ATTENTION: This chapter contains content from Splatoon 2's Octo Expansion.
Warning: Contains a brief description of an octoling getting blended.
Peyton's PoV
Instead of resting like everyone else did upon returning home, Peyton immediately sat down at her desk and reviewed the notes she had taken over the past few months. Though it had always been a hobby, ever since she learned of a possible Octarian spy in Inkopolis, she only became more and more invested in her research. Perhaps it was her own way of bringing herself some comfort, but it was also something she had been determined to do for a long time.
Find her sister.
The notes she had were compiled from various sources: the Octarian database, stuff Eight found in the Deepsea Metro, her own observations, et cetera. Everyone in Octa Prisma was aware she was doing something, but most remained unaware as to what exactly it was. Perhaps the Rainbow Squids were aware as well, but the answer to that question wasn't very important.
Now, what did she know? Well, for starters, she knew Peony hadn't been taken by the Octarians—her entry in the database still listed her as AWOL. Unfortunately, that did not confirm if she was still alive or not, though she personally hoped it was the former. From Eight's investigation, she also knew her test subject number during her time in the Deepsea Metro: Number 9,422. She didn't have to ask to know that Number 9,422 had cleared the tests given to her. After all, she did tell Peyton she was going to the promised land the last time she ever talked to her.
Most of the denizens of the deep spoke highly of Number 9,422, if Eight's reports were accurate. She always was kind—perhaps too kind for her own good. Peyton always stepped in to protect her sister because she just couldn't say no. She couldn't even begin to imagine what would've happened had she not been around. Turns out, nothing really bad happened. But, they did note that they hadn't seen her in nearly two years. Hearing that, she only grew worried about her sister's fate.
Not to mention, no one has seen her on the surface, either. Anyone that did recognize Peony's name were other octolings, but even then, they all said that they had not seen her since they were all freed by the Calamari Inkantation. Which gave Peyton a new theory: Peony was imprisoned by Kamabo Co., for whatever reason.
She even had a justification as to why she would be held prisoner in the first place. The goop the sanitized Octarians produced was reminiscent of ink, and she knew they were virtually zombies, too. Since the undead couldn't produce their own ink, they had to get it from somewhere else. ...Which could be the inklings and octolings that had gone through Kamabo Co.'s tests. Eight would've likely suffered the same fate if it weren't for Agent 3's interference.
There was only one problem: Kamabo Co. was thrown into disarray following Commander Tartar's death. Now that he was gone, there was no reason to keep holding octolings captive. In that case, shouldn't Peony be free by now? Unless there was something more sinister afoot, something that could only be stopped by outside interference. For example, Kamabo Co. could be under a new leader that would continue the production of sanitized Octarians.
Whatever the answer may be, she figured she would have to go down to the Deepsea Metro to investigate for herself soon. She could only rely on Eight for so long.
Maybe...after...a good night's sleep.
Before she knew it, Peyton fell asleep, her head resting on the desk. When she woke up, a ray of sunshine shined down on her from the window, welcoming her to the new day. She snapped her head up and began to organize all the notes. After each paper was stacked neatly in a pile, in order of relevance, she got up, grabbed her phone, and headed to the kitchen, where she prepared some cereal. She hopped on a stool and began to eat it from the counter, scrolling through Squidsagram. ...She still didn't quite understand why it was called Squidsagram. It was another example of inklings plastering their species onto something, she supposed.
Some of her teammates had already posted pictures of themselves, celebrating their return to Inkopolis. None of them mentioned their kidnapping by the Octarians, but nonetheless, the people who followed them overlooked the lack of explanation and instead celebrated the fact that they were safe. Yet, Peyton merely frowned. Must their egos be so inflated? They could instead silently return instead of announcing it to everyone on the internet. But, it is what it is. She's known her team long enough that she was hardly surprised.
Once she finished her cereal, she washed the dish and put it away before taking a shower. She might as well wash away the stench of Octo Canyon before heading out to the Deepsea Metro. She didn't know how long she would be down there for, but she was prepared to be gone the entire day. Once she was finished, she changed into an Annaki drive tee, some shorts, and purple hi-horses, finishing it off by putting on her usual Annaki beret and glasses. After grabbing a few energy bars and her Tri-Slosher, she was ready at last.
She took a train to Inkopolis Square—her apartment was pretty close to the train station. When she arrived, she was going to head towards the entrance to the Deepsea Metro, but unfortunately, some of the Rainbow Squids were in the way, standing right outside of the Deca Tower. They hadn't noticed her yet, but she knew that if she took just a few steps closer, they would quickly recognize her. So, she stood in place, stretching as she waited for any of them to make a move.
"C'mon, Bon-Bon!" Perry egged, gesturing for her to follow him. "What are you waitin' for?"
