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"Hey hey, there…"
Eri turns behind, facing Grina: her hands were resting on her hips. She was smiling widely, looking down at the little girl.
"Look at the little boss down here!" Grina bended down, as her eyes closed. "Bossing Miss Perfection, like a true one! The most authority an adult can only wish!"
Eri smiled.
"Why…" She nodded. "I know exactly how to be the leader!"
"You sure do!" Grina opened her mouth, which was forming a round shape. "I'm shocked by such incredible wising skills you have, despite your young age…!"
"Indeed I'm incredible…!" Her eyes closed. "I always knew I had what it takes to give wise orders to everyone!" She stood in tiptoes for a moment. "It was just a matter of time, before I got the chance to demonstrate such natural skills."
"And you are still young… once you mature, you might send so many wise orders, you might sit on a throne and have many servants feeding you with fruits!" Grina rose up, as her arms opened wide.
Eri grins widely, as her mind was seeing herself sitting on a throne, opening her mouth as an Inkling man holding a grape with his right thumb and forefinger moved his right hand towards her small mouth, pushing the grape inside.
"… who are you?" Eri smiled widely.
"The name is Grina…" She bowed down. "Grina Inkol!"
"Grina… would you and your friends like to take a bath in the Hot Baths? I can ask Chie to"
"Thank you for the offer, maybe me and my friends will dive in the refreshing baths another time." Grina lifts her posture, as her hands were on her hips. "Instead, I would like to know what great things you will do later on." Her eyes closed, keeping her smile. "The curiosity is splatting me!"
"What I will do…?" Eri looks up, as her right forefinger was tapping her right cheek. "Well, of course I would start by looking around the Shrine and see if there is anything to fix or improve…"
"Aaaaah, so wise!" Grina bended down, as her left hand rested on Eri's right shoulder. "That's truly the best decision a great leader would take!" Her left hand patted her right shoulder. "Although, I was also expecting something else…"
"What?" Eri opened her mouth.
"Well…" Grina lowered and shook her head. "… naaaah, on second thought, the thing I was thinking isn't that much worth to mention: I can give ideas, not solutions to any problem."
"No no, please do say the thing you have in mind!" Eri's eyebrows rose.
"Oh…!" Grina rose her head back, while smiling and closing her eyes. "Then, I guess I can't really be quiet if this wise, little girl wants to know about the thing I got in mind."
"Please do say it!" Eri smiled. "I'll never judge a person who tries to express a valid idea for my role in this Shrine…"
"You said before that you can give many wise orders to everyone…" Grina's head tilted to her right. "I was wondering if you could also change something a little bit too…"
"I'm sure I can." Eri nodded. "Because I'm strictly working with the Masters, me and Emi can indeed change something around the Shrine, especially with the approval from the Masters themselves!"
"Really…" Grina's eyebrows lowered slightly. "… then, you would also be able to change the Masters' location place, permanently."
"Huh?!" Eri's eyes expanded, as her mouth opened wide. "W-wait… that's almost impossible!" Her mouth downturned. "The people here will never agree to such order, since they want to see the Masters"
"What's that…?" Grina's mouth opened wide, her eyes grew even wider. "I thought you had a lot of power in your hands… enough to get feed with fruits, while sitting on a throne!"
"Of course I have more power!" Eri frowned, puffing her cheeks a bit. "I can order whatever I want, especially with the approval of the Masters!"
"Then… if you can really do that, but you are still refusing to order such task… does that mean you don't think to be as powerful as you thought to be…?" Grina's eyes blinked two times.
Eri's face got paler, as sweat covered her forehead.
"You are admitting to lose against the people…?" Grina's eyebrows rose.
"L-losing? ME?!" Eri's fingers fell on her chest. "NO! I-I'm not! Those people will listen to me! I-I can easily get his approval! I-I know I'm always choosing the best for both Masters!"
"Your words are promising… but the facts speak louder." Grina stands up, nodding. "Your mind will always remind that you didn't do nothing about"
"My mind will never say that!" Eri stomped the floor with her right foot. "Because I'm not losing against a bunch of people coming from lower values! No way!" Her cheeks puffed.
Grina closes her eyes, smiling and lowering her head.
