Inkay walked back to Inkopolis in a slow stroll. His head was down yet he was smiling to himself. He didn't know why though. Maybe his farewell with Cerata had his emotions in such a frenzy that his body didn't know how to deal with it and simply smiled instead. Or he was simply thinking of how his lips felt against hers.

Nevertheless, she was gone now and he wasn't happy about it. He knew his friends weren't as good at reading people as he was, but even he knew that he just let off this upset aura. So to avoid any and all questions, he simply walked around the city.

The sun was slowly rising in the distance. Inkay's friends would be up soon and wonder where both he and Cerata were. He already had a story thought up, but that wasn't a thing that made him happy. He would prolong the interaction for a while. And make sure to stay away from his big sister a lot longer.

Cerata took slow steps towards the Octarian civilization. She had long ago wiped away her tears and was now thinking about her arrival. Surely she would be questioned about a lot of things. Hopefully they won't think that she was purposely skipping out on training or anything.

She wiped her eyes again and raised her head. She was close. Just over this hill and she would be able to see it. She took slow steps as she approached the rise of land. They became even slower when she reached the top. She could see the buildings in the far distance kissing the horizon. But what was in the clearing between her and the city made her eyes widen.

Seemingly thousands of Octarian forces were assembled, hundreds of ships docked around them with one Octoling giving a speech on top of a stage. Cerata slowly made her way closer, the words of the speech eventually reaching her ears.

"And once he is within our grasp, we will crush anyone else who stands in our way!" The Octarians all cheered. Cerata knew that voice. If it was another voice she would've attempted to sneak into the crowd and figure out was going on, but she may be able to get away with approaching the stage with the owner of this voice.

She took uneasy steps towards the stage, a few Octarians noticing her and beginning to whisper among themselves. The owner of the voice didn't even notice anyone approach until the eyes of the army focused on someone other than her. They turned to see the one who dares disturb their glorious speech. Their eyes widened and their mouth dropped as Cerata stepped on the stage.

"Sister?"

"Hey...Meri..." Octameri ran over to her sister and picked her up in a twirling hug.

"Dear Sister! Where have you been?! I've been worried sick!" Cerata returned her sibling's hug with a sad smile.

"It's ok sister. I'll tell you all about it later. But what's going on here?" Octameri held her sister at arm's length and gave a large smile.

"He's back Cerata. We found him. And he's going to lead us," Cerata tilted her head at her sister.

"Who's back? What are you talking about?"

"Octavio! He's alive! And we've liberated him from the Inkling scum! And he shall lead us to war!" Octameri screamed the last sentence to the crowd as they once again cheered. Cerata's heart dropped. She knew that there was a high possibility that eventually the two species would go to war, but she thought she had enough time to at least pitch the idea of peace.

Well. The war hadn't begun yet. Maybe she still could. Though her sister probably wasn't the best person to pitch the idea to, she had no choice. They seemed ready to go now.

"Dear sister...Maybe...this isn't a good idea..." Octameri's smile faltered a bit.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean...maybe...the Inklings aren't that bad..." Octameri's entire face darkened.

"Where have you been the last few days?" Octameri growled.

"Sister I-"

"WHERE. Were you?" Cerata took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

"I was in Inkopolis..." The crowd made a collective gasp.

"The Inkling city?!" Octameri's face was still filled with anger but now shock graced her features. "How and why were you in the Inkling city?!"

"Before you jump to conclusions, my entire sector was splatted by Agent 3. He destroyed all the ways back here so I had to go through the city to find another grate,"

"And you managed to survive this long?"

"Well...I met this...one Inkling. He protected me until we were able to get me back here," More murmurs in the crowd. Octameri's face lowered into a scowl.

"And this...Inkling is why you're questioning our decision?"

"It's not just him. I've seen their world and I've learned the truth. Of course not all of them are saints, but the majority are good people and-"

"ENOUGH!" Everything got quiet at the older Octoling's outburst. "It's obvious what happened here. You've let yourself be brainwashed by Inkling propaganda. Guards!Lock my sister in her room until she sorts out whose side she's on,"

"Wait, what?" Two guards approached Cerata from the side of the stage, a special stun gun in their hands since their weapons were useless against each other. "Wait! Meri you have to listen to me! Octavio's been lying to us all this time! He's been lying!" Octameri watched as the guards grabbed Cerata by her wrist and began taking her away. Shame, sadness, and anger crossing her features all at once. She turned back towards the group.

