SPLATOON: The Octarian Race

Chapter 2- Two Different Problems

Eliana and Flynn returned to their base and it was currently 3:24am in the morning. It was still dark outside. A few octolings were in the room. "Oh. You two are done early..." A male octoling said with blue-grey hair. "Yeah. This mission went by smoothly. Number 8 is a natural! Don't tell me you haven't gone on a mission with Eliana, Naoto." Flynn said with a smile as he put his e-liter back in the rack. The blue-grey haired octoling looked at Eliana. "Doubt she even remembers. She's unconscious, remember? I've trained her one or two times. But I never went on a mission with her." Naoto said. Eliana looked away and walked towards the windows and it showed Inkopolis in the view from afar.
...So...I know Flynn and Naoto in the group...master never mentioned his name but he is the first member and leader in the race...
Flynn stretched his arms and yawned until a female octoling hit his back. Flynn started choking. Naoto started smirking until he bursted into laughter. "Pfft...! Flynn, you gotta keep your guard up sometimes." Naoto said while laughing. Eilana looked over at the three octolings. "..." She didn't say a word, but she had a hint of curiosity. The female octoling put her arms on her hips. She had light blue hair. "Hahaha! Flynn! I got you this time!" She laughed as she pointed at Flynn who was currently still choking. Flynn inhaled and stopped choking as he caught his breath. "Dang you, Kira...! Right after I just came from a mission..." He complained. The female octoling looked at Eliana who was leaning against the window. "Right... you had a mission with the new member. She's honestly still unconscious. It's a pain in a butt how we gotta teach her again..." Kira whispered. Naoto stopped laughing and he folded his arms. "You got that right. Hey Flynn, is she still unconscious?" Naoto asked the green octoling. Flynn looked at Eliana who was still looking outside the window. Eliana turned her eyes to him, but she didn't say a word. "H-Hey...! Stop staring at her...! She's looking at us!" Kira whispered as she pulled Flynn. Flynn quickly turned away and Naoto acted like he didn't care. Eliana looked back outside the window, staring at Inkopolis from the view.
...No matter how many times these octolings gossip or talk about me, their only job is to train me after a month of being unconscious. But...after all...the master is the only one defending me...he tells me that I have a purpose-a role in this race. He says that I'm important...at least that's what he says to our group. But of course, I still feel like these octolings don't like me. That's why I don't say a word.
The female inkling turned around and she left the room. The three octolings watched her leave. "Huh... talk about a zombie. She looks like she doesn't know what she's doing. Only her purpose. Guess she's still unconscious." Naoto said with a small smile. Kira nodded. "Yeah! I mean, the master brought her into the race last month a few weeks after we lost the great turf war. She only knows what to do, yet she doesn't say a word. It's kinda annoying...but then again, the master says that she could help us. I really don't see anything special about her." Kira said as she rolled her eyes. Flynn didn't say any complaints about Eliana. "I'm going to write the mission report for the master. See you guys later." Flynn said as he walked to his room. "Later." Naoto said. Kira looked at Naoto in confusion. "Flynn's sure acting strange...he never said any complaints about number 8." She said. "Hmph. as number 7 in the group It's obvious you don't know why Flynn said anything-" Kira had a shocked face. "Stupid! Just because I'm member 7 doesn't mean anything! Just because you're member number 3 doesn't mean anything either-!" Naoto closed his eyes and sighed. "What I mean is, Flynn is a loyal member of our race. You know, he spies, kills, follows orders from the master, all that stuff. But what you don't know is that some may call us heartless assassins, but Flynn has something different than the rest of us. As his childhood friend, I know him pretty well." Naoto said back to the female octoling. Kira's eyes widened, but she didn't complain. "Different from us? But how?" She asked the male octoling. "All I do know is that Flynn has feelings even though we're not supposed to show them in our race. Killing is what all of us have been doing this past month. I realised that when Flynn goes on his missions, he takes his feelings and puts them into his actions no matter what they are. But originally in our race, he's just an octoling who wants to express his feelings freely. But since that is banned, he locked his feelings away from the master even though the master allowed him to have some leeway." Naoto said as he thought of his friend. "Kelp...you know him that well? Huh. He seems like the kind of octoling who puts responsibility over his feelings." "Yeah. He doesn't want to be what the master wants us to be. But that's who we are. As a group or individually. However, Flynn's feelings still got a hold of him. He decides to try to be good no matter how bad we all are." The two octolings folded their arms. "...No wonder he didn't complain about number 8." Kira said as she realised that Flynn didn't join in on their complaints. "Yeah. He's still good." Flynn was behind the doors when the two octolings were talking about him. "...Naoto..." He mumbled and left to write his report.

