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Chapter Fourteen

The house was definitely out of the normal buying area for inklings. The small front yard was kept well with small seaweed bushes and coral rocks, it was evident that the emerald paint had been watched over and never allowed to rot, and the six windows overlooking Guppi's car had curtains meticulously placed to garner the most appeal.

"Oh, yes! The richer parts is where we're starting to go into. We could still stop at my house. Get some ice cream. Up the road, right, mother?"

Guppi's jellyfish mother nodded, but Mesonii still had her hand approaching the handle. As she pushed the door shut, she made a signal for the blue inkling to roll down his window.

"So you're not gonna come with us?"

"No, sorry, Guppi. I really wish I could, but I HAVE to clear this up with Delpha or I won't be able to handle myself ever again. Thanks for the ride, though." Before she started walking away, she reached for something in her backpack and placed a couple of cellophane-wrapped candies into Gupii's hand.

She waved goodbye to the car. "For your time... buddy." The sudden surprise came to her that she was genuinely smiling, and she quickly turned around to hide it before her friend could see. Now, the next challenge. Delpha. Based on the high-kept estate and the former's age, there was a good chance that Delpha and Peppie lived alone.

But before she could knock the door was already open.

A juniper-colored inkling of an older age stood at the door, but her muscular legs and young cheekbones showed no difference from that of a high-level turfer Mesonii's age. Her hair, tied back into a braid, and her delicate makeup rivaled that of even the Squid Sisters. In short, she had to be a renaissance man. Or a woman, more like it.

"Hello. Couldn't help but see you were out here talking to your jellyfish friends. By coming here, especially with them, a kid like you has to have motive. Correct?"

Mesonii was astonished. "Are you... Delpha's mom?"

She burst out laughing. "MOTHER?! What else do I look like? A sister? Of course, I'm her mother." The woman held her calluse-ridden hand out to shake. "Enough with that. My name is Inia Cetacea, wife of Odonto Cetacea, the owner of Squidforce, and the bringer of Peppie and Delpha Cetacea."

Oh, great. Squidforce. They were the official sponsor of the professional Turf Wars and of all the Splatfests that took place. Mesonii recalled both Peppie and Delpha having the anchor logo on their shirts. This woman had to be nothing but pretentious for making her kids advertise her things.

"Of course, that's not all."

Before she could object, Mesonii found her hand being pulled along by Inia's into the house, as regal on the inside as it was out. And, just like Inia had said, the relatives she had named weren't the only ones present in there.

Mesonii couldn't bear to count them herself, but she knew there was an incredible number of fern, pear, moss- green colored inklings conversing in the atrium facing her. What staggered her even more was that they were all related. How could they cram into this comparingly tiny villa?

"Oh, I know," Inia, perceptive, bent sideways and saw Mesonii's distressed look. "Seeing that nobody notices you, the house's newest celebrity, you're getting that look. Hold up."

"WHAT-?!"

Mesonii had no time again to stop the pompous claps from Inia's hands. Soon, the collection of inklings were turning their heads to the spectacle and reacting in multiple ways to the blushing teen.

"Everybody! I'm sure Delpha's told you all about her new friend. And I'm happy to tell you Mesonii's actually here- in person! Isn't she a sight to see? Delpha sure wasn't lying when she said she was, well, a new type of squid!"

Whatever that was supposed to mean, Mesonii could feel butterflies throwing chainsaws and shooting guns in her stomach. "Stop it!"

And yet, she still couldn't win. Almost stoic in nature, Inia had sent her hand to Mesonii's forehead and prevented any injury. There was no choice but to not resist it. Once the mint inkling took out most of her tension, Inia removed her hand and a solemn look began to come into her face.

"I do apologize. I suppose I did get a little... carried away, to say the least?"

"Just let me see Delpha. There's a reason she's been talking about me."

The juniper inkling stroked her chin and looked at the relatives. Then, she kneeled down to Mesonii. "I believe that Delpha's turfing right now. She'll be home soon, I know. But you do want to stay on our side, right? Why don't you talk about yourself for a little bit? We have my father, Grampus, to listen. And snacks."

Mesonii's appetite had been exacerbated by Inia's words earlier, but if this was the only chance she could get to make things up with Delpha, she had to take it. A smug grin formed on her face.

"Sure. Good way to learn about the family, amirite?"