Joey (Guest) - Yes, I'm glad you're liking what's happening. I wanted to throw in a few twists to spice things up.
Merry Frostyfest guys! I hope everyone has a great time. I'm rooting for Team Family!
Bear with me on this chapter too. I was feeling some type of way while writing, so just bear with me.
Mr. Grizz's steely gaze admired the colossal vessel before him. A potent cocktail of indescribable emotions churned within him. Was it the palpable eagerness that danced in his soulless eyes or the subtle undercurrents of desperation? The moment, the precipice of destiny, had arrived, as the last remnants of the fuzzy ooze flowed into the ship.
The air hummed with anticipation, each second ticking away like a clandestine countdown to the grand finale of his audacious plan. The world was about to witness a rebirth, a resurgence that only he could orchestrate. At long last, millennia of research was about to come to fruition.
The Spirit Lifter loomed ominously over Alterna. Its flickering lights and mechanical whirrs painted a symphony of impending transformation, a crescendo that would echo through the annals of history. It would not be long now. He just had to keep the enemy occupied for a few more precious minutes.
A surge of adrenaline coursed through his hairy hide. The world stood at the edge of an abyss, and he held the reins of its destiny. Soon, the world would bow to the orchestrator of its rebirth.
No one knew what Mr. Grizz looked like, but as his name suggested, his true appearance was that of an enormous, strangely shaped brown grizzly bear with a teddy bear-like face, glowing white eyes, and blots of Fuzzy Ooze on his shoulders, belly, and forearms. He had become one with his almighty creation.
The giant grizzly looked down at his paws. In his grasp was a shriveled-up and unresponsive squid-looking creature. He laid said creature on the floor, its purpose served, and monitored his vessel. He saw them coming through the sky panels. As strong as his elite duo was, Mr. Grizz did not underestimate the ingenuity of the opposition.
"O.R.C.A., am I still connected to the intercom?" he inquired.
"Yes, sir," the artificial intelligence replied. "You may speak when ready."
'Another great employee.' he believed with his whole chest.
"Launch time is close at hand," he said to all inhabitants of Alterna. "Very soon, we will enter a new era that will restore the planet to its original luster."
He didn't think anyone would talk back.
"We'll just have to see about that."
He was glad to be proven wrong. The response made him chuckle a little.
"As always, you're on time, Mr. Syrus. That's the kind of dedication I admire, and I see Miss Onaga is with you. As diligent as ever."
"Of course we are! I said we were gonna beat you up and meant it," the eel charmer declared. "Your scheme ends here!"
"Au contraire, Miss Onaga. I'm afraid all three components have been collected."
"Components?" Captain Clora repeated. It appeared that anyone could speak their piece.
"There are three components to my business plan... The vessel. The spirit. And the wisdom of ages. You can guess what the first two represent. As for the wisdom, well, your former captain was gracious enough to assist me."
"What did you do to Gramps?!" Callie and Marie snarled.
Mr. Grizz let out a hearty laugh, looking at the dried-up squid again.
"I don't think I should say. You see, his brain…ensconced though it was in his hideous form...contained the beautiful essence I needed!"
The cousins gasped.
"No," Marie didn't want to hear more.
"How could you?" Callie growled.
"To be a visionary in business—and life—one must be prepared to make tough decisions. I must leverage the suffering of my employees into a brighter, fuzzier future for all!"
Xxx Bolero xxX
Exhaustion clawed at Syrus's every step, demanding respite, but the relentless tick of time left no room for reprieve. Urgency etched lines of determination on his face as he and Frye faced a critical mission – reaching the summit with no margin for delay. The gravity of the situation pressed heavily on their shoulders, a weight only intensified by the unyielding march of fatigue.
In any other circumstance, Syrus might have employed his agile prowess to navigate the ascent with a parkour finesse. Yet, the weariness that saturated his limbs denied him that luxury. Every breath drawn felt like a laborious effort, and every heartbeat resonated with the pulse of impending necessity.
The path ahead, free from challenges, demanded a relentless march, and Syrus knew that resting was a luxury they couldn't afford. The mission's stakes loomed large, casting a somber shadow over the duo as they ascended, driven by a sense of duty that eclipsed the ache of their weary bodies. Time was the merciless taskmaster, and they were mere pawns in its unforgiving game.
"Frye," he breathed heavily, "don't wait for me. I know you can run faster. Leave me behind."
She was fairing better than her tag-team partner, but she didn't want to leave him behind. Working together was ultimately better. She felt more confident with Syrus watching her back. When she charged headfirst into battle, it was better to have a partner as meticulous as Syrus to be her second pair of eyes.
"Not happening, Hotshot," she told him. "C'mon, you got this. Maya's counting on us."
It was small, but the thought of his little sister did push him harder. He never did hear back from her. He chased the final boss without knowing if she was a survivor or a casualty.
