Inigo's PoV
A few hours later, the Rainbow Squids reunited at their table. Though Inigo worried it would rain soon, they might as well try to squeeze in one last bit of conversation before the storm came in. After all, there wasn't much they could do, anyways. Not even play turf wars indoors. Now, all that was left was Bonnie. Judging by her most recent texts, she and Eden should be coming back any time now...
Instead of Eden, however, Bonnie eventually returned with Victor, their faces panic-stricken as they stopped to catch their breath.
"What?" Yuri rose from his chair, eyes wide. "What happened?"
"Iris and Brayden!" Bonnie revealed, traces of tears staining her cheeks. "They've been kidnapped!"
The table fell silent, processing her words. The newcomers wasted no time in elaborating, though, as before the realization settled in, the boy with the afro started to speak once more.
"It's Eden," he explained. "Eden's the one you're looking for."
"I knew it was one of them!" Alexis proclaimed, slamming her hands down on the table. "You all let your guards down, and now look at what happens!"
"The past is in the past, Alexis," Geneva reminded her, her face growing stern. "Either way, we need to go to Octo Canyon, right now. We've ignored this problem for too long. It's time to finally do something about it."
"Oh, and I wish we could've had a nice conversation," Perry lamented.
"Do you know where they are now?" Octavia asked.
"Oscar, Yvonne, Giovanni, and Peyton, yes. Iris, Brayden, and Eight, no," she replied. "Iris and Brayden just went missing, so that makes sense. Eight, though... I have no idea where she could possibly be. All I know is that no one else has seen her, not even in the Deepsea Metro."
"Does that mean we can finally do something?" Roy questioned, hopeful.
The short-haired inkling nodded. "Yes." She stood up from her chair, pointed towards the manhole leading to Octo Canyon. "Let's go!"
As the Rainbow Squids rose from their seats, Victor announced, "I'm going to stay here."
Bonnie blinked. "Why?"
"Yeah, you seem like you know the most out of everyone here," Inigo agreed.
"I do not have any business in what you're doing," he explained. Horror etching into his features, he added, "Besides...I do not wish to face her."
Perry shrugged. "Your call."
"Are you sure?" Geneva asked. "This is your last chance to join us."
"I am sure," Victor insisted. He sat down in the chair Alexis had been in previously. "You go ahead. I will wait here, if you ever come back."
Bonnie frowned. "You're sounding a lot more pessimistic than usual."
"Just go," he demanded, causing her to jump. "I do not want you to waste any more time here."
"Alright, alright, we're going," Yuri announced, backing away slowly.
They gave one last look at the boy with the afro before turning around and running towards the manhole leading to Octo Canyon. One at a time, they slipped through the grate, traveling over to Tentakeel Outpost. There, Callie and Marie were searching through the Octarian database, while Cap'n Cuttlefish stood nearby, watching over them with his bulging eyes. The clouds here were lighter, though Inigo could see the darkness in the distance.
At their arrival, they turned around to face the Rainbow Squids. "Ahoy there, squiddos!" the old man greeted. "What brings you here?"
"Everyone in Octa Prisma's missing now," Geneva, now dressed in her hero suit, replied. "We need to act. Now."
"Seriously?!" Callie cried. "They act fast!"
"We were just checking the database," Marie said, calmer. "We did make sure to check Brayden and Iris—they were still marked as AWOL."
"Well, maybe they updated it again by now," Inigo suggested.
"Are you sure they went missing?" she questioned.
"Yes!" Bonnie insisted. "I left their apartment for a bit, and when I came back, they were gone! There was ink everywhere, too. And..." She went quiet, looking off to the side.
"Let's check it again," Callie suggested. "Maybe they updated it."
"Doesn't hurt to," Cap'n Cuttlefish agreed.
"Alright." Marie returned her attention to the laptop again and refreshed the page first before typing in Iris and Brayden's names. She shook her head, frowning. "Nothing new."
"What about Agent 8?" Geneva asked. "Can you check her entry again?"
She simply nodded and searched up Eight's name. "Still says AWOL," she announced.
"That's odd," Inigo commented. "If she really was kidnapped, then wouldn't her entry be updated by now?" He didn't want to assume the worse, but anything was possible.
"I refuse to believe she's dead," Agent 3 declared. Yet, he could start to see her confidence waver. "Maybe she found a way out before they could put her under mind control completely."
"If that was the case, wouldn't she have found her way back here by now?" Roy countered.
She gave a sharp inhale, turning away from him. "You know, maybe you have a point. But I'm going to keep hoping she's alive until I see it with my own eye."
Cap'n Cuttlefish cleared his throat, turning everyone's attention towards him. "I may know where she may be, actually."
"You do?" Alexis asked, bewildered. "Why didn't you tell us before?"
He chuckled. "Hehe... Even I have some secrets, bucko." He stepped inside the Cuttlefish Cabin for a few moments, emerging with a walkie talkie. He pressed a button on it and shouted, "Squidbeak ahoy!"
Octavia raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"Just wait," he said. A few minutes later, he cleared his throat and added, "Any time now."
Though Inigo could wait, he could tell that some people's patience was growing thin. Eventually, Geneva snapped her head up towards the rocks arcing over the path leading deeper into Octo Canyon, and everyone else followed suit. He spotted a hint of pink before a figure leaped from behind the rocks, the heels of her boots digging into the ground as she landed, placing a hand on the ground. The Rainbow Squids started to gape at the newcomer as she rose, twirling a tentacle around her finger and flipping it back.
Agent 8. Here in the flesh. And no one ever knew she was in Octo Canyon, no one except Cap'n Cuttlefish himself.
To Inigo's surprise, it was Agent 4 who spoke first. "Eight!" she called, eyes widening. "Is that really you?"
Without any hesitation, she gave a determined nod. "Yes. Who else would I be?" If there was any doubt of her identity, it was gone now. The evidence was undeniable—Agent 8 really was here.
Smiling, Agent 3 rushed towards her and immediately wrapped her into a hug, tears pricking her eyes. "It really is you."
She placed a small kiss on her forehead and smiled. "Of course." A few moments later, her face fell. "Apologies, Three, and everyone." She placed her hand on her chest, and Three let go of her, stepping to the side for everyone else to see her. "Hiding was my choice. I only tell Cuttlefish, for safety. In case there were Octarians watching us, someone knowing the truth is dangerous."
Marie lowered her umbrella, closing it and setting it down on the bench. "That...was pretty smart of you," she said at last.
"I doubt it was an easy choice, though," Callie added.
"I think a long time about it," the octoling agreed. "In the end, I think it was the best choice. Even if I did not know how long hiding."
