(If you haven't read my other story Touching the Sky, then you might struggle with the context of this chapter. Please enjoy!)
Back from the Grave
Chapter 2
Tiny Splats School was alive with the sound of laughter and joy as children of all ages ran around the courtyard, their parents waving from the side-lines. School run was in full session as one by one the youngsters were dropped off for a full day of learning and fun.
Janjan smiled as she carried her granddaughter Levi to the gate, happy to see a few Octoling parents here too. She had originally worried that the Inklings wouldn't take kindly to having them back in society… but they simply welcomed them with open arms as if the past had never happened.
Inklings were so strange…
"Levi Levi! Over here!" A young green Inkling girl waved a tentacle, alongside a purple Octo boy and a young Anemone girl. Levi turned her face towards her school friends and waved frantically.
Janjan chuckled and placed her granddaughter down. "Go have a fun day my little Lulu flower."
"Ok Nana!" Levi beamed and hugged her grandmother around her legs before rushing over to her friends to play.
Janjan smiled and waved alongside the other parents, watching as the children lined up at the sound of the school bell and headed inside. Her thoughts began to drift, bringing up memories of when she took her own daughter to Octarian school. Where had the time gone?
With a soft sigh and a sad smile, she turned to leave. However… a glimpse of white caught her attention and made her stop… him again.
Janjan frowned as she watched the male White Suit stand on the other side of the street, he seemed to watch her… before turning around and leaving.
Ever since he arrived with Usagi that day, he kept showing up no matter where Janjan went. He never removed his helmet or identity himself, and would vanish no matter how many times she tried to confront him.
It was almost like he was following her, and Janjan had no idea why.
The elderly Octoling noticed she was the last one at the gate now and began to set off towards Sora and Tela's apartment, a smile on her face as she remembered her other granddaughter had invited her for dinner.
Not only that, but she was excited to get another chance at holding the egg. Despite being six months ago, it felt like only yesterday that Tela laid. Oh how excited and happy everyone was, especially Sora who spend the next few weeks carrying the egg around in his arms and refusing to put it down.
The streets were buzzing with excitement as Janjan walked, almost everyone she walked past were talking about the upcoming Splatfest next week.
Including the Octolings as this would be their first-time taking part in the much-loved sport that the Inklings cherished.
For context, there had been a breakthrough on the ink pills recently. Originally, they only worked for Inklings to help change their ink colour, but now they worked for Octolings too.
Thanks to this, the Octolings were able to join in with Turf War matches.
To celebrate this amazing achievement, the Squid Sisters made a broadcast that Splatfests were to take place every month now instead of yearly.
The partying that took place after that lasted for days… and took even longer to clean up.
A sea urchin kid nearby noticed that Janjan was distracted by the Splatfest advertisements that seem to decorate every street, and began to follow behind with a smirk.
With quick nimble fingers, he snagged her handbag and began to run full speed down the street. Janjan stumbled before raising her fist. "Get back here you no good troublemaker!"
She began to chase him, wishing she still had her youth.
The sea urchin boy laughed cruelly before yelping as a hand grabbed the scuff of his neck and hoisted him up. "I don't think so lad."
The White Suit male lifted him up high so his feet dangled, before turning to face Janjan. "You should know better then to steal. Now give the nice lady her bag back."
"Y-Yes sir!" The boy squeaked, intimated by the man's helmet and his surprising strength.
"Go find a hobby instead of causing trouble young man!" Janjan lectured as she took her bag.
The White Coat dropped him. "Now scram." The boy didn't need telling twice as he bolted from the scene.
"Thank you Mr…?"
"Please. Just call me White." White said as he nodded. Janjan raised an eyebrow.
"Right… So now that you're here White, mind telling me why you've been following me?"
White watched her, his helmet hiding his expression. "… come walk with me Janjan. It's a lovely day is it not?" He gestured down the street with his hand.
She gave him a suspicious look. "No can-do White. I'm off to see my eldest granddaughter and her boyfriend for dinner."
"Very well, then I shall walk with you and talk." He nodded.
Janjan gave him a hard stare before taking the lead down the street. There was something about White that she couldn't put her finger on… something familiar.
"Your granddaughters are something aren't they? You must be proud of them." White hummed. People around them stopped to stare as they walked past, some clearly nervous at his fully clothed white suit and helmet.
"Of course, I am!" Janjan scoffed. "Who wouldn't be?"
White looked up slightly, pausing for a moment as if carefully choosing his words for the next question.
"It's a terrible shame about your husband… do you think Tela and Levi would have loved to know their grandpa?"
