10. To the Future
((Hi there! Remember me? Sorry that it’s been ages, but I finally, FINALLY completed the final chapter of Look Alive, Sunshine! This is IT, folks! Hopefully some of the things you’ve been waiting for will be concluded/satisfied in this chapter. If not... I’m terribly sorry, but there are going to be at least 2 more books, so don’t fret! Okay, I don’t wanna hold you up for too long, Goddess knows you’ve been waiting long enough already. Sorry for that again. Enjoy!))
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Look Alive, Sunshine
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10. To the Future
Caasi sighed, yawned, and turned over, in that order. The electronic numbers staring at her, told her that it was four in the morning.
"Where are you?"
As if in answer, she heard the sounds of the apartment door opening, her girlfriend's worn-down sneakers clomping loudly against the faux-wood floor, the door closing, deadbolt turning, keys being tossed unceremoniously onto the coffee table, and more loud clomping.
"BABY!" Penny shouted far too loudly for four am as she ran into her girlfriend's bedroom.
"Ow. Too loud. Too early. You know I hate being called that. And did I mention, ow?"
"Guess who just signed a HUGE contract?"
"What part of 'ow' do you not understand? Wait, contract?" Caasi sat upright and reluctantly threw off her blankets. "This sounds like a big deal. I thought we were discussing things that are a big deal."
"I know... I'm sorry... But babe, I'm set! My manager's brother's friend told her producer friend about my upcoming movie, and since I'm getting accolades for the role, and apparently I'm on everyone's 'hot list' - imagine! Me! On a 'hot list'! People want me! Badly! But my manager-”
"You don't have to keep calling Grace 'your manager', we've had coffee with her five times, I've met her kids, for kelp's sake. I think it's safe to say we know each other."
"Right, so... Grace didn't let me settle, she worked out something really great. I'm guaranteed five new films! They want me in this new Sci-Fi adventure series based on a book, and a standalone project that's still in the planning phases. Plus, if the standalone gets any sequels, tie-ins, anything, my role is pretty much locked. I'm... I'm..."
"Set," Caasi nodded. "Do you have to move for any of this?"
"No, that's the beautiful part! It's all being filmed in Inkopolis and the surrounding area! Some of it is even gonna be on-location!"
"Fantastic. Then I don't care." And with that, she reclaimed her covers and curled into a ball.
"You don't care?"
"'I don't care', not as in I'm not interested, of course I'm always going to support you. 'I don't care' as in, if you don't have to move, then I won't be mad at you for making a huge decision like that without even talking to me."
"Oh, babe...!"
"Don't 'babe' me!"
"How can I make it up to you?"
"Like I said, I really don't care."
"It sounds like you care."
"Just get under here," she sighed, pulling the Inkling onto the bed and enveloping her with the blankets before giving her "kisses" with her feelers.
"Hold on, hold on," Penny said, sitting back up and pushing off the blankets before unbuttoning and taking off her overshirt, throwing it across the room and leaving her softer, lighter undershirt on.
"Don't just throw your clothes around the place, you neanderthal," Caasi griped.
"Neanderthal, eh?" Penny laughed, grabbing onto her girlfriend and shaking her back and forth. "OOGA CHAKA, OOGA, OOGA! OOGA CHAKA, OOGA OOGA!"
"I can't stop this feeling," Caasi sang, "deep inside of me. Girl, you just don't realize what you do to me." Penny wrapped her arms around her and carried on the verse.
"When you hold me in your arms, so tight, you let me know everything's alright. IIII-I-I-I-I'm hooked on a feeling. I'm high on believing, that you're in love with me~"
\/\/\/\/\/
"Thanks for helping me move, Queenie."
"Are you kidding?" Carina laughed as she helped Pyxis carry bags out of their old apartment. "I got out of a family barbecue because of this. If anything, I owe you."
"Sure, sure," Pyxis laughed.
"Is this the last of it?"
"Yep, these wall scrolls are all that's left," they said, picking up a cardboard box with their free hand and jostling it under their arm.
"Wall scrolls you never hung up? You sure haven't made much use of this space, honeybunch."
"I don't know, I guess I always had a feeling I'd be moving out sooner or later. Guess I was right."
"Please promise me you won't live like that at your new place."
"Live like what? I live fine."
"Yeah, but you've gotta live in the now! Appreciate what you've got, while you've got it! Eat dessert before dinner sometimes, y'know?"
"I'll try," they chuckled as they stepped outside, setting their things down to lock the door behind them. "Well, I guess this is the last time I'll be at this old place. I'll meet you at the car, I've just gotta give the keys back-"
"What is going on here?"
The young adults' smiles both faltered as they turned to see Pyxis' mother stomping up the stairs.
"Mom..."
"So the rumors are true. High and mighty Pyxis is moving out. Without even telling her own mother!"
"Mom, I-"
"Do I have to guess what brought on yet another bizarre moment of spontaneity? Are you gonna move again in another year? Well, why don't we all just throw our homes away and live on the road like some wild animals!"
"Miss Arcturo," Carina began, taking a step forward, "as entertaining as that sounds, I don't-"
"Shut it!" The older Octoling turned on Carina at once. "You shut it right now, I don't want to hear a word from you, you hussy!"
"Hey, I moved up from abomination to hussy," the young Octoling smiled. "I love it!"
"Get out of my sight!"
"I'll be in the car," Carina said, giving Pyxis a pat on the back before picking up the box they had set on the floor. "Yell if you need me."
"Mom, if you'd just-"
"Put your things away. You're not going anywhere." This sudden presumption lit a small flame within Pyxis.
"Yes, I am. I'm twenty years old. My life is my own, and I decide where and how to live it."
"Where do you think you're going?"
"I'm moving to Inkopolis. I got a new job there, working for a friend of mine." All the color drained from their mother's face.
"Are you out of your mind? They will kill you!"
"Mom, those scary stories aren't true. You know this by now. If they were, I wouldn't have come back the first time."
"I will not argue with you over this, young lady. Put the box away! Put it all away! I forbid you to throw your life away-"
"You forbid it?"
"Pyxis, listen to me-"
"No, you listen! I have followed your every order for as long as I remember, trying to make you proud of me! I wanted to have a happy relationship with you, but I've never been a person to you. I've tried over and over to tell myself that you love me, but you really just want to keep me in a box!"
"That is not true!"
"You don't want me! You never wanted the real me! You've hidden behind your denial and your orders and expected me to be what you wanted, but you never saw me for who I grew up into, who I really am! I'm non-binary, mom, did you know that? I'm genderfluid. Sometimes I feel like a woman, sometimes like a man, and sometimes somewhere in the middle."
"Stop it! You are spouting nonsense! You're too young to know what you're saying!"
"I'm also pansexual. You probably didn't realize when I was helplessly in love with Carina, did you? Or did your denial protect you from being uncomfortable that time, too?"
