Chapter 2: Honesty.
"Hey, this isn't a joke! It's not working!"
The subway soared, roaring through the metro, without any semblance of time. Not getting into specifics, the duo arrived deepsea to investigate some very strong disruptions, of multiple kinds. It was a few days in their expedition, and all of the sudden…
Their CQ-80 was blinking red.
"Blinkin' red, eh? Keri, relax… at least the light's workin'!"
Clearly, Keri wasn't exactly pleased about the situation. Getting anxious, she started to pace around the inside of the railcar.
"Ugh! You know we can't get out right? Not until this is figured out? Like how are we gonna control the train, even!?"
Listening to an agitated Keri, Craig talks to her straight-forward. "Let's get to the front, ya kno'? Go old scoo'! Then maybe you understand how hard I had'da work!"
It made sense, after all. C.Q. Cumber & Iso Padre had been off the rails for at least a year, so this is simply the exploitation of automation provided by the CQ-80. In almost every way, the duo shouldn't even be there. If the automator cannot be controlled, there's a problem, unless they take matters into their own hands.
"Are you kidding me!?"
Clearly, Keri wasn't a fan of the idea. This puts her in a position where she doesn't know how to act, a level of pressure that was never taught to her or how to manage. Without being self-aware of her own capabilities, it really seemed like this could've been a disaster.
"Okay, sure! Awesome! Yep. Let's go to the front, Captain, sure."
Running from car to car, the noise seemingly getting louder, the duo rushed for what seemed like a baseless cause. It was obvious to Keri; the conductor's "room" was locked, and wasn't meant to be inhabited by any of our recognizable species. And when the two arrived, reaching exhaustion, Keri aggressively punched the door to no avail. Yes, her suspicions were right, why wouldn't they be.
"Great, Mister! It's done-in, and so are we!"
As Craig tried to calm Keri down, her unsure composure, memories with the locale, and feeling of helplessness simply started to consume her decision making ability. Panicking, rambling, and aggressively expressive, Craig was all-too aware of this behavior.
"Alright, that's it, isn't it!? Our idiotic selves decided to come back on an inquisition and get ourselves into a larger bubble, right!?
"And now I have memories, now I have the sky, and now I'm back into what might as well be my home, huh!? Right? You, me, our beginnings, it was over! We had our story! I had EVERYTHING, and SOMEHOW, YOU dragged me back into this pit, right?!
"ISN'T THAT RIGHT!? HUH!?
"RIGHT!?"
Keri, with all of her rage, slammed the malfunctioning CQ-80 onto the ground of the front passenger car. For a brief moment, all the lights went out in the subway.
In the midst of darkness, Craig muttered.
"Yer did 'er worse, Keri."
And right at the cusp of Keri's response, the lights came back on, but significantly dimmed. Semi-unsettling beeps were being played slowly, but rhymically, as the intercom system woke up for the first time. An automated message started to blare in a slew of languages beyond our collective comprehension, announcing likely-important information.
The CQ-80 was shattered, with the bits of its board scattered around in its teal-coloured plastic. Panting, Keri recuperated herself, and assessed her current reasoning ability. Sitting down on one of the subway benches, she put her hand on her head, trying to calm down and think, as the unknown voices shouted gibberish instructions.
"Captain, I-. I just wanna know what's happening to me. I just wanna figure it out…"
As the alarm echoed throughout the new-found scene, Cuttlefish slowly tried to find solutions as Keri silently moped in her own disaster. She made this worse for the both of them, seemingly without much reason other than pressure. She had caved in…
She understood that some sort of emergency procedure had triggered, but had no clue as to what kind. Presumably, considering the AI network that had managed her original detour, the stations had been adapted to the new system, so at some point, it would speak for Craig and Keri. It simply had to get there, and that passage of time was rough.
Finally, after what felt like dozens of languages, Cuttlefish heard Inkling on the intercom. He perked up, looking back at Keri with a happy glimmer in his eyes.
"I kno' wher we goin'!" said Craig.
"...What now..?"
"To wher' we began, Keri."
While their sense of time wasn't fully accurate, Craig Cuttlefish said it'd been around thirty-minutes until they arrived at the emergency location. Keri loosely understood what Cuttlefish said, but it could've meant two things; it could've been the central station, or where they met for the first time. As Keri soon learned, Craig meant the latter.
"Why are we headed there, of all places?"
"So we can start retracin' our steps!"
Multiple things were going on at once. Keri was thinking of how to, possibly, get a working CQ-80. Maybe, she thought, Claire still had that employee model from those… series of events. And, thankfully, the train was able to recognize that something went wrong with the navigation system, even if it involved breaking a "functional" unit entirely. Curiously, Keri went back to the thought of C.Q. Cumber. Only if-
"Ey! Let's get outta ther'!"
Quickly, Keri walked off the train and onto the platform for Central Station. Thinking about what she could've done differently, Craig had a steady lead over her imaginative-self processing the surroundings once again. Here, she fought to see the sky, and got her chance to live on the surface, with me! The broken ceiling represented hope, a sense of teamwork and accomplishment. Now, seeing it with her awakened stance, the fracture was simply a metaphor for her return. Reasonably upset, Keri went to follow Cuttlefish and his oddly-remarkable ability to retrace footsteps through an aging memory.
