SPLATOON: The Octarian Race

Chapter 23- Sasha

It was the morning in Inkopolis, yet it was cloudy and rainy. The streets were covered with inklings holding their umbrellas. The pink octoling girl wandered around on her own. "Oh…I can't believe I got lost…! It was so dark and now I can't find Jakob…" She said to herself as she looked around. Her whole body was soaked by the rain, so she stopped and cried in the middle of the pathway in a street. "Do you need help?" A voice asked the little octoling girl. Sasha looked up and saw a yellow inkling girl holding out an umbrella. "...Who…are you…?" Sasha asked. "...You may not remember me, but I know you very well, little Sasha. Are you looking for your friend?" The yellow inkling asked as she put the umbrella under the little octoling's head. She pulled Sasha up and held her hand. "Yeah! I'm looking for Jakob! I got lost and now I can't find him…" Sasha replied shyly as they walked through the rain. "Come with me. I know where you can wait for them. By the way, my name's Dalia." The yellow inkling girl said with a friendly smile. Sasha looked at her and held onto her leg tightly. "...Okay…Dalia…" The two of them walked further down the road and made it to the abandoned church. The yellow inkling opened the door and there was some grass inside. "Wow…! It's so pretty here…!" Sasha beamed as she ran inside happily. Dalia noticed her smile. "...So…it really is her…" She said to herself. "...You think so? I'm glad. Hehe. Don't worry; your friends will be here soon. I'll wait with you." The yellow inkling girl said as she closed her umbrella and waited with the pink octoling girl inside.

The three ran all over Inkopolis square, but they couldn't find the little octoling girl. Eliana noticed a beam of light shining down from the clouds. "...Hey…! Look at that beam of light! It's raining everywhere, but it looks like sunlight!" Eliana told Flynn and Hiko. "You think we should head towards that light?" Flynn asked curiously. "Maybe she ended up there. We could check it out." Hiko replied to the two of them. As they were about to leave the plaza, a voice called out to them from behind. "Hey! Eliana, Flynn, where are you guys going?" As the three of them turned around, they saw Ren holding an umbrella. "Ren! We're-" Before Flynn could reply, Ren noticed Hiko, who was in his Octarian uniform. He dropped his umbrella and took out his hero brush. "Wait…! Don't attack him!" Eliana pleaded. Hiko stood back worriedly. Ren stopped and looked at Eliana. "Huh…?! But he's-" "Trust me, we'll explain everything after! Just work with us, okay? We might need extra help." Eliana asked. Ren looked at her in frustration, but he put his brush away. "...Fine. Just tell me everything, okay? You know how I feel about things like this." He said as he picked up his umbrella. Eliana put a smile back on. "Hey, uhm, do you know where that pool of light goes?" She asked.
…I'm happy Ren can give them a chance…and maybe he knows where that light goes.
Ren started walking ahead of Eliana, Flynn and Hiko. "...I've been there earlier. It's near that abandoned church, but no one was in there. I would swim in my squid form to get there faster, but with all this rain, it's gonna be a bit hard. Follow me." He said back to them.

