Chapter 4: Surf Shops and Turf Wars Part 1
"Hello?" Nova said to the stranger.
The stranger simply nodded at her and focused her attention on Luke. Looking at her he notice her attire consisted of a golf visor, a baby-jelly shirt, and cherry kicks. Her cold eyes were analyzing him as well before bringing her arms out and bowing like a servant to her master.
Luke looked at the object she held in her hands, what it was, he couldn't tell. The container was a short, wide, metal cylinder and and that's all he could tell about it. To not be rude, he graciously took the container.
She lifted herself from her previous position to a standing one."Rub that balm on your bruises," she said in a soft-spoken monotone."It will help to numb the pain." With that she turned to walk away.
"Wait!" She turned her head for a sideways glance at Luke. "Thank you." he said trying to keep his voice steady. "If I can ask, what's your name?"
The stranger adjusted her visor and simply left.
"That," Nova stated. "was hella weird..."
"Well she was trying to help so I guess I'll use some of this before I go to bed."
Nova gave him a shocked look. "What?! No! Are you Crazy?! You just met a mystery girl, who gave you a mystery box, with some mystery balm in it. For all you know she's some sort of assassin who hates your guts for some reason."
He had to raise a brow at that. "Says the person who literally up walked to me and became my friend just like that." Luke smirked
She frowned a bit in response."I at least had the decency to share my name before that. She did the mysterious person thingy! All she really needed was a mystery cloak of death and despair to complete the image!"
"You know saying things like that makes you sound like you've watched way too many movies."
"Y'know if you guys want to test out the authenticity of that balm you could ask me."
They turned there attention to a really dark skinned inkling with orange tentacles and brown eyes.
"Wow there are a lot of squids coming over here. Is it us or somethin'?"
The newcomer laughed, "Nah, Actually I just got here today, I overheard you guys and think I might be able to help" he held his hand out to Luke, who took it and shook it. "Name's Brodie, Brodie Ammadon"
"Nova Aldjoy at your service." she leaned on him and winked at him which caused him to lightly blush.
"My name is Luke Vernon. Nice to meet you."
Brodie sat down next to him. "Likewise, now let me see that balm stuff I heard you talkin' about." Luke handed over the container. He moved the air around to whiff it. "Peppermint, eucalyptus, and some lavender." He sniffed some more "As well as some grapeseed oil and shea nut oil." He then rubbed his right index finger on the balm and rubbed it between his index and thumb. "And the base component is beeswax." He handed it back to Luke.
"How did you know all that just by touching and smelling it?" Luke asked.
"Mom's a herbalist and does the gardening herself. I've helped her when I was younger so I learned how to make a few things as well as get used to the smell of a few of the ingredients."
"Amazing!" Nova exclaimed then turned her head to Luke, "Well now that that's been tested by a professional," Brodie proceeded to blush at the statement. "I guess you can put that on and not worry about dying."
Luke rolled his eyes,"Well we better go into Booyah Base and wait for my sister. Nice meeting you Brodie."
"Uh... Actually I was hoping I could hang with you guys..." Brodie said with a nervous hand at the back of his neck.
Nova looked at him quizzically. "If you don't mind me asking, why exactly?"
"Well, if I'm honest, you guys are actually the first people to really talk to me." he then looked to the ground. "Other people just find me annoying or don't consider me as part of their team."
"Wait, your part of a Splatoon?" Nova asked.
"No, but I've played, if you don't have a team, they'll set you up with random people. I thought everyone knew that."
Luke laughed nervously, "Weellll... the thing is... we haven't played before. We just came today for our first turf war." Brodie looked him up and down.
"Well I guess that explains the Splattershot Jr. in your hands. You should really put it away."
Luke suddenly facepalmed, "What's wrong?" Nova asked.
"We left our carrying cases in the training course remember? Felicia has them."
Nova made an 'oh' face. "Guess we'll have to carry them with us until she gets here." She thought for a moment. "What's she doing anyways?"
