Chapter Text
Their eyes open, the world around them blurry and hazy as they wake up, the Inkantation replaying in their mind. Before that Agent attacked them, they’d finally held hope for reaching the promised land. Now, they sigh inwardly as they stand up, blinking a few times in shock at the people laying beside them. Marina Ida was lying there in all her unconscious glory.
They shook their head before walking towards her. Marina seemed to not be a light sleeper, as their footsteps did nothing to rouse her. contemplating their next move, they slowly shake her to and fro in an attempt to wake her up. They smiled in victory as she blinked her eyes open, taking her time to focus on the person in front of her. They smiled at her, then blinked at her, making Marina sigh. “Hello there, i’m incredibly sorry, but I don’t think i’ve seen you around the Domes before.What’s your name?” They contemplated their answer for a moment, before shrugging at her. “I don’t-”
“AYO!” A loud voice said to their right. “Reena, wass going on here?” The inkling asked. They could not tell what the Inkling was saying exactly, but they could clearly hear the shortened version of her name in the sentence. “Pearl, this is… Well, they don’t seem to remember, but they can’t understand Inklish, just like me when we first met! We come from the same place!” She said clearly in Octarian.
To their great surprise, The Inkling responded loudly in Octarian. “Furreal? Well, good news pal~! I can speak it too! And sing, if you want me too!” The inkling said proudly, making Marina laugh. “But furreal tho, where in cods name are we exactly?” Marina looked around, gritting her teeth. “This doesn’t seem to be any part of our home,at least from what I can remember.” She sighed, knuckles to her asymmetrical fangs.
They looked around them, surveying their surroundings more clearly. From what they could see, it seemed to be an underground, likely abandoned metro station, at least, according to the tape surrounding the area. They looked back to their team, watching as they both became increasingly more uneasy the more they looked.
“Aight, I ain’t gonna sugarcoat it. This place is creepy as fuck.” The newly dubbed Pearl said, grabbing onto the subway ticket-thing they can’t recall the name of, grimacing. “Guess we’re gonna have to just continue on until we reach.. Something, I guess.” They(?) shrugged their shoulders, “No use sitting around here, also I’m starving.” Marina nodded. “Well, let’s go then? Come on-.. uh….” She said, awkwardly spurring them on.
They smiled at her in reassurance, waving her off as they walked in front of the group through the weirdly convenient open path of the doors in the metro. They blinked at the abandoned train tracks, shrugging as they continued on their path.
“Ayo, aren’t ya’ll like… Freezing right now? I really thought someplace like this woulda been a lil warmer, ya know?” Pearl asked, looking around in suspicion. Marina hummed. “Well, me and er.. We’re a lot more used to the cold due to the climate of our home.” She answered, before stopping in her tracks. “Hey, er.. is it just me, or does that look like one of our vaults?” She asked them, surprised. They blinked, contemplating for a moment to recall a vague memory of their time in the domes before nodding at her. “Uhm… Left.” Was all they said, making Marina confused until she actually looked to her left. “Huh. That’s strangely convenient. Hey Pearlie, could you do us a favor and stand over there?” She asked, pointing to it. Pearl let out a “Woah!” at the activation of the Inkrail, looking at Marina weirdly.
Marina just smiled, guiding them through the rail to.. They physically recoiled at the platform under them activating, giving them the only option of getting a splattershot. Both Marina and Pearl watched from behind her. “I don’t think there’s a way for me and ‘Reena to go through with you.” The inkling said, “Guess the only way through is to open that vault thing. Speaking of, how do you go about opening it?”
Marina thought for a second before answering. “Just a golden key, then it’ll open automatically.” Pearl raised an eyebrow, crossing their arms. “So, like those automatic sliding doors at the grocery store?” They asked. Marina looked at her.“I- Sure Pearlie. By the way, you mean grocery.” Pearl whistled, looking back at them. “What’re you waiting for?” The Inkling asked. They groaned. They were not excited.
They sprinted on, splattershot in hand. “Ayo, are those blood bags, why’re they blue?!” Pearl asked, shocked. Truth be told, they were already getting tired of this place, and they probably weren’t even close to whatever exit there is in this place anyway. They continued on destroying balloons, targets and crates, going up the ride rails, smiling in victory as they grabbed the key out of a crate. Their smile didn’t last long though, as they had to avoid crashing into the wall of the contraption that also gave them their weapon. “Ayo! It ate your weapon man! Totally uncool. 0/10.” Pearl sighed, walking on as they continued to the Vault.
