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HA HA HA HA HA!
Kelly was sitting on a chair, as her legs were kicking in the air, her eyes were closed with tears forming under them, her smiling mouth wide open, her hands holding her stomach, her head tilted up: her chair was slightly bending backwards.
The other Inklings were also laughing all sitting on their chairs except Bars which was sitting on Mirii's bed. Mirii was sitting on a chair, as her head rose, her arms were folded, frowning slightly. The television screen was showing two Inklings men holding a videogame controller each, pushing buttons with their fingers, facing everyone.
On the right corner, a smaller square was showing a blue Squid and an orange Squid, each holding a sword on their right tentacle and a shield on their left, bouncing to the right through a floor and wall of rocks: lit torches were hanging on the wall.
Alright, let's keep moving to the right!
But to the right there is a wall!
No, this is another room. We might find a whoooooaaaa!
Whoooaaaa! A sumo who's looking for the bathroom!
A loud laughter rose from each Inkling's mouth… except Mirii's. Several sweat drops appeared around the top of her head, as her face grimaces: she let out a loud sigh.
"… I have never seen such stupidity in my whole life." Her head lowered, as her right hand covered her eyes. "I wish I didn't… so I could still pretend to claim how I'm living inside a perfect society."
Aaaah, he's burping on us!
Quick, throw a toothpaste at him!
Grina kept hitting her right knee with her right hand, as her face was red, her mouth was touching her cheeks, her eyes kept releasing tears, while tilting back and forth: she left a grunt. Hun and Fara were laughing, with the little girl sitting on her brother's legs.
He's down, finally! … what's that green cloud?!
RUUUUUUUNNN!
Bars fell with his back on the bed, while laughing loudly: his face was red, his eyes were open and watery.
"Siiiiigghh…" Mirii's eyebrows were up, as her mouth downturned with her hands on her legs. "Tell me this show episode is reaching to its end… I can't stand hearing the stupidity of those two idiots!"
Is this the end of the level?!
No way! We got the boss to defeat!
Is the boss a giant sumo Octopus?! I ran out of bombs!
Those are digestives for him!
A wave of laughter covered the room's air!
Then, what about the arrows?! Are those toothpick for him?!
"Ah ah ah ah aaaaah… those two are so darn funny!" Grina looks at the ceiling. "That's it, I want to jump right in their TV show and get an autograph: they have so much talent and charisma, I can't help but to be their loyal fangirl!"
Mirii grimaces, as her face was pointed at Grina.
"Why I'm not surprised…?" Mirii's eyes closed. "Actually… why I hoped to see some sense of maturity in my friends? I wish they could, though… interacting with mature Squids trains my own maturity as well."
Her face frowned.
"Instead, my friends are still thinking to be 8 years old… and if I keep hearing those two idiots, my mind may end up rejuvenating as well!" She snorted. "Actually…"
Mirii turns her head forward, seeing the back of Hun's head. Her eyes grew, her irises shrunk.
"Oh no, Hunley is watching this show!" Mirii's eyebrows rose, as her teeth gritted. "No… not on my watch!" She frowns a lot. "Hunley shall watch documentaries and classic movies, since those are superior in any way compared to this trash his eyes and ears are subjected to!"
She stands up.
"Hunley… he said his desire to improve his maturity…" Mirii's head rose. "I will make sure he achieves such goal… so he can excel at perfection, just like me."
Mirii's eyes closed for a moment.
"Hunley."
Hun turns behind, looking up over Mirii.
"Did you call me?" He smiles a bit.
"Yes." She nodded, smiling a bit for a moment. "The show you are watching is nothing more than rubbish." Mirii's eyebrows lowered a bit. "It's damaging your maturity and common sense: I highly suggest to look away at the television screen and think more about the meeting at the Shrine."
Mirii's hands were behind her back.
"It's very important, since you are about to not only help the Shrine, but also hold a speech where you explain exactly why you don't accept those occurring changes: you are the leader, you have responsibilities to take on."
"Oh… wait, is it true that this show is not mature…?" Hun opened his mouth.
"Hmpf, those two are idiots." Mirii lowered her head, as her eyes closed. "Shouting random words and playing a childish game… the more someone watches that program, the stupider that someone will become."
"N-no!" Hun grits his teeth. "I… I-I don't want to be stupid!"
"Big bro, thi' show isn' tha' stupid… 'esides, ya can' get 'tupider by watchin' shows." Fara was looking at her brother, as her mouth downturned a bit.
