It was a dark and cool night in Inkopolis, and one squid was walking alone along the street. The shops were bustling as people clamoured to make their final purchases before closing time, but she had no interest in shopping, moreso now than ever. She found herself just sort of idly walking, not really having a destination in mind, barely a thought in her head at all, nothing particularly had been bothering her, but then she'd been through so much by this point that perhaps the lack of struggle was a struggle all its own. Her mind pushes her to follow a familiar path, one she'd walked hundreds of times in days gone by, and at some point she finds herself entering through a door, the chime barely catching her attention. However, what does catch her attention is a somewhat familiar voice calling out from behind the counter.
"Oh hey there Three! Been a bit since we last saw ya here, you want the usual?" The barista behind the counter smiled with a wave, he looks like he's been working most of the day, but also like he seems to enjoy that. It was his own coffee shop after all, no one quite knew how he got the capital to open it in the first place, but he was such a friendly face that he was liked and respected in the community, even by people who didn't frequent the coffee shop. It was clear he was winding down for the evening, but his shop always stayed open the longest, he wanted to make sure he could help anyone who might be just coming off work and needing something before going home, or to catch the night shift workers on their way in so they had something to start their work day with as well.
"O-Oh uh… hey… yeah, sure." She approaches the counter, pulling out her wallet and paying for her order. Even if it had been a while since she'd come by, she still knew exactly how much her order cost, and so exact change was given to the Barista before her wallet was then returned to her pocket. After a moment she has her drink in her hand and finds herself sitting in the same spot she had that first time she took Kiaria here, a time that feels oh so long ago. She smiles for a moment at the memory, how awkward and unsure she'd been at the time. Just two fools pining after each other and completely oblivious to the other's feelings. Her expression turns a little sour however as she remembers why they hadn't been back yet, the things her mind and body have been through, the anguish both she and Kiaria have had to endure at the hands of that stupid telephone. However, Alex doesn't want to dwell on the sour memories, instead she opts for pushing those thoughts aside and just trying to relax her mind while she consumes her drink. Idle sips and trying to remember happier memories to calm her mind.
As she sits and thoughtlessly sips her drink, her phone finds itself in her free hand. Her background was the two of them sitting together with their heads on one another. Marie had snuck the picture when they'd both dozed off, but Alex couldn't bring herself to be mad. Kiaria had a recording session at the studio tonight and it was likely going to run late, so Alex found herself needing to kill time. She doesn't have any agent work, they've largely pulled back her duties for now with her mind still on the mend, even if her body has recovered for the most part… well as much as it can. Her therapist had quite a few questions for her in her last session, what with her tentacle burned off like it is. None of that was on her mind at the moment however, truly there was barely anything on her mind. Her thumb taps her messages app, seeing if she needs to reply to anyone and without even a thought she types a message to her partner.
—
Alex: Hey love! Text me when you're done, I might be asleep by then but I love waking up to see your messages almost as much as I love waking up to see you next to me 3
—
Alex can't help but smile a little, even if she hadn't put much thought into the message itself, it had reminded her of what still makes her happy. The smile doesn't last too long however, her expression becoming more neutral as her mind shifts elsewhere. From here she sits silently, occasionally sipping her drink and scrolling through random apps on her phone. News said Grizz had ramped up hiring campaigns, Alex had noticed he seemed a bit more… frantic… when she'd accompany Jay and Kiaria on jobs. She hadn't really thought much of it, other than the fact that she knew the Salmonids had been growing more bold. She knew the why of it now, she had a guess given the timing but she confronted Sheldon for confirmation. She hated to think that Kamabo had been doing ANYTHING good for Inkopolis, but she figures she'd rather deal with the occasional salmon than risk being dragged off to Kamabo again. Even if Tartar was gone, who's to say he wouldn't have had some kind of contingency plan? She knew it was better overall without Kamabo in the picture, they were… too dangerous to be left alive.
"Hey you doing alright? You're looking a little lost." The barista calls out as he cleans some mugs, Alex and him were the only ones in the shop at the moment and he could tell something was on her mind. He could also tell Alex had been through something, with her right tentacle the way it is, and her overall demeanour just different overall from when she used to come in. "And what happened with the girl you brought in a while back, you two seemed quite infatuated with each other. That going well?"
