Geneva's PoV
Visitors to Asher and Geneva's apartment were rare, so to even see someone other than herself, her brother, or Eight came as quite the shock to Geneva. But seeing anyone when she came home put her on edge these days—even her own brother.
To her relief, though, it was just Ivy. She and Asher had been dating for a few months now, and while neither sibling wanted to let their guard down yet, the couple seemed absolutely smitten with each other.
...Now that she thought about, it wasn't far off from how she and Eight acted around each other. Maybe it ran in the family.
"Ah, Geneva!" Asher greeted, a smile on his face. "Come join us."
She joined Asher and Ivy on the couch, where they watched a seahorse race. She studied the TV screen for a few moments, and she quickly realized that she knew that place. She's been there plenty of times before—and she recognized some of those seahorses, too. Eyes widening, she realized they were watching a race from Geneva's hometown. And her sister was in the race, too.
"How did you get this?" she asked.
He frowned, taking a deep breath before beginning his explanation. "Because of what happened with you-know-who, Kitano has gotten a lot of attention recently. They even launched an investigation into her family."
Her eyes widened. "Really?"
"Yeah. I talked with Mom this morning, and she explained what's been happening over there."
"Well, at least we don't have to deal with it." Geneva sunk into the cushions of the couch, her arms behind her head. "Where's Eight?"
"In the Square, probably," he replied, grabbing a drink off the coffee table. "She went out because she didn't want to disturb us."
She chuckled. "That sounds like her, alright." She pulled out her phone. "I'll just text her."
Ivy sighed. "She's an odd one, that's for sure. I still can't figure out how to replicate her hairstyle..."
Geneva raised an eyebrow. "I don't think you'll be able to do that." For a moment, she had forgotten that Ivy wasn't aware of the New Squidbeak Splatoon. She felt foolish for even forgetting that.
She frowned. "Why not?"
"Uh, genetics. That's literally it."
"Oh, I see." Ivy put a hand on her chin. "So it's like how there's a difference between cuttlefish hair and inkling hair, even though cuttlefish and squids are really similar?"
"I guess? You'd have to ask her yourself."
"I've been to the place you work before," Asher commented. "There's someone like Eight there, isn't there? Maybe you could ask them?"
"Ocho?" She thought about it for a few moments, then nodded. "Yeah, I could ask him. He's the one that usually handles squids with that strange haircut, anyways."
Asher and Ivy resumed their attention to the TV, while Geneva finally got the opportunity to look at her phone. All she had received since she got off the bus from school was a single text from Eight, who explained she was at the Reef for some fresh air. With a smile, she sent her back a text and set down her phone, awaiting a response.
The camera focused on Tess again as her seahorse galloped past the lead rider, finally crossing the finish line. Asher whooped and raised his glass, a giant smile on his face. Geneva and Ivy cheered along as well, albeit less enthusiastically. The announcer went on to talk about Tess—this race marks the second year in a row she's won. She knew that, of course, but she was still proud of her sister nonetheless.
It was then Geneva's phone buzzed, revealing a text from Eight. She snatched it off the table and opened up the message, showing off a picture of two ducks. The follow-up message only read, 'Like us!'
'There's water at the Reef?' she texted back, marveling at the picture.
'Deca Wings,' Eight responded immediately. 'I see Pearl and Marina there. With them now.' She then added a selfie she took with the idol duo, smiles on their faces. Geneva couldn't help but smile as well. Maybe she should hang out with the Rainbow Squids...
She sent Eight, 'I love you,' and put her phone down. The television now displayed an analysis of the seahorse race, accompanied by an unseen man's commentary. Asher picked up the remote and changed the channel to the latest episode of his favorite soap opera. He threw an arm around Ivy, and they cuddled up next to each other as the dramatic scene played out on TV. Geneva then excused herself and retired to her bedroom.
She sat down on the bed cross-legged, eyes sweeping through the room. All of Eight's weapons were kept on a rack in the corner of the room, pristine as always. Surrounding the weapons were some photos she hung up on the wall, depicting various scenes from her time in Inkopolis—a picture of Octa Prisma, a picture of Off the Hook, a picture of the New Squidbeak Splatoon, et cetera. Geneva wished she could get a closer look, but she didn't want to risk damaging anything. Eight put a lot of care into those weapons.
The rest of the room wasn't anything special. Geneva's clothes, Geneva's schoolwork, Geneva's weapons… There were a few pictures, a small mirror, and various trinkets on her dresser, and in her nightstand's drawer was a scrapbook she made of the sunken scrolls she collected during her days in Octo Valley. For a few moments, she thought about looking through it, but she's read it all before. It was practically ingrained in her brain by now.
Soon, a knock came at her door, her heart leaping to her throat. Did Eight come home? But it was too soon, wasn't it?
She hopped off her bed and headed over to the door. Her intuition was proven correct as she opened it to meet the leaf-green eyes of Asher.
"Hey," he greeted.
"Hey."
"I forgot to ask you earlier, but Mom wanted to know if you wanted to come down to Kitano this weekend."
Geneva's eyes widened. "This weekend? But tomorrow's Friday!"
"I know, I know…but we could do it! Please, Geneva? I don't want to go alone."
"Ivy isn't coming?"
He rubbed the back of his head. "Well, we haven't known each other for very long, so if it turns out she is a bad person, then she'd know where my family lives, and yeah. So, I don't want her to come."
"It's been a few months. Surely that's enough time?"
"Not at all. A relationship is only just beginning when it's a few months old. So much can change in such a short period of time."
As his words sunk in, Geneva found herself lost in thought. A family reunion at such short notice. She hadn't gotten the chance to congratulate Tess on her victory yet, nor did she want to leave Asher alone. Perhaps she would go, but what about the New Squidbeak Splatoon? Would they be fine without her?
Of course they'll be fine, she reminded herself. They're all capable.
"…Could Eight come?" she eventually asked.
"Sure. I'm sure Mom and Dad would want to meet her, anyways."
"Booyah!" She pulled out her phone and immediately began texting her girlfriend. "And…sent." With the press of the button, she slipped it back into her pocket. "And now we wait."
"Indeed." Asher rested his hand on the doorknob. "Tell me what she says, OK?"
"Will do."
He dipped his head and closed the door, leaving Geneva alone in her room once more. So, she plopped back onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She picked up her phone, the screen blank. …Maybe she should just scroll through social media. At least it would pass the time.
