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"Here I am, once again... inside the sacred Shrine." Mirii's head rose. "This time however… it appears that the hall is much more populated than I remembered."
Inklings and a few humanoid sea creatures such as Shrimps, Stingrays and so on were gathered around, each wearing a different kind of kimono. Their eyes were all staring at Hun, which was wearing a black kimono.
"Uhm… this is not the first time I'm seeing Stingrays who are not working for that pirate…" Her eyes squeezed. "Since I'm here, I may ask to that male Stingray if he knows anything about the recent Stingray attacks happening around our city: I might get a clue about what the Stingrays are up to."
Mirii was wearing a light pink kimono with drawn red, pink, and white flowers, tied with a stripped obi: her tentacles were tied in a ball above her head, surrounded by red and white flowers. She walks with her hands down, the left one above the right one. She stops in front of a tall male Stingling wearing a black kimono, as her eyes closed while clearing her voice.
"Excuse me?"
The male Stingling turns to his right, lowering his head.
"Yes?"
"Can you please answer this question? It's very important for Inkopolis' future." Mirii's head rose, as her eyes opened.
"Uhm? What's the question, miss?" His head tilted to his right.
"Do you happen to know anything about Stingrays using a flying ship as their main vehicle and goo as their own weapon?" Her eyes squeezed.
"No, I don't." His head shakes.
"I see…" Her nose wiggled. "He doesn't know…? I don't understand… no, he must know something!" She frowns slightly. "He belongs to their same family, after all! I must press him with more questions: I will not rest until I'm absolutely sure there is nothing left to check."
Mirii's head lowered for a moment, closing her eyes.
"Do you know Stingrays who use technology?"
"No no." His head shakes.
"… have you ever seen a Stingray wearing like a pirate?" Mirii's head rose.
"The only Stingrays I ever saw are the ones you can find around the Shrine, miss." He nodded. "We are a small group of Stingrays, as you might notice…"
His arms folded.
"But why is it so important for you to know if I happen to meet those other Stingrays…?" His eyebrows lowered a bit. "I would like to hear the answer, since I don't understand the purpose of those questions."
"Stingrays are attacking our city recently." Mirii nodded. "We do not know the reason why they are doing this… but if we do, we might stop them before they have another chance to attack us."
"Uhm…" His right hand was massaging his chin. "Maybe… maybe I know exactly what kind of information you might need for that."
"Please, sir… do tell." Mirii's hands clasped, smiling a bit.
"It's something my grandpa used to tell me…" He looks up, still keeping his previous position. "Apparently, a long time ago… an internal war between Stingrays happened. Some managed to escape… which descendants are all here in this Shrine." He nodded, as his right hand fell down.
"The reason of the war?" Mirii's head rose, as her arms folded.
"I think… I think he said something about power management…" He looks up.
"Power management…? It probably must be related to political motives, but just to be sure let's still ask more specification." Mirii's right forefinger rested on her right cheek. "What do you mean with power management?"
"Political reasons." He nodded. "Although, I don't know the details because my grandpa didn't know them as well. He escaped together with my grandma and others, venturing around the Forest of Meditation and receive hospitality from the Master and owner of that era."
"Uhm…" Mirii's eyes squeezed a little. "Why your grandpa escaped?"
"Because the war destroyed his previously bought apartment: he was thinking that something bad about him and grandma would happen too, so he decided to join Stinglings who were escaping as fast as they could…"
"I see…" Mirii's right forefinger taps on her right cheek, as her left hand grabbed her right elbow. "Uhm… at the moment I have no other questions. Except… this huge pain in my stomach. I… I'm feeling so lonely, right now."
Mirii sighed silently.
"I can't concentrate if this pain is still persisting. I must find Hunley as soon as possible… he's the only one who can really cheer me up." Mirii bowed down. "Thank you for dedicating your time to answer my questions…" She rose back. "You were generous."
"No problem, miss!" The Stingling's right hand waved towards Mirii's direction, as he walks to the right.
