Author's Note: One last go before this fiasco called 2020 ends, and the first one where I'm a HoloEN fan. Yep, I have fallen into the hole too. Other than that…yeah. Now, to the chapter.
The battle was waged in a furious splashing of green and magenta, all four Agents chasing down Fabian as he tried to make a run for it. Fabian somehow has managed to evade Callie's roller swings, Evan and Shannon's shots, and Marie's snipes.
"Fancy seeing you here, Fabian!" Evan greeted him in a sarcastic tone.
"Heh. I'd like to stay for pleasantries, but I don't have the time." Fabian sneered.
"You would not." declared Shannon simply.
"Ah…Agent 8 herself." commented Fabian. "So…you were the girl Joshua was with that time in the Square." he scoffed, taking aim at her.
"And I do not know you bar the fact that you are a traitor to the city that sheltered us all." Shannon scoffed at her, retaliating. "Go initiate such grudges elsewhere, I don't even know who he is even." she dismissively said, dodging Fabian's shots.
"Hey, weren't you that asshole in The Squid Party when we were last there?" Callie scathingly asked him. "Do you know anything about what' going on with my cousin, huh?!" she yelled at him.
"Huh? What of it?" he said, feigning ignorance.
"You were in on it too!" blared Callie heatedly, swinging her Roller.
"Heh, well, no." Fabian scoffed. "I had nothing to do with it." he told them. By this time, the battle is now on the backyard, and Fabian is already running out of time to Jump away and fight another day.
"LIES!" Callie bellowed.
"I'd like to play more, but unfortunately, my mission fails when I go splat." Fabian sneered, switching on a device on his arm. "Have fun with the family affair. Sayonara!" he drawled at them. As soon as he morphed to Octopus, he was gone.
All of the Agents were wondering and slightly seething at the escape of their enemy. However, the matter was pushed immediately out of their minds; especially Evan's, once they realize the bigger elephant in the proverbial room.
"Can we have a minute alone?" Callie finally spoke up after a while, beckoning to Shannon, avoiding Marie's dagger gaze. Shannon silently nodded, leaving her with a seething Marie. Callie and Evan then went somewhere out of earshot to discuss.
*Somewhere in the garden…
"Okay…I'm honestly nervous about Cap…" Evan said, eyes shifting about. "He's also basically you and Marie's guardian figure as well…"
"I'll vouch for you Evan." Callie assured him. "I'll make sure Gramps doesn't get more wrong ideas than he probably already has."
"Cap is my superior as well as my future in-law, so I have to not screw this up." Evan reiterated.
"Well aware, babe." Callie whispered, doing her best to assure Evan.
"I just hope there's no more nasty surprises. We've had enough for a day." Evan sighed.
*Meanwhile…
The time passed between Marie and Shannon without a single word almost, having nothing to say between each other. Both took the time to rest up from the battles they all had to fight tonight. Shannon opted to check the time in her phone; it was already quarter past midnight. Shannon then chose to break the ice.
"Uhm…Agent 2?" Shannon began tentatively.
"Yes Five?" said Marie gruffly.
"Uhh…are you alright? Not exhausted too bad, I hope?" Shannon asked the senior Agent.
"I'm fine, anything else?" Marie mumbled.
"Hmm…" Shannon murmured, "Uhh, is there something up with you, Agent Two?" she asked her.
"Yes, the stick I'm going to prod up yours if you don't stop pestering me." Marie gruffly replied.
"Uhm..yeah, I'll…stop talking…" Shannon said nervously.
Soon enough, Callie and Evan met up, and in silent agreement, went up to check on Cap, Marie leading the way. Marie then smirked at her cousin, letting her in first with Evan.
"Ah, it's you buckos." Cap greeted them in a flat tone.
"Glad to see you safe Cap." Evan said to the elderly Inkling.
"Ah, fine work out there." Cap replied. "But…now…to the elephant in the room, as the humans said…" tersely turning on Evan. "What…happened, Agent 4? I've heard that there's a spat between my granddaughters, and you happen to know something about it…care to elaborate, boy?" he interrogated Evan.
"We believe Cap that Marie has been infected with some type of substance that makes her unstable sir." Evan calmly stated the problem to the war veteran.
"My Marie over here has been bawling her eyes out and her appetite has severely decreased." Cap was advancing rather menacingly. "Callie says Marie's lashin' out at her everytime she gets…and even now." he said, casting a look at his two granddaughters.
