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"Uhm... what I will do once I entered the mall?" Mirii's head rose, while standing still near Hun and behind a crowd of talking Inklings and other humanoid, sea creatures. "I understand that I can't force too much from me, considering my energy status… at the same time that would make me rather inactive, which slows my progress down."
She sighed.
"Also, avoiding discussions might be crucial as well: my throat is sore… and I do not intend losing my voice, since communication is a precious resource I must keep!"
Her head turned left and right.
"It's been a while since we are waiting here… luckily, none of my friends started another conversation with me. My throat it's still poking… better keep my mouth shut, until my voice is saved."
The door opened!
Let's get iiiiin!
Everyone! Let's hurry inside!
The crowd rushed through the automatic doors, as Mirii's eyes tracked the other 4 Inklings rushing inside as well.
"Of course I'll simply walk in." She starts walking. "... siiiigh, I feel so useless right now… walking as if I never dedicated any time to physical activities." Her head rose. "… a little run shouldn't hurt that much… just to prove how I'm NOT a lazy Squid."
The girl sprinted a bit: suddenly, an Inkling woman jumped in front of her while smiling and closing her eyes. Her hands were down, her tentacles were tied in a bow and a small, white cap was leaning on her head's right side. Mirii slides on the clear floor, as her irises shrunk.
"Welcome!" The woman bowed. "Thank you for visiting Makikora Mall!" Her posture lifted, as her face kept her expression.
"… you are welcome." Mirii's head rose.
Her feet began walking, while passing the woman.
"Mirii Kelpshell…"
The girl stopped: immediately, she turned behind seeing the same woman smiling.
"… do you need assistance?" Her head tilted to her left, as her eyes closed.
"You… wh-what did you said before?"
"… I was thanking you." Her eyes opened, her head returned into her neutral position. "Is there something wrong?"
"… you said a name and a surname." Mirii's head rose. "I heard your voice…"
"Maybe are you friends calling you…?" The woman's eyes closed.
Mirii's irises shrunk.
"Wh-what?! How did you"
"Did I guessed it…?" The woman walked, stopping in front of Mirii. "Do you want me to find your friends?"
"… no, I would like to do that myself." She turns behind, proceeding her walk. "Forgive my questions, please."
Her eyebrows went up, as sweat covered her forehead and her head lowered.
"… how could I fell in such mistake?! Wh-what's wrong with me?!" She swallows silently. "N-next time, I-I'll be more careful…"
"Mirii Kelpshell?"
"AH!" Her head rose.
Another woman with darker skin and dressed like the previous was standing in front of Mirii. She was a bit taller than the other one.
"… yes?" Her head tilted to her left.
"You… you know my name?!" Mirii's irises shrunk.
"No. What's it?" Her eyes closed.
"… you…" Mirii's hands were standing on her head, as her eyebrows lowered and her irises shrunk a bit more. Sweat covered her face, her knees bended down. "… you said my name…"
"No, I didn't." The woman's mouth downturned. "Are you alright…?"
"Enough with those lies!" Mirii's right forefinger was pointing the woman, as her right foot slides. "You said my name! Why are you covering such fact?!"
"Hey, hey!" The woman's hands were moving back and forth, as her irises shrunk. "I-I didn't said anything… I-I swear!"
"… grrr… grrrrrrr…!" Mirii's eyes closed, as her head lowered, her fists clenched while trembling.
She walked past the woman, growling faintly.
"Wh-what's going on around here?!" Her head turned behind. "Why they are saying my full name?!"
Her sight turned to her right, as two Inkling women wearing the assistance outfit were talking with each other: the right one stared at Mirii, as her irises shrunk and her mouth was left open. She turned to her right, waving her left hand towards the other woman and walking away from her.
A sweat drop appears on Mirii's right side.
"… is it me or my presence made those two women stop?" Mirii's eyebrows were up, as her stomach bended backwards. "… this whole situation is giving me a headache… I-I must get back in my room, otherwise I may react in a regrettable way."
Mirii's head was turning left and right.
"… where are the others?" Her head lowered, as her right forefinger was standing on her mouth. "Why they are not here? Uhm… maybe they thought I was coming with them… I hope they are looking for me."
Her head rose: her eyes were seeing the same woman talking with the other one. Her tentacles were almost white, her skin was yellowish. The girl jumped, landing a bit back.
"Do you need assistance?" The woman closed her eyes.
"G-get away from me…!" Mirii's face frowned, as her right arm was standing sideways in front of her body, while sweat covered her whole head.
"Uhm? Why?" The woman's eyebrows were up, her mouth downturned.