"I'm sorry!" she apologized. "I know I said I'd battle with you all, but..." She shook her head. "I dunno. Got cold tentacles, I guess."
"Are you sure you're OK?" Octavia questioned. "You're usually not like this."
"I'm fine," she insisted. "I just got a lot on my mind, that's all."
Perry shrugged. "If you say so. We can do something else."
"Aw, I really wanted to battle," Yuri lamented. "We could find another teammate, but I don't wanna leave you out, either."
"You can go on without me," she declared. "You can probably pick up a rando pretty easily."
"Speaking of randos..." Octavia glanced over towards Peyton, flipping her hair back. "Look who's here!"
"Ah." She dipped her hat down, trying to hide her upset expression. Though, a beret wasn't particularly effective at doing so.
"Hey, Peyton isn't a rando," Perry commented. "She's our friend!"
Bonnie scratched the back of her head. "Hi, Peyton. How long have you been listening?"
"Long enough," she replied. Now, all she had to do was get them off her back, which shouldn't take much effort. "I do not want to battle," she started. "I have plans." The former was a half-lie—though she didn't particularly want to battle right now, she was prepared to fight any enemies that came her way. Eight had claimed the sanitized Octarians were docile ever since Commander Tartar's, someone she had only heard of from the New Squidbeak Splatoon, defeat, but she wasn't willing to take any chances. If it came to it, she would fight.
"Oh," Octavia mumbled, deflated.
"Well, we'll just find someone else, then!" Yuri proclaimed.
"Have fun with whatever you're doing," Perry added. "We'll see ya later."
A small smile touching her lips, Peyton nodded. "I will see you later as well."
The Rainbow Squids waved goodbye as she walked past them, towards the other side of the Deca Tower. She was quick to find the entrance down to the Deepsea Metro, various stickers and graffiti covering the structure. She hopped over the gate and descended deeper into the dark tunnel, where little light illuminated it. It soon became so dark that she had to turn on her phone's flashlight to see.
Soon, spare decorations began to dot the tunnel, eventually growing more and more abundant and breathing life into the Deep Sea. She soon spotted a station, a sign marking her current location. It didn't seem like a test station, as she spotted no entrance into bizarre spaces. Instead, there were a few benches, populated by various sea creatures she had never seen before.
...And one octoling.
The octoling looked like a typical soldier, with poufy hair and lightly tanned skin. Her uniform was rather outdated though, donning the uniform Peyton and her friends had Octo Valley in. Old goggles sat on the top of her head, cracks running along its perimeter. Additionally, yellow wristbands circled one wrist and one ankle, just like the ones Eight occasionally wore. She couldn't be a new test subject, since the tests ended after Commander Tartar's defeat. Yet, only one person could do Kamabo Co.'s tests at a time. Peyton began to wonder: how did she fail? Did she just give up? An octoling should be perfectly able to do them.
Peyton sat down next to her and immediately, she could tell how. The octoling looked...rather sickly. Her features were sunken, and her skin and hair lacked any shine to them. A mostly-full ink tank sat on her back, yet she knew the tank would slowly drain as ink entered the octoling's body. Telltale signs of a chronic ink deficiency. Octolings with one rarely, if ever, possessed combat roles due to the inability to either generate ink or hold a lot of ink in their ink sac. She supposed they couldn't take part in ink battles either, if one ever came to Inkopolis.
It took a few seconds for the octoling to finally notice Peyton. "...Oh?" she muttered, her voice hoarse. "It's been a long time since I've seen another Octarian."
"I didn't expect to see any Octarian down here," she admitted. At least the octoling spoke her native tongue. "I guess you live down here?"
She took a few moments to reply. "Yes," she confirmed. "It's not that bad. I'm sure...the surface is better, though."
"It is. I would not go back to Octo Valley in a heartbeat."
"Ah...Octo Valley."
"Oh... Eight said your memories were messed with when you became a test subject. I'm guessing you don't remember anything about it."
"Right... But even if I didn't become a test subject, I...wouldn't remember."
"Seriously? Nothing at all?"
"...Never mind." The octoling lifted her head, brown eyes staring straight ahead. "The train is here. We can talk more inside."
Peyton whipped her head towards the train. Indeed, some deep-sea creatures were filing inside, beckoned by the familiar silhouette of C.Q. Cumber. The sea cucumber stopped everyone to check them first before letting them inside, eventually reaching Peyton and the octoling. The octoling pulled out a card and showed it to him.
"Me and her," she said. "We are boarding together."
He turned to Peyton. "I've seen you before," he said. "You were with Number 10,008 once. Welcome aboard."
"Number 10,008..." the octoling repeated, looking over her shoulder. "That must be the 'Eight' you mentioned."