Geneva seemed to grow tense, flexing her fingers. "You could've at least told me. Or my brother, even. You had us all worried sick."
"I know, I know." She grabbed her hand and squeezed. "But I am here now."
"With that settled..." Cap'n Cuttlefish turned his attention towards the Rainbow Squids. "It be clear rescuing all of Octa Prisma is no easy task. Many are located deep within Octarian territory—even we would have some trouble getting into it. However..." He pointed his cane towards the group, his eyes growing even wider it seemed. "Strength comes in number, I say! So, how 'bout ye join us for a while, squiddos?"
"G-Gramps!" Marie exclaimed, shocked. "You sure this is a good idea?"
"I'm sure, Agent 2," he insisted, lowering his cane down to the ground.
Inigo simply stared at the old man, unable to form any words. Join the New Squidbeak Splatoon...? But he was no hero like Agent 3, Agent 4, and Agent 8 were. Perhaps more accurately, he would be called a villain. He became the Vigilante for a while, becoming a thorn in their side for months. Even after he gave up the moniker, his relationship with the Rainbow Squids was affected forever. No matter how much he did to try to make up for it, he felt as if things would never be the same.
Unfortunately, it seems like he didn't have much say in the matter. "I'll take your stunned silence as a yes," Cap'n Cuttlefish concluded.
"I don't think that means yes!" Roy pointed out.
"Just go with it," Alexis whispered.
"I mean..." He cleared his throat and stood up straighter, sneering. "Of course we will help you, Mr. Cuttlefish. After all, how else will we save our dear friends?"
Inigo expected the old man to be upset about it, but he could only see hints of a smile beneath his beard. "You got fire, squid! Sometimes that's all ye need to be a good agent."
"What about hero suits?" Agent 8 asked. "Not enough time to make new ones."
"Well, we can use the replicas, can't we?" Yuri said. "Is there actually a difference?"
"Hero suits provide better protection against enemy ink," Marie explained. "Agent 4's hero suit has a failsafe in situations where she would normally get splatted, something that gives her the opportunity to flee. But with the standard hero suit, like the one Agent 3 wears...it doesn't have that failsafe. Agent 3's suit specifically has been upgraded to be even more resistant, but the base form isn't that much better than your standard turf war gear."
"It still provides some protection, of course," Callie quickly added. "You still gotta be careful though!"
"So...just get some replicas," Perry concluded.
"Er, not exactly," the black-haired idol pointed out. "The headsets on those aren't really functional, I don't think."
"The replicas are just fancy headphones," Agent 3 supplemented. "They don't have the functionalities of an actual hero headset."
"We can just get a bunch of walkie talkies, though," Agent 4 suggested.
"Yeah, that can work," Marie agreed. "However, in that case, we'd need to split up into groups. One permanent agent should be in each group."
"So five groups at most," Inigo concluded. "Sounds like a good plan."
"Ma- Er, Agent 2 and I usually work together, though," Callie noted. "It'd be weird if we didn't."
"Can we not use the earbuds?" Agent 8 asked. She tapped her right ear, bringing attention to a small black earbud attached to it. A single pink dot glowed in the middle of it.
Cap'n Cuttlefish scratched his head. "They be a little expensive to make. Plus, ye can lose them easily."
"Fair," she acknowledged. "Now...we should begin preparations."
"How long will that take?" Roy inquired.
Marie shrugged. "A day, at least."
"Well, let's waste no more time!" the old man declared. "Agent R, Agent O, Agent Y, Agent B, Agent I, Agent P!" As he announced everyone's code names, he pointed to them in order, following the colors of the rainbow. "Though you may not have any hero suits, it's yer fighting spirit that counts. Let us begin!"
Alexis disappeared into the Cuttlefish Cabin, returning with several suitcases. She handed one to each member of the Rainbow Squids, and once the last one was given, she stepped backwards, standing next to Marie once more.
"Go on," she said. "Open them."
Inigo opened up his suitcase to find the new model of the Hero Roller inside. The real one—unlike the replica, the lights on this one glowed red. Just like the roller he had used last year as the Vigilante. To be allowed to officially use it...it felt unreal.
The other Rainbow Squids received weapons matching the class they usually used. Roy immediately took the Hero Blaster and walked towards the octopus-shaped dummies, his eyes widening at its surprisingly fast fire rate. Laughing, he fired it some more, until he was able to pop every dummy. A few seconds later, they regenerated, and he rejoined the group.
"This thing's strong," he remarked. "Go try your weapons out!"
Bonnie walked towards the octopus dummies next, aiming the Hero Charger at one of them. A second later, the light on the top of it started to glow, and she fired, piercing right through the dummy. Yuri stepped up next to her, charging up his Hero Splatling. It didn't take much time at all for it to be fully charged, and once it was, he let it rip, painting the stretch of land yellow. Still, red and blue poked out from the cover of yellow ink.
"We should probably all change our ink colors to match," Inigo suggested, lowering his roller. "No one's getting splatted today."
Yuri looked over his shoulder and nodded. "Yeah, that'd be a good idea. To what, though?"
"How about green?" Marie suggested. "Like Agent 3's. It's pretty much the opposite color of Octarian ink, after all."
"I thought that was yellow," Callie remarked. "It does look more purple, after all."
"What about orange? That's my color," Agent 4 offered. "And Captain's, too. I think."
Cap'n Cuttlefish chuckled. "I'm all dried up, Agent 4. Ye won't be seeing any use out of me."
"Let's just do rock-paper-scissors," Geneva decided. The two agents turned towards each other, counting to three before throwing out some gestures. Geneva chose scissors, while Alexis chose rock. She lightly tapped her fist against Geneva's hand, and she pumped a fist, triumphant.
"Woo! We're using orange!" she declared.
Agent 3 smiled, closing her eyes and shifting her ink color to match Four's. "Guess we are."
The rest of the Rainbow Squids changed their ink color to orange, and they proceeded to take turns using the Hero weapons on the octopus-shaped dummies. Callie and Marie searched the Octarian database again, confirming Brayden and Iris's kidnapping. Cap'n Cuttlefish sent Agent 3 out to buy hero suit replicas, Agent 4 to scout a route towards the missing octolings, and Agent 8 to patrol the surface. In the meantime, he oversaw the Rainbow Squids' training, eventually moving the dummies up to moving targets.
Inigo, of course, broke the targets without much problem. For that, he was proud of himself—he could swiftly wield the Hero Roller, and his prior experience with it only made him even better. In fact, he reckoned he was the best out of the group. Everyone else was unused to the unique properties of their new weapons.
Agent 3 eventually returned with two bags full of hero suit replicas. She placed them on the bench and called everyone over. "Here," she announced. "Y'all should make sure it fits you. If they don't, I'll just take them back."
