Edric gasps as he pops out of the grate on the other end and falls onto the ground with a crash. "Ow…" he groans, trying to sit up before falling flat again. His vision hazes up and blurred his sight as he sees someone running to him before breathing and passes out.

Edric groans as he hears faint water splashing and being really warm. He tries to crack open his eyes but still could only see the blurs of his vision and sees dark wooden walls and steam. He groans and turns his head to see someone there, something watching over and holding his arm as something scrubs over it. Someone with white hair. "…angel…?" he asks delirious and the figure looks over to him before reaching over and cupping his cheek. Edric breathing out again and closing his eyes as he passes out.

He groans faintly again before opening his eyes and sees a low wooden ceiling and someone humming nearby. He turns his head as he looks over and sees a white tentacled inkling in a kimono sitting and cooking nearby. "Hello…?" he calls out exhausted.

The inkling looks over before rushing over to him and looks him over a few times. "Edric…I'm so glad to see you," she says before hugging him.

Edric blinks slowly as he tries to focus his vision on her. "Ma…Marie…is that you?"

Marie slowly smiles and looks at him again. "Yeah…I'm so glad you're back. Oh…and I hope you don't mind me cleaning you and putting you in some new clothes."

"Clothes?" Edric asks before sitting up and notices that he is wearing a kimono set that is almost similar to hers. "Oh…wait…clean…?" he asks, slowly realizing what she meant.

Marie blushes and looks away. "Yes. You were…filthy."

"Oh…" Edric slowly says and sits up more. "Marie…I have to tell you something…"

"Is it about Callie or the Octarians?" Marie asks sitting beside him.

"…Callie…" Edric answers, hanging his head before leaning over and placing his head against her shoulder.

"She has been captured, hasn't she?" Marie asks holding him.

"That…and somehow is being mind-controlled. She may have been close to raping me before I used the training you gave me to sneak out as a squid," Edric informs holding onto her.

Marie looks worried at him now and hugs him tighter. "Well…I can safely say, I known her long enough. And if she wasn't controlled, she would never do that to you. She loves you too much for it."

"It may be the fact that I informed her that Hai confirmed that we are compatible with each other when it comes to having children," Edric informs.

Marie looks a little surprised but smiles. "And if she really heard that, she would try her best to get you to accept her. She's a good inkling."

Edric sighs and nuzzles his head against her. "Marie…did any inkling know how the octarians lived? Their lives down there?"

"Wait. You know where they live?" Marie asks.

"Yes…and what I left isn't enough…Marie…they can't survive without the zapfish now. They would barely have enough time and they live in darkness. Constantly. And I tried to make generators for them to use without project 228, but he supplies too much power that ten of those things isn't even enough. Did you know?" he questions, looking up to her.

Marie was silent as she seemed to think about it.

"Marie?" Edric asks, keeping a tight hold on her.

"What do you suggest?" Marie asks petting him now.

Edric shuts his eyes as he wonders if she will react negatively to this. "Work together. To get the parts they need, they need some from the inklings."

"Edric, it is going to take far more than just a few parts," Marie informs.

"But it's a step in the right direction. Which is what they need to just get things started," Edric mentions.

"They won't listen right now. Not with DJ leading the charge. Besides, agent four is still out there. She should be returning soon," Marie says.

"Oh…that hardass. Heh. Yeah…real chatty that one…" he tries to laugh.

"Which one?" Marie asks, holding him close.

Edric smiles and buries his head into her neck. "Your new agent. Really don't take shit from nobody."

"Yeah, she can be like that, but to me, she hasn't been," Marie says petting him in that spot.

Edric moans happily and keeps a tight grip on her. "Lucky. She considered me a normal inkling. Doubt she knows about me."

"So she rescued you?" Marie asks.

"No, but I saved her when Callie took a shot at her," Edric informs pulling her down onto the bed with him.

Marie smiles and pulls his head onto her chest. "Well, she will thank you soon enough. But for now…are you okay after what Callie did? Because I can't imagine what she has been doing."

