Arc 1 Chapter 6 Double Agent
NOTE: I went back and revised and corrected some of the grammar. I also added some more sentences to the chapter. Blake takes on his first mission as a squidbeak agent. Let's hope it's not his last. Seems things are boiling over between the octarians and inklings.
Blake had woken up from a hard night's sleep with everything that has been transpiring. Rubbing his eyes and hopping up off the hammock, Blake was not eager to do the mission Cuttlefish assigned him too. Blake walked out of the bedroom still drowsy looking around the front room for Cuttlefish. "Cuttlefish?...where is he? "Blake asked himself. Blake then walked outside looking around but voices behind the cabin caught his attention. He went behind the cabin to see Cuttlefish giving a pep talk to the Squidbeak platoon.
"What are we gonna do!" yelled Cuttlefish holding up his bamboozler. "kick some octo-butt!" yelled the inklings back.
Blake then walked up behind Cuttlefish and tapped his shoulder. Cuttlefish then turned around. "huh?... Oh, hey bucko! said Cuttlefish happily to see Blake.
"uhh...hey, Captain," said Blake meekly.
"you remember the mission, I told you about?" asked Cuttlefish.
'yeah, Captain I...remember," said Blake uneasily rubbing his arm.
"Alrighty then, make your way to Octavio's without arousing suspicion and remember to give me all the details you can gather," said Cuttlefish.
"Ok Captain, I, will," said Blake as left for Octavio's.
As Blake was walking down the path to Octavio's place many thoughts were stewing in his head. He felt like a rope in a game of tug of war, he didn't want to help or align up with either side, but Cuttlefish making him an agent put a bind on him trying to quell the fighting. He was thinking that he may be able to talk some sense into Octavio if he took up Octavio's offer to be on his side.
It was minutes before he reached Octavio's. Blake gulped and was nervous about doing the mission Cuttlefish assigned him too.
"Well, here goes nothing, " says Blake anxiously.
Blake had finally reached Octavio's and knocked on the door. "Octavio? "said Blake as he waited for an answer. Blake finally opened the sliding doors and walked in.
He walked around until he came across Octavio having a briefing with some armored octolings carrying what looked like squirt guns.
They just got done going over battle plans as the octolings nodded, gave a salute and left out of the room just looking at Blake as they walked past him.
"Blake?" asked Octavio.
"Hey...Octavio...I thought about your offer and...I decided to take it up," said Blake nervously.
"I knew you would Blake, said Octavio proudly. "Now, I have just got done with our battle plans of how to defeat those inkings," said Octavio. "come down, so I can go over them with you," said Octavio signaling Blake to follow him. Blake had just gotten even more nervous as he followed Octavio down a hatch that was in the middle of the floor in the room.
Blake and Octavio had entered the underground outpost watching the octarians and octolings preparing for battle.
Octavio informed Blake on his plans for the octarian army and wanted Blake to lead the attack. Blake remained silent and just nodded to Octavio. Octavio slapped Blake on the back nearly knocking him over, Blake just turned his head and rubbed his arm.
"What's wrong Blake?" asked Octavio.
"it's just that...wouldn't it be...better if I spied on Cuttlefish and the inklings first?" asked Blake nervously.
"That... may not be a bad idea, good thinking Blake, gather up as much as you can on Cuttlefish and the inklings...I'm sure they're massing an army themselves," said Octavio.
"I... will sir," saluted Blake nervously.
Blake left out of the underground outpost and headed back to Cuttlefish's, But unknown to Blake, Octavio asked one of the octolings to follow Blake and make sure that he was siding up with him for the nearing war between the races.
"Blake has been acting uneasy since he's arrived, Hmm...keep an eye on him," he commanded the octoling boy.
"Yes, I will sir," saluted the octoling soldier as he followed Blake.
Cuttlefish was sitting on the couch in his shack as he was fiddling with his bamboozled. Cuttlefish placed the weapon down on the table in front of him and gave a sigh. "I hope the lad had luck gaining Octavio's trust," said Cuttlefish.
Cuttlefish got up and placed his hands in his pocket and heard a knock on his door. He approached the door and saw that it was Blake.
Blake had arrived back at Cuttlefish's to inform him of the battleplans that Octavio had told him about and how he wanted him to lead the attack.
"Appreciate it agent, we need to be on our toes about Octavio's plans. We can't allow him and the octarians to have the upper hand," said Cuttlefish.
"yeah, captain, glad to help, so I guess I'm under Octavio's wing now, or tentacle I mean," said Blake with indifference.
