Author's Note: Yet another thing sapped my motivation this time… But on a positive note. I actually got my hands on a Persona game! Specifically, Persona 3 Portable. In other, less savory news… let's just say 2020 sucks on a personal level. That said… on to the chapter.
Joshua slumped into a nearby chair, utterly confused and terrified at just what transpired. His worst fears are slowly being confirmed: Fabian is operating at full swing to destroy his relationship with Ecca. The man hated him as far back as their Academy days. Sighing, he then got something to eat and drink from Crusty Sean. He then checked a few text messages before proceeding to eat.
*At Sheldon's workshop…
Cap and Celia were with Sheldon for hours, discussing details about Marie's outburst and Sheldon's suspicion, which Marina shared.
"Are you sure about this lad?* asked Cap. "This would be not just any other operation, we'll be missing our strategist, and who knows what else." he added.
"I'm 65% positive of it, Cap... " Sheldon answers, uncertainly. "What I'm not uncertain of is that Marie wouldn't act like this. Ever." he emphasized.
"I would like to talk to that lad Evan. Man to man." Cap said firmly. Because I also sure he had something to do with this, and Cod forbid if it turns out he was juggling between my grand daughters!" he tersely said. Both Sheldon and Celia were stunned at Cap's sudden change of tone. They both knew he meant business, especially when it comes to his granddaughters.
"And if those green punks are indeed responsible, you are authorized to construct everything you can to eliminate these nasties. Including Octavio's takozonas." he firmly told the crab weaponsmith. "If he can't let go of his revenge, I'm not sparing the effort, because I've done so for years now. Him kidnapping me, and even my dear Callie was the final straw.
"That was really low of him." Sheldon scoffed. He then resumed to crafting gadgetry for the Splatoon, operating a few odd tools while having a computer tell him what's happening and if anything came up.
"Is Marie here? I wanna see my granddaughter." he asked Sheldon.
"She should be in her room." the crab answered. "After last night, I'm afraid to even approach her… She cancelled her commitments for the day." Sheldon mortifyingly told the elder Inkling. "She never did that." he added.
"Celia, stay with Sheldon for a while. I'll be back." Cap ordered Celia, patting her on the shoulder. "If this is all as worse as he said… I don't want you to see that." he put his grizzled hand. "I don't want for you to know her at her worst." Cap gravely added. The elderly inkling then left the workshop alone, and headed to the back door leading to the house proper. Soon enough, he was right at the doorstep of Marie's room. He then knocked.
"Lass, it's me." he announced. "Open up, grandpa's here, lass." he appealed to the room's apparent occupant. It was silent for a while, until Marie opened up the door reluctantly. She then sniffled a bit. She clearly doesn't look too well.
"Grandpa?" she croaked.
"It's alright, I'm here now." he said, hugging his granddaughter. "I'm here now, Marie." he assured her. The familiar grizzled hands soothed the younger Inkling's back, and remained that way for a while. Later…
"Marie, do you want something from grandpa? You haven't eaten yet, it seems." observed Cap, noticing Marie's energy being near non-existent and her face riddled with tear stains and dark circles around the eyes.
"Perhaps some seaweed stew? Provided I still have the ingredients." she said, strain still evident in her voice.
"I'll make do lass. Heck, I may even do it better here than in the base!" Cap beamed. "You both have more ingredients on hand than in the base!" he reminded her.
"Callie...why did she do this…" she sighed.
"Marie, I'm sure there's a great misunderstanding in this all." Cap patted Marie's shoulder, as they both got up to go to the kitchen to prepare food. Marie prepared the ingredients while Cap handled the finer measurements. Soon enough, the broth was ready for consumption.
Later…
"Agent 2...I'm pulling you off-duty for now." Cap declared. "You could put the other Agents in jeopardy in your state. No offense." he continued, terse.
"But...isn't the mission more important than my feelings?" Marie asked, surprised. "Besides, I can teach Callie and Evan a lesson or two." she said, grinning darkly.
"Marie." Cap said firmly. "This is exactly why I'm pulling you off for now. I'm talking to Evan soon to know his side in all of this." he assured her in a straight tone.
They finished their bowl soon enough, and after Cap consumed a second bowl, he washed the used items himself, making time for Marie to rest. Cap then stayed in the house for a good while while Sheldon was busy regaling Celia with how the weapons he makes and sell are made.
