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Chapter 23

Inkopolis Plaza…

I was right. The place was a ghost town. I mean there were a couple of squids here, but only the weapon modders and some people in the arcade.

"Alright, there has to be a good place to hide." DJ Octavio told us from my backpack.

"Hey, I think that used to be where Ammo Knights was back in the day." I pointed out the building. "Think we can use the back room?"

"I mean, if it gets used, why not?" Octavio said.

"I don't know…" Sylvia was hesitant. "I hear things go on in there late at night…"

"Well, us using it is a thing." I told her, walking forward.

"I meant-" She didn't get to finish as I already started going through the door.

We walked in to find the shop was mostly empty with the exception of a couple horseshoe crabs. We decided to talk to the eldest one who was in a wheelchair. He seemed to notice us walking towards him.

"Hello, sir." I waved. "Can we use your back room so we can practice music in there? I'm trying to learn and it doesn't look like many people come here these days and I'm sure you'd love to see the place get some use."

He was shaking a lot. He thought about it, then nodded. He then pointed us to the door while babbling something we couldn't understand.

"Thanks!" I said as we entered the training area.

"I still can't believe Shellendork's still breathin'…" Octavio remarked. "Or that he actually got with someone…what game did he have?"

"You knew him?" I was surprised.

"Yeah, he was a real pain back in the day." Octavio told me. "Well, luckily for him, he was only the second biggest pain."

"Who was the first?" Sylvia asked.

"MC Cuttlefish by the shack where you freed me." He told her. "Now can you open the bag, please?"

"Wait, Captain Cuttlefish?!" Sylvia's jaw dropped. "Holy carp! We just stole a prisoner from Captain Cuttlefish! We need to take him back!"

"And risk him finding out you helped break me out?" Octavio had a point. "Listen girlie, I won't cause no trouble. Promise. Just open the bag and I'll help Tim."

She thought about it a second before opening the bag. The DJ then jumped out.

"Aaaaaw, yeah!" Octavio cheered, shaking his wasabi sticks. "True freedom! Now can I have my stuff back?"

We handed him his gear back and he sat us down.

"Ai'ght boy, listen up!" He looked at me. "Imma teach you everything you need to know and then some!"

"Thank you, sir!" I got excited.

"But we'll need some things first." He told us.

"What?" I was confused.

"Well first, some turntables and other equipment." Oh, right…we do need those. " It'll also help if ya'll bring me books on the subject too. Also some Wasabi. I need a steady supply. Also snacks because I'm starvin' and those posers back at the shack would constantly forget to feed me!"

"Anything else?" I leaned forward.

"He looked at me and lifted one of my hair tentacles.

"Yeah, get a haircut!" He told me. "Your hair's totally whack!"

Yeah, it was getting pretty long…I needed to get it cut for a while…I nodded in agreement.

"Good!" He said. "Now you handle the music stuff and your haircut and…uh…"

"Sylvia." Sylvia told him her name.

"Yeah," He nodded. "Sylvia will handle food."

She nodded in agreement and headed off.

I started to leave when Octavio stopped me.

"One more thing…" He said. "When I train you to be a beatsmith, you ain't wearin' your goggles during our lessons unless someone else's coming. Got it?"

I nodded in agreement.

"Good." He let go of me. "Now scram! I was napping before ya'll woke me up and I'm still tired."

10 Minutes Later…

"Ah, very great you come here to me." The Jellyfish remarked. "I'll make you an offer you can't refuse."

"I'm…just getting a haircut, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, yeah." He said, sitting me in the chair. "I'm just sayin' you won't find a better guy than me."

"You know, I actually thought a crab would be doing this." I said. "With the claws and all."

"Ey, don't go around sayin' stuff like that." He told me. "That kind of talk got me closed once."

Oh…okay…

"So what'ya lookin' for?" He asked, grabbing his utensils.

"I guess same, but shorter." I told him.

"A trim it is." He said. "I'll even it out for ya."

It was a quick trim. Huh…When mom cuts my hair, she usually cuts it tiny, tiny sections at a time, but he cut large chunks off. After he was done, he showed me in the mirror. Huh…it turned out well. Not 'fresh,' but not stale either.

"Now pay up." He said.

"Right…" I handed him the money.

"Thanks sir." I said. "I like how it turned out.