"Quit it, quit it, quit it! You need to talk to the minister. I'll call him right away-" She grabbed Pyxis' wrist, but they yanked it away and ran down the stairs, into the pouring rain. "Pyxis! Get back here this instant, young lady! Pyxis, stop!" When ordering didn't work, she resorted to pleading, chasing after her child. "Pyxis, wait. Pyxis, please! We can work this out! Honey, come back! Wait! We're family... We're family! Well..." She was completely at a loss. "You... You'll visit me, won't you?"
Pyxis paused beside Carina's car, and stared back at their mother, as tears poured down their face.
"I don't know, Mom..." They shook their head and brushed a soaked tentacle out of their face. "I don't know." They turned back around and got in the car as fast as they could. Their mother could only stare as the blue coupe drove away.
\/\/\/\/\/
"Hand."
"Wha-? Oh, of course." Ankyr turned toward his best friend and extended his hand, and Pyxis clung to it with both of theirs. "You've been crying."
"I, uh... Unfortunate run-in with my mom while I was moving all my stuff. Luckily, Carina had her car." They resumed their pace, and Ankyr matched it, continuing the walk through Great White Park for the day's "festivities". They both had umbrellas to block the rain that hadn't ceased since dawn, but Pyxis had closed theirs in favor of standing under Ankyr's blue one with umbrella designs.
"You moved this morning? Why didn't you ask me for help?"
"I, uh... I was in a hurry. To avoid just that kind of incident."
"What did she say? What did you say?"
"I don't know... Everything, I guess. I yelled a lot of things I've been dying to say to her. Just... not like that."
"I think I get it," he nodded, performing an awkward maneuver to put his hand over their shoulder while still allowing their hold on it. "How'd the unpacking go?"
"Haven't really started," they laughed. "Do you want to-?"
"I'd love to."
"Thanks, Pretty Harmless."
"Always. Hey, we found the gang."
The usual suspects were seated under a large pavilion, taking shelter from the rain. The Runaways were chatting with the Sharks, along with Shera and Hans, while Feel Good Inc hung out with Eighty 8s, who they'd bonded with over the past week. Carina napped with her head resting on her girlfriend's lap. Rocky and Caurel were sharing a very large plate of nachos, while Moises and Ecto barraged each other with tortilla chips.
"Do they have to do that at least once a month, or something?" Pyxis asked, gesturing to the Jellyfish and his best friend. "I swear, this has to be the fifth time..."
"They're the typical squabbling siblings," Ankyr shrugged. "They were like that when we got 'em." This got a laugh out of Pyxis, while somewhere in the pavilion Thresher's voice could be heard screaming "YES! SIBLINGS!" The crowd turned as one to give them a look, and the young Inkling gave a weak laugh before running into the rain.
"Where are they going?" Ecto asked with a raised eyebrow.
"They'll be back," Tiger sighed, and Bonnet and Zebra nodded their confirmation.
"It's, uh, still raining," Thresher announced sheepishly, coming back under the pavilion only to disappear into the crowd, trying very hard to avoid Ecto's gaze.
"You're pretty popular these days, hon," Moises said as he wiped chips and queso off of his translucent skin and shiny new clothes - apparently, he had lost this match.
"What do you mean?" Ecto asked.
"Ai ai ai," he shook his head, but said nothing else. Caurel turned her attention to Ecto, blushing orange.
"Ghoul... Are you really this oblivious, or do you just try to pretend until people take a hint?"
"What do you mean?" the Tinkerer asked. Caurel shook her head and silently went back to her nachos, while her brother held onto her hand.
"So, you guys feeling better?" Pyxis asked Rocky and Caurel, now that the spectacle was over. "On speaking terms, at least?"
"Sometimes we just have to beat the ink out of each other," Rocky shrugged. "Let's not make a big deal of it."
"What were you fighting about, anyway?"
"What did I JUST say?"
"I'll tell you some other time, dear," Caurel said before stuffing her face with more chips than she probably should have. When she finally got it all down, she tapped a small cardboard box with her shoe. "By the way, check the box." Pyxis gasped.
"They came in?"
"Right on time, too. Looks like the rain has stopped. And guess who's up next?"
“I’m gonna change right now!”
“Get a room,” Rocky yelled, and for once Caurel didn’t smack him.
“Yes, probably a good idea not to change in front of everyone, dear.”
“I didn’t mean, like, RIGHT now.”
\/\/\/\/\/
"Well, I guess this was inevitable."
"I guess so."
"Who'd have thought we'd both end up in the bottom bracket so early?"
"I know, right! It's not fair!"
"Noodle..."
"Yeah, Taurus?"
"It's been great getting to know you. I feel like we've truly become friends over the past week and some change."
"Aww..." Noodle clasped the Octoling's hand in hers. "I feel the same way!"
Taurus removed her left hand and grasped Noodle's tightly with her right in a firm, unmoving handshake, her soft smile shifting to a determined leer.
"But all of that gets thrown out of the window on the battlefield." Noodle cackled when she heard this.
"I couldn't agree more, Taurus!"
"Expect no quarter!"
"Expect no mercy!"
"Eighty 8s are not getting eliminated!"
"Neither are we!"
"We'll see about that!"
"Guys, get to your spawn pools already," Corvis sighed.
"So dramatic," laughed Moby, who was still the acting fourth for Feel Good Inc. Instead of his usual Aerospray, today he was equipped with a Jet Squelcher. Feel Good Inc assembled at the blue spawn point, and Eighty 8s at the lime green. This would be the third match of the ninth day - which covered the fourth and fifth rounds of the bottom bracket. When the signal fired, both teams sprang into action immediately.
Noodle and Russell rushed straight ahead while Stuart and Moby inked the base. Moby then went ahead to ink whatever their two teammates missed along the center path, while Stu took the right-hand pathway.
Great White Park's two spawn points rested on elevated platforms, and each platform extended to form a path to one side, curving around one whole edge of the stage. The end of each pathway had a boost pad to launch the players onto a small platform with yet another boost pad. If they timed their jumps correctly, the boost pads could send the players flying over the tall, un-inkable hedges that surrounded the center of the battlefield. The only other way to reach said center was between the sets of hedges, where one would find themselves immediately taken over by the force of conveyor belts.
Of course, it was possible to ink the belts and slowly swim across - which was what Noodle and Russell were doing - but most battlers preferred to take the boost pads. Which was why Moby stuck around in their lower section, his Jet Squelcher aimed at anyone jumping across. He already had a Splash Wall set up just about where anyone would land if they made it to Feel Good's side, and waited patiently...
Unfortunately for him, Vega had seen through the plan, and twirled counter-clockwise through the air, barely avoiding landing under the Wall. They took one second to aim, getting hit by one shot from the Squelcher, before blasting Moby with their Inkzooka special. Their opponent splatted, they spent their remaining blasts covering the turf in that section before moving on to the center.
Locked in by the conveyor belts, at the very center of the stage was a huge double-helix slide. One end let out to one side of the stage, and the other let out to the opposition. An ink gusher shot players up through a grate at the top, where they could ink a switch to change what color ink ran down the slides. Noodle and Russell had already flipped this switch to blue, and it was Vega's mission to switch it to lime green - but not until their teammates were at the proper positions on their map.
