Splatoon Afterworld

by drz1990

Explained in the intro

5. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Note: Sorry about the long wait. I had a writer's block for a while and went back to do some modifications to the story. Narration skills are starting lag behind and sorry for the incovience. I wanted chapter 4 to be bigger than the last 2 but I got frustrated and was losing interest when I was doing corrections and proofreading. Future chapters may start getting longer release gaps between them so don't fret when you see a chapter not getting unveiled as quickly as the last one. I haven't given up on the story you guys. I'll try and improve so enjoy chapter 4 readers.

Mirage, her squad and the duo with the inklings were in midst of a good old fashioned boss battle. The giant metal fish-like octoweapon done tried to scarf up Maxine and her specialist and then gunned for Mirage. Missing its prey it dove back into the ink, how in the world could something that big hide in a layer of ink with the street underneath it. It made no logical sense but what does in this weird world. The octolings anxiously waited for it to make its move, watching the ink for the mechanical fish to pop back up. Then as soon they blinked, they saw a fin surface and move toward Luna and Star.

"Oh shrimp!" shouted Star. Luna pushed the sergeant out of the ring of teeth that emerged before the jaws shut. "Luna!" shouted Star. The others watched in fear seeing the octoling get eaten...or so they thought. A tooth was busted off and then a few more, followed by a little octopus shooting out of its mouth and back on the ink covered street.

"I maybe sweet but I can be sour too, don't think I'm going to be some easy snack you oversized metal sardine!" snapped before she wound up the splatling.

She coated the octoweapon as it gave a mechanical cry and lowered back down into the ink, the sentient tentacle exposed and the squad shot it as it swelled and burst. A gusher of ink followed and the giant fish closed its mouth and dove back into the ink.

"It's not done, we gotta shoot that tentacle two more times before it's defeated," advised Star.

"What! two more...way to ruin the moment," said Luna with slight irritation.

"You heard her, so quit belly aching and blast the robot guppy!" snapped Mirage.

They waited again and moved around as to not make themselves an easy target. Scrambling around the main street the octomaw made it's move, popping out of the ink and smacking a rusted up car, causing it to flip and nearly crush Maxine and Sigma. Mirage and her team fired at the robot's mouth and broke some more of it's metal teeth. It dropped back down and exposed the tentacle again.

Like the last time, the tentacle popped when they shot it and the fish retreated back into the ink. "We're running low on ink, not sure how much we can keep this up," Maxine informed them.

"I got one splat bomb left," said Star.

"Then make it count, we'll use it to splat that tentacle in the ocotmaw's mouth. Just wait for the opportunity to do it," Mirage told her teammate.

Up above, Sam the inkling was watching the battle. She waited to see if the octolings would beat the octoweapon then she would act. The inklings still waiting inside the mayor's office of the town hall watched, worried if the octolings would defeat the metal fish. "This isn't right, we're sitting in here while they fight that thing. We should be out there helping them!" said the cyan headed inkling boy.

"Bill you know we're unarmed. What good would we do besides being chum for that metal fish monster. They told us to wait here," said Jazz.

"I know... they're doing a lot for us, inklings at that, our supposed enemy. We gotta do something,"

"Yeah, go ahead. End up that things snack," said Dexter.

"Well you're sure no help, how did I end up with you three in the first place?" griped Lily.

"Hey! be thankful we didn't get splatted like the others and that those octolings are risking there butts to save us! I don't see you coming up with any suggestions," snapped Jazz at the pampas inkling girl.

"Well why don't you ask her," said Lily waving her hand at the sea hare.

"Flow? What about her?" asked Jazz.

"Leave her out of this you pampas squid," sneered Bill.

"Bill don't. We shouldn't squabble with each other. We got enough on our tentacles," said Jazz trying to calm him down.

"She's right...you guys need to look out for one another," said Flow.

"Why should I?" asked Lily snidely as she rolled her eyes.

"Because we're all in this together. We've been taken from our home and then we end up down here, not sure how though but I'm glad those guys rescued us. We do need to watch each others backs and we can't do that if we're constantly fighting amongst each other," Bill told the group.

The inklings looked at each and thought about what Bill had said. Lily just crossed her arms and turned away. Dexter just stayed to himself as he sat on the floor and Jazz smiled at Bill before hugging him. The two of them turned to Flow who gave her own smile. Afterward a small shrimp-like creature swam on top of Flow's hat and rested on it.

"Hey, what's going on! I was taking a nap and then I hear a commotion," said the little shrimp.

"Oh, it's nothing craymond, you can go back to sleep," said Flow.

"Are we back in Inkopolis yet? Why did you come way out here!? We should be back at headspace," panicked Craymond.

"I'm...not sure how I got here. All I can remember is these crazy dreams, it was like I was being called to go somewhere," replied Flow.

"Go somewhere? Where were you going Flow?" asked Jazz.

"I had a strange vision of this place... I saw these metal cocoons with humans in them and then one of them opened up. These two humans came out of it. One of them was very small. They were scarred and confused. I saw it smacking on another metal cocoon. She cried and hugged the little human... and then they left, I'm not sure it means but for some reason I was drawn to it," explained Flow in a slow relaxed tone.

"You brought up another human you saw...you mentioned their name too. I thought humans were gone or so we were taught in school. Are you saying humans are still around?" asked Bill who was stunned.

Flow just stared at him and then into space. He got no reply for his answer and then Craymond swam in his face. "Hey inkling, leave her alone," the little shrimp told him before resting on her hat.

"Hey Bill, she seems tired, we shouldn't bother her," said Jazz.

He nodded and walked away, thinking whether or not they would escape. He was troubled by their predicament especially with the octolings battling the octomaw. Jazz approached the window and looked out, hoping their protectors would defeat the octarian machine. Lily and Dexter remained quiet and didn't say a word.

It was do or die for the octolings as they fought the octomaw. One more blow to the octoweapon's tentacle and it would shut down and explode. They patiently waited for the fish to reappear. It wouldn't be long until it popped back up, right in the middle of them. This caught them by surprise but Mirage jumped up in the air and shot at it's head to get it's attention.

She landed behind the octomaw to divert it's attention as Star got ready with the splat bomb. "Sergeant! Throw me the splat bomb!" Mirage shouted.

"What! Why!?"

"Just do it!"

Star chunked the ink based grenade to Mirage and she caught it. The octomaw turned around to face the elite with the splat bomb now in her hand. "Hey! You hungry!" shouted Mirage. The octomaw gave a grin as it glared at her. "Then eat this!" Mirage yelled lobbing the splat bomb at the robotic fish. It burst and busted it's fangs. The octomaw flailed back and gave a mechanical yelp before the tentacle popped out of it's mouth.

"Shoot the tentacle! Hurry!" shouted Mirage but before they would fire their weapons. A bolt shot out of nowhere and burst the tentacle into yellow ink. The octomaw sparked and shook before it fell on the street and exploded as the octolings took cover.

Shrapnel flew everywhere. The octomaw was no more and finally dealt with. The octolings looked at each other wondering where that ink bolt came from. Then a swoosh followed by a yellow squid jumping out of the sky and on the street below now covered in yellow ink, changed forms and revealed itself to the octolings. It was Sam carrying her ink bow.

"Sorry about that, I wanted to be the one to takedown that octoweapon since my sister battled them back in octo canyon and rub it into agent 3," said Sam.

"Hey squid! What's the big idea of just barging in and taking our kill like that!" shouted a disgruntled Luna.

"Calm down Luna, at least that octoweapon was destroyed," said Star.

Something was swimming in the ink. A little yellow fish with sparking whiskers was flapping around. Sam walked up to it and grabbed it. "A zapfish, my sister told me the octoweapons were powered by these not to mention it was stolen from the inklings. I'll be taking this," said Sam.

"Just who are you?" asked Mirage.

"No one important, just an inkling tying to locate her sister, the name's Sam octopus. I was told you had inkling prisoners, where are they?" questioned Sam as she held her bow at the octolings.

"You expect me to answer your question with that toy pointed at me. Listen here squid I don't know who you are to just jump out of nowhere and think you saved our asses," Mirage snapped at her, feeling threatened by the inkling.

"I would say I did, now talk," Sam demanded.

"Look, we don't any ink shed. The inklings are hold up in the town hall over there. We were going to get them after we defeated the octomaw. There's four of them not counting a sea hare with them," explained Star.

"Sea hare?"

"Hey girl, there's no way to act like that since we protected those squids' butts. How about some courtesy and putting that weapon down before I splat you all over this street," threatended Luna as she aimed the splatling at her.

The octolings held their weapons firm, just in case the inkling tried anything. Sam was locked in a standoff with the octolings. Seeing she was well outnumbered and escalating the situation would do her no good but get her splatted.

She lowered seeing the octolings didn't pose a direct threat but refocused on locating her sister. "Look you can come with me to go let them know it's safe. We planned on taking them back to the facility. We got food, beds and supplies that we can share," said Mirage.

She gave a nod but still wasn't sure whether to trust them but before they headed for the building they heard a cry from Maxine. "No Sigma! Hang in there!" she shouted. The team looked and saw that the male was struck by a piece of metal from the explosion. He was punctured in the abdomen and was bleeding ink.

"(cough) S...Sarge, I'm...not sure if I'm gonna make it," he said weakly.

"Yes you are!" she insisted as Sigma coughed up ink.

"We got medical gear back at our base. He might make it if we get him back in time. I'll have my team get him carried to the tea kettle while we get the inklings," said Mirage.

Maxine nodded and stood up. Luna and Star picked up a piece of metal, big enough to use a stretcher to carry the specialist on and made their way to the tea kettle. Maxine lead the way while Mirage and Sam headed for the building to retrieve the inklings and Flow.

The four waited until Mirage showed up with the inklings. Once they arrived, Maxine looked down at Sigma who was clutching in pain. "We can't transport him like this, not with that piece of metal in him," she said.

"We're not carrying any bandages. If we take it out he'll bleed to death before his wound should heal up," said Star.

Sam thought about something and tore the bottom potion of her shirt and handed it to the octolings. "Here, us this," she told them.

"Thanks, it'll do until we get to the complex. Patch him so we can move on," commanded Mirage.

Star wrapped the piece of shirt around Sigma as Luna helped pull his body up. The specialist jeered in pain from being moved. "Sigma, can you hear me?" asked Maxine.

"Y...yeah, sergeant,"

"Look, I know this is gonna hurt but you need to try and octo form so you get in the kettle. I'll octo form too and then latch on to my tentacles," she explained. He nodded and transformed into a little red octopus. Maxine copied him and grabbed his tentacles before jumping into the giant kettle and jetting away to the next dome.

Once they reached the dome, they grouped together and headed through the housing and then soon the facility itself. Mirage and her team approached the entrance of the elevator with Maxine carrying Sigma in her arms while he was still in his octopus form.

"Hey, I'll catch you guys later. There's something I gotta do first," Sam told them as she left for the abandoned shop.

"Where are you headed off to squid?" asked Luna.

"Just forgot about something during the monotony, that's all," she shouted before she was out of sight before squid forming and shooting away.

The octolings continued to head into their base not caring that the inkling girl had to leave. Sam wanted to be to herself for a little bit seeing that her sister wasn't among the inklings. Disappointed, she wanted to be alone and she made a promise to see lil' buddy again. Her new salmonid companion.

Sam landed down on the road near the old shop. The little salmonid was sniffing around outside for anything to eat, which Sam forgot to get for it. The small fry spotted her quickly scurried over to where she was.

He wagged his tail and hugged her leg seeing she had returned. Sam picked him up and brought him into the garage. It was there she placed the zapfish on the counter. It sparked and started powering the shop as the lights came back on. Sam would turn the shop into her own and a place she could hang around and rest until she found her sister.

Meantime, the gang was descending down the platform to the underground facility. Maxine was still holding onto Sigma who was slowly losing consciousness. "Hang in their specialist, the lieuteanant says she would get you fixed up," Maxine told him.

When they reached the bottom, they stepped out and entered the processing area. Still littered with human skeletons it startled Maxine and the inklings to see them. The processing area looked like an airport terminal as the continued on through a gate they went past the scanning area and lead you to the atrium.

The inklings were mesmerized by the place. Maxine was shocked herself if not impressed. "What is this place?" she asked.

"Some kind of human facility but now it's our new hideout so you might as well make yourself at home but first things first, we gotta get your specialist fixed up. I gotta locate Seth and tell him about the situation," said Mirage as she ventured away. Maxine and the rest of them continued on behind Mirage, still amazed by the place.

