Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Searing Ink. Enjoy the 3800-word chapter. I don't own Splatoon, Nintendo, and a few others do.
Octavio's defeat at the hands of Agent 4 was not well known to the Inklings. It was not at all known to them at all and yet they had been all too peaceful.
Octolings, however? Well, it was clear that their leader was not the grand commander he was anymore… And the few who had escaped underground had watched 4 trounce the grand commander of the Octarian army.
This? Along with the idea for peace, several Octolings try and enter 4's group. Not for any hatred or dislike of the Inkling who had done so. Out of interest for whoever had managed to bring their leader to heel. It was clear that whatever came next? It'd be something odd.
One such Octoling was TERRIFIED still. that meant speaking to the Squid Sisters, the same people his species had tried to harm, to cause trouble for them. It was… Sobering, to say the least. It was just more and more something he didn't want to do, for now, something he hadn't the chance to have done for now. It was clear that he had more and more problems. Something that had to have been a nightmare to have fixed.
Hence why he wrung his hands, too nervous to jump down the grate. All of his military training hadn't prepared him for it to have been used to make peace with the enemy. It was clear more and more problems had come from this… One of the reasons he found it to be so entirely terrifying for now. It was clear they had more and more of a situation they'd have more and more focused on these trivial things.
It was clear a second later he'd have to find some reason, either that? Well, that, or he'd have to shut up and move onwards.
He sighed to himself and then transformed, throwing himself into the pipe as he did so. It was clear he'd have to push himself later or such… It was something he dreaded as one of the hundreds of Octavio's former elite soldiers… Perhaps he had something else which had yet.
(Octo Canyon)
Callie and Marie noticed at least a dozen Octolings who had all stared at the two, Three, and Four. It was terrifying and awkward as they had all formed a line that made the two question what the group wanted.
Three and Four looked at them with interest. It was clear something had gone on which had… Been odd for them as Callie and Marie shared looks.
"Uh… Do you guys want autographs?" Callie asked to which they shared looks.
"You brought down Octavio… You are part of a group of heroes who protect the city, no?" One of the Octolings said before they hummed. "We wish to help. Octavio has made us his warriors for too long…" The Octoling stated to which there was a frown.
It was simply something that made them interested as they rushed past the group. Marie turned to Callie, having an idea now.
"I'll handle them… Might want to stay here. There are probably more Octolings… Wonder if they can do the work and not us." Marie said before she and Three left them behind.
She turned in time to see another final Octoling who looked confused. They looked a lot less confident as she questioned what to say.
They looked around, utterly confused, entirely ready to collapse as the younger squid sister approached him, prepared to talk as he looked around.
She saw a pair of dark purple eyes along with darkish blue and purple stands of tendrils on his head. It was also clear unlike the others what he had been through… Something as rips and tears in his shirt and collar made her realize he had been another of Octavio's soldiers… But he didn't seem to have gotten any rest.
"Uh… You want to join up as well?" Marie asked as the Octoling almost fell to the ground.
"Y-Yes." They said before he looked at her. "You're the Squid Sisters, right, Octavio brainwashed you into helping him?" He asked as Callie frowned.
Octavio's brainwashing had left a BAD taste in her mouth, kinda like fried octopus, maybe something else? Nah, she was overthinking it kinda.
"Yeah… But he's gone now, sorry." Callie said to which he nodded.
"He wasn't a good boss so don't worry… I'm sorry he kidnapped you; we didn't know." He said to which she went to speak. "After your last song at his lair? Some of us… Didn't agree with the war. Octavio HATED the people who d-didn't want to fight, we were called traitors and forced to run for it." He said while gesturing to his outfit.
Callie wanted to say something but had frowned, the positive energy she had from before had vanished. She knew it wasn't a lie for one good reason, he hadn't at all seemed to have forgotten Octavio… Most of his soldiers would not speak a WORD about how bad it had been to have worked for him.
And she knew why, mind control, brainwashing. Octolings had enough free will unlike them. Whom had the DJ been to try and force the rest of his people to do what he wanted? It was a reason she did not at all feel bad for destroying him in the last battle. They had to be rough and cold. Anything less and Octavio would have turned them into fish food. He'd have done the same thing.
