Arc 3 Chapter 12
In the octoweapons factory, Blake seemed to have cleared the first conveyor belt he was on after defeating the octostamps that attempted to subdue him. The way looked clear but that soon proved wrong. The conveyor he was on dropped to another conveyor. Up ahead were more octotroopers operating what looked like giant hammers smashing down on the conveyor, leaving a splatter of ink behind. The octotroopers soon spotted him and started shooting ink towards him. Now dealing with the threat of not only the large ink mallets but now the octotrooper operators as well.
"Splat that fossil!" shouted a twintacle overseer on a hovering platform off to the side.
Blake was having a hard time evading the ink and worrying about getting flattened by the ink mallets that were getting closer. He dodged another shot of ink and splatted the octotrooper off his station. He saw the mallet swing back and quickly rushed under it before it fell back down. Another octotrooper shot at Blake ahead and like before he dodged the ink by rolling forward and lining a shot on the tentacle before killing it as well. The mallet swung up and landed down after Blake ran under it.
"Talk about an obstacle course," said Blake as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. The twintacle was stomping up and down on his platform until he decided to jump on the conveyor belt with an octo roller around one of its tentacles. It landed down and swung at Blake. "Hold still fossil!" It shouted in frustration. Blake avoided the roller swings and given the opportunity he kicked the twintacle over, losing its grasp of the octo roller that fell off the conveyor.
It sat up and stared at Blake who had his hero shot pointed at it. "you think you've beaten me human, you'll never defeat the octo rebels. We will reign supreme over those stupid inklings and take over the surface. Vengeance is ours human, so give up while you..." rambled the twintacle before Blake shot and splattered the octarian where it sat. Blake just rolled his eyes, not taking the threats seriously.
"Blah...Blah...Blah...like I've never heard that before. Do these guys get their same evil villain quotes from a cereal box or something? Sheesh..." said Blake as he continued on but running footsteps behind him stopped him in his tracks. He quickly turns around and aims the hero shot behind him only for it to be knocked from his hands. The assailant delivers a roundhouse kick to Blake, dealing a bruise to his face. He sits up from the powerful kick, rubbing his face until he looks up and sees an elite glaring at him with a bruise on her face as well. It was the one he defeated back in the room full of sardinium.
"Miss me?" she asked sarcastically.
"Hardly (coughing)" he shot back.
"Wanted to return the favor," she said pointing at the bruise on her face.
"How about another one," said Blake as he took a swipe at the elite. She evaded the punch and grabbed his arm. She picked him up and flung him across the conveyor. He sat back up, on his knees facing the floor. The elite smirked and got into a fight stance. "I thought you were tough, human. You've made it this far but I'm afraid to say... this is as far as you go. You got guts, I'll give you that. Now give me a real fight," jeered the elite.
Blake gritted his teeth and rose up getting into his own fighting stance. "I'm going to enjoy kicking your ass," said Blake.
The elite chuckled at Blake with a devious grin. "Tough talk but it's your ass I'm going to be kicking," said the elite. She charged at Blake and jumped into the air to land a flying kick but Blake moved out of the way. Blake took a swing at the elite like before but she evaded the punch. "That move again, too predictable fossil," she sneered as she grabbed Blake's arm but Blake saw this and countered her by grabbing her arm and throwing her before she could throw him. "Now, who's being predictable," said Blake.
The elite landed on her feet though and looked back at Blake. 'Not bad...but you're just prolonging the inevitable. Surrender while you still can and you may get spared," said the elite.
"Not happening," jeered Blake.
"Very well, it's time for you to stay down...permanently!" shouted the elite.
The octoling charged at Blake who evaded the first punch of the elite and blocked his face with his arms up. He exchanged a punch toward the elite who had octo formed to dodge the attack and swam between Blake's legs and changed forms once she was behind him. "Too slow, fossil," she sneered in an attempt to grab him from behind but Blake elbowed her in the face, landing her another bruise.
"Told ya, I would be giving you another one," said Blake as she covered her eye. She growled at Blake and clenched her fist. "I'm not going easy on you anymore!" she shouted angrily. Blake heard a noise behind him, ahead of the conveyor belt were ink pistons expanding out across the conveyor. Not paying attention to the elite she dove at Blake and at the last second he jumped out of the way.