She quickly scrolled through her Squidsagram feed before opening up SplatTube. Just as she was about to start a video, her phone chimed, displaying a text from Eight.
'Yes,' she simply said.
That was enough to make Geneva smile.
The next morning, the apartment was thrown into a frenzy as they started packing bags and getting everything ready. It was a long way to Kitano, and they needed all the time they could get. Even if that meant Geneva had to skip school.
She didn't like skipping school, if only because she skipped an entire year due to her trip with Cap'n Cuttlefish. If she wanted to graduate with the rest of her friends, she had to be as diligent as possible. It proved to be difficult, but the thought of seeing her friends' happy faces as they threw their graduation caps was the reason she pushed forward. She wanted to graduate with them. She needed to graduate with them.
For now, though, schoolwork can wait. She was going to see her family today.
Eight walked into her room, lugging a backpack behind her. Geneva quickly recognized it—Asher had used that specific backpack before. She forgot when, but she knew he had. Regardless, Eight tossed the backpack on the bed and opened it before turning to face Geneva, smiling.
"Almost ready," she announced. "I only be needing the clothes."
Geneva laughed. "And I'm nowhere near ready."
"It only the weekend," she pointed out. "It will be swift."
"Yeah, but I gotta decide what to wear." The inkling opened the drawer and pulled out a plain black shirt. "You think this will work?"
Eight giggled. "You know I will be agreeing always. You do the same."
"True." After thinking about it for a bit, she put the shirt in her own backpack and gathered the rest of her clothes. They weren't hard to pick out, even without Eight's reassurance.
She was ready before the end of the hour, and after they ate breakfast, the trio went out of their apartment and headed to the car. Geneva and Eight got the back seats to themselves while Asher took to the wheel. As the sun peeked out from the horizon, bathing Inkopolis in its pale light, they were on the road, driving towards the countryside. Eight fell asleep soon enough, leading Geneva to throw her head back and stare out the window, watching familiar sights pass by. She had seen them dozens of times, yet they were mesmerizing all the same.
Asher stopped to use the bathroom halfway through, rousing the octoling from her slumber. Weary pink eyes peered open, staring into the green eye Geneva left exposed.
"Are we there?" she muttered.
"No," she replied. "We're just taking a break."
Eight unbuckled her seat belt and stepped outside, eyes filled with wonder. "Wow…"
Geneva rubbed the back of her head. "It's nothing special, really."
"Maybe for you. I never go outside Inkopolis or Octarian territory. But here…" The brightest of smiles came upon her face. "You see Mount Nantai, even here. We are far, but not."
Geneva stood up next to Eight, putting her hands on her hips. Indeed, she could see the mountain reaching towards the sky, muddied by a haze. Now that she was looking at it herself…it really was beautiful. Perhaps she, and the rest of Inkopolis, took it for granted.
She heard some footsteps approaching them, and she turned her head to see Asher walking up to them, his hands in his pockets.
"Look who's awake," he remarked.
"Not long," Eight pointed out. "I fall asleep quickly in moving vehicles."
"Huh. I guess the Metro has something to do with that."
Frowning, she simply nodded and climbed back into the car. "The break is over?"
Asher frowned himself. "Yeah. I guess it is."
Once again, they were off, driving across the sprawling roads. Buildings became few and far between, replaced with vast expanses of golden fields and verdant forests. Eight had fallen back asleep, but Geneva wished she would wake up and behold the beautiful scenery. She would love it, just as she loved the view from the rest stop. An idea started to brew in the back of mind, but she stashed it away for now.
When they left the highway, the sights only became more and more familiar. Nostalgia overcame her, remembering the peaceful days she spent in her hometown before everything with Tiffany happened. But perhaps it was a necessity, despite how terrible it was. If that had never happened, she would have never moved to Inkopolis and met the Rainbow Squids, the New Squidbeak Splatoon, and most importantly, Eight. She would still be living in Kitano, living out her days without a care in the world. She couldn't imagine life without them.
Then, they turned onto Main Street. She had gone down this road so many times as a kid. She knew exactly what each and every building was for. Sometimes, she followed Asher to the convenience store, where they hung out and bought a bunch of snacks. It was just the two of them, alone in the small town of Kitano.
A wry smile came across Geneva's face. She's done that with the Rainbow Squids, too. Mainly at the boys' insistence, but it was fun nonetheless. They even tried to have a mini turf war once, but they were chased off before they could do anything. They were much wiser now, but memories were memories. She cherished them.
Off Main Street was a road heading back to the countryside. Near it was the seahorse racing tracks, the pinnacle of Kitano culture. No matter who you were, everyone came out to see who would win. And this year, Tess, her own sister, was the winner. With Tiffany's downfall, it was fitting.
Further down was another road that led to the Teuthis household. According to her parents, they lost a lot of their reputation following the scandal with Tiffany. Something always did feel off there, but at last, they were being brought to justice. Yet, they could still recover. It had been less than a year since the news broke out. Only time will tell what the ultimate result of everything will be.
And even further down was the Gonati household. Her old home.
They pulled into the driveway, and out of instinct, Geneva began to scan the area. Her dad liked to sit out on the front deck on warm days, but he wasn't there today. Perhaps her parents had a surprise planned? Or maybe he was finishing up something at work. Those were equal in possibility. Other than that, the house was exactly the same as when she last saw it. A little blue house next to a big red barn. It was picturesque.
Once she confirmed nothing was out of the ordinary, she shook Eight's shoulder. "Wake up. We're here."
The octoling blinked, squinting as the sun beamed down on her. "So soon?"
She gave a small laugh. "Yes, so soon. C'mon, you don't want to keep them waiting, do you?"
"No." She climbed out of the car and jumped to the other side, opening the door for Geneva and holding out her hand. She took it, and they joined up with Asher, who was already walking up to the front door. Eight transformed into an octopus and climbed onto Geneva's head as he rang the doorbell, awaiting a response.
Geneva's mom was the one who answered the door, and her face immediately lit up at the sight of her son. "Oh! Asher! I didn't expect you now!"
He chuckled. "It's better to get here sooner than later, right?"
Asher stepped out of the way, revealing Geneva. "I'm here, too."
"Of course you are," she remarked. She quickly became distracted by the octopus sitting on her head. "Is that your girlfriend?"