"I'm sure she's fine," Frye reassured him, knowing what he was thinking. "She's a clever girl just like her brother, and she's waiting to see you again."
Light returned to his eyes, and his speed increased to match the lover of sweets.
"Let's go," he stated.
Syrus and Frye sprinted to the top. Occasionally, they saw footage of their teammates handling their missions. Big Man was several meters behind with the unconscious Zane, which slowed him down some.
To the duo's relief, their Mother Sabrina arrived in the nick of time to save Big Man and Zane from the possessed Chase's rage.
In the Steerage, Luke was unconscious with Shiver barely able to stand, and protecting both was a confidently smiling Uncle Tobias, whose Grizzco Dualies matched Auntie Olivia's Hydra Splatling ink for ink.
Just arriving at the top of First Class were Captain Clora and the Squid Sisters. They narrowly avoided the battle between Chase and Sabrina and exited the interior to join the race up the runway.
Where was a beacon when needed?
"Agent 3, we see you," Callie stated. "Can you see us anywhere?"
"I do. Big Man is slightly ahead of you, and we're ahead of him. I don't see anyone else at the top."
"You don't see Gramps?" Agent 2 was praying for good news.
"Can't say for certain. Frye and I are almost there."
"Stand up, Shiv! I see you!" Frye declared.
Shiver looked around briefly, unable to see the group like they could.
"I'm doing my best! Luke passed out, but Uncle Tobias and Mother Sabrina are here."
"And you all better be prepared for the talk we're gonna have after all this," Sabrina stated. "How long has this been going on? And none of you decided to tell us?"
Frye nudged her dance partner, telling him, "Talk to her."
"What? Me?"
"You're the best smooth talker. Rizz her up."
"Do what? What does that even mean?"
"Use your charisma," she hissed back.
Syrus sighed. He hated being the responsible one.
"I apologize, Mother. It was my idea not to involve the Parental Four. I didn't think the situation called for it."
Honesty was the best course of action. Until he continued.
"And in our defense, the situation was handled perfectly fine until now."
"You all still threw yourselves into mortal danger without consulting us. If all of us worked together from the start, we could've cleaned this up before it got out of hand. Do you guys know what's happening back home right now?"
"We do," Frye spoke up. "Don't worry though. We're gonna fix things."
The duo finally reached the top, but there was no one waiting to greet them.
"We made it, but I don't see any old squid," Frye stated.
"Wait, over there,"!Syrus pointed to something on the ground.
They investigated the object but couldn't ascertain its identity. It was a shriveled-up ghost. However, the longer he stared at it, the more Syrus began to recognize its features.
"Uh-oh," he gasped. "Oh no."
"Agent 3?" Callie's worried voice called out to him.
"...I found him."
The cousins almost tripped.
"Really?!"
"Yeah, but…he's not looking good."
Syrus put an ear close to the old squid's beard.
"Are you sure it's him?" Frye inquired.
"Yeah, no mistaking this facial hair."
"But he's shriveled up."
"WHAT?!"
Callie and Marie increased their speed and left a surprised Clora in the dust. With a swift pace that caught even the imposing Big Man off guard, the inkling cousins ascended the structure in record time. As they reached the summit, their eyes fell upon the heart-wrenching scene of Syrus tenderly cradling the desiccated form of the once-vibrant Cuttlefish. The old seadog's weathered features betrayed no signs of life.
"GRAMPS! NO!" Callie's cry pierced the air, carrying a blend of anguish and disbelief.
Marie, usually composed, found herself unable to meet the haunting reality before her. She whispered in a voice laced with grief, "Dehydrated in his prime…"
A colossal shadow abruptly engulfed them.
"OH!" The exclamation that escaped Marie's lips was drowned out by the overwhelming surge of pressure that accompanied the looming entity. It descended upon them like an insurmountable force, sending shivers down their back, and stealing the breath from their non-existent lungs.
The quartet's collective gaze ascended with a mixture of awe and trepidation. They were met by the foreboding figure of the CEO himself. The atmosphere shifted as if the very air had thickened, making every breath feel burdensome. There was an unspoken tension that gripped them, an invisible force that seemed to constrict their movements.
"Welcome," Mr. Grizz greeted them with an eerie calm, his voice cutting through the stillness like a knife. The calmness of his tone belied the gravity of the situation, adding an unsettling layer to the encounter. The quartet couldn't shake the feeling that beneath the veneer of hospitality, there lurked an undercurrent of calculated intent.
His presence was a harbinger of an impending storm. The quartet stood there, dwarfed by the magnitude of the moment, as if stepping into the kraken's den.
Agent 1 was the first to get her bearings straight and balled up her fists in defiance. She stomped the ground with a snarl, "Hey, you overgrown furball! Turn Gramps back into…Gramps!"
