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Fara blinked her eyes two times: her irises grew from her eyes.
"… uh… wh-wha' 'as that'…?" Her eyelids lowered in the middle, as her head was turning left and right.
"Fara!" Hun smiled, as he bended forward and hugged his sister. "Tell me you are alright…!"
"I do, Hun…" Fara rose her head, as her eyes tracked the other Inklings looking at her.
Mirii turns behind, folding her arms and raising her head while frowning and looking at Kelly which mouth was a bit lifted.
"I'll concede two minutes to let yourself explain that whole dance…" Her eyes squeezed. "… your alibi is rather unclear to us, at this point."
"Well, to tell you the truth…" Kelly chuckles, as her right hand was scratching the back of her head and her eyes closed. "… I'm not just a drawing specialist…" She jumps a bit in place. "… I'm also a dancer amateur!"
"A dancer amateur…?" Mirii's eyebrows went down even more. "Wasn't dancing your favorite hobby?"
"It is STILL my favorite hobby!" Kelly spins around. "But my natural talent was towards drawing… I dedicated most of my time learning its secrets, so my family was very very very happy for me!" She stops, standing on her right leg and stretching her right arm towards Mirii.
"Yet, you decided to take some dancing courses too…?" Mirii closes her eyes.
"Not really… us Shrine Squids can't really specialize on many things, unfortunately." Kelly lowered her head, as her nose sniffed a bit. "Otherwise you could bet I would become a dancer specialist too!" Kelly jumped, opening her arms, closing her eyes and opening her smiling mouth. "My super specialized dance would had made everyone happier… and dance as well!"
"… it's rather suspicious the fact your dance caused that reaction to Hunley and his sister…" Mirii shakes her head. "… do you have an explanation for that as well?"
"Why, certainly!" Kelly turns around, while jumping in place. "But fiiiirrsstt… you have to be kinder! Kinder!"
"Huh?!" Mirii shrunk her irises, as she gritted her teeth and tilted backwards, while her left arm went in front of her. "I-I'm kind!"
"But you pushed me…" Kelly lowered her head, downturned her mouth and rose her eyebrows. "… you are mean to me!" Kelly turns her head up-left, while folding her arms, lowering her eyebrows and closing her eyes. "I don't talk too much with mean people… they are scaring me!"
"Nnnngghhh!" Sweat appeared on her forehead. "Wh-why she has to act like a baby all the sudden?! To think she was showing maturity during her dance… if she stops standing in my way like this, I could finish this interrogation even soon"
"Kelly!"
The girl jumped up, as she stares at Hun: he was frowning a bit, while shaking his head.
"Answer Mirii, please."
"M-Master!" She sprints, then she stops in front of Hun and bows down many, many times. "I-I would like to reject such order because I don't trust Mirii… but I do trust you!" Kelly smiles, lifting her posture and closing her eyes. "You are the most kinder of all Squids… I want to help you in every way I can!" Her mouth forms a small 3, as her eyes reopened.
"Oh… well…" Hun chuckles a bit, as his eyes closes. "… then how about you tell me everything?"
"Yes, Master!" Kelly bowed down. "What was the question again…?"
"Why that dance still affected Hunley and his sister?" Mirii points her right forefinger at Kelly.
Kelly's mouth was sealed…
"… answer her question, Kelly." A sweat drop appears on Hun's right side of his head.
"Sigh… fine!" Kelly closes her eyes, as her eyebrows lowered. "The first dance sequence you learn as an amateur is called Master Praising. The words I said were just the story I was telling… the movements are the real point: if a Master looks at me while I'm doing this dance, their inner powers would awake…"
"Is this used for checking if the Master is a real one?" Mirii's right forefinger was resting on her right cheek, which was slowly tapping.
"That's why it's so important." Kelly turns behind, frowning a bit. "The dance would immediately let us see if we are looking at the real Master or an impostor." Her eyes closed. "I happened to use this dance to verify if our older Master was the true one…"
"Why?" Mirii lowered her head and her eyebrows a bit.
"Someone said that a Demon Squid entered inside our Shrine… precisely, Masuhenso: this Demon Squid can disguise as anyone he wants, even the Master!" Kelly sighed, smiling a bit while a sweat drop appeared on her head's right side. "Luckily, it was just a false alarm…"
"… I have one more question, Kelly…" Mirii rose her head. "What the Shrine wants from Hunley and his sister?"
