"Okay. Good night Gramps."
"Good night Callie. Sleep well." With a click, she placed the phone back on the cradle. Rolling over, she walked towards her room with a tired sway. It had been a very long day, she realized. Changing into her pajamas, she carefully folded her stage costume and set it on the chair beside her bed. She'd be sure to wash it after meeting with Mr. Octoling tomorrow. Turning towards her window, she could see her cousin doing the same across the alley.
Marie paused to wave to her, and with a smile she responded in kind. She was so happy to have her cousin by her side. It was like she truly did have a sister. Turning out her light, she laid back on the bed, looking up towards her ceiling with a grin. Tomorrow, she felt, would be much better than today.
When Marie returned to her home, however, her feelings were very different. Immediately, she changed from her clothes into her comfortable PJ's. In truth, she loathed wearing the costume that Callie had helped pick out for her. She still didn't get why she had to wear a dress while her cousin could wear shorts. Opening the freezer, she grabbed a pint of icecream that she'd left there before plopping down on her own couch. Similar to her cousin, she too turned on the television and watched the aggravating news report.
Unlike her cousin, she didn't care too greatly what the night time anchors thought. She ate another spoonful of the frozen desert, waiting patiently for her favorite part of the day. "Now that we've finished with our updates, we return you to the new episode of 'Forsquidden Love' only on Pilta! Keeeep cool!" Marie made it a point to put thumbtacks in the chair after leaving work next time. That'd teach them to rip off their catch-phrase. Looking through her window, she could see Callie getting ready for bed, a smile on her face.
She was glad to see her so cheerful. She knew that with her bleeding heart, she'd probably have had a hard time sleeping after seeing the Octoling the way she did. She waved to her, receiving the kind gesture back. Perhaps she was stronger than she gave her credit for.
Her focus on her cousin faded immediately however, as the screen changed to a scene between two amorous Inklings, one dressed with cheesy, faux Octoling tentacles on their head. "But mi amore, we cannot be together." The Inkling cried, placing a hand to his forehead and turning away. "Every moment with you forces my three hearts to burn with desire and yet...you are my greatest enemy."
The Octoling, her eyes tearing up, too turned away. "Very well then, you brute! Care not for the desires of my own three hearts, in your selfish pain. For you too are my worst enemy, and yet…" The two turned back to face each other. "I love you." She whispered, falling into his embrace.
"Oh come on!" Marie argued with her TV, the spoon still in her mouth. "That's what he wants, don't tell me you're too dumb to realize that!"
"But I can't!" The Inkling declared, shoving her away suddenly. "For there is something you do not know about me."
"Uh-oh, here it comes." Marie whispered, leaning closer to her screen.
The Octoling placed her hand gingerly on his cheek. "Tell me my darling. Tell me all of your secrets."
"Don't you dare!" Marie protested. "Don't you do it, you dumb bastard!"
"I'm in love with your sister!"
"God damn it!" The popstar cried out retreating back into the comfort of her couch and shoveling more ice cream away.
"My sister?! How could you possibly have such feelings?" The Octoling declared. "For her head is more empty than a flower pot."
"Right?" Marie agreed. "She's so dumb. What could you see in her?"
"But her heart is far kinder than yours." The Inkling protested. "I see the way you watch her with jealousy and spite."
The Octoling scoffed, turning away once more. "You're nothing but a fool! Go! Go be with her! Two foolish fools, made to fool with one another!" Suddenly, the door to the mansion bursts open, revealing another 'Octoling'. "Oh, dearest sister!" The first cried, rushing to her and tugging her along. "You have such impeccable timing." Her words were dripping with sarcasm as she stood with her before the Inkling.
"What is it Sister? Has something happened?" The second asked, placing a finger to her cheek. "You seem so upset."
"Hear what this foolish man has to confess to you!" The first Octoling cried. "Watch as he traipses on all six of our hearts! You may only have eight legs, but I swear you could step on the hearts of an army of Octolings." She spat at the Inkling.
"Please Mary, you mustn't do this." The Inkling begged her, falling to his knees. "Do not make me tell."
The first Octoling, Mary, turned away with a huff. "The time for your pleading has passed you traitorous buffoon."
Her sister stood above him, his head hanging low as tears trickled to the ground beneath him. "Fear not. You are my friend, and as such there is no crime you could commit that I would not forgive. Please, tell me your troubles." She whispered, resting a gentle hand on her head.
Marie sighed. "Of course she'd say that. She's just been waiting for this opportunity since season 2. This is so asinine."
"Oh dearest Kailey, you are so pure hearted as to have such sympathy on a fool like me. I thought my heart loved one, but in truth it also loved another. It is as your sister says, I love you both. It is a fate too cruel, one I would not wish on my greatest of enemies," He sobbed, before quickly adding, "which both of you are."