The girl kept looking at the man for a moment: she turns behind, beginning to walk as well.
"Something in particular from the Stingray's past may explain why they are attacking our city…" Her head rose. "If I keep digging in their motive, I'll eventually find the perfect way to make them stop attack us… and also to stop them from standing in my way: I want to be the one who ceases Project Neo."
Mirii frowned.
"Those behind the project shall learn to never stand on perfection's way."
Her head turned to her right, seeing a large group of Inklings walking forward. Bars and Grina, both wearing each a different kimono, were walking towards Mirii. Bars was wearing a dark blue kimono, Grina a pink-orange kimono with different kinds of red-pink butterflies spread around it. Her obi was depicting flowers colored like the butterfly and her tentacles were simply tied in a ball on her head.
Her eyelids lowered in the middle, as her right hand was holding a small, hand fan showing a blue sky with butterflies opening their wings.
"There you are!" Grina's right hand was waving the hand fan a bit, while smiling. "I thought we had to explore the whole Shrine in order to find you…"
"I was asking information to a Stingray." Mirii's head rose. "He doesn't know anything about the Stingrays."
"There is no time for that!" Grina turns behind as her left arm moved from behind to forward. "They are about to start a ceremony in honor of Hunry and his sister: you don't want to miss it, do you?"
"Of course I'll attend the ceremony." Mirii starts walking. "Hunley is about to receive his true perfection status."
"I don't understand why you wanted so much to stay here all alone…" Grina's head turned to her right. "Didn't you felt a bit alone?"
"I was near Hunley, before asking that Stingray about those questions…" Mirii nodded. "Then people came out and started to talk with him… and I decided to walk out, so Hunley would fully take his moment to shine as the Shrine Master he is."
"Yeah, we saw him walking inside a room." Grina's right forefinger rose. "I have to say that I'm also rather excited, considering the amount of magic we might see during the ceremony!" She clapped her hands.
Mirii's head lowered a bit, as her eyebrows rose.
"I… I'm also a bit anxious…" She sighed loudly.
"Why?" Bars' turns his head to his right. "Like, what's the matter, girl?"
"It's about tomorrow… and Hunley too." Mirii's eyes closed. "After the ceremony, he's going to capture a lot of pure energy… and according to Kelly, this will really tire him." Her head rose back. "Tomorrow he may get so tired, he might even barely standing up…"
Mirii's mouth downturned.
"I really wish to not go tomorrow for the mission and also let Hunley rest more… not only we will not run unnecessary risks, but I can effectively help Hunley more inside the Headquarters than outside, considering the amount of attention we both need to have on the mission itself than on ourselves."
"I agree with that, Mirii…" Grina nodded, as her eyebrows rose. "Don't worry, I'll think of a plan to"
"Grina, the only ones who can do something are the staff working for the Shrine." Mirii turns her head forward, seeing a shoji. "Is this the room?"
"Nope!" Grina's right forefinger pointed to her right. "Over there! Near the Altar!"
"Ah, I see…" Mirii's head turns to her right. "… before the ceremony starts, I need to talk with Chie: she might help us for tomorrow's troubling problem."
The three Inklings turned to their right, while still walking on the floor.
"Kelly said that the staff was already inside that room." Grina's right hand was waving up and down. "I guess they were preparing everything…"
"I'll talk to Chie later, though." Mirii's right hand rested on a shoji. "I do not want to delay the ceremony… that will delay Hunley's job too."
Her right hand slides the shoji: several people were all sitting down, with their legs folded and surrounding a square surface composed of large, square tiles colored white. Their mouths were sealed. Emi and Eri were each standing near a pillar, which were each sitting on one of the squared floor's top edges.
Eri turned her head backwards after some seconds. Emi lowered her head and looked at Eri.
"Heh, what's up with the sudden silence…?" Grina looks around, while smiling a bit and whispering. "Can't see much sense of energy around…"
"They are talking between each other, telepathically." Mirii nodded, whispering and lowering her hands on the middle. "I'll move forward, so I can see Hunley better." She walks slowly around the crowd.
