Tide pounded down the pavement of the platforms in a gray cavern. After fighting his way through mazes of propellers and twintacles he finally reached the zapfish. One zapfish closer to Cap'n. He grabbed the fish, and stopped to catch his breath.
His headset vibrated, "*crackle* Ksshht *crackle*"
"H3110 can y0u h3ar m3?
HEEELLLLOOOOOO"
Another voice cut in, "You're holding that up side down"
"Who are you?! Did you squidnap Cap'n?" Three shouted.
"OHH, Agent 1 of the new Squidbeak splatoon reporting in!"
"Agent 2 also reporting in! We got a SOS from Cap'n Cuttlefish!"
"Are you Agent 3? Don't worry we're your new support team!"
"Yep! We're taking over for the Cap'n. Well, we're gonna try..." Two's voice trailed off.
"But we gotta hurry, or the Cap'n is as good as sushi!"
"Let's roll Agent Three!"
Three's eyes brightened.
"Okay! I'll head to the next kettle right away!"
We're going to find you, Cap'n.
*********************
"As elite Octolings we get our own private rooms in the barrack, two servings of fruit per week, and a few other extra privileges," Marina said as she gave Kia a tour of the facility, "Over here there's a library, gym, and concert hall that plays Turquoise October's latest hits"
"Wow, fancy! This elite octoling stuff is sweet. Is the library open tomorrow? I'd love to check it out"
"It should be open once you get off your shift tomorrow"
"Wait, hold up. I'm not even assigned to a squad yet, and I'm not supposed to be super jumping for another week. What shift could I possibly take?"
"I don't know, but the shift board at the barracks should be updated, so you can check. Let's head back, it's getting late"
After a short walk they reached the barracks. Marina barely glanced at a screen plastered on the main hall that displayed shift times and locations.
"Wasabi supply unit as per usual. Well, I'll be in my room if you need me" she trudged through a door on the left, leaving Kia alone in the hall.
Let's see: Jin... Kay... Kia. She traced her finger on the line:
Kia Aster, 0600 to 1200, Cuttlefish guard
----
Around 0530 Kia paced in front of the bathroom mirror. With a distastful frown she slid a pair of goggles over her face. Okay, elite octoling reporting for duty. Time to guard that slimy squid! She groaned, who am I squidding. This is going to be so awkward.
A cheery rendition of the octo eight step blared over the speakers. Shuffling erupted around the barracks as octolings began to wake up and prepare for the day. Time's up. Kia walked to Marina's door and awaited the older the octoling.
Together they walked to the subway shuttle that would take them to the DJ's Octavio's stronghold. After fifteen minutes of hurtling through a dark and narrow tunnel light poured through the gauzy glass windows. Kia pressed her nose to the panes as she tried to see beyond the warped surface. Soon the tram jolted to a halt. Marina and Kia exited along with an assortment of Octobombers, snipers, and commanders.
"Woah..." Kia looked up in awe of the cavern.
It was a smaller than the regular caverns, but seemed grand as only one building dominated the area. A Fortress created by three interconnected towers with layers of upturned square tiled roofs stood in the center the cave. A forest of stalagmites with strings of lanterns hanging between them surrounded the castle. The blue-black body of the great zapfish curled around the tallest tower. But the strangest part of the scene was the calmness that enveloped the air, void of the hum emitted from air filtration devices. A single beacon of light shone on the fortress and illuminated the cave. Kia tried find where the light was coming from, but was blinded when she stared at into it. Marina laughed, "That's an airship tunnel, it'll lead straight to the base of octo canyon. So this is one of the few places in the caves with natural light. Didn't you pass through here when you got back from the surface?"
Kia's cheeks burned as she remembered her nap, "Uh, must have not noticed. Guess that's why there's no floating platforms in this cavern"
"Well, yes. And the fact that as ruler Octavio can get away with wasting a little space. Now come on, we're going to be late"
They jogged into the entry hall.
"Alright, I'm going to head to the lab wing, it's over to the left. You'll have to go the the holding cells. I'll meet you here once the shift is over"
"Wait, where's the jail?"
Marina walked to a dull gray door and pushed it open, revealing a set of stairs leading into the darkness.
"Why down, of course"
After marching down a long staircase Kia finally arrived in the dungeon. Chills crept down her spine as she entered the rows of glass confinements. It was barely lit, cold, and slightly damp. A alarm switch was nestled into a wall next to a single lantern. The walls, floors, and ceiling were roughly hewn out of the rock.