Janjan snapped her head towards White, a hint of anger on her face. "That's a rather personal question don't you think Mr. White?"
He chuckled. "I was merely asking. What about you though Janjan? Do you miss your husband?"
Janjan stopped, now looking livid. "What do you think you idiot! I think about him every day!"
White stopped too, ignoring the looks of people as they walked past. "What if he was still alive… but he couldn't return… will you hate him?"
"Enough!" Janjan hissed as she trembled, her eyes tearing up. "I could never hate him. How dare you!"
They were gaining a lot of attention now, some even stopped to stare. White noticed this and signed. "I need to tell you something, but not here. I'll see you tonight."
Janjan glared as she watched him lower his head before walking away, leaving her and a staring crowd behind.
What was his deal? The nerve to start asking questions about her dead husband when she barely even knows this stranger.
"I'm impressed Sora, that meal was delicious." Janjan praised the Inkling as she sat down on the couch.
Sora grinned, looking pleased. "Tela helped too."
Tela scoffed as she handed Janjan her egg. "All I did was peel carrots."
The egg was slightly bulging as the infant octopus inside squirmed within the translucent shell. Janjan cradled the precious cargo and beamed, feeling love for her great grandchild.
"Oh my, I swear he gets bigger every time I see him. Have you two thought of a name yet?"
Tela sat next to her and reached over to lovingly rubbed the shell with her hand. "Yes, we're naming him Bic."
"After my great great grandad." Sora smirked as he sat next to Tela and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling his girlfriend close. "Bic Takada."
"Not Bic Garth?" Janjan asked as she looked up.
Sora shook his head with a smirk. "What's the point when Tela Garth will be Tela Takada one day?"
Tela blushed hard. "S-Shut up."
There was a sound of keys, a rattle and then the front door slammed open, making everyone jump. "I'm hoooooome!"
"Squid sake Haru, open the damn door like a normal person." Sora glared, looking annoyed at his brother.
Haru stuck his tongue out. In his hand was a takeout bag judging by the smell wafting from it. Tela shook her head with a sigh, clearly use to this madness between the brothers by now.
Janjan chuckled before looking down, the squirming of the egg catching her attention. The little Octo inside calmed down for a few seconds, then opened his eyes. "It seems like it won't be long until Bic is ready to come out into the open world." She chuckled.
Tela glanced over at her grandmothers' words and gasped in delight, just as Janjan handed her egg back. "Look Sora! He has his eyes open!"
"Let me see!" Haru dropped his takeout bag and rushed over behind the couch, throwing his arms around the couple.
Sora leaned in with a wide grin. "There's my little man!"
Janjan watched with a soft smile as the others fussed over the egg, pulling funny faces and talking to the unhatched infant. Her only regret was that Inka couldn't be here to see this…
"Goodnight Levi, sweet dreams."
Levi yawned and closed her eyes, tucked up in bed as Jajan leaned over and planted a kiss on the girls cheek. "Night… Nana…"
The elderly Octoling smiled before turning off the lights and leaving the room, closing the door behind her. Cuttlefish was relaxing in his armchair, munching away on a crabby cake.
"Just where is the time going Craig?" Janjan asked as she sat down to relax for the night. "Every time I blink, a week just seems to have gone by. I feel so old."
Cuttlefish chuckled and swept some crumbs off his lap with his hand. "You feel old, eh? How do you think me and Olly feel?"
He leaned back in his armchair and closed his eyes. "Aye lass, we both be getting more and more tired lately. Maybe it's time I pass on the mantle of Squidbeak leader eh?"
"Oh? And who are you thinking of making the new leader? Marie?"
Cuttlefish shook his head. "Nay lass, she and Callie be too busy being superstars. Besides, I believe Sora will make a fantastic leader. He's already proven himself capable to handle the job."
"Sora? Hmmm… yes. I think he'll be a good choice." Janjan smiled and leaned back to relax.
There was sudden cold breeze as the front door opened silently behind Janjan who didn't notice.
"Hope you don't mind if I let myself in." came White's voice.
Cuttlefish and Janjan jumped in their seats, their heads turning to stare at White in shock.
"I suppose it's too late now to say no, though it's common place and good manners to knock bucko." Cuttlefish said, his eyes twinkling.
Janjan glared. "You again. Alright creep, what's the big idea?"
White walked over so that he stood in front of them both. "Forgive an old man, being a captive of Morida for centuries has made me forget certain social behaviours."
Janjan and Cuttlefish glanced at each other before looking back at White.
