Thank you for the comment, Darth Nominatis!
No, I don't think I will write request commissions in author notes: such notes are there to help me communicate with my readers, regarding the story I'm writing.
Alright! To all readers, send in a review or leave in a favorite/follow if you are liking the story so far!
Mirii approached the glass multi-door whose surface was sparkling back at her. On each side, a vase holding a tall, vigorous plant showing its brilliant green colour.
The girl observed the entrance, while the rest of the gang arrived as well.
"Oh man, the entrance is busted!" Nick grinned, as he grabbed his right fist. "Time to shoulder it wide open!"
"And pay for a new door, genius?!" Ana rose her right hand, while raging visibly. "That's gonna eat all our savings!"
"Geeee, I was kidding...!" Several sweat drops appeared behind Nick's head.
Ana snorted loudly, as she turned her lifted head the other way and closed her eyes.
"Use your brain for onceā¦" She mumbled.
"I was looking for the intercom..." Mirii's head rose. "I can't see anything resembling itā¦"
"Maaaayyybbee it's over here?!" Zira already jumped in front of Mirii, as her left forefinger pointed at a random point of the glass door and her right hand almost grabbed her right cheek.
"But that's just the door..." Greta folded her arms, as her mouth stretched over her right side.
"Yeeeeess, but!" Zira giggled. "But this door might be one of those...!" She whispered at the end.
"Like what?" Carlson rose his mouth, as his hands went inside his pockets. "It's a door⦠made out of glassā¦"
"... I think she is mentioning one of those advanced doors she saw on television..." Enrick pushed the middle of his glasses, as his lenses shined. "Those who have a digital intercom incorporated..."
"But why there is no one welcoming us...?" Hun tilted his head over his right side. "I don't understand... weren't they waiting for us?"
"This is absolutely a great point!" Mirii frowned, as her hands grabbed her hips. "And from the glass door, I can't even see anyone nearby..."
"I hope everything is fine in there..." Ana sighed.
"They are playing tricks on us!" Nick snorted, as he shook his head. "They can, while I can't!"
"Tee hee hee!" Zira began touching the glass door in various points. "Touchy touchy touchy!"
"Hey hey!" Enrick dashed past everyone else. "You are gonna break it!"
"Huuuh?" Zira held her forefingers near the door, while casually looking at her sibling.
"Might as well going ape-ship, than staring at it." Greta grinned a little.
"Ya know, bustin' makes me feel good...!" Carlson showed his left shoulder. "Ready to see the stars, folks?"
"I wanna join, dude!" Nick jumped, while smiling and closing his eyes.
"Are you nuts you two?!" Ana slapped her upper face with her right hand. "Or do you really want to see trouble in this laboratory?!"
"Girl, like... it's just a pair of shards flying around..." Carlson shrugged. "No one is gonna complain"
"I do!" Ana pointed at herself with her right thumb. "I would complain all day!"
"Slammy boy, hold that wild solution for a moment!" Greta walked in front of Carlson, as her left forefinger waved and pointed at him. "Dontcha wanna use your awesome brain for this one?"
"But like, I do use it as well!" Carlson opened his arms widely, while smiling just as much. "Like... right now!"
"That's not it!" Greta's head shook. "We gotta think this one well...!"
"I was doing well!" Zira resumed her glass-touching. "Tee hee hee!"
Tic.
All the sudden, a digital screen appeared in a fast animation: an Inkling woman wearing a suit was smiling back at them, clasping her hands.
"Welcome!" She closed her eyes. "Are you having fun?"
"Yaay!" Zira clapped, while smiling widely. "I did it!"
"Huh?!" Hun kept his mouth open.
"... hmm?" Mirii's eyes squeezed a little.
"If you were wondering why the intercom wasn't working... is it simply because we chose so." The woman brought her hands down on the middle. "Your journey in our lab will not be the same as exploring a museum or an aquarium..."
"Oh really?" Enrick lowered his eyelids to the middle. "I wasn't noticing..."
"It will be an adventure!" The woman giggled a little. "A treasure hunt, to be exact."
"Awesome!" Nick's eyes sparkled, as he bended forward and clenched his fists. "Much better than any ol' visit!"
"... I don't think so..." Mirii's eyes squeezed a little.
"This is why we made our digital intercom harder to find and we didn't tell you anything about this, until you found the intercom in question." The woman walked over her left side, while her right hand rose and leaned near another small screen.
"But what if we decided to walk away from here?!" Hun frowned at the woman.
"... I'm pretty sure she is not real, Hunry..." Greta sighed, as her mouth stretched over her right side.
"Huh?!" His mouth opened widely.
"This is a puzzle." The woman watched the group, while a rectangular shape appeared on the smaller screen. "Collect all the puzzles and compose the whole picture: once you do, go back to the reception and put the completed picture on the base. If you did right, you should see someone congratulating you."
"That's it?!" Nick rose his posture, groaning.
"Those don't even look like puzzles... they are just photos." A sweat drop appeared behind Ana's head. "This game is too silly..."
"Hmpf!" Mirii's head rose. "I'm ready to dominate it."
"Your end prize are gadgets and cash you can spend in the shops!" The woman's right hand waved a little.
The small screen showed a small sack of money and dolls depicting Squids and logos based on Squids, famous brand logos or sea creatures.
"... Fara would love to have one of those dolls..." Hun smiled. "I should win one of those, then..."
"With this said..." Suddenly, the door opens and the digital image disappeared. "Good luck! Have fun!"
"Yuppie!" Zira dashed inside, while opening her arms widely.
"Like, are we gonna be the only ones...?" Carlson grinned, as he walked along with the rest of the gang.
"... what kind of tricks they will play on us, this time...?" Mirii rose her shoulders, while clenching her fists.
