Ok, we are finally done.
The papers came too! Let's give it a read.
… what the?! S-still nothing?!
It can't be! That kid must have something unique!
But his anatomy isn't any different from your average Inkling... at least according to the papers.
Then, why he changed his color into that dark blue variety? There must be a reason!
Uhm… in this case… the solution may only be one.
That's…?
His disease.
We already ditched that possibility.
No wait! Think about it… isn't it weird that "the bubble" has a considerable size already?
True, but how the dark blue color and the bubble correlate? No previous medical cases reported patients changing their color.
It's a rare disease we are talking about here! We don't know much about it at all, even with the reports at hand.
Not to mention, that machine…
Yeah, it's so weird we are not allowed to inspect much about it… I always wondered how that thing operates.
Don't think on it, now. We have 5 minutes to give the results!
What results? Nothing odd was found… aside from the disease.
Shoot! At least something similar to this case…?
Uhm… the only thing I can think of is the random ink change occurring on Inklings… but that will bring us nowhere.
Sigh… we have no choice but to examine the patient while he has the dark ink color.
IIt'll be almost impossible, if it keeps lasting for 4 minutes!
If only we find the cause of this… did the patient said anything about it?
Uhm… he claims to not remember anything. Not even the fight against Giulius.
Darn! I hate giving out blank reports like this one!
Yeah, man… do you have a lie ready?
More a gamble! I'll take a sample of his normal ink and send to the laboratories.
You think it'll work?
I don't turfing know… but at least they will not blame on us!
Ok. I'll distract his sister and Tonna, in the meantime.
The sun was slightly covered by the buildings, the sky was clear with some clouds floating by. The road was crossed by multiple cars, which sometimes form a traffic jam. Horns were pressed: it almost felt like they were composing a melody!
The improvised music could reach inside the numerous apartments throughout Inkopolis. Including one in particular, known as the Headquarters. Inside a medium-sized room, an Inkling boy was sleeping on his bed. He was under the bed sheet and sometimes, he shivered.
Suddenly, a small hand lifted a marine shell with a creature inside on the bed. Carefully, it slid all the way until it was gently laid on the boy's stomach. He snorted for a moment, then he resume his sleep.
"Sa' 'ood mornin' to Hun, Skippy!" Fara's voice was heard.
Hun opens his eyes, quickly seeing the creature slowly crawling out of its shell. He screamed, jumping away from his bed.
"WH-WHAT'S THAT?!" He breathes rapidly, trembling.
Skippy squeaked, disappearing inside his shell.
"Aaawww, big bro! Ya scard him…" The little girl caressed the shell.
"He-he's harmless, right?!" He bends down, looking inside the shell.
"Yup! He's so harmilss 'hat evn a fly 'ould bull' him!" Fara whispers his name.
Skippy slowly comes out, revealing his face.
"But where did you find him?!" He stops trembling.
"Righ' outsi' th' door!" The girl points the main entrance. "He wa' cryin' so much… I 'ouldn' leav' him alon'!"
Hun rubs his chin.
"That's weird… why this animal was outside the door?"
"Yeah! 'hat wa' so mean!" She frowns. "He 'eeds a new home, big bro!"
Fara kept pointing the floor. Hun looks her movement: she raises her eyebrows multiple times.
"You… you want Skippy as a pet?" He tilts his head.
"Yay! Thank you, Hun!" She hugs him. "You're th' best!"
Hun chuckles, petting her head.
"That's nothing, really! He does like you a lot!" Hun sees Skippy watching Fara.
"Bu' he's also you' friend!" She looks at him, with watery eyes.
"Of course he's!" He smiled.
Skippy looks at Hun: he slowly crawled inside.
"Well…" He scratches his head. "I wonder what kind of animal is that…"
"Who cares!" Fara shrugs. "He's Skippy, ou' pet!"
Hun looks at Fara for a while.
"What?" She asked, tilting her head.
"Is it me… or you are speaking normally?" He sits on his bed.
