Yuna, Beck, and Kennie stepped out of the Deca Tower and into Inkopolis Square. The sun warmed their faces and made them squint slightly.
They turned right into an alley, and towards Grizzco Industries. "This place is exactly how I remembered it, although it used to be a little cleaner," said Yuna, looking at the tall iron bars in front of her, and then up at the bright orange sign that read "Grizzco Industries" with a salmon egg logo. "I did some volunteer work back when Mr. Grizz led some of the first few Salmon Runs. But I haven't heard much about it ever since."
The two Inklings and the Octoling had applied about a week earlier in order to pay for the damages they caused at the Musinkfest concert. Mr. Grizz had called Yuna, the one who submitted their group application, to say they could start training the next day. "But since you're a group of three, you'll be offered a fourth team member for each shift," he said over the phone.
And now, Kennie leaned on the iron bars and tried to peek inside. "Uh," Kennie began. "We're here to start our training, is anyone here?"
A deep, gruff voice said, "Jessa, open the door for them please."
The iron bars slowly separated horizontally. Screens and neon signs on the brown walls lit up the interior. An Inkling woman approached Kennie, Beck, and Yuna as they stepped into the shop. She wore the usual Grizzco work suit—green boots and gloves, orange overalls, and a green and white cap—along with a lifesaver and ink tank on her back. A single purple tentacle was visible on the right of her face, and she had freckles on her cheeks.
"Howdy, welcome to Grizzco's—Yuna? Beck? Is that you?" she said.
"Jessa! It's been a while," said Yuna. "Nice to see you again," said Beck.
"And who's this new friend of yours?" asked Jessa, with raised eyebrows and an open mouth.
Kennie introduced herself: "I'm Kennie. I'm a first-year at Inkblot."
"Well, would ya look at that, another art kid," said Jessa, staring strangely at her. "And an Octo…" Jessa muttered under her breath.
Mr. Grizz, who stood on a stool near the left wall, interrupted the conversation and said to Kennie, Beck, and Yuna, "I'll go over the training manual, and when we're done, Jessa will take you on a training run."
After Mr. Grizz read through the manual and answered the crew's questions, he said, "All right, you squiddos seem like you're ready. Jessa will get your work suits."
Jessa took the cue and said, "All right, I'll go and get them! What sizes do y'all need?"
Beck asked for a large size, while Yuna and Kennie asked for medium sizes.
Again, Kennie noticed Jessa giving her a weird look. Jessa stood in one place for a moment looking at Kennie from top to bottom. She finally said, "I don't know if the suits fit Octos…"
Yuna interjected and stood up for Kennie, "Octolings have the same sizes as Inklings, why would there be a difference?"
"Jessa, please be respectful to all our workers," warned Mr. Grizz, before Jessa could say anything else. "Now please go get their suits."
Once everyone's suits were on, they super-jumped to the Spawning Grounds. They spent the whole afternoon encountering different types of salmonids and collecting eggs. At the end, Kennie had collected the most eggs out of the entire group, even surpassing Jessa.
"Whoa Kennie, you're superfresh," Beck said to Kennie. Yuna was also in awe and congratulated Kennie. "Have you ever done this before?" Yuna asked.
"Nah, just mandatory physical training back at the Valley," said Kennie, referring to her old home. "But it's nothing, really," she said, trying to downplay herself.
Jessa picked up the egg basket to take back to Grizzco and said, "Hey, Yuna, Beck, nice hustle. You guys are great workers."
Beck and Yuna didn't respond with anything—Jessa had ignored everything that Kennie had done.
Later, back at Inkblot Art Academy, Kennie ambled into her dorm and threw herself onto her bed without saying a word to Kishi. "Are you all right?" Kishi asked. Kennie heard Kishi, but couldn't process anything she said. She was already dozing off to sleep. The sunny noon had turned into a cold evening by the time Kennie finished her training at Grizzco. Thankfully she only had to stay that long because of the training. The rest of the workdays would not take as long.
