Chapter 8 – Whut?
Sora stared down at Tela who continued to kneel on the floor, both staring at each other in complete and utter shock. Then finally…
"T-Tela?" The Inkboy croaked as he suddenly lurched backwards, his trapped foot preventing him from going to far. He moved a hand to his head to wipe away the ink that was starting drip into his eye.
Tela remained quiet as she stared at the Inkling before her… all this time. Agent 3 is Sora… she even had some suspicion that Sora could have been the same as Agent 3 but she had dismissed it! I mean dammit! They have the same tentacle colour, the same voice and even the same fighting style!
She really was an idiot…
"Tela… you're a… Octoling…" whispered Sora, his voice finally snapping the Octoling out of her shocked induced haze.
"What?" Then Tela realised something in horror, her disguise… the fall from the kettle, when she had to clean her face from all the sand, she must have wiped away her black eye mask.
Sora's eyes were wide and fearful as Tela abruptly stood up, her fists shaking as panic started to build. Then the Inkling did something unexpected that completely caught the Octoling off guard, he started to laugh. Tela was bewildered and frankly a little bit scared as Sora threw back his head and laughed hard, his hand still on his forehead as his eyes screwed close.
"Hahaha… ha… all this time… You really were that Octoling I kept thinking about… it all makes sense, I've always kinda suspected it but… Haha… it's funny when you think about it…" Sora opened his eyes and looked at Tela again, something akin to hysteria laced his in features.
"To think that the Octoling and the Inkgirl I've been obsessing over are actually the same girl… hahaha…"
Tela looked away as she crossed her arms. "And to think the joking fun Inkboy and the mass murderer of my species is the same jerk-faced idiot!"
Sora stopped laughing, anger now lacing his features as he turned stern looking eyes towards her. "Maybe if you lot hadn't stolen OUR zapfishes I wouldn't have to come down here to get them back! The Octarians attacked me first!"
Tela opened her mouth to retaliate but stopped, her hands simply falling limply to her sides. To be honest… she didn't care anymore. She didn't care that her heart felt like it had been ripped to pieces, she didn't care that it was Sora, the Inkboy she's secretly in love with to be Agent 3 and she certainly didn't care what DJ Octavio was up to.
All she cared about was ensuring her sister's safety and happiness.
"Whatever… just take the damn zapfish and go!" the octoling hissed as she grabbed hold of Sora's hand and pulled him free from the purple ink before letting go quickly and making her way to the entrance.
Sora grabbed her arm and pulled her back instantly, forcing her to turn around and face him.
"You can't just walk away like this Tela, we need to talk." He said, his eyes narrowing as he refused to let go.
"What is there to talk about!?" snarled Tela as she tried to tug her arm free, but the Inkling merely tightened his grip. "Let go me you Inkling!"
Sora signed as he lowered his head "I have a name Tela, come on. Just… ah man… this is so messed up."
Then the Inkboys face changed as if he had suddenly realised something, he whipped his face up as his eyes narrowed.
"You were trying to steal back the zapfish… that's why you were sneaking around Inkopolis disguised as an Inkboy, isn't it?"
Tela felt her eyes go wide at the sudden accusation and anger in Sora's voice. It wasn't like Tela could deny this statement as she did indeed have every intention of doing what the Inkboy said, but it wasn't like that anymore.
"So, what if I did!? I didn't know any better back then but now I… well…"
The anger in Sora's face faded away to be replaced with curiosity and a slight half-smirk gracing his lips, almost as if he knew or suspected what was going to be said next.
"Well what? What changed your mind Tela?"
Tela closed her eyes and huffed, a blush growing on her face. "I met you…" she whispered as the smirk on Sora grew bigger.
"I met you and learned so many things about the Inklings, the Turf Wars… the dance clubs… kelp burgers, and not to mention all the other amazing things in your world!"
Tela stared into the forest green eyes she loved so much as an overwhelming tide of emotions came rising up, making her feel as if she could explode at any minute.
