Evolution
Cobalt stared intently at the river of magma before him. A few feet above the flow of molten rock, an outcropping of heavily eroded stone crumbled before his very eyes, the fragments plummeting into the magma flow. Slowly glowing red, the rocks sank into the fiery river, crumbling as it did so.
There's no doubt about it, the area they are standing in is extremely hot. In fact, under normal circumstances, the inkling was sure that the moment they stepped into this cavern, they would've been baked alive, and their remains would've been incinerated immediately by the superheated air surrounding them.
Yes, under normal circumstances. But…
"Hey, Cobalt! What's the holdup?"
The masked inkling turned at the source of the voice. Katelyn was looking at him, while the others were a little further ahead, curious at his inactivity.
"Oh, it's nothing!" He replied hurriedly, catching up. "But you know… we're standing right next to all of this lava, and we're still not baked calamari yet? What's up with that?"
"Hey, now that you mention it… you're right!" Katelyn took the time to survey the winding cavern as they walked, the entire area lit up by the flames licking from the magma that was coursing around them. But by some mysterious force, the fire seemed to stop short from consuming the pathway they are treading down, just abruptly fading out the instant they came uncomfortably close to the travelling group.
"It must be just like back in Backwater Barricade." Chris mused, "You all remember, right? Close to where we found the cross…"
"Those huts… preserved perfectly even after two thousand years." Mei-Lin recalled. "The climate too… it was like being outdoors."
"So what you're saying is, the cross down here is screwing up logic, just like back down there?" Cobalt concluded. "I mean, I still don't know much about how those cross things work, but at least we're still breathing!"
"Still, it does make you wonder…" Chris thought aloud, as he watched Cobalt march ahead confidently. "Why are these things even here? Why do they even exist in the first place?"
Mei-Lin perked up briefly at the questions. "The ancient Splatfest legend…"
"That story involving the Guiding Light and the crosses left throughout the land?" Chris tapped his chin thoughtfully, as he ran the info through his head. "Hmm… it might be a myth, but I think we've all already encountered some things that defy conventional logic already. It's hard to write it off as all just a simple story…"
Mei-Lin didn't reply, but simply glanced absentmindedly elsewhere, also thinking deeply.
Some time passed. While the scenery has barely changed, the team could sense that they were nearing their destination. The very air seemed to be charged with electricity, as if an immense power was drawing closer as the team delved into the very depths of the earth.
"Hey… do you have a moment?" Katelyn asked, catching up briskly with Cobalt.
"Uh? What's up?" Cobalt replied, "Is it something important?"
"I suppose it is. It's just… how do I put it…"
Katelyn briefly looked back at the two inklings some distance away behind them. Chris and Mei-Lin seem to be engrossed in discussion, but whatever their topic of discussion was, it was drowned out by distance alongside the steady bubbling of magma flowing around them.
"It's been on my mind for a while now. You know… I've grown up alongside Mei-Lin for a long time now." She spoke. "I always thought that I can always be around to solve whatever problems arose she had. But… now…"
The inkling looked down. For a brief moment, her words were caught in her throat.
"What happened back there, during the battle. The way she… looked at me." Katelyn's voice seemed weaker than usual. "I-I think… all this time, I've never really known her for who she truly was. She was hiding something so terrible and so significant from me... and I've never even noticed it eating away at her…"
Cobalt merely looked at her, silently listening at her words.
"Chris on the other hand… we've barely known each other since we've met, but Mei-Lin's gotten along so well with him so quickly." Katelyn continued. "It's… something that I've been thinking ever since I saw him console her back at her apartment… but do you think I'm… even qualified to be a friend of hers anymore? Chris was willing to be patient and listen to everything Mei-Lin had to say, and I… I just…"
"Don't worry about it." Cobalt replied flatly.
"Huh?! B-but why?!" Katelyn seemed shocked at the masked inkling's answer.
"I meant what I said." The masked inkling said. "You still think of yourself as a friend of hers. That's kinda enough, isn't it?"
"…you think so?" Katelyn asked skeptically.
"Course I do! I mean… Chris tends to prattle on and on, but we've stuck together this long, didn't we? If you're that worried about it though, go talk to her. I'm sure she appreciates you being around."
Katelyn bit her lip, seemingly in thought. She still seemed to be troubled by something else.
"…there's… something else." Katelyn confessed. "That battle… Mei-Lin did so well. I never thought she even had it in her to fight alongside us like that. I'm proud of her, but…"
"Part of you wished she didn't, I'm guessing?" Cobalt interjected.
Katelyn seemed genuinely shocked. "H-how did you know? Was I that easy to read!?"
"C'mon, after everything that's happened, even an idiot like me would've noticed." The masked inkling sighed. "I suppose you like doting over her and all, but she's gotta grow up past the whole social awkwardness thing at some point. You'll need to move past her, and maybe worry about something else for a change!"
Katelyn's gaze drifted back toward Mei-Lin chatting in the distance with Chris. She does indeed seem rather happy. But…
"If only it is just that simple…" She muttered under her breath.
"Hmm? Did you say something else?" Cobalt asked.
