Dual Fates
A Splatoon Fanfic
By The Impartial Hand
Chapter 2: Tell No Secrets
Green and Cobalt's Apartment, Inkopolis
Green had just gotten home, the doctor's having confirmed he hadn't been poisoned. He lied on the couch nursing a wicked headache while Cobalt filled him in on the containment plan for the two Octolings. Meanwhile, Morado was getting nowhere interrogating 07-34. Hell, it was at the point where he was considering it a victory that both Octolings were still alive. Whatever that pill he took out of their mouths was, it probably wasn't good.
"Look, Octoscum, I can't arrange for your release if you don't work with me."
"I have nothing to say to you, Inkling. I want to speak with my legal representative."
"Legal Representative? No, No, buddy, you don't get one of those. I'm not a cop. Look, my superior officer is returning in just about a week. When he gets back, he won't care who's fault it is if I have no new intel. So… We're doing this the easy way…" Morado pulled out a metal bar, striking 07-34 across the face with it. "... Or the hard way."
A few hours later...
Morado left 07-34's cell, dropping the metal bar which was distinctly less shiny than before. Noting that Green was asleep, he turned to Cobalt.
"We're done. I got all we need and more from the male. You could interrogate the female, but I don't see the need."
Cobalt nodded. He didn't know what to say, having heard the screams the Octoling had given off during the "interrogation". Morado saw his hesitation, and continued.
"I'll fill everyone in later. I've called an emergency meeting. 6:00. Here. Don't be late."
Morado walked to the door, gradually growing more relaxed, as if he were shedding armor. By the time he was out the door, he was completely changed.
"By the way… uh… I was going to say something, but I forgot."
07-35 had just woken up, and she slowly realized where she was. It was a small cell, with walls made out of sheets of plastic. There was also a plastic sheet on the ground, barring the ability to Ink any surface in hopes of getting out. The "door" in front of her was just a sheet of clear plastic with hinges and a latch. The "roof" was open, but after that, there was no way out of the room. 07-35 then realized that he same Inkling that had beaten the stuffing out of her was sitting on a chair, staring in through the door. She would have panicked, thought of an escape plan, or both, but her head felt… weird. Fuzzy, like she had just been woken after only ten minutes of sleep. She didn't feel the usual military sharpness she had had trained into her.
"So… can you tell me your name?"
"N-name? What's… a name?" At this, Cobalt coughed and muttered about how he'd forgotten about that.
"Sorry, your unit designation" Then, as an afterthought, "And callsign, if applicable."
07-35 was starting to get back into focus, but wasn't quite focused enough yet. "Unit designation 07-35… Callsign 'Violet Terrace'"
"Alright, 'Violet Terrace', could you tell me your preferred combat tactics, and current mission assignment?"
"W-wait… you should… should… already know…" Cobalt shifted nervously. She was looking more and more attentive by the second. "Y-you… you're not with the military… you're an… an… Inkling!" With that, 07-35 was back in the game. Despite Cobalt's efforts, she gave no useful information. Sighing, he resigned to leaving, turning the lights off and locking the door on his way out, leaving the Octolings in total darkness.
Shortly after, 07-34 woke up from the aftereffects of his… "interrogation". Realizing he was not alone, he quietly called out. "07-35?"
"07-34? I'm sorry for my failure, sir. I allowed myself to be captured alive. What's more, the Agents now have my pill 03-C"
"You fool! If we survive this, I'll have you on octomaw duty for a month."
"U-understood."
"Understood What!?"
"Understood, Sir."
"This isn't a total loss. I trust you told them nothing? I gave them information they likely already knew. Meanwhile, I've learnt plenty. That Green one, with the sword. He lasted far longer in combat than he should've against me. He's likely an Agent. Following deductive logic, so was the blue one from just now, and the other green one, the one who apprehended me and beat me for information, he definitely was. This is a civilian apartment, as well. My hypothesis? The idiots took us to their own living quarters. That places us likely in the outer regions of the city, they wouldn't keep us so close to the city center. I've already devised the beginnings of an escape plan."
"Sir, in attempting to atone for my mistakes, I will take first watch."
"I won't argue with that. If anyone, and I mean anyone, opens that door, wake me."
"Sir yes sir."
"One more thing. If it comes down to my escape or your life… You will be remembered as the fool that got us into this mess."
With that, 07-34 let himself drift off to sleep.
Rrrriiiiinnnnnggggg
Rrrriiiiinnnnnggggg
Rrrriiiiinnnnnggggg
"Who in Inkopolis is calling at this hour?"
Rrrriiiiinnnnnggggg
"I'll get it. Hello?"
"Squidos? Oh, thank goodness. I heard that some Octolings made it into Booyah Base, but when I tried to check on you, the grate was welded shut! Stay safe! And make sure to keep me updated on those prisoners." *Click*
"W-wait! Ugh…"
"Who was it?"
