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The bright midday sun cast its rays down upon a pier where a trio of cephalopods was making their way toward a fleet of very luxurious-looking yachts. While the red Octoling and yellow Inkling looked excited, their green-hued companion had a scowl on her face. Beads of sweat dripped down her face as she tried to keep up with the other two who were running surprisingly fast considering the extreme temperature of the day.
“Come on! Keep up, Midori!” Ayumi sprinted down towards the farthest end of the pier, Ayano in tow. Midori, unlike the other two, was not running and, in fact, did not look too enthused about the entire situation. Midori originally had plans to recon Octo Canyon, as she did most days, but unfortunately, Cap’n had insisted she take the day off. Even worse, he said it would be best for her to hang out with the other agents, including Ayano. She sighed as she angrily followed behind the other two.
“Can you at least explain what we’re doing out here, Ayumi? You literally just said ‘hey guys, I have something cool planned’ and didn’t give us anything else!” The anger building up in the oldest agent was evident, her voice having the slightest hint of aggression in it. That frustration changed to shock however as she stared at what could only be described as the fanciest yacht she had ever seen. The outside was polished to perfection, the bright white allowing the green-inked squid girl to see her reflection. The two other cephalopods were already boarded and were looking down expectantly at her.
“So let me guess, you want me to get on this death trap don’t you.”
“Oh? Is the mighty agent 3 scared of a little boat? Huh?~” Ayumi’s words came out teasingly, earning her a glare from Midori.
“Midori, it will be just fine. Join us, alright? Please?” Ayano’s soft voice sent visible shivers down the eldest agent. She didn’t respond, and instead sighed and climbed aboard the ship. She hopped onto the deck and turned to look at Ayumi with a slightly annoyed glare.
“Okay, I’m here. Can you explain what this is all about? Did Cap put you up to this?”
“That old man wishes he could have something this cool. Nah, Pearl lent me the boat for the day, and Ayano really wanted to see the ocean during the sunset sooooo, now we’re here!” Ayumi grinned and ran off towards what looked to be where the controls were, leaving Ayano and Midori alone.
“Are you excited, Midori? I heard the ocean is really pretty at sunset.” Ayano looked up sheepishly at the other agent, hoping to get a response only to see the girl with pigment on her cheeks.
“As if. I don’t even want to be here. I’d rather be doing recon back at the canyon.” Midori looked away, turning away from the Octoling and making her way up to Ayumi. She rushed up and saw the girl flicking a few switches on the controls. “Do you even know how to drive this thing?”
“Well no duh! You think Pearl would lend me the boat if I didn’t- Are you blushing?” Midori’s face was bright green, her ears even having some of the pigment. She quickly snapped to attention, grabbing her tentacles and using them to cover her face. “What?! N-No! I-I… just drive!” The older girl walked away and hid near the back of the control room, before plopping down and attempting to hide her face. Ayumi simply shrugged and quickly started up the engine.
“Alright, let’s go!” She pulled the chain that sounded the ship’s horn before they took off.
It didn’t take long for the agents to throw down the anchors and start their party. After an encounter with a smallfry, which promptly got kicked like a soccer ball by a scared-looking Ayumi whose only response was “never again”, the three could finally settle and enjoy the soft ocean breeze. Ayano attempted to fish up something that wouldn’t traumatize Ayumi, meanwhile, the yellow squid shouted profanities at the salmonid from the loudspeakers attached to the boat. However, Midori was clearly not in the mood. Neither of the other two cephalopods would allow their friend to sit idly by, and they dragged her over to join them. Music roared over the speakers, a fast upbeat song from Off the Hook’s latest summer album blaring while Ayano danced on the deck. She had the rhythm down and was moving gracefully across what looked to be a dancefloor, although it was a bit unpolished. Midori stopped in her tracks, her face lighting up again, “...I can’t do this. Ayumi… could you please drop me off at the shore?”
