“Can't beat turning up the volume and rocking out!” - Callie
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I’ve been to a concert before, but never one like this . It was nighttime, and the crowd was packed with all kinds of creatures. On stage was the famous band, Wet Floor. Composed of three inklings, an eel, and a candy crab, these guys were one of the largest bands out there.
Henry had given me both tickets and a backstage pass, and even though I wanted to hang around to enjoy the music, my brother was more important. I would’ve done anything to see him again, to tell him how much I missed him.
As I went backstage, I could see a big crustacean, his frame built for upper body strength. I tried not to quiver in fear as I approached him, his beady black eyes staring at me and assessing me for any threats to the bands inside.
“No fangirls. Go back to the crowd,” he said. I reached into my pocket and shakily pulled out the card, presenting it to him. He seemed a bit hesitant, but he nodded and stepped aside. “Are you a friend?” he asked.
“Kinda,” I said, thinking back to Henry.
As I opened the door, I could hear the sound of an electronic piano being played, an experimental tune sounding throughout the fairly large room. The floor had a nice carpet, and all around was soft-looking and exotic furniture. Multiple band members were sitting in them, chatting amongst each other. Some of them looked my way, and I couldn’t help but feel judged.
I walked into the hallway leading to the next room. I needed to find Marina, the singer I had seen on stage at the Splatfest. All I had to do was give this letter to her, and then I’d get into Octo Valley to find my brother.
“Yo, Marina! Where’d you put the ice cream?!” I heard a voice shout. It sounded very familiar.
“I think Kazami got into it last night,” replied Marina.
As I walked into the room, slightly smaller than the previous, I saw the famous rapper, Pearl, digging through a small fridge. She eventually closed it, her hands on her hips. “Ugh, every time she performs with us, she always gets ahold of the good stuff! She’s so… uh… Marina, I need a word.”
“Intrusive? Invasive? Pushy? Selfish?” Marina suggested.
“Shellfish,” said Pearl with a grin.
Marina just smiled at Pearl’s joke, but then she saw me, her eyes locking onto mine, her smile leaving. I quickly stepped back, feeling regretful. I must’ve bothered her, right? What was I thinking, coming in here? I could’ve just asked the guard to give the letter to her. The pass would’ve convinced him to do that, right? I didn’t need to come in here myself, right?
“What’s up?” Pearl asked her, and as Marine pointed, Pearl turned her head, looking at me. “Oh, a fan.”
“That’s no fan,” said Marina. Oh no…
“Well, why else would they be here?” asked Pearl. “Hey, kid! Get over here!”
Did Marina really know I was a human? All I was wearing tonight was my regular street gear, with my beanie covering my hair up. Shyly walking over, I felt nervous. These were two pop icons, the freshest of the fresh, almost as well-known as the Squid Sisters.
Pearl held out her fist, and I froze, confused. She looked at me, her eyes narrowing as she said, “Well? Bump it!”
“A-Alright,” I said. I held out my hand, balling it into a fist, then bumped it up against Pearl’s. She then grinned, patting me on the back.
“Don’t gotta be shy around the freshest,” said Pearl.
“Um, Pearl?” Marina spoke up. “Didn’t you say you needed to rehearse that new rap solo earlier?”
Pearl grinned wide. “Hey, you’re right! I almost forgot! Thanks!” she spouted as she ran off, leaving me alone with Marina, and as I looked at her, she smiled, motioning her hand towards a swivel chair in the corner.
I was anxious. I didn’t know what to say to her, my mind blank as I walked over to the chair. I sat down, my heart beating even faster, my mind still racing for words. When I finally did find words, I spouted, “Y-Your music is good!”
Marina blinked in surprise at my loud shouting. “Uh, thank you?” she replied. After clearing her throat, she asked me, “How long have you been in Inkopolis?”
I stared at her, my body frozen. My mind wasn’t thinking fast enough.
Marina scooted her chair close to mine and said, “I’ve heard a lot about you. I didn’t think I’d see a human up close before.”
I stayed quiet, my mind blank. I couldn’t remember why I was here. Clenching my fists, I felt like I was going to freak out. Then it all came back to me, and I finally said, “I-I have a message for you!”
Marina’s smile went away. “A message?”
I nodded. “Y-Yeah,” I said. “From Henry.”
Marina tilted her head. “I don’t know anyone named Henry.”
I was a bit confused. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the letter and handed it to her, and after she opened it and pulled out the contents, she read the paper, her head nodding in understanding. Looking at me, she seemed to have some kind of odd look to her.
Was that... pity I saw?
“I see what this is,” she said, quickly turning her pity expression into more of a comforting smile. “I know who you’re talking about now.”