During the time when Mirage and her team left for the town and after Seth and Vee returned to the complex from trying to catch Sam. They decided to head to the storage bay because Vee kept on insisting to Seth that she wanted to look at the human machines parked in the back of the warehouse and all the other stuff she was curious about. Seth was hounded to the point he threw his hands up and made his way to the warehouse after leaving the comms room.

In the back was where the military vehicles were parked. There were humvees, tactical UTVs, Stryker APCs and a few other things. Vee pulled Seth to one of the parked humvees and pointed at it for her to get in. "Vee you're like a kid wanting to ride a hobby horse," he told her.

"This stuff is so cool, the octarians didn't have things like this," she told him. "Please can I get in it," she pleaded with puppy dog eyes.

"(deep sigh) I guess so. What could it hurt...but don't touch anything," he told her. She shook her arms and squealed before she hopped in the humvee. She spotted a kevlar MICH helmet laying in the seat and placed it on her head, though the tentacles weren't allowing it to fit her. She grabbed the steering wheel and pretended to drive it.

"Can we ride it?" she asked him.

"Huh? Vee I don't think that's possible. This thing's been here since I was place in cryostasis. I doubt it would even start and plus we're not outside, so no," he told her.

"Aw c'mon," she pleaded, hanging her arms out the window.

"I said no,"

"Fine then," she pouted.

Vee bumped her arm against the ignition switch causing it to crank up. She jumped not expecting the engine to turn over. "So much for not touching anything. Vee cut it off," Seth told her.

"I don't know how? Oh what does this do?" she said pulling the gear lever back. No longer in park the vehicle was slowly rolling.

"Shit, Vee just get out of it and let me..." Seth told her but when she tried to get out, her foot mashed the gas pedal and the humvee flew forward and struck a crate. "Vee!" he shouted seeing the vehicle take off. She panicked and grabbed the steering wheel and turned it toward the wall where she rammed the vehicle.

"Vee!" Seth shouted again seeing the vehicle impact and lurch forward a little bit. Steam bellowed from the hood as Seth rushed over and opened the door to make sure Vee wasn't hurt. "Vee! You alright," he asked.

She was leaned against the steering wheel and rubbed her head. "That was...awesome!" she said with glee. Seth gave a deep breath and shook his head. "What am I gonna do with you," he said as if babysitting a toddler. He hopped in the seat and she moved over into the passenger side. "Sorry about that," she told him.

"It's fine, no one got hurt...this time," he said.

"So I guess that means no more messing with the human machines,"

Seth just looked at her. Unsure what to say, since he felt like he was talking to a child. 'How about we go ahead and head back to the comms room and monitor the radio. That would seem a lot safer," he suggested.

"I'm a screw up aren't I," she said as she downed her head.

"What, Vee I didn't say you were,"

"I am...I get Mirage shot and now I wreck this human thing,"

"Vee things happen, everyone messes up now and then. It's fine," he said. "I've even screwed things up when I was in the military. Enough times I couldn't count. It's normal so don't beat yourself up over it," he continued, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"You mean that," she asked looking up toward him.

"Yeah I do"

"So are we...still friends, you're not mad at me or nothing,"

"No Vee, I'm not... so don't dwell on it,"

"Seth...you're the kindest person I've ever met. It's really sad that your family went missing and that you might be the last human on earth. I just wanna let you know I'm here for you," she told him.

"Thanks Vee, that... means a lot. I'm kinda glad I woke up and got to meet you and rest of the squad even if you guys put me through crap when we first met," he said with a slight smile as he rubbed his head.

Vee chuckled a little and then looked hard at Seth. He went to get out of the humvee but Vee grabbed his arm to stop him. "Huh, what is it?" he asked her as he held the door.

"I need to tell you something since Mirage isn't here. Something I wanna get off my chest," her tone changing more serious.

"OK, what's this about? Just tell me," he said sliding back in the seat.

"I know the commander likes you. I can tell and I think you can too," she told him hesitantly. She rubbed her arm and looked away to hide her facial expression from him.

"Vee she's an octoling and my superior. It wouldn't work out. I remembered what that girl said and how the lieutenant acted. I didn't wanna believe but... I can't accept it,"

"You can't accept that it's because she's an octoling or is it because of your mate," asked Vee as she looked at him.

"Vee it's both and why are you so bothered by this," he asked back, seeing how persistent she was on his mentality toward the octolings.

"I...I'm not," she stuttered as she held her hands up.

Seth could see through Vee's defensive behavior. Her nervous body language and sweating was a dead give away that she was trying to cover up her feelings for him.

"I think you are...what are you holding in?" he asked her.

Vee paused and took her eyes off Seth, facing the windshield as what to tell him. Her hearts were pounding and she couldn't hold in her feelings for him anymore. She gave a gulp and then a deep breath.

"I...like you," Vee said very quietly.

"What was that?" Seth, asked not hearing her.

"I LIKE YOU!" she blared out. Quickly turning her head in his direction.

"Huh, Vee I..." he said not sure what to say.

"Seth I've...fallen for you, there I said it... I don't care if Mirage likes you too. I can't contain it anymore. It's why I asked about your mate...I wanted to know what she was like...and how I could be like her," she exclaimed as she leaned across the center console.

"Vee, Sarah can't be replaced...she's the mother to my child. I'm not gonna give up hope that I might not see her again and I certainly wouldn't let anyone else take her place if I knew she was...gone,"

"Seth...I just wanna see you happy. I don't want you to be alone," she told him but he didn't reply but just stared down at the steering wheel with a sad face. The octoling was too eager to let him go even though he declined her indirect offer.

She leaned closer and grabbed him by the head and then pulled him into a kiss. Seth was stunned by this, not expecting the octoling to come onto him like that but he pulled her away and stared at her.

"Seth...I love you," she told him as she stared into his eyes with compassion.

"Vee I...(deep sigh) No... I can't accept your feelings," he told her grabbing her hands to release him.

"W...why? What did I do?" she fretted.

"Vee I just can't OK, I'm sorry but... I'm still looking for Sarah and my son. Besides I'm a human as I brought up before. Things wouldn't work and we're squad mates," he told her plainly.

"I...don't care," she replied as a tear ran down her cheek.

"Well I do...you need to get the idea that we could be a couple out of your head. I'm going to pretend this never happened so," he said as he opened the door of the vehicle and stepped out.

Vee plopped down in the passenger seat and sulked. Seth gave a deep breath seeing that her feelings had been hurt and walked away to give her time to get over it. He was conflicted by what Vee had done and left the warehouse without saying anything. It seemed the bond between the two had fractured but that didn't mean they weren't still friends.

As he left for the radio room. Vee opened the door and stepped out, moping over Seth. She walked around the humvee and followed but kept a distance. Once Seth returned to the radio room, Vee just headed for the quarters to lay down. She laid on her stomach and buried her face in the pillow. Tears ran down her cheek, hurt that Seth wouldn't accept her feelings. The octoling would eventually fall asleep and start having dreams.

At the current time, Mirage along with her team and the group they rescued from the town entered the facility a few minutes ago. She lead the crowd toward the atrium out of the processing bay where Maxine and the inklings spotted multiple skeletons lying on the floor and one propped up against a desk.

"These are...human remains," said Maxine.

"There are more than just skeletons laying around, I can assure you," said Mirage as they made their way down the corridor.

"Care to explain, what did you mean by that. Has it got something to with what that sea slug in the robe said," asked Maxine.

"You'll find out," she replied back.

They finally made it to the atrium. A large area surrounded by a collection of rooms and balconies. It was appearently the main hub for the staff that worked in the facility but was now the site of a skirmish that took place sometime after the subjects were placed in cryostasis. Maxine and the inklings were unsure about the place seeing the human remains laying around. "Now to find that sergeant...I'll be back," she told the group as she octo formed and left.

"This place sure is giving me squid bumps. Are we sure we need to be down here?" asked Jazz as she looked around, seeing the skeletons laying around.

"We'll be fine Jazz don't worry," said Bill, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"That's easy for you to say, It's like being in a horror movie and this dump is so disgusting," said a disgruntled Lily.

"I kinda like it," said Dexter.

"Of course you would, I'd expect much from a squid that was raised in the slums," Lily popped off.

"You better watch your beak you pampas squid or I'll..." started Dexter as he clinched his fist and slowly approached the inkling girl.

"Stop it you two! Remember what Flow said. We gotta look out for each other and that starts with respect. We're all in this together...isn't that right Flow...Flow?" said Bill who got between the two but then he saw Flow wasn't in sight.

They spotted the sea hare to herself, looking around and then staring at a nearby skeleton. She wasn't the mellow carefree slug that she was known to be. Something was deeply troubling her. "Flow what is it?" asked Bill who walked up to her from the group of inklings.

"There's...something about this place...I don't know what it is," she told him.

Bill could tell something was wrong but a conversation echoing down the corridor got their attention. When Mirage returned she was accompanied by someone that caused everyone to look in amazement. What they believed from a race that was thought extinct, was standing beside the elite. "Everyone, this is Seth. He's a human and part of my squad," Mirage announced. Seth gave a wave and greeted the group of newcomers.

Maxine shook her head and couldn't believe what she was seeing. "It can't be. I...Is that a...human?" she said in disbelief.

"Seth can tell you that one," Mirage replied.

"Before I explain to them how I woke up from 2,000 years of sleep maybe I better check out that octoling that you told me hot wounded during your battle. Did you say you fought a giant robotic guppy?" he asked in bewilderment.

"It was called an octomaw, one of the great octoweapons that were build years ago. It was destroyed but I'm guessing Scarlet got them to rebuild it. Anyway we need you to llok the specialist, he got hit with shrapnel. He's medical assistance immediately," said Mirage.

The two walked over as the inklings were in absolutely at awe seeing a human. Seth kneeled down in front of Maxine as she seemed intimediated by his height. "So I assume this is the specialist," asked Seth.

"Y...yes, how can speak our language? I thought that..."

"I just can and I'll leave it that. My priority is fixing your partner right now," he told her.

"Sigma, are you awake?" she asked him as he groaned. "You gotta change back to your other form," she told him before laying him on the floor. He quickly turned back to his human-based form and was lying on the floor with the piece of shrapnel still lodged in his torso.

He was losing consciousness and barely responsive, barely able to change back. Seth checked his pulse, which confused him because it was three heart beats at the same time. Sigma squinted and saw a figure looking over him, it didn't look like an octoling so he was unsure, too focused on the pain he was enduring right now.

"I'll get him to the medical bay and I'll do what I can," said Seth. Luna and Star picked up Sigma and carried him away. As Seth turned around and started to leave Flow was in his path. "Um, can I help you," Seth said to her.

By her appearance she didn't look like any of the inklings. She was draped in a grey gown with a large hat shrouding a majority of her head as what appeared to be some kind of antennea sticking through. She stared at Seth with her big green eyes, an expression of fascination caught Seth looking back at her. There was something ominous about those green eyes, Seth thought. A familiar feeling of some kind that pulled Seth in a trance like state but was broken when she grabbed Seth's hand and felt it, he was warm and his skin was rough.

"I uh, look... I need to help your octoling friend. I would stay and chat but..." he tried to say.

"..you need to help him, I understand," she said meekly.

Seth rubbed his head and then slowly walked away. He wasn't sure about the sea hare but something bothered him when he looked into Flow's eye. A feeling he hadn't had in a while and he didn't know what it meant.

Flow was a traveler before she set up a shop in Inkopolis called headspace. She sold gear, specifically hats to inkling turf players. She was always mild mannered and courteous to others. It was a mystery of how she ended up in octarian territory and why she felt she had to come to the underground complex that once held humans placed in cryostasis.

Craymond the whole time had stayed hidden under Flow's hat. He came out once Seth left and got Flow's attention. "So that was a human... why so fascinated with the guy all of a sudden?" the shrimp asked.

"There's... something about that human... I saw his face in a vision I had once but his eyes were closed. I assumed he was dead," said Flow.

"Well he's not dead like we thought all humans were," said Bill as he walked up. "Flow, that was odd for you to just grab his hand like that. You weren't phased or afraid,"

"No... I felt fine... I knew he wouldn't hurt me," she said with a slight smile.

"We don't anything about humans...but to see one and knowing that he's been staying with the octolings that saved us is just...I don't know, insane," he told her.

"If he's with the octolings I assume that means he's friendly," said Jazz.

