Marina Ida: MISSING!

Chapter Three: The Hypnoshades

Agent 3 dusted her hands off, relieved that she had finally finished a super long mission. It had worn her down some, and she was exhausted. She walked over to one of the benches and let herself sink down on it, panting slightly. She wiped her forehead, letting her blue eyes wander to Crusty Sean's restaurant. Maybe she would order herself a cold drink to cool herself down...

Agent 3 quickened her pace as she went over to the restaurant, walking inside. She swung the door open and a bell chimed to let the workers know that a customer had arrived. The orange-colored Inkling went over to the counter, ordered a cold cola with ice, and passed them a ticket to pay for her drink. A couple of minutes later she was outside in the shade, relaxing while sipping her drink, and that was when her phone started to ring...

It startled Agent 3, especially when she was supposed to be off after her last mission. She stared at her phone in surprise, then quickly answered it, clearing her throat.

"Uh, hello?" she asked inquisitively. "This is Agent 3."

"Agent 3, listen. We need your help and fast." Marie's voice sounded urgent, and it told the agent that something was wrong. "Get Agent 4 and head over to Octo Canyon, okay?"

There was a click, and Agent 3 knew she had hung up. Blinking in surprise, she dialed Agent 4's number to see if he was available...

"Phew! I'm beat!" Pearl declared, exhausted as she sank down in a chair at the apartment she shared with Marina.

"So am I," Marina sighed, sitting down on her bed, crossing her legs as she started to drift into deep thought.

"You're tired!? You hardly did anything, Rina! You were quiet through the whole thing!" Pearl complained, looking frustrated. Something seemed to snap inside of Marina, and she leaped off of the bed, glaring at her friend.

"I did what I was supposed to. Besides, at least I wasn't like you. You kept stumbling over your words!"

This new, angry side of Marina was new to Pearl, and she stared at her friend in shock. It took a minute to regain her confidence, and Pearl jumped up from her seat, too.

"I didn't stumble over my words! We're supposed to help each other, but you didn't help me with it at all!"

"Well, maybe if you weren't so self-censored, I would actually want to help you more!"

"Self-censored?!" Pearl cried as if she had been shot. "What?!"

In a boiling rage, Pearl left the apartment in a huff, anger clear in her eyes. Marina crossed her arms and sighed heavily, covering her face with her shaking hands.

"Why in Inkopolis did I say that?! Pearl is the best Inkling I know! She's always been there for me when I needed it..." the Octoling murmured to herself, the bed shaking with her crying. "It's not her fault that I'm haunted by this memory..."

The door creaked open slightly, startling Marina. She looked up in surprise.

"Pearlie?" she asked hesitantly, staring at the shadowy figure. The figure came closer, and Marina immediately recognized it to be someone she wish she had never known.

"E-Ersa?!" she exclaimed in disbelief, backing up against a wall. "W-why are you here?!"

"I think we both know why!" Ersa answered grimly. The Octoling wore a pretty purple dress mixed with a black design, and her eyes were a poisonous purple. She wore black boots and gloves, and she worked for DJ Octavio. She had known Marina when the popstar had still been growing up, and both she and Octavio had gotten enraged that she had betrayed them and ran away.

"Remember me?" Ersa smirked, giving her a sick smile that stunned her. "Marina, we both know where you belong."

Marina's face paled and she shook her head desperately, wishing she could run away to get Pearl.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not going with you! This is my home, and I'm not leaving it!" Marina spoke defensively, a shiver running down her spine at the cold look Ersa gave her.

"You left us and went to make yourself all popular. You selfish Octoling! I didn't come all the way here for nothing. You ARE coming with me. Or do I have to make you?"

"M-make me?" Marina asked, her voice shrinking. Ersa gave her a nasty smirk and drew out a fresh new pair of Hypnoshades from her black purse, much to Marina's shock.

"You're just trying to threaten me," Marina snapped impatiently, glaring at the Hypnoshades. She sounded a lot more brave than she felt. "I don't think they actually work."

"Or do they?" Ersa smiled, laughing. "Well, Marina. You either come with me, or I force you to."

Seeing no way to escape, Marina let herself fall to the floor, having no weapon that she was able to fight back with.

"PEARL!!" she shouted as loud as she could in hopes that her best friend would hear her call of desperation.

"Now you've done it! It looks like I'll have to make you after all! Well, don't blame me. I didn't want to have to do this..." Ersa murmured, making Marina feel sick. Her words echoed in her mind as Ersa carefully slipped the Hypnoshades onto Marina's face.

"P-Pe..." Marina felt herself shake, and tears of anger and desperation filled her teal eyes. "P-Pearl..."

And then her mind went completely blank as she gave in to unconsciousness.