The girl's mouth flattened: she starts walking sideways, as her shrunken irises were staring at the woman.
"Mirii Kelpshell…"
Mirii yelped, turning behind: another Inkling woman was smiling at her. The girl began walking backwards.
"Mirii Kelpshell?"
Mirii turned behind, seeing the same Inkling woman from before!
"… th-they keep calling my name… wh-why?!" She swallows silently. "I'm not sure who are those women… and honestly, I-I prefer staying as far away from them as"
"We heard your recent deeds."
Mirii lifts her posture, as her mouth opened wide.
"… I wonder if she'll talk more if I don't look at her." Her eyes were seeing the Inkling woman tilting her head to her left, as her eyes closed and her mouth smiling. "I can't help calm my sheer curiosity about this strange event."
"You escaped a virtual realm… don't try lying on that, please."
"… who are you?" Mirii's head rose.
…
"… why are you not answering?" Her eyes squeezed.
…
"Curses… asking that question made her quiet!" Mirii's head lowered, as she sighed. "Alright, forget that question please. Keep talking…"
"Your luck keeps surpassing our expectations… or is that pure skill?"
"I have a feeling those are talking about Project Neo…" Mirii's irises went to her right, as her eyelids and eyebrows lowered. "… I wonder what they are up to. The curiosity is too strong for me to stop right now… besides, I may learn more about the mall and the overall situation."
"Nevertheless, you are getting a lot of attentions lately… rumors about your legendary abilities are spreading around like mad."
"Why people are walking past us?!" Mirii snorted. "Something is seriously wrong with this whole situation…"
"In a sense, seeing you once again after two days of absence was a nice relief. Now we have a chance to know more about you, Mirii Kelpshell…"
"… can I talk now?" Mirii's head rose. "I can't hold my opinions much longer…"
…
"Hmpf, I don't understand where you are going with this…" Mirii shakes her head. "… I saw you, same for all your colleagues. I heard your voices mentioning my full name. What you want to get from this?"
…
"Please… I-I need interactions…" Mirii's eyebrows went up. "… I-I need to understand the situation…"
…
"Nothing… as passive as a bunch of rocks." Mirii's eyes closed. "Hmpf, there must be another way to make them stop acting in this ridiculous way…" She coughed. "You may continue…"
"We weren't expecting you inside this mall so soon. All alone, nevertheless. What can I say? … a neat opportunity, in our case."
"That phrase sounds terrible news for my side." Mirii's head rose. "If they are looking for a fight, I'll give them one… no one can beat perfection."
"This is the first time we meet, Mirii Kelpshell. Your presence… now belongs to us."
"What do you mean?!" Mirii frowned.
…
"Try catching me… you'll meet my kicks." Her arms folded.
"… it's already over."
Mirii's irises shrunk. She turns behind: the Inkling woman had her eyebrows down, while smiling.
"It's finally come… the time where you are being tested by us." Her arms folded.
Mirii took some steps backwards.
"Wh-what's happening?!" Her head turns around. "Why everyone is ignoring this?!"
"Because that's wrong…" She grins. "… you are not inside the mall."
"WHAT?!" Mirii's jaw dropped.
"… your friend Hun got cured from his disease… and yet, you still want to stick your nose in our affairs." The woman snickered.
"Y-you…" Mirii bended forward, as her face went paler.
"Not that we could let that happen neither… Hun is a nice guinea pig for some special experiments we have in mind." Her head shakes left and right. "Mirii… why you decided to come here so soon? We expected you to come the day after… you would have been in shape in no time."
"Th-those creeps…! Th-they are reading me like a book!" Mirii's forehead went blue. "Wh-what I'm going to do then…? Are those two even an illusion as well?!"
"Alas, you decided to satisfy your friends' wishes… and luck wanted you to be alone this time. Capturing you was way too easy, because of that…" The woman shrugged. "… but enough talking, Squids are getting curious about your skills."
"Who?!" Mirii frowned.
"… that's something you don't need to know…" The woman's eyes closed. "… I mean, you would like to know what we have in mind for you…"
"Whatever that's, I'll not accept!" Mirii's right forefinger pointed at the woman. "Get out of my way, drone… or else I'll use the force."
"You…? Attacking us…? Ha, ha!" The woman shakes her head. "… before we start… you should look at yourself."
"Wh-what about myself?!" Mirii kept her frown, swallowing silently.
Gradually the whole mall disappears, revealing a dark room with a light pointing the girl down: she was sitting on a chair, with her hands tied behind.
"WHAT THE?!" Mirii starts tilting left and right, while growling. "Nnrrrrggghhhh!" She starts breathing loudly. "… you… you tricked me with illusions…"
"Ha, ha!" The woman began walking towards the girl.
