A/N: Gonna be honest, this chapter stumped me for a while. I had to restart several times, but hopefully, I have something here. I would like to reiterate that I do not plan these out. I'm winging it completely.
Zelkova48 - she has a galaxy-sized brain.
Joey - I actually saw something like that in a YouTube video where a team was boosted while in the special state, enhancing their performance. I wanted to have a little fun with that.
The room was dimly lit. His body tensed up in nervous anticipation, his senses on alert. As he moved forth - slowly, inch by inch - darkness surrounded him. His movements slowed down, each noise amplified and echoing in the silence. His eyes slowly adjusted, but the shadows still loomed everywhere.
Former Captain of the Squidbeak Splatoon, Craig Cuttlefish, felt isolated and small in the vast, dark room, the thick air challenging to move around. Each corner could be home to a predator waiting to strike. His tired mind tried to process the information, a feeling of dread growing in his old heart. He didn't know how long he'd been captured. Days? Weeks? Months?
"C'mon, work, you stupid thing," he grumbled, fiddling with his communicator. He held it tight, afraid of losing it in the endless darkness. Static blared back at him, but he kept trying to get in contact with the Splatoon, with his grandkids. He worried for them, Callie and Marie. They faced more demanding challenges, but as their grandfather, he only wished for their safety.
"Here, let me see it."
Cuttlefish turned towards the sound of the voice, a faint smile tugging at his old heartstrings. He wasn't alone.
"You've always been better with tech than me."
A groan permeated the darkness. Cuttlefish could hardly see, but he knew that voice anywhere.
"How are you feeling, Octavio?" he asked.
"Like shell," the DJ replied grumpily, fiddling with the device. As the old sea captain said, the Octopus was better with technology. "Any ideas where we are?"
"No clue. I've been trying to figure that out for the longest. I'm trying to contact my squad, but the stupid thing is on the fritz again."
A snort left the Octarian leader.
"That's because you don't invest in better equipment."
Craig chuckled at the jab. "Oh yeah? Don't forget, our equipment stomped you on how many occasions?"
"…Shove off."
Craig burst out laughing until the radio started relaying voices and he snatched the tool away from the DJ.
"...Do you read me? Come in!" he said with desperation in his voice.
"Gramps? Hey, Agent 2, Gramps is on the line. Hellooo, Gramps!"
Cuttlefish breathed another sigh of relief after hearing Callie's voice.
"Oh, Agent 1! Good to hear your voice. I'm, uh…still locked in some kinda room. Octavio is here with me, but finding the exit is like lookin' for a needlefish in a coral reef! But listen!"
"Wait," Octavio interjected, "do ya hear that?"
Listening closely, the two heard heavy footsteps approaching and felt a strange pressure fill the room. It was intense, heavy, and foreboding, leaving the veterans stunned as significant, soulless white eyes peered into the darkness and landed on them.
The men shuddered under the intense gaze, having no idea what sort of beast was standing before them.
"Ah, you've woken from your hibernation, have you? CUTTLEFISH! OCTAVIO!" a mighty roar echoed across the chamber. The power of the voice alone was enough to make the old veterans step back.
Cuttlefish regained his bearings first. "Hmph! That's, uh…former CAP'N Cuttlefish to…whoever you are!"
"Who are you?" Octavio questioned. "Identify yourself unless you want to feel the spicy sting of my wasabi beat!"
A growling laugh responded to their statements.
"You're lively for two old bags of… Does your species have bones? No matter! You can call me…"
Xxx Bolero xxX
"Gramps? Gramps!" Agent 1 called out, but there was only static. "Shoot! It was getting so good! I was about to ask him about his knee."
"It's a safe bet he's trapped in the launch site somewhere," Agent 2 said.
Agent 1 looked unsure. "Can we trust Octavio though?"
Agent 2 shared her cousin's sentiments. "We don't have an option. The most important thing is Gramps' safety. We still have time to rescue him and Octavio. Now, let's go. We have an unconscious agent to tend to."
With the second treasure in hand, the NSS was even closer to rescuing the former captain. Hope remained vibrant within Agent 1 and Agent 2. Their combined efforts with Captain Clora and Agents 3, 7, and 9 would see them through to the end.