Going onto the assumed-broken train tracks, Keri consistently tracked behind Cuttlefish in walking speed. Stuck in her day-dreaming prowess, she moped along, deep in thought.
Was this trip even worth it? It was just a curiosity, meant to be safe. It was just them, nobody else could've been hurt…
What was even the intention? If there is disruption in the Metro, is it even their responsibility to manage it?
What was the wanted outcome? If they found the disruption, what could that mean for their lives, and the rest of the New Squidbeak Splatoon?
What about the future of the New Squidbeak Splatoon? Is there even a future for them together, as a group?
"Captain!"
Her electrified voice echoed through the tunnel.
"Yea'!?"
Anxious, but attempting to keep calm, Keri asked directly; "What are we doing right now? Like, what's the plan?"
"Uhh… make 'er up as she goes!"
Having to fight every instinct inside of her, Keri backed off from Cuttlefish, and let him do his thing.
"Alright, Captain. Making it up as we go."
Her thoughts became bleaker and bleaker with her vision, as the light faded away from the station. They started to rely on Craig's old "doo-dads", as his grandkids used to call them. A weaker flashlight guided them through the sizable abyss, but unlike Craig, Keri's keen eyes were able to see the "training" location.
The transparent-green Kamabo symbol, leaning upwards by gravity itself, reminded her of their beginnings. Even back then, he'd ask plenty of questions, someone who seemed truly curious about Octarian culture. As Keri would later learn, however, Craig was curious about the progression of Octarian culture, rather than the beginnings. Being a veteran of the Great Turf War, it should come as no surprise; Octavio knows the guy well, after all.
Keri began to wonder if her Captain was someone who could still learn, innovate, and fight in the way that he used to. Looking for fresh blood, always, he eventually attracted misfit on-top of misfit. Alongside his grandkids, he put alongside school scholars, parent rejects, and now herself; someone who's first tangible memory was the feeling of withering away.
"Rember' this place? Shockin' to see Octarian tech so soon, eh?"
At their half-way point, Keri wondered. This was the place she'd had her brief, but still informative, training session. Without, whatever "this" is, she wouldn't have been able to accomplish nearly as much.
"What do we do here? As in like, now?"
"Nothin', we just keep walkin'. I like reminisn', tha's it."
Even with all of that, he'd still been a massive help. She wouldn't even be able to see what's in-front of herself, outside of the simple glimmer of fluorescent lights, thanks to his few functional doo-dads. Her physical advantages, youth, and cunning vision enabled her to become another function to the old soldier. In many ways, the Squidbeak Splatoon was slowly morphing into his school of thought, passing onto his grandchildren and his curated misfits alike. It was fascinating, in his own, weird, Craig Cuttlefish way.
Out of curiosity, and in relevance to her wandering mind, Keri asked, "How are those grand-kids of yours, Cuttlefish?"
"A good Captain don't involve his kids in the buis'! Unless needed, that is." Cuttlefish said, striking his iconic pose, subtly shaking without the support from his walking stick.
"It's needed quite a bit then, isn't it?"
The two share a laugh, as they calm down ever-so slightly.
After a brief silence between the two, Keri feels the need to clarify why she asked the question to begin with.
"You know, I've been wondering about my own family life. I must've come from somewhere."
It took Cuttlefish to realize why Keri was speaking the way she was, but once he realized, he tried to contribute.
"You think of visitin' home gurl?"
Tried is the key word.
"I've already got a home, Captain. I went home with all of you on that day. The sky was glowing orange, as the sunset raged on, and the mission was complete. Man, it was liberating.
"But, well. Talking to you as a friend, I can't really lie to you confidently. It's like, thinking of what my life was before… this, is basically irreclaimable. What even was my old home? My memories feel like they're in a distant vault, for eternity they remain in this, void thing. The cakes helped me process the events that I can remember, but they're so vague, so far between each other, it feels like I won't see them again!"
As she progressively got more passionate, her voice progressively became more an echoey roar.
"'Hoa, slow down bucko! Why you thinkin' so much?"
Keri stopped in the midst of the tracks, lost in distant thought. Cuttlefish poked her arm, in hopes for her attention. She simply looked at him back, without any fancy expression.
After the brief stare-down that ensued, Keri exhaled in a somber tone, and continued to walk towards the path.
"I get it, you're not me. But it's not that simple. I can't just not think. It doesn't happen.
"Come on, we've got something to investigate."
Contemplating on where she left her manners, Keri marched onwards with the task in-mind. Cuttlefish looked seemingly appalled, but in a unique light. For once, someone talked back.
"This new from ya'. Yer nervous."
"Nervous, Captain? I'll shut-
*shatter*
"Huh?"
The sound was reminiscent of shattered glass. Owing to their conversation, they were close-by to the broken-down station, where Keri started her journey. Instead of soaking in the memory, however, she'd sprint towards the gate instead.