"Then… if I would say that the Masters shall stay inside Inkopolis, since they can easily protect the city from there… and why not, even convincing people to believe in the Shrine much more than before"
"Hold it!" Eri's right arm stretched forward. "I… I-I was already thinking about the same reasons! I strongly believe that this is the best choice for the Master!" She smiled. "I… I will talk with Master Hun about this idea: I'm so sure he will agree with me! From there, it's all a matter of time before the Masters' new locations are close to Mirii and his friends!"
"Eeerriiii…" Emi downturned her mouth, as her eyebrows rose. "You want to do that, so you can boss everyone around pretending that the Master told you"
Eri's right hand covered her mouth, as she chuckles with her head turned behind, sweat covering her face and forming a large grin while closing her eyes.
"Ha ha ha ha, don't mind my sister… she's just jealous about me!" Eri nodded rapidly.
Emi moved her arms and legs, while frowning a lot and puffing her cheeks.
"Why don't you all take a nice walk around the Shrine? I have a little private discussion to make with Emi, before receiving the Masters from their pure energy capture session." Eri walks, dragging her twin sister with her.
"Alright!" Grina's right hand was waving towards the twins. "See you later you two!"
Eri's left hand waved towards Grina, then the small girl sprinted while still dragging Emi and leaving a cloud of dust behind. Grina's head was shaking slowly.
"Little dictators grow…" She sighed. "That's so true…"
"Grina, you lied the whole time to Eri… right?" Mirii's head rose, as her eyes squeezed a bit.
"There is one thing I truly believe in, Mirii…" Grina's head shakes, while pointing at Mirii. "Hunry shouldn't stay here at all." She nodded. "He's going to get even more out of touch than before!" Her right arm opened to her right. "There is literally nowhere near to go outside of this Shrine… he doesn't get to experience the common life of this current generation."
"… Hunley still needs to protect the Shrine." Mirii nodded. "He has responsibilities to fulfill."
"He can stay with you!" Grina smiled. "Aren't you happy for that?"
"I'm… glad for that." Mirii smiled a bit. "I'm also glad that ninjas will help us out: me and Hunley really deserve some rest."
"Tomorrow afternoon, I planned a short holiday for the Inkinators team only!" Grina's eyebrows lowered a bit, keeping her smile.
"A short holiday…?" Mirii's eyes squeezed.
"Yep!" Grina's right thumb rose, as her right eye closed. "While you were sleeping in those two days, I found a nice deal on the Inknet: 1000 coins for renting a house in the middle of the woods, for just one night! Actually, I still have to accept the offer… but since tomorrow you and Hunry are in shape, I might as well confirm it."
"What kind of house you rented?!" Mirii bended forward, while frowning. "You didn't even considered Tonna's decision on the matter: what if she'll not give the team the permission?!"
"Well, that could have been indeed a problem… until recently." Grina grins slightly. "Tonna will not really stand in the way, this time…"
"How about the other Agents?!" Mirii's eyes squeezed. "They will get suspicious… Tonna might not"
"Sheesh! It's just a little holiday, Mirii…" Grina's mouth rose, while shrugging. "Besides, I heard that in this month in particular, Agents do have the choice to go out and pass a short holiday whenever they want."
"… I see." Mirii's head rose. "How about the house you want to rent?"
"Ah, that!" Grina's eyes closed, while smiling. "The lounge has a nice, large television! I can show you some photos, where you can see the television and a VHS player sitting below it."
"A VHS player…?" Mirii frowned. "No wonder the price is so cheap… hmpf, I'm someone who wants to keep with the modern times, technologically speaking… such house is making me wish to pass the holiday inside the treehouse, since at least I can find my technological gadgets to use."
"Aaawww, why not visiting a new place?" Grina's mouth downturned. "You might learn something new and live a new experience with Hunry!"
Mirii's head turned to her right.
"… can't you just choose another one of those deals?"
"They are all so pricy…" Grina sighed. "I wanna keep some money, for buying somethin' fresh like a Blu-ray movie to watch every time."
She smiled.
"Once Hunry and Fara are done with their jobs, I have a nice Action movie for the night!" Grina's eyes closed while smiling. "We will take the table and chairs out of your room and then we might ask Kelly to draw us some sofas, so not only we get something comfortable to stretch on, your bed will have just you and Hunry."