"It's true gramps, something's afflicting Marie." Callie piped up.
"Whatever that is, you better fix it up between you people." Cap sternly told them. "In these times, the Squidbeak has no time for internal conflict. Got that?" he turned to all the Agents present.
"Yes Cap." all chorused.
"Dismissed. Meeting tomorrow 1200, be there." Cap reminded them in a formal tone. Soon, the Agents dispersed bar Marie, who was still slumped on the floor, still holding her Charger.
"Lass?" Cap ambled to where the grey/lime-green Inkling was slumped.
"Gramps?" Marie croaked.
"I think you're tired. Hit the showers." Cap said softly to his granddaughter. "This definitely has strained you and everyone else involved tonight." Craig told her. Marie reluctantly did so, while Cap laid down on his bed and sighed.
"What is happening to the world these days…" he sighed, as he stowed his bamboo cane beside his bed.
*Meanwhile, downstairs…
"What just happened…" Shannon sighed, shaking her head.
"You tell me…" Evan shook his own head too.
"Let's just…go home…" Callie panted "Shannon, need a lift?" she offered.
"Yeah, thanks." Shannon accepted. "Plus we have this meeting tomorrow noon, we best get some zeemos." Shannon reiterated. The trio then boarded Callie's silver sedan, speeding off the house. The whole drive was silent, with Evan taking the passenger's seat while Shannon taking the backseat.
Soon, Shannon's stop came, not forgetting to say thanks before the pair sped off.
"Heh, what timing huh?" Evan scoffed. "Springing an attack right when things are getting tricky…" he sighed.
"No kidding…" Callie sighed too.
Evan then leaned on the window of the car, just appreciating the now quiet atmosphere. Soon they were home, and both headed for a quick shower, then slept in Evan's bed one after the other, cuddling tight to each other.
Morning dawned on Inkopolis, and another busy day was upon them all. As expected, the early morning news shows covered the rampant violence last night done by the Squid Supremacist Society, showing the deplorable aftermath of the chaos and how police luckily rounded up a few thugs.
Jesse prepared lunches for both herself and Celia, the former having not much work for the day, only going for Salmon Run for the day.
"Sister, can we go to the Square today together?" pleaded the younger yellow Inkling.
"Yeah, I guess." Jesse smiled at her younger sibling. Both departed at the same time.
Meanwhile, Callie got up first, deciding to make breakfast for the day, Evan getting up not too much later after, surprising her by helping her with the cooking.
"Morning babe!" greeted Callie.
"Morning." Evan smiled, touching Callie's face. "What's for breakfast lovely?" he asked the long-haired Inkling idol, who had her hair undone, barely reaching the floor.
"Sausages and eggs!" Callie happily proclaimed.
"Looks tasty!" Evan observed. He then helped by taking over the pan and letting Callie whisk the eggs earlier. After the sausages were done, Evan got a serving plate and put them all in. While Callie was doing the eggs, Evan set the table and made the coffee. Soon, they ate.
"So…about that meeting later…" Evan sighed.
"Yeah, don't lose your cool now, yeah?" Callie told him. "That's what the enemy wants…internal conflict. Some human bullcarp they tryna do on us." Callie added.
"Yeah…slimy bastards…" Evan growled.
The rest of the brief breakfast went by in small talk, and soon, both of them were off to HQ, where they were greeted by Pearl, Marina, and Sheldon.
"Three says she be coming later, running some Salmon Run shifts." Pearl opened the banter.
"Ever the workaholic squid, that one." Evan smiled, sighing. "And Shannon?" the male squid asked.
"She said she's on her way." Marina swiveled from her console to reply.
"Well, time for a little exercise, while we wait." Evan said. "Up for a friendly duel, Agent 6?" Evan asked Pearl.
"You're on, kiddo! First to splat wins!" Pearl beamed at the challenge. Both then headed to the training room, where Marina booted up some holographic obstacles, shaking her head at the gung-ho-ness of her close friend.
The two began battle, immediately using both their rolls to dash at each other, both missing their target. Evan then swam away into a holographic block, while Pearl dashed away from it. Evan rolled out of cover for an ambush, but Pearl barely saw it coming, and was lucky and fast enough to roll out of its way. Pearl then clambered up the wall via swimming, peeking ever so slightly to track where Evan is.
Evan caught on to the scheme before too long however, and fired upon Pearl. Being discovered, she tried to end the duel quick, but was overtaken due to Evan's experience. Evan ended their duel with a barrage straight from a roll.