She was wearing a white coat, carrying glasses in front of her eyes.
"S-stop laughing…" Mirii trembles, as veins popped out from her forehead.
"Mirii Kelpshell, are you ready for the big test?" The woman stops, as her wrists were on her hips. "I hope so… because this will determine your freedom."
"Grrrrr… wh-what do you want from me…?" Mirii's head rose, as her eyes squeezed.
"Once the new mall opened, the Mall Assistants stopped as many Squids as they could: they gave a special candy for someone in particular..." The woman's eyes closed. "That person is the only one who can save you… even though said person isn't doing that directly."
"Wh-what are you implying…?!" Mirii's face went paler.
"Eh eh… soon, someone will put a helmet in your head. From that point on, your POV will change." The woman's left hand was moving around.
"POV…?" Mirii's eyes grew.
"Point of View. Right now the person must have assimilated that candy well… the person's mind will soon be under your commands." The woman snickered.
"M-my commands…?!" Mirii starts trembling.
"Your objective is… finding yourself. Where are you right now? That's the question… but you got some conditions to respect: first of all, you cannot tell anyone what's going on around… nor letting them understand that. Second, you can't reveal yourself in front of anyone… and third, you can't quit the test by any means. You are safe only when the mentioned person will take the helmet out of your head."
Mirii kept staring at the woman, which was smiling widely.
"… is this a joke…?"
"No, this is technology… and you have all the time you want, in order to find yourself. Of course in such conditions, you can't keep pursuing Project Neo… but I'm sure you already knew that." The woman laughed.
"Grrrrr! Th-this is the whole plan at the end!" Mirii kept tilting her chair left and right, as smoke was coming out from her ears. "You are really thinking to keep myself down like this?! You insolents! You disgusting Squids"
!
…
… nnngghhh… … wh-what's going on… … …?
… did… did they put the helmet on my head…?
… ugh, I'm getting sick… … … ah! I-I'm seeing something!
Her eyes blinked, as her irises were staring in front of a small palm tree on a vase.
"… a palm tree? Where am I, now…?" Her sight turned left and right.
Multiple clothes behind a shop window, different accessories standing on a shelf to the right…
"… the mall… it has to be it." She was walking forward, passing the palm tree. "Judging from the height, I must be controlling a rather tall person… hmpf, of course my true self is still the better option."
Her sight tracked down two doors on the right side: one was showing a blue Squid on the door and the left one was showing a pink Squid.
"Mirrors are in bathrooms: before beginning my test, I need to know who I'm controlling in this very moment. Knowing information is my only weapon at my disposal, that's for sure."
Her eyes went down-left and down-right, seeing a long tentacle on each side.
"It's confirmed that I'm controlling a girl." She kept walking. "I still need to see the face…"
Her right hand pushed the door with the pink Squid on it: a mirror was leaning on the wall to the right side. Her head turned in that direction. Her eyes grew wider.
"... no… it-it can't be…"
Her hands fell on the sink's edges. Her eyes were seeing an Inkling woman with freckles on the middle. Her tentacles had a brighter orange, her outfit was red with arms and legs covered in long sleeves. Her head lowered as her right foot rose: her shoes were white.
"… before it was a situation where someone else was leading the way… but now, I'm the one leading everything here." Her foot lowered.
Her eyes kept staring at the mirror.
"Uhm… the woman looks fit… I wonder why she's wearing a gym suit." Her head rose. "The fact I know so little about this woman is really making me nervous… my test would blow up like nothing!"
The woman frowned.
"They knew I can't do anything in such state… to make things worse, they are running an experiment on myself as well!" She snorted. "They seem to be very interested on virtual reality, considering all those events happening around that."
The woman turned behind.
"A candy who turns Squids into robots for others to control… that's ridiculous." She starts walking towards the door. "Although, I really don't understand how those scientists got me inside a fake virtual reality for a moment. I hope this is not another virtual reality I'm living in."
The woman pulled the door, walking out.
"Whatever the situation is… for now, I must obey." Her eyes closed. "My priority would be to know more about this woman… that way I can cover my true identity without falling the test. Also, it would let me know all the options I can use."
Her eyes opened.
"She must have some kind of identification card…" Her right hand starts moving around herself. "… hmm? A wallet?"
Her right hand pulled an orange wallet showing apples around it. Her left hand pulled the left side, revealing all sorts of sealed pockets.
"The woman I'm controlling must be an active type, that's for sure…" Her head rose. "Why wearing a gym suit inside a mall? Is there a gym around here…?"
