The Blog Archive
An archive of Wonder's blog from his previous website in which he arrived in Splatsville and began his journey. The content has been updated in some areas. Since he liked telling stories, the format has been kept largely the same, with some of my own additions.
ACT 1
Alluring Arrival- Wonder and Clove arrive in Splatsville and begin their new lives.
09/09/22 - Into The Fire
I'm trying to remember... this weird dream. I was lost in a space I can't see, but I can remember something so clearly. That sound, that gentle sound... a music box that spun and whirred and brought a flicker to my mind, or something. Someone was holding it out to me, but I couldn't reach. She spoke to me, a voice I've never heard. It was calm, reassuring, caring. Unfamiliar. I kept reaching toward the noise of the small blue box in the person's hands, but I woke up before I could. Maybe its this goddamn stuffy train that made me see something like that. Maybe I should track my dreams more, too.
But yeah, here we are. YAY to the Splatlands, and all that. We've done this so many times, I can hardly give much of a shit. This train is full of people I don't know, but that doesn't interest me. You know what, I'd say it makes me downright nervous. Somehow, even after every place we've been, I can't help but feel like this time will be the time. But it never is, is it? I guess I'm just supposed to run in circles until I die. Clove seems to have found her friends she told me about though, so at least she's having fun all by herself. She came in all moody about being ready to roll when we get there and rushed back to her buddies. So right now it's just me and the fellas that got on at the last stop. You know, I always wondered what they were thinking. The jellyfish, I mean. They don't boast and take pride like Inklings do, but they run the whole world (pretty much). I wonder if it ever goes to their heads? I read a lot of stuff online about them being some sort of hivemind, all connected across the countries of the world. I'm not really sure if I buy it personally, but I don't think I'd want to live like that. Makes me feel a little bad for the dudes.
I don't have much to report other than that. We're stopping in Splatsville soon, the heart of the Splatlands, or whatever. The land of Chaos, is that it? The nwhy's the whole place a dust bowl? There's hardly a damn thing near here as far as I can see. The city seems fun at least, if not a little too much. But I'll have to set foot there for myself to really know. Goddamn! I'm bouncing my leg like hell. How... why am I always so scared of this? Nothing is gonna change. We're gonna set up shop for a few months before something goes sideways and we have to leave. That's how it'll always go, how it'll always happen. I'd bet on it...
Whatever I want, it won't be here.
10/09/22 - Honor Dishonored
I don't even know what to say.
Except... for...
I COULD EAT MY FUCKING WORDS?!?!?
This place is AMAZING! I can't even describe it, it's... this is something else, man! I can't lie, I thought I must have mixed up cities or something when I was doing my research because BOY that desert gave me the wrong idea! This place is CRAWLING with the newest, freshest JUNK I've ever seen! They've got news, events, THINGS HAPPENING! I knew their game was big here but I did not expect so much... THIS! I was being a nightmare for Clove with all of my running around, I felt like I could run wild! There was so much to see, but one thing stood out.
That damn Ammo Knights, dude.
Like dude.
Dude
Heliocentri's got- hell, NOTHINGS got ANYTHING on this! When I knew we were moving here, THIS is what got me pumped! I had heard that Sheldon himself moved out from his cushy little setup in Inkopolis. I thought he was crazy, but I guess that's what years on the market gives to a guy like him. I bet that man saw cash and dollar signs where others saw sand and rust! And man... if I had the dimes to spend I'd buy out his whole arsenal, here and now! I didn't uh, actually get to go inside or anything but... it was decorated, man. Head to toe in the finest weaponry the scene has probably ever seen! Not that I'd know much, I mean, just... dude, it's COOL.
Our apartment is pretty cool. And it's right by Eeltail Alley, one of this places hotspots for battle! I don't even care how loud that's gonna get. I'm. HYPED. I'm. HERE. I could hardly sleep last night at the idea of people out there, duking it out and living free. What a life, being able to battle whenever you want with whoever you can call up. I... kinda miss having friends. Would Clove count? Not really, she's basically my mom. Well, I guess that means I just have to get out there today and show this city what I've got! Now that I don't have to be a bird in a cage all the damn time, I can do anything. ANYTHING!!
