It was late at night, Marina was in her room, on her computer, looking through some hot topic music until he notices a notification come up from Tadayoshi

T: Hey

M: Hey, what's up?

T: Nothing, just got back home from the splatfest

M: Oh, you participate in the splatfest?

T: Yeah, made some money from it

M: Of course it's the money, but what team?

T: Superstar

M: Awesome!

T: Anyways our date is tomorrow, what would you like to do?

M: Umm... how about skating

T: Ok, I'll pick you up tomorrow

M: Sounds good

T: But I was wondering if we can just walk around for a bit after the skiing

M: Fine by me

T: Alright, cause I was hoping that if I ask you some... personal things alone?

Marina: "Personal, what does he mean personal... is he going that far?..."

Marina mind:

Tadayoshi and Marina were standing outside from the balcony, looking out their view of inkopolis from their house.

Tadayoshi: Marina...

Marina: Yeah?

Tadayoshi: There is... something I must tell you... but I rather show it to you

Marina: Tadayoshi...

She felt herself being embraced around Tadayoshi arm as he lays her finger on her chin and leans close for a kiss"

Reality:

Marina: " What am I thinking!? There's no way Tadayoshi would be like that!"

She calms herself once again and texted Tadayoshi

M: I'm fine with that

T: You sure?

M: I'm fine

T: Ok thanks

M: Yeah... but hey

T: Yeah?

M: Thank you for asking us out...

T: Yeah... you welcome...

M: Bye

T: Bye

She shuts off her laptop and put it away and goes under the covers to sleep

Marina: What personal talk do you mean?..."

The next morning comes as the sun begins to rise. Marina was in the shower, washing herself up while sings her song in the shower

Marina: "Should I wear something nice so I look like I'm on a date? But then again it's cold out and I will be wearing winter clothing so he won't see it"

Back at Tadayoshi, he arrives at Pearl's house and rings the doorbell, and waits but no answers. He pulls out his phone and texts Marina but doesn't get a reply for a few minutes

Tadayoshi: She probably did hear the knock...

He takes the key to their door and lets himself in and starts walking around to find Marina

Tadayoshi: "The hell are you"

Marina finishing up in the shower and covers herself with her towel and exits out of the bathroom but as soon she exits the bathroom, she notices Tadayoshi standing in the hallways as they both stared at each other awkwardly

Tadayoshi: ... Ah fuck...

Marina scream in panic and slams the bathroom door shut while Tadayoshi quickly looks away

Marina: T-Tadayoshi?! How did you get in here?!

Tadayoshi: Pearl led me her key since she said she won't be here to let me in for your date

Marina: I-I see...

Tadayoshi: Sorry Marina

Marina: I-It's fine... I should've known you would be here... should've listened to Pearl...

Tadayoshi: What do you mean?

Marina: She told me to fix the habit of me getting out of the shower with just a towel and just bring clothing with me, but It's kinda hard to get out of habits

Tadayoshi: Yeah... but I don't blame you, I do that as well

Marina: Wait really?

Tadayoshi: I live alone so I don't worry about anyone see me

Marina blushes a bit as she imagines Tadayoshi coming out of the shower, which just a towel covering his waist but showing off his chest.

Marina: Y-Yeah...

Tadayoshi: I'll be waiting downstairs

Marina: Ok...

She hears him walking downstairs and she quickly peeks out to make he is gone. She walks back into her room where she starts changing into her clothes for her date

Marina: " This is an embarrassing moment I ever had..."

She finishes changing into her clothing and heads downstairs to find Tadayoshi scrolling through her phone

Marina: What you are you doing?

Tadayoshi: Just planning out my next dates?

Marina: Next date?

Tadayoshi: I asked all of you out, so I just planning things earlier

Marina: ... Don't work yourself too hard

Tadayoshi: I'm fine, it's not a big thing to deal with like the bills

Marina: You're still dealing with them?

