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The doors chimed to The Pink Ink Café, three times in one succession. A small gust of wind slipped into the warmly lit area from the rapid shutting and opening of the door. Four, Eight, and Three all walked in and found a table near the back right corner, and sat down. Well, Four and Eight sat down, while Three went to get their drinks. Eight sighed.
“Four, why are we in this place again? We never hang out when we are not on our agent missions or duties!” Eight asked her.
“Well, one what’s wrong with taking your friends out to places for fun, and two I’m pretty sure it was something about your ‘new life on the surface’. Or, at least that’s what Three said.” Four replied.
“My.. new life... Huh. I wonder what she meant by that”
“Beats me. Anyways, I thought she may have thought that-”
Before Four could continue with her blabbermouth, Three came back with their drinks. They placed them down and then sat down themselves, taking a sip of her cherry apple fiz soda. Eight takes a sip and then puts down her matcha reviver latte to speak up.
“So Three, why are we here again? You never quite told me ” She asks.
“Oh uh yeah. Well, I thought that since you’re on the surface now you’d start doing turf, getting a job maybe, finding a place to live. I don't know, normal people stuff I guess? Anyways, you can’t just go by Eight everywhere, it may be a little weird to people not in the NSS or in our little circle of friends. So, I thought you’d probably need a name. That's why everyone is here. Well, the three of us but still, everyone who is an active agent at least” Three replied. They whispered the last part.
“That was a mouthful, dumb it down, please? It’s too early for all those words” Four said.
“Oh my cod Four It’s 1 PM. And fine, to dumb it down for your little pea brain, Eight needs a name. Like, a real name, first name, whatever you’d call it.”
“OHHHHH! That is actually one smart thing I’ve heard you say! Time to pull up the baby name websites!”
“Four I swear don’t you-“ Three was cut short by a hand shoved on her mouth. “MPGH! MHMHPG-“
“Shhhh.. let me work my magic. I don’t have this website pinned for nothing.”
“What is happening? And why do you have a website with names of babies pinned on your device?” Eight asked.
“No reason… I just thought I should…” Four replied suspiciously. They then pulled up a website named “Baby Names for Expecting Couples! ‘The freshest names on the block!’”
Eight awkwardly looked around. “What now..? Do we just… pick one of the names that is on that screen?”
“Hm.. what kind of name are you thinking of?”
“I dunno.”
Three perked up. “Any idea of a meaning you might want for a name?” They said.
“Oh yeah! It could be something to do with you coming to the surface.. hmm”
“What name could there be for that?”
“I was thinking maybe something based off of when you came to the surface…” Four pulls up the search bar and types “names with connections to October”, “Hm. October isn’t a normal name, and your agent name is Eight so ten would be confusing..”
“What about the time of year?” Three responded.
“Hm you’re right,” She types again, this time doing “names related to the time of year in October”, “Halloween? No… Fall? No again… hmm… OH! What about Autumn?”
“Autumn? I.. It sounds so pretty, wow. It flows really nicely too! Autumn,” Eight responded.
“Well, Autumn. How’s it feeling?” Four asked.
“I feel the same yet different all at once like I’m still me, it's just another part of me that was put back into place. Like I’m becoming a me I never thought would exist. A person where I get to choose my own path and create my own future”
Three smiled. “Well, I’m glad you like your name, Autumn.”
“I do, I really do. Plus, the name sounds beautiful in octarian! Avititum! Even if the letters are similar the sound is so unique I’m just in like.. awe of this whole thing.”
“Haha! Perfect, mission accomplished. Go team us!” Four takes a long sip of her actionberry twist happily, leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs on the table.
“What now?” Eight asked.
“No clue, don’t ask me,” Three replied.
“Wanna go do illegal things? They are the best kind of thing we can do right now!”
“Four. No.”
“Four. Yes”
“Stop arguing nobody will be doing anything not legal. At least not while I’m around. I can’t stand another lecture from Marina about ‘being safe on the surface’ or ‘having caution with your actions’. They take up more time than us doing every kettle with every weapon in Octo Canyon!,” Eight complained.
“Ugh, you guys are so boring. Fine, wanna go do something legal I suppose, since that's our only other option?” Four asked
“Sure, I guess we could. What's legal that we actually all enjoy? And no, not turf war. That’s still violent and Eight hasn’t been set up with an account and stuff yet” Three asked
“Well, I know we were just at a café, but is anyone up for some lunch? I’m starving!”
“Four you always seem to need food…”
“That I do, Autumn. Anyway, let’s go to this new diner across town! I heard they have great food. Plus, it’s always nice to help out new businesses in town!”
“Alright then, I’m down. I didn’t have any other plans anyway. Autumn, what about you?” Three asked.
“Huh? Oh! Yeah! Sure, I’ll join you guys. Sounds fun! Plus, I am pretty hungry”
They all got up to leave, proud of actually getting something efficient done for once. Eight was extra happy of course, but they all were in a good mood (for once… this is a miracle to be even happening!)
As they strolled out the chiming doors, Autumn smiled.
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