Chapter 4

Sergeant Major Octillia, Sergeant Meryl, and the rest of squad of octolings they were assigned to had made it to the west dome where the octotrooper was attacked and where the octocopter went missing. It had been an hour since they left the octarian base and the new recruits were already complaining, especially Mirage. They were being led by the two octoling NCOs anxious of what would lie ahead of them. "This sucks! I can't believe we have to come all the way out here to find some flying tentacle and an interloping inkstain!" griped Mirage.

"Can it Private Mirage!" shouted Octillia with disdain. "Our orders are to conduct a recon of the west dome and investigate the disappearance of that octocopter and whatever engaged the octotrooper unit. Don't think I won't come back there and knock you into submission and drag your ass back to base once we're done!" shouted the sergeant-major again.

Mirage groaned and rolled her eyes as she was trailing in the back not caring about the mission one bit. In front of her was Kei who was behind Niko, having a hard time carrying her octoshot. "This thing is heavy, do you...really think an inkling is down here?" she asked nervously.

"We don't know, all I can say is that Lieutenant Octsana said that the octotrooper was hit by some metallic projectile instead of ink. We don't know if the inklings have designed some new weapons or why one would be down here. For all, we know it may not be an inkling at all. Thankfully the octotrooper made it but unfortunately, the squadmates with it were too scared to give a description of the attacker so we need to stay on guard and watch our surroundings for anything out of the ordinary," replied Meryl.

Niko gulped and started to shiver but Kei grabbed her shoulder as she jerked. "Niko, it's ok, I got your back, I ain't gonna let some squid splat my friends," said Kei.

Niko looked back at the male and smiled. "Thanks, Kei," she said.

"Ha, playing hero, isn't that noble. As soon as we get attacked you're just gonna hit the ground crying squirt," sneered Mirage as Kei gritted his fangs and shot the octoling a glare.

"Shut up back there! Keep your head on a swivel or I'll knock it off your shoulders!" shouted Octillia.

The group was in the middle of the west dome. The pathway stopped with a gap between them and the next platforms. "Alright, I assume everyone knows we'll have to octo jump across to the other side. Hopefully you squid fodders can do that right," said Octillia as Mirage just scoffed.

Octillia octo formed and hopped to the other side followed by Meryl. "Get your asses over here!" shouted Octillia. Kei and Niko looked nervously down the ledge. They both gulped and were scared they wouldn't make it across. "Out of the way!" shouted Mirage as she ran between them and octo jumped to the other side. Niko was shoved forward and almost fell before being caught my Kei. "Gotcha!" he shouted.

"Kei, you saved me," said Niko as Kei pulled her back. Kei shot Mirage a death glare on the other side of the gap. "Let's go together," said Kei as he grabbed Niko's hand. They octo jumped holding tentacles once they got across. Kei was ready to pound Mirage but was stopped by Meryl who insisted he let it go. The remaining octolings jumped across and they continued their journey until they came across the location of the skirmish between the octotroopers and the unknown assailant.

"This is the place, scan the area for clues," ordered Octillia. The octolings spread out until Kei came across shell casings left behind from the fight. "What the shell are these?" asked Kei as he picked one up.

Niko was curious and ran over, looking at the brass case. "Let me see," said Octillia as she walked over and snatched the case out of Kei's hand. She examined it as Meryl walked over and looked. "What is that?" she asked.

"I don't know. This...isn't making sense. Let's just take it back with us for examination. Right now let's split the squad up into two teams. I'll let you take Kei, Niko, and Mirage. I've had enough of those three and I'm worried I'm going to shove Mirage off one of these platforms if she keeps it up," said Octillia as she saw her just leaning up against a rock not helping.

"I understand, We'll keep going up toward the direction of where the octotroopers were when they first spotted the attacker. Then me and my team will rendezvous back here if we haven't found anything," said Meryl.

"Roger that, We'll back step and look for other pathways the attacker may have headed off to. Be careful and make sure those grunts don't get you killed. Use Mirage as a shield if you have to," said Octillia.

"You too, hopefully, we won't run into any problems but... I don't think an inkling attacked those octotroopers," said Meryl.

"We don't know that but I can't see any reason one would be down here. Let's just look for more clues before we come up with a conclusion," said Octillia.

