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Ring Around an Iris - A Splatoon 2 Marie Fic

[Read on Ao3!]

Rated: T Splatoon 2 Story Mode Words: 5.6k

In the corner of Inkpolis Square is a grate, with a woman standing over it. Twirling a parasol in her hands, scanning the crowd for just the right Inkling to pass by. And above her head, every two hours, the same new bulletin plays. The same two voices laugh together like clockwork, and Marie continues to stand, alone. (Or, another one of Marie's days before she finds Agent 4, standing across the street from Inkopolis News)

It had been a warm and restless summer night. The chirps of nocturnal insects echoed out into the countryside composing a natural lullaby, a tune for Marie to drift asleep to. Slowly, she could feel her thoughts blurring, mind sinking into her dreams. She’d almost made it, almost, but not before hearing tapping at the window.

It’s always the same rhythm when it’s Callie; one knock, then two knocks in quick succession against the glass. Before Marie had even fully pulled herself out of bed, Callie had already slid the window open, sticking her head inside.

“Mar…” Her voice was audibly damp with tears, “Are you awake?”

Marie, even as young as she was, just rolled her eyes. “Mghhn... Am now.” She replied, crawling out from the covers and heading to the window.

They were up late that night, or at least late for their ages. Still blobby at the edges, not quite mastering the art of permanent physicality.

Callie climbed in through the window, as she had many times before, lugging a large backpack behind her. Despite the size, it hung loosely on her shoulders. The canvas was deflated with hardly anything inside to keep its form.

“What are ya doin’ here, I was sleepin’.” Somewhere in the back of Marie’s mind is a little voice that tells her to be more cautious with what she says. It goes ignored.

“I…” Callie said, pausing for dramatic effect, “--Am running away. I’m going to Inkopolis to become a star.”

“Got in a fight with your mom again ?”

Callie whimpered quietly in response, which Marie took as a yes.

 “Well, what’re you taking with you?” Marie asked, flopping down to sit next to Callie on the edge of her futon.

“Important stuff,” Callie replied, still sniffling slightly.

Marie, unimpressed, took the bag from her cousin and turned it out on the floor.

A few things spilled out, but only a few. Some colourful ribbons to tie her tentacles back, a pair of pyjamas and a spare outfit, some flip flops, and a bright pink plush shaped like a little squid.

“You’re going to need more than this,” Marie said matter-of-factly. “You can’t get on the train without money.”

Callie pouted.

“I already spent all of my allowance.”

Marie sighed and stood up, stretching out as she went. She tiptoed across the room to her dresser. Carefully, Marie pulled open the top drawer, rummaging around for a moment before fishing out a small drawstring bag. Blindly, she reached in, feeling for the coins by their shape. The bag jingled as it swung around.

They’d been on the train to Inkopolis a dozen times together with the rest of their family, so Marie knew the fare by heart. Just nine of the biggest coins.

Marie pulled them out one by one, willing her fingers to stay solid instead of melting down into ink.

One, two, three.

It’d be so easy to forget a coin. The little voice in her head whined. Leave one behind.

Four, five, six.

It would be easy to keep her from leaving.

Marie tiptoed back over to the futon, sitting down with one big flop backwards.

“Here ya go,” Marie said, dropping nine coins into Callie’s lap, “For the train.”

Callie, somewhat surprised, began scooping the coins up and tucking them into the bag.

“Is that everything?” She asked.

Marie shrugged.

“I dunno. Maybe?” She said, while the voice in her mind protested louder. A growing feeling of dread welled up in her chest, ignored by her lips.

Callie squinted, but Marie made no move to fetch any other items, or speak any further on the subject. Her heart protested more and more, and yet her mouth still remained shut.

“Then I guess I’m leaving now. Next time you see me, I’ll be in a big stadium with thousands of adoring fans.”

Marie just scoffed, despite the voice in her mind protesting louder than ever.

“Sure.”

Callie stuck out her tongue.

“You should be nicer to me! I’m leaving! What if you never see me again?”

It really makes Marie sick to her stomach, but the only reply she gives is a little laugh, a giggle she tries to cover with her lime green tipped fingers.

