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Agent 4: There is not another Alexis chapter before Season 6. There's only three more chapters (including this one) in Season 5, anyways. We're getting close to the end of this season...!

Onto the story.

Bonnie's PoV

The day after Eight disappeared, the Rainbow Squids met up in Inkopolis Square, discussing their next course of action. Compared to most days, Geneva was unusually quiet, though Bonnie could understand why—her girlfriend and co-worker went missing. Though, unlike Roy, who was determined to do whatever it takes to get Oscar back, it just appeared she admitted defeat. But knowing Geneva, Bonnie knew she had the determination to bring her back, no matter what. She was just much less vocal about it.

"Alright, so the timeline..." Alexis took out a sheet of paper, some notes written on it. "Oscar and Yvonne went missing early Sunday morning. Giovanni went missing later that day. No one went missing on Monday, but Peyton went missing on Tuesday. We didn't find out Eight was missing until yesterday, but given the timeline, it's safe to assume she went missing on Tuesday night."

"And today is Thursday," Inigo concluded. "We know Brayden and Iris are fine—they're just hiding out at home."

Yuri chuckled. "Looks like the Octarians don't know where they live!"

"Yet they knew where Yvonne lived," Alexis pondered. "She can't be that reckless, right?"

"You're overestimating her," he remarked, putting a hand on his cheek. "She runs head-first into a lot of things. Literally anyone on Octa Prisma would agree with me."

"Maybe we should check in on them," Bonnie suggested. "I hope they're alright."

"Sure they are," Roy argued, crossing his arms. "They're much more careful compared to everyone else, aren't they?"

"Still doesn't hurt to check," Perry rebutted.

As they continued to argue over whether to visit Brayden or Iris or not, Bonnie's voice trailed off as she spotted Eden in the distance. Her red eyes fell on the table, and, putting a hand in her pocket, she then trailed over to the Rainbow Squids, a confident smile touching her lips.

"Huh?" Noticing Bonnie's sudden silence, Octavia looked over to where she was looking. "Oh! Eden!" Grinning, she waved a hand around in the air. "Nice to see you!"

"Eden, huh." The purple-haired boy leaned back in his chair, resting his arms behind his head. "Surprised to see you alone."

"Everyone else was busy," she explained, clearly disappointed. "I do not like battling without a friend, so I have been wandering around Inkopolis."

"So...you want to battle with one of us?" Inigo concluded.

"Not necessarily," Eden corrected. "However, it would be better to be with some rather than be alone."

"Well, you can join us if you want," Octavia offered.

Alexis shot a glare at her sister. "Are you sure? Especially considering the circumstances?"

Eden sighed. "You still are distrustful of my team... Perhaps I should not be surprised."

"For good reason!" she defended, standing up from her chair. "I don't want to take any chances."

"C'mon, Alexis," Via tried to calm her down. "She hasn't tried to do anything bad yet. No one on her team has."

"That doesn't mean we can let our guard down now," her sister countered, sitting back down. "The moment we do, they'll strike."

"I don't think we should be talking about this in front of Eden..." Bonnie muttered, clasping her hands together.

"You're right," Geneva agreed, her sudden interjection catching her off-guard. "Let's change the subject."

Alexis continued to scowl as Eden sat down in an empty chair next to Octavia. "What were you talking about before I arrived?" the octoling then asked.

"Octa Prisma's disappearance," Roy replied. "What else would we be talking about?"

She shrugged. "A lot of inklings only talk about fashion or battling. Sometimes, they talk about school as well. At least with you, your conversations will never fail to be uninteresting."

"We do a lot of that, too," Yuri pointed out.

She waved a hand. "You get my point. Anyways, have you found out more about their disappearance?"

"If we knew where they were, I think we'd have them back by now," Perry commented, narrowing his eyes.

"We still gotta prepare," Alexis argued. "No squid goes in blind! Especially where we're going!"

"Seven octolings is still an arduous task, is it not?" Eden questioned. "It will take a long time to get them all."

