TWO
Anxiety twisted in Rina's stomach when she heard the Squid Sister's performance begin in the distance. She knew they were insistent on her being there, her phone had been buzzing nonstop for the last hour. The party sounded very lively, she could see bright colorful lights beaming out over the plaza from her window. Rina could even feel some bass rumbling despite being on the fourth floor.
"They really like to go all out..." Rina mumbled to herself. She knew she needed to go...but should she dress up? If so, in what? And she didn't really feel like dancing with strangers.
Well, it was only one night afterall. How bad could it be? Rina chuckled nervously to herself, hoping she didn't just jinx it.
After deciding to just go in regular clothes, Rina left her apartment complex and made her way down the streets of Inkopolis. The streets were pretty empty and dark, but as she neared the plaza there were more lights in windows and small groups of friends on the street, swaying to the Squid Sisters bubbly voices.
The music was pounding through the ground, and Rina decided it might be best to just hang back and watch instead of getting lost in the pulsing crowd. Callie and Marie looked like they were having a blast, Callie's grin was bright and Marie was even smiling for the crowd, much to the fans approval. Rina couldn't help but crack a smile, everyone was laughing and dancing and having fun.
She remembered when she was this free, too. That was before Octo Valley.
Maybe...Maybe someday she could become like them again, like all of the other Inklings. Carefree and joyful and lively.
"Hey! Rina, is that you?" She heard someone's voice shouting over the noise. Looking around in confusion, Rina spotted a boy Inkling smiling at her to her right. He was wearing a glow stick around his neck and his blue tentacles were tied up on his head.
"Binke?" Recognition blinked to life in Rina's mind. This was one of her old friends. She hadn't seen him for months, after everything that happened. A little bit of guilt twinged in her.
"No no no..." He shouted above the noise, weaving between dancing bodies until he was closer (almost uncomfortably so). "Call me B. It sounds cooler." He shot Rina a dorky grin and she laughed in response.
"Since when did you decide that?"
"A while ago. Hey, where have you been lately? I haven't seen you around." He inquired, leaning on the cement wall behind them. His blue eyes were reflecting the light of the multicolor beams, but Rina could see some concern in the gaze.
"Oh um... No reason, really. I've just been busy." Rina mumbled, looking away. She remembered why she hadn't talked to Binke in a while. He didn't know about Octo Valley. She didn't want him to know.
"What?" He squinted his eyes, shouting above the Squid Sisters chorus.
"No reason!" Rina shouted back, hoping to end the conversation. "I'm... I'm gonna go get a drink."
"Oh, okay." Binke sounded kind of dissapointed. Rina felt bad, it wasn't his fault that she didn't want to talk.
Rina smiled warmly at him, "I'll see you later, B."
He grinned as Rina turned to walk away.
It took a few minutes to maneuver through the crowd, even though she was at the edges of the plaza. Darting into a side alley, she sighed in relief. It looked like no one else was here.
There was a lonely vending machine sitting up against a wall. At least she could actually get a drink like she said she would. But, digging through her pockets, she realized she didn't have any money.
"Dang it! Why didn't I bring anything..." Rina grumbled in frustration. Could this night get any worse?
"Hey, you need to borrow some money?" Rina jumped in surprise at the sudden voice. She turned her gaze to see an Inkling girl standing in the darkness. Her body posture looked nervous but her facial expression seemed to be an attempt at friendliness. She took a few steps forward and looked down at her feet. "Um, here..."
Rina realized she was holding out some coins. "Uh, no I'm okay."
"It's fine!" She said in a high pitched voice, suddenly meeting Rina's eyes again. "U-um, you can have it. I insist!"
"Well, okay. If you're sure." Rina said with uncertainty, watching as the Inkling nodded her head several times. She had pale, icy blue tentacles that appeared to be styled into a bow very similar to Callie's (Though not nearly as long. In fact, they were relatively short, only hanging down to her shoulders). She was wearing a ruffled white dress that glowed in the dim light, and what appeared to be schoolgirl shoes.
Rina dropped the coins into the machine and punched in the number. A can of juice dropped down with a clunk. Rina leaned down to retrieve it, and when she stood back up she heard the girl's timid voice again.
"U-um... My name's ..."
"What's that?" Rina popped open the can.
"My name is Blue!"
"Um, thanks Blue. For the juice."
"N-no problem! I'm always happy to help." She shuffled her feet nervously.
"Are you here for the party?"
"Well...I was but..." She chuckled, "I'm a bit too scared to go into a crowd like that."
Rina narrowed her eyes at this. This girl didn't seem like the Inklings she usually met. Kids in Inkopolis were confident and thrill seeking. Blue wasn't giving off a battle-savy vibe. She seemed nice, though. Rina felt almost comfortable with her.
"Yea, I guess I can understand that. I came here to get away." Rina confessed, letting out a sigh.
"Really?" Blue's shiny eyes widened.
Rina smiled. "Yea. Maybe we can brave the crowd together?"
"Really! That would be great!" She balled her hands into fists and lifted them up with a grin. "I mean, um. Thanks. I'd like that. I'm a big fan of the Squid Sisters..."
"We better hurry then. I think it's almost over."
"Thanks for coming out everybody!" Marie's call was greeted with joyous cheering. She waved from the stage.
