A Fishy Mission

In his time working as an agent for the Squidbeak Splatoon, Oliver had taken to it quite well, much to his own surprise. It was difficult work, and early on he nearly quit on multiple occasions. The fights could get frightening, he hardly felt fit for the job, and he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt whenever he had to splat the Octarians. He didn’t know much about them, but he didn’t know for sure if they deserved it, or not. They were thieves, but all the same… Many of them were just defending their homes.

However through his worries, with the encouragement from Agent 1 and despite the dry snark of Agent 2, he managed to stick with it. Of course, rescuing the Zapfish was a reward in and of itself, but being able to hold and pet them made the deal all the sweeter. If they weren’t his favorite animal before, they certainly were now!

Doing his best to stick with this mission, Oliver found that he was actually improving. With each rescue, his aim got better. He learned how to dodge skillfully, and he quickly started picking up strategies that helped him get through each mission without having to harm too many Octarians, or take too much damage himself. Even Agent 2 was surprised by his improvement!

He learned how to keep his cool, even when facing terrifying Octo Weapons, or when Cuttlefish was squidnapped. By the time Oliver had to face Octavio head-on, he felt prepared enough to face just about anything. Even stuffing Octavio into a snow globe for safe-keeping.

He had fully embraced being an agent. Frankly, he even felt a touch proud of himself for sticking to something like this for so long!

It had even made a positive impact on his life outside of his agent work. He started enjoying ink sports, he found himself becoming more outgoing… And it even got to the point where he received a promotion in his work. No longer was he a lowly custodian, he could now work hands-on with being an electrical technician–and more importantly, handling Zapfish!

Unfortunately for him however, his boss at the Power Plant let it slip who rescued the Zapfish… And now 3′s face was plastered all over Inkopolis. He had to put on a show whenever he went out into public. While he had started becoming more outgoing, social interaction was something that still tuckered him out greatly.

It had been about two years since he had rescued the Great Zapfish, and nine months since the last Splatfest. Being stuck in that snow globe for so long, it was no wonder that Octavio was getting testier by the day. While they did allow him out daily (under strict supervision) to stretch out his legs, it was hardly ideal for anyone involved.

To be frank, 3 didn’t really want to keep him there, however every time he tried to talk things out with the octopus king, Octavio refused to be cooperative. If he were to be released now, it’d just be the same situation all over again. The agent didn’t particularly want to have to go about rescuing all of the Zapfish yet again. Agent 1 seemed to have a positive effect on him, and she could speak with the emperor for hours, it seemed… However, now she was out and about, furthering her career.

So, it was down to the others to try and make amends with Octavio.

It was late on a weekday night that Agent 3 made his way to the base, stretching out his arms and legs when he arrived. The moon was peeking through the clouds, shrouding the area in a soft blue light. He adjusted his topknot, pushing his tentacles this way and that until they were comfortably tight. He rolled his shoulders, and turned to Octavio, who shot him a death glare from within his snow globe.

“Howdy there, Octavio.” 3 greeted coolly.

“Hmph!” the large octopus grunted, continuing to give the stink eye, “What do you want now, inksquirt?”

“Well…” 3 started to speak, but paused. No matter how much he hyped himself up for it, now matter how many times he tried, talking was hardly his strong suit. Knowing that Octavio would shoot him down again only made him want to try even less. He squared his shoulders, sucked in a breath, and tucked his hands into his pockets, “I want to see if you’d like to discuss a few things with me, tonight.”

“Hah!” Octavio turned his back to the agent and folded his arms, “I ain’t got nothin’ to talk to you about!” he replied brashly.

Well that was expected. 3 grunted. rubbed at his face and sighed, attempting to sort his thoughts as his head filled quickly. He pinched the bridge of his nose when he finally managed to get things straightened out a bit.

“Maybe we could talk over a game of chess?”

“Not interested.”

“I was hoping we could go over the Zapfish situation and–”

“Like shell I’d talk about that with you!”

3 grit his beak, “I want to try and get more Zapfish to you, find out what places need power, and–”

Octavio spun back around so suddenly that the glitter within the globe was scattered about, “Do you really think I have any reason whatsoever to trust a little ink stain like you?!” he hissed, “How do I know you wouldn’t use that information against us? How can I trust you to not take the Zapfish that power civilian domes when we have our guards down?”