"Not all of them are missing," Bonnie corrected. "Brayden and Iris are still in Inkopolis."

"You're exaggerating, too," Geneva added. "I'm confident we can retrieve them all within a day."

The blue-haired girl lowered her head. "I hope they're doing OK. Being cooped up all day is no fun."

Eden tilted her head. "Where are they?"

"Their apartment," Via replied. "They live together. I mean, they're dating, so it makes sense."

"Have they contacted you at all?"

"Yeah..." Alexis scratched her head. "You sure are asking a lot of questions."

"Well, it is natural to be curious, is it not?"

"They do sound like normal questions," Yuri agreed.

She sighed. "You know what?" Alexis leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "Just keep talking. I wanna see where this goes."

"Anyways..." Inigo spoke up. "Someone should go check on them, right?"

"I'm sure they're fine," Via insisted.

Bonnie shook her head. "How would you like it if we were in their situation?"

"Your friend is correct," Eden concurred. "They need some fresh air."

"And maybe you could do something for them, too," Yuri added.

"So..." Perry leaned forward, interlocking his fingers and lowering his hands below the table. "Who wants to go?"

"Why can't you go?" Roy argued.

"Well, I wanna battle," he defended. "Can't do that if I'm visitin' someone."

"Do you want to go?" Octavia asked the red-haired boy.

"No!" he snapped. "I got better things to worry about. What 'bout you?"

"Well, I guess I could go shopping... I dunno how well they'll react to seeing me, anyways."

"Count me in if you do," Geneva requested. "I need something to take my mind off of this right now."

"So you could go," Roy challenged.

Via raised her hands up in front of her. "Yeah, but do I want to? You could go, too."

"I'll go," Bonnie spoke up, directing everyone's attention towards her. Every time her friends would argue, the problem would usually fall on her. She figured it was better to end it now than later. "I just need an address."

"I'll just text you it," Alexis said. "For reasons."

"Could I come with you?" Eden asked, standing up from her chair. "It would be nice for them to talk to another Octarian."

"Hold on," Geneva blurted, eyes narrowing. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Took the words right out of my mouth," the short-haired girl agreed.

The octoling sighed, shaking her head. "Still? When have we ever done anything bad to you?"

"She's right," Octavia assented. "No one on Eden's team has done anything after all this time. You'd think if they were really evil, they would've done something by now?"

"You're closest to her, of course you'd trust her," Roy growled.

"I mean, she has a point," Inigo mused. "She hasn't done anything."

"We still can't take chances," Alexis argued. "You never know when something will go wrong."

"Y-You can come," Bonnie told Eden. "Most of us trust you, so...majority wins."

She smiled. "At least you have some sense. Thank you." She stepped next to her and bowed. "We shall be off, now. We will see you later."

"Guess I can't change your mind..." the short-haired girl grumbled, crossing her arms.

"There's no use getting worked up over it," Via comforted her. "C'mon, let's go shopping!"

Bonnie didn't hear the rest of the Rainbow Squids' conversation, as she and Eden were already walking away from the table. Well, it was more like Eden was dragging her away. She could just feel the excitement radiating off the octoling. Bonnie began to wonder, maybe she was just lonely. She lamented not being with her teammates, and now, she got another chance to hang out with someone.

Bonnie's phone vibrated, and pulling it out, she quickly saw a text from Alexis, containing Brayden and Iris's address. She took the lead, pulling up a map on her phone and using it to navigate through Inkopolis, towards the apartment complex the couple lived in.

Eventually, they arrived at the apartment complex, its exterior colored grey. A simple sign hung above the entrance, stating its name. It sat at the end of a street, an intersection nearby. Across from it was a bakery, rows and rows of mouth-watering pastries stacked up against the windows, all shaped like different sea creatures. Bonnie wished she could visit it now, yet Eden simply dragged her inside the building. Inside, the building was similarly drab, though various plants decorated the area, the budding flowers bringing a dash of color to the lobby.