"Oh! I-it's nothing!" Katelyn sputtered. "But speaking of people changing…"
She turned from Mei-Lin, towards the octoling marching some distance ahead of them alone. Eliza seemed as calm as usual from first glance, surveying the cavern around her with a stoic expression. Upon close inspection however, her shoulders appeared to have tensed up, and there was a slight twitch in her right hand that wasn't present before.
"Eliza's looked the part of this badass soldier chick and all when we first met her, but doesn't she seem awfully on edge now?" Katelyn remarked, looking quizzically at the sniper. "I mean, we're miles underground in the middle of nowhere with lava everywhere around us, I get that. But something tells me that's not what's bothering her… What do you think?"
"Nah, I'm pretty sure that's it." Cobalt replied doubtfully. "I don't think any of us would walk past lava rivers on a daily basis like this. I bet Eliza's internally screaming or something!"
Katelyn simply shrugged, and just focused on the journey at hand.
Suddenly, Eliza stopped in her tracks, and the inklings gathered around behind her. Catching a glimpse of the scenery before them, they exchanged looks of surprise.
"…this…" The octoling uttered, sounding oddly taken aback.
The pathway has terminated, expanding into a large cavern. A large flat island surrounded by a moat of flowing magma lay before them, bridged by a haphazardly built metal crossing. Upon the island itself however, sat a gigantic machine that dominated most of the scenery, the contraption extending all the way into the ceiling. The occasional hiss of steam escaping cracks in the structure was proof that it was somehow connected to the rest of Smokestack.
Surrounding the stationary device, various ramshackle shacks and sheds were built out of scrap metal, wires and cloth extending every which way into a tangled mess. Yet despite the shoddy craftsmanship of the buildings compared to the structure in the middle, they seem to give off a strange air of childish innocence and nostalgia, almost akin to a treehouse.
"Looks like we've reached the bottom." Chris said, crossing the bridge with the group. "What's with that structure in the middle?"
"That is most likely a portion of the geothermal generator that is supplying power to the entirety of Sector 0…" Eliza replied. "Strange… I recall nothing on ever being in this part of Sector 0, but this all seems…"
The octoling approached the nearest shack, brushing grime off of a set of books piled up inside. Extracting a book from the pile, Eliza turned open the cover, revealing a set of heavily faded photos within. Most if not all the pictures contained within consisted of a handful of octarian children engaged in various activities.
"..." Eliza stayed silent, pouring over the images with interest.
The inklings also split up, examining the other shacks. Much of what they found seemed to be random junk, including half-built contraptions, worn out toys, nonsensical doodles scribbled on thick paper, and so on. It was all covered in grime and dust, as if it was all left untouched by anyone for a long time.
"What's all this about?" Katelyn wondered aloud, examining a threadbare doll in her hands. "Why did someone put all this junk at the bottom of a stuffy cave?"
"From the looks of this scenery…" Mei-Lin replied, looking at a picture frame whose contents have long since worn to an unrecognizable level. "I think this must've been a playground. Is that a logical explanation?"
"Hey, guys! I found something big!" Cobalt yelled, beckoning the others. "Over here!"
Aside from Eliza who seems to be rather absorbed by the photo album in her hands, the group approached Cobalt as he fiddled with a handful of knotted ropes, tying down a large tarpaulin covering a considerably large object before him.
"Man, this is strung up tight…" Cobalt grumbled, fumbling with the knot in his hand. "Someone give me a hand!"
Chris obliged, taking another corner of the tarpaulin to assist in uncovering the object. Katelyn and Mei-Lin together followed suit, and after a few minutes of difficulty the ropes came undone, and the tarpaulin slid aside onto the ground, revealing-
"STOP RIGHT THERE!"
The group spun in alarm at the source of the voice. Even Eliza dropped the photo album in her hands in surprise. From the path they came, three all-too-familiar faces are once again gracing them with their presence.
"W-what the?!" Katelyn sputtered. "How?!"
"YOU THREE BLEW UP!" Cobalt added, equally exasperated. "How are you guys still standing here!?"
By some miraculous act, it would appear that the Under-Sea-Dogs have returned once again, seemingly succeeding in escaping the destruction of the Octasura. It would be a mistake to say they got away unscathed though, as all three members are no longer riding their signature vehicles, and are covered from head to toe by an almost cartoonish amount of bandages.
"It doesn't matter how we came back!" Heather retorted. "Put that tarpaulin back!"
"We don't even have the strength to fight back anymore…" Clarence sighed. "Just grant us this request… and leave this place. You've done enough damage."
"…" Morgan didn't even say anything, but he seems to be silently looking in Eliza's direction, a tired expression on his face.
"….what's going on?" Mei-Lin spoke up. "I… don't sense any fighting spirit from those octarians anymore…"
Chris turned to look at the object that was hidden under the tarpaulin. It was another machine in a similar vein to the ones the Under-Sea-Dogs were riding, this one a quadruped with a giant gun mounted on the back. The unusually long barrel on the gun seemed to resemble…
"…a railgun. I'm guessing… this was Anna's contribution to the Octoasura." Chris finished aloud, turning to face the Octarians again. "Was this what you guys were defending?"
"…not just Anna's equipment." Clarence confirmed. "Sealed away down here… are our memories with her, as well as our time spent together when we were children."
