Alright, send in a review if you are liking the story so far!
"... I have an idea." Hun turns his shoulders forward. "Can I bring someone here?"
Yes! Who do you wish to bring?
Master, say that to me!
I'm a specialist at this! Listen to me!
Trust a Senior like me, who has experience and skills!
Masteeer!
Ignore the others! Do tell me!
"SILENCE!" Mirii's right foot stomped, as smoke was coming out from her ears.
Everyone turned their heads over the girl.
"Instead of thinking about yourself, why not effectively help the Master?!" Mirii's arms folded. "That's what he needs right now."
What are you talking about?!
You know nothing, mortal!
We WANT to help!
I was saying how I can bring someone much faster than the others!
I'm a specialist! Unlike the others, I have the qualities to solve this task!
"Be quiet, please!" Hun's eyebrows were up, as his hands were moving back and forth. "Mirii is right: I need help right now!" He swallows silently. "My friends are in trouble, because of that Shrine Legend… I must bring them here now, so they will be saved!"
His eyebrows lowered a bit.
"Who can help me here?"
"All of us." The man wearing a faintly-colored blue kimono nodded. "Just tell us the names."
"… sigh, alright." He nodded. "Tonna, Grina and Bars. They must be around the building where that magic paper is…"
Everyone rushed after turning behind.
Get out of my way! I'll be the one who summons the mortals!
Coming through! Don't try stopping my promotion!
After so many years, my family will receive a honor! Let me receive that honor!
A huge puff of smoke rose from behind the Inklings: the smoke gradually disappears, revealing some shojis in the distance. A sweat drop was resting each on Hun and Mirii's head.
"… disgusting." Mirii's head rose. "Despite all the good words, they are still as selfish and egoistic as they appeared…" Her head turned to her left. "Hunley, you must take immediate action in front of such poisonous behavior." She nodded. "They are seeing nothing but a honor or a promotion."
"… maybe later." Hun turns his head to his right, as his eyebrows rose. "For now, let's go to Chie since I have another question in mind…" His eyes closed, smiling a bit. "At least she doesn't care that much about receiving honors or something… she's much more honest, really."
Mirii nodded.
"Let me guide you, Hunley." She turns behind. "Despite the few times I have been here, I still remember where is the reception."
"Good!" Hun smiles widely. "I trust you, Mirii… let's go!"
Mirii smiles, as she starts walking.
"He trusts me… … that phrase sounds rather sophisticated and melodious." Her eyes closed, as she blushes a bit. "I have to keep on going with such supportive actions: I want Hunley to trust me fully, so he'll indeed always look for me. That's how I'll perfectly achieve such status… a status which really makes me worthy of the perfection title."
Her eyes opened, as she turns to her left. On the left, the reception counter with Chie sitting behind and looking at a computer screen. The woman's head turned over the Inklings, as her mouth opened. Immediately she stands up, walks in front of them and bowed down.
"Good morning, Master!" She rose back, while smiling and lowering her hands on the middle. "It's an honor receiving you." Her eyes closed. "What can I do for you?"
"Hi Chie." Hun nodded while smiling. "I need some help…"
"Certainly, Master Hun." Chie bowed down for a moment. "Your sister is walking around the Shrine with my little twin sisters: she, in person, wanted to let you know."
"Oh, that's nice!" Hun nodded. "I was wondering if Fara would ever get some friends outside of the farms… she's growing up rapidly, after all." He looks up. "She's getting tired of the humble days around the farms… she really deserves evolving into her mature self."
"Ooooh, Master…" Chie's hands clasped, as her eyes sparkled a bit. "Those words are so true…! My twin sisters will go through such phase too." She nodded. "I can't honestly wait for that… my job days would definitively be easier without the migraine they cause."
"They are still young, Chie… of course they might do some mistakes here and there." He shrugged. "Try to forgive them most of the time… that migraine might not even come that much at all."
"I wish it was so easy, Master." Chie's head shakes, as her eyebrows rose and her mouth downturned. "Alas, my twin sisters are rather… conflicting, if you happen to notice that yesterday."
"So, they told you about Eri's intentions…" Mirii's head rose. "Am I right?"
"Eri is really interested in obtaining those honors and promotions…" Chie sighed. "I fear that the Shrine culture affected her into obsessing so much with those important titles."
