Chapter Text
Long ago, way over twelve thousand years ago, there was a phrase amongst humans lost to time, just as they were. The phrase itself was a justification, a reason—perhaps, one would argue, the blame as well—”eels get used to skinning”. The full phrase, of course, resonated with Veronika; “Eels get used to skinning; and speculators get used to bleeding…once the blood begins to flow in a full stream, it flows merrily, and the victim looks on with increasing indifference.” not for any particular reason, of course, just that she thought it was fresh.
Well, that wasn’t fully true.
Perhaps she was being melodramatic. But—
The Captain will move away soon.
In a week--eight days, to be exact. On the 10th of October.
They hadn’t started packing, just yet. But, the Captain was always one to wait until the very last second to do things. They said they did well under pressure. That and, apparently, their partners were going to stay a little while first. Captain had said it was because they “wanted to see what’s fresh in Splatsville”, but Veronika thought it might’ve been something else entirely. The Captain was secretive, but no one said they were good at it.
Regardless, Veronika was nervous.
She’d lived her whole life on silent. Only one friend—Kojake, her trusted Lil’buddy—no home, no family, no job, nothing. That was, of course, until they joined the New Squidbeak Splatoon. Like the big bang, everything had exploded from nothing. Suddenly, she had a place to stay, a purpose, and more friends than she could wish for. She had the Captain, too. Family.
Unlike the Captain, Veronika did horribly with deadlines.
It loomed over her always.
A doomsday clock, a rocket ship countdown, it was always on her mind. The dread that’d settled in her stomach compounded and rolled just about every time she thought about it—eight days. Eight days. It felt like forever. It didn’t feel long enough.
Regardless, she still rose with the sun.
Rose was maybe the wrong word—roses were elegant, beautiful, a yellow rose symbolised optimisim. Veronika, personally, felt like she was going to choke on her own spit and die, so maybe the correct flower would be a white lily. Maybe she was being dramatic. Thinking for a moment, she was definitely being dramatic.
She always woke up exactly two hours before the Captain did, who operated on a strict schedule. Wake up 10am sharp, make a shabby breakfast that hardly counted as breakfast, drink coffee and…do whatever it is they do for the rest of the day. By then, Veronika would be out the door, trying to catch the earliest Turf game. Oh, certainly not to play it—that was far too much—but to watch. Turf Matches could be so exciting!
Veronika figured she should put extra work into getting ready today. After all, they were headed to Inkopolis to pick up the Captain’s partners. Apparently, one of them was also a member of the NSS, just like them, but she’d hardly heard her mentioned. She was in the reserves while she studied at University. Veronika felt extra nervous about meeting her. After all, wasn’t she basically Agent Four’s replacement? Would she hate them for replacing her?
She let the shower's ink treated waters spill over her. Like a bath bomb, her thoughts melted away. Though she ended up being in the shower longer than normal, by the time she was out she felt normal. When she finished, the Captain was awake.
Which…was odd. They never woke up early.
To be fair, they looked like death. They already had a naturally miserable way of holding themself, but waking up this early didn’t do them many favours. Their ears were tilted slightly down, and their scarred eye couldn’t quite move the way it should. The tips of their tentacles were also stuck in a muddy teal-green, as were the tips of their fingers and the webbing between them. They didn’t wear their compression gloves, and the bags under their eyes were more like trenches than anything.
Veronika smiled. “G’mornin’ Cap!”
“Good morning,” they signed sluggishly. Obviously, they were still in their ridiculous pajamas. A fluffy necked pink nightgown with sea bunny slippers. It was so goofy and so them Veronika couldn’t help but smile. They didn’t acknowledge her growing amusement as they pointed to the shower, “are you done in there?”
“Oh! Yeah, I’m done in there—why are you up so early?” Veronika couldn’t help but ask. The Captain shrugged.
“The train leaves at 11, I’m not gonna get ready in an hour.” they signed with a shrug. Veronika blanched.
“It leaves in an hour and a half?!”
The Captain had breezed past her, halfway through the powder room door. “Well, that was the earliest train I could get. It’s going to storm later.”
Oh. Right. She forgot about the storm. She cringed.
“And you’re sure we can’t just take your car? The train ride sounds awful,” Besides, Veronika added internally, I like the Shellbaru Blåhaj, I can actually play my own music in it. It’s rinky dinky, but it’s so adorable!
“Trust me, I know,” Captain deadpanned, “also, I’m not driving three or four hours through rain traffic twice, you’re funny.”
Veronika sighed. “You’re lame! Go shower, stankass.”
Somehow, the Captain’s expression managed to get even flatter, and even less amused. They flipped her off before they dove into the powder room. Left with her own devices, Veronika could only let out another frustrated groan.
Just one hour to find something to keep herself entertained during the two hour train ride. Three hours and thirty minutes until the countdown begins for real.
A strong measure of how much the Captain respected someone, was when they tried to dress up. “Tried” was a strong word here, the bar was in shell. Maybe the more accurate phrasing was “tried not to look like they’d crawled out a dumpster”. Today, they wore a red plaid flannel thrown over a white t-shirt and faded blue jeans. They'd also brought along their studio headphones and a Takaroka mesh, as if they couldn't decide between the two headgears.