Mirii blushes a lot, as her eyes expanded.
"W-well…" She breathes loudly, as her eyes squeezed a bit. "Kelly has to draw some pillows too, since I have only one."
Grina turns around.
"Speaking of Kelly, where she went?" Her right eyebrow rose. "I thought she wanted to watch the movie with us… that might be a problem, if she doesn't come: what comfortable furniture I can get?!"
"The chair." Mirii's head rose, while folding her arms. "Although, I do have a couple of armchairs to sit on: as long as you two don't put your feet on them, you can use them. I want to keep my furniture as cleanly as possible."
"That might do a bit… although, I do want something to get my feet on." Grina's head looked up.
"The chair you brought." Mirii nodded. "You can put your feet on that, since you are assuming the responsibilities for maltreat it."
"Heh, that's fine for me!" Grina closes her eyes, while smiling. "Still, I do want to see Kelly joining us 5: she's a friendly Squid!"
"Kelly might be busy with her job…" Mirii's head lowered. "We don't"
"Hiiii!"
Mirii turns to her right, seeing Kelly running in the distance, moving towards the three Inklings while waving her right hand.
"Looks like she returned…" Mirii's head rose back up. "Uhm? There is something behind her…"
"Really?" Grina bended a bit down, looking at Kelly and squeezing her eyes a bit. "… what?"
Kelly slides forward, with her arms stretching forward. She starts jumping and dancing, while her eyes were closed and her smiling mouth was opened.
"Excuse me for my sudden disappearance… but while Eri and Emi were talking, I got this big idea over my head!" She bended forward, as her eyes expanded. "I came back for a moment, thinking to bring my little brother with me!"
"You have a little brother?!" Grina's mouth opened wide. "Where is he?!"
Slowly, the head of a little, blue Inkling boy moved from behind Kelly, tilting to the right: his eyes were turning around, seeing each Inkling. Slowly, his head returned behind the girl.
"Did he wanted to come with you, Kelly…?" Mirii's eyebrows went slightly down, as her eyes squeezed a bit.
"It may not look like it, but John is always looking for something new to explore: he really wants to always have something to talk with, so he doesn't bore anyone in front of him." Kelly waves left and right, while smiling and closing her eyes.
Grina bended down, as her hands rested on her knees, while smiling and tilting her head a bit left and right.
"Don't be shy, John!" Grina's eyes closed. "Don't you want to say something nice to Miss Grina?"
John's head sticks out from Kelly's left side. His eyes were staring at Grina. Her hands patted her own knees.
"Aaawwww, what a cute little boy you are!" She giggles.
John blushed, retreating behind Kelly.
"I think he likes you." Kelly's hands were down, while her mouth forms a small 3. "Although, he can't really thank you for the compliment… or at least, not normally."
"Why?" Mirii's head rose.
"My little brother has an unique ability in our family…" Kelly turns behind. "John, would you like to demonstrate it? It's much easier to show than explaining it."
Slowly, John walked from behind Kelly with his hands behind his back: his irises were turning left and right. His mouth opened, as particular words came from it: his mouth sealed, while blushing some more. Mirii's right eyebrow rose.
"His ability is knowing this unheard language?"
"This language isn't like any other you heard before!" Kelly starts jumping in place, moving her legs rapidly. "It's called The Language of the Spirits, which is one of the rarest abilities an Inkling from the Shrine can get at birth: it's a language where words are never the same, but certain sounds always are."
"Certain sounds…?" Mirii's eyebrows lowered, as her arms folded.
"Aaah, you are a mortal, Mirii…" Kelly shrugged. "Mortals can't hear the sounds my brother makes: in order to do that, you must declare to live in our Shrine! The staff will grant you some abilities, including the one who lets you hear the particular sounds I'm talking to."
"The whole process does look a bit… odd." Mirii's eyes squeezed.
"That's because my little brother can talk with spirits!" Kelly nodded. "It's extremely useful, since sometimes the Shrine wants to talk with its Legends."
"Legends?!" Mirii bended forward, frowning a bit. "The same ones Hunley wanted to call?!"
