Chapter 3:
(Chapter 3 of a Splatoon 3 Fanfic! Okay, so, I hope for one thing is that these missions before we get to the bigger stuff don't become too repetitive. I'll be sure to try and shake things up a little. Anyways, enjoy the chapter.)
A final Splatfest in Inkopolis Square. Eight was excited but also sad, this would be the last Splatfest he would be able to participate in for a while. He'd heard from Three that she participated in the Inkopolis Plaza's final Splatfest and her theme was which Squid Sister was the better. Eight's would revolve around something more than who's the better Off The Hook member.
"Chaos Vs. Order." Eight read the two signs, this was an eternal debate of ideals and lifestyles. Pearl and Marina already had clashing ideals over which world they'd prefer.
The two members wanted to ask Eight on his opinion. "Well, what'd ya think, Eight? A world of wild freedom sounds cool, right?" Pearl asked, "Well, it certainly has its ups, but it also does have its downers." Eight said, "Eight, it's just "downs"." Marina said. "
"O-Oh…right. Anyways, a world where we're free and each day is exciting and full of fun…If it's within a more lawful and keeps a great sense of morale…err, morality…I'd find a world of chaos exciting." Eight explained, Pearl smirked, "Yeah, sounds like you all right." She said, Eight smiled a little and then turned to Marina.
"Then there's a world of order…a place with the same ideals and valued. The progress of making a better place…a world of progress and hope…or…at least, that's what it sounds to me like…" Eight explained, before taking one more look at the signs. "Hmmm…" Eight took a breath, "You don't have to think so hard about this, Eight. It's just for a Splatfest." Marina said, making sure he didn't think so hard about it. Eight nodded, and frowned at Pearl.
"Pearl…I…I am sorry." Eight apologized, "Aww, what? C'mon, Eight, not you too." Pearl said, a little upset. "I do see the beneficiaries of a world of chaos…but…I dunno, at least with a world of order…maybe we can make things better for it?" Eight thought about why he would pick Order, and he figured a world with at least a good set of rules would be more his ideal, while not taking away his freedom. Either way, he saw the benefits of both ideal world.
"Well, it's no big deal, I guess? You know we're still tight, right, Eight?" Pearl asked, "That's…very good to hear." Eight smiled, "Remember, we're supposed to have fun with this, right?" Marina said, "After all, no matter what happens, the world will be great as long as we're together, right?" Marina had asked, Eight and Pearl smiled.
(Back to the future)
Eight was getting an understanding of what Acht meant by the Lucky Bomb drops;they would keep dropping every time he took care of a Jelleton. This made taking down the Jelletons easier, and thereby making the portals easier to deal with. Eight managed to destroy at least two portals.
"This one's almost in the bag!" Pearl said, "Yeah, and we're almost done!" Eight had said, Acht and Pearl cringed.
"Uh…yeah, Eight. Nice one!" Acht said. Eight caught on to the tone, he may have messed up his words again. The Octoling and Drone made their way toward the last portal of this floor.
"Let's rush them!" Eight activated the Reefslider and used it to destroy the remaining Jelletons.
"We're at the end, let's finish this!" Eight shouted, firing all the shots he could at the final portal.
The final portal had exploded in the coral pink ink. They had finished the floor, "Okay, now we can advance." Eight had said, returning to the elevator.
The two got inside and the elevator started up, "Good hustle, Eight. I've got the lowdown on the next floor for you." Acht explained, pulling up the screen for this next floor:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Gliding.Floor
Reward: @20
Chip: Ink Saver(Main) X2
100% 50%
• - • - • - • - •
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Decreases amount of ink consumed by your main weapon
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"Whoa! We get TWO color chips this one?! Twoice as noice!" Pearl shouted, excited. "Do you know why we're getting two chips for this one, Acht?" Eight asked
"That's mostly just a random chance. If we're lucky enough, it'll show up." Pearl looked at the rest of the screen, "What about this "reward?"What is that?" Pearl asked, "That's just how much Membux you get from clearing the floor. Not sure what those are for yet, but they seem like a good thing to have." Acht explained. "Well, if you say so. Table that for now, I guess." Pearl said.
Eight thought about that, "Maybe there's a floor that requires a cost to even enter? …No, perhaps it's for something else entirely." Eight surmised, it didn't seem like they were even charging these tests and floors for entry. Not like last time a place like this existed.
"Eight, you alright?" Pearl asked her friend, "I am fine, Pearl."