I twiddled my fingers around each other for a bit. “Sorry if I’ve bothered you,” I said.
“What’s your story?” asked Marina, surprising me. “Must be a long one if you’re out of your own era.”
I rubbed the back of my neck as I looked down and avoided eye contact, my palms sweating a little. “Hard to explain,” I timidly answered. “Parents are gone, and I’ve lost my brother. I’m trying to find him.”
Marina seemed awfully quiet until I heard the sound of a keyboard. Looking up, I saw her typing on her laptop, her eyes focused on the screen. Seeing that I had noticed, she raised a finger, and so I waited for her to finish.
Marina smiled as she hit the final key. She turned the laptop, the screen facing me, and on it, I could see what looked to be pictures, and… they were of my brother. I froze up as I saw him laying in some kind of strange metal cylinder with a white cotton interior, and attached to his arms were clear stickers with wires attached to them.
I was very surprised she was able to find this. “H-How did…?”
“I have my ways,~” she said. “Whenever I’m homesick, I still log in to the octarian network from time to time, and sometimes I even talk to some old friends.”
With my eyes still on the strange cylinder, I fearfully asked, “Wh-What is that?”
Marina looked at the picture and said, “Don’t worry. It’s a standard medical stasis chamber.”
I shook my head. “It looks almost like a... coffin,” I said, unsettled and worried.
Marina placed a hand on my shoulder. “Would you like me to see if he’s still… you know?”
I nodded, hopeful. I don’t know why, but I felt that if I heard it from her, my fears would’ve been quelled. “Yes, please,” I replied.
Marina pulled the laptop back towards her and began typing once more, her fingers sliding across the mousepad on occasion. Eventually, she stopped and smiled. “Oh, he’s definitely alive.”
“He is?” I asked.
“Mhm. I’m seeing entries about a human male that were filed yesterday,” she clarified. “That picture you saw was from… around three years ago.”
I placed my hand against my chest, breathing out a sigh of relief. “Th-Thank you,” I said.
“So,” said Marina. “Why’d Henry ask you to deliver this?”
“I asked him to take me to Octo Valley so I could find my brother,” I said.
Marina’s eyes showed concern. “That’s… good.”
“Is something wrong?” I asked.
“N-No,” said Marina. “It’s just unusual to hear of him helping someone.”
“He did say you tried to help him,” I said.
Marina sat back in her chair, staring at her laptop. “I did. He just… wouldn’t take it. Said he needed to stay for reasons he couldn’t explain to me.”
“Maybe he’ll leave Octo Valley one day,” I suggested. “Maybe he’s just waiting for the right time.”
Marina smiled at me, looking reassured. “Maybe.~”
After a bit more talking, telling her my story, and getting more reassurance from her, she sent me on my way, but not before signing my shirt. I just couldn’t help but ask for her autograph. After all, it wasn’t every day that you meet a celebrity. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get Pearl’s signature, as she had seemed to be elsewhere, possibly in some private area and practicing her piece.
On my way out of the concert, I was suddenly bumped into, an older inkling looking down at me, her blazing-red tentacled hair styled in what appeared to be the squid equivalent of a mohawk. On her right arm was a tattoo of a busted-up blaster, its inner components looking like they had been scattered across the rest of her arm. She wore a black leather jacket with the sleeves cut off, leather pants, and black leather boots, items that looked like Rockenburg pieces.
Looking down at me with red eyes, she looked disgusted. “Watch where you’re going, brand .”
“Brand?” I asked, confused.
“You know, a brand ,” she clarified. “The same as everyone else, stuck in a school with the rest of the small fry.”
I felt a bit conflicted from this. Twiddling my fingers, I timidly said, “W-Well, I like to think I’m the same, but…”
She hiked a brow, her disgust leaving her face, the girl seeming interested. “Oh, really? What makes you different from the rest of the crowd?”
I wanted to show her my hair, but… I know it wasn’t worth it. “I’m just not as cool , I guess,” I made up. “Not made up of the same stuff.”
“That skill they say they got, huh?” she asked, grinning. “...I like you.”
I looked up at her, very confused.
“So, kid,” she said. “They bullying you? Did they say you weren’t fresh ? If they are, don’t listen to ‘em.”
Was she trying to cheer me up or something…? I didn’t understand her deal at all. First she was mean, and now she was showing sympathy?
“I went through the same thing,” she said, holding up her arm and flexing it, her tattoo getting a little wider. “I didn’t like doing the same thing as the rest of them, and they made fun of me for it, saying I wasn’t raw enough.”
“Really?” I asked, intrigued.
“Defs!” she confirmed. “These punks think they’re so special just because they can afford the fancy brands and play with the same tactics as the rest, but they’re nothin ’ like you and me.”
