SplaTOON 3! (aka Splatoon 3: The Animation!)

Side Order Episode Three: Control Room

(Start in PEARL and MARINA's real-world apartment. TIMO is at the dining table eating some noodles while FRYE stands in front of the microwave waiting for her own food to finish.)

Frye-I'm guessing you haven't made any progress with the Dream Box since yesterday.

Timo-Nope.

(The microwave beeps. FRYE takes out her own cup of noodles.)

Timo-I don't think crashing the system is going to work.

(FRYE sits down at the table with him.)

Frye-Why not?

Timo-It's another little bit of programming I added in. Originally, the Dream Box could only function properly if it were constantly scanning people's brains. That's the original reason they couldn't leave, because the autoscan had too strong of a grip on their hippocampuses, but I added in a mode called stasis mode that allows it to sustain itself without that constant supply of memories. Their hippocampuses aren't linked to the system anymore, but I made it so strong that there's no way it could crash now.

Frye-Really? How much time did you spend tinkering with the Dream Box?

Timo-A lot.

Frye-And how much time did you spend actually fixing it?

Timo-I saw some things that needed improvement, and I improved them. I'd call that fixing it.

(FRYE sighs.)

Frye-Well, if their hippocampuses aren't linked to the system anymore, what's stopping them from getting out?

Timo-I don't know...

(Opening theme. Cut to the elevator in the Spire of Order. PEARL, BRIDGETT, MONII, and ACHT are gathered together.)

Acht-No sign of Marina on this floor, either.

Pearl-I hope she's doing alright. She's seemed a little burned out lately. I guess we've still got a world tour to finish, but after that, I promised her we could find a quiet spot together and take it easy for a while. At least, until the baby is born.

Acht-What baby?

Pearl-Marina and I are adopting. Before we got stuck in the Dream Box–and after, I guess–we were driving ourselves crazy getting ready for this baby. Say, do you think white is a good nursery color?

Acht-I don't think that's important right now.

Pearl-Right. We can't get ready for this baby without Marina here, so let's save her fast!

Acht-Sounds like Marina found the right people after she got free, but this is Marina we're talking about, so I expected as much.

Pearl-Well, y'know what they say, no one knows you like the folks you grew up with. We were actually buds before she was recruited to the underground. She and I, we're thick as thieves, and now we're...

(She looks down at the hands she doesn't have.)

Pearl-Oh, yeah. I don't have hands, and I didn't buy a ring for myself. Anyway, we're engaged. I'd love to sit down and swap Marina stories, but this ain't the time. Every second we spend chewing the fat is a second we're not finding her!

Acht-Alright then.

(She takes out a yellow and a blue chip.)

Acht-Pick a color.

(MONII approaches the chips.)

Monii-You want yellow?

Bridgett-I want whatever you want, Monii.