"Sni group. You're coming with me. We're going to get rid of the only problem in our plan right now. The rest of you, prepare your arms!" There was an echo of "YES SIR!" Before the Octarians dispersed.

Cerata struggled and protested the entire journey to her room. Once she reached her unwanted destination, she was quickly thrown inside and locked in as her sister demanded . She immediately began pounding on the door trying to get herself free.

"Let me out! You don't understand how much of a mistake you're making!" She cried as she banged on the door that barely even budged under her attack. She beat and banged on it for a while longer before she gave up. She turned around and looked at her room. A few days ago she was worried she'd never see the place again, but now she wouldn't care if she didn't.

More tears ran down her face at her new failure. The Octarians and Inklings were going to war. She put her hands to her mouth as more tears streamed. What if Inkay got hurt? He was obviously good at those Turf Wars, so there was a big chance that if a sudden war arose he'd take arms. But even on those Turf Wars he got splatted a few times. Cerata couldn't bear the idea of Inkay's permanent death.

She walked over to her bed, much smaller and less comfortable than the bed Inkay lent her, and drastically colder than Inkay's bed. She laid down and hugged her pillow close to her chest, crying even more at the thought of Inkay and his friends getting hurt. She was trapped in the place she had been so hopeful she'd return to. She curled into a ball as she remembered a song from the Inkling society that summed up her situation pretty well.

"But now I'm hoooome...Right where I belong. And I cannot stay stroong. And in my mind it's what I deserved all along. Just let me goooo. I'm trapped within my home. They left me all alooone. It's all I know, and as my fear grows, it's where I'll call my home,"

Callie and Marie had made preparations to visit Octovalley. They had decided to spend the entire day with their grandfather so they canceled all appointments they had for the day and got ready. They were heading towards the grate leading to his little shack of a home with breakfast from McSquiddies in a bag.

"Hey gramps! You home? We came to visit!" Marie called as she exited the grate leading to Octovalley, Callie close behind. The two immediately noticed that Octavio's entire prison was gone. They looked at each other with sudden panic in their eyes.

They ran up to the door to the small building and noticed it was still wide opened. They stepped inside and both gasped at what they saw. Marie dropped the bags of goodies while Callie clasped her hands over her mouth in shock. Not a single thing remained right side up. Everything was shattered, broken, flipped, or torn. The two split up, searching frantically through the wreckage.

"Gramps?! Gramps where are you?!" Callie called as tears welled in her eyes. Marie's panic was quiet, but just as strong. She frantically moved things and threw items to the side in a frantic search for her grandfather. She lifted a table and gasped at what she saw. Her grandfather laid underneath unconscious. His body was covered in bruises and it looked like he had taken several blows to the head.

Callie heard Marie's gasp and rushed over. She once again placed her hands over her mouth as tears fell from her eyes. Marie fell to her knees, slowly pulling her grandfather closer to her. She placed her fingers on his wrist, then his neck.

"Oh thank god..." She muttered as a tear ran down her cheek. "He's alive...quick Callie, we have to get him to the hospital!" Callie jolted out of her shock and looked around the room for an old rolling chair to transport the elderly Inkling more efficiently. As Callie placed Cuttlefish in the chair Marie slowly stood.

"Come on Marie! We have to hurry," Marie's body shook.

"You go ahead. I'm going to wait here,"

"What?! Why?!" Marie looked up, a few tears escaping her eyes, as well as a look of pure rage.

"I'm calling Agent 3,"

"Can't you do that at the hospital?"

"We can't risk our cover being blown. And I'll contact you the entire time. We have to get him out there and stop Octavio before something bad happens," Callie nodded before turning and exiting the shack. Marie pulled out her phone and began dialing Agent 3's number.

Inkay eventually headed back to his apartment. He slowly opened his door and his senses were overrun with the smell of breakfast. He glanced over towards his kitchen and saw his friends sitting at the table.

