I went back and edited out several typos I missed and added a little bit here and there. Enjoy and feel free to let me know if I missed any!
I * I * I * I
Two guards were escorting a young girl down the corridors of the Octarian dome. The three were given several looks from passing scientist and troops. None of them looked too thrilled with the looks they received, especially the unusual girl. Turning the corner they entered one of the elevators that would send them down to the thirty-first floor.
"Why are we taking this to that floor?" The first muttered. "We're supposed to take prisoners to floor ten or below."
"Because those floors are being used for the experiment. This is the next best place to drop 'er." The second guard, an Octoling, responded.
As the door opened they proceeded on, the girl trying to hang back with no luck. She was basically being dragged by the Twintacle guard. "Have you not heard what's in there? We can't drop this slug in there and think it will all be fine."
"Relax, if we're lucky it'll be asleep when we go in." She chuckled. "Just hope it doesn't bite."
I * I * I * I
Patton was awoken by the rattling at his door. Looking down at the timer he had he saw that he had overslept by a little bit. He had hoped this was his ticket out but knew better than to keep his hopes up. Turning his gaze from the door he hoped his visitor would believe he was still asleep. The door soon opened and he heard something fall in with a thud.
"And don't forget to watch for the claws!" He heard as the door slammed shut. He could hear one of the guards laughing at her own joke. Turning to glance at the door he saw a young girl cowering by the door. Curiosity got the best of him as he walked over.
The girl heard footsteps coming from behind as she started to panic. She started to defend herself the only way she could think of and she changed to her cephalopod form. She began to pull up her tentacles as she became a spiky ball shivering in fear. Pat walked over to her and picked up the ball while painfully avoiding the spikes.
"Um, hello?" Pat asked as he looks the ball over. "Can I help you?"
The ball began to unravel as a frightened pair of eyes looked up at him. Patton felt both sympathy and pain. He had seen the look in these eyes when he was a young kid looking at his mirror. He then realized why she was so scared, she had no idea what was about to happen. He also felt a painful sensation from the spiky webbed tentacles that were wrapping around his hand.
"You're kinda hurting me."
"Sorry," she squeaked as she dropped down from his hands. He had several scratches on his hands as the spikes slid down along them. "I-I've was expecting you to eat me."
"I'm in no position to fight now." Pat began to suck on his left ring finger. "Always the left hand..." He muttered.
The girl changed from squid to her humanoid form, revealing four webbed spiked tentacles that went down below her knees, yet not quite touching the ground. Her eye markings appeared to be a combination of the Inkling mask and Octoling circles. Her ears were more rounded than those of an Inkling, but were hidden by the webbing that went over them. She had some red marking on the tips of her tentacles and where nails would normaly be on a human. The clothes she had looked like hand-me-downs that were used too much by the original owner. Rising up she reached a little bit above his shoulder at full height. She was nothing he had yet seen in this world.
"What are you?" They both asked. They both stood to face each other in the room. Patton had no idea if he was to go first or let her explain herself. After a moment's silence, he decided that he should start.
"I'm... human." He began. Noticing the blank stare he was given, he explained more. "I was like one of the ones who walked the world before you." Pat cringed at his own explanation, not knowing how she would react.
"You mean those boned things that people dig for?" She asked, still looking bewildered.
"If you put it that way, then I'm here in the flesh." Patton spun around. "At your service or something."
She stood there still processing the information. It felt like a minute before it clicked in her mind. Looking at him she understood what she was in front of as she registered his statement. "Oh, I-I'm sorry."
"Don't be." He smirked, "It's not all that bad I guess." He looked around the room, taking note of the structure. "I never did get your name."
"O-Oh, my name is Loorea." She stuttered, nervously looking at Pat. "I'm a Vinkling."
Pat took the name of her species and quickly ran it through everything he had learned in this new land. Nothing he could remember registered with what she had said. "Never heard of that before." He muttered as he turned back to Loorea. "Then again I am new here."
She continued "My ancestors were known as vampire squids, so I don't quite fit in with anyone around..."
"I guess that makes two of us then." Pat shrugged, offering his hand. "I'm Patton Matthews. The one of one, all of all, and evermore shall be so."
Unsure if she would be tricked by him, Loorea took his hand rather wearily. It feels warm. She noted how his hand felt. I... don't know how to describe this. Pat thought as he shook the cephalopod's hand.
"So what did you do to get stuck here?" Pat asked as he flopped down on the bed he had been using.
"I-I was caught while some Octarians troops were doing a patrol." She walked over to the television while keeping a wary eye on Pat.
"Oh," Patton responded, looking up from his timer. "I was nabbed by some fish doing their dirty work or something." He muttered. "That's, what I remember other than those squids and cranky octopus snowglobe dude." Patton looked up to Loorea. "Do you remember how you were brought in?" He asked.
"I was blindfolded when they brought me into the dome, but then they took it old so I would stop tripping. Why?"
"I have a thought, I just need to wait until the guards come."
I * I * I * I
"We're at the first dome, should we go in or await backup?" Callie's voice came over the radio. Octavio listed the domes that were involved with the Blackfin Project. So they had headed toward the first one on the list.
"Hold on agents, I just got into contact with Agent 3." Cuttlefish responded.
