Chapter Text
Four makes it over to Octo Canyon, latish as usual, surprised to see that she isn't the only one here. Her 'way too serious' coworker; Three, had shown up too, as well as a new girl she hadn't met before. In front of them were the famed Callie and Marie, both suppressing a grin of their own.
"Good. Took you long enough," Three says, choosing not to address the nervous lady beside her. "Anyway, what were we called here for, Agent 2?"
"For this, you can just address me as Marie." She replies, pulling out two crumbled notes, with Callie pulling out another for the Octoling, a translated note for Eight, who couldn't speak Inkling very well. Callie, being as she was with Octavio for a while, she kept a minimal level of Octarian—perhaps from muscle memory by being under the control of the Hypno-Shades. Upon liberation, she had been hit with a massive wave of memory loss regarding the language.
Although, considering it looked ten times dirtier than the other two, she barely managed to get it done.
'Dear Agents of the New Squidbeak Splatoon,' Four reads aloud, slightly giddy from being addressed so properly. 'We wish to honour you for your hard-work recently. With everything that's happened over the past few years, we think you all deserve a break.'
'Okay, enough formal chatter,' Three adds, subconsciously mimicking Callie's voice. 'Come to Mount Nantai with us!!! It'd be super fun!!! We'll!!! Pay!!! Please!!!'
Looking up from their papers, they're met with her beaming eyes. Marie doesn't even attempt to stop her—she wants this equally as much.
... "I can't say no to that, especially to the face I worked day and night to rescue," Four says, accidentally being a tease. "How long will the trip be?"
"Oh, some paths are blocked, so... we'll take five hours to arrive, give or take? Normally, it would be three. Then, we'll probably stay a week." Marie replies.
Eight nudges Three when hearing her codename. If anything, she'd made sure to learn how to refer one of her numerous heroes. Following that, Eight nods, pointing to her messy paper.
All that was left was Three. When she speaks, she almost sounds spoiled.
"Only if I get my own room."
"No can do, we already—"
"Then I'll pass. You have fun." Three turns away, heading for the manhole.
"W-WAIT-WAIT!!!" Callie rushes over, blocking her path, nearly stumbling over from her swooning's abrupt ending. "I-I'm sure we can figure something out! R-right, Marie?!"
"U-uh, yeah..." She says, fidgeting with her parasol. "I'll talk to the staff and see what we can do..."
Three gave out a pitiful sigh, rubbing her tentacles before reluctantly positioning herself next to Four and Eight.
"Alright," Callie twirls and claps. "It's settled! We'll depart in three days time in the late night. We still have some work stuff to do, so why don't, euh... you three get to know each other in the meanwhile?"
Callie and Marie exit through the manhole, leaving the agents alone at the hideout.
"U-uhm, hey! You!" Four points at Eight. "I don't really have a good history with Octarians, but it's nice to meet you! I'm the fourth agent here, so Four's good."
Eight doesn't reply, instead hesitantly nodding to Four's strange choice for an introduction. And the pointing felt unnecessarily stern, almost accusing, especially with the way she stood fierce and certain, combined with her hyper voice. Eight's stomach twists slightly, she backs away with a step. Four notices it too, looking down on herself for the idiotic start. She bites her lip, her mind wandering elsewhere.
Already, she wasn't greeted with the most kindest of looks upon making it to Inkopolis Square, from those smart enough to know something was up (not smart enough to spot the outside suckers, though). But Three was similar in the sense, with the fact that she also beat up her boss—so she didn't overthink it too much. After all, she still saved her.
Even so, she doesn't reply.
"U-uhm, Four, this is Eight. She used to be part of the Octarian army, and she recently got out of this large metro station that was, a lot, to say the least."
"The statue thing on the news? That was you?"
"I-I'm surprised you guessed it so easily. Anyway, yeah, that's her. Ta-daaa..."
On Three's end, it was difficult for her to speak for Eight. Her word choice was risky—to put it clearly, she didn't know the girl at all. She could say 'traumatic', but that might be a lie, or undervaluing Eight's mental strength. It was a small chance that it was the case, and that Eight simply shrugged everything off with ease, but she wasn't taking it.
The past few weeks were awful; second-guessing everything she's done with the New Squidbeak Splatoon up to this point—and if combatting Octarians was the right play to go by. Three gave Eight a place to stay, and helps her transition into the outside, but... nothing she'd do felt like it could ever muster up to her anxiety.
So, just by being around Eight, Three feels terrifyingly guilty, her stomach beginning to share the same trait of Eight's, churning into a haunting nausea.
