Splatoon: The Brothers and the Others
Ari's Octoling Attack "Challenge"
Ari grimaced, walking away from his apartment home. Despite the events described in another story, he was extremely unhappy with how his father still treated him, as well as his cousins, and his friends. Hands in his Varsity Jacket, he walked along the street, alone.
"I don't understand it." Ari thought. "Why's father such a beast? He should've gotten over that by now…"
Ari sighed, thinking on these thoughts as he made his way through the Inkopolis, the brisk morning air of Inkopolis causing the sigh to transform clearly into vapor in the cool air. Ari kicked away at the pavement, looking at the sky.
"Sari, Rit and Bas are off somewhere else… If my rivals were here, at least I'd be able to challenge them. But that doesn't seem to be the case…" Ari thought, looking around the plaza, then looked over to the Booyah Base, frowning. "The Booyah Base is closed too…"
Ari bit his lip. Looking around once more, his eyes settled on a vending machine between the Squid Sisters' Studio and Inkopolis Tower, the Great Zapfish staring unflinchingly from upon its perch. Seeing nothing else to do, he walked over to the vending machine, about to purchase a drink, when he slipped. Looking directly underneath him, he gasped. A round hole in the ground was open, sending Ari through the earth into the ground. He screamed as he fell, in a totally manly way of course, then popped out the other side, landing roughly on the dirt.
"Oof!" Ari grunted, slowly getting to his feet, but not before his eyes popped from witnessing his new surroundings.
Ari stood underground, or at least he thought so, in Octo Valley. The great octopus formation the valley was named after loomed in the distance, rocky terrain and floating mechanical platforms surrounding him. Ari gulped, looking over his surroundings, turning to leave. Then he froze mid step.
"A whole new world to colonize…" Ari thought. "...Aha, that's it! I, the Great Ari, can win the adoration and respect of everyone if I conquer a new, alien place, underneath Inkopolis!"
Ari then looked behind him, expecting a cheer from his fellow squadmates. No head nor tentacle was in sight.
"...Ah, right. I'm alone today." Ari said, frowning. "Well, I suppose then I'll just have to conquer this place by myself!"
Ari grinned smugly, raising his head high, taking a step towards the mechanical platforms. He then bonked his head into a certain Octoling.
"Agh!" Ari yelped, clutching his head.
"Hey!" The Octoling growled, shaking off the blow. "What the shell man?!"
Ari groaned, opening one eye. His pupil in that eye froze, looking upon probably the most deadly person he'd ever set eyes on. And to him, the cutest. (Though most can be said for most of his other flirting victims.) In front of him was none other than our debatably schizophrenic, equally debatable irresponsible Octoling herself, Tai. She wasn't looking too pleased though, her pupil irises glaring hatefully at the Inkling who had just bumped into her.
"Yeah, no ship voice, this guy just slammed right into me! And not in the fun way." Tai grumbled, rubbing her forehead.
Ari quickly composed himself, standing straight. "C'mon Ari, get your act together…"
Ari cleared his throat. "Ahem, greetings, subterranean beauty! My name is-"
"Ari, right? Yeah, no need, I already know who you are, you're harmless. Just leave before you get hurt." Tai said, walking away.
That statement took the wind out of Ari's sails, then bolstered it greatly. "Y-You have?! Wow, I really am starting to gain influence! This is great!" Ari said, smiling gleefully.
Tai blinked. She sighed, shrugged, then began making her way away, from Ari. "Yeah, cool, just do me a favor, and never speak of this to anyone."
Ari gulped, running after Tai. "Hold on! I never got- Ahem, I've never gotten to know the name of the beauty I had the pleasure of bumping into."
Tai rolled her eyes, putting a hand to her chin. "It's uh...T-41. There, satisfied?"
Ari scoffed. "Surely that cannot be your actual name. I'm not leaving until you tell me your-"
Ari reached for Tai's shoulder, but tripped. His grasp snagged onto Tai's Octoling Armor, pulling it off, revealing…
Her shirt underneath. Despite the fact that it still very well covered her top, Ari marveled at the sight at a woman's still clothed back. Tai on the other hand, turned back, her eyes glinting with fury.
"Oh ho ho, you're in for a real inkin' bad night, kelp brain. I tried to be nice." Tai hissed, turning around.
