Chapter 11: Familiar Faces

The long thirty minutes finally ended when they saw rustic buildings pass the windows. They finally stopped at a large white hospital.

"We are here," Marie pulled Cici off Jack and ran to the hospital.

"I'll...uh...go get Adstrum and Callie." He turned before looking back. "Keep Cici safe, please!"

As Adstrum and Callie laid in the bed together a loud knock sounded from the door. "We have arrived at a hospital! Get Callie in there now."

Adstrum sat up with a slightly annoyed look before nodding. "Okay." He jumped out of the bed and place his arms under Callie. "Come here, beautiful." He gently picked her up bridal style and started to walk with her in her arms, until he felt a tug and noticed one of her tentacles wrapped around the headboard. He smiled and let out a small laugh as he gently pulled her tentacle free.

She woke up a bit, but fell back asleep again.


As she ran toward the white building Marie ran over a familiar squid.

"HEY, YA BITCH! WATCH WHERE YA GOING!" The angered inkling's tentacles bubbled, "I hate this… how did I get in this mess?... Renay's gonna have my ass if I'm late… How did anyone ever move in these high heels and dress? Fuck me..."

"Marie! Wait up!" Jack ran after her before noticing the angered inkling. "Clair?"

"I SWEAR TO GOD I'LL FUCKING END YOU IF YOU RUN INTO ME!" The inkling growled.

Jack raised an eyebrow as he pointed at the hospital. "You know you are yelling at Marie, right?"

She struggled to moved to what looks to be a filming set.

"Um, you okay? Hello?" He walked next to her.

"Fuck, how do people wear these?! …. FUCK IT!" She threw the high heels at the movie set, hitting some poor guy.

The orange tentacled inkling flinched.

"..." She sighed, "Sorry…. Wait you look familiar…"

"I'm Jack." He smiled before noticing her blank expression. "Friend to Callie and Marie."

"Oh…. Wait, they are here?! Fuck me… "

"Yeah. Marie's the one that ran you over. She's rushing into the hospital."

"Wait, what? W-why?"

"Because Cici is sick in her arms." He answered.

"That's… oddly rare."

"Apparently it's happened before considering that conversation I heard Adstrum and Marie have while he was apparently forcing Cici to take a pill."

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear!" Adstrum yelled as he walked off the bus.

"Oh, it's one of her episodes? Wow, I thought she was cured from that… Yikes, it's gotten pretty bad."

"No, Cici's actually sick with a fever and cold. The color is gone from her. She's pale white." Jack told Clair.

"No, but it was cause of Alex, right? She pretty much shut herself down and doesn't want to be helped, right?"

Jack held his head and whined. "Oooohhh…." He placed his fingers on his wrist. "No, she doesn't…"

"Yeah… When it's about him she will lose it…. But don't worry I believe Cici planned it out so she could say hello to an old friend in her hometown. That old friend helped her snap out of it… kinda"

"You know about Alex?" Adstrum asked as he walked by with Callie in his arms. "Callie and I don't even know about this guy."

"As a Bracer Brigade, yeah. We were a team back then. Those two were the youngest"

"Okay, yeah. Cool. Look, I'd like to hear more later, but right now I got to get a sick idol into that building." Adstrum gestured to the slightly pale Inkling in his arms.

"Oh man… Not Callie too…"

"Yeah, she chased after Cici in the rain to get her back on the bus."

"That does sound like her… She's not too bad, is she?"

"Not as bad as Cici. But bad enough to be asleep right now. Letting her own tentacles drag on the ground." He looked behind himself at Callie's tentacles. "You mind picking them up and holding them, Jack?" He asked the orange inkling.

"Nah, that's pretty bad, but not threatening thank goodness."

"Hopefully she gets well soon. She'd be happy to see you." Adstrum smiled at Clair. "Nice to run into you here, Clair." He began walking back toward the hospital, Jack carrying Callie's tentacles behind him.

"Alright, they should see her. I'll be here doing a project…. So be sure to come back after everyone is okay!"

