SPLATOON: The Octarian Race

Chapter 22- Hiko

As the night awoke, Jakob and Sasha were travelling through Octo Vallery to make it to Inkopolis. "...How much longer, Jakob?" Sasha asked the brown octoling. As he kept walking with his blaster, he turned his head back. "Almost there. But listen to me, don't attack inklings from Inkopolis. They're all innocent and we don't want war. We want to be species that live in peace." Jakob replied back to her. Suddenly, Sasha slowed down and eventually stopped while holding her e-liter. Jakob heard her footsteps stop, so he paused walking as well. "What's wrong?" He asked her. "...When you said, 'Inkopolis', the name rang a bell…like I knew the place…" The octoling girl responded back. "Pfft, obviously. It's the city our race keeps talking about. Yuka must've told you about it. It's no surprise." Jakob said with a mean chuckle. "...N-No she didn't…but I just feel like I know the place…" She said back quietly as she became a bit shy. Jakob's eyes widened as he heard her say that. "...What do you…mean?" He asked back slowly. Sasha tilted her head and looked into his eyes. "I mean- let's just get going." Jakob told her as they continued to walk through the night.

In the middle of the night, Eliana and Flynn were asleep back home. Eliana woke up quickly and pushed her hands against her face. 
That dream…what is it…!? Why does it keep coming to me…?
The purple inkling's tears started falling down again. Her room door was open. She took her hands off her face as she heard footsteps. Eliana turned her head. "...I woke up…went outside my room and caught you crying. Are you okay?" Flynn asked as he yawned and scratched his head. Eliana looked at him. "...I…" She started. Flynn turned back to her. "...Had a bad dream…sorry to make you worry." She recovered as she didn't tell Flynn about her dream. "Ya sure? It looked pretty serious. You seem quite restless. You're always crying now and I just wanna help you feel better." He said back. "..." "Let me guess. You thinking about Lenard?" "...Yeah…a lot…I just can't stop blaming myself. Maybe it's the reason I keep having nightmares." She replied back as she wiped her face with the blanket. "You should stop blaming yourself, you know. Nothing is your fault. If the two species hadn't fought over this city, we would have peace, but…we wouldn't have met. So…whatever happens now, I'm glad you and Len are part of my lives." Flynn said back to her. Eliana held onto the blanket tightly.
…I guess…after blaming myself all this time, I can't say anything against what Flynn just told me…if the war didn't happen, we would be happy, but I wouldn't have met Flynn and I wouldn't be close to Lenard as we are now.
Eliana got out of bed and hugged Flynn. "Uh…? Feeling better?" He asked as he scratched her head. "...Mm-hmm…" She said with a relieved smile. "M'kay. I'll head back to bed. I'm sleepy-" He said as he yawned again and patted her head. Eliana sat back down on the bed, softly stroking her hair while staring outside the window at the rain falling through the clouds. The sun was slowly rising even though the clouds were still making it dark.
…My first day…was just like this…the sun rose…through the sad clouds of rain.
As the rain fell through the dawn of Inkopolis, a hooded figure in a black coat moved quickly through the rooftops of houses and buildings. He walked through the alleyways and came across one of the japanese roof-tiles. He looked at one of the houses. His mouth slowly opened as he recognized a house, almost as if he knew about it. "..." "Number 8. You know what you have to do. Do not delay us." Master said from his communicator. As Eliana was about to close the window curtains, she saw a figure standing on the rooftop building. 
Who is that…?
But the figure quickly jumped off the roof tiles and left in their squid form. Eliana wiped her eyes with her hands and looked again, but it wasn't there. "Must be…imagining things…" She said as she yawned and went back to the bed.
Around 10 in the morning, Eliana and Flynn heard a doorbell. Flynn bumped his head as he got out of his room. "Ahcck! Why the heck now?" He muttered as he swam in his squid form to the door. Eliana came out of her room too and followed Flynn to the door. As soon as they opened it, they saw Jakob in front of the door. "Jakob!? What are you doing here? You're wet…" Flynn asked the brown octoling. Eliana watched them talk. "If you're here for Eliana, there's no chance. You'll have to go through me first." Flynn said again. The brown octoling scratched his head. "...I'm not here for her…" Jakob said. "What…? Then what are you here for?" Eliana asked as she looked at Jakob. "Master and the others are going infiltrate the city. Soon, they're going to sneak in and attack Inkopolis. I've been eavesdropping on their plan, so I escaped along with-" As Jakob turned around, the pink octoling girl wasn't with him. His eyes widened in shock. "NO-" "What do you mean, 'no?' Was someone else with you!?" Flynn asked in panic as he shook the little brown octoling. "Actually, I have no time to explain now. She's a new member of the group, but she's still not functioning properly-" "Just get to the point, Jakob! This 'she', is she going to cause trouble?" Eliana asked. "She might. I was supposed to keep my eye on her, but now I don't know where she went! Please help me find her now and I'll explain everything later!" Jakob said as he left the front of their house in a hurry in his squid form. "He's fast…! Hold on! I'm coming too!" Eliana added. "Okay, but it's cold and foggy…let's put on a raincoat. Does Lenard have any in his closet?" Flynn asked as they looked back into the house. Eliana searched inside the closet in front of the door and there were many navy eminence jackets from the Emperry brand. "Whoa…he certainly bought a lotta these…this looks like an expensive brand…" The green octoling said as he stared in awe at the jackets. Eliana rolled her eyes. "Just put it on! We gotta help. I trust Jakob…even if he didn't say the whole thing, I know he will tell us after…hurry up or I'm leaving you…!" She said as she ran out of the house in the jacket. Flynn hurried and put on the coat. "Okay, okay! I'm coming!" He said as he closed the house door. As Eliana and Flynn caught up with Jakob, they looked around the houses. "So, who's this girl we're looking for?" Flynn asked. "She's a pink octoling. She's smaller than me. She should be pretty easy to spot." Jakob said back, but he suddenly stopped and turned to Eliana. "Why would you help me, Eliana? I did a horrible thing by seperating your friends." He asked her. Eliana's eyes widened as she remembered a few more things back from the race. 
…I remember…the whole month when I was unconscious…I was there…being trained by each of the members…and Jakob…
"...Jakob…I didn't want to help you…as Master's favorite, you took away the two most important people in my life…but…I know that he's been torturing you." Eliana said to the brown octoling. Jakob stopped and looked at her worriedly. "...Don't bring that up…I didn't even know you would remember that day even though you were still unconscious." "What? What are you guys talking about?" Flynn asked the two of them. The rain started again. It started pouring over their heads. "..." Eliana stared at Jakob intensely. Jakob sighed and started to shiver in fear.