Callie whipped around, tentacles flying outwards with her twirl. Standing up and moving back over towards the window, she sighed.

“Well… thanks anyway.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Marie replied, “Good night.”

Callie simply rippled in place there, for a moment. As she sat out on the windowsill with her legs dangling off the ledge, she looked over her shoulder. A final glance towards Marie. When their eyes meet, Callie’s mouth jarringly warps into an otherworldly smile, with teeth far too sharp and teary eyes that Marie doesn’t recognize.

“Goodbye.” Callie replied. Before Marie can do anything else, Callie is diving backwards. Falling, falling, tumbling over and over into inky darkness with no end, to an unseen underworld– Marie lurches– beyond reach– Marie falls– beyond help– and finally Marie wakes up as her body collides with the ground.

A steady stream of sunlight falls across her face. Morning has arrived in Inkopolis yet again.

It doesn’t take Marie long to collect herself from last night’s dream. Nightmares aren’t new to her, by this point she’s more annoyed than disturbed. This is what she gets for sleeping at the apartment for once.

That memory mangled into dream was something Marie already remembered quite well. For one, she hadn’t had enough money to give Callie for the train anyway. She’d given her… half the price? Maybe? It was ages ago now, but Marie still remembers that part at least.

She drags herself into the bathroom, pulling the green toothbrush out of the holder. The pink one still lays abandoned at the edge of the sink and Marie makes no effort to move it. She stares blankly in the mirror as she goes through the motions of brushing her teeth, not particularly registering her appearance. It didn’t matter much, she wasn’t going to work anyway.

Despite herself, the dream and memories remain at the forefront of Marie’s mind.

Mainly, she remembers snippets. Callie’s knock at the window, the chill of the breeze as she climbed in. Callie’s face, the tear tracks that sparkled in the glow of Marie’s tiny lamp. How she’d looked so determined.

And Marie remembers how she wasn’t scared.

No matter what Callie had said, she wouldn’t just disappear like that. Marie knew, so Marie had nothing to be afraid of. They had dance practice tomorrow, and the festival was next weekend. There was nothing to worry about, and so Marie didn’t.

She leaves the bathroom, ducking back into her room to put on her clothes for the day. The motions are near mechanical now, habit enough that her mind wanders as she pulls the layers on.

Back then… When she’d woken up that next morning, Callie’s mother had already come over to bother them. Sure as Marie had been, Callie was back home again. Safe and sound and grounded for the rest of the week.

Marie hadn’t batted an eye as Callie’s mother recounted the whole story to her own mother. As both women chatted profusely at the kitchen table, Marie paid them no mind. Preparing breakfast as if they weren’t there.

Marie muses about her breakfast for today as she closes the bedroom door behind her. It’s already quite late, she’ll just grab something on her way to the square. With that set, Marie headed towards the entryway to grab her sandals.

That whole dream, that whole “incident”... It had all been so silly. There wasn’t really anything to worry about. They had gotten all worked up but everything had been fine. Like Marie knew it would be.

Silently, Marie slips out the door to the apartment, locking it behind her.

What a stupid childhood memory. Back then, Callie had only been “missing” for about 3 hours.

***

It’s been 3 weeks since the announcement of Callie’s disappearance hit Inkopolis News. That doesn’t mean it’s been 3 weeks she’s been missing necessarily, just how long people have been talking about it. Talking about her as if they understood anything that was going on.

Marie herself isn’t sure exactly how long it’s been. It scratches at her. The precise moment, the specific location and the exact method are all a mystery. Callie had been here and now she’s not. That’s all Marie had to go off of.

…That, and a bit more, of course. More that the rest of Inkopolis had no idea about, and hopefully never would. It’s not substantial really. It’s not enough to bring her back, to make this any easier. Everything she knows is just enough weight to bother her, watching people try to solve the puzzle of Callie’s disappearance knowing she’s got half the pieces shoved deep into her pockets.

It still bugs her, everyone talking like they understand, but there’s no room for those kinds of feelings, so Marie tries to push them aside.

