I'm really sorry for how long these chapters are taking! I don't have a reason for why they're so late, but I'm sorry for how long they're taking.
Cap'n Cuttlefish sat in a rocking chair, rocking back and forth with Shino in his arms. He shot a warm smile at the boy as the sound of running could be heard throughout the shack.
Agents One and Two then bolted into the room with Yujin close behind. "Gramps! Gramps!" Agent One cried. "It's awful!"
"What's wrong, Agent One?" Cap'n Cuttlefish asked, sounding worried. "Did somethin' happen?"
Agent One noded. "A-Agent Three! He… H-He just…"
"It's okay, squiddo. You can tell me." Cap'n Cuttlefish said as a tear formed in his eye and his hands covered Shino's ears.
"A-Agent Three just surrendered." Yujin finished.
Cap'n Cuttlefish was shocked. "W-What…?" He asked. "W-well where's Iho!?"
"She escaped." Yujin explained. "But we don't k-"
Three loud knocks could be heard from the shack's front door. "CUTTLEFISH! CUTTLEFISH! PLEASE LET ME IN!" A female cried from the other side. "IT'S IHO! HURRY! SOMETHING HAPPENED TO KARESHI!"
Just as the two other agents prepared their weapons, Cuttlefish held his hand up and stood up, using one hand to use his cane, and the other to hold Shino. "I got it squiddos…"
Agent Two looked at him concerned. "Are you sure, gramps?" She asked. "What if not Iho, but other octarians who have weapons? At least give us Shino so he doesn't get hurt."
"Why would Iho hurt her own youngster?" Cuttlefish asked before opening the door to see Iho standing on the other side.
Iho then looked at Cuttlefish. "Cap'n! Thank you so much! Where's my-" She gasped as she looked down to see Shino. "S-Shino!" She cried as she pulled him into her arms and hugged her son. She let out the biggest smile as she felt Shino's head rest on her shoulder.
Cap'n Cuttlefish smiled warmly at them.
"Thank you so much, Cuttlefish." Iho said with a tear in her eye.
Cuttlefish nodded. "Anytime, squi- er, octto." He then sighed. "But uh… I'm some sorry to kill the mood, but you knows that Kareshi s-surrendered… Right?"
Iho's hearts dropped. She had completely forgot that her husband had given up to the Octarians, not there to see her reunited with their child. Not there to comfort her as thoughts raced through her head.
"Iho?" Yujin asked as she put a hand on her shoulder. "I already asked. They can't do anything about it. T-"
"WHAT!?" Iho screamed, her tone frightening everyone. Including Shino. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T-"
Shino started crying as his mother's tone started to terrify him.
Iho now realized what she done, and she quickly tried to calm him down with a "Shhh" and a "It's okay", but it didn't help. "Shhh. It's okay, Shino. Mommy's sorry for scaring you." She said to him in a baby tone.
Shino then let out a few more tears before hugging Iho again. He let out a few sad octopus noises as he snuggled up with her, getting comfier and calmer.
Iho let out a sigh as she looked over at the four again. "What do you mean you can't do anything? can't you just send someone down there to get him?" She asked, trying to sound calm so she didn't startle Shino and cause him to cry again.
"I'm sorry, Iho. It's not that we don't want to, it's because we can't. If we send someone down there, then they'll be captured, then when we send someone to get them, that person will get captured, and so on, and so on." Agent Two explained.
Iho's face started to flood. "P-please… Please tell me you're just joking! I… I bet you already got someone sent after him, right?... R-right?" As she spoke, her voice got weaker and weaker.
"Iho, I miss him just as much as you do. But time we get down there… It might be too late." Yujin explained as she hugged her. "I'm so sorry…"
Iho then recoiled. "N-no! There has to be a way to get him back! Please Cuttlefish, tell them!"
"I'm some sorry octto, but they're right. We ain't gonna be able to get him." Cap'n Cuttlefish replied, shaking his head. "I wish I cou-"
Iho shook her head violently. "NO! He can't be gone! There has to be something we can do!" She snapped, her head still in the clouds. "W-we have Shino! He c-can't be gone!"
"Iho I really wish we co-"
"There IS something you can do! But you just won't do it!" Iho cut Marie off before storming out.
"Iho! wait! I didn't-"
"No." Cuttlefish cut Yujin off. "Let her be alone with her youngster for awhile."
Yujin sighed as she watched the door slam shut. "I just hope you're right, Cuttlefish."
"Trust me, octto. I'm sure she'll be alright." Cuttlefish said with a nod.
One hour later…
Hina knocked on Kareshi and Iho's apartment door, wondering what Iho needed that was so urgent that she had to drop everything. "Cod, I hope it's nothing bad."
The second the words left her mouth, a frantic Iho opened the door so fast she nearly ripped it off it's hinges and hauled Hina in as she shut the door.