Her right hand pulled a small piece of paper with a small photo on her left: a smiling woman with wrinkles and bright orange tentacles was looking directly forward. On the right, a series of names.
"… Aqua Whalona, born in 1984 around Aperta Island." Her eyelids lowered in the middle. "This document only revealed her full name and birth data… it has no other uses, sadly." Her right hand puts the paper back in its place.
Her eyes were staring at bills, plastic cards of all kind…
"Uhm… let's check the cards better." Her right hand pulled out all of them.
Her fingers started to slide one away at each second.
"Club Member Golf, Club Member Tennis, Club Member Soccer, Club Member Swimming, Gym Member… … I already knew that she was rather active, but not a complete megalomaniac in sports!" A sweat drop appears on her head's right side. "I have a suspicion that there isn't any gym in this mall… rather, she always comes out everywhere while wearing sportswear."
Her right hand puts away her wallet.
"Effectively I do feel a huge sense of energy passing through my veins…" She smiles. "If anything, jumping into action isn't going to be a hassle."
Her head turns around, seeing many different Inklings and other humanoid, sea creatures.
"Now that I know more about her… I shall begin my investigations." Her head rose. "Let's see… it appears that something went wrong ever since the beginning… the solution might be in front of the entrance."
She starts walking.
"… I still don't understand how they managed to trick me this easily… … if I find that answer, I may find a path to follow."
Her eyes were seeing a small crowd around the entrance.
"Hmm… as usual, perfection never mistakes!" Her head and eyebrows lowered, while smiling. "Let's hear what the others have to say…"
Have you seen a short girl?!
Like, she was here right behind us!
Barsy, I'm not even sure she followed us inside!
"… my friends…" Aqua sighed. "It's nice seeing them… but also melancholic to not greet them as I usually do." Her eyebrows were up, her mouth downturned. "I'm forced to act as a stranger in front of them… how sad."
Aqua frowned.
"They are going to pay for this… I'm someone, thus I'll not rest until I free myself from my psychological prison!" Her eyes squeezed.
Hun jumped out from the crowd: Aqua stopped immediately, as her eyes grew.
"Have you seen a short girl around here?!" His eyebrows were up, his arms were opened wide. "She disappeared all the sudden…!"
Aqua's mouth downturned. Her eyes closed.
"Forgive my lack of assistance… I do not even know the girl you are referring to." A sweat drop appears on her head's right side. "I'm using her voice too… this is completely nuts."
"She… well…" He turns his head to his right. "… no, I guess I can't help more on that…" His shoulders lowered.
Aqua's eyebrows were up, as her mouth waved a bit. Her face frowned, as she took a step forward.
"I can read in your eyes… it's something very important, isn't it?" She bended a bit down.
The boy nodded, letting a sigh out.
"… please, tell me what you know." Her head rose. "Maybe I can do something…"
"Really?!" His mouth opened wide. "Then… could you please wait here for a sec?!" He runs behind.
"… hopefully this will not throw too much attention on my side…" Sweat covered her forehead, as her irises were tilting left and right. "… I'll try acting a little differently, so I would not receive any suspicion on me."
"There she is!" Hun's right hand was pulling Grina's left one, as both Inklings stopped in front of Aqua. "She said that she could do something!"
"Heya!" Grina's eyes closed, as her right hand waved and her mouth smiled. "Thank you so much for tryin' to help."
"My pleasure." Aqua bows down.
Her eyes grew, while she was staying down: her back rose back, as her irises shrunk slightly.
"So, the name is Grina!" She grins, as her right arm thrusts towards Aqua. "What's yours?"
"My name is Aqua Whalona." The woman's right hand grabbed Grina's, moving them up and down. "Can I help solve your problems?"
The girl's head tilted up and down.
"Yeah…" Grina folds her arms, as her head and eyebrows lowered, her eyes closed and her mouth downturned. "… have you seen a girl of short height walking around here?"
"I'm afraid not…" Aqua shakes her head. "What do you know about the situation, though?"
"I said to hurry inside… and I thought Mirii was following too." Grina's head rose, as her eyebrows went up. "I wasn't expecting her to run just like us… in fact, we were waiting for her at the entrance."
"You were waiting?" The woman's right forefinger was resting on her right cheek, as her left hand grabbed her right elbow. "How come did you not see her then?"
"There were too many people bashing in!" Grina opened her arms. "I couldn't see her at all, since she was way too short than the others."
"Me too…" Hun bended down, same for his head.
Aqua's eyes closed.
"Hmm… are you sure that this Mirii walked"
"How do you know her name?!" Grina frowned.