"A lot of kissing and advancements. If she hadn't been called away like she was, I would have been raped right now…apparently that is how octolings pursue a mate," Edric informs.

"Crazy. I guess you don't want anything for some time after something like that?" Marie asks, still petting him.

"…it's fine. I would just want at my own pace," Edric says looking to her before leaning in for a kiss.

Marie smiles and kisses back, making sure to keep him still. While pulling her head back, she giggles at his reaction of just looking lost for a few moments. "Then it can be that. And I will warn Caveira too."

"…you kick her ass, yet?" Edric asks.

Marie snarks. "Oh. I am saving that for when this is over. My anger would be less volatile by that time."

"Before or after she punches Callie for nearly raping me?" Edric asks as she starts to straddle him.

Marie hums teasingly. "I could let it happen…or I could smother her anger before she gets to Callie. I will let you decide that one."

"I am suspicious on the latter," Edric says as she smiles down at him.

Marie then slowly boops his nose and makes him smile. "I might surprise you. In fact, do you need Caveira right now?"

"You know…if anyone came in on us right now, they would think we are at that stage," Edric informs, looking over how they both were.

Marie giggles. "For this moment, I say let them. But when Caveira comes back from her mission, you can enjoy your time with her as long as you want."

"I have been thinking for a while now and made a decision," Edric says before pulling her back on top of him.

Marie softly grunts and looks at him after picking her head up. "What decision did you make?"

"I will accept if you and Callie still feel the same," Edric says.

Marie freezes up for a few seconds before slowly smiling and then cheers which was cut short by her turning into a squid and trying to hug around his neck. "I'm sure Callie would love that you would accept her once she's back."

Edric says nothing as he also turns into a squid and hugs her back.

"Hey, Marie! I'm back. And I got more zapfish eggs," they hear someone call outside the little hut. Edric sitting up at the sound of the voice and changing back as he looks to the sliding door. Marie smirks at him and places a tentacle to his lips and silences him before changing back as well and steps outside, quickly closing the door. "There you are. Got ten more here. Any news yet?"

"Last I heard, agent four is still going tentacle to tentacle against them in the fourth dome," Marie answers.

"And…Edric?"

Edric stays silent as he hears nothing before the door slides open and he looks towards the frozen Caveira before him. "Um…hey…how was the rest of your vacation days?" he tries to smile and laugh off before grunting as Caveira pounces and hugs him tightly.

Caveira starts to sniff and cry against his shoulder as she grips him tight. "…I…I thought I would never…"

Edric smiles and slowly hugs her back, giving a small smile towards Marie as she gives a wave back before closing the door for them. "You know me, cooped up as always."

"Don't joke like that," Caveira admonishes as she pulls herself back to look him over. "I tried to call you and we even went to your place…but when we saw it was raided…"

"I know," Edric says pulling her back against him. "Those octolings love their technology. Heck, they polished it up for me so less work," he chuckles and gives off a soft grunt when she hits his chest. "I missed you Cav."

Caveira smiles and nuzzles her head against his chest. "I missed you too."

Marie smiles while spinning her parasol around while cooking something outside. Edric and Caveira having gone silent for quite a bit of time now but she doesn't hear anything else so they can't be having straight-up fun either. But her happy thoughts of Edric accepting her were cut short when agent four finally comes back with a zapfish in her bag.

"Ah, good. That's one less to worry about," Marie says, keeping a smile towards her.

"Yeah, the little guy kept squirming," the agent says walking over and gives the bag to her. "So did that guy reach you yet or what? Cause I might have to look for him if that's true."

Marie keeps smiling. "Edric? Oh, he made it. He's just having a long rest right now."

"Wait…Edric? The Edric of the frontier team was that guy?" Agent four asks in surprise.

Marie shrugs nonchalantly. "Of course. Who else would be down there?"

"Oh, ink…I thought he was just another inkling," she starts to ramble. "If I have known who he was, I would have given him something to fight or…"

"I doubt he could fight in his condition. He was pretty tired and shaken up. So really, you did him a great favor," Marie quickly passes off.

