Arc 2 Chapter 6
Nothing but darkness is all a figure could see. It slowly opened its eyes and heard the sound of running water and the smell in the air was putrid. The figure sat up and looked around unsure where they were at. It shook its head and slowly stood up dazed from the experience. It was morning the next day, it seemed the figure had been out for quite a while in the sewers.
"Where am I? What happened?" said the figure holding its head.
The figure walked down the underground canal out of the shadows to reveal that it was soaked and dirty. It wiped the mud from its face to reveal that it was none other than Blake.
Blake looked down toward himself and saw that he was covered in filth. "Aw, man! these were my only clothes," shouted Blake as he smelled his shirt to only pucker from the stench.
"What do I do now, I don't even know where I am," said Blake scratching his head.
Blake continued down until the canal ran through a large drainage grate. He stopped and saw a tunnel to his right in the wall. The tunnel was big enough for him to crawl through but was completely dark with no light anywhere. He decided he had no choice but to crawl down the tunnel and hope it leads back to the surface.
For minutes Blake had crawled as he was getting tired and hungry. The tunnel seemed to go on forever and Blake was unsure where he was going since he couldn't see his hand in front of his face. After a while, he could see a little bit of light emitting from the end of the long narrow tunnel. As he got closer to the end of the tunnel he could hear voices echo down it.
He slowly crept toward the end and saw two figures walk by. It was the two tall inkling girls he saw back at the plaza talking to the bearded old inkling.
"I hope gramps will be alright, Marie," said the black and pink tentacled inkling wearing sunglasses.
"He's Captain Cuttlefish Cal, I'm sure he'll be fine he's been through the great turf war, after all, I'm sure this mood he's in will pass, " said the green and grey tentacled inkling.
"I hope so Marie, I hate seeing him like this," said the one called Callie.
"Me, too, Cal. We'll come back shortly and give him a little space," said the one called Marie.
The two of them got further as Blake crawled out of the tunnel and into a larger tunnel the two inkling girls were walking down.
Blake looked back toward the girls with a confused look. "Cuttlefish? They know Cuttlefish, was that the old inkling wearing the captain's hat, but the captain was a lot younger than that," said Blake as turned toward the direction the two inklings were walking from.
Blake pondered for a moment. "How long was I in that pod?... I guess that explains the city, but there are so many questions. I have no choice but to find out, that captain's hat seemed familiar for some reason but if that was the captain I have to go talk to him and let him know I'm alive," said Blake as he walked down the tunnel toward the direction the inklings came from.
15 minutes earlier, the squid sisters came out of the storm drain that led to Cuttlefish's and Octo Valley. The two of them walked over to Cuttlefish's shack and knocked on his door.
"I hope gramps is in a better mood, Marie," said Callie with concern.
"Me too Cal, I have some questions to ask him not to mention letting him know about the figure at the Walleye Warehouse," said Marie.
seconds passed as footsteps could be heard approaching behind the door. The door opened and it was Cuttlefish with his bamboo cane.
"Howdy grandsquids," greeted Cuttlefish.
"Hey gramps, I'm glad to see you're in better spirits," said Callie relieved to see her grandfather In a better mood.
"yeah, I just kinda snapped when I saw that squid badge, it's just it brought up bad memories, from back during the great turf war," said Cuttlefish depressingly as he downed his head.
"About that squid badge gramps, If you know something about it then why did that mysterious figure have it? that's what I would like to know?" asked Marie.
"I'm as baffled as you are lass, I'm sure how it got its hand on that badge," said Cuttlefish.
"Well that mysterious figure appeared again only this time at the Walleye Warehouse, unfortunately, it was pursued by the police and it jumped in the canal," said Marie.
"I hope it survived somehow," said Callie with concern.
"It couldn't have been an inkling or octoling, we can't swim, so I'm not sure who or what the figure could've been," said Marie.
"Well keep investigating agents, if it jumped in that canal then it could've survived. See if you can get a hold of Agent 3 before you go track it down," said Cuttlefish waving his cane.
"ok gramps, we'll keep looking, hopefully, Cassie isn't busy," said Marie.
"Bye gramps," said Cassie as she waved toward Cuttlefish as both of them headed back to the storm drain.
As the two of them were walking down the drain, Marie was deep in thought like when she was at the mall, after a while of walking, Marie finally spoke. "I know gramps seemed ok but I could pass his calm demeanor, he's hiding his emotions for some reason, ever since he saw that squid badge he hasn't seemed right," said Marie as she gave a sigh.
