SPLATOON: The Octarian Race

Chapter 9- Familiar Wonders

The three inklings walked through Inkopolis square. There were many inklings who were talking happily. Eliana was pulled by Camille. "Okay! Lenard, let's take her to turf war!" Camille said with a smile.
...Turf war? How come that sounds so familiar…?
Lenard looked at the two of them. "...Okay. Sounds fun." He said. "You don't seem like you're going to have fun, Lenard!" Camille complained. "...Turf wars are not a challenge. After all, I'm rank X. Compared to pinky here, she's still in rank B." He said as he folded his arms. Camille whined and held his arm. "Aww! Why do you have to be so mean, Lenard! I'm your girlfriend, remember?" "..." He looked away while hearing her whine. Eliana was staring at the two of them squabbling. 
...Hehehe. That must be fun…to have a friend that close…I wonder…did I have a friend as close as that before I lost my memory?
Eliana's eyes suddenly widened as she had a glimpse of a male inkling for a second. She touched her head and shaked it.
...What was that…? Did I remember something? 
Lenard and Camille turned to Eliana. "Are you okay? Your eyes widened there." Camille said concernedly. "...Don't worry too much around here. Morely, don't worry about yourself." Lenard said. "N-No, I wasn't worrying. I'm alright…let's get going to this turf war…?" Eliana said with a smile. Camille's worried face went away. "...Alright! If you're okay, then let's go!" Camille said as she pulled both Eliana and Lenard into the lobby. "...Can you stop being so clingy for once?" Lenard asked as they went in.

Few moments later, Flynn came out of a hole near Grizzco where not many inklings hung out. "...Huh…Jakob took a different path through the kettle. Looks like this is Inkopolis plaza…I wonder where Eliana could be. Almost anywhere. Man…also the fact there are so many inklings around…oh…? Wait a minute…didn't I pass by a passage under the kettle I didn't check out? I'll pay it a 'lil visit for now…" He said to himself as he went back into the hole. He walked towards the passage he missed in the hole. Few minutes later, Flynn came across an abandoned train station. "Wha-? When did this train station come up? I wonder if Eliana passed by here?" He asked himself as he continued walking with his e-liter in his hand. "Kinda spooky…I wonder why it's so dark…I feel like something is just gonna attack me outta nowhere. Oh what shell am I thinking? I'm just gonna end up scaring myself…" He said. Flynn looked at the wall to the right. It had a logo called Kambo corporation. "Kambo corporation…? I never heard of that…I don't think such a brand or company existed in Inkopolis…" He continued walking down the train station and saw a male octoling on the ground. Flynn ran to him and looked closer. "...Hey! Are you alright?" He asked and shook the male octoling who was asleep. The male octoling had a black agent suit and looked almost harmless. Flynn looked beside the octoling and found a small device that played some inkling themed-music softly. "...Huh? Why is he listening to inkling pop music? I assumed that almost all octolings hate inklings…this octoling…why is he sleeping? He didn't wake up when I shook him…hmm…maybe I should get going." Flynn said to himself as he let the male octoling sleep on the ground. As Flynn turned around to leave, the male octoling woke up and saw his back faintly but he went back to sleep and dreamt of a land where two species lived in peace.
Flynn continued walking through the train station. "...Kambo corporation…Kambo corporation…that's all I see down here…maybe this is the name of the company who used to own this abandoned train station. I wonder…if that octoling is down here, maybe some other octolings hang around here too…!" He suddenly heard sounds behind him. Flynn looked around and saw glowing glasses of octolings. They were all female, green and blue and they all were carrying weapons. "Hey! Do any of you guys know if you saw a purple inkling walk past here? She wears a black jacket like me-" Flynn didn't get to finish his question as he was suddenly attacked by one of the octolings. He blocked the attack of the octoling's octobrush with his e-liter. "Destroy…" She said in a monotone voice. "Wait…these aren't normal octolings…they look possessed…with that green skin…however, they wear the hypnoshades given from our great leader to the beginner octolings in the race. Whatever, it's either I kill, or I become the killed." He said to himself as he shot one of the female octolings. There were two more left with weapons, but he shot one of them again. He almost got hit by the last octoling but he jumped and shot her from upside down. Flynn landed back on his feet and looked at the octolings he killed. "...Killing again? I just did it to our own species…but this makes me think…are there different octolings that have a different perspective? That male octoling I saw sleeping earlier looked like he liked inklings by the way he listened unconsciously to their music…but these female octolings here looked like they'd kill anything…not like me, I receive orders to kill. But them…they look like they would kill anything because they attacked me and since we're the same species, it seems like they're rather different. I wonder…is it really possible to leave the race and live in Inkopolis? Nah…how stupid. Hahahaha…it's not like inklings would accept our species because we're enemies. I just wish that there's an octoling that can change views on us so we can all live in peace someday."