[Jakob's Flashback] On the 4th day of training the unconscious number 8, it was Jakob's turn. After training the whole day, at the end, he was called to a meeting with the leader. Number 8 followed behind in her black hood and as always, she remained silent. The brown octoling walked into Master's room with number 8 standing behind him. "Why the sudden call, Master? I'm done training number 8 for the day." Jakob said to the black octoling who was staring outside the window. "...Tell me, Jakob. I know you've been training number 8 today but…why are you trying to run away?" The black haired octoling asked as he turned and walked towards Jakob slowly. Jakob put on a brave face. "What are you talking about? I was training her all day. The dualie wielder is quite special-" "Do you take me for a fool, number 4? I know very well that you trained number 8, but I saw you wanted to escape Octo Canyon by trying to check every kettle until I called you back here." Master said back to him. Jakob's eyes widened. "...So what…!? I have a brother…and he's sick…let me go, Master…I have to go back to him." He said back. The purple inkling in the hood just stared at the two of them. "..." Master walked over to get his dynamo roller. He swung it vertically across the room and it hit the brown octoling. "...Why…?" Jakob asked as he couldn't get up. The purple inkling's mouth opened slowly, almost as if she wanted to defend him. Master walked over to him slowly. "You joined my race. So you follow my rules. Otherwise, there will be consequences. So from now on, I want you to do your missions solo. Know that I have eyes on you. You're dismissed." The black octoling said as he exited the room with the purple inkling, leaving the brown octoling hurt on the ground. [End of Jakob's flashback]

Jakob started to cry as he remembered that day from a month ago. He fell on his knees and wept. "...Jakob…you will get to see your brother. We will defeat Master and set everyone free." Flynn said to the brown octoling as he patted his shoulder. Eliana stood beside Jakob as well. "I'm sorry…I couldn't help you." She apologized. Jakob wiped his tears and put on a brave face. "...No…it's alright…and I did betray Master for good. But help me find my friend first. She might cause trouble in the city. And as promised, I'll explain everything right after." He responded back. "We will, Jakob. For a kid like you, we'll help." Flynn smiled as he put his thumbs up. "Hey, who're you calling a kid?" Jakob told him back in annoyance. "Sorry, sorry." Flynn apologized. Jakob turned to Eliana as well. She nodded. "I'll help you this time, Jakob. I promise." Eliana said with a smile. "...Just call me Hiko…it's my real name. Master changed my name because he thinks it would've changed my identity." The brown octoling said to the two of them as they kept running through the rain. "But...I know that my identity belongs to me and only me. No one can change that."
Hiko...is Jakob's real name? To be honest, it sounds much better than the name Master gave him. Master can't define who we are individually or as a member of a race. We're just us, and no one can define our identity as inklings or octolings.