Even Frye was stunned by Agent 1's demand.
Just in time, a panting Clora and Big Man arrived to see the towering figure of Mr. Grizz stand over their squad.
"AAY!" Big Man screamed in terror.
"Valued employees," Mr. Grizz spoke, "we appreciate your feedback. However, it will not be implemented at this time."
It was Agent 2's turn to stomp in outrage. "What's that supposed to mean?!"
Before Mr. Grizz could answer, O.R.C.A.'s voice echoed across Alterna, and a sudden quake shook the structure. It was a countdown and the roar of engines firing up.
Syrus realized it first, screaming, "No, the rocket!" handing his recruiter to Clora and running to the railing. His thought process was to shoot one of the thrusters with as many ink arrows he could, hoping it would damage the hull to prevent the ascension.
The Ursine Anomaly perceived Neo's plan and raised a paw. Per his command, a splotch of fuzzy ooze erupted from the ground and was thinly close to skewering the agent on its furry spike.
Syrus jumped back in time, but it had just ran out.
"Blast off!" the artificial intelligence announced.
The Spirit Lifter began to ascend with Mr. Grizz hanging on the thrusters.
"It means the end of your employment," he replied to Marie's previous question. "...And the end of the world as you know it, to be clear. As per my memo, I will be coating the planet in Fuzzy Ooze in an effort to restore balance. This will be our last meeting."
"We'll stop your Hairmageddon!" Frye exclaimed, finding her fiery voice again.
Mr. Grizz sighed. "Don't call it "Hairmageddon." HR doesn't like it."
The ursine creature ascended higher and higher. There was no way to reach him.
"No… the rocket…" Agent 1 lamented their failure. "We were right there."
"Graaamps!" Agent 2 wailed.
Clora, Callie, and Marie gathered around Cuttlfish. Behind them, Syrus, Frye, and Big Man discussed their next plan.
"Think your eels are fast enough?" Syrus inquired.
"Not that fast. Master Mega is faster. I could use my eels to make a path…"
"Ay aay. (We'd a way to breathe in space too.)"
Marie's tears continued to flow as she stammered, "He's... he's all dried up..."
Callie, her voice trembling, questioned with a sniffle, "But how?"
Clora, overcome with grief, felt the weight of losing the old man. He had been like a grandfather to her. Their closeness made his absence all the more unbearable. It was a profound sorrow that seemed unjust, leaving them to grapple with the unfairness of it all.
The weight of failure pressed on her shoulders like a lead cloak. She blamed herself as the captain who couldn't save him. Regret echoed in her mind, a relentless refrain: "I should've been more assertive, more helpful, we could've saved precious time."
Cuttlefish could've been within reach sooner, but it was too late. They were too late. And in that haunting realization, she knew—it was her lateness that sealed his fate.
"Captain, you did everything you could," Syrus spoke up. "No one is blaming you. If anything, I'm the one who didn't work hard enough."
"No, that's not true at all!" Clora cried. "Agent 3, you've been a great help way before we met. I didn't do enough to help."
As her breath quickened and tears streamed down, she couldn't suppress the overwhelming grief, crying out for her surrogate grandfather and her failure as Captain. Each tear that fell onto the weathered Inkling seemed to carry a lifetime of memories. From her initial days as Agent 3, to second-in-command while venturing through the Deepsea Metro, and then as Captain of the Splatoon, Clora always had Cuttlefish to rely on. The man had wisdom far beyond his age. Its vast ocean helped Clora stay alive on more than one occasion when she should be swimming in the great sea in the sky.
The tears of the girls cleansed the elderly squid. Letting them mourn, Frye, Big Man, and Neo 3 gave them silence. However, they noticed a strange phenomenon.
Cuttlefish's pale skin started to get its color back, and the slight movements of his body startled the girls.
"HUH?!" Callie couldn't believe her eyes.
Two big eyes popped open.
"AAAAAHH!" Cuttlefish screamed. "D-don't come any closer! Get away from me!"
The floating squid flailed about uncontrollably, screaming bloody murder as he fought back invisible foes with his noodle tentacles.
"Gramps!" his granddaughters seized him.
Cuttlefish gradually calmed down. He opened his eyes and saw the worried stares of his grandchildren and Clora, who very well was his granddaughter.
"Where? Where am I?"
The girls hugged him tight.
"Gramps, you're okay!" Callie cried.
"Well…okay-ish," Marie took it in stride though.
"Phew! Someone got the drop on me," Cuttlefish floated to Syrus. "Anyone else feelin' a bit parched? Also a little bit lighter? And waaay flatter? Agent 3? Hmm, you've grown since I last saw you, son."
"It's been a little hectic, but we're hanging in there. We have some new members too."
"I see that. And is that Agent 7? What happened to him? Wait, fill me in later. We're still in danger! Where's Mr. Grizz?"
