Chapter 39: Past Memories
"You seem excited… that you forgot your book in your room?" Marie walked with Monty back in.
"Sorry… I'll be back in, like, two seconds…" Monty ran to his room.
"You feeling nervous, sweetie?" Harvey's voice said from the television as it showed a young Callie in a magenta kimono with white dots on it. "It's your and Marie's first time on a public stage."
"NO WAY! WE GOT THIS IN THE BAG!" Young Callie seemed fired up.
Marie's ears perked up and she glanced over.
"How about you, Marie?" The camera turned to face a younger Marie, who wore a black kimono with white spots. "You feeling okay?"
"Yeah, I hope Callie is right…"
"Look at how cute you two look." Adstrum said as he nudged Callie. "The mini squid sisters."
Marie became flustered looking at herself.
"Marie, I got it" Monty walked back to her.
"Hm?" Adstrum turned around and smiled. "Callie, look. It's Mawee." He smiled and got shoved. "That was adorable and you know it."
Marie got more flustered and looked away.
"Hey, is that your and Callie's first concert?" Monty looked up at her.
"Actually, it's what helped kick start their career." Harvey spoke up. "This was a Youth Folk-Singing Contest and they won."
"Oh, that's right. Monty hasn't seen any of these videos. Why not come and watch, hon?" Melody suggested.
"You have to see the video of Callie's first word." Adstrum looked at Monty with a smile.
"..." Monty seemed reluctant.
"Why don't we watch it together?" Marie took his hand and lead him to the living room.
"You guys need a seat?" Adstrum asked.
Marie sat on the couch beside Callie.
"No, the floor is fine…" Monty sat beside Marie's feet.
Marie seemed confused and looked at Melody, who scratched her head.
Adstrum raised an eyebrow at Monty before rolling his eyes. "Okay." He looked back at the screen to see Callie and Marie walk into a backstage area.
Many young squids and other people appeared on the stage and sang as best as they could. They ranged from terrible to decent to pretty good singers, but the audience applauded each of them.
"When do our daughters go on?" The camera turned toward Melody, Sonata, and Riley.
"It shouldn't be long now. I think we're just about there" Sonata replied.
The curtains closed as a jellyfish kid ended their song. "Did...uh...you guys understand what he was singing?"
"Hey now, don't be rude…" Riley shushed Harvey.
"I'm not trying to be." Harvey replied. "He sounded good, but his inkish was so broken up. He sounded great. I just wish I understood what he was singing."
"Specie-ist…"
"Shut up, Riley. I know you were thinking the same thing."
They were both shushed by their wives as the curtains started opening up, Callie and Marie standing on the stage. Callie had a big smile on her face and Marie took a breath to calm her nerves.
"They'll do great." Harvey said quietly to his wife.
Their voices started in unison and enchanted the audience. The stage became perfectly quiet and only Callie and Marie's voices could be heard singing the original Calamari Inkantation.
Monty seemed captivated by their voices. He didn't notice Marie picking him up and setting him down between her and Callie.
Adstrum rested his head on Callie's shoulder and smiled.
Callie rested her head on his.
As the young Callie and Marie ended their singing the audience applauded the loudest they had that day, some even asking for an encore.
"I see they inherited your singing voices." The camera looked at Melody and Sonata.
"THAT'S MY GRAND SQUIDS!" Captain Cuttlefish was jumping around with Nana pulling him back.
"...Daaaadd…." Sonata and Melody sighed and hid their faces.
"At least he said it. I was about to yell how proud I was but he beat me to it." Harvey's voice said, getting a slight glare from them.
"Would have given me the opportunity to kick him." Melody smirked.
"Now I'm glad I didn't say it." Harvey smiled and looked away from the screen to look at her.
Monty snapped out of it and looked around. Marie petted him and he rested against her. Callie looked at Monty wanting to pet him too. Monty looked at Callie, who smiled back at him.
The video cut a bit to Callie and Marie getting a trophy and certificate. Callie held the trophy with a wide smile on her face and joy in her eyes. Marie had her eyes closed but had the biggest smile on her face while she held the certificate.
Monty tensed up when Callie moved her hand towards him. Marie seemed even more confused when Monty stared at Callie's hand.
