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My piece for Now or Never zine by @grandfestzine!

Details!

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octo sisters or whatever

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in honor of team grub lets roll up big man on a spit and roast him over a campfire (succulent)

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Happy 10th anniversary Splatoon! Congrats on hitting the big 10! 🦑🎉

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i had a bit of a brain blast recently about murch, spyke, and the other urchins in splatoon being specifically from the series equivalent of hokkaido

do you think it makes sense?

Yeah, that's what I've assumed too!

to make this post more interesting with some niche lore, the team represented on the B-ball Jersey gear item has a name: the Okhotsk Uniers.* This was only shown in the Tower Records exhibit.

*Uniers is just how I assume ウニアーズ would be romanized Now uni means sea urchin, and Okhotsk is in reference to the sea of okhostk, a sea enclosed by Russia and the northern coast of Hokkaido.

There's another basketball team called the Tasman Lob-stars, in reference to the Tasman sea.

...This implies there are either regions or major cities in the Splatoon world named after seas!

Point is though, an urchin-themed basketball team from somewhere around the sea of okhotsk...our major sea urchin characters are from a region up north that likely isnt too far from inkopolis...hokkaido is on the sea of okhostk...it checks out.

[swefishh]

The Art of Splatoon 3, Pages 222-225. Information on Alterna and Fuzzy Ooze.

222 Alterna After going through the Crater, we arrived at a land called “Alterna”. It was once home to a fairly advanced civilization, though they no longer exist. In the center of the six sites, there appears to be a rocket launch pad.

223 The Memories of Alterna live on in the Relics A massive shelter that is the last thing built by humans who escaped from the rising sea levels. These survivors named the place “Alterna” to express their regrets for their past deeds and their wish to build another Earth, free from the boundaries of things like time and race. The islands floating in the waters of Alterna are decorated with monuments that resemble famous landmarks from around the world, as if to recreate the Earth as it once was. Despite its subterranean location, the sky is visible, but this is due to the liquid crystals applied to the walls of the cavern, which emit light to imitate the sky.

224 and 225 are typeset, includes ALT text.

(It's hard to see in the scan, but whats being pointed at in the part that reads "what has become of the mammals of the past" on page 224 appears to be a blobby human figure. cool<3)

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MEMEME I DO

Does anyone else ship their Captain/3 with Callie? No? Just me?

Anyways, its them. I love them.

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Source

Source

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see yourself

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(this is a poopoo copy and paste of a discord rant so forgive things not being perfect and succinct)

i wonder how the splatlands and inkadia were so isolated from one another

obviously back then there was no bridge to cross between inkadia and the one weird peninsula to get to the splatlands but if the splatlands and inkadia are prefectures and not anything larger then thats not too terrible a distance to travel right??

my theory right now is like the great turf war widened the divide between them not literally but ideologically

when the flood that uprooted the eiffel tower (how the fuck did that happen btw) happened it spurred on the great turf war (it wasnt just this flood it was other stuff too) but in the splatlands the three clans were able to fix the problem meaning they didnt have to fight over land in the war but inkadia and the octarians still did this meant that octarians could continue to live in the splatlands but not in inkadia perhaps the inkadians didnt like the splatlands due to the octarian population and thus theyre so isolated

thus somehow throughout all of the splatoon series no splatlandian brought up to an inkadian that off the hooks dj is clearly a fucking octopus and how the fuck does pearl not know what an octoling is i can accept the inkadians not recognizing octolings but they sure as hell know they exist its just been so long since theyve seen one that they dont know what to look for and the eye mask thing isnt that much an indicator because inklings like the lady from squid squad with a separated eye mask exist

but pearl nintendo is so focused on making sure she had no idea what an octoling was (in the og japanese version) how the fuck did she not know that

how the hell did no fucking inkadian meet a splatlandian online that happened to be an octarian and notice when they started popping up in inkadia

now that i look at the map though the only way to really walk from inkadia to the splatlands would require crossing octarian borders so thats a no and the easiest way to get from a to b was the hammerhead bridge which want constructed until 2015 and took 7 years to finish but there are still planes and boats how the fuck has nobody in inkadia noticed a splatlandian octoling tourist

do octolings just not visit inkadia because the people there are scarily racist???

obviously splatlandians and inkadians dont rlly have a reason to visit bc they dont like each other (implied by deep cut beef) and if i remember right its stated nobody really gave a shit about the splatlands until recently but there had to be a few curious fellas

if the splatlands and inkadia are prefectures then thats such a short distance to be so isolated from one another especially in an age with the internet and air travel anyone in inkadia could google octoling

but of course we could just?? say the splatlandians did engage in the turf war and also sent their octarians to domes and shivers family happened to be an exception because they helped with the flood?? but then why would they need to fight if the flood was dealt with??

