The Octonauts and the Octoscouts Chapter 1, an octonauts fanfic

The Octonauts and the Octo Scouts

Chapter 1: The Founding of the Octo Scouts

Professor Inkling, seated comfortably in his hover chair, held a cup of hot chocolate in one tentacle and a kelp biscuit in the other. With his other six tentacles, he typed busily away, recording the latest mission of the Octonauts.

He took a bite of the biscuit and sipped hot chocolate, but the pace of his typing didn't slow. Inkling could multitask eight things at once.

After a few more minutes, Inkling had completed his task. He pressed the SAVE button one final time.

Inkling extended two tentacles toward the hot chocolate machine near his desk. One tentacle held the now empty cup underneath the dispenser – the other tentacle pressed the button until it was two-thirds full. He then pressed another button for marshmallows.

Thus fortified, he paged back to the beginning of his report and read it through carefully. He always checked his work to make sure he had made no errors of any kind, and that he had not left out any necessary information.

When he was satisfied that the text of the report was perfect, he hit the SAVE button again.

Next, he accessed the Octopod's computer and pulled up Dashi's library of photographs. Dashi was orderly also – all of her photos were stored in folders with descriptive names so she (or anyone else) could find a photo that they needed within seconds.

Inkling found the folder he was looking for – it was marked Everglades. He looked through the folder and selected several of Dashi's photos to illustrate his report.

As always when he looked at Dashi's photos he was impressed by how beautiful they were. She had a great talent for composing her shot to catch the eye, and of course each photo was in perfect focus and with perfect color.

After Inkling had inserted the photos he wanted into the report, he previewed the document to make sure that all the page breaks came at appropriate places. Then he saved the report as a Word document, and then saved it again as a PDF.

Inkling then opened up his video email and recorded a message to send to the librarian at TechnoOcean headquarters.

"Professor Bolide," he said to the camera on his computer, "I'm sending you the latest mission of the Octonauts, which I call "The Octonauts and The Great Swamp Search." The Octonauts traveled to the Everglades in southern Florida and helped find three creatures from "invasive species" which they returned to their native habitat.

That is all for now. I am looking forward to seeing you at the National Seographic convention next month!

Message ends, my friend."

Inkling turned off his video camera, attached his text document to the message, and sent off the email.

Then he pressed the print button on his computer. Once the entire document had printed, Inkling gathered all the pages, bound them together using a special machine, and placed a label on the spine: "The Octonauts and the Great Swamp Search."

He then sent his hover chair moving forward to a corner book case, where all the Octonauts missions he had recorded were stored in chronological order.

Adjacent to the book case that held the Octonauts missions was a bookcase jam-packed with issues of National Seographic, a monthly magazine published by the TechnoOcean organization.

Professor Inkling and Dashi often teamed up to submit articles to National Seographic. Instead of the detailed information that he provided on the Octonauts' missions for the TechnoOcean library, the articles he wrote for National Seographic were devoted to information about the creatures they had met on their mission.

Thanks to his time aboard the Octopod, and Dashi's wonderful photos, he had been able to share information about such rare creatures as the oarfish, and the siphonophore, adding to the sum total of knowledge about these creatures.

He had often asked Dashi to co-write an article with him, but she had always declined with a smile. She was a photographer, not a writer, she insisted, and they made a perfect team the way things were.

Inkling had to agree with her there!

Behind him, he heard the chime from his email.

Inkling turned his chair around and hurried back to his desk.

The image on the screen was of Professor Bolide – like him a Dumbo Octopus.

Inkling pressed the play button for the video message.

"Professor Inkling," said Professor Bolide cheerfully. "Your document received, printed and added to the TechnoOcean library, thank you.

Now, I have some exciting news for you."

Two of Bolide's tentacles came into view, holding a copy of the latest issue of National Seographic.

Inkling recognized the photo on the cover even before Bolide spoke. It was one of the photos that Dashi had taken during their Manta Ray adventure. He of course had written up an article for the magazine on that marvelous adventure – when Captain Barnacles, Kwaazi, Peso and Dashi had ridden on the back of a manta ray and found their mysterious feeding grounds – and used Dashi's photos to illustrate it.