Geneva blinked. "Huh. I didn't think Asher would mention it to you." She glanced up at Eight, and as if on cue, the octopus slithered down to the ground, reforming into a kid moments later.
Eight gave a gingerly wave. "Salutations."
Her mom didn't say anything at first, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose and studying the octoling. "…Where did you get your hair cut?"
She frowned. "Um…"
"She's an octoling," Geneva interjected. "That's just what her hair looks like."
Her eyes widened. "Really?"
Eight pouted, the tips of her tentacles falling. "Geneva…"
"It's fine," she assured her. "She knows about the Splatoon."
Her expression softened. "May I explain?"
"Of course. But let's do it inside."
Mom stepped out of the way, inviting the group inside. The first thing Geneva did was look for her dad, but she couldn't see him. They made their way to the living room, where they sat down on the couches. Mom, on the other hand, sat in the reclining chair, her legs crossed.
"Now, I would rather hear this from my daughter," she began, "but if you can give an explanation, then go ahead."
"I am not thinking you will do getting complete photograph if she explains," Eight noted. "Yes, in better Inkling, but that all."
"It's 'full picture,' Eight," Geneva corrected. "It just flows better."
"Yes, sorry." She got up and bowed before looking Mom straight in the eye, her tentacles growing tense. "You know Geneva is Agent 3, correct?" After she nodded, she continued, "Three or four years ago, she fought DJ Octavio—the leader of the Octarians. There, the Squid Sisters performed Calamari Inkantation. It freed all who hear it, like me. Many Octarians escape then…but not me."
Eight paused, crestfallen. Geneva opened her mouth to speak, wanting to comfort her, but she merely gulped and clenched a fist. "When I escape, I run into Agent 3. We fight, but then we falled. I lose my memories and awake underground. I meet Cap'n Cuttlefish there—the leader of the New Squidbeak Splatoon—and on radio, Pearl and Marina from Off the Hook. They support me as I do many tests. Goal was to collect four thangs. I did, but…we learn it a trap. Cuttlefish and I were to be killed with a blender. Then, Agent 3 save me. At a price, though. As I escape, Cuttlefish stay behind."
She stopped, shaking her head. "Geneva tell you this, I think."
"She did."
"Say it, to prove you correct."
Mom frowned. "A telephone controlled her and made her fight you. One of her eyes went blind afterwards." With a grimace, she added, "It already sounded incredulous when I first heard it, but even after saying it myself, I still can't believe it."
"Correct," Eight affirmed. "She unconscious after that. I reach the surface next. Before Pearl and Marina take me to Inkopolis, a big statue came out of the ocean." She gulped. "Commander Tartar—the telephone—said it would wipe out the world. That we are not successors of humanity. We come up with a plan to stop it, but we only have three minutes. No time can waste. I ink it with bombs from Marina, but then Tartar try to fire anyways. Then Pearl use her Killer Wail. The statue and Tartar are destroyed."
"I woke up afterwards, and it was there that I fell in love with Eight," Geneva interjected, smiling as she reminisced. She looked so beautiful in the sunset, practically an angel after her nightmare. Glancing over at the octoling, she added, "Sorry, you can continue."
"It's fine. Not much left, anyways. I officially join the New Squidbeak Splatoon and start to spend great times with Geneva. Then upon regaining the final memory of mine, we start dating." Eight sat down, one of her tentacles wrapping around Geneva's. "We together ever since."
Geneva's mom remained silent for a few moments, her eyes as wide as saucers. When she settled down, she merely pushed her spectacles back up. "I'm glad there's a happy ending here. …Are you in therapy? I know Geneva isn't, though she really should, but I hope you, at least, are getting it."
"Mom, we don't have the money," Asher pointed out. "I need all I can get to keep our apartment."
She blinked. "That doesn't matter. Your dad and I can pay for it."
Now it was Eight's turn to be surprised. "Please, no. I am not in your family."
"Well, you are dating my daughter, and as far as I'm concerned, that makes you family."
"What if we stop?" At her words, Geneva flinched. She never even thought about them breaking up… As far as she knew, their relationship was better than ever. But what if Eight was having second thoughts? She would tell her if she was…right?
"You'd still see each other through the Splatoon, wouldn't you?"
"Yes, but…" Eight sighed. "…Someone else should be paying. Not you. Do not spend your money on me."
Letting her words sink in, Mom eventually pursed her lips and dipped her head. "If that's what you think, then I won't." She turned to face Asher and Geneva. "Our offer still stands for the two of you, though. If you're willing, we can get you therapy."
"I'll still pass," Geneva said. "I don't think I need to explain why."
"I'll…" Asher gripped his knees, thinking. He took a deep breath, muttered something to himself, and faced his mom once more. "I'll take it."
The girls blinked. "You will?" they said at the same time.
"I have the time," he explained. "I only have to work at MakoMart. Besides, now that Tiffany's gone…I think it's time to move on."
Mom got up and patted his shoulder, her smile slowly growing. "I'm glad to hear that." Then, in the blink of an eye, her smile fell. "Sometimes I regret that we never brought it up with you earlier. If we had noticed something was wrong when you were dating Tiffany…then maybe we could've stopped it before you turned for the worse."
"I don't think it would've changed anything," he replied. "Tiffany was still in my life back then. The only way I could escape her was by moving away."
"I understand. That's what you said to me and your father all those years ago, after all."
"Yeah." Asher himself gave a wry smile.
"Well, then." She clapped her hands together. "You can pick the place. Then we'll take it from there." Green eyes fell on Geneva and Eight, and she added, "Could you get your father for me? He's in the stables right now. You can explain everything to him when you get there."
Eight stood up and saluted. "Okay!"
Geneva followed, grabbing her girlfriend's hand. "I'll lead the way. Let's go."
Dragging her along, they weaved out of the house, into the fields. In the fenced-off area nearby were a gaggle of seahorses, grazing on some hay. Geneva searched for her dad, but he wasn't there.
Instead of heading inside the barn, however, Eight leaned against the fence, staring out at the seahorses. A speckled one walked up to her, beady eyes falling towards her. She tentatively raised her hand towards its head, and it lowered it, allowing her to stroke its bumpy skin. Geneva soon joined her, crossing her arms with a smile.
"That's Dots," she explained. "He's the seahorse my dad used to ride back in the day. He's pretty old now."
