Final Chapter – Touching the Sky
Esme stood by her father's side, clinging to his hand as she watched the other adults in white suits work away. Lining the walls were thousands upon thousands of pods, some already had people inside sleeping.
"Daddy? Do I really have to go in one of them?" She pointed at the pods. "I want to stay with you. Please?"
Morida sighed and shook his head. "I have told you multiple times Esme, the answer is no. I wish you would listen."
Esme lowered her head. She didn't want to go into the pods and sleep. She didn't want to leave her father behind, not after losing mother.
The little girl sniffed and used her free hand to rub her face. Morida sighed and kneeled down. "Listen, you still have a few years before you're scheduled to go into cyro sleep. Until then, will you be a good girl and help daddy in the labs. You can be my assistant."
Esme looked up with wide eyes. "R-Really?"
Her father nodded. "Yes. Now go play with the other children. You can start helping me tomorrow.
The little girl hugged him around his waist before skipping off, much happier than before. Morida sighed as he watched her go.
After losing his wife and older son, his daughter was the only family he had left. He'll make things right again… one day… Esme will be able to feel the sun on her skin once more, to feel the breeze of the wind.
No price was too big to pay.
The following days from the attack was a hectic one. The city slowly picked itself back up before having a large event to mourn the loss of all those that lost their lives in the attack.
Tela had stayed with Sora at his apartment over the following days, trying to comfort her boyfriend during this hard time. Not only was he upset at hurting Tela during his mind control incident, but his best friend Ryu never showed up and was declared dead with all the others.
Naya and Maya often showed up and would simply hug Sora, their usual zest and sparkle gone.
Octavio and his Octarians, along with the White Suites simply vanished the next day after the attack, sending Capt. Cuttlefish into an angry rant. How could they just run away after their part in all this!? Tela wanted to be angry too, but her priority was Sora at the moment.
Then came a surprise visit in the form of Capt. Cuttlefish and Janjan who held Levi. Both sisters rushed towards each other and embraced, tears flowing as they finally reunited.
Sora held back and smiled softly, knowing how much this meant to his girlfriend.
Cuttlefish and Janjan glanced at each other and nodded before turning to face the two girls. "Tulip? Lulu? Me and Craig owe you both an apology… and the truth."
Tela wiped her tears away and gulped, knowing what this was about.
Cuttlefish took a seat, his hands shaking. "Truth is… both yeh lasses be related to me."
"I married Craigs brother Inka, both of you know this." Janjan said, looking nervous. "And we ended up having a daughter, Lela. Your mother and…"
"You're our grandmother. I know." Tela said sharply. "And you never told us. We had to fend for ourselves when we could have been living with you."
Janjan sighed, suddenly looking tired and weary. "Aye my little Tulip, you're right. I understand if you're angry, I would be too. The reason my dears… is that I feared putting a target on your back."
Tela blinked as Levi tilted her head. Sora frowned and stepped forwards. "What do you mean by target?"
Cuttlefish spoke up. "The mysterious leader of the White Suits hated half breeds. That's to say lad, any child with Inkling and Octoling parents. We have no idea why and I'm afraid it's an answer we probably won't receive."
"Tela… Levi… It was the White Suits who killed my daughter, your parents." Janjan said softly. "That collapse at the hospital was no accident, they intended to wipe you all out. Thank the heavens you and your sister survived. I was scared that… if I took you both in and raised you, they would realise their plan didn't entirely work."
"I… I don't understand. Why would they want to… how could they?"
"There's a lot of things we don't understand at the moment lass." Cuttlefish hummed.
"Can you bring yourselves to forgive a foolish old woman?" Janjan asked sadly.
Tela stared back. "… no… but I can forgive my foolish old grandmother."
Levi giggled as Janjan chuckled and hugged them both tightly.
It felt amazing… to finally have a family again. After hours of talking and catching up, Janjan left with Levi. She reassured that they wouldn't be far, since Cuttlefish had offered the elderly Octoling and Levi a place to stay at his shack.
For the next few days, they continued to visit Tela and Sora. To Tela's relief, her sister and boyfriend got on really well. Levi adored the Inklings playful behaviour and started to call him big brother, which seem to cheer Sora up and bring back his old personality before losing Ryu.
The twins Naya and Maya fell in love in the little octo from the moment they saw her, and kept bringing her sweet treats from Inkopolis.
A week later…
Tela rushed to the bathroom and made it just in time as a gush of ink and that morning's breakfast spewed from her mouth to the toilet below. Sora was not far behind, panic on his face. "That's the second time you've threw up! Are you sure you don't want to see the doctor?"
"I'm f-fine." She coughed and wiped her mouth. "I think it's just stress."
Sora sighed and walked over to pull the Octoling close, one hand reaching up to stoke her cheek. "You and me both… I don't think I could have gotten through this week without you Tela, and your sister of course."