"I came to realise that DJ Octavio was wrong about you all… you're not the bad guys in all this, its US! We're the bad guys!"
Tela rubbed at her eyes as her sight began to blur due to tears that were forming.
"I really love your world Sora, and I wish… I wish so much that me and my sister could be apart of it. I hate living underground… I hate having to be constantly on guard of collapsing platforms due to power loss and having to work out how to gather enough money so my sister and I wouldn't starve! I just…"
Tela's rant trailed off as she felt Sora place his hand on her cheek, using his thumb to brush away a few loose tears. He was staring at the Octoling with such an intense look that Tela felt her throat go dry.
"It's strange…" the Inkling muttered as his hand began to snake around to the back of the octolings neck.
"That knowing you're an Octoling all this time? Hasn't changed my feelings towards you at all… Welp, Ryu always did say I had strange tastes! I must have considering what friends I've got."
Sora smirked as he pulled Tela closer, one hand on her neck and the other still gripping her arm. Tela gasped as they touched noses, her eyes wide in shock as her face grew even redder, her heart beating so fast she thought she could faint.
"I want to kiss you." Tela choked slightly at the words that just came out of her mouth. Did she really just say that!? What the Octo-hell!?
Sora blinked in surprise before quickly regaining his composure, his tongue stuck out slightly to lick his lips as his eyes stared down predatory. Tela wondered if it was possible to die from excitement as Sora tilted his face to the side, his lips getting closer to her own so slowly it was almost painful.
Then what he whispered next almost made Tela expire right then and there. "Kiss me then."
The Octoling closed her eyes and, while ignoring the sudden beating speeding up inside her body, went to close the tiny gap between their lips. She didn't even stop to think what she was doing; her brain was screaming no but her heart was bellowing YES!
*rattle*
Sora and Tela jumped with alarm and quickly pulled away from each other, their eyes fully alert as they scanned the area. The noise had come from outside near the entrance.
Sora grabbed hold of Tela's arm again and swiftly pulled her along, grabbing his helmet in the process as they moved to hide behind some crates. Just in time as voices could now be heard.
"So, what do you think? Did they managed to get him?"
"I'm not sure, but the fact all communications with them have gone dead… well… it's not a good sign."
Two Octolingsp clad in their trademark armour and googles entered the power house, their weapons cocked up and ready.
"Oh…" the Octoling on the left covered her mouth as disgust filled her facial feature.
"That's just so… nasty. Are you sure this Agent 3 guy is an Inkling? He seems more like a killer robot or something to me."
The second Octoling on the right scoffed. "Please! As if those useless sacks of ink have any brain cells to make a killer robot!"
"Well HE'S not useless… the whole interior of the building's been decorated with the guts of our comrades."
"Comrades? I don't consider 30 Octarians who have been wiped out by a single Inkling to be comrades of mine. Commander Lucia is going to be furious when we report this."
"Well yeah… didn't she give up the zapfish that powered up her home in order to set-up the ambush?"
Tela moved her eyes toward Sora who had silently put his helmet back on, the reflection of her terrified eyes stared back at her. This wasn't good. Sora's ink tank was completely empty and the only puddle of blue ink to be seen was on the far side of the room. The crowbar that had been used lay out in the open, there was no way of getting it without being seen.
"Sweep the area, then contain the zapfish after clearance."
This wasn't good at all.
"Stay hidden, don't move ok!?" hissed Tela, Sora turned to face her but the Octoling had no way of knowing his emotions with the helmet in the way. With a deep breath she bolted from their hiding place and threw her hands in the air before the Octolings who rapidly fell into battle stances, their weapons raised.
"Wait…" the octoling on the right lowered her weapon when she realised the figure wasn't Agent 3.
"Tela? What the hell girl!? Why are you here!?"
Tela heard a slight rustle behind her but didn't dare look back in fear of giving away Sora's presence.
"I was trying to hunt that blasted Agent 3!" she forcefully sneered as she lowered her hands to place them on her hips.