3 opened his mouth to speak, but all he could manage was a light cough. Octavio did at least have a point, there–over nearly two years, the octopus king really didn’t have a reason to trust any of the agents, besides Agent 1. That seemed to make 3 deflate a bit, with his shoulders and ears dropping. Octavio’s glare only grew with intensity, and he ignored the glitter that was now falling over top of his head and arms. 

The Inkling held out his hands, “Please listen,” he continued softly, “I just want to help.” Octavio laughed bitterly, “I’ve seen the civilian domes, and I would never dream of putting them into a worst state. I’ve been talking with the owner of the power plant that your soldiers have been stealing from, and I’ve been trying to convince him that we simply don’t need every single Zapfish we raise. We can spare a few to share.” he took in a shaky breath, “If you’d just be willing to work with a few Inklings…”

“Fat chance,” Octavio huffed, “No way am I gonna prattle on with some squidlings to get what should be rightfully ours,” he turned away once again, closing his eyes, “Only to get the short end of the stick yet again.”

3 stared at the octopus’ back for a few moments before tucking his hands back into his pockets, “Right.” 

Well, that was a bust yet again. But hopefully, someday, he’d be able to reach past Octavio’s learned stubbornness and get what’s best for the Octarians. Maybe he’d give it a little more time and try again… Or perhaps one of the other Agents could talk to him, as well. If only Agent 1 were here.

Feeling a bit defeated, 3 shuffled towards the valley, ready to start his patrol. Keep an eye out for intruders, those that seek to free Octavio, and any escape attempts from the head honcho himself. 

Octavio turned ever so slightly when he heard footsteps, “Hey!” he shouted suddenly, “I’m hungry!”

3′s stride slowed, and he gave a lazy glance over his shoulder, “Didn’t Cuttlefish feed you dinner a few hours ago?”

“Haven’t you ever heard of a midnight snack?!”

"Well, I don’t have any food. Guess you’ll just have to wait until breakfast.” Octavio merely grunted at that reply. 3 would just ignore that for now.

As he stepped past the low walls, a faint orange glow caught the corner of 3′s eye. Lying on the ground was a Power Egg resting on top of a piece of parchment. Crouching down, the agent gently lifted the egg off the note, unfolded the paper, and glanced over it.

The handwriting was flowery, and written in what appeared to be golden ink that glittered under the pale moon’s light. While it was pleasing to the eye, it was incredibly difficult to read under darker lighting. 3 couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow as he looked over the front and back of the paper. How peculiar… And what an odd spot to leave it in! If it weren’t for that egg, he wouldn’t have seen the note at all! IF the sender wanted it to be seen, they would have been better off leaving it beside the shack… Unless they didn’t want to be seen.

Rolling the egg about in his right hand, 3 returned to the shack to get some proper reading light. Octavio watched him, but did his best to appear uninterested in whatever it was the kid had… To some success. 

The note read:

“To the agents of Squidbeak Splatoon,

We write this letter to request your assistance in an investigation within the Octarian territory. We wish to quell some suspicions that we have, however we are incapable of doing this investigation on our own. Your assistance will not go unpaid; should you aid us you will be rewarded handsomely.

While we do not wish to disclose our identity to you within this letter, you may be able to deduce who we are through the egg provided with it. 

If you are interested in this job, please come find us by the beach on the southwest edge of Inkling territory. We will meet you beneath the bluff that hides the shore from the sight of Inkopolis. There we will be able to discuss the situation in full, without prying ears or eyes.

We must request secrecy, as our identity may get you into some trouble. If it makes you feel secure, you may come with another member in your ranks.

                    Thank you for your consideration,

                                          A Golden Stranger.”

What a curious note… 3 grunted in fascination as he looked it over once again. He couldn’t quite put a tentacle on who this could have been from, however his curiosity was getting the better of him. Perhaps he should check this out. He wondered if he should wake any of the other agents up… Perhaps it’d be fine if he took a look on his own.

Thankfully, a date was provided at the bottom of the parchment–it was today’s date, and with any luck, it wasn’t too late to meet this “Golden Stranger.” His eyes drifted to the egg that he held in his hand. That’s when the idea hit him: a Power Egg, golden ink, and the need for secrecy… Could this note have been from a Salmonid…? Interaction with them was illegal in Inkopolis, after all.

