SPLATOON: The Octarian Race

Chapter 20- A New Replacement

Back at the race, the sun was already up. The pink octoling girl was walking in the hallway curiously wondering how big the facility was. Naoto and Kira caught her walking down the hallway. "Hey, it's that octoling from earlier." Naoto said to Kira. Kira stared at the pink octoling with a disgusted look. "Where did she come from? Talk about another shrimp. She looks even smaller than Jakob!" She said as she folded her arms. "Don't be rude. But it looks like Master seems to know her. She just exited the meeting yesterday and Master didn't say a word about her." Naoto said back. "...There's really some things the race hides from most of its members." Kira responded back. The pink octoling saw them from afar and she ran up to them. Naoto and Kira stopped talking and focused their attention on the small octoling girl who was staring at them silently. "...Uh...hi?" Naoto started as he scratched his head. "Get lost, brat." Kira just said as she gave the little girl a scary look in her eyes. The girl didn't move or flinch as she stared dead straight into Kira's eyes. Naoto hit Kira's shoulder. "...Bruh, don't say that to a child." Naoto said silently. "...Brat...?" The pink octoling said out of the silence. "Yeah, so what?" Kira said back to both the little girl and Naoto as she closed her eyes and folded her arms. Naoto backed away from Kira slowly. Kira noticed the navy blue octoling standing back. "Why the shell are you-" Kira stopped talking as she turned to the pink octoling in front of her. She held an e-liter and pointed it at Kira's neck. "H-Hey! You can't fire that!" The light blue octoling girl said back. "...Don't call me by that name...if you say that again, then I will eliminate your existence." The pink octoling responded. Naoto's eyes widened. "Y-You..! You don't really mean that...!?" Naoto interrupted. "Shut up...! Unless you wanna be next?" She threatened. Naoto put his hands up. ".....!" The three of them heard footsteps. As it came closer, it turned out to be Yuka. "Ah...number 5, there you are..." Yuka said as she panted softly. "Number 5?! What the heck is going on now, Yuka? How come you know things we don't?" Kira asked angrily. Naoto slowly put his hands down.The pink octoling put down her e-liter. "That's right...I'm number 5. That's my role in this race. The sniper..." The pink octoling girl responded. "Flynn betrayed us. We had our eyes on him for a while. Number 6 created young Sasha here. She's a sniper who's meant to take the place of Flynn now. It's Master's orders, so please...I have no control over this." Yuka said back in frustration as she turned to the small octoling girl. "Sasha, let's go back to my office. Do not run and threaten our members." The beige octoling said as she pulled the small octoling girl's hand. "Okay, Yuka...I'm very sorry. I did not know you two are members of the race..." Sasha apologized as she left with Yuka. Kira and Naoto looked at each other. "So that little octo...she really is Flynn's replacement...Master...what's up with him, lately? I thought all octarians or octolings who betray us suffer death." Naoto said to the light blue octoling girl. Kira looked at the nearby window where it showed Inkopolis from afar. "...I dunno what's up with our race anymore. The DJ makes the rules. Not Master. I wonder if Master has some other plan he hasn't told us or the great ruler..." Kira said back. "True...having an eighth member wasn't necessary before. I wonder why now?" The navy blue octoling replied, turning his back against Kira. "Right. We gotta do something, but it's too risky...we might even risk all of our member's lives..." She said sadly. "...Don't say a word like we planned...we'll know when the time is right...I just...can't imagine what Flynn is going through right now..." Naoto squeezed his eyes shut. "...He's alright...maybe his decision made him happy. I envy him now...I just wish that I could be as happy as he could." Kira chuckled softly. Naoto opened his eyes and turned to her. "..." He turned his face towards Kira. "...I could've run away to Inkopolis...to make a friend...I could've even lived in Inkopolis. Now that Flynn had those opportunities, leaving the race should be no problem to him." She finished. "...No point now...he's our enemy. He betrayed us. In a few days, we might try to infiltrate and conquer Inkopolis. Eliana might be there along with the other warriors and Flynn to stop us. He will fight us." The male octoling said to the female octoling. "...No mercy. We made our bed, and we must lie in it, Kira." Naoto said again. Kira had a disappointed expression. "...But...Flynn had a chance...we might have a chance too. You...just don't want to fight your childhood friend. Aren't I right?" Kira asked back. Naoto flinched gently, but he looked down. "...Unfortunately...I guess it does come down to that-" "Make up your mind, Naoto. Most likely we'll die soon. I think it's not too late to change." Kira said back, turning into her octopus form and went down the hallway leaving Naoto.

Lenard was laying on the top of the table inside the glass box. Master and Oliver were still operating the machines. But the white inkling stared up at the ceiling where the wires connected to his arms. He thought about what Flynn told him. "Shut up! I won't leave you. I shouldn't have done this to you in the first place, Len! Now I just want you, Eliana and I to be together...!" Lenard then turned to the side and stared at his hands which were laid right in front of his eyes. "...I'm sorry..." He said silently. As Oliver continued running around making sure the machines work, he caught the white inkling closing his eyes. "Master, is it necessary to have eight members? Especially that this inkling is innocent..." Oliver said as he turned to the Black octoling who was near a machine. "...He is not innocent. He was an inkling warrior who was my rival in battle. Then with him, we can finally rule Inkopolis with his help to betray the inklings." Master responded as he pressed a button. The wires made the white inkling lie down straight inside the box. "..." Oliver didn't say a word back, but he helped the black octoling experiment the white in the white glass box. As the wires injected the black substance again, Lenard's eyes were shut tightly as he couldn't take the pain. Master was there staring at the white inkling from outside. "...Know this, Oliver. I say that he will be the greatest cephalopod Inkopolis has ever seen. He betrayed the warriors and he will help us achieve our goal. Then the DJ will finally appreciate our efforts to conquer Inkopolis." "Of c-course. I'll all stand by your decision as always." Oliver replied back as he looked back at the black octoling.

Eliana looked at Flynn who was sleeping in his small room.
Flynn apologized to me this morning...it must've taken him all night to come back here. I hope he doesn't mind if I go out for a bit. Ren did say he wanted to talk to me about Lenard and maybe it's best I hear about it...
The purple inkling tied her hair in a single bun which held all her hair up. As she was about to leave, she left a note on the table for the green octoling who was sleeping soundly in his room. Eliana smiled as she glanced at him.
Don't worry, Flynn...Lenard's going to be with us soon. I promise the three of us are going to be together...
As Eliana grabbed the keys left in front of the door, she made sure to lock the house while Flynn was still sleeping. She left the house and headed for the train station. Dahlia watched Eliana leave and she turned back into the house to stare at the green octoling who was asleep. "...I knew you did the right thing." She told him silently.