Now, the three of them stand, eace on edge and completely frozen, as if the faintest gust of wind could knock them all over, or sweep them towards the Splatlands.
"I gotta say," Four blurts out, tilting her head for a better look. "Y-you got a nice outfit. I dig heavily the crop-top. And those heels—you did all that in heels!"
"Eight stares, bringing herself up and down, back and forth, before easing in, too, loosening her grip on Three's hero-gear. She rapidly nods—her head moving faster than an Inkbrush in Clam Blitz, letting the compliment sway her completely.
She smiles brightly, forgetting her nerves before walking over for a proper greet—a light hug with her new partner. Four returns the favor, feverishly patting her on the back.
"Seriously, though!" She says, with a radiant smirk. "Where did you get these—cause I gotta know!"
***
Four arrives last, again, her frantic rushed steps breaking the scarce silence of Octo Canyon. Eight waves, holding out four fingers.
"Oh!!!" Four yelps, almost spilling her luggage. "That's sweet of you, but-like-it'd be weird to use codenames for a vacation. Don't you think we'd all get some weird glares?
—'Oh, heya, Three! And what's up, Eight! Oh, look, it's One and Two!' Do you see the point I'm making?"
Eight shakes her head.
"Okay-well-point is-you can just call me Surume..."
"She probably didn't understand," Three adds. "She isn't used to this language after leaving the underground. Me, Callie and... okay, it's mostly Marina—we're all teaching her bit by bit, but it's gonna take a while for her to start conversing with us."
Surprisingly, Four never noticed, even after the multiple hour long conversation about the trio's clothing.
"O-oh," Four replies, oddly embarrassed. "U-uh, yeah girl, stick it to F-"
"S-Surume..."
"...O-OR you can just do your own thing! Yeah! Nice! Booyah...! And you, Kaori, wanna stay Kaori?"
"Why even bother asking at that point?"
"Well, I'd say your preference is important."
"But you called me Kaori anyway..."
"Did I?" Surume grins. "I said DJ Sango, no?"
"Kaori is fine, thanks..." She waves her off, covering her face with her free hand.
"So," Surume continues, taking a seat on the wooden bench. "Where are Callie and Marie anyway? Did we get duped?"
"Weh-en four van." Eight suddenly, and surprisingly replies.
Kaori moves up to Eight, speaking in a quieter tone, her face still slightly flushed from earlier. "Almost. Try saying the words faster. What you intent can change if you slow down the pronunciation. 'Went-for-van. They went for the van.'
She nods back before returning to face Surume. "Wentforvan." She repeats. Kaori can't help but snicker, seeing as how she turned up the speed to the max.
"Good. G-good... keep it up, you're improving quickly."
Eight doesn't even get to celebrate, being rudely interrupted by Surume and Kaori's ringtones lighting up at the same time—Callie and Marie respectively. Kaori answers to Marie immediately—too used to receiving mission sightings from her superiors.
"Three speaking, engaged and ready. What is the situation, ma'am?"
There's no reply, all Kaori heard was Eight mimicking Surume's barely kept giggles.
"I-I mean, euh, what's up...?"
"I hope you can see now why we proposed this. Anyway, the van's ready and filled. Come back down to the Square with your packaging, Callie should be there bring you guys over, and then we'll be on our way."
"Yes, m-ma'am..."
"It's too late to be calling me that."
"Y-yes, Marie..." Kaori's ears droops low before shamefully walking around in circles. As she hangs up, Surume loses complete control of her self, using poor-little Eight as her cane.
"Y-you know," she cries laughing. "I-I don't think I've ever called her ma'am my entire time with her—and y-you're certainly doing good, at making sure that I won't ever!"
Kaori, with her head low and downcast, doesn't reply, instead grabbing her bags to head for the manhole. Eight swiftly follows, leaving the snickering Inkling alone at the Canyon.
"H-hey! Wait for me!"
***
Marie was the better driver of the two cousins, Callie would often drive past the limit. In fact, Marie, at one point, theorized that she had gone off to prison for one to many tickets, which explained her total disappearance. If anything, though, she would do wonderfully at keeping her from drifting away to a nice nap while on the road.
"Why don't we play something? Surume, you're still not super familiar with our songs, right? How about Calamari Inkantation?"
"If you play that," Kaori interrupts, directly behind the driver's seat. "Eight might float away. You know how much that song means to literally anyone."
"Starting off too strong, then?" She gleefully chuckles. "Usually it's the fans doing the work, giving newbies the starter list, but I'll think it over..."