3 folded the note into a tight little square and slid it into a pocket on the inside of his jacket. Shooting a glance over his shoulder he called, “G’night, Octavio.” and vanished into the storm drain before the emperor could respond.

—–

Back in Inkopolis, 3 wasted little time walking to the beach mentioned in the note. As he kicked sand about, he took the note out of his pocket to check and make sure he was at the right beach… If this was written by a Salmonid, he couldn’t imagine that they would have known what the beach’s name was, but this one certainly fit the description. As he approached, he stared at the large bluff that covered a huge portion of the beach in dark shadows.

Climbing over the rocks, the agent looked this way and that in search for the “Golden Stranger,” however he quickly found that the area was completely empty. He leaned against the large rocks beneath the bluff, and folded his arms. Perhaps it was too late to meet them… Ah, well. It couldn’t really be helped.

3 decided to wait. While there were other things he could be doing, he did at least want to try and hear this “Golden Stranger” out, instead of completely ignoring the plea. While he waited, he decided to check his phone, which had taken quite the beating over the past couple years from his missions. The screen was cracked, and it was now held in a protective case, but the phone itself still worked quite well.

Loud splashing pulled his attention away from the dimly lit screen to the lapping waves of the ocean beside him. He quickly pocketed the device and instinctively took on a defensive stance as he watched the waves.

Emerging from the water were two tall orange mohawks–a distinct detail shared by most Salmonids. It didn’t take long for their faces to follow suit, poking above the waves with stern expressions and sharp eyes that cut through the night air. It was becoming clear that these Salmonids were a pair of tough-looking Cohocks who prided themselves with their intimidating air.

They stopped some feet away from the edge of the water, holding their over-sized frying pans as if they were swords. They stared Agent 3 down with cold eyes before they spoke, as if trying to strike fear into the Inkling’s hearts.It worked quite well, for 3 felt a surge of intimidation wash over his body like the water that surrounded them.

“Are you the one called ‘Agent 3?’“ the one on the left demanded. He seemed to struggle with the words, and bore a thick accent.

“Uh… Yeah.” 3 cleared his throat. He jumped back when the pair hit their frying pans together. The sound rang about the area.

The Cohock on the right talked this time, “Bow in reverence to Orabella Vanna!” while he spoke with power, there was a distinct sound to his voice that made it seem he had rehearsed this specific phrase in Inklish. Perhaps they both had to learn these lines before coming out here?

The two large fish rose their frying pans to the sky, which appeared to signal a golden light to appear underneath the waves. As if to put on a show, a gusher erupted from the water–3 hadn’t a singular clue that these were set up this far into Inkling territory–cascading green ink, water and sand everywhere. Atop this pillar was a bright golden figure, who held her fins high into the air. 

Good thing they had the bluff to hide them, because that display could have probably been seen from a mile away! It was bright and dazzling like a lighthouse on the shore. Despite the precautions to stay hidden, it would be any wonder that no one would see the golden light reflecting off of her brilliant scales, especially in the middle of the night! So much for secrecy, 3 thought.

3 quickly followed the Cohock’s instructions and bowed, his eyes drifting back up to the Salmonid before him. She was now being lowered by the gusher, and making way towards him. In the few times he had participated in Salmon Run, he had seen a small handful of Goldies, but he could never get a proper look at one. These glittering fish certainly stood head and shoulders above other Salmonids, and this one in particular was no exception. 

The Goldie stood before him and said, “At ease, young soldier.” she spoke with a silky voice, which also had a thick accent like the Cohocks. However she had much more ease speaking Inklish than either of them. When 3 stood straight, she gave him a sweet smile and tilted her head slightly to one side. 

Orabella was covered not only in golden scales from head to fin, but also jewelry–gemstones, rings, necklaces… She even had rings hooked through the scales that framed her face. The white silk that wrapped around her body shimmered in the light, and pinned to it she had a broach made of a number of golden scales that fashioned a spiral. In her left fin she held a golden egg, and in her right she held a rather average-looking frying pan… Compared to the rest of her, it seemed completely out of place. 