The team could proceed to the next site, but Agent 7 was still unconscious after his fight with Shiver. His breathing was stable, much to the girls' relief, but the number of bite marks on his person was discomforting. It took a while to get him and the second treasure back to camp, but the girls managed to set him on a laid-out tarp and place the treasure next to its counterpart.
"Talk about brutal," Agent 1 commented on Agent 7's bite marks. "Shiver didn't hold back, did she?"
"She let him have it, that's for sure."
Marie went to fetch a first aid kit. Callie stayed with Agent 7, sitting down next to him.
"It's never a dull moment with you boys."
She moved a hand to his head. His hair was soft to the touch and tickled Callie's fingers.
"Splatlandians are amazing."
She poked his tentacles and giggled to herself. "Squishy."
"What are you doing?"
Marie returned with the medical kit and found her jovial cousin entertaining herself by poking Zane's hair and giggling.
"His hair is so squishy," she laughed.
Marie rolled her eyes. "Stop poking your boyfriend and help me patch him up."
"He's not my boyfriend."
"Suure, and what do you call the night conversations?"
Callie puffed her cheeks out. "Who else is going to check on them? They eat danger for breakfast. They could be left in a ditch somewhere if they're not careful. I want to make sure my new friends are safe."
"At least make him work for it. He can't just be cute."
"I didn't hear you say that about Agent 4."
Marie's cheeks took on a light yellow-green hue. "Agent 4 is a reliable and effective teammate, and I didn't start showing romantic interest in him until after he saved you and captured Octavio."
"Mhm, right, because you totally didn't find him cute and adorable beforehand."
The two continued bickering while tenderly tending to Agent 7's wounds.
"I'm happy for you, Marie," Callie smirked, "but Agent 7 is way cuter than Agent 4."
Marie scoffed, almost offended by the statement. "While Agent 7 is built tougher, he is not cuter."
The debate went on for another few minutes. Agent 7 was cared for, but that still left Agent 9.
The newest member of the NSS was struggling in another kettle, encouraging Captain Clora to make a stand and go to his aid.
"Agent 9," Agent 2 contacted him, "how are things on your end? Did Captain Clora reach you?"
A primal roar, startling the girls, echoed in return.
"Agent 9?"
"Sorry, I'm a bit tied up at the moment… HA! Me tu extrañar (You missed me!) But no, I haven't seen the Captain yet. How's Agent 7?"
"About that…" she explained everything that happened.
"Shiver was la jefa (the boss?!) Of course she was, pendejo (stupid). You literally saw Frye down here several days ago. Ay, por qué (Oh, but why), she's going to skin me alive!"
This didn't go unnoticed by the Squid Sisters.
"You're friends with her?" Agent 1 inquired.
9 laughed back. "I never told her about my agent work because of the confidentiality agreement, but Deep Cut knows me, and Frye probably told Shiver I'm working against them. Yeah, mi Amada is not going to like this."
They recognized the term but forgot what it meant.
"I'm not ready for that phone ca - stop struggling! … Sorry, girls, having trouble with my catch. Yeah, I'm talking to you! Accept defeat already!"
Another primal roar responded.
"Sorry, girls, I have to go. I'll keep my eye out for the Captain and don't worry about Agent 7. He'll be fine after some rest. You can call Agent 3 for more deTAILS!"
Marie pinched her nasal bridge and sighed. "Never a dull moment. Callie, call Agent 3."
"Righto," it didn't take long before she got an answer. "Agent 3!"
Even Marie was startled by the sudden yell.
"Agent 7 gave it to me after asking for mine. We both knew to have you on file in case anything happened, but listen to this. Agent 2 thinks I'm an easy girl. Can you believe that?"
Marie felt her brow twitch. "Callie."
But she was ignored. "About that, we have some problems. First is Agent 7; he's unconscious and isn't waking up."
Marie shook him to try and get a rise. He did respond, groaning and trying to cling to consciousness, but it was a difficult task.
"Come on, Agent 7," Marie tried to coax him awake, "follow my voice. Follow Callie's."
"He was fighting Shiver and pulled out this Hyper Flex or whatever it's called. It was so cool. He got the second treasure, but he passed out soon after Shiver bolted. Agent 9 is pinned down in another kettle, so the Captain is helping him. Agent 2 and I convinced O.R.C.A to let us retrieve Agent 7 and the treasure, but it's been almost twenty minutes."
