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… hhhmmmmm… so warm… so soft…
A hand passed through the naked shoulder, drenching in Inkling water.
… I could stay here for hours…
Mirii had a towel wrapped up, with her eyes closed and her mouth slightly opened.
… alas, my duty is calling me once more…
Her eyes opened too, now staring at the pink-gold tiles on the wall.
… I cannot back down, now.
She stands up, gently walking out of the bathtub and landing on a thick carpet. Her hand picked up another towel, folded on a golden towel bar, which she rubbed it around her whole body.
"Now… once I'm done with the preparations, the first location I should find is Hunley's room." Bending down, she rubbed the towel on each leg. "And if he's not inside his room… then, I must go after Fara's room."
Raising back up, her feet entered each on a cotton slipper and moved towards the sink.
"Although, I have a suspicion that Fara either sleeps inside the same room… or in a room nearby." She wrapped the towel around her body.
Her hands grabbed the towel holding her tentacles, as she pull it down and let her tentacles fell freely.
"I hope Hunley is alright…" Her hands threw the towel inside a large basket. "… perhaps I could bring him some quick snacks."
Her eyes stared against the mirror on the front, reflecting the sad frown on her face.
"Uhm… no, I shouldn't feed him with too much food. His shape is truly perfect for his height."
She smiled, still staring at the mirror for at least 2 seconds.
"Now that I look closely… my shape has gotten even better than before!" She twisted around, while aiming her eyes on herself. "I look so tonic and dynamic… and I even look taller too!"
She smiled even more.
"Once I gather enough free time, I have to visit the gym and improve an already brilliant appearance… and I should bring Hunley with me too."
Her hands landed on the sink's edges.
"Ok… it's time to get my perfection ready for the next mission."
Mirii was walking down the corridor, while wearing a long-sleeved shirt, slim jeans and a pair of pink shoes sporting a pink logo in the shape of Inkling eyes.
Her head turned around, tracking down several paintings hanging on the walls: her eyes locked on one in particular, which was depicting an orange sky above a sea, a beach located at the bottom, a ship standing on the distance and a sun covered in a half by the horizon.
Her mouth opened, stopping right in front of it. She kept scouting around the painting with her irises, until her hand picked up her smartphone and flipped it horizontally. She tilted backwards, before taking some steps in the same direction.
The screen was revealing the same painting, with three icons on the bottom. Mirii flipped the smartphone once more, almost capturing the golden frame too. She carefully tilted forward…
Click.
Bringing her smartphone down, she smiled at the whole painting now remaining on the screen.
"… it would truly make my wallpaper rotation more lively and relaxing." Her thumb swiped and pressed on the device.
The girl put back her smartphone, resuming her walk.
"I would never stop admiring each of those paintings…" She turned around, continuing to look the paintings on her sight. "As if I'm looking through a window and watch an entire world unfold itself."
…
Her eyes grew and her face lost its skin color.
"… th-they are real paintings, r-right?!" Sweat jumped out from her head, immediately staring at a painting depicting several Inklings sitting around a table. "I-I sincerely hope that Greta doesn't own the ones modified by Project Neo…!"
She lowered her head, picking back her smartphone and immediately tapping on it with her thumb.
"I might as well send her a message about it." Her feet stopped too, now tapping the screen with both thumbs. "I'm not sure that such risk is even reasonable… but I can't underestimate Greta's low memory over the past events."
She swiped the device's small monitor rapidly, before putting it back. Her head turned over the right, watching a large door.
"Uhm… as far as I know, Hunley's room is the one who has the sea painting" Her head twisted to the left. "Oh, there it is." She smiled. "The sea painting standing right in front of his door."
The girl walked towards the door, as her right hand curled into a fist. Once her feet stopped, her fist knocked the door twice and quickly laid her hands down. Her head kept tilting up and down, in a slow rhythm, looking closely at the door in front of her.
"… I'm not hearing any steps." Her eyelids lowered to the middle. "Sigh…"
Mirii's fist knocked back on the door, this time with more force. Her right hand landed on her hip, while keeping her eyelids a bit down. She held her feet down for 10 seconds: her head shook slowly.
"If I keep standing here, I will not proceed." Her hand grabbed the wavy-like door handle, pushing it down. "Not something I prefer doing, but…"
She snorted, while pushing the door.
"Hunley? Fara?" She grimaced. "I will never get used to this…!"
The girl slip past the door, as she pushed it back. She panted once, noticing the bed, a desk, a television hanging on the wall, a small balcony entrance and a closet on its left side.
