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Boss Marie. She loved the ring it had. Made her feel and look professional. All this squid agency stuff was really cutting out. Not like she really did anything but still. Now the title Boss was fresh but actually being a boss was not fresh. Not fresh at all. Not only the paperwork but also the kids she was managing.
Deep Cut the kids from the Anarchy Splatcast in Splatsville, Marie only knew the name due to the recent news of them hosting some Tri color turf wars. She herself had never heard of them or Splatsville until now, she just wished them good luck hosting Splatfest. They were extremely taxing. Back when she hosted them with her cousin Callie as much as both of them loved it and how much it boosted their careers, it was draining mentally and physically but her and Callie were young back then. She just did not wish any other group to go through the same turmoil and definitely not a splitting up like she and her (basically) sister had.
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That was before. Before she had actually met the trio and their crazy personalities. Not only did they look young they acted like it too. They acted like circus performers not idols or "thugs" like they self proclaimed they were. Oh how wrong she was.
When the battles came. She realized that they actually weren't joking about "ending" any and everyone who would get in their way.
Even then, the very real threat of gigantic electric eels, a great white shark and a money hungry manta ray Marie couldn't help but find them all adorable. So when they asked to be under her and Callie's wing (which she smoothly rejected leaving Marie to handle them. Even though she found them equally adorable) Marie couldn't say no, but she did say yes in her own sarcastic way.
She could tell they adored her in a special way she couldn't understand. It wasn't long before The Squid Sisters and Deep Cut were associated in the public.
Having concerts together (Which they were still mad about Marie and Callie dropping in during their act),her and Callie being spotted in Splatsville.
Marie even considered having them on her podcast but when Big man alluded to using the new fame to get more loot she postponed the idea for a new idea.
She needed to get these kids to stop stealing. And killing but that came later. Baby steps.
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"STOP STEALING!?!?!" All three screamed in unison. All had equally goofy, over exaggerated, stunned faces. Thank god this was a video call if she heard that scream in person she would have gone deaf.
"I mean, yeah. If I didn't like you I could turn you in, you know."
She looked at all their disappointed and equally angry faces.
"Ay!Ay!ay?!(yeah but you would never do something like that right, boss?!)" Big Man flapped his huge fins. Marie couldn't fully understand Big man but she could tell he was disappointed.
"Yeah plus boss, we told you why we steal! It's for a good cause!." Shiver explained moving her fan along with her words.
"The people of splatvilles need us. This place was a poor wasteland before we changed it. Frye chimed in.
She was right. Marie knew why they became thieves, they told her the first day they met in Alterna. They steal valuables to make money and put it into making Splatsville how it is today. It was honorable and obviously important to them. At least important enough to commit 1st degree murder.
"Yes but there's other non illegal to earn money and even non illegal to collect treasure to sell." Marie scolded them. She would know, when her career was just kicking off and when she still did news broadcasts. Felt like a lifetime ago. She had sold some antique dancing shoes, earning her an easy 4000 bucks.
"And you guys are now mainstream idols," Marie continued "I can find you guys an actual producer. Making music and running your little talk show could be your income."
"No way!" Frye exclaimed
"Not cool boss!" Shiver said, shaking her head in shame.
"Ay!Ay!" Big man said in a tone Marie could only guess was disbelief. To say the least, Marie was taken aback. She knew they'd hate the idea but to the point of yelling at the boss they so willingly do anything for was a shock. Stealing (and sometimes killing) couldn't be THAT fun.
"Sorry Boss but Big man is our producer, we cant have some random telling us what to do!" Frye snapped, Shiver shaking her head(and fan)in agreement.
Big man looked touched that his friends cared so much.
Marie was touched as well but still shocked at the extreme reaction. And it showed, her eyes were wide, well, as wide as they could be due to how tired she was.
It was Shiver to first realize what they had done.
"Oh My Cod! We just totally yelled at Boss right now! We're so sorry! Please forgive us!" Shiver pleaded her forehead already on the floor, bowing down so low she was below their camera. Marie couldn't see her anymore. The other quickly followed with loud and tear filled apologies.
It was getting too late to deal with their shenanigans. They went from happy to shocked to angry to forcefully apologetic in the span of a grueling 15 minutes.
*ping*
She almost didn't hear it over the loud crying from her speakers. It was from her cell right next to her. She internally sighed knowing this was another task from gramps on short notice. She forgets she's an agent as well.5 though she doesn't like going on adventures as much as the others. It's only fun to her when Callie is there.
She only peeked at the notification
Gramps:
"Agent 2! There's something going on with those crazy octopuses! I need you to go do some snooping maybe even bring something back... hopefully luring DJ Octavio back into his snow globe."
Another cat and mouse game between gramps and Octavio that unfortunately she had to take part in.
Coming back into reality, she looked up to find Deep cut looking petrified. It was hilarious but also confusing. Why were they looking at her like that? Marie hadn't realized they had stopped yelling a bit ago, faces now dried of tears and snot.
"Oh no Boss is so stunned we yelled at her, her brain fried!"
"It's a shame, Boss won't be able to boss anymore."
"But as her loyal subordinates we'll take care of you boss! Help is on the way!"
"Ay!aay!(am I getting paid for this?)"
Loyal subordinates they say?
This was really going against the reason she had called them but maybe she can be a little lenient. Baby steps after all.
"I'm here." She stated before they even dared to bring ‘help’.
They all dramatically gasped. Marie promptly ignored it.
"Look, I'll let you steal but it has to be on my orders. Copy that?"
"Boss, are you condoning our bad behavior?" Frye asked with a cheeky look like she had cracked the case.
All they heard was 'I'll let you steal' and their spirits were lifted, eyes bright with mischief. All Marie did was sigh, she knew she was going to pay for this later.
"If you need anything don't be afraid to let us steal it for you!" Shiver cosigned
Now that she thought about it, there was a pretty purse she saw last week which she so desperately wanted. Until she looked at the price tag. She may be wealthy but inside she was still a country girl so going cheap was always the right choice to her. Callie on the other hand, was a material girl. Nothing wrong with that but she did sometimes feel underdressed when hanging out with her cousin.
The one time she goes shopping with Callie and finds something she likes, it's gotta cost her an arm and a leg. Needless to say Marie left empty handed. As petty as she was about the purse she wasn't going to go so low to get them to steal a purse. Instead she would have them do her job so both are getting something out of it.
Marie gets sleep and relaxation when the other gets actual valuable treasure.
"Well, gramps is talking about something happening at the octo bases, and quite frankly I'm very exhausted from paperwork and overdue idol stuff. How about I send you three over there, get the scoop, and while you're at it steal what you like?"
"Our very first assignment from you..."
Shiver started
"Ay, ay(Is to steal)?" Big man finished.
"HELL YEAH! You can count on us boss!" Frye shouted. Pumping her fist into the air.
Marie smiled and before she could end the call they were already out the door once she sent them the location's coordinates. She didn't even dismiss them (which was something she regularly forgot to do) but most importantly she couldn't tell them Goodluck or give her condolences. As annoying as they were, she did care. Weirdly enough.
An erupt yawn told her it was time to get some sleep. She almost ended the call before she heard shuffling and footsteps from the other line. She waited. To see the three of them come back into frame and sit back down with goofy smiles on their faces
"Goodnight boss. Are we dismissed?" Shiver whispered quietly as Frye and big man waited eagerly for her response
"Yeah... meeting dismissed."
Maybe being a 'boss' wasn't so bad.