"Probably in another laughing fit. Last time she got like that she laughed for 3 hours straight then passed out."
Nova and Brodie looked at him with saucer sized eyes for a moment.
"She was fine afterwards, but it was definitely something." Luke had grinned at the memory.
"Well I can put your weapons in my case until further notice." Brodie said, taking off the case strap on his shoulder and opened it to reveal his own weapon. "It'll be a snug fit, but I think we can manage it."
Luke and Nova handed their weapons over to Brodie, who struggled to place the two weapons into the bag until they managed to fit.
"There all done. Where to now?"
"OH!OH! How about Cooler Heads? "Nova suggested," I wanna see what they got!"
Luke nodded then got up, completely rested."Ok then, let's go."
As they walked from the benches, Luke suddenly had a question.
"Hey Brodie?"
"Yeah?"
"Out of curiosity, What's your Turf War level?"
Brodie pulled out his plaza card from his shorts and handed it to Luke.
It read:
Brodie Ammadon
Level:2 Rank:-
Luke gave him back his card and Brodie put it back. "I was actually heading to Ammo Knights to get me a Splattershot, but I'll wait until you guys get ready for your first turf war before I buy it."
Getting up to the store, two inklings were looking at its contents: a girl with purple tentacles dark skin and yellow eyes(who Luke determined was not the mystery girl by the fact that she had purple tentacles and wasn't staring blankly at him.) was ogling at the different types of headgear in the shop with her orange tentacle, slightly lighter male companion.
"Check that one out supra!" she pointed out a hat. "That one looks good!"
He nodded "I like it but seriously, Lonnie your gonna burn a hole in your pocket if you keep spending your coins like that."
Luke and company entered the store. The shop had a colorful array of hats and headgear on a variety of racks and mannequins.
A small girl with a colorful pink afro with yellow-green tips, colorful jacket, pink headphones, big glasses for her big eyes, which themselves was an interesting combination of magenta irises with cyan pupils.
"O-oh hello..." she greeted softspokenly. "May I see your cards... that is if you don't mind..."
Luke blinked at her a bit. She seemed to be the proprietor of the store, but she also seemed really shy.
'The "little dinner" as Felicia put it must be the backbone of the shop. I can't see her as being someone who could do this by herself.' he thought.
Nova piped up to answer the shopkeeper, "Me and Luke here don't have cards." she gestured to her blue tentacled cohort. "Brodie here has a card though."
Her and Luke let Brodie through so he could give Annie his plaza card. After a glance, Annie shook her head and gave it back.
"I-I'm very sorry, but um... I'm afraid we have... a sort of rule here, you see. We don't sell to people who aren't, um, fresh enough." All three of them had their hopes dashed of getting to find something they like. "Once you reach, say... Level 4... I should be able to help you. Maybe you could visit the lobby and play some, um... regular battles? That might help you level up..."
A clown fish popped out of her afro and shouted, "BEAT IT, LOSERS!"
"Well if his card doesn't work, how about mine Ann?"
They all turned to see Felicia, unequipped and crossing her arms on the doorway with both Luke and Nova's empty cases in her left hand.
Luke noticed that Brodie was drooling at his sister. "Who's the hottie?"
Luke glared at Brodie, "That's my sister." he growled.
Brodie tossed his hands in the air defensively, "Oops, my bad." Nova shook her head.
"O-oh! H-h-hello Felicia! You don't have to if you don't want..."
Felicia walked up to and grinned at Annie and pointed behind her. "These three are my brother and his friends. You don't mind me having them stay here while I talk a look for something to buy do you?"
Annie once again shook her head, "N-no, not at all! But... because of the rules..."
Once again the clown fish, leapt out of Annie's hair. "YA MOLDY PUNKS BETTER NOT TOUCH NOTHIN'!"
Nova was ready to blow a fuse, "What did that little piscean pipsqueak call me?!"
Luke and Brodie glanced at each other then took each arm of their female friend who was clawing at the air with a rapacious look in her eyes.