Meryl nodded and gathered up Kei, Niko, and Mirage to follow her, while Octillia led three others.

The four slowly walked down the pathway ahead of them. Meryl was taking point while Mirage was still lagging behind, unenthusiastic about the mission. "What are we looking for?" asked Niko meekly.

"Anything that could point us in the right direction. Something that shouldn't be here" replied Meryl.

"Like me," scoffed Mirage.

Meryl ignored her and the team of octolings continued until the octoling sergeant spotted something on the ground. It appeared to be a small photo. Meryl picked it up and examined it. Her expression turned from curiosity to utter confusion. The photo was of two figures embracing one another. A male and female but they were neither octoling nor even inkling but two humans. "Who...or what are these two?" asked Meryl.

"What's wrong sarge?" asked Kei before looking. Kei like Meryl was utterly confused.

Niko was stunned once she saw and Mirage stood back not caring what was going on. "Wait... those aren't octolings, I don't think," said Kei.

"Where's their tentacles?" asked Niko.

"I don't think their octolings either. This is strange and telling by this picture, it hasn't been here long. I'm beginning to think we're not dealing with an inkling," said Meryl. "I think it's time for us to go, let's go meet back up with the sergeant-major," said Meryl as the group started to head back.

"great, I'm ready to get out of this place," said Mirage but as she stood up off the boulder she was sitting on and she slipped on some loose rocks. She lost her footing and fell back toward the ledge near where she was. She screamed getting the attention of the other three. "Private Mirage!" shouted Meryl as she rushed over to grab Mirage's hand. Mirage was now holding on for dear life. "I got you! Mirage just stay calm," said Meryl.

"Hurry! Pull me up! pull up!" shouted a frantic Mirage. Kei and Niko rushed over to grab Meryl and pull her back away from the ledge. The group was slowly inching their way from certain death but the ledge proved unstable as it was slowly breaking away. "Hold on Mirage!" shouted Meryl. The sergeant was now back on the platform while Mirage was slowly being pulled up but all of a sudden the platform ledge broke apart some more and now both Mirage and Meryl were hanging on. Mirage quickly grabbed the ledge of the platform with one hand while Meryl was hanging on the bottom of the platform. Kei and Niko lost their grip on the sergeant and now focused on pulling up both of them.

Meryl was whimpering as looked down and saw nothing but a river that was flowing on the bottom of the dome. "Sarge we're coming!" shouted Kei. "Mirage! See if you reach the sergeant!" said Kei. Mirage was frozen in fear but she looked over to the sergeant and slowly reached her hand out to her. Meryl reached her arm out but there was still a significant gap between the two. "C'mon, almost there," said Mirage to herself wanting to save the sergeant that tried to save her. Their hands were only about a foot away from each other as the wire was showing it was about to break.

"Mirage hurry!" shouted Kei.

"What do you think I'm trying to do squirt!" snapped Mirage. She then attempted to slide herself over to reach the sergeant and was now only but 6 inches away from grabbing her. The tension of the wire was now at it's limit. "Almost...there," said Mirage again. Kei and Niko held on to Mirage's other arm so she wouldn't fall. Then the cable snapped and Meryl screamed but Mirage caught her in the knick of time as Kei and Niko held on with all their strength.

"I got her! pull us up you two!" exclaimed Mirage as she had a hold of the sergeant. The two octolings were having a hard time pulling the two of them up and Mirage noticed that her grip was slipping. "Get us up! Now!" shouted Mirage. Mirage nervously looked down at the sergeant who felt that she wouldn't make it. As her worst fear came to light, Mirage lost hold of Meryl and she fell to the river below. "NOOO!" shouted Mirage. The two octolings pulled up Mirage but looked down in horror, seeing their sergeant fall to her death. "MERYL!" they both cried.

They watched the sergeant land into the river, knowing that she had met her demise. "DAMN IT!" shouted Mirage who punched the ground. "No, no, this can't be," cried Niko as Kei hugged her. "There...was nothing we can do," said Kei who was in deep anguish.

Down below in the river the sergeant was thrashing under the surface and was losing consciousness, not being able to swim and was fighting the urge to ink burst knowing she was about to die but a figure landed into the water and dove down to grab her. Her eyesight went blurry as she saw nothing but a dark silhouette of the figure grab her and pull her up before finally blacking out.

