#//acht

[istjury]

old people pretending to be teens

[warriorsofsplatsville]

"So....what floor is she on?" Pearl asked, tilting her drone body to the side in curiosity.

"Hah. I don't think the lot of you are ready for this." Acht chuckled.

"Ready for what? It's an elevator."

"This elevator is quite special. You see, you can only go up one floor at a time. And there's...thirty floors total."

"H...HUH?! ONLY ONE AT A TIME?!" Minu exclaimed. "Did someone press all the buttons on it??"

"Nope. That's just how it functions. And on each floor, it seems there's small challenges on each of them. And the only way to make the elevator continue going up is to clear them."

"Wha...what kind of whacky place is this??" Pearl cried.

"It comes with some weapons at least. Here." The sanitized octoling threw a pair of monochrome dualies at Octa. "I've been using this pair for myself, but I think an active soldier would be better suited for them."

"Oh..." Octa held the dualies in her hands properly. "Are they functional?"

"Hah. Barely. The fire rate is left to be desired, and the damage is barely noticeable. Don't get me started on ground coverage." They sighed. "However. There is a way to improve them. Take your hand and wave it in the air. Just one little whoosh."

Octa did as she was told, and a screen popped up before her eyes, taking her by surprise. "Oh!"

"See those empty slots right there? Those are meant to be filled in with color chips. They're these little pieces, and they can improve just about every aspect of you. Your mobility, your fire rate, your ink recovery, how much an item drops, what kind of items, etc, etc...there's even some upgrades for Pearl over there. That drone is chalk full of handy features, it would seem."

"Eh? I am?"

"Here. Have this chip. It's for ink coverage. It'll let you cover the ground more. Just take this and...click it in there."

Octa nervously gripped the orange colored chip in her hand, and clicked it into one of the square spots. "There."

"Now you'll see the effects of it. We're coming up to the first floor now. Get ready."

"Shouldn't we help?" Mirage asked.

"Do I see a weapon in your hands?"

"Fair enough."

"Don't worry! I have been keeping up with my training, so I am very strong and very nimble!" Octa smirked confidently. "Just watch and learn!!"

"Don't overdo it now. These enemies are damage sponges. They won't go down easily." Acht mentioned, and the elevator doors parted for Octa.

Well, they weren't kidding about the dualies sucking.

Octa found herself struggling to keep up with the bigger enemies, having the dodge out of their way constantly to keep from getting hit. "What's my objective??"

"It seems you must destroy those portals that the enemies spawn from. There are three of them." Acht shouted.

"Easy enough." Octa confidentially readied the weapons in her hands.

Carefully, she destroyed all three portals without taking damage from the enemies too much.

A system alert started playing. "Level cleared. Return to the elevator. Level cleared. Return to the elevator."

Octa ran back inside. "That's one way to get the blood pumping!"

"Suppose it is. Keep in mind that the objectives will vary. Some make you escort a tower to the end. Some make you protect a splat zone. Some make you chase down fleeing enemies, and some make you push around eight balls. Not to worry, there's barriers, so you won't be unreasonably punished for dropping an eight ball."

"Oooh....eight balls....I do think they were pretty fun though..."

"Anyway. You get to choose another color chip before starting the next level. This occurs every time unless you're about to take on a boss level. And you just got some currency from beating the level called Membux. There are vending machines here- you skip a floor, but they can sell sub weapons and specials to swap out, color chips you might want, and extra lives. It's pretty handy, so get as much money as you can."

"I see...this is a lot to process, yes..." Octa sighed, waving her hand and reading the details on the screen in front of her.

"You seem like a natural at this already, though."

"Oh well, you know, haha..."

Mirage stared at Octa. It's almost like...she's been here before.

The group climb the tower, one floor at a time, until they hit floor ten.

"Alright. This is a boss room. Be careful. Something's...weird." Acht said, watching the doors open.

Octa walked up to the edge, and was carried away by the cage, Pearl accompanying close by. The boss...seemed to be a giant blob, smack dab in the middle.

"What...is that..." Mirage gulped. It looked...pretty gross.

"Wait- there's someone in there!" Pearl exclaimed, zooming forward. "It's...

"MARINA!!"

"Marina? Like Off the Hook Marina?!" Minu exclaimed. "What is she doing here?!"

As soon as Octa glided to the ground with the help of Pearl, Marina began to twitch around, making robotic like movements.

"Intruders detected. Classification: Immediate threat. Orders: Elimination." She boomed, the machine-goop she was trapped in firing up. "Message to intruders: You've gotten far enough. It's time for you to succumb to world order. You will obey the system."

"YO! Marina, what's wrong with you?! You're acting all....kooky!" Pearl exclaimed.

"I have a sneaking suspicion you might have to fight her." Mirage groaned.

"N-No problem..." Octa said, readying her dualies.

"You'll need to go after those big tentacle portal things to the sides! They're holding up the forcefield!" Minu added. "Look how they connect to her!!"

