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She had always been taught to hate Octolings.
“Don’t run past the gate!” Her mother would yell, “The Octolings will eat you!”
“The Octolings are cruel Inkfish, who live to cause us Inklings harm,” Her history teacher would say.
“Quit that!” Her father would snap, “If you do that, the Octolings will get ya!”
So when she had been offered a job by Captain Cuttlefish, to join the New Squidbeak Splatoon and kill Octolings and DJ Octavio, she had been thrilled. To kill the beings that haunted her childhood and life had been a blessing in disguise.
Or so she thought, up until the events of the Deep Sea Metro.
When Three saw Captain Cuttlefish, with an Octoling, inside a blender with bright flashing lights, being controlled by a crazy-bass telephone, she had assumed the reason he was in danger was because of the Octoling.
Again, that was until her mind had got hijacked, and that Octoling had been the one to save her.
She woke up from the pressure and noise of the sky and the helicopter. When she had looked around, she saw the same Octoling, staring at her, smiling. A weird feeling fluttered in her stomach when she saw her. It had seemed like it was something Octolings did, to neutralize their prey or something. Like eels that shock their prey before eating so it doesn’t attack them. Or something. Part of Three wanted to strangle her a little bit too.
Eight, was her name. She had learned that from Cuttlefish when she woke up on the helicopter after Eight had saved Inkopolis from Commander Tartar.
“Um…Captain? Did you hear me..?” Eight said, snapping her back to reality.
“Apologies Eight. Please repeat yourself.”
“I just um…wanted to know if there was anything you needed me to do today..like um..patrol or anything. Marie, Callie, neo AND 4 are all out, so..” She figeted with her hands, and Three could tell she was thinking very hard.
“Ah. No. You are free to do whatever you’d like.”
“Oh well… I don’t have anything to do,” She said, giving Captain a cute nervous smile.
She nodded slowly, getting off from the top of her crate, “Let’s go for a walk then,” She heard her own voice say.
Why, why, why, did she say that? She was supposed to hate Octolings. The two had started walking. Three seemed drawn to Eight. It must be some sort of Octoling technology thing. She was walking into Eight’s trap.
They walked for a little bit, before Captain decided it was time to confront Eight.
Three whipped around, standing in front of Eight. Her hand clenched the Hero Shot, ready to pull it out from its case.
“I know what you’re doing Eight! You think I’m walking right into your trap, but I’m not!” She pulled out her Hero Shot, aiming it at Eight.
“What?!” Eight squeaked, taking a step back, “I don’t know what youre talking about, I-I swear Captain!” Captain swore she could see the Octoling’s hands shaking.
“Don’t toy with me! Making me feel drawn to you..making me feel all..funny…” Oh codfish. She was actually so stupid.
“I…I don’t..I thought that’s just how Inklings felt when they liked someone! I’m not doing anything on purpose.. I swear,” She said the last part as serious as Captain thought she was able.
She dropped her Hero Shot, and pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes.
“Eight. I owe you an apology.”
“For what, Captain?”
“I used to think all Octolings were all evil. I hated Octolings, for a long time,” She said bluntly, “but..I think I’ve actually grown to quite like you, Eight. I think you’re a really kind, and to be honest, the most beautiful Octoling I’ve ever met,” Captain said, mumbling the last part.
A faint blush tickled Eight’s face and her tentacles curled up.
“In school, for the short time we had it before we joined the army, we were taught to hate Inklings. We were told they would eat us if we didn’t kill them immediately,” Eight said slowly, “but now I’m learning that none of the things I learned were true. We all were just taught to hate eachother.”
Captain nodded, “I agree. We were also taught the whole… eating the other thing,” She said, chuckling a bit.
Eight stared at her with wide eyes.
“Whats wrong? Oh cod- don’t tell me Octolings actually do eat Inklings-“
“What?! No- no..You just look really pretty when you laugh. Octolings do not eat Inklings. I swear.
Captain laughed again, smiling more.
The two continued to talk about the sterotypes they had placed on the other race for a long time, laughing and smiling as they talked.
“Wow Eight!” They both heard Callie yell from not too far away, “You actually got the Captain to laugh!”
Eight smirked at Captain. She forced her face back to her resting face.
“Callie,” She said slowly, “Anything to report?”
Callie shook her head, “Only you two cuties! Being uhh.. cute!”
Captain sighed. Oh boy.
“Eight!” Four called, gesturing her over.
Just as Eight was about to leave, she turned to Captain.
“I’d really like to hang out with you some more, Captain.”
“Me too, Eight.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Eight asked, eyes sparkling.
She nodded, giving Eight a smile.
THE END