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There is a difference in being splatted and being killed, both can end in death, yes, but one is much more inherently brutal than the other.
Splatting is when the balance of ink in one's body is offset, causing the unlucky inkfish's porous skin to burst. A quick and merciful end, really.
Killing is when someone's body is damaged beyond repair, it's messy, it draws blood, creates a corpse. It requires a weapon, a non ink based weapon, one with sharp edges or metallic projectiles. It's inefficient, creates unnecessary pain, takes more time, more intent.
The war had been going on for years now, spurred by lack of land from rising sea levels. The inklings and octarians fought viciously against one another for precious bits of remaining land, giving neither side any mercy.
It had been years since the grueling siege of Arowana Castle, yet its effects could still be felt among the various ranks of soldiers. The platoon the Second Lieutenant was in charge of had lost so many good men and women during that excruciatingly long month, Some of his closest friends died in that siege, as well as his best friend. That's when it really started to set in, the reality of all of this.
If only things stayed as they were, if the tides decided not to rise. Neither sides would be fighting this damn war. Their respective species would still be peaceful with each other, would still be able to live comfortably amongst one another. They would still be-
None of that mattered anymore, a trap had been set by his Commander, a plan to kill the Octarian King. A disgraceful plan, feign surrender and once the King came to negotiate, ambush him and his guards. Get rid of their King and they all would be without orders, they'd be easily defeated in the month, and everyone could finally go home.
"Wait- Me!?" a voice exclaimed, his voice slightly cracking.
"Yes, I have chosen you, Second Lieutenant Cuttlefish, to execute the ambush. Is anything wrong with that?" The commander almost seemed to loom over her subordinate.
"N-No! I'm honored! Really! I'm just, confused. Why me?" He said, sinking into his chair.
"I've been told you had already been acquainted with Octavio before the war, is that correct?"
Acquaintances is a bit of an understatement -
"Yes."
"Then he might recognize you, lower his guard maybe. It will make things easier."
For you
"Don't disappoint me, Second Lieutenant."
I will
"I won't, ma'am."
Weeks ago, the Commander had commissioned a trusted weapon smith, Ammoses Shellendorf, to create a weapon for the attack, and now it had finally arrived at camp.
Cuttlefish opened the case, resting inside was a simple pistol, along with a few magazines, and an unnecessarily lengthy user manual. Guns like this were usually for the sole purpose of hunting, but there was an example that had to be made, he wasn't allowed to give his friend an honorable death. No, he had to humiliate the Octarian King, shooting him down like some wild game.
The Commander called upon a few messengers to deliver the news of "surrender" and location of the negotiations to the Octarian court. Days passed before a message of confirmation had returned. It was time.
It was time to kill his best friend, well, his best friend from before all of this. That siege really changed everything, it was the first time they had seen each other after the war had started. He never saw the King the same way after that, after realizing what he could do, after realizing that he himself wasn't so innocent either. Why did it have to come to this?
The plan had gone swimmingly, the King had believed their surrender and had come to the agreed meeting place of the summit of Mount Nantai, a mountain on the edges of both of their territories. A few elites guarded his sides with suspicion, but the King himself however had seemingly let his guard down. A table was placed at the summit, tea and crab cakes were set neatly as the Second Lieutenant closely watched the Octarian King's accent. They were all watching from below, hidden in perfectly matched green, there was no way to get out of this, for either of them.
"Craig! It's been so long since we've actually been able to talk!" The King exclaimed, kneeling down to the table.
The Second Lieutenant watched his enemy's every move, saying nothing.
"What, you think I was going to bring my army and attack? You've already surrendered. Only some guards for the journey." He gestured to the two guards that were already heading down the mountain and towards the base.
The Second Lieutenant stayed silent, a trembling metallic shine from underneath the table had gone unnoticed by the King.
"Speaking of companions, where are your superiors? I suppose your species isn't the best about punctuality- sorry, just trying to lighten the mood."
I can't do this. Just- Just stop talking.
"Silent treatment? Craig, look... You know I have no choice, I need to do what is the best for my people. We need this land just as much as your people do..."
Why won't he shut up?
"...The sea levels aren't going down anytime soon, hell they might rise even higher this coming decade, we need all land we can get..."
Shut up.
"...We need to negotiate the terms of surrender..."
Shut up.
"Craig, are you ok?"
Shut up.
"Craig, look at me, this is for the best... For the both of our species. Now did they give you any contracts to see this though or shall I-"
"SHUT UP."
Craig had stood up in a flash, knocking the table over in the process, porcelain cups and plates shattered on the ground below him.
The barrel of the lethal weapon was aimed at Octavio's forehead, the king frozen in shock.
Craig couldn't bail out now, he and the rest of the soldiers would have to be the audience to witness the awful end of this war.
But as he stared into the widened eyes of his enemy, his friend, his best friend, his-
Octavio made a run for it, Craig shot, he didn't know where, he's never even used one of these damned things before. A loud bang followed by an agonizing scream tore through the quiet mountain air. Octavio collapsed to the ground, red liquid pooled beneath him, staining the pristine green foliage that covered the ground.
What did I do?
There was a soft clatter as the pistol dropped from the Second Lieutenant's hand onto the soft grass below.
He's so still.
Craig stepped forward.
The guards the Octavio had brought were now running up the mountain, Inkling soldiers revealed themselves and rained green ink down upon them.
Octavio wheezed a raspy breath, Craig took a step back.
A grotesque mix of blood and ink had begun to cover Octavio's body, his left side clumsily reverting to his simpler form as the Second Lieutenant did nothing but watch.
He couldn't move, his gaze was fixed on the horror in front of him. He did this. This was his fault.
"I- I'm-" He couldn't get any words out, his mouth hung slightly open, trying to ouch any semblance of a sentence out.
Craig took a step backward, then another, then another, and another, and another, and soon he was running. Running far, far away from here.