Another scorching hot day in Inkopolis Square, and Marie’s starting to hate the place. Not that she’d been all too fond of it to begin with, more so that it hadn’t been on her radar.

Nevertheless, spending her free time lingering in the square was certainly not endearing it to Marie any faster. If it helps bring Callie home though, Marie supposes she’ll forgive it. With every day that goes by, that forgiveness grows a little harder to earn. Case in point, those new girls who’d taken over as news casters.

In all honesty, Marie had barely registered the new duo taking over when she and Callie left. One of them was short, the other was tall, and that was about as much as she’d cared at the time. A whole myriad of projects were lining up, both her and Callie’s schedules becoming more and more crowded by the day. They’d outgrown Inkopolis News. Marie didn’t have the time to feel sentimental about it, even if she’d wanted to, not with the kind of scheduling management had her under at the time.

Right now she almost wishes for that back.

She gets the feeling her whole production team’s on some kind of order to treat her like glass. They all look at her like she’ll burst into tears any moment, all the interns speaking in hushed tones every time she’s near like they think she doesn’t realise.

For the first time in months, Marie’s gotten some of the free time she’d been wanting. All it took was losing the person she’d actually wanted to spend it with.

But it’s more time to stand here, to keep waiting and watching, until the right someone falls into her lap. Scanning the crowd while maintaining every air of mystery she’s managed to cultivate, gaze brushing against strangers to find one with that “look” she’s supposed to find. Whatever that was meant to mean.

Lately Marie’s taken to lingering at this one corner. It’s a good spot, not in the dead centre of everything, not too far into the shadier back streets. Deca Tower’s shadow loomed over her for much of the hour, but most of the turf hungry squid kids passed her by. Good, Marie thought, because the last thing she wanted was just some random splat happy teen.

The only real drawback is the current Inkopolis News building. It sits across the street from her; massive window proudly displaying the new hosts inside as they air their reports.

Sure enough, every other hour like clockwork, the cacophony of advertisements above her head shifts to the live broadcast, displayed proudly on several of Deca Towers' many screens.

Overlapping audios all harmonise for a brief window, and the trill of a pair of voices Marie’s come to recognise.

Today the news starts as it always does, 2pm on the dot.

“Y’all know what time it is!”

“It's Off the Hook, coming at you live from Inkopolis Square!”

The two voices don’t blend together like hers and Callie’s used to. One is shrill almost, rough slang tumbling out of a high pitch. The other is even toned, polite and calming. There was a lilt of an accent there, almost unnoticeable.

Marie notices.

The rotations are the same as always, and Marie begins to tune them out automatically. Sorry as she was to disappoint; it was just… a tad difficult to care about turf war right now.

As the transition music plays for the 3rd time this broadcast, the first speaker's tone changes. Pearl, her name was, if Marie remembered right.

“Callie Cuttlefish, beloved Inkopolis idol, is still missing. If you have any information regarding her whereabouts, please contact the number down below.”

Which is the same thing they’ve been saying every other day for two weeks now. Marie stares blankly ahead and doesn’t let her gaze turn towards the screens or the news building.

“Oh, uh~!” The younger idol– her name slipping Marie’s mind at the moment– stumbles over her line.

“We’ve got a statement here to share as well,” She says, regaining her composure. Marie knows that kind of cadence from experience, her words coming straight from the teleprompters mouth. “So here’s a message from Callie’s fellow Squid Sister, Marie.”

Oh, right.

That.

Marie begins echoing throughout the square, or something like her. She never sounds quite the same in recording as she does in real life. Part of that she blames as persona, her voice changing cadence every time a camera’s trained on her regardless of whether she intends to or not.

So then her own voice saying everything expected of her right now. Half the statement was written by management anyway. What was she supposed to say? Help us find Callie? Call the number on screen if you have any leads?

That, yes, and she had said it all. The futility of it grates at her.

Marie knows where Callie is. She knows why she’s disappeared. It’s the how that eludes her. How it happened, how she’ll find her. How she can fix all of this.

