#woe more shitty sketchbook doodles

[warriorsofsplatsville]

"Undertow Spillway?! You're certain?!" Salomon exclaimed.

"Yes, milord, there's been movement reported there. And it's not from the common jellyfish visitors either. It's a salmon scent."

"This is bad..."

"Why so?" Mirage asked. "It's another Turf Stage like any, right?"

Salomon shook his head. "Not quite. You kids don't know it, because it's not common knowledge among Inklings....but Undertow is a relic from the old world, you see. The one with humans. Your mother had informed me as such."

"It's...a human structure...?"

"Yes. But not just any structure. It was a sluice gate. Meaning that its entire purpose is to control the flow of water."

"Ah...!"

"In other words, a tragedy waiting to happen." Salmon scratched his chin. "I highly doubt the rebels know this, but in case they discover it...we need to locate the control room and protect it at all costs. If they manage to power it up and start it..."

"All those Inklings and Octolings will be wiped out without a trace, Cod....alright, Dad. I got it."

"Mirage-"

"I'm...the heir to the kingdom. I can't just sit aside and watch it happen. Besides, that's a ton of people in danger if I don't do something."

"I really don't want you to go in there. But...I can see your mind is made up. Hah. You're stubborn just like your old man."

"Please." They rolled their eyes, leaving the war room.

Mirage couldn't focus anyway. Not after the conversation Minu had with them.

-

"Minu, what do you mean 'this wasn't supposed to happen'? Cruesa is safe, isn't that all that matters?"

"If only it was that simple, squid jerky." The young Inktoling shook her head. "See, time is so incredibly delicate Mirage. If you were to go back in time and kick a rock down a sidewalk, you could completely alternate the course. That rock could've changed history to where the Octolings won the Great Turf War."

"Is it THAT complicated...?"

"Trust the girl that comes from a time where time traveling is commonplace." She huffed, pointing her finger aggressively at them. "Yes, it's that complicated. Papa and Mama have warned me that if things aren't correct, it can wreck the flow of time. And Cruesa being home, in that room....it's all wrong!"

"Explain to me how it is. What's supposed to happen then?" Mirage asked in annoyance.

"....Fine, if it'll get the barnacles off my back." Minu sighed. "Originally, what had occurred, was that Cruesa up until this point was supposed to remain in the custody of the rebel Salmonids. You, around this time, would go off into Undertow Spillway charging headfirst into the army, Tristringer ablazing. You would get injured. So much so that you would receive a scar on your right eye that would remain for the rest of your life."

"What....?"

"But you wouldn't stop. You would beat down Cruesa's older brothers, and then make your way to their base of operations alone, and free Cruesa yourself. With brute force, might I add."

"C-Cod...I was going to do all that...?"

"Yep. They called it 'The Crusade of Monarch Mirage' in stories. Cruesa would end up back with us, but...one, that scar, and two..."

"What??"

"...We would lose the spillway. The rebels discovered a deadly tactic that wiped out every single employee in there. They all died."

"!" Mirage couldn't believe what they were hearing. They would get Cruesa back...but at the cost of Undertow?

"It's gruesome, I know, but that's the way history went. Until now. And now I hear of Cruesa being helped out of her imprisonment...it has to be them...."

"'Them'? What do you mean? There's someone behind this?"

"More like an organization. People from the SCTT- the Sealife Counsel of Time Traveling- call them the Mystics."

"Mystics?"

"The Mystics believe differently from us. They believe that they can alter history, change the course of time without any severe repercussions." Minu explained. "Somehow, they travel through time, and change things. Even the littlest things. It's like...they know something we don't....but it's still such a dangerous practice!"

"So you're saying a...mystic...changed the course of time? One where I don't run headfirst into battle and almost kill myself?"

"Yeah. And I'll admit...this whole Cruesa returning now did seem to go positively..."

"Then what exactly is the problem? These Mystics didn't cause any detrimental harm, right? Cruesa's back, I don't go get a scar, and I'm here to support Inkopolis! Isn't this good? Why are you saying it's bad?!"

"It's bad, Mirage, because it's messing with things that have already occurred. Yes, it looks good now, it's positive FOR NOW, but there's a butterfly effect, a ripple on the water's surface! Though one good thing happens now, another tragedy could happen later!"

"Listen. As long as Cruesa is safe, and the Undertow is protected, and the kingdom prospers, I don't care who made it so. Ghosts or whatever the hell. I'm going."

"M-Mirage! Take this more seriously! MIRAGE!" Minu shouted after them, growling in anger once they left the room.

"....Believe me, Squid Ring, I'd love to rely on these guys more than anything. But....the last time was messed with too much....M....Mama...."

Minu clasped the shark keychain hanging from her belt.