"Uhhh," Callie and Marie pointed upwards. They saw the smoke trails of the rocket as it climbed higher and higher.
"We can't catch that," Clora stated. "That's impossible. We'll need a miracle."
"And I'm here to deliver!"
A roar rang out. Another purr of engines revved up as a blue sea beast slid into view. On top was a worn out Shiver and still unconscious Luke being protected by Levi the Smallfry.
"We saw the rocket take off. Master Mega is ready to go."
Shiver hopped off her beast and wobbled into Big Man's arms.
"I'm so tired," she then fell to her knees. "Auntie is more wicked than I am. It's not fair."
"Take a break, Shiv. Hotshot can take it from here," Frye nudged the male agent forward with a hip bump.
He looked appalled. "You're volunteering me again?"
"You gotta do it for Splatsville, Hotshot," Frye declared. "Our home is counting on you."
"I'm exhausted," he countered. "Whatever I had in the tank is gone."
"You're also the only one with a Smallfry," Clora pointed out. "Ken is essential for clearing the fuzzy ooze."
In truth, a profound sense of dread gnawed at her conscience as she contemplated sending him alone. It should have been her volunteering to act, but an unspoken understanding prevailed – Ken and Syrus constituted the unwavering duo to rely on, the last bastion against impending calamity.
"I'm well aware that you're running on fumes and I'm sorry I have to do this, but I need you to do one final mission. Can I count on you?" Her plea carried the weight of desperation, the gravity of a world teetering on the edge of annihilation.
Syrus couldn't bring himself to utter the word "no." His brothers lay unconscious, the very essence of his home threatened by mortal peril, and he, as his captain pointed out, stood as the solitary beacon with the means to combat the encroaching menace.
The air hung heavy with the solemn acknowledgment that this mission held the key to their survival, that the fate of everything they held dear rested precariously on Syrus' worn shoulders. The urgency in her eyes mirrored the urgency of the impending crisis.
"I'll do my best," he answered.
"Alright!" Frye slapped him on the back. "Time to steal the spotlight!"
She raised a hand to the sky. "Swirl it up, eels!"
Her legion of water serpents erupted into the air with a surge of power, intertwining their serpentine forms. With tails locked, they spiraled into a colossal, raging ink tornado, a mesmerizing display of elemental might that crackled with both beauty and danger.
"Your turn, Master Mega!" Shiver's voice cut through the tumult as she encouraged her colossal sea beast. The creature responded with a resounding roar, echoing readiness that reverberated through the chaos.
Amidst the spectacle, Big Man, undeterred by the pandemonium, ingeniously fashioned headphones into a makeshift helmet for the intrepid agent. With a triumphant flourish, he presented the customized gear.
"Aaay! (Here!)"
Syrus, displaying gratitude, accepted the improvised helmet. "Thanks," he uttered, securing it firmly onto his head. The anticipation in the air heightened as the agent geared up for the impending mission.
But the excitement didn't end there.
"Wait!" Frye, with a determination that cut through the frenetic energy, stepped forward. In her hands gleamed her Splatana. "Take it with you. That way..." She hesitated, briefly averting her gaze, "part of me goes with you."
Syrus accepted the weapon.
"I'll take good care of it," he promised, securing it between his Tri-Stringer.
"You better! And also," her lips quivered for a second, "come back safely, kay?"
Her chin was lifted by the secret agent, and their eyes met for what they hoped was not the last time.
"Of course, we haven't had our dance yet after all," he told her. "Make sure you cheer for me."
He hopped on Master Mega's saddle and gripped the handlebars.
"Ready, Ken? We have one more job to do."
His little boy replied with an affirmative wail and snuggled into his compartment. Their Megalodon mount sped off, jumped over the railing, and swam up with the ink tornado with incredible speed. At the apex of the storm, Syrus stood atop Mega's head. Never in his life did he imagine himself performing such stunts.
Would it be enough?
Was his super jump capable of bypassing the atmosphere?
It was time to find out.
"Stay fresh up there, son!" cheered Cuttlefish.
Syrus leaped into the air, face determined, and with the added momentum from the colossal shark's charge, Syrus super-jumped after the rocket and Mr. Grizz.
"Go, Agent 3!" Callie cheered. "The fate of the world is in your hands!"
Ken struggled to keep up, but he flapped his fins as fast as he could and tailed after his partner.
"You too, li'l Smallfry!" Agent 2 declared.
They were but specks in the air.
Frye felt her chest tighten as the agent vanished from orbit. She sighed, feeling all eyes land on her. She knew what was coming next.
"Go ahead, get it over with," she accepted defeat.
"Why didn't you kiss?" Callie queried. "That was the perfect opportunity."
Frye crossed her arms. She wanted to respond with something cool, but all they got was steam rising, a signal that she was embarrassed beyond belief.
