Who is coming in your way?
"I think a Sea Urchin…" He squeezes his eyes.
What?! Drat! We got too much attention! Retreat immediately!
Hun slowly walks backwards… then with a fast turn, he sprints away.
"Why I'm retreating?!" He shouted.
Because you fought that Inkling! Now they know you are strong, so the Sea Urchins will no longer lower their guards!
"Pant, pant… you still didn't answer my question!" He turns his head, seeing the kid chasing after him.
I was getting there! Super Sea Snails are very valuable: they will do anything to take yours, if you don't hide somewhere first!
Turning behind once more, Hun could see that multiple Sea Urchin kids were running. They were pretty fast too!
"Tell me where I need to go!"
Go out of that area! They will not dare to follow you!
The boy moves his legs faster, his teeth were gritting as much as they could. Skippy squeaked non-stop. The end of the desolated area was about 100 meters. The Sea Urchin kids were slowing down gradually, letting Hun escape safely.
Taking a last look behind, the boy sighed in relief. His legs almost forced him to move towards a bench. He didn't complain at all: he smiled willing to increase the pace. Sinking on the bench, Hun took off his bag laying it near him. After stretching his arms, he was ready to talk with Tonna once more.
"Good thing those kids can't get me here!" He pats Skippy.
You must return into that area, Hun.
"Huh?!" He stood up. "Why?! Didn't you say they know me now?!"
Yes, but that doesn't mean the mission is aborted. There is another way to deal with situation, which you must follow.
Hun shakes his head.
"I don't know, Tonna… I don't even understand what Skippy has to do with the whole mission."
Skippy? You mean, the Super Sea Snail?
"Yes. I can't go back there, if those Sea Urchins want him!" He looks at Skippy.
The animal was staring at Hun walking back and forth.
Actually… that was the mission all along.
Suddenly, Hun stopped… and for a moment, his heart too.
You are suppose to enter inside their base and trade the Super Sea Snail with information about the Stingrays. The Sea Urchins will most likely cooperate if
"You… you want me to give Skippy away…?" He didn't change his expression.
Yes. Why that question…? … no, don't tell me
"I'm sorry Tonna." He sighed. "I can't give him to them! That's absolutely crazy!"
Skippy squeaked.
Hun! You'll not dare to abandon the mission just because
"Why you didn't mention this earlier?!" He frowns. "I thought that Skippy was supposed to be carried behind!"
Tsk… really? You bring items with you without even utilize them? Look… I knew you aren't good with your memory, but I can't believe you are this sleepy!
He frowns even more than before. His mouth downturned, his nose inhales air loudly.
And besides, why you care so much for a Super Sea Snail? No one ever did! In fact, people that do care for one must have problems!
Her voice ringed through Hun's ears: his head starts to become dizzy. His eyes were losing focus and a sudden strength was dominating all over him. The objects around him start to look like punching bags… or even targets!
Instantly, Hun took the Communicators from his ears and throw them away, screaming. Skippy crawled inside his shell, crying. He breathes loudly, clenching his fist. A tear come out from his eye, which he dries almost immediately.
Gulping as fast as a blink of an eye, the boy walks near Skippy bending down.
"It's over, Skippy. We're going back home." He smiles.
Hunley?
Turning over, Hun could see a familiar face.
"Mirii?!" He looks her from head to toe.
He notices her weapon carried on her backpack.
"W-what are you doing here?"
"I wanted to pay you a visit inside the Headquarters… well, before going with Grina and Bars." Her eyes rest on Skippy.
"Ah, I see…! I was returning home actually, so"
"Why you have a Super Sea Snail?" She walks near him.
"Because I was suppose to bring him to the Sea Urchins." He crossed his arms. "That was the job they assigned me to…"
"Was?" She looks at him, puzzled.
"Yes, was. I quitted the mission!" He shouts. "I'll not give Skippy away like that!"
Suddenly, Mirii starts frowning.
"… you quitted the mission…?" She inhales rapidly and loudly, as she stands in tiptoes. "ARE YOU CRAZY, HUN?! GIVE THE SUPER SEA SNAIL TO THEM, RIGHT IN THIS INSTANT!"
"Eeeeh?!" Hun backs a little, raising his arm. "W-what are you saying?!"