"Uhm… are you sure about that, Fara?" Hun lowered his eyebrows a bit. "Not that I don't trust you, but Mirii has more experience about this society… I know she will never be mean to us, just for the sake of being one." Hun nodded while smiling. "If you are having a lot of fun, you can keep watch the show: it's making you laugh a lot, at the very least!"
Fara smiled.
"Bu' Hun, I'm havin' fun because I'm sharin' th' moment with ya." Her eyes closed. "Stay with us…"
Hun sealed his mouth for a moment.
"Well"
"Hunley, stay with your sister…"
He turns behind, seeing Mirii facing the door.
"Huh?! Wh-why are you"
"She wants to share her laughs with you…" Her head turned to her right. "… she's counting on you."
"Ok, but why are you looking away?" Hun's mouth downturned. "Are you not having fun…?"
"Hunley, this show is very immature and ridiculous for my taste…" Mirii turns behind, with her face pointed at Hun and her eyes closed. "I can't stand here more shouting and idiotic scenes from"
"But Mirii, if you leave…" Hun sighed. "… then, it's not really that much fun."
Suddenly, Mirii's irises shrunk as her cheeks blushed brightly and her mouth opened.
"A... m-me?" Mirii's right hand rested on her chest. "You… you are having fun… wh-when I'm n-near you?!"
"Ehm… yes." Hun blushes a lot, while nodding. "Don't go away, please…"
Mirii kept staring at Hun for a while: she smiles a bit.
"It's not that big of a deal… a quick maturity training would solve this small discrepancy anyway." Her eyes closed. "Hunley, I hope you don't mind if… well…" She walks towards her chair, with her head down and her face getting red. "… I-I put my chair next to yours…"
"S-sure!" Hun blushes even more, as he pushed his little sister a bit.
Fara jumped out from his legs, as the boy stands up.
"L-let me pick th-the chair for you!" Hun picked Mirii's chair, putting it on his chair's left side. "Th-there!" He smiles.
Mirii's mouth opened wide: she smiles a bit, as small hearts were flying from her head.
"Th-thank you, Hunley…" She giggles a bit, sitting on her chair.
Hun sits on his chair, as Fara jumped on his legs sitting on them. Mirii's head was lowered, as her smile grew.
"… eh eh… he's so kind… and… generous… very generous." Her eyes closed.
"… I wonder…" Hun's eyes were looking up-right. "… if I land my left hand on hers… n-no, wait! Th-that might scare her, th-that's right!" He sighed silently. "Then… … her right tentacle is about to touch me… maybe… … actually, sh-she can still feel my touch! Uhm… then… maybe if I'm quick enough, I can caress her right tentacle."
Trembling, Hun's left hand was slowly raising and moving towards Mirii's right tentacle…
Yeeeeesss! The boss is defeated!
Hun's hand stopped, immediately retreating back.
Man, what kind of beans this guy ate? The lava is still boiling like mad!
Because that's not lava: that's a giant sauce soup!
A loud laughter rose up in the air.
Well, with the Granlord's butter treasure in our possession, the second episode comes to an end!
Yeah, and so is my diet of beans!
See you all next time, Squids! Same hour, same channel!
Squidding pro, everyone!
A logo reading "LET'S PLAY WITH THE SQUIDDING PROS" appeared on the television screen.
"It's already over?!" Kelly stands up, as her mouth opened and her arms stretched down. "I want more! I never laughed this much!"
"Then, tune your television on Channel 10 which is called Fresh Network Station at 8:30 PM of the same word day every week." Grina smiles, turning behind and closing her eyes.
"But I don't have a television…" Kelly lowered her head, sighing loudly. "Aaawww… I'm sure everyone back at the Shrine will love this show." Her head and eyebrows rose. "Everyone would laugh for hours! So effective for improving moods…"
"Wait, aren't you a drawer?" Grina shrugged. "Draw a television to use."
"… hey, that's true." Kelly's mouth opened a bit. "I could draw a television for me and my family!" Her eyes closed. "Thank you for the advice, Grina: once I'm back home, I'll immediately draw a nice television just like this one, so my family would also know this fantastic show!"
"Does the Shrine have any electrical outlets?" Mirii's head rose, as she was standing up from the chair. "Without it, the television can't work…"
"No problem!" Kelly starts dancing in place. "My drawiiiiings can adapt, albeit in a limited way, to aaaanythiiiing I want!"
"Just like that vending machine you drew some time ago…?" Mirii folds her arms.