As soon as Eliana, Lenard and Camille entered the lobby, they waited. "What or who are we waiting for?" Eliana asked Lenard and Camille. "Oh! A friend of ours. He'll join our team for turf war. You'll need 4 members in a team to partake in battles!" Camille said. Lenard folded his arms. "...Yeah, but the thing is, he's always late. He gets lost often." He said. "Ah…I see. What's his name?" Eliana asked. A few seconds later came a male inkling who ran and tripped as soon as he entered the lobby. Eliana had a surprised face while Lenard rolled his eyes. Camille bent down and shook him worriedly. "Sorry I'm late…! Damn…I tripped again?!" The male inkling asked as he scratched his head. "Are you alright, Josh?" Camille asked highly concerned of the male inkling.
...Huh…his name is Josh. He seems…kinda clumsy…
Eliana turned around and shook with soft laughter. Lenard caught her laughing but he turned back to Josh who was still on the ground. "...Clumsy as always. Can you be any more careful?" Lenard asked as he huffed. Josh had an annoyed face and got up. "...Damnit. I have the worst luck. You can't blame me!" He responded. Camille looked at Eliana who was laughing. "E-Eliana? Are you laughing?" Camille asked as she looked at the purple inkling. Lenard and Josh turned to Eliana too. Eliana stopped laughing. "Hahaha…sorry…you all look like you're the best of friends. Your bonds must be very tight which is great to hear." Eliana said with a small smile. "Eliana, right? Nice to meet ya! I'm Josh. I currently have the worse luck. But anyways, Lenard and Camille told me about you on my way here." The male inkling said with a smile. Eliana looked at the male inkling. "Ah I see…! Nice to meet you too…!" She responded. Lenard folded his arms. "Hey, are we going to the turf war already? Or are we going to keep yapping?" He asked. "We're going!" Camille said as the lobby took all of them to The Reef. 
Callie and Marie were announcing the start of the battle. "Okaaay!! Who's ready for a turf war? I know I am! Today's battle stage is called The Reef! It's a smooth, open stage which is easy to colour but also easy to be spotted in battle! Marie, care to introduce the contestants?" Callie asked the green inkling beside her. "Sure thing, Callie. Today we have two great teams! On the first side, we have team pink led by Camille! Her teammates are Lenard, Josh and Eliana! This group of inklings wields weapons of an unknown brand. However, they are much like the regular weapons, so there's really no difference in their shape or design." Marie said as team pink got ready their weapons. "...Did we have to be pink?" Lenard asked as he looked at their ink colour. Josh rolled his eyes. "It doesn't matter to me. We're random colours anyways." He shrugged. "Or could it be because I'm the leader and my ink colour originally is pink?" Camille wondered as she looked at her hair. Eliana looked at her own pink hair as well.
...Huh…it looks like my ink and hair colour matches the whole team!
"I think it's alright. I mean, it's just for this match right?" Eliana said to Camille. "Yeah! See, Lenard?! At least someone appreciates the colour!" Camille told him. "...Who cares. Anyways, quiet. They're about to introduce the next team." Lenard said to all of them as they looked at the team far across them. "Okay! Second team we have on the other side is team green led by an inkling named Luke. His teammates are all boys! Jun, Lee and Tommy. This group is known to be all in rank S. Anyways, let's give the two teams a few minutes to get ready." Marie said as she and Callie started getting ready for the countdown. Eliana looked at Lenard's weapon and then back at Camille and Josh who didn't have weapons in their hands. "Did you guys bring your weapon? I'm sorry for asking because Lenard is the only one holding his…" She said. Camille and Josh looked at each other and their weapons appeared in their hands. It was the same kind of legendary hero weapons Eliana and Lenard wielded.
Their weapons…! They're also one of the inklings that carry the legendary hero weapons?
Camille had a smile as she had her legendary hero umbrella in her hands. "Hehe. Don't worry, Eliana! Josh and I also use the legendary hero weapons. Mines is the legendary hero umbrella!" She said. Josh had a blaster in his hand. "This is the legendary hero blaster. I'm currently still getting the hang of it, but I'm sure I'll be fine. We already know that you have a legendary weapon too, Eliana. Lenard has one too. I'm sure you've already seen it." Josh said to her.
...So…these inklings…they have legendary hero weapons just like me…maybe Lenard really is telling me the truth. Could it be that my life was really here in Inkopolis? Things I see here feel so familiar.  I have so many questions as well…
"Do you get chosen to wield these weapons?" Asked Eliana. The three inklings looked at each other and then back at her. Lenard went up to her. "...We'll explain all after. Try your best to enjoy this battle for now." Lenard responded back. Eliana nodded her head silently. Camille and Josh had a smile. "Get ready! I think they're starting now!" Camille said as all the inklings focused their attention on the squid sisters again. "Alright! Let's get started! Are you two teams ready? 3…2...1...Go!" Callie and Marie said as the two teams started painting with their weapons.