Chapter 6: Girl Talk

The hyperactive Squid Sister stepped away from the kitchen area with a spoonful of peanut butter, getting a raised eyebrow from her cousin. "What? I had a sudden craving." She shrugged and licked some off the spoon.

"Heh, sorry it's just been awhile" Marie smiled.

"It has." Callie sat down in the booth opposite of her cousin. "So, how was those two years without me?"

"Torture… Gone to the nuthouse a few times… for stuff."

"Are you serious?" Callie flinched back from Marie. "What did you do?"

"Well almost killed myself several times"

"Did Jack know of any of this?" She asked concerned.

"He was usually off doing other things. So I was pretty much alone. But I guess he caught me when he saw my arm."

"Wow...jeez. Didn't think me leaving would affect you that badly. But considering you did have me do almost all the chores around the apartment..."

"Chores I could do… But if that's what you are comparing it to then."

"I was more mad about the insults and the bullying." Callie sighed. "I'm glad Jack caught on to you trying to kill yourself. I hope he helped prevent that.

"That was one only of the tries…"

"I see…" Callie rubbed her arm. "I'm sorry..."

"But as I got help I saw a fan stalking me. They weren't doing anything pervy or anything like that. They just wanted to know if I was okay. We became friends… I guess. She doesn't talk much, but I talked about a lot of stuff and she just listened. Funny how I don't know what she looks like." Marie rested her head on her hand.

"Oh, I'm so happy you have a friend like that now." Callie smiled and leaned closer.

"She was that hooded person that threw flowers"

"Oh, the flower thrower? That's so sweet of them!" Callie smiled wider.

"She told me she ran into you guys… and it didn't hit off"

"She did? Hm. Um...I don't really remember meeting someone I didn't like." Callie shrugged.

"I'm sorry if she said anything to make you guys angry. She reacted that way because of me"

"All I really remember from Quilden is the concert and meeting Nids." She laughed.

"We were just there yesterday." Jack said as he walked by toward the kitchen.

"What can I say? I only remember fun stuff." Callie waved.

"Oh hello Jack" Marie looked at him, "Speaking of which… She was always so scared of you Jack… I wonder why…."

"Who?" He asked as he grabbed a bag of chips from the pantry. "A fan of yours?"

"Oh Arisara. She's that flower thrower at every concert"

"Oh, her." Jack nodded.

"That name does sound familiar." Callie nodded. "But I can't really remember meeting someone I didn't really like. Adstrum would, though. He holds grudges."

"Well, I should know since he lets me know everyday."

"Sorry about that, Marie. But he's Adstrum." Callie shrugged. "He told me he still has a grudge against a bully he had in fourth grade. And he's 21 now." She shook her head and laughed.

"In the end he became one… Irony… Or at least that's what Arisara thinks."

"What's funny is that I kind of said the exact same thing and all he replied with was, and I quote…" She cleared her throat and did her best impression of Adstrum. "'Haha...yeah, I'm a dick.'" Callie laughed.

"Yup, figured as much. Maybe I'll go away once you guys take the next step"

"Oh, don't be like that Marie. He'll start treating you with more respect eventually. I promise." She reached over and placed her hand on her cousin's shoulder.

"I'm not going to be miserable anymore. You can say whatever you want, but I'm telling you now. I'm not kidding."

Callie sighed. "I really want you two to get along. I'm sure he'll respect you more eventually."

"I try to be respectful to both of you… I stopped doing everything that could possibly be disrespectful. But what is the point if I just get mistreated. It's like my happiness doesn't matter."

"Well...um…" Callie sat in silence for a moment. "He did tell me one thing he likes about you. Maybe two things." She shifted in her seat. "You'd want to hear this, but I think he once said it's not your fault he mistreats you. It's someone else's fault...he wouldn't tell me who, but I'll get that info out of him." She smiled.

"It doesn't matter who started it. That fact that he acts that way is on him. Blaming someone else is just cowardly" Marie sighed.

"He is a coward." Callie sighed. "Let's change this conversation topic. You haven't smiled once yet." She pondered for a moment.

"Yes, this isn't really anything to smile about. Unless laughing at my pain brings you happiness like it does to Adstrum."

"I'm going to ignore that." Callie shook her head. "How has Gramps been?"

"He was worried sick. He looked everywhere in OctoValley and the other Octo places. Oh except for that water palace… Isn't that place a destination on our road trip?... Funny how the queen let some Inklings in."

"Oh...sorry Gramps." She hung her head down until she looked up at Marie again. "Water Palace? I think so." Her face lit up. "QUEEN!?"

"That's what they call her…" Marie rubbed her arm.

"That's so cool! Will we actually meet this queen?!" Callie squealed.

"I think. She invited us there… that or Cici did something... But it's still a ways away"

"Oh, dang it." Callie folded her arms in a pout.

"You can ask Cici about how she got queenie's attention because it's beyond me" Marie giggled.

"Eh, I'll ask later." She sat back up in her seat again. "I think I got something that you'd find amusing, actually."

"Do you?" she raised a brow.

Callie leaned in closer and covered the side of her face before whispering, "Adstrum is very easily startled and it's hilarious hearing him scream. If you see him too focused on something just saying 'Hello' can make him jump." She laughed. "It's funny seeing him jump out of his chair. Try it sometime."

"Um… I don't wanna be hated more than I already am…"

"I thought that would at least make you smile." Callie sighed. "No laugh?"