"You sealed your fate the minute you gave him your Splatana," Shiver stated. "And it was such a cute gesture, letting your soul fight alongside your partner. When's the wedding?"
Frye snarled back as an angry tick popped on her head. "When are you gonna give me a nibling to spoil? Cod knows you and Luke have enough practice making 'em!"
Xxx Bolero xxX
In the boundless expanse of the cosmos, where the vastness of space stretched into eternity, a tapestry of unexplored wonders and untold mysteries unfolded—the final frontier, an arena of infinite possibilities that beckoned the adventurous and the daring.
Here, the planet Earth was a glorious shining sapphire in the vast reaches of the solar system.
Atop the Spirit Lifter, the agent of stealth and his pet Salmonid landed on the ship, unable to comprehend their current circumstance.
He was in space! He was dancing with the stars! His mind was running at a million miles an hour. Was he the first Octoling in Space? How was this possible? The laws of physics should not allow this, and yet, here he was, out in the cosmos with his blue planet behind him.
Syrus turned to see his home. From the vastness of space, Earth appeared as a mesmerizing blue orb adorned with swirls of white. Wisps of clouds danced over its surface, reflecting the radiant sunlight. The deep oceans cast a rich, deep blue hue, while the continents showcased a diverse palette of greens, browns, and yellows. Thin bands of atmosphere cloak the planet, creating a delicate halo. Observing Earth from space evoked a profound sense of awe within Agent 3, emphasizing its beauty and the delicate balance that sustained life on this remarkable celestial body.
"Agent 3, can you hear us?!" Agent 1's voice came through the earpiece.
He was still in awe. "I'm in space."
"Yeah, he hears us," Agent 2 replied. "Where's Mr. Grizz?"
In the distance, the CEO in question began rising. He appeared larger than before, and more of the fuzzy ooze covered his massive body.
"Well, well. I knew it would be you, Mr. Syrus. You've always been dedicated to your work. Tell me, what do you see wrong with what I'm doing? I thought marine creatures such as yourself would love to traverse the sea again after being expunged from it."
Having calmed down from his amazement, Syrus readied himself for the fight of his life. He faced the CEO with his primary Stringer in hand.
"You're trying to bend nature to your will and shape the world in your image. I understand wanting to go back to a time where you belonged. But, even if you do turn the world into your fuzzy oyster, will it be worth it? It won't be the same world you remember, just a twisted copy."
The CEO's soulless white eyes betrayed no emotion as he responded, his voice cold and detached. "There is truth in your answer. Maybe it won't be the same, but it will be infinitely better than the way things are now. I offer a new era, a sea transformed for the benefit of those who grasp its potential. You, of all people, should understand the value of progress, Mr. Syrus."
"Progress at the expense of everyone's way of life? Sorry, sir, but regardless of how you splice it, I cannot allow you to do as you please. There's no turning back."
Mr. Grizz let his subordinate's words echo in his head. "You were always a logical soul. Your evaluations never betrayed your mindset and hard work, but you are still young and naive. You fail to see the forest for the trees. With everyone united under one CEO, we can prevent further wars from starting. No conflicts. However, I suppose you are right about one thing. There is no turning back."
A wave of the fuzzy ooze swirled around him combined with a sinister aura reminiscent of purple miasma. The pressure spiked, and Syrus felt an overwhelming amount of bloodlust wash over him.
"You've worked tirelessly to get to this point, and yet, you refuse to quit. Mr. Syrus, on behalf of Grizzco, you've earned a long break."
The vacuum of space became a storm of energy.
"Now come here... SO I CAN BREAK YOU!"
Ken hopped in the bag, and Syrus began laying down a trail of ink.
Mr. Grizz started his assault by launching multiple Octorpedoes and extending the nails on his claws to flick five ink slashes at his prey.
"Of all the weapons I've studied in Inkopolis and Splatsville, I've grown particularly fond of a few," the ursine beast commented. "The Splatana ranks in the top five."
He swung both hands, sending a staggering ten slashes in Syrus' direction.
Agent 3 slid through the small gaps and aimed his bow at one of the splotches on Mr. Grizz's stomach.
"Good eye, Hotshot," Frye complimented. "I bet those splotches are a weak spot."
Syrus collected a couple of the golden eggs scattered around and closed in on the giant fuzzball.
"Here you go, Ken!"
The golden eggs were significantly more potent than the power eggs. When Ken consumed the first, energy exploded from his tiny body. Upon consuming the second, the Smallfry seemed to grow a little. It wasn't a massive increase but highly noticeable.
Octotroopers joined the battle but were easily dispatched by the agent and his pet. The duo paced themselves. Triple Inkstrikes erupted left and right, momentarily keeping the team at bay. The geysers served as cover for the Octorpedoes, but Ken warned his caretaker and dodged accordingly. The bond between Octoling and Salmonid shined as they danced across the Spirit Lifter.
