"So now what?" Kai glanced at Captain Cuttlefish.
"Well, you complete more tests! The faster we- I mean you two get this done the faster we can get out of here!"
"That's fine- but Niki isn't here!" Kai walked over and collapsed on the seat next to Captain Cuttlefish. He slumped down in the chair almost falling off seat.
"Well then do it yourself! You can do it! Go, Kai!" Captain nudged the side of his arm making him slump down farther.
"Oh okay...," Kai sat up and then turned on his CQ-80, "Well...let me see what level is available. Hmmm there's this one and it's called Wassup 8-Ball station"
"Alright then, get to it!"
"Okay!" Kai selected the test level and he was transported to the station.
Kai walked out on to the platform and entered the capsule. He chose his weapon- the "Splash-O-Matic"- and left to pay the fee. He slid in the card, and glided into the level.
"Woah! This is so cool! I'm guessing I need to guide this "8 ball" thing to where it needs to go? This should be easy as octo-pie!"
Shooting a stream of ink to guide it, Kai led the eight ball down a hill. He splats both of Octarians that were there, and he then shimmies his way up the hill with the 8 ball in tow. Splatting the Octarians on the upper side of the ledge, Kai smiled in delight.
"Well, that was easy! I don't see why anyone would think this was hard! Oh wait, that was me!" Kai laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head.
Kai shot ink into the side of the 8 ball, and pushed it into the railing beneath him. The 8 ball teetered on the edge of the rail, and fell into the void below his feet.
"Whoops! I spoke too soon!" Kai felt a tingling sensation on his back. The bomb on the underside of his tank exploded, and placed him back at the start. "Ow! That hurt!" Kai looked behind him, trying to see if it made a mark, but it didn't just a future bruise.
He stretched his arms and felt the pain of the bomb singe through his nerves. Shrugging it off, he continued on with the level, carefully sliding the 8 ball to the area he hadn't reached his first try. Two Octarians waited for him on the other side, aiming directly at him. Kai tried to sneak by them, but then ZING! One of the two-shot him in the foot.
"Owwie! Don't that okay?! My feet are kind of sensitive!" Kai pouted.
He swam through his ink and splatted them one by one, while simultaneously guiding the 8 ball to the other side.
"Okay! I can do this! All I have to do is.... wait... I have to get it over there!" A curved ramp lay in front of him.
Kai took a deep breath. He pushed the 8 ball over to the side, and it swayed slightly before landing in a clear area.
Yes! Yes! Yes! I knew I could do it!" Kai struck a victory pose.
He saw a moving ledge that swayed back in forth in a single motion. His ink shot the 8 ball forward, and it landed on the other side.
"Easy! Now what?" Kai then heard a familiar voice.
"You have to put the 8 ball over there! Then, you need to retrieve the key to unlock the safe!" Marina's voice sang.
"Okay! Okay!" Kai climbed up the railings and retrieved the key from the top of the makeshift tower. "Now what?"
"Now you have to pop that balloon fish and get it to the other side!" Pearl said.
"Oh like this?" He shot ink mercilessly towards the 8 ball.
"Wait you have to wait till the seesaw is-"
"Oh no-" The same tingling sensation hurried up his back, and he was once again placed at the latest checkpoint he went by. "Well this time I'll take it slow," He concentrated, slowly pushing eight ball across the seesaw until it landed at its lock-in point. The test was complete!
"Alright, I did it! That was pretty easy too! That was so easy I'm gonna do another one! Now let's see," He looked through his C.Q device for a level. "This one looks fun! All you have to do is pop the balloons! Let's get to it!" Kai entered the level, and chose the hardest weapon, the Splattershot. He paid for the level and rushed into the area. He had to pop 59 balloons before they got away.
Kai payed his fee and entered the level. He immediately jumped straight into it popping all the balloons he could. By the time he was it the 20th balloon he missed it and it flew high into the sky.
Kai looked up at it, a worried look on his face "Uh oh," then Bam! The bomb on his back exploded once more putting him back at the place before the station where he had to start all over again.
Ok Kai! You got this, all you have to do is pop all of the balloons! That's not so hard. Now get out there and pass the test! Kai jumped back into the level even more hyped then before.
He then started the process again and started to pop all of the balloons this time not missing any of them. There were a few close calls but he made it it the end and passed the test.
Once he had realized he passed the test he started to jump up and down, as a smile grew on his face "Yes! I did it! And that level was easy! And that being said I think I'm gonna take five, 'cause I'm hungry!" He made his way to his train car to retrieve a snack, but he didn't know what the next level would do to him...