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Mirii returned into her humanoid form, as she looks around a room with a vase containing a tall plant on the bottom-right corner, a shoji in front of the girl, a small table on the middle, Hun and Kelly talking in front of each other: the shorter girl rose her left leg, while smiling and closing her eyes.
"… where are we?" Mirii's irises kept tilting left and right. "I don't think I ever visited this"
"Phew! What a ride!"
Mirii turns behind: Bars resumes his humanoid form, as his head looks all over himself.
"Like, talk about gettin' into Paper Land!" He chuckles.
"It would be nice if you would stop taking everything as a joke, Bars…" Mirii's head rose. "You may exceed your limited expectations on yourself."
"Girl, I already didn't expected to came out normally! Like, for once that I wished on luck, I got exactly what I wanted!" He grins a bit, as his eyes closed.
"Aaaaaaaah!" Grina jumped out from the paper resting on the floor, falling on her back.
Immediately, she returns into her humanoid form: her face was extremely pale, her eyes were just white, her mouth was also white and wide open.
"… ah… ah… I… I'm me…?" Her eyes blinked several times.
"Grina, stand up." Mirii rose her head. "There is no reason to fear such system of teleportation."
"… I want to stay down… I want to enjoy the nice floor beneath me, since it's so calm and friendly…" Grina's expression was still the same.
Mirii shakes her head, as she turns behind. Kelly was walking in front of Mirii, with Hun staying on her right side.
"Do you know Emi and Eri?" Kelly smiles.
"The twins?" Mirii folds her arms.
"Yes!" Kelly's eyes closed. "They are waiting behind that shoji: open it only when you are absolutely sure you didn't forget anything."
"Fara can't access the drawing." Mirii's eyebrows lowered a bit. "She can't turn into a Squid…"
"I was talking that with Master Hun!" Kelly's arms moved up and down for a short while. "I'm going back and tell Fara that young Inklings can jump inside a drawing, without turning into a Squid."
"Ok. We will wait"
"Mirii, it's better we proceed." Hun nodded, while smiling. "I want to immediately start gathering pure energy, so the Shrine will be safe for a while."
Mirii giggles, looking at Hun.
"Alright, Hunley." She nodded. "I agree with your decision: this would also prove that you have fully taken your responsibilities." Her eyes closed.
"Listen to Emi and Eri, ok?!" Kelly's right arm was waving towards Mirii and Hun. "See you in a minute!"
Kelly turns into a Squid, jumping inside the drawing. Slowly, Grina stands up: her face was still pale.
"Tell me we return with a rocket… at least I will get some fun!" Grina's eyebrows were up, her mouth waving, while bending forward.
"Grina, do you want to rest in this room?" Mirii frowned a lot. "Your childish attitude is starting to get on my"
"I-I want to get out of this room, actually!" Grina looks down-left, her eyes glued on the paper sitting on the floor. "I-I can't stand the idea I-I may accidentally fall back in th-that paper!"
"Girl, like… leave the job to Bars!" The boy hugs Grina tightly. "If somethin' smells evil, I throw it in the trash!"
Grina blushes a lot: she smiles a bit, as her right hand rests on Bars' right arm.
"Th-thank you Barsy…" She giggles a bit. "… I could venture inside that paper many, many times with you…"
Bars chuckles, while blushing a lot. Mirii turns behind and walks towards the shoji.
"Please, everyone." Mirii's right hand rests on the shoji. "We need to listen well, otherwise we might get kicked out…"
The girl opened the door.
"WELCOME MASTER!" Emi and Eri both jumped with their arms wide open.
Mirii's irises shrunk, as she slightly tilts backwards. The twin's eyes almost popped out.
"Wait, you are not the Master!" Emi puffed her cheeks, while lowering her eyebrows.
"You are just that fangirl, following the Master everywhere he goes…" Eri puffed her cheeks, while lowering her eyebrows.
"F-fangirl?!" Mirii blushes a lot, as her mouth flattened. "I-I"
"Where is the Master?!" The twins bended forward, still frowning.
"Wh-what's going on with those two?!" Mirii tilted backwards, as her mouth opened. "… I wish that their older sister was here: I can imagine her punishing her younger sisters right in this instant."
"Mirii, what's happening?" Hun looks at the girl, as his mouth downturned.
"MASTER!" The twins smiled, while closing their eyes.
Immediately, they hugged Hun as the boy looked down on them and opened his arms. A vein popped out from Mirii's forehead, while her eyes were seeing the twins.