Her head lowered, turning to her right.
"With that said, I can't say I wasn't affected too… when I was around their age." Her eyes closed. "It really took me some time, before I realize what was truly important for the Shrine…" Her head rose back, as she simply smiles. "It's a long story, but I'm afraid that the Master has no time for that right now… am I right?"
"Yes." Hun nodded, as his face went neutral. "I need something to watch the entire city." His eyebrows lowered slightly. "It's the only way I can think of, since I cannot see what the Shrine Legend's intentions are…"
"I believe there is a tool." Chie nodded, as she starts walking behind the counter. "Let me pick up the Shrine people list, since I vaguely remember that an old man borrowed it…"
The woman picked up a list with her left hand, as her right forefinger was sliding down above different names.
"Uhm…" Chie's right hand flipped the page. "… no, actually that man returned the Watching Tile." She nodded, returning to face Hun. "In that case, you can find the tile inside the same room who held yesterday's ceremony."
Her left hand put the paper on the table below and behind the counter.
"Do you want me to bring you two there?" She walks around the counter, stopping in front of it and still facing down the boy. "I'm not submerged by work, right now… besides, it's an immense pleasure for me to help a Master." She giggles a bit, as her eyes closed. "That means I'm doing well my job, aside from helping a true, kind person."
"Eh eh." Hun chuckles a bit, as his right hand scratches the back of his head. "Well… why not?" He nodded.
"Splendid!" Chie smiles widely, as she starts walking past the two Inklings. "Please, follow me."
Hun and Mirii began walking, taking a quick look towards each other.
"Chie…" Hun returns forward, as his mouth downturned a bit.
"Yes?" Chie kept looking forward, while walking with her hands down on the middle.
"Are you worried about the Shrine Legend's presence…?" His eyes blinked two times.
"… Master, you were the one invoking the creature, right?" Her head tilted to her right a bit.
"Yes, but"
"Then, I have no reason to be worried." Her eyes closed, while smiling. "A Master doesn't commit any evil deeds… well, usually." She nodded. "And if that would ever happen, the Master was either manipulated or unaware of the situation."
"Wh-why all of you keep on saying how it's impossible for me to cause a mistake…?" His eyebrows were up. "I-I don't know the creature me and my sister invoked, I don't even know if said creature will do the task we said! You cannot rest easy in front of those doubts I'm saying out loud!"
"I believe in you, Master." Chie nodded. "You are the most honest guide this Shrine would"
"STOP IT!" Hun's hands were on his head, as his eyes expanded while getting slightly watery. His feet were standing still. "I never guided anyone before! I don't want to guide others into traps I couldn't even imagine!"
Mirii and Chie stopped too, as the girl turned her head to her right and opened her mouth a bit. Chie turned behind: her eyebrows were up, her mouth downturned.
"Hunley, please…" Mirii's right hand was resting on Hun's back. "Calm down… your reaction is making the situation even worse than it is."
Hun's head lowered.
"Mirii… I-I saw people terrorized on that box… and even outside of the window…" His eyes closed. "I-I wanted to save the citizens from the bad experiments they ran inside those games… they are anything but secure." His head tilted to his left, as his eyes opened. "But… that monster is making everyone flee… the same monster who was supposed to represent my efforts of saving the innocents."
Mirii's eyes slowly grew.
"Wait… you are not insinuating that"
Hun nodded.
"That creature… it really looks like me, isn't it?" He inhales faintly from his nose. "Me… terrorizing the whole city in order to save it." His eyes squeezed. "Wh-why?! Th-that sounds so wrong, it scares me too!" His teeth gritted. "I didn't wanted to make others suffer like this… I'm contributing to the problem even more!"
He turns his head forward, frowning a bit and reopening his eyes.
"What if the monster will cause damage to the whole city?! It's so huge, the creature might stomp a house just like that other monster from my sister's favorite movie! Except… that monster is me! Me destroying real houses!"
His hands fell on himself.
"And the only one to blame is me… … I-I'll take the blames if that's the case…" His head lowered, as his face got darker. "… a truly evil monster must always be punished, anyway… I would deserve that"
A sob entered his left ear: he turns his head to his left, as the darkness went away from his face. Mirii's eyes were watery, as her eyebrows were a bit down and her mouth was slightly waving.