One-by-one, she began handing out the replicas to the Rainbow Squids, each set matching the sizes he wore. They were not the new replicas, instead being replicas of the original hero suit. He only frowned upon sight of it. Seeing this now...it only reminded him more and more of the Vigilante.
Roy was the first to change, and his voice snapped Inigo out of his thoughts. "How do I look?" he asked, placing a hand on his hip.
"Great," Octavia complimented. "It kind of suits you, actually."
Perry smiled, pulling out his phone. "I think I have a pic from the last time you wore a hero suit replica." Eventually, he turned his screen towards Roy. Inigo glanced at it to see a younger version of the tan-skinned boy, his loose hair reaching his shoulders.
Roy groaned. "Oh, don't remind me of that haircut. That isn't fresh at all."
"Either way..." Geneva clasped her hands together. "Does it fit?"
"Yeah," he confirmed. "Of course it does."
"You can keep that on until you decide to go home," Marie informed. "Next!"
Octavia entered the Cuttlefish Cabin next, emerging a few minutes later. She did a few poses, everyone giving a thumbs-up before she returned to where she was previously standing. Yuri and Bonnie tried out their outfits on too, and they fit, too. Now, it was time for Inigo to try out the hero suit replica he had received. Gulping, he stepped inside the cabin.
He had actually never seen the inside of the cabin, as far as he could remember. It was nicely kept, with some stacks of books, maps, and other papers inside. A futon rested near the side of the cabin, with zapfish dolls lying around it, and a wooden folding screen occupied another corner of the room. Stepping behind the folding screen, he spotted a mirror, an inkling that looked identical to him staring back at him. But it was nothing more than a reflection.
He changed into the hero suit replica and took a look at himself once more. Though nothing about him had physically changed, he could only see the Vigilante staring back at him, sans his signature shades. Seeing himself like this only brought back painful memories of the past. Frowning, he changed back into civilian attire and headed back outside.
Immediately, the Rainbow Squids' expressions shifted. "What's wrong?" Yuri asked.
He shook his head and handed the hero suit replica back to Geneva. "Can you get me a different one? Like the one Ale—Agent 4's wearing."
She rubbed the back of her head, frowning. "Yeah, maybe getting you that wasn't the best idea in hindsight."
"Is this 'bout the Vigilante?" Perry questioned.
"Of course it is," Roy snapped, crossing his arms. "What else would it be?"
"Hey, you never know," he defended.
"So..." Agent 3 put the hero suit replica back in the bag. "Same size?"
"Yeah, same size," he confirmed. "It fits; I just don't wanna wear it."
She nodded. "Will do." Her eyes fell on Perry. "Well, you're the only one left. Go change."
"Oh! Yeah." The pale-skinned boy disappeared into the Cuttlefish Cabin momentarily, returning wearing the hero suit replica. He struck a few poses, and Bonnie giggled as they progressively became more and more ridiculous. But, he eventually stopped. "Looking good," he announced.
"So, that's everyone," Octavia mused. "Can we continue training now?"
"Hm..." Cap'n Cuttlefish put his hand on his beard, stroking it. "Aye, Agent I still doesn't have a hero suit, but sure! We can continue."
"Great!" Yuri cheered. "So, we gonna train with live Octarians now, or what?"
"Surely they're no match for us," Perry added.
"That's if we can find any!" he answered. "Though, Agent 8's out on patrol. She'd probably be splatting any she came across."
"You could try one of the domes nearby," Marie suggested. Inigo jumped at the sound of the idol's voice—he had forgotten the Squid Sisters were even there, watching over them. "Even after all this time, they still put guards in their occasionally."
"I dunno..." Callie said, skeptical. "Six inklings is a lot. Those poor Octarians won't even get a chance to fight back!"
"You could try spreading out," Geneva suggested. "Though, it could be risky if one of you gets into danger."
"Let's just keep training here," Inigo suggested. "It is safer."
Agent 3 nodded. "I'll go get a new outfit for you, Agent I. Otherwise...have fun!"
"Will do!" Yuri declared.
The long-haired girl walked over to the manhole and turned into a squid, slipping through the grate and disappearing. Cap'n Cuttlefish started to walk towards the training dummies again, beckoning for the Rainbow Squids to follow him. Dusk had arrived, and the clouds over Inkopolis had started to dissipate. Soon, the land would be shrouded in complete darkness.
Agent 3 soon came back with another hero suit replica, and Inigo went to try it on. He liked this outfit a lot better. Though it made him seem more youthful in a way, it had its own unique style. Not to mention how Agent 4 saved the world in this outfit, even if the replica didn't have the features of the original. Truly, it was fresh!
Upon exiting the Cuttlefish Cabin, Inigo found himself with a renewed confidence. He was met with compliments, and he relished it—he did look pretty good, after all!
Surprisingly, Octavia was one of the less enthusiastic members. "I don't know... It reminds me too much of Four."
"It's a replica of her outfit, what do you expect?" Roy countered.
"I know, but it was still 'her' thing, y'know? To see it on someone else... I just don't know what to think of it."
"Let's wait for Agent 4 to come back," Agent 3 suggested. "We'll see what she thinks about it."
"Speaking of Agent 4..." Cap'n Cuttlefish snapped his head back to the Squid Sisters, who were observing a computer screen, split into two windows. "How is she?"
"She should be back soon," Marie replied. "She's at the last location."
"What about Eight?" Bonnie inquired. "Where's she?"
"Yeah, I thought she'd be back by now." Perry chuckled. "Guess not."
"Aye, patrols can be quite lengthy," the old man admitted, shaking his head.
"She ran into some issues along the way," the grey-haired idol informed.
"It was no biggie, though!" Callie blurted out an assurance. "Just some run-of-the-mill Octarians, that's all!"
"They looked tough, but it was nothing she couldn't handle," she added.
"She's almost back now," the other idol said. "Like, she just landed in Tentakeel Outpost or something."
Everyone turned their attention towards the rocky arch that led deeper into Octo Canyon. In the distance, Inigo could see a figure that got closer by the second. Eventually, he could make out Eight, the tip of one of her tentacles chopped off. As soon as she stepped through the arch, she stopped, twirling the intact tentacle around her finger.
"I am back," she announced. "How is the training?"
"Good!" Octavia exclaimed. "We sure did a lot of it, though."
"I think we should stop for the night," Perry suggested. "I'm getting tired."
"Me too," Yuri agreed. "Can't train well if you don't get enough sleep!"
"I don't think I'll even be able to sleep," Roy protested. "I hate the thought of doing nothing when my friends are in danger."
"Your friends have a point, though," Marie argued. "If you keep going now, you'll just collapse from exhaustion eventually."