Adstrum looked over and raised an eyebrow. 'What does he think's going to happen? That she's going to hit him? Take a chill pill, kid.' He thought.
Callie rested her hand on his head. Monty seemed uncomfortable, but didn't say anything. Callie petted him. He seemed a bit irritated after a while.
Adstrum shook his head at Monty. 'Let it go, kid.' He thought, still keeping an eye on him.
"Congratulations, you two!" The video showed Callie and Marie standing in front of the now empty stage, their parents standing next to them.
"Oh my. This place hasn't changed one bit." Nana chuckled, "I used to sing here when nobody was around."
"Her siren's song, sung by an angel, struck me in the heart." Captain Cuttlefish held Nana close.
"Forgot to check that one time…"
"That's funny. I met Melody here when she sang on this stage. We became very good friends and then a few years later we started dating." Harvey looked at her with a smile.
"I met Sonata when she was cheering up the soldiers coming back from the Great War. I was standing there with my jaw to the floor."
"I swear I thought he was trying to eat me…" Sonata chuckled.
"That was hilarious." Harvey laughed as well.
"I kept trying to see her. Hoping to be friends."
"And you became more than that. Same with me and Melody." He pulled the magenta inkling closer to himself.
"Who would have guessed we were dating twins?" Melody giggled.
"Fate is a fickle thing." Harvey replied before looking down at the young contest winners. "Speaking of fate, our daughters won. Isn't that something?" He knelt down and hugged Callie, who was excitedly trying to show the trophy to her parents and aunt and uncle.
"It's a big day for them. Who wants cake? Say YAY!"
"YAAAAYYY!" Young Callie and Marie screamed.
"Well, then let's go and have some!" Harvey wrapped one arm around his daughter's waist before reaching over and pulling his niece closer, wrapping his other arm around her. He stood up with them in his arms. "What kind of cake do you guys want? And what kind of ice cream, as well?"
The video ended there and Adstrum smiled at Callie and Marie. "Nice first performance, you two."
"Thanks" Marie smiled.
"Thank you!" Callie beamed.
"You two looked real happy on that stage." He looked back at the screen.
"That was one of the times I've seen them both with the biggest smiles ever." Harvey chuckled.
"Yeah. It was a nice thing to see" Sonata smiled.
The next video started up and it showed Callie's hands tied up in her tentacles, an embarrassed look on her face.
"Aw, don't feel bad, sweetie." Harvey patted her back. "I remember your mother had the same problem with her tentacles when she was younger."
"I didn't know you when I was younger…" Melody raised her eyebrow.
"Yeah, but Sonata showed me a picture. How did you get your feet tied up as well?" He laughed.
"Oh… I told her that I just woke up like that…"
"It's a cute picture, though." He smiled at his wife before crouching down next to Callie. "You okay? Need some help?"
"Yeah…"
"Alright. I'll try." He reached down and tried to carefully untie Callie from her tentacles. As he did so Marie walked in from a doorway.
"Callie, ready to go to the market?" Marie asked.
"Hello, favorite niece." Harvey replied while still undoing Callie's tentacles. "She'll be ready in a moment. I hope." He tugged a bit.
"Oh, did you need help?"
"Yes please." He smiled while Callie nodded. "She tied herself up real good." He looked over at Melody. "Long tentacle problems, am I right?"
Marie put down the basket and sat down behind Callie. She untangled Callie's tentacles and smoothed them out. She tied them up into a bow, "There. Now they won't drag anymore."
Harvey smiled. "Oh, it looks good. Hold on! Let me go get the camera." He stood up and ran off.
"But honey, we are recording it…" Melody sighed, "You are free to go girls."
"But I want it on the other camera!" His voice was heard from the distance.
"This feels great!" Callie said as she twirled around.
"It suits you, I think" Marie smiled her tentacles were untied and relaxed.
"Thank you, Marie!" She pulled her cousin into a tight hug.
Marie hugged her back.
"Found it!" Harvey came back and snapped a photo of them.
"Heh, there. Now you can go" Melody smiled and waved as Callie and Marie happily skipped off to the market.
"Have fun!" Harvey yelled.
