Author's Note: This chapter has a depiction of PTSD. Please leave suggestions in the reviews on how to deal with PTSD in fiction. Also, major flashbacks to a short period after S2's Hero Mode.
The car soon drove back into the garage, the automatic doors swinging open to accommodate Callie's car back into the house. Marie sat with Shannon in the backseat, Callie insisting Evan to occupy the passenger seat, the two exchanging small talk, with Callie occasionally stroking Evan's muscular legs, much to Evan's silent chagrin, but secretly enjoying it too.
Callie's usually very bubbly all these months running now. There were a few PTSD moments where she'll re-enact snippets of the fight between her & Marie/Evan. For months after the ordeal, Callie preferred Calamari Inkantation, and only that song. When she heard Bomb Rush Blush playing anywhere, she's freak out & have a panic attack, only diffused by either Agent 4 or Marie.
[...a year earlier, 3 months after the fight in Cephalon HQ]...
"Hey Cal, where you wanna go next?", said Evan, laden with some goods of mixed variety, shoes, clothes, groceries.
"I wanna get sundaes!", said Callie in her usual excitable tone.
"Well, it's kinda hot & I'm in the mood for some cold treats." said Marie. The trio walked on the length of the mall, eyeing some pieces along the displays, Callie particularly eyeing a fresh set of Pink Trainers. They were in the Tentatek store, perusing the merchandise, and then that song played. Bomb Rush Blush began playing on the store's speakers, making Callie a little jumpy. When her lyrics came on, she was ranting on random people about how they're secretly planning to squidnap her.
"Come out there ya Octo-cowards!", she bellowed, alarming both Evan & Marie. "I am here, go fucking squidnap meeee!", she ranted on, her eyes blazing purple.
"Callie, relax. No one's here to squidnap you.", said Marie in a calm tone.
"You're safe, Cal, no one's going to hurt ya.", said Evan, joining in.
"Where are ya accomplices?! Answer me!", Callie continued to rage, as she collared a random Inkling, who was engulfed in absolute terror at what he was witnessing. Everyone in the store, including the staff, were watching in horror, as the magenta Inkling lashed out.
"Come on Callie, some other time.", said Marie, wrestling a livid Callie away from another Inkling. Callie's eyes were inkshot, magenta veins creeping into the golden pupils. To make matters worse, Evan spotted some paps taking shots at the whole incident. Evan decided to take matters into his own tentacles.
"You and Callie go on without me. I spotted some creeps cashing out on this bullsquit.", said Evan, dashing out of the store, engaging his Agent 4 senses. He immediately spotted the gaggle on the second floor, by the railing. He super-jumped behind them, surprising the papparazi. Evan then laid it down on them.
"You bullsquits just forage for anything at this point, do you?", Evan began menacingly. "You insensitive fucks. The gal has gone through a lot, and all you care about is a scoop?!", he growled at them. All of them shuffled whatever recording devices they were holding, making a run for it.
However, Evan got ahold of some shellphones, violently tossing it down the mall floor below like a Splat Bomb. "Don't you dare publish that or I'll splat every last one of you squits!", he yelled at the fleeing gaggle. The Inklings who got their phones smashed by Evan did not take kindly to his actions.
"Do you know how much is that, little punk?", said an elder blue Inkling
"That's my job you broke, loser!", said a female yellow Inkling
"Well, too bad!", he said sarcastically. "That's what you get for snooping on people insensitively!", he flared on them, making his point forcibly clear. The two disgruntled Inkling paps & a few more walked away, grousing about that little punk who meddled with their business. He then quickly walked away, breaking into a sprint to catch up with the former pop-stars, who he beckons needs help right now & wondering where he is.
...Meanwhile, outside the mall...
"Are they...gone now?!", Callie said, in between jittering teeth/beak.
"Callie, no one's going to hurt you, they'll have to go through me & Evan this time.", she reassured her cousin/partner, patting her at the back. Callie was a huddled mess, huddling right outside a blind spot corner of Arowana Mall. Various marine beings looked on in shock as Callie huddled over like a crazy crackhead, darting her head left & right for "threats".
Evan sprinted across a motley crowd of anemones, inklings, & jellyfish to make it to where the cousins were, surprising everyone by his erratic & sudden appearance, due to his Agent 4 reflexes going into overdrive, transforming into squid to evade crowds.
"Hey, Callie, I'm here.", said Evan softly, catching air after all the stunts he pulled, clutching the still panicking Callie, who has subsided somehow.
