Deepsea Metro

It's too loud…

Why does it feel cold?

Opening her eyes, Serika is up as she witnesses being outside of the train, only to have met Ryu who she sleeps on the lap.

"I see you're awake, sleeping beauty." Ryu calls with a smile.

"What happened? Why are we out of the train?" Serika asks as she's confused.

"Apparently, something happened to the other train earlier. It crashed and blocked the track which is up for major repairs." Ryu answered.

"Oh… Wait! That means I won't be able to save her! Damn it!" Serika realises one thing, she's now stuck in a certain station that's preventing her from finding her sister.

Ryu then puts Serika down on his lap as he sighs.

"Great…"

"A girl like me sleeping on a boy's lap. Some gender role reversal, huh." Serika sighs as she's calming down.

"Yeah."

Then the duo halts along with many sea creatures as they hear a bike engine sound that is incoming.

The sound is coming from an actual bike with a dark skinned girl wearing a motorbike helmet, arriving as her bike jumps off the track and slides near both Ryu and Serika.

"What the fish?" Ryu gasps.

Afterwards, a bike helmet was removed as it is revealed to be an octoling, Marina Iida.

"Marina?" Ryu gasps with surprise.

"Iida!?" Serika exclaims.

"3.4, you're still okay thank goodness. It's been a while, Serika." Marina opens her cephalopod pupils as she smiles back at Serika, the octoling she raised for nearly 2 years.

"Please, call me DJ Hyperfresh! We're still on the mission." Marina squeaks as she's around the crowds who're gasping with excitement.

"But we're not. Also, that removal of your helmet did get you some attention." Ryu points out.

"Eh!? Um… Sorry, everyone! I can't perform today, maybe next week, I guess!" Marina announced as it made all the sea creatures groan.

The disappointment responds in a different way.

"What!?"

"Oh come on!"

"This sucks."

Then, Marina yanks both Serika and Ryu onto her bike as Ryu is behind Marina and Serika is behind both.

"Oi, Iida!?" Serika exclaims.

"Ma- DJ Hyperfresh, what are you doing!?" Ryu too is surprised as Marina revs her bike engine.

"We're leavin'! Hold on tight!" Marina orders while putting her helmet back on.

"Oh, we're tight, alright! Damn it, why do I get to be in the middle?" Ryu grunts as he's not only wrapping his arms behind Marina, but Serika did the same on him and her breasts are pushing on his back, leading Ryu to blush white.

Before the bike leaves, an isopod arrives after recognising the appearance of a young octoling.

"You there. You're the silent young squire's sister, yeah?" Iso Padre asks which stops the trio from moving.

"Silent? Ya mean Shiki?" Serika stops as she hears what Iso Padre said earlier, stopping Ryu as it gives him the face of an octoling girl.

"She left along with two inklings. You could say she's okay with Mr. Atarime and Madame Pearl."

"Hime!?" Serika gasped.

"Senpai!?" Marina also gasped.

"Captain…" Ryu grunts. "Also silent… That's gotta be her."

Serika stops as she can see Ryu's look on his dead black irises.

Marina clears her throat as she goes back to eye on the pathway to leave.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Padre, sir." Finally, Marina starts her bike as she, Serika and Ryu are heading towards the light.

Iso Padre waves after 2 octoling girls and an inkling boy are zooming their way out from Deepsea Metro.

Deepsea Metro is full of mysteries as they instantly take those out there and make sure that it's nowhere to be found.

This causes Marina to gasp and slides her bike as the trio are out at the octo wasteland.

Then they come across a very different place where they're near a shrine that is full of red spider lilies.

It's still foggy and snowing outside.

"Where are we?" Ryu asked as he's moving his head around out of confusion.

"I don't know. Hey, Iida, do you know this place?" Serika asks.

Marina couldn't believe her eyes as she witnessed a place she used to be in before.

"That's the village of sharks… A place where I met Fuuka."

"The village of what?" Serika raises an eyebrow out of confusion, knowing nothing about this place.

"I don't get it." Ryu feels the same way as Serika.

"Ya know Shiver?" Marina asks, causing both Ryu and Serika's head to snap as they know who she is.

"That octoling…" Ryu quietly growls. "She's one of the trio that took Mirai."

"Iida, why are you worried about this murderer? Not only has Frye killed our kind, the same could be said about our own, Shiver." Said Serika.