"… I'll tell you that…" Slowly, Kelly's head turned to her left. "… once I'm eating food from the sweeter waters!"
The girl jumped on the chair, sitting on it: her right hand picked up two small sticks, which went deep on a dark red soup with noodles spread around.
SLURP! SLURP! SLURP!
"Hhhmmmmmm!" Kelly moves her head left and right, while tilting upwards and closing her eyes. Signs of soup were near her mouth. "Woooooow!" Kelly lowered her head, as her eyes opened with a star symbol appeared on her irises: her opened mouth was forming a small 3. "You mortals really know how to cook great!"
The girl kept eating noodles. Mirii looks at her while walking towards the right chair, sitting on it: several sweat drops appeared on her head. The other Inklings were doing the same expression: Hun sits on Mirii's right and Fara sits on his right.
"Ooooohh… ooooooohh!" Kelly's fists were close to each other, on her chest. "I-I can't get enough of this: I need to learn its taste!" Kelly resume her eating, while increasing the pacing.
Mirii grimaces.
"… she's eating as she never ate in her whole life."
SLURP! SLURP! SLURP!
Mirii starts frowning a bit.
"Kelly?"
SLURP! SLURP!
"KELLY!" Mirii frowns a lot, with her irises shrunk, her teeth showing and veins popping out from her forehead.
"Wh-what?!" Kelly turns to her right, while some noodles were hanging from her mouth.
… slurp.
"You are doing fine slurping out loud… but could you please stop showering my sophisticated food with your soup?!" Mirii's arms stretched down. "Not only it's highly unhygienic, but it's altering my salad's taste!"
Kelly lowered her head seeing Mirii's salad which had some of the soup on it.
"… why you are eating a bush?"
"It's not a bush, you ignorant!" Mirii's eyes went white, as her eyebrows lowered. "It's a salad! A much healthier and tastier meal than your ramen full of carbohydrates!"
"Ooops!" Kelly chuckles, as sweat jumped out of her head. "I-I know salads, I swear! How I remembered them though…" Kelly's head pointed at Mirii's salad. "… were way less looking like a bush."
"That's because I ordered an extra portion!" Mirii turns in front of her plate, while closing her eyes and picking the salad with her fork: at a medium-speeded level, Mirii munches the salad landing on her mouth.
"Ooooh, really?! You must be very hungry, then…" Kelly's eyebrows rose. "If so, take my remaining ramen: I don't want to be greedy and selfish in front of my friends." Her hands were holding the bowl.
"Grrrr!" Mirii munches the salad for a moment, while frowning a lot. "Are you even listening to my words?! I don't want to waste my time, if you don't!"
"But eating a giant salad isn't enough for a dinner…" Her hands were moving a bit. "Come on, don't be shy: pick up some ramen too!"
Mirii's right hand covered her eyes, as her head lowered and she sighs loudly.
"Kelly, don't worry about it." Hun tilts backwards, looking at the girl. "I appreciated your attempt to help out, but you are making Mirii more stressed."
"… as you wish, Master." Kelly bowed, as her hands put the bowl back on its place.
"Th-thank you so much, Hunley…" Her head rose, her eyebrows rose and her fork picked up some more salad. "I'll repay the debt… your intervention shall not be forget."
"Like, your name is Kelly?" Bars munches, while holding a small part of a burger. "Girl, that ramen you are eatin'… it ain't nothing compared to my grandma's!" He grins.
"Really?!" Kelly bended forward, as her mouth opened. "An even better ramen?!"
"Ha ha, well well… let's not really exaggerated there, girl!" Bars throws his munched food inside his mouth. "Like, there is always someone better than grandma's noodles… BUT her kind is still amazing!" He chuckles, while drinking from a red soda can.
"Ooooohh…" Kelly's eyes were sparkling, as her mouth was forming a small 3. "… do tell, do tell! Knowing more about the sweeter waters gives me even more reasons to visit them much more often!"
"Like, my grandma used to cook ramen as long as she started to know what's cookin' art!" His arms rested on the top of his chair, simply smiling. "Ever since I got a taste of her ramen, no other ramen really felt that special to me."
"Weren't you the one sayin' how the canteen's ramen was delicious?" Grina took a sip from her red soda can.