The Octoling held a pair of dualies which she knew many Octolings had used, it was a good weapon if someone wanted to close in and splatter someone like they were a bug. It was clear they weren't to use on her considering the Octoling didn't even try to lift them towards her.
Had so much of Octavio's elite army hated him enough to have defected? It was something she had little to no real answer to and it was clear such horrid insanity when it came down to it. They had a lot more to have gotten it over with now. They had a lot more to discuss when it came to it.
They had more and more of a problem when it came down to it. They were a lot more to question before all of this was said and done. It was simply something before now, they had a lot more to deal with.
The Octoling had been quiet, utterly prepared for more and it was clear more than anything that such measures had only served to have made him quieter and quieter. Perhaps then it was simply the idea he hadn't yet found it for now.
It wasn't something to have handled before now. She didn't know what to have focused upon while she seemed to have to question before now. She sighed to himself before she looked at him before she seemed to tap on her arms and sighed.
The Octoling who had found himself more and more curious about what to do next before she sighed and tapped on her arms once more.
He shook his head before he looked at her, frowning and then looking at the ground before she tilted her head. He sighed before he looked at Callie, finally speaking a few seconds later. It wouldn't have been the first time he had to deal with the fact that such topics had bothered him, perhaps that was just life for him.
"You know… Just because a lot of Octolings had served Octavio? That doesn't mean we all like him… You guys made a lot of Octolings curious what would happen if we just came here and tried to talk." He said before he sighed.
"So, you guys DO want to join us?" Callie asked to which he had fallen silent a second later.
"Well, I want to. There's that… You guys helped a lot of Octolings… And I don't want to keep fighting for someone who's going to brainwash us into working for him." Callie heard as she nodded before looking around.
It was clear to her that the Octoling was used to combat, their dualies were held at their side, but their stance was as rigid as some of the other Octolings, it was clear to her that he had been in a war before… Still? He seemed shy, rather unsure of what he'd have been before or after. It was a matter of time before they'd fallen apart without a good leader… And while Callie was anything but rude? She'd not say Octavio was a good leader.
He had lost wars before and it was clear they'd not have allowed another war to have been handled in quite the same way. She watched as he had fallen silent for only a few seconds, too utterly confused as to how this wasn't going to have prepared for now which she seemed to have gotten before it came down to it.
She hadn't the proper idea and she didn't at all know for now when it came down to it.
The Octoling was silent and it hadn't properly focused on her for a few seconds of silence. He rubbed at his tendrils, curious as to how this was going to have gotten off the ground before he sighed.
Callie could see that he had fallen silent before he tried to clear up before he tilted his head to the side while he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. It was clear to her that he had been in an odd spot before and unlike her snarky cousin. Callie didn't at all see much reason he'd lie. Octolings were soldiers and pretty straightforward at that which meant that if anything? Well? They'd not be able to have pulled a lie on this scale when it came down to it.
He rubbed at his arms before he tried to smile before he looked at the Inkling who had no real idea of what may or may happen. This was a very hard thing to have fathomed.
"We thought you guys came for Octavio," Callie said, gesturing towards the snow globe that most of the Octolings had ignored.
He looked at the snow globe and then back to Callie and shrugged before walking past them.
"I don't think anyone cares that much." He said while he rubbed at his arms, constantly repeating the gesture over and over.
Octavio glowered at the idea of at least a dozen Octolings walking past his prison as if he didn't exist. The DJ would have looked shocked if not for the fact that both of his mortal enemies had been here and both of them had been watching him. it'd have been humiliating if they would have seen him in his prison unable to do anything but gape at the idea his army hadn't come to break him free.
Callie watched the Octoling who had just chatted with her stop at the gateway to the next area.
"You… Coming?" The Octoling asked in broken Inkling which only reminded Callie they were still VERY different species for ones who used similar weapons and fought each other. "I… Am not good at speaking Inkling, it isn't… Easy? Man, those videos on the tv made it easier than training made it seem." The Octoling said before glaring at Octavio who had been silent as many of his elite henchmen had turned and abandoned them.