Cuttlefish and Mimi left the tram station in Calamari County. Both of them headed off for the local hospital in town where Cuttlefish's daughters were having their children. The captain was nervous but happy to hear that he was about to be a grandfather to the new squids. He turned to Mimi who was walking beside him. "So, um... how's the shop been doing?" asked Cuttlefish.

"Oh, fine I guess. My daughter has been managing it recently. She just got married not to long ago. He seems nice and he works with Tentatek in Inkopolis. He's wanting to get my daughter to move in the city, but she objected and wanted to stay in the county for the time being. He understood though. Won't be long I'll be a grandmother myself," said Mimi.

"I'm sorry about your husband, he was a good squid. It's sad to hear what happened to him," said Cuttlefish.

"I...am too, I don't ever bring it up in front of my daughter. She had finally gotten over it. It was an accident and I was deeply saddened that had to happen to him," said Mimi.

"Mimi...I...had a question," said Cuttlefish.

"Yeah, Craig what is it?" she asked.

"Umm...you may not remember. Not to dredge up bad memories but back during the great turf...do you remember someone... I've been having these dreams back during the war. A figure but something was strange about them. They weren't..." said Cuttlefish who froze in thought.

"Weren't what? I mean it has been years since the war," asked Mimi.

"It wasn't...an inkling, I can't put my finger on it, they fought alongside the squidbeak platoon. It sounds strange but do you remember a figure with fur on it's head and blue eyes with no markings?" asked Cuttlefish.

"Fur...on it's head. I remember Judd but he didn't..." started Mimi as she was now stuck in thought. "As far as I can remember it doesn't ring a bell," continued Mimi.

"Hmm...maybe my mind is playing tricks on me or something," said Cuttlefish.

"Sorry I couldn't help Cuttlefish," said Mimi.

"It's ok lass. Let's just focus on my new grandsquids," said Cuttlefish as they soon arrived at the county hospital. It was smaller than the Inkopolis General Hospital and the two of them walked through the receptionist's desk to find out what room his daughters were in. They were directed to the rooms and found Cuttlefish's daughters along with their husbands standing beside them.

"So where are the new additions to the family?" asked Cuttlefish. "I wanna see my new grandsquids," he continued. "They're right here captain," said one the husbands. "How ya' doin' lass?" asked Cuttlefish to his first daughter. "Tired dad, but overjoyed with my new daughter, I've named her Aori," said the older magenta-tentacled inkling girl. She uncovered a small black squid with magenta spots. Her eyes opened and blinked revealing her gold eyes as she stared at Cuttlefish.

"She's...beautiful, I'm proud lass. You'll make a fine mother," said Cuttlefish. She covered the squid up and Cuttlefish turned his sights to his second daughter. "Meet number two dad," said the other daughter.

"Aye, you're both strong, let me look," said Cuttlefish.

"Her name's Hotaru," said his daughter.

Cuttlefish saw the little grey squid with lime-green spots. She looked at Cuttlefish with her gold eyes and then quickly closed them. "Oh I shy one, but she is cute," said Cuttlefish.

"We're glad you came," said Hotaru's father.

"Seems like yesterday I was raising my two daughters, I wish...your mother was here to see her daughters grown up and look at her new grandsquids," said Cuttlefish as he was starting to get saddened but Mimi comforted him. "Well, I guess we better be on our way then," said Mimi. I'm so proud of you two and I hope to be a grandmother soon myself," said Mimi as she tugged on Cuttlefish's arm.

"I'll stay in town for a bit. Take care you two and especially you Aori and Hotaru," said Cuttlefish as the group waved and Mimi and the captain left out. "Well, lass. I'm proud of my daughters. I'm glad that got a family now. I can't want till the youngsters grow up," said Cuttlefish.

"Me too Captain. Well, I guess I better head back to the shop. Did you wanna stay over at my place. I'll have a bed set up for you," suggested Mimi.

"I guess that wouldn't be a bad idea, sure lass," said Cuttlefish.

"Good, now all I gotta do is go shopping for dinner tonight and you're coming with me," said Mimi.

"What, but I hate shopping why not just pick up some Krabby cakes," said Cuttlefish.