'Must be off my game today,' Moby thought to himself as he shook his head, fresh out of the spawn pool, and made his way back down. 'The way their team is set up, the way I've seen them battle, I was expecting Sandro to be the first one to jump over, followed by Corvis... Then they'd try to ink our side, while Taurus charged the slide, and Vega hung back on standby. Then again... they've been watching us battle, too...'
He glanced around, but couldn't see Vega. Regardless, he set to work cleaning the enemy's ink from their side. What he did see, was all three of his teammates riding the gusher up to the slide. Hadn't they just gone...? They must have been splatted and respawned before him.
"Guys, change it up," he shouted, not sure if they heard. Not a second later, he was caught from behind by a shot from Vega's Luna Blaster.
'Well... That's.. slightly disheartening.'
Vega rode the ink geyser up to the top and splatted all three of Moby's teammates with two shots, before hitting the switch and riding the slide to their home base side. Mere seconds later, their teammates reached the top, and rode the opposite slide, over to the opposing team's turf. They busied themselves with covering their opponents' turf with blue ink yet again, before Feel Good Inc dropped down and rained down terror, managing to avoid being splatted and take back control.
"They'll just get us again if we use the slide," Stuart pointed out as the four re-inked their side of the battlefield and destroyed any Squid Beakons Taurus and Sandro had left there.
"Yep, this stage can be pretty limiting," Noodle sighed.
"I've got an idea," Moby said. "Follow me. Rus, stay here, out of sight, and prepare your Special. I'll give a signal when I need you to use it. Send your Bomb Rush through the conveyor belts."
"Will do," Russell nodded.
"I don't know what you're thinkin'," Noodle shrugged as she followed Moby. "But I trust ya."
"Your special is the Inkstrike, yeah?" Moby asked as he led them through. "Let's fill our gauges and do a double."
Swimming across the conveyor belts was slow going, but they fared well enough, not interrupted by the other team. Remaining in the center, they inked as much turf on the opposing side as they could, using the hedges as cover. Soon enough, they could hear a Burst Bomb Rush going off behind them.
"Whoops," Stuart said. "Looks like he had to use it on that end instead."
"It's alright," Moby shook his head. "This actually works out fine." He glanced at his map. Russell's Special had wiped out three out of four of Eighty 8s, who had used the side passage all at once for some reason. Doubtless, they had had a plan, but it didn't work out. Their fourth member had to still be somewhere on the other side... but they weren't inking turf.
"They're hiding," Russell said, coming up behind them. "Gonna get the drop on us."
"Nah," Noodle shook her head. "Stu, let's do 'shake n' bake'."
"Got it," he nodded. "Special's charged."
Noodle rolled a Splat Bomb out of their hiding place, toward the left. When it exploded a bit of the ink spray landed on Corvis, who had been hiding in her green ink, waiting to ambush her opponents while her teammates respawned. Noodle glanced at her map one more time before swimming over and popping out of the ink close to the Octoling, who aimed her Bamboozler... right before she was splatted by Stuart's Kraken special.
"Hahaa, works every time," Noodle laughed, running farther to the left and spraying more ink. "Alright, I'll be over here blocking off access to the side area with my bombs. Moby, put up a Splash Wall between the hedges. Let's box 'em in!"
"Aye!" the team responded. Once Stuart came out of his Kraken form, he set up a few Squid Beakons on the enemy side and joined in the inking process. Noodle and Moby set off a double Inkstrike at their base, wiping out anyone who didn't stay within the spawn point's protection. Eighty 8s fought their hardest to break free, but didn't make it out in time. The victory went to Feel Good Inc.
"We lost..." Taurus dropped to her knees, her weapon forgotten on the ground, and stared up at the sky as tears flooded her face. "We lost. It's over... Guys, I'm so sorry. I let you down."
The other three members of Eighty 8s rushed over to their leader. Vega made it over first, running, falling, then sliding over in the ink to wrap their arms around her.
"No... You didn't let anyone down. We all fought together, and together we lost a magnificent battle. Be proud of that. I know I am."
"I think that's the most I've ever heard you speak in one sitting," said Sandro, who came over second.
"This is a tender moment," Vega pointed out, as if it weren't obvious.
"Yeah, yeah..." Sandro shrugged and threw his arms around both of them. Corvis came in last and joined the group hug without saying anything, pressing her tear-stained cheeks against Taurus' own. Taurus couldn't find any more words to say; she sobbed and let out a low, mourning wail. It was at this time that Noodle and her gang made their way over and added four more members to the group hug.
"Taurus, I'm so sorry," Noodle sobbed. "I wish I could do something."
"You didn't take it easy on us," Vega spoke up yet again. "That's the best thing you could've done for us. No joke. We wanted a real game with you. We wanted to face you honestly, and that's what you gave us. We thank you."
When Taurus could finally speak again, she grasped Noodle tightly and pulled her closer.
"Okay... Back to being friends."
"I like us better that way," Noodle laughed.
"So do I," announced Pyxis as they approached the hug puddle, with Ankyr in tow. "But good Overseer, was that a magnificent game. Oh, how do you like the new threads?" They twirled around, showing off a pink and white tee with a black long-sleeved undershirt. The tee had Eighty 8s' name on the front, with the numeral 8 taking up most of the space.
"Designed by Caurel and Moises," Ankyr said. "We had to pay them for such short notice, but it was worth it."
"Hope you can get your money back," Sandro said, getting an elbow in the ribs from Corvis.
"You're all winners in my eyes," Pyxis insisted, pulling each of them up to their feet one at a time. Taurus squeezed Pyxis and Ankyr in a tight hug.
"Our very first fans... Thanks for being there."
"It's what we're good at," Ankyr said with a shrug. Pyxis let out a loud laugh at this.
"Alright, come on, I'm taking all of you out for lunch."
"Whoa now, easy," Ankyr joked. "You did just move into a new place. Sure your wallet can handle it?"
"In this economy? I'm loaded."
\/\/\/\/\/
"So, Rescue Girls rocked this round, too," Penny said as she returned to the audience section of the park with a tray full of food. "Here, love, get your sandwiches."
"My eternal gratitude," Caasi said, scooping food off the tray. Other members of the group grabbed their own food, leaving Penny's solitary jumbo nachos.
"Yup," Rocky nodded. "They're not getting eliminated anytime soon."
"Keep rubbing it in, why don't ya?" Thresher groaned.
"You guys may have been eliminated, but you're still winners in our book," Rocky said.
"Yeah, I mean, who says a tournament can really decide who's best, anyway?" Penny asked.
"That's kind of what they're for," Bonnet pointed out.
"Yeah, but can they really do that for Turf War?" Ecto asked. "I mean, there are so many variables to a single battle. Even if we were just to take into consideration that there are eight players - eight individual minds - there are more possibilities than I could count on which way each one will go at any given moment, how much turf they'll ink at any given moment, how they'll attack or distract or whatever they do, how they'll react to dangerous situations... And that's not even taking their weapon types, subs, and specials into consideration. Or the stage and how well each of those eight people performs on each stage."
"We're losing you, hon," Caurel said. "Reel it back in."