John jumped, as he runs behind Kelly and starts shivering. Mirii's hands covered her mouth , tilting backwards and shrinking her irises.
"I-I'm sorry! I-I didn't wanted to"
"No no, that's not your fault in the slightest…" Kelly sighed, as her mouth downturned. "Actually… I should had told him about that sooner, since… well, I could have calmed him down nicely."
The girl bended down, hugging her little brother.
"Ssshhhh, that's ok… the Legends will not eat you alive…" Her eyes closed, as her left hand patted his back a bit.
"Kelly, who are those Shrine Legends?" Mirii's head rose.
"They are mystical creatures domesticated by our ancestors: they are used for extremely important matters, since once they are unleashed… heh…" A sweat drop appears on Kelly's right side of her head, while pointing her face at Mirii. "… they roam around for some time."
"Hunley chose their help…" Mirii's right forefinger was resting on her right cheek. "… does he know anything about them?"
"When the Masters' eyes turn white, usually that's the signal that their inner selves are coming out." Kelly stands up, as her left hand caressed the little boy's head. "Even at such young age, Masters already do know a lot about the Shrine… in those Masters' cases, they do remember a lot once they turn into themselves."
"W-wait, themselves?!" Mirii's teeh gritted, as sweat covered her face. "What do you mean…?"
"Uhm… when they are acting normal in front of us, they are slightly different from the true selves." Kelly's head tilted to her right, while smiling. "That's because they lived for many, many years unaware of their role in this Shrine… so, they automatically get used to the environment they grew up with."
"N-no!" Mirii's eyebrows were up. "Hunley is Hunley… n-no way he"
"Don't worry! The difference is very small!" Kelly's eyes closed, while opening her smiling mouth. "I'm pretty sure both Masters can also understand my little brother, as if he was talking normally with them." Her eyes opened. "Even understanding his words, reproducing those particular sounds… impossible for those who didn't born with such skill."
"Yet, he can't communicate with us…" Mirii's arms folded. "Can't he learn our language?"
"A… a…"
Mirii's irises lowered, seeing John raising his shoulders, squeezing his eyes while his mouth was waving.
"… m… m…"
The little boy starts breathing loudly, as his eyebrows went up and sweat covered his forehead.
"John!" Kelly downturned her mouth, as her arms wrapped around him. "I told you many times to not try talking like me… you will suff"
John speaked loudly, while closing his eyes again.
"… I know about your wish, John…" Kelly sighed. "But your throat is rather special: even saying a letter it's heavier than lifting a weight."
John's eyes got a bit watery. Kelly turned behind, as her eyebrows went up.
"My little brother… he doesn't really like the throat he got." Kelly sniffed a bit. "He really wish to talk with many, many people… but he knows that mortals will never understand him."
Mirii's eyebrows went up.
"If he knows how to write, he can"
"No, he wants to legitimately talk just like me and my family." Kelly's eyes closed. "Like me, he's always curious and enthusiastic about learning more on the sweeter waters… he wants to even dialogue with other Squids normally, without feeling to write down a lot."
Her eyes opened.
"He explained to me that writing not only would consume a lot of paper, but he would be dependant from the pen he's holding: if he doesn't have one, he can't communicate…"
John left a sob. Mirii sighed, as her eyebrows rose even more.
"John, please… the way you speak has more value than the most perfectly talking Inkling in existence." She nodded and smiled. "Your language might not seem useful in all situations… but right now, you are the only one who can help Inkopolis not falling into chaos."
John opened his mouth, blushing.
"Yes, John…" Mirii's eyes closed. "Don't hate the only language you can speak, just because you can't normally talk with me or others… think about the good things your voice will bring to our community."
Mirii bended down, as her hands rested on her knees.
"Keep your unique language dearly: it helps more than a normal speech."
John smiled, blushing a bit more. Mirii smiled a bit.
"Do you see?" Grina closed her eyes, while smiling. "It's not too hard to be kinder than"
"Are you Mirii?"
Mirii lifted her posture, turning behind: an Inkling woman wearing a black, ninja outfit was staring at her as her right hand was holding her katana's cover leaning to her right and her left hand was holding her katana's handle.
"Yes." Mirii nodded. "You are the ninja called by the Master?"
The woman kept looking at Mirii.
