It was a day like any other...
Well not really. Today was N3o's birthday! or rather it was the day N3o chose to be her birthday, Due to not knowing when her actual birthday is. Regardless it was her birthday! But there was one small problem. No one remembered! N3o thought that all the other agents would remember he birthday, but they were all 'busy'. Four was off doing some mission with agent two- Four really is such a big simp for her, Mrs. Eight was 'Scouting out a potential problem' as the captain put it, Agent one was doing her day job as an actress, and the captain was here making her train!
As a last ditch effort N3o even went to cuttlefish, but even he didn't remember- Which, granted wasn't that big of a surprise. But still!
Did the entire Splatoon really forget about her birthday..?
"Run the drill again!"
That was the captain. telling her to repeat drill she's been doing for the last 6 hours, again. What did she want her to do differently!? N3o swears up and down that she is doing the drill right, right down to the last breath! But no matter what, every time she completes the drill, the captain says the same four words 'Do the drill again'. It way past annoying at this point.
"Repeat the drill, I have to contact Eight and check on her progress."
The captain stood up from the crate she was sitting on, and walked away.
So she's not even going to watch her do the drill!? Does she not even care if N3o is doing it right anymore!? The captain just wants her to do the drill for the sake of doing it!
It was safe to say that N3o was very angry, and rightfully so. But she couldn't show the captain that she was mad... The captain would just make the drill harder. The only way to escape was to ask to take a break.
"Captain! can I take a break?"
She shouted in the direction the captain went. And after a moment of silence she was given a response.
"No, but change of plans. come with me."
A change of plans? If it this were any other circumstance N3o would've said 'As long as its not drills I'm in!' But in this case, whatever it is that made the captain stop training, is far, far worse than drills.
Mentally (and verbally) sighing, N3o starts walking in the direction of the captain.
"What are we doing now?"
"Were going to a concert."
A concert? It must be one of Agent One and Two's concerts. The captain never misses a single one... But wait, wasn't the captain trying to contact Mrs. Eight?
"Weren't you just talking to Mrs. Eight?"
"I was."
"Then why are we going to a concert? Wasn't Mrs. Eight Scouting a potential problem?"
"She is."
The more questions she asked, the more confusing this became. So N3o decided to quit while ahead.
The two then began walking towards the exit grate that led to Splatsville.
-----------------------------
N3o and the captain have been in a car for quite a long time now. Long enough that the sunny sky, has shifted into the dark inky void of night. They have been heading to this so called 'concert' for 2 hours now. But the longer they drive the less convinced N3o was that they were going to a concert. I mean they have been on a dirt road for the past hour now. Whatever they are going to is not a concert.
"Put this on Neo" The captain spoke, handing N3o a blindfold, still driving
"A blindfold? why..?"
"Were going somewhere only Me, Four, and Eight know. Cant let you know where it is."
"Okay I guess..?"
N3o removes the blindfold from the captains hand and puts it on.
To be honest it felt weird to have the blindfold on- With her sense of sight gone, N3o felt like all of her other senses had been multiplied.
Then, N3o starts to feel the car bump a lot more.
Maybe they were going off road? If that is the case, then why are they going off road?
N3o was more confused than anything else now. Everything that has happened today has made barley any sense. Even from the second she woke up.
When N3o first woke up- the only other person in the house with her was the captain. No Four and, weirdly enough, no Mrs. Eight. Four not being home was understandable- but Mrs. Eight? Mrs. Eight always made sure to get up before everyone else and make them a warm breakfast. no. matter. what. But today, she just wasn't there! and the next thing, N3o couldn't find little buddy anywhere! Sure little buddy usually sneaks away and leaves to go on an adventure from time to time, but he has been gone the whole day not just a few hours. Something was clearly up today.
The car suddenly stops, and turns off. Then a door opens and closes.
"Captain?"
No response
"Hello..?"