White paused, as if thinking hard. "I… was captured by the White Suits and made a slave by Morida. I couldn't leave, for if I did… my family would be killed in front of me."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Cuttlefish sat up, his hands gripping the armrests of his chair. Janjan just watched, feeling her anger at White slowly ebbing away.
"I'm finally free… but dammit, I'm still a slave. Curse me for an old coward." White said, sounding angry and frustrated, his hands clenched into fists and trembled.
"I can finally return to my family, but I'm scared to. What if they're angry with me, because I couldn't return? Will they no longer love me anymore?"
Janjan sighed, having no idea what this was all about. "Oh White… you're being ridiculous, why would your family hate you? It wasn't your fault."
"Aye, and I'm sure they'll still love yeh. Family is family after all." Cuttlefish nodded.
White turned away from them. "I'm so glad to hear that."
His voice sounded shaky and full of emotions. Slowly he reached up and removed his helmet, before turning back around to face them.
Before them, stood Inka. Despite being old, there was no mistaking that face. "You're right Janjan my sweet, I am being ridiculous."
Silence…
Then loud sobbing erupted as both Janjan and Cuttlefish leaped out of their chairs, their arms wrapping around Inka tightly.
It took a long time for all three to calm down, so much noise was made that poor Levi came into the room with yawn.
"Nana? Why is everyone crying?" she looked up at Inka, her eyes widening. "Who's that?"
Janjan gave a half sob, half laugh and wiped her face. "Oh my little Lulu, this… this is your granpa. He's back… he's really b-back."
Inka raised his hand and lovingly wiped her tears with his thumb, before turning his attention to Levi who was staring. "Hello Levi, it's finally nice to meet you."
She shyly smiled and raised a tentacle. "Hello Granpa."
Janjan smiled before walking over and scooping up the girl. "You can get to know Granpa better tomorrow, you need to sleep my little Lulu."
"But I'm not tired now." Levi said before yawning as she was carried back to bed.
Cuttlefish wiped his eyes. "I never thought I'll set me eyes on you again brother."
"Me too brother." Inka smiled before moving in to embrace Cuttlefish. "Me too…"
….
Inka's return came as a huge shock for everyone. Octavio almost fainted on the spot when he came to visit his old pal Craig and saw him, then grinned and shook Inka's hand with much joy and enthusiasm.
Callie and Marie were next to meet their uncle. After all the stories that Cuttlefish had told them about his brother, they were excited to have him seemly back from the grave.
To Marie's dismay and Cuttlefish's amusement, Inka and Callie got on like a house on fire. It was no surprise due to their similar personalities and love for good jokes.
Tela herself was shocked and needed time to get use to the fact her grandfather was still alive, but soon had him over regularly with Janjan for meals in order to get to know him better.
Inka slotted into the family with ease, as if he was a jigsaw puzzle piece that has been missing for a long time.
He enjoyed every moment he had with his family, and took Janjan on countless dates.
"To make up for lost time." Inka grinned and handed a single red rose to his wife, making Janjan blush as if she was a teen again.
A few weeks later since Inka returned, Tela and Sora sent a message for everyone to come over.
Bic was about to hatch from his egg.
Inka and Janjan arrived with Cuttlefish, with Levi sitting on her granpa's shoulders. The little Octo by now adored her granpa.
Sora's father, a green tentacled and slight chubby build of an Inkling was here too. His eyes a gleaming emerald green just like his sons. Haru stood next to him, looking excited at the prospect of finally being an uncle.
Tela was sat with Sora, the shaking egg sat on the couch between them. She looked up at her grandparents and beamed. "You came just in time! He's about to break through!"
Everyone crowded around in order to watch as the egg bulged and squirm… then with a wet pop, a blue tentacle pushed through. Then another… and another until the egg cracked in two and out rolled Bic, chirping.
Tela scooped up the blue octo and nuzzled him happily, as Sora grinned and reached up to rub his son's cheek with a finger.
"I'm an Uncle! Woooo!" Haru cheered before fistbumping his father who looked thrilled at being a grandfather.
Janjan wiped away a happy tear as Inka wrapped his arm around her with a grin.
"Here." Tela smiled and held out Bic towards Inka who looked shocked, before slowly taking his great grandson in his arms.
Bic chirped and wrapped a tiny tentacle around Inka's thumb, his amber eyes bright and full of curiosity.
He started to cry softly… grateful that life had given him another chance.
He maybe not have been there for his daughter Lela, but Inka will make damn sure that he'll be here for Bic and his granddaughters.