Honestly, it wasn't anything special as most of the caverns offered pretty similar conditions.
Kia marched to the last glass cell and nodded to the elite octoling currently on guard duty. She straightened up and left the dungeon, leaving only Kia and Cap'n. Alright, just stare straight ahead. He probably can't even recognize me. Don't even acknowledge--
"You."
Cap'n voice was hoarse as he edged close to the glass wall to glare at Kia.
"Come to gloat, eh?"
Kia sighed and pulled her goggles off, yet when she turned to face Cap'n her face lit up with a smirk.
"Sure, why not. I did it. I bested the great Captain Cuttlefish. Yippee."
"You... you sicken me!" Cap'n hollered reproachfully.
"I cautioned Agent Three that octolings are untrustworthy, but I let him shelter you anyways. And you betrayed him!Just you wait! Agents Two and One are sure to come help Three demolish you Octarians. You won't be laughing long"
"Two and One haven't been active in years!" Kia's voice almost wavered, but she hid it with a laugh, "You're bluffing. No ones going to save you"
"No, Shatter. No one is going to save you. When Three comes again he will not make the same mistake, and your shiny new kelp still won't be enough to save you. The Squidbeak Splatoon will rise again"
"Oh, don't act so self righteous!" Kia snapped, "Its not like you've never betrayed an Octarian before"
Cap'n inhaled, "That is quite out of context"
"Well, it's true, isn't it. It's the first thing we learn in basic training history class. The once great friendship between Inklings and Octarians. Destroyed by the inklings as quickly and the ocean rose."
"It was a bit more complicated back then! And the hatred and destruction was mutual between the races!"
"Mutual hatred? Sure. But destruction? No. I've seen Inkopolis. The shops, the schools, the games. The only imprint this war between races has left on the city is postponed festivals, while Octarians languish detoriating in the dark. My people need me more than Three ever did! I will not abandon them!"
Kia marched away to the other side of the dungeon in hope of putting some distance between her and the angry Cuttlefish, but she still heard Cap'n's last bitter whisper.
"Three never needed you"
---
"First back in action complete!" Marina chirped as Kia clambered up the past few steps and entered the entry hall.
"Yep"
"So, I heard at work today Turquoise October's going to be performing live at the Platform Madhouse. Want to go check it out?"
"You go ahead, I'm a bit tired"
"Okay then, if you're sure"
The shuttle back to Octogalaxy was virtually empty. It clanked to a stop and Kia started heading back the barracks. As she passed the library she paused and changed her mind. First kettle I've been in with a library. I might as well check it out.
Inside the library a few small tables and chairs were scattered around a high ceiling steel room. On the opposite wall from the entrance was a single elevated podium. As Kia approached it a tiny octocopter fluttered up to perch on the top of the podium.
"Welcome to the library! How may I help you?"
"Where are the copies of a map of the Underground?"
"A map, got it" the octocopter flew up towards the ceiling and disappeared through a hole.
"Uhh, bye?" Kia walked to a vacant table and looked around. Other Octarians were seated reading a variety of scrolls, books, and manuscripts. Soon the octocopter came back down while gripping a scroll with its feet.
"Name and unit, please"
"Kia Aster and unassigned"
"Great, have this back in a week please"
The copter dropped the scroll on the table and buzzed back to his podium.
Kia unfurled the scroll to reveal an elaborate map of tunnels, caverns, and sewages. Let's see... Octo canyon... Mt Nantai... Octo Valley. Okay, so all I have to do is walk to the neighbouring kettle-- the Underground Expressway--and take the main track down to the valley clusters. Easy enough.
----
A couple hours later the shuttle Kia was riding screeched to a stop.
"Hey, what gives? This kettle 3-C. I thought this line ran to 1-A?"
The driver-an old octoball- hobbled out.
"Why, there's nothing out there except dirt and darkness. Now Miss you'll either have to walk the rest of the way or stay on to ride to 3-E with the refugees"
The doors creaked open and a steady stream of tired looking Octarians crawled on board. Kia pushed against the current till she stumbled out of the shuttle and onto the loading bay at the base of cavern 3-E. The cavern looked pretty much like 1-A did after losing its fish. With orange, low powered light, dusty air, and a half organized evacuation.
Kia flicked open the map. Alright, looks like I'll have to go by street tunnels. She grabbed an orange safety light from the wall and surged against the streams of Octarians filtering into cavern through a street tunnel. Whispers of the terrible Agent Three filled her ears as the tired refugees continued their journey from a broken home. As Kia neared kettle 1-A the crowds and lights faded. The evacuation had long since finished in these caverns and with it the need for light. Kia forced herself to take shallow breaths of the dusty cave air. Despite the darkness and ominous rumbling eventually she started to recognize the tunnels around her. They broke into a gaping cavern. Quickly Kia jogged across the base until she saw a large orange crate.
