Splatoon: The Brothers and the Others
Under Our Leadership, Underground
Tai shook her head in disbelief, pressing her hands against her tentacles. Ever since donning the goggles, they had darkened, now being grayish-violet, bordering on black. There was no doubt about it. Standing in the mirror, face-to-face with her own reflection, she understood everything now.
Aussie had cursed her.
"Don't think she did," Mai sighed, shaking her head as she stepped closer to her daughter.
"Bah, voice!"
The two of them were in a sort of locker room, with tall sets of lockers all the way behind them, scrunched up against the wall with the exit to Tai's right There were mirrors and even sinks below, protruding below the mirrors out on a countertop. As expected, most of the lockers were already cleared out, though there were a few old pieces of Octoling Armor strewn about the tiled floor, most too beat-up and used to consider wearing again.
Tai turned and looked up at her. "You hear him too?"
"Heard him? It's been years, but I'd recognize that noise anywhere," Mai had on a playful pout as she looked up at the ceiling, "What have you been up to, voice?"
Voicing.
"...Ah, I see," Mai muttered after a prolonged moment of silence, turning back to her daughter with a scrutinizing look, "I've never seen anything like this happen. How long have you had these goggles?"
"For as long as about four hours ago," Tai huffed, crossing her arms.
"Okay..." Mai muttered, circling around Tai to get better angles of her tentacles. Tai looked at her expectantly, though all Mai could come up with was a sigh and a shrug of her shoulders. "...Yeah, I got nothing. You didn't trip and fall into a barrel of oil on the way here, maybe?"
"Yeah, sorry, you touch my tentacles now and you'll have to scrub your hands." Tai touseled her tentacles around furiously, stepping away for a second to sulk. "I blame Aussie for this."
Mai frowned and crossed her arms too, nudging Tai with her left elbow. "Why's that?"
"I'm pretty sure she set me up," Tai barked, steam visibly coming off her forehead, "She put it on me, all so she could ditch and take a break to play video games."
"Really?" Mai cocked an eyebrow. "That wasn't what I heard. I heard she was demoted and you were promoted."
"Promoted my butt, who wants to work hard by shouting at everyone else except for Aussie?" Tai questioned, turning to her mother. "If she wasn't demoted in the first place, she wouldn't even promote me in the first place."
"Reaaaaaally?" Mai had on a bit of a smug expression. "Because I heard that Aussie was demoted due to a mission failure."
"..."
"A mission that only YOU and Aussie were on." Mai whistled. Well, it was half-whistling, half humming in a low, almost ominous tone. "You don't really do well with missions, from what I hear."
"Are you blaming me for this?" Tai jabbed her finger under Mai's chin.
Mai stretched her arms behind her head, shutting one eye tiredly. "I'm saying that maybe Aussie's just taking this as an opportunity for a break. She's been at this at a while, and getting demoted for this doesn't exactly seem fair."
"You talk like you know her." Tai pouted.
Mai didn't even attempt to hide her smile. Tai dropped her arms and gawked at her mother, convinced that she was a completely different person. When did the rebels have time to switch her out?
"No way." Tai blinked and rubbed her eyes, squinting at her expression. Mai's smile disappeared, only growing into a more serious and stern expression as Tai hit her with another query, "When? How long?"
"I've known her before you were born, I just didn't really get a chance to see her since she grew into a commander."
Tai looked like she had been bashed over the head with a shovel, which made that sinking feeling she had worse. "You're serious."
"I know people." Mai placed her hand on her right leg, striking a pose.
Maybe she was just pulling her leg. Tai, however, knew her mom, and in terms of pulling legs…
Okay, so that was a bad term to use in this situation, but Mai wasn't one to screw with someone to get her kicks.
Tai's face soured as she stared at the ceiling accusingly. Mai just rolled her eyes.
"Point is, I know both of you, and I'm getting the impression that you're going to have to take some kind of responsibility for this," Mai decided, hands on her hips.
"Mom, they just sent us to investigate a few bases for power sources. We were supposed to get in and out, finding old machinery or blueprints that we could use to help efficiently work with how much less energy we-"
"...Maybe not?" Mai interrupted, looking over her daughter in amazement. "Wow, you've really shaped up since I sent you here."
"It's the goggles!" Tai shouted, taking Aussie's Octoling Goggles off her head and shaking them in front of Mai's face. "There's something inside them that's making me...actually want to do things! I hate them!"
"Maybe they should've promoted you a while ago, commander." Mai had on a devilish smirk.
"Gah!" Tai threw her hands up in the air. "Oh, and now I'm picking up her mannerisms, too! Mattaku!"
"Random Inkanese?" Mai thought aloud, sighing as she placed her head on Tai's shoulder out of pity. "Looks like the goggles aren't a complete grace."
Tai wondered if knocking-out her own mom would be in poor taste, especially now given that she as found unconscious not too long ago with leg damage to boot.
"Uh, hey!" A girl's voice came from behind them. "Ms. Inaba and...Ms. Inaba."
Tai also wondered if she could find and pummel whoever spread the fact that she was promoted so quickly. Turning around, the two were met by Clariss, standing by the entrance to the locker rooms. She had since cleaned herself up, something Mai had noted by how neatly pressed her lab coat was on her since the barricade encounter. Going by her expression, however, one could've presumed that she was on the verge of developing an unprecedented amount of wrinkles, except for her face.
"Great. You're ready, I presume? Jeez…" Clariss sighed much louder than anyone should.
"Woooooow," Mai chided her, smirk notwithstanding.