I really wanted to tell her how I was different, how I still felt foreign to the world, even with Nem’s assurances. Here she was, some random inkling with a different style from the rest, trying to cheer me up, and I couldn’t help but appreciate that.
“Wh-What’s your name?” I asked.
“Name’s not important,” she said. “I just call myself Wreckage , cuz I wreck the competition!”
“N-Nice to meet you,” I said, putting on my best smile.
“You should hang with me,” she said. “I can hook you up with the best of weapons.”
“Sure,” I agreed. “M-Maybe next week?”
“Whichever time, I guess,” she said with a smirk. “When you can, meet me at the docks near this place. I’m always hangin’ out under ‘em.”
“Aren’t you afraid of the high tides?” I asked, knowing that the beach would flood on occasion.
“Nah,” she answered. “There’s a cave underneath the docks. I’m pretty sure I’m the only one who knows about it. I’ve got it filled with furniture.”
That sounded pretty cool, actually, like a small hideout. Did she live on her own in there? If so, did she ever feel lonely? Maybe I could bring Ace, Bryson, and Liv? “Can I bring my friends?” I asked.
“They as cool as you ?” she asked.
“Y-Yeah!” I answered. “They’re really accepting!”
“Heh… Nice,” she said. “Alright. You go on. I’ve got a concert to pirate.”
“Pirate?” I queried.
She held up what looked like a small tape recorder. “Yeah. I ain’t payin’ for that. Gettin’ up close is best, and if I’m right, their best song is bein’ saved for last.”
I didn’t know how to feel about that. If she couldn’t afford it, was it still okay? I shook my head. It wasn’t my business, so I smiled at her and went on my way, saying goodbye. I really like her attitude, because she didn’t seem to care what others thought about her.
When I walked away from the concert, I was approached by Henry. His visor, covering his face as always, kept me from seeing his expressions. Without a word, he held out his hand, and I hesitantly took it, letting him lead me out of the city.
Octo Valley was… different. It was mountainous, and there were entrances that led inside. Although I wanted to enjoy the scenery of this peaceful place, I had to go inside to find my brother. I was so close. I could feel it.
Henry led me down a metal tunnel, where it eventually led to a massive dome, bigger than what I could have ever imagined. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say we were outside, but with the way this dome was structured, I knew we couldn’t be on the surface.
So many buildings were within, buildings from humanity’s past, and it made me wonder if these were the bunkers that were designed for us. If they were, then Henry was right. I had no idea what humanity was capable of.
“I could have never imagined this,” I breathlessly said, looking up at the buildings around us as we walked down the streets.
“Humans had much to offer in the field of science,” said Henry. “The machinations of the human mind were staggering, terrifying, beautiful.”
“And to think, humans did this,” I said.
As we approached a small building, Henry tightened his grip on my hand, the older octoling seeming worried. “I need you to keep quiet,” he said. “Don’t say anything when we enter. Don’t look at anyone and don’t touch anything. I’m your only shield here. Otherwise, they’d swarm. They’ll know what you are the moment they see you.”
That scared me a little. Henry was just one octoling, and we were entering a building full of his kind? How could he protect me? I had no way of turning back now, so I said, “Okay.”
As we approached the metal door, it slid open, allowing us into a small room. I could already see other octolings, and the moment I did, I looked down. I tightened my grip on his hand, filled with a bit of fear. I was doing this for my brother. I just needed to get to him.
I should’ve brought my suit…
“What’s she doing here?” a girl asked.
“Sweet cod, it’s another one,” said a boy.
I scooted closer to Henry, fearful that they might try something. I could hear murmuring from multiple octolings, and before we could progress through the rest of the room, we were stopped, and I could feel Henry clenching my hand tight.
“Back away,” I heard him say. “This is my find. I’m reporting her. If you even think about taking credit, I’ll end you.”
Whoever Henry was speaking to, they stepped away, allowing us to progress. When we entered the hallway, I let out a sigh of relief. “Oh, gosh… That was scary,” I whispered.
“A lot of them can be near-animalistic. This is due to a lack of training. Octolings may be smart, but it’s an untrained octoling you need to look out for. Those of us who are trained refuse to give in to our urges to hunt.”
“Hunt?” I repeated with worry.
Henry chuckled, then patted my head. “Humans may be apex, but they’re nothing compared to something as savage as an octoling, as predatory, as efficient.”
I didn’t like how he said that. It was… scary, thinking of octolings like that. Liz had never come across that way. Hector did, at least a little, but Henry… here he was, trying to protect me, but he acted as if he could turn on me at any moment, talking about the instincts of his species as if it was completely natural. To me, it was anything but natural.
“C-Could you not talk about that?” I asked.