Bolide was continuing, "As you can see, the editors of National Seographic decided that Dashi's photo of the manta ray leaping out of the ocean deserved to be on the cover of this month's edition."

Inkling clapped two of his tentacles together. Only the best of the best photos were used for a National Seogrpahic cover. It was quite an honor. Dashi would be so pleased, and the rest of the Octonaut crew would be so proud of her.

"As you know," continued Bolide, "every year at the TechnoOcean convention, National Seographic has an awards dinner for its contributors. This year, Dashi is going to be named sea photographer of the year!"

Bolide adjusted his monocle, at the same time that Inkling was adjusting his monocle. Inkling and Bolide had been students together at TechnoOcean Academy many years ago. They had roomed together and had many of the same mannerisms.

"Please keep that a secret," said Bolide with a smile. "The recipients are supposed to be surprised when they receive their awards. But I am letting you know so that if you and the rest of the Octonauts want to prepare some kind of party for her afterwards, you will have plenty of time to prepare."

Inkling nodded to himself. The rest of the Octonauts would most certainly do something to commemorate Dashi's achievement!

But Bolide was continuing.

"Now I have some very interesting news for you. TechnoOcean founded the Polar Explorers decades ago, and soon after that, the Polar Scouts to get our young polar bears and arctic foxes involved in exploring and protecting their home.

Then you and Captain Barnacles helped us create the Octonauts program. Now, TechnoOcean is going to expand its research program with four new Ocean Research stations, and they are also going to form a new organization for youngsters to be called the Octo Scouts!"

"How wonderful," breathed Inkling.

"We want you and the rest of the Octonauts crew to be our main instructors and demonstrators for the Octo Scouts," continued Bolide. "So, we'd like you all to spend the next thirty days preparing a curriculum for each of your specialties. When the convention starts next month, we'll hold several panels regarding the training of the Octo Scouts, as well as the building of the new Ocean Research Stations, and the training of the scientists that will work in them.

I can imagine how pleased you are, Professor Inkling, and how excited the Octonauts will be at this tremendous opportunity. All of us at TechnoOcean and National Seographic look forward to seeing you and your crew next month!

Message ends, my dear friend."

Professor Inkling raised a tentacle with his cup of hot chocolate and saluted the video screen.

How exciting! How wonderful!

He must inform Captain Barnacles at once!

The Octonauts and the Octo Scouts

Chapter 2: Big Plans

Captain Barnacles the Polar Bear pushed away his plate, that until a few seconds ago had contained a salad of red, blue and green seaweed, with a garnish of a few slices of sea cucumber, and took a spoon to his dessert, vanilla kelp pudding.

As he ate, he looked fondly at the rest of his crew seated around the large table in the dining room. Without doubt they were the best of the best at what they did, he thought, and they were also wonderful friends. He could not have asked for a better crew.

And now their hard work was going to be rewarded by their superiors at TechnoOcean in so many ways. Dashi – to be honored as National Seographic photographer of the year! That was a cause for celebration in itself, of course.

But for TechnoOcean to choose his Octonaut crew to be the main instructors for their Octo Scouts – young cubs whose education was so important – that was more than an honor, that was a responsibility. But his crew was up to it.

He could hardly wait to tell them.

Barnacles stood up and took his dinner and dessert plate to the serving hatch which led into the kitchen.

"Wonderful meal as usual, Tunip," he told the Vegimal, who smiled, and then lifted up the plates and carried them toward the kitchen sink.

Barnacles stuck his head further through the hatch. "We're going to have a meeting in the Video Room after dinner, Tunip," he said in a low voice. "Please bring all the Vegimals there in about ten minutes."

"Supa, supa," said Tunip. His voice was quiet but he jumped up and down excitedly.

Barnacles turned to look at the dining table, where the rest of the crew were just finishing their desserts.

"Octonauts," he announced, "Professor Inkling has a special video that he'd like us all to watch in the Video Room after dinner. When we're all done, let's take our seats."

"What's it all about, Captain?" asked Kwaazi Cat excitedly.

"Something very exciting, Kwaazi," Barnacles said with a smile.