"Yeah," she confirmed. "She doesn't like being called 'Number 10,008,' though."
C.Q. Cumber stretched an arm out and poked them both, forcing them to step inside. They apologized before taking one of the empty seats, her companion letting out a sigh as she plopped onto it. Peyton hung onto the metal pole nearby, looking down on her through her shades.
"You're lucky," she remarked. "You know that, right?"
"Lucky?" Peyton repeated. "I guess compared to you, yeah."
"Don't be so rude," she huffed. "You're strong, healthy... I'm neither. My life would be a lot easier if I were those."
"Sorry," she apologized. "...Actually, what's your name?"
"Number 8,484," the octoling responded. "It's what my wristband says. Everyone calls me A4, though." She glanced up at the girl with the ponytail. "And what about you? What's your name?"
"Peyton." She held out a hand. "Nice to meet you."
Gingerly, A4 shook it. "I've only ever seen a few people who weren't from the Deep Sea or a test subject," she added. "You must have a reason for coming down here...right?"
"Yep." Now, she could get straight to the point. "I'm looking for my sister, Peony. She was a test subject down here, about two years ago."
"I see... That does not ring a bell. What was her number?"
"9,422."
"Hm..." After a long pause, A4 shook her head. "I'm sorry... My memory isn't very good. However..." She reached into her bag and pulled out a notebook. "I do have this. It's where I write down people I meet, both denizens of the deep and test subjects, so that I can remember them. Especially the ones who go to the 'promised land.'"
Peyton's eyes became wide with wonder. "Ooh! Can you look through it, please? Maybe you met her once!"
"I am, I am," she grumbled. Flipping through the pages, she read through each and every one. It took so long that Peyton had to stifle a yawn, trying not to fall asleep from boredom. Eventually, a loud "ah ha!" snapped her out of her thoughts, bringing her attention back to A4.
"Number 9,422," she began to read. "Octoling test subject, had collected three thangs. I met her in April of 2017. She tried to help me to places, but I insisted I could handle myself. ...Quite annoying, she was. I never saw her after that...so I guess she went to the promised land."
Peyton ignored her comment on Peony being annoying and exclaimed, "She did! She told me herself, just before she went there! I've looked for her everywhere, but no one has seen her, so now I have to look at the one place I haven't looked—here."
"The promised land's death," A4 immediately declared, her voice so loud that most of the passengers turned their heads to look at the two octolings. As she continued to speak, her words started to slur together. "It's the one thing I can't forget. I watched a test subject step inside the combined thangs so they could go to the promised land. Instead, the thangs sliced them up until they were a pile of sludge, and all I could do was watch as I heard them scream."
Peyton didn't completely understand what she said, but the first sentence alone was enough to make her stare at her in horror. "That's..." She shook her head, trying to think of some rebuttal. "No! It can't be! I..."
A4 groaned, gripping her head as she sunk back into her seat. "...Sorry," she said after a long time. After some incomprehensible words, she added, "I need...meds."
"Meds? Do you not have any on you?"
She shook her head, simply holding up a finger. With that, Peyton assumed that they could only wait. With a frown, Peyton sunk back into the chair, watching the scenery pass by. She didn't want to get sidetracked, but she would only feel bad if she abandoned A4 now. Despite the urgency of her mission, she couldn't just abandon someone in need. That would only reflect badly on her conscience.
Some time later, A4 tapped her foot on the ground, grabbing Peyton's attention. "Here," she declared. Taking a deep breath, she rose to her feet, beckoning for Peyton to follow her.
Together, they stepped off the train, into a small neighborhood. Neon signs lined the area, flickering as deep sea denizens roamed the streets of this settlement. Buildings were tightly packed together, and some street vendors were waving their hands around, trying to grab the attention of anyone that passed by. The architecture was reminiscent of Octarian buildings, but at the same time, it was unique in its own way. Unlike Octarian settlements, it looked very easy to get lost here.
Thankfully, A4 knew the way through this maze. Some people greeted her as they passed by, but she seemed to barely hear them, only giving the slightest of acknowledgements. More eyes were drawn to Peyton instead. An Octarian, much less an octoling, must be a rare sight to see down in the Deepsea Metro for sure, especially given A4's comments. No matter how much Peyton tried to ignore them, she only grew more uncomfortable with each step they took, their glowing eyes menacing in the darkness.
Soon, after a few brief pauses so A4 could catch her breath, they reached a small shack, a few clotheslines hanging above it. A neon sign clearly labeled that this was the octoling's home, and Peyton wondered if labeling her house in such a way could leave her vulnerable to anyone who wished to hurt her. That was common sense, wasn't it? If she didn't want to take it down, though, then perhaps no one wished to bother her. After all, who would benefit from robbing a sickly octoling? No one!