"So destroy the portals. Got it."

"Those portals might spam a ton of enemies too." Acht also added on.

"And I bet that Marina herself might attack-"

"ALRIGHT! WE GOT IT! THANK YOU!" Pearl shouted at the two of them before zooming to Octa's side, who had already taken off to stop Marina.

One portal down....two portals down...three....

When the fourth one was destroyed, Marina slumped over. "Aaargh-!!"

"Now! Attack the blob she's trapped in!!"

Octa inked the blob as much as the dualies would let her, until the blob too exploded. Marina fell to the ground dramatically, and Octa and Pearl ran up to check on her.

"Marina!!" Pearl exclaimed.

"Ouuughh...P-Pearlie....Eight....is that...you?" She whined, sitting up and holding her head in pain. She removed the clunky glasses from her face. "I had a terrible dream....that I was trying to hurt people...to achieve world order, or something like that..."

"Miss Marina! I think you might have been being controlled!!" Octa exclaimed. "Hopefully, we destroyed the machine so it can't control you anymore..."

"I saw this....woman too....what is happening....?"

"Take it easy Marina. We'll take it from here, okay?" The Pearl drone gently bumped its face on the top of her head to give her a little kiss.

"Well, we found Marina..." Mirage sighed, them and Minu jumping down to the area where they were in. "Just a bunch of more people to go."

"Ough...oh, Octa....are these your new friends?"

"S-Sort of. These two are agents of the Splatoon. They recently joined."

"I see-"

The speaker system made a little chime, and suddenly, a glitchy face appeared from the remnants of the machine. It was just two little eyes and a little mouth- that in of itself wasn't very terrifying.

"You....you destroyed my Marina Agitando!! Vile, chaotic cretins...!"

"Heyo! Who the heck are you?!" Pearl yelled at the face.

"I am Order. I shall bring everyone into the Memverse, and through this, achieve World Order! There will be no more pain, no more worries...it will just be me."

"Wha-- so you must be behind this! Are you...Tara?!" Mirage asked frantically. "What did you do to all of our friends?!"

"Tara?! No! I am the perfect computer program! I have everyone's best interests in mind, if only you would listen to me-"

"No way, Order Freak! We're breaking all the people you trapped in here out of this plain prison!" Minu shouted.

"Hmph. So be it. Then..."

The system speakers chimed again. "Initiating full Order protocol. Any personnel within the building shall be expelled from the premises."

"Huh?"

"Uh oh..." Acht mumbled, holding on tightly to their hat.

"LEAVE! AND DON'T EVER STEP FOOT IN THE SPIRE AGAIN!!"

The screen twisted and convulsed, and it turned into a massive blast that hit them all with full force.

"W..."

"WAAAAAAAAH!"

The whole group crashed against the wall of the building, bursting through, and were sent flying off the top floor to the ground below.

"O-Octa!!" Marina shouted, holding her hand out to the three agents plummeting to the ground. The Pearl drone grabbed ahold of Marina to carry her in the air.

Octa looked around her. The shock of the blast had knocked the kids out cold. Quickly grabbing the two of them, she held them tightly as her back met the white sand below, breaking their fall as best as she could.

...........

[themostimportantnight]

She was a green flag, they were a yellow-white-purple-black flag

[woosh-floosh-art]

What post Side Order does to you

[shibascrem]

World Tour Confessions B-SIDE

I recommend you read A-SIDE first. The rest of the comic is under the read more.

Brittanic bold = Octarian language

Arial = Inkling language

I think OtH would challenge their guests to a rap off as reception entertainment.

[shiverhohojiro]

Acht's bizarre grandfest

[loafbud]

[ITEM OBTAINED] You got... a DEDF1SH PLUSH! It was found in the sewers... but you got it! This item is 🫵 YOUR 🫵responsibility now and it's in your inventory forever! Happy DJing

[kitteecafe]

im so late to pride posting lmao

[tizzypizza]

alternatively, YOU are the only thing preventing acht from having to witness pearl and marina making out

[rink3]

Some pressure drawings that I actually finished lol

[gatoburr0]

Squids with guns.

[istjury]

fucker gets humanised because i cant draw his stupid hair

[warriorsofsplatsville]

.....

.........

............

...Mirage...!

The Inkling shot up, taking deep breaths. Oh good, they weren't dead. Or were they? They were completely surrounded by white.

"Neo 3, are you alright?!"

They look up to see Octa, who was wearing a drastically different outfit. Instead of her black-clad outfit and cape, she was wearing a white suit, with straps around her shoulders. Her tentacles has changed color as well.

"I'm...fine, actually. I feel like I'm in perfect health." They replied, their hands digging into the pure white sand under them.

"Cool. Then get the shell up. Because we're in some serious trouble." Minu told them.