Kennie had fallen asleep with her pillows sandwiching her head. In her dreams, she could still hear the Calamari Inkantation that set her and her mother free. Wherever the rest of her family was, she hoped that they had heard it too and found better homes. But years ago, after first hearing it, she heard it all the time. Somehow this memory had resurfaced on this Friday night, and she startled herself awake. From between her pillows, she saw light from a screen coming from Kishi's side of the room.
"Kishi?" Kennie whispered.
Kishi looked up from her handheld game console and turned around to see Kennie. "Did I wake you up?" Kishi asked quietly. Kennie replied, "mm-mm".
"And why didn't you change out of your uniform? You'll get germs on your bed."
Kennie threw the pillow that was covering her face onto the floor. "I'm too tired," she said with a yawn that made her eyes water.
"It's not even that late," said Kishi softly, looking at her alarm clock on the nightstand. Kennie saw on the screen of Kishi's console that she was playing a blocky survival game.
"I'm pretty sure 1 am is late," Kennie said.
Kishi looked more closely at her alarm clock. She held it up to her face and squinted at it. "Oh, well look at the time," Kishi said with a slight smile, coming to the realization that she had read the time as different than it actually was. "But if I don't get some downtime, I'm going to lose my mind," she complained, now frowning.
"Go to sleep," Kennie said.
"I'll try," said Kishi.
Kishi pulled the covers of her bed over herself and turned her back to Kennie. Meanwhile, Kennie, now no longer sleepy, lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. Within minutes, Kishi had fallen asleep and was as still as a coral. Kennie still thought about her day at Grizzco. She didn't need to wonder why Jessa had acted differently to Kennie than to Yuna and Beck. Her three years in Inkopolis as an Octoling had taught her that even if most Inklings were carefree and welcoming, some Inklings were suspicious of Octolings.
But it still doesn't make sense, Kennie thought. There are jellies, urchins, and shrimps… and there's even that horseshoe crab Sheldon from Ammo Knights! And just because we come from that crazy Octavio, we Octolings are blamed for it!
Kennie thought about telling Kishi, but during their whole time as roommates, Kennie felt awkward about the subject.
The next day, Kishi and Kennie walked to their Drawing class together. On most days, Kennie started the conversation, and Kishi, who was otherwise silent, responded to Kennie. But today, not even Kennie wanted to talk. Kishi nervously said, "So… how was work yesterday?"
Work. That was exactly what Kennie didn't want to think about. She was dreading her shifts at Grizzco this afternoon. But Kennie simply responded, "It was fine." The conversation ended there as Kishi didn't know what else to say.
As they arrived at their class, a dark-skinned Inkling girl with long, light blue tentacles and mascara around her black eye mask approached the two friends. "Kishi! Kennie!" she said loudly.
"Hi Sophie," said Kishi. Kennie usually didn't talk to Sophie, so she said nothing. Sophie was tall and talked loudly at inappropriate times. She had four long tentacles on her head—two hung beside her head, while the other two were tied together in an updo similar to Callie's from the Squid Sisters.
"Have you heard about the party this weekend?" Sophie said. "You have got to go, you'll have so much fun!"
"Uh… no. I haven't heard," said Kishi.
"It's at the frat house down the street from Blotsking Cafe. Starts at 9 pm. My boyfriend's hosting it. You can bring your friends if you want," explained Sophie.
Kishi looked at Kennie, who gave her the same raised-eyebrow "should we?" look.
"I'll see you there if you decide to go!" said Sophie, and she went to sit at a desk in the studio.
"Sounds fun," said Kennie with a smile. Kennie was relieved that she could finally think about something fun.
Kishi, on the other hand, wasn't fully convinced. She looked down, trying to decide whether to go or not. Kishi didn't want to disappoint Kennie, so she didn't confirm anything yet. As the two friends walked towards their seats together, Kishi asked sheepishly, "Have you ever been to a party?"