"Hmm? Oh yeah just a lot on my mind is all…" Alex sets her phone down on the table, sitting back in her chair a little bit causing the wood to creak as her weight shifts. "She's busy tonight, got a music studio booked. I'd be there with her but I'd just be sitting there on my phone bored out of my mind since there's nothing for me to do there… which I guess isn't much different from what I'm doing here. Usually I'd have my own things to be doing anyways but… been given some time off work for myself."
"I see… everything good at home?" He asks with a slightly tilted head, like a curious puppy wondering what that noise his owner is making at him is. He was gently probing to see if maybe there was something going on she wasn't telling him. He'd seen his fair share of people claim everything is fine when it clearly isn't. However he does not wish to make an accusation on no grounds, so he's poking.
"Well enough… some minor things causing a bit of tension between Kia and I but nothing worth talking about… at present our biggest disagreements involve what curtains to get, and… what venue…" Alex sighs softly, putting a hand on her cheek to sort of rest her head's weight on it a little, unintentionally showing the promise ring Kiaria had gotten for her in the days after she was discharged from the hospital. So they could both have a reminder of their love and commitment.
"Ohhhh, I see I see. Well if you can't agree on a venue, have you considered instead of trying to make it the "perfect place", try and find a place that either holds significance for both of you? Or, failing that, some place that's simple yet beautiful? If you want an example, my brother and his partner couldn't decide on a place much the same as you, until our parents offered to host it in our backyard. It was a simple event but I think it meant a lot more than an expensive venue that would've set back house purchase plans." He shrugs softly, offering his two cents on the matter at hand, while also slightly relieved that what he had initially thought were red flags were actually just general wedding planning stress more or less.
"Hmm… that is an idea…" Alex ponders for a moment, taking a sip of her drink and finishing it off. She thinks about her home where she grew up, her mind briefly considering how it might look should they choose to hold it there. However, before she can get too much of a thought through, a crashing sound can be heard from the back room, loud and startling enough that Alex is already on her feet, a formerly concealed dualie pistol now in her right hand even as the Barista turns in shock towards the back room a little too quickly and losing his balance.
"What th- Since when do you carry one of those around?!" He had fallen on his ass and was presently trying to reconcile the random sound he'd heard from the back room combined with the fact the woman he'd usually seen as somewhat reserved but friendly was now holding a gun outside of a sanctioned match, something he thought only law enforcement was allowed to do.
"Since Sheldon invented them, being a government employee has its perks. Now I assume you have no idea what made that noise given your reaction. It would probably be best, in that case, if you stay back while I investigate." Alex's finger rests on the side of the trigger guard, ready to pull the trigger at a moment's notice, however not in a place where she is at risk of firing prematurely. Her brow is furrowed and her face is all business, a sharp contrast to the aloof mindset she'd entered the building with.
"O-Oh uh… well I'm not about to argue with the girl holding a gun so I'll just uh…" He's clearly at a loss for words, but does remain in place. He's more than a little curious what is going to happen now. He'd had people break in before, but never while they were open, and it stopped shortly after they realised he didn't leave any money accessible after he closed, so he had genuinely no idea what could possibly be entering his place of business so unlawfully.
Alex wordlessly stalks towards the door to the back room, quietly and quickly shifting over the counter, keeping her weapon pointed forwards. She has calmed her breathing and is trying to keep herself from getting too worked up in the heat of the moment. She's about to push the door open when it instead swings open from inside, causing her to jump back slightly to avoid the swing. The sight that awaits her is not at all what she expected. She'd been expecting either rouge loyalist Octarians looking for supplies, or even a Jellyfish that'd gotten itself lost. Instead, staring down at her from the open door, was nothing less than a large Salmonid. Not quite a Cohock but definitely larger than a Chum by a good margin.
"FUCK!" She dodges to the side with a quick roll just as the Salmonid swings its frying pan, missing her but smashing one of the industrial coffee makers. Fortunately it'd been emptied and turned off else that would be quite the mess. Still, bits of shattered glass fall to the floor as the carafe is shattered. A good thing she isn't barefoot, she thinks to herself.