"Clarence." Heather interrupted.
"It's okay Heather, I think they deserve to know." The octoball looked back at the inklings. "After Anna's… disappearance, we gathered up every last memorabilia of our times together, and gathered it all here. This particular place is special to us you see… it was our secret base. When we were children, we used to gather here together, to play, devise plans for the future…
"When that incident happened, we… couldn't come to terms that our lifelong friend will never come back to us. All we could do was pledge to protect this place, this shrine to our innocence. If we lost that… what reason left is there for us to fight for our cause anymore?" Clarence looked around the cavern, a regretful look in his singular eye. "I wonder sometimes… if we've lost sight of our original goal along the way."
"Clarence!" Heather repeated.
"Am I wrong, Heather?" The octoball replied, a weary sigh escaping his mouth. "Somewhere down the line, it seems like we've been consumed by thoughts of vengeance. I think… the moment we've left our childhood memories here, we've also left our innocence behind. All that mattered was to find the culprit responsible for Anna's…death, and to that end we've waited a long time for inklings to show up in Sector 0, hoping it would be the same ones that did the deed."
Clarence turned to look at Heather in the eyes, bowing apologetically.
"…I'm sorry. I spoke out of turn."
"No, no." Heather replied tersely. "…if anything, you're absolutely right. How did I not see it…?"
A somber silence hung in the air. The inklings looked at one another, then at the octarians before them. "I…. I don't know what I'm supposed to say." Katelyn said, sympathetically. "If we had known this place meant so much to you guys…"
"…Why are you two so troubled?"
Heather and Clarence snapped out of their stupor, and turned to face their fellow member. On closer examination, Morgan's expression seems just as weary as his fellow teammates, but there seems to be a strange air of renewed hope around him.
"…Morgan?" Heather said, concerned.
"Haven't you two noticed yet?" Morgan said, strangely calm. "Anna's… come back to us. For the first time in years… the Under-Sea-Dogs are truly gathered together proper in this place. Isn't that right… Miss Octoling"
Morgan proceeded to look straight at Eliza, prompting surprise from everyone else in the vicinity. Almost instinctively, the inklings backed away from the octoling in surprise.
"W-what? Morgan, have you lost your mind?!" Heather exclaimed. "She can't be Anna!"
"That can't be…" Mei-Lin muttered. "You're…. not actually…?"
"W-what is this?! That's not possible!" Eliza shouted, seemingly in a state of confusion. "I thought this Anna girl's… I can't be her!"
"No, there's no mistaking it." Morgan reaffirmed. "I had my suspicions when I saw you at first, no octoling I knew ever possessed tentacles that long. But during our battle… you said something to that one girl. At that very moment… I knew."
"I-I did…?" Eliza muttered, shaking her head. "I don't know what you're talking about!"
"'A spark flickers deep within you, one that will never be extinguished'. I will never forget those words…" Morgan nodded slowly. "…because those were the exact words I said to you long ago… when you first joined our cause. I'll never forget those eyes… innocent, yet burning with strength."
"That... that can't be…" Eliza fell to her knees, clutching her head. "Lord Octavio… Lord Octavio told me those words! It… it isn't…"
"Hey, hey! Shouldn't we stop them?" Cobalt whispered, glancing at his teammates. Surprisingly, Katelyn was the one that shook her head.
"…Wait, Cobalt." She replied. "I feel like we should wait this one out."
"Wait, seriously? Why? What's gonna happen if they turn Eliza on us?!"
Katelyn shook her head. "I… I don't think that's gonna happen. Look."
"I…I am Eliza… ugh… Leader of the Blue-Ringed Menace squadron…" The octoling croaked, shaking her head vigorously. "I am… a soldier. Nothing matters… but the mission…"
"Please, you gotta remember!" Morgan urged, stepping forward. "Remember all the times we've spent together! Those horrible things you said to me the day before you ran away… I don't care anymore! Just come back to us!"
"Wait…" Chris said. "Did something happen between him and Anna before she disappeared? What Morgan said there…"
"Morgan, what are you rambling on about?!" Heather yelled, just as confused as the inklings were. "What did you mean she 'ran away'?"
Morgan didn't reply, simply falling onto his knees. With an exhausted sigh, he stared intently at Eliza, who is now collapsed on all fours, breathing heavily. The octoling was no longer moving, merely facing down on the ground.
Slowly, her mouth opened, and she choked out a few words, her voice unusually monotone, yet heavily strained.
"Mor…gan… I… I'm…s-sorry… AAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
Convulsing heavily, Eliza screamed. She was clutching her head with both hands, clearly in a state of agony.
"No…. I'm… I'M ELIZA…! Anna… ANNA IS GONE! Who…. WHO… WHAT AM I…!"
"E-Eliza!" Mei-Lin exclaimed, stepping forward. "She's… She's in pain…!"
"So it's true?!" Clarence shouted, realization hitting him. "So, this octoling really is…!"
"That is enough. This child is suffering. Why must you invoke the memories she wished to discard?"
