Chapter 26

The Next Day…

I dropped off the laptop at the DJ room yesterday. Octavio said he'd get it set up so I could readily use it. He's a little grouchy, but he seems nice enough…

I called and told him that I would be visiting some friends first. Might ask one if she knows anything about the clearly mentally insane girl I did Grizzco shifts with.

I knocked on the door. Sarah answered.

"Hi Tim." She looked happy to see me. "What're you doing here? Hey, you got a haircut!"

"Hey Sarah, thanks for noticing." I waved. "I just wanted to see how you guys were doing since I haven't seen you since the tournament."

"Well, come in Tim!" She invited me in. "We're just listening to some tunes! Why don't you get yourself a Tenta Cola and chill out with us?"

"Alright, sounds good!" I came in and got myself a drink from their fridge.

"So how's the DJ stuff coming along?" Guyver asked.

"Wait, you want to be a DJ?" Sarah stared at me, surprised

"It's pretty much all Octarians ever want to be these days." Guyver answered for me.

"Well, I got some equipment to practice with." I told them. "I-uh…figured I'd try winging it."

"Well, that's nice." Sarah was supportive.

"Oh Octo, Tim…" Guyver shook his head. "I'll ask Marina if she wants to give you some pointers."

"I-if she has the time…" I told him. "Don't wanna bother her too much…"

"It'll be fine." Guyver assured me.

I then took a seat while they got back to their card game.

"So what're you listening to?" I asked, taking a sip.

"Just some beats from home." Guyver told me as he turned them on.

It was a neat tune…good thing I'm getting into electronic music so I can play beats like this.

"Hm…nice…" I said.

The best.

"Yeah…" Sarah agreed. "It ain't half bad.

"Not…at all…" I felt…weird…

I feel…dull…

Numb…

I…aid my people…

I…fight as one…

I…follow orders…to the letter…

I…I…

Report to superiors…

Report for duty…

Report for duty…

…

Leave here for now…

To the Plaza…

Report for duty…

…

"Hey kid, you okay? You look a little out of it."

Squid!

"Ow! Geez, what the heck?!"

Inkling Scum!

"Stop, please! Okay, okay! I'll leave you alone!"

Good…

Twenty Minutes Later…

"Yeah, this phone is killa!" Octavio took a pic. "Glad he had a spare to-uh…spare."

Tim then walked in.

"Hm? Ah!" Octavio moved down towards him. "Glad you're back! Now let's show ya how to download samples!"

"Reporting for duty, sir!" Octim saluted.

"Hm?" Octavio was confused. "Duty? You ain't in an army, boy. What're you…hey…I remember tellin' ya to take yer goggles off when you're here with me.

Octim immediately did what he was told.

"Hey, hold on a second…that look…" Octavio recognized it. "Did you listen to ma beats?! Where did you even…wait…my fan…that agent's boyfriend…he still has my…"

Octavio returned his gaze to Tim.

"No, no, no!" Octavio growled. "I can't have ma protégé be like this! Usually troops can act normal, but if this is his first time listenin', he'll be a zombie for days! Well, I'll just get ma special vinyl…that's back in the Valley…that I don't know a quick way to…and the agents are no-doubt hangin' round the area…"

He then looked at Tim, then took to the computer.

"A'ight…maps…maps…" He found something. "Okay, a music store a block n' a half away. I'll just have the boy…wait; no…he'll look and act too suspicious…"

He looked back at Tim and sighed.

"I'm gonna need your wallet and for you to stay here." Octavio told him.

Tim did as he was told.

"…I can't believe I'm doin' this…" He groaned.

Fifteen Minutes Later…

I hate usin' this form. I look like an old man. Well, at least I don't need a cane like Cuttlefart…

Also a perk is I can just wear ma shades and no one recognizes me.

Alright, just in and out. Let's see…

Squid Sisters…uh…yup, this is the album…

Octo, I both hate to love and love to hate this song…

"Welcome to Zander's Beats." The…Octoling…at the counter greeted me. "How may I help you?"

"I-uh…wanna buy this album fer my-uh friend…" I told her.

"Key, I'll ring that up for…" Her eyes then narrowed. "Do…do I know you?"

"Nah, I'm just another Octoling who bravely escaped the clutches of the horrible, just plain...awful...Octarians..." I said.

Her eyes were wide. She walked around the counter, grabbed my arm, and pulled me into the back room.

"Hey!" I hissed. "What's the big idea?!"

"It's you!" She somehow found me out. "Why did you come here…and in…Octoling form?! Explain!"

I then shifted back into my Octopus form.

"Hey, I give orders here!" I crossed my arms. "Who're you to talk to your king like that?!"

"You are not my king!" She spat. "You're a tyrant who brainwashed us!"

"That's only cause y'all couldn't work together and do what I say…" I rolled my eyes. "Honestly, your lives down there were better since ma beats made ya numb."

"Better?!" She only got more mad. "Do you know what kind of people we'd turn into?! My sister hated me for years because of you!"

"Ah…I recognize you now…" I said. "And I know who yer talkin' bout. She became an Elite, she works at a settlement that's doin' pretty well, and yeah, she thinks yer dead and still hates you. Honestly, her life seems better without you."

"Y-you…" I couldn't tell if she was going to yell or cry. "You ruined our lives!"

"Ruined?" I glared at her. "Girl, I'm the reason y'all have lives to begin with! I'm the reason we've survived as a species for as long as we did! I gave y'all a purpose!"

"And we ruined our sister's life!" She almost shouted. "Because of you!"

"I didn't do squat!" I glared at her. "Ma beats numb yo thoughts, make ya follow orders, and make ya more hostile towards Inklings. Everything else was all you, girl."

She made that yell-cry face again.

"Look girlie," I looked at her. "I just need this CD. I ain't doin' nothin' nefarious and I ain't plannin' nothin' either."

"Why…do you need this CD?" She wanted an answer.

"My new protégé listened to one of my CDs." I told her. "I can't teach him if he's mind-controlled."

"Why would you want to teach him?" She was confused. "You don't teach anyone."

"Let's just say he's…a special case." I said. "I can tell by lookin' at him that he's got a lotta potential in him. I just need this CD to help him. I'm teachin' him and nothin' else. I'll even pay ya double for it."

"…Just take it and go before I decide to tell Agent 4 about this…" She sighed. "And never come in here again."

I shifted forms and walked out with the CD.

Well, I don't wanna talk to no good traitors, anyhow!

Hopefully, I won't have to do this again…

Well, time to fix that boy…