"I'm just saying, Turf War is a complex game."
"Complex?" Sandro scoffed from where he was sitting with the other members of Eighty 8s. "Shoot ink, swim in ink, shoot more ink."
"Okay, on the surface it doesn't look that deep, but it really is. There are so many factors that wins and losses can never be contributed solely to any one player. It's the best team sport you could ask for. Anything can happen."
"That's why I love it so much," Caurel nodded. "Well, that, and splatting people is cathartic."
"It really is," Rocky sighed. "So, where are we going for lunch?"
"What do you mean?" Rory asked. "We just ate. And the matches aren't done."
"Today, we have the fourth and fifth bottom rounds," Ecto confirmed. "Next the winners of the previous round will battle each other. We've got the Dragoons versus Big Blue, Feel Good Inc versus Soldiers of OZ, Mushroom Queendom versus Dear Prudence, and Fancy Tea Party versus Rescue Girls."
"Having to battle twice in one day," Noodle sighed. "Can't a gal relax?"
"We do way more than two a day under regular circumstances," Rus reminded her.
"Yeah, but it's Summer! I'd usually be sleeping right now!"
"She has a good point," Rocky nodded. "We could all be sleeping right now. Let's kick Ziggy in the shins for thinking up this tournament."
"You're having fun and you know it," Caurel said, smacking him on the arm.
"Yeah..." He grinned. "I am. I mean, we haven't lost a single match yet." The members of Feel Good Inc, Eighty 8s, and the Sharks all turned to glare at him.
"STOP RUBBING IT IN!"
\/\/\/\/\/
"I'm so close, I know it! I feel like the answer is just staring me in the face!"
Knock-knock-knock.
"Uuuugh!" Ecto threw her pencil down and groaned. "Come in."
"Bad time?" Caurel asked, opening the door that connected to the house via stairs.
"I was doomed regardless," the young inventor sighed, burying her face in piles of paper.
"I refuse to believe that," Caurel said, setting down her duffel bag and holding out a cup of coffee. "I got you a treat."
"Ooh, thanks, Kobra! Hey, wasn't the memorial thing today?"
"Yeah, but we cut it short because no one wanted to deal with rain. There will be others. Rocky's in Ranked already, and Penny went back home, so I figured I'd come encourage you."
"Aw, thanks!"
"So, what's the masterpiece today?"
"This disaster," Ecto said, gesturing to her desk before gulping down hot coffee.
"You're making a short-range weapon?" Caurel asked, picking up one of the loose leaf pages, which had sketches of gauntlets. "Like, really close-range? Is that possible?"
"Kobra..."
"Oh! I forgot." She dropped the paper with an apologetic bow. "No touching without permission. My bad."
"I'm so close... I know I can make this work."
"Do they stamp the ink, or...?"
"I'm working on a device that releases a large amount of ink in one quick burst."
"That... doesn't travel very far?"
"Yeah, but the pro is that it deals an insane amount of damage, more than any other weapon type. But... none of the math adds up the way I want it to. At this rate, I won't be able to make it do its thing without knocking back the wielder."
"Nothing is impossible for you, Ecto," Caurel shook her head. "You'll get it eventually, I just know it."
"Thanks, Kobra."
"Why don't you take a break? Have you gotten any fresh air lately?"
"Um..." Ecto checked her wrist. "It's been about four hours, so I guess I could use some sunshine."
"He's not here, sorry," Caurel joked, ushering a hearty laugh from the tinkerer.
"It's okay, I've got the best cheering section already," she shrugged, rising from her seat.
"Thanks for that, Ecto," Caurel said with a wide grin as she picked up her bag. The two opened the horizontal cellar door and stepped outside into the sunlight, Ecto sipping lovingly at her coffee.
"So, what's in the bag?"
"Well... It's a present." She slowly unzipped the duffle bag and gently pulled out an outfit wrapped in a plastic coating for protection. It was a sport coat and slacks that looked very familiar to the young inventor.
"Is this... That design you showed me?"
"Yep," Caurel nodded emphatically. "What do you think?"
"I love it," she said, admiring the gear designs sewn in that shone silver when the sunlight hit them at the right angle. "It's even better than the picture... This is for me?"
"It was always for you," the bespectacled Inkling smiled, pink ink rushing to her cheeks. "Do you want it?"
"Of course I want it," she laughed. "Are you kidding? It looks so great! You must have worked so hard... Matter of fact, I think I'll close shop early today just so I can clean up and try this on."
"You're sweet, Ecto."
"Nah," she chuckled, closing the cellar and running across the lawn to the front door, with Caurel following close behind. "Hey Dads," she announced as she opened the front door, "I'm gonna jump in the shower real quick. Caurel will entertain you."
"Welcome back, Caurel," one of Ecto's dads greeted from the living room, where he was hard at work folding a mountain of clothes. "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever!"
"I know, Pop," Caurel giggled. "I missed you for those long few minutes, too."
"But not moi?"
"I missed you, too, Dad," the bespectacled Inkling said, zooming into the kitchen to wave at another adult, who was pouring hot chicken broth into a pot full of other ingredients. "What can I say? You're both my favorite."
"You warm my heart, Coral Reef," he said with a smile. "As always. Hey, are you staying for dinner? In case you couldn't tell, I'm making my one-of-a-kind-"
"-World-famous chicken lime risotto?" Caurel finished. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
"She could tell just by the smell," the turquoise-tentacled man cheered in a sing-song voice. "Magnificent. You and your brother have the best noses. Speaking of which, where is my apprentice chef?"
"Ranked Battles," Caurel said, hopping up on the kitchen counter.
"Should've known," he smiled knowingly.
"I remember when there was no Ranked," Pop stated loudly from the living room.
"Oh Great Zapfish, here we go," his husband said as if he wasn't going to enjoy the oncoming ramble, unable to stifle a wide grin.
"We only had one mode of battle, and it was TOUGH! None of those fancy Abilities, no, no, if you wanted things done, you had to do 'em the hard way! And if someone didn't show up, tough break! Either fight with a three-person team or go home. I remember the time I had a full team against one person - but do you know who that one person just HAD to be?"
"Master Aqua," Dad said under his breath, chuckling.
"Master Aqua," Pop said in a booming voice, as if the very name demanded respect. "She was younger than most battlers, but do you know why they called her Master? Because she dominated every battle anyone ever remembered her being a part of. And that was when battling well wasn't guaranteed. Our ink tanks weren't such high quality as they've got now, and sometimes our Specials didn't even work! Ah, harder times, those."
"You sound like an old grandpa in there," Dad called, stirring the concoction on the stove.
"Old? Come here, you!" Pop dropped the plaid long-sleeve he had been folding and ran into the kitchen to scoop his husband into a bear hug.
"You guys are so adorable," Caurel sighed.
"Yeah, so adorable it's gross," Ecto said with a grin as she returned to the living room, freshly clean and wearing the clothes Caurel had made for her, boots and all.
"Oh my gods," Pop said as the three stepped out of the kitchen to get a better look. "That looks so good on you! Caurel, you designed this?"