Gently, Mirii lowered down and sits on the floor, folding her legs and raising her head a bit.
"Hunley is about to come here, in front of me… I… I hope he doesn't become too nervous." Mirii frowned very slightly, as she did not breathe for a moment. "I-I'm not sure what can I do to calm him down, from here…"
Eri turned behind once more. Her left hand starts moving up and down. Emi's eyes expanded.
"Something tells me Eri saw Hunley coming…" Mirii's eyes closed. "I really wish to sit on an armchair, though… the pain from my back is getting stronger."
Eri walked in between the pillars, facing the people and raising her arms.
"Everyone! Please give a big applause to our new, beloved Master: Hun!"
Clapping sounds came up in the air: two Inkling women wearing a kimono were walking towards the square floor, throwing red and blue flowers down. They were smiling, their eyes were staring the shoji. They each walked towards the nearest side, bowing down.
Four Inkling men, wearing black kimonos and each holding a pole on their shoulder, were slowly walking towards the center. Hun was sitting on a small armchair, standing on a green platform with poles sticking from the corners: Fara was sitting on the left side, with her hands standing on the armchair's arms.
They both smiled, raising their right hands and waving them over the people, as they slowly turn around. The men lowered the platform, walking each over the square floor's corner, bowing down. Hun stands up, with his arms stretching forward and his hands open.
"Please, lift back your postures." His head turned left and right.
The bowing Inklings lifted back their postures, smiling and staring at Hun. Fara's tentacles were rolled up on the top of her head, wearing a red kimono with a variety of flowers colored either pink or orange. Her black obi was depicting a trail of red flower shapes going all around it. Her head rose, tilted towards her brother.
"I… I thank you so much for attending this small ceremony!" Hun bowed down.
Emi and Eri's eyes expanded, as their mouths opened wide. The people were looking at each other. Mirii's eyebrows lowered.
"Their expression… are they implying that Hunley is wrong?!" Her eyes squeezed a bit. "I hope they will notice such hypocrisy soon… no one have the right to attack kindness."
Hun rose his posture back, as his hands start rubbing together, while his head kept turning around. "I… well, this is the first time I ever attend such… ehm… ceremony!"
Sweat starts jumping from his head. Mirii's eyebrows rose.
"Oh no… pl-please, Hunley." Her teeth exposed, gritting slightly. "Sh-show perfection in front of those people… yo-you are the Master! Th-the guide to look for!"
"But I… I want to say something concerning the… the… changes!" He jumps a bit, raising his right forefinger and smiles. "I… well, I don't accept those incoming changes from"
"Master, wait!" Eri jumped on Hun's left side, as her eyebrows were up. "You weren't supposed to say that now… Chie told you to say the promises first!" Her irises went to her left. "She told you this many"
"Eri, leave the Master alone!" Emi's hands were on her shoulders, as her face was extremely pale, standing on Eri's right ear and her eyebrows skyrocketed on her forehead. "You can't"
"Emi, the Master is in trouble!" Eri frowned a bit. "We must support him, even in times like this: he counts on us, he's the kindest Master we had for a long time!"
"But"
"Don't you remember what he did before?!" Eri's eyes squeezed a bit. "He let the showing Inklings raising up… while they must stay bended down for all the ceremony!"
Voices came up from the air, as people turned their heads towards others. Emi looks around: she jumped forward, bending forward and stretching her arms down.
"BE QUIET, PLEASE!"
Everyone's head pointed at Emi.
"… the ceremony…" She lifts her posture, lowering her head. "… the ceremony is ruined… and the fault is all ours…"
She sniffed loudly.
That's not true!
Keep the Master talking!
He needs help! Don't leave him all alone!
Emi rose her head, as her mouth opened and her head turned around.
"W-wait…" Her irises shrunk. "… you don't care?!"
"Emi, listen to me…" Eri walks on Emi's left side.
Her twin sister twisted her head, seeing Eri smiling and nodding.