"Come on, Mateys!" exclaimed Kwaazi. He grabbed up his plates and took them to the serving hatch, then somersaulted into the Video Room, followed by the rest of the Octonauts.

Professor Inkling followed in his hoverchair. He maneuvered to the front of the room, in front of the gigantic video screen.

"Octonauts," he said, "I was talking to Professor Bolide at TechnoOcean this morning. As you know, we are all going to attend the TechnoOcean convention next month. I'd like to show you part of his video message to me."

Inkling pressed the button on his hoverchair, which was hooked up to the video machine in the Video Room. He had already carefully edited out the news about Dashi – Captain Barnacles would be sharing that news to the rest of the Octonauts at a later time.

The video screen came alive.

"As you know, TechnoOcean founded the Polar Explorers decades ago, and soon after that, the Polar Scouts to get our young polar bears and arctic foxes involved in exploring and protecting their home" said Bolide's image.

"Then you, Captain Barnacles and Tweak Bunny helped us create the Octonauts program. Now, TechnoOcean is going to expand its research program with four new Ocean Research stations, and they are also going to form a new organization for youngsters to be called the Octo Scouts! We want you and the rest of the Octonauts crew to be our main instructors and demonstrators for the Octo Scouts."

There was an outbreak of surprised and appreciative murmuring from the gathered Octonauts. "Supa, supa," cried the Vegimals.

"So," continued Bolide, "we'd like you all to spend the next thirty days preparing a curriculum for each of your specialties. When the convention starts next month, we'll hold several panels regarding the training of the Octo Scouts, as well as the building of the new Ocean Research Stations, and the training of the scientists that will work in them.

As Professor Inkling switched off the video, the Octonauts crew burst into speech.

"I can teach them how to read treasure maps!" cried Kwaazi enthusiastically. "And fencing! They should all know how to fence like a pirate!"

"I can teach them about being a medic," said Peso the Penguin. "And how to bandage everything from flippers to fins!"

"How to read the storm tracker," chimed in Dashi. "And how to work with computers! And how to take good photos!"

"How to fix a bubble engine…." said Tweak.

"Growa growa," said Tunip. "Cooka cooka."

"And eata eata," said Grouber.

Shellington the Sea Otter had produced his notebook. "Performing scientific investigations properly," he murmured, writing busily.

Professor Inkling and Captain Barnacles smiled at each other. The reaction of their friends and fellow crewmembers was exactly what they had expected.

"Octonauts," said Barnacles, "I want to tell you how proud I am of all of you. It's because of your hard work over the years that TechnoOcean has chosen us to be the instructors for their new Octo Scout program.

I'm also very happy to see how excited you are to create your curriculums. We've got 30 days to put them together, but there's no time to waste. As you all know, Professor Inkling has lots of experience putting training programs together, and he's put a new one together one now about how to write a training curriculum. Let's watch that, and then we can go to work!"

Professor Inkling adjusted his monocle, then pressed the Play button again.

As his image appeared on the big screen and he started to speak, Professor Inkling gazed around at the rapt faces of the Octonauts. They were going to do a wonderful job!

Octonauts and the Octo Scouts

Chapter Three

Dashi opened the locker that contained her photographic equipment – everything neatly sorted on the shelves. On one shelf were three cameras for use underwater. On another shelf were three cameras for use on land. On yet another shelf were several inexpensive "point-and-shoot" cameras for emergency use. It was essential to have backups for everything since the Octopod was rarely close to one of TechnoOcean's supply depots.

Dashi placed five of these point-and-shoot cameras into a box, and carried them into the Garden Pod where the Vegimals were waiting.

"All right, Vegimals," said Dashi cheerfully. "I am going to teach you how to take photos, so I can see how effective my training curriculum is going to be. At the same time, you will be able to take photos of everything in the Garden Pod to help illustrate your own curriculum on growing fresh food and then preparing delicious meals!"

The Vegimals jumped up and down excitedly. "Supa, supa!"

"Okay, here are the cameras. There's one for you, Tunip. And here's one for you, Barrot…"

Dashi handed out the cameras to each Vegimal – Tunip, Grouber, Barrot, Codish and Tominnow.