3 had to pull himself out of his stupor, blinking rapidly and shaking his head lightly. He lifted the Power Egg he had been carrying, “Uh, are you the one that sent that note?”

“Yes, indeed we are,” Orabella replied, “We wrote that note using ink made from our own scales.” it was then that the Inkling realized that this Salmonid was using the royal “we,” rather than speaking for her species as a whole. He wondered if she actually was royalty, or if she simply thought highly of herself.

“Right,” 3 shifted on his feet, trying to think of how to word himself. He felt so drab and under-dressed to be in front of someone so… Fancy. Then again, he never expected a Salmonid to be so well-dressed!

“Please do not be so tense around us, young soldier!” she cooed, “We may have a guard, however we do not care if you speak in a casual way with us.”

Nodding briskly the Inkling tried to smile, “G-got it, thanks.” he cleared his throat, “Uh, I’m definitely willing to listen to what you need to say, so… Go right ahead, Ms. Orabella.”

“Thank you,” the Salmonid smiled, “First, please know that this task will not require you to fight anyone. Second, a touch of context: for many years our people and the Octarians have had a trade deal. We provide them with highly valuable Power Eggs, and in return, they give us blueprints, scrap metal, and low-grade ‘tenta cuts,’ as they call them. This has been fine for the both of us for decades, however the Octarians wish to get something far more precious from us: our Golden Eggs.” Orabella tightened the grip on the egg she held.

While he listened intently, 3 had folded his left arm over his chest and placed his right hand to his chin in thought, “I see…” he muttered in reply, “Has this caused any fights in the past?”

“A few spats here and there,” Orabella sighed, “These are often resolved quickly, as keeping our business ties is far more important… However, we have reason to believe that the Octarians have been accumulating Golden Eggs through…” she sneered, “Other means.”

“Like… Trading under the table with Grizzco?”

“Yes,” she hissed and flashed her teeth, “While a few delivery fish were going to trade some eggs, they noticed a Grizzco ship leaving the coast that borders the territory… We do not have any nests or homes within the Octarian territory, and we cannot think of any other reason for a Grizzco ship to be there.”

“Did your delivery fish see any eggs being traded?”

Once again, Orabella sighed, “No… We’re afraid not. However, they did catch the distinct smell of Golden Eggs while they went about the transaction.”

3 blinked, “I… Didn’t know they had a different smell from a Power Egg.” he quickly tried to get a whiff of the Power Egg he held and noticed it did have a faint aroma to it, but he doubted that he’d be able to tell it apart from a Golden one.

Orabella’s smiled in an amused way, “Of course! It makes locating our redds much, much easier.” she explained. She held the egg she held out for 3 to give it a smell, “Inkling noses aren’t nearly as strong as ours, however you may be able to notice the difference.”

Hesitating at first, 3 stepped closer and leaned in to smell the egg. He couldn’t help but notice that the Cohocks had tensed up a bit, their eyes narrowing the moment he got within arm’s reach of Orabella. Despite this added pressure he got a good smell of the egg, and much to his surprise…

“Wow, I can actually smell a difference!” he remarked. He stood straight and rubbed at his nose while Orabella laughed with delight.

“Right, then!~” she sang, “Are you satisfied?” when 3 nodded she continued without skipping a beat, “Good.” she held the egg against her chest once again, “Of course… We cannot simply go with a hunch. We must have evidence before we make any incriminating accusations. This is where you come in, Agent 3.”

The Inkling folded his arms over his chest, and adjusted the position of his feet, “I’m guessing you want me to sneak into Octarian territory and see if they’ve got any Golden Eggs lying around?”

“More or less, yes.”

“Pardon my asking, but why send me? Why not one of your fishy soldiers?”

“The same reason we cannot simply throw accusations around,” she replied, “We cannot make them believe that we do not trust them, nor can we give them a reason to not trust us.” her smile grew, “Just as well, we have heard of your exploits, and were quite impressed with your skills.”

3 couldn’t help but crack a smile in return, “Right… Makes sense. Where exactly do you suspect they will be?” 