Ari pondered whether or not to stare, then decided instead to head for the hills, dropping Tai's armor, back to the hole whence he came from. Ari sprinted over to the manhole, desperately hopping up and down on it as if he expected to break it. The manhole stood firm. Ari frantically glanced over at the Octoling. Tai had re-equipped her armor, and was now currently charging after Ari, eyes burning bright with vengeance. Ari squeaked, shifting into a squid due to pure instinct, then slipped through the grates of the manhole, sliding through the other side, Tai following closely behind.
Now that we've established the "plot", we cut to our "heroes", Splin and Sharq, Super Jumping into the plaza, "flawlessly" landing on their "feet".
I got a sale on quotation marks, as you can tell.
"Neat, voice!" Sharq piped up, popping out of a vending machine as a squid, shaking off the bad landing.
"Yeah, that'll do WONDERS for the immersion." Splin said sarcastically, turning into an Inkling from his blue squid form.
I know, right? Heh, heh.
Splin rolled his eyes. "Sharq, honestly, did we have to get up this early in the morning? Judd hasn't even started his mid-morning nap yet."
Illustrating his point was Judd the cat, who was sitting on a small pillow resting in conjunction on top of a small pillar. Judd waved lazily towards the two.
"Well, we have to get a move on if we wanna get started in a Turf War!" Sharq said, lifting his Krak-On Roller, odometer proudly displaying splat numbers on the side.
Splin shook his head. "You're lucky I wanted to earn money for the new video games and beacon parts. Otherwise I'd be snoozing the day away in bed right now."
The two Inkling brother made their way towards the Inkopolis Tower, the Great Zapfish generating electricity slowly as it relaxed on top, when suddenly a clanging sound broke the silence. The brothers snapped to the right, Sharq instinctively brandishing his . Out of the manhole, Ari popped out, nervously ducking behind Sharq.
"Ah! S- I mean, rivals!" Ari exclaimed, shifting into Inkling form, shivering somewhat.
"Ari?" Splin asked.
"Ari!" Sharq warmly greeted the Inkling.
"L-Look, you must assist me!" Ari claimed, pointing towards the manhole. "Th-There was something down there, and it's coming for me! I provoked it by accident!"
Splin put a hand to his chin. "'Something'?"
Sharq lowered his roller, though he kept it at a deadly position adjacent to the manhole. "Don't worry Ari, we'll protect you!"
The manhole cover began shaking violently. Splin flinched, raising his fists defensively, though he knew it wouldn't do much good, mentally reprimanding himself for his lack of weaponry. Ari gulped, making makeshift martial art hand gestures. Sharq gripped the roller tightly, glaring down at the hole.
"Is it another Octoweapon?!" Splin wondered nervously.
All of a sudden, undeterred by the cover above, a blur burst out of the manhole. Judd yowled suddenly, scampering off his pedestal and off into the tower for safety.
"Mrow, meow! (You guys can handle it, I'll be taking shelter in here, taking a catnap!)" Judd exclaimed.
The others simply deadpanned at Judd's cowardice. Judd peeked out of the doorway of the tower, giving them a thumbs...paws-up I suppose as if to relieve the tension. As soon as they turned back to the manhole, they realized it was broken open, an irritated Octoling standing above it.
"Tai?" Splin said, lowering his fists.
Tai glared in their direction. All three of the Inklings shrunk under her glare.
"You! Yeah you!" Tai said, pointing to Ari.
Ari's eyes darted from side to side. Nervously, he pointed to himself, sheepishly grinning. Tai rolled her eyes.
"No of course not, I'm looking for the Squid Sisters." Tai said sarcastically.
"Ah! Then good madam, they're right over-"
"OF COURSE I'M LOOKING FOR YOU!" Tai yelled, aiming an Octoshot at Ari.
"Whoa, whoa, Tai, chill!" Splin said.
"Stay outta this Splin, this is between me and Ari!" Tai shouted, advancing on the orange Inkling.
"Rivals, you know her?!" Ari exclaimed, looking over at the others, slowly backing away.
"Oops." The brothers gulped.
Splin sighed. "I suppose the cat's out of the bag now."
Judd popped out from the tower, bobbing his nonexistent eyebrows up and down, a rimshot going off in the background, and retreated back inside casually.
"Oh my- Was that really necessary?" Splin groaned.
