Backhanded Deals
"'The heart of civilization, where life first took root, and flourished'. Hmm… whaddya reckon this could mean?"
The gang had gathered outside the doorway that led to the Splatfest Altar while Saika was taking the time to clean the dust that had accumulated all over the room inside. Sitting down at the wooden table, they looked at the message that the Splatfest Altar just printed, placed right in the center.
"This is fairly cryptic, but I can't help but feel that it may not be as complicated as it seems." Chris mused. "Mei-Lin, reckon the notes you took down would help in any way?"
"Oh. Umm…" Mei-Lin took out her notepad and flipped through it a few times. "…wait, I think I got it. It said to 'partake in the four virtues' and it mentioned a pilgrimage of some sort. Do you think it has something to do with the four crosses that the Guiding Light allegedly left behind?"
"Sounds plausible." Katelyn replied, pointing at the page. "Look, four crosses, and four of those plus signs on this page. With one of them being a rainbow color, I'm fairly certain we're supposed to head to one of those crosses in question first."
"What, we're doing these one at a time?" Cobalt said, "Sounds like linear progression in a video game. Hey, that actually sounds pretty cool!" He paused for a moment as a thought occurred to him. "Wait…but where are we headed?"
There was a brief silence as the group thought about it for a while, as another burst of dust emanated from the Altar room. The priestess could be heard coughing from inside.
"Hey. I…" Mei-Lin eventually said.
"What is it?" Chris replied, looking at her. "Spit it out, if you got any idea where our destination is…"
"Oh, I'm only taking a guess." She replied sheepishly, "But won't the 'heart of civilization where life first took root' indicate that we're looking at where our ancestors first settled down and laid the foundations for Inkopolis?"
A moment of clarity hit everyone as they realized what she just said.
"Hey, that's brilliant!" Chris said excitedly. "This cross is associated with Infrastructure, so it would only make sense we're looking for where the very foundations of the city are!"
"Sounds like we got a lead! Good job, Mei-Lin!" Katelyn said, patting her in the back.
"I-it's nothing, really." Mei-Lin replied, somewhat shyly. "Anyone can put it together, I'm sure…"
"So… what now?" Cobalt said, "Are we looking for a few ancient steel girders or something with the cross neatly placed next to them?"
"Doubt it'd be that simple, Cobalt." Chris replied, "Mei-Lin, think you bought any books on that subject?"
Mei-Lin obliged, rifling through her backpack and taking out a book titled 'History of Inkopolis'. Chris happily accepted the book from her and rifled through the thick book, eventually stopping onto a page depicting a bunch of Inklings building huts next to a large river and fishing in the river, while a group of jellyfish watered fields of grain with buckets of water.
"Many think that Inkopolis Tower is the center of Inkling civilization," Chris began reading out loud, "but this structure was only built shortly after the Great Turf War ended, and Turf Wars became truly popular as an activity. The truth may be surprising to some readers.
While water is considered a lethal hazard to Inklings, the fact that this substance sparks life in many other organisms is undeniable. Fish are caught from sources of water such as a river, serving as sustenance for our ancestors, while fields of produce are enriched with water, and grow larger. This right here is an artist's impression of what our earliest ancestors were like: the small huts that would within hundreds of years eventually become the city we all know and love. This is a general rule that can be observed in the flourishing of life everywhere: whether there was an aversion to water or not, the very first were always built next to sources of water, such as a river."
"Near water you say?" Katelyn said, perplexed. "Huh, so much for my guess. Here I thought Inkopolis Tower was where Inkopolis was built around."
"So let me sum this up." Cobalt said, looking at the book that Chris now closed and stowed away in Mei-Lin's backpack, "We're looking for something that may be located near water, and also very old…." His eyes perked up as a brainwave hit him. "Bluefin Depot…Bluefin Depot! That's it! That place is possibly the oldest location in Inkopolis, because the place is an abandoned train station! It's located near a body of water, and I've seen fishing boats there every so often! I think Callie and Marie also mentioned something about ghost sightings during their stage announcements at times."
