Chapter 10

Asahi paced his cell in the brig, angry with himself for getting caught. And he wondered who had sold him out to the Inklings. Though he was a bit shocked that his sister was alive as he had been told she had perished at the hands of the Inklings. And maybe she had. She was allied with them, so that meant she had betrayed her own kind.

"She didn't, you know."

The angry Octoling looked up to see Captain Cuttlefish there and the captain placed down a tray with food on it through the space at the bottom of the bars. "She didn't betray Octavio and the others. They betrayed her," he said.

"Shut your mouth, old man!" Asahi snarled. "King Octavio is a good king! He'd never abandon us!"

"If that is the case, then why has he not come to rescue you?" Cuttlefish asked. "Surely word has gotten to him by now of your capture?"

"He's making a plan to save me and you'll be sorry when he does," the Octoling snarled.

The captain shook his head. "He's known where Agent 8 has been this whole time," he said. "And not once did he try and 'save' her. He and the others left her and she had no memory of what happened to her once her mind was free of that treacherous beast."

"No! We never leave anyone behind!" Asahi said angrily.

"I guess we will see," Cuttlefish said before gesturing to the food tray. "Eat up while it's hot."

The Octoling scoffed. "You think I'm going to eat something you've poisoned or something?" He asked.

The captain shook his head. "The food is fresh and I didn't put anything other than spices in it," he said. "I may be a stern captain, but I'm not heartless like that beast."

"Watch how you speak of King Octavio!" Asahi yelled at him as Cuttlefish walked away, leaving the prisoner behind.

The captain shook his head with a sigh and went up to the main deck, stopping when he sensed someone nearby before he smiled. "Come on, 8. I know you're there," he said.

She came out. "Sorry for sneaking aboard, Captain," she said before looking towards the brig. "Asahi hasn't changed his mind yet, has he?"

"No," Cuttlefish said gently. "He is loyal to Octavio, but I wonder how strong that loyalty will be when he realizes they will not come to rescue him."

8 looked worried. "Captain, what if he never realized Octavio is horrible?" She asked as she recalled when the villain had kissed her and immobilized her, kidnapping Saki a few years back. She shuddered, remembering how disgusted she had felt about that kiss.

"Give it some time, lass," he said comfortingly. "Remember how confused you felt when you had been freed from Octavio's spell?"

"Yes, I remember," she said. "I was so afraid, but you recruited me and because you had shown me kindness, I swore to fight on the Inkling's side."

"Even then, you didn't trust anyone right away," Cuttlefish pointed out gently. "You were even unsure when Agent 4 began falling for you."

8 blushed. "Yeah," she admitted. "I didn't think he was being truthful until I talked to you."

The captain chuckled. "Ah, your face was as red as your hair," he said teasingly. "And even redder when 4 first kissed you."

"Captain!" The Octoling said, blushing at his teasing.

He laughed warmly. "I'm just messing with you, lass," he said. "And don't worry about your brother. He'll come around."

"Is it okay if I go see him?"

"Go on, lass. Just be careful."

8 went down to the brig and saw her brother sitting on the bed there. He glared at her as he saw her. "The captain's pet," he snarled. "We Octolings are above that."

"Captain Cuttlefish is like a father to me, Asahi," she said. "He helped me after I had been abandoned."

"That's a lie!" He snarled. "We looked for you! Octavio said you had perished! And he was right! My sister would never work with the filthy Inklings!"

"They've treated me better than our fellow Octolings," she said. "And Octavio is a beast. He kissed me without my permission."

"Liar! King Octavio would never stoop so low!"

"But he did! He kidnapped my niece and just tried to do it again! Can't you see he is horrible?!"

"You're horrible! You betrayed us! I wish I had never found you again!"

8 felt shock at that before anger filled her. "The feeling's mutual," she said. "I made a mistake coming to visit you. I won't be making that mistake again."

With that, she stormed up the stairs, the door to the brig closing behind her firmly. She walked to the deck before pausing at the railing, tears falling down her face as she sank to her knees.

She didn't know how long she stayed there until she felt something lightly hit her and she looked up to see it was raining. The cold rain numbed her skin and she didn't make a move to get up.

Hands wrapped gently around her shoulders and she was gently coaxed to her feet. "Come on, lass," Cuttlefish said softly.

8 didn't argue, not having the energy to do so. She was soon sitting in the warm cabin with a blanket around her shoulders and a hot drink in her hands. Tears fell down her face again. "I...I'm not sure what to feel right now," she admitted.

"You and your brother are both hurting, 8," Cuttlefish said gently. "You know the lies Octavio has told, but he in his blind loyalty doesn't see the lies behind the sea foam."

She looked up at him. "How much did you hear?" She asked.

"Pretty much everything, lass," he said. "It pains me to see two siblings fighting, but even worse is that he spoke those hurtful words in anger."

"I'm not faultless either, Captain. I said some things in anger too."

He nodded. "But did you really mean it, lass? Or was it said in spite to deliver hurt to him as he did to you?" He asked gently.

8 hung her head in shame. "It was in retaliation," she admitted. "I know better, but...," she trailed off. "No, nothing excuses my actions," she finished in a firm voice.

A hand rested on her shoulder. "Your emotions got the best of you, lass," Cuttlefish said gently. "You lashed out because your anger was overtaking your sense of reason."

She sighed. "What do I do now?" She asked.

"Don't give up on your brother yet," he said. "He'll come around."

"I hope so, Captain," she said.

The door opened then and 4 came in, wearing a rain poncho. "Storm's lightened up for now, but it's going to get windy and we're expecting a downpour," he said. "Power might go out."

8 looked outside to see the dark clouds. "We best get home then," she said.

"Yumi invited everyone to come to her place," the Inkling said. "She even said Asahi is welcome, but I'll be keeping an eye on him."

"Good," Cuttlefish said. "I'll go fetch him then."

Fifteen minutes later, they were gathered at Agent 3's house and she glared at Asahi. "If you even so much as go near my baby, I'll kick you outside in the storm myself," she growled at him.

He glared right back at her before feeling a tug on the chains that bound him. He didn't speak, but he glared at his sister, who sorrowfully looked away.

Yumi sighed. "This is going to be a long night," she told herself.

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