“Well,” Marina began, “We have the key,so it’s a win in my book.” She smiled warmly. “Wow ‘Reena, you always got the best things to say, don't cha?” Pearl said, elbows behind their head. Marina blushed at the compliment, clearing her throat. She didn’t get the chance to respond back though, as Pearl yelped as the vault disappeared right in front of her eyes. “Right, totes normal.” The inkling said as they walked on together.
Marina shifted uncomfortably. “Wow, it just keeps getting creepier.” Pearl commented, shoes digging in the dirt under the rails. They blinked at the change in surroundings. “Well, we found a way out! Sort of.” Marina said as she hopped onto the platform, inspecting the lockers. “Yo… Is that a telephone…?” Pearl, surprisingly, whispered to them.A telephone? What? But the thoughts disappeared as they looked in front of them to the very real telephone conveniently placed in the middle of the platform. Pearl squinted their eyes. “Right…”
So that’s what that ringing sound was. They’d honestly hallucinated the Inkantation long enough other auditory illusions were ignored. They decided that probably went against every type of military training they received back in the domes. They walked to it together, Marina jogging to catch up to them before slowing. They wasted no time answering the phone, it’s sound was grating to the ears, and they wished they’d brought their headphones with them from down-or-up in the domes.
But the following sounds were even more grating to the ears, making them grimace. The machine made a few noises, shaking. “Greetings, 10,008, 10,009, and 10,010.Your current location is: Deepsea Metro Central Station.” The machine said, voice glitching on every sentence. “My primary function is to facilitate your journey to the promised land.” It continued, and they could hear Pearl coughing behind them. “Pleased to make your acquaintances.” The machine stopped, beeping for a few minutes before continuing on, even worse than before.
“What is crackalaking, home skillets? Let us bounce to the promised land fo sho.” They would’ve thrown their head back and laughed if they were that kind of octo. Luckily they weren’t and just stared at it in disinterest. “I am bout it bout it, so listen while I——-you the facts. You have spent your entire life in the dark. Your eyes closed to the new hotness that awaits. The promised land. A utopia of light beyond your wildest dreams. It is all that and a bag of cool beans.I will take you to the promised land now.” Really? “NOT!” Yeah, that sounds about correct to them. “HA HA HA. Psyche out.”
Nothing was ever really that easy. “Only cats who have proven themselves can—- the promised land. Do you did, dog?” “There’s something really wrong with this thing…” Pearl mumbled behind them. They nodded. “There have been 10,007 applicants so far, which makes you three 10,008, 10,009 and 10,010. This opportunity comes once in a lifetime yo. Good luck and———-.
This is Deepsea Metro Central Station, the realio dealio central hub of the facility. Here is your CQ-80 and CQ card. They are so bad.” What? That could mean two things. The three of them watched in silence as the machine slowly dispended the cards and slammed the CQ-80’s on the ground without a care in the world. “Guard them with your lizzife, because if you lose them,you will be——. Now come on ride the train. Outie 5000.”
They stand in silence for a moment before Pearl break it. “Yo, since you’re applicant 10,008 or whatever, can I call ya Eight?” The inkling asked, hand on their hips. They hummed in response. “Er.. If you tell me your pronouns.” They answered, voice low. “Aight, thanks Eight! I don’t mind, most just call me she.” She shrugged, crown bobbing up and down her head. “The promised land..” Marina mused. “Must be the surface. I hate to say this, but the only thing we can do at this point is follow what the phone says.” She sighs, palm on head.
Pearl just walks ahead. “There ain’t no time to waste, follow me Eight! Oh also pick up those things-” She gets cut off by the sound of arrival of the metro. “Or, I guess that’s easier.” She continues, walking into the metro, the rest following,this time card and CQ-80 in hand. Pearls nose scrunches up as she sits down on the metal bench of the metro.
“Ay, these things are uncomfortable man…” They all look towards the compartment doors as they open, letting someone inside. It moved rather slowly, before finally speaking up. “Thank you for using Deepsea Metro today. I am your humble conductor, C.Q. Cumber.” Right, they supposed that’d make sense. And also it was a clever pun on the other C.Q things. Taking in their silence, it continued on. “Pardon me, I take it this is your first time riding with us…” It continued. They watched it slowly move forwards again for another 10 seconds before it spoke again.
