Chapter Text
The thumping bass of myriad speakers reverberates over an alleyway in the backstreets of Splatsville, a few blocks away from the main city square where squids and kids alike celebrate this month's Splatfest. While the buildings mute its sound, and light from the festivities is only really visible through searchlights stretching above the dim glow, even the darkest corners of the city feel alive and buzzing. Puddles left to stagnate under cool moonlight shake with each pulsing beat, sending ripples through the water.
That constant, dull thumping wasn't enough of a distraction to make it less jarring when a door to one of the many similar-looking buildings lining the alley burst open. It slams into the wall with a sickening crack, practically falling off its hinges as a bit of dust is chipped off the bricks. A cobalt, wooden block lingers in the air where it kicked open the door's exit bar for a moment before Shiver sets their black tabi boot back on the ground, starting an aggressive stride into the night. Folded arms keep a bubblegum pink shawl tight against the white sarashi around their chest, though it was admittedly harder to take their deathly scowl as a serious threat when it was flanked by pastel flourishes running down the tentacle over their left eye.
Frye certainly didn't seem to take the angry Octoling too seriously, as she emerges from the building soon after with energetic high-kicks; escaping just before the rattled door squeaks closed again. Her top and hair-tentacles were more of a sterile, light beige color akin to Agent 2's winter coat, highlighted by minty sage-green fingertips drumming along her hips.
"Don't tell me you're giving up already, Shiv!"
The Inkling comes to a complete stop and leans forward to stick her tongue out – the same leafy hue as her fingers. Coming out of a lukewarm hallway, the scent of concrete chilled by this brisk nighttime air was enough to send prickles up her nose.
Shiver continues storming around, walking in a complete half-circle so they can approach Frye again. Their exposed eye narrows as daggers are clearly aimed at Frye's ample target of a forehead, and Shiver holds their grumpiest frown for as long as possible to counteract their partner's giggling sway.
"You're only in the lead because nobody can find a reason to hate vanilla, Frye. It's the most boring flavor of them all!"
"Nu-uh!"
She reaches out and prods Shiver's forehead, pushing them into an upright position. This only seems to make Shiver angrier, their nostrils flaring and chest bulging out as if trying to look bigger.
"Vanilla is the perfect pairing flavor. Shit goes good with everything Shiver, that's why people love it so much!" She pulls her finger back before Shiver bites at it. They stared at that digit like it was deeply considered. "Eating strawberry ice cream is like eating a fruit when all you want is to pig out on some nasty junk food. So overrated!"
"People also eat fruit for dessert, Frye!"
Shiver shouts loud enough that their voice nearly cracks, but it doesn't seem to faze Frye. She saunters around Shiver in a slow, circular pattern; a gleeful vulture waiting for their meal to collapse for the last time.
The studio's back door opens slowly as they argue, this time whining as it limps on wounded hinges. Big Man shimmies out sideways, ducking his head to avoid losing his white-bleached cap. Once he shuffles all the way outside and stand at normal attention, door clicking shut behind him, it was clear he had slathered himself in some kind of gel that made his slick manta body glow brown under the celestial spotlight.
Both Shiver and Frye turn in unison, one pointing a closed fan as the other juts out a crooked green finger. He yelps in surprise.
"Big Man!" They shout at the same time.
During the brief moment where they glare at each other, Big Man's posture relaxes and he lets out an exasperated "Ay…"
"Big Man, what's better? Super tasty strawberry or boring old vanilla?"
"Don't be stupid Shiv, we've been over this! He's just going to pick chocolate."
"Also the wrong answer, might I add."
"It's better than strawberry!"
"Oh, I will wring your neck and toss you off the platform later."
"Sounds like a great time, I'd love to go crowd surfing!"
"Those animals would tear your string bean arms off the moment you got into their clutches, Frye. Don't kid yourself."
Trying to stay out of this argument, Big Man looks around the damp, grey alley. Normally every inch of Splatsville was packed with people, busking on street corners or hanging up posters for upcoming shows wherever a free wall or light pole presented itself. But the city closed off this route between the Anarchy Splatcast studio and the main Splatfest stage to make sure idols weren't mobbed between sets.
That made it all the stranger when Big Man's eyes land on a lone figure standing in the moonlight. He makes a worried sound, the being's unusual shape making him think he saw a ghost. But it didn't take long to realize that oddly shaped head was actually a twirling green parasol.
"Ay? (Uh, guys?)"
"What?" Shiver and Frye echo one another, glancing at Big Man before he points their attention toward the visitor.
"Oh no way, is that…?" Frye waddles out into the middle of the alleyway.
