Hey, I'm back...after a few months! This account is not dead and nor is Two Races or any of my other Splatoon works. I really was struggling with a new chapter for Fresh Out of Octo Canyon, my other Splatoon stories so I reverted to this one for a while and it is so much easier.
I hope to see my fics through to the end. All of you readers keep me going. I hope you enjoy this chapter!
We entered the lobby of Flounder Heights. The buildings were absolutely massive but Penny and I were so tired that we decided to just get our room and hit the sack. The lobby was pretty nice looking with your usual plant decor, a waterfall, ornamental lights, and even a fountain (hazard!) The tile floors were so clean that they actually were reflectant A single urchin in a fancy suit was at the front desk. There was no line this late in the evening so Penny and I just approached him.
"Hi!" I said, "My friend and I would like to rent a couple of rooms."
The urchin looked up and replied, "Oh, so you're renting? Together?"
"Uh...no separate." I said, "Here I got 70,000 coins for my first rent."
The urchin looked at my money and then at me. He then cleared his throat and said, "I am sorry miss but the rent here is actually 100,000 coins a month."
"What?!" I gaped. 100,000 coins was a lot of cash. Maybe I could make that kind of money in a month or two but I was not prepared for this.
"Your website said 70,000 coins a month!" I demanded.
"Really?" said the urchin scratching his head as this was obviously awkward for him, "I guess we changed the price."
This kind of thing pissed me off. I was tired and cranky. I walked for miles and was nearly killed by some creep below Inkopolis and this is my reward? This wasn't fair.
"This is ridiculous!" I exclaimed, "Where am I supposed to stay?"
The urchin who was working the shift got uncomfortable and said, "I'm sorry but these are the rules."
I began to formulate a plan. Just like the bus or the sewer, life just sometimes throws you a curveball...or a splat bomb if life is feeling particularly nasty that day. I could hypothetically find another place but there were so many inklings in Inkopolis this time of year. All the other cheap places could be taken but I could try them. If that weren't the case then I would have to settle for something cheaper that would be in a rougher area. Perhaps I could…
"Uh, Molly…" said Penny tugging on my sleeve, "Can I talk to you for a second? Privately?"
The question was weird but I decided that I better get away from this situation before I lost my temper.
"Excuse us." I said almost half apologetically to try to save face. The urchin looked relieved to say the least as Penny dragged me from the desk.
We got to the other end of the room before she spoke.
"Molly," she said, smiling for some reason, "Maybe we could stay together?"
"What?" I said trying to hide my rising panic to that question.
"I think it would be easier for both of us," she smiled, "We could split the rent and we could get off a bit easier!"
Oh. My. Cod. Horrible idea. I knew trying to help out some random inkling would be a bad idea. This is the exact reason I wanted to lay low. There was no way I could live with another inkling without revealing that I was half-octarian. Then what would happen? Likely, Penny would freak out, find me disgusting and probably separate herself from me...permanently.
Why did I help her out in the first place when she was wandering the streets? Kindness? Maybe, but I also suspect loneliness is a likely culprit. It was kind of nice hanging out with her, even if that meant finding a creepy hideout below Inkopolis.
But...I...I think I want to preserve this friendship. It was too late for me to backpedal but maybe I could make this work. I'll just say no and then we can live in separate buildings. True, it would be a pain for me to even find a place but I could make it work. If I could do that then we maybe could still be friends and she would never know my secret.
"No!" I blurted out a bit too loudly. I swear it echoed across the hallway.
Penny seemed scared at how I yelled. Damnit.
"Uh...are you sure?" she said nervously.
I tried to recover. "Listen," I responded, "It's really nice and all but it's charity. I know you're doing this because I can't afford it but it will be alright."
Penny simply gave a kind smile
"Well, it's just you've been so kind to me…" replied Penny, "I want to help you and no it's not charity. I'm going to have a hard time swinging this too. It would actually be a help."
She looked eager. I imagined she was already thinking how fresh it would be to live with me.
"Sorry," I said feeling super guilty, "But...I…erm...I don't want..."
"Don't want what?" replied Penny confused.
"No...it's no that it's...um…"
Penny looked at me for about ten seconds but after I struggled for an answer it became clear something was wrong.
I sighed as I choked on my words more. I was too nervous to speak properly and it was becoming very obvious that I just didn't want to live with her. She wasn't smiling anymore. She wasn't stupid and I was clumsily stomping on our bond like a careless oaf.
I was still trying to think of a way out. Why did it have to be this way? This is what I get for trying to make friends. This day was a disaster. I was going to lose the one friend I had made.
"Uh...I…"
I wanted to leave. This was unbearable. I had to get out of here now.
"Just forget it!" I screamed, scaring both Shelly and the urchin at the other end of the room. I stormed out, nearly slipping on the double cursed lynomiam floor on the way.
I ran out blindly, crying. I didn't care where I ended up, I just wanted to end this. I wanted to simply phaze all this out of my life and lose myself if this maze of buildings that dotted the Heights. Why did I even come here? It was just the same at Inkopolis then at home. No, it was worse. At least I didn't have any friends to lose. I was always going to be an ugly half breed. A half breed can't make friends.
After running for a minute, my legs gave up and I broke down, hitting the pavement hard which just made me cry more. They could stand walking for miles but not this. I would rather walk a hundred more miles than go through this. Blue tears of watery ink splattered on the ground, eventually forming a small puddle in front of me.
As I laid there, sprawled on the ground, all I saw in that puddle was an ugly crying hybrid reflected back at me.
Aye! I'll try to update this more and get out of my funk. Stay fresh and fight for all fiction!