"There you are! Where have you been?" Lyra called as she placed plates in front of Kelp and Shiro. Breakfast was the same as the day before. No one cared. It was delicious.

"Yeah, where have you been? I've been stuck with these two making oogly faces all day," Shiro announced with a smile. Lyra blushed a bit with a smile of her own while Kelp simply shrugged.

"I had to...take Cerata to the airport. It was time for her to go home,"

"What? Already? We didn't even get a proper goodbye," Kelp had an obvious look of disappointment on his face. Lyra tilted her head in confusion.

"But...a lot of her stuff is still in there. Even the dress that I bought her..." Lyra's face was also slowly showing signs of sadness. Inkay shrugged his shoulders.

"A lot of that stuff is borrowed. The rest she didn't feel right about taking. So she left it here," The group was a little confused at the logic but didn't question it.

"Well that's sad. She left without so much as a goodbye. Well...are you going to eat breakfast with us? It's still nice and hot," Inkay shook his head.

"No thanks. I'm kind of tired. I'm going to go back to bed," With that, Inkay began to exit the room.

"Hey Inkay," Inkay stopped and looked back at Shiro, who had a serious look on his face. "I'm your friend. If you ever need to talk to someone, just let me know," Inkay gave Shiro a smile and a nod.

"Thanks man," With that, he retired to his room. When he entered, the original plan was to go to sleep, but upon laying down he noticed that his phone was lit up. He reached over to it and looked at the screen. His face tightened into a scowl. What could she want? He wasn't in the mood. But if he didn't answer now he'd never get to sleep. Pressing a few buttons he called the person back and awaited their answer.

"Hello?"

"Yeah. You called?"

"I did," There was silence. "Well? What do you want?"

"Are you ok?" Inkay groaned into the phone.

"I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"I don't know. I just got this bad feeling. I wanted to check up on you,"

"Well I'm fine. Thanks for checkin' in on me,"

"Just be careful alright? I'm taking Molly to go visit a friend of mine over in Squiville for the day," Inkay sat up in his bed.

"Squiville? That's a pretty far drive for just a visit,"

"Yeah well we decided we needed to catch up. And I have a really bad feeling,"

"How bad?" Inkay questioned his tone growing a bit more serious.

"I don't know. I just don't quite feel right, so I thought being out country side would clear my head a bit,"

"Hm. Okay then,"

"For all I know it may be just a feeling. Anyway, watch yourself bro,"

"I'll be sure to do that,"

"I love you,"

"I love you too sis. Tell Molly the same,"

"Of course," Inkay hung up the phone and laid his head back down. Immediately his phone went off again. He put it to his ear and pressed answer, expecting his sister to have forgotten to say something. "Yeah?"

"Get over here," Inkay shot up once again as his eyes sharpened.

"We got a problem?"

"Major,"

"I'm on my way," Inkay hung up his phone and stepped out of his bed. He walked over to his clothes closet and pulled out a large back from behind all of his battle gear. He took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes. He turned towards the door to his room and exited it, walking towards the exit to his apartment.

"Guys, I gota run do something for my sisters. If you leave before I get back please lock the door and make sure Lyra is the one with the key. Lyra you are also in charge until I get back," Inkay immediately heard Shiro's protest. "What?!"

"You heard him,"

Inkay left his apartment and power walked to Inkopolis Plaza. He made himself look as calm as possible as to not draw more attention to himself that the big bag he held did. Upon reaching the plaza, he made sure no one was watching as he entered a grate to Octovalley.

When he emerged on the opposite side, he was wearing some type of armor. He immediately ran towards the house in front of the entrance and looked around in shock.

"Finally, you're here," He turned to his side to see Marie stand up and quickly embrace him.

"Who did this?" Inkay growled as he came out of the hug.

"We don't know. All we know is that they beat up gramps real bad. He's in the ER right now," Inkay growled again.

"Was it Octavio?"

"It's more than likely. But I don't know where he is,"

"Leave to me. I'll find him," Weapon in hand, Inkay lowered the tinted lens on his helmet and headed towards the door.

"Agent 3," He paused to look back at Marie.

"Be careful. Usually Octavio isn't this violent. Especially with gramps,"

"I will. What are you going to do?"

