A New Family

Chapter 11: Birthday

It was 6 am, a cold morning. The sun had just started rising from behind the hills, ready to fill the houses of Calamari County with its warm light, like every time.

It had been a few days since the Pizza Party at Off the Hook's residence. Four, Three and Eight finally got to hang out properly, without Three constantly worrying about Kamabo or Octavio, and for once, they had some genuine fun together, with no problems ruining their days.

All the wild animals living in the woods nearby the houses started waking up as well, with the birds singing their morning songs. Among the various homes in the area, one had a pretty strong light coming out from a window on the second floor, probably a lamp inside of a room. It was Agent 4's room.

Leah had already woken up some minutes before. The reason was very simple. She was excited, overhyped. That day was a special day, it was her day. Her birthday had been around the corner for a while, and it was about time it arrived. She didn't use to look forward to it so much, but after meeting Marie, that was one of the many things that had changed.

To think that just a few years ago, her birthday meant almost nothing to her, was just crazy to her. Her old family didn't celebrate it, just like they didn't celebrate any of her brothers'. She had been forced to get used to the fact that her birthday was an insignificant day like the others. But that was not the case anymore, thanks to Marie.

The idol had projected the young agent into the true meaning and importance of her special day. Her first birthday had taken place not too long after she had defeated Octavio. Marie had organized, just for her, one sick party, an enviable one. Perhaps it was...a little too sick, maybe Callie had exaggerated a little bit with a few things here and there...but it didn't really matter, because Four had really deserved it. And the best part was that she didn't know anything about it! It almost felt like a concert of the Squid Sisters just for her.

And the cake, oh the cake was truly the cherry on top of all that. Jessica and Chloe had been invited, but it was still during a time they didn't really know each other very well, and still, they got along fairly well. Four remembered how Eight had just left the metro a few days before, and that she barely knew any English...
She laughed at the memory of her desperately trying to communicate with her, but to no avail.

It had been very fun. And she was very grateful to everyone for giving her such a great party.

As she dressed up, many memories kept flowing in her head like waves in the sea. She didn't quite know what she had done to deserve such treatment, maybe she had just been lucky. Maybe destiny just wanted things to go that way, seeing how miserable she had used to be.

Back in her beginnings as an Agent, she just did what she was asked to: rescue the Zapfish, save Callie, stop Octavio. Then, the person who recruited her started letting her come over occasionally...then gave her the chance to move in, and ultimately leave her past behind. She was given the attention she had always lacked...the love she always wanted... and in no time, the Squidbeak Splatoon became her new, real family.

As she anxiously walked in circles in her room, she wondered what would have Marie and Callie done for her that year. Whatever it was, she would have been happy with it, as soon as she got to pass some quality time with her loved ones.

Leah smiled, dropping herself on her bed. She checked her phone, to see the time. 7 am. Damn, she hadn't realized how early it was. It was unlikely that anyone would have been awake by that time, or any time soon for that matter. So she put her phone on the desk beside her bed, and decided to just fall asleep and wait.

It didn't feel like long before her alarm started echoing in her room. She felt like that as soon as she had closed her eyes, it was already time to wake up. It was 10 am. The inkling got up excitedly and immediately put on her green slippers in no time.


"IT'S TIME! IT'S TIME!" She yelled, as she rushed downstairs and barged into the kitchen, where Callie and Marie were having breakfast with coffee and some cookies. Marie had almost dropped her cup from the scare.

"HI AGENT 4!" Callie exclaimed, caught off guard by her Agent's excitement, but welcoming it with open arms.
"What's all this hype for? Did you see something cool?" Marie asked, curiouslym calming herself down. 

Hadn't they figured it out already?

"You take a guess!" Four replied, winking. She couldn't really stand still. She kept jumping in place, unable to control her joy. Marie looked at her puzzled.
"I don't know, Four. Just tell us, I am still kind of sleepy..." She answered, yawning. Four felt her excitement wearing off all of a sudden to that statement. Her big, wide smile turned upside down.
They couldn't have forgotten, right?

"It's...it's my birthday, remember?" She pointed out, almost whispering. The two idols looked at each other in total shock. They seemed absolutely mortified.
"Oh Cod...I can't believe we actually forgot..." Marie said, bringing a hand to her forehead."I am incredibly sorry. Really, Four, we..."

"It's fine." Four slightly smiled, sitting between the both of them. "At least I'm here with you two. I see this as enough of a gift." Callie put an arm around the agent's neck, comforting her.

"That is a very mature statement, you know? You truly are starting to become like Marie! I wonder if that's a good thing." She joked around. Four laughed, as Marie rolled her eyes smirking.
"Very funny, Callie. Anyway, your chocolate milk is on the Counter, kiddo. Go get it, and then get ready. We're going to Marina and Pearl for a quick visit."
Four got up and went to the counter, surprised by Marie's statement.

"Really? Why though?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, you know Callie. She pays so much attention to her things that she realized she forgot her jacket there only this morning." Marie explained, taking a sip of her coffee right after.
"Ruuuuuuuuuude...but after we're done, we can go grab an ice cream! If you want-"
"I'd love to!" Four exclaimed, putting her cup in front of her and sitting down again.
"Then it's decided." Marie concluded.

Maybe that day wouldn't have been so bad. Four's excitement was already beginning to build up again.

After Callie and Marie got dressed as well, the three left the house and started going to Inkopolis by foot. Off the Hook's house was a bit far from their residence, But they didn't mind walking. Luckily, keeping up with a good pace, they had already reached the city and were already heading towards their destination.

Four kept an eye on her phone during the entirety of their trip. She kept looking at squid chat, without any pause, waiting and waiting, for any notification from her friends. But they were nowhere to be seen or heard. They hadn't come online since the previous night, so no happy Birthday message from them either...

"We're almost there, Four. Can you put your phone away?" Marie asked, giving her a quick glance. Marie had never liked to see Four using her phone that much, especially because usually she would just look around at the nature surrounding her, instead of her chats.

"Yes, I uh...I was waiting for a message from Three and Eight but...I guess they forgot it's my birthday, too." Four explained, sighing hopelessly, as she put her phone into her pocket.
"Oh no, don't say that, come on! I'm sure they are busy right now, and that they will message you whenever they can!" Callie comforted, trying to reassure Leah. The teenager smiled faintly, grabbing Callie's hand and holding it tight.

"Yeah. Three never forgets important stuff like this. If she remembers mine, then I have doubts that she'll remember yours." Marie added, jokingly. 

"Anyway, we're here." She continued, as she pointed Off the Hook's residence, just as tall and stunning as always. Four was however deep In her thoughts, already imagining herself eating an ice cream cone while celebrating with the squid sisters. A good, sweet, chocolate ice cream...on a warm day like that one, too...

But Four was quickly snapped out of her daydreaming, as she found herself in a dark alley. She could tell it was Pearl and Marina's entrance one, but she didn't see anything in front of her. The door behind her had been closed, so she had no source of light either. She was surrounded by darkness and nothing else.

She tried to reach out for Callie's hand, only to realize that...

she wasn't actually holding it anymore.