"Well, I've been to some birthday parties, but they're nothing much," Kennie replied, while she sat down near Kishi. Kishi also sat down and took out her sketchbook. "I really want to know what college parties are like!" Kennie said cheerfully.
While their Drawing professor talked about techniques and facial proportions that the class had already learned, Kishi wondered the same thing as Kennie. Her mind filled with questions. Kishi remembered that technically she hadn't said yes or no to Sophie's invitation, nor did Sophie seem to care about any confirmation, so she didn't have to go. But she still wanted to give it a try. Then she thought about asking Brine for advice—surely he would know about something like this, being a second-year. And if he could come with her and Kennie, that would make her feel so much more confident.
"...Now, apply the portrait techniques you've learned and sketch the person next to you," said the professor in her soft, cheerful voice. "You have the rest of the class to do it. Get to work!"
Kennie and Kishi looked at each other with a smile. "Oh carp, I hope I don't make you look ugly," said Kennie with a giggle.
"I'm sure you won't," said Kishi encouragingly.
The two girls sketched the elliptical shapes of each other's faces. Kennie remembered to look more at Kishi than her sketchbook. She reminded Kishi to do the same. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot," said Kishi, looking up from her sketchbook and looking at Kennie more closely.
"I wish I could start studying digital art already," said Kennie. "It's so much easier to erase and undo digitally. Instead of having to erase and redraw something, I could select it and move it on my tablet."
"You know what they say, you have to learn the rules before you break them," said Kishi.
"What rules would I be breaking?" asked Kennie.
"I don't know, fine arts kids rules?" joked Kishi.
At the end of the class, Kennie and Kishi put the finishing touches on their portraits, then traded sketchbooks to see each other's portrait.
"Sweet! It's so… me!" said Kennie upon seeing what Kishi had drawn.
"This is so good! Great work, Kennie!" said Kishi when she saw Kenne's drawing.
"Nah, yours is better," said Kennie.
Kishi furrowed her eyebrows. "Don't say things like that," she said. "You put yourself down too much. Your art is great. You're really talented."
Kennie blushed and suddenly she felt her eyes tearing up. She wondered how such a small compliment made her react strongly. "Thanks," Kennie said with a small smile. Then she looked away and packed up her materials.
And so, Kishi and Kennie parted ways and started their long walks toward their next classes. Kennie pulled out her cellphone to check her texts. There were new messages in the group chat with her, Kishi, Brine, Beck, and Yuna in it. Brine had texted "meet up at Blotsking later?" Yuna texted "sure, how abt 5 pm?" Brine replied, "sounds good". Beck had also replied with "sure".
Kennie thought about if she had anything to do at that time. Her last class of the day ended long before that, so she would have time to get some work done before meeting up at Blotsking Cafe. Kennie tapped on the message box and typed "ok".
The rest of Kennie's classes of the day were rather dreary without Kishi. At least with Kishi, she could take her mind off the things she didn't want to think about.
Once 5 pm came around, Kennie entered the cafe. "Hey Kennie!" said Brine, followed by everyone else in the group greeting her. "Hey guys," said Kennie. "I'm gonna go order something."
"I already got something for you," said Beck. "Your favorite Spicy Ocean Latte."
"Wow, thanks!" said Kennie, taking a seat next to Beck, as he handed her the warm cup.
"So you know about the party, don't you?" asked Yuna. "Kishi told us."
"Oh yeah," said Kennie. "You guys want to go with us?"
"Of course!" said Beck.
"Actually," said Yuna, "I knew Sophie's boyfriend in high school. Any party he hosts is guaranteed to be a blast."
Kishi smiled shyly and said, "I'm glad I'll have lots of friends joining me."
"Yeah, it's no problem," reassured Brine, who put a hand on Kishi's shoulder.
Kennie saw at the table next to her a familiar Octoling girl with long green tentacles, wiping the table with a washcloth. She was also humming what sounded like the Calamari Inkantation. But Kennie dismissed it thinking it was just her imagination. "Hi, Meredith!" Kennie called out.
