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pantpisser9000 · 4 months

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Combined together, Chapter 7: One mark, then another.

“C’mon, Tweak!” Kwazii begged, “Just for a test drive, matey!” Tweak, hands on her hips, reluctantly shook her head. “Last time y’ took ‘er out on a test drive I had to spend a whole day repairin’ er.”

“I be careful this time, I swear, matey!”

“Mhm. And that’s what y’ said last time, Kwazii.”

“Twwwwwwwwwwweakkkkkkkkkkkkkk please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please please ple-”

Tweak threw her hands in the air, “Fine, fine.” she relented, but as she walked over to the lever –Kwazii already jumping in the GUP by this point–she whipped out her pointer finger. “Don’t wreck her completely, please. Thanks.” she says, and Kwazii holds up a thumbs-up, and Tweak pulls the lever.

The GUP B, with Kwazii inside it, obviously, rocketed out of the Octopod. Tweak let out a heavy sigh, leaning against the panel. “He’s gonna crash.” she muttered.

Kwazii, hands on the wheel, sped around the bright ocean, sunlight filtering through the salty water he was currently stirring up with his fast, bright orange, shark-like GUP. His GUP. He grinned at the thought–it was nice to have something that was his, and that he knew could be repaired (even if it was to Tweak’s dismay). Making loop-de-loops and doing flips and narrowly avoiding rocks, Kwazii was having a grand ol’ time steering the GUP B through every twist and turn, doing any and every trick he could think of. He was having so much fun he didn’t realize how far away from the Octopod he’d gotten. Coming up on what looked like a small island, Kwazii decided a narrow turn would be a good challenge, a sudden jolt to the left. And that was what he did as he sped towards the island, making a sudden turn to the left. His eyes widened when he saw was right in his path now–a whale. He couldn’t just ram into it, so in the spur of the moment, he made a sudden turn again. Just upwards this time, launching him out of the water backwards, and Kwazii’s head thunked against the glass of the GUP B’s top window.

“Yeow..” he muttered, twisting himself so that he was now upright, sitting on the glass. He was surrounded by wet sand. He grit his teeth. Pressing the button on his helmet’s collar, he spoke. “Kwazii to Octonauts, Kwazii t’ Octonauts,” he said, though he was only met with static. He was too far away. Leaning back, he looked up at the GUP B’s controls. Pressing the radio button, he spoke again. “Kwazii t’ Octonauts, Kwazii t’ Octonauts?” he asked. Just more static. He groaned, leaning back against the cool glass. He honestly had no idea on how to get out of this predicament he was now in. He knew he had to make some sort of plan, though. Even if that was usually up to the Captain, not him. Kwazii just did the dangerous stunts and did things that needed to be done quickly. Still, he thought. He wasn’t sure how long it’d take for the Octonauts to find him, and… he was a little thirsty. His first thought was to try to open up the bottom, but he figured that might not be the best idea. Because, first of all, Tweak’d be pissed, and second of all, he didn’t know if he could, anyways. Especially without the help of Barnacle’s strength. Until, he remembered–the window could open. Maybe not the best idea, but… he was already getting restless, and he doubted he was lodged too deep. Taking a deep breath, he pressed the button on his helmet and the bubble like glass formed over his head. And then, he pressed the button for the windshield, and the sand only moved a little. He honestly had expected it to pour in–but he supposed since it was wet, it stayed in place (besides the slow inching that it was doing) better for some reason. He didn’t question for long, though. He wasn’t the type to do so, honestly. So, he dived into the sand, and he was never more thankful for his helmet. Swimming (?) upwards (hopefully) through the sand, it was hard to do so given how thick it was, but he managed to burst out. He glanced behind him. The GUP B, flipped over onto its front, was lodged in the sand behind him. That was good, it wasn’t buried or anything. And, it somehow didn’t seem too damaged, which he was glad about. He didn’t want Tweak to ban him from driving his favorite GUP, after all.

Still, he was stranded on an island. Trying his radio again, he was met with static. He supposed that it wasn’t just the sand stopping the signal–it was the distance, too. His first thought was to try to get the GUP B out of the sand and try there, but especially given how it might not work, he decided against it for now. It was getting late, the sun was beginning to set. What did he need to survive again? Oh, right.

Food, shelter, water, and fire. He knew there was some emergency supplies in the GUP B–some water, a glow stick… Matches too, probably. No food, to his knowledge, though. He groaned. He knew he should’ve brought some fish biscuits! But, he needed to figure out how to get the GUP B out of its place, lodged in the wet sand of this (seemingly deserted) island. He’d need a shovel or something, obviously. He looked around–the leaves on the trees were kinda.. Cup-shaped.. Though it wouldn’t be able to scoop sand, especially not wet sand. There were some coconuts. He could try throwing one against a rock and see if it cracks open. Yeah, that sounded like a good idea that totally wouldn’t go badly. He flicked his claws out, shimmying off his octo-boots so those claws could be released too. Walking over to one of the many palm trees, he grinned, and sunk his fingernail-claws into the trunk. And then he sunk the next one in, but higher. And he propelled himself upward with the grip from one of his feet, grabbing onto a higher spot on the tree. He continued with this little cycle until he was near to the top, leaves just barely not clouding his vision. Steadying himself, breathing in, and then he jumped, grabbing onto one of the coconuts–it only took a moment for it to rip off from its growing place and plummet to the ground along with Kwazii himself. He groaned, laying in the warm sand. He grasped his head, moaning, and he got up shakily. The coconut hadn’t broken from the fall, unfortunately. Of course, Kwazii didn’t give up.

He yoinked the ball off the ground and sauntered over to a particularly sharp rock, and then he raised his hand, coconut in his grip, above his head. “Arr!” he yelled as he chucked it against the thing. It was at that moment that he learned the fault in his plan as the coconut hit him smack-dab in the face, causing him to stumble backwards and fall back into the grainy sand. He mewled. “Yow..” rubbing his temples and sitting up, he looked at the coconut–or rather, the two halves of the coconut. “Well I’ll be a sea monkey’s uncle..” he muttered, looking at the split coconut. He grasped one half, and looked around. “Now me just need a stick…” he muttered to himself, standing up.

He put back on his Octo-boots off the ground, and taking a glance around, it wasn’t hard for him to find a washed up piece of driftwood, and he grabbed it, attached it with some kelp and other suspicious methods, and he had his own (albeit crappy) little shovel. And now it was time to start digging.

He scooped up heaps of sand, forming a rather large pile, until he could successfully unlodge his beloved GUP, and flip it back over into its rightful position–upwards. Reaching inside, pressing on one of the panels, he grabbed the emergency supplies. Sitting down on the sand criss-crossed, he opened it, and it had what he expected. Clean water, glowsticks, matches, and a seaweed snack bar. He was kinda hungry, so he ripped open the seaweed snack’s biodegradable packaging and chomped. He figured the Octonauts would find him soon, right? Either way, after finishing his snack, he looked back at the sky. The sun was getting closer to going to sleep–and Kwazii didn’t have shelter. Besides the GUP B itself. He could just hide out in the GUP, but he didn’t really want to risk sinking back into the sand. Taking a quick glance around, he decided to head into the brush, GUP B in tow. Stringing together some kelp or seaweed or something, which he tied around his most beloved GUP, he tugged it along with him through the palm forest. He wasn’t really sure if it could be considered a forest, actually? He shrugged to himself, towing it along, before he noticed something. He grinned, canine teeth as prominent as ever. He lucked out this time–a cave. He let go of his seaweed leash and rushed in, taking a glance. It looked empty, at least from his first observation. Going back for the GUP, he dragged it into the cave, (and grimaced at the noise of metal against the rock–Tweak would be really annoyed when he got back from the scratchings) and he sat down, tired out. Just in time, too. The sun had set, and he was tired. One night couldn’t hurt.

***

He groaned when he got up–his back hurt from sleeping on the hard, pebble-littered ground of the cave he was residing in. Yawning as he got up, doing some stretches, (not unlike the ones that like. Actual cats do) and eventually standing up, just a little light shone through the cave. Kwazii sighed. The Octonauts hadn’t found him yet? That was… odd. He figured they’d come faster, but maybe they were choked up with an unfortunate circumstance. A thought or two of worry pierced through, thinking things like what if they don’t want to find me? But he shook those away. He was pretty useful, most of the time. Though, he knew not to trust that they would come at the same time–he knew he couldn’t trust them because of things like this.

Shaking those thoughts of doubt away, he decided to focus on surviving. He’d already eaten his only food, and he was hungry for some breakfast. He debated having some coconut juice, but given his lack of luck when getting the first fruit and the fact it wouldn’t be all that filling, he decided against it. He couldn’t eat fish, obviously. Partially because he didn’t have a fishing rod and mostly because it would be incredibly immoral (and a bit ironic considering his job). No coconuts, no fish… seaweed was on the table, wasn’t it? He knew there was a lot of it. He’d eaten seaweed salad before when he was traveling with the Blackclaw pirates, and it wasn’t the best (in his (that he considered completely correct) opinion), though it would satiate his hunger.

Thinking about it, he was fairly certain he could just munch on it straight off the beach, actually. If seaweed salad was just seaweed cut up and put into a bowl basically, couldn’t he just…chomp? No harm in trying… he thought to himself. Giving his GUP a loving pat, he walked out of the cave, and back onto the beach.

There was quite a bit of seaweed, unsurprisingly, lying washed up on the beach. He walked over, picking up one of the slippery greens, and dropped it into his gaping mouth. He immediately spit it out as soon as he crunched. “Eugh,” he muttered, dusting off his tongue, “Damned sand…” he looked at the piece of seaweed he just spit out. He wasn’t going to go baby-bird style and just try again with that piece, and instead walked to another part of the beach. He squatted down, picking up a piece of seaweed. Sand was stuck to it. He tried dusting it off, but that didn’t really work. Looking at the briny sea, he figured that he could just… wash it… in there.

Wading into the water, slimy seaweed in hand, he got up to about his knees when he bended down, washing off the seaweed. Lifting the now sopping seaweed out of the water, he held it stretched out with his hands, not unlike how you would hold a piece of cloth you’re squeezing the water out of (He wasn’t doing that, though his hands were in a similar position ). And he bit, right in the middle, and he chewed. It didn’t taste all that great, and he dropped the remainder of the seaweed that was still in his grasp back into its watery home. Trying his best to chew, he squeezed his eyes shut.

Ew ew ew ew ew ew-

He eventually swallowed it down. It was gross, grosser than the salad that one time. It didn’t fill him up completely, though he’d lost his appetite at that point. That was one problem solved, at least. Walking out of the salty sea, he heard the smashing of sand under his blue octo-boots. He figured that since seaweed wasn’t exactly the tastiest, (nor the most filling) he could try looking for different food? Or water, actually. He had fresh water with him, though he knew it wasn’t a lot. Just two bottles. And, if he wasn’t able to find any other food, that’d make it worse–the salt ingrained within the seaweed just made him thirstier.

Wandering back into the brush, he glanced around. And suddenly, he heard something new. His cat ears twitched, listening in. He cupped his ear with his hand, and he grinned. “Rushing water!” he exclaimed. Trying to keep in his excitement, he shut his mouth and listened in. It took a little of wandering, but he eventually pinpointed where the sound was coming from, and after a little of careful listening, he got closer and closer until–

A beautiful lake–or pond? Honestly, Kwazii didn’t know all of those terms. Whatever it was, there was a waterfall gushing water into it. Kwazii leaned down, looking at the crystal-clear water. He bended down, lying himself across the muddy ground. He didn’t care much about getting the wet dirt lathered on his shirt, he just wasn’t the type. Sticking his tongue out, he lapped the water. Not bad. He thought to himself, standing up and attempting to dust off his muddy shirt, to no avail.

He wiped off his mouth, and glanced around. He didn’t notice any food. Until, some small little berries caught his eye–he didn’t know what type, but they looked familiar, for some reason. A normal person would be nervous about them being poisonous, but Kwazii? He was daring enough to take that damn risk, and honestly none of his fellow crew members would. Peso would likely not even try, or even just end up recognizing them, and eat/not eat them accordingly. The Captain might try it if it looked okay, but only if desperate enough, and would only let the other members try when he was sure it was safe. Tweak might try, actually. Though, only if she truly, really, had to–plus, she usually had at least four or five extra carrots on her. It was less likely to come to fruition for her. Shellington wouldn’t even try or, like Peso, might recognize it and eat/not eat accordingly. The Professor would probably pull a book out or just remember and know whatever type of berry it was, and would act accordingly.