"Friendly or not, I don't wanna stay down here any longer than I have to. Who knows what kind of germs he's carrying. I wanna go back to inkopolis and see my friends again," Lily inputted.

"You know what, there's the exit, go ahead and try to get back to Inkopolis. Let's hope no more of those octo jerks show up and capture you again," scoffed Dexter.

"You made your point," said Lily who crossed her arms, knowing he was right.

"What can't handle going back yourself... I wouldn't bank on it you stuck up squid. Must be hard going through the real world and out of that mansion your folks brought you up in,"

"For your information I can handle myself...I just choose not to since we're already in this place,"

"Enough you two, no ones' going anywhere especially by themselves. We're staying here until that octoling gets us back to the surface. Trying to get back alone is unsafe. look what happened back there," said Bill reminding them of the fight in town between them and the hostile octarians.

"You've proved your point Bill, let's just stay here...I'm hungry and I haven't eaten in a couple days," said Jazz holding her stomach.

"We'll see if they have food when they come back, right now let's just wind down, we've been on the run and it's good to know we can rest without worrying that we could get attacked. Isn't that right Flow...Flow? Oh no, where'd she get off now?"

Seth had pulled out the piece of metal and patched the octoling male. He had blacked out shortly after and was injected with a painkiller. "If it was anything like your gunshot I think he'll make it," said Seth to Mirage.

"I think he will too. Seth...I know something's bothering you...you can tell me," the elite said staring at him. The two were beside the bed that Sigma was laying in. Luna, Star and Maxine stood outside the room waiting for any word on the specialist.

Seth couldn't face her knowing that Vee had kissed him in the storage bay. He kept it to himself and it was troubling Mirage to know he was keeping something from her. "What is it?" she asked him.

"I don't wanna talk about so just leave it alone," he said with his back turned.

"Where's Vee, I haven't seen her," Mirage said, noticing the little private hadn't appeared since they got back.

"Don't know," Seth replied briefly.

"What do you mean you don't know, you two were together before I left,"

"Like I said I don't know where she is, check the crews' quarters,"

Mirage hinted to herself that something happened between the two. She just went ahead and left the room without his knowledge to hunt for the private. "Well, how is he?" asked Maxine.

"Who...Seth or your specialist," asked Mirage.

"My specialist of course,"

"He's patched up but I'd give him time to rest," she told before the lieutenant turned away.

"OK, what was that all about?" said Maxine seeing Mirage just walk off.

"Must have been her and Seth, typical," commented Luna.

"Typical, what do you mean?"

"She like's him, I think she has a crush on that guy,"

"The human!? Your kidding right, don't tell me she's head over tentacle for a human,"

Mirage and Star nodded and Maxine couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I think I need a drink, between what we went through and now a human and octo relationship," said Maxine as she held her head.

"Now you're speaking my language, there was a bar back in that town, how about we just sneak off and go look," suggested Luna.

Maxine just gave a bewildered expression, not taking the elite seriously. "What?" replied Luna.

"You know what. I don't need a drink that badly...but I am really curious about this place through. How long have you guys been here?" Maxine asked Luna.

"Not long, a couple of days now. We thought it would be a great place to hide and set up our own base," answered Star.

"What about the human, his he seriously a part of your team?" asked Maxine.

"Yeah, he said he used to be a soldier back when his race was still around. He mentioned to us about these wars the humans got into that caused their extinction. When we came across we didn't know what to think but we became friends over time, he's cool," explained Star.

"Hm, that's the wildest story I ever heard. No one back at octo base would ever believe this let alone the existence of a human,"

Maxine, Star, and Luna kept discussing things about the base and their interaction with Seth. While Mirage went to find Vee. She came across the private asleep in the quarters and decided not to disturb her. She would ask her questions once she woke up about Seth's behavior. Meantime, the inklings settled down and Seth went someone to collect his thoughts as it got late.

A couple of hours passed and it was around 10PM. Everyone found a place to sleep once everyone got settled. Vee was still asleep, Mirage and Star headed to bed, Maxine stayed with Sigma who was recovering in one of the examination rooms. Mirage was in her office, fighting to stay awake as her thoughts were drifting. It was still bothering her about Seth, enough that she decided to finally leave and go hunt for him.

She checked the room he slept in the other night and saw he wasn't there. She walked down the hall and finally spotted him going into the lavatory with fresh clothes in his arms. Temptation was pecking at her, she fought but...she gave in and decided to follow him and octoformed.

Seth laid his clothes on a bench and started to get undressed. Mirage hid near the door way and watched him. As he stripped down to get a shower, she blushed as she watched him go into the stall. "Mirage get it together, you need to head back," she told herself.

She went to leave but she couldn't help but stay and stopped at the doorway as she was leaving. The elite turned her head back toward the showers and bit her lip. "I...can't help it, instincts kicking in," she jeered.

Her restraint broke and the octoling decided to creep over toward Seth's stall. Standing in front of it, hesitant about walking in, she continued to battle the urge. Breathing heavily as she heard the water running, her hearts beating, this might have been her only chance with Seth.

Mirage pulled off her armor, kicked her boots off and finally stripped down to nothing, tossing her clothes a side. The naked octoling stared at the stall door before pulling her googles off. She octoformed and swam under the door and then changed back to grab Seth... then she snapped out of her fantasy. Everything was played out into her head, imagining what she wanted to do with Seth in the shower. She looked and saw her hand of the handle of the stall door but she was still clothed. The elite came to her senses and stepped away from the door. The water turned off and she slithered away before Seth got out.

Mirage stood outside the doorway giving a deep breath. "That was close, Mirage you better get a handle on yourself," she said. Hearing Seth step out she didn't dare look but left and headed back to the quarters to go get some shut eye with her squad.

As everyone made their way to bed, one figure was still missing and somewhere in the facility. Flow had left the group sometime while the inklings talked among each other. She went to explore the facility without being seen by anyone and made her way into the labs. The sea mare looked around as Craymond was leery and wanted to head back, instead of explore the unknown human facility. Seeing nothing of interest, Flow kept going deeper in the complex until she entered the cryo chamber. It was there, that she knew this was why she was drawn to the underground complex.

The sea hare saw all the pods lining the large room and in them were the humans placed in cryostasis. Craymond was starting to get uncomfortable. "Flow why don't we head back," he asked her. Flow didn't pay the shrimp no mind and traversed deeper in the chamber. "Flow are even listening to me, let's go," he urged.

"Not yet," she finally replied. She continued to examine the chamber as it peaked her curiosity. She stepped over to where Seth's pod was and remembered the vision she had with Seth who she thought was dead in the dream. After staring at it, she looked over and spotted the open pod that Sarah and Virgil were in. Looking inside, it was like something struck her. She froze as she stared at the metal cocoon's interior.

"Flow what is it?" asked Craymond.

"This is... where that female human was with her offspring," she said.

"What are you talking about?" asked Craymond.

"That dream...I remembered seeing them...leaving this place," she replied.

The little shrimp was confused. He couldn't comprehend what Flow was talking about. He decided to not even bother asking Flow. After staying at the pod for a few more seconds she left the chamber and returned to where the inklings were. As it got late she stumbled upon Seth who just got out of the showers and left the lavatory, only wearing pants with a towel hung around his neck.

"Oh, hey it's you again... I didn't catch your name," said Blake a little awkward at seeing her while he was half dressed. She stared at him with a slight blush and covering her mouth.

"I notice your not an octoling and inkling or at least don't look like one. Just what are you?" Seth asked her.

"My name's Flow, I'm a sea hare... the inklings are my friends I guess you can say," she told him bashfully.

"Sea hare? I think that's a type of slug isn't it. Shouldn't be surprised since the world I woke up in is inhabited by cephalopod based creatures now. Not sure how that happened but who am I to try and figure it out," he said.

"So there's no other humans that are around,"

"Well I'm hoping my wife Sarah is still alive as well as Virgil, my infant son. Mirage, my squad leader is trying to help me out with that. I don't suppose you've come across any humans like me but I'm guessing you haven't,"

"Sarah...Virgil..."

"Um, are you feeling ok?" Seth asked, noticing the slug zoning out.

"You were the human in my dream weren't you, sitting in that pod," she finally said.

"Sitting in that...wait, how would know that unless, did Mirage or the others tell you how I woke up,"

"No, they never mentioned anything to me about you... your name's Seth. I knew your name before that octoling introduced you,"

"(chuckle) That's nonsense we just met. Don't tell me you can read the future or some crap,"

"You said you were looking for two other humans, a female and a little one,"

"Yeah, why,"

"In the dream I saw you in I also saw a female holding a little one in her arms when they came out of a pod like yours. She tried to wake you up but couldn't so she left,"

"What, you saw them...in a dream? Wait, the note back at the campsite said she left the facility and mentioned she left me behind. This can't be a coincidence...please tell me where they went. I have to know," he pleaded.

Flow's expression turned gloomy as she couldn't tell Seth where they went. "I'm sorry human but... that's the only dream I had of them,"

"There's nothing else you can tell me," asked Seth desperately as she nodded to him.

"Look, human she said she doesn't know so leave her alone...let's just go Flow," said the shrimp as it got in Seth's face.

"You'll have to excuse him, he's protective,"

"I didn't expect some talking piece of sushi to just fly in my face like that,"

"Sushi! Listen up human! I may be small but I can still pack a wallop and I'm not taking guff from some talking fossil,"

"Relax, I was just kiddin' "

"Hmf... Flow c'mon let's get out of here and leave the human be," said Craymond.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't be of more help Seth... I'm sure you'll find them," said Flow as she left with the agitated shrimp.

"(deep sigh) There's something about her that's just gnawing at me. I don't know what it is and how she knew about Sarah and Virgil. She strikes me as odd but... I don't know, I'm tired and ready to hit the hay," he said but when he turned around he about jumped out of his skin. Mirage was staring at him, she overheard some of the conversation between him in Flow in the hallway.

"Holy crap, Mirage... you nearly gave me a heart attack, how long have been there?" he asked holding his chest.

"Long enough...I heard you talking to the sea slug, she said something a dream about seeing your wife and child,"

"Yeah she did, I was hoping she might have known more like where they were at. She also said she knew my name before we met back in the atrium when they first came here. What's her story?"

"She tagged along with the squids and the other two octolings. Maxine said they found her wandering around down here. Didn't specify why, apparently she's got memory loss or something. She does strike me as strange but then I again I've never really hung around sea slugs,"

"She seems out of place but so am I... when she grabbed my hand I felt something...a force that kinda drew me to her,"

"A force, what are saying?"

"I don't know how to explain it, something familiar comes to mind and that was before she brought up about her dream of me and them,"

"I think you're tired if you ask me. It's time to hit the bunk soldier. With Maxine, the specialist and these inklings I'd say we're gonna have our work cut out for us yet. We're gonna need to do something, I'm gonna have a talk with Maxine tomorrow so we can come with a strategy on what to do about the inklings and how we're gonna get to the surface," said the elite.

"Yeah about wanting to go to the surface. I've been thinking about that and well, I feel like I'm not ready to leave, not until I know where my family is," Seth told her.

"Seth you can't be thinking about staying here. Like when the zapfishs were taken back by agents 3 and 4. How much longer until this facility's power supply runs out. I'm sure it's not endless,"

"It's not and I know where you're getting at. I'm still not acquainted with this new world yet. Seeing the inklings reaction, Flow bringing up my wife and child, What Vee di... I mean..." He said but cut himself off before he could admit the last part.

"What did Vee do?" asked Mirage as soon as he said her name.

"It's nothing," He said rashly.

"Nothing, apparently it's something. What happened while I was gone?"

"Like I said nothing so let it go,"

"If you're not gonna tell me then I'm sure the private will when she wakes up in the morning. We're a team and I want everything and anything aired out and brought forward. If something did happen then I need to know about it," she said sternly.

"I don't wanna talk about it unless Vee is here among us. It wouldn't be fair," he defended.

"Very well, you're dismissed. Rise and shine at 0600 sergeant," she ordered to him.

"Got it, lieutenant," he said as he walked away.

Everyone in the facility was fast asleep, the inklings found beds in a separate room for the staff quarters in another section. Mirage and her squad bunked where they did last time. Maxine stayed with Sigma in the medical bay in her octopus form laying beside him. Seth was across the hall from the squad and Flow was in the same room as the inklngs but stayed to herself, sitting in a chair fast asleep.