"'Dots,'" Eight repeated. "…I thought different name."
"The seahorse Tess rides is named Greenie. …We're not very good at naming things, now that I think about it."
"What seahorse do you give a ride?"
"I can show you…" Geneva scanned the field again, but she couldn't find her old seahorse. "…But she's not here. She's probably in her stable, then." Unlike Tess and Asher, she never was fond of seahorseback riding, but she liked spending time with her nonetheless. Liking seahorses was basically a requirement for living in Kitano—they were inescapable. No matter where one lived, they would be involved in some way.
"Name?"
She blushed, rubbing the back of her head. "…Tiger. I-I was six, okay?"
Eight giggled. "It not Greenie. I think good name."
It was then that Dots finally decided to leave, snorting before lumbering back over to the hay. Eight's tentacles only drooped slightly, disappointed.
"I wish I pet them all," she muttered.
"You'll have time to before we have to go back. Right now, though, we gotta find my dad."
"And Tess?"
"We'll find her, too. I'm sure we'll run into her sooner or later."
"Alright."
At last, Geneva and Eight headed inside the barn, where they quickly spotted a pair of inklings wearing wetsuits. Despite the gear, they were unmistakable-Tess was washing Greenie, beads of sweat rolling down her forehead, while her father was feeding one of the other seahorses a treat.
Tess lifted her head, a smile breaking out on her face when her eyes met her sister's. "Dad!" she called. "Geneva's here!"
Dad's eyes widened. "She is?" As the seahorse slurped up the rest of the treat, he looked towards the end of the barn. "Why, she is!" He wiped the spit off his hands and walked up to the couple. "I see you brought a friend, too."
Geneva nodded. "This is my girlfriend, Eight."
Eight gulped. "H-hello, Mr. Gonati."
"Why, there's no need to be shy. I can't turn any of my kids' friends away, especially a significant other." He put a hand on his chin. "Speaking of significant others, you never did say what happened with your first boyfriend."
"We just broke up," Geneva replied, fanning her shirt. "That's all."
He sighed. "I suppose that's a part of life."
"Um, there is something needing to be known." Eight glanced over at Tess. "You hear this, too."
"I already know it," Tess shouted over the sound of the hose. "I've seen you with Octa Prisma. I just didn't know you and Geneva were dating."
"That not all!" she countered. "You must hear all!"
"Can I finish washing Greenie first? I don't want to get water on you, and I don't think we have any wetsuits your size."
"You cannot do both?"
"It's too hard."
Eight sighed. "I will wait."
"And while we're waiting…" Dad grabbed their hands. "Do you want to look at the seahorses?"
The tips of her tentacles started to flap. "Yes! I want to see Tiger!"
He chuckled. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised she told you that. I'll take you to her, then." As soon as he finished, he started to drag them to the end of the barn closer to the road, half a dozen beady eyes following them. Soon, they walked up to a stable containing a seahorse with black stripes, poking her head through the window. She stretched her neck towards Geneva, and the inkling laid a hand on her scaly snout, beginning to stroke her head.
"Happy to see you," Eight remarked.
"Of course she is," she said. "It's been what, four months since she last saw me?" She wouldn't say they were as close as they were when Geneva was a kid, but she was a familiar scent all the same. Or maybe she was a new scent to Tiger, she wasn't sure.
After a minute, Tiger swayed her head towards Eight. Her tentacles pointed towards the seahorse as she laid a hand on her, eyes full of wonder. The moment a tentacle touched her, however, Tiger reared her head back, eyes widening.
"Oh…" Eight shrunk back, her tentacles curling up tightly neat her chin. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," Geneva's dad assured her. "She's never felt hair like yours, especially so close to her face. How do they move, anyways?"
"Um… I tell you when Tess is done."
"This is part of your story?" She had never seen him so puzzled, yet so intrigued before. "I look forward to it." A smile returning to his face, he pulled a treat out of his pocket. "Want to give her one?"
"Yes." Eight took the treat and held it out towards Tiger. "Again, I'm sorry."
The seahorse sniffed the treat, tentative, before finally slurping it up like water. Eight giggled, wiping the spit off on her shorts. Just like that, her tentacles grew significantly more relaxed.
"Do you want to see the others?" asked Geneva's dad.
"Yes!" she answered immediately.
"Then follow me."
As they toured the stables, Geneva glanced over at Tess and Greenie every now and then, waiting for the moment she was done. She wanted to show Eight around the rest of Kitano, but she couldn't do that if Eight didn't tell her story. So, she was forced to be patient.
"And…done!" Tess eventually declared. She wiped herself dry and guided the seahorse back to her quarters. Locking eyes with Geneva, she remarked, "You've been weirdly antsy today."
"What can I say? It's been a while since I've been here."
"Are you sure there's not something else going on?"
"Yeah, I'm sure."
"Alright." She looked over at Eight. "So, what's your story?"
Eight told Geneva's dad and Tess the same story she told Mom, with Geneva interjecting as needed. Tess interrupted to ask questions from time to time, but Dad took the entire thing in silence, crossing his arms.
"To think the Octarians still exist somewhere…" he finally muttered. "It's extraordinary."
"You're like a video game protagonist!" Tess exclaimed. "You had something terrible happen to you, yet against all odds, you managed to win. And save the world at that!"
Eight rubbed the back of her head, blushing. "Thank you."
"And I'm part of the happy ending." Geneva threw a hand around the octoling and pecked her cheek.
Eight's blush grew. "Three…" The ends of her tentacles flapped faster and faster.
Dad smiled. "Shall we eat? Surely you must be hungry."
On cue, Geneva's stomach rumbled. "We never did have lunch."
"So yes!" Eight finished. "Let us eat."
"It's only lunch though," Tess pointed out. "The best food comes at supper."
"There's still lots of food you can eat." Dad closed his eyes. "Sandwiches, rice, salads… Anything you want."
"Even pudding?" She pouted, fluttering her eyes.
He sighed. "Okay, not anything. We don't have pudding anyways."
"Aw, man…" Tess sat down on a stool, throwing her arms down. "Not even for a family reunion…"
"Could we make the pudding?" Eight asked.
"You could grab a pack from the store and make some, but nothing beats homemade pudding. I don't think we have the ingredients, though."
"Why not buy ingredients?"
"Because we'll have less time together. Plus, I'd rather you spend your money on souvenirs while you're here."