“Near the coast,” Orabella replied, “Further inland, just out of sight and smell of where we could find them.” she tilted her head slightly, “Mind that we do not know the exact location…”

“Got it,” 3 replied. He closed his eyes and pondered this proposition, drumming his fingers against his arm. He ran some strategies through his mind; how he would sneak in undetected, how he would record any evidence he found, so-on and so-forth. 

Before Orabella could become worried about his long silence, 3 opened his eyes and spoke up again, “Okay, I think I can do this.” he unfolded his arms and tilted his head to one side, “Are you… Sure you don’t want me to go in and rescue any eggs or fish if I do find them?”

The Goldie shook her head, “We are absolutely certain. Should our suspicions be true, we would much prefer to handle the situation ourselves. It is a matter between us Salmonids, and the Octarians.”

With a simple nod, 3 understood. Frankly he preferred this over having to go in guns blazing himself, especially if he wanted to try and win over the trust of the Octarians! A stealth mission was different from what he was used to, however the Inkling figured he could handle it. No problem. 

“Oh yes!” Orabella chimed, “We promised you payment, did we not?” 3 couldn’t help but smile upon her mentioning that. He wasn’t sure if he should mention it himself, or not…

She held her frying pan out to one of the guards behind her, who took it into his free fin with extreme care. She then stretched her fin to the sky, and with a smooth movement, she reached for her head and plucked a glittering scale from her scalp. 

With a sweeping motion, Orabella held the scale out for 3 to take, “The first of our gifts: a golden scale.” came her explanation, “You will receive more for the finished job. However, allow this to be a taste of what is to come.”

“Oh… Oh wow…” the Inkling breathed.

Gingerly, 3 took the scale from her fin. His eyes were wide with fascination as he stared at the glittering object. He allowed it to rest in the center of his right palm, a satisfied feeling washing over him as it felt as though it fit there perfectly. After a few seconds of gawking, he finally pinched it between his finger and thumb, and made way to tuck it into his jacket pocket for safe keeping.

“Thanks.”

“This one,” Orabella explained, “You eat.”

In that moment, confusion washed over the Inkling’s face and he froze in his tracks. He gave Orabella an incredulous look, “Ah, yes…” 3 dryly remarked under his breath, “The most famous Salmonid food… Golden scales…” his eyes drifted back to the scale, and he stared long and hard at it.

Amused once again by his expression, Orabella covered her snout with her free fin and laughed, “To you, perhaps it does seem a bit odd!” she giggled, “However, to us Salmonids, it is a great honor to eat a Goldie’s scale.” she smiled, “They benefit your health; eating one will instantly restore your strength. It’s a common component in our medicine.”

Agent 3 continued to stare at the scale. He had to admit, he’d much rather give it to Callie or Marie as a gift, especially if he wasn’t allowed to keep it. Try as he might, this was simply something he could not wrap his mind around. Eating something that could easily be considered jewelry to any other Inkling was so bizarre!

“You may eat it before you go on your mission if you prefer,” Orabella spoke up, “Then you will have all the strength you need.”

Clearing his throat, 3 eventually nodded and slid the scale into his jacket pocket, “R-right, yeah.” he croaked awkwardly, “I think I’d rather do that!”

“Worry not,” the Goldie continued, “You will receive more scales for your hard work, just as we have stated,” she hummed, “With those, you may do whatever you like. However we must ask for you to honor our traditions here, no matter how odd they may be.” when 3 nodded in reply, her smile grew once again, “Thank you.”

The glittering Salmonid bowed her head, signaling 3 to do the same. “If that is all, we shall take our leave.” she cooed in a smooth way.

“Sure,” 3 started, however he stood upright, “Oh, wait a sec, when I’m done with the recon, how should I get in contact with you again?”

Orabella straightened her own back and pondered his question, “Do you own any frying pans?” 3 nodded, “Very good. When you have completed, return to this beach, and hit two pans together four times. That should be enough to catch the attention of a Salmonid nearby.”

While he was dubious, and his cocked eyebrow showed this, 3 eventually nodded in agreement to this plan, “Sure, I can do that.”

“Very good!” sang Orabella, “We shall see you upon your return!”

The agent watched the group of fish turn and leave, vanishing into the churning waves without a trace.