Meanwhile, Veronika had gone with simple, yet comfortable. Forge Custom Painted F-3 jacket, a skirt and thick buckle-down boots. Maybe a little under dressed for the cold weather, but Veronika couldn’t care less. There was a certain vibe of the fur lined bomber jacket she couldn’t find anywhere else. Kojake went in the same clothes he always does, but he was never much of a dresser. There wasn't really a lot of clothes for baby Salmonids, as it were.
The train ride went by in a blink, and it seemed that neither the Captain nor Veronika, were in the mood to chat. Sometime during the train ride, a light drizzle had blanketed the tracks in a light misty veil. Buildings whirled by in a blur. Veronika leaned against the train window as they pulled into Inkopolis Square station.
The Captain groaned as they hauled themself out of their seat. They turned to Veronika and signed, "We don't have long until the train leaves. We'll be quick, but the train always lingers here way too long for some reason."
Veronika nodded sharply, as though she were just given an order. She could feel Kojake slip into the hood of her jacket, out of sight. The doors slid open with a cheerful ding!
It wasn't like she hadn't been to Inkopolis before. In fact, over the years she'd learn that Inkopolis was a very good place to pawn off scrap metal. It was just so big compared to Splatsville. The buildings reached for the stars like wide open hands. They were also streaked with a myriad of sharp and colourful lights, billboards and screens, that dipped into every corner and crack of the city. The rain split the splashes of colour into fractals of light, it made the rain turn into a shower of tiny diamonds. Fish of all kinds bustled across the streets, even late at night, packed like sardines as they go about their lives. They'd meet more people in a month than most fish would meet in their entire lives.
At the very centre of it all, was the Deca Tower. It made all the other buildings around it seem small in comparison. Signs, boards and flashing screens covered every inch of the skyscraper, projecting all sorts of advertisements and the likes. Stage announcements from Deep Cut, a new line of Emberz branded weaponry, or a new single release from Off the Hook ft. DJ Dedf1sh.
Veronika's gaze fell on two figures huddled together under a bright yellow parasol. They stood with their backs facing the escalators into the metro, clearly at a safe distance from the rain behind them. An Inkling and an Octoling, by the looks of it.
The Inkling, the one holding the parasol, had a leather arm bag thrown over their shoulder and a cello case hoisted onto their back. She held the Octoling's hand in her free hand, while the Octoling carried a bright yellow suitcase with a lunchbox attached to the front with twine. It seemed the Octoling also had a bag matching her Inkling companion's, but with various pins, patches and keychains decorating it. Inkling girl noticed them almost immediately and grinned as she snapped her parasol shut.
"Hey!! Over here!" The Inkling called gleefully. Their voice was rather high, and their accent was sharp and thick. It didn't sound like she was from Inkopolis. They dragged the Octoling with them as they rushed over to the two Inkfish at the train. Then, in a surprising show of strength, they tackled the Captain in a very aggressive looking hug and twirled them around as if they weighed nothing.
“Oh man, I missed you, Kaori!! It’s been so long!” the Inkling exclaimed happily. She set the Captain down and backed into the Octoling, reclaiming their hand casually. The Captain’s eye darted away from her, their face suddenly very blue.
“It’s only been four months, Alice…” the Captain mumbled shyly. These two must be the Captain's partners, then.
Alice stuck her tongue out at the Captain, before she held her claws out for Veronika to shake. She was quite short, with a dusky brown complexion that reminded Veronika of autumn leaves. Just like the Captain, just about every inch of her body was covered in a splattering of dark freckles. All this contrasted starkly with the brilliant yellow she’d coloured her tentacles, and dressed in. She gave them a sharp, albeit slightly shy, smile. “Oh! I forgot to introduce myself—I’m Agent Four! But, uh. We’re not working right now, so you can just call me Alice.”
Oh, so she's Agent Four then. Besides their names, the Captain didn't speak about their partners as often as one might expect. But, that was normal for them. They never spoke very often, period.
Meanwhile, the Octoling set her hand on Agent Four’s shoulder. She was far taller than the Inkling, maybe a head or so. Her tentacle colour, a warm fuscia, complimented Four’s yellow quite well. Her skin was the colour of sunbaked clay. She also sported a nasty resting face—beak twisted in a displeased frown and thick brows angled down. That expression broke with a kind smile, “and I am Eight. Or Hachi. I don’t mind either name.”
Eight also had a very thick accent, one that Veronika didn't quite recognise. It wasn't from the domes—Tako, the only Octoling she actually knew from the domes, had a very different accent. Maybe it was something else entirely?
“Oh…uh, nice to meet you guys,” Veronika mumbled shyly. She twiddled her thumbs awkwardly, “uh. My name is Veronika, I’m Agent Three…”
"Aww! Veronika is such a beautiful name!" Four exclaimed happily as she took the younger inkfish's claws into her own. Eight hummed in agreement. Veronika's face burned as she turned away shyly. She muttered a quiet ‘thank you’.