"Well, it's not like I lost the funk of ramen tastes… and for what's worth, it tastes good enough!" Bars shrugged. "But they can't still beat my grandma's ones… their taste totally goes in another dimension!"
"Can I visit your grandma?!" Kelly's hands clasped as her eyes were sparkling. "I want to remember the taste of those wonderful ramen and trying to replicate them back at home!"
"Eh eh, like I can give ya somethin' better than that…" Bars bended forward, while smiling. "She wouldn't hesitate giving you free ramen lessons, since she's thinking way too much about her age."
"Yaaaaayyy!" Kelly jumped, while closing her eyes and smiling. "I-I can't wait!"
"Now, Kelly…" Mirii's hands were holding a napkin, which was rubbing her mouth, as her eyes closed. "… sorry for interrupting your mood, but I do not intend finding me and my friends at the mercy of time and uncontrollable fate."
Her eyes opened, as her hands put the napkin near her empty plate.
"Could you please explain the situation back to the Shrine? Also, answering the reason why Hunley and Fara want"
"Didn't you figure it out, already…?"
Mirii rose her head, as Kelly's head was lowered.
"… the Shrine can't survive without the Masters' help. It's been a long while, since the Shrine received its huge quantity of energy… although, I think the Masters must capture even more energy than usual." Her head rose, as her eyebrows went up and her mouth downturned, turning her sight over Mirii. "That's for guarantee the Shrine's overall survival chances."
"Now that I think about it…" Mirii's right forefinger rested on her right cheek. "Why everyone at the Shrine let Hunley's ancestor get away with his false wishes? How that happened, exactly?"
"A Master can simply wish to go away… none of us can do anything about it." Kelly's eyes were closed. "A Master could even punish us if wished… we can't argue"
"Is this for real?!" Mirii frowned, while bending towards Kelly. "Nonsense! A Master could easily rule all over you, if that was"
"Mirii, being a Master is not a simple process…" Kelly shakes her head. "Aside the fact that the Master role is hereditary… for becoming one, the little Masters must train for years with the art of using their own special powers, aside from the main one which is to capture pure energy and spread them over the whole Shrine."
"So?!" Mirii folds her arms. "That still doesn't explain the fact you refuse to argue in front of a Master!"
"During their younger years… they develop their kindness, incorruptible in front of any normal temptations. Hanbumiryo's powers are the only ones who can harm a Master's kindness: he managed to force the new Master's ancestor into a battle, where none of them would won… at the time."
Kelly stands up, frowning a bit and looking at Mirii.
"It's almost impossible for a Master to use his powers for selfish needs… if something like that would ever happen, the Master would move up in the Mountain Tsumetaidesu and meditate for at least a month. Do you know anything about that mountain?"
"Is that the mountain used for the cold baths…?" Mirii's right forefinger was tapping on her right cheek.
"Yes, exactly." Kelly nodded. "To bring a Master in such place, you need to call everyone from the Shrine and let them judge the situation." Her eyebrows went up. "You need to be absolutely sure to do this, though… otherwise, you will be the one going in that mountain for a month!"
She swallows silently.
"And once you return, you must work hard and demonstrate all the loyalty you can to the Shrine, so your family's reputation would be fully cleared."
"Can a Master clear the name of those punished people?" Mirii's head rose.
"A Master can even promote them to Master Advisors, if they want…" Kelly smiled a bit. "During our History, those Masters were always very generous and forgiving to us… one time, it happened that an Inkling boy was nominated Master Advisor after brilliantly figuring out a secret plan conceived by the Demon Squids to overcome our Shrine."
"Incredible… I can't believe such consistency is even possible…" Mirii's mouth opened a bit.
"Ever since the departure of the Masters Hun and Fara's ancestor… things changed a bit." Her mouth downturned. "Our people grew sadder and sadder at each generation… and attacks from Yokai and Demon Squids were more common." Her eyes closed. "I… I actually never seen a true Master before… un-until now…"
She shivered a bit.
"I… I-I'm very nervous right now…" She swallows a bit loudly. "I-I'm in front of two Masters… th-their words could greatly impact m-my own position inside the Shrine!"
"Ehm… what can I say exactly to do that?" Hun's right eyebrow rose.