—–

Hero Shot, ink resistant cape, a few crabby cakes and Zapfish snacks… As the morning sun was peeking over the horizon, Agent 3 was going over his needed supplies, yawning on the odd occasion. He didn’t think he would need that much. After all, he couldn’t be out for terribly long, could he? Well, it was pretty common for missions to take longer than he’d typically anticipate…

Checking his pockets, his fingertips brushed against the golden scale that Orabella had given him. Pulling it out, he gave the scale a quizzical look, wondering how exactly he was going to eat this thing. Was it soft enough for him to bite through? Was it going to have some sort of taste?

He placed it gently into his beak, sitting it between his fangs. He pondered this, his tongue brushing up against the smooth surface. Tensing his jaw a little, he could feel it give a touch. Pulling it back out, he looked at the scale carefully, and was surprised to see no marks on it. Resilient, but soft enough to eat or crush… If they had medical properties too, it was no wonder these scales were worth so much. 

Well, he had to get it over with sooner or later. Popping the whole scale into his mouth, 3 screwed his eyes shut and started to chew. It took a bit to start and was definitely crunchy, but when it had finally broken under his beak, it was surprisingly easy to get through. He finished the scale, his brow creasing heavily. It didn’t have much of a taste, and maybe that was a blessing in and of itself. He topped it off with a sip of water.

While he was feeling groggy prior to this, his sleepiness started to fade away. Feeling surprised, 3 wondered if this was a placebo effect from what Orabella had told him, or if it was true that the scales were this powerful. He grunted in an impressed way–he supposed it didn’t really matter if it made him feel awake and energetic for the start of his mission! Sure did beat the jitters of drinking an energy drink!

It was time to get back to it, then. While he pondered if he should get more snacks and slung his bag over his shoulder, a certain cuttlefish had taken notice that one of his agents was gearing up for some sort of mission. Unable to ignore his curiosity, the old captain hobbled into view.

“G’morning, young’n!” he called. 3 yelped loudly and jumped a good foot into the air, dropping his Hero Shot in the process. Cap’n merely scratched at his cheek.

3 scrambled to grab his weapon and whipped around, his heart pounding in his ears. When he realized who it was, his shoulders fell and he let out a loud, relieved sigh. 

“Yikes, Gramps!” he croaked, clearing his throat, “You nearly made all three of my hearts jump out my throat!” without any real danger nearby, 3 pocketed his gun. His right hand clutched at his vest.

“Sorry ‘bout that!” Cuttlefish chortled in a jovial way, “I just couldn’t help but try and find out what you were up to! It’s rare to see you up this early!” he stepped closer to 3, tamping his Bamboozler cane against the ground, “Got something planned? And what’s with that cape?”

3 heaved a sigh. He took his time responding, adjusting the cape that he had hooked to his uniform. His face turned a little hot, but he managed to shrug his embarrassment off like a bit of ink, “I’m going out for a while,” he explained carefully, “Going to do a full recon of the Octarian territory, see what needs to be fixed, and if there are any Zapfish powering weaponry.”

The Cap’n stared at the agent intently, taking notice of how his blue eyes drifted away from the elder’s face. He scratched at his chin and made a light, “hmm,” sound before finally saying, “Oh really? I’m surprised you didn’t bring it up with Agent 2 or me!”

“Well…” the agent turned away a little more, wishing that he had planned out his excuse a little better, “I decided to do it pretty suddenly… And neither of you were awake. Besides, I wasn’t planning on leaving just yet…” he turned back to Cuttlefish with a smile, “Anyway, Gramps! It’s just a bit of recon, it’s nothing major. I wasn’t even planning on snagging any Zapfish this time around.”

Closing his eyes and nodding in a knowing way, Cuttlefish hummed in reply, “I see, I see,” his wide eyes snapped open, “But this is a group effort, 3! You know we love talking you through missions!” his wrinkled cheeks creased further as he smiled.

“Yeah, I know that,” the agent huffed a bit, “It’s nothing against you two, I just…” he hoisted his pack, “Figured I could do a few things on my own.” while he appreciated the company, a stealth mission wasn’t exactly “stealthy” anymore if it had two people making comments on his every move. 

Stepping closer the old cephalopod’s eyes grew all the more intent, “You’re acting a bit strange, young’n,” he said in a rather dark way, “You have a special mission to do, don’t you?”