She growled missing him as he backed away only for himself to get closer to the ink piston. "Looks like you're trapped," she sneered. Blake adjusted himself and turned back to the smug octoling. She octo formed closing the gap between the two of them and moved in to finish Blake off. She tackled him, shoving him back towards the ink piston but he managed to stop himself from hitting it. "Give it up fossil! You're in a losing battle and you're running out of room," she said.
She closed in on him eager to defeat Blake once and for all. "I'm not going down that easily," shouted Blake. She bared her fangs at him in another attempt to tackle him in octo form but Blake landed a kick to the little octopus just as she got close enough to him and she flew back, landing on her back dazed. Blake walked over to her to see if she was finally incapacitated or not. He picked up the hero shot that was laying nearby and aimed at the elite as she opened her eyes. "Looks like you're the one that lost," said Blake before he heard a loud shot go off followed by a stream of ink that struck him in the torso.
Blake gave a loud yelp and flew back from an octosniper perched on a platform overlooking the conveyor. A lucky save for the elite that slowly got up and took advantage of the situation. Blake's hero shot was dropped beside him. incapacitated himself, he moaned from the hit and slowly blinked his eyes. The tables had turned as it was now the octoling standing over him with her knife drawn. "Well fossil...you've proven to be a great adversary, you've even gotten me aroused but it ends here. It's time for you to die whether you're needed for our plans or not!" she shouted. She pounced on Blake with the knife drove down. Blake managed to grab the wrists of the octoling as she applied more and more pressure onto the knife as it got closer and closer to Blake.
Blake was struggling to keep the tip of the blade away from him. The octoling was a lot stronger than he thought and he was losing strength to keep it away from him. The tip made contact as Blake cried in pain as the knife finally got driven into him. Blake screamed and lost his strength to the octoling who gave a sinister grin seeing the human bleed from the blade. He shut his eyes and gave his last breath. The octoling slowly stood up with a smug expression seeing she had finally ended the human. After a moment she gave a slight chuckle and a tear ran down her face. Her expression then changed to that from content to serious if not slight remorse even. She stared down at Blake seeing him unresponsive.
She kneeled over him, examining his body. "It's a real shame... you would have made a fine addition to our army...too bad we had to settle for that pathetic excuse of an inkling. She was crying about seeing you and that other inkling again. All I could do was laugh, she struggled to accept her situation but soon her will was broken and she'll never remember you and that other inkstain again," she said over Blake's body.
Those worlds enraged Blake and he clenched his fists as his eyes popped open. He quickly grabbed the elite who was stunned by his revival. Blake stared coldly at the elite as he picked her up. Baring his teeth with malicious intent, he was now, face to face with the frightened octoling. NO ONE HURTS CALLIE AND TAKES HER AWAY FROM HER FRIENDS AND FAMILY YOU PIECE OF OCTOPUS SHIT! I'LL SEE THAT YOU, THE REBELS, AND OCTAVIO ARE STOPPED! MARK MY WORDS!" he shouted. He grabbed her in the back of the head and drove her into the ink piston that was behind him. The ink didn't splatter the octoling but the force of the piston did. She screamed before splatting into a puddle of ink as her ghost floated away.
Blake fell on his knees as that last bit of anger and adrenaline drained his energy and pulled the knife out of his torso and tossed it off the conveyor. He was bleeding profusely and fell down onto the belt. He was slowly passing out from the wound and fell off the end of the conveyor and onto a loading bay on the floor. Jeering in pain and lying on his stomach, he looked up and saw the zapfish powering the machinery inside the orb it was placed in. He tried to crawl toward it and reached his arm out, but he finally collapsed and succumbed to his wound. "I'm...sorry...Callie..." he mumbled weakly before blacking out.
"Oh no...oh no! OH NO! Blake! Respond! BLAKE! This isn't good!" shouted Sheldon seeing Blake lying motionless on the floor inside weapons factory from his drone feed.
"Agent 2! Come in! This is an emergency! It's Blake he's down!" shouted Sheldon over the radio.
