SplatFreaks

~Six~

Koral stares at her feet as she silently sips her slushie. She was thinking about how she would spend the next day. Possibly on science. No, no, that gets boring after a while. She already knows what's deadly, why does anything else matter? What about with one of her friends? Might be interesting to go out for something. Like bowling, or playing some video games together. Perhaps some Turf War practice. Hopefully an answer would be found. Koral didn't like spending time alone, even if she prefers it. She just prefers to have company when she wants it.

Koral sips once again, continuing to stare at the dirt ground. A gentle hand shocked her back to reality as she stares to her side, slamming the cup onto the table.
"Oh, did I scare you?" The woman looked concerned, holding her hand out.
"A little yes.." Koral takes her hand, sitting back to her original place.
The woman slowly sat beside her. She held her hand out for a shake.
Koral, albeit resistantly, shook her hand. She looked at the girl's wardrobe, knowing her immediately.
She was plus sized, wearing a short cut dress with the same striped pattern as Charlie. Her socks were long and white with little red hearts all over it, and her large tentacles were neatly tied in a ponytail. She was definitely a popular girl.
Which...confused Koral. Why would she wanna associate with Koral, one of the SplatFreaks?
"I'm Maria. What's your name?" The octoling looked at the inktoling with a wide smile and wide eyes, which gave off a sense of joy that Koral only ever gets from her family and team.
"Glad to meet your acquaintance...I'm...Koral?" She sounded unsure, never getting such a greeting from a normal octoling or inkling, let alone one with such a status.
"Your the SplatFreak!! The one with the cool memory!!" Maria cheers, "I'm part of the The Lone Dangers! We're one of the higher teams."
"Well good for you...I'm a SplatFreak, one of the lowest ranking teams..." Koral remembers their last failure, sighing. "I just hope we can get another chance..."
"Well...actually...I heard there was this...Turf War coming up. And a little birdie told me you guys were in it." Maria smiles.
"We are!? Are you serious!? Well surely I gotta go and tell the team, we need to practice immediately and-" Koral paused as the girl began to look upset.
"Oh I was...hoping we could...hang out...I think your pretty cool, you know. With the whole..good ass memory thing..." Maria looks at Koral with beady eyes.
"...I suppose some relaxation couldn't hurt-" Maria grabs Koral by her wrist and starts walking to a more remote area, also known as her home.
"I've never been taken to ones house upon first meeting..." Koral looked surprised on how quickly she was going with their friendship.
"Well...I don't want this to sound offensive...but...I don't wanna be publicly seen with you..." Maria sighs "It's a thing with my reputation. I gotta keep it up and unfortunately you guys don't have the best rep...."
"I understand but...why are you so dire to be my friend?" Koral asks.
"Your just cool...your really cool. Your team...I mean...c'mon, you have a salmon dude that can escape anything, probably even the LAW. But...you know, if I say that in front of others it might hurt my status."
"I understand...it's a social thing. Yeah.." Koral looks around this girl's room, and lots of things were covered in fluff. The carpets, the blankets, the pillows, all of it. Fluff.
"So...uh...what kinda stuff are you into besides...fluffy things..." Koral looks around.
"I've always wanted to try some new things...is there anything you like?" Maria asks.
"Well...uh...I'm good with chemistry?" Koral suggests.
"Chemistry is boring though.." Maria chuckles.
"I know but it's cool to see something explode once in a while" Koral jokes.
"Have you tried...baking?" Maria asks.
"Not...really. But I'm open to something new." Koral shrugs.
"Oh good, I was wanting some cake right about now." Maria laughs, holding her hand out to Koral.
Koral reluctantly takes it, walking with this girl to her kitchen.
"

So...what do we do?" Koral asks, not being much of a cook.
"Well...first, that coat has to come off. Mostly fire safety." Maria walks over and takes off Koral's coat "oh...I see...you don't take it off too often.."
Koral's face blushes a deep red when she realizes she's standing in front of this girl with only a sports bra and shorts. "It's...uh...alright. Ive walked like this in front of friends. It usually doesn't bother me much."
"Oh...alright...if you insist" Maria puts the coat on the chair. She pulls out a recipe book and grabs everything they need. "Hey uh...are you good with measurements?"
"Yeah, what do you need?" Koral walks over to the counter.
"I've always had trouble counting by teaspoons.." Maria looks at her.
Koral smiles and slowly cracks her knuckles "now here's what I call expertise!-"

After an hour or two, Maria and Koral were on Maria's porch, eating their home made cookies.
"I think your measuring and calculations of the average mixing time worked because these are just perfect!" Maria smiles.
"Thanks! I'm glad I could help.." Koral nibbles on her cookie. "And your ways of passing time are phenomenal. Video games, dancing, where did you learn these?"
"That's what happens when you have money and ambition. Sadly not everyone has it, so best you use it if you have the chance." Maria smiles up at the sky.
"Yeah...I agree." Koral chuckles to herself. "Hey, you know...uh...I'd like to really..." She could barely talk, pushing her glasses back up on her face. "Thank you for just...today. I never expected I'd do more than sit in my home or go see my family or you know...the team. And...I'd like to...hold up-"
Maria and Koral both look up, Koral squinting. "Is that Desti?"
"Koral!! We need to go now- oh hello..." Desti sees Maria, who awkwardly waves.
"Look, Koral, we need to get a group meeting, now. This is urgent." Desti looks at Koral.
"I- uh- alright. Bye Maria" Koral whimpers.
Desti holds Koral by the hand, her coat gliding behind slightly with the light wind.
Maria watched the two walk away, another octoling poking her.
"Maria! C'mon, we need to have a meeti- were you just with a SplatFreak?" He looks behind himself, seeing her wave the two off.
"Oh, uh, no! I was uh...insulting her! Yeah...can't be letting those...Freaks...win..." Maria holds a thumbs up. "Those... dirty freaks"
"Yeah, good to hear your training your mouth too. Were assigned to a turf war against the RoadSplatters." He tells her.
"Alright...let's go!" Maria sits up off her chair, rushing with him to the other teammates.
During the run, Maria looks behind herself, thinking about the inktoling.
"Good luck, SplatFreaks..."

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Credits

Creator; YuriHaven

Co-Creator: ninBENdotheHedgeling

Character designer for Eva and Alex: ninBENdotheHedgeling

Art above by: YuriHaven/GeekyTheArtist

Character aspects by: ninBENdotheHedgeling

Special thanks to Bendo for helping me to continue this story and continue this project. He's really amazing.