"Ah! I'm sorry Ms. Inaba, that sigh wasn't meant for you. Or Ms. Inaba for that case- Your daughter! Tai! Not Ms- Hi, Tai."
Tai waved. "Hey. What's u-"
"Can we talk in the hangar?" Clariss frowned, looking over her shoulder, "I feel like it'd be easier to get you all up to speed there…"
"Sure," Tai stated, eyeing Clariss curiously. Though her choice of dress was respectable, something about the way her tentacles hung low off her head and the way her eyes kept darting back to the exit made her feel wary herself.
"Are you ok-"
"Your boyfriend's waiting outside, by the way," Clariss pointed out suddenly, speeding out of the room, "I think he wants to see you."
"What- Don't make it sound weird! You were waiting here too!" Ari could be heard protesting from outside.
Tai managed a wry smile before turning back to her mother. "I'm not going to be the commander, mom. This is just some sort of weird, unfortunate set of circumstances that I've gotten myself into, and by tomorrow it's probably all going to blow over."
"You sure?" Mai sighed sadly, "Your lexicon's gotten way better since then too-"
Tai stuck a finger gesture that most commanders would get court-martialed for in her mom's face. "Stuff it."
As Tai left the locker rooms, stomping out grumpily, Mai watched her, a ponderous expression on her face. She looked over at the locker room again. Kicking a chest plate away, Mai followed after her daughter, deep in thought.
"Jeeeeeeeeeeez, I'm so tired…" Clariss complained, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.
Clariss led the other three down a widening hallway through the Octarian base, trudging slowly through the halls zombie-like. Behind her was Tai and Ari, the former watching Clariss with the upmost interest while Ari was more interested in walking as close to Tai before it went from hopelessly romantic to awkward and uncomfortable. Mai, even further behind, scrutinized Ari's proximity to Tai quietly, wide smirk smack dab on her face.
Tai bent down, suddenly sliding in front of the Octoling scientist, eyeing Clariss with the countenance of a child. If a child had sharp, deep-sea creature fangs. "What's up Clari?"
Clariss whipped her head towards her and raised her hands in claw shapes. "Don't call me that!"
Tai blinked, not sure how to respond. Clariss groaned quietly, giving her an apologetic wave of her hand as she started walking again.
"I'm sorry Tai, I've just been…" Clariss put her hand on face, finger curled up on the bottom lip, "Swamped."
"Tell me about it," Tai nodded in understanding, "All day, one thing after another's been popping up."
"Between the hangar cleaning duty and the project I've been working on, not to mention the intruders in the base…" Clariss's shoulders sagged. "I don't know if I can take much more of this."
"Hm! Diligent upkeep of this hidden fortress' facilities must be absolutely dull," Ari spoke up suddenly.
"You don't know the half of it." Clariss shook her head, turning to Tai. "Hey, if you're in charge, could you delegate more of the guys over to R&D? Octoballs work great as mops if you tape brooms to them."
"Again, this isn't a permanent thing!" Tai protested, indignantly crossing her arms and sticking out her chest. "I'm bringing Aussie back as soon as we get everything all fixed!"
Clariss nodded. "Right, right, but while you're still in power-"
"Isn't that like, Octavio's job anyway?" Tai asked.
"Octavio?" Clariss narrowed her eyes. "He's long gone, Tai."
"Clari?" Tai chirped up, noticing her downtrodden look.
"Yeah, he went earlier today-"
Tai sighed and shook her head, hanging it low. "Poor guy. I knew he was old, but I didn't think he was THAT old."
"Oh, no, no!" Clariss suddenly interrupted, "I don't mean it like that, I mean he took off! He and the others are still alive, most of them are already just en route to Octo Canyon."
"Octo Canyon," Tai remarked bitterly, "Aussie said she was ditching for that place too. What's up with that? The one time she doesn't want to work and she's blowing us off to go to one of DJ Octavio's parties?"
Clariss suddenly stopped in place and whirled to Tai, a sort of offended look on her face. "Tai, Octo Canyon's our next base of operations."
"...Our what now?"
"Didn't you see the bulletin? In the rec room? Posted around the barracks? People have had arguments and discussions about this for months now!" Clariss snapped, eyes bloodshot.
"Maybe she was busy," Ari suggested.
Clariss frowned, looking up and down Ari's body. She pouted. "I guess she was."
Clariss muttered something about Tai being "lucky" as she began to walk down the hall again. Tai gave Ari a smile as she followed, the group resuming their trek through the base. Evidently, Clariss was right. Rows of Octarian living quarters' had their doors wide open, with most of the rooms inside emptied of all and any furniture. Tai and Ari killed the time, both of them looking for anything that the other Octarians might've left behind.
Tai scowled as the passed by a familiar room, its door hanging out from the top of the frame. There were fizzling sounds as a few sparks flew out from the doorframe and landed on the floor.
"Sheesh, whose is that?" Ari wondered aloud.
"Mine," Tai remarked dryly as she sped up to catch up with Clariss.
"Ah…" Ari remarked, visibly deflating. "It's very convenient...it has quite an open...space to..."
Mai walked up to him, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Trouble in paradise, little man?"
"Gah! Tai's mom!" Ari yelped, jumping away.
"Sheesh man," Mai muttered, looking at herself, "I know I'm old and all, but you don't have to overreact."
"No way!" Ari shook his head. "You don't look a day over thirty!"
"Yeah, that's what getting hit with a crazy machine by a crazy person does," Mai said absentmindedly.