A4 rushed inside, pulling Peyton in alongside her. She could only watch as she stumbled over to the bathroom, accompanied by heavy breaths. A few minutes later, she emerged, standing taller. The ink in the tank she carried started to dwindle, though she assumed A4 would not be in immediate danger. A4 then lumbered over to the counter, where she grabbed a bag of kale chips and took them to a patchwork couch, where she started to eat them. Peyton still kept her eye on her, unsure what to say.
"Thank you," A4 eventually said. "For the company."
"You're welcome." She took a seat across from her. "Do you really have nothing else on my sister?"
"I don't," she replied. "I think she is dead."
"She can't be." Peyton crossed her arms, averting her gaze. "She can't be..."
"You're in denial. If I had proof, I would show you. ...I do not."
She snapped her head back towards her. "I'll find the proof myself."
"How?"
"When I was in the Octarian army, I was a scout, or perhaps more appropriately, a spy. With my skills, I could sneak into an unauthorized area, get an employee model CQ-80, and fetch the data myself. It's the only way I can see what truly happened to my sister."
"...A scout...hm..." A4 trailed off before clearing her throat. "Kamabo Co.'s employees are extremely dangerous. I think you should give up and go home."
"I am not going home until I find the truth. I made my decision the moment I came down here."
"Stubborn..."
Peyton huffed at the remark, eyebrows furrowing. Stubborn? She was perhaps the most flexible octoling out there! Only with something as important as her sister would she be this stubborn.
A4 merely frowned at her silence. "Well...good luck. What else is there to say?"
She dipped her head and started to head towards the exit. She paused in the doorway, looking back at the other octoling. She would be fine, she assured herself. She had already survived this long down in the Deepsea Metro with little help, and she would continue to survive.
She thought about saying something else, but she merely smiled and waved goodbye before exiting the shack completely. She weaved her way through the crowded streets, neon signs surrounding her, and emerged at the edge of a station. She leaned against the pole, awaiting the next train. Without someone to talk to, time seemed to move slower and slower. She really was fortunate to have run into A4.
When the next train came, C.Q. Cumber didn't even flinch when he saw her, instead welcoming her like any other passenger. She couldn't help but feel like something was off, but perhaps this was how he treated all normal passengers. Even as she spent more time down here, the full extent of the Deepsea Metro's secrets remains hidden to her.
When she got off at Central Station, her true search could now begin.
Peyton had been here once before, when Eight was searching for her real name. That time, she had her friends and the Rainbow Squids with her, but now that she was alone, the Central Station became much more eerie. Glass scattered across the floor had still not been cleaned up, and a giant hole gaped over her head. Within in the darkness had to be the depths of Kamabo Co.'s labs, she was sure of it. Regardless, there was only one way to find out for sure. Turning into an octopus, she super-jumped towards the ceiling, into the unknown.
She landed in a dark area, accompanied by metal beeping. Turquoise goop lined the walkways, leading upwards to a pillar. Sanitized Octarians guarded the halls, their gazes empty as they moved back and forth, patrolling the area. Luckily, Peyton had her Tri-Slosher with her, but if she didn't, then she would have a much harder time getting past them. So, inking a path for herself, she charged ahead, splatting any guards she came across, leaving purple ink behind in her wake.
Though, she soon came across a problem: she spotted spawn points along the edges of the narrow walkway. The moment any Octarian spotted her, even more would spawn, and just like that, she would splat. She turned into an octopus and hid in a puddle of purple ink, examining the path ahead. Though the guards initially looked alarmed, they soon went back to a more relaxed state. Perfect.
When their backs were turned, that was Peyton's opportunity to slip past. Though, of course, her footsteps weren't silent. She immediately hid behind a wall as they turned their attention back to the main pathway, puzzled. But, as expected, they soon went back to acting like nothing had happened. As relieved as Peyton was, she didn't want to drop her guard yet. She was still far from the next floor.
The series of platforms opened up into a larger area, spawn points dotting the floor. More Octarians patrolled the area, circling around the very center of the area, where a pillar rested. It would be nearly impossible for Peyton to reach it unnoticed, so instead, she had to be fast. She emerged from her hiding spot and swung her Tri-Slosher, slinging a path of ink onto the ground before diving into the path. Alarmed, the sanitized Octarians started to march towards her, their numbers quickly growing. Before they could land a hit on her, she inked the wall and soared up it thanks to the help of dash tracks.
On the top of the pillar, she surveyed the area ahead. There was another series of walkways, followed by another pillar rising into the distance. However, what caught her eye was an octoling soldier, this one with blue hair and green skin. Just like the sanitized Octarians.
And she was only getting closer and closer. Their eyes met briefly, and the sanitized octoling only picked up the pace.