It had been a day for all of them and it felt like it was never going to end. Vee was tossing a little bit having flashback about her parents. She was playing with a stuffed octotrooper toy. She was by herself in a room surrounded but nothing but a void of darkness. She heard her parents voices echoing through the space as she played with her toy. Arguing then followed, causing a very young Vee to stop. She was still a juvenile, not retaining her bipedal form yet, only having the appearance of reddish colored figure with curled appendages on her head.

"Mama...dada..." the older hatchling said once she saw her parents appear out of the dark space. Then their arguing intensified a little. It sounded as if Vee's father was trying to get his family on the surface and away from Octavio's tyranny. Though as much as Vee's mother wanted to leave, she knew the punishment for trying to abandon the domes would be severe. Word caught on about Vee's parents trying to plan an escape out of Octo Valley and top side but before they would try to sneak away with their daughter one night. There was a knock at the door that suddenly appeared at the other said of the room.

Octarian soldiers broke the door down and apprehended Vee's parents and took them away. Vee's mother tried to get away as she grabbed her daughter from being arrested but the mother was cuffed and taken away while Vee herself was brought to a nursery where she would get educated and remain submissive to Octavio. The dream would end, telling Vee's sad upbringing and never seeing her parents again after she was taken from them.

Vee could remember being yanked from her mother's arms as they cried out to each other. Was this something triggered at the fact of Seth losing his family. The dream ended and the next morning the octoling found herself not laying in the bunk she was originally sleeping on but in another. A figure was laying beside her. It was Seth asleep himself, not realizing that Vee at sometime in the night crept into his bed and hugged him while he laid there. Her face pressed against his head. Her mouth near his neck and nothing on but her black shirt and shorts.

Seth went to roll over but felt a figure's arm across his bare chest, trying to get situated. His face met Vee's not expecting the octoling to be laying beside him with her body pressed against his. Utterly surprised and not expecting the private to be sleeping beside him because she wasn't there before he went to bed.

As he tried to sit up she moved her arm and stretched it only for it to fall back down right between Seth's legs on an unappropriated area. Seth froze in place, as to not wake her seeing where her hand ended up. He cautiously tried to pick her arm but when he moved it over her hand closed and squeezed.

Seth covered his mouth as to not yelp. He clinched his eyes and shook his head as to shout from the pressure of her grip. He quickly tapped on her shoulder not being able to stand it anymore. Vee finally stirred and blinked her eyes, turning her view to Seth. She then realized she was sleeping in his bed and then she saw where her hand was.

"Oh my cod! Seth! I...I... how did I end up here!?" she shouted, removing her hand from Seth's area and turning pink from embarrassment.

"I don't know how you ended up here either!" he said back. "But I appreciated that you moved your hand, gah," he told as he rubbed his groin.

"I'm so sorry...all I could remember was going to sleep in the other room, then I had that dream of me and my folks. I don't even remember coming into your room," she explained.

"It doesn't matter, look it's about to time to get up anyway. I suggest you leave before Mirage wakes up. She wanted to talk to me and you this morning," he said.

Vee got up and looked at Seth. "Seth before I leave I wanted to apologize for my actions yesterday. I shouldn't have came on you like that especially with you still trying to find your family. You know now that... I really like you. I never had anyone treat me as nice as you have. Well...not since I lost my parents,"

"I thought octarians didn't have families,"

"That's not exactly true. My mother and father, in human terms wanted to leave Octo Valley and pursue going to the surface but my mother was very uneasy about the idea because she was worried we would get caught. If we did they would get imprisoned for dereliction. So one night my father couldn't take it anymore, he was drafted and it wouldn't be long my mother would too; so he would rather chance it then face losing his family as you call it...but we got a knock at the door. Octotroopers broke the door down and the octolings with them arrested my folks and I was taken to a nursery to be groomed and reeducated for when I reached age. I never saw them again," she told Seth.

"That's horrible Vee, families shouldn't get separated like that... I know exactly what you're going through. I guess that's why you have so much interest in me," he said as she gave a slow nod.

"Vee like I said before. Sarah can't be replaced even though you wanna fill that empty spot and I couldn't fill in the spot where your folks could've been. I think it would be best to accept that and move on but it doesn't mean we can't still be friends and squad mates," he reasoned.

"Seth, I do hope you find Sarah and your offspring but at the same time, I had to admit this but... you don't and that we could be a couple and I don't know, start our own family," she meekly told him.

"Vee why would wish that... it's not good to have an obsession like that and for any kind of reason if we did get into a relationship it wouldn't be possible to... you know procreate, meaning having a child together," he explained to the octoling.

"Why not?"

"Um for starters I'm a human and you're a...cephalopod. Reproduction would be a big issue and how would you feed your child. I'm sure you can't produce milk since you're not a mammal,"

"Octolings can reproduce and I don't see why we can't have a child together and what do you mean can't produce milk, what's milk?" she wondered.

"Um, how do I put this? It's what you feed babies before formula came along," he tried to explain but she tilted her head and looked confused.

"Just never mind, I wanna get off this topic because you wouldn't understand," said Seth before things got more awkward for him. He got up and put his tank on. Vee couldn't comprehend what Seth had meant. In her mind she didn't see him being a human an issue and what was milk? She still wondered.

"C'mon private let's just head to the atrium and see if the others are up yet but I think I'm gonna grab me some breakfast first...you wanna come with me?" he asked her.

"Sure," she replied as the two left for the storage bay for some breakfast MREs to hunt.

Seth and Vee were chowing down on some breakfast MREs they managed to find. Sitting at the table that was laid out, they had finished were and ready to start their day. "I still can't over how good these things are," said Vee.

"You like these MREs, I really don't care for them," Seth commented.

"They're a lot better than our octarian rations that's for sure. I heard inkling food is really good too, once we get to the surface I think I'll try some,"

"As I told the lieutenant about us going to the surface. I told her I thought about staying down here, maybe for the best that the world doesn't know I exsist being the last human and all,"

"No, you gotta come with us,"

"Vee...I'm not so sure how the world will react to me. Humans are believed to be extinct, seeing a live one would attract all sorts of attention like the negative kind. Your people and the squid people may imprison me or worst dissect me. Maybe it's better I remained hidden," he told as he got up after finishing his meal.

"You can't hide forever... to live a life of solitude would be pure misery for you," she said, concerned about living in seclusion.

"I thought that was the life I was going to be living when I woke up out cryostasis seeing my wife and child were gone," his tone changing more melancholy.

"Well you're not alone, you have us and you're part of this squad," said Vee quickly getting up and approaching the human she liked.

"Only because Mirage conscripted me in, she said she would help me but I'm wondering when. She hasn't fulfilled her promise and the more I wait around the higher the chances are of never seeing them again," said Seth who was getting impatient with the octolings. He turned away and downed his head. "Vee, let's just quit talking about it and go see if Mirage and the others are up," he said without looking at her.

Vee could tell that Seth was getting touchy on the subject and didn't push the issue anymore. They got finished eating and headed back toward the sleeping quarters where they saw Mirage step out of the room. "Oh you're awake," said Seth.

"Yes, I just got up. How long have you two been up?" she asked them.

"For half an hour I guess you can say. We just got done eating breakfast if you can call it that," he told her.

"Breakfast sounds good, I may grab me a bite and I'm sure once the inklings get up they'll be hungry which brings me to an important issue. What to do now with them here. I know they need to be brought back to surface but when is the real question and how. We'll all get together when everyone wakes up. In the meantime, I want you two in my office ASAP. I'll be in momentarily," the elite told the two.

Moments later, Mirage and the two were talking in the office, getting to the bottom of what happened between Seth and Vee. She could see by his behavior that something went on that he wasn't telling her. "Alright, give me the details on what happened while me, the sergeant and my other lieutenant left to go investigate the distress call," she said as she laid her hands on the desk facing the pair.

Seth looked at Vee, worried about how she would react as they were facing their commanding, sitting in the chairs in front of her desk.. "Lieutenant, me and the private just got into an argument is all. We've settled our matters," he said but the elite could see he was lying.

"Oh, really. Private could you be honest and tell me what took place," said Mirage, turning her head to Vee.

Vee tried to keep her eyes off of her commander and rubbed her hand. "L...like Seth said we just got into a little argument is all,"

"Tell me the truth you two, what's this really about? I can tell you both are hiding something, out with it. Nothing stays hidden among my squad," The elite was losing patience as she smacked the desk to get their attention. Though she was wearing her goggles, Seth and Vee could see her expression of displeasure with the secret.

Seth didn't want to get Vee in trouble. He wasn't sure what to say but then Vee clinched her eyes and took a deep breath, ready to face the music of what she was going to say to Mirage. "We...kissed..." she muttered softly. Seth froze when she heard her.

"Huh?" replied Mirage, thinking she was hearing things.

"We kissed..." Vee spoke up.

"Kissed," the elite plainly said.

"I'm the one that came onto Seth...I'm in the wrong," she admitted.

"Is this true?" she asked looking at Seth.

"She...didn't mean it lieutenant. Her admiration got the best of her. Don't be so hard on her,"

"I won't tolerate any hijinks among my squad," she said pounding her hand on the desk. "Private! get to atrium for your assigned punishment," she commanded Vee. "And you sergeant...I didn't appriciate you keeping this to yourself. You should've let me know sooner...but I...know Vee has a soft spot for you, she was the one that tried to look out for you when we first encountered you but it is what it is. I'll go easy on her but let it be known that I will not stand for anyone in the squad to make advances on another teammate is that understood," said Mirage sternly.

"Roger that, lieutenant," said Seth.

"Good, your dismissed. See if the others have woken up and check up on the specialist," she ordered.

Seth walked out and met up with Luna and Star. "Oh, hey you two good to see you guys are up. I think the lieutenant wanted everyone to gather up in the atrium. I need to check up on that specialist," Seth told them as they approached.

"Well how about giving me a check up when you're done," Luna told him as she wrapped her arm around his. He pulled her off and gave her a serious look. "Look here, I would suggest you lay off if you don't wanna end up like the private, I've done had enough of you octopi hitting on me," he told her before walking away.

"Huh? Vee?" replied a confused Luna.

"I wonder what he meant by that?" asked Star.

They decided to go see what Seth was talking about and continued toward the atrium. Seth entered the room where Sigma was recovering. Maxine just got up and was doing stretches in the corner to limber herself up. "Oh hey um..." said Maxine.

"Seth," he told her.

"Seth, sorry I didn't remember your name," she said, continuing her PT routine.

"It's fine...how's he doing?"

"He hasn't said anything just mumbled time to time. I hoping he'll recover pretty soon," she replied as she stopped and headed over by the bed.

"Well you guys seem to heal pretty fast, not sure why he hasn't woken up already," Seth said and just then Sigma started to stir. He groaned and slowly sat up holding his stomach. "Oh man, what a dream, I was fighting a giant fish stick and the ground was covered in tartar sauce," he said. Maxine rushed over and placed her hand on Sigma's shoulder seeing he was back to his old self.

"Specialist how you feeling?" she asked him.

"Could be better," he replied. She smiled seeing he was alright and gave him a hug. Sigma then turned to Seth who was technically the first encounter with him. Sigma's eyes locked on him, he knew then what Seth was. "Hey, glad you've made a full recovery. The name's Seth and I'm a..."

"Human! I...I...don't believe it!" she exclaimed, nearly falling out of the bed.

Seth expected the octoling's reaction to seeing a human but knowing he was one caught him off guard. "You're supposed to be extinct. I can't believe such an intellegent species is standing right in front of me and alive at that! This is extraordinary!" he shouted with excitement.

"Whoa, easy Sigma... you...knew he was human,"

"Of course, I could tell by looking at him that he's a human...he's clearly not an octoling or inkling. Though we've come across your kinds' fossilized remains. How are you still alive I wonder," said Sigma.

So Seth went to explain to Sigma and Maxine about how he was placed in cryostasis and mentioned his missing family. Everything from his past life was vague at this point and then he talked about the resource wars and the oceans flooding much of the landmasses that wiped out what was left of humanity. Sigma and Maxine were awestruck but concerned over how mankind perished. They remembered the great turf war and how the seawaters rose again that caused the war between the octarians and inkling race. It seemed their two races were fortunate compared to the humans as similar as the two wars were.

"So that's why humans went extinct. The power and the technology your species obtained was unfathomable compared to ours. Just think what we could achieve," said Sigma.

"Well it was power and technology that wiped us out in the end. You may wanna rethink your extolment. As the old saying goes: what works with you can work against you,"

"That's a wise phrase human...and often times true. We octarians still admire your history and technology though. We hope to never go down that same path...peace with inklings is something I pray happens soon because Scarlet and Octavio himself seek nothing but to overtake the surface and bring the inklings to their knees if not splat every one of them for what they've done to us," said Sigma.

