Comet gave an uneasy glance at the hallway in front of them once the elevator came to a close, the silver walls lined with nothing but paintings of a telephone comet didn't recognize. He turned to look at the others, noticing 8 was shaking slightly and looking down, Callie had her eyes narrowed, Mizuta staying behind her. The salmonling blinked.
"Who's the telephone?"
Callie sucked in a breath before answering. "His name is tartar. Aside from marina, he's behind all this. Pearl, marina, agent 3, and agent 8 dealt with him once before. He used to kidnap octoling's from tav's army and sanitize them, which is what he did to Mizuta.. he also tried to kill 8 and brainwash 3." Comet let his gaze drift back to 8, his gaze softening.
Poor octo..
"Think we'll have to deal with him..?" He asked in a quiet voice. 8 shook her head no. "No, T.. King, Tartar never comes down here. He leaves marina in charge of watching over pearl. We don't have to worry about him. But we should probably hurry before we alert someone." Mizuta nodded in agreement, 8 stepping out of the elevator and leading the group down the hall. She stopped at one spot of the light blue carpet on the ground. The octoling lifted it up, revealing a door on the ground with 3 key holes. 8 pulled out of her pocket 3 keys, bending down and unlocking every section.
Wow. Can't believe marina keeps pearl so heavily guarded..
Lifting up the door once it was unlocked, comet peered down to see a long stone stair case leading downwards. There were a few hanging lamps to light it, but comet still couldn't see the bottom. He shuddered, wishing 4 was here right now.
Be brave. You gotta be brave.
The salmonling nervously stayed in the back as he followed the others down the stairway, getting lost in thought as something clicked in him.
He was about to meet pearl.
The pearl.
The original rebellion leader, previous idol and news anchor, and the cephalopod who was going to hopefully bring this all back to normal.
Ok, rescue mission first, fanboy later.
Switching back into serious mode, the group of 4 stopped at a large metal door with another keyhole. Mizuta groaned. "Geez she has this place heavily secured.." 8 sighed and nodded, fumbling in her pocket for the final key. "Mom.. mom still loves momma. She's just showing it in a new way ever since she became like this. Momma told me she doesn't love mom anymore and I shouldn't too.. but.. I can just tell there's a part of her that still does. And there's a part of marina that knows this is wrong." 8 glanced at the others as she pulled out her key. "And I'm hoping you guys can show them both that." Callie quickly leaned forwards, pulling 8 into a hug. Comet and Mizuta watched the two for a few moments before they pulled apart, 8 smiling softly before unlocking the door.
It swung open slowly with a slight creek. Comet had to squint his eyes once he entered. There was no light what so ever, only the faint light from the staircase slightly illuminating the front of the huge room. In the very center though, was a small inkling, her head down, and her arms and legs chained to the walls and floor, leaving her hanging midair.
Pearl.
Everyone was frozen, unsure of what to do, until callie stepped forwards.
"P.. Pearl? Is that you..?"
The inkling's head very quickly shot up, staring at the group with wide dull golden eyes. "C.. Callie.." Pearl's voice was raspy, and once comet's eyes adjusted to the dark, he could slightly see the shape she was in. The ex idol was covered in scars and bruises that hadn't had a chance to properly heal. She looked super frail, and her pink tipped tentacles looked almost brown with how dull they were. Mizuta began walking towards pearl, immediately running her hands along the chains. "We're gonna get you out of here."
Pearl only blinked, her eyes not showing any emotion. "B.. but marina-"
"Octavio and 4 are here too. Their keeping lookout. It's gonna be ok."
Comet eventually snapped out of his frozen state, following 8 and Callie towards pearl as they tried to find a way to get the chains off her. Pearl gave the salmonling a curious look. Comet nervously looked down. "I-I'm uh, comet. Agent 7 of the s-squidbeak splatoon." The answer seemed to satisfy the older inkling as she nodded. Callie had a frustrated look on her face with no luck of finding a way to get her out.
"Did you try turning into a squid?"
8 sighed. "Mom made the chains block you from doing that."
"Is there a key somewhere we could use 8?"
"No idea, I've tried looking before."
Comet was about to offer an idea when he paused, hearing footsteps. He opened his mouth, about to warn everyone when a sharp voice echoed throughout the room.
"NOBODY MOVE"
The entire group turned around to see a cuttlefish with gray and green tentacles, holding a splattershot in her hands. She was shaking, but still managed to hold it and have it point towards the 5 of them. Comet heard a gasp from Callie.
"Marie?! What are you-"
"I said. Nobody. Move."
Everyone was frozen in fear. Callie ignored Marie's warning though, taking a step forwards. "Marie please, you don't have to do this. I know you, you don't want to do this. Let us do this, please. We can go back to normal after this all. We can be the squid sisters again."
Marie's breath faltered as tears became visible in her eyes. But the weapon was still pointed at them.
"I-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I c-can't. Please.. please just leave so I don't have to do this cal.."
"Marie.. I-"
"Marie! Did you find out what sent my alarm off?"
Comet swore his heart stopped as he heard another pair of footsteps, and an octoling, with silver tentacles, diamond shaped headphones, and a silver gradient outfit walked into the doorway. Comet immediately recognized her from the posters in the metro station, with this octoling on them covered with large red X's.
Marina.
Marina immediately narrowed her eyes at the group, as a small smile formed onto her face.
"Well well well. Nice job 8. Youve successfully lead the fugitive, and the other important members of the rebellion right to me."
8 had a pleading look in her eyes. "M-Mom please, you don't-"
"Go to your room 8. We'll talk later."
"...no."
Marina raised an eyebrow, pushing past Marie and entering the chamber. "No?"
"No. I'm done taking orders from you. You're not even my mom anymore! You're not even marina anymore! This isn't you! And I'm sick of you acting like this is all normal! So just-"
"8. Go. To. Your. Room."
The younger octoling was shaking, but she still stood her ground, stepping up in front of Callie and holding her arms out in front of everyone. Pearl's quiet yet sharp voice could be heard.
"Marina don't.. leave them alone. You don't have to d.. do this."
Marina shrugged, crossing her arms. "Oh but I do Pearlie. My little sanitized spy has failed me and has failed to grab the metro's location, but you're all here now. So getting the location of your base from sanitizing you will be easy!"
"Marina. Don't."
Marina sighed, stepping past Marie and walking towards a box in the very corner of the room. Reaching inside, she pulled out a syringe with a glowing teal all too familiar liquid inside.
"Pearlie, youve been far too disobedient for too long. I tried being nice to you. I tried to get you to see things from my angle. But you still refuse and cling onto your chaotic hopes and dreams. I should of realized you would be disagreeable still."
"I should of done this a long time ago."
"MARINA NO, PLEASE!" 8 screamed, trying to run forwards towards her. But Marie aimed her charger towards 8's feet, hitting her and knocking her to the ground. Marina smiled.
"Marie, knock our guests out for me please."
Pearl immediately snapped her head up, and began flailing madly in her chains. Marina sighed. "Pearlie we talked about this, flailing gets you no where." Pearl stopped, but her eyes drifted to Marie with a cold harsh glare.
"Marie you lay a single drop of ink on these kids and you're dead to me."
Marie let a small sob escape her, her shaking seeming to have grown worse. Marina started walking towards pearl with the syringe. "Marie, hurry up already, we have no time to waste!"
Marie stared comet straight in the eyes, and comet stared back. There was that quick mental exchange between them that even though neither of them knew each other, they didn't want to do this. They really, really, didn't.
"I'm sorry"
Marie pulled the trigger and everything went black.