She smiled and flicked his nose gently. "I could say the same thing."
The Inkling gave a small smirk and scooped up Tela in his arms, bridal style. He was about to carry her back to the bedroom when knocking could be heard.
Both looked at each other, before Sora sighed and gently placed her down. "I bet it's Naya and Maya, I'll go let them in. You get into bed and rest."
Tela nodded and watched him go, listening as he open the door and… wait. Wasn't that Cuttlefish? She walked to the door and peeked out, seeing the elderly Inkling walk in.
"Nice to see ya looking better Sora me lad. I assume Tela is here too?"
"Hey Capt. Cuttlefish." Tela gave a warm smile and walked over. Sora instantly wrapped his arm around her waist as she stood next to him.
Cuttlefish nodded and stroked his beard. "I had a few people contact me over the last few days, people who reckon they have answers to what's been going on lately. They wouldn't say who they were, but one of them claims they helped ya with the radio tower lass."
Tela blinked. "What? She contacted you?"
"Aye, we all arrange to meet up at me shack. Including Octavio, about blew me down in shock when me old friend said he had been contacted too."
Sora and Tela glanced at each other before looking back.
"When are they meeting up?" Tela demanded, hungry for those answers to questions she had been wanting for so long.
"Now lass, I came to get you two." Cuttlefish smiled. "Me granddaughters are there too."
Tela and Sora stared, before both rushing off to get ready. Then together they headed out into the city.
The big clean up of the streets had gone well, but it was obvious there was less people here then before. The cheerful and playful atmosphere of the city was gone too, replaced with sadness and mourning. It was still too early for things to go back to normal.
Tela felt her chest tighten as she looked around, her hand finding Sora's and giving it a tight squeeze. He glanced at her and squeezed back; no words were needed.
The journey outside the city didn't seem to take long as Cuttlefish's shack came into view. Octavio was already there, having what seem to be an argument with Callie. Marie was shaking her head and looking annoyed at her cousin.
"Enough you two." Cuttlefish said. Octavio and Callie looked up before huffing and turning away from each other.
"Even at this age… you still act like a child Octavio." A voice chuckled.
Tela jumped in surprised as she instantly recognised that voice. Two White Suits walked over, both using walking sticks as aid and their faces hidden with the helmets.
"You! You're the one who helped me!" Tela said, her amber eyes wide. Everyone else turned around to face these new comers.
"So yeh both be White Suits huh? Well shiver me sails, it all makes sense." Cuttlefish smiled.
"Does it? I think you're still missing some puzzle pieces." The other White Suit chuckled, clearly a male. "And… White Suits? Is that what you call us? I suppose it makes sense."
Octavio glared, clearly feeling hostile towards the White Suits.
"Well then, why don't we get started?" Marie smiled. "I want to know what's been going on."
"Yeah!" Callie agreed as she glared at both Octavio and the White Suits. "You both helped to make the mess back in Inkopolis, including getting a load of people killed! So spill before I decided to splat all of ya!"
"I'll go first then." Octavio grunted as the group turned towards him. "I'll start… to where this all began, before the Great Turf War happened. You remember Felica don't you Craig?"
Cuttlefish nodded, his expression filling with sadness. "Aye Olly… Sweet Felica, she was like a sister to me."
"I remember that terrible day as clear as the sky, my innocent Felica… told me she was expecting. We were going to be parents you know. I didn't care that she was an Inkling, and neither did she. We were so excited about starting a family here in Inkopolis."
Tela stared, hanging onto every word. Her ex-boss was in love with an Inkling?
"Then Inklings barged into my home, claiming they were sent by you." Octavio glared at Capt. Cuttlefish.
"By your orders, they claimed we Octarians were to be banished. They went to kill me, but Felica... she jumped in front of me."
Cuttlefish froze, his eyes wide. "I never sent anyone after you Olly! All I remember is you claiming war on us!"
"That's because those Inklings were lying." The female White Suit suddenly spoke up. "They were sent by my old Master to create a divide between the two races
"I thought as much." Octavio growled at her. "It was only recently I realised I've been tricked. All these years, I spent wasting my life hating the Inklings… hating the wrong people for what they did to Felica, for what they did to me!"
"So that's why you declared war, the White Suits master killed Felica and…"
"Felica didn't die." Octavio cut across him. "The White Suits showed up and offered to save her, like the idiot I am… I agreed."
Silence fell over the group as everyone watched the elderly Octoling shake with anger.
"I agreed, and true to their word they saved her. I on the other hand, was injected with this mind-control drug and became their puppet!"
Tela stared in horror. "What happen to Felica?"
"She died." The female White Suit said, surprising everyone. "Her body was badly damaged and fragile. When she came to lay her egg, the stress was too much. Felica gave birth to an egg, which eventually hatched into a healthy girl who was then used as a bargaining tool to keep her father in line."