Agent 2 studied the treasure pieces, pondering what they could be. The blades of the second treasure already told her it was something sharp. Maybe something that could slice up the fuzzy ooze? Was it that simple?
"Why?" she heard Callie in the background. "Wait…are you on a date?"
It never ceased to amaze Marie how fast her cousin got excited.
"I want good news, and you're sure Agent 7 is okay? Agent 9 said the same thing. … We don't know what he's doing. He was very preoccupied when we radioed him. …Okay. Have fun on your date! Oh! And great fight out there, too!"
Agent 2 regrouped with her. "What's the sitch?"
Callie squealed and hugged her cousin. "Agent 3 is on a date with Frye," she gushed. "He said the same thing Agent 9 did. Agent 7 will be fine if we just let him rest."
Luckily, they didn't have to wait much longer. Zane moved, cradling his head as he strained to open his eyes.
"Ahhh," he shielded his face, "bright. Too bright."
He pushed himself to a sitting position and rubbed his sides.
"Well, speak of the devil fish."
Zane was thrown for a loop when he was suddenly glomped by Agent 1 and crushed in a deadly hug.
"AAAAHHH!" he screamed, forcing Callie to release him and cover her mouth in shock.
"Sorry! I was just happy to see you awake."
"I'm good," Zane grunted. "Sore all over but alive. What happened after I passed out? Did we get the prize?"
"Thanks to you," Agent 2 smiled at him. "All we need is the final treasure and we can go rescue Gramps."
"Awesome," Zane grinned. "Let's get rolling. Where's Agent 9?" He looked around and noticed the Captain was missing as well. "And Boss Lady?"
Xxx Bolero xxx
"We missed the fun," Agent 1 giggled at the sight while her cousin and Agent 7 stared blankly at the spectacle.
"Why do I even bother?" the white-haired Inkling commented.
"OW! Would you quit it?" Agent 9 hissed while carrying important cargo over his shoulder.
Captain Clora didn't know what to say. She was just in it because of Agent 9.
"He was insistent," she responded when her team gave her various looks.
"I'm sorry, but I couldn't let them stay in there," Agent 9 set his luggage down, receiving another kick to the back of the head, "OW! Puta, stop it!"
"Language," Clora admonished.
"...sorry."
Three fuzzy-haired Octolings, bound by rope, squirmed on the ground. Time in the sun did wonders for their tan, giving them nice brown skin. However, the fuzzy ooze possessed them too, turning their tentacles reddish-brown and fuzzy like the other Octarians they've faced in Alterna. Their new outfit consisted of pink lipstick, new goggles with the slime of the fuzzy disease covering the lens, a leopard print crop top with a metal breastplate, long bandage-like fingerless gloves, short black leggings, long loose black knee-high socks, and boots styled after sea mines. On their right hands, they wore a bracelet similar in design to their boots.
One was more calm, trying to break her bindings silently. The second one was aggravated, switching back and forth from octopus to humanoid to escape but to no avail. And the third one threw all caution to the wind, kicking and screaming like a wild animal.
"Okay, dude, if you're going to be kidnapping girls, we need to have an intervention," Agent 7 couldn't resist poking fun at Agent 9.
"What?"
"Yes, Agent 9, explain yourself," Captain Clora stated. "Why did you kidnap the enemy Octolings?"
"I-"
"AAAAAAHHHH!" the feral Octoling caterwauled.
"I wanted to-"
"AAAAAAHHHH!"
"I was hoping to-"
"AAAAAAHHHH!"
Captain Clora couldn't contain herself any longer.
"Hold on," she stomped towards the feral Octoling and yanked her up by the rope. She peered into the rainbow lenses of the goggles. "Cállate! (Shut up!)"
Agent 9 dug through his bag and pulled out a roll of duct tape.
The Octoling was about to snarl at the Captain, but Agent 9 was quick on the offense and slapped a piece of the tape over the captive's mouth, muffling her screams. He rounded the others up and tied them all together.
"Finally," he sighed. "Okay, as I was saying, I want to figure out how to counteract the fuzzification. I'm trying to convince O.R.C.A to lend a processor, but I'm no Agent 3. I want to save the other Octarians."
The circumstances made Captain Clora recall a dark time in her career. Although, she would have to say the situation back then was a lot worse than it is now. Regardless, she understood where her agent was coming from, especially when it was about his species.
