Chapter 6:
(Okay, we're going in to some of the big stuff, now! We'll get a couple of floors and interactions to spare. Enjoy!)
Eight practiced his firing in the foyer area, deciding to keep the Dualies on him for now. He was confident that he could make it through with them for now, he realized that the map of the elevator has changed to 30 floors now, so while it would take a while to reach the apex of the building, it was imperative to stockpile as much power as possible. "While it will be more difficult prior to before, we may have another advantage with more available color chips." Eight thought to himself. "Eight, you good?" Pearl asked, "Yes. I'm ready to go back in, now." Eight said, spinning the Dualies before heading into the elevator with Pearl. Acht was already waiting for them.
(Later)
Marina had joined them on the elevator ride, taking a bit of time off her laptop. "Listen…the going might be tough ahead, but if we don't give up, I know we can make it." She said, with her three friends agreeing with her. Pearl hovered in the air and did a few flips, she laughed. "You know it! Let's get this party started!" She said, "If I gave up now, I know I'd regret it's. I'm with you, guys." Eight had said. Acht simply shrugged and said: "Don't worry about me. I'm in this to the end." Acht said, before something had startled Pearl.
"Guys, the Palette! It's empty!" Pearl had said, Acht rose her hands up to calm down Pearl's panic. "Yeah, because all the color chips you had got converted into Prlz. No color chips, no upgrades." She explained to them. Marina put her laptop to her side and looked at her friend, "You also have fewer lives than you did before, Eight." Eight looked confused, "I was curious, if I were to be splattered in the Spire, what would happening to me?" He asked, "Nothing too deadly, thankfully. If you lose all your Lives, you'll be thrown out of the Spire and have to start all over again." Eight smiled, at least assured that he wouldn't die if he were to fall in the Spire. Eight was ready, and looked through the plethora of missions for the coming floor. "Let's see…Main Pier—Uh…Main Piercing, Drone Battery Drop…" Eight looked at the difficulty and granted color chips available. "Why don't choose this one?" Eight had asked, Pearl looking at the one on the bottom. It was normal difficulty and the floor was unknown, "This chip should help provide to your charge rate, Pearl. Besides, if we wish to take down Order, we both need to be at our strongest." Pearl was excited, "Hah, I like the way you're thinking, Eight. Already choosing to be kind to me, too. I knew we were tight, yo!" Pearl said, with Marina and Acht chuckling. "Tight? O-Oh, you mean our camaraderie…U-Uh, yes. We are uh…tight…yo…?" Eight asked, semi awkward. Acht placed her hand on her head, embarrassed for the younger Octoling. Marina simply giggled, quietly.
"Hahahah! Yeah, we cool! You're finally picking up my vibes!" Pearl said.
"All right, let's proceed." Eight said, grabbing the color chip and installing it to the Palette.
(At the Pyramid.Floor)
Eight had walked out and looked at his hair. The color had been affected and his highlights had glowed a bright blue hue. "I wonder why the color chips affect my hair?" Eight asked, "Who knows? Why doesn't it affect my colors? It's MY Palette, right?" Pearl asked. "Perhaps it is because I am the weapon's handler?" Eight had theorized. "Eh, maybe? Anyways, this place is a Tower Control floor. We should hurry up and clear it!" Eight had nodded, rushing up to the cage to lift off. Eight survey the route the Tower needed to be escorted to and noticed where the Jelleton spawn points were located. "Dropping me off here." Eight let go, and started aiming for the Tower. "All right, enemies inkoming!" Acht had said, Eight had stayed focus on pushing the Tower while keeping his head on a swivel for the Jelletons inkoming. He noticed that the Tower was coming to another one of its halts, and threw a Curling Bomb its way.
Eight dodged to his left when the Tower made it past its wall. "One step before the next step." Eight had said, moving onward to the next wall. He shot a nearby crate while changing his position of fire, the Jelletons were closing in from in front of him—the Octoling smirked, seeing them be hit by his ink, before he saw that it was running out. "Hurry and refill, Eight!" Pearl had shouted, Eight moving to the refill tank. A few Jelletons were destroyed with the Tower keeping on keeping on. When it reached its final wall, Eight brought out the Reefslider and slid it across the battlefield, he put his foot down and the Reefslider made it to its optimum blast spot! This floor was no match for Eight and Pearl's skills.
"All right, floor's cleared. Nice warmup, you guys." Acht had said, seeing the two of them return to the elevator.
(5 Floors Later)
"Noice! We made it past 5F!" Pearl said, clearly happy. Marina smiled alongside her best friend, "And we got Prlz for clearing it. The Spire is set up to give you good bonuses if you can clear 5F." She explained, explaining an example of they had gotten kicked out after 5F, they'd start with 500 Membux on the next run. "And there'll be a guaranteed Vending-Machine Corner on 5F where you can spend it." Eight nodded, "A Vending-Machine Corner sounds like a great place to take a breather! …Not that I breathe." Pearl had said, making Eight laugh at her joke. "So, what exactly can we buy from the Vending-Machines that could buy?" Acht explained that they're well worth it, giving a few examples like replacement Sub-Weapons or Specials, even color chips. "But don't stop there! Let's make this THE run where we can reach Order and blast it to bits! You feel me, Eight?" Pearl asked, Eight had nodded, frowning. "Agreed. Let's destroy this shameless world of eternal stasis." Eight had said, profoundly loud.
"Whoa, Eight. Where'd THAT energy come from?" Acht had asked. Eight had nervously blushed, embarrassed. "U-Uh…P-Pardon my lack of composure for the moment's notice." Eight had said. Marina had rose her hand up in objection, "No, no. Eight, it's all right." She said, Eight looked to his side, "It's not. I never would've…" Eight sighed, not finishing his sentence. Eight had thought about what to say, and he knew how to better express his emotions:
"Order is unchanged, could it be true?
A world without emotion, lack of life?
Skies with no blue." Eight had said, reciting a poem he just created, "Whoa, preach, bro!" Pearl had said. Acht looked curious about what Eight's poem meant to him, Marina had thought about it for a moment and then she gasped upon what Eight was thinking about.
"Eight, you don't have to be upset about your choice in the Splatocalypse." Marina had said. Eight had looked up, he was often baffled by how Marina could tell what he was thinking of. "Eh? What's the Splatocalypse have to do with Eight's poem?" Acht had asked. Marina placed her hand on his shoulder, "I know this wouldn't have been what you wanted, I'm gonna fix it. I promise." Marina had said, determined and trying to stay strong for Eight's sake. Eight took a deep breath, "Right. Only WE'LL fix it. Responsibilities cannot fall on you secludedly, Marina." Eight had said. Marina smiled, "Thanks, Eight." Marina had said, high-fiving her friend. "Aight then, let's roll to the next one!" Pearl said, with the gang getting ready for the next few floors!
(Okay, we're at the end. I know it's unoriginal now, but imagine Eight did an Akira slide on his Reefslider. Hope u guys enjoyed the chapter! I had fun writing Eight's dynamics with Pearl and Marina. I'm trying to make it to where Marina acts like a big sis to Eight and often has his emotional support. I'll try to figure out how I want to write the dynamics with him and Acht and add more elevator conversations. Anyways, stay strong and awesome!)
Proverbs 4:23 KJV:
Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.