"E-Evan? Four, is that you?", she said to the male inkling, whimpering a little, showing a little smile.
"Hey, not so loud.", said Evan in a joking manner, to make the magenta inkling calm down.
"Cal, still want those sundaes? It's on me.", said Marie.
"Mar, you don't need to, I can afford a deluxe myself.", she said, calming down & slowly returning to normal.
"How about we grab some lunch first, ladies? That, & the sundaes. On me.", offered Evan. "Tell me, what are ya in the mood for?", he added. "But let's get to the car first, hmm? I'll drive.", he added, encouraging the two famous cousins to get away, which the duo obliged to. The trio boarded Callie's Silverfish Angler, both cousins taking to the backseat, leaving Evan to drive.
...[present day...]...
The group clambered out of the sedan, immediately going to the trunk to retrieve their groceries. Callie promptly clicked her keys to open the trunk, doing so with a slight pop. Evan & Shannon haul most of the load, while Marie got the door for them. The Inkling & Octoling hauled the boxes to the sala to be sorted. Callie took on the rest of the groceries and joined her haul with the others.
"Right then, lemme sort out the goods.", called Marie to the others. "All that will be used for later's dinner, to the kitchen. The rest, in their proper places.", she told them.
"Well, here goes.", said Evan, as he picked up cans of tomato sauce.
"Right, Marie.", as Shannon picked up packets of herbs, spices, & noodles, heading towards the luxurious kitchen, boasting a black granite counter, along with top of the line kitchen ware ordinary squid parents can dream about. Well, except for Evan's, as he was a rich boy himself, but chose to distance himself from his parents.
The two agents sorted the ingredients for tonight's dinner, while Callie was managing the rest of their groceries, starting with the alarming amount of chips, which she put in a plastic bin, where the dry snacks are usually stored. The pantry was simple, yet organized, orange bin is for snacks, green one is for things like rice. Sauces & canned goods take up the pantry, a white cabinet with green & magenta at the handle ends, the Sisters' signature colors.
Soon, the party was finished sorting out the groceries. Both singers changed into their house clothes, leaving the TV to Evan & Shannon. Evan promptly plugged in the TV, asking Shannon what she'd like to watch.
"Hey, anything you'd like to watch?", said Evan.
"Nah, I'm good Four.", said the magenta Octoling. Evan then tuned onto a news channel, arriving shortly on the beginning of a report about Marina exposing herself & her kind to the world. The Inkling anchor, wearing his tentacles slicked back, donned a shade of teal to match the topic herself.
"Marina from Off the Hook fame has dropped a big bombshell earlier this noon, revealing the truth about this half of the famous duo...and her kind. Live from Off the Hook's studios, Yume what's the sitrep?", said the stately anchor. Both Agents studied it with mild interest, as both Sisters came out from changing to their house-clothes.
"Thanks Whalespout.", greeted the blue/black Inkling on the other side. "The whole of Inkopolis is buzzing about the great bombshell Marina of the famous pop duo Off the Hook dropped. Here was the live clip from the noontime broadcast of Inkopolis News!", she declared, as the report replayed the footage from noontime. All within the range of the TV tuned in on the footage.
"Before we announce the stages, we have a special announcement. Marina has something especially important to say to all of you kids.", the voice of Pearl squeaked in, and Marina thanked her partner.
"Here comes.", said Marie softly to herself.
"When I arrived, it was...a bit different. Even Judd was distrustful of me when we first met. Everyone was looking at my tentacles, seeing something different with them. You may have dismissed them as fad hairstyles, with the coming of my brethren to the Square, a month ago, lead by an entity only known as Eight.", Marina narrated in the footage, Shannon perking up slightly at the mention of her recently discontinued alias.
"The recently revealed Octoling pop-star took the time to take things off her chest as she unraveled the real answer behind an-age old question...were the Octos extinct?", Yume reported on. "Right now, the negative answer, it can be said, was truly demolished. They are here, alive, well, & turfing it up with the rest of Inkopolis!", she happily said. "Here's the confirmation.", she said, as the newscast played another clip from earlier.
"I am an Octoling, and there are more around you." Marina said. "Here, in Inkopolis."
"That's the truth kiddos! Don't worry folks, she ain't doing anymore of those things you read about in books!", Pearl said, confirming the bombshell Marina just dropped to be true.
