Chapter 9: Learn to Reflect, and This One Is in the Bank
Back with the .5 Pack, they are still riding on the truck but are all asleep from the long drive. They soon wake up when the car stops moving.
"We stopped. How long have we been driving?" Taylor said.
"I don't know. I was sleeping," said Corey.
The .5 Pack then looks around to find themselves and the trucks in some sort of circular area.
"This is the place?" Elliott said.
But the platform then went at the speed of gravity. The .5 Pack screamed in terror that they hugged each other. But when the elevator stopped, three boys were shaken in fear.
"I need to change my pants," Corey said.
This made Taylor and Elliott move away from him in disgust.
"Uggh! I can even smell it from here!" Elliott said.
"No, wait. I smell refinery. Are we close to a factory?" Taylor said.
The trucks then move forward into a glass dome street. The boys were shocked to see a factory. Upon closer expectation, a containment unit of shredded fur is coming out of it like hair balls and going on an excavator. Another part shows hanging liquid crystals from the ceiling. Their drips are then harvested by tubes that go into a big tube. Lastly, another part shows a huge container filled with Golden Eggs and begins dropping one by one on to another excavator. All three of them soon lead to a giant bowel that contains the Fuzzy Ooze while it's being mixed with a massive batter.
"What are the liquids, fur, and Golden Eggs making?" Elliott said.
"I think they are making the Fuzzy Ooze that my Squidbabe told me," said Taylor.
"I wonder how they are doing so far? My tough mussel must be having fun on the missions," Corey asks.
But in the Kettle Learn to Reflect, and This One Is in the Bank, Chris is having trouble with the Angle Shooter.
"Gah! What is the use of this?! I oughta shoot everywhere to complete it," Chris complained.
Back with the boys, the trucks parked for the Fuzzy Octolings to unload the Golden Eggs for the process of making the Fuzzy Ooze. The .5 Pack then hops off the car to sneak around like ninjas.
"As an Octoling myself, there has to be a central command around here somewhere. Probably on high grounds and heavily guarded. We might likely find some of the notes and plans to whoever is running this operation," said Owen.
"For a common Octoling, you sure know so much," Corey complimented.
"Eh… You still need to learn much about the male Octoling species."
"I guess. Amazingly, we can see them frequently. And guys, I want to be honest. When I first joined Grizzco Industries, I wanted to know what the Salmonids looked like. And since we have peace between Inklings and Octolings, I want to see it between them and the Salmonids. I still think there's more about them than meets the eye."
"Shush! I think we found the central command," said Taylor.
But by looking through its doors, there is no one there.
"The coast is clear. Let's snoop a bit," Taylor said while he and his friends entered it.
While looking around, Corey finds a long list and says, "What's this? Some checklist?"
"What does it say?" Owen asks.
"Step 1: Create Grizzco Industries to gather Golden Eggs, Step 2: Steal DJ Octavio's army to test Fuzzy Ooze effect, Step 3: Steal the Great Zapfish for fuel, Step 4: Kidnap Craig Cuttlefish for his brain essences, Step 5: Load the Fuzzy Ooze into the Rocket, Step 6: Fire Fuzzy Ooze onto the Earth for the Regin of Mammals, Step 7: Rule the World with a clawed iron fist, and Step 8: Find and kill the child of slain Inkling Detectives and Smallfry to be the next Salmon Overlord?!"
The .5 Pack gaped before the doors behind them were flung open. Six Fuzzy Octolings held them down before a giant muscular shadow stood.
The .5 Pack gasped even more before Corey said, "Are you-?"
Then the shadow said, "That's right. I am Mr. Grizz. What an honor to finally meet my best employees: Taylor Trimore, Corey Cuart, and Elliott, or should I say Prince Octavius of the Octarians."
"What?!" Taylor and Corey said, turning to Elliott, sweating in worry.
A Fuzzy Octoling presses his ring for Elliott to transform into Prince Octavius before everyone's eyes.
"Elliott and Prince Octavius are the same person…." Chris said.