Meanwhile, Eight is watching a video, titled 'Splatfest funny compilations #96' on her new device, courtesy of Off The Hook—currently playing a clip of the SpongeBob vs. Patrick 'fest back when the Squid Sisters ran Inkopolis News.
"I remember that one," Kaori remarked. "I was team SpongeBob, personally..."
"Really?!" Callie cheered, squirming in her seat. "I couldn't ever imagine you watching that in general, honestly. That entire thing was totes rigged..."
Surume shakes her head, unimpressed. "You guys are crazy. It's always gonna be Patrick. He's the one who won after all, right, Marie?"
Marie nodded with a delightful and soothing 'mhm'. Kaori mumbles something under her breath, along the lines of "you weren't even there," instead directing the words to the window. Surume follows back to Eight, watching her screen.
"Eight, which one do you like better? SpongeBob or Patrick?"
Eight paused the video, instead pondering for a moment, before she settling her finger on Patrick's side. She hadn't been expecting to be shaken and embraced by her seatmate.
"Yeahhh!! Knew you had a good eye! Why don't we-er, honor you with Patrick! Hey, I'll call you Patricia, from now on." Surume tilts back, motioning a camera with her hands, pretend-filming Eight—or would it be Patricia's wide-eyed, wonderful visage. "That okay with you?"
Eight, having already settled on her choice ages ago, shakes her head. Surume looks away, embarrassed yet again by her. 'What a toughie... I may not get along with her as easy as I thought...'
"Ahahahaha! Oh Cod! You can be so adorable, S-Surume..." Callie slowly sank in her seat, noticing the scene from the rearview mirror, practically running out of breath.
"Perhaps a little too funny," Kaori added. "You don't wanna know how many times she's gotten Octarians distracted by making quips in the midst of battle."
"Hey! It works, don't it?! I'm the bait and you take 'em out afterwards!"
"Until you get seriously injured, which, believe it or not—I don't want for that to happen."
"Oh? Is my 'way too serious' coworker worried about me? Oh, I could cry, I could dance, sing, laugh, rage, fall, and so much more! Truly... anything can happen in this world!"
"..."
"Don't...! Look at me like that! Say something! It's—I remember practicing for a theatre club. Didn't last long... I-I don't know where that came from..." Surume looks away again, perhaps out of habit this time around...
"Don't you learn something new every day," Kaori chuckles, teasing.
"Break it up, you two," Marie says, small and quiet, from holding in her own laughter. "We still have another four hours, so try not to make enemies now."
"Yeah, yeah, Grandma. I'll be good and listen," Surume scoffs.
Suddenly, there's an uncomfortable silence in the van.
"That old?" Eight says, innocently.
Callie looks over at Marie, frantically shaking her head. 'Please do not crash the car,' she signals.
......
"Hey, Surume?" Marie calls, her dear voice eerily and hauntingly gentle. "Where did you get that nickname from?"
Kaori motions to Surume a continuous throat slash.
"U-uh, a friend." She gulps, facing Callie's ink-dripping face on the mirror. "W-why do you ask?"
"Oh? You know me. I just loooove making friends." She grins sharply. "Could you be so kind to... tell me their name?"
"Oh! Look! F-Surume!" Eight interrupts. "C-Cawly! She called Muh-rie Grandma!"
"H-HUH! I-is that s-so? A-ahaha, w-what a coincidence, am I right, guys?"
Atleast it seems like Eight thinks well of her new friend. How kind of her.
"..."
They reach the arrival of their first stop, the van needing to be refilled with gasoline, as well as everyone being famished, considering nobody ate anything before leaving.
Marie leaves the vehicle without a word. Kaori snickers.
"Hey," she says, nonchalantly throwing her hands up. "Nothin' to do with me. Good luck with that." She opens the door, unbuckling herself and Eight. "Come, now. I'll show you the food they have to offer."
Callie looks back, unsure of what to say. She opens her mouth, her voice soft before speaking. "Anyway, you should go eat, too. I'll stay and refill this. Just, I'll have whatever you're having, my partner in crime."
"Got it," Surume replies, stretching her legs after taking off her seatbelt. "Well, whatever prank she's got coming after us for this, won't take away the fact that she's a grandma."
Callie giggles in response. "Pft... you said it!"
***
"So, now that we're up in the mountains, far from urban civilization—a-as in the city, there'll be these stopping points to 'power up' the car, as well as nourishment spots." Kaori explains, pointing from place to place to simplify it for Eight. "As a whole, they're referred to as rest areas, or pit stops. See? Over there is where we'll go to get something to eat."