Mirage got to their feet, and was utterly shocked at the sight around them. It was Inkopolis Square, and yet...it was far from it. It looked like one of those dead coral reefs they read about. Lifeless. Colorless. Hopeless.

"Where...? Why...?! And where's the others? Sandy? Plat? Ess??"

"I'm...not sure, Mirage. They were not here when I awoke." Octa lowered her head. "Perhaps we can find some help-"

"EIIIIGHTTTTTT!!"

The three watched a small drone fly toward them at lightning speed, stopping right in front of Octa. "Hey!! How'd you get here? You know what, that doesn't matter, I need your help!!"

"S-Slow down! P...Pearl, is that you...?"

"Yeah! Can't you recognize me?!"

"Well...you're..."

"Oh, ignore the drone thing. I don't know either." She explained quickly. "Ayo, who are these two guys? Never seen 'em here before."

"Oh, that's right! This is the New Agent 3, Mirage. They stopped Mr. Grizz in Alterna. And this is Minu, she is also an agent alongside them. You two, this is Pearl, from Off the Hook!"

"Is every idol involved in some insane secret plot to destroy the world?! I just don't--" They shake their head. "Nevermind. Where are we?"

"Beats me. The Square from the looks of it but like...totally NOT the Square, yanno? But I get a feeling we'll get some more answers if we head into there." She looked in the direction of Deca Tower. "Cause it sure as heck ain't out here."

"Fair enough. Haha, this is like old times, huh, Pearl? Exploring weird places together."

"Hah, you bet!"

"What is...happening anymore..."

The four enter the building, Mirage noticing a mysterious set of lockers on the way.

"Um...this is NOT the inside of Deca Tower at all."

The Pearl Drone zoomed around the spacious room, the cephalopods following. "This place is whack..."

"Tell me about it..." Minu stared at the monochrome interior.

Octa didn't seem as surprised as the rest of them were, which Mirage could pick up on.

"Over there, we should head toward the elevator, no? I bet Marina and all of Mirage's friends are on a higher level." Octa pointed at the clean steel doors at the other end of the room.

"Oh, good thinkin', Eight!" Pearl hummed, zooming over, and the other three ran to catch up. And as the elevator doors slowly slid open...

"Woah. Looks like a party."

"Eh?! Is that a sanitized Octoling?! Eight-!!" Pearl yelled.

"Woah, cool it. No need to get all crazy on me. I won't hurt you." The Octoling put a hand up. They wore a hat with headphones, a sleek black dress, and knee-high boots.

"Who are you...?" Octa asked, tilting her head.

"....Ah, I go by a couple different names, but for the sake of simplicity, you can call me Acht." They spoke. "Sorta new to this place, myself, though going through the elevator enough times myself, I think I've got it figured out."

"...A few times? Are you riding up and down the elevator?" Mirage slouched.

"Nah. Come on in and I can show you."

"Hrmm....I don't know..." Pearl beeped.

"I trust them. I think they know what they're talking about." Octa nodded. "I'll lead the way. Let's go."

Pearl, Minu, and Mirage exchanged nervous looks before following Octa into the elevator.

"So. What are you doing in here?"

"Well, initially, me and my friends here were on a mission to stop whoever was causing the Square to go entirely unconscious, but now it seems, since joining, we are now on a large rescue mission....three agents, a Salmonling, and now Marina, as it happens..."

"Ah. I see. Fair enough." Acht looked away. "I was here initially before something went haywire about this place. And then a buncha kids and stuff showed up. And there was this real tall lady. Weird-looking, too. If I had to guess, she's behind this nonsense."

"That must be Tara." Minu grimaced. "But...none of this makes sense. We're...in the Square, are we not? Why does it look so different and weird? Where are the other unconscious people? And these clothes...and this elevator..."

"Hm. Can't really tell you exactly WHERE we are, but I can probably guess WHAT this place is. I think we're in a virtual reality right now."

"A...virtual reality?"

"Yep. Did you guys happen to be put to sleep before showing up here?"

"Yeah...we were." Mirage answered.

"Yep. It'd be wise to say that your real bodies are still unconscious in the....'Square' right now, but your minds are in here."

"That's crazy...so does this mean Tara....made a virtual reality?"

"I don't know. Barely seen this 'Tara' lady around, so I can't give you a straight answer."

"So what are YOU doing here?" Minu asked, suspiciously eyeing Acht.

They shrug. "Honestly...beats me. My memory is still a little hazy. I've only gotten some of them back recently. I suffer from a bit of amnesia."

"Ah...would you have happened to regain them while in here?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Hmm..."

"Something up, Eight?" Pearl chimed in.

"I have a theory about this place...but I can't confirm it until we find Marina."

"Well then, the sooner we find her, the better! Full speed ahead!!"

[androidwarlock]

Good to see Marina's stocking up on the Pearl merch already

[bixels]

D3DF1SH / Acht.

[tubbiecustard]

anothe reuplosd!!!

dated twtter trend 🦭