"What! Clarify!" shouted Marie.
"Blake's unresponsive! He had got into a tussle with an elite inside the factory, he's badly wounded and bleeding! If we don't do something he could die!" panicked Sheldon.
"No...Blake...Sheldon! Is that truck ready that you've been working on for me and Cal ready yet?" she asked.
"Yes, it is, why?" asked Sheldon who was a little baffled.
"No time to explain! Just pick me up at Mt. Nantai! We're going to bring Blake back!" she shouted.
"You got it!" shouted Sheldon as he scurried deeper into the back of his shop. He went inside a garage and opened the slide doors revealing a large truck that was going to be used for the squid sister's live performances. "I hope I can start this thing up, it's been a while," said Sheldon as he hopped into the cab.
Back at Mt. Nanatai, Marie was changing into her field uniform inside the shack. Once she was dressed she pulled out her hero charger from inside a case and walked out, waiting for Sheldon to arrive. "C'mon Sheldon," she said to herself. She gave a sigh and turned to the canyon and looked. "Blake, hang on...we're coming," she said as she held up her hero charger with a concerned expression on her face.
An hour earlier, Izzy was staring down the Octo-Samurai as he was holding up a giant roller ready for her to make a move. "Agent 4, Be careful, this guy may be fat but he's no pushover. He's the leader of the octarian forces and was Octavio's most formidable warrior," said Marie.
"Pfff...I can take him, he looks stupid riding that tiny unicycle like a clown," said Izzy with false courage.
"CLOWN!" yelled the enraged Octo-Samurai as he slammed his roller down hard and gave a gargled roar.
"You'll pay dearly, for your disrespect, Inkstain! Prepare for a beat down!" sneered the angry octarian.
"Agent 4! waste that clown!" shouted Marie.
Izzy rushed toward the giant octarian and shot at him covering him with ink. Unfortunately, he wasn't phased by it! "What the!" shouted a stunned Izzy.
"Is that it squid? Is that the best you got!" shouted the Octo-Samurai as he smiled maliciously.
Izzy backed up, full of fear as she the attacks didn't do anything to the giant octarian. "My turn!" shouted the Octo-Samurai.
She was face to face with the Octo-Samurai who was swinging his giant roller down toward the little inkling agent. She jumped out of the way and shot at the hulking octarian. He twirled the roller in front of him to deflect the agent's ink shots and slammed the roller down again. "You'll have to do better than that squid!" sneered the octarian.
Izzy now in a full panic was unsure how to defeat the Octo-Samurai as she fleed to get away as the octo-samurai moved in on Izzy pedaling his tiny unicycle under him. He slammed the roller down again and Izzy jumped out of the way. "At least I can avoid those slow roller slams!" exclaimed Izzy.
"Slow am I, I'll show you how slow I can be!" shouted the annoyed Octo-Samurai.
The Octo-Samurai held up his giant roller and it transformed into a motorized scooter with the handle of the roller turning into the handle of a bike. The Octo-Samuari revved up the motorized contraption and sped toward the agent with speed inking a path behind him. Izzy barely had enough time to get out of the way.
"That's the latest in octarian technology! An Octocycle!" shouted Sheldon through Izzy's headset.
"That's utterly ridiculous!" exclaimed Marie.
"Oh C'mon" shouted an exasperated Izzy. "Sheldon what do I do?!" asked Izzy panicking.
The octocycle transformed back to the giant roller and the Octo-Samurai locked his eyes back on Izzy. "Just keep avoiding his attacks, I might have something you can use," exclaimed Sheldon.
"Make this easy on yourself inkling and accept your defeat," said the Octo-Samurai.
Izzy aimed her hero shot back at the Octo-Samurai and he just chuckled. "That's not gonna work, squirt," said the towering octarian. He held up his giant roller and prepared to deflect any attack she would dish out on the chubby creature.
"Izzy! I'm sending you the Hero Roller, prepare for an airdrop!" shouted Sheldon.