"GG." Evan grinned, before delivering the splatting shots. Pearl burst in a shower of pink before reforming herself in a nearby spawnpad.
"That was quite the workout!" Pearl patted the male Inkling's shoulder, admiring the skill she witnessed.
"Well, either I learned those or fail ultimately…that was the choice." Evan simply replied. Upon returning to the lobby, they found Shannon already talking with Callie and Marina.
"When in doubt, train, am I right?" Shannon asked Evan.
"Yeah. Takes your mind off things." he replied.
"Amazing out there." Callie winked at him.
"Hey, no credit for me?" called out Pearl.
"Good work, for a new Agent." Complimented Callie.
"And now we wait for Cap, Marie, and Jesse." Marina commented nonchalantly, scanning a few diagrams and files on her console. Evan and Shannon then resorted to sitting down on the couch talking while Callie and Pearl watch the news.
"So, how is life after being an idol?" Callie asked Pearl to open the conversation.
"Well, a little more relaxed, for one." Pearl said, stretching out. "No rushing to Cod knows where early in the morning, no late nights, and most of all, weekends off." she added joyfully. "More time for me and 'Rina to relax, though not so much lately with all this bullcarp around." she complained.
"Yeah, gotta agree." Callie replied. "This SSS nonsense is adding up to the laundry list of annoyances we Squidbeak have to deal with…" she sighed.
"Mind you though, I do like being part of this little gang." Pearl reiterated, "Protecting from the shadows, anonymously…the first time I did something right, at least after I partnered with Marina to start that whole idol gig." she wistfully reminisced.
"Yeah, I've heard." Callie said solemnly. "Your death metal career, the drugs, you getting disowned…" she listed off.
"And that's why a part of me wishes that all this effort someday gets to be publicized. Maybe not now, but someday…maybe they'll accept me back into the family." Pearl spoke solemnly. "I assume you knew all that watching that tell-all interview, yeah?" she asked Callie.
"Yeah I did catch part of it…and the most controversial one." Callie grimly said.
"I see." Pearl simply sighed, bitterly reliving those moments. "If I hadn't went with Crowley and his gang, maybe I wouldn't live that cursed life…whole days, weeks, itching for that drug…" she sighed painfully.
"But that led you to Marina, didn't it?" Callie tried to lighten up Pearl.
"Yeah, silver linings I suppose." Pearl sighed again, but easier this time. "If it weren't for that trip to Mt. Nantai, life wouldn't have turned around, MC Princess wouldn't have been a thing eh?" she rhetorically asked.
"Yeah." Callie simply answered, trying to cheer up Pearl. "You wouldn't be the tough squid spitting all that fire everyone looks up to! If anything, you're a walking redemption story, maybe not complete yet, but is still ongoing!" she told her.
"Thanks Callie." Pearl said whole-heartedly. "Hopefully, we sort out Marie too…and while we're on the subject…what really is happening with you two? I heard that little spat of yours involves Four." she said, casting a glance at the lone male Agent, busy talking with Shannon.
"Alright, you've heard right." Callie tentatively began. "It does involve him." she confirmed. "But before I go further into it, promise you wouldn't judge nor tell?" she asked Callie.
"I'm in no place to judge, and I'll never tell a soul." Pearl swore to her.
"Good." Callie declared. "So…me, Evan, and Marie were in a relationship of sorts." she began. "We uh…slept together…and yes, that's all three of us, among…other things…" Callie chuckled embarrassingly.
"Mmm, really saucy right there, Cal." Pearl commented.
"And then one day, me and Evan decided to make it official, and we were gonna tell Marie ASAP, but to our surprise…that night happened. Jesse and Sheldon knew what happened back then. It was…very nasty." Callie sighed, recounting that dreadful night.
"I don't think I wanna know what happened…" Pearl pondered, a little chilled.
"Yeah, you definitely not wanna know." Callie reiterated grimly. "After, that, she is just moping in her room every free time and lashing at me whenever she can…" she sadly sighed.
"Good Cod…" Pearl gasped lowly. "Hopefully, 'Rina and crab guy figure it all out before something really bad happens to the Splatoon…" Pearl sighed.
"That we all hope. We definitely not need internal conflict, not now during these trying times…nor ever." Callie boldly stated.
"Uh, hey, Jesse says she's inbound." Shannon piped up.