Callie only led the Octoling who still looked at nervous as before towards Marie who still had her charger in one hand. It was clear they didn't trust the group of Octolings… Not that they'd be blamed for such things, it wasn't exactly like their species had gotten along with Inklings for so many years that their entire life had gotten turned inside out by it all at the end of the day
perhaps unwilling to have said anything in response. It wasn't something he planned to have pushed for now. He had so much on his blasted brain that if he stopped to consider it for even a second? Well? He felt his brain might snap and he'd go insane when it came down to it.
Perhaps that was better than whatever fate had in store for him next as the nervous Octoling followed the pop star. It was clear he was more used to the drab military-style base the squadron used than their custom gear as he tilted his head at several of their objects which he didn't at all understand for good reason.
Callie would have said something… However? The fact she still had a splitting headache from Marie shooting her in the eye? Coupled with the fact that she was still processing at least a dozen Octolings… Or maybe it was just 8?
Anyway, Callie was in no position to judge. It wasn't like she didn't welcome the idea of recruits, the squadron was small, and between the facts? They only had a handful of soldiers, the Octarian army would be easy pickings if they had more people. Then again? 3 and 4 were more than capable of clearing out dozens if not hundreds of soldiers alone…. This would be like applying a Rainmaker to deal with a lone player in a turf war.
Then again, it wasn't like she didn't do that once… Or 50 times at least.
The Octoling joined the others as Marie and Callie looked at them. None of them besides the 1 seemed to have any weapons which meant either they had been willing to think about a plan the others didn't know, they were cocky, they didn't wish to draw attention to themselves…Or they had properly wished to have done something about the war between Inklings and Octolings.
The one to which Callie had just spoken had taken to continue looking at the ground, too curious as to how it was going to have been played out. They gently took the dualies off their hips which got a reaction before gently setting them down as if showing them he had no plans to do anything with such a thing, for now, it wasn't something that regularly popped up, it wasn't a common topic nor was it going to have been a lot worse.
Perhaps it'd have been something that should have been more common… Callie didn't know, she did know she rather liked seeing these many people. Marie was just odd like that when life came to it. She supposed which meant more and more there was only so much they could have done for this to have properly been fixed anyway.
It wasn't like she could cry over spilled milk at the end of the day and it wasn't like she had some desire to be parted from her cousin.
The Octolings all started to look around as if confused about what had brought them here in proper problems when push came to shove.
"So… Did you ask a group of Octolings to come?" Callie questioned to which her cousin had fallen silent before it came down to it.
"No… I did." They heard as they turned to see Cuttlefish who walked around to each other. "Didn't think so many would show up with Agent 8," Cuttlefish stated before he looked at them.
"Gramps, why did you ask so many?" Marie asked as Cuttlefish looked at the group.
"Because plenty of them heard your music and a lot of them wanted to come and try and help." Cuttlefish as the group all looked around with interest before he tilted his head to the side.
Callie hadn't yet seemed to have questioned before it came down to something that needed to have happened what to do next.
"Which one of you is Moll?" Cuttlefish asked before he looked over the group of Octolings when it came down to it.
There were a few seconds of silence before the Octoling from before gently raised his hand before he questioned what to do next.
Callie watched the one which had slowly looked at the ground before shuffling forwards before he questioned what to do next.
"Me, sir." They added to which he shook his head. "Sorry, I'm still getting used to everything, sir. It wasn't hard to follow the others here." The Octoling stated before he sighed.
"Wait, HE'S the ones who brought them here?" Callie asked to which the Octoling nodded before he rubbed at his arms.
"Yes. I'm sorry, I wasn't sure what to do so I told them to go first. I wanted to think for a second before I did something." Moll stated before he tilted his head before he sighed to himself as of the time being.
"It's fine, Moll. You've done nothing wrong yet. You aren't going to be in trouble for anything." Cuttlefish said as Moll slowly started to fade into the background.
He was nervous and shy to the end. Moll was not one for crowds it seemed and he tried his best to try and sneak around them before now. It was honestly a little humiliating as if it hadn't been something
Callie seemed to question what to tell Moll as the Octoling only looked up before he looked up at the ceiling. It was clear the Octoling seemed to have been tired and looking at the others with interest. It was all too much for the pop star.
