SPLATOON: The Octarian Race

Chapter 21- Ren

In the race, the two octolings kept experimenting Lenard. Jakob was in the lab air vents listening to their conversation the whole time. "...So…Master left me to suffer in this race…soon, he'll make Flynn and Eliana suffer by letting their friend fight them…I should do something…Kira and Naoto doesn't seem like they could do anything right now…" Jakob said to himself as he crawled to the exit. As soon as he started running down the hallway, he caught the pink octoling with Yuka. The beige octoling doctor looked at Jakob in surprise. "Hiko, why are you in a hurry?" Yuka asked worriedly. The pink octoling girl shyly hid behind Yuka's legs. "...Yuka…don't refer me to that name…" Jakob said back to her silently. "Right…sorry, Jakob…anyways, what's going on?" The beige octoling asked again. "I'm-" As he was about to respond, he looked at Sasha who was staring at him in the eyes. "Oh…this is the new number 5. She is Flynn's replacement. Her name is Sasha and she is actually now the youngest in the race. Take care of her, will you? I hope you can train her like a big brother." When Jakob heard Yuka say the word 'brother,' he thought of his brother. "....." He turned to the octoling girl again. "...Right…I'll train her." Jakob mumbled as he put his hand on his chin, almost as if he were planning something. Suddenly, he looked at Yuka and smiled, "Don't push yourself too hard, Yuka. Don't worry, I'll take care of her! Go and help Master and Oliver. Leave it to me." Jakob said as he took Sasha's hand. She gasped softly and looked back at Yuka. "It's alright, Sasha. Just leave the training to Jakob. Now you two, don't go running off outside, got that?" Yuka asked, almost as if it was an instruction. "Got it." Jakob responded back for the two of them. Sasha looked back at him. "Oh, thank you. I must go help Master and Oliver now. I must remind you, Jakob. Please bring Sasha back this evening for her dose. Alright? Don't go outside." Yuka said and hurried off back to her office. "...Dose…?" Jakob thought to himself. But he pulled the little octoling girl's arm. "Let's go. Outside." He said. "W-Wha…? I thought Yuka told us not to…" Sasha said back hesitantly. Jakob looked back at her. "Yeah, but it's necessary. Between you and me, this race is not good for us. Especially if you listen to Yuka or Master. But I'll tell you what exactly we're going to do." He said as the two of them ran out of the facility. "O-Okay." 