"Well…" Kelly's irises moved to her right. "For instance, you could tell me to abandon my drawer specialization and train on my dancing specialization." Her eyes closed, while smiling and looking at Hun. "No one can argue that, so I'd immediately take dancing courses without"
"Then I say you should be that." Hun smiles a bit. "A dancing specialist."
…
"… Master… unfortunately, some changes occurred recently…" Kelly's mouth downturned. "Changes after the utter chaos happening during the time you were here."
"Ch-changes…?" A sweat drop appears on Hun's right side of his head.
"You are the truly first Master, belonging to the original family." Kelly nodded. "But… you are also the youngest male Master to ever aspire the Master position. As for Fara… not only she's the youngest female Master, but also the youngest Master in general."
Kelly walks in between the door and the table, turning behind and looking at everyone.
"Do you see where I'm going with this? At your age, Masters are still training fully in their power usage… not to mention, you never had any experience living inside the Shrine itself." Kelly's mouth downturned. "That's the reason why you and even your little sister are called upon us… we want you to experience more about your positions and be aware of your powers as well."
She nodded.
"Master Hun… when I finished my dance, I could see that distinctive aura surrounding a true Master. That's where I began becoming more nervous… and be careful t-to not disappoint you or Master Fara."
"But what about my order?" Hun rose his mouth a bit.
"Well… until you fully learned your position, those kind of orders are taken lightly." Kelly sighed. "Not all of them, of course… but this one is definitively"
"But you like dancing!" Hun stands up, frowning a bit. "Your dance let us show our Master roles! There is so much potential on"
"W-wait, please!" Sweat jumped out from Kelly's head, as her left arm thrust a bit towards Hun. "People will quickly think that your v-vision was covered fr-from my own selfish wishes! Th-the order can't be followed"
"Didn't you said I'm a Master?" Hun folded his arms. "I mean, only now I'm aware the rules are changing… is my confirmation needed?!"
"Y-yes, Master!" Kelly bowed down many times. "Actually, that's another reason why you Masters are called: aside from taking pure energy, you had to confirm"
"Then, I do not confirm." Hun frowned. "Nor does my sister."
…
"Master…" Kelly's right hand was in front of her opened mouth, as she tilts a bit backwards: her irises were almost gone. "A… aaaa…"
"Actually, I could say even more than that!" Hun bended forward, while clenching his fists down. "Inkopolis is in deep trouble: I can't return inside the Shrine any time sooner, unless it's something involving the security of this world! Or… well, the Shrine itself." He chuckles a bit, as his right hand was scratching the very top of his forehead.
"Master… are you sure about this decision?" Kelly's eyes were getting a bit watery.
"Yes I do." Hun nodded. "My friends could testify how kind I'm already!" He looks around. "Also how I'm using my own Squid powers lately!"
He turns to his left, seeing Fara.
"Even my sister is exploring her own inner powers!"
Fara nodded twice while smiling.
"I trust them, Kelly!" He turns towards Kelly. "This is not our wish to live inside the farms… this is our wish to protect the world and the Shrine, as our ancestors did back then!"
Kelly's face got extremely paler.
"… so… if you are saying no like this… th-that previous order…" A tear fell from Kelly's right eye. "Is… i-is"
"Kelly, because of you… I think I know what to think about the farms." Hun's head lowered. "I still like the farms… a lot. However, I also understand my position as a Master." Hun's head rose back. "I can't stand seeing people suffering, because of my wish to stay away from my role… if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't comprehend this any faster."
"Oh… M-Master…" Kelly clasped her hands, as her eyes were watery and her smiling mouth was opening. "Your kindness has truly no equal… the very fact you are so generous, makes me so… g-glad to be at your service!" Her eyes closed. "Although, I must refuse your offer my Master…"
"Why?" Hun opened his mouth. "There isn't any"
"No, it's not that…" Kelly's hands went behind her back, as she tilts left and right. "I didn't become a Drawer specialist because of my will… but because of my family's expectations: despite my passion for dancing, I'm a natural when it comes to drawing." She nodded. "Right now, my family is so proud of me since I'm serving the Masters themselves… I just know it!"
She giggles, as her head tilted to her left and her eyes closed again.