"And I can't be having my agents do that!" Cap'n Cuttlefish agreed. "So, go get some shuteye. That's an order."
The tan-skinned boy sighed. "Fine." He took off his headset, the gear now dangling from his fingers, and started walking over to the grate leading back to Inkopolis. "I'm going home. Good night."
"Hey, Roy, wait!" Inigo called. But he was already gone. He stopped a few feet from the manhole, shaking his head. "You always commit to something once you set your mind on it..." he muttered. Sometimes, he wished his friend would be a little less hasty in his decisions.
"Well, I guess we should be going," Yuri announced. "Do you want the hero weapons back?"
"You can keep them for tonight," the old man replied. "It'll be saving time, anyways."
"What about you?" Geneva asked. The boy with the ponytail looked over his shoulder to see her facing Agent 8. "Are you coming?"
"No," she replied. "Tell Asher I am okay though."
"Will do. Well, see you in the morning, Cap'n."
"You too, Agent 3! And everyone else, too!"
The rest of the Rainbow Squids walked over to the manhole, each turning into a squid and diving into the manhole. When they arrived back in Inkopolis, Inigo was surprised to find himself dressed in his civilian clothes again—and everyone else, too. He wasn't about to question what exactly was going on, though. At least it saved him some time changing between outfits.
They said their goodbyes and parted ways, retiring to their homes. Though they had school tomorrow, Inigo was certain that the moment they arrived back in Octo Canyon afterwards, they would immediately begin their mission to save Octa Prisma.
The Rainbow Squids arrived at Octo Canyon the next day simultaneously, letting their parents know they may not be home until nightfall. They left all their stuff in their cars, too. Seeing as it was locked, their possessions were at virtually no risk of being stolen.
Upon their arrival, they were dressed in their hero suits, weapons prepared. The Squid Sisters, Eight, and Cap'n Cuttlefish were all waiting on the bench, waving hello at their arrival.
"Heya," Callie greeted. She and her cousin were dressed in hero suits, matching the one Agent 3 and most of the Rainbow Squids were wearing. She wore her pink beanie and sunglasses, while Marie wore a green hat and a white face mask. "Staying fresh?"
"You bet we are," Perry chirped.
"Now, are we ready?" Roy inquired. "Please tell me we're ready."
"Not just yet," Marie shot down, adjusting her hat. "We still need to discuss a few things first."
"Like groups," Eight continued. "We decided to split it into two. Agent 3 leads one, Agent 4 leads the other. I will be scouting ahead for Agent 3, and Agent 1 and Agent 2 scout ahead for Agent 4."
"Hey, everything worked out in the end," Alexis commented. "How 'bout that?"
"The only problem is, who will be in each group?" Callie finished.
"Depends on which group's saving what," Roy said. "I want to be in the one saving Oscar. For obvious reasons."
"I was thinking we could do it like, one group starts in Cephalon HQ while the other start outside," Marie suggested. "It would be easier than having both groups go to the same place at the same time."
"Oscar's in Cephalon HQ," Callie noted. "So are Giovanni and Brayden."
"And the others?" Bonnie asked.
"Yvonne and Iris are in Slimeskin Garrison," the grey-haired idol responded. "Peyton is in Beaker's Depot. Don't know why they chose those spots, but that's how it is."
"I'm going with Four," Via announced, stepping next to her sister. "It makes the most sense for me to be with her."
"Alright," Cap'n Cuttlefish declared. "I guess everyone else can choose who to save, and who goes with who."
After several long minutes of discussion, they eventually settled on the members of each group. Agent 3 would be taking Yuri, Bonnie, and Inigo with her, while Agent 4 would be taking Roy, Octavia, and Perry with her. They also settled on who to save—Agent 3's group would save Giovanni, Yvonne, and Iris, in that order, while Agent 4's group would save Peyton, Brayden, and Oscar, in that order. After everyone received walkie talkies, Agent 8 and the Squid Sisters super-jumped away to scout ahead while Cap'n Cuttlefish went over the routes they would take. A few minutes later, they super-jumped away, speeding towards one of the tentacle-shaped formations in Octo Canyon.
Inigo had been inside Cephalon HQ before, but the chilling air still made him shiver with fear. It felt stagnant, as if nothing had breathed life in there for a very long time. A sea of magenta swirled beneath his feet, and he knew one wrong step would send him spiraling towards his doom. No one, not even Agent 3, would be able to save him then.
They would all have to be exceptionally careful.
It didn't take very long for a lift to arrive, the lights on it glowing yellow. They stepped on it, and a few moments later, it began to carry them away to their destination. Descending deeper and deeper into the cavern, Bonnie seemed to freeze up, her lips parted slightly as her blue eyes scanned the area. Yuri, too, appeared to be nervous, his eyebrows knitting together as the grip on his Hero Splatling tightened.
Eventually, they reached a small platform deep within the cavern, a pole with a yellow orb attached to it shining in the darkness. A kettle was already revealed, traces of orange ink surrounding it. Agent 3 tapped at its base before looking over her shoulder, expectant.
"This should be where Giovanni is," she explained. She paused, putting a hand up to her ear. "Uh huh. Do you know which building he's at?" Another pause. "I see. Don't get yourself caught, now." A few seconds later, her hand fell, and she returned her attention to the group. "Agent 8's found him. While she is ensuring an escape route, we swoop in for the rescue."
"What if Eight fails?" Bonnie asked.
"She won't," she replied. "I'm confident in her abilities."
"You sure you aren't biased?" Inigo jested.
Blushing, she turned away and crossed her arms. "N-No! I mean it!"
"Sure..." he whispered.
"Let's just get in here," she declared. Turning into a squid, she dove into the kettle, and the trio proceeded to follow her inside.
Like all Octarian domes, there was something off about it. The sky matched the sky outside, yet there were visible lines separating each panel displaying the sky. He could even spot a little bit of metal behind the gaps if he looked closely enough. Even the platform they landed on seemed odd—it was floating in midair, a sprawling city down below. It had seen better days, with some paneling on the buildings tearing off of its base. The roads had not been painted for a long time, yet Octarians still patrolled the streets, diligent as ever.
The group super-jumped deeper into the city, landing in an alleyway. An Octotrooper cleaning graffiti turned around as soon as it heard them land, frantically pressing a button on their machine and sending several blobs of ink towards them. Before any of them could get hit, Agent 3 stepped in front of them and took all the shots, gritting her teeth as her body became almost completely covered with enemy ink. With the distraction, Inigo snuck around and slammed the Hero Roller down on the Octotrooper, splatting it almost immediately.
"Oh my cod!" Bonnie gasped. "Are you OK?"