The point was, Kwazii was the only one out of the octonauts who was actually daring enough to dive right damn into it, and go ahead and eat those berries without a second thought. And that was exactly what he would do–as soon as he got across this pond. Stepping back, getting into a running pose, and gritting his teeth, Kwazii ran. And he flew across the pond, (his cat-bits certainly helped) and his momentum ended just at the ridge, and his chin hit right there. His body was plunged into the water, and he squirmed in the liquid, splashing about and gripping onto the muddy banks desperately. His fingernails, that now were claws, gripping on the bank. He managed to shimmy himself up on the banks, scooching across the ground. He was, surely, coated in mud by now. He pushed himself up, standing up. He looked over at the berries. Walking over, he plucked one off the bush. Popping it into his mouth, he chewed. Kinda sour, though bearable. Plus, it was certainly better than seaweed.

So, he popped a few in, chewing up berry after berry as he sat on the ground. He looked down at himself, covered in mud, and he just shrugged to himself. If the Octonauts came, he’d get new clothes. And if not, this wouldn’t be the only time he had lived in dirty clothes. He was… full enough, now. So, he picked off another bit of berries, took off his hat, put the berries in, and held it in a way that his hand was covering it. Walking further back this time, he made a mad dash and jumped across, this time just barely making it over, but still tripping and face-planting into the mud. Fortunately, the berries were safe, though.

Standing up from the mud again, he took a deep breath, and walked back to the cave, sauntering on. He snacked on a couple of the berries while he walked, and when he got back, he was tired. He placed his cap down in the compartment of the GUP B. Then, he looked at the side. Since the rest of the Octonauts weren’t probably coming, he figured he should at least track time. And since it was basically the end of the day… he flicked out the claw on his pointer finger, and pressed it against the metal side of the shark-like mini-submarine. And he scratched, his ears pressed down to the side of his head. It wasn’t an enjoyable noise, though. Claw against metal. One tally mark.

Hopping into the GUP, he curled up inside. He was tired, after all. Just a sleepy guy. And so, he and his sopping wet, muddy clothes, sat inside of the orange GUP and Kwazii promptly fell asleep.

***

The Captain was worried. Kwazii left around 12ish hours ago. His helmet’s tracking seemed to be out of range, and the GUP B’S either broken or somehow also out of range. Tweak hadn’t really been paying attention to where Kwazii was going, and the routes didn’t save, (A feature Tweak promised to implement later) so they had practically no way of knowing where he went. And knowing how unpredictable the ginger was, it would be hard to guess. Barnacles knew he had a history of running away, but the last time he’d done that, it’d been with his previous pirate crew. Who were bad people. He knew for a fact that the Octonauts, Kwazii included, were not bad people. They’d all joined for one reason or another, but all they’d done so far was some exploring, rescuing, and protecting. Plus, Kwazii enjoyed it. Barnacles had pretended not to notice when he grinned at the food and how quickly he scarfed it down because he was used to having to fight for his food and get it as speedily as possible because otherwise he might not get much food at all, and now he didn’t have to worry about that. The vegimals always cooked an overabundance, anyways (which was useful as everyone always had a fish biscuit or two on hand, or at least in the GUPS). Barnacles noticed how happy Kwazii was when he learned he had his own room and not just sleeping on a likely falling apart hammock. He noticed that Kwazii was so reckless with the GUP B because he knew it’d just get fixed up again, (despite Tweak’s annoyance to the fact) and that he seemed protective over it already. The Captain was observant;it was part of his job, so he’d noticed all these things.

He noticed things about all of his crew. Peso, for example; really cared about his family and just others in general, was very passionate about his job, was nervous all the time but was easily encouraged by Barnacles (or just anyone, though he noticed he tended to be the most motivated when it came to him. Maybe it was the Captain status, maybe it was something else,) and he got spooked easily. He hid behind Barnacles (or Kwazii on occasion) when he got scared.

Barnacles had a slight suspicion that Peso might have some father-related issues, though that was just a guess. Either way, the point was, Barnacles was observant. And he knew Kwazii well enough by this point to know that he wouldn’t just leave, especially not in the way he did. Making it known to Tweak that he was leaving? Odd. The fact that most of Kwazii’s belongings (besides his spyglass and the clothes he’d been wearing) were still in his room, even his rum and catnip? (Barnacles knew he would’ve brought those if he was trying to ‘escape’ for whatever reason, he’d mentioned that he had brought those when running away from his old crew). Plus, even if Kwazii was stupid, he was smart enough to bring more food and water than what was just in the emergency supplies.

So, because of all of this, Barnacles knew Kwazii wasn’t intentionally leaving them behind. He was probably stranded somewhere, if anything. He just hoped he was alright.

That morning, right when he woke up earlier than usual, (before becoming a Octonaut he had survived off five or six hours of sleep, and now he got around eight to twelve, but today he was going back to his old schedule) he got changed, walked into the kitchen, quickly ate some fish biscuits, (as well as tucking some into his pocket) and walked down into the launch bay. He’d asked Tweak to prepare the GUP A for him, so he didn’t have to wake her up early. When he glanced over into her room, he chuckled. She was passed out on the floor, game controller in her hand while text saying “WASTED” was on her screen. He peeked back over at the GUP A, and suddenly, he saw Peso, launching out of one of the tubes. “H-hey, Captain!” he said, and Barnacles was mildly confused, before remembering he’d announced this yesterday. They’d been looking for a little while, and when he couldn't find Kwazii after a hot minute, Peso had practically demanded he get some sleep (“Captain, I’m a medic, I know what’s best f-for you. You have to get some slee-” “Peso, I appreciate it, but-” “No, Captain,” and Peso had tugged on his sleeve, and Barnacles reluctantly turned the GUP around. Sure, he could easily overpower Peso, but he was right. He needed sleep). He’d told everyone he’d be getting up early to search, and he didn’t expect anyone else to, though they were welcome to join. Seemed like Peso was the only one to take up his offer.

“If- No, when, we find Kwazii, he might be hurt.” Peso explained, though it wasn’t necessary. Barnacles knew that was certainly part of the reason, though he also knew it was because he genuinely cared about Kwazii and wanted to help with the search as well. So, Barnacles let Peso into the GUP, and pulled the lever. Peso (very reluctantly and surprisingly steadily, though the Captain knew he shouldn’t be surprised. Peso had literally done surgery–of course he was steady) drove the GUP A through, and then Barnacles turned on his helmet, swam down through the launch bay, pressed the big red ‘close/open’ button right inside of the mouth, and quickly swam out before it closed. He climbed into the GUP A, taking over driving. It was still early, so it was a little dark. Barnacles noticed how scared Peso was–it didn’t surprise him that he didn’t like the dark. Made sense with the information he’d gathered about the penguin-hybrid. Either way, the Captain decided to go in the complete opposite direction that he had gone the day before–sure, it was possible he hadn’t noticed the GUP lodged somewhere, but he didn’t see a bright orange shark-like metal submarine anywhere, so he figured that covering more ground would be better. He was driving relatively fast, surveying the area. Peso was looking out one of the back windows, looking. Barnacles just hoped that Kwazii was on land, or a air pocket, or something.. And that he hadn’t already..

He shook his head. Something told him Kwazii was too daring and motivated to just… give up. It wasn’t in his nature. While he didn’t believe in the supernatural, he still felt as if.. Well, he didn’t think Kwazii was a ghost. He chuckled. Kwazii’d somehow break that and become a ghost despite the odds, just to spook people. Be a little prankster. And Barnacles hadn’t come across any random pranks. So, therefore, Kwazii couldn’t be dead. He cruised through the salty seas, until he saw a glimpse of orange. Stopping the GUP A in its tracks, he let the helmet incase his helmet, putting on a air tank. Peso looked at him in confusion. “I believe I saw something orange,” he explained, and Peso nodded. “I-I’ll come with. Incase he’s hurt.” Peso said, and the Captain let him tow behind him as he splashed into the water. He waited a moment for Peso to dip into the water, and once Peso had made the plunge, they swam downwards.

The bottom of this part of the sea was rocky, some urchins. The Captain lifted up some bigger rocks, and Peso just scanned the area. Barnacles figured that maybe Kwazii was in radio distance, now. Pressing the button on his collar, “Captain Barnacles to Lieutenant Kwazii, Barnacles to Kwazii, are you in the area?” he asked. He was met with static. He took his hand off the button and shook his head. “Let’s go back into the GUP, Peso,” he said, and Peso nodded. They swam up, clamored into the GUP A, and began to drive along again. Peso, looking out the side windows, Barnacles looking out the front one, scanning the entire area. Neither of them saw anything in the murky water. Eventually, they stopped for a quick lunch break. Barnacles sat on the ground beside Peso. He was criss-crossed, Peso sitting on his own knees. Barnacles pulled out the bag of fish biscuits, and laid them out. He heard the static of the radio picking up, then. Glancing back, he ran over. “This is Captain Barnacles,” he said through the GUP A’s microphone. “Heya Cap, this is Tweak. Just lettin’ ya know that Shellington and Dashi are going out too–they’ll be goin’ in a separate direction t’ cover more ground, though.” she said. “How is it goin’ for y’all?” Tweak asked.

“Unfortunately, not all that well. I thought we had found him, but we didn’t. Must’ve been a fish, I suppose.” the Captain said. “That ain’t good. I hope y’all find him,” Tweak said, and Barnacles could hear her crunch on a carrot. “Good luck. Over ‘n out, Cap,” she continued. Barnacles sighed. “Over and out.” and the transmission ended. Barnacles then came to a realization. He pressed the radio button. “This is Captain Barnacles to Octopod, specifically Dashi,” he said, and he heard Tweak’s voice. “Huh? Oh, uh- They haven’t gone in the GUP E yet, Cap’n.” she said. “Excellent. Can you get Dashi for me?” he asked, and was silent for a moment, and then agreed. “S…sure, Captain.” she said, and he could hear her shouting.

“This is Dashi, Captain. What do you need?” she asked. “Tweak, do we know how much time Kwazii was… driving around?” he asked. “Um, no. But, I know the GUP B would’ve ran out of battery in at least three hours after the fact. Why?” she asked. “How fast can the GUP B go?” he asked. “Pretty fast. I’m sure I have it written down somewhere, why, Cap?” she asked again. “Dashi, do you think –after Tweak gets how fast it can go–get a radius of where he could possibly be?” he asked. “Oh- of course, Captain. I don’t know how I didn’t think about that. I’ll get right on it,” she said. Barnacles nodded. “Excellent. Thank you, Dashi and Tweak,” and he finished, “Over and out.”

“Over ‘n out, Cap!” and the transmission ended once more. Barnacles walked back over to Peso, picking up a fish biscuit and tossing it into his mouth. “I hope he isn’t hurt,” Peso muttered, nibbling at a biscuit. “I’m sure he’s just alright, Peso. Kwazii’s… He’s good at worming his way out of bad situations.” Barnacles said, and Peso nodded. “Still. If h-he, uh, crashed, he could have a broken bone or a concussion or-” he was stopped by Barnacles. “It’s okay, Peso. I’m sure he’s fine,” Barnacles said, and Peso meekly nodded. “And, even if he isn’t, you’re a fantastic medic. The best of the best, I’m sure,” and Peso tried to interrupt but the Captain simply did not let him. “So, if he is hurt, you’ll be able to patch him up in a jiffy.” he said. Peso nodded, with a little more confidence this time, and finished his fish biscuit.

Barnacles gobbled down a couple more before returning to steering the ship, letting Peso clean up the remainder. Dashi sent them the radius, and they were getting to the edge of it, and Barnacles started going along the rim. Unfortunately, when it was getting late enough for the lights of the GUP A to be required, they still hadn’t found Kwazii. Barnacles looked at the barely-awake Peso in the back of the GUP, and took a glance at the battery. It wasn’t low by any means, but they would need to start heading back.

As they were driving back, Peso fell asleep, leaning against the wall. Barnacles was obviously disappointed that they hadn’t found Kwazii yet, but he knew they would. They had to. As he cruised into the mouth of the Octopod, Tweak greeted them. “No luck?” she asked. Barnacles nodded. “Not a sign of him.” Tweak frowned, “I hope he’s alright,” she said. The Captain agreed. He scooped Peso up in his arms, and Tweak giggled. It was a little funny, with the size difference and all. This huge, towering man, carrying a ridiculously small adult man. Barnacles carried him to Peso’s bedroom, and laid him in his bed, tucking him in and switching out his usual hat for his nightcap. It was just to be polite, really.