"We are so happy to see you again!" Emi rose her head, smiling widely.
"We missed you so much!" Eri rose her head, smiling widely.
Multiple veins popped out from Mirii's forehead.
"How did you even felt such"
The twins turned their heads over Mirii, as their faces' upper side was covered in darkness. A sweat drop appears on Mirii's right side of her head.
"Ehm… who are you two, exactly?" Hun smiled, while closing his eyes, with his forehead covered in sweat.
"I'm Emi!" The orange Inkling girl jumped on her right, while smiling and closing her eyes.
"I'm Eri!" The purple Inkling girl jumped on her left, while smiling and closing her eyes.
They start spinning, moving towards each other.
"We are the Shrine Sisters!" Emi's right hand and Eri's left hand touched, as their eyebrows lowered a bit and her smiling mouth opened wide. "Support is our specialty!"
"Oh… that's nice!" Hun's eyes closed, while smiling. "Then, what you do to help Squids out?"
"We are guides!" Emi jumped forward, raising her arms.
"We can give advices too!" Eri jumped forward, raising her arms.
"Ok!" Hun nodded. "I really need some help, since I don't know what to do at this point…"
"This evening the Shrine is holding a ceremony in your honor!" Emi smiled, as her arms stretched down.
"We are celebrating your daring feat of capturing pure energy for us!" Eri nodded. "Didn't Kelly told you this?"
"No… although, I knew about the pure energy and the presence of many people." Hun nodded twice.
"That's ok!" Eri giggled, while closing her eyes. "Aside from the ceremony, our previous Master wants to announce some changing rules"
"Actually, I refuse those." Hun's eyebrows lowered a bit. "I want to keep my powers as normally as they are, since I'm ready to fully take my role as the Master."
"What?!" Emi's eyebrows rose, her downturned mouth opened. "M-Master, are you sure"
"EMI!" The purple little girl turns to her left, frowning a lot. "What are you doing discussing about the Master's decision?!"
"Bu-but Eri!" Emi turns her head to her right. "The Master, including the second one, don't have any experience on their role! They are still living"
"Emi, please…" Eri sighed. "If the Master says something, we must obey." She smiles a bit. "Besides, I'm trusting Master Hun…" She turns towards Hun. "I can feel a huge sense of kindness coming from him…"
"I-I do too…" Emi turns towards Hun, smiling a bit. "It's just, I-I'm worried a bit about his choice, since he still needs to get used to the lifestyle…"
"So?! We will help him out!" Eri jumped, while closing her eyes. "Our Master needs all the support he can get from us! His kindness needs to be even kinder! Also… I'm so excited to be his guide!" She starts waving around a bit. "Imagine all the honors, the ranking upgrades, the noble titles we will get from this job…!"
"Heeeeyy, aren't you helping the Master for that nice sense of kindness?!" Emi frowned, turning to her right. "I don't help others to receive something in exchange… I want to see them feeling better!"
"Where is the wrong part in aspiring some nice status?" Eri rose her mouth a bit, as her eyebrows went neutral and turns to her left. "Also, it's not like I want to charge prices to others for my support… I want to do a great job too!"
"But that last reason felt so much as the priority for you…" Emi snorted, turning over Hun. "What do you think, Master Hun? Do you agree with Eri's reasons?"
"Hmm…" Hun lowered his head while closing his eyes. "… I don't really see much of a problem in this." He rose his head, reopening his eyes. "As long as she truly helps out, everything is fine."
"But with her previous statement, it seemed like she's helping you JUST because you are the Master and not a kind person." Emi's eyebrows rose, as her mouth downturned. "I want to help you, Master, regardless of your role in this Shrine: becoming a better person might affect others positively, since they may want to become better too!"
"That's very nice from you, Eri." Hun nodded, while smiling. "I"
"I'm Emi, Master…" She rose her head.
"Ah!" Hun's eyes expanded. "S-sorry!" A sweat drop appears on his head's right side.
"No, don't worry… sometimes our friends say our names wrong." Emi giggled a bit.
"Master, it's time for you to be properly prepared." Eri bowed down for a moment. "Please, follow us: we will bring you in front of the male changing room, where you will wear a kimono."
"A kimono…?" Hun's head tilted to his right a bit." What's it?"
"A type of clothing!" Eri closed her eyes, while smiling. "You will find several hanging near walls!"
