A New Way

Awakening

Darkness...

"Where am I?"

Light chatter...

"Why can't I see anything? Just try to stand," she thought.

"Hey, 3, you're awake!" Cap'n Cuttlefish said, "You alright, bucko?"

"W-W-What happened?" Agent 3 asked.

After a quick glance behind him, Cuttlefish said "That crazy phone hijacked your mind. Agent 8 over there had to knock you out in order to bring you back."

"You hired an Octoling?" She asked, just then noticing him.

"He helped me through the metro when you weren't there."

"Was that the place I found you in? Also, what's this about a telephone?"

"Yes, and look over there," the Cap'n pointed outwards with his bamboozler.

"Wha- Is that... a human?" she asked.

"The statue of one. There was this robot telephone that was forcing a bunch of inklings and octolings through tests just to kill them. But we were able to stop it before it destroyed Inkopolis with its giant gun," the Cap'n explained.

"Oh,"she said, still in shock over the size of the statue in front of her. After taking a look around, she finally realized she was on a platform lifted by a helicopter. She also noticed Pearl and Marina, the two idols from the upcoming duo Off The Hook. "Well, what do we do now?"

"First off, we're going to return to Inkopolis.  In the meantime, I think we need to decide where 8 should stay," Marina spoke up.

"I only have a small apartment, so could one of you guys take him?" 3 asked.

"He wouldn't get used to normal life in our mansion," Pearl replied.

"And I don't know what me grand-squids would think of him if I brought him to me shack," Cap'n said.

"Well, I guess I do have a spare room. What does he have to say on the matter?" 3 asked.

8 gave the Captain a confused expression.

"I don't think he knows how to talk," the captain responded.

"Let me guess, you want me to teach him," she said sarcastically.

"That would be helpful."

She glanced back at him, "Hello." 8 gave a small wave. "What's his name?"

"He lost his memories, 3. I don't think he has one," Marina replied.

"Hm," she shifted to the edge of the platform and looked out at the sunrise.

The rest of them gathered around 3, looking at the sunrise as well. 8 decided to sit next to 3.

After about an hour of getting closer to Inkopolis, Pearl broke the silence. "Well, we should probably get home now."

"Yeah, I agree," 3 said.

"You sure you're going to be alright 3?" the Cap'n asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she responded as she laid back.  "Tell me when we land."

"Sure bucko."

Another 30 minutes passed, with 3 just lying there. Unbeknownst to her though was that 8 was admiring her the whole time.

"We're about to land," Pearl spoke up.

3 sat up as the platform touched the ground.

They decided to hang out at Pearl's mansion for a while before they split up.

"Do you need help getting home?" Marina asked.

"If you could drop us off at the square, that would be helpful," she replied, not forgetting about 8.

"I need to head there too," the Cap'n said.

"There's a car in the garage, follow me," Pearl said.

The group proceeded to follow Pearl to the garage and get in the car. Once they arrived 3, 8, and the Cap'n got out.

"You sure you got it from here, bucko?" the Cap'n asked.

"Yeah," she said as she took in her surroundings. "C'mon 8," she said to him as they took off towards her apartment.

Once they arrived, 3 took out a key and unlocked the door. She then stepped in and said, "Welcome to my home. It's not much but it'll do. Anyway, there's a spare bedroom and bathroom over there, make yourself at home."

About an hour went by, with 3 looking at her phone, while 8 explored her apartment.

"8 dinner's ready," she called out as she sat down a pot of Mac and Cheese. "It's not much, but I hope you like it."

A few moments passed before the silence was broken.

"It's..." 8 started to say.

"What?" 3 said surprised that he could talk.

8 instantly shut his mouth hoping she didn't hear him.

"I heard you say something, what was it?" she asked.

8 just lowered his head.

"Do you not like to talk?"

8 shook his head.

"Why not?"

"I...don't think...people...will like...my voice," he finally responded.

"I think it sounds great."

"R-Really?"

"Yeah, you should use it more often."

"T-Thank you," he said.

"Now, I think we should get some rest," she said as she finished eating.

"I a-agree."

Once they finished putting the dishes away, they headed off to their separate bedrooms.

"Goodnight, 8"

"Goodnight, 3"

~819 words

~BombJumper