"I understand what you're saying," she said. "But we barely know what the fuzzy ooze is, let alone a way to isolate it."
"Work in progress," he kept his head up. "When Agent 3 returns, we'll brainstorm. How did his match end?"
Callie shook her head with a sad smile. "He put up a great fight, but Frye won by a hair."
"Aye, qué pena (Oh, what a shame.) Is he on his way?"
"Nope, he's on a date."
Luke tilted his head. "…He's on a date?"
"Yep."
"…With Frye?"
"That's right."
"…In front of everyone?"
"His heart will never waver in the face of adversity!" Callie cheered. "What Bolero can do, I bet Neo can do better."
"Everyone's love life aside," Agent 2 spoke up, "we have news on Gramps."
"Oh yeah! He contacted us again while you went to help Agent 9."
Clora was glad to hear good news finally.
"He's locked in some room with Octavio, but they can't find a way out. Then, someone else came in, but the connection started cutting out, and we didn't learn who."
Clora breathed a sigh. The old man was still kicking. It had been a while since they last heard from him, and Clora was afraid something had happened.
"As long as he's okay, that's all that matters," she said. "We need to prioritize getting that last treasure. There should be two islands left, right?"
Agent 2 checked their map.
"That's correct. The one furthest out is giving out one of the big signals. We can reach both islands from Site 4."
"Should I call Agent 3?" 9 suggested.
"Don't disturb his date," it was Callie who opposed the idea. "He deserves some rest. The poor guy has been pulling double shifts for the last few days, and that's not including his big rematch. Let him rest."
"But an extra pair of hands would be helpful. Agent 7 is too hurt."
"I'm fi- AAAHHH!"
Agent 2 jabbed him to prove a point.
"You're not doing anything except rest," she demanded.
In the end, Clora decided to bother Agent 3 but just to ask a question. From watching her successor, she learned that Agent 3 was always thinking ahead. Hardly anything escaped his notice. When Agent 9 handed her the phone, he walked over to the side as she had her conversation.
"Agent 3, I know you're in the middle of something, but I have a question for you. …He's fine now but can't work anymore today. …What notes do you have on the fuzzy ooze?"
Now the rest understood what Clora was thinking.
"We've encountered fuzzy Octolings. Agent 9 and I captured them and brought them back to base for interrogation. …You will need to ask Agent 9 about that. …That's fine. Bring whatever you have with you tomorrow."
"AAAAAAHHHH!"
Even the leader of the NSS couldn't resist the startled yelp that left her lips after the agonizing scream hit her eardrums. She thought there was an attack on the base, but instead of the base, it was on one of the captured Octolings.
Levi the Smallfry, empowered by the power eggs, attacked the Octoling who remained the calmest, but all that calmness was cast aside, and a shrill shriek echoed across the land of Alterna as Levi chewed on her head. She flailed about in an attempt to shake the demon off, but Levi held on tight and sampled the fuzzy woman's delectable hair.
"Be here tomorrow," Clora hung up and ran to Agent 9, shoving his phone at his chest. "What are you doing?!"
"Experimenting," Luke whistled Levi back.
Clora was more offended by Luke's nonchalant response. "By trying to kill our captives?"
"I thought it might work. Levi and Ken have devoured the other fuzzy stuff."
Agent 9's experiment failed. The possessed Octoling remained fuzzified, but her anger towards Luke skyrocketed. The others fought to break free, but there was no escaping the bindings. They screamed and cursed Luke's existence.
Clora dismissed the boys before more damage could be done. She didn't know what to do with the hostages, but they seemed to calm down after Luke left.
"Shouldn't we have kept Agent 9?" Agent 1 suggested. "He could've asked them questions."
"And hear their incessant screaming," Marie sneered at the thought. "No way."
"This is fine," Clora stated. "He was willing to go back for them, so I know he'll try his hardest to save them. If we can avoid another Sanitized incident, that'll be great."
Callie and Marie saw the Captain's face grow dark. They didn't press the issue but knew what incident she was referring to, a dark time for the Captain indeed.
