Chapter Text
“How are you doing? You’ve been out for a while.” Asked Callie.
“I’m fine. My head still hurts but it’s not a big deal.” Said Marie.
“You got a concussion, it is a big deal.” Said Callie.
“I said I’m fine, don’t worry about me… How are the others?” Asked Marie.
“Captain is carrying Cuttlefish to Splatsville to have him checked up. She thinks he had been drugged, if that’s the case it will take some more time before he wakes up. Zuri is fine and it looked like Sylpha’s shoulder will heal, but it will leave a nasty scar.” Said Callie. “They are resting on an office room nearby.”
“How about Three?” Said Marie.
“… We haven’t gotten any news of her. Nor Grizz.” Said Callie. “I… I want to think she’s ok.”
“She’s pretty tough for her age. We should trust Three. I’m sure she’s fine.” Said Marie.
Callie was really trying to not think on Three. The more she thinks the more she worries, she just hopes they’ll get news of her soon. It’s not like they were friends at all but she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if something happened to her.
After discussing what to do for a while, the Callie guided Marie to the room where the two engineers were. They slowly entered after quietly knocking on the door.
“Be quiet, she’s sleeping.” Said Zuri.
It was a pretty spacious office, the walls had some paintings of different places that don’t exist anymore. The furniture was mostly made of wood and had some rather intricate details, especially the bookshelves, which were filled to the brim with all kinds of books, some of them as thick as the planks the bookshelf is made of. Whoever’s office this was, they must have been a pretty important person.
Of course, like the rest of the facility, it was unreasonably big compared to them.
“I’m surprised she can sleep after that.” Said Callie.
“She was tired and she lost a lot of blood (which is like fuel for humans). She fell asleep as soon as she laid down.” Said Zuri. “It’s a shame, I really wanted to know what had happened back there. But I guess I’ll have to wait for her to wake up first.”
“Hey, now that all this is over… could you explain all of this?” Asked Marie. “We would like some answers.”
“Yeah, we owe you an explanation.” Said Zuri. “What do you want to know first?”
“Tell us about Sylpha, please. What happened, why and how is she here?” Asked Callie.
“Ok, so. I was inside an abandoned octarian facility (yes I know it’s a restricted area, the reason why I was there isn’t important) and while I was on the basement, the floor underneath my feet collapsed. Next thing I know I am wandering around an abandoned human facility trying to look for an exit. That’s how I found her.” Said Zuri.
“She was just… there?” Said Callie.
“She was in a cryogenic pod. You know, like science fiction movies. She could barely move when I got her out of there. I got of the facility thanks to her, and since she had nowhere to go (and because I know nothing good could have happened if she just walked right into the middle of the city) I let her stay in my house.” Said Zuri.
“And that’s where you taught her inklish, right?” Asked Marie.
“Yeah, I taught her inklish and everything else. Our music, culture, turf wars and everything in between. She tried to teach me stuff too, but communication was hard at first.” Said Zuri.
“Did she ever tell you… why she was on that pod?” Asked Callie.
“I think it’s rather obvious. She did it to survive. If you are asking about how humanity went extinct, I cannot answer that. I never asked.” Said Zuri.
“You never asked?” Said Callie.
“I was going to ask her at first, but I found out that humans are more like us than I thought. So that’s how I figured out we were both keeping information away from the other.” Said Zuri.
“What do you mean?” Asked Callie.
“I didn’t tell her about the Great turf war or the several thefts of the great zapfish. She ended up figuring it out on her own, it’s not like you have to look hard to find a book or a documentary about these kinds of stuff. But same way I haven’t told her about the bad stuff of our species, she hasn’t told me about the bad side of humanity.” Said Zuri.
“But that doesn’t have anything to do with their extinction, unless you’re implying that the reason behind humanity’s extinction… has been caused by the bad side of humanity?” Said Marie.
“I believe so, yes.” Said Zuri.
“That’s…” Callie’s voice trailed off…
The conversation had turned a bit awkward, Callie doesn’t really know how to respond. She tried thinking on some other question, but she was distracted by her phone, which just vibrated, signaling she had received a message.