"Good luck with it!" Jack yelled back with a smile.

"See ya!" Clair waved.

As they walked into the hospital they found Marie pacing back and forth with Cici in her arms.

"You get a nurse or a doctor or something?" Adstrum asked as he walked up with Callie.

"They are preparing an ER for her…"

"That's good. You get one for Callie, too?"

"Oh dear, is this the other sick inkling you told us about?" The nurse at the front desk asked with a worried look.

"Yes… Please help us…" Marie stopped pacing.

"Don't worry, we'll take good care of them." The nurse gave her a reassuring smile.

Marie smiled back and gave Cici to them.

After a few minutes the doctors came with two gurneys and the nurse placed Cici on it. "Sweetie, you mind turning into your humanoid form for me, please?" She smiled warmly at the small squid.

Cici woke up a bit when they nudged her. She only blankly stared at them.

"Expect resistance, squirming, and being ignored by that one." Adstrum told the nurse as he placed Callie in the other gurney.

The nurse pinched a spot on Cici's mantle and she turned into her humanoid form, "Don't worry, we've gotten people like her too. We got this"

Cici looked around blankly for a bit before sleeping again.

"You might not have to bother knocking her out." Adstrum laughed.

"Um...but she is a light sleeper. So...um…" Jack rubbed his arm. "Please don't hurt her."

"Aw sugar, we would never dream to. Poor little thing… So where did you find this hobo?"

"Hobo?" Jack, Adstrum, and Marie all said at once.

"Yes, homeless sometimes don't have money for food… I mean this is like the worst I have ever seen, but they get pretty small…"

"That's just Cici." Adstrum told her.

"She...um...uh…" Jack looked at Marie for help.

"...She's not a hobo. She's just, um… depressed." Marie raised a brow, "She could buy a lot of yachts… if she wanted to…"

"Oh dear… I'm sorry. We just get a lot of homeless that are thin here. My bad"

"Just...cure her. Please." Jack begged.

"You got it" The nurse nodded as she and the doctors took the two sick inklings down the hall.


After an overnight stay, Callie was back on her feet confused about where she was. Cici had strange pink tentacles with greenish tint toward the tips.

As Callie walked into the waiting room she was immediately embraced by Adstrum. "Oh, Addie!" She returned the hug.

"That one is a fiesty one… You were right, she bit everyone." The nurse pushed Cici to everyone. She was connected to an IV.

"Yep, she's a biter." Adstrum nodded, still hugging Callie. "Gotta keep an eye on her as well. She tends to sleep walk. Or sleep swim in this case. Don't be startled if you see a box or piece of equipment move around on its own."

"Yeah, she spooked everyone. We even called her Spooky that night."

"Her name is Sleepy." Callie said as she smiled at the small inkling.

"So if you guys can make sure she eats everything she needs to be brightly colored again. A bit like this, but more. Otherwise do you guys want the IV fluids in her longer?"

"Good luck with that, Marie." Adstrum smirked at the white-tentacled squid.

"I can help." Jack smiled.

"Ah… um... I'll need to go shopping then… Maybe chicken soup today?" Marie asked

"That sounds good." Jack nodded.

"..." Cici wandered off.

"Aw… Cici not now!" Marie ran after her, with Jack following close behind.

"How are you feeling?" Adstrum asked, letting Callie go.

"Still tired, but much better than before"

"That's good. Glad they were able to cure you. I'm happy to see your tentacles are back to their beautiful shade." He lifted them off the ground.

"Thanks" She gave him a peck on the cheek.

"THE HELL, GET OFF!" A voice echoed from outside.

"Hey, I know that voice." Callie smiled wider as she slightly stumbled toward the door.

"Hey, slow down." Adstrum ran up and put her arm over his shoulder. They exited the hospital to find the film equipment and crew were still there. "Never got to ask what was going on here."

There was another "Callie" looking super confused at the commotion, "Um… wasn't Acrilic supposed to be on guard?"

