Looking at the sky, you can clearly see the afternoon. I usually sit down outside our treehouse and enjoy the view. I don't really know why… it feels so relaxing. Now I'm enjoying it behind a subway window. Not really the same, but you could tell I needed it.
Yes, because I'm about to start this mistery. I already planned our search method, so me and Bars can quickly start looking for clues. You couldn't tell, but I'm a bit excited. Also worried… for no reason. What's going on inside me, right now? Why I have this… bellyache?
The subway arrived without too much problems. I woke up Bars with a soft call…
"Yikes! N-now what?!"
You stupid Bars! You got scared by an innocent call?! Sheesh…
Anyway, we got out of the subway: according to my mental map, the Urchin Underpass isn't really too far away from here. We just need to walk there: it'll only take a bit of time. I hope that Bars doesn't complain like usual…
"Man, I can't wait to eat something up! Just one candy isn't enough!" He complained... like usual.
"Bars, I believe you actually ate 11 candies." I said with precision and grace.
"But those were small and my stomach is still grumbling!"
"I guess your diet is starting right now."
"W-whaaat?! No way! I can't starve all day!"
"So… I guess you want some delicious seaweeds right now."
That little lie worked just as expected. Bars reacted with disgust, changing quickly his mind.
"Uuuh… weird, I'm not hungry anymore! I wonder why…"
Such mistery, Bars. Like, no way I can't solve this mistery. And you know why? Because I have more important things in mind, like what Hunley is doing right now… … NO, WAIT! REWIND!
Such mistery, Bars. Like, no way I can't solve this mistery. And you know why? Because I have more important things in mind, like the enemies appeared in Urchin Underpass. Maybe their reason still lies somewhere in that area…
Talking with Bars sure makes the time fly by. I'm not kidding: I didn't even know we were already near the entrance. However, there's something else going on… kinda unexpected too. There's a huge crowd of Inklings talking quite loudly. Are they… protesting?
Yes, I think they are. I can hear voices saying to not close down the Urchin Underpass. Others are saying to open the Turf War Station. I don't know who are they talking to and actually, I don't really care. What's really interesting about all this, is a little idea I came up with…
"Look at all those people! Something big is going on there!" Bars commented.
"A perfect opportunity." I said.
"Opportunity? Which one?"
"The ticket that will let us in the area, Bars."
"Oh… ticket… you mean, there's a way to get past that crowd?"
"Not only that… didn't you notice how everyone is outside?"
"Yeah! In fact, why they didn't go in? That's very suspicious…"
I did a facepalm, but I wish to open Bars's head and shout everything on it.
"Maybe because they closed it down…?" I asked.
"… hey, you're right! That might be the reason."
Might? MIGHT?! WHY YOU… no, why I'm even bothering?! We can't waste any time now!
"Bars, we're going to sneak in."
"Really?! I thought we'd go around and search stuff!"
"That's the second phase… the first one is to infiltrate. Follow me."
All right, Bars is following me. Now… I need to find a little path around… yes, I found it. We'll climb that little wall, grab the balcony on the right, grab that pipe near and climb it, until you reach the 4th floor balcony and then a big jump to reach the main wall and get over it. This seems rather easy to do…
"Are you kidding me?! We can't do that! It's impossible!"
… but I'm dealing with Bars, here. Nothing is easy enough for him.
"Come on, Bars. I know you can be pretty agile."
On second thought, I'm actually doubting that: Bars was too goofy to move around well… also his flexibility is quite awful too.
"No, I don't want to become Squid Pancake! Isn't there an alternative?"
What alternative? This area is like pretty secluded. There's no other way to access this underpass, unless the entrance has been opened by magic. If that was the case, I'd use that magic to solve everything. The only magic I have is my intelligence and I actually find an another useful idea...
"Well then, you'll stay here Bars for just a moment."
"M-Mirii, what are you doing?!"
Watch and learn, Bars. This is common spy movements: I climbed the little wall after a running start, then once I got to the top, I did a jump towards the balcony's ledge grabbing it. Like I suspected, no one was at home so I climbed the balcony and got in.
I got a quick look at Bars: needless to say, his eyes got as big as basketballs. If only he knew my other Parkour performances: much harder than this one. Anyway, I got the pipe and climbed it with easy. Once I got to the 4th floor, I dropped on the balcony and I was preparing for the leap of faith.
A little look to judge the jump, a bit more concentration… and I took the leap. I grabbed the ledge of the main wall, getting hurt a little from the landing. That didn't stop me from climbing it and staying on the top. Of course I didn't want to get in the underpass yet: I have to help my agility-lacking assistant.
I took from my pocket, a special Ink Ball. This is one of my Ink gadgets: it's a stick-to-slide ball full of ink. I use it to spray certain parts of the wall, so I can climb it. You can also choose to stick it on the wall and then the ball slowly slide all the way down, creating an easy inked path. Can you see where I'm going with this?
So, I did just that: I sticked the ball right where I'm now. There it goes all the way down… reaching Bars, while leaving behind a nice little inked path. Luckily, Bars has full Inkling instincts and got into the ink after becoming a Squid. He climbed the wall pretty fast and reached me without any trouble at all.
"Whoa, Mirii! How did you do all those stunts?!" He asked curious.
"By training. Something you probably hate." I replied.
"Yes, especially when I have to climb… I can't really watch down, now!"