Acht fixed her glasses, "Eight, if you need a break from climbing the tower, let me know." She said to him, explaining that she'll stop the elevator for a while and they can come back to this when they're ready. Eight nodded his head. "I'll just catch my breath for a moment." Eight sat for a second and looked at his hair, thinking back to what the outside of this tower was.
"All white and devoid of emotion…"
(Later)
After their break, Eight and Pearl walked out of the elevator, "Whoa! I love that color, Eight!" Pearl said, seeing the ends of his hair have turned into a pale lavender. Eight smiled, stoically. "I suppose it is nice color." He said, waiting for the Dualies to materialize in his hands.
The two looked ahead, trying to survey the battlefield before the battle would begin. "What gives? I'm not seeing any portals." Acht spoke up, "Different objective. This time, you need to ink that zone and guard it until time's up." Eight nodded his head, "So, it's like Splatting—er—Splat Zones."
Pearl's face would indicate that she was smirking, "It's like this stuff was made for us!"
Acht chuckled, before looking at the map. "Yep. But I don't see a way to get to the high ground with the zone. The wall looks inkproof."
Eight looked at the boost pad, and Pearl thought of something, "Probably just need to glide from somewhere high up. That's where I come in!" Eight took a breath, "Okay, then we should get ready, Pearl." He said, before looking at his Dualies. "What…What on earth?" He asked, trying to keep calm. There were some sort of holographic projections, "I…I don't have time to question that right now. There'll time for theorizing later." Eight walked up to the cage and landed on the oppposing platform of their destination. "Here goes!" Eight said, jumping into the air and grabbing the drone's handle. The Octoling had landed at the Splat Zone, now covering the turf in ink.
"Okay, Zone secured. Now the countdown starts." Acht said, Eight stayed on guard for any Jelletons that would be coming. The ones they've faced up to this point were all great at pursuit, but incapable of getting to higher ground. That's when NEWER Jelletons made themselves known to Pearl and Eight. "Gross! Those enemies coming at us are spraying their ink everywhere!" Pearl said, seeing that these Jelletons spray the land they flew over with their ink. Eight aimed for the ones that kept getting closer and shot them. "If I can angle it, maybe the Reefslider can be utilized successfully." Eight dodged from one side to the next to deal with the other side of coming Jelletons.
"Acht, can we destroy those portals?" Pearl asked, "I wish we could, but those are another kind of portal. Ones that can't be destroyed. It's gonna be okay, we're halfway through!" Eight's hair lit up, "Okay, I've got enough power…" Eight looked alive and got ready, he rode the Reefslider to the center part of the zone and blew it up.
"We got this, Eight!" Pearl says, excitedly. Eight nods his head, solemnly.
"5…4…3…2…1…Timer's done!" Acht said, the mission clear for them once again.
Eight and Pearl made their way back to the elevator.
(Back in the elevator)
Pearl started spinning around, super giddy! "Aww yeah! We're on a roll!" Pearl said, "Y'know, this drone body's not so bad if it means Eight doesn't have to do all the work." She admitted that letting Eight carry their weight is putting too much work and pressure on him. Acht started pulling out the display again.
"This next color chip will help with that too. Use it right and you'll be a powerful ally to Eight." Acht said, showing them their next floor:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Difficulty: Normal
Location: Springing.Floor
Reward: @80
Chip: Drone Killer Wail
None 460p
• - • - • - • - •
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Allows the Pearl Drone to use Killer Wail.
Having two or more of this color chip reduces the required points accordingly.
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Pearl looked exhilarated, "It lets me use Killer Wail?! Now we're talking." Eight smiled, stoical as usual. "I suppose it's fair you'd want your piece of all the action." Eight said, folding his arms. "Uh, duh! I can't let you show me up like that, Eight!" Pearl said. Eight smirked, "Surely you kid, as if we're in the same ballgame."
Acht chuckled, "Oh, you think that's funny, don't you, Acht?!" Pearl said, looking angry. "You didn't even say the saying right, yo!"
Eight cleared his throat, "I'm kidding, Pearl. You know that."
Pearl rolled her eyes, "Ugh, whatever. Let's hurry so I can tell Marina I did all the work." Eight took another deep breath and prepped himself for more future struggles.
"This place…is this what order is like? Why would order look so…dead?" Eight asked himself. Only a few more floors to make it to Marina's signal. Maybe when they find her, they'll find the answer to that question.
(Okay, we're at the end! I hope you guys enjoy the chapter. I wanted to add the whole debate of Eight picking Order in the Splatocalypse. I think that was a canon thing, but I'm not sure. Anyways, we should be getting to the bigger stuff soon. Stay strong and awesome!)
2 Timothy 1:7 KJV
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, love, and of a sound mind.