Archive of Our Own ^beta

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“Here we go again…” 8 mumbled as everyone stepped into the elevator. Not wanting to keep the mood too dour, Marina pointed out “Since we cleared 5F on our last run, this time we get 500 Membux off the bat!” Acht nodded in acknowledgement of this fact, “That works out well. I remember you saying there’s a guaranteed Vending-Machine Corner on 5F to spend it.” they said. “So once we get to 5F we can take five!” Pearl joked, “That oughta give us a good head start. Let’s make the most of it, 8!” Floor one then arrived, and 8 was ready to roll! Figuratively, she’s not using a weapon that can actually roll this time.

She’s using a Splatling this time, and destroying portals. No problem! Charge up fully, tear through the bouncing dudes and the portal, find the next portal, charge up again, get a special weapon, Booyah Bomb, find the last portal, run out of ink, run away from Splashdowns, destroy the last portal and leave. Ink Recovery Rate chip, earned.

There’s only so many ways I can describe Easy and Normal floors before it gets repetitive. Even if there are a few danger-close moments.

Instead, here’s ∞-balls and suffering. Pyramid.Floor, an easy ∞-ball level. Shoot the balloon fish, it sends the ball to the top of the pyramid where one of the goals are. It’s gonna go in, nice and easy. Then Battering Lento and their crippling ∞-ball obsession comes over and punts it to the other side of the stage! So you kill them, use the other ball for the top goal and slowly push the first ball around the outside like a sad, miserable loser.

Complaints over. For now.

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With a total of 979 Membux saved up, and everything in the machine costing 500, 8 had a tough choice to make: Splat Bombs for the Drone, Splat Bombs for herself, or Triple Splashdown. She decided, after much humming and hawing. To get Splat Bombs as a sub weapon. It’s better than Splash Wall. 

“So, what’s your favourite McDonalds order? I’m a fries girl myself.” Pearl randomly asked. “Definitely the McNuggets, for me.” Marina answered. Acht just shrugged, “I’ll eat whatever if it tastes good.” 8 took a little longer to answer, eventually she said “Their breakfast food with McCafé is quite nice.” Pearl was not impressed. “If I wanted coffee and breakfast I’d go to an actual café, not a fast food joint! Don’t be ridiculous!” She then began to swat at 8, who ran for the elevator.

*** Reality Check ***

“Splatsville, we’re back! Really is no time flat.” Radio announced over the PA, not that anyone was awake to hear him. Buddy was more preoccupied with keeping an eye on the tracks. As the train approached the station, the Smallfry suddenly yelled out “ RAD STOP THERE’S PEOPLE ON THE TRACKS! ” the boy yelped “What?!” and looked up from the controls just a little too late.

*SPLAT*

The amateur train drivers stood in shock at their commandeered vehicle's new paint job. “Welp!” Radio loudly declared before putting the train into top speed. 

“ We’re just gonna leave?! ”
“They’ll…prolly respawn.”

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“No specials? Well, they’re not off-limits, I guess. But it might be a fun challenge.” Pearl reasoned as she and 8 entered the floor. The main objective was to chase down the fleeing foes. One of which was right below the cage they were in. 8 dropped out and began charging a barrage, but charging weapons charge slower in mid-air and the enemy got away, running up to higher ground and leaving 8 with two Battering Lento behind her. She chased it up whilst shooting down, but it ran away again. It also scared the other two into running as well. They all went down to the bottom of the tower, where 8 had conveniently laid down a bunch of ink, so they got stuck and took some damage in that. When she got down there to shoot at them, though, they dropped bombs and scattered, but not quick enough for one.

More enemies spawned but they couldn’t make it through all the ink, so 8 ran back up to high ground to catch the cowards, splatting one more. The last one ran back down, but the mess from before let 8 catch up and bring it down, completing the floor and earning the full bonus reward.

The next few floors were easy, ping-ponging spinning tops around in a bowl, riding rails and popping balloon fish, and guarding a zone with no sub weapons.

“Hey, I think this run’s going pretty well, so far!” Marina commented. “Well, this next floor will be the test. You as pumped as I am, 8?” Pearl asked. 8 gave her a firm nod and detriment smirk, ready to re-battle Asynchronous Rondo.

I won’t bore you with the details, though. It goes about the same, 8 wins.

“Stare at that thing enough and you’ll go cross-eyed.” Pearl mumbled as they returned to the elevator. “Marina had some…not so good news for them, though. “8, the Jelletons will start to swarm you after this. Don’t let yourself be cornered.” “Good advice. Stay alert.” Acht added on. Pearl wasn’t discouraged, “One enemy or a hundred, we gotta do what we gotta do!”

Unfortunately, as it seems to go for 8, she was surrounded and bashed by Battering Lento a few floors later. Promptly being kicked out of the Spire.

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8 reappeared in the Order Sector again to Marina’s gentle encouragement. “Aww, I hate to see it end there. But you’ll do great on your next run. I just know it!” 8 made her way over to the lockers to use the key she got, receiving another Palette. “Oh, this Palette is from Sheldon!” Marina realised. “Where’d Sheldon move to again? Splatsville? He’s found a whole new audience for his lectures on weapons, and I love that for him.” Pearl, despite being in the form of a drone, shivered, “Oof. Those poor, poor saps in Splatsville…”

Despite her friend’s joking and light-heartedness, 8 wasn’t so great. Looking at her records she could see she only made it one floor higher than the last attempt, 12F to 13F, so at this rate it’ll take 17 more runs before making it to floor 30. She dragged herself behind the lockers and sunk to the ground with a sigh, cradling her knees and holding back tears. Pearl went back to her Inkling form and Marina ran over as well. “8, what’s wrong?” they both asked. “Why did this have to happen to me? I thought I’d done enough after escaping the Deep Sea and saving the world once, why do I have to do it again?!” 8 cried, “What if I can’t?!” The girl then broke down into hysterics, crying heavily.