"Since you've been updated I'm going to go check up on gramps and Callie at the hospital. I bet Callie's losing her shit," Marie said heading towards the exit as well.

"He'll be fine. I know it," Inkay said patting her shoulder. Marie nodded and Inkay turned and ran off into the distance.

About a half a hour into the search, Inkay found a high up view point. He looked over the landscape for any sign of Octavio. Usually he didn't stray too far so there was a chance that he was still close. Inkay's eyes suddenly locked on something. It looked like a ship in the distance. Charging up a super jump, he headed towards it.

He didn't land right next to it of course. He landed a bit away and slowly made his way to it. He got close enough to see what appeared to be Octavio working on the ship. He made slow advances, weapon at the ready as he moved towards his target. Once the octopus was in range, Inkay spoke out.

"Turn around Octavio," There was no response. "I said 'turn around'," Still no response. Inkay took a small step forward and noticed something. The machine that Octavio was working on was actually a large balloon. Letting his guard down, he moved towards the placed his hand on his shoulder and forced him to turn around. Inkay's eyes widened.

Where Octavio's face was supposed to be was instead a picture of an Octoling sticking her tongue out and pulling down the skin under her eye. In slow motion, Inkay noticed that both 'hands' on the balloon had needles on them, and him turning the fact Octavio pushed them towards the balloon.

The balloon popped with enough force to send Inkay flying backwards. Inkay rolled on the ground in pain as his ears rang and his eyes blurred. He felt as if the entire ground was moving beneath him. He blinked his eyes clear rubbed his ears until the ringing stopped. He struggled to stand to his feet and when he did his heart dropped.

He was now in a box with glass walls. It was a big box mind you, with a enough room for a lot of movement, but it was a box nonetheless. What was worse was that the box was suspended high above the ground he sat on previously. But the worse thing was the snipers. They sat on the four corners of the box aiming their weapons at him. The box's walls were far apart enough that the snipers' weapons could reach him, but he couldn't reach them. And even if he made it to one of the walls his weapon would probably still not make it quite high enough.

Regardless he took battle position. He glared down the Octarians aiming at him and stood his ground. None of them fired however. He was extremely confused until he saw a large ship fly overhead. He was fully expecting them to just dump a metric ton of ink on him, but instead it seemed like they were only dropping a person. Inkay took cautious steps back as the figure approached.

The figure landed on Inkay's previous position with a loud BAM. Inkay eyed the figure as it slowly rose from its bowed position to its full height. Inkay remained battle ready on the outside, but inside his mouth dropped. A single Octoling stood before him. She wore the standard Octoling gear, but instead of the Octoshot she had these two gauntlets on her hands a boots of the same type.

Inkay knew that Octolings tended to "mature" faster than Inklings did, but wow, this one's figure could rival his sister's. Nonetheless she was the enemy. No ogling the enemy. Besides…Cerata wouldn't like that.

"I saw you staring," The Octoling said sultrily as she ran her hands around her breasts and down to her hips. Inkay raised an eyebrow. That was obviously a bluff. His helmet was tinted. "So you're the accursed Inkling that's been slaughtering our forces. Funny, I always imagined you more intimidating. Ah well," Inkay held his weapon towards the Octoling as she chuckled. Inkay took small glances to the snipers surrounding them.

"A pretty jumpy thing aren't you? Don't worry about them. They're just there to make sure you don't try to run away. It's just you and me little Inkling," A shiver shot up Inkay's spine. This Octoling's voice scared him because it sounded so familiar. He couldn't quite place it but it made him take a step back.

"What's the matter little Inkling? Zapfish got your tongue?" Inkay still didn't reply. Octameri scowled at him. "You Inklings are no fun," She grew a demented smile. "But you make excellent punching bags," Octameri shot towards Inkay much faster than he expected.

He fell into the ink beneath his feet and shot to the side as the Octoling slammed her fist into the ground. Inkay rose out of the ink a ways away and fired several shots at his opponent. Octameri jumped to the side out of the way and slid along the ground.

Inkay was confused. That area was inked with his ink. She shouldn't have been able to move so fluently over it without getting stuck. Following his previous position to hers, he noticed a trail of purple ink and stepped back at the realization.