He looked at me, his visor keeping me from discerning his expression. “Sorry,” he said. “Sometimes I forget what you are.”
At the end of the hallway was a metal door. As we stopped in front of it, he cleared his throat, then placed his hand on the cool metal, the door beeping before sliding up, allowing us entrance into a large laboratory.
All around us, I could see octolings everywhere, all of them in lab coats and wearing strange goggles. It wasn’t long before they caught sight of me, staring. I once again avoided eye contact, looking down as he led me over to a chair by the wall on the other side of the room.
“Do you trust me?” he asked me.
“N-...Yes,” I said, willing to do anything to see my brother.
“Sit here,” he said. “I’ll be back.”
And so, I sat and waited for what felt like the longest time. On occasion, an octoling would stop by, staring at me, their eyes scaring me. There was something abnormal about those eyes, something anomalous, frightening, blood-freezing. I could feel them staring at me like I was prey, and I wanted nothing more than to leave.
But I knew I couldn’t. I needed to stay here, for my brother. I wanted to tell him how much I missed him. I wanted him to know that I felt empty without him. I wanted to be a family again, and I’d do anything to---
“Amelia.”
Frightening me a bit, I saw Henry sit down next to me, and sitting in another chair on the other side of me was an octoling girl his age. She looked down at me with cold, ice-blue eyes that made me feel like I was being sized up. Her attire was completely white. White lab coat, white boots, and white gloves. The back of her tentacle hair hung down past her shoulders while the front was simply short bangs of sorts.
“So, this is her,” she said with a soft smile, observing me through her square-frame glasses. Pushing them up, she said, “Hello, sweetie. I hear you’re looking for your sibling?”
I nodded, filled with hope. “Y-You know where he is?” I asked.
“Oh, yes,” she said. “I’ve worked with him for a long time now,” she said. She held out her hand and said, “Come on.”
I took her hand, and she led me into a small room, with Henry staying just outside the door. Turning to him, she said, “I need you to check on the stasis chambers.”
“Why?” asked Henry.
“Was that a question?” she asked. “That’s not like you, Henry. That’s not like you at all… You’re usually so much more polished.”
Henry’s visor glanced over to me. “I… promised her I’d help her find her brother.”
The octoling woman smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Aw, still sweet, I see, after all these years.”
As she leaned against his shoulder, Henry didn’t give anything away with his helmeted face. “Ophelia, there’s a child here.”
The octoling woman, apparently named Ophelia, turned her smile into more of a smug smirk. “Are you professional or not, Henry? Can’t play hot and cold all day. Go check on the stasis chambers. Please? ”
Henry looked at me, then turned, walking away as told. Ophelia closed the door, and when I turned around to see where I was, I realized I was in what looked like a hospital room. I backed up, bumping into the metal door behind me.
“When will he be here?” I asked her.
“Oh, don’t worry,” she said. “You’ll meet him soon. Just sit on that bed right there.”
She pointed to a patient bed, and I very warily listened, climbing up onto it. I looked at her as she dug through a drawer from a cabinet. “How long?” I asked, getting scared.
She pulled out a syringe, her eyes looking up at me. “Oh, about ten minutes or so, but before you can meet him, you need to take a special injection.”
“N-No, thank you,” I said, tensing up. “I’d rather see him first.”
“There’s no refusing,” she said. He had to take it, and so do you. I promise you’ll see him if you just let me--”
“How do I know that’s not gonna… you know… hurt me?” I asked, scooting away.
“It’ll help you resist the disease,” she said.
...D-Disease? I looked at her with concern. “What disease?” I asked, slowly raising my arm up to her.
“Oh, it’s nothing too serious. Something that’s… been becoming more prevalent,” she said, injecting the odd substance. After removing the syringe from my arm, she stepped back, staring at me, as if expecting something. After a few seconds, her lips curved downward a little, as if she were greatly confused.
“What’s going on?” I asked. “Where is he?”
“I did promise he’d be here, didn’t I?” she replied. She approached me, looking at my arm. “So intriguing…”
I gently pulled my arm away. “P-Please, let me see him?”
“Y-Yes,” she said. “Just… stay here,” she told me. She left the room, and I waited. I waited for a long time. According to the clock, an hour had passed, and I was getting restless.
Jumping off the bed, I walked to the door and opened it, only to be met by another octoling wearing strange metal goggles. Pointing back to the hospital bed, he said, “Wait there, human.”
“What’s going on?” I asked. “Where’s Henry? Can I just talk to Henry for a bit?”
The octoling shoved me further into the room. “ Do as you’re told. Don’t be stubborn.”
