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... after I finished taking the hot bath, we waited for the arrival of the car.
The smartphone was on the bed: both Grina and Bars were staying with their stomach down, staring at the device.
"Ehm… not to contradict any news or anything, but how did Hunry got to the Ex-Master in the first place?" Her right eyebrow rose.
A member of the Shrine stopped time for 5 minutes, took Hunley right from my bag and brought him in front of the old man.
"That kinda feels like something invented right now, Mirii…" She shakes her head.
Certainly I'm not joking! Tonna heard the same statements said by the Shrine staff, agreeing with everything they said.
"Yet, they couldn't figure it out what was inside her head about Project Neo, huh…" Grina's eyelids lowered, her mouth downturned a little.
Bars yawned loudly, as he stretched his arms.
Because I don't KNOW anything about Project Neo! I don't work in that Department, I don't even know personally any Agent who works there!
"But you were the one who shut Fara up with your turf-awful menaces!" Grina frowned a lot. "Tonna, the poor girl even cried it out to us!"
Grina, she was following the orders of Mr. Tarfo…
"Ah…" She kept nodding, while rotating her right hand.
The girl jumped out from her bed, chuckling a bit.
"Of course she would follow his orders! Like, her mind was already cooked with her rank chasing." She shakes her head.
WHAT DID YOU SAID, IGNORANT?! HAVING A HIGH RANK MAKES YOU AN IMPORTANT PERSON!
Tonna, please! Let me discuss with my friend instead! Ignorance likes to hide inside anger…
Grrrrr…
Very well. Now, Grina…
The girl's eyes rolled, as they stopped watching the ceiling.
"Yeah?"
As I said before, Tonna promised in front of Shrine staff to be Hunley's information gatherer. Her role will see her collecting information about Project Neo and trying to convince the Headquarters, into letting Hunley utilize the machine.
"Wait, didn't he took the baths too?!" She bended over the smartphone, with her eyes expanded.
He did. Unfortunately, the baths don't possess the powers to completely obliterate the bomb he has inside. The only positive stat achieved is the extension of the time. The Shrine staff assured he received more days to live.
"Sweet!" She smiled widely, as her right fist clenched. "Totally rad!"
"Hey, like… wait a sec!" Bars' back lifted. "What if Tonna betrays us? Hunter is going to beat her up?"
NO, BARS! What kind of idiotic question you formed?!
"Heh, does sound awesome in my ears…" Grina grins a lot.
Sigh… if Tonna is discovered into not contributing with Hunley's case, he has to inform the owner of the Shrine about her last actions. They would immediately call the Headquarters, informing them about her plans to bring Hunley inside the Shrine.
YOU WERE THE ONE WHO DID THAT! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING
TONNA, BE QUIET!
… sigh… that Shrine made me more nervous than my turfing chief…
"Aaawww, poor little Tonna…" Grina clasped her hands, shaking her head. "Got into the Shrine's bag like a tuna."
GRRRRR!
Grina and Bars laughed a bit.
Grina, Bars… you would better hide, when I'll return.
"Huh?! Why?!" Her eyes expanded, frowning a bit. "I was just joking!"
"Yeah! Like, she can't take a little joke?" He opens his arms.
Did I mention she was forced to take the cold bath before reaching the main ones?
"So?!" Grina took her smartphone, frowning a bit more. "Come on, Mirii! I didn't want to be nasty at all! In fact, I just wanted to comment"
It passed years, since they called me tuna…
The girl opened her mouth.
Sigh… tuna… I hate that word with all my heart… that witch who kept calling me stupid tuna, just because I didn't have the will of studying at school…
Grina turned over Bars, with her eyes wide open.
Tuna schooled! Tuna schooled! That witch who has like A on everything and the likes of the teachers! Well, I took the turfing books, studied to my heart's content, got A+ on everything and I even passed the Inkopolis Security Team test, while YOU are stuck inside some cheap factory for ignorant donkeys! Look at my rank, witch, LOOK AT MY RANK!
Silence weighs in. Grina looked left and right, with her mouth sealed.
"Uh… Tonna…" She whispered, before coughing once. "Tonna, I-I didn't imagine"
Yes, I know… no one can read my mind, except those members from the Shrine. It's not your fault…
"No, what are you saying?!" Grina frowned, grasping her smartphone even more. "I talked too much for today! Even when I'm not trying to hurt others, it happens in a kick!"
It was long ago, Grina… I-I couldn't contain myself for that outburst…
"Well, I did have some boneheads who were all annoying with their achievements… I remember to despise every single word they kept repeating too." She sealed her mouth for a moment. "My ears were regurgitating like mad!"
"Girl, like I didn't expect that thing said by you!" Bars' eyes were wide, as he scratches the back of his neck. "You getting butt-hurt? Totally unreal!"
"Yeah yeah, I had yet to learn the art of not giving a turf, Barsy…" Grina grinned, as her arms opened. "But hey, I'm all in for some tomatoes in the face and some boos from my friends! After what I said, I'm really asking for it…"
Asking for punishment is an ineffective method, which will force your brain to forget the pain you suffered. Instead, I'll utilize scientifically proved tactics, which will permanently leave a mark in your memories.