"You have to get closer!" Shiver advised.
"That's gonna be tough," Syrus replied, switching his weapon. He equipped the Splatana and swam through the ink.
"Futile," Mr. Grizz muttered, his arms rising, and then crashing down with a force that sent shockwaves reverberating through the ship. The impact ripped Syrus from his concealment. As the ex-soldier emerged, the Ursa Major unleashed a swift swing, its elongated claws gleaming like blades in the cosmic light.
Syrus engaged, sparks flying as the Splatana clashed with the razor-sharp claws, each move echoing with the intensity of a duel that blurred the lines between swordsmanship and primal ferocity.
The gang in Alterna watched with anticipation as their only hope faced off against the formidable ursine anomaly, locked in a battle where steel met savage claws in a symphony of danger. It amazed them how fluid Mr. Grizz attacks were. He was huge, but his movements were still swift. Syrus was faster but lost in raw power. In skill, both were equal.
"Not bad, Mr. Syrus," his opponent complimented. "But not good enough either."
One large paw crashed down on the ship and blew the agent back. Now with more room, Mr. Grizz cut the void with both claws and flung ten waves of ink at his prey.
Syrus, still gaining momentum, shifted into an elusive octopus to slip through the gaps and back again. Frye's Splatana growled, pulsating with an insatiable purpose that surged through Syrus' arms. Seizing the moment, he unleashed a charged slash, landing a powerful hit that staggered the grizzly bear slightly.
"Go, Ken!"
Agent 3 fired another charged slash at the CEO's head to buy Ken some time. His little buddy jumped at the fuzzball and ripped it right off Mr. Grizz's stomach. It should've been painful, but the bear hardly reacted.
"You're not clocking out that easily," he said, his tone remaining detached and cold. The fuzzy master dissolved into a blob of ooze and retreated to reveal more areas of the ship.
"More fuzzy ooze?!" Marie wanted to pull her hair out. "How much of this stuff does this monster have?"
"Enough to cover the entire planet," Mr. Grizz answered. "I've come too far to let it all end now."
He could not accept this. The world's balance was in his capable paws. Mr. Grizz could not let his subordinates have their way. An emotion he hasn't felt in a while surfaced, evident by the shaking of his body. His ursine genetics overpowered some of his thinking, and the CEO let out a vicious roar that the squad in Alterna could hear clear as day.
A legion of Octorpedoes rushed to Syrus' position. Explosions and quakes rocked the ship, and Agent 3 fought his way through wave after wave of enemy ink.
Things changed when Mr. Grizz balled himself up and rolled along the surface of the ship.
"What's he doing?" Marie inquired. "Rolling over?"
The ship began rotating as well.
"He's making the whole rocket rotate! Move with the rotation, Agent 3!" Callie advised.
For a full circle, Syrus endured the shifting vessel's rotation, dodging troopers and explosives, and being pushed back by consecutive Triple Inkstrikes. He collected the golden eggs along the excursion, but he was starting to get tired again.
His aim with a Stringer, however, was still deadly. With a few shots, he exposed the second fuzzball. Problem was getting close. He was moving slower.
"No, Hotshot, you gotta keep going. Please!"
"I'm trying," he said through heavy breathing. "I told you I was tired."
"And you're still a boss. Just think of your favorite girls. Maya and I will give you strength."
Syrus sighed but laughed at the statement.
"Touching," Mr. Grizz interrupted, "but the last vestiges of your strength are now embers waiting to be snuffed out."
In rapid succession, the ursine anomaly swung his arms wildly. Waves of ink cut through the vacuum of space and hunted the Octoling down.
Syrus was forced to dodge. He willed his body to move, thanking the vastness of space and its zero gravity environment for letting him move without restraints. Without gravity weighing him down, Syrus' natural flexibility was an arduous combination to overcome.
He inched closer and lobbed his pet Smallfry at the exposed fuzzball. However, his opponent wouldn't allow it twice. Mr. Grizz blocked with one arm, deflecting Ken's assault, and raised both to shield him from the storm of ink arrows Syrus unloaded on his person.
"Tenacious," the grizzly bear commented.
With both arms raised, he didn't see the Splatana shooting across the void and embed itself in the fuzzball's mass.
"Oh?"
Syrus materialized in front of him, a swift and unexpected apparition. He seized the hilt of the blade, twisted it with a deft maneuver, and executed an upward slash that seemed to defy gravity.
"That's more like it! Let's go!" Frye danced around. She wanted to break out the happy dance, but it was too soon for that.
Agent 3 bounced back and tossed his little buddy again. This time, the attack was successful. Ken devoured the second fuzzball, and yet, Mr. Grizz remained unfazed.
"Ah, a setback. But this is a GROWTH INDUSTRY!"