I was scared now. They weren’t going to let me leave, and I knew I couldn’t do so by myself. What I had gotten myself into was more than I could handle. I didn’t know what to do. Stepping back, I got back on the bed, folding my hands, feeling intimidated. The octoling closed the door, and I huddled up by the wall. I had made a big mistake. I didn’t have my weapons, and I wasn’t sure if I could remember the way out.
What if I just barged my way out and winged it? Surely, they couldn’t just… No, I remember what Henry had said. Octolings liked hunting, especially the untrained ones.
I pulled out my phone, sending a text to Ace, Bryson, and Liv. Looking at the time, it was almost midnight. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be asleep at this hour. I sent out whatever clues I could, telling him where I was with as much detail as possible. I couldn’t exactly give an address…
As for Nem-Nem… If she knew I was out here, she’d stress badly. I couldn’t let her know, not until later. I trusted her, but I knew that now wasn’t the time. I needed to keep calm, and I needed to remember my training from her.
Suddenly, the door opened, and I looked up, Ophelia seeing my phone. Her lips curled into a sinister sneer, that mocking smile making me uneasy. “Making a call, are you?”
I clutched my phone tightly, scared. “N-No, ma’am!”
“Hand it over right now,” she commanded. I held out my phone, and she snatched it. Looking at the screen, she said, “You’re lucky we have tight security. No one’s ever gotten in this far by force.”
She put my phone in her lab coat pocket and she held out her hand to me. Hopping off the bed, I slowly made my way over, reaching out to take it. Avoiding eye contact, I let her lead me through the facility, and as we did, I could feel others staring at me as we walked.
“Your brother is very intelligent,” she said as we walked. I stayed quiet, intimidated by her. Her gloved hands were cold, and there was certainly nothing friendly about her grip. “When I first found him, he was very dazed, having just woken up. Poor dear thought I was an angel of death.”
Gee, I wonder why. With those eyes, I would have, too.
“He was so sweet, though. Kept asking about your condition,” she said. “Unfortunately, I was told to only bring him in. Being the obedient soldier I was, I did as I was told.”
“So you left me there to stay frozen for an eternity,” I muttered.
“Yes,” she coldly answered. “Of course, that didn’t stop him from trying to see you. He knew we wouldn’t just go back unless you were deemed useful.”
“So you… left me because I wasn’t useful,” I said.
“Correct,” she answered. “It’s funny how the females of your species are considered weaker in muscle strength. In the octarian race, it’s only the females who become the elite. But, who were we to question evolution? It was only natural that we left you.”
I wanted to hurt her. I wanted to use all my training to pull her head down and slam my knee into her face, just to knock some sense into her, but I knew I couldn’t. She was potentially taking me to my brother, and I was willing to put up with her for a little longer just to see him.
“And then… he convinced me to let him check on you,” she said. “I pitied him, and after all he had done to get me through my own missions, I had an obligation to help him. It’s not like I didn’t want to help. Octavio is a very complex leader with very complex goals.”
…
“I… regret a lot of things,” she confessed.
I looked up at her. “So you regret--”
“Leaving you there?” she finished. “Yes, because of how he felt. Emotion is something I can’t fully understand. Hardly any of us can understand it. Often, I’ll hear of an octoling who had escaped and had come back to try to convince one of us to leave. Of course, most times when they do come back to try it, we merely re-educate them.”
Oh…
“Unfortunately, I have one more thing to regret,” she said.
Something clicked in me. “And that is…?”
“I regret to inform you that we can’t let you see him,” she said, making me tense up. “In fact, I also regret to inform you that you won’t remember anything by the time we’re done with you.”
I immediately tried to pull away, but her strength was unnatural. I couldn’t break free from her steel grip. “L-Let me go!” I shouted. “You said you’d take me to him!”
“It’s easy to tell a lie,” she said. “It’s harder to tell the truth."
As I tried pulling away, she continued walking, simply dragging me. I struggled harder than I had ever struggled before, but Ophelia had strength I simply wasn’t able to outdo. It wasn’t long before she had me in a small laboratory, a large machine similar to the cryopod I had once been in sitting in the corner.
I couldn’t do it again.
“P-Please, don’t!” I said. “This can’t be happening! You can’t put me in there! Not again! I want my brother!”
She walked over to the cryopod, ignoring my pleas.
“I’ll do anything!” I begged. “Please, don’t take him away from me! I can’t go in there! I’ll do whatever you want! Anything but this!”
“Quiet, girl,” she coldly commanded, lifting me up, her hands gripping my arms as she wrestled me into the open pod. “This is for your own good, and for your brother’s good as well.”
I stared up at her ice-cold gaze, hot tears running down my cheeks. “P-Please, don’t… I want my brother… I want my brother! I want my brother! ”
She stared down at me as she strapped me in, flexible metallic bindings keeping me from moving. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “You’ll just get in the way of progress. You’re more useful to us like this.”