"I'm fine," she groaned, leaning against the wall, her face visibly contorted with pain. "Just took more bullets than I should, that's all."
"You're not fine," Yuri stated. "Don't do that again, OK?"
"Yeah, or else you'll get splatted!" the beige-skinned girl agreed.
"I can take more hits than you," she argued. "Upgraded hero suit and all, remember?"
"You don't have any armor on, though," Inigo reminded her. "No one wants to see you splat, even someone as durable as you."
Her eyes averted their gazes, and soon, she let out a sigh as the magenta ink started to disappear off her body. "You're right." She turned into a squid, diving into one of the orange ink puddles, and a few seconds later, she emerged from it, good as new. "Let's go. I'll lead the way."
Agent 3 scanned the street for a few moments before darting out of the alleyway, the others quick to follow. As a Twintacle Octotrooper started to go down the street, she darted into another alleyway, waiting for the soldier to pass them before continuing onwards. They reached a fork in the road, where she proceeded to turn left. She darted into another alleyway, and soon enough, her eyes focused on the building in front of them, two Octotroopers guarding the entrance. She told the trio to stay where they were before jumping up to the top of the building overhead, diving down and splatting one of the Octarians before putting the barrel of her Hero Shot to the other's head. She whispered a command to it, and eyes wide, it followed the command, holding the door open for her. Agent 3 gestured towards the others, and once the coast was clear, they dashed towards the door, entering the building one at a time before she closed the door behind them.
They marched through the building, and Inigo kept his eyes peeled for any signs of Giovanni. Suddenly, they heard someone yelling in Octarian, and Agent 3 proceeded to press her body against the wall, the others turning into squids and huddling around her feet. Just like they practiced. With everyone gripping onto her legs, she crept towards one of the doors and peered inside. Another Octarian yelled, and she removed her gaze from the window, snapping her attention back out in front of her. The door started to open towards them, and an elite octoling stepped out, kelp trailing from her poufy hair. She scanned the hallway before walking towards the way they came, a fair-skinned boy with a mohawk holding onto her hand.
Immediately, Inigo knew it was Giovanni holding onto her hand. The notch in his indented ear made him easily identifiable from other octolings who looked like him. Besides, he could catch the hint of green eyes behind his shades.
"Carp," Bonnie whispered. "If they find ink outside, they'll know we're in here!"
"Then we'll just have to splat the elite first and get Gio out of here," Yuri declared quietly. "That'll solve it."
"But what if she calls back-up?" she fretted. "Then the whole dome will be on lockdown!"
"Calm down," Agent 3 assured them. "We'll just have to ambush them." She shook her leg, and the three inklings climbed off of her, shifting back into their kid forms. "I'll take the elite. The rest of you: restrain Gio and get the hypnoshades off of him."
"Will do," Yuri said, saluting.
She laughed softly. "You don't have to do that."
"Well, you're our leader right now, so it makes sense, doesn't it?"
"She's our friend, too," Inigo argued.
"I know, I know. My point still stands, though."
"Enough, they're getting away!" Bonnie announced.
"Oh, right!" the dark-skinned boy realized.
As quickly, yet quietly, as they could, they chased after the two octolings, who neared the entrance with each passing second. Once they were close enough, Agent 3 started to run, jumping over the two octolings and firing her Hero Shot at the elite octoling. She let out a cry of surprise as orange ink pelted her, pulling out an Octo Shot in response. Yet, she was unable to fight back, quickly splatting and spreading orange ink everywhere.
Gio attempted to reach into his pocket, presumably to call for back-up, but Inigo grabbed both of his arms and pulled him towards him, wrapping his arms around the octoling. He turned into an octopus to escape, and Inigo was unable to catch him in time before he dropped to the ground and transformed back. However, Yuri quickly came to the rescue, tackling him and pinning him to the ground. Bonnie walked over to the group and kneeled down to meet his eyes, lifting the hypnoshades off of him.
Giovanni quickly came to his senses, his green eyes darting around the room as a puzzled expression came across his features. "...Where am I?" He lifted his head to see Yuri staring down at him. "Get off of me!" he demanded in Inkling, eyebrows furrowing.
Yuri stood up, rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry."
He rose to his feet, wiping some dust off of him. "...I think I remember now," he said. With a frown, he shook his head. "So, the Octarians did manage to kidnap me. Despicable."
"I think a 'thank you' is in order," Agent 3 requested, spinning her Hero Shot around in her hand.
Gio snapped his attention to her, eyes widening. "Oh! Agent 3! You are here!" He bowed. "Thank you!" Straightening, he examined the rest of the group before crossing his arms. "Why are they here?"
"We're temporary members of the New Squidbeak Splatoon," Inigo explained.
"Yeah! So we can save you all," Bonnie added.
He scoffed. "Do you really need that many people to save us?"
"Enough talking, more doing," Agent 3 announced. She rested her fair-skinned hand on the door handle, expectant. "The Octarians definitely know we're here by now. We gotta get out of here, and fast."
"Is the escape route ready?" Yuri asked.
"Yep," she confirmed. "We just gotta get there."
Giovanni changed his ink color to orange, and the group then exited the building, much to the surprise of the Octarian still standing on-guard. Agent 3 splatted it before moving on, running down the street. As time went on, the Octarians patrolling the street became sparser and sparser, until there were none at all. Eventually, they reached a dead end, where they found Agent 8 pacing around the area. She stopped upon their arrival, turning her head to face them, and immediately, her face lit up.
"You are here!" she exclaimed, beaming. "With Giovanni, too!"
Gio groaned. "Of course you are the one who evaded capture."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Yuri argued. "I'd be scared as shell if Eight was working for the Octarians."
"That doesn't matter," Three interjected. "The most important part is that we all get out of here safe and sound."
Eight nodded. "Now, let us leave!"
She turned into an octopus and super-jumped out of the dome, orange ink trailing behind her. The rest of the group transformed into cephalopods and followed her out, leaving the light and entering the darkness. Here, only the yellow lights surrounding the platform were the only source of light.
"It's so dark," Gio complained. "Why did they put me here?" He huffed. "I was working for DJ Octavio directly before I left the Octarian army. I do not understand."
A platform came by, and everyone stepped onto it. They rose out of the dark area, into a more populated area of the cavern. The platform soon arrived at the central platform, where one could access DJ Octavio's lair, according to Cap'n Cuttlefish—but who would want to? With more light, the octoling boy took the opportunity to look down at himself, frowning.
"I want my clothes back," he whined.
"That would be difficult," Eight admitted. "If I guess, they in the building where they put you in uniform. That would be hard getting into."
"Well, I do not want to buy a new beanie. It is special, remember? Not many beanies have dark threads like the one Agent 3 let me keep."