"Oh…well he still needs to learn manners," she criticizes and makes Marie giggle.

Edric kept smirking all the while and keeps Caveira under his arm as they lay in bed, listening to it all. "Hardass, isn't she?"

"She is a fan," Caveira says, happy to have him back.

"I will see to teaching my mate some manners," Marie says to agent four.

They hear nothing for a few seconds now. "Ma…mate?" agent four stutters.

"Yes, he is my mate," Marie informs.

"…oh my ink…"

Edric snickers into Caveira's shoulder as she tries to stifle her own giggles.

"Don't text that out though. Keeping it private for now," Marie adds.

"Right…I should get out there again," agent four says with them hearing footsteps walk away.

Marie hums. "You do that," she says before there was a splash and a teapot steaming. "She's gone."

Edric smiles all the while as Caveira opens the door to look at Marie smiling at them. "Teach me, huh?" he asks grinning at her.

"Why not? I have in the past," Marie says smirking.

Edric chuckles as he sits up and sits on the edge of the small hut while Caveira sits by him. "I don't doubt that. You are a pretty good teacher. But what's the plan now with you two? Especially since…well…" he tries to finishes while looking between the both of them.

Caveira gives a quick kiss to his cheek at that. "Don't worry. Can't fault you for liking them. So you can relax on that part. As for the mission, I have to get out again and pick up the pieces that our new agent left behind. But you…I can understand if you want to stay out of it," she says and hugs him.

Marie smiles. "What she said is true. If you want, you stay here and just look after the place."

Edric sighs. "Well, I can't just stand around and do nothing," he says, wrapping an arm around Caveira. "Otherwise I might feel useless."

"You are still recovering," Marie informs.

Edric tries to smile. "And I am human. We always bounce back. Please?"

Marie smiles and walks over to him. "Human or inkling, you need to recover for now. Soon, you can be out there again. Maybe spend time with our new agent and change her mind on you after that. And…you have a choice here," Marie starts and he feels Caveira grabbing a hold of his hand. "You can choose either one of us to stay here and help look after you. I can still kick some tentacles, don't worry," she says before giving a small kiss to him.

"Yeah, now rest. I can tell you were drugged," Caveira informs.

"Oh yeah…please don't hurt her," Edric pleads and gives another kiss to her as payment.

"And what about me?" Marie asks smirking.

Edric smiles and leans towards her before giving a peck to her own lips. "Better?"

"Yes," Marie says taking a seat beside him as Caveira gets up.

"You know, you two really look the part," Caveira comments.

"How so?" Edric asks, leaning against Marie.

"Take a look," Caveira says, taking a picture with her squidphone and shows the two.

Edric smiles and looks towards Marie. "Well, that's one step cleared off the list. And I do think we look good too."

"I know. After all, I dressed you," Marie reminds.

Edric blushes slightly and Caveira smirks. "I will ask her about that later," Caveira says walking away. "Also, I am grateful you decided to help them that way Edric. Maybe we could make friends after this is over," she says smiling before jumping into a grate and the kettle shaped grate steams up.

"Uhhhhhh…" Edric tries to question and point at it.

"You take a seat. Lunch is about to be served," Marie informs.

"Right…don't question it," Edric says, tearing his gaze away from the teapot grate and towards her.

"That's a good boy," Marie says.

Edric sat down to eat before they both heard something unmistakable, "MARIEEEEE!"

"Oh dear," Edric sighs. "I think she just made it back to her place."

"Yeah, sounds about right," Marie says setting up something in case Callie found them.

Edric shakes his head a little. "I…almost did it, you know…in the beginning when I didn't know and then near the end."

"You happy over here?" Marie asks walking over.

"Yeah…why wouldn't I be?" Edric asks, sounding like a matter of fact.

Maries smiles and starts rubbing his head.

Edric groans and starts to lay on his side. "That feels so nice."

"I am so happy to have you back. All we need is Callie now," Marie whispers into his ear.

Edric groans before reaching out and grabbing her, holding her close. "You are making it hard to resist you."

"Could you in the first place?" Marie asks.

