"More to the left!" an octoling calls as several octocopters move the printer, struggling to hold it in the air.
Callie smiles as she looks over the lab platform where every single thing they have taken is now being out into. Now, they just need a way to power it all and they would be set. But another matter comes to mind and she walks back to her room set up for her and smiles at the sight of Edric lying there on her bed. Walking up, she looks at his state and nods as the effects were starting to wear off. Just as planned through it all.
"Man…I guess I needed that more than I thought," Edric groans, holding his head. "Callie…?" he calls out softly.
"I'm here Edric," Callie whispers near him, quickly hugging him tightly. "You suffered too much without any of us."
"Come back to bed," Edric says groaning, trying to reach out towards her.
Callie smiles as she undresses a little, getting her jacket off, and climbs into bed beside him. "Better?"
"Yeah," Edric says holding her now as she runs a hand along his tentacles.
Callie leans up and kisses his cheek. "You really shouldn't be hurt by them Edric. They could do it again," Callie warns, giving another kiss. "I don't want you hurt anymore."
"No more talk about that, ok? Just let us rest and enjoy each other," Edric says, clearly out of it.
"Yeah," Callie whispers happily, putting her head on his chest. "I love you Edric."
"Callie," Edric says feeling her tentacles snake around him.
"Yes?" Callie asks, nuzzling her head against him.
"Are we staying at the spa or going out and doing other things? Like hiking?" Edric asks.
Callie hums happily. "Every second I want to spend with you. So maybe something soon. What are you thinking?"
"Don't know. Too tired," Edric says.
Callie leans up and kisses his cheek again. "Well, you could get a massage. Maybe by me? Its looks like all that time really left you stiff."
"Speaking of that, I have a surprise for you waiting at the facility," Edric says.
Callie frowns a little where he can't see but quickly hides it with a smile. "You can tell me all about later. And maybe, I can sleep in your hair like the old days too," she suggests with a giggle.
"Alright, but I will think you will love it. After all, you won't have to pay to go to a spa anymore," Edric says smirking.
Callie giggles. "Then yes. I would love it."
Edric smiles as he lost consciousness again.
Callie sighs in relief before sitting up and walking outside. "How's it going?" she asks, walking up to an octoling.
"We are about to try hooking up this 'printer'. We will see ho…" the octoling stops when the entire base lost all lights and power.
Callie frowns. "Too much…find a way to bring more power here. And send more help."
"How much power could that thing need?" the octoling asks in disbelief.
"As much as it will take. Do what it is needed," Callie says, wondering what plans they can do with this now.
"Someone unplug the printer!" one of them calls.
"How is your mate?" the octoling asks, watching as the wires were disconnected.
"Still suffering from the effects of the chemical. How about yours?" she asks.
The octoling smiles. "Still strong. And still able to kick around," she says giggling.
"Fawning over the car with the rest?" Callie asks.
"And so is every other girl," the octoling sighs and hangs her head.
"Now how to explain this after to Edric when he truly wakes up," Callie says thinking aloud.
The octoling looks almost excited. "You can offer it all? He was always lonely so maybe you can offer that no matter what, he will never be alone. And we will be better than any other inkling," she says proudly of her kind at the end.
"Hey, we got word from DJ Octavio," an octoling calls running up.
"What did he say?" Callie asks, annoyed of him pulling her away from Edric.
"He wants to take the facility we took this from and make it into a base for us," the octoling says, getting an annoyed look from Callie.
"Why didn't we do it sooner?" Callie asks a bit mad.
"He didn't think there would be so much," the octoling tries to explain.
Callie sighs and looks toward him. "Get back there but watch it from a distance. They might check to see if he's there. Once I arrive, then we take it," she orders.
"Right," the octoling says before running off.
Callie sighs and looks toward where Edric is sleeping and sees him rolling over in his sleep. "Make sure nothing happens to him. And don't touch him," she whispers the last part threateningly to the octoling girl before her.
"Stage one," the octoling comments to herself before heading off as they unplug the printer and the lights start coming back on.
"Finally," Callie says bitterly.
Edric awoke with what felt like the next morning to see Callie there sleeping beside him. Edric smiles and rubs her head seeing how asleep she was.
"Edric…" Callie moans in her sleep, nuzzling his side.
"Sleep well?" Edric asks, rubbing that special spot he knows of.
Callie moans and pushes herself more against him. "That's so nice…more."
"Alright," Edric says starting to use both hands on the spot.
Callie moans louder, leaning into the scratching. "That's so nice. Where was this last time?" she sighs, leaning closer to him.
"Well, it was put on hiatus while we relaxed in the hot spring," Edric informs smirking.
Callie smiles and leans in to give a small kiss to his cheek. "You have no idea how much I really wanted you to do that back them."
"Even when Marie sat all three of us down and made you explain all that to me?" Edric asks.