"Huh?!" Hun lifted his posture. "M-Mirii?!"
"… wh-why are you looking at me, like this…?" Her right forefinger was rubbing around her right. "I-Is there a problem…?"
"Your face…" Hun's mouth opened wide. "Did I made Mirii… cry?!" His irises shrunk. "Oh no…"
Mirii sniffed loudly.
"I… well… I don't know what to do in front of this, Hunley…" Her face's upper side got darker. "I don't want to force you into listening my opinion about the speech you said… I-I know it will hurt you even more than"
"No, do say it!" Hun was bending forward, nodding and slightly frowning. "Who I am to hold down a valuable opinion?! I-I can do mistakes, unlike the claims everyone does"
"ENOUGH WITH THAT STATEMENT!" Mirii frowned, as her hands picked her tentacles.
Hun jumped a bit, as his eyebrows rose.
"… you are as worthy as me to attempt learning the perfection art in full details… and yet, you are already thinking that something terrible happened even though you still don't know anything about it!" Mirii's eyes were a bit more watery. "Sniff… th-there is no reason whatsoever to punish yourself…"
Her eyebrows lowered even more.
"Especially from the very fact you went in my room, rescuing me!" She blushed.
"Ah… well" He looks to his right side, blushing and smiling a bit. "I-I didn't thought"
"SO?! It means nothing!" Mirii's head rose. "If the situation was rather drastic, I would ran off while only wearing a towel around me! You were thinking to rush all the way in my room, fearing that I wasn't aware of the impeding danger who was coming from the outside… and that from my personal point of view, it's seen as a noble, courageous deed to reward as honestly as the deed itself!"
"You… you really think so?" Hun's eyes blinked two times.
"I'm not thinking it… I'm saying it out loud." Mirii nodded, as her hands opened a bit and retreated down. "Hunley, you have no reasons to ever suspect on yourself or even listening to the ridiculous idea that you could cause harm to anyone." Her eyes closed. "Think back to what you ever did in the past… your memories can't fool you, Hunley. You know that's true."
"… sigh… to think I can't really stop this Shrine Legend, even if I wanted to…" Hun's eyebrows were up, his mouth flattened while slightly downturned. "… I'm sorry Mirii for the things I said…"
"Which error you made?" Mirii's eyes squeezed a bit. "You have no guilt over the previous speech: it's the first time you summoned a Shrine Legend… of course you wouldn't know too much about it." Mirii's left foot slides on the floor. "Everyone who really cares about their own job, will act in a very similar way… it's something acceptable, considering the magnitude of the situation you are dealing with."
"I see… well, I'll try to not think about it too much: maybe that Shrine Legend is indeed doing exactly what me and my sister told to do." He turns his face towards Chie. "Sorry for the wait, Chie… I-I was overwhelmed by those thoughts, which weren't giving me any break!"
"That's ok, Master…" Chie's eyes closed. "I wish to have figured out the problem who was pestering you… I-I would have definitively said something more useful!" Her eyes opened, as sweat jumped out from her head. "For example, I would have said that the Shrine Legend you summoned is a kind one… not the kindest, but nothing to truly watch out for."
"Why you didn't told me that sooner?" Hun's mouth opened, as his eyes grew. "I wouldn't have all those thoughts running through my mind, if you told me that!"
"I-I thought it wasn't that necessary…" A sweat drop appears on Chie's right side of her head. "I didn't wanted to talk too much, considering your need of picking up that Watching Tile… besides, one look on that tile would have calmed you down very quickly."
"Uhm… then, let's proceed." Hun nodded. "I want to see how things are going in the city…"
"Sure." Chie nodded, while turning behind and walking forward. "It's not that far…"
"Heeeeeyyyy!"
Hun and Mirii stared forward, as Grina was running towards them while waving her left arm and smiling widely.
Hun's right hand waved, while Mirii simply rose her head. Grina slides, stopping in front of the two Inklings.
"What a relief seeing you two!" Grina's eyes closed, as her hands were on her hips. "I was thinking you were both sleeping, while Mr. King Kraken was sliding around!"
"Of course we were awake earlier than the Shrine Legend's appearance." Mirii's arms folded. "We are about to reach a room where a tile known as Watching Tile resides." Her eyes squeezed. "Hunley wants to verify if said creature can be trusted fully or not."