Xxx Bolero xxX
In the days leading up to the rematch, Frye spent the nights brainstorming. At one point, she was steadfast in the idea that Bolero and Syrus were separate individuals. All the evidence they gathered clearly pointed Syrus away from being the enigmatic dancer. They had the testimony of the Parental Four for Cod's sake, and Auntie Olivia was known for her brutal honesty. If she said Syrus was present during his shift, he was present. No one escaped her radar. And yet, something in Frye's gut told her to rethink her assessment. Don't fall for the same conclusion.
Some nights, she stayed up pondering if there was something greater at play behind these two special people suddenly entering her life. Their timing seemed too perfect - like it had been planned all along. Even though nothing could be proven, her intuition couldn't help but suspect that these two guys were the "perfect matches" the universe had crafted for her. Bolero was the perfect dance partner, and Syrus was the perfect turf rival. They were so similar yet different at the same time. It didn't make sense.
'Unless that's exactly what he wants everyone to think.'
Was it fate? No, Frye didn't believe in fate. She took life by the whiskers and made her own decisions. She followed her own path and never looked back. It couldn't be something predestined for her.
Was it simply pure coincidence? It had to be. However, she much preferred the idea of Syrus planning it all.
'Anyone close to him would notice any changes, but if his alias acted bold, it would instantly point away from him. In their mind, there's no way he would behave like Bolero.'
Something sparkled in Deep Cut's dancing gangster. Her eyes gained a hopeful glint as she studied her target's face.
Syrus was always calm and collected, but there was something about the gentleness of his eyes that caught Frye's attention. It was strange how someone with an intimidating face could appear so relaxed. She admired his features, finding his x-shaped scar intriguing and his face, overall, appealing. She imagined his features resting under Bolero's shawl.
Of every Octoling with red eyes Deep Cut interviewed, Syrus was the most likely suspect. His combat skills made him a tough contender. Bolero possessed a dangerous rhythm that couldn't be mirrored. He easily evaded capture despite the numbers stacked against him, and Syrus, too, has proven to be a formidable opponent even when fatigue set in.
Their rhythm was too similar.
Frye mentioned to Shiver and Big Man how close Bolero liked to be during their secret meet-ups, and how Syrus seemed to change when he and Frye engaged in playful banter. Soft and alluring, it was similar to how Bolero communicated. They wanted to be in her proximity.
She may come off as silly and energetic, but Frye watched everything around her. When she had her eyes on a target, she pursued it until she captured it. Like a chess game, she was the queen able to dominate the board, but her forces were steadily being outmaneuvered by the opponent's counters.
'Give up already! I know who you really are! The rhythm, your way of talking, and even how you carry yourselves are the same! Stop hiding!'
He caught her staring and gave her a small smile while not losing focus on the task at hand.
'Accept your defeat like a man, Bolero! You're going to slip up eventually!'
Frye invited Syrus back to the recording studio for interrogation as she promised. Currently, the two were hanging out in the break room, but they weren't alone. Frye called in some allies. More specifically, she had Syrus call in her support. His sister and the Inkling twins, Maya, Isabella, and Sophia, were called in to help Frye grill the Octoling over a raging fire.
With the help of the girls, Frye learned a lot about Syrus. The one thing that stuck out the most to the dancing gangster was Syrus' love for poetry. Like Bolero, Syrus was a poet. He danced, wrote poetry, and practiced drawing, but that was irrelevant to the situation. Frye was more interested in his dancing and poetry.
"Hotshot," she said, using her favorite nickname for him, "I gotta know. What's this super secret project you got in the works? Why did you ask me to be your date?"
This piqued the girls' interest.
"Secret project?" the girls harmonized. "Date?"
It infuriated the eel charmer to see no changes in Syrus' countenance.
'Does nothing surprise this guy?'
"I don't want to ruin the magic" he tried to reason with the idol.
But Frye wasn't playing his game.
"I gotta know what you signed me up for. Just give me the short version. Shouldn't be a problem, right?"
If only the girls knew of the chess game going on between them. She positioned herself, the queen, before Syrus' knight, but he retaliated with his rook.
"… I'm collaborating with some of my Grizzco colleagues. We're throwing a little celebration for the Parental Four to thank them for their endeavors. I'm part of the planning committee."
Sophia and Isabella beamed at the notion.
"That sounds like so much fun."
"We're trying to keep it under wraps, but some of the girls thought it would be a good idea to add some dancing flair. Do you see where I'm going with this?"