He clicked off the lights as he left, mumbling, “Goodnight, Peso,” and he heard a little muttering back that he presumed was just sleep talking. He sighed as he exited–he was really hoping they’d find Kwazii. Deciding to go straight to bed as well, he did his nightly routine, (ate a couple fish biscuits in place of dinner, though) which was a schedule he liked sticking to when there wasn’t something going on:

1: Eat dinner (Fish biscuits, today)

2: Do a small workout

3: Take a ridiculously quick, freezing cold shower

4: Brush teeth

5: Change

6: Sleep

So, his fish biscuits were finished. He didn’t go all out, instead just opting for some sit ups, some push ups, and some pull ups. He did about 30 of each before deciding to take his nightly shower, finishing up in record time: four minutes and twenty-three seconds. After he finished, he speedily brushed his teeth, set his alarm for earlier then the usual one once more, and changed into his pajamas, putting on his nightcap, and tucked himself into bed after flicking off the lights.

Kwazii woke up again. He remembered where he was–curled up in the GUP B, stranded on an island. It was the second day–the others still hadn’t found him yet. He straightened his back, cracking it with his hands running down it. He pulled out his cap from the area in the GUP–the berries were still inside. He popped a few into his mouth in place of breakfast. He was still kinda hungry, but he decided instead of eating the rest of the berries he’d search for more food. That way, even if he came back empty-handed, he’d still have some food.

Securing his hat and his only food inside, he got up. He looked down at himself. His shirt was still lathered in mud, and his pants weren’t the cleanest either. He pulled some of his hair closer to him–it wasn’t the cleanest either. It was quite dirty, actually. Not surprising, though he wasn’t looking forward to taking a shower, especially not being so thorough. He took showers almost every day, though he forgot a lot. And they were usually as short as possible while still making him cleaner–instead, he opted to use hefty amounts of deodorant most of the time instead of showering more thoroughly. Wandering around the island, he didn’t see much. Rocks. Palm trees with coconuts he couldn’t crack without his skull cracking along with them. Shells. Bushes. Grass. Nothing interesting, (at least by Kwazii’s standards) and certainly not anything he could reasonably consume. He figured to go back to that water–try to clean off a little bit, try to scrounge around for more food.

So, he trudged over to that area, (a branch smacked him in the face while he was walking more than once, but that was irrelevant) and he walked over to the bank of the pond or lake or whatever. Leaning down, his hands gripping onto it, he leaned down. And he supposed that wasn’t the best idea as his arms weren’t as spread out that time, and he ended up plunging into the clear, cool depths of the water. Coughing as he emerged from the liquid, he looked around. A little fish-girl (mermaid, basically) popped out from the water’s surface, though quickly dived back down. I wonder if there be food in the water, Kwazii thought to himself. He didn’t have his air tank with him, so he decided to revisit that later if he had to. Instead opting to climb out of the water, and searching for food on land. He shimmeyed his way onto the bank, breathing heavily. He walked over to the berry bush. He only could find one or two–the rest had been taken by himself or by presumably other creatures.

After a little more scrounging, he found some nuts. Not the best food, but he supposed it’d do for lunch. He figured he was in an area that was warm all year-round, so he wouldn’t have to worry about winter, (he, at this point, had figured the Octonauts had abandoned him–he lied to himself about not being sad about this fact, and how he expected it) at least hopefully. He was pretty sure he was in what the pirates called the ‘warm zone’, (apparently it was called the.. Egg-waiter or something? He didn’t care) and he figured food would be growing year-round. He ate the nuts, and it wasn’t very filling, though he figured it was good for now. It would be fine to satisfy him for the moment.

He also was itching to leave, though. This was part of preparations to do so–get as much food as he could, then figure out how to charge the GUP B, bring some other stuff, and leave. Surely, it was a good idea. He’d be able to live out his pirate dreams once more! (He ignored the thoughts at the back of his head thinking about how much he’d miss his crew and how he still loved being an Octonaut and-) and he continued to gather things. He wasn’t going to leave all that soon, (and totally not because he was waiting, still, because he was hoping so badly that the others would come back for him-) likely in a week or so. Or at least he’d start building a raft of some sorts in a week. He was really just wandering this island, and he only managed to find some more nuts which he just ate immediately. The place was barren of actual… food. He might have to go back to seaweed, and he almost barfed at the thought.

…though he supposed if he cooked it, it likely wouldn’t be so horrible. He wasn’t the best chef, but he knew how to make a fire and he was sure he could figure out making seaweed all crunchy and nice, like how that seaweed bar was or the seaweed chips were! He raced back to the cave, grabbing his lighter and his makeshift shovel he’d made prior. Walking over, he used the shovel to dig a hole in the sand, gathered some rocks to put around it. He took the coconut off the stick and scooped up some water, just in case. Getting some kindling, (dried grass and twigs, mainly) he threw it into his makeshift fire pit. Grabbing a few bigger steps and using the ti-pi method, he (albeit badly) made his starter. He also found three other sticks–two Y shaped ones to stick in the ground, and one more to put over. It took a minute, but he yoinked some seaweed (and washed it to make sure there wasn’t any sand) and then he lit his fire with the flick of the lighter. The fire crackled, and Kwazii grinned in accomplishment. Sure, it was kinda hard to screw this up, given the lighter, but he was still proud of himself! Lying the seaweed over the stick on the fire, he watched it crispin and cook. It actually smelled decent.

Eventually, after a little bit of waiting, he figured it was good enough. He touched a piece, and immediately slinked away- “YEOW!” Obviously, it burnt him. Most things that are hot do, after all. He dumped the coconut water on the fire, and then when that didn’t entirely put it out, he scooped some sand onto it. It was gone within a flash after that. He waited, impatiently so, (tapping his thighs, pacing around, doing a few backflips, stretching, humming a tune, ect.) and he eventually waited long enough to eat the seaweed.

It was crunchy, which was what he wanted, but still tasted off. Certainly not like that bar or usual seaweed snacks, at least. Still, it worked. He ate a few pieces, then he was done with a surprisingly hefty amount of leftovers. He washed out the coconut, and put the remaining crunch-ified seaweed into the coconut, and the lighter back into his pocket. He looked up at the sky. The sun was already setting, and he walked back to his cave (he was thinking of it as ‘his’ cave now, given how nobody else had claimed it, to his knowledge) and ducked under the shelter of the rocky hole. He swung out his claw, and made another tally on his GUP. He wondered how many he’d end up making.

***

Tweak leaned against the wall, crunching a carrot. The Captain was talking about searching for Kwazii some more. Of course, she was worried, but at the back of her mind, she wondered if Kwazii wanted to leave? Kwazii always seemed like he was holding something back, like he was hiding something. What was he hiding? Tweak didn’t know. She knew one of his deepest secrets, being that he was trans, (even if he didn’t know that–it was a complicated situation) though he didn’t seem to care all that much about hiding that. And, she could only assume, his whole pirate past thing. He didn’t seem to like talking about it besides those stupid monster stories, and that didn’t really give much info.

Maybe someone had found out something horrible he’d done and he’d ran off out of fear? It didn’t sound like him, (nor did Tweak think he was the type to do something that bad) but she supposed it was an unlikely possibility. He also could’ve just wrecked the GUP B and was stranded somewhere–that was the more likely possibility. He was pretty good at driving when he wasn’t been all bonkers, though Tweak had seen how excited he was to get in that GUP. He was just a little too excitable, and boom, ended up stranded on an island or something (or at least Tweak hoped it was an island, and not the bottom of the damn sea). The Captain then said something that perked her interest. “Since we haven’t found Kwazii for um.. Almost five whole days now, everyone is required to go out and search, besides Inkling and the Vegimals.” He looked to Tweak. “Can you prepare the GUPS, Tweak?” he asked, and she nodded, tossing the green bits of her carrot into her mouth. “Sure thing, Cap. Faster than you can say buncha munchy crunchy carrots–I just needa know which ones, is all.”

The Captain cleared his throat. “I’ll be taking the GUP C,” he then looked to Peso. “I-I’ll go in the GUP E, Captain,” he said. Dashi spoke up, then. “Me and Shellington will go in the GUP A.” she said. Tweak nodded. “I’ll take the GUP D, then.” she launched herself down the Octo-chute, and re-entered into the launch bay. She got the GUPS prepared quickly, and of course the Captain and Peso were first down. Dashi and Shellington followed soon after, along with Tunip. Tweak left herself in the GUP D a little after those three exited.

All of the other team members had established where they were going, so Tweak went in a direction nobody was. And, nobody had gone that way yet, either. As she cruised through the salty sea, she caught a glimpse of something orange near the bottom. She quickly stopped the GUP D, and jumped out. She swam down to the ocean floor, looked around. “Nothin…” she muttered to herself, sighing. Part of her was glad that wasn’t Kwazii, though. Because if he had been stuck there that entire time… his air would’ve ran out long ago. Tweak hopped back in the yellow, crab-like GUP, and decided to move a couple bigger rocks with its ‘arms’, just for good measure. Once again, there was nothing, so she decided to keep going forward. The water was empty besides a few fish hybrids swimming by–just nothing. She decided to take a little snack break, driving the GUP D up to the surface of the water and retracting the glass shield. She leaned back, ran her hand through her hair. Yoinking a carrot, she took a bite and looked out over the horizon. She saw nothing but water stretching on for miles–as far as she could tell, at least. Taking a bit out of her carrot again and tossing the greens in too, as she chewed she got a little sad. Where the hell was Kwazii?

Sure, he was reckless and stupid, but they should’ve found him by now, right? A thought crossed her mind, what if he’s buried underneath the rubble and y’all are too lat- but she shook that away. That was absolutely NOT the way to think at the moment–she knew she had to keep up hope. For the crew, too. She mumbled, “Kwazii, wherever y’ are…” and she leaned back. “Just… get back ‘ere. Give a sign, or somethin.” just as she said that, she saw a spurt of water. Raising a brow, she wondered. She wasn’t really religious or superstitious, though….maybe that wish had come true? She quickly resealed the GUP D, and dove back under the water.

She gasped–a giant whale hybrid. She didn’t know the type, (Shellington certainly would, but Tweak did not) though she throttled full speed ahead. Luckily, the whale didn’t seem to be in much of a hurry, as she swam pretty slowly. Tweak stopped right in front of the whale, turning on the microphone. “Heya there–” she said into the mic, and the whale slowed. She tilted her head to the side. “Hello, there,” she replied. Tweak looked at the whale–very gorgeous. She had barnacles on her back, short flowy hair, and was a dark grey-blue ish color with a light ombre near her torso. “What do you need, small one?” she asked. Tweak gulped, pressing the microphone button again. “I uh, was just wonderin’, have you seen…a orange GUP?” she asked. The whale looked confused. “GUP?’ she asked. Tweak blinked. “Sorry, submarine. Looks like a shark.”

“Ah, that sounds more … familiar. Yes, I saw a small orange creature almost crash into me.” she said. Tweak blinked. “D-did he- uh, crash on the bottom?” she asked. The whale shook her massive head. “I don’t believe so. It went up and I did not see it come back down.” she said. Tweak furrowed her brow. “... did he go up in this area?” she asked, and the whale woman shook her head once more. “He did not. It was..” she pointed with her giant flipper-arm. “Somewhere in that direction, I believe. I think there was a island nearby.” she said, and Tweak grinned. Kwazii was hopefully on that island, and hopefully fine. “Thank ya!” she said, and the whale just nodded. Tweak pressed the radio button. “Tweak t’ Captain Barnacles, Tweak t’ Cap.” she said, noticing the whale swimming away. The Captain came through quickly. “Barnacles here, what is it Tweak?” he asked. She smiled as she spoke, “I might have an idea of where Kwazii could be, Cap.” she said. “Can you send me the coordinates, Tweak?” he asked. “Yup, in a minute.” she responded. “Good work, Tweak. Ending transmission,” and the Captain cut off the connection. Tweak pressed on the map in the GUP, and she zoomed out. An island was just a little ways away, so she pressed on it and sent it out to everyone. She just hoped Kwazii was actually there.

***

Kwazii had laid down on the sandy sea shore, (tongue twister moment) looking at the sky. There wasn’t much else to do. He had food and water. He was just tired. And the Sun was as nice and warm as ever, and the sand wasn’t too hot on his skin. He’d taken off his boots at this point. He just closed his eyes, wondering if the Octonauts were searching for him. Because surely they would’ve found him by now, right? He sighed.

He was getting hungry. He slipped back on his Octo-boots and walked back to his cave, grabbing some of the dried seaweed and dropping it in his mouth. He still had a lot left–he’d made an unholy amount the night before out of pure boredom, so he had food for a while. Even if it was kinda gross. He looked at the GUP B, and since he figured that the Octonauts probably weren’t coming for him at this point, he’d make another tally. Grating his claw on the metal, the fifth tally was added. Honestly, it made the GUP B look pretty damn cool. And, now, he realized he should start coming up with ways to leave.

