Chapter 2

Author's note: New story follower! Thanks EnderKitty68 for your interest in the story and I hope my work continues to entertain you.

The Next Day…

Yes! I get to go to Inkopolis! I wonder what I'll do first?

Gramps and Mom came in my room to talk.

"So?" I asked. "What's the plan?"

"I'll let you go under these conditions." Mom said. "Condition 1: You need to find someone to stay with and make some money."

"Can't Gramps pay?" I tilted my head.

"Boy, I already spend half of my retirement money making sure you live here." Gramps said. "I can't afford to pay yer rent."

Uh…okay…" That means I'll be interacting with people a lot…

"Condition 2." ?Mom listed. "Your goggles stay on."

"But Gramps said there are other Octolings in Inkopolis." I was confused.

"It's complicated…" Mom said. "You're…different…"

"How?" I asked.

"I…I can't explain…just promise." She said. "If people saw what you are…I'm not sure how they'll feel about you."

"…Okay…" I agreed. "Any more conditions?"

"Condition 3," She listed. "Ink Battling is off-limits. I'm too afraid of what could happen."

"…Fine…" I reluctantly agreed. "Any more?"

"One more." She sat on my bed next to me. "Promise you'll call often. I'll miss you so much."

"I will." I promised.

"Oh, another thing." She said. "I'm going to do some interviews to get a job in Inkopolis."

"Really?" I was surprised. "Why?"

"We've been living off of Gerald for years and, to be honest, I'm tired of having to rely on the old squid for support." She stated. "It's time I start making my own money and what better place than where I'm not known as 'Crazy Lady'."

"I wondered when you'd get back on yer feet and I'm glad yer starting now." Gramps commented.

"I'll miss you, Gramps." I hugged him.

"Oh, shucks. I'll visit." He assured me. "Besides, I've got grandchildren living in the city now. I should check on them too."

"What are their names?" I asked.

"These are them." He showed me his phone. "I took pictures of when they got their full forms."

I saw the pictures. One was Sarah from the other day and the other was someone who kind of looked like her.

"They're names are Sarah and Otis." He told me. "I'm sure you'll get along just fine."

So he's Sarah's grandpa. So if I call him Gramps, and I'm sure Sarah does too, does that make us step-cousins? No…it doesn't.

"So…who do I find to stay with?" I asked.

"Check in-town, bucko." Gramps old me. "Lots of squiddos are looking for roommates. Rent's cheaper that way. It helps since a lot of them tend to overspend their first day."

"Okay, I will!" I started to walk out the room.

"Just be careful, sweetie!" Mom waved goodbye.

After a short while, I was in town. Now, where to find some potential roommates? Where do young squids hang out? I kept walking around until I found some squids around my age around the river. I decided to hide in the bushes behind them and listen to their conversation from a distance. Make sure they're going to the same place.

"You going too?" A blue-haired boy asked.

"Yeah!" The orange girl said. "I can't wait to finally Turf it up with my sis!"

"Need an apartment though…" He said. "With so many coming, I doubt we'd have an easy time finding one…"

"We can split rent." She suggested.

"Hey, you peeping on my friends?!" A voice from behind me shouted. It was a familiar green-haired squid girl. She knocked me over, causing me to fall right in front of the other two squids.

"Ow…" I scrapped my hand.

"Were you spying on us?!" The Orange girl shot up and glared at me.

"I…I…" Come on, Octim. Say the words.

"Hey, isn't that crazy lady's kid?" The boy asked. "Figured he'd be a creep."

"N-no…I, uh…" Just spit it out!

"What?" Green girl demanded an answer demanded an answer. "What do you want?"

"Y-you're going to Inkopolis, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, why?" The boy wanted an answer.

"Can…can I come with you?" I finally got it out.

"…You?" The boy raised an eyebrow. "You wanna go to Inkopolis?"

"Y-yeah!" I said. "Mom said I could…I just need someone to stay with."

"And you want to stay with us I assume?" The Orange girl guessed.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble." I said.

"Why should we?" The boy asked. "Your mom threw a rock at my aunt once for walking a few feet too close to your house."

"I-I'm sorry if she did that." I apologized. "She's…very protective…and she's been through a lot in the past that I don't even know about….Can I still come? Please? You won't even notice I'm there."

"I don't know…" The boy said. "What's in it for us?"

"I just said you won't even notice I'm there!" I told him. "I'm just…I just…I want to go to Inkopolis. I've rarely ever left the house and I just want to experience something more than just…being stuck here."

"Well, that's very inspiring." He admitted. "Still doesn't answer what's in it for us though…"

"W-what do you want?" I asked, a little nervous.

"Well, for one, apologize for your mom." The orange girl said. "She's been mean to everyone."

"Sorry." I apologized.

"Second, help pay rent." The green girl said. "We won't accept freeloaders."

"I will." I assured her.

"And third, if we need help with something, help us with it." The boy said. "Kay?"

"A-alright." I agreed.

"Well, other than that, as long as you don't bother us too much, we should be good." The boy said. "I'm Ben."

"I'm Lisa." The orange-haired girl said.

"And I'm Andrea." The green-haired girl said. "And your name is?"

"Octim." I said.

"Octim?" Ben tilted his head. "What kind of name is that?"

"My mom said I was named after my dad." I told him. "So I guess that makes me Octim Jr..."

"Well, if that's all settled, our train leaves in two days at 5, so you better have a ticket." Ben told me.

"Oh, okay!" I shot up. "I'll go tell my mom and I'll meet you at the station!"

"Kay." Ben shrugged.

I ran back home to tell mom the news. While she was still a little nervous about this, she was glad I found some people to stay with. She called Gramps to ask him to buy some tickets while we packed some things I may need.

Two Days Later…

I made sure I had all the things my mom packed me and we made to the station early. Soon enough, the other squids showed up there. They were pretty uneasy around my mom and kept staring as she was talking to me. Eventually, the train arrived and they stepped on.

"Good luck, Sweetie." Mom kissed me on the cheek. "Stay safe."

"I will, mom." I promised.

I stepped on the train and we waved each other goodbye before the doors closed and the train started to leave. I sat down when she was no longer in sight.

"Wow." Andrea looked surprised. "I've never seen her acting pleasant before…"

"She's always really nice to me." I told him.

"Probably because you're her kid." Lisa said. "She's pretty hostile towards everyone else."

"Right…" I acknowledged. "Well, maybe things will get better now that I'm going to Inkopolis and she's getting a job there."

"Well, whatever happens will happen." Ben shrugged.

I looked out the window to watch the scenery as the train moved; eagerly awaiting for when we arrive in Inkopolis.

"Did it Hurt?"

"Did what hurt?"

"Getting...that?"

"Oh, this? Well, yeah, but it's mandatory."

"You're going to get funny looks from your recruits now."

"Heh, yeah. They'll be surprised, that's for sure."

"A lot's gonna happen in the future..."

"Great things, my dear. Great things."