"Pretty sure those were just jellyfish and Judd meandering about." Chris replied, "But I think you got a point. If we're looking for those crosses, that is a good starting point to start searching. We don't even have to go that far, Bluefin Depot is only a few streets away from where we are right now."
"Then it's settled then!" Cobalt got up and prepared to walk towards the shrine entrance. "C'mon, let's get going!"
"Wait!" Katelyn shouted, and Cobalt stopped abruptly. "We forgot to do that thing!"
"That…thing?" Cobalt repeated slowly, as he didn't catch what she meant.
"Did you forget already, silly?" Katelyn got up and pulled Cobalt's arm and him along with it to the table. "Our group cheer! We didn't actually ever do that!"
"Oh, right!" Cobalt's eyes lit up in realization. "Uh….you lead. I dunno what to do here."
"Alright then!" Katelyn held her right arm forward, the palm of her hand hovering over the center of the table.
"I pledge that I will do my best to bring Splatfests back! I wish for my friends to smile with the radiance of the sun!" Katelyn shouted.
Cobalt got the gist of what she's doing, and put his hand on top of hers.
"I will fight to bring Splatfests back, in turn to bring Turf Wars back! I shall dedicate my body and soul to this mission!"
Chris nodded in approval, and put his hand on top of Cobalt's.
"I shall bring Splatfests back. For the friends I have made this day, for Cobalt, and for the people of Inkopolis, my support in this team is absolute."
Chris turned to Mei-Lin, who hesitated for a brief moment before putting a shaking arm on top of the other three inklings.
"I…um… I will do my best. I cannot fight, I cannot think. But with my companions beside me, I shall do whatever I can to help everyone. I…that's probably good enough."
"Okay, now for the finale!" Katelyn yelled, and nodded to the three inklings before her. "Altogether now! 1…2…3!"
"BOOYAH!" The group cheered, raising their arms in the air.
The priestess, who just finished polishing the Splatfest Altar with a dust cloth, witnessed the scene and smiled.
"The youth of today really does shine brightly." She thought to herself. "Guiding Light, if you can hear me, guide these children to their destination."
"You sure you aren't coming?" Cobalt asked the priestess. The group has gathered outside just under the archway that led to the Shrine of Guidance, with Saika standing just inside the stone fence and leaning next to a dead Sakura tree.
The priestess shook her head and smiled. "Please, I politely decline. I rarely travel outside my shrine, and I'd likely just be a hindrance. I'll be sending prayers of goodwill from here, and that's good enough for me."
"Aww c'mon!" Katelyn said, slightly disappointed. "After that little test thing you pulled? You're fast. Like…REALLY fast! You'll be a great help! Are you not good at fighting or something?"
"Fighting isn't one of my stronger points." Saika said serenely. "As a Shrine Maiden, I've pledged myself to a vow of pacifism. I only taught myself to avoid combat, and to peacefully end battles. Lethal weapons aren't part of my expertise."
"Why, shot yourself in the face once or something?" Cobalt interjected.
To his surprise, Saika's smile actually faded for a moment as an embarrassed frown replaced it, and she blushed intently.
"Umm…" she said sheepishly. "How did you know?"
"Oh come on!" Cobalt shouted, exasperated, "I was only taking a wild shot here!"
"You are entirely correct, I tried my hand on using ink weapons once." Saika covered her face in embarrassment as her face flushed in a bright red color. "Every single time the weapon either explodes in my face or I end up coating myself in ink instead. It was so humiliating…"
"Well then." Katelyn said, matter-of-factly. "We won't intrude any longer then, Miss Saika. Thank you for the information!"
The priestess composed herself, and gave a farewell wave to the retreating party, a heartwarming smile on her face.
"Didn't take the shrine maiden as a weapons ditz." Cobalt said, walking along the streets that led to Bluefin Depot.
"Well, it just goes to show that nobody is perfect, you know." Chris replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Somebody truly perfect is totally uninteresting, after all. No growth whatsoever."
"Oy, If I may cut in on this lil' conversation…" a heavily accented voice said from a corner.
