The tall, strong ferret set his suitcases down at the edge of the dock, and looked out over the gentle waves of the blue ocean waters.
The sun shone down brightly, causing sparkles to dance on the salty waves.
Today was the day he was signing aboard the Octopod, and becoming one of the brave Octonaut crew.
Right now, he was waiting on his ride below the surface of the sea, and he did not have to wait long.
He heard a faint splash and a whirring sound behind him, and then a yowl and a thump.
Turning around, he saw an orange cat dressed as a pirate striding towards him, holding his paw out.
" Ahoy there, matey! You be Trigger then?" the cat spoke with a gruff pirate accent, and shook Trigger's paw firmly.
" That I am. And you are?" Trigger inquired.
" I be Kwazii, the bravest pirate and Octonaut in the seven seas, and Captain Barnacle's right paw!" the cat proudly declared.
Trigger grinned at the excited cat. " Well, I'm pleased to meet you Kwazii, I'm sure we'll have some good times aboard the Octopod together matey."
" By my whiskers, we will!" Kwazii exclaimed, and then picked up one of the suitcases.
" What's all in these?" he asked as Trigger easily picked up the other.
" Oh, just a few things I brought along. Figured they'd come in handy sometime or another aboard the Octopod." Trigger said, hiding a smile at the cat's curiosity as he looked at the suitcase.
" Just a few things?" Kwazii puffed as he hauled on the heavy suitcase. " More like a million things, mate!"
" Thanks for helping, but I can take my own baggage." Trigger said as he relived the struggling cat of the load.
Kwazii was grateful to give it up and they proceeded towards the end of the pier.
" I have heard all sorts of tales about you, Trigger ole' mate." Kwazii said, leading the way towards a small, green, baby-guppy shaped submersible with the title Gup E on the side.
" Oh you have, have you?" Trigger said, loading his luggage into the back of the Gup.
" Oh yes, I heard all about how ye wrestled that great white shark with yore bare paws, and didn't even blink an eye or break a sweat!"
Trigger laughed as he climbed into the Gup next to Kwazii.
" Well, I wasn't exactly bare-pawed; I was wearing gloves and a complete protection suit, because we were cleaning up a dangerous chemical spill. But yes, I did wrestle with that shark to stop him from making a meal out of my teammates."
" Yar-har!" Kwazii exclaimed. " Maybe we can catch a sea monster together, matey! There be many around these waters, but none have ever caught one and came back alive. What'd ya say? Shall we sometime?"
Trigger laughed. " I'd be delighted, yar-har!"
" Is everything ready for the new member of the Octonauts?" Captain Barnacles asked.
" All ready, Cap." Tweak replied as she took a chunk out of a carrot.
" I hope he'll like it here." Dashi commented in her soft, sweet voice.
Captain smiled gently at her concern.
" Oh, I'm sure he will." Shellington replied, also smiling at Dashi.
Tunip said something, and Shellington smiled down at him, too.
" Yes, I have heard many stories about him too." Shellington told the head cook and lead Vegimal.
" I hear that he is very brave." Peso said, waddling around the corner from his medical lab.
" So have I, and that he is also a gentlemen as well as a daredevil like Kwazii." Dashi commented.
" I hear that he loves the study of marine plants and animals." Shellington declared.
" And he's said to be handy with tools." Tweak added.
" I have heard that he really enjoys a good book." Professor Inkling put in as he came up to the group.
" I am sure he will be very happy here." Captain said, as he gave one more glance into the ferret's room. " Now let's go and meet him. Octonauts, to the Launch Bay!"
As the Gup E approached the Octopod, Trigger grinned.
" There she be, the Octopod." Kwazii proudly announced. " Isn't she a beauty?"
" She sure is." Trigger said reverently, as Kwazii piloted the Gup around the Octopod to show Trigger the outside.
" Looks kinda like a big, orange octopus." Trigger commented, as an entrance appeared in the front of the ship.