"HA! SQUID MORE LIKE A PIPEFISH! YA LOOK LIKE A TWIG SKINNY!"
"I'M GONNA KILL YOU GODDAMN SARDINE!"
"Calm down! It's not worth it!"
"LET. ME. AT. HIM!"
Nova had wiggled free at this point but before the fish could become squid bait, Felicia casually gripped Nova's arm tightly and began to walk out the door.
Luke and Brodie's mouth gaped open. In the span of the two minutes they were restraining Nova, it had took the same amount of time for Felicia to look at, try out, and purchase five items.
"Thanks, um a lot!" squeaked Annie
"YOU'LL BE BACK!" Called the annoying clown fish.
"Stow it Moe!" An annoyed Felicia called out.
'Well that's new.'Luke thought. In his world, an annoyed Felicia was a very, VERY rare occasion.
After the girls went out of the store, the guys followed to see Nova standing next to Felicia, the latter trying to keep the former calm.
"What a condesening ass!"
Felicia sighed and nodded nonchalantly, "Yes, we know."
"I'll strangle that stupid clown fish!"
"Get in line."
"How can Annie put up with that little jerk!"
"It's an enigma wrapped in mystery."
Luke came up to Nova, "Are you ok?"
She turned to him suddenly and grabbed his shoulders and shook him.
"No I'm not!" she angrily said in what could be determined as a really angry, nigh demonic voice.
Luke looked ready to pass out from being shook like a rag doll.
"Help!" he squeaked before he began to feel to nauseous to speak
Brodie and Felicia backed away and some inklings looked at the display with interest.
Brodie turned to Felicia and whispered "Remind me not to make her mad." Felicia simply nodded.
Once Nova relaxed, she moved her arms away from her friend to stretch.
"Alright, whose ready to go into the next shop?" Nova smiled again, back to her usual self within moments. Luke on the other hand, was still disoriented from the assault he had endured.
"When Luke recovers from your little fit, we'll move out. Until then I gonna grab a snack."
A few minutes of laying on a bench later, Luke recovered from being shook senseless. "I think I'm ok now..."
"Here."
Luke got his case for his Splattershot Jr., Brodie gave him his weapon and he put his weapon into its proper case.
"Nova already got her case if your wondering." Nova was behind Brodie and she waved her hand in greeting.
Now that Luke could think clearly, he realized something. "That girl wasn't in there."
Nova jerked her head towards him in response, "Now that you mention it, you're right, I didn't see hide or hair of anyone save for Annie and the piece of shark bait."
Brodie looked at them in confusion, "What you talkin' 'bout?"
Nova decided to fill him in,"Luke's trying to find a mystery girl who keeps staring at him." She gave Luke a skeptical look. "Although the more we keep searching the more I think Luke is goin' a bit on the cray-cray." As if to emphasize her point, she made a circular motion with her fingers.
Luke glared at his accuser,"I am not crazy, I know what I saw. I just don't know how she disappeared as fast as she did, like she vanished into thin air."
"Well she probably used the door." Brodie suggested.
Both Luke and Nova stared at Brodie like he was stupid.
"What?!" Nova exclaimed. "If she used the door we would have more than likely seen her!"
"No not the entrance, the side doors. They go to the adjacent shops."
Nova raised a brow. "So?"
Luke came up with a conclusion,"So she might have went to one of the other stores!" he had gotten up suddenly and began to ran towards Jelly Fresh.
"Luke, wait!" Nova called, getting up and going after him. Brodie followed them, sighing.
_
/ \
"Jelly Fresh! Thanking fo- BLUUUH! A fashion crime is in the progress! Moldy customer is moldy. Jelonzo is in the great shock! Level 4 is being required. You are needing more of the fresh for the shopping! Play regular battle in lobby for the freshness, yes? Then again, visiting please." Jelonzo the Jellyman who was wearing a trendy red vector tee and the proprietor of Jelly Fresh was kicking Luke out practically on sight.