Taken aback, 3 blinked and tensed his shoulders. Yeesh, even as old as he was, it was hard keeping secrets from Cap’n Cuttlefish! Rolling his eyes he let his shoulders relax, “Man, nothing gets past you, huh?” the Cap’n seemed to perk up a little at this, “Yeah… I’ve got a mission,” 3 sighed, “It’s one I need to be sneaky about, so I didn’t want you guys talking up a storm, you know? I was thinking it’d be short, and it really is just recon. So I figured I’d just…” he made a sweeping motion with his arms, “Jump on through, take a look around, and report what I saw.”

Cuttlefish placed a fist on his hip and humphed, “Well!” he exclaimed, “You could have at least told us! Then you’d have backup if something were to happen!”

3 scratched his ear, which had gone a little hot, “Yeah, I suppose you’re right…” he turned back to the old cephalopod, “Sorry, Gramps.”

“You’re forgiven. But! As punishment, I’m going to tag along!” Cap’n proclaimed boldly. Before 3 could object, he was waddling back to his shack.

“Huh?!” 3 cried in shock, his eyes widening, “Wait, G-gramps, you can’t come!” he chased after the other.

“And just why not?” Cuttlefish grunted. He pushed his way into the shack and started to gather some items. Clattering could be heard inside, “I may be no spring chicken, but I can still move with the best of them!” through the cracked doorway, 3 could see the old man flexing his arms. The Inkling sighed.

“Yeah, but can you do it stealthily?” 3 asked, “Gramps, the more people on this mission, the more likely we’re going to get caught!”

“I’ve been doing recon in Octarian territory for years before you came along, 3!” the racket he was making inside of the shack didn’t give 3 any sort of vote of confidence, “Once I’m back in the saddle,” he popped out of the shack, fully geared up in fresh new clothes and a backpack of his own, “I’m sure I’ll have no problems keeping up with you!” he was grinning from ear to ear.

“Okay, what about Octavio?” 3 asked, desperately trying to find another excuse to keep the captain at home, “Someone needs to keep an eye on him, keep him fed, and let him stretch his legs. Don’t you normally do that?”

“Don’t worry!” Cap’n hummed in a dismissive way, “I left a note for Agent 2, and she should be able to handle it!”

3 heaved a sigh, his eyes looking weary and his shoulders hanging low. He stared at the captain for a few moments before sighing again, “I’m not going to be able to convince you otherwise, am I?”

“Nope!”

There was a long pause, “Alright. Let’s get going then.” turning on his heel, 3 started for the valley, “Just let me make this clear: we’re only doing recon. We’re not reclaiming Zapfish, and we need to avoid any and all conflict if we can help it. Got it?”

Cap’n Cuttlefish appeared to skip a little, “Of course! What are we doing recon for, anyhow?”

3 stopped at a launch pad, checking over his items once again, “A Salmonid asked me to snoop around and see if the Octarians have managed to get their tentas around some Golden Eggs.”

“A Salmonid!” Cuttlefish exclaimed in shock.

“I know, I was surprised, too. But…” he shrugged, throwing a grin over his shoulder, “I feel like we should help them, you know? They’re people, too.” Cuttlefish returned his gaze with an intent, but slightly confused one.

Closing his eyes once again, Cap’n Cuttlefish nodded, “Ah, youth. So willing to help out.” he hit the ground with the end of his Bamboozler, “I don’t quite get wanting to help some beastly Salmonids, but I’m willing to lend my tentacles!”

3 had to admit that he was hesitant to help Salmonids himself, but Orabella just seemed so nice, that it made him briefly forget that so many people thought that the fish were planning an all-out attack on Inkopolis. He didn’t know if it were true or not, but Salmonids couldn’t be all bad, right? The Golden Eggs were precious to them, and for good reason, he thought. It was possible that they, too, were misunderstood like the Octarians. 

“R-right. Anyway, we just need to find out if they have Golden Eggs or not. The Salmonids will handle the rest.” satisfied with his gear, 3 turned back to Cap’n Cuttlefish with his hands on his hips, “Alright. You ready to start, Gramps?”

The elder threw up a peace sign, “You betcha!” he chirped in response.

With a nod, 3 turned into a squid and jumped onto the launchpad, diving deep into the heart of Octarian territory.