A jellyfish vacuuming the carpet simply watched them as they entered the elevator, though they made no move. Bonnie pressed the button leading to the second floor, and they began to ascend up the building. About a minute later, it stopped, and the elevator door opened, allowing the two girls to step out into the hallway. The wallpaper was similar to that of the lobby, and various doors dotted the hallway, leading into various apartments. Brayden and Iris's apartment was just to the left of the elevator, a vaguely octopus-shaped charm hanging on the door.

Bonnie began to knock on the door. "Hello?" she called. "It's me, Bonnie."

"Do not forget me," Eden hissed.

She jumped at the sound of the octoling's voice. "Oh! A-And Eden's here, too. She insisted on coming."

The door started to creek open, and an indigo eye peered out into the open. "Hm..." Iris scoffed. "Why bring her? Can you not come alone?"

"The rest of the Rainbow Squids agreed," Eden replied.

"Not everyone," Bonnie corrected. "But it was the majority, yeah." She rubbed the back of her head, frowning.

"You know the risk," she snapped. "This...is dangerous."

"Well, what else should I do? Leave?" the blue-haired inkling questioned. "I just wanted to check in on you."

Iris sighed. "...No use turning you away." She opened the door all the way, revealing the rest of the octoling. She merely wore an oversized white shirt and navy slippers, her poufy hair duller than Bonnie had ever seen it before. "I wish to be better dressed, but I cannot change now. Come in."

They stepped inside the apartment, the walls painted a light blue. The living room and kitchen were one room, as with many apartments Bonnie had stepped foot into before. Towards the left was a hallway, branching off into a laundry room, a bathroom, and a bedroom, in that order. In the living room, Brayden sat on the couch in a tank top and shorts, watching TV. Though, he immediately sat up upon sight of the newcomers. His blue eyes were wide, and his mouth started to gape, but he said nothing as they neared him. But soon enough, before they could take their seats, the octoling boy adopted a stern expression and rose from the couch, his hands tightening into fists.

"What is she doing here?" he questioned. For a moment, Bonnie thought he was talking about her, and she seemed to shrink away, pulling the collar of her coat closer to her face.

"Who?" Eden asked, bringing a hand up to her chin. "I do not see why you would be upset."

"You, obviously," he answered. "Iris let you in, so you must have some justification for being here."

"The Rainbow Squids said I could come, so I am here now," she explained. "It is that simple."

"Brayden," commanded Iris, snapping his attention to her. "There is no use turning her away. If she is the spy, then it is too late if she is already here."

"So you will just accept defeat in stride?" he exclaimed with bewilderment. "If Octarians invade our apartment, we have to fight!"

"I know. And I will." Iris crossed her arms. "But as long as we do the watching, she cannot do anything."

"You have a point," he admitted. "Bonnie."

She lowered her coat collar. "Yes?"

"You brought her here. Do not let her out of your sight."

She saluted. "Will do!" Lowering her arms, she looked towards the girl with the ponytail. "Well... What do you want to do?"

"I want to know what is on the television." Before she could receive an answer, Eden sat down on the couch, crossing her legs. A few seconds later, she raised an eyebrow. "...Those Octarians look ridiculous."

"They are not real," Brayden pointed out. "It is only a movie, made many years before we started to emerge onto the surface."

"A movie..." she repeated. "Why watch that?"

"It is funny," Iris replied. "They represent Octarians so poorly, we like to do the laugh."

"Now, sit down," he commanded. "You are blocking the TV."

Iris sat down next to Brayden, while Bonnie sat on the other side of him. Eden sat down next to her, and together, they were crammed onto the couch, watching the movie together. The inkling girl recognized the movie as the first Squids in Black movie, a series about a secret agency of inklings protecting the world from the incoming Octarian invasion. In a way, it reminded her of the New Squidbeak Splatoon, though she doubted Cap'n Cuttlefish got his inspiration from this movie. Nonetheless, they became absorbed in the movie, time seemingly moving faster by the second.

