Putz12 Plus One

FORTY ONE | COME TOGETHER

"Triple-fried galatic swaffle. You're gonna need it." Derek placed the food in front of Octofro, who stared dejectedly at the mountain of the most delicious-looking food he had ever seen.

"Boy, they sure don't have food like that down there..." He admitted, playing with his food.

"Dude, you're boney. Eat up! Or you're gonna die, or something."

Free was sitting across from Octofro with a worried look in her eyes. "He's upset, he's not gonna eat right now."

"I used the last of my stolen money for this!" They remembered who stole it, and soon he understood why they were sad.

"He'll be back."

"No." Said Pheobe, pulling a chair from another table to hers. "He's dead."

"You'd figure you'd be more emotional than that." Said Fake Iza, who was busy looking at all the light, feasting her eyes on the buffet she'd never had down there. Real Iza really did keep her word, and she never felt so proud of herself for standing up against tyranny. 

"Some people grieve by shutting down." Free said.

"Well, what about you? How do you grieve?" Derek asked incredulously.

"What are you saying, I'm not..." She began to cry and hid into her arms. Derek ran to rub her shoulders.

"He's still alive, I can feel it."

"Yeah, well, you're wrong. He's dead and so is my stupid sister."

"Iza's right here! And she's not stupid!"

"Yes she is!" Now tears began to fall down Pheobe's eyes. "She's stupid for defending an inkling!"

"What's wrong with inklings?" Asked a passerby. Soon all the squid kids in Inkopolis began to slowly surrounded them, looking at their weird tentacles.

"Nothing! She's new here, is all!" Derek said. Whispers of suspicion darted around the crowd. They heard about octolings and other gasps, rumors of their own extinction.

"Um, hello?! We're right here!" Said Octofro, greatly offended.

"I hate you, I hate all of you!" Shouted Pheobe, crushing her cup from Crusty Sean's.

"You may wanna tone that down, I don't think we have any other place to stay..." Advised Derek.

"No! My sister is dead because of your kind!"

Soon the entire crowd surrounded her with angry eyebrows.

"You know, if you wanted to stay extinct, you could have just asked." Almost flying with a cape landed an inkling girl with long tentacles and a glowing gun.

"What is this, superhero cosplay month?" DUDE said, walking by with his team. Their shirts said TEAM DUDE which sparked their attention.

"He is real..." Derek gasped, his entire crew staring at DUDE and his friends.

"What is going on here?!" Marina's voice sent chills down the lurker's eyes, quickly they made a line for her and Pearl to get through. Inkopolis was full to the brim now with several octolings in white dresses and black ink. "Is this a cult?!"

"Was a cult." One corrected.

"Well it's against rules to have cults in Inkopolis!" Marina explained, walking down the line like a queen. Pearl was by her side and Pheobe couldn't help but notice she was quite short in comparison. Finally, the crew, who were previously sitting at the table jumped up, staring at the odd pair. Marina's eyes flickered with hope, familiarity or something...