The air duct journey felt like hours for Hun: every grate he found, would lead into a room or corridor full of Stinglings. Also, the worrying presence of fans, forced the boy to take detours and going who knows where.
Not to mentions, the rats that were lurking around: both the boy and the mice were scared of each other.
Suddenly, a big wind pushes Hun away making him fall through the grate in Squid Form. He screamed from the fear and crashed through a bunch of wooden crates containing gray apples. He becomes humanoid form, with his Janitor disguise still on him.
The pain from the right arm came back, making Hun cry in pain while holding it and clenching his teeths. It wasn't as painful as the first time, but still an awful sensation. He got up, while massaging his arm and took a quick look around.
It appears to be a depot full of wooden crates, just like the ones that the boy crashed into. He couldn't help but looking at those gray apples, with huge interest: they may appear a bit rotten, but under Hun's eyes the apples appear really yummy.
He took an apple with his left hand, took a big bite and starts chewing on it: with great surprise, the boy appreciated them more than expected. They weren't the best, but not the worst by any means. He quickly finishes his meal, but he was ready to eat 3 or more of them!
The improvised dinner was very useful for Hun: now he feels a little better than before. Still, he wishes to take a nap and treat better his right arm, but the boy didn't dare to ask for more. Well, except he took a small amount of that gray fruit and puts them in the pockets of the oversized pants.
With no other guards in sight, Hun got near the door and opens it slightly, so he could peek a bit. What he saw, were two stingrays looking like the real ones, except in much smaller form making them look like little pets.
"You only have 5 minutes to rest up, ok?"
A male voice said that: the boy didn't know his appearance, since he was out of his sight.
"5 minutes?! We need more!" One of the small stingrays complained, with a high-pitched voice.
"Yeah, we didn't even have lunch today, just because of that surprise attack!" The other one backed up, with the same kind of voice.
"You do understand that your job is very important, for all of us… right?" The man tried to reason with them.
"But that doesn't mean you can treat use like items!"
"We have rights too, you know!" One of them raises a fist towards the unseen person.
"Well, it's already enough that us Stinglings are letting you work in our society. If it wasn't for your Spongoo skills, none of you Smanties will ever get a Sting in our Shipray."
"Hey, you think we can't be as smart as you?!" One of the Smanties got up, getting upset.
"Yes, because you're wasting your Coffee Break time in this very moment. Take examples from your much clever colleagues and obey to the rules."
Footsteps were heard suddenly, but the noise wasn't going towards Hun.
"More like forced slaves, ya Stin"
"No, brother! He's going to give us a warning, if we keep pressing…" The Smantie stops the other one that stood still.
"I know… I know." He sits back. "Better rest as much as we can in those 4 minutes, bro."
"Easier said than done: I'm so hungry, that I could eat a truckload of dragonfish sticks."
"I'd eat an entire factory of them!"
"Yeah... I heard they'll throw a party somewhere here, probably full of delicious meals."
"A Stingling party, right?! And let me guess… no Smanties or Flyers allowed, right?"
"Don't remind me that… we're nothing but oranges for them."
"Oranges with no juice into the stomach! I'm starting to feel really sick, ya know."
"We need to resist, brother. Think about our families back home."
"My wife and children…! I was suppose to stay with them!"
"I know, me too… poor Greta."
"Your wife, right?"
"Yes. She told me that my daughter has a high fever…"
"Really?! That sucks, man!"
"With me far away from home and Minty on the bed, my lady-bug must be worried… really worried." He gets a bit sad.
"Now, now! Let's think about something else, ok?"
"Like what…? What can possibly cheer me up now?"
Hun listened their conversation: he felt really bad for both of them. He couldn't stand the idea of not helping them out, in a way or another. The boy thought immediately about the apples he took from the crates: maybe it wasn't much, but always better than an empty stomach.
Hun goes out of the room and reaches the two Smanties, with still his disguise on. The two brothers didn't notice the boy at all, until he got near one of them with an apple on his left hand.
"Huh? What do you want?" He asked.
Hun didn't say anything: he was showing the apple in front of the man's face.
"Can you speak?"
The boy wishes, but he fears to be discovered because of his ignorance, just how it happened before.
"I think he's not able to." His brother guesses. "Right?"
Hun nods.
"Hsss!" The man did a painful expression. "Poor guy… it must be a serious problem!"
"Anyway, is there something we should do with that apple?"
Hun gave the apple to the man that asked the question.
"Wait, what's this? You want to give me an apple to eat?"
The boy nods and gives another one to the other Smantie.