Eight, with her curious, inquisitive visage and her figure—an open book, seeing as how mesmerized she was by the starry, moonlit violet sky and the mountain atmosphere... understandingly nods.
Her expressive features soften. "Th-thank you..."
"Oh, please, spare me. It's the least I-or anyone can do."
Entering the food stop, Kaori points at the menu in the corner. "Those are the meals they're offering. Look at the ingredients and see what you fancy."
Eight and Kaori walk up to the posters containing the selection of cheap meals.
"Chicken sandwiches... omelettes, spaghetti? Cereal? Oh, salad seems good... no, Marie's going to kill me," she mumbles to herself, remembering all the dietary long-talks she's had. "I guess I could do with a crab, Eight, have you made your choice?"
Eight stares, unmoving, her eyes glued to the image of the takoyaki basket on the wall.
"Takoyaki," she reads, perfectly and right from the get-go. "I-I'll want the takoyaki..."
"A-alright then. You almost look creepy, seriously..."
"Th-that good thing?"
"You... you can say so, yeah."
She's not sure why she brought it up at all, knowing she can't keep up a convo with Surume somedays—what's making her think she can do this for someone she met only weeks ago?
"Euh... creepy things are cool. I'll show you a scary movie sometime, hopefully..."
"Ooh, y-yes! Fantastic!"
Kaori turns away, concealing her blossoming flush. The girl was way too simple-minded for her field—perhaps that was what she needed, though. A nice, cool change of pace for her battle-hardened mind. It's sickening how sweet she is.
"A-anyway, I'll go order us the food. U-uh, go choose your drink over there, and we'll be back on our way soon."
They return to the van in the parking lot. Kaori hands Eight her meal ahead of setting down her own chopped crab meal on her lap, after also fixing the sheet on Callie's sleeping figure in the passenger seat ahead.
"I'll eat later," she blurts out, peering at Eight. "Just want to make sure you know what you're doing."
Eight giggles. "You think I am choke? I am stronger than so."
"N-no, that's not it... I, uh, I dunno, really..."
"Do not worry, K-Kaori," she replies, gripping the ball with her bare hands, ignoring the blistering heat as her hand begins to drip ink. "Will not choke."
Eight plops the food into her mouth, before gasping, her eyes watery as she desperately fans the scorching mouth. She chews weakly, the meal betraying her jaws and teeth as she shifts left to right, wanting to let the warmth subside with the air-conditioning of the vehicle or the midnight outside air. Kaori can only watch—Eight had already taken her own bottle, and she wasn't suited to takoyaki madness—her missions hadn't prepared her for it, unfortunately...
Finally, Eight swallows, panting as she rids herself of the safety hazard trapped in her mouth.
She coughs faintly. "See...? Told you..."
***
After another half hour or so, everyone meets back up at the van, finished with all their personal needs. Surume opens the passenger front door, noticing Marie on the other side.
"Where were you, Marie? I didn't see you at all." She asks, nudging Callie awake with her boxes of fries and tenders. "Everything OK?"
She replies after putting on her seatbelt, wearing a dangerous grin. "Oh—well, is that so important right now? Just enjoy the ride, my Agent Snore."
Surume gulps, later cowering into her seat. "U-understood, ma'am." Kaori in response, raises an eyebrow, thinking back to a few hours ago.
"Full steam ahead now, girls." She declares. "Won't be anymore stops by this point. Get comfy."
Eight yawns, stretching her long limbs before dozing off, her head falling flat on Kaori's shoulder, shifting and leaning her body to maximize Kaori's potential as a body-pillow. Surume thinks to gasp, but cuts herself off last second, instead tuning in for another session of the back of Callie's chair. 'Doesn't get better than this,' she thinks. 'Kaori might send me to the hospital if I judge on it, and I've already got enough revenge plans on my plate with Marie!'
Kaori, on the other hand, frantically looks around for anything, or anyone to notice, to help out—as asking for some straight up would be embarrassing, or worse—it might just wake Eight up.
But she seems so at peace, so content, and so incredibly, and wonderfully light. Her breathing evened out, diminishing to a relaxed, leisurely pace. It's difficult to pinpoint exactly whatever it is she feeling, but there's a certain comfort, a subtle joy for knowing she puts her at ease. Whether it's the faint smile, or the tugging at her shorts, she now knows that Eight has no problem whatsoever in being around her. Those doubts, those worries—they can come along another day.
She sits back up straight, giving up more of her herself for the Octoling to rest on, brushing her knuckles as she thinks to get some shut-eye herself.
'Maybe sharing a room won't be so bad,' she thinks.