"Revenge isn't the solution, history has proven that. They can't reach a common ground, an agreement of some kind?" asked Seth.

"You can forget that...Both of those octopi are set in their ways. Scarlet wouldn't dare go against her grandfather's wishes in fact she wants to fulfil them and plans on freeing him at the given chance," said Maxine.

"Hopefully she'll never succeed and the inklings got him secured somewhere this time...he's managed to escape once but he left for the canyon," said Sigma.

"Mirage told me about this Octavio dude. Sounds like a real egotistical despot... our history was full of them...nothing ended well for any of them sad to say," Seth told them.

"I wish I knew more about your history human. The stuff I could learn from your race would be unimaginable to say the least,"

"Oh quit fantasizing Sigma and let's see if Mirage and her squad is awake. There are more important things to talk about,"

"I'd like to talk more human,"

"It's Seth,"

"Oh, then Seth,"

"Glad he's back to his old self, thanks again. I still can't over meeting a human and in Mirage's squad. So you were a soldier before you went into deep sleep, guess that's why the lieutenant put you on her team. Well we better go," said Maxine as she stepped out with Sigma behind.

Mirage and the squad were in the atrium waiting for everyone else to show up. Maxine and Sigma finally appeared but the inklings, typically, were still asleep in their bunks. They contemplated what to do next since they had bring the inklings back to the surface somehow.

"So what's the plan now that we got the squids hangin' around?" asked Luna.

"We all know they gotta back to their territory and that would mean going west through the other domes as dangerous as that sounds," said Mirage.

"OK, no problem we just band together and make our way in that direction. There's now six of us not counting Seth of course," said Star.

"Negative, Sergeant Maxine was leading a small platoon of octolings and you seen what happened. I doubt we'll make it with just us if we were to get ambushed and cornered. We're gonna have to a run a recon but even that could prove dangerous," iterated the elite.

"If only my unit didn't separated we could manage to get to the surface," said Maxine.

While the group of octolings talked among each other, up top. One inkling that wasn't asleep was awake at the abandoned shop. She decided to sleep there with lil' buddy the small fry salmonid and keep him company. Being able to repair her weapon at the workbench and a place where she could store any parts or personal items she came across seemed beneficial for her.

She woke up soon after with lil' buddy jumping on her, waking her in the bed she slept in. Getting up and stretching before she would decide to head to the underground complex. She walked into the garage and spotted her gear before grabbing it and her ink bow. "Well lil' buddy. I guess we better go check up on the octopi," she told it as gave a bark and wagged its fin.

The two started to leave the shop but then the kettle up the hill started to boil over, which caught Sam's attention. She clutched her ink bow and watched the lid pop open with a red octopus jumping out. The changed back to the humanoid form, revealing an octoling wearing a lab coat and glasses over her eyes.

She was hurt and worn out from a long journey from fleeing Scarlet's forces. Taking a few steps before falling on the ground. Sam, the inkling girl dropped her bow and rushed over to assess her. "Hey, you OK?" asked Sam as she kneeled down and rolled the octoling over.

"I'm just...tired...an inkling?" said octoling as she turned her head toward Sam not expecting an inkling to be underground. "Let me help you," Sam told her as she helped her up. She placed the octoling's arm on her shoulders and carried her toward the shop.

Sam sat her down in a metal chair. The octoling had a bruise on her face and her arms, Sam noticed. "What happened to you?" Sam asked her.

She coughed and looked at Sam. "My name's...Velma...I'm a researcher and I escaped octo base a day ago. I've been on the run ever since," she told Sam.

"Look let me take you to that human place, it's on the other side of the dome. Seth can help you," she said.

"Human...place..." she uttered weakly.

"Conserve your strength, I'm gonna try and get you there," said Sam as she pulled her out of the chair. The two of them made their way to the complex with Velma's arm around Sam's shoulder as she helped the octoling scientist walk up the trail. Lil' Buddy followed behind, curious about the octoling girl as it skidded beside the two every so often.

The three of them counting the little salmonid were entering the housing area built by humans long ago and now in a near state of decay. Multiple dilapidated houses lined both sides of the street as well as a few rusty cars were parked on it. Tuckered out from packing Velma, Sam decided to sit Velma against a lamp post while she stood against one of the rusty old cars that time had not been pleasant to.

Panting for a moment the inkling looked at the octoling who was holding her shoulder. "You said (pant) you were a researcher...what did you do if you don't me asking?"

"I studied humans and their technology left be them. We used it to construct our octo tech by reverse engineering anything useful to much like inkling weapons but human technology is just so advanced. We couldn't begin to comprehend what each piece of gadgetry we could dig and salvaged what we could for our own use," Velma explained.

"So why are you way out here?" asked Sam.

"Dereliction of duty...I left octobase because Scarlet and the army were pushing us...pushing us to bring back...the humans from extinction," she admitted with regret in her eyes.

"What...bring the humans back why?"

"A new army...we've tried using fossilized samples from bones in the cloning devices for the troopers and other non-octoling units. She wants to bring the humans back seeing how intelligent they were and use them to amass an army of her own using our goggles and hypnowaves to control them. Our attempts have been futile. Nothing but failures and she has grown impatient with it, splatting one of the lead scientist because of the lack of progress. I had enough and so I left, they've already been using inklings and subjecting them the hypno goggles so they can infiltrate your society and use them to attack from within," explained Velma, still tired and worn out.

"Using inklings... I gotta warn agent 3 about this. How despicable to use inklings to attack the surface. I won't rest until everyone of those octarians get what they disserve," sneered Sam as she clinched her fist. The she thought about her sister, fearing that she could've been one of those inklings. How valuable a squidbeak agent could be for the octarians and using her an, agent to target her own.

"Tell me... did you happen to come across an inkling, my sister? She has yellow eyes, yellow short tentacles possibly in an agent uniform," asked Sam.

"I'm not sure... I didn't pay attention,"

"Because the inklings were nothing but subjects to you...hurt or not you still contributed to capturing them and holding them against their will didn't you," she said angrily.

"Please, no...I...was just following orders, orders I didn't want to do. If I could've I would've just freed them believe me," Velma said, seeing the inkling was distraught by this learning.

Sam could tell the octoling was sincere and leaving octo base proved she didn't pose a threat...or so it seemed for now, being she was hurt and unarmed. The inkling girl's anger faltered before she could say anything else. "I believe you but I'm still having a hard time trusting you octolings. If you're ready then we'll head up there," she told Velma.

"You brought up octolings, who are they and for you to bring them up and take me to them; they must friendly," said Velam as she propped herself up using the lam post.

"They are...I somewhat trust them but I trust that human over them," said Sam.

"Human? Don't be absurd, humans died out thousands of years ago. Unsure how though, we're still trying to find out,"

"Well why don't you ask him and find out,"

"Ludicrous... you can't honestly make me believe a living human exist inkling,"

"Don't believe me well just wait and see then,"

The two of them continued on, leaving the neighborhood and up a walking trail to the complex as Lil' Buddy lagged behind. Once they got there, Velma looked around and was confused. There was nothing up there but a fenced in yard, a kiosk at the gate and what appeared to be some kind of metal pad centered in the yard. "OK, so what now? There's nothing out here," said Velma.

"Just give it a second," said Sam still holding onto Velma.

After nearly a minute of waiting they heard something from below. Then the metal hatched open. The two of them and the small fry stared as a platform appeare up from the opening and on it was an octoling elite, raising her goggles up with a grin. It was Lieutenant Luna.

Star had just walked into the comms room after the briefing a few minutes ago in the atrium, she spotted something on one of the monitors from the camera feed outside. "What the...is that," she said as she looked. "That's the inkling chick from before but whose with her...an octoling?"

"What's going on Star?" asked Luna who just walked in.

"Look, Luna," Star said pointing at the screen.

"Huh...tell Mirage about this...I'll head up, looks like that octoling is hurt, wonder who she is?" asked Luna before she octo formed and swam away.

"Be careful...make sure she's not part of Scarlet's unit," Star cried out to her.

Sam and Velma looked at the smug looking elite standing on the platform minutes later when she came up to meet the two.. "What do you want inkstain," said Luna gruffly.

This caused Sam's eye to twitch and drop Velma on the ground as she yelped. Sam's expression turned to pure anger. "Inkstain! I'll show you inkstain you little octo..." growled Sam as her arms shook and she bared her fangs at the octoling.

"Just squiddin' ya inkling, geez lighten up,"

Sam crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks before whipping her head in great irritation.

"You gonna help her up," asked Luna.

"Huh...oh, sorry Velma. Here let me..." said Sam as she attempted to help the octoling back but was shoved back.

"I'm fine..." she told Sam with irritation as she brushed the dirt off her lab coat. "Who are you? You're not a part of the octarian army are you?" asked Luna who was leery of the octoling.

"Used to be...not anymore so don't worry yourself," she answered to Luna.

"Well then, make yourselves at home, oh and my sergeant went to go let my superior know about your arrival,"

Sam helped Velma to the platform before Luna directed the elevator to go down.

"This is that human place you were talking about. I remembered it being here but the octarians during our expeditions of the domes couldn't even get inside the place. How was it that you got in. Any attempts on our part were pointless," asked Velma looking at Luna.

Luna turned around with her arms crossed and her goggles still over her tentacles. "Well the private was the one that discovered this place during our reconnaissance. Then she lead that human down to that shit hole me and my team were hiding out at. He wasn't exactly thrilled with us when we tied him up. We weren't sure what he was but the private was eager to try cand communicate with him and then we set up base here," explained Luna.

"Human!? You're not pulling my tentacles are you?"

"Of course not egghead...he exist as a matter of fact we've become friends and now he's a part of our unit, believe it or not,"

"A human...part of your unit? Don't be ridiculous, like I told this inkling, humans have long been extinct,"

"We thought so too until we met cutie pie Seth...and he's not the only human down here, well alive anyway,"

"Wait there's more besides the one you were referring too?"

"Yep. The private's got a crush on him and so does the commander but don't tell em I said that. Well home sweet home, if you wanna call it that," said Luna as the platform stopped and the gates slid open.

The trio and the little salmonid finally made it down to the bottom level as the got off the elevator. "Oh and don't expect me to be a tour guide," Luna said to them.

"This place is amazing, I can't believe you've set up a base here. You don't realize what you're standing in. The octarian scientists back at octo base would consider this a gold mine," she said, perplexed by the facility's interior.

"You eggheads are all the same, I'm not into that science mumbo jumbo crap. I don't care if you wanna look around or not just get with the lieutenant before you do, which I'm sure she'll want to speak with you ASAP," said Luna as she octoformed away.

"Typical soldier, they don't care about the enginuity we put into making those octarian weapons they have to carry," said Velma with agitation.

"We let's go see there fearless leader," said Sam. Showing no enthusiasm into meeting Luna again since it seemed to two had there "differences". As they entered the processing terminal Velma looked around and noticed the skeletons. "So this was a human facility...fascinating," she said.

"Gives me the creeps if you ask me even if they are plies of bones," Sam popped off.

"So she was serious about the human. I can't wait to meet such an intelligent creature. What's he like since you've met him?" asked Velma.

"He's seems alright, we're both looking for our family that's something we got in common. When we first met I didn't know how to act learning he was a human but apparently he's gotten cozy with these octolings,"

"Hmm...that is odd, I would've thought his species spoke a different language,"

"I can understand him but I trust him over the octolings, no offense,"

The two of them soon entered the atrium and Velma. Like before she was mind blown by the interior of the underground complex it was sort of like octo base. More skeletons caught her eye and she saw what appeared to signs of a battle by how the human remains were laid out as well as damage on some of the walls. It was definitely a human facility at one time but for what? Was a good question and she may get an answer from Seth the human. Mirage with Star by her side approached them from her office. "State your business, who are you and where did you come from?" asked Mirage.

"My name's Velma, you must be the leader here. So you've set up a base inside this treasure trove of a human site. Remarkable... it makes me a little nervous that a unit of ink headed soldiers like yourselves would not know what potential this place could instill on our society," said Velma brashly.

"I would keep my beak shut if I were you. Insulting me already... you're lucky you don't pose a serious threat or so I think. Odd that a scientist would just be wondering around out here instead of playing with your lab set or whatever it is you uppity science types do," scoffed the elite.