"Whoa, like no way!" Bars dashed over the smartphone, with his face getting closer to it. "How about we discuss more on the Headquarters' plans? Like, they could be labeled as serious!"
… Bars, I wanted to add that the punishment will be postponed, due to the small amount of time we must utilize to solve this intricate mystery.
Both Inklings sighed in relief, with Grina drying her forehead.
Everything important has been said. We are almost reaching Inkopolis, so make sure you'll wait for our arrival at the entrance. The call ends
Mirii, can I ask a question to Grina?!
Which question, Hunley?
Grina smiled: she pulled her smartphone in front of her face.
"Fire away, Hunry." Her eyes closed. "Don't be shy."
Ah… thank you Grina! I wanted to know where is Fara…
"Ah, Fara…" Her head turned over the door. "Funny question. Actually we wanted to pick her up with us." Her eyebrows rose. "We went right in front of the door, knocking it out… your sister kinda shouted back to us…"
What?! She refused to be with you, in other words?! I told her many times
"Hold on, Hunry!" She sighed. "You shouldn't be that hard with her… after all, we weren't really nice with you in the first place…"
But you are nice people! It's just… just… just a quarrel and nothing else!
Grina's face darkened.
"… I wouldn't call that a normal quarrel. That was a really big mistake from us…"
Grina, what's the point to remember such irrelevant event?
"BECAUSE THAT'S THE REASON WHY SHE HATES US, MIRII!" The girl frowned a lot, while grasping her smartphone. "You are incredibly lucky to NOT have anyone hating you! You don't even have any idea what it feels to be hated for awful mistakes, you wish to not have committed! Spoiler alert: it's absolutely terrible!"
Grina
"Mirii, we have to go now." Her eyes were a bit watery. "Fara must know the news about Hunry…" She nodded once, while closing her eyes. "… yes, we'll make sure no one hears our discussion!"
… fine. Don't be late: Tonna wants to guide us into a secret room, which is too complicated to explain through the phone.
"Alright, alright…" Grina's eyes rolled. "See you there, everyone!"
The girl pushed the red button, as her right hand puts it inside her right pocket. She turned her head over Bars, smiling.
"Shall we get going, big boy?" She winks with her right eye.
"Yeah, rock and rolling the situation!" His left eye winked.
The two Inklings walked over the door, as the girl pulled it open and the boy pulled it back: a clicking sound came after the door impacted.
"Girl, you know the weirdest stuff?" Bars walked on Grina's right side.
"Hmm?" Her head turns over his one.
"Like, it's kinda weird no one got over the door, ordering us some missions or something." He shrugged.
The two Inklings turned to the right.
"Heh, must be related with the Captain." Her head looked down over her feet. "They said to be actively searching for him, so we can just chill and freeze in this prison of Agents."
"Maaan, that's too lame and dry. Kinda wish to get some fresh air and something fresh to eat." His hands fell inside his pockets. "Like, it must be lunch time already… my stomach ain't lazy."
"Eh eh!" The girl's right hand touched his stomach, while she smiled a lot. "Poor Barsy wants to munch so much!"
Bars' left hand touched her stomach, smiling too.
"Said the hungry, little Squid."
Both the Inklings chuckled a bit, freeing their respective stomachs. They turned to the left: an adult male Inkling, wearing the known Hero suit, stopped suddenly in front of them.
"Hi kids!" He waved his left hand. "I was just looking for you!"
"Eh?" Her right cheek rose, her right eyebrow lowered. "You want to hold a party?"
"Well, not really…" He shakes his head. "The Chief wants to talk with you two."
The man tilted left and right.
"Wait, wasn't there another girl with you?" He opened his arms, as his irises kept bouncing sideways.
"She got the baths, dude." Bars stepped forward, folding his arms. "She'll get her feet here soon enough, though."
"Great! Then, I'll inform the Chief about that…" The Agent walked backward, while pointing over the two Inklings. "You two go get your colleague, then go to his office which is located on the 7° floor, the last door of the hallway. Did you understand?"
"Yep!" Grina does a salute, while smiling and winking with her right eye. "Splat Rangers: always at the service of Inkopolis!"
The man laughed, then he turned his back walking ahead: his left hand waved at them, while turning in the same direction. Grina watched his back returning forward: she pulled her right tear troughs with her right forefinger, while sticking out her tongue.
"Heh, for a minute I thought you were really geared up for serving the Headquarters…" Bars' eyes were closed, while smiling: a sweat drop appeared on his left side.
"My stomach was ready to puke on their stupid carpet, instead!" She turned over the boy, showing her teeth and frowning a bit. "Although, we are still going to talk"
"Whoa girl!" His eyes were on a round clock. "Like, don't yo think we might be late to meet Mirii at the entrance? She might bash on us like a boar!"
Her eyebrows rose, her mouth downturned: her back turned and her sight pointed the end of the hallway.
"Darn…"
"Don't worry, now!" His right hand took her left hand. "Let's just reach the entrance, Grina!"
He smiled. The girl sighed loudly, as the boy pulled her while walking.