"I hope gramps will be alright," said Callie with concern.
He's Captain Cuttlefish Cal, I'm sure he'll be fine he's been through the great turf war, after all, I'm sure this mood he's in will pass, " said the green and grey tentacled inkling.
"I hope so Marie, I hate seeing him like this," said the one called Callie.
"Me, too, Cal. We'll come back shortly and give him a little space," said the one called Marie.
"well, where do we start looking, Marie?" asked Callie.
"We'll head down to the Walleye Warehouse and look for clues, but I'll get a hold of Cassie first before we do anything," answered Marie.
The two of them finally reach the end of the tunnel and squid formed out of the storm drain and back into the plaza. They shift forms again and looked around as to make sure the coast was clear even though the plaza was empty. Marie pulled out her squidphone and called Cassie but there was no answer.
"Huh, she won't pick up," said Marie.
"I wonder why? She always answers," said Callie.
"I don't know Cal, let's head to her apartment first," said Marie as the two of them headed to Flounder Heights.
In a disclosed area, two figures are seen tied in a chair as light is illuminating above them. one of them moans as she tries to move her head. She slowly shook it and opened her eyes. She looked around and realized she was tied up and couldn't move. "What's going on? Why am I tied to this chair? Where's...IZZY!" shouted Cassie as panicked from her situation.
"Mmmm..." a voice could be mumbling right behind her. As she turned looked it was Izzy tied to a chair facing the opposite direction behind her. "Izzy?" asked Cassie.
"Huuhh..." panned Izzy as she was still dazed. "Cass? What's going on on?" asked Izzy weakly still half conscience.
"I don't know, all I remember is getting chased by these inklings and..." said Cassie as she was cut off by the sound of footsteps.
The footsteps were getting closer as Cassie and Izzy were anticipating who their captors were why they were taken away. The footsteps came to a stop outside the light and the figure could not be made out do to the darkness hiding their identity.
"Good...you're awake, it's been a while, Cass," said the figure.
"Who are you? and why did you kidnap us?!" demanded Cassie.
"Your not a position to ask questions. now then, As for me, I guess you still don't remember?" said the figure.
"Remember what!? I don't not what you are talking about!?" shouted Cassie.
"Hmpf... I guess things never change with you, Cass, well then, let me step closer into the light," said the figure and it stepped into the light, out of the dark.
"(gasp) Ross?!" exclaimed Cassie who was in utter shock.
"like I said it's been a while, Cass, " said the inkling who revealed himself pulling down his skull mask.
"Ross? Isn't that your jerk ex-boyfriend," asked Izzy who was stunned as much as Cassie.
"It's Camper! and yes I used to be her boyfriend before she ratted on me at the splat tournament years ago," explained Camper.
"Ross, why are you doing this? why kidnap me and Izzy?" asked a still stunned Cassie.
"I wanna know about the creature that has been skulking around Inkopolis, my sources say it came out of that metal pod the octolings have desperately been wanting," demanded Camper.
"Wait, your working with the octarians! Why? what do they want with that creature?" asked Cassie in confusion.
"I'm not working with the octarians! They paid me to retrieve that pod the creature was in! and their reason is none your concern, now start talking!" demand an irritated Camper.
"Ross, don't do this! This is between you and me! Let Izzy go!" shouted Cassie.
"you really think I'm going to let your friend go, no I need leverage, now talk or else!" demand Camper with his patience wearing thin.
"Ross! I don't know anything! I'm telling the truth!" exclaimed Cassie as she was starting to tear up.
"Surely you know something, you don't think I know your little secret?" said Camper as he gave a devilish grin.
"Secret? what's he talking about Cass?" asked a concerned Izzy.
"She's a squidbeak agent," said Camper.
"Izzy, I'm sorry I got you into this mess, I can explain later," said a distressed Cassie as tears were running down her face.
"There won't be a later if you don't start talking," said an aggravated Camper.
"Dammit Camper, for the last time I don't anything!, all I know is it couldn't have been an inkling or octoling and it disappeared in the alleyway going into the plaza, now, please! let Izzy go!" demanded Cassie.
"Now we're getting somewhere, you're going to take me to where you last saw that thing," said Camper.
"I'm doing anything for you!" shouted Cassie holding her tears back.
"Oh really, alright boys get her friend there and take her to the back!" ordered Camper.
two male inklings approached Cass and Izzy. The two untied Izzy and started to drag her away.
"CASS! Where are they taking me! Help!" yelled Izzy as she was being taken away.