"Really? Too bad, because we need to get down."
Bars got very scared trembling like a leaf. Really, it's a bit embarrassing seeing him in this state. I needed to calm him down, though.
"Come on, don't act like a little Squid. The height isn't that high at all, actually."
I showed him the ground to land on: the distance is short enough to make him smile and act all mighty and brave.
"Oh, that's easy! I can do that!"
Really? That's great. It makes me relieved to not use another "help" to let you keep up with me. Without wasting any time, we both jumped off the wall landing in Urching Underpass. I believe that Bars landed with his back… seriously, what a moron.
"Hoompf! I did it!"
I quickly cover his mouth with my hand, for obvious reasons…
"Ssssh. Bars, now we must be quiet. No one has to catch us here, ok?"
Bars nodded, making me leave my hand near his mouth.
"Now… you stay there behind the wall, keeping an eye on who's coming. At the first sign of any stranger, you warn me about… softly and quickly. Everything clear?" I ordered.
Bars rises his right thumb with a grin.
"Got it!" He replied, making me smile.
Well then, it looks like the search is finally started. I got a clear initial look around: I must say how this underpass looks like in its common state. My guess is they got rid that goo perfectly.
Taking a better look, I notice the first possible clue: a phrase saying "You're a pirate now, you're a soldier now". That catchphrase is as old as Judd himself, but the real interesting part is the content.
According to Grina's friend, their boss seems to be a mix between a pirate and a general. At first I thought that this was just an unique way to appear… for someone that lacks in creativity. However, this little evidence may demonstrate the opposite. I'll keep that in mind.
Looking around even more, I found a yellow spray can of a brand never seen before. Spongoo? What kind of stupid name is that? What this thing is even suppose to be anyway? I tried using it, but it seems empty. … wait a minute, "Spongoo"? Goo?!
Now this seems… unexpected. I thought those weirdos control that pile of goo like us would with our ink. They may not be Inklings at all, so we can scratch that idea off. Come to think of it… aside from the smaller variety, I don't think I ever saw those other stingrays diving into their goo. Something to remember later, for sure.
Now… what else around here? There isn't anything else important in this part of the arena, so it's time to move on to the center.
"Bars, we're moving."
"Did you find anything?"
"Nothing important, unfortunately. I hope you did a good job guarding this portion."
"Hey! Did you know? Guardian is my second name!"
Really? I thought that it was "Gamer". I didn't really say it though, since that name alone will bring up useless videogame talking lasting all day. Not that everyone cares about them, right? I mean, what can a videogame bring to someone, anyway? Whatever…
"Right, so… shall we move on?"
"Ok! But… do you think there's someone around here?"
"If you did already forget that commotion seen at the entrance then… yes. Don't try to run ahead and follow me, ok?"
Bars understood again, making everything as easy as watching from the top of a pole. Surprisingly, no one was in the central portion of the arena. I suspect that an investigation team already finished the job and got back to their headquarters. I hope they were dumb enough, to leave something significant…
"Whaaa?! Look at that!" Bars said, with an annoying loud voice.
"Bars, I don't have time to admire any childish fan-made posters on the wall. Go there and"
"You see?!"
Bars showed to me, a broken monitor with odd buttons on its side.
"I see… trash. Throw it in the garbage can."
"How can you not understand?! Someone throw out a portable game console!" Oh no, he starts his drama now. "This seems so new too! Look how good it appeared… and the details! It reminds me of those hi-tech map monitors you see in the movies. I can already taste the virtual experience with this! Since it's a map… uuuh… treasure hunt! Of course! Rad, real and awesome treasure hunts with all informations about"
"SHUT UP, BARS!"
That scream was a bit too much, but so was my patience. At least Bars didn't say any other nonsenses… huh? What's that logo…? I took the thing from Bars's hands and took a great look on it.
"M-P ?" I read. "Weird name…"
"Uh… duuuh, you say that to every console names!"
"M-P huh…"
I got a funny idea in my head. I took my smartphone and did a quick search. I couldn't believe to find something really important.
"-M-P - seems to be… an illegal Map Software?"
"Ha! Look at that Bars! He got the nail, this time!"
I hate to admit but he's right: what in the world something like this is doing laying around on the ground? But most important… how did someone not noticing this?! Back to the investigation team again… I said that they should be dumb enough to leave something important… but I didn't expect this!
No, that can't even be considered dumb… it's Bars-level of intelligence. So… does this mean that no one get here to investigate? Or analyzing that goo… or anything, really? Just, what's going on here? They really didn't do anything else in this place…? I have a bad feeling about this…
And then you have this map thingy. Just weird… why those bozos need a map? I already remember every routes, by just fighting here the first time. … unless… oh… why I didn't see that one coming? Pirates… map… treasure… yeah. That makes a lot of sense. So that could possibly explain what they were after…
A treasure here in Inkopolis? That seems too fictional. Still, if they are looking for it… then, I guess there must be something similar to it. Maybe it's not a treasure at all…
"MIIRI! BEHIND YOU!"
Stupid Bars! He shouldn't shout: now everyone got our attention. However, when I turned around I saw two figures looking at me. Didn't took a great look, before they ran away. I can't let them escape: if someone else is involved in this case, I must catch those and make them talk.
"After me, Bars!"
I start running too, in hope to stop them. I can tell this is going to be a twist… it's time to go deep into this mistery!