Chapter Text
Maybe trying to clear the crater wasn’t the best things to do, not after Sashi had injured himself in a match of Rainmaker the other day.
Still, Deep Cut had requested their team assist with cleaning things up, to remove any traces of Mr. Grizz and his rocket. They talked about big plans for the crater, how something was happening in Splatsville that would change the course of the city’s future, if not even Inkopolis’s future. Deep Cut wouldn’t tell them anything more, their snide chuckles frustrating Sashi as they explained the job they were tasked with doing.
He swept the platform of the train station, gripping his broom tightly against his chest, as if it would fly off if he let go of it. Archon and Thalsa cleaned the benches of the platform, removing rubble and rubbish. Kailana was nowhere to be found, though Sashi could sense she was nearby. Perhaps chatting with Deep Cut, or trying to find something important. She often got lost in her thoughts, barely doing work when she was supposed to. Though, he supposed. Getting lost in thought isn’t necessarily a bad trait to have.
Her thoughtfulness was useful on the battlefield, getting them out of sticky situations more than once. Her levelheadedness contrasted nicely with the rest of their team’s penchant for rushing into situations, even when they were less than ideal.
He chuckled to himself, thinking back on certain battles, how many times she had saved his ass.
“What’s so funny to you?”
The voice startled him out of his thoughts, and he turned around to see Frye approaching with the rest of his time behind her. Blinking as they came forward, he lowered his broom slightly.
“Nothing,” he said, quietly, dipping his head. She raised an eyebrow at the gesture, but said nothing else. “I was just… thinking while I work. That’s all.” He looked back up, only to see curious looks on all their faces, before he swallowed. “About things in the past. You know how it is, I’m sure.”
Frye rolled her eyes at that, and even Thalsa snickered behind their hand a little. Sashi felt too many eyes on him at once, deflating slightly as words failed to fall from his lips. Kailana must have picked up on it, because she stepped made to step forward, but a silent signal in the form of a shake of his head kept her from approaching further. The look of pity in her eyes felt familiar, bringing him back to their time as soldiers. She was always so kind, so protective over him. Reaching out to keep him safe from their superiors even when they dared to punish him for things that were certainly not his fault.
He remembered a scar on her back, from taking the lash of a whip that was meant for him.
That’s all in the past. He let his body relax. She’s here now. And she’s safe. Just like how I’m safe.
Frye must have had the same thoughts as he was having, because she rolled her eyes. “Well, stop thinking about what’s in the past. And start thinking about your future. You’re done for the day, alright? Go do something useful. Like taking part in some battles or getting rid of those nasty salmonids or whatever.” She rolled her shoulders. “Get out of here!”
Archon was the first to bolt, dropping the bags of trash he was holding and darting off. Thalsa watched him go, smiling widely at Frye, before followed Archon as well.
It left only the three of them standing there, although Frye shrugged as if she wasn’t bothered and stomped off, leaving their once large group down to two.
Brother and sister.
Kailana turned to look at Sashi, who pointedly avoided her gaze. He knew she would see the apprehension in his eyes if he were to look at her, if she couldn’t feel it radiating off him already. He kept his eyes focused ahead of them, as they made their way to the train back to Splatsville.
“I think you’ll be pleased to know Archon and Thalsa were actually helpful this time,” she said, resting her hands on her hips. “We got through our sections in about two hours, I think.”
Sashi scoffed, still focused on the other two octolings. They disappeared onto the train, much further ahead than Kailana and Sashi. “I’m sure it’s only because they wanted to get out of there sooner rather than later,” he pointed out. He masked his fondness for the two with a false demeanor of annoyance, though couldn’t stop the quirk of his lips. “You know how badly Archon wanted to participate in the Tower Control rotation later. And Thalsa will do whatever he says.”
“What is the rotation, anyway,” Kailana asked, and Sashi tipped his head back to her, his brows furrowing. “What? I’m only curious. We have to start thinking about our team composition. I don’t want to suffer a humiliating defeat like last time.”
Sashi winced. “If you didn’t encourage Thalsa to play Bamboozler then we would have won.” He fixed her with a strict glare. “You know just as well as I do that Archon wanted to do anything to get under my skin that day. A double bamboozler comp was destined to lose.” He lifted his chin. “I refuse to go through that again.”