"Well, that's a whole separate mission we can't do right now," Three said, shrugging. "You'll just have to wait. Anyways, someone's gotta take you back. We can't risk you getting captured again."
"I'll go," Bonnie announced, grabbing Gio's hand. "You need to hurry on to the next place."
"She is correct," Eight agreed. "We cannot waste more time."
"Well, see you soon!" Turning into a squid, she super-jumped out of Cephalon HQ with Giovanni, soon becoming mere specks in sky before they were nothing at all.
"You too!" Yuri called. Once they were gone, he put his hands on his hips and turned to face the curly-haired octoling. "Where's the next place?"
"The dome Yvonne is in," she replied. "Slimeskin Garrison. We must go there."
"Follow me," Agent 3 instructed. Everyone left turned into a cephalopod, and they super-jumped out of the cavern. Inigo squinted as the bright light hit his eyes. Compared to Cephalon HQ, the scenery was quite jarring.
They soon arrived at a series of metal platforms digging into the ground, bounce pads and inkfurlers connecting each and every one. The kettle they landed at was closer to the ground, the metal platform low enough that they could climb down to the rocks easily. As soon as they landed, Inigo blinked a few times, rubbing his eyes. Eight turned into an octopus and dove inside the kettle, leaving the group alone.
A few minutes, she spoke into the walkie talkie, saying, "No guards here. Strange."
"Where's Yvonne?" Yuri asked.
"Not sure. However, she is with Yaki. Be careful."
Inigo frowned. "Yaki?"
"Government official," Eight explained. "Very dangerous. Do not engage with her."
"Well, how are supposed to save her then?" he snapped.
"I have a plan. Lure Yvonne to a safe place, so you can retrieve her. Got it?"
"Got it," Agent 3 said. "Tell us when you're ready."
"Will do. See you soon." The walkie talkie cut off, forcing the group to wait.
Inigo sat down next to the kettle, pulling out his phone. He tried to open up Squidsagram, only to find that there was no service. He groaned, throwing his head back and looking up at the sky. Fluffy clouds floated above him, the sun peeking out from behind one. He spotted one cloud in the shape of an inkling's squid form and drew attention to it, leading to him taking a picture of it.
He nearly dropped his phone as his walkie talkie crackled back to life. "Three!" Eight called. "Everyone! Come in here, now!"
"What?" Geneva blurted out. "What happened?!"
"Cannot explain. But you must come. I will be easy to spot."
"She's probably in trouble," Yuri deduced. "We gotta save her!"
"Exactly," the long-haired girl concurred. "Follow me."
She slipped into the kettle, while Inigo and Yuri followed her. Inside the dome, he noticed just how bright it was. A large, artificial light hung over them, clearly not meant for someone to get so close to. And it was quite unique, too. Unlike every other Octarian dome he had seen, this one lacked any floating platforms. Rows of crops spread out for what seemed like miles, surrounded by a moat filled with water. Sprinklers dug into the dirt, spinning around and spreading water everywhere. Standing on a hill were several houses, and while the style matched other Octarian buildings, the streets of the town were far less complex. Nearby was a pavilion, several Octocopters surrounding the area. Octoling soldiers had their weapons pointed at someone Inigo assumed to be Agent 8, while three other figures merely watched the scene.
They landed towards the base of the hill, and they immediately began to climb the cement steps, quickly reaching the top. Inigo gripped his knees, out-of-breath. Yuri tapped his shoulder, returning his attention to the scene in front of him.
"We're here," Agent 3 announced, pointing her Hero Shot at the soldiers.
A lady stepped out from behind the soldiers, dressed in a black kimono with maroon accents. Her long, black hair trailed onto the floor, as if she were the incarnation of a sea monster that had risen from the depths of the ocean. She started to clap, smirking upon seeing the group.
A gasp escaped Inigo's lips upon seeing her. She was beautiful.
"Stop staring at her!" Three scolded him quietly. "She's the enemy!"
"Oh!" The grip of his Hero Roller tightened, his expression hardening. "Right."
The octoling lady neared them, staring at them with clear blue eyes. "So, this is your back-up," she remarked, glancing over at Agent 8. "You may have the Dreaded with you, but not even she will escape here today." She gripped Agent 3's cheeks, her smile only growing wider. "Is that not right?"
She kicked her, and the lady stumbled backwards, surprised. "You'll have to do a lot more than that to beat me," the long-haired girl declared.
Continuing to stand tall, she snapped her fingers, and magenta ink began to swirl next to her. A few moments later, the blob formed into a fair-skinned octoling soldier, poufy red hair shining in the artificial light. She looked around the area for a few moments, puzzled, before holding her roller out in front of her, her expression shifting to a determined one. Three's face fell, eyebrows knitting together.
"You know her, right?" she challenged. "It is a shame you will have to splat your friend."
Iris, Inigo realized. But with how similar she looked to the other soldiers, it would be very hard to differentiate her from everyone else.
Yuri charged towards Iris, reaching a hand out for her hypnoshades, but she simply stepped out of the way, letting him trip on one of the lady's long tentacles. He stumbled to the ground, groaning. Iris turned around her rose her roller, preparing to crush him with it as magenta ink dripped from the wheel.
Now, it was Inigo's turn to charge towards Iris, tackling her to the ground. However, they quickly found themselves tumbling down the hill, losing their weapons and spiraling towards the field. As the moat neared, his eyes widened with fear. If they fell into the water, both of them would splat, and there would be no saving them. So instead, he grabbed Iris and tried gripping the grass, though he ultimately failed to do so—he just pulled it out of the ground with each attempt.
But eventually, they started to slow down, and Inigo finally managed to stop himself, still holding onto to Iris. Now, she was pinned to the ground, water lapping at the shore nearby. He reached a hand towards her face, and just as he grabbed her hypnoshades, she brought up her legs and kicked him away, sending him and the hypnoshades off of her.
Inigo gripped his gut, groaning as pain surged through him. Who knew she was that strong of a kicker? He was just glad she didn't aim lower, or else someone would have to carry him out of here. And even then, he had managed to free Iris from her mind control. That was the important part.
"Inigo?" Iris soon queried, walking up to him. "Why are you here?"
She helped him up to his feet, meeting her indigo eyes. "We're saving everyone in your team," he explained. "We came here for Yvonne, but since you're here... I guess that makes things a lot easier."
The octoling took the hypnoshades he held and snapped them in half, throwing them into the moat. "Now, that should be no issue." She lifted her head towards the top of the hill, Octocopters still surrounding it. "She is up there, right?"
"She should be," he replied. "I didn't see her, though. I was so focused on you and that lady that I forgot to look for her."
