Chapter Eight – Order: Sweeping of the Ashes

"If you participated in the Splatfest, your prizes are waiting in the Square." Marina instinctively ended the Splatfest result announcement.

Last splatfest, but the maps would still be announced. Pearl gulped before Marina and her did her trademarked, "Don't get cooked... Stay off the hook!"

As the cameras turned off, she sent her back to the back of the seat. Marina kept her composure, turning off everything that could collect any information from Pearl or her.

"So, it's my plan," Marina broke the silence, "Pearlie."

"Yeah yeah," Pearl responded, sighing, "I know..."

"It's best if we get to it," Marina whispered, walking over to Pearl.

Marie circled her finger around and through Four's tentacles on his head. She titled her head, knocked her shoulder up and leaned on it, and bit her lip, a killer girlfriend move. Four simply smirked and caressed her face, causing her to reddened up and smile.

"You're into this mood because your side won..." Four whispered.

Marie's face brightened, "You got that right! Is there a problem with that?"

Four shook his head with a smile, "Ha, no no, not at all, Baby."

She took her other hand, and started to squish Four's face. Her weight was finally leaning on his face, wish made the effect even stronger. Four plumped up his lips to add to the humorous look.

"Ohh look at how handsome you are," Marie lovingly teased, "look at this handsome agent. Look, cute looking cheeks and plumply looking lips. I can imagine myself kissing it all day."

"Th-n do it," Four dared, happily getting ready for a storm of kisses.

"Hmm, should I?" Marie whispered teasingly to herself and Four.

Four's eyes squinted in pretend disappointment. Marie giggled before leaning in to kiss him on his squished cheeks, keeping her hands pressured on his face, each kiss brightening Four's eyes. After the fourth kiss she released the pressure and stared into his eyes. He responded by guiding her to his lap, making her straddle him. Four's arms wrapped around her body, the stare not breaking for a millisecond.

"You're beautiful," Four smiled.

"You're handsome," Marie responded.

"I know you're disappointed in what happened," she continued, caressing his face, slowly crawling up to play with his tentacles.

"I'll be honest, I am, but, you're not going to be at the receiving end of it," Four answered, sternly with a taste of the loving moment they are partaking, "we don't need to see eye to eye on everything, Marie."

Marie showed her worrisome concerns, looking and playing through his tentacles, Four saw through her walls, "As long as we don't splat each other."

She finally continued back to looking at him.

"I love you, Four," Marie smiled, leaning and drawing closer.

"I love you too, Marie," Four responded, parting his lips.

Their lips embarrassed each other, tastes and tinges mixing, exploring each other. It was a soft embrace of love, with Four and Marie slowly tightening their grips onto each other, not wanting to let go. They entered a moment of bliss, as they become one. It was a vow, to not hurt each other, to tightening in moments when they pull away from each other. A kiss shared was a repeat of all they had built and promised together, but it is yet to be tested.

"Pearl, please talk to me," Marina softly begged.

She did not budge, she was still, "I'm sorry Marina, it breaks my heart a little bit."

"I know, I know, but we have to get through with it," Marina begging continued.

Marina squatted, and searched for Pearl's hand on her stomach. Her hand slowly approached Pearl's fist and surrounded it with her translucent vibrant fingers. Pearl's head turned to Marina's hand and arm, a sign of walls crashing down and her opening up slowly.

"I know, I get it Pearly," Marina softly continued, "but, if it makes you feel better, we both get what we want one way or another. It's just, my route just turned out to be chosen by our phone's GPS."

Pearl chuckled, and a smile slowly grew, "Hm, was it really like that?"

"We are still going to end up to your favourite park," Marina answered, "geez what is it called again? Um...was it Maloo-Haloo World? Naloo-"

"Waloo World," Pearl blurted, "I thought you would remember Reena."

"I'm sorry," she apologized sincerely, "but it's like we are driving to Waloo World, it's just we are taking a different road."

"Except it's a road that I don't want to drive on because it might get us loss, it's bumpy, and it's dangerous," Pearl argued.

Marina sighed, caressing Pearl's loosened hand before slowly pulling away, "I'm sorry I can't really get you to feel better, I'll make it up to you, I promise."

Pearl shook her head, but did not look at Marina, "Don't worry, it's just me being stubborn..."

Marina softly tugged at Pearl's ear before giggling, "Oh well, I'm used to it, nothing I can't handle."

As she walked over to the door, Pearl's head clicked to where she was, watching as Marina open the door and exit without looking away. Pearl sighed, grabbing her phone, and contacting Callie and Four.

Pearl: Hey peeps can you please pop over to the studio real quick..