— non discord addendum

the mentions of distance between the prefectures might be innaccurate im not an expert on japanese geography. i used some community made stuff layering the splatoon map over tokyo bay for reference and based my assumption of the splatlands and inkadia being prefectures on 4’s home being in a place called chi ba which is a real world prefecture. but its probably a longer range than i think it is and bigger than what im acting like in the rant

out of context it sounds like i made a lot of this shit the fuck up and its 9 in the morning its far too early to find every post i got my conclusions from so the source rn is regrettably trust me

in hindsight (i rambled about this one hour ago) traveling distances like that throughout history is no easy feat especially with a whole bay in the way lengthening the total travel time but they have fucking planes now

another addendum i completely forgot to mention the fact that haikara and bankara are in direct opposition to each other and that obviously explains it im foolish

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can I ask about the poster "agent 3" kids story?

Yes you can and here it all is!! Presenting…

tldr: She comes from a family of big name actors in the industry, and shes been raised from hatching to continue their legacy. Its…a lot of pressure to put on a kid, especially one who just wants to make her (impossible to satisfy) family proud. Despite being surrounded by impossible standards, the fakest friends chosen for her, being given everything she can ever want (except what she really needs), and putting on a hundred masks for everyone in her life for survival’s sake in a cutthroat industry, she chooses to be kind.

more details under the cut!!

Her name is Sariwa, which means “fresh” . Named for her spring green tentacles and as a blessing from her parents that shed stay youthful, beautiful. a hope that she would be seen and be adored (as freshness implies coolness/popularity in sploonworld).

Shes hatched into the acting industry, with both parents being big in the industry. From hatching she was expected, trained to be an actor like her mother is. The media adores them, this “sweet little family”, but no one knows how nefarious everything is when the cameras are off.

The dad is neglectful, disappearing into meetings most of the time. The mom is a helicopter parent to make up for it. Pointing out every flaw that Sariwa apparently has in either performance or appearance. Never giving praise. Except when she performs “well enough” on stage. This instills in the child this need to make them proud. to…to make everyone happy. She becomes someone whose dependent on other peoples’ praise to function.

Shes given everything else, dont get me wrong. Every material thing she’ll ever need. all the big popular “friends” chosen for her. But…shes not allowed to turf. yknow. biggest event in an inkling’s life here in Inkopolis. and shes not allowed to go to school either. shes too busy memorizing lines for adverts or-

The second she turned 14, she was chosen as the lead role for Cuttlegear’s brand new show abt Agent 3. She looked exactly like the legendary hero, according to the sources. All her time went into this project. Thankfully, unlike at home…her co-actors were very kind. Her parents didnt choose for her this time. She was meeting actual people who dont put on masks beyond their job. the actor they got for Cuttlefish, in particular, is a very kind soul, defending her when the directors get too pissy with her performance. (Those are the only people she fears, tbh shes fearful of most authority figures.)

*Cuttlefish is also depicted as kind and supportive in the show. and in most games. Unlike the real Cuttlefish, which is kind of a loony old man who pushes ideas on young inklings. He still gives more support and kindness that 3s dad ever gave, but thats only RELATIVE to how little he gave in the first place. One can only imagine the longing this inspires in the real 3.

Sariwa…since shes hatched shes had to put on an act. Be the perfect little doll for her parents. For the world. But her friends here, they inspired her to…have fun with what shes doing again. To take off the mask (mostly beyond the clock). Breathe life in the character when she can. (But lets be real…shes getting 3 spot on with how many parallels they have with each others lives.)

But what is she beyond the mask, her role? She wasnt allowed to do anything beyond this. She was forced to depend on her abusive parents and their associates. She cant live alone beyond them. Not allowed to turf bc shes “a prim and proper young lady; above such violent drivel that only delinquents participate in”. They gesture to 3, whos one of the faces Squidforce uses in their promotions, and say (ironically.) that she must not become that. Face ripped to shreds and eye mangled.

No one knows they got that from the real war that Sariwa is pretending to show.

The show does its best to be an accurate telling. Child friendly, to a point. Horrifying things still get kept in somewhat. Things that will horrify a child on stage.

