Author's Note: Agent 8 is as advertised in the Octo Expansion trailer; brown skin, tentacles down, but with purple eyes, to match her usual magenta tentacles. Without further adieu, enjoy!
[8 months later...]
Word was thick that the Splatfest was to be a battle between the famous newscaster/singing duo, Off The Hook. Inklings and Octolings alike buzz happily and go about their merry way. Commerce buzzed of life, various merchandise leaving the stores at random intervals, while several youngsters window-shop.
Said duo was lounging in their open-window office/studio, having lunch. Pearl was enjoying a box of carbonara, complete with 2 slices of garlic bread, straight from take-out from a restaurant called The Pier, which was quite reputed for A-grade pasta of various forms, as well as Pescian cuisine. Marina was to be seen eating out of a sleek lunchbox, preferring her own home-cooked Octarian Spaghetti, an extra tangy and spicy version comprised of Arowana chili, chunky tomatoes, with shrimton & squik rings as main meat. Two lemon juice cups are to be seen by their sides.
"So, 'Rina, now that more of your kind are here in Inkopolis, how do you feel?" chimed Pearl to her partner.
"Well, for starters, I don't feel like a sore thumb sticking out, although not too many know about my kind. ", answered Marina. "But, I am unsure that revealing what we really are would bring.", she shyly quipped.
"Hey girl, you don't need to if you don't want." assured the Inkling rapper. "You're still my friend Marina. No matter the race.", continued Pearl, lightly holding Marina's tan/teal gloved hand. "Yo, your pasta looks good, may I have some? " asked Pearl, changing the subject.
"Be warned Pearlie, the spice ain't for anybody! " Marina coyly warned her partner. A bite later, the small Inkling's eyes widened considerably.
"Holy squit, Marina! What exactly did you put in this? " she blared, reeling from the spices, immediately grabbing her lemon juice, to Marina's amusement.
"Arowana peppers, dear, like the recipe asks." Marina answered her friend's query.
"This thing's fresh Marina, but holy squit, do you guys really do spaghetti like that?!" Pearl loudly asked her Octoling friend, recovering from the spice of the Octarian pasta, resuming to her carbonara, which was 3/4's done.
"I have been hearing a lot about The Pier, Pearl? Is that place any good? " inquired the dark-skinned Octoling.
"Hey, try this out." Pearl offered her box to Marina, the DJ/singer obliging. Later...
"Mmmmh, mmm!", was the only thing Marina could say.
"Made out of the best sea-cow dairy. And bacon, ham, and mushrooms to boot!", Pearl narrated proudly. "And seasoned with the best Pescian herbs! " she added proudly.
"It shows, Pearlie! Maybe we should go for dinner sometime?", said Marina to her friend.
"We can do tonight, if you like!", boomed the cream/pink Inkling.
"But... I've got rent this month to pay!", wailed Marina.
"Don't worry 'Reena, I got ya!", said Pearl. "So tonight then? Right after our newscast?" said the gold-eyed Inkling to her partner.
"OK Pearlie, if you are that insistent!", said Marina laughingly.
The duo finished up their lunch, consuming whatever remained of their pastas. Marina waved to some fans ogling at the window, while Pearl did so on the way to the restroom to freshen up for the next newscast, whipping out her toothbrush, custom-built to her specs: white with pink accents, a diamond studded near the tail end, and the bristles were made after consulting her then washed her face, once with a special soap, and again with Albino Coral cleanser. After she was done, it was Marina's turn to do the same.
Marina was naturally pretty enough, but show business oblige that she keep it that way. After grabbing her own pouch, a sleek black rectangular cloth, with teal piping & her logo as zippers, custom-made by an adoring Inkling fan. She began to set toothpaste to her toothbrush, much more modest than Pearl's. After brushing, Marina motioned to begin washing her face. Her ritual was one step less than Pearl's. After rinsing the soap off her face, Marina took a good look at herself, turquoise eyes looking back at her.
"All this fame, and they dunno what I actually am. " mused Marina to herself, mentally. She put that aside, as she dried her face up with her face towel, a simple black cloth with teal trim and her logo in the corner. She then stowed her facetowel after folding it to her shorts' side pocket.
When she came out, Pearl was already wearing her Tenta-crown that was customary to her attire, poring over fan mail on the studio's laptop, with few more Inklings, an Octoling or two, and some jellies ogling over them.
Marina put on her DJ headphones, resuming work on a remix she was planning. It was a remix of their hit "Ebb & Flow". The one song. The one song that changed her life... and now...to put a spin on her creation.
Pearl heard what Marina was doing, and was a little surprised.
"Yo, is that... Ebb and Flow...being remixed? ", asked a slightly wondering Pearl.
"Yes dear. The one & only", the busy DJ chimed proudly. "Our first hit single, together!", she piped proudly, beaming as she made her remix.
"It's been a long way, Marina.", reminisced Pearl. "All beginning at Mount Nantai. You being a stowaway/AWOL soldier and me without a damn clue with my life." she mused. "Can I just say thank you for changing my life forever?", quipped Pearl to her Octoling friend.
"Hey, if anyone's life was changed forever, it was me!", quipped the still busy DJ. "Well aside from the Calamari Inkantation and the Squid Sisters. Otherwise,-", as she lowered her voice, "I'd still be designing weapons of mass Inkling destruction."