"Odd indeed... but I'm not here on the army's accord or anything like that. I escaped because of Scarlet's intentions. I will not work under her conditions and neither should anyone else. I thought Octavio was bad enough but Scarlet as you say takes the cake. She's trying to use the cloning pods to bring back the humans as well as experimenting with the inklings,"

"Bring back the humans? I thought Octavio didn't care for humanity,"

"She's kinda the opposite. She reveres them strongly, always has... that's one thing she and her grandfather couldn't see eye to eye with. She's using fossilized remains to regenerate human DNA and hopefully the human itself. But her efforts have been futile so far, the cloning pods cannot create a human, they are too complex but it's just a matter of time until she does even if that means splicing their DNA with ours,"

"She's gone out of her mind...what does she need humans for?"

"To create an army of unsplattable soldiers under her will. She plans on using the hypnowave goggles to control them,"

"What about the inklings?" asked Star.

"Placed under her control once they've been returned to the surface. Her own little army of sleeper cell agents under her discretion,"

"I could imagine what they would've done to my sister if she was caught by those slimy octopi," inputted Sam.

"She has to be stopped but right we don't have the personnel, equipment or means in general to stop her," said Mirage.

"If you guys wanna keep talking then I'm headed back topside. Talks of my people being used as nothing but brainwashed squids is getting me pumped and I gotta find my sister and fast, let's go lil' buddy," she told them as ran back toward the elevator with the small fry in her arms.

"Inklings," she said with slight frustration. "I'll have the sergeant take you to the medical bay for evaluation. Seth will be the one to look you over," said Mirage.

"The human?" asked a baffled Velma as she raised her eyebrow.

"Yes...I'm guessing you've been informed about him and that he's the only human around so far," said Mirage as Velma nodded.

Velma was escorted to the medical bay where she would wait for the human to come check up on or what it be the other way around?

Meanwhile, as Star stayed with Velma, Luna left to go get Seth. Vee was on punishment detail for the kissing incident once she had returned to the atrium. Doing strenuous PT while Mirage watched her for 10 minutes. Seth was in the room he slept in, thoughts running through his head until Luna came in and informed about the new octoling he needed to tend to and as always try to make an advancement on Seth before the human would object and leave out with Luna disappointed.

The inklings had just gotten up as Maxine and Sigma came to check up on them. Flow was sitting to herself and like the rest had just woke up. "hey we're hungry, got anything eat in this place?" asked Bill.

"I think the lieutenant said something about supplies in the warehouse. We'll check in with her to see where they're at," informed Maxine.

"How much longer until we get back home?" asked Jazz.

"Eventually inkling," she answered.

"Eventually doesn't promise us anything," snapped Dexter.

"Yeah," followed by Lily.

"Look, we can't just leave anytime we want. We have to plan out what we're gonna do next. The octarian forces are out there still looking for us. That unit we battled along with the octoweapon was a minor fraction of their army. I fear it's just a matter of time until they send more units to track us down," said Maxine.

Flow who remained quiet, watched them conversate from the side. She was deep in thought, something was picking at her about the facility for some reason and the human, Seth. Flow couldn't keep her mind off of him.

A few minutes passed by until Luna and Star came in the room with enough MREs for everyone. "What are these?" asked Maxine holding one of them. "They're sort of like our octarian rations but a lot better," said Luna as she handed another to one of the inklings.

"Rations? What's that?" asked Jazz.

"Food you squid,"

"Food? So we're supposed to eat this?" said Bill as he was examining the packaging.

"Just open it you'll find out," said Star as she handed out the last one.

The two octolings left with the inklings and the other octolings baffled to how they would eat the sealed MREs. Maxine ripped it open and grabbed what looked like another sealed bag. She looked and saw Sigma squeezing and eating one of the sealed bags from his MRE. "Oh man, that is good, try it sergeant," he told her. Like him she was pleased with the meal that they forget to heat up. "You're right this ration is delicious, it makes our rations taste like garbage," she said as she finished eating.

The inklings weren't so sure. They were used to normal food that you bought from Mako mart or Sean's food truck in Inkopolis Square. "I'm not eating this," said Lily dangling the MRE until she dropped it.

"Yeah, I'm not hungry anyway," said Dexter as he tossed the ration aside.

Bill and Jazz looked at each other and then opened their MREs and copied what the two octolings did. They tried the 2,000 year human rations and to them it wasn't half bad. Being hungry as they were anything was better than nothing. "Hey Flow you didn't get one?" asked Bill as he looked over the sea slug sitting in the corner. She was obviously bothered by something. "You wanna share mine?" he asked as he walked over holding the MRE open.

She gave a deep sigh and looked up at him. "No..." was she said before looking away.

"Flow you've been like this since we came down here. I know things are rough right now but we'll get back to surface and you'll be back at headspace," the inkling said as he kneeled down trying to cheer Flow up.

"If you inklings are finished we gotta make our way to the atrium. The lieutenant is expecting us," said Maxine. She saw Bill trying to talk to the gloomy sea hare in the far corner. "Hey you two! Let's go!" she shouted at them as Sigma lead the other three inklings out of the room.

"Flow, c'mon...the sergeant wants us to head to the atrium with the others," Bill told her. Looking at him with a saddened expression she got up and followed Bill as he stayed close to her as Maxine escorted them to the atrium.

When they got there they met Mirage back in the atrium where Vee had got done with her punishment lying on the floor out of breath. Maxine was with them and questioned the elite about their next incentives.

"I can't answer your question sarge. You know as well as I do the risks of heading back deeper into the domes to locate the exit out of the valley. We're bound to run into the octarian forces and this time I wouldn't bank us lucking out like we did back in that town. I debating whether to send out my squad to recon the domes," the elite answered.

Maxine spotted Vee laying on the floor and looked back at Mirage. "What's with her?" she asked.

"Punishment," Mirage answered.

It's none of business I guess. So I guess that means we're stuck here. I was hoping not to hear that lieutenant. (deep sigh) We can't sit and and just wait out scarlet's forces until it's safe. I wish the rest of my unit were hear right now and then we would have a force large enough to fight the octarians off and reach the exit for the surface," said Maxine.

"When did you get separated?"

"A town just outside the octoweapons factory, a workers' village. We got ambushed in it and dispersed during the ink fire. That's the last saw we of them and me, Sigma and the inklings barely got out. Those poor squids were scarred out of the minds. A few of them fled but... I don't know if they made it,"

"Sounds like a long range recon for me and my team, we'll see if we find them and report back," said Mirage.

"You're willing to track my unit down. Are you sure about this, there's only four of you,"

"Four is plenty sergeant. I think you the squids should stick around though," Mirage told her. "I'll get the team together and see if we can locate them, hopefully they're hunkered down somewhere in that workers' village," she continued as she walked away.

"I do appreciate what you are doing, very well, me, Sigma and the others will stick around," said Maxine, not content with the idea of sticking around.

Back in the examination room, Star had left moments ago to help Luna get the MREs for the inklings. Velma stayed in the room and twiddled her thumbs. She looked around and saw multiple posters of the human anatomy. Just then, the door opened and in walked the human she was more than eager to meet.

"I guess those octolings expect me to play doctor every time someone is hurt" he muttered as he walked in the office. Velma's eyes were wide and her mouth open, she couldn't believe what she was seeing a live human and she could understand what he was saying.

"So, you're Velma...I was told you were injured and needed medical attention," said Seth. Velma wasn't sure what to say. "Look, you'll make my job easier if you just tell me where you're hurt," he told her.

"Y...Y...You're a...human!" she spouted. Seth expected as much, the octoling never seeing a human before since his race had went extinct.

"Yes I'm a human and yes I'm supposed to be extinct, so on so forth. Now tell me where you're injured," he told her as he approached the octoling.

She rubbed her shoulder to signify where she was hurt. "Shoulder? OK, take your coat and let me have a look," he tld Velma. Nervous she slowly pulled the lab coat revealing nothing but a black top and shorts. Seth looked at it and grabbed it. She jerked at contact and noticed his skin was rougher and warm.

"It's not swelled. Probably just sore...I'll just give you some painkillers and something for any inflammation," he said as he walked away and headed to the medicine cabinet. He pulled out a pill bottle and laid it n the table. She constantly stared at him in wonderment, still trying to process that a real human was alive... and helping her.

He walked back over and poured out two pills for her to swallow. Leery about taking the pills she had the courage and trust to take them but she was still fascinated with Seth. She quickly placed her hand down his tank top and felt him. Seth jarred a little not expecting the octoling to just touch him like that.

"Why are you warm?" she asked him.

"Blood circulation, I noticed you guys don't really put out any body heat at all," Seth told her.

"Blood? What's that?"

"I guess that would be equivalent to your ink,"

"I only felt one heart beat. We octolings as well as the inklings have three,"

"Yeah, humans have their differences, just like having bones and you guys are all muscle,"

"How are you still around? Humans have been extinct for thousands of years but here you are. All I've come across was fossils,"

"To answer that question I was placed in deep sleep, cryostasis for the whole time between now and when humanity destroyed itself, I really hate repeating the same story over and over. It gets old reminding myself that I'm the only human in existence while the rest of kind is dead or should I say I hope not,"

"Cryostasis, prolonged suspension? Humans had the capability to preserve themselves under hypothermic temperatures...astounding to say the least,"

"By your language and how you're dressed I'd say you know your stuff. I'm guessing you're fascinated by our technology as well,"

"Not only technology but humans in general...we've always wanted to know more about your race. Well except Octavio of course,"

"Well there's not much to say, not sure why you're fascinated by humans. We ended up killing ourselves in the end. I suggest not going to war or building nuclear weapons that could trigger tsunamis and kill off the population,"

"So your saying that humans caused their own extinction, why?"

"Do I really have to answer that question,"

"Seems like it's a touchy subject. I guess I can't blame you being the last your kind. So...you're a male right,"

"Yes, I'm sure the others told you that,"

"No, I could smell your pheromones...have the octolings made any...advancements on you if you don't mind me asking?"

"A crazy question but yes they have...and I made it perfectly clear that I'm not interested in any inter-species relationship, besides I'm trying to locate my wife and son or I should say mate in your terms,"

"That's a crazy question but...yes. I've already let them know I'm not interested in an inter species relationship,"

"That won't mean anything to them, look for it to get worse because octoling females will assert themselves until they mate by any means necessary I'm afraid,"

"Thank for the advice, I'll know to lock my bedroom door for now on,"

"How were you placed in cryostasis and what exactly is this place?"

"A metal pod, I was frozen from what I gathered. Not sure exactly why though. I do remember my family being placed in cryostasis like me. I vaguely recall anything before that time but I did come across some files on the cryochamber computer controlling the pods. I didn't go through all of them. Seems this place was some experimental testing bed for humans during the resource wars. Not sure what the scientists and staff were doing to the humans here,"

"You mean to tell me there's more humans. I thought you were the only human alive,"

"Yes, technically. The other human occupants in the pods weren't as fortunate as was and the staff seems like they didn't survive. Not sure happened to them,"

"I saw the skeletal remains as I was brought inside. These files you brought up can you show me,"

"I guess so, your not gonna be able to understand anything though,"

"I got you as a translator,"

"Why so determined to know about my race? I'm not sure what you'll get out of it,"

"I wanna learn about this place, the technology, the humans themselves. Maybe this facility holds the key to our peoples' survival without Scarlet wanting to wage war on the surface world and attack the inklings. Besides this is an opportunity I can't pass up the other scientists would be so jealous if they knew," said Velma as she hopped of the bed with her arm feeling better. The two headed to Mirage's office to see if she was there and she was.

The two stepped inside and saw the scientist seemed chipper than she did when she was brought in by Sam. "Looks like someone's getting around better," said the elite standing beside the desk.

"Why yes, my shoulder is feeling better thanks to your human squad mate. If Scarlet knew he was alive she would send in every soldier she had to storm this place to apprehend him," said Velma.

"Then it would be best that he stay hidden since she has ill-intentions with them,"

"What do you mean?" asked Seth.

"I'll tell you later about it but right now it would best the octarians don't know you exist or this facility. If they did, the outcome could spell doom for us and the surface," she told Seth before she turned to Velma. "I wanted to discuss some matters with you since you fled octo base. I'm sure you have some valuable intel you can give me since we've let you in down here. I just can't assume that you've defected though, you'll have to earn our trust" Mirage continued.

"That's reasonable, I'd be glad to give you information on the Octarians and Scarlet but first I wanna go down to this cryochamber, where the cryopods are that Seth told me he came out of, that's part my condition,"

"Why might I ask?"