Callie sighed as Moll watched the other Octolings spread out, making him more and more terrified as if he hadn't at all expected it to be like this. It was clear to the end of time that he wasn't used to being in the limelight.
Callie wasn't going to turn down a chance to befriend someone at least. She waved at the crowd of Octolings who besides Moll were still all thrown off for now. It wasn't like they had been around a nice leader and it was not in Octavio's way to try and befriend the people who had ended up working for him.
Moll was entirely questioning for now how to react and he continued to look down at the ground before he slowly managed to look up at him. He felt terrified and for good reason, here were the people who had formerly been their mortal enemies, and it was written on his face just how much this had meant for him.
Moll gently looked up at her before he looked up at her. A small smile that had split his lips was present as he tried to think of how to respond for the time being. It was all too much for him and he knew that as much as anyone just how odd it was for him.
"Hi, I'm Moll, one of the former lieutenants of Octavio… And former leader of the Octo Poxto Platoon." Moll said before looking at his hands. "We saw you guys defeat Octavio after he drove us deeper and deeper underground. It's terrible there and we don't get to relax… Your music is one of the first things that wasn't Octavio's music being screamed at us… That and he did NOTHING but recycle the same music… Brainwashing music, I mean." Moll stated as Octavio rolled his eyes.
"He's also just a bad boss in general so there's that reason, sir. Isn't like we get to do a lot back down there." Moll stated to which the man only laughed.
"Octavio was always a miser when it came to money… That was probably why the Octarians had ended up losing the war in general. Maybe he just got cheep or something." Cuttlefish stated to which there were several laughs as some of the group had fallen silent, confused, and yet entertained.
"Anyway… I'm sure you already know my nieces… It was their music that broke the mind control off at any rate." Cuttlefish said as the Octolings nodded.
"AGENT 1 AND 2!" One of them yelled before Moll and the others turned to them. "Sorry, I'm just happy to be here." They said as the others all rolled their eyes.
"Yeah, Callie and Marie… Octavio HATES you guys… it's really weird, he gets… Mad, mad I think Inklings say? Mad, mad when someone would mention you." Moll said to which Cuttlefish hummed.
"His Inkling isn't so good." Cuttlefish said to which Moll chuckled.
"I kinda had to try and learn Inklings through Octavio's videos and music clips from here. Stay Fresh was said a LOT…." Moll said as Callie blinked.
"Wait so OUR music videos?" Callie asked to which Moll scratched at his neck.
"They popped up the most. It wasn't… Ezy?" Moll asked to which the Inkling laughed. "I'm not good at it. I think I need my phone." Moll stated before he pulled out his phone to start typing.
"Callie, Moll is very new to Inkopolis… Might be something fun for now." Cuttlefish said as Moll pulled the hood off before he sighed to himself before he hummed to himself.
Such problems had only served to confuse themselves now. Callie sighed as Marie drummed her fingers on her arms. The young inkling looked rather confused, not mad at all… But confused, utterly gobsmacked if at all honest, not she could be blamed for it at the moment. Callie yawned before almost finding something that should have been dealt with it
He rubbed at his arms before he clicked his tongue and she questioned what to do next. He hadn't seemed to have focused before now on what to say about now.
This wasn't going to be easy for him to blend in, for now, Callie looked at them as she tilted her head to the side. This was a while before she questioned what to do next. Callie watched as Moll tried to bury his wounds near him. Moll was odd and she rather managed to be nice and amusing at the same time for now.
All of it wasn't going to be something fun for now. It was just part of life at this point, it was clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was terrified and Callie could see it all over his posture as he looked around, trying to find a corner to sink into. She remembered the scars or cuts she had seen before.
'Had Octavio hated anyone rebelling against him THAT MUCH?' Callie asked as she remembered the Hypno shades on the Octolings.
The answer was clear. Octavio might not have been a monster then… But he was now.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out the story will be following Splatoon 3's arc a bit. The next chapter will be 2-10 months away and will be 900-6500 words and will show Callie and Moll talking. Until then, Lighting Wolf is out!