Kareshi knocked on the door to Cuttlefish's shack. "Cuttlefish! It's me! Kareshi!"
Cuttlefish opened the door. "Oh, Agent Three! What a surprise to see you here. I haven't seen you in a long time." He then looked down at the bag in Kareshi's hand, that was wide open on one side. "And you brought groceries?"
Kareshi looked down at the huge hole in the side of the bag to see Shino sleeping in a carrier seat. "Um, no. I'll explain later. Are the other agents here?"
Cuttlefish then called out. "Agents! Agent Three is here!"
Then, as soon as the words left his mouth, agents one and two bolted down the stairs. "Agent Three! It's so nice to see you again!" Agent One said as Kareshi walked in.
The four then sat down in the living room. Agents one and two sat on the couch, Cuttlefish sat in his rocking chair and Kareshi sat on the couch across the coffee table from them. "Yeah..." Kareshi replied, wondering if he is making the right choice.
"I'm sorry to hear about what happened to Iho. You two were so happy together. I feel so bad for being so harsh on you both when you said you were married. Even back when you two were dating, I was so harsh." Agent Two said, relieved she finally got what was sitting on her chest off.
"That's... Okay." Kareshi said "Look. There's something important I need to tell all of you..." Kareshi's eyes then widened as he saw Shino jump out of the bag and make his way over to the kitchen. He looked like an octoling trying to swim in ink, but there was no ink on the floor. HOW IS HE SWIMMING!? Do elite octolings know how to swim in ink when they're only one month old!? An inkling can barely lift a tentacle at that age! He thought to himself.
"Well, ye can tell us, bucko. We're here for ya." Cap'n Cuttlefish said as the two agents nodded.
You're seeing things, Kareshi! Just explain to them about Shino, then show him to them. Kareshi thought before taking a deep breath. "It's about me and Iho... And someone else."
Agent One gasped. "Did she cheat on you!?"
"No! Cod, no!" Kareshi replied. "I... Me and Iho... We had a-"
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The agents and Kareshi screamed in a fright as Cuttlefish sat there, almost like he never heard a thing.
Agent One then bolted into the kitchen, which is where the noise was coming from. "Wait! Agent One, I don't think that's a good-" Kareshi was cut off by a look from Agent One.
"There... Is an octoling... In our kitchen." Agent One said as Shino kept clanging the pots and pans.
"WHAT!?" Agent Two screamed.
Agent One then bent over. "He only looks like he's one- HEY! GET OFF!" Agent One stood up, showing that Shino was caught on her suction cup. Laughing as he swung back and forth.
"Wait... He's blue!" Agent Two said. "How could he-" She gasped and looked at Kareshi. "You had a child with Iho!?"
Kareshi nodded. "We love each other. She didn't want Shino to go with her, she wanted him to stay with me in Inkopolis." Kareshi explained as he carefully took Shino out of Agent One's suction cup.
"But Agent Three, that's illegal!" Agent One replied.
"No it's not! We're in Octo Valley right now, aren't we?" Kareshi asked.
"Yes, but... Kareshi! It's not right! You and-"
"SPLAT YOU, AGENT TWO!" Kareshi cut her off as everyone fell silent. "That's what you said about me and Iho! And I will NOT let you say that about my child!"
"But-"
"No, Agent Two... He's right." Cuttlefish said. "Think, squiddo. Put yeself in his shoes."
Agent two thought about it for a moment. "I... I didn't... But gramps, I thought you were against him and Iho getting married? Let alone have a child."
"Who's to say I'm not against them getting married?" Cuttlefish asked. "And who's to say I'm not against them having a youngster? I'm just looking at it from a parent's point of view, squiddo."
Agent Two's head fell back ask she thought about what Cuttlefish had said.
Shino then tried to squirm his way out of Kareshi's arms. "Shino, please stop squirming."Kareshi said as Shino looked at him, before sticking his tentacles onto his face. Kareshi sighed happily. "Oh my, Shino. What're we gonna do with you?" Shino then starting swinging again.
"Sooo. Was that all you came here for? To tell us about Shino?" Agent One asked.
"No... There's uh. Something else." Kareshi then sighed. "I need help getting Iho back."
"Squiddo, I wish we could help ya. But we can't go against Octavio or else another war will start." Cuttlefish explained.
"But, there has to be something we can do! I can't have Shino-" Kareshi was interrupted by the lights in Cuttlefish's shack shutting off.
"What the? Agent Two, did ye take the zapfish again!?" Cuttlefish asked.
"Gramps... I've been sitting in front of you all day. How could I take it out?" Agent Two replied.
"What about you, Agent One?"
"I've been here the whole time as well. Maybe he got loose?" Agent One reasoned.
Kareshi then looked out the window and his eyes widened again. "Or maybe the octarians took our zapfish!"
"WHAT!?" The trio yelled as they ran to the window to see two octolings running. One of them had a zapfish underneath their arm. "Agent Three! Get them!" Agent One cried as she passed him a Hero Shot.
"I'm holding a child! I can't go out there!" Kareshi replied.
"Well we-"
"They're gone..." Agent Two cut Agent One off.
"SON OF A SPLAT! Grrr! We need to get that zapfish back!" Agent One said.
"Agent One, we will get it back. But right now, we need to see if they took the zapfishes from Inkopolis. While I do that, can you please look after Shino?" Kareshi asked.
"What? You want me to look after your child?"
"Just as a babysitter."
Agent One took Shino. "O-okay. Please don't be long."
Kareshi opened up the door to Cuttlefish's shack. "I will. Take good care of Shino until I come back." he then stepped out and walked over to the kettle to Inkopolis. But he froze before he went in. Two octolings were staring at him. Almost unnoticeable if it wasn't for their tentacles.
Once they realized they were spotted, they ran.
"HEY! GET BACK HERE WITH OUR ZAPFISH!" Kareshi yelled as he chased after them. But as soon as he hopped over the stone that separated him from the two octolings, they had already super jumped away. "Splat!" Kareshi said to himself before dashing through the kettle to Inkopolis. "I hope they didn't take any more of our zapfish!" He said as he ran through the sewer.