"...Yes." Sharq and Tai agreed casually, Tai immediately going back into kill mode.
"Get over here Ari." Tai growled.
Ari shivered. "Can someone explain what's going on?! Who is this woman, how does she know me?!"
Splin sighed. He quickly checked around. The plaza was still empty, aside from probably Spyke in his alleyway. Spyke gave a curt nod, reassuring Splin that they were for the most part in the clear.
Splin looked over to Ari and Tai. "Tai, I'm sure you really want to strangle Ari after...whatever he did, but we need to calm down and talk things through."
"What?! Splin, that's stupid, I just have a few choice words for this pervert." Tai said, figuratively rolling up her sleeves, causing Ari to cower in fear.
"Tai, please. What happens if he blabs to everyone in Inkopolis about this?" Splin said.
Tai bit her lip. She groaned, taking a step back.
"You're lucky Splin and Sharq were here to save your butt." Tai grumbled, crossing her arms.
Ari wiped sweat from off of his forehead, getting up to his feet. "My gratitude, rivals! Well, I'll be off-"
"Ari, we need to talk." Splin said.
Ari weighed his options. He quickly chose the one where he felt he would be most safe. He began to take off in a sprint, only managing to trip over Sharq's Roller, which was deployed on the ground. Ari coughed.
"That was easy!" Sharq commented, using the paint roller head to lightly prop Ari against the wall.
Ari sighed. "Al-Alright, what'd you have to say?"
Splin began explaining the whole, "Octopi vs. Squid" war fiasco from ages ago, to which it led up to the present day, with the Inklings and Octarians. Sharq and Tai remained somewhat vigilant at first, but halfway through his first words, they slumped against the walls, lightly snoozing as Splin explained. Ari on the other hand had one hand to his chin, clearly absorbed in the heroics and tragedy of the tale.
"...and that leaves us here. Understand?" Splin asked.
"Indeed!" Ari speaks up, waking the others, much to their discontent. "Octarians are not to be seen in Inkling society less the Inklings spot one and declare another series of Great Turf Wars?"
Splin seemed flabbergasted. "Y-Yes, exactly!"
"Ha hah! But of course, only the Great Ari would be capable of comprehending such a drawn out explanation!" Ari proclaimed proudly.
Splin paused. "Drawn out? Oh…"
Ari froze. "Not to say your explanation was bad, by any means! I understand it perfectly now! And now I realize that you-"
Ari slid over to Tai, winking. "Are like a delicate rose that needs protecting."
Tai closed her eyes. "Wanna run that by me again? Roses can have thorns, casanova. Real sharp ones. I could show you some if you like."
Ari backed up. "Feisty."
Tai smirked, crossing her arms. "I get that a lot."
Splin blinked, frowning. "You...really don't, Tai."
Tai scowled. "Well it sure darn feels like it."
Sharq yawned. "Hey guys, how long has it been since we've been here?"
Splin blinked, reaching into his pocket, taking out his still hardly used phone, checking the time on the digital clock. "It's still a little early in the morning, why do you- Uh oh."
The group of Inklings looked straight ahead. The plaza was beginning to fill up with Inklings, and the Squid Sisters' studios' broadcast was just starting, a blank screen overlooking the plaza fizzling with static.
"Quick, through the manhole!" Splin informed the others.
Tai nodded, shifting into an octopus. Sharq switched into a squid, following after her. Splin did the same, looking over at Ari. Ari sighed, shifting into an orange squid. Splin nodded, hopping through the grates, Ari following a little too quickly, slamming into the small blue squid in front of him. The two of them tumbled through the tube, roughly landing on the other side in Octo Valley, the other two waiting and watching.
Splin stared up at Tai, then back at Ari. "...Hmm. Hope you don't mind Tai, but I think Ari's going to need to stay for a while."
Tai frowned. "What?! Why?!"
Splin stood up. "I'm not a huge fan of the idea either. But knowing Ari, he could draw a whole lot of attention to the manhole. Unless he promises to keep a secret…?"
Ari stood up straight. "Ah-"
"And I don't really think that's going to happen." Splin said.
Ari opened his mouth to protest. "Nonsense, I, the Great Ari, can keep this a secret! Trust me!"
As soon as he said that, Ari ran over to something in the distance that caught his eyes. "Whoa! What are these?!"