"So is Marie and Cap too." Evan reported.
"Alright, duly noted." said Callie, sighing nervously. "Let's just hope this wouldn't be a total mess, yes?" Callie said to herself. She then left for the restroom a mere moment after she said that, leaving Pearl by herself.
Pearl then plopped unto a seat near Marina.
"Working a different keyboard now, are we?" Pearl said to Marina.
"Mmm, yeah." Marina replied. "Well, back to my original one, arguably. It has come full-circle, arguably." she pondered. "And this time, not for a regime." she firmly added.
"Damn straight." affrimed Pearl. "Now, you're using that big brain of yours for the good of the people, not for some lame dictator." she scoffed at the last part.
"I just hope we can solve the mystery of whatever is afflicting Marie…" she sighed, opening another window in her console. "I don't want the only group that has fully embraced both sides of me to be torn apart." Marina confided.
"Hey, I may not know not even a quarter of the things you know, but one thing I know for sure? I'll never abandon you." Pearl declared. "You were there after what maybe is my worst decision, you represented a second chance for me." She went on.
"And you for me as well too." Marina replied. "Meeting you, that was the start of my second chance in life." she began. "After all these years underground…I never even thought of being popular, let alone being as popular as we got to be." Marina reminisced.
"Us being Off the Hook…that was a special time." Pearl said softly. "All of it…the late nights, the 2-hour sleep days, the packed crowds, those Splatfests…I'll remember all of it. All the good, all the bad." Pearl said wistfully.
"I do think we need to continue this conversation later…" Marina said, as the HQ front doors opened, revealing Cap and Marie. At the same exact moment, Callie came back from the washroom. In an instant, the tension heightened in the place. Minutes later, Jesse arrived from GrizzCo, the last to come in. She instantly noticed the tension in the room, sighing.
"Alright, alright, in the meeting room, all of ye." Cap barked out dismissively, seeing the anxiety and tension among the agents. At once, all present headed over to their war room of sorts. Everone took positions: Callie, Evan, Jesse, Pearl on the left, while Shannon, Sheldon, Marina, and Marie were on the right, the rest of the Squidbeak taking extra steps not to let Callie and Marie too close to each other lest hostilities ensue.
"Alright, I know most of you know what this is about, but I'm going to say it for those who haven't." Cap tersely began. "You are all here due to the worrying state of camaraderie amongst ye Agents." He firmly stated the matter, gazing hard at Evan before sweeping the others. "Let me remind you that the duty comes first before any personal matter." He firmly reiterated. "Which brings me to other matters I'm sure you all aware of." the elderly veteran stated, while Marina pulled out the projector remote to display various footage of enemy activity.
"Inkopolis' state of peace and order is getting worse and worse by the day!" he growled. "First it was those green freaks, and now, these bastards using the history to justify all their bullcarp against Octolings!" he ranted. Evan sighed at the last sentence, knowing full well who he was on about.
"Cap, I do know about the other concern." Evan tentatively began, steeling himself.
"Really, boy? Let's hear it then." Cap said, facing the lone male Agent.
Evan breathed in deeply before beginning his tale. "I discovered this some time before coming to Inkopolis…and becoming Four." he began. "My folks…my mom and pop, were trying their darnedest to make me inherit the family business…leading the organization we know today as the SSS." he narrated. "They trained me, devoid of any social interaction or recreation at all. I passed their tests, but I wasn't interested one bit about their bullcarp. One day, with the help of Jelio, I escaped to Inkopolis, and with my trust funds…it's a miracle that Jelio wasn't caught until much later, when he was forced to work without pay for a whole half-year…" he shook his head as he remembered the events of those days.
"Quite a dire tale, lad." Cap commented, softening for a bit. "So then, anything about how they do business?" he returned to his formal manner.
"I have not heard of their plans ever since I ran away from home, but from what I have been hearing from Jelio, they're coordinating with the Red Fist to bring them Octo captives for their Sanitization projects. Must have been some sweet words and cold hard cash that time when they made the deal." he tersely declared.
"Despicable…" Marina gasped.
"Dishonorable twats…" commented Jesse.
"That's awful…" Shannon said softly.
Evan then continued on about what he knew from the time he was still living in the family mansion.
Well, well, the final chapter of the year…one of my goals for 2021 is to finish this or at least close. Here's hoping things straighten out and the people responsible be held accountable. You know the ones. Anyway, see y'all next chapter, JGCatfish out.