Kishi and Brine, whose chairs were facing the other way, turned around to see Meredith.
"I didn't know you worked here," said Kennie.
"Well, I do," said Meredith, with a tired facial expression. "I'm a busser. It's an easy job, all I have to do is stay alive. But sometimes I can't even do that."
"Say, Meredith," said Yuna, "do you want to come to a party this weekend with us?"
"No way, I've got too many projects and I've got to work at my weekend job.
"Weekend job?" Brine said.
"I work at Shellendorf Institute as a receptionist."
"Oh," said Brine.
Meredith took her washcloth and went through a door that said: "employees only". Then the group resumed chatting about the party and what to wear.
On the night of the party…
Brine stepped up and knocked on the door. The music was so loud, it was audible from outside. A few moments passed, and just as Brine asked the group "Should I knock again?", Sophie opened the door. She was wearing very little clothes: only a black crop top and a pink mini skirt. Brine stepped back in shock and turned his head away to avoid staring.
"COME ON IN!" yelled Sophie. Yuna, Beck, and Kennie walked right in, cheering. Then, Sophie saw Kishi standing behind Brine. "HEY KISHI! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU! YOU'LL HAVE SO MUCH FUN!" Sophie then disappeared into a crowd of partygoers.
Kishi didn't say anything but she stayed close to Brine as the two walked in carefully. Not even a few seconds had passed, and Yuna was busting dance moves left and right as other people cheered and clapped for her. Beck and Kishi looked around, trying to look for food and refreshments. They stopped at a long table with tortilla chips, dipping sauce, fruit punch (which Beck warned Kennie not to drink unless she was in the mood to be completely embarrassed), crab cakes, and Swee-nut sandwiches. "People really eat these sandwiches?" asked Kennie, inspecting the platter of sandwiches. "This butter is basically sugar."
"You do have a point," said Beck with a chuckle. "Good thing the speakers aren't close to the table so we can eat in peace."
"Word," said Kennie. "Where did Yuna go?"
Beck shrugged. "She's probably enjoying herself the most."
The large room was dark except for flashing colored lights hanging from the ceiling and TV showing a music video. Speakers blasted the loud music—the song playing was "Crush" by dedf1sh. People everywhere were spinning, clapping, and waving their arms. There was a DJ sitting in a corner with a laptop connected to the speaker system.
"Y'know," said Brine with a nervous smile, "I don't go to these types of parties often, so—"
"What? I can't hear you," said Kishi.
"WHAT?" yelled Brine.
"I SAID I CAN'T HEAR YOU," Kishi yelled, straining to make her naturally quiet voice louder.
"FORGET IT, LET'S JUST GO DANCE," yelled Brine.
"ALL RIGHT!" yelled Kishi.
Kishi and Brine held hands as the two walked towards Yuna to join her dancing. Brine tried to remember dance moves from the Follow the Leader games he played. Then he started doing a move that was like a march and a shuffle combined. Kishi copied him, not knowing what else to do. The two looked at each other and laughed as they kept making up dance moves as they went along. "LOOKING GOOD!" Yuna complimented them with a wink and a thumbs up.
Soon after, the song changed to "Fly Octo Fly" by Off the Hook. As soon as Kennie heard this she grabbed Beck by the arm and ran towards where Yuna, Kishi, and Brine were dancing. "Whoa Kennie—" Beck said, but he was cut off with an overjoyed Kennie shouting "OFF THE HOOOOOK!"
"YEAH, GO KENNIE!" exclaimed Yuna. At this point, no one cared about how good their dancing was anymore—all they knew is that they were moving around and enjoying themselves, just as Sophie told Kishi.
Once the song ended, the DJ announced that he would take song requests. Yuna rushed over to his small table, ready to request her favorite but obscure songs. Kennie had also rushed over and tapped Yuna's shoulder. Yuna turned around, understood, and then stepped back.