“Here’s the deal. We’re in a vast underground facility operated by the Kamabo corporation… It’s a series of test chambers connected by the Deepsea Metro subway system.I see that you’re all in possession of a CQ-80 device. I take it your aim is to reach the promised land?” It asked. Marina smiled. “That’s correct! We’ve been trying to find a way out since getting here..” She trailed off.
“Understood.” It said in return. “The promised land is a paradise to which we denizens of the depths are forbidden entry.” Pearl looked up to Marina, eyebrows raised in confusion. “To reach it, you must pass a test at each Deepsea Metro station.” It continued on, oblivious to Pearls plight. “You must also find and collect the four thangs. When all four thangs have been gathered, the door to the promised land shall open.” Pearl looked at them, lips twitching. “Tests? Thangs? All that just to go to the surface? I call bs.” She said, shaking her head. “Ya ain’t gotta do all that. just find a normal exit. This is a metro,ain’t it? There’s gotta be an emergency exit somewhere ‘round here.” They all looked at her in silence before the conductor continued speaking.
“…Let me show you to your first test. You can activate your CQ-80 by pressing the middle of the joystick.” Eight blinked at the blinding sight of what seemed to be a line of tests on one rail of the subway station. “This is the Deepsea Metro map. Go ahead and select a destination.” It continued on.
Eight pressed on the first and only available destination on the line, grimacing at what appeared to be a test fee. They only had a thousand at the moment… They pressed it anyway. No going back. “Very good. Now departing for the first test.” Eight wished they could say they didn’t jump at the way the subway started to move, but what greeted them was Pearl snickering. “Ay, good luck out there, Eight.” She patted their back as the train slowly stopped, music greeting them as they reached their first test.
“At each station, the available weapons will be displayed atop the equipper. CQ points are required to take each test. We’ll grant you 1,000 to start with. The test fee indicates the number of CQ points needed to take the test. The reward is how many CQ points you will earn for passing the test. Now go ahead and select a weapon.” They grabbed the only available one. “This area we’re in now is called a station platform. You can find me here at each stop. If you’d like more info about a certain test, come talk to me. I’m always happy to help.”
“Good news,” C.Q. Cumber spoke up, “Your team will not have to individually do all the tests. You can rest while you do a station.” Pearl grinned. “Shell yeah! You wanna do the test or nah?” She asked,looking at them with a raised eyebrow. Eight nodded, moving towards the entry point to put her tickets into the machine. “Here goes nothing." They mumbled. They yelped as it launched them into the test, new music coming in. They inked around, destroying crates and gaining power eggs, before stopping at hearing someone or something speak Octarian in a weird glitchy mess of a voice.
“Ay! I’m p sure that ain’t an inkling but err.. I don’t think its supposed to look like that either!” Pearl said, shock evident in her tone. “Destroy.” Was all it said before jumping down to fight. They winced as they shot down the weirdly colored octoling, not wanting to do that ever again, but they supposed they were never that lucky, as more octolings jumped down with different weapons. They continued on through the gates,happily inking the pillar-thing to end the test.
They dropped back down onto the equipper, a floating image of what seemed to be the avarage inkling girl in their hands. They walked back into the metro, relieved. “Congratulations, you’ve passed your first test. By the way, you received this memento when you finished. It’s called a mem cake.” The conductor explained as they opened their CQ-80 again.
“Mem cakes are formed by compressing memories into physical form. They’ll be awarded to you by Kamabo Co. to commemorate each test you pass. Click the left and right buttons on your CQ-80 to check out your collection of mem cakes on the menu. New stations are now available for you to visit and test your skills within. You can move freely to any station marked with an orange dot. Safe travels..”
They sat in silence for a bit,the only sound being the faint humming of machinery in the metro. “So we’re all in agreement that this is incredibly sketchy right?” Pearl asked, before visibly recoiling at the lump in her sweater. “Oh yeah. My bad, I forgot to say, but I found this walkie laying around the tracks at the start. I spose y’all didn’t notice it.” She said, grabbing it.
“Iunno who it connects to, but I figured that somebody must have the other one, right?” She said, pacing around the compartment. “Relax Pearlie, sit down please. We’ll find a way out, I promise.” They really hoped that was true. …I spose y’all didn’t notice it.” She said, grabbing it. “Iunno who it connects to, but I figured that somebody must have the other one, right?” She said, pacing around the compartment. “Relax Pearlie, sit down please. We’ll find a way out, I promise.” They really hoped that was true.