After she recovered from the sudden jolt, she looked around to see that both Miyu and Takumi were sitting on the couch, Miyu with her legs crossed and Takumi with his head resting on the palm of his hand. "She called you two as well?" Hina asked.
Takumi nodded. "Yeah." He replied in a voice of hate. "'Course she had to call us." He then felt Miyu elbow him in the side.
As Hina sat down, Iho walked in with her hands on her head and started to pace in front of them. "Okayokayokay. I know you're all wondering why I sounded so worried on the phone and everything." She started in a distraught voice. "But I need your help!"
"With what, Iho? We'll happily help you." Hina reassured her.
"Psh. You expect me to help THAT?" Takumi asked as he pointed at Iho. "Have you forgotten that that thing could've killed s-"
Iho slammed on the coffee table as she snapped. "I NEED YOU TO HELP KARESHI!" She screamed so loud that she was panting.
"What happened to him?" Miyu asked, shaken by her tone but not wanting anyone to notice.
"Octavio has him!"
"WHAT!?" Hina and Miyu screamed.
"Pfft. Just a trick. I bet she splatted him and is trying to splat us now!" Takumi yelled as he slammed on the table and propelled himself up. "And let me tell you this! My wife is NOT going to be put in danger! Especially since she's-"
"Takumi! Calm down!" Miyu demanded as she stood up and hugged him. "Please. Just listen to her first. And besides, why would she want to splat her husband? I know I wouldn't want to splat you." She then nuzzled her nose into his neck in an attempt to calm him down.
Iho then muttered something under her breath.
"What was that, octo-jerk!?" Takumi snapped.
"Why w-would I splat m-my baby's father…?" She seemed to choke on the words as they forced their way out. Because despite all the people they told about their baby, most of the people were Octarians. Very few inklings knew about Shino, and Iho and Kareshi wanted to keep it that way, because they were fearful of how they would react.
And their fear was justified.
The trio stared at her. Their motionless eyes remained locked on her, and their mouths seemed to be attracted to the ground by magnets. Iho felt as though she was chained to the ground. "I-I'll be right back." She said, breaking the silence with a faint whisper before walking into another room down the hall.
Takumi and Miyu shared a look. "Please don't freak out. Please." Miyu begged in a whisper.
Before Takumi had a chance to reply, Iho walked out with her baby boy in her hands. The boy's purple and green octoling eyes seemed to trigger so many warnings in Takumi's head. And just as he was about to barrage Iho, he heard his wife -Miyu- whisper once again. "Remember, Takumi. You'll be in the same position in a few months."
"T-this is our son, S-Shino." Iho explained as Shino cuddled up with her before she gently hugged him. "H-he's a month old."
Hina then stood up and slowly walked around the coffee table. "C-can I hold him?" She asked as she held her hands out.
Iho took a look at Shino, then at Hina, then back at Shino before giving him a kiss on the forehead and placing him in Hina's arms. "Please be careful with him."
"I will." Hina reassured her as she gave Shino a little bounce and he giggled as Hina smiled warmly at him. "He's a really sweet boy, Iho."
Iho smiled as well as Hina laid Shino back in her arms.
"So, what did you want us for?" Takumi asked sternly. "Because I'm about to walk out."
"I-I need you to rescue K-Kareshi from octavio I said. I-I'm really sorry, but no one else will help me." Iho explained. "You're his last hope!"
The trio looked around, each one waiting for the other to respond.
Then, Iho's sight fixed dead on Miyu. "P-please, Miyu. I'm asking you as a mother, please save my husband. I don't want to raise Shino alone, I want Kareshi to be with me for every step." She pleaded, hoping that she'll get at least Miyu's help.
Miyu didn't know how to reply. Then, just as she was about to speak, Hina spoke up. "I-I'm in." She said with a nod.
"M-me too." Miyu added.
"Like hell you are!" Takumi cut in. "Miyu, you're only a few months away! I am NOT losing both you and our baby! I refu-"
"Are you helping or not, Takumi?" Miyu cut him off. "Because I'm sure Iho understands, right?"
Iho nodded. "I wasn't gonna send y-you out there, even if you begged for it." She explained. "I was going to have you help me with the technical stuff."
"See? I'll be fine." Miyu spoke.
"No you won't! I trust Octavio more than what I trust her!" Takumi said, pointing at Iho. "And I-"
"Then leave." Hina said quietly. "She needs your help, and if you're only gonna bring her down further, then you're just as bad as Octavio."
Takumi was speechless. All the words he tried to let out seemed to be lodged in his throat.
"So are you gonna help or no?" Hina questioned him.
"I…" Takumi sighed. "Fine."
Miyu smiled as she pulled him into a kiss. "Thank you, Takumi. I promise you she's not a bad person. Just give her a chance." She whispered.
"Fine. But only one." Takumi replied before kissing her back.
"Okay, so what's the plan?" Hina asked.
"Come into the spare room and I'll show you." Iho said as she led the group into the spare room and shut and locked the door.