Edric snarks. "I don't know. I only now decided to accept you and Callie."

"Then we will have to test it," Marie says before starting to feed him something.

Edric moans happily and eats away. "Less…it's becoming a bit harder," he teases. "Could…I get a bonus?" he asks, sitting up to eat better.

"You will later," Marie informs smiling, reminding him very much of a housewife.

Edric smiles before leaning over and kisses her. "Maybe it's the drugs or me being tired…but I haven't noticed how beautiful and great you are until now."

"Your flattery will get you a lot of places," Marie says running a hand along his back.

Edric chuckles. "And you are a great inkling and I never would have made it without you or your cousin."

"I know," Marie says holding him close.

Edric hugs her tightly and lets his hand travel through her tentacles. "…can I sleep with you tonight? At least to know hypnotized Callie won't take me just like that."

"Alright, but be warned. It's not totally dark when I sleep at night," Marie informs.

Edric blushes but smiles. "I won't do anything…unless you want it. Besides…I'm not like hypnotized Callie here."

"I want to wait for that. Callie would be super mad if we did it without her," Marie says smiling as she continues to feed him.

Edric chuckles and thinks to a thought like that. "She really tried to entice me, like a lot. Clothes and all. And ears."

Marie stops and looks at him closely before nodding. "Yeah, she got intimate," Marie says.

"Crap…" Edric groans and hangs his head. "So…how do I handle that next time?"

"I will show you later with Callie," Marie informs before helping him up.

"One last thing…" Edric starts as he is put into a chair at a small table. "Are…you two about the same sizes?" he asks while blushing and can feel the stare from her.

"Why do you ask?" Marie asks.

Edric clears his throat and slowly looks away. "Callie…strips down…at times."

"Oh? I think I have a slightly bigger chest than she does," Marie informs.

Edric blushes harder and keeps looking away. "…you really shared that easily…huh?"

"You're my mate after all," Marie reminds.

Edric gulps. "…I am so used to human lifestyle."

"You're not to share that info with anyone not your mate. Got it?" Marie asks smiling.

Edric slowly nods before Marie turns his head back to her and then feeds him another spoonful while sitting by him with a bowl. "Got it…um…thanks for telling…" he says nervously as he chews.

"Don't worry. I will be spending a lot more time with you after this," Marie informs.

Edric nods and tries to take the spoon himself before she stops him by grabbing his hand. "…I can feed myself."

"Then take your turn in feeding me," Marie instructs.

Edric slowly smiles. "Cheeky," he says slowly taking the spoon from her and starts to feed her. "Thanks for everything."

"You sleep well?" Marie asks sitting near him as he fell asleep in a hammock next to the house.

Edric sighs deeply as he keeps swinging. "Yeah…not bad at all. I never felt this relaxed before."

"You feel sluggish still?" Marie asks.

"At times it feels like my limbs have more weight than they should. And I can't shake the worry that this will run out of power and I can't get another until I make one with a printer," he says showing his bracelet.

"The problem is we do not know where your printer is," Marie says as they hear someone coming.

"Callie does…and octolings. We just have to ask where a residential dome is and I need to be there. Those guys might talk if we get lucky on one," Edric sighs as he stares up at the sky. "And I still worry about them. Like their own kids having to live like that down there."

"Marie, I am back," agent four calls.

"I'll be back," Marie says getting up and walking to her. "What do you have?"

"Got another one, but the one who was shooting at me when I found Edric seems to be hounding me," agent four says.

'Sounds like something Callie would do looking for information,' Marie thinks, listening to four recounting what had happened.

"And, she looked very pissed," agent four says looking thoughtful. "She might get bigger guns."

"I would send you back up, but only one that could go is Edric. However, he is also recovering from being drugged," Marie says.

Agent four slowly leans over and looks to see Edric laying in the hammock and slowly swings around. "Oh…so what's the plan?"

"We should do diversionary tactics," Edric says.

Marie smiles and both turn to him. "What do you have in mind?"

Edric points to the box near them. "I made some remote ink explosives while you were not looking. If four can stealthily plant them somewhere and sneak to another area near a zapfish, then most of them should be drawn away. Including the one that is hounding her."