Meanwhile, Flynn passed by their master in their hallway. "Ah. Number 5, you are back with number 8? How did she do?" He asked Flynn. "M-Master...she was amazing...she knew exactly what to do. I also confirmed that she is conscious now. Her head was hurting in the midst of the assassination. She just doesn't talk." Flynn said back. His master closed his eyes. "Yes...ah I see. Know that number 8 is very special in our group. Our 'goal' cannot be completed without her use." Flynn had a serious face when his master said 'use.'"...I'll write my report now. Do I need to write for Eliana?" He asked. "No worries. She can do the report on her own. And Flynn..." The master said as he put his hand on Flynn's shoulder. Flynn had a scared face. "...Do know that number 8 is nothing more than a useless doll. I suggest you don't teach her any irrelevant topics. You may call her by her name like the other members, but don't teach any unnecessary things especially in our race. Am I understood?" The master asked. Flynn didn't look his master in the eyes. "...Y-Yes sir..." He said. "Good. Now continue on. I'll let you know your mission details tomorrow. Have a good night. Finish the report as well." His master said as he walked down the hallway. Flynn nodded as he continued walking, but he had an upset face. He came across all the member's rooms. He saw his door and he saw Eliana's door at the end of the hallway. "...Wait a minute...this is the hallway to our rooms...master doesn't usually go to his room...what could he have done...?" Flynn wondered. He saw Eliana come out of her door.
...It's Flynn...
She had a sad face, but she put on her hood to hide it. "...Eliana...! I t-thought you'd be asleep by now." Flynn said. "..." She didn't say a word, but she pointed at the piece of paper she held in her hand. "Ah. The report. You're finished already? Man...now I gotta self-evaluate myself..." He said with a sheepish laugh. Eliana nodded and quickly walked past him. "Wait! Uh..." Flynn called out. Eliana stopped and waited for what he had to say.
...I don't really want to hear what he has to say after he's been talking trash about me with the two members...
"Well, I'm currently busy, but I wanna show you something later. Will you meet me outside our base?" Flynn asked her. Eliana turned around but silently left. Flynn went into his room and started writing his report. "...Is she upset or something? Maybe she overheard that Naoto, Kira and I were talking about her earlier...but it was only them who were talking about her...oh well..." He mumbled.

Eliana walked to the master's platform. The master was standing in front of her. She walked to the octoling with black hair to give the report. "...I have the report...master..." She said quietly as she turned to leave.
...Master has always knew everything about me...he took care of me as well...especially when I first came into the race. He treats me like I'm the most important person...
The male octoling took the report. "Thank you. Before you go, number 8, it seems like your consciousness seemed to become better. I noticed." He said. Eliana turned to the male octoling. "Now. I'd like you to take your rest for the evening. Our medical octoling will visit you in about 30 minutes to give you your daily dose. Please do not go anywhere else this morning." He said. The female inkling remembered about what Flynn said to her. "I want to show you something later. Will you meet me outside our base?" Eliana nodded silently and started to walk back to her room. "Good..." The master said with a grin.
Master seemed to have a cold smile...well...all the time...but this one...it seemed different...guess I can't meet with Flynn. But what am I talking about? He's the one who was gossiping with those two other octolings...hmm...
She slowly entered her room and there was nothing in it, but a bed and her table. Eliana looked through the window and the view of Inkopolis was still there.
It's always been lonely here. Sometimes I wonder why I'm even here. The octolings talk trash about me this whole month while I was unconscious. Yet master still protects me and says that I'm a valuable member.
Eliana took off her hood and put on a black sweater and continued staring at the city in the distance.
...I always wondered what that place is...it feels like...something is missing from me. But...if I actually visit that city, I'll know what's missing about me...but...master banned us from ever stepping a foot to that unknown city. It draws me closer...it feels so familiar...like I know it.
She laid down on her bed and she slept through the dark dawn.