Chapter 18
Kira watched in terror as Captain was killed before her. "You monster!" She broke free from the energy chains and turned her scythe into a sword, stabbing TarTar in the torso and pushing him onto the ground.
He chuckled weakly. "I should have never underestimated you. You were, like I said, a formidable foe-" He stopped and gasped for air as her sword was lodged directly into his skull and killed him on the spot.
"See you in hell for good." She growled and ran over to Captain's body, tears in her eyes.
"Come on... Come on Cap... Get up!" She cried. "You gotta get up! Please... I-I can't lose another friend! Please!"
"F-Four..." He groaned.
She perked up. "C-Cap'n?"
"M-My will... I-I left it in your t-tent..." He coughed. "I entrust you... with what I want..."
Kira started sobbing. "No! Nonono! Captain please!"
"Take care... of Three and Eight... For me..."
"NO! Captain!"
She watched him go limp in her arms. Her tears running down her face as she screeched. Clutching his body close and sobbing relentlessly.
"Damnit... Damnit to hell!" Kira roared. "This war has taken too many lives... I promise you, I'll never let anything like this happen again..." She stood up and raised her wings.
"I'm going to give you a proper sendoff..."
Everyone below the mountain anxiously awaited Kira's return. They all rejoiced as they saw her, but as she landed, they noticed something terribly wrong.
"Kira...?" Chili wondered, his voice quiet.
Kira cried and revealed to them the corpse of Captain Cuttlefish, making everyone gasp.
Chili stared at the sight in horror, feeling a tear run down his face as his fists shook with rage. "P-Please tell me that fucker is dead..."
"He's gone." Kira told him. She felt him latch onto her and she rubbed her back, holding back her tears.
Mint gasped and cried as well, Akari lowering her head and the salmonlings, inklings, octolings, and dark cephalopods lower their heads and pay their respects to the fallen Captain.
"Attention everyone!" Kira shouted, bringing their attention together. "We have lost a very beloved member of our crew. But we must continue onward. We will be giving him a proper sendoff and will take action as to what will happen to the Squidbeaks. Return to the camp and gather your things. And head home. There will be more news released at a later time."
Everyone nodded and two people remained. Layette and Tenta.
"The war's over... We won." Kira muttered.
Mint looked up, sniffling. "What do we do now?"
Kira kept the body of the captain close. "Inform 1 and 2 about Cap'n... And I'm going with Layette to the lab to find Misery's body so we can properly send her off too. I don't want her resting place to be in that hellhole."
Chili, Mint, and Akari nodded solemnly and headed towards Inkopolis. Tenta placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'll... talk to ya later... You need some time to yerself..." She walked away with the salmonlings behind her, and the dark inklings remaining.
"I will help the city restore NeoBright back to its former glory." Layette commented. "But we must deal with the aftermath of this horrid war... Once Kira and I return from the metro, we will begin preparations."
They all nodded and left the gorge, leaving the two alone.
"I am very sorry about your losses. I never knew that Misery was down there..."
Kira looked up. "How so?"
"Well, when I saw her last... She was in the camp, wounded..."
"WAIT! MISERY IS STILL ALIVE?!" Kira exclaimed.
"...Yes-"
Kira grabbed the body and zoomed through the air, returning to the camp and looking in the infirmary to see a wounded dark hybrid, reading a book. She smiled. "Kira-"
The inkling cried tears of joy and hugged her. "YOU'RE ALIVE! YOU'RE ALIIIIIIVE!"
Misery chuckled. "Whoa! Hey! I thought you knew?"
"But-But I saw you in the lab... Dying in my arms..."
Misery clenched her teeth together and looked away. "That... was an agent for the Dark League, she dressed up like me on accident and also stole my identity- I told Alaric it wasn't the best idea but NO! So I went to stop her and I got caught in the line of fire, damaging some major arteries, but I'm fine now."
Kira growled a bit, "Damnit Misery I thought you were fucking dead!"
"Does it matter?" She wondered.
"YES IT MATTERS!" Kira yelled hysterically. "You're my friend, of course I'm going to care if I'm holding your limp body in my arms watching you die! And TarTar-"
"Save it for later... My head still hurts." Misery complained, but smiled as Kira gave her one final hug. "But I'm glad you're okay as well."
"Me too Mis."
Kira located her tent and found Captain Cuttlefish's will. "For Kira's eyes only." She read. She opened up the doctrine and read while she sat on her bed.
Dear Kira,
I know well that once my time is up, someone needs to lead the Squidbeaks with pride
If I die during this war, I'm asking you, Agent 4, to take my place and become Captain.
There's an induction ceremony you must go through, sure. But you can do it.
You will be given a captain's uniform and a new piece of gear the day of.
Also, do me a favor.
Chili and Mint have always seen me as a rolemodel for them.
Take good care of them for me. They're basically my adopted children.
And tell the Squid Sisters not to worry.
With that, I bid farewell.
You can also keep one of my medals to remember me by
Captain Craig Cuttlefish.
Kira began sniffling and crying again, but she nodded and grabbed his favorite medal, keeping it close to her as she looked up at the rising sun.
The war is finally over. I'm so thankful that now... My friends, me, and Inkopolis can live peaceful lives once more.
End of Chapter
