Splatoon: The Brothers and the Others
Chica Cherry Cola
A whistle and a jog spurred Willie along on a sunny day. After his initial job success, and a little along the way, a success in romance, he felt he had it pretty good. Present day, things were a bit bizarre ever since he met the brothers and Ari's so called girlfriend, but other than that he was pretty alright. Except for one nagging bit at the end of his mind.
Toting around a clear grocery bag, he stared down at a paper list of food items, drinks, all the sort, all but one written in a somewhat difficult to read yellow crossed out. Being the budding chef in a growing industry full of voracious squid teenagers, the costs were aplenty, but his job was stable enough to support a both he and Zip in their own food needs. The fact she was working besides him certainly helped. The couple were practically bonded with glue the way they adored one another. However, there was one thing that Zip might have loved more, if not as equally as she did William.
Willie paused, skidding to a halt. In Inkopolis Plaza, a flounder in a custodian uniform standing by a vending machine and a manhole was sweeping by with a mop.
"Uh, hey, what's going on?" Willie asked.
The flounder sighed, shaking his flat head. "Someone vomited by the vending machine."
Willie reeled back. "Okay… You have fun with that."
The flounder rolled its eye facing Willie, continuing sweeping up the unknown octo-puke. Willie sighed, staring back at the vending machine. As if the vomit was not discouraging enough, an "Out of order" sign was plastered on the machine.
It was not Willie's lack of dedication towards his girlfriend, either. Practically anyone standing within eyesight or earshot could see or hear them fawning over one another occasionally. However, Zip's attraction for Willie could be rivaled by one thing and one thing only, something Willie discovered years before.
A younger Willie dashed through the streets of Inkopolis, weaving past aquatic pedestrians and other sentient marine life, taking a chaotic yet organized path forward. It was his third day in the kitchen, and yet he still had troubles adjusting to the schedule.
"Was it… Start early in the mornings on Wednesdays, then… No no, do I have freetime… That's the weekend, right?!" Willie thought to himself in a jumbled mess.
Not only were William's mindset messy, so was his attire. Barely keeping his chef uniform on, his tentacles untying themselves with his run, and a toothbrush spat out, Willie could be considered a mess as a result of impromptu scheduling. Still, he trudged on, the inviting sight of Oahu resting ahead. He grinned as he closed in on the restaurant, speeding up, bounding across the sidewalk, passing by street lights and newspaper dispensers with a hopeful speed.
The doors swung open, startling Willie. He sidestepped quickly, brushing himself down in an attempt to look presentable. Walking outside was none other than Zip, yawning with her yellow tentacles swaying in the breeze. Willie froze. She was removing her waitress uniform with a sigh, her regular attire underneath. She quickly planted a Sporty Bobble Hat plain on her head, the puffball dangling off behind her.
"Hey, Zip, where ya goin'? Don't we have work today?" Willie asked.
"Pela let us off the hook. She said she was visiting her cousin today to test out some ink weapons over at Sheldon's." Zip told him.
"Ah. Then does this count as a day off?" Willie asked.
"I guess." Zip shrugged, looking about.
Suddenly, something caught Zip's eye. She shuffled past Willie, the male staring at her in confusion, also ditching his work clothes. A glint in a nearby vending machine became apparent, and Willie, curious to see what attracted Zip almost magnetically followed suit. When they approached, Zip stared into the glass of the machine, smiling.
"I knew it!" She beamed.
She reached into the pockets of her shorts, frowning. She reached through each and every one of them individually, coming up with nothing.
"Darn it, left my wallet at home." Zip sighed.
"...I can pay. What do you need?" Willie asked, pulling out his own wallet.
Zip blinked, glancing back inside to the contents of the machine. "Uh, the cherry cola. '1W'."
Willie nodded, walking over to the machine, a number pad with numbers and letters engraved on the buttons. He tapped the combination in, staring at the price. Reaching into his wallet, he withdrew two coins, placing them in a slot in the machine. The sound of the metal clinking was heard. Looking back inside the vending machine, a small, dainty pink can with a cherry drawn on it was picked up by an extension of the machine, dropped into a slot, where Zip reached her hand into, picking up the can, opening it up outside, creating a hissing sound as she popped open the lid, drinking a portion of the contents with a sip.
"Ah. Thanks so much Willie!" She beamed, giving him a peck on the cheek.
