A Melody | (Pearl x Marina)

Chapter 5: Octo

Marina's POV.

I couldn't keep it from her forever. We were a duo now... we have a plan and everything. It doesn't matter that we practically just met. Things in life change faster than you expect. And if she is going to throw me back underground, it might as well happen while I'm a nobody.

She stared at me, her little crown glinting in the sunlight. She was genuinely curious.

"You wanted to know where I was from." I started. She gave a small nod. "I don't know if you know this but the Octarians live underground."

"Yeah, I know. The wild bad guys with the crazy floating tech." She made odd gestured with her hands.

I sighed. "I'm from the HQ. I'm from the underground." My voice got quieter as I spoke. "That's why I can't read it. We speak and write a different language down there. I only can speak it because I learn really fast. And I've heard inklings before."

Pearl's eyes widened and she stopped rocking back and forth on the chair. She stared at me.

I felt ashamed. Guilty. Disgusting. She was planning on how to get rid of me.

"So... you're an Octoling." She said in a voice quieter than I've ever heard her speak before. "Like those crazy soldiers. With the... goggles."

I nodded.

"My hair is opposite of yours, my eyes are different, even my fingers." I held them up and wiggled them. "And... my ears too." I pulled my tentacles back and showed her the ear I had hurt almost a week ago. There was a small scar on it.

"It's round," Pearl observed. She didn't seem mad... or scared... right? "Mine are super pointy, but I keep 'em under my hair cuz they're weird."

She lifted them up and showed me. They were oblong and had an unusually sharp end, like she said.

"So we're like," she looked away and then back again, letting her hair go. "Weird ear buddies."

Why was she so chill? And why is she being so nice? Well she did call my ears weird but... that's not the point.

"You're not mad?" I leaned forward in complete confusion. "You're not gonna send me back underground? Turn me in? Anything?"

Pearl shook her head. She was clearly a little uncomfortable and a bit shaken, but she kept her cool. "Why would I throw away my band mate? Just because you're an Octoling? That's stupid. People up here still have their limbs in a twist because they're stuck in the past. All they see is the Octoling soldiers and our stolen Zapfish."

I sat back and my shoulders loosened.

She isn't mad.

I threw my arms around her and hugged her tightly, feeling my eyes burn up.

"Hey, hey," she laughed and hugged back. "I won't tell anyone."

"You have no idea how relieved I am," I said quickly, laughing in embarrassment. "You're cool, Pearl. Like, really cool."

She let go and smiled at me. "You too. You're the first Octoling I've ever met."

"I assumed so."

"Okay, let's quit the sap and start on the rap. Let's get this song rolling!"

~

We spent hours in that same room. Luckily Pearl had tons of snacks. There were consequentially chip bags all over the desk and floor, but we did it.

We had made our first song.

"Yo, Marina," Pearl called my name and yawned. "Play it through the big speakers. Let's hear it pound through the big guns."