"Stand up fair Inkling, I've no ill will towards you." Kailey replied, offering him her hand. As he took it and stood, she wrapped her arms around him for a loving embrace. "Truly, to feel love so deeply for not one but two people, even one's so horrible as we Octolings, it is a gift, not a curse."
Marie could feel herself starting to seethe with rage; the only thing keeping her from shouting at the screen was the ice cream she continued to devour. It was then that an awful pain spread through her forehead and she had to set the spoon down. "Augh, damn it. Brain freeze." She whimpered, just as the camera panned to reveal Mary, now holding a splatter shot at the two.
"Step away from him sister. Allow me to put this villain to rest in his grave." The live studio audience could be heard booing, but Marie just rested her head back against the couch. Now it was getting interesting.
"Sweet sister, he is no villain. Can't you see, he's a lover not a fighter. While you may be a soldier of war, we should take pity on such creatures as he." Kailey assured her. "Do you not agree?"
"I do not." Mary replied. "I thank the demons below that such a spineless weakling did not capture my heart, as he has so obviously captured yours. He may have come close to having my loyalty, but now he has revealed himself for what he truly is: no more than a lying fool. Now step away sister, before I am forced to splat you as well."
Kailey did not budge. "I will not. Please, sister you must trust me. What would our dead parents think if they were to see us doing this?"
"The same if they were to see you so easily blinded by an Inkling. I will try to make it quick sister." With a spray of colored water, Mary became soaked, revealing that the Inkling now was armed. "No! Where did you…?" Her voice began to trail off as she collapsed to the ground. Kailey rushed to her side.
The spoon fell from Marie's hand clattering to the table in shock.
"Sister!" Kailey cried before turning back to the Inkling. "Why have you done this? I thought you loved her as well!"
"I did," he replied, lowering the gun, "until she threatened to kill the thing that I loved." Kailey sobbed over the 'dead' body of her sister as the Inkling approached. "I am so sorry for your loss Kailey. Please allow me to at least try to fill the void I've created for you."
"Oh fair Inkling." She whimpered. "As I told you, there is no crime you could commit that I would not forgive." She stood up and ran to him, hugging him tightly. "I love you dearest Inkling. Please do not leave me alone like this."
"I will not." He whispered, slowly raising the gun to her temple. "Close your eyes sweet Kailey. When you open them, everything will be right once again." With a splat, she fell to the ground leaving the Inkling standing above them both. Lifting a radio that was hidden behind a vase in the room, he spoke. "It is done."
"Good work, agent." A voice crackled over the radio. "Who'd guess that the Octolings would be so foolish as to fall in love with their own prisoner?"
"For a moment, I confess, I thought they'd discover my true intentions. Thank goodness for the young one's naivety. If not for her, truly I'd have been a goner. Now, it is time for me to complete my original mission."
Marie rubbed her eyes. For a moment, it'd looked as if the the Inkling was identical to the Octoling that presently lay in her Grandfather's home. "This is all becoming too real." She muttered.
"Very well, agent. I wish you luck in destroying the Octoling capital. Be sure to make it home in one piece." As the Inkling on screen lit up a cigarette, Marie found herself standing in the room with him, unable to look away from the two bodies.
"How could you do that…?" She whispered. "You lied to them both, the entire time. And for what? To kill them when they'd shown you mercy?" Her fist curled up, but the Inkling just ignored her. He turned on his heels, heading for the door. Marie tried to rush after him, but found her feet glued in place. She struggled to budge, but could not as he paused at the entrance, turning back to look at his handiwork.
"Sic semper tyranus." He muttered, flicking his cigarette back at them. With a spark, the entire room erupted into flames, climbing up Marie's body as she screamed for help.
With a solid thud, she found herself awake, gripping her head with a groan. Looking down at the table, she gasped. She'd knocked over the ice cream that had sat there all night, spilling it everywhere. She quickly rushed to clean it up, the screen advertising the next episode of 'Forsquidden Love'. She must have fallen asleep during the episode, she realized. The question on her mind was how much of that was a dream?
I let out a groan as I started to come to, an awful chill running through my entire body. Looking down, I realized the source of the chill was a cocoon of ice packs around my body. The room was incredibly blurry, and despite the shivering of my entire being, a harsh pain ran through my head. I began to reach up with my hand, only to see that in place of my fingers were small nubs. "What the…?" I muttered, trying to flex them only to realize they were just as they appeared.
"Good morning." A timid voice greeted me, causing me to jump. It was much closer than I'd anticipated, and I'd nearly fallen out of my bed as the pink blur quickly stood up. "No, no! Just relax, you're safe."
"Who are you? What happened to me?" I asked.
The voice said nothing, until another one joined in. "Don't worry squiddo. A little memory loss is normal after removing a few synapses." This one was far more familiar. Turning towards the other sound, the faint outline of Cap'n Cuttlefish began to sharpen.