“For the time being, I will be withdrawing from public appearances,” Her voice continues, “Such as live performances, meet and greets, or award shows. No new projects or music will begin production. I’ll be continuing some activities in limited capacity, following a short hiatus. Thank you for your support, I hope we will both be able to thank you all soon.”

And then finally , it’s over.

First time they’d shared that little piece on the news, but Marie knows it won’t be the last. Reprieve for now, but in 2 hours time it’d return just the same.

“So keep an eye out, y’all! The sooner she’s found the sooner Inkopolis’s best idol gets back to making music!”

Marie feels herself tense ever slightly on that line. It doesn’t matter, but something about the barb of competition never seems to let them free.

It doesn’t bother Marie so much, but maybe that was just because she won? There she was, getting full of herself again.

Marie bites her tongue and focuses back on the newscasters banter.

The younger idol's voice lilts upwards, shyness fading away.

“Best idol, hmm~? Are you so sure about that?”

Pearl laughs, loud and rough.

“Aw, ‘Rina, have you finally come around after your pick in last year’s Splatfest?”

‘Rina’ gasps loudly.

“Absolutely not! And dear viewers I hope you know Pearlie is a little sneak because she knows full well I was a proud Marie queen.”

“Weeeere you?” Pearl says, stretching out her words in mock confusion. “It was soooo long ago, I can’t seem to remember…”

“You were so shocked to lose you've completely forgotten?! But never fear Pearlie, I’ve still got my shirt to prove it!”

“Pretty sure Squidforce makes ya return those things at the end of the festival, Marina you didn’t—“

Marina hastily cuts Pearl off, “Oh, lookit that, we’re short on time. Well, keep an eye out everyone! Now, speaking of Splatfests–!”

And the transition music sweeps over their words once more. As the girls debate the pros and cons of movie genres for the 8th time this week, Marie lets her gaze drift over to the recording studio.

A cluster of excited Inklings crowd around the massive window, patterned with Off the Hook logos across its entire expanse. It’s awfully gaudy, or at least so says Marie.

With the mass of fans plastering themselves against the glass, Marie can’t get a good look at the idols inside. There’s the tips of Pearl’s crown she thinks, but the girl’s height certainly isn’t doing her any favours here.

Marina is a good head taller, but one awfully persistent Inkling keeps hopping up to get a better look over his taller friend, so Marie can’t make out her face. Just the edges of her tentacles, seafoam green and curling at the edges as she speaks.

Enough. There’s no point in standing around if all she’s going to do is make the most basic possible observations of their replacements. That’s not why Marie’s spent what feels like years lingering in the Square.

She’s supposed to be trying to find… someone.

Some look.

Gramps had tried to explain it to her once, a late night at the Cabin over in Octo Canyon.

A long day of setting up a new outpost, though a sizable portion of junk, Octavio included, remained over in the valley.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, light fell across the uneven stone in odd shapes, obscured by floating stones.

Marie sat carefully, watching the shadows shift while trying to move as little as possible.

Three had, as they were prone to doing, pushed themself to frankly unnecessary levels and wound up exhausted. Again. Callie at least had some form of excuse, a long morning of shooting refusing to deter her from coming by in the afternoon to help out. But regardless, the both of them had wound up drifting off only a few moments after sitting down for a “short break”. Marie, having made the unfortunate mistake of sitting beside them, now remained stock still.

Three’s head lulled to their right, ear poking Marie’s neck slightly and one of their longer tentacles spilling over into her lap. Callie was worse, but at least she was spilling onto Three. Her tentacles, taken down from their typical bow for the sake of the role, had never gotten tied back up again. Instead they were tangled in Three’s left arm, and pinned under the weight of Callie’s shoulder as she slid slightly forward in her sleep. Her head landed somewhere between Three’s shoulder and chest, a precarious position from which she could fall at any second.

And hyper aware of all of it, Marie. Wide awake.

Cuttlefish’s voice echoed over the canyon, just finishing rigging up some cord or another he’d been fiddling with on the other side of the cabin.

“How’s it going over there, kiddo?” He asked, taking a glance over at Marie and the others.