"Huh?"
"Listen," Mai spoke up, leaning in to whisper in Ari's ear, "I see how you're looking at my daughter."
Ari very clearly felt a drop of sweat drip down the side of his face.
"And I think it's kinda adorable," Mai admitted, smiling, "I didn't think she'd land a man so quickly, especially here. And of course, it'd be an Inkling," Mai frowned, looking over herself. "Maybe it runs in the family…"
"So...is this symbolic of you giving me the 'green light'?" Ari asked, hope refilling himself.
A switch seemed to flip as Mai's tone of voice changed. "No, this is the exact opposite. Stay away from my daughter until you're ready."
"Yes ma'am." Ari paused. "When am I ready?"
"When I tell you what to do." Mai grinned, whispering more secrets in his ear.
Ari's eyes lit up. Everything Mai said seemed to make perfect sense for him. Ari looked up ahead, watching Tai stroll alongside Clariss with the expression of a dead fish. A beautiful dead fish. If Ari was going to stand side-by-side with her…
"Got it?" Mai questioned.
"Got it! Thanks mom-"
Mai scowled, jabbing him in the side. "Dude."
Ari's face flushed, first in orange then to a luminescent red. "Apologies, ma'am."
"Save that for when you two get together," Mai told him, "And my name's Mai, by the way."
"Hey!" Tai shouted from the other end of the hall, hand laying on her hip, "Are you two done sharing secrets?"
"We're coming!" Mai shouted back, turning back to Ari to say, "If you follow through, who knows? She might be clinging to your arm the whole way home."
Mai let him ponder that thought as she sped off to meet her daughter. Ari, on the other hand, wasn't in much of a rush as he stood, entranced by her words. Mai and Clariss looked at one another and struck up a conversation while Mai nudged Tai, giving her a nod as she walked into the hangar.
As Ari's mind cleared, he slammed his right fist into his left hand. "Thank you, Mai! I, the great Ari, will make you proud!"
Chi got up slowly this time. She was really getting sick of being knocked into unconsciousness.
"Oh, my sweet Chi awakes." Winst's cruel smile was the first to greet her.
Of course, the fact that she was sitting, face-to-face with her worst enemy who got blasted off the side of a cliff might mean that she has worse problems to deal with. Chi ignored her own advice about getting up slowly and quickly backed away, nearly tripping over herself. Instinctively, Chi reached for an Octoshot, which she quickly realized she still didn't have. For the most part, she was completely defenseless.
Winst crooned, her gaudy gray tentacles glimmering with health. "Oh, isn't that just ADORABLE."
Chi's eyes darted around the room. This was a large, metal facility, and the two of them were on some sort of oval stage. There was an assembly of dinner tables and chairs, very few of them matching in color and design, all strewn together awkwardly around the place, with Octarians in the rebel colors weaving between them as they walked by, carrying contraband Octotrooper gun emplacements and Octoshots with them. A few of them carried the same dual guns that she'd seen Youinn brandish earlier. Off to the side were several, run-down arcade machines, half-sunk into the floor, an obsidian-colored metal tileset.
Chi gulped. This place was like some sort of misfit version of the rec room back at the Octarian base, and concernedly more unfamiliar than she would've liked. Chi made a mental note to get info on wherever the shell she was as soon as she dealt with Winst-
"Uh."
That said, she wasn't entirely sure this was Winst or if she was just suffering some sort of brain damage.
"Don't you like it? I told my men to construct it, just like the Octarian base you love so much," Winst hissed, barely caring about how much contempt she had for the Octoling she tortured.
"...How are you alive?" Chi asked, looking up and down.
Winst smirked, clearly straining to smile. Chi felt she would've been way more intimidated if Winst could actually move because everything except for her face was wrapped tightly in gauze. She was like a mummy taunting Chi, sitting on top of a giant, plush tentacle throne atop the oval stage. Chi thought she looked just about as evil as she should.
"Oh, Chi. You should know that I'm not one to go out easily!" Winst cackled, petting the giant tentacle. "Barro here managed to shield me as we both spiraled to what looked to be our demise!"
"Barro…" Chi glared at the giant tentacle, expecting his signature "bluh".
Winst noticed her expression, looked down, and clicked her tongue. "Actually, this is just the piece of him that sheltered me. Barro smacked his head on the wall and fell."
Chi stared at the tentacle with a complex set of emotions. On one hand, she felt absolutely furious that Winst was still here, panic rising in her chest up into her throat. But on the other hand, she couldn't help but feel genuinely bad and sympathetic looking at the tentacle.
"Poor Barro," Chi muttered.
"That blasted has-been," Winst cursed, "If it wasn't for that woman, we'd be perfectly cozy together here, with you by my side and Barro wouldn't be unconscious! He makes the finest throne, but he can't recover if I sit on him!"
Chi closed her eyes and lowered her head in respect, imagining the Octobomber laying down on a stretcher. "Poor, poor Barro."
"No matter!" Winst spoke up, a murderous glint in her eyes. "I can still make this work. Come hither, my dear Chi, so that I can kick you!"
Chi stared at Winst's legs. Even wrapped and recovering, they were bent in places that not even a boneless creature should have them be bent in. Chi looked up at her, smirked, and got up slowly, making her way over to Winst's big, squishy throne. Winst's face had a horrible smile on, which gratefully vanished once Chi leaned on her legs.
"Gaaaaah! OW OW OW! Get off!" Winst howled, much to the curiosity of everyone else around in the base.