"well Bucko, as I said, don't arouse any suspicion, can't have your cover blown and do as he asks as long as it doesn't jeopardize our plans," said Cuttlefish.
But just as they were talking the head of a figure popped up outside the window of the cabin watching Blake and Cuttlefish. It was the octoling sent to spy on Blake.
"so that human is siding up with the inklings huh, I'll hang around and gather more intelligence before I report back to Octavio," said the octoling to himself as he ducked his head back down.
"Alright, I'll inform the inklings about this bucko, for now, keep gathering more information," said Cuttlefish. A knock was heard on the cabin door, Cuttlefish turned and walked over to the door and opened it. It was one of the inklings from the squidbeak platoon.
"Captain, we're ready," said the inkling.
"Good then, I'll be there in a second soldier," replied Cuttlefish as the inkling turned and walked away.
"Hey bucko, I gotta train the troops before the battle, as I said, gather up as much information on Octavio's plans as you can," said Cuttlefish as he walked out the door.
Blake watched Cuttlefish leave as he followed the inkling towards the village. Blake headed back to Octavio's but was unaware that the octoling sent to spy on him was watching him and Cuttlefish behind some bushes outside the cabin. The octoling decided to follow Cuttlefish and the inkling to watch their training.
An hour later Blake returned to Octavio's after talking with Cuttlefish. As Octavio was making preparations, Blake walked in to report to him.
He had walked back down the path and back to Octavio's base hoping that Octavio would believe the lie he would tell him.
"Well, what have you learned," asked Octavio.
"well...nothing to report sir, the inklings aren't even training or have created their own army," says Blake. Octavio shocked raising an eyebrow.
"Huh...I would think Cuttlefish would have formed an army by now, knowing him, hmmm...I'm not convinced...keep watching them, " said Octavio.
"yes, sir," said Blake as nodded and walked away.
A couple of octolings walked up to Octavio. "sir, we heard that the inklings aren't preparing for battle?" asked an octoling soldier. Octavio turned towards the octoling with a hard look.
"I don't believe him, he's hiding something...maybe that octoling I sent to spy on him will inform me on something," says Octavio.
He turns towards the octoling soldiers with a stern posture. "gather up the zapfish and power up the great octoweapons," ordered Octavio.
"yes, sir!" saluted the octoling soldiers as they walked away.
Octavio narrowed his eyes with a stern expression on his face. "If that human has betrayed me, I'll make sure he is dealt with along with Cuttlefish and those inkstains," says Ocatvio coldly.
But unaware to Octavio and the octolings, Blake was hiding behind some machinery while he had watched Octavio talk with the octoling soldiers about the spy, zapfish and the great octoweapons.
Blake soon turned and watched the octolings place some chubby yellow fish inside the large robotic creatures.
The fish were putting out electrical sparks while squirming around in these orbs they were trapped in.
"I gotta tell Cuttlefish about this," said Blake as he was crouched down.
Blake slowly got up and sneaked past the octarians and made his way back to the hatch undetected. He had hoped Octavio believed his report and wouldn't catch on to what he was really doing as he hurried back to Cuttlefish.
Cuttlefish was drilling the squidbeak platoon outside the village at a makeshift camp, teaching them formations and making them run through the obstacle course. Hours passed as the training progressed. The inklings were finally tuckered out.
"Ok, I guess that's all the training for today," says Cuttlefish.
The inklings moaned as they struggled to get up, some of them helping each other up and hobbling away. Cuttlefish turned to see Blake rushing towards him. He stops to lean over panting from exhaustion.
"What is it Bucko?" asked Cuttlefish. Blake raised up with his hand on his back.
"Captain (pant), Octavio (pant), zapfish (pant), Great octoweapons...uuuhhh, "Blake replies as he falls down.
"Easy lad, now slow down and tell me," exclaimed Cuttlefish helping Blake up.
Blake slowly collected himself and faced Cuttlefish with a serious look. "Ocatvio was powering up the great octoweapons with these zapfish," exclaimed Blake.
"zapfish?" said a confused Cuttlefish.
"yeah...I think Octavio and his army are preparing to attack soon." says a concerned Blake.
"by the battle plans Octavio had, I would say so, I'm afraid," says Cuttlefish also concerned.
"what do we do?" asks Blake with a distressed expression.
"I don't know lad, We may have to prepare for battle, unfortunately, I'll inform all the inklings about what's been going on," says Cuttlefish.