Tadayoshi: I'm not rich like you so it's not easy

Marina: I know... but if you want I could-

Tadayoshi: It's fine, I don't want to rely on someone

Marina: Ok

Tadayoshi: So are you ready

Marina: Umm, can we get a selfie together before we leave?

Tadayoshi: Again?

Marina: Is there something wrong with it?

Tadayoshi: Kinda... cause the last time I had a selfie with you, fans wouldn't leave me alone, especially the Marina stans...

Marina: oh...Sorry about that, we don't need to-

Tadayoshi: Look we'll do a selfie if it's what you want

Marina: Are you sure?

Tadayoshi: I'll be fine...

Marina pulls out her phone and reaches out as Tadayoshi fits in the fame picture and they both give out a peace sign with Marina smiling and Tadayoshi looking away

Marina: Hehe

Tadayoshi: What?

Marina: You looks shy in this picture

Tadayoshi: I'm... not a fan of taking selfies... makes me feel like I'm just trying to show off

Marina: Well we all have opinions

Tadayoshi: Yeah, glad you understand

Marina: Mhm, but you ready

Tadayoshi: Yeah...

Marina puts on her winter coat and they start to walk out of the house while Marina post her selfie on social media which immediately starts blowing

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They arrive at an ice skating rink to find the place quite pack

Marina: Wow, a lot of people are here

Tadayoshi: Probably because this place only opens during the winter season

Marina: True

Tadayoshi: I'll get out skates? So just please don't get too much attention around you

Marina: I won't

Tadayoshi walks off to the counter to get his skates while Marina sits down at an open seat and pulls out her phone, to see a bunch of notifications

Marina: "Woah, I got a lot within a few minutes"

She opens up her notifications to see a lot of comments and likes on the selfie on Tadayoshi and her which she decides to read some

Comment 1: Yo, it's the black-eye-demon again from the last selfie a year ago! Boyfriend?!

Comment 2: Are they date?! If so then I'm glad for her!

Comment 3: Bro Marina is a bitch if she is dating him! She probably sucking his dick for his money!

Marina blushes a bit after seeing a few boyfriend lines but also feels a little upset about the hate that we're targeting on Tadayoshi then the hate on herself

Marina: "Would it be ok for me to be with him..."

Tadayoshi: Marina

Marina: GAH!

Tadayoshi: Jesus did I scare you that bad?

Marina: Sorry, I didn't hear you coming

Tadayoshi: It's fine, but here are your skates

Marina: Thanks

Marina takes her skates and puts them on while Tadayoshi takes her boots and put their shoes in the lockers

Tadayoshi: Our locker is 231

Marina: I'll keep that in mind

She stands up and carefully walks to the ice rink with Tadayoshi and begins to skate around besides Tadayoshi

Marina: So when did you learn to skate

Tadayoshi: I didn't learn it

Marina: What?

Tadayoshi: I just keep myself balance and just move myself foreword by pushing myself with the dull part of the skates

Marina: I guess?...

Tadayoshi: Yeah

She suddenly starts to notice most of the people in the rink were glaring at them which made her felt a bit uncomfortable

Tadayoshi: You ok?

Marina: Yeah, just most of the people here are just staring at us

Tadayoshi: Just ignore them, even if they try to annoy us or anything, they won't go near us

Marina: How come

Tadayoshi: Why do you think I was alone

Marina: Oh...

Tadayoshi: Yeah

Suddenly felt her hand begin grabbed which she notices Tadayoshi holding her hand, which made her a bit surprised

Tadayoshi: Now stop worrying about shit and have fun on the date

Marina: Y-Yeah...

She looks up at him to see his expression a bit displeased

Marina: Am I a bother?

Tadayoshi: No... I just feel stupid doing this... skating

Marina: Well you're doing pretty good

Tadayoshi: Thanks... Can say the same thing to you, Marina

Marina: Thanks, Pearl taught me a lot when I move up here?

Tadayoshi: You two are close

Marina: Yeah, she always been there for me

Tadayoshi: Well at least you still have someone to look up to

Marina: You had someone you'd lookup?