The group abruptly turned at the sound of the voice, and Katelyn and Mei-Lin shrieked in surprise. In a darkened alleyway, a single yellowish eye with sharp green pupils were staring back in the gloomy darkness, along with an ominous spiky shape that would surprise anyone in…a dark alleyway.
"Spyke?" Cobalt said in recognition. "Is that you?"
The hunched figure in the alleyway stood up, and a being reached out into the sunlight, with long spindly orange arms, a shawl draped over his shoulders, and a head of spiky hair resembling a Sea Urchin, the solitary eye peering at the group, with another eye hidden beneath the spiky hair.
"Cobalt, you know this guy?" Katelyn shuddered, with Mei-Lin hiding behind her as both shivered in fright.
"Any Turfer worth their ink know me, love." The literal street urchin replied. Spyke is a bit of a shady one, often spotted skulking in the back alleyways of Inkopolis Plaza and offering to Inklings his peculiar services, which usually involves getting clothing that resemble ones picked out for him, or more famously his specialty of using Super Sea Snails to upgrade gear. Though many are intimidated by his appearance and avoid the back alleyways altogether, others know the name of Spyke rather well and often recommend other inklings to him as if he were any other shopkeeper, though there were whispers that he gets his resources with methods that are, to put it one way, less than savory. He was considered trustworthy enough by many high-levelled players, however.
"Nice to meet you too, Spyke." Chris said, "I take it business isn't going too well?"
"You don't know the half of it, love." Spyke sighed, and sat down on the pavement. "No Splatfests, no Super Sea Snails for me to ea-, I mean, procure to help my fellow entrepreneurs with their gear. And now, all me remaining customers had done a runner thanks to everyone upping sticks with Turf Wars altogether. Enough to make any street urchin lose their quills, I'll tell ya that much."
"That's a shame." Cobalt replied, crouching down to Spyke's eye level. "We're on our way to attempt to get them back, but somehow we've gotten ourselves in a scavenger hunt. I don't suppose you know anything about the 'oldest place in Inkopolis'? We think Bluefin Depot is a place to start."
"Ah, that's why I wanted to speak with y'all. In this alleyway, better with no eyes and ears lookin' at us." Spyke said, and looked at the girls which shuddered at his gaze. "You two sheilas as well. Don't worry, I don't bite. Much."
The group followed the street urchin into the dark alleyway with some trepidation, Mei-Lin in particular hid behind Katelyn all the way. Stopping onto a mat on the floor with one or two Super Sea Snails looking at the group, the sea urchin sat down with a sigh.
Katelyn immediately kneeled down and looked at the Super Sea Snail, with a widening grin on her face.
"Ooooo, is that a Super Sea Snail?!" Katelyn said happily, looking at the tiny creature. "It's so cute! What is your name?"
The little round shelled blue creature stared at her with little black eyes and simply replied with a puzzled 'coo'. Katelyn figuratively melted into a blissful expression, and began coddling the little creature with a silly smile on her face. Mei-Lin looked from behind her with a slight look of concern.
"You better watch it there, mate." Spyke said sternly. "Those things are worth their weight in gold, thirty thousand cred per snail. If so much as a scratch ends up on the lil' critter…"
Katelyn immediately put down the creature gently on the mat, both her and the snail sighing in disappointment.
"Now, I better start from the top." Spyke began, looking at Chris and Cobalt. "I overheard your lil' conversation with the priestess."
"You did?" Chris replied, "I presume you heard everything about the legends and our destination, right?"
The sea urchin nodded. "Yes, and I do have a lil nugget of info of my own to share with ya. That's why I pulled y'all in here."
"Is that so?" Cobalt replied, slightly suspicious. "What's it to you? Knowing you there's lots of money to be made in the future. Are you expecting us to pay up for the info?"
"Ah, well here's the rub." Spyke sneered in a fashion that made the other Sea Snails hop backward slightly in fear. "Y'all already did, in a matter of sense. If Splatfests come back, then my businesses will resume with my broad clientele. Y'all scratched my back already, so I might as well scratch yours."