"Sorry. I just didn't think that is a good idea. We aren't buddies like Jack… Jack can easily laugh it off, but him? Not taking chances"

"He won't attack you for spooking him. He always thinks it's an accident. Just say hi to him next time he's invested in his laptop or games or building something. Or just randomly staring off into space." Callie smiled.

"Maybe when it's with you. But I'm not gonna provoke him"

"I promise to be nearby." She replied. "So you see anything interesting in Quilden?"

"I didn't really go anywhere, but I got to chat with Arisara after the concert. I should have given her a backstage pass…. Oh well. What about you? You did go out to see the place after all."

"Oh, it was great. I saw a lot of good stuff. I saw weird hairstyles and that made me think maybe I should change mine one day." She played with her tentacles. "But I don't know."

"Hehe that couldn't hurt" Marie chuckled, "I mean why not when you go out again? You can just redo them for the show later."

"True, but there doesn't seem to be that many hairstyles for long tentacled inklings like me. I mean, without my tentacles tied up like this I'm Calliepunsel." She laughed.

"I'm not sure how kids change them so quick now a days" She laughed too, "They go from long to short then straight to curly. How?"

"I think it's best not to question it. Leave it to the scientists." Callie giggled. "Or the conspiracy theorists!" She laughed harder.

"Pfft, 'We are all in a video game'… Those guys are sure something" Marie snickered at the idea.

Callie laughed even harder. "Imagine that! Hahahahaha!"

"Right? People using their little remotes to make us live our lives"

"Look, I'm being controlled now." Callie moved her arms in a rhythmic pattern. "Pick up. Put down. Hahaha!"

Marie laughed almost as hard as Callie.

"This is the girl talk I missed." Callie said as she wiped a tear away.

A green squid swam past them snoring with someone's t shirt over her.

"And there's the Cici moment of the hour." Callie nodded. "Now we wait another hour for another."

"Isn't that Jack's?"

"What?!" Said inkling's head popped up from the kitchen area.

"I think it is. Silly Cici. That's Jack's shirt." Callie giggled.

"Must… clean… toilet...Zzzz" Cici swam into the bathroom.

"HEY! WOAH WOAH WOAH!" He ran after the swimming shirt. "I'll clean it! We don't need my shirt falling into it. Or you, for that matter."

"This bus is full of fun!" Callie raised her arm into the air.

"I… dropped it…" Cici swam out, "In the tub…"

"Augh…" Jack walked out with a wet shirt. "Could have been worse." He ran upstairs.

"Heh, so anything else we can talk about?" Callie turned back to her cousin.

"Any of the places we are going to you excited for?"

"The water palace. And maybe a few of the large cities. OOH! And the-" Callie stopped talking and twitched her ears.

"What's wrong?"

She turned to her room. "Oh, not another. Sorry Marie, I'll be back." She got up and ran down the hall.

"Okay" Marie started texting Arisara again.

Callie ran into her and Adstrum's room to find said inkling sleeping with tears in his eyes. "Another nightmare?" She crouched down next to him. "Adstrum, it's okay."

He sniffled and curled into a ball. "Callie...what are you and Marie singing? Where are you?"

"Huh? I'm right next to you. What song?" She asked.

"I...I don't know…" He muttered. "It doesn't sound familiar…"

She pulled him into a hug, feeling him hug back. They laid there for a few minutes until the sobbing inking calmed down. "Feeling better?"

He nodded in his sleep.

"Good. Remember, I'm right next to you. Don't freak out, okay?" Callie saw him nod and go limp in her arms. "Back to the heavy sleeping. Man, you're weird, but cute." She kissed his forehead and started walking toward the door. As she walked into the hallway her mind started racing. "An unfamiliar song? Marie and I have been singing the same stuff for years. I wonder what song…" Her eyes lit up. "Marie!" She ran down the hall and into the dining area. "Marie!"

"Huh?" She looked up from her phone.

"I have a great idea. Let's write a new song!" Callie jumped up and down.

"...huh?" Marie seemed even more confused.

"Think about it. We haven't written a new song in years and this tour would be a great time to introduce a new Squid Sisters song to the world. That and it would be fun writing a song with you again." She nervously smiled.

"A-are you sure? The songs I wrote by myself are pretty depressing."

"So let's write a song together." Callie clasped her hands together. "Like we did for Maritime Melody."

"Ah… Well okay I guess." Marie scratched her cheek.

"EEEEEEE!" Callie squealed. "Oh, this is going to be so much fun!"

"It may have to wait… looks like we arrived" Marie noticed the bus coming to a stop.

"Oh, okay. Tomorrow maybe." She ran up and hugged her cousin. "Let's get ready to make a lot of fans happy in this place."

Author's Note: Hey guys. Sorry for the long wait. I...haven't been feeling well mentally for a while. Got a lot going through my head and having trouble focusing. Forgive me for the long wait. I'll try to get the next chapter out much sooner. But don't be afraid to remind me.

Thank you The Bowser Monster, boogfish72, SpikedFruitPunch, and Ashanti for reviewing. I greatly appreciate the reviews guys.

Ashanti, he said why in my previous fic, but mostly Adstrum doesn't like Marie because he can't stand her narcissism. Just look at her smile. Fakest one I've ever seen. It grinds my gears as well.

Thank you guys for reading and I'll see you in the next chapter. If you wish to leave a criticizing review remember the rule. If you want to criticize or say something bad about this fic, you first need to say something you like about it first.