"… well?" Mirii's head rose. "I would like to receive an answer, since I prefer not wasting my time"
FUM!
A puff of smoke covered the woman, gradually dissolving… revealing a Mirii wearing a ninja outfit, keeping the same pose as the woman did before.
"… disguise complete." Her eyes closed. "I can now fulfill the Master's mission, Mirii."
Mirii bended a bit backwards, as her irises shrunk, her eyebrows lowered and her mouth sealed.
"… I look amazing with that ninja outfit: it makes my appearance even more precise and dominant, than it already is." Mirii's eyes blinked two times. "You failed to acquire adequate clothing: I never walked around"
"Clothing will not be a problem." The other Mirii nodded. "All I need is to wear common sweeter waters' clothes and"
"N-no, wait!" Mirii's forehead was covered in sweat, as her hands grasped her tentacles and her knees bended a bit down. "You are not allowed wearing any clothes you happen to find!" Her right forefinger pointed at the ninja. "My image might be altered for the worst!"
"… I hate diving in unnecessary risks." The ninja Mirii's arms moved freely. "Are you absolutely sure you can't go around wearing a ninja outfit? Not even once?"
Mirii's head tilted up and down.
"… nngghh…" Her eyebrows rose. "I refuse to give her my own ones: not only I prefer keeping them for later events, this woman might ruin them… maybe her shape-shifting skill is just an illusion and considering her previous tall height, the clothes might get so stretched out, that I cannot wear them anymore!" Her head shakes. "Everything I own is very personal for me… even my own look! I'm afraid there is nothing"
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience…" The other Mirii sighed. "I really wanted to copy your clothes, since that would truly complete my job… unfortunately, I still cannot do it properly."
"You are a grown-up, aren't you?" Mirii's arms folded, as her head rose. "It does sound suspicious the fact you can't also copy the clothes…"
"Ehm… well…" The other Mirii turns around, as her forefingers twiddled and sweat jumped out from her head. "… I have never been too good with disguises…"
"Then why deciding to accept the Master's task?!" Mirii lowered her head, while frowning. "You can't"
"I-I'm doing that, so I could get some extra cash…" The ninja Mirii's head lowered, as her irises lowered to her right. "I want to buy that thing you Squids keep looking at…"
"Specify." Mirii's eyes squeezed.
"It's a little box!" Ninja Mirii bended forward, with her fists on her chest and her eyebrows up. "You can point it in front of anything and the box saves the same image it was pointing! Some ninja friends of mine have it, but I still have to talk with them about it… wish I had more time from my side." She sighed. "I could dedicate more time with my bonsai collection…"
The ninja Mirii smiled, while closing her eyes.
"… and I would put some pictures depicting different scenery on the wall: watching them would definitively remind me of a moment I like to remember!"
"I assume you are talking about a Camera…" Mirii's head rose. "Although a Smartphone"
"No, I don't care about a Smartphone…" Ninja Mirii's right hand grasped her katana's cover. "Aside from their expensive prices, I don't know what to do with the rest of it… it would be a waste for my part." She nodded. "I'm sure a Squid needs it more than me, so they can have every single one of them for all I care…"
Mirii's eyebrows were up, as her teeth were gritting.
"W-would you please act properly?!" Sweat was falling from her forehead. "I-I cannot accept the slightest hint of me not caring about technology… I-I need it to keep my versatility!"
"Well!" Ninja Mirii's hands were on her hips, while smiling widely. "If you really want to become more versatile, how about becoming a ninja? I'm advising such choice, since you can learn all sorts of different"
"I care about following perfection!" Mirii's left forefinger points at Ninja Mirii. "In simpler words, the fine use of logic, precision and tactical advantages." Her head rose. "I want to teach how accurate planning always triumphs in every situation."
"Hmm… so, you have your opinions…" Ninja Mirii shrugged. "Then let's agree to disagree, considering the fact you might start hating me if I insist."
"No, that's not point…" Mirii's right hand took her right tentacle, caressing it. "I'm more concerned about time… besides, I will not bash you for such opinions: being a ninja does take effort and skills, so"
The shoji opens laterally: Hun was on the right side, Fara was on the left side, both smiling towards the other Inklings.