"Funny, I don't think I've ever enjoyed being kicked by you before," Chi thought aloud with an aggravated tone, leaning back on her legs, letting herself get "kicked" over and over again.
Soon, however, most of the rebels present hadn't taken too kindly to Chi's sudden rebellious attitude. Octotroopers aimed their guns and Octolings sitting at the tables kicked away their chairs, unholstered their Octoshots and those weird dual-gun things, aiming square for Chi's head. She put together that maybe now wasn't the greatest time to take revenge on her enemy.
"Stand down, she's with me."
Surprisingly, the rebels did stand down. As the crowd parted, Youinn began her stride up to the stage, looking unamused as ever.
Youinn and Winst locked eyes with each other, neither looking too pleased. "Sister."
Chi backed away as Youinn walked up to Winst, a tired look in her eyes. Winst, on the contrary, looked ready to rip herself out of her bandages and take Youinn on herself.
"How's POW management going, urine?" Winst snapped.
Youinn didn't respond, electing instead to walk up to her throne, her weapons still in her hands, and shoving Winst off. Winst screeched as she landed behind the giant tentacle, letting out a stream of curses that made Chi and the rebels watching cringe.
Chi's attention shifted back to Youinn. She casually stretched, leaned back on the tentacle, and let out a calm, "Sup?"
Youinn noticed Chi's looks, then looked down at her weapons. "These? These are 'Dualies'. Light, fast, and great for mobility. We engineered them using a prototype we found floating around-"
"You knocked me out," Chi growled, rubbing her face.
"Hey, I was going to talk to you about that." Youinn snapped her fingers.
Winst screamed, "When I get out of these, I'm going to drench you in that formula and hang you over the cliffs!"
"Thank you, sister," Youinn grumbled, tapping the Dualies, "You saw the ink I used to pacify the camp earlier, right Chi?"
Chi scowled, remembering Ova, Lee, Basli and Jerry stuck to the floor. Well, more like Ova, Lee, and Basli. Jerry probably would've been stuck to the floor regardless. "Yeah?"
"That was a formula I created," Youinn announced, emphasizing the "I".
Winst made an ungodly hissing noise from behind the tentacle. Youinn simply continued, "Most of the ink we used is generated using ink tanks, submerged in the ink. That's how we reload and travel through the field quickly."
Youinn sighed, reading Chi's expressions. "Yes, I know you've been through basic training, I know you're not stupid. The point I was leading up to was that you guys over at the main base have been using the same inventory for battle since the Great Turf War, for Cod's sake. It clearly didn't help you against Agent 3."
"Does it really matter?" Chi asked, glaring defiantly, "That war is over. The Agents stopped bothering us after we called truce and stopped stealing Zapfish."
"Truces are just 'eventual betrayals', Chi." Youinn shook her head. "Your old boss is already up to shenanigans again. Moving troops to a new location? Munitions?"
"Well…"
"You guys have also been having power problems. Shockwhisk's stricken out, right?" Youinn pointed out.
Chi's lips were sealed. Youinn sighed, strolling up the stage's steps to sit on the tentacle throne.
"I think it's clear as day; even if you don't wanna join us Chi, you're going to have to go back to your own job one way or another."
"That's not true."
"Granted, we didn't steal you all away so we could give you an ultimatum between whether or not you're going to join us. We've been plotting this for a while, and right now, there's only one choice you have." Youinn declared, pulling out a pair of Octoling Goggles.
Chi narrowed her eyes. Suddenly, she reached up for her head. Sure enough, her usual Octoling Goggles were gone. Youinn hopped off the throne, much to the delight of the crowd around them and the anger of Winst behind the throne. Twirling the goggles using her finger, she flung it toward Chi, who managed to barely catch it as it sailed toward her face.
"Are you going to call your friends over here, or am I going to have to try my best 'alive Chi' impression?" Youinn asked, pointing her Dualies up toward her face.
Chi tilted her head away, still glaring at her with two guns pointed up at her chin. The rebel crowd was getting really into it, everyone staring closely at the two, waiting for a move.
"Youinn!" Winst screamed, "If you don't come over here and get me up I'm going to stomp your guts out!"
"Cod," Youinn muttered, rolling her eyes as she holstered her Dualies, "Go ahead and call them while I get the mummy."
"Squid off, ya flapping traitor!" Winst cursed, which if I wrote it like a regular human being might say it would've probably sounded bad.
"Oh please, you say that every time I push you off a chair." Youinn shook her head and holstered her weapons as she went to get her sister.
Chi watched as Youinn walked over behind the giant tentacle throne. Her attention switched to the crowd, with the inkling of an idea that she might be able to slip through them. As soon as she looked at them, the rebels pointed any and all weapons they had on hand/tentacle. Chi frowned, turning back to the stage. Youinn was struggling to pick Winst up, as her sister continued to hobble around in her bandages, trying in vain to smack Youinn with her petrified legs.
Chi sighed, pressing a finger against her Octoling Goggles. She felt a groove, then a flat circular button indent in the goggles. Chi pressed down, a barely identifiable buzz humming from the goggles. If nothing else, maybe this would be a decent calm before what she imagined would be the storm.
"This place is huge! You could probably play an entire Turf War battle in here alone!" Callie commented, opening her mouth to "ooo" and "aah" at the hangar sites.
"Miss Callie, please…" Clariss intervened, trying to herd her away from anything that looked remotely breakable.