She reached up and removed her helmet, revealing her face and faded pink tentacles. Octavio stared. "U…Usagi? Can it truly be you?"
Usagi smiled and walked over to the trembling Octoling. "Yes father, it is me. It has been some years hasn't it?"
It was such a sweet and heart-breaking moment as Octavio broke down and hugged his daughter.
"Well, I'll be… just look at you!" Cuttlefish gasped. "Yeh your mothers spitting image!"
Tela wiped away some tears before turning to Sora, who in turn glanced down at her with a grin. "Guess you were right all along. You always said something else was going with him."
He jerked his thumb at Octavio who was now chatting away happily with both Cuttlefish and Usagi.
"Doesn't change the fact that people have died in this." Marie said as she walked up to them. "We've killed Octarians by the dozen… and we lost hundreds in that attack. Whoever this big boss of the White Suits is, we need to find them."
Tela nodded as Sora looked away with a sigh. It was hard to believe how much loss they have suffered through the actions of one person.
"I'm afraid it will be harder than you think." Usagi said as she glanced over, gaining everyone's attention.
"The mastermind behind all this is a human called Morida. I don't know how he's still alive… but he's unhinged."
"Extremely unhinged." The male White Suit said.
Callie almost fell over. "Human!? You mean those guys who have been dead for like… ages ago!?"
The male White Suit nodded. "The White Suits are nothing more innocent victims, injected with a serum to control their minds as soon as they turn 14. They are the result of generations of forced breeding, just so his mindless slaves would never deplete."
His voice was laced with unbridled anger and disgust.
"That's… that's awful…" Marie covered her mouth, looking horrified. Sora blanched slightly and pulled Tela in closer.
"He forced them to breed? That's sick… really sick."
Usagi nodded, looking pained and quite pale herself. "It's true."
The wind started to pick up, with a slight chill to it as everyone fell silent. It was clear they were all trying to process this horrible revelation.
Tela bit her lip, no wonder they acted like children from before… she felt so sorry for them.
"We need to find this human and stop him from causing more damage, for Inklings and Octarians." Cuttlefish said before glancing at Octavio who nodded.
"The Inklings under Morida's control all have their free will back, thanks to Usagi and Tela." The male White Suit nodded to his friend and then at Tela.
"The human escaped I'm afraid, but the Squidbeak splatoon is more then welcome to search the facilities for any clues."
"That'll be great. I'll let the authorities back in Inkopolis know too." Marie nodded as she stepped forwards.
"I want to be part of that search." Sora spoke up, his facial expression hard and determined. "I've killed countless Octarians because of that human's actions, including losing my best friend."
Tela felt his hand shake slightly and reached up to touch his shoulder. Sora smiled at her before looking back at the others.
Discussions continued to carry on before finally, everyone turned to leave. Octavio pulled Cuttlefish into a hug, surprising everyone. "I'm sorry my old friend. Think we can continue where we left off?"
Cuttlefish blinked before hugging back. "Yeh bet we will Olly, I missed your friendship."
Callie and Marie glanced at each other and grinned, pleased that the two had finally made up as Octavio eventually let go and began to leave with Usagi and the other White Suit.
"Let's go home too." Sora said as he pulled Tela close. "I want to spend as much time with you as possible before I have to leave."
Tela blushed before nodding with a smile. "Yeah… let's go home."
Life continued on as days began to pass. The city slowly returning to some normalcy as the residents began to come to terms with what had happened. It wasn't long before Inklings were heading back out to party the night away.
The underground facility that was run by Morida was stormed by the Squidbeak splatoon, along with back up from the police force. As Usagi had said, the human was gone… including all research data that had either been taken or destroyed.
As for Usagi and Octavio… along with the help of Cuttlefish, the situation was explained to the mayor of Inkopolis. After much discussion and planning, it was agreed that the Octarians along with the White Suits were allowed to move into Inkopolis.
Apparently droves of residents left the city after the attack, the other aquatic people were fearful that Inklings could fall into wars again. This left two large apartment complex empty, which slowly began to fill up with the Octarians and White Suits. It was going to take some time and a lot of hard work as the process of moving took place, since many octarians were still fearful towards the Inklings despite their leaders reassurance.
Still… to be able to live on the surface again, it was a dream come true for many.
Yes… no matter what, life would continue on despite the hardships that took place.
Tela knew this better then anyone as she sat alone in the bathroom… a positive pregnancy test clutched in her shaking hand.
Morida walked down a cold metallic corridor, his hands clenched behind his back while deep in thought.
He needed to lay low while the search for him was high. Foolish creatures… they had no hope in finding him here. He'll wait as long as he has too, as many years as it took.
The human walked into a room filled with surgical equipment. On the table waiting for him was an unconscious human, a small table nearby set up with surgical tools along with bottles filled with strange liquids and syringes.
This was always the fun part.