Even though her heart felt like it would burst out of her chest from anxiety, she had to keep moving. Who knows what would happen if they caught her? And if she perished here...she would never find her sister. She could not let that happen at any cost. She didn't look back as she raced through the narrow hallways, turquoise goop flying past her as the guards shot hopelessly at her. Right now, she only had one objective: survive.
Inking a switch, a door unlocked, retracting to reveal a small chamber. Peyton rushed inside, and the door closed behind her the moment she stepped onto the checkpoint. She could hear ink pounding on the other side of the door, but in the blink of an eye, everything seemed to settle down, save for another pair of footsteps echoing throughout the halls. She took a moment to steady herself before activating the switch on the next door and continuing onwards.
An Octoseeker patrolled the next room, turquoise goop dripping off its face. In the back of the room, she spotted another glowing switch, leading deeper inside the facility. Activating it seemed like a simple enough task, except there was nowhere to hide from the Octoseeker. Once again, it was a test of speed. She waited for an opening, and the moment she saw one, she took it, running as far as her legs could take her across the room.
Unfortunately, the Octoseeker soon spotted her, blaring alarms as it loomed closer and closer. Peyton swung her Tri-Slosher at the switch, opening the door. She slipped inside before the Octoseeker could squish her. As the machine couldn't progress any further anymore, it went back to patrolling the room. Though, she couldn't rest here—the chamber she arrived from opened again, revealing the same sanitized octoling as before. Heart pounding, she ran deeper inside the facility.
Oddly, the hallways were less guarded than the outside, though that did not make them any more eerie. Several sanitized octolings were slumped against the walls, lifeless, and many of the lights were broken. All that was left guarding the hallways were several lasers emitting the same turquoise goop the guards spat out. Carefully, she jumped through the lasers, thankfully clearing them without incident. Yet, the octoling following her only grew closer and closer.
Eventually, she found a locked blue door with Kamabo Co.'s logo plastered on it. She kicked the door opened, revealing a security room. Several screens depicting different areas of the facility covered one of the walls, though no one was watching them. Most of the inscriptions inside the room were in a different language—something she found odd, given most people down here spoke Octarian. Nonetheless, she slipped inside and shut the door behind her, allowing her to examine the room for herself. She spotted a desk with several stacks of paper, and immediately, she sat down and began to search its contents. If anything had information on her sister, it would be these.
But as she ravaged through the notes, Peyton's frown only grew deeper. Was there anything written in a language she knew? The characters on the page looked like Inkling, but the words they formed were foreign to her, and some of them looked off, too. In fact, they more closely resembled the script she had seen on some ancient human artifacts. And who would write their research in a dead language? A philologist?
"You wish to learn about sanitization."
She whipped around, alerted by the newcomer. A sanitized octoling with curly hair stood in the doorway, expressionless. The one that had been following her. Immediately, she pulled out her Tri-Slosher, poised to attack. Yet, the sanitized octoling only closed the door behind her and held up her hands, void of any weapons.
"Do not attack," she directed. "I am defenseless."
Peyton put away her own weapon. "Why were you following me?"
Something like a smile touched the sanitized octoling's lips. Could they even smile? "You noticed."
"Yes. I was a scout for the Octarian army. My job required me to be alert at all times, and though it's been a long time since I last worked there, it never went away."
She clacked her feet together, putting her hands behind her back. "Let us go back to what you want. Information about sanitization."
Peyton grabbed one of the sheets of paper. "Is that what these notes are about?"
She nodded. "Sanitized beings are extensions of Commander Tartar's consciousness. When a creature is sanitized, they gain his knowledge. However, now that he is dead, we are stuck carrying out his last objective. Those without an objective are doing nothing. To put it simply, they are nothing more than a sack of flesh. That was the case for this body."
"'Was.' Did something happen?"
"The ooze used for sanitization is made from the blended bodies of various sea creatures, primarily octolings, and small parts of Commander Tartar. When injected into a host, the ooze overtakes all bodily functions, effectively killing them and leaving only a husk for Commander Tartar to control. In that way, you can think of it as a parasite. There are very few cases where some bodily functions are left intact—take Dedf1sh, for example. She is an octoling who makes music for Kamabo Co.'s tests. Her brain was not overtaken completely, keeping her conscious and giving her the ability to make music: a skill Commander Tartar cannot replicate. However, she is still at his mercy—I do not know what effect his death had on her."
Peyton took in all the information, nodding as the sanitized octoling spoke. Eventually, she took a deep breath, and began her rebuttal. "That still doesn't explain you. I can gather this is not your original body, but if you're not Commander Tartar...who are you?"