If Sariwa is terrified of the props, can you imagine how it was for 3?

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And once she realizes all of this. Once she gets out of this situation thanks to Callie, Marie, and 3 themself. Does she feel guilt? Guilt for depicting the horrors in a way that glorifies it instead? A part of a project that aims to make people complacent to the real horrors that churned below?

There is one thing Sariwa feels about 3, that I am aware of rn.

“Im glad, that out of every story I couldve told, Im glad it was yours.”

Just like 8, she sung this tale in her hearts. Just like 8, she used this to break out of this terrible situation, answering the call of the ones who promised her safety. A better life. Like the way she stage broke through that prop in the choreographed Octavio fight, she broke through the influence of those around her.

*She actually went off-script a bit in that scene. After she beat down Octavio, she held out her hand. Mostly to help the actor up. But then, without realizing, she spoke, she spoke of making things better between the nations. That maybe he doesnt have to steal the zapfish anymore.

Her time with the octoling actors, and hearing the stories from the ex-octarians, made her aware and know the fact that theyre people too. The directors kept it in. They knew that if they released this as they have planned it, there will be fuckign riots from the ex-octarians or the Inkling “sympathizers”.

She saw the value this story held, despite the subliminal messaging that she wished wasnt implemented. That she wished she wasnt a part of. She saw that its a tale of hope. A tale that inspires one to become the hero of their own life. A tale that inspires one to make the world a better place.

————————

So she was hatched and raised to make people smile, singing her songs and dancing their dances. Much like the clan singer that was 4, except the tradition is much more healthy compared to industry standard. And she didnt become as mean as the people around her, at least not internally. She put on a mean mask but she felt the void within. When she was given kindness for a long enough time, she put her walls down.

And just like the real 3, she underwent through the horrors of expectations she had to hold up, and trying to make uninterested parents proud. They dont see her as their daughter, shes just a means to an end. She had to wear a hundred masks to survive and it made her lose her sense of identity. She had to be mature, she had to take the shitty behavior of adults who expect her to be like one too. It made her lose grip of who she is beyond this role. Hell, they made her so dependent on their handouts that shes not sure she can exist beyond this hell. Much like how 3 struggles to know a life beyond their duty.

And much like 8, she used the story she was telling to break out and get herself in a better situation. She met with the real Agents 1 and 2 (without her knowledge) and asked. Begged. for help, after her show ended. (3 also kind of pointed the two in her direction. Bc cod knows how horrifying this industry is. Shes lucky she didnt get any of the grosser horrors ~~its bc I didnt feel comfortable writing such topics~~)

And then shes faced with the same problem all the real legends faced. What comes after the end? When the dust clears, what happens next? She wasnt given a damn choice, she wasnt allowed to try to learn things beyond this role. to be beyond an imagined agent 3. a soldier for the screen. who is she now, that shes out of that battlefield?

little does she realize that the real 3s asking the same question for themself.

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WAITER! Can I please order a plate of Margot lore? /pos

YES OF COURSE, COMING RIGHT UP!!

INTRODUCING…MARGOT! She is a sleepy girl. She’s worked too many salmon run shifts. She mains the tri-stringer!

She’s quiet and introverted and doesn’t really care what others think of her. She also never had a lot of friends. This leads to her being a little blunt and off putting….but she’s working on it!!!

She started working salmon run shifts around splatoon 2 when she was only 14 years old. She lied about her age and Grizz didn’t really care. She started working at Grizzco for 2 reasons:

1: she wanted to make some money for herself. She lived in foster care / jumped around foster homes and orphanages most of her life and wanted to save up enough money so she could buy her own apartment and live by herself.

2: She is absolutely FASCINATED by salmonids. She can’t get enough of learning about them. And fighting them. It’s a chaotic fascination.

She does so much salmon run and doesn’t sleep enough or take very good care of herself. But she’s making good money and improving her skills and learning a lot about salmonids. She even found a little buddy that seems to really like her! She named him Socks.

She also made a friend named Millie who works salmon run shifts with her! (She’s the inkling pictured with Margot in the first image!) She’s a little clingy and weird, but..Margot likes her. She’d never admit it! (Millie belongs to the amazing @paninipanem)

She turned 17 during splatoon 3, and got recruited by Cuttlefish while walking home after a Grizzco shift. She thought he was kind of weird but went along with whatever he wanted. She may not care what others think, but she does have morals.