"Um… Yeah." A bright blue inkling looked concerned.

Adstrum stood there helping Callie stand as he looked between her and the other 'Callie.' "What is this? Is this heaven?"

"Oh dear… I told you Acrilic wouldn't have been enough… Letting a small child slip in like that…" An elderly inkling sighed.

At that moment another inkling walked up with a riot helmet on his head, except it was on backwards. He wore a blue shirt with a purple vest over it, a pair of jeans with a blue belt, blue and cyan shoes, and on his wrists were what appeared to be shackles with some chain hanging from each. He put his hand to his forehead in a salute. "Okay, I'm ready. No one gets past me!"

"Volts for brains, ya missed one" A green inkling pointed to Cici on Clair.

"Oh Acrilic… You didn't need to get into uniform…" The other "Callie" giggled.

"She's quick…. I can't really blame him…" The blue inkling chuckled.

"What is that supposed to mean, Corol?" The green inkling crossed her arms, "She's just a kid…"

"Acrilic, where did you get that helmet…" The elderly squid asked.

"Do not ask questions you don't want the answer to. Kya ha ha." He smiled widely, showing off his sharp teeth.

"They will kick you out if you misbehave…"

"They would have done it by now." He replied.

"I like that guy." Adstrum chuckled as he looked at the green inkling. "By the way, she's not a kid. She's just a very small and slippery inkling."

"Come here lil guy…" Corol tried to get Cici off only to have her chomp his finger, "OW! Owowow!"

"Cici!" Adstrum helped Callie over to Clair and reached toward Cici. "Bite me and I will bite back."

"Callie?" The elderly inkling asked as everyone turned around.

Callie stood there with her eyes wide as everyone stared at her. Being on stage was one thing, but she was wearing casual clothes and her hair was untied, so being recognized this way wasn't something she was used to. "Um...hi. Yeah…"

"Oh dear… you let yourself go… Come, Granny will fix your tentacles."

"Granny?" She asked confused as the elderly inkling walked up to her and took hold of her tentacles. "What's going on here?" She looked toward Clair, seeing her friend grinding her teeth in rage as Adstrum was trying to pull Cici off her head.

"Your grandfather forgot to tell you I was going to help out your friend. That old coot..."

"Gramps? Wait, you do look familiar." She wanted to turn her head, but the elder was busy fixing her tentacles for her.

"I should. I laid your and Marie's moms…" She finished tying up Callie's tentacles and patted her head, "There we are…"

"What?!" Adstrum yelled as he finally yanked Cici free of Clair's head.

"Young man, it's not polite to scream…"

"Sorry, he's just confused." Callie looked at Adstrum. "She means she's my Mom's mother!"

"Oh! Okay!"

"MUTHERFUCKER SON OF A BITCH!" Clair punched the ground, "FUCKING HURT! DAMMIT!"

"Hahahahahahaha!" Adstrum laughed. "I fucking like you, Clair. Yay for bad words!"

Cici swam away onto the green inkling's head.

"...Hmmm… WAIT! No way! COROL! DO YOU KNOW WHO THIS IS?"

"Um… a child that bit my finger?"

"No! You unfresh idiot! Its Cecilia! That tailored goddess!"

"That's… clearly an overstatement Cuddlefish…."

"There are a lot of words I would use to describe Sleeps-a-lot there, but 'goddess' is not one of them." Adstrum laughed.

"Can you make me the freshest squid?" Cuddlefish's eyes sparkled.

"So like are you guys really? Here?" The other 'Callie' walked towards Adstrum and Callie.

"I am conflicted." Adstrum blurted out as he stood closer to Callie.

"Heh, let's catch up later, Granny." Callie smiled as she gave her a quick hug before turning back to her doppelganger.

"...Mine…." Acrilic hugged the other Callie when she got too close to Adstrum, the helmet still on his head.

"Oh you…" She giggled, pulling the helmet off his head and revealing his purple spiky tentacles and red eyes, "So I take it you are the real deal? Nice to meet you! I mean in person!"

