Here it's the first chapter of Inkinators: a Splatoon fanfiction, released in 2016!
If you are liking the story so far, please send in a review!
Each step on the drenching grass released a splat sound. Mirii's head turned to the right, seeing another tree uncovering itself from the thick fog. Her sigh colored the transparent mask in white, for a short period of time.
"Hunley." Her irises fell on her eyes' right corner. "Are you absolutely sure that you never heard the name Beat from my mouth, just earlier?" Her head rose a bit.
I'm really sorry, Mirii… I-I'm trying to remember!
The girl threw her eyebrows up, as her teeth were biting her lips. She retreats them, showing up a smile.
"Forgive my insistence. Your memory skills still need some improvements, after all…" Her head lowers. "… or is my brain giving me hallucinations…?" She whispers.
Her head rose back to neutral level. She left out a gasp, with her back tilting backwards and her legs almost moving in that direction. Her head rose a lot, tracking the face of a male Inkling with his arms folded. His skin was red, same for his irises.
His mouth was downturned, his eyebrows were down as they formed a small hill right above the nose. He was wearing a complete armor without the sleeves on the arms and a thin blanket which goes around his body in a line. Water drops were landing on his bare, red feet.
The girl hold her breath, her heart beating faster. Her hands start trembling. Her mouth opened multiple times.
"Say your name!"
His voice blasted throughout the forest. Mirii's eardrums were whistling loudly. Her eyes were squeezing and her teeth were gritting.
"My name…" Slowly, the girl reopens her eyes. "My name is Mirii…"
The man closes his eyes. Mirii frowns a bit, coughing once, then raising her head.
"My name is Mirii, Mirii Hanache." Her left foot moves ahead. "I would like"
"SILENCE!"
Her eardrums whistled even louder: the girl bends a bit, as her eyes closed and her teeth gritted more intensely. The man reopens his eyes.
"Mirii… where are you from?" His irises were right on hers.
"Inkopolis." Mirii's posture lifts, same for her head. "Now, if you could"
"SILENCE!" His eyes close. "Talk once more without permission and I shall banish your presence from those sacred lands."
Mirii swallows silently. Her irises stood on the left, seeing a small rock, then stood on the right, seeing some bushes.
"Mirii from Inkopolis!" He reopens his eyes. "You are invited inside the realms of healing, officially known as the Inkling Hot Baths."
Her mouth was left open for a moment.
"But there is a problem!" His right arm stretched forward, as the palm shows up. His left hand took the handle of a dagger-like weapon. "You were suppose to be right in front of the shrine… why are you wandering through The Forest of Meditation?!"
"Because the man responsible for accompanying me couldn't complete his duty, since his vehicle trapped itself inside a large amount of mud." Her head shyly rose once more. "I received indications, before leaving the man, thus finding my way around the forest. Now, can I ask"
"Before I continue!" His fangs stick out. "No mere mortals can speak out questions to the guardians of the shrine. Your only power is to let out all your information in front of me. Understand?!"
Mirii's neck bended. Her mouth kept trembling, as her eyes were a bit wide. She nodded twice.
"Good." His right hand fell on his right side, as he breathes out loudly with his nose. "Your motivation sounds like the true…" He closes his eyes.
Mirii frowns, clenching her fists.
"Of course it's"
"WHO ASKED TO HEAR YOUR WORDS?!" His eyes opened, covering in fire.
"I was lending information, as you just stated!" She snarled silently.
"Lending information after I ask for one!" His skin got brighter, his left hand tights the handle even more.
"You omitted the part! You only announced that I have the power to tell my information!" Her heart beats slower.
"Untrue!" His right hand moved from left to right, slowly. "I said everything concerned your position. You received your last warning, Mirii. Now you must suffer the consequences." His left hand pulls out a dagger-like weapon.
"Preposterous!" Her fists clenches, her legs bended. "Your lies cannot justify your reasons! If anything, you are consumed by the immense powers you possess!"
The man swings the dagger in the air, once. His teeth gritted.
"How dare you!" He lifts the weapon upwards. "A guardian never lies during their job! We are seekers of the truth and punishers for those who dare to challenge one of us."
"You are getting farther away from the truth." Her left arm thrusts forward, as her forefinger sticks out. "You are hunting for innocents and befriending with the enemies. In other words, your guardian skills are as mediocre as a common burglar!"
The man trembles, frowning like there is no tomorrow. He snorted, as faint smokes were coming out from his skin.
"Throwing mud at me, I see… then a confrontation we must meet!" He put the dagger back to its place, as his arms open wide. "Repeat your words once again, as the judges from the skies are going to deliver their verdict with their hammer of justice!"
The girl's mouth sealed, as her eyes were looking up to the fog.
"Don't make me wait, Mirii. Otherwise, the verdict will"
"You never said earlier that I can only talk after you ask me to do so!" Her irises were on the man, as her arms were down and her posture lifted.
Silence fell in, while the girl's heart beat faster. Suddenly, the man's eyes expanded.
"NO!" His hands are on his head. "I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS! I LIED! I LIED FOR REAL!"
The man yelled, as his body was gradually dissolving into thin air. Mirii dropped her jaw. Within seconds, only the fog was standing in front of her.
"What…" She shook her head quickly. "What happened…?"
Huh? What happened, Mirii?
She gasps loudly, as her irises shrunk.
"No... Hunley, don't tell me that you didn't hear a single word of that conversation?!"
What conversation?
The girl screamed, as her hands fell on her mask.
W-wait! I-I hear it all, actually!
"YOU DO?!" She was breathing quickly, as her right cheek was twitching.
Yes, yes! Good thing that… ehm… that there is only silence now! Keep walking, please… don't think about it, anymore!
Silence fell again, as the girl smiles widely.
"Correct… absolutely correct…" She whispered, as her legs began to walk. "Hunley is right… always right… he must be right…" Her eyes got watery. "He's right… he's right for real… I-I can't hear voices… I-I can't see creatures who don't even exist… I… I HAVE A HEALTHY MIND!"
She shows her teeth, her eyebrows are up.
"Those must be tricks coming from this forest… what was the name again? Ah yes, the Forest of Meditation! Yes, I-I'm right too! Always right… …"
From the fog, the vague appearance of a building stood in place. The girl opened her mouth wide, while forming a bright smile.
"THE SHRINE! I FOUND THE SHRINE!"
She sprinted, as the shrine appeared clearer: an Inkling man was standing in front of the entrance, with his arms folded and his eyes right on Mirii.