An Octarian Princess

Reflection

Octavio was under an old tree in the courtyard. It was one where him, Cuttlefish, and Okuto would hang out at often. They would try and antagonize him while he was working on his music and then he'd chase them around. Okuto would steal Cuttlefish's hat, and then somehow they'd always wind up on the ground on top of each other. Those were the good days. He wished that Naida had gotten to meet them.

If he was lucky, Okuto would've been Naida's mother. At least then she wouldn't have been found in an abandoned village in the middle of nowhere. She would've been born into a happy, warm, and safe home. But now, he had nothing. He'd driven away Cuttlefish, and sent Okuto to her death. Now Naida had been lost too, taken by someone he was should've gotten rid of years ago. So there he was, under the old tree, watching the stars and listening to the crickets chirping in the bushes. He sighed, some shining Pilar he'd turned out to be.

He heard a giggle, he sat up and looked to his right. And there she was, Okuto, she giggled again, putting a finger to her lips. "Okuto, I..." Octavio couldn't stop the tears in his eyes "I'm so sorry, please, forgive me. I-I didn't know-" this astral projection of Okuto raised her hand, silencing him. She simply sat down next to him and kissed his head.

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Now he was with Naida, as a small child. Probably around 3 or 4 at the time. For some reason he couldn't remember which room in the Palace it was. They were just in the Palace. "Dad?" She asked "uh, y-yeah, sweetie?" He replied "you ok? You look upset." She said "oh, yeah, I'm alright, sweetheart. Don't worry." He ruffled up her tentacles, causing her to swat his hands away "so...you know how Aiden has a mom?" She looked back up at him "yeah, what about Auntie?" He asked "how come I only have Aunties? Why don't I have a Mom?" Naida responded "why? Uh, well, I found you..." Octavio said quietly, it had always kind of been the elephant seal in the room, but this was the first time that she'd asked about it directly, right? Octavio shook his head, why couldn't he remember some of this stuff? It was easy stuff to remember, at least he thought so. "Found me?" Naida asked taking his hand "where did you find me?" She asked "I found you in a not good place. So I just picked you up and brought you home." He replied "oh..." Naida looked at the ground "hey, sweetheart." Octavio sat her on his lap "just because you don't have a Mom doesn't make you any less unwanted. I love you too the moon and back, and I will do anything for you." Octavio cupped Naida's cheek in his hand Naida smiled a little "ok, Dad. But I'm gonna find my Mom one day, just you wait." She then hopped off his lap and wandered out of the room, Octavio tried reaching for her, but she was gone.

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Octavio woke up, panting, all a dream. He slumped back down onto his pillows. He'd Octopia Palace hours ago, he was on his train heading towards Suction Cup Lookout. He looked to his left, on his bedside table was the bottle of sleeping pills he'd brought with him. His water bottle was also empty, he grumbled to himself and got out of bed with the empty bottle. The Octoleets stationed at his door jumped when he opened it, he turned to one of them with the bottle, asking them to refill it. He got a swift "yes sir" before they disappeared down the hallway with it. The other Octoleet awkwardly cleared they're throat before looking down the other side of the hallway.

The original Octoleet soon returned and he retreated back to the moonlit confines of his room. He still had photos of those days hung up like an idiot. Photos of him, Okuto, Cuttlefish...Naida. Octavio then took all of them down, he could feel the eyes of all of them following his eye move. He then settled back into bed, downed a couple more pills with some water. He really needed to watch his intake of them, always gave him trippy dreams.

In my defense I got this idea while doing the Splatfest. So good game to everyone, hope you all had as much fun as I did :D
-alexsismindina 💜💛💚