"I hoped that if I could capture him or something, I'll be let back into the army. By the time I got here he had already taken out everyone and fled."
"He fled?" the Octoling on the left said as she raised an eyebrow. "He took everyone out and just left without taking the zapfish?"
Tela cringed at her major mistake, sweat beginning to form on her skin. She had completely forgotten about that Octo-blasted zapfish.
"Well um… you see… hahaha! It is strange isn't it! Guess he must have been worn out and thought I might have been back-up when he heard me. I mean… Come on! Anyone would be tired after splattering that many enemies, right? Right?"
Both Octoling looked at each other before looking at Tela and raising their weapons. Tela stepped back in fear, her eyes wide. It wasn't like they could hurt her by shooting since the ink wouldn't hurt her, but the Octo-Blaster were designed for melee use as well. Being hit with the barrel hurts… a lot.
"Sorry Tela, but I'm afraid we're going to have to take you in for suspected involvement in aiding Agent 3!"
"What!?" shouted Tela now panicking, her arms waving in front of her. "Are you octo-kidding me!?"
"We're arresting you for the fraternization with the Inklings and aiding Agent 3 and Scuttlefish in their plans against DJ Octavio!" said the Octoling on the right as she stepped closer.
"It's pretty obvious what's going on Tela, now we understand how Agent 3 survived the ambush. You're even wearing Inkling clothes!" shouted the octoling on the left as she stepped closer too.
"W-wait! You've got it all wrong!" wailed Tela as she took another step back, her eyes went down as her foot hit something hard and heavy. The crowbar.
Both Octolings leaped forwards as their swung their Octo-blasters. Tela dived to the floor and grabbed hold of the crowbar, she was just about to swing it in order to parry the blows when both Octolings splattered, their remains raining down on Tela who simply stood and blink, a look of confusion on her face.
"Don't just stand there looking pretty." Said Agent 3 as he walked up to Tela swinging his Splattershot Pro, a joking tone to his voice. It seemed the Inkling had sneaked off while the Octolings were distracted with Tela and had managed to submerged himself in one of his ink puddles in squid form, rapidly filling up his Ink-Tank.
"What am I going to do…" whispered Tela as she stared down at the floor, the crowbar slipped from her grasp and fell with a loud clang. "I literally just slaughtered a dozen of my own kind! FOR YOU!"
Tela pointed a shaking finger toward Sora who flinched in fear and quickly up his hands up in a surrender.
"I just can't! I… can't believe you were Agent 3… all this time. Urgh… As if my life can't get any more screwed up!"
"I didn't ask to be Agent 3." Snapped Sora, his anger returning in his voice.
"Either did I!" snapped Tela back, as she stomped her foot in frustration. She felt so conflicted on this, she still liked him but… she had to talk to Janjan. That crazy old Octoling always knew what to say lately to calm her down and help clear her head.
A bang in the distant caught their attention.
"Come on Tela. We need to leave before more show up. You can stay at my apartment until we figure things out."
Tela was about to complain and refuse to even accept coming to his home, but then she stopped and thought about it. They really did need to talk about things.
She sniffed and nodded her head, Sora swiftly ran over to the zapfish to contain it, then ran back while grabbing hold of Tela's hand and lead her out of the building as fast as their legs could carry them.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Tela sat on the sofa in Sora's apartment wearing a spare set of Sora's PJ after having a shower, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and a mug of kelp tea clutched between her hands. She huffed slightly as she leaned further back in the blanket so that the scent of Sora became stronger to her nose. Her body relaxed as she closed her eyes, a blush creeping up her cheeks.
The sudden dip on the sofa next to her made her snap her eyes open, yellow meeting forest green as Sora grinned with two bowls of steaming hot kelp ramen in his hands. Tela took a bowl that was offered to her with a smile and began to tuck in, while ignoring the twisting feeling in her ink-sack at having Sora so close to her.
