O.C.T.O. comic Chapter 2

Page 1: Aqua stands in front of the group, arms outstretched (same pose/group as the end of Chapter 1, but we're seeing their faces now instead of their backs.  Each squad member is named by a narration box.
Aqua: "Team O.C.T.O.--"


Page 2: We now get to look into O.C.T.O. Headquarters, which is filled with cracked screens, rusty equipment, crates, cardboard boxes, and cobwebs.  Aqua is standing at the center console, upon which stands a large stone statue of a female Octarian general (in the style of the Octarians seen in the Great Turf War pics in the Sunken Scrolls).
Aqua: "--Welcome to Headquarters!"
We look back to the squad.  They are not impressed.
Georgia: "What a hunk of junk!"
Aqua leans against the statue, while Francine begins to investigate.
Aqua: "She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid."
The squad is squicked.
Aqua is oblivious.
Aqua: "...what?"

Page 3: The squad splits up, probably to search for brain bleach, leaving a confused Aqua leaning against the statue with Francine.
Francine (quietly): "You know that's my grandmother, right?"
A suddenly-sweating Aqua quickly removes his hand from the statue, leaving Francine to smirk smugly.
Meanwhile, Dank, Flipz, and Minty are inspecting some of the building's windows.
Dank: "Yo, dawg-c, whatcha' thinkin', brah?"
Flipz: "I think this building should be condemned. There's serious metal fatigue in all the load-bearing members, the wiring is substandard, it's completely inadequate for our power needs, and the neighborhood is like a demilitarized zone."
A Suction Bomb crashes through the window and explodes at the trio's feet; the three are barely able to get out of range in time.  From the warehouse across the street, a sheepish Inkling apologizes.
passerby (possibly Sheep from Splatterdash?): "Sorry!"

Page 4: Aqua walks up behind the three.
Aqua: "My family's high up on the food chain in the company that owns Walleye Warehouse, so they got this place for me on the cheap.  Pretty sweet, am I right?"
Another Suction Bomb bounces through the open window, to almost everyone's alarm; Minty, however, scoops it up and hurls it through the wall with such force that it pierces both the Headquarters wall and that of Walleye Warehouse, beaning the sheepish Inkling in the head.  Aqua, Dank, and Flipz stare at Minty in alarm.
Dank: "...Daaaaang, son!"

Page 5: Omega and Georgia are exploring a different part of O.C.T.O. Headquarters.  Omega seems mildly disappointed but still inquisitive, while Georgia seems downright disgusted by the disarray.
Georgia: "Soo...am I the only one who noticed the sign was already up there?  Like, this is not the first time the dude's tried this.  He's done this before."
Omega: "Affirmative."
Georgia: "So my question is, what happened?"
Omega puts down the odd gizmo she was examining and grins her slasher smile.
Omega: "Maybe they found what they were looking for."
Georgia hits Omega from behind with a piercing stare.
Georgia: "That's not gonna fly with me, you know."  Omega's smile is gone.

Page 6:
Georgia: "I know Octarians.  I may not look it, but I've had plenty of experience.  Even more than Agent 3, I daresay.  You may act like some single-minded psychopath, but I know that behind those goggles there's something more going on."
Omega: "..."
Georgia: "And don't even try that 'it's just a costume' schtick.  You may have the others fooled, but it's not working on me."
Omega still refuses to turn and look at Georgia.
Omega: "...Pretty brave of you to tangle with an Octarian, don't you think?"
Georgia: "..."
Omega turns her head to the side, addressing Georgia over her shoulder.  In the background, we can see Flipz, Aqua, Minty, and Dank's group.
Omega: "You're playing a dangerous game, Miss Marlin.  Better than any Inkling I've ever known."
Omega looks forward again at the group of squad members in the distance.
Omega: "But why I'm here is my business.  *If* it becomes yours, I'll let you know."
A voice is heard from off-panel, causing both Georgia and Omega to turn and look behind them (at the camera).
Francine: "Ahem."