"Izzy! Ross let her go! Where are you taking her?!" shouted Cassie as she was tearing up again.
"Like I said I need leverage, now you will take me to that alleyway or your friend will end up an ink stain on the floor," said Camper sinisterly.
"No! Ross...I...I'll take you there, just don't hurt Izzy! If you do mark my words I'll make you pay!" said Cassie angrily as she glared at Camper with wet eyes.
"Still acting tough as always, that's what I liked about you Cass, now enough of the empty threats, let's go!" commanded Camper as he untied Cassie from the chair and pushed her toward the exit with a couple of other gang members.
Cassie rubbed her wrist from the restraints and looked back. "Don't worry Izzy, I'll get us out of this," said Cassie to herself as she, Camper and other inklings walked out of the door.
Meanwhile in what appeared to be a large metal chamber with computers and monitors. looked like cut off tentacles with legs and large eyes and lips were roaming around on metal disc-like platforms. Also in the chamber were what looked like human-like creatures similar to the inklings, but instead of drooping squid-like tentacles on their head, were tentacles that came down and curled, they were more octopus-like with the suction cups on the top instead of the bottom, whereas inklings suction cups were under their tentacles.
The creatures were known as octolings and they dwelled underground in Octo Valley. They signed a peace treaty with the inklings after their leader DJ Octavio was captured and the octolings were exposed to the Calamari Inktation which turned the hearts of some of the octolings that were exposed to the squid sister's song. The treaty included that the octolings could come up on the surface and visit or even reside in Inkopolis as well as receiving enough zapfish to power up their domes.
As the octolings were monitoring the computers and the walking tentacles were providing security. A red-tentacled octoling girl rushed in the chamber and approached a black-headed octoling girl. These black-tentacled octolings were called elites and they acted as the superiors to the red-tentacled octolings with seaweed sticking out of the tentacles and they wore metallic goggles like other octolings.
"Ma'am," saluted the red-tentacled octoling girl.
"Report!" responded the elite.
"Our spy has reported that Camper and his gang have still not retrieved the pod, but the subject inside it had escaped sometime during their retrieval of the pod," said the octoling standing firm.
"Those blasted squids can't do anything right," said the agitated elite clenching her fist.
"That's not all lieutenant, Camper seems to have captured the squidbeak agent, Agent 3! she appears to have tried to subdue what we believe was the subject in the metal pod but was successful and lost it, Camper is trying to get her to show them the whereabouts of its last sighting," said the octoling.
"Well, this complicates things, we are at peace with inklings even though agent 3 is responsible for the slayings of many octarians. I hold no grudge as the priority is to find and capture the subject in that metal pod," said the elite as she gave a sigh.
"ensure the spy keeps us updated on the situation as shocking as this might sound I hope no harm comes to Agent 3," said the elite.
"Lieutenant, why should you care about the well being of that agent, after all, she did kill many of our brethren," said the confused octoling showing sympathy for Cassie.
"Because sergeant, If anything were to happen to Agent 3 we would be blamed, do to us having contact with Camper and his gang. They're liable to pin this on us if anything were to happen," explained the elite.
"That's understandable, but still, I could care less about that agent or any of those squids," said the octoling.
"enough sergeant, I know what she has done but the inklings have kept their end of the treaty by giving us enough zapfish to power some of the domes. Even though we do have enough zapfish, the domes are aging and having power sources aren't fixing the problem, we need to find that subject if we are to survive, is that understood?" asked the elite.
"Ye...ye...yes ma'am," said the octoling hesitantly.
"Good, now go," ordered the elite as the octoling gave a salute and left.
As the octoling left the elite turned back shaking her head. "She and the other octolings need to understand that our survival is at stake, I could care less about the squid either but I want peace among us and the inklings if we no other choice but to leave Octo Valley," said the elite to herself.
"(Sigh) We need to find that subject," said the elite as she started to walk out of the chamber.
Blake was walking down the drain tunnel towards Octo Valley. It was cold and dark and he could see a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel. Blake had thoughts racing through his head if wether or not that the old inkling was Cuttlefish. If it was what should he say, how would Cuttlefish react to seeing him again? Blake sighed and continued walking but as he did he felt fatigued and was hungry again as he fought to keep his strength.
Blake finally reached the end of the tunnel looking up and seeing daylight through the grate. He climbed up and slowly opened the grate and peeked around. He looked and spotted Cuttlefish's shack.
"That's Cuttlefish's shack. That had to have been Cuttlefish I saw," exclaimed Blake.