"Are you sure it's ok for me to stay here?" murmured Tela as she clenched her bowl tight, feeling the warm from the food seep into her hands with a gentle heat.
Sora quickly swallowed the mouthful of noodles before answering. "Why are you asking such a stupid question?" he asked bluntly as Tela felt herself bristle with slight anger. It wasn't a stupid question! How could this moronic and handsome Inkling be so oblivious to what was going on. He had spent nearly a year fighting back against her kind to regain their stolen zapfishes, then goes and houses an Octoling in his own home!
Sora laughs when he sees the glare being sent his way. "You're really cute when you're angry."
"S-shut up! I'm angry that you called my question stupid!"
"Well it is. I want you here Tela, we really need to talk things out."
Tela raised an eyebrow in question as Sora leaned forwards on the sofa and tucked slightly at his yellow jacket collar.
"I know me being Agent 3 is kinda alarming for you but… I have to do this Tela, I can't just let the Octarians go around doing what they want and causing harm."
"I know that!" shouted Tela feeling irritated and guilty. No matter how she looked at it, the Octarians really were completely in the wrong. Yet was it really wrong to want the same things as the Inklings? Living underground and being denied something so simple as fresh air and sunlight.
"I don't need you to lecture me ok? I already know, that's why I saved you when you were ambushed, I'm not stupid!"
Tela knew she sounded like a kid whining but she didn't care. She was here to talk after all.
"I always believed the words that DJ Octavio told us, our suffering is so bad that we believed everything he said about it being the Inklings fault. We were living in such horrible conditions, reports of death were almost daily. We simply gave up and accepted the fact we were all going to die underground. When we told there was a culprit that had caused all this, our despair turned to fury."
Tela stirred the contents of her bowl, the wisps of steam now gone. Sora watched her intently, his face stern as his eyes never left her face. She wished she could tell what the Inkboy was thinking.
"DJ Octavio started to amass an army within days of his speech. For the first time in 100 years… we felt hopeful. My parents…"
Tela stopped and took a deep breath, her form shaking as her mind thought back all those years ago when Levi had been born.
The Octoling jumped as Sora wrapped his hand around her own, holding it tightly as he stared at her with that strange expression. Tela felt like crying when she realised this is going to be the first time she had ever told anyone the story of her parent's death. In his own way, Sora was telling her he's there for her, and the Octoling couldn't help but feel deep trust in him.
"It was close to seven years ago on the day my baby sister was born, I was so happy at the fact I now had someone to look after and teach… I wasn't going to be alone anymore. The underground caverns have always been powered by electricity that the Octarians had saved, but over the years that power had been running out causing blackout and parts of the cavern walls and platforms to collapse."
Tela took another deep breath and continued, a small comfort was given as Sora's hand gave a reassuring squeeze.
"Just as we left the hospital, one of the floating platforms above lost power and began to fall. I've never known such panic and terror in all my life, everyone was screaming and crying while trying to escape. My parents forced me and Levi into a crack in the wall just as the platform fell. They didn't… they d-didn't… *sniff* make it…"
Tela placed her bowl on the table and began to furiously wipe at her eyes as tears began to form.
The Octoling gave a squeak of surprise as Sora tugged on her hand hard, making her fall onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around her effectively trapping her as he rested his chin on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry…" he whispered, his breath wafting over Tela's neck, causing her to take a sharp inhale at the strange feelings and emotions brewing up from being held like this. It felt… nice. It felt safe.
Tela shivered as that warm breath continued to wash over her neck as the Inkling nuzzled his face further in. A new kind of heat began to flare in the Octoling abdomen area, making her squeeze her legs together and squirm. Octo damn it!
"I never knew… I didn't even once consider… no wonder you and the Octarians hated us. I would too if I was in their position."
"It's nobody's fault!" said Tela as she moved her hands and gripped onto the Inklings arms tightly.
"If anything, it's DJ Octavio's fault. I just wished I had realised that sooner."