Tai whistled as Ari and Mai walked in with her. The Octarian base's hangar had, for the most part, been completely cleared out. UFOs that were stacked up against the wall had all flown off, weapons of mass destruction normally perched in the middle of the floor had been cleared out, and all that was left were a few sciency-looking machines that Tai didn't really recognize plus an open toolbox that Clariss was standing by. There were a few support beams still up in place of completed projects and a few pieces of scrap metal on the sides of the wall, plus the floor hadn't been scrubbed clean since the move, being covered in skidmarks, ink, and oil. The entire enclosure was now a big, rectangular garage that stretched on for what now looked like miles, with the large hangar doors no longer blocked by engineers' projects or scientists riding around and testing giant metal octopuses.
"I didn't think we had this much space." Tai kicked a bolt to the side.
"Right?" Clariss muttered, looking around, "That's what I thought. They made like...five hangars' worth of space for us to use here."
"Yeah, and we get like one room for our bunks," Tai complained, stretching her arms.
"Do you still have that giant empty room with the huge pit in it?" Ari asked, "Maybe you could use that."
"Oh yeah! Tek's room!" Tai snapped her fingers. "Yeah, that's actually a pretty sweet idea Ari."
"Uh, yeah! Thanks."
Clariss rubbed the back of her head. "Oh, that room. Uh…"
"Clariss, didn't you want to discuss something?" Mai interrupted, "Sorry, but you seemed a little 'unhinged' earlier."
"Right!" Clariss cheeped, "Right… You're right."
Mai snorted. "I know I am, but what were you going to say?"
"So uh...besides the rebellion thing…" Clariss rubbed the back of her head. "You know how the Skell malfunctioned a few months ago?"
Images of a giant, two-story-tall mecha flashed through Tai's mind. She remembered its long, elastic, and deadly tentacles for arms as well as the several weapons that it carried with and inside itself. The violet chrome sheen, the light-blue light for an eye it had, the fact that it looked more like something out of a sentient robot show than anything else the Octarians had created...
"Still not over it," Tai admitted, teeth clenched, "He blew up my room."
"Well, I found the Skell, and uh…" Clariss scratched the back of her head, "He's been spotted just hovering around a floating island a little further off Area Three."
"Cool. We're bringing him back?" Tai asked.
"We were, but then the rebels came in. Chi and a bunch of others were taken to another place! I thought it was suspicious that Yurin had amassed a bunch of people I've never seen before!"
Tai froze up. "Chi was with them?"
"Yeah, I assumed they were moving to the new base, but…" Clariss shook her head, "No one else wanted to go and check on them! I couldn't do anything, because I was tasked with the Skell mission, I had to help with moving, and then I had to check on Ms. Inaba-"
"Mai," She corrected, putting her hand on Clariss's shoulder.
"Mai. I'm sorry I couldn't- I've just been-" Clariss started choking up, wiping her eyes.
"Hey, hey, it's fine." Mai crouched down to Clariss's eye level. "You're doing your job perfectly, Clariss."
"I just- There's been a lot I've had to do." Clariss took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."
"Man, you don't have anything to apologize for," Tai added, shaking her head.
Ari scratched the back of his head, looking around the hangar. "Yeah, it uh...sounds like you're doing your best."
"What everybody else said! I'm sure you're great at your job!" Callie chimed in, Octoshades flashing a positive pink. "Everybody gets a little flustered sometimes!"
"Wow. Uh...thanks. Everyone. This is…" Clariss hid her face in her hands. "I'm sorry, this is just so much!"
"I think all we accomplished was making her 'flustered' in the opposite direction," Ari commented.
Tai managed to smile slightly. Clariss, slightly less embarrassed, cleared her throat as she made her way back to the remaining machine in the hangar. The machine was like a computer, complete with a keyboard, monitor, and some kind of trackpad, except built into a cylindrical pedestal. Callie leaned in close, watching intently as Clariss typed away.
"I should lay everything out…" Clariss started, clicking a large key on the right.
The pedestal shimmered, releasing a holographic image that directed itself to the very end of the hangar. The hangar doors were obfuscated again, covered with a projected image of a computer interface, half of the screen dedicated to a giant three-dimensional map of Octo Valley, islands represented by cubes floating in space. The other side of the screen had a giant radar, with one small dot and a collection of other dots gathered together in one space.
"Can you see everything alright?" Clariss asked.
"How long have we had that?" Tai cut in, eyeing the machine.
Clariss rubbed the back of her neck. "I just installed it. I figured- Since no one's going to be here, I might as well try it…"
"Amazing! It stretches so far down the other way! It's not unlike a regular projector, but with an exceedingly breathtaking layer of depth and control!" Ari declared, eyeing the machine from below.
"It's really pretty," Callie commented, attempting to take off her Octoshades to take a closer look. Ari just scowled.
Her shades sparked suddenly, causing her to yip in surprise. Two exclamation marks buzzed in over her eyes. Tai noticed, shaking her head as she made a gesture with both her hands, shaking them to say "probably shouldn't try that". Callie just shrugged her shoulders and kept watching, leaving her Octoshades where they were.
"Over here is the Valley, with all the main areas of course, and that is where the Skell is," Clariss continued, pointing up at the map.
Over one of the giant cube islands was an action figure-sized mecha hovering around it in a circle. Everyone watched as the holographic Skell eventually slowed, descending onto the island until it stood there, still as a statue.
"Area 3," Clariss clarified, turning to the others, "It's the one with the bunch of rectangle columns with the one tower in the middle. The one that we used to have the Octowhirl in before Agent 3 blew it up, then blew it up again."