Willie beamed as well, a hint of orange crossing his face. "You're welcome."
Zip smiled. "You know, this is one of the best darn drinks ever."
Willie arched an eyebrow. ¨Really?"
¨Yeah man. Wanna try some?" Zip asked, tossing the can over to him.
Willie caught it quickly. Staring at the can, he shrugged, lifting it over his head, drinking the scarlet-pink liquid as it dripped down from the can. It tasted fine, the can carrying a bubbly fruit taste. Willie nodded, tossing the can back carefully.
"Man, this takes me back.¨ Zip sighed, "Used to drink it all the time when I was little. Had to brush my fangs a lot, but it was worth it."
Willie blinked, just staring at Zip. She noticed his gaze, chuckling self-consciously, holstering the can at her side.
"Oh, sorry. I'll pay you back later, alright?" Zip told Willie.
Willie shook out of his trance, nodding. "Uh, no, it's fine."
"Really? How chivalrous of you." Zip smirked, waving him off, "Anyways, thanks for buying me the soda. See you later William."
She walked away after that teasing tone in Willie's name, weaving through a set of buildings. Willie watched her go, her swift and normal walk cycle, almost hypnotic, attracting his attention quite inadvertently. Willie found himself staring, shaking his head quickly, walking off with a face, metaphorically speaking considering his actual ink/blood color was hardly scarlet, colored crimson.
Back to present day, a light tint of orange crossed Willie's smiling face as he reflected on the events years prior. He shook his head. He was sixteen, he had a job, he needed to stop acting like a…
The teenager frowned, looking about for another vending machine. A brief recollection of his memory served, and he realized there were a couple other places to look. He turned. There was Spyke's alley and there was the one by Crusty Sean's Shrimp Kicks. With a brisk pace, he jogged through the plaza by other squid humanoids, stopping on hard pavement in front of a vending machine. He frowned, staring into it.
"Nothing." Willie sighed, shaking his head and adjusting his glasses.
The specs glistened ominously. That meant he had to check Spyke's alleyway. In preparation, he breathed in deeply, feeling the air circulate down his throat around his chest. A bead of orange sweat dropped down. Turning around, he stared into the alley. Spyke was generally a nice guy, he's heard. Willie did not know him personally, but the amount of shadiness that went around that alley could dwarf the sun. Still, if he wanted to earn a possible affectionate action from Zip, that's where he would have to look.
Gulping, he walked into the alley, crossing the plaza, entering under the second floor of the plaza that led over to the Battle Dojo. Walking under the catwalk, he made his way over to Spyke, who was tapping his hand on the ground. Pretending to avoid his sight, Willie made a beeline for the vending machine, sticking his face into the glass like glue.
"H-Hold on!" Spyke gasped, reaching out.
"Huh?" Willie blinked.
As Willie pressed on the side of the machine, a rustling from the machines caught his attention. A few clunks sounded off at the bottom. Willie blinked. The hatch at the bottom of the opened immediately, dozens of Super Sea Snails pouring out, clinking as they went. Willie blinked, looking up towards Spyke. He stared at him.
"...You saw nothing." Spyke coughed awkwardly.
Willie nodded slowly, then took off running, making sure to keep his hands on his groceries as he did so. Spyke sighing behind him, picking up the shells and the snails at the speed comparable of said snail.
Willie sighed, slowing down to a walk as he entered the sidewalks outside the plaza, looking back behind him, breathing heavily.
"...Oh, that explains what those guys do with snails!" Willie spoke up suddenly, pounding his fist on the palm of his open hand.
While Willie had initially solved the mystery of the missing snails, he still had a conundrum of his own to figure out. Every single vending machine he had passed by so far was empty of the cherry liquid. He considered returning to the store, though he had honestly doubted they carried it, and the weight of the bags dissuaded him from running all the way back.
"...I looked across the aisle at least five times too…" Willie sighed, shaking his head.
Willie walked throughout Inkopolis, stopping by every vendor, every vending machine, anything that purveyed a selection of ingestible goods. Nothing. He frowned, looking up at the sky. The day was thinning, and the sun was dropping. Lowering his head back down to the ground, he sighed, taking a seat on a bench planted by the sidewalk in between a set of storefronts, frowning, placing the food down next to him.
"This is embarrassing." Willie thought to himself, "I'm pretty sure even Zip would chew me out for wasting time looking for a soda can. I should probably cut my losses and head home-"
"Nonsense!" Ari shouted.