Update: dude what the hell. I'm at a loss for words. But not like before where I was freaking out it's more like a what the fuck just happened kinda thing. So, I got to the city, went into the tower where all the actions at. Saw a bunch of cool kids looking at me, definately taking mental notes to add me to whatever team they've got going on, yeah I would too but that's not important. I don't actually own a weapon so best I could do was just dick around which is how I found the locker room. Place was empty besides me, and it honestly looked like a bit of a dump. Loose shoes everywhere, carpets and stuff moved out of place. They let you put your stuff in here once you're registered, I think it's supposed to be a kind of statement. Like graffiti if it was organising things neatly in a confined space, which is like, kind of what graffiti is now that I think about it and that's SO badass. Anyways, I threw open one of the empty lockers. Or well, it WAS empty. Except it had an empty photo frame just sitting all alone in there. I shrugged it off and thought someone just forgot to clean our their stuff, but as soon as I reached out I had the ever living SHIT scared out of me!
I heard a rustle and a mumble behind me, and some dude was lying IN THE TRASH behind me, kicked up on a bunch of bags! "DON'T THROW ONE OF THOSE SHOES AT ME!!" I yelled, but he just told me to chill out. Still don't know if he knew I was joking or not... but hey, we started talking a bit. I can't get over how natural he looked sitting in a bunch of trash. I mean like, I've been there dude. He didn't seem all too happy with me opening his locker, to which I apologised while trying not to ask a billion questions at once. Man... this guy, is this what EVERYONE from here is like? I might just be in for a ride, if so. But yeah, I couldn't get much of a read on him. He didn't look like he was here for battles or anything, and he wasn't waiting on anyone I don't think. Maybe he just likes laying in the trash...
'Hey, what's the deal with you laying in the trash?' I asked. Maybe a rude thing to say minute one of a conversation with a stranger, but I was pretty curious.
He glared at me. I got a pit in my stomach when we reached the tenth second of neither of us saying anything. I opened my mouth to say something, but he spoke first:
'It's like... a statement.'
...
LIKE GRAFFITI.
LIKE GRAFFITI!!!!!!
LIKE THE GODDAMN LOCKERS, LIKE GRAFFITI
HE MIGHT JUST BE THE COOLEST GUY IN THIS CITY AND I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A DAY.
He's an Octoling, too. It's not that it's uncommon to see them around nowadays, but it's pretty relieving when I do. Reminds me of home, I guess... wherever that was.
Now I don't wanna brag but I think me and the trash man hit it off pretty well! He didn't seem all too sad when we got done talking, so that's a plus. He uh... did totally ignore me when I asked for his number though. He just said 'see you around' all cool like, smooth as fuck. I don't know if he misheard me or... oh damn, maybe he DOES hate me. But... nah, I think we're cool. There's a lot to learn about him... I wonder if I'll get the chance?
Well, whatever happens.
It was nice meeting you, Ronin!
15/09/22 - Work Buddies
We've settled in to our new place pretty comfortably. The only thing was, well, we didn't actually own much of anything. So we did the most sensible thing we could do... and signed up for the first job that would take us. Right in the city is a place called Grizzco Industries. Clove was apparently familiar and wanted to see what the deal was, and I wanted fat stacks so that checks out alright. The job requires teamwork, coordination and a whole lot of fighting it seems. To me, it seemed like perfect practice for some REAL battles. I'd have enough money to buy whatever gear I wanted, and a little refresher course before I take on Turf Wars and Anarchy Battles for real. It seemed like a win win in every way! We showed up to the place and I've gotta say, first impressions were pretty lacking. Their main base of operations was down some creepy stairway with some weird music reverberating behind the metal door. I was feeling pretty freaked out now that I was actually there, but man when I tell you that shifted in the most STUPID way possible. No joke, running up behind us is someone who also happened to sign up for a job alongside us. I turn around to see him panting, out of breath for whatever reason (I guess he was really in a rush to get here?) and bent over with his hands on his knees. And I kid you not, it was him. The man himself. Ronin. I could have DIED laughing, dude! What the hell was he doing here lugging his uniform around with him? Clove didn't seem to find it particularly funny and tried to understand why I was laughing at some stranger. I explained to her that me and Ronin were tight, close, as smooth as they come. I just couldn't get over it... one day he's laid back in the dump and here he is exhausted out of his mind. I STILL don't know what his deal was! I asked him if he followed us here but he just didn't say anything and rushed down the steps. I remember seeing Clove give me the NASTIEST look when he went first. Like 'Dude, THIS is who we're working with?'