“Great,” She replied, deadpan, “Getting a ton done.”

Cuttlefish had laughed at that— laughed at her! — turning to rummage around in his pile of junk.

He wobbled over, towing along a couple paper lanterns Marie vaguely recognized, if not from where.

Shakily balancing on his wooden sandals, Cuttlefish strung the edge of the lantern on the handle of his cane and painfully slowly, reached up to hang it on a hook above Marie’s head.

“Gramps,” She pleaded, “You cannot be serious.”

Cuttlefish, the absolute bastard, just looked down and giggled. At his age too, the nerve.

“I’m hanging the lanterns.” He said, like it wasn’t extremely obvious what he was doing. The yellow strings hanging from the bottom of the lantern skimmed across Marie’s face and she worked very hard to keep a blank expression. Thank goodness for media training.

“I can see that. Do you have to do that now? ”

The lantern successfully slid into place and Cuttlefish, slowly , pulled his cane back, leaving the lantern’s tail hanging right in front of Marie’s face.

“Well, it’s got to get done, don’t it? I can’t be waiting around for the right moment at my age!”

Marie rolled her eyes.

“You better not hang that other one. If you wake up Three I won’t be responsible for what they do to you.”

In the few years Marie had known Three she’d only learned a handful of information, a drop in the ocean compared to her lifetime of knowledge on Callie. One of the things she’d learned right away was that waking up Three before they were damn well ready to wake up was not how you got on their good side.

“ Pwahh, I wouldn’t worry, kid loves me.” Cuttlefish said, but he put the second lantern down on the bench anyway.

Marie stuck her tongue out, one of the few things she could do without risking waking anyone.

“I can’t believe this. Giving Three special treatment over your own granddaughter. Next you’ll tell us Three’s your favourite agent.”

Cuttlefish smirked.

“Three is my favourite.”

“How could you do this.” Marie replied, zero hint of any real upset in her voice.  Carefully, Cuttlefish lowered himself down to sit on the stone, leaning back against the edge of the bench.

“Now don’t you start with me. Besides, I have it on good authority you’re pretty fond of them yourself.”

Marie looks away from Cuttlefish and over towards an odd plant, poking up out of the cracks in the rock.

“No idea what you’re talking about.”

“Ha, says the squid with them curled up against her right now!”

“This means nothing to me.”

Cuttlefish just smiled, looking over at the trio.

“Mar’, you can lie to your parents, your cousin and friends and coworkers, but you can’t lie to your old gramps. I see right through you. Always have.”

Marie sighed, turning her head to look over.

“I was only joking. No need to make things all serious.”

Cuttlefish isn’t looking at her anymore, letting his gaze wander out towards the training dummies they’d started setting up. The leftmost one is deflating slightly and the one in the centre hasn’t been filled at all. There’s still a lot of work to do.

“I suppose I don’t. You do a pretty good job of that all on your own.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Marie spat back, frustration bubbling out, “I get you’ve got the whole cryptic old man shtick going on, but keep this up and I’ll think you really have lost it.”

“Ha! Ya’ always were set like a hair trigger. Part of why I recruited you. Makes for a good sniper.”

Marie didn’t have any reply to that, so she let them both sit with the silence.

“I always knew you’d be good at it, you’ve got that look to ya.”

“Look?” Marie asked.

Cuttlefish tapped the edge of his cane against the stone as he spoke.

“There’s a look about ya, all of ya. It’s in you, and Cal, and Three too. S’How I knew they’d be the right one for the job.”

Marie scoffed.

“I thought you chose Three because they were the first kid who didn’t think you were completely off your rocker.”

“Joke all you like, kiddo, but there’s a trick to these things. You can tell the sort of squid someone is in their eyes. What they’d be willing to do, how far they’d go. Whether ya’ can trust them to do what’s right when it comes down to it.”

Now who’s making things too serious, Marie thought, but she didn’t say it. What she would’ve said now given the chance to talk to him again. Scour for a little more info on this supposed look , this way of reading people just right. A way to tell who to rely on when you need them.

But then, Marie had just rolled her eyes like always.

