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A sweat drop was resting on Mirii's head, as she was walking down on the corridor.
"I… don't have the words for this." One more sweat drop grew out of her head, as her face slightly grimaced. "Th-they couldn't possibly imply that all the machines cannot be accessed through my normal form…"
Her head turned over her right, looking at a poster attached to the wall titled 'A Happy 5th Birthday is coming in our Squid Land!'.
"… the event happened the other day…" Her head rose, tilting it back forward. "I will keep that in mind."
Returning her head forward, she glimpsed a map stand covered in a half by the left corner.
"I finally found the map stand that book was mentioning…!" Her pace speed increased a bit. "I have wasted enough time already… I'm going"
The receptionist man walked out of the left corner, as Mirii stopped and expanded her eyes.
"Curses! Not him!" She slightly tilted backwards, assuming a more defensive stance.
The man turned over her direction, as he opened his mouth. He smiled right after, waving his hand and almost bowing down at Mirii.
"Are you having fun?" He rested his arm on the nearest corner, as his eyelids lowered to the middle. "I hope you do…"
The girl's face went paler.
"I-I was about to choose one of the machines…" Her hand grabbed her left elbow, as she sighed silently.
He simply stared, thinking some words... he stepped away from the corner and pointed his forefinger to the left.
"Have you tried the Happy-Happy Squid-o-matic? That's a favorite of mine!"
"… no, I haven't…" Mirii's head rose. "And I prefer leaving it for last…"
"You should give it a try!" The man bended forward, together with the knees, as he smiled widely. "I'm anxious to hear your opinions about it! Even curious to see if that will bring you back your smile…" His eyelids lowered to the middle. "Although, I do find your neutral expression… very elegant and refined."
The girl blushed a bit, as she jerkily frowned back at him.
"Wh-what?!" She whispered.
"Hmm?" He tilted his head, thrusting his ear in front of her. "You said?"
"I-I have to go, sir!" As sweat jumped out from her head, Mirii dashed in her speedy walk!
She passed the man, while holding her breath and simulating a silent cough.
"Wait! Just a second!"
Mirii froze in her place. She was only staring at a far-away door and a corridor holding windows on the right and several doors on the left. A plant was on the right side, sitting halfway through.
"Remember that we are always open, even during lunch time." The man nodded at the girl. "If you are hungry, there is a small food stand on the next door outside." His eyelids went back in their usual position. "I'm going there, actually… I wouldn't mind some company, if you decide to go there too."
Mirii's teeth gritted, as her arms stretched downwards and her face went full white.
"I would rather not consume any kind of food for a week!" Her eyes closed. "… thank you for the message, sir." She resumed her walk.
Her head turned to the left, looking vaguely at a tag attached on a door.
"No time to pick a room!" She dived towards the door. "Anything to get me out of this situation!"
She opened the door in a slam and closed it just as fast. The first thing catching her attention was a large computer screen, sitting on a white desk, as files and various chancellery were around it.
Mirii leaned her shoulders on the doom, as her irises bounced non-stop: a cupboard on the left, a document sealed in a frame and hanging on the wall to the right… and a pair of black glasses standing on a small, white table of a round shape and attached to various black cables.
"Kyle? You brought me the hot-dogfish already?"
A high-pitched voice came from behind the monitor, as Mirii's head pointed over it and left the door.
"Is there a kid?!" She frowned a bit.
A small head popped out from the screen's left side: she gasped a bit, before smiling widely.
"A customer!" Her eyes sparkled, as she jumped away from the screen and landed on the floor.
Mirii's irises shrunk: a little Inkling woman, wearing a white coat, was rushing towards her. Her tentacles' tips were sliding on the floor and her sleeves were almost covering her hands. She stopped in front of the girl, as her head was reaching Mirii's chest.
"Welcome to our Happy Squiddy Adventures section!" Her small arms stretched sideways. "I'm sooo happy to see customers even at this time of the hour!" She chuckled, while closing her eyes.
Mirii's mouth flattened, as her eyes couldn't stop staring at the top of the woman's head.
"I'm Penny, your trusted guide for this machine!" Her little head rose, as her eyes opened wide. "What's your name?"
"M-my name…?" Sweat covered Mirii's forehead. "I… m-my name is…"
"Ooooh, don't be shy…" Her little hands grabbed Mirii's right one. "I have never bit any Inklings in my whole career… a 10 years one to be exact!" She nodded twice, smiling widely. "Although, I could bite a walking hot-dogfish if I see one…" She grins a bit.
Mirii laughed.
"Well, my name…" She kept her smile. "… I was allowed to enter without revealing it."
"Aw, you didn't?" Penny's mouth downturned. "Shucks… but hey, we can work together without your name!" She smiled back. "As long as you don't have to sign any legitimacy contract…!"
Mirii's hand left the small woman's grasp, as both joined her stomach and her mouth kept laughing.
"You sure are living through an adventure with those laughs, eh?" Penny folded her arms.
"Ha ha ha ha!" Mirii's forefinger took off a tear from her eye. "Aaaah… I-I would never expect to meet such funny Squid…!"
"As you can see, I paid well those comedians…!" Penny chuckled. "I'm so comical, I even make my computer laugh at my own incompetence!"
"Haaaa ha ha ha ha!" Mirii walked backwards, touching the door back. "S-stop it! Pffff!" She laughed. "I-I can't take all this laughter…!"
"Oooook!" Penny's hands went behind her back. "I will hold my breath… but don't hold yours!" Her hand pointed at the glasses on the table. "You have a whole adventure ahead! The quest for the ultimate happiness!"
"… uhm?" Mirii's eyes pointed at the black glasses.
The glasses shined back at her.
"Are those… Virtual Reality glasses?!" Her eyes expanded.