She cups one hand over her mouth and takes a deep breath, other arm flailing up in the air.
"Hey Boss!"
Marie's parasol briefly stops spinning, but soon goes back to it.
"You come to wish us good luck?!" Frye sounds a little giggly as she continues to shout louder than she had to – it's not like the distant music obscured any sound out here. "What, not even gunna say hi?"
After accosting the Squid Sister from afar a moment longer, she turns back toward Big Man, who seems nervous in his approach.
"The hell's her deal?" She asks up at the Manta.
"Ay. (I don't think she's here for us, Frye.)"
"What?"
Big Man shuffles sideways to throw one of his big fins around Frye, who can now see Shiver brushing out their front-hanging tentacle like a nervous tick. They even to check their breath against their hand, which makes Frye roll her eyes.
"Oh, barf. Just get a room already."
Shiver whips their head around to scowl at Frye with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns. This only makes the Inkling grin in return, ears flapping gently.
"We've got five minutes before we need to be back on stage, so hurry it up!"
"Ay… (Come on, stop pushing…)"
"Don't be such a square, Big Man!"
"Ay. (Just let them have this.)"
Frye continues to argue idly as Big Man offers Shiver his best approximation of a thumbs up before pushing her down a branching side street.
Shiver takes a deep breath, puffs out their chest once more, and sashays over to Marie with their fan opened over their mouth.
"Fancy seein' you here." They hiss, slipping behind the cover of the parasol.
That burst of confidence lasts only until they see Marie's focused, almost somber gaze cast toward the sky, dressed in her dark grey kimono from Octo Canyon. The light of the Splatfest and a dozen flittering drones drowned out the stars, but a large full moon still glistened in her golden eyes.
Suddenly Shiver felt silly in their sultry pose, hip jutting out as they coiled behind their fan. So they straighten out and collapse the blades into the cobalt fingers on their left hand.
When Marie finally speaks, it was soft enough to make Shiver lean in.
"You aren't at all happy to see your friend succeed tonight?"
Any semblance of Shiver's intrigue melts into that familiar grumpy stare.
"Were you ever happy to announce that Callie was winning at Halftime?"
Marie's breath stalls as she closes her eyes. The twitch of her mouth as she swallowed back the immediate reaction suggests Shiver hit a nerve.
"Fair point."
Shiver's deep, almost cavernous frown comes back around, making their squinting eye look more like an affectionate sneer than a death knell.
"Yeah, I thought so." They briefly part their tentacle so Marie can see both eyes as they poke out their blue tongue.
Marie gives a halfhearted snort before turning her gaze back toward the moon. The musty smell of damp concrete and pulply posters seemed sweeter, like chocolate-covered strawberries were wafting over from Splatsville's main street.
Her hands grip the wooden end of her parasol tighter when she realizes what she smelled was some perfume coming off Shiver.
"So how did you even get over here, anyway?"
Marie's knuckles relax as Shiver procs their attention again.
"Hm?"
"We've got staff all over the place, I've never seen anyone make it this close to the studio."
Marie shrugs. "When you've done these events as long as I have, you learn all the secret ins-and-outs."
Shivers eyes light up and they try and catch Marie's gaze directly, clearly impressed by what they saw as a bad-girl streak in their boss. Marie cracks under the attention, lips betraying her calm demeanor with a slight smirk.
"And bribery helps."
Shiver leans back again, looking somewhat disappointed and crossing their arms.
"Well now you're going to have to tell me who took that bribe so we can kick 'em to the curb."
Marie laughs.
"I don't think you'll have much of an issue there, unless some other fan of yours can give them a selfie with one of the Squid Sisters."
She puts an extra nasally emphasis on the end to mimic the bouncer's voice, which makes Shiver chuckle too.
"I see."
After a moment to let both their giggles settle, Shiver hip-checks Marie.
"Guess I must be rubbing off on you already, eh?" Shiver continues swaying their hips, tongue poking out. "Sneaking around, bribing innocent bystanders. Not exactly the squeaky-clean image of Inkopolis' number-one idol."
Marie lifts the parasol off her shoulder, moving it like a sword past Shiver's face (who leans back in wide-eyed surprise) before posing it out toward the ground with just her right hand. The green highlights of her hair really showed in the bare moonlight glow.
"Please." Her eye mask narrows as she forces Shiver to lean back further with an intimidatingly smug smile. "I've been doing this way longer than you, kid. Don't forget who beat DJ Octavio all those years ago."
Shiver only stays back for a moment before they match Marie's energy, like a spark of lightning ran between them.
