Differences

No two people are alike, and that's a problem.
If we let petty preferences get in the way of efficiency, the world will crash down.
Your hypnogoggles assist in that.
Everything will be as you like it.
Without them, why, society would collapse.

Ice cream is better than cake

Mayo (ugh) is better than ketchup.

Flight is more useful than invisibility.

And yet, despite the three weeks of movie nights with Pearl, Marina still doesn't believe vampires are better than werewolves.

"I don't know what you learned as a squidling, Pearl, but eating ink just makes you sick!"

"They're specially evolved to do it. And it's fantasy, Rina. Give it a rest." Pearl kicks her feet up on the table between them. "You're talking like werewolves make more sense. They transform between two creatures!"

Marina crosses her arms. "And what do you think we do, when we go from o-from, uh, swimming to standing? Sure, they made it based on the moon, but that's because they want it involuntary to be dramatic."

"Yeah, but they've got bones, Rina." Pearl points at her with both hands. "It's all made up. And vampires who hunt you down are a lot cooler than slobbery doggies."

Marina sticks out her tongue and regrets it immediately: someone's taking a picture. She sighs, her shoulders slumping. "Tell me again, why are we friends?"

"Music." Pearl grins. "We go together like mayo on pancakes."

"Gross."

The door to the rest of the studio opens. Marina gets to her feet with a groan, but Pearl grabs the timer off the table and slams it back down. "We've still got fifteen minutes before prep, Mr. C!"

"We're running low on shirts, but should be fine since it's tomorrow, and the newest shifty station's set." Marina runs through the checklist without thinking. "All of our news segments for the next three days have been pre-recorded, and-"

"Something's come up," says Mr. Chovy. "Get out of there."

Marina glances at Pearl in surprise; Pearl's eyebrows are way up as she looks back at Marina. With a sharp nod, she leaps to her feet. "Let's ditch this mess," she says, waving at the inklings watching (several wave back, delighted). Marina waves, too, and follows Pearl out the door.

Their manager closes it behind them and says, right there in the hallway, "We have an emergency news update. Callie Cuttlefish has gone missing."

Marina almost turns octo on the spot. As it is, her legs give out, and she sags against the closed door, slides to the ground. "What?" she whispers.

"Since this weekend," says Mr. Chovy. His tentacles twist around themselves. "They kept it quiet; it wouldn't be the first time someone, catapulted into fame they weren't ready for, had to take a mental health break and escape for a week to the country, or a relative's place. But she's nowhere to be found, and Marie hasn't heard from her."

Pearl's face is the color of ash. "Cod," Pearl mutters. "Do they... do they have anything?"

"Nothing," says Mr. Chovy. "Marie quit her radio show so she could go looking. She's been talking to her parents every day, but she even gave her bodyguards the slip." He blows out a long breath. "No motive, no information, nothing. No reason for her to be splatted, but we need to prepare for the other worst case scenario as soon as you girls do the news."

Marina stares at him. "One of the Squid Sisters is missing," she says through lips that feel detached. She pulls her knees to her chest and hugs them. "They're-they're the best at everything, and one of them is missing. I know they-they went solo, but they're-it's-" she stops talking. If she keeps going, the words that come out will be in Octarian, if anything. She only speaks that when she sings, now.

And she doubts even that would make any sense.

"Because we don't know why she went missing," says Mr. Chovy. "Your agent called me; neither of you have bodyguards yet, your career's just getting started. If someone's targeting celebrities, singers, or anyone with connections to Inkopolis News, you need to take precautions."

Marina's breath escapes her in a whoosh.

"We're stepping up security for the splatfests, and in our studio. I expect you'll be fine, Pearl," says Mr. Chovy. He wrings his hands. "You live at home; your parents mansion must have enough security to handle anything. Marina, though..." His glance at her is full of an emotion Marina doesn't dare name. "You live in a rough part of town. Do you have any-"

"Rina will stay with me." Pearl puts her hand on Marina's shoulder.

"Pearlie..." The word escapes her in a whisper.

"There are plenty of guest rooms," Pearl says. "We'll stop by your place and get your stuff after work. They can't take the both of us." Her smile bears a promise of pain for anyone who tries.

Marina lets out a breath. She tries to think of something normal to say. "That won't help the rumors."

"No one's going to be worried about the two of you," says Mr. Chovy. "That brings me to the other piece of breaking news. The Great Zapfish has gone missing again."

Pearl turns squid in shock. Marina, head on her knees, blindly reaches for Pearl and hangs on to one of Pearl's tentacles.

Zapfish missing? Octarians. And they must know the Squid Sisters sang Calamari Inkantation. They know why Marina escaped.

This is all her fault.

And she doesn't know how to fix it.