「𝙃𝙄𝙂𝙃 𝙑𝙊𝙇𝙏𝘼𝙂𝙀 : a splatoon oc fanfic」

「chapter one : adrenaline」

❝i'm running around with only a single try at life left.
after all, there's no second chance for me, right?❞

— てらてら (Teratera), Kurage-P

this is not where a teen who was discharged from the hospital mere hours ago should be.

the cheer of the crowd was deafening. as if it couldn't get any worse, the lights were blinding, their knees shook at the mere sight of the stage before them,  and they were sure that the crowd that surrounded them were aiming to suffocate them.

but for some reason, flower cannot tear their attention away.

they found themselves slowly weaving through the sea of cephalopods, and being careful not to trip on any wires on the floor. the music played by the group on stage shook the live house and everyone in it, but it wasn't a scary feeling. the song reached the chorus, and everyone started singing in unison. it's as if singing the lyrics was second nature.

of course it was second nature. it was a song that everyone around these parts loved. a song that had listeners drawn to it, time and time again. a song that never got old, and the fact that it was still universally loved in this live house despite it's six-year-old age proved it. it was a melody unlike any other.

and of course flower knew it too. how could they not? this song, along with every other song the group was playing tonight, was written by their father.

flower was now at arm's reach of the stage. they willed their legs not to collapse out of fear, in order to see them.

the performers.

they looked to be around the same age as flower, a year or two older at most.

the dj at the booth seemed to know exactly what he was doing. it was like he knew the equipment like the back of his hand. he studies the crowd's reactions, their mood and energy, and adds to the track as he sees fit. his confident smirk grows, he is pleased with the reactions to his efforts, both of the crowd and of his team, and so he sings his part to keep the energy flowing.

the male performer wore a face that was not as animated as his teammates, but everything else about him more than made up for it. he never missed a single beat. every move he took and every word he sang was calculated; it was obvious that music has been apart of his life for a while now. his silky voice helped his teammate's shine.

and the girl. moving without a care in the world, letting her high energy and carefree smile reflect on the members of the crowd. her voice was addicting, adding warmth and depth to the lyrics and captivating the audience. every dance move fit perfectly with her partner's. she was captivated by the music, and sought to captivate everyone else as well.

flower found themselves singing along as well. their voice was scratchy and quiet, and they haven't sang in what seemed like forever, but it felt wrong to stop.

'music is so beautiful,' they tell themselves as they cheer with the crowd. 'is this what it was like for everyone who saw dad perform that day...? will i be able to make others feel the way i feel, right now?'

as the song neared it's end, flower and the performers locked eyes.

'ah... i forgot. that's impossible, isn't it?'

the doubt within flower welled up.

'that person in the crowd... is that a hospital wristband? that's interesting.'

the male performer continued on dancing.

'the flower-crown kid at the front... they're entranced by us, but i can't tell what they're thinking.'

the dj prepared to finish their set.

'i'm sure i'd remember somebody who looks like that in a crowd. they must be new! after this, i'll go up to them and introduce—"

—BZZzzzzzzt!

the power going out cut off the female performer's thought process.

luck was not on their side when the power cut immediately after their group was finished with their set. the audience still cheered for them after the initial shock of the sudden darkness. they wished for an encore, but with the current state of things, it was impossible.

flower couldn't handle it. with what little power their body had left, they put one foot in front of the other, and ran out of the live house as fast as they could. they ran as the last sliver of the sun set.

their legs gave out just as they reached a small park, and they sat down on an empty swingset to catch their breath. their lungs could not handle the exercise just yet. flower inhaled, and dialled their father's number.

"so dad, i may have gotten lost on my way back from wahoo world... please pick me up..."

flower sighed in embarrassment. they covered their face with their free hand as they listened to their father tell them off. "i know, i know. i don't know how i got lost on my birthday. but you won't believe where i ended up...!"

it wasn't until the power turned back on at forte live house that the performers realized that flower was long gone.