"… you said that, didn't you?" Aqua's eyebrows lowered, as her smile appeared. "You thought that Mirii was following too… this is what you said."
Grina's irises shrunk.
"… wow… talk about not judging Squids from the clothes!" She chuckles. "Why, I thought you had your head busy with trainings and sports."
"I'm a rather active girl… yes." Aqua nodded. "But I'm also a smart observer." Her head rose, as her arms folded. "I notice little details like yours…"
"Interesting…" Grina bended forward, as her right thumb and forefinger latched on her chin, sliding them left and right. "… anyway, you did brought a genius question." Her eyes closed, as her mouth smiled. "If you meant to doubt Mirii's supposed entrance…"
"Did you call the police?" Aqua's eyes squeezed.
"Yep! Hunry begged me too!" Her head turns to her left, staring at the boy.
"Th-this is an emergency!" The boy walks in place, as sweat jumps out of his head. "Our friend just disappeared!"
Aqua blushed a lot, as her mouth opened wide.
"… nnngghhh… it's so frustrating seeing Hunley this desperate and incapable of assuring him… siiigghh… I wish I could… so I would see him smiling… …!"
She cleared her voice.
"You shouldn't despair, then." Aqua tilted her head to her right, as her eyes closed. "The police force is composed by smart officers… I'm sure they will find her in no time."
"Really…?" Hun's mouth opened.
"Of course!" She giggles. "Worrying about it would make things worse… especially if she's seeing you right in this very moment: she would probably get worried too."
Hun sniffed loudly.
"Oh… th-that's makes sense… thanks." He smiles.
"Eh eh, looks like our smart observer got an interesting fact about Mirii…" Grina's arms folded, as her neck bended forward.
"… what fact?" Aqua turns her head down-left.
"… she does seem to be rather close with Hunry…" She grins a bit.
Aqua blushes a lot, as her irises shrunk, her mouth flattened and her back bended forward. Her arms went down.
"… I see." The woman lifts her posture. "In any case, have you checked outside of the mall?"
"Hmm… in general, we didn't find much…" Grina turns behind. "… about Mirii? Nothing at all!"
"That means they took me before I could move…" Aqua's eyes closed, as her eyebrows lowered. "… how that happened? Did they hit me in the head…? … those women were wearing Assistance clothes… right now I'm not seeing anyone like them. Maybe Grina knows more about this…"
Her eyes opened.
"Grina, have you seen those Assistance workers walking around the mall?" Her head rose.
"Yeah, they are in front of shops." Grina nodded. "… in case you are wondering, there is also another one in front of the entrance."
"Did she saw anything?" Aqua's arms folded.
"Good question…" Grina bended forward, as her right thumb and forefinger latched on her chin, sliding them left and right. "… that would be the first one I'd ask."
"Hmm?!" Aqua's face frowned, as her head lowered. "You… you didn't find her?"
"I went around this whole mall, asking where did she went…!" Grina opened her arms, as her head shakes. "… but they do not know!"
"It appears that this woman might have been the responsible for capturing me… her alibi is anything but clear, after all." Aqua's head rose. "I need to know more about her… it will surely bring me to their hideout and save myself."
Her head turned left and right.
"… I have a presentiment… … I'm positive that the real Aqua Whalona would never go around the shops, asking information to people… and figuring everything out like a detective. I can't act as anyone, except myself… … wait… but of course!" She smiles. "Who said that I'll be the one solving this mystery… directly?"
"What are you looking for?" Grina's head tilted to her right, as her mouth opened a bit.
Aqua's head turned down-right.
"You… what's your name?"
"My name is Hun." He nodded, while smiling. "Is there something you want?"
"I decided to give you a little hand…" Aqua was smiling, as her eyes closed. "… Grina, could you please move in front of the entrance and wait for the police?"
"Ehm… why?" Grina's irises were bouncing left and right.
"Because you could find new clues… meanwhile, me and Hun will ask for more information at the Assistance workers." Aqua's eyebrows lowered, as her smile grew.
"Eeeh?!" Grina's jumped, as her arms went in front of her.
"Huh?!" Hun's mouth opened wide. "M-me?! Wh-why?!"
"Grina should inform the police about the situation. I'm not that bright, so I need someone coming with me…" Aqua's head rose.
Fara came from behind Hun, as she frowns and hugs her brother. Hun chuckles, as his left hand patted her head.
"Ehm… sh-she's just my little sister Fara!" His eyes closed, as a sweat drop appears on his head's left side.
Fara growled faintly. Aqua's eyebrows went up.
"Sigh… this is going to be one of those days… where I wished to really read a book instead of moving out."