The Opening Act (A Splatoon Script)

Part 2 - No Turning Back

(The agents study the wreckage Doctor Nariko left in the Square. Pearl is standing back, impatient. Echo hovers curiously, and so does Juliuz, but he is more discrete.)

Pearl: Not to be impatient or anything, but aren't we supposed to go save the Great Zapfish before the Octarians take over the city?!

Marina: Hold on, Pearlie! There's a lot of new tech here that we should check out before anything else! We need to know what we're dealing with!

Pearl: Uuu-ugh. (Marina studies a new piece of tech while Pearl is in the background.)

Echo: So... what's all this stuff?

Callie: Dunno! It looks new. My guess is that it's some sort of part from Octo Weaponry.

Echo: Like the Octo Stomp? Or the Nozzlenose? If they're making this sort of stuff, then they mean business, right? (Echo curiously peeks over Callie's shoulder)

Juliuz: Don't Octarians ALWAYS mean business? Always trying to make inklings suffer?

Pearl: Yo, dude, what's your problem? Ya know that was straight-up rude? We've got a few innocent octolings right here!

Juliuz: Whatever. (They talk.)

(Echo seems a little hurt, and Callie notices.)

Callie: Hey, don't listen to him. What you're doing is great, you're trying to help Inkopolis stay safe.

Echo: Thanks. (Echo smiles a little more.)

Echo: Okay, I've got a question for you.

Callie: Alright, shoot. (Echo blushes a bit, a little embarrassed about her question.)

Echo: Sorry if I sound a bit pushy, but what's it like being you guys? You live two amazing lives. In the day, you're famous singers! Then in the night, you get to fight crime! I would love to do what you do!

Marie: It's not as great as it sounds.

Callie: I gotta agree with her there. We hardly ever get a break and it's hard to balance the two. I mean, it's a huge honor to do this, but at the same time, things can get rough. (They talk.)

Echo: I believe it! (Brooke lurks in the background, staring at Echo.)

Echo: Uhl! (Brooke jumps out and holds Echo in a locked grip.)

Callie: Hey! What are you doing?! Let her go! (Everyone looks up, surprised.)

Brooke: T-those things took her. They took my little sister. And this one is- (Brooke is breathless and kind of scared, but she still keeps her arm around Echo's neck as she holds a gun to Echo's head.)

Callie: One of us. She's on our side. Just calm down, Brooke. Put your gun down and let her go.

Brooke: You know my name?

Marie: Yes. Come on Brooke, literally everyone knows who you are now that you're famous. Now would you just listen and let the girl go? (Brooke is uneasy.)

(Brooke hesitates)

(Brooke lets Echo go.)

Brooke: Now... I let her go. It's only fair that you tell me what's going to happen to Coral.

Juliuz: The Octarians took Coral? (They talk.)

Brooke: So that's what they're called? Octarians? Anyway, she wasn't exactly kidnapped. My little beanie, she thought that she could stop 'em from attacking and get some good news footage at the same time. She ran into the spaceship, and then it took off while she was still inside. I don't know if they've caught her or what. (She talks.)