Sora held Tela closer.
"I wish I could keep you here forever… I won't let anything bad happen to you again while you're with me."
Tela raised an eyebrow at the sudden protectiveness in the Inkboy.
"Dude… I don't need you to protect me. I'm not weak you know."
"I know that, but considered me a selfish Inkling… I know you're capable of protecting yourself, but I still want to protect you anyway."
Tela gasped as she felt his lips brushing against the sensitive skin on her neck.
"I want to be here for you. I… I really like you Tela."
The Octoling gasped as she tried to wrap her head around this sudden possessive and unusual behaviour from her friend. She knew how he felt about her as it was so obvious, but to hear him confirm it… it made her heart soar and beat like there was no tomorrow.
"You smell so nice... You were going to kiss me by the way, you sure like to keep a squid waiting."
Woah… Ok, the mood suddenly turned into something a bit more… intimate. Maybe Inklings were just frisky by nature or something… it wasn't like Tela understood everything about them yet. Seeing Sora acting so intense was… exhilaration! She could feel her own excitement growing, her self-control started to crack.
Tela slowly twisted her body within the arms wrapped around her so she came face to face with an eager looking Sora, a wide grin that showed off those sharp fangs of his.
"Hmmmm… Not sure if I still want to kiss you now." Pondered Tela, tapping her chin with a finger while smirking, Sora took a sharp inhale of breath, his eyes went wide as obvious disappointment and uncertainty filled his face.
The look he was giving her was just too adorable. She really did want to kiss him, but she had to say something first.
Tela gripped Sora's jacket collar and yanked himself towards her so that their noses touched. The Inkboy opened and closed his mouth, his eyes wide as his cheeks grew a rosy red.
"I like you too."
With that, the Octoling leaned forwards and pressed her lips against the surprised Inklings own, catching him off guard as he froze like a statue. Then his brain started to work again as he pushed against the Octoling, causing her to lean backwards as he deepened the kiss.
"Ommf!" mumbled Tela in surprise as she fell on her back on the sofa, Sora lips still attached with no indication of letting go. His hands on either side of her waist as he leaned over her, the Octolings legs were angled to the side causing some discomfort.
Tela pushed against Sora's chest, causing him to break the kiss and stare down with a questionable look, uncertainly filling his facial features.
"My legs…" mumbled Tela avoiding eye-contact as she blushed heavily. Sora's face filled with understanding as he quickly leaned back to allow the Octoling to re-adjust her legs so they now rested on either side of the Inklings hips. Tela swallowed at the new suggestive position they were now in, but at least it didn't hurt her any more.
Sora grinned as he leaned down again, obviously enjoying this new position on the sofa. He moved his face into the nook of Tela's neck and slowly trailed kisses along it, causing the Octoling to gasp and squirm.
As if being encouraged by Tela's response, Sora parted his lips and bit into the soft flesh.
The sharp pain caused by his fangs made Tela hiss slightly as her hands gripped his shoulders tighter.
"S-Sora!" hissed the Octoling at the sharp pain. Why was he biting her? Weren't they suppose to be kissing, or is she missing something here? She had zero experience when it came to this sort of thing, it wasn't like she had the time to learn due to caring for her sister.
Sora pulled his teeth away and gently blew on the bite mark as droplets of purple ink began to ooze out. Tela shivered in a mixture of pleasure and fear, how could something so weird feel… so good.
"S-stop. If my ink gets onto you it's going t-!?" Tela stopped talking as Sora pressed his lips against the mark he had made and began to suck hard.
"What are you doing!?" yelled the Octoling in a panic while trying to hold back a moan at the amazing feeling of receiving her first hickey.
"You're going to get ill! Stop! EH!?" Tela gaped in shock as Sora stopped sucking and leaned back, his sky-blue tentacles now a brilliant shade of purple.
"Impressed?" the Inkling winked as Tela continued to stare at him gob-smacked. How… how did he do that!? She knew Inklings could use any colour ink they wanted, but she thought they had to use some device or something. Obviously not.