Frye was amazed by how easily he came up with his responses.
'Almost too easy. He's thought about his answers carefully.'
"You want me to be your date for the celebration," she surmised.
"Yes, and I appreciate your cooperation. You get to enjoy a night of dancing, and I finally get the dance I've been waiting for."
'Clever boy, trying to make it a win-win for both of us.'
"Why didn't you say so after asking me out?"
"You would've blabbed about it to Shiver and Big Man, and Shiver cannot be trusted with secret information."
As much as she wanted to defend her friend, Frye couldn't help but giggle.
"You ain't wrong. Shiver likes a little gossip."
"Your wait is almost over," Syrus reminded her of the encroaching day. "Soon, you'll see what I can bring to the dance floor. I promise to make every second worth it."
'Bold words, Bolero. Playing to your strengths to cover up your tracks.'
"I take dancing seriously, Hotshot. If you mess around, I won't forgive you."
'I'll tear you apart with my eels.'
"Everything will be just fine," he assured her. "Haven't I been taking good care of you?"
'In more ways than one.' But she wouldn't tell him that.
"You do make a good punching bag," she retorted with a cheeky smile. "Once I whoop you on the dance floor, I'll be satisfied."
'Stubborn until the end, Bolero. That's just like you. How can I trip you up?'
"You know," an idea popped into her head, "I keep hearing how good you are, but what kind of dancer are you?"
Check. With a well-timed question, Frye put the king in check. Syrus' answer would determine the outcome of the match. If he played it right, the match progressed for another while, but if he slipped up, he would be captured.
Syrus cursed his predicament. If it was just Frye, it would be simple. However, with Maya, Isabella, and Sophia present, Syrus had to dance on a tightrope. The Inkling girls knew of his excursions in the desert and the treasures he secured. They knew of the subjects of his studies. At the same time, Frye also knew but through different means. She knew of Bolero's method and would be listening hard for the similarities. Syrus had to answer carefully. He had to protect his king.
For a split second, she noticed a shift in Syrus' demeanor. It was brief, but she definitely saw a small grimace form on the secret agent's face before it immediately cleared up.
'Gotcha!'
"I'm a breakdancer," he answered carefully.
"Duh," Frye retorted, rolling her eyes, "what other techniques do you have under your belt?"
'You're not giving me the runaround, buddy boy.'
"I'm afraid you'll have to wait until our date."
Frye huffed, but she didn't let it get to her.
'That's exactly what I wanted to hear.'
"You love keeping me in the dark, don't you?"
Syrus challenged her with a smirk. He accepted his fate.
"I have to keep your attention somehow. If I had a fraction of Bolero's charisma, I'd have you on my side already."
'Like you already don't. How long have you been planning this, lover boy?'
None of them noticed, but Frye was clutching her chest as she crossed her arms. As the remnants of doubt withered from her soul, a wave of emotion washed over her features. Her shoulders relaxed, and a large grin threatened to split her beautiful face. She was transfixed by the imagery her mind conjured, a hooded Bolero sitting across from her, his undivided attention focused solely on her. Then, the masked figure transformed into the serious Syrus. The thumping in her chest should've calmed down. Her body would recognize the sensation of Bolero's presence, but there was no change. Her body reacted the same, and Syrus' attention remained strictly on her. Like Bolero, he had his undivided attention focused entirely on Frye.
The world seemed to slow down as they stared at each other, glittery golden eyes gazing gleefully at a set of captivating crimson ones that begat an ethereal warmth that only one person managed to achieve. Everything around them faded into the background as if no one else mattered anymore. In this moment, it was their world and theirs alone.
Frye had no further questions. She finally knew the truth. Her three hearts jumped in her chest as she put everything together. The mysterious dancer who took the city by storm was thought to be untouchable. Everyone scrambled to figure out their identity, but every attempt at capture was met with resistance and failure. Now it was so clear. Frye was ecstatic, overflowing with euphoria that she wanted to scream from happiness.
'NEVER DOUBT YOUR GUT!'
She took in his smile. It was one of acceptance. Frye had to congratulate her adversary for the great match. She was always one step behind, but it was only a matter of time until he ran out of tactics. Frye just had to wait it out.
'Check-fucking-mate!' she wanted to scream. At long last, she knew the truth.
Syrus is Bolero.