Splatoon: Number's Game
Chapter 5
Alex woke up in bed with a groan, feeling tenseness in his neck as he slowly sat up. He rubbed his eyes and the back of his neck, slowly waking up from his sleepy state. He let out a forceful sigh, and as he started to get out of bed, he exclaimed in surprise.
"Woah! 8, what're you doing in here?" Alex questioned with a groan.
He had no idea how she'd managed to sneak into his room without him waking up, but she was standing in front of his open closet doors, curiously looking through his wardrobe. In particular, she seemed interested in the jackets hanging inside.
"This is kind of an invasion of privacy, y'know." Alex pointed out as he finally relaxed and climbed out of bed.
8 took down a jacket and turned towards Alex, holding it up. Alex blinked and hummed; it was a dark blue denim jacket that he'd bought a while back but hardly wore except when he drove to certain areas in Inkopolis.
"You like this one?" Alex asked.
8 nodded and smiled. She swung it around her shoulders and slid her arms into the sleeves. She fixed the front, and after turning side to side, she nodded in approval.
"It looks a little big on you," Alex commented with a chuckle. "But you can wear it if you want. I don't mind." He said.
8 grinned appreciatively and nodded. Alex chuckled a bit, rubbing his eyes again as he pondered over the strangeness that had just transpired.
"Okay then. Uh, let me get up and stuff, I'll make a quick breakfast, and then we're heading into town to meet with Agent 3. I don't know what she's gonna wanna do when we get there, but I guess we'll figure something out for you." Alex said. 8 nodded...
Alex and 8 sat down at a table in the Square waiting for Agent 3 to show. While they waited, Alex was preoccupied on his phone. Meanwhile, 8 was curiously looking at him, trying to determine how she should feel about this mysterious inkling whose been helping her.
Agent 3 finally showed up and came to sit at the table to greet them. Alex put his phone down and smiled at her. 8 cupped her hands on the table and scooted her chair in a little more.
"Hey, 3. About time you showed up." Alex teased.
"Yeah. Sorry about last night, 8. I got stuck on a late shift, and it took longer than I thought it would to get back. I'm glad that you were able to find other arrangements." 3 said.
Agent 8 nodded and smiled like it was no problem.
"How's Mr. Grizz been treating ya?" Alex asked curiously. 3 rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Now that I'm finally moving up, he's been putting me on more and more increasingly ridiculous shifts. I don't know where all of these salmonids come from man, but it gets annoying having to constantly fend off like 8 bosses all at the same time." 3 complained.
"It's ridiculous, dude! My pay goes up and down like one of those sound bars in a stereo system. You know what I'm talking about?" Alex asked.
"Not at all." 3 shook her head. 8 seemed confused as well.
"Well, my point is that the amount of times I successfully or unsuccessfully complete a shift is totally random. Just depends on how many boss salmonids are out at once, really." Alex elaborated.
8 tapped Alex on the shoulder. Alex looked over at her, and saw that she looked very confused. He then realized that she had no idea what he and 3 were talking about.
"Oh! Sorry, 8. We're talking about our mission. We've been assigned to work in Grizzco Industries. You see, a guy that no one's ever seen called Mr. Grizz sends out inklings in teams of 4 to retrieve golden eggs from a mutated species called salmonids." Alex explained.
"I'm pretty sure she knows what salmonids are, Alex. Everyone knows what salmonids are. We learn about them in school," 3 pointed out. However, 8 continued to stare as though she didn't know what Alex was talking about.
"Or maybe I spoke too soon. Basically, a long time ago, there used to be like fishes and other stuff in the ocean, but they mutated and became these nasty monsters called salmonids. They produce golden eggs, which are like big pearls. For some reason, they're very valuable to Mr. Grizz.
"Our goal is to try and figure out why Mr. Grizz wants them and what it is he's doing with them." 3 explained. Finally, 8 nodded in understand, and her eyebrows lowered a bit as she pondered this mystery.
"Maybe we can take 8 with us on a Salmon Run," Alex suggested. "She could be useful in getting us through some runs while we investigate."
"You're right, but only if she wants to," 3 said before directing her attention to 8. "I gotta warn you beforehand, 8, Salmon Runs are no joke. They get very intense very fast, and you will most likely be splatted a number of times before you really get a handle on things."
8 looked over at Alex to see how he would weigh in.
"She's right. It isn't easy. But I think you'll be alright. If 3 thinks you can do it, I'm sure you'll be just fine. It's just a matter of getting used to the chaos." Alex said.
8 pressed her lips together as she went over what she should do. Finally, she nodded in agreement. Alex and 3 looked at each other and nodded.
"Alright. Let's get going then." 3 said with a nod...
"Right on time, kid. I've got work for ya." Mr. Grizz's shady voice chuckled through an old communicator.
8 looked around in discomfort at the dark, lounge-like setting she found herself in. Grizzco was packed neatly in the back left corner of Inkopolis Square behind the entrance to Turf Wars, but it was jarring how different the atmosphere was just mere steps inside this place.
"Well that works out, because I brought some friends along to help me out today." Alex said, leaning against the counter to talk directly into the communicator.
"That so? Who you got with you? They won't slow things down, will they?" Mr. Grizz asked.
"Nah, it's just my homegirl, 3, and a newcomer. We call her 8. She's legit." Alex said.
"She read the handbook yet?" Mr. Grizz asked.
"She can read it on the way there. It's fine." Alex said with a wave of his hand. Mr. Grizz chuckled in amusement.
"Sure, kid. The boat's waiting for ya when you're ready."