Arc 1 Chapter 5
NOTE: Things are starting to build up between the inklings and octarians as we could possibly see a prelude to the great turf war. Another short chapter ahead folks but things will slowly escalate. Let's see how Blake will handle this one.
Nearly another year had passed and the friendship between Cuttleship and Octavio was straining.
Things between the inklings and octarians were getting worse as the seawaters were rising.
Blake and Cuttlefish were sitting on a ridge looking towards the ocean.
"Well have you ever asked that orange headed lass to go out with her," asked Cuttlefish.
"huh?... No, Cuttlefish, I don't think things would ever work out," answered Blake with a sigh. "I'm a human and she's an inkling, I'm sure no one would approve of it especially her family," says Blake rubbing his arm looking down.
"I'm sure things would work out Blake," replies Cuttlefish.
"It's not only that but how things have been going between the inklings and octarians, I wouldn't want to get in a relationship right now," says Blake.
"I hate it bucko, but the seawaters aren't showing any signs of going down," says Cuttlefish in distress.
"There's no land anywhere else Cuttlefish?" asks Blake.
"No bucko, and even if there were there would be no way of us getting to it. We're vulnerable to water and splat when we come in contact, plus we can't swim" exclaims Cuttlefish.
"oh, I wonder why," asks Blake.
"don't know," answers Cuttlefish.
"It's funny, you and Octavio and everyone else can transform into a squid or octopus, but can't touch water or swim. I thought squids and octopi came out of the ocean," says a bewildered Blake.
"Well like I've said before, hundreds of years ago our ancestors immerged out of the seas and walked on land, I don't know why, but that's what happened since then we can't return to the seas," explaining Cuttlefish.
"interesting, well that's too bad," says Blake. The two of them get up and leave and head back to the cabin.
They reach the cabin shortly. Blake starts to walk in and then turns towards Cuttlefish.
"bucko, I got to go talk to Octavio, I've been putting it off, stay here and I'll be back soon," says Cuttlefish as he starts to leave.
"alright Cuttlefish," says Blake.
Cuttlefish soon reaches Octavio's with a disapproving Octavio glaring at him.
"Hey...Octavio," says Cuttlefish meekly.
"don't hey Octavio me! you've been putting this off for too long Cuttlefish! this is serious, things are getting dire and all you've been doing is hanging around that human, I mean Blake," says an aggravated Octavio.
"you don't think I've noticed Octavio, I'm worried too. You've been on edge lately," says Cuttlefish.
"well the inklings are claiming some of our territories and nothing has been said, you need to do something about it Cuttlefish," says an angry Octavio.
"Hey! the octarians have been raising the prices of supplies at unfordable rates, none of the inklings can buy any of it," Cuttlefish shot back.
"I think its time we start marking our territories Cuttlefish or if there will be any left," says Octavio.
"Octavio that's ridiculous, their's no sense in doing that, it will just cause more strife," says a frustrated Cuttlefish.
"well if the inklings stay in their territory things wouldn't get this way," snaps Octavio.
"Well, the octarians can stay on their side then," Cuttlefish snapped back.
"Fine!" replied Octavio. Cuttlefish walked out of Octavio's looking back questioning if they were still friends anymore.
As time went by relations between the inklings and octarians were bitter, both races would not cooperate with each other. Cuttlefish and Octavio's relationship had finally turned cold as the two had seen each other as rivals. Feuds had broken out between the races and things weren't looking good. There was fear that war may break out if things kept escalating.
Blake was getting worried trying to mend the friendship between Cuttlefish and Octavio hoping the two of them can calm things down between there races but to no avail. The seawaters were getting closer and there was nothing Blake could do about it but pray that things get better. Unknown to Blake, Cuttlefish, and the inklings, Octavio was forming an army to take as much territory as the octarians could.
Octavio believed that things weren't getting any better and that the only way of survival of his race was to take the land for themselves. Octavio gathered up as much old human technology that can be utilized to ensure victory over the inklings. Secretly Octavio had been enhancing the combat effectiveness of his army and built large mechanical devices that he called "The great Octoweapons."
There was a dark room with little lighting as three figures occupied the room. A man in a black suit, a man in a white lab coat and a man tied to a chair.
"Sir the serum has been inserted in the life support systems of the cryostasis pods," says a man in a lab coat.
"Good," says a man in a suit.
"well doctor, now I know that I'm sure mankind will survive, you could have made things a lot easier," says the man in the suit towards another man tied to a chair.
"you don't know what you've done Irons, we don't know what the serum will do to those people," said the man tied to the chair.