Her boots were oozing ink, making it so that she didn't have to worry about where her feet went. Octameri stood up and slammed her fists together, ink exploding from the gauntlets in a small burst while she smiled evilly. Inkay could tell he didn't like those weapons. Unlike his, which were meant to get the kill and spread ink, hers was meant to hurt. She obviously wanted him to hurt first and die second.

He just had to stay away from her. Never bring gauntlets to a gun fight. He had the range advantage. Octameri held her fist back as if preparing to throw a punch. Inkay prepared himself for her to charge towards him. He was not prepared for her to throw a punch that lunged a blob of purple ink his way. He fell to his knees and leaned back just in time to dodge the attack.

He jumped back up to his feet and fired more shots towards his opponent. Octameri gracefully dodged left and right, doing short hops to get from point A to point B. Inkay kept firing as he took steps backwards. Octameri lunged forward, rolling towards Inkay as he growled at how easily she approached him.

Coming out of her roll she threw a hard punch towards Inkay's head. Inkay barely tilted his head just enough out of the way to avoid the attack. Using her other fist, Octameri threw a hard left hook towards Inkay's side. Just like before Inkay was able to dodge it just barely by taking a step back.

Inkay locked his foot on the ground and threw a punch with his weapon, firing it as his fist shot forward. In speeds Inkay could barely process, Octameri brought her hand back, effectively backhanded Inkay's weapon out of the way and leaving him open.

Before he could even fully process that situation, Octameri brought up her right leg, kicking Inkay in the chin and causing his head to fly back. It also knocked him off his feet. He flew a few inches away and landed on his back. He opened his eyes and focused them towards his opponent to see she was already in the air, the foot she kicked him with preparing to fall down on him.

He turned into a squid and fell into the ink, swimming away just as her foot crashed down on his location and turned the ink there purple. He rose from the ink a few meters away and once again aimed his weapon at her.

"Oh? What? Did your aim get better in the last ten seconds?" Inkay burst into a sprint to his side, firing blobs of dark blue at Octameri while simultaneously covering any purple ink along the way. Octameri began charging at him again. Just like before, she was effortlessly dodging his shots. When she got into range, Inkay reached back and pressed a special button on his ink tank. It dropped a burst bomb into his hand.

He threw the bomb in hopes that it would distract his opponent or even better do some damage. As he was preparing to throw the bomb, Octameri kept moving forward. She did turn her body to the side in a pose resembling a pitcher's stance. As the bomb approached her, she threw her fist forward. Her fist collided with the bomb causing it to go off. However, the amount of ink exiting her gauntlet and the rotation of the ink kept her from sustaining any damage.

Inkay's eye's widened beneath his tinted lens as the Octoling continued forward without delay. She threw another jab at Inkay, who reverted to a squid and did a small Super jump, just enough to get out of the way and land behind her. Right before he landed, he prepared to turn and fire.

Octameri beat him to the punch. Or in this case the kick. She slammed her foot into his back right as he touched the ground and sent him rolling. He rolled a few times before skidding to his feet. What else could this chick do?!

"Wow you fight cowardly. Stop, RUNNING!" Octameri charged again. This time she threw a volley of ink towards Inkay as she approached. Specifically his feet since he had to focus to make sure that he was not stepping in hers. Inkay did a short hop backwards and a sidestep to his left. He barrel rolled to his right and as he was rolling clicked another button on his ink tank.

This time he pulled out a seeker and tossed it forward. Octameri continued forward, jumping over the moving bomb and preparing to land on her hands. Thinking now would be the most opportune time to strike, Inkay took a long step forward, preparing to throw another Burst Bomb.

Octameri's body curled as if she was going to ball up. She tucked and rolled until her feet were facing Inkay and shot them both out towards him. Two blobs of purple ink shot towards the unprepared Inkling. They hit him square in the chest causing him to fly back off balance.

Continuing her onslaught, Octameri landed on her feet and lunged towards Inkay again. A bit dazed, Inkay lunged towards her and turned into a squid, narrowly missing her ink spewing fists and diving into the dark blue ink made by the seeker and once again getting distance.

