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Stucked under a brownish terrain, a vessel made of wooden tiles. In the middle, a small bridge with stairs raises from the ground and touched a wooden door with a small circular window located above the center. Larger windows were spread all around the ship, staying apart from each other in the same horizontal distance.
The sails were rolled up, the helm was on the highest board on the left side, some barrels were standing still around the main deck. Stepping on the dusty terrain, Grina and Bars with Master Squid resting on the Inkling girl's hands standing on Grina's right. The crowd of Inklings were just behind, all with their mouths sealed.
Grina's mouth opened, her eyes started sparkling a bit as her feet stopped almost near the grass. Her mouth closed, swallowing silently. Her right foot rose, then steps on the grass: her hands were slightly waving, as everyone's eyes were directly on both Grina and the ship.
Crackling sounds came up in a slow rhythm, the breeze moved her tentacles to the left silently. Her right arm tilts 45°, her hand opened. The palm impacted on a wooden tile, which had small holes spread around it.
The surface felt a bit cold, as her nostrils caught the smell of one those wood furniture her grandpa had. Her eyes started to get a bit watery.
"Am I… back to the past?"
Her fingers slides backwards a bit, bending upwards.
"I… I forgot about this."
Her head lowers down.
"I forgot the times when me and grandpa walked in the studios…"
You see that ship, grandpa?! That's the Pirate House, where our adventures begins!
Ah ah, yes Grina. I must say, that's a pretty nice vessel!
It's the best ship in the world! I wish I could truly live there, grandpa!
If you truly want to, I can give you some tips: back when I was young, I used to travel on battle ships.
Wow, really?! You had to fire up the cannons once you saw the bad guys?!
Why, yes! In fact, I was the responsible for protecting the ship from any harm.
Grina trembles a bit, as her teeth showed up a little.
Once I reach my 14th birthday, I'll buy a ship just like this one and challenge the rest of the world in Turf War matches!
Hmm? Don't you like acting better?
Ehm… yeah! Of course I do! In fact, I want to still act even after my 14th age! Just, you know… I want also be the princess of Turf Wars!
Eh eh, that's my Grina! Always an ambitious Squid!
For now, I must be a good girl at school, I must learn more about acting… is there something else I'm missing?
Let's see… nothing really.
No wait, I know what's missing: an advice from you, grandpa! You are so wise, your knowledge is much more important than any treasure!
Ha ha, why thank you for the compliment! Uhm… an advice… well, I do have one.
Yes! Say it, please!
Ok! Here it's: smiling is good only when things are good.
Huh…? What do you mean?
It means, you should always look for something truly good in order to smile. It doesn't mean everything you see is good… not even someone else's smile.
Not even theirs…? Uh… ok! I'll remember that, grandpa!
Grina slowly smiles, as a tear passed on her right cheek.
"He… he knew it, didn't he…? He knew I wasn't a fan of this miserable pile of work, I had to go through…"
She rose her head, staring at two wooden tiles.
"Grandpa… I-I finally understand everything you wanted to say."
Her left wrists rubs her eyes.
"Not only that old advice… also the only way I'm going to see you again."
Her mouth starts waving, as she sniffs loudly.
"I hope you are happy to see what Grina did after her 14th birthday… thank you for being the awesome grandpa you are!"
Her eyes blinked twice: she slowly turns behind, with her smile reaching her cheeks.
"… it was good to see the past." Grina walks forward for 4 steps. "Hard work and passion is something who's still remaining inside this ship's veins."
"Glad to hear such words." Master Squid closed his eyes. "Making Greta smile is pretty much the only achievement I ever need."
Grina giggles with her eyes closed. She kept walking, as her eyes reopened.
"I-I don't know what to say about this: it's made so well, I could live there for the rest of my life!"
"If you want, the Pirate House is all yours." Master Squid nods, as his tentacles folded.
"No, no I can't do that." She shakes her head. "This house was built by my fans: they have the right to live there."
An Inkling boy in the crowd starts clapping: gradually, all Inklings starts clapping and cheering as their mouths were pronouncing her name.