"That's…not bad. Think you can do it?" Marie asks towards agent four.

"I think so," agent four says going to check the ink bombs.

"Good luck," Edric sighs, rolling over and trying to curl up.

"I thought Edric was an assault fighter," agent four whispers to Marie.

"He is, but first and foremost, he is an engineer. From what he told me, the octarians were forcing him to build them new power generators. A reason why you are being hounded is possibly to get information on where he is," Marie informs.

Edric smirks as she said that. 'Out of the goodness of my heart actually.'

"So I can't get caught," agent four says.

"Also, a word of advice. You think something is going too well, then back off that moment. It is most likely a trap," Edric informs.

Agent four looks at him in shock that he talked to her and gave her advice so she nods and takes the bombs. "Thanks," she says before quickly heading off again.

Marie snickers as the teapot grate whistles when she jumps in. "She is definitely your biggest fan."

"I saw her fight. It's obvious it's influenced by my style, but she has been fine-tuning it to go along with her weapon of choice," Edric comments.

Marie hums as she walks over after putting the zapfish away with the rest of them. "So…jealous you won't be able to keep up with your own?"

"I am going back to training soon," Edric says as she pushes him so he is swinging again.

Marie leans down and smirks in his swinging vision. "And I will be personally beating you every time."

"No complaints there my sniper," Edric says.

Marie giggles and gives a kiss to his cheek. "Now rest. You need it," she says sitting by him again.

"Has Caveira came by with my dualies?" Edric asks.

"No, but I have a weapon you can use," Marie says.

Edric smiles. "What do you have?"

"The type of weapon you like," Marie says smiling to him before catching him when he slipped through the hammock from turning into a squid.

"Oops…" Edric apologizes as he looks up to her.

"You did that on purpose. I know from living with Callie from so long," Marie says holding him as she took him inside.

Edric snickers. "Can you blame me for wanting a good hug?"

"All you need to do is ask," Marie says smirking.

Edric chuckles and wraps his tentacles around her. "I love you."

"I love me too," Marie says cheekily.

Edric snickers more and she starts to pet him on the head. "Now you're getting human jokes."

"I wrote the book cute little guy," Marie says.

"Bitch, I'm adorable," Edric jokes making Marie smile more.

Marie boops him, making him try to grab her hand. "Yes. And I will snuggle you with the others soon enough."

"I want it to be as a squid," Edric informs.

Marie giggles. "Yes. You can be a squid, but count your inkling or human side too. They need their daily snuggles."

"I meant you girls," Edric corrects.

"Oh?" Marie asks and pokes him again and makes him try to laugh. "So you want us as squids? Not that hard considering."

"…kinda want it right now," Edric says after a while.

Marie hums and looks outside for a bit. "Still have maybe enough time," she says grinning. "But you have to be either a human or an inkling."

"But I want to try squid only snuggling," Edric says smirking, thinking she couldn't resist.

And he was right because then he feels Marie wrapping him in a hug from her tentacles as she nuzzles her face against him. "Needy mate."

"Don't pretend you don't love it," Edric says as they snuggle.

Marie giggles. "No. I love you," she says wrapping herself tighter around him.

"…Callie is going to be so jealous, isn't she?" Edric asks, seeing Marie had set up a camera when he wasn't paying attention.

Marie nods against him. "I will make her want to be with you constantly to make up for the lost time."

"Oh, if the influence from the glasses has a lingering effect…I may not be leaving the bed for days after we get her back," Edric comments.

Marie smirks now. "You like her that way?"

"Yeah and remember, I told you that she was trying to get me to sleep with her like that all the time I was a prisoner," Edric reminds.

Marie hums. "So…you like the pushy Callie. I'll be sure to tell her that."

"Nah. Let's leave that to the experts. So how does one become an expert in that?" Edric says cheekily.

Marie hums teasingly and grips him tight. "Well, they sleep with them and then figure out what makes them tick."

"So glad I asked an expert," Edric says before feeling himself be thrown and lands on the bed.