The video ended and Adstrum looked at the Squid Sisters. "Well, I guess you taught Callie how to tie up her tentacles herself at some point, right?"
"I had to. I can't be there forever" Marie giggled.
"Got tired of her waking you up in the morning asking you to tie her tentacles?" He asked with a chuckle.
"Yeah, Callie gets up waaaay too early for me."
"It was always best when you did it, though." Callie smiled.
"You did my tentacles after. It was nice."
"It really was."
"I think we have one more video of you two." Harvey pointed out as the screen changed again.
The TV showed Callie and Marie wearing the starter gear and standing next to suitcases.
Melody was an emotional wreck as she cried on her boys. Harvey was standing next to her, trying his best to comfort her.
"Don't be sad, Mom. I'll come visit." Callie smiled, trying to hold back some tears.
All the boys were also crying. Especially a midnight blue squid who clung onto her.
"Oh, Monty. I promise to visit as often as I can." She knelt down and hugged him.
"Nooo….I don't want you to go... Waaaahhhh..." He hugged her leg.
"I know. But this is an opportunity Marie and I can't pass up. I promise I will use every vacation I get to come visit." She smiled at him.
"...You promise? I won't forgive you if you lie…"
"I promise."
Callie sighed as she watched the screen, slapping herself in the forehead. "I used every vacation to come and visit...I should have called and said something after that Splatfest…"
"Don't...don't say that word." Adstrum covered her mouth.
Monty seemed to have fallen asleep on Marie and changed back to his normal color.
In the video Riley and Sonata were trying to hold back their tears as well as they hugged Marie.
Marie cried and hugged them. She thanked them for everything.
"Bye Mom. Bye Dad." Callie hugged her parents. "Thank you for supporting me and Marie. I'll call as often as I can."
"We love you! Please know that we will always be proud of you two" Melody sobbed.
Callie wiped the tears from her face as she looked at Marie and nodded, grabbing her suitcase and walking toward a cab waiting for them.
The video ended and all the parents had a huge smile on their face.
"You've made us proud, girls." Harvey said.
"That won't ever change." Riley smiled.
When the lights came back on Monty woke up again. He looked around and changed back to magenta.
"Well, all that was interesting." Adstrum smiled widely. "You two were inseparable in the past."
"Y-yeah… That sure has…well, changed" Marie replied.
"I blame the Splatfest." Adstrum replied with a serious tone. He smiled again shortly after. "I think you two should spend more time together. Like old times. Well, do it more."
"Maybe we can… It does sound nice."
"What is it?" Callie seemed excited.
"I mean I am pretty sure Cici won't push us around much as Idols so maybe we can hang out more." Marie replied.
"Yes! Let's do something today!" Callie smiled widely.
"Okay! What should we do?"
"I don't know. Whatever you want to do?" Callie shrugged. "Does Monty want to do anything?" She looked at her brother.
Monty averted his gaze and shoved his face into his notebook.
Callie shrugged and looked back at her cousin. "Any ideas?"
"Why not go to the market for old times sake?" Marie suggested.
"Great idea!" Callie jumped up to her feet. "Let's go!" She grabbed her cousin's hand and pulled her to her feet.
Marie smiled as she got dragged away by her excited and hyper cousin. Monty sneaked away back to his tree house in the backyard.
Adstrum watched him sneak away and got up to follow him. "Thanks for the videos, you guys." He waved to the parents.
"You're welcome, Adstrum." Harvey smiled.
"Oh, let's go get the food Riley!" Sonata stood up.
"That's what we forgot… Alright, be back in a jiffy" Riley smiled and walked away with Sonata.
Adstrum went out back and looked up at the treehouse. "All right, Monty. Got an interest in weapons, huh?" He shrugged. "Why don't we talk?"
Author's Note: HURRAH! New chapter! Hope you all enjoy it!
Thank you The Bowser Monster, Guest, and Ashanti for leaving reviews. Thank you guys so much.
Um...I'm not sure, Guest. She might be a little bit, but she's getting better. But no chapter about depression for Marie.
I KNOW! RIGHT, Ashanti!? Baby Callie and Marie are so cute!
Okay, see you all next week with another chapter! Have a great week, everyone!