"Ah ah ah!" Grina's eyes opened, as her head turned over the boy. "What are you saying, Hunry?! That monster is the best!" Her fists clenched, as her mouth formed a 3, her eyes sparkled and her posture bended forward. "He's sliding around, leaving slime behind him! I'm already a huge fan of that creature!" Grina nodded while closing her eyes. "He looks like a giant plush to cuddle and play with all day!"
Grina hugged herself, as her eyes closed.
"Aaaaaww, he's just so cute!" Her arms returned on her sides. "His roars make him pretty cool too!" Her eyebrows lowered, as her mouth formed a 3. "A cute, menacing Squid who's ready to defeat giant monsters!"
Hun and Mirii's irises shrunk, as sweat covered each their forehead.
"… you… you really think that monster is cute…?" Hun's left cheek lifted.
"Actually, that beast already got a lot of fans…" Grina's hands were behind her back, as her arms were swinging left and right, while her eyes closed. "… someone is even following him along! I wanted to do that, actually… so I could snag a quick hug and a selfie with him!"
"Grina… did you hit your head?" Mirii's right cheek twitched. "A monster of such dimensions could have easily crushed you like a bug!" Mirii frowned, as her head lowered. "Cut that needless appreciation for that Shrine Legend: he's still capable of causing terrible harm!"
"At first, I have to admit… he scared the ship out of me!" A sweat drop appeared on Grina's right side of her head, while her eyes closed. "I wanted to run away from the city, since that creature was sliding towards the Headquarters…"
"Like, good thing you picked me up from the room: I was in the land of dreams at the time!"
Bars was walking while grinning a bit: he stops next to Grina's right side.
"Barsy also likes that Shrine Legend!" Grina smiles, as her head turned towards him. "For a different reason, as I recall."
"Eh eh!" Bars chuckles, while closing his eyes. "I didn't thought I would ever see a real giant monster lurking around the city… like, can't wait to see him smash down a building or somethin'!"
"NO!" Hun's hands went on his head. "Innocents might get hurt!"
"Naaaah, that never happened in the movies, dude…" Bars nodded, raising his head slightly. "Like, Squids in there are all smart enough to evacuate before the monsters squish down some roof."
"Wait… aren't movies fake?" Hun frowned, as his irises stared up.
"To a certain extend… not really from the common sense used in them." Bars shrugged. "Not that I really need common sense going on in a movie like this… just give me the smashin', the more satisfying part!"
"Hmpf, I can't believe how much of a brute you can be, Bars…" Mirii's head rose. "It's so disgusting praising destruction in such mindless way… in order to build those houses, effort and sacrifices were made!" Mirii's head lowered all the way down. "And hearing your mindless praises over this Shrine Legen"
"Ah right!" Grina's right forefinger rose. "Barsy came in right when I was about to explain how the giant, adorable Squid is also very harmless!" Her eyes closed, while smiling. "He hugs buildings, leaving them all slimed up!"
"Huh?!" Hun bended forward. "Th-the monster can't attack a building…?"
"I saw some Inklings having fun sliding on the slime left behind him." Grina nodded. "I bet someone is organizing a race… that's something I would do at least: how many times do you get to see a whole road slimed down?!"
"How about his crushing abilities?!" Mirii's left forefinger pointed at Grina. "His huge mass would stomp a house, considering the"
"The Inklings hit by him were just standing down until the monster completely passed them: they got back up very quickly! Of course, they were covered in slime… but a quick shower will solve that, right?" Grina's eyes closed, while smiling widely.
"But… if the monster can't attack anyone… how can the Shrine Legend stop the Inklings' attack?!" Hun frowned. "It's a relief that the monster is not harming anyone… but at the same time, the monster must do something in order to keep others away!" His fists clenched. "Otherwise the bad experiments will return!"
"Let's reach the room, Master." Chie nodded. "I'm sure the tile will hold the answer you are seeking."
"Yes! And this time… we are definitively going there!" Hun starts walking. "No more time wasting moments! My patience is running thin…"
Mirii sprinted a bit, slowing down near Hun's left side.
"Hunley, please calm down…" Her eyebrows rose. "Rage shouldn't be a trait to possess."