"But… thanks! This is awesome!" He answered eating it.
"Why are you giving us an apple? You know that no Stingling is allowed to pass food around… especially to us Smanties."
"Come to think of it, bro: the guy seems a bit shorter than the average one!"
"Yes… and look at his clothes! They are way too big for him."
Hun noticed their increasing curiosity: if he stayed there for another minute, the two men would unmask him! The boy waves his left hand, while walking backwards. But suddenly, his pants fell down making him losing his balance and because of this, he trips on the ground.
His mask fell off, along with all the apples and his overall disguise. He leans on his left arm, feeling a bit stunned.
"W-WHAT A?!"
"HEY!"
Quickly the boy recover his senses: he got caught! In a jiffy, Hun gets up and runs away as fast as he could!
"WAIT, STOP!"
"COME BACK!"
He didn't listen: he really wanted to escape in Squid Form but he'd leave a big trail behind, since now he needs to quickly hide somewhere! The boy quickly took a corner.
"OW!"
Unfortunately, he bumped into a Stingling which was coming in his way. Both got up, looking at each other. Hun smiled embarrassed while showing his teeth and laugh a bit: after taking back his Cap, he sprints away from the creature.
The Stingling didn't hesitate to chase after him, while alerting the units with a radio transceiver-like device.
"SEND THE MEN! THERE'S AN INTRUDER IN THE SPONGOO SECTION!" The male Stingling shouts.
All the sudden, an alarm sets on: Hun starts to run even more than before! In no time, he got already 5 guards chasing after him! They were shooting with weapons similar to the Splattershot, in the attempt to hit the boy. Surprisingly, Hun manages to be faster than the guards and heads straight for the stairs.
He could heard voices saying where he was going, but the boy didn't care in the least: he was too panicked to figure out their plans! The fatigue eventually arrived: Hun starts to slow down more and more, getting really exhausted. He stops right next to a door, while catching his breath.
The guards were almost near him! Once they reach the top of the stairs, though… Hun wasn't there anymore.
"To the door! Let's get him!"
"No wait! He's an Inkling, remember?! Those creatures can become a Squid and pass through gates!"
"So? Why the fun fact in this very moment?"
"Because of that…" The guard pointed an air duct.
The boy slides through the air duct, as fast as he can! Not even the dust was stopping him, from slowing down. He felt a breeze was coming through him… which suddenly becomes a huge hurricane! The poor Squid got pushed around the air duct, like a toy.
He becomes humanoid to try hanging on the edge: he did it! About time too: the wind was trying to push Hun right into a fan! His cap fell down into the fan, getting sliced into smithereens. The boy didn't notice this and keeps holding as much as he can.
The pain on the right arm was too big to ignore: Hun was almost losing the grip. In his last effort, he screamed in pain while holding on his left fingers.
"Ok, stop the fans! We got him!" A voice said not too far from where the boy was.
The fans slow down, until they are completely still. Back to the 5 guards, one of them was hearing something.
"All right! Mission complete." He reported.
"They got the kid?!"
"Well, not exactly…"
"What do you mean?!"
"… they reported pieces of cloth, near a grate of the duct."
"W-wait… no, y-you don't mean"
"Unfortunately, yes…" He lowers his head.
"Nooo! Are you crazy?! He was just a kid!"
"I'm sorry… I didn't see any alternatives…"
"No, man… p-poor kid… w-we didn't mean to do that." He took off his guard cap and his eyes start to water a bit.
"Let's not think about this, ok? No one will know, anyway."
The guards left the stairs, staying in complete silence and shocked about what happened. However, looking back in the air duct… actually, Hun survived! He was trembling a lot, still unsure about his safety. The wind didn't blow as much as before, making the boy sigh in relief.
He becomes a Squid again and begins to slide around. The boy felt like his ears were joking on him: he keeps hearing familiar voices coming out from his right side. Getting really curious, he decide to inspect a little bit. It wasn't just an impression: Hun actually recognizes those voices!
"Maaan, I want to go home… I don't like staying in this cage!"
"Bars, would you be quiet? The situation is already desperate…"
"Hey, why don't we play a Quiz game? I'm the announcer and you are the competitors!"
"Ooooh, yesyesyes! I love answering questions!"
"But you rarely guess right, Zira…"
"What about we talk about Turf Wars, instead?"
"We already talked about it, Nick…"
"Wanna shot 'nother argument, pardner?"
That voice… yes, it was Fara! She's with all the others too! Their presence, gave Hun a very big self-esteem.
"Haaaahahahahaha!"
A creepy laugh comes in, getting the attention of everyone.