"And a special thanks to the squiddo who saved Inkopolis! Let's give it up for our friend!" Callie cheered, pumping her fist in the air. A thunderous amount of screaming and clapping exploded around Rina. She looked over to see Blue standing next to her with a large smile on her face, clapping enthusiastically with eyes glued to Callie.
"And with that, we bid you..."
"Goodnight, Inkopolis!" The Squid Sisters winked at the crowd and struck their iconic pose.
Most of the Inklings stuck around to listen to the speakers still blaring instrumentals, Rina was among the few that began picking their way out of the plaza.
Callie and Marie appeared to be talking with fans. Rina smiled softly, "I'll meet up with them later." She mumbled to herself and wandered to the edge of the plaza once again. She leaned up against a wall and closed her eyes, a street lamp in the alley was glowing.
"Rina!"
She opened her eyes in time to see a very enthusiastic Callie bounding towards her, followed by a smiling Marie.
"I see you stuck around." Marie commented, "Even though you're hiding in an alley."
Rina laughed, "Yea... It was alright. Nice singing, guys."
"Awww! Rina had fun!" Callie cooed and threw her arms around her. Marie put her hand to her mouth and laughed.
Rina was smiling, then she saw someone standing in the darkness a little ways away.
...Blue?
"Hey!" Rina called out to her. Why was she hiding?
Rina saw Blue's shadowed figure jump in surprise. Callie and Marie turned to look behind them.
"Y-y-y-y-you know the Squid Sisters?" Blue's shaky voice finally came out.
"Oh, uh. Yeah, I guess I do." Oops.
Callie gasped and ran up to her, making the poor girl's eyes widen with terror. She practically dragged Blue back over to Rina and squealed, "Who's this cutie?"
Blue's face lit up with a blush, "My name's Blue!" She said a bit too loudly, obviously starstruck.
"Did Rina make a frieeend?" Callie smirked and held Blue's face with both hands. That girl had no restraint...
"We hung out a little..." Rina said, embarrassed that Blue was dragged into their antics. They barely knew each other!
"See! I knew this would be good for you." Marie said triumphantly.
"It was totally my idea to throw a party for you!" Callie looked proud of herself, Marie scoffed.
"Was not!"
"It totally was! You believe me, right, Agent 3?" Callie winked playfully at Rina.
"Um..." Rina suddenly realized that Blue was still standing there. Her expression was confused, Rina could see Blue calculating what she had just heard in her head. Rina's mouth fell open and she kicked Callie. "Shhh!"
"Ow! Wha- OH!" Callie slapped her hand over her mouth and whipped around to look at Blue.
"Wait...if it was for you..." Blue mumbled to herself, looking between Callie and Marie's shocked faces to Rina's horrified one. "Then... Then that means you-!" She slapped her hand over her mouth, as well, and pointed dramatically at Rina.
Rina felt dread course through her body. No...No one was supposed to find out. Everyone already acted like she was some kind of amazing all-powerful hero, though not directly to her. Blue would tell everyone. Her secret was out.
The screaming of the crowd went into a crescendo. Suddenly a chill went through her as she met Blue's gaze, and Rina saw the others expressions change too when they all realized.
The screaming was that of panic.
"W-what happened?" Rina uttered, they all looked back to the plaza.
"More like what's happening." Marie said, pointing.
The Inklings were scattering, shrieking and pulling each other away from the plaza. Were they...were they running away? From what?
Rina didn't what to know the answer. In that moment, she just wanted to leave. Why was this happening? She didn't feel like a hero. She felt as terrified as the kids stumbling past them looked.
"C'mon, Agents! We've gotta help!" Callie ran full speed into the crowd of panicking Inklings.
"Callie, wait for me!" Marie followed suit, leaving Rina and Blue behind.
No... it isn't safe, why are they rushing in there? Rina jerked out of her paralyzed state when she felt a tugging on her sleeve. She looked over, in a daze, to see Blue staring wide eyed back at her.
"We should help!" She said in a quivering voice.
"How? What can we do, we don't even know what's happening." Rina's voice sounded strange to her. She felt like a coward. Before, she would have rushed in to follow Callie and Marie. But now... she was too afraid that the Octarians were coming back; that she would have to carry that responsibility all over again.
"You're the savior of Inkopolis, aren't you?" Blue's voice was determined. Rina flinched at the reminder. She didn't respond. Blue's eyes darted back and forth between the screaming crowd and Rina's averted gaze. "Fine!" She huffed with a determined gaze. "I'm going to go help the Squid Sisters."
"Blue, it's not safe-"
"I don't care!"
"What if it's the Octarians?" Rina finally voiced her fears.
Blue hesitated. "Then we'll drive them back. We've done it before." With that she took off into the crowd, disappearing into the mass of panicked Inklings still within the plaza.
"Blue, wait!" Rina called out, but the girl was gone. Rina felt ashamed, and then fearful. The first time she faced the Octarians, it was just herself and the Squid Sisters (over the radio) that were in immediate danger. But now... something was happening and everyone was here. Everyone was in danger. All of her friends, Binke, Callie, Marie... Blue.
Rina gulped and forced her legs to move, diving into the darkened plaza.
Second chapter, i'm diving right into the action! :D I hope I'm writing the characters well, Rina is quite the nervous wreck haha. Give me feedback! Was it good? Have any suggestions, comments, what did you like? Were the new characters okay? Thanks for reading! ;)
Staaaaay fresh! ==