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"Captain?!" Three screeches, almost falling off of their spawner. Their other teammates startle and shoot annoyed glances at them, and they apologize sheepishly, before turning back to the giant anemone in the room.
"What are you doing here?" They ask, before shaking their head. "Nevermind, don't. Don't even answer that. Stupid question."
Captain raises an eyebrow, looking more amused than anything, before huffing. 'What are you doing here?' She signs, 'I thought you were busy at Alterna.'
Three beams, "I got all the work I needed to do done! So." They say, pointing at their surroundings, "Just a little Turf War as a reward, yknow?"
Captain nods slowly, understanding. She raises her hands to sign, but a whistle blows, and she immediately readies herself for battle. Three jolts, and does the same.
"Let's talk after this, alright?" They offer, and Captain grins, before shooting off into the fray with her splattershot readied.
Three goes for the high ground and decides to try to get as many snipes as possible.
They win. By a landslide.
Three is sure they beat their personal record in kills and is vibrating in excitement. They're so giddy and high on the adrenaline, that they almost forget the offer they made with Captain.
Captain taps their shoulder after the round of high-fives between everyone on the team, and gestures to go outside. Three mentally short circuits for a moment, before processing what's happening. "Sure!" They chirp as they walk with Captain to the sliding doors.
"Actually," Three says, just before they're outside. "Want to grab some drinks?" They ask, and Captain hums for a moment before nodding, 'Sure.' And so, they walk back to the entrance and toward the stand.
"Hi!" Three greets. Marigold smiles back and asks what they'd like. Three hands over their drink ticket, and Captain does the same.
It takes a few minutes for the drinks to be ready, and Three goes over to the counter to grab them.
They hand Captain's drink over to her. "Ooo," Three hums, "I didn't know you liked strawberry." Captain shrugs and glances at Three's vanilla shake, raising an eyebrow. They grin. "Vanilla's great! Might be basic, but it's the default for the reason, right?"
Captain huffs, 'It's the default because it's plain, but okay.'
Three squawks in outrage. "Literal blasphemy. I'm tattling on you to Marie and Callie and everyone in Squidbeak."
Captain blanches, 'Oh no, Marie is going to beat me up, don't do this to me, Three!' She pleads, 'I'm your superior, I order you not to do that.'
Three giggles. "Seniority means nothing here, Captain." The other groans, and shakes her head.
They lapse into a comfortable silence, sipping on their drinks, and walking through the plaza, before Three breaks it.
"So..." Three says. "Come here often?" They say, a stilted smile on their face.
Captain stares back at them with a blank expression on her face.
'We are in Splatsville,' She signs flatly.
Three snorts, before they burst out laughing.
Captain cracks a grin, and starts to laugh, too.
"I'm sorry," Three gasps through their giggles, "That was so bad. Like, so bad it was funny. But I needed to fill up the silence?"
Captain nods sagely. 'It's okay. I understand.'
"Okay. So, how's captain-hood going for you?" They ask, and Captain shrugs. 'Just the same old stuff. Nothing new, but after Grizz got shot up into space, I've got some more free time. I can call Four and Eight more.'
Three smiles. "That's great! Actually, do you know when they'll ever visit Splatsville? I'd really like to meet them."
Captain hums, 'Not sure. But I can plan with them.' She grins, 'I'm sure Four would love you. You'd both get along, maybe a little too well...' She squints, before shrugging. 'Oh well. Whatever you two do, you have to deal with, okay?'
Three huffs, "Yeah, yeah. But we won't have to, 'cause we won't get caught!" She laughs, and Captain ruffles their hair.
'Attaboy,' She says and grins proudly. 'Like the kid I never had, because I don't have any kids. I'm literary 23.'
Three feels strangely warm after that but shakes their head. "A child from another mother, as they say." Captain grins, 'As they say.'
They talk and banter for a while, and it feels so simple and normal that it makes them feel all warm and fuzzy inside.