He swam to the opposite end of the box and rose from the ink breathing heavily. He didn't know how to approach this girl. Everything he did she simply out did him. He had to get rid of her now. He devised a plan but it would be risky. He'd have to time every bomb perfectly so he'd have enough ink to actually take her out.

"Wow. Now I feel bad. I'm going to have to train the troops twice as hard if this is what they are having trouble dealing with," Octameri taunted with a cocky smirk. Inkay slowly knelt down to one knee, hands firmly grasped on his weapon. "What? Surrendering already?" Inkay slowly reached back to his ink tank again. Octameri simply scoffed.

He took out a suction bomb and held it in his hand. Octameri simply waited for his next move. Inkay sat the bomb down right in front of him. Octameri raised an eyebrow as Inkay glared through his helmet. The explosion rang out and dark blue ink obscured Octameri's view of the Inkling. When the ink cleared, Inkay was gone, and in his place two Burst Bombs curved through the air and three Seekers came towards her. Two of the Seekers at first were heading away from Octameri one going to the right while the other left, but the locked on to her position and were heading towards her as well as one headed straight towards her.

Octameri scoffed again. She jumped to the side avoiding one of the Burst Bombs, then the opposite side to avoid the Seeker coming from her left. She jumped over the remaining Seekers and rolled forward to avoid the last Burst Bomb. She stopped her roll and took a knee, her eyes widening at what laid in front of her.

"Splat Bomb?!" The bomb exploded and sent her back a few paces. Inkay emerged from the ink behind her, gun aimed towards her head and preparing to fire. Out of the corner of his eye he saw how Octameri was moving so fast.

Her gauntlets were spitting out a rapid bursts of Ink, propelling her limbs forward faster than normally possible. He saw as once again her propelled fist back handed his weapon away just as the ink blobs exited it. Octameri lunged on top of Inkay, gripping both of his wrists in her hands and squeezing tightly. Inkay groaned as pain from both the literally iron grip on his wrists and the burning sensation from the ink they ooze combined. It wasn't long before the pain made Inkay's grip on his weapon loosen. Octameri knocked it away and held Inkay's hands over his head.

"There. Now was that so hard? Now, let's see what's under the hood," Octameri held both of Inkay's wrists in one hand and removed his helmet. She was greeted with a fierce glare. "Wow. You got some amazing eye's I'll give you that. I can't wait to see them beg me for mercy," She reeled back quickly and punched Inkay in his face. His head immediately started ringing from the impact. She rose him to his feet and threw another punch into his stomach. Then another. Inkay almost fell to his knees, but Octameri shifted her grip to his tentacles.

She held him up then brought him down onto her knee, knocking the air out of his lungs. She did a quick jab to his face before twirling and sending him to the wall. Inkay spun and connected back first to the glass barrier. The wall collision wasn't that bad. When Inkay opened his eyes he saw something that would no doubt hurt worse.

Octameri was running full speed. She planted her left foot in front of him and twisted all of her body weight into a punch directed towards his stomach. With the ink propulsions sending her fist even faster, the glass that Inkay was pushed up against cracked significantly, purple ink running along the fractured pieces. Inkay coughed up a lot of purple ink as his eyes bulged in their sockets.

Octameri pulled her fist back and Inkay fell to his knees and then his face, clutching his stomach. His features were still contorted to one of pain as Octameri grabbed him by the tentacles again and dragged him to the center of the box. She threw him face up on the ground and put a boot on his chest.

Inkay groaned, his entire body throbbing and burning from both the blows and the ink. Octameri smiled as she brought her foot up and slammed it down on Inkay's chest. The Inkling shrieked in pain as the metal boot collided with his body. Octameri's smile widened as she rose her boot higher and brought it down again. The third time she straddled Inkay, smacking his face to make sure he was awake.

"Hey, don't die on me just yet. You've got a few more pumps in you right?" Octameri's smile darkened drastically as she turned into an octopus and began charging. She super jumped herself straight up into the air, of course turning back at the peak. Inkay's eyes widened as he understood what she was about to do and attempted to get his body to move, but it was aching too much to get it out of the purple ink. Octameri twirled in the air once and fell back down. She put her feet together and crashed into Inkay's abdomen.