Callie smirks and gives another kiss. "Even before that."
"Well, it's been nearly two years of knowing each other and now we are here together," Edric says smiling.
Callie uses her tentacles and pulls him closer. "And I am not intending to let go of you. But we are going to live like it's the last days."
"What about if we do have a child?" Edric asks.
Callie smiles and leans in close to him. "Then we will take care of it and anything after that will be the same way. But that doesn't mean we have to stop having fun."
"You going to come to watch me in turf wars when you can now, since you are no longer the announcer for them?" Edric asks.
Callie giggles. "I'm going to cheer you on. And maybe one day, I will join you."
"Good. Now come on. Let us go make breakfast," Edric says pulling her up with himself.
Callie stops for a second as he starts to stand. "How about you lay back down? I will get your breakfast," she says pulling him back into bed and onto her to send him down.
"Because I want to treat you. Also, you said you wanted to have fun so we need to eat to get our strength up for it and I am pretty hungry," Edric says.
"But you were stuck alone for so long. I want to treat you and apologize for it all," Callie says hugging him tightly.
"So do it by not leaving my side while we prepare. Besides, could be good practice if you get pregnant from what we are about to do," Edric counters.
Callie becomes a little worried now as he starts to get up again and look around a little confused. "Please? Just let me cook for you. You can sleep longer," she suggests.
"Cal…wait…" Edric says, stopping while looking around. "This is not the same room," Edric realizes.
"Edric…" Callie starts as she gets up in front of him.
Edric turns to her with a slight frown on his face. "Where are we? What happened?"
"I took you home with me?" Callie offers, getting up and grabs him in case he tries to do anything.
"This can't be home. I doubt you would live in a place like…okay. Where are we?" Edric demands, staring at her hard. "And don't you dare lie to me," he adds, grabbing her hands.
Callie looks at him fearfully, weakening under his harsh stare before sighing. "An octoling base. We are in…an octoling base."
"Why?" Edric asks drawing out the question a bit.
Callie tries to pull her hands away slowly but he yanked her back to him and gets a tighter grip. She winces in pain and slowly looks at him. "Because I am with them. And I wanted you away from everything."
Edric gives a blank stare before reaching for the glasses that were still on her face but she reaches up and grabs his hand and easily outmuscles him.
Edric grunts as he feels his hands being pulled out of the way and sees her face contorting into something of a pained expression under those glasses. He reaches over with his other hand and she grabs at that too, pulling it away. "Please…Edric. I don't want to hurt you."
Edric stops and thinks as he feels her maneuvering them where she was holding him in a hug while restraining him. 'I will have to buy my time, but those glasses…I am sure now. They are keeping her under control,' Edric thinks before stopping his resistance.
"Good boy," Callie says before putting him down.
Edric yanks himself from her and holds a frown. "You lied…a lot."
"I never lied to you," Callie says before petting him where she knew his spot was.
Edric shivers immediately at the touch and starts to become limp into her arms. "Callie…stop…"
"Come on. Turn into a squid for me," Callie says smiling know she had him right where she wanted.
"Stop…" Edric groans, trying to pull himself away from her by pushing on her.
"Come on. I will give you the tour if you do," Callie says smiling as he starts to give in.
Edric groans before suddenly changing into a squid and she immediately grabs and cradles him. "Callie…if you keep lying to me…" he tries to threaten.
"I am not lying," Callie says carrying him out to look around.
Edric slowly opens his eyes and looks around at the area. Tall buildings all around that tapered off to the edges of what he figures is a dome. Looking more like a rough slum than an exceptional city. Looking about as big as about half of inkopolis squeezed down to fit the tight corridors and streets. Edric could only see the streets by the lights set up for them before seeing a platform in the middle of it all and notices some things that are familiar. "My…printer…" he tries to say, noticing the machine under all the covers and other parts and machines.
"Umm…" Callie started.
"You stole from the facility?" Edric asks plainly.
Callie clears her throat. "Not…stealing. More like…acquiring."
"…do you even have enough power for it to work and how did you even get it here? It literally weighs a ton," Edric asks more annoyed than angry.
"…we needed it…" Callie tries to reason.
"Can you even power it?" Edric asks again.
Callie slowly frowns. "No."
"I would be incredibly impressed if you could," Edric informs.
Callie's tentacles twitch at the sound of him being proud of them. "Then…we will."
"…is that…Callie! Get me down there now!" Edric says very urgently.
Callie became slightly suspicious before he changes back and tries to rush off but she grabs his arms and pulls him back against her. "You can't leave."
"No. The generator you took. It isn't ready to be activated and if they do by accident, then the resulting explosion could take out the entire block," Edric says with a great deal of urgency.
Callie stares at him in shock before turning to the platform. "Stop working on that generator!" she calls and every octoling freezes in place before turning to her. "Remove anything that feeds it power, now!"