"Choose the one you like: since you never wore one, we will ask our older sister to activate a special power who lets you automatically wear it." Emi's hands were down, turning to her right. "Eri, be the one explaining the situation to Chie, while I accompany the Master"
"Why me?!" Eri frowned, while bending forward and turning to her left. "You go talk with Chie: I'll explain some more things at the Masters, while"
"That's what I feared you would say!" Emi frowned, bending forward. "You are going to adulate the Master while I'm absent! With me around, you can't do that since I would stop you"
"EMI!" Puffs of smoke came out from her ears. "Who said I'll adulate the Master?! I told you many times I want to truly help, since my kind heart asks me to do"
"You want those honors so much, since they count as winning for you!" Emi's eyes squeezed a bit. "Especially if YOU are the one who's winning, since you are using me for your goals!"
Eri gasped, as her eyes expanded and her irises shrunk.
"SH-SHUT UP EMI!" Eri kept stomping the floor. "I WILL NEVER USE MY BEST SISTER!" Her eyes got a bit watery. "I-I WOULD ESCAPE FROM THE SHRINE, IF I EVER DID"
"Be quiet."
Immediately, the two twins turned over Mirii: her head rose, her eyebrows were a bit down and her arms folded.
"… I want both of you go asking Chie about this power you mentioned, or else I'll be the one going to Chie, explaining the childish, violent behavior you have towards each other."
The twins' faces became paler, as their mouth flattened. Mirii's eyes squeezed a bit.
"I'll wait for my other friends to come, including Hunley's sister, before moving in front of the changing rooms. Am I clear enough?"
The twins swallowed.
"Y-Yes…" Both their heads lowered.
"Then go." Mirii nodded. "Without complaining or bickering at each other, since it's giving me a headache."
The twins nodded, both sighing: they turned behind and walked forward, slowly. Mirii sighed loudly, lowering her head and closing her eyes.
"I fear their support might cause more trouble than help… especially with their constant bickering."
"At first, I thought those two twins were really similar…"
Mirii rose back her head, opening her eyes and turning behind. Hun was looking at her, moving his arms a bit.
"… it feels so odd seeing how different they are from each other." He nodded, stopping moving his arms.
"They are young, Hunley… you shall forgive them for the nuisance they caused to you." Mirii's head rose. "Their older sister will already do something about the situation… there is no need for causing even more trouble to them."
"No no, I'm not really mad at them…" His eyes closed, as a sweat drop appears on his head's right side. "I was thinking if I should had done something better… they didn't seem too happy about the situation."
"Don't think about it, Hunley." Mirii's head shakes. "For now, you must change yourself properly inside the male changing room.
"And you know where it is…?" His eyes opened, while smiling a bit.
"Of course I do… this Shrine might look rather large, but"
"Where are Emi and Eri?!"
Hun jumped, turning behind and staring at Kelly: her irises shrunk, her hands covered her mouth while she was standing to Fara's right side. Bars and Grina were behind them, looking around and moving their mouths while forming words.
"F-forgive me, Master!" Kelly bowed down, as sweat jumped out from her head. "I-I rose my voice w-without thinking!" She rose back, with her eyebrows up and her mouth downturned.
"Eh eh, don't worry…" Hun shrugged. "I see you brought Fara with you too."
Fara smiled while nodding.
"Big bro, whil' I 'as waitin'… Tonna came!" She stands on tiptoes, raising her arms.
"What?!" Mirii stepped forward, frowning. "Impossible! She was"
"She said 'hat she got som' time… she wantd to spea' with ya!" Fara's eyebrows were up, as she sighed silently.
"N-no!" Sweat covered Mirii's forehead, as her teeth gritted. "Did she…" She swallows silently. "Did she still tell you a message to report at me…?"
"… ye'." Fara nodded, keeping her head down. "She wantd me to tell you somethin' about tomorrow…"
Everyone's expression became more serious, as a chilly atmosphere was falling down on their heads.
"I tol' her 'bout the Mall events…" Fara's head rose, as her eyebrows went up and her arms start moving a bit. "… th' news ar' about you and my big bro."
Mirii's irises shrunk.
"What did Tonna said to us?!" Hun frowned, inhaling with his nose loudly.
Grina's fingernails were on her mouth, as sweat starts coming from her head.
"Tomorrow, they said 'hat… th' Inklings who demonstrate in front of the Station are considred violent an' dangerus." Fara sighed. "In simplr wors… the' 're goin' to destroy shop 'indows, cars and 'uch wi' bats an' similar items!"
"Nnnngghhh!" Mirii bends forward, as her face got even paler. "Th-they already know about"
"The' are prparing in cas', Technie…" Fara's mouth downturned a lot. "The' wan' th' Station opned tomorrow… no exceptions."