"Besides… if I become a Dancer specialist, I would be forced to dance for my job… and honestly, I would get so stressed and sick of dancing, that I would see this dream job as a nightmare one later on." Her eyes opened. "And I don't want that… I don't want to hate dancing, just because I'm overdoing it: I want to always like dancing, without feeling to do that forcefully."
"Oh… then, in that case… you can keep your normal job." Hun shrugged. "But if you want to be a dancer"
"No no, Master. No way I'm going to change my mind on that…" She nodded twice. "I can't take two roles and so all the rest of us people from the Shrine. Really, I'm fine with that decision." She tilts her head to her left, closing her eyes. "However… I can't forget your act of generosity in my regards."
Her eyes opened a bit.
"Master Hun… I hope you don't mind if I'm going to repay your kindness: aside from the fact I can't stand holding a generous debt in regards of anyone, you are appearing very wise and kind." She giggled. "Our people are going to jump from the joy, knowing that the Masters aren't far away from their original roles! Being surrounded by joy… it greatly affects my mood as well, since everyone shares their happiness!"
Kelly looks at everyone.
"Although, I'm sure the Masters' friends would like to help too..." She nodded. "… especially you, Mirii."
"What can I do?" Mirii rose her head.
"Support Master Hun's claims!" Kelly smiled. "I'm sure you can greatly help him, since you can be clever when you are not acting in such mean way."
"Hmpf." Her eyes squeezed a bit. "Sometimes you need to teach Squids around you… so their errors don't force you to fall into one."
"You should forgive them, instead!" Kelly starts dancing in place. "Trusting is such a precious gift… makes the Squid a precious person too!"
"If you keep forgiving, Squids will eventually become spoiled and give you an infinite amount of trouble… is this what you want?!" Mirii folded her arms, while frowning and snorting.
"Oooh, don't say that…" Kelly's mouth downturned. "Who said that Squid could become spoiled? You have to be gentle, gentle, caring, caring! It will make you feel good too!"
"Uhm… I think Miss Drawing Dances kinda lives in her world of clouds." Grina grins, as her hands were resting on her hips. "Thinkin' that Squids are all nice and easy."
"They do!" Kelly jumped, landing on her left foot and stretching her left arm up-left. "All Squids can be kind! Not only it's so easy to be kinder… but it rewards your spirit so much! You'll be smiling everyday!"
"Doing that inside the Shrine? You can say that one again!" Grina nodded, simply smiling. "Doing that elsewhere? … that's where you learn when you can be kind." She shrugged.
"Well, I actually knew that…" Kelly downturned her mouth. "The sweeter waters look so interesting and fun… yet, terrible predators live in the deep." Her eyes closed. "Remembering that fact… sigh!"
"Unfortunately, keeping peace and order in this society is truly a difficult task…" Mirii shakes her head, while her eyes were closed and her arms were folded. "… but that's not a reason to give up." Her eyes opened. "Making sure the city proceeds in the perfect ways is indeed one of my constant goals: for someone who knows what perfection is, seeing something imperfect is rather painful."
Mirii's head rose, as her eyebrows lowered slightly.
"There isn't any other way to live properly: you have to study the law, follow the rules without hesitations… and correct any imperfection found. Remember well those basics: soon, when you will look at yourself in front of a mirror, you will see dominance, total control over any imperfection, intelligence, maturity and composure."
"And boredom? Where you put that?" Grina's arms were folded on the top of her chair, while she was sitting on it. Her eyelids were lowered in the middle and her head sunk a bit more in between her arms.
"That would be a subjective point of view." Mirii's eyes closed. "I wouldn't mind checking if everything is exactly in order: that easily fill a schedule, giving me the chance to feel satisfied once I see precision and care."
Kelly yawned.
"Anyway, it's too soon to go in the Shrine…" Her head turned to her left. "At the evening, there is nothing in particular I do… except drawing something on paper, since that relieves me from boredom. Also, I get more sleepy while drawing randomly, so it's just much easier for me to lay down on the bed and sleep."
"Like, how about we watch some TV?" Bars sits on Mirii's bed.
"Hey, that funny show is about to start soon!" Grina stands up, while smiling. "A little laugh never hurts!"
"A funny show…?" Kelly opened her mouth a bit. "What's so funny about it?"
"Give me the remote and I'll show you: you will be lying on the floor, laughing nonstop!" Grina's right eye winked, as she walks towards the television.