“Whatever you say, Gramps.”

Cuttlefish chuckled as Marie’s gaze wandered back over to Three and Callie as they continued to sleep.

“You’ll get it someday, when the time’s right.”

But if there’s ever a time isn’t it now? Nothing suddenly makes sense. Marie just grips onto an old parasol and lingers between an alley and a trash can, waiting for something to click into place.

Just like how to be a good sister, how to smile for cameras so they don’t know you’re faking, and how to fire a charger without having your hands shake. Another thing Marie’s just going to have to figure out, because no one will be able to explain it to her.

If Cuttlefish were here, things would be easier. She could balance the media a bit more, let him take the reins on finding another new recruit. They’d train the newbie together maybe, but Marie doesn’t let herself daydream anymore than that.

Because he’s off somewhere and won’t respond to any of her messages.

If Three were here things would be so much easier. She wouldn’t even have to say anything, they’d be halfway to the bottom of Octo Canyon already. They’ve always liked Callie better, most people do, and they’d jumped at any chance to patrol or train or whatever , if it was for the NSS. Marie’s pretty sure she could get them to clean her bathroom if she claimed it was some kind of training, but she won’t get the chance to test that, because Three isn’t here.

They’re off somewhere, with Cuttlefish, and won’t pick up their phone.

If Callie were here…

Well.

If Callie were here, right? If Callie were here.

Marie tightens the grip on her parasol, rolling it clockwise and back again. It won’t be much longer. She won’t let it be much longer.

Definitively pulling herself away from the memories, Marie forces herself to focus on the square, on the crowds. She can’t be getting caught in her own head now , not when any passerby could be the person she’s looking for.

She sweeps her gaze along the crowd, turning with a swath of teens heading towards Deca Tower. Laughing with each other they all head inside the open elevator doors, disappearing from Marie’s view in a split second.

She stays staring, left alone with just her reflection in the glass dividers outside the entrance.

It’s odd to say even she doesn’t recognise herself, but then that’s the point. She doesn’t need someone who’s here for Marie from the Squid Sisters . She needs…

Marie squints, looking over herself. What is it about her that has this so-called look? Where is she supposed to find all those little things that make a person right for this?

The only look she sees in her eyes is a lack of sleep and a bitter after taste.

Sunlight fades into the skyline, dipping just low enough to reflect off the glass and bounce back towards Marie’s face.

She looks away, casting another glance into the crowd.

Nothing.

She’s spent so long in a reverie that the sun’s starting to set. Even the Inkopolis News reports on the screens above were over now, just non stop ads until morning came.

Frustration bubbles up in the back of Marie’s throat. It’s another day nearly gone and she’s no closer to getting Callie back. How long of this? How long of waiting, of searching for something she doesn’t even know how to look for?

Marie bites the edge of her lip, hard, enough to know it’ll split. Makeup department would throw a fit, but then she’d have to be actively performing for that.

She’ll have to leave soon. There’s not much point to sticking around as the nights go on. Crowds thin out, most people who come out late at night wouldn’t have the time to devote to something of this scale anyway. Much as she’s loath to admit it, Marie does need to sleep at some point, so she can’t just stand here forever. During a festival, maybe, when the crowds make up for the sleep deprivation, but tonight she has no excuse.

Marie drags her sandal across the manhole, trying to find any reason to idle a bit longer. She’d have to make up her mind on where to go tonight at least, before she left.

Back to the apartment again, practically untouched since she’d first returned home? It’s a bit of a mess, but Marie can’t bring herself to move anything that wasn’t in danger of actively rotting. Callie’s comfortable shoes are still thrown across the living room from where she’d kicked them off last time she was home. Her laundry is still in the dryer, a bowl of dry cereal Marie can’t stand just sitting on the kitchen table.

The other option is the cabin, the old sofa with the out of place spring. At nights Marie spends in the cabin she keeps her radio on, trying to get any hint of where to even start looking in the crackling static that drones endlessly on. She doesn’t sleep much those nights, ears straining for anything hidden in the white noise.

She’s spent most nights at the cabin.

