The train was on the horizon, and the sky was blue, it was a place where the clouds parted from one another.
"... You'll do great, I promise Marie." Sheldon, the short horseshoe crab said to his tall inkling friend, Marie. She looked a little frightened, just having become a popstar as of recently. Despite her fears, her dear friend Sheldon was there to wish her luck as she stepped into a new world.
"I'll miss you, Sheldon." Marie looked quite saddened, knowing that this new world may never let her see Sheldon for a while, but despite this sad realization, he still smiled. His buck toothed grin became more prominent. She smiled in return, and her fears were lessened.
He would always be there in spirit, even if she couldn't see him.
As the two looked longingly at each other, the train screeched to a halt as it reached the station. Marie sighed, this was it. Sheldon stood behind her as she looked at the door, she didn't want to go, to leave calamari county, everything.
"Now, go become a popstar, ok?" Sheldon told Marie enthusiastically.
She couldn't say anything, but her grateful eyes and smile already told him that she was thankful for his presence. She took a deep breath, and took a step onto the train platform. Once the doors closed, she saw Sheldon only getting smaller and smaller from the distance, the train pulled him away from her view, forever.
"Good luck, Marie." Sheldon whispered to himself.
Sheldon's smile faded, he too was aware that this may be the last time they ever see each other. Nonetheless, he accepted this, and left the station...
Would Sheldon ever see that same train again? Maybe he could just stay at the same platform Marie had left from, and someday, they could play together, just like when they were kids in the village again.
"... Things have been good, I suppose." Marie said to Callie, they were on break from another daily broadcast of the latest turf war news. Callie yawned; "That's good, but... Are you ok? I noticed that you've been moping as of lately..."
Marie tried to hide the fact that she had been moping, she indeed had been a little sad. She shook her head, and tried to put on a calm expression that expressed 'everything's fine, I promise.'
"Ah, no. It's just been this popstar life, you know?" Marie said, "Broadcasts, day in and day out."
Callie nodded, "Yeah, very tiring, huh?"
Marie nodded in return, Callie then went back to scrolling on her phone. This gave some time for Marie to look longingly out of the window from their studio, something was missing from her life...
Sheldon continued to wait by the station, he looked into the distance. No sign of any train coming soon...
It was another tiring work day at the weapon shop, as Sheldon was effortlessly trying to fix one of his prized splattershots. One screw in and it was finished, he looked at the beautiful weaponry in his gloved hands.
"Ahh yes, another fine piece of art!" Sheldon smiled, all of his years learning from his grandfather, Shellondorf, paid off.
Something then took away his attention from his splattershot, as the front door's bell chimed. Sheldon thought that it was... Her.
The train bells chimed in the distance, he looked up, was it her train?
"Hi Sheldon, my aerospray's gone and busted, could you help me fix it?" No, it was just some inkling kid. Sheldon was surprised, but not that surprised.
"OH, right. Aw jeez, didn't I tell you kids not to mess around with your weapons?" Sheldon scolded.
The inkling teen looked embarrassed, handing the broken aero spray to him, he gave off a couple of 'tsks' as he was handed the broken aero spray.
![[OUTDATED] ☆The Caged Bird☆ Steven Universe x Siren reader by sammytheskitty33](https://img.wattpad.com/cover/215530931-80-k367465.jpg)
"Sorry, but ranked battles got real crazy today..." the inkling teen said sheepishly.
It was just another train; not her. Maybe... They'd never get a chance to see each other.
"Put your hands up for the 'Squid Sisters'!" The announcement boomed from across the stadium. Callie was more hyped than Marie was, as usual.
"You ready, cous'?" Callie said.
Marie readied herself, she had to, for the audience.
"Ok, let's do this." Marie said.
The night was filled with an energetic vibe, crowds ebbing and flowing like the waves at sea, lights coming from waving glow sticks lit up the audience like a cloud of fireflies. Marie saw into the sea, hoping to find him. Her eyes looking around, trying to find her dear friend during the concert...
Maybe... Just maybe, he would be there.
Callie then announced, "AND THAT'S THE SHOW, THANKS FOR COMING FOLKS!"
Marie was brought back to reality, the show had already ended. As the crowds emptied from the stadium, perhaps he would have been a left over audience member.
"Woo! Great show, right cous'?..." Callie asked.
She then saw her cousin sitting on the front edge of the stage, looking out into the empty seats, he wasn't there.
She couldn't have been more disappointed, but only in herself. It had always been the same, day in and day out. That stupid train couldn't bring him to her, she had to go see him.
Callie became concerned, this was the most depressed that her cousin's been since their career started. Instead of instantly going over to check up on her, she thought that she might have needed some time by herself.
"I'll meet you backstage..." Callie then walked off towards the back stage.
Marie sat in solemnity, all the seats empty, without any promises. Without a soul in sight. She didn't know what to feel, or expect. She thought that she'd see him somehow, someway.
'What's the point? He's... Probably too busy to see me, even during a concert.' Marie thought.
All that Marie could do in that moment was to silently let the tears fall from her golden starry eyes.
He sighed, despite his false shortcomings, he kept his promise. He kept waiting at the station.
"Ms. Cuttlefish?" Mr. Tyas, a manager to both Callie and Marie, stood at her apartment door.
Upon hearing some knocking from the door, Marie was quick to answer it. She stopped playing "dinosaurs" with her adoptive Octoling daughter, Hachi.
"Stay here, sweetie. I've gotta check the door." Marie said.
"Ok mama." Hachi stayed, as she continued to play with her triceratops toy.
Marie opened the door, and was surprised to have seen her manager.
"Oh Marie! I just came to check up on you. You haven't been to the studio lately, is something wrong?" Mr. Tyas asked, concerned.
Marie sighed, she didn't want to explain to the manager why she was missing out on broadcasts. She quickly came up with a lie.
"Oh about that, I uhhhh... " Before Marie could even come up with a lie, she instantly knew why she hadn't been out at all.
He waited patiently at the station, and she got her ticket. She was going to see him.