"You don't have to use your money," Geneva's dad pointed out. "We can give you some."
Eight blinked. "Really?"
"Yes, really. You are our guests, after all."
The octoling smiled. "Even out here, there is gratitude." With a bow, she said, "Thank you."
Geneva rested a hand on her back. "Still not used to this?"
"I should be, but most of my life, I only had my unit. I thought of inklings, selfish." She rose, meeting Geneva's eyes. "…Yet am wrong every day."
"We're all people. No matter what we may be or which side we're on, it's what we do that defines us." She rested her hands in her girlfriend's, her heart thumping in her chest. "If anyone tries to change that, I'll be there to stop it."
"I feel like you say things like that a hundred times."
"And I'll say things like that a hundred, no, a thousand times more. That'll never change."
"Are you sure?"
Geneva chuckled. "Eight, we've been dating for nine months. If I wasn't sure, I would've backed out by now. I think you would've done the same."
"I…" Her face glowed red. "Thank you." Her tentacles started to squirm. "Could we move?"
"Oh." Heat rushed to her cheeks as she glanced over at her family. Dad merely gave a thumbs-up. "Yeah, we should."
They gave their goodbyes and slipped outside, trekking to the backyard. Eight sat down on a tire sticking out of the ground, worn from the sands of time, while Geneva lied down on the grass, staring up into the sky and watching the clouds drift by as the sun beamed down on her face. For a moment, she reached out for Eight, only to find clumps of grass by her side.
"Why don't you sit down?" she asked.
"The sun is bright. It hurts my eyes."
"Then close your eyes…what do you see?"
"Darkness."
"Everyone sees that. What else?"
"You."
"Haha...guess that's not a surprise. Anything else?"
"Mm…" Eight's face crumpled as she squeezed her eyes tightly shut. "…Inkopolis. Deca Tower."
"Do you want to go back?"
"…Yes." She opened her eyes. "Kitano is nice, but empty. At one time, Inkopolis is overwhelming, but it is home now. I miss it."
"I mean, we're out in the country. Of course it'll feel empty compared to Inkopolis." Geneva sat up, looking back at the octoling. "But there's still a lot of things to do here. After we eat, I'll show you around."
Eight nodded. "Thank you."
She laughed. "Any time."
For a while, they just sat there, soaking up the sunlight. If they kept sitting there, they would dry up like the Captain and become all wrinkly. Geneva smirked at the thought. That won't happen for another few decades, at least.
Eight soon climbed off the tire and rolled next to her girlfriend, squeezing her eyes shut and curling a tentacle around Geneva's. Geneva smiled and closed her eyes as well, focusing on the sound of Eight's breathing.
Sometimes, things never change. No matter how far from home she may be. After everything, she appreciated the small bit of stability she had in her life. Hopefully, things will get better from here. She sincerely hoped it would.
"Geneva! Eight!" Mom called, snapping her out of her trance. "Come eat!"
She sat up, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight. "Coming!" She shook Eight. "C'mon, let's go."
"Hm?" The octoling opened her eyes, groggy. "What is the time?"
"Dunno, but lunch is ready," she said. "Don't you want to eat?"
"Eat." Her tentacles flexed. "I am liking that."
"Then let's eat."
Together, the couple walked inside the house, where some sandwiches were set out on the dining table. Her dad and Asher were halfway through eating their sandwiches, while her mom was just starting to eat hers. Though they looked simple at first glance, Geneva could tell which one was for her and which one was for Eight. Geneva's sandwich was a mayo one, bits of vegetables sticking out between the slices of bread. Eight's sandwich, however, was a classic BLT sandwich—understandable, since her parents didn't know Eight's preferences. She imagined she would like it, though.
They sat down across from each other, and Eight immediately took a bite out of her sandwich. Before she knew it, the sandwich was all gone, only crumbs left on the plate. Eight dotted her lips with a napkin and placed her hands on her lap, patiently waiting for Geneva to finish.
Mom glanced over at Eight, eyes wide. "That was fast."
"Yes," she agreed. "Unique."
Asher blinked. "Maybe you should start making more kinds of sandwiches."
Mom raised an eyebrow. "What do you usually feed them?"
"They make their own food," he replied. "They're not kids anymore, Mom."
"You still own the apartment," Dad interjected. "I know depression gets in the way sometimes, but wouldn't it be nice to make them food for a change?"
"It's fine," Eight assured them. "I will eat anything made."
Mom rubbed her forehead. "You and Geneva are still barely adults," she pointed out. "You should try to have fun every once in a while."
Barely adults with military experience, Geneva thought. "I'll try," she ended up saying.
"Promise?"
"I promise." Her green eyes laid on Eight. "Do you promise too?"
"Yes," she said. "I promise." A smile touched her lips, her tentacles flexing. "Geneva say she show me around town. That is fun, correct?"
"You are?" Mom frowned. "Be careful, now. If they find out you're an Octarian, I can't even begin to fathom what could happen to you two."
"It's not like we go flaunting it," Geneva rebutted. "Octolings aren't fully integrated into Inkopolis. Most people don't even know Eight and her team are octolings, much less defected Octarians. If we went around telling every person we met that Eight's an Octarian, we would've been splatted by now."
"You do have a point," she admitted, "but I still can't help but worry."
"You say 'have fun,'" Eight remarked. "So we stay safe. I promise."
"Using my own words against me..." she admonished. Then, she chuckled and smiled. "Then have fun. If something happens, call me, okay?"
Geneva finished off her sandwich and wiped her lips off with a smile. "Don't worry, I will."
Eight stood up and pushed in her chair. "Let us go."
Walking out the front door, Geneva set her sights towards Main Street. It was still quite a while away—her house was more so in the Kitano countryside—but a nice, long walk never hurt. For just a little longer, she would be alone with Eight, and they could talk about whatever they pleased. They rarely got moments like these. In Inkopolis, you could never go anywhere without seeing at least one building. Sure, parks exist, but they didn't capture the same feeling of venturing into the great outdoors as walking along the side of an empty road did.
Eventually, a stretch of buildings came into view, and Geneva picked up her pace. She went downtown with her family a ton when she was a kid, and now, she could do the same with her girlfriend. It had been so long since she properly stepped foot into the place, and now, she finally can.
Eight was a few steps behind Geneva, holding her hand close to her chest. "Wow...tiny."
