Chapter 3: The Spire of Order with Acht

Upon entering the tower, Owen and the Pearl Drone look at the place.

"Is this for real? Wherever we are, it's nothing like the Inkopolis Square tower," said Peral.

"It's called the Deca Tower. And clearly, it was replaced by this one we entered," Owen commented.

"I'm getting the heebie-jeebies. Keep your eyes open!"

Prince Octavius said through Owen's earring, "Owen Babe, it's me. Pearl is right. I'm detecting an uneasy presence lurking in the foyer. It seems dangerous, so be careful."

When gushers of black ink appeared, Pearl shouted, "Heads up, Eight!"

"What is that? Black ink?" Chris commented.

"I never seen ink like that before," Corey added.

Coming out of the gushers are Jelletons. The sight of them made Owen comprehensive eye in admiration.

"Awww! They're so cute!" she commented.

"Cute?! Do you not see their red biddy eyes and their skeleton showing?!" Chris yelled.

"Trouble's coming for us. Use these!" said Pearl before summoning the Order Dualies.

"Woah, Dualies? Don't know where or how you got these, Pearl, but let's splat it!" said Owen, ready for battle.

Meanwhile, in cyberspace, the three watch Owen fight the Jelletons.

"I never seen these kinds of species. They somewhat remind me of the Salmonids but way scarier," said Corey.

"I don't recall them to be enemies from what was mentioned about this world. They were supposed to be helpful to anyone who entered. The glitch may have something to do with them acting this way," said Prince Octavius, typing on his laptop.

"And how did they become scary-looking, too?"

"I guess."

"But I like the way they go into splatted. All their bones were falling apart. Color cool. I wish I could fight them," said Chris.

Once the Jelletons were gone, Pearl said, "Whew! I think that was the last of 'em. Huh? Where'd I get the weapon from?"

"Who knows?" said Owen.

"Iunno. Your guess is as good as mine. Just felt like…something I had in me, y'know?"

"Maybe if I scan your new body, Pearl, I can figure out what else you can do," said Prince Octavius.

"Do as you wish, Octo Prince. As long as it doesn't harm me in any way."

Just then, at the other end of the foyer, the elevator made a ding.

"But never mind that. The elevator's running again!"

"I see. Suppose defeating those fish-bony creatures brought power back to it. If we fight more of these, you two might get closer to Marina," said Chris.

"My tough mussel may be on to something. Owen and Pearl, get going. We do all we can to help you,"

Pearl then said, "He's right. We can sit and scratch our heads all we want, but why bother when the answers are up there? Let's get moving, Owen Eight!"

"Roger that," Owen answers as she heads to the elevator.

But when a door opens, a familiar Sanitized Octoling is seen inside it.

"Huh? Who is that?" Corey asks.

"It's one of Commander Tartar's Sanitized Octoling! But how?!" Prince Octavius said.

Pearl then shouted, "You with those fish we busted up?! Sic 'em, Owen Eight!"

"Uh, she doesn't have a weapon on herself, Pearl," said Owen.

The Sanitized Octoling responds, "Cool it. I'm not your enemy. Just another bystander who got sucked in. I take it you two followed Marina's voice here."

"Say what?! You know Marina, too?!" Pearl asks.

"This Sanitized Octoling seems trusting to know a comrade of ours. I suggest you ally with her," said Chris.

After Owen and the Pearl Drone nod, they enter the elevator before it closes.

"First things first: I'm Acht. As for Marina and me… we go way back," she said.

"For real?! Yo, lead with that next time! I'm Pearl, and this's Owen. But I call her Owen Eight or Eight sometimes! Cool meeting you, Acht," said Pearl.

"Acht, that's an odd name," Chris commented.

"Hmm…I heard of someone in our Octoling Army like that. Maybe I can look them up," said Prince Octavius, who starts typing.

Soon, a pop-up of Dedf1sh appeared before the three agents.

"Here it is: she's a DJ known as Dedf1sh. She was one of the victims of the Sanitization in the Deepsea Metro," Prince Octavius continued. "Her songs can be heard all over the place. According to her records, she worked behind-the-scenes security for the Army due to being known as a slacker."

"I heard that! Wait! Prince Octavius, is that you?" said Acht.

"Yes, it is."

"Forgive my reaction, my Prince."

"Not to worry. Please go on."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Ahem. I've been in the area since I came to. I heard Marina's voice from up the Spire, so I came to find her. But those bony fish found me first. I call them Jelletons. They're why I'm trapped in an elevator. The Spire is crammed with Jelletons. This wound they gave me hasn't healed. So I'm stuck."

"Spire? Is that what this place is called?" Owen continued. "And also, what a cute name for those fishies!"

"In your mind, probably," said Chris.

"I hope we'll find a way to heal Acht's right arm," said Corey.

"Yikes. Things aren't looking super good for the home team, huh?" said Pearl.