"Not gonna attack? Then let me!" shouted the Octo-Samurai as he raised his roller and it transformed into the octocycle again. He drove toward Izzy as she saw Sheldon's case drop out of the sky and land in the center of the arena. She squid formed and slithered away from the Octo-Samurai as he was gaining speed. She transformed back and ran toward the case. The Octo-Samurai missed her and stopped. His roller changed back and he turned toward her direction.
Izzy opened the case and saw the Hero Roller inside and picked it up. "Sheldon! I've never used a roller before!" exclaimed Izzy as she panicked.
"It's quite simple, lay the roller on the ground and ink a trail behind you while charging at your enemy to do like that fatso does and swing it throwing ink onto your opponent, you can also flail and hit that guy with the roller as well coating him in your ink," explained Sheldon.
"OK, here goes nothing," said Izzy as she looked back at the octarian.
"Roller vs Roller huh, An honorable match I say inkling but I caution you, that you will not make it out of this arena alive," said the Octo-Samurai as he picked his roller up.
Izzy laid the hero roller down and charged at the Octo-Samurai as soon as she got close enough and swung her roller at him causing ink to splash on him. She did this a couple of more times and she could tell the Octo-Samurai was feeling it. "Ugghh...Impotent squid! I'll turn you into an ink puddle!" shouted the angry octarian. He swung his roller toward Izzy and she jumped out of the way. In mid-air, she swung her roller down on the fat octarian and was froze in place. She splatted him leaving behind his brush as his ghost floated away.
"I did it!" shouted Izzy as she jumped up in the air with her roller.
"Well done, squid, you do fight with honor," said the Octo-Samurai's ghost as it drifted above the arena before finally vanishing.
Izzy looked up and watched the ghost disappear. It left behind his roller with a zapfish coming out of it. Izzy rushed over grabbed it with power eggs surrounding it. She collected them and the zapfish.
"Great job Izzy, I knew you could do it!" exclaimed Sheldon.
"Outstanding! Agent 4! Now that you have the zapfish, you can go ahead and move to the next area. Head out of the power station and toward the tea kettle at the other side of the dome. I'll give you further instructions once you get there," said Marie.
"Alright, but I'm starting to get hungry," said Izzy as her stomach growled.
"I'll see if Sheldon can deliver you some food," said Marie.
"Ohhh...K..." said Izzy with slight irritation. She squid jumped and headed off to the tea kettle as Marie told her to do.
"Aren't you pushing her a little too much, Marie," asked Sheldon.
"She'll be fine, I just hope we can find Callie soon and get the great zapfish back before Octavio tries anything," said Marie.
"Yeah but she deserves a break, she has been going non-stop as well as Blake," said Sheldon.
"Speaking of Blake, How's he progressing, has he gotten the zapfish yet?" she asked.
"Well he's in the octoweapons factory so I'm having trouble seeing him right now," said Sheldon. "Even the reception on his headset is losing signal," Sheldon continued.
"I just hope he's doing ok," said Marie with concern.
"(sigh) You know you'll have to tell him sooner or later," said Sheldon.
"I know that," said Marie.
"Well, I'm heading back to tinkering and doing something with all these power eggs Izzy collected, after that I'll see if I can spot Blake," said Sheldon as he got off the radio.
Marie left her station and headed back inside the shack to fix some tea. Still worrying about Blake and thinking about when would be a good time to tell Blake how she felt toward him. She took a sip and gave deep sigh. "I feel as I'm between a rock and a hard place. I love Blake but to go behind Callie's back while she's been captured, knowing she loves him too...Marie concentrate, I can't let this get to me and I can't do that to poor Callie. My hearts are split between the two of them. I wish gramps were here for me to talk to," said Marie as she gave another sip of tea.
Melvin was still being held at the rebel's stronghold deep in octo canyon. He was sitting against the wall with his knees up and his face buried in them when all of a sudden his cell door opened. A male octoling walked in and looked down at Melvin who then looked up at the octoling. Melvin saw that it was Obi and all he could see was red as he attempted to lunge at his old teammate but Obi punched him knocking him back to the floor.
"Is that any way to greet an old friend?" asked Obi snidely.
"Friend! You're a traitor and a coward you piece of crap!" shouted Melvin as he sat up rubbing his jaw from the punch.