"She did," Ecto grinned. "She's a genius."
"I try," Caurel said, blushing.
"Ohh, my baby girl looks so gorgeous," Dad said, stepping closer to give his daughter a tight hug.
"Careful, Dad, don't wrinkle it," Ecto said, smoothing out the black fabric of the jacket.
"Hey, now," the adult Inkling said, patting her on the back before returning to his risotto. "Thank you, Caurel, it's wonderful."
"Yeah," Ecto nodded. "Thanks. I don't think I've ever looked this good."
"Whatever," Caurel laughed.
"No, but seriously. I don't know how to repay you. You worked so hard... When did you have the time, with the tournament still going on?"
"You don't have to get me anything," Caurel shook her head. "Just... Just promise me you'll wear it to the Spring Festival next year?"
"You've got a deal," Ecto smiled. "Okay, let me change out of this before it gets dirty."
"O... Okay," Caurel said, dejected, as Ecto headed back to her room.
"That went right over her head, didn't it?" Dad asked from the kitchen.
"Yep," Caurel nodded, sighing.
"Don't take it personal, dear," Pop said. "You've just gotta smack her in the face with it instead of dropping hints."
"Chin up, Coral Reef," Dad said. "You've still got half a year to think of something."
"I'm... I'm getting tired of this."
"What do you mean?" Pop asked. Caurel simply hugged him, not wanting to talk anymore.
\/\/\/\/\/
"This is it... Calm... Stay calm... Be one with the stage... One with the ink... One with the Zapper..."
Pyxis glanced down at the orange weapon in their left hand. running the fingers of their right along its barrel.
"Help me make some sweet art, my good friend."
Day ten of the tournament had come. The first of four battles was the Fabulous Killjoys against Tropical Mermaids. Pyxis' moment had come. They had already asked Ankyr to watch them, only them, for this battle, and it was too late to back down now. Their mind was overtaken with many feelings. Today, they planned to unleash all of those feelings in a torrent of ink and guts. Their love for Turf War... And their newly flourishing feelings for a certain Inkling.
'Don't think too much about him... His smile... His words...That smile...’ They shook their head, administering a gentle slap to their right cheek. 'Stop that... Breathe... Calm... I'm calm..."
"You ready, my pet?" It was Penny. Pyxis nodded, venturing into the spawn pool. They glanced toward the crowd, and sure enough, Ankyr was right there in front. Their cheeks went orange, but they shook their head again, gave a thumbs up, and sank slowly into the pool.
'Calm... Calm."
The announcement came, and the teams rose up from their spawn points, waiting...
KAPOW!
Pyxis threw a Sprinkler, forward and to the right, before turning to the left and waving their N-Zap '89 in wide arcs, letting out a spray of ink. They ducked into octopus form, pushed themself forward a bit, and jumped off of the starting platform, reverting and inking more turf on the way down. They sprayed in a circle around themself while their teammates covered the rest of the base - all but Rocky, who was already rolling toward the center - then moved up the ramp to their right, spraying as they went.
They knew Urchin Underpass like the back of their hand by now, and had three different basic opening strategies. Their favorite was tackling the right-hand passageway the ramp led up to, throwing a Sprinkler into the center via the enclosed "doorway" at the end, and turning back around to cover the lower level, fence and all - or at least, whatever was left. Penny had taken her Slosher to the area, but had left several intentional gaps as she hastily made her way toward the center area; these were all filled now by Pyxis' main weapon. They then dove into the thick of things from that very same enclosed "doorway", splatting Athena, the roller main, on the way down before aiming their Inkstrike at the center and throwing another Sprinkler, this time onto the opposing team's side. All of this within the first twenty seconds.
They doubled back around to cover anything that had been missed on their side, while the rest of their team pressed onward to the other end. Once the incline area on their side was covered, they tossed a Sprinkler over the central gap to spray on the Mermaids' incline area, before taking the left-hand ramp down to the lowest level. A Sprinkler had been set here, which they quickly disposed of, along with two Ink Mines - one of which almost got them, but they managed to set off the other with their N-Zap. They noticed the opposition's charger user, Nietzsche, firing a few rounds to cover what their previous Sprinkler had done, so instead of charging in blindly, they threw another and finished off the gap, letting loose an Inkstrike in her general direction.
"Thanks for holding the center, dear," Caurel squeaked as she and Rocky swam past.
"There wasn't anything to hold," Pyxis laughed as they followed the two up the incline to their opponents' side of the stage. "You guys must've been holding them up ahead."
"Yep, and they should be coming, right about..."
SPLOOSH! The firing of an Inkzooka announced the arrival of Athena, the Carbon Roller user. Pyxis swam back into the gap when they also noticed Martha, the squad's leader, swimming full-speed in Kraken mode. She managed to splat Caurel with a spinning leap, before reverting to human form and spraying in a wide arc with her Aerospray PG - just before being splatted by Rocky.
Pyxis swam up the alleyway ramp and through the fence there, rising to cover blue with orange. The Rapid Blaster wielder, Sonata, followed them, but they could hear her coming a mile away. They set a sprinkler and dove into the ink, swimming around the corner before zooming right back and popping up to splat her. At this point, the Mermaids had regained control of the center, so Pyxis threw another Sprinkler, launched their Inkstrike as soon as it became available, and dove into the ink hurricane to splat two of the others - Martha was taken out by Penny's Slosher - before pressing on to the opponents' side. Rocky came with them, while Penny and Caurel doubled back to clean up their base area.
The Octoling leaped through the fence and sprayed a wide arc of ink at the bottom level before swimming up the opposite incline to throw a Sprinkler back toward the center, while Rocky rolled right up the ramps with his Carbon Roller Deco. They swam back to meet him at the enemy base, but before they could rendezvous, Rocky was splatted by Burst Bombs from Martha and Athena. They swam back the other way as fast as they could, pursued by all four of the Tropical Mermaids.
They took the incline instead of the fenced way, dropped down to the center, and swam for one of the two ramps on either side of the central valley. Just before they would have been done in by Nietzsche's Kelp Splatterscope, they swam up the ramp, reverted to human form, and spun around in midair, spraying orange ink everywhere. Hearing Burst Bombs being hurled their way, they backflipped away as soon as they had landed, getting caught with the spray but not the full impact. They fired their N-Zap in midair, aiming as best they could, and took out Athena and Sonata. They then reverted to Octo form right before hitting the ink, and quickly swam to safety.
"Good job, bro," Rocky said as he passed them on his way to the center. Caurel and Penny Super Jumped to Pyxis and followed Rocky in, and their Octoling friend did the same once they caught their breath. In a few moments, it was over, and the Killjoys were once again victorious, with Pyxis leading the pack at more than a thousand points of turf inked on their own.
Friends and fans jumped down into the valley to congratulate the Killjoys - and console the Mermaids. Ankyr stared up at Pyxis, who was letting out deep breaths and returning their breathing to normal on the upper area.
"All that..." He had a look of mystified amazement in his eyes, and not the usual warm smile. "That was all for me?"