I screamed out as loud as I could as the glass cover closed on me. I tried to move my whole body, squirming in a pathetic attempt to escape. “Let me out! PLEASE!!! NEM-NEM, HELP ME!!! ”
I felt the machine buzz, a cold gas filling the space. I had finally stopped screaming, simply staring out through the glass cover, tears blurring my vision. I had failed. I couldn’t get to my brother. I was so stupid, naive, blind. I trusted Henry, and he had betrayed me.
And then, just when I thought it was all over, as the gas began to make me tired, I heard muffled screams from outside the pod. I blacked out, only to reawaken in someone’s grip. Slowly opening my eyes, I saw a familiar fancy vest taking up most of my vision.
Gently stirring, I looked up, seeing Annaki-brand shades looking back at me.
“B-Bryson,” I whimpered, the gas still present in my system.
“Just stay quiet, Amelia,” he said. “You’re lucky I stay up late.”
After a few minutes, I grew a bit more active, eventually able to get up on my own. Looking around, the laboratory was a complete mess. Bryson had splattered pink ink everywhere with his umbrella.
“Wh-Where’s Ophelia?” I muttered.
“That octoling?” he asked. “She ran off before I could splat her, but I did give her a good beatdown.”
“H-How are we gonna get out alive?” I asked.
Bryson smirked. “Already got that covered.”
Before I could ask what he meant, he grabbed my hand and rushed out with me, keeping me close and behind his umbrella as he blasted down anyone who got in our way. There were moments when he had to ditch me, but I was able to dodge shots on my own, even if I didn’t really need to due to my unsplattability.
His speed, his reflexes, all scared me as he showed tenacity unlike any other squid I had ever seen. What worried me was the fact that he wasn’t tied to a spawn point. If he was splatted, he couldn’t come back. He’d be permanently gone.
Yet he continued onward, dodging, deflecting, charging back, showing no mercy to any of the octolings in the facility. I was a little worried, wondering if any of these octolings were tied to a spawn point. If I had a weapon, my conscience would’ve kept me from firing, even if they were to have tried harming me. I couldn’t die here, but they could.
It wasn’t long until we were back outside, having finally escaped, but it wasn’t over.
Henry was here.
He walked up to us, his motorcycle helmet on as always. “You nearly killed Ophelia,” he said, a dynamo roller materializing in one hand as he raised his arm. How he was able to hold it astounded me, as these were massive, heavy weapons. There was no way any normal human could hold one up like that, even with two hands.
“She tried to make Amelia a frozen fishstick ,” growled Bryson. “Tell me why I shouldn’t end your life right here and right now?”
Henry chuckled. “There’s no reason you shouldn’t. There’s no reason why I shouldn’t end yours , either. It comes down to survival of the fittest.”
Bryson screamed and rushed him, and as he fired from his umbrella, I was shocked to see Henry sidestep so quickly, twirling and swinging that massive dynamo roller straight into Bryson’s back and sending the squid skidding across the rocky ground. I charged, tackling Henry, succeeding in doing so, as he didn’t seem to have expected me to break my pacifistic nature.
I tried to tear his helmet off, wanting desperately to punch him right in his probably-smug face. He wasn’t letting me do so. With strength like Ophelia’s, he simply knee’d my stomach, forcing the breath right out of me.
Rolling me aside, he stood up. “Stupid girl. I could’ve talked to Ophelia. You could’ve gotten your brother back, but now you’ve messed up big time .”
I coughed, sitting up, but I felt another kick to my side, sending me back into the dirt. I was going to suffer here, but I wasn’t going to make it easy for him. I got up again. That was a big mistake, however, as he grabbed me and tossed me back against the ground with such force that I felt excruciating pain.
“STAY DOWN!” he ordered. “You’re lucky I’m going easy on you! You think you’re going to just leave this place?!”
I was dizzy. There was no way this wasn’t going to leave damage on my body. “Y-You lied,” I sputtered. “You said you’d take me to him!”
“I didn’t lie,” he said. “I said I’d take you to Octo Valley , and I did . You’re an idiot for misinterpreting my words.”
My breathing was ragged. “M-Maybe I am. I guess I was desperate,” I replied. He stared at me through his visor. I couldn’t tell what his expression was, but I kept going. “I just wanted him back. I was really stupid, yeah. W-Wouldn’t you do the same thing if Ophelia was missing?”
As Henry approached me, I curled up, trying to cover up my stomach. I didn’t want to be kicked again. Before he could reach me, Bryson did, stumbling over and getting on his knees, opening his umbrella up as a shield.