The inklings and octarians perked up at the sound of the voice. Just like the Spirit of Infrastructure, the voice seemed to echo through their minds directly like a half-formed thought. Visions shot through their heads as the words formed, invoking images of aquatic animals crawling onto land, a field of unrecognizable creatures roaring in unison, and a bonfire being set alight by bipedal creatures cloaked in shadows.
"This voice…" Chris said, "It's the cross!"
"Wait, really?" Cobalt replied, looking around. "I don't see anything remotely cross-shaped around here! Where's it hiding this time?"
As if on cue, the machine in the center of the island seemed to unfold, panels sliding back neatly upwards, revealing a familiarly shaped object buried deeply into the ground. A powerful light shone from the cross, outshining the glow from the surrounding magma.
"I am here." The cross replied. "Tell me, brothers-in-arms. Why bring mention to that which causes pain to this unfortunate girl?"
"Crossy! What are you doing, revealing yourself to these inklings like that?!" Heather exclaimed. "You're supposed to stay hidden!"
"…Crossy?" Katelyn repeated, bemused by the nickname. "I guess the Under-Sea-Dogs are well acquainted with the cross, huh?"
"Never mind that…" Mei-Lin interjected, looking worriedly at Eliza. The octoling was still screaming her lungs out. "…is there anything we can do?"
"It is a simple matter for me to restore her memories. However…" The cross's light dimmed for a brief moment. "Are you all willing to accept the consequences?"
"She's our sister-in-arms, an irreplaceable member of our team." Clarence replied determinedly. "If there is a chance that we can bring her back to us, I will take it."
"Are you certain of the choice you made, Under-Sea-Dogs?" The cross intoned. "Know this: this girl chose to discard her memories of the past. Will you still continue, knowing that you are going against her wishes?"
A sullen silence fell over the octarians. But they looked at one another, and simply nodded. Morgan stepped towards Eliza, kneeling before her twitching body.
"…we grew up together, and entrusted our lives to one another." He said. "I knew I made a fatal mistake with Anna… but we've always bounced back from any hardships together as a team, and this will be no different. We will all take responsibility for the consequences, together!"
"…very well. Child of the sea, may your true self reawaken from her slumber!"
A beam of light suddenly shot out from the cross, striking Eliza directly. For a brief moment, the octoling's form seemed to convulse even harder, before she went still, her screams petering out in an instant.
The inklings watched as the octarians gathered around the fallen octoling. Slowly, she stirred, and rose from the ground, looking around her.
"…Morgan? Heather? Clarence? I… I remember now…" Eliza said. Her tone has changed drastically, the cold indifferent voice giving way to a considerably gentler and innocent one. "I really remember it all… Oh… oh gods…"
"That voice… I knew it… Anna… ANNA! It's really you!" Morgan exclaimed, looking up at the octoling. "I can't believe it… how'd an octosniper end up in the body of an octoling like this?!"
"Looks like she hasn't changed at all inside though. She's still the innocent gal we all know and love." Heather said, beaming. "What'd you been up to, you crazy broad?!"
"I… I'm SORRY!" Eliza fell to her knees again, tears slowly forming in her eyes. "I… I lost hope… and I got into an argument with Morgan behind your backs… I wanted to run away from it all… and… and…!"
The octoling glanced at her own hands, staring fixedly at them. Her hands shook as tears began streaming down her cheeks.
"I-I wanted to see the world…" She whimpered, "I don't want to be confined in this pit anymore. So I… traded away my body and my memories, just so I can live a new life, far away from here. I just wanted to escape…"
Her arms shook, as she began choking back wracked sobs. The Under-Sea-Dogs could only watch, struck speechless.
"I… I got what I wanted. I became a prestigious soldier, I became strong, everyone looks up to me. So why…" Eliza's voice cracked. "Why… I'm… I'm feeling this emptiness… What was the point of all this…!"
"Look, that's enough." Clarence interrupted, stepping up to the distraught octoling. "We don't care at all about stupid stuff like that. You're here with us again, and that's all that matters."
"Though… I guess we can't even dote over you anymore, now that you're this big and strong octoling!" Heather joked around, a smirk on her face. "Good grief, you used to be half my size, and now look at you! You're big enough to grab all of us in your arms… and you have arms! I mean, I'm just guessing and all, but…"
Eliza looked up at her former comrades, confused. "You're… you're not all mad at me? But I… I betrayed you all, by… wishing for a body like this. I can't call myself an Under-Sea-Dogs member anymore if I'm now an octoling…"
"What? If anything, that just makes it easier to make our wishes come true." Morgan reassured, reaching out of a fold in his bandages and withdrawing a necklace. It was an unremarkable-looking charm roughly created from scrap metal in the shape of a four-pointed star, with the names of the Under-Sea-Dogs etched in the sides. Despite its shabbiness, it seemed to hold a lot of memories within. "Here, Anna… I believe this belongs to you."
Seeing the octarians before her beaming, Eliza's sorrowful expression slowly faded away, in its place a heartwarming smile. Reaching out, she accepted the necklace from Morgan, wearing it around her own neck.
"Heather… you said that I'm now big enough to grab you all, right?" She said, beaming. "I guess I should test that out right now, shouldn't I?"