"These are what are called 'point-and-shoot' cameras," Dashi explained. "That means you don't have to do anything with them except, well, "point" the lens at whatever you want to take a picture of, and then press the shutter button to "shoot" the picture. Understand?"

The Vegimals burbled their assent.

"What I want to teach you today is how to 'compose' a photo," said Dashi. "That means, you find something you want to take a photo of. And you decide if you want to make it a close up, or stand further away from your subject. You have to decide what you want to be in your photo – just one object or more than one object.

So, first, I want to see how your camera skills are right now, before I start the training. So, how about each of you take five photos of different things here in the Garden Pod. When everyone is done, we'll go to the HQ and take a look at them on the big screen."

"Supa supa," said the Vegimals excitedly. They each turned to look around the Garden Pod, then started off in different directions.

Dashi sat in a chair by the hydroponics table and watched as the Vegimals took their photos. She was looking forward to seeing what they came up with.

II.

Kwazii and Tweak were in the Games Room. Each one held a pirate sword.

"Okay, Tweak," said Kwazii, "There are four positions for holding the sword, so you can guard against your opponent's attacks. High left, high right. Low left, low right."

Tweak nodded. "Got it."

"So, I swing my sword high and to my left, and you parry it. Then I twist my wrist and go high right, and you parry that. Then, I swing my sword low left, and you parry again – and then low right and you parry that."

He demonstrated with his own sword.

"Ready? One."

Kwazii swung his sword up high. Tweak swung up her sword to meet it.

"Two," said Kwazii. Still holding his sword up high, he twisted his wrist so his sword flashed in the other direction.

Tweak twisted her wrist also and blocked his sword again.

"Very good," said Kwazii. Now, three."

He swung his sword downward, and Tweak parried it.

"And four," said Kwazii, twisting his wrist in the other direction. Tweak blocked it.

"Very good, matey," cried Kwazii. "Let's practice it again a couple more times in slow motion, and then we'll speed it up."

He stepped backward, and brought up his sword in a salute. "En garde, me hearty," he said. "One."

III.

Peso the Penguin was in his Medical Bay.

On his work table was a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle, featuring an image of a sea mount, covered with a wide variety of plants and animals in various shades of various colors.

Peso enjoyed doing jigsaw puzzles, and had been doing them since he'd been a chick. They helped to develop his powers of observation. Observation was very important for a medic. It also developed his memory – he was able to notice the slightest edge of color on a tiny puzzle piece, and remember where on his table he had seen a piece that had just the right color he needed.

As Peso worked on the jigsaw puzzle, he wondered if he should start his students out in their first training class by introducing them the jigsaw puzzle and explaining how important it was to develop one's powers of observation.

There were other memory games he could teach his students, he thought. And these memory games would help them in future with their other classes.

Peso nodded to himself. Everything was connected. Every class would help the Octo Scouts learn in every other class.

IV.

Captain Barnacles and Shellington were in the HQ. Shellington was going slowly through his Creature Catalog on the computer screen. Keeping orderly records was a very important part of being a scientist. Information didn't do you any good if you couldn't find it when you needed it.

Captain Barnacles, seated in his command chair, was holding his old, much thumbed through Polar Scout manual. He had started to read it from the very first page, but he'd read it so many times when he was a young cub that now, over a decade later, he only had to start reading it again for everything to come back to him – all the adventures he had had as a Polar Scout, all the friends he had made, all the creatures he had helped.

It was a great idea to form a similar organization for the Octonauts. There was so much of the world to explore, so many creates to rescue and protect, that more and more Octonauts were needed – and the Octo Scouts were the perfect solution. Teaching young cubs and kits how to care for their homes and care for others would set them on the right path.

Suddenly, a communication bell rang. Barnacles turned to look at the screen. It was Tracker from the Arctic Polar Scout Station! Someone must need their help!

Octonauts and the Octo Scouts

Chapter 4: Arctic Volcano

Captain Barnacles immediately punched a button and Tracker, the young polar bear who worked at as station in the pack of the Arctic Ocean, appeared on the screen.

"Hello, Tracker!" said Barnacles.