"Yaki?" She let out a sigh. "I suppose I am not surprised. A lot of octolings are attracted to her. ...That must be extending to inklings, too."
So that's Yaki. "OK, yeah, I admit she's hot, but that's not important. She's the one who we need to beat."
Iris narrowed her eyes. "We could, if you did not knock my weapon away."
"I lost my weapon, too! That's more of a problem."
She turned around. "They are there." Lifting a finger, she pointed in front of her, where two rollers lied on the ground some feet away from them, partially in the water. "You should be more observant, Inigo."
"I am Agent I here," he corrected. "You should be calling me that."
"You lose the title after this mission. Not important." Iris walked over to the shore and lifted the Octarian roller off of the ground, throwing it over her shoulders. "Now, go get your weapon. We are climbing this hill afterwards."
"Y-Yeah!" He ran over to her and picked up the Hero Roller, the wheel quickly becoming slick of orange ink. Iris's hair shifted from red to orange, and together, they began to climb up the hill.
When they arrived, they were met with bloodshed.
Yuri's Hero Splatling tore through some Octocopters, their helmets collapsing to the ground with each splat. An octoling soldier reached out for him, but he slammed his splatling into her, knocking her against the wooden beam. She fell to the ground, unconscious. On the other side of the battlefield, Agent 3 and Agent 8 tore through a wave of Octarians sent after them, with the latter covering the former's blind spot. Inigo quickly spotted Yvonne and another octoling at one of the wooden beams, huddling together as a device floating above them created a forcefield. The black-haired lady—Yaki—stood inside the forcefield as well, crossing her arms as she observed the battlefield.
Upon their arrival, Yaki snapped her head towards them. "You!" she exclaimed. "You are still alive!"
"Of course," Inigo taunted. "I'm not splatting that easily."
Her blue gaze narrowing, she revealed an Octobrush, magenta ink dripping from the bristles. "I will have to deal with you myself, then."
She charged out of the forcefield, swiping at Inigo. He blocked it with his Hero Roller, giving Iris an opening to attack her. However, Yaki lifted her brush before she could do so, instead slapping the bristles into her head. Magenta ink streaking her face, she swung the roller at her again, though the lady managed to dodge the wave of ink barreling towards her.
As she continued to dodge their attacks, Inigo only grew more annoyed. How were they even supposed to land a hit on her? She was too fast! And she never seemed to tire out, either. But everyone had their limits, right?
It was then Iris decided to try a different strategy. She tossed her weapon aside and ran towards her, trying to punch and kick at Yaki. It only took one misstep for the lady to mess up, and she proceeded to be on the receiving end of a punch to the face, causing her to drop her weapon. Red bloomed on the bridge of her nose, blood trickling from her nostrils. She wiped her nose, scowling.
"I do not have time for this," she grumbled. She pulled a remote out of her pocket and disabled the forcefield. "You can have them. I was expecting your group to come rescue the girl, anyways."
"Seriously?" Inigo frowned. "It can't be that easy."
"Oh, but it is." She put the remote away and waved her hand, prompting the remaining Octocopters to fly away from the pavilion. "I cannot put myself in harm's way any further. I have much more important places to be." Before she could elaborate, she super-jumped away, and at last, the area around the pavilion settled down.
Looking over at Agent 3 and Agent 8, all the Octarians attacking them were gone, enemy ink dripping from the girls' bodies. Yuri emerged from a nearby ink puddle, panting.
"Is it over?" he asked.
"Yes," Iris replied, stepping up to join the group. "It is."
Eight walked up to Yvonne—Inigo noticed her hair was down—and reached for her hypnoshades, but she merely backed up, the boy with her stepping up and throwing a brown hand out in front of her.
"Stop," he commanded, eyebrows furrowing. He then paused, searching for the right words. "No...interfere?"
Agent 8 switched over to speaking Octarian, and the octoling boy's expression softened. Frowning, he began to explain something to her, one that left her horrified. They continued to argue in Octarian until Yvonne finally stepped up, stopping the boy from arguing any further.
"Is everything clear?" Agent 3 asked, crossing her arms. "Take off your shades."
"No!" Yvonne exclaimed in the Inkling language. "I cannot!"
Unamused, Eight reached towards her and took the hypnoshades off. A few seconds later, she bounded towards Iris, grinning.
The boy frowned. "Yvonne, what-"
"Just forget it," she said. "I never belonged here, anyways."
He was left speechless, and before he could answer, the group was already super-jumping out of the dome. Once again, they were met with the blue sky—the real sky, the sun shining down on them. They then super-jumped back to Tentakeel Outpost, where Bonnie and Giovanni were waiting. Upon seeing the newcomers, Giovanni jumped out of his seat, and ran towards the two octolings, wrapping them in a hug.
"You are back!" he exclaimed. "It has been so long!"
"Not that long," Yvonne corrected him. "It only be a few days."
"I know, but without the New Squidbeak Splatoon's help, we would be separated forever." Giovanni let go of the two girls and turned towards the Rainbow Squids present, smiling. "For that, I thank you."
"It was no problem," Agent 3 remarked. "We're just doing our duty."
"I still have one question..." Iris looked down at the dark-skinned octoling. "Who was that boy?"
"Do not worry about it," she assured her. "Just a childhood friend."
The poufy-haired girl plopped down on the bench, cupping her cheek. "I hope Brayden returns soon."
"The other group has him covered," Bonnie comforted her, patting her back. "He'll be back before you know it."
"I know, but..." She trailed off, saddened, yet it quickly disappeared as she shook her head. "It is not important. I am just worried about my boyfriend, that is all. Like how Roy worried about Oscar, right?"
"And how I worried about Eight," Agent 3 added. "Speaking of the others..." She looked over at Cap'n Cuttlefish. "How are they?"
"They haven't found anyone," he answered, "but the Octarians sure are wily, as ye know. We just have to wait."
"Right," Eight repeated. "We just have to wait."
Eden's PoV
From where she was hiding, she could see the octoling boy's eyes widened, immediately turning to his inkling friend and commanding her to run. Run she did, dashing away with his keys, down the mountain. Still, he fought fiercely, firing his Octo Shot at any Octarian he spotted. Yet even he was reaching his limits. He could not keep fighting forever.
That was what she needed, after all. Weaken him enough, to the point where she can bring him back to Octo Canyon.
Eventually, he pointed his weapon towards the bushes, narrowing his purple gaze. "Come out!" he demanded, now speaking their native tongue. "I know you're there."