"Your gratitude is making me feel like I'm a criminal." The Squid shakes his head. "Just tell me: is there something else you want from us? If you want to keep up the party, there is no"
"Master Squid, how could I be so greedy to ask more from my fans?" She smiles widely, as she gets closer to the Squid.
She bends down a bit, as her eyes were staring at his.
"The very fact I have them still to this day, it's something truly surprising. I would be a monster, if I treat them like slaves..."
Her hands were on her knees.
"Although, I would like to just ask you a question."
The Squid kept staring at the girl. Her eyes closed for a moment.
"A bit too fast there… but if I keep staying here, I'll not even think to get away." She reopens her eyes. "So, Master Squid… it's just a simple question: have you ever heard of Project Neo?"
The wind loudly passed through the grass. Master Squid… gradually starts frowning.
"… it was too good to be true…" He whispered.
"Huh?" Grina's head tilted to the left a bit.
"You… you are not Greta, are you NOT?!" He bends a bit forward.
"Eeeeh?!" Her irises shrunk, as her back bends behind a bit. "Wh-what are you mumbling about?! I-I'm truly Greta!"
"It can't be!" His eyes squeezed. "No one knows about that name… and if you do, that means you must be one of them."
Grina blinked two times, as a single sweat was resting on her head's left side.
"Wait, you are making"
"Tell us the truth!" He jumps two times. "You are here to take me and the others back to those awful labs, huh?! IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT?!"
"NO!" Her head was shaking, her hands were moving sideways in opposite directions. "No, seriously! We are your friends, actually!"
Her fingers rest on her chest, as she bends forward.
"We want to stop that dry project, which is ruining so many young lives!" She grits her teeth.
"Don't make me laugh!" He sniffs loudly. "The only ones who know anything about Project Neo are Agents… you are here to capture us against our will and run other experiments without a single care."
He snorted.
"I can't believe you would ever go this low…"
"We are against Agents! We truly do!" Her arms stretched down, her eyebrows rose. "We just need"
"Then, who are YOU?!" The Squid folds his tentacles.
Grina left her mouth open: her irises went to the right for a moment. She sighs loudly.
"Look, we are actually Rangers…"
"Rangers?!" He squeezes his eyes. "The only thing I know from them is that they are amateurs. They would not sent any newbie to trick Master Squid and his gang."
He inhales air loudly.
"Second, Rangers are still affiliated with Agents… therefore, you are Fresh Squid's archenemies."
"No please, don't say that!" Her arms opened, her knees bended. "I-I'm truly Greta Inkolina! I-I truly want to stop this darn project! It's just that a multitude of events happened, which made me and my friend join the Agents! Please, let me explain"
"Enough." He shakes his head. "I know which tricks those Agents have in their sleeves… and honestly, you already did way too much damage to receive the chance of redeeming yourselves."
His right tentacle moved backwards.
"Go out: next time you step in, you are gonna get splatted."
Grina rose her right forefinger, with her downturned mouth opened.
"Bu-but"
A left hand stood on her right shoulder: her head twisted over the right, seeing Bars shaking his head slowly.
"Girl… I think we should go."
"Bars, I-I can't go away!" Her arms opened. "My fans"
"Like, didn't you notice it yet…?" He turns over the crowd. "Just take a look."
Grina returns her head forward: all Inklings were frowning a lot, most of them had either their head down or their arms were folding. Her mouth opened wide.
"I'm not in the mood of beating people up, girl… I hate sending black eyes to someone innocent." His left hand went behind her shoulder. "Let's just get back home…"
Her eyes were getting a bit watery: they rested on Master Squid, which was still frowning and squeezing his eyes. Slowly, the girl starts walking on the road… moving towards the crowd, as the Inklings in the middle moved to the sides.
Yeah, go away impostor!
I hope a pigeon is going to splat down on your head.
Crawl back in the sewers you came from.
You are a terrible, piece of ship!
If it wasn't for Master Squid, I would have already made you eat your own tentacles for disregarding the legendary Greta!
Words and more words were coming from the crowd's mouth: each of them were striking on her chest. Grina's head was down, as she starts sobbing. Bars' arms wrapped around the girl, as his right hand was caressing her head's back.