"It may seem tiny to you, but to me, it feels just like home." Geneva walked up to the nearest fence and leaned against it, crossing her arms. She looked towards the horizon, the sun blazing in the clear blue sky. "There's no place like it."
"Hm..." Eight continued staring out into the distance, her expression unreadable. Then, she turned to Geneva. "If you say so."
Geneva smiled. Eight would always take the chance. She knew she would.
She grabbed her hand and led her further down the street. Buildings of various shapes and sizes were pressed up against one another, leaving little room for someone to slip past. Familiar wooden signs hung above doorways, denoting the various businesses situated on Main Street. A few cars were parked along the side of the road, passed by citizens going about their day. Even further down the street would be various roads branching off the main path, leading to sprawls of tiny houses and empty parking lots.
For now, though, Geneva just wanted to stay on Main Street. She led Eight towards a flower shop, rows upon rows of flora set out on display. She remembered when she was younger, she would come here to watch the owner water the flowers, but she wasn't out here right now. Perhaps with time, she would come out. They only needed to wait.
Eight guided Geneva towards a bundle of baby blue flowers. "What are these?"
"These are..." Geneva's eye fell to the tag sitting in between two flowerpots. "'Forget-me-nots.'"
"Oh, I am knowing meaning." The octoling smiled. "Meaning, 'remembrance.'"
She blinked, surprised. "When did you become a flower expert?"
"Do you remember the book I buy?"
She searched her memory for the books Eight had bought recently, but she couldn't find anything. "...When?" she eventually said.
"I am thinking, two months ago. It about flower...meanings." She frowned, tapping a finger on her lip. "There another word for meaning..."
"Symbolism?"
"Yes! Symbolism!" Eight's tentacles started to flap slightly. "I am using symbolism for poems."
"Well, in that case..." Geneva looked towards the rest of the flowers. There were so many of them, and they were all sorted by color. Eventually, though, her gaze settled on some lilies, and she guided Eight over to them. "What about these?"
Eight studied the flowers for a few moments. "What are they?"
"Lilies."
"Lilies? Um...I am thinking symbolism change with color."
Geneva rested her hand under a white lily flower and glanced towards Eight, expectant.
"White means pure." As she finished, her tentacles began to droop. "In other places...white means death. Context depends, but I am not liking it."
"What about a black flower, then? Like..." Geneva walked over to a row of black flowers. "These?"
"Black means death too." Her tentacles started to droop further. "I wish to change the subject."
Geneva frowned, rubbing the back of her head. "My bad. Sorry, Eight."
"It is okay." She attempted a smile. "I am knowing you not hurt me."
A tiny bell rang, and their eyes went to the door. A middle-aged sea anemone stepped out of the shop, dressed in gardening gear. Her green hair was tied back, a hat shielding her eyes from the sunlight. Upon seeing Geneva, her eyes flashed with recognition.
"Geneva?" Her eyes went wide. "I didn't know you were back here."
"It's only for a little while," she said. "I'll be back in Inkopolis by the end of the weekend."
"Well, it's nice to see you regardless." The anemone shifted towards Eight. "Who's your friend?"
"This is Eight," Geneva introduced. "She lives with me in Inkopolis."
Eight bowed. "Nice to be meeting you."
"It's nice to meet you, too. You can call me Freya." She paused, studying the octoling. "You don't sound like you're from Inkopolis."
Her face fell. "Correct...but I live in Inkopolis. It not matter."
"Geneva lives in Inkopolis, but she still comes back here," Freya remarked. "Do you...never go home?"
Eight's tentacles curled up tightly, her expression starting to shift. "Why are you caring?"
"I was just curious." The anemone held her hands up. "What's wrong with being curious?"
"Freya, stop." Geneva stepped between them, throwing her hand out. "Eight doesn't want to talk about it. I think she's made that clear."
Eight leaned up to her ear, her voice growing quiet. "You do not have to do that."
"I know Freya better than you do," she whispered back. "Maybe if she hears it from me, she'll understand."
But the sea anemone backed down without a second thought. "Alright, I'll stop." She studied Eight for a few more moments before adding, "By the way, that's a nice haircut you have there."
The tips of Eight's tentacles curled up. "Um…thank you."
"You're welcome! It's not something I see hair like yours all the way out here."
She tugged Geneva's sleeve. "Can we leave?"
She nodded and let out a sigh, facing Freya. "As much as I'd like to stay and chat, we better be going. I promised her I would show her around town before it gets dark."
"Ah, what a shame." The anemone held her arms out. "Well, if you ever want to buy some flowers, you know where to find me."
"Will do." Eight grabbed her hand and started to drag her away. "See ya."
Once they were back on the street, the octoling's tentacles finally relaxed, yet the frown on her face was present all the same.
Geneva couldn't help but frown. "I'm sorry about that."
"It okay." She attempted a smile. "You were not knowing."
Geneva lifted her hand. "C'mon. Let's keep walking."
They continued walking down the street, taking in all the familiar sights. Saplings sprouted from patches of dirt near the sidewalks, butterflies fluttering around them. The citizens of Kitano walked down the streets, simply going about their day. A few of them said hi to Geneva as the couple passed, but nothing else.
They walked into a convenience store near the bend. They still needed to buy Tess pudding, after all. As she expected, it was rather empty, with only a few people wandering the store. Only one cashier was working, but she wasn't paying attention to them, a book in front of her face.
First, though, Geneva took Eight down an aisle full of chips. "What is this store?" the octoling asked.
"Grouper Goods," she replied. "I don't think it's a local business, but I've never seen another one."
Eight began studying the shelves full of chips, her pink gaze intent. "Cheap," she eventually remarked.
"Yeah." Geneva took a bag of cheese puffs off the shelf. "Everything's just more expensive in Inkopolis."
"Why?"
"Well, everyone wants to live there. It's one of the freshest places in the world, after all!"
"I see." She rested a hand on her chin. "Octarians not use coin. They trade."
She blinked. With how many power eggs she always got from splatting Octarians, she figured their currency system was different from Inkadia's, but... "Trade what?"
"Power eggs the most," she muttered. "Get from salmonids. Parts that are spare also work. Or do favors to get something."
"And I guess that's how they're able to build all those crazy things?"
She shrugged. "I was soldier. I not know specifics."