Reaching out with both arms, she embraced the Under-Sea-Dog members before her, her oversized tentacle also uncoiling and wrapping the entire group in a tight hug. The team quickly dissolved into sounds of sobbing and laughing, as they reveled in their reunion together.
"…I guess everyone's got their own stories to tell, huh?" Cobalt remarked, watching the octarians before him break apart, sharing tales of accomplishments with one another. "Look at 'em. It's like they're a family. They must've been through a lot."
"I'm just glad that Eliza finally found happiness…" Mei-Lin said, smiling gently. "Though… should I be calling her Anna now? I don't know…"
"...so she's really Anna, huh?" Katelyn said, looking down on her skates. "Didn't they say she was an octosniper though? How'd she end up becoming an octoling like that?"
Chris turned towards the cross, beckoning the team to follow. "We can always ask the cross ourselves. I bet it's got a LOT of explaining to do."
The inklings stepped up in front of the cross, staring up at the shining light at its center. As they did so, its voice rang through their minds once again.
"So you have arrived, pilgrims." The cross intoned. "I am the Spirit of Evolution, one of the four that keeps watch over this land. You have done well to make it this far."
"So you're our second target." Cobalt replied, squinting slightly at the light. "So… Spirit of… Actually can't I just call you Crossy just like the Under-Sea-Dogs did? Spirit of Evolution's a mouthful."
"The last cross read our minds directly." Chris said. "You should know why we're here, right?"
"Indeed. You seek to cure the ailing spirit of Inkopolis." The Spirit replied. "For that purpose, I shall lend you my power. But… I believe the four of you have concerns to voice. I shall address each and every one individually, before I do so."
"I got one!" Katelyn exclaimed, raising her hand. "Umm…. Who IS Eliza, exactly? Or I suppose… Anna?"
"Ah yes… that would be the logical first question…" The cross's light seemed to flicker briefly. "That child was a tortured soul. Trapped in a confined cavern for years, wondering if there's a world beyond where she grew up, and yet she was forbidden from ever leaving by those of superior authority. Because of that, a mere curiosity grew into an obsession, and she eventually desired to leave Sector 0 altogether despite the protest of her friends. You already know of the remainder of that tale from that girl's testimony."
"I… I see…" Katelyn's eyes suddenly widened. "Oh gods… I just realized. If Eliza's really Anna… I almost…"
"Least you didn't go through with it." Cobalt remarked, shaking his head. "Good grief, if you really did splat her permanently, we would've ended up in a seriously awkward position."
"You're right… what would've Timmy and Granny said if they…"
"Who're they?" Cobalt's head tilted in confusion.
Katelyn merely sighed. "…long story."
"Morgan seemed shocked by how Anna changed though, it can't be something that occurred normally..." Mei-Lin continued with the questions. "Was it you that changed Anna into an octoling, by any chance?"
"Indeed… That would be due to my innate ability." The Spirit replied. "As the Spirit of Evolution, I preside over the aspect that allows the strong to thrive, and allow the weak to release their full potential. Physical growth, spiritual growth, these are the pillars of evolution that I hold dominion over. As all octarians share a common origin, transmogrifying that child into another sub-species was simple."
"Spiritual growth…" Mei-Lin muttered to herself, glancing briefly at the Splatterscope strapped to her back. "My Special, it charged on its own… was that your doing?"
"On the contrary, I played no part in that battle. I simply watched as a bystander." The cross's light shone brightly. "What you refer to as a 'Special' is merely fighting spirit given physical form by the weapons you carry. When you finally discovered your inner resolve to fight, your surging spirit gave rise to hidden strength. That was all."
"I… I see… That's how it is…" Mei-Lin looked around at nothing in particular, seemingly uncertain.
"Hold up, did you say that YOU were the reason Anna became an octoling?" Morgan interjected, pushing past the inklings. "If that's the case… I have a request. Make me one too!"
There was a collective yell of surprise from the inklings and octarians from Morgan's proclamation. Heather immediately turned to face the octocopter, her face completely shocked.
"W-what's this nonsense you're spouting, Morgan?!" She shouted. "That came outta left field. Why?"
"I've decided." Morgan replied, his face stony. "All this time, I was cursing myself that Anna disappeared, because I was too weak. But now that I know she's been bearing such a burden, I want to carry it with her. If that means relinquishing my octocopter body, I'll do it."
"Dude, you realize what you're saying?! Granny's gonna flip if she sees you as an octoling! Or for that matter, is she even going to recognize you?" Heather spluttered, turning to Clarence. "Hey you, say something as well, talk some sense into this idiot!"
"I agree with Morgan." Clarence simply said, stepping up alongside the octocopter. "Count me in."
"What the heck…" Heather's expression was of complete disbelief. "I'm not sure I want to, you guys. I mean, the point of the Under-Sea-Dogs is to establish equality among the octarians, it'd be a bit weird if three of us are octolings."
"Is it?" Eliza asked.
"Yeah…" Heather looked upwards towards the ceiling, her eyes slightly distant. "I want to prove to the world that we weaklings have some manner of worth in this world. I'll stay in a body of an octotrooper if it'll prove to Lord Octavio that we can be truly powerful and stand on equal footing with our superiors. That is what I believe."