When Eliana arrived at Inkopolis plaza, her eyes gazed onto a blue inkling playing the squid jump game machine on the east side of the plaza. She realized it was Ren who seemed to be mashing the buttons to jump higher. As she walked closer, she looked from behind his back to see what level he was on. "...Damn…it's catching up." He said, not realizing Eliana was right behind his back. The spikes below the squid in the game were catching up as Ren was making the squid jump higher.
He's on the final level….!? That's tough…never been good at those things. At least I don't remember.
Eliana just stopped watching Ren and she just smiled. "Hi, Ren!" She said. Ren got startled. "Huh?!" He said as he turned his head. But he ignored and as soon as he quickly turned back to the game, the squid got hit from the spikes and it was his final life. The game machine read, 'game over.' "..." He didn't say a word except he kept staring at the screen. Eliana made a surprised face. "Shrimp…! Cod…! I'm so sorry Ren!" The purple inkling girl apologized. Ren turned around to look at her and scratched his head. "No problem, Eliana. Took me a while to get to that level, haha." He chuckled. Eliana's worried face turned into a small smile. "Hehe." 
Ren seems…much calmer than imagined like Sho mentioned. I guess his attitude just changes when he's mad. I'm glad he wasn't angry with me though.
Afterwards, the two of them sat on the bench near the game machine. "Lenard's always been good at stuff like that. I could never beat him in training or video games." Ren said as he drank a can of juice he got from the vending machine. "Oh? But you were great! On the final level too!" Eliana replied back. "...Hmm. Thanks, I guess." "So…what happened to you and Lenard?" Eliana asked as she brought up the conversation they wanted to have the previous day. Ren hesitated, but he sighed. "...Well…Lenard and I were best friends. But it all started when I was a few years younger. I had a little sister. At the time, I was about 16 and she was 7. We had no parents and no home. So one day, before the Great Turf War raged, she was taken by Octarians…and I never saw her again…I couldn't save her…" He explained as he put his can of juice down. Eliana just stared at him silently and continued to listen. "...Then later, when Lenard got taken by the Octarians and octolings after we won the battle, you went after him. I could've, but my heart was hesitant. So after he came back, everyone was happy. But then after we realized you were gone and taken instead, I couldn't bear talking to Lenard anymore. My suspicions were made that he was working for the Octarians after he showed his power of fear and you were gone. Everyone told me that he was using his power for his own good, but my stubbornness got the best of me. I never blamed Lenard, but I just kept my distance as much as I could without trying to get mad." He continued. "I then thought…anyone that had to associate with octolings and Octarians can't be trusted. Because my sister died because of them and you were taken. So when you came back with Lenard, I couldn't trust the both of you until you told me that you lost your memories. So I was okay…but Lenard…I dunno…so that's why I stopped…" The blue inkling said as he squeezed his hand tightly. "...But…when I saw…you three…you, Lenard and that octoling, Flynn…you all seemed close…however, when you had that fight yesterday…when Flynn took Lenard, Lenard sacrificed for you, and you don't have anyone left, I could've fixed it all, but I know that's not my business and the fact that I couldn't bear helping Lenard…and I call myself his best friend…but I'm not. Just very selfish…" The blue inkling finished.
…I wouldn't believe that it's true…all because of Ren's sister…means that octarians can't be trusted…not even his best friend that came back from the hands of the Octarians…
"...I'm not alone, Ren." Eliana said as she stood up. Ren looked up at her. "What…?" "...Flynn came back to me this morning. Just when I was about to lose faith in everything. He told me that he was sorry. I didn't want to hear it from him, but…I had to trust him because of the fact he actually ran all the way back here just to tell me. He's my best friend…and Lenard too. So he promised that the three of us will be together again." Eliana looked back at Ren. "...It's not Lenard's fault in the first place after all. The race wants him back and that was not his decision, right? He ran back to you and the others that day because I chose to protect him." Ren's eyes widened in surprise. "So…you sacrificed yourself…our leader, morley…just to save him?" He asked. "...Well, he'd be a great leader. Trust me, if I wasn't chosen, he'd be a great one. So I knew even without me, he'd be a great leader to you guys, at least I hope he was." Eliana laughed softly. Ren just put his hand behind his head and put on an awkward smile. "Thanks." The blue inkling said. "...I wish I could've been a better team member…and friend as well. I have to move on…" He told himself. 
I hope Ren realizes that his friendship with Lenard isn't gone. It's still there. Just like my friendships with Lenard and Flynn too no matter how far apart we are…
Later, the sun was about to set and Flynn found Eliana and Ren in the plaza. "Hey! Oh! It's…that guy." Flynn panted as soon as he noticed Ren staring at him. Ren raised his eyebrow. "That guy? Ignore my earlier actions. Just call me Ren, Flynn." He responded. "Ren…alright!" Flynn grinned as he slapped Ren with a handshake. Eliana chuckled. "Enjoyed your nap? Certainly took all afternoon." She teased. "Hey! I wanted to see you as soon as possible, you know. I came all the way back and even betrayed the race. I want to get Lenard back as well." Flynn said back to the purple inkling. "I know. Hehe. And we will get Len. As a team. You, me, Ren and the others, we'll do this together so no one is alone again!" Eliana said to the three of them.

Back at the race, the white inkling awoke on the table. "He is complete." Master said as he folded his arms. "..." Lenard didn't say a thing as he just stared at the black octoling, Oliver and Yuka. "...Sir, take precaution. His appearances may look normal, but he carries the powers needed to take over Inkopolis." Yuka said as she looked at the test papers. "Right. Sir, must we really do this? What happens if the Great Ruler finds out?" Oliver asked. "...The Great Ruler won't find out because we, the Octarian Race, will infiltrate Inkopolis in 48 hours. So I'm sending number 8 to start the infiltration and then we'll locate the spot he chooses. Then Octavio will finally recognize our efforts as we take over Inkopolis from the inklings." Master repeated their plan. The white inkling listened to their plan with a worried face, but didn't say anything. "...I can't do anything now…" Lenard said to himself. "You just said the word 'take over' like, a hundred times." Oliver mumbled. Master heard his sarcastic complaint. "Oliver, why don't you start preparing number 8. Since you like complaining." "What!? Why don't you ask Yuka?" Oliver asked in annoyance. Yuka folded her arms and sighed. "...I tire of this. What am I, miss babysitter? You're the one that complained." She said. As the three octolings were spouting, Lenard looked at his hands. In appearance, his hands were normal, but for a split second, he saw his hands stained with blood of ink "..."