Tess' POV:
I was allowed to see Zen today. My mother had seen how she meant a lot to me, and when I told her all about Rose, it sparked an interest in her. So on this day, I also got to see Zen in her new apartment.
When I got inside, boxes were littered everywhere. She had used all the budget given to her by Pearl and Marina in order to stuff her new home with things to forget Rose. Both of us found it suitable to be near each other, considering one of our good friends had just died.
"I'm glad you and Rose had time to patch things up before she disappeared."
"She's missing in action. But yes, it does feel like she is dead."
In a bored manner, I took the brush leaning against the wall and began to clean away the rubbish in the apartment. In tandem, Zen ordered the boxes away so we could empty them soon.
"When I lost Rachel, we had only just parted ways to our previous argument. I never really had a full conversation with her real self. Now I just speak to her spirit."
"You believe in spirits?"
"I had to. It's the only way that I ever brought myself to accept Rachel. I know she's dead now, but that won't stop me from visiting her. It's like I'm back to myself - yet I'm a completely different person."
"I see. You've finally come to terms." Now Zen began to unpack her boxes. "Knowing you, I thought it would take far longer for you to accept all this."
"Marie took a long while with Callie. I didn't want to be like that." In finishing my chore as well, I sweeped the dust into a far corner. "Speaking of which. Tell her I'm sorry. I was just mad that as soon as Rose and you came here, she had fo disappear along with Rachel."
Zen turned to me as I said this. Suddenly she stopped emptying the boxes and looked towards me. In a slow manner, she spoke.
"You were right." The room stood still. "She admitted those exact words you told her. She told me, Pearl and Marina that my arm and our friend was not the only things intended to be sacrificed. Marie told all of us that no matter how many people we lost in the splatoon, she was planning to still say that the mission was a success if we brought Callie."
"Oh my gosh." I felt angry at first, but realised that in these conditions that feeling this way was not the optimum action. "We were pawns."
"It sure feels like it." I looked over now and saw Zen's deformed self. "You have no idea how much of a hassle life becomes without an arm until you yourself experience it!"
"Did the doctors say anything?"
"No. I'm an Octoling, so it was already difficult to book an appointment. However, when they finally saw my arm after all the struggling, it was labelled as an irreversible condition. It's gonna stay like this." Now I could see her struggle as she attempted to empty out a box with one hand. "They tried splatting me to see if it would come back. No, it only aggravates me further. I feel more pain now. I'm not fit for battle."
"I'm so sorry to hear that."
"Everyone is. It's not easy getting used to the inkopolis environment without Rose."
In frustration, I quickly dashed to Zen and helped her empty her belongings. However, it was clear this was upsetting her even further. She could not look at my faster work as help - only as a way of signifying what she had recently lost.
"Marie can't bring herself to end it. Tess, I hate to say this, but you're the only one who can fight Callie now."
"I don't want to." This idea was preposterous. "I'm done with the squidbeak splatoon. I've lost so much from it-"
"And you also gained from it as well. You would have never found Octarians to also be friendly unless you fought Rose that day. You would have never met me or Pearl or Marina unless you had been given access to us as an agent. You lost some things, sure - but you also gained quite a bit of valuable allies."
"Even so, what I lost was really dear to me. I don't want to do it again."
"This would be the last time, Tess. You, as Agent 4 can end this. Just finish that battle, and inkopolis is saved."
I did not make a reply at this. Both of us knew that Zen had made a valid argument. I just about finished emptying the box. However, the last item broke my heart to see.
"Oh." Zen was distracted from our conversation. "You found that?"
"I'm sorry. I'll put it back in the box-"
"Put in on the shelf, along the entrance of the apartment. Like you, I don't want to forget."
I did as she told. What I saw that made me feel so uncomfortable could never have been present at a worse time. It was a photo of both Zen and Rose in Octo-valley, as they smiled togethor with gleeful faces.
"Must be a fond memory. I have one of Rachel and me; it's just like that."
"It is a good memory." Zen stood up to peer into it. "The day we were ready to leave Octo-valley, we took a picture to remember our past home. We saw ourselves as peace makers. This image was going to be a reminder for us to keep pushing forward, up until we were in the location of that moment - in a friendly circumstance."
"But it all went downhill."
"Correct." Zen went back to the pile of boxes. "If it's not too much to ask, I would like you to be in the next photo."
"Me?"
"You were a good friend of Rose. I believe she would be at peace if you joined me to the new photo." It was flattering to hear this.
"Of course."
We smiled. It was times like these where all of us could hold onto each other. Zen, upon looking at my hard working self, finally spoke once more.
"We're all counting on you, Tess." The photo still stood tall when she said this. "I know that you used to always dream of this happening. So I'll just say this now - I trust you with all I can."
"I know you all do. It's just... I don't want amy of you to trust me. Not now of all times..."
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Upon the night sky:
I was walking. Somehow, by a stroke of luck, I managed to stay up till 8pm. It was too late to be awake. With the curfew set up in inkopolis now, I had to make it home or else I'd have been treated as suspicious. The lights helped. I could still see due to the streetlights. Now it was my chance to quickly dash home.