He’d been waiting long enough. He knew how to make a simple raft, though he knew that likely wouldn’t hold the GUP B’S weight. He still wanted to take that with him–he couldn’t just abandon her! It’d be rude at the best. He remembered an old pirate tale;

The Tale of the Shocking Serpent.

It was one of his few memories from before the Blackclaw pirates. His grandfather, Calico Jack, had told him it at least two decades before. He must’ve been five or six, maybe seven? Though, Kwazii honestly wasn’t entirely sure of his own age. Either way, he remembered the memory decently well.

“Grandad, one more story, please Grandad!” a young Kwazii had begged. “Alright, alright. Calm down, matey,” Calico Jack had said, chuckling. “Hm,” he put a hand to his chin. “What about I tell you the tale of the Shocking Serpent?” he asked. A little Kwazii practically jumped out of “her” bed. “Yes, yes!” Kwazii had agreed, excited. “A long time ago,” Calico had started. “When I was just startin’ on me pirate journey,” he continued, “I made a rest stop at a coast. In South America, I believe. When me an’ Pete were strollin’ around,” (the Pete in question was currently maintaining the ship–he was a parrot-hybrid, though they were sometimes just called avians) “I found a murky stream. I beheld the knowledge of cleaning water, of course, so I decided t’ get some of it.” Kwazii was leaning forward, listening intently to this story.

“Just then, when I be collecting water in me container, a giant, slimy, snake burst out of th’ water, hissing! She be huge!” Kwazii gasped. “I be backin’ away, and yet she still hissed, and suddenly, she stirred up some electricity, somehow, and shocked me right out of me boots!” he said, and Kwazii was –ironically enough–shocked.

The Shocking Serpent. He wasn’t really sure where he was, but he figured that he was probably at least near or in South America. So, if he found a murky enough pond–not like the beautifully clear one he’d found before–he might be able to harness the beast’s power, somehow. It was a possibility. So, taking some seaweed and stuffing it in his pockets, he started his search. If he couldn’t find it, then he’d have to come up with something else, but he was determined to find the beast. Deciding to head in the opposite direction of the crystal-clear pool, he sauntered his way to finding a murky enough body of water that the slimy thing could be hiding in.

So, he walked out of the cave, and began the search.

***

It didn’t take long for Tweak to arrive at the island. It was further then she thought it would be, though it certainly existed–and was bigger than what she was hoping. She scoped around the water of the island, first, just in case if he didn’t land on the island, and she didn’t find anything. So, deciding to go up on the shore, she went into “crab mode”, releasing the GUP D’S ‘legs’ and ‘arms’. She walked around in it clunkily along the shore. She didn’t see the pirate cat, but she did see something that was interesting, so she hopped out of the yellow submarine. Looking closer, she realized–it was a fire pit. A cooking place, even. Tweak knew Kwazii was definitely on his own for a while, so it certainly wasn’t entirely bonkers for him to know how to make one of those. She inspected the stick that would’ve been roasting something over the fire, holding it up to her face. Licking it, she realized–it tasted like…sea salt. Seaweed, even. She put the stick back in its place. She knew the others were coming, but she didn’t see them yet. They were on opposite sides of the radius, though, so she figured it might take them a bit.

Deciding to look around a little more, her eyes widened in happiness. Foot prints. And ones that looked like they were made by the standard Octo-boots all of them wore. The boots were pretty smooth at the bottom, so they didn’t leave a design in the sand. There wasn’t any semblance of a design, so she was almost completely sure—Kwazii was here, or had been here. The main thing she was concerned about, though, was that she didn’t see the GUP B anywhere. No trace of it. Sighing, she decided to follow the footprints. They must’ve been pretty recent, she reasoned. Otherwise they’d likely be swept away by the wind by now. Following them, she only got to the beginning of the forest area–the footprints were obscured by grass and plants. She walked back to the GUP D, jumped in, and went back over to the footprints. The GUP D trotted on through the forest, and Tweak searched for any semblance of her friend and crewmate. She sighed. Nothing. Then she remembered–the GUP B had to be near by. Activating the GUP tracker, she grinned. Bingo. Drove the GUP D on over there and she came across a cave. She assumed it was a shallow one, so she hopped out of the GUP D, flashlight in hand.

She flicked it on, walking inside and looking around. A grin crept onto her face—the GUP B! But, alas, no Kwazii in sight. She jumped back into the GUP D, activating the radio. “Tweak to Captain Barnacles,” she said, and was almost immediately met with the Captain’s voice. “Captain Barnacles here–we’re cruising to your location.” “I’ve got good ‘n bad news, Cap’n,” Tweak said, munching on a carrot.

“What is it?” he inquired. “Good news, I found th’ GUP B, and it seems to be in… okay condition. A little scratched up and the front is a bit banged up, but other than that it’s decent.” she replied, leaning back and taking another bite. “That’s wonderful news, Tweak! What’s the bad news?” he asked. “No Kwazii in sight. I’ll look around a little more over here, but I haven’t even caught a glimpse.” she said. She could hear the frown in the Captain's voice. “That’s unfortunate. But there’s no sign he left the island, right?” he asked. “None. Actually, I found a firepit–that was pretty recently cooked on.” “That’s fantastic, Tweak,” the Captain exclaimed, “I’ll be there shortly.” he said, and Tweak clicked her tongue, “Right on, Cap,” she tightened her headband-goggles a little. “Over and out!” and she pressed the end radio transmission button. Deciding to search around the cave a little more, she hopped back out of the GUP D, and she wandered into the cave. Squeezing her eyes shut,she let her bnnuny ears come out and pressed one against the cold metal of the GUP B. Balling up her fist, she knocked against the orange submarine. Sounded the same as usual. Bending down, she ran her fingers over the surface–and was surprised to feel some tally marks engraved in the metal. Five marks. She groaned. “Seriously? That’ll be an annoyin’ fix..” she grumbled. She circled back around, and there was only a bump and a dent near the back, and the front was a little more banged up. Surprisingly, it wasn’t anything too bad though. She looked inside, opening up the panel. Her face scrunched up a little, and she took something out. Dried seaweed.

She took a cautionary bite. Wasn’t the best, but it was alright. She put it back immediately. The seaweed chips were a lot better, to say the very least. She took a few more cursory glances around, and Kwazii was nowhere in sight. She sighed, and decided to head back to the beach and wait for the Captain–he’d come up with some sort of brilliant plan, she was sure of it. So, she hopped back into the GUP D, and sauntered her way back to the shore, where the GUP C emerged, and the Captain jumped out. “Tweak,” “Cap,” “Any sign of him?” he asked.

Tweak pointed behind her with her thumb. “The GUP B’s dragged into a cave back there. No idea where Kwaz went, though,” she said. The Captain only nodded. “I see.” another GUP, the GUP E with Peso inside, surfaced. He hopped out. Barnacles faced him and then Tweak. “Tweak, do you think the GUP C’s towline can reach the GUP B?” he asked, and Tweak put a finger to her chin, thumping her foot in thought. “I think so. I’ll give it a shot,” she said, and the Captain nodded. “Excellent.” he faced towards Peso. “Peso, you and me, and when Dashi and Shellington get here–will search for Kwazii all separately. Knowing him…” he sighed. “We should try to find him fast, is what I’m saying.” Both Tweak and Peso sharply nodded. Tweak walked over to the GUP C, grasping onto the towline and securing it in her grip. Peso and the Captain had already headed off into the underbrush. She yanked, and dragged it with her all the way to the GUP B’s resting place–it was just barely long enough to reach the orange submarine. She hooked it on the ‘tail’ of the GUP B, and ran back to the GUP C, and began retracting the tow line–usually this would be a job for two, but currently the others had to work on finding Kwazii. Which, Tweak would resume to, once she did this. She heard the sloshing of water, and glanced over. The GUP A, with Shellington and Dashi inside. They both hopped out, Shellington stumbling a bit as he did. “Hiya Dashi,” Tweak said, waving, “Hi Shellington,” and the both of them waved back at her. “What are you doing, Tweak?” Dashi asked, polite as ever. “Just haulin’ the GUP B back in. It’s in a cave.” she said, and Dashi looked a little surprised. “I’ll help with that.” Tweak lit up. “Thanks, Dashi.” Shellington stood awkwardly, before speaking up. “I’ll just uh- I’ll just go search in the forest,” he said, waving and walking away. Dashi hopped in the GUP C. “I’ll control from here, and you tell me what’s going on where the GUP B actually is,” she said, and Tweak nodded, jumping out. She sauntered over to the GUP B, and hit her radio button. “Tweak t’ Dashi,” she said. “Dashi here. Should I start retracting the tow line?” she asked, and Tweak made a little nod. “Yup.” the towline started retracting, pulling the GUP B back, albeit somewhat slowly. The grating of the GUP B’s metal against the rocky floor of the cave made Tweak cringe. A little bit of pulling, Tweak told Dashi to stop, she repositioned, pulled once more, rinse, repeat. A very simple cycle, that after a little bit, managed to get the GUP B back on the sandy shore. Dashi hopped out of the GUP C. She and Tweak high fived. “Well, on with the search now, yeah?” Tweak said, and Dashi nodded. “Yes, I’ll see you in a little,” Dashi said. Both Tweak and Dashi wandered into the forest in different directions–which Tweak was a little disappointed by. She enjoyed spending time with Dashi, but oh well. She supposed that could wait for later–they had a ginger cat to find. She, in the GUP D of course, searched through the forest, clearing the branches obstructing her view. Eventually, after a little bit of scrounging around, she came across a murky stream. Deciding to head up it, she saw something familiarly orange. Turning on the microphone, she spoke, “Kwazii?” she asked. Suddenly, it turned towards her–the cat she’d known for a while now.

“Tweak, matey!” he cried, and Tweak un-encased the glass on the GUP D. “Kwaz, hey! Glad yer alright!” she said, and Kwazii immediately jumped up on top of the GUP D, sitting on it. “Be careful,” she warned, and he grinned. “I always be careful, me heartie,” he said, proudly displaying his canines. Tweak playfully rolled her eyes, clicking the radio button on the GUP D. “Tweak to Octonauts,” she said into the intercom, “Barnacles to Tweak. What is it?”

“Guess who I just found,” she said.

***

Of course, everyone was grateful that Tweak’d found Kwazii. Tweak also ended up not removing the tally marks on the GUP B, with Kwazii’s insistence. It would’ve been annoying, so that ended up being a good thing for her anyways. Kwazii didn’t seem like, permanently traumatized from the whole thing, which was also pretty good.

Kwazii had been overjoyed when eating actual food again for the first time–and even more overjoyed with the seaweed chips instead of the horrid dried seaweed he’d had to endure eating on that wretched deserted island.

#octonauts #octonauts kwazii #octonauts peso #captain barnacles #octonauts dashi #octonauts tweak #octonauts barnacles #fanfic #fanfiction #octonauts fanart #art #yes this is literally just a 10k word explanation for the tally marks on the GUP B #first chapter that isnt on ao3! woo!!#sorry this took so damn long LMAO #also im making a carrd for this fic! so yeah #next chapter shouldnt take nearly as long #honestly might release on christmas just as a little 'gift'

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pantpisser9000 · 4 months

Text

Combined together, Chapter 8: Pictures taken

It had been a calm day on the Octopod. They had already finished up the med-checks for the people in the area, so the rest of the day was just filled with… chilling, if anything. Kwazii and the Captain played ping-pong again, (and shockingly, Kwazii was actually able to beat him this time! Peso would’ve congratulated him, but he was still scared of him. Sure, when he was hurt it was a no-brainer, though at the moment? If he wasn’t in Peso’s care, he was still terrifying. (Peso was warming up to him, a bit, though,)) and Tweak was apparently working on a new device of sorts. Dashi was helping her.

Shellington, the vegimals, and the Professor were cooking, (apparently the vegimals had dragged him out of his lab) and Peso had nothing to do. He had already finished his reports, so… Nothing. He was bored. He knew a person like Kwazii or maybe Shellington (though he for a different reason–research, of course) would take a GUP out and drive around. Peso was still terrified of even the thought of driving a GUP.

He’d never even driven a car, so meomi forbid a submarine. Just the thought made a few feathers prick out of his ears and arms. Eventually, he walked out to the hq. The Captain had mentioned hot cocoa at one point, but they still didn’t have it. Apparently they’d be making a stop later for the vegimals to plant some cocoa plants and buy some powder from locals before they grew.