"Oh, is that so?" Eliza said playfully. "You know, while I was up there, I've met my fair share of inkling agents. Each and every last one couldn't keep their eyes off of me… I think some of them even offered me gifts! I turned them down though…"
The octoling looked towards the inklings, smirking sarcastically. "To think you'd give up those benefits for our ideals… How truly admirable! No wonder you're the one calling the shots in our team!"
Heather grimaced for a brief moment, as an internal debate raged in her head over the course of a few seconds. Eventually, she grumbled in defeat, as she marched up to her teammates looking expectantly at the cross.
"Aaaaaargh… Curse you, peer pressure! You win this round!"
"So you have all chosen to receive my blessing?" The cross intoned. "How unexpected…"
"You heard 'em, Crossy!" Heather replied. "Though tell me…. It's not going to hurt an awful lot, is it?"
"THAT'S what you're worried about?!" Cobalt snickered off to the side. "I'd be a bit more worried having my own species changed and all…"
"Oh be quiet, you!" The octotrooper shot back with a look of irritation. "Now hurry it up before I change my mind!"
"Very well. By the power vested in me by the gods… I release your inner potential!"
A blast of light shot out of the cross, enveloping the three octarians. Before the inklings eyes, flesh shifted, limbs grew, and colors changed. From their simplistic forms, their shifting bodies slowly began to resemble something humanoid in shape.
It was over in a matter of minutes. Where Heather, Morgan and Clarence once stood, now stand three octolings, all breathing heavily from the stress of the transformation. Similar to Eliza, the octolings all appear to have unique appearances befitting of their previous forms. The black paint previously on their bodies appeared to have suffused into their tentacles, dyeing them a shade of black akin to Eliza's own.
There was however, a minor issue that presented itself almost immediately…
"Oh… um…" Chris mumbled, looking elsewhere.
"Ahhh!" Katelyn shrieked, coving her eyes. Mei-Lin did the same, blushing heavily.
"Hey, Crossy?" Cobalt chuckled, tilting his head downwards. "I do believe you've forgotten something…"
The newly formed octolings glanced at one another, and it didn't take long to realize that all three of them were entirely naked. The collective yelps of surprise and embarrassment echoed loudly around the entire cavern.
"W-what the hell, Crossy?!" Heather exclaimed, trying to cover her new body with two longer than normal tentacles that grew from the back of her head. "You can magic us new bodies, but clothes are beyond you?!"
"I guess we WERE technically nude before." Clarence mused, absentmindedly brushing away at the one tentacle that obscured one of his eyes with his free hand. "It just wasn't an issue up until now…"
"At any rate, we can't stay like this forever!" Morgan looked around, the ponytail-esque tentacle on the back of his head swaying frantically. "Clarence, you do remember the time we swiped some octoling undergarments before, right? They should still be around here!"
"Wait, what were you guys doing with octoling clothing when you can't even wear them?" Katelyn asked, still trying to cover her eyes. "Wait, actually, I don't wanna know. Scratch that question!"
Heather immediately looked around in a panic, trying to look for the smallest hint of fabric among the pile of memorabilia. "Never mind all that! Clarance, Morgan! Grab those clothes! AND DON'T YOU DARE OGLE AT ME WHILE YOU'RE AT IT!"
The two guys saluted reflexively with their free hands. "Y-yes ma'am!"
Eliza merely chuckled at the fiasco, as her teammates scrambled through the area, searching desperately for clothing while trying to avoid looking at each other.
"Well… This is now happening." Cobalt laughed as quietly as he could.
"Yeah…" Chris agreed.
Some time has passed since the Under-Sea-Dogs have scrounged up some clothing and have since calmed down. From afar, the team watched as the three newly created octolings experimented with their new bodies, with Eliza instructing them. They grasped the fundamentals of switching forms easily, but getting used to their arms and legs seem to be taking considerably longer.
Bemused by Morgan falling over once again as he tripped over his own feet, the masked inkling got up from his sitting position, and turned to face the cross.
"Looks like they'll be at it for a while. So in the meantime, that… portion of power… stone fragment… thing." Cobalt held out his hand, gesturing towards the cross. "Can we have it yet? I don't wanna stick around boiling magma for any longer, if it's all the same to you."
"Very well. I bestow upon you a piece of my power. Keep it safe."
The cross's light grew brighter, and a ball of light descended from the center. Cobalt snatched it out of the air mid-flight, opening his palm and revealing another stone fragment in his grasp.
"Well, that's that." The masked inkling said enthusiastically. "Now we just have to wait until those octarians are done embarrassing themselves."
"Hey, I heard that you know." A voice said. Turning around, the inklings saw Heather approaching them, along with the other octarians.
"Finished with your little 'playing with your new bodies' session?" Cobalt remarked.
Katelyn snorted loudly, barely stifling a laugh. "Pfffft, Cobalt! Phrasing!"
"I suppose so. You know… Anna had a lot of stories to tell us when we had that talk. Looks like a lot has changed on the surface." The former octotrooper shiftily looked around, before bowing apologetically. "I feel like we owe you guys an apology."
"…I suppose we can call it even. We weren't even aware of what you guys had to deal with, either." Chris replied. "At any rate… was there something else you want to tell us?"