"Yep. Lucky you have me," Marie says getting on top and holding him down with a hug.

"I am fine with this," Edric informs just laying there.

Marie smiles and nuzzles him again. "What are you going to do first once we get Callie back?"

"Oh no. Knowing her, she is going to be super embarrassed if she remembers it all. I am going to turn the tables on her and use what she did on her," Edric says smirking.

Marie smirks. "Ear rubs?"

"You want a preview?" Edric offers.

Marie smiles up at him and shows her tentacles. "I can also do the same. Don't you forget it."

"So do you want to?" Edric asks before returning to his inkling form and holds her.

Marie keeps smiling before changing as well and sits against him in his lap. "Well?"

Edric smiles as he reaches and deactivates his device. "Ready?" Edric asks, laying his head on her neck for a moment.

Marie hums, snuggling up against him.

Edric smiles feeling this before reaching up and starts stroking her ears softly.

Marie moans softly, falling back against his hold. "That's nice…so nice. I don't think I have ever allowed anyone to touch them."

"Well, you never had a mate right?" Edric asks, barely stroking them and almost teasingly.

Marie giggles but moans again. "Come on. Quit teasing."

"This is all you get till we get Callie back," Edric whispers into her ear, trying to motivate her more.

Marie playfully whines. "No fair."

"Now you are sounding like Callie," Edric teases.

"Doesn't help you can do this so well," Marie whines back.

"Thank Callie on the night," Edric says before giving her ear a kiss.

Marie shivers and her teeth click. "You are a straight-up tease."

"The best way to motivate you. Well, the best way I can right now," Edric says before leaning on her, but this time it was because he felt weak. "Sorry…I am not fully recovered."

Marie smiles and looks back at him. "You know…I bet Caveira never figured out how to please you as a human I bet."

"Have you?" Edric asks, feeling her move before seeing her now facing him.

Marie smiles and gives a quick kiss to his cheek. "No. But I think I can find out. I tend to find the good spots to hit very quickly," she says tracing a finger along his chest.

"I look forward to it. Until then," Edric says before activating the device again, returning to inkling form.

Marie pouts cutely and gets a kiss on the cheek in return. "You teasing squid."

"I learned from Callie," Edric repeats before using what strength he had to push himself to fall back onto the bed.

Marie shakes her head and sighs. "But you are my squid. A cute and strong one too," she says kissing his cheek.

"You're the strong one, Marie…also, let it out," Edric informs.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," she says looking away and blushing.

"Marie, when I was holding all my feelings about being the last human, you said to let them out. Please do the same for me," Edric says reaching up with a bit of difficulty and strokes her cheek.

Marie smiles and grabs his hand before he sees tears well up in her eyes. "Well…when I left, I started to become worried about you. We never saw each other after our last visit together. And I felt like taking on a bigger job actually ruined our chances of being together, that I made a mistake. I always started to question if I made the right decisions because I hardly saw Callie again down the line. Every single job I did, I question if I should have dropped it to stay with you."

"Well, after we save her, then we will fix that, right?" Edric asks trying to comfort her.

Marie hums and nods, sniffing quietly. "Yeah…I think we would all like that."

Edric smiles as he closes his eyes. "I look forward to it."

Marie wipes her eyes before leaning over and kisses his cheek. "Just rest for now. I'll handle things for a while."

"I just had an idea of how to draw out Callie," Edric says smirking.

"Fries?" Marie suggests smiling.

"That and do you remember Jinx?" Edric asks.

Marie smiles. "Trying to get her to hug it?"

"Combined with it offering fries," Edric says smirking.

Marie sighs as he starts to plan it out. "That's gone too."

"They stole the medical equipment? I saw no signs of that," Edric says tiredly.

Marie smiles. "They took anything that was valuable looking."

"This is giving me a headache," Edric states weary.

Marie leans over to his ear. "And we will get it all back in due time."

"If you say that, then I will believe love," Edric says before falling asleep.

Marie leans up and gives a peck to his lips. "Good. Just sleep. I will handle things."