"I have my reasons," said Velma as Mirage gave a growl.

"Just let me take her down her down there lieutenant," insisted Seth.

"Not without me, I'll go too and then afterward you start talking," said Mirage directing toward Velma.

Deep inside the cryochamber, Velma was astonished at seeing all the pods that were housing what was left of humanity. Many of the occupants were presumed dead while the rest were vacant. "I would've never thought in all my life of seeing something like this," said Velma in awe.

She swooned seeing the technology in the large room. The pods, the giant computer and monitor. She rushed over to the console to get a better look at it. "Absolutely incredible...does this control the pods?" she asked Seth as he and Mirage made their way down the stairs.

"I'm pretty it does. Me and Mirage were down here browsing through the files to see I could find clues on my family's whereabouts but there was nothing but data on the experiments that went on down here," he told her.

`Seth turned the computer on and like before the menu came up with the data icons. He played the videos with professor Engils on them as Velma watched. She couldn't understand what the scientist was staying but Seth translated for her. Hearing what the man said she was at a lose of words. Then what really got here attention was the video with the aquarium and the octopus in it. Confused by the sight, it was like an octoling's octopus but clearly different and in water because her race as well as the inklings couldn't swim and would burst before they drowned, taking the chances of respawning then dying.

"Then this means our ancestors did come out of the ocean like the sunken sea scrolls but what was that human scientist taking about using cephalopod DNA for?" asked Velma.

"I don't know, I never watched any other videos to see. I was only interested in any data that could help me find my wife and son. I didn't have any luck," said Seth.

"Can you look at anymore files for me. My curiosity is peaked now," she told him.

"Sure," he said as scrolled through unopened files.

Velma, Mirage and Seth stared at the monitor as he clicked another file. This time it was professor Engils in some kind of examination room. They saw a human soldier strapped to an exam chair. They watched him get injected with some kind of green fluid out of a syringe. "We're still testing X25 and I think we've made a breakthrough. The subject appears to be gaining enhanced physical strength as well as reflexes. Other subjects have already went through extensive "transformations" over a period of 48 hour observation. It seems there are set backs that need to be addressed though. None the less we will keep modifying the serum until we reach the results we need," said Engils as the camera focused on the man in the exam chair. Before the video could continue it had went corrupt and lost feed.

"X25, subjects... what were the humans doing to their own?" Velma asked.

"As Seth has said before, it seems we're not that different. I'm guessing they were trying to enhance there troops for war. I hate know what would happen if Scarlet or Octavio had the capabilities of doing that to us, thankfully octo tech is not this advance," said Mirage with slight disgust.

"If you knew what humans were capable of and the weapons we created you wouldn't want anyone to possess any of it. It's because of this that the human race went extinct and why it's best your people should never discover this place," said Seth.

"I agree with you... as much as I admired humans and their advance technology, something like this should be the hands of someone like Scarlet. You're secret's safe with me. This is very scary but at the same token, after watching that one video I'm beginning to wonder about our origins," said Velma.

"What are you getting at? The sunken sea scrolls verify that we and the inklings came out of the ocean from our ancestors. What hair brained theory did you come up with?" asked the elite.

"As preposterous as this may sound...what if the humans had something to do with our existence,"

Seth gave her a strange look and Mirage wasn't buying into it. "Just because you saw that octopus in the video with that human doesn't prove we have any kind of connections with the humans. I'm gonna need more than some video to make me believe that," she scoffed but then they heard a noise.

Seth and Velma also heard and looked around for the source. As they listened it was coming from the other side of the chamber. The three set off to investigate and spotted one of the pods console flashing. As the three walked up toward it hissed causing the trio to stop as it opened, fogging pouring out of it revealing the human occupant inside once it receded.

"Seth...who is that?" Mirage asked in astonishment.

"I don't know, he's wearing a uniform just like mine. Probably a soldier," he replied. Seth cautiously stepped forward to get a better but before he got close the figure started to move and then blinked. Seth froze and watched them slowly thaw and wake up from cryostasis. They moaned and slowly stepped out of the pod only to fall down and cough up an inky substance on the floor.

They gasped for air and looked up toward the trio only before collapsing and falling to the floor on their stomach. Seth kneeled down to check them. He rolled the young male over and saw he wasn't breathing. t appeared Seth's age maybe younger with slightly darker complected skin and shorter darker hair than his. The name on his tank read Donovan.

"Seth...Is he going to be OK?"

"I'm not sure...he's not breathing and his pulse is faint. Not sure if he's going to make it. I get him to the medical bay immediately," said Seth before he picked up the young man and carried him on his back.

As Seth packed the man with Mirage right behind him. Velma got down next to the puddle of the black substance the human coughed up and ran her fingers through it. "Ink?" she said as she rubbed the liquid on her fingers. Se looked back and stood up before following Seth and the elite back to medical bay where they would take the human.

Seth laid the young male down on a hospital bed before he could assess him. Mirage and Velma stood by and looked at him. "Well I guess this mean's Seth won't be the only human around anymore," said Velma.

"I wouldn't say that just yet. This guys pretty weak and malnourished. I'm going to go ahead and stick him with an IV and attach him to a heart monitor. If he doesn't get treatment soon enough then he won't make it," said Seth.

"You survived, what makes you think he won't?" asked Mirage.

"I'm not sure...I was pretty weak and disoriented when I came out of the pod but this dude is in worse shape than I was and I didn't throw up that inky black stuff neither," He answered.

"Speaking of which...I believed that was ink he regurgitated. I thought humans couldn't produce ink," said Velma.

"We can't... are implying that stuff really was ink?"

"No doubt is was... the viscosity is the same,"

"That can't be...it might have been bile out of his stomach,"

"So this guy's a soldier, you don't recognize him?"

"No, then I again I can't remember anything from beyond the time I was stuffed in that over-sized freezer,"

Seth walked away and placed his hand on the side of his head. He wasn't sure what more he could for the young man but hope he would slowly recover from the effects of the prolonged sleep. "Is there anything we could do?" asked Mirage.

Seth raised his and head and looked at Mirage. "No...nothing, he'll have to rest for the time being,"

"I could watch him while you two go," said Velma.

"Are you sure?" asked Seth. Velma nodded and Seth looked at Mirage. "So what now?" he asked her.

"I did wanna talk to her about Scarlet and the octarians' activities but for now I say we head back to my office. I think we're just gonna go hunt for the rest of Maxine's unit if we're gonna get out of Octo Valley and head for the surface but we're gonna need personnel for that to happen," said Mirage.

"You think they're still alive if not captured,"

"Only one way to find out,"

Mirage and her squad along with Seth were gearing up for a trip to the workers' village and octoweapons factory. It was a lot farther away. The squad would have to traverse through two other domes before reaching it. Maxine, Sigma, the inklings, Flow and now Velma would stay back. Leery about taking Seth she felt he would be a valuable asset for the squad. Because of the distance from the base to their intended location, Seth felt it would be necessary to completely gear up in military fatigues. He was now donning a full combat uniform with helmet, combat hud goggles, plate carrier with combat layout and his weapons of course including flashbangs he came across he felt would be necessary.

"Whoa, dude...I'm really digging the gear," said Star, eyeing Seth's gear.

"Me too...you look like you're ready to kick some serious ass," commented Luna.

"human stuff is so cool," swooned Vee.

"So that's what human soldiers wore? It looks a little cumbersome," said Mirage.

"Well that's why we had to stay fit," Seth replied.

"You don't think that's overkill sergeant. You sure you're not over barren. I don't want anyone lagging behind," the elite said to him.

"I don't know what we're getting into plus the kevlar will protect me, even if your ink isn't that effective, it still hurts and has paralytic properties. Sometimes it's better to take too much than not enough. I've packed some MREs for the journey too when we get hungry,"

"Well that was nice of you to think about me, I mean us," said Luna.

"I guess if we're ready then I suggest we head out before it gets late," said Star.

"I agree sergeant. We'll head back to town and from there we'll head east. There should be a tea kettle on that side of the dome,"

"Wait a minute! Seth! He can't use a kettle," pointed out the sergeant.

"Oh shrimp, way to mess things up for us Star!" sneered Luna.

"She's right unfortunately. We gotta think of something...let's take Seth to the kettle and see. We won't know until we try and if not we'll come up with something us," said their commander.

"You don't mean an actual Kettle do you?" asked Seth who was baffled at the thought of them using a kettle to get to a different location.

"It's a transport system developed by the engineers. We're able too crawl in it in our octopus forms and shoot to the next assigned kettle,"

"Um, he's a human as in he can't octoform lieutenant," said Luna snidely.

"You don't think I already knew that. I done said we would try,"

"I don't think this is gonna work," Luna muttered which gave her a glare from her leader.

"I won't hear anymore about it, let's head out and make our way to the kettle!" she commanded. Luna, Star and Mirage octoformed and swam toward the elevator while Seth stood behind. Vee noticed this and turned around. She knew something was wrong. "Seth you coming?" she asked him.

"Yeah...just let me get my mind situated," he told her.

"I know this is the first time you're going to be away from this place and I wanna let you know I got your back. All of us do,"

"Thanks private...just...got a lot on my mind is all,"

Seth couldn't let her know about the other as they were sworn to keep it under wraps. Only he, Mirage and Velma knew he was around as to not cause any distress among the group about another human. He started walking as Vee lead him to the elevator where the others were waiting. He looked back at the atrium and felt uncomfortable about leaving the facility and the young man under watch of an octoling but Mirage requested that he tag along.

Once they gathered, Luna pressed the button and platform ascended to the surface. The light bleed through the hatch's opening as they finally were topside and ready to traverse to the tea kettle on the far side of the dome.

The squad walked through the abandoned neighborhood and then reached the abandoned shop where Sam had been staying. During their trip from the complex to the shop, Mirage was having second thoughts about Seth coming with them. She was fearful about something happening to him being he was vulnerable and valuable to the octarians if they knew he existed.

"Seth...before we reach the kettle. I want you to promise me that you'll stay alive...if things get hairy then I want you to fall back. You have a family to find and I won't allow anything to stop you from finding them," said the elite.

"I don't run from a fight and I'm not gonna leave you guys' hanging for me. I couldn't live with myself knowing you guys stayed back while I run and let you get killed," he told her.

"That's honorable of you but you have your own mission to deal with. You tagging along is working my nerves and to know you could die out here. I'm ordering you to vacate if things go south. We can't allow you to get captured by the octarians neither if Scarlet's fixated on weaponizing humans for her devious purposes,"

"W...weaponizing humans? What are you talking about?"

Mirage paused realizing what she said. Something she didn't want Seth to find out about...at least not right now. "She's using the fossilized remains to try and bring the humans back to life. Velma informed me on this while you weren't around. That's why I want you to fall back if the octarians overwhelm us. You're vital to them and to see you get captured would spell disaster for everyone, knowing they would try and use you,"

"That's an order I can't follow lieutenant,"

"See here! I won't have you..."

"Please commander...he means well. Seth's only looking out for his team. Did you forget what you told him. What you told me," said the private interrupting her.

The elite just moved away and didn't respond. Star and Luna looked at each other and downed their heads knowing the risks they were putting themselves in especially with Seth. One thing the squad didn't bank on was Mirage walking over to Seth before she pulled her goggles off. She stared at him for a moment with her yellow eyes and quickly hugged him. She buried her face into his chest to hide her emotions from them. Fighting to hold back the tears from possibly losing him on their journey.

She pulled away and the group remained silent. Seth knew she was going through a roller coaster of mixed feelings for him. They saw the anguish on her face before she placed her goggles back on and retained her leadership demeanor again.

The approached the shop just up the path and spotted Sam outside playing with Lil' Buddy. "Huh, it's that group of octolings again and Seth's with them. Wonder what they're up to," she said. She walked over with the salmonid following her.

"Sup' you octopi, what are you guys doing?" she asked them.

"What's it any of your business squid but if you have to know we were...Oooufff," Luna started to say before Mirage elbowed her.

"It's nothing that concerns you. Now if you'll excuse us inkling we got a mission to do," said Mirage.

"Rude much...typical octolings. So I guess Velma's doing better," said Sam as Mirage walked away ignoring her. Luna and Star followed behind her toward the kettle as Seth and Vee decided to stop and talk.

"She's back on her feet," answered Seth.

"That's good...so are you guys leaving?" the inkling girl asked.

"We're gonna try and locate Maxine's unit, hopefully we'll find them," Seth told her.

