This isn't over.
Chapter Five
The Power and Space Stones
(Octo Gorge Ruins)
Greg looked at his wife, who had just pushed a stone out of the way so that they could enter the ruins. She faced him. "Sure hope the Stone is here after all this." He nodded. "Where do you think she put it?" Liz shrugged. "It's probably in the surface area. The domes are all collapsed." They walked through the area, and found a small ziggurat, with an opening large enough for two people to enter. They approached it, and Liz peeked inside. "Well, she did a good job of hiding it."
They went inside, and Liz pulled open an old door, revealing a room with the Space Stone on a pedestal. Before they could pick it up, an Inkling/Octoling hybrid jumped down, his discolored eyes focused on them. Liz aimed her Hero Shot, and Greg hoisted his Roller. They struck at the hybrid, who dodged, and struck back. Greg was knocked onto the floor, and Liz fired, the hybrid dodging the shots. Greg cursed. "He's too fast. We need another plan."
(Mt. Nantai)
Mei grimaced as they walked up the mountain. "I've never liked this place." Pearl shrugged. "Meh, 'Rina and I first met here. It kinda has meaning for us." Marina nodded. "Look at it this way. We can leave after we find the Stone." Mei shrugged. "Fair enough." They reached the mountaintop, and found a small hut at the top, Cass's old home. They entered it, and Mei found a trapdoor. "Hey, check it out." She opened it, and they climbed down a ladder into a secret tunnel.
Mei looked around, and found an underground room. Within this room, she found a left-handed Infinity Gauntlet. She picked it up. "She had another Gauntlet?" Pearl looked at the shelf. "Check it. There's a loose book on that shelf." Marina gently secured it, and the sheft moved out of the way, revealing the Power Stone. Mei gently retrieved it, and also noticed a flashdrive sitting on the table where the Stone had been. She picked up it, and faced Marina. "You have your laptop, right?"
(Cirrina Countryside)
Sarah, Otis, and Guyver walked towards her grandfather's cabin, and she knocked on the door. Gerard Ligo answered. "Oh, Sarah! Come in!" He led all three of them inside, where they saw a young Octoling boy sitting at the table, staring at a pair of Octoleet goggles. The feature that stood out the most from him were his eyes. They looked exactly like Octavio's. Sarah was very surprised. Otis faced his grandfather. "We're here looking for a yellow stone, that glows."
The Octoling boy faced them, and spoke up. "I'm sorry." They faced him. "For what?" The boy swallowed nervously, and replied, "For what my grandfather put you through." Sarah sighed. "You're Octavio's grandson?" He nodded. "My name is Octim." Guyver faced him. "It's not your full name." Octim faced him, surprised. "Your full name is Octavio Takosawa the Third." Octim's eyes went wide in shock. Sarah gave her boyfriend a look, and sat down next to Octim. "Hey, who your family is doesn't define you." He faced her, confused.
(Octo Gorge Ruins)
Liz dodged an attack from the hybrid, and managed to hit him with a shot. He backed off, and aimed his weapon at her, and fired, which she matrix-dodged. Greg hit him with his Roller, and Splatted him. Liz nodded to her husband. "Nice move." He nodded back. "It takes some practice, but it works." They picked up the Space Stone, and walked outside. As they exited the ziggurat, they heard movement ahead of them. They took cover behind some nearby rocks, and waited.
Sector Commander Julia Traeger walked forward, flanked by eight Octolings with hypnoshades. She faced them. "You, and you, guard the entrance. Everyone else, with me." They entered the ziggurat, the two guards waiting outside. Greg grimaced. "Who the hell is that?" Liz sighed. "Julia Traeger, former Sector Commander of Octo Canyon. She was working at Grizzco when I last heard about her." Greg looked at the guards, who had struck up a conversation. "Now's our chance. Let's get out of here." They snuck off, the guards oblivious to their exit.
(Mt. Nantai)
Marina put the flashdrive into her laptop, and it loaded a video that Cass had apparently left behind. She had a blank expression on her face as she spoke into the camera. "To whoever finds this recording. My name is Cassandra, an Octoling in exile. A few days ago, I was struck by a lightning bolt and survived. At first, I was confused, but now I understand. The lightning bolt chose me." The Octoling held up her right hand. "This gauntlet can be used to wield the six Infinity Stones.
I intend to use their power to expose DJ Octavio for the liar that he really is, and bring peace between my people and Inklings. After that, I'll live out the rest of my life in exile, where no one can find me." Leaning closer, she said, "You'll probably never meet me, but if you do, be ready." The video ended. Marina gently turned off her laptop, and unplugged the flashdrive, putting it on the table where the left-handed gauntlet had been. Facing the others, she said, "Let's go. There's nothing left for us here." They walked outside.
(Cirrina Countryside)
Sarah and Octim continued to speak while Otis helped his grandfather, and Guyver simply sat at the table. Octim held up a pendant he'd found five years ago, and opened it. "Is this what you were looking for?" Sarah nodded. "It's one of the Infinity Stones. Cass used them to stop your grandfather, and now we want to use them to bring her back." He faced her, confused. "'Bring her back'? What happened?" Sarah sighed. "She used the Stones to scatter them. The injuries she got because of that were fatal."
Octim looked at the Mind Stone, a determined expression on his face. "I'll come." She faced him. "Are you sure?" Octim nodded. "Someone has to clean up my grandfather's mess. It's time for me to stop being what my mother wanted me to be, and become who I'm meant to be." Sarah nodded. "Come on." She helped her grandfather set the table, and they had a nice dinner, before they got into Otis's car, and drove back to Inkopolis, Octim staring out the window the entire trip.
(NSS Headquarters)
The right-handed Infinity Gauntlet was set on the table, and Greg put the Stones into their slots. Speaking up, he said, "All right, everything's set. The only question is, who's gonna snap the fingers?" Catherine put her hand up. "I'll do it." Clair stopped her. "No, Cathy, this isn't for you to do." Catherine faced her sister. "All my life, I've been a bitch towards Cass. Let me do something nice for her." Octim spoke up. "Buy her dinner or something. It's gotta be me." They all faced him. Sarah said, "Tim, you don't have to do this."
Octim faced her. "The Stones give off a type of radiation. None of you would survive." Marie spoke up. "How do we know you'll survive?" He faced her. "We don't. But the radiation's mostly gamma. My bloodline is immune to gamma radiation." Facing the gauntlet, he said, "It's like... I was born for this..." He picked up the gauntlet, and Liz spoke up. "Hey, you're just bringing Cass back to her, today. Don't change anything from the last five years." He nodded. "Got it." Sliding the gauntlet on, he said, "Let's bring her home."
The Stones' power began to flood into him, and he stood there, staring at the gauntlet as the power flooded through him. Catherine, concerned, said, "Are you all right?" He nodded with a smile. "I'm okay. I'm okay." He held his hand up, and snapped his fingers. Dust blew through the room, and formed into Cassandra, who opened her eyes and coughed for air. Her sisters helped her up, and set her on the nearby couch. Octim took the gauntlet off, and set it down on the table.
Cass smiled at him. "Thank you, your highness." He faced her. "No. Thank you for your sacrifice." She nodded. As soon as she did, an Inkstrike struck the window, shattering it, and they all hit the deck, Octim having grabbed the gauntlet, and holding onto it. Liz, Sarah, and Mei leapt out of the building to get a better look. An entire army of hypnotized Octolings stood before them, Julia Traeger at the front. Liz sighed. "Well, we've got a job to do." Facing her fellow agents, she said, "Let's end the war properly this time."
A/N
Things are getting interesting.