"Yes!" Kelly nodded. "You could have taken a nice soda, if you wanted…" She looks up. "I think I made it free of charge…"
"Bah!" Mirii lowered her head, while frowning. "It doesn't exist a Mirii Hanache drinking something unhealthy and sugary…"
"If you had told me, I would have drawn a healthy soda!" Kelly's mouth formed a small 3. "I'm always ready to help out someone!"
"I still wouldn't trust those…" Mirii's eyes squeezed. "Soda is still soda, after all."
"Everyone! Wanna listen to some bodacious idea?!" Grina's arms stretched a bit, as her hands opened. "Instead of going in the Shrine, why not watching a movie?! An Action, Mystery kind!" Her eyes closed, while smiling. "Much more interesting and safe than"
"Grina!" Veins popped out from Mirii's forehead. "Hunley received a call from the Shrine: he must talk to the people, so no changes will affect"
"Kelly goes there, tells everything out loud and returns here!" Grina's head turns over Kelly, as she grins slightly. "How about it? Rapid and easy! You get here and we get even more"
"Unfortunately, the Masters must be present too… my words are simply not enough." Kelly's mouth downturned for a moment. "But there is some good news!" She smiles a bit. "The event isn't supposed to take too long, since"
"No."
Kelly turns her head to her left. Mirii shakes her head slowly.
"… if we return home past 10 PM, you can forget watching any movie." She snorted. "Tomorrow, the Turf War Station is under attack… and we need to be properly prepared for rejecting any attack towards the tower. Our energy must be fully refreshed, our mind must know exactly what to do against the incoming Inklings…"
She frowned.
"We will all wake up at 6 AM, so we have enough time to eat a healthy breakfast and meet Tonna: she will inform us everything she knows about the attack. Based on all the information, the Inkinators will together build a plan and immediately take action, without receiving any attention from the other Agents and Rangers: if they kick us out, Project Neo becomes unsolvable at this point."
"But didn't Kelly mentioned that the Shrine would help out?" Grina frowned a bit. "Leave them the job, Mirii: not only the whole situation would be solved faster and nicer, but that let the Inkinators throw out the huge responsibility the team gets for the city's safety!"
"How dare you showing signs of indifference?!" Mirii frowns a lot, as her left forefinger points at the girl. "We must make sure that the whole city is safe till the end, otherwise that small percentage of mistake may get everything!"
"Tsss! Small percentage…" Grina folds her arms, as her eyes squeezed a bit. "… this is your biggest problem, after all: always caring for the most insignificant details." Her arms opened. "No small detail ever changed anything!"
"That's what you think…" Mirii's head rose. "But if that really happens, who's the one Squid to blame? Me… the one who gave up on perfection."
"Alright, Miss Perfection…" Grina's head turned left and right. "How about we let the audience decide on this matter? You can't pretend everyone thinks like you…"
"I agree with Mirii, actually!" Hun walks towards Mirii's right side. "Who knows what kind of decision the people from the Shrine will do."
"Me too!" Fara moves over Hun's right side.
"Sigh… predictable." Grina's mouth downturned. "I wished you would have been more honest, Hunry: it's been a while since the Inkinators have been together… this could have been a great occasion for the team to share a pleasant time together."
"Like, I don't leave Grina alone!" Bars grins, as he hugs the girl. "Why working hard, if others can do the job much better?"
"Hmpf, of course your laziness would shine on this matter…" Mirii frowned a bit, with her head rose and her eyes squeezing a bit. "You are wasting your opportunity to be someone…"
Everyone's head turned towards Kelly: she starts spinning, while smiling.
"What I choose…? Easy!" She stops, pointing at Grina. "Team friends!"
Bars and Grina smiled. Mirii frowned a lot.
"Why you…" Mirii's teeth gritted.
Kelly bounced a bit towards the two Inklings.
"I agree with Grina!" Kelly starts dancing in place. "The Shrine are interested into stopping the attack by themselves, since the Masters' powers aren't enough to stop it… also, they want to protect them since they fear something mischievous is menacing both."
"I'm not scared!" Hun frowns. "If someone tries to attack"
"Master, the people don't want to lose another one after all this time…" Kelly's mouth downturned, as her hands clasped. "You are so needed to retrieve pure energy for at least 3 months…"
"I thought I needed to do it just once." Hun's head turned down-right for a moment. "Why I have to do it for 3 months?!"
"Because capturing energy wastes a lot of yours… especially considering your actual inexperience on the matter." She nodded. "It's a complicated process, which I can't even explain since it's a secret operation… but the previous Master told me that both Masters must rest for half a day, after finishing evoking pure energy."