The three of them followed the blue inkling and eventually, they ended up at the church. As they saw the sunlight coming from the clouds, there were no raindrops on the church. Eliana and Flynn took off their hoods as they stepped in the sunlight. Eliana looked up at the clouds, but there was no rain falling through the sunlight. Ren stood outside the church.
Fascinating…! There's no raindrops falling through the sunlight!
Hiko didn't care, but he rushed inside the church and saw the pink octoling girl kneeling on the grass. Eliana and Flynn followed him inside and gazed at the little octoling girl. "Oh…! Jakob! I finally found you…!" Sasha said with a smile as she got up and hugged Hiko. Hiko had a small smile. "Don't run off like that, okay? Sheesh, I could've lost you! By the way, you don't need to call me Jakob. Hiko is alright." The brown octoling said back to her. "Okay…!" She gleed. Eliana's eyes widened. "So…she's Flynn's replacement…?" Flynn stared at the little octoling girl in curiosity. "How did…this girl…so young and innocent ever join the race?" Flynn asked. "Yeah. About Sasha here, I heard that she's been created by Oliver…but there's something about her…that's off…" Hiko said as he turned back to the little octoling girl. Sasha tilted her head in confusion as she didn't understand what they were all talking about. Eliana stared at her.
…Sasha…I wonder…for the race to make a little octoling such as her to join the race is unusual…Master would force her to hide such emotions…but a child usually expresses them…
"From what Yuka told me, Sasha needed to be brought back to her so she can give the daily dose." Hiko explained. Flynn put his hand on his chin. "This daily dose…that's what Yuka gave to Eliana, right? But the dose was said to improve consciousness…" Flynn added. 
…Hmm…I wonder…I feel fine without my daily dose…I don't think it improves my consciousness…I think…
"I think…" Eliana started. The three octolings looked at her. "That daily dose…was made specifically to make me forget my memories…after a whole month, I didn't know who I was until the race explained and told me who I am, but…they're lies. Yuka gave the dose to me everyday for an entire month and yet I didn't remember a thing. Now I remember everything without taking it." She finished. "That's fishy…to make you forget who you are…? Does that mean…" Flynn looked at Sasha. Hiko turned back to her as well. "Sasha…has forgotten memories…?!" Hiko gasped. As the three of them kept talking, Ren came inside the church and complained. "Yo, what the heck are you guys so worked up about-" Ren paused what he was going to say as his eyes laid onto the pink octoling clinging to Hiko. Sasha's eyes widened as she looked at the blue inkling, standing in front of the church doors. "What's wrong, Ren?" Eliana asked. Sasha let go of Hiko and ran slowly up to Ren. "...Hey…!" Flynn shushed Hiko. Eliana, Flynn and Hiko watched the pink octoling girl and the blue inkling. "...Do I…know you?" Ren asked curiously. Sasha reached her hand out and touched the bottom of his shirt. "...R…en…" She mumbled. "!" All of them gasped in shock.
What…? Is going on…? How does Sasha know Ren's name…?
Ren's eyes looked at her with a familiar look in his eyes. "....." He couldn't say a word. "...Ren…that day…you were training…I was at home playing…then…they came and took me…and I didn't see you again…" The little octoling girl started. "...And…I came home later that day…and you were gone…but…why are you…like this…? How is it even possible…!?" He asked back as his tears started in his eyes. The little octoling girl looked down. "...My body…was destroyed…but…they replicated my memories and made me have this body…I'm not an inkling anymore, brother…I'm sorry…hate me if you want-" She was cut off when Ren embraced her with a hug. "...?" She gasped softly as he hugged her. "Inkling or no inkling, you're still my sister, Sasha…you may not have the same body, but the memories and images of you are here in front of me…!" He said as he kneeled down to her height. Sasha started crying and she hugged back her brother as well. "...I'm sorry…I couldn't save you." Ren apologized. Sasha shook her head. "N-No, brother…it's your duty, isn't it…? Being a hero sure is tough…" She said while she sniffed and wiped her eyes. 
Ren…and this little octoling…she must look like the spinning image of her other body…no wonder Ren could recognize her so easily… why would Master choose to rebuild her…? They already killed her, it makes no sense to input her memories in this form of hers…
While the two were having a moment, Flynn just butt in. "So…what exactly is happening right now? I'm confused." Flynn said. Eliana hit his shoulder softly. "C'mon Flynn! Sasha remembered that Ren's her big brother!" She told him. Hiko crossed his arms. "But…why would the race kidnap as well as kill her? Her body rebuilt as an octoling is impossible with memories from her previous head…" Hiko added. Ren and Sasha looked at the three of them. "Okay. Can you guys tell me what's going on? Why are you all here?" Ren asked all of them as he held onto his sister's shoulders. Eliana looked at Hiko. "He'll explain everything, won't you?" She asked him. The brown octoling looked at all of them with a straight face and nodded slowly. "Right. Things at the race are getting out of control. They're planning to infiltrate the city and go up against you and the other warriors soon. You guys must keep an eye out." He explained. Sasha held on tightly to her brother's leg while he folded his arms. Eliana and Flynn looked at each other and then back at the brown octoling. "Um…do you have a plan? After spying on them, you must know what to do!" Eliana asked hopefully. Hiko held up his hand to his chin. "...Well, it may be a bit too soon for your reunion, but I'll need Sasha for this if it's going to work." Hiko explained. Ren turned at the pink octoling worriedly. "Will you be alright…?! I fear of losing you again." Ren said disappointedly as he touched her shoulder. Sasha put her hand on top of his hand. "...I'll be okay, Ren! Hiko has taken care of me just fine! And plus, I have a weapon now, so even if I get lost, I'm not helpless." She replied back with a tiny smile. "So…what exactly is this plan of yours, Hiko?" Flynn asked curiously. "Well, Sasha and I will remain with the others, pretending to oppose you guys, but then later we'll see if we can make the members understand the situation we're in. Then hopefully Master won't stand a chance against us." Hiko said. Ren widened his eyebrows. "Oh…not bad…not bad…what about Lenard? Hopefully they haven't done anything to him…" He mumbled quietly. "What?" "Nothing. It's a good plan." He said back assuredly. Flynn stared at Sasha. "...My replacement, huh…I can't believe it…I don't get why Master allowed Sasha to have her memories after giving her a new body…Yuka just prevented her from remembering it…how dark…" He said to himself. "Well, we gotta head back now. Before Master finds out that we're gone. C'mon, Sasha." Hiko said as he turned to the church doors. Before leaving, the pink octoling girl hugged Ren. "I'll be back, brother…! I promise!" She said as she followed Hiko out of the church. Ren held out his arm, but he slowly put it down. "..." Eliana quietly stared at the blue inkling.
…Ren…
"She'll be okay." Eliana said to him. Ren nodded. "...Yeah…I just thought…sending a little prayer would keep her safe." He said back. "Well, we should inform the others about what we're gonna do about Master and the race, guys." Flynn interrupted. "...We should get going." Ren said as he walked out of the church doors with Eliana. "R-Right!" She said back.
Hmm...a prayer...? I guess...maybe it will help us too...but...if it's one thing I'd pray about, is peace for both inklimgs and octolings of Inkopolis. That's my wish and prayer.
Before Flynn ran after them, he felt a light feeling. He looked behind and saw Dalia looking at him with a smile. Flynn put on a small grin and silently left the church.