Splatoon - Dead in the Water

Boredom and Theories

It was just as boring of a day as any other in Inkopolis. Pearl sat with Marina at a cafe, waiting for something, ANYTHING, to happen.
It didn't.
Marina was talking about something-or-other, but Pearl couldn't help but to tune her out. Marina noticed.
"Is something wrong, Pearlie?"
Pearl looked up at Marina, and just stared for a moment before blurting out "I'M SO BORED!" loud enough for everyone in the cafe to hear her.
Marina got a little nervous from all the eyes staring at them, but then turned her attention to Pearl.
"Is there something you'd rather do, Pearlie?" Marina asked.
Pearl nodded. Then, she whispered just loud enough so Marina could hear her. "I wanna go to Octo Canyon!"
Marina's eyes got wide. Then, she took Pearl by the hand and practically dragged her out of the cafe. She tried to drag her all the way to their apartment, but Pearl dug her heels in the ground, forcing them to stop.
"Hey, what's the big idea?" Pearl complained.
Marina looked around before whispering, "I don't want anybody to hear us!" She continued to try to drag Pearl, but Pearl wouldn't budge.
"Give it a rest, 'Rina." Pearl said. "I'd only really want to go if something interesting was going on down there. Since there isn't, you have nothing to worry about."
Marina let out a sigh of relief. That could have went so much worse.

~~~

And so, the next week had gone with Pearl constantly talking about Octo Canyon, and Marina constantly having to convince her to stay away from it. And yet, no matter what Marina said, the topic still kept being brought up again and again.
Eventually, Marina had enough.
"Pearl!" She shouted one time while Pearl was in the middle of raving about Octo Canyon for the millionth time.
Pearl stopped, looking at Marina with a surprised look.
"I'm sorry for interrupting you Pearl, but enough is enough! Don't you see? I'm trying to protect you! Octo Canyon is a terrible, terrible terrible place. And it's dangerous! Please! Just let it go!"
Pearl sighed. "All right 'Rina. I'll stop bringing it up." And she did. Marina was releived.
But that was when Marina got a call. It was Agent 8.
"I have a theory. I need to meet you." Agent 8 said, straight and to-the-point.
"Okay." Marina said. "Where do you want to meet?"
"Your apartment would be best. I'll be there soon."
There was an obvious serious tone in 8's voice. Marina was a little worried.
"8's on her way." Marina said to Pearl.
"Something happen?" Pearl asked, sounding casual. However, she did feel a jolt of excitement she kept a secret from Marina.
"Not sure." Marina said. "She says she has a theory."
"A theory?" Pearl asked.
Marina nodded. "She seemed pretty serious about it."
The two of them waited, and not long after, Agent 8 came out of the elevator that lead to their floor. She was dressed in the Salmon Run uniform. Pearl gave her a weird look.
"Forgot to change?" She asked.
8 shook her head. "No. I needed to smuggle something out of there."
She reached for the net that usually holds golden power eggs, but she pulled out a handful of regular power eggs instead. "Do you know what these are?" She asked.
"Power eggs?" Pearl was very confused as to what this was about.
"Yes, power eggs. And where do power eggs come from?"
"Salmonids?"
Marina looked at Agent 8 with a scared look. "You can't be thinking…"
8 looked towards Pearl. "You're not from Octo Valley, so you don't know this. But in Octo Valley, there are power eggs just about EVERYWHERE!"
"But then how did they get there?" Pearl asked.
"My theory is that there are Salmonids underground. But I have no idea why."
Marina decided she couldn't stay silent any longer. "It doesn't really matter, does it?" She asked. "I mean, we aren't going back, so it doesn't really matter, does it?"
8 looked at Marina. "So you aren't at all curious?"
"That's not what I said!" Marina said quickly. "But I just think…"
8 looked very annoyed. "Fine. You can stay here then. Pearl, would you join me?"
"Join you where?" Pearl asked.
"Wherever our exploration takes us, of course. What do you say?"
Pearl looked at Marina. "'Rina, I'd hate to upset you, and you definitely don't have to come, but…"
Marina sighed. “It’s okay Pearlie. You’ve been wanting something to happen for a while now. And here’s your chance! Just, promise me something, okay?”
“Yes?”
“Promise me you’ll come back to me safely?”
Pearl rolled her eyes. “You are SO overreacting ‘Rina. But okay, I promise.”
Marina smiled. “Thank you Pearl.” She hugged her. “Be careful, okay?”
Pearl smiled back. “Yeah, yeah, I will.”
8 just stared in confusion. She’s never really had an easy time connecting with people, so she couldn’t really grasp just how much Pearl and Marina cared about each other. She waited pateintly until they were done before saying “Okay, Pearl, are you ready?”
“One moment.” Pearl said. She quickly ran into her room and ran back out in a few moments in her MC Princess outfit. “NOW I’m ready!” She said, before pumping her fist into the air. “Let’s GO!!!!”
Agent 8 nodded happily, before saying, “I think the best place to start would be in the Grizzco building, since we’re dealing with Salmonids.”
Marina watched the two of them go down the elevator. She stared at the elevator for several moments. Why was she so worried? Pearl could take care of herself! And yet… a terrifying feeling of unease settled itself into Marina’s stomach. She wanted to run after her. To shout “Come back!” But there really was no point, right? Even if they did something crazy and actually went to Octo Valley, which Marina didn’t think 8 would want to do, they would know their way back out. They wouldn’t get trapped, right? Somehow still, Marina was worried. She looked at a large floor to ceiling window towards the ocean. Could there really be salmonids underground? Marina shuddered to think about it.