"A small error Commander Tartar did not account for is that the consciousnesses of cephalopods persist in the ooze, albeit weakly. The more of a cephalopod in a specific group of ooze, the stronger the consciousness. Therefore, I am the one taking control of this body. My own consciousness is fractured among multiple bodies, but only in this one is it complete enough for me to gain control. There are multiple gaps in my memory...but I can remember the most important parts—the Calamari Inkantation, the tests, my demise, and you."
And you. Peyton lowered her hands, processing her words. "You're..." She didn't want to finish the sentence. If what the sanitized octoling was saying was true, then...
"Peony," she finished. "When I saw you down here, it woke me up for the first time in years. I had to find you and tell you the truth."
Peyton pulled the octoling into a hug. She was so cold...yet this was all that remained of her sister. She didn't even have the same body anymore. She rarely ever cried, yet she found herself sobbing on her shoulder, out of relief and grief. Relief that she finally found her sister. Grief that she would never be the same again. In this situation...was she still her sister?
When she let go, not-Peony walked over to the security footage and began sifting through the records. Eventually, she settled on a recording from Central Station, and hitting the play button, some footage began to play. The first thing she noticed was her sister. Gulping and flexing a fist, she prepared herself for what was about to come.
Peony had just finished talking to Peyton when a more robotic voice beckoned her forward. She turned around to see a telephone on top of a giant blender decorated with neon lights, lifting her head until she was eye-to-eye with the telephone.
"Do not be shy!" the same robotic voice exclaimed. "Please, step right inside!"
She scanned the blender briefly, but after muttering a few inaudible words to herself, she stepped inside, and the door shut behind her. The platform rose to the top of the blender's base, making a clicking sound once it stopped. Peony looked around, fear suddenly striking her eyes as she grew more panicked.
"INGREDIENT ACQUISITION COMPLETE..." the robotic voice announced, its voice growing flat. "REFORMATTING MATTER..."
"What?!" Peony began to bang on the glass to no avail. "Hey! Let me out!"
As the blade grew closer and closer, the banging only became more and more frantic. She glanced up at the blade, and as it sliced one of her tentacles off, she began to scream. Peyton squeezed her eyes shut, gritting her teeth. She couldn't look any longer. She didn't think she could ever hear a more blood-curdling scream. It was cut off abruptly with a gurgle as the blender worked its terrible magic, bringing an end to her sister's life.
Not-Peony ended the footage there. A cold hand rested on Peyton's shoulder, and she forced herself to look at the sanitized octoling. She wiped away her tears, mustering the courage to speak at last.
"You're actually..." She gulped, unable to finish her words. "...The promised land was a scam. I'm stupid for not realizing it sooner."
"You are not stupid," not-Peony insisted. "You stubbornly stuck to our promise."
Right. Peyton nodded. Our promise.
"We'll always be together!" Peony declared, wrapping a stubby hand around her sister's. "I promise!"
Peyton nodded. "Right. We'll always be together."
"But if we can't fulfill our promise..." Peyton slumped down on the empty chair, averting the other octoling's gaze. "...What can we do?"
"When we were freed by the Calamari Inkantation, we promised to find the surface together. Of course, Kamabo Co. Separated us. I may not have found the surface, but you have." Not-Peony pressed her fingers to the bottom of her chin and lifted her head, forcing her to look into those sickly glowing eyes. "I would like to make a new promise. Please continue to live on the surface, even though I cannot. You will always carry on my memory."
"C-Can't I take you with me?" she pleaded. "You're here now! And you can talk to me, too! We can live happily ever after!"
"I am only a shadow of myself. I would not be the same octoling you knew when you were younger. I am sorry, Peyton, but this is the way it must be."
Peyton opened her mouth, but no words came out. Not-Peony let go, and she brought her knees to her chest, closing her eyes as her cheeks were slick with tears. Her sister was dead. She would never return. She refused to believe it, when all that remained of her was standing right in front of her, but it was what her shadow insisted. All her efforts had been for nothing. She tried to be prepared for the worst, but when it proved true, everything came crashing down on her. She wondered how her teammates would react if they saw her in such a state. When she tried imagining that, nothing came to her.
"Peyton."
She looked up, watery eyes blurring her vision. A deep frown became etched in not-Peony's features, though it was clearly strained.
"You have friends, correct?" not-Peony inquired, bringing a finger up to her lips. Peyton nodded in response. "You already are living happily ever after. If I was not your concern...your life would be perfect. Do not worry about me. Can you promise me that?"
She blinked. "I can't just forget you."
"You do not have to. I only want you to be happy."
Peyton frowned herself, flexing her fist. Despite the freshness of her grief, not-Peony was doing everything in her power to close that wound. Yet, despite how much Peyton wanted to deny it and pretend Peony was alive, she was right. She couldn't linger on her absence any longer.
Peony was always full of life, and she tried her best to make everyone around her happy. Perhaps that was what drew everyone to her, while Peyton remained sheltered away, focusing on her own interests and the small group of friends she had. Of course she'd want her sister to be happy, too.