"It's nice to meet you too…" Callie smiled nervously, not knowing her imposter's name.

"I'm Pastelli and this is Acrilic. I was asked to play you in this… project."

"It's actually not a bad choice since without makeup or anything they look identical" Clair pointed out, "Even I was like whaa?"

"The resemblance is uncanny." Callie smiled. "Also, HI CLAIR!" Callie waved at her good friend.

"Hey… What's up with you guys?"

"What do you mean? We just got here and found...whatever this is. Is this your new job?"

"We all got roles in this weird project Renay setted up. She's gone cuckoo"

As Clair finished that sentence a loud "CUT!" was heard. Callie smiled and rolled her eyes. "Speak of the devil and she shall appear."

"Hey…" Adstrum gave her a fake frown.

"Oh Acrilic… You were supposed to let nobody in…" An anemone walked up to them.

"Bummer…" A clownfish swam and poked his head out.

"Renay!" Callie ran up to her. "How have you been!?" She looked at the clownfish. "Hi Sans."

"Oh, Jewel? What are you doing here darling?"

"Heh, you don't have to call me that anymore." Callie laughed.

"Hmmm? What do you mean?"

Callie looked at Clair. "Did you not tell her?"

"How could I? I was working my ass off... literally…" Clair sighed

"Um...it's still there." Acrilic pointed at Clair's rear, getting a glare from her. "Kya ha ha! You liar!"

"You want a heel up your ass?!"

"You want a camera shoved down your throat?!" He yelled back.

"Acrilic… Behave" Pastelli hugged him.

He blushed and hugged her back.

"It just slipped my mind" Clair replied.

"Well, I see you went from being my fashion manager to a film director." Callie rubbed the back of her head. "I'm shocked you didn't have any other tailors besides Cici."

"I have Cici still. She always finds a way to send them to us"

Callie smiled and got closer to look at Sans. "And how have you been, Sans?"

"Hello… It's been pretty nice. I'm glad you are all well" Sans hid again.

"Heh. So what are you guy's filming?" Callie asked as she glanced around.

"We can't tell you much." Renay pretended to zip up her lips.

"But I guess you can ask everyone their roles in the project" Sans said before going back to hiding.

"Okay. Well, I see Pastelli is playing me." She waved at her doppelganger. "Acrilic is supposed to be the security. What are you playing?" She asked the green inkling.

"I'm Agent 3 for some reason…" Cuddlefish replied.

"Agent 3?" She glared at Clair. "What did you tell them?"

"Huh?" Clair tilted her head, "Me? I told her she was nuts"

"How do they know about Agent 3?"

"Yeah?" A familiar orange inkling walked up, being followed by Marie.

Cici swam away.

"Cici, come back!" Jack ran after her.

"What's Agent 3 to you?" Clair asked

"Um...Renay, what's this movie about?"

"Nobody said movie…." Renay replied

"Well, what's this filming about?!" Callie yelled.

"I haven't a clue"

Callie facepalmed. "Marie, do you have any ideas?"

"Actiony if there are agents right?" Marie shrugged.

"Oh...its a movie about agents? And not…" Callie blushed with embarrassment.

"So if there is agent 3… Where's.. You know 1 and 2?"

"I dunno, even we are in the dark." Clair replied.

"Oh, that's Renay. Not saying everything and leaving everyone confused." The cheerful Squid Sister chuckled.

"I'm only here for, like, this shoot." Cuddlefish replied, "I think I die later… or something..."

"Huh, me too" Pastelli nervously chuckled.

"What?" Callie and Adstrum both said in unison.

"Yeah.. it's in the script…" Corol went over the script.

"Why?!" Adstrum looked at Renay with a look of anger as Callie gently patted his head.

"I figured it would bring people in, darling."

"Well why not Marie?!"

"Adstrum!" Callie placed her hands on her hips. "It's just a movie. Or...whatever Renay's making."

"Oh she dies too."

