Chapter 6: Through the dark of Night

A/N: "Oooo, you are in so much trouble!" - Evil me. "Why? I already fixed like half the entire story I have D:" - Me. "You totes stole a scene from like a story." "Care to tell me which story that is?" "No, it is more fun to see if more people notice and harp on you for it, but seriously, reconsider rewriting that section." "Aren't you supposed to be evil?" "Well yeah, but I can't exist if you get all mopey for accidently pissing off someone by stealing their story :D" Anyway, I read up on the stories mentioned I borrowed creative liscense from, and this was my reaction: /gifs/comic-con-sdcc-jontron-XkyYjj3E7cAFO

Might was well follow the rest of it and add my own twists right? Despite positive feedback on it, I kinda feel shitty for doing that, accident or not. If either author of the stories I have imitated feels that they would like that part removed, tell me and I'll redo it.

(POST UPDATE A/N:) I'm getting feedback on my average grammar usage! Huzzah! Anyway, I touched up a few spelling errors and ironed out some perspective ones as well. Starting chapter 8, I'll be adding in more page breaks. Call me lazy, but when most of your writing is done on a mobile device that's smaller than a usual phone, I get some slack, right? Riiiight…? Something about starting a new paragraph every time someone speaks irks me… don't know what, and I still appreciate the advice, but ugh. I think I will try to do it more often, but for the most part the speech will stay the same.

Izzy would have honestly liked to be back in the cryochamber right about now. His trek through the forest was mostly uneventful, save for the wolf attack. The second he got here, weird shit starting happening. For one, he was being pursued by someone, he met a literal street urchin, and he saw some sort of illegal smuggling shit going on in a back alley. Not that it really mattered, he couldn't exactly reveal himself to the populace, and was lucky enough the inkling didn't notice he wasn't one himself.

After wandering around for a bit, he was surprised at how little inklings were out. It was the dead of the night, but still, only that one occurrence? He eventually found an odd-looking sewer grate, strange markings and words covering the sides. He made a mental note that he couldn't read ASL gained languages, before crouching to get a close look. Hearing distant footsteps, he flattened himself against the side of a snack machine, and looked cautiously around the corner.

As long as clones didn't exist, Izzy swore that the inkling walking this way was the same one that smuggled that octoling to wherever it went. The inkling eventually reached the same sewer grate was hiding near, before turning into a… literal squid… and sliding through the grate. Unable to find a latch to follow him, Izzy was content with waiting for him to come back. After all, he couldn't be gone ALL night, and he did have a… guest staying over. It was a solid hour or two before the inkling found his way back to the grate. Brushing himself off and mumbling about someone called Callie, he made his way in the general direction of his apartment. In his mind, Izzy had two options. Try to find a secluded alley to hide in for the day, or attempt to gain the inklings help.

He went with the later, and stepped out from behind the dispenser. "You." he called out. The inkling turned around, a quizzical look on his face. "You're that guy from the alley…" he murmured. "Did the Octarians send you to retrieve that octoling? If so, take her. I planned on helping her get back anyway." Izzy quirked his eyebrow at the information he revealed. "No, I have nothing to do with the Octarians, but I also have nothing to do with the inklings. I need your help, and I am aware you're already harboring this octoling, but I have nowhere else to go." The inkling went from curious to confused. "If you're not an octoling or inkling, what are you? And why me of all people?"

Izzy took a step fully into the moonlight, the rays catching in the metallic alloys of his jumpsuit and causing him to take on a ghostly appearance. The ASL in his right arm pulsed with a rhythmic beat and small light. Izzy smiled inwardly, taking a slight pleasure of the shock and awe on the inkling's face.

oo0OO0oo

"So… do you need a place to sleep?"

"The floor will be adequate."

"Are you hungry?"

"Not enough to warrant eating, no."

"Are you going to tell me anything about yourself?"

"Not unless the situation deems it necessary."

"Do you have anything to change into?"

"Do I secrete a foul odor?"

"No it's' mostly hard to look at you without feeling inadequate."

Izzy rewarded the inkling's attempt at a joke with a quiet snort. Hamil wasn't muscular, but he wasn't exactly skinny either. Izzy also held the advantage for being genetically modified, so he gave Hamil credit where it was due.

He had seen the octoling peer around the corner as he came in, and saw her face turn red as a tomato as she presumably went back to where ever she was staying. Izzy, feeling self conscious, took a hard look at himself in the bathroom mirror. And wow, he was ripped. It didn't help the suit was nearly skin tight, and displayed his abs for all to see.

Never being one for attention, he was keen on possibly getting more modest gear to change into, but he couldn't let the inkling know that directly. He had decided to take the 'stoic quiet' feel after the inkling had agreed to accommodate him.

"If you have something my size to change into, sure." The inkling scratched his head before shrugging. "Guess you'll be sleeping that." Izzy laughed softly, "Still better in here than on the dirt." The inkling nodded before rounding the corner. Izzy was closing his eyes, letting gentle sleep overtake him… "Oh, and it's Hamil." Izzy cracked one of his eyes open. "Hmm?" he mumbled. "Hamil." the inkling said sheepishly. "That's my name. You told me yours was Delta?" Izzy nodded, and the inkling went off to bed.

A/N: Sorry about the short chapter, but getting through this chapter without screwing it up was hard today. It was even a chapter I have been looking forward to! Anyway, I promise you'll get a longer chapter tomorrow to make up for it :D.