An Octarian Princess

Deep deep down

It had been 3 days since everything with Dr. Gros had gone down. Naida was still missing, and the choosing of a replacement leader hadn't gone very well. There just were no heirs, Octavio's only child had been Naida, and everyone had agreed that bringing back Octavio would be a disaster. So the Octopia council had been in charge, Dr. Gros' position still needing to be filled, but that was a later problem.

The Squidbeak Splatoon plus Octavio had also returned to Inkopolius. Octavio, had decided to take a step back, although Marie and Callie had seen little of him, he'd leave the small area around Cuttlefish Cabin before either of them were up, and not return until after they both went to bed. Marina was the only one who'd really been able to talk to him, and she had never really divulged what they had discussed. Just that if anyone ever needed him, to just text him, and he'd come by. So no one really pushed, Agent 4 had taken back to his studies a bit, but definitely trying to help locate Naida alongside Pearl and Marina.

Agent 4 found himself walking throughout the square yet again, just kicking a pebble ahead of him, when he noticed the alley way he had ducked into when Naida had taken Marina's laptop. He turned his attention back to the old abandoned subway tunnel, strange. He could've sworn he heard something.

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Cap'n Cuttlefish had been going on for awhile now, he'd forgotten how long he had been down there. Some weird blue and green Octarians had gotten him and Agent 3 separated, hopefully they were ok. But no communication had happened. He looked ahead, was that a normal Octoling? He walked down, unconscious, hm. She was humming the Calamari Inkantation, double odd. He gently shook her a bit, she then shot up and headbutted him.

"Owowowowow! Cod!" She said

Cap'n Cuttlefish fell onto the floor, "I could say the same, dear. Goodness, got a thick skull, dontcha?" He said

"Uh, sorry about...that..." She looked around "where are we?" She asked

"I was hoping you could tell me. But I was here with a friend of mine, and we got separated." He replied

"I was with my Dad, oh, Cod, my Dad! Cody! Everyone!" The Octoling began to panic.

"Woah, woah, it's ok." Cuttlefish took her hands "I'm sure we can get you back to your family. We just need to figure out how to get out of here."

The Octoling wiped her tears, and nodded retracting her other hand from his to hug herself in comfort.

Cap'n Cuttlefish put a hand on her shoulder, "now, may I know your name? I'm Craig Cuttlefish of the Squidbeak Splatoon." She looked at him wide eyed, ok, maybe not the best idea to talk about the Splatoon.

The Octoling began to giggle a little "heh, I always hear stories about you, Mr. Cuttlefish, from my Dad. I-I'm Naida Uttara, heir to Octopia." She smiled

"Octavio had a child? Goodness, that's certainly news. I'm sure you know that I haven't spoken to Octavio since the war." Cuttlefish said

"Yeah, I'm adopted, I'm 15." She said

Cuttlefish chuckled "Octavio always did like kids, even if he never admitted it to me, or anyone else. Say, does he still talk to Ember? I've always wondered how she's doing."

"She's his commander now, she replaced Commander Okuto after the war. Actually, Oku is my middle name. I'm sure that holds some meaning to you." Naida replied

"Lot's of meaning, my dear. I wish I could've visited Okuto's grave after the funeral." Cuttlefish picked up his cane from where it had fallen "so, why don't we get a move on, hm?"

Naida nodded, before getting herself up, wherever this place was, it was old. Walking through wrecked turnstiles and into an abandoned subway train, pools of pink ink in the way. Weird, when did her tentacles turn pink to match? Eh, more important things to think about right now.