"Hmpf... I'm the coward? You and those octopi back at Octo Valley are the real cowards! Those turncoats swayed to those squids and sold out our leader in order to keep the domes powered," said Obi.
"Octavio means to keep you and the rest of us down. He has since we were banished in those accursed domes. We could have chosen to make amends with the inklings and emerged back onto the surface but Octavio chose to stay and feed his ego. He dragged us all down with him knowing damn well we wouldn't have been able to keep the domes powered for much longer and we suffered because of it," snapped Melvin glaring back at Obi.
"You're willing to blame all this on Octavio, Those squids are the ones that caused our suffering. For far too long we have been at the mercy of the inklings but soon the shadows of their past will catch up with them and they all will pay for keeping us down in these wretched underground prisons," sneered Obi baring his fangs.
"Why would you turn us! Your team! And what have you done with Serena and the sergeant?!" exclaimed an angry Melvin clutching his fists.
"Oh don't you worry about your little friend. She's become a new addition to our army and is now committed to our cause and as for that sergeant she's being used as bait for that human agent that's been nosing around," explained Obi.
Serena would never join forces with you and those terrorists!" snapped Melvin.
"Oh, once we've "convinced" her. she saw the error of her ways and opened her eyes to the truth," said Obi with a grin. Melvin growled at what his old teammate had said and wanted to beat the octoling to an ink puddle.
"Now...down to matters why I'm really here, I want a mole inside Octo Valley watching the movements of those spineless turncoats and you're going to be my little spy," said Obi.
"I'll never do your bidding, why don't you just kill me right here," touted Melvin.
"As tempting as that is, I hate to admit that I need you and you're going to do as you are told whether you want to or not," replied Obi.
"Screw You!" shouted Melvin in protest.
"Hmpf...resist if you will, like your friend, you'll have no choice...get him to the octozeppelin bay!" commanded Obi to the guards behind him. They nodded and restrained Melvin as they guided him out of the cell.
The group made it to the bay and headed over to an octoseeker that was ready to take off. They stopped before getting on the aircraft. Obi turned to the guards holding Melvin and his former teammate. "Ready for your assignment?" asked Obi snidely. Melvin just shot Obi a glare and bared his fangs at him. "I'll take that as a yes," said Obi.
"Once onboard, you'll be "initiated" and briefed on your assignment. I need not expect you to fail for the rebels and Octavio," said Obi. He turned around and signaled to load up into the aircraft.
"Move it!" ordered one of the guards as they shoved Melvin forward.
Once they were inside, Melvin was forced onto the bench, secured by the two guards. The octoseeker took off and headed toward the valley border where Melvin would be dropped off. "Once we've reached the border, you'll offload and make your way toward the valley and explain to them that your team was killed and that you escaped to flee back to your base," said Obi.
"What make's you believe I'll still go along with your plan?" asked Melvin, dispising the situation he was in.
"Oh you will," responded Obi.
"Hand me the goggles," ordered Obi as one of the octolings handed him one of the new goggles that would brainwash Melvin like it did on Serena. "Now hold our new recruit!" ordered Obi as the guards grabbed Melvin. Melvin struggled and tried to move his head around to avoid the goggles from being placed on his face. One of the guards punched Obi in the jaw to make him still. The goggles were just about over his eyes when he jarred up and kicked Obi away, causing the goggles to fly out of his hands.
Melvin headbutted one of the octoling guards, knocking her off the bench while the other bashed him in the head with her octoshot. "Oh no, you don't!" she shouted as she struck him.
The hit momentarily dazed Melvin for a few seconds until he came to his senses. he kicked the octoshot out of the guard's hands and shoved her into Obi who had just got back up. The two of them hit the wall inside the octoseeker. The tussle startled the twintacle piloting the craft and the last octoling attempted to subdue Melvin but stumbled from the craft jerking around. Melvin kicked her in the face, knocking her back toward the front, landing just behind the twintacle. All the octolings were incapacitated, except Obi who was crawling from under the guard laying on him. He shoved her off and set his sights on Melvin who was still tied but capable of fighting.
"Relentless bastard! I guess I'll have to kill you after all!" shouted Obi who pulled his knife out.
