After 6 months of the wipeout of Inkopolis as a whole, Keith noticed the Sanitized Octolings retreating into the Metro. There were none in the main urban area after a few weeks. Inkopolis' citizens were starting to feel safe in the streets, gradually. And stores started to open, so he super jumped to the Valley, wondering if that was also the case for Octavio's Citizens.
Arianna was sitting down, not exactly sure what to do. She was kinda bored, considering that all her allies were away doing other important things. She didn't know. She put her head in her hands and sighed.
Arianna was close to Keith's landing at that time, he searched around for any sign of life since the invasion. He didn't even notice Arianna.
"You're so ignorant." She facepalmed and stood up.
Keith noticed the sound of Arianna's voice, "Why do I have to be the 'ignorant one?'"
"Yep, ignorant is right." She chuckled.
"Uh, that wasn't an explanation," Keith countered, "Are you just acting dumb?"
She laughed, "You're always so defensive."
"And you're always so stuck up," Keith added, he sits down across from her.
"Pffft Maybe I am stuck up. Just MAYBE, though. Don't go teasing me about it." She admitted.
"Why, are you into that~?" Keith teased, his face a bit more wicked.
"Hey! I said no teasing!" She scolded.
"You said I couldn't tease you about your being stuck up, never said anything about being teased in general," he reminded.
"Oh come on! Do you always look for loopholes?" She was fervently annoyed, now munching on a piece of chocolate.
"I'm an agent, I have a right to," Keith replied with a shit-eating grin.
"You have a right to? Shouldn't I then have a right to?" She smiled, "Thanks for the idea." She continued munching her chocolate.
"No, because if you try to find loopholes your boss might punish you~" Keith countered.
"Remember when we first met? You said 'You may arrest me in your leaderless
clan?' Is your memory broken?" She sassed.
"I said Boss, not Leader," He taps his head with a taunt.
"A leader IS a boss in a way." A touch of sarcasm was made. She shrugged her shoulders slightly.
Keith sighed, "There's just no pleasing you is there?"
"Probably not," She sat down again and crossed her legs.
"Splatting Agen-" She caught herself. "Splatting people."
Keith wheezed, "It's okay, just be honest, I'm not offended. Besides the first time we met, you missed splatting 4, almost as if you had a crush on him~ You have a soft spot for innocent beans?"
"Wh- no! It's just fun! T-To splat!" A pink tinge appeared on her cheeks.
He chortles internally. "You know he's 14, right? 'S a shame." he looks away, "Perhaps someone else might like you back~"
"That's mean!" She crosses her arms and pouts.
"Why's that mean?" Keith asked, "I'm just being honest, Your spunky and confident facade might spark interests," he bluffs.
"'Honest' can be upsetting sometimes, and I 100% know that's true."
"You want me to lie?" Keith asked, "That's just rude, like you~"
"Back at Square 1, then." She huffed, losing interest. "How 'bout we get off this subject?"
Keith rolled his eyes and nodded, "Agreed."
"Well... what do you Agents usually do anyway? I mean other than 'saving the world,' or whatever the hell you call your shenanigans."
"Well one of our trainees makes pancakes and waffles," Keith thought for a moment, "We usually go shopping, and get our hair done," he curls his black tentacle, "Training's nice," he thought, then continued, "My favorite times are festivals, all the food we can eat, countless games, competitions, and tournaments... However, the best times are preforming for audiences across the world."
"Pffft I'll take your word for it..." She put her head in her hands. "Because we're Octarian Soldiers, we're not allowed any of that: no Festivals, Stores, not even games."
"...I wish I could show you," Keith muttered, "Technically I can, but I don't want you to get into trouble."
"...You could?" She rose an eyebrow now having a bit more interested.
"It won't be glamorous because of the Sanitation Outbreak," Keith muttered, "Some civilians survived- enough for the place to operate... I'm not sure if you'd be off the hook once you come back- unless some rules changed I guess..."
"Th-they wouldn't care if I left... ya know what? Fuck it, come on!" She was already on her feet, "This place better be good enough for my time."
Keith gave coordinates to Arianna before Superjumping off. Arianna was secretly excited, not prepared as a whole, but excited. She thought about changing her clothes for once but wasn't sure what they would look like. She decided for a moment while looking at the coordinates whether to go or not. 'Nah, nobody would care' She super jumped towards the designated area. He waited for her, the first place she was at was a small strip mall. Her super jump expired, and she landed on the ground, then fell. Arianna stumbled to her feet, only to get caught by Keith. "Still not used to doing that..." she groaned, brushing off of him thanklessly.
"Really?" He rose an eyebrow, "Huh... things really did change." Keith sighed, "Welp, pick one, there's Annaki Topic, FireFin's, Inkline Secret."
"No idea what the fuck those are," She deadpanned.
"Let's go to my favorite," Keith leads the way to Annaki Topic. The clerk greets them, it seemed like a semi-goth store, with some other laid back clothes as well. Arianna was very curious about her surroundings. She inspected everything she saw. He let her explore a few places. He felt nostalgic about when it was his first time picking clothes with Agent 4 and 3.
She booped a few things. "These are... weird... "These are clothes?" She didn't seem to know what they were, strangely, they were different than the stuff she wore.
"Yes?" Keith replied confused.
She booped one and it swayed slowly. Arianna recoiled. "They're weiiiird."
"You want to try something on?" Keith thought for a moment, "mmm..." he hands her a couple of things, "Clerk?" he hands him a key and led her to the changing room.