Pearl and Marina both hugged her. 8 latched onto them firmly, shaking herself with the strength of her grip, and screamed desperately. The three of them stayed in that position for…a while.

Once 8 had calmed down, Pearl gave her a confident smile, “You don’t need to worry, 8, this time we’re here to help out with more than just words.” Marina nodded and revealed, “I even have more hacks ready to deploy, ready for you to take a look.”

8 took a deep breath, dried her eyes and refocused. There’s time for despair later, for now she’s gonna keep on keeping on.

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“Here goes. How far do you think we can take it this time?” Acht asked as everyone piled in. “Higher than last time!” 8 confidently answered. “Whether or not this is the run where we stop Order, it has to happen sometime! Do your best, 8.” Marina encouraged her. Floor one arrived and 8, armed with Agent 4’s Palette, stepped out to face the challenge.

But pushing an  ∞-ball through a linear obstacle course isn’t much of a challenge. Even if enemies spawn in the middle of the path, they’re not much of an issue if the ball rolls over and crushes them immediately. Up a propeller platform and down a slope to the goal. At least the name ‘Steamroller.Floor’ was accurate. The second floor was just as easy, over in 19 seconds. Splatting one Panicking Alla Mambo with a spinner off the bat, and blasting the other off the map with a Trizooka.

Then it was pushing an ∞-ball down a slope which kind of reminds me of one of the Delfino Plaza Shines in Mario Sunshine. Floor 4 was a bit tricky, jumping between two Splat Zones whilst avoiding snipers. Despite getting shot once, 8 managed to keep on top of things and finish in no time. All things considered, things were going smoothly. Quickly reaching 10F.

“No big problems so far, huh, 8?” Pearl asked. Acht jumped in first, warning them “Yeah. but 10F is next. You could be in for a rough time, so don’t get reckless.” So it was time for another fight with Asynchronous Rondo.

Chapter Text

“Huh? Something funky’s up with this next floor.” Pearl noticed upon returning from the previous challenge, chasing down fleeing foes, Acht explained “Yeah, there’s danger there. Whatever happens on a floor like that, you’re not going to like.” “No kidding? Well, we know what not to pick!” Pearl declared. Marina had some bad news for her though, “The thing is…if you don’t, Danger floors will show up more and more often until you go for one.” 8 thought on that, “So I can bite the bullet now and get it over with, or risk not having a better option as we go higher? It can never be easy, can it?” “If it’s too much, you can always spend some Membux to return to the elevator.” Acht reminded her. “I’ll leave it up to you, 8!” Pearl decided.

8 decided to risk it now. The Danger ended up being Arpeggio Barrage. “Those flying things are gonna come at us thick and fast. Don’t forget to look up, 8!” Pearl warned her as she began to ride the cage to the stage. Some quick movement, an open ear, and a tiny bit of hiding behind walls, meant the Danger was dealt with no problem. “Think we’re past the Spire’s halfway point. This place doesn’t let up, does it?” Acht asked. “How you holding up, 8? Need a rest before we hit the next floor?” 8 just shook her head, “I am fine.” 

“I’m so sorry you have to go through all this. If only Order hadn’t found a way into my mind…” Marina  apologised. Pearl wasn’t having it still, “Yo, don’t feel bad! None of this is your fault, Marina.” but Marina kept going, “I mean…somewhere deep down, I did wish for a perfect world of peace where nothing has to change. It was a weakness in me that Order took advantage of.” Acht did their best at comforting her, “Lots of people are afraid of change. Even me sometimes.” “You too, Acht?” Marina questioned. “Personally, it’s never been in my top ten fears.” Pearl added in, “But I know whatever you wished for, it wasn’t THIS. You don’t got nothing to apologise for. So dry those eyes! 8 and me are gonna pump the brakes on Order. Just sit back and enjoy the fireworks!” Marina did not dry her eyes, instead muttering “But Pearl… 8…” Before steeling herself, “No! I can’t just sit back. I’m going to do whatever I can to help fix this!” “Good.” Acht stated, “With all of us pitching in, we’ll make this right.”

Danger comes in many forms, as they rose higher still, they ended up at another Danger floor, this time the problem being Stronger Jelletons. “The enemies on this floor are gonna be a handful. We gotta fight smart and…ugh…play it safe!” Pearl begrudgingly admitted. Trouble arose immediately as 8 was somehow surrounded despite being close to a wall. A Battering Lento knocked several Jelletons out of the way which landed behind her, so she manoeuvred around them to retreat. The enemies moved much faster than before and pursued. Another Battering Lento got close just as she ran out of ink. The attack destroyed her armour and she was mobbed by Swarming Languendo, Splatting her. But, 8 had an extra life. “This is our last shot! I LOVE the feeling of it all riding on one last chance. Get psyched!” Pearl hollered as they rode back in to try again. Their yelling was met by a Whirling Accelerando coming from nowhere and slamming into 8, leaving her very vulnerable.

Just before a second one could come in and splat her, her armour recovered and, thanks to four Swim Speed Up colour chips, she swam out of the way in time. “You’re in the home stretch, 8!” Marina cheered on. Three of the four portals had been destroyed in all the chaos. Another Whirling Accelerando swooped in and broke 8’s armour again, followed by Swarming Languendo coming in for more, kicking them out of the tower.

“Splatted by the little guys! You never notice ‘em until it’s too late.”

“You’d know a lot about that, wouldn’t you, Pearl?”

“HEY!”