“Before we get on the…train, Alice and I have made bentos for everyone,” Eight announced. She patted the lunchbox tied to the suitcase proudly, “we can open them on the train. They are still warm, I hope.”
“Yea, 'cause I know you didn’t pack anything, Kaori. You’re always flying by the seat of your pants!” Four chided. The Captain’s blush returned with a renewed ferocity. Four seemed to revel in their suffering, but felt merciful as she continued. “Also, we brought snacks, too! Lots of them! Most of these are Eight’s favourites, but I brought some of mine, too.”
She guided Eight behind her as they made their way to the train. Veronika read the sign—it’d be departing fairly soon. The Captain wasn't wrong, this train did stay for far too long. Still, something bothered her: she didn’t know them, why would they make her something?
“I, uhm. I’m not that hungry…” Veronika mumbled abashedly. She tried to hold back her yelp when she felt Kojake smack the back of her neck.
Eight offered her hand out for Veronika to take, her expression deadly serious. Hesitantly, they took it. Her claws were rough, and the webbing was very thin and just about see through.
“You are a growing young they,” Eight asserted with the air of a commander issuing orders, “you must eat a lot if you want to beat up the Captain some day, ok?”
Veronika’s back went stiff. She gave her a sharp nod and squeaked out a strained “yes ma’am!”. The Captain’s neutral expression fell into the tiniest frown. She thought for a moment, then shyly added, “also…girl is fine…”
Just like that, Eight’s stern expression melted into a smile. One of her hooked canines stuck out. “Of course! Thank you for telling me, Three!”
Although she wasn't convinced, Veronika figured it probably wasn't a smart idea to get on Eight's bad side. Or Kojake's, really, maybe she could just give him her food when the adult inkfish weren't looking. So, she took Eight's offering of food with hesitance. The Captain's partners were very kind, far too kind to a stranger they probably won't see again.
"You two got to the station safely, right? Nobody followed you?" The Captain asked worriedly. Four plopped down in the seat by their side, Eight hesitantly following her. The two were still holding hands, and Veronika could see how tight Eight's grip was on Agent Four's hand.
“Awww, you’re so cute, my little durian!” Four cooed, much to the Captain’s increasing embarrassment. They hid their face under the brim of their cap, grumbling something incoherent under their breath. She added, "and of course we did. I think you underestimate how sneaky me and Hachi can be—especially for something like this."
What does that mean?
A massive squit-eating grin peeled across Four's face. She kissed the Captain on the cheek and wiggled under their arm. "Now scooch over, momma's gotta get real comfy if she's gonna deal with like. Two hours of train ride."
She decided to let sleeping fish lie for now. It was rude to get into older fish's business, right? Maybe the Captain will fill her in later.
“Wait, why did’ja call the Captain ‘durian’?” Veronika wondered aloud. Strangely, the Captain seemed even more embarrassed than before. Four burst out laughing.
“Don’t worry about it, kid, you’ll get it when you’re older” she dismissed with a wave of her claw. What’s that supposed to mean?
Before Veronika could push the topic further, Four hummed. "Alright, what should we do when we get home?"
"Well..I need to go grocery shopping," the Captain mused out loud, voice slightly raspy. Four scowled at them. "What? I was a little busy getting everything ready."
That was a lie, actually. The only thing they had packed away was the DJ gear they hardly touch anymore. But Veronika would have felt bad if she'd pointed that out. Besides, the mention of…everything only served to make her feel uncomfortable.
Eight rifled through her back and slid out a small paper bag. She'd carried a frankly baffling assortment of snacks with her, some that Veronika had never even heard before. Tuna onigiri, kuli kuli, chin chin, some fruits and even bottles of water for everyone. Good cod, you'd think she was preparing for war. "Well, I, for one, am interested in watching that movie you kept talking about, Alice. That old human horror movie?"
"Oh yeah! Get Out! That's a classic—yeah, if Veronika's chill with a horror movie, we can all hunker down and watch it! ooh the storm'll make for a perfect atmosphere!"
Veronika nodded shyly. Truthfully, she really enjoyed horror movies. Besides, she'd seen very few human movies and shows. The ones she had seen, though, were…quite bizarre. The Captain themself was absolutely taken by this one long-running shōnen manga series. Four's grin grew at Veronika's agreement. "perfect! that's what we'll do for tonight, then! We can worry about the shopping trip tomorrow."
She capped her statement off with a Look shot towards the Captain. They rolled their eyes.
It’s like the Captain was a different person. Their shoulders were relaxed, even slouched back, as they leaned against Agent Four’s side as she continued to talk. They cradled their still warm bento in their lap. A small smile crinkled their eyes. It had been awhile since they'd seen the Captain so happy—even if, to the outside viewer, it didn't seem like they were—and they couldn't help but feel relieved. They needed it, especially with recent events.
Though, it hadn't really escaped Veronika that they hadn't spoken more to Eight much at all this entire time.
The train shuddered, the wheels groaned on the steel tracks. As the doors slid closed with a raspy shudder, the digital sign over the exit of their cart flickered. Next Stop: Splantlands Crater !