Either way, he sat out there, looking at the calm water, some fish hybrids swimming by. They were elegant–practically mermaids–and it was enjoyable for a good while, before boredom poked its head in his business again. And, as if magic, Kwazii aprared. “Oy, Peso,” he said, and Peso whipped his head back. “Y-yes, Kwazii?” he asked, nervously. “I wanna go out on a ride, matey,” he said, pulling up a chair to sit laxly next to Peso.

Sweat beads cascaded down Peso’s forehead. “...I see.” he said, unsure of what that had to do with him. “You know you can’t-” Peso started, and Kwazii rolled his eyes, leaning back, “I know, I know, which is why,” he put his hands on the table, “I want ye to drive for me.” Kwazii said, flashing a toothy grin.

“W-what?! But I’m a medic-” Peso started, but Kwazii shushed him, pointer finger to Peso’s lips. “Yeah, obviously, but.. Think about it. What if the person who be driving gets hurt? How’d you deal if ya couldn’t drive?” Kwazii questioned, shockingly in a way that made sense. He usually spoke with such pirate junk that it was hard to get what he was saying. “I.. suppose you have a point,” Peso admitted. The pirate cat grinned, dragging Peso down to the launch bay. “Tweak!” Kwazii called. She popped out from behind a wall. “Yeah?” she asked. “Me an’ Peso here are gonna go on a little driving lesson!” Kwazii said, and Peso shakily nodded. “What GUP?” she asked. “Uhh-” Kwazii thought, “The GUP B- wait, no, uh-” he thought for another moment. “W-which GUP would I likely be driving the most?” Peso asked. Tweak stepped out, “The GUP E. Wanna take that?” she asked, and Kwazii looked to Peso, then back to Tweak. “Aye, matey.” She popped a thumbs-up, and pressed a button. Peso heard some whirring, and he saw a giant door inside of the bay open, and the GUP E being whished out.

It bobbed up at the surface, windshield retracting. Tweak motioned. “Thanks, matey!” Kwazii said, doing a flip as he jumped inside. Peso just made a little hop. Tweak looked at them expectantly. “Oh right– Tweak, open the Octohatch, matey!” Kwazii said, giving a thumbs up, and Tweak nodded, pulling the red lever. Kwazii closed the windowshield, and he looked at Peso. “O-oh, right,” Peso pulled on the steering wheel in the way that made it dip down, albeit very slowly. “Back up, and turn around,” Kwazii said, and Peso, (again very slowly) did so. Kwazii groaned.

“Speed it up, matey!” he said, and he put his arms over Peso’s, guiding an embarrassed Peso’s arms around. The area around was pretty clear, fortunately. Well, except for a trench. It wasn’t a big one though–certainly not the Mariana. And, it was somewhat far away. Didn’t really stop Peso’s worries about it, though. Kwazii instructed next; “Come on, push more forward!” and Peso squeezed his eyes shut, and the GUP was going faster.

Not as fast as it could, of course, and certainly not even close to as fast as the GUP B could go. “Faster!” Peso shook his head–he was sure he’d just about die if he went any faster. Though before he could properly protest, Kwazii pushed more on the wheel, and they were speeding ahead–directly towards a rock! “Pull to the left, matey!” Kwazii called, and Peso didn’t let himself freeze up, and he did it, jerking the steering wheel to the side, just narrowly avoiding the rock as they cruised past. Kwazii threw his arms up in the air, “Yeow! That was great, Peso!” he cheered. Peso just shook silently. The GUP had stilled, (Peso had let the wheel fall from his hands after that) and Kwazii put his hands on his hips. “I’d say that went well.” “I’m not so sure about that.” “Well, we didn’t crash.” “Please tell me that you’re not saying that not crashing is considered an accomplishment to you.” Kwazii shrugged.

Peso sighed. As he looked out the window, the water looked a little darker than before, and the GUP was shaking a tad. “I didn’t know it got dark so quickly in this area,” Peso remarked, and Kwazii looked confused. “Whuh?” and he glanced out the window, lifting his eyepatch, (and Peso learned that there actually wasn’t an injury under there. Odd.) and he muttered, “Shiver me whiskers.” “What is it?” Peso asked.

“We be in the midst of a storm.” Kwazii said, and he looked at Peso with a sort of worry. Peso guessed that since he had been (presumably, given the way he acted–it’d be insane if he wasn’t) a pirate for a long time, and probably knew the currents well enough or something. Not that Peso couldn’t tell–the GUP E was wobbling so much now both of them were having difficulty keeping their balance, and Peso saw fish hybrids being swept away in the strong currents at lightning speed.

“W-what do we do?” because even though as much as he was (still–even if he was warming up to him) scared of Kwazii, he had a feeling he’d have a better idea of knowing what to do. “Aha–uhhhhh… oh!” he dashed over to the screen as Peso sat down at the back of the GUP, unsure of what to do, “Kwazii t’ Captain Barnacl- oh, it be no use.” Kwazii muttered, and just as he said that, the GUP lost any sort of stability it once had, and was now being carried away in a current, Kwazii grabbing onto the panel for dear life while Peso pressed himself against the back wall of the GUP E (technically the back wall of half of it, not the back-back wall as that’s where water could filter into, but you get the point).

The water around them churned, and it was a little tiny bit horrifying to Peso, and if it was to Kwazii, he wasn’t showing it. Peso sealed up his helmet, and Kwazii glanced back at him, mimicking it and the bubble-like helmet covered his head within an instant. Kwazii grabbed onto the wheel, and he tried to turn (presumably back to the Octopod) but he winced when his shoulder ached and he as flung back against the wall–there was nothing they could do, as they saw the GUP plummet to the ground, just near the trench.

Fortunately, they weren’t dangling over the edge, just nestled in the sand near it, but it was still horrifying to the penguin hybrid. “Kwa-” he started, though the cat was gone. “KWAZII?!” he yelled and then he heard a scraping noise coming from behind, and he peered through the tiny window on the door of the GUP E, and “flappity flippers” he exclaimed, Kwazii was trudging along in the sand. Peso could practically hear the plink, plink, plink of the sand hitting his helmet, and he panicked–what was he doing?

Peso gulped, and the GUP E slid back, closer to the edge. Was Kwazii just abandoning him for dead? And just when Peso thought he was nice! But, no, that.. It really didn’t seem like him, honestly. Though, maybe Peso’s original idea was right–he was just a thieving pirate who was out to get him or abandon everyone or steal or something. Or maybe he was just irrational because he was scared. Who knows.

He heard the GUP E’s metal scraping against the seafloor, and he panicked, he tried the radio again–static. The GUP was settled (kinda) in the sand, or at the very least it wasn’t as wobbly as before, so he could stand up, but he tripped and his hand pressed against the big orange button–the Octo-alert. Of course, it couldn’t connect to the Octopod, so it just rang in his ears while the sound played in the GUP E. And, he felt the GUP slowly move in the other direction, and he, confused given how the currents were definitely going in the other direction before, (and he didn’t think currents like that changed on the fly–especially not in the midst of the storm like at the moment) and he looked through the window, and…

It was Kwazii! He had tied kelp or seaweed or something around the GUP, and was trying to pull it. Peso felt bad for doubting him. He was clearly struggling, though. Peso gulped. He wasn’t strong, but maybe he could help, somehow. His helmet was still up. He attached his medical bag to the hem of his pants, and he jumped into the harsh water. His boots planted into the sand, and the currents were pushing him hard, and he was so scared that he was going to be swept away right into the trench.

He practically crawled over, and he stood up, wobbling, and he grabbed onto the kelp, and Kwazii flashed him a sharp grin, and Peso returned with a utterly terrified but confident one. They pulled, and pulled, and Peso knew they weren’t too far away from the Octopod, but it felt like it was taking hours. The sand pelting against their bodies, the current trying to sweep them off their feet–it was a lot to deal with.

They trudged through the ruckus, and they made it far, (or at least Peso hoped they made it far) but Peso’s arms were getting tired, and he was certain that Kwazii was the same. Suddenly, he heard a snippet of Kwazii’s voice through the murky water, “m–atey-” he heard, “th–re be —- trac—g on th’ GUP-” was all that Peso could make out. He presumed Kwazii was saying that there was tracking on the GUP E, though he wondered why that was relevant at all. “W—-an le—ave it h—-ere”

Leave the GUP? Peso thought. If he agreed, he was sure the rest of the crew would be able to find it, right? Given the priorly mentioned GUP tracking and all. Just as he was saying “yes”, something came into view–a hull of a ship emerging from the stirred up sand and swirling waves, and Peso practically jumped for joy. “Captain Barnacles!” he cheered, and Kwazii whipped his head around, and he pumped his fist in the air. The GUP C lowered, its back facing towards Peso and Kwazii. Kwazii swam over, grabbing the tow line and swimming back to the GUP E and Peso, and they attached it to its rudders. They both hopped back inside the GUP E after giving a thumbs-up to the Captain, and it scraped against the ground, but eventually, it lifted, and while it was bumpy–both Kwazii and Peso were sitting in the seats—it was kinda bearable. Until, suddenly, the anchor loosened, tilting the GUP and the cat & penguin hybrids to the side, and Kwazii fell on top of Peso, “sorry matey” and suddenly, the GUP lurched back as the anchor couldn’t hold onto the GUP E anymore.

They were flung back, GUP E cruising through the currents without control, and Peso couldn’t help himself but grab onto Kwazii’s hand (and he didn’t realize his claws were out and digging into his flesh because he was just so scared and any form of comfort was comfort, right?) and Kwazii squeezed back, arching his back and shielding Peso’s body with his own, as they suddenly hit something. Peso opened his previously squeezed-shut eyes and as he looked around, he realized, the current couldn’t get to them anymore, but..

“W-we’re stuck in the trench!” Peso exclaimed, and Kwazii got up from his place on top of Peso. “Peso, me hearty… we be one wrong move away from plummetin’ down there like a sunken ship!” and the GUP teetered. “Over t’ that side, matey!” Kwazii yelled, and they leaned against the front part of the GUP E. Their placement was precarious. The back half of the GUP E was leaning off the edge, while the front half was “secure” on the rocky ridge. Peso gulped. Neither knew how much longer the storm would last. “Matey,” Kwazii said, “I think we got to try to get the GUP E more secure on the ledge,” he said, and Peso gulped again. “But how?” Kwazii stepped on the gas (it was battery run but it’s just an expression, right) and the rutter moved a lot, and it scooched them a little over…though the kelp they’d used to drag it along had clogged it up a bit.

Smart in that moment, now an idiot move. If one of them as much as took another step to the side, they could fall down into the treacherous trench. Both of them were still. Neither wanting to risk it. Despite Kwazii’s usually very… danger-oriented nature, he clearly didn’t want to die. And he couldn’t fulfill his nature at the risk of that. “W-what do we do?” Peso whimpered. “..I dunno, matey. I’m sure- the Octonauts will save us,” Kwazii replied. “They gotta.”

As they were there, both nervous out of their damn minds, the churning water just above the trench, there was nothing they could do. “We gatta come up with a escape plan, matey,” Kwazii said, breaking the silence. “Huh?” Peso blinked away his tears. “Um, w-why?” he asked. Maybe it was a stupid question, though. “So incase if the GUP E ‘ere falls, we don’t die, matey.” Kwazii said, a hint of rudeness in his voice. “Oh. Right..” Peso muttered. “.... wait. Can’t we just… open the back part of the GUP E and swim out? Or.. uh, better yet–open the window shield?” Peso suggested. Kwazii looked at him. “Good idea, matey!” Kwazii said. “Okay, on me count,” Kwazii put up his helmet, and Peso mimicked him, “we swim out, in three,” Peso gulped, “two,” Kwazii’s hand hovered over the button, “one!” he shouted, slamming the button and water flooded inside of the green submarine, and it pushed it back and teetered off the side of the ledge, and Kwazii and Peso swam out, and Kwazii grabbed the front part of the GUP (given how the windshield was still down) and he pulled it, (Peso grabbing onto him to help) and he got it to a steadier place on the side. “Shiver me whiskers, that was..” Kwazii turned to Peso, “very exciting!” he said, shaking him by the shoulders till Peso got dizzy. “W-well, now what?” Peso asked. Kwazii blinked. “...I didn’t think that far ahead.”

Peso put a flipper to his chin. “W-we could just try to swim back to the Octopod..” he offered. “A bold idea that be, though..” Kwazii looked up. “Even a trained pirate such as meself wouldn’t dare brave that storm.” and Peso looked up too. Even from below, it looked terrifying. “....so we’re sitting ducks..” he muttered. Kwazii sat down against the wall of the trench. “Practically.”