"what do you want me to do captain," asked Blake. "go home and train bucko, I may need you by my side," said Cuttlefish. "but, what about playing as Octavio's second in command," replied Blake.
"your right lad, I want you to mislead the octarian army and try to hold them off so we can get ready, I'll rally up the troops in the morning, but I still want you to try and get back here just in case you get found out," says Cuttlefish. Blake nods and heads back to Cuttlefish's to train.
Out of sight, the octoling spy watched the talk between Cuttlefish and Blake, also watching the inklings train and hear Cuttlefish's plot.
"I've got to report this to Octavio immediately," says the octoling spy as he makes his way back to Octavio.
Octavio soon hears about the intel that the octoling spy provided and is enraged about Blake deceiving him and Cuttlefish forming the squidbeak platoon.
"So those hipsters think they can pull a fast one on me, well their about to find out what happens when you tangle with this octopus, I'm gonna remix both their faces!" says an enraged Octavio clenching his fists and gritting his fangs.
two octoling soldiers walk up to Octavio. "We attack at dawn when the inklings will be too tired to get up from all that training," said Octavio sternly glaring back at the two quivering octolings.
"GET THE TROOPS READY! NOW!," commanded Octavio to a pair of octoling soldiers.
"ye...ye...yes sir!" complied the octolings in unison.
Octavio walked away back up into his home. He walked inside his bedroom, sliding back a door to a secret room. inside was his modified DJ booth that hovered off the floor when he turned it on.
He upscaled the booth with more powerful speakers that were able to shoot sonic blasts as well ink-filled missiles onboard to fire at targets.
Octavio turned towards his DJ samurai armor that he crafted laying against the wall. He placed the armor on and then placed the helmet on his head.
"I won't put my friends...my former friends, before my race. we will take what rightly belongs to the octarians. mark my words Cuttlefish I will defeat you and your platoon of inkstains," says Ocatvio as he clinched his fist up and walks out to rally the octarian army.
Back at Cuttlefish's cabin, Blake and Cuttlefish go over the strategy for tomorrow as Blake is still uneasy about the situation between the two races hoping that his actions can avert the war. Cuttlefish is also hoping that his plan will succeed, buying time for him and the inklings to get ready in the morning before Octavio'army can reach the inkling territory.
"Well bucko, I hope this plan works," says Cuttlefish.
"me too captain," replies Blake as his stomach growls.
"sounds like you're hungry, I haven't eaten myself, I'll get us some Krabby cakes," says Cuttlefish walking in the kitchen.
Cuttlefish retrieves some Krabby cakes out of the old fridge. After a moment Cuttlefish and Blake start eating, but Cuttlefish notices Blake's depressed look as he hesitantly bites into the cake.
"something the matter bucko, you're hardly eating," says Cuttlefish knowing that Blake is hungry.
"It's just... I'm not ready for tomorrow captain, I just wish...things would go back to the way they were and that you and Octavio can be friends again and the races wouldn't go to war with each other. " said a saddened Blake just looking at his food.
"well, bucko, I've tried talking to Octavio, but I'm not going to let our indifferences jeopardize what I think is best for the inklings, I'm obligated to protect what territory we have left and protect my people," says Cuttlefish.
"I know, captain," responds Blake.
Blake downs his head as conflicting thoughts run through his mind for a moment. "I'm headed to bed captain," says Blake as he walks off to the bedroom not finishing his Krabby cake.
Blake climbs into the hammock, he turns his head and looks at his bamboozler leaning against the wall and sighs for a moment, then turns his head back and stares at the ceiling.
Blake fights to keep his eyes open as he drifts to sleep with uneasy thoughts going through his head, knowing he has no choice but to follow through the plan that he and Cuttlefish had gone over.
Seeing the races and his two best friends fight each other, was something he could not stomach. Blake turned over facing the wall not eager for tomorrow to get here while Cuttlefish was at the doorway of the bedroom watching Blake.
Cuttlefish was also uneasy about the situation, knowing that this was putting a strain on Blake, but he also knew that he had to do what he had to do and just took a hard sigh and climbed into his hammock.
Cuttlefish rolled over facing the wall drifting to sleep needing the rest for tomorrow. The two of them slept while somewhere else Octavio was making the final preparations for the morning attack on the inklings, knowing that they would sleep in being too tired from the rigorous training that day.
AFTERTHOUGHTS: This isn't looking good for Blake and the inklings. Looks like Octavio isn't keeping his guard down not even for Blake. Blake is now in Octavio's crosshairs and is eager to deal with the inklings once and for all, let's hope things get better.