"Whoa.", said all of the Inklings. Shannon, the Octoling, had a face of understanding. She was the "traitor" Octarian higher-ups in the military had been rambling about in the Canyon.
"I used to do horrible things under DJ Octavio's army. But that changed when Octavio..my former boss, battled Agent 3 and the Squid Sisters sang the Inkantation. From then on, life changed for the better. Thanks to this amazing Inkling here.", she said, pouring out her soul into that speech. Both Sisters felt a slight swell in pride, as they immediately recognized their work years ago in Octo Valley.
"Yes, I remember Cap saying in the chat room she was a top-notch combat engineer back when she served the Octarian military.", Shannon wistfully said. By the time she left, I acquired my humanoid form.", she told the Inklings. "He had some dossier or something.", she added.
"Grandpa's secret Octarian dossier?", said both cousins in unison.
"Aw, look at that.", said Marie. "Never thought I'd be friends with anyone in that dossier.
"Let alone be our successors!", said Callie. "Honestly, when Marina first approached us, I dunno what to do, I knew something was different about her tentacles.", she said. "But there was good in her, and she wasn't like those who squidnapped me.", she added.
"Paps swarmed the duo, but both Pearl & the proprietor of the Crust Bucket, where they planned to take a bite, told all of them that they will be answered at a future presscon.", Yume narrated on, over a clip of paparazzi swarming the harried duo, with the shrimp cook stepping in for them.
"Ah, Sean.", said Marie. "He's a great friend, that guy.", quipped Marie.
"Oh, that reminds me, gotta go cook now!", Callie said, startled. She then dashed off to the kitchens, picking up her supplies.
"Would that be any good, One?", said Evan teasingly to the Squid Sister.
"Relax, Four, after all, I don't wanna have Marie cooking.", she joked back, earning her a jab from the lime Squid Sister. She knew what was Callie on about. Both cousins have a spotty record in home cooking, but both had improved since then, watching guides on SquidTube. Soon, chopping sounds can be heard, indication that Callie already has started.
"That's it from here at Off the Hook studios, back to you.", Yume said, as she disappeared in favor of the stately main anchor, concluding her report. Soon, hissing sounds can be heard: Callie is already starting to prep the pan with the usual spices; sauteing.
"Marie, can I go help Callie over at the kitchen?", Shannon offered. "I know a thing or two about cooking!", she said.
"Go ahead, Five. Cod knows her cooking needs help.", she smirked, as the Octoling darted off to the kitchens, causing Callie to slightly protest, but was overcome by the industry of the Octoling. The two jelled rather quick in the kitchen, the octoling taking care of prep while Callie did the rest. Evan & Marie were left to watch TV, Marie lounging on the sala set next to Evan.
"I wonder, is Splat Classics on?", said Marie to Evan, referring to a show where old turf matches were shown.
"Uh, what channel is it?", said Evan, mildly listening to the newscast.
"Channel thirty was it?", guessed Marie, as Evan promptly flicked the remote to the correct channel; SLTV Premium, arriving at an old match on Mahi-Mahi resort, on tower control, which was very heated. Team Orange got the tower, but Soda wasn't having any of their shenanigans. The score was 61- 40, in favor of Team Soda.
"Back then before the great redesign..", Marie pondered, as she saw Orange's Tentatek player carry on with the tower, shooting down anyone on the opposite side, hurling Suction Bombs occasionally to pressure the defense team.
"Back when you're still THE idols?" Evan teased Marie, earning an elbow to the body in jest.
"Four you silly squid.", said Marie. The unmistakable "tu-khom" of the E-Liter popped, splatting the Tentatek player, but his mates were ready to move in on the tower, with the gal on the N-Zap 89 staying behind to lob an Inkstrike. "Makes me wonder, why didn't you engage in Battles back then?", said Marie to Evan.
"My folk didn't want me out just yet, even though I've come through months, years of practice on every shooter my family has. Years upon years of bullsquit from my folks wanting me to join the family business. I finally found my chance at 16. Then the rest...", he paused, as he gazed upon Marie.
"Was history.", she finished, as she heaved a nostalgic sigh. "It seems like yesterday when you swam down Inkopolis Square's hatch out of curiosity.", she said, as the Luna Neo user popped two of the enemy for the Orange team, allowing his accomplices to move forward. Soon the match ended, with a victory for the Orange team, at 21-40, winning by time-out.