"I don't want to hear anymore, bring them in!" shouted the man in the suit.
A door opened on the other side of the room and two men brought in an older woman and young girl.
"Dad! " the girl screamed who was struggling with her captor.
"James! what's going on!?" asked the woman frantically.
"Let them go!" yelled the man tied up.
"Oh, I'll let them go alright, in a holding cell along with you Dr. Carter, take them away!" yelled the man in the suit.
The man was untied and escorted along with the woman and girl out of sight. The image faded to black like the other ones.
Blake woke up from the dream and opened his eyes blinking them. He turned and got up out of the hammock. Blake gave a long sigh, "More of those dreams...could they be my memories, what do they mean?" said Blake.
Blake walked out and into the living room of the cabin.
"I wonder where's Cuttlefish?" Blake asked.
Blake walked outside and heard voices behind the cabin. It was Cuttlefish and a group of inklings. he was showing them fighting stances with bamboo shoots.
"Hey Cuttlefish, what's going on?" asked Blake. Cuttlefish turned around to face Blake.
"oh, just preparing the troops for battle bucko," answered Cuttlefish.
"battle?" said Blake with an eyebrow raised.
"yeah, we have to be prepared for anything, the octarians are taking more and more of our land, we've got to do something," commanded Cuttlefish.
"Have you tried talking to Octavio about it," asked Blake.
"There's no getting to Octavio...we're done talking," said Cuttlefish as he lowered his head.
"Cuttlefish I don't want to see you or Octavio go to war with each other," said Blake worried.
"We...have no choice bucko," says Cuttlefish.
"well I'll go talk with him," said Blake as he turned and ran away.
Cuttlefish had a distressed look on his face and just sighed and turned back to the group of inklings, continuing their training.
Blake arrived at Octavio's place and knocked on the door. No answer as Blake walked inside with Octavio nowhere to be found. "Octavio, Octavio where are you?" Blake shouted.
Just then he could hear noises coming from one of the rooms. He walked through another doorway to see Octavio tinking with some device on the table. "Octavio, what are you doing?" asked Blake.
"Oh...Blake, what are you doing here?" asked a surprised Octavio.
"I wanted to talk to you about...everything that's been going on the valley," said Blake. "what is that your working on? " asked Blake.
"It's...modifications for the DJ booth," answered Octavio as if he was hiding something. Blake could see past his expression raising an eyebrow.
"Blake, we're losing land from the rising seawaters. I'm obligated to do what I can for my people, I won't allow the inklings to take what land we have left," said Octavio in frustration. "I wanna show you something Blake, "said Octavio directing Blake to follow him.
Octavio and Blake went down a hatch. Inside was a dark hallway that lead to a giant chamber. Inside were many octarians on some sort of platforms as well as octolings in armor carrying what looked like squirt guns with some kind of liquid in them.
"Octavio, what's going on? what is all this? "asked Blake worried.
"This is the new octarian army," says Octavio.
Blake was speechless as he saw the octarians move around on the platforms and the octolings shooting their squirt guns at makeshift squid-shaped targets.
"Blake I also wanna show you this," directed Octavio. Octavio revealed large robotic looking things to Blake. They had different appearances and were huge.
"Wha...wha...What are these things?" asked Blake scared.
"These are the great Octoweapons," said Octavio. "we built them for the coming war," said Octavio.
"War!" yelled Blake. "But Octavio..." Blake said as he was cut off by Octavio.
"I know Blake, that you're uncomfortable about this, but I want you to be my second in command," said Octavio.
"What..." said blake flabbergasted.
Octavio looked at Blake with confidence hoping Blake would accept the offer.
"I... can't Octavio... I don't want to see war break out between the inklings and octarians," exclaims Blake.
"I know this hard for you and your still friends with Cuttlefish, but this is how it has to be," said Octavio.
Octavio places his hand on Blake's shoulder. Blake's head is down and then turns toward Octavio with conflicting feelings. "I'll let you think about it," says Octavio.
Drake leaves the large chamber with his head down in distress. seeing the races go to war with each other and between his two best friends was heartbreaking and Blake had no idea what to do.
Hours pass and Blake was depressingly walking down the path to Cuttlefish's. Blake walked towards the door of the cabin with his head down when a voice gets his attention.
"Hey...bucko, well I assume things didn't go over as you wanted," said cuttlefish.
"No, Cuttlefish... I just don't want to see you and Octavio fighting over the valley," said Blake in distress.
"I don't either, but we have no choice, we have to defend ourselves and our territory from the octarians," said Cuttlefish.
