Red Ink: Human versus Squid

R&R and DNA

"The pop-star life is adventure enough for me. I much prefer a relaxing holiday." - Marina Ida

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Watching television with Nem-Nem was normally the highlight of indoor life. We shared a lot of moments in front of it, laughing together, commenting on how dumb the dialogue was from time to time. Even the news could be entertaining with her around.

It was evening, and we were watching a romance this time. It was about a crustacean who had fallen in love, but he was also enlisted in the army, so he needed to spend as much time with the one he loved as much as possible, eventually confessing his feelings to her.

"Thing about crustaceans is that they can be a little thick-shelled," said Nem-Nem. "I should know. I've dated a few in my college days. One of them refused to ask for directions when we went out of town for a getaway, and because of that, we got lost."

"Sounds like you've dated a lot," I said.

"The single life isn't easy, Amelia," she replied. "Hard to find that perfect someone."

I thought about Ace and our time at the movie theater together. I still wasn't really sure what my feelings for him were. I liked him, and I mean I really liked him. He was always so supportive, so cheerful, despite losses. He'd always inspire people around him, and I thought it was so cool that he was able to do that.

A question popped into my mind. "Nem-Nem, how do I know if I, you know, love someone."

Nem-Nem's posture quickly changed. She stood up straight, turning down the volume. "E-Excuse me?" she asked. I hesitantly repeated my question and she just said, "It's... hard to tell when you're going through puberty. Hard to tell what's love and what's... "

"What's what? " I asked, waiting for her to finish.

She cleared her throat, blushing. "Look, um, there are ways to tell if someone is right for you, but what really matters most is if they're there for you, if they support your decisions, and are even willing to risk their life for you. Love is a powerful thing, but... I don't think I'm qualified to give advice on it. I'm still single, so... what do I know?"

I remember what Ace did when we first met. He had pushed me out of the way of that roller. Self-sacrificing, caring, and he was even supportive of my dream of being a turfer. I didn't know if I should tell Nem-Nem, because I wasn't sure how she'd react. I kept quiet about it for now, simply nodding in understanding.

Nem-Nem relaxed a bit more now that the topic was over. As she turned up the television, it suddenly switched to the news on its own, scaring us both with a loud music introduction. As soon as it died down, Pearl and Marina appeared on the screen.

"Yo, yo! Check it, y'all! We've got the Splatfest results in today!" Pearl exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "You ready, Marina?!"

"Always ready to win," replied Marina with a smile.

Pearl smirked and said, "So, listen up! The results in popularity are..."

Team Old: 38.6%

Team New: 61.4%

Marina looked very disappointed while Pearl was ecstatic. Marina then said, "Can't win 'em all, I guess."

"Don't be like that, Marina!" said Pearl. "We've still got two more results!"

As the screen displayed the numbers, my hopes were shattered.

Team Old Normal Clout: 58.9%