Kailana gave a sheepish chuckle, and Sashi felt his lips fully curl into a smile alongside her. “You’re right, that was my fault a little, wasn’t it?” She hummed. “Still… maybe we should run a double comp of something at some point. Seafoam does, and they seem to do well in their matches.” She shrugged. “Just fish for thought.”
“Seafoam lost in their most recent tournament,” Sashi pointed out. “And not by a small thing either. And besides… we beat them soundly when we went against them. I don’t put much stock in whatever it is they’re cooking.” He frowned, a different thought entering his mind. “Truth be told, I don’t get why you’re bringing them up, anyway. “We aren’t them. We’re Inksurgence. I think our skills work just fine with the positions we take up.” He narrowed his eyes. “We don’t need to change.”
If he was telling himself the truth, Sashi didn’t want them to play the same weapons, ever. He was grateful their current positions placed them in different situations on the battlefield, but the idea of holding an Octoshot in his hands again, of standing in a perfect line with the other soldiers, of aimlessly throwing themselves into battle over and over again in hopes of overwhelming an enemy that wouldn’t give up no matter how hard they tried…
…it was in the past.
Kailana must have picked up on his thoughts, because she hummed in agreement, and he was grateful she recognized his feelings. It was times like these that made Sashi wonder where he would be without her. “Well, you’re right. If you ever ordered me to switch off Nautilus or Edit, I think I’d be forced to usurp your position as team leader.”
Sashi shrugged. “Be my guest.” Though part of him was joking, part of him still didn’t believe if he was worthy of being their leader. What made him better than the others? If anything, Marlon would do much better in the position than he ever could. “You would end up kicking Archon off the team within two seconds if you had to deal with him the same way I do… if you don’t outright kill him.”
Kailana smiled. “Exactly. That’s why we chose you as our leader. Your words are law.”
Your words are law.
You’re our leader.
Our general.
Your words are law.
He flinched, though not visibly. Kailana must have realized what she had said, because she stiffened and clamped her mouth shut. The words echoed through both of their minds, a reminder of the same fate they had once endured all those years ago. A horrible fate Sashi wouldn’t wish even on his worst enemy. A fate he had so desperately wished to be spared.
It’s all in the past.
“I suppose you must be right,” he said, trying to make a joke out of the unsavory conversation they found themselves in. “I’m the best at keeping you all in line, aren’t I?” He gave her a stern—although caring—look. “Except you seem to always want to go against my orders, even in the height of battle. I’ll have to keep a better eye on you.”
She stopped walking, and Sashi wondered if he had gone too far. But the gleam in her eyes wasn’t lost on him. Kailana’s body stiffened as she stood straight, raising her hand in a mocking salute. “Yes, sir! I’ll do my best to follow your orders from now on.”
“Whatever,” he scoffed, glowering at her. “Maybe if you talk like that more often, Archon will actually listen to me, Lana.”
She shrugged. “Hey. Someone has to question your orders. I can’t have my baby brother getting a big head on me. You’ll think you’re invincible, and we’ll struggle to keep up.”
They both knew, in many ways, he was. In all the ways that mattered on the battlefield.
And yet…
The way she challenged him, the way she questioned his orders even in the heat of battle. It made him feel vulnerable, breaking down all of his barriers and stripping away that feeling of power. Because if he was truly invincible, then he wouldn’t be standing here in the first place, would he? It was losing to Marlon, nearly dying in the Deepsea Metro, that led him to this world above. That led him to reunite with his siblings.
Being vulnerable, exposed, weak… it’s what makes me feel.
Would the old version of me find that incomprehensible?
It didn’t matter, because that was all in the past. None of it mattered.
As they geared up to board the train, Sashi let those thoughts of fear and worry fade from his mind. His insecurities about his leadership, his anxieties about the Metro and everything else he had gone through… let it fade into the background like seafoam.
If he spent all his time worrying about things that didn’t matter in the moment, then he would miss what lay ahead. He fought for a second life, and though the past version of him would never disappear, he could leave him behind. After all that fighting, he wouldn’t squander the chance he had been given to make his life his.
He had a bright future ahead of him.