"Well then. There you go..." Marie rubbed her arm.

Adstrum let out an exhale through his nose. "Well, as long as it's equal, I guess. I still won't want to see it."

"It's okay" Renay replied, "Not a movie for everyone."

"Oh, so it is a movie?" Callie asked.

Adstrum suddenly smiled and let out a slight laugh. "Wait, who's playing Marie?"

"I am!" A voice that instantly made Clair's tentacles bubbled

Adstrum looked at where the voice came from and, after taking a moment to look past the Marie disguise, let out a loud laugh and clapped his hands twice. "Hahahaha! The only person I want to punch more than Marie."

Marie pinched her nose, "Well, my pride is now reached the bottom of hell now..."

Callie's face immediately scrunched into a scowl as she heard that voice. "Anita…" She looked over at her old coworker.

"I can't believe I got this part, I was supposed to be in your place!" She pointed at Clair.

"I WAS GOING TO WORK AS A MAILSQUID! I never asked for this..." Clair swatted her hand.

"Clair, don't let her get to you." Callie walked up and folded her arms. "So, you go from a model to an actress. Congratulations." She said as sarcastically as possible.

Corol watched the tiny green squid swim to Anita.

"Your… butt has grown…" Cici loudly muttered

"WHAA! YOU PERV!"

"It's my job…"

"KYA HA HA!" Acrilic loudly laughed.

'HAHA!" Adstrum joined in the laughing.

Callie let out a snort as she suppressed a laugh. "Sounds like you let yourself go."

"Does it match her head now, Cici?" Clair asked.

"That's impossible… waaayyyy… too big."

"OHH…" Anita growled, "Whatever"

Acrilic started shaking his rear. "Kya ha, big butt, so what?"

Adstrum fell to the ground holding his stomach. "I can't breathe...I can't breathe…"

"At least you two are getting along..." Pastelli knelt down next to Acrilic.

Callie was finding it hard to breathe as well as she couldn't hold back her laughter. "Cici, you are awesome."

Anita stormed away.

Cici swam up on to Corol's head. She cuddled his tentacles, "O-oh… Thank goodness… I thought she was going to bite me"

"She would have if she didn't like you." Jack told him as he walked past and over to Marie.

Callie wiped a tear from her eye before yelling, "I'm still more famous than you, bitch!"

"So aren't you here for a concert?" Clair asked.

"Um...where are we?" Callie asked as she looked toward her friend.

"Crayon Canyon."

"Was that a stop on our tour, Marie?" She looked toward her cousin.

"I haven't the slightest idea"

"Cici?" She looked around for the small squid.

"It wasn't… but your choice"

"They won't have a stage set up." Adstrum pointed out. "We just stopped here because someone ran out into the rain. Luckily she's better now."

"So...do we get right back on the bus or…?" Jack raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know. I want to stay a bit and hang with Clair." Callie crossed her arms. "But...the bitch is here…"

"I can go to your concert. Renay said I could catch the next one." Clair smiled

"Oh, yay!" Callie clapped her hands. "Maybe you can bring these other people. Well, if they are allowed to come. And if they want to. And if you know them well enough."

"OH MY GOSH! Really?!" Pastelli's eyes glittered, "I'm like a really really big fan…"

"Of course! It would be nice to have you all show up! And I'm glad you are a fan." Callie smiled as she pulled Pastelli into a hug.

"That's Callie, always eager to make a new friend." Adstrum smiled as he lead Acrilic over to a nearby tree.

"Even though we die in the movie…" Cuddlefish shrugged

"Eh, it's just a movie. Written by Renay." Callie laughed. "I just don't want this to be the only time we run into each other. Besides…" She looked over at Adstrum, who was wrapping a chain around Acilic's leg. "I think Adstrum made a new friend, which is rare for him to do."

Said Inkling tossed the other end of the chain into the tree, pulling it and hanging Acrilic upside down from it.

"Ummm…. That doesn't look safe…" Corol looked at the two.