"You and those Krabby cakes Cuttlefish. You're going to turn into one if you keep eating like that," said Mimi.

"I've eaten Krabby cakes for all these years, I'll be fine," said Cuttlefish.

"I'm not going to argue with you, grumpy old squid, now c'mon," said Mimi as she dragged Cuttlefish to the marketplace with her.

Both of them were walking around the town market. Mimi was checking out some vegetables while Cuttlefish was looking at some fish. After a moment of shopping Mimi approached Cuttlefish with her basket. "Well, Cuttlefish I think I got everything I need for tonight," said Mimi with a smile.

"well, that's good lass, because I'm ready to go, all this walking is making my feet hurt," said Cuttlefish.

"Well if you got out more that wouldn't be...," started Mimi but something caught her attention. Behind Cuttlefish appeared an eerie figure, it was darkened especially part of its face. The figure didn't appear inkling and wore a formal short robe with a sash around its head. It had a dark aura around its body and just stood there motionless. Mimi froze in both shock in fear as her pupils constricted and she dropped her basket. Cuttlefish saw Mimi's horrified expression and wondered what was going on.

"Mimi, Mimi! What is it!" shouted Cuttlefish waving his hand in front of her. Mimi's trance was broken and she shook her head and turned toward Cuttlefish and saw the ghostly figure had disappeared. "What happened? Cuttlefish?" she said, still in a stupor.

"Lass, it looked like you saw a ghost. What's bothering ya'?" he asked her.

"I...don't know. There was someone over there," said Mimi pointing behind Cuttlefish. He turned and looked but saw nothing. "Lass, you feeling alright? I don't see a thing," said Cuttlefish.

"I'm not sure, was I seeing things?" asked Mimi as she placed her hand on her head. Cuttlefish stared at Mimi with concern. "I think we should go," said Mimi. She started to pick up her groceries as Cuttlefish bent over to help her. Cuttlefish was still a bit worried but Mimi did her best to calm herself down and get her mind of the figure. Something in her mind was bugging her as if she almost knew the figure. The two left the market and headed back to Mimi's shop.

Jacob and the female octoling he was talking to had left the mess hall moments ago. The two of them got out of sight and discussed matters behind one of the warehouses away from the rest of the troops. Jacob propped himself against the wall while the female crossed her arms facing Jacob. "So...I remembered the little talk you with that sergeant last night. Seemed she wasn't interested in hooking up. Shame...you know with everything going on, I guess she's got her reasons but you know me and you..." started the octoling but Jacob didn't pay her no mind and turned his head away.

"I guess she does (sigh). Hated she couldn't see the light of things. We've known each for some time and maybe I regret saying what I did to her," said Jacob.

"She made her choice, so when are you going to make yours," said the octoling moving in closer to Jacob.

"Look Mable, Meryl might not have the same mutual feelings I did for her but I...still want to give her a chance. Give her some time you know. Give her some space," said Jacob as he facing the octoling.

"You're the one that came to me after your little fallout with her and I gave you an alternative. You need to choose either me or her," said Mable who was getting agitated. The octoling girl then propped her arm against the wall beside Jacob and got face to face with him in a serious manner. "Listen, she doesn't wanna be with you, so you might as well get that through your head right now. She stuck chasing her fantasies of going to the surface and making friends with inklings. I'm not sure what you see in her anyway when you can do better...like me for instance," said the octoling.

"I...don't want to," said Jacob as he turned his head.

"C'mon, she rejected you. Don't deny it," said Mable as she grabbed Jacob's chin to turn his toward her's. Jacob shoved her hand away and stepped away from Mable. "I need to think," said Jacob.

Mable growled and pulled her arms down. "Fine! But don't come crawling back to me if she drops you again and if you need a shoulder to cry on!" shouted the octoling girl as she walked away.

Jacob turned around and watch Mable octo form and swim away. "(sigh) loose octopus...I should've never went to her. All she wanted to do was take advantage of me. Guess that's why I still have feelings for Meryl, she's not like the rest of them," said Jacob. He decided to head back to the barracks to clear his thoughts.