"Sheesh, yeah, I remember. The gals at the skatepark kettle didn't come out of their rooms for weeks after being revived," Tai mused, already walking away, "Cool, Area 3. I'm off!"
"Wait! Where are you going?" Ari asked.
Tai spun around, hands on her hips, just to say, "I'm going to bring the Skell back."
"What! No!" Ari and Clariss shouted.
Callie's Octoshades flashed two pink question marks. "Why, what's wrong?"
"Do you see the size of that thing? It could just kick her once and send her tumbling through space-time! She'll come out the other end of another dimension, but as a corpse!" Ari explained, both of his palms opened up, fingers curled in horror.
"I- Yeah, whatever he said!" Clariss sputtered, pointing to Ari as a show of support, right before turning to him to ask a resounding, "...What?"
Tai sighed, shaking her head. "You guuuuys. Don't worry! I'll just pacify the Skell like I did last time."
"Wait, what? When'd you do that?" Clariss narrowed her eyes, "Tai, do you dream a lot? I mean, you do slack off a lot, so maybe you're getting your dreams confused with reality-"
"Dude, Ari was there. It said something like, 'Yo, this girl's scary, I'mma head out', right?" Tai turned to Ari.
"I remember...you being angry," Ari admitted, rubbing the back of his head.
Tai frowned. "Right. Sorry. But you remember, it blew up my room?" Tai suggested, imitating a bomb getting thrown through a hole using her hands.
"No."
The girls all turned to Ari, each with varying degrees of surprise and disappointment.
"How do you forget that?" Mai asked.
Callie nodded rapidly. "Yeah, you couldn't forget that! It's like, I'd save that, get all my followers to see it, y'know-"
"...So you don't remember seeing the Skell act up?" Clariss asked, clearly disappointed.
"Uh…"
Tai shook her head. "Alright, lay off. That's besides the point. Ari, I'm gonna head out and wrangle the Skell and get it back here."
Ari swiveled on his heels, an indignant look on his face. "Shell no! Not unless I go with you!"
"Actually, if Tai went by herself, that might be for the best…" Clariss stated, rubbing the back of her head. "I actually need someone to check out that."
Clariss pointed up to the radar, specifically at the cluster of dots. "These are S.O.S. signals coming from Octolings and Octarians from our base. They're trying to radio in, but no one's been able to answer since...well…"
Clariss gestured at all of them. Callie waved back with a smile.
"No one's here but us," Clariss finished, then pointed directly at Ari. "And that's where you come in!"
"Me?" Ari questioned aloud.
"Yes! I'd like you to scout out the area. I've identified a kettle that might take you near where all of the Octarians trying to radio in are," Clariss pounded her left palm with her right fist, "I have to assume they're all being held up by the rebels, y'know, seeing as there was that advance party earlier...but this is where we strike back! We turn the tides and use an Inkling! Uh, you!"
"Me?" Callie asked hopefully.
A very visible drop of sweat traveled down the side of Clariss's face. "No. Uh...how do I put this? You're far too precious to risk getting caught."
"I could be stealthy though!" Callie said, shades emphasizing a pixel stick figure crawling on the ground in bright-pink.
"...Ari's got bigger muscles," Clariss said, looking back to him.
"Well, I-"
Tai cocked her head to the side. "He's going to scout?"
Ari raised a finger in the air, about to protest. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of Mai's expression. Her left eyebrow was arched, and her lips were curled in a pout. She was examining Ari closely, and he was all too aware of it, feeling the air grow tense. Mai then gave him a small wink, nudging her head ever-so-slightly toward Tai.
Ari's hearts skipped a beat. "Green light! Green light!"
"Yes! I, the all-powerful Ari, will scout for you!" Ari decided.
Tai narrowed her eyes. "You really up for this, dude?"
Ari gulped. "Absolutely, ma'am! I'd gladly die for you!"
Part of Ari felt a little sour as the last words left his mouth. Mai's eyebrow lowered. Now she was just pouting at him like he'd just been caught trespassing. Ari felt the sweat collect on his forehead.
Tai, on the other hand, seemed genuinely convinced. She smiled, albeit a small smile. "...Alright. I'll be back with the Skell in a little bit. Ari, you're coming with me outside."
"Yes ma'am!" Ari shouted with a heartier vigor than before as he began to follow Tai, a noticeable spring in his step.
Clariss cupped her hands around her mouth, calling after them, "Wait! Before you go! Are you guys armed and everything?"
"Uh, do these count?" Tai raised her fists.
"Hold on," Clariss groaned.
The two spun around, both equally confused. Clariss ran to the other end of the hanger where, sitting next to the wall, was a long briefcase. Clariss attempted to take it, only to struggle to heft it up, grunting heavily as she exerted herself. Mai and Callie both dashed over to her, both of them helping her out.
"Sheesh!" Mai sputtered as she and the other two dragged it back to the unorthodox computer, "What's in this? Rocks?"
"It's a bunch of weapon prototypes that never got past the testing phase," Clariss explained, setting the briefcase down gently, "It's only heavy because of...you'll see."
Clariss bent down, fiddling with the briefcase. There was a click as she pressed a small button on the side, Clariss lifting it open manually as she heard it. Inside were three weapons. There was a large roller outfitting with what looked to be a car motor strapped to the middle of the rod segment. Ari stared at it, then looked down at his own arms and hands in disbelief. The other two weapons were two small pistol-shaped ink guns with cone nozzles, neither larger than the palms of one's hands.
"This," Clariss started, picking up the roller carefully, "Is the prototype 'Octo Samuroller'."