“What?! Come on we were just about to-”
Midori responded with an anxious but stern glare, and Ayumi quickly got the hint and ran up to the controls. Midori sighed and looked back up at Ayano, only to feel her face heat up once more. Her gazing was halted however when the two heard a voice blare over the speakers. “OH SON OF A BI-”
Midori looked over and made eye contact with Ayano, her face lighting up more yet still managing to say what they were both thinking. “That can’t be good.”
“Ayumi, what is going on?” Both Midori and Ayano saw the other girl was panicking, pressing all the buttons on the control panel while she silently swore under her breath.
She looked back up and giggled nervously, “So, uhhhh, hehe… the ship ain’t working.”
“WHAT?!” Midori yelled and shoved Ayano out of the way, panic showing itself on her face. “No no no! This can't be happening! I can’t be stuck out here for another second!”
“I’ll go check the propeller and see if something is going on.” Ayano quickly ran towards the farthest side of the ship, leaving Ayumi in charge of helping Midori calm down.
“Yo, chill. It’s fine. We can call a coast guard and then be on our merry way! Plus this is THE Pearl’s boat. They’ll be here before nightfall.”
“No! I do not want to be out here any longer.”
“Midori, calm down. Are you scared of the ocean or something?”
“NO! Of course, I’m not scared of the ocean. I’m scared… of Ayano, and I don’t want to be around her any longer than I have to.”
“Wait… what?” The green squid stopped in her tracks and turned to see a shocked Octoling looking back at her. She didn’t say anything however, neither of them did. Ayano just whimpered and ran off leaving the two shocked agents.
“Excuse me what? Please tell me there was more to that thought.” Ayumi crossed her arms and looked over at Midori with the slightest hint of anger.
“I-I don’t want to be around Ayano anymore… be-because whenever I’m around her…,” Midori’s face began to light up again, her cheeks turning bright green, “my heart starts to feel weird and I get a pain in my chest.” Almost instinctively she reached up and pressed a hand against her breast, her eyes closing as she looked away from Ayumi. The yellow Inkling’s eyebrows lifted up in recognition. She knew Midori was not the type to avoid eye contact, let alone get embarrassed to this degree, but at the same time, she also knew that Midori was feeling something she hadn’t before.“...So basically… you have a crush on her.”
“What?!” Midori’s voice squeaked, her eyes racing as she looked Ayumi over as if she wasn’t even speaking in their own language. “N-No! That’s not… That’s”
“You have a crush on her…,” Ayumi’s grin grew as she saw that Midori was shocked, “come on Midori. I’ve known you for almost a year now, you really thought you could hide it?”
“I-I mean… I-I,” The third agent of the Squidbeak Splatoon turned to look at a smirking Ayumi, her grin making the green Inkling’s blush grow even more powerful. She didn’t like boosting the younger squid’s ego, but what she was saying made sense, even if the older girl didn’t want to admit it...
“YES! Okay, I like her, I just don’t know how I would even tell her if she clearly doesn’t even reciprocate. Does she reciprocate? I mean she never even looks at me that way so now I’mjustsittingherenot-” Midori looked back up and saw Ayumi’s smirk at its toothiest. It was a bit intimidating to a certain degree. “So what, gonna laugh your ass off at me now?”
“Haha! Yes, but later. Right now, I know exactly what to do to fix this. But I’m going to need you to listen to everything I tell you. You in?” Ayumi held her hand out, her smirk now replaced with her usual dimpled, toothy grin.
“...Fine, I’m in.”
Midori saw the Octoling off towards the port of the ship, her arms dangling off the railing. She was looking off into the distance, her tentacles swishing around in frustration and anxiety. Midori had interacted with the octo enough times to pick up on her cues, but it hurt a lot more this time knowing she was the culprit behind her current emotions. The Inkling didn’t have much time to think, however, she had to talk to her now before her barely existing confidence faded. She took in a deep breath and stepped forward joining her comrade in resting against the railing. Ayano didn’t make any movements, even her tentacles stopped moving altogether. Midori tried to speak but felt a lump form in her throat. She knew she had to make the first move, it was the only way.