'Well then, one: I just got in here and you're already tossing me out, and two: looks like that girl isn't in here anyways.'Luke sighed.'Maybe she's in Shrimp Kicks.'
Just then Nova busted through the doors, panting. "You run pretty fast when your being a stalker, y'know that?" she said between breaths.
"I'm not stalking, I just need to know why she keeps giving me the look she's always giving me."
"And what would that be exactly? Bedroom eyes? Angry glare?"
"I'll tell you later when we're with Brodie and Felicia."
They began to walk out when Jelonzo stopped them. "Waiting for the moment!" he called out to them.
Both squid kids looked at him, "Hmm?" Nova stopped midway out the door.
"You are knowing of the Felicia? Like in the Felicia of the Vernon?"
"Yeah, she's my sister and we were coming here to shop here." Luke began to smile a bit in pride. Having a famous sister seems to have its perks. "She went to get a snack so she'll be coming her any moment."
"Many apologies, the mall is having many of the rules about selling to the moldy customers, but I will be letting you do the staying here while your sister is doing the shopping if you would like, yes?"
"Thanks, Jelonzo."
Nova jumped backwards when she noticed Felicia was standing next to her. Luke turned around to see Felicia walking deeper into the shop to look for clothes with Brodie following close behind.
"How do you do that?!" she asked, thoroughly freaked out.
Felicia simply answered with a simple yet cryptic,"I have my ways." she looked at Luke semi annoyed and he returned it with an awkward grin and wave. "What I would like to know is how you guys manage to come to these stores expecting to get service without doing turf wars."
Now that they had the time to look around and not worry about Nova tearing the store owner apart, the browsed for clothes for a while.
"I can't believe Jelonzo allowed us to stay in here to browse while you shop sis."Luke said, looking at a red and yellow striped rugby shirt.
"That's because I'm so fresh." Felicia beamed "Well that and the fact that he enjoys my customer loyalty and the fact that I love to tip the guy." Felicia winked at Jelonzo and he winked back. Luke assumed it was some sort of code for something and left it at that.
Felicia went over to Jelonzo with her haul, waited for him to ring up her purchase and headed to a door on the right side of the store. Luke followed his older sister with vigor and eagerness with his companions following closely.
"Thanks for the buying!" Jelonzo waved them goodbye.
Luke hoped that he would encounter that girl. She was beginning to plague his thoughts and it didn't make sense to him. 'She has to be here... she has to...' Her amber eyes staring him down were burned into his mind.
Entering Shrimp Kicks, Luke saw a shrimp wearing a really fuzzy designer jacket and four different pairs of shoes. The store itself had layers of shelves with shoes and boots of all shapes and colors.
"Luke this is Crusty Sean, owner of Shrimp Kicks." Felicia introduced.
"What up, squiddo!" Crusty Sean greeted. "Whose that with ya there?" he looked at the three others beside her.
"My brother and his friends. I'm just bringin' them along while I go shopping. You don't mind do you Sean?"
"Nah not at all! Nice to meet ya'll." He greeted
"Hi" Nova and Brodie said simultaneously. Luke on the other hand settled on waving.
As Felicia went to shopping, Crusty Sean whispered into her ear. "I take it the shy one's your brother?" They both glanced over at Luke who was now looking at some black trainers.
"Yeah that's him." she said flatly.
He nodded in return, still observing Luke, "Seems like a nice squid."
Felicia scoffed, "He may be nice, but he'll need to crack that shell if he wants to play Turf Wars."
"He'll break it." Felicia looked at him in slight shock. Before the question came out of her mouth Crust Sean added, "Before you ask, it's because he definitely resembles you when you started playin'. Although, if I'm honest he lacks, your happy-go-luckiness."
She couldn't help but laugh at that. "If you say so."
With that said, she returned to shopping.
Three minutes of browsing and shopping and Felicia had checked out all she wanted for the day..
"Nice doin' business with ya kid!" Crusty Sean said, taking Felicia's cash. The group walked out of Shrimp Kicks, the day starting to burn out.