Once again, the CEO retreated and re-emerged at the head of the rocket. There was no more room to fall back on. Another primal roar shook the cosmos, but he took time to get his thoughts in order. Being bested twice filled the CEO with negative ideas.
Syrus used the short reprieve to regain some stamina. The last time he was on the brink of collapse, he finished his ninth straight shift at Grizzco.
"How're you holdin' up, Hotshot?" Frye asked.
"I'm fine, but I don't know how much more I can take."
"I'm sorry, Agent 3," Captain Clora apologized. "I really didn't want to send you because of how much you fought, but it really couldn't be anyone else but you. As well-trained your little buddy is, he wouldn't listen to me like he would you. Believe me when I say that I have complete faith in you two, and your performance only solidifies that."
"Same here, son," former Captain Cuttlefish stated. "I may not be as spry as I used to, but I never second guess my recruits. I knew I chose right when I saw that look in your eyes."
"Don't forget about us," Agent 1 spoke up. "Agent 2 and I know you can get this done. You haven't let us down yet."
"And we know you'd never start," Agent 2 added her two coins. "Be careful and show that overgrown hairball what being an Agent of the New Squidbeak Splatoon is all about!"
Syrus showed a rare toothy grin.
"You're all really something," he said.
"Tell me about it."
"Even I feel inspired, hehe."
Never count his brothers out.
"Agent 7, Agent 9, you're okay," applauded Callie.
Their worlds spinning, Luke and Zane tried to climb to their feet, but lacked the strength and rolled over on their backs.
"You two okay?" Callie hovered them. "You had us worried."
"I'm okay," Agent 7 said while clutching his chest. "My chest hurts a lot."
He entered a coughing fit, and the worries of the group increased.
"Aay. (You really scared me.)"
Even laughing caused Zane pain. "Sorry, but I had to keep it active. It came in clutch, didn't it?"
Luke did not fair better than his comrade. His entire being was sore. Movement of any kind was met with excruciating pain.
Shiver kneeled beside him, sighing, "Honestly, you are so reckless."
"If Auntie didn't regain some of her senses, I would be dead," he breathed deeply to calm his tense shoulders. "Syrus, we're with you, man."
"Show 'em that Splatlandian fire, bro," Zane raised a fist in the air as he laid on his back. "We'll be cheering for you down here."
The wave of encouragement didn't stop there. Static hissed on the earpiece, and stuttering voices could barely be heard amongst the interference.
"What's going on?" Marie winced. "Someone trying to tap into our frequency?"
Syrus hissed because it was directly in his ear, but after a moment of recalibration, the voices came through clearly.
"Hello? Do you read me?"
Clora, Callie, and Marie instantly recognized the voice.
"Yo yo yo! What up, gang? It's MC 5-."
"And DJ 6."
"Comin' at you live from Central Inkopolis!"
"Agent 5 and Agent 6," Agent 1 greeted them. "You're here too?"
"Wait a minute," Zane, Luke, and Syrus said as if hearing the other's thoughts. "They're the other agents?"
"I know you three did not just say that at the same time," Agent 2 looked at Zane and Luke suspiciously.
"Sup,' newbies. You guys know how to party, dontcha? How come we weren't invited?" They could hear Agent 5 frown.
"You know what's going on?"
"You kiddin'? The whole city knows what's happening."
"There were reports of an unidentified rocket being launched into space. Every news station is covering it. Agent 4 and Agent 8 aren't here, but I know they're watching it too. Are you guys fighting a bear?!"
"And who's that on the ship? Are they one of us?"
"I was hoping to introduce you later," Clora spoke up, "but no time like the present. Get ready because there's a lot of us. Say hi, everyone."
"Pleasure," Syrus nodded and chased after his opponent. "I wish our meeting was more favorable. I'm Agent 3. The little one behind me is Ken."
"Agent 7, at your service," Zane declared. "Our daily lives just got more exciting."
Luke chuckled under Levi's nuzzling. "Agent 9 and Levi ready to bust some more heads."
"Nice, I love the attitude," 5 declared.
"Don't forget about us," Shiver stated. "Repping the Splatlands, we are Deep Cut! Shiver!"
"Frye!"
"Aay! (And Big Man!)"
"Wow, the family keeps growing. I know where we're going next, Agent 6!"
"It's nice to hear from you," the calmer 6 responded. "Welcome to the agency. Captain Clora told us a little about you guys."
"Bunch of bad boys, eh?" Agent 5 laughed, very enthused to hear from her new subordinates.
"I wouldn't call us bad boys," Syrus said. "I would say veterans but not like Gramps."
Back up in space, Mr. Grizz regained his composure. He was angry. His plans were in jeopardy, and the opposition refused to go down. It didn't make sense. He had the advantage, and yet, Syrus continued to push forward.