"We're debating on our next course of action, now that Anna's returned to us." Clarence said. "But, we're still in the process of settling on a decision, so we'll need your inputs."
"She's given us the short version on why you inklings are down here." Morgan added. "But there's still something I don't fully understand: how does visiting the cross help Inkopolis in any way?"
Chris briefly rummaged through his pockets, withdrawing the quarter of stone sphere the team retrieved from the last cross. As he examined the strange etchings on the flat surface once again, his face scrunched up in confusion.
"Honestly, I'm not sure myself." He muttered, pocketing the object. "We've collected this from the first cross, and now we've gotten another from this one too. But I still don't know what we're supposed to be doing with them..."
"Wait, you mean to tell me that the inklings that took down my beloved Octoasura were acting without a clear understanding of their end goal?!" Heather exclaimed, alarmed by the fact. "I'm not sure if I should be ashamed at myself or laughing at you guys!"
"I cannot claim that I know how these inklings were like outside of the mission at hand," Eliza said, looking at the team. "But even without an end goal, they most certainly have conviction. They most likely have their own reasons to embark on their quest other than simply restoring Inkopolis."
"Yeah… you're right." Katelyn said quietly, slowly glancing at Mei-Lin. Noticing her friend staring at her, she merely responded with a weak smile.
"I suppose we do all have our personal reasons to be risking our tentacles here." Cobalt added. "With that being said of course… I suppose we should be on our way."
"Wait, there's one more question I have to ask." Chris said, turning to face the cross. "Would you happen to know anything about the Pawn I encountered?"
There was a confused silence as the other inklings and the octarians save for Clarence looked at each other with puzzled expressions. The cross was strangely mute as well, as the light in its center flickered erratically.
"Eh? Pawn? Whaddya mean, this isn't chess!" Cobalt exclaimed, "Chris, I don't follow…"
"That was the name of the machine that tried to ransack the Grand Library…" Clarence recalled. "True… that machine is most certainly not natural by any means, given how its entire body was far beyond what octarians can manufacture. It seemed to be also aware of this inkling's name, so I wouldn't blame him for inquiring."
Eventually, the cross finally answered. However, the voice that rang through their heads seemed suffused with concern.
"…it would seem it has already begun." The Spirit intoned. "How unexpected… I had not foreseen him making his move this soon."
"…what?" Chris spluttered, having trouble processing what was being said.
At least, that was before the earth began to tremble beneath their feet, and thoughts of confusion were instantly swept aside.
"W-what the hell?!" Katelyn exclaimed. "What's happening?!"
"GRAMPS! OCTAVIO! We've got trouble!"
"Nnnngh, of all the times too. Why now?!"
It was complete disarray at the entrance to Sector 0. Everyone within the cavern felt the tremors coming from the heart of the abandoned section of Octo Valley, and the majority of them have scattered all over the place from their previously orderly formations in a panic. Even though the tremors were weakened by distance, they have yet to die down.
Captain Cuttlefish burst through the curtains of the base of operations, with DJ Octavio following shortly after. Some distance away, Callie is scrambling over from console to console, desperately trying to process the data being fed in alongside Marie.
"Agent 1, Agent 2! Status report!" Cuttlefish exclaimed.
"This… this is bad!" Callie replied, watching one of the monitors. "We're picking up seismic activity from the bottom of Sector 0, and it's causing a chain reaction!"
"Structural integrity of the entire sector is dropping in various places…" Marie added, looking just as shocked as her cousin. "We don't have much time before the domes are going to start collapsing!"
"Ugh… looks like we'll be starting our rescue plan earlier than scheduled." Octavio grumbled, shaking his head. "Cuttlefish, I'll be mobilizing my forces immediately. You know what to do!"
"Like you need to tell me! Now move!"
As Octavio rushed out past the curtains already barking orders along the way, Captain Cuttlefish hobbled up to the console himself and activated the intercom.
"LISTEN UP, BUCKOS!" Cuttlefish's voice echoed around the entire cavern, and the Agents that were running around in a mad rush stopped in their tracks. "It would appear that we will have to proceed with our rescue operation earlier than scheduled! You all know your roles, but just as a reminder: Octavio and his forces will be entering Sector 0 before we do. Once the squads give the OK signal, we will advance and assist in evacuation!"
Some of the Agents eagerly rushed towards the entrance to Sector 0, retaking their formal positions immediately. However, a handful stayed rooted onto the spot. Now that the time has finally come, it would appear that they were showing reluctance.
"I can see from here some of you are scared." Callie's voice chimed in on the intercom. "It's okay… I'm scared too! But that's not important right now!"
The hesitant Agents exchanged looks at one another. Some were voicing their complaints too, mostly afraid of being flattened by several tons of bedrock.
"Right now, our topmost priority is to ensure the safety of those innocents still trapped in Sector 0. The octarians gave us the opportunity to forget about the problems back in Inkopolis, it's about time we returned the favor!" Marie's voice added, determined. "You're still free to relent if you're afraid, but don't forget about your fellow inklings that have already decided to risk their lives!"