"I see…" Cobalt said, tapping his gas mask thoughtfully. "So… what do you know?"
"I happen to have seen that cross myself with my own eyes." Spyke replied, which got Katelyn and Mei-Lin's attention, the former barely stopping herself from ogling the Super Sea Snails any longer.
"Really?!" Katelyn interjected. "So where is it? Tell us, it'll make our journey so much easier!"
Spyke held out a slender arm to stop Katelyn. "Relax, love. I haven't mentioned the catch yet."
"There's a catch?" Katelyn replied, frowning. "Does it involve money or…?"
"Nothing that trivial." The sea urchin replied. "I've seen that cross smack-dab in the center of Backwater Barricade. It's not too far from Bluefin Depot."
"Backwater Barricade…?" Mei-Lin repeated, puzzled. "Umm… none of my books mentioned such a place."
"You won't find anything on it in those thick pamphlets of yours." Spyke replied. "Backwater Barricade is hidden from outside eyes and ears, and for very good reason. If you think I look like some shady crook, you should've seen the residents of Backwater Barricade. Place is crawling with every lowlife you can ever imagine. Lowlife that can scrape a living with contraband of surprising quality, mind ya. I always pay a visit there whenever I need gear that can't simply be procured in the… usual fashion."
"So the inhabitants are less than friendly?" Chris asked. "Is that the only problem?"
"No, that's not just it, love. Backwater Barricade is a series of alleyways and back passages haphazardly glued together and expanded since the less-than-charitable folk moved in. If you aren't careful, you could get lost in there forever. There's only one entrance to the maze, and it requires…payment in a sense."
"Which is?" Chris raised an eyebrow.
"Well…this." Spyke picked up the Super Sea Snail that Katelyn put down earlier, and it began rattling in its shell. "Backwater Barricade is predominantly an Urchin hideout. Hold on to it, and the boys'll let you in faster than you can say 'down the hatch'. As for the entrance itself, I can lead y'all to it, but once you're in you are on your own. I'm in no mood to meet 'THE BOSS'."
"The boss? What kind of name is that?" Cobalt asked. "And should I be concerned?"
Skype perked up as he realized something important. "Ah, right. 'THE BOSS', in big capital letters, he's the head honcho of Backwater Barricade. If you run into him…well I don't think even the gates of R'lyeh will stop him from coming after you. I'll tell you this much: avoid the sound of an electric guitar. Then you'll be fine."
"Electric…wha?" Katelyn repeated, utterly bamboozled.
"That's all, really." Spyke finished. "Oh, and one last thing, meet me at night just outside of Bluefin Depot, give it…" he looked up at the sun in the distance. "…3-4 hours. Go get a coffee while you wait or somethin'. The entrance only reveals itself at a specific timeframe. Ah right and…" he held out the Super Sea Snail to Katelyn, and she squeed in delight as she took it and held it in her arms, the sea snail looking equally ecstatic. "You better hold on to that for now love, and be careful with it. I'll meet y'all in the docks after sundown, I got business to attend to."
"Okay, thanks Spyke!" Katelyn said happily, hugging the sea snail tightly. "We'll see you later!"
The group retreated from the alleyway, and after a brief conversation outside split up in various directions as they all went to find something to do. Seeing them leave, Spyke turned to the remaining Super Sea Snail.
"Well then mate." He said, withdrawing a screwdriver from his pocket and smiling, revealing a set of sharp teeth. "Guess yer the unlucky one. Hold still, I'll make this quick and painless."
The remaining Sea Snail immediately started sweating and rattled loudly in its shell, before the sun began to set and cloaked the alleyway in shadows.
AN: Here's a fun little tidbit. While I do make the attempt to come up with original ideas, I did slot in obscure references here and there, just for fun. If you can recognize any of those, you get a free cookie. They are a lot more buried than your average reference though, so keep your eyes peeled.
On that note, it does pay to note the finer details in general. A good example of storytelling is using a specific selection of words to tell a bit more than what it may seem at first glance...