"No doubt about it," said Owen.

Then Acht said, "Don't count us out yet. I've been waiting for an Octoling with a drone, Said your name was Owen? You're the one I needed to see."

Acht then took a red chip and continued, "OK, Pearl. Now check out what happens when you set this color chip into that Palette."

"A color chip? A Palette?" said Prince Octavius.

"Palette? I'm supposed to know what that is?" said Pearl.

She summons her Palette and says, "Oh, are you talking about this thing?"

"Ooooo," Owen, Prince Octavius, Chris, and Corey were amazed.

"You got it. Now set this color chip into it," said Acht.

Pearl answered, "OK, but whatever happens is on you. Here goes nothing, Owen Eight! Slap that chip on it there!"

"OK, so? Like this," said Owen, putting the chip on the Palette.

After the Pearl Drone got a boost, she said, "WHOA! Is it me, or did your weapon get stronger? If you set a whole bunch of color chips in here, you could walk all over those fishy freaks!"

"No doubt. Play your chips right, and you could make it all the way to the top," Acht agreed.

"I look out on what kinds of color chips and palettes this place has," said Prince Octavius.

"Whatever's going on in this city, Marina's in the thick of it. Or so I'm assuming. But this injury has left me sidelined. Our strike team will be limited to you two."

Pearl then said, "We're on it, Acht! Deep breaths, Owen Eight. It's time to find Marina!"

"OK, since they are doing the hard labor, we can do the techy labor to help them reach the top, right?" said Chris.

"My hacking skills aren't letting me get the elevator to the top. It looks like they'll have to go one floor at a time," said Prince Octavius.

"So much for your techy fingers."

"It looks like they're going to the first floor and go to destroy portals," said Corey, watching Owen going on the 1st floor with the Pearl Drone.

"Most of those words have weird decoration. Toys, rides, and candy? It makes no sense."

"Owen Babe, can you hear me?" Prince Octavius asks.

"I'm a bit busy now," she answered while fighting Jelletons.

"Listen closely. After analyzing the color chip you got, I discovered six kinds of color chips. The 1st one you get is the Red Power Chip. Power-tone color chips help you go on the offensive by increasing damage dealt, firing rate, and more."

"Oh, my kind of chips, but not my kind of color," Chris commented.

"There's the Orange Range Chips. Range-tone color chips can ink more turf, shoot further, pierce enemies, and more. The Yellow Lucky-tone color chips litter the field with armor, ink refills, helpful bombs, and more. Green Drone-tone color chips boost the Pearl Drone's abilities by granting special actions and helping them charge more easily. Blue Mobility-tone color chips are all about moving. Move faster, recover gauge on the go, and so on. And lastly, the Purple Support-tone color chips increase ink efficiency, help with targeting, and more."

"Hearing all of this sounds like we need all those chips to get things straight," said Corey.

"…Pe…rl… …el…imina…tio…" said a voice.

"Marina?! Hang on, girl! We're on our way!" Pearl continued. "I did NOT like the sound of that. Let's pick up the pace!"

"I can use my hacking skills to help Owen get more Color chips. I hope Agent 3 got my message," said Prince Octavius.

Meanwhile, with Tyler's group, he soon wakes up to hear the intercom saying, "Now entering Inkopolis Plaza station!"

"Here we are. Tyler and Sammy, welcome to Inkopolis Plaza," said Taylor.

The adopted brotherly duo looked amazed from seeing the Plaza in person.

Tyler soon gets into nostalgia fantasizing mode when he says, "It's so rich in retro history! The Booyah Base! The Inkopolis Tower! The Battle Dojo! And Inkpolis Café!"

"Ay ay ay. (He loves anything old fashion.)" Big Man commented.

"You know Tyler Hottie, I can tell you anything about my family background," Frye said.

"Not so fast, French Frye! My family history is rich in traditions if you're interested in it, Tyler cutie," said Shiver after she hit Frye's forehead with her fan.

But both of them noticed Tyler was not around.

Terry said, "Yeah, he just left to play on the Squid Jump arcade game."

As Tyler plays the game, Sammy nudges his leg, saying, "(Big Bro, what about the mission? What about the other agents?)."

"Can this wait? I am about to beat the high score in this game," Tyler replied.

"(Terry, Tyler isn't cooperating!)"

"Frye and Shiver, seize him," said Terry.

"Yeah!" Frye and Shiver pounced on Tyler with joy.

Soon, Squid Cuttlefish arrived to say, "Fellow Agents and Captain, glad you are here. Callie and Marie are in their bedrooms, out cold. Please follow me."

"Yes, Cuttlefish," said Taylor.

"Let's go, Agents.

"Ay, ay, ay. (Aye-aye, Captain Terry, ma'am.)" said, Big Man.

Frye and Shiver happily carried Tyler on their shoulders while he whined, "But the game!"