Pyxis didn't know what they would say in response; they didn't know what they should say or do. Tired, aching, adrenaline rushing, they just did what they wanted: they jumped down, threw their arms around Ankyr, N-Zap '89 still in their left hand, and kissed him. The entire surrounding crowd cheered, and Ankyr's eyes popped wide open. When they finally released him and took their lips from his, they apologized.
"I'm sorry... I'll try to warn you next time, I promise."
"Next time?"
"Do you... want there to be a next time?"
"Very much," he laughed, before clearing his throat. "Um... I mean..."
"Good. Because I want to kiss you, Ankyr... I want to... do a lot of things to you."
"TO me?"
"With you," they corrected, blushing. "I... I thought I'd sworn off this kind of thing, but I guess I want you to be my boyfriend or something. If you're looking for the job..."
"Pyxis..." Ankyr took their hands in his, his face visibly glowing. "I'd love to. But... I can't."
"You... can't?"
"Yes, you can," Caurel said, stepping out of the crowd to grab Ankyr by the arm. "Say yes, Ankyr."
"Caurel..."
"You can. It's okay. The past is the past. This is your present. Embrace it."
"Caurel..." Ankyr let go of Pyxis to hug Caurel tight, shedding tears on her shoulders. "I'm always gonna be there for you."
"I know, Sunshine. Now say yes."
Ankyr let her go and wiped his eyes, turning to face Pyxis again.
"Pyxis... Yes. Yes," he couldn't help but giggle as he took their hands again. "I want... I wanna..."
"I WANNA KNOW WHAT LOVE IS," Penny and Caasi sang at the top of their lungs, making the two blush. "I WANT YOU TO SHOW ME. I WANNA FEEL WHAT LOVE IS. I KNOW YOU CAN SHOW ME!"
"Boooooo," Rocky yelled. "Get a life! And you two, get a room!" His sister elbowed him in the side as usual, and the crew laughed.
"Wanna run off into the sunset?" Ankyr asked. Pyxis grinned.
"Boy, do I ever."
They started running, and the crowd cleared out room for them.
"It's still morning," Rocky yelled after them.
"Nobody cares!"
\/\/\/\/\/
"Hey Mom, you mind if we have another sleepover?"
"I didn't get enough of my wonderful young adults the last time, so yes please," Umi said, smiling at Ankyr and Pyxis, who had come by ahead of time. She set her mug down and rose to her feet, leading them inside the house. "Let's go prepare the place. How many? The usual bunch, or are other squads coming again?"
"We've got the Killjoys, Feel Good, Runaways, Eighty 8s, Sharks, and... My friends across the water wanted to come, but only Shera can make it."
"Oh that's fine, I love Shera!"
"Carina might be able to come later." Umi turned around and made a face at the mention of the Octoling woman.
"...I'll allow it."
"I swear she'll be on her best behavior," Pyxis laughed.
"Mom, before we get started," Ankyr said, as they walked down the hall, "I have an announcement. Or..." He blushed violet. "We have one. Um..." Umi's jaw dropped, and she glanced between the two.
"No way! Are you... Are you about to say, what I think you're about to say?" She turned her attention to Pyxis. "Is he about to say-?" They nodded. Umi covered her mouth with her palms.
"Mom... Pyxis and I are... well... dating."
"Hold that thought," Umi said, turning the doorknob to the spare room and opening the door, a sparkle in her eyes. "Be just a sec." She slammed the door behind her, but the two could hear her jumping around and shouting. "Yes! YES! Yesyesyesyesyesyesyes, YEEES!"
A moment later, she came out of the spare room with blankets under both arms, clearing her throat, and saw the two young adults' faces both blushing bright orange.
"Mom," Ankyr started slowly, "we... don't have sound-proof walls." Umi let out a "hmph" and lifted her head up at this, marching to the living room with her dignity intact and setting down the blankets.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"So... I'm guessing you're happy about it?"
"Are you KIDDING?" She rounded on him, running toward the two to throw her arms around them both. "I'm JUBILANT. I'm on cloud nine! Why, I..." She grabbed hold of Pyxis and stared into their smiling eyes. "I could NEVER in a million years find such a wonderful, kind, clever, amazing person for my young man as this person right here!"
"Umi," Pyxis laughed, still blushing, "I think you might be a little biased."
"Are you kiddin'? I'm COMPLETELY biased! I'm one hundred percent biased! All aboard the Pyxis hype train! Ohh gods I think I need decaf." This earned her more laughs. She took each of their hands and clasped them together. "Oh, but you two... You'll be very happy! I know you'll both be good for each other, I mean you already are! And you'll take good care of my special guy." Pyxis nodded. "And Ankyr, you'll take good care of my dear, dear, friend."
"Of course!"
"Oh... You two..." She squeezed them both tight again. "This is the best present I could ask for! And it's not even my birthday!"
"I guess this means we're not allowed to sleep next to each other in the cushion pile anymore?" Pyxis asked, pulling out more mattresses and blankets.
"What, are you kidding? I let Penny and Caasi, why wouldn't I let you two? Besides, just remember... This is my house, I am the mother, and I. Hear. Everything."
"We're... not at that stage," Ankyr said, blush intensifying. "I don't even think we know what stage we're on."
"It's true, if there's one thing I didn't prepare you for, it was this."
"He's doing fine," Pyxis assured her.
"Fine at what?" Ankyr asked. They shrugged.
"Don't ask me, I'm just as lost as you are."
\/\/\/\/\/
"This is... the first time I've ever been in your room, isn't it?"
"Yep," Ankyr said, gently kicking a shoebox with the Tentatek logo underneath his bed. "I'm... very private when it comes to my room. I don't like anyone being in it, usually. But I needed to bring you here for this."
"Right, you said there needed to be a talk."
"Yeah... He opened his closet and pulled out an old blue notebook - the entire front cover completely covered in ink drawings and scribbles. He sat down on the floor, and Pyxis did the same, waiting for him to begin. "The thing is... If we're gonna be together... I need you to know about this."
"Your journal?"
"No. This is my... 'Caurel notebook'. I've written lots of things about her, like favorite foods and recipes, favorite songs, and all kinds of things that cheer her up, et cetera."
"You love her," Pyxis said, piecing together the notebook with what Caurel had said at the Underpass. "Or, loved. Romantically."
"No," Ankyr shook his head. "That's the problem."
"I don't follow."
"How does Caurel seem to you, hon? What kind of person do you see her as?"
"Selfless," they answered without giving it much thought. "Willing to do anything for her friends."
"True. But she doesn't commit enough time and care to herself. But everyone has their own personal wants and needs, dreams and fears. Caurel is just a person like everyone else."
"Of course."
"She just doesn't tell any of it to anyone. Except me. Because... I'm..." He shook his head. "Guilty."
"Of what?"
"Caurel loved me for years. It took her so long to confess, but she didn't even get to do that the way she planned. It just came out one day... in an awkward way. Our classmates laughed at her. Rocky... silenced them, Rocky-style. It was brutal. But I just sat there, staring at her, then went back to my schoolwork because I didn't know what to say. I didn't feel the same way. I love Caurel. But as a friend, as a surrogate sister. I just couldn't love her 'like that'. And... I don't know if I can ever forgive myself."