"Then, I refuse capturing energy this evening!" Hun shakes his head, as he walks a bit forward. "Inkopolis is in danger! I have to"
"Master, they will not listen you on this." Kelly frowned a bit. "The Shrine's energy level is so low, that another Demon Squid or Yokai attack might destroy our defenses and attack the people and the whole structure!"
Ink was coming down from Hun's head.
"N-no… I"
"I'll do it!" Fara steps forward, frowning a bit. "'ll 'ake all th' energy, so Hun can sav' th' city!"
"You are still very young, Master Fara…" Kelly sighed. "You'll get quickly tired, after bringing few energy in our Shrine."
"What do you have to say if Hun captures half of the energy he could take, while Fara and the previous Master capture as much energy as possible?" Mirii lowered her head, as her face neutral.
"Well…" Kelly looks up, as both her hands were caressing her tentacles. "In that case, Master Hun might not need"
"That doesn't even matter!" Grina shakes her head, as her hands landed on her hips. "The people from the Shrine clearly said they do not want Hunry getting involved"
"Hunley is a Master!" Mirii bends forward, as she feels a wind coming towards her. "He can say to stop the attack and no one will argue such choice!"
Grina groaned, as her eyes expanded and her irises shrunk.
"Wh-why you have to overcomplicate anything?!" Grina bends forward, as her tentacles went zigzag, while her mouth was waving and her eyelids lowered to the middle. "You are making this chore so unnecessarily frustrating and hardcore, you are seriously looking like a masochist!"
"Quit with the insults!" Mirii stomps the floor. "This is a debate, not an insult fight!"
"Actually, that wasn't an insult…" Grina's eyebrows were up, her mouth downturned. "You know, about tomorrow… I can't say to be too enthusiastic about it." She nodded. "I'm rather nervous with the fact we have to deal with almost everyone from Inkopolis!"
Grina's left hand pushed her left tentacle back.
"Have you ever thought of that?! Literally going against the population you want to defend?! How are you even supposed to do that?!"
"All it's needed is a precise plan…" Mirii rose her head. "With such perfect guide, reaching this seemingly impossible goal is possible." Her eyes closed. "Do not forget that Tonna will help the team too. Her support will let the plan become even more precise."
"Oh sure, because YOU have a plan!" Grina frowned, as her hands hit her hips. "Then, how about you share that with us, Miss Genius?! We are all waiting to be impressed!"
"Well…" Mirii's irises lowered to the left, as her head returned in its neutral position, her eyelids lowered in the middle and a sweat drop appears on her head's right side. "… to be fair, I still didn't"
"And you want to stop this attack?!" Grina bended forward, grinning a bit. "Ha! You must be so tired, you may get to sleep till 12 PM of tomorrow!" She shakes her head. "Trust me on this one, Mirii: let's just forget about going out there, stopping an entire Inkling invasion… and see all a nice movie together!" She smiles, while closing her eyes. "After all, it's much fun sharing a movie moment with friends rather than being alone!"
Mirii bended a bit backwards, as her mouth opened.
"Sharing a movie moment…? … Hunley… I-I was so close with him, while I was watching that stupid show… … do I really want to waste such opportunity…? I-I would pay all my coins to stay near such kind boy… … nngghh… nnggggghhhhhh!" Sweat covered her forehead.
"So?" Hun turns his head to his left. "Are you saying something…?"
"… I… ehm…" Mirii's irises turned left and right, as she swallows silently.
Grina looks at Mirii: her eyebrows lowered a bit, her smile increases slightly.
"… you know, it would be a shame if Hunry goes to bed this soon…" She nodded. "If he doesn't exaggerate with his job, maybe he can stay up for the whole movie."
"Nnnnggghhhh!" Mirii's irises shrunk, as her eyes grew a bit.
"Also." Grina's eyes closed. "Watching movies can give you the possibility to spawn discussions with your friends." Her eyes reopened, grinning a bit. "You mention your favorite scene from the movie, the other friend answer to that… and before you know it, you now know more about your friends' own tastes!"
Her head turns to her right, seeing Bars looking in her eyes.
"Knowing their taste is so useful, because you know exactly what kind of gifts will make your friends happy!" Her eyes closed, while smiling nicely. "And the same thing can be applied to the other friend as well…"
"Nnnnaaaahhh…!" Mirii kept deeply breathing silently, as sweat covered her face. "Mirii, no! N-no way you are… … I… I want to know more about Hunley… I-I want to make him happy…"
"What do you say now?" Grina turns over Mirii, keeping her previous expression. "Do you still think to overcomplicate everything, renouncing such chance to know more about your friends…?"