"This Master is not like the previous ones we had…" Her eyes closed. "He's very kind… and also shy." She giggles.
Hun blushes a bit, smiling slightly.
"Let him keep on talking: his kindness is stronger than his own words." Eri's hands grabbed Emi's left arm, pulling a bit.
Emi smiled, nodding and looking at her sister.
"… alright." She turns towards Hun. "Forgive me, Master…" Emi bended down. "I-I wasn't thinking about my actions yet again…"
"Don't worry…" He chuckles a bit, as his eyes closed. "Do stand up, please."
Emi immediately stands up.
"And… well…" His head lowered a bit, as his irises went to his right. "I… I forgot about the promises… actually, I forgot almost everything about the ceremony…" His eyes closed. "… I should be the one apologizing for not doing my job…"
The Master is apologizing?!
No, Master! No!
Please continue talking! You are doing fine!
Hun's head rose, opening his eyes and raising his mouth a bit.
"I wish I could remember a bit more… sometimes it's just a bit hard." He nodded. "… I promise that I'll improve myself!" He frowned very slightly. "I will become… brave! And… I-I'll help the Shrine too!" He nodded. "I-I want to make sure that everyone is smiling and enjoying their time here! No one shall deserve living in frustration… I-I'll be the one who will live in such state, if th-that ever happens!"
Loud claps were dominating the air: voices joined the clapping sounds as well, screaming and calling the Master. Hun smiles widely, as sweat went down from his head and he waves his right hand a bit.
"Th-thank you to all of you!" He bowed down. "Thank you for being so patient with me… I-I admit to not really have much experience on being th-the guide you are looking for…" He rose back up. "Although… before I begin capturing pure energy, I really want to say something about the changing rules since… I-I do not agree with them."
Everyone kept staring at Hun. Mirii was blushing a lot, as her eyes were a bit watery and her hands were covering her mouth.
"I'm ready to take my responsibilities as the Master of the Shrine… I-I'll come here more frequently, to make sure that everything is fine and fixing major problems affecting the Shrine." He looks around, lowering his eyebrows slightly. "Please, give me a chance to demonstrate my capacities…"
He bows down again.
"Please! I… I have to stop an incoming attack in Inkopolis, tomorrow!" He rose back up, as his eyebrows rose. "I-I can't stay here yet… innocents are counting on me!"
Voices raise in the air once again. Hun's ears rose, as steps coming from behind him were getting louder. He turns behind, seeing Fara with her eyes white, standing still.
"Hun…" She walks in front of him. "… the time has come. We must capture pure energy for the Shrine, before fiendish forces will destroy the very symbol of our community."
Hun lowered his head, which raised in about 3 seconds: he turns behind, showing his eyes completely white. A loud gasp covered the air, as everyone bowed down except Mirii, Bars and Grina.
"… this must be Hunley's Master form…" Mirii's head rose. "Can't say I appreciate such appearance: it really makes him look like someone hypnotized by invisible forces."
"People of the Shrine." Hun's arms rose, keeping his expression. "You heard my sister, the one closer to understand the secret of being a Master. She is the only one who can expose my role fully… which in turn, gives me the possibility to understand the path I must take."
His arms lowered.
"I, Master Hun, ask each of you to lift your postures…"
Everyone rose their postures, staring at Hun.
"I cannot proceed if I don't take some precautions for tomorrow." He nodded.
Mirii's irises shrunk.
"Is he… still Hunley?!" She bended forward. "Hunley… please, be yourself…" Her hands clasped. "Your kindness is the only cure in front of this pain I'm suffering inside my chest."
"I have a favor to ask… to the friend ninjas looking at me: a male and a female ninja shall disguise respectively as me and Mirii, pretending to join the Agents in their mission of the next day. For more details, please discuss to Mirii."
Mirii stands up, as her face was red, her mouth opened wide and her irises shrunk. Hun looks at her, smiling.
"I have to go for now…" He nodded. "Once I finish capturing the pure energy… I promise… I will summon a Shrine Legend upon Inkopolis."