"But that's not your fault!" Pyxis took his hand. "You don't have to keep yourself down for something like that. Feelings are feelings. You can't help if it you don't feel the same."
"That's basically what she said," he scoffed. "When we finally talked about it, I mean. But that didn't keep me from feeling this... heavy guilt. I wanted to do what I could for her, be there for her. She tried to shut herself off from the world, but I got in between the walls she put up. Yes, Caurel acts selflessly. Because she loves everyone so much. Her friends and family mean more to her than anything, and she won't do anything to harm us. But... she needs someone to look after her. Someone she'll let in."
"Hence the notebook."
"Yes. I'm... the Caurel Backup Squad or whatever. And... if we're going to be... a couple... Then I need you to be part of that too."
"I'll do it," they nodded.
"You agreed to that way too fast."
"For Caurel? I'll do it. A person who's given me so much... Not just things, but words of wisdom, words of kindness, love and understanding when I need it... How can I help?"
"Get to know this book," he said, handing her the secret notebook. "And help her when she needs it. She has tells... Like when she rubs her right ear or changes her tone just so..."
"Or randomly assaults her brother." This got a laugh out of him.
"She definitely needs affection when that happens. Oh, her favorite place to be kissed is her cheek, just in case you're comfortable with that."
"I can kiss a friend on the cheek," they nodded. "I can also do forehead or top of the head."
"Those are nice," Ankyr smiled.
"Oh, really?" Pyxis made a wide grin and rose up to their knees to plant a kiss on his forehead, making him laugh more. He wrapped his arms around them and let out a content sigh.
"Thank you so much for helping me with this. And... thanks for liking me."
"I do. I like you a lot... much to my chagrin. Or whatever."
"Why chagrin?"
"Eh... I'll spill my guts about that later. Right now I just wanna kiss you more."
"Hit me with your best shot," he chuckled.
"Fire away..."
\/\/\/\/\/
"This is nice."
"Mhmm," Ankyr nodded, his forehead brushing against Pyxis' cheek. The two were lying together in the midst of their friends in his living room, their arms wrapped around each other. Holding each other was a very new experience, and one they didn't want to end, so they figured they'd just each let one arm go numb.
"This is the cutest thing ever," Penny squeaked from her part of the cushion pile, squeezed between Caasi and Caurel as usual.
"How does it feel to no longer be repressed?" Rocky asked in a flat tone, which made Pyxis let out a loud laugh.
"It feels great," they said, pulling Ankyr a bit closer.
"Two down, one to go."
"Whatever that means," Caurel yawned.
"You're still doing the tournament tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah yeah yeah," Pyxis said as they absentmindedly played with Ankyr's hair.
"Take it easy, Jet-Star," Moises laughed. "They're trying to enjoy their BOOOOOYYYFRIEEEND!" This resulted in a multitude of "OOOOoooOOOOOH"s from the other Killjoys, making Ankyr blush and Pyxis sigh.
"How long are they gonna keep doing that?"
"Probably a few days," Ankyr shrugged. "Rocky and Moises though, probably at least two weeks."
"Great," they said dryly, though their smile had returned. "Wanna go sit on the swing and make out?"
"BOY, do I ever!" This got more laughter from the gang as the two got up and walked outside. Their plains were derailed a bit however, as Umi was sitting on the porch swing, drinking coffee as usual.
"Sorry, my lovebirds," She grinned. "I was here first."
"Nah, this is just as good," Pyxis shook their head, taking one side of the swing while Ankyr took the other, sandwiching his mother in.
"Pyxis really loves you, Mom," he laughed.
"The feeling's mutual," Umi said, planting a kiss atop the Octoling's head before doing the same to her son.
"Umi's just... so... great. I don't have the words."
"All I ask is that you all grow up to be even better," the adult Inkling smiled. "It won't be hard, I promise."
"Yeah, right!"
\/\/\/\/\/
"Oh hey, Mom, I thought you were up!"
"Everyone left already?"
"Yep," Ankyr laughed, gesturing to the empty, immaculate living room. "Tournament and all. But they still remembered to clean up."
"Why didn't you go with them, dear?" Umi asked, from where she was making a fresh pot of coffee in the kitchen.
"I'll meet up with them later. I wanted to ask you a favor, Mom."
"Anything for such a gorgeous young man," she smiled, turning around. He held a small brown box that was usually in the bathroom. "You... You want me to cut your hair..."
"I know this is probably..." Ankyr shook his head. "It's time, I think."
"Ankyr... Why did...?" She trailed off, taking the box in her hands.
"I'm listening, Mom."
"Why did you wait until now?"
"I..." He turned around and walked slowly to the living room, and she followed. "I didn't want to make you sad. I wanted to leave something... of that girl that never existed. Something besides that old photo."
"Photo?"
He nodded and approached one of the tables, setting down the box to pick up a framed photograph of him as a very small child, with very long tentacles. "You wanted... to hang on to it, just a little bit, right?" He suddenly frowned at the wounded look on his mother's face as she realized what he meant.
"Oh, no..." She ran to her son and squeezed him tight, cracking the glass frame in the process. "No, no, no, my baby, no. I'm so sorry I let you think that!"
"I... I don't understand..." Even though he was confused - or possibly the confusion was one cause - he felt tears rolling down his face. Umi pulled him toward the sofa and sat down with him, taking the photograph in her hands, pulling it from the frame and discarding the broken shell.
"This picture... This was taken on the day... Do you remember when we went to this park? With the huge dinosaurs?"
"Yeah, I wouldn't get down from the Stegosaurus," he laughed. "It's just a few pictures and scenes in my mind now, but I remember."
"It was after we went to the doctor, and I got you ice cream. You were very sad. Do you remember?"
"I..."
"It was the day he left."
"Was it...? Was that the same day?" She nodded. "I guess I forgot."
"Yes. You were very sad. You had been sad for so long, and then he... I remember thinking that what was left of your heart must have broken that day. But you still had to go to the doctor. Ankyr, I... It took everything I had not to break down in front of you in that hospital."
"It's okay to cry, Mom," Ankyr said, wiping tears from his mother's face.
"I know that, dear. But you were so tiny, and so miserable. I had to smile for you. I had to let you be the only one to cry. At least for that one day." She grasped his hand in hers. "Oh, honey, I was afraid you'd never smile again. But after the doctor, we got ice cream, and went to the park... And then I saw it. That beautiful smile. For the first time in days." She held up the photo. "It wasn't me who snapped this, it was Tia. She was the one who was with us. She was the one who kept me strong. But in that moment, after she took that photo, I finally broke down crying."
"I remember," he nodded. "I ran to you. I kept asking what was wrong. But you just hugged me. Mom... I had no idea!" She embraced him again, rubbing his back.
"There are just some things..."
"Some things kids can't understand, even if you explain it to them."
"No, son," she shook her head, letting him go. "Not because you're kids. Just because you haven't experienced it the same way."
"I guess."