"You." I muttered. So it hadn't just been a nightmare. "What did you do to me?"
"He saved your life." The other voice replied; one I now recognized as Callie's. "What do you remember?"
"I remember the concert." I answered tapping my head with my nubs, only to realize that my tentacles were gone. "Oh Gods, you cut off my tentacles?!"
"You don't remember anything before the drive here?" Callie replied in disappointment. "Well, you were pretty weak. You managed to contract Ich, probably thanks to that fan who jumped the car."
"Ich?" I asked, before memories began to slowly trickle back in. Laying my head down on the pillow, I took a deep breath. "I see. How long do I have?"
"Well, that depends on how much longer you plan on staying in the military." Cap'n Cuttlefish answered. "The longer you're there the less time you'll most likely have. But barring death by splatter, you should live a long and healthy life."
"But, I thought…"
"Gramps knows a lot about Ich and medicine. He was a medic in one of the ancient wars. He's treated a lot of soldiers, including Octolings."
"Yep." He agreed, his chest swelling with pride. "Even treated DJ Octavio himself once, though we haven't been on good terms since. Handy thing that Octarian regeneration. Makes it nice and easy to just cut the problems out."
"That would explain the missing limbs then." I muttered, before realizing how I must look. "I'm sorry Callie, I imagine I look pretty horrifying."
"I'll admit, it was a lot worse when I first arrived. I was shocked by how quickly your body scabs over itself though. Gramps said you lost a lot of blood, so you had to be chilled to slow it down. Are you uncomfortable?"
"As comfortable as I can be, captured by the enemy with most of my extremeties removed." I laughed bitterly. "Where's Marie? She must be over the moon to see me so messed up."
"Don't say things like that Mr. Octoling." Callie chided. "Marie was one of the people who helped to get you here. She was really worried too, you know?"
Somehow, I doubted it. "Why do you keep calling me that?"
"Calling you what?" She asked.
"Mr. Octoling. I told you my name. Did you forget it?"
She frowned, bowing her head slightly. "At first, I thought it might be more respectful to call you 'Mr. Octoling' but I'm sorry to say I may have forgotten it."
Her ditzy confession made me chuckle. "Alright, I'll tell you again. But if I do, you have to promise to start using it, okay? No more of this 'Mr. Octoling' crap. Feels weird being called 'Mister'."
She beamed at me. "Alright, I promise."
"My name is Lusca. Try to remember it this time."
"Well, Lusca," Cap'n Cuttlefish interrupted, "I'm happy to say, you have yourself a clean bill of health. Once all of your stuff regrows, you can go back to your kettle, and our business is concluded."
"But, the agreement…"
"Well, we can't hardly fault you for getting sick, can we?" Callie giggled. "Don't worry about it, you did your best. Mari and I figured something else out, so you won't need to stay."
Knowing my body, it'd probably take no more than a few days for everything to grow back completely. "Somehow, I doubt your cousin would agree to this. Have either of you told her of my condition?"
Callie's cheeks brightened as she scratched the back of her head. "Well…" she admitted shyly, "I may have gotten a little excited last night and broken her cell phone. So we don't really have a way of calling her."
"I see." I muttered, turning back to the Captain who sat patiently. "Captain, could you excuse us for a moment?"
Looking first to me, then to Callie, a knowing grin crossed his face. "Sure. I have some crabby cakes in the oven, anyhow. Just come get me when you need me Callie."
As soon as the door closed, I looked to Callie who now was fidgeting nervously in her chair. Was she still frightened of me? "Listen, I…" We both said simultaneously, causing her to chuckle timidly again. "Sorry, you go first."
"No, I insist." I replied. "What did you want to say?"
She sighed, softly. "I'm not good with these sorts of things." Was she saying goodbye already? "I'm really sorry, Lusca. It's all my fault you got sick. Can you ever forgive me?" I was shocked to hear the words come from her mouth.
"Your fault? I hardly think an act of fate can be considered anyone's fault."
"That's not what I meant. I shouldn't have taken your offer. I could still use my gun, even if Marie couldn't. If I had pulled it on you, and you surrendered...you'd be safe at home, and none of this would have happened."
"If you had," I reminded her, "I'd have pulled mine on you as well. One of us would be dead, and possibly many more." She smiled slightly, unsure of what to say. "What I was going to say, Callie, was thank you."
Now it was her turn to be confused. "Thank you?"
I nodded. "You've been...not what I'd have expected from the enemy. Not only did you agree to my surrender, but you found me medical attention when I needed it. Most importantly, however, you canceled that Inkstrike."
"I remember." She whispered. "But you never told me what would have happened if that ink strike would have hit."