"If I got my history right, didn't the Captain do all the work?"
Marie's face falters.
"The Captain didn't captivate two nations with her dulcet tones, did she?"
Shiver can't help but laugh. "Oh, so you don't like to think about that day, but you're proud to be the Inkling Killer Wail that tore apart a despot?"
Curse this Octoling and their photographic memory. Marie couldn't say anything without it getting thrown back at her later.
"So what if I am?" Marie cuts Shiver off before they can respond. "All those skills came in handy, didn't they? Unless you don't like that I came to see you tonight."
That catches Shiver off-guard. Their mouth balks like a fish as they catch up.
"Well, no. I do…"
Marie capitalizes on her moment. She cuts the Octoling off again, spinning her parasol so the rim would shimmer as it picked up a bit of water from a nearby puddle.
"It has been lovely, might I add." She smiles, and Shiver's infinite irises visibly constrict.
"You're really cute in pink, Shiver."
Shiver's immediate reaction is to cast their eyes down, one hand covering the little strips of skin poking out from their torn-up pants as the other holds their shawl with grasping blue fingers.
"Oh, you…" They clear their throat and look back up, head tilted in such a way to cover more of their face with the hanging tentacle. "You think so?"
"Would I lie to you?"
Shiver doesn't know how to respond to that question; their face kaleidoscopes between joy, pride, and gut-wrenching nerves.
Luckily Marie continues her precision bombing, not giving Shiver a chance.
"I was… Really enamored watching you up on that platform." She turns her body completely toward Shiver and bridges the gap between them, careful not to move so quickly as to intimidate the cornered animal. "I knew I had to come see you."
The Octoling clears their throat and shrinks into themselves.
"That's sweet, Marie." Their mouth opens and closes a few times again as Marie watches Shiver start to spin one of the triangular studs along their right ear. "Though, I know I missed a step on the third bar of 'Fins in the Air.' Frye and Big Man really deserve all the credit for holding this performance together."
As sweet as the vulnerability cracking through Shiver's proud demeanor was for Marie to imbibe, she couldn't lose the Octoling to their nerves.
"Shiver."
Marie reaches out and grabs the back of Shiver's left hand. They whip their head down as if to check a sudden gunshot wound, and then nervously meet Marie's chill gaze. They were all-too aware of each cloud that puffs out with their heavy breathing, and the literal shivers jolting their body in awkward idle positions.
"… Yeah?"
"Can I kiss you?"
Shiver's eye grows wide as the moon, nearly hyperventilating.
They struggle to find words. But nod their head.
Smiling as vibrantly as she would at one of Shiver's texts coming through her Sea-Cucumber Phone, Marie tugs at the Octoling's hand until they're hip-to-hip, backs arced to form a standing 'Y.' Marie then picks her parasol up from the ground again, spreading a rainbow above them as it spritzed fragrant, oily water in the air.
The parasol rests on Marie's left arm as she lays that hand against the small of Shiver's back, pulling them close together behind this makeshift cover from prying eyes.
Shiver, naturally, was freaking the fuck out, but tries keeping their cool. The big swings between terror and eager anticipation left their hands fumbling. Trying to figure out the best place to rest.
But once Marie presses her lips to theirs, all that anxiety melts into the Inkling's night-cooled cheeks. Eyes closed, their cobalt fingers crawl around Marie's hips until they can interlock around her back.
Marie keeps her eyes open just long enough to see Shiver relax, and momentarily breaks the lip-lock with a proud, goofy smile. Soon enough they settle into the grooves of each other's figures, and keep this embrace for what felt like an eternity.
It's a largely chaste kiss, but that doesn't stop Shiver from letting whimpering little sighs out through their nose. Marie responds in kind, and over time does lean in to really envelop the Octoling, head tilting further to avoid bumping noses.
She could feel the drive to go further, but channels that energy into twirling the parasol so its shaft would burn a temporary mark into her elbow pit – she didn't want to scare her partner.
Shiver seemed content just keeping the close contact. Their intertwined fingers slowly drag up the kimono fabric to keep Marie near as they push the pose further by leaning backward, eventually having to counterbalance by kicking their right leg back and tapping the pavement with the toes of their tabi.
As much as she enjoyed the dance they were learning together, Marie finds it hard to keep holding Shiver at this angle while protecting their modesty with the parasol. Reluctantly, she breaks the kiss so they can both catch their breath. Shiver's glossy red lips only prod after her a second longer before they come back to their senses and slowly open their eyes. Both were visible as the front-facing tentacle had long since fallen over their ear.