"Hello, Captain. Polar scout Arctic owls have reported steam coming from a location in the Arctic ocean. We think that an underwater volcano has started to erupt."

"And if there's steam visible on the surface, chances are that that underwater volcano is forming a new island," exclaimed Barnacles.

"Fascinating," exclaimed Shellington. "I don't think there's been a new island formed in the Arctic since Surtsey, over 50 years ago."

"Surtsey? What's that, Shellington?" asked Barnacles.

"It's an island off the coast of Iceland," explained Shellington. "There are volcanoes all along the sea floor. Most of the time when they erupt they don't reach the surface, but if they eject enough lava to build toward the surface, they only form a little bit of land that is quickly eroded – within days or weeks. But the volcano that formed Surtsey kept erupting and erupting over the course of about six months, and eventually it formed an island that was over two miles in diameter."

"That's pretty impressive," commented Captain Barnacles.

"There's even more things fascinating about it," said Shellington. "At first of course it was just a mass of volcanic rock, with nothing growing. But the wind and the ocean carried seeds and other life there. At first it was just moss and lichen. Then fungi. Birds starting nesting there, and I think there are gulls and puffins there now. At one point there was even a golden plover sighting!"

"Well, then," said Barnacles. "We've got a few weeks before we're due at the conference. Why don't we travel to this new island and witness its birth with our own eyes? And there might be sea creatures that need our help to escape from the flow of lava. Tracker, thank you for telling us this wonderful news."

"You're welcome, Captain. I'm not sure if the volcano will erupt long enough to create another island like Surtsey, but if it does, it will be a fantastic natural laboratory for Polar Scouts to learn so many of the sciences."

And Octo Scouts, Barnacles thought, but did not say aloud.

Tracker signed off and Barnacles turned to Shellington.

"Shellington, sound the Octo Alert!"

With a thrill of excitement, Shellington pressed his paw on the Octo Alert button. A new island being born! And they would be there!"

"Octonauts, to the HQ!" Barnacles had called. Within seconds, all of the Octonauts arrived in the HQ.

Barnacles shared the news of the new island, and that they were heading for the Arctic to observe its birth. As he had expected, they all expressed excitement at the news – for different reasons of course.

Dashi intended to take some awesome photographs, Peso was concerned about the creatures who lived around the erupting undersea volcano, and Kwazii wanted to see the spectacle of lava erupting into the night sky. Tweak began munching thoughtfully on a carrot. Barnacles knew she was thinking that she might have to make some modifications to the Octo Mach Suit to withstand the heat and incendiary power of the lava.

Professor Inkling had immediately gone to Shellington's side and the two of them were excitedly discussing Surtsey and wondering what treasures this new island might bring.

Dashi had also taken her seat at the command console, and had set course for the coordinates given them by Tracker.

The Octopod was on its way to the Arctic!

The Octonauts and the Octo Scouts

Chapter 5: Families - Peso

Peso's younger brother Pinto, and Pinata who was a year younger than Pinto - raced through the chill Antarctic water. In front of them, their mum and dad flippered just fast enough to keep ahead of their offspring.

When their mum and dad slid onto the ice flow that was their goal, Pinto was just behind them and Pinata was a couple of penguin lengths behind him. Desperately she launched herself out of the water to try to "fly" onto the ice before he made it.

Her beak hit the ice just a second before Pinto touched flipper.

"You cheated!" Pinto said indignantly as he slid onto the ice and up to Pinata.

"Did not," said Pinata. "I won!"

"But you didn't swim! You flew that last bit!"

"Children," said their mum, smiling. "Please don't argue. We were just playing a game."

"But I won," said Pinata.

"You did not!"

"Pinata showed ingenuity," their dad said, woodle-waddling over and placing a flipper on each of their shoulders and giving them a hug.

"But remember, you are playing games to help you increase your strength and your knowledge of your abilities. Who wins and loses between the two of you doesn't matter – it's how you do in the game of life that matters. And I hope you two will form a wonderful team. You must help each other to achieve your successes in life."

"I'm going to be a medic! Just like Peso," Pinto said.

"I'm going to be an explorer!" said Pinata. "Just like Captain Barnacles. Mum, I get to go visit Peso at the Octopod this year, don't I?"