Silence fell in: Hun turns behind, beginning to walk. Fara starts walking too, standing on his left side. Mirii looks around: everyone's faces were extremely pale. Her head rose.
"… a Shrine Legend… I wonder what that is…" Her eyes squeezed. "Mostly, I would like"
Everyone stands up, turning towards the shoji, which immediately opened.
"… Hunley… because of you, I can sleep safely this night." She smiles. "I can't wait to see that movie with you…"
She starts walking, smiling a bit more.
"… so I can learn more about your tastes… and hopefully, I would be able to always make you smile because of that." Her eyes closed for a moment.
"Yahooooo!"
Mirii's eyes opened: Grina kept jumping, while her eyes closed and her left fist was pointing at the ceiling.
"The movie! We will get to see the mooovvviiieeee!" Her feet's heels touched in midair.
"Yippie!" Kelly jumped from the right, starting to dance in place. "We will watch the movie! We will watch theee movie!"
She turns to her left, looking at Mirii and smiling widely.
"Aren't you happy too, Mirii?!" Her eyes closed. "You can share more time with the Master!"
Mirii blushes a lot, frowning a bit.
"Wh-why that reasoning?! I-I…" Her head tilted up-left, as her irises moved in the same direction. "I'm indeed looking forward to see this movie… and I'm relieved that tomorrow I can rest a bit more, considering my need for energy."
"Eh eh!" Kelly jumped lightly, moving towards Mirii and stopping in front of her. "Before leaving, you have to say everything concerning tomorrow to the chosen ninjas, so they can build up a quick plan to use."
"I will." Mirii's head rose. "But before I do that… I would like to know more about the Shrine Legend figure, Hunley just"
"You don't know?!" Kelly's jaw dropped. "Didn't Emi and Eri ever explained that"
"Why you don't say Eri AND Emi? I'm the leader, after all."
Kelly's head turned to her left, seeing the twins with her heads a bit up and their face frowning very slightly.
"Hiiiii!" Both Kelly's arms waved in front of the twins. "I was just mentioning you two!" The girl waved left and right, while her eyes closed and her mouth formed a small 3. "When the Master finished, would you like to come with me to watch a nice story?"
"A… movie?!" Emi bended forward, as her eyebrows rose. "Which movie"
"Emi!" Eri's head turned to her right. "We can't leave the Shrine unless we have authorization from Chie: I don't want to get another warning from her, after the very first one…"
"C-come on, Eri…!" Emi turns to her left, bending forward and waving around. "You know that I watch as many movies as possible from Chie's laptop! They are so real and well made… most of them are literally masterpieces!"
"Bah!" Eri's right hand went from up to down, as her face grimaces. "They are so fake and cheap… they all act egocentric and conceited too, as if they are all big shots!"
"That's not true!" Emi frowned. "The people who act are all so generous and kind… Chie also shows me those backstage moments, where everyone is smiling and having a great time! It such a beautiful thing making movies: you can just taste what life is."
"We HAVE lives, Emi!" Eri frowned. "We don't need any movies to remind us how life is… we are living one! Besides, none of those egoistic Squids can act with the use of their natural feelings since that's the hardest thing to present in a story."
Mirii's right hand covered her eyes, as she sighed loudly.
"They keep bickering about the stupidest of the reasons… when those two will learn to cooperate like true sisters?! Sooner or later, they will both start a war at each"
"That's impossible, Mirii."
Her right hand slides down, seeing Eri standing in front of her with her hands down.
"We are the Shrine Sisters for a reason." She nodded. "That's to keep high the value of our beloved family. After this ceremony, I'm sure our family will gain even more value than before, despite its failing direction…"
"Failing direction?!" Mirii frowned, gritting her teeth. "Weren't you the one saying"
"I'm not accusing the Master!" Eri frowned. "He did a great job, showing his true self to everyone! Even when the ceremony was pretty much ruined… people understood him! They believed him in every second!"
Mirii's eyes squeezed.