They'd find Marie smiling down at them; almost certainly the same posture they could imagine waking up to in the morning with a finger-waggling wave. The light scent of sandalwood stuck in their brain. Here they were with their idol. Perhaps one of the most famous people on the planet.
It really was like a dream.
Maybe… Too much like a dream.
Was anyone else feeling light-headed?
"Shiver?"
Marie's smile sinks into concern as she feels her arm get sticky. Shiver's eyes roll back, and their carefully manicured look begins to literally melt away. As the process accelerates, Marie gasps seeing the Octoling turn more octopus. She runs the parasol shaft down so its canopy would turn upward like a boat. This catches the pastel-pink octopus as they slip over Marie's arm, sliding around the semi-transparent green cover like a bar of soap in the bath.
Marie sighs and shakes her head at its conked-out expression, but can't help smiling as she stands the parasol on its end tip.
"Can't handle a little kiss?" She teases, leaning over the bowl with a grin. "Didn't realize I was dating a middle schooler here, Shiver."
Shiver's eyes open sheepishly, and Marie tilts the parasol so they would come spilling out. As they reach the floor, Shiver starts transforming back. It takes three complete rotations in various stages of flopping around mid-octopus for them to finally be full Octoling again, looking completely embarrassed on their back.
"I swear, that kind of thing never happens to me."
"Mmhm."
Marie laughs generously, continuing to use her parasol as a sort of crutch so she can offer Shiver her free hand. The Octoling reaches back up with a smile and they grasp each other's forearms. Marie pulls Shiver with a grunt, and they laugh again as Shiver stumbles into Marie once on their feet.
"So… Did I hear you say we're dating?" Shiver asks in about the smarmiest way possible, leaning their whole weight against Marie with their arms stretched out flat over her shoulders like the drunkest girl at the bachelorette party.
"Mmm, dunno." Marie's grin grows as she tilts her head, breathing dangerously close to Shiver's neck. "Do I have to worry about you passing out at every little thing?"
"Guess you'll just have to try me again and find out."
Shiver dips so their arms drag along Marie's shoulders, ultimately taking a few steps back so they could comfortably stand at arm's length. Their sharp fingers dig into the fabric of her kimono, threatening to slice her shoulders with any sudden movement. Marie meets that danger with a smile.
However, just when she's about to speak, someone else cuts her off.
"Ay! (So sorry about this, guys!)"
Big Man moves through the scene like a freight train, catching Shiver like a bug on his windshield.
"What the fuck?!" Shiver cries out, flailing like Judd when someone tries bundling him in a blanket, desperate to get out of Big Man's impossibly comfortable hold. "Let go of me!"
Marie is struck dumb watching Shiver get dragged away, only occasional flashes of pink able to escape from his brown bod. While distracted, Frye bumps into her at ramming speed, and Marie stumbles to try and keep upright as her geta clomp along the pavement.
Frye turns to fast-walk backward after breaking away from Marie's orbit.
"Sorry Boss, we're super late to show time! Make it up to ya. Promise!"
She goes back to chasing her friends.
Marie stares a moment longer before her right hand swings her parasol back up over her shoulder. As she brushes herself off, something felt… Off.
Did she just get pickpocketed?
The elevator cage closes with a rattling thud as a short, stocky jellyfish with a headset offers the trio his closest equivalent to a thumbs-up. The scissor-lift that Deep Cut stood on shutters to a rough start before rising into the sky.
Big Man stands at a DJ mixing console that was custom-built for his wingspan, messing with some controls as Frye and Shiver attach earpieces.
Every Inkling and Octoling who wasn't in a Turf War match was gathered in Splatsville's central hub on the other side of the elevator, making such a rancorous noise in their anticipation for the big show that it would have been impossible for the trio to hear one another without their comms, even at altitude.
Once they're set, Frye leans against the backside of Big Man's console with the biggest shit-eating grin one could imagine. Shiver hardly seems to notice – or pretends they don't – while they pat their cheeks and mutter little affirmations to prepare.
"Sure you'll be able to handle yourself out there?" Frye says with an obnoxious interference caused by her holding the mic right up against her face. "Or did the Boss suck your soul clean outta ya?"
It was difficult for Shiver to respond with anything other than a snarl as they hear Big Man doing his worst not to chuckle.
"I'm fine." They center themselves and come back to a neutral expression; turning toward where the crowd would be once they emerged. "She's already clear out of my head. If I don't think about it, I'll be fine through the end of the night."
The comm line crackles to life.
"I hate to think I'm so unmemorable."
Shiver yelps and nearly falls over while throwing their head all over to figure out where Marie's voice came from – was this a sign from the Great Zapfish?
