Risks and Rewards (Of a Life so Simple)

Fond Farewell

Off the Hook had arranged all their baggage, and Meep was crying; so everything was going just about as well as anyone expected it to.

Her and Benny were following them around like lost sea slug puppies. Deco would've likely joined them, but it was his guppy's lunch time. Very important.

"It'll...it'll be okay!" Meep squeaked. "You guys...! You guys will make so much fun music and...and you'll have fun, and...!" She sniffed, nose full of snot.

"Yeah, we will! And we appreciate your encouragement!" Pearl replied. "We'll send you demos! You'll be the first to hear all of them!"

"I will cherish every single onnnneeee..." She cried.

"I wish I had a phone so you could send me cool music, also." Benny remarked, electing to practice his Inkling until they left. "But...I cannot hold it. So it would be pointless."

"I'll show you them, Benny! We'll have fun early song access partiesss!" Meep said loudly, still crying.

They'd reached the front door. Marina reached out, and rested her hand atop Meep's head. "Hey...you'll be alright without us. I know you will, you're so strong and brave, Meep."

"Auuauuauuauauauuuu..." Was Meep's blubbered reply. Benny nudged her with his body in a silent show of reassurance.

Pearl put a hand on her shoulder as well. "Yeah! We'll be back before you know it! You won't even notice we're gone."

"Aaauuauu but I love you guys! You're...my family!" She sniffled. "The only one I've got!"

An angry look flashed across Marina's face, but she schooled it back into tender and beckoned the other Octoling in for a hug. "We love you too. We love you so much." 

Pearl joined the hug, and Benny leaned into them from the outside. "We're so happy you happened to us." Pearl said gently. "We're so happy to call you our kid. You're irreplaceable, you know that?"

She sniffled, but she finally managed a smile. "I-I know...you guys too..."

Marina squeezed tight, and then pulled back. "Hey, it's a bit of a drive to the train station. You can come with us in the car, if you want." She then fixed Benny with an apologetic look. "I'd invite you too, Benny, but..."

"A risk. I understand." He replied. "No hard feelings. I wanted to help Deco, anyway."

"Good, he probably needs it." She said, and pulled him in to hug him individually. Pearl let go of Meep to join her. "We'll miss you, too. But I'm glad you'll be here to keep Meep company."

"Me too. Thank you both, for making this place a home." He smiled into them, clenching all his muscles in the best approximation of returning the hug he could muster.

"Glad to do it! You guys livened up this place like nobody's business!" Pearl replied as she squeezed.

Eventually though, the three separated. Marina and Pearl waved goodbye to Benny, and with Meep in tow, left the building.

It was short order that they got into the car, and made their way towards their destination. Meep recognized the driver; an Urchin who'd chauffeured her to Annabel's apartment on occasion. She could tell her sorrow showed on her face by the pity in their eye. She avoided further eye contact.

She awkwardly sat, next to Marina, and didn't say anything for a few minutes. Her mind raced, with too many worries and doubts.

"......do you think Octavio just didn't want me?" She murmured. She knew better by now than to internalize thoughts like that, and she was running out of time for her moms to comfort her in person.

Once again, Marina's face went flush with cold anger. "If I ever see that slimy son of a banana-eel again I'm going to rip his tentacles off and throw him in the sea." She hissed. Pearl nodded in agreement, expression dark.

Meep winced. She supposed she wasn't all that surprised that Marina and Pearl felt that way. But at the same time...it felt bad, hearing people bad-mouth him. He'd...he'd been kind to her, before he'd ran away. At least, she thought he had.

"...I...keep wondering. If I'd managed to find out sooner. Maybe.....maybe I could've talked to him. I might've been able to help him. He always said he wanted to fix his mistakes. I...if I..." Meep trailed off. A small part of her felt...almost responsible, for what had happened. Like she hadn't done enough.

Marina's eyes went wide. "Oh, Meep, this isn't your fault." She said, reaching out to take her hand. "You don't need to make excuses for him. He doesn't deserve it, and he doesn't deserve you."

She frowned. Marina didn't get it. But that wasn't particularly surprising. "I'm not making excuses. He was kind to me before."

Pearl sighed, and reached across Marina to hold Meep's hand too. "Do you think he loved you, Meep? Honest question."

Meep felt a tear sting the corner of her eye. "I...I don't know. He spoke to me gently, with patience. And regret."

"But he still left. He still abandoned you. You don't owe him anything. A good dad wouldn't do that."

Meep sniffled. "I...I'm scared. You guys are leaving too, a-and...I know it's different. I know you still love me. I just..."

"Oh Meep...come here..." Marina beckoned softly, and Meep went into swim form and curled up in Marina's lap. Her form rippled from her muffled weeping.

"Of course we love you. You're our kid. Nothing's ever gonna change that, y'hear?" Pearl said loudly. "We'd kill for you."

"Yes. Absolutely. A thousand times over." Marina agreed, expression dangerous.

"Kwill is bad." She warbled.

"Yeah. But you're worth it, Meep." Pearl retorted.

Meep curled tighter into Marina, and Pearl leaned over to embrace the two of them.

"We'll always care about you. We'll always be here for you. You've got a support system now. You've got us, and Benny, and Deco, and Annabel, and the whole Splatoon! You're never gonna be alone, ever. Never again, even without us with you." Marina squeezed tight.

"I know..." Meep whispered, a tentacle wrapped around one arm for each of them. "I love you, moms. Both of you."

Pearl and Marina felt their eyes go misty too, and they lifted her up to kiss her inky head.

The car came to a stop. "Here's the station." Said the driver, voice level.

All three of them got out of the car, Meep shifting and landing on the ground in her normal form again. They embraced each other one more time.

Meep was the first to pull away, tears glistening on her face. "I'll text you every day."

"Keep us updated if anything funny happens while we're gone!" Pearl said with a grin. "Oh, and spend some time with Annabel, when you can. I'll tell ya, nothing improves a mood like girlfriend time."

Marina nudged her with her elbow, gaze affectionate. "Seconded."

Meep tearfully nodded. "Yeah! Yeah, I will." She got choked up again. She embraced them both, one last time. "Thank you..! Th-thank you, for being my family."

They gave her one last squeeze, and soon after, they boarded the train and left.

The ride home was quiet.