"Gah- Wha?!" Willie managed to spout before he fell off the bench.
Ari, and Splin for that matter, in all of their one-chapter cameo glory were standing besides Willie. Ari leaned in close, a curious stare on his face, while Splin stood to the side almost absentmindedly. Splin seemed to be staring elsewhere, but Willie, for the life of him, could not figure out where.
"A quest for soda! Noble indeed!" Ari spoke up, "It's a small favor, but a favor nonetheless!"
"...How did you know that?" Willie asked.
Ari glanced over in the direction Splin was glancing. Splin caught their eye, staring back, giving Willie a wave.
"...I don't get it." Willie frowned.
"Ha ha! See! Non-users can't see Nostalgia!" Ari pointed out.
"Oh my Cod you are really pushing this reference to the brink." Splin groaned.
Ari chuckled gleefully, then cleared his throat quickly, turning back to Willie. "But nonetheless, we'd be glad to assist you in your quest!"
"Hey, Loudmouth, really appreciate your help and all-" Willie began.
"Great! Then let's get going! Splin!" Ari spoke up, "Use your newfound abilities to locate the can of cherry cola!"
"I shouldn't have gotten out of bed today." Splin frowned, walking off, Ari following behind.
Willie blinked, hopping off the bench, a newfound curiosity within him. Under a normal circumstance, the prospect of "powers" would be scoffed at, but considering Splin's history with the paranormal, Willie followed regardless.
Splin blinked, turning around. "Wait, we're seriously doing this?"
"How else would you obtain EXP Splin? It's integral-"
"Okay, I get it. Hush now." Splin sighed, "Alright Willie, what do you need?"
"Cherry cola can. Only in vending machines!" Willie explained quickly.
"Hmm." Splin muttered, staring ahead.
Willie followed his gaze, then cleared his throat, attracting his attention. "So, what are you looking at anyways?"
"Hmm? Oh. A floating block of text." Splin muttered, Willie blinking.
Willie hummed. As the trio of Inklings walked, Willie walked in front of Splin quickly, waving his hand in front of his face. The younger Inkling flinched, glaring at Willie.
"What?" Splin asked.
"Just making sure you're sane, man." Willie chuckled, "I don't know how you're going to find the cherry soda, but thanks anyways!"
Splin rolled his eyes, shuffling his headphones. "I wouldn't say that any of us are entirely sane in this bizarre world of ours, but sure. I'm sane."
They continued their brisk walk, ever valiantly in their quest to procure soda. They crossed mountains, deserts, plains as far as the eye could see, roaming for hours on end! The adventurers stopped, pausing, at the head of the group, rival and William-
"I could do without the narration, Speedwagon." Splin muttered.
Ari chuckled at Splin's comment, only causing Splin's more distress, in that his eye twitched.
"Great, now you've got ME spouting references!" Splin shouted.
Ari cocked an eyebrow, leaning on a nearby lamppost sticking out of the ground. "Perhaps that was my plan all along?"
"If, 'narrating until it went dark' was your plan." Splin huffed.
"Wait, what?" Willie gasped.
Willie whirled around to the lamppost Ari leaned on with his arm. The light on top was illuminated, casting shadows wherever the light touched. Willie gulped, glancing around. The buildings and streets were already beginning to darken, lights from windows and more street lights serving as the sun's substitutes.
Willie blinked, looking around. "How is it dark already?! Ari, you made us lose track of time!"
"I couldn't concentrate either. It's sort of difficult to read in the dark while jogging, too." Splin told him, frowning.
"Hey! It's perfectly fine! Look, we can still see in front of our faces, can't we?" Ari told them, extending his arm out.
Promptly smacking Splin in the process, might I add. Splin recoiled at the smack, rubbing the back of his head ruefully and irritated, Ari grinning sheepishly.
"Well then, I've got to find it quick! C'mon!" Willie announced.
Willie took off, leaving the other two in the dust. Ari took the flight as an escape, skedaddling off after him, leaving Splin to groan behind him. A brisk jog through the city provided plenty of opportunities for Willie to spot a suitable can, but to no avail. All of the vending machines he passed by were empty of the fruity drink. After a long while, and a loss of breath, Ari stopped in front of an apartment building, placing his hand on the side, gasping for breath. Unfortunately, in the process of doing so, his glasses slipped off his face, falling onto the ground. Cursing for a moment, he stooped down to pick it up. That was when he heard footsteps in front of him. Looking up cautiously, he froze when he noticed Zip standing over him.