Peso sat down next to him. “Wait, Kwazii, our air!” he said, and Kwazii’s uncovered eye widened. “A-and we flooded the GUP E, so we can’t rely on that-” he muttered, and Kwazii got up and paced around. “Shiver me whiskers, Peso, I be- I don’t-” and now both of them were panicked, Peso curled up with his knees to his chest and Kwazii pacing back and forth. Their air tanks wouldn’t last forever. Unfortunately, only the Captain had the Octocompass to check the tanks–they couldn’t. “W-well, they were full when we left, right?” Peso asked, and Kwazii nodded. “But we be out here a while, matey–they-”

Both were panicking to every degree. “Sure– surely the Captain will come rescue us, right?” Peso said. “He will, but–what if he be too late?” Kwazii replied. Peso was silent after that one. What if he was too late? What if him and Kwazii just… died? Hopefully not. And suddenly, like a angel, they saw something blue braving the waves, and it swooped down, and, “Captain Barnacles!” Peso exclaimed for the second time that day. They saw him press a button. “Swim under, there’s a opening,” the Captain said, and the two rapidly swam over to the GUP C, and popped up into it, the door closing behind them. Kwazii and Peso both took in a breath of air. The Captain was smiling. “I’m glad you’re alright. But what were you doing outside of the GUP E?” he asked. Peso and Kwazii looked at each other. “It be teetering off th’ edge, Captain! Certainly a death sentence if I didn’t come up with th’ idea t’ escape through the windshield and then pull the GUP up on the trench side more!” he said. Peso was unimpressed–that was his idea, or at least the first part was. “I helped with that idea,” he said, and the Captain patted them both on the back. “Both of you did good on working together and not, ah, getting hur-” he looked at Peso's hand. “Peso, your hand is bleeding,” the Captain said. Peso looked down at it. Oh. When he had been gripping onto Kwazii’s hand for dear life, Kwazii’s claws had come out and sliced into his palms a little. “Oh.. I think I scratched my hand on a rock a little.” Peso lied, and he felt bad about that, but the Captain didn’t need to know about that. “...I see.” the Captain said. “Better be more careful next time matey!” Kwazii replied.

That’s a little funny for you to say, Kwazii, Peso thought. “We’ll have to wait out the storm,” the Captain said. “It’s too risky to drive while the waters are like that.” he continued and Peso and Kwazii nodded. Kwazii sat down. “I be set for a catnap,” Kwazii said, and he curled up down on the floor, and fell asleep immediately. The Captain and Peso looked at each other and laughed–it was somewhat impressive he could just do that on the whim.

Peso looked at his arms and felt his ears–the feathers were gone. He supposed he was okay, now. He sat down next to Kwazii’s sleeping figure and decided to take a little rest, too. It’d been a long day. As he drifted off to sleep, he felt a blanket being draped over Kwazii and himself.

Lunch was often a casual, relaxing time on the Octopod–when it wasn’t interrupted by the blaring of the Octo-alert, or a mission was happening, of course–and today was no different. The Captain with Kwazii and Peso on both his left and right, and Shellington sat next to Kwazii, with Dashi across from him. Sat next to her was Tweak, and then Inkling was next to her. Kelp cakes, pudding, and seaweed chips (Tweak and Kwazii had managed to convince the Captain to let them get some–even if he wasn’t a fan of the amount of salt they contained) that Tweak and Kwazii were practically just passing the bag back and forth, pouring some onto their plates.

And of course, the kelp cakes varied too–the regular ones, some carrot based ones (Tweak had helped the vegimals come up with that one) and some miso soup ones. The vegimals liked coming up with different types and variations. Some were smashing success, (like the chocolate one (besides with Dashi, obviously. She is part dog)) and others…not so much (The sand one, while… creative, wasn’t exactly tasty).

The topic today had been focused on family and childhood mainly, as Dashi had mentioned how they should have digital photo albums for everybody. And eventually, that had transformed into this conversation. As Dashi wiped off her chin with a napkin, “I did ballet as a kid,” she said, putting the napkin down. “I really wanted to teach my little sister it, but it wasn’t her style.” she continued, shrugging. Peso chimed in, (albeit kinda nervously) “My older sister did ballet for a while, though she switched over to ice skating..” Dashi put a hand to her chin. “Oh, I enjoyed ice skating the few times I did it–Australia’s not quite.. Ah, suited for it, though.” Kwazii nodded. “I sailed past one time! It be real hot, even in the seas.” he added, and Dashi nodded. “It’s very hot.”

“Though, surfing’s good there.” she mentioned, and Peso piped up once more, “Oh! I’ve done body surfing with my family before,” he recalled fondly. “It w-was really fun.” “It is, isn’t it? I’ve always loved it.”

“I never surfed, though I be a good swashbuckler,” Kwazii said, plopping a seaweed chip in his mouth. “What does swashbuckling even… entail?” Tweak asked. Kwazii just threw another chip in his mouth. “‘S a lot… like uh-” he trailed off. The table laughed. “Well, you know, I was a polar scout when I was younger,” the Captain mentioned.

“What that be?” Kwazii asked, and the Captain fondly recollected, “Ah, it was just a little.. Organization, I suppose, that had us to activities that could come in handy during an emergency, or help others.” he said, and Kwazii nodded. “T-that’s cool, Captain!” Peso chimed in, “Thank you, Peso,” he said. “Professor Natquik was our little troop leader, a very nice man. I wonder how he’s doing… he took care of me and Bianca when we were younger.” the Captain said.

“Like a babysitter, for instance?” Inkling questioned. “Something like that. He was more like a… a father, if anything.” Barnacles said. “I see..” Kwazii piped up. “Yeah, Captain Wolfb-” he stopped himself, and Dashi was curious on why, clearing his throat, “I be also taken in by another guy, after me parents left me on me own.” Kwazii said. “...what’d you mean ‘leave you on yer own’, Kwazii?” Tweak questioned. Kwazii shrugged, leaning back in his seat and letting another seaweed chip fall into his open mouth. “Me parents, I’d presume they wanted to let me…. Be independent or somethin’, cus they left me in a box in an alley when I be a wee kitten.” Kwazii said, totally laxly. Everyone looked utterly shocked, befuddled even. “What?” Kwazii asked, popping another chip into his mouth. “They left y’ in a box?” Tweak asked.

“...yeah? Did- does that not be normal?” he asked, and was met with an astounding “NO” and he was surprised. “...how old did you say you were again, Kwazii?” Dashi asked. “Around… uh- well, to be honest, I not be entirely sure of me age, but around.. Six or seven, probably.” Now it was Peso’s turn to speak up. “SIX YEARS OLD?!” Peso yelled, and everyone looked at him. Obviously. Especially given how quiet he tended to be. “T-that’s just, um, horrifying, that’s all.” and nobody could really disagree with that.

“Huh. Didn’t know that.” he muttered. The table was a bit quieter for a moment, before Shellington spoke up. “I have an older sister,” he said. Everyone was, expectantly, a little confused. He was just trying to lighten the mood, that was all. “People confuse us for being twins, though.” he continues, looking at his plate and popping a kelp cake in his mouth. “I have a twin sister,” the Captain said. “I mentioned her before–Bianca.” he continued. “Ah, my sister’s name is Pearl. I hope we can visit her soon, actually.” Shellington said. “I’m sure we can, Shellington.” the Captain says. “Where does she live?” “In a kelp forest near Scotland.” he says, taking a bite of a seaweed chip.

“Sorry, did you say in a kelp forest, Shellington?” the Captain asks. “Yes! She’s part sea otter, like myself, of course.” Shellington says. Dashi pipes up, “She’s quite nice.” and they all look at her. “Yar’ve met Shellington’s sister, matey?” Kwazii asks, and Dashi nods. “Me and Shellington ran into each other a while back, after I had just got hired to be an Octonaut. I was finishing my two-weeks for my flight attendant job. He needed some pictures of him and his sister for a project, so I offered to take some.” Dashi told them.

“Actually, now that I think of it–I think we should get everyone’s pictures uploaded to the Octopod’s database.” she offers. Peso tilts his head to the side. “W-why?” he questions. “Just incase if they get lost or something, there’s a copy out there.” she says, and Peso nods. “Good idea, Dashi.”

“I can start with my own, since I already have those. And then Shellington’s. Anyone wanna volunteer to go next?” she asks. Tweak raises her hand. “I’d like t’, Dashi.” she says, and Dashi gives a thumbs-up. “Okay, me, Shellington, Tweak…” “I’ll do it after Tweak, Dashi.” the Captain says, and Dashi nods. “I’ll go, matey!” Kwazii pipes up. Dashi curtly nods once more. “I-I’ll go after Kwazii.” Peso suggests, and Dashi nods again. “I will go last, then.” Inkling says, and Dashi flashes a thumbs-up.

***

Her pictures were fairly easy to upload, given she took most of them on her own camera, and she had her phone on the ship with her. Sure, nobody really used their phones while aboard, (even if the wifi was shockingly good) but it was handy for getting some pictures from her family. She wasn’t always able to take the picture, after all. She decides that everyone should have all their pictures uploaded besides any repeated pictures. Or, in Dashi’s case, if they had way too many. So, she ended up putting a nice list of photos for herself.

One of just herself, full body (she decided that everyone should have one of those)

One of her and her younger sister, Koshi

One of her and her whole immediate family

One of her and her full extended family

Some old ballet pictures/hobby related ones

One of her in her flight attendant garb

And some vacation pictures that involved herself.

She figured it was a good list. It wasn’t all of her pictures, (she actually enjoyed selfies, shockingly) but it was a lot. And certainly all of the ones that she’d want backed up, at least. Next up was Shellington.

She went ahead and uploaded all of the pictures she’d taken, and Shellington sent her the other ones. He didn’t seem to have any with his full family, but Dashi decided not to pry. It’d be rude, certainly. She called him up though anyway. “Dashi, did I accidentally not send you all the pictures?” he asked as he shot out from the Octochute, and Dashi shook her head. “No, you sent them all. I just need to take a few.” she said, and Shellington cocked his head to the side. “A full body shot of you, and of you and the vegimals. I’ve taken a few of those already, but I want one with all of them in view as well.” she said, and Shellington nodded. “I can go fetch them right now, if you’d like,” he said, and Dashi nodded. “That’d be wonderful.”

Shellington ran off again, into the garden pod. It was where the vegimals spent most of their time, given that’s where they farmed and cooked, so it made sense he’d check there first. Though, sometimes, they wandered off to random places, (especially Codish–the pink one–and Grouber, –the big purple one– or on occasion, Barrot.) and got lost. Of course, they almost never left the Octopod unless if it was all of them going (or just Tunip given as he was pretty much the leader, the representative of them, so that instead of all of them going when the Octo-alert was sounded, it was just him so they didn’t have to stop their duties) so that led to lost vegimals not being a regularly occurring thing.

That’s what Dashi thought until Shellington, frantic, jumped out of the chute with all of the vegimals trailing behind him. Except one. The tiniest of the bunch–tomminow. Small and red, they often stayed with the others. Almost never ventured off on their own, and if they did, it was usually with Grouber or one of the other vegimals. They just tried to help their brothers whenever they could, and that was what they did.

Except now, they couldn’t help because they were “Tomminow’s missing, Dashi,” Shellington said, and Dashi was a little surprised. What had happened to them? The one vegimal who was never on their own. “Are they in the garden or kitchen?” Dashi asked, just making sure she was covering all bases. Shellington looked to the vegimals, and Tunip trilled a response. “Tunip says they looked in every nook and cranny in both of those places. They’re not there.”

Dashi put her hand on Shellington’s shoulder. “Let’s check the lab,” Dashi suggests, and Shellington looks at her, confused. “Why would they be there?” he asked. Dashi shrugged. “Tomminow’s sweet. And all of them know you have a tendency to forget to eat, so maybe they brought some food down or something.” Dashi explains, and Shellington nods. “Makes sense.” he says, and they both go into the laboratory–nothing. “Maybe they’re spending time with the Professor?” Dashi suggests, pointing to the library. Professor Inkling says he hasn’t seen them. Dashi can feel the nervousness radiating off of Dr. Shellington. “Infirmary, maybe?” she says, and Peso says he didn’t see them at all. “Let’s go to the game pod, maybe they got challenged to play pingpong,” Dashi says, and when she, him, and his 4 current vegetable-fish-human children arrive, Kwazii and the Captain are playing. “Tomminow’s missing?” the Captain asks, and Dashi nods. “Have you seen them?” she asks, and Kwazii shakes his head. “Nah, matey. Maybe they be helping Tweak, though?” he suggests, and Dashi and Shellington decide to listen to his suggestion and head to the launch bay. “Missin’?” Tweak asks, tightening a bolt on the GUP A, leaning over on it from the jutted out bit in the bay. “Tomminow, the tiny red one,” Shellington elaborates, gripping onto his satchel’s strap tight. “No, sorry. I haven’t seen ‘em.” Tweak says sympathetically.