The pain came so suddenly the screech of agony that was about to escape Inkay's throat was instead replaced with a gurgle. Octameri reverted to octopus form and Super Jumped again, going a bit higher this time. Again she came crashing down feet first on Inkay. He let out a pained scream each time as Octameri's laughter joined it in the air.

The nearby Octarians looked on in mute horror as Octameri continued to use Inkay as a trampoline. At this point, every time she collided with the ground the ink on the ground would bounce up from teh force. Inkay was trying his hardest to move from beneath this monster of a woman but his body was too busy recovering from the last blow to move. So again and again he was stomped on, his screams mixing with ink rising from his throat.

"AUUGGGGHGGGHH!...AACKAAAGGGH!...UUUAAAAAGGGGGH!" Inkay's body shook from the amount of pain. Octameri landed once and straddled him again, running a finger across a streak of purple ink that leaked from his mouth.

"That's it. Almost there. You got one more in you right?" Octameri turned into an octopus and launched herself in the air again. The highest she's gone yet was still not enough as she reverted from her octopus form. She used the propulsion devices on her gauntlets to get a little bit more height before letting gravity bring her back down.

She wrapped her arms around her legs and began spinning as a ball. Halfway down she threw a fist forward, ink spiraling from the weapon. Inkay, accepting he wasn't going to be able to move, closed his eyes.

Octovalley vibrated with a loud BOOM. Octameri had successfully punched Inkay through the floor of the box. Fist still outstretched with Inkay at the end, she headed towards the ground smiling. Another crashing sound was made when Inkay's body hit the ground with the added force of Octameri's descent.

His body lay on the ground convulsing. Gurgling coughs were the only sounds he made as Octameri slowly stood up and dusted off her hands. She reached down and held his face in her hand, Inkay giving no resistance whatsoever.

"Come on. Open them eyes. Open em!" She said once again slapping his face as if trying to wake him up. Inkay's eyes opened but he wasn't a bit in control. His eyes rolled in their sockets as Octameri looked into them. She smiled yet again. Purple ink oozed from Inkay's noise, mouth, and ears. The white of his eyes were now purple in a bloodshot way and slowly leaked purple ink as well.

"Aren't you a little trooper? But I guess our fun's over," She said preparing to finish him. "Although…" Octameri looked up towards the ships coming in to pick them up and smiled. "I could let every Octarian enjoy this moment! Yes, that's what I'll do! Tomorrow, I'll publicly execute you in front of the entire Octarian species! Doesn't that seem fun?" She questioned. She grabbed him by his tentacles again. Octameri waved down the ship to come faster. Once it landed, an Octarian approached with Inkay's helmet.

"Should we keep this madam?"

"No. Junk it. I have my prize. Let us leave!" She declared. The Octarian threw the helmet out of the window and Octameri set a course for the Octarian civilization. She dragged Inkay by the tentacles into the ship, and into a prison cell.. And with that they left.

Marie was getting more nervous. She was getting a bad feeling again.

"We haven't heard from…you know who since they he left…"

"Do you think he's okay?" Marie nodded furiously.

"I know he is. He's gotten too good at this stuff to go down by some stray Octoling. I'm sure he's fine. Here. I'll even check into his helmet," , Marie's eyes widened as the scene displayed a ground shot of an Octoling ship taking off. She pressed several buttons to attempt to communicate with Agent 3 but he didn't respond.

Marie looked up with panick at Callie, who returned a look of panic herself.

"We have to find a way to help him now,"

So...yeah. Barely gave you enough time to get out of your feels before I put this in your face. Not a lot to talk about. Inkay got his ass whooped and stomped in and Cuttlefish is in the hospital while Cerata is locked in her room. And the worse part is Inkay is scheduled for execution! Oh noes! What will happen next?! You'll have to come back to find out.

Again, I apologize for any mistakes made. It is 2:30 in the morning and I had the urge to write this chapter simply because all my classes are cancelled for tomorrow. Er. Today. I am beyond tired, and anything I want to mention I will tell in the next chapter. Thank you all for all the wonderful reviews. I truly appreciate all of them. Until next time.

Astalazzzzzzz...