With the clouds over the (now empty) Inkopolis News building growing an ever more vibrant magenta, there’s not much daylight left.

Marie takes a breath. It’s time to go.

But as she lifts her foot her gaze sweeps out into the crowd one last time.

...There’s someone. Frozen in place, staring Marie dead in the eye.

A moment passes, Marie unable to tear herself away. A breath, and then she’s moving , the woman in the distance is approaching Marie. It’s only a few steps, just enough for them to be within earshot of each other, but it’s the closest anyone’s been to Marie in weeks. She feels like she’s suffocating.

“Excuse me…” The woman says, toned, polite and calming. The slightest lilt of an accent. The voice that Marie’s heard every few hours, ringing out above her head like clockwork.

Marina from Off the Hook looks towards Marie and says nothing, words seemingly caught in her throat.

She’s so much closer now. Marie’s eyes flick downwards, to her beat up sneakers, then upwards, to her tied back tentacles, cups facing the sky.

Heavy headphones tuck her ears away, and a snug teal and cream coloured hoodie hides much of Marina’s body. Not enough for her to be unrecognisable. Not enough for Marie to not take one look and know.

Marie’s breath gets caught in her throat.

“Yes?” Marie hears herself ask, voice more distant than every recording she’s ever made.

However she speaks must have some kind of effect , because she watches Marina’s gentle smile chip in real time, media training washing away to an anxious expression. Marina clutches her pointed teal fingertips to her chest.

“I’ve… um… I see you hanging around here a lot! F-from the news building. On my break,” Marina’s head whips around, pointing at the obvious glass room behind her. “I- I recognise you.”

That’s my line, Marie thinks. What’s that supposed to mean? She’s without the charger, sure, but if she’s already been recognised she’s more than happy to provide. It would be nice, even, to do a bit of agent work. Relieve a bit of stress.

“Do you now?” Marie says in reply. She can’t meet Marina’s eye, so she settles for looking at the small tentacle curling out above her forehead.

Marina nods profusely, practically bowing over.

“I- I just… If… If there was anything I could help you with—“ Marina says, and before she’s even finished Marie is already caught entirely off guard. “I’d be happy to. If there’s anything I can do for you. Either of you.”

Somewhere in that sentence she’d screwed her eyes shut, now peeking one open to look over at Marie for her response.

Marie just stares. Deep into pale seafoam and pastel pink. The shape of a figure eight, watery and waiting. She feels a bit sick.

“…No.” Marie answers finally, voice thick and heavy. “There isn’t.”

Marina seems almost surprised for a moment, but she hides it well.

“W-Well then! I… I wish you the best of luck.”

And Marie just breathes, because if she says another word she’s not sure what they would be anymore. A moment to collect her thoughts, but by now she can’t think of anything but how much she wishes nothing had happened to get her this far deep in the first place.

More than a minute, silence between them and Marina’s awaiting face, until Marie finally replies the only thing that feels right.

“You as well.”

Then melts away, lets herself dissolve into ink right then and there down into the grate and away from any eyes. Only about a metre down she drops before shifting back, sticking her arms out to brace herself against the inside of the drain. There’s just barely enough space for her here. She stares upwards, the small beams of light filtering in through the grate. There’s a clanging, shadows flickering as Marina steps over. Marie holds her breath for a moment, but Marina doesn’t move to follow her.

Another bang, then a high pitched voice echoing downward, filtered through the metal.

“Hey, ‘Rina! Sorry, the fans got me, yada yada, whatever— who was that you were talking to? Someone you know?”

Even from this distance, Marie can hear the sharp inhale Marina takes. That small moment of hesitation.

Marie doesn’t need to hear this. Pulling herself away from the sides of the drain slowly, she lets herself spill downwards again, back towards the cabin. To radio static and waiting, a sleepless night until daybreak, when she’ll try all this again.

So she only hears this last bit as she’s already leaving, Marina’s ever-so-slightly shaky voice as it’s swept away.

“No,” Marina says, “I guess not.”

[end]

#bump!#splatoon

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voids-colourful-creations · 26 days