. She'll come around eventually, she just doesn't know what being AWESOME looks like. And as if it couldn't get any worse, the place itself left a lot to be desired. The place looked like a laundromat with a bunch of food bowls and shit threwn across the table. on the far right. Right as we came in we saw a wooden statue which rattled and came to life, giving us the whole intro to the company and stuff. We all sorta looked at each other like we all wanted to leave (I can't say I didn't) and stood around waiting for it to finish talking. Was this THE Grizz of Grizzco Industries? This is just... it? I expected someone to like, greet us or something. Offer us some soft drinks or juice, make us comfy and happy and cozy before throwing us on a helicopter. But maybe this place has been raising my expectations a little TOO high. We all get dressed up in our slopsuits (dope name, btw) and stood around waiting for our next orders. But they never came. Clove tried talking to the wooden thing but it didn't respond. It only started speaking when some other guys came in, giving them the same old speech it gave us, word for word. What kinda system is this? I gotta say, whoever runs this place doesn't seem like the type to care about the employee experience. The four guys stepped down into the training area and waited for their copter to pick 'em up or something. That's when we figured it out. We only have... three people. I turned to Ronin to ask if he had a secret buddy or a girlfriend or something that was waiting to surprise us like he did, but he shook his head before I even said anything. Maybe he can read minds or something? Damn... so cool... Clove tried finding answers online since our friend Mr. Grizz wasn't feeling super talkative. Ronin looked like he was lost in thought, looking around the place. I followed his gaze and saw a monitor that looked like... a camera feed of outside? I feel like I recognised those alleys... why would they even need that? I guess it's company policy in case someone tries to burn the building down or something. But yeah, we were stuck here kicking rocks. I got bored pretty quick since both Clove and Ronin weren't really in the mood for conversation. I turned to go check out the training room those guys went into before, maybe ask about what the deal was here. But when I did, someone was looking back and me, and they dipped behind the corner. Huh... maybe that's who we were supposed to talk to? Maybe they were expecting us to not just stand around? I went to investigate. The place was HUGE, kinda like the training area they have in the tower. The guys who were here before were gone, presumably up the elevator opposite me. When I looked around, there was just one other person in uniform. We kinda just looked at each other for a second. 'Are you as confused as we are?' I asked. She nodded slowly. The others came around once they heard me talking. Clove sighed when she realised I was just chatting with another newcomer. She asked her if she was waiting for her crew or something to get started, before she said she didn't have one. She signed up by herself. Me and Clove looked at each other, lightbulbs above our heads on our eurieka shit. 'So you're here alone, then? Got nobody you're waiting on?' I asked. She confirmed our suspicions quietly. If YOU don't have crewmates, and if WE need one more person, then... 'Let's be work buddies!' Clove said. 'I'm Clove, this is my brother, Wonder. We both moved here pretty recently, so we don't know many people either.' I gave her a big old smile. 'And this is... this- this is...' She looked at Ronin, expecting him to respond himself. But he just kinda stared blankly forward. 'This is Ronin. He's the coolest guy here, with no contest. He even has ME beat!' I gestured towards him. I really couldn't get a read on how he felt based on his facial expression. He turned and spoke over his shoulder. 'If you can't remember my name the first time, then maybe you were never supposed to...' He started walking towards the elevator without us. As I'm recounting this, I still could not tell you what the fuck he meant by that. Don't get me wrong dude, chills. Ice cubes on top of the coldest drink you've ever had. Just a straight ice bath of a guy, smooth as fuck. Maybe it was just because there were a lot of us or something. Or maybe he was just as nervous as the rest of us (he was pretty good at hiding it, if so. I never shut up when I'm nervous). Speaking of names or whatever, the other girl finally introduced herself. Amber, she said. An Inkling who moved in from Inkopolis Square. I can see why, that place seems like kind of a dump, especially compared to how alive this place is! It made me curious, though.
ACT 2
Re-Focus- Wonder makes contact with the CCTV crew.