He struggled to climb out of the hole as he was getting weaker. He got up and stared at the shack.
"What do I say? I don't know how long I was in that pod?" said Blake to himself.
Blake gave a long sigh as he looked down and then looked back at the shack.
He slowly walked toward Cuttlefish's shack but something was wrong, he felt really weak all of a sudden and he had trouble staying up. He struggled to try and stay up but his legs gave way as he reached for the door and he fell out. Laying on his stomach he reached his arm out but to no avail, he lost conscienceness and his arm fell down. He wanted to shout but couldn't as his eyes went blurry and eventually closed as he laid there.
Inside the shack Cuttlefish was eating a Krabby cake as he heard something outside his door. Thinking that his grandkids had come back and slowly walked toward the door. As he opened it he looked around and finally spotted a figure lying face down in front of the door. The figure was covered in filth and its clothes were tattered and worn. Its head was covered by a sash to conceal it's identity but was clearly not an inkling with no exposed tentacles.
"What's this?" asked Cuttlefish as he tapped the figure with his cane.
He then knelt down to tip the figure on it's back and saw it's exposed face.
Cuttlefish's eyes bulged as he jumped back in unbelievable shock. "No, No this can't be, It just can't," exclaimed Cuttlefish as he shook his head in shock.
Cuttlefish saw that it was none other than Blake. His human friend from long ago during the great turf war. He was believed to have died and would never see him again. Cuttlefish was utterly flabbergasted and couldn't believe that his best friend was lying on the ground in front of him.
Cuttlefish got up and rushed back toward Blake's body. He knelt down and shook Blake. "Bucko! Bucko! Get up! Is that really you!" as tears started to form in Cuttlefish's eyes.
But no response. Cuttlefish was deeply worried and decided to drag Blake's body inside to figure out why he wasn't waking up.
The squid sisters made it back to the plaza and walked to Cassie's apartment. On the way there Marie was still trying to call Cassie but was having no luck.
"Anything?" asked Callie.
"No, she still isn't picking up, something's not right, she would've answered her phone," said Marie.
"Maybe she's tied up with something, Marie," said Callie.
"I don't know Cal, you would think she would have called back or sent a text," said Marie.
"I'm sure she's fine Marie, I know she's been trying to catch up with her personal life, but you and gramps keep sending her out to do missions," said Callie looking at her cousin.
"Well with everything that's been going on, we have to keep Inkopolis safe, I'm sorry it's cutting into her life but she's an agent and so are we," explained Marie looking back at her cousin with a serious look.
"(sigh) I know Marie, I mean we're not reporting anymore but yet here we are still doing missions for gramps, I was hoping this would end as soon as the peace treaty was established between us and octarians," said Callie in disappointment.
"I was too Cal, but the peace treaty doesn't guarantee anything, we still have to keep a lookout and after the incident at the Shellendorf Institute and that creature Cass tried to subdue at the Urchin Underpass, we can't be sure the octarians are not up to something, Agent 3 did capture Octavio," said Marie.
"I guess you're right Marie, I hope nothing's happened to Cassie," said Callie looking back in front of them.
"I hope not either Cal, the sooner we get to her apartment the better," said Marie also looking back in front of them.
The two of them made it to flounder heights. They soon spotted Cassie's apartment and walked in. Inside they made their way to the elevator and up to the floor where Cassie's room was. They walked down the hallway until they reached Cassie's and knocked on the door. There was no answer as Marie continued to knock.
"Maybe she's not home Marie," said Cassie.
"This is strange, I wonder where she could be?" said Marie.
"Where do we look now?" asked Callie.
"I'm not sure Callie, I just feel something's not right, I hope she's not in any danger," said a worried Marie.
"I hope not either Marie, should we check the mall?" asked Callie with a concerned tone.
"(sigh) I suppose so, this isn't like her, she should've picked up her phone or let us know something," said Marie a little irritated.
"So what do you wanna do Marie?" asked Callie.
"Let's just head back to gramps, will inform him about Cassie," said Marie.
"Oh, I hope she's alright Marie," said a concerned Callie holding her hands together.
The two then head out the apartment complex and back towards the plaza hoping Cassie was not in any kind of danger. The two of them decided to head back to Cuttlefish's and report to him that they couldn't get in contact with Cassie and see what he wanted to do but unknown to their knowledge. The creature they had been looking for would soon be under their noses once they got there. I wonder how the squid sisters will react to the human's appearance and find out that it was an old friend of their grandfather's back during the great turf war.