"I'm saying that refusing a mission is downright ridiculous! You must complete all of them!" She walks in his direction.
"Bu-but wait! Th-there is something to"
"NO EXCUSES!" She points at him. "You didn't become an Agent just for fun! You know very well the reason!"
"The reason…?" He thinks about it. "… well… that's true…"
"Then, you should NOT complain about any of them!" She grits her teeth.
"No… th-that's wrong!" He cries out. "I'm sure some of them are impossible for me! Especially this one!"
"Where IS the impossible part in this mission?! You know your objectives! You are also a capable fighter! You are absolutely perfect to"
Suddenly, a loud squeak ringed through the ears of both the Inklings. Looking over the source sound, they see a Sea Urchin grabbing Skippy and escaping inside the lonely district. Hun lies his hands on his head, while his eyes almost popped out!
"NOOO! COME BACK HERE!" He becomes a Squid, starting his chase.
Mirii gasped inside herself: she takes an Inkblue Gum and chews it. As soon as her tentacles became blue, she dives inside Hun's ink and follow its trail. While swimming, the waves around her were getting higher than usual. She occasionally jumps over glass shards and broken weapons.
The path was now proceeding through a brick wall. Mirii jumped repeatedly, while swimming upwards. At the top of the wall, the girl returns into her humanoid form and starts looking around: Hun's path was twisting through the isolated open hallways.
Near them, there were a group of houses: those were losing their original color and cracks could be seen on their walls. The balconies were appearing as rectangular blocks from Mirii's eyes. She takes her weapon and holds the trigger.
She shoots a straight line on a house's wall. Another charged shot goes right on the balcony, connecting the two blue lines. Mirii falls down, landing with a roll and returning back up in a second. She dashes and jumped towards the blue line, while transforming into a Squid.
She climbs the wall and reached the balcony, thanks to the path she created. Emerging as herself, she walks slowly with her knees bended, right near the balcony's wall-like board. Peeking just a bit, the girl notices another house almost identical to the previous one.
Another peek around the ground: a rat was digging through trash bags. Her tentacles suddenly rose up and her eyes popped out. She sits down, hugging her legs and trembling as she lies against the wall. Her eyes rest in front of a room: there was a dresser fallen down, a bed on the ground full of different yellow spots, an old TV with the screen covered with multiple cracks and small pebbles dominate the floor. Right next to her, there was an empty bottle of Inkbeer.
Its strong smell invaded Mirii's nostrils: she snorted, followed by a grimace. Quickly standing up, Mirii took another look down, then the other balcony right ahead. The distance between them doesn't seem too long…
Sounds of steps made the girl's ears rise up. She walks inside the room, then turning over towards the other balcony… she dashes springing on the first balcony's board wall, then springing again up in the air. She grips the second balcony's edge: her legs relentlessly kicks the air, as the girl forces her small muscle arms.
Peeking through the corner of her eyes, Mirii could see the rat right under her feet. She screamed, as her arms lift her body up and over the board. The girl landed on the second balcony, with her back. Her ears could still hear steps… as well as squeaks. However, those weren't coming from under the balcony… instead they were coming from the other side!
Turning over, Mirii crawled through all the dirty balcony until she reaches the end of it. Slightly moving her head up, the girl peeks a group of Sea Urchins around a taller and very skinny one. They all wear the same kind of poncho, though with a better look, the kids's eyes were left in the dark surrounded by their spikes. Accumulated in a corner, there were many empty Sea Shells.
The young Sea Urchin with Skippy on his hands speaks first.
"Look what we brought!" He lifts Skippy. "A fresh Super Sea Snail!"
Skippy retreats inside his shell. The taller Sea Urchin looks closely around him, using his only right eye.
"Uhm… male… a bit fatter than usual…" He keeps looking around. "… uhm! Not bad at all, actually!"
"Really?!" The kid gives Skippy away.
"You did quite good!" The grown-up Urchin knocks on his shell. "Fat Super Sea Snails spawn even more delicious money than the regular ones! I think that today we finally hit the jackpot!"
All the kids jumped and cheered, singing a song all together!
"HEY YOU!" Hun jumps from a small brick wall, getting the attention of everyone else.
He returns into his humanoid form and holds a fighting pose. Mirii covers her mouth, unable to shift her eyes away from the scene.