Again no response. Did the captain just... ditch her?? Just to be sure, she waved her arms around where she thought the the drivers seat was to see if the captain was there. Sure enough she didn't feel a thing. The captain had just ditched her! What the shell! N3o decided to take off her blindfold and see where the captain had brought her.
It took a moment for her eyes to adjust after taking off the blindfold, after they did, she looked to her right to confirm that the captain was indeed not there. N3o started looking around more. Did the captain just expect her to get out once she.. heard.. the door...
Outside of N3o's car door, there was a path lined with small glowing lights that led over a grassy hill. The path was covered in glowing signs that all had some variation of 'Neo go this way!' written on it.
What was this?? Was this some elaborate joke played by the captain to make her find her way back to Alterna..? No- the captain is strict but not mean, she wouldn't do that..
"I guess the only way to find out what it is, is to follow it.."
N3o spoke out loud, a habit every member of the Splatoon had.
She began to remove her seatbelt and slowly get out of the car. When she got out, She looked around to try and see if she could see the captain nearby. the captain wasn't. Her only choice really was to walk up the glowing pathway with her name on it, or risk getting lost in the wilderness.
N3o began to walk the glowing path that lead over the hill. The more she walked, the brighter the night sky became. Had the captain and her driven for so long that it was daytime? No... that couldn't be the case, you can still see all the stars sky.. then that could only mean... Whatever was behind this hill was very, very bright.
N3o was getting closer to the top of the hill. As she walked higher and higher up the path- a large white cloth tarp lined with white lights slowly revealed itself, walking higher N3o saw that the white tarp was connected to a.. screen..? The screen was not displaying anything on it. Walking higher again, she saw that the screen was connected to a stage. Did the captain actually take her to a concert?
Reaching the top of the hill, N3o found a lone, singular yellow chair. The chair was placed perfectly, and overlooked the massive stage below. The path N3o was following ended at the chair, and all the signs were now saying to sit down. At this point, N3o was too confused to try and comprehend what was going on, deciding to just sit down in the chair and deal with the consequences.
N3o walked up to the chair and sat down, and for a moment nothing happened. But only for a moment. The chair suddenly clamped N3o's arms down.
"W-wha-!"
Before she could even try moving them, her legs were clamped down too.
"Someone help!"
She cried out towards the stage, but was given no reply.
Then the stages screen flashed on, red. The number 10 in all black appeared. Then it switched to a 9. then an 8. a 7. a 6. 5.
"Captain!? Help!"
Four
"Anyone!?"
Three
"Help!"
Two
"Someone..?"
One
The timer hit zero. But nothing happened. Once the timer had reached zero, nothing happened. What was this? Who's unfunny joke was-
"Boo!"
Four jumped out from behind the chair N3o was sitting in, on her left side.
"AHHH"
"HAHA look at your face! you look so scared!"
"F-Four!?"
"The one and only!"
What?? Why was Four here? Then N3o felt a cold hand on he shoulder and let out a small gasp.
"Hello Neo!"
Eight had appeared on N3o's right side with a smile on her face.
"Mrs. Eight!?"
Why was Mrs. Eight here?!
"You two stop startling her, its about to start"
The captain was leaning over the chair, above her.
"Captain?!"
The Captain too??
Agent Two walked up next to Four
"Were the clamps really necessary Four?"
Agent two is here?!
"I think they were a great idea! They added flare and drama!"
Agent one!?
As if to add a cherry on top, little buddy popped up onto N3o's lap and squeaked
"What is going on?!"
Before N3o could yell anything else Four spoke up
"SHHHHHH look at the screen Neo!"
Before N3o could make a remark, spotlights all around the stage switched on in a flurry of Pink and Teal lights- All of them aiming towards the stage, Then without a moments hesitation the screen flicked to show The inkling and octoling logo for Off The Hook.
The clamps around her arms and legs opened.
Suddenly Music started blasting, said music being the intro to Ebb & Flow. An Off The Hook concert?!
"what, is, happening!?"