"Yes, dear."

"When are we going to go, mum?"

"I have to talk to your brother and ask him when would be a good time. I shall be calling him on the video phone later tonight."

"I've been to the Octopod twice," said Pinto to his sister, proudly.

"I could have swum out to the Octopod last year," Pinata said.

"Children," said their father, giving them another hug. "Stop this arguing. "Pinto, you are a year older than your sister so of course you have done some things that she hasn't yet done. And Pinata, you must not be jealous of the fact that Pinto is a year older. Do you think Peso would be happy to know that you two are always arguing with each other?"

"No, dad," said Pinto and Pinata.

"When you're older, you may both be on the Octopod! Pinata will be exploring and finding new creatures and Pinto will be helping anyone who needs help. You will have to work together then, just like the crew of the Octopod do now. You will both of you have to be the very best at your own particular profession."

"That's true, mum," said Pinto. "I want to be as good a medic as Peso!"

"And I want to be as good an explorer as Captain Barnacles," said Pinata.

"So then, you must work hard toward your goals. And you must help each other to achieve your goals and be the best you can be."

"We will, mum and dad!" said Pinto and Pinata together.

"Very good. Well, let's swim back to that other ice floe now. And it doesn't matter who gets their first. What matter is if you can get there in a shorter amount of time than it took you to get here. Does that make sense?"

The two half-grown chicks nodded.

"I'm to work to achieve my own personal best," Pinata said, "and not try to beat out my brother slash teammate."

Pinto nodded. "Right. Me too"

Their mum and dad smiled. "Okay, here we go."

II.

That evening, Peso's mum called him on the video phone.

After the traditional greetings, his mum said, "Pinata wants very much to visit the Octopod this year. She has told your father and me that she wants to be a great explorer, like Captain Barnacles. And Pinto's ambition is still to be a medic like you."

"That would be lovely, mum," said Peso. "It's too bad that you live in the Antarctic. Right now, the Octopod is journeying to the Arctic. There is an underwater volcano that is erupting right now. It may emit enough lava to become a brand-new island!"

"How exciting," said Peso's mum.

Peso suddenly looked thoughtful. "Mum…I want to ask Captain Barnacles something. Can I call you back in about five minutes?"

"Certainly, Peso."

Peso woodle-waddled to the HQ, where Captain Barnacles, Dashi, and Shellington were seated at their posts.

"Captain Barnacles," said Peso, "I know my brother Pinto and my sister Pinata will want to become Octo Scouts."

"I'm sure of that, Peso," said Barnacles with a smile.

"And I was thinking," continued Peso, "even though we have to wait for the Techno Ocean company to make the announcement, that our trip to the Arctic to watch the birth of this new island is too good to miss. It would be an excellent training tool for future Octo Scouts."

"You're right about that, Peso, but what do you mean? Do you think your family can afford to come all the way to the Arctic? Of course, there's room for them on the Octopod, but they have to get here and that will take time."

"No, captain, I was thinking of television! Would it be possible for us to film our entire adventure, and broadcast it back to the special video phones?"

"Of course," said Dashi excitedly. "I could set up the cameras easily. And I know my sister, Koshi, will want to be an Octo Scout, tool She would love to see videos of this new island."

"My nephew is a bit young," said Shellington, "but in another couple of years he'll be an Octo Scout, I'm sure. And I expect Professor Inkling's nephew Squirt would be happy to join."

"Then there's my own nephew Orson and niece Ursa," agreed Barnacles. "In fact, I had thought of inviting their pack of Polar Scouts to join us on this mission."

Captain Barnacles turned to Dashi.

"How long will it take you to set up cameras on the Octopod and in the Gups?" he asked.

"With Tweak to help me, it won't take long at all," replied Dashi. "I can get started right away!"

"Very good, Dashi," said Barnacles. He turned back to Peso. "Okay, Peso, please let your family know that we've got a special treat in store for them. They'll be able to watch us in action in real time, and learn everything about this new island that we're going to learn, right when it happens."

"Yes, captain!" said Peso excitedly. "I'll go tell them now."

Barnacles nodded at his crew. "Let's do this," he said calmly.