"No problem, kid." He waved me goodbye.

"Now I can-oof!" I ran into someone.

It was Lisa.

"Huh? Oh!" She noticed me there. "Hey."

"Uh…hey…" What do I say.

"You doing okay?" She asked. "Haven't seen you since we kicked you out."

"I'm fine." I told her.

"Like the haircut." She remarked. "You actually look like a boy now."

I didn't before?

"Uh…thanks." I replied. "Well, gotta go!"

"Okay…bye!" She waved me goodbye.

Aftermath…

"So what'ya lookin' for, girlie?" The Jellyfish asked.

"One of those looks where it's kind of long and connected in the back and the front two end in a sharp cut." She described. "One that can make me look pretty, but I can also use to say 'bad girl'!"

"Alright, just let me get this mess from my last customer cleaned up." He replied.

"Oh hey, cool!" Lisa picked up one of the tentacles. "Octim's tentacles are still moving!"

*Plop* *Plop*

What the…" Lisa was caught off guard. "Are those…?"

*Plop*

"Pa-pa?" The tentacle spoke. "Where's papa?"

Lisa watched in horror as the tentacles came alive and started walking around.

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

10 Minutes Later…

Alright…now a bit past Inkopolis Square should be the music shops.

"Hey!" A familiar voice called out.

"Ben?" I was surprised to see him.

Apparently I'm having reunions today…woah…he had a noticeable bruise on his face.

"I-uh…just wanted to say…um…that…" Spit it out… "I'm uh…sorry I said that stuff about you…and your mom…"

"Oh…" That was surprising. "Thanks…"

"I'm also-um...sorry about you getting kicked out." He seemed new to apologizing. "I-uh…hope you didn't run into too much trouble afterwards…"

"I-it's okay." I lied. "Nothing too bad happened…"

"Well, that's good to hear." He admitted. "Heck, if the shiner you gave me was a sign of anything, I should try staying on your good side."

Oh…I gave him that?

Must've formed after I smacked him…

"Heh, sorry about that!" I rubbed the back of my head.

"Don't be," He told me. "I deserved that."

"…Well…if you're truly sorry, then I have no choice but to forgive you." I told him.

"So what're you doing now?" He was curious. "You seem in a hurry."

"Oh, I found someone who can teach me to be a DJ, but I need to buy my own equipment." I explained.

"…How about I help you out?" He offered. "Pay for half?"

"Y-you don't have to do that!" He really didn't.

"Hey, I insist." He put his arm around my shoulder. "Besides, you need a genius like me to make sure you find the best you can get. And I'm a genius."

"Well, okay." I guess I can't argue with that logic.

The next two hours were spent looking for and paying for the best stuff that was within our budget. After today…Ben's alright in my book. Yeah, he can say and do some stupid things, but he seems to know when he takes it too far.

After a while, we got the equipment I needed and we got it to the Plaza.

"This is where you're practicing?" He asked. "Well, I guess it's great if you don't want people bothering you."

"Yeah…" It was.

"Well, I gotta go." Ben said. "Lisa said she was getting a new haircut today and I know she won't believe me when I tell her it looks good. Like, 'what do you mean, by good' and stuff like that."

Probably.

He then started to leave.

"Oh, Ben!" I called out.

"Yeah?" He turned around.

I took off my goggles.

"Thanks." I smiled.

He seemed surprised by that.

"…Eh, don't mention it." He turned to leave. "Oh, I left ya this creepy book I found at the bottom of the steps. Read it or throw it away. I don't care which."

"O-okay!" I waved goodbye. "See ya later!"

I put my goggles back on and pushed the equipment inside.

"Great work!" Octavio applauded as Sylvia and I finished getting the boxes in. "We start first thing tomorrow!"

"Okay!" I got excited. "What about today though?"

"Well, we gotta set it up first." He told me. "That'll take an hour and…hey…how much do ya know about Octarians, anyway?"

"Well…I know about the Turf War stuff." I told him. "I also know Octarians live underground and have advanced technology. I-I also heard about energy crisis stuff from Guyver when he was yelling at Sylvia one time. Outside of that, nothing really…"

Sylvia had a look of guilt in her face.

"Well then," He crossed his arms. "I'll take it upon myself to educate ya, boy!"