The sound of rustling glass began, subtle, but present. Keri was now taking her time, walking slowly through the railcar and making her every step as quiet as possible. Navigating through the dried puddles of ink, she'd find herself closer and closer to the pillars that started it all. Quietly reaching the door, she'd take her next steps thoughtfully.
Silently, walking forward, she found herself in an un-helped trance. What she knew was destroyed. The shop that should've been, was instead burdened by a wall of rubble. Glass no longer protected the stairs, instead shards simply scattered. Sparks rained from the ceiling as if it were dust. If Deepsea wasn't in ruins enough, this marked another level of dis-organization. It wasn't natural.
And neither was that sound.
Keri heard, quickly, another loud shatter. This time, to the left of her. Instinctively, she looked around, wondering what it was. Walking towards the noise, she focused her attention towards her unforgettable darkness.
It only took a few of her own steps for Keri to hear something much more concerning, and quick. Three rapid footsteps, from behind her.
Looking back for only a moment, she felt her head forcefully pulled back by an arm, and a sharp-broken bottle entered her side-vision. Her first instinct was to reason, politely.
"HEYYY!", Keri started. "YOU KNOW-"
"Hands."
Keri immediately stopped with the nervous, friendly tone, and put both of her hands up. It took only a few moments before questions popped up.
"What's your name?"
"Keri! Keri Skyla! How did you even-"
"Can it. What's your occupation?"
There was a growly, energized tone to the feminine voice. However, her demeanor was rather straight-forward. The same couldn't be said for Keri.
"I came down here because I heard of a disruption! Multiple of them, actually! Please loosen up, you really are forceful!"
"Is anybody else with you?"
Stressed, Keri answered without fabricating one bit of information.
"I'm with my Captain! He's old, probably hasn't made it here yet! He's a war hero though, trust me, there's a lot to the guy!"
A moment of indifference allowed Keri to look at her hands. Curious, Keri thought to herself; is that normal?
"I pinged a device briefly, before it went offline. Was that you traveling?"
Stunned, Keri took her few moments to think about what was said. Then, anger broke loose.
"DID YOU BREAK THE CQ-80!?"
Angered, Keri tried to retaliate. It was futile, and the grip only worsened in pain.
"Don't yell at me! Give me one good reason to trust you."
Without fail, Keri responded with a respectfully sarcastic tone.
"Look smarty, the only way I could possibly hurt you is through force! I don't have a weapon with me or anything! If you let me out of this hold, I'll stay away from you."
Moments of silence broke between, as Keri hoped Cuttlefish would turn up sooner rather than later.
"To be clear, you're the only other 'thing' I've seen here. Follow my instructions.
"Keep your hands up. I'll put this bottle down, and search you. Once that's over, I'll let you go. After that, you'll have three minutes to retrieve your Captain. If you aren't lying, there's nothing to worry about. Got it?"
Keri shook her head as much as she could in that lock. Afterwards, she was checked from top to bottom, and let go in under a minute.
Crazy girl, isn't she?
Walking out to fetch Cuttlefish, and attempting to grasp the blistering pace of their interaction, Keri was surprised, but relieved, to see him in the midst of the railcar.
In a whisper, she said to him "Hey Cuttlefish, took you long enough. There's like, a really strong person here."
"Eh? Really now?"
Sitting down on the ratchet seats, attempting to relax, Keri continued in her whisper.
"Yeah, like, really strong. I could've totally gotten hurt, but she let me go as long as I got you."
"A girl?"
Keri tried to stretch, but the comfort of sitting couldn't escape her.
"The voice gave it away, but I still don't know a whole lot about her. She's taller than me though, that's for sure."
As she started to actually relax, catching herself in the midst of drifting away, Craig felt the need to interrupt with his own curiosities.
"Why not bring 'er here?"
Frustrated, and still seated, she did what he asked.
"HEY! Lady person! Come over here!"
Skeptical, the 'lady person' walked over to the railcar, to find something she'd never thought to be so close to.
"That was well under three minutes, what-"
As she looked to her left, and locked eyes with Cuttlefish, all of their hearts sank.
"Yer'!"
"You."
December 7th, 2022. Author's Notes: I love me ol' cliffhanger. Yes, that's intentional.
Notes will appear at the end of an uploaded sequence. One of my biggest pet peeves is the idea that these sites do not inform the reader of when certain chapters were uploaded, only when the story was last updated alongside with being first posted. While it's redundant this time around, since this is the publication of the narrative, I'd like to introduce this section of the format.
Hopefully the formatting changes from my previous stories make this an easier read. Oddly enough, such a simple change took quite some time. No more center text. And it's not that gross, I'm just not in the mood.
Third person! Wow! Huh. Back full circle, with the original, like, 2016 original drafts for Disregard and such. Which is still there! For some reason. I'm still struggling with the transition, specifically with action. This is only the beginning though, so rightfully so, it should be up from here.
Take care.
(March 16th, 2023. Story has been updated to better fit with the vocabulary of up-coming future entries.)