That had Marina closing her eyes and then looking to the side while looking miserable.

"She's not what y'all think. Shiver is a demon that's been controlling Fuuka for a long time. Now I may not have evidence, but ya gotta believe me."

Serika remained silent as Shiver sounded like someone familiar, even though it had her chest skipping a beat.

"I see. Let's investigate." Said Ryu.

"Eh!?" Marina exclaimed.

"Wait! Hold on a minute, Ryu!" Serika stood in front of Ryu, knowing that it's not going to solve anything involving Deepsea Metro.

"I'd rather you call me 3.4." Ryu pushes Serika aside as he's heading downstairs from the shrine.

"3.4." Marina calls which stops Ryu from leaving.

"Why are you dragging us out against our will?"

"I know the effects of Deepsea Metro. You're starting to lose your cool headed attitude." Marina answered.

"To be honest, I did feel a bit strange. Ngh… This isn't like me. Thanks for the warning, DJ Hyperfresh." Ryu shakes his head and nods to Marina.

Marina knows what's going on inside, knowing she'll find the answer and also search for Shiver.

"So where exactly are we going?" Serika is curious to know where Marina is taking the duo to.

"Mount Nantai. But unfortunately, we might not make it tonight."

Marina is dragging her bike as Ryu and Serika move forward away from the shrine.

"We can investigate, but we have to be careful of others. They don't want to cooperate with an inkling after the years of discrimination." Marina points out.

"I'm aware of that." Ryu replied in a calm tone.

With the trio moving downstairs, they come across a few villagers that are octolings, leading Ryu and Serika to turn towards each other and look around this strangely oriental place that is different to Octo Valley's variant.

"Hey, Iida, who are they? They don't seem to be from our homes nor inkling's as well." Serika asks out of curiosity.

"Oh. They're traditionalists. They're residents that tame sharks. Although regarding fashion, it's kinda difficult to tell if they're from outside or in this village." Marina chuckles.

"Just like the survivor. Her fashion sense is the least fresh out of us." Said Ryu.

"Well, ya could say that Aori and Hotaru did care for her when they first met."

"I bet you're told by the Captain."

"Yeah."

As they walk around, Ryu stares blankly at the red flower that is both beautiful and creepy in his opinion.

"Oi, Ryu. Is there something wrong?" Serika asks.

"No. Just a flower I'm curious about." Ryu brushes it off as he leaves.

When the trio made it towards a certain home, Marina rang a doorbell.

Then silence…

A door then clicks open, revealing to be an octoling woman in a kimono that is a little different to Marie's.

"Hm? Oh, hello. Sorry, I don't invite strangers." Before the octoling woman, who is speaking octoling, closes the door, Marina puts her foot on it to block.

"Wait. We want to know about Fuuka." Marina called in octoling language.

"Fuuka?" The woman gasps.

"Yeah. She's my friend along with Utsuho, the inkling from an eel clan."

That stops the woman as she has a feeling that Marina is seeking some secrets about Shiver.

She then looks behind Marina as she witnesses an inkling boy in a beanie and an octoling girl, both dead eyed after the events they saw.

"And I see you brought in guests."

"They're also involved with Fuuka. We want to know more about her." Said Marina.

The octoling woman then opens the door fully as she finally raises her arm for the trio.

Finally, the trio enters as they're away from the snow and inside a warm house.

As they're inside, the room looks like it came straight from Calamari, a country where Callie and Marie lived.

The octoling woman sits onto her knees and pours some hot green liquid.

"Do you want some green tea?"

"N- No thanks!" Marina declines.

"Alright." Ryu accepts.

"Sure. I needed something to drink." Serika sighs while accepting.

The trio sits down in front of an octoling woman who was handing both cups to Ryu and Serika.

"Now. As you told me, you know Fuuka."

"Yeah." Marina answered.

"Ah yes… A girl far different than us. You could say she's a very special case for a shark tamer. Fuuka told me about her imaginary friend." The woman reminisced about Shiver's past.

"Imaginary friend? You mean Shiver?" Ryu asks in octoling language.

"Hm? You're very fluent in our language, young man."

"Huh!? You never told me you speak octarian!" Serika exclaimed.

"Seems like you have a lot to learn, Serika." Said Ryu.

"Also, yes, Shiver is what Fuuka's been calling a lot of times. But as time goes on, Fuuka is role-playing as Shiver to the point that she's hurting others." The woman explained.

