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"Now everything is clear to me…" Mirii's eyes squeezed a bit. "… you liar!"
Liar…?
"Yes." She nodded. "You lied to me for this whole time…"
Ehm… you didn't had too much ink inside
"Silence." She snorted. "No more words from you."
Wh-why are you acting like this all the sudden?! What did I said?!
"Lies, as I mentioned before…" Her head rose. "… you claimed that this machine is supposed to make me feel happy…" Lowering her head, she pointed her tentacle forward. "… but in reality, you are trying to brainwash my mind!"
Brainwash?! Me?!
"You just said that I'm supposed to repeat the words of this digital puppet…" Her eyes closed, while folding her tentacles. "He keeps repeating that I should be a Squid... and I'm supposed to do the same in order to progress in this virtual experience."
Waaaaiiitt, waaaiiitt…! Brainwashing can't happen like that! If that would be the case, I would do that with myself in front of the mirror and finally have all the will for
"This is a different case, you fool." Mirii frowned. "You are not using VR glasses for self-hypnotizing yourself… besides, there is no possible reason that I'm supposed to repeat"
You do that as part of the whole game!
"… game?" She tilted to her right side, while still looking forward. "I wasn't told that"
Game, movie… it's an interaction thing in other words! You just repeat those words for immersing yourself even more in this amazing world you are seeing!
"Immersing myself more? I thought I was supposed to find happiness, Penny…" Her head shook.
But if you are not fully immersed in this world, you will never find it!
"Hmpf! Happiness is a subjective feeling… someone could be just as happy, by simply admiring this virtual world created with a computer."
I can safely say that it's not the case… we researched hard to find the perfect methods for making Squids happy! Which is, admittedly, something I'm using for my jokes… aside from the courses I followed for real.
…
"… you said 'researched'?" Mirii growled…
Yes.
"You… what's your role in this building, exactly?" She began shaking a bit around.
The role of researching for happiness! More into the physical side, since I make computers laugh at me!
Mirii chuckled, as she immediately shook her head and let out a small yell.
"You are trying to continue your researches on me, aren't you?! You are collecting the data for"
I knew that look on your face was expressing a big sign of intelligence…
Mirii's mouth sealed.
… I would have wasted a great opportunity, if I kicked you out of my office… I had to carry you into this little, happy world contained inside this digital universe.
"Yo-you are admitting your guilt!" She frowned a lot. "Curse you and your nonsensical jokes!"
Jokes that made you laugh? Guess you have a fine taste for nonsensical humor!
"Grrrrrrr…" Smoke was raising from her ears. "Why yyoouuuuu…"
Ah, sorry… lazy is kicking me around again! It even got a score out of a lucky shot!
"Pfff, I-I had enough of you!" She shook herself.
And I had enough of making you move!
…
"… I feel odd…"
Mirii turned her head around, seeing pretty much the same as before. She slid a bit to the right… as she gasped loudly.
"What the?! A-am I moving?!" Her eyes expanded.
Why yes! Can't believe how awesome your brain force is…! You are moving around like a pro!
The Squid went paler…
"… wh-what did you…" She swallowed silently. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!"
Relax! This is the part where I'm almost jealous of your position!
"P-part…?" Sweat covered her forehead, as she looked over the ceiling.
Remember the cords I mentioned? They aren't there just to keep you in your ink… they allow the users to connect their minds to the virtual world!
"WWWHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTT?!" Her tentacles went on her cheeks, as her irises shrunk. "AM I JUST USING MY MIND?! WH-WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REST?!"
Don't panic, please! You are 100% fine! You are just controlling the character inside the game with your mind! Right now your brain is so focused, it gives you the impression to be in that virtual room full of Squids! It's nothing more than an illusion, though…
"How can I trust you?! Especially after all those lies you told me?!" Her tentacles wrapped together.
Sigh… I might end up throwing a wallet full of coins, with the immense generosity I have!
"Generosity…?"
Her sight was locked on a corner to the right.
"… I feel my limbs!" She moved her own tentacles around.
You see? There is no problem! Well, except for the fact that I'm here and not in your place…
"Don't you dare putting me back inside that world!" Mirii began pushing herself towards the surface, making multiple pushes, squeezing her eyes and snorting.
I don't just dare… I double dare! Boom!
"CURSES!" Her virtual tentacles shook around, as a vein popped out from her forehead. "I WILL FIND A WAY TO ESCAPE THIS VIRTUAL PRISON!"
Find? … I'm throwing you the wallet full of coins.
"Wh-what…?" Her head rose.
Translation: I'm giving you a way to escape the 'prison' you love so much…
"Enough taunting!" Her tentacles curled into fists.
Oopsie! Couldn't resist that little notice… anyway! If you want to get out, you simply need to follow some small tasks.
"Tasks regarding a successful brainwashing session…?" Mirii's eyes squeezed a bit.
Not them. Although, I will seriously ask for a modification on this software and make those Squids brainwash me on being more productive…
"Tsk… your jokes are losing their touches." She shook her head slowly.
Those tasks are more like… challenges.
"Challenges you say?" She snorted. "I have doubts that those are anything but fair…"
Let me modify the settings… basically, you have to listen to the king and do what he wants you to do.
The Squid turned her sight over the king, which was still keeping his previous pose…
… done! Go in front of him, please.
…
"… if I stay here… she might decide to keep me locked inside this basin…" She sighed. "… at the first sign of danger, I will turn away and defend my own consciousness." She swam towards the king.
Onward my friend! Hesitation is food for the weak! Which means, I eat it a lot!
Mirii chuckled briefly, stopping in front of the king. He closed his mouth instantly.
As soon as you bow down, the time will start happening again…
"You mean, the time will resume its flow…" She closed her eyes.
Whatever! I'm a scientist who makes science laugh!