"Ye'… practice is helpin' me out…" She grabs Skippy's shell, then she sits on the bed while hugging him.
"Wow! You are doing some progress!" He left his mouth open.
"Thank you, big bro!" She winks. "I'm so happy 'hat I can tal' a lil' better!"
"Uhm… don't exaggerate though…" He lays on the bed.
"Hun… ar' you sleepy?" She looks Skippy's shell.
"A bit…" He stretches. "At least I don't have milk duty to cover… …"
The boy gradually expanded his eyes.
"Wait… aren't I suppose to start my first mission?!" He jumps out of the bed.
"You are?" Fara lies a hand near her mouth.
Knock knock.
"Oh-oh…" He looks at the main door.
"Hun? Are you there?" Tonna's voice was heard from behind it.
The boy shushes to his sister, wearing off his shirt. He walks towards the bathroom on his tiptoes. Skippy squeaked loudly: Fara immediately shushes near him.
"Hun?!" Tonna knocks on the door again. "Don't try to hide. You know, you have work to do!"
The little female Inkling grits her teeth and peeks over the bathroom. She leaves Skippy on the bed and walks near his bag. The animal squeaked again and Fara shushes over him louder than before.
"Hmpf!" Tonna speaks again. "You could at least open the door for a minute!"
Hun sticks his head from the bathroom door. He lowered it, as he walks near his thrown shirt, wearing it: then, he walks over the door. Opening it, the boy sees the woman folding her arms and frowning. She looks at him from head to toe.
"Ehm… good morning, Tonna…" He waves his hand.
Tonna sighs loudly.
"Hun… I know this is your true first day here… but being late is not acceptable, even from rookies."
"I'm so sorry, Tonna! I forgot to set the thing that wakes you up!" He opens his arms.
"It's called an alarm clock." She returns her arms. "Anyway, ignore it for now and listen to me."
Hun nodded.
"I see you received the Super Sea Snail I laid on the front door." She peeks his house, looking at Skippy.
"The Super Sea Snail?" Hun looks behind.
"Is the creature your sister is petting."
"Ah…! I wondered what kind of animal he was…!" He chuckles. "But why you leave him in front of my door?"
Tonna coughed.
"Because he's absolutely needed for your first mission. I wanted to give him to you this night, but I feared to cause some trouble… so I just left him sleeping near the door. I thought his squeaks would wake you up…"
"My brother is 'ood at sleepin'!" Fara giggles. "Unless I 'all him on 'is ear!"
Hun felt embarrassed.
"In any case" Tonna continued. "I see the creature didn't scare you…"
"Ehm… actually…" He lowers his head.
"That doesn't matter." She smiles. "The present is what it counts."
"But why Skippy is required?" He asked.
"I don't know the exact details…" She looks around for a moment. "To tell you the truth, I'm not allowed to know anything about the other agents' missions… well, this time there was a little exception."
"So, you know it?"
"The only thing I know is that you'll carry the Super Sea Snail during the mission. I was the one that wanted to show the creature to you, beforehand."
"Aaaaah… that makes sense!" Hun nodded.
"Good! Then, please prepare yourself. We'll meet at the Briefing Room." Tonna walks away.
"The Briefing what?!" Hun stretches his arm towards Tonna.
"Hun!" She turns her back, frowning. "Don't you dare waste any time now! You are already late!"
The woman resumes her walk, turning a corner. Hun lowers his arm, with his mouth left open. He sighs, closing the door.
"Hun…" Fara said in a low voice.
"Hmm?" His hands gripped on his shirt.
"Will Skippy be alright…?" She raises her eyebrows, her mouth downturned.
The boy gave a quick look at the pet: Skippy crawls a little inside his shell and starts trembling.
"… don't worry, Fara!" He smiles, puffing out his chest. "I'll bring him back safe and sound!"
Fara gradually opens her mouth, with a wide smile.
"YA'RE TRULY TH' BEST!" She dives on him.
Hun holds her and both the siblings hug once more. He caressed her, giving a kiss on the top of her head.