A pang of guilt ran through my chest as I thought of the plan I'd made to kill both her and her cousin. Was I really so quick to end their lives? What had happend to the idealist that had joined the Military hoping to make things better? "Something bad." I answered. "I'd planned originally to send you into a nearby Octarian city. You would have been ambushed and killed by the civilians there, probably thinking it to be some sort of attack from the surface. But when I saw that ink strike, I knew I'd made a grave mistake. Innocent people would have died there if you hadn't canceled the missile. So again, thank you."
Her eyes began to glisten with tears as she tried to regain herself. Rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, she sniffled. "I'm sorry...we shouldn't have been there in the first place." She whimpered. "I can't believe we nearly killed those people."
"No, no. Please don't be upset." I pleaded, placing my hands on hers again, causing her eyes to meet mine. I'd never truly noticed how beautiful they were. "What's important is that you didn't. And I can honestly say, I'm happy to have met you Callie. Marie too, even."
"Oh, I'm sure." A voice called from the doorway. Standing in the frame was Marie, Cap'n Cuttlefish peering over her shoulder curiously. "I'm onto you Mr. Octoling, I know your plan all too well."
"What?"
"You probably contracted that Ich on purpose, didn't you?" She shouted, causing Callie to look at her in shock.
"Marie! What's gotten into you? You're not making any sense."
Her cousin walked straight up to her and grabbed her by the hand, tugging Callie away from my bedside. "You can't trust him Callie, I've told you once, I don't care if I have to tell you a thousand times. I will not let him hurt you, understand?"
"I'm not…"
"Shut up! I'm not talking to you. We treated you out of honor and respect, but we are not friends, do I make myself clear?!"
"Marie…" Her grandpa began, resting a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. "Come sit down, drink some tea. You need to calm down."
"Don't tell me to be calm Gramps!" She barked, the first time she'd ever raised her voice to him. "Am I the only one in this family who remembers that he was going to kill us when we first met?! Or what about when we were in the Limo and he told us he would kill us if he was given the opportunity again? Has that somehow managed to slip your mind Callie?"
The room became very quiet as Callie slowly walked out of the room. "Callie, wait." I called, but she just looked back at me over her shoulder.
"Sorry Mr. Octoling." She whispered, causing a pain to lance through my hearts. "But Marie is right. You did try to kill us. I...I appreciate what you did for us at the concert, but you must understand why I can't trust you."
"Callie…"
"Gramps, keep the door locked, okay?" She requested. "We don't want him to escape. Be sure to feed him and treat him well, we don't want to seem like we're heartless either."
Marie smiled at her cousin. "Thank you for finally coming to your senses."
Cap'n Cuttlefish frowned, looking at me as I lay in the bed, struggling to get up to follow them. "Are you sure about this Squiddo? You seemed pretty concerned last night."
Callie sighed, taking one last look at me. "I'm sure, Gramps. I'm sorry Mr. Octoling, but I can't let my guard down. I'm sure you understand." Just as I was about to protest, she slammed the door shut behind her, hard enough to cause a picture frame to fall from the wall with a clatter.
"Come on Callie, let's get ready for work." Marie said, guiding her towards the door of their grandfather's shack. "I've got some great ideas for payback for those jerks who have the night shift."
"Sure, Marie. Whatever you say." She whispered, her usual enthusiasm gone from her voice.
As the two left, Cap'n Cuttlefish frowned, looking back at the door that held their captive. He didn't like this decision, but he knew that he'd have to leave it up to the girls. They were growing up, and they wouldn't always have their Gramps looking out for them.
I lay in the bed, absolutely stunned by what had just happened. Marie had just shown up and, despite all her previous attempts, managed to convince Callie that he wasn't a threat. In truth, he didn't know how to feel about it. Had the girls realized his plan? Surely not. Of course, even he wasn't sure what his plan was. He was hesitant to return to Octo Valley, but he also didn't want to just abandon his home.
The door cracked open slightly, and I perked up, hoping to see Callie. However, all that peered around the corner was the face of the old veteran. "What do you want?" I asked dejectedly.
He came in, closing the door behind him before walking towards the busted picture frame. Leaning down, he lifted it into his hands. "Such a shame." He sighed, placing it on the nightstand beside me. Turning my head, I was stunned to see it was an image of a much younger looking version of the Captain as well as DJ Octavio. "I miss those days, back when we got along. We were good friends at one point, you know?"
I said nothing, electing to simply remain silent. He waited for a few moments before standing up to leave. "Wait." I called, giving him pause. "What Marie said is true, I did threaten their lives. Even on the way to the concert. I...I hate to ask your advice about this, but what should I do?"
Cap'n Cuttlefish thought about it for a moment before answering, "We're soldiers, sergeant. We do what we're told to." And with that, he left slamming the door shut. With an audible click, it locked leaving me alone with nothing but a picture to keep me company.
To be continued...