"Gramps. He was making sure we were okay."
"Speaking of which, shouldn't Agents 1 and 2 be investigating that?"
"Nah, Agent 3 called and said that he and Agents 6-8 had it covered."
"Oh, okay. Say, did he mention anything in particular about Agent 8?"
"What, crushing on the newbie? Ooh, scandalous, what if the tabloids found out?" Marie's face flushed red at this, clearly embarrassed
"I d-do not like him like that!"
"Heh, whatever. Good night Marie."
The next day, all the Agents, save Agent 5, were gathered in Cobalt and Green's living room. Morado, noting everyone was there, set about locking and barring the door while Cobalt shared what little info he had.
"Alright, the female Octoling is unit designation 07-35, aka 'Violet Terrace'. She was able to outmaneuver Agent 7 and myself, and was able to make me lose my new roller over the side of the bridge. Anything we can link to her, based on that?"
Agent 2 spoke up first. "Uh-huh… What you just said makes no sense. Based on the intel we have, Octavio only has 6 active battalions at a time. There is no seventh battalion for a 07-35 to belong to. Plus, Octarian unit designations usually denote which rotation they're on. Like 03-97-E, or 01-01-A." The Agents shuddered, remembering those almost undefeatable foes "So either it's a new thing, or we're more in the dark then we thought."
"Oh, you have no idea." Morado sat down, his face and tone grim and serious. "The male one said he was unit designation 07-34, aka 'Seventh Lynchpin'. He's a high commander, making him the seventh one we've discovered. That means that either Octavio replaced one, or that there really is a seventh battalion. Anyways, it's highly likely that their current mission assignment is to supply Octavio with intel; He might even be planning an invasion. If we want a chance at stopping it, we need to step up our game recovering those zapfish. In fact, I'm going to the valley as soon as we wrap this up." At this, Callie and Marie shifted around nervously. Morado noticed. "Ugh… Don't tell me."
"Yeah… That Octoling-hunting fanatic cop welded the grates shut."
~Silence~
"HE DID WHAT!?"
"How the shell are we supposed to get to the valley now? This is gonna set us back and bad! They can keep stealing, but if we can't get to the valley, we can't get them back!"
"Morado, calm down, we'll figure something out, we always have"
"How am I supposed to stay calm? We're already at danger levels as it is! Each zapfish we lose puts us at risk of a blackout!
"Look, the police chief said that the officer grossly overstepped. The grates will be back in normal order soon, we just need to wait a little bit."
"Great, so we just need to hide two damn Octolings here for-" Morado was cut off by a knock at the door. A knock that quickly became a heavy, persistent thud. Green was the first up, quietly approaching the door.
"Who is it?"
"Police, open up"
Green thought he recognized the voice, and started opening the door. "Ah, Officer Evergreen! I wasn't expect-"
It wasn't Officer Evergreen at all. This Moray, although an officer, was much larger, taller and more muscular, and honestly intimidating to Green.
"O-oh! Chief Evergreen, wh-why are you here?" Green smiled weakly. This was the last person he wanted here right now. The Police Chief looked around the room, his cold gaze scanning over all it's occupants- two of whom, Morado and Cobalt, had hastily hidden the information they had been presenting. He turned back to Green.
"Although it is your day off, I regretfully inform you that my weapon requires immediate repair. I'll pick it up from your workshop at 7:00 sharp". With that, Chief Evergreen dropped a cracked Teravolt electricity blaster, then briskly walked away. Green blinked, then shut the door. Immediately, he let out a massive sigh of relief.
"Gonna be honest, I thought we were toast there. So, reconvene when the grates are back up, sound good?"
That evening, Green would enter the makeshift holding area, noting that 07-35 was asleep, and sat down in front of the other one, 07-35. He just stared at her, glancing at her equipment and back, before sighing. She, meanwhile, stared back, her entire body tense as she prepared for whatever the Inkling might do next. Would he torture her, like the other one had done to her commander? Would he do... worse? The tension was excruciating, whatever he was going to do she wanted him to just get it over with-
"...So. You're not a commander, you're not spec-ops, what the hell are you? Why were you, of all people, sent in with a commander?"
She only spat, snarling at him "I don't answer to you, monster."
"...Look. My ally... overstepped, with your commander. We're going to deal with that. I'm not going to do that. But we'd appreciate it if you co-operated."
She snarled again, struggling against her bonds. "I won't cooperate. Not with some Inkling monster who would kill me if given the chan-"
"Don't." He snapped "Don't go there. If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead. You and your commander over there- who, might I add, almost killed me."
She quieted down. Try as he might, he couldn't get her to say anything else; and so, with a sigh, he left.