Splatoon Manga: NatuRun

Kalmia III: The Truth

🌸Kalmia III: The Truth

Takomorika and Nana stared at the squidbeak in front of them. They seemed desparate to get in, no matter what the cost.

"Whisper..." Tako mumbled.

"Forgive me, but these cephalopods WILL NOT give up until they know their friend is alright," Whisper replied with a stable expression.

Nana stared at them with wide eyes.

"I'm here!" she said loudly, in case some of them hadn't noticed her.

"Nana! Are you okay?! Did Tako do anything to you?!" Hachi exclaimed.

"I'm under a truth tea at the moment, unfortunately," Nana replied, though she'd be more than willing to say that without the tea's effects.

"Urgh, I KNEW that witch was up to something! Let us in!" Goggles shouted.

"Let's DESTROY these gates!" Flip exclaimed.

"Well, you two won't get in like that," Rider mumbled.

"You all misunderstand. To be let in, you must have manners. Didn't Whisper say Takomorika didn't trust strangers? Your hostility only proves that she shouldn't let you in even more!" Emperor scolded.

The squidbeak stopped their rattling.

"Oh...squit, he's right," Gloves muttered.

"Now then, if you would kindly excuse my allies' rude behavior and let us in to see how our friend is doing, we would appreciate it very much," Emperor said, turning to Takomorika. "We shan't touch anything, we promise."

"You heard that. No touching things, GOGGLES," Rider growled.

"Okay, Okay! I got it!" Goggles said quickly.

Takomorika stared in disbelief at these cephalopods. They'd come all this way for their friend? Well, she still didn't know if she should let them in even IF they used manners. She'd seen people pull this trick plenty of times before. Even if they meant no harm now, they COULD wind up doing so later.

"Hmph. I will send your friend through the bars, and you may interact with her, but if I see a single drop of betrayal or evil intentions, I shall take her back to my hut and send more...hostile plant beasts after you. Understood?" Takomorika asked, glaring at the squidbeak.

"Got it."

"Yup."

"No evil intentions here."

"Understood."

Takomorika sighed, then nodded at Nana. She opened the gates ever so slightly, so that Nana could get out. Nana looked up at Takomorika with a small smile.

"Ah, there's no need, I can just-"

"You can't slip through these grates with your cephalopod forms. It's been enchanted so that you can't do so," Tako said.

"O-oh."

Nana walked through without any further questioning, and the gates closed behind her. She was immediately hugged by the squidbeak upon exiting. They all cried over her and her return, glad she was okay. However, they also realized that because Nana had a truth tea on her, they could ask her anything they wanted, and Tako wouldn't be able to do anything about it.