The night prior, after Jacob left broken-hearted from the talk that he and Meryl had. he left for Octopolis to get his mind off things. It had been half an hour as he paced the sidewalk near the local bar where the octolings and octotroopers hung out at after they were off duty. He watched a drunk little octotrooper stumble out of the doorway and fall on it's face as it stammered. It slowly propped itself up with its tentacle and stumble away still polluted from the alcohol it drank.

Jacob was deciding either or not to go in, thinking a drink might get his mind off things. "One Kelp Ale wouldn't hurt," said Jacob. He slowly made his way to the entrance and stepped inside. He looked around and saw octolings and troopers both half-drunk or fully drunk sitting around or stumbling from place to place. Jacob headed over to bar and sat down on a stool. The twintacle bartender was wiping a glass and looked at the octoling boy.

"What'll it be pal," it said.

"Just one kelp ale," said Jacob with an exhausted tone.

"Comin' up," said the twintacle. It grabbed a bottle and slid it down to Jacob. He grabbed the bottle and popped the top before taking a swig. "Rough day?" asked the bartending twintacle.

Jacob just remained silent as the twintacle walked away not getting a response from the down octoling boy. One female regular spotted Jacob sitting at the bar as she was buzzed from the first few ales she had already drunk. "Hmm...fresh meat," she said. She walked over behind Jacob and plopped down on the stool next to his. "Hey there," she greeted.

'Hey," said Jacob in a melancholy tone. He took another swig and turned his head away from the girl.

"Why the long face? Has the day been that bad? Need...someone to talk to?" asked the buzzed octoling.

"Leave me alone, I don't need any company right now especially the drunk kind," said Jacob.

"I'm not that drunk, C'mon don't be like that," said the octoling as she grabbed Jacob's arm. Jacob turned to the octoling with slight displeasure and grabbed her hand off his arm. "Oh, playing hard to get...that's cool, it's been a hard day and you need time to chill," said the octoling who was eager to fraternize with Jacob.

"Look, go bother someone else. And no I'm not interested," said Jacob harshly.

"Well at least what's your name?" she asked him.

"(sigh) Jacob," he said taking another drink.

"Mine's Mable, I've never seen you in here before cutie, so I'm guessing it's been pretty bad for you to come in here," she said. Jacob felt he wouldn't shake off the persistent female so he gave in and told what had happened. After 2 more bottles of ale later Jacob was getting lit himself and moping over Meryl. Mable took advantage of this and insisted that the octoling girl rejected him and to find someone else. Hinting around for Jacob to go out with her. She patted Jacob on the back to comfort him as she felt she had almost won the boy over when an elite was watching the two across the tables. She decided to get up and approach the two.

"Hey!" the drunk elite shouted. Both Jacob and Mable turned toward the elite. "I see what you're doing," she said to Mable as she got closer.

"What's it to you!" shouted Mable.

"Taking advantage of the poor sap. He need's a real woman to get his mind off things. Why don't hit the road!" shouted the elite as she had gotten in Mable's face. Mable was getting angry and wanted to punch the elite for the confrontation. "Back off sister, I saw him first! Go catch another fish!" she shouted as she got off the stool.

"Why don't you make me grunt! Or are you afraid to hit an officer," sneered the elite as she smirked and crossed her arms.

"You think I give a shit! Piss off or I'll knock that smirk off your ever-loving face!" shouted Mable who was balling her fist. Jacob feared that a fight was about to break out and he didn't want to get caught in the middle of it. The twintacle watched the two and was ready to call the octarian MPs. The elite bared her fangs and shoved Mable against the bar. "Then do it! Hit me!" shouted the elite.

Jacob grabbed Mable's shoulder and urged her to stop. She shook his hand off and approached the elite again. "Well," sneered the elite ready for the regular to take a swing. The whole bar was setting their sights on the two drunk octolings. "Oh no, here we go," said a buzzed octotrooper at a nearby table. "My bet's to the blackhead," said another trooper as they were playing poker at the table they were at.

Mable decided to halter and turned away from the elite as Jacob sighed in relief. "That's what I thought candy ass," sneered the elite. She then turned toward Jacob and grabbed his hand. "How about we go to the back, no sense in hanging around this red-headed octotramp," popped off the elite. Mable soon went unhinged at those words and punched the elite in the jaw knocking her into the bar. She fell to the floor and rubbed her jaw from the punch.