"Ummm... okay..? I'm trusting you on this, I'm gonna be after your ink if I turn out looking stupid."
"Heheh..."
She entered the changing room. He waits. After a moment she emerges from the changing room, slightly nervous. She was dressed in a grey hoodie, with a navy skirt, and black jeans. She twirled her tentacles nervously. "So..?"
Keith hid his blush well, "Huh, just like me: always looking great at the first try." Keith was looking through the makeup section.
A lot of pressure seemed to come off her shoulders. A pink tinge appeared on her face. "U-Uh... thanks..."
He bought some makeup for himself and went into the dressing room, putting some on him.
She attempted to read the signs. "Make...up?" She was thoroughly confused.
"What?" Keith sulked, "I gotta look good sometimes," Keith winked jokingly.
She thought for a half-second, then said. "Sure, Sure, but ya gotta tell me what the shell makeup is."
"Everyone looks beautiful, guys, girls, especially me~," He paused, chuckling at Arianna rolling her eyes in disgust, " Ahem: but sometimes you just need a touch-up, they're basically clothes for your face."
"Clothes for your face..? Don't think I'll try that then, I was nervous enough about choosing normal clothes." She crossed her arms, fluffing up her clothing. "So we gonna pay?"
"Yup, I'll just use Petty cash from the HQ." He pays for them.
"Where next, then..?"
"There's Crusty's which is food."
"Crusty's?" The last word caught her interest. "Food?!" She was like a rabbit, a short rabbit. She was hopping up and down on the spot.
He leads her Crusty's, "Two please and an And Orange Juice and a Raspberry Smoothie." he turned to her, chuckling, "Wanna sit, bunny rabbit?"
"Hey! I'm not a rabbit!" she protested. Her voice was higher pitched, though.
Keith sat down with two trays and a dumb smile on his face, "This is yours, try it." She put a small piece in her mouth. Her eyes lit up. He sipped on his smoothie, waiting for a reaction, only for her to be already done the moment he blinked.
"Ehehe." A small blush ran across her face when Keith gave him an incredulous look
He noticed a small bracelet on her leg, "Uh... "Isn't that a tracker?" Keith pointed at the bracelet on her leg.
"Trackers?" She looked down at her leg. "Ooh, shit, it is."
"We should get you back."
"Why..?" She was getting a bit nervous. "And what about my armor?"
"Won't they try to..." he had a face of concern. "What would they do if they find you out of bounds?"
"I-I don't kn-know!" She was positively scared at this point. "I NEVER WENT OUTSIDE OF BOUNDS!"
"I- I'm uh!" He finished up. "What do you want to do!"
"I don't know! Head back to the Valley? Or is it too late?" She was really frightened and frustrated.
He noticed two Elites in the distance, "F-far too late. Go into 'octopus' form. N-now," he stood up.
She hugs Keith. "I-I hate to admit it, but I'm scared!" She did so and hid behind Keith's feet.
He picked Arianna up and bolted, to the garage of the HQ. "...You don't have to stay here in the HQ, but you have a choice to stay in Inkopolis, my tools can tear off the tracker. It's your choice."
She shivered, darting her eyes. "I'd rather stay here than be torn apart by them..."
"...I understand," he starts unscrewing the tracker, and it was released. "I'm going to wear it, and run as far away as possible," He rushed to a corner of the garage, took a plush of a squid, and held it to his chest. "I'll come back once the coast is clear. Promise me you'll stay here in the garage until then?"
"O-Okay..." she mumbled. Knowing Arianna was reassured by his words, and trusting she'd stay in the garage, Keith placed the tracker bracelet around his arm. It was loose enough to get off and bolted. He shut the garage, refusing to look back to Arianna. She curled up in the corner, hugging her knees.
"Dad!" a little girl called out towards Kris, "I'm going to get some emergency sandwiches from the garage!" She opened it up from the indoor hatch. Arianna noticed the garage door opening, curling up tighter. "Octoling...?" the squid tilted her head. "Are you okay ma'am?" the tot inched closer, having no intention of frightening the soldier. "Do you want to step inside ma'am?" Arianna now noticed it was just a small inkling, 10 years old, not even fully developed. Despite this Arianna shuffled still further into the corner, scared of this unknown squid.
"K-Keith... h-he..."
"You're Keith's friend?" She asked.
"H-He...He ran with my tracker! W-with elite octolings following him! IT'S MY FAULT? I SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SO-" she yelled, "I shouldn't have been a bitch to him... he saved me and..." Her voice quivered.
"Ihavenoideawhatyoujustsaid, but he's a strong agent. If he does end up caught, he'll find a way out. You don't need to worry!" the child reassured, "O-Oh! My name's Celia!"
Arianna peeked her head so she could see her. She hesitated, but gave Celia her hand, "A-A-Arianna..."
"Do you want to come inside?" Celia asked, "We won't pressure you into any agent stuff, You're officially a guest here!"
"B-But I'm an Octarian S-Soldier," she stuttered.
Celia rolled her eyes, "We have allies who are bounty hunters, retired criminals, and an Octostamp, being an Octarian Soldier is nothing, do you still want to be one?"
Arianna was kinda shocked. "I'm on the fence, I'm loyal to Octavio, but," She rubbed her arm, mumbling, "I guess Keith had a point."
"Fair enough~ come on, It's up to you, but it gets cold in the Garage," Celia informed.
Arianna smiled softly.