"… unsurprising to say the last." She reopened her eyes. "Alright…" She bowed down.
…
… ah, ship! What does this stupid software wants now?!
Mirii's eyes expanded.
'Error 4509: Parameter (xy) not found in string 09.' … do you have any idea what that means?
"D-do not touch that software!" She began breathing rapidly. "It-it might cause a terrible damage over me!"
R-really…? … ehm…
"YOU FIEND!" Several veins popped out from Mirii's forehead. "IF ONLY YOU DIDN'T CHOSE TO CONNECT MY MIND OVER THIS TERRIBLE SOFTWARE!"
C-calm down, please! I… I-I will call for help! I-I know several Squids who
"GRRRRR-AAAAAAAAH!" Mirii's eyes squeezed.
HANG IN THERE! I WILL GET YOU OUT OF THAT MESS!
"I will denounce you! I will throw you into a jail!" Her fist shook, pointed at the ceiling. "I WILL MAKE YOU PAY FOR YOUR INCOMPETENCE!"
…
"… did she escaped from her office?" She turned around, while growling and frowning. "Grrrrr… no matter if she manages to get me out of this ink… I will immediately denounce her. Nothing is going to change my mind about that!"
Her eyes pointed at the room's entrance.
"… might as well move out of this room and venture inside that desert…" She swam in that direction.
Suddenly, she bounced off from thin air, flipping backwards and going in the same way. She stopped while standing still and enlarging her eyes.
"Wh-what happened?! I sprung from… n-nothing?!" Her eyes blinked.
She frowned, as she pointed her head over the entrance and dashed with all her strength. She bounced off again, spinning multiple times before stopping.
"… is this supposed to happen in this world?" She kept staring at the opened door. "A world that contains several programing problems to begin with? Bah… I shouldn't waste my time with that."
The Squid inspected her surroundings, focusing mostly on the walls.
"No windows around the room… curses!" She threw her tentacles down. "I'm truly imprisoned inside a videogame! Again!"
Smoke was coming out from her ears.
"Why Project Neo must have such high interest over videogames?! Why treating them with such importance?! …"
The smoke disappeared… as her head rose.
"... virtual reality experiences…" Everything, except Mirii, faded into a black color. "… this could be one of the main points of Project Neo!"
Gradually, Inkling scientists with dark-covered faces appeared on the background, as some of them were holding a test tube.
"But how it's connected with the experiments running wild…? Why they need to make experiments to begin with? What could it be their end goal in this whole affair…?"
Her eyes closed, while lowering her head.
"… I have a feeling that Happy Squid Land might hold a possible answer to some of those questions. I'm already thinking one, actually… I just need some evidences that would prove my perfect theory on the matter."
She sighed.
"But for now… I have to answer this urgent one… how I'm going to escape this virtual prison?"
Mirii was sitting on the throne, as the top of her eyes were 'smiling' and her tentacles were resting on the throne's arms.
"… I must be waiting for hours, now…" Her eyes closed. "Where that insect crawled into…?"
… oooooh, what a nice microphone!
Mirii gasped, as she jumped out from the throne.
"Wh-what in the world?!" Her head pointed at the ceiling. "Kelly?!"
Mirii?! …
"Kelly! I'm imprisoned inside this ink!" She frowned.
…
"… you fool!" She waved her tentacles rapidly. "Kelly! Wait! Listen to me! You cannot talk to me directly… you need to speak through the microphone! That's the only way I have to listen to you!"
… can you heeeeaaarr mmmeeee?
Mirii's tentacles covered her ears, squeezing her eyes in a similar manner.
"Don't shout, you imbecile!" Her right eye opened shyly. "You are attacking my eardrums!"
Ooooops…! Sorry, sorry!
Mirii groaned, as her head shook…
Hold on! I will get rid of those nasty cords
"NO! DON'T!" Her tentacles wrapped around herself. "Those cords are keeping me fine! Don't touch them at any costs!"
A-agh! I-I didn't thought that… th-that it was THAT serious!
"Kelly, you must find another way to release me from this ink!" Mirii frowned, while looking back up. "Send help to the Shrine… th-they must know"
I-I can't bring anyone here…! The mortals will see us!
"You must give it a try!" She threw her fists down. "A scientist is about to return inside her office… I do not know what she will cause to me, nor what kind of wretched plan she came up with, in order to correct her own mistake!"
Ooooh, so she didn't wanted to keep you in there…!
"… that goes beyond such basic fact…" Her head shook slowly. "… but there is no time! Gather as much help as possible!"
W-wait! I do have an idea myself…!
Mirii's face went paler.
"Forget it!" She trembled. "I do not trust"
I can use one of my drawings as a mini-teleporter! You will jump right in and
"I said, FORGET IT!" She frowned a lot. "You might cause an unknown damage to myself! I'm not even controlling me, since this machine connected my mind through the world you see on the monitor screen!"
Oh… ooooooohhh! Now I see!
"… NO!" She swam upwards, as her face formed a sad frown. "DON'T TOUCH ANY BUTTONS!"
… tee hee hee…! You stopped me right in time…!
Her tentacles touched the ceiling, as she began breathing rapidly.
"Th-thank turfness!" She sighed loudly. "Thank turfness…!" Her eyes went watery.
I just tapped the Enter button and took off that message box.
…
That's something I learned some days ago from Chie! Tee hee hee! She told me that text boxes are just simply messages that you need to click off with the press of the Enter button…!
Jerkily, Mirii turned behind… seeing the same Squids standing perfectly still.
"… th-the message box… d-didn't trigger any… a-any events…?" Her tentacle went on her head.
Uh? There is a counter going down, Mirii…
…
'Primitive Mode'…? What's Primitive Mode?
Her tentacle slid off…
"… curses."