Callie: Sure im skaddadling over there!

Four did not read or answer for a while.

Callie busted into the studio only moments later, unsuspectingly, startling Pearl's space staring. She was supposed to pick up the specialized equipment ordered by the agents, but Marina insisted on Three and Eight picking them up themselves. Marina said that it's best if they let Three and Eight get to know who Sheldon really is.

"Howdy there Pearl," Callie called, as she closed the door behind her.

Pearl's eyes widened before turning to her right to see Callie smiling at her, as she walked towards her, "Yo!"

"Has Four answered yet?" Callie called as she sat on the couch next to her.

Pearl pulled her phone out, spun it on her finger, before unlocking it and checking her messages, "No, he has seen it though."

The long-tentacled Inkling giggled, "He's probably busy with you-know-who."

Pearl smiled and chuckled slightly, "Busy busy guy."

"I heard you used to like him," Pearl teased, as she looked over her shoulder to see Callie's face.

"Um.." Callie responded, nervous and defensive, "where did you hear that from?"

"Well you know," Pearl laughed, catching Callie off guard, "but nah, I just guessed, and my guess is correct!"

She sighed, "Okay okay, just don't tell anyone else."

"Don't tell anyone else what," Four asked, shocking and scaring the two Inklings.

"Nothing," Callie quickly answered.

"That you used to like me, I won't," Four laughed, walking towards the two.

"Okay okay, it was just like a schoolyard crush, okay, jeez," Callie defended herself.

Four pulled a stool from between Callie and Pearl, and placed it underneath him and sat on it. He hooked his shoes onto the small ring that is welded on the inside of the legs. The enlightened agent took a deep breath, pumping his chest out slightly, before taking a large breath out, catching the two's attention.

"SO, chief, what's up?" Four looked at Pearl as she sat up properly to face him.

She clicked her tongue, "What's up with you, why are you so happy, and I know its not that she used to like you?"

Four simply smiled, Pearl remembered that he did not respond or read for a long time, "Oh, OH, OHH."

"OH, NO!" Four responded quickly waving his hands in front of her, "just lovy-dovy couple business Pearl!"

"Stop flexing about your oddly stable and happy relationship, Four," Callie joked, leaning her chin on her palm, tapping away at her face.

Four did shoulder circles before breathing out again, "Well, Callie. At least I have someone that loves me that much."

"Pass me the fire extinguisher, flamethrower versus flamethrower ring fight!" Pearl announced proudly as she rang her voice through the room with her cupped hands.

"No fighting today, we really gotta talk about what you yanked us here for," Callie shot down Pearl's joke.

She cleared her throat, "Sorry, anyways, Team Order won the last Splatfest. This means, we are not following our plan to get these eight-tentacled brothers and sisters outa the depths. Not too bad right? Wrong! Because, we, this team, cannot guarantee that we can get those peeps out of there!"

"Agreed," the other two nodded their heads.

"So! I propose, not in that way, that we go ahead with our plan either way!" Pearl shot her arm and head up.

Four and Callie's eyes widened, they sighed as pulled back a little, "So, you are asking us to be cheaters to something we agree to?"

"No no no, Four, it's not like that!" Pearl objected.

"It is totally like that," Callie agreed, "so let's do it!"

"Guys it's not chea- wait, wait, repeat what you said," Pearl stopped herself as she locked her eyes on Callie.

Callie titled her head in confusion, "It is tota-"

"NO!" Pearl interrupted, "The end! The last part!"

"So let's do it?" Callie repeated herself in confusion.

Her eyes widened, as she slammed her palms onto her knees, "You're agreeing, Callie!?"

"Yes," Callie answered with somewhat less confusion.

Four wiped his brow, "You two are just going to do this?"

"Yes," Callie repeated.

He sighed, "I'm in."

"Babingo-balingo-bazingo!" Pearl celebrated, "I was expecting you to disagree, walk out, and leave, heck, even tell the others about it."

"Heh." Four chuckled as he nodded, "You think I even have the power to disagree."

"You could," Callie quietly responded.

Four shook his head, "I don't want to be called a traitor or something like that, besides, even though your reasoning is a bit shaky and shallow, I don't want to regret the mission if it fails, because it was on us to stop them. If we fail, we have fail on our accords. Yes, we can win on their plans, but we can also win on our plans. We are quite smart."

"I disagree with the last part," Pearl laughed, "Okay, we ready?"

"We're ready," the two synced.

"Okay, we'll have another meeting some other time, but in the meanwhile, let's run this underground." Pearl nodded.

Four and Callie smirked, Pearl smirked.

"Okay Team Chaos, let's go!"