That was enough to mobilize the stragglers, the remaining Agents lining up with the others already gathered around the entrance. Shortly after, Octavio's vehicle flew straight down the main tunnel while various octarian forces immediately went down the widened side paths, proceeding with the operation. The Agents stayed vigilant, waiting for the all-clear signal to arrive despite the ceaseless tremors.
"You know, Marie…" Callie said, turning towards her counterpart with a nervous smirk. "You say the weirdest things to motivate people sometimes…"
The Squid Sister merely responded with a bemused expression. "Well… let's just say I learnt that from some book I read, peer pressure is a truly terrifying force. That being said though… I am worried for the recon team. They're close to the epicenter of the quakes…"
"All we can do now is wait, buckos." Cuttlefish finished, tapping his cane expectantly. "Let's hope for everyone's safety, and the success of the operation. With any luck, we'll be hearing from the recon team soon enough."
Marie simply nodded, and watched the archway around the entrance to Sector 0. The scaffolding is creaking ever so slightly from the shockwaves…
Mei-Lin fell forward, knocked off balance by the powerful tremors around her. As she looked up, she could see that her teammates as well as the octarians have all collapsed from the intensity of the upheaval. All around her, she could see rocks crumbling from the ceiling, dropping into the lava with a hiss.
"A-an earthquake?!" Heather exclaimed, desperately trying to get up. "Now?!"
"It's strong…" Eliza added, a look of shock dawning on her face. "Oh no… the octarians up above! They're in danger!"
"This isn't good. We have to get out of here immediately!" Clarence shouted, barely able to stand for a second before another shockwave bowled him over again.
"We were supposed to return to the surface before the rescue operation begins too…" Chris grumbled, "But these tremors? I wouldn't be surprised if it meant they'll have to begin much earlier than scheduled."
"I have to return to the Civilian District!" Morgan cried. "The octarians living there, they'll need our help!"
"Oh crap, you're right. They'll need me back at the fortress too!" Heather realized, trying to get up from the ground again. "We gotta bail!"
Laying a hand onto a nearby steel panel as support, Cobalt meticulously helped himself up. Lending an arm, he helped up his team one by one, before stumbling slowly to the octolings and got them up from the rocky ground as well.
"Count us in!" He breathed loudly through his mask, "Something tells me they'll need all the help they can get!"
"Yeah… what he said!" Katelyn agreed determinedly. "I'll help you guys save Timmy and Granny, I promise!"
"Then we've got no time to waste. Take what you need, and let's run for it!" Heather yelled, making a run for the exit. "Everyone, watch out for falling rocks!"
As the Under-Sea-Dogs filed out one by one, Mei-Lin immediately realized in a panic that she's forgotten something from the last battle.
"Oh… the New Squiffer… where did it go?" She exclaimed, looking around. "Oh no… I must've dropped it…!"
"It's okay Mei-Lin, I have it right here." Eliza replied, holding out the Charger she dropped during the last scuffle. "Please keep an eye on it."
As Mei-Lin accepted the weapon, she realized something else. Reaching back, she tried to grasp her free hand around Eliza's Splatterscope that she had strapped to her back.
"Oh… right. Eliza… wait, s-should I call you that anymore…?" Mei-Lin stammered. "I-"
"Anna, Eliza, whichever you prefer is fine." The octoling sniper smiled. "And well… you can keep it. It'll serve as a nice reminder of what you've learned down here."
"E-Eliza…" Mei-Lin was at a loss for words.
"Hey, I hate the interrupt the moment, but the place is coming down on us!" Cobalt interjected loudly, stopping in the middle of chasing after the Under-Sea-Dogs. "I swear the magma's starting to act up too. We gotta get outta here, FAST!"
"ACK! SERIOUSLY?!" Katelyn screeched, noticing that the magma is indeed also rising slowly as a result of the tremors. "RUUUUN!"
As the inklings ran for the exit with Eliza in tow, all that remained was the cross, shining faintly as the lava slowly rose around the island, and boulders began crashing all around it.
"Ah… the folly of youth." A voice chuckled. "Perhaps this earthquake couldn't have come at a better time."
A hooded figure stepped out of the shadows, watching the cephalopods escape the crumbling cavern. His head turned as he surveyed the cavern, seeing the various shacks at the very edges of the island slowly crumble into the rising magma. The memorabilia scattered around the island fell into the molten rock one by one, sinking into its depths.
"…what are your thoughts on the Pawn's appearance?" The cross asked. "Quite the elaborate setting…"
"Hohoho, you are right. It was most impressive…" The figure chuckled. "I can't deny it worries me greatly, though."
"It is not our place to say what fate has in store for us, or our heroes. But… all we can do would be to pray that this pilgrimage comes to fruition."
"And the pieces will be in place. I most certainly look forward to it… Hohoho."
AN: Boy, these chapters have been getting more elaborate over the last few months, haven't they? Might be because I've been taking WAY too long to write them, in all honesty.
News does float around, but for those not in the know, I've been a part of a new group called the Splatoon Writer Community on Discord lately. While the guys and girls on it are charitably described as a band of misfits, they're pretty great motivation for writing (and I even earned several adoring fans on there, much to my surprise). I would want partly dedicate the completion of this chapter to their encouragement and incessant nagging.