Memories from long ago

Mizuwa- #2

Cap'n could clearly remember the day he arrived in Mizuwa for the very first time.
Mostly because he had gotten seasick on the week long trip on the boat and his father was even more crabby than before.

"Hurry up!"
The few belongings they had managed to bring with them dragged behind them, craig could feel his head throbbing and his stomach twisting and turning, the sickness rising to his throat and threatening to spill out, but he knew he couldn't throw up, at least, not now.
"I'm trying dad!"
"Well quit trying and Ankle!"
The sun shone right into his eyes, he could make out bright colors of garbs and the sandy beach they are walking away from, the tide was awfully high, it licked the town above which with the stomach and the sun, he couldn't see any of it.
Next thing he knew he was inside a car with a person who kinda looked like mom, and they were saying something he couldn't understand, and his dad was growling, and, did Brett say somethi-
"CHEESUS CHRIST DID YOU REALLY HAVE TO THROW UP NOW?!"

For the first few months, they stayed with their mothers family, it was a culture shock to say the least. Suddenly he had to wear slippers everywhere, he tore through a paper sliding door, there were mats on the ground that he has no idea what they are called, hes sleeping on the floor instead of a bed, and he's getting yelled at for a million different things and he has no idea what he's even getting yelled at for because he doesn't know the damned dialect and progress with learning is slow. Brett couldn't relate, he already nearly mastered it. His father, however, didn't fare off much better, refusing to adapt to the culture and constantly getting into arguments with his mother's family, cap'n wishes he could go back and ask how he and his mother met in the first place...
His father only really made an effort to adapt once he got a job, after that they got their own place and moved to a town 5 miles away, named Octo valley. Like the name says, the population of Octolings were much higher than what Craig was used too. Visits from his family would be the norm much to his father's dismay.
Around this time, Craig was 11 and starting to get into music and lyric writing, suddenly sports wasn't nearly as fun as tapping the beat to a song on the radio or trying to come up with your own song was much more fulfilling, he started carrying a notebook wherever he went. To say the least his dad wasn't thrilled.

"What you doing there sport?"
"Writing a song dad."
"...writing a song?! What happened to tossing the ol ball around?"
"I like this better."
All he could hear is grumbling as he stormed out the room

Meanwhile, at first he wasn't doing all that well in school, it being especially hard wit it being his first year in middle school, eventually though, he won some friends over. One who he'd never forget.

Out in the distance a mansion lay on top of the hill, overseeing the rest of the small town. School had just got released and students wearing uniforms... black ones. Stuffy hot black ones that were black all the way to you feet and a collar reaching up to your chin. The school crest which was a blur of grey in his memories stamped on the upper arm. His black loafers pinched the sides of his feet, he wished he could be wearing the bright kimonos the locals were wearing; they were much more comfortable looking.

"Why the big house up?" After seeing confused looks from his broken Inklish, he points up to mansion

"You don't know?!" he was a friend who's face and name he had long since forgotten. He was at the point in his Dialect learning he could understand others, but when it came to responding he had trouble.
"why I asked..."
"They OWN this town. They, well, they are royalty!"
"WHAT??!"
"Yeah, the Takowasa family owns the palace. Son of the emperor of Octo valley lives there. HE came from a long line of noblemen and samurai.
"Woah! Swordsmen in school?! That is very much cool!" the rush of excitement flooded his head and he was about to take another step to-
"Wha- hey! Where are you going?!"
"Closer up! Duh!"
"Are you crazy??! That's a literal palace!"
"Crazy? Maybe. See you!"
"Listen! I know you're new here but it's seriously not a good idea to go up there!"
" Hope to see you at funeral!"
He takes off running, he can hear their longing no longer as they grow further and further into the distance. As he gets closer he can see octoling guards on the top of the entrance, even if the idea of leaving had popped into his head, he can't head back now. He hears... music.
"that musics fresh..."
Of course that just solidifies what he has to do. Of course. Making his way past the guards, climbing a tree and making his way into a lush garden in the middle, where he spots a young octoling. The music is played on a stringed Koto- or is it a Zither? Shamisan Maybe? Who knows. What he is sure is that it has strings and is an instrument.
Getting closer he speaks up.

"Hey there-"
And finds himself at the end of a octo brush, the tip of it dipped in a rich royal purple ink, a deep scowl drawn across the face of who he was speaking to, wearing many a colorful robe where accents of gold were stitched in, in the bright daylight it had a stunning effect. He remembers him wearing a helmet of sorts. Was it the same one?
"What are you doing here peasant?" he spits this out coursly
"Nice to meet you too. I'm c-"
"I asked what you were doing here."
"Music good enough for me! totally berries!"
"...what?"
"Really good!"
"Of course it was, I'm the prince."
"Woah you are?! You young! Thought you be old!"
"Why is your Inklish so bad?! I'm an octoling and I speak better Inklish than you!"
He huffs and crosses his arms, pulling himself up to where he is looking down on Craig
"Me from United Sea federation!"
"...Right... What's it like...?"
"Hm?"
"Never been outside octo valley. What is it like?"
Craig stood there for a moment, racking his brain for vocabulary so he can respond back.
He doesn't get the chance.

"Never mind. GUARDS!"
"W-wait!"
And he is promptly tossed out. And that would be the end of it.If weren't for the fact, while tapping his finger at home, and reaching for his notebook...
"H-huh?! Where'd it go??!"

The next day security is a bit stricter but he manages to get in all the same.
"...where is it...?"
Craig rummages around the garden while still trying to be somewhat sneaky.
"Looking for this?"
"Huh?!"
The prince holds up the leather notebook, an unamused expression laced upon his cheeks
"Ah thank you!," eagerly
"Don't come back here Craig."
"How you know name?!" He asks this with the shock clear in his voice.
"It says it on the cover!" The prince retorts back, scoffing and rolling his eyes.
Craig takes a quick glance at the chicken scratch on the front of the notebook.
"Oh yeah..."
" I can't believe you would would come back after already being thrown out once."
"W-well I need finish song!"
"...Right... Now get out or else im calling the guards."
"wait! what you think of song?"
"...Its not terrible I suppose..." The prince looks to the side, refusing to look him in the eyes.
"What?! You read you like?!"
"They need work . But they do have potental."
"Thank you! Oh! What your name?"
"Octavio." Craig clasps Octavios hands, his expression changes quickly to a puzzled one.
"Let's be band!"
It was silent for a long moment until Octavio breaks the silence.
"What???!"
And with that, the rest of his middle school days were full of sneaking around guards, writing and practicing songs, and staring up at the stars while jamming out. Their love for music guiding them.