The troubles of knowing yourself

At long last

"Beeeennnnyyyyyy!" Eight called out, hands cupped around her mouth. "Are you out here?!"

Ilkani lifted a branch and peered under it, scanning the undergrowth for any signs of ink. She called out for the Octocopter as well.

Across the clearing, Three scoured the area, and then turned to look back at where the hole had once been. She didn't suggest the possibility out loud that Benny might've met the same fate they had.

"Benny!!" Eight called again. "It's me!! Are you there?!"

Ilkani let out a sigh. There wasn't a hint of pink ink anywhere. Benny hadn't been here recently, if at all. She turned to Eight. "We need to look somewhere else, Eight. He's clearly not here. Maybe a bit towards the coast, like you'd said before?"

Eight whipped around to face her, hands trembling for a moment, then letting out a small sigh. "Right, yes, right, of course." She took a deep breath. "Right...good idea."

The other Octoling regarded her with cautious concern. "....it was your idea."

Eight took another deep breath. "Y-yeah, I know, let's just......yeah." She turned away again and left Ilkani's sight.

The Octoling gave a little warble in Three's direction, a 'this way' sound Octavio had taught her. It had the desired effect, and Three soon joined Ilkani at her side. Both of them had their arms crossed.

"Search moving on?" The Inkling inquired.

The other nodded. "She's starting to stress herself out." She commented.

"I can imagine."

"You don't need to imagine. It's very much happening."

"No, I mean- ugh, whatever. Let's go." Three shook her head and followed after her girlfriend, Ilkani right behind her.

Eight was scanning the treetops, movements and voice growing frantic. "Benny! Benny!! Are you here somewhere Benny?!" She called.

Three felt herself growing increasingly concerned. She jogged a bit to catch up and put a hand on Eight's arm.

The Octoling jumped in alarm before realizing who it was that had touched her. Her eyes clouded with guilt at her own reaction.

Three regarded her with even more concern. "...Eight, you're shaking." She said quietly.

Eight looked down at her hands and saw that she was right. She closed her eyes a took in a shuddering breath. "I....guess I am." She murmured.

Three took her hands in her own. "I know you're scared, but I'm starting to get worried about you. You're sending yourself into a panic."

Eight took in another deep breath, hands clutching her girlfriend's tight. "Y-yeah, you...you're probably right. But..." she opened her eyes again, and they glistened with the threat of tears. "What if...what if we don't find him? What am I supposed to do?"

Three looked down. She didn't really have a good answer to that. "...I don't know, Eight. I wish I did, but I don't."

She let out a shaky sigh at that. "....I'm not wrong to be worried, am I?" She whispered.

The Inkling gave her a sympathetic look. "Of course not. It's been....how long now?"

"About....about nine months, I think."

"It makes sense you'd be worried, Eight. That's a really long time. But..." She gave a sigh of her own. "Please, don't start grieving when you don't even know if he's dead. It won't do you any good."