Even in this hollow version of herself, that proved true.
Peyton lifted her hand, reaching for her sister. "Tentacle promise?"
Not-Peony transformed, plopping down on the ground and reaching out a sickly green tentacle. "Tentacle promise."
She transformed as well, wrapping her tentacle around not-Peony's. A few moments later, they transformed back, their arms wrapped around one another's. They let go, and immediately, Peyton pulled the octoling into a hug. A gasp escaped her lips, but she soon hugged back, her body still cold. But even it had the slightest hints of warmth.
When she released her, the faintest smile tugged at the sanitized octoling's lips. "Thank you. I am glad to finally see you again." The smile fell, and she sighed. "You should leave. It is too dangerous to linger."
"I know, but..."
"Remember the promise?" not-Peony interrupted. "I will always be in your memory. Now, go, before things take a turn for the worst."
Peyton gulped, and then she nodded. "A-Alright." She stepped towards the door, and before she could leave, she looked back at the sanitized octoling. "Goodbye."
She didn't wait for an answer before dashing out of the room. She knew that if she stayed any longer, she would break down crying, and she would be in the same position, again. She couldn't afford to let that happen. With her Tri-Slosher in hand, she battled her way out of the hallways, swimming back the way she came here. There were less guards than on the way here, but nonetheless, they still proved to be a nuisance.
She dived through a hole in the abyss, and once again, she found herself near the shattered glass decorating the main platform of Central Station, exactly where it had been when she arrived here earlier. Seeing her reflection peering back at her only filled her with a sense of melancholy. Her twin sister was gone, and the only thing to remember her by was her memories. Before she knew it, she was crying again, tears dropping onto the glass shards.
Only the train's arrival pulled her out of her mourning. C.Q. Cumber made no attempt to cheer her up, and he silently slipped away once she sat down. Peyton rested her head against the window, watching the strange scenery pass by as the train sped along the tracks. It was the only way to distract her from her thoughts.
Eventually, she got off, though she quickly realized that she had ended up in the neighborhood A4 lived in instead of the nearest station to the exit. Peyton cursed herself for not paying attention, but while she was here, she figured she might as well visit her. Retracing her steps, she soon found herself in front of the shack labeled with A4's name and knocked on the door.
"...Who is it?" a voice asked from within.
"Peyton," she replied. "That is you, A4, right?"
She heard some shuffling, and a few seconds later, A4 opened the door, her eyelids even heavier than when she left. She raised an eyebrow, and then she sighed. "You've returned."
"Yes." Peyton paused, mustering the courage to say her next words. "...I found out what happened to my sister."
"Was I right?"
"Yes...you were."
"Is that why...you came back here?"
"I don't know why I came here," Peyton admitted. "I'm sorry to bother you. It's a lot to take in."
"...Come inside," A4 beckoned. She didn't give her a choice, instead pulling the purple-haired octoling inside her shack suddenly. Once again, they sat opposite of each other, a soft tune echoing throughout the house. A sketchbook lay open on the couch, depicting an amateur drawing. Before she could get a better look, A4 closed the journal and met Peyton's eyes.
Curiosity only scratched at her. "What were you drawing?" asked Peyton.
A4 shrugged. "I don't know. Something came to mind, so I wanted to visualize it before I forget it." She opened the sketchbook and handed it to Peyton. The lines were rough, but it was clear enough to get a general idea of the octoling she was drawing. From the outfit, they were likely a soldier, though A4 couldn't settle on an expression to give them. Squiggles decorated the background.
"I don't think you liked them," she remarked.
"I think I did at one point," A4 admitted, "but I don't remember why. I think...they betrayed me." She frowned. "Maybe...they are the reason I'm like this."
A theory began formulating in Peyton's head. "A4...have you ever heard of the Calamari Inkantation?"
The answer came bluntly. "No. Why?"
"Well, it's a song. It freed so many octolings from the Octarian oppression, so if you hadn't heard it...maybe this person had? Maybe they cared about you, and maybe they tried to convince you to escape with them. Because you were still loyal to the Octarian army at the time, you refused. That is my theory, at least."
Whatever A4 thought of the theory, she didn't voice them, leaning back into the couch as she held the ink tank close to her body. So instead, Peyton proposed an offer.
"Would you like to come with me to the surface?"
A4 immediately stood up. "The surface? Why would you offer that?"
"You've been down here for so long... Who knows how long it's been since you've last seen the sun, if ever? That's the least I can offer you."
She paused, but after a long time, she shook her head. "...No. I'm happy down here. Everything I have is down here. I'm afraid that if I go to the surface...I won't ever come back." Noticing the dismay on Peyton's face, she forced a smile. "Don't bother with me. I barely know you. I think...you should spend time with your friends. I can live my life, and you can live yours."