Page 7: Francine approaches Georgia and Omega, dusting off her hands, her smile laced with artificial pleasantness.
Francine: "Making new friends, Georgia?"
Georgia narrows her eyes distrustfully at Omega.  Omega simply shrugs, then walks away.  Francine stares concernedly after her.
Georgia: "...something like that.  What's up?"
Francine stands on the center console (which no longer has the statue on top of it) and claps her hands to get everyone's attention.
Francine: "All right, listen up gang.  We've got a squad to build, and if this is the space we've got to build it in, then we all have to pitch in to do it.  There's a closet in the back with cleaning supplies; Dank, I need you to go get those.  Minty, you, me, and Omega are going to move these boxes, see if we can't stack them into orderly piles."
Minty + Omega: "Right!"
Dank, Minty, and Omega break off from the group; Aqua and Flipz happen to be standing together.
Francine: "Aqua, this old equipment still has some life left in it; if I'm not mistaken--and I rarely am--Flipz should be able to help you bring it up to snuff."
Flipz points at themself in confusion, while Francine turns to Georgia.
Francine: "And as for you, Georgia..."
Georgia raises an eyebrow.
Francine: "...never mind."

Pages 8: This page is a montage of silent panels of the squad cleaning up their new headquarters.
Dank opens the closet, and we get to see an expression of momentary panic before a bucket falls on his head.
Francine, visibly distressed, stumbles across Omega using an enthusiastic Minty as a living bowling ball to smash through a pile of crates.
Aqua and Flipz state perplexedly at one of the intact screens.  Aqua then decides to try pushing the power button to turn it on.
Aqua: *click*
Aqua: *click click click*
Aqua (ferociously): *clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclick* (Flipz rolls their eyes and walks away.)
Flipz kneels further down, next to an open access panel at the end of the bank of consoles, with Aqua clicking away frantically in the background.  Flipz strokes their chin, then notices a loose fuse in the panel; they re-seat the fuse, but instantly look up in alarm as Aqua gets cartoonishly electrocuted.

Page 9: It's evening. We see a half-page shot of the cleaned O.C.T.O. Headquarters interior, still not completely repaired but at least in better shape than when the group began.
Francine is putting away the last mops and brooms in the closet, and several of the squad are waving their goodbyes as they leave.
Georgia: "Francine?  You coming?"

Page 10: For the first time, we see the interior of the (unusually spacious) closet, where Francine has relocated the statue of her grandmother.  She looks up at it, then quietly closes the door, touching her palm to the surface afterward.
Georgia (from off-panel): "Francine?"
Francine and Georgia start to walk out the warehouse door.  (Just inside the door, Flipz stands ready to turn off the lights.)
Georgia: "What a day.  Once we get home, I could go for a nice, long, relaxing nap."
Francine: "Ha!  When couldn't you?"
Georgia: "Point."

Page 11: Georgia and Francine begin to walk home.
Georgia: "So, what about you?  You coming home tonight?"
Francine: "..."
Francine: "...no, not tonight."
Georgia stops and turns to face Francine.
Georgia: "Again?"
Francine smiles at Georgia.
Francine: "I've told you--"
Georgia: "Francine."
Georgia looks earnestly at Francine.
Georgia: "I know...it's not always easy for you.  It must be hard, getting involved in...all this.  But to me, it doesn't matter what you are.  You're welcome in our apartment.  You always have been.  You always will be."
Francine looks up at the darkening sky, the first stars already visible.
Francine: "Oh, Georgia.  Thank you.  But I'm not feeling unwelcome."

Page 12: Francine sits silently atop Inkopolis Tower, a small bedroll and lantern tucked away in a small nook nearby.  Her dialogue from earlier is continued via narration box.
Francine: "Sometimes, I just get this urge.  I need to be out there, beneath the stars."
Francine: "I *like* it up there.  The soft breeze, the cold metal, the muffled murmurings of the city far below..."
Francine: "But most of all..."
We see Francine watching the last rays of sunlight disappear over the horizon.  (Dialogue still in narration box.)
Francine: "...I want to be the first one who gets to see what the new day brings."
-End Chapter 2-