It wasn't until the movie ended that Bonnie realized just how much time had passed. She checked her phone to see a collection of texts from the Rainbow Squids, asking if she was OK. In a panic, she opened up the group chat and read through them all. She assured them that everyone was fine and put her phone away, returning her attention to the octolings. Eden had fallen asleep while Brayden and Iris cuddled, a blanket thrown on their laps.

"Eden." Bonnie poked her side. "Wake up."

She lifted her head, rubbing her eyes. "Hm?" Red eyes fell onto the inkling. "Oh. You."

"...Did you really find the movie that boring?"

"You are correct in that I did not like it. As for why I fell asleep... I apologize. I must have felt tired."

"It's OK." She gave a small smile. "I hope you aren't losing sleep."

"I assure you, I am not losing sleep."

"Well, then perhaps we should get going." Bonnie rose from her seat, turning to face the couple. "Thanks for the movie."

"Before you leave..." Iris got up and walked over to the kitchen counter, grabbing a note off of it and handing it over to Bonnie. "We are running low on food. Can you get some for us?"

She read over the note. "Wow, that's a lot..." she muttered under her breath. Clearing her throat, she asked, louder, "Do you have money?"

The indigo-haired girl nodded and turned her head towards the living room. "Brayden!" she called. "Give Bonnie some money."

"Fine." He got up from the couch and disappeared into the bedroom, returning with a pouch full of coins. Bonnie held her hands out, and he plopped the bag into her hands. "This should be enough to buy everything on the list. Bring whatever money is left back to us."

"I will come with Bonnie, of course," Eden announced, grabbing the inkling's arm.

"Yes," Iris confirmed. "Now, get going. Be quick, okay?"

"I will, I will!" she assured them. "Let's go, Eden."

Bonnie folded up the note and put it in her pocket, and the two girls waved goodbye to the couple as they left the apartment. The door slammed shut behind them, and they stepped inside the elevator. Once it reached the ground floor, they stepped out, and before they could exit the building, Eden suddenly stopped. She turned around to face her, raising an eyebrow. In the background, the jellyfish with the vacuum was gone, and in their place was a single sea anemone, reading a book as a clownfish ate some mints from a glass jar.

"Eden?" she asked. In her chest, she could feel her heart starting to beat faster as fears crept into her mind. What was she going to do? "Is something wrong?"

"I just remembered I have to make a call," she replied. "You can go on ahead. I do not think I will be returning."

"I..." She gulped. "Are you sure? I can wait."

"I am sure," she insisted. "Go. You do not want to keep Brayden and Iris waiting, do you?"

"F-Fine." She turned around, pushing against the glass door. She gave one last look at the octoling before exiting the building.

She crossed the street, going towards the direction of the nearest grocery store. Grey clouds hung over the city, and the wind was howling, litter blowing through the streets. A trash can had been knocked over towards the sidewalk, and flies buzzed around its contents. Grimacing, she stepped over it and swatted away any flies who may have wanted to come investigate her. Soon enough, a MakoMart came into view, and smiling, she started to run towards it.

She didn't watch where she was going, and she found herself bumping into someone. She stumbled backwards, rubbing her head as the spot where she had been hit ached.

"Sorry," she apologized, picking Brayden's coin pouch from off the ground.

"It's fine," a familiar voice assured her. Looking up, she found herself looking into purple eyes, a different purple from Perry's.

Victor.

"Huh?" she gasped. "It's you!"

"Yeah, it is me." He gestured to himself, frowning. "Is something wrong? You look like you have something on your mind."

"Nothing's wrong!" she insisted. "I just have to buy some food, that's all."

"I guess you are done at Brayden and Iris's place, then?"

She turned around, eyes wide. "Who told you that?"

"Octavia," he replied. "I ran into her and Geneva at Arowana Mall some time ago. Are they alright?"