*Later that afternoon, Joshua's house
Joshua has been trying to contact Ecca for a good chunk of time now, but all he got was static. This was making him worry, pacing around furiously in his room, thinking feverishly of a remedy to turn this all around. He then slumped onto his bed, distressed at the recent developments. It was already bad with the kidnappings and the SSS, and now...with Fabian's plans going into action…
"Dammit. I swear, I swear, I wasn't going to do anything with that girl." he furiously swore under his breath. "Fabian...you squitch." he growled, remembering who can only send those incriminating pictures. He then soon called up a few of his friends, starting with Eagle. He then opened his chat icon and started typing away.
"Hey Eagle, I wanna talk. I'm in a real bad spot...reply soon, thanks." he typed, and then hit the send button. He then waited a while before proceeding to get his drawing materials to continue on a piece he was doing. His phone soon blared its ringtone, telling him Eagle replied.
"Hey, what's wrong?" he said. He then immediately told him about the whole situation with Ecca, and his suspicion about Fabian. He then resumed work. Eagle then said he'd be coming over. Josh then informed his mom that a friend is coming, and soon enough, Eagle did come.
Josh answered the gate, revealing the green squid. Eagle then paid his respects to the woman of the house, and then they both sat down outside.
"Hey man, is it really that serious?" Eagle began.
"Might as well be... " Joshua sighed. "She got sent...pictures…" the blue Octoling sighed in anger.
"What kind?" Eagle asked, intrigued.
"Apparently, she saw pics of me hanging out with another Octo gal… which by the way I just met." Joshua told him, reiterating the last part. "You do know I'm not like that anymore, right?" he asked Eagle, seeking affirmation.
"I do trust you on that dude." Eagle affirmed.
"Then you know who could probably do this." Joshua said, a growl developing in his voice. "No one but that squitch Fabian." he sighed angrily. "That guy I swear... " he growled.
"Relax, mate…" Eagle assured him, patting him on the back. "What you gotta do however now is to tell her you're sorry." he told him in a serious tone. "I know, it's not your fault but-"
"Damn right, it isn't!" Josh growled. "She trusted that Fabian too much." he breathed heavily. "Enough to buy all his lies about me." he lividly growled. "He's gonna get what's coming to him next time I see that stupid face-"
"Hey, now that's not gonna earn Ecca back, OK?" Eagle told him sternly. "Just… Relax, breathe for a while." he advised him. "Hey, I got an idea, my treat." he told the blue Octoling.
"What do you have in mind?" Josh asked, puzzled, but still a bit angry.
"Something you can vent your anger on." declared Eagle. Both soon were outside after saying their goodbyes to Mrs. Catfish, perplexed, but reminded them to come back before dinner all the same. Later…
"Where exactly are we going?" Josh asked Eagle, still puzzled.
"Arcade." answered Eagle simply.
Soon enough, they reached a strip mall's arcade, where various games were there. Gun arcades, racing arcades, Whack-a-mole, the arcade boasted an assortment of games and fun activities to do inside. The duo then bought tokens.
"Alright dude, which way first?" Eagle asked.
"Hmm...the whack a mole maybe?" Josh answered him, uncertain.
"Right, whack a mole it is." Eagle grinned, pulling Josh along to the Whack-a-mole machines. The Octoling then pushed a coin into the machine, and the session started. Already, Joshua was slamming the mallet on a furious pace, nailing quite a few miles along the way. The session ended, and it was Eagle's turn. Soon, they left the machine.
"So, what next? Don't be shy, it's on me." offered Eagle. "That Kraken Tournament 5 machine?" he offered.
"Sounds good." Joshua grinned evilly. "Good practice for beating the shit out of Fabian." he scoffed.
"Whatever, bro, let's go." Eagle dismissively said, chuckling a little. They occupied two machines, and both were having a varied experience with their game sessions. It was tense, but both boys had fun with it. Later…
"Damn, that relieved some of my stress." Josh smiled.
"Anything, buddy." Eagle patted him.
"Gotta go back now though, mom told me I should be back before dinner." Josh reminded Eagle.
"Don't hesitate to call me or the others, OK?" he bade him farewell. The two boys then parted ways at the exit, Josh taking the trip straight home.