"you and Octavio can't work out a compromise or something," asked Blake.
"I'm...afraid not, there isn't enough land to share between us," said Cuttlefish.
"There just has to be another way," said Blake. Cuttlefish remained silent for a moment then looked at Blake.
"Hey bucko, how you like be on the squidbeak platoon," asked Cuttlefish.
"Squidbeak platoon?" asked Blake baffled.
"Yeah, its all the inklings I managed to gather up for the battle and they appointed me captain," said an excited Cuttlefish. "so, its Captain Cuttlefish to ya, so are willing to join my squidbeak platoon bucko," asked Cuttlefish anxiously.
"I...I...I'm not sure what to say," said an indecisive Blake.
"All c'mon bucko, I'll make you an agent...yeah, a squidbeak agent. All you'll do is spy for me, no getting into combat," said Cuttlefish.
"I'm not sure Cuttlefish, I mean...I'm not even an inkling," said Blake.
"I know and that's why I'm making you an agent since you can't produce ink or squid form like we can," says Cuttlefish.
"But I can still give you a bamboozler and a spare ink tank with ink already in it, just in case you were to get caught," said Cuttlefish handing him a Bamboozler.
"What is this thing, it looks like a bamboo cane," said a confused Blake.
"it shoots ink bucko, Ammoses built these, you just pull the trigger, then splat your enemies," explaining Cuttlefish.
"oh and also..." trailing off Cuttlefish. Pulling something out of his pocket what looked like a squid shaped piece of brass.
"What's this?" asked Blake.
A squid badge, your now officially a squidbeak agent," said Cuttlefish.
The crowd of inklings behind Cuttlefish cheered and held up their bamboozlers in the air.
"Cuttlefish I... don't know what to say," said Blake unsure about this.
"That's captain Cuttlefish bucko and I would be honored to have you on the squidbeak platoon. I think your codename should be...um...zero...yeah, zero, Agent Zero," said Cuttlefish proudly.
"Zero?" responded a baffled Blake.
"well zero because your a secret agent," said Cuttlefish.
"ok," Blake shrugging.
"then it's settled," Cuttlefish says slapping Blake's back almost dropping the squid badge.
As the day went by, the squidbeak platoon practiced with their bamboozlers shooting at makeshift octopus-shaped targets.
Blake was practicing with his bamboozler as well with conflicting emotions thinking about the offer that Octavio had given him.
After a while, after all the training, Blake approached Cuttlefish.
"Cuttlefish...I mean Captain, uh I need to talk to you about something," said Blake.
"yeah, what is it bucko," responded Cuttlefish.
"I need to tell you something when I was at Octavio's. He showed me the army of octarians that he was putting together. They also have machines and weapons they made and also these giant robotic things called great octoweapons. He also offered for me to be his second in command," said Blake.
Cuttlefish was unnerved by the revelations of the octarian army and its weapons. "Then, this what I was afraid of. I knew Octavio was building something with ancient human technology, but I wasn't sure what, this is very troubling. I guess I have no choice," said a distressed Cuttlefish. He turned and looked at Blake.
"Blake, I hate to ask, but I want you to spy on Octavio and his army," asks Cuttlefish sternly.
"Captain I don't..." responded Blake but was cut off by Cuttlefish.
"I know he's your friend too bucko but he and his army and these great octoweapons pose a great danger to us. take up his offer and spy on him for us, please bucko," said a pleading Cuttlefish.
"All...Alright Cuttlefish," said an uneasy Blake.
"I appreciate it agent, don't let me down," said a happy Cuttlefish.
Blake unsure what to do walked away putting up his bamboozler and laying up his hammock. he slowly fiddled with the brass squid badge and sighed. Thoughts were running through his head until he finally fell asleep.
Blake is placed in an uneasy situation being pinned by both his friends. War seemed inevitable and he was caught in the crossfire unsure what to do.
These thoughts ran through Blake's mind as he was sleeping. The world he was in was falling apart and does not remember the world he came from before he was found in that pod. The dreams he was having were getting more and more vivid. Blake was unsure what these images meant, but for one thing, he wanted to know more.
AFTERTHOUGHTS: It seems like tensions between the inklings and octarians are getting worse and Blake is caught in the crossfire. Blake's visions foresee his family being captured by the director and being put in more danger let's hope things get better. Blake is recruited into the squidbeak platoon and is nominated as agent Zero. Not only the first agent of the squidbeak but the only human agent wow what a turn of events I wonder who this will work since he's not an inkling and has to spy on Octavio which is his friend too, what a predicament. stay tuned for what will be in store for the next chapters.