"Wh-what the Headquarters will do, Fara?!" Mirii's irises shrunk. "Please, continue!"
"The' decided to sen' almost all Agents on th' area… includin' ya and Hun." Fara lowered.
"WHAT?!" Grina jumped in front of Fara. "THAT'S STUPID! HOW ABOUT THE WHOLE POLICE"
"GRINA, BE QUIET!" Mirii grabbed Grina's right shoulder with her right hand, twisting the girl in her direction. "ASIDE FROM SCARING HER, SHE WAS ABOUT TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING!"
Mirii growled. Grina's eyebrows were up, shivering a bit.
"C-come on, don't tell me you"
"Grina, step aside! Now!" Mirii's right forefinger was pointing towards the floor. "You are standing on Inkinators' way…"
Grina sighed, slowly walking to her left. Mirii closes her eyes.
"Fara, please continue…" She sighed.
"Technie… Agents' role woul' be to suppor' th' police guards, by hiding in specific places an' makin' sure 'hat no more trouble happens whi' th' police guards protect th' shops and other surroundings." Fara's irises looked around.
"Does the Station count too?" Mirii's arms folded.
"… no, it doesn'." Fara's head shakes.
"CURSES!" Mirii's right foot stomped the floor. "CURSES! They want to make the Inklings conquer the Station!" Mirii's hands pulled her tentacles a bit. "Th-those darn… grrrrrr!"
Smoke came out from Mirii's ears.
"Those hypocrites' true goal is to direct the whole attack towards the Station… so Project Neo will return once more!"
"And they are sending even us to do their dirty work, so we can't do anything about it!" Hun was frowning a lot.
"No… no, I can't stay here." Mirii shakes her head. "I must immediately"
"No no, please!" Kelly's arms were waving laterally in front of Mirii.
"Technie, Tonna said 'hat she took a break for a shor' period of time… she's now returnin' in their 'hief offices." Fara opened her arms, shrugging a bit.
Mirii's right hand covered her eyes.
"… there is nothing we can do at this point." Mirii's hand slides down. "We must return as soon as possible in our room and take a good rest: me and Hunley must be in shape and awake for the major events happening tomorrow… in that time, we might think of a strategy to use for stopping the attack over the Station."
Mirii's head shakes.
"Unfortunately, because of his needing presence in this Shrine, it's impossible to come up with a clear strategy as I hoped… for now, let's just keep things going as it's with the exception of returning back in our rooms as soon as possible."
Mirii's head rose.
"Hun must save the Shrine as soon as possible… besides, the Shrine might give us a hand for stopping this attack."
"How about I go talk with the chiefs and say a little excuse?!" Grina's hands were on her head, as her knees were bending a bit down and sweat kept falling from the top of her forehead. "Th-the mission you two have to do is"
"You'll NOT do anything, ingrate!" Mirii lowered her head, while frowning and sliding her right foot forward. "The chiefs will start suspecting the whole team even more… we all need to still act as Agents, so we can still investigate on Project Neo and stopping it for good before they will cause even more trouble to innocent Squids!"
Mirii's right forefinger points forward.
"Am I clear?"
Grina rose her head, while closing her eyes, biting her lips and shaking her fists, which were in front of her shoulders, as she growled loudly.
"Wh-why the Inkinators can't watch a darn movie in peace?! WHY?!" A waterfall of tears were coming down from her eyes. "It's not fair… I just wanted to chill out with my friends… I want to laugh with them, play games with them, visit new places with them…!"
"Grina, please calm down." Mirii's eyes closed. "It's useless crying over those facts…"
"… sigh!" Grina's arms opened, as her head shakes and her eyes opened a little. "I can't get sad now…" Her right forefinger's side drenches her right eye. "It would feel like I'm giving up!"
"Like, I agree with you, girl!" Bars' left arm covered Grina's shoulders. "Seeing Greta Inkolina all sad, it really reminds me of that last episode from Ink, Turf, Splat!" He nodded.
Grina turns behind, as her eyebrows went up and her mouth downturned.
"Ah yes, that one… I…" She lowered her head. "I cried for real, in that episode… despite my hate for the non-stopping acting career I had. I really believed in those adventures… I was so curious and excited to get in other new situations!" Her head rose back up. "So enthusiastic to share those moments with the audience…"
"Grina, can I have your attention?" Mirii's head rose.
"Yeah yeah, I know what you want…" Grina turns behind, keeping the same facial expression. "I really don't care at this point… I'll follow you, since this place doesn't seem to allow some free walking."