Shellington looks at Dashi. “Where are they, then?” he asks no one. And nobody besides Tomminow themself knows the answer.

Suddenly, the alarm blares–but not the Octo-alert. Tweak races over to the screen, and she presses a button, and she gasps. “Somethin’s stuck in one of th’ pipes!” she cries, and Shellington and Dashi look at each other, sharing one thought–Tomminow.

“Which one, Tweak?” Dashi asks, somehow still sounding calm even in this situation. She pressed a few buttons and pulled it up on screen, the orangish dot lodged in the pipes that was likely Tomminow blinking, and she pointed. “It’s one of the ones for the kitchen’s sink. No idea how they got in there, assumin’ it is Tominnow…” she said, biting into her ‘thinking carrot’ as she called it.

She looked at Shellington and Dashi. “But no matter how or why, we needa get em out. I’m soundin’ the Octo-alert!” she said, slapping the button with her palm, and the ‘woop, woop’ sound echoed throughout the ship. “What’s the matter, Tweak?” the Captain asked through the screen–he appeared to still be in the gamepod with Kwazii from what Dashi could see.

“Somethin’--we think it may be Tominnow–is stuck in one of th’ pipes!” Tweak frantically said, and the Captain’s eyes widened. “Tominnow be stuck in the pipes?! I know they be a little matey, but–the pipes?” Kwazii commented from behind. Tweak nodded. “It’s in the kitchen.” she said, and the Captain commanded, “Octonauts, to the garden pod!”

***

Soon enough, all of them were there. Shellington looked to be on the verge of tears, most of the vegimals were crying, and everyone else just looked generally concerned. Tweak pulled up a map of the pipes on her Octo-tablet, and her face displayed a grimace. “It doesn’t look great. It’s a little bit of a tight squeeze for someone like the Captain,” and Dashi seemed to be the only one who noticed the Captain get significantly more nervous,”but fer me or Kwazii or Dashi it’d be okay. We’d have to cut a hole about..” she stepped over to a tile, thumping her boot down. “Here. It’d allow for the easiest entrance. And, we’d uh, have to cut open the pipe. So, whoever’s going down will have to twist the valve to stop the flow completely, because otherwise we’d have a real disaster.”

She sighed. “I could do-” she started, but Kwazii piped up. “I’ll do it, matey!” he valiantly said. It wasn’t a surprise that he wanted to do the risky thing. Tweak nodded. “That’s a good idea. It’s probably smart to have me supervising from above, looking at th’ pipes and the sort anyways.” she said. And so, it was decided. “Captain, you know how t’ belay, right?” Tweak asked. He nodded. “Of course. It was part of my polar scout training.” he said, and Tweak gave a thumbs up.

As Tweak cut open the hole in the Octopod’s kitchen’s floor, Kwazii wormed his way into the harness, and was embarrassed when it was all twisted up and he had to do it again (this time with some help from the Captain). Though after that little fiasco, they were good to go. Well, after Tweak gave him a backpack that held a sawzall, a device that could cut through the metal pipes. “Okay, Kwaz, yer gonna want t’ step on the big pipe right there,” Tweak said, pointing. Kwazii turned on his headlight. “I see it, matey.” he said, confident. He was slowly lowered down by the Captain, landing square on the pipe with the thump of his Octo-boots. He could hear the chorus of sighs of reliefs.

“Okay, there should be a pipe to yer left.” Kwazii hesitated, doing the L finger trick with his hands (Even if he couldn’t read or write very well, he had managed to still get that trick down). “It’s thinner then the one yer standing on now, so be careful.” Tweak said from above. “I always be careful!” Kwazii said, jumping down and he wobbled a little bit, but eventually regained his balance on the pipe easily. “The one Tomminow is stuck in is the one just to the right of that,” Tweak says, “Walk forward to get to the valve for it.” she says, and Kwazii obeys, carefully balancing on the pipe. “Wait, stop!” Tweak calls, and he stops immediately. “Get on all fours–otherwise, you’ll bonk yer head into a pipe.” she says, and Kwazii does so. “Now continue.”

Kwazii crawls along, his headlamp just barely illuminating the space. “Okay, the valve should just be on the pipe.” Tweak tells him, and Kwazii looks at it. “I see it, matey!” he says. “Twist it to the left,” Tweak says, and Kwazii does so, twisting with all his might, and eventually, he’s able to. “Now go back, and I’ll tell ya when to stop.” she says, and Kwazii crawls back, gripping onto the pipe. He’s glad it’s made of metal that his cat claws can’t slice through, because they’re currently out. They tend to when he’s stressed or needs to grip something like he is right now.

And eventually, Tweak tells him to stop, and he comes to a halt. “Now, on the pipe, I want you to take out the Sawzall.” she says, and he takes the backpack off, pulling the sawzall out. “Don’t worry, Tomminow’s a lot more to the side, so you won’t be cutting the pipe on them.” Tweak clarifies, though Kwazii has a feeling it’s to calm Peso, Shellington, and the rest of the vegimals, not him.

He revs it up, and he places it on the pipe. “It’ll probably take a minute, so be patient,” Tweak says, and Kwazii has the urge to make a snarky comment back, but he doesn’t want to get distracted, so he doesn’t say anything.

It takes a couple of minutes, but he perseveres through and the pipe is left open. “Lil matey?” he calls, and he hears a trill. And… flopping? “Can y’ get over ‘ere, matey?” he asks, and he puts his hands under the opening after putting the sawzall back in his backpack. He only hears some trills, and some more flopping, and soon, he sees the little red–oh, wait–

“...does they usually look so–fishy?” Kwazii asks as the little fish flops into his hands, and he comforts them as best as he can. “You be okay, little matey!” he says, and suddenly, the little guy transforms back into a more humanoid form, legs instead of tail, and a regular person head (just with a sprout) instead of a fish head with a sprout. He thinks it’s a sprout, at least. Tomminow, donned in their little overalls, clutches onto Kwazii’s shirt like it’s the only thing anchoring them to life. “I’ve got ‘em!” Kwazii calls, “Lift us up!” and slowly, they’re highered, just having to dodge a pipe or two.

Once they’re back at the usual floor, Tominnow is crying, a wet spot on the ginger cat’s shirt. “Oh- you be alright?” he asks, and Tomminow just grips harder. Kwazii’s bad at comforting, though, so as he stands there awkwardly as the little guy cries into his shirt, he offers, “Um, don’t ya wanna see Shellington?” he asks, and Tominnow looks up, and he trills happily as Kwazii extends out his arms and Tominnow leaps into Shellingtons.

“...I think I have t’ change shirts..” Kwazii says, grabbing the hem of his shirt and stretching it out to look at it. He undos his harness, and he walks out, going to his room to presumably change his shirt.

As he enters, he takes a glance at his catnip plant, and at his closet. He’s tempted, to say the least. Part of him feels he shouldn’t, dinner’s probably soon, but at the same time…he hadn’t even taken a little of either things, so he decides he owes himself a little treat. Opening his way too many doors to get into his closet, he grabs a bottle. He pours out a little in an Octo-mug. It’s not much, really. He pours a little more out–it’s only like, half full.

He walks out, closing his barrage of doors, and he grabs a little bit off his catnip plant. He figures he should eat it, because that’ll mellow him out. And so, he drops it into his mouth, and consumes, and he finds his brain getting a little fuzzy. His arms are covered in more fur, now. He supposes it’s a side effect of the catnip–making him more cat-like. He takes a swig out of the mug, and it burns his throat in a good way.

He’s sitting on the floor next to his bed, and he pulls out an action comic. Sure, he can barely read, but he can usually grasp what’s going on just from the pictures. He takes another swig, and he’s not entirely sure how long it’s been since the one before.

And of course, eventually, he’s drunk all that’s left in the mug. He’s not super high or drunk or anything of the sorts at the moment, but he’s mellowed out and he’s satisfied as he sprawls out on the ground because he thinks he sees a new color, and wow is it pretty. He curls up on the floor, and he doesn’t fall asleep but it is very nice. Even if it’s hardwood. He traces his fingers–paws?--along it, giggling for no apparent reason.

He just kinda hopes nobody walks into his room, because he’d prefer not getting his things banned. They probably won’t, right? He’s probably a legal adult for that kind of thing. He’s not really sure partially because he doesn’t know the legal age for that and partially because he doesn’t know his own age. Really, a tough situation. He’s sure he’s like… an adult, though. He’s been around for at least 18 years though, he reckons.

Plus, Peso’s like… 27 or something like that and Kwazii’s probably older than that, he figures. Given how Peso acts. He thinks of this as he’s sprawled across the floor and he can feel his eyes getting droopy, and he dozes off pretty quickly.

He’s awoken by his alarm that next morning, and he groans. “Mmmmmrroww..” he mewls, rolling over on the floor, “Yeow!” he shouts, as his shoulder hits the hardwood floor particularly hard. It’s healed since the whole tiger shark ordeal, but it hurts more than it would usually whenever he bumps it into anything. Thinking about it now, he realizes it’s been a little while since that whole thing. He supposes time has just been passing by–and he hasn’t thought about his old crew much.

Sure, they were terrible, but, he still finds himself missing them a little. They were his family, practically. Especially… especially him. Wolfbeard. He shuddered just even thinking of the guy. He was.. Honestly probably the only thing he was scared of, besides spiders, (no matter how much he denied that fact) but fortunately, like spiders, he couldn’t jumpscare him under the water. He sailed on a pirate ship, not a submarine like the Octopod!

Even if he despised the guy now, he was being honest earlier when he said he was like a dad to him. Given his parents left him at a young age, and Calico Jack went missing a long, long time ago, he didn’t have anyone else. Groaning and getting up, he crawled into his bed. He shouldn’t go back to sleep, though he wanted to. He stretched and got out. Walking out, him and the Captain had decided to leave their rooms at the same time. “Good morning, Kwazii,” the Captain said. “Mornin’, Captain,” he replied. Oh. That was the first time he’d called him Captain. He figured the term and ol’ him had been separated enough in his mind to be comfortable calling someone else that. “Off to breakfast, ey?” Kwazii says, jumping, and the Captain curtly nods. “Yes. I believe Dashi is going to be uploading more pictures, today.” he tells Kwazii, and the cat nods. “Oh, alright. Who’s she on?” “Shellington, I believe. She wasn’t able to finish yesterday with Tomminow’s situation. And, she might skip Tweak for now since she needs to repair the pipe and the floor.” Captain Barnacles said, and Kwazii gave a thumbs up. “Oh, who be after Tweak?” Kwazii asked.

“Myself. Then you, I believe.” he said, and Kwazii nodded, jumping down the chute. The Captain trailed after him as they launched into the headquarters of the Octopod, and Dashi was already there. So was Tweak. “Hiya Cap,” she said, waving to the Captain. “Hello Tweak. How’s the progress on the pipe going?” he asked, and Tweak put her hand on her hip and took out a carrot. “I know how t’ do it, but y’ need to belay me.” she said. “And the vegimals are too nervous to go into the kitchen while the hole’s open, so we may have to… delay breakfast.” she rubbed the back of her neck.

Kwazii sulked, his ears pressing against the sides of his head. “Aw, that be unfortunate.” he said, and Tweak agreed, taking another bite of her carrot. “Agreed. I’m hungry.” she said. The Captain cleared his throat. “Speaking of,” he looked at Tweak, “We should go do that right now,” and Tweak flashes a thumbs up. “Yup! Let’s go,” Tweak exclaims, and she and the Captain head into the Garden Pod’s chute.

Dashi turns around in her chair. “They’re technically next, after Shellington, but he’s busy coaxing the vegimals. I think we should get your pictures uploaded right now,” she says, and Kwazii blinks, a little surprised. “Arr, okay Matey!” he says, and he runs to the chute. “Try to get any and all pictures you have!” she says, and Kwazii gives a thumbs up as he jumps into the chute.

He backflips out into the small area between his and the Captain’s rooms, and he walks into his room. He knows he has one sacred picture of him and Calico Jack in his closet, the only one that Kwazii had with him and his Grandfather. He had other pictures of just himself or just Calico but that was the only one with them together. Kwazii knew Calico was great, obviously. Just about one of the most famous pirates there ever was! And as much as he wanted to brag about that fact, especially since he was his inspiration for being who he was, it also felt.. Wrong. He didn’t know his crew well enough to tell them. One day, though. But, he did have a few of just himself–not many, as most of the pictures he had taken during most of his life were with his old crew. And he only had one that he had brought–he hadn’t wanted to escape on that little lifeboat with too many remembrances of the past. He… if something happened to the Octopod, he wouldn’t mind that one being destroyed forever. So, instead, he picked up his small amount of pictures of just himself… and he brought them down to Dashi.