Melvin was at a disadvantage as his hands were still tied. Obi lunged at him diving the knife toward him. Melvin used his hands to try and halter the attack but the blade was slowly drawing closer. "Give it up! You, the squids, and those valley traitors are finished!" jeered Obi applying more force on the knife. Melvin looked over and saw the octoshot laying on the floor but unsure how he would reach it without getting stabbed by the knife.
He twisted his arms causing the blade to get knocked out of Obi's hands and put the defected octoling in a bind. Melvin leaned forward and headbutted Obi causing him to yelp and jerk back. Melvin rushed over to the octoshot with Melvin holding his head from the impact. Melvin grabbed the octoshot and aimed it at Obi who rushed him dodging the first shot. He grabbed and struggled, trying to disarm Melvin who was pulling the trigger and firing wildly inside the octoseeker. The Twintacle panicked causing the craft to jerk around more erratically.
As the two of them were fighting over the weapon, Melvin accidentally shot the pilot causing the craft to lose control. The octoseeker was spinning out of control and heading toward the canyon below. The two octolings were flying around the inside of the wild aircraft until Obi was knocked out with a piece of debris hitting him in the face. The octoseeker finally crashed in the canyon.
When the dust cleared it revealed the wreckage of the downed craft. Fire was pouring out of the cockpit and smoke was filling the inside of the octoseeker. Was this the end of Melvin or did the vigilant octoling survive the crash? The back hatch opened revealing a figure stumbling out and falling over at the bottom of the hatch and onto the ground. Exhausted from the fight that caused the aircraft to crash into the canyon putting an end to their evil plot to spy on the octarians in the valley.
It was getting late as the screens of the dome displayed a sunset sky. Marie and Sheldon spotted the octoweapons factory as they were riding in the truck, but instead of on the road the truck was flying due to the tires transforming into jet boosters allowing the two of them to quickly dispatch to the site where Blake was last seen. No air threats signaled an easy retrieval without any hindrance. The truck slowly landed on the roof of the factory and Marie quickly hopped out of the truck and toward a skylight above the assembly floor. She looked around through the scope of her hero charger for any threats. She spotted an octosniper on a balcony scanning the assembly floor then she spotted Blake lying the floor unresponsive. "There he is, I just hope I'm not too late," said Marie.
She aimed her hero charger at the octosniper without getting spotted. She shot and splattered it so it wouldn't alarm the factory.
"Sheldon! Stay here and guard the truck. I spotted Blake," she said as Sheldon nodded.
Marie hopped down a catwalk just below the skylight. She traversed down the suspended walkway until she had reached a staircase going down to the floor level. She rushed over to the other end where Blake was and ran over to him. The inkling agent kneeled down to check on him. "Blake! Blake! Wake up!" she said shaking him. He mumbled and groaned from the movement. He slowly opened his eyes and saw Marie over him with distress.
M...Mar...ie...what...are you doing here?" he asked weakly.
"I'm here to get you out. Me and Sheldon saw you on the drone feed. We're taking you back to Mt. Nantai," explained Marie.
"What about...the zapfish..." he continued.
"Don't worry about that, I'm focused on bringing you back to get treated," said Marie. Blake slowly closed his eyes and became unresponsive again.
"Blake! Hang in there! You're not dying on my watch, you hear me!" exclaimed Marie but he didn't answer. "I gotta get him outta here fast," she said to herself. She looked back over at the zapfish and saw that it was unguarded. She turned to Blake's body and was conflicted on either or not to retrieve the zapfish then save Blake or vice versa. Either way, she knew this was their only chance to retrieve the zapfish, but Blake's life was on the line. She gave a deep breath and made her decision. "Blake, I'll be right back, I know how strong you are but I gotta get the zapfish," said Marie.
She had reached the zapfish without incident and turned off the orb around it. She then grabbed it causing the alarms to go off. "Oh carp! Sheldon! Prepare to leave! I found Blake and I got the zapfish!" she shouted over the headset.
"You got it! I'll drop the ladder once you're below the skylight," responded Sheldon.
