The troubles of knowing yourself

Benny's Quest, part 7

Six months after the fall...
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Benny looked out over the village with a small frown. It had taken a while, but he had finally bid the town farewell. He'd probably miss it, even if his stay was meant to be temporary to begin with.

It had only taken a whole month because he and Deco had to make plans; the Salmonid wasn't sure if he wanted to haul all the stuff in his treasure pile up the mountain too. The end result of which was a resounding no, he didn't. His egg would survive even without a nest fashioned after it.

It had also taken a while to convince all the other Salmonids that no, Deco wasn't kidnapping him, good gosh would you all calm down. Jule in particular seemed quite distressed to hear he was leaving. She was ready to fight Deco to keep him there until Benny was able to convince her it was his idea to begin with. So she and her employees gave him a proper sendoff instead.

Deco wanted to board up his house as well, just so no one would take his stuff. A precaution just in case they did come back down into town sometime.

But after all that, and a good week or so of scouting the mountainside to find a way up, they were finally there. The village was far below them, and they were free. In the wilderness, high above the water and safe from any other angry fish that might want to hurt them.

Deco was really the only angry fish he wanted to associate with anyway.

And speaking of Deco...he'd finally returned from his quick last trip down into town.

He gave a huff as he heaved his armful of lumber over a short ledge, and then flung himself up as well, landing on his stomach. "Hehhh....there. Now can make shelter." He panted.

Benny gave a smile. "Thank you, Deco. But, uh, where did you get this from, anyway?"

He lifted his head slightly. "Car-pent-er fish hut. Glare at till give wood. Would buy, but Goldies took spend egg pouch last time."

The Octarian gave a weak laugh. "Y...yeah. Hopefully they weren't too upset with you. The carpenters, I mean."

"Not matter. Need make shelter or friend Benny get rained on when rain. Not want. Water bad for friend." Deco replied, stretching out his body and sitting up again. He surveyed the surrounding area. "Where good place build?"

Benny looked around, his eyes landing on one tree in particular. "There maybe? We can make a roof and attach it to the side of that tree."

Deco followed his gaze and nodded, picking up a few boards and moving them over.

Benny may have used the word 'we,' but there really wasn't much he could do to help. His lack of arms continued to be a nuisance to all.

So, with a lack of anything better to do, Benny went about observing the area a bit more.

He figured it must've been...fairly close to where he'd been initially shot down, despite the fact he didn't really recognize anything. It had been a good few months, after all. But...he and Garratia had also spent a good few months themselves on this mountain before they'd been attacked; or rather, before she'd been attacked. Luckily she'd caught the Inkling's attention before she'd had a chance to notice him.

He squinted at the trees and the undergrowth. It was still just as beautiful as he remembered it...nature. But...this wasn't as close to where the two of them had camped before the fight. There'd been a stream...and he saw no stream now. Would it be better to relocate to somewhere closer to where Garratia had been...?

Benny turned back to Deco for a moment. The Salmonid was dutifully nailing boards to the tree, hissing under his breath.

The Octarian's eyes softened a bit. No, no need. If Garratia was looking for him, which she probably would be by now, then it'd be better to stay in one spot.