Tadayoshi: Yeah, my grandfather... the first cephalopod who treated me like a being... he was like my father... but he was murdered...

Marina: I'm sorry to hear that...

Tada: It's fine... I moved on and now... I have someone I can trust

Marina gives him a small smile until skating up ahead while pulling Tadayoshi

Marina: Why don't I teach you some things

Tadayoshi: Led the way then

They continue to skate together while they pull a few moves together for a few hours until they get off the rink and starts to put their shoes on

Marina: That was fun

Tadayoshi: Yeah... gave me a little stretch

Marina: Hehe at least it helps you

Tadayoshi: Surprisingly

Marina: ... You know since you were once a Darkling commander, what is your power

He stops typing his booting as his face was shadowed over while staying quiet for a moment

Tadayoshi: I... don't want to talk about that... It's a curse to me

Marina: Oh... sorry...

Tadayoshi: It's fine... you weren't there to know it

Marina: Sill, we can help you... you've helped us a lot

Tadayoshi: I know but I rather have none of you dealing with it...

Marina's face was shadowed while Tadayoshi looks back at her in confusion

Tadayoshi: What?

Marina: Are you saying that I can't handle myself?

She looks back at Tadayoshi in a bit of anger and starts marching towards him which Tadayoshi stands up and backs up the closer she gets

Marina: I can't anything or do anything to defend myself in public because people are so sensitive to what I do, especially when I'm an octoling! I can fight and protect myself! I'm not weak

Tadayoshi: Calm down Marina...

Marina: I can understand being hated but how can I not understand the pain you hold in you building up! Tell me why can't-

Suddenly she trips over herself which causes her to fall on Tadayoshi, which he catches her and they fall to the ground

Marina: Ow sorry... are you-

She looks down to see him suffocating in her breast, which blushes bright red and quickly gets off of him

Marina: I-I'm sorry!

Tadayoshi: It's fine...

He sits up and notices everyone was glaring at them in anger and jealous

Tadayoshi: And we got to go

He grabs her hands and they run out of the building to be away from anyone

Marina: Where are we going?

Tadayoshi: Somewhere we can be alone

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This story is interrupted by a chibi Tadayoshi wrapping up Chibi Marina with his sweater

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun was setting as Tadayoshi and Marina catches their breath at the park

Marina: You run so fast for just being in an inkling body

Tadayoshi: I train a lot... to kill Mask...

Marina: I know... he's a terrible inkling

Tadayoshi: But I'm still not strong enough

He sits down on the bench beneath the lights while Marina sits beside

Tadayoshi: Say, Marina...

Marina: Yeah?...

Tadayoshi: What was it like to work for Octavio

Marina: Well... it wasn't that bad entirely, he just hated Craig and the inklings that through him in the underground, but he never has once hurt and octoling

Tadayoshi: Well I can give him respect, but what did you do before you met Pearl

Marina: Well... it's been a while since I remember...

Two years ago:

Marina was working on some weapons in her workroom with a line of Octoling were waiting

Marina: Here's your slosher

Octoling: Thank you, as expected from you Marina

Marina: You don't need to thanks me, it's not a-

Suddenly an octoling running around screaming which caught the octolings attention

Octoling: GUYS! THE CAPN IS GOING TO THROW A CONCERT WHILE FIGHTING THAT INKLING AGENT!

Octoling: Wait for eel?

Octoling 2: I got to see this

The octoling starts to make their way to the stadium with Marina following them because she was curious. The army of octolings arrive at a large stadium which they see the Great Zapfish

Marina: Is that the Great Zapfish Octavio was always talking about?

Octoling: Yep

Octoling 2: So... when does this concert happen

Octoling: I believe when that inking comes here

Suddenly they notice an inkling down in front of the stadium

Marina: "That's an inkling? They look so... weird"

?: STAY BACK, AGENT 3! IT'S A TRAP!

Marina: "Agent 3?"