She ran back to Blake as octotroopers and octocopters entered the assembly floor and shot at her. She squid formed to evade their fire until she had finally reached Blake's body. The octotroopers closed in and Marie knew she wouldn't be able to handle Blake while she took fire from the octarians. She sniped one octotrooper and soon another but they were still pushing toward her direction. She saw an octostomp hull above the pathway of the octarians, being chained up on a hoist. She contemplated how to stop them and shot two of the chains with her hero charger causing them to snap, causing the octostomp hull to fall below causing it to smash the octotroopers under it and impede the rest behind them.
"Alright, time to move. Sheldon drop the ladder down!" she ordered. Sheldon swung the rope ladder over and it dropped beside Marie and Blake. She picked Blake up and carried him over her shoulder, showing what great strength inklings possessed then picked up the zapfish with her foot. Slowly climbing up the ladder with Blake over her shoulder and zapfish under her shoulder. she made her way back up on the roof as she took fire. "Sheldon! Get Blake in the cab! Hurry!" she shouted.
"OK!" he replied dragging Blake back to the truck. Octocopters were headed toward Marie who was picking them off before they could reach the skylight. When she downed the last octocopter she headed to the truck with Blake and Sheldon onboard. "Sheldon! Get us out of here!" she commanded.
"Hold on!" he shouted as the truck lifted up and he floored the pedal causing it to jettison away from the octoweapons factory before the octo rebels could react. They headed back to Mt. Nantai as it was getting dark. Blake was unconscious sitting between Marie and Sheldon inside the cab of the flying truck. Marie was deeply concerned hoping she would be able to save Blake in time once they got back to Mt. Nantai.
It had been almost an hour when they finally made it back. It was finally dark with a full moon lit sky. Blake was laying inside Marie's shack, while she and Sheldon had discussed what to do next. "Thanks again Sheldon for all your help," said Marie.
"Think nothing of it, I just hope Blake will be OK," he said.
"I hope so too, I'm worried about him as much as I'm worried about Callie. (sigh) Go ahead and head back to the shop and don't forget to take the zapfish with you," she said.
"Alright, just let me know when Blake gets back on his feet," said Sheldon as he picked up the zapfish and climbed aboard the truck. He waved as he left out of the canyon and back toward Inkopolis. Marie then set her sights back at the shack where Blake was laying. She had treated him 10 minutes ago before she had talked with Sheldon. Blake needed much rest before he would go back into the canyon, but seeing Blake almost die filled Marie with conflicting remorse. She headed to a small shed across the yard where she changed out of her agent gear and back into her kimono.
She walked back over to the shack with the door still slid open and sat down with her back turned against Blake. She gave a deep sigh and looked up at the sky. "I lose Callie and now I've almost lost Blake. I...never asked to take charge of the squidbeak squad...Gramps...I wish you were here to give me some guidance. Her eyes started to tear up as she downed her head filled with grief over the events that had transpired recently.
The human hearing whimpering outside the shack, caused him to stir and open his eyes. He turned over and saw Marie covering her face, trying to cover up her sadness. "Marie..." he said meekly. She jarred and broke from her crying to turn around and see Blake awake and staring at her. "Are...you crying?" he asked seeing the squid sister that often kept her cool during the toughest situations.
She sniffled and wiped a tear from her eye. She meekly nodded and looked back at the human. "It's...too much to bear...losing Callie...almost losing you, I'm a better leader than this. I've never felt so much regret in my life," said Marie.
"It's...not your fault Marie. It comes with the job. Don't blame yourself for what's happened. (coughing)" said Blake trying to reason with Marie. He started to get up but jeered in pain from the wound. His shirt was taken off revealing his bare torso wrapped by bandaging. Marie quickly walked over and stopped him before he would hurt himself.
"Blake that's nice of you to try and make me feel better but (sigh) me and Callie have never been separated, not like this anyway. She's a sister I've never had. Gramps isn't here to talk to me and you could've..." said Marie as she started to tear up but Blake got her attention.
"Marie...you're a great leader, You've been keeping an eye on me and Izzy since we went into Octo Canyon. Heck if it wasn't for you and Sheldon, I would've joined the rest of my race. You're diligent, smart and..." said Blake as he froze in his words.