She hesitated a bit when pulling out the phone, but after checking who had sent the message, she quickly began reading it, first for herself, then out loud for Zuri and Marie.
Cap’n: “Callie, I just dropped off Cuttlefish at the hospital, the nurse said he will be just fine. I also found Three on the way there. When I asked her about it, she said Octavio lent her a tentacle and together defeated Grizz (he dropped her off on Splatsville, that’s why she was here). I know you were probably worrying about the kid. They’re… they’re alive, but I had to take her to the hospital too.”
Cap’n: “We also have a big problem on our hands. It will be faster if you see it by yourself. Look at the news.”
“That doesn’t sound well.” Said Callie.
“It really doesn’t…” Said Marie.
…
“Breaking news everyone! Stop whatever you’re doing and listen! These kinds of announcements only come up once in a lifetime!” Yelled Pearl at the camera.
At that moment, the tv was showing the quarter finals between team spiral and team torrent. All the viewers were completely focused on the entertaining match which was a little over a minute away from ending with no clear winner in sight. This made it even more shocking when the match suddenly transitioned into Off the hook’s studio.
What could possibly be important enough to interrupt the regional tournament’s quarter finals?
“This is something very sudden, but please don’t panic.” Said Marina.
She was talking slowly, with a smile on her face. But her face had an awkward expression, like if she were trying to hide sadness or displeasure.
“There’s no time to waste so I’ll just drop the bombshell! Humans are not extinct!” Said Pearl.
Off the hook had a lot of viewers that day and everyone that was watching could agree on one thing. The world seemed to stop when Pearl made the announcement.
“Some of you might be skeptical, but we wouldn’t say anything we don’t have evidence of! Marina, show them!” Said Pearl.
Marina hesitantly pressed a button on her dj table to make images appear on the screen. She didn’t even bother to scratch the discs like she always does in every transition.
They had been sent a video, but it had some violent elements on it, so they just took a couple frames of it. One with someone wearing a familiar cloak that was hiding her face in her hands and then that same someone standing without her cloak and with her face uncovered.
“These images are part of a video that leaked an hour ago. I reviewed it frame by frame, checked the metadata and tried to compare it to other sources. There’s no signs of it being fake.” Said Marina before sighing.
“I am sure everyone recognizes who is the one on that video, one look at her size and cloak is enough to identify her. The true identity of the Lady has been revealed, the only known human on earth!” Yelled Pearl.
“… her description does match the old inkling stories about humans and mammals.” Said Marina.
Of course, they couldn’t say that the reason why they knew she was human was because they had seen the statue and defeated tartar with Cuttlefish and Eight, so a little lie was required.
“It totally matches the old stories! We will totally get an interview with her and until then, dear viewer, we will keep you informed!” Said Pearl.
“That’s it for now.” Said Marina. “Until next time…”
“Hold on, we still have time f-“
The transmission cut back to the match as suddenly as before, no goodbyes and no catchphrases. The only ones unaware of what had happened were the two teams who were still fiercely fighting each other.
…
“What… what are we supposed to do now?”
Zuri placed both of her hands on her head, she was so stressed she didn’t even realize she just said that last sentence out loud. Her face shows nothing but stress and worry.
Going back home isn’t an option. Her address can be found online pretty easily and through social media people have already figured out the two of them live together. Not only that but her home is also her workplace since her garage is her workshop…
She has essentially lost her home and job, or she could go there anyways and lose every bit of privacy she had.
On top of that… the news were too sudden, everyone is going to freak out. There’s going to be so many rumors, misinformation and misinterpretation. And it just takes one bad rumor getting popular to ruin the whole thing.
Everything she had worked for. Gone in an instant.
“I… think… I think I’m going to take a walk around here.” Said Zuri, not even batting an eye to the squid sisters as she got out of the room.
Exactly one minute after Zuri left, the squid sisters heard the sound of glass shattering at the end of the hall. They briefly peeked out of the room to check out what happened and they saw a hole on one of the windows, like if it had been punched through.
They didn’t know Zuri was the kind of person to take her frustrations out on stuff.
Zuri didn’t know it either.
Why did she do that? She doesn’t really have an answer and she can’t think on one.
The only answer that matters right now is the one to the question she made before.
What are we supposed to do now?