"Are you sure?"
"If you're only trying to help because you feel bad for me...don't. It's annoying. But you still helped me when I needed it. Thank you for that. You've already done the minimum."
"If that's what you wish, then so be it." Peyton rose to her feet and started to walk towards the door. "Now, this is really goodbye."
A4 nodded. "What a shame... Peyton, I will try my best to remember you. Even if I forget you, my journal will hold your memory forever."
"Thank you. I won't forget you either."
With that, Peyton left the house and headed towards the station once again. The train came much faster this time, though it also happened to be much more crowded. She didn't even get a seat, instead leaning against a metal pole. The confirmation of Peony's death came to the forefront of her mind again as she stared out of the windows, watching the scenery pass by. Tears threatening to spill out again, she pulled out her phone as a distraction, but it had no signal. Cursing under her breath, she then tried to imagine something else, like Octa Prisma, or even A4. But these thoughts were quickly replaced with Peony.
Once she reached her final destination, she wiped away her tears and stepped off the train, staring out into the dark tunnel before her. Decorations had become sparse, leaving only miles of stone, but she knew she would emerge from the tunnel eventually. At last, she could leave this accursed place and go home. So, she ventured off, leaving her phone's flashlight on to guide the way.
It wasn't long before the sun hit Peyton's pale skin. She squinted at the bright light, to the point where she had to take out her sunglasses. But compared to the Deepsea Metro, it felt warm and refreshing, welcoming her back to the surface and comforting her in her grief. She took a few steps further, stepping out into the open Inkopolis Square, where inklings and octolings alike went about their day.
She walked past the Crust Bucket and sat down on a bench, pulling out her phone and holding it up to the sky. Her lock screen depicted a picture of herself and the rest of Octa Prisma, taken some time before they were all kidnapped. As expected, Giovanni was front and center in the picture, with the rest of the team surrounding him. Peyton herself was towards the back, sporting an unenthusiastic expression as she dug her hands into her pockets. Though she didn't show it outwardly...she did care about them quite a bit. They were the people who brought her to Inkopolis, after all, and even though her search for her sister ended in failure, she wouldn't dare leave Inkopolis now, not when everything she cared about was here.
The screen automatically turned off after a minute, and she lowered her phone, sighing. Nothing would bring Peony back. So, she had to remember her new promise—be happy. At the minimum, she could do that, no matter how hard it seemed right now.
In the distance, she spotted a pink-haired figure walking up to her. She lowered her sunglasses, sitting up straight as the figure grew closer and closer. Eight now stood tall over her, twirling one of her tentacles around her hand. Her eyes dropped to the empty space next to Peyton, and Peyton patted on the bench, egging her to join her. As Eight sat down, the tips of her tentacles began to droop, accompanied by a frown on her face. For a long time, they sat there in silence, admiring the tower standing tall over Inkopolis Square as it basked in sunlight.
"Where were you?" Eight eventually asked.
"The Deepsea Metro," she replied.
"That's what I thought." She took a deep breath, and continued, "Did you find your sister?"
Peyton slouched. "...Kind of. She's..."
"Dead," Eight finished. "Right?"
"Yeah. Did you know that already?"
"I didn't have any way to confirm it, but with the evidence I had, I figured she was most likely dead." She curled her hands up into fists, her tentacles growing stiff. "I wanted to tell you, but I knew you wouldn't believe me."
Normally, Peyton would be mad at her for keeping something so important from her, but there was no use in it. Perhaps she had been too focused on the idea that her sister was alive. She had been a fool for not considering the alternative.
"...Peyton?"
"I'm fine," she said suddenly, lifting her head. "Despite everything...thank you for helping me."
She blinked. "You're not mad?"
"No." She looked back at the Deca Tower. Together with the bright blue skies, it painted a beautiful scenery, with the tower as the centerpiece. She was fortunate enough to see it with her own eyes. ...Yet, Peony was less fortunate. She would never see this.
But she had to keep moving on. For her sake.
"The surface is beautiful, isn't it?" Peyton muttered.
Eight smiled. "Yeah. It truly is."
A/N: Ahh sorry this is several days late T_T. Burnout is real. Plus I've been really busy too. I don't think the Season 6 premiere will be delayed, but I wouldn't be surprised if it takes until Monday to finish. Nonetheless, that concludes the final bonus story! The Rainbow Squids' adventures will be ending soon, huh... There's still a few more months to go, but it feels bittersweet. Enough of that, though, it's too early to think about that. As I said a little earlier, the first chapter of the sixth and final season, "Judgement," should come out on Sunday, January 8th. Have fun with the Splatfest this weekend, and see you next time!