"Swayz! SWAYZ! You in there?" she shouted. Her voice echoed around the deserted area.
"Chirp!"
Inside the crate on the makeshift sponge cot Swayz rested, surrounded by candy wrappers and ration crumbs.
"There you are. Now let's get out..."
Green, blue, and yellow led lights glowed next to Swayz.
Quietly Kia slumped next to Swayz and stared at the headset. Her lamp lit up the tiny interior, revealing mounds of paper littered on the floor. She picked up a sheet on top. It was the first lesson tribute Three had given her.
10 Facts About Zapfish:
A group of zapfish is called a current!
A current will congregate around a lead zapfish!
The older a zapfish gets the more electricity it creates!
The oldest zapfish is 100 years old and gives off 50× the electricity of a 10 year old zapfish!
Kia stopped reading a let the paper fall to the ground. I should have never agreed to teach Three. Suddenly the headset crackled to life. Tentatively Kia pressed it to her ears.
"I've reached kettle 4-D!" Three's voice called across the static.
"Lookin' good, Agent Three" a new voice responded.
Kia ripped the headphones off a threw them into the corner of the crate. Looks like Cap'n wasn't lying. Her eyelid twitched as memories of the inkling behind the voice swirled around her mind.
%×%A little over two years ago%×%
The first thing Kia did after she rolled out of bed on the morning of her thirteenth birthday was trip over her own feet. This was more than a bit alarming since when she went to sleep last night she didn't even have feet, just yellow blobs.
"YEeEEeeeeeeEeeeeeeeeeaaAAAasssss" she squealed as she awkwardly stood back up. She cast a mischievous glance at her still sleeping dormmates.
"YOU OVERSLEPT! Now drop and give me twenty. Quickly! Hurry up!" Kia bellowed in the deepest voice she could manage. Instantly the room roared to life as blobby adolescent octolings opened their eyes and flopped to the floor. Only one red tinged girl stayed in bed.
"Knock it off, Kia"
"Kia?" the others echoed.
"Obviously! What kind of self respecting officer would have that unruly mop of yellow tentacles?!" the girl flushed crimson, "I can't believe you became a full octoling. You're, like, twelve"
"Thirteen, actually" Kia sniffed.
A bell chimed and the octolings shuffled out the door. Kia soon found herself last in line as she teetered down the hall, gripping the wall for balance. However, with every step she took walking became easier. Soon Kia was jogging down the hall to catch up with her fellow cadets.
"Alright cadets, pair up! Today we're working on weapon less combat. Go with your partner to a mat and begin" the teacher barked.
Kia's sparring buddy started with a headlong charge, but before he could could even touch her she had kicked him a meter in the air like he was a squishy foot ball.
"Whoa! Feet are really kicking" she snorted. The instructor gave Kia a hard look.
"Okay, looks like you're an early bloomer. Kia, go sit out for a second, and will someone please get Clyde an ice pack."
Kia went to the edge of the mat and observed the rest of class continue their sparring. After the teacher checked in on every pair she made her way to Kia.
"Until further notice no more sparring with your fellow cadets. You have too much of an advantage."
"So, what am I supposed to do?"
"Its high time you learn how to morph"
Kia's face lit up with grin, "YES"
Over the next six hours Kia practiced fully morphing into a octopus, swimming up vertical surfaces, and--her absolute favorite-- hurtling at break neck speeds through the air. When class was dismissed to rest from their training Kia broke away from the group. Adrenaline buzzed through her veins as she sneaked across school grounds. She reached the familiar chain link fence, and was half up finished climbing it before remembering her new found skills. One morph later she was safely out of the training grounds. I could get used to this.
Now that she was away from the prying eyes of the instructors Kia raced across the cavern floor. Soon she arrived at a genuine Octarian military base. A group of octolings practiced drills on their octoshots. The Hailstormers... wow.
"Halt! Ten minute rest starting now" the leader called. Now's my chance! Kia sprinted towards the leader.
"Corporal Stolo! I'm here to enlist!"
"Freeze!" Stolo whirled around, training her octoshot at Kia, "State your name and business!"
"I'm Kia, don't you remember me?"
"Hey, your that little kid I caught gawking around here a couple months back!"