In the middle of my walk, I began thinking to myself. Marie had planned exactly as I accused her of doing. It felt surreal. I said those things out of spite and anger. All of those words and yet somehow it turned out I was correct. Marie didn't care for any of us. Only Callie. Would I have done the same for Rachel?
Suddenly, I stopped. I could not answer my own question. My mind spent for what seemed like hours pondering this question. Marie cared for her cousin as I had cared for Rachel. Actually, was it more or less? I did not know. I would never know.
Black. I saw black. The lights had turned off. I quickly took out my phone and used the torch on it. Quickly dashing through my street, I passed by Koy's house. His window was open. He looked at me astonished.
"Tess. What the hell are you doing here?!"
"I'm going home right now. Sorry!"
"No, Tess, this is serious. Tess... Tess!"
His voice was drowned by my great distance of running. He took these times too seriously. I chuckled a little and kept running to my house. In using my keys, I barged into the door.
"You awake, mum?"
Upon popping my keys on the desk, I went towards the light switch. I flicked it. Still black. I switched it again, thinking that I might have imagined the first flick. Still pitch dark black. I finally got it now. Finally the pieces of the bigger puzzle snapped togethor.
"It's a blackout." My mother came downstairs, using her own device. "Stay inside the house."
"Blackout... It feels too early for us to be in this stage."
"I suppose they're not joking. We can pull through though. We need you're father's spirit if we are to survive." We both fell silent. "Tess. I'm sorry. I don't want to lose you. No matter what, you need to stay by my side. Even if the Octarians are to-"
"They will never invade."
I could tell I had startled her by my seriousness of the situation. In walking towards the living room, I had my mother follow behind me. She sat on the couch and motioned for me to sit by her. Rather then that, I hugged her instead.
"No matter what. You'll never lose me."
A blackout was the opportune time to intercept inkopolis. I could not let it happen again. If I were to do this, then I had to break the trust of my mother.
"I really hope you're right."
"Mum," My arms loosened to let the hug go. "I promise you that I'll never lose to them. I told Marie, before I was gone as an agent, that I would step in if things got really bad. I think..."
"No!"
She jumped. I dodged. I could see her now. I did not need my phone to do so. I saw her desperate state as she slowly huddled to the ground in trying to get up.
"Don't do anything." Now it would be easy to get past her. "I'll be back soon. Don't worry. I'm daddy's best daughter after all!"
"Don't you dare bring you're father into this!" She may have been physically weak, but her voice still stood tall. "I cannot ever lose a loved one like I did you're father. Tess, you can't do this. I can't-"
"I'll be back by sunrise!"
I saw tears come out of her eyes. This was it. I had just replicated my father's final words to us. I did the exact same face and grin. Everything was how it was planned to be. I began to leave. I could hear sobs coming from my mother. Then a voice-
"You've heard this story before:" I stopped walking way for a second. "I was young when when I was pregnant with you. It was near the end of the great turf war. He had to leave in order to contribute with the final struggle against the Octarians. He said those words. He left me. I still loved him to this day. He died in a noble way. You cannot possibly do what he did. He was only a little older then you. You can't possible do this, Tess.
I know you're father has always been you're inspiration. But he shouldn't be the one to convince you to fight. I'm sorry for everything. I'll do anything. Just stay. Please. Tess, You're everything I care for. I need you to stay by me."
I had guilt in hearing her plea. But I knew what I had to do. I shut the door and continued walking on. She was wrong. I was not doing this because of my father. I was doing this for my friends, family, strangers and all of inkopolis. I was doing this for everyone. Including myself.
In walking. I was thinking about my choices. If I were to go back home right now then I would make myself look like an utter fool. It was truly now or never. This was it. I was going to fight Callie. I was going to win this. I was going to save inkopolis and end this anguish that everyone had been suffering-
"I'm not a fool, Tess." I stopped in my tracks. "I know what you're planning to do. Don't you dare go for it." A male voice rung behind me.
"Don't make me beat you like in the splatfest. I'm doing this of my own choice. I won't back down."
"I won't fight you. But I will try and stop you." He took out his splattershot and dropped it on the ground.
I smiled. "That's good for me. I didn't want to get my dualies dirty before the big finale. Let's talk then - koy..."
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TO BE CONTINUED...
Meet the cast:
1. Tess as the main character
2. Rachel as her best friend
3. Joe as the air-headed one
4. Kai as the smart guy
5. Koy as the rival
6. Marie as the mystery
7. The interviewer as the questioner
8. Octo oven as the first boss encounter
9. Sheldon as the weapon supplier
10. crusty Sean as the grub guy
11. Rachel's mom as the cautious one
12. purple 9 as the big octoling
13. Tess' mom as the mom
14. Marina as the kind one
15. Pearl as the sassy kid
16. Koy's mom as the strict parent
17. Koy's Dad as the chance-giver
18. Purple 8 as a trendsetter
19. Sora as the young brother
20. Luka as the older sister
21. Zen as Purple 7
22. Octo samurai as the second boss encounter
23. The teacher as the knowledge giver
24. Octostomp as the third boss encounter
25. Callie as the other squid sister
26. Octo shower as the fourth boss encounter
27. Mask as the new octoling in town
28. Octavio as the final boss encounter