"… I… ehm…" Mirii's irises went to her right for a moment. "… you know… I-I just woke up today, after two days of endless sleep… maybe I might still feel tired the next day…"
"Huh?!" Fara turns her head to her left, opening her mouth. "Technie, bu' wha' 'bout th' city?!"
"Fara, Mirii is right…"
Her face pointed at her brother which was looking back at her, with his eyebrows a bit down.
"If she's tired, she can't do anything about tomorrow's attack…" He shrugged. "Besides, considering the fact that those fiends might attack the Shrine, it's better to finish the job completely."
"Bu-but Hunley!" Mirii jumped a bit, as she turns to her right with her eyebrows up and sweat jumping out from her head.
"I totally agree with Master Hun!" Kelly jumped, moving in between the Inklings. "Also, I don't think that Master Hun will fall asleep once he's done capturing a lot of energy… he just can't do any kind of huge work until tomorrow afternoon."
"I see…" Mirii's head rose. "Then, it's the best to take precautions…" Her eyes closed. "Not even I know exactly what those Inklings have in mind for tomorrow's attack…"
"Good choice, Mirii!" Grina rose her right thumb, as her right eye closed. "Then, shall we get to this Shrine, Kelly? The sooner Hunry and Fara reach the place, the sooner they can start!"
"Ah, yes!" Kelly jumped, while smiling and closing her eyes. "I think it's about time we get there…"
She spins on herself, stopping while holding a pile of papers and a brush.
"As a drawer specialist, I can create drawings which let Squids to jump right inside and get on the Shrine!" Kelly starts drawing. "To get back, you just jump back from where you came… … there!"
A piece of paper fell down: a structure resembling the Shrine was pictured on it.
"Wow, you are a fast drawer!" Grina's mouth opened.
"Eh eh!" Kelly starts dancing. "I draw! All day! I draaaaww with a lot of paaassiioooon!"
"So, you can only create a teleport device which must be connected with the Shrine itself…" Mirii's right hand took her right tentacle, caressing it.
"Yep!" Kelly's mouth formed a small 3. "Now, don't be shy: turn into a Squid and jump inside this drawing!"
Kelly turns into a Squid, jumping towards the drawing: a splash sound came, as ink fell a bit around the paper. Everyone's irises shrunk.
"What…" Grina's eyes blinked two times. "… a-am I supposed to jump inside that tiny paper?! Wh-what if I just get hurt?!"
"Hmpf, then you can stay here if you want…" Mirii took two steps towards the drawing. "You don't have to complain over this."
"I'll go first!" Hun nodded, frowning a bit.
He turns into a Squid, jumping on the paper releasing a splashing sound. Grina's hands covered her mouth.
"WHAT?!" Her irises shrunk. "He entered like nothing!"
"Wha' about me…?" Fara's mouth downturned. "I-I can't tur' 'nto a Squid yet…"
"Kelly forgot to mention that…" Mirii's head rose. "Let us three enter inside the drawing: I'm sure Kelly will return soon enough."
"Ok…" Fara nodded slowly.
"Ehm… c-come on, you can't be serious about"
Mirii turns into a Squid, jumping inside the drawing.
"Whoa!" Grina bended forward. "… I-I can't get over this: it's just a piece of paper!"
"Eh eh, like…" Bars walks towards the paper. "… if I dive fast enough, I might spill out all the ink!"
"So you are stuck inside that paper?!" Grina frowned. "No, Barsy! It's… not funny." Her head lowered, tilting to her left.
"Here it goes nothing!" Bars grins, while raising his eyebrows and closing his eyes, as he turns into a Squid.
"W-wait!" Grina's hands went on her head, as her knees bended. "Th-the paper might be too small for ya! I-I mean"
Bars jumped inside the drawing, followed by a splash effect. Grina jumped, while gasping.
"… he… he reached the Shrine, right?!" Grina dives on the floor, with her stomach down, staring at the drawing.
"Grina, dive…" Fara's eyes closed, as her mouth sealed slightly.
"… so, this is it huh… Gr-Greta Inkolina, jumping inside a drawing as if it was a large pool… alright, fine." Grina stands up, taking a deep breath. "Let's get this over with, before I break my sanity!"
Her eyes closed: she turns into a Squid, jumping towards the drawing and releasing a splash.
…
Knock knock.
Fara turns behind, as her mouth opened.
"Mirii? Are you in there?"
The little girl walks towards the door, opening it. Tonna looks down, bending a bit and smiling.
"Good evening, Fara!" Her eyes closed for a moment.
Her head turns around.
"… where is Mirii?"