"Can you play the Spicy Calamari Inkantation?" Kennie politely requested.
A few Octolings who stood behind her broke into an uproar of "YES!" and "I want that song too!"
"All right, all right, I've got it. Spicy Calamari Inkantation it is," said the DJ.
The bass drum beat started playing through the speakers. Then the synths started, and the Squid Sisters' chorus blared through the speakers. The crowds of people in the room cheered and started dancing like the Squid Sisters with their quick arm movements and swinging hips.
Kennie's memories of the day she was freed gradually faded in again with each move she did, and each line from Callie and Marie she heard. Overwhelming, cheerful energy surged through Kennie, and the memories became clear as a mirror. She remembered the feeling of taking off her mind-controlling goggles and feeling like a fog in her mind had cleared.
She hadn't even worn the shades for very long—only a few months. But they were a dreadful few months. Her memories from before that time had slipped away. All she could focus on was her physical training in the Octoling army. The dodging of the ink, the running and swimming with heavy weapons… and above all, DJ Octavio was God. And when her training was done, she'd become stronger and more durable. During that time she had been so numb that she hadn't felt the grief of her father disappearing. She couldn't quite remember where he went, only that his goggles slipped off by accident and she never saw him again.
The funny thing is that the goggles didn't even affect her father that much. It was only thanks to him that Kennie could secretly draw digital art. She didn't know her mother very well until they fled to Inkopolis. For most of her life, her mother was a mindless machine. But once she was freed, her mother could truly know Kennie. Even after Kennie was already in Inkopolis, it took her some time to grasp what had happened.
But the most important thing was that Kennie was free. For the rest of the party, nothing could take away Kennie's euphoria.
That is until she finally returned to her dorm building.
Brine and Kishi had left earlier than everyone else and gone to sleep. Yuna had made the mistake of drinking the fruit punch, so Beck and Kennie both dragged her into her dorm room while trying not to disturb Yuna's roommate Bianca. Inkblot parties were famous for having fruit punch mixed with non-fruit punch substances.
"I hope she won't be too sick for work tomorrow," said Beck, walking down the dark hallway of the dorm building with Kennie.
"Oh, yeah, work," said Kennie, looking down at the floor.
"What, something wrong?" Beck asked.
"Well…"
"Is it about Jessa?"
Kennie felt her cheeks get hot. "Well… yeah."
"You know, I think Jessa isn't as bad as she seems."
"Are you kidding me? She didn't say a word to me for the whole shift and she kept giving me these weird looks."
"The thing is, older Inklings like her aren't that used to newcomers. For all we know, she might think she isn't doing anything wrong."
"So what should I do?"
"Say something to her about it. So many problems are solved that way."
"You're right, Beck. Thanks."
"It's nothing."
Kennie stopped at her dorm door. "Good night, Beck," she said.
"Night."
The next day, Yuna, Beck, and Kennie stepped out of the Deca Tower and into Inkopolis Square. The sun warmed their faces and made them squint slightly. They turned right into an alley, and towards Grizzco Industries. As soon as Jessa opened the gates for them, Kennie marched straight to Jessa and confronted her. "Jessa, I need to tell you something," said Kennie.
"What is it?" said Jessa.
"I didn't like the way you treated me last week. I felt ignored and discriminated against. I'd like you to think of me as any other worker because I'm not that different from Inklings. I want to show you that you can trust me like anyone else."
Jessa blinked and looked at Kennie with an open mouth. Then she said, "I'm real sorry Kennie. I've been thinking about it, too, and you and I aren't all that different. Call me out if I ever do something like that again, got it?"
Kennie smiled. "Got it."
Beck winked at Kennie as he walked into the shop with Yuna. Kennie followed them, ready to start the day's work. She had slept well knowing how much she enjoyed herself at the party. And now she was going to have fun working at Grizzco with her friends. Those debts were going to be paid in no time.