“No offense, Kwazii, but is this really all you have?” she asks him as he hands her the minimal amount of pictures. “Yes.” he lies, and despite being a pirate, he’s a bad liar. Though, even if Dashi can certainly tell, (she seems pretty perceptive, plus she made a face at the lie) she doesn’t pry, thankfully. Kwazii isn’t sure if he’d be able to lie straight to her face again, especially if she interrogates him. “Hm. Alright. Well, this shouldn’t take long at all, then,” she says. “What exactly are all of the pictures of, by the way?” she asks, tapping at the screen.

Kwazii picks one up. “This is me as a wee kitten,” he says, handing it back to Dashi. “Aw,” she coos, and Kwazii flushes in embarrassment. Maybe he should’ve left that one out, too. “This one be of me chugging me first rum,” he says. Dashi makes a face. “...I know you don’t know your age, but you look.. Pretty young, there,” she says. Kwazii puts his hands on his hips. “Ah, well a pirate has his first rum at 10, usually.” Dashi looks concerned. Kwazii clears his throat, accidentally a little like the Captain. It’s a habit he has. Mimicking little things like that. He knows he still subconsciously does things that he used to do. It’s not on purpose, really. It’s just a force of habit, truly. Dashi doesn’t say anything more. “And the last?” she asks, still scanning in the second. “That be me after they got lopped off!” he says, handing the picture to Dashi, and she blinks. “Huh. Didn’t know you were trans, Kwazii.” she says, beginning to scan in the picture.

He cocks his head to the side. “Trans?” he asks, genuinely. She swivels her seat back to look at him, and then back at the picture. “Do you–” she pinches her nose bridge. “Were you born with feminine features, Kwazii?” she asks, and Kwazii shrugs. “Me parents thought I be a girl for way too long, I guess. An’ I got those lumps growing,” he motions to his chest, “There. For some weird reason.” he says. Dashi chuckles.

“What?” he asks. “Don’t worry about it, Kwazii.” she says, a hint of a giggle still in her voice. He decides to ignore that interaction. “Well, I have some other pictures of you that I took, so I’ll upload those,” Dashi said. “Would you mind getting Peso for me?” she asks. “He’s next. Well, probably, at least. Given Tweak and the Captain are probably still fixing up the kitchen from the whole pipe situation, and I think the vegimals won’t leave the lab until the kitchen’s fixed.” she says, shrugging. Kwazii gives a thumbs-up. “Will do, matey.” he says, bounding off to go inform Peso.

When he gets there, Peso seems to be cleaning up. “Hey, matey!” Kwazii yells out, and Peso’s head bobs up, looking at Kwazii with widened eyes. “H-hello, Kwazii. Why are you here?” he asks, walking towards him. “Yer next for th’ whole picture thing. Y’ might wanna grab some from yer room,” Kwazii says. Peso blinks. “Oh, okay! I’ll go do that now then,” and Kwazii flashes a thumbs-up. Now what?

He’d figure it out, probably.

Dashi isn’t left waiting long, though she’s able to upload all the pictures she already has of Peso on her camera before he gets there. Peso arrives just 20 minutes after Kwazii went to go fetch him, a box presumably filled to the brim with pictures in his grasp. When he places it next to her, Dashi finds she was right. She should’ve expected it, but this was a lot of damn pictures. She held back the urge to sigh. Peso pulled one out, and unleashed it from its frame.

“This is of my whole family, not including all of my cousins and aunts and uncles for the most part.” he says. Dashi nods, careful to not accidentally rip it as she scans it in. It seems to have been kept in pristine condition, (unlike Kwazii’s pictures) so that made the process a tad easier. She handed it back to him, and he slid it back into its frame. He put it off to the side.

He hands her another after taking it out of its own frame. “Me and my younger brother, Pinto, when he was just a chick” he explains as he hands it to Dashi. She coos–it’s an adorable picture. Who she presumes is Pinto is swaddled in a red scarf, and who she assumes is Peso looks nervous and elated at the same time. She scans this one in with ease too. She hands it back, and the process starts again.

This one’s of Peso and all of his siblings–his older (twin) siblings Perita and Pogo off to the left, Peso next to them, and who she presumes is Pinto’s head barely in frame to Peso’s right. The next is of a lot of penguin hybrids that Dashi can’t distinguish on top of a hill, and who Peso clarifies is himself face-planted in some snow. The one after that is Peso with his medical diploma. Peso in a hospital, which he says is his first real job (Technically more of an internship, but same difference, right?). There’s a lot more pictures after that, but Dashi kinda zones out at that point.

Eventually, though, Peso’s photos are all uploaded. Dashi thinks one day they should all show their pictures in the game room–or just watch a movie or something. It’s been a while since she’s had a movie night, actually. And she didn’t think anybody would mind snacking on some buttery popcorn. Been a while since she’s had that, too.

When she laxes back in her chair, she remembers the only ones left are the Captain, Tweak, and Professor Inkling. Technically Shellington and the Vegimals too, but it’s not that many more pictures. She could hold off on that for a little longer. And, as if Meomi themself had granted it, the green haired girl and white haired man popped out of the octo-chute just moments later. “Heya Dashi” Tweak greeted, and Dashi took in the state of them. Covered in sweat, the both of them. As Tweak grabbed a carrot, she dropped it almost immediately, wincing. “Got my hands burned.” Tweak elaborates, kicking up the carrot and it lands on the table. “I’m gonna go t’ Peso, even if it’s probably fin-” The Captain looks at her sternly. “... I’m goin’ to Peso, ain’t I?” she says, and he nods. “That’s true. Now,” he says. Tweak rolls her eyes playfully, jumping down the Octo-chute.

He turns to Dashi, walking up behind her. “How is the photo-uploading coming along, Dashi?” he asked. “Excellent, Captain. I just need… yours, Tweak’s, and the Professor’s.” the Captain nods. “I’m off to the showers, but I can go get Professor Inkling.” he says, and Dashi grins. “That’d be wonderful Captain.” she says, waving as he launches himself down the Octo hatch. She sighs.

A frigid shower was probably the most refreshing thing to Captain Barnacles. Given the whole part-polar-bear thing, it was enjoyable. He always tried to keep his showers short, though. Less time in the shower, less likely the Octo-alert would sound while he was in the shower. Either way, it finished quickly, he got changed, and he decided to head down to the hq. Dashi seemed to have already finished up with the Professor’s photos when he walked in, and he walked up behind her. “Dashi, how is the photo-uploading going?” he asked, and she swiveled back to look at him. “Really well, actually,” she says, tapping on the screen. “I’ve got Kwazii’s,” she swiped past a few of his, “Peso’s, My own, most of Shellington’s, the Professor’s… only two I need are yours, Tweak’s, and a little for Shellington.” she says, and the Captain nods. “That’s fantastic, Dashi.” he says, hands behind his back.

“Mhm. And, I actually have a bit of an idea,” she says, now swiveling the chair completely towards Barnacles. “There’s going to be Octonauts after us, right?” she asks, and the Captain tenses. He hadn’t really thought about it. “Well, yes, there will be.” he cocks his head to the side. “Why?” he asks, curious on what this had to do with anything. “I figured that, and so I had the idea–what if we made a series of videos that are sort of, uh, instructions, I guess. For specific scenarios and situations, I suppose.”

He puts a finger to his chin. “That’s an excellent idea Dashi!” he says, and Dashi flashes a thumbs-up. “If you could compose a list of sorts of all the things somebody might need to know so that we can develop the videos, that would be great, Captain.” she explains, and Barnacles nods. “I’ll do it once we’re done with my photos,” he says, and Dashi nods. “I’ll go grab them now,” Barnacles finishes, and Dashi nods, facing back towards her screen. He jumps down the Octo-chute, and walks to his room. He gathers up all of his pictures in his arms, and is easily able to carry him all. He works out every day for a reason, after all.

***

Dashi was glad they’d gotten through uploading all the photos, but this new project was going to take longer. And be a lot more effort, to say the least. Making a LOT of instruction videos was going to take awhile, and it already had. Her and the Captain had gotten together and come up with a bunch of ideas, then later Dashi stayed up kinda late, (blasting music through her earbuds, probably visible eyebags, some of the vegimals bringing her a plate of fish biscuits or kelp cakes on the occasion to keep her fed, sitting criss-crossed on a chair with a fluffy pillow under her, makeup freshly wiped off her face) editing and coming up with ideas for the videos from the ideas.

She had a lot, to say the least. She was kinda excited to see Captain in that ‘exercise’ outfit that he mentioned–sounded silly, in all honesty. She knew they weren’t doing this in any particular order, and she’d probably end up switching up the numbers a little in the end so that it’s not a bunch of the same thing in a row. Currently, though, she needed to get the actual set up done. A greenscreen was necessary, of course. A lot of these ideas involved it.

Plus, there was an idea with a blob–one of the few videos that wasn’t just the Captain speaking–that they needed pudding for, plus two others. Dashi figured it’d be Peso and Kwazii, given how those two were 1: often the least busy (especially Kwazii who was really only actually doing things during missions) 2: both most likely more than willing (Peso because he likes helping people + would feel bad if he didn’t help and Kwazii because of boredom). She had a video camera… not the best one, but it would work.

And today was the start of filming. The first few videos were kinda ‘cringey’--given how the Captain was dressed up in bright, 80s inspired workout clothes, and Dashi was trying to keep herself from giggling basically the entire time. The Captain seemed to be rocking it though, not at all embarrassed, (Dashi wondered if he was a theatre kid) and showing off his ‘polar bear strength’ in a few of the videos. Fortunately, the filming for most of those ones only took… about an hour or two? And there would be a lot more filming. The next batch was just a lot of ‘what if’ situations, some of which the Captain explained just with his words, and a few that they decided on physical visuals. The non-physical-visuals was a little… repetitive, to say the least. The Captain, in front of the greenscreen, yapping on about one thing or another. And that same thing, just… a million times. It was getting at least a little boring. Then, the ones with physical visuals, just… without those, yet. The intros, basically. And, eventually, after a lot of filming (and I truly mean a LOT of damn filming) the Captain orders for a break.

“Dashi, I believe a break is in order.” he said, and Dashi looked up from the camera that was currently situated on the tripod. “Oh- of course, Captain,” she said, standing up from her squatting position and dusting off her (still clean) skirt. He grabbed his Octo-compass from his belt, looking at the time. “Yes, it’s just about lunchtime, anyway.” he started putting away his Octo-compass back onto his belt. Dashi nodded, clicking the off button on the camera. “Sounds excellent, Captain,” she said as they walked over to the chute, which the Captain jumped in. She followed in after him, whooping a little as she was launched down.

When she entered the kitchen/dining area of the garden pod, almost everyone was seated, except for Shellington. Dashi was… mildly curious why he wasn’t present. She grasped a plate from the end of the table, getting some fish biscuits and some kelp cakes. There were some clam sandwiches, too. As she sat down, she asked, “Where’s Shellington?”. Kwazii was the one who answered her. “He be researchin’... somethin’. He be real vague,” Kwazii shrugged, “But he hasn’t been comin’ up for meals for a day or two,” he said. Dashi knew her concern was apparent with her expression. “Th’ vegimals have been taking him stuff,” Tweak added. “Oh, that’s good.” Dashi remarked.

Peso and Kwazii ended up chatting about something or another and everyone else jutted in with their own remarks, though Dashi wasn’t really paying attention. She was concerned for Shellington–sure, he seemed like the type to get obsessed and obsessively research something–, but not even coming out of his lab to eat for a long period of time? It was… mildly concerning at best. She noticed the vegimals were walking off with a plate, and she stopped them. “Tunip, do you mind if I take Shellington his food today?” Tunip tilted his head in confusion for a moment, then nodded, placing the plate back. Dashi finished up, put her plate in the sink, and grabbed Shellington’s.

Detective work was usually Koshi’s gig, though Dashi figured she’d have to temporarily do it today.

Jumping down the Octo-chute, food in hand and hair bouncing, she landed in the main hall. She raised an eyebrow—the door to Shellington’s lab wasn’t usually closed.

#yes its a cliffhanger #also merry christmas/happy holidays #octonauts peso #octonauts #octonauts kwazii #fanfic #captain barnacles #octonauts dashi #octonauts tweak #octonauts shellington #sorry theres no art this time i didnt have time to

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