“He won’t listen, Amelia,” said Bryson. “None of them do. They’re octolings. They don’t change. They never do, and they never will. ”
Henry looked down at us, a pathetic duo prepared to be taken out of commission. Looking up, he simply said, “It’s about to rain.”
As soon as he said this, Bryson raised his umbrella over both himself and I, the droplets coming down hard. I was worried that Henry would take advantage of this, but he didn’t. Before the rain could do too much damage to him, he walked away, heading towards the entrance to the base. Looking back at us, he said before heading inside, “The next time we meet, I won’t be so forgiving.”
Why he had decided to use this as an excuse to let us live, I didn’t know. Perhaps it was pity. Maybe it was just a softhearted nature hiding behind the disguise of a cold-blooded persona? I didn’t care at this point. I just wanted to go home. Bryson was probably freezing, and he had come all this way just to risk his life to save me.
Bryson attempted to walk towards the entrance, but I grabbed his hand. When he looked back at me, I shook my head, and he just looked at me, as if debating with himself. He eventually just took my hand tightly in his and we walked back to Inkopolis, with both of us shivering along the way.
“Why would you risk your life to save me?” I asked, my teeth chattering in the cold as we entered the city.
“Y-You kidding?” he responded, his teeth doing the same. “W-We st-st-stick t-t-together, n-n-noob …”
When we reached the Annaki company building, he insisted that I stayed the night. He didn’t want me going out in the rain, even if I was a human and couldn’t be harmed by it. When we reached the top floor and entered his residence, he removed his hat and glasses, tossing them onto a small table by the door.
His blue eyes looked around, glowing brightly. Looking at me, he gestured to the couch. “You okay with this?” he asked. I nodded, walking over and sitting down on it.
As I sighed, disappointed, my thoughts went back to Octo Valley. My brother was there. They had said it themselves. I had no way of getting in there on my own, and because of my own inability to bargain properly, I had almost been put back into cryogenic sleep.
In order to get in, I’d need either Bryson’s tenacity or an entire army on my side. I couldn’t bring Bryson in with me. He was more at risk of being splatted permanently than I was, as their weapons couldn’t work on me. As for Henry, however…
Henry was a different beast altogether. His strength was unnatural to the point where he didn’t need a weapon to kill me. He could simply do it with his bare hands, and he knew it. If I wanted to get to my brother, Henry was one of the biggest obstacles, and so was this “Ophelia” person.
I clenched my fists in anger. It wasn’t fair . These octolings, they were… keeping me from the blood I had left. I grinded my teeth, my breathing becoming shallow. It was enough to make me want to scream. I just wanted one shot. One shot at Henry. It was all his fault.
My anger was suddenly interrupted as Bryson tossed a blanket at me, the folded wad hitting the side of my head. I was a little annoyed, but… I couldn’t be mad at him. My anger was directed towards the real enemy. I sank a little further back against the couch, folding my hands, trying to find some form of control by breathing.
I took a deep breath, then exhaled, stress leaving me bit by bit with each repeat. Eventually I had calmed down and was simply apathetic. Looking at Bryson, I said to him, “You saved my life back there.”
Bryson rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well, what was I supposed to do, just let you die?”
I smiled, and for a small instant, he smiled softly back. I felt that he had finally managed to warm up to me, and I was grateful for that. The very fact that he had come to save me by himself was… amazing. He was really something else.
“I just didn’t expect you out of the others, really,” I admitted. “I was expecting--”
“Ace?” he finished, looking unamused.
I felt blood running to my cheeks, making me blush. “I, um…”
“Well, maybe Ace isn’t the best person to depend on all the time,” said Bryson.
I was a little embarrassed. “H-How did you…?”
“I pay attention,” said Bryson. “Like… I notice things. I notice lots of things, and I’m pretty good at piecing things together. I’m not dumb.”
I leaned even further back into the couch, my cheeks very red. “I didn’t know you knew…”
Bryson walked over and sat next to me, his hands folded in his lap. “Yeah…”
“How long?” I asked.
“Since we started Splatfest,” he clarified. “I’ve noticed your cheeks and stuff. They get red whenever you’re looking at him and stuff. My older brother does it when he’s with his girlfriend, so… yeah, I can see this stuff and tell.”
“And you never said anything?” I asked.
“Why would I?” he replied. “It’s not like I get anything out of it. Not like I get some high out of embarrassing people. That’s dumb.”
Now I was curious. “Do you know if he, um…”
Bryson lightly tapped his fingers together. “I… yeah,” he said, sounding hesitant. “He, um, has been talkin’ about ya and stuff over text lately.”
