Agent 38: In The Making

Chapter 31: Fear or Rage?

     Marie and Cuttlefish dragged him and Eight back to Tentakeel Outpost while Aaron, Gabriel, and Callie stayed behind to teach basic manners and traditions to the freed Octolings. Marie might as well have dragged him by the collar of his cape. They stepped onto the launchpad and flew through the air, with Eight close behind him. He swiveled his head to shoot her a smile, and she grinned back nervously. Cuttlefish spasmed and shook in the air next to her, clearly unused to launchpads. Three turned back to Marie just as they landed, and nearly crash landed before he could find his balance. Marie snatched the collar of his cape and shoved him into the Cuttlefish Cabin, slamming the door behind her as warmth and the scent of ocean flew into his face. A small fridge lay in the corner, with photos all over it, candles sat on top of countertops, and a broken table was in the "living room". She stood in front of him, placed her hands on her hips, and glared at him. Three crossed his arms and scowled right back. Marie sighed, rubbed her temples, closed her eyes, and finally spoke.
     "Three," She said, her voice quivering with what sounded like rage. "WHY WOULD YOU HIDE THIS FROM US!?"
     He felt the glow flickering in his eyes and had to stamp down his anger so it went away. "Hide what?" Three asked. "My stinking glowing eyes? The fact that I can do a Splashdown out of nowhere? The fact that I can dodge-roll without Dualies? Tell me, Agent 2, WHAT IS IT YOU WANT ME TO SAY?"
     Her amber yellow eyes lit up with fury as she opened them. "I want you to say your sorry!" Marie yelled. "I want you to tell me why you hid this from us! I want you to TRUST THE SPLATOON TO TAKE CARE OF YOU AND BE THERE FOR YOU LIKE EIGHT IS! We're not that dumb! It's so obvious that you love her; the way you look at her and the way she looks at you, like she's worried and so in love at the same time, and the way she looks at the Splatoon, like she trusts us with her life, and yours! She knows we're her family and welcome her with open arms! I want to see that trust in your eyes; that thoughtful expression that says you know we're here for you and we got your back! That's what I want to see!"
     The words bubbled up in Three's throat and he burst out before he could stop them. "OF COURSE I KNOW YOUR MY FAMILY! Of course I know that you're here for me! But I don't want you all to be! I don't deserve kindness like this; this love and adoration that I've done nothing to earn! I don't want to be that burden on your shoulders, that one little sack of ink that you have to lug around for no reason! STOP CARING FOR ME!"
     Three realized that fear had seeped into Marie's eyes and rubbed his, knowing they were teal green. "Look, Marie." He said with a sigh. "I'm getting worse. I can feel it. My eyes glow more often, over the smallest things, and this- this voice keeps telling me things. I haven't told Eight about this yet, but I think she knows, too." He looked up and met her eyes. "I-if something ever happens... If I lose myself... If I'm not me one day.. Don't waste your time on me. Throw me in somewhere where I won't be free. Where I'll never see the light of day again. Eight told me about her fight with Tartar, and that's what's in me." He pointed to the scar on his eyebrow, with pulsed dimly with teal green light. "If that- that thing ever becomes me... Don't let me near any of you."
     They won't be able to stop us, Tartar's voice whispered gleefully inside his mind, stronger and louder. It sent chills through his veins. With you by my side... We'll be unstoppable.
     Marie's face hardened. "That won't ever happen. We can help you-"
     "Did I not just say I don't want help!?" Three blared. "Or are you deaf!"
     "Three, PLEASE!" Marie screeched. "Just let us help! It won't kill you!"
     "And what if it takes me over while you're helping me, huh!?" He yelled. "What then! I could splat all of you within seconds, and that thing makes me even stronger! If you're gonna help me, let it be over my dead body!"
     "How about your unconscious body?" Marie said, slightly joking, mostly dead serious as she picked up the broken leg of the table. Three glared at her. He turned and stormed out the door, scowling, and didn't bother to smile back at Eight when she grinned at him. Three jumped into squid form and slid through the manhole that led to Inkopolis Square, hoping to blow off some steam. Three swam out of the sewer onto solid ground into a Square full of scowls. Almost everyone in Inkopolis knew who he was, the infamous hacker of the city. If only they knew.
     Three lifted his chin defiantly, glaring right back at everyone.
     He sauntered back to the apartment, slamming the door behind himself, and walked into the bedroom. Three dumped himself onto the bed, debating between crying or screaming or having a pillow fight with the pillows. Since he almost never cried, having a pillow fight with the pillows seemed like great fun. However, Eight had been telling him ever since they'd met to relax, and stop being so angry all the time. And, for some reason, even though she wasn't there, he held back. Instead, he made himself a coffee, snatched his phone, and read an article that entailed him and which "hacks" he was using.
     The entire article sounded preposterous, really, referring to the maybe use of foreign technology and combining that tech with his, which was weird because he'd never really left the Square. Another theory was that the Octoling that was always with him (Eight) was playing a big part in this, and somehow giving him "superpowers" and using him for money. However, none of the theories could explain why his eyes glowed, to which he simply let out a bitter laugh.
     About an hour later, he heard the front door open and close, heard about two pairs of footsteps coming in, and then Eight trotted into the room with a grim look on her face.
     "So?" He asked. "What did Marie say?"
     "Nothing much." She said, sitting down next to him on the bed. "Just to keep an eye on you." An awkward moment of silence passed, then he set down his phone, leaned back, and Eight settled into the crook of his arm next to him. "By the way... What's Splatoween?"
     Aaron busted into the bedroom, with an urgent look plastered onto his face. "THREE SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT SPLATOWEEN IS WE HAVE TO SHOW HER BECAUSE THIS IS PROBABLY THE LAST YEAR WE CAN STILL BE CONSIDERED CHILDREN AND I'M NOT GOING TO ASK YOU FOR PERMISSION BECAUSE THIS IS MANDATORY AND SPLATOWEEN IS IN THREE DAYS ALSO MARIE TOLD US WE HAD TO GET READY TO MOUNT AN ATTACK ON THE SANITIZED OCTARIANS-" He took a deep breath, then started up again. "AND TO TELL HER IF WE HAVE ANY GOOD TRAINING SPOTS."
     "Absolutely not." Three said firmly. "Splatoween is the dumbest holiday on Earth. And every non-public place is a good training spot."
     Eight gently took his chin and turned his head to face her. "Come on. This is the first year I get on the surface and you're already denying me things? It'll be fun!"
     Three swiveled his head to stare at her, then Aaron, then back to Eight. He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and blew out a long sigh.
     "Fine. But it better not be anything public! And don't you DARE make me wear a squidding costume!" Three said.
     "YES!" Aaron yelled. Eight gave him a small kiss on the cheek and nuzzled his neck with a smile, her breath against his cheek. She smelled of mint and fresh rain, although it hadn't rained in the few months she'd been on the surface.
     "Oh, crud... This isn't going to go well, is it?"

I'm trying to speed write my chapters. Also, the next few chapters are going to be about random fun things that Agents 3, 4, and 8 are up to.
Word count: 1430