"I kept this photo," she said, taking it in both hands, "not to hold on to something that was never there. I kept it because that was the moment the world stopped crashing down around me. It was the moment I finally thought, 'everything's gonna be okay'. It's been hard... There's no doubt of that. And I know I've screwed up too many things to count. And I could never give you everything you deserve... But we made it. Without him, without... all the people who refused to love you as you are. Somehow or another, I... I raised you. I raised a beautiful, intelligent, kind, wonderful son. This photo, this..." She let it fall to the floor, and held her son's face in her hands. "There is no little girl in that photo, baby. There's a little boy. There is only my little boy!"
"Mom!" Ankyr threw his arms around his mother, sobbing, and she rubbed his back again.
"I've promised you this... many times in your life. But here it is again. I will always be your mother. Life tossed me around, kicked me when I was down... toughened me up for that one reason. So I can be your strength when the world's falling down around you. If you're ever in trouble, you come lay your head on my shoulder. No matter what. Mama's right here. I'm not leaving. And I will always, always love you."
"I love you, too."
"So," she said, smiling, as she let him go and wiped away tears - his, and her own. "What's the fresh new look the young adults are into these days?" "I don't know about all that, but... There is a certain look I'd like..."
\/\/\/\/\/
"Look who finally showed up," Rocky said as Ankyr entered the Yellow Submarine. "Where've you-wait WHAT?"
Rocky jumped up and ran to his best friend, who looked like a whole new person. He was so used to seeing Ankyr with long tentacles tied up in the back, but if the other Inkling were to cut his hair, he never imagined it like this. All of the tentacles were neatly cut to just above the shoulder in the back, and parted to the right in front, eventually curving upward to a small rounded point.
"H... Hey, guys," Ankyr said, a faint tinge of blue on his cheeks. "What do you think?"
"'A' plus plus," Caurel shouted.
"Ten outta ten," Caasi cheered.
"I like it," Rocky shrugged, going back to his food as Pyxis rose to meet their boyfriend.
"I love it," they said, beaming, unable to keep from playing with his hair. "You look so fine."
"Thanks," he said, blush intensifying as they wrapped their arms around him and pressed their lips against his.
"Oh..." Pyxis pulled back. "Sorry, I keep forgetting to say something beforehand."
"It's okay," he shook his head, smiling, before returning the kiss.
"I'M EATING HERE!" Rocky yelled from the booth.
"Whatever," Pyxis laughed, pulling Ankyr to the booth by the hand. "You're just mad that we lost."
"You guys lost?" Ankyr asked, wide-eyed.
"I mean, against the Runaways, did we stand much of a chance?"
"Hey, we are just as good as them," Rocky shouted.
"Shut up and eat your pasta," Caurel sighed. Rocky stuffed spaghetti into his mouth, but made angry eating noises.
"Who all played?" Ankyr asked as his own plate of pasta arrived in front of him without even having to order. "Oh... Thanks, Jude!"
"No big," the waiter winked before moving fluidly across the restaurant to his next table.
"Tandy and Ty," Pyxis began. "And Jubilee and Bruiser. Against me, Jet-Star, Caurel, and Penny."
"Ecto was gonna play," Penny said, finally looking up from where she and Caasi had been daydreaming in each other's arms. "But she was busy, so I jumped in."
"Ghoul, you've been showing up to battle less and less for a while now," Rocky said. "I'm concerned. Is there a health issue?"
"No, I've just been busy with a lot of new ideas," Ecto shook her head, putting the notepad away and grabbing a butterknife. She opened a few packets of butter to spread on a breadstick as she spoke. "And I keep getting more all the time. Some of us are trying to build our futures, y'know."
"Oh yeah, by the way, I'm set," Penny said, eyes lighting up. "I signed a new five-and-some-change-film contract that's gonna have me working for like, at least the next decade."
"That's a long time," Moises said. "Kids are gonna grow up as those movies come out."
"Wow, I never thought of it that way..."
“We’ll have our business built by then,” Caurel said, to which Moises nodded. “You can put some of our clothes in your movies!”
“I’ll ask,” Penny laughed, definitely excited by the idea.
"Time passes so fast," Pyxis said. "When you really think about it..."
"It's the last year of high school," Caurel said slowly. Ankyr, Ecto, and Moises lowered their heads. "Sorry, guys."
"Not this again," Rocky sighed. "Why do you guys always have to be downers? Why can't we just enjoy the present while it lasts?"
"Because it's not going to last very long," Ecto said. Everyone stared at her - except for Rocky, who tried to stare her down. "Let's face it, the future's coming right at us at a merciless speed. And we can't fight it. We can't stop it."
"It's bulletproof," Moises nodded.
"I don't want things to change," Rocky said, his eyes filling with tears. "I want us to battle every day and eat at the Submarine and crash at each other's houses like we always have."
"But Rocky," Pyxis said, shaking their head, "you've already changed. You don't jump right to the lobby after school anymore. You go to the beach and clean up the trash. You've done it so much that we got Bluefin Depot back. You've changed. You care about something other than Turf War." Rocky had no answer to this, and moved his chair to look away from the table.
"We can still play Turf War," Ankyr said. "Tandy and Ty do it - and they've been in college for two years. We'll find the time, because it's something we care about."
"Two things we care about," Moises said. "Turf War... and spending time with each other."
"Couldn't have said it better myself," Caasi nodded.
"So, that settles it," Penny said. "Things are going to change. And we're going to change with them. Together."
"Okay," Rocky said, turning back to his squad. "That doesn't sound too bad, after all."
"To the future, then," Caurel said. "With a hollow-point smile."
"TO THE FUTURE!"
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((I want to give a super special Thank You to anyone who’s read this entire thing, all ten chapters of what has become possibly my favorite work. These young adults have been such a big part of my life and my mental real estate for the past few years. I honestly intended to wrap this up like two years ago, but eh, life happens. Seriously though, if you’ve grown to love these characters as you read this story, then I’m so so happy, and I’ve successfully done my job.
Well... PART of my job. There are other books to come, after all.
Yes, I know, there are still LOTS of unanswered questions and unresolved plot threads, but trust me, we will get to a lot of them soon, and the rest... eventually. If there’s something you’re burning to know, feel free to ask me! I can at least tell you when it’ll be answered in the story!
Book 2 will cover the rest of Ankyr, Rocky, Caurel, and Ecto’s school year, and the time directly after - Spring vacation and maybe the start of university for a bunch of our young adults, though I am saving most (if not all) of the university stuff for book 3. Or, planning to. We’ll see how it goes. IF you read through this whole thing, then you know there aren’t many actual matches. This is because I’m bad at writing action scenes (though writing this series has definitely forced me to get better at it), and it takes me forever to do so. So you can expect about the same amount, or maybe even less, in the second book. That being said, I really hope you enjoyed the final battle scene I put in here, Pyxis’ “work of art and message to Ankyr”. I put everything I had into making it stand out and be the best battle in this book. So if you enjoyed it, I am doubly grateful.
...And I think I’m done blathering for now. Get outta here, you party animals!
Catch you on the flip side!