The inkling starts running toward it the Zapfish but before the inkling could reach it, the Zapfish was sucked into a machine which Octavio appears and floats down. So Octavio starts to drop his beats as the octoling cheer

Octavio: GYAH HA HA! I'll remix your face!

They watch the fight against agent 3 and Octavio

Octoling: Man the inkling is beating his ass!

Octoling 2: Eh who cares, then we don't have to hear him talking about his hate with that old inking

Octoling: True

Suddenly Octavio music changes into a different beat

Octavio: What's this? Where mah beats?!

Capn: Huh?!

Suddenly the old inkling burst out of his rope and starts dancing to the music

Octoling: He just broke out of his restraints!

Octoling 2: Wait if he could break out of that, why didn't he broke out from the beginning?

Octoling: I... don't know...

Marina: "This music... what is this?..."

After a few minutes, the stadium blows up with Octavio falling in front of the inkling and the Zapfish flying away. The inkling grabs Octavio and drags him out while the Octoling leaves the stadium so they don't have to deal with the inkling

Octoling: Welp Octavio is gone

Octoling 2: Tell me about it... but what's should we do since he's gone? Do you have any idea, Marina?

The octoling look at Marina who has a fascinated expression on her face

Octoling: Marina?

Marina: Is that what inking listen and play upon the surface

Octoling: I don't know, no one has been up above the surface except our ancestors and Octavio

Marina: I decided... I'm going up to the surface!

Octoling: Wait seriously?

Marina: I'm serious... I want to learn about the inkings culture... I want to do something like that music that was playing before

Octoling 2: Go ahead but we don't know how you are going to get out of here

Marina: I will find a way...

A year goes by as Marina made many attempts and plans her way to find a way to escape from the undergrounds, which she find another exit to a mountain called Mount Nantai. She packs her things and prepares her next attempt to leave the undergrounds

Marina: "This is it!... my new beginning!... but I am going to miss this place"

She begins to make her way to her location which took her a few hours until she arrives at a tall ladder reach to the top

Marina: "Has there been a ladder up here?..."

She starts to climbs up the ladder but as she was climbing she notices a white Octoling staring at her with a cigar before disappearing

Marina: "What the hell was that?"

She finally reaches the top of the ladder and opens a door and climbs out of it. She looks around in amazed as she sees the city of inkopolis

Marina: Woah...

Suddenly she hears a loud screeching noise which she covers her ears in pain

Marina: "What the heck?!"

She looks around to see a midget inkling with a microphone

Marina: An inkling?

The inkling girl stops singing and catches her breath, which she goes into her bag and drinks some smoothie

Pearl: I think nailed that-

Pearl looks beside her to see an octoling, who gives her a small wave

Marina: Hi?...

Pearl: .... are you a county bumpkin

Marina: What?

Pearl: Listen, I don't understand you, so I'm just going to call you country bumpkin miss

Marina: "What is this inkling girl saying"

They spent the next few hours trying to communicate with each other until Pearl finally managed to teach some words to Marina

Pearl: Ok... Did you come from the underground?

Marina: Yes

Pearl: Are you here to be a threat?

Marina: No

Pearl: Hmmm... are you here to live in Inkopolis

Marina: Yes

Pearl: Interesting, well you do what you do, but I would say you should get to know more about the inkling culture before doing anything ok?

Marina: Ok?...

Suddenly a helicopter appears above them and Pearl hops onto it

Pearl: It was nice chatting with you country bumpkin, but I have a studio to get to, so have fun in inkopolis

The helicopter flies off as both Pearl and Marina waves each other goodbye

Marina: ... Wait how am I gonna get out of this island?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Present:

Marina: I managed to get to inkopolis where I got know inkling culture and how Pearl was a talented rapper, I wrote some songs as well, but I didn't think I would meet Pearl

Tadayoshi: Wait... Pearl said she first met you in inkopolis

Marina: We did but it was more like the second time we met

Tadayoshi: "Guess Pearl doesn't want to me to know why she was on the mountain" I see

Marina: Yeah... Can you tell me more about your Grandfather?