My heart leapt. I was excited, ecstatic. I knew his feelings for me now. “Oh, my gosh!” I said, my hands to my chest. I was having trouble breathing. How would I approach him? Should I approach him? Would he approach me first?
Bryson’s eyes seemed… empty, and for that moment, I felt something wrong. “He’s been pretty psyched about it…”
“What’s wrong?” I asked, my nerves getting uneasy.
Bryson simply stood up, saying, “ It’s nothing . Just doesn’t know how to tell you. I’ve been trying to help him. He’s clueless, though, so don’t expect him to try anything for a while.”
“Are you okay?” I asked.
He nodded. “Y-Yeah, just don’t worry about it.”
He wasn’t okay, and I could tell from his voice. My brain tried to look for some kind of explanation, any kind of explanation that made sense, but… I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. There was something Bryson wasn’t telling me, but if I wanted to figure out what it was, I’d have to do some pushing.
“Tell me what’s wrong,” I said.
“It’s none of your business,” he said. “Go to sleep.”
“You’re willing to save me, but you’re not willing to tell me what’s wrong?” I asked. “C’mon, Bryson.”
Bryson looked at me with an annoyed glare, his fangs bared. “You’re getting on my nerves, Amelia.”
I stood up and walked up to him, displaying an annoyed look of my own. “Aren’t we supposed to trust each other? Aren’t we supposed to be friends?”
Crossing his arms, he turned his head away from me. Chewing on his lower lip, he had a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face. “Amelia…”
“You just saved me,” I pointed out. “Obviously, you cared enough about me! Well, I’m willing to at least do this for you! I’m willing to at least listen .”
“You wouldn’t want to hear it,” he said. “You don’t need to because it would only ruin things.”
“Please…?” I asked. “Let me do this for you.”
Bryson groaned, defeat in his voice. Sitting down on the couch, he motioned to the other side, where I sat down to listen. He looked at me, his serious blue eyes making me a little tense. He then finally said, “I’m just going through a dumb thing is all.”
“Please, explain?” I asked.
Bryson looked down, avoiding any chance of our gazes catching each other. “Ace and I have been friends for a long time. We agree on everything most of the time, and I’m always helping him out. He’s pretty much a brother to me.”
“And what’s the problem?” I asked.
Bryson looked at me. “Look, can we not talk about this?”
“We need to,” I said, determined to help.
“ Ugh … You’re annoying,” he said. “Fine, you know what? I’m just gonna say it, and maybe you’ll take a hint and leave it alone.”
I watched him carefully, expecting him to continue.
“...I like you, alright?!” he blurted out.
…
…
…
Oh, my cod.
“W-Wait,” I stammered. “But you’re always so…”
“That’s just how I am,” he said. “I have pride . I’m not just going to give anything about me away. Just… don’t worry about it,” he said.
I wasn’t expecting this at all. I didn’t think it was possible . Bryson was also so pushy, so rude, and he had feelings for me? How was I supposed to handle this? How was I supposed to take this at all? This was like… I didn’t even have a comparison for this circumstance.
“I don’t understand,” I muttered to myself. Bryson looked at me with a very serious gaze. Looking back at him, I asked, “Why didn’t you tell me? When did it start? What happened?”
Bryson leaned back into the couch cushions, looking at the television, even though it was turned off. “Happened around your confession,” he said. “Ace and I were really impressed by your willingness to keep going, even though you could die. When I first saw you, I thought you were just some stupid noob.”
“And you didn’t talk about this with Ace?” I questioned.
“I did,” Bryson replied. “Ace expressed an interest in you, too, but he’s no good with girls, so I had to pester him to ask you to the movies. I owed him, so it doesn’t matter. I want him to be happy, because he’s done a lot for me, a lot more than I could ever do for him, so… don’t worry about me and just tell him how you feel.”
Bryson stood up from the couch and began to walk away towards the hallway to his room. Before he went out of sight, he looked back at me and said, “Seriously, he’s helpless. You need to approach him first. I’ll find someone else. I promise I’ll be fine. And don’t expect me to change how I act just because I told you this, noob .”
A prideful smirk spread across his face a little ways just as he turned, leaving me alone.
I was puzzled, having had no idea that Bryson had these feelings towards me. As of now, I didn’t know what to do. They both liked me, but Bryson was willing to give that up for his best friend, and I found that unbelievable. I didn’t know their friendship was that deep .
And now that Bryson had made up his mind, I had Ace as my only option, and according to Bryson, Ace wasn’t good at engaging with girls, and if I wanted it to move forward, I needed to let him know, too.
Bryson was… selfless, and because of that, I felt my heart ache, and I didn’t know why, since I had never had any initial feelings towards him in the first place. This was so confusing, and I was worried that I might make the wrong decision.
I needed Nem-Nem’s help.