"...Splin, Sharq, please keep an eye on him. I swear, just one wrong move, and we'll end up as enemies again. As cool as it would be, I really don't feel like splatting anyone today, except for Ari if he screws something up." Tai said, sighing.
Sharq smiled. "Don't worry Tai, Ari's a cool guy! I'm sure he won't cause much trouble! After all, did we make too much of a-"
Both Splin and Tai stared in Sharq's direction, giving him an unconvinced look.
"C'mon guys, have a little faith!" Sharq said, staring at them with pleading eyes.
Tai closed her eyes, chuckling. "Wish we all had your optimism, dude. Splin, Sharq, do your best to keep your eyes on Ari. I'll...notify the others just to be safe."
Tai began to walk away, when a horrid thought hit her hard. "Great, Aussie's rubbing off on me."
"See ya Tai!" Sharq said, waving.
Splin bit his lip, adjusting his headphones, looking at Ari. "...Strange, Ari doesn't seem to be all, 'declarative' or 'dramatic' today. Maybe this won't be so difficult."
"Ah, where does this curious hole lead to?" Ari asked, before leaping headfirst through a kettle.
Splin and Sharq stared at the kettle Ari had jumped through for a while. Splin opened his mouth to say something in response to that, but was cut short when Ari came back out of the kettle, magenta ink sticking to some of his clothes.
"...Don't go in there." Ari said plainly.
The rest of the day went by slowly but steadily. A few hours passed, Splin and Sharq managing to explain to Ari what not to do, showing him around, Ari clearly interested in the ruins of Octarian society, carefully inspecting each and every piece of rubble.
"Hmm...the wars must've taken a toll on the Octarian society. Why do they just sit around in this wasteland?" Ari asked.
Splin looked away. "Right, forgot to tell you. Uh...we managed to negotiate a bit of a peace offering to them."
Ari grinned. "Clever, rivals. Though if I were there, I'd be able to establish long lasting peace with my negotiating skills!"
Splin rolled his eyes, while Sharq smiled.
"Sounds cool!" Sharq beamed.
Ari smirked. "Why of course rival, yours truly would make sure to stress the details, foresight is important!"
Upon saying that, all three Inklings tripped over something and landed face down in the dirt.
"Son of a-!" Ari groaned, biting off the last word.
"What'd we just trip over?" Sharq groaned, readjusting his Takoroka Mesh cap.
Splin pushed himself up, looking over at a large shard of metal embedded in the ground. He stooped down low, his eyes squinting. He lightly reached out and tapped the metal. As soon as he did so, something burst out of the ground.
"Ugh, Tai, stop bursting out of the-" Splin froze mid-sentence.
Now standing over the newly made crater in the ground was a machine. Splin groaned in realization.
"Crud." Splin muttered.
The machine appeared bipedal, as well as thirty feet tall. (three yards I believe is the metric equivalent?) The two limbs it stood on resembled tentacles, tentacles assembled using scrap metal, violet ink dripping rapidly through the cracks. The three Inklings looked up, greeted by a deteriorating octopus head, glaring down fiercely at them, sparks and magenta blobs of ink flying out of empty sockets where there were presumably six other tentacles sprouting out at one point.
"..." Splin grimaced.
Sharq adopted a fighting stance of sorts, Ari doing the same, looking like two kids who were imitating a martial artist.
"Hey guys!" A voice called.
The three whirled around. Tai was calling them, poking her head outside of a kettle, leaning on the side.
"Aussie's been yammering on about a Great Octoweapon we must've combed over. Let me know if you find-"
The three Inklings pointed in the direction of the mech standing above them. Tai's face went blank.
"Oh." Was her only reply.
The octopus machine's single eye glowed, before it began its assault.
AN: But of course, I have to be a jerk and end it here. Apologies, but I simply don't have enough time to finish this up in one chapter. Maybe next time, yeah?
Moving on, reviews tonight are neat, eh? Thanks Rynowm, Ultraypyre, and Lean for reviewing! Rynowm, thanks for the review, even if it isn't going to happen a lot, every bit helps! Ultrapyre, don't worry, I'm sure Maria didn't REALLY mean to hurt them. Too much. And Lean, I want to hug you, nice work getting that reference! Thanks again everybody, this is ThePizzaLovingTurtle, off to save up for Fire Emblem Fates!