The elite stumbled up and glared at Mable. "So, you do got some fight in you redhead. I'm going to enjoy whipping your ass across this bar!" shouted the angered elite. She took a swipe at Mable but she dodged it and punched the elite again. This time the elite recoiled from the blow and pounced on Mable, pinning her to the floor. She took multiple swipes at Mable's face before she grabbed a bottle and swung it against the elite's head busting it and cutting one of her tentacles.

The elite was down but the fight wasn't over. Two more elites saw this and decided to help their wounded friend. "Get that redhead!" shouted one of them. She rushed over to Mable but she punched the elite causing her to crash into a table. This soon started a brawl among the troopers as the whole bar was in a full may lay. The other elite grabbed Mable but Jacob came behind her and hit her in the head with a bottle, dazing her while Mable broke free and punched her down.

The troopers soon set their eyes on the two octolings. "Oh, carp," said Jacob as he grabbed Mable by the arm and he pulled her out of the bar. The twintacle bartender was huddled up behind the counter waiting for the fighting to stop while the octoling MPs were on the way. The two of them rushed out of the bar and ran down the street. They watched the octoling MPs arrive and run into the bar to break up the fighting and hid in a nearby alleyway out of sight.

Jacob was leaned over trying to catch his breath while Mable was throwing up from the alcohol. "That (panting) was close," said Jacob before turning toward the drunk female. "You ok?" he asked her.

"Yeah, never better, let's go again," she said in a slurred stupor as she had a hard time standing. Jacob rushed over to catch her before she fell over. "C'mon, let's just head back to the base before we get questioned," he said as he carried her out of the alleyway. Jacob and the drunk octoling girl managed to make it back on base without suspicion as the two headed for the barracks. "You gonna make it?" asked Jacob as he let go of Mable.

"Yeah, buddy...I always come back from the bar every week (hiccup), I'll be fine," she told him before stumbling away. Jacob shook his head and started to walk off but the octoling girl turned toward him. "Hey! We should...hang out some time," she said in a slurred manner almost falling over again.

"Sure, I guess," replied Jacob. Mable smiled before puking again and wiping her mouth. She gave a 180 and headed back to her barracks. Jacob watched her stumble away and thought to himself. "What have I gotten myself into now but she did save me back there though and Meryl..." he said before shaking his head and heading off to his barracks before he was seen.

A figure was slowing opening their eyes. They blinked to try and get their sight focused before coughing up water. They slowly sat up and couldn't recall what had happened until they spotted the river in front of them. It was sergeant Meryl who all of a sudden came to the realization that she remembered falling off the platform from her team and dropping into the river below but why wasn't she dead. How could she be alive she wondered and then soon a figure was kneeling beside her. "I see you're ok," said the figure. Meryl jerked and turned toward the unrecognized speech of her savior.

It was not an octoling or inkling but the race of a species thought to be long dead. It was Michael, a human soldier frozen in time who was the one that saved Meryl, watching her fall from the platform above. He saw that she appeared human but closer examination after pulling her out of the river caused him to wonder what had happened. She had red curled tentacles instead of hair. Her fangs were not that of a human and she had rings around her eyes. Her body was cool and slippery unlike a human's but he wanted to save the strange human-like creature.

Meryl stared at him with fear and uncertainty. What was this creature she asked herself? Why did it save her she assumed. It stared back at her with curiosity as she examined him seeing it had the features like her but obviously wasn't an octoling with no tentacles like her. It was definitely not an inkling and was taller than her. Its eyes and head were smaller with no markings of any kind. It wore what looked like a vest and camo pants. like it was some kind of soldier...like her?

Her gaze on the strange creature ended and she spotted her octoshot on the other side of her and quickly grabbed it. She aimed at the human and shouted: STAY BACK! Michael put his hands up from the reaction. Not understanding the octoling but hearing nothing but gargling in a hostile tone by what he could tell.

"Whoa! Whoa! I'm not going to hurt you!" shouted Michael. The octoling kept her weapon on him and bared her fangs. "WHAT ARE YOU!?" she yelled at him but he didn't understand the octoling's dialect.