"H-How did you DO that?"
Tela looked amazed as she raised her hands and began to feel his tentacles that were tied back in a short ponytail. Sora smirked and closed his eyes as the girl's fingers stroked every area they could reach.
"Well you already know how ink that's a different colour will trapped and hurt us r-right?" The Inkling had stuttered slightly at the end when a fingertip had brushed against one of his suckers underneath his tentacle.
"Yeah, obviously!" retorted Tela with an eye-roll.
"Well, we Inklings have a special organ in our bodies that allow us to consume different coloured ink and convert our own to be the same. See?"
"That's… actually pretty cool!"
"Yep! After a few hours our ink slowly reverts back to its original colour. We Inklings are pretty cool, aren't we?"
"Big-headed more like." Grinned Tela as she pulled the band off Sora's tentacles, causing them to come loose. She grabbed hold of one that swayed near her face and began to examine it more closely.
It was fascinating how different their tentacles were. Inklings were smooth and slightly flattish, their suckers less prominent and hidden underneath. Octolings tend to be longer and thicker, the suckers slightly larger and less hidden.
"Having fun?" smiled Sora, his eyes still closed. He seems to be enjoying the attention his tentacles were receiving from Tela who continued to explore.
"I wonder…" smirked Tela as she moved one of her hands underneath and ran her finger-tips across one of the suckers. Sora took a sharp intake of breath and trembled slightly. Guess Inkling suckers were just as sensitive as Octarians were, interesting.
She caressed his suckers again and smiled inwardly as Sora gasped, and then swooped down to kiss her fully. This time the kiss seems more… desperate. She felt her insides squirm with delight as Sora brushed his tongue along her lower lip, Tela parted her lips with a pleasured-filled moan and felt the heat bubbling inside her spike as the Inkling thrusted his tongue into her mouth, their tongues sliding over each other in a wet battle for dominance.
Knock Knock!
Both Tela and Sora stopped as their mouths parted, their heads turning as one to face the door.
"Oh, come on!" hissed Sora angrily, obviously frustrated at being stopped as Tela smirked.
Someone knocked at the door again, followed by a loud band.
"What do you think you're doing!? Your barbaric behaviour will break his door!"
Sora groaned as he pushed himself into a sitting position as he rubbed his face with his hand.
"Aww squid! I forgot about the guys coming over!" The Inkboy looked down at Tela with a look of longing before shaking his head slightly.
"Head to my bedroom, I've got a black pen next to the little notebook on my chest of drawers."
Tela nodded and quickly climbed off the sofa, grabbing her hat on the way to the bedroom. She shut the door and grabbed the pen as she heard Sora open the door. As fast as she could, the Octoling began to draw the black eye mask around her eyes before the others could walk in on her.
After she had finished, she rammed her hat on her head while tucking her tentacles away and exited the room to find Maya and Naya circling a nervous looking Sora with curious looks.
The Inkgirls stopped when they saw Tela and began to giggle loudly, their hands going in front of their mouths while they pointed at her. The Octoling raised an eye-brow at their strange behaviour, what was causing them to giggle?
"Ah! So THAT'S why you've changed to purple! Sora, you pervert!" both girls said at the same time as Sora went bright red with embarrassment.
It took Tela a second later to realise what was going on as her hand flew up to hide the hickey mark on her neck.
"Enough… what Sora does in his own time of leisure is none of our concern." Sniffed Ryu, pushing his glasses back up.
"Though I do recommend taking precautionary measures if level of intimacy progresses to the next level. There are a few books on the subject I have at home in my personal library. I'll be more then delighted to share them with you."
Tela stood there looking confused as everything that Ryu said simply flew over her head. "Whut?"
Maya and Naya threw disgusted looks at Ryu as they leaned their heads together to mutter quietly.
Sora slapped a hand on his face and groaned, looking an interesting combination of purple and red.
"Ryu? Just shut up."