Tadayoshi: I... didn't know much about him because I was young... but I remember him always telling me stories about the Great Turf War and he taught me how to fight... unfortunately he can't move around a lot because it could lower his life span...

Marina: Wish I could meet him... so he knows you're not alone

Tadayoshi: Don't worry... I'm sure he knows

Marina: What about your parents?

Tadayoshi: ... They're nothing to me... I don't even consider them my parents

Marina: Oh...

Tadayoshi: But hey, I already got one

Marina: Yeah... say Tadayoshi

Tadayoshi: Hm?

Marina: What do you think of me?

Tadayoshi: ... You're a helpful and a worried person, which I'm thankful that you care about others... and you can be cute when you are a bit mad like before...

Marina blushes a bit while Tadayoshi looks away while scratching his cheek

Marina: Are you serious?...

Tadayoshi: Yeah

Marina: Then prove it

Tadayoshi: Why?

Marina: You always say you're fine or whatever but you're not! When Alex died, you stayed away from everyone and kept say you were fine, but that was a big lie! So please prove to me that you are telling the truth!

Tadayoshi: I... fine... but please don't take this as a big scene

Marina: Huh?

He lifts her chin with his finger and lays her lips on her, which shocks marina but she closes her eyes and goes with it before their lips separated

Tadayoshi: Is that good enough...

Marina touch's her lips and looks back at Tadayoshi, who was red and looking away while covering his mouth with his sweater. Marina smiles and leans against Tadayoshi shoulder

Marina: Yeah... it's good enough...

Tadayoshi: Good... you idiot...

Somewhere at an unknown location:

Agent: Is this where you want to be

Capn: I'll be back as soon as I can, just don't do anything stupid

Capn cuttlefish makes his way down the path up to a small mountain hike while the squidbeak watches him leave.

?: 🎵The ocean sees the beginning of the world, and the ocean knows the end of the world. Thus, it calls us towards the way we must take. Thus, it leads us towards a proper world. Enveloping pain and suffering,
greatly and kindly wrapping them up.🎵

After walk-in for a few minutes, the capn starts to here some familiar singing

?: 🎵The ocean sees the beginning of the world,
and the ocean knows the end of the world. Even if I were to disappear,
The omniscent ocean leads the way. I must not fear, because you are here.
I must not be timid, because my comrades wait for me.🎵

The capn stare at the white inkling looking out beyond the horizon of the sunset while his hands in his pocket and a cigar in his mouth

Shiori: I used to hate this song capn, it was a song dedicated to the fallen soldiers... quite terrifying

He looks back at the capn and tosses him a bottle which the capn catches

Shiori: This drink was your favorite

Capn: Yeah... it's was the best during the Great War

Shiori: I always used to drink it too, like you... I wanted to be cool like you and Aaron

Capn: Did you bring me here to kill me?

Shiori: No... I moved on from that... I'm more curious about the boy, Vivian is always with

Capn: Tadayoshi?

Shiori: Tadayoshi... so that's his name... tell me about him

Capn: Well he is quite popular with the girls and is the grandson of Aaron

Shiori takes his cigar out of his mouth and puffs out a smoke

Shiori: Grandson?... so the bloodline carries on... does he have the power that Aaron had

Capn: I believe so, but he seems to be holding back

Shiori: I don't blame him... Mask gave Aaron that power and Tadayoshi carry his blood... with that power... tell me Capn... are you afraid that power will become a great danger?

Capn: ... no I don't think so... If Aaron could handle it then I'm sure the boy will...

Shiori: Is that so... very well...

He throws away the cigar and begins to walk off past the capn

Shiori: The big event is coming up soon and I heard it's going to be big than the one 1000 years ago...

Capn: I don't want anyone to die anymore...

Shiori: I know... it's was nice meeting you again, Craig. I'm hoping to meet this Tadayoshi...

Capn: Don't worry... I'm sure you will... someday...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The chapter will be on break and will be released on Feb 6