"Bah… I should had known I wouldn't find anyone in here." Her head shook, as she turned behind and moved over the door. "Not even that transportation paper… unless I cannot see that."
Sweat covered her forehead.
"Actually… I almost forgot about that detail." Her mouth flattened, while still staring back at the door. "If Kelly made those papers only for Hunley and his sister… then, I do not have any possible way to reach the Shrine!"
She frowned a lot.
"Curses! If only I had that idea, before I would step out of that car…! I would had enough time to remember such minor detail!" Her eyes squeezed. "Grrrr… I-I must act quickly!"
The girl grabbed the handle, pulling the door while snorting: once the door tilted for about 90°, she slipped past it and immediately walked to the right, in a faster pace.
"Nnnngghh…!" She stopped in front of another large door. "Why I haven't thought about this plan thoroughly?! How did I let this happen?!"
Her hand grabbed its handle, pushing the door in the same manner.
"Fara?! Are you inside?!" Slipping past the door, Mirii immediately began looking around.
The girl saw a large bed with some dolls on it, a small balcony entrance, a book laying on the desk nearby…
"… no, NO!" Her hands went on her head. "I-I can't even see any paper in sight!"
She grabbed her tentacles, pulling them down.
"Gaaaaaaahhh!" Her teeth gritted. "I'm completely blocked inside this villa! I don't have a car to drive in that destination, I cannot find a paper to enter inside the Shrine and ask for their help… … I wish I could pick up the bus, but the island bus' website doesn't let me buy any online tickets!"
Mirii sighed deeply, as her hands went away from her tentacles.
"What I could have possibly miss…? Is there anything else I can do at this point…?"
Knock knock.
Mirii gasped, as she turned behind and expanded her eyes.
"Who goes there?! I thought to be alone!"
The door opened, as a humanoid crab woman walked past it: she was wearing a maid outfit, sporting a round belly. Mirii expanded her eyes, sealing her mouth.
"Again?!" The woman frowned, almost flattening her small black eyes. "This is the fourth time I found you in this room!"
"Th-the fourth time…?" Mirii trembled a bit. "Wh-what is she referring to?! I saw her the first time! … ah!"
"Yes, I counted it straight!" The crab waved her claw up and down, while bending forward. "I even remember the same type of expression and position you had, each time I found you!"
"I-I-I can explain!" Sweat jumped out from the girl's head, showing her palms at the woman. "I-I wanted to talk with Hunley… I-I mean Hun!"
"Uh?" The woman kept her mouth open for a brief while. "Well… that's certainly new for my old ears!" She folded her arms. "I thought you were going to repeat the same excuses…"
"What excuses…? What did that ninja said to this woman?!" Mirii's right forefinger went on her right cheek, as her left hand grabbed her right elbow. "… I must think of a way to get rid of this woman, before she becomes more"
"You are even more silent than before." Her small eyes squeezed. "Are you even the same Mirii I know?"
"Of course I am." Her head rose. "… forgive me for the hurry, but I really need to talk with Hun."
"He and his sister went outside." Her head shook. "They ordered the staff to not let anyone get near them, though."
"WHAT?! WHY?!" Mirii's eyes expanded, while bending forward.
"Don't give me that look." She waved her claw at her. "They also told me that they would come back soon, so you can save your excuses..."
"I-I need to leave a message to Hun! I-I want to know if he is alright!" Mirii's hands clasped together.
The woman frowned.
"The rules are rules. I'm not in a position to help you." Her claw tilted left and right. "If you still insist on the matter, I will report your bad behavior over Hun."
"Nnnnnnggh!" Mirii showed her teeth, as her eyebrows were up and sweat covered her face.
"However, in such occasion, I'm going to do something even better than that…" Her claw kept tilting backwards. "I will bring you back inside your room and lock you inside, until the two Squids return."
Mirii gasped loudly.
"Yo-you can't do this to me!" Veins popped out from her forehead. "I'm living in this villa! Even temporarily!"
"They will approve my decision." The woman took some steps forward. "Come with me, now."
Mirii's head shook, taking some steps backwards… and swallowing silently.
"… there is only one solution I can utilize…!"
The girl began dashing, aiming over the woman's right side: the crab dived over Mirii, as the girl jumped laterally and passed her. The crab landed on her belly.
"OOF! YOU LITTLE PEST!" Her claws pushed herself up. "I'M GOING TO CALL THE POLICE!"
Mirii kept running, as she rushed past the door and stepped on the corridor.