*Meanwhile…
Fabian was in his house, studying various material for his school. Soon, his phone rang.
"Is that who I think it is…" he said with a smirk. He looked at the name, and that answered his question. It was, in fact, Ecca.
"Hello?" Fabian started.
"Hey." Ecca sighed on the other end. Already, Fabian was smiling maliciously, expecting what's coming.
"You available tonight or something? I really need something to distract me." Ecca stated.
"Sure, where to? Lemme guess, parent trouble?" Fabian asked, masking what he was actually gonna ask.
"Worse." Ecca gravely said. "That squitch...cheating on me…" she growled.
"Hey now, relax. I'll be there for you, unlike him." he said in a honeyed tone. He was already grinning ear to ear in malice, seeing his plans culminate.
"Yeah, I just…" Ecca sighed sadly, her tone also laced with anger.
"So, how about it? I'll come over later?" Fabian asked her, twirling his custom Octo-shot.
"Please do." Ecca answers, almost pleading.
"Then it's a deal. See you later." Fabian responded. The call soon ended, and he got another text from his employer, giving him another target. Having nothing better to do, he got up and suited up.
He then arrived in Inkopolis Square looking not much more different then any other denizen there. He spotted his target, a short-hair cyan inkling male. He then sat in one of the chairs near Bisk's shop, waiting for the right moment to strike. He then positioned himself in a dark alleyway, his tranquilizer on the ready.
The cyan inkling was walking nonchalantly, lugging his gear on the way home, chugging his cola. Fabian then struck from the shadows, thrusting the syringe right into his shoulder. At once, all of his belongings that weren't strapped just dropped to the ground. Fabian then picked up whatever dropped, so no one would be the wiser, and then called for extraction. Soon enough, a van arrived, and the operatives pushed their prey into the van.
"Another successful seize." Fabian smirked, finishing off changing into another identity so no one knows what happened. Soon, the same contact texted him, congratulating him on a good job. He then returned to his house, preparing for later in the evening with Ecca. He then passed the time watching videos on SquudTube, and then he later took a bath the begin departing for Ecca's.
Meanwhile...
Ecca was slumped over her bed, still stewing at what she saw. She should have listened all along to Fabian, she thought. She lay there, fuming, having thrown whatever she could have safely into the wall.
"Why do you do this, Joshua? Am I not that good enough?" she sniffled. "Did I just give another undeserving man myself?" she continued to sniffle. Moments later, the doorbell rang. Ecca groggily got up to answer it, and to no one's surprise, it was Fabian.
"Come in." she said, forcing a genial smile, despite the reddened face. Both sat down in the sofa, then Ecca sighed.
"Hey, you alright?" Fabian asked. "Here, here... " he said, patting her back. "I'm here now…" he whispered gently.
"You...y-you were right about him, Fabian…" she croaked, tears starting to fall from her eyes. "He...i-is u-u-undeserving…" she managed to let out.
"Hey, I'm here now…" Fabian hugged her from the side. "I'll protect you from that squitch." he swore, malice glinting in his eye. "He'll never know what he lost... Until it's too late." he reassured her, with a wicked grin beyond sight. All was going to plan...he has just tore Josh away from Ecca, which may definitely devastate the blue Octoling he hated so much ever since Academy.
"Thanks for coming...F-Fabian." Ecca stuttered. "To be honest, I hope to be proven wrong, and still waiting to be. He's a good guy, after all." she said.
"If he was capable of doing this, I assure you, he definitely isn't." he snarled. "He's no better than any philandering squid out there." he scoffed. "And that's why all I said in The Squid Party was true." he reiterated.
"M-maybe...but he was so good to me…" she sniffled. She then trembled, and finally cried. Fabian gave the green Octoling a hug, and they remained like that for a good while. After a few hours…
"Hey, you want something?" Fabian asked.
"Surprise me. I'm not in the mood to think…" she groaned. They soon booted up one of Ecca's game consoles, and played for hours, letting off steam.
*Meanwhile, in an undisclosed location, far away from Inkopolis…
The Council, along with Octavio, we're having a rather heated tactical meeting about their domination plans. They were holding the meeting in the Council Chamber, an eerily lit room where the bio-power for the consciousness of the Council were stored. Octavio chose his Octopus form for this occasion, wearing his signature kabuto hat and shades.