Marina grunts after hearing about something that is similar to Pearl's inner demon.

"Her favourite place is this garden where she's relaxing in a circle of higanbana, those red flowers where she loves to play around at." The woman continues.

"The garden of remembrance." Marina mutters.

Ryu can tell what Marina is thinking about which leads him to finish his green tea and put the cup down on the table.

"Tell me, ma'am, where's the garden of remembrance?"

"It's outside close to our village. But you want more stories about Fuuka." The woman said.

"Yeah. She's related to Utsuho and Mantaro, right?" Ryu asks.

"Utsuho… She's from the eel clan, a neighbouring clan that used to be enemies of shark tamers. Both were outcasts, but Utsuho's was the least harsh."

"How so?" Serika asks.

"The truth is Fuuka isn't a full octoling, but a part shark." The woman opens her slanted eyes as it shocks both Ryu and Serika.

"Part shark? Like crossbreeding?" Serika gasps.

"Yes. Her mother was a shark tamer that conceived a child with the one she tamed, causing her to be punished and her child to be an outcast. Master Mega was a shark that Fuuka was the closest to as her teacher. As for Shiver, that persona is taking over her life as if she's not Fuuka anymore. She, Utsuho and her new friend Mantaro left their homes together as they formed a group, but with Shiver inside, their lives are at risk."

"But why Shiver, even if Fuuka's an outcast for being a crossbreed?" Ryu asks in a bitter tone.

"Fuuka's able to survive and swim on water that none of us are able to set foot on, her body is similar to us, but her gills are hidden from us and she's able to bite anything stronger. The reason why she's marked as a demon is because of Shiver. Shiver was the devil that possessed Fuuka for years and won't stop until she gets what she wants." The woman answered.

"That's bullsquit!" Serika snaps while banging the table.

"Serika!" Marina exclaims.

"Of all the Deep Cut members, Fuuka is the one that kills the most because of Shiver!? Utsuho did some things out of her own accord and Mantaro is the least of our worries, despite working with them! What kind of shucked up squit is that!?"

"Inner demons. Unfortunately, I have my own ordeal to go through." Ryu answers solemnly as he sighs.

"Yeah…" Serika lowers her head, realising she's the same as Ryu and the survivor.

Marina pats both Ryu and Serika's shoulders as she's trying to calm them down.

"Maybe we should check the garden of remembrance out. We got the information we need, ma'am." Marina bows while pushing both Ryu and Serika down.

"Oh? Leaving already? I was about to let you three sleep in my place for tonight. Although octolings are very hostile to inklings like this young man here." Said the woman.

Ryu lowers his head while trying to keep himself quiet.

"Also, I'm surprised you ladies are able to go out in the snow looking like this." The octoling woman points at both Marina and Serika's clothes as they do wear something revealing.

Her clothes are similar to her sister, Shiki's, but in a torn cloak.

"It was summer, but we do need this girl to change." Marina laughs while holding Serika's shoulders.

"I- Iida!?" Serika blushes, only to have met Ryu's smirk.

"Well then, octo princess, looks like you're getting changed." Ryu laughs.

"Shut it, squid boy!" Serika hisses in her own language.

Finally, Ryu, Marina and Serika are able to stay for the night after investigating the forest full of lycoris radiata, leading Marina to lower her head.

She's lucky to not have a demon inside, but she's unfortunate to watch her friends succumbing to their inner demons.

Then a speaker makes a noise.

[DJ Hyperfresh. Take Serika with you to the red lily forest. We have a score to settle with each other.] An inkling girl's voice speaking in her own language called, leading Marina to grunt.

"How did you know I have Serika?"

[3.4's marker has an octoling nearby, so I need to see her.]

Marina bites her lip as Serika, her adopted daughter, her life is at risk. Ironic that the survivor's life is on the line as Callie and Marie are trying to keep her safe.

"Okay. We'll meet there."

Beep.

Marina hangs up while being watched by Ryu and Serika as they're concerned, yet serious about facing the one who not only defeated DJ Octavio, but overcame her inner demon 2 years ago.

"I know. Let's go." Said Ryu.

Afterwards, Ryu, Marina and Serika are marching away from the building as they avoid other octolings from contacting Ryu.

This is the afternoon where Serika has promised the survivor 2 years ago.

A fight between 2 survivors, inkling vs. octoling.