"I thought we were going to give Three a break? Marie asked on the communicator.
"Sorry, She just showed up saying she was bored, I tried to tell her it was fine but she insisted that something was up."
"So you broke down and told her." Marie predicted. She knew Agent 3 was capable of helping them but she still valued knowing that she was fine out of harm's way. They still had no idea what they were waltzing into.
"Never mind that, just keep a low profile until you find him. We can't let a find like this just go." Cuttlefish instructed.
I * I * I * I
Pat waited patiently for two hours. He fought the urge to fidget and bounce off the walls and scratch at the pain that was now on his back. He was buttoning up his coat when he heard the rattling of the door being unlocked. Looking out he saw a variety of Octarian guards looking in at him. The Elite stood to the back, beckoning him to come out of his cell. Before he could have the chance to speak several guards pointed their weapons at him. "Are you hostile much?" He asked, getting no answer as he moved forward.
"So how can I help you today Mrs boss lady?" Patton smirked.
"Oh, I was hoping we could have another chat. If you behave we might explain some things to you." She said.
"Like what? The reason you continue to just fight a war that can be easily solved." He said in an attempt to strike any doubt inside of her. She kept walking as if he had never said a thing.
"But you must be dying to get some answers. Don't you want to know how we are communicating?" She taunted him.
"I know, one of yours went in and forgot to delete their history when they managed to translate our languages." Pat responded. "It's that simple, really."
"Just imagine if we find a use for those detectives skills, you'll be the talk of the domes."
"I thought I already was." Patton muttered.
"Don't you think you might need someone to help you navigate everything?" She chilled as they made their way to the elevators.
"Thanks, but I prefer to not burden anyone. Besides, isn't that the job of a tour guide?" He responded.
Several of the guards snickered as they entered an elevator. The Elite gave them a scowl before continuing. "You'd be surprised what you could learn from someone like me."
"I doubt that."
Patton noticed a loose vent on the ceiling. Despite the easy escape route all the eyes around were on him, so the idea was instantly dismissed. On the other hand, the pain on his back had eased up a bit.
Leaving the elevator he was escorted to a small lab of sorts. It was in a higher level of the dome as outside the windows were giant projectors showing the fake landscape of the surface. Several Octarian scientists littered the room here and there.
"I thought you said you had questions." Pat observed as he noticed his two satchels and canteen on a table.
"Oh we do, in fact, do feel free to explain what's in those bags of yours." The Octopi smirked as Pat began toward big bags.
I * I * I * I
The three agents of Squidbeak began their descent into the first of the kettles. They had just rendezvous with each other moments earlier with an apology from the cousins while Agent three explaining that it was no problem. Their progression was slow mostly due to Callie having to carry her roller aground without bumping into anything. They made their way through the first dome in two hours. No signs of Salmonids or Patton anywhere. They made their way to the second kettle's location as instructed on the paper.
"You think it's possible that Octavio's pulling our tentacles?" Agent three asked as they walked along the shore. "It's not beyond him to do that, is it?"
"It's the only lead we have." Callie stated. "Besides, we've never seen those fish organized beyond the strong ones first."
"I hate to admit, but the explanation is possible." Marie responded. "I could work out that some rogues are trying to control the Salmonid population.
The three continued their search into the next kettle, unsure if they would turn anything up.
I * I * I * I
Pat had just finished the basic explanation of everything in his bag. He now had managed to be allowed to have his canteen and satchels, which he now had on like before. There was basically a few protein bars, lighter, the world's most portable console and several games, a mirror, phone, headset, writing utensils, and finally a crowbar. He made it a point to keep that one last, as he had an idea formulating in his head.
"This is a crowbar. Very fun toy to use." He explained. "The thing about this is that you should keep it away from certain objects." He said while he waved the crowbar around carelessly.
"Like what?" An Octarian scientist asked.
"Oh, the usual, stuff that wouldn't look pretty if broken. Kinda like this window." He brought the bar across a window as it shattered, leaving everyone in the room surprised. Using this chance he hurled himself out the shattered window. He miscalculated how high he really was, and dropped twelve feet onto a lowly Octosnipper minding its own business. Loorea lost her grip of the back of his shirt where she was hiding. She ripped server tears as she slid out under his trenchcoat. She got up while changing into her kid from.
"This way!" Pat shouted as he grabbed her hand, running in a direction from the Elite who just had jumped out after them.
"GET BACK HERE, OR YOU ARE SO DEAD!" She shouted, clearly enraged that she had let her guard down.
"Hey! That's the first time a girl's said that to me, I must be doing something right!" Pat taunted.
"Is taunting a good idea?" Loorea asked.
"I don't know, just hold on!"
He dove to dodge several shots from they stray Octotrooper that were positioned in the way. Several stray shots made impact with him, but they didn't do enough to warrant him stopping.
Patton and Loorea could hear more shouting behind them as they ran ahead of the Elite. Turning to look back Loorea saw even more troops chasing them down.
"Don't look back!" Pat shouted as he continued to run. Making a turn the two slammed into the three agents that were searching for him. After a moment's gawking, Patton and Marie dragged everyone into the nearest building they could possibly hide in.
After catching their breaths, Pat, Callie, and Marie turned to each other. "What are you doing here?"