"Well, I bet the others in Octa Prisma know how."
"Maybe." Eight shook her head. "It not matter. We left long ago."
Geneva figured now would be an ample time to change the subject. "So, what chips do you want?"
She smiled. "You pick."
"Then we're going with cheese puffs." She took hold of her hand again. "Wanna look around some more?"
The tips of her tentacles wavered, curious. "What else does Grouper Goods have?"
"Lots of stuff. I'll show you."
"Lead the way."
Geneva took Eight to the next aisle over to look at candy and drinks. She would rather eat something healthier, but no one could resist candy. She could think of quite a few people who would buy out the candy section if they could.
...Maybe she was lucky Perry wasn't here right now. With how much money he had, he definitely could.
As Geneva reached for a chocolate bar, she spotted another hand reach for it, and she froze, allowing the other hand to take the chocolate bar. Lowering her hand, her eyes trailed over next to the newcomer.
Gary. She could recognize him from anywhere.
His grip on the chocolate bar tightened. "What are you doing here?"
"Visiting," she replied, eyes narrowing. "What else would I be doing here?"
He scoffed. "You only come here twice a year!"
"With Tiffany gone, I can come here however many times I like," she countered, crossing her arms.
He winced. "You didn't have to bring her up, you know." He stomped a foot. "Why can't you just stay in Inkopolis?"
"Immature..." Eight whispered behind Geneva.
Gary must've heard her because he now looked past the inkling, towards the octoling. "And who are you?"
She placed a hand on her chest, her tentacles growing rigid. "You need not knowing my name."
"Fine." Gary's scowl grew deeper. "How about fishface, then?"
Geneva threw out her arm. "You're not calling her fishface." For once, she wished somewhere was here to rein him in.
"I can do what I want."
Geneva groaned. "Just go away."
"How about you go away?" Gary lunged forward and grabbed the collar of her shirt. "My life was ruined because of you!"
She grabbed his arm. "It was Tiffany's fault, not mine."
He let go, anger still deep-set on his face. "It absolutely is your fault. Your family gets all the spotlight, while mine is doomed to fall."
"You deserve it," Eight added.
"Stay out of this!" he snapped, causing her to shrink away. "You're not even from here. You don't know Kitano like we do."
In the corner of her eye, Geneva spotted a few people come into view, their gazes focused on the trio. Her hand went to Eight's. She didn't want to cause more of a scene than she already had.
"Let's just go," she told her. "I'm not wasting on my time on that sorry excuse of a squid."
Gary's face was as red as Roy's ink now. "What did you say about me?"
Geneva didn't answer, dragging Eight away.
"Hey! Come back!" he called. "I'm not done yet!"
She only glowered. Gary really did know how to get on her nerves.
But this was a public space. There were better places to let out her anger than here.
By the time they reached the check out, Eight's tentacles were drooping, leaning towards her girlfriend. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"I'm fine." She really wasn't, but now was not the time to vent.
She could tell Eight didn't like that answer, but she didn't try to object. They bought the chips and Tess's pudding and left the store, continuing their walk down the street. She hoped with the fresh air, she could take her mind off Gary and the rest of the Teuthis family.
Despite the massive hit to their reputation, they still tried to torment her. They truly were deplorable.
"Geneva?" Eight asked, squeezing her hand.
She took a deep breath and looked over at her. "Yes?"
"Are you okay?"
She sighed. She had a feeling she would ask that again.
"No," she finally admitted. Here, at least, they had less of chance of drawing attention.
But people were always watching. With a town as small as Kitano, it was inevitable. She had to be careful with what she said. Eight must know that, too.
"I was not thinking I would be seeing you have much anger again," she remarked. "Who was he?"
"Tiffany's brother," she grumbled. "He's our age, but he's just as bad as her."
She began to twirl her tentacle around her finger. "I don't know... Tiffany seems more bad."
"Maybe, but she hides her true intentions. Gary doesn't."
"Has he...hurt you before?"
"I've never been alone with him, so..." Geneva trailed off, the weight of her words crashing down on her.
She could've been in Asher's position if she was the one dating a Teuthis, not him. And knowing Gary...it would've ended very, very badly. Dread seeped through her ink just thinking about it.
Cod, she was so lucky she was in Inkopolis now. Even though her family was in Kitano, she wouldn't take being with them over the squids that had haunted her family for generations.
It was a miracle the Teuthis family was able to keep their status until now. Their downfall was a long, long time coming.
"Geneva?" Eight squeezed her hand again. "You look pale."
She gulped, squeezing her hand back. "We should go home."
The octoling's tentacles grew still. "Why?"
"I don't feel well."
Geneva turned around and dragged Eight back down the street, towards the countryside. She needed to sleep this off. She couldn't spend the rest of her trip into Kitano in fear. Especially when the Teuthis family couldn't possibly hurt her now. They wouldn't dare.
When they returned home, the couple bursting through the front door, her mom stared at her, surprised.
"...You're home earlier than I thought." Mom set down her rag and walked over to greet them. "How was your trip?"
"Eh..." Geneva scratched the back of her head.
"It was good," Eight answered before she could reply. "The flowers are beautiful."
"Oh? Did you buy any flowers?"
"No," Geneva muttered. "Freya was being difficult."
"That's...odd." She sat down, pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. "She's nice to everyone. Even if she noticed you were an octoling, she wouldn't treat you any differently."
Eight's tentacles twisted around. "I not like her questions."
Her ears drooped. "Well, that's a shame." Trying her best to keep a smile, she asked, "Where else did you go?"
"The store." Geneva held out the bag of cheese puffs and pudding they bought. "We got these."
Mom took them out of her hands. "Is that all?"
"Geneva want to show me more," Eight began.
"But then we ran into Gary," she finished.
Surprise flashed on her face. "Gary? What did he say?"
Geneva crossed her arms. "Nonsense, that's what."
"He insult me, too," the octoling added, frowning.
Mom shook her head, disappointed. "All Teuthises are the same, it seems."
"Yeah. He pretty much ruined our entire trip."
"Not entirely," Eight countered. "It still fun being with you."
Geneva chuckled. "Thanks." That made her feel a little better about the whole thing.
"We all can go downtown together tomorrow if you'd like," her mom suggested. "It would be a nice family outing."
"You don't have to do that," she said. "I'm sure you have other things to do."
