Inkblot [A Splatoon2 Fanfic]

Chapter Nine

The Reef wasn't a place Tres particularly liked. He always found comfort in places a bit more isolated. Hachi always loved places that were lively and, although it somewhat embarrassed Tres to hold Hachi's hand and kiss him in public, he always took Hachi to those places just to see him happy.

    He walked through the small park past the random groups of friends and couples to where he was told Spyke would be waiting. Tres remembered when he was fourteen; remembered stupidly going to Spyke for gear just because he thought it was a good deal. It never even came across his mind where Spyke got the gear he sold. There were rumors that Spyke had a chain of Urchinite hitmen in a yakuza style clan that kidnapped kids with the high demand gear and then those kids were never seen again. Tres always ignored those rumors, but as he grew up he found them more and more believable.

"Yo, anyone here?" Tres approached the bridge.

As expected, Spyke leaned on the wall a cigarette in his mouth and that intimidating glare in his eye.

"Tres, am I right?" He smirked. "Or should I get on my knees and call you Agent 3?"

"I really don't have time for this..." Tres furrowed his brow.

"Ok, ok. What is it you want? A fancy dress for that cute boyfriend of yours?"

Tres felt like he was testing a limit; maybe this would be something Spyke didn't want to talk about. But if Hachi's life was on the line, he would have to take a risk. Tres pulled open his bag at the side, took a breath, the pulled out the Inkblot book and held it out to the urchin.

"Your name is under the lists of doctors. I need answers, and I need them now."

Spyke's eye went wide upon seeing the book. He immediately took it and stared at the cover, his fingers brushing against the aged leather. He slowly looked back up at Tres, almost terrified.

"Where did you get this...?" He asked.

"It's one of the old books Cap'n Cuttlefish had in his cabin, Callie gave them to me."

"...Are... you sick...?"

"No... but Hachi is..."

Spyke looked at the book's cover again, even flipping the pages a little. Then he shut the book, letting out a smoke filled breath as he took out his cigarette. He dropped it to the ground and snuffed it out under his heel before speaking.

"What Hachi has is something indescribably horrible... I can tell you all I know, but I can't guarantee you'll like what you'll hear..."

"I'm desperate... I'll give anything, money, my rare weapons, I'll even cut off an arm if I have to! All I want is to help Hachi, to make him better..." Tres begged.

Spyke studied Tres with his eye.

"How long has he been sick?"

"Since yesterday morning..."

"Have you touched him? Has anyone else touched him?"

"He hasn't touched anyone, I'm sure of it—"

"But what about you?" Spyke said urgently. "Are you sick?"

"N-No, I feel fine, I've been with Hachi since he got sick I'm absolutely fine."

    Spyke stared wide eyed.

    "You're... blood type... what's your blood type?"

    "AB negative... why...?" Tres raised an eyebrow.

   For a second he saw a smile pinch at the corner of Spyke's mouth. Tres shifted in his place, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

   "What's so important about my blood type?"

   "You're just flat out immune..." Spyke saw the Inkling's questioning look and explain. "Back during that time, we found a select few Inklings that were unable to be infected by the disease. The only thing they all had in common was that their blood type was AB negative,"

That explained why Tres didn't feel sick after touching Hachi so much. Nearby, a few little kids came running by screaming while playing their made up game. Spyke pushed himself away from the wall, making a motion to leave.

"It's too crowded here. Take me to Hachi and I'll see what I can do, alright?" He said.

    "Yes! Th-Thank you...!" Tres gasped lightly, putting a hand over his mouth when he was about to cry.

    "Ah, c'mon don't get all emotional," Spyke said.

    "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." Tres rubbed his eyes and put his hands over his face as he began to smile.

    "Let's go... I don't want to waste another second..."