Frye's insane cackling as she holds herself against the DJ console suggests it had a more mortal origin. Big Man also seems confused though, swaying his upper body back-and-forth.
"Ay? (Boss?)"
Back in the alleyway, Marie found a nice concrete block to sit on, her parasol folded up against a nearby vertical pipe so she could focus on spotlights waving about.
"Here I thought Big Eel was pulling her usual tricks, nicking my shellphone or something." She lets out a breathy laugh. "Turns out she left me a little gift instead."
Shiver glares at Frye, who was already prepared with a happy-go-lucky smirk.
"Glad ya could make it, Boss!"
"Ay! (It's unorthodox, but kind of cool!)"
Shiver once again tries centering themselves as they notice the top of the elevator shaft fast approaching.
"… So you're going to be here the whole time?"
"Why not?" Marie responds with a more-than apparent grin through the comm. "I'm actually excited. It'll be like getting up on stage without all the pressures of having to perform."
"Ay, ay. (Next time, you will have to join us for real though.)"
"Yeah Boss, it'll be eely fun!"
"Mmm, we'll see." Marie shrugs, trying not to betray how her eyes lit up. "Callie tells me you've been practicing an act to show up the Squid Sisters."
The members of Deep Cut look between one another, but barely have time to process that before their lift crests over the stage, leading to a hoard of kids losing their collective marbles. The trio instinctively put on performance-ready smiles and wave to their fans.
Before getting going, Shiver glances at her bandmates one more time. Frye shrugs.
"So?" Marie's voice crackles.
Shiver breathes in, practically growing icicles in her nose from the sharp chill of the air so far above the crowd's energy and active food stalls which kept them warm before. They nod, and Big Man smiles before flipping some switches across his turntables.
The crowd continues to amp up as Shiver approaches a standing microphone at the edge of the stage. Coordinated arms move like a wave beneath them. Yet Shiver is able to shut down almost the entire audience by tapping their fan against the mic.
"Listen up! It's going down…"
Everyone erupts into cheers and applause again.
"Repping the Splatlands, we are DEEP CUT!"
Frye skips up to Shiver and grab the microphone, pulling it out from the stand. "Neapolitan Splatfest! We're live!"
They pull their duo pose, standing with their blue and green fingers pointed down like running ink. Big Man raises his fins a few times from behind them.
There's a full two minutes of hootin' and hollarin' before they have any hopes of breaking through the noise.
Once they can be heard over the crowd, Shiver takes the microphone and Frye backs toward Big Man. He hits another button, and a succession of various clashing sounds start playing out of speakers all around Splatsville. Much of the audience's excitement dissipates into murmurs; none of them had heard anything like this from Deep Cut. A few excited dissenters call out to Shiver and ask whether this was new music.
Shiver doesn't answer directly, instead coming close to the microphone and covering it from the other end with her fan.
"This number goes out to some close friends of the band. The people we wouldn't be here without." They slot the microphone back in place and offer one more suggestion:
"Sing along if you know the words."
With a wink, they get back into place beside Frye.
The crowd remains confused as they stand like statues while Big Man messes with his DJ set. Shiver and Frye have arms raised toward each other, though one of Shiver's hands kept their closed fan by their hip.
It wasn't until a bit of samba fanfare breaks into the main melody that Shiver and Frye begin Deep Cut's rendition of "Calamari Inkantation" (with DJ Octavio's heavenly beat). Spotlights on wheels whir to life, sending rays repeatedly into the dark sky.
Splatfest attendees wouldn't know that they performed this number at the rocket launch in Alterna with Squid Sister accompaniment.
For everyone in the live audience and watching at home, this was Deep Cut debuting a brand-new cover of the most recognizable song in the world. A wall of shocked screams and tearful cheers shakes the city to its core.
After the opening lines sung together, culminating in Shiver and Frey crossing their arms before throwing out the 'X' to either side, the humanoid members of the band approach one another in perfect sync, dancing to the beat that was seared into so many peoples' minds alongside the crowd. They swap places, and as the song kicks into full gear, Shiver takes Marie's lines as Frye takes Callie's. Big Man vocalizes from the back, invoking a booming baritone that adds depth to the number.
Their performance was like a revelation, one that would live on to be nearly as popular as the original – if not more. What really pushed it over the edge was Shiver breaking in the middle of a verse so they could drop to their knees and let loose one of their longest operatic wails, driving the crowd into a frenzy for its whole duration.
And Shiver never lost the beat. The secret voice whispering her original lines in their ear made sure of it.