Oh. "Yeah." Bonnie nodded, smiling. "Everything's alright with them. ...That's who I'm buying food for, actually. Eden was going to go with me, but she had something to do."

Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Wait, repeat that last part."

"...E-Eden was going to go with me, but she had something to do?" she squeaked. "W-What about it?"

"...Shoot." His hand slid down to her free one, and immediately, he started to drag her away, running back the way she came.

"Hey, wait!" Bonnie yelled, turning into a squid and tying her tentacles around the octoling's arm. "What are you doing?"

"We have to check in on them, now," he announced. "There's no time to explain."

"D-Do you even know the way?" she questioned.

"I live there, of course I do."

"Oh! That makes things a lot easier, actually."

"I don't know which apartment they live in; I just know they also live there. You will have to tell me where then."

A few minutes later, they reached the apartment complex, and once they stepped inside the building, Bonnie turned into her kid form, studying the area. The lobby was completely empty now, dirt and splotches of magenta ink staining the carpet. Her heart skipped a beat, and she found herself unable to speak, a lump in her throat. Silently, she made her way over to the elevator and pressed the button to summon it. Bonnie and Victor stepped inside, the former still trembling. Once the elevator opened, she dragged him to Brayden and Iris's apartment.

The door hadn't been locked, and inside, the destruction was very apparent. The TV had fallen over, magenta ink splattered on the wall behind where it once stood. A few decorations had been knocked over, and various fruits spilled onto the floor. Ink dripped from various places, colored blue and magenta. Victor changed his ink color to match Bonnie's, and carefully, they stepped over the magenta ink puddles, making their way deeper into the apartment.

On the couch was Iris's phone, the screen cracked. She picked it up, and while she was unable to unlock it, she was immediately met with a message on the lock screen.

'It's all your fault.'

The phone slipped out of Bonnie's hands, her eyes wide with disbelief. Even if she couldn't see it anymore, the message repeated itself over and over in her head, tears starting to sting her eyes. She collapsed to her knees, taking off her glasses and rubbing her eyes. Her hands only became wet, and more tears started to roll down her cheeks. Lowering her face into the couch, she started to sob.

"Bonnie..." She felt someone place a hand on her back, and she looked over to see Victor, frowning. "Please do not cry. I would hate to see it."

She gulped. "It's my fault," she babbled. "It's my fault, Iris said so."

"It's not; you did not know," he insisted.

"Yes it is!" she cried. "I let my guard down, a-and brought her here, and now they're gone!"

He smirked. "Would a kiss shut you up?"

"N-No!" she exclaimed, pushing his arm away. "Don't say that!"

Victor sighed. "It was worth a try..."

"How would you like it if someone you barely knew kissed you suddenly?" she challenged, wiping away some more tears. "You wouldn't like it at all, that's what!"

He chuckled. "Well, if anything, I got you to think about something else, did I not?"

She took a deep breath, patting her cheeks and standing up. "Let's go. We need to tell the others."

"...Right." The octoling boy stood up as well, walking towards the exit. Noticing her inaction, he knocked on the door. "Remember? You do not want to keep the Rainbow Squids waiting."

"Oh! Y-Yeah."

Bonnie waded her way through the apartment, quickly reaching the hallway. Victor closed the door behind her, and they went back inside the elevator, descending back to the ground floor of the apartment and exiting it. Still, the clouds grew darker, casting a shadow upon Inkopolis, one that was not so easily removed.

In the face of adversary, she had to stand strong, no matter what it takes. She can't do anything if she continued to beat herself up, after all.

A/N: Sorry this is a little late again. At least it's not super late! There is a lot of dialogue, though, so I hope you don't mind that. Anyways, I've mainly been working on the next chapter this past week. Why? Well, the next two chapters is a two-parter! The next chapter, "Emergency," will come out on Saturday, August 27th (same day as the testfire!), while the chapter after that, its title TBA, will come out on Sunday, August 28th. See you all then, and Branchwing, out!