Author's Note: New Follower! Thanks xjustinx for your interest in the story and I hope you, my other followers, and everyone else who reads this continues to enjoy my works!
Chapter 2
Tim's POV
This Julia lady took me to this underground dome with an old Octarian-style castle in it…weird…
"So…how long am I going to be staying here?" I asked.
"Until I can get permission for a royal escort to take you to the Octo Valley Central Dome." She told me. "Don't worry; I'll make sure you remain here until I can get you there."
"But I want to go back to Inkopolis." I told her.
"Tim, was it?" She looked at me. "Believe me when I say within the next few months, you don't want to go there."
What?
"Also, don't you want to meet your family?" She tilted her head. "I'm sure all of your cousins would be excited to see you."
"I…have cousins?" I was surprised to hear.
"Of course!" She nodded her head. "You have 56 legitimate first cousins."
"Legitimate?" I was confused by the term.
"Let's just say the King, as well as one or two of his children may not have been the most…faithful to their spouses…" She didn't explain. "Wait, were your parents married?"
"Yes…" I nodded my head.
"Then you're the 57th legitimate grandchild!" She told me. "Would you like anything, dear cousin?"
"Wait, you're my cousin?" I was surprised to hear.
"I'm your third cousin." She replied. "My Great Grandfather was siblings with yours."
I'm learning I have a lot of family today…
Octo Canyon…Mei's POV
We need to find this Octim kid.
He's surely at the Commander's dome.
Getting closer, and "EEK!"
I barely dodged blob of ink fired at me.
"Get down!" Two shouted and we dove behind cover.
There was a large group of Elites ahead of us guarding the central dome.
"Well, she did say she'd beef up security!" Three said as she started firing back.
I started firing at the Elites. We started to push them back at first, but more came and we got pushed back.
"We need to find a way around them!" Two shouted. "Sooner or later Octarian regulars will come from behind us!"
I then got an idea.
"In here!" I bust open an air vent, shifted forms, and dove in.
The other two followed me into the vent.
"We can follow the vents into the center dome!" I told them.
"Good plan." Two admitted.
We swam through the vents. I could see the Elites looking around, not knowing where we went.
Eeesh…I can see the shades on most of them…poor soldiers…
We continued on, dropping into the central dome.
Unfortunately, there were more patrols…
She reeeaally beefed up security…
"Found 'em!" An Elite shouted from the distance.
All Octarians in the dome heard and turned to see us.
"Retreat for now!" Two shouted as she jumped back into the vent.
We quickly followed her.
"Haven't you fought Elites before?" I asked, confused.
"Normally yes because they wouldn't be too much of an issue, but there are way too many." Three told me. "I can handle maybe 10 coming at me at once, but that's usually with the Octoshot wielding regular ones and there was a huge variety of weapons in there. I'd have to change my strategy almost every second."
"Not to mention that, from what I've recently researched about Julia, she probably got some Elites from the Royalty dome; the really good ones." Two added. "We'll fall back for now, have Marina hack into the systems, and find out a way to get in and get Tim out."
We swam through the vents to a room that was out of range of those Elites.
"Now to get out of here…" Two said.
"Not just yet!" Someone shouted as I felt something kick the back of my head, knocking me down.
"Heeeeello!" Said a brush-wielding Elite standing on top of me, lifting her goggles a bit to get a good look at us. "So who's first?"
"You know there are three of us and only one of you, right?" Two asked as she aimed her charger.
"You're right, hon." She nodded her head. "There's only one of me!"
She immediately knocked Three out of the way and rushed towards Two, dodging her shots. Two barely managed to dodge a swing from her brush.
"Where's your yellow-clad lackey?" The Elite asked.
"She's not here right now…whoever you are…" Two told her, a bit confused.
"Well, tell her Joanne wants a rematch!" Joanne told her right before dodging Three's shots. "If I don't catch ya first!"
I managed to get up.
Wow, this Joanne girl is good at dodging shots…
I started firing at her.
It took a while, but one of us managed to his her.
Then another hit…and another…
And she slipped and fell down.
We all stood over her, weapons aimed at her.
"Heh…" She grinned as she laid there. "That was fun…"
"I'd suggest running along if you don't want to get hurt." Three told her.
"Alright…" She agreed. "But I still want that rematch. Tell your Agent 4 to meet me at the Suction Cup Lookout Boss Kettle. I'll be there every day between 1200 and 1400 hours."
"We might consider it." Two told her. "But before you leave, care to tell us how to get in there? We need to get someone out."
"The royal?" She guessed. "Sorry hon, but my lips are sealed on that."
"How about tell us or we'll splat you?" I readied my Octoshot.
"Sweetie, you're way too adorable to be intimidating." She said, putting a hand on her hip. "I'd just respawn anyway."
"We're trying to get a child back to his mother." Two told her. "Do you not care about that?"
"I'm a Tubeling." Joanne shrugged. "I don't have a reason to care about 'family'. I'm just here to get through life."
"…That look…" Two said. "You've heard the Inkantation, haven't you?"
"Twice." Joanne added. "So?"
"And you stayed?" Two was surprised.
"Tried leaving once and got caught." Joanne explained. "Second time I was convinced to stay."
"By Sieg?" Three guessed. "3.5 told me he came by for a bit to help convince some of you guys to stay."
"Yeah." Joanne nodded her head. "I'd rather not get involved in a war myself, but if it helps everyone, I guess I'll hold out."
"Is the only way through war?" I asked.
"I don't know…" Joanne sighed. "It was either join willingly or get brainwashed…again…I'm just doing what I can to stay me."
"You can leave." Two said. "Go to Inkopolis."
"Hon, if the rumors I've heard are true," Joanne looked at her. "I don't wanna be anywhere near Inkopolis within the next few months."
"What do you mean?" Three asked.
"Well, it's only rumors," Joanne told us. "But I hear that Sieg boy's planning some kind of attack in the near future. What it is, I don't know. You'd have to go to Octo Gorge to find out."
"…What if you transferred?" I suggested. "You clearly aren't a fan of your life here, so why not help us and we'll help you?"
She looked surprised by my suggestion.
"Are you sure?" Two asked.
"Yes." I was sure. "Help us prevent a war, and we'll do everything in our power to help as many Octarians as we can."
The other two agents were surprised by my offer and Joanne seemed to be thinking about it.
"Soooo…" She got closer. "What'd you have in mind?"