"Ok before we go and get your cards how about we get us all some food. I'm sure we're all hungry." Felicia suggested
"Hells yeah! I'm starving!" Brodie shouted.
"I could go for a bite. Luke, how about you?"
As if listening on the conversation, Luke's stomach growled loudly.
"Well that settles it, let's go to the cafe that the Squid Sister studio was on top of."
With that, they headed to the northeast side of the plaza.
_
/ \
"Mmm... thif cakfis buggah iph good."
Nova made a disgusted face. "Brodie, can you not talk with your mouth full. Besides that being gross by itself, you're drooling."
Brodie swallowed the food in his mouth and licked his mouth. Nova stared incredulously at Brodie who continue to scarf down his catfish burger before finishing what was left of her tuna pot pie.
"Sooo... Luke..." Nova began.
"Hmm?"
"About this girl, can you give us a better description than 'she's a girl and she stares a lot.'?"
Felicia's head perked up at the word "girl." "An if I may ask who is this aforementioned girl you are talking about?" she immediately looked at Luke for answers.
'Well the topic was bound to get more sibling publicity anyways. Might as well tell her.
Luke sighed,"A weird girl with dark skin and pink tentacles kept staring at me this whole day. She also had yellow eyes."
Felicia smiled, "Maybe she likes you, you never know."
Luke looked downwards,"I have my doubts."
"Believe what you want, but that's what I think."
"So back to my earlier question, how was she staring at you exactly." Nova asked, determined to get her answer.
Luke thought for a moment. "She had looked at me like she was staring into me, I mean if looks could kill I'd probably would have spontaneously combusted."
"Ok, so we look for a black cat squid that's ready to tear Luke's face apart at any moment" Brodie thought out loud. The other patrons at the table simply stared at him. "What?"
Nova shook her head."Nothing Brodie."
Felicia stood up and pushed in her chair. "Alright, if we're done here let's go get your cards."
The younger squids got up and tossed their trash away and headed out into the plaza.
Felicia stopped at the walls near the Inkopolis Tower. There, on a garbage can was a black and white, plump cat with a tuxedo pattern on his body sleeping on a pillow.
"Guys, this is Judd. He judges the matches that take place here and he's also in charge of getting the plaza cards made."
"Mrow?(Who are they?)" Judd asked.
"My brother and his friends. They just arrived today and need their cards."
"Actually," Brodie quickly stated. "I already got my card from Judd. Nice seein' you again, by the way."
"Meow.(Nice seein' you too Brodie.)" Judd stretched then leapt off of the soft pillow onto the ground. "Meow.(Follow me to the computer so we can get your cards.)"
The group started to walk up the ramp with Judd in the lead. A Splatoon group had just begun to walk out of the tower. With the dark skinned, yellow eyed girl from his arrival leading the group and eyes focusing on him.
Name: Luke Vernon
Eye Color: Blue
Tentacle Color: Blue
Skin Tone: Light Tan
Description: Shy; Very smart and adaptable. He always stays cautious with the exception of the occasion of overpowering curiosity. (In those exceptions he can become reckless.) When he isn't shying away he is considered naïve and dependent.
Name Origin & Meaning: Latin & Greek origin; It means light.
This thing was being evil to edit I swear...*grumble* *grumble*
Anyways I had a easier time writing ten pages with this one and I swear the next one will definitely be filled with action.
While I couldn't get one of my surprises up within my limit, I manage to get the other one up: Bios!
I will try and put Bios up every 4 chapters for those who want a general feel of the characters. The other surprise will be up near the beginning of the 5th chapter.
I also thank Boy Jav and FoxtheInkling for the reviews! They are greatly appreciated and help me know that I'm doing something right!
So until the next chapter...
Staaay Fresh!
Edit: Just remembered a bit of trivia! The inklings mentioned in the story that were looking at stuff in Booyah Base are my Inkling and my friend's. The first mystery inkling is based of her and was originally the protagonist of this story. Just thought I share.