"But you can do that!" Kelly starts jumping a bit in place, while smiling. "As long as someone from the Shrine keeps an eye on you… which could be me!"
"Really?" Grina bended a bit forward, as her mouth opened a bit.
"Sure I can also be a trustworthy guide!" Kelly stops, while closing her eyes and growing her smile. "Do you want to walk around a bit?"
"That would be so cool!" Grina's mouth smiled, as her fists were in front of her body. "This Shrine feels so mysterious and magical, I can surely find something impressive!" Her eyes closed. "Maybe I could also find an information which could really help me out solving some annoying problem I may see in the future!"
"Well, it's more about the History of this Shrine…" Kelly nodded, as her mouth forms a small 3. "But you might want to learn more about the Hot Baths: healthy, relaxing, capable of even solving some problems you got on yourself."
"Hey, can I take a bath?" Grina grins a bit, as her hands fell on her hips. "I really would need a stress-reliever after the stuff I got into."
"Right now, the Hot Baths are closed…" A sweat drop appears on Kelly's left side of her head, while her eyes closed. "But I can guide you for a bit, around the Shrine… first of all, everyone must wear a kimono."
"Oh girl, like for real?" Bars groaned, as his arms opened. "It would be easier if I try balancing on a pebble!"
"Can you wear one?" Kelly's head tilted to her left.
"Yeah, but… I don't feel like even thinkin' about some kimono, girl!" His eyebrows went up, his eyelids were on the middle, his mouth rose and his shoulders shrugged. "It feels so funky for me… like I'm the Dude of Power, not Mr. Traditional Traditions. It's… I don't know!"
"But everyone must wear one: it's a rule of respect the Shrine have for everyone." Kelly downturned her mouth a bit. "Please, wear one… I don't want to fight with the Shrine people, just to let you keep your clothes. Also, it's just for this one time! I mean, you aren't going to visit our Shrine every day, right?"
"Well… if you let me keep that paper, sure I could!" Bars chuckles. "Like, I wouldn't mind taking relaxing baths, feeling all the energy to lift up some boulders… or even barrels!"
Kelly giggled.
"The paper will just be here momentarily." She nodded, as her hands clasped together.
"Bars, I order you to wear a kimono." Mirii's head rose, as her arms folded. "You came here to stay with Grina… then, you will assume all the responsibilities and not causing trouble to others, since they don't deserve such fate."
"Girl, like…" Bars blushes a bit. "… you know what? Alright, fine! I'll wear a kimono… but just because I hate seeing you angry, girl."
Mirii's eyes squeezed.
"Is that because you are scared of me…?"
"Naaah!" Bars chuckles. "Like, you already exploded because of Tonna's shenanigans… can't make you explode more!"
"She didn't do anything wrong!" Mirii frowned. "Have you been paying attention, Bars?!"
"Ehm… heh." Bars shrugged. "For what? It's not like I'm really involved or anything…"
Mirii growled. Kelly starts dancing, standing in between the two Squids.
"Let's noooot waste any moooorree tiiiiiimmeee…" Her arms were pointing behind Mirii. "Let's go! Let's go! Time is preeecciioouuusss!" She starts jumping, passing Mirii.
She turns behind, as her right eye squeezed slightly.
"… hmpf, enough with the chat." The girl walks towards Kelly. "Everyone, please cooperate: no one shall get on Hunley's way!"
"Don't worry, Mirii…" He blushes a bit, rushing towards Mirii's right side. "I still didn't fall into any mistake…"
Bars and Grina stared at each other.
"… how about it, big boy?" Her tongue sticks out. "Shall we play the tourist game?"
"Eh eh! Like, as long as I don't get to memorize stuff since it overheats the brain of mine." He grins a bit, as his eyes closed.
"Eh eh! A role model student you are…" Grina turns behind. "Then prepare yourself for some kimono wearing time!" She starts walking.
"Man, like they got the tradition too far… how about giving more space to progress for once? It's supposed to be better anyway!" Bars follows Grina.
"Retro does it better, Barsy!" Grina's head turns to her right, as her right eye winked. "Why doing more trial and errors, when you got already the past who provides the best solution?"
Mirii's head rose.
"She still thinks to have fun more than understanding her position… tsk. Since I'm here, it would be not a bad idea to investigate a bit more around the Shrine… and find out information which could help me stop Project Neo and save all those innocent Squids. Inkopolis shall live in a land of peace… and maturity."