Splatoon 2: Lost In The Dark

3- Endangered Strangers

Her head pounded out a beat, while the ringing in her ears eked out the melody. Yet the lyrics evaded her completely. Fuzzy static replaced all memory of words, yet she somehow knew they were supposed to be there. Suddenly the dream faded away, leaving only the pain that played accompaniment.

"AHOY! OCTOLING!"

Her eyelids cracked open, big buggy eyes jolted her awake. The squid's breath assaulted her nose with a crabby stench, almost making her pass out again.

"Up and at'em, ya lazy whiffle-whaffle!"

What? The words glided through her mind in slow motion. Only half really registered. Whiffle-waffle. Tasty.

"This fight ain't over!"

A headache throbbed at the back of her brain. She wished the incessant ringing inside and out of her head would quiet down.

"Prepare for a royal whoopin!"

The beardo-weirdo crowed, "But there's no honor in defeating an unarmed opponent...and you seem to have lost your weapon somewhere around here."

Weapon? I don't remember a weapon. I don't remember...Uh Oh. Reality came crashing back around her. The cold concrete floor. Dim fluorescent light. Steel beams crisscrossing the ceiling. A Stranger standing over her with a bamboo cane. Her breath accelerated. Fast and shallow, her chest too constricted with bruises and panic to allow deep breaths. The stranger kept on talking in the distance.

"And just where is...here...anyway? Last thing I remember is you battling my protégé, Agent 3, in Octo Valley...when both of you were attacked by someone."

Attacked. Her head throbbed. I can believe that.

"And somehow we got marooned here...So, uh, hows about we call a temporary truce while we find a way to escape?"

Truce? I don't have a choice, do I? She pressed her lips together and nodded.

"But where are my manners...I haven't even told you my name!" The squid bobbed his head, "I'm Cap'n Cuttlefish! Leader of the Legendary New Squidbeak Splatoon! And you are?"

Name. My name is...She wracked her memories.

"..."

Which was rather difficult considering there was nothing to be found.

".........."

Fuzzy nothingness replaced what should have been on the tip of her tongue.

"*psst*"

"This is the part where you tell me your name."

She screwed up her face with concentration, "No...idea" she whispered.

"By Kraken...You lost your memory when you hit the ground?!"

Inky tears threatened to flood her face. She took a deep, slightly shaky breath. No tears, that'd just make the headache worse.

"You can't remember anything about yourself? Anything at all?!"

Not helping. She wished the Cap'n would stop talking.

"Most interesting..."

Easy for you to say. She wrinkled her nose.

"I noticed you were humming the Calimari Inkantantion right before you came to..."

The music came rushing back to her. Perhaps not as helpful as memories, but the tears rescinded with a salty swallow. It's alright. It's something.