Michael didn't know what she was saying and how to answer her. He slowly stood up with his arms up as she had her finger on the trigger ready for anything the human might pull. He backed up to give her security. "My...name...is...Mich...ael," he said. Meryl just looked at him unable to understand him. Michael laid his hands down seeing the octoling wasn't going to be able to communicate. Then all of a sudden "Mich...ael" was all the octoling said as she lowered her octoshot.

Michael nodded and pointed at himself. "Michael," he said. "Yes...my name is...Michael," he said again. The octoling tilted her head and stared at the human. "I guess...I'll let you go then," said Michael as he turned and walked away. Meryl just soon realized that the photo was of him and another female. She pulled it out and looked at it then back at Michael who was heading back to his camp. "Michael," she said. She quickly stood up. "That creature saved my life, I wonder if it the one that attacked the octotroopers but...it didn't attack me," said Meryl as she looked at the photo.

She thought it was a risky move but she decided to follow the human seeing she didn't know where else to go. Michael returned to camp and sat near his small tent. He rubbed the back of his head. Meryl was watching him from behind a rock unnoticed. "She didn't appear human with those octopus tentacles on her head. Was it some kind of mutation? Was earth inhabited by aliens while I was frozen? I wish I could talk to her or at least it appeared to be a female by her physique," said Michael.

Michael then dug through his gear with Meryl peeking behind a rock watching the human. "What is that creature? and what is it doing?" she wondered. Meryl leaned up against the rock and wanted to get in contact with Octillia but she lost her radio when she fell in the river. She then turned around to spy on Michael and saw that he took his vest and shirt off. He was clearly a male by his exposed torso. Meryl was staring, wondering what to do since she couldn't back to her team.

"I know you're there, you don't have to hide," said Michael spotting the top of her head behind the large rock. Meryl slowly popped her head out and looked at Michael who was looking at her. He gave her a smile as she was nervous on what to do. She octo formed and hopped over the rock closer to the human. Michael's eyes widened as he flinched back. "What the! An...octopus, what are you?" he asked himself. Meryl clutched her octoshot still unsure of the human's intentions.

Michael recomposed himself and stared at the octoling girl. "Nothing should surprise me. I had tentacles shooting ink at me and now I save an octopus girl, what's next?" asked Michael as she shook his head.

"Mich...ael," said Meryl as the human looked at her. She pulled out the photo and showed it to Michael. "Huh...wait, that's my..." said Michael as he patted his pockets and stuck his hand in them. "My photo...must of fell out when I was being chased by those tentacles," said Michael. He nodded to the octoling and slowly grabbed the photo but she pulled her hand back. "Hey! That's mine, you can't keep..." said Michael as he tried to grab it but Meryl aimed her weapon back at him.

Michael held his arms again. "Look I might have saved your life but I won't be treated like a threat. If I wanted to hurt you then I would've let you drown," said Michael. He backed away keeping his eye on the octoling. She held out the picture and asked "What are you?" but Michael couldn't answer. Michael thought for a minute as he realized that he had grabbed a translating device from the facility he was frozen in. He then ran toward his pack with Meryl raising an eyebrow wondering what the human was up to. She had her octoshot raised, ready for anything.

"Here it is, I just hope this works" said Michael holding the spider-like device. "I'm glad I grabbed it for a reason but I don't know how it works," said Michael. Meryl walked over with her octoshot raised wondering what the human was doing. "If I remember correctly I think you place it on your head," said Michael. He placed the device on his head. He pressed a button on top of the device. "Here goes nothing," said Michael as Meryl watched unsure what he was doing. The device lit up and he turned to face the octoling. The device hummed and shot a grid-like beam at Meryl causing her to scream and shoot Michael with her octoshot. Michael was launched back and the device flew off his head and busted when it hit the ground.

Meryl shook her head and rushed over to the human. "Oh no, I didn't mean to shoot him but..." she exclaimed. She loomed over Michael as he started to move. The ink shot stung Michael's exposed chest and felt really weird at the same time as it had numbing effects on his skin. Michael was immobilized for a moment as tried to move. "Wait...he didn't...splat!" exclaimed Meryl seeing Michael was ok but hurt. He held his head as he sat up. "Oww...what the heck, WHY DID YOU SHOOT ME!" shouted Michael.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to... Hey! I can understand you!" shouted Meryl who was perplexed.

"What? Of course you...Hey! It worked!" shouted Michael.