“Ayano… I know I upset you. I’m sorry, I know it was stupid and I promise I will never talk behind your back again. But,” Midori turned her head and looked over to the shorter girl, finally raising her head to look at her. “I was hoping I could do something… to make it up? Just come with me, I promise it won’t be a waste of your time.”
Nothing, her expression didn’t even seem to change. For a moment Midori lost hope, and she could sense another feeling growing in her heart, only this one hurt a lot more. She was about to turn before she heard a quiet, “Sure.”
“Where exactly are we going?” Ayano spoke up, her hand currently held gently by Midori.
“We’re almost there, I promise.” Midori was guiding a blindfolded Ayano through the ship’s port side making sure that the girl didn’t trip during their little trek. The Octoling’s tentacles were moving anxiously again and Midori could tell she was getting impatient, “We’re here”
Ayano lowered her tentacles from her eyes to see something bright and beautiful: the sunset off the bow of the ship, reflecting off a polished wooden dance floor. Suddenly she heard a song start to play over the speakers, and she looked up to see Ayumi manning the controls and waving at the two squids down below. “Ayano… would you mind… dancing with me?”
Ayano stood with mouth agape, what looked to be tears welling up in her eyes. Midori suddenly faltered, quickly backpedaling. “Oh jeez, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“No! No, it’s fine. Yes, I would love to dance with you.”
Midori's smile was the biggest it had been in years, and it only grew once she took Ayano’s hand in her own. The soft music commenced and the two began their slow and gentle dance. Despite Midori being very agile and athletic it took her a bit to get used to the rhythm, nearly tripping over herself and getting a giggle out of Ayano. “Just follow my lead.”
It didn’t take long before the two started to get in sync, and together they began to dance while the sun disappeared and the moon arrived in its glory to continue lighting the two dancers, far into the evening. The older agent spun the younger Octo and then gently brought her close again to hold her by the waist, a sweet soft giggle erupting from the Octoling.
“You know, Octarians used to joke that Inklings could never dance slowly. They were always too hyperactive to stop.” Ayano looked up at Midori, her cheeks flushed a bright red. The green Inkling returned the gaze, her cheeks lit up almost as much in her own green hue.
“Well, I think I’m the one exception, huh?” Midori grinned, her smile growing wider with the sound of Ayano’s laughter. She looked down at the beautiful glowing Octoling and felt her heart flutter. Now, this was a feeling she could get used to.
“Yeah, the plan went great. They both totally fell for the boat not working. Can’t believe they didn’t see the key wasn’t in the ignition. And you were so right, those two were practically screaming for each other.” Ayumi leaned over the railing and saw the two still embracing and dancing to the soft-sounding song, wrapped in each other’s arms and seemingly unaware of the boat’s movement. The devilish little Inkling snickered as she made her way towards the steering wheel, her phone nestled betwixt her shoulder blade and large ears.
“Do you want me to pick you guys up? Marina is here and we can help anchor the boat.” Pearl’s excitement could not be hidden, and neither could Marina’s who was cheering so loud she could be heard in the background of the call.
“That would be great, I’m about to dock in the same place so just meet us there. I’ll be there in about… give me like five minutes.”
“You got it, kiddo. We’ll be there before you can say don’t get cooked!”
Ayumi heard a giggle that definitely came from Marina before the click of Pearl hanging up rang in her ear. She looked once again to where the two new lovers were bundled up against each other, Ayano resting her head on Midori’s shoulder while Midori rested her head right on top of Ayano’s, her lips pressed against the Octoling’s bright red tentacles. The yellow squid smirked, a light blush lining her freckled cheeks as she watched the two lovers. Sure, she was definitely proud of herself for making the plan work, even with Midori’s little slip-up, but more so, she was happy to see the two finally relaxing after what they both went through: in peace and harmony in their little heaven.
“Holy shrimp…Callie and Marie are gonna love this tea.”