She chuckled. "You're very perceptive." His face fell, and Eden emerged from the bushes, fixing her ponytail. Laying her gaze on the boy, she recognized him quickly. Victor Oliveri. They had never met in person—until now—but he was from an esteemed family of scouts, many fighting under the direct command of government officials. Lord Takko being one such official, the same one she served, and the same one he served previously. Yet, surprisingly, few members of his family were elite octolings.
He huffed. "I'm surprised you found me already."
She grabbed his face, forcing his eyes to meet her own. "You left a very obvious trail in your escape. It was only a matter of time before someone found you."
He raised an eyebrow. "'Someone?'"
"No one has been sent to find you," she explained, smiling. "No, this is just something I'm doing in my spare time. You have quite the recognizable face, after all. Plus, with the mission I'm on, I get access to a summoning device. It's very effective, I've found."
He raised his hands up in the air. "So, what, are you gonna take me back, now?"
"Hm, no. Actually, knowing you, I think you'll be able to help me with something."
"...Help? How? I'm not with the Octarians anymore."
"If you don't, I'll bring you back. You can have your freedom, only if you do as I say."
"I..." He gulped. "OK. What do you need me to do?"
Eden woke up, breathing heavily. Pristine walls surrounded her, and quickly, she realized she was sitting in a hospital bed, a plain gown draping from her frame. She lifted her arm, a bandage resting on the underside of the elbow. Though it was sore, she could feel a new, foreign substance flowing through her veins. A substance she knew imbued her with power.
She got up from the bed and walked over towards the mirror. Seeing her real eyes was something she had gotten accustomed to during her time in Inkopolis, but she knew that would be the case no longer. Regardless, she immediately noticed the color of her hair had changed, shifting from magenta to a deep red so dark, it was almost black.
The door opened, and standing in front of her was a poufy-haired octoling, dressed in a white lab coat. Black, rubber gloves covered her hands, which held a clipboard in them. Underneath the lab coat, she could see the same black boots nearly all octoling soldiers wore. And of course, she wore a pair of shades, mandated by the government.
"You're awake," she marveled. "How do you feel?"
"Great." Eden flexed some fingers before looking up to meet the doctor's eyes. "Where's Lord Takko?"
"He's not in this building," she replied. "He requested that you join him as soon as you woke up."
"Aren't newly-changed elite octolings usually monitored first? This is quite sudden."
"Yes, but he insisted on it." The doctor sighed, shaking her head. "Go get changed. You don't want to keep him waiting."
"Okay." With a nod, she looked back towards a curtain, hints of her uniform hidden behind it. "When do I get my kelp?"
"Only time will tell. Now, goodbye." She slammed the door shut, leaving Eden all alone in the room.
As instructed, she stepped behind the curtain and removed her uniform from the locker, taking off the hospital gown and replacing it with the uniform. Putting on some cool shades, a familiar drone began to ring through her head, one she was very used to hearing. Her latest orders ringing in her head, she marched out of the room, her mind set on a single track.
She reached the lobby just in time to witness Lady Yaki entering the hospital, a gasp escaping her lips. Compared how she usually saw her, her kimono was a little dirty, and a satchel was slung around her shoulders. Most notably, though, was the huge bruise on the bridge of her nose, though she failed to spot any blood on her. Immediately, her blue gaze fell on Eden.
"Are you Eden Maori?" she asked.
"Yes," she confirmed, nodding. She thought about asking what happened to her, but the drone in her head immediately shot her down.
Yaki smiled. "It appears I came just in time, then. Follow me."
Standing up straighter, Eden put her feet together and saluted. "Yes, ma'am!"
She waved her hand, gesturing for her to follow her. Eden lowered her hand and hurried after the lady, memorized by the long black tentacles trailing behind her like a fleeting shadow. She truly did live up to her reputation as a beauty. She would be lying if she said she didn't have any dreams about being alone with Yaki, cuddling. Even if the chances of that ever happening in reality were very low, it was still a fun idea to entertain herself with. Though, it made her feel unfaithful to her girlfriend at times.
Eventually, they reached a room adorned with metal decorations, containing a few chairs and some bookshelves. Yaki closed the door and stepped in front of Eden, clasping her hands together.
"I'm aware my brother requested for you to meet up with him as soon as possible," she started, "but I figured I should perform this ceremony first. There's a few other octolings who need it in this hospital, anyways."
Eden felt herself tense up, expectant. She flexed her fingers, eyes trailing down to the pouch Yaki was wearing. She opened it to reveal some pieces of kelp inside. She removed two pieces and held them out. She knew, though, that she wasn't supposed to take them, yet. Yaki would put them on her herself.
"Eden Maori, your contributions to Octarian society are excellent, and your skills prove exceptional. In the span of just a single year, you went from a nobody, to someone admired by many. So many young Octarians look up to you, and that of itself is an accomplish very few octolings can achieve." She smiled. "You have a bright future ahead of you, Maori. It is for that reason that I officially name you an elite octoling."
The lady began tying the kelp around her shades, and once she finished, she stepped back, closing her pouch and holding her hands behind her back.
"Thank you, Lady Yaki," Eden said. "I promise you, I will serve the Octarian army for as long as I live."
She dipped her head and started to head towards the door. "You should be going," she instructed. "Do not keep my brother waiting any longer."
She saluted. "Yes, ma'am!"
The lady disappeared into the hallway, and Eden proceeded to walk in the opposite direction, towards the entrance of the hospital. As she checked herself out, the Octarian at the counter handed her a tablet. A familiar tablet—it was the one she took with her into Inkopolis. As she left the building, she turned it on, the screen flickering to light. A new message directed her to her next destination—a dome in Cephalon HQ.
Well, she wouldn't keep Lord Takko waiting. Turning into an octopus, she super-jumped out of the dome, sunlight hitting her light brown skin. But, she didn't immediately jump to her next destination. She stood on top of the tower for a few moments, admiring the rock formations that adorned Octo Canyon, familiar tentacles stretching towards the blue sky.
The drone in her hand started to get louder, and she gritted her teeth at the sound, gripping her shades. She would've thrown them off of her if it weren't for the drone, forcing her hand down as her expression went slack.
"I must get going," she said, the drone drowning out any other thoughts. "Disobeying orders would be a detriment."
The drone guiding her every step, she super-jumped to Cephalon HQ, entering the darkness once more.
A/N: Sorry this is late, this chapter turned out to be much longer than I thought. Seriously, it's over ten thousand words! Anyways, I hope everyone's enjoying the Splatfest! I don't think I'll be able to play, unfortunately, but nonetheless, I'm very excited for Splatoon 3! Only two more weeks now! Well, anyways, the finale, "Exigency," will come out tomorrow. At 12:15 PM ET, hopefully. I wonder who will win the Splatfest - I hear Team Scissors is winning over in Europe. Well, anyways, that's all. Branchwing, out!