"Why attach a motor to a roller?" Ari asked, looking at the roller from all angles.
"The Samuroller WAS meant to be ridden into battle," Clariss stated, pointing to a button on the side of the engine, "There's this big guy, the 'Octo Samurai' people call him, who Octavio suggested use a giant roller to crush any agents a while back. Big as a house! This was gonna be his 'sword'."
"If he was so big, then why would this be a problem for him?" Mai asked, poking the engine.
The engine then unceremoniously fell to the ground with a great crash, spilling oil and screws. The roller cover then shot up straight, going from a flat, sideways roller to a vertical pole. Ari just barely moved his head out of the way fast enough as it spread fuchsia ink in a straight, sharp line, stretching past him, onto the floor and quite a ways up the wall.
"This prototype didn't synergize well with the engine." Clariss shook her head. "The roller itself is pretty thin and not good for supporting...heavy people. It's more like a sword than a giant motorcycle. Which...was what the Octo Samurai requested."
"Do samurais drive motorcycles?" Callie asked aloud.
"We're might have to take those off later," Mai commented, looking at Callie's Octoshades worriedly.
Callie clutched the shades protectively. "They make me look cool!"
"It's also like a sword in that it only ever stands up like this. You can't really flick this thing like a traditional 'Roller' weapon that you Inklings use. You can uh...swing it," Clariss explained, shoving it back and forth in an amateurish display.
"So it's only...vertical." Ari took the roller from Clariss, giving it a few test swings. He shivered. "Even down here they've changed my precious Roller…"
"Huh?" Clariss chirped.
"Nothing, sorry. It is a fine weapon. How do I…" Ari lowered the roller, squinting at it. "How do I coat it with my ink?"
"That's another thing. These weapons were designed to be...well...impossible for Inklings to use under normal circumstances," Clarris admitted, a shade of violet crossing her face, "There was this minor argument between R&D and a section of the battle Splatoons, and to keep stories short, we basically ended up making these weapons Octarian exclusive."
"What does that mean for Ari?" Tai asked.
"It means that he can't add his own ink to this weapon," Clariss said, shaking her head. "If any of the important bits get exposed to too much Inkling ink, then the weapon is destroyed. It's like pouring water on electronics."
"Why would you carry a glass of water around?" Tai mused.
Clariss cleared her throat. "Uh, moving on."
The group agreed in UNISON that questioning the effects of water in the Splatoon universe was not the best idea for this moment.
"Don't have to yell," Tai muttered, pinching her ear.
"These are the Mini Dual Octoshots, or just 'Octo Dualies' for short. Design based off of what one of our field troops described new Inkling weapons looked like." Clariss picked both of them up and handed them to Tai.
"Oh yeah, I've seen legions of new Turf War players tote these trinkets around. Never understood the appeal of them," Ari explained, shaking his head in disapproval, "Hardly a noble weapon. All anyone uses them for is to roll around like knocked over jellyfish."
Clariss perked up. "Roll?"
"That's what the Dualies are used for; they let you roll around and shoot right after you roll. Cheeky children beat me with them more times than...more times than…" Ari trailed off. "Erm, nevermind."
Tai grinned snarkily as she leaned in closer, eager to hear Ari finish his statement. Ari just blushed, hiding his face under his Jungle Hat.
"...You guys use them to roll? Ship. I think I owe Mayla a new weapon," Clariss sighed.
"Eh?"
"We took bets to decide what Inklings used them for," Clariss explained, crossing her arms angrily, "And I guessed they were used for stealth and espionage because of how small they are. Who's going to believe that these tiny things are going to do a lot of damage?"
Tai eyed the Dualies curiously. "So then...I can't roll with them?"
"You probably still can!" Clariss shouted back, "But uh...tell me, how strong are the Dualies you have?"
Ari shrugs. "I don't use Dualies, but they're like diminutive regular shooters. You take control of both at once and shoot a steady stream of-"
"Clam it! I got robbed!" Clariss complained, kicking the floor lightly.
"Why, how do these ones-"
With both of them aimed at the wall, Tai clicked the triggers experimentally. There was a very light whistle not dissimilar to a tea kettle boiling. Everyone looked around, confused as to where the barely audible whistle was coming from. Then, there was an explosion. The walls Tai aimed at made a denting sound as two gratuitously ginormous round splotches smacked into them, staining them purple.
"What the shell?" Tai squeaked, inspecting the Octo Dualies to make sure they were still in her hands.
"I thought they were like…" Clariss made two finger guns, pressing them close together. "I thought they were secretive! Silent, but very, very deadly. These were scrapped because, well, I overthought the 'deadly' part."
"Jeez!" Ari whispered.
"These are awesome!" Tai exclaimed, twirling each gun in her hands.
"Even still," Ari began, "Will you be safe taking on that mechanic man by yourself? You sure you don't want me to help?"
"Totally." Tai nodded confidently. "You're going to show me your best, scout dude?"
"Definitely!" Ari nodded eagerly.
"Stay safe you two," Mai sighed, walking up to them, "Tai, don't get yourself killed. Same with you, orange."
"Daijoubu. You'll miss me way too much if I go," Tai cooed.
Mai frowned, running her fingers through Tai's now black tentacles. Tai pushed her hand away, giving her a sarcastic grin before walking out of the hangar. Ari followed, sneaking a glance back. Mai had on the same pout as before, only her eyes were considerably more droopy and worried than before. Ari gave her a short bow before he ran back to catch-up with Tai.
