Tale of the X7 : The Real One

Part 6

Mark P.O.V

I gave to the Octoling boy in front of me a shocked look. It was hard to believe what he just revealed to me. I couldn't help but feel suspicious about him. Why would he have revealed himself only now? We were looking for Daylily since 5 days now! Unless he was trying to find her on his own first ...

I guessed my suspicion could clearly be seen in my face , because Dominic started looking more desesperate than he was before :

Dominic : I know it is sudden. But please ! Please Inkling Mark, have to trust me !
Me (taking a deep breath) : I guess I have no choice, but I have so much questions...
Dominic (cutting me) : That you can ask later. We have to hurry , I sure my sister is in danger!
Me (starting to worried a lot more) : Okay I got it. What do I have to do ?
Dominic (showing the dark alley at our side) : Following me in that place here. If you don't figured it out yet, it is the Deepsea Metro.
Me : Fine I'll follow you. Do I need to bring something ?
Dominic : Yes. Your weapon. I wait here.

I didn't wait any longer ; I turned around and ran in the direction of my appartment.

(20 minutes later)

I arrived in front of Dominic, looking for my breath. It was clearly the biggest sprint I have ever done in my entire life. I looked at him, showing my N-ZAP 83. He gave me a little nod, and turned into Octo form to get through the fence. I quickly followed him in Squid form, and then we ran towards the underground, hopping to find Daylily safe and sound.

Daylily P.O.V

I was floating. At least , that was the sensation that I had. All of my senses were sleeping. I couldn't see, or hear anything, except some loud noise and vibration.

Sometimes, I was coming back to myself. Once, I was walking at Tessa's side. Another time, I was in the Metro with the others. I didn't understand why I came back at that moment though.

Physically, I was asleep. But mentally, I was fighting that floating sensation. And when I wasn't floating, I was cold.

And trapped in my own nightmares.

Mark P.O.V

I had never seen a place like that before. The Deepsea Metro really made me feel uneasy. As soon as we were in the underground, I began to feel sick ; I was dizzy and I felt like I would throw up. I guessed I'm not welcome in that place. Only Octolings were. 

Dominic was walking with determination, holding his Octoshot tightly. It seemed like he knew the Deepsea Metro by heart, turning in specific alleys or going straight.

An unknown amount of time later, I wasn't able to stay silent anymore :

Me : Where are we going anyway ?
Dominic : You see soon enough. We are almost here.

Soon enough were the right words. A few seconds later, I could hear the sound of the Metro, ahead of us. I was also able to see the light coming from the inside. Curiously, the train was already there. Like if it was waiting for us...
Dominic kept walking without hesitation and steped inside the Metro. Without any choices , I followed him.

The inside of the Metro was surprisingly normal, compared to the place where it was. Bench placed one after another, weird words written everywhere in graffitis, magazines scattered on the ground. But the most impressive was certainly the passengers. Most of them looked like the jellyfish we had at Inkopolis, but they all had different shapes ; long, short, bubble like, huge. I saw one with only one body but a lot of heads, another sticked against the Metro ceiling, and even one that made bells sound when me and Dominic passed in front of him ! The same song was playing over and over. It was familiar, but I wasn't able to figure it out what song it was... And the more I was listening to it, the less sick I felt.

After walking a couple of meters, Dominic stopped and looked at the ground. I checked above his shoulder and I saw a tiny light blue creature wearing a hat. I got really surprised when he started talking in Inkling language :

??? : Hello Octoling ! I was waiting for you.
Dominic : Yeah, I guess it told you about us coming?
??? : Indeed, indeed! May I see your companion ?
Dominic (giving me some place by his side) : Sure.
??? : I'm impressed! It was right after all ! A real Inkling, in our Metro! Do you know that the Deepsea Metro is truly a dangerous place for an Inkling, young man ?
Me (confuse) : I guess you are saying that because of the sanitized Octolings that have a grudge against us. But who's "it"?
??? : The Deepsea itself ! It has its own mind you know.
Me : I ... see?
Dominic : Anyway C.Q.Cumber, have you seen my sister?
Me : Sea Cucumber ?
C.Q.Cumber : I am a Sea Cucumber but my name is C.Q.Cumber.
Me (whispering and feeling amused) : How original...
Dominic : *chocked*
C.Q.Cumber : For your question Test Subject Number 10 008, I may have seen your sister... or not ...
Me : What the he-
Dominic : Later the questions, Mark. And C.Q.Cumber, don't you dare start with your mystery sentence, it's a case of life or death!
C.Q.Cumber : Alright alright , I have seen her. Take a seat, I'll drive you there.
Dominic : Thanks.

Dominic grabed my arm and we both sat on a bench that was far from the tiny light blue Sea Cucumber. The "jellyfishes" all around didn't seem to care about us. They kept doing their own business. The lights on the ceiling of the Metro were flashing once in a while. I was still trying to recognize the song that was playing when I almost fell of my bench. The Metro was suddenly moving quite fast.

Dominic : Now you can ask all questions you have.
Me (getting out of my thoughts) : Oh oh yes sorry. Um... I don't even know where to start ...
Dominic (patient) : Take your time. We have a lot of time to wait.
Me (thinking) : So... you said you are Daylily's twin brother right? Why did she never told me that ?
Dominic : I was busy with Agent missions, so I wasn't able to see her as much as I want. We were talking sometimes on the phone, taking news. So, I guess she just forgot tell you that.
Me : It is true that I don't know much about Daylily's past... and I never really asked her about that because ... I know that the Octoling's lives were difficult, back then, in the Metro so... I didn't want to bring her back bad memories.
Dominic : Oh don't worry about that. She doesn't remember anything anyway, except some emotions and feelings.
Me (surprised) : Why's that ?
Dominic : Because Daylily was a soldier of the Octarian Army, being sanitized. Sanitazation by Tartar was strong and bad, it's like a brainwash. And he could control the mind inside.
Me : Every Octolings from the Deepsea Metro were sanitized ?
Dominic : No. Only the one that failed the test.
Me (starting to realize the truth) : C.Q.Cumber said that you are Test Subject Number 10 008... and you saved the world from Tartar domination, so you didn't failed any tests. Daylily was sanitized... so that means she failed and... she was...
Dominic (completing) : Test Subject Number 10 007.

After those revelations, I started to get lost even more in my thoughts. Suddenly, I was finally able to recognize the song that was playing. It was the Calamari Inkantation.

END OF PART 6