"Eri, did you really wanted to adulate Hunley before…? Just like what your sister is saying?"
Eri turns her head to her right, lowering her eyelids and raising her mouth a bit.
"… she really talks without thinking. Always standing in our family's way…" Her head turns forward. "We both know you are his most beloved fangirl, Mirii… but when I was thinking to adulate him, I didn't wanted to trick him with that."
Her eyebrows went up.
"You know him too, Mirii… he's scared of the Shrine." Her eyes closed. "He looks like someone who wants to escape and go back in his humble lives…" She bends forward. "If he does, our Shrine"
"I know the story behind the Shrine, Eri." Mirii nodded. "Hunley needs to stay here…"
"I was thinking to give him compliments, so he might start liking more the place…" Eri sighed, after raising her posture. "Actually, I really wanted to become friends with his sister Fara, since she's around our age and she might feel a bit lonely too considering the Squids she's around with…"
"But do you really want to be her friend, Eri?" Emi's eyebrows rose, her mouth downturned. "If you lie to her, you are lying to yourself."
"I'm saying the truth, Emi." Eri nodded. "It's not just because we will receive more honors since she's a Master too… I really want to make sure I give both of them a reason to stay. We must preserve the Shrine, Emi… Chie is counting on us!"
"… maybe I should ask one more question, before leaving them alone: something which is really bugging me..." Mirii cleared her voice. "Eri?"
"I heard you, Mirii." Eri turns in front of her. "You want to know what's so special about our family receiving more values."
"Yes… you seem extremely interested in that." Mirii lowered her head, closing her eyes.
"That's something everyone is very interested in." Eri smiled. "Even Emi, despite her looks."
Emi lowered her head, as her eyebrows rose.
"But I wanted to do it honestly… otherwise it wouldn't feel fair at all."
"Kelly, us and other people working for the Shrine receive honors and etc. based on what they do." Eri turns behind, staring at the Altar. "The more value a family gets, the more possibility they have to work together with the Master and receive almost all the powers offered by the Shrine."
Her smile grew.
"Aside from that, they will also obtain gifts from the Shrine such as ornaments for the house, the possibility to live in a larger house, the possibility to travel around the world and utilize the gold offered to us… and last but not least, a bigger authority level." She turns behind, while smiling widely and closing her eyes.
"Eri really likes that last reason…" Emi sighed. "So she can always pretend to win every time."
"Because of the ceremony, our authority raise up drastically!" She nodded. "Now we can give orders even to Seniors who previously treated us like little kids!"
A sweat drop appears on Mirii's right side of her head.
"You are still little kids…"
Eri frowned. Mirii expanded her eyes.
"… yes, you are right…" Eri's eyes squeezed. "… but we are little kids who can decide orders AND reward or punish the sent people." Her head rose. "It's a bit unfortunate you aren't working here, Mirii… I would had sent you to clean dishes at the fountain, so you would start getting rid of that perfection word you have in your mind."
"Nnnggghh!" Mirii bended forward. "Me, obeying to a little kid?! No! I-I'm the one who's closer to perfection! No one shall rule over perfection!"
"Figures." Eri closes her eyes. "You are still thinking about it, ever since you stood foot in here…"
Eri walks in front of Mirii, standing on tiptoes and looking directly at her eyes: Mirii swallowed silently.
"Despite the fact you are not working here… I can still give you this very specific task for you." Eri squeezed her eyes a bit. "Make sure the Masters desire to live here… do that and I'll guarantee you the closest position near Master Hun, I can give you." Her eyes closed. "You can even say this to Chie, it's not a problem for us at all."
Eri took a brief, loud breath.
"If you ignore this task, then I'll make sure you can't even take a step inside the Shrine!" Eri opened her eyes, frowning. "I'm not trying to crush you with this, Mirii… the Shrine absolutely needs its true Masters to survive. We got so lucky that the prophecies were in our favor… we can't trust on luck anymore, considering the drastic situation the Shrine fell into!"
A single sweat slides down from Mirii's left side of her head.