"I'm not mad, Mirii." His head shakes. "I just can't let more time pass on like this… I must see what the Shrine Legends is doing, before I miss out an important information."
"Wait up, you two!" Grina was sprinting. "Why the hurry?! There isn't one: the monster is completely harmless!"
"I want to see that, Grina!" Hun's shoulders turned to his right, as his eyebrows were down. "I hardly accept your point of view on this matter."
"To the right, Master!" Chie sprinted, while panting a bit as her right arm stretched to her right and her right forefinger pointed in the same direction. "The room is near the altar!"
"Thank you, Chie." Hun smiled. "Leave the rest of us: I made you waste way more time than you should have."
"No, no, that's fine." Chie's head shakes. "The job I had to do right now is small, so"
"I insist!" Hun's mouth downturned, as his eyebrows went up. "The more job you finish up, the more time you have to relax or to dedicate some activity."
"But Master!" Chie's eyes closed and her mouth downturned. "I'm really, really interested into helping you retrieving the tile…"
Mirii's eyes squeezed, as her eyebrows lowered.
"… hmpf, after all that entire speech of not caring about receiving a honor… she proves to look for them as much as the others." Mirii's head shakes slowly. "You might as well return behind the counter, Chie: no one is believing you."
"… sigh, you said to insist, Master Hun…" Chie's eyebrows went up, as her hands lowered down in the middle. "I can't argue that: an order is an order, after all…"
The woman bowed down.
"The Watching Tile should be on the table, if that old man put it correctly." She rose back her posture, while smiling. "If you need more assistance from yours truly, please do not hesitate calling me as soon as possible."
"We say that asap!" Grina grins a bit.
"Asap…?" Chie's mouth opened a bit. "… I prefer saying the names completely." Her eyes closed for a moment. "It gives them more value, doesn't it?"
"More than value I prefer breezing through the boring bureaucracy." Grina closed her mouth, while shrugging.
"I see…" Chie starts walking, passing everyone. "Have a good day, everyone!"
"Bye!" Everyone waved their right hands.
"… she heard me, I know it." Mirii's head rose, while folding her arms. "She really should had admitted that: Hunley would have been more pleased with her change of mind."
"Let's go, Mirii!" Hun's right arm went from behind to forward. "The room is near and so is the tile!"
"Why, certainly!" Mirii smiles while closing her eyes: she turns behind, walking rapidly over Hun's left side. "If you want, let me operate said tile." She nodded, walking at the same speed as Hun. "I'm an expert in technology… I might know how to control magic too."
"Sure!" Hun nodded, closing his eyes and smiling. "That would be a great help!"
Hun's posture lifted for a moment: he turns behind.
"Have you seen Tonna?!" His eyebrows went up.
"Ah, right!" Grina's right forefinger rose. "Actually, she refused to come: she fears a chief or an Agent needs her in such moment… her absence would have made everyone suspicious."
"Oh…" Hun's mouth flattened a bit. "Well, the room is over there, right?" His right forefinger was pointing at a shoji.
"Correct as always, Hunley." Mirii nodded. "Because you are the Shrine Master, you have the honor of opening that shoji, first."
Hun chuckles loudly, while blushing.
"Th-thank you, Mirii…" His head lowered, while smiling.
Mirii blushes a lot, as she nodded and smiled as well. Hun's right hand rested on the shoji, opening it laterally: immediately his irises caught a table in the middle of the room, where a small but long rectangle was resting on it.
He walks rapidly towards the table, lowering his head and seeing a clear tile instead of the rectangle. Mirii walked slowly, watching the tile as well.
"Let's see how to operate such tool…" Mirii's hands picked up the tile. "Wow, this item is very light! If I'm not careful, I might end up breaking it like a monster… making it useless."
Mirii's irises shrunk.
"Definitively do not wish to see myself as a monster: the total opposite of perfection and good manners!"
The tile gradually turned white: after a while, the white dissolves revealing another Mirii. Her skin was green, her ears and nose were much bigger and her eyes a bit smaller with just huge, black irises. The girl gasped loudly, as her hands threw the tile forward.
The tile flew in an arc…
CRASH!
Mirii's hands were covering her mouth, as her irises shrunk: a group of million, small pieces of glass were resting on the floor.