"Now, now Marina. That wasn't you, that was Chief Engineer Marina, working under Octavio's hypnosis rule.", reassured Pearl. Marina didn't respond, opting to change the subject.
Hours flowed by, and soon, it was ten minutes before their final rotation newscast for the day. The writer handed the duo their scripts, which was a little different.
"Yo Marina, you see this?", asked the Inkling
"I do Pearl. ", she simply replied, continuing on with her work, almost finished.
Soon, the 5 minute alarm blared to life. The popstars were called to their respective make-up stations, and props were being set up. 2 minutes before, the duo are prepped up, taking their respective positions.
The cameraman positioned himself, while the director blared the countdown.
"Five, four, three, two, one!", the director blared, "hit it! "
And soon, their jingle came roaring to life at 5 o'clock, like many times over.
"Y'all know what time it is!", the voice of Pearl boomed.
"It's Off the Hook, coming to you live from Inkopolis Square!", Marina's voice coming in to complement.
"Yo, Marina! Tell the people the good news before we introduce the stages!", chided Pearl.
"Huh? Like, right now?! Um... What was the good news again?", said Marina.
"Uhm, you know, the single most important celebration of our culture?! The Sp-", exclaimed the Inkling rapper
"OOH, THE SPLATFEST!", cooed Marina excitedly.
"Ding ding ding! We've got a Splatfest coming up quick!"
...
...
"And the Splatfest theme is... ", Pearl quipped, before the monitor revealed the theme, bringing up the two's images.
"Whoa!", Marina gasped in mild surprise.
"You're eyes ain't fooling around!", blared Pearl. "Although I wish it was.", she added.
"The rumors prove true squids & kids!", chimed in Marina
"Time to decide who is the better half! And we have got 48 hours to represent!", squeaked the cream/pink Inkling
"Sorry Pearlie, but I gotta fight for myself", Marina apologized
"No hard feelings Marina, so don't hold back now! ", said Pearl
"Would you jam with my bars? ", said Pearl.
"Or slam with my melody?", said Marina.
"They may adore your singing, but everyone knows who is the Baroness of Bars yo!", she exclaimed. "Heheh, I kinda know what they adore you for!", the Inkling lightly sneered. "Admit it kids! "
"Aw, Pearl, are you jealous of.. this?", she cooed, sliding her finger, tracing her curvy body. "And this chick can teach machines too y'all know? Maybe know a few tips about... your weapons.", she winked to the camera as it closed up to her face.
"That much I cannot refute. But who supports someone with such boring choices?", attacked Pearl. "Book vs Movie and Mayo vs Ketchup spring to mind?, she inquired to the camera. "That by the way... I WON?", she reminded them.
"Only because your supporters are tryhards!", chimed Marina." At least we play for fun!"
"Hmh, half the fun is winning, and you know who gets that half do you?", intoned Pearl. "It's ya home squid right here!", ended Pearl.
"That's it. Come ye, my faithful legion, and supplicate your mistress!", barked Marina, imitating an evil queen.
"Are we gonna let this vileness go by? Rise, and be counted!", exclaimed Pearl, doing her best general impression.
"What about you at home?", Marina asked, resuming her normal voice.
"Head over to the Splatfest terminal to go for the one you dig the most!", Pearl quipped to the camera.
The rest of the broadcast went on after all the banter, revealing Regular Battles to be at Wahoo World and Moray Towers, Ranked being at Manta Maria and Walleye Warehouse, with Splat Zones as the mode, and League games at Humpback Pump Track and Arowana Mall. A few more announcements from GrizzCo's and soon the broadcast came to a conclusion.
"Until next time!", Pearl said, as Marina pushed her turntable aside.
"Don't get cooked, stay off the hook!" they chorused, doing their signature pose to conclude this broadcast. And the director yelled "CUT! ", bringing things to a close. Pearl and Marina immediately went off and sat at their table, at their usual positions, hurrying to talk about the just-now revealed Splatfest.
"So this is it then?", asked Pearl. "The Splatfest of the century.", she said.
"Yup, I guess so." answered Marina. "Although, this brings me back to the Squid Sisters..."
"Marina, are you thinking what-", Pearl stuttered, realizing what Marina meant. "Come now, don't be like that, you're giving me the creeps!", said Pearl, a little jolted from she heard.
"You know what they say, history repeats itself.", answered Marina. "Remember that time we announced Callie's disappearance, along with the Great Zapfish?", she asked her Inkling friend.
"Yes, I remember that, as clear as yesterday." said Pearl. "I may not have showed too much, but boy, I was shook! One half of the Squid Sisters, gone! ", she added, as she made a snapping gesture.
"I have so many questions Pearlie." Marina sighed
"I know which ones bother you the most, 'Reena.", she comforted her. "I will be here for you. You're one of my own Marina. Always." assured Pearl, clasping her hands in her own. Later that night, they went to the restaurant Pearl mentioned, like she promised.
After-Chapter bits:
Pesci is Splatoon Italy. Arowana is in general, Asian. Can you name the Splatfest that I only reference, not named? They're in the lines before the lines telling you to vote.(Hint, it's worldwide) Be prepared for the first bombshell to come in the next chapters! Do you know who is involved with this bombshell? Find out.