"You do not see our wisdom, Octavio." rebuked the bearded holo figure. "You see, acting too hastily will alarm Inkopolis more than it already is.
"No, they are dumb people, and once we attack, they can't do nothing but panic." Octavio sneered. "Not even the NSS can stop them this time." he drawled.
"The same NSS that has defeated you twice over?" the female holo figure snarked. "You're only confident because of our superior power." she emphasized.
"Perhaps." he squinted, not exactly approving her statement. "But remember, I have the battle data about the slimy hipsters in the Splatoon." he smirked.
"And aside from that, what? Additional troops?" the figure in the center scoffed. "Your reign may have produced satisfactory soldiers, but ultimately are limited by their capabilities as a biological being, and you being...you." he put up and even cockier grin. "One must fully dispose of their emotions to become the best fighter in a battlefield." he added, with a very sinister smile. At that moment, Octavio, for the first time in a long time, had to fight to keep composure.
"At any rate, you do appreciate the extra tentacle, right?" Octavio smirked, but was fuming a little internally.
"Yes, we do appreciate the help, but you do know the score, yes?" the same figure smirked.
"I do not need you to shove it in my face, thank you very much!" Octavio snarled, tossing his kabuto hat up a little.
"Now, now, you wouldn't want the deal to be rescinded now, would it?" the female figure smirked. Octavio was forced to nod silently, stifling the urge to lash out. "Yeah, I don't think so." she scoffed.
"My pride would not so easily be mocked, mind you." Octavio said in the most calm manner he can muster. The meeting soon adjourned, and soon enough, Octavio ran into Commander Stormsurge just outside the Council Chamber.
"Ah, the Green Menace." Octavio smiled wryly, turning into his humanoid form.
"Octavio." she said dryly. "I take it the meeting went well as planned?" she asked the Octarian DJ-Dictator.
"Yeah, very." he said sarcastically.
"Sarcasm detected." Catalina replied in a monotone.
"Right, I forgot you do that…" Octavio scoffed. "Anyway, I'll be catching the express back to Octo Valley so I can mobilize my troops for this gig." he said, walking as he spoke.
"You do that. I'll be in briefing with the Council." she simply replied. The two then went opposite ways, Octavio getting things from his room in the Command floor, before heading out to the hangar to board a jet to Octo Valley. The trip to Octo Valley was a short one, and soon, the place was notified of the leader's arrival.
The intercom soon blared to life in the Valley's military base.
"Make way for the man of the sickest beats, the man who'll dubstomp Inkopolis into oblivion, the man who'll bring us back into the light, give it up for... D-J OC-TAVI-YOOOOOOOOO!" the PA system blared. Lines upon lines of basic Octarian mooks, Octoling soldiers, and Elites stood in formation, arranged according to rank.
"What's popping, Octo Valley! What's popping, my dear Octarian race!" he greeted the soldiers in his usual manner. "Our green friends are beckoning us along in their glorious cause to dubstomp those slimy hipsters in Inkopolis to oblivion. Together, we shall make history, and take back… WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY! OUR! TURF!" he cried out, to cheers of the soldiers. "Starting today, the show… IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!" he yelled, earning him the cheers of the crowd. "We march, together with the forces from the Canyon, and our friends at the Citadel, and we put an end to the rule of ignorance that is the Inklings, and Inkopolis, as a whole!" he declared strongly.
"Down with Inklings!" he shouted. "Down with Inkopolis! Down with NSS! And most of all... Down with race traitors they shelter!" he spat the last one with utter venom. At once, the troops dispersed to mobilize, to begin the offensive on that hated city far yonder. UFO's began to depart for various spots in the mainland, and the armory became doubly busier than ever, seeing more Octoling soldiers come in and out to get their weapons to join the offensive.
*Later that evening...
Many UFO's were spotted that night, but official media dismissed them as internet hoaxes, created to scare the public, while government officials denied any truth to the sightings, choosing not to comment on anything.
Heesh, that took forever to write… so many roadblocks along the way. But hey, I'm done now, and onto the next one. Hopefully, I'll have the motivation to write that much within 9 days... Well, see y'all next chapter, Catfish out.