"Aye, it sure does, matey. Professor Inkling is a Dumbo Octopus; he designed the Octopod and got the whole crew together. That there opening is the Octohatch. We're going in!" Kwazii yowled with excitement as he steered the little Gup in the Octohatch and up past the engines to surface inside a large room full of alcoves and docks, a big screen and console on one wall, and hatchways and ladders on each wall, as well as a glass coating showing water inside the walls of the Octopod.
Seven other animals stood in a line near the big computer screen.
As Kwazii flipped out of the Gup E, Trigger gracefully stepped over the side and approached the captain, obvious by his stance and collar.
" Welcome aboard the Octopod, Trigger. I'm Captain Barnacles, and this is Dashi, Shellington, Peso, Professor Inkling, Tweak, and Tunip. You've already met Kwazii." The captain said with a wide smile in a deep, commanding, but gentle voice that rang though the room they were in.
Each Octonaut waved or nodded as their names were said.
" I'm pleased to meet you all." Trigger nodded his head to each of them.
" Here is" (puff) " yore luggage" (puff) " matey!" (Puff) Kwazii announced, setting down the heavy suitcases next to them.
" Sorry Kwazii, I quite forgot to get them in my excitement to meet the rest of the crew." Trigger exclaimed softly, not catching the approving look that Tweak cast over him, nor the suddenly softer look in her eyes.
" No need to apologize Trigger, I was quite alright." Kwazii said, stretching his paws over his head.
" Shall we show you too where you shall be staying, then?" Dashi asked sweetly.
Trigger felt his breath catch in his throat as he gazed at the lovely brown Dashund in front of him.
" After you." He said, bowing to her.
He then saw the way Captain and Shellington both looked at Dashi then, and decided then and there that he was not going to explore his feelings for the Navigation Technician any more.
It was obvious both had fallen in love with the pretty, brown-furred dog.
He followed the Octonauts up a ladder and into the main body of the Octopod.
They walled along, the captain pointing out where everything was, until they reached a door with his picture above it, right around the corner from the Medical Bay.
" And this is your room." Captain Barnacles announced with a broad grin, opening the door and stepping aside for Trigger.
Trigger stepped inside a modest room with a window and a bunk at one end, and a closet at the other.
There was a small table set in the center of the room, with a cabinet beneath it.
There was shelving on the walls, and a trunk at the foot of his bed.
" Thanks. I feel right at home here." Trigger said as he set down his suitcases on the bed and turned around to the grinning Octonuats.
" Okay then, we'll let you get settled. We'll be around if you need us." Captain said, and they all strode away.
All that is, but Kwazii.
" Need some help unpacking there, Trigger me hearty?" Kwazii asked, rubbing his paws together.
" Sure." Trigger replied, grinning as he opened both his suitcases up.
Kwazii gasped. " How much stuff did you cram in there?" he asked wonderingly.
" A lot when you have to take all you own in the only suitcases you own." Trigger laughed.
Kwazii began placing articles of clothing onto the ground, and then gasped with joy as he brought out two magnificent, carefully wrapped double-edged swords.
" Shiver me whiskers." He whispered in awe, unwrapping them and watching them as the polished swords gleamed in the light.
" Those have been passed down through the family for centuries." Trigger told him in a hushed voice. " They say our ancestors used them on dinosaurs waaaay back when steel was only know by a select few."
Kwazii admired the swords before reluctantly handing them back to Trigger, who hung them, cross-bladed, above his bunk.
Then they started in on the remainder of his gear: a harmonica, a banjo, tools, tools, and even more tools, clothing, books, notebooks, a box of pens and pencils, and a picture of Trigger's family.
Then there were his own specially designed diving suits, and all his radio equipment.
Kwazii helped with everyone, and the two swapped stories and tall tales, each one getting more outrageous then the next, until they both heard a soft chuckle at the door way just as they finished.
Turning, they saw Dashi standing in the doorway, with a gentle smile on her face.
" Dinner time, you two." She said, then turned and hopped down the hatchway.
" Last one there is a boiled scallop!" Kwazii said to Trigger.
" You're on!" Trigger responded, and they both took off through the ship.