"So you're going with them,"

"Part of the squad aren't I,"

"You know you can't use the kettle being a human,"

"I've been told but the lieutenant is wanting to give it a try,"

"Why don't you come with us Sam," offered Vee.

"No thanks. I still gotta find my sister and as uptight as your leader is I'd rather not be around her. I'm not going to get myself caught taking marching orders from an octopus. I just hope she wasn't captured by your race. The mere thought of knowing she could be brainwashed is starting to make my ink boil. My sister's a squidbeak agent and she's smart, she wouldn't allow herself to get by those octopi. I just gotta find her and soon but I'm not sure where to start," said Sam.

"Well good luck and I hope you find her, you ready Seth?" said Vee.

"Sure, guess I'll be seeing ya," said Seth but just as he and Vee started to walk off. Sam had an idea spring up in her head.

"Seth, hold up...look I know we don't really know each other but...I have proposition if you'll hear me out," said Sam.

"Proposition? What kind of proposition?"

"I know your friends with the octopi but... we're both looking for our families and well. I can't find Izzy by myself and I know you're not gonna find your...what were they again?"

"My wife and child?"

"Um, yeah them. Why don't you tag along with me and let the octopi find Maxine's unit. I could really use your help. You look like you could really hold your own,"

Mirage caught wind of what Sam was doing as she reached the kettle and looked back. She watched the two talk and her team could tell she was about to blow a gasket. She bared her fangs and stormed over to the two. "Uh oh, he we go," said Luna.

"Sergeant! Let's go! We got no time to waste. Leave the inkling to her pet fish," she said.

"I'm coming lieutenant! Look Sam I gotta be going. I'd like to help but..." Seth told the inkling.

"...but what? Do you really want to take orders from that moody octopus,"

"I'll show you a moody octopus squid!" snapped Mirage as she was ready to jump on Sam.

"Mirage, calm down," said Vee as she grabbed the elite.

"What's it going to be?" Sam asked Seth.

Seth looked at Sam and then back at Vee and Mirage who was ready to beat the ink out of the inkling girl. Mirage shrugged Vee aside and crossed her arms giving Sam an uneasy hard look behind her her goggles. "Seth is part of my squad and he's not going with some hot shot undisciplined squid who needs to mind her own business before beat her to an ink puddle," she growled.

"I'd like to see you try octo winch,"

"Sam enough, both of you. I know I'm a part of the squad lieutenant and Sam, I know you're just trying to find your sister but your bickering isn't making it easy for me or anyone and certainly not a solution," Seth told them. He pondered for a moment placing his hand under his chin. The two of them anxiously waited for a verdict from him on who he would go with.

"Seth I need you by my side," said Mirage.

"And I need you...I can't find my sister alone," Sam said.

Seth was stewing over what he should do. Then he made his decision and hoped it was the right one. He opened his and looked at the two who stared at him, ready to hear what he would do. "Alright...I've made my decision," he told them. Both Sam and Mirage were waiting to see what he would say.

Meanwhile, back at the underground complex. Mirage was assigned to be in charge of the base while Mirage and her team were gone. She along with Sigma and the inklings were hanging around in the atrium. "So...what now sergeant?" asked Sigma.

"Hmm, I think I'm just going to sit in Mirage's office and kick back and relax. Bout time I got some R&R for once. Just let me know if anything happens specialist. If you need me you know where to find me," she told him as she left the atrium.

"Huh...but sergeant, what about the inklings?" he exclaimed seeing her walk out of sight. He shook his head and turned to the inklings who were looking at him.

"OK, so what are we expected to do?" asked Jazz.

"Yeah what's fun to do around this dump," said Dexter.

"Well I wanna go home. I don't care what that octoling said. I will not spend another day in this place," said a disgruntled Lily.

"Listen you guys we can't leave, you heard her as much as I hate it too. They'll get us back home one those guys come back from their mission," said Bill.

"If they come back you mean. I don't know about you squids but I'm bored. I'm not hanging around here with these piles of bones," Dexter said as he started to leave.

"Hey, I'm coming with" said Lily, deciding to accompany Dexter.

"Hey you guys need to stay together! Where are you going?" Sigma tried to get to comply but hey left anyway.

"You know they're not gonna listen," said Bill causing the octoling to turn around and face him.

"I know you guys have been a lot and are eager to get back to the surface but bear with me you can't right now. So I suggest you inklings to please be compliant and stay together," he told Bill.

"Or we could follow and keep an eye on those two," Bill suggested. He and Jazz decided to tail the two other inklings as Sigma got agitated by their defiance.

"I can't believe the sergeant put me in charge of squid sitter, then again yes I can. I always get stuck with the lousy jobs," said Sigma. Before he follow the group of inklings Flow approached him from out of nowhere. "You have to excuse them..." she told Sigma.

"Huh...it's only you. At least you're willing to listen wish the inklings would. You never told us what you were doing sown here and why," said Sigma.

"I'm not sure myself," she told him as his expression turned to frustration between the inklings and trying to make any kind of logical sense as to why Flow would want to leave the surface and come down here. The fact she wasn't sure why she was down here in the first place just made Sigma even more agitated.

"You're not gonna go with them?" he asked her.

"Should I?"

"You sure are frivolous...it's a wonder you've survived down here this whole time. Are all sea slugs like this?"

Flow didn't even answer him as he didn't even bother to try and continue the pointless conversation with the sea hare. He decided it would be best to tail the inklings and made sure they didn't get into any kind of trouble.

Velma during this time was in the labs, scouring for anything that could be of use to her. Many documents she ran across were unreadable to her being in human language then she stumbled upon a metal case and inside it was a vial of a green substance. On it read X25 and Velma recognized it from the video on the cryochamber computer.

"This must be the serum...I better keep this somewhere safe," she said, taking the case containing it and hiding it somewhere. Not watching where she was going she tripped on the leg of one of the rolling chairs and dropping the case. Thankfully the vial didn't break as it came out of the case. She got up beside one of the desk and accidently laid her hand on the keyboard of a computer, waking it with a menu screen appearing.

"Huh, what's this?" she asked as she adjusted her glasses.

As she looked it reminded her how the computer menu was setup from the cryochamber. Remembering what Seth did by using the mouse and clicking on the folder icon. She opened multiple data files and browsed before clicking on one them revealing a video but this time it was video showing the test subjects and their alter appearances from the serum's side effects. Velma froze with her eyes glued to the screen. She couldn't believe what she was seeing on the video, if this were true then it would discredit the sunken sea scrolls and possible the history of the inklings and octolings.

As Sigma was catching up with the inklings to keep an eye on them. Flow was dragging behind, het thoughts somewhere else, like remembering the dream she had from last night. A dream that was bothering her and why she couldn't help but wonder why she had it. The little shrimp who was nestled on her hat could feel how Flow was unnerved by something as the sea slug could recall the dream through her mind.

Flow's dream...

It was a rainy night in a heavily forested area. Rain water penetrated through the canopy of the trees saturating the ground. "Mom!" a voiced echoed through the woods breaking the sound of the downpour. "Mom! Where are you!?" they shouted again. A short statured figure was wandering the forest, searching for their mother. "Mooooom!" they cried out.

Wet and cold, the figure hugged themselves to keep warm. They started crying as the rain washed the tears off their face and then they started coughing, possibly coming down with a cold. They traversed further into the woods, slowly losing strength and ready to collapse anytime now but they kept moving, trying to keep what strength they had.

It seemed the rain was getting heavier and heavier and the figure couldn't keep up. They were losing their perception and not seeing where they were going. They wandered right through some bushes nearly falling down and into a rain pelted highway, looking almost like a river instead of road and then a pair of headlights caught their attention, getting closer and closer.

Like a deer caught in them, they stopped in place and shielded themselves seeing the vehicle coming towards them, unable to move and fearing that they were about to get struck. The Car came to a skid and stopped right in front of the figure as they could see nothing but a grill and the front bumper. The short figure collapsed on the road, no longer having the strength to keep going, thinking they were about to meet death. The driver side door of the car opened and out came a person holding a flashlight.

They walked up to front of the vehicle seeing the child laying on the road. The child was not an octoling or inkling but a human. A young human boy at the age of 8. His hair was drenched and so were his clothes. "What is it dear, we didn't hit them did we?" asked the passenger who stepped out a few seconds after the driver did.

"No, I don't believe I did," said the driver holding the flashlight on the boy.

"My cod, what is that?" asked the passenger seeing what the figure was.

"I'm not sure. Those aren't tentacles on their head that's for sure,"

"What do we do?"

"We can't leave it out here in the rain, we'll take it home with us until we figure out what they are and where they came from,"

A small figure, not much shorter than the human boy who was passed out in the road approached the driver from behind and grabbed their leg. "Daddy, what's happening? Who is that?" asked the little creature. It was near the same height as the boy. It was humanoid in appearance but its hole body was green and slick with locks protruding on top it's head. It's eyes were large with a mask around them.

"Cassandra, you need to get back in the car before you get sick being out in this rain," harped the driver. The little youngling looked up and saw her father. An older inkling male with blue tentacles tied in a pony tail style wearing glasses, dressed in a formal attire holding the flashlight.

"Listen to your father," said the passenger. An older female inkling holding an umbrella. Her tentacles were yellow with long drooping tentacles. Her father grabbed the boy and carried him in the back seat of the car and laid him up before strapping him in beside the their youngling daughter who hopped in after the boy was placed in the seat.

The inkling parents got back in their car and drove off into the night. The boy was still passed out in the seat as the little youngling looked over at him. She was very curious at what he was and touched his arm. He was warm, unlike her. The mother looked back, watching the boy, unsure what he could've been.

"Strange...what was it doing way out here by itself?" she asked.

"Don't know dear... maybe it'll wake back up and it can tell us once we get home,"

"He's warm," said Cassandra.

"Don't touch it, Cassie," said her mother.

The boy gave a cough and groaned a little. It was evident he had caught a cold or worst hypothermia from being out in the rain.

"Sound like it's sick, I'll lay them on the couch when we go home. Getting it out of this weather would be best and under a blanket," said the father.

"I do hope it'll be OK, poor thing," the mother said.

Cassandra gave the boy a hug as the family car vanished down the highway and back into Calamari County where the inkling family was living. The taillights faded away into the downpour of the rain storm, unaware the boy was human who had lost his mother days ago and was trying to find her.

The inkling family reached their home as the rain slackened up. The inkling father got out and pulled the boy out of the rear seat of the car and carried him in the house. The mother carried her daughter Cassandra behind them and the family got ready to set up a place for the human boy to sleep on the couch.

After a few minutes. Both parents had gotten situated after they laid the boy down on the couch and covered him with a blanket. Cassie though was standing over him, curious still to as what he was. She poked his nose and he winched a little before he rolled over and muttered.

"Cassie, leave it alone and let it rest," her mother got onto her.

"What is "it"?" she asked her parents.

"Me and your mother aren't sure. We know it's not an inkling," said the father. The youngling's mother walked over and felt the boy's head as laid their on the couch.

"Poor creature has come down a fever. Maybe I should fix some tea for it,"

"Tea sounds nice, just go ahead fix one for me too,"

Cassie turned back to boy now facing the couch as he mother walked away. "When it wakes up, can I play with it?" she meekly asked.

"I'm not sure. We don't know what it is...I'm thinking about calling a doctor to come over and look at it," he told his daughter.

"It couldn't have survived on its own in the woods where we found it. Certainly it has parents looking for it," the mother inputted as she reached for the tea in the cupboard.

"Maybe so but I don't wanna scare everyone in the county. I say let it rest and then when it wakes we can learn more. I assume it's a child of some kind as short as it is," the father pondered.

"It would make a good playmate for our Cassie," said the mother as started fixing the tea.

The father gave his inkling wife an estranged look but then looked over to boy who just rolled back over again. "It's probably harmless...scared more than anything but I'm still gonna call someone to come over and examine it. I hate to know that this creature maybe an inkling with some kind of condition," he told her.

Cassie walked back to the child and placed her hand on his forehead. Then felt the hair on his head. "He's soft," she said.

"Cassie, please I've done gotten onto you for messing with that creature," her father scolded.

The youngling's lip quivered a little from her father getting onto her but then all of a sudden the human started to come around. He groaned a little and then opened his eyes to see the little youngling staring at him. Her eyes' meeting his and widened, not expecting the human child to wake up.

Afterthoughts: Wish I could've done a better job but I was ready to go ahead and release the chapter. I'll do a better job next time everyone. Hope you liked it anyway and again sorry for the wait.