Soon, Shannon was preparing the table, while Callie was managing her sauces & noodles, almost perfectly done. Stirring here and about, Callie took a taste of her own work, before asking for an opinion.
"Yo Evan, can you taste this for a while?", called out Callie from the kitchen. She was wearing her apron, a gift to her by a cooking show which they guested in way back when they were the reigning idols, a white number with magenta piping, and the Squid Sisters logo at the front. The male Inkling dashed off to the kitchen to heed Callie's request. Later?
"Oh, mhmmm!", was all Evan could say, as he took in a bit of the meat sauce.
"Like it Evan?", asked Callie.
"Mamma Mia, signiora! You can be a Pescian mother with this kind of cooking!", said Evan, astonished at how much Callie has improved her skills since then. A few more minutes passed, devoted to Callie making some garlic bread.
Meanwhile, Shannon opened a pack of pesto-flavor crackers for the appetizer, offering one before she nibble one herself.
"Guys, appetizers are here, if you want.", she called out to the rest of the house.
"Help yourself to that too, Shannon.", said Marie, now watching Charger Daily on the Ammo Knights channel, channel 17, which was demonstrating tips on how to improve techniques on the Splat Charger and how best to take care of it.
Soon, Callie, assisted by Evan, carried in a steaming pot of pasta, the Spaghetti Bologna with meatballs. Evan then got the accompanying garlic bread, neatly arranged in a basket fit for the theme.
"Hiya guys! Dinner's ready!", called out Callie, taking her place at the dining table. "Cod, I'm starving!", she said, collapsing unto her seat. The rest followed, and took their respective seats, all close unto each other's position.
"Somebody wanna say grace, before we throw down?", declared Marie.
"Eh, I'll do it.", said Evan, ever the gentleman. All of them, including the Octoling, Shannon, said a little prayer in Inkling, thanking the heavens & the seas for a bounty shared with friends. All said "a-hoy!" in unison, and the dinner officially began.
Callie served the pasta, mixing it up so the distribution of the meatballs is equal. Callie then dumped an equal load on each plate, then proceeded to dump a larger one on her own plate. Everyone dug in, causing a temporary silence among the party.
Later...
"A nice dinner after a hard-fought battle.", said Evan. "And with random ass squit weapons too.", he added.
"And that's why I always have my Charger with me.", commented Marie, picking up a garlic bread slice, digging into it. You'd never know what type of nasties would come up at an NSS meeting.", she added.
"Eh, that's kind of our job.", Callie commented nonchalantly. "Attract them so we can round them up.", she simply said. "Every bad Octo we splat is a subtraction to the Menace.", she finished, scooping up & twirling a generous amount of spaghetti.
"Maybe we should also change the name of the Splatoon? It's kinda exclusive, ya know?", Shannon jested, but wasn't all in jest: it did literally said SQUIDbeak Splatoon. "There's two Octos now, ya know?", she added, taking in the pasta she twirled earlier.
"Ey, blame our ancestors for that.", smirked Marie. "They can't play nice with each other, so..."
"Don't let Granpa hear that though.", said Callie. The rest of the table mildly laughed.
"Yeah, he might just summon whatever strength he has to whack you two in the ass.", Evan joked.
"Oh, whack my ass huh?", Callie challenged Evan, lust evident in her eyes. Marie just rolled her eyes at what she was seeing.
"Anyway, ",as Evan changed the subject, "anything new on Sheldon's labs?", he asked.
"Nothing much, just some prototype diagrams for more weapons, improvements on our existing Hero Line weapons...man I gotta ask sometime for a Hero Liter...", Marie trailed off.
"If only E-Liters were lighter...how those guys & gals carry those in a daily basis even?" gasped Shannon, in between mouthfuls of pasta.
"They think that is their team they're carrying.", Marie remarked snidely.
"You charger mains are all alike!", Callie mocked her cousin.
"Says the one bringing a melee weapon into a gunfight.", Marie bit back.
"And here we go with this debate again...", groaned both Evan & Shannon in mock unison both, facepalming. The rest of the dinner was merry, laughter, banter, and great food shared among best of friends.
After-Chapter Bits:
Lots of them, lol. So then:
SLTV Premium stands for Splatoon League TV Premium, which I patterned after NBA Premium TV. I specifically chose the number thirty because it's the sum of the date Splatoon was first revealed to the world: 06/10/14. Also, Splatuber cameo! In the form of Yume as a showbiz reporter. That's all, stay tuned!