Clariss bent back down and closed the briefcase as the sound of their footsteps faded. "That's that for now, I guess."
"Don't worry! I've seen them in action. Those two are like...they're an unstoppable duo!" Callie sang, "I wish I had what they had."
Mai smiled. "I hope they have what you think they have too."
"...Eh?"
"Eh, it sounded better in my head."
The rebel camp was just as miserable as ever, if not more so now. There were a few sentries scattered here and there, most of them sitting on tall rocks looking down at the others. Lots of Octavio Octotroopers sat around, too exhausted and beat-up to consider rebelling. Both affiliations looked about as bored as bored gets.
In the middle of the camp on a relatively clean mattress were Ova, Lee, Jerry, and the Inkling Basli, along with several other Octarians, trying to share the comfort of the soft mattress by leaning against it. Lee was swinging her legs off the side of the mattress, looking down at her boots. Ova was fast asleep, head resting on Jerry's soft face as a pillow. Basli was laying down on the mattress, face-up, staring at the stalactites as if she were waiting for them to fall down.
Basli turned on her side to look at the others. Ova snored softly, while Jerry just looked over at Basli and smiled. Basli forced a smile back, then looked over to Lee. She seemed caught up in thought, too absorbed in the pendulum motions of her own legs to really say anything else.
Basli then got an idea. Sitting up straight, she crossed her legs and started to whine. "Aw man! I really gotta go!"
People started staring. Another Octoling, garbed in the dark-violet rags of the rebels, walked over to the mattress and glared at her. "Huh?"
"Hey, is there like a stall around here? Somewhere I can take care of business privately?" Basli asked, folding her legs over each other and trying her best to make sure there were veins popping out on her forehead.
The rebel Octoling just shrugged. "I'm not going to let you get help, but nice try."
"No, I have to...go. Like...y'know," Basli imitated a running faucet.
The Octoling rebel frowned in disgust. "You Inklings are gross."
"What! Hey! Everyone needs to...do their thing once in a while!" Basli argued.
She turned and nudged Jerry. "Hey man, you-"
"Yes?" Jerry stated.
"...Actually, do you ever need to go?" Basli pondered, looking over his small, tentacle body.
"Go...where? Because right now, I'd love to go to Inkopolis. I've heard-"
Basli turned to Lee instead. "Hey, you need to go, right?"
Lee didn't look away from her boots. "Mm? Yeah?"
"See?" Basli gestured to Lee.
Lee frowned, tilting her head in confusion. At that moment, Ova rose up, stretching and yawning as if she had been woken up from a good dream.
"Morning Lee...Jerr," Ova pat her makeshift pillow sleepily.
"Ova, do you have to...go?" Lee chirped.
"Muh?" Ova blinked slowly. "I guess...what?"
"See! See!" Basli pointed to the two Octolings, grabbing both of them by the hands, "We just need like...a second!"
The rebel rolled her eyes as she unholstered her Octoshot. "Yeah, fine."
Basli nudged the others off the mattress. Ova, still half-asleep, picked up Jerry and held him close like he was some sort of stuffed animal. The four of them made their way to the edge of the plank walls that fenced in the camp. On the outside were several other Octarians in rebel garb, all of them walking toward the camp. Basli's eyes widened as they walked in through the cave entrance.
"Oh, hey!" The rebel Octoling escorting them waved, "You guys came back early!"
"Yeah, apparently the guys over at Octavio's old base got wiped or something, they sent us back here for security reasons." An Octotrooper among the traveling troops called back, "What's going on with these guys?"
"These guys?" The rebel Octoling pointed at the four. "The Inkling here told me she needed to-"
"Go, go, go!" Basli cried out, dashing past the guards.
Ova's eyes widened as well, fully awake. Taking Lee's hand in her own, she tried to follow Basli, only to get blasted in the back by an Octoling, falling to the ground with a thud. Jerry dropped too, letting out a shriek as he fell to the ground, tripping Lee over. Basli hesitated, looking back at the Octolings.
"Run!" Ova shouted after her, rooted to the spot as she felt herself grow numb.
Basli didn't reply, already trying to reciprocate her words. However, her legs soon gave way as she felt them get tired too as she felt something hit the back of her heels. Basli grunted as her chin slammed into the rocks, scratching up her face slightly. The rebel Octarians just laughed in response, moving in to apprehend her.
"Scoundrels!"
The poor Octotroopers who were closest to Basli found themselves meeting the blunt edge of a paint roller, three of them simultaneously getting clonked on the head by a long stick. They dropped faster more effectively than any paralyzing ink could. Basli looked up, noticing the pair of Yellow Seahorse shoes, then his Varsity Jacket, and the long orange tentacles that spilled out of his Jungle Hat.
"I'm not usually this uncouth." Ari, gripping his roller, took another swing at the rebels, yelling, "But I'm not going to squander that 'go' signal either, you PLEBS!"
AN: Oh, Ari. What am I going to do with you?
Thanks RealCoolDude, write n wrong, and Guest for reviewing.
I guess that's a positive way at looking at things, CoolDude. Less competition, huh? This means I can get to number 1 without trying too hard! Ha! Love prevails in strange ways!
write n wrong, thanks for the welcome back! It's neat seeing that you guys still enjoy this enough to leave reviews.
Guest, I can't tell if that's a compliment or a dig at the story, but I appreciate you taking the time to review either way.
Thanks for reading, this is ThePizza-LovingTurtle.
Haikus are kinda...
They're kinda fun to misuse.
Like this poem right now.