"Let's look at it," Edric says as they move over to it. Callie lets go, letting him examine it as he opens it up in a way the octolings hadn't thought of yet. After a few minutes, Edric let out a sigh of relief before pulling out a component that looked warped from the heat. "This was the current safeguard. Another hour and it would have blown, taking the entire block with it," Edric informs, making many pale.
Callie doesn't say anything, not wanting to think if she even kept lying to him about keeping him away from the outside of the room and wonders a little herself of what would have happened. Even thinking it could be blamed on her and Edric feeling guilt or hurt when he learns about it.
"Ok…do not touch without me," Edric instructs and the octolings nod, realizing Edric was Callie's mate.
"What…whatever you say…" Callie tries to agree, seeing the other octolings take orders from him like he has her authority.
"It's because he is your mate," one of the girls whispers to her.
Edric sighs before turning to Callie and held a frown on his face. "I will only help if it means that they don't die by senseless killing. But getting me to fight anyone who comes after me to save me, forget it. I might even sabotage if you aren't careful. So watch your step," he warns, starting to walk back to the apartment they ran from.
"…whoa. I see why you chose him as a mate," one compliments patting her mate's back as he had been messing with the generator.
"I almost killed us. I am a poor octoling," he sobs.
"No. You are not," she says before leading him away.
"The car won't explode…right?" another asks.
Callie looks over to the car and hums. "No. Not unless you light a fire near it," she advises.
"Oh, good," he says.
Callie then turns and starts to follow Edric back to her room. "Edric…?"
"Come here," Edric requests, laying on the bed.
Callie gains enough of a worried feeling on her as she walks over. Then she sits by him, while keeping a respectable enough distance away to allow him the room he would want.
"Not like that. Laying with me," Edric informs.
Callie slowly lays down with him and tries to move her tentacles towards him to hug him.
Edric, getting impatient, grabs her and pulls her on top of him and just lays there, holding her. "Like this," he says holding her.
Callie slowly closes her eyes and lays against him, trying to wrap him up with her tentacles and hug her tightly. "You could have run. They wouldn't have stopped you right there…why stay?"
"I think you know the reason why," Edric says.
Callie hugs him tighter at the sound of that.
"If not, let me spell it out. Y, O, U," Edric says.
Callie gives a soft clicking noise with her teeth. "Do you hate me?"
"I could never hate you. Remember, I made you a promise," Edric says.
Callie stops for a moment and he can feel her stiffen and clench up in his hold. "You…remember that…"
"I will never forget it," Edric says before feeling her tentacles wrap around him.
Callie slowly moves her head beside his and gives a small kiss to his cheek. "I really want you…even under all this," she admits, bumping her glasses against his head.
"I know…just never leave me, ok?" Edric asks.
Callie clicks her teeth happily. "After what happened to you, never."
Marie looked around. There were clear signs of the facility being raided and she couldn't find Edric anywhere. "Hai? You there?" she calls out frowning. "Hai?" she asks again after getting no response. "Caveira?" she calls over to the inkling girl wading through the place, trying to find any sign of Edric.
Caveira sighs. "No. He isn't here. And the car is gone too."
"I see clear signs of looting, but no fighting…I can only conclude that the octarians got him as well," Marie says sadly.
Caveira looks down trouble as she notices other signs. "This place was…more filled…with human furniture Marie. It could be more than we think it is," she admits, already feeling a questioning gaze thrown her way. "I'm…I'm sorry I couldn't protect him. I should have visited him always. Even move in…but it never came to mind," she apologizes, looking almost on the verge of crying.
Marie stares at her for a while before she sighs and takes a deep breath. "We will talk about this later. Right now, we have to find where they took him and end whatever it is they are planning. And yes, you were a horrible girlfriend," she ends that made Caveira feel like a strike of ink went through her. "But you worked on getting him back, so that is points in your favor. For now, Edric and octolings first. The trauma he was put through, later," she orders, walking past her.
"Hai!" Caveira calls but no response. "Did they even get Hai?"
"Past his defenses? Something must have gone wrong with him or Edric before he could call something out maybe," Marie concludes, trying to think heavily on it.
"What if...they got him when he went to see Callie?" Caveira asks.
Marie now looks insanely worried at the mere mention of that. "It can't be. She's the best agent there is. No way would she get caught."
"But you can't find her and Edric is go…what if they got him and forced her to surrender?" Caveira asks.
Marie growls to herself. "Dang it. We're going to have to find them and fast before Octavio forces them to do something worse."
"We need help. X can't help as I sent her north with the scouts to look for talent. Lucky and your grandfather are gone somewhere as well," Caveira says.
Marie frowns. "Guess it's time to bring in a new agent. It's our only choice."
"Let's go. We already lost the great zapfish and the others," Caveira says.