"Taylor, Corey, I been wanting to tell you and the others for so long, but I…," said Prince Octavius.
"I hate to interrupt this, but I'm glad you three came. I've been wanting to promote you three because you always get 100 Golden Eggs in every shift," said Mr. Grizz's still in shadow but showing his glowing white eyes.
"A promotion? We don't want promotions. Besides, we quit after finding out what you are really after," said Taylor.
"It's impossible to quit my employment unless I dismantle them first," Mr. Grizz's shadow said.
The .5 Pack looked over to an Octosnapper who said while lying on the floor, "It's true!"
"Besides, it doesn't matter if you want it or not. You desire it so much for finding out so much."
"If my father finds out about this, he will be mad. I wonder where he is? I heard he escaped, thanks to Taylor," Prince Octavius said.
"Hey, I didn't think he got away by being carried off by a UFO," said Taylor.
"There are still some Octarians who are still loyal to him. He was a good leader until Mom passed away."
"Your break is finished. It's time to begin your promotion," Mr. Grizz's shadow said before walking off.
Fuzzy Octolings then made the three men stand up and walk forward while they held onto their arms from the back. Meanwhile, Tyler and Sammy have cleared the pipe to Site Six with 3000 Power Eggs.
"(Alright, Big Bro. All we have to know is to wait for Captain Terry, Chris, and Owen.)" said Sammy.
"We're supposed to be looking for the Great Zapfish," said Tyler.
"(But I'm sure helping them out might lead us to it and probably bring our life long dream; peace between the Inklings, Octolings, and Salmonids.)."
Tyler then looks at his hand, which causes him to go through another memory. His 10-year-old self was looking at his hands covered in his parents' Octoling Killers ink. He didn't feel ashamed when he looked emotionless at their corpses. He starts to run off when police cars arrive at his home. But stopped dead in his tracks when he saw a pair of Salmonids, a male Chum and a female Snatcher. The Snatcher holds Sammy's Golden egg, meaning they're his parents. Little Tyler was shocked to see them, but the Snatcher said something in Salmonid which calmed him down.
"You're friends of my parents?" he said to them.
The Chum then gives him a blanket to prevent him from getting cold and speaks in Salmonid.
"You want to take me in?"
Both Salmonids nodded yes, which made him smile.
Then, Tyler thought while his little-self held the hands of Sammy's parents, "His parents weren't like what Salmonids we were told about. Their kind used to live peacefully until Inklings came into their turf. Mr. Grizz must be responsible for that happening. But if the Inklings who murdered Sammy's parents weren't aware of this, I'd still hate them for being easily manipulated."
"Hey, Agent 3s and 3.5. You ready to go?" Captain Terry said, arriving with Chris Owen.
"Sorry I took so long. That Kettle was frustrating," said Chris.
"All three of our RoboSmallfries are ready, too," said Owen.
"Okay. Let's get to the last site," said Tyler while he and Sammy led everyone into the pipe.
"Is this one the farthest out? Sure feels like it," said Callie.
"What was that in the water? I thought I saw something," said Marie.
"I'm sure we'll find out when we get there. For better or for worse."
The Agents soon entered Site 6: Happiness Research Lab for Callie to comment, "Huh! I see lots of sea, but… there's hardly any land."
"Probably this where the Humans used to live," said Tyler.
Everyone looked at him, confused, while responding, "What? I've been reading the Sunken Scrolls and Alterna Logs. Mysteries are my weakness."
Then Marie said, "Good to know, handsome. But I wonder how long it's been like this…Oh hey! I'm getting a whooole buncha of readings from the top of that weird building over there."
"That's gotta be Gramps! C'mon, Agents and Captain. Let's go!" said Callie.
"Of course, the signal had to be on the tallest building," Chris complained.
"But step lively, everyone. Sea is all around us. It's best to stay together," said Captain Terry.
"Unless one of us had to go into a Kettle," said Owen.
"Ladies and Sammy, it's time to ink our way to victory," Tyler said, shots an ink rail to activate it.
"Yeah," the girls and Sammy said before following him.