And then they FREAKING FELL DOWN A HOLE INTO ALTERNA AND WENT MISSING FOR MONTHS. Oops. Thanks cuttlefish.

Alterna was really confusing and…exciting for Margot. She didn’t want to show it, but she was super happy to form such deep relationships with Callie, Marie, and Reese (Captain 3.) Although the four of them were hopelessly lost in a scary place, they made it really fun.

She began to come out of her shell and feel comfortable around them. When she was in the foster care system, she never stayed with any families for very long, so she never opened up to anyone or made any friends. She didn’t even have bullies because they didn’t know she existed. She was invisible her whole life.

The NSS made her feel seen. She became emotionally attached to them. She’d never admit it, but she totally did! They treated her like a little sister.

But all things considered…Alterna was pretty terrifying. She had some close calls with the fuzzy ink. And when the final boss fight happened and she got LAUNCHED INTO SPACE? WTTFF????

The fact that MR. GRIZZ - HER BOSS. ENDED UP BEING THE VILLAIN. Her whole world got turned upside down.

She managed to beat him with the help of the NSS and even Octavio. She was injured on both her legs where fuzzy ink had struck her on the spaceship. When they returned to the surface, she wasn’t sure what to do. She was injured, she wasn’t ready to go back to grizzco, and her Foster family seemed to have forgotten about her.

Callie and Marie seemed to realize this and took her in. YAY!

Fast forward a few months…everyone is recovered and happy and the NSS is currently working to rescue octolings and keep salmonids from coming too close to Inkopolis!

And two of the old agents came back after being MIA for months. They were in the weird hell dimension. Whatever that’s about. (Side order)

Margot is back at Grizzco. She couldn’t leave her friend Millie hanging! (Millie was so worried those months that Margot was in Alterna. She stuck missing posters all around the place and could barely complete a single Grizzco shift without her amazing partner!)

But yeah! That’s the basic gist of it. I feel like Margot has a lot more I could say about her (lore and personality wise) but I’ll save that for another time!

Thank you SUPER MUCH for reading! I love my little guys and I hope you do too :D

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The way that this single image makes what the Squid Sisters have gone through even more emotional is somehow shocking to me.

Like it really makes me think, "Damn... These two have been through a lot together.... both good.... and bad...."

Started off as nobodies who were filled with so much anxiety and doubt, thinking that it might not work out. To then becoming the most popular Idols the entire world has ever seen, they became SO popular that it ultimately damaged their relationship, causing a massive rift between the two and they slowly drifted apart... Callie was ridden with so much attention and work that she couldn't take it anymore, all the pain and loneliness was too much for the 19 year old girl from Inkopolis... She broke down and the worst parts of her, the angry bitterness inside of her was brought out via a desperate old enemy that needed her help to save his people from certain death. She willingly went with him because she would rather get to know and help her enemy rather than spend another second in the society she grew up in.

Marie became filled with so much panic and fear about her cousin that it took up every waking second of her life when she went to Calamari County to see family. When Callie never arrived, she must have been so scared... so anxious... fearing the worst about her cousin...

When Marie found out what truly became of Callie, it must have been the worst day of her life. Marie wanted to fix their broken relationship so badly, she was on the brink of tears during Tidal Rush, she desperately wanted to remind Callie all of the times they times that they had together, that she is a Squid Sister and she doesn't want to fight her anymore.

Once Marie shot off the shades, Callie was still angry, dazed, confused, in pain... only left to sing and dance as that came natural to her. However, once that heavenly melody played, all of those good memories flooded back in, all of the hardship they went through, the performances they've done, the Splatfests they held, it all came back to her, filling her with joy and energy. She leaped into the air and decided that she wants to be with her cousin until her final breath, no longer she wanted to fight.

Since that night, the two have healed their relationship and are stronger than ever. They have planted the seeds for the next generation and will be there to nurture them, so that no one repeats the same mistakes that they did....

"We've come far, you and I, on our journey."

"Sights and sounds, highs and lows, all that we've seen."

"Nothing at the start, in the void of night."

"But then out there, in the dark, a path came to light."

"Did you think back then we'd be here? Guiding others in our shoes?"

"Tiny, tiny seeds, left on the trail, someday to bloom."

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Commission for Revenantwyrm on Instagram!!

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I offer this duck as a halloween sacrifice to revive this blog

🦆

Alright, who is this?

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Alterna Space Station

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cap'n.

dm for comms! here are my prices!