"I always have time to be with my family, dear," she assured her. "It wouldn't be a bother at all."
Geneva's smile only grew. "Then it's a deal."
"So..." Mom crossed her legs. "What are you going to do now?"
"I dunno," she admitted. "Where's Asher and Tess?"
"Oh! They're outside. I'm not sure what they're doing, but I'm sure they'd be happy to see you."
"Alright, thanks." She turned to Eight. "Could you stay here for a bit?"
Surprised flashed on her face for a few moments, but eventually she nodded without another word. Geneva waved her goodbye and headed out the back door, where her siblings were surely waiting. While she liked being with Eight, it had been a while since it was just the three of them, alone together. It brought back fond memories of the old days.
Before Tiffany came and ruined everything.
Two green squids were flopping around in the grass when Geneva stepped outside, the whites of their eyes being the only sign they were even there. As Geneva approached them, they stopped, simply staring up at her as she hovered over them.
"Hey," she greeted.
"Hi," Tess's voice greeted back. "Do you want to party with us?"
"I didn't think it could be so fun," Asher's voice remarked.
"I do this all the time in Inkopolis," Tess said, hopping in place. "C'mon, Geneva! You should join us!"
She laughed and transformed into a squid. "Alright, alright."
Just like that, she began to flop around without a care in the world, and nothing more. If she had lips, she would surely be smiling right now.
They eventually shifted over to playing leapsquid, taking turns hopping over one another. All while the sun shined down on them, its rays bathing the squids in its warmth.
As they reached the pen of seahorses, Tess hopped through the fence and transformed back into a kid. Dots started to wander over to her, curious. Geneva and Asher followed her through the fence and transformed back as well, just as the seahorse reached them. He leaned forward to nuzzle Tess, a smile on her face all the while.
"We should take a picture," she suggested as she rubbed Dots's chin.
"Sure." Geneva took out her phone and turned it sideways. "I'll take it."
Asher threw an arm around Dots's neck while Geneva stood next to him, holding her arm out so she could get all three of them in the picture. At the count of three, they smiled for the picture, and Geneva pressed the button to snap it. When she brought her arm down, the trio gathered around her phone to look at it.
"The angle's kinda weird," Tess commented with a frown. "Can we take another one?"
"I think it looks fine," Asher rebutted.
Geneva took a look at the photo again. It could be better, but she didn't think it was bad.
...It might be hard trying to take the exact same picture again, though, since Dots had started to move towards the fence, holding his head out over it.
Geneva looked over towards Dots, only to see Eight walking up to them, her tentacles relaxed and a smile on her face.
Her pink eyes focused on the inklings as she stroked the seahorse's snout. "Your mom ask about dinner," she said.
"Dinner already?" Asher blinked. "I didn't realize it was that late."
Tess looked up at the sky. "It's not even sunset."
"Well, if Mom's asking about dinner, then it will be soon," Geneva remarked, putting a hand on her hip. "We should go back."
Tess groaned. "So we're going to keep that photo?"
"Photo?" Eight raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, we took a picture together," Geneva explained, turning her phone around for her to look at it. "What do you think?"
Eight squinted at her phone. "...It looks good."
"You're lying." Tess huffed. "It's bad, don't you think?"
"Um..." She twirled a tentacle around her finger.
"How...about we take a new one?" Geneva suggested. "You can be in it this time, Eight."
She lowered her hand. "Okay."
"Then get over here."
Eight turned into an octopus to slip through the fence, reforming on the other side. The seahorse's eyes followed her, and now he was nuzzling the octoling. She laughed as the siblings got into position, donning their best smiles. Geneva held her phone out and snapped a few pictures from different angles. That way, they wouldn't have a repeat of the same situation.
Geneva had Tess scroll through them and pick her favorite. "This one," she eventually declared, holding the phone out towards her. "It's got good lighting, too!"
Asher looked over at her phone. "Yeah, that does look good."
"Guess I can delete the other ones, then." Geneva took her phone back and did as she said before sending the final pictures to her siblings and Eight. Once she was done, she put her phone back in her pocket and slipped back through the fence. "Now, let's go."
"Can't we stay out here a little longer?" Tess asked. "Being outside is so much more fun than being inside. And you get to be with the seahorses, too."
"But we still need to tell Mom what we want for dinner."
"I can tell her," Eight offered.
"You don't have to."
"But if she tells her, we can stay out here for longer," Tess remarked. "Isn't that a good plan?"
"Well..." Geneva's eyes met Eight's. "What have you been doing?"
"Me?" She blinked. "I watch television."
"What's on right now?" Asher asked.
"I watch battles from Inkopolis," she replied. "It make me want to do battle."
"I guess here isn't the best place for a turf war," Geneva mused. Eventually, she met Eight's eyes. "We could play a game with you."
"A game?"
"Yeah, we have a Squii. There's a few games on there."
"I wish they still made Squii games," Tess lamented. "It's so hard to find Squii games now."
Geneva looked back at her sister. "Didn't you just say you wanted to stay outside?"
"Well, I like being with you, too." She grabbed Asher's hand. "And you can come, too!"
He took his hand back with a laugh. "Alright, alright."
"We can play Super Smash Bros.," Geneva said. "It's not an ink battle, but it's still a battle."
"Like the Splatfest?" Eight asked. Geneva nodded, leading her to say, "Okay."
"Great!" Tess jumped over the fence and started running back to the house. "Last one there's a rotten egg!"
"Hey!" Geneva laughed and began to run after all. "You can't say that after you leave!"
Her uneasiness was gone, now. It didn't matter whether Gary or someone else in his family showed up to torment her. She knew she had friends and family backing her up. Her parents, Asher, Tess, the Rainbow Squids, the New Squidbeak Splatoon...and Eight.
She would treasure them always.
A/N: After nearly a year, "The Rainbow Squids" finally returns! Just in time for its five-year anniversary, too! You know, the very first chapter of "The Rainbow Squids" was also published on a Saturday. I guess with the leap year, we've come full-circle now! Anyways, I did not expect this chapter to take this long. But it's here now, and I'm grateful. I think the next chapter's going to be a cakewalk to write compared to this one. But either way, I think I'm in a better place now than I was a year ago, and I think I'm finally ready to finish "The Rainbow Squids!" I'd like to get back to weekly schedule, but we'll have to see. Thank you so much for sticking around, and Branchwing, out!