"...and what?" asked Marie anxiously as she blushed. Blake held the rest of his words in. "You and Callie have been like family to me. I'm not sure how I could ever repay you guys. Being the last human left assuming I might ever see my family again, you guys have made me feel like I had a good reason to be frozen in that pod. I'm glad I met you and Callie and everyone else. I'm proud to call you my friends and even family, even though mine are probably dead," said Blake with slight sadness at the end.
Marie bit her lip and knew she had to tell Blake how she felt about him, being the right time and with Callie not present. "Blake! Don't give up hope! I'm sure they're out there somewhere waiting for you and if not...me, Cal, and gramps are here for you. I've...been wanting to tell you something for quite some time. Ever since we met you've been so... brave and selfless. You've shown how valiant a squidbeak agent is supposed to be. I wasn't so sure about you when we first met until gramps spoke highly of you. I watched Callie fall for you and I was a little critical at first, being your a human, but after watching you I've seen you in a different light and I wanted to say...umm...I think I've...fallen for you," she said meekly. Blake paused as his eyes grew.
"Marie...I'm not sure what to say...I...I..." started Blake who was utterly in disbelief and shock, feeling as awkward as he did with Callie. "Please Blake, just hear me out, I know Callie loves you too but I'm not sure how else to express myself. I've...never met someone as courageous and sincere as you. I'm quite embarrassed to admit it," said Marie who was red-faced and uneasy about telling Blake her true feelings for him.
"Marie...I..." started Blake but he was cut off by Marie who grabbed and kissed him on the lips. Blake was frozen and didn't know how to respond to the gesture. he didn't break as it reminded him of Mimi, when they first kissed and when she expressed her feelings for him but after a moment he broke back into reality. He laid back down and shook his head. Marie gave him a passionate look with her golden eyes gleaming in the dark. Blake was slightly mesmerized as she gave a grin. She then started to pull her kimono down off her shoulder and then the other side but Blake snapped out of the trance and stopped her. "Marie no!" he exclaimed. "I can't do this!" he said again.
"What? But I..." started a shocked Marie.
"As I said, you and Callie are like family...It wouldn't be right. We're not only family but we're both squidbeak agents. I...can't accept your feelings Marie not to mention that I'm a little shocked by you, being Callie isn't here to express her opinion on this. I don't want to cause any conflicts between you two. You're both family and so am I. Like I said...I love you as a sister, both you and Callie," said Blake, speaking his peace to the inkling that revealed her admiration for him.
"(deep breath) You're right...I...understand, I'm so sorry, I don't what came over me. I'm supposed to be the calm and collected one. I think losing Callie and trying to stop Octavio has done a number on me. Can...you forgive me Blake?" she asked with sincerity.
"I forgive Marie, I suppose this has unnerved everyone. I'm sorry that I've rejected your feelings for me but..." said Blake.
"No, no Blake...I respect your nobility, you did the right thing and spoke your mind. I...need to refocus on the mission. I was unprofessional and allowed my feelings to cloud my judgement. (sigh) I'm glad Callie or gramps didn't see me like this. I'm glad we're family Blake and I can admire that. The sooner we stop Octavio the better...but not before you get some rest," said Marie changing the subject back on Blake's condition.
"I'll be fine but thank you for saving me," said Blake.
"It's what family does, now you better get some shut-eye. Hopefully, Izzy is getting by, she's done quite well for herself. Thanks to your confidence in her," said Marie with a slight smile.
"Izzy can handle herself. She just needs some self-esteem. Well, goodnight Marie," said Blake as he slowly fell asleep.
"Goodnight, Blake and sweet dreams," she said.
She watched Blake fall asleep and thought about everything he had said. Though she accepted the circumstances and respected Blake's wishes of accepting her as nothing more than a sister. She still had deep feelings for him but knew that Callie fell for him first. Putting her feelings aside for the time, the squid sister agent concentrated on finding Callie and stoping the octarians. She laid next to Blake, the agent she had great admiration for still hoping that things would change for the both of them. Marie finally fell asleep and laid over to place her arm around him, seeking comfort from her human friend and "brother." What the next day would bring is unknown.