"It was his idea." Adstrum laughed. "He said he's a pinata."

"WHACK ME!" Acrilic screamed as he slowly spun.

"With what? This?" Adstrum asked as he pulled out his Ink Sledgehammer.

"What is that? I like the look of it! Let's use that! Or this!" Acrilic pulled out a roller covered in barb wire with a car battery attached to the side.

Adstrum's eyes lit up as he saw the apocalyptic roller.

"He's got that look in his eye." Callie nervously laughed. "Acrilic sure is an interesting inkling."

"Yes, he bought an Armor Knights store and builds weapons for it" Pastelli chuckled nervously.

"That's almost the same as what Adstrum did. Do Acrilic's weapons get used in turf wars?"

"Most of the octolings are too afraid to even touch them…. OH! Right we live on Botatic Island which is an Island full of peaceful Octolings. The Queen is pretty chill."

"Really! That's a location on our tour! OH! I'm so excited to go there! I think we are performing at a water palace or something!" Callie started jumping up in down with excitement, holding Pastelli's hands as she did so. "You live on that island? Is it nice? What's it like!?"

"Wow you get to go into her palace? That's amazing! It's pretty relaxing but Acrilic's business isn't doing great… I'm there as a scientist."

"His business would probably do better where we live...well, if it wasn't already taken by Adstrum. He owns the turf wars in Carti Ridge and makes the weapons for them." She looked back at her boyfriend, who was poking Acrilic with a stick.

"That could be true. The Octolings are scared that they may upset the queen. They said she would cast everyone into the sea, that she has power over the sea…. But that seems…. crazy…"

"Really? Oh my gosh, that sounds amazing. But I doubt it's true."

"I wouldn't know since Acrilic can do this…" She walked over and gave him a lightbulb and it brightly lit up before exploding.

"POP! Goes the lightbulb!" He said as he swung his head back and forth.

"Okay but no more… Renay will get mad if you misbehave" She kissed his forehead.

"Eh, I'm not afraid of her." He blushed. "But I'll be good for you." He pulled her closer and kissed her on the lips.

Adsrum snickered slightly and gestured at Callie to come close to him.

"What?" She asked as she walked up to him.

"Does that look like a scene from SpiderSquid?" He pointed to the kissing couple.

"Heh, it does." Callie chuckled silently. "It's cute."

Pastelli purred and nuzzled his forehead.

Cuddlefish looked at them and glanced at Corol who wasn't paying attention. She flashed pink for a bit. She rested on him. Corol smiled a bit.

Jack noticed Cuddlefish's color change for a second and looked over at Cici, who was sleep swimming underneath a box, but was far away from him. He sadly sighed as he felt his wrist.

Adstrum smirked and yanked Callie into a hug, kissing her as well. He let go of the chain as a result and Acrilic fell flat on his face, before getting up and shaking it off.

"Kya ha ha! The pinata is busted!"

"Your face honey…" Pastelli wiped his face

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" He smiled a toothy grin before licking his fangs.

"Oh you."

"Let's finish up this take and you all can go" Renay clapped her hands.

"Pastelli, can I ask you something when the take is done?" Callie looked over at her.

"Of course!" Pastelli smiled.

Author's Note: Yep, this is a long one. A few things to say first. Corol, Cuddlefish, Granny, Pastelli, and Acrilic are from Apikachua's fic, "One of the Worst," and they all belong to her. Except Acrilic, who is owned by both Apikachua and me. They have been used for this chapter and the next. And a future chapter later on.

Alright, thank you The Bowser Monster, morganfr33man42, and Agent 7 for leaving reviews. I really appreciate them guys.

Yeah, it was a long reply, wasn't it? Cici won't be forgiving Jack anytime soon. And thanks. The story and relationships will continue onward. (Also, I didn't pick a team. I gave up Splatfests back in Splatoon 1. I don't participate in them anymore.)

Anyways, thank you all for reading and reviewing. Please leave reviews if you wish, but remember the rule. Have a great day everyone and I'll see you next week.