Probably not the best time to confess I 'gawk around here' at least once a week.
"Yeah, that's me. I'm here to enlist!"
"By stars your the smallest fully fledged Octoling I've ever seen. Are you even fourteen yet?"
"I'm a bit of an early bloomer. I'll be fourteen, umm, very soon"
Stolo lowered her gun and scratched the back of her head.
"Follow me. We will discuss this further in my office"
Kia perched on a cool plastic stool as Corporal Stolo stared her down from the opposite end of her metal desk.
"Enlistment is for life. No take backs"
"I know! Besides, every octoling in the slimeskin garrison gets drafted into the military after they're fourteen and are able to morph. I figured I'm ready to fight now, why bother waiting until I'm drafted"
"Are you positive you're ready?"
"I'm an ace at all my combat classes! I've been in the advanced course since I was ten"
"Hmm, how are your tech skill?"
"Err, lacking, but I'm planning to be a soldier! Not an engineer. Fight the good fight against enemies of the nation, you know?"
Stolo rubbed her temples, "I swear they come more ink thirsty every year," she muttered. Suddenly an alarm blared throughout the station.
"We'll pick this up later. Stay here."
She charged out the door and into the neighboring locker room.
"Inkling attack! This is not a drill! Gear up. We're super jumping to the platforms in two minutes"
In retrospect Kia deeply regretted disobeying Stolo's orders to stay. If she had only listened she'd probably already be assigned to a squad. But sitting in the empty office the alarm only meant one thing to Kia: A once in a lifetime chance to prove herself.
As soon as the last octoling filed out of the locker room Kia fled the office. After some quick scavenging she acquired a pair of goggles, an ink tank, and an octoshot from the left over gear. Three seconds later she bounded outside and craned her neck to see the platforms, only one charge away. Soon she was sailing upwards to the floating blocks high above, until she crashed into the bottom of a floating court and fell hard onto a lower platform.
Puddles of pink and magenta ink littered the concrete. A single inkling with black tentacles and pink tips stood with her back to Kia.
She rested a roller over her shoulder, "All clear," she called, "I wiped the floor with those octos"
Kia's training flooded her fingers as she squeezed the trigger of her octoshot. The inkling was splatted before she could even turn around.
"I... I did it! I got the inkling!" Kia cheered as she climbed to her feet. As soon as the words left her lips a shot of green ink struck her square in the face. She fell to her knees, tentacles burning. A sniper jumped from her hidden spot on a higher platform right in front of Kia. Vaguely Kia took in the sniper's grey tentacles and remorseless gold eyes before the world turned green from a point blank fully charged shot off the inkling's hero charger.
Every cell in Kia's body screamed to dissolve and float away to a spawner, but she was way out of range of her training ground's weak spawner and unable to access the magenta ink Octarian military spawners. Kia's goggles fractured as they endured blast after blast from the sniper. The black tentacled inkling eventually respawned and made her way to the pair. She squeezed the sniper's shoulder. Shakily, the grey tentacled girl released one last shot. Then together they left as black spots started to outweigh the green in Kia's vision.
----
"Møn§þ§əř§"
"----- hər ------ baþtlefiəłd"
"---§cårređ------"
"Shattered"
Kia's eyes flew open. Every centimeter of her skin felt squeezed and drained. She was lying on a metal table with
Stolo and a physician standing over her. Groaning, she turned her head. In the corner of her vision she saw her tentacles. Flecks of green stained the bandages covering them. However, the uncovered tips were a dull Octoling trooper red.
"You're awake. You sustained quite a bit of damage" Stolo grunted.
"What you did was foolhardy, reckless, and disobedient, but also brave. Not to mention you managed to splat Agent 1. So it is with caution I hereby install you as a probationary private in the Octarian military. May you serve the public with honor."
"Mmmmffumphh" Kia garbled before passing out again.
Over the next week Kia pretty much lived in the infirmary. Three times a day she spent a hour in the spawner trying to purge the green ink from her system until only a scar remained. After the physician declared her healing progress was "good enough" Kia was shipped to her assigned area to guard. Kettle 1-A: An out of the way kettle full of elders and infants too useless to be of use to the empire. At first she thought this 'probation assignment' would only be a month or so, but a month bled into a year. Which bled into two. Until she was sure Octarian and inkling alike had forgotten about her.
%×%×%×
Kia picked up Swayz and the headset and tucked them into a spare sack. Every hour spent scavenging through old tunnels and plotting ways to be promoted was worth it.
"Come on Swayz, there's nothing left here. Time to go home"