Alex takes aim and fires a few shots, but she doesn't have enough ink reserves without an ink tank to take him out in one go. As soon as her weapon clicks to signal she can't fire it anymore, she quickly dives behind the counter, panting lightly already, and trying to focus on getting her internal ink reserves refilled quickly. She curses herself for using all of the ink she could firing at the Salmon as refilling without an ink puddle takes way longer.
Her reprieve is short lived however as the Salmonid rounds the counter, angered by being shot at, and once again swinging his frying pan with enough force to splat. This time, however, Alex manages to catch the pan mid-swing, her strength having long returned to her arms as her muscles now visibly flex from the strain of holding back the attack, barely keeping the lone pistol in her right hand all the while. She manages to kick the Salmon back, prying the pan from its fins in the same stroke and tossing it aside. She knows she has to end this soon, if it comes down to a physical punch out, she's not sure she could win against such a foe. Then she remembers, Sheldon had also given her a special canister. He told her it was only for emergencies, and she was starting to think this situation qualified.
"Sorry about this man." She looks shyly back at the Barista, but she knows she has to take out this Salmonid, and she still isn't prepped to shoot again. So instead, she reaches into her pocket and pulls out her emergency canned special. She quickly pops the lid, her tentacle hair glowing as she runs and leaps into the air over top where the Salmonid had been pushed back to. He tries to grab her, reaching for her ankle, but it's too late. In a flash she comes crashing down to the ground, the area exploding with orange ink. The Salmonid now but a thing of the past.
The barista is too in shock to adequately process what's just happened, in the span of a few moments he'd gone from talking to a frequent customer about her life, to cowering behind his own counter while said customer fights off an enraged fish, leaving his coffee shop a mess of ink.
"Ink'll usually be gone pretty quick, might wanna close up early though just in case." Alex comments as she wipes sweat from her brow and re-conceals her single dualie pistol.
"…WHAT?!" The poor man is so confused his brain hurts, he cannot properly process all the information that's been fed into his mind and now he's shaking a little bit. "I'm sorry you… you're a government employee? Since fucking when?!"
"Oh shit, I'm not supposed to tell people that… Look, just…" Alex pinches the bridge of her nose in frustration, in part with herself, and in part with the situation on the whole. "You remember when the Great Zapfish was stolen from Inkopolis Plaza? I'm the one who got it back. I'd appreciate it if you kept that fact secret though because we're not supposed to be public about it."
"WHY NOT?!" The man was clearly shaken by what he'd seen and this news was not at all aiding his panicked state, not to mention his coffee shop was in disrepair. "Why in the hell would that need to be secret information?"
"BECAUSE THE OCTARIANS TOOK IT, AND IF PEOPLE KNEW IT'D CAUSE A PANIC!" Alex shouts with frustration, her hands balled into fists as she stares him down, then moments later takes a quick breath and calms herself. "Look… it's a long story and it isn't one I feel like getting into right now. I'll make sure you're reimbursed for the repairs, maybe there'll be enough in the cheque for you to hire that chef to have fresh food for your sandwiches."
"Wait- h-how did you know-?"
Alex taps her temple.
"Uhh, government agent? I need to have a keen ear. Don't worry this'll all be taken care of and it'll be like nothing happened."
Alex then looks at her wristwatch and taps it a few times, from the outside it would look like she was just trying to get the hands to move, but then suddenly the device lights up.
"Hey Sheldon? Yeah it happened. Almost a Cohock, more like an overgrown chum though. Inside the coffee shop I always go to. No no, it's gone, it caused some property damage in the process however, make sure the owner is reimbursed and then some. Three, out."
Alex then turns to the Barista again, flashing a smile.
"There, all taken care of. I best be off, Kiaria would have my head if I was late picking her up. Sorry about the mess!" She doesn't give him a chance to reply, instead turning and running out the door and super jumping away. A convenient lie, as Pearl and Marina were dropping Kiaria off after her recording session, but Alex needed an excuse to get the hell outta dodge.
The Barista is now just sat on his knees looking at the mess his coffee shop is in currently, he can only imagine it would've been worse had Alex not intervened but even still, all he can really think to say as he watches the Inkling disappear into the distance is…
"...WHAT?!"