Better Eight Than Never

Chapter 39: Resurfaced

The trip upward took even longer than the one to come down, and was almost constantly at a slope, heading ever upward, and upward, and upward. When Bato emerged, he was hit with a dusting of misty raindrops. It felt almost refreshing, but instead he ducked under a warehouse's awning next to Simon and Hachi. "Where's Toda? And does anyone know where Jill went?"

"Toda's in that puddle, we're lucky we came up after the rain." Simon said with a quick gesture. "And Jill... She left before the fight broke out, she decided that worst come to worst, Stacey needed to make it out of there..." Their ears drooped, betraying their worry.

"Then there's a chance she got out." Bato murmured, wishing there was more he could do.

"Hey, you idiot, why the fuck did you do that!?" Hachi asked, lightly punching his arm.

He yelped, and rolled his eyes. "I wasn't going to just stand there, I'm just sorry I couldn't make it in time." Almost as soon as he finished talking, she wrapped her arms around him, beginning to cry. He felt a little startled, but regardless he hugged her back. "How did they find out?"

"... They realized who you were, after I took you... They know you have a connection to me, and... When I came back to the facility they got suspicious... You've seen how good I am at lying..." She sniffled. "Th-They took everything... They took my soulmate..."

"I'm so sorry..." He said, casting a glance at her tentacle stubs, a dull gray, and still dripping ink. "... We'll get you patched up."

"Hey... Hachi..." Simon said. "Not to intrude but, why the hell did you take us here? Is this near that hideout they took Toda?"

She nodded gently. "It's the closest one I kn-know to Bato's house."

They sighed. "I guess that's okay reasoning."

Bato raised his head a little and looked at them. "What about you? Are you okay?"

They glanced at their arm, and the trickle of ink running down it. "... I'll be fine, we'll just have matching scars now... Hey Toda? You doing ok over there?" They continued, looking out into the drizzle, which was slowing every second.

After a moment or so, Toda slid back out of the puddle and resumed humanoid form, looking over himself for a second; He was back to normal size, and no longer had swirls of purple ink running through him, a fact which caused Bato to heave a sigh of relief. "I think so." He replied, slowly walking over to the three of them.

Simon gave a relieved nod, then paused. "... I guess now we figure out how to get to one of our houses... We have no train pass, no phones..."

Bato glanced at Toda, then at himself, Hachi, and finally Simon. "And... going out like this would likely cause people to call the police."

Simon took a deep breath."... Ok... Let me see..." They took off the octoling armor they were wearing, then lifted off the black shirt they had slipped on over their splatfest tee earlier. "Wrap her head in this, it'll at least slow the drips."

Bato nodded, taking the shirt from them and started to wrap it around Hachi's head, doing his best to be careful. "Stay still, the pressure will help stop the bleeding."

Hachi winced, little tentacle stubs twitching. "Trying...!"

Simon began to pace back and forth. "This part of town is old... If we can find a pay phone, we can call one of our parents collect, and they can drive out here. Do... Either of your parents have cars, Bato?"

He nodded. "Mine do."

"... What's calling collect?" Toda asked.

Simon paused. "You know... When the other end pays for your call."