"Hey Willie." Zip greeted him in a soft tone, "Finished shopping yet?"
"Uh, yeah! I um, got everything you asked for…" Willie spoke up.
Fumbling at his side, Willie's eyes expanded. In his haste, he forgot the bags back at the bench. Willie stood up quickly, Zip giving him a curious stare, two hands wrapped behind her back.
"Hey, Willie, you dropped your bags back at the bench."
Willie turned around. Splin, hoisting the set of groceries by his side, Ari standing next to him, walking about proudly, to Splin's discontent. He set them down on the dark sidewalk, sighing.
"Exemplary work, Splin! Perfect!" Ari applauded him with a smirk.
"Gee, thanks for helping." Splin sighed, standing up slowly.
"Hey guys." Zip waved from behind Willie, "Sorry for the trouble."
"It's, uh, fine." Splin nodded, "Just… Glad to help."
He seemed to direct the last part over to the side. Ari, standing by, whistled carelessly, sticking his hands in his Varsity Jacket. Splin rolled his eyes. Willie frowned, getting to his feet.
"Yeah, thanks…" Willie waved, turning back to Zip shortly after, "Zip, listen, about the groceries."
"Hold on, before you say anything, I've got a surprise for you." Zip grinned, "Close your eyes."
Willie arched an eyebrow. Zip seemed to make a silent plead with her eyes, smiling at him almost dubiously. Willie frowned, then shrugged, closing his eyes on order.
"Open your mouth." Zip asked politely.
Willie grew suspicious. "What? Why?"
"Just open it please." Zip asked again.
Willie sighed, Zip snickering in front of him heard clearly. He opened his mouth. Suddenly, he tasted a bubbly, fruity substance running down his throat. He closed his mouth, feeling some of it splash on his face.
"Whoops!" Zip chuckled.
Willie opened his eyes. In front of him, Zip held a can in her right hand, a toothy grin on her face. Willie was not sure how to respond.
So he improvised.
"H-Huh?" He stuttered.
"I got the last can of cherry cola they had in Inkopolis!" She grinned, "I heard that the company was sold to another one, and they stopped production on the drinks. So I thought I'd snag one."
The other Inkling hardly said a thing, he just stared back at her.
"It appears our work here is done, rival! I assume we'll be splitting the experience?" Ari asked.
Splin shook his head, walking off with a sigh and a passing comment: "Shut up Ari."
Ari frowned. "Well that's no way to treat a narrator!"
Ari huffed, but followed regardless, Splin mumbling something else under his breath. Willie and Zip laughed, then turned to each other.
"Hey, thanks again for buying food." Zip cooed.
Willie blushed, "Hey, wait, weren't you the one who told me to in the first place?"
"Maybe… Still doesn't hurt to be chivalrous, doesn't it?" Zip asked, leaning in closer.
"...Sure." Willie smiled, following her example."
"But as much as I'd want to reward you, you aren't getting anything until we go inside." Zip winked, dashing off into the apartment complex.
That left a somewhat stunned the William Lippel Inkling who sat outside on the sidewalks of Inkopolis. Blushing wildly, as well as a hearty laugh, he chased after Zip into the apartment building, the front doors clacking against each other as the two squids playfully ran up towards their room to spend the night together.
AN: Even if it technically didn't take that long, it felt like eons of awkward writing to me. I probably never will get any romance in my life, (which is actually great for me because I'm selfish when it comes to sharing pizza) so here you have it! Detailed straight from a single turtle's mind, you're… Welcome, I think.
Seriously though, what is up with the reviews glitching and bugging out again? Goodness me, it's like they're being served on plates of escargot at the pace they're appearing on stories, they're like ghosts, the author can read them through e-mails but no one else can. Oh well.
Thanks Darkstar248, Ultrapyre, and write n wrong for reviewing again! I always thought of Ari as the guy too wrapped up with himself to really think much of logic, Ultrapyre. Of course, that might change with Tai, probably, maybe. Hopefully they start fixing that review issue, write n wrong.
Thanks for reading, this is ThePizzaLovingTurtle. And romance is awkward, I don't know how some of you people out there can manage it so easily. Must be hard. gg ladies and gentlemen.