Just then in unison all of the agents spoke
"Happy birthday Neo!"
Right after they said that, Pearl and Marina jumped up from a hole in the stage and began preforming Ebb & Flow.
Is this what everyone was doing all day?! Did they really get a private concert just for her..? Was that why Four and Mrs. Eight weren't at home this morning!? So they didn't forget her birthday..
N3o started crying
"You didn't forget.."
Eight looked at N3o and gave her a hug
"Of course we didn't. We would never would forget you"
"Yeah! The only time we would ever forget is if we were like, dead or something!"
Four joined in on the hug
"I hope you enjoy it"
the then captain joined in on the hug. After a moment the three broke the hug and the captain spoke and begun to walk away.
"Alrighty then, i think its time i go."
The captain is leaving?!
"Wait.. you're leaving?"
"Don't worry about it Neo! you'll see her reaaal soon"
Agent one spoke up to defend the captains absence, the tone she was using was very suspicious
"Yes, please do not worry about her Neo. You will see her again very very soon"
Eight spoke up, too defending the captain. who was now nowhere to be seen. N3o then spoke
"Okay.. Ill trust you.."
The five of them continued to listen to all of OTH's songs that they played, Ebb & Flow, Acid Hues, Color pulse. N3o singing along with them and cheering. They listened until Off The Hook had played every song they ever released to the public.
"Thank you guys so much!! Do you think i have time to get an autograph before they leave?!"
N3o was beaming, absoulutley overjoyed.
"Leaving? Who said anything about them leaving?"
"But they played every song they've ever made..?"
Eight spoke up
"Just watch Neo.."
Not even a moment after Eight finishes speaking, Marina and Pearl spoke.
"And now for our special guests we have one last song! With a special DJ joining us!"
"Yo! DJ sango get up here!!"
DJ sango? who is that?
"Who is DJ sango..? Ive never heard of them?"
"Its someone you know"
"I know them?"
"Yup"
Four being vague is never a good thing.
Suddenly the floor on the stage opened up revealing a hole, and out of that hole a DJ's booth jumped out, and after the booth came... The captain!?!?
"The captain is DJ sango!?!?"
"Yep!"
Then Pearl and Marina spoke.
"Yo sango! its good to see you again!"
"Or should we say.. Captain Three?"
The shock hit N3o like a truck
"They know that she is the Captain!?!"
"They know a lot more than that"
Before N3o could read into that further, Pearl, Marina, and The captain began playing a remixed version of Ebb & Flow, The Fly octo Fly version. Eventually the song ended and N3o was left Baffled, it was such a beautiful song.
Then the concert ended, Marina, Pearl, and the captain all went under the stage, and disappeared. Eight spoke.
"That song always brings back good memories.."
"Yeah, I remember hearing it from the city with Marie while it was happening."
"Wait, you have heard the song before? I thought they made it on the spot!"
N3o asks that question towards Four and Eight, surprised
"You guys forgot to wait until the surprise.."
"You just gave away that it was a surprise Callie"
Callie and Marie spoke. Then the captain comes back from behind them and speaks.
"So how'd you like the performance Neo?"
N3o, choosing to ignore what Four said, spoke
"I didn't know you were friends with OTH!! Or that they knew that they new you were the captain! I really wish i could've gotten a autograph!"
"Well.. you still can get that autograph"
Once the Marie finished speaking, two more voices were heard behind them.
"Yo! MC Princess and DJ Hyperfresh in da house!"
"Moms!"
Before N3o could comprehend that the Marina and Pearl were standing face to face with her, Eight ran over and gave Marina and Pearl a hug. Four also walked over and did a handshake with Pearl. N3o just stood there, breathless.
"Hey uh.. cap? is the kid okay..?"
Pearl asked The captain, N3o was just blankly staring at her.
"Neo you good?"
Four asked while waving her hand in N3o's face, everyone now looking at her.
"You know Off The Hook?!"