"No more messing around," he stated. "Mr. Syrus, it really is a shame we cannot come to an understanding. Regardless, I cannot allow this interference to continue."
With more aggression, the ursine anomaly deployed every attack in his arsenal. The Spirit Lifter was lit up with Triple Inkstrikes and Octorpedoes. Explosions and gunfire covered the vessel, and Syrus was trapped in the middle of it. It was a natural disaster, but Syrus and Ken kept fighting. The golden eggs piled up, and with each consumption, a strange transformation took over Ken.
Syrus knew he wasn't going insane. His little buddy was growing larger and more voracious. After clearing the walls, Ken shrunk and returned to normal temperament, but the aggressiveness remained. He couldn't recall a time Ken lost control of himself, but as the fight with Mr. Grizz continued, Ken grew more and more monstrous.
"Woo! You got some moves, Neo 3!" Agent 5 complimented. "Old Man Gramps knows how to pick 'em."
"Thank you, but if I was fresher, I could perform better."
A legion of Octorpedoes surrounded him.
"Brace yourself, Ken. Time to dance."
Syrus swiftly traded weapons, unleashing a torrent of lethal maneuvers with Frye's Splatana. He twirled around the projectiles, slicing through them with razor-sharp precision. His every move echoed a mesmerizing dance perfected in the scorching crucible of Splatsville's unforgiving desert. Spectators gasped as he orchestrated a symphony of destruction, a choreographed ballet amid the chaos. Hidden from the public, Syrus's eyes darted, calculating strategies in the blink of an eye, adding an electrifying intensity to his performance. The crowd held its breath, captivated by the unfolding spectacle.
"Whoa!" Agent 6 clapped her hands. "Incredible!"
"Alright, Neo! Kick his furry butt!"
"That's my Hotshot!" Frye punched the air. "That's how we do it down here in Splatsville!"
Then, activating his special energy, Syrus used the burst of energy to close the distance between him and the grizzly bear. However, Mr. Grizz didn't retaliate. He sat on the floor and began taking in deep breaths. The empty space between them seemed to vibrate as he drew near.
"What's he doing?" Agent 1 asked the million coin question.
Syrus didn't like it and prioritized safety. He dove out of the way. This proved to be the correct choice, as Mr. Grizz let out a massive supersonic Killer Wail. His ears ringing, Syrus swam around the blast and got close.
"OWWW! That was loud!"
Agent 5 scoffed. "You call that loud? Let me warm up my vocals and I'll show you a real Killer Wail."
Mr. Grizz readied another wail. As he waited, Syrus jumped out of the ink and scored a direct hit from his Stringer. The final fuzzball was exposed, and the screams of the NSS rang out.
"Finish it!"
Syrus hurriedly threw Luke at the ball, but it was too late.
Mr. Grizz, with a surge of unrestrained gusto, unleashed another devastating Killer Wail. The battlefield convulsed as if the very fabric of reality trembled under the weight of the sonic onslaught. The powerful sound waves tore through the void.
Syrus, unable to immediately act, found himself caught in the epicenter of the blast. Time seemed to slow as the cacophony enveloped him, the force of the sound waves threatening to rend him apart. The very essence of the blast wrapped around him like a vengeful tempest, and he fought against the unseen tidal forces that sought to consume him.
The atmosphere intensified to a fever pitch, the onlookers in Alterna, Splatsville, Inkopolis, and other parts of the world watching in sheer horror as the lone figure in the maelstrom, vanished into the heart of the blast.
The audience didn't know what was going on. Who were the figures in space? Why were they fighting? Who should they root for? The newsfeed couldn't get a close up of Syrus' face. The intensity of the fight kept satellites at a distance, and Syrus was constantly on the move.
The battlefield, now a surreal canvas of chaos, bore witness to the cruel dance between destruction and survival. The echoes of Mr. Grizz's devastating Killer Wail lingered, a haunting reminder of the intensity that unfolded in those heart-stopping seconds.
The last pitches of Mr. Grizz's roar faded, and silence returned to the anomaly. A line of destruction split the hull of the rocket, spilling out wires and debris.
Mr. Grizz surveyed the damages. His fuzzy ooze was intact, and the rocket continued moving. It was in the prime location to release its contents. But, a small figure was seen digging through the debris, heartbroken wails crying out for its caretaker.
"Of course, the Salmonid survived," he growled. His claws elongated. His heavy footsteps stalked closer to the small creature.
"RUN, KEN!" Zane cried out.
The audience chanted the same thing, begging the little guy to get to safety, but Ken refused to leave. He kept searching